AuckGeddon 09

So. Last weekend was when Auckland Armageddon. If you don't know that already, then who are you and how did you find my little corner of internet? 8D

The entire weekend was a blast. I was cosplaying as the Blue Spy from Team Fortress 2. First off, huge props to Sylvie for making the suit, it is perfect. And even more thanks to Jess for making the mask - it ended up being much better than I had dared to hope. Between your efforts, the costume was brilliant, and I have you both to thank for it.

The amount of recognition my costume received was truly staggering. I mean, I expected some, but I literally couldn't walk around for more than five minutes without hearing "Spy 'round here!" or "That spy's sappin' mah sentry". Constantly getting stopped for photos should have been irritating, but I instead found it quite gratifying, even if the compliments on the costume were ultimatley misplaced. And I'll tell you what, if I wasn't very good at the knife taunt at the start of the weekend, I was certainly an expert by the end.

And naturally, CNZ shined in the cosplay scene, though there were a number of good'uns that were apparently not among our number. I won't bother detailing all of it - that has been done to death, on the forums and elsewhere. However, I do feel that I need to mention Clan Biscuit. Their contest entries were staggering - I was literally at a loss for words, and those of you who know me well know just how rare this is. Best Group and Best Skit, and both very well-earned. Good job you three - I know you all put a helluva lot of work into your costumes, and it is good to see your hard work paying off. The beautiful rose, the blooming wildflower and the "God of Love" (I still snort with laughter every time the though of Alex as the God of Love crosses my mind). Just brilliant.

The convention itself was excellent - the move to a bigger venue was a very good choice - rough estimates put attendance over the 40,000 mark, and it was very full at peak times - there was no chance the Aotea center could have handled it. The selection of stalls was very good, even if the number of anime-related stalls seemed less than last year. I wholeheartedly approve of the inclusion of a proper Artists Alley this year - it has been the only thing consistently missing for a while now.

However, this year I think the highlight of the convention (cosplay aside) was the R18 gaming section. I pity you poor souls who could not get in - the chance to get a sneak-peek and play at Assassin's Creed II, Left4Dead2 and Borderlands was bloody brilliant, and has strengthened my resolve to buy all three games. And on top of that, the 3D gaming tech-demo (Avatar: The Game I think it was) was breathtaking. I hadn't yet seen that in action, so I had no idea the technology had come so far. It is a crime shame that such a setup would cost over 9000 dollars.

The event was slightly marred by unfortunate happenings of various causes and caliber, but that is only natural. None of it detracted from the sheer amount of FUN I had this weekend. It is all a bit of a blur really - I have genuine difficulty placing the various moments I remember on a timeline, and even remember which day they happened on. A bit of a stimulus overload, my brain is fried.

Once again, AuckGeddon was one hell of an event. I can only say this - thank god it is only once a year, else we might just all die of exhaustion.

Genius!

[2:04:03 p.m.] Francis: gota start doin pushups and situps again sigh
[2:05:55 p.m.] Creature124: wuuuuut.
[2:06:29 p.m.] Francis: yea its prob cuz i gained like 2 kgs over the 2week break lmao
[2:06:54 p.m.] Creature124: oooh. I may have - I don't weigh myself, I only look at the size of my paunch. Its been getting smaller!
[2:07:04 p.m.] Francis: thts cuz ur poor and dont eat
lmao

What can I say? Too fucking true. Either I can't afford food, or I am too lazy to prepare it. Either way, missed meals = lost weight. Genius!

The Right Information {{Brain Dump}}

Another brain dump done in class. I have noticed that when I do this in class, the points don't flow so obviously. Probably becuase there are more distractions and stuff than when I do it at my keyboard.

---------------------------------------------

The deliver the right information
to the right people
in the right form
at the right time.

Form
Function
Mind
Matter
Greed
Power
Animal Reactions

What is the human mind?
Unstructured data.

Oh, a text message.
A welcome distraction.
From someone I actually like hearing from, no less.

Newfags arriving late
They amuse me
I hope they fail.

The 21st Century
Age of the Acronym

Better safe than sorry.
That hunter has Francis!

Management Informations Systems
More reports than there are clouds in the sky.

Marketing deparments are nosy bastards
sticking their fingers where they don't belong.

Class is interesting for a change.
How droll.

Human Resources is a terrible term.
I am more than just a 'resource', thank you very much.

1 job, 150 applicants?
Fight to the death.

Blood, fights, honour.
Sounds like fun.
I am intrigued.

We are all mirrors
that reflect each other's karma

Computers are lost without structure.
Interesting. I could say the same of myself.

Diversions?
I love diversions.
But I digress.

I love open ended questions.
So much potential for mindfuckery.

Hypothesis?
Hypopomous?
Hippopopomous?

How does telling someone to suck your dick make them gay?
Does that make you the gay one, numbskull?

And the shoulder-surfer says:
'LOL, Paul.'

SPSS?
Bloody Acronym Age.

This is the age of hysteria.
One world, controlled the by the media.

Do you know the enemy?
I used to know the enemy
Now, I think the only enemy is myself.
My own weaknesses.

Objective Complete.

The kid behind me is asleep.
I am amused.

Noisy buggers.
STFU and listen.

Get your towels ready
because this shit's about to go down.

Lecture is over
Jack won the bet
Old Dude™ only interrupted twice.
I just lost the game.

The Nature of the Oracle

I think I have realised something about the nature of my Oracle set.

Don't get me wrong here - I'm not a believer in prediction. Not really. But I do have an Oracle set that I have owned since I was a kid, and when I stumble upon it (usually hidden in the deepest recesses of my untidy bookcase), I invariably pull it out and do a reading, just out of curiosity.

Maybe it is my lack of belief that explains why future events are never predicted correctly. But then, maybe not - chaos theory, people.

Never when I do a reading do I learn anything new. Not once.

At first, it always seems like new information. It feels new. But when it is done, and I take a step back and look at the whole picture, I realise that I already knew everything in it. Perhaps I had not fully realized it. Or simply not accepted it. But it was there.

The cards show me a path that I had known all along, but simply had not recognised. I think that this is their power - through their vague meanings, my thoughts are clarified, and I am able recognise what has been right in front of me the entire time.

That is their value. I have always held that the personal meanings found in fortune telling is manufactured by the veiwer, but now I wonder thus: Is that not what makes them useful?

Nonetheless, I think I need to invest in a new Deck. Telling my fortune on a Lord of the Rings themed Oracle makes me feel like an idiot, regardless of the result 8D

The Song of the Century {{Brain Dump}}

They're playing the song of the century
Of panic and promise and prosperity
Tell me a story into that goodnight
Sing us a song for me

We didn't start the flame war
but we invariably continue it.

All of this has happened before,
and all of this will happen again.

So say we all.

There is no coincidence in this world
only hitsuzen.

So, maybe,
just maybe,
it's time to shine my halo.

Known not to death,
nor to life.

The path I walk has been so....easy.
Can it be called living?
Have I yet lived?
Sometimes, I wonder.

A friend of so many,
yet a lover of none.
Is it my fate to walk this path alone?
I don't think so.
I refuse to believe it.
For the moment I believe it, hope is lost
and with no hope, that would be my fate indeed.

Words of encourangement reach my ears.
They give me heart
My quest is not in vain
I walk onwards.

Stand on the freakin' point, dumbass.

I don't know if you mean well,
or if you hold sinister intent,
but your warnings will not dissuade me
No matter how many times you repeat them
you fucking broken record.

I'm following my heart
you should be able to understand that
of all people
you dick.

I walk on.

Do I need a reason to help someone?
Yes, I do. But I have one.
But it is a reason in me, that is always there
because I enjoy seeing the smiles.

I once heard a story of a girl
who cried a river and drowned the whole world,
and while she looked so sad in photographs
I absolutley love her when she smiles.

Please keep smiling,
for your smile is my reason to change.

So sing us a song of the century,
Thats louder than bombs and eternity
The era of static and contraband,
Leading us into the Promised Land.

Sing us a song...for me.