Think Lynsen

Check out our Muxtape

2008-04-13T11:14:00.001-04:00

Feelin' Good

Songs for when you're feeling on top of the world!

Annie loves froggies!

2008-04-12T16:55:00.001-04:00

Mobile post sent by alynsen using Utterz. Replies.

Frog exhibit at National Geographic Museum

2008-04-12T16:35:00.002-04:00

I am in heaven!

Mobile post sent by alynsen using Utterz. Replies.

Random thoughts from this week

2008-04-12T11:10:00.003-04:00

I've been messing around with Twitter lately. Haven't decided if I'm loving it or not. But it has given me a venue to jot down random thoughts (in 140 characters or less) during the week for a few lucky friends to see. Here are a few from this week:

4/12/08 11:10 a.m.: "We just heard Canada geese flying overhead. The hell?!

4/10/08 1:17 p.m.: "Josh + Annie = 9 years together today!"

4/10/08 6:41 p.m.: "I'm working out and watching Emeril make waffles. Now I really want waffles."

4/10/08 6:42 p.m.: "And I can't decide if that Meatloaf cell phone ad is creepy or hysterically ironic."

4/9/08 10:57 a.m.: "Thank god in heaven, we have a confirmed, locked-in hotel room for CONvergence."

4/8/08 5:30 p.m.: "Attention Brain Age guy: I do not want to draw your stupid pictures. I just want to play sodoku!"

I think Josh and I will also be trying out Utterz on the blog soon, to see if it will work for CONvergence. It's a utility that lets you live blog photos, video, text, and audio -- from your cell phone. So before too long, we may be posting multimedia blog updates...from the WORLD instead of from our apartment. Amazing! Twitter lets you do that with text, but I think I want something more robust to link into the blog. Stay tuned.

Battlestar Galactica gets back on track

2008-04-12T10:47:00.002-04:00

Last night we caught the first two episodes of the fourth season of Battlestar Galactica. And I gotta say, though I've been disappointed before after this feeling, I think the show is getting back on track and playing its strengths again. (Maybe it's because they know this is their final season.)

Things I loved (Warning: spoilers to follow - highlight blank sections of text to read them):

We're finally seeing Cylons again! Season 3 floundered aimlessly with no Cylons in sight for waaaay too long. And let's face it, they're the best reason to watch the show. Too much inter-human drama gets boring fast. The Cylon civil war that started at the end of episode 2 really has me excited for this season.
Starbuck's back! And even more dramatically, she spent most of the first two episodes emoting like crazy. Girl can throw a hysterical fit like it's nobody's business, and her character really gets to shine in the new story arc where she's convinced she knows the way to Earth and the fleet, by following the president's orders, is going the wrong way. Especially intriguing to watch is Adama's vacillation as the woman he loves and the woman he loves like a daughter are pitted against each other. Who will he trust?
The final 4 out of 5 are floundering fantastically. It's fascinating to watch, and I keep seeing parallels to the gay rights movement as these seemingly ordinary folks struggle with staying in the closet.
Laura Roslin is becoming interesting to watch. And highly suspect. Signs are starting to point to her being the 5th and final Cylon. She's acting very strangely. (And looks like she had a LOT of Botox before this season started. Is it just me?)
Gaius Baltar is having new and interesting hallucinations. Fittingly, this egomaniac has started hallucinating conversations with himself. What the deuce? This can only end in awesome.

So we'll see where this season goes. I'm hoping all this points to a series renaissance akin to season 7 of Buffy, where they knew it was their last shot and they had to pull out all the stops. The biggest bad guy, the strongest and most defined plot arc since early in the series' run, and characters busting out of their conventions...this could be good. Here's hoping!

Remember the Milk

2008-04-08T20:47:00.004-04:00

Do you forget stuff? Like, a lot?

Check out Remember the Milk, a site where you can create task lists, and even set reminders for those tasks to be sent to your instant messenger, mobile phone, e-mail, Google calendar, etc.

And like all great things on the Internet, it's free.

I HEART "indexed"

2008-04-08T19:47:00.003-04:00

Apparently I'm the last one on Earth to discover the blog "indexed," which is full of awesome. Some choice entries:

See also: Papyrus

(Special bonus: Thanks to Hummely for pointing me toward the joy that is http://www.bancomicsans.com/!)

Arrg, that hurt

Dang!

The Emperor's New Suit Was Expensive

Pirate Ducky rants about webcomics with too much plot

2008-04-07T19:15:00.004-04:00

Why is it so many webcomics feel the need to go all plot-driven now and again?

I don't think I'm the only pirate in the seven seas who reads webcomics just for the simple joy of a morning chuckle while consuming my hearty breakfast.

The following are things that will instantly stop me from reading a webcomic, sometimes for weeks at a time, sometimes altogether:

Time travel and crossover plots (Real Life, knock it off)
Romantic plots meant to develop a character or characters (Shortpacked! does this way too often)
The appearance of a new and annoying character (PVP is the worst offender in this category)
Plots that end up dragging out a one-note joke for waaaay too long (all of the above are offenders)
Generally, any plots that last for more than three strips.

Rule #1 of webcomics: They should be funny. There are lots of comics out there that manage to be consistently funny without resorting to drama, inserting obnoxious characters, or stretching out one-note jokes over several strips.

Rule #2 of webcomics: They should be accessible to everyone, even people reading for the first time.

Plots tend to defy both these rules. Therefore, plots in webcomics are evil.

Pirate Ducky continues to steadfastly watch over Annie's computer monitor at work. Yarrr!

The rogue demon hunter warns city council of possible zombie attacks

2008-04-07T18:57:00.002-04:00

Actual news from an actual newspaper, ladies and gentlemen...I assume this was an April Fool's Day prank, but if it was, the best part is that the reporter had no idea how to write about it.

It started as insightful and articulate, especially compared to most public-comment hokum.

Georgia transplant Wesley Wyndham-Price calmly stood before the City Council, cautioning members about downtown's derelict emergency-preparedness plan. City elders are "insouciantly" unaware of risks to City Creek Center, he warned.

Wyndham-Price even paused to joke that Georgia's saltwater taffy is better than Utah's. "I hope that is not an ad hominem," he shrugged.

Then he got specific and all reason helicoptered into the ether.

City Creek needs an emergency-preparedness plan, he demanded, against zombies.

"Zombies are fierce," he said as a crammed council chamber laughed nervously. "They are going to catch us in there."

Wyndham-Price admitted he never has seen a zombie attack but is sure one is coming. And shoppers could be sitting ducks in a sky bridge.

Read the full article

Tech support humor

2008-04-07T18:49:00.000-04:00

Customer: "I want to download the Internet. Do I need a bigger hard disk?"

Download the Internet here

CONvergence: Panel goodness

2008-04-05T09:04:00.004-04:00

Just announced are the CONvergence panels! Some of these really look exciting. A few of my favorites (the full and vast list is here):

Make Your Own Voodoo Doll
You know you want to...muah ha ha! We provide most of the material, you provide the nemesis.

Facepainting and Hairbraiding
Get something fun and geeky on your face while getting your hair braided. (Ed. note: Dude, I am SO THERE.)

Women and Gaming
Yes we play them! Why don't the game companies realize that they write for an audience that includes women? There's more out there than Cooking Mama and the Imagine series, after all...

Are You Ready to Rock?
Rhythm-based games like Guitar Hero, Rock Band, Elite Beat Agents, and others have become very popular in the last few years. Is there still room for classics like DDR? Where do you see this trend going in the future and is there any crossover with wanting to learn real-life instruments?

Final Smash!
Super Smash Bros. Brawl was released four months ago. Is it still in your Wii or is it collecting dust? Where is this franchise headed and were any mascots left out? Bring your online friends codes to share!

Is There Anything You'd Like to Pre-Order Today?
GameStop. The bane of many gamers' existence. Why do you keep coming back? Have you taken your business elsewhere or online? With trade-in margins decreasing every year, is the EDGE card worth it? Are there any alternatives or game-swap forums that work?

I Can Has Fluidic Beverage?
Come and share your favorite drinking games. Hopefully you have a room at the hotel and don't have to drive home.

Web Comics
What are some of your favorite web-comics? How long have you been reading them? Share your favorites and discover some new ones.

Previously... in the Whedon-verse
Buffy, Angel, and Firefly have gotten a new lease on life in a comic book medium. Come and discuss the recent Firefly mini-series, Buffy Season Eight, and Angel Season Six.

Drum Jam
Join us for an hour of free-style drumming.

GLBT Comic Characters
Northstar is no longer the only gay in the village. We've got Hulkling, Wiccan, Batwoman, and many others. Discuss your faves and speculate which other characters still need to come out?

Crafty Geek Meet Up
Knit, sew, scrapbook, bead, or just sit and chat about your favorite projects. Learn a little about the local MISFITS crafty club while you're at it!

Prop Building
Prop-builder and physical effects artist Christian Colquhoun's projects have included Galaxy Quest, Van Helsing, and Firefly. Come and learn about the art of prop design and construction.

Geek Speed Dating
Join in as we put an unique spin on this modern phenomenon. How many three minute dates can you fit into an hour? (Ed. note: I won't be going to this, but I find it amusing it's there.)

How to Take Over the World!
Join some super-villain panelists and learn the proper way to take over the world. We'll explain our plan in detail to you and entertain suggestions (but not if you're a tied-up superhero - we're smarter than that!)

Puppetry!
From MST3K to the Muppet Show, Farscape to Captain Scarlet, The Dark Crystal to Yoda, there have been a number of series and movies that used puppets as characters. Discuss your favorites and learn about current puppet-related shows. (featuring Trace Beaulieu!)

Geek Swap Meet
Bring your old geek items you no longer want and trade for things you do. Sure you'll be filling your old space with new (to you) items, but isn't that half the fun?

How to Write a Novel in 10 Steps…
Is it possible to boil down the writing process into ten easy steps or less? Let's find out!

Hogwarts Graduation!
The seventh (and as of this writing) final novel in the Harry Potter saga has been out for about a year, but there is still plenty to talk about!

Philip Pullman - The Anti-Narnia
Discuss the "His Dark Materials" trilogy and Lyra's Oxford novella. What are Pullman's plans for "The Book of Dust" and other entries in this universe?

Current State of A.I.
How far off is SkyNet? Do we need to start worrying about the Internets taking over? What are some positive advances in artificial intelligence development?

Movie Pet-Peeves
Are there any movie cliches that you just can't stand? Things that make you want to leave the theatre or scream in disgust? Come share your movie pet-peeves.

MST3K: The Local Legacy
Join first-time CONvergence Guest of Honor Trace Beaulieu as he discusses the local origins of MST3K and his involvement as the diabolical Dr. Forrester and original voice of Crow T. Robot, as well as his work behind the scenes on the show.

Smackdown Panel
Cereal Mascot Smackdown - Many will enter but only one will win. Watch out for that Captain Crunch - he's sneaky and vicious and cuts the roof of your mouth!

The Match Game
Following the Smackdown panel, join a crazy group as we recreate this 1970's classic gameshow. Please note: the panel will most likely be starting late and running later than normal as well.

Killer B's Improv Movie Show
Returning for its second year, the Killer B's Improv Movie Show will give new life to those crappy B-movies of yesteryear. In front of your eyes, our team of experts will create brand-new dialogue (and a whole new Theremin score!) for some of the worst film clips ever placed on celluloid. The catch? They've never seen the movies before! It's a movie and live improv comedy at the same time.

Pirate Ducky Reviews Captain Dan & the Scurvy Crew: Authentic Pirate Hip Hop

2008-04-02T21:41:00.003-04:00

Among the booty I amassed this past winter solstice was, let's just say, a UNIQUE CD called Authentic Pirate Hip Hop by Captain Dan & the Scurvy Crew. While it is not nearly as good as the sweet, delicious candy that is the Pirates for Sail CD, it certainly has its merits and can definitely be classified in the "entertaining" category.

Captain Dan pulls no punches: this hip hop is the real deal. From commanding all his "real swashbucklers" to "throw their hooks in the air" (and yes, wave them like they just don't care) to his no-nonsense stance that he is THE Captain of the Seven Seas, Captain Dan struts his stuff vocally and "piratizes" the typical hip hop subject matter of partying, drugs, and easy women. The result is both hilariously satirical and, amazingly, listenable. (Particularly that "throw your hooks in the air" riff.)

So if ye be likin' the pirates, and/or need a gag gift for someone who does, this CD definitely fits the bill.

Pirate Ducky is the guardian of Annie's computer monitor at work, where he steadfastly keeps the scalliwags away.

Acting out of character

2008-04-02T07:46:00.003-04:00

I did something extremely out-of-character for me last night...I attended a professional sporting event.

I'll preface this by saying it was with two friends who are likewise not obsessed with sports, who didn't even know who the mascot of the local team was, let alone who the local team was playing. We went because the tickets were cheap. Our seats were one row from the very back, and we had a great time.

But man, have pro sports events changed. Attending a hockey game at the Verizon Center is sort of like being dropped into the middle of a really wacky anime or a Japanese game show. At any given MOMENT, suddenly there were sirens, bright, flashing lights everywhere, and the crowd going wild. To an untrained observer like myself, these moments happened completely randomly and without provocation. And whoever runs this wacky sound-and-lights extravaganza obviously has a crush on Will Farrell, because at least three times during the evening his visage from various films graced the big screen.

Some thoughts I jotted down during the course of the evening...

Our team just scored and they're playing a scene from "Old School"on the big screen...I don't understand sports.

Second goal warrants a clip of the SNL cheerleaders. And lots of bright shiny lights.

Other team scores: Scene of John Belushi smashing a guitar in "Animal House" accompanied by a funeral march.

Some guy's stick just broke, so he left it on the ice and is now playing defense with his feet! These guys stop for NOTHING.

Goal 3: Dance sequence from "Napoleon Dynamite." This just keeps getting weirder.

Hockey suddenly becomes hilarious when you imagine it as a sentient puck's desperate attempts to be free from the big mean stick wielders.

Regarding the last note, I don't know how that idea popped into my head, but after I told my companions, we started doing a voiceover for the puck as it was flung about -- "Help meeeee! Ohhh the pain!" It was extremely amusing and helped pass the final few minutes of the game, when our team had already obviously won 4-1.

Also, during one of the breaks between periods we got to see a way-too-long "Cribs" type show on the big screen featuring some of the players. It was downright sad. Four of them live together in a condo or something, and this condo has seen better days. They had a sofa whose stuffing had clearly died years ago, a fridge full of beer and green Jell-O (?), aaaaaand that was about it. Very, very weird. I thought pro athletes were paid fat sacks of cash money so they, um, didn't need to have roommates or live in crappy condos?

Anyway around it, it seems I have a lot to learn about sports.

Sony offers scholarships to improve portrayal of women in video games

2008-04-01T22:45:00.005-04:00

OK, all you female programmers I know (which is all, um, none of you)...start your MacBook Pros.

According to Kotaku there's a new scholarship competition for anyone who wants to work in the video games industry and help improve the portrayal of women in games. Check it out. The stats are particularly interesting.

The GIRL Game Design Competition scholarship is only open to current students of any The Art Institute schools and will reward one winner up to $10,000 towards tuition for his or her education at The Art Institute school at which he or she is currently enrolled. The winner will also receive a paid internship of up to ten weeks at one of the Sony Online Entertainment studios (located in Austin, Denver, San Diego and Seattle; room, board, transportation and living expenses not included).

To enter you need to complete an application and submit three pieces of concept art, a 500 word essay decribing the art, another 500 word essay describing why you want to work in the video games industry, how you could improve the image of women within video games and how your improvements could facilitate the creation of games that more women will play.

...

The SOE G.I.R.L competition was created in response to survey findings that focused on women in the field of video games. The survey interviewed female students currently enrolled in Game Art & Design, Visual & Game Programming and Visual Effects & Motion Graphics programs at The Art Institutes schools. The SOE-sponsored survey revealed that:
—61% of students surveyed believe male dominance in the industry is a deterrent to women pursuing a career in gaming
—42% of those surveyed would like to see women portrayed as leaders in video games
—35% of the students surveyed want to create more games that are fun and interesting for women to play
—31% of those surveyed want to become involved in gaming because more women need to represent the industry

According to the Entertainment Software Association, thirty-eight percent of all game players are women. In fact, women over the age of 18 represent a significantly greater portion of the game-playing population (31%) than boys age 17 or younger (20%).

I have to say, as a female who is a casual gamer, I'm not so much bothered by the dominance of war and battle-driven games in the marketplace as I am by the dearth of the kind of games I want to play and the lack of good female protagonists in said games. (Are you listening, you LucasArts punks who stopped making Monkey Island games for no good reason? And you, Ubisoft, who released the amazing Beyond Good and Evil with absolutely no marketing plan, so it tanked despite having both a supercool heroine AND amazing reviews? Yes, I am looking Directly At You.) In the last few years, I can count on one hand (OK, two if you count different iterations of Guitar Hero) the number of games that have intrigued me to the point where I would buy them with my own money. Honestly, I've spent more hours replaying Final Fantasy X-2, a fantastic game with great RPG gameplay and three - count 'em - THREE female protagonists than I have on any other game.

The one thing that's given me hope is the Wii. Nintendo is offering games on the Wii that pretty much everybody can enjoy (well, except my friend Jon, who is totally creeped out by WarioWare: Smooth Moves...but this comes from a guy who enjoys playing Arkham Horror, go figure). I really hope one of the most innovative and fun games in recent years, Katamari Damacy, will eventually work its way to the Wii.

But I'm not saying that the only games I (or women in general) like are light and fluffy. The game that brought me back into video gaming as an adult was Metal Gear Solid (big props to The Ogre, AKA Matt, for that one). And more recently, I thoroughly enjoyed the first two-thirds of Indigo Prophecy, which was a unique game that put you in the shoes of both a murderer and the detectives investigating the crime. What you did as either had impacts on the other, and it was a fascinating concept that needs to be built upon in future games. (The reason I only enjoyed the first two-thirds is that after that point, the plot spun completely into the Land of Ridiculous, whereupon your enemies were revealed to be Satanic cultists, the Illuminati, AND - get this - robot aliens.)

Anyway, this is kind of a rambling rant, but I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm glad this scholarship is available and supported by a big corporate giant like Sony. I hope someone out there will make good use out of this scholarship and come up with some creative ways to improve the way women are portrayed in games and make more games that women -- and I -- like to play. (Like long-overdue sequels to Escape from Monkey Island, Grim Fandango, Final Fantasy X-2...)

IGN makes REALLY convincing Zelda movie trailer as April Fool's joke

2008-04-01T22:42:00.001-04:00

But I gotta say...there's no way to make the reveal of that green, goofy hat look epic.

Why buy expensive toys?

2008-04-01T22:37:00.002-04:00

This clip emphasizes the universal truth: babies are entertained by ANYTHING. And it is HILARIOUS.

Big-American-pillow-fight! (Robot dancing?!)

2008-03-31T20:47:00.004-04:00

This is just sweet. Chicago celebrated International Pillow Fight Day (who knew there WAS one?) on March 22. This photographer got some great shots.

I am SO marking my calendar for 2009. It's on!

Don't talk back to Darth Vader, cuz he'll get ya

2008-03-31T20:29:00.001-04:00

This...is adorable.

I think I'll call him "Obi-Kenobi" from now on.

Escape from New York

2008-03-31T08:05:00.005-04:00

I'm back home after spending a fun weekend in New York City with my kung fu family as we celebrated our school and honored our teachers.

There's not much I yet have to share in terms of pictures and movies, but such are forthcoming. Much was documented, and I will share with you what is eventually shared with me. This will include, if possible, a video of me demonstrating a form on stage during the dinner celebration. I know it was recorded, but getting it online might prove a technological challenge.

Regardless, it's important to note that the trip was quite enjoyable and our gathering very worthwhile. Our school has an amazing sense of camaraderie, and that was evident in full during our travels through Times Square, Little Italy and Chinatown. We are a family, and it's fun to travel with family.

The trip's highlight was a large banquet Saturday evening, during which we celebrated the anniversary of our school's founding and recognized our top teachers and students. Three of my classmates won awards for their spirit, loyalty and overall performance, and our teacher was repeatedly honored. Also receiving accolades was our teacher's teacher, a great man whose eyes showed the enjoyment his quiet demeanor tried to conceal.

I could describe at length the weekend, including the captivating lion dancing we saw or terrible performer we heard while waiting for our pizza, but I realize there's only so much I can type before your eyes glaze over. So knowing that I had a blast, I'll simply leave you with the humorous image of this advertisement we saw for the upcoming "Star Wars" marathon on Spike TV.

Thanks for reading, and I'll see you Think Lynseners again in May, if not sooner.

Super Smackdown: The Winner

2008-03-31T07:48:00.004-04:00

Spider-Man for the win!

Everybody's favorite wall-crawler is the Super Smackdown champion! The finally vote tally shows he defeated Sephiroth, 6-0, after toppling Optimus Prime, Luke Skywalker and The Flash. It was an impressive streak and one that will set the standard for, ahem, any future Smackdowns...

Thank you to everybody who voted in this month-long contest. I hope you had as much fun participating as Annie and I had putting it together and reading your votes. If you'd like us to run a similar contest in the future, let us know and we'll see what we can do.

But until next time, true believers, I leave you with this song of victory.

Exiting limbo

2008-03-28T23:34:00.003-04:00

We FINALLY heard from the CONvergence hotel guy and were assured we would have a room at the Sheraton (the primary hotel for CONvergence), and that we'd be receiving an e-mail in the next two weeks with a confirmation number, which we could use to call the hotel and put down our credit card to lock in our room assignment.

So we're exiting limbo, but until I actually put my credit card down with the hotel, I'm not going to feel 100 percent secure about this.

Seeing as we have to buy plane tickets and whatnot, it sure would be nice if they could have made these arrangements in stone closer to when we registered...over a month ago.

I make pretty flowers.

2008-03-28T20:40:00.002-04:00

I got to experience a new thing at KaBOOM! today (my two-month anniversary, not that I'm keeping track): Culture Captain Events!

These happen once a month. Every month, each office has a designated "culture captain" who picks a fun activity for all the staff to do. We had a great event today where we made spring-themed dioramas (or "spring bling" as they called it!). We got all kinds of fun supplies to use: colorful pipe cleaners, craft foam, flower cutouts, colored paper, puff balls, wooden eggs, paint, pinwheels, and more. I had a blast creating my pretty flower/pinwheel diorama, pictured here (and matted in classic KaBOOM! purple and orange, thanks to Picnik.com.

I love my job.

Quirky beauty

2008-03-28T07:52:00.004-04:00

Every now and then a video crosses my desk that's so quirky, so fascinating, so beautiful in its own crazy way, that I feel compelled to share it with you all.

The video, with a runtime of 4:32 minutes, looks like it escaped from the minds of Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean. I hope it captivates you as much as it did me. Enjoy, and happy weekend.

Super Smackdown: Lightning Round 4

2008-03-28T07:44:00.002-04:00

Less we become too embroiled in the final battle that's raging, Super Smackdown offers today one last diversion for your amusement.

This fight, unlike the others conducted this week, has no impact on the overall contest and is being done simply for fun. So with that in mind, consider who might win in an all-out brawl between...

Tick vs. Unicron vs. Gazoo

The Blue Titan of Justice is nigh invulnerable. The Chaos Bringer consumes entire planets. And the Great Gazoo has reality-warping powers and doomsday devices. So who wins? You be the judge! Post your answer (and rationale) in the comments.

Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down IV

2008-03-27T08:06:00.003-04:00

Yet even more random observations.

Thumbs Up to second chances: I just read that my favorite new television show, "The Big Bang Theory," is getting a second season! It's good to know the show's nerdy shenanigans will continue.

Thumbs Down to tax woes: Montgomery County, you're a great place to live, but you really have to get your spending under control. Your 3.2 percent local income tax is a killer.

Thumbs Up to mercy killings: It appears there will be no third "Fantastic Four" film. I love the comics and tried my best to enjoy the movies, but let's be honest. They're not that great and don't deserve a sequel.

Thumbs Down to boring updates: Nintendo's virtual console, which lets you download classic games for the Wii, hasn't uploaded anything worth buying for weeks now. What gives?