The Universe and I

I wrote this a few days ago, and I have no idea where it was going or even why I wrote it. I figured I'd post it so it gets out of my system.

The Monday Post - Randomly Generated Games

So I'm still not sure of a title format so bear with me, this is a new setup.

This is a little deeper but at the same time less thought out than some of my exploratory posts (the ones dealing with being an introvert I mean). I've been thinking about what games I always come back to and want to play. I don't mean the fact that I have GTA:Vice City with a fully unlocked save currently installed. I use that to blow off steam (when you know the right cheat codes you can blow up the whole fucking island and get away with it... and you know that feels so damn good).

No, I'm speaking of games that are new and different every time you come to them. I'm talking about the Rouge-like RPG. Whasat? You don't know them? Oh boy oh boy time for me to deluge you with links:

• Wikipedia on Roguelikes
• NetHack: The best, still updated text based version.
• Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup: A more graphical version of the above.
• Dungeons of Dredmor: Massively fun and difficult graphical roguelike. I'd almost say it redefines the genre.
• Desktop Dungeons: A mix of Rogue and Minesweeper. Meant to be played quick, and is brutal because of it.

I have to say what I get and like about games like this is that though the base game is the same, every time I start a new level or character my priorities have to change with it. Dredmor is a good example, where I'll find myself running into a Deth (think Death, the Grim Reaper or sorts) on the first floor. I damn well know I can't fight toe to toe at that low a level but I've got my fire spells. In another game I might never run into one. I honestly don't think I've been below the 3rd floor ever in a game, but I continue to play.

I might have a more thought out post in the future, so this one is just a teaser. Be seeing you.

The Monday Post - May 14 2012

Yeah so I was going to try to have a post made about what is on my mind the past week, as promised before. The problem being that the only thing on my mind today was:

I don't always get headaches, but when I do, they are fucking head splitters. Today's was bad enough I stayed in from class. It was also bad enough to cause me mild nausea, thought that could have been other things, I'm not sure. I've spent most of the day sleeping. I don't like this, makes me feel like I've wasted a day.

Sick and Insomnia

Yeah, remember my last post where I was hoping to go out more? Kinda got bronchitis as of last night. Which means 1-2 weeks of coughing. And being hopped up on cough meds.

Soooooooo, rather than waste this opportunity brought on by insomnia I thought I'd just post some things that are on my mind, 2 days into this semester's classes.

The highs and lows right now.

This is gong to be a long update, get a cup of tea or something.

A Rough Approximation of Arizona Seasons

Click for larger version

Programming Bugs (not what you think it is)

Not many may know this but I have this thing I call the "Programming Bug". It's like an itch that must, I mean must be scratched, only in computer form. It's one of those moments where a small part of my brain says "you must make this program... I WILL YOU TO MAKE THIS NOW", and I become kinda helpless unless I obey.

In passing, my grandmother's obituary

Lorene Pannell Choate Ill, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and sister, is a new angel, received by the heavens Monday Jan. 9, 2012. She is being met by her family with open arms as she was the key to our family. Service: 10 a.m. Friday at Blessing Funeral Home. Interment: Pleasant Point Cemetery. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Blessing. She was born Aug. 27, 1931, in Kennedale as the oldest of nine children. Her parents were Susie Mae Lawler Pannell and Hubert Condor Pannell. Lorene lived most of her life in the Metroplex. She worked in the food service area at various locations in Fort Worth, such as the old Texas Hotel, Don Carter's Bowling Alley, The Lonestar Drive-In and Ramada Inn. Her last job before retirement was at the Walmart in Mansfield, where she worked in the fabric area. Lorene was an avid bowler. She bowled at Meadowbrook Lanes for many years. When the new Don Carter's Bowling Alley opened, she bowled on many different leagues over the years. She was a member of the Ladies Traveling League for many years and traveled to a different bowling lane each month. Her time was spent watching soap operas and keeping up with all her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was always doing some kind of needlework, either embroidery or crochet. She was a born gambler. If you said Las Vegas or Shreveport, she was ready to go. She got her numbers every week for the Lotto, Mega Millions, Pick 3 and Pick 4. Lorene got excited just because she won $3 on one of her tickets. Lorene was preceded in death by her sons, Mark Randall Choate and Carl William Choate Jr.; and husbands, Bill Choate and Pete Ill. Survivors: Daughters, Joyce LaHue and husband, John, of Alvarado, Debra J. Sandefur and husband, Clyde, of Bakersfield, Calif., and Barbara G. Allen of Shelbyville, Tenn.; sons, Steven Choate of Wolfe City and Douglas Choate of Midwest, Okla.; daughter-in-law, Shelah Choate of Garland; brothers, Edwin Pannell and wife, Jo, of Vallejo, Calif., Tommy Pannell and wife, Lynn, of Joshua and Dan Pannell and wife, Merilea, of Weatherford; 23 grandchildren; and 30 great-grandchildren.

Lorene Pannell Choate Ill Obituary: View Lorene Ill's Obituary by Star-Telegram

Sadness in Passing

So late last evening Granny was taken off her life support and was woken up. Against certain odds for a while she was doing well. There was talk even of moving her from her nursing home back to the hospital to be cared for better.

That hope, sadly, passed. Though some miscommunication we'd received the word hours before the event actually happened. However, as of an hour ago, she passed on. I will miss my Granny, Susie Lorene Pannell dearly, and for the rest of my own life.

Feeling Sad

For as long as I can remember I've only had one grandparent, Granny Lorene. On my mother's side my grandfather died 6 or so years before I was born. My paternal grandmother as well passed before I was born. I have a single memory of Granpa Sandefur (again on my father's side). I had to have been 2 or 3 and remembered looking up at this tall man that had the whitest hair I'd seen to date. I mean STARK white. And all I could think of was, at this young age, "Who is this guy with white hair and why does he talk to me so much?" No, really, I remember that feeling. Again, however, this was a fleeting image in my mind, as he died before I really was able to bond and form memories with him.

So this leaves but the mother of my mother: Granny Lorene. Don't you dare call her Grandmother, it was Granny. I don't know what I can say about her without having to take a year to fill pages upon pages. Sadly that's time I don't have. I got the call at 11:30am today, a sunny Sunday morning in Arizona. The past 3 years or so Granny has been in a nursing home due to her pulmonary problems. This past weekend an email went out that she was being put on a respirator due to a bout of pneumonia. And now.... she's being taken off the machine and most likely will not make it through the night.

I'm sitting here in my dorm room right now. I closed the blinds and put on some jazz (thank you Spotify) and have been trying to pick up my brain to write this in between fits of sobbing. When a mainstay in your life, the fact that you have a grandparent at least. When something like this comes down the line the stress it causes... I will be fine, if only because I still have other family and friends to see me through.