The Next Level Forum - Blogs - Fe 26 http://www.the-nextlevel.com/tnl/blogs/438-Fe-26 Video game message board with news, humor, an arcade, and more. en Sun, 19 May 2013 03:58:36 GMT vBulletin 10 http://www.the-nextlevel.com/tnl/images/tnl4/misc/rss.jpg The Next Level Forum - Blogs - Fe 26 http://www.the-nextlevel.com/tnl/blogs/438-Fe-26 A special message http://www.the-nextlevel.com/tnl/entries/380-A-special-message Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:42:08 GMT B5cYNyZUF7k
]]> Fe 26 http://www.the-nextlevel.com/tnl/entries/380-A-special-message Not Dead! http://www.the-nextlevel.com/tnl/entries/193-Not-Dead! Thu, 28 Apr 2011 09:18:02 GMT Well, if you've been watching the news, you might have heard about the record setting storms and tornadoes in my area of the world.

Well, I'm not dead! And no tornadoes have hit my stuff (that I know of).

The storms got worse like an hour after my last post yesterday. At around 3, something went wrong with the power grid and my county and most of the counties around it were without power. And it was off until like 2 or 3 am? I'm actually surprised we got it back. All the radios said they were not working on fixing it because of the wind. I guess maybe they switched the area over to another part of the national grid?

The internet and cable is still out. I'm at the school right now. I drove up here when the power came back to see if any areas that I have family in where hit.

It got pretty bad in some parts really close to me. I live about an hour from Tuscaloosa and it got nailed.

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&cl...-8&sa=N&tab=wl













http://twitvid.com/4W6PU

http://twitvid.com/Q5YJ0 RT ]]> Fe 26 http://www.the-nextlevel.com/tnl/entries/193-Not-Dead! five faces of darkness http://www.the-nextlevel.com/tnl/entries/141-five-faces-of-darkness Sat, 21 Aug 2010 11:35:52 GMT We all have personal flaws. Even here on TNL where people act like they are the life breath of the Gods.

I'm pretty aware of mine, though it might not seem like it. One that really bothers me is that I do not live my life in such way that is fulfilling to me on a daily basis. I am living in such a way that things will work out in the long term. Despite what some might say, I am intelligent. I am pursuing things that will bring me a job and about as much security as an educated man can have these days.

But as I said, my daily life is not fulfilling.

That is a problem I've pondered for probably 10 years or longer. I've come up with a dozen solutions, and none of them ever work in the long term. Dicking off and not doing things that enrich your life? Well cut them out. Play too many games? Cut them out. Read too many comics? Stop reading comics. Watch too much tv? Unhook the tv. Etc, etc.

Ok, so in each situation, I've cut out the bad, so everything should be fixed? Right? Nope. I never stick with anything long enough. Or to be more exact, I try to do everything. I do a little of this. Then I go do a little of that. I never get "great" at anything. At least not in regards to my own goals. Not according to my own standards for myself.

At around this point, something big comes up. Maybe finals. Maybe some family crap. Maybe I'm doing bad in a class and i have to work really hard to fix it. whatever. Then whatever it is, it blows over. Then I fall back into some sort of relaxing behavior. Maybe some game. Maybe trolling you assholes more than I should be. Hey, Hey, Hey, IP's back at stage one again.

if I ended this blog here, this would be where people hit reply, and gave me some really negative tough man love. Possibly in the hopes of making me angry enough to say "fuck this shit, I'm going to man up and fix all this shit and shoot lighting from my eyes and destroy all those that stand in my way. Thank you TNL for being dick bags and making me realize the error of my ways." There might be some good old fashion firstblood and SSJN trolling for good measure. If I'm lucky I might get that anyway!

But that is not where the blog ends. This is where it really starts.

These past few days I've been a bit of a man-child. I've been looking at transformers on ebay. Yes, yes. I'm horrible.

Maybe it is sleep deprivation or something I saw on tv. Maybe it is that Scot Pilgrim movie, with plot points related to dreams, but I remembered a dream I have a lot. A dream I've been having since I was like 10.

The basic run down of the dream is that I go into a store. And holy cow they have all these cool G1 transformers, brand new in the box. And they are all 25 cents each, and i got a pocket full of moneyz. I grab them all, and as I'm about to go check out, my family shows up. Then the store goes black. And there is an evil darkness. Oh it is evil. And horrible. Like evil dead, evil. And me and my family are running from it. Then my little sister trips. I then have to drop everything, pick her up, and hall ass.

At the end of the dream everyone is safe. I saved the day. Everyone is happy with me. But I'm not happy. All I can think about is how I wish the monster wasn't there and how I wish I had not been put in a situation that required me to give up all this stuff I wanted. I feel like I had to sacrifice what I wanted for those i cared about.

Up until now I've always thought that dream was caused by stress. That I was just frustrated that I was having to studying on weekends instead of going out and having fun.

But today as I reflected on it, I wonder if my subconscious was trying to make another point. Or maybe I've grown up and just look at things differently. EITHER/OR I have a different conclusion about the dream.

Something I have never considered is that MAYBE, had I not grabbed EVERYTHING, I would have A) not waken the monster or B) been able to check out before it came. Or shit, been able to carry one toy and my sister.

I had never considered that my own unhappiness in the dream was caused by me wanting everything. That is choosing everything, I was gaining nothing, because I could not balance everything I wanted and fulfill my responsibility to others.

Maybe there has been a part of me that has known the whole time that I have to pick one thing and make it mine before I move on to the next thing. Otherwise, I'm going to run out of time and not get anything I want.

Funny enough, I think I know why my dreams use transformers as a symbol for "what I want." The first thing that I worked hard to get was an Omega Supreme that I really really really wanted. I mowed my parents huge yard with a push mower, and god knows what else, to get 80$ (or maybe it was 45$, I forget) so I could order it one out of this huge collectors news mag. I did everything on my own for this thing. I hunted it down, I contacted the owner, earned the money, everything. I think I even walked my little kid butt down to the post office to get the money order for it. I set a goal, I figured out what I had to do to get it, and followed through.


Or maybe I'm insane and need to stop staying up till 7 am, drinking rum and eating tacos. I'll probably get the shit trolled out of me. Whatever. I didn't share this for myself. Or to get advice. I did it for you assholes that for whatever bizarre reason, I keep talking to. We give each other a lot of shit, and we act like we know everything and everyone else is wrong, but ultimately, most of us are a lot alike. And I know from listening to your opinions on things that several of you are in the same boat I am, or have not always been as happy as you are. I know that several of you are not following through. You feel unfulfilled. You got that monster at your back.

I posted this for you.

Make that transformer yours. Pick one, and walk your ass up to the cash-register and buy it with your pocket full of Washington. Then run like hell before the evil of all evils comes after you. ]]> Fe 26 http://www.the-nextlevel.com/tnl/entries/141-five-faces-of-darkness Big fish in a little pond http://www.the-nextlevel.com/tnl/entries/123-Big-fish-in-a-little-pond Mon, 09 Aug 2010 21:32:52 GMT It really isn't hard to know if you are intelligent in the south. You tend to stick out like a dragqueen with her hair on fire.

case in point, this is a real tv ad in MS.

]]> Fe 26 http://www.the-nextlevel.com/tnl/entries/123-Big-fish-in-a-little-pond chocolate http://www.the-nextlevel.com/tnl/entries/121-chocolate Thu, 05 Aug 2010 23:26:30 GMT chocolate is pretty awesome

Germany had good chocolate, and so did England. I also had some swiss chocolate while in germany. Nice stuff.

I don't buy into the foriegn chocolate being better thing. Hershey's are pretty good, when fresh. And so are mallocups. I think the major problems with American chocolate is the fact that so much of it is not fresh. Stores get a ton of it in bulk, and then leave it in a storage room for forever. Or they buy those huge predecorated boxes and leave them on store shelves for forever.

But man, if you get lucky and get a fresh Hershey bar or a fresh Reese cup, it is so good. Like, buy one of those reese eggs at the start of easter. Man, soooo good.

But one problem with American chocolate, is the cheap factor. I can tell more animal fat goes into British and German chocolate. That is part of what makes it creamer. But I'm pretty sure America leaves a lot of it out, to give it a longer shelf life and to bring the cost down. They probably use some sort of vegetable oil instead.

The worst chocolate makers are those people who make the generic Holiday candy. I think you know who I'm talking about. Every Easter, Mom would cheap out on some of the candy and it would never be as good as the name brand stuff.

Why is that? Well the cheapest of the cheap candy makers like to make most of the chocolate with either A. sugar or even worse B. Wax.

Thats right kids, that empty taste in your generic hallow chocolate bunny is wax. ]]> Fe 26 http://www.the-nextlevel.com/tnl/entries/121-chocolate snuff glasses http://www.the-nextlevel.com/tnl/entries/85-snuff-glasses Fri, 02 Jul 2010 05:57:55 GMT Do you drink? Do you like to drink hard alcohol straight?

Well, you need a snuff glass.

What is a snuff glass? Well back in the day (and maybe now) they would sell snuff (tobacco product) would come in a glass. Think jam glasses, but with tobacco. Remember how jam would come in a small glass with Pikachu? Kind of like that.

Anyway, snuff glasses are perfect for drinking. Want the right amount of water to take your pills at night before bed? Snuff glass. Want the right amount of wild turkey? Snuff glass. Want to drink some straight vodka? Snuff glass.

Better yet, if you have one, you are cultured. They are officially antique. They come from a time long gone. I can go out in the woods of any long standing southern house and dig these up (and have). They are almost like drinking out of dinosaur bones.

Also, they are made better than any glass you can by now. They probably have some led in them. Maybe, maybe not. But you can drop them, and they done break. You can slam them down in anger, and they don't break.

Amazing!

You need one! Go to ebay and find one! Thieve one from your grandmother!
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]]> Fe 26 http://www.the-nextlevel.com/tnl/entries/85-snuff-glasses apollo http://www.the-nextlevel.com/tnl/entries/70-apollo Sat, 26 Jun 2010 05:42:15 GMT I did one of my favorite things tonight, listen to old records and drink

There are two types of people in this world, those who get music, and those who do not. If you get music you already know what I'm talking about. If you do not, you probably think I'm being a dick ass for talking about drinking and listening to music.

Anyway, I love records. And not just records of songs we all know. I love finding records of stuff no one my age has ever heard of. Long forgotten stuff. I love finding weird old dixe land albums, or johnny cash songs done on Hammond organ.

In some ways music is my religion. It is the closest I've come to a religious experience.

I can safely say that some of the high moments in my life have been tuning out and tuning into a record, or being at a concert nad hearing a couple thousand people know ever single part of a song.

I had a point here, but I'm gone right now.

peace out ]]> Fe 26 http://www.the-nextlevel.com/tnl/entries/70-apollo Now this is a story all about how my life got flipped turned upside down http://www.the-nextlevel.com/tnl/entries/64-Now-this-is-a-story-all-about-how-my-life-got-flipped-turned-upside-down Wed, 23 Jun 2010 12:25:18 GMT Now this is a story all about how
My life got flipped turned upside down
And I'd like to take a minute just sit right there
I'll tell you how I became the prince of a town called Bel-Air

In West Philadelphia born and raised
On the playground is where I spent most of my days
Chillin' out maxin' relaxin' all cool
And all shootin' some b-ball outside of the school
When a couple of guys who were up to no good
Started makin' trouble in my neighborhood
I got in one little fight and my mom got scared
And said you're movin' with your auntie and uncle in Bel-Air

I begged and pleaded with her day after day
But she packed my suitcase and sent me on my way
She gave me a kiss and then she gave me my ticket
I put my walkman on and said I might as well kick it
First class yo this is bad
Drinkin' orange juice out of a champagne glass
Is this what the people of Bel-Air live like
Hmmm this might be all right

But wait I hear they're prissy, bourgeois and all that
Is this the type of place that they should send this cool cat
I don't think so I'll see when I get there
I hope they're prepared for the prince of Bel-Air

Well uh the plane landed and when I came out
There was a dude looked like a cop standin' there with my name out
I ain't tryin' to get arrested yet I just got here
I sprang with the quickness like lightening disappeared

I whistled for a cab and when it came near
The license plate said "Fresh", and had dice in the mirror
If anything I could say that this cab was rare
But I thought nah forget it, yo home to Bel-Air!

I pulled up to the house about 7 or 8
And I yelled to the cabbie, "Yo Holmes, smell ya later!"
Looked at my kingdom I was finally there
To sit on my throne as the Prince of Bel-Air ]]> Fe 26 http://www.the-nextlevel.com/tnl/entries/64-Now-this-is-a-story-all-about-how-my-life-got-flipped-turned-upside-down / http://www.the-nextlevel.com/tnl/entries/14 Mon, 14 Jun 2010 10:00:22 GMT My sister, Mrs. Joe Gargery, was more than twenty years older than I, and had established a great reputation with herself and the neighbours because she had brought me up ‘by hand.’ Having at that time to find out for myself what the expression meant, and knowing her to have a hard and heavy hand, and to be much in the habit of laying it upon her husband as well as upon me, I supposed that Joe Gargery and I were both brought up by hand. She was not a good-looking woman, my sister; and I had a general impression that she must have made Joe Gargery marry her by hand. Joe was a fair man, with curls of flaxen hair on each side of his smooth face, and with eyes of such a very undecided blue that they seemed to have somehow got mixed with their own whites. He was a mild, good-natured, sweet-tempered, easy-going, foolish, dear fellow - a sort of Hercules in strength, and also in weakness. My sister, Mrs. Joe Gargery, was more than twenty years older than I, and had established a great reputation with herself and the neighbours because she had brought me up ‘by hand.’ Having at that time to find out for myself what the expression meant, and knowing her to have a hard and heavy hand, and to be much in the habit of laying it upon her husband as well as upon me, I supposed that Joe Gargery and I were both brought up by hand.
She was not a good-looking woman, my sister; and I had a general impression that she must have made Joe Gargery marry her by hand. Joe was a fair man, with curls of flaxen hair on each side of his smooth face, and with eyes of such a very undecided blue that they seemed to have somehow got mixed with their own whites. He was a mild, good-natured, sweet-tempered, easy-going, foolish, dear fellow - a sort of Hercules in strength, and also in weakness. ]]> Fe 26 http://www.the-nextlevel.com/tnl/entries/14