A couple weeks before XMAS we went down to the Crystal Cathedral. Jen and I originally didn't have tickets, and it was only Jen's father brother and a whole lot of other people going. One person couldn't make it, so Jen decided to go. She figured i'd just meet them down there for dinner after the show. When we started to count heads and space in cars, we realized that the only way Jen would get down there is if i drove her. So that's fine, i would just find a ticket in the nosebleeds and sit alone. Well, that was until I found it was completely sold out. So looks like i gotta figure out something to do while they're at the show.
So the day of the show we drive down and hit traffic all the way. There is construction where the Chapman offramp should be, and we flew right by the exit. So as a result we're 3 miles past the fuckin place with 2 minutes to get there. Talk about fun fun fun. So, i drop Jen for the show and then drive around for a couple hours. Literally. I just figure, when's the next time i'm going to be able to GPS fullerton? (i know... geek)
So after the show we're going to go the Cellar. Its an ancient place in fullerton that really was a pain in the ass to find. While i'm driving around i figure i'll find the place a couple hours before, so that i know where i'm going. I've got the address and i get there in no time at all. I park a block away and walk into a courtyard of the building that its in. Ok, so there are a couple hair salons, a sports bar, and a few restaurants. I walk around the place a couple times and can't seem to find it. I figure easily enough that its downstairs with no windows at all (thus the fuckin name) but i can't seem to find a staircase down. Finally i find a little walkway next to a baseball card shop that looks like it goes to a garbage dumpster. It turns left and right quickly and there is a TINY little staircase down. So i figure this can't be it, but i'll give it a shot. Then i see a little glass alcove set into the wall right next to the staircase. Its got the menu in it and a bottle of wine. So down the staircase i go, and at the bottom a huge wood door. The door takes a HUGE amount of muscle to move open, but behind is a DARK old school restaurant. I mean you could still smell cigar smoke. So after scoping it out, i just back in the car and continue my drive around.
I meet up with everybody for diner which ended up being a 3 and a half our ordeal. We had preorderd our entrees so we figured everything would run smoothly. Well, it was close to 45 minutes between courses. It was unfuckinbearable.
We won't be going back to the Cellar, but it looks like we'll have to put in reservations for dinner about 6 months in advance for next year. That's why we ended up at the Cellar... everything else was booked. Should have raised a red flag.
The week before XMAS was the block XMAS party. I got home early and Jen and I ran around the block from one house to another meeting all the neighbors. We started off at one house for horderves then moved to another for soup and salad. Then to another house for the main course and finally another house for dessert. The hi-light of the night was Russ driving the bar around. He's strapped 4 coolers to his 4 wheel ATV, and had candy canes with lights on them to light up the beverages. He was also armed with a bull horn to herd people from one house to another.
We met so many people it made my head spin, but best of all we met 3 different families that have previously lived in our house.
The rest of that week before XMAS was really slow at work. There was a skeleton crew at the office and we didn't have much to do at all. As a result i did most of my XMAS shopping during lunch, but made the mistake of trying to get to 3rd street in Santa Monica in an hour. what a nightmare.
XMAS eve was hosted by Jen's dad and as always he outdid himself. The Bermingham Clan from San Clemente came up for the event. So it ended up being a huge number of people.
That night jen and i got home really late, and as per usual were up REALLY late wrapping gifts.
XMAS morning we woke up and opened gifts in the morning ourselves. Then we ran over to the Bermingham house to have breakfast and see them again
After breakfast we ran over to my parent's house for more food and time to just sit around and relax. We ended up hanging out there unwrapping gifts and having a great time until they had to run over to Vera's for the huge Christmas party. At that point Jen and I called it a day and went home to relax. After all the food we'd had we were throughly exausted.
The next day was opening day at Santa Anita. So again we headed out and met up with the extended Bermingham clan. We hung out in the infield with everybody, and sat around and talked most of the time with Missy and Nicole. We didn't end up betting at all, but waited in line for 30 minutes to get a couple of hotdogs.
The week after XMAS was even more dead at work than the week before. I took the day off wednesday to go to Tea with Michelle and Eric Francis. We wandered around at the huntington with them and their daughter Rylie. When we all left the Huntington, Jen and I stopped at Interact on Lake. I figured, i'd not gotten any games for XMAS, so i'd treat myself. I went a little crazy and got CIV IV, Age of Empires III and Worlds of Warcraft. So needless to say, my like is over.
Then finally new years. Michelle and Eric came over for dinner and we hung out drinking like crazy. They drove over David so Bob and Valerie could run out to dinner. Then MIssy and Nicole showed up to join in the gathering. Michelle and Eric took Rylie to bed, and got home before midnight. Bob and Valerie showed up right before midnight (after Maison Akira) and we all hung out celebrating the new year. Bob, Valerie and David called it a night and then we started playing video games. Nicole and I ran through just about every title that i have on the PS2 while Jen and Missy sat around and talked. Missy and Nicole didn't leave til about 3:30AM and I think i was asleep at about 3:31.
nothing on new years. Weird it being sunday and no parade and no football.
The the rain hit. HEHEHEHEHHEHE. First time its rained on the Tournament of Roses in 50 years. The parade was crazy, and not a whole lot of people were in the stands.
Work got a little back to normal this week, but still not much going on. Only thing that's crazy is that both Bouch and Katie gave their notice over the vacation and their last day was Friday. (more about that soon)
But the game on wed was painful to watch. SC lost it in the last few minutes and didn't have enough time to get the lead back. Almost wish there had been a new episode of Lost instead.
So that gets me to yesterday and today.
Yesterday was Matt's and Katie's going away lunch. We all met up at Baja Cantina and it turned into a interactive reunion. All the people who've left in the last 6 months were there, so it turned into a huge event. We ended up taking the 3 hour lunch and finishing off a good deal of booze. But it was all a great time, and great to see everybody again.
Last night Will came over for dinner cause we hadn't seen him since before xmas. We tried another new spot in town called Dominick's. its not as good as Dominico's but then again nothing is. Good pizza nonetheless.
So we came back here to the house and watched Old School, which i've been sitting on for a month now. I laughed my ass off most of the movie, but more than ever when i realized that the locations are mostly South Pas and Montrose. The streaking scene is on Honolulu a couple blocks away. Just funny.
Today was i slept in. Well thats what happens when you Play Warcraft til 3AM. Jen and I are going to cook dinner and just hang out tonight. Nothing planned tomorrow either. Nice to relax.
Another lesson learned in 2005 was that advergames can be more than cheesy, cheap, flash/java affairs. A complex, engaging video game will capture the attention of gamers and generate a favorable response, regardless of whether the experience is "blatant marketing" or not. More has to be invested in the development of such "advertitles" but the games generally prove themselves quite cost-effective.
Sony Pictures' official site for its horror film The Cave is actually a surprisingly complex advergame, created by marketing firm Ignited Minds. Half the adventure plays out in a manner reminiscent of LucasArts' old point-and-click adventure games, with gamers collecting items and interacting with the environment with their mouse, in an attempt to escape from the cave. The other half of the experience is derived from a more action-oriented side-scrolling element.
"With Enter the Cave we were looking less to innovate and more to take an existing technology and find unusual and organic ways to use it in advancing a storyline that would capture a user's attention and give him an experience worth spending multiple site sessions at up to 20 minutes a time," Ignited Minds told Ad Watch.
So at least the last year has had one of my projects noticed.
And the funniest part of course is the fact that the music is really tame in comparison to everything released now. Its the natural way of things. Elvis was "satan's messenger" back in the day. The torch gets passed. i don't know where the hell this entry is going now....
back to work...
