Friday, November 30, 2012

Destination Procrastination

With finals quickly approaching (seriously, like ten days away, plus or minus two good crying/drinking sessions) it has become my default instinct to want to disregard everything academic and call it quits, especially since I got my Christmas present early.

I can't hear you over how awesome my Boyfriend is....at dying when we play Halo.
I've been talking for a while about getting a set of headphones to play with, also my family complained about hearing me playing into the wee hours. Problem was I don't like having a butt-ton of cables, so I wanted something wireless that would get me mad online street cred. Naturally the Tritton Warhead 7.1 was the answer. Compliments of the boyfriend, whom I've already negotiated the terms of our agreement with.

Half kidding, his present comes in today. But he's gonna have to wait to physically hold it as he's out of town again...and I'm going to be sailing the skies! Uhm, I mean...'studying'.

 
This video was a 100% accurate depiction of how I reacted. I should sue.

AARRGH! CURSE YOU ACADEMIA.

When I'm on break there is going to be so much button mashing.

Friday, November 16, 2012

Arks & Crafts - Hard Light Candy

This weekend kicks off the annual Fight Like A Girl Tournament where we all get together and shoot one another (online) to raise money and awareness for breast and cervical cancer research as well as demonstrate the generosity of gamers everywhere.

I had the honor of competing two years ago and was planning on doing so again this year...then TheDonWan dropped a bomb:  Creative Bundle Contest

HELL YEAH


Screenshots? Do I look like some shrubbery?
Forge? Not a duck.
Photoshop? Better not, would probably just draw dicks everywhere.
Fan Art? I will art the hell out of some Halos!

I decided to make my entry into FLAG my first "Arks & Crafts" segment here on my blog, where I'll showcase way-artsy (probably mostly Halo related) makings, and since my Plasma-Pops were such a hit I knew I needed something hard and mouthwatering to get all the fine ladies attention.

Hard Light Candy

Get your mind out of the gutter.
If you haven't finished Halo 4 yet, stop reading and go do that.

You done?

Really?

Was it on easy?

Need a tissue?

Did you wash your hands?

Ok, fine.

These were inspired by the ending to Halo 4, where Cortana encases our hero Master Chief in a shell of hard light to protect him from a nuclear explosion, just before you grabbed that box of tissues.

This was my first time making any type of candy, so I knew I had to get some serious gear. Luckily there is a store here called Do It With Icing that makes you feel like Willy Wonka when he decides he's going to create candy for the rest of his life. Seriously. I walked into that place and nearly dropped out to go work in a candy shop. I got everything from sticks to blueberry flavoring.

The stickers were on sale and I wanted to put them on my homework.

So hot in hurr.
I'm no chemist. So I wasn't too disgruntled when my first batch turned into a disaster. The syrup got too hot and turned yellow...then when it cured it became too dark.

Looks like death.

The gummy looks like it's being swallowed alive. Will make for good Didact candy.
Thankfully I was able to find a solution to my problem and continued to waste my boyfriend's resources.
So much better!
The real major issue was the gummy bear I wanted to put inside the candy. I knew it was going to be hot, and that he might not make it in one solid piece. I froze the gummy bears, hoping to buy myself some wiggle room. Well...
Like those creepy fetus posters they show you in Sex Ed.
Things got better for Master Gummy Bear as the temperature dropped in the syrup..but if I let it get too cool, the syrup would become more viscous and eventually harden.

No filter needed. Suck it, Instagram.
I don't eat candy, so I had to rely on the taste buds of some test subjects. They said they could taste a hint of blueberry and like that it wasn't super overpowering. But what do they know? I guess I'll just have to have another contest and get more feedback from the winners ;)



Sunday, November 11, 2012

Official Halo 4 Interview

This afternoon I had the privilege of being interviewed by my 10-year old cousin. He is an astute journalist with a brilliant academic record. Just look at his resume!

If it's on Facebook, it must be true.
My cousin, or as we call him, 'Steak', is known to ask all the hard-hitting questions. Even Barbara Walters admits that she "got got by him one time" [citation needed]. Below you can find a transcript of the exclusive interview I was honored to be a part of. Beware though, he's quite the fact checker and nearly made me cry.

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Steak
hi arm

Tex
Hi

Steak
is hallo out yet

Tex
It came out last week.

Steak
do you have it

Tex
Of course.

Steak
the xbox

Tex
Yes.

Steak
how did you get the halo xbox

Tex
I did not get the Halo 4 XBox. If you want it you're going to have to ask your mom very, very nicely.

Steak
yeah do you like halo 4

Tex
I do. It was fun to play and had some sad parts.

Steak
didnt the charchter die in halo reach

Tex
Those characters died in Halo Reach, yes. But Master Chief isn't one of those guys, so he doesn't die.
The new guys are not from Halo Reach.

Steak
cool do you like the new guys better

Tex
Honestly, no. I don't like the new guys. I'm all old school.

Steak
i like emele it was pretty sad whenshe died

Tex
Emile was pretty cool. A real tough guy. I like that he went down swinging.

Steak
yeah what other games do you play

Tex
Portal and Grand Theft Auto mostly.

Steak
have you played portal 2

Tex
Yes I have. I played it in one sitting after my finals were done. Didn't leave my room.

Steak
i like wheatlys accent

Tex
Me too.

Steak
but i dont like how he turns bad

Tex
I don't think he turns bad, I think he just liked being in charge and didn't want to be seen as a dummy anymore.

Steak
but he turned GlADos into a potato

Tex
That's not too bad. After all, he did help Chell for a while.
He only turned her into a potato so she couldn't take back control, but it didn't work out too well anyway.

Steak
True but to GlADos he was a devil

Tex
I'm sure she was just as mean to him when she was in charge. I think they're even now.

Steak
so who killed GlaDos

Tex
Technically no one. She's still alive. She let you go at the end, remember? But in the first one, you kill her.

Steak
oh how?

Tex
You set of some explosions at the end of the first Portal, and she gets sucked in and it takes you to the surface.

Steak
is their a portal 3

Tex
Probably not.

Steak
because wheatly is deade
i mean dead

Tex
No he's not. If you watch the end of the credits, he's floating around in spaaaace.

Steak
well tecnectly we wont see him again

Tex
That is true.

Steak
have you played any infected/zombie games

Tex
I did. In Halo 4 you're infected by the Flood in the zombie games.

Steak
is that all
dead island?
the walking dead?

Tex
Never played. I don't watch that show.

Steak
the walking dead is a game and a show

Tex
And a comic book.

Steak
the game is Alot different

Tex
I bet.
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We also discussed Comic-Con, PAX and the weather. Shortly after the interview Steak presented me with a Minecraft Nyan-cat (of which I'm skeptical on it's uh...originality). This was after I helped troubleshoot him through taking a screenshot on Windows/Paint and uploading it to Facebook. Kids these days.

But then he made me this.

I don't care if he used a tutorial, this is LEGIT!

Curse you, adorable little child!

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Fight Like A Girl


 I've gone and entered in this years FLAG Tournament..but not at a gameplay competitior. This year a Creative Category has been opened...and I'll be damned if I don't get something delicious all up ins.

I've already got an idea of what I'll be making/submitting..so watch out!