I had two interviews this past week. One of them was for a sales position that was really a pyramid scheme. In this case, the scheme was better hidden than most, but still poorly hidden if you're not an idiot or a salesperson. It's not that salespeople are idiots, it's just that like the devout, they honestly believe in the system. The difference from the devout is that decent salespeople can make it work.

Pretty much you work you ass off for a quota, and the boss gets all the credit. Same as a regular job, right? Well, eventually you hire people to do the same for you. Then you get the credit. But the guy above you still gets your credit, and so on and so on. The number of sales made is in direct correlation to any bonuses given. Bonuses only bosses see.

What pisses me off the most is that I was lead there under the impression I was answering phones, not selling. The position said customer service, not fucking around.

The other position is for a collections job. I was offered it right away. I asked for some time to consider. The pay is lower than the what I made at GameStop, which is pitiful. I also do not like the line of work. I would do my best, because that is what I have always done. And my best will be more than serviceable. I just don't like the work; I won't be happy with it, and I wonder if my time would be better spent looking for a higher paying position, something I will be able to do better if I have time off.

I'll let the dude know yea or nay Monday.

After all this it snowed, and I had ice cream and brownies.

I am attempting to achieve full frugality in all things financial. It is not going well.

Week 4 of unemployment was a whole lot of nothing. I started Valhalla Knights 2: Battle Stance for review and got the tiniest bit of writing done, but beyond that I don't remember the week too clearly.

Week 5 is shaping up to be monumentally failing as well.

Lost Odyssey could have been a Final Fantasy game. I'm not going to mince words; this could very well be a numbered Final Fantasy title and no one would blink, except for one big difference - the plot and emotional moments are handled much better than any Final Fantasy game since VI.

Final Fantasy VI showed a lot of growing up for the series. The whole game is filled with moments which appealed to me on a mature level. And this was the translated version, which dumbed down the whole abortion thing. The game dealt with suicide if you failed Celes' 'Save Cid' minigame. Locke was secretly obsessed with keeping Rachel alive. The opera scene was one of the few videogame moments at the time to move me. FFVII would have Aeris' death, but I'd already watched Tellah, the twins, Yang, and Edward sacrifice themselves in IV (though 75% of those mentioned came back). FFVIII had lots of stuff going on, but the theme of that game was love and left me feeling pretty good once I beat it. FFIX, while an excellent game, was like replaying other Final Fantasy games emotionally. The ending is very solid, yet emotionally mis-representative of the game since the ending actually tugged on my heartstrings. FFX did little for me, but I genuinely liked how it resolved itself. FFXI is, well, FFXI. I should probably view the cutscenes on Youtube sometime. Or save up a shitload of cash, purchase a server, and play with quadruple XP or something.

FFXII would start forging ahead with a living offline world and would try (to some part succeed) in recreating a more mature focus. FFXII's comparison to Star Wars; however, is very deserving. The worlds of both represent the possibility to tell far more stories than their usual counterparts. This focus on the world is ultimately what makes FFXII's characters fall short of being great. Although the director leaving midway probably did not help things either.

Lost Odyssey has the world. It also has glimpses of 1,000 years throughout its history. It has the characters. Each character, except Sarah, is well-defined for the genre. More importantly, Lost Odyssey has emotion. I was moved numerous times throughout the game, and the ending is an absolute roller coaster of affections. The best part about the game is it does not treat you like you are a teenager while you are playing it. It has the requisite tutorials, and Kaim's initial impressions of immortality are cliche, yet the game engages the player on the level of maturity mainstream jRPGs could have reached years ago.

Good job, Mistwalker.

Ha! I wish I nutted out money.

I attempted to be confident at the interview and I'm pretty sure it was awkward. Confidence is not my strong point.

I was up late last night/this morning doing DLC (yeah you know me!) for Lost Odyssey (yeah you know me!) and did the DLC (yeah you know me!) until 4:30 (yeah Lost Odyssey!).

Ahhh.. that was terrible.

Actually, so is the Seeker of the Deep DLC. It's challenging (yay!) but it's 25 levels with no save points (meh) and the boss at the bottom is in no way representative of the rest of the dungeon (boo!). He cannot be hurt by normal means, and casts an instant-kill spell on the party when a move that can hurt him is used. So it was 4 and a half hours wasted. If you leave the dungeon, you have to do it all again.

I'll finish up the last few optional areas in the game and go back.

Got in very little writing this week. I'm going to look into distribution for the kindle when I complete something.

Week 2 was a 'second verse, same as the first' kinda shindig.

Week 3 is starting out strong - I have an interview Wednesday for a position at a bank. Main office position. Let's see how well it goes.

Lots o' gaming. The Lunar demo is quite good. It updates the graphics and some of the battle system, but is pretty much dead-on to the PSOne version, including the cutscenes. I like the idea of playing a demo and unlocking something extra in the game itself. I will find out more when I complete the demo.

Lost Odyssey seems to be an allegory for Japanese games in the Western market. It's... weird that way.

Watched some more Allison and Lillian. Very weird, yet expected, switch-up in the middle of the series.

In other news, I finally found a Bludgeon (follow the link and go down to Voyager class), one of the neatest Transformers out. I used to collect these things religiously, but a few years ago I stopped due to the space they took up and a few other factors. However, I've still managed to grab five or six this past year - two sets of five, a box set of the three original Insecticons, Bludgeon, and two gifts from my family (a really small Soundwave and a the latest Masterpiece Edition, Skywarp).

Yeah, I'm totally seven mentally.

Week 1:

Looked for jobs. Applied for jobs. No jobs called. Played video games.

The second week is looking to repeat the first. However, with the wife gone all day tomorrow due to school and other things, I might try to write me a story.

... or hook up the PSOne.

I have no job starting tomorrow. This will be interesting. After all, I have been consecutively employed since moving back to the area in 2003. I hope I am able to receive unemployment while I look for a new job in order to keep paying my school bills.

This will be the first time I have ever received unemployment; should I get it. Part of me does not like the idea of receiving such help, but I have paid into for 15 years now, so I am partially entitled to my six months or whatever it is now.

I'm hoping to start writing again as I look for job (just had a good idea for short story) and focus on that aspect of my life again. I haven't written any active fiction for nearly a decade, though every now and again I have sat down to try. Mostly, I have hammered out ideas and started writing a novel or novella, but nothing fruitful. This week I sat down and wrote out all the major works I wanted to do and the mediums I want to do them in. I have ideas from a decade ago I would like to try.

I hope I have the drive to complete these desires, but in the end the search for a job is more pressing. I would like to move on with life - my wife and I need a place of our own.

Definitely not having a job come January. If I could sell some of the shit in my basement, it might help offset costs, but e-bay and other service charge too much and I'm somehow very wary of craigslist.

Employed until Dec. 31. Huh.

Will have to pay $60 more a month on school loans

Will have to pay $15 more a month on car insurance

Will be unemployed on Thanksgiving

Had knowledge of unemployment months ago

Sought jobs; failed miserably (still trying)

Trying so very hard not to spend money; failing miserably (see above)

Should I remain unemployed, writing novel. Fuck yeah.

The exams seemed to go pretty good. I received a 186 and 184 for my Reading and Math portions. I believe that's out of 210, and PA requires a minimum of 130 to be considered teaching material, so yay! It will be two more weeks until I hear back about the rest. I think I did okay, but the Writing has me a little worried.

I felt proud about those results. Hopefully I didn't fuck up the numbers or anything.

I have been granted a one month's reprieve at my job.

Still planning on taking my Praxis exams, though.

Wrapping up the last two weeks at my current job. I'd rather stay than go, but them's the cards were dealt to me.

I'm pretty sure it's when you're fingering a chick and insert a plasmid pinky somewhere.

Spoilers!

The good ending of Bioshock nearly brought a tear to my eye. The fantastic visual at the end of the opening movie, where a Big Daddy reaches out a gloved hand to a Little Sister; who tentatively reaches back, is paid homage through a series of CG vignettes. The last scene, coupled with the in-game taunts of the antagonist and the final words of Tennenbaum, hits at the right emotions. Had there been more of an emotional involvement throughout the game it might have succeeded in making me shed an actual tear. If they ever succeed in a First Person Shooter capable of granting me such emotional passage, then those creators have done some of the finest game design for that genre.

Beat. Got a 1000/1000 gamerscore, which for that game is actually impressive, what with an optional version of the final boss more powerful than everything else in the game. Review halfway done and forthcoming.

Playing Bioshock and Mass Effect right now. It's like being sandwiched between two fantastic games, slathered with the mayo of geekiness and topped with the dill of nerditidy. Yeah.

Don't know why I'm getting so much gaming in now. Come November, I'll have all the time in the world to play games. What with no job and all.

So close to the end of Last Remnant. So close.

That is all.

Now that I totally have a 9 - 5 job, which abandoned skill should I try to fuck around with? I used to be decent at writing, but my head is also filled with giant robots to be drawn.

I totally didn't fuck up the two columns I wrote today! Woot!

So today I wrote a column, then accidentally hit 'back' and deleted it when I went to open a new tab.

So then I re-wrote the column, and then went to open a a bookmark in a new tab. So of course I left clicked instead of right clicked, thus deleting the column.

Then I was all unprofessional and said fuck it.