Hey everyone!

As many of you (all -34 of you that read this blog) may have guessed, I am a girl, and I play video games. I've loved games all my life, but I really got into them during high school. I remember playing through the first level of Super Mario Bros. when I was three or something, and I enjoyed watching my older brother and my mother play the first two Zelda games. I would look at all the pictures in the instruction manuals (speaking of which, why did old NES games have full-color, meaty books, but all the manuals now are thin and black and white? Lame...), and I recorded the ending song to one of the Zelda games on a tape recorder so I could listen to it whenever I wanted. The first game I beat on my own was Kirby's Dream Land for the NES, a game that I sometimes skipped school to play. Over the years I've played good, great, and horrible games, along with my share of "girl games."

I forget what the series' name is, but there was a group of games (more like interactive stories) that featured a girl in middle school who just moved into a new neighborhood and all of her wacky antics. They were pretty fun, for games geared towards middle-school aged girls. I also played a few Barbie games (OMFG!!!) that weren't all that horrible. I was ten, sue me. Repetitive, yes, but they were just basic point-and-click adventure games.

Anyway, to get to the main point of this post, there seems to be perception about girl gamers that, to me, is untrue. I was reading some forum posts about the Sims 3, and there was a big controversy about a semi-sexist post (the poster didn't mean for it to sound sexist, but it did, hence the "semi"). Someone who didn't think the post was sexist made the statement, "If you're going to deny that, as a whole, women don't find that snarky, edgy game more appealing than men do, you'd be wrong." What? I'm not sure if the poster is referring to the Sims games, or if he/she is referring to "snarky, edgy" games in general. It's true, though, that women as a whole don't find games more appealing than men, because there are probably over 3 billion women on the planet, and I'm sure most of them don't like games (along with most of the 3 billion men on the planet, too). But now I'm just being facetious.

Female gamers (women who actually call themselves gamers) like good games, often the same games that male gamers like. Games like Final Fantasy, Okami, Katamari, Resident Evil, etc. are popular among both male and female gamers. Games like The Sims are more popular with women, while games like Gears of War are more popular with men. I'm not saying that one series is better than the other, but that they appeal to different people. Personally, I find "snarky, edgy" games more appealing than dull, tame ones, and I'm sure most female gamers feel the same way I do.

I believe that the reason a lot of people think that there aren't many girl gamers and that the "few" girl gamers that do exist only like "girly" games is because "girly" games generally suck a lot of ass. They can't imagine that anyone would like to play those games, and they're right. Who wants to play a pastel game where you wander around in a mall or whatever, doing the same actions over and over again? No one, that's who. They think that all the good games only appeal to guys, and that girls don't play them.

Now, there are probably a lot of girls and women that played "girly" games in the past, and got turned off from gaming by them. It's like, if you tried sushi for the first time, and the sushi you had was nasty, you probably wouldn't want to try any more. I think the same can be true for games. If the first game you ever play is boring, repetitive, and stupid, you would probably assume that most games are like that. Also, a lot of the really popular games are sports games or first-person shooters. If a girl's boyfriend only plays those types of games, she might think that all games are like that and be uninterested in them. However, if a girl (or guy, for that matter) is introduced to good games (much like I was), then she might learn to like games.

So that's all I've got for now. I wish there were more good games geared towards a female audience (Space Channel 5 is the closest game I can think of right now). You know, games with female characters that don't have strange, floaty boobs and such. I don't deny the fact that male and female gamers are different (and men and women are different), but I think people take those differences and make too big a deal out of them. Who gives a crap if we're different? Gamers, girls and guys alike, tend to like good games. So let's support the developers that make those games.

Or something like that.

Peace, y'all.

P.S. Why is it that "girly" is an insult? Now that's sexist. ^.~

Tags: false perceptions, gamers, girls
Space: bedroom
Feelings: contemplative
Tunes: "Still Alive" ~GLaDOS (from Portal)

Okay, so I'm watching the Olympics, and Nastia Liukin was stretching (she's a gymnast for the USA). One of the commentators was like, "Look at the way Nastia can just take that...slender, balletic body and...bend it." He sounded way too happy about her stretching, and then he just changed the subject! Not to mention he cut off one of the other commentators by changing the subject. O.o

Space: right here biatch
Feelings: confused
Tunes: "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy" Rod Sterwart

That's really all I can do. Scream.

I know I haven't posted in FOREVER and no one comes here anyway but I don't care. Anyway, what is all the fuss about free speech on YouTube? My goodness, it seems like everyone thinks that he or she has the right to say whatever the hell he or she wants with absolutely no consequences. And then they bitch when someone calls them on their bullshit. I'm referring to a video by Tyler Oakley entitled "Speak Out Against Hate Speech," where a group of gay and lesbian YouTube users talk about how it makes them feel to be victims of hate speech.

Now, if something were bothering you, wouldn't you say something about it? If someone kept calling you a whore, nigger, faggot, asshole, whatever, you would say something to try and get them to stop, wouldn't you? You wouldn't just sit there and take it, right? So why is everyone being all hateful and shit? I know that admitting when someone hurts you mostly just eggs them on, but you should still have the right to ask them to cut it out. And now people are posting hateful, cruel, and stupid comments and video responses to it.

Anyway, to sign up for YouTube, you must check the "I have read and agree to the Terms of Use" box, which is kind of like signing a contract. And in that "contract," it explicitly states that hate speech is not permitted. Go and read it if you don't believe me (it's under Community Guidelines). Some may say that this is going against the First Amendment, but I disagree. The First Amendment is meant to stop THE GOVERNMENT from creating laws to restrict free speech (press, religion and assembly), not YouTube or any party that is not the govenrment. Remember in school how you had dress codes and how you couldn't swear or act in certain ways? You could break all the rules you wanted, but there were consequences for doing so. Also, this is why you can't just slander people; if you do, they can sue. YouTube is no different, that's why they can tell what you can and cannot do or say while using their services. If you go against the rules, they can take action against you (by removing videos, suspending your account, or banning you).

I think the biggest problem I have with these people barking about free speech is that they want to be able to say whatever they want, but then they turn around and say shit like: "U cant tell ME wat 2 say FAGOT!!!1!1!111" So, they have the right to tell me what I can't say, but I don't have the right to say that back to them? Hmm... Sounds awfully hypocritical to me.

Personally, I have a problem with people insulting others just for the sake of insulting them. It's stupid, hurtful, humiliating, and makes the offenders look like fools. I know that words shouldn't mean anything, but they do. If anyone tells you that there's nothing you can say to them to offend them, they're either a) lying, or b) heartless. I'm thinking most people would fall under "a." Hopefully.

I think I'm done with this rant now, so...

Peace, y'all.

Tags: bs, free speech, hypocrites, rant, youtube
Space: room
Feelings: enraged
Tunes: "Before Dawn" ~Isaac Shepard

Well, the semester's finally over! *dances*

I totally half-assed my way through the last month-and-a-half, though, but whatever. There's not a damn thing I can do about that, now. Next semester's going to be a bitch, though. I can just feel it. I have Creative Writing, Intro. to Social Psychology, and Honors Early America on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays; then I have Art and the Artist and Japanese on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I can see myself doing lots and lots of writing... At least Creative Writing should be fun, Japanese too.

Hopefully (that's a really big hopefully, by the way), I'll be able to get some writing done this summer. I'm not sure if I want to start anything long and involved, 'cause I tend to let those sit there and collect dust before attempting to finish them. I do have a couple of ideas for short stories, though. Those should be easy to crank out.

In other news, my dad broke his ankle two Saturdays ago. He was trying to scare a squirrel away with a BB gun, slipped on the grass (it was wet), and fell on his ankle. He broke it in three places, and you know those little bumps your bones make on the sides of your ankles? Well, he doesn't have those anymore. He's supposed to get a permanent cast on sometime soon; right now he has this hard thing on the back of his leg wrapped in ACE bandages. I hope he heals really quickly; he hates being and "invalid" as he calls it.

Peace, y'all.

Space: here
Feelings: drained
Tunes: "Capital G" ~Nine Inch Nails

I just finished playing this game (not to 100%, mind you) a few hours ago, and I'm depressed. This really is one of the best games I've ever palyed, and I'm sad that it's over. I want more, damn it! Jimmy Hopkins wormed his way into my heart as one of my favorite characters from *anything*, and even though there's an "Endless Summer" chapter at the end that allows you to run around and try to get 100% in everything, I still want to know more about this 15-year old kid. Which leads me to a quandrary: I want a sequel, but I don't. A sequel (more specifically, a direct sequel) would mean more Jimmy Hopkins and Bullworth Academy fun. But it could also suck, and tarnish the Bully name (I mean for gamers, not stupid asshats who think they know what they're talking about). I'm about 99.9993% sure that Rockstar won't make a sequel, though. The sales weren't good (Heaven only knows why), and the haters would have another field day trying to ban it. But one guy mentioned something on GameSpot about putting Bully in a different setting, like a Japanese school... (this is where I scream like the spazzed-out fangirl I am).

I'll be posting my own Bully review probably tomorrow afternoon or so, and I'll have many more opinions on the sequel speculations and politician idiot-balls. EDIT: No, I lied. Sorries! ^.^;;

Peace y'all

P.S. Excuse the typos, it's 1:08AM... ^.^;;

Feelings: tired
Tunes: "Rock On" ~Jerry C

Kind of...

Well, I was YouTubing just now and I noticed a hair on my finger. I went to pluck it off, but it was stuck. I don't mean just stuck on its side or anything; this thing was rooted in my finger! The tip of my right index finder. I pulled on it and sure enough, it was in my finger (the skin pulled up with it and everything). I took a picture of it (of course), and then showed my mom. She laughed, and when I pulled it out, it hurt! My finger still stings a bit, too.

Well, I knew I was hairy, but I never though I was *that* hairy...

Peace y'all.

Space: on my butt
Feelings: confused
Tunes: "Le Disco" ~Shiny Toy Guns

10 Reasons Why Gay Marriage Is Wrong For America

1) Being gay is not natural. Real Americans always reject unnatural things like eyeglasses, polyester, and air conditioning.

2) Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.

3) Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behaviour. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.

4) Straight marriage has been around a long time and hasn't changed at all; women are still property, blacks still can't marry whites, and divorce is still illegal.

5) Straight marriage will be less meaningful if gay marriage were allowed; the sanctity of Brittany Spears' 55-hour just-for-fun marriage would be destroyed.

6) Straight marriages are valid because they produce children. Gay couples, infertile couples, and old people shouldn't be allowed to marry because our orphanages aren't full yet, and the world needs more children.

7) Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.

8) Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That's why we have only one religion in America.

9) Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That's why we as a society expressly forbid single parents to raise children.

10) Gay marriage will change the foundation of society; we could never adapt to new social norms. Just like we haven't adapted to cars, the service-sector economy, or longer life spans.


(found at: http://www.collegeslackers.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=9991)

Space: up yours
Feelings: enthralled
Tunes: "My Love (Paul Oakenfold Remix)" ~Justin Timberlake

MOTHERFUCKER!!!

Hello, all! My mommy bought these mints at the college today, and they claim to have as much caffeine as a cup of coffee each. I'm thinking that it's a bit more than that, 'cause I feel seriously WIRED. And it is not fun. Nope. No fun at all. The box says, "More than a quick burst of fun!" No shit.

Peace y'all.

Feelings: hyper
Tunes: "I'm Blue" ~Eiffel 65

Um, not really, but okay!

So, I've been in college for a few weeks now, and I have to say I think it's pretty much like high school. With more homework. And longer classes. And a NINE HOUR LONG day on Thursday. But other than that, it's sweet! I met another person named James (maybe I've already posted that, but OH WELL), and just today I saw another person from my old school.

But let's talk about something more interesting, shall we?

DIR EN GREY ARE SO KEWL!!! EEEEEEEE!!!

...

Okay, that was odd, but I went to the Korn concert and saw them live! w00t! They were good, too. Kyo held this long-ass note at the end of "The Final," and it was AWESOME! I took pictures and recorded most of "Jesus Christ Rock'n'Roll" and all of "The Final." I'll have to put them on YouTube or something.

BUT THAT'S NOT ALL!!!

The best part was the meet'n'greet, which I was first in line for. It didn't matter that I had to stand in front of a garbage can for nearly and hour to see them, 'cause I SAW TOSHIYA AND DIE!!! AND I TOUCHED THEM!!! EEEEEE!!! Yeah, I shook their hands and Toshiya said "Hi," to me! ^.^ I'm such a happy lil' fangirl!

That all I really wanted to say. That and I'm still alive.

Peace y'all.

Feelings: excited
Tunes: "It's Raining" ~Bi Rain

"Take it's balls, tampered with or not, and go home."

I heard this on the news.

Fun stuff.

Even though it's about cricket.

Peace out...

...

...and play with your balls.

Space: nowhere
Feelings: naughty
Tunes: Marine Land theme song