I swear this was not posed at all.

Except for the part where I asked Jake to take the picture and then we didn’t move after that until it was done.

The movie we were trying to watch was The Dark Knight, which is probably very good but during the work week is just not a good time to focus on a long serious film.

Oh! And Betsy pointed out that I spelled “paid” wrong in the title of my last post. Because I iz dumb. Also I just have trouble spelling paid. And skeleton. That’s a toughie.

Because there was a corporate takeover so Citibank no longer exists in Western New York, so I had to pay in money order. WTF. Thankfully after this week my paychecks are direct deposit, so I don’t have to make like 40 stops on my way to paying my rent. I can just do it online.

Okay I’m going to (try to) stop being boring now.

Actually that’s going to be impossible, because I’m about to brag about how little (productive, anyway) I’m going to do tonight.

This evening, I plan on playing video games (Shadow of the Colossus and Retro Game Challenge, still), watching Angel, which I really like now because it’s so funny, and reading a combination of Harry Potter 6, vampire stuff possibly, and video game mags.

And then I get to wake up late because I’m covering a Zappa Plays Zappa concert tomorrow night so I don’t go into work until the afternoon.

Today, the first day of my first actual weekend of the summer (as opposed to the 3/4 weeks of nonstop weekend at the beginning of the summer before I started working), I got the hankering to buy a new video game, as I sometimes do. So I cruised through some 1up reviews of DS games, and came across the one for Retro Game Challenge, which I actually heard about on a podcast last summer. I wanted it at the time, then forgot about it, because it didn’t come out in America until recently.

Okay so. Bought the game. And: Best. Game. Ever.

The basic premise is that, in order to do something-or-other (inconsequential plotline), you have to go back in time to the eighties and beat various challenges in a bunch of 8-bit video games. But the thing is, the 8-bit games WITHIN the DS game ARE ACTUAL GAMES. That were created. For the game.

So fake old games, basically. And they are awesome. Apparently there are 8 total, though I’ve only gotten to the second one so far. But according to the 1up review, the games later on are really complete games, and are genuinely good even on their own merit. That’s definitely been true so far.

Actually probably the coolest part, though, is that the game also has fake manuals for the fake games and fake game magazines with cheats & codes for the fake games. (Interestingly, the fake game magazine that’s been shown so far seems to be a pretty close spoof of Electronic Gaming Monthly–the Editor in Chief’s name is Dan Sock, instead of Dan “Shoe” Hsu, and one of the reviewers is named Milkman, like Mielke from EGM. )

I really love creative video games (that’s why EarthBound is pretty much my fave game ever), and this is one of the most creative games I’ve ever played. I love the idea that I’m playing as a fan of video games playing video games. It’s so meta and awesome.

Also, it’s a cute little history lesson in the evolving mechanics of 8-bit games.

Okay that’s not totally true. I have had spare time this week, but I’ve used it either to sleep or to play Shadow of the Colossus (which, by the way, is so awesome and I can’t believe I never played it until now).

But more importantly (?), this was my first week of work at The Buffalo News! I’m not going to lie–the first couple days were difficult. I couldn’t find an ATM machine so I couldn’t eat lunch on one day, I was super nervous for my first story on Wednesday night, and my shoes gave me blisters.

But then! I took out some cash for food, learned the ropes a little more in the office, bonded with my desk-neighbors, and actually starting writing a bit. (Really, only a bit so far…)

And now I’m working on/I’ve been assigned some really awesome stories. For example:

1. Preview of the Taste of Buffalo
2. Review of a Zappa Plays Zappa concert next week
3. Piece on college students and part-time jobs
4. Possible review of Norwegian movie, O’Horten
5. Harry Potter 6 movie review
6. Pre-Harry Potter movie feature thingy

Wait let me repeat myself.

HARRY POTTER MOVIE REVIEW

I somehow managed to wrangle (unless something drastic happens, of course) the Buffalo News review of the Harry Potter 6 movie. And also a pre-movie feature thing. I am actually totally in shock. With happiness. Don’t worry though–I can totally be impartial about the HP movies despite my hella love for the series. Unlike the books, which are mostly utter perfection, the movies have had their good and bad moments. And I’m super-excited to review the 6th one. Also I get to see it early at a screening.

So basically I’m exhausted from a crazy yet awesome week. Oh, and one of the best parts of my job is my surrounding area in the office. While the entire Buffalo News newsroom is really welcoming and friendly, the features department is way quirkier and more personalized and colorful and–I’ll just say it–awesome. Below, some photos of the piles and piles of books and swag and posters and craziness that surround where I sit. Click for bigger. Enjoy!

First off, thanks to everyone for the compliments about my tattoo!! I love it so much, and I’m glad other people think it looks as good as I think it does.

On a completely different subject, this blog is absolutely awesome. Original, and weirdly interesting. Also it kinda makes me want to buy Sims 3 which is weird because–though I used to be a huge Sims fan–when I’ve recently tried to go back and play I’ve been unbeeearably bored. But yeah. Above blog is the story of homeless Sims. It’s funny and kinda insightful. Read it.

Also the new Alice movie by Tim Burton looks gorgeous and I can’t believe I hadn’t heard about it until yesterday. (Thanks Noelle!)

Oh, and I really want this book, but it’s all hardcover and expensive and stuff. Supposed to be a really cool take on the whole vampire-apocalypse deal. Always a favorite with me! Good thing I have tons of other vampire- and non-vampire-related books to read between now and when it comes out in paperback.

In other news…

It was my first day of work today at the Buffalo News! And, not surprisingly, I didn’t really do much except fill out forms and get acclimated to the general environment. The office is very warm (emotionally, that is) and especially the features area (desk? technically?), which is where I work, is very colorful and personalized. And cluttered. In a good way.

I get my own desk AND phone extension (and e-mail address, of course), and I’ve already been assigned two stories, which I’ll update about as I actually get to work on them. Kinda sparingly though because I don’t want this blog to become The Story of Elizabeth’s Clips. That wouldn’t be very interesting at all. Not that this is particularly interesting as is. Oh well!

And on that note, bed! Hopefully tomorrow will be more exciting and I will have some thrilling stories for you.