tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89062808469003564922011-11-17T22:49:49.652-05:00writing, photography, techNick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.comBlogger791100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-56078568886102408992010-11-23T23:40:00.004-05:002010-11-24T01:43:57.754-05:00

For as long as I can remember, birthdays have been a strange thing for me. It's true that there were years when I was much, much younger that I bought into them just like every other kid, having my parents throw parties for the whole class and generally viewing the whole affair as, well, as a birthright. But those days are long past.At some point I started seeing things differently. I was

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-24745800231407992972010-07-18T13:57:00.003-04:002010-07-18T14:25:18.705-04:00

This is something that's been bothering me for awhile in a big way, and I really need to share it (before anyone else makes the connection).By now we've all heard about Deepwater Horizon and the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. It's about a three hour drive for me to the nearest oil-soaked beach, so it hits pretty close to home, but I'll get to the point: I was listening to a song from Jack

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-40445832829026246082010-07-18T01:11:00.002-04:002010-07-18T01:20:22.761-04:00

To be perfectly honest, I'm not as much an activist as I like to pretend I am. I'll latch onto an opinion and occasionally make an attempt to defend it, but generally I avoid argument as much as possible in my daily life.Capitalism is kind of a touchy subject. Here's my last-minute attempt to discredit it:---Consumption JunctionA Discourse on Market Capitalism More than sixty years have passed

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-68930491618860088732010-07-15T15:05:00.004-04:002010-07-16T12:30:33.088-04:00

Saying that I HATE process analysis might be a little unfair. I definitely don't love it, though.My professor is decidedly against using research in our papers (as he doesn't want to grade MLA citations until he has to, as far as I can tell), so picking a topic meant that I needed to stay in the realm of the day-to-day. Bad roommates are, I think, a universal constant, but I decided that my

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-66827747977780510152010-05-25T14:48:00.006-04:002010-07-15T15:13:01.084-04:00

Summer term might have been a mistake. I wasn't thinking clearly when I signed myself up for four classes (out of pocket, I might add) in addition to a full time work schedule. Not all is doom and gloom, though; I've finally stretched my literary muscles for the first time in ages and have been given the opportunity (read: forced) to do some academic writing again. Fodder for the blog.This week's

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-75382873334605314722010-05-25T00:49:00.003-04:002010-05-25T00:54:58.019-04:00

I've been trying to re-evaluate the usefulness of this blog. Originally, I started it as a sort of bulletin board of English assignments, but when that dried up it turned into more of a scarcely-updated political/zombie blog (not to be confused with political zombies).I decided that I would abandon this project until I got some materials together to start an entirely new blog. Then I started

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-35016701778066326922009-10-18T11:12:00.004-04:002010-05-25T00:55:21.337-04:00

I recently ran into an interesting little short on the web that I feel I must share here.Produced by the advertising agency Ogilvy and Mather in China, Greenpeace brings us a Coal Story.

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-57924639397894571602009-09-22T04:37:00.003-04:002009-09-22T04:49:34.164-04:00

Or ZBrush, to be exact.Pixologic's remarkable 3D modeling tool isn't suited to games (at least, not until our computers can handle millions of polygons per object), but the ability to freely sculpt without the need to keep track of vertices and quads is an artist's dream.Plus, it's a LOT cleaner to work with than clay.From Models

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-32164348100303105602009-09-10T12:57:00.004-04:002009-09-10T13:35:57.409-04:00

I've been a fan of the Wii Virtual Console since day one, but one thing that always irked me was the lack of some of the more beloved N64 classics, such as Mystical Ninja: Starring Goemon, Banjo Kazooie, and of course, Mario Party. So, with the help of my newly purchased hard drive, I recently set out to download the full collection of Nintendo 64 roms and emulators.It was with Logitech game pads

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-70261992960683609562009-08-14T04:19:00.004-04:002009-08-14T04:22:52.639-04:00

Courtesy* of xkcd. Really, you should read it.*For 'courtesy,' read: stolen and reposted from...

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-2628015762407317962009-08-11T12:20:00.004-04:002009-08-11T12:33:28.567-04:00

Generally I refrain from simply reposting another person's expostulations, but today I'm going to make an exception.I was reading some question and answer forums earlier today when I encountered an interesting question, something that all of us, I think, can relate to. A user, "socrates," asked: "Why is it embarrassing not to have romantic interest reciprocated?""I just called a girl from one of

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-71680085745220692932009-07-25T00:12:00.004-04:002009-07-25T00:22:53.803-04:00

Based on a true story.From My ComicsOkay, so maybe not so true.

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-66059960890370720642009-07-22T21:06:00.003-04:002009-07-22T21:14:00.636-04:00

Following the theme of cute animal videos (I sense divine retribution for this in my future), I would like to present a rather heartwarming video about a big squirrel and a little squirrel.It's impressive how much a bit of music and some narration can transform some otherwise boring amateur footage into a veritable Disney-quality tearjerker.

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-42818748366041314552009-07-22T18:34:00.003-04:002009-07-22T18:46:54.395-04:00

Truth be told, I've never been much of a fan of anything involving cats or kittens (excepting, of course, this one); too much cuteness is the equivalent of kryptonite to my shriveled heart. Even so, on rare occasion something will pop up that is just too rich to pass up. Enter the Stealth Cat:

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-53885703759058815502009-06-22T16:38:00.002-04:002009-06-22T16:54:17.472-04:00

From My ComicsThe BugPart 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-39085286192970443852009-06-11T01:03:00.004-04:002009-06-11T01:12:50.959-04:00

Playing Blueberry Garden was a tremendously satisfying experience, but left me wishing there was more. While there may not be a sequel in the works, there's no reason that Daduk's music can't be enjoyed. Featured below is Daduk's album "Et Apres," hosted by Jamendo.com and available for download. Thought-provoking piano arrangements reminiscent of Phillip Glass, how appropriate in a game so much

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-1884331620626436132009-06-10T23:51:00.005-04:002009-06-11T00:38:21.610-04:00

Erik Svedang. Game designer and instructor at the University of Skövde in Sweden.His newest game, Blueberry Garden, was released earlier today on Steam, and at the very affordable price of $4.99 I said "Why not?"After stretching the 1-2 hour game into a solid four hours, enjoying each moment as much as the last, I'm left wondering: "Why isn't there more?" This isn't a criticism of Erik's work,

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-66879538622998542752009-05-11T01:07:00.006-04:002009-05-11T01:27:44.500-04:00

The title of this post is rather explicit, but it might not hurt to give a little bit of information before delving into the content.Teachers are strange creatures. They are well educated individuals who have been tricked into wanting to spend nearly all of their waking hours with children of varying ages, but this is only a small portion of what makes them so strange. A truly complete analysis

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-31449790831986967982009-04-22T12:43:00.003-04:002009-04-22T12:50:51.201-04:00

Following the theme of incredible game trailers, I stumbled across what must be the SECOND best trailer ever created. The lack of a serious budget obviously lends itself to creativity, as is shown in what will likely prove to be a sleeper hit: Stalin vs. Martians.That's right.Stalin.

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-4481704729711892652009-04-22T01:02:00.006-04:002009-04-22T01:36:18.064-04:00

As usual, a busy schedule has dragged me away from my computer at an inopportune time. Normally I would follow the established routine of making up a number of excuses for this and leave it at that, but this time I actually found something that needs to be shared.Anyone who regularly uses Steam may have seen this already, as it's currently featured on the main page, but PopCap Games (the

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-48343454458667735352009-04-13T04:12:00.005-04:002009-06-22T16:53:45.076-04:00

I thought I saw something move along the floor while I was eating dinner...From My ComicsThe BugPart 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-10609925608714189862009-04-12T12:08:00.003-04:002009-04-12T12:10:29.048-04:00

Happy Easter.

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-32780500840519003912009-04-11T00:21:00.004-04:002009-06-11T00:39:18.394-04:00

Only shock describes the feeling when I say that it looks like my old friend Travis stirs from his slumber.

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-16401508737923267582009-04-06T19:25:00.003-04:002009-06-11T00:38:55.657-04:00

Not so long ago I stumbled across the work of one Jason Rohrer. It seems Jason is the one programmer on the planet who manages to remain a functional 'free spirit' - a rather interesting story in itself.That isn't what I'm here to talk about. What I'd like to bring to attention is, instead, his 2007 project, Passage. An experiment in minimalistic game design, Passage attempts to explore the

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-23736869487657894972009-04-05T01:18:00.002-04:002009-04-05T01:23:20.729-04:00

Studies show, the greater the commitment to providing blog content, the less likely I am to follow through. Rather than giving an excuse, here is a rundown of the past months: Eternal Silence, Lord of the Rings Online, Supreme Commander, Age of Empires 3, Company of Heroes, and Red Alert 3. Also: friend had baby, love interest found other love interest, general instances of being a good

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-67799098239099772512009-02-13T00:34:00.004-05:002009-02-13T01:23:47.958-05:00

Some time ago I made the decision that, in an effort to give this blog SOME form of regularity, I would make at least one post on the second Thursday of the month. This was to be a continuation of my "Soundscapes" segment, where I could feebly attempt to impose my musical taste on others. I promptly ignored that decision.Here I am, however, several months later (and an hour too late to make the

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-6494828119892404312009-02-01T13:12:00.003-05:002009-02-01T13:17:02.333-05:00

I've been wrong before, but I can't help but imagine this is more than coincidence.Okay I was bored.

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-70984443861575330182009-02-01T11:01:00.009-05:002009-02-13T00:34:15.509-05:00

With the release of the map, the true experiment begins: Public playtesting. While I hope for a considerable amount of positive feedback, it's really the criticism that makes the map better, and I expect a good amount of it. Provided below is a current list of known bugs in Concrete Bayou 01 - The Office Park. If anyone sees anything that's not on this list, please comment here or otherwise let

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-40259358177711383972009-01-31T21:51:00.007-05:002009-02-01T13:17:16.257-05:00

Tonight is the night, the release of my beta version of the first map in my Left 4 Dead campaign, Concrete Bayou.Some background: The survivors find themselves holed up in an infested Office Park when the military begins bombing runs in an attempt to curb the spreading infection. Left with no other options, players must escape their hideout and work their way to the distant city of Palm Island

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-20145346935440582002009-01-30T13:30:00.007-05:002009-02-01T13:17:29.303-05:00

As anyone who's been paying any attention to their surroundings in the past few weeks can tell you, the inauguration was a heroic victory for all things that are blue. Being frozen for the better part of a day is generally a negative experience, but somehow a million-something of my closest friends managed to overlook our poor decisions and convince ourselves that it was all worthwhile. And it

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-47268713387408181832009-01-15T23:18:00.005-05:002009-01-30T14:05:43.797-05:00

Well of course, the moment I commit myself to regular blog updates is the moment I become embroiled in a fierce crusade to craft a recreation of my hometown for previously-mentioned zombie murdering masterpiece Left 4 Dead. But I've been remiss, and there's no excuse for it.Of course, it can't be helped after Sunday, because I'm venturing north to try to get into the District of Columbia before

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-38623984799171210582008-12-09T23:12:00.005-05:002008-12-09T23:43:19.533-05:00

A great many ideas come and go, lost to the eternal sands of time, merely for lack of intiative. I often find myself contemplating some wonderful story or brilliant scheme only to consign it, in an instant, to oblivion for want of pen and pad. This is something that most people must struggle with in one form or another, as the human mind can be terribly fickle. This is precisely the reason why I

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-36546803905039047362008-12-02T12:54:00.009-05:002008-12-02T13:43:50.088-05:00

Let it be known that I like zombies. They're a sort of hobby of mine. With this in consideration, I would like to share a few revelations.Firstly is last month's release of the online co-operative survival horror masterpiece known as Left 4 Dead. Any gamer should be familiar with this title by this point, which places four human survivors in one of several diverse locales where they must work

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-83962923644906247892008-11-23T18:27:00.007-05:002008-12-09T23:51:45.697-05:00

Today, as Facebook reminds us, is my birthday. November 23. The date really is pretty unremarkable, except that - at least by some counts - it is the first day of Sagittarius, and occasionally falls on Thanksgiving (my actual date of birth being such an example. O' the irony!).In any case I'm not a big fan of the idea, celebrating one's birthday. The celebration is fine, but with it comes the

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-65805374628558952042008-11-16T21:36:00.003-05:002008-11-16T21:48:29.296-05:00

Already, the President-elect is bringing about change in the way our government works. For those who don't remember their history lessons, Franklin Roosevelt made history by circumventing the press and speaking directly to the people via his periodic Fireside Chats. The tradition hasn't died, and while Presidents Kennedy and Reagan mastered the transition to television, Obama is bringing a new

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-27168475261328172722008-11-15T13:25:00.003-05:002008-11-15T13:45:59.088-05:00

For those of you who aren't aware, a flash mob is described as "a large group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place, perform an unusual action for a brief time, then quickly disperse." The first flash mob occured in Manhattan in 2003, and is credited to Bill Wasik, but similar gatherings have been occuring for much longer (see Mobile Clubbing and Pillow Fights) .Improv Everywhere, as

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-51124681985261956072008-11-10T11:05:00.005-05:002008-11-10T11:49:17.418-05:00

Being away from this blog for so long makes it difficult to get back into the swing of things, but after the excitement of weekly essays and road trip photos I began to run low on truly original content. Between that and the lengthy process of relocating to Orlando, I've neglected my portfolio out of a bit of both necessity and sloth. In short, I've not been very productive lately.With that said,

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-87691894029193591292008-11-05T00:31:00.004-05:002008-11-05T01:08:14.549-05:00

On November 4th, 2008, America made history.Yes we can.

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-76800259462742557832008-09-28T02:13:00.008-04:002008-09-28T02:28:02.241-04:00

At the risk of skirting the subject of my prolonged absence, I present - without further adieu - one of my earlier poems, entitled "To Fate..."---In such a present where every day stings,where truths are seraphim on golden wings,where one must suffer by another's handand we lose what we gained conscript from the land;Where the people who turmoil, the strong and the meek,can never agree, though

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-30224404358894896562008-06-24T14:19:00.002-04:002008-06-24T15:13:39.720-04:00

This comes a bit late, but I am inclined to make a mention anyway. Many have already heard, but famed comedian George Carlin passed away in Santa Monica, California last Sunday as a result of heart failure. Carlin reveled in his status as a contemporary great, a comedic milestone, and a social philosopher.His only major regret in life, as stated by himself, was the impact his drug use has had on

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-26793889312120244832008-05-12T16:03:00.006-04:002008-05-12T16:32:47.840-04:00

Two weeks have passed since I intended to bring up my glider adventure. Instead of going into details, I've decided to share some photos. See the rest of the photos here.

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-58118875249665352382008-05-01T10:33:00.000-04:002008-05-01T10:45:33.536-04:00

I'd like to take a moment this morning to share another remarkable video from MoveOn.org's Obama In 30 Seconds contest. Meg Pinsonneault uses claymation to take a fresh approach to a political ad.Meg Pinsonneault - Imagine...The contest is down to some 15 finalists, and the winner's video will be aired on television. Visit Obama In 30 Seconds to support Meg's video and view the other finalists.

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-43284531689271481942008-05-01T09:04:00.000-04:002008-05-01T10:17:04.644-04:00

Four hours from now, I am set to take flight.Rather, I've booked a ride in an engineless glider plane this afternoon. I've been intrigued by the thought of unpowered flight for awhile, and have been considering the pursuit of a hobbyist pilot's license. Of course, I'll never be able to afford such a hobby, but who wouldn't want the bragging rights? You never know when you'll need to fly a plane

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-57112317245159073012008-04-23T17:13:00.000-04:002008-04-23T17:21:01.618-04:00

There Is Hope - Jonathan ReedFeatured above is an interesting video by Jonathan Reed. Reed is one of many individuals who submitted clips to the Obama in 30 Seconds contest sponsored by MoveOn.org. The contest has brought out some impressive talent. Videos can be viewed and voted for after signing up.

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-21226840653093843472008-03-31T23:28:00.000-04:002008-03-31T23:39:14.495-04:00

In what must be an unprecedented event in American history, President George W. Bush was openly booed when he appeared at the Washington Nationals baseball game on Sunday (3/30/08). The President appeared to throw the ceremonial first pitch of the season - a remarkably good pitch, I understand, where Presidents are concerned.President Bush appears to what could generously be called a mixed

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-84989396457897369612008-03-28T17:55:00.000-04:002008-04-23T17:21:38.393-04:00

There probably isn't anybody who's going to read this who isn't well aware of my support for Barack Obama's campaign bid. With that said, a video was posted on Youtube today interviewing a class of students from the Bronx High School of Performance and Stagecraft and their reactions to Obama's racial speech earlier this month.Anyone who's attended high school in the last decade should be duly

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-92220111122319771342008-03-18T22:09:00.002-04:002008-12-02T13:44:11.748-05:00

Addicts of Facebook may recognize the acronym AZDI. The American Zombie Defense Initiative, a large-ish community on the popular networking site, is a North American-based group dedicated to, you guessed it, fighting off the inevitable zombie apocalypse.The point is, awhile back I had the time to entertain myself with such nonsense. Here are a couple of AZDI-related photoshops I slapped

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-76808453668067254962008-03-15T20:17:00.000-04:002008-03-15T22:40:56.998-04:00

Ben Croshaw - "Yahtzee" - isn't what one might call a well kept secret in the online community. In fact, the man is hugely popular among the tech-saavy masses, and for good reason. Satirist and Vlogger, Yahtzee was picked up by The Escapist Magazine last August after scouting a few game reviews he had posted on Youtube.His reviews, released every Wednesday under the title "Zero Punctuation," are

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-46236383996845952142008-02-28T19:43:00.000-05:002008-04-23T17:22:00.172-04:00

If it isn't entirely apparent from previous posts, I'm a huge supporter of Senator Obama's campaign bid. I'm not the type, however, to argue with every other person over politics or what's right for the nation. At least, not unless there's a great fault in an individual's logic.It's with that thought that I like to bring to attention the popular argument against the good Senator: experience. For

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-6208094976860197852008-01-15T22:41:00.000-05:002008-01-15T22:56:57.663-05:00

Four and a half grueling hours later, I've nearly completed optimizing the 200-something odd photos from this past summer for publication.Unfortunately, my eyes are on the verge of explosion, so I have decided to quit for the evening and, instead, spent a moment to kickstart an album dedicated to Creative Photography. There are currently fifty photographs for your enjoyment, with more to come.

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-1520724563085698702008-01-13T21:50:00.000-05:002008-01-13T22:41:15.658-05:00

Well, 2007 is officially dead and gone, and most of us have long since ushered in the new year. Others, such as myself, keep writing 2007 on all of our papers.Since I returned from the relatively-frigid north in time for the New Year, I've been busily working towards a previously-unknown equilibrium between the various elements in my life. Needless to say, my efforts have since taken a backseat

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-60945544280587315652007-12-23T08:50:00.000-05:002007-12-23T09:21:29.545-05:00

Christmas is drawing closer with every passing hour, and the stresses of presents and cards and family have seen their welcomes worn. It's been a busy month, and I intend to apologize for the lack of content, but I'll be on a plane late this afternoon, so it will have to wait.Below are a couple of photographs from this past summer. Keep your eyes out for a full album containing these photos in

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-71551772833757257792007-12-05T15:21:00.000-05:002007-12-05T15:44:36.623-05:00

December 5, 1933 was the day that state conventions ratified the Twenty-First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The amendment repealed the Eighteenth Amendment, effectively ending prohibition and becoming the first and only amendment to constitutionalize a pleasurable activity. Jeffrey Morgenthaler has long been an advocate of officializing the celebration of Repeal Day, and it seems that

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-37356056649149166372007-12-03T23:14:00.000-05:002007-12-04T00:16:01.617-05:00

Poor spending seems to be one of the many recurring themes of the Bush Administration, and striking a balance between the departments of Defense and Education is precisely what many critics suggest. But how many Americans actually know where their taxes are going? What exactly is this great disparity that has so severely burdened Bush's budget?I took the time to peruse through some of our

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-90557344216628525472007-12-03T22:46:00.000-05:002007-12-03T23:13:58.821-05:00

Despite my love of literature, English has never been one of my favorite subjects in school. No matter what level of education, I can never come to terms with the cavalcade of trivial exercises. The worst of these exercises have always involved poetry.It was just such an exercise, oddly enough, which sparked the inspiration for the piece below. "Needles," as it is appropriately titled, was

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-45740526242747812742007-11-28T20:09:00.000-05:002008-04-23T17:22:32.015-04:00

Tuesday night marked the end of my English course. Sure, I'll still be attending for several weeks, but I turned in my final paper for review, and the only reason to attend class at this point is the several remaining grammar tests.This is good news, because now, hopefully, I will be able to devote more time to my own projects. In the meantime, check out my fairly biased dissertation on Barack

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-69733270349136140632007-11-20T17:28:00.000-05:002007-11-20T18:49:57.598-05:00

Exactly how I found it, I can't really say. All I know is that I have absolutely fallen in love with Elise Bauer's food blog. Simply Recipes is a nice, clean, online index of recipes taken straight from the culinary scribblings of Elise's family and friends and organized by category. The recipe list is by no means extensive. Instead, we are treated to a diverse selection of family favorites not

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-56563364704331029462007-11-20T17:09:00.001-05:002007-11-20T17:59:36.432-05:00

Though it's a bit late, it seemed appropriate to post something with a bit of an autumnal flare. This photograph was taken in October of 2006. Just about anybody who lives in the upper Keys is familiar with this annual pumpkin display in front of the Burton Memorial Methodist church in Tavernier. The apparent embrace of Halloween - the very holiday which occasionally sparks a certain measure of

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-19284038356603105962007-11-05T21:05:00.000-05:002007-11-05T21:25:21.486-05:00

Fans of The Onion, a parody newspaper based out of New York, have undoubtedly been enamoured with the additions of Radio News and Network News pieces over the past several years. The straight-faced stories satirize history, popular culture, current events, and are consistently outrageous in the most delightful way. Featured below is the most recent headline:Mean Automakers Dash Nation's Hope For

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-85818084076858223602007-11-05T20:18:00.000-05:002007-11-05T20:22:37.065-05:00

Love is among the few things that frequently moves me to creation, and can be found at the core of a good deal of my writing. The subject of this poem holds a special place in my heart not as a lover, but as a dear friend. I can't rightly say what it was that drove me to write this particular piece, but as it took form under the direction of my fingertips there was absolutely no doubt in my mind

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-11269087137106824332007-11-04T22:23:00.000-05:002007-11-05T20:22:51.926-05:00

Some time ago, under the auspices of some infatuation, I felt moved to poetry. This following piece was written on an especially balmy day in Summer. I'm not sure how large a part the weather played in the creation of this poem, but it was certainly a fine afternoon.---It is but loveas snow white doves do circles in the sky."It is but love!"The man decries, as joyful tears he cries.It is but love

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-16182419793415131662007-10-28T21:37:00.000-04:002007-10-28T21:53:38.337-04:00

Considering that I aspire to fix computers for a living, I've decided to offer up my services locally for anybody interested. Below is a calendar with available time slots for computer repair which will be updated accordingly.As a rule, I operate between Mile Markers 80 and 110, but may make exceptions upon request. Please feel free to contact me via phone or electronic mail to ask questions or

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-25708237106208816052007-10-28T19:44:00.000-04:002007-11-05T20:25:30.575-05:00

Tonight I decided to share a poem that I wrote several years ago. I can't really say for certain what inspired me, but I was lying awake one night with this nagging feeling in the back of my mind, one single unifying thought that needed expression. Normally, like any sane person, I put it to the back of my mind and sleep it off; that night, though, seemed more important, so I got myself out of

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-14096032727791588082007-10-23T21:16:00.000-04:002007-10-23T22:09:28.709-04:00

Gimmicky gizmos and gadgets are a dime-a-dozen in the consumer electronics world, and from Griffin Technology's dubiously-ineffective iKaraoke to Sega's dancing iFish, Apple's iPod has contributed more than its fair share to the mix. It may not be entirely surprising that even more third party companies are jumping on the iPod peripheral bandwagon, but I'll be damned if I wasn't caught off guard

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-68717586241193654572007-10-23T21:08:00.000-04:002007-10-23T21:15:40.842-04:00

In a feeble attempt to fill the fairly conspicuous gap in posts from the past few weeks, I present a summary of Floyd Dell's short story, "We're Poor." The essay itself was written as a companion to my previous essay, entitled "The Civilization," for the Example essay. "We're Poor" describes the series of events that leads to a child's realization that his family is poor.---The example essay

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-16245833823457072922007-10-18T22:19:00.000-04:002007-10-18T23:15:55.023-04:00

The last few weeks have been... interesting, to say the least. Concerning my writing, class was canceled the week of Columbus Day on Tuesday (which was Leif Erikson Day, oddly enough). I did manage to churn out my usual essays despite an awful case of writer's block, none of which are interesting enough to share.What I will share, however, is a recommendation. When I wrote my original essay last

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-55212258868331013042007-10-03T16:58:00.000-04:002007-10-03T17:18:06.969-04:00

I was at a loss last weekend when I realized I needed to come up with a topic for Tuesday's essay, so I considered myself lucky when a friend of mine began telling me about his own writing assignment on human civilization. I decided that I was out of ideas, and I took civilization and ran with it. It might be worth noting now that I use "Civilization" intentionally as a physical object, and so as

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-69039847714450521002007-09-28T23:14:00.000-04:002007-09-29T00:05:43.083-04:00

Some months ago, last winter I believe, a friend of mine introduced me to a band called Zero 7. These guys were perhaps the single most defining feature of my road trip this summer: for almost two months I listened to these melodies almost daily. With an alternative, synthetic, downtempo groove, lilting harmonies, and moving lyrics, Zero 7 creates an absolutely unique soundscape that tantalizes

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-76088988878483188892007-09-28T21:41:00.000-04:002007-09-29T14:13:44.391-04:00

My most recent assignment was to write a Process essay: how to make a peanut butter sandwich, how to tie your shoes, what to do to get out of a speeding ticket - you know the stuff. I opted, as per the usual, for a more creative approach. I ask you, dear reader, to envision as you read an aging ex-vice president sitting fireside with you in a remote hovel in the mountains. Enjoy.---The principles

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-29415989074933712192007-09-28T21:20:00.000-04:002007-09-28T21:47:48.959-04:00

Last week I read an interesting piece by American author William Carlos Williams. "Tract" was the subject of a rather mediocre paper that I wrote to meet an essay deadline, so I won't bother posting it here, but take a look at the poem if you get the chance.

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-53411596498708003362007-09-23T12:35:00.000-04:002007-09-23T12:39:20.234-04:00

A week late, here's a short narrative that pays homage to Al Gore's good friend, the polar bear.---It was mid-January, and a blistering New York sun beat down on the transparent shell of the New York Ministry of Culture. The Ministry of Culture, or NYMOC as it had been affectionately dubbed, was but one of innumerable Bio Dome Districts that had sprouted up across the globe after the dissolution

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-26562390261098458222007-09-17T17:07:00.000-04:002007-09-17T21:02:38.674-04:00

Less of a summary and more of a tragically underdeveloped treatise on the inherent power in the effective manipulation of rhetoric, this week I write about Edgar Allan Poe's The Tell-Tale Heart.---The art of the narrative opens the door to limitless possibilities for style. The development of this style is absolutely imperative in creating the ideal environment in which the story will take place.

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-32094862095431494232007-09-15T20:28:00.000-04:002007-09-28T21:49:44.140-04:00

Here's an interesting, if not subtly disturbing story: the massive fields of ice that have for so long prevented maritime shipping along the Northwest Passage have receded to the lowest levels since satellite measurements began some 30 years ago. With the region navigable, thousands of miles could be cleft from current shipping routes which rely on the Panama Canal for passage between the Pacific

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-46046709871934427762007-09-13T22:00:00.000-04:002007-09-17T17:12:37.696-04:00

Every once in awhile I'll come across something by chance that just blows my mind away. Despite having spent much of my youth engaged in the game, soccer just isn't one of those things. At least that's what I thought, until I was made aware of the existance of the Sierra Leone amputee football team, an african soccer team composed entirely of one-legged amputees (many having lost their limbs in

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-54874610334878014242007-09-11T17:07:00.000-04:002007-09-17T17:22:41.175-04:00

Today I submit to you a paper summarizing a story by Anton Chekhov. The formula I used to write it is admittedly generic and a bit stuffy, but I feel that there is still some truth behind the words. Enjoy.---It goes without saying that the human condition - this collective experience, if you will - has long been the subject of deliberation by poets and pundits alike. It is this universal theme

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-46665421802726046782007-09-11T00:18:00.001-04:002007-09-11T00:37:49.611-04:00

I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm a big fan of dictionary.reference. Anyway, for whatever reason, I realized at one point today that "archetype" is a really excellent word. Not as excellent as "effervescence," perhaps, but still pretty good. Looking up the definition left me with this bit of knowledge that I had never even bothered to consider.You learn something new every day.ARCHETYPE (

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-66078218899360252562007-09-09T22:45:00.000-04:002007-09-10T20:14:04.595-04:00

A new Writing and Technology blog has sprouted up. Go check out Travis, the blog is called The Travisty.

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-82397483630641001632007-09-09T21:16:00.000-04:002007-09-09T21:31:20.242-04:00

Every Tuesday evening I attend an English Composition class at the local community college as a way of circumventing more conventional methods of... learning. Last Tuesday we were charged with the task of writing a one page description of a topic of our choice: I chose a peach. A peach, as we all know, is fairly unremarkable in itself. A mysterious, sensual encounter, on the other hand, tends to

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906280846900356492.post-19829751146544624932007-09-09T21:08:00.000-04:002007-09-09T21:32:10.368-04:00

I've never been much of a blogger. The time taken to record musings generally outweighs the returns, so I get bored.With that said, here's another blog to clog the tubes of the internet. I expect to write a great deal of papers this year, so you can expect to see a great deal of papers.Ciao!nick

Nick.Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14582696975424332551noreply@blogger.com0