Not Quite a 3rd Part 1

TWO NIGHTS OF AWKWARD! Also, master lyrical educator Mega Ran!
Day one was in my favorite metropolitan areas SAN JOSE!, next to one of my favorite centers of learning, SJSU.
This concert was a bit unique from the typical venues that "small bands" perform in as this was at ROCKAGE SJ an awesome video game and Indie music fest that goes the entire weekend (ferreals gonna attend the next one). This year it was held at the San Jose Woman's Club, an awesome 20s-30s style building tucked up past SJSU.
I had it all planned out, I even made a facebook event (for any of you who know me personally you know how much I LOATHE Facebook, so, big deal) and I was gonna roll down there and be boss cause, ya know, home turf, PARTY! Little did I realize in my ignorance of cultural diversity, it was also Chinese New Year and everyone else had plans. But WHATEVA, I slow rolled around the place a couple times blasting Zealous1 looking for parking but decided to park in one of my favorite parking garages and strolled over to the event. "First 50 at the door receive free Wii Guitar!" I was among those first 50, B-day present for my Sister! (I no have Wii, she do).
I thought I'd be there a little early so I could see Doctor Awkward and then watch MegaRan's set. APPARENTLY Mega Ran went up first and was the followed up by Doc. I think it had something to do with the fact Ran had to get to the Grammys. So I got to see Random's set first and then watched a very intimate set by Awk. Would you like to watch it!?
HERE!!!! is the Twitch.tv feed of it plus the other acts that played that day and some interviews, all kinds of fun. check it!
After Awk's Set I camped the merch table for some quality time to chat. So many questions and of course, as soon as you get there, you forget them all.
It's cool, talked with DJ DN3, a pro producer and all around cool cat, while grabbing some swag, but the main event of this trip was the LIMITED EDITION 1 OF 15(13) special box set of Doctor Awkwards Discography!
I have friends who are terribly averse to unboxing videos so here are unboxing PICTURES! Check it out.

Wii guitar (& Taylor Swift face plate), Dr. Awkward Discography AND White Materia

White Materia is several remixes/mash ups of Black Materia as well as other FFVII music

Like mainstream beats but cant stand the lyrics? SOLVED! ty DJ Nerd 42!

Diggin the Tron inspired W/Deathly Hallows front cover!

Title Spine! (yes, its a VHS box. I'm excited)

It IS a VHS with cryptic messages!

 

Sweet, a little light cycle in a custom gutted VHS shell, ha!

Its a USB light cycle. METAL!

IT GLOWS BLUE JUST LIKE MY SPECIAL EDITION SCII TAG! WHHOO!!!

But H47!? How was the show?
I'll tell you. Fun! I'll be honest, it had a "wierd" vibe as it was like RIGHT after lunch ("morning" for most nerds. amirite!?) and there weren't a lot of people at the event yet as it was earlier in the day BUT, consummate professionals all, Random & Doctor Awkward gave a full 100% for the hardy few of us who came out to see them specifically.
I'm glad to pass the few bucks I could to Random, DJ DN3, & Doc Awk to show my appreciation for coming out to my home town and hope they come back again as I hear tell SJ has a thriving indie scene that welcomes all sorts of acts.

STAY TUNED FOR PART 2! . . . .

3rd 4 T3h NRRD: May '12

Tribe One

Also, Tribe One Won, Dirty South Swamp Thing, Devil Rhymeosaur & Ol' Dirty Batroc. And I'm sure other awesome pseudonyms as well.

It's a shirt. I really want one. As much as I loathe those "pop-eye as a playa" or "pink panther as a pimp" Tees, this one is fresh, yo!

This particular artist was once part of a group called Remnant and has since guested on many Nerdcore tracks across the verse, some might be very familiar, and has laid down a couple albums, you can scope them NYAH. 
He has also toured with MC Chris & Adam Warrock for a stint on the Race Wars Tour.

I really hope this dude keeps producing and performing as I like his semi-spoken word style and his clean delivery. The beats he employs are usually solid with what I would call roots in more old school hip-hop but many that are unquestionably nerdy.

"That's right, I'm a grown ass man about to go out in public in a Spiderman Shirt" - a quote from his Facebook

He seems to be very in touch with the southern scene with a know-how and passion. There is a lot of heart in his music, and I like how clean that is. I like me some gimmicky/silly/obscene punchlines as much as the next angry nerd, but there's truth in his music that is refreshing and there needs to be more of it in the world in general.

MemeOrable: "shuffle Meme!"

Like many nerds, my friends and I have ventured VERY far into the unique board game forest and have played and encountered amny crazy and odd games. Everything from the colossi like "Catan" and "Talisman," to the brand spankin' new "Orbit" and even, the ancient "Jurassic Park" & "Line in the Sand."
One of our most revisited and reverently spoken of games is . .  "Thousand Blank Cards."
I will admit that not only is this game great for its free form and potential for rampant shenanigans, it's one of my favorites because any time me and my smart ass friends want to show of our mental wangs, the cards provide a superb platform.
I was first introduced to it by my pal F33r3t (a proper Discordian) who showed me This Site, and ever since it's been a running gag/damn good time every time we've played.

A few excellent examples form one of my own collection/seed decks.

One of my favorite stories was back at an old Japan Town Anime Faire, a whole crew of us had got two rooms, one of our good friends and fellow SJSU alumna J.Rei had just won Anime Expo Idol and had been harangued into coming up to our rooms and playing a round of the game. A few hours had passed, (I think it was the next day by now) and Miss Rei had an even the next morning (that morning?). Of course she was going to attempt to bow out early, after one more turn. I believe she kept the card as I can't find it today, but I whipped one up right quick: "Attacked by Rabid Fanboys (the picture had a little dust cloud and some heads sticking out of it with a quote 'OMG ITS AX IDOL!!!') All voice actors must finish the game." This was greeted with hoots of joy, shouts of exultation and one good nature'd groan of defeat.

Play Time

I mentioned on my twitter recently that if I got over a hundred followers AND it looked like they weren't all bots, AND that I would stay over 100, that I might, conceivably, post something unique for the occasion.

SO, here I present a present for the present, a tedious brief One Act I wrote for one of my classes that has actually had a couple performances outside of class.
Not only do I post it here for you all to read and gaze in mirth at how clever I am, but, If you so wish, take it and perform it yourself, should you be so inclined. If you know me IRL I would love for you to contact me to help and translate and "co-direct" in a manner of speaking. Or even if we are far afield of each other, feel free to contact me and ask about any difficulties you might have with the script.

I also realize I mention certain things and suggest certain music that I do not have the rights too. So, I give this as an open source sort of piece and should you modify it for profit, please inform me should you project to make, or actually make, over $500 gross profits, as I would like some compensation.

And, Without further frippery, I give you, a part of my stage brain . . .

F.T.W.

Tony Elfson

SCENE 1

We see a dark room. Only the glow of screens illuminate the handful of figures. The glow are from a television, a couple laptops and hand held devices. There appears to be a table the figures are assembled around.

MC Frontalot's “Shame of the Otaku” plays through the darkness. As the song finishes we hear one of the figures speak.

KAWAI: This world has walls, a ceiling.
Outside, cars drive by.
The sunlight roasts my flesh.
Even a bird who chases a rainbow
finds itself blindsided by a plane.

This world has walls, a ceiling.
With the glow of our LCD screens,
we greet the morning.
IRL, lacking the sun,
we have no need for the sky

She repeats it once and says “Thank you” at the end.

The lights are flicked on by SHAYNA and we can see the table. Table top RPG books and other geek paraphernalia litter the tableau.

The D.M., a soft spoken pillar of geekery, sits at the head of the table. KAWAI, a cute lil thing, is an anime geek. MEME, loud and obnoxious, only speaks in Internet phenomena. GLENN, unassuming but clever. SHAYNA, not mean but definitely gets to the point.

GLENN: Heh. Thanks for the translation. I still like Front's Secrets From the Future better.

SHAYNA: wuthefug are you guys sitting the dark? I cant see the battle grid. Damn. D.M., where were we?

MEME: It is pitch dark. You are likely to be eaten by a Grue.

D.M.: Actually, yes Meme. The group has ascended into the cavern and there are no sources of light, other than Kawai's wizards staff. (he motions to her)

KAWAI: Hikari! Light. What do we see?

D.M.: You see a long hallway stretching off into the darkness, there are doors lining it . . .

MEME: Its a trap!

SHAYNA: Good idea. Glenn, you take second in marching order so Meme can search for traps.

D.M.: Alright, Meme, roll search.

GLENN: Hey Kawai, can I talk to you for a sec? Um. Help me in the kitchen? I can never find the cheetos.

KAWAI: Hai! We get root beer Bawls too.

The two get up and head out of the room.

SCENE 2

Optimus Rhyme's “Anxiety” plays for about a minute. KAWAI sits on counter eating cheetos, swinging legs back and forth. GLENN paces with an energy drink in his hand.

GLENN: You and D.M. Have been together for a while now? How did you guys start?

KAWAI: Hee hee. He was cosplaying as Ichiro from Magical Love Gentleman and I was Ginja, the magical cat/rabbit princess, so I followed him around as part of his outfit and we've been together ever since.

GLENN: Okay . . then how do you think I should ask Shayna out? Or should I? Sometimes she can be.

KAWAI: Gomennasai. Honestly, Glenn, I wouldn't worry about it. I have faith in you. You will find a good time and I think she will say yes.

GLENN: Thanks. We should probably get back in there. How many times do you think Meme tripped the traps?

KAWAI: (Hopping off counter) No. The question is how many times did Shayna actually rez him?

SCENE 3

MC RSI's “Gamer's ParaDice” plays as the group reassembles in the gaming room.

Same as end of scene 1.

SHAYNA: Looks like we found that Warlord's Lair. Get in here Glenn, we need our frontliner.

GLENN: I thought Meme was gonna tank this one? Mr. I-do-6d6-damage? Eh?

MEME: (looks up bewildered) Do not want!

D.M.: The room appears empty, but you notice that the coals in the hearth are still warm and several other cues have you believe he may be back soon.

KAWAI: Quickly guy's we can ambush him! I extinguish my light spell.

SHAYNA: Not all of us have darkvision. I pull out my sunrod.

GLENN: But our two big damage dealers do, Kawai & Meme. I douse Shayna's sunrod.

KAWAI: No, she has a point, you need to be his first target. Hikari!

D.M.: Kawai's light spell comes back on.

MEME: No, The Cheat! We had that light switch installed so you could turn the light on, and off. Not so you could throw light switch raves.

GLENN: Alright then. Let me think.

MEME: (rolls some dice) GAY! (throws a die into a corner in disgust) Who responsible this?

SHAYNA: (leans over) Here let me do a search check. 27! What do I find.

D.M.: You notice there is a section of the wall that is actually made of cloth and plaster, not stone. You open it and see a large pulsating gem. It does not appear to be attached to anything. Do you pick it up?

GLENN: Just in case, I close the door to the room and keep an ear to it.

D.M.: okay, make 2 listen checks for me. Shayna?

SHAYNA: I pick it up and examine it. I make a spellcraft check . . . 31! HA!

GLENN: 17 & 22

D.M.: On 17 you hear rustling from down the hallway . .

GLENN: I crack the door open and look out . .

D.M.: Oh, Shayna, with that check, you KNOW that this is a spirit vessel, and that if it is destroyed, The Warlord will perish.

KAWAI: Knowledge Arcana, 33! How do we break it?

D.M: Glenn, when you crack the door open all you see is darkness, but you hear heavy breathing and the sound of a man in armor coming down the hallway.

MEME: LEEE ROOYY!!

GLENN: No, Meme. Wait!

MEME: I attack the darkness!

SHAYNA: Wait! Kawai, how?

D.M.: The ancient legends you've studied say that the “ Lord of War's heart of stone” can only be broken by “the first of four.” From what you remember, “The first of four” is a young warrior who travels with an elven sorceress, a gnome thief, and a cleric of the amazon goddess. “The first, need only strike the heart, to slay the Lord of War”

KAWAI: Glenn! Hit the gem!

GLENN: What?

MEME: FOR GREAT JUSTICE!

KAWAI: I tell the rest of the group!

D.M.: As you explain that info . .

SHAYNA: as she explains I put the gem on the far table form the door and move Glenn to it.

GLENN: I move as she grabs me.

D.M.: You hear a voice from the doorway, “You have found my sanctum! I'm surprised you made it this far. But, after all we've been through together, this game of cat and mice . I'm . . .

MEME: Never gonna give you up! Never gonna let you down! Never gonna run around and DESERT YOU!!!

SHAYNA, GLENN, KAWAI: Shut up Meme!

D.M.: I'm going to crush you all!”

GLENN: Did Kawai finish explaining it?

D.M.: um, yes.

GLENN: I attack the gem.

D.M.: Glenn, make an attack roll against 12 and tell me damage, everyone make Fortitude saves as well.

GLENN: Crit, 42 damage! Fort save, 19

SHAYNA: 10

KAWAI: 21

MEME: OVER NINE THOUSAND!!!

SHAYNA: He got a natural twenty.

D.M.: Shayna: you take 62 damage, everyone else takes 31, and Glenn, as you feel the blade strike the gem, it feels as if you are striking through a hard, viscous goo, but you manage to slide your edge through all the way to the table. As you do you are greeted with a disgusting smell of rotting flesh and burning bones. You all hear a violent scream of rage form The Warlord as you are all suddenly swept over by a wave of purple-black necrotic energy. If I'm correct, your all unconscious, except Glenn? (Everyone nods) Glenn, you see The Warlord drop and wither away as his skin and bones turn to dust, only his armor, clothes and weapons remain.

The group is all grins, the girls jump up and hug. The next two lines happen at once)

MEME: Two girls one cup!

GLENN: I jump over to Shayna and force a vial of Cure serious into her mouth!

Kawai jumps back from Meme as if he had the plague and Shayna gives him a look that could melt iron.

D.M.: She's conscious. And I assume the two of you heal the others.

SHAYNA: Not Meme.

MEME: Blizz, why no love for rouge?

GLENN: I'll get him.

D.M.: Gratz, you have successfully defeated The Warlord, and thats the end of my Campaign (he holds up a book with a picture on it)

MEME: (points at the picture triumphantly) “THE GAME! BITCH! YOU LOSTED IT!”

SHAYNA: Sweet, I'm starving, lets get grub.

MEME: I can haz . . .

D.M.: Meme?

GLENN: Actually Shayna, I was thinking R.J.'s.

SHAYNA: Cool, (to the rest) you guys cool with that?

MEME: The cake . . (Kawai kicks Meme under the table or perhaps withering look) iiis, a lie!Uh, The Internet is for Porn. (Meme then gets up and leaves)

KAWAI: Yeah, you guys go ahead, D.M. And I have to get to work on our Costumes for SGISCon. Is it okay if Glenn, gets you home instead?

Glenn nods furiously behind Shayna

SHAYNA: I guess so. (She turns around, he splits into a grin just in time) Split a desert?

D.M. Woo, look at my wrist! Come on, Kawai, lets go! (he grabs his laptop and his girl and leaves)

KAWAI: (as she's beeing dragged) Ja-ne!

GLENN: Actually. My treat?

SHAYNA: Sure, on one condition?

GLENN: Yeah?

SHAYNA: After dinner . . we go back to your place . .. and I kick your butt at Back Ally Brawl 5!

Glenn just grins widely as Doctor Awkward's “LAN Party” plays.

End

Texts to Self Fanime Recap!

Fanime! Day 0: Rode line ride twice. Brought stuff up from car thrice. Ended up sweatin dice.

Day1: Went home. Tacked stripes onto a corset. Came back & ate in room. Got pissed in dealers hall. Went back to room to eat. Walked more. Rovers told me i cant plug in there, but i can plug in here. Had a great night without actually being at con.

D2: shaved, walked, pizza, paneled. Sushi/donuts. Got flyers for store. Dropped them off at dojo and got talked up. Munchkin, pizza. Walked, creeped/chivalried, la vics, MADNESS!

D3: rocked check out. Home, shower, phish, chat, fam med issues, dm prep, promo. Prep & promo turned into playtesting with mom & daughter couple from hawaii, walked, got knapped, pubbed & celtic musicd, walked. Set up for pathfinder, waited, waited, waited, freaked out, waited. relieved. Combat, drop off co-worker, home.

D4: late, artist alley table hi-jack. trio of sexy pokemon. trio of sexy pokemon in dealers hall. Traitor customer "motivated" with phish. walked. Iguana'd. walked. pics. home!

I took . . . 2 pictures total, and they are up HERE, I'm sure T1nk will have a much more detailed, pic-filled post . . by the end of the month?

Nerdy Fresh

Word, nerd, I got some fresh beats for those of you who have a hard time finding new, sweet Nerdcore Notes to bob your head too, or don't want to waste your time trying to find, what I consider, GOOD Nerdcore Hip-Hop.

Boss fights, as featured a month or so back, you can snag their first three free songs HERE, and word has it their first actual album is breaths away from being ready to be distributed, probably in the same place.

Rise, the new Mixtape by Zealous1, who we've discussed before dropped about a week or two agoe, snag that goodness NYAH

Soup or Villainz, is a new group that just released this album, and woo boy it is entertaining, I shall not lie. Snag it 'DERE, if I hear more about them in the future I hope to do a 3rd 4 t3h Nrrd on em.

KTP, or Kabuto the Python, had an album called Ill Ron Hubbard drop a little while back that apparently consists of old cuts intended for something else, short but chock full of Kabuto goodness, snag it NYAH!

Ran, Random, &/or Mega-Ran, seems to always be hard at work, After pulling down some of his free stuff across the webs, I think I will drop some cash to buy Black Materia, his album solely covering FFIV (NerdLife!) as well as as some of his other goodies. Perhaps even do a 3rd 4 t3h Nrrd on this bad boy before too long as well. Here's a sample from that Fantasy EP, enjoy.

A Fitting Anniversary

One whole stinking year of regular updates and sub-quality posts.

Yay me & my brain!

Since I'm already posting a 3rd 4 t3h Nrrd I figure I can do a cop out one year post and link to some of my favorite posts form the last year. Give them a peak wont you? I've been as clever as I am now as I was a year ago. Real convincing, I know.

What's!? In!? A Blog Name?

-get the down low on what's up high on/in my head

3rd 4 T3h Nrrd: Oct. '09

-my monthly nerd music focus, this one on Front

Meme-Orable: Memeet the . . .

-amusing meme from a Valve classic

Meta-simi-phor-lies
-a break down on some concepts I like

Know Your Roll . . . In WoW: DPS
-pep talk around why random dungeons have 20 min queues

Here's hoping for many more of these shameless self-plugging annual recaps!

Rattling Around

Interestingly, I think the hamster in my head has gone on strike and the wheel squeaks and rattles in a melancholy manner.

My unofficial state of the h47 post a couple weeks past is still fairly accurate. I'm in the middle of casting a show, I just finished my Finals for the semester and FANIME is this weekend.

Next week is "What's in the h47!?!"s 1st year anniversary, I will try to have not only the standard Tuesday post, a semi-regular Meme-orable post, the standard 3rd 4 t3h Nrrd post, BUT! an additional Annual post!

I know, a little slow as of late, but we're rolling along.

Stay with me space cowboys, N3rdLif3!!

3rd 4 T3h Nrrd: May '10

Unleash the Dragon with this Slammin-smooth, super-sized, Samoan.

Zealous1

Like most of the rest of the intarwebs I was introduced to this So-Cal rap-wright through hearing "Level Up." I wont lie, I wasn't overly impressed but the beat was steady and the content spoke to me.

After hearing him on a couple collab's since, I decided to track down his tracks and give his library a good hard listen.

Hell-to-the-yeah! On one of my irregular road trips to deal with family affairs I listened exclusively to Zealous1's albums and continued to for a couple days after.

A proud member of Scrub Club Records, a member of Boss Fights and a driving force of the unofficial So-Cal Nerdcore crop, this dude is really chill.

His music is true, keeps it real, his flow is slick no matter what the tempo, his beats are varied and feel well thought out. Although many of the Scrub Club artists espouse a free music, free life, make music for life is freedom, mentality, I think Zealous is among the few who could and should get paid for their art.

Seek him out in any number of his net haunts and get down.

Blogging My Con

Quick Update, I will not have the regularly scheduled Tuesday update today because I will be posting a Blog about S.G.I.S.Con IV!! And I have not yet finished recuperating, transporting, nor detoxing from the weekend. I will also try and find some pics from T1nk and give a breakdown of events. Stay tuned, I hope to have it up by the end of the week. thanks for sticking around . . all 8 of you.

San Diego Comic Con 2009 part 1

(There is a room above the fire station on Main Street Disneyland which Walt Disney would stay in all the time. He would keep a light on to let the people in the park know he was there and after his passing they keep the light on all the time now. Thats right)

TEN FUCKING HOURS!!!Wait, I'm getting ahead of myself by about six hours. So, for the fun adventures of how we finally decided to go to SDCC see Theatreg33k . . damn. one of these days I will link the shit outta these posts.

SO! Pievuhg had a weekend pass (she's sleeping with the owner of a local comic shop, regardless of the fact that the owner is currently carrying her husbands child SHUSH!) but T1nk(theatreg33k, yes i know, "holy shit h47!? nicknames for your nicknames?!" shuddup, T1nk is shorter and its another of her personas, AND it's my blog, keep up!) and I only had passes for Fri & Sat, we were gonna drive down Wednesday, and while pievuhg was at the con thurs, T1nk & I would hit the magic kingdom (yes, we're Disney whores and have no shame about it. yes, i know they're an evil ubercorp, but I'll be damned if its not one of the most fun places in the world, get a childhood) *looks around* crap, got ahead of myself again.

Tuesday night (after D&D) I discovered my H47b0x(my computer) decided I could log in but would then log me back out of windows, so, had to get Epyon_Avenger on the case, my digital savior. I packed up for the weekend and attempted to sleep from 1 Am to 5 Am so we could leave at 6 Am. great plan, meanwhile, T1nk stayed up all night packing and such, just gonna sleep the whole way down, which she did. Left bright and early at about 7 am (of course), watched the sun come up as we drove down I-5, the varicose vein of the crack that is the central valley of California. Constantly paranoid and fighting my fatigue-to-hunger-to-"whatwasthatnoise?!wasitthecar?!" syndrome we made a few stops along the way. tried to talk pievuhg into letting us try and sneak her into the MouseLand around Anaheim, but she wouldn't have it. At that point I thought, "oh good, almost there, not much farther" my spacial recollection of the location of Anaheim to San Diego is still skewed. the last 2-3 hours of the drive were painful for me, I had no idea where i was going again, and of course, instead of -continue on I-5, then left on suchandsuch lane- it was, okay merge onto this highway, now this highway, now left, right, right, up, down, select, start, WTF!? apparently our sweet hookup to stay over is atop the only mountain in the basin (t1nk is NOT cool with windy roads, especially if they're atop a fucking cliff) and so TEN FUCKING HOURS after leaving, we had arrived. Got lost shortly thereafter attempting to locate civilization at the bottom of the hill, had chipotle (so fuckin tasty) and found THE EASY WAY back up the hill to our HQ for the weekend. slept like the dead.

T1nk and I woke up at . . . ? 7:30 am? 8? because we were gonna drop Pievuhg off at the con and head north back to Anaheim. Apparently Pievuhg was welcomed with booze the night before and was nursing a hangover and finally at about 9am T1nk and I realized she wasn't leaving with us. BAM, off to Walt's World. Rode rides and all that, forgot my lanyard (yes, t1nk got me hooked on pin trading the trip I proposed to her [blog about that later, I'm sure] but its actually very fun and I have a sixth sense for hidden mickey's, I'm like a boar to truffles. I just think a pin is cool, but when we look closer, there's ears. anyway) but still snagged a slick lanyard weight, AND, we caught the Electrical Parade. that shit was awesome, the intro music is really the best part. It broke down, sat there for 3 mins, and a deisel pull cart rolled up and pulled it along. it was awesome. I want to be an electrical bug, that looks like so much fun.
made it back to HQ without incident, ready to attack Comic Con '09 fast and hard, just like me, OH!