The Inner Box

...

2011-05-15T18:41:00.000-04:00

The desolation is apparent...

Looking Back

2011-03-12T19:07:00.000-05:00

It's already been 2 months since I last made a post, so I haven't really made much progress on my resolutions. Looking back, most of these resolutions still remain waiting to be resolved. In fact, the only ones I seem to have made progress on are #5 (volunteer) and #11 (attempt to progress in these resolutions). Unfortunately the progress made on these are entirely involuntary. The "volunteer" resolution has only happened because I have yet to find a permanent paid position and so I continue to volunteer where I currently am. The latter resolution is progressing because the only thing I can do so far is attempt to progress.

Actually, I have tried to find another hobby to occupy myself with. I play some online poker, but I can't really say that is a hobby...it is more like a way to pass time. Other than that, nothing so far.

Oh well, hopefully I update myself on what is happening in my life more frequently...

2011 Resolutions

2011-01-08T11:47:00.000-05:00

1. Find a permanent paid position.
2. Continually "hone" writing skills.
3. Post more.
4. Exercise more.
5. Volunteer.
6. Read more.
7. Be nicer!
8. Eat healthier.
9. Stay more socially connected, i.e. keep in contact with peeps.
10. Find another hobby.
11. Attempt to progress in these resolutions...

- photo by Cameron Moll

One Goal (+1 FAILED) Among Others...

2010-12-13T21:40:00.000-05:00

an appropriate title for an inappropriate post...

Looking back at my previous goal, noting that it was posted in October, and seeing that this is the very next post...it's clear. I've spectacularly ("fabulously" for those so inclined) failed in my objective to post something every day.

Perhaps the titanic pressure lurking in the shadows of that once-thought-attainable goal was too much. Perhaps it was the waiting and grinding of job searches, bar results, and profiteering that did me in. Regardless of the reason, the constant writer in me never materialized and that is that.

However, I did pass the California Bar Exam. And the MPRE. And its possible to debate as to which was tougher.

Just thought it was worth mentioning...and hopefully I'll come up with more novel ideas or goals to fail in a big way.

One Goal Among Others

2010-10-13T00:01:00.000-04:00

Also,

I've mentally committed to writing a blog post (among any of my various blogs) once a day (Monday through Friday only...) no matter what.

I will undoubtedly fail.

But still worth trying, since I hear writing every day helps develop writing skills/style...and that's something I am in desperate need of.

This one counts for 2010.10.13 - good night.

Water & Blog Action Day

2010-10-12T23:24:00.000-04:00

According to change.org,

"Right now, almost a billion people on the planet don't have access to clean, safe drinking water. That's one in eight of us who are subject to preventable disease and even death because of something many of us take for granted."

Although I have an issue with the precision of their statement (what exactly constitutes clean, safe drinking water? and how close to one billion is "almost?"), the words they say did have a deep impact on me. Water is something most of us in the United States take for granted. The fact that we have polemic arguments as to the safety of tap water and the advantages of filtered water or the fact that we contribute to the growing pollution of our planet by constantly touting and praising the virtues of bottled water really seem quite trite in comparison. I mean, 1 of 8 worry about having enough to drink (which doesn't even begin the conversation in terms of eating, clothing, housing, etc.).

However, I don't expect this "blog action day" to change the habits of 99% of those involved. We as a people, as a developed society, are too accustomed to the comforts that our place in life places in front of us. And who can really blame us for what we take for granted? Not to detract from the issue of water (at least not too much), but the majority of people and the vast majority of the world really looks to benefit themselves first.

Disappointing I know.

But hopefully, through raising the issue of water on blog action day, which is actually on Friday the 15th (2010.10.15), we can at least come to terms with the harsh realities that some human beings on this world have to deal with on a daily basis. Hopefully, this realization and the self-reflection that may or may not follow, can lead to greater things.

Idealistically, planning a blog action day on water issues would catalyze the developed (and developing) states to action and alleviate the thirst of almost one billion people. As a realist/pragmatist, I hope that it can accomplish at least a bit of its goal as well as start the churning of self-reflection and self-realization for some people...a process that may lead to a better outlook for our children and the world.

Reprieve & Release

2010-09-25T01:16:00.000-04:00

As I mentioned in my previous post, I started work this past Wednesday. After having gone through 3 days of work (although the first day was a bit low-key), I am starting to get the feel of the organization. Here are a few observations about it:

(1) non-profit does not always equal less work - although this organization may be more laid-back than other for-profit places I have worked in, there is definitely a lot of work being done and a lot of movement behind the scenes. you imagine a non-profit as a place to work from 10-4 and get home early. i guess that would be true for someone who doesn't have passion for their work...here, it may be a 10-6 or a 10-9 or anything in between depending on what needs to get done for the person to be satisfied in their day's work...

(2) who you know is important (maybe even more important) than what you know - this point is one that has been dawning on me since I went on the job hunt...in the type of economy where jobs are scarce and seekers are aplenty, what you know really isn't that important; rather, who you know and who can vouch for you are really the way to get somewhere. this is apparent even within the organization itself. although this organization doesn't advertise its socks off in order to gain recognition, the organization does high-level (and respectable) work because the network the organization has built and nurtured has a wide net. it is akin to a MLB baseball team that has a strong farm system; no matter the condition of the economy or professional field, this organization can build and create quality content/work because of the resources and connections it has at its disposal...

(3) work really makes you get to know yourself. maybe because i've grown too comfortable in my environment or maybe because i've been in school my entire life, but i could honestly say that my work ethic left much to be desired in terms of fulfilling my potential (in my own eyes). now that i am free of the leash of school (or the support of school...i wonder which it is), perhaps my work ethic and desire to get things done is maturing. whatever the reason, i arrive home satisfied in my day's productivity and activity and this makes me...happy...

Of course, this isn't to say that I won't be enjoying my weekend. Getting into working (and getting up at 8am everyday) has taken its toll on me and I need all the reprieve I can get so I can return on Monday fit enough to work to my heart's satisfaction.

Ya'll have a great weekend,
Glugs

Post-Mortem Update

2010-09-21T20:26:00.000-04:00

It's been a little over 2 months since I last posted, and many things have changed...

First, I took the CA bar and it killed me.

Then I went on a frantic search for a job in the immigration field and finally found one (I start tommorrow).

I worked on ggMonster a bit, reconnected with a few games (DoH, HoN, ML) and started up SC2.

And now...what's next?

I'm still constantly looking for opportunities to work (and get paid). My future at the present place is uncertain as my bar results will come back (I'm prepared for the worst) and the position is only for three months (this may change hopefully).

I should probably get back to working out (aka tennis, running, moving my body) and sharpening my writing skills. The latter being why I did write another post.

Anyways, if you haven't had enough of my flavor, I am attempting to write on a much more regular basis on ggMonster and anything miscellaneous (my life, etc.) will appear here, so keep checking me out!

Checking Out,
Glugs

Pre-Mortem Update

2010-07-08T16:24:00.000-04:00

The CA bar exam is just 19 days away, and I'm rushing frantically to study/memorize/absorb the massive amounts of material needed to pass it. There's a saying that a lawyer knows the most law right before the bar exam and the rest of his career is spent forgetting it...this definitely sounds true at this point in time.

And...that's the reason I haven't updated much. That and the fact that there's nothing interesting to say since all I do is study at the library from 10am to 10pm or so. However, throughout this abyssal summer I have written up another review on ggMonster. It's about Steam, the platform Valve and many other developers/distributors use to sell digital copies of their games. You can read it here.

I've also been dreaming of the nice fluffy jobless days after the bar exam, and will probably work a bit harder on my personal projects at the that time.

BarBri & the NBA Finals

2010-06-01T11:41:00.001-04:00

BarBri, a prep course for bar exams all over the country, is quite boring.

On the other hand,

The NBA Finals, where AMAZING happens...

Lakers in seven I say...

The Insight on Hold

2010-05-26T02:58:00.001-04:00

All the awesome insight/ideas/inspiration you all have been getting from my spanking new blog is going to have to wait. Starting BarBri as well as preparing to move to a new apartment all while working (slowly) on the website are really taking their toll on my personal blogging time.

Fear not though, I will be back in full force once I get acclimated to my suddenly busy schedule!

In the meantime,

Starcraft II: News

2010-05-21T00:58:00.001-04:00

Starcraft II Closed Beta Phase I ends May 31, 2010.

Starcraft Worldwide Launch (minus China) kicks off July 27, 2010.

Starcraft Rated Adults Only (AO) in South Korea!

Should be posted up on ggMonster soon...

Law School & Graduation

2010-05-21T00:55:00.001-04:00

Although I just started posting on this blog, I will be on a slight hiatus (3-4 days) because I will be graduating from law school. I can confidently say that I will not be going to any more school for a long long time, unless it is to teach or work at one. Good riddance I say!

That being said, I will miss certain aspects of school I'm sure. Meeting new friends/people who are intellectually stimulated by at least some of the same subjects that I am. Playing hooky months at a time and cramming the last couple weeks (days for me!) for finals yet still turning out decently (decent = no failure). Bar reviews, house parties, Wii/X-box tournaments, house poker, group dinners, study groups (rarely for me ^^), all-nighters playing HoN/CS1.6/DiabloII/etc., all-nighters studying, starting ~20 blogs, maintaining zero blogs (!), starting a website (ggMonster), hosting dinner, going to the school gym once or twice a semester (it's a very nice gym), racquetball, basketball, NBA playoffs, fantasy drafts/tournaments...all these things can be connected with law school.

In a way, law school (and school in general) has been leading me on a slow and meandering path towards what I will become. In a sense, school has formed me into the procrastinating, resourceful, lazy, considerate, wasteful, and sometimes practical person that I am. And so I'm grateful and appreciative, but ready to move on.

Thanks for all the memories, and goodbye!

Domain of Heroes: Major Update

2010-05-20T12:21:00.001-04:00

I mentioned my favorite browser game of all time in my previous post, but I never explained what the game was about. Now is a pretty good time to do this because the game will be undergoing a major revamp and start its second beta.

What is Domain of Heroes?

Domain of Heroes is a free-to-play, text-based browser MMORPG designed so you can play while doing other things. Essentially (for me), it combines the treasure hunting aspect of the Diablo series with the almost AFK quality of Progressquest. So you pretty much select a race/class, then proceed to complete quests (there's a lot of them), fight monsters, conquer lands, and find shiny items. There are 3 factions that you have to choose from when you create a character: Legion, Brotherhood, and Knights. There's no advantages among them, but you can only join guilds of the faction you are in. In addition, when fighting monsters on land that is controlled by your faction, you gain more coin and exp.

As with all free-to-play games, there is a shop where you can purchase things with real life money. The currency of the game is coin an wishes, and the item shop allows you to purchase wishes directly as well as purchase treasure keys and character/account upgrades. Although the shop does slightly skew the game in the favor of paying patrons, the cost-to-advantage ratio is pretty darn high. That being said, there are a substantial amount of players (2-5%) that are heavy spenders, so you might have to steer clear of them sometimes. Of course, they are the ones that keep the game going, and the shop is by no means the only way to get wealthy in the game.

Treasure Hunting

One of my biggest pleasures in this game is of course the item hunting aspect of the game. In this game, along with STR/MND/AGI/LIF/END stats, there is also a luck (LUK) stat. The luck stat improves your chance of finding higher quality items. In addition with LUK, items with Magic Find (MF) enchants, which cannot made through the forging process, also contribute to the quality of the item. These items can be sold for coin and wishes, and some items have been sold for A LOT of currency.

Like in Diablo II, along with the item slots that you can equip on your character, there are also rune/charm drops that can be placed within your inventory to gain a bonus. With wishes, your inventory can be upgraded to 60 slots, so this allows for a greater amount of builds. Because you can purchase and upgrade a mule to also hold items (runes/charms don't work if placed on the mule), most players attempt to fill up all 60 inventory slots with runes to improve their characters. This of course, is a time-consuming (for some, a money-consuming) process, but well worth the improvement in treasure hunting or fighting capability.

Leveling

Leveling in DoH is a little different from the grinding that occurs in other games. Sure you do have to grind, but you have to grind in two different ways (more grinding...yeah! *sarcasm).

Normal EXP is gained from fighting monsters your level, and the game makes it easy for you to do this by providing an option of searching for monsters. You kill monsters by selecting a skill and...watching yourself fight. It is not the most interactive leveling experience, but of course much easier to do while doing something else.

VXP is gained from dueling other players or by participating in FvF. FvF stands for Faction versus Faction, and it revolves around players conquering lands held by the opposing enemy factions. Once a player initiates a location conquer, this attempt is announced to the faction currently holding the land. This faction can then mobilize and defend the land or leave it to be conquered. Defending is encouraged by the game engine since you gain VXP when you die defending the land whereas you only gain VXP through conquering if you succeed in conquering (or by killing a player on a different faction). FvF is particularly intense in the higher levels 70-80 because of the increased coin and supposedly better item drops for the faction in control. This has led to some very massive FvF battles, some of which are recorded in the DoH Forums.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Domain of Heroes remains my favorite browser game because it allows me to enjoy my favorite aspect of RPG games (treasure hunting!) while doing other things as well. I may be grinding in DoH while actively playing Heroes of Newerth or Starcraft II Beta. I profit because I can enjoy both games at once, and DoH receives my eternal undying devotion and salute! Check it out here.

Browser Rumination

2010-05-20T04:25:00.001-04:00

Although I wouldn't go so far as to say Internet Explorer is beyond redemption, I tend to avoid Microsoft's clunky/obsolete browser and opt for using Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome as my default browsers.

I favor Chrome over Firefox, but unfortunately Chrome is not compatible with as many sites as Firefox is. For example, my favorite browser game of all time, Domain of Heroes, is not completely compatible with Chrome. This is probably due to the fact that Chrome is not one of the most-used browsers out there. Last time I checked only about 1% of users used Chrome.

This doesn't really bother me however, because I've found some benefits in using more than one type of browser. The main benefit is that each browser saves its cookies separately. This may see useless and repetitive, but for someone like myself who separates his personal/professional "stuff" (email, contact info, buddy lists) from his hobby stuff (browser games, website work, blog work), the separate cookies come in handy. For example, I am automatically signed in to separate Gmail accounts when opening these two browsers...one for my school/work email and one for my home/hobbies email. Pretty awesome for me!

Although I'm not trying to sell a browser program for you all, I do highly recommend both Firefox and Chrome, as they are both much better than the archaic Internet Explorer.

p.s. StumbleUpon makes me work so hard...this post was entirely thought up of because of the above image I stumbled into...

Continuation

2010-05-20T03:35:00.000-04:00

In an effort to keep my gaming/other posts separate from personal posts, this blog is here. For gaming/anime/manga/etc., feel free to check out ggMonster, a collaborative effort to bring interesting material out into the internet wordwaves. Everything else (all my thoughts, musings, ramblings) will be held here. Of course, games won't be completely out of the picture here. Snippets that are undeserving of being posted at ggMonster will be posted here. Personal game conquests will be here as well.

Enjoy this personal workspace of mine, as I plan on doing!

p.s. Thanks for migrating over here from LotsGaming!