Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Time Wasters

I like to be entertained, which I'm sure is true for a vast majority of people. I find that while my brain is occupied on something else, it's not prone to go wandering off on its own. This is why, for the longest time, I rarely slept at all. I would turn off the TV, lay in bed in silence, and never fall asleep. I would think, ideas ranging far and wide. And this would keep me awake all night long. I finally learned that if there was something to distract me, I could fall asleep very quickly. So now, for at least the last ten years or so, I always sleep with the TV on. I'm sure there are people out there who are exactly the opposite of me -- where if there's even the slightest bit of sound, they can't sleep. I'm sure my habit seems strange to some people.

In any case, I like to be entertained. When I'm at home, this is quite easily accomplished. Computer games are my preferred method of entertainment, along with movies, music, writing, and the occasional rabid attack from my sabertoothed cat. Work is a different story, however. As entertaining as SQL scripting is, I still find the need to occasionally take a break. Since the sound (and sight) of me tanking a demon boss in WoW might not be entirely acceptable here, nor would the idea of me taking a 2-hour movie break, I naturally have to resort to quicker forms of entertainment. For those of you equally inclined, I've compiled a list of my favorite places to visit online when I'm taking a break from the daily grind that is my job. Enjoy!

1. Web Comics

I love web comics, and this is probably mostly because I love comics in general. Yes, I read the Sunday Funnies every week. Given my love of computer games, any web comics focusing around that particular genre are obviously my favorites.

The comic that I would read religiously twice a week was Concerned. It was created using Garry's Mod, a Half-Life 2 modification program that I also used to create my own web comics. The story is based on the Half-Life 2 universe in a comical way. The comic is now complete, but I still find myself going back every once in a while to re-read it.

Lately, I've been keeping up with Looking For Group. I believe that comic started out very strong, and it was hilarious. Snippets of this comic have made their way into my gaming life, with my guild members in WoW yelling "For Pony!" before we engage a boss. My opinion is it's best read all at once. I suggest you read a "book" of the comics, then not read anymore until another "book" is complete so you can read it all at once. Trust me, it's just better that way.

The creators of Looking For Group also write Least I Could Do. This comic is more real life, and probably something more people can relate to.

More in the computer game related category are the comics put out by Action Trip.

It's times like these when I wish WoW had better graphics, and a means in which to pose characters the way Garry's Mod allows. I have such a gold mine of WoW events in my head that would make priceless comic strips.

That, or I wish I could draw. Heh.

2. Bash.org

The proverbial geek headquarters. It's a compilation of IRC quotes, many of which are probably fake but it's still entertaining to read through some of them. Honestly though, I find my own much more entertaining.

3. IMDB.com

When all else fails, read movie trivia.

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