Bye Bye Blogger!

The day is finally here. I have moved Mohawk On Display off of the blogspot host, and onto my own individual hosting account. It is now run by Wordpress, and it's gotten a makeover. Hope you like it. From now on, www.mohawkondisplay.com points to the new site. It might take a day or so to update, depending on where you live, but it won't be long.

If you want to look, you can find it at mohawkondisplay.blogspot.com, but I don't know why you'd want to go there, since it won't be updated anymore.

If you're reading this, it means that you're on the old site, which won't be updated anymore. Please visit the new site at www.mohawkondisplay.com

Results are in!

Well, not many of you voted :( but the results are in, and the Buffy game came in first place! So, I'll probably be working full-time on that in programming class for the rest of the year. Guitar Hero for the graphing calculator I'll be working on in my spare time. Also, although the website didn't get many votes, I have a surprise for it that I'll be setting up in a couple of days, so keep an eye out :)

Vote!

Come on, people, vote! I want to know what you want! So far, only three people have cast votes, and there's only one day left! :)

Poll

So, I realized that my attention has been somewhat scattered as of late. I've been working on a number of computer programs, as well as other projects, and I feel I need to focus more if I intend to finish any of them. So, to your right is this blog's first poll! Vote on what project(s) you'd like me to focus on. If you think of anything that isn't on the list, or want to offer some helpful encouragement, or have a question about any of the choices, leave it as a comment to this post. You have about a week to vote, before the poll closes.

Long time no post...

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. Been busy with some other stuff. Here's an update:

I've begun learning php/mysql/css and am writing my own blog software. Sorry, blogger, you're going to be replaced. But not for a while, cause writing an entire blog/cms by hand from scratch in a language you barely know is hard work!!! :P

The Buffy computer game has kind of fallen by the wayside, but I promise I won't abandon it.

Speaking of Buffy, I just found out that I've been cast in a recurring role in Season 2 of Buffy Between the Lines, an online "radio" drama that takes place between seasons of the Buffy tv show (RIP). I'll let you all know when the next season starts, so you can listen and tell me how beautiful my voice is :P

I can't say any more, but when I find out any more non-confidential info about the show, you can bet I'll post it here. (But you might lose that bet. And then I would laugh and use your gambled money to buy something expensive...like a pony.)

Also, I've finished my first real website, a jewelry shop called Crystal Originals run by my brother's friend. Check it out and buy some jewelry. Or, if you're interested in a site of your own, I charge low rates (or if your site is simple, no rates!) :) Just leave a comment here, or email me at magicdanw-at-yahoo-dot-com.

Relaxed Day

Today has been pretty chill. Not too much going on in school, and not too much homework. I've still got to do some physics, but that's usually fun, so no worries there.

I finally ironed out the (I hope) last bug in my Buffy game engine. This means that I'll be able to start working on the actual game again. Wish me luck! :)

Also, in programming class, me and Maxant have started writing the Caspertron 2000 to replace our friend with a virtual copy. We hope to make it even better than the original! :P

I have also decided to start expanding this site to include more than a blog. I don't know when I'll have time to do this, and it may take a while if I decide to learn PHP and make a real Content Management System, so be patient. If this does happen, the blog will be moved to blog.mohawkondisplay.com, but don't worry about that, because I'll have a link to it on my front page when that happens. Some of the things I'll be adding to the site include my computer programming projects and an easier way to access my pieces of writing.

Feelin groovy...

I went into Manhattan with David K and bunch of other people for David's birthday, and it was really great. We went to Dangerfield's - a really good comedy club - and then we just wandered around, hung out in the Village. I had a nice Simon and Garfunkel moment when we turned onto Bleeker Street. It was fun. Even if it wasn't M. Night Shyamalan's The Village, as Casper kept pointing out.

To top it off, last night I had at least 6 distinct dreams that I can remember. I usually don't even remember one dream, so this put me in a really good mood. I won't write my dreams, because most people are bored by other people's dreams, but I may be turning one of the dreams into a short story, which I'll of course post here if I do write it.

Seriously, I'm in such a good mood, I don't even think massive amounts of homework due tomorrow will be able to get me down! :D

Ophelia's Last Words

When I recall my love as first we met
He seemed a gentleman - heart bold and true.
I know kind men are found where e're, and yet
Hamlet my heart is drawn steadfast to you.

I saw behind your eyes a fiery mind
Your single goal to know the world firsthand.
Your purpose set: to right the wrongs you find
While seated on your throne - king of the land.

But now this man I fear I do not know
Who's slain my dad and taunts me in my shame.
The world around me twists, the winds that blow
Cool down my heart that once was set aflame.

And now this world cannot sustain my life.
The sun must set to usher in the night.

In my life...

SADD sleepover was this weekend. I went, for the first time in highschool. It was...interesting. Unfortunately, because of the large group, I think my social anxiety got the better of me, and I spent a lot of the time just walking through the halls or sitting around, listening to other people talk. I hope I didn't creep them out, or make them uncomfortable. Fortunately, I was too tired to be nervous, so I was pretty much numb most of the night. If that makes sense.

Good news on the blog front. My domain name is set up now, for real. Mohawkondisplay.com works now.

Less than good news on the Buffy computer game front. I've got some rather large memory leaks that I need to identify and patch, and I don't know how long that will take to do. :(

I'm really not looking forward to getting out of this chair...

www.mohawkondisplay.com

Good news! I decided to shell out ten bucks a year for a real domain name. From now on, you can visit Mohawk On Display at http://www.mohawkondisplay.com

Update: Unfortunately, not all is well in top-level-domain-land. Right now, you need to type www.mohawkondisplay.com, and if you forget the www, it won't work. I'm doing my best to fix this ASAP. And in the meantime, if any web geniuses out there can come up with a way to make DNS less confusing, please do so, because it's making my head hurt :(

Innocence

Innocence cannot be bought
True memory fades slow
So treasure blissful ignorance
As long as it can go

Quote #3

"Beneath the surface, we are all totem poles of earthiness."

Quote #2

"The zebra is truly the finest animal. Mostly because it tastes so darn good, but I'm sure there are other reasons."

Quote #1

"Seek not true love. Rather, seek donuts and weasels."

Road Signs

How does one tell the difference between an artist and a murderer?

Ever seen this picture before?

It's "Rind" by M.C. Escher. Looks pretty, right? Well, remember that guy in Hannibal? He skinned people's faces too. M.C. Escher is cool and all, but I wonder what he kept in his basement...

Sleepy Days

This will be a short update. Today, I was really really tired, and I couldn't get out of bed until about 1:30 pm. So, no school. I don't think anything too important happened, and I caught up on some sleep, so that was good.

After I was awake, I made some vast improvements to the Buffy game engine. Basically, I rewrote the save/load game functions so that instead of barely working and requiring large amounts of effort for me every time I write a new puzzle, now it just works. Period. No more effort needed on my part, no matter how complex my puzzles get. And now the player can save in the middle of puzzles (if he/she so chooses) just in case there's one that's really long or difficult. So this is a very good thing :D

I'm gonna go watch some Earth 2 with my family, and then it's time for more sleep! Yay! :D

Slayer Games

Ok. Here's a bit of an update on the Buffy computer game. A tentative tile for the game is "Slayer Games." I've written a basic game engine (it will probably be expanded as needed based on the game's particulars.) I've done some work on the plot, and it looks like it will be taking place during Season Five of the TV show. Also, in addition to playing as Buffy, Willow, Giles, and Xander, you'll also get to play as Tara. If anyone has seen the show and would like to help with the plot, let me know! :)

Lists

Things I Love

• People - All of them. Saints and murderers. I may hate what they do, or I may love what they do, but either way they are human and deserve love for their humanity, no matter how small it may be. Lock them away if necessary, punish them if they deserve it, but always remember that they are human.
  
• Nature - I haven't seen nearly as much nature as many people have, but I want to, and someday I hope I will. I don't even need to say why.
  
• Brains - Because all people have beautifully unique minds, and I love them all.
  
• Emotions - The reason computers will never be as intelligent as humans.
  
• Tears - And their burning catharsis.
  
• Friends - Much of the time I'm not sure if I even have any. But I remember what they're like, and I still believe I can have some in my life.
  
• Music - I love any art that someone is able to create, because creativity is the most amazing thing imaginable. Hopefully, someday I'll be able to create something someone else can love.
  
• Individuality - Go people! Really, all of you!
  
• Peaceful strength - Go Ghandi!
  
• Mellowness - Go hippies!
• All the diverse religions of the world - They ensure we will never be certain that we have discovered all of the Universe's secrets. What is this obsession with facts, anyway? (Just kidding. Facts are cool and all, but a little bit of mystery is nice too, don't you think?)
  
• Power Puff Girls underwear - Please, don't ask why. I don't have any. That would be pretty weird, right? And I've never seen any. I don't know if they exist. But if not for this phrase, and a silly little neural connection in my head, these lists wouldn't be here.

Things I Hate

• People who hate other people - Really, this isn't me being hypocritical. I love everyone for their humanity, but I reserve the right to hate what individuals may think or do. If an individual hates someone, I hate that about that individual. But know that no matter what I may say or think at the time, I still love that person. And I love you too, whoever is reading this. I hope you love me too.
• Egotism - I simply don't understand how a person can think that he or she is better than a fellow individual.
• The death penalty - Nobody deserves to die. Lifetime in prison, if necessary, but never premature death.
• People who make being "normal" and happy seem so easy -Feel like lending a hand to the rest of us? (This is not su much hatred, but more annoyance, and then only with some of them. Sorry for the generalization.)
  
• People who are not willing to help other people - Why not?
• ? - I can't think of too much else for this list, because I love more than I hate in this world.
  

Mohawk Visits Binghamton

So, I just got back from my second visit to Binghamton University. My first visit had left me hating the school for a number of reasons, but the second has convinced me that this is the school for me. I met with the department head of Computer Science and a couple of students, and the campus was truly beautiful. If anyone else is thinking about going there, let me know!

Interesting note: As I was leaving the campus, I passed a dorm building called Mohawk. Apparently I'm not the first of my race to take up residence in New York State.

While in Binghamton, I saw the movie Juno, which was wonderful. I got the sound track and listened to it much of the way home. Also, at a Barnes and Noble I picked up a really pretty Tarot deck. Hopefully I'll be able to learn to use it.

On arriving home, I found out I missed my friend Rachel's birthday party. I'm really sorry Rachel :( But hopefully I'll get to see her and my other friends sometime before school starts, because school tends to be icky :(

I might post some more stuff later tonight; we'll see.