Things have happened, I know, and I don't know if you know yet, but you'll probably notice soon enough.

Like, now for instance. Now you'll know.

`imperfect is no longer on the GD team for literature. I'm going to make a few things clear about this to everyone so there's no confusion, and no need to really go knocking down doors or making assumptions to find out.

She has left on her own accord. Not removed, she has stepped down. She is welcome back at any time, but right now she needed to have a break from dA and we're all glad to give it to her. For those wondering what actions caused this, you're probably wrong. This isn't something recent, not based on any one thing that's happened, and has been in the cards for a little while now. No one did anything to jump start it, this was a decision made and there is no foul play involved here at all, I assure you.

Right now, it will be myself, ^PoeticWar and ^adrift handling all things lit around here. I'll be primarily responsible for my normal events, and taking on a bigger workload to help out with her absence. Right now, she could use some well wishes, and a world of thanks for all she's done around here in her time as a GD, and as a deviant.

Big thanks. I mean it.

So, yeah, this isn't a lit assassination or anything. So don't go accusing or blaming anyone about it. This is a well deserved break for someone that's made a big difference around these parts.

Wish her all the best. Thank her for all the best.

I have trouble starting journals.

According to ~SparrowSong, I have taken most chatty GD of the week in #dAlit, which after just being told it'd kill me, makes me laugh. If you are concerned with literature stuff in general, though, I need to remind people again that you can note me with whatever issues you may have. I'm putting this first to get the point across. Some of my colleagues are a bit busy with personal things right now, and it'd be best to go through me.

I finally got an opportunity to play through Gears of War more extensively. I've wanted to for a while. Usually if a game gets a Game of the Year nod, I want to make sure I play it out to see for myself. Geeky as it is, whatever, it is fun as hell. It's rather satisfying to chainsaw some scary, monster looking thing in half and then move on and rifle down another. Especially when you're surrounded and the sound system and great TV you're playing on make the effects all the more visceral. It does get tired to me rather quickly. There was a whole lot more they could have done. It seems to me like it was under the guiding light of Halo. Make a relatively enjoyable, us-against-them shooter with an apparent back-story, but explore nothing about it and go through similar level styles for hours and hours on a short game based mostly off multiplayer gaming. Difference is is that Gears has a lot of original elements that really does set it apart from the rest of the pack. It's worth playing, and if you're a 360 owner, absolutely worth buying. Unless you hate the idea of sawing a man in half.

After playing both Zelda and Gears, now, all the way through, I'd give my nod to Zelda more than before. As satisfying as Gears is, a good sword fight in that game was a lot more fun, and there was a lot more of that to be had. That and although it wasn't challenging by strategy and the ability of the enemy, the vastness of the world and puzzles within the dungeons and bosses made Zelda a worthwhile play.

So, what, we're ten days into the New Year and I'm spending most of my time talking about games?

I deleted my last journal with the prose in it. I wasn't happy with it, having to stare at it on my page, so I ditched it for now. I'll be looking at the story again, and what I have laid out so far to see if it really does match the style and themes that I am looking for. That and I won't be able to keep up the two a week deadlines, and never really intended to. If you want to read it, you can ask and I'll get it to you.

Another thing that I've done this week that basically screams "Too much time on his hands" was watch a lot of Sean Connery movies. Not because I wanted to, no, but because they were there. So, as a result, I've been asking myself:

What is the best Sean Connery line of all time?

He's one of those characters who can really deliver when he's got the spotlight. Whether is acting is up to par, or the movie itself has any merit, it's the way he goes through his lines that really make them work.

"Your best? Losers always whine about their best. Winners go home and fuck the prom queen."

That's still one of my favourites.

I'm sure that I wanted to write more. I believe that the fact that I've written more about video games than I have about anything else in this journal (and probably in subsequent journals) says a bit much, but I guess I really don't care. Work right now is going steadily. I started more this week than I did when I was supposed to last week. Reality kind of sunk in a bit that I really needed to get back on track with that, and I started waking myself up and getting rolling on it. It's hard to keep yourself in check sometimes, I suppose. I was supposed to be on vacation, but that got cut a bit short. I guess I've got three weeks now to myself, to work on this thing (sorry if I'm being nondescript) and I'm pretty sure I can make something of it.

Guess we'll see.

On another note, I finally caught up on House yesterday. I had a friend get me a copy of the latest episode (the one from before Christmas) because I missed it for whatever reason. Probably on skype. However, apparently they re-ran the thing before the new one started on most major networks in the country, so all the begging I had to do to get the episode wasn't worth it. C'est la vie, but regardless, it was a great episode, and the new one was just as good. I'm glad the season is showing signs of making a turn, because for a few weeks I was fed up with how the show was going. And, although there are certain character elements that have developed that I do not enjoy, I'm sure that there's a lot more going to happen over the next few weeks, and I do look forward to finding out.

Well, the New Year kicked off with a bang and has just continued from there.

Spent New Year's Eve on Teamspeak, which was relatively interesting. Nothing like a group of sauced soliloquysts all gathered into one spot. It was very funny. Make sure to drop by #dAlit often enough to catch people doing it. Don't worry, though, we never talk about anything too important.

After that, I headed out to a local club, where hundreds of people packed into a spot where merely dozens could have fit before. I've actually never heard half the songs that played that night, either, though I've been told they were the top tunes of the year. I had no idea Justin Timberlake was bringing sexy back. Who can keep up?

If there are any lit issues, please see me. Two out of the four GDs are on holiday, of sorts, and I am mostly around to handle any issues, suggestions or gripes that you may have. Just shoot me a note anytime.

I will be more sparse in just hanging around here for a while. I'm sick. I'll be spending a lot of the day not in here, but I always check up every little while. Currently self-employed, so I have the means to be around whenever I need to during the day.

So, what are your resolutions?

I couldn't figure out mine on the 31st. It's the 6th now, or so I've been told, and my perspective on my future has been altered in a dimension that I didn't expect. I'm not really sure what's happening now down the road, but it's not like I've given much indication to anyone around here what it is I am talking about at all.

My dA resolution is to post things more. I read pretty much whatever I can that comes through here. The lit forums are my homepage, and I travel from page to page all the time, checking up on things and reading the latest deviations all around. I just need to actually start vocalizing those critiques instead of just keeping them.

I resolve to never bet on red.

UPDATE:

I did forget to mention. Canada won the gold medal at the World Junior Hockey Championship in Sweden yesterday. They faced off against the Russian team for the third time in a row, and for the third time in a row they won to retain the title and their third straight gold. They've matched a record, set by an earlier team Canada, with 18 straight wins. It was great to watch these guys play since Boxing Day. I expect that a lot of these kids will end up doing very well in the NHL in a couple years.

But, god...it makes me feel old. Most of these kids can't even grow beards yet and they've got contracts with major league teams. I have never dreamed of being an NHL star or anything (never played as a kid) but it makes me think.

Well, the year is coming to a close. Only a few hours now until 2006 sets and the terrifying sun of 2007 rises. With that in mind, I figured it was about time to look back into the year that was 2006 and see what the most best things about it, to me, were.

None of these are in any real order, unless I actually say so.

Top Life Events:
1. Kicking ass in school. This was set-out to be one of the most difficult years of my life academically. I had a lot on my plate in second year, taking on student government and support a part-time job while running a club and trying to stay on honour roll. I gave up all of that for third year, save for the latter two, and did actually survive it.

2. Moving out of my apartment. I had been stuck in a "temporary" home for 3 months too long already when the year began, so walking into another guaranteed few months of living there was something I was never happy about. When I got out of there, although it wasn't too the ideal situation, I was very pleased. Where I am now is working out for me.

3. Washroom Gate. This story still comes up from time to time. I actually told this just the other night to some positive fanfare. It's pretty much my favourite personal "you idiot" moment from the year. Good times.

4. Halloween. A year that seemed to go by in a day, really. And the day still goes on, and I'm always glad that it does.

5. As of the 18th of this month, I've been a GD here for a year. I've definitely been more of an aide than a leader, and I think that a lot of the great initiatives that have gone on here in the last little while that I've helped support have given me the most satisfaction. Working with ^imperfect, `MinorKey, ^PoeticWar and ^adrift has been an interesting experience. They are all overwhelming people who know their stuff to an extent that I can't even fathom. They've been great, and even with drama here and there, have stepped up when they can to do their best around here.

Top Movies:
1. Little Miss Sunshine. I reviewed this earlier in the year, and of the flicks that I caught this year, it stood out as the purest, simplest candidate for the best I've seen. Maybe not the funniest, but it definitely catches that dark comedy niche that is alway good to fill.

2. Borat: Etc, etc, etc. Funny, controversial, and is probably the defining comedy of our generation. Sorry, our generation, and sorry, Jackass. Your relevance has basically gone the way of furby in terms of fad.

3. Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles. Although I didn't get a chance to review this one formally, this was one of the more peaceful and captivating films I was lucky enough to see this year. I can't recommend it enough.

4. A Scanner Darkly. After reading the book, I'll take the pages over the silver screen, but I still have to give this one ups for exceeding my expectations.

5. Silent Hill. This is more of a disappointment than anything else. I was really looking forward to this, and it had a lot of potential. It started fantastically, but it went downhill really quickly really fast. Will a video-game to movie ever be truly good?

Top Musical Moments:
1. If I had to name my favourite disc of 2006, I'd be hardpressed to give you a clear answer. If you had a gun to my head, though (or a bowl of Skor Bites) I'd have to say Hawksley Workman. And before you cry fowl, hear me out. I'm not talking about his latest release Treeful of Starling, oh no. I am talking about his shadow release, only given out on tour, that was basically told off by all his friends and relatives and record label as "far too dark". My Little Toothless Beauties is a fantastic disc, and if you can find it (No, you can't have mine. No, it's not on eBay.) you must pick it up.

2. Billy Talent II. I'm still mixed on this. It was a good disc, but I guess I expected more, or something. Definitely something I was looking forward to in a big, big way, though.

3. Alexisonfire. I'm going to put this down as one of my biggest disappointments of the year. This album just shows a real descent in their quality of work. It feels rushed, too safe, and just not frantic or lively enough to be Alexis.

4. Big Surprises: Wolfmother, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The Raconteurs, which I didn't expect much of and turned out to be a solid, indie release. Ghostface Killah, who I didn't think could live up to his last epic, but did.

5. Saosin. Their debut LP is actually pretty strong, and is growing on me.

Top OMGAMES:
1. If I had to give a game of year, guess who I'd give it to.

Come on guess.

Guess more.

Well, you're wrong. I'd give it to Gears of War. While Legend of Zelda is an epic, beautiful and fun game, it falls short in a few areas. One, Nintendo's lack of leap into a new generation where voice acting and graphical capabilities are there and possible, but are not attained, just irks me a bit. Gears, however, takes advantage of every single aspect of gaming that it can. It's basically the anti-thesis of Zelda, in that it is short, gritty, gory and terse in its message and themes. However, it delivers in all areas. Sound, environments, graphics, gameplay and the Live version puts Halo to shame. Co-op makes it even more fun, and is a good enough reason for any fan of shooters at all to get the system. Maybe it's a very close race, but I have played both, and I do own a Wii, so I better not hear any complaining. I HAVE SPOKEN.

2. Wii. Yes, that's it. It's awesome, and I haven't had more fun with games in a long, long, long time. Everything else is moot, really.

3. New Super Mario Brothers. Lots of fun, good DS platformer, and one solid bit of Mario.

4. Okami. Another reason to get a PS2. That makes 3.

Miscellany:
Best New TV Show: Dexter
Best Book I Read: V for Vendetta
Best Book I've almost read: The Crying of Lot 49
Best Book I was read: Cuckoo's Egg
Best Poetry Collection I've read: learning to walk in heels
Best Thing Ever

I'll come up with some resolutions and such for tomorrow. Right now, this is what I got. I'll add to it as needed.

It's been a pretty busy holiday time for me. Although, the busy part isn't exactly welcome, the fact that it is busy going out and spending time with family doesn't really bother me all too much at all. Christmas went by as Christmas does, with gifts, chocolate and cab rides home. Everyone who I managed to get in to see my newly renovated digs basically spent the whole night playing WiiSports against me or whoever would accept the challenge. I played Boxing one night for an hour straight, and anyone that's played it for even a few minutes will tell you that it is rough on your arms.

Unlike most years, I asked for pretty much nothing and got exactly what I asked for, plus more. I got a season of CSI on DVD, and some blockbuster gift certs so I can get another season, lots of clothes (which I really needed) and a new remote for my Wii (which I was shocked at because they are rather hard to find).

Boxing Day, my favourite day of the year, was interesting, as well. I was almost suckered into buying an Xbox 360 and Gears of War, but managed to snap myself out of that. I also had a friend find and buy a PS3 with Resistance: Fall of Man. The kid is delusional, however, to believe that he has an HD TV (It's 5 years old, full screen, and barely supports component) and tells me that he is going to get the best out of it. I told him to wait, but alas.

I'm getting slowly back on to dA, though, after some rest and relaxation. I'm done work for a while, so I'm planning on taking a good vacation to work on a business project, which I'll probably talk about a little later on.

The real question is:

How was your Christmas?