It's All in the Name

See You Next Mission began as a blog about Metroid. This made sense at the time I started it, seeing as how Metroid: Other M's release was upcoming. After the release of the latest Metroid installment, I decided that a Metroid-exclusive blog just wouldn't work. Since then, I've expanded the focus of my posts, but I kept the name of the blog as "See You Next Mission". I've come to the conclusion that this doesn't really work. This is where you guys come in. I need a new blog name, and I really would like a reader-inspired one. Email your suggestions to project538@gmail.com, and I'll pick the four or five I like best. Then, I will put those submissions in a poll, and the poll winner will be the new blog name. This is something that reader response is required for. Am I capable of thinking of a new name? Absolutely, but I think it's more fun this way. Even if you feel that the blog doesn't need a name change, email and let me know. See you next mission!

-Nate

Stupid Sandals...

Hang around me for any period of time and you will realize something: I hate shoes. I only wear them when the situation demands it; most of the time you will find me in my well-worn Birkenstocks. Until today, that is. I was out on a walk, and I stubbed my toe on an elevated section of sidewalk. At first I thought it was no big deal, but then I looked down and saw a cut running across the front of my right foot's big toe. Oops. I was a few blocks from home, so the first thing I did was whip out my cell and call to inform my sister to have bandages and antiseptic ready. Let me tell you, walking three blocks in a puddle of sticky blood that is slowly collecting in your shoe SUCKS! By the time I got home, my foot was covered in blood. It looked like I had been shot in the foot. I cleaned and dressed the cut (ok, my mom did), then attempted to save my favorite pair of shoes. Alas, the blood had soaked into the sole. I had to throw them away. Stupid sandals. I love them, but if I had worn real shoes, this never would have happened...

Quickie Post: HOMECOMING!

Yikes! It's tonight! I guess I shouldn't be to worried. I don't have a date, so I'm going with a group of guy friends instead. I can't dance, but there's this girl that insists she's going to teach me... AT THE DANCE! I agreed, so that should be interesting. Also, my tie is purple. Who doesn't love purple, right? Stay tuned for an update. I work all day today, then have dinner, then the dance, then the afterparty, so if you wanna know what happened ASAP, check back at like 2:00 a.m. Central time. Unless, that is, I forget to post because I'm too tired. Which is very likely. So, yeah, just check tomorrow morning. See you next mission!

-Nate

Why the Readers Don't Write Back

The post title is more of a question than anything. Four people actually follow this blog (five if you count me), but judging by the numbers on the statistics page, I know I get more hits than that (for those who are wondering, only I can see the stats page. Sorry!). The only thing I ever get response on is the polls. Eleven people voted in the "Favorite Metroid Game" poll, and three have voted in the current "Best OS" poll. In the last post I tried to start a contest: send in a screenshot of your high score in Tetris and I'll publish the names of the winners here. So far, I've received no response (does nobody play Tetris anymore?). Nobody comments, nobody emails. If there's something wrong with commenting (e.g. you have to be signed in to comment) then please, someone email me and let me know. The four followers are nice, but I really want to know if anyone is actually reading this blog. If you think I'm whining, comment or email and tell me to shut up. Trust me, I'll listen.

On the Infinite Replay Value of Tetris

Everyone knows what Tetris is. Even people who don't play video games know what Tetris is. That's the beauty of it; it's simple if you want it to be, but it's challenging at the same time. You don't "beat" Tetris. It goes on forever, and that's the beauty of it. It's been potted to pretty much every system ever, including cell phones, and if you have it on a mobile device it's great for on-the-go play. The real reason that the replay value is infinite though is because you only play against a high score. Another great thing: Tetris never ends. If you're good enough, you could technically play the game forever. I pick up and play Tetris in quick spurts on my iPod touch when I'm waiting for someone or during car rides. Tetris is, in one word, amazing. So, what do you think? When do you play Tetris? Do you even play Tetris at all? Show how amazing you are at Tetris by sending in your high scores (screenshots are required for verification) to project538@gmail.com. Make sure you have "Tetris" in the subject line so I don't mark it as spam. I'll post the highest scores here when I get enough responses. See you next mission!

Buying Crap I Can't Afford

When it comes to spending money, I have a problem. Not as bad as some people, mind you, but it's a problem nonetheless. Of course, being under 18 I lack a credit card, which is something I'm actually glad about. However, this doesn't stop me from wanting to buy things I really don't need and also really can't afford. The most recent example is an Apple iPad. I had a rather heated discussion with my parents last night about buying one. It basically came down to this: most of the things I would do on the IPad I can already do on some device I already own, and spending a rather large chunk of my savings account (yeah, I have no money) on something I don't really need is stupid. Of course, there's also the classic case of "buyer's remorse"; a week or so after I would have bought the thing I would have felt stupid for doing so. Then you have to take into consideration the fact that the iPad is an electronic gadget that is periodically updated (although hasn't been yet), and if you haven't bought one at this point it's probably best to wait for the iPad 2 (or whatever they will call it). So, what do you guys think about this? Sound off in the comments section below, or email me at project538@gmail.com! Also, take note of our new Sidebar Survey question (yeah, I thought of that name as I was typing this), "Which OS do you prefer?". I'm a Mac person myself, but I know we all have our preferences. See you next mission!

-Nate

A Change in Subject

Since the Metroid: Other M hype has kinda died down, I feel a little silly doing an entire blog dedicated to Metroid. Therefore, I have decided I will post about stuff that interests me, which happens to include Metroid. The blog's name won't change, and I'll keep the sweet Screw Attack background for now, but don't expect every post to be something regarding Metroid now. I'd like to hear from the followers on this, but since I've started See You Next Mission the feedback from followers has been pretty nonexistent. You know who you are. Contact me anytime at project538@gmail.com, and make sure to leave your comments right here. See you next mission!

-Nate