All posts by Robin

I'm a woman in my early thirties living in North Carolina, USA, and I have a lot of varied interests; I love creative writing, music composition, web design, surfing the Internet, thinking out loud, and gaming. And yes, my glasses are crooked. :)
Saturday with the Spark

Do You Make Music? These Five Free Programs Could Help You!

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As a musician, singer, and composer, I’ve long wished for desktop applications to help me record and even notate the music that I write. (Most of my pieces of music are still in my head, not notated anywhere because I hate hand-notating so much. LOL)

On a whim this week, I began a new search for music-creation and music-notation programs…and I came up with the following five programs, which can help musicians and composers of all types and experience levels. Not only are these programs helpful, but they’re all free!

For Generating Electronic Music on Your Computer

Psycle
Psycle is music creation software, with less emphasis on recording and more emphasis on making music within the program itself. The open-sourced nature of the program also leaves users free to build plugins for it themselves, so it’s great for the music tinkerer who also loves to code. And, if you need help at any time, it’s got a lively, deeply-established online community built around it…which is also great for showing off your newest creations!

For Recording, Editing, and Converting All Sorts of Sounds

Audacity
As one of the premier open-source audio recording/editing programs on the Internet these days, Audacity can help you record any kind of audio track, edit all manner of audio file formats, convert old tapes and records into digital form, and even change the pitch or speed of a recording! (Ooh, I might use this to see how certain songs sound in my favorite keys. “Titanium” by David Guetta in C-sharp minor, here I come!)

For Recording/Editing MIDI Sounds

MidiSwing
If you can connect your MIDI musical keyboard to your computer, MidiSwing can help you record the music made through that keyboard. It can also help you edit MIDI files, as well as compose music from within the program itself. Best of all: it’s compatible with just about any system that can run Java 2. (I might look into this to record my music on my computer, since I <3 my digital keyboard. 😀 )

For Automatically Notating/Playing Back Music, and Making Sheet Music

MuseScore
A must for anyone who hates hand-notating music as much as I do. MuseScore can not only automatically notate the music that’s played into the program through a MIDI connection, but can play it back, and print out real sheet music, too! (DEFINITELY getting this–I’ve been wanting to get my music on paper for years!)

For Recording/Generating Music and Mixing It Yourself

Frinika
A complete Java music workstation in one program, Frinika supports MIDI, sequencers, recording, and editing, among many other audio tasks. Pretty much, if you want to record/edit/mix it, Frinika can handle it! (This looks pretty technical, so this is probably for the more advanced music mixers among us, but it’s a great all-in-one program nonetheless.)

More Music Creation Resources

For a much more comprehensive list of free music-creation programs, visit Free Music Creation Software on Squidoo–options for Windows, Mac, and Linux systems are available, as well as more specific kinds of software for various musical and audio purposes.

Friday around the Web

What Love Means, Pokemon Pick-Up Lines, Britishizing the Internet, and Proper Meditation

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For You, I…
A short bit of poetic prose about what being a true, loving companion means.

Pokemon Pick-Up Lines
Wow, really? Pokemon is still relevant enough for this these days? xD (You know you’re a nerd when you GET most of these lines…LOL!)

The Internet Needs to Be More British
Making the Internet more British, one meme at a time.

How to Meditate Properly
Hint: It’s not about getting into lotus position perfectly. Which is a good thing…’cause, to be honest, if I ever GOT into lotus position, I’m pretty sure I’d be stuck that way.

Thursday in the Zone

Old-School Gaming, part VI: Super Mario RPG

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Back in 1996, this little gem was released for the SNES, and quickly became one of my favorite games of all time.


Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (its full title) is the result of the only collaboration between Nintendo and Squaresoft (now known as SquareEnix, makers of the Final Fantasy series). And the game bears the marks of both its parent game companies; the rich lore and characters of Nintendo’s Mushroom Kingdom combine with Final Fantasy-style turn-based, RPG combat and mechanics to make a new type of challenge for Mario fans.

The Story in a Nutshell


The first few minutes of gameplay seem more like the end of a traditional Mario game–you fight Bowser to rescue Princess Toadstool. But, just as you’re about to rescue Toadstool, why, a giant sword comes crashing through the heavens (screwing up the Star Road in the process). It stabs down into Bowser’s castle, and the resulting explosion scatters Mario, Toadstool, and Bowser to various places in the world.

The new challenge: defeat Smithy, the bad guy who just threw Bowser out of his own castle with a larger-than-life sword.

Characters Old and New

Besides Mario and Princess Toadstool, there are some old familiar faces and completely new characters in SMRPG…but the story takes a few surprising turns concerning its characters.


For instance, Bowser actually becomes an ally in the fight against Smithy (a move that was revolutionary for its day).


Another ally comes all the way from the Star Road (as basically an angel) to help Mario and his friends. The spirit, ♥ ♪ !?, chooses to occupy the form of a little clown doll named “Geno,” and takes on the doll’s name since his real name is “hard to pronounce.” LOL!

Along with Bowser and Geno, you get Mallow, a little guy with weather powers who looks like a little puff of cloud (for good reason–you’ll find out why later in the game), and Princess Toadstool.

This was the first non-racing game I recall that had Toadstool as a playable character, which is one big reason this is a favorite game of mine. I love that she is the primary “healer” in this game, with her “Group Hug” group-healing power, and her resurrect power, “Come Back.” (I also love the fact that she can whack baddies with a Frying Pan if you know where to find it! :P)

Side Quests and Humor Galore

This game is both challenging and entertaining, rich with both non-essential content and story events that are downright funny. For example:


As part of the story, you have to rescue Toadstool from being forcibly married to Booster, who is pretty much a more playful, inept, and silly version of Bowser. This clip, showing part of the “wedding” ceremony, has some of the funniest dialogue and actions in the whole game.


Your forays into the second major area of the game, “Pond to Pipes,” take you down the Kero Sewers and out into a river course called the Midas River, so named because it can make you rich if you know how to play it right. Precise control over Mario (and good reflexes/timing) are key, but you don’t have to do the course perfectly to get through the area. (You can come back and play the Midas River course over and over again if you want, as well!)


One of the boss battles you’ll face is with a group called the Axem Rangers, who are thinly-veiled references to the Power Rangers. ’90s TV allusion, ahoy! This boss battle is fraught with snicker-worthy dialogue and posturing, even as it challenges you to think strategically.


The music nerd in me still delights in the musical side available in Tadpole Pond (just beyond Midas River). You can compose and play a melody using a still pond and tadpoles for the notes! (Also, if you gather certain melodies from around the game and play them here, the composer Toadofsky will gift you with various access cards to Tadpole Pond’s “Juice Bar,” which provides several team-boosting items.)


You can also visit Yoshi’s Island and hang out with Yoshi and all his pals. (Plus, you can compete with Yoshi in the island races to get Yoshi Cookies, which are great to use when you’re in combat and need an emergency boost!)


Don’t miss the fun cameos and references to other Nintendo games hidden within SMRPG. For instance, Link and Samus appear at various points in the game, as this video demonstrates. 🙂

A Few Special Areas Within the Game

The various towns and zones in SMRPG are well-crafted and provide rest and refueling opportunities, as well as furthering the main story and some side quests. (Seaside Town is a great one-stop shop, for instance, while Marrymore provides a luxury resort experience–try the Deluxe Suite in the Hotel to see what I mean!)


One of my favorite areas in the game, however, is Monstro Town, a town that’s literally a small group of reformed bad guys. I love the kitsch of this place–who would have thought that bad guys could reform, and that they’d make this cute little settlement?


Because the reformed baddies fear overly aggressive retribution for their crimes and want to live quietly, Monstro Town is quite difficult to get into; you have to solve a difficult desert puzzle to even get to the underground entrance. But it’s definitely worth the visit, as you’ll see!

Challenges and Puzzles for the Truly Fearless

SMRPG also has a few non-essential boss battles and puzzles, which are worth the look even if you choose not to complete them.


Jinx, who runs the dojo in Monstro Town, is a great side-quest boss to tackle. He’s difficult to defeat, but if you manage it, you’ll get the Jinx Belt–an accessory that prevents instant death. VERY handy for later battles!


This video shows you how to get the Lazy Shell Armor and Weapon, which are nearly essential for beating Smithy at the last. (By the way, the pair of items do not have to be used together; actually, you’re better off equipping Toadstool with the Armor to make her an almost unkillable healer!)


Also in Monstro Town, you can find a challenge hidden behind a sealed door–a monster only known as Culex. The resulting battle is easily the most difficult in the whole game (and I’m including Smithy’s battles in this estimation!).

Secrets, Hacks, and Amazing Stunts


This video covers a few secrets within the game (Forest Maze Treasure, how to get the Ghost Medal, what the B’Tub ring is for, and how to beat Culex).


An old favorite video of mine, this demonstrates the hilarious results of SMRPG ROM hacks. xD


And finally, for your viewing pleasure: soloing Smithy (the final boss) with Toadstool. Never thought this could be done till I saw this video. WOW.

To Play Super Mario RPG

The game is available through the Wii Virtual Console as well as through the SNES itself. It’s well worth the time to play through–it’s a wonderful, original storyline which takes our old favorite characters in new directions, and introduces us to Mario’s wider world, too.

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars on MarioWiki.com

Wednesday in the Word

Our Plans are Small Beside God’s

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Psalm 33:10-11
10 The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. 11 But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.

With words like “foil” and “thwart,” a casual reader may take this excerpt to mean that God spitefully strikes down our plans in favor of His own. That is definitively not the case. Our schemes and thoughts are merely flimsy and limited in scope; we simply are not God, Who is omniscient and omnipotent, all-knowing and almighty.

This is an alien idea, especially to our modern culture. We tend to give the most rewards to those who are self-sufficient, those who have ambition and drive; unfortunately, neither personal ambition and drive, when taken to extremes, allow much room for God. This is where many of us can get into trouble, because we begin to trust our own knowledge too much, and we leave God out of the planning of our lives.

These two verses serve as a reminder to us: keep God as Priority #1 when looking ahead to the future, and you will be placing your faith in Someone whose plans “stand firm forever.” Even as your world shakes around you, changing for the worse every day, you can still trust God and know that He ultimately has the best interests of the entire world in mind, because His plans are unshakable.

This is a comfort to us; we will not always have a life full of roses and sunshine, but God will be there when the storms come and the blossoms wilt, too, and His plans will carry us through.

Tuesday on the Soapbox

Slaying the Clutter Dragon, part 3: Horrors in the Hidden Abyss

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I return triumphant, flushed with my most recent victory against the Clutter Dragon! *heroic music*

This week, I tackled the giant mess in front of the overflowing closet–this area has been jokingly named the “Clutter Abyss,” and this picture proves it:

This is where I started; my goal was to clear the floor immediately in front of the closet, and to uncover the old TV in the corner so we can take it to be donated. (Don’t see a TV in this picture? I promise you there is one–it’s just hidden by all the clutter! SAD!)

Task #1: Everything Off the Floor

Just like always, my bed became the staging area for all the keepable items:

Sadly enough, this is just the first layer of junk that I removed from the floor to sort through. When I took this picture, I had not yet waded down to the second layer of keepable items, which was hidden beneath yet another layer of paper clutter and trash. (Side note: that is my computer you see in the background–I needed a little cleaning music to keep my spirits up. 😀 )


As you can see, the layer of trash/paper clutter was quite a bit more daunting than in the last episode–more had been allowed to accumulate, and was actually covering up more stuff. Sigh, such is the life of a pack rat!


The most random things showed up when I began to sift through the mess…like this VHS case for the first Pokemon movie. I have no idea why it was mixed in with everything else; I have a theory that my room’s mess comes alive and just swallows stuff at random. LOL


Once the paper clutter and trash was all dealt with, this was the vista I was greeted with. Still quite a ways to go…my fight was not yet over! I still had plenty of stuff to put up–and nowhere to put it.

The Root of All (Cluttered) Evil: The Closet

I have not yet spoken much of my bedroom closet itself, though it is actually the main reason my room remains cluttered. Having been converted into shelved toy storage in my childhood, many of those girlhood toys have remained on the shelves collecting dust ever since.

The end result:

Um…yeah, it’s kinda bad. The closet was physically unreachable for many years due to severe pack-rat-itis, and when I finally did reach it during the Super Duper Cleanout of 2009, I did not tackle it; the project looked too daunting after finally clearing the rest of the room. My energy flagged, and so I procrastinated on completing this final task.

But the no-storage problem in my room has not gone away; indeed, it led to the Clutter Dragon taking up residence yet again in my room. (Food for thought: if I had tackled the closet 3 years ago, I might not be fighting the Clutter Dragon now. Sigh…)

A Small Closet Side Quest

So, to start using the closet space a little better, I rearranged the middle shelf in the above picture just a little bit, to allow for more things to be stored on it. Then I put up the few things from the floor that would fit onto it, being careful not to overload the shelf in the process.


Now, that shelf is better-used, though it still looks as messy as its brethren. But this won’t be the last you hear about the closet!

Uncovering the Bed


This time, after cleaning up the floor, I was left with quite a big pile of junk on the bed, none of which could leave the room–it was all my stuff and needed to find a home somewhere within the room.


Not to mention that there was still junk to be cleaned off the old TV in the corner. (You can just barely see it, bottom center of the picture.)

Though the sight of all these items left to deal with made my energy begin to waver, I knew I could not quit now. After all, I had this very blog post to write, and I did not want to disappoint myself by doing less than I had planned. So I struck out at the Clutter Dragon yet again, and began to work at uncovering the TV and the rest of the floor in front of it.


In the middle of this effort, I randomly discovered a box full of Christmas presents from about 2 years ago. I had forgotten I even owned these books! :O They were quickly taken from the room and put with my other books, elsewhere in the house, so they wouldn’t get messed up further in the cleanup effort.


Cleaning off the TV also meant that I found several of my colder-weather jackets strewn about. In need of a place to hang them, I finally made use of the six-hook over-the-door hanging system I had bought a few months ago, putting it on half of one of the louvered closet doors. It’s not ideal, but hopefully it won’t be permanent. (Famous last words, at least in my room. LOL)


Believe it or not, there’s a TV under there! With the floor mostly cleared and the random stuff atop it removed, now I can maneuver a dolly into the room to cart the TV off to Goodwill or wherever else might take it.

With that, the second half of the job was complete!


But there was still a problem: the bed was still covered with boxes of random stuff. And, unlike earlier in the day, I was not much in a mood to continue sorting. More than anything, after almost an hour working with little rest (or ventilation in the room, for that matter), I wanted the bed cleared off.


So, I reverted to a solution that always worked well for me in my childhood. I cleaned off the bed…


…and stuffed all the randomness into the next small area of the room, to be dealt with later. 😛 (This junk pile will be part of a future episode of “Slaying the Clutter Dragon,” I promise. :D)

One Small Step for Woman, One Giant Lunge at the Dragon


This is basically what the Closet Clutter Abyss looks like now–it may not look much better to the neat-freak’s eye, but it will enable us to cart away the TV, which will free up the corner space and the closet door. And once that space is open for maneuvering…


…the next phase of defeating the Clutter Dragon will go into effect. I know now that no room-cleaning will ever be effective unless this closet is confronted and conquered–the last three years are living proof of that.


So, next week, I will begin the unenviable task of tackling the closet, one shelf at a time. Though I might be trapped in the Closet Abyss for several weeks, I will not overload myself each week–that will only lead to procrastination and ultimately quitting. The closet must be conquered bit by definitive bit, rather than trying to do it all in one go. Kind of like weight loss, I guess!

Tune in next week for my first foray into the Closet of Childhoods Past! Who knows what I’ll find in there among the detritus of girlhood?

BONUS: The New and Improved Display Shelf

In the first installment of this series, I showed you how I first designed the display shelf for my figurines. I have since improved on it, using the display shelf as a way to store my DVD collection as well as my figurines.


This picture encompasses the smaller of the two Belle & Beast figurines on the left, my entire DVD collection, and my little collection of figurines off to the right.


I freed the Dove figurine from her packaging and set her up on the included stand; I added the small Belle figurine and a newly-acquired Princess Peach figurine alongside, to create a little vignette of some of my favorite characters.


The larger of the two Belle & Beast figurines did get her special display spot at last, sitting atop my dresser. Once the dresser gets cleaned off (in a future issue of “Slaying the Clutter Dragon”), she’ll be showcased properly.

Monday in the HTMLab

Cleaning Up Layout Clutter

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Just as I seem to be a severe pack rat in real life, I’m also a hoarder online…but I’m not the only one out there. There are many examples of cluttered layouts floating about on the internet these days (mine are likely prime examples).

What do I mean by “cluttered” layouts? Any site design that makes it hard for users to find what they need could be classified as cluttered. After all, in a cluttered room it’s difficult to find the items you need (as I know from laughable personal experience).

Today, I’ll share with you the four major ways we webdesigners and developers accidentally clutter up our layouts, and how to declutter them.

Extremely Busy Background Images

Background images are just that–they are meant to create a fitting backdrop for the main attraction, our websites’ content. But it’s very easy to overdo a background image and make it a dizzying sight. For example:


This doesn’t look too busy when it’s on a page by itself…


…but when it’s tiled and used as a page background, it looks more like one of those 3D images than a webpage background.

This kind of background image can make browsing your site difficult to do–your text-based content can be hard to read, or even impossible to read, and any images you’ve posted won’t attract the same kind of positive attention.

How to Fix This

You don’t have to sacrifice interesting design to make your backgrounds easier to take. These design strategies can help:

  • Use colors that are closer together in shade so patterns are subtler.
  • Try a soft gradient just along the top or sides of the page.
  • Use a larger, low-contrast pattern instead of a small, high-contrast pattern (sounds counter-intuitive, but works!).

Content, Content, Everywhere!

I’ll admit it–I cram my pages full of content. *cough* sidebar *cough* I’m a content hoarder, and I almost need an intervention. 😛

Content is wonderful; it’s the reason we all make webpages in the first place. But when we overload our users with tons of content crowded onto one page, whether it’s images, links, text, or anything else, we make our pages about ten times more cluttered.

Just like a cluttered room with too many items to look at, a page cluttered with content makes it hard for users to know where to focus first. If there are sidebar links, footer paragraphs, dozens of images, etc., all on one page, how can a user easily find what he or she is specifically searching for?

You could argue that this shot of my own sidebar on this blog is a bit cluttered–and I would agree with you.

For one thing, the text of each content box is really small; for another, the small headings don’t attract the eye as well as they might. Thirdly, the one social media link looks a bit lost, even at the top of the page.

Though at first I thought this design looked very tidy, now I see that the text looks a little haphazard and it’s hard to determine what to look at. And, as I’ve noted on the image itself, the Twitter feed is very low on the page, and the “most recent posts” box is overflowing with the titles of each blog entry. My inner pack rat strikes again! LOL

How to Fix This

Thankfully, you don’t need to take all the content off your page to declutter it. These tips can help:

  • If your sidebar is overflowing with content, try moving a section or two to its own page, and simply link to the new page on your sidebar.
  • Use icons instead of text links (where possible) on your header, sidebar, and footer.
  • Shorten text link descriptions to as few words as possible.
  • Halve the number of content items displayed per page (i.e., if you have 20 content items per page now, try 10 and see how that changes the page look).
  • Enlarge the font size of your remaining content items/sections. (Again, sounds counter-intuitive, but larger text will command more attention and not look quite so messy.)

Unnecessary Information On Your Main Page

On your index page, do your users need to have the full-text version of your site’s history in the sidebar? Or do they need to see every single image you have in your site’s archives? It’s important to think about the purpose of your site, and what information the users are visiting your site for.

I’ve made the “unnecessary information” mistake dozens of times over, especially when I’m first crafting a site. I always start thinking, “But wait, I’ve got to put [this random piece of information] over here, and what about [this other bit of randomness]? I’ve got to find places for them all on the main page!”

To snap myself out of this mindset, I had to think about what was most important to my users–and this self-check could work for you, too. Think about what your user really needs to see when he or she first hits your page. What is most important to them? What do they need to click on or view first?

These items, whether they’re welcome/mission statements, Twitter updates, your most recent post, etc., need to be the only things to view on your landing page. Anything else needs to be put on a separate page, or hidden in some way unless the user clicks on it to open a section up.

How to Fix This

Your landing page doesn’t have to be bare, but a little information goes a long way–try these changes:

  • Determine the 3 most important things your user needs to see/interact with when they first come to your site. These 3 things need to be showcased; other information can be put on other pages or relegated to less prominent locations on your landing page.
  • Use clear text headings on your landing page so it’s easier for users to find information they need.
  • Divide up the information visually (images or CSS formatting) to make visual searching of your page easier.

Scattered Social Media Icons

It is important, if you’re making any kind of website, to make sure your users can interact with you and your site on social networks–you don’t want to skimp on that. But it’s equally as important to make sure those social network links don’t take over the rest of your page.

I found this out when I designed my 11th layout for WithinMyWorld.org–I carried over some social media icons from Version 10 and put them on the main page. Little did I know that unlike Version 10, Version 11 did not really have a good place to display icons. What looked crisp and clean on Version 10 looked like misplaced clutter on Version 11; it looked so bad, in fact, that I took the icons down within hours of changing over the layout.


This screenshot from Version 10 shows a nice, neat place for icons to live, right above the navigation.
Version 11, however, has no real place for icons to live on the page, because it creates a bad contrast with the background image.

How to Fix This

These all-important icons don’t have to be banished from your page altogether; some of these hints may help you figure out where they belong.

  • Think about where you’d like your social media icons to be BEFORE you design your layout. Design around them rather than sticking them on as an afterthought. (This really helps–trust me!)
  • Make the icons larger rather than smaller. This helps them stand out more on your page, so they’ll look less like clutter and more like a vital part of your site (which they are).
  • If the original icons’ colors clash with your layout, you can always make icons to match your layout, with a font like Socialico. Either include it as a custom font in your CSS, or make them into images–both ways work!

Summary

Making the extra effort to declutter our pages can make a huge difference to our users–it can positively affect the way your user views your content, and could even ensure return visits or new visitors via word-of-mouth. Thus, a tidier site can make for happier viewers and a happier webmaster, too! 🙂

Saturday with the Spark

The Most Dangerous Thing Any Artist Can Do…

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…is lose faith in their ability to make art.

Seems too simple, or even nonsensical. How can someone who makes art of any kind lose faith in that ability? And how can that stop you from creating, if you’re truly an artist?

Oh, it can happen, and all too easily. I’m stuck in it right now, as a matter of fact. And there is more than one path to this stupidly terrible mire I find myself in these days:

  • Suffering from self-censorship, and/or the fear that your art is “not good enough” for others to see
  • Making “art creation time” feel more like work than fun–over-thinking it and over-planning it, especially
  • Allowing someone else to bully you into making the kind of art they like, rather than what you like

Any or all of these things can strike you, as an artist, and they can all make your passion for creating art shrivel up and die. And when you’ve lost your passion for your art, no more ideas will come to you till you get it back. Thus, you lose faith in your own ability to make art, because the ideas aren’t coming. And all too soon, you stop even identifying yourself as an artist entirely.

Remember, Only YOU Can Make Art That Expresses Yourself!

[/shameless parody of Smokey the Bear’s “forest fires” slogan]

It doesn’t matter what kind of art you make, whether it’s poetry, paintings, choreography, sculptures, dramas, or jewelry–you have to have faith and passion for your art, otherwise the creative juices just won’t be there. You have to remember that you have a unique voice, a unique spirit, which is expressed through your chosen art, whatever it may be. You must let that come forth however it will, if it’s going to be truly representative of you.

Now, this doesn’t mean that you push aside help from other people. Others can guide you along, give you advice, and act as sounding boards for your newborn ideas. But only YOU can create art from that advice. God gifted you an amazing ability; only you can bring forth that idea that sprouted in your brain.

How to Get Your Faith and Passion Back

So, what to do if you’ve found yourself suddenly without the fire for your art that you used to have? Here are two things that have helped me:

  1. Re-experience your own artworks. Try to re-create that beautiful painting you did a few years ago; play through that old song you loved writing so much. Do whatever it takes to reconnect with what made you love making art. For instance, I took to my digital keyboard and played through a few of my more involved compositions, playing them in different keys, experimenting with their forms.
  2. Show or talk about a few of your most recent artistic attempts to friends you trust and/or friends who do the same kind of art. They may be able to offer a fresh perspective on the work you’ve lost faith in. In my case, I’ve been talking about my novel with a few more trusted friends, and slowly gaining a little more pride in what I’ve created when they give their reactions.

Remember, art is your personal expression, mirroring your experience of the world. No one else has quite that expression–will you then hide it or push it aside because it’s not “as good as” someone else’s? I hope you choose to keep working at it…your efforts ARE worth it, as are mine, as are every artist’s. Be proud of your identity as an artist!

Friday around the Web

Our Secret Selves, Lightsaber Building, The Making of Harry Potter, and Homemade Beauty Products

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Our Secret Selves: The Joy of Barking Alone
Some “secrets” aren’t bad–they’re just for ourselves to enjoy. (Like my random addiction to putting my favorite music to specially-chosen movie scenes…lol)

Lightsaber Construction Guide…from IKEA
So this is where Obi-Wan got the Lightsaber–he bought it from IKEA!

Warner Bros. Studio Tour in London: The Making of Harry Potter (photos)
Aww, a little wizard in training…

Making 10 Beauty Products for Yourself
How to make 10 beauty products for yourself…I like the lip balm and foot spa ideas!

Thursday in the Zone

Old-School Gaming, Part V: Paper Mario

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Though Nintendo has never quite been able to match the magic of Super Mario RPG (its one and only collaboration with Final Fantasy makers SquareEnix), there’s a couple of games that come close, in my opinion. Paper Mario, for the N64, is one of them.


Paper Mario is memorable and eminently replayable for its many side quests and fun excursions, much like Super Mario RPG. But it’s also got its own distinctive Nintendo flair! Read on for a little reminiscing and description of this awesome game.


In Paper Mario, Bowser steals a magic wand called the Star Rod from the seven benevolent Star Spirits, who serve as the world’s spiritual leaders. He then proceeds to imprison said Star Spirits, and begins to run amok with his newfound power, eventually lifting Peach’s castle sky-high, and even defeating Mario with the aid of the Star Rod. Of course, Mario has to rescue the Star Spirits and kick major butt along the way. 🙂


This video shows the opening scenes and the first few challenges/puzzles of the game, set in Goomba Village. After Mario’s disastrous conflict with the new and improved Bowser, he is thrown from Peach’s castle and is discovered some time later by a little girl Goomba named Goombaria.


From Goomba Village, you eventually move on to Toad Town, and are faced with the wreckage at the spot where Peach’s castle was torn up from the ground. (Your first big boss battle, with the Goomba King, is covered in this video as well.)


In Paper Mario, Mario receives the aid of several individuals he meets in his journey to rescue the Star Spirits. Each one of them can serve as a Partner in battle, helping to defeat enemies; each one also has a special ability that can be used outside combat to help Mario.

Partners in the Game

– Goombario (gives you enemy information, including Hit Points)
– Kooper (can use his shell to attack enemies at range or retrieve items from a little distance away)
– Bombette (can bomb cracked walls or ambush-bomb enemies)
– Parakarry (can carry Mario for a short distance across gaps)
– Lady Bow (can hide Mario from enemies)
– Watt (can light up dark places and display hidden ? blocks)
– Sushie (can help Mario get across water)
– Lakilester (can give Mario faster and longer flight across obstacles)

Each Partner is very, very useful–no duds here!

Peach’s Greater Role in This Game

One of my favorite bits about this game is that Peach is actually given more of a personality, and given meaningful tasks to do within the game. She’s no longer just a victim; she’s proven to be braver and more resourceful than anyone ever figured on.


In between the Mario-centric “chapters” of the game, you get to play as Peach, doing more stealth/spy missions to help Mario’s quest. Her tasks progress in difficulty as the game goes along.


One of the hardest Peach missions in the game is baking a cake for Gourmet Guy. Why do I call it the hardest mission? Because just like real baking, I stink at creating virtual cakes, too, apparently! LOL! This mission requires excellent timing to complete (I used a stopwatch and it still took several tries); however, the payoff is worth it.


Of course, if you don’t care about the payoff, you can always have Peach cook a disgusting cake instead…this one involves using Cleanser and Water as ingredients. Serves that picky Gourmet Guy right, I think. xD

A Few Game Secrets and Side Quests

Paper Mario is littered (sorry, couldn’t resist the pun) with secrets and side quests. For instance:

  • 8-bit Mario in Lady Bow’s Mansion
  • Luigi’s diary
  • hidden 8-bit music if you wait long enough on chapter screens
  • speeding-up and slowing-down music box in Lady Bow’s Mansion


“Empty” Box Trick in Dry Dry Desert: You get a Mushroom, Super Shroom and an Ultra Shroom by whacking this box with your Hammer several times.


Anti Guy is a nonessential boss in the Toy Box levels, and is very difficult to defeat if you’re not careful! (I found that using Lady Bow to hide Mario from Anti Guy’s super-strong attacks is very useful; otherwise, you just have to outlast him in Hit Points.)


There are also some secrets and side quests within the towns you visit:

  • The sorceress/seer Merlee in the back alleys of Dry Dry Outpost; she can give you a spell to help you in battle
  • You can get a Goomnut item from the big tree in Goomba Village
  • You can help an old Koopa in Koopa Village by running some errands for him; each one gets you a Star Piece
  • You can listen to the radio in the blue-shell house in Koopa Village
  • Don’t forget to climb the tree in Yoshi Village!


This video gives you the location of 3 secret Badges; Badges can be equipped to Mario to give him different attacks, better Hit Points and Flower Points, resistance to certain types of damage, and lots of other benefits.


If you visit Merluvlee’s house near Shooting Star Summit, she can tell a “fortune” about Star Pieces nearby. Her brother Merlow, who lives upstairs, sells Badges in exchange for Star Pieces. (Also, the purple-and-gold chest in the far left of the first floor is linked to an identical chest in Peach’s castle–Peach can pass items, like hidden Badges, to Mario in this way.


Talk to Merlon (in Toad Town, in the house with the spinning roof) whenever you’re lost about something. He also helps advance the plot otherwise, but his fortunes will help you get un-stuck.


One of my favorite side quests involves a Pop Diva who used to sing at Club 64 in Toad Town (near the port). Unfortunately, all the unrest in Toad Town has grieved her so much that she cannot sing; she needs a truly inspiring song to make her sing again. This video shows you how to help her!

Final Battle with Bowser


The final battle is divided into 2 parts; this video covers the first part, which is fairly scripted for you. Mario fights Bowser, and Peach fights Kammy Koopa (the real brains behind it all). Good plot development ensues, and because of Peach’s desperate wish, Mario gets a new attack–Peach Beam!


Once Mario gets Peach Beam, the second half of Bowser’s battle commences–and the game has changed. Peach Beam shatters Bowser’s Star Rod power temporarily, enabling him to be damaged, which means that finally, Mario’s attacks can get somewhere!

To Play Paper Mario

This game is available through the Wii’s Virtual Console, and there are probably some N64 cartridges of this still floating around out there, too. Definitely check into it–it’s a great story and well worth a playthrough (or 5)!

Paper Mario @ MarioWiki.com

Wednesday in the Word

Jesus: Bringer of Freedom, Healing, and Joy

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Luke 4:16-21

16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Jesus went to the synagogue for His regular time with God (thus setting a good example for his followers), but instead of simply praying, He chose to read a scripture aloud. It’s unclear whether Jesus chose this specifically or whether this was the passage everyone was already studying; the important message here is that Jesus uses this scripture to announce His purpose and His ministry to the people He grew up with.

This is a triumphant scripture Jesus reads–one of joyful news. Jesus, the Messiah so often prophesied about through Isaiah and many of the other Old Testament prophets, is finally here, and is come to give freedom and healing. Freedom from having to work for their salvation; healing for their spirits as well as their bodies.

In Isaiah, this time of good news is referred to as the “year of the Lord’s favor.” It’s akin to the Year of Jubilee in the Old Testament, when slaves would be set free, debts forgiven, and property was returned to its original owners…but this time, the Lord’s favor would be extended to everyone who believed in Jesus as Messiah. Jesus didn’t officially begin His ministry with His “hometown” as such, but He is bringing His message to Nazareth now, declaring His purpose. (Nazareth doesn’t accept His message, as I’ve discussed in another post, but that’s a whole other story.)

Do We Tell Others How Jesus Has Brought Us Joy?

These days, the phrase “Lemme tell you the Good News about Jesus” is almost a cliche in our culture, often heard but seldom listened to. In our haste to convert people, as Christians, we sometimes forget about this Good News and focus instead on our target’s need to “come to Jesus.” So often, we forget to tell about how Jesus has changed our lives, how He has given us freedom and healing, how we rejoice in His presence.

But what if we approached witnessing, and even worship, with this kind of joy (presented in Isaiah, read aloud by Jesus Himself) instead of condemnation? What could that start?