Video Games and Love, a Famousmortimer 2008 Memorial Retrospective featuring G-Unit, Jim J Bullock and The Famous Mortimer Clarinet Trio

Is there a world outside of Heymonkeybrain and Squidoo? That’s what people keep telling me. I figure it’s high time I use my pimp hand to bring some attention to things that people may or may not find as fascinating as I do. I am a huge video game nerd so I figured I would give some SHOUTOUTZ to some of my favorite stops on these instanets for interesting reads.

I have a friend that goes by the online moniker of “Mik.” Mik is an interesting gent, he is a Mormon with a lovely wife and three daughters. I think it’s three. Wow, I hope I didn’t get that wrong. But anyway, Mik is a huge fan of really good stuff. Over the years he has gotten me into countless bands, mailed me books, cds, burned TV shows (British version of The Office before anyone knew about it being the best of the bunch). The man just has impeccable taste.

Mik also is a huge fan of video games and decided over a year ago to make a podcast with two friends of his from work. SilentG plays the straight man, very smart, easily put off by the other’s two love of the disgusting and he is generally the voice of reason. A monster of a man named Sooch is the comic relief, often comes with stories of strip club visits, and is generally just a horrible human being (I love him and hate him since we are so similar, minus the strip clubs). Mik is somewhere between the two, loving the grotesque but also having impeccable taste and always having something hysterical to say on any given topic.

They have an interesting take on the whole Podcast formula. Dubbed a “Lunchcast” they bring an audio recorder with them to a different lunch eatery every week or two and talk (while eating) about the latest video games, pop culture hubbub or about disgusting Sooch stories (called Tales from the G-String).

How these Mormons became so insightful and funny should probably be investigated by the LDS. There are so many funny moments that pop up because of their locations also. They noticed after the first few lunchcasts that there were a number of crazy noises going on in the background so now they go out of their way to find the most insane places to make their recordings. My personal favorite is when they ate and recorded at a bowling alley.

It certainly isn’t for the feint of heart, they can get pretty disgusting, like 15 year olds that play video games (except they are all in their 30s, I believe). But if you have any interest in video games at all I really recommend you check it out, you will laugh hysterically, you will get great insight to recent video game releases and you might even learn a thing or two about what Mrs. Mik thinks about during intercourse.

TheFanboys.com Go there now!

I have a friend named Jack that is also a video game nerd. He works at Comedy Central as a producer for their web based casual games. He has a blog at TheHomeworld.wordpress.com that I didn’t even know existed until about two weeks ago.

Jack looks at video games from a much deeper level than most other video game related sites. He really is in search of what makes games fun, what makes design go from “just right” to “goddamn this a freaking mess.”

I wish he updated it more, maybe some traffic will get him off his overworked keyster and have him expound his wisdom to us all on a more regular basis. But it is worth putting in your favorites and checking out every few weeks if you want a truly smart and unique look at games that us nerds love.

To keep the video game theme going (have I lost all my readers yet?) I would like to pimp my newest addiction. Lord of the Rings Online is a MMORPG in the vain of Everquest or World of Warcraft, except, well, it’s Lord of the freakin’ Rings. They use the lore so, so well, crafting some truly epic story lines in the way that other games in the genre haven’t even tried. I’m not gonna say it’s a better game than World of Warcraft (which is a game that I literally have put in over a year of my life in time played over the last 3 years… sick, I know) but it is an amazing alternative. Also, the community is frankly far more mature and more enjoyable to be a part of. Let the kids have their WoW, you adults should at least check out the free trial of LOTRO.

If you really must argue about video games, and lets be serious, we all really do, there is no greater debate going right now than Xbox 360 vs Playstation 3. This debate is steadily rising up the charts at HMB as people try to defend their $400+ purchases. The truth of the matter is that both systems rock, and TRU NERDZ like myself own both. But it’s still fun to pick favorites. Right Mom?

I’m gonna go out on a limb here and try my first ever imbedded video as the last of the knowledge my pimp hand will bring to you all. This is the video for the song “The First Day of My Life” by the group “Bright Eyes”. Bright Eyes has been a favorite of mine since I saw this kid (Bright Eyes is basically one person, Conor Oberst, with a myriad of backing muscians depending on the song) when he was 15 fucking years old. Yes, this is also the first time I’ve dropped the F-bomb. But he was 15 years old and I saw him play in this tiny hole in the wall in New London, CT. He literally took my breath away. Twelve years later I am still in love with his music.

This is probably the sweetest song ever written and the video is DEFINITELY the sweetest video ever recorded. It’s so simple but explains so much about love that they should teach college courses just on this video. Every time I hear this song I think about my girlfriend and how wonderful she is. Let me know who it makes you think about.