One small step for me; One giant LAN party for mankind.
Five months since I've posted on LJ... countless days since I've been on AIM... all due to the rigors of finishing up my last year of college, simultaneously searching for a job, and spending whatever time is left over catching up on the games I've missed. Would you believe I still have yet to crack open FFXII and Okami?

Yesterday most of my work came finally, beautifully to fruition. After finishing my last final ever at UCSB (don't clap yet, I have a paper due Sunday) which I'd studied my ass off for and likely did fairly well in, I got a call from Conde Nast Publications, letting me know that if I wanted it, I have an internship with Wired Magazine. Ohhhhh yeahhh.

I was far too busy to post anything about my job interviews on LJ before, but suffice it to say that Wired kicks tremendous ass. They're hiring me full-time, Monday through Friday at $12 an hour to go write, edit, and likely run lots of errands for them, and I couldn't be more excited. They seem like awesome people, they run a tight ship, and I think I'll fit in very well.

And in four days, I'm graduating UCSB with high honors, receiving my B.A. in Communication and Japanese (yes, I just barely eked out a double-major in four years) and heading back home to see all of you... unless of course I missed a requirement somewhere, God forbid.

So... it's been almost six months since my Xmas LAN, and since then at least a couple of you got computer upgrades...

BIRTHDAY LAN PLANNING COMMENCE!

• Who: Anyone who is reading this LJ, lives in the Bay Area, and has an even-slightly game-capable computer. And all your friends who have game machines as well.

• What: My 22nd Birthday LAN Party

• When: I'm free any day between June 18th and June 24, and again between June 30th and July 9th. What about you? Please post your schedules in a comment below.

• Where:My house

• What to bring: All game-capable PCs, hopefully with copies of LAN favorites all pre-loaded and ready to go (and extra copies to distribute!) Ethernet switches, cables and power strips if you have them lying around. A gift if you feel generous - none are expected but all are appreciated. A suggested gift-list follows this invitation.

• What will be provided: Dinner, snacks, drinks, power outlets, as many ethernet cables as we can dig up.

• Money to fix up my car (every little bit helps)
• Games:
  • S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl (PC)
  • Jade Empire: Special Edition (PC)
  • God Hand (PS2)
  • Odin Sphere (PS2)
  • Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War (PS2)
  • God of War II (PS2)
  • Rogue Galaxy (PS2)
  • Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence (PS2)
  • Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (GameCube)
  • Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (GameCube)
  • Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (GameCube)
  • Resident Evil (GameCube)