Vegard Skjefstad | www.vegard.net

December 3, 2018 / 0 Comments

A Book A Month 2018

This year I’ve made my way through seventeen-ish books, ranging from “meh” to “totally awesome!” Here’s my reading year in review.

As we’re getting closer to the end of 2018, I’m also getting closer to the last page of my A Book A Month project’s December book. Columbus Day by Craig Alanson has been a somewhat rocky ride. But as it looks right now, it’s a book I’d be happy to recommend to any fan of the saving-Earth-from-technologically-superior-aliens-genre.

Science fiction and various related sub-genres have, not surprisingly, been the prominent topic of most of the books I’ve read this year. I’ve also spiced everything up a little with books that cover both science fiction and gaming, which is another favorite past time of mine: Phoenix Point: The Briefing is a collection of stories which help establish the setting and narrative themes of Phoenix Point. Available around summer next year, Phoenix Point is a strategy game with turn-based tactics combat. The game is designed by Julian Gollop, who designed the original X-COM series back in the days. That’s a recipe for success, if I every saw one.

But I digress. This post isn’t about potentially genius computer games, it’s about books.

December 1, 2018 / 0 Comments

December One-liners

It’s the last month of the year. But no need to sulk! Here are the funny one-liners (and some clever ones) for December. Remember that the entire collection always is at your fingertips.

Alcohol: The fuel used in the engine of bad decisions.
“It is easier to stay out than get out.” — Mark Twain
It’s hard to escape from your inner critic, especially when it never shuts up.
“Buy land, they’re not making it anymore.” — Mark Twain
Dracula is a myth created by Big Garlic.
It turns out my high school chemistry teacher was right. Alcohol IS a solution.
There is a certain freedom in having nothing left to lose.
Friendship should not be sought, but is usually found both by chance and good luck.
Don’t make someone a priority, who only makes you an option.
Sometimes we all have days where we are 386’s in a P4 world.
It is okay to visit your past just don’t bring any luggage with you.
A politician is the one who shakes your hand before elections and your confidence after.
They told me I was gullible, and I believed them.
Life is too complicated in the morning.
“The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us.” — Bill Watterson
“I have such a high regard for the truth that I use it sparingly.” — Timothy Connor
!false (It’s funny because it’s true.)
“A friend tricked me into going to Wimbledon by telling me it was a men’s singles event.” — Angela Barnes
“I wonder how many chameleons snuck on to the Ark.” — Adam Hess

November 24, 2018 / 0 Comments

Time

I’m getting myself into a time problem, and I’m not sure how to solve it.

So, yeah, as you know I’ve got a wife. And we have kids. I’ve also got a job. I need to sleep. And I’ve got hobbies: Running, gaming, writing posts for this site, and reading books.

I’m terrible at multitasking, but I’ve managed to combine some of these hobbies to a certain degree. I placed an old television set in front of the treadmill, and hooked it up with a Chromecast dongle. So now I cover some of my gaming needs by watching other people play games on YouTube or Twitch while I’m running.

I’ve also tried to combine gaming and writing by putting together quite a lot of computer game reviews over the years. This isn’t ideal, though, because the reviews often feels a bit forced, probably because I played the game just to write a review. What’s the fun in that? Playing the game should lead to writing the review, not the other way around.

The third multitasking-esque thing I do is reading books while I’m commuting. This actually works out very well. I’ve had the A Book A Month project going for about three years now, and it’s been a raging success. I don’t think I’ve ever read as many books as I do these days.

November 20, 2018 / 0 Comments

Not Tonight

Brexit is a mess. Thankfully, the game about it is not. Here’s my Not Tonight review.

Papers, Please puts you behind the counter at a border crossing in the fictional dystopian Eastern Bloc-like country of Arstotzka. Oh, wait. Wrong game! This is Not Tonight, a paperwork-checking simulator set in a dystopian post-Brexit Britain. It’s the second game released in this genre, with Papers, Please being the genre-defining title¹.

To say that Not Tonight is inspired by Lucas Pope‘s 2013 title is an understatement. At first glance, Not Tonight looks and plays like a game that could have been a Papers, Please sequel. The mechanics are more or less the same, and Not Tonight also resorts to the pixel art style we’ve come to associate with indie games. You play as Person of European Heritage #112, currently residing in Relocation Block B. In order to stay in post-Brexit Britain, you have to prove your worth in your designated role as bouncer. If you don’t contribute, you’ll be booted off the island.

Not Tonight: Because you don’t get enough of work at work.

November 17, 2018 / 0 Comments

2019: The Year of the Concerts?

It’s time to pop in the ear plugs and get back out there.

For someone who listens to as much music as I do, I rarely go to concert. I think the last gig I went to was a good 5 years ago, when Anniken and I saw Biffy Clyro raise the roof back in 2013.

I’ve used Spotify for a decade now, and it’s years and years since I bought a CD. While Spotify is a great service for listeners, lesser known artists doesn’t exactly get rich from the Spotify royalties. So going to their concerts is a great way to support them. Tickets are usually ridiculously expensive, though, so I’ll have to be a wee bit selective.

Here are some of the bands and artists I regularly listen to that will visit a venue near me in 2019:

February 3: Mastodon (with Kvelertak)
February 16: Skambankt
February 22: The Midnight (sold out)
March 12: Florence + The Machine (sold out)
March 20: Dave Matthews Band
May 19: Mumford & Sons
June 8: Ólafur Arnalds