SonicOlmstead :

Nice. Has quite the action-oriented beat that would enable the listener to have sufficient motivation to take on the world.

I give it a 7.8 out of 10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YdzCeZZ1Pw

Over the years, life has become a bit dull for me, so I thought I'd do something different for a change of pace.

So in the past few months, I thought I'd rediscover the childhood I barely remember nowadays, perhaps due to hazy memory recall. Or maybe my childhood wasn't all too interesting; just the standard gaming, moving to other places, and the usual tribulations of life...

But that's hardly the case. Since I have been researching the appeal of Saturday morning cartoons out of sheer curiosity (if not boredom), I thought, "Why not immerse myself into the concept of the Saturday morning cartoon ritual and see how fascinating it is?"

So I tried it out, and so far, I've been experiencing the positive effects of the process: the sugary cereals, the nostalgic experience (despite being born in the late 80s and in Latin America), and the novelty of different series have done wonders in boosting morale. That's when I made it a personal tradition to watch vintage animated shows every Saturday morning to blow off some steam left over from the workweek.

Which leads me to this question: does anyone else have the same feeling?

Hi, I thought I'd check by and ask this age-old question that has been on my tongue for quite some time:

Has anyone here on Vizzed ever played a CYOA (Choose Your Own Adventure) game before? And if so, which one is your favorite?

I'll go first:
I have played a couple of interactive fiction novels (mostly in digital format) from Choice of Games and Hosted Games for years, and that got me to thinking: "Hmmm... maybe I might consider making one of those games someday..."

A myriad collection of stories (i.e.: Marine Raider, Choice of the Dragon, Choice of Robots), an intriguing set of story branches, and a free online account for users who purchase a digital copy of the games from there (or on mobile app stores and Steam store). Who could ask for more?

I appreciate your candor on the movie review, zanderlex:. I may not have seen the movie itself, but I did happen to see the Wikipedia entry about it. And what I've perceived is not too surprising to see the number of factors as to why critics greatly dislike it, in my honest opinion:

- Since it was the first full 3D computer-generated animated film by Studio Ghibli, I can see why longtime Studio Ghibli fans might be put off by this abrupt transition from cel animation.
- The movie's director, Gorō Miyazaki (son of Hayao Miyazaki) was not only reluctant to follow in his father's footsteps, but despite his mixed bag of experience in animation consulting, storyboarding, and directing, his constant reliance on the younger staff without wanting to consult with the production veterans (not to mention the belief in being the only member of the studio with the knowledge of creating CG animation) have contributed to the low ratings of the film.

Regarding the theater experience, as a staff member of one, I am dismayed to see a movie theater demonstrate its incompetence by allowing its own staff to be out of the loop when it comes to the rule-of-thumb of 15-20 minutes of movie trailers before the feature presentation (with certain exceptions, especially in special showings and live events; NCM's Fathom Events, in my case). The remedy would have been encouraging the staff to take the initiative in having essential information, but there are occasions that the damage has already been done, and lessons will have been learned by taking the necessary steps in order to ensure that mistakes like this don't happen again.

At any rate, thank you for sharing that with us.

In recent years, I've heard that since the US unemployment rate there is around 6% and the labor participation rate is nearly 62% (all as of today [April 15th, 2021]), I thought I'd like to help us gain some perspective in the current job market by sharing our recent work experiences and what our outlook on the workforce might be.

Please allow me to break the ice by going first:

I have been employed as a part-time movie greeter for 7 3/4 years, and I am occasionally called upon by management to take on an usher or concession role. Given recent events, though, such roles are becoming scarce, due to budget limitations. I was hoping to find a more stable line of work that provides me more suitable pay and long enough hours to better build character, and I believe applying to become a security guard might be a good idea, provided I take the time to earn certification beforehand.

So, tell me what you guys think, and feel free to share your experiences, whether you're currently employed, unemployed, self-employed, etc.

My thanks, SonicOlmstead.

And now, as soon as I have a brief moment of reminiscence in these hallowed halls, we could figure out how to make Vizzed as popular and memorable as it once was back then.

Perhaps some guerrila marketing and meme culture might be taken into suggestion?

Hmmm...

Why do you think kites fly?

Here in South Florida, we don't get any snow, due to its tropical climate.

Davideo7 : Thanks, David. It may be a modest re-welcoming committee, but I'm quite glad to be back.

Now, if only I could try to get the RGR plugin to function on one of my browsers in order to compete for the highest score on Pac-Man for the Atari 2600...

My fellow Vizzers:

First of all, I would like to thank you all for keeping this memorable community active. You have no idea how much it means to me about seeing memories being made here, even though I have to admit that I wasn't around long enough to witness it.

I know that I haven't been active for nearly a decade, but many other things and interests (i.e.: career pursuits, domestic obligations, personal tribulations, etc.) have somehow taken up so much of my time that I haven't had the chance to enjoy the halcyon days of this place. And for that, I deeply apologize for not being there sooner.

But that's all in the past, now. And I intend to make it up to you guys by trying to be more active in forum discussions and site contributions. It might not be easy while the proverbial not-too-full plate on my hands comes to mind, but if racking up higher scores in arcade games and inputting screenshots like in the good ol' days is what it takes for me to relieve the sense of nostalgia as a means of closure, then so be it.

I will strive to do more here, provided that my work-life balance maintains a proper equilibrium. Even better yet, I might be working on a hobby project sometime in the foreseeable future.

To anyone (if not everyone) who reads this thread, thank you very much for your patience and understanding. And I hope to do what I can to help bring Vizzed to its former glory.

Surely it gets even harder for us to prosper, what with all the unemployment rates on the high.

A world ruled by one video-gaming legend who will defy the odds by defeating the forces of evil and corruption. A futuristic utopia where an Orwellian police state is actually more benevolent contrary to public opinion.

It's no big deal, really. Just the future as I view it, since I am a firm believer of hope.

I'd totally pick McDonald's any day. The legendary Big Mac and the Monopoly sweepstakes are what drove me to favor it more than any other.

Epic Pokémon fan reporting in!