The time Sucking Void that is Civilization IV or Regrets?

So I decided to play Civilization IV again last week. Anyone who has ever played one of the games in the series would know how much of a time sucking void they can be. You say to yourself, just one more turn and the net thing you know BAM 2 hours have gone by. It is an entertaining 2 hours mind you, but still time unaccounted for in the grand scheme of your life's work. They've announced a Civ 5, which I am apprehensive about, because I do not feel that I exhausted Civ 4... or even Civ 3 for that matter. The only one I truly played to death was Civ 2, which I must have played 100 times through during my peak PC playing years. I've also played the SNES and 360 versions a lot as well.
I was thinking the other day about my old collection of video game magazines. I had 5 years of Nintendo Power covering the SNES life cycle, old EGM, Gamepro, Gamefan, PC Gamer, Game Players, etc all from a period of 1990 - 1996/98 or so. These used to be my main source of news and reading material (apart from Fantasy novels) during my youth and I probably read each one 10 times over, dreaming of what I could play/own/rent/unlock. I can remember many a day spent idly by reading these magazines and I truly cherished them. A couple of years ago, like 5 maybe... I can't exactly remember when, it may have even been when I started this blog, but anyway. A couple of years ago, I decided that I had too much stuff and cleared out a huge amount of it on Ebay, to friends, etc. My magazine collection was one of these things. It scattered across the globe going as far as Hawaii. My thought at the time was that it was taking up space and how much would I really use them anyway? Well I can honestly say that since I got rid of them, there have been a few times here and there where I felt the twang of nostalgia and wanted to read them again. Not every day mind you, but now and then. I get to thinking of my youth, the time spent on games then, the history that is essentially lost to time and I kind of wish I could read through some articles on games I remember. I know that this is just a symptom of the lost essence of youth that we all must feel as we grow older, but still. I HAD that and got rid of it. The counter to all of this is that it would have been a massive pain in the ass to move all of those issues 3 times as I have changed addresses over the years and that the people I sold them/gave them to are probably enjoying them as much as I would be. Giving someone else happiness is equal to... nay, greater than giving it to yourself. Yes I could have shelves and shelves of old game magazines in my house right now, but perhaps it's for the best that I don't. It's part of growing up that you cast off the shackles of your youth and accept new challenges, etc. Then again, Nintendo Power! I guess kids today have it easy, all the news and hints and tricks for games are online at the click of a button. I had to wait for a new issue each month and spend hard earned allowance just for a few tiny screenshots and semi-biased reviews. I guess when games cost nearly 100$ you needed all the background info you could get before spending all that money. I still remember reading about certain games, calling Pick A Flick weekly until they came out, saving up allowance, begging and pleading for money, searching couch cushions, through my brothers stuff for any change that I could find, all in the hopes that I could get a new SNES game. Some of the ways I came up with the money were pretty impressive! I guess it built character to have to work for something, rather than have my parents just give it to me. I will try to impart that on my future son as well.
Speaking of future son, the time is nearly here that he'll make his appearance. Right now he looks like the poster for 2001: A Space Odyssey, at least the ultrasound did. I'm sure he'll be more human later.
Back to my original story.... Which was a long story that I will make short here now. Yes I sometimes regret giving away all my awesome old video game magazines, but in the end no one died and I probably did the right thing. Sure I can't walk over to a bookshelf and relive my past days of yore, but I probably shouldn't be anyway. I should be making NEW days of yore... you know what I mean. If only there was an online archive of these old issues to look over, then I'd be all set.

Weird Al is Comfort for the Soul or Risk vs Reward

So I went to see Weird Al live last night, which was the second time that I've seen him thusly. He was just here about 2 years ago so it hadn't been all that long since he graced the Winnipeg MTS Centre stage. While some aspects of this tour were very similar to the last one, there was enough new material that it was worth seeing. There was about 3,000 people this time compared to, I think about 4,500 last time but that's what happens when you come so soon after the last time. What needs to be said about Weird Al is that he is truly one of the most under-appreciated artists of our time. Not only are his albums brilliant (which I will get to later) but he is amazing live and delivers more show for the dollar than just about anyone I have ever seen.
A Weird Al concert is essentially a little over 2 hours of pure fun and I don't think that anyone who is breathing could rightfully say that they did not enjoy themselves. You had numerous costume changes, video clips, confetti streamers, old hits, new songs, audience participation, and to top it all off, his band is jaw-droppingly good. It's quite astonishing that he has had the same backup band for nearly 30 years. That says something about his as a person as well as a performer. The real catch is that his band has to play all styles from all genres, has to be able to keep up with his timing, and even creates their own bit of the show. For example, when Al was in fat suit for "Fat" whenever he would jump, upon landing a loud crashing sound would be heard and the band would all jump, creating the illusion that his weight launched them all into the air. Simple I know, but it ads so much to the show. Also, during the piano parts of "The Saga Begins" two members were sharing a keyboard to play the piano bits. One of them was ducked down and playing with his hands while the other was on the chair. When they crouched guy played, the seated guy reacted with shock only to look over and see no one. This went on for a bit until he finally saw the guy and then they both sat on the chair and played together. Something like this would be completely overlooked but again, added up to the whole. Overall, the crowd was behind everything 100%, sang along, held up cell-phones, and gave a standing ovation at the end. Is that not the mark of a true performer? One that gives the fans who paid to see him what they wanted, a smile on their face and a song in their heart? I will always go to see him whenever he comes to town. 5 stars.
Now to the real point. Weird Al is a truly brilliant artist. It's easy to overlook his genius by only looking at his hits or some of the parody songs but you should look deeper and you will find that he has written some of his best songs when they are not a true parody. His use of irony, twisting expectations, turning a typical song on its head, and good natured goofing has given the world some amazing songs only really appreciated by his fans. Stuff like "Good Old Days" which he played last night sounds like a sweet and nostalgic song about his youth, but he takes it to dark and twisted places. Hilarious undermining of a certain style of song. A song like "Good Enough for Now" another hilarious undermining of expectations. This is a classic country type song talking about a girl's features only to instead bemoan her lack of perfection. At the same time, this song is really telling us something about what a real woman is like and how real relationships are formed, you accept imperfections and grow from there. Something like this, done in a comedy style, actually says more about the human condition than ten thousand normal love songs. A personal favourite of mine "Melanie," is another love type song, but this one about a near stalker obsession a guy has about a girl and the strange lengths he'll go to get her. Funny again, but subtly disarming. Another song about relationships, obsession, and an inability to communicate. Or a song like "One More Minute" done in the style of the Platters, talking about a disastrous relationship and listing a series of more and more ridiculous things the singer would rather do than be with the other person. Yes it's funny, but it also shows a deep heartbreak and I fathom to guess that it came from a very real place in Al. He just deals with things through comedy. I think that a song like this is better than 99% of the normal heartbreak songs out there because it isn't just bemoaning something, but deals with emotions by undermining them.
You can also go into all the parody songs, themselves brilliant undermining of pop-culture, the polka songs, the television songs, the food songs even more but what all of this amounts to is that you've got someone who has been around nearly 30 years, built a solid body of work, entertained generations, and yet always remained somewhat aside from critical discussion. Yes he plays the fool, but in reality he's got more talent and longevity than not only 99% of the people he parodies, but the majority of bands period. Just give his stuff a chance, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by just what is there behind the hits.
I can see so much of my own comic sensibilities in Weird Al. I grew up with him and have always listened to his albums, watched his specials, re-watched UHF a zillion times, and been a fan. So much of what I find funny comes from him, especially the constant undermining of pretentiousness. I even undermine MY OWN MOVIES by putting little mistakes, foibles, purposely crappy parts/effects in perhaps a subconscious way just because my similar sense of keeping the ivory town down to earth. Than again, maybe Freud would argue that I do that to have a pre-made excuse for failure, ie) if I make it bad, then I can use that as the reason it fails rather than put myself out there and be rejected. Whoa! Deep!
Back to Al. He is my comfort food. Whenever I feel down, I can pop in a cd or lp and feel uplift that despite how crappy life may be, it's all actually pretty silly when you think of it.
On the job front, I am still considering quitting my full time one. I hate it there so much... the only thing holding me back is the fear that money will be much tighter working part time. Especially with a baby on the way. I think it's doable for sure, but that fear is still omnipresent in my thinking. Must soul search more....
I would be remiss if I ended without mentioning another one of Weird Al's best. The song "Bob" which is quite possibly the most brilliant undermining of Bob Dylan and his style of lyric imaginable. The song is entirely sung in palindromes that put together make no sense but could be read to mean whatever someone wanted. Not unlike the lyrics of Bob Dylan that are supposedly so deep and meaningful. When you come right down to it, it's just ramblings that really only make sense to him, people are just bringing their own ideas to what is there. "Bob" says more about rock criticism through subtlety than perhaps the most self-aware music buff would care to admit.
You know, I could talk all day about Al, but then I probably shouldn't. I am being paid to work after all.