What a confusing time in a young boys life! Next week is exams - ahh yes, the week in which teachers and their smug asses don't even have to do as much as stand up while we're slaving our asses off (did I just fit the word "asses" twice into the same sentence? Yay me!). Actually exams aren't that bad, and it's frikin' hilarious to watch the sevies! What's not funny at all is that we have to go to school AN EXTRA DAY!!! And it couldn't have come at a worse time, because Saturday of next week is the Halo 2 tournament! That normally wouldn't be a problem except that I'm a little rusty because I don't have an Xbox at my dad's and I'm gonna' need all week to train at my mom's so I don't embarass myself in front of my elite buddy and 2v2v2v2 partner Joe. Oh yeah, and did I mention the cash prize I'd be forfeiting should I screw up? So what's better? $100 and 0% or 100% and 0$. Should a be a nerd or... be a nerd?! Sigh* This is gonna be a tough balance to find...

Anyway, I think this is an excellent opportunity to share my views on video games in general. Let me first off say that I'm most certainly not without bias. I am a HARDCORE gamer. But few things piss me off more than when people say "Oh, gamers are people who have no life, I'd much rather be learning something!" A.On the part of most teenagers, that is entirely hypocritical B.Being an all high-A student in all pre-AP, a first-chair violist and guitarist, a member of writing club, drama club, D.I., Latin club (shit, I really am an uber nerd...) and being one of the most technically-savvy students in my class, I don't take kindly to people telling me I don't have enough shit on my plate. Now OK, I agree that video games shouldn't consume all of one's life, but as a form of entertainment, they are completely legitamite, and really a HELL of a lot more useful than TV.

An btw, the quote of the day is "America is the land of the second chance - and when the gates of the prison open, the path ahead should lead to a better life. (Too bad they don't) - George W. Bush"
That's right America, you had a second chance, and you blew it again. Luckily, I'm financially secure, but all the poor and middle classers out there, hope you're happy with the biggest depression in American history!

- Ian "Altoid" C.