Archive for the ‘Musings’ Category

Check out my Old-skool PC Game Collection

Sunday, January 23rd, 2011

OldskoolGameCollection

Remember when PC games used to come in huge boxes instead of those nice small DVD cases? Well back then I bought quite a few classic PC games and you can see them all in this photo: http://www.greyaliengames.com/misc/OldskoolGameCollection.jpg

I used to have them proudly on display but now they are packed away in my loft.

The FPS games start with Doom and are roughly in chronological order. How many have you played? There are a few gaps in my collection of FPS games but that’s because back then I was a bit naughty and pirated a few (not many) games. Not that it’s a good justification, but at least I bought quite a lot as well.

Have you got a photo of an epic game collection?

How to guarantee a response to an email

Thursday, April 22nd, 2010

gift
photo by by MarcinMoga / Lolek

Someone just emailed me and asked me a good question (the answer to which will be in my next post). What was interesting is that they asked me the question in such a way that they were pretty much guaranteed a response. Their email went like this:

– Say nice things about my blog and establish a common ground.
– Ask question.
– Finish up with nice thing.

How could I refuse? This is like the sandwich technique of giving advice during speech evaluations at Toastmasters which goes: praise, criticise constructively, praise. Also it taps into social obligation: the emailer gave me a gift of praise, and now I am obligated to give back by answering their question.

So remember this technique when writing to people to ask them questions. I do it all the time at work:

– You are awesome and so is everything you do.
– Can you help me with this?
– Thanks, you’re awesome.

Then I always follow up with a thanks email when they do it, so they’ll remember I was grateful the next time I ask them for something.

Try it out!

Warning: Do Not Play!

Monday, March 8th, 2010

Disclaimer: Do Not Play this video if you are worried about messing with your brain! I cannot be held responsible for any unusual effects or damage that may occur. You have been warned.

I made this track on my Amiga using ProTracker in about 1993 when I was 18. It contains a 3Hz pulse which is supposed to adversely affect your brainwaves. I made the pulse go in and out of phase on the left and right sides to mess with your hemispheres and then I added some crazy intense trance music over it. Listen to it with headphones on for the full effect.

The sample in the track is my friend Steve Bond saying “There’s something weird going on in my body … uh ah … I can’t take it, I think it’s going to kill me.” and the guitar playing is me.

Enjoy! 😀