To Do List

I need to make a list of things to do, as well as things to pack, for my epic adventure at the zoo later today.

To Do:

1.  Steal a baby.

2.  Shanghai a friend (may be unsuccessful)

3.  Change the settings on the laptop to maximize battery length.

4.  Check on Visa gift card’s balance.

5.  Obsessively check email and Facebook to see if anyone will go with me to the zoo.

6.  Pack the necessary items.

7.  Check the weather.

8.  Eat a BIG breakfast.

9.  Put cookies into bag.

10.  Take most everything out of backpack.

To Pack:

1.  ZooKey (a green monkey thing that’s about a decade old, that unlocks little information speaky box thingies)

2.  Laptop

[3.  Laptop bag with accessories (may resort to only backpack)]

4.  Backpack with supplies (may minimize down to laptop bag)

5.  Power Cord

6.  Power cord extension

7.  iPod

8.  Wallet, with credit-card-ish-thing and various sundry pieces of paper and plastic

9.  Pants, with cizash in the pocketz

10.  Hogwarts hoodie

11.  Jacket?

12.  Baby

13.  Vault

14.  Notebook

15.  Writing Utensils

16.  House Key (ZooKey more important)

[17.  Laptop speakers (if room, only slight chance of using them)]

18.  Trail mix, or assorted nuts, or power bars, things like that

19.  Copy of Zinsser, so I can make a series of photographs entitled “Zinsser at the Zoo”

20.  Hats! (fedora AND ski)

21.  WATER BOTTLE(S)

22.  Picnic Blanket?

23.  DUCT TAPE (important)

24.  Checkbook

25.  Wisdom rock

26.  A Harry Potter Book

27.  Headphones

[28.  Dawlish (my llama)?]

29.  Kazoos

More will be added as I think of them, and items will be striked through as they are completed, and bolded if they will not be included.

Because The Rules, They Are A Chaaaaaaaanging

Speaking of which, I still need to see “Watchmen”.

Anywho, a few general updates, as well as updates to the rules.

Firstly, I HAZ A UTUB ACCONT.  It’s http://www.youtube.com/user/EpicQuest2, and if I want to use videos to supplement one of my blog entries, they will be uploaded via that account.

Secondly, I mostly drink Green flavor, but Red flavor Vault is actually pretty darn tasty.

Thirdly, you know all of those carefully thought-out rules?  Well, all of them have been scrapped even favor of these two rules:

1.  Post a blog entry every 2 hours, about.

2.  Don’t fall asleep.

I’m pretty much taking up an “anything goes” sort of philosophy to this now.  I will still try to stay by the rules for as long as possible, but if it’s a choice between taking another energy drink, or succumbing to exhaustion, I’m gonna take that drink.  Because I really wanna do this thing.

However, I’m still keeping the rule about incentives, but I’m changing it.  For the first $50, I can start spending it at 4:00 this morning.  The next one will be at 4:00 the next morning, and then the last one will be pretty much anytime the following evening/morning.  Because the zoo opens at 9, and if I followed my original plan of every 20 hours, I would be late to the zoo, and I want to max out my zoo time.  If I get there late, there will be long lines, and I’ll never get to ride a penguin.

So, I’ll try to stick to my rules, but I will ditch them in favor of the main goal – staying awake for 72 hours – if need be.  Also, I (FINALLY) get to use my iTunes Gift Card that I got for filling out some survey for PCC (I probably filled out “Don’t Know” for all of them) in 4 and a half hours!  Official Check-in in 30 minutes!

Da Rules: Music: Addendum

Here’s some music that has come into my possession after I posted the previous list of music on the Insomnia playlist!

“Bad Guy” by The Basilisk In Your Pasta
The normally acoustic French wizard rock band rocks out with the electric guitar in this ode to Snape.

Treestylin’ by Big Whompy
The debut EP of the rap spin-off band from The Whomping Willows is probably the best rap from the point of view of a magical tree that you will ever hear.

“Power of Love” by The Cruciatus Curse feat. The Curse Breakers
When you take the dark techno/hip-hop vibe of TCC, and infuse it with the stellar vocals of TCB, you not only get the chance for ironic naming, you get the first really great collab track of the year.

“Dark Lord”, “Gato’s Revolution”, “Gato’s Song” by Dawlish and the Archies
Oops, my band’s here again.  The first song’s backing track was on the previous list, and even my vocals can’t completely mar its catchiness.  The other two tracks are remixes of a great theme from the game Chrono Trigger DS, which I may have mentioned once or twice on the blog…

What Witches Want by Gred and Forge
Jarrod so completely captures the spirit and energy of the twins that for a long time I actually thought it was two people!  Their EP features guest vocals from some of the “headliners” of wizard rock, and is just a very fun album to listen to.

“21st Century Breakdown [Demo]” by Green Day
The first new song from Green Day since American Idiot is a tad disappointing, but only in that you realize that it really has been, like, 5 to 6 years!  The actual song is fine enough, and has enough guitars to keep me awake.

“Before OWLs” by Gryffindor Common Room Rejects
GCR2 really surprised me in their debut EP.  I had previously heard only one of their songs, and it was a wonderful piece of overlapping vocals and acoustic guitar work.  However, most of their music is of a synthpop bent.  This song is very bouncy and fun.

“It’s Too Hot”, “Accio Deathly Hallows”, “Obama Llama Song” by Hank Green
The musical half of the internet superstar duo the Vlogbrothers, Hank Green has made nerdy music with such sheer enthusiasm that you can’t help but grinning.
“The Economics of the Wizarding World Don’t Make Sense” by Harry and the Potters
The punkest of songs from their punkest of albums makes nitpicking fun again.

“On Thestral, We Ride”, “So This Is It (Taking Off That Locket)” by the Hermione Crookshanks Experience
“On Thestral, We Ride” recounts a relatively scary and sad event, but somehow makes it upbeat and hopeful, with soaring melodies and masterful composition.  The second song is basically a power ballad sung by Hermione, and thusly wins at life.  If, you know, songs were living organisms.

“Krum”, “Dumbledore Is Gay (And That’s Ok)” by Justin Finch-Fletchley And The Sugar Quills
The lyrics and music are both simple and catchy, a potent combination.

“I Wish You’d Be My Witch” by The Mudbloods
The Mudbloods are often great, but often very lyrical and retrospective.  This song manages to get just poppy enough to get on this playlist.

“The Copywrong Song” by Song by Mike Corb. Produced by Luke Rowell/Disasteradio
Yes, that is what is in the Artist field in iTunes, and I hadn’t noticed that until just now, and I am keeping the alphabetical order.  Anywho, the opening synth theme of this protest song is very catchy, and the makers of this song have released free remixing packs, to fit in with the message, so props to them.

Later today will be my personal history with sleep deprivation.  Happy Mardi Gras!

Da Rules: Rules

Basically, here are all the little extra rules and things, as well as the basic groundwork for the epic quest.

1.  On Wednesday, I will wake up at 6:00 am, and put up a post confirming that I am awake.

2.  I will make a post every two hours, entitled “Hour 26: I can do this!” or “Hour 68: OH GOD MAKE IT STOP” or something like that.  I will try to post as close to the hour as I can, but classes and such will invariably get in the way.

3.  I can make posts at other times, but for those posts, the date and time must be in the title.  Thus, we will have two categories have posts – Official bi-hourly check-ins, and then others for whenever I feel like it.

4.  An additional rule about drinks – given how much bad press it has given, at some point, I must drink one (1) bottle of 5-hour Energy.

5.  At some point, I will watch the film “We Are Wizards”, and give a review of it.

6.  At some point, I will post a recording of myself lip-synching to the entire album Albatross: How We Failed to Save The Lone Star State with the Power of Rock and Roll.

7.  After 72 hours have passed, I must merely make a post confirming that I am still awake, and then I may sleep.  When I wake up, however, I must make a summatory post.

8.  The majority of the posts must be text, but some video and pictures will be allowed as well, to supplement the experience.

9.  I am not allowed to eat meat or meat by-products.

Next up, my personal history with insomnia!

ADDENDUM: I will get that history out to ya tomorrow.  Also, I have a new rule!

10.  Each day of my quest, I must do something to celebrate that day’s holiday (every day is some sort of holiday), as well as something to celebrate that week, and that month.  It’ll make since when we start.

Da Rules: Ninja

Misery loves company.  Also, misery is helped to become non-misery by company.  I am predicting that the upcoming event will be at time, misery for me.  Thus, I must limit the exposure of this event, and thusly, the amount of help I will receive.  Basically, for the first 42 hours, I can not tell anyone outside of this class what I am doing.  Afterwards, I can post links to the blog, but nothing more, until 48 hours have elapsed.  At that time, I can do what I will on Twitter, the micro-blogging site.  I’ll probably see if I can get a twitter feed in here as well.  Lastly, in the final 12 hours, I can tell whomever I wish.

So, I must be very-ninja like and seem to be alert and well rested for much of the sleepless sojourn.

Probably tomorrow, I will put up all the other extra rules and such, and then I will post my personal history with insomnia, and then I will post an hour-by-hour schedule, to help both you guys and myself with keeping track of when I get listen to what or drink this or tell people about that.  And then…

I WILL BEGIN!

That is, I am planning to begin this record-breaking (for me, at least) epic quest this coming Wednesday!

Let me repeat that:

I AM PLANNING TO BEGIN THIS WEDNESDAY!!!

So, start spreading the news!  I’m leaving today!  Well, on Wednesday.  And the only thing I will be leaving is the realm of sanity (which I only rarely vacationed in, anyways).

Da Rules: Incentives

So, does anyone remember back in the fall, when on MyPCC they were asking you to take a survey, and you might win a $150 in iTunes gift cards?  Well, guess who has three thumbs and did win the raffle – not this guy!  But guess who has TWO thumbs and won that raffle – THIS GUY!

OOOOOHHHHH, YEEEEAAAAAHHHH.

So, as an incentive, I haven’t spent much of that $150 yet (I only recieved it in late January), and for every 20 hours that I go, I will be allowed to spend $50 in iTunes.  That way, I’m pretty much guaranteeing that I go at least 60 hours, and then hopefully I will have ammassed enough good music to get me through the final 12.

Also, I have spent about $20 of the first $50 already, so, after the first 20 hours, I will only get to spend about 30 bucks.

Also, also, when I get music, I must listen to it, post a quick review of it, and, if any of the songs deserve to be put on my Insomnia playlist, they will be, and I will do a post about them, in the same style as the previous music-related posts.

Speaking of which, I have a few songs to add to the playlist… I’ll talk about those tomorrow.  Next, the importance of being NINJA!

Da Rules: Drinks

Finally, it’s here!  Sorry that it took so long.  For some reason, I was thinking of doing some history of drinks used to keep people awake sort of thing, when there was only one reason to: I wanted to work in this great song called “Surgerunner”, which is a song about the popular energy drink/soda hybrid.  It was, to quote YTCracker, “hocus pocus focus juice”.  It was discontinued, but there was a fight to bring it back, and it did, in a way.

Coke later introduced into the market “Vault”, another green energy drink/soda hybrid.  And that is the only energy-fueling beverage I will be allowing myself.  No Amps, Red Bull, Monstar, coffee, tea, caffeinated sodas, nada.  Also, I will be putting a limit on how much I can consume – I can drink only four 20 ounce bottles of Vault over the course of my escape from Mr. Sandman.  I will ration out the green elixir to my liking.

Wow, that was dissapointingly easy.  Sorry that it took so long.  Next, I believe, is ninjas?  Or possibly incentives.  Hopefully that will be up soon!

Playing Soon at a Blog Near YOU

First up, I will discuss the rules involving caffeinated drinks.

Next, I will inform you of the incentives I have set out for myself, and the rules regarding them.

Next on the agenda, I will discuss ninjaness.  Trust me, it will be relevant.  Partially.

You knew it had to happen.  At this time I will discuss any other random rules, and just lay down the general groundwork.  Yes, I’m the sort of guy who adds the crenelations, and then builds the house.

They can’t all be winners.  Lastly, I will discuss my personal history with insomnia, and also famous accounts of insomnia, scientific facts and whatnot, all that jazz.

And then I will begin my EPIC QUEST! This will happen, in all likelihood, within the next three weeks.  So, either next week, or the week after that.

Addendum: And yes, all the lame photoshopping was done by myself.  Until next time!

Da Rules: Music: Caramelldansen

If you do not remember, Caramelldansen is a song made by some Swedish Eurodance group.  It became famous through the following looped animation set to the chorus (which was also looped):

This song is just so… high energy, that I am placing a further restriction on it, in addition to the fact that it is in the Insomnia Playlist.  The restriction is thus: For every 24 hours, I can only spend 2 of them listening to Caramelldansen (speedycake remix, by the way).  Now, that might seem like a lot, but the song is almost 3 minutes long, and so that becomes only about 42 listens.

So…. yeah.  I don’t have too much else to say.  Ooh!  I do have something I could share – I got SOCKS!  They’re blue, and have lightning bolts on them, and they remind me of socks that Dobby would make!  Awesome!  Oh, and here’s another video, but this time with the entire song, not just the chorus.  Same blasted animation, though.  Oh, and that is apparently an actual dance.  People have filmed themselves dancing to that song whilst doing that dance, and put it up on youtube.  Anywho:

Addendum: Please do not judge this blog based on the AMV’s in this post.  This blog is really much cooler than that.  It has Harry Potter references!  And breasts! (See top right corner)

Da Rules: Music: Scorpions – YTCracker

“Rock You Like a Hurricane” by the Scorpions
I have used this song in conjunction with footage of storms more times than is probably morally acceptable.

“Expecto Patronum” and “Shrieking Shack Disco Gang” by the Shrieking Shack Disco Gang
One of the most fun to dance to wrock bands in existence, they sadly left the scene over a year ago.

“A Hazy Shade Of Winter” and “At The Zoo” by Simon & Garfunkel
Again, proof that folk rock can be awesome.  Sometimes.

“Dominique” by The Singing Nun
What can I say?  I have weird musical tastes.

Slovakian Republic and Syrian National Anthems
I only ever checked out the “S” CD from the library.

“Celtic Techno Burrito (Extended Version)”, “My Sister-In-Law’s Ears”, “Shuffle Function Theme”, “I Like To Eat Eat Eat Aples and Bananas “, “Celtic Techno Burrito”, “Mike Celestino, What Have You Done With Star Wars”, “We Got Technical Difficulties”, “Napoleon”, “Super Mario Brothers Theme (Original Nintendo Is Awesome Remix)”, “MC Underwear vs. MC Pantz”, “Dinosaurs With a Outragous BMP”, “Beware the Sea Anenemone”, “Fishcat Catfish” by Songs To Wear Pants To
“Songs To Wear Pants To / Is a website / It has some songs / And you can listen to them on your computer / All you have to do is Right Click / And Save-As / Pants Solo!”

“Blame” by Soul Coughing
Odd lyrics and a catchy tune make this one of the better random songs I have found whilst listening to internet radio.

“Harry’s Wand” by Steve Goodie
One of the most professional-sounding filks out there, this song has gotten much play on Dr. Demento’s show.

“Eye Of The Tiger” by Survivor
THE song for montages.

“Supernova” and “Supernova (Radio Version)” by Syrian
Some random trance-techno band made one of the most fun songs in the genre.  At some point in time.  Somewhere.  It’s a good song.  Moving on.

“Hallelujah (The Boy That Lived)” and “The Sorting Hat” by Talons & Tea Leaves
This collaboration between Catchlove and Oliver Boyd & the Remembralls has produced songs so great it seem criminally unfair that only four of them have been made.

“Cherry Chocolate Rain” by Tay Zonday FEAT Mista Johnson
When large corporations and internet memes pair up, the result is often disastrous.  This is one of the very few times that something magical happens.

“Chinese Dance” by Tchaikovsky
I have a theory that all of Tchaikovsky’s opuses (opi?) are, in one way or another, about sex.