If somehow you take Texas getting drummed by OU last weekend as the wheels falling off a good team, I'm not sure what planet you're from. Much like this week against Oklahoma St., the Red River Shootout (get that Rivalry junk out of my...uhhh rivalry) was a test to see if the Longhorns are any good. This wasn't a good team falling off. This is an average team still finding it's way back up.

It's not really my style of art or music but I'm glad to live in a world with Child of Eden. Weird friggin game.

Speaking of weird, enjoyable things from Japan, Catherine.

Difference between the NFL and NBA lockouts. I was worried about missing offseason NFL action. I won't miss the NBA till spring gets here.

I don't even know what to say about it. That is just a really, really weird game. Such is the world of indie games at times. It's the side of the industry that gives us oddball ideas as an octopus pulling it's best Mr. Doubtfire in Octodad, ultra-bloody fishing that makes Deadliest Catch look like a game of Go Fish with Radical Fishing, and canine's on trial for crimes against humanity in Murder Dog IV: Trial of the Murder Dog and a game based around a woman attempting to have as much as possible before getting married (insert politically incorect sorority/groupie/bopper joke here) in UTE.

It is at times a very, very strangely inspired group. Which is also why it is important to the industry. One fact remains in any big publisher (or big business, period): cash rules everything around it. And while I'll take to task any indie developer spouting the lie they aren't concerned with making money, there's a very real restraint on diverse and innovative ideas within corporate structures concerned with retailers, their confidence in marketing a product and shareholders. EA, Activision, Square Enix, Ubisoft and THQ are just not going to cultivate many of the previously listed ideas. Which is perfectly fine, those publishers are great at putting out the types of games they do and innovate in their own rights. Just rarely in true WTF ways.

As things come to a close today and I'll start putting together write ups for PSNFans and XBLAFans, here's a look at more sights from the floor as well as a very painful hip-hop karaoke night a much more likable dance party DJ'd in part with PixelJunk 4am.

The last I did anything on this blog, it was mid-March and I was covering South by Southwest for the Involved Fans network of blogs. Something not so great happened in the time. Over the weekend the festival started, I started developing knee pain and eventually both my legs gave out. That Monday I wound up in the ER and most of this year since has involved trying to get to the root of the cause and also retraining myself how to walk and fighting off a resulting depression. 

It's been frustrating as pretty much anything I have planned for the year just got wiped. Never got started writing for Playmaker Magazine, been fairly non-existant writing anywhere, this blog fell by the wayside and pre-production I planned for the Open World TV/webshow never got started. That said all of that is still within reach and this week this blog will finally start to come back to life and I'll finally be able to start being an active contributor at the other outlets. So anyone that's still making any attention to this, thank you for your patience. And to all my friends and other writers, developers and anyone else that's been supportive throughout my getting back healthy and well, thank you as well.