First Surf On the Way

Yeah!!! Just solidified my plans for the weekend. I will be heading out with a group of guys from the studio for my first surf in Australia. We're heading to the legendary Snapper Rocks in Coolangatta. It is a place that I have seen magazines for years and never dreamed that I would ever get to surf it, and even better is that it is going to be my inaugural session in Australia. Crowded it will be but the boys tell me that there are plenty of waves to go around, lots of open beach and getting waves is never a problem.

According to Coastal Watch, we should have a nice little SE swell working for some 3-4 backs with fine weather to boot.

Before heading over we will be stopping by The Board Room for choosing a fresh new board for yours truly.


Hoot-Hoot...

Dinner and a Show

I am longing for home just a little bit. I am not at all regretting the move but i am finding that everything has changed in my life in just a week and I mean everything. Aside from the location change, the weather is different, job is different, accents, driving, you even walk on the other side of the sidewalk.
This morning I did my weekly shopping and picked up some stuff for a familiar meal that would try and remind me of my wife, the cats, and anything else that was once familiar to me.
I cooked up some good ol' Pasta Puttanesca, it was not as good as when my wife makes it but it put a smile on my face. Pasta, wine, bread and salad and more wine and, everything is right with the world.
As I started to eat, a storm started to roll through and I had a awesome show of mother nature at its Australian best. Lightning, thunder, rain, the whole show. My place is sheltered from the wind from the south west and I can sit through the worst of it with nary a drop...


Sorry for the poor focus...

To my wife...

The hardest thing about being in Australia is that I am here without my wife. Mariana is the best thing that has ever come into my life and I miss her terribly. She is my other half and the rock that the whole house sits on...

I will you soon...

Everything Wild 2...

You know your in Australia when...


One of the guys here found this outside is flat yesterday...


For those not in the know, it is a Koala...



I love this place!!!

Everything Wild...

One other thing that amazes me is the variety and size of the wild life and that is abundant in the city center...

The lizard just about ran over my foot. The picture is deceiving as he was about two foot long.

This bird was in a tree right above me and was about a two foot from beak to tail...

The Australians are great when i comes to the environment. At work there are multiple recycle stations by every cube set and everyone uses them. The last studio I worked at, the recycle bins would be empty and the organic can would be full of plastic. It is very refreshing. We are encouraged to be clean, turn off lights when not in use and to use public transport when possible. Here there is no debate about the validity of global warming and everyone does their part.

Mostly the city is very clean and tidy. There is some litter here and there but nothing compared to SF and LA. I am glad to be somewhere that makes such an effort to be clean and green and conservation minded...

I love this place!!!

Walkabout

Saturday...

Today is another beautiful Queensland day. I got out of beddy and decided on a long, long walk. From my apartment in New Farm I walked the river walk through botanical gardens, around the CBD then on to South Bank. I crossed the river and made it to the Maritime Museum when I thought I would just about melt and I think I started to have the initial symptoms of heat exhaustion.
It is hot here. Hotter than a monkeys butt in the Congo to be exact and I have learned the most valuable lesson of an Australian walkabout; drink lots of water. Luckily, at most points there are drinking fountains. I was avoiding them at first, in the States they tend to be nasty, here the water is cold and pure. After some re-hydration I made back to the Story Bridge and back to my side of the river...

Big Popper

Like the good lord gyped me...

Do the toilets actually flush the other way south of the Equator?

I'll never know because in Australia they use low flow toilets that flush straight down. The water just drops out, it doesn't swirl...


I want my money back...

Bad place for a beer...

Historic Hotel Brunswick...


Ok, television sucks here or at least just at my fat pad it does. Most nights the ten channels I have at home are all Australian versions of American reality t.v. I tend to spend most nights on the deck (see view below) with a beer and a book.
The other night on the way home I wanted to stop for a drink in a place with other humans for a change. All the other places by my house were packed and I did not want to be the only guy alone in a room full of people.
I passed this place that is just down the street from Casa de Nick. I looked almost empty and had taps so I wandered in.
It was the quickest, strangest beer I have ever had. It is full of TV screens with online horse bets being taken and a corner full of "Pokies". Every customer in the place besides me, looked to be straight out of prison and the woman behind the bar looked more like my father that a woman.

Two gulp beer (at least it was cheap) and I beat feet out of there.

got to learn somehow...

Brekky...

The fruits and veg here are really good and makes for a great start to any day...


Beer for desert!

The Eagle Has Landed

Hey all! I got in with much adieu on Sunday morning. The flight was hairier than expected thanks to a near disaster.
We were rumbling down the runway at LAX about to lift off when there was a massive BANG, the whole plane shook, people screamed and it startled me to say the least. The plane lifted off the runway and away we worriedly went. When the captain came on later it turned out we had blown a tire on take off, they said not to worry, it happens all the time and we still had fifteen good tires left.

I remember Concord's fate and it made me feel no better.

The rest of the flight was great and we landed in Brisbane 14 hours later. We were one tire short and the rupture had blown out some hydraulic systems and they could not steer the aircraft off the runway. we had to be towed off which took almost two hours. Being told not to panic about the smoke coming from underneath us and that the fire trucks that were escorting us were just a precaution did not help but at that point, I would have taken a bullet to the head rather than stay on that thing another second.
The airport was busy but manageable and after another hour I was finally home.
Pandemic has been awesome, they put me up in a killer pad on the river and have taken care of me to no end. Check the pics.
My first impressions of Brisbane are outstanding. I love this place. The weather is keen, the city is beautiful and the beer is good.

More to come...

I'm out....

Next post will be from Brisbane...

Packing; For Real this Time...

Everything I need for three months.

Last Things First

-LAST [last, lahst]

Definitions:

As an Adjective:

1) occurring or coming after all others, as in time, order, or place: the last line on a page.
2) final: in his last hours.

-adverb
1) in the end; finally; in conclusion.

-noun
1) a final appearance or mention: We've seen the last of her. That's the last we'll hear of it.


I have been using the word "last" way too much lately. These two weeks have seen my last day at work, last paycheck, last meetings, last meals, last walks, last drives, last favorite restaurants, last visits with friends, and today was the last surf.
The word last is a vague word; by itself it means little, it is the context in which it is used that has meaning and depth. It is a sad word although for me it is not finality, just the second act in a three act play.

As of Friday at 11:20 p.m. when I step on that plane, I will cease to use the word last. I will finally begin to use the word:



First.

Packing

As time runs out I am forging on a new direction. A more minimalistic, "Gio-esque" style of blogging. Things are moving too quickly now, my mind is getting fuzzy and the ability to remember a finite number of details is fastly fading.

Everything my current world consists of can be grouped into these three categories.

1) Bringing with me
2)Garage Sale
3)Junk

Good God, what did I get myself into?

The end of an era...

Saying good bye to the G-Man is never an easy thing to do. By far the most fun I have ever had making video games was under the tutelage of Giovanni Luis, animator and TD extrodinare. He is the master craftsman behind such hits as "The Cyclops Mini Game" and "The Kratos Sex Mini Game". If wasn't for him I don't think i could have taken it at SCEA. Thanks for the Korean BBQ send off and the door is always open in Australia. Hell man, I can get you hired if you so desire, let me know. I will have to charge my usual 20% recruiting fee but that might be waived in exchange for sound financial guidance...


Give it up for G-Money...

For Sale...

2006 Mazda 3 S Hatchback

Excellent Condition, Garaged, Non Smoker, Very Clean

25,000 miles, still under factory warranty 48 month/50,000 miles

5-speed manual, Power Steering, 4 Wheel ABS disk brakes, Tilt Wheel, Power Windows, Locks, Sun Roof, Mirrors etc.

Black on Black Leather interior, with 6- CD changer and factory integrated SIRIUS SATTALITE RADIO

Kelly Blue Book on this vehicle is $17,200

We are asking 16,499 OBO

Bank still holds title…

562-676-6425

The Confrence Call

The press Conference Call regarding the EA/Pandemic purchase agreement has been held and it seems that it could be a sweet deal for EA and Pandemic. According to Gamasutra's coverage, EA has been eying Pandemic and Bioware for quite some time now.
John Riccitello who headed up VG Holdings (Elevation Partners) rejoined EA earlier this year as CEO stated that the deal was "a strategic move that speaks directly to quality, online, growth and new IP". That means that Pandemic will continue to develop new IP and ownership would be held by EA with exception of Destroy All Humans which is owned by THQ.
What is to gain by BioWare and Pandemic, "Riccitiello said that as independent developers, the two spent a lot of time courting independent publishers and negotiating deals, and EA would effectively simplify that process to zero, offering them the leverage of EA publishing which could extend the two studios into places they don't traditionally get, including online and in the mobile sphere."
It sounds like Pandemic will still be in the adventure game business and BioWare will still be the RPG masters, if it's not broken don't fix it.

Some EA stock would be nice and I will have to make sure I am in that bread line...

Bait and Switch

Looks like I work for EA now...

I don't care who cuts the checks as long as I
1) get to animate
2)it's in Australia
3)Studio size remains relatively small
4)stock options would be nice

Pandemic has put out some good games and i see no reason why EA would mess with it if it was not broken...
The corporate decisions are totally out of my control so I will not lose sleep over it.

Holy Single Fin Batman!!!

Thanks to the Shark Repellent Bat Spray in my utility belt!!!

Time Keeps on Slipping, Slipping, Slipping...

It's official. I depart on October 18th at 10:35 p.m. PST


Gulp...

Sweet! No Tuberculosis!!!

A not so fun aspect of migrating to Australia is the physical portion of the 457 visa. You have to go to a Doctor that is recognized by the Australian Government, luckily out of the handful in the state, one is in Solana Beach.

First the physical, not so bad. It was just the standard breath in and out, blood pressure, hight/weight, and turn your head and cough type of thing.

Next was the radiology department at Scripps Memorial Hospital and some chest x-rays. This was not bad but just kind of depressing. It kind of reminded me of the early-bird special at Bob's Big Boy if Bob's was purgatory and the not so speedy gateway to the great beyond. Everyone there was 95 and senile, especially the woman next to me that kept referring to me as Jeffery, that darling young boy next door".

Next up were the blood tests. This was to see if I had HIV, syphilis or Ebola or anything else like that. I am going out on a limb here but, I think I passed that one.