To 1up Yours Crew, from Michael Lenoch

FINAL EPISODE OF 1UP YOURS

Direct Download Link for 1UP Yours ep. 164





PERSONAL THOUGHTS, OPINIONS


You all have no idea how much I would like to make my font size the largest, but hopefully my sentiments will speak louder than a mere size.

I cannot imagine my life without 1up Yours. I can't believe I've felt such an indescribable emotional connection with people I've never met before. I can't believe people who drink alcoholic beverages and have discussions about video games would so colossally spark my interest in writing and the video game industry as something that would be viable for me as a profession. It's unimaginable that the entire 1up Yours crew shaped the little, tiny voice inside my head that tells me what to write -- intelligent or otherwise illogical. So much of what I try to be as a person stems from the 1up Yours crew.

John -- blatant honesty
--His organic nature, his personality to enjoy life, and to not ever be totally invested in anything
Shane -- exaggerated expression; or maybe him just saying the word "Bombastic", while emphasizing every syllable of the word
-- Definitive personality
-- Obstinance
--Chauvinism
Garnett -- his logic and sense (Which is not to denounce Garnett for his typically refutable opinions, but rather his excellent problem solving)
Luke -- nothing, because there's no way I'll ever be as funny as Luke
And all the other numerous guests have contributed in ways I'm sure I'm not even aware of

You all have no idea how lucky you are to be a part of the 1up Yours crew.I'm grateful I was born when I was, and coincindence had it that I would stumble upon 1up Yours as I did, and listen to what would be the greatest podcast in the history of radio shows.



Breathtaking ending. If only I knew people who felt as enthusiastically about games and 1up Yours as I do. Thank God there's boards though. But there is one very integral aspect missing from the boards -- your voice. Text only tells a fraction of what someone feels, and that's why what anyone may say on the internet can so easily be mocked, as anything can be interpreted a number of ways drastically divergent of the intention.

Finishing that final episode felt like finishing a great novel, filled with many twists and turns, and very deep-seeded relationships that will last a lifetime -- thank God there was a podcast made to capture all the magic.

I think this is why I want to be in the gaming industry. I want to discuss games in this sort of fashion. Whether I play "devil's advocate" or truly feel compelled to voice my argument, I love talking about games and most likely always will.

The Profoundness of a Mirror-Inspiration

By: Michael Lenoch

Last year, I attended a public high school for my freshman year, and was met by a tremendous sense of a mirror, or opposite inspiration due to my relatively fervent effort and high hopes to one day reach the private Catholic high school I originally should have set my sights on prior to beginning high school.

But now that I currently attend the Catholic high school I worked so hard to get into, I have found it more difficult to work just as hard as I did at the public high school, as there are fewer stupid individuals to live as the opposite of.

And by that account, I believe it was so easy to work hard at the public high school because of the utter stupidity, laziness, and gluttony I witnessed of illegal substances teens are notorious for such as weed and alcohol. I think the poor attendance and lack of effort I witnessed at the public school provided a constant, opposite inspiration of a terrible work ethic and lifestyle that I was committed never to never live by.

The Balance of thinking in and outside the box

By: Michael Lenoch

After exhausting one's self over the tumultuous labors of homework and other arduous tasks, I've come to find that when being forced to work with a work ethic that holds no similarities with spontaneous and immediate creativity one's level of eloquence and articulation has a tendency to temporarily suffer when no constantly exercised. 

In other, less as evasive words, I've come to find that when working without any creativity for a certain period time,  one's unique personal thoughts tend to suffer. 

iPhone App of the Year: Rolando

Possibly the wisest investment of 10 dollars this year on Apple's App Store is best spent on a game called Rolando. Rolando is an app in the vein of the popular PSP title, Loco Roco. In Rolando, players will find themselves taking advantage of the accelerometer of the iPhone, tilting the cute Rolandos through physics-based puzzles, platforming, and occassional time-based puzzles. Rolando succeeds largely as a platformer due to its non-intensive playing style, and its carefree atmosphere, especially considering how progressively the difficulty between levels slowly ramps up. I think Rolando can be aptly defined as a game that is 'challengeing, but not difficult', even with regards to casual 'non-gamers'.

Loco Roco

As the Rolandos are little balls, the player tilts the iPhone from side to side, rolling the Rolandos closer to reach the end of each obstacle-filled level. Each level has a minimum requirement of Rolandos to reach the end of the level -- although it can at times be easily surpassed, given the amount of Rolandos granted by the beginning of each level.

Where Rolando and Loco Roco differ though is quite a point of contention. In Loco Roco, players are granted the ability to smash their Loco Roco into smaller ones, and in Rolando, each character remains the identical size throughout the entire game. The comparisons between each game are somewhat justified, due to each game has a very similar art style, is accompanied by cute, charming characters, and the user's input to each world, both Rolandoland and the Loco Roco planet is the tilting of gravity.

Education versus Intelligence

Before fully understanding each side of what the words educated and intelligent imply, allow me to go about defining each word.

Educated obviously denotes the undergoing of some sort of learning, as the word intelligent implies a sizable mental capacity, or even an immediacy in one's mental acuteness.

Also, it may render vital to have the definition of stupidity into the mix as well. The word stupidity expresses little or no keenness in intelligence, or a dullness in one's mental depth.

Now the purpose of all these definitions I've compiled is to differentiate the slight connotations each word possibly holds by the perception of the common people. Also to make note of how I my words were either terribly misconstrued in the post 'My Gripe on School' or I didn't understand an objective perspective of school.

I think now I can logically come to grips with schooling and 'the typical student' I went heralding about as being 'uneloquent, unexpletory of articulate thought, and unimaginative', as now I've turned on school and apparently as my grades have as well.

But to fully gain an understanding of my perspective, I think it's necessary to note I currently attend a rather prestigious school in Chicago -- one that I've never been so rigorously abused by, and got 'the short end of the stick' in terms of my experience and grades. As I mentioned in the post 'My Gripe with School', I expressed a somewhat strong dislike for what school has to offer, and school's restrictive technique of teaching, and how that directly correlates to students' linguistic abilities or disabilities -- as well as how I feel linguistic ability is possibly the absolute most essential proficience in virtually any industry.

I think I can fully admit to a sense of failure and a slight self-rebellion -- as that is evident due to my wild, un-methodical, and largely illogical style of writing in that post. I think there's a balance to intelligence intensity in expression and to deliberate, sound education. (Now we're full circle)

Education is led by another individual, or possibly many, and in that post, it was not the slightest of my intention to imply individuals educated by others are inherently stupid. But what I did intend was what I felt about typical students' lack of imagination -- and obviously I'm generalizing, as there's very little likelihood every single student in the world is uncreative, and relies on his or her teacher for vocabulary and various word manipulations.


TO BE CONTINUED...

How I get through my week

Here's a step-by-step process, displaying how exactly I, Michael Lenoch, get through my tumultuous work week.

First, I start my Mondays by listening to some (If the show is available to download -- sometimes the guys at 1up delay the show until Tuesday, but it's still an entertaining show)


Then my Tuesday drowsiness is met by the comforting and the energetic podcast.

Then my Wednesday is accompanied by an episode of

On Thursdays, there's no podcast released, and I can then catch up on all the other podcasts that I may have been inundated with.

And on Friday, comes the long anticipated , (although I'm currently saving all the 1up Yours episodes to listen to during Christmas break). The IGN Games podcasts are construed throughout the week.

And as the name implies, on a daily basis, I listen to .


I highly recommend all of these podcasts if you're interested in Video games, Soccer or simply enjoy laughing. All of these podcasts are what aid me in my arduous week, try them out, and tell me what you think!


By Michael Lenoch-

Brought to you by, the guys at 1up

My 80s Music Addiction

I recently found this song after hearing John Davison mention it some time ago on the 1up Yours podcast, and cannot by any means prevent my desire to listen to this song; which is again and again.



My love for this song is bizarre, intrinsic, and seemingly osmotic.

My Gripe on School

School doesn't teach students to write, or communicate clearly, concisely, eloquently, or even articulately, yet it is typical for students to feel tremendous self-gratification by good grades. As in a society such as this, good grades are essentially understood to precisely equal intelligence, though good grades indicate an ability to learn quickly and fully. Sadly, or at least by my perspective, I feel school doesn't properly offer a sanctuary for articulate growth and expressive ingeniousness, but inversely a standard, objective-based teaching process that focuses solely on factual, menial learning, and not on the true enjoyment one may feel when appropriately and accurately expressing and assessing the deep, abstract feelings and emotionally-tied words of themselves and others clearly and concisely (which may quite possibly be two words that are least likely to ever be witnessed apart); which in part results in society with the common public accepting of the fact that our nation's most prominent politicians don't even write their speeches that they are heroically quoted in history by. It's actually quite a sad reflection on Americans' general ability to express themselves, which has by early teaching potentially been impedimented by a lack of emphasized English classes.

Maybe I am hypocritical in this assessment, and may not be eloquent or articulate by any and every regard possible. Although I do know for a fact that my detestation for traditional, by-the-books students who perceive themselves intelligent is extreme. Nosy, little, teacher's-pet students who learn nothing independently, criticize anyone who has dissimilar thoughts than he or she does, and use no diction other than the diction used by his or her teacher pains me to an unimaginable extent to say the least. As I feel I do everything in my mere or potentially great power I withhold to avoid such a circumstance.

I am self-taught,
I am pretentiously articulate, eloquent,
communicationally logical,
I am not the typical student,
as I am Michael Lenoch, I am learning each and every day

Call of Duty: World at War Beta Impressions

Call of Duty World at War is by the comparatively [to Call of Duty 4] short time I've spent with it obviously attempting to imitate Call of Duty 4, its highly successful predecessor in a multitude of ways. One being the forced inclusion of all the subtle quirks that made Call of Duty 4 a smash hit; notably, the unoriginal flow of the multiplayer, where 3 kills earns a reconaissance plane, 5 kills achieves a positioned artillery strike, and 7 kills assigns an unguided attack of savage dogs. All of which are unabashed counterparts to Call of Duty 4's UAV, Airstrike, and Helicopter. My main arguement is largely concerning the very bare differences Treyarch have proceeded to implement to distinguish their plunge into World War II more than what seems to be an expansion pack for Call of Duty 4, but with new scenery and weapons.

Call of Duty World at War has virtually no redeemable features unique to Call of Duty 4, aside from the already exhausted context.

This makes me suspicious as what we may expect to see in the coming future for the Call of Duty franchise, and the potentially perpetual loop of Infinity Ward revolutionizing the concept of shooters, while Treyarch copying their success by the most accurate attempt; at least, by this point, this is what I see happening.

Time will only tell.

-Michael Lenoch

Michael Lenoch's Definition of 'intelligence' (Unedited, Masterful, Yet Fully Insane Prose)

As my perspective and experience may reveal, people who are generally considered to pertain to at least a substantial amount of intelligence are thought of as individuals who read last night's homework, or scored an A on that test. Before I delve into the many dimensions and my intrinsically deep thoughts that encompass my perception of genuine intelligence, my theory of true intelligence may be most accurately compared to what one may call 'street smarts'.

Along with that, I feel intelligence is most accurately defined as if an attitude or enthusiasm towards learning and a constant strive and intrigue to gaining more and more in-dept knowledge. Intelligence is not the 'teacher's pet' who directly parrots what is in the text book. Intelligence is rooted by clear, concise communication that somehow allows a debater to be openly willing to acknowledge even some of his faultiest ideals, and seamlessly reversing them to benefit himself and his cause he stands for.

Intelligence may very well pertain to egotism as well as what the 'intelligent' one may feel; superiority. Intelligence may be in one regard; reserved, logical, sensible and humble thought. Intelligence may be figuratively embodied by a man who makes accurate critiques, making the world universally better in an innumerable amount of ways; some may call an example of this a Renaissance Man (though this depends solely on the stupidity of the average folk to once lend their attention to this man)

It seems as though intelligence in society today is viewed as a diploma, or solely by the proof of completion of a rigorous course; not sporadic, spontaneous, brilliant thought (which makes absolutely no sense to you, I’m sure). I suppose by the aforementioned theory, intelligence is a constantly daunting task of positive impression to others. There are inestimable fashions in which to either achieve, or simply attempt to achieve a truly intellectual, profound thought through expression (which may be inherently redundant).

Intelligence is accumulative, ultimately timeless, tireless, requiring incredible meticulousness, and assertiveness; rendering it solely the world’s most profound, existential and important aspect of life. both now and 2000 years ago. It is abstract. It can be attempted to be portrayed, but will only be met by failure; I am a failure solely for attempting to do so.

Intelligence is above all, incredibly achieved by self-discipline.


-Michael Lenoch






Oh and I’m the guy who got a C in my English class- grades do not, by any means define your intelligence!


UPDATE (10-24-08)

Along with this deep fascination, I proceeded to ask a girl in my United States history class precisely these words, in the least condescending, most objective fashion I could possible speak; "Do you perceive yourself intelligent?" But keep in mind, as our conversation made evident, she is possibly the most egotistical, self-indulgent, self-loving prick I've ever met; an absolutely snarky little nerd at that.

I am a new student at Saint Ignatius, and have had what seems to be a booming successful peak in popularity, though it could potentially render entirely meme-like and a fraud of many mutual relationships. This girl, on the other hand, gave me no such respect. After asking what I thought of as the most objective, least offensive question inquiring her own perception of her intelligence could conjure up, she immediately fired back 'I never asked for your opinion', in a quintessentially decisively girly type of way. Having a boy nearby yell out the culture sweeping 'oh!', had me fed up, and forced by my teacher then to stop our groups' work and listen to what he has to teach.

Being suppressed by the teacher's lesson, I had an incredible amount yet to express. I initially felt she was arrogant to go so far as to unabashedly declare how intelligent she is directly due to her grades, which seems exactly coherent to what I was mentioned previously on this post of how American culture overly emphasizes good grades, and assumes good grades equal intelligence. BUT NO

Our teacher came around to each group as we worked, assisting if need be. I could tell, this girl was an expedient worker, but had absolutely no originality, no uniqueness, no ingenuity, no intrinsically profound thought to rattle the ages with splendor in language; simply verbatim to our teacher's words in the assist he provided for our group. Incredible. What a retard. A person who cannot compose such unrelentingly profound thought, but a person who receives As, does not an intelligent person make. She immediately assumed her superiority in intelligence and omniscience.

What an indescribable prick.

She is exactly what I previously mentioned, and is by every regard possible unintelligent, but self-gratifyingly intelligent by these meaningless qualifications she set before herself, and deplored what brilliantly un-graspable concept I attempted to articulate.


Pure and utter hubris


-Michael Lenoch