high above the mucky-muck

2002-07-11 [ 02:41 am ]
The area depicted had extensive signage warning of radiation danger, which might explain why I have been feeling downright weird lately.

I would give a sizeable portion of my right testicle to actually get inside that building, if only because I envision it to be filled by computer screens with green on black grids, and blippy noises. Lightning at five o'clock!

Before I go any further, here's a little something I did for old time's sake. As always, you will need a working soundcard to participate.

You know, I have played a lot of games in my life, a lot of stupid, pointless games. However, I have played a handful of computer and video games that simply must be considered art for their originality in both design and story telling.

As Dustin might attest, Might & Magic: The Clouds of Xeen is simply a marvellous epic, and the first game I ever bought for PC, probably when I was in grade nine, or so. I remember it well; $60 at the local Radio Shack (which is nothing more that an aisle or two at the local Home Hardware. You even had to take your purchases through the Home Hardware checkout... which saved you from giving out your phone number to buy batteries, I guess...)

There were towers strewn about the land of Xeen, where witches would breed ghouls, and stuff, but the coolest part about every single one, was that they contained passages to walk in the clouds. Not that there was much up there besides really funny looking, sinister birds...

This snapshot of computing nostalgia, coupled with this weather tower, and my attempt tonight to photograph a K-W water tower made me wonder about my affinity for really tall buildings. As a child, and even today, I stare at every structure that stands out, above the horizon, even radio and TV towers. I actually research and scout out pictures of the tallest ones online (was the Warsaw TV Mast, which collapsed about a decade ago... Poland.)

I think I've got it figured, though: If man is five, and the devil is six, than that must make heaven, seven. Hee hee. I have always seen towers as passages into the clouds, which I identify as being land for a transcendent, mystical world. Man's attempt to reach the sky, one step closer to the stars.

I would prefer the stereotypical heaven to be in the stars, rather than the clouds. Save the clouds for Care Bears, and abraisive young women addicted to cream cheese. Heaven is like Le Petit Prince. This belief of mine pleases me, as I am very photo-sensitive, and rainbows and crystal castles make my eyes wince in discomfort.

(Note: that is not what I really believe about heaven. But I don't want to get into faith and philosophical matters. This site is already pretentious enough...)

photo by: kam2k