The last couple of weeks have been hectic. It was dissertation hand-in time for most people at my uni last week, so both Lauren and myself have been going a bit spare with our academic work. Writing, double-checking, proof-reading, checking again, printing, finding one tiny mistake that means you have to print all over again...you get the picture. But it's over now, both our dissertations are handed in. We've just gotta try to stop thinking about them, or I know we'll find things we could improve.
As well as finishing my dissertation this week I finished a couple of other things as well. I completed Batman: Arkham Asylum the other day, which is a fantastic game. I know what you're thinking: how did he have time to play games when he's got so much work to do? I've relax at some point, or I'll go mad! Anyway it's a great game with an engrossing story, awesome graphics and really fluid controls and gameplay. The voice acting is really good too, especially Mark Hamill's take on The Joker.
I also finished reading Fight Club for my Post-War American Writing unit. What a book. I don't know whether I like it better than the film version, they're both fantastic in their own ways. Chuck Palahniuk, the author, actually said that he thought the film was better than his novel, which I thought was a really humble and honest thing to say. There's a fascinating afterword in the edition I own where he talks about the phenomenon the book created and how he never expected any of it.
Discovered my new favourite metal band the other day; Becoming the Archetype. They're a progressive death-metal band from Atlanta, Georgia; kind of a mix between Killswitch Engage and Opeth. I'm consciously not calling them 'Christian Metal', because I don't believe there should be 'Christian' genres of music. All music belongs to God; whether people acknowledge that with their lyrics is up to them. Let's just say it's metal performed by a group of Christians. I (legally) downloaded their album 'Dichotomy' the other day; it's amazing. The opening track 'Mountain of Souls' thunders powerfully, followed by the epic riffage of the title track, soft keyboards adding extra dimensions to the soundscape. Other songs to look out for are 'Ransom' and the band's cover of the hymn 'How Great Thou Art'; an original and innovative take on a song with truly inspired and worshipful words.
I may have finished my dissertation but that doesn't mean things are any less busy! I'm playing guitar at church tomorrow, so I'll have a very busy Sunday. Then my writing project it due next Thursday, which is almost complete but there's still a fair few things to be done to it. I also have to finish reading Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon by Monday, and I'm at work this afternoon. Phew! And then there's a certain wedding that needs to be planned, although that's all coming together quite well.
And in the midst of all this, Lauren has somehow persuaded me to wait until I've finished ALL my uni work before I play Final Fantasy XIII. I don't think I can wait till the 20th of May! What have I agreed to?!
