The Final Countdown

This is it.

I'm about to break down my computer and pack it away for the long trip out to California.

Holy shit.

I'm seriously about to move to California. Something I've thought about every since I was in high school and got the bug to get in to the movie industry. Now, I'm sitting here, my house almost completely empty (save for a few paintings and the stuff I'm moving) about to move to California. A decade after that bug hit, I'm making the move.

It's weird, I've seen people over the past few days and had drinks with them, dinner, movies, whatever, and it hasn't really struck me until just now that I won't be seeing these people again until I fly back. Or they fly out to Los Angeles. I'm going to miss my friends, but in the age of the internet I end up chatting via AIM or Skype anyway, so what does it matter that I'm a few states away?

I do love this city though. I'm going to miss lots of things, Austin things. The Drafthouse (which now is home to a few of my arcade machines), Threadgill's, 6th Street, Peter Pan Mini-Golf and so much more.

I'm going to miss my friends. I love all you guys and I'm going to be within a phone call away. That is of course until The Big One hits and California is swallowed by the Pacific Ocean. Until then though...give me a call.

Of course, I'm going to continue posting here. I've got lots of stuff already planned for Los Angeles and Uday is ready for his Hollywood debut. It should be a blast.

Austin, I love you, keep in touch.

Wow...

Tonight was perhaps the best night ever.

Of all times.

That is all.

I found Crash Override!

While at the post office I spotted one of the main characters from Hackers!

Well...his/her ride at least.

Last Day

Today was my last day at a job I've worked at for over three years. It was weird, I've read countless "last day" letters, and I had the chance to write my own. Here it is, in almost it's entirity:

Aspryians...Aspyrites...Aspyrons?

I come to you with a heavy heart as today is going to be my final day with the company...again.

I’ll be moving out to Los Angeles after working for over three years with you fine folks. I’m going to be launching a unique business opportunity. It involves getting two people to give you a bit of cash, and having those people find two more people a piece to give them cash, and so-forth and so on. I’ve been told it works excellently! And we will all get rich.

Anyway, thanks goes out to all of you that made my time here toiling behind the video camera a lot of fun. I’ll have fond memories of dressing Andy Messner up in a monkey suit and nearly killing him. Or the time we dressed up Andy Messner with a fanny pack and soaked him with water. Or the time we launched a skateboard into Andy Messner’s shin.

Or the time I brought my cat Uday up to the office after hours where we shot a video involving a wheel chair, a cat, a disco ball, karaoke and a girl in a bikini. (For reals.) Fond memories.

So, thanks for everything Aspyr, you have been interesting to say the least.

If you want to keep in touch, there are a few different ways, I’ve got a couple of blogs. For you cat lovers, you can follow the antics of my cat Uday on Uday a Day: http://udayaday.blogspot.com/ Or if you want to follow my antics in California, you can at http://jackincalifornia.blogspot.com/

For serious, I’m going to be living in Los Angeles working with I Am 8-Bit making some really cool stuff for the video game world to enjoy. If you are ever out in the area, let me know, I’ll let you buy me a beer or three.

Until then though, play me off keyboard cat! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0up6R3hrHaU

-Jack Pattillo

Insert tear here.

Thoughts

So, apparently California is excited to have me as there have been FOUR EARTHQUAKES IN FOUR DAYS there. Awesome. I've never been in an Earthquake, but I have been on the Earthquake ride at Universal Studios, so I count myself prepared.

Had a few people come look at the house for possible rental, now just waiting on someone to make a solid declaration of YES, WE'LL TAKE IT and then pretty much all my loose ends in Austin will be tied off. I hope that happens before I head out, I'd hate to have to work that crap out while I'm away in L.A. Not fun at all.

Oh, and I stumbled onto something awesome today while doing my usual internet searches. Check out Will Smith rapping the Men in Black song over a ukulele. You never quite know where the MIBs is at.

Watch Will Smith performs Men in Black with Ukulele for German TV on CollegeHumor

Jonathan Coulton: Geek Folk Superstar

I had a few people over the other night to play some Rock Band. A buddy brought over the ION Drum Kit for Rock Band (Holy awesomeness), and there was much drinking of alcohols and playing of musics.

One thing that caught everyone's attention was when I sang Skullcrusher Mountain. Everyone except for Thorr (the ION-owner) had no idea who this musical genius was. (Coulton, not me.) So I tried to explain. Anyway, if you haven't heard of Jonathan Coulton, you need to check him out. Obviously you should check out his website or listen to these videos I've embedded below for your enjoyment.

We'll start with the one that kicked it off for everyone, Skullcrusher Mountain:



Probably his most famous tune, Still Alive, the closing credit song for Portal, the video game (sung here by Felicia Day from Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-Long Blog):



And one of my personal favorites, probably his sweetest track "I'm Your Moon" which is a song sung from Pluto's point of view about it's moon. It's a love song:



And there are so many more. Check out Code Monkey, Shopvac, First of May. All classics. Enjoy!

Too freaking cute.

I was doing my normal browsing of the internets and I ran in to this video, probably one of the cutest things you'll see EVER. It is relevant to this blog because it takes place in California. Hooray!

Give A Squirrel A Helping Hand @ Yahoo! Video