It was bound to happen eventually.

11:28 AM Philip: A Tom! Of the Kim variety!

11:29 AM me: Hullo!

Philip: How are you?

me: good.

11:30 AM

Philip: Let me pose an interesting question to you

me: Pose away.

Philip: If I were to talk about you posting this conversation in your blog... and then you were to post this conversation in your blog... would that make this conversation and/or the blog post highly meta?

11:31 AM me: Undoubtedly.

We live in a post-postmodern era anyway.

Philip: You should post this one then.

me: We're past self-referential.

Philip: Meta stuff sells.

me: Maybe I will!

Then you can post about it in turn.

Philip: It would really speak to the 18-34 demographics

In-Jokes for Game Journalists

In this chat, Phil Kollar and I riff on a theme introduced in the 11.28.07 release of GFW Radio. As Phil has commented below, this was in reference to the controversy surrounding GameSpot editor, Jeff Gerstmann regarding his recent firing from GameSpot. I know nothing personally about the circumstances, but there are numerous articles (and at least one prominent webcomic) commenting on the situation.

If indeed the allegations prove to be true, the implications are pretty disturbing. If not specifically for the enthusiast gaming press, then for editorial independence in general.

Most PR -- gaming or otherwise -- is so uninspired. There's just something about the field itself. PR is one of those professions that people always joke about and instinctively distrust. Presumably, because at its worst, the job has nothing to do with truth; it emphasizes instead an ability to put the best possible face on things. Presumably on mediocrity.

On the other hand, good PR people are invaluable. And some gaming PR folks are pretty cool. The following chat, however, is not meant to represent those individuals. And hopefully, won't offend the good ones too much. For the record, Jennie Sue and Stanley Phan over at Eidos have been pretty nice when I've dealt with them.

The fact is, game publishers are allowed to disagree with a reviewer's opinion of their product (and they frequently do.) They can also decide to withhold advertising support, as well. But if a publication decides to can one of its staff over such a decision, then I would place the blame more on GameSpot's shoulders than on Eidos'.

2:55 PM Philip: Hey, could you GameSpot me a couple hundred dollars for that review?

WHOOPS, THOUGHT I WAS MESSAGING THE EIDOS PR GUY

52 minutes

3:48 PM me: How do you know this isn't the Eidos PR guy?

I'll send you the entire Eidos catalog if you include every item in your Annual Holiday Buyers Guide.

3:51 PM Philip: Haha, fantastic

3:55 PM me: And free tickets to the Hitman movie. Best movie this holiday season! (According to Rich Heldenfels, star reviewer for the Akron Beacon Journal.)

3:56 PM Philip: Well, I'll say this: The Beacon Journal hasn't led me astray yet.

me: Other than Sundance and Cannes, Akron is the film capital of the world.

Philip: And it's inching those two out moreso each year.

3:57 PM me: Robert Redford's third cousin twice removed is an Akron native. Or as they like to say, an "Akronite."

He loves movies, and can say "hello" in French!

3:58 PM Philip: That's class. With a capital ASS.

me: Another great item from the Eidos suggested holiday gift guide:

3:59 PM We have some leftover stock from a promo mailing for Conflict: Denied Ops.

Philip: I need that.

4:00 PM me: It's a cozy hand warmer on cold nights.

Kids: Not Even Born and Already Trouble

Here's a convo with my friend, Justin Heeren about my visit to the fertility specialist. For the record, I think the effort will be completely worth it.
4:18 PM me: My wife and I have been trying to have kid #2 for six months now with interesting results.I should say, no results.

Well, three results that didn't "stick."

:P

The whole process has been a roller coaster.

4:19 PM Justin: Yikes. I can about imagine.

me: On top of that, in order to even try, I've been off my arthritis meds for almost a year.

I've avoided the rheumatic effects up until last week.

Justin: Eek... sorry to hear that man.

4:20 PM me: But now they're beginning to afflict me with a vengeance! Yowch!

It's all part of the deal.

Justin: If you don't mind me asking... why'd you stop taking them in the first place? Just felt you didn't need 'em?

me: I had to stop taking them. Unless we want a kid with three heads and fish lungs.

Justin: AHH... wow. Gotcha.

4:21 PM Although... that'd be a whole different WORLD of interesting.

me: Just my luck: one of like, three prescription medications that affects men's fertility, and I'm on one of them.

:P

I had to go to the fertility doctor last week.

And leave a, um, sample.

4:22 PM It was an interesting experience.

Esp. since the doctor that is overseeing my case is an attractive young woman.

:P

4:23 PM Justin: LOL (Sorry, I shouldn't laugh at that, but the mental image is a funny one.)

me: Uh, it actually makes things more difficult.

As in, far more awkward and embarrassing.

It'd be way easier if my doctor were some septuagenarian dude with jowls and spectacles.

Justin: I could about imagine. LOL

4:24 PM Holding out a cup with one shaky, liver-spotted hand.

me: haha

The whole experience is surreal. They lead you to a private room with a big, comfy reclining chair and some, er, magazines.

4:25 PM Justin: Are they at least tasteful magazines, or are they sleazy? LOL

me: Then they put down a sterile towel on the chair, give you a vial and explain how to label it.

Of course, the magazines are intended as "sample providing aids."

4:26 PM Justin: LMAO "sample providing aids"? Awesome.

me: Uh huh.

Mortifying.

Justin: Wow. I can about imagine.

me: So, I attempt some humor with the doctoress.

4:27 PM I asked her why they didn't offer a range of reading choices, from Sears Roebuck Catalog: Lingerie Section on up. Or should that be on down?

Justin: LOL I'd have chuckled.

me: I was like, these won't do it for me. Where are your goat-and-dwarves-in-leather materials?

She gave me a strange look, then burst out laughing.

4:28 PM Justin: At least she laughed. That'd been hella awkward if she hadn't.

me: I was afraid for a second.

Then, I took a while to provide my "sample." I guess, longer than normal. Performance anxiety, you know.

4:29 PM Justin: I don't think I'd be able to perform at all. :| That'd be more than just a little pressure.

me: Yeah, well it applies when I'm trying to deposit samples with my wife, too. When I gave her the bottle (demurely hidden in a brown paper bag,) she yanked that sucker out and shook it up some and looked at it with a critical eye.

Strangely, that's probably the first time I blushed.

Justin: LOL Holy crap!

me: She's like, this looks okay.

I'm like, I wouldn't know. :|

4:30 PM Oh, and I told her I took a while because I was reading the articles.

Which I did!
A couple good interviews in ye olde Playboy!

No Blogpage for Original Posts - The Transcript

This one is between me and Phil Kollar about holiday reading.

11:51 AM Philip: Hey, Tom. How are you?

me: doing well. Yourself?

Philip: Not bad, except I seem to have given up on sleeping. :)

me: ha!

Join the club.

Well, I forced myself to get a good 10 hours Sunday night before returning to work.

Philip: That's good!

11:52 AM me: Seeing as that's about the sum total I got between last Thursday and that Sunday night! :)

Philip: I tried to get a little caught up over Thanksgiving but not very successfully. :)

me: My mind kept saying, "you're on holiday! You can stay up late and sleep in!"

11:53 AM in reality, Campbell and my body clock would wake me up by 8am regardless of how late -- or how early I had turned in.

:P

I did get three novels in.

Philip: That's nice! What novels? Anything particularly great?

me: Uh, No Country for Old Men.

Philip: Oooh

11:54 AM You know I love the Cormac

me: Sex and Rockets: The Occult World of Jack Parsons. Crazy biography!

And a junk food novel, F. Paul Wilson's The Keep.

11:55 AM Philip: Sounds good.

me: The Keep was a quick read, and about what I expected -- not much.

Had some interesting notions, but Mr. Wilson isn't a good enough writer to do anything very satisfying with them. Philip: I've been re-reading Beloved for my African-American Lit class. We're kind of rushing through it which doesn't help with my lack of sleep. :P me: Ah.

11:56 AM Glad you're still enjoying your Af-Am Lit.

Philip: Very much. But also looking forward to doing my last paper for it (one on Beloved due next week) so I don't need to worry about that any more :)

me: Doesn't help that I read that stupid paperback after McCarthy. It's like eating a hot dog after a particularly good Chateaubriand.

11:57 AM :P

Philip: haha

me: And every metaphor connected to "eating a hot dog" applies.

And was intended. ;)

11:58 AM Philip: haha

me: Mr. McCarthy is one of our best contemporary prose stylists.

I wonder at the spareness of his diction.

He's all nouns and verbs. They get you there.

11:59 AM Philip: All I've read so far is The Road, sadly. I've been told Blood Meridian is a must-read.

me: He's like a literate Peckinpah of prose.

Very basic, very male.

12:00 PM Obsessed with conflict, not just as narrative force, but as physical effect.

At least his blood-soaked set pieces go somewhere.

12:01 PM They serve to illuminate his Manichean world view.

Philip: I'm not 100% sure I know what Manichean means

12:02 PM me: Manichaean |ˌmanəˈkēən| (also Manichean)
adjective chiefly historical
of or relating to Manichaeism.
• of or characterized by dualistic contrast or conflict between opposites.

12:04 PM He brings into question some VERY LARGE themes of the nature of good versus evil.

Philip: Ah, that makes sense. I just haven't heard the term very often

me: I think he very much believes in True Evil. But not in the traditional religious sense.

12:05 PM Philip: I agree.

me: The disturbing part is, I don't think he believes in True Good.

At least, even the most noble of his protagonists are profoundly flawed.

Philip: Hmm... I think you're probably right, but I also think it's important that despite that and despite his stories being sort of depressing, they certainly are not hopeless.

12:06 PM me: Not at all!

The nobility of the exercise is that being good is so much more difficult than being bad.

That anyone tries at all...

That is the wonder.

12:08 PM He's such a recluse.

I haven't found many interviews or public record of him.

Philip: Yeah

12:09 PM I saw a picture of him from the '70s in an Ebert article!

me: Though I'm not sure it's necessary. Any literary critic who'd ask the obvious questions surely has to have read his novels. Which are more than clear and consistent on the themes which consume him.

I think he probably is consumed.

12:10 PM He couldn't write that way if he wasn't.