Sid Meier's Memoir!: A Life in Computer Games by Sid Meier

If you don't know who Sid Meier is, he's a very famous game developer from the 8 and 16-bit era of computing. If not, you still might have heard of the Civilization series of games. They were originally designed and programmed by none other than Sid Meier. As an enjoyer of game-making with dreams of having some kind of success in the field beyond my little home office, I Have done some reading on the subject. How could I not? Sid Meier's story isn't especially unique aside from his eventual success. He got his start making games in contests hosted by small publishers and programming for boring companies until his own game studio took-off. Still I love the magic of game making, how one can take nothing and make something that will bring hundreds of hours of enjoyment to a player's life. I'm inspired by anyone who can achieve such a thing. So are you looking for inspiration? Look no further until you finish this one. 

On Book Reports

Okay friends. It's time to resume my book reporting. Just so you know, I'm not suddenly reading a way more books than normal, though I am reading less than I did in 2021 when I wanted to do a hundred books in one year. So if I schedule one book report per week, I should have enough posts to last for the next forever or at least get through my next lull if there is one. Hopefully there won't be, because I'm trying my best to fight depressive boredom. 

You might be wondering. Why bother writing about a book you read two years ago? Don't you remember what happened in it? While I don't remember everything about everything I've read in the past couple years, I certainly remember more than I will in two more years. Of course I can read a summary on goodreads, but said summary will not contain my personal takeaways and emotional responses. If you don't like me posting book reports, please do comment your feelings and I'll try to focus more on the type of posting you prefer. 

Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey

This book is a collection of editorials by one author, detailing the daily routines of famous, successful artists when they are and are not working on a project. Almost all of these people became rich and famous, giving them freedom pursue other interests while agents and managers set up work for them to do when it was time to do Art. Most of these artists also progressively drank more alcohol until they stopped creating things altogether. So it's not an especially encouraging read for anyone trying to form a strategem for becoming even more creative. Aside from that, you could read it if you want to stuff more information into your head. 

Battery from Master

One dead and one alive
Rechargeables run off
As the cheap ones die
The store wehere you drive
in the hot car to buy
Them is a sketch zone
You're on your own
But never alone

Why use a turn signal?
It's nobody's business
Where I take this bull
Strangers smell too much
I'm feeling their eyes touch
My private bones
I'm never alone

Where have I been?

Dear readers, I know I have not posted in a while, but I'm going to change that. If you don't know, I have been in Florida, in a very deep depression for some time. The climate here is quite oppressive and most the people you find yourself running into would not be capable of getting along in any other region. To an extent, Florida is where America's sketch accumulates. I've had five jobs since moving to Deland in 2022, and most have been things you would not be willing to do with people I was unwilling to get along with.

However, I am determined to pull myself out of this depression and remind myself daily that my own value is enough to get me through and rise above. I've done it before and I can do it again. After all I have a very suppportive partner, two amazing dogs, and a very nice (indoor) living space. So while I have not felt like sharing much of my experience with you folks, I'm going to work on building meaningful connections between my creative self and people like you while using said creative self to curate personal experiences worth sharing and experiencing. While coping with the hairiness of the day-to-day, I've often forgotten how important it is to value myself and my own capabilities which I am very blessed to have.

So. What have I been doing? I'm making just as much music as ever. Not reading 100 books in a year, but still reading. Maybe I'll catch up on my book reports. I've fallen out of the Nicolas Cage movies because I felt bad about not writing about them while worried about forgetting them. So maybe I'll bring back those rankings. I have, however, really stepped-up my work in computer game design. So if you're interested in what I've been making there, you can go to my page on itch.io. I also have plans to go on a trip soon, so do expect a return of pizza reviews. If you have any ideas or suggestions, please do comment.

xoxo - PJ

the abomination that is the Chizza

I understand the desire for KFC to get into the type of gimmicks that have always worked so well for Taco Bell, but KFC has to be the least loved of the Yum Foods chains. Their chicken isn't better than what you can get at pizza hut, but of course, their original recipe is its own thing that you can't get anywhere else. Sometimes it's the only thing that will do. Plus, they have decent biscuits and mashed potatoes.

Back to the Chizza. It is a chicken patty (or collection of flat chicken chunks) topped with a zesty marinara, cheese, and pepperoni. It will entice pizza lovers to try once, maybe just to get people in the door only to remind them of how sad KFC is. Their dining room Might get cleaned once a day. None of their employees seem like they've been there longer than a week, and how can they afford to stay there? Want to work for Yum Foods? Expect to be homeless, in a state where it's practically illegal to be.

So maybe the Chizza will get people in the door, but it won't get people coming back, no way. Is it cheaper than Pizza? No. Is it better than pizza? No. Does it simulate the experience of pizza for those on a low carb diet? No. Is it faster than pizza? No. If you must try the Chizza, I'd recommend hitting the drivethru as I intended, but there was no sound coming from the box when I rolled up to it. Will I go back to KFC? Yes, but only ten minutes before close when they're selling ten pieces for ten bucks. They'll need to bring back the buffet before I willingly step inside again.

Palermo Pizza and Italian Villa of Paisley Florida

Near many sweet camping spots you'll find Palermo Pizza, a shop that fit my exact criteria of 'not tried yet'. Their pizza has a RATIO of 1.5cr/1.5ce/1.5ch. You guessed it, despite being in the center of Florida, Palermo aspires to the same thing as every east coast pizza shop.

Their crust gets a 4 out of 5 for me. The flavor's good. Light, sturdy, and chewy. Palermo's sauce gets a 3 out of 5. They use the good canned tomatoes, but the final product was somewhat watery and sweeter than it seemed like it should be.

For style, I'll give Palermo a 4 out of 5. They kept the diet cokes coming and the atmosphere was very cozy. I might be tempted to have a birthday party there, if only they had an arcade game or two. While the pizza itself doesn't stand out at all, I'm using Florida rules. I should probaby add that we got an appetizer of chicken fingers and fries, which consisted of two chicken fingers and some decent crinkle cuts. So it was essentially a kid's meal for $8.

Palermo gets a 4 out of 5 for quality. The pizza was altogether very good, with every element melding together in a way that completely satisfied me. With an overall score of 75%, I'd recommend Palermo Pizza to anyone passing through, but I wouldn't go out of my way to visit again.

Angelina's Pizza of Deland Florida

In word-of-mouth, Angelina's is likely the most beloved Pizza in the Deland area. Naturally, they were busy on a Friday night, but not so busy that we couldn't get a seat within five minutes. It is a wonderfully cozy little hallway of a hole in the wall, mostly decorated with things that can be bought on the spot.

Angelina's Pizza has a ratio of 2cr/1ce/2ch*. Their crust gets a 5 out of 5 from me. It has a thin layer of chewiness, with a soft inside and a flavor that's completely on point. Their sauce gets a 3 out of 5. It's too thin for me and lackluster. However, there's nothing wrong with it. If I ran Angelina's, I don't know if I'd change it. I wouldn't mess with a formula with such a draw.

Since I gave Bloomington somewhat of a buff regarding quality, as most places are employed by university students, I'll be extra generous for the Style factor of pizzas in the Deland area. As expected, 95% of the pizzas within an hour of the east coast are going to approximate the New York style. While Angelina's has a Sicilian Pie on offer, I may review that as I make my rounds again. I like a 'Sicilian' pizza, though I know the dough is typically cooked hours before the pizza itself goes into the oven, and let's face it, the Sicilian pie isn't meant to represent the shop at hand.

Enough blather. Angelina's gets a 4 out of 5 for style. As noted, it's extremely cozy. There was nothing on the menu that didn't appeal to me. Every salad comes with a side of amazing bread, and their Corn Munchers were a special treat. Angelina's has it all: slices on the go, stacks of pizza for takeout, outdoor seating, fair prices, private bathrooms, and great service. If I had friends visit, I don't know if I'd take them here. It's a great spot for a date night, but it's less of an anomaly than Mirino's and DoBro's.

For overall quality, I'll give Angelina's a 5 out of 5. There was nothing to complain about regarding the pizza Or the experience of eating it. With a final score of 85%, I would easily recommend Angelina's to anyone new to the area, as what might be the Actual best pizza on local offer.

* Let me explain my ratio system, regarding mass of standard Pizza Elements. Cr=Crust. Ce=Sauce. Ch=Cheese.

For CR (CRust), 1 is the equivalent of a transparent pizza in the New York style, or the rolled-out, crackery Saint Louis style. 3 would be a regular Domino's hand-tossed Pizza. 4 would be like a Pizza Hut Pan Pizza, and 5 would be like a Sicilian Pizza or some varieties of Deep Dish.

For Ce (sauCE), 1 would be a watery sauce with a thin spreading, no clumping and no oozing. In this cause, the sauce is an afterthought, more like oregano than a key ingredient. 3 would be what you'd expect from a Pizza Hut Pan Pizza. 5 would require a fork to eat.

For CH (CHeese), 1 would be a transparent layer, mostly existing to assure you that your pizza indeed Does have cheese on it. 3 would be a regular Domino's hand-tossed pizza. 4 would be what you get on a Pizza Hut Pan Pizza. And 5 would be what you get in a pizza that requires a fork to eat, like a respectable Deep Dish Pie.