Can't stop the train, baby!

While my professional career and summer internship options are up in the air at the moment, at least one money-making avenue of mine will survive into the next school year. The Western Herald's intrepid Arts editor, Chris Kato, will continue on with the paper next year. He wants to keep my Game Brain column running, and I am more than happy to oblige.

My job as a columnist doesn't pay much, but I've received really cool benefits, like that thing with Miller Auditorium and Tommy Tallarico. And readers at Western and on the Web seem to enjoy it, and we wouldn't want to disappoint them, now would we?

Speaking of which, the Herald's Weekend Scene this week will feature a double dose of your's truly with a two-page spread on Video Games Live and a Game Brain column on Fallout 3 DLC. Stay tuned, I'll post a link later this week.

Game Brain: March 12, 2009

In case anyone's been confused about my references to a print column, I will provide a weekly link over to the Western Herald's website. My column appears in the paper and website weekly, although it's always more exciting to see it in print.

When I can't think of artwork to include with the column, my good friend and fellow copy editor Nosa Osai gets me the hookup. I used to be able to work on the column's page personally, but do to school I can't work Wednesday nights. Even as a control freak, I've been very pleased with the staff's work on my page layout. Heck, the whole paper is pretty darn spiffy.

I like to say: "Papers aren't released: they escape." It's been great fun writing and working for the Herald, especially this coming week with Video Games Live coming to Kalamazoo. My new A&E editor Chris Kato and I will be bringing you guys some special coverage of it. Remember that interview I mentioned earlier this week? Maybe that will show up somewhere...

There's also a ton of my older columns over at the Herald website under the Weekend Scene section. Be sure to read this week's column about the "Golden Age" of video games.

Video Games Live Interview

Later this afternoon, I have a phone interview with Tommy Tallarico, game composer and co-creator of the Video Games Live concert tour.

It's really cool that Mr. Tallarico is taking the time to talk with this humble, small-time video game columnist. Everyone was very helpful in sending me suggestions for questions to ask; I'll be sure to do my best to include them (not sure how much time I have with him).

I was panicking over not having a tape recorder and having to use speakerphone, but I may have a solution. My old MP3 player has a microphone and can record audio tracks. Now, the only problem I have is getting out of my meeting in time for the interview and finding a nice, quiet spot.

Wish me luck!