I'm taking it easy tonight, I'm tired, have had a frustrating day, and just about overall am ready to go to sleep but this is my challenge and thus I'm calling it in from my bed room. As many of you are already aware October 20th-21st Extra Life will be held once again. Marking my second year participating in this event, and after playing Arkham Asylum in one sitting for the event last year, I have decided to approach this year's event slightly differently. I'm going back to day's of future past, to the Sega Genesis. 

One of the first purchases I made when I got a Playstation 3 was the Sega Genesis Ultimate Collection, primarily for Streets of Rage and Golden Axe, however the collection is heavy on Sega classics, including all the original 16 bit Sonic titles, Vectorman, Comix Zone, Phantasy Star, and a long time personal favorite of mine Shining Force 1 and the sequel. For those unaware of Shining Force in its prime, think of turn based strategy without the hefty amount of character customization, but add limited inventory, and a great advancement system. Plus there's a plot about being the destined hero as well.

Well seeing as how I haven't played these two titles in quite some time, I've decided to challenge myself to play through both games in the 24 hour period that I will be playing for Extra Life. Seeing as how most games that I buy new these days are beaten within a week or so, I figured that Resident Evil 6 will be long beaten and forgotten by then, and whatever else I have on my plate will have to wait. The idea for this challenge was to see if A) it's possible to accomplish this and B) to give myself a little retrospective walk down memory lane in the sake of charity. 

To me Extra Life is about helping the children, but it's also a good time to consider just how fortunate we actually are. If you really think about it, the children we are helping probably could only dream about being given the opportunity to play video games for 24 hours, and here we are sitting down and putting our consoles and wills to the limits for their sake. Which truly is what life is about, appreciating what you have, rather than wanting something you don't. I've grown so tired of saying "tomorrow things will be better" "When I have more money" because if I keep thinking about tomorrow I forget about today, and when I forget about today I can forget about tomorrow because I've failed to be adequately aware of what is going on around me. Life has been a struggle, but you know what the air is still breathable, people still smile when I smile at them, and life is truly beautiful when you start to appreciate it for what it is, rather than what it should be.

I know it's cheap, I know it's short, it's not even heavy, but I'm tired and needed a rest. So good night you champions of electronic impulses being sent to your tv through advanced circuit boards.