... because I've been sick the last three days. One of these years I'll try out those flu shot dealies. I never thought I'd say this, but I was dying to come to work today because I was actually tired of doing nothing but playing video games all day long. Who'd have thunk it? I finished Grand Theft Auto: Vice City on Monday. Well, finished in the sense that I completed the final storyline mission. I could still play that game all day long. That last mission was a bitch though. To all those who are familiar with the game: I'd been itching to knock off Lance Vance since I first met him.

I'm up to about 70% completion with Metroid Prime. This game keeps throwing new effects at me that have me going, "whooooaaaaa". My new favorite is when a bright flash (such as a missile) flies in front of your face and just for an instant, you catch a glimpse of your own reflection. That freaked me out the first time it happened.

Oh boy ... Splinter Cell, here I come!

Music? There's something out there besides video games, you say? Let me compile my "Best of 2002" list for you. It begins with Coldplay, A Rush of Blood To The Head, and ends with Doves, The Last Broadcast, and there's nothing in between. Seriously. If I adhere to the strict rules set forth by Excellent Online for year-end lists, everything else I've occuppied myself with this year is excluded. Honestly though, those two albums really took me by surprise. Coldplay was a band I blew off after hearing "Yellow" for the thousandth time. After Veronica bought their debut album Parachutes, I gave it a half-hearted listen and was amazed. But for some reason, the same thing happened when their sophomore effort was released ... I just wasn't interested. Until I heard the song "Clocks", which is far and away the song of the year. Doves are a similar case: I lumped them in with the "new britpop" and didn't pay attention. Now I'm finding I need to be more open to experience (as Veronica keeps telling me). "Words", "Here Comes The Fear", and "The Sulphur Man" are all wonderful.