The New Treasure of the Sierra On-Line (Torin's Quest 1)

In 2012, I wrote a series of blog entries on the subject of Sierra On-Line memories. It was entitled The Treasure of the Sierra On-Line. It covered Space Quest, Leisure Suit Larry and King's Quest. The three Sierra On-Line franchises which I had the most experiences with at the time.

With the sudden passing of friend and fellow Sierra On-Line fan, Roberta Vaughan, I decided that now might be the best time to revisit The Treasure of the Sierra On-Line. I am in the process of further exploring various memories of Sierra On-Line. Everything from Space Quest to You Don't Know Jack. From Police Quest to 3-D Ultra Pinball. From King's Quest to Quest for Glory. Today, we will be exploring Torin's Passage. Al Lowe's first family friendly game since The Black Cauldron.

The New Treasure of the Sierra On-Line (Torin's Quest 1)
Worlds within await in this charming children's adventure from the dirty mind of Al Lowe.

"I had not as yet ventured to take a glimpse down the horrible abyss into which in a few minutes more I was about to plunge. The fatal moment had, however, at last arrived. I had still the option of refusing or accepting a share in this foolish and audacious enterprise. But I was ashamed to show more fear than the eider-duck hunter. Hans seemed to accept the difficulties of the journey so tranquilly, with such calm indifference, with such perfect recklessness of all danger, that I actually blushed to appear less of a man than he!"
-A Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne


A Journey to the Centre of the Earth

My thirst for Sierra On-Line adventure games knew no end. Quest for Glory IV: Shadows of Darkness certainly kept me busy for awhile. But after exploring seemingly every nook and cranny of Mordavia, I was ready for a new adventure. The selection of Sierra On-Line adventures at my local retailers was becoming fewer and far between. The 1990s were nearing their end, and a whole new generation of games were suddenly taking their place. The fancy new 3D Donkey Kongs, the Half-Lifes, the Tomb Raiders.

As I browsed through the growing selection of games, I happened to glance past a big box computer game with the signature Sierra label at the bottom. I quickly turned around and looked at the box more closely. I initially mistook it for another King's Quest game. The art on the cover was somewhat similar. The title of this game was Torin's Passage. A brand new adventure series from Sierra On-Line. The box cover promised a challenging quest through nested worlds.


Torin's Passage (Front of Box)
Courtesy of The Sierra Chest

Space Ruckus: The Great Invasion (2009 Storyboard Adaptation)

In 2009, I began writing storyboard outlines for Space Ruckus: The Great Invasion. I had come to realize that the original story treatment from a few years prior would no longer suffice. I decided that now would be a good time to dig it out again with Space Ruckus: The Great Invasion playing a rather significant role in the ninth chapter of Nintendo Rhapsody. The storyboard outlines themselves were originally intended for the storyboard artist, and thus, have quite a few stage directions and POV information. It was fine for the storyboard, but not so fine for the casual reader. I have simplified a few things here and there for ease of reading. The chapter titles, by the way, were only temporary. They each borrowed from a different movie. It was my way of having a little fun while writing.

Chapter 1: Stand by Me

In a distant star system, an orbital base has been constructed for the purpose of mining the resources of Ralin V. A Class V gas giant with enough natural materials to power an entire fleet. A formal request was recently made for additional personnel. The base had found itself short-staffed for several lunar rotations. A transport ship is due to arrive shortly. Captain Trilobite monitors incoming communication signals from the bridge of the orbital base. His crew is eager to see some fresh faces. A signal is soon detected from the transport ship. It has requested docking bay permission. Captain Trilobite stands in attention and simply bobs his head to indicate approval.

The transport ship lands in the docking bay on deck one. An "All Clear" message is given over the loudspeaker. Captain Trilobite departs from the bridge and enters the lift. A stream of multicolored lights pass over him as he descends through the lower decks. The new fleet personnel begin to emerge from the transport ship. A man in a blue suit steps out onto the deck of the docking bay. He approaches a security officer with a clippad in their hands. The officer asks the man for his name and rank. The man replies with a grin on his face, "Bill Grig. I am only a rookie, but I promise you won't be disappointed!" A man in a grey suit emerges from the transport ship. His name is Joe Commer. These two men were previously stationed together on the Ethorian orbital base. They are very good friends.

Captain Trilobite welcomes the new personnel to the Ralin V base. He only wishes that Commander Gunner could have been there to welcome them himself, but he is currently away on a deep space assignment. Members of the existing Ralin V crew greet Grig, Commer and all the other new arrivals. They are then escorted down the corridor and assigned crew quarters on deck two where they take a few moments to settle in. Grig enters his quarters and has a seat on the bed. In an effort to give his new living space a touch of home, he removes a photo from his bag and places it on the overhead boarding. In the photo, Grig's mother can be seen holding a delicious looking cake. Back on his home world of Orth, she is a renowned chef specializing in desserts. Grig is proud of everything she has accomplished. A message is soon transmitted over the intercom. All new personnel are ordered to report for flight simulator training on deck three.

The New Treasure of the Sierra On-Line (Quest for Glory)

In 2012, I wrote a series of blog entries on the subject of Sierra On-Line memories. It was entitled The Treasure of the Sierra On-Line. It covered Space Quest, Leisure Suit Larry and King's Quest. The three Sierra On-Line franchises which I had the most experiences with at the time. I often regretted not having a place for Quest for Glory. Quest for Glory IV: Shadows of Darkness was, for the most part, my only true experience with that series. It was the only Quest for Glory game that I possessed the original box for. But it was a game, and a series, that I had immense nostalgia for all the same.

With the sudden passing of friend and fellow Sierra On-Line fan, Roberta Vaughan, I decided that now might be the best time to revisit The Treasure of the Sierra On-Line. I am in the process of further exploring various memories of Sierra On-Line. Everything from Space Quest to You Don't Know Jack. From Police Quest to 3-D Ultra Pinball. From King's Quest to Quest for Glory. It may be thirteen years late, but here it is. The Treasure of the Sierra On-Line for Quest for Glory! The series formerly known as Hero's Quest. Sierra On-Line changed the name due to Milton Bradley releasing a board game with a nearly identical name. I sometimes refer to the series as Hero's Quest for Glory. Watch your step! The paint is still wet!

The New Treasure of the Sierra On-Line (Quest for Glory)
Hero or villian. The choice is yours.

So you want to be a hero? It takes more than a mere sword or the ability to conjure a spell to proclaim oneself a hero. It takes courage, determination and self sacrifice. The capacity to drop everything in a heartbeat in the pursuit of helping those in need. And being humble enough not to expect anything in return! A true hero will be judged not by the fancy cape adorned on their back, but by the contents of their character. A cool sounding name never hurts, however!


Hero's Quest: So You Want to Be a Hero? The Milton Bradley Chronicles
So You Want to Be a Pirate? The Secret of Spielburg Land
Quest for Glory: So You Want to Be a Hero?

As the 1990s were slowly drawing to a close, I suddenly found myself playing every single point and click adventure game I could get my grubby little hands on. My brother, on the other hand, had begun to develop a slightly different taste in gaming. He would often seek out games with complex role-playing elements. Games with deeper character customization, level progression, skill trees, turn-based combat and upgradable gear. What if we had the best of both worlds?

While browsing yet another store bargain bin, we happened across a Sierra On-Line game entitled Quest for Glory IV: Shadows of Darkness. A sticker was stamped on the back of the game's box that read, "VALUE PRICED MERCHANDISE - No tech support provided." Based upon the information printed on the box itself, we could infer that the game was indeed a hybrid between a point and click adventure game and a role-playing game.


Quest for Glory IV: Shadows of Darkness (Front of Box)
Courtesy of The Sierra Chest

Nintendo Rhapsody (World 0: The Schoolyard Menace)

Nintendo Rhapsody is an ongoing story about how Nintendo, and video games in general, helped me through some of the harder times in my life. Each chapter, known as a 'world' in Nintendo Rhapsody, is rather self contained with introductions and conclusions.

This particular chapter of Nintendo Rhapsody, World 0: The Schoolyard Menace, serves as a prequel to the events that unfolded in World 1: Far From Home. It chronicles my earliest years in elementary school, a few of my experiences with the Atari 2600 game system, and the circumstances that led to my first encounter with the Nintendo Entertainment System.



World 0-1: Our House

I attended preschool at the YMCA when I was three years old. I was accompanied by my maternal grandmother. She would often stay with me during the classes. I was already showing signs of an attention deficit. My preschool teacher, Mary Ray, seemed very concerned with my inability to remain still. She also raised concerns about my delayed motor skills. My grandmother also seemed worried. I would be entering elementary school at Orchard Dale soon enough. A possible recipe for disaster. A month before my first day at Orchard Dale, my parents and I moved into our new house. They had recently reconciled after a trial separation. During their separation, my mother and I lived with my maternal grandmother. I rarely saw my dad during that time. I still vividly remember the day that my dad drove up in his gold colored Chevrolet Monte Carlo. With a smile planted firmly across my face, I quickly rushed out to greet him. He took me in his loving arms, and it was then that I learned we would soon be moving into our own house. It was time to go home. As my entry into Orchard Dale grew closer, I began to settle into our new home. It was certainly a bigger place than what we had previously on Ruoff. I would even invite my imaginary friend, Haugau, over to visit on a few occasions. He had been a close companion of mine during those tough times while my parents were separated, but as their relationship improved, Haugau and I would slowly drift apart. I eventually learned that he too was moving away. We parted forevermore on a corner near my grandmother's house. Farewell, my shorthaired transparent friend. We shall always have our memories. Our home would soon be joined by two tabby kittens named Tom and Jerry. They were named after the popular cartoon series. My dad would refer to Tom as a puppy as he would often do tricks for him. My morning routine at that time consisted of a juice pack, a package of Ritz Bits and episodes of Woody Woodpecker, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood and Sesame Street. Big Bird was like an idol to me. At long last, September was finally upon us, and with it, my very first day of Kindergarten. One could only hope that Mrs. Evans was prepared for my arrival.

Nintendo Rhapsody (World 9: Reboot) (Work in Progress)

Nintendo Rhapsody is an ongoing story about how Nintendo, and video games in general, helped me through some of the harder times in my life. Each chapter, known as a 'world' in Nintendo Rhapsody, is rather self contained with introductions and conclusions.



World 9-1: Little Boy Blue

Goalsoft had come a long way from its humble beginnings with Clickteam's Klik & Play. My initial goal of building a simple space shooter had evolved into so much more. Goalsoft had since undertaken everything from point and click adventures to turn-based RPGs. As the VP of Goalsoft and Chairman of RPGs, Marlon Castillo, wrote in his yearly press release for 2001, "We are expanding faster than ever before and have a vast community of visitors. In the future we will grow and grow and someday make professional games." That day would appear to have arrived. I had begun work on Space Ruckus: The Great Invasion, a modern 3D reboot of my very first computer game. It would be Goalsoft's ultimate test. Our first truly professional game. And it would be designed with a whole new group of developers. Mark, my fellow moderator and whimsical friend from Chris Cromer's AGI Message Forum, would serve as the game's assistant designer. Ass. designer for short. His expertise in the field of programming would almost certainly prove useful to the project. He had previously, and perhaps most notably, designed a series of desktop applications during his college years. A brand new chapter was just beginning, not unlike the school chapters that came before. Despite the ongoing pressures of game design, I would still find time for other things in my life. I continued to correspond with my middle school friend and pen pal, Melissa, through old fashioned letters of a handwritten nature. It was a joy to see something new in my mailbox every few weeks. We would come to find that we still had much in common. I also still found time to watch television on occasion. I had discovered a new program on the Discovery Channel that seemed to peak my interest. It was known as Mythbusters. Various myths and urban legends were put to the test by Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman. They were my new science teachers. My very explosive science teachers. And of course, I would still find time to play the Nintendo GameCube. Mario Party 5 and Mario Kart: Double Dash!! had just recently joined my collection, and they would soon be seeing quite a bit of playtime. Especially once my nephews and nieces arrived for the holidays. Let the games continue.

Nintendo Rhapsody (World 8: Pros and Cons)

Nintendo Rhapsody is an ongoing story about how Nintendo, and video games in general, helped me through some of the harder times in my life. Each chapter, known as a 'world' in Nintendo Rhapsody, is rather self contained with introductions and conclusions.



World 8-1: Home Sweet Home Again

With my unceremonious departure from Cerritos College, and the apparent end of my school career, I fell back on that which I loved. My ongoing endeavors with Goalsoft. In January of 2001, I launched my first ever online magazine dedicated to Goalsoft. It was no doubt inspired in part by Nintendo Power. The Goalsoft MAG featured monthly interviews administered by Marlon with the various Goalsoft web staff, release dates for upcoming game projects, short stories, poems and one very controversial comedy column. The latter of which was hosted by Dave Smith. Goalsoft's resident comedy writer and beta tester. In the span of time between January and April of that year, I released Sword Quest III: Dimensional Drift, Super Israel World 2 and Swashblood Isle. I had originally intended to develop Swashblood Isle in Glumol, but the tools were unfortunately not made available until much later. I would instead use Clickteam's The Games Factory. Much like Klik & Play, it left something to be desired when developing traditional adventure games. Everything, as usual, had to be created from scratch. That included an inventory screen and dialogue prompt for every possible scenario in the game. Timers were used to tell the game whether or not an event could be triggered, and when and where to display an item. As a result of these limitations and improvisations, Swashblood Isle was more than a little rough around the edges. Clearly, I had an awful lot of free time on my hands. It certainly felt strange being out of school, but I still had a teacher or two in my life. I became rather hooked on TechTV, a cable network focused primarily on the computer industry. Leo Laporte and Patrick Norton hosted a late afternoon show known as The Screen Savers. They covered every computer topic one could imagine, but my favorite segments were the ones where they built custom machines for gaming and whatnot. It would be several years before I attempted such a thing of my own. With 2001 rapidly drawing to a close, I had just one thing on my mind. Nintendo's brand new disc-based console. For the longest time, it was known simply by a codename. Project Dolphin. A name that left quite a bit to the imagination.

The Computer Files Draft Post

The Computer Files
A Nintendo Rhapsody Spin-Off

The Computer Files, Folder 1: ExoDOS (MS-DOS and Windows 3.1)
The Computer Files, Folder 2: CD BDEC (Windows 3.1)
The Computer Files, Folder 3: HIGH Memory (Windows 95 and MS-DOS Mode)
The Computer Files, Folder 4: You've Got Mail (AOL and the World Wide Web)

Memories of Doom/IBM 486 (for Folder 1: ExoDOS)

My grandmother and aunt picked up my first computer from a business, to the best of my recollection, known as NET Computers. It was a custom IBM 486/66 with four megabytes of RAM. I knew next to nothing about computers in 1994. So little so that when I began playing SimCity 2000 and noticed the landscape had edges, I thought I needed more RAM to build bigger cities. I quickly upgraded to eight megabytes of RAM. SimCity 2000 remained, of course, unaffected. My aunt gave me a copy of the original SimCity and Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego. The computer itself came with Doom and Epic Pinball pre-installed in MS-DOS. Doom transported players to the one place nobody wants to go, but it was truly something else in 1994.

That computer was plagued with its fair share of problems. It often suffered from disk read errors, and there were even times in which it would fail to boot at all. I eventually had no choice but to take the computer in to be serviced, and in the process, Doom was completely wiped from the drive. It was not long before I became eager to get my hands on the game again. While browsing a small computer shop with dad, I happened to eye a copy of Doom sitting on one of the software shelves. I was curious as to what exactly the term "Shareware" meant on the game's disc and proceeded to ask a clerk about it before making my purchase. I was told that the label was no big deal; that the complete game should be on the disc. Well, imagine my surprise when I came home and found that only Knee-Deep in the Dead was playable from the episode selection screen.

Nintendo Rhapsody (World 1: Far From Home Redux)

Nintendo Rhapsody is an ongoing story about how Nintendo, and video games in general, helped me through some of the harder times in my life. Each chapter, known as a 'world' in Nintendo Rhapsody, is rather self contained with introductions and conclusions.



World 11-1: Alone in the Dark

When I was eight years of age, I lived away from home five out of seven days a week for a period of six months in East Los Angeles at a facility known simply as The Diagnostic School. On Friday afternoons, I would be released to spend the weekends at home with family. Every Sunday at 5:00 PM, I would have to return to The Diagnostic School for the forthcoming week. Once there, I had to eat cafeteria food. I grew to loathe cafeteria food.

On those particular nights, however, I would often choose a bag of Skittles. I hated Skittles. I greatly preferred M&Ms, but Skittles was all that they seemed to have. I would sit on the far corner of the cafeteria, my back to the window, eating my bag of Skittles. All the while, dreading the days and week ahead. I peered out into the darkness of the night every so often.

Nintendo Rhapsody Notes

A place for my unrestrained thoughts and ideas on the subject of current and future Nintendo Rhapsody chapters. This page also contains some unused content for earlier chapters. Different chapter introductions and extended content.



World Minus 1: Earthbound (Pre-Prequel Chapter)

Prologue: A Birth of Umbilical Proportions

My initial reasoning for the existence of this pre-prequel chapter is that I couldn't seem to find a place for the Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird experience in the opening to The Schoolyard Menace. I went to see the movie at a drive-in movie theater with my parents in 1985. I stuck my head out of the sunroof of our Chevrolet Monte Carlo for the duration of the movie. It was my first moviegoing experience, and it was truly something else. The movie shaped my early childhood, and Big Bird became like an idol to me. I feel as though the experience deserves its own dedicated section, and I am now thinking that it would make more sense thematically in the preceding chapter to The Schoolyard Menace. More than likely the concluding section of Earthbound.

September the eighth, nineteen-eighty-two was a day just like any other. The sun rose just like any other day. It set just like any other day. "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor could be heard on many a radio that day. It had been a popular song throughout the year. Everyone was pumped for the end of summer and the beginning of fall. That very evening, my mother baked chicken in the oven for my dad and herself. My mother was preparing to settle in for another episode of Dynasty. Her favorite soap opera at the time. Things were beginning to heat up in the Carrington family and my mom was very much looking forward to seeing the outcome. Unfortunately, I had other plans that night. Before she could catch up with the residents of Denver, my mother went into labor with me. My dad quickly helped my mother into the car and we were off to Presbyterian Hospital. The half eaten chicken was left behind - to be cleaned up at a later time. It was going to be a long night!

A story about my birth that I originally intended for the end of World 11: Going Home. It was ultimately far too unusual to include in the project: "Life is the biggest adventure. Mine began most unusually. I glimpsed a wondrous light at the end of a tunnel, but could not follow as a result of my umbilical cord. It had become wrapped around my neck and the more I struggled to free myself, the tighter it became. My time in the womb flashed before my eyes. Soon, I began to lose consciousness. A strange tingling sensation was followed by a strong shift in vibration. I then felt myself go limp. I had died. My heart had stopped and my adventure had seemingly come to an end. Yet I could still hear the melody I enjoyed listening to in the womb. I may not have known what a boat was or just how to row it, but I could almost picture them in my mind. Just like that, I found myself in a majestic place. I was sitting beside a beautiful body of water. Numerous living organisms were rooted into the ground. They had bright colored tips growing from their arms. Some of the tips brushed away and fell into the water below. The water carried them to shore. It was simply astonishing. I was suddenly filled with overwhelming joy as a magnificent being appeared, as if from nowhere, and sat beside me. She asked in a loving voice, 'Do you come here often?' I replied with a smile, 'Actually, this is my first time.' She smiled back and said, 'You couldn't have picked a better time. The cherry blossoms are in full bloom.' I looked her in the eyes and said, 'It really is quite lovely. I wish it were like this every day.' She glanced down at the palm of my hand and said, 'Is that a fortune cookie?' I was, at first, hesitant to reveal its contents, but I finally budged and said, 'Why, yes. I ate lunch over there and this was in my order. It reads: Today will be a very good day. Today you will find your destiny.' She gave me a blind stare and said, 'Well?' Confused, I replied, 'Well... what?' She said with a smile across her face, 'Did you find your destiny?' I replied with butterflies in my stomach, 'I believe so, yes.' With a certain gleam in her eyes, she said, 'My name is Noemi. What's yours?' I said with a happy heart, 'Aratana Hajimari, but you can call me Mike.' Noemi smiled and said, 'Well, it's nice to meet you, Mike.' She stood up, and as magnificently as she appeared, was set to leave. I said in a frantic hurry, 'Wait, will I ever see you again?' Noemi chuckled and said, 'I come here every day at the same time, so there's a pretty good chance.' It was a very good day. I found Noemi and was filled with indescribable feelings. It must have been like riding a bicycle. Once I learned, I never truly forgot. I had not died. I had merely graduated. No longer did I need Nintendo to soothe my aching heart. I could finally spread my wings and fly away. I was suddenly surrounded in light. I felt a great sense of joy and peace, but more than anything, an overwhelming sense of love. It was a state of being not unlike nirvana. I slowly began to regain consciousness and found myself to be in a room full of caring beings. They seemed very concerned with my condition. I was injected with a saline solution while my head was covered in a warm cap. One of the beings approached me and said while trying his best to contain a tear, 'We thought we had lost you, Mikey!' He appeared to possess a brighter glow than the rest. I remained in intensive care for quite sometime thereafter, but I was eventually allowed to leave. Dad was waiting for me. It was time to go home. It was time to enter the third dimension."

"Dear Carol & Chuck - We wish to thank you for the cute 'Little Slugger' sleep n' play suit you brought to the hospital. We will have to take Michael in it to see the Angels play next season. Also, thanks so much for the beautiful poodle flower arrangement you sent to the hospital. It really brightened my stay in the hospital. We appreciate your thoughtfulness." -Paul, Denise and Michael

"Dear Denise: Excuse me for not getting over to your apartment last week, but perhaps another time will be better for us. I understand that Paul has some specific ideas about products he wants for the baby, so I thought a check would be the most appropriate gift, and the easiest answer for everyone concerned (certainly for me). Good luck -- you're going to have an armful! P.S. Let me know when you need a babysitter on a weekend... I'd like to be (among) the first to volunteer." -Aunt Lorilee Moore

My First Reading Tutor

I came into this life a destructive force of nature. I was, in my own way, ever curious about the world around me. I just failed to show it in an appropriate manner. Being the slow learner that I was, I would often paint my own version of reality based upon my then limited comprehension.

Needless to say, I learned a lot from the school system, but much of it took place outside the classroom; on the playgrounds, in the lunch rooms, in the offices. It was the people, not the curriculum, that truly mattered. I came to the realization that I was not alone. There were students with far worse disabilities than my own, and there were staff members that legitimately cared for each and every one of them.

It was a treasure trove of experiences, and at the end of the day, it matters not if they were good or bad ones. All that remains to be seen is whether or not something was learned from them. Life, itself, is an institution for learning. The ultimate school system. We pass on what we learn, and what we pass on gives others reason to learn.


Diane Stepnitz

Games of Yesteryear

Below is a handful of my favorite classic computer and video games that have been thoroughly discussed in other articles on The Grig Post. I have included snippets from those articles here. I decided to present them in chronological order because I just cannot seem to bring myself to number them.

Chrono Trigger

I first played Chrono Trigger in 2000; one year after the "Year of Lavos." Technically, I first played it on PC, since I used an emulator (Snes9x). Before I played Chrono Trigger, I was not much of an RPG fan. I had a few friends that were very much into RPGs, however. They strongly suggested that I play a few. I was blown away by the depth of Chrono Trigger.

Nintendo Rhapsody (World 6: It's About Time):

What is time? We like to think of it as a straight line from past to present to future, but our hearts and minds often dwell exclusively in the past or future. We rarely exist in the present moment. Time, it would seem, is merely an earthbound construct. It was the year 2000 AD in actuality, but my mind was fixated ever in the past. 1995 AD to be more precise. I was trying to hunt down a copy of Chrono Trigger for the Super Nintendo. I was very unlikely to still find the game in any store, and virtual console services would not exist for another six years. Thus, I settled on an emulator for Windows 98. I downloaded Snes9x alongside a ROM of Chrono Trigger. I would eventually find and purchase the Sony PlayStation compilation with Final Fantasy IV and the Nintendo DS version of Chrono Trigger, but for now, emulation appeared to be my only option. Chrono Trigger begins with a legitimate sense of joy and wonder. Crono is a carefree boy just out to have fun with his friends on the morning of the Millennial Fair. A stark contrast from The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past in which Link's adventure begins with a frantic quest in the midst of a storm. Both story techniques work effectively in their respective games, but Chrono Trigger does a far better job of building tension, and boy does it deliver on surprise twists. From the moment Crono's mother drew open his bedroom curtains, I knew that I was in for something special. Lucca, one of Crono's dearest friends, is a dedicated scientist and a rather talented inventor. Her latest invention, a teleportation device, was about to take the Millennial Fair by storm.

Nintendo Rhapsody (World 7: The End of the Beginning)

Nintendo Rhapsody is an ongoing story about how Nintendo, and video games in general, helped me through some of the harder times in my life. Each chapter, known as a 'world' in Nintendo Rhapsody, is rather self contained with introductions and conclusions.



World 7-1: Uncharted Territory

I was a very reckless grade schooler one minute, and then the next, a high school graduate on his way to college. I was for the briefest of moments in time, as Ms. Davis said, "the man of the hour." It felt as if life were but glimpses. As I took my first glimpse of Cerritos College, I was filled with a fear of the unknown. The very same fear I had previously felt upon my arrival at California High School and every school before that. I entered into a large enclosed amphitheater. I was taken aback by the sheer scale of the college campus. It gave me such pause, I very nearly forgot the reason for my being there. I approached the front of the amphitheater to collect my entry exam before having a seat. I breezed through the multiple choice questions, but when it came time for the written portion, I struggled to think of anything. It was one of those scenarios where you have to write an essay response to a question. A very specific question designed exclusively for that exam. I consider myself to be a fairly creative person, but writing within those constraints always proved difficult. I had no choice but to take the entry exam over again. During the second attempt, however, I was given more time to wrestle with the question before me. I managed to pass the exam in the end and was thereby approved for three courses. An entry-level math class, a business class and a computer software class. As fate would have it, my computer software teacher was named Mr. Davis. No apparent relation to Ms. Davis. Among other things, I was instructed to write a GW-BASIC program from scratch. It would prompt the user to enter a salesman's name, employee number and sales amount before printing their commission. I found my mind a bit preoccupied those first few days in class. Squaresoft's Chrono Cross was set to release that week on Sony's PlayStation. A spiritual sequel to Chrono Trigger. I was eager to dive into the game having known of its existence for months.

Nintendo Rhapsody (World 6: It's About Time)

Nintendo Rhapsody is an ongoing story about how Nintendo, and video games in general, helped me through some of the harder times in my life. Each chapter, known as a 'world' in Nintendo Rhapsody, is rather self contained with introductions and conclusions.



World 6-1: To Far Away Times

In just three short years, I had made California High School my own. My performance in the classroom had afforded me the opportunity to choose an elective course or special task around campus. I chose to assist Mr. Hales, the physical education teacher, with his daily routine. I would deliver the sporting equipment to the field for practice, deliver the attendance sheets to the office and report any problems directly to Mr. Hales for inspection. More often than not, however, I spent this time standing around the basketball cart chatting with other students who happened to approach me. One of them was named Shalimar. Her boyfriend, Randy, had recently broken up with her and she was feeling quite down on herself. I would sit with her on occasion. I tried my best to lift her spirits. "You never know who you might meet out of the blue," I told her. I had personally experienced my own fair share of struggles in life, but something good always seemed right around the corner. I just had to believe in myself. She appeared to appreciate the sentiment. "Out of the blue" became a source of inspiration to her and she would come to remind me of that a few times. And then there was Jovani. We chatted about video games. One video game in particular. The then unreleased Perfect Dark for Nintendo 64. Rare's spiritual successor to GoldenEye 007. We would each comb the web for any clues we could find about the upcoming game and then report back in Mr. Hales' class. It would be quite some time before we actually got our hands on Perfect Dark.

Nintendo Rhapsody (World 5: Nintendo Strikes Back)

Nintendo Rhapsody is an ongoing story about how Nintendo, and video games in general, helped me through some of the harder times in my life. Each chapter, known as a 'world' in Nintendo Rhapsody, is rather self contained with introductions and conclusions.



World 5-1: A Whole New World

With Barbara Dawson Educational Center now firmly in the past, I began attending California High School. The adjustment period was somewhat less unnerving than Hillview Middle School. I credit my early enrollment in summer school. I had a whole month to absorb the campus before the overwhelming invasion of students in September. During this relatively quiet time, I became acquainted with one of the more interesting teachers on campus. Her name was Tamara, but of course, everyone knew her as Ms. Davis. Gone were the days of being on a first name basis. Fellow class members remember her best for her love of pumpkin seeds. I remember, from the moment I first met her, her sense of humor. Ms. Davis was a lighthearted woman, sure, but she also had a rather strict side. It was not wise to upset her. The months flew by in the blink of an eye. Christmas arrived right on schedule. Santa Claus delivered a very exciting present to my brother and I that year. It was none other than the Nintendo 64 and it was not alone. It came with Cruis'n USA, Killer Instinct Gold, Mortal Kombat Trilogy, Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire, Wave Race 64, but most importantly, Super Mario 64. It was not long at all before a debate was had to decide whose room the system would reside in. A few days later, we all contracted chicken pox and the two week quarantine period began. Let the games begin.

Conrad the Healer

INTRODUCTION

I reckon you've heard of the name Conrad Sheldon; else you wouldn't be here. Everyone in Hicksville knows his name. He was born with a rare learning disorder. All throughout his days, he was licked in every task by no fault of his own. He struggled as he might to spell, but he served his purpose well.

You see, Conrad Sheldon had a heart of pure gold. Most folks, well, they never back down from a fight. Conrad was different. Conrad would face a fight with a kind of innocence about him. Some of them folks wrote it off as mere ignorance. Conrad just sought to share in his love of life. He knew nothing of resentment. Hicksville is a better place having known him.

If you should permit me the time, I'll tell you more about Conrad Sheldon.

What was that? The next bus out of Hicksville aint for another three hours yet. Sure, we have plenty of time. Allow me to start from the beginning...

CHAPTER 1: FARTHER SON

Part 1: Reintroduction

Conrad Sheldon was born to Roy and Petunia Sheldon of Sunnybrook Lane. Roy, the only son of a Jewish household, and Petunia, a devout Catholic. They weren't always in agreement with one another, but they knew in their hearts that which was best for their children.

Their daughter, Vespa, was born a few years after Conrad, and by that point, Roy had taken a job as a high school math teacher. He grew ever more curious with computers. They were but a strange contraption to most folks at the time, but he desired to understand them more fully.

Roy eventually mastered a multitude of programming languages. A skill that would prove most useful to Conrad in his own quest to understand the world around him. With the help of his father, Conrad might even live out the fantasy of a king.

Psychoeducation: Preschool

This hand written letter (which I have copied word for word) predates my entry into Orchard Dale Elementary by two years. It appears to be penned by my maternal grandmother, Allene. It paints a clearer picture of my childhood emotional state. I previously assumed the problems to have begun in elementary school. In fact, my wave of destruction began much sooner. For example, I drove a car into my grandmother’s house at the age of two.

Psychoeducation: The Diagnostic Center

In January of 1991, I began attending The Diagnostic Center in Los Angeles, and thus, the Rossier School chapter came to a close. I wrote at length about this time in my life for Nintendo Rhapsody. It may not have been my first encounter with Nintendo, but it was certainly quite impressionable. When given the opportunity to spend time with the NES in the recreation room, I could easily find myself so entranced I would, for a brief moment, forget I was living away from home. My memory of the actual school environment at The Diagnostic Center remains a bit fuzzy, but some of the reports I have discovered may shed some light on the subject. This is a very much abridged version, by the way. There are twenty pages of mostly boring, deeply versed statistics. "This thing reads like stereo instructions!"

Psychoeducation: The Second First Grade

In May of 1989, my time at Orchard Dale Elementary came to an abrupt end. I was placed in a non-public school known as Rossier. My memory of this school is also a bit fuzzy, but I do remember some things here and there. I remember carrying a float back from an event in the gymnasium, the wind blowing it from my arms, and trying desperately to retrieve the scattered pieces from the field where I was suddenly ambushed by a group of students on the playground. I curled into a ball and they proceeded to kick at me until they grew tired of this activity. I then walked back to class, empty handed. I also remember stretching my arms backward while sitting at my desk one day, pencil in hand, when I managed to stab the teaching assistant. Until this very day, I feel as though it was an accident, but they took it very seriously. Below are a set of generalized reports from April 30th, 1990. At present, there do not appear to be any specific incident reports from Rossier.

Easter with the Haleys

With a lack of progress on Ancestry with the Haleys, my video anthology dedicated to the Haley family remained dormant for a few years. I would often entertain the idea of a new video, but was at a loss for content.

In 2014, I set out to locate the missing Easters. Dad was good about labeling home movies, but for some reason, this egg-filled holiday always fell near the end of existing VHS tapes. Sometimes, it was not labeled at all. The video hunt was a bit like Easter itself. However, just in time for that year's Easter Sunday, I found all but one. I have reason to believe 1997 was not filmed. As I was not prepared to enter the director's seat on an Easter with the Haleys, I merely shared the uncut footage with family. I thought the idea made little sense at the time. Choosing the best moments from Christmas, Campland and Disneyland was difficult enough. Easter has always been a tricky occasion to cover. I know, for some, its religious significance is a turn off. Not only that. Who wants to watch three kids look for eggs for twenty minutes?


Easter 1994

Psychoeducation: The First Grade

I recently discovered my IEP papers from elementary school and was quite shocked by some of the things I found. I was always a relatively average child according to everyone I knew and spoke to, but as I entered Kindergarten and then Grade 1, I began to exhibit serious emotional problems. I have very few memories from this time, but I do recall being reminded by my parents of a few incidents. One of which left a custodian hospitalized. The following stories come from the staff of Orchard Dale Elementary the month of and month following Easter, 1989. I was six years old. I must warn everyone, it is quite intense!

I am sharing these stories in an effort to show I have nothing to hide. I made some serious mistakes as a child, more severe than most children, but I am certainly not the only one who ever gave in to impulsive actions or judged others before they knew all the facts. If we are to truly become better people, we need to focus on the strengths of others, not their weaknesses. I wish I could comfort the people in these stories. Chances are, however, they would not remember me. It was twenty-seven years ago, after all.