It was a beautiful letdown
When I crashed and burned
When I found myself alone
Unknown and hurt
It was a beautiful letdown
The day I knew
That all the riches this world had to offer me
Would never do

In a world full of bitter pain
And bitter doubts
I was trying so hard to fit in
Fit in, until I found out

I don’t belong here (I don’t belong)
I don’t belong here (I don’t belong)
I will carry a cross and a song
Where I don’t belong
I don’t belong

It was a beautiful letdown
When You found me here
Yeah, for once in a rare blue moon
I see everything clear
I’ll be a beautiful letdown
That’s what I’ll forever be
And though it may cost my soul
I’ll sing for free

We’re still chasing our tails
In the rising sun
In our dark water planet still spinning
In a direction no one wins
No one’s won.

See, I don’t belong here (I don’t belong)
Well, I don’t belong here, I don’t belong
I will carry a cross
With a song where I don’t belong
I don’t belong
I don’t belong here (I don’t belong)
No, I don’t belong here, I don’t belong
I’m gonna set side
And set sail
For the kingdom come, kingdom come
Your kingdom come
Won’t you let me down, yeah
Let my foolish pride forever let me down

Ah, Easy living, you’re not much like the name
Easy dying, you look just about the same
Would you please take me off your list
Easy living please c’mon and let me down

We are a beautiful letdown
Painfully uncool
The church of the dropouts
The losers, the sinners, the failures, and the fools
What a beautiful letdown
Are we salt in the wound
Hey, let us sing one true tune

I don’t belong here (I don’t belong)
It feels like I don’t belong here, yeah
It goes like I don’t belong here
I don’t belong (I don’t belong)
Won’t you let me down (I don’t belong)
C’mon and let me down (I don’t belong)
You always let me down (I don’t belong)
So glad that I’m let down (I don’t belong)
C’mon and let me down (I don’t belong)
‘Cause I don’t belong here
Won’t you let me down!

I did today’s NOEO reading, but I don’t really feel like commenting on it. So I’m writing a short analysis on something completely different. Here are part of the lyrics to Switchfoot’s great song ‘More Than Fine.’

When I wake in the morning,
I want to blow into pieces.
I want more than just ok, more than just ok.
When I’m up with the sunrise
I want more than just blue skies.
I want more than just ok, more than just OK.

I’m not giving up, giving up, not giving up now.
I’m not giving up, giving up, not backing down.

More than fine, more than bent on getting by.
More than fine, more than just ok.

If someone were to ask me how I was right now, I could give a variety of responses. A sample would include fine, OK, tired, bored and alright. Are we taking life for granted? When I’m up with the sunrise, I do want to blow into peices. It’s something to think about.

Meet the iPhone. Rumors had been floating around (lol, listen to me), that Apple was going to release a touch-screen, widescreen iPod. Also that they were going to release a phone. Looks like they’re combined. With some great new features.

I’m selling my Nano. I’m getting one of these when they come out. I’m long overdue for a new phone…
I’m such a geek, I’m so excited for this thing, and I don’t even know the specs yet.

I think we’re going somewhere
We’re onto something good here
Out of mind, out of state
Trying to keep my head on straight
I think we’re going somewhere
We’re onto something good here
There’s only one thing left to do
Drop all I have and go with You

Somewhere back there, I left my worries all behind
My problems fell out of the back of my mind
We’re going and I’m never knowing
Never knowing where we’re going
To go back to where I was would just be wrong
I’m pressing on

Pressing on
All my distress is going, going, gone
Pressing on, pressing on
And I won’t sit back, and take this anymore
Cause I’m done with that, I’ve got one foot out the door
And to go back where I was would just be wrong
I’m pressing on
~Relient K

I’ve decided to try something new and do a little analysis of some companies. I’m not sure why, but I’m driving home from Virginia and I’m bored. First of all, I’m a huge fan of both of these companies. That makes me a large minority in the nation at the moment. I own a Wii and an iPod, and I plan to make my first computer a Macbook and eventually I’ll get around to getting a Nintendo DS. I’m currently typing this on my mom’s old iBook. I’ve noticed a few similarities between the companies and I feel like typing them up.

1: Ease of use. Macs have long been known as the simplest systems to use – an intuitive interface designed with you in mind – without stupid options or menus. Microsoft is gaining back ground in this area, but I’d still argue that MacOS is a lot easier to than Windows (albeit I’ve never used Vista). Nintendo uses the same ideals. The motion controller on the Wii and the touch screen on the DS are all designed to make use as simple as possible. Don’t hold forward on the stick, hold L and press B, just shake the controller. The touch screen is possibly a better example, everyone and their grandma can put the stylus on a button. They both boast simplistic and intuitive control schemes. As a little addition to this topic, they’ve always focused on tasks that people want to do. Nintendo believes that someone who buys a game console wants to play games, not watch movies or buy music. Likewise, Apple thinks that people want to use their computers to do stuff with media, not play games or make SQL tables.

2: Money-Making. This one is not as apparent, but both companies make money on their hardware, which is primarily designed to play first-party software. While Sony loses 200-300$ with every Playstation3 sold, Nintendo makes about 12 bucks. Apple does the same thing (though with a bit larger of a number…). Traditionally, Nintendo systems have been designed to play Nintendo games – an excellent example being the Nintendo64 and Super Mario 64. Apple designs the majority of their software as well, partly because few other companies do it.

3: Innovation. The iPod largely created the MP3 player market. It was because it had the best navigation system, as well as the best storage. People would argue that the majority of innovation in the Operating Systems consisted of Apple creating and Microsoft improving. Likewise, the game pad, shoulder button, trigger button, analog stick, 4-button diamond layout, and motion controls were all originally created for Nintendo Systems (NES, SNES, N64, N64, SNES, Wii respectively). They also created handheld gaming as we know it. Needless to say, neither gaming nor computers (or the music industry for that matter) would be the same without these companies.

4: Strategy. When Apple created the iPod, nobody knew it. It was just the iPod – you had to search pretty hard to figure out that it was made by Apple Computers. That was because the people had in their minds that Apple made crappy stuff. iPod was something new, without preconceived notions. As a result, when the iPod exploded, people found out that Apple made it and started to believe that Apple made good stuff, and they’re still known as the best computer for all types of media and such. Nintendo is doing the same thing. Every Nintendo system before has proudly boasted the name Nintendo. Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo Game Boy, Nintendo 64, Nintendo GameCube, Nintendo DS. At the beginning that was a good thing, the word Nintendo was synonymous with Video Game (you know, Sony’s new nintendo…). That’s not the case anymore, though, and Nintendo’s (finally) realized that. Gamers think of it as a system for kids, adults think of it as a system for their kids. Lets hope they pull an iPod with the Wii and get Nintendo to become a good name again.

5: Appearance. This is what really got me interested in the similarities between the companies, as it’s now hard to look at a Nintendo system without thinking of an iPod. Though I consider it a blatant rip-off of Apple’s style, I defiantly think it’s a change for the better. Compared to the purple lunch box known as the Gamecube. The DS lite was released in Apple Polar White, and the Wii was then made of the same material. Even the Wii logo is reminiscent of the iPod. Also, each company makes a home system (Mac, Wii) and a portable system (iPod, DS), and in both cases the portable is more popular.

6: Competition. Just a little interjection here – they’re both competing against Microsoft. Heh.

7: User base. Both companies have a solid, devoted user base who won’t use anything but their respective products, and often have some mean and nasty stereotypes attached to them. Heh (Not like those Apple commercials help, despite my love for them). They’re both largely trailing their industries, with a fraction of the install base.

Jeez, now I feel bad that I’ve written more about Computers than about the Bible. Oh well, once Noeo starts I’ll have more to discuss. Almost done here.
Speculation: OK, so the companies have lots in common. But do you think that’ll ever lead to something? I doubt it, but it’s cool to think about. What if Apple and Nintendo were to merge? Will I ever get syncing between the Wii and the iPod. Will I ever get an iTunes Channel where I can access my iTunes library remotely and listen during games without a HDD? What about viewing movies, pics, and music off my Mac Pro remotely from my DS at any Hotspot? Could we actually get a Mario, Metroid or Zelda on a Mac? Who knows? Just something to think about. And Steve or Reggie, if you’re reading this, I only want a small royalty for the idea.