Obviously, I haven't been making huge tweaks to the blogs after the recent change of some enormity, but today I did add one tweak that's been on my mind for a bit: a bar along the top of the page so that it's easy to return to your own profile if you visit a friend's blog. It's something some of you had asked about, as well.

Another change I may implement today is a change to add replies to the "Friends" page, so that it's easier to see discussions friends might be having that you aren't necessarily aware exist. It's likely I'll put that change in place today, perhaps even in the next few minutes. It'll make it easier for more people to join interesting discussions.

This section of the site is obviously still a work in progress. I hope that you're enjoying the streamlined design as much as I am. Thanks for continuing to frequent the site and for posting in your blogs when you have something to share.

Awesome write-up describing what sounds like a wonderful event. Thanks for sharing!

I downloaded Pushmo this afternoon. Now a few hours later, I'm at 4-6 and ready to stop for a bit. I didn't skip any puzzles, so my brain is a bit fried at this point. Getting to the top of the Christmas Tree was quite the ordeal, and there were a few other tough puzzles along the way, as well (the NES controller comes to mind).

I use Microsoft Word and sometimes Open Office. I also write a surprising amount of stuff in regular Notepad if I'm in a rush.

Why does EmP already have five orbs while everyone else has four?

The only one of those games I don't own is Pushmo. I'm thinking I probably need to get it. I hear overwhelmingly good things about it. Lucid I picked up on the Steam sale, like you. In Zelda, the skulltula spiders got me, too. And you know how I feel about Mario Kart 7. It's like we're the same person this week!

Myself, I've been playing a game that I'll be reviewing next week, so I'll save up anything I have to say and talk about it then. I haven't had much motivation to do anything lately or I'd have more game progress to share. I need to shake this funk.

Because when I think "not hardcore," I definitely picture Mega Man. A game isn't hardcore unless it's downright gritty, don't you know?

Those are definitely some nice perks. I'm not sure if a lot of RPGs thought such a system would eliminate the mystery (there's an argument to be made for that, definitely) or if they were trying to sell guides or what. In any console generation, it seems like there are development teams that "get it" and there are others who make similar games but always fail to include features that could make their respective games so much better. It's a pity.

I was disappointed when I couldn't get more games for you, but pleased when I was able to get the publisher to send you Tropico 4. I really enjoyed its predecessor, and I was confident that I was getting them to send you something you would enjoy. I'm glad I was right, but the down side is that I didn't get a copy myself. I probably should remedy that someday.

With Super Mario 3D Land, you're still playing through the initial content, right? I found most of that really simple, but things get insane once you finish World 8. I felt like the difficulty up to that point was just about perfect.

It's because of the quotation marks.

Testing 7. 2

Testing 3.

Thanks. I certainly hope it doesn't go away.

You should totally review Wizardry 8 and the Nancy Drew game.

Testing again.

Testing again...

It's clear that you listen to WAY more music than I ever will. You probably listen to more in a month than I do in 2 or 3 years, judging by your massive list. I've only even heard of maybe half of the names on that list, and most of those bands I haven't actually heard perform (either live or by way of a recording). Your passion for music is awesome. I used to love music when I was in high school and for a few years after that. I'm not sure what happened.

As you can see, the blogs are sort of working now. I thought I'd take a moment to update you on what's changed before I retire for the evening.

* Old content that was previously accessible through blogs can no longer be accessed in that manner, as I noted some time ago would eventually be the case. Now you'll be able to use your blog to access only content that is actually live on the site: reviews, previews, interviews and news articles.

* Your landing page is no longer your blog. On your landing page, the most recent blog post that you made will display, as will your greeting message. However, you'll now see recent content submissions listed. This should be handy for regular contributors. You can go to one place to remind yourself what you've recently reviewed, you can click to edit or delete (as permitted) and you can also click if there are feedback topics. It's also still possible to click "Reviews" on the top bar if you want to check out your complete review listings.

* Overall blog search is gone. It tended to lead to spammers and such, anyway. Currently, the only way to find a blog is to click through from the main site. You can also click "Friends" to view recent posts from people who you have added as friends. Besides reducing strain on the site during peak times, this has the added bonus of ensuring that you're less likely to see content from people who really get under your skin.

* The blogs now provide you with 728 pixels, so you can post images that large or smaller without worrying that part of the image won't display. Because the right column is gone now, the net effect is that the site should also be viewable on very low resolutions without the need for too many scroll bars. With the proliferation of mobile Internet browsers, this could be a definite positive. Blogs also look less cluttered.

There is still work to be done. I'll be removing a lot of account functions that no longer make sense because of the revised design. There's some general polishing and additional streamlining that I'd still like to do, as well. However, the blogs are now functional and you should be able to use them without incident, even as minor work continues periodically over the coming weeks.

As always, thanks for using the site and the blogs. I hope that you find the updated format helpful. See you around!

300. “Caffeinated Consciousness” – TV on the Radio
299. “The Piano Drop” – Tim Hecker
298. “Go Ahead” – Banjo or Freakout
297. “Jake and Eggars” – The World/Inferno Friendship Society
296. “Sleep Dealer” – Oneohtrix Point Never
295. “Calamity Song” – The Decemberists
294. “Hunger Song” – The Middle East
293. “Before” – Washed Out
292. “Children” – The Rapture
291. “The Circle Married the Line” – Feist
290. “Return to the Violence of the Ocean Floor” – Moonface
289. “The Last Living Rose” – PJ Harvey
288. “Human Qualities” – Explosions in the Sky
287. “17” – Youth Lagoon
286. “Flare” – Boris
285. “Forever 28” – Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks
284. “Memories of the Future” – Handsome Furs
283. “Bumper” – Cults
282. “I Found a Reason” – VHS or Beta
281. “Calgary” – Bon Iver
280. “Adam’s Plane” – Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
279. “Shift Operator” – Obits
278. “The Bay” – Metronomy
277. “Reunion” – M83
276. “One Hand Loves the Other” – Bodies of Water
275. “Sundome (ft. Yamantaka Eye)” – Battles
274. “Birth of Serpents” – The Mountain Goats
273. “Before the Bridge” – Future Islands
272. “Be the One” – Moby
271. “Hurting” – Friendly Fires
270. “Two Cousins” – Slow Club
269. “Monkeys Uptown” – Iron & Wine
268. “Berlin” – Is Tropical
267. “Give Up the Ghost” – Radiohead
266. “Suicide Demo for Kara Walker” – Destroyer
265. “Don’t Stop” – The Dodos
264. “The Birds” – Elbow
263. “Rox in the Box” – The Decemberists
262. “New Beat” – Toro y Moi
261. “Itchy Fingers” – Junior Boys
260. “Cape Dory” – Tennis
259. “Audio, Video, Disco” – Justice
258. “Odd Soul” – MUTEMATH
257. “Seekir” – Zola Jesus
256. “Life Is Simple in the Moonlight” – The Strokes
255. “Unless I’m Led” – Mates of State
254. “Hold My Breath” – Holy Ghost!
253. “Sister” – The Black Keys
252. “Que veux-tu” – Yelle
251. “City Grrrl” – CSS
250. “Austere” – The Joy Formidable
249. “Slow Motion” – Panda Bear
248. “Parenthesis” – The Antlers
247. “Holy Holy” – Wye Oak
246. “Breaking Down” – Florence + the Machine
245. “Mona Vegas” – Starfucker
244. “Power of Persuasion” – Oneohtrix Point Never
243. “Coming Up” – Asobi Seksu
242. “Lose It” – Austra
241. “Chasing It Down” – Mother Mother
240. “Steve McQueen” – M83
239. “Mona Lisa” – Atlas Sound
238. “Blue Cassette” – Friendly Fires
237. “Cannons” – Little Scream
236. “Tree by the River” – Iron & Wine
235. “Knuckle Down” – Man Man
234. “Tripped and Fell in Love” – YACHT
233. “Let England Shake” – PJ Harvey
232. “Keep Your Heart” – TV on the Radio
231. “Inn Keeping” – The Sea and Cake
230. “Hounds” – The Antlers
229. “Plainclothes” – Cymbals Eat Guitars
228. “The Bad in Each Other” – Feist
227. “Come Back to Me” – The Rapture
226. “Otis (ft. Otis Redding)” – Jay-Z and Kanye West
225. “Fun Girl” – Jessica 6
224. “How Can You Swallow So Much Sleep” – Bombay Bicycle Club
223. “All in a Summer Day” – VHS or Beta
222. “Pharaohs & Pyramids” – Cut Copy
221. “High Hawk Season” – The Mountain Goats
220. “Perfection” – Oh Land
219. “Brick by Brick” – Arctic Monkeys
218. “You Know What I Mean” – Cults
217. “Towers” – Bon Iver
216. “Secretary Song” – The Go! Team
215. “Jump on My Shoulders” – AWOLNATION
214. “Rise to Me” – The Decemberists
213. “Vessel” – Zola Jesus
212. “The Wall” – Yuck
211. “Whale Song (Song Instead of a Kiss)” – Moonface
210. “Helix” – Justice
209. “Black Dunes” – This Will Destroy You
208. “Inchworm” – Battles
207. “Morning Mr. Magpie” – Radiohead
206. “South Pacific” – Is Tropical
205. “Blood Pressure” – MUTEMATH
204. “Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out” – The Antlers
203. “In the Grace of Your Love” – The Rapture
202. “Aileron” [Heavy Rocks version] – Boris
201. “Diamonds and Death” – VHS or Beta
200. “Spectrum” – Florence + the Machine
199. “Idiot Rain” – Banjo or Freakout
198. “Cheerleader” – St. Vincent
197. “We Bros” – WU LYF
196. “Second Chance” – Junior Boys
195. “I Don’t Want to See You Like This” – The Joy Formidable
194. “Running Away” – Friendly Fires
193. “Hysterical” – Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
192. “Half Moon” – Iron & Wine
191. “Ixode” – Zola Jesus
190. “Follow the Leader” – Sloan
189. “Gold on the Ceiling” – The Black Keys
188. “Simply Simple” – Mother Mother
187. “Do It Again” – Holy Ghost!
186. “The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala” – Arctic Monkeys
185. “By Your Hand” – Los Campesinos!
184. “Leave It” – Bombay Bicycle Club
183. “Pulse” – I Break Horses
182. “New Map” – M83
181. “Black Cloud” – Little Scream
180. “No Widows” – The Antlers
179. “I’ll Take My Chances” – Is Tropical
178. “Last Known Surroundings” – Explosions in the Sky
177. “I Want Results” – Obits
176. “Machu Picchu” – The Strokes
175. “The Future” – Austra
174. “Saying I Love You” – Girls
173. “In the Heat” – Jessica 6
172. “Home Is a Fire” – Death Cab for Cutie
171. “I Am Sick of People Being Sick of My Shit” – The World/Inferno Friendship Society
170. “Pink Light” – Asobi Seksu
169. “New West” – Cult of Youth
168. “In No Time” – MUTEMATH
167. “Queen of Hearts” – Fucked Up
166. “Most Wanted” – Cults
165. “Bury Me Standing” – Handsome Furs
164. “Chimie physique” – Yelle
163. “Julius” – Starfucker
162. “Belong” – The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
161. “House” – Patrick Wolf
160. “When Will You Go” – The Dodos
159. “Get Some” – Lykke Li
158. “No Light, No Light” – Florence + the Machine
157. “Cannons” – Youth Lagoon
156. “Party Boy” [New Album version] – Boris
155. “Splendor” – M83
154. “How Come You Never Go There” – Feist
153. “Stutter” – Yuck
152. “A Truly Happy Ending” – Junior Boys
151. “Strange Mercy” – St. Vincent
150. “Abducted” – Cults
149. “Two Lovers” – The Rural Alberta Advantage
148. “I Might” – Wilco
147. “Little Black Submarines” – The Black Keys
146. “A Heavy Abacus” – The Joy Formidable
145. “Putting the Dog to Sleep” – The Antlers
144. “Black Night” – The Dodos
143. “Adult Goth” – Gang Gang Dance
142. “The Look” – Metronomy
141. “Never Gonna Die Again” – The Rapture
140. “Make Some Noise” – Beastie Boys
139. “Africastle” – Battles
138. “White Gold” – Ladytron
137. “Let Me Back In” – Explosions in the Sky
136. “Separator” – Radiohead
135. “Jam for Jerry” – Holy Ghost!
134. “Down by the Water” – The Decemberists
133. “Spooky Jookie” – Man Man
132. “Trails” – Asobi Seksu
131. “True Loves” – Hooray for Earth
130. “Le grand saut” – Yelle
129. “Escapee” – Architecture in Helsinki
128. “Shuffle” – Bombay Bicycle Club
127. “The Greatest Light Is the Greatest Shade” – The Joy Formidable
126. “Something Came Over Me” – Wild Flag
125. “Attention Please” – Boris
124. “Allies” – MUTEMATH
123. “Last Night at the Jetty” – Panda Bear
122. “Newlands” – Justice
121. “Kimmi in a Rice Field” – Twin Sister
120. “Curl of the Burl” – Mastodon
119. “Kill Your Heroes” – AWOLNATION
118. “Second Song” – TV on the Radio
117. “In My Head” – Dum Dum Girls
116. “Such a Sad Puppy Dog” – WU LYF
115. “Alex” – Girls
114. “Take Me Over” – Cut Copy
113. “Open Rhythms” – Bodies of Water
112. “Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair” – Arctic Monkeys
111. “Sway” – Mates of State
110. “Goodbye Kiss” – Kasabian
109. “What the Water Gave Me” – Florence + the Machine
108. “I Kill Your Love, Baby” – I Break Horses
107. “Art of Almost” – Wilco
106. “No Feelings” – Handsome Furs
105. “Little by Little” – Radiohead
104. “Lorelai” – Fleet Foxes
103. “Überlin” – R.E.M.
102. “My Machines (ft. Gary Numan)” – Battles
101. “Every Defeat a Divorce (Three Lions)” – Los Campesinos!
100. “Flikr of Ur Eyes” – Swarms
99. “Breaking Bones” – VHS or Beta
98. “Super Duper Rescue Heads!” – Deerhoof
97. “Hold On” – Holy Ghost!
96. “Prisoner of Love (ft. Antony Hegarty)” – Jessica 6
95. “Comme un enfant” – Yelle
94. “Perfectly Crystal” – Asobi Seksu
93. “Corner of the Sky” – Cut Copy
92. “Taken for a Fool” – The Strokes
91. “Capybara” – Farewell Continental
90. “Polish Girl” – Neon Indian
89. “Don’t Carry It All” – The Decemberists
88. “Shivers” – Zola Jesus
87. “Surgeon” – St. Vincent
86. “Sick of You” – Cake
85. “Rabbit Will Run” – Iron & Wine
84. “Muscle Relaxants” – The Rural Alberta Advantage
83. “Balance” – Future Islands
82. “Quarantine” – MUTEMATH
81. “Glass Bubbles” – All Tiny Creatures
80. “Futura” – Battles
79. “In the Dark Places” – PJ Harvey
78. “Money” – The Drums
77. “L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.” – Noah and the Whale
76. “All Die Young” – Smith Westerns
75. “Buy Nothing Day” – The Go! Team
74. “Everybody” – VHS or Beta
73. “After the Moment” – Craft Spells
72. “Marathon” – Tennis
71. “Fast Peter” – Moonface
70. “I Follow Rivers” – Lykke Li
69. “Dead and Gone” – The Black Keys
68. “The Greeks” – Is Tropical
67. “Static on the Wire” – Holy Ghost!
66. “Night Air” – Jamie Woon
65. “Virgin” – Manchester Orchestra
64. “The Heron and the Fox” – Little Scream
63. “Hits Me Like a Rock” – CSS
62. “Missing Pieces” – Boris
61. “Killed the Lord, Left for the New World” – This Will Destroy You
60. “Dystopia (The Earth Is on Fire)” – YACHT
59. “Sails” – Hooray for Earth
58. “She’s Thunderstorms” – Arctic Monkeys
57. “Woods” – The Rosebuds
56. “Baby Don’t Dance” – Mother Mother
55. “Intro (ft. Zola Jesus)” – M83
54. “Canon” – Justice
53. “Sun God” – Cut Copy
52. “Days Are Forgotten” – Kasabian
51. “Shook Down” – Yuck
50. “On’n’on” – Justice
49. “Prytania” – MUTEMATH
48. “Gangsta” – tUnE-yArDs
47. “Cradle” – The Joy Formidable
46. “Go Outside” – Cults
45. “Thirteen Years Without Peter King” – The World/Inferno Friendship Society
44. “Death as a Fetish” – Starfucker
43. “Unkind” – Sloan
42. “Shake It Out” – Florence + the Machine
41. “Act on Impulse” – We Were Promised Jetpacks
40. “How Deep Is Your Love?” – The Rapture
39. “Leave the Drummer Out There” – Asobi Seksu
38. “Confetti” – Cold Cave
37. “Beat and the Pulse” – Austra
36. “Romance” – Wild Flag
35. “Shangri-La” – YACHT
34. “Holocene” – Bon Iver
33. “Bay of Pigs” – Destroyer
32. “Under the Sun” – VHS or Beta
31. “Some Children (ft. Michael McDonald)” – Holy Ghost!
30. “Don’t Try and Hide It” – The Dodos
29. “I Don’t Want Love” – The Antlers
28. “Civilian” – Wye Oak
27. “Lonely Boy” – The Black Keys
26. “Live Those Days Tonight” – Friendly Fires
25. “Graveyard” – Feist
24. “White Horse” – Jessica 6
23. “French Exit” – The Antlers
22. “Wait” – M83
21. “Repatriated” – Handsome Furs
20. “East Harlem” – Beirut
19. “Days” – The Drums
18. “Contact High” – Architecture in Helsinki
17. “Postcard from 1952” – Explosions in the Sky
16. “Lotus Flower” – Radiohead
15. “One Sunday Morning (Song for Jane Smiley’s Boyfriend)” – Wilco
14. “We Have Everything” – Young Galaxy
13. “The City” – Patrick Wolf
12. “Circuital” – My Morning Jacket
11. “Cruel” – St. Vincent
10. “Whirring” – The Joy Formidable
9. “Bury Us Alive” – Starfucker
8. “Will Do” – TV on the Radio
7. “Ice Cream (ft. Matias Aguayo)” – Battles
6. “Walking Far From Home” – Iron & Wine
5. “Civilization” – Justice
4. “Under Cover of Darkness” – The Strokes
3. “Need You Now” – Cut Copy
2. “Midnight City” – M83
1. “Banana Ripple” – Junior Boys