I've been meaning to set up a personal blog for myself for a long time, but, for some reason or another (mainly due to procrastination), I haven't been able to get around to it. One of my resolutions for the New Year is to start to write again, and I thought a blog would be a great way to get back into it. As I said previously, this is to be my personal blog, the Blog of Dale if you will. It isn't going to be a diary of my life, which wouldn't exactly make for an interesting read; I'll be posting about the different subjects I'm interested in. First, a little background info... I'm currently attending York University, taking a double major in Philosophy and Social & Political Thought (essentially a program covering all of the social sciences). I very much enjoy learning & reading about philosophy, psychology and politics, so naturally all three of those topics will be discussed here. My goal is to write posts in these areas that will generate discussion and encourage the exchange of ideas, not simply to stand up on my virtual soapbox and spew out my opinions. I don't claim to be an expert in any of these fields, but talking with others about it seems like the best way to learn. This blog isn't just for me to write about what I study in school, but to also write about the things I love, and I absolutely love video games. I've been playing them pretty much my whole life. I wouldn't refer to myself as a "gamer" (who likes to pigeon hole themselves like that?), but I find playing through a good game just as satisfying as finishing a good book or watching a good film. I'll be talking about games I enjoy playing, and comment on the state of the game industry as well, from a hobbyist's point of view. I'm also heavily interested in all kinds of technology. I grew up watching my late uncle fiddle with all the newest products on the market. He always had to have the latest and greatest, whether it was one of the first graphic accelerators to be sold, or a new speaker system which he can connect to his top-of-the-line Pentium II PC. This passion of his was passed down to me. Whether it's open source software, cameras, or the Large Hadron Collider, I'm most likely interested in it; so I'll be commenting on the tech stories I find interesting as I find them. This blog is also going to serve as a testing ground for me to practice my amateur web design skills on, starting with basic HTML/CSS editing. Hey, you gotta start somewhere, right? Over the past six months, I've become addicted to a handful of TV shows. Before the summer of 2008, I rarely watched television, but I've become addicted to Lost, Heroes, Battlestar Galactica, and Fringe. It's a little unhealthy, but these serialized shows really know how to keep people hooked. After each episode, I'll most likely be giving my two cents. For films, it's the same deal. It's my blog and I'll use it how I see fit! Anyway, that is a good as an introduction as I can give at the moment. I will be fixing the blog up over the next few weeks, adding more content, a new design, an 'About' section and everything else that gives blogs that 'bloggy' feel. In the meantime, enjoy the posts, and feel free to add your own opinions to mine.