Getting Up:

Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure
$19.99
First up let me say that I had this game for a long while (probably about three years) but after first playing it I left it alone because on my very first PC of my own (a Pentium 3 Dell w an upgraded PCI graphics card) the load times were slow, the controls were frustrating, and the camera angles would sometimes get stuck or be confusing.

When I upgraded to my last PC setup:
an Intel Pentium D 3.0Ghz 4Gig Ram,
Nvidia 7600 256MB Video ram
Windows XP, Direct X 9.0C

The load times dramatically improved (almost no load time at all), the controls were still frustrating, and the camera angles were still bad but less noticeable, HOWEVER, with a little patience I did come to appreciate this game for the WORK of ART that it is.

If you are someone who grew loving New York (East Coast) Hip Hop with groups like Mobb Deep The Infamous (songs featured in the game ) or like the music of people like RJD2 Since We Last Spoke, or Cypress Hill, etc (all featured), then that is one reason alone to purchase this game.

Another reason I believe is this game does do a good job of capturing the whole graffiti culture of New York (and other cities) during the 1980s (even though the game is set in current times), and it features cameos by some well known graph and guerilla artists, Sheppard Fairey OBEY: Supply & Demand - The Art of Shepard Fairey - 20th Anniversary Edition from the now famous Barack Obama change poster, among them.

This game also has an engaging if not fully complete story line, and you do actually care about what happens to the character(s)which says alot about a game I thought only involved tagging buildings. If you grew up in a urban area, especially in the New York area, you probably can relate to a kid like Trane (the main character), who is also well voiced by none other than Talib Kweli Quality,Black Star.

Overall, this game did give me a new respect for graffiti art, and artists, without condoning all aspects of it. I was never into it myself, but grew up knowing guys (or knowing of them) who had "tag" names, and were probably caught up in alot of the negative sides of the culture also shown in the game (fights, in trouble with the law, etc). Is it fair for some people to say this game glorifies vandalism? Maybe, but it is just a work of fiction like the Grand Theft Auto series, and anyone who thinks they can try the things done in the game without serious risk to their own life and limb needs a head check...

Also just to note, the game still runs fine (no load times, or any problems) on my newest PC setup I just completed:

Intel Core 2 Quad w 4 gigs of ram,
Nvidia 9600 card (768MB ram),
running Windows XP,
running Direct X 9.0C.

Yes, the graphics are a little dated compared to newer games (this was released 2005-06), but its still a fun a game to play. A more recent game that I also recommended, if you can ignore all the SecureRom complaints (haven't had any problems) on the PC, or definitely for PS3/XBOx is Mirror's Edge.....have fun!

Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure
$14.99
The concept of this game is asolutely great. Anyone living in New York who is keen on urban culture can tell you that graffiti is a lot more than merely painting walls. This game definitely embodies the graffiti vibe. However, despite it's innovative concept and fairly good graphics, the game is somewhat limited.

The graffiti featured in the game is very nice and realistic, but there aren't that many styles for you to choose from. You are also forced to choose a specific set of styles which you can use for a given level. The application of the graffiti isn't too realistic. You move the stick from side to side and the graffiti just slowly appears on the surface. You don't actually outline or fill anything in. You also can't put any piece of graffiti on any surface. You are only able to place the bigger, more colorful burners in certain areas. This really takes away from the game's realism.

There is also a good amount of hand to hand combat in the game. It's fun for a while, but there's really too much focus on it. if the game is about graffiti, the focus should be on the process of putting the graff up rather than getting to the spot where it will be put up.

This game is definitely worth a play just to experience it, it's a very creative game. I feel they could have executed it much better though. If they created a sand-box type mode where you can walk around the city and just paint, it would be great. Otherwise, you have to stick to a strict format. Keep this in mind when buying!

Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure
$14.99
Gosh, i remember when i first played this game at my cousins house a few years back and when i saw this cover, i just about died! my cousin asked me what was wrong and i said "not a thing. what u should ask me is, 'what is awesome?'". marc ecko is my role model. a tagger as a kid, like me, and as that kid, having a dream of showing the beauty of graffiti art. later in life, he had his own clothing company company "Ecko". but anyway, i loved this game. i had so much fun tagging on freeways, i just couldnt stop. overall, its an awesome game and i seariously recommend it to anyone who loves art.

Daily Meditations for Surviving a Breakup, Separation or Divorce (Getting Up, Getting Over, Getting on Series)
$16.00
When i split with my ex-fiance and had a horrible rebound relationship afterwards, i was left broken and hapless. I went looking for a book that could help put things in persective and i found it. This book was perfect for me and lived in my bathroom for two years, in the morning as i was preparing to start my day, i'd read a page and absorbed it. i found it easy to apply Ms. McWade's affirmations to help combat the myriad of negative thoughts that went through my mind trying to make sense of my life after my relationships failed.

i recommend it to anyone going through a trying time like this. in fact, i no longer have my copy because i lent it to someone else who needed it.

my only caveat is that if you are recovering from a relationship without children involved you may have to skip some days in the book, as they wont really apply to your situation.