The Confessional: Being Bipolar pt3 (video blog) My thoughts on depression, suicide, giving advice, and Robin Williams

I know it's been forever since I posted anything on my blog. So here's something new for you:

With the recent death of Robin Williams, and a personal email I received regarding my Confessional videos, I felt compelled to say something and record it (like one does.) Unfortunately I am appearing in this next installment of the Bipolar video series sporting a shaggy scruff. So if you don't mind getting advice from a guy who currently looks like Santa Claus's gay-porn fuck buddy, then click the video below and enjoy(?) I grew it out for a music video I am shooting for A Fallen Mind. It should be gone by next week, but I digress...

I'll also have some links below the video that you might be interested in, especially if you are seeking help and/or trying to understand bipolarism and other mental health issues.

If you, or someone you know, needs to talk to someone about suicide (or any other mental health issue), please visit http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org

or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) Call anytime, day or night. They are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If you would like to contact me because of this, or any of my other videos, feel free to drop me an email at afallenmind@gmail.com. You can also leave a comment in the comments section below. Thank you.

GTA Online: 7 of the Worst Newbie Mistakes Most People Make (aka - A Comprehensive Guide on How to Not Be a Dipshit)

I'm one of those assholes who buys a tank and kills everyone online just for fun. I admit it. It's a guilty pleasure of mine. Did you just soup up that brand new vehicle in the Pay and Spray? BOOM! Are you a newbie that just hit level 5? BOOM! Are you struggling to get that Desired Vehicle for that bald Simeon fucker? BOOM! You get the idea.

I've been playing Grand Theft Auto Online ever since it was launched and I'm loving every minute. Actually, I take that back. There's a few things that do annoy me and those are newbie mistakes that players make. I don't single out all the newbs, because I've seen fuckers who are of equal level to me (currently I am level 72) who should gawd damn know better. I made some of them when I first started and I'm sure almost everyone does. So if you're a new comer to the GTA Online world, let me first extend my hand and say "What the fuck took you so long?"

None of these guys are my online character.

Ok, let's begin:

1. DON'T PAUSE YOUR GAME

The Mistake: I've seen it many times. Usually when I'm running the newbie over with my tank. The online world doesn't act the same as in the regular GTA 5. You hit pause and the rest of the world keeps on going. It won't save your sorry ass.

Instead: Hold down the Select Button and then enable Passive Mode. It's in the menu that pops up. And unless GTA changes this shit (again) it should be free. Then climb up on a building or get behind a wall so you can't be run over by a vehicle.

This brings me to the next mistake...

2. YOU'RE NOT SAFE IN PASSIVE MODE ALL THE TIME

The Mistake: When you are in a vehicle, you can be shot by other players. Why GTA doesn't fix this is beyond me, but it's been that way from the get-go. Passive mode or not, you're toast in a car, in a truck, or on a motorcycle. Also, as I stated above, you can be run over and killed in Passive Mode by another vehicle. So don't get cocky when you think others see that circle with the cross out line over your head. More than likely they will say "Challenge Accepted!"

Instead: If you're a newbie and you're in a car, get to where you're going and don't fuck around. People online are grade A dickbags. I should know, I'm one of them.

3. PUT YOUR MONEY IN THE DAMN BANK

The Mistake: If you haven't mastered the art of depositing your on-hand cash (the green numbers up top, not the white ones), I suggest you learn quick. Someone comes along and kills you, they can get your money. Some of it. All of it. I don't know what the GTA regulations are on this one anymore, but people CAN and WILL steal any money you have dropped after they have floored you with a bazooka.

Instead: Use your cell phone and practice the art of depositing your money into the bank online. Don't use an ATM. Using an ATM is a great way of saying "Hey! I'm a retard! Steal all of my money NOW!" Practice depositing on your phone. Master it. You'll thank me later. Or not, depending on if I've blown you up or not.

4. USE YOUR HEADSET SPARINGLY

The Mistake: When you go into a mission, your headset becomes loud and clear to everyone waiting for the mission. I don't know about other players, but it annoys the fuck out of me. I don't want to be gearing up to go blast people in the face while listening to your baby cry in the background while you have an argument with your girlfriend (yes, that is an actual example.) It usually signals to people "Hey, shoot me first cause I'm an asshole."

Instead: Turn your headset off (or down) until the match starts! Oh, and if you're going to talk shit, be prepared to back it up cause more experienced players like myself LOVE to fuck over anyone being a jerk off. We're jerk offs ourselves, ya know.

5. DON'T PICK A STUPID FUCKING NAME

The Mistake: Since being on GTA Online, I have made it a hobby to track down people who have names like Sk8rboi_265 and NiGeRhater87. Seriously. I will spend dollars hand over fist, drive across mountains and beaches, fly through a thousand buildings just to destroy your ass.

Instead: Don't pick a cocky name unless you know for SURE someone is going to back you up and take you under their wing in the game. This is me trying to save you a world of shit. Don't pick IM_A_BAD_ASS or PLAYA_KILLA or anything like that. You make yourself a target.

And don't ask me to help you unless I have had more than one conversation with you. I'm not a people person and I don't like meeting new people as a general rule. I do, however, like to destroy their personal vehicle and risk getting banned to the Bad Sport arena. It's a hobby of mine.

6. DON'T TAKE MY DAMN SPOT

The Mistake: This is more of a request than anything else, but there's kind of an unwritten code of conduct among players. I've seen this happen a lot, done by players experienced and newb. During a survival (as an example) you pick a spot to hide out at so you can shoot at attackers coming in with a small amount of safety. After each wave, you go out and grab some ammo and come back. You've done this several time in the game, but then on wave #8 or #9 one of your team mates (probably named Capt_CousinFuckr) decides he likes your spot and takes it before you can come back. It's a bitch move and it's happened to me a lot. I will go out of my way to spend the rest of the mission making that guy's life a living hell. At that point I don't give a shit if I get killed or not. My main goal is to piss that guy off to no end.

Instead: Find your own spot and don't be a dick. Good players don't fuck with another teammate's chosen spot. If they've been there for a while and like it, let them have it. If you're getting your ass kicked and that guy has the best spot, suck it up and deal with it. People remember other player's conduct. And if they see your name on another mission they're hosting, they're liable to kick you out. And if they see you on the map, they will fuck with you hard. I know I would (and I have.)

This brings me to the next mistake (sort of)...

7. HAVE SOME FUCKING PATIENCE (and/or) DON'T TRY TO BE A HERO

The Mistake: You've got a lot of bullets. You want to show what a bad ass you are. You want to level up fast. Whatever the reason, you decide to stop hiding behind things and just go Rambo on every NPC bad guy you see. "I'LL KILL ALL OF YOU FUCKERS!!" you say into your headset as the rest of your team rolls their eyes. "AAAAAAAAAH!!!!" Bang, your dead. So what, right? You went out in a blaze of glory!

Well... yes, you did. However in some missions you only have one life. And everyone relies on eachother. The whole team dies? Tough shit, it's over. And a lot of times people will remember you first. Not for being a bad ass. But for being a dumb ass. If you're on a survival mission and you keep getting killed, people will either think of you as a complete dumb fuck or a freeloader trying to get killed so everyone else has to do all the work. That's what happens, you know? You die in your jackassedry and everyone else has to make up for you being gone. It sucks and people will shun your immature ass.

Instead: Find a spot, stick to it, and be patient. If the spot sucks, find another, but FIND A FUCKING SPOT. Don't run out in the open thinking you're going to take out a bunch of NPC bad guys and look totally bad ass. You will, instead, die quickly and look like a pillow biter. I didn't make it to level 72 by trying to be the next online Terminator. I try to find the best spot, hold up, and let the bad guys come to me.

How good am I? I can do an entire survival mission by myself and not die. You try that. I'll wait.

Nope, sorry. Not my character either.

Grand Theft Auto (gta) 5 Online Cheats, Tips, and Other Shit - part 2

You can find a lot of tips and ideas around the net for making money, doing jobs easier, and so on for GTA 5 and Grand Theft Auto Online. Some of the ideas below are taken from the net and others are my own ideas, though I'm sure others have had the same ideas I have come up with. For now I will focus on Grand Theft Auto Online, as that is what is freshly interesting me at the moment.

Grand Theft Auto Online Tips and Ideas

Most of the original ideas I've come up with have to do with playing GTAO. I've been playing for a few weeks now and hopefully some of this stuff will come in handy for late-comers to the game. Keep in mind, however, that Rock Star is still improving on glitches and still improving the online version gaming experience, so it's alway evolving. Some ideas and tips you read below may eventually become out of date. Hopefully, though, that will not be the case for a lot of them.

DON'Ts

Don't keep your cash on hand. If you get killed by another player, some of your on-hand cash will fall to the ground and that player can grab it. Find a good hiding spot and pop up your cell phone. Go to the internet and store your money in your bank account (Maze bank or whatever it's called.)

Don't bet on anything until you have a lot of money under your belt. You have the ability to gamble on the outcome of races or deathmatches and whatnot, but it's not worth the risk of what little cash you have on hand.

Don't get just any shitty car when getting a personal vehicle. When you first start, the game lets you get a personal vehicle off the streets and take it to a mod shop to make it your own. This vehicle will most likely remain yours for a long time in the game. So pick wisely. Get a sports car if possible. You will eventually be using it as a custom vehicle during races. You want the best, so try to grab the best you can.

Don't buy clothing and attire. For some, I know you'll want to look kool to other people while you run around trying to shoot them or blow them up. Resist the urge until you've gotten more experience and money under your belt. Besides, the best clothing won't unlock until you've gotten more experience.

Don't try to blow up anyone's personal vehicle. One of the things Rock Star tried to do was to keep newbies from getting blown up left and right as soon as they got online, so they invented the Poor Sport concept. What this is is if someone blows up another person's personal vehicle or quits a mission early or whatever, they can become Bad Sports. Becoming a bad sport will lock you out of some missions and will not let you play against other players unless they are bad sports, too. Plus it gives you a dunce cap to wear for a few days. So unless that is the particular style you want for your character, I'd avoid doing stuff like that.

Making Money

One of the things I discovered when I first got on GTAO is that you need money. Lots of it. The game starts you out with a couple of thousand bucks, but it's not much to get you going. You need more moolah to get the ball rolling, so let's get you started with some ideas:

Rob Stores

In the GTAO world, you have the ability to rob liquor and convenience stores around town. This will net you anywhere from 800 to 2000 dollars. I don't recall if GTAO gives you a gun to start out with or not, so if they don't, then you'll need to buy a gun at Ammu-Nation. You can do this with the money they start you off with, which I would recommend. Next, locate a robbable store on your map and go to it. Make sure you have a getaway vehicle handy, cause you're going to need it. Enter the store, draw your weapon, and aim it at the clerk. You don't have to shoot him, just aim it at him. He will eventually start putting money in a bag for you and then drop it in front of the counter. To make him go faster, yell into your headset or start shooting merchandise behind him or around him. Be careful, as he will start shooting at you the moment you turn around to run out the store. The cops will immediately be called and you will obtain a one or two star wanted level. If you shoot the clerk, your wanted level will go up to 3 stars and you'll be chased by helicopters as well as cop cars. Not fun. So hop in your getaway vehicle and get rolling. Hide from the cops to lose your wanted level, then get that money into the bank as soon as you can. You don't want another player picking you off and grabbing some of your cash.

I've learned that if you wear a mask that you can buy at a mask store in Vaspucci Beach, it'll keep your wanted level lower when robbing stores. Something to keep in mind.

Note: Most of the time I would shoot the clerk, duck behind the counter, and store the money in my bank from my cell phone. Then I'd stand up and let the cops shoot me. If you outrun the cops, you gain more experience points. If not, you still have the cash. Whatever works for you. I've also heard that Rock Star may take $500 bucks from you everytime you die to "pay for medical bills." I haven't seen this happen, but you never know. So keep this in mind when doing a store job.

Sell Cars

One thing that netted me a lot of money when starting out is selling cars. You can steal a car, take it to Los Santos Customs, and sell it for decent cash. Los Santos Customs will accept a new car to be sold every 45 minutes. Coups and SUVs, listed below, are the best ones vehicles to sell (along with a couple of sports car varieties.) I found the following list at this website:

Lampadati Felon $9,500/$9,000
Gallivanter Baller (Modern) $9,000
Gallivanter Baller (Classic) $9,000
Obey Rocoto $8,500
Ocelot F620 $8,000
Ubermacht Oracle $8,000
Albany Cavalcade (Modern) $7,000
Benefactor Dubsta $7,000
Albany Cavalcade (Classic) $7,000
Ubermacht Zion $6,500
Ubermacht Zion Cabrio $6,500
Benefactor Schafter $6,500
Ocelot Jackal $6,000
Benefactor Serrano $6,000
Ubermacht Sentinel XS $6,000
Ubermacht Sentinel $6,000
Dundreary Landstalker $5,800
Fathom FQ 2 $5,000
Mammoth Patriot $5,000

"Big tip: don’t go stealing high-end sports cars, as those aren’t in demand. SUVs and Coupes are usually very good money. Sedans and econoboxes are generally worth less."

Simeon Wants Cars

When you start out, you'll get text messages from Simeon (from GTA5) telling you to be on the look out for various different cars around the game, including some very specific cars that will appear as an icon on your map. Some cars you can grab off the street from drivers or they will be parked randomly. Grab those, get them re-sprayed at LSC, and take them to the S located on your map (careful, the cops will come after you until you get it re-sprayed.) If Simeon tells you of a very specific car that he wants, go to the icon on your map, get the car re-sprayed, and deliver it to Simeon. Again, the cops will be after you. Also, other players online will be alerted to the vehicle's whereabouts, so you may have to dodge them, too.

Key cars to watch for (this list was taken from this site):
Felon GT: $9,5k
Gallivanteer Baller: $9k
Lampadati Felon: $9k
Ocelot F620: $8k
Ubermacht Oracle: $8k

Missions

One of the best ways to make money is to do missions. I like doing Deathmatches and Survivals because they give you weapons and armor to use, so you don't have to spend your own money gearing up for battle. Whenever I need to save up money to get a new garage or apartment I hop into a Survival mission and try to keep replaying it as many times as I can. Survivals cost 200 dollars each time you play them, but if you successfully complete one (10 waves), you get 20,000 bucks. And you can play Survivals as many times as you want.

There are other ways to make money around GTAO, but these are the best that I have come up with so far. Mind you, as of this posting, I am at level 30 so I may find more and better ways as I go. If you have good ideas, post them down in the comments section below.

Get a Garage or Apartment

When I started out playing GTAO, I had no garage or apartment to store my vehicles. I have heard that if you sign up with the Rock Star Social Club that they will give you a free garage. I'd advise doing so if that is the case, because it's not easy holding on to your stuff. Plus you get a mechanic who you can call to deliver your vehicle wherever you are at. It's also a great place to hide out when the cops, or another player, are chasing you. No one can come in unless you let them.

Something to keep in mind, when I bought my first (cheapest) garage, I found a lot of players hanging outside of it. Took me a little while to realize that they had also bought the same garage, so I was at risk of getting shot whenever I left my place. Fortunately, they don't get the same cyber space that you get, so when you go into your garage, you are safe and no one can come into your own personal garage. Unfortunately, again, there are a lot of players hanging around hoping to pick you off. So choose carefully.

As time goes on, hopefully I'll add more tips, tricks, and ideas for making GTA5 and GTAO more fun to play. If you have any comments, suggestions, or ideas, be sure to leave them in the comments section.

Thanks for reading.

Don't forget to read Part 1 of This Entry! Click Here.

Grand Theft Auto (gta) 5 Online Cheats, Tips, and Other Shit - part 1

Like a bajillion other gamers, I've been submerging myself into the world of GTA5 and Grand Theft Auto Online since it came out. It's outrageously entertaining and much much MUCH better than the last GTAs ever were. If you don't know a thing about GTA V, let's start off with environment. When people say it's huge, they are not exaggerating. It's HUGE. The map is much bigger than previous GTAs and not only can you swim, but you can dive down into the water and explore the depths of the ocean. You can hunt animals (not my favorite part at all), you can rob armored money trucks, you can help random people as a good samaritan, you can buy property to make cash every week, and the list goes on and on. And that is just GTA5. We haven't even scratched the surface of both GTA5 and GTA Online. I don't know how the hell these guys do it, but they have made a totally immersive world that is the closest to real as a game can get on a PS3. In other words, it's my new favorite game.

I've beaten the game -- GTA5, not Online -- though I haven't achieved 100% on it. And I've decided that I'd like to include some of the cheats I've found around the net as well as some ideas I've come up with while playing the game to make things more fun for newcomers.

First, let's get to everyone's favorite part of playing GTA:

Cheat Codes (PS3)

I got the following cheat codes from this website, but you can find them on similar pages around the net. I've used most of them, so I know they work.

Full health and armor - Circle, L1, Triangle, R2, X, Square, Circle, Right, Square, L1, L1, L1.

Give weapons and extra ammo - Triangle, R2, Left, L1, X, Right, Triangle, Down, Square, L1, L1, L1

Lower wanted level - R1, R1, Circle, R2, Right, Left, Right, Left, Right, Left.

Raise wanted level - R1, R1, Circle, R2, Left, Right, Left, Right, Left, Right.

Recharge special ability - X, X, Square, R1, L1, X, Right, Left, X.

Faster run - Triangle, Left, Right, Right, L2, L1, Square.

Faster swim - Left, Left, L1, Right, Right, R2, Left, L2, Right.

Flaming bullets - L1, R1, Square, R1, Left, R2, R1, Left, Square, Right, L1, L1.

Explosive bullets - Right, Square, X, Left, R1, R2, Left, Right, Right, L1, L1, L1.

Explosive melee attacks - Right, Left, X, Triangle, R1, Circle, Circle, Circle, L2.

Slidey cars - Triangle, R1, R1, Left, R1, L1, R2, L1.

Drunk mode - Triangle, Right, Right, Left, Right, Square, Circle, Left.

Change weather - R2, X, L1, L1, L2, L2, L2, Square.

Super jump - Left, Left, Triangle, Triangle, Right, Right, Left, Right, Square, R1, R2. Hold Square to jump very high.

Slow-motion mode - Triangle, Left, Right, Right, Square, R2, R1. (Can be entered up to four times to increase its effect.)

Slow-motion aim - Square, L2, R1, Triangle, Left, Square, L2, Right, X. The code can be entered up to three times to increase its effect. Enter it a fourth time to disable the code.

Moon gravity - Left, Left, L1, R1, L1, Right, Left, L1, Left. Enter a vehicle after enabling this code to experience less gravity. Press Circle after jumping to float.

Invincibility - Right, X, Right, Left, Right, R1, Right, Left, X, Triangle (invisibility lasts five minutes.) You must enter the code again after five minutes to reactive invincibility. Note: This code does not make vehicles invincible.

Skyfall - L1, L2, R1, R2, Left, Right, Left, Right, L1, L2, R1, R2, Left, Right, Left, Right. This cheat code spawns you in the air for a skydive free fall. If you hold the Analog-stick, you can glide for a long time. However, it does not allow you to use the parachute. Thus, you will usually die at the end of the free fall. It is possible to survive, but you will have very little health remaining. The best way to survive is to do a direct vertical faceplant. If you can survive the fall, this cheat is very useful for fast traveling around the map.

Vehicles:

Spawn BMX bike - Left(2), Right(2), Left, Right, Square, Circle, Triangle, R1, R2.

Spawn Buzzard (small attack helicopter) - Circle(2), L1, Circle(3), L1, L2, R1, Triangle, Circle, Triangle. The Buzzard is a helicopter with missiles and guns. It must be spawned in a large enough area for it to appear, or it will not spawn.

Spawn Caddy (golf cart) - Circle, L1, Left, R1, L2, X, R1, L1, Circle, X.

Spawn Comet (two door sports car) - R1, Circle, R2, Right, L1, L2, X(2), Square, R1.

Spawn Duster (crop duster plane) - Right, Left, R1(3), Left, Triangle(2), X, Circle, L1(2).

Spawn Limo (limousine) - R2, Right, L2, Left(2), R1, L1, Circle, Right.

Spawn parachute - Left, Right, L1, L2, R1, R2(2), Left(2), Right, L1.

Spawn PCJ-600 motorcycle - R1, Right, Left, Right, R2, Left, Right, Square, Right, L2, L1(2).

Spawn Rapid GT (two door sports car) - R2, L1, Circle, Right, L1, R1, Right, Left, Circle, R2.

Spawn Sanchez (dual-sport dirt bike) - Circle, X, L1, Circle(2), L1, Circle, R1, R2, L2, L1(2).

Spawn Stunt Plane (fixed-wing stunt plane) - Circle, Right, L1, L2, Left, R1, L1(2), Left(2), X, Triangle.

Spawn Trashmaster (garbage truck) - Circle, R1, Circle, R1, Left(2), R1, L1, Circle, Right.

Cheat Codes (XBox)

I got the following cheat codes from this website, but again, you can find them on similar pages around the net. It should be noted that I've never played GTA on Xbox, so I've never used these. I have no idea if they work or not. If they do, let me know in the comments section.

Invincibility - Right, A, Right, Left, Right, RB, Right, Left, A, Y to be invincible for five minutes.

Full health and armor - B, LB, Y, RT, A, X, B, Right, X, LB LB LB.

Give weapons and extra ammo - Y, RT, Left, LB, A, Right, Y, Down, X, LB LB LB

Lower wanted level - RB, RB, B, RT, Right, Left, Right, Left, Right, Left.

Raise wanted level - RB, RB, B, RT, Left, Right, Left, Right, Left, Right.

Recharge special ability - A, A, X, RB, LB, A, Right, Left, A.

Super jump - Left, Left, Y, Y, Right, Right Left, Right, X, RB, RT. Hold X to jump very high.

Faster run - Y, Left, Right, Right LT, LB, X.

Faster swim - Left, Left, LB, Right, Right, RT, Left, LT, Right.

Flaming bullets - LB, RB, X, RB, Left, RT, RB, Left, X, Right, LB, LB.

Explosive bullets - Right, X, A, Left, RB, RT, Left, Right, Right, LB, LB, LB.

Explosive melee attacks - Right, Left, A, Y, RB, B, B, B, LT.

Slow-motion aim - X, LT, RB, Y, Left, X, LT, Right, A. The code can be entered up to three times to increase its effect. Enter it a fourth time to disable the code.

Moon gravity - Left, Left, LB, RB, LB, Right, Left, LB, Left. Enter a vehicle after enabling this code to experience less gravity. Press B after jumping to float.

Slidey cars - Y, RB, RB, Left, RB, LB, RT, LB.

Skyfall - LB, LT, RB, RT, Left, Right, Left, Right, LB, LT, RB, RT, Left, Right, Left, Right. This cheat code spawns you in the air for a skydive free fall, but no parachute.

Drunk mode - Y, Right, Right, Left, Right, X, B, Left.

Slow-motion mode - Y, Left, Right, Right, X, RT, RB. The code can be entered up to four times to increase its effect. Enter it a fifth time to disable the code.

Change weather - RT, A, LB, LB, LT, LT, LT, X. Enter the code multiple times to cycle through all weather effects.

Vehicles:

Spawn BMX bike - Left, Left, Right, Right, Left, Right, X, B, Y, RB, RT.

Spawn Buzzard (small attack helicopter) - B, B, LB, B(3), LB, LT, RB, Y, B, Y.

Spawn Caddy (golf cart) - B, LB, Left, RB, LT, A, RB, LB, B, A.

Spawn Comet (two door sports car) - RB, B, RT, Right, LB, LT, A(2), X, RB.

Spawn Duster (crop duster plane) - Right, Left, RB, RB, RB, Left, Y, Y, A, B, LB, LB.

Spawn Limo (limousine) - RT, Right, LT, Left, Left, RB, LB, B, Right.

Spawn parachute - Left, Right, LB, LT, RB, RT, RT, Left, Left, Right, LB.

Spawn PCJ-600 motorcycle - RB, Right, Left, Right, RT, Left, Right, X, Right, LT, LB, LB.

Spawn Rapid GT (two door sports car) - RT, LB, B, Right, LB, RB, Right, Left, B, RT.

Spawn Sanchez (dual-sport dirt bike) - B, A, LB, B, B, LB, B, RB, RT, LT, LB, LB.

Spawn Stunt Plane (fixed-wing stunt plane) - B, Right, LB, LT, Left, RB, LB, LB, Left, Left, A, Y.

Spawn Trashmaster (garbage truck) - B, RB, B, RB, Left, Left, RB, LB, B, Right.

Cheat Codes (Online)

As far as I know there aren't any GTA Online cheat codes, but it's still early in the opening of GTAO, so you never know what the future has in store. If any become available, I will post them here, so bookmark this page and try back.