I’m creative thanks to Windows 95/98

I suck at general knowledge, I suck at geography, I suck at history and politics but my brain will never fail to memorise video games. Recalling the history of Shaz’s gaming here’s a smeg of the Windows 95/98 stage. The part of my PC gaming followed many products of Microsoft Kids (usually led by the scary purple character, McZee), Dorling Kindersley, Magic School Bus and the like.

I suppose I did learn a few things from Microsoft Encarta 95 & the DK Childrens Encyclopedia but I ‘played’ more than ‘learned’. See although they cater the whole give the child a lollipop because they know what six times seven is, the bad thing about it was I became more attentive to collect awards than actually appreciating the education software itself. Hence today I have not really remembered anything that those games were meant to have taught me. Don’t phone me if you’re on Who Wants To Be A Millionare!

Now the software came free with our first PC, okay I say ‘our’ but it was more of my brothers machine. I was the annoying little sister that would stumble into the room and wrap around the Monitor like a starfish. At times I guess he’d be pretty hesitant to try pulling ‘tiny’ Shaz away from the computer when I’m at my all time high, ruling over Age of Empires.

A large chunk windows gaming may have shaped my teenage years. Microsoft 3D Movie Maker and the Simpsons Cartoon Studio enabled me to develop scripting, recording, animation and editing at a young age, perhaps this was the underlying influence to my interest in BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts. Recently I purchased ‘You’re in the Movies’ which has become another new excuse for me to behave silly in front of a camera.

The Ejay series opened creativity in the music field, I dug up my old album back from when my alternate name at 14 years old was Razmatazz Shaz (cute huh?). In fact I’ve done the pleasure to upload some tracks of oh-so-stunning hits here (cringes and cackles.) The inspirations of Ejay got me involved in using music production software e.g Fruity Loops & Cubase, studying music GCSE, self teaching the guitar, piano, singing and the experience of gigging with two bands. Nowadays I enjoy occasionally jamming on the guitar and heck I plead guilty to playing Lips or Singstar by myself.

So a portion of the past explains a bit of what makes me today. I believe that the Win95/98 games have somewhat led me to tune in with developing certain skills. Movie maker gaming led to performing arts and creative writing which here I am, writing on Ready Up. The music and singing? Well my dreams crumbled as I’ll never compare to Kirsten.


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6 responses to “I’m creative thanks to Windows 95/98”

  1. Mark avatar
    Mark

    McZee is the creepiest thing to be ever let loose on young kids. I’m still traumatised.

  2. James avatar
    James

    Awww! XD Childrens Encyclopedia. I actually have that still ๐Ÿ™‚
    Cant remember where on earth it is though, it didnt learn me anything really as all I did was play about with the robo voice.

  3. Michael avatar

    You still cling onto things like a limpet and that’s part of your awesomeness/craziness! ๐Ÿ˜€

    My teenage years were spent looking after my kid brother and sisters (to some extent), lots of reading anything and everything for the sake of it (and learning anything I could from them) and playing games. Oh, and lots of outdoor stuff too.

    Never heard of most of the stuff you’ve mentioned though.

  4. Darach avatar
    Darach

    ๐Ÿ˜€ Like a “starfish”. ROFL

  5. Lordstar avatar
    Lordstar

    Many many a project was done via the means of Encarta 95. One of the best utilities which got me though high school way back when :-p

  6. Lorna avatar
    Lorna

    The starfish thing was hilarious, I can just imagine it! Snaps to another BTEC Perf. Arts alumi ๐Ÿ˜€ Did you do yours at Canterbury College too?

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