I don't know why I feel compelled to announce the anniversary of the release of Ocarina of Time, I just do. I mean, seriously, what a game. Back in 1998, this game hit me like an aluminum rod to the crotch.

Yup, the old girl turns 11 today. I should have drawn something, but between a hectic pre-thanksgiving work schedule, broadcasting classes, and overall laziness as usual, I have done NOTHING.

I also want to note how incredibly baffled I am at the number of people who can't pronounce "Ocarina" worth a pile of shit. The word is pretty straightforward, so I'm going to rant about it. It may seem like I'm nitpicking, but really, I'm not. It's your language, for Christ's sake, you only speak it every day of your damn life. Try showing some professionalism.

It is pronounced "ah-kuh-REE-nuh". I've heard a great deal of half-assed attempts to pronounce this word, by younger people, older people, and even people in the media, so many in fact that at one point I wondered if I was wrong, but then I realized that I AM NEVER WRONG ABOUT ANYTHING. Miriam-Webster has my back on this one. "OAK-uh-ree-nuh" is the most popular failure. Seriously people, how often is an "o" at the beginning of a word pronounced as a long "o"? Not often, and especially not when followed by a hard C sound. Get with it. "oak-uh-RYE-nuh" is another nice one. A long "I" in between an r and an n. Not in my language, pal. Maybe with an "H" in there, this would fly. I've also heard "uh-CAR-in-uh". Seriously, how bland can you get? Do you ever actually listen to yourself say things, and realize it sounds stupid, and that nobody in their right mind would have ever created that word, let alone submitted it to the dictionary folks for approval.

The worst pronunciations are the ones that totally ignore the actual spelling of the word. Seriously, folks, READ THE DAMN WORD before you try to force it out of that retarded meat-ring you call a mouth. "ORK-ah-ree-nuh". That's nice. "Oak-AIR-nuh". Really? Missing a syllable I think.

I thought those were bad, but this weekend, I heard the absolute king. The terrible ocarina pronunciation to END terrible ocarina pronunciations."Or-KAH-nee". I was floored. I had to ask him to repeat himself several times to see if he really meant what he was saying. If you really think that is how that word is pronounced, that tells me that in 11 years, you never really bothered to actually read the word. You had the word vaguely described to you over a poor telephone connection. "Uh yeah..it starts with an O..*crackle* like a C and and R in there...maybe an I...wait I'm going through a tunnel *fssshhhhhhh*". What's worse is that for 11 years, nobody corrected him. I feel like this man has a bunch of blinded followers, who are all going through life using the worst possible pronunciation of ocarina imaginable, and I'm powerless to stop it. "or-KAH-nee." Really. For real. Ocarina =/= Orkani. No excuse.

I only say this to help you. If you're one of those who has been in the dark for these 11 years, since the word "ocarina" was re-introduced to popular culture, well, now is the time for reform. Better yourself, and be happy. The word is antiquated, and of foreign origin, but it's in the Roman alphabet, only 7 letters long, not very tricky, really.

So just once more, all together now: "ah-kuh-REE-nuh". There, doesn't that even sound nicer?