Sunday, July 10, 2005

Get Crackin'

Wow, I've had one of those posting-lapses again! Quite a few things have happened since I last posted here, I guess. The attacks on London in recent days have been upsetting, although I never felt particularly upset about them. The feeling I had was the kind of feeling you'd get when something bad happens that you've been expecting. It's not a sudden shock, it's just a kind of dull disappointment. These events are always terrible and unjustified, but they are a part of the world, like earthquakes and plagues. Sometimes things like this upset me and sometimes they don't, but they always somehow manage to bring me back down to earth - they never let me forget that there's seemingly no end to humanity's stupidity and cruelty. I always knew this, but being reminded is never nice. I started reading Nineteen Eighty-Four again. The reason I'd read it in the first place was because I was viewing a web site that was related to political literature. Although I had reading long texts online, I'd actually read two entire novels from my screen (Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four). So I finally went out and purchased both yesterday, which gave me some satisfaction, considering that I haven't bought a novel in quite a long time. I also spent a lot of money on a haircut yesterday...more than I've ever spent on something like that. I guess I just wanted something different and I got it, pretty much. In actual fact, I didn't quite get what I wanted, but my hair wasn't really long enough. So now my hair is kind of...I don't know. It kind of goes forward a little and it's straight and a little spikey and sits at all different lengths everywhere. I'm happy with it, anyway. Oh, and, I had a voice chat with Annie, Mimmi and JJ the other night. Very interesting. We were using Skype and unfortunately it wouldn't work with all four of us at once. So we had to take turns or something. It was pretty funny, especially hearing Mimmi and Annie at the same time - I tell you, if I were having a discussion with them in person, any innocence that I have left would soon be gone. Very funny, though. Not only are OBers highly attractive, but so far they seem to sound it too. ~_^ That's about it from me at the moment, I think. *tips hat* Kitty: Oh, don't take it so literally. Did my analogy make sense at all? ~_^ Annie: Yeah, you bet your ass. I have every intention of getting these things moving, even if it takes forever! Alexus: I think I'm going to let that domain lapse and focus on getting an umbrella domain instead. That way I can do "killing-bill.whatever.com". But who knows - I may keep it and just get a second one. We'll see. Sammy: Yeah, I think you're right. Although my siblings are surprisingly mature for their age (well, uh, mostly). It was mostly just like having friends around or something, so it went pretty smoothly. John: Ahh! Someone appreciated my deliberately crude-yet-highly-accurate analogy! Thank you much. ~_^

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Tuesday, July 5, 2005

New Model

What a crazy weekend. I basically had to babysit a large group of teenagers. Perhaps babysit isn't the right word, but nonetheless, it was interesting to say the least. It gave me some time to do a little thinking. I'm coming very close to finishing up the bulk of work for myOtaku 3.0 and I'm very happy with the progress. I am privately calling it "Project Seagull" at the moment. Why? Because when it launches, it'll fly so high that it'll shit on everything else. Actually, car enthusiasts may recognize that term. Somehow it does seem to apply to what we're working on presently. ~_^ I've also been thinking about what to do next. Once myO 3.0 is shoved out of the door, there will obviously still be other major things to do around this network. We have one other major site planned (major in the sense that it will be as broad in scope as theOtaku.com...but different). And there are a few other cool things mixed in there, which I think will be surprising whenever they surface. In terms of web development specifically, I have a lot of personal work to complete (a portfolio site, a site for Velegant Design, various freelance work and eventually a shiny new N-Sider). The final item on the list will probably end up being the biggest project I've ever worked on, whenever it gets done. Considering this is the age of Revolution, it'll have to reflect that...which is no easy task. But sometimes I'm able to randomly pull rabbits out of my hat, so we'll see. But beyond all of that, I've been thinking of other things that I could tackle. There is no shortage of subjects that I could devote my time to and a few are kind of bubbling to the surface right now. Hopefully I can show you the results of that some day and hopefully you will be surprised. In any case, when the new myO is completed, you will know where I've been all this time. It feels kind of funny to be so busy and to really have nothing to show for it, publicly at least. A couple of people have been shown bigger samples of what I'm working on and the reaction has been really positive so far. Hopefully the broader audience thinks along the same lines. We'll see. Tonykins: Cool. hEvN: Don't worry, I would never propose to anyone who is attached. You're safe. elfy: I often feel that way - that relationships make things too complicated. But sometimes the complication is a good thing. Annsie: Aw. ~_^ Doc G: I would avoid long distance relationships at all costs, yes. That's one complication I absolutely couldn't afford. And yes, I still strongly recommend 1984. ^_^ Asuki: Hah! Yes, I think you have experienced this in some way - you were the First Wife weren't you? (Implying that there were more than one). ~_^ Shinnethy: You give me so little faith in mankind at times! Mimmi: Aw, that's a comment. No insane ramblings present there. And thanks for the vibes! ^_^ John: Yes, I really need to buy it actually. I tend to only buy things like that if I really really enjoy them (which is why I have relatively few DVDs, though I do have quite a lot of books). But yeah, it's one of a handful of books I'd like to pick up. dbzanimegrl17omg!!: *tear* That's so beautiful! Why aren't more people that romantic when it comes to leg humping? SunfallE: Don't worry, the water reference (like many of my post titles) has nothing to do with my actual post or anything. It's often a random thought pulled from something unrelated. If I told you I'd have to kill you. Oddness is a good trait, yup. Aaryanna: How nice, hehe. Cute accents? Um, you'll have to ask Annie her opinion of my accent. Sara: If I posess any quality, it's stamina. At least, when it comes to certain things (like depressing stories). As for my comments, well, my own comments frequently confuse me. So don't worry, your reaction is entirely natural. Chab: Well, I was born in Australia and I've lived here all my life. Guess. ~_^ darkangel501: How concise of you. Baronness: IE blocks it too, funnily enough. But yes, I've mentioned it to Adam. Hopefully our advertiser is suitably trouted. Mitch: The extra numerals add charm. MolotovCocktease: Well, I suppose that as soon as you start going out with someone, you are hoping for some kind of relationship. Going out with friends can be equally risky. If things don't work out, it can kill (or seriously wound) the friendship. So, I guess it's important to be cautious either way.

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Wednesday, June 29, 2005

I want to poison your drinking water.

It's strange how so many things can come together at a certain time. It's as though there's magic in the air; I don't know if it's good or bad though. Hopefully it will work itself out. In the meantime, I will be pondering what forces in the universe surrounded me with such oddness this week. I'm starting to think that I attract oddness, which is not in itself a bad thing. In fact, I wish it happened more often. Life is often too normal to be completely enjoyed. Fuck normality, I say! Lately the thing that gives me most comfort is actually work, especially online-related stuff. Not to say that I have been upset or anything, just indifferent. As I said to Shy/Josh earlier today, I'm tired of dating. I just want to get married. Any takers? By the way, I now have the ability to voice chat, should anyone be interested in finding out what I sound like. ~_^ Elfy: Glad you like 'em. I think I'm a 1984 addict now. I saw the film yesterday. Sammy: Yep, you definitely should have a read. I guarantee that it'll intrigue you. Shinmaru: I adore the third part, yes. I can't really think of a word to describe it, but the fact that it was more than just mere torture...the way a human mind can change so much is terrifying. And the betrayal really blew me away. It's not just what you say...they actually can get to your heart. Horrific, but brilliant. Sara: I knew you had read these books even without asking. I can always count on you! And I knew you'd appreciate them too. But yes, I loved the whole Newspeak concept and the way it was applied to Winston during the end. It's quite amazing. As for sinister gloom, I don't know, somehow it doesn't bother me that much. Perhaps this is why I loved Requiem for a Dream whereas my mother found it difficult to watch. She didn't deny that it was a good film, but she just couldn't "enjoy" it, due to its darkness. For me, I guess I was looking at it as being a beautiful film. It's morbid and dark, but darkness can be as beautiful and seductive as light stuff. I suppose also, we tend to judge our happiness on sorrow. Visiting places of extreme sorrow tends to give me a good frame of reference, I guess. As a footnote, I'm now reading Mein Kampf, haha. I'm not sure why, I guess it's just one of those books that I felt I should know more about. It is incredibly interesting and at the same time, unsettling. I doubt I will read all of it, but again, it's a good thing to provide some frame of reference. And I guess the pursuit of knowledge is always good anyway. *stops rambling* Asuki-chan: Yes, you should finish it. The end truly makes it worthwhile. ~_^ You love me, eh? I love you too! ~_^ Aaryanna: Oh, but 1984 and Animal Farm make it easier to understand. Especially Animal Farm. When you read it, it will open corners of your mind and trains of thought that you've never considered before. SunfallE: Yes, it's a political statement of sorts. It's from Animal Farm. The final chapter of that book is so sublime... I'm sure you will like the new myOtaku. I hope everyone will. It's quite different to anything we've done before, to say the very least. Boba: Brave New World is actually a very, very good novel. In fact, I wish I remembered where I'd put it...I read it in high school but I can't remember where I left it. I would love to read it again. It was written in the 1920's and it predicts so many modern inventions, such as IVF and even the whole idea of nightclubs and ecstacy. lol So yes, it's remarkable. As far as I know, it also predicts the helicopter (or a version of it). Amazing novel.

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Monday, June 27, 2005

All animals are equal but some are more equal than others.

It's been a busy few days! Design work for myOtaku.com is wrapping up and things are coming together nicely. Not long to wait now. The last few nights have been very busy for me, apart from actually working on things. I also read two novels in two nights. Well, sort of. A while ago I had begun reading George Orwell's 1984. I read the first few chapters and then stopped. But I began reading again a couple of nights ago. As it turns out, I finished the entire novel by the morning. The next night, I read Animal Farm by the very same author. Animal Farm is much shorter, but is still an absolutely brilliant story. I am disappointed that I never read either of these novels in school. Instead of reading 1984, we read Brave New World. The latter is a great novel, but I think I preferred 1984. Perhaps this is because 1984 is more sinister. In Brave New World, society is organized in a way to be "better for the good of everyone" (at least in the opinion of The Controller or whatever his name was). In 1984, the Party's motives are far more sinister and misguided. Control, power, immortality. The idea that if history only exists in data that is written down, one can control history if all of that data is controlled. The whole concept of doublespeak and crimestop were pretty horrific, I thought. The latter half of the book was really a nightmare. Like Brave New World, 1984 ends on an incredibly negative note. But I think 1984's ending is a lot worse; the main character (who's name I'm forgetting) in Brave New World never actually submits to the world around him. But in 1984...well, I won't spoil it for you, but the entire process of change is quite shocking. If you haven't read these novels, I strongly urge you to do so. They are both essentially dealing with concepts of Communism and in that sense, I think they're very effective. This is particularly true with Animal Farm. The animals begin a rebellion to rise up from Mr. Jones (the owner of Manor Farm), but in the end their rebellion simply transforms into another regime that is even worse than what they suffered under Mr. Jones. Much like in Communist China, intellectuals jostle for position and other intellectuals are persecuted so as to provide no competition. Keep the population uneducated and ignorant and you can create a simplistic patriotism and system of propaganda that keeps them under control. 1984 particularly reminded me of The Matrix, in terms of specific things that The Matrix borrowed from it. The general themes are obvious, but so is the idea of several control systems layered within one another. It's interesting, because there are so many parallels; I think 1984's control/power system not only resembles Communism, but also organized religion. Organized religion - especially creationist "scientists" - constantly practice a form of doublespeak. Creation "science" would not exist without such a practice, due to the obvious inherent contradictions. It is necessary to avoid or deny certain facts so that a square peg can be plugged into a round hole. The Party did that with just about everything; if their forecasts for rations had been wrong, they'd simply go back and edit all of the newspapers to eliminate any record of the miscalculation. Anyway, yeah, I would absolutely recommend these novels to anyone who wants something intruiging to read. I think both 1984 and Animal Farm really have the power to make people sit up and think, especially if you aren't very knowledgable about political issues. Forming these subjects into relatable stories really does help to create a vivid image in your mind. Elfy: Don't worry, my memory is bad at times too (and not through alcohol, which is doubly scary). Shinny: Ahh I see what you mean. I definitely prefer being on the beach during the evening. It's somehow more mysterious and beautiful then. But I also like being on the beach when it's very overcast and stormy. SunfallE: Glad you appreciated the title, yo. Yay for spread out cut scenes. Evil Jedi: Bingo! If I want to sit back and passively consume, I will get a movie. But with a game, I want to be an active participant. An MGS movie would be good, but it'd be B-grade if Kojima were to do it, I think. I think he's a talented game designer, but...I suspect that if he did a film it would contain some of the campness of the game's cut scenes. And that might be a bit sticky in a film. Aaryanna: I haven't yet played Tales of Symphonia unfortunately, but I've heard great things about it. nobodysbaby: That's a lot of exclamation marks! Careful not to overdose, all things in moderation. ^_^ Pumpkin: I've never fallen asleep during a cut scene, but I don't fall asleep too easily unless I'm in bed or something. Sara: A week? You haven't commented on my page for a longer period than that! You haven't missed anything though, so I suppose it doesn't matter. Hehe

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Wednesday, June 22, 2005

La-Li-Lu-Le-shut the hell up!

Well, I completed Metal Gear Solid 3 a few days ago. I'm still really impressed with it. The whole sequence that follows the first battle with Volgin is awesome. Full of constant surprises. Somehow it reminded me of Shenmue a little, if only because it had this completely weird feeling of being totally unpredictable. I mean, suddenly switching to on-rails shooting and stuff? Very cool. Although I have to say, EVA is a terribly uncoordinated driver. lol Anyway, yeah, I am very pleased with it. Brilliant game. Along with Resident Evil 4, it's one of my favourites in recent memory. I'd definitely put it on-par with that game, which is a pretty huge compliment. But still - and you knew I was going to say it - the cut scene madness was really getting to me. It was getting to be a ratio of 60/40 cut scene/gameplay. Yuck. It's not that any of the cut scenes are bad, but there's just so much unnecessary stuff in there. I think part of the art of storytelling is probably not telling too much, or at least, not showing everything all the time. There is definitely relevance to the idea of "less is more". It's a shame, because the story was great. The ending was particularly good. It came together in a very strong way, but still, it's possible to lose interest in a great story if you're constantly being taken away from a really fun game. I kept saying "Okay, just let me play." Oh well. As mentioned, this is my only real criticism of the the game. That means, obviously, I really have no negative comments about the actual gameplay. And that is pretty rare. So it's still a very glowing verdict from me - that is, when one is actually able to experience the gameplay. Doc G: Yes, I still recommend it. Despite the ridiculously numerous and lengthy cut scenes (which frankly put the latter Final Fantasy games to shame), the actual game is well worth playing. It's very unique and it really achieves a brilliant balance. It's a very clever design. As for the latter part of your comment, yes, you're right. "Metal Gear" originated on the NES, although I have never played the 2D incarnations of the series. Aaryanna: Glad you're enjoying your stay! Yeah, I totally sympathize. Even with Final Fantasy, I never really minded the cinema sequences. They often didn't really drive the story forward, they were often just there for eye candy. But they weren't too numerous for me or too long (the same cannot be said for the GF summon animations though). The story unfolded through text/conversations. I liked that, because I could go at my own pace and not miss anything. And that was broken up with battling and so on. So, it rarely got on my nerves. SunfallE: Yup. I'm all for having a cinematic approach in games, but games aren't movies. I don't want to sit back and watch a game - I want to play it. XxLinkinParkxX: Yeah, as I mentioned, it's definitely worth trying. There really isn't anything out there that is exacty like Metal Gear Solid. It's one of those franchises that has developed a very unique style of gameplay over the years. Shin-kun: You don't like the beach? O_O Yeah, I'm not sure about an Xbox version, but this is one game I'd almost be prepared to buy a PS2 for (if I didn't already own one). It's just one of those games that people really have to try out. Senny: I know what you mean and that's a good point. However, with Metal Gear, I tend to be at risk of zoning out with extra long sequences. While the fundamental story is interesting, the delivery isn't always great. It's not like watching a great film. You can tell that it's done by a game company - it just doesn't hold my interest because much of it is too waffling and not concise enough. But as I've said, it's not just that, it's also the fact that I enjoy the game so much...I don't like being taken away from that experience for too long. It's jarring and for me, it hurts the experience. Rather than playing and thinking "I can't wait for another cool cut scene", I play and think "God I hope I have a good amount of time before I get dragged away from the game again". As for the camera, I never really minded it. The whole thing felt more immersive and realistic to me. The slight awkwardness seemed natural, for lack of a better word. It took some time to get used to though. And it's probably one of the rare instances where I'd be in favor of "more awkwardness" in a game. lol elfy: It's cool, humor can be hard to convey on the Internet, no? No need to apologize. I enjoyed our chat, it was very insightful. It's always a pleasure to chat with you. ^_^ Ajeh: Oh believe me, I criticize from a position of love. ~_^ The fact that my only criticism relates to cut scenes is pretty darn good if you think about it. I love everything else - awkward camera included. DDG: Yeah, that's understandable. Sometimes I like cut scenes if they are a good distance apart. Unfortunately, Metal Gear Solid 3 throws them at you frequently. And frequently, you're removed from the game experience. I really don't enjoy that. However, there are some cool tricks with cut scenes, especially the R1 thing. It was particularly funny to see where Snake was looking when talking to EVA... lol Asuki-chan: Thank you very much, I appreciate it! Never fear, if myO is off it usually just means I am fiddling around in the backroom somewhere, as Tony said. ^_^

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Sunday, June 19, 2005

Don't mess with my snake.

I finally had the opportunity to play Metal Gear Solid 3. My brother borrowed it from one of his friends, so I've been able to sit with it for a little while. I'll try not to provide spoilers, but I will say that I just defeated The End, so that'll give you an idea of where I'm up to. It's interesting to play this game and to look back on my memories of the overall series. Metal Gear Solid was an amazing game - one of my favourite PlayStation games - and it still holds up pretty well today. Metal Gear Solid 2 was very controversial and to be honest, I only played the first half (Big Shell). Basically, I lost interest. For me, the biggest problem was that it was starting to be more of a movie than a game. I was tired of being interrupted by the CODEC so frequently - I just wanted to play the actual game. This was particularly a problem during the beginning and it did get a little better. But still, the interruptions were too frequent for my taste. The overall game was good - the actual gameplay was pretty good - but somehow it felt a little stale in general. I'd heard great things about Metal Gear Solid 3 so I was eager to try it out for myself. And I have to say, it's by far my favourite game in the series already. The gameplay seems to be the most refined and it adds some significantly new elements to the table. Eating animals seemed like an odd idea when I read about it, but in practice it works brilliantly (mostly because it's not a chore, I think). And the whole forest-based gameplay is wonderful. It's truly great fun to sneak around through the grass among your enemies and try not to be caught. I didn't think I'd like the omission of the radar (a friend of mine really disliked the game for that reason), but I must admit, I'm really pleased with the result. No, there's no radar (although there are alternatives), but I think this game is more fun without it. Rather than simply looking at dots on the screen, you're really forced to pay close attention to your surroundings. I love the fact that I have to be aware of movement and sound around me. It feels very authentic and immersive. Despite the length of the fight against The End, I have to say...it really exemplifies the fun of the game's forest-based stealth. Having a mix of outdoor and indoor environments is also great for variety. My only complaint? Well, given what I've said it's probably predictable. I don't mind the story or anything - even though it really doesn't keep me on the edge of my seat. What annoys me most is the length of the video sequences. It seems almost like there are as many cutscenes as actual gameplay. Although I did watch all of the sequences, I often felt myself wanting to skip them. A lot of it just seemed unnecessary. My feeling is that there must be a better way to convey the story without so frequently breaking from the action. Although it's not quite the same, Half-Life's technique is great - where the story unfolds as you actually play. It may not be the best solution for Metal Gear Solid 3, but still, I'd be quite happy if the game's cutscenes were only half as numerous as they are now. If that happened, I'd be hard-pressed to find anything wrong with the game. For what it sets out to achieve...it succeeds in pretty much every respect. The mechanics could probably be improved in a few minor ways, but generally speaking I think everything comes together very effectively. So if you didn't enjoy MGS2 so much and you've avoided MGS3...I can only say that you're really missing out. This game totally erases any problems that the second one had and it simultaneously adds a lot of cool new elements to the series. It makes me all the more interested in following the progress of Metal Gear Solid 4 on PlayStation 3. Mimmi: I thought you'd like the suggestion. ~_^ Harlequin: You lost me there... SunfallE: Yeah, I think it all comes down to the situation, eh? elfpirate: I sort of agree with you, but I think that gender equality isn't about 100% equality no matter what. I think it's about offering women the same opportunities as men - and treating them the same way intellectually - but also acknowledging that the two genders are still different. I mean, physical strength is (generally) one area where the two are different. I think a woman can still be equal to a man without necessarily being "the same". Shin-kun: Oh I'm sure there are British surfer champions. Er...right? Surely at least one of Britain's beaches must be viable for swimming... Tonykins: Holy crap, it's amazing you just said that. That colour scheme is exactly what I was planning for my room. Red walls (maybe three red, one white), a black wooden frame for my bed, black and white pillows, etc. It would be nice to just give someone the keys and let them go crazy on my room, I would love to see the results. John: Yeah that's a good point. Perhaps we can take a Californian or an Australian and force them to speak in a British accent? ^_^; Asuki-chan: There's a time and place for everything, my dear. ~_^ Aaryanna: It's a funky quiz, no? I don't think I've seen your name on myOtaku before - thanks for commenting!

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Wednesday, June 15, 2005

Stolen from Asphy/Mimmi/Arcadia

ANGER 1. Who did you last get angry with? Probably Elizabeth, my little sister. 2. What is your weapon of choice? I'm not one for weapons... 3. Would you hit a member of the opposite sex? Depends on the situation. If she was coming after me with a lawnmower or a chainsaw, then yes, I probably would. Either that or I'd distract her somehow. 4. How about of the same sex? See above. 5. Who was the last person who got really angry at you? I can't remember anyone who got really angry with me in real life. It would have been a very long time ago. But online, that's another story. lol 6. What is your pet peeve? TV evangelists/faith healers/John Edwards. 7. Do you keep grudges, or can you let them go easily? No, I don't really keep grudges. In fact, I've become good friends with people who really disliked me a lot originally for whatever reason. Although I don't bear grudges, I think I do tend to be wary of people if they've been weird/irrational or something in the past. SLOTH 1. What is one thing you're supposed to do daily that you haven't done in a long time? The one thing I'm supposed to do daily? Uh...good question. I really don't know. If I had to do it daily, it would be pretty important and therefore I probably wouldn't forget. lol 2. What is the latest you've ever woken up? "Latest" or "earliest"? I've woken up at all sorts of crazy times, from 11pm to 4am to everything in between. Give me a real question! 3. Name a person you've been meaning to contact, but haven't. I can't think of anyone who would fit under that. 4. What is the last lame excuse you made? "I can't be bothered." I forget what I used that for... 5. Have you ever watched an infomercial all the way through (one of the long ones...)? Oh, I must have at some stage. American infomercials are among the weirdest things on the planet. Japan isn't the only country with incredibly bizarre elements. ~_^ 6. When was the last time you got a good workout in? A good workout? Not for a long time. I do some basic exercises each day, but nothing major or serious. That's about to change though, I promise! 7. How many times did you hit the snooze button on your alarm clock today? Not once. My alarm clock is on the other side of the room, so...I never hit snooze. When it goes off, I'm awake and that's all there is to it. ~_^ GLUTTONY 1. What is your overpriced yuppie beverage of choice? Oh yes, I'd have to agree with Arcadia...Starbucks. Either that, or some sort of fancy vodka. They charge way too much for that stuff at certain places. 2. Meat eaters: white meat or dark meat? Yeah...red meat. Nothing like a good steak. 3. What is the greatest amount of alcohol you've had in one sitting/outing/event? Not a lot, actually. I'm not a big fan of getting drunk. Tipsy is about as far as I'll go. 4. Have you ever used a professional diet company? Diets don't work. At least, the starving yourself ones don't. Just eat healthy, don't deny yourself of food. (So the answer is no). 5. Do you have an issue with your weight? Nope. 6. Do you prefer sweets, salty foods, or spicy foods? If I'm really hungry I prefer spicy or salty food. I can't eat much sweet food, it's too sickly and unfulfilling. 7. Have you ever looked at a small housepet or child and thought, "LUNCH!"? I don't eat babies or house pets, but if I ever do, I'll send you pictures. LUST 1. How many people have you seen naked (not counting movies/family)? I'm not going to tell you that. 2. How many people have seen YOU naked (not counting physicians/family)? See above. I'd just hate to give off vibes of promiscuity. 3. Have you ever caught yourself staring at the chest/crotch of a member of your gender of choice during a normal conversation? Chest and crotch are my only options? The answer is still yes. 4. Have you "done it"? Yes. 5. What is your favorite body part on a person of your gender of choice? Eyes, lips, hands, hair. 6. Have you ever been propositioned by a prostitute? Well, no. But then again, I may have been propositioned by someone who was a prostitute and I wasn't aware of their profession. Ahem. 7. Have you ever had to get tested for an STD or pregnancy? Nope. I wouldn't have sex unless I was doing so in a highly responsible manner. GREED 1. How many credit cards do you own? None. 2. What's your guilty pleasure store? It's a toss-up between Video Games Heaven and Minotaur. 3. If you had $1 million, what would you do with it? I would buy a car and then try to do something constructive with the rest (which includes buying Alan an expensive pair of boots and buying Mimmi her very own butler/champion surfer). 4. Would you rather be rich, or famous? I'd much rather be rich than famous. 6. Have you ever stolen anything? Not that I'm aware of. 7. How many MP3s are on your hard drive? I have no idea. I think right now I'm down to a measly 500 or so. Post-format. PRIDE 1. What one thing have you done that you're most proud of? I was most proud of my result in year 12 business management - my score was within the top 15% of the state. Other than that, I think I am most proud of having done work experience at my favourite company. It's very hard to get in and I did it all on my own, which was something I thought I could never do. 2. What one thing have you done that your parents are most proud of? I think I'd have to agree with Arcadia. My parents are proud that they can respect me, I think. I overhead my dad telling my mum that he thinks I'm the wisest person he's met, which was very flattering. He doesn't have frank discussions with me often, so it was nice to hear that. 3. What thing would you like to accomplish in your life? I would like to be working for my favourite company (OMG guess!) and I want to find someone who I can devote my life to. If I manage those things, I really won't need anything else. 4. Do you get annoyed by coming in second place? It depends. If I seriously go after something, I'm not likely to come in second. Wow, that sounds arrogant doesn't it? But I can be very determined. However, if I am not as passionate about something I'm less likely to do a great job. If I come second under those circumstances I don't care. But still, second is not really a bad thing. Achieiving a high distinction in any field is good, whether you're first or second or whatever. Even being in the top five is nice. ~_^ 5. Have you ever entered a contest of skill, knowing you were of much higher skill than all the other competitors? Well, sometimes yeah...not in terms of actual competitions like "design the best t-shirt" or whatever. But in various things I've done in the past, I have pursued something with that knowledge. 6. Have you ever cheated on something to get a higher score? I've cheated in terms of copying someone's notes that I may have missed. But is that really cheating? I don't know. I've never cheated on a test or something like that though. 7. What did you do today that you're proud of? I'm not really proud of anything I did today. It was just a regular day. ENVY 1. What item (or person) of your friends would you most want to have for your own? Hm...I think mostly I would like to have the relationship success that some of my friends have. That would be nice - just meeting that right person and having everything work. 2. Who would you want to go on "Trading Spaces" with? Probably Tony. He can paint up my room as if it were one of his web pages - I would probably love that. 3. If you could be anyone else in the world, who would you be? I don't want to be anyone else. I'm good at being me. 4. Have you ever been cheated on? I don't know. If I have it's kind of irrelevant now, because I am currently single. But obviously nobody wants to be cheated on, so I hope not. 5. Have you ever wished you had a physical feature different from your own? Yeah, all the time. But I have what I have and I should just be satisfied with that. 6. What inborn trait do you see in others that you wish you had for yourself? I think it would have to be "vision". Meaning, an intrinsic sense about products and styles and things like that. If I could think in that way, life would be much easier. 7. Do you wish you'd come up with this survey? What? And avoid doing better things with my time? ~_^ 8. Finally, what is your favorite deadly sin? Lust, of course.

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Tuesday, June 14, 2005

Let's boogie!

Although things have been busy, I did manage to have a reasonably relaxing weekend. On Saturday evening, I saw Mr. & Mrs. Smith and then went to a local cafe for some drinks. It was a nice, quiet evening. The cafe that I went to is particularly nice. It's a little difficult to describe, but everything is very "open". By that I mean, the actual food preparation area is sort of right among where you actually sit. The whole thing is half inside, half outside and it's entirely bathed in red lighting from above. It is a little surreal...like Planet Hollywood but a lot more relaxed. I like it though and it's very near my house, which is good. Mr. & Mrs. Smith was okay. Better than I expected, probably because my expectations were low. Mostly, I liked the (fairly obvious) humor and the generally lighthearted nature of the whole thing. The big fight scene in their house was also kind of cool - it reminded me of War of the Roses, but was even more funny (and didn't have tragic consequences). So yeah, I think it was a worthwhile night. The new few months of movies are going to be really good for me. This week, Batman Begins is out and as Tony mentioned on his page, it looks like it'll be the first good use of Batman since Batman Returns. Shame about those Joel Schumacher films in between. The trailer for Begins definitely looks great and all the early impressions seem very positive. Next month there's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and around Halloween there's Corpse Bride. If you haven't seen the trailer for the latter, you really should. Then there's Jeremy Tarr's Living Neon Dreams, starring Marilyn Manson as the Queen of Hearts. I'm very much looking forward to that, if only due to its premise. Those are all the big ones that I'm looking out for, but I'm sure there are quite a few more that I'm forgetting about at the moment. Anyway, on to the commentary. SunfallE: Your story reminds me of the time I heard a huge crash in the backyard...right near my window, at about 3am. It was incredibly loud - it sounded like someone had broken through the fence or something. Never found out what that was, either. hEvN: The corniness can be what makes the movie a lot of fun, though. I often like corniness in horror movies. A large part of the reason that I enjoy Dawn of the Dead is due to that very humor, as opposed to any concept of actual horror. It's also fun to criticize the characters for making silly decisions. I haven't seen The Eye, no. But I've heard good things about that. Baroness: I'm glad you like the new threads. I think the process of dressing/undressing is more fun than being dressed or undressed, if you know what I mean... Chab: Thank you much. Doc G: I'm glad that you were interested in what I posted, I shall take note of your comment. ^_^ Alex-kun: The more you talk about it, the more intrigued I get. I really loved the unrelated dialogue in Pulp Fiction though. That's what made it what it was. Gangsters talking about fast food and uncomfortable silences is just too good. Tonykins: I could understand Romero fans feeling the opposite way, yeah. I felt that in the new version, the characters were still more important than the zombies. For me, I mostly preferred the newer characters/actors and some of the situations that had been added. The original had some great moments though. One thing I really didn't like about the new film was that sarcastic guy. What an ass. Seriously, if you were in that situation, would you be so ridiculously sarcastic? I could understand it in terms of perhaps denying or avoiding reality...but still, his level of sarcasm was highly frustrating. I'm actually very glad that he came a cropper (never thought I'd use that phrase here, ahem). Seductress: Now that is a comment! Wouldn't it be fun to rent out a cinema, invite all of the crazy myO people over and watch it together? We could turn it into a dress-up event and share cotton candy to make it even better. ~_^ Annsie: I look forward to seeing how the trailer influenced you; it should keep excitement about the RPG fresh. ~_^ hEvN: Excellent! I shall rent it this weekend, methinks. elfy: Ahh good, another Dahl/Burton fan...and someone who sympathizes with my whole view on robots. Yay! And yes, you really should check out Wonka Inc., if only to see how weirdly twisted it's already become. o_O Sennethy: Why thank you. ^_^ To those who didn't see the Wonka trailer or who are on dial-up, check out the box below. ~_^

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Monday, June 13, 2005

Commentary & Stuff

Tonykins: It's interesting you say that. I mentioned the original Dawn of the Dead in my previous post, actually. I really didn't like it. I think mostly, the characters annoyed me. Although the characters in the new version weren't exactly three dimensional, I found the movie itself more entertaining. I've heard good things about Final Destination 2 though, so that's something I should definitely check out. I'm also interested in that new film...Land of the Dead? I think that's what it's called. If I enjoy it like I enjoyed Dawn of the Dead, it will be worthwhile. hEvN: From the little I've seen of asian ghost stories, they do tend to be a bit more scary. Quite often they don't have the cash that American films can throw around, so they often seem to rely on more subtle techniques. The fact that they are usually grounded in some sort of legend also helps. Although asain films can be incredibly corny as well, but I don't mind that. Often it's a lot of fun (like The Grudge 2, which just can't be taken seriously). Cherrylicious: Yeah, I'm a big fan of Silence of the Lambs. The stories are usually not terribly complex, but I love the psychological aspect. And the acting is always top-notch. I also usually love Hannibal's dialogue. There's a lot of dark humor in that series, which is something I enjoy. elfpirate: Ahh, my favourite pirate! You know what movie really scared me when it came out? Robocop 2. Yeah, I was only a kid but still...something about the stop-motion and the design of Kane was extremely terrifying for me, lol. Stop-motion robots still unnerve me. The robot in Michael Jackson's Moonwalker scares me to this day. HC: Oh, I haven't seen Stigmata. Quite a few people do seem to mention that as well, so I should add that to my list. Silence of the Lambs was really a big omission - I've really enjoyed every single movie in the trilogy. Panda-chan: Yeah, I know what you mean. For me it's all over the place. Sometimes more "realistic" movies scare me, but sometimes I find ghostly things unnerving, like The Ring and even The Mothman Prophecies. Although the latter really just had a few "jump" moments and wasn't terribly scary. I think it was more the mystery and various subtle elements that made it a skin-crawling experience at times. DarkRosesSea: You know, I never found The Exorcist to be scary. It was shocking, but shocking images and words don't actually scare me. The Ring was scary mostly because I didn't expect it to be what it was when I first saw it. I expected Scream and I ultimately got something far more psychological/creepy. Baron-kun: Not to worry, my dear. You caught me in the middle of getting dressed, is all. ~_^ As many of you know, I'm a big fan of Tim Burton/Johnny Depp/Roald Dahl. So obviously I'm really looking forward to the new Wonka film. The first trailer got me really excited, but the second one boosts my expectations even further. It's gorgeous. This is my kind of movie! Check out the large version here. I am really hoping that I'll enjoy the movie. I'm trying not to get too excited. But considering the awesome talent involved at all levels, it's hard not to. This is just one of those things, it brings together so many elements that I'm personally very passionate about. Seeing one of my favourite childhood novels being brought to life by Burton excites me beyond belief. The fact that Burton really understands Dahl's technique only furthers that. It couldn't be in better hands. Speaking of Wonka, I want to thank everyone who posted in the first chapter of Wonka Inc. Chapter two will be up very very shortly. I'm so pleased with the progress! Watching this trailer will reinvigorate all of you, I'm sure. Put Marilyn Manson in Depp's place, twist things a little further, and you'll have a good visual of the RPG. ~_^

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Thursday, June 9, 2005

Orange in the evening...

Ahh, I really need to watch Requiem for a Dream again. I'd been listening to Aeternal a bit lately, because it was on a CD that I'd put together for my mother. It just reminded me of that movie. I saw the end of it on TV recently and it reminded me that I should watch it again, especially because of Ellen Burstyn. What a great performance in that movie. Speaking of Ellen Burstyn, she is also of course the mother in The Exorcist. I watched that again recently too. It's an interesting subject at my house, because my dad relates stories about how he and his friends were horrified by it when they saw it at the drive-in. Whereas my mother was never upset or frightened by it. In fact, scary movies don't really disturb her at all. The only one that really frightened her in recent memory was Ring - specifically, the ending (the Japanese film's ending is a lot more creepy than the American one, for those who haven't seen it). I'd have to agree with her on that. It can be surprising how scary something can be with such a minimal budget. I first saw The Exorcist only a few years ago, with my parents. Mostly, I think I was surprised that a movie of its era could be that shocking. I suppose that now, none of the content in the film shocks me particularly, but I can definitely imagine it being incredibly cutting-edge at the time. But having said that, I think reactions to that movie are interesting. I mean, I never found the film scary at all. Instead, I mostly just found it surprising. When I first saw it, I was surprised by various things that Regan said and did, because they were obviously relatively extreme for a girl of that age. However, really, in today's world none of that is particularly shocking anyway. It was definitely more the context of the film - that a film of the 70's would go so far, particularly a film that did actually manage to get a general theatrical release. These days, I guess it's pretty difficult to shock people. Really, if someone made a new Exorcist-esque horror film...how on earth could they be more shocking without actually doing something illegal? I think mostly it would have to come down to the power of suggestion. I mean, I found The Cell somewhat shocking, in the same vein as The Exorcist. It wasn't actually "scary", it was just somewhat extreme in terms of what it was referencing and displaying. Watching The Cell didn't make me frightened, but it definitely had some pretty unpleasant and upsetting moments. In recent times though, I am a little disappointed by horror films. Mostly, there just hasn't been anything out there that's really scared me. As I said, shocking things - things like gore or sex - don't frighten me. Rather, I tend to be more scared by psychological things, or things that simply get under your skin in an indirect manner. On the other side of the coin, I really like movies such as 28 Days Later and Dawn of the Dead. I don't regard them as scary, but simply entertaining. Dawn of the Dead wasn't really frightening at all, but it did have a few gross moments (ie: the bit at the start where the little girl bites her father's neck - yuck). Mostly though, I found it humorous and interesting. What interested me most about it, I think, was actually seeing how people would live in a deserted mall for a period of time. And seeing how they escaped was also interesting. I guess it makes me wonder what I'd do if I were in that situation. 28 Days Later had humor, but I regard it as a more serious and more morbid film than Dawn of the Dead. It had its shocking moments, but I think the story and the way it unfolded was significantly more stark and morbid than other zombie films I've seen. In some ways, I was able to take it more seriously. The relationship between the father and daughter - stuck in their apartment and surviving on rain water - was something that gave the whole thing an element of realism and claustrophobia. And of course, the beautiful shots of a deserted London really helped to set the mood. The ending in particular (the whole military thing) was really strange and unexpected, which was also great to see. Does anyone recommend any truly scary horror films? Or perhaps even some other modern zombie films? I may have asked that question before, but I'm definitely interested to see what I can find. I've watched so many modern horror films lately and I've seen more and more asian horror films...and I'm finding that it's getting very hard to find something that truly creeps me out. ~_^ I did actually watch the original Dawn of the Dead (which allowed me to recognize a funky cameo in the new film), but I really didn't enjoy the original. It had the comedic aspects and so on, but the characters largely annoyed me and I generally found the whole thing to be pretty dry and uninteresting. Oh well. I'm hoping it won't be long before I find another horror film to become addicted to. ~_^ SunfallE: Thank you! It was my pleasure. ^_^ Piro-chan: Wow, it's so nice to see you comment - I haven't seen you around much lately. Thank you for the kind words, Mr. Piro. I hope that you are doing well. ^_^ Baroness: It will be tougher to do Flavors on myO 3.0 (myO 3.0 is actually different to the Redefined version we were talking about some time ago). However, I'll see what I can do. It's mostly a time thing. If we can't get that ready by launch, I'm sure it'll be possible to do soon after. Harlequin: Ahh, so you feel my pain! Thank you though, I'm doing a lot better now. ^_^ The Doc: You shall see more very shortly! And yes, GTA has been fun, although I blew a lot of money on property...and now I need money to buy that airstrip. Blar. hEvN: Oh, maybe you should consider getting back into GTA. There are so many fun things about San An; even just listening to the radio was worth it. "My Five Uncles!" poopy: What the? Wow, it sounds like you've had some nasty adventures. Ouch. >_> John: Yeah, so many games are trying to copy GTA. But most of them aren't as good. For all the complaints I have about GTA, I still think it's a pretty solid franchise. San Andreas is still remarkable, even now. Cherry Queen: Ah yes, sometimes it's a bit tricky. I recently tried the two player mode and I let my sister stand on top of a plane while I flew it. And it worked! But when I tried to land, she fell off... Charliekins: How would I get an ear infection from that? I haven't been ear fucked in...well, quite a long time. You really should play GTA! Seriously. For some of its minor issues, it's pretty darn incredible. San Andreas is by far the best in the series. Chabby: Oh yes, nothing worse than those sensations! When I had my infection I stood up and my head started spinning like crazy. I nearly fell over. So I had to stand there for a while and try to recover. Ew. No fun. >_>

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