Friday, January 2, 2004

   Rebuilding . . . . .
I finally did it. I upgraded to Windows XP. The hundreds of spyware thingies and stuff are all gone.

Of course, in the process, the C Drive has been given a clean wipe . . . it's time to rebuild everything. Time to reinstall all the programs, all the games, and all the other bits . . . . .

Incidentally, I lost all my MSN avatars . . . crap . . . . . and I don't have photoshop to make new ones yet! Crap!!! Awww . . . . .

I may not have thought this out as thoroughly as I had hoped . . . . . hmm . . . . .
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Thursday, January 1, 2004

   4th Street and 8th Avenue . . . . .
It was about 11:30pm last night. I was STILL in my house, STILL in front of the computer, NOT doing anything for New Year's.

Crap.

So, I don't know what compelled me to do this, but I set my MSN to away, changed my name to "SomeGuy: Out For a Walk - Not Exactly Sure Where", put on my jacket and boots, and went for a walk around my town. Again, I have no idea what compelled me to do this.

I had just cut through a slushie and extremely empty Safeway parking lot at about 15 minutes to 2004 when I figured that walking through slush and half-shovelled walks. So, I jumped over one last thing of snow and started walking up the road . . . literally, on the road.

Now, 8th ave for me is a relatively major road, spanning the entire city and connecting train stations, schools, and the uptown area . . . and it was almost completely deserted. Now and then a car or taxi would drive by (a lot of taxis, actually) and I'd shift to the other side of the yellow line . . . but yeah, walking on a major road, surrounded by quiet, quiet street . . . . . kinda neat, I must say . . .

I could hear the odd firework off in the distance at about 5-10 minutes to 2004. That was about it, though. No voices. Pretty much the only sound I could hear was the dripping of melting snow from the tree branches dropping onto the street and sidewalks. I looked into some windows as I walked; most were dark, indicating that no one was home . . . others had their front doors open with people just laughing on their porches . . . . . it was about here where I started to wonder where I would be when midnight hit . . . . . .

During a long stretch of road, I walked past someone who had just made a hasty (and rather terrible) parking job on the side of the street. Effectively, it wasn't even straight, the front corner of her car was sticking out into the road . . . but she didn't care! She got out, ran across the street, and into a waiting house . . . just goes to show ya, I guess . . . I looked at my watch; it was 11:59. I looked at my cel phone; it was 11:59 . . .

Just as I reached 4th street about 5-6 blocks or so away from where I live, I heard some pots being banged, a harmonica, some faint cheering, and a plethora of fireworks off in the background. Looking around, I could see some of them, though the sky was still pretty cloudy. It was then where I could hear the big foghorns from the waterfront blasting. Now, I'm still quite a ways away from the river where I am, and I could hear this!

So yes, it was at 4th St. and 8th Ave. when I witnessed the new year.


Ya know, I realise this was probably a pretty sad way to spend New Year's. Being alone, walking down a quiet street, just humming or whistling to myself (which just reminded me that I have to memorize more song lyrics) . . . but hey, I'm sure it's still less pathetic than sitting alone in a basement in front of a computer, right? And yes, my parents were home and I could have spent New Year's sitting on the carpet of the living room staring at the television . . . but ya know, my parents were just sitting together on the couch (my mother was actually asleep when I left), and well . . . I figured it'd be best to leave them to themselves.

I suppose it could be worse. I mean, during my walk I passed buses and taxis driving by; I went past a gas station where the guy had a single monitor on which was for security reasons; about 2-3 minutes after midnight, I saw another gas station attendant at a busy corner station shovelling snow around the pumps . . . in fact, he was the first person I vocally said "Happy New Year" to! So yeah, ya know, some people probably had it worse than I did - I mean, I'm sure we all got the same amount of thinking done, but ya know . . .

And believe me, I got a LOT of thinking done . . . which scares me (myself being left to myself leads to scary thoughts, ya know). Eheh . . . . . but yeah, while I was uptown, I went to a bank machine, got some cash . . . and headed back home. It was about a quarter after 12, and suddenly my quiet main road wasn't quite so quiet anymore . . . that was all it took for life to return to normal . . . . .

So yeah, walking alone outside on New Year's Eve? Not so bad. I mean, if I can help it I'll NEVER do it again for as LONG as I live . . . but ya know . . . . .
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Wednesday, December 31, 2003

   Happy New Year!
"Hallo. It is a happy new year. It is two thousand and . . . FOURTH!"

(I'm just imitating my cousin from three years ago, so that wasn't supposed to make any sense, okay?)


I'm feeling especially lazy today, so I'll keep it short and sweet: happy new year everyone, keep it safe, keep it fun, and I'll see ya next year, savvy? Alright then . . . we now return you to your regularly scheduled programming . . .
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Tuesday, December 30, 2003

   So, I'm friggin' playing Diablo 2 again . . .
I don't know why . . . . . I've got three BRAND NEW games to play now, and yet . . . my stupid friends all suddenly have urges to play many-years-old Diablo 2 . . . how weird is that? It's kinda like how my brother berated me for playing Final Fantasy IV on the PS2 last year . . . "you have one of the most powerful gaming systems in the world right now, and you're playing a Super Nintendo game?" Heehee . . . . .
(For the record, "Final Fantasy: Chronicles" is SUCH a good investment for Playstation owners!)

Okay, so save the fact that not all of us have "equitable" CD keys, we finally all get to playing . . . I need to think up a good female fantasy name for a sorceress . . . . . "Kaiya" from my old story is used. Bummer . . . . . my friends are still waiting on me . . .

And then, I just typed "Shandrial" off the top of my head. Funny how the world works, huh?

So yes, Shanny, you now have a Diablo 2 Battlenet character named in your honour. I'll try not to get you killed too often . . . though if I do, I will forever blame my stupid friends because I'm sure they're probably stupid and is probably their faults anyway . . . . .
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Monday, December 29, 2003

   Day of Gaming . . . . .
So, first I felt that the Waltz sequence from FFVIII was perhaps one of the greatest Final Fantasy FMVs ever - and it still is, don't get me wrong - but ya know, that "1000 Words" from FFX-2 is just, well . . . . . I mean . . . it was a friggin' game and I was welling up inside! How insane is that!

Yes, loving my FFX-2 very much.

On the other side of the basement, I recently finished Call of Duty on the second-to-last difficulty setting. Also a very loveable game. In fact, I've already started a new game on the "normal" difficulty so I can just play for fun this time around (because although dying 20-25 times within the same 2 minutes of game-time in a level is also very fun in its own way . . . . .).

So let's see . . . what else have I been missing . . . . . hmm . . . . . oh, so to free up space for all my new games, I've started burning off the animes I still haven't watched yet . . . so the first half of "Scrapped Princess" is now on disk, which puts it at risk of never being seen ever again by me . . . a shame . . . . . the things we do, huh?

Finally, in other news, I may or may not have made things weird between "The Girl" and I. I'll have to get back to you with that one, I think. Oh well. Cheers!
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Sunday, December 28, 2003

   I've been busy . . . go fig, huh?
Yeah, first it was Christmas night, THEN it was a night drinkin' with the boys . . . and NOW I friggin' own Final Fantasy X-2, Call of Duty, and Rainbow 6: Raven Shield (granted the last one has yet to be installed, but ya know . . .)

So yeah. Finally own Call of Duty. Makes me a very happy little boy, I must say . . .

Of course, with that in mind, I've been online much less, haven't I? Yeah . . . um . . . . . yeah . . .

So yeah, once I stop playing games for a while, I'll come online and do some stuff, check some pages (I'm sure I'm completely out of the loop by now, huh?), and yeah. Should be fun. Meanwhiles, I'm hungry and probably sleepy too . . . so yeah, later!



OH YEAH!!! It snowed yesterday!!! FINALLY!!! WHEE!!! And we drove in it to go buy our stuff! Fun!!! Slippy-slidy can't see lines and can't park and everything! Booyah!!!
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Thursday, December 25, 2003

   And So It Begins . . . the Christmas Post . . . . .

'Tis the night before Christmas, and here in my home,
I feel that it's time to try writing a poem,
I'm sure it'll suck, this much I know,
But we all must be bored from our minds . . . so . . . . .

My buddy, it seems, has forgotten his plan,
To have us all go out like all good boys can,
To sit in a building with low lights and bars,
To give us all reasons to forgo our cars.

Instead in my basement I stew as I sit,
And I think to myself that this really is it,
My wind down to Christmas shall be soft and slow,
Wond'ring why it is that I have nowhere to go.

Instead on my comp', I type and I wonder,
How all of my strength has been shredded asunder,
I swear! About midday I found myself tired,
As if workers inside me had all just been fired.

I thought, maybe I'll just pick a random CD,
And watch some ol' GTO on my PC,
For a reason or two, I don't really do it,
The idea, to me, just somehow won't fit.

And now for something a little off key,
I'm going to swing this next thing from me,
And plant it on people who live in this house,
Acting even more strange than a drunken, drugged mouse.

I have two brothers, I've said this before,
And I've mentioned how sometimes they cause quite a roar,
For example, mini gummibears . . . now these might be maybes,
But these guys said eating them were like eating babies!

Enough about them, though, I can't think up much,
That tells in good rhyme how they're both strange and such,
So yeah, it was only a few lines in all,
But the gummibear thing is worth the recall.

Meanwhile my buddies on MSN chat,
Of how they're all bored of this thing and that,
Still, that guy has something decent to do,
He's got Neverwinter Nights to play . . . what a friggin' jerk!

You'll have to excuse the previous line,
It rhymed not at all, and that's trouble of mine,
It probably messed up the rest of this poem,
From which I am writing inside of my home.

But yes, at my comp', I talk to this guy,
Who really isn't present, though we all know why,
As for the others, they're out or away,
It seems they're all busy, and can't come to play.

Which is quite a shame, considering this:
"The Girl" is among them and, ya know, her I miss,
We haven't spoke normally for a few days,
Our timetables simply to ruin our chances, found ways.

I'm going to get sappy, so do please forgive,
But ya know, it's these pains that remind us we live,
This girl whom I'd very much like to take skating,
Has been absent at times, thus leaving me waiting.

I never did find that plush half-demon doll,
After checking three cities and many a mall,
But oh well, I don't think I'm supposed to have ease,
In these chases of mine, there is no such breeze.

This is a small matter, no matter its weight,
I'll handle it later or leave it to fate,
So let's get back to the business at hand,
In which that great holiday immerses the land.

Despite all the hardships, it's still winter break,
And what joys we can hope for will all take the cake,
Though I may not believe in a big fat red man,
But hey, it's the spirit that counts if it can!

So let's cast off our troubles for a day or two,
And remember that miracles sometimes come true,
We're allowed to forget that the world's sometimes wrong,
And that seeing the right is what keeps our wills strong.

Yes, I'm a ham and I'm pouring it thick,
But come on! I never get to play up this shtick!
This days needs not be all too serious now,
We're allowed to have fun, to shout "Oh!" "Cool!" and "Wow!"

So everyone here at the good ol' mO,
I say to you now that it's my time to go,
Have a wonderful Christmas, and have a good day,
So peace out! I'll talk to you later, okay?

So there is my official Christmas gift for all of you - my precious people at myOtaku. But, if that's not enough, how about an anime quote?

"...when Christmas-time comes...there's a red-nosed reindeer. That's mean. 'Your shining nose is useful in the fog...' The way he said it doesn't help at all. If you tell a bald man his head is useful in the dark, you'd get punched in the face. Santa Claus says such cruel things."
("Osaka", Azumanga Daioh)

Eheh . . . gotta love Azumanga . . . . . well, everybody, have an excellent Christmas, keep it safe, keep it fun, and don't throw up on anything or anyone. Be kind to your friends, loved ones, and everyone in between. Have a happy day, a good night, and . . .

. . . . . okay, my older 25 year old brother is walking around the basement with a small chain around his neck with two gold-coloured twist-ties twisted into a ring shape right now . . . it's around his neck . . . he's calling it his precious . . . . . I TOLD you he was weird!!!


Aaaaaaanyways, let's get on with it: in the spirit of this being an anime site . . . . .

MINNA-SAN, MERI KURISUMASU!!!!!!


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Wednesday, December 24, 2003

   Funny How Things Work Out . . .
Last night, "Legolas" made us all go out of our way to come to him again . . . for the last time, I assure you (seriously! He's like the SOLE guy who lives away from all of us! He should be coming to us!) Well, "Pippin", "Faramir", and myself went out to meet him at some place uptown to get 25 cent chicken wings. Those other two guys also got beer, but I was driving, so . . . (grr . . . . .)

So let's see . . . by the end of that part of the night, there were five of us . . . and between the five of us, we ate . . . 85 chicken wings. That in turn broke down to a little over 20 dollars between five people. Good deal, ne?

After that, "Pippin", "Faramir" and I went to see The Last Samurai. Yeah, I had already seen it . . . but it's SO good! And I mean, despite the fact we were stuck at the front of the theater, surrounded by less-than-wonderful moviegoers who laughed at all the wrong places, it was and still is a great movie.

By the time we got out, it was about 2am. We got "Faramir" home, and "Pippin" came with me - he didn't have keys into his house, you see, so he spent the night at my place. It's actually kinda fitting in a weird way . . . you see, he's the guy who let me crash at his dorm that night during finals! So yeah, we be square now.

Well, "Pip'" and I ended up playing "Return of the King" for PS2 'til about 4am that night . . . . . the next morning, my entire family was confused . . . it was funny . . .


For Christmas day, I'll try to post something really special, alright? 'Til then, I'll look around; I've been neglecting the pages around mO lately . . . see ya!
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Tuesday, December 23, 2003

   Let's get this over with . . .
Okay, so now that "Faramir" has gotten back (he's my friend who's been going to school out of town since after high school), I've suddenly found myself with very much little extra time to screw around online. I mean, I'm sure that's a good thing in that I'm seeing actual people again and all, but ya know . . . means I get to do less here . . . and that's NEVER a good thing!

So yeah, last night, "Pippin" and "Faramir" came over to hang out at my place. "Pippin" and I mostly played RotK for PS2 while "Faramir" dicked around on my computer (he even starts using his own MSN stuff to chat while at my house! What a guy, huh?). So, this next part is a little late in coming, but hey, it's here: my early Christmas present to all of you . . .




This is the cumulation of nineteen days of not shaving. In honest truth, it's kinda pathetic . . . but hey, I'm asian, these things are harder to do when you're younger (heh . . . me calling myself young . . . how silly . . . . .)!

And, to compare:



Technically this was taken a year ago, but ya know, one doesn't age THAT much in a year, and the point should still be there.


So yeah, there's half of my face for you. Happy stalking now!
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Monday, December 22, 2003

   Still no shopping . . . . .
I was gonna do some of that today, but I forgot to pocket something I needed taking care of at the mall. So, instead I just went to pick up my Christmas present. So yeah, I've got this sweet-ass dark brown leather jacket that is just, well . . . it's kickass!

Ah . . . so, I kicked the hell out of my hand today . . . . . if anyone's seen Chinese martial arts before, you know there's a lot of slapping of fists and feet and stuff as parts of the routines. Well, I think it may have happened when I slapped the top of my foot when I was practicing today.
In any case, I cut/skinned the palm of my hand quite nicely, and it didn't really clot as quickly as I had hoped. Lotsa fun, I gotta say.

So, you know that "fun night" the other night? Yeah, I don't think I wrote the sarcasm in well enough, sorry. In honest truth, all of that solicited advice was not especially wanted from me. I mean, it was all sound and true enough, but still . . . . . in example, my buddy there tells me, "don't get your hopes up on ["The Girl"] too much, I don't want you to get hurt," etc. etc. etc. . . . .
Yeah, I know this whole chase of mine is probably the STUPIDEST thing a person can do, and I'm also pretty sure this is gonna be the death of me . . . but, ya know, I don't plan on stopping any time soon . . . . .

Note to all: I am a VERY BAD role model in almost all respects! Savvy?


Heh . . . I've still no "after picture" of my face (without the stubble), so uh . . . yeah, give me another day . . . um . . . yeah . . . . .
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