New Year's Eve

It is New Year's Eve and here I sit at home.

Alone.

Great combination? Absolutely not.

But such is the way things are in life, some days are better then others and all anyone can do is face it and deal with it as it comes. I can only hope that tomorrow and 2007 will mean bigger and better things to come in life.

Anyway, that is that and now onto what I came here to do. And no, that wasn't to bitch about a laundry list of things that I can easily rant on about. No, that would be far too easy and a tiny bit tasteless on my part. So with that being said, we shall proceed.

One thing I am hoping for is that this entry will not end up as a giant mass of text as did my previous post. While it is true that it is still readable, but as a wall of text? No thanks.

So at long last I was able to see the ending of Samurai 7 and needless to say, I was a little surprised and sad at the same time as well. A part of me wanted the series to continue, as the way I felt as I watched the ending to Samurai Champloo, and see what becomes of the characters.

But such is not the case and so I bid adeiu to yet another series and in it's place, I welcome Burst Angel. Obviously (at least to me), this one is a far cry from the last two series I had watched (and just mentioned). Still, it is a interesting series and I can only hope that this one will have a slightly more diffenitive end.

Miami Vice was a much better movie that even I expected, though my only real complaint about is the fact that the story itself seem to jump around just a tad bit too much. Or at least more then I tend to care for. Still, I liked it and I thought it was a heck of a job done by both Collin Farrel and Jamie Foxx.

Now I have been thinking and I remembered that I had mentioned that I would be posting basically everyday at least in the month of January. Will that even be possible for me? Well, I think the short answer would be yes. Yes it would be easy for me to post every single day, but would it all be worth reading? Likely not.

Still, it is a challenge I have wanted to give a shot at and I am definately going to be throwing a lot of brain cells and thoughts and such at this particular task.

Another hope I have is work and how I hope that things will finally lighten up a bit around there. I know for a fact that I am not the absolute hardest worker there, but I have been pushing myself like crazy this past week and today (which, by the way, is normally my LAZY day) it felt pretty much like it had caught up to me.

But by no means am I bitching, I mean it pays fairly well (by that I mean it pays a lot better then my previous job to which I will write nothing of because even after a year, I have nothing nice to really say).

All in all, my one truth of a resolution for 2007 is to strive, every day and as best as I can, to become a better worker and a better person overall. By this time next year, I would like to be able to say that I have truly improved myself as a person or else 2007, to me, will be a year of failure. And after spending much of '06 as a failure, I surely do not want to walk down that path again.

So with that said, I shall return to post again when the clock strikes midnight and 2006 fades away and in comes the year 2007.

Variety of Thoughts

Today is pretty much a random thought entry, basically meaning I'll be jotting down whatever pops into my head. Honestly, my brain is a little off today because I was pretty sure today was Tuesday and to my surprise, it was not. Which ends up being a good thing, because Wednesday means day off for me!

Anyway, pictured above is, without question, my favorite moment in my entire time as a wrestling fan. This was the first and last Wrestlemania I actually bought live and I was so desperate to see Benoit in the main event, I bought the online video of it and watched the entire PPV that way.

In a lot of ways, it was a heck of a sight to see both Benoit and Guerrero with the World Heavyweight Championship and WWE Championship respectively. To me at the very least, it made all of those bad memories of WCW go away.

One thing that this Christmas season has thought me, I hate Christmas shopping. Or at least having to walk into a place and have the goddamn people watch me as if I was going to steal something. But rather then finding out if, I don't know, I might actually want to buy something, they'd rather just treat me like a criminal.

Oh well. They can look at me like a thief and I'll just spend my money else where.

Back to the subject of work, I am not looking forward to this week. I heard it is going to be crazy and basically my work place is a Japanese grocery store.

I think I would have written more today, but my brain really truly is busted beyond repair. Maybe I'll play more of FFXII and get onto that Esper hunt or maybe taken down another Mark or 2. Who knows. That or maybe watch Ocean's Eleven. Or Miami Vice. Or one of a dozen or so other possible things.

Yes, this entry is indeed a filler loaded post! I think I'll have more to write about later. When I wake up...

X-Mas: GONE

My patience, like Christmas, is quickly becoming gone. I don't know how else to word that, but that sums it up pretty much as best as I can. This is definately going to be a quick post, since I am a little pressed for time at the moment. Who knows though, I might actually write twice today just to make up for lost time.

But to cut to the chase, yes, this Christmas is much more memorable then those past in recent memory and time. This being, we could actually buy stuff and feel at ease rather then worry our little brains out about how we'll pay for this or what about that. Typical stuff.

Biggest deal for me is getting a spiffy new music player. It isn't an iPod, but it is roughly about the same size and it holds a whole crap load more then my previous. Besides that, my girlfriend and I went a slight bit crazy on buying some new Anime. Now we can truly see the ending of Samurai 7. And Last Exile. And Burst Angel. Needless to say, we haven't watched 'em all. Yet.

FFXII! Quick thought: Esper hunting season is just about open...

And now I am gone also, because it is nearly time for me to head off to work and face the unforgiving wrath of customers the day after Christmas! Dun dun duuuuun!

...that was lame...

...and I know it...

Oops and above is a cool picture I ran across of Amy Lee (singer from Evanescence). I liked it. Looks very Christmas-like and all that.

4 Days 'Till X-Mas...

It is amazing how time flies, it feels like it was only yesterday that I was looking at the calender to see 2005 coming and going. Now we are just a mere 4 days away until Christmas and on the eve of '07.

I am thankful that my own personal situation has improved as much as it had, in comparison to what things were like during this time last year. Actually, if I could, I think I would go back and slap my own head for more then just a few choices I made back then.

But the past is the past and I know I need to be aware with the here and now.

Anyway, enough about all that stuff... I mean it is damn near Christmas! Because of all the changes, I think X-Mas this year takes a bit of a larger meaning to me then it has had in many years. Now I can only hope and dream that things will be even better when 2007 rolls away and 2008 comes roaring in.

Now I must give mention about the person pictured above because why else would I have a picture if I didn't mean to write about it?

Her name is Sienna Guillory, whom had a roll in Resident Evil: Apocalypse and most recently (to my knowledge) Eragon. From the first moment I saw her in Eragon, I swore she'd some how end up being the villian. I don't mean that in a bad way, it just seems to me like she at least has the look of being able to play a very convincing villian.

And naturally, any chance there is to post a picture of a evil looking woman, you'd take it. Because evil is like sexy... and if you don't, she could hunt you down and kill. Ya never know these days...

Ok and maybe I was just looking for an excuse to just get the picture up here. At least I attempted to draw out a some what viable explaination for it! I mean it was convincing right...?

Anyway...

After going through a small scale hunt, I was finally able to get a copy of Jet Li's Fearless. I would have thought a movie such as this would have had a few more copies out in the world. I suppose everyone but Blockbuster sold out of it? If so, that is just freakin' amazing... I don't think even Pirates of the Carribbean 2 sold that many.

Wow and I didn't even realize that I've been listening to the same song for at least a half hour now (Saliva's "Click Click Boom"). I must be losing my mind here...

And that is it, that's all for today... my brain is in terminal I-Don't-Want-To-Work mode. Speaking of which, I have to get to work... yay...

One More For The Road

At long last, here are the pictures and at least for me, the memories that remain of my time in the world of Vana'diel. Regardless of what I have said about Final Fantasy XI before, overall this game was my introduction into online gaming and it was pretty much a learning experience every single day I logged in.

I'll even admit that for a time, it became like an addiction which knew no end. There was no amount of anything that could satisfy it and that drew me in.

As I type this, one question just keeps surfacing in my mind: Why this? And why now?

I think the easiest answer would be that it is nearing the new year and isn't it a custom to proclaim a new year's resolution or two? Granted, I've never been the type to do this sort of thing just because I know these things generally never happen. But this year, it feels just a little different for me and it just feels right to do it now.

2007 will see the return of Alexandor.

There, I said it. Or typed. Same difference.

I don't know when and I honestly don't know why I would go back. My one and only goal in that entire game wasn't to get to level 75. I just wanted to see my elf standing there, in full Samurai artifact armor and I did that. The same goes for the jobs of White Mage and more or less Black Mage as well.

Maybe this truly is my "drug." Maybe I am addicted and I just don't want to come clean about it. Or maybe I just have an unresolved matter or five that needs to be addressed before I can ever truly say "the end."

I can't say what it is for sure, but whatever it is... it compells me to go back, if even for just a day. In any event, the pictures posted here and on the previous post are a very small few of my favorites during my stay in that world. It features a few friends and a lot of memories for certain.

Truth be told, this will be the last time I post about this matter until the day I actually return to FFXI. If I don't keep with what I had said earlier on, then this is it.

The end.

The Life & Times of Alexandor

Writer's Block

I think the title pretty much sums it up for me today, as my brain is not working the way I would like for it to. Could it be that my brain has finally quit on me and my days of writing have ended forever? Could it be that this is the end of endings, the day the world stops and time freezes and all the living creatures on Earth notice the passing of such a brilliant mind?

Or maybe it could be that I just wanted to find some excuse to be able to use the above picture.

Despite the fact that that first part would be some what dramatic, though a little heavy on the bull crap, would never be the case. Well, maybe my brain will stop functioning in the way that I'll stop writing for good. But I doubt the world would stop and the thing about living creatures... Yeah that is a bit much huh?

Anyway though, pictured above is a Korean actress whose name I've forgotten and am too lazy to look up at the moment. And it isn't even Sunday...

Ok, one thing that has been burning at my mind that I really just have to get out onto here. Heaven Sent, Hell Bound: The Best of Christopher Daniels DVD. It would have been an awesome DVD. It could have been great, greater then AJ Styles's DVD.

How does it come up short?

TNA cut the matches! Nothing like watching one of the many Triple X tag matches, to see Christopher Daniels start the match and in a flash, guess what? He is bloody. To say that I was just a little disappointed wouldn't even begin to cover how I felt about this bugger. I am so glad I bought this DVD on discount rather then full price...

And today's post is a quick one, as I need to prepare for yet another day of work before getting a day off. It'll be a test of wills, a match to see who will be left standing at the end of the day: Me or the job.

Ok, that is a bad way of putting it I guess...

Anyway, job. Work. Headache. Fun? Ohh... I won't go there. Unless of course, fun constitutes a headache, then surely those fun days have been seen. Oh well, in the words of my dearly beloved girlfriend...

I will not prevail! *cry*

Eragon

I wanted to start off this post on a positive note, to share my thoughts on this movie by the name of Eragon. Chalk it up to my curiosity to help lead me down a path of disgruntled laughter and frustration.

Why is it that movie critics never really learn? They always bash these book-based movies because it isn't exactly like the books were. Well hello pal! Maybe after The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, you'd think...

I don't know...

"Hmmm, maybe this one is gunna be like those other book movies. It'll probably not be exactly like how I read it!"

But no.

Of course that cannot be in any of these people's thought process, not even for a second. Instead, it makes much more sense to walk into a movie such as this and expect every little detail to be the way it was written.

Movies based off of books have never been absolutely faithful to their written counterparts. That is just the way things are, despite the number of people that scream foul...

Yes, that means things will be different.

Come on, if movie makers made these movies exactly as the books were, we'd have seen (and heard) Orlando Bloom singing in LotR. Now that isn't a good thought...

How about this for a thought? Unlike a written word, to put something into a movie costs money. And in a case like this, with special effects glore, a lot of money! It is much cheaper to write a story then it is to make it into a film.

How do I know this? Easy.

Common sense. Beautiful thing some days...

It does make me wonder how a person with this mind set can even enter a theater without having their heads explode. I mean with the amount of injustices they are about to witness, it's got to be mind numbing right?

In a lot of ways, the things people said about Eragon remind me of the reviews of Superman Returns. Neither of these movies were perfect, but I believe each served their purpose by establishing at least a foundation for what's to come.

Personally, I did enjoy the movie a whole lot more then I expected to. The actors fit their roles, in that none of them seemed out of place. Then again, this leads to my one and only real complaint about the movie.

Maybe Eragon could have benefitted from having a little extra time to flesh out the characters and their stories just a little more. I mean there was some back story given for each, but ultimately it felt a little too rushed in my opinion.

Otherwise, I really truly did enjoy everything else about Eragon. I enjoyed the fights and the dragon battles and flights too. And of course, the special effects were nothing short of incredible, which seems to be the norm these days.

Maybe this type of movie won't appeal to those "adults" who spend more time thinking and disecting movies rather then, now don't faint on me, ENJOY IT.

It isn't as difficult as it sounds, it really, really isn't. Like I had wrote earlier, if you've read the book and expected something absolutely faithful to it, then you must have not watched LotR and Harry Potter because fans of those know that just doesn't happen.

Maybe this is meant for kids, with the talking dragons and magics and all of that jazz.

If that last statement is true, then I guess that means the kid in me was out last night because I had fun. Oh and please forgive me for mixing a "movie review" in with a rant. It bugs me to see people bash the ever loving crap out of a movie that isn't as bad as so many people make them out to be.

Bottomline? Eragon is well worth the time and money to see in my own opinion. It is a fun movie, if you can keep an open mind about it. I definately will be waiting for the next movie to be released (I'm assuming) around this time in 2007...

Sunday! Sunday!! Sunday!!!

So it's been a while, but here it goes again... these Sunday posts are usually the worst for me. Anything that requires my brain on Sunday generally is, but that is a story for another day and time for sure.
First things first and that is the template change I just made. I don't know why I'm mentioning it, but I did just want to point out that I do like it a lot. Looks a lot better to me (for now), it just feels sleeker I suppose. Is that even a word?

I was genuinely excited to see the third and apparently final DVD to season 3 of the Tenchi Muyo! OVA series. And this excitement lasted up until the point where I got home and watched all 1 episode on the disk!

Wait, 1 episode? On the whole DVD?

That was my exact thought as the excitement faded and was quickly and brutally replaced by sheer disappointment. Yet another sad and dull and worthless ending to a great series. The first 2 seasons of the OVA I loved, that being my absolute favorite of the Tenchi series.

But back to the disappointment that wasn't laid on, but more like dropped on, I think this even manages to knock off the ending of Ranma 1/2.

On a subject change, I am still playing FFXII but that has slowed down a bit lately. I've been trying out some other games such as Suikoden Tactics, which isn't really that great but it was well worth the $10 at the very least.

Here comes another subject change, but there hasn't seem to have been a lot of good movies in the theater lately. I think the only one I'd actually want to watch is Eragon (can't remember if that is how the name is spelt).

Oh but I can't wait for the next Harry Potter movie. Or maybe I can. Still, I like how the overall feeling of the story is slowly growing darker and darker...

Seeing that it is a Sunday, I'm going to cut this post short and be lazy and crazy and all that good stuff. I haven't been in much of a writing mood lately, maybe it is just because I am working and that generally consumes most of my time and thoughts. I think I'm going to try and write a little more in the coming week, just to keep this old brain of mine from going too looney.

Random & Lazy Thoughts (Disclaimer: No Brains Were Used or Harmed in The Writing of This Post)

I started this off differently, but realized that basically this would turn into a ranting affair that would make little to no sense. In a effect, kind of like starting off with a line like this I guess.

Yes, it is work related.

But screw it.

I don't want to waste this valuable (Ha!) space on crap like this. I am vowing now that I will simply worry about my own self and not fall down the path of those that just piss me off. I'll let that geriatric glorify himself in whatever goddamn way he wants.

Jerks.

Change of subject and by the way, that is the last time I will ever type about goddamn work on a Sunday. It is my self-proclaimed "holiday" and thereby all mentioning of work is now absolutely prohibited.

Be careful now, it is serious business when I start breaking out the words I don't generally type with. You better believe I broke out that dictionary to pull out more ammo for this crazy sh*t!

No, despite how it appears, I still haven't gone crazy. Yet.

No really, I am absolutely 1000% positive... I really think I'm okay!

I think those are words you'd never want to hear coming from say... a pilot? Your lawyer just before the case that could mean life in prison?

Okay, so maybe I have lost my marbles and maybe my brains and mind at the same time.

Wait, isn't that the same thing? A mind and brains?

Hmmm...

Clearly not.

Saw Happy Feet last night, the movie about dancing penguins. The element that made that entire movie worth watching (in my ever humble opinion), would have to be the Amigos. It was a group of 5 smaller and I assume a different species of penguin.

Ok, this ends up having to be a quick post because really, it is Sunday and that means (according to my as-I-go rule making and with my self-proclaimed holiday without a name) that today is Lazy Day. I just mention it is without a name and BAM! There goes a name.

What was that? I don't do lazy? That is work onry. Yes, Orny. Oops, I suppose you'd have to be a FFXI player to know that one. Eh, anyway... lazy!

Quickie

So the weather sucks today and it looks like there is a pretty good chance it'll rain all day.

Great.

Not an ideal way to start off a workday, but I've got no choice regardless. Maybe unless there was a hail storm from out of nowhere...

Anyway...

So I just got the whole season of Rollergirls, which I am not afraid to admit I actually enjoyed watching. Those girls are pretty damn tough and they certainly ain't bad on the eyes! Rawr!

And I know, deep down, that I will die for that last part. But this is a quickie, so onward!

Man, ECW is taking a beating this past week or two with Paul Heyman gone and Big Show taking some time off.

What is with TNA and sports people?

I wonder if Edge called himself a legend, if his partner Randy Orton would turn on him. I mean, he is the Legend Killer. If that were to happen, I wonder who'd be the good guy and who'd be the bad?

Favorite wrestling stable/group: NWO Wolfpac. They (being WCW) could have made an ass load of money, in my opinion, if they had gone ahead and actually done more to work up a feud between the 'pac and the Black & White group. Yet another sad reminder of the old (and dead) WCW.

I couldn't believe it when I read about the Nintendo Wii. One of the download-able games is Earthbound! Doesn't mean anything to ya? Well It does to me and damn it all, I want to play that again! (Someday, it may happen...)

One thing I dislike the most about where I live: Cars that must stop DIRECTLY on the crosswalk. Good job junior, because we all know that is definitely what and why the crosswalk was put there in the first place for! NOT.

Well off to work... to face the 'real world' and all that. Fresh air, sunshine... oops, still cloudly. Yes! Take that you cruel world you!!

2aM Thoughts

It is interesting to me how I can't post a picture again to open up this entry. I guess by saying 'interesting,' I mean irritating. So this means that I will (again) have a naked post for all to see. Considering there is anyone that actually reads any of this...

Which is doubtful.

Oh well.

Then again, I wouldn't really know since I don't allow any reader comments. It isn't anything personal, I just would rather keep it this way rather then having it so open. I don't know how to really explain the logic, so I'll just drop it quick before this goes on forever.

I suppose it is a good thing that tonight (or this morning) is a clear night and the moon is out. Nights like these always help me relax and to regain whatever positive thoughts/feelings I may have lost during the day.

Though I will say that today I actually was pretty happy for the most part. I guess when you are so occupied with other things, you really don't get a chance to think of anything else. That has helped me so much lately, just to be busy and always on the move.

I think when I wasn't working, that is what I missed the most. Just going, going, going and just working as best as I bloody can. One thing I have learned to be absolutely true, however, is that you really cannot please everyone.

It doesn't even matter how hard you try, these sour apples just gotta find the most petty things to try and turn those good days into rotten ones.

Truth be told though, I thought I had left all of those behind the day I left MCD. I thought I was going to get into something new and maybe this time 'team work' actually meant something.

I was so wrong. At least to a certain degree anyway...

But then that is life and now I am just a little wiser then I was yesterday so to speak. It is interesting how me just being quiet and observant has allowed me to see how other people accept me. Some did regardless, others really did not.

Maybe they thought that I thought I was better then them some how...? That I was being stuck up? I don't really know the answer, but all these people really need to do is to just talk to me for a second with a conversation that consists of more then just workplace banter and maybe they would see that there really is more to me.

Ok, so that isn't so wise to do in a new workplace and by that I mean basically forcing these people to 'feel' me out rather then me doing it myself. But that is the way I am. If a person cannot accept me for how I am as I am in the beginning, then why should I strive to prove myself? Again, I suppose I will drop this since I doubt my words can properly convey my logic into some sort of relevant language.

I guess now would be an ideal time to change gears (and subject) and head for a more friendly topic.

How about... wrestling?

Yes, more of that.

So wow. I was surprised to read that Paul Heyman is all but gone from the WWE now. It sounds to me like Mr. Heyman was marked for ejection from the start, they (the WWE) just needed a reason to do it and the ECW PPV happened to be just that platform.

I liked TNA at one point, I almost fully believed that they could truly be an actual alternative to the WWE's shows.

I think I was wrong.

They are proving to be a company that is slowly changing into a new form of WCW. I mean they are signing basically anyone the WWE lets go of. Now they are doing more and more attacks on their compitition.

Sigh.

Note to TNA: WCW tried that sh*t and failed. Please drop the kiddie games and go back to what brought you to the dance: Wrestling. Don't follow failures' path unless you'd like to see a "Death of TNA" book on shelves someday down the road.

Next subject: Movies.

Just picked up Pirates of the Carribean 2: Dead Man's Chest. Couldn't believe that the one with special features costed so damn much more then the stripped down, just-the-movie version. Hopefully the extras are worth it or else I'm going to be kicking my own ass before the sun sets.

The Fast and The Furious Tokyo Drift was somewhat better then I expected. Truth be told, I thought the overall story ran pretty thin for most of the movie. It had it's good moments, but overall I think this whole concept is showing it's age due to lack of innovation.

Random thought: I hope they (being the government) doesn't restart the draft. I read someone's comment in the newspaper that if you support the war, then you have no right to go against this draft idea. Well what about a person who does not support the war?

This is by no means a diss to those who've been there and to those who've lost their lives during this conflict. I just think it is wrong to be throwing people's lives away on this fight in Iraq that came about from lies.

Ok, so it is time for yet another topic change. I'd carry on with the last topic, but I think that whole train of thought is just too damn messy to ever really write out. In a lot of ways, I suppose that the above comment could have me be marked as unpatriotic. I can't change the way people think and if that is what my words above earns me, then so be it I guess.

I can't do anything about it.

And I am out of words to which I can muster to convey my thoughts into a visual form for all to read. I guess this is what happens to me when I am tired and cannot sleep. I hope if/when I re-read this entry again, that it will all make sense. I also hope that if I come back to read this, that there will actually be real words typed here and not just a 3 letter variation that was made after my face went down onto the keyboard.

A guy can hope... can't he?

Thoughts About ECW's December to Dismember PPV

Hardys vs. MNM - I can just imagine the rebirth of tag team wrestling with a feud between the Hardys and MNM. It could even span the 3 brands, showing that there isn't enough room in all of the WWE to contain these two teams. Hey, a fan can dream...

Davari vs. Tommy Dreamer - I have to say I was surprised to read that Dreamer was defeated, considering his background and what not.

Balls Mahoney vs. Matt Striker - I suppose you'd have to be a old school ECW fan to like Balls Mahoney because just looking at who is in this match does nothing for me. I get the feeling like this was a last minute, slap-together match just for the sake of filling a card.

Elijah Burke & Sylvester vs. The F.B.I. - Like above, just looking at who's involved somehow screams filler!

Kevin Thorne & Ariel vs. Mike Knox & Kelly Kelly - Again, looks like yet another filler. I thought Mike Knox was in a feud against CM Punk? I hope all that time spent with that amounts to more...

Extreme Elimination Chamber: Big Show vs. CM Punk vs. Bobby Lashley vs. Hardcore Holly vs. Rob Van Dam vs. Test - So Bobby Lashley is the new ECW Champ... no surprise there! To a certain degree, I feel a little bad for RVD. I mean he went all those years without winning the "big one" and... nevermind. That reminded me that he lost the ECW and WWE titles because of himself.

Honestly, I think I would buy the DVD for this PPV just on the basis of Hardys vs. MNM and the Elimination Chamber match. Personally, there doesn't seem much else to like about this, since it seemed to me like most of the show was just slapped together. I hope ECW will have a better line up in the future.

On the idea of the Hardys, I wonder where they are at? I mean Matt is SD! and Jeff is Raw... and them as a team has gone everywhere but SD! at this point.

Speaking of SD!, kind of a random thought but that brand sure gets it's roster raided and often. I wonder if/when they'll get more people back on their side to mix things up...?

Now that makes 2 PPVs I'd like to eventually own on DVD: Last month's Survivor Series and now December to Dismember. But I'm not so sure about ECW's PPV... the more I think about it, the less worth it it seems to me.

Anyway, this is yet another short entry just because I haven't seemed to have had much to write about the last few days. Oh and I managed to (finally) get my revenge and defeat that damn Esper yesterday. More on that little trip later...

Random Thoughts Galore...!

So my plan has failed, I missed yesterday and now the whole thing as gone to total crap. But I suppose that is the way life works, so maybe I'll try this idea again next year and see if that'll work then.

But for me, the bright side of things is that it is Sunday and that means just one thing for me.

Lazy!

Ok, so I try to be (and fail) lazy during the week when I work, but I manage to not be able to fulfill that. I don't know why, maybe it was my time at MCD that did it. I guess after being around a mass of lazy, you either give in and join them or become a little off and work, work, work.

Still going at it with Final Fantasy XII and it just so happens that I got to battle against an Esper (whose name I can't remember) and its numerous undead pals. Needless to say, my characters got a whoopin' like they hadn't been whooped before.

So after zoning out of there twice and with the majority of the party dead, I came to the conclusion that:

1. I need a plan.

2. I need to level.

I'm gonna get defeat that flying jerk and make it one of my character's bitches. But I think a part of my troubles is my teams. On one is Vaan, Ashe and Penelo and the other is Basch, the pirate whose name I can't spell this early in the morning and Fran. Hmmm...

I think I'm going to change the random ten to something else very soon. I thought it would be easy to just come up with random stuff to put in there, but it is proving to be a lot more difficult that I believed it would be.

Another jump in subject: Despite missing yesterday's posting, at least today's entry isn't a nekked one. What a thought huh? This is the best that I can muster today it seems...

I blame it on Sunday.

Anyway, another short and sweet entry today since I am plotting the ways to extract my revenge against that damn Esper. Hopefully the theories I have in mind work or else it'll be back to the drawing board for me.

Foul Esper beware! Your judgment day is here biatch! (yes, I am a dork I know...)

First Day of December...

For the first time (I think ever), I am actually going to post something here without a picture to go along with it. It would seem that Blogger has launched a mutiny against me (don't I wish I were that special?) and so this one is gonna be naked.

It feels wrong.

Anyway, what a rough way to break in December.

With a busted blog.

Ok, I'm over it.

I think.

And to think, here I was with this idea that I was going to post once a day (at least), every day, for the whole month too. But a month of stuff without pictures? That thought is just to dang darn scary folks.

I feel ever so slightly embarrassed, because to be honest... this entry, being the first one of this new self-made commitment, is nothing but a filler. I hit a tall and wide writer's block the moment I logged in and it ain't pretty.

Ok and that might be a lie, or at least it isn't the entire truth of the matter. I picked up (against my will... however that works out) books 2 and 3 of X-Men: The End and I actually enjoyed the story. I really admire that about comics these days, it seems Manga is more into the outworld-ish stuff and American comics are turning their characters to show a more human side to the heroes like the X-Men and Spider-Man.

What I've been dying to try and find out is how and when Gambit turned into a Horsemen. It just blew my mind a few weeks back to just pick up a comic and boom! He is full on evil.

One thing I do feel a little bad for is their mansion. That damn house gets destroyed so many times it isn't even funny.

I've always wanted to get back into comic collecting/reading, but I just don't feel the urge to spend that much money on it. At this point, despite the months and months apart, I'm still more interested in the Japanese/Korean comics. Namely Rebirth, which I am still waiting for!

Anyway...

I think that's all the B.S. I can muster for this horrible first entry of December. Yes, I am very ashamed of it and I hope it will never happen like this again. Another hope is, hopefully this no picture showing stuff gets fixed or tomorrow's entry will be as nekked as this one is.

We can only hope.

Quickie Thoughts: Games

Some quick game thoughts for the moment, some of these games might be new and others old. Some might even be ones I've written about in the past as well. Still, it is my first time playing 'em, despite their age.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance (PS2) - I had expectations that it would have played like X-Men Legends 2, but was disappointed to see that it felt worse then better. Plus, what's up with all the second rate bad guys?

Super Mario Advanced 2: Super Mario World (GBA) - It brought back many memories, both good and bad. It is great to play through the levels again and I could always use a brush up lesson on all those bad English words too.

Inuyasha The Secret of the Cursed Mask (PS2) - It looks and feels and plays like a game that should have been out back in the SNES days rather then on PS2. That is sad considering how much material that is present in the Inuyasha universe. As a fan, I can only hope that some day a better game that makes much better use of the story/characters/etc. comes along.

Zoo Tycoon (PC) - Yes, another old game to which I just started to play. Like The Sims, this game is fairly easy and yet so very addictive (if you are into this kind of game). One thing, some animals and dinosaurs can be some real drama queens!

Final Fantasy XII (PS2) - Easily (and arguably) the best FF game of the PS2 era. I read some people's thoughts that FFXII ended up being too political and maybe so. But in my own opinion, it was a much needed change then the endless love stories that SE has been going with for the past many years.

Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories (PS2) - I was definately a fan of the original game, but I think I got a bit tired of the leveling up (thanks in part to FFXI) and I didn't go insane about leveling my characters back then. So to see the same ideas in the second game, it ultimately turned me off. Granted, there are some changes but overall, it feels like playing the first Disgaea with the exception that the main characters are generally new.

Final Fantasy IV (GBA) - This is the first re-make that I've actually enjoyed (I hated the PS1 version, for the sole reason that the story text was terrible! I'd rather see the original stuff then that.) and it was great to be able to refight those fights that used to get me swearing as a kid. Revenge on the Magus Sisters? Sweet.

That's it for now... time to run to fun! Fun! Work! *Insert Dying Noises and Groans Here*

Wrestling Chatter and Even More Random Goodness!

The days are ticking away and December is just days away now. I can't believe how fast 2006 has come and gone, it is just amazing to me how it felt like only yesterday that 2005 rolled over to 06.

Anyway, so I hear (or read to be more accurate) that Ashley will be in Playboy next year (April '07). I think I need to get that issue...

I wonder what her posing for PB will do to her career. I mean look at Chyna (gone), Torrie Wilson, Sable (gone), Christy Hemme (gone), and Candice Michelle.

It did absolutely nothing for there, I mean besides maybe a month or so of fame over it.

Here's hoping Ashley doesn't join the list above.

On the general idea of wrestling, I wonder what's going on with Matt Hardy? He was banished from Raw and yet there he was, fighting with his brother for the World Tag Team Titles against Rated RKO. On a similar thought, I also wonder if the reunited Hardys is going to be a long term thing as well?

One thing I have to say about TNA (sudden subject change) and I say this over and over, why did they basically destroy the X-Division? For me, that is the only thing that drew me, that compelled me to watch their show. I think two of the very best matches from this division I've seen has to Samoa Joe vs. Christopher Daniels vs. AJ Styles and a 6 man tag with Samoa Joe, Christopher Daniels & Alex Shelley vs. Sonjay Dutt, Austin Aries & AJ Styles.

To me, those two matches were simply awesome. I mean fast paced and loaded with action, unlike the slower pace in the WWE. The other attractive point was these matches were not just thrown together just because, there was meaning behind why these guys were in there together. Nowadays, it seems like matches are just tossed together and if not, they load on triple threats and tag matches.

I hope TNA does not end up like WCW and their Crusierweight Division. They had an incredible thing going, then it just slowly died. It went from cool to being just another severely bad joke that ended up being WCW.

One match here that stands out in my mind would be the Billy Kidman vs. Rey Mysterio (Jr.) vs. Juvientud Guerrera at the same Starrcade where Kevin Nash and Scott Hall ended Goldberg's undefeated streak. It stands out because not only was the triple threat a heck of a match, but after that, the winner, Kidman, was challenged for his newly won title by Eddie Guerrero and Kidman won that match as well.

Random thought here, but I remember seeing a few Lucha Libre-style tag matches where if the legal man hit the floor, his tag team partner(s) could get in and take over. That stands out because before you know it, both teams had switched out over and over and over... it was crazy!

Ok, I think that is enough wrestling stuff for a while now. Time for some other yapping I've convinced myself I needed to do...

I had a great day at work yesterday and yet still managed to have a few bad moments. I'd go into actual detail about this, but just skimming the memory alone is starting to piss me off. I will say this thought: I'm sure I'm not the only one in the world but, doesn't it just piss you off when you are doing something and busting ass over it, then someone comes in and tries to tell you you're slacking off? It pissed me off to no end and to be honest, it wasn't the comment that did it. Just the idea that this scrub could have the balls to try and talk sh*t to me...

Onto the next subject, before this turns into an all out rant-fest...

So our 8+ magnitude earthquake turned out to be just a load of crap, yet people still did go out to hoard gas. I figured it was a fake when I tried to go look up some info about it on some local news websites and had nothing about it.

Weather in Hawaii has been weird. Sunny then cloudy... sunny they a slight rain and then sunny...

Why is it that a collection agency will call your house 5 billion times, yet when you answer they hang up on you? Maybe I missed the imaginary memo, but maybe it's a new tactic?

And then I am out of stuff to write about, at least for the time being (as usual). I hope I can enjoy today and relax because I can't imagine what work will be like on Thursday.

All Wrestling

Almost time to get ready to head out the door and go to work and not see home until sometime after 7pm tonight.

Ugh.

It sucks when I feel up and ready to roll and yet feel the urge to be a lazy f'n bum. Giving that little thought more thought though, being a bum doesn't fill one's stomach nor does it pay the bills.

With a thought like that in mind, some how I can't wait till I can retire. Like somehow that will cut down this so called "stress" somehow. Maybe it can...?

Anyway, until the day when I get my AARP card in the mail, I'm going to keep writing this madness of mine and hope and pray that it'll make great sense some day. And with that in mind (so much to keep in mind today), we go full on wrasslin' talk today!

Wow, I just had a flash of being a redneck for just typing 'wrasslin.' That is one word that always bugs me when I read up on wrestling-related stuff on the internet that isn't on a wrestling site.

Wrasslin.

To me, it looks as bad as it sounds. But I suppose that is about as much respect as this thing will ever get, since it is so very 'fake.' Funny, I don't hear anyone complaining in a kung-fu movie that the fights are all fake and the outcome is predetermined. Maybe they shouldn't call it a kung-fu movie or a martial arts thing. Maybe, just maybe... it could be called kangfuuu? Sounds stupid enough doesn't it?

Never know, it might catch on...

And wouldn't you believe it? Sidetracked already! Ok, alright... back on task here...

First the Hardys reunited and now MNM for one night only? If memory serves me right, I believe MNM broke in a far from friendly manner. I wonder if that will come into play...?

Like with the reunions, the departures have been just as quick it seems. First it was Trish Stratus and now Lita has gone too. What next? Mickie James is gonna leave in a month or two as well!?

Umaga verses John Cena for the WWE Title. Hmmm... I think they might have missed the boat on this one. I believe it was a few months back when Umaga laid the whoopin' on Cena. I wonder why this feud was held off for this long?

I just got finished reading what went down on Raw and come on. Eugene? Evil? I think it could work out, but they would have to have him do far more then just beating on legends.

My two favorite divas would have to be Victoria and Ashley. Those two alone more then cover beauty and speaking of whom, I am glad to hear that Victoria is finally back in the hunting for the Women's Championship.

I really miss having a better internet connection. Back in the day when I had cable, I could download matches from ECW in a reasonable amount of time. Now, I think I'd get one match downloaded by about this time next year.

Truth be told, the only matches I ever downloaded from their site would be those of CM Punk. I love his style, no flash or gimmicks, just straight up brawling and submission. I'd love to see him face off against guys like Benoit, Finlay or Regal...

Another guy I used to enjoy watching would definately be Shelton Benjamin. What the hell happened to this guy? He went from being the one defeating the likes of Triple H and Ric Flair, to a momma's boy and now just plain gone? If they can't use him on Raw, I wonder why they don't shift him back to SD! or maybe even over to ECW?

Poor Edge. With Lita gone, who will he have his live sex shows with? Oh wait, he is teaming with Orton now....

Ok that thought just grossed me out beyond what any words could ever hope to describe. But on the subject of Rated RKO, hopefully they will be better champions then the Spirt Squad was.

And now I am out of thoughts to write about or at least for this moment in time. I shall continue this eventually, if I should some how survive the day today... work = yuck!

Disappointed

So I discover that yes, we had indeed rented the second to the last DVD to the Samurai 7 series. Great! However, we also needed to see the one before it as well, which is where the trouble begins and the source of today's headache.

Yay.

So we (my girlfriend and I) attempt to hunt down this elusive little bastard because spending $30 to fill the gap of something we *should* be able to rent is flat out crazy. And so we make the long journey back to where we rented Samurai 7 vol. 6 because really, they should have it.

Right?

Wrong.

Apparently, Blockbuster carries all of the volumes besides volume number 5 and 7. Why do they skip around? Good question. At least the stores in Hawaii are concerned, it seems to be a common trend as most anime series there start from volume 2.

That should have been a sign yes.

Now I hope it isn't just me, but like with comic reading, I make it a point to see the story from start to finish. I strongly dislike having to skip a book/episode and I have stopped reading/watching series just because of a missing part. In other words, this missing DVD just threw a whole toolbox of monkey wrentches into this.

So now... now the disappointment sets in because we've already paid for number 6 there. The clear and most obvious choice would be to skip and continue on.

*Cringe*

Time to change the subject. The thought alone just sucks all joy out of the air and just spoils my mood oh so very quickly.

Thank god its Sunday.

So I was reading the newest EGM... I'm starting to believe I should be focusing on getting a Nintendo Wii. For one, it is cheapest one of the trio, not to mention I've read that they are really putting up old games from consoles past.

Ok, I said all that because one of these games happen to be Earthbound. Never heard of it? It was a heck of a RPG during its day and it was fun and equally as weird as well. Though apparently that game didn't quite hit it as big...

The idea that it can be played again, man... that practically has me sold on Nintendo's system. Other reasons include the fact that Final Fantasy 6 could be ported into this service...! Yes, a guy can dream.

I'm not too sure about the PS3 and 360 systems at this point. Their price tag alone certain kills any really serious thoughts about attempting to get one of these and the games haven't impressed me enough to want to actually run out and buy one (at least in the case of the 360).

That isn't to say that I think all of the 360's games suck. I wanted to play Ninty Nine Nights, Call of Duty and Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle Earth 2. I guess both this and the PS3 would be perfect if I was into sports games... but I am not. So for now, I'm definately going to wait it out to see who gets what before laying the cash down.

Besides, maybe by then no one will try to rob/kill/attack me in say... a year? Or 2? Those articles about all that really... it still scares me to think that a person would really go to such lengths to get a freakin' video game system!

But speaking of cash, my wallet and my stomach have something in common at 4am.

They are both empty.

Food is nearby, and yet it is so very far away..(lazy).

But back to games, I finally picked up Super Mario World for GBA and have been playing that a bit to pass the time. It brings back a lot of good (and bad, frustrating) memories from days long past.

Final Fantasy XII is still ongoing and now I'm starting to realize that what I am doing in this game is the same as FFXI. Farming and leveling. The only exception is the parties start whenever you please (no waiting for 3+ hours for a 5 minute party!) and no one in it says 5 minutes after you start to fight "Sry g2g bye."

Oh and there isn't anyone running around the zones shouting in anger at you for killing "all of my monsters."

Ah. So much fond memories that I think I am about to get real sick, real fast.

Anyway though, I am out of stuff to bitch and complain about and so that is that. Over. Done. Hopefully we can find that damn Samurai 7 DVD without having to buy it... that is the absolute, last, last, last, last resort. And that really is it, before I go back into the bitchfest I started this entry out with.

Turkey, Movies and More Random Goodness...!

Pictured above is, without question, my favorite character from Final Fantasy IV. She is Rydia, the lone surviving Summoner. She is incredibly weak in the beginning (though she is a child, so that is to be expected I suppose), though she did have a mix of white and black magic. But really gets powerful when she returns to the party later (as an adult), as she has access to much more summons and she drops the white magic and becomes more adept at using black magic.

That was random...

Just had to get that in there, for reasons that would probably span countless lines of words that will ultimately explain absolutely nothing. Master of B.S.? Hardly...

Thanksgiving was pretty good, the turkey was great and it was just a laid back day. I almost swore it was a Sunday...

What made it even better was having a great movie or 2 to watch after. I must say, Mission: Impossible 3 and The Da Vinci Code, not to mention Samurai Champloo vol. 7 (Finally!) made for a whole lot of great watching. Each told their own unique stories and none of them disappointed in the least.

M:I 3 was much, much better then I expected it to be. I've noticed that with each new movie to this series, the action picks up more and more as it goes. What I also enjoyed was being left guessing about who was going to betray who next. Of the 3 movies, I have to say that this one now is my most favorite of them all.

The Da Vinci Code was also great and very thought provoking at the same time. What I admire so much about this movie was the fact that they threw in a lot of information and explained things out and still managed to keep on point without getting lost in all the extra stuff that was going about.

Now for the highlight of my day (yesterday), Samurai Champloo volume 7. The Final 3 episodes!!

I've enjoyed the whole experience from the start, from the unusual use of hip-hop, the various art styles, the story, the comedy, the action, the characters... it rounded out to being one of the best series I've seen.

And the finale does not disappoint, at least in my very own opinion that is.

It is a bit heart wrentching and it conveys the feeling of the end all throughout the final 3 episodes. What I loved so much about this particular series was how they threw in a lot of random happenings (like the graffitti challenge, Mugen setting a field of weed on fire, ultimately stopping what would have been a rebellion in the process, the baseball battle vs. America, just to name a few) and still kept it together.

I have a thing about not wanting to spoil the story of things I write about, but I have to make one tiny exception just this once. My favorite part of this final Samurai Champloo DVD was when Mugen and Jin finally prepare to finish their unfinished battle from the beginning of the story. They go at each other and...

Oops.

Their swords break on contact.

Anyway, yeah... I was surprised to watch those three and actually not feel ripped off after any of them. Now all that I have left to watch (at present), is the second to the last DVD of Samurai 7. Hopefully that doesn't get weird and ruin this perfect run of great movies...

Going back to something I haven't typed about in a short while, and that is wrestling. If there was ever a time when I wish I could have seen a match, that would have been ECW with the Hardys teaming for the first time in years. I think I might break my no-buying wrestling PPV DVDs when I see Survivor Series 06... It sounds awesome....

What the heck happened to AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels? So much for a good tag team... Since I haven't been able to watch anything in the past 2 months, I have basically no clue as to how or why this team broke. Hope they didn't just rip it apart just because... I think these two guys deserve a bit more respect then that.

Rated RKO. D-Generation X. To me, just thinking about those 2 teams makes me believe that maybe this was what Evolution was truly about. The past verses the present...

Lashley on ECW. To sum up my thoughts: Next ECW Champion.

Kurt Angle forcing Samoa Joe to tap out. *cough*Bulls*it!*cough* Still though, I wish I could have seen that match. I can just imagine if Angle was up to par as he was when he battled against guys like Chris Benoit when he was with the WWE.

Well, I am fresh out of ideas as to what to type about and so I believe that means it is time to bring this bastard to an abrupt end. I think I will write again tomorrow, as I am all too certain I will have more to blabber about by that time. Anyway, one more day of work and then its Sunday off baby!

Samurai Champloo Finale...!

It taunted me for months, just sitting there quietly and just glaring at me each time I passed it by. Maybe it was only fair, considering I had done the same thing to it for some time as well. But unlike me, this thing made no moves and it did not go away, no matter how much I hoped it would.

What in god's name could I be blabbering about?

No, I'm not crazy.

I'm talking about volume 7 of the anime series Samurai Champloo, which apparently is the last 2-3 episodes of the series. And I saw it many months back, just sitting there on the shelf. But being so broke that I didn't even have a dollar to my name, I had no other alternative but to totally passed it by.

And then one fateful day, I happened to pick it up and read the back, just to see what I was missing out on. Admittingly, never before has a line of words struck me so deeply that I felt my heart sink.

"In the moving series finale..."

That was all it took. I was convinced. I needed to get it right then and there, no ifs, ands, buts, or anything! But alas, I was still broke and so fate shifted the tables and now this object of my desire was now in complete and total control.

That is, until last night.

I finally gave in.

I thought I had won the battle, but really... it won the war. I finally had the cash to get it and so I did. Just typing that line makes me feel like I am admitting I had a problem to a group meeting or something. Then again, maybe I do...

So that is that, end of story and alls well that ends well right? Right?

Nope.

So now that my desire to own this DVD has been satisfied, one would think that I rushed home to see how this amazing story ends. What happens to Mugen, Jin and Fuu? Do they find the Samurai who smelt of sunflowers? Why did the government take such interest in the traveling trio?

Well, the answers to that... I did not find.

It wasn't because the episodes left that stuff out, it's just that... I haven't watched it yet. In fact, the DVD is still tucked neatly into it's plastic case and is still wrapped for that matter. One thing about being in a relationship with a girl who you've helped become an anime/manga/game freak, is that there comes those times when you have to step aside and share with others.

This is not one of those times.

I'd tear this thing out of it's case and I would have watched it the moment I reached home. However, had I done that and my girlfriend wasn't there to see it, I would never... ever... hear the end of it.

Like I need to give her more ammo for those spur of the moment arguments.

So now I have the final episodes of Samurai Champloo sitting right here next to me as I type this and I cannot open it and watch it. That's like giving an alcoholic a beer and telling them if you open it, you will be subjected to a fate far worse and painful then death.

Ok that was a horrible example... give a guy a break, my brain cannot comprehend this thing called "waiting" and "sharing" for much longer. If I could go back in time just one time... I think I'd go back and slap myself upside my head for "sharing."

I'm such a bastard...