There are a lot of random little things that happen that I never thought would happen. For example, having another job at a grocery store. I worked at a store during high school and thereafter swore that I would not do it again. Four years after that, I found myself working at a grocery store.
Speaking of jobs I never thought I'd have (and never wanted to have), one of those happened when I was unhappily employed at McDonalds for some years. Needless to say, that experience reminded me why I didn't want that in the first place and it also served me with motivation to never get that low again.
Ha, but that is another story entirely...
Back to the point at hand. another random thing happens to fall onto this blog of mine. I never would have imagined that I would be writing a long term blog, mostly because my mind and my attention tends to wander away from things before too long. Hell, I wouldn't even have thought that I write up a whopping 300 posts for said blog neither. And yet here it is, plain as day, and I am still writing for it today.
300 posts!
Either that is a little bit of dedication or perhaps a sign that I end up with nothing better to do more often then not? Hmm...
Anyway, I was surprised to have read that my favorite former WWE Diva, Victoria (who claimed to have retired some months ago), has resurfaced recently in TNA Wrestling under her real name (Lisa Marie Varon, pictured above). And my god does she look hot! It looks like her MMA training got her back into top shape!
What? Don't judge! I am only human...
Now as much as I think TNA is a weird paradox of a wrestling company, I have to admit that the former Victoria's appearance there has sparked my interests in that strange place to a certain degree. In my opinion, it is about damn time they got some REAL talent in their so called women's division!
On the subject of wrestling, I just got my first wrestling Blu-Ray disk (WrestleMania 25) and my thoughts? It really isn't worth the extra money in my opinion, I mean the only thing that really seems to stand out is the onscreen graphics. Is that worth shelling out an extra $10? It is a mistake I won't be repeating twice, that's for certain.
But what did make the purchase worth its coin were a few great matches. For starters, the pre-WrestleMania tag match for the Unified Tag Team titles was awesome! I hadn't had the chance to see Carlito and his real life brother Primo tagging before, but they are a pretty solid team. And their opponents, John Morrison and The Miz, were their usual awesome selves. I liked that team! But I suppose the WWE felt their run as a tag team had come to an end, which I hope means they won't fall into the same hole like a lot of broken up teams (meaning failed solo runs).
What was so very sad is the fact that this unified tag title match managed not to make it onto the actual show itself. I agree with what was said by others here on the net, in that those involved must not have been too thrilled not to have made it onto the biggest WWE show of the year.
The Money in the Bank ladder match wasn't as bad as I heard, even though the winner of the match is a repeat of last year (CM Punk). Surprising to me was how Kofi Kingston was absolutely amazing! I think he was rivaling Shelton Benjamin in the insane spots department, though the "Gold Standard" had his share of holy shit moments, too. Personally, I'd love to see both he (Kofi) and Shelton Benjamin mix it up in the future.
But the biggest draw for me was the Shawn Michaels versus Undertaker match. Ever since this event, I've been reading about just how great a match these two guys had. And needless to say, my interest was tickled. And after watching it, I can wholly agree with what people have said!
Everything from the pre-match promo video to the match itself, man the whole thing just gave me goosebumps! There literally wasn't a dull moment in the match from bell to bell! What took me by surprise was actually seeing a great Undertaker match (his matches tend to be a bit on the slow side usually). But both he and HBK stepped up their respective games that night and it easily can join the short list of favorite matches in my book.
Last thing to write about is focusing on Suikoden, which I have picked up on PSN a short time back. Yes I did have the PSP version with both the first and second games. But it was all in Japanese! I can't read it and playing a RPG you can't read just doesn't end up being a fun experience (at least not for me).
What has been a bitch is actually trying to recall things about the game (like where and how to recruit the 108 characters) and I think I've been doing okay so far. One screw up in the road was Pahn's death, which I prevented before, but was very, very ill prepared for this time around.
Regardless, it has been a fun experience to be able to relive this classic RPG. Everything from the full scale wars to the castle itself... oh the memories...
Next up for me is Wild Arms... I still got a bone to pick with the original version!
Oh and a funny story in relation to Wild Arms. I actually bought the original game twice, the reason being was the first time around just pissed me off. You see, I didn't realize you could switch between characters and in doing so, use their abilities (bombs, the little rat, etc). So after just barely starting up into the game, I was terminally stuck! And it didn't take long before I swore (figuratively and literally) that I would not touch such a shit game again!
Imagine how stupid I felt the second time around? It just goes to show, it would be wise to sometimes read the game manual from time to time...
Yesterday was a rough, yet equally exciting day as I finally said good bye to my PS2. It has been with me for a very long time and it was sad to see it go in a way, but it was it's time for sure. It had been slowing down and it's ability to read disks just wasn't what it used to be. It was a little shaky too because my old PS2 started to even take a long time to load up games (this happened in GameStop of all places).
Maybe it was a sign?
Regardless, it was time and my PS3 destiny was going to be realized at long last. I especially regretting on my choice of getting a Xbox 360 after the issues I had in buying it and after my first (and hopefully last) encounter with the Red Rings of Death.
So now that the old has been cast out and the new has arisen to it's rightful place, what next? My first choice in games is Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice. It looks and feels and plays like all of the other Disgaea games, so at least there is something familiar.
What was irritating was not being able to add funds/points/whatever to my PSN account. Blah. I had to go out and buy one of those goddamn cards from 7-11. All of that extra headache to get Suikoden in English. I am considering on getting Wild Arms as well, I miss that game too.
It'll be interesting, come the holidays this year. Now I can be twice as broke as ever!
I've been hoping for some peace and quiet so I'd be able to jot down some thoughts here and sure enough, that is exactly what I've got tonight. It is nights like this that I am grateful to be living across the street from a hospital, opposed to a block away and having to hear every ambulance, fire truck and everything in between at all hours of the day/night.
Another thing which I am happy with is Crisis Core, which I am still enjoying. The story is amazing and it definitely adds depth to the existing characters and it does an incredible job at bringing in the new folks too.
What actually amazes me is the negative "reviews" for the game. I didn't realize how many people thought the FF7 Compilation was crap!
I know it is impossible to please the world, but sheesh! Just reading about how the game "didn't live up to my expectations" and all that, it just amazes me how some people can go through a day at all. Surely Crisis Core isn't the world's most perfect game, but considering it is on a portable system, it does accomplish quite a bit in my own opinion. It still blows my mind with the amount of voice acting in the game!
Eh, but what can you do? We all have our opinions and regardless, I still enjoy Final Fantasy games and I'll definitely will continue to support it. In my view, I don't see any other RPG title or series that can truly stand toe to toe with FF. Am I a fan boy? Maybe. But then, what in the hell is a fan boy anyhow?
Definition of a "Fan Boy."
I don't honestly know if I actually fall into that category or not, but whatever. I enjoy what I enjoy and that is what counts to me here. I will say that the sole reason I still follow the series as strongly as I do is because I know that regardless of whatever other game SE releases, you gotta know that they go all out to deliver when it comes down to Final Fantasy.
Which brings me to Suikoden I & II (sudden change in subject!) and how, two weeks later, I still do not have the game. I never would have believed it would take this long to ship, but alas... I still don't have the game. In a very short reply from Toys n' Joys, they think my order will be shipped next week.
Well damn folks! If they don't even know what's going on, then consider me worried! Truth be told, this is the last time I ever try to order something through their site! Horribly slow service certainly will get me in a foul mood and fast!
On the flip side, at least one thing I ordered had come in. So with a PS1 memory card in hand, I have begun (once again) to play through Final Fantasy VII. In the near future though, I'm hoping to dig out Chrono Cross. Depending on the mood, I might actually try and hunt down more PS1 RPGs, with the original Wild Arms at the top of that short list!
I don't make it a secret in saying that both Suikoden and Suikoden II were amongst a short list of favorites back during the PS1 days. I mean there were just (literally) an army of characters to choose from. What also hooked me was the ever changing HQ, which grew along side your army. I remember those long days of obsessing over finding and recruiting every character possible. I even remember saving the main hero's sister in Suikoden II, which took me a while to succeed.
So now let us flash forward to the present day and my endless wandering about the internet. By now, I had long lost both original games and the only option out there really is to hit eBay. Well, it is an option if you've got a lot of spare cash to pay up on the outrageous prices for both. Then I got an unexpected surprised a few weeks ago, to learn that both games were actually released together for the PSP in Japan.
First question to pop into my head was: Is it coming to the US?
Answer: Almost certainly.... NOT.
That is where the issue for me died, I mean I can't read Japanese at all and so importing it wouldn't make much sense, right? Well that is what I thought until I began a half hearted search locally for it and actually came across it on the store's website. Anyway, to make a long story short, their website said they had it in stock and the store said nope (damn you once more Toys n' Joys)!
Refusing to lose, I placed an order on their site and proceeded to wait. And wait. After a week of waiting and still no word, I sent an email to inquire. I mean during this whole episode, there was nothing on their site that indicated that they didn't have it. Their response? Nothing. So there I go again, waiting and waiting...
Now after getting Crisis Core, I had given up on this wondrous compilation of old school RPG love, and had pretty much just chalked it up as a no-winner. Now out of NOWHERE, I get an email in my box that says congratulations on your purchase!
So all in all, I guess you could consider this little tale having a happy ending. On the flip side, I still cannot read Japanese and so I'll have to rely on what I *hope* I've remembered about the game. All considering it isn't different then the US versions. Anyway, now comes the wait for those bastards to mail it! We're on the same island, hurry it up!!
There are a lot of random little things that happen that I never thought would happen. For example, having another job at a grocery store. I worked at a store during high school and thereafter swore that I would not do it again. Four years after that, I found myself working at a grocery store.
