Day 86 - Another Break...

I am again back with another update. I was planning to post a few days ago, but my computer shut down on me for updates halfway through... Anyways, I'm back now, trying to keep up with my schoolwork and stuff. It's the time of year where the work is just non-stop, so I've been working and working. I hope this ends soon, as I am sick and tired of relentless work.

I've been writing articles on www.gamingpirates.com instead of doing blog posts here. Maybe I needed another break off this thing to just experience other writing positions. I think it helped me out a bit, as it got the ball rolling at Gaming Pirates. So far, nothing great has happened on the site, but we are staying strong and constantly update it, regardless if people read it or not. Sponsorship is what we need right now, so we are currently writing proposals and cover letters. Wish us luck in the future with GP! Visit us and join the forums at www.gamingpirates.com! I know I have asked before, but every little bit of support counts.

Spare time is spent preparing myself for Super Street Fighter 4 coming out next Tuesday. My friends and I have been playing and practicing and I'm really excited to get my hands on the game. The bad thing is that there are so many things due when Super rolls along, so I won't have any time to play.

I'm hoping to mod a Street Fighter SE stick with custom art and premium Japanese parts. I think it will be a fun project to do, as I am getting into small hobbies to experience and learn various things that could benefit me in the future. I'm not 100% sure about what I'm going to do, but I was thinking about doing a Purple Pigeon SB stick, outfitted with purple on white buttons and a purple pigeon sitting in the background. That's only one of my ideas, but I'm still deciding which one to use. I'm hoping to get the parts shipped from amazon.ca and lizardlick.com.

Alright, time to read Hemingway's "The Old Man and The Sea", and attempt to write and edit a proposal letter for Gaming Pirates.

G'night.

Day 85 - Recovery

Back at this blog again after a break. I've been busy with a lot of Street Fighter matches. Decided that I would switch to Bison to get out of the Ryu/Ken fanbase. Thought it'd be more interesting and challenging to get a character with different fundamentals and basics and start from scratch, and so far, it's been pretty fun.

I finished off the whole Gokusen series, including the movie. After many hours spent glued to the screen, I have to say that I'm really going to miss this show. When I first saw Gokusen 1, I didn't think much of it. Without knowing all the stars in the cast, it felt like just a regular drama. After watching the whole series however, I find that the show offers a charm and aura that is unmatchable. I hope and plan to watch the first Gokusen over. I'm sure I'll enjoy it much more.

Anyways, I am currently writing articles and managing the small forums at www.gamingpirates.com. The website offers reviews, gaming news, and esports coverage. I co-founded it with my friends Andrew and Chris and we have been working hard to get it up and running. So far, we have many articles up, as well as interviews with some pro Counterstrike players. Go check us out, sign up on the forums, and tell your friends! Any support is welcome.

I'm feeling much better from before, but my sore throat hasn't gone away. I've been sitting at home most of the time watching DSP vids all day long... definitely time well spent.

Time for bed...

G'night.

Day 84 - SICK

I feel so bad right now. Coughing up a storm and feeling very fatigued. Either way, it's not preventing me from doing what I usually do on a normal day at home, so I'm still SF4ing and watching Gokusen 3 on my spare time. I actually felt pretty bad in the morning and had to skip the first half of the day, but I made it back for the afternoon.

My friend lent me a TE stick, so I have been playing A LOT of SF4 with it. I love it a lot, and I find that I am playing better. The links are coming out easier and there is less effort put in when pulling off combos. I'm still not that used to the loose tension of the stick itself, but I'm getting used to it. Currently, I'm practicing Bison and Sagat, but I'm still maining Ken.

Better get some extra sleep tonight, so I'm watching one more episode of Gokusen 3 and then heading to bed.

G'night.

Day 83 - Gokusen 2

Finished Gokusen 2 today after school. I really liked how this drama was paced, and even though it took me awhile to get used to the cast, I really liked them in the end. I didn't really know anyone in the class except for Koike Teppei, who was in Dragon Zakura, but now I have a bunch of actors/actresses that are in my good books.

Like the previous one, Gokusen 2 is funny and witty, but still has its serious side. Overall, it is a great experience to watch, and I encourage anyone to watch either Gokusen 1 or 2. There's actually a 3rd one that came out in 2008. I'm going to start it today and finally finish off this series by at least next week.

Tomorrow, I have two hockey games to play. It's going to be hectic because there's also going to be a charity game between the two which I will have to attend. Three games in one day... I'm going to be so tired.

I'll post again tomorrow. I have a bunch of plans for the weekend.

G'night.

Day 82 - Uncharted 2

I finished Uncharted 2 today, and just like the first one, didn't disappoint. I really like the characters and how the ending turned out to be. It felt just like watching a good action movie without the crappy acting. A problem I had with the game was during the last few chapters, it was nonstop fighting, and it felt drawn out and repetitive after awhile. The fighting cut off at the right spot though, and it managed to end with a bang. I'd love to play it again.

Now that I have Uncharted 2 out of the way, I think I have to get back to FFXIII. Just like Uncharted 2, it seems like nonstop fighting at this part of the game, and it just feels repetitive and boring. I guess I needed a break from the game. Now after a week has passed, my hiatus has ended, and I will start playing once again.

That's it for today. Tired from hockey and SF4. I'll watch an episode of Gokusen 2 and go to bed. Good show so far.

G'night.

Songs of the day:

Reflection Eternal by Nujabes
Give it All by Rise Against

Day 81 - Study Hard

I'm back with another blog post. Unfortunately, I have been pretty busy with other things, mainly schoolwork and SF4. Seems like I have been slacking a little bit in school...and my marks show it. I definitely need to smarten up for the latter part of the semester, as I need to keep my 90% average intact to get my scholarship. I have a test and a quiz tomorrow, so we'll see how those go.

I finally hit the 2000 BP mark in SF4 online play, but my achievement was quickly swiped from my hands by the skills of much better players. I swiftly dropped to 1781 BP, and I'm pretty pissed at how I was playing a few moments ago. I guess I just wasn't feeling it at that moment. I can't wait for April 27th so I can snag a TE stick. I'm fed up with the dropped inputs and overall shoddy quality of my current fight stick. I know I mentioned this before, but it's been gradually annoying me ever since I tried better fight sticks. Upgrade ASAP.



How to Train your Dragon was an awesome movie. Saw it on Saturday at STC, and was pleasantly surprised. What turned out to be a last minute plan ended up becoming a great movie experience. The 3-D was great, but I could have left it out and it would have still been awesome. The visuals don't disappoint, and the underlying moral and theme is well played. 8.5/10



I also saw Gran Torino when I got home. Very good movie! The character Walt, played by Clint Eastwood, is intriguing, and unintentionally funny with his racist and rude remarks. The character progression in the movie seems fast, but works well and puts a smile on your face as you watch. Though the acting from some characters were just god-awful, the movie still manages to be enjoyable and inspiring. 9/10



Alright, that's about it for today. Had to cram in all weekend's shenanigan's in one post. Going to watch an episode of Gokusen 2 and head to bed.

G'night.

Day 80 - LAN

Went to another LAN today with my friends Andrew and Josh. This one was pretty fun, and faced a bunch of Seneca college students. There were a couple of very good players, but the rest were okay. With an entrance fee of only $2, it was totally worth going, as there was free pizza and drinks as well. Too bad there wasn't a proper scrim going, although pubbing is fun at times.

Anyways got home and practiced some SF4 and played until now. Gotta head to bed soon though, as I'm pretty exhausted and eye-sore from being in front of screens all day long.

BTW, this movie is awesome. Thanks Josh McGeown for letting me borrow it.



G'night.

Day 79 - SLACK

Wow! It's been more than a week since my last post. It's probably my longest hiatus since I started writing on this blog. Since school is starting up again, I think I should get back to my blog-writing habits once again. The March break has definitely been a busy one, and once again, I had a great time with friends and family.

I still haven't finished Final Fantasy, as I have either been away from home, or had company over. I'm about 20 or so hours into the game, and I am still loving how the story is progressing. I'll probably start playing more now, as I have some free time after school and whatnot. Sleeping habits from the break aren't helping though, and today I found myself way too tired to do anything after I got home.

Episodes of Japanese TV have stopped as well, due to the busy schedule, but I did start up Gokusen 2, and I'm determined to finish it, as well as the whole Gokusen series.

Alright time to play some FFXIII.

G'night.

Day 78 - Weekend

March break is finally here. My friends are over right now, so we're hanging out and playing SF4 and SSBM. Hoping to get some sets recorded.

I'm still playing FFXIII, and it's still just as good as when I started. I'm still spending a lot of time playing SF4 though, so it's slowing down my playthrough. Either way, I'll have lots of time to finish it, so it's really no rush.

Anyways, calling it quits on the blog for today. Just a quick update, as I haven't been on lately.

March Break here I come!

G'night.

Day 77 - Late

It's pretty late right now, and the only reason why I'm up is because I can't get my hands off my PS3 controller. FFXIII is getting much better then the start, as the characters are really starting to get better and better, and the Crystarium system is beginning to get more complex. I'm really enjoying it, and I hope it doesn't slow down anytime soon.

I'm going to download the new Pokemon game on my R4 DS for portable play when I'm out. I haven't "grown out" of the Pokemon games, and I don't know why I should. A good game is a good game, and these ones don't disappoint. There's always a certain charm in these games that bring me back to the past when I used to carry my Gameboy everywhere with me and play and trade with my friends. Nostalgia never gets old.



If you have read my previous posts, you would probably guess that my next big game pickup will be SSF4. I'm excited to see who I play good with and who I will main. I think I will try not to pick Ken again as a main, as everyone knows how to counter him. I'm hoping to get good with Dudley, Ibuki, Cody or Juri. I can't wait to get this game!!!

Time to go to sleep. Still got to wake up early tomorrow. The March break is almost here...

G'night.

Day 76 - AWESOME

FFXIII is awesome. I'm quickly getting used to the Paradigm Shifts, which I find really interesting and fun to use. I need a little more practice with it, but so far so good. The Crystarium level-up system is great, and brings back the great memories of the Sphere Grid of FFX. Very similar, but much more linear and simple to use. I think it'll get a bit more complex later, but I really don't mind.

The story starts out very confusing, but it's really starting to open up and reveal character histories and future plans. I know there's still one more character to be revealed, but I feel the cast is already fun to watch and play with.

In other news, Hakan has finally been revealed for SSF4. He looks like a mix between Darun, Zangief, Wario, and a gay Julius Caesar. He looks like a joke character, but I think he might be a fairly good fighter. He probably deals a bunch of damage and has a good mixup game, with his Blanka style slides, swift dodges, and an array of quirky grapples. I can't wait to try him out.

Time to go to bed. Almost done all the work this week has to offer. There's a test tomorrow, a project due Friday, and an annotated bibliography due Thursday. Definitely still a bunch of stuff to do, but it's almost over.

G'night.

Song of the Day:

If I'm James Dean, then you're Audrey Hepburn by Sleeping with Sirens

Day 75 - PUMPED + Kimi wa Petto

Tomorrow is the release of Final Fantasy XIII, and I'm very excited to finally get to play it. Hopefully it lives up to expectations and doesn't disappoint like XII did. Had a few games of SF4, but quickly got frustrated. I wasn't focusing on the game, so I decided to just practice Dictator for fun. Awesome to play, but block strings are much harder with charge characters. After, I headed over to Uncharted 2 in hopes of beating it before tomorrow, but that plan fell short when I realized I still had some homework to do.

For homework today, I'm reading a book by Ernest Hemingway and another written by John Steinbeck. Hopefully, both are going to be good reads. I need these books read soon for my English class, so I better get some done this week and during March break. Other work is piling up as well, and it never seems to end. I have multiple things due within the next few days, and they are important and take a long time to do. I think I also have a test later this week. It's getting hectic. I just hope I make it through to enjoy my break.

Finished Kimi wa Petto not too long ago. It was just what I needed. It wasn't serious and it had a nice amount of humour to set me in a good mood. A good show, and can possibly be one I might revisit in the future. I restarted Hana Kimi, but fell asleep. I'll catch up on the episode tomorrow or later tonight.

Anyways, heading to bed now. I think I'm almost done Uncharted 2, so maybe I'll finish that soon and return it to my friend by the end of week or March break the latest.

G'night.

Day 74 - Sets

Just got off my PS3 after lots of time on SF4 and Uncharted 2. I played a lengthy set with my friend Vince, and improved a lot during the matches. It's good to play someone around the same level of skill, so it's easy to improve and learn from one another. I ended up winning the most overall, but it was very casual. If anyone is interested in playing a few sets with me, add me on PSN. My username is maki__G. Note, that it is two underscores.

I haven't been updating as much because I've been really tired after school. I was planning on doing a post yesterday, but I got home from hockey at around midnight, and was too tired to do anything other then sit on my ass and fall asleep. Our team played well and won the playoff game 3-2. I ended up with one assist, and finally ended my little point drought.

Keeping this one short. Still not done Kimi wa Petto, so I'm going to watch a few episodes right now. Tomorrow is my uncle's birthday, so we're going to have a little family get-together. I'll keep posted and busy.

G'night.

Songs of the day:

Sailor's Mouth by Farewell Flight
男孩像你 by 薛凱琪

Day 73 - Back up.

PSN was back up when I got home, and I sneaked in a few SF4 matches. Having trouble against some veteran players, but I can take down way more challengers then when I first started online play. There has been some big progress, and I'm happy I stepped up my game before SSF4 comes out. I don't know if it was me or my cheap fight stick, but it seemed like a button input was dropped and I lost the match due to me giving up my guard and losing my ground. It's pretty frustrating when you know you have control, but it doesn't work out the way you want it. Sanwa, where are you?

How I Met Your Mother is a very funny show. Caught a few episodes at a friends today and I love the characters and the things that go on. I also think the narration and concept is interesting and unique. Neil Patrick Harris is also hilarious!

Alright, time to watch one more episode of Kimi wa Petto and head to bed. Oh I am also starting to write on the team FTN blog for my friend's CS 1.6 CEVO team. Find my posts at: http://teamftn.blogspot.com/

G'night.

Song of the Day:

With Ears to See and Eyes to Hear by Sleeping with Sirens

Day 72 - Freak Out

Seems like PSN is down for all "fat" PS3 owners. I haven't tried it personally, but now I don't want to risk hurting my PS3 by playing with it now. Damn, I really wanted to get started with my serious SF4 practice too. I guess it'll have to wait.

I want to get a new fighting stick so bad. Mine is doing its job, but it's not that responsive, and I felt that I played way better on the arcade cabinet at Pmall outfitted with all Japanese parts. I definitely want Sanwa buttons and ball top joystick. I was also contemplating possibly getting a "Fanta" joy stick, which is the Korean version of the baseball bat top. I'm really not sure if that's going to work, because then I would have to mod the stick all on my own, and that could be costly and risky. For Sanwa, I could just buy a tournament edition and be happy. I'll have to make my decision sooner or later, and I'm more towards the Sanwas at the moment.

I changed my mind again about which drama to start. Watched the first episode of Kimi wa Petto, and it's not bad so far. Matsumoto Jun co-stars and really puts on a show. He's one hell of an actor, even back in 2003 when this show was filmed.

Alright, time to sleep. Maybe one more episode...

Day 71 - GOLD!

YESSSSSSSS!!!!!!

I'm so happy for the Men's Canadian hockey team! Although we had a rough patch in the tournament, we managed to pick up the pieces and execute some sweet revenge. Looks like we have double hockey gold once again!

In other news, I finished Heavy Rain and watched all the endings on Youtube. It is EXTREMELY entertaining, and I can't stop talking about it. It's very sad and suspenseful, and I didn't really know what was going to happen and who the killer was. I was pleasantly surprised at how a video game delivered such a compelling and captivating storyline. The characters were very realistic and believable in every way possible. The reveal of the killer was in no means confusing or stupid, but it wasn't a blowout "WTF" moment. It was logical and left enough clues for the player or viewer to find, and I was okay with that. The endings are nothing short of amazing, and leave you chilled to the bone at how great the game was. Heck, I watched every bit of this game, and I still want to play it. That's how interesting it is... Play or watch the game unfold. You won't regret it!

Started the drama Kurosaki, but I don't know if I'm going to watch it all through. I might just leave this for later and just start up Gokusen 2, which is on my list of shows to watch. I'll make my verdict tomorrow.

That will be it for today. Still thinking about Heavy Rain...

G'night.

Day 70 - Bambino!

Finished up Bambino last night and loved it. It was very motivational and entertaining. Matsumoto Jun does it again and plays his role very well. I highly recommend this series!

Sorry for the lack of updates for whoever reads this blog. Lately I have been too lazy to write and post daily. I'm hoping to get back into the habit of posting everyday.

Today I headed with a friend to Pmall and played some Street Fighter 4 at the arcade. We both played pretty well and managed to stay there for hours with only $5 worth of tokens. There was a good turnout of Street Fighter 4 players and it was fun to win a few rounds here and there. I got my winning streak ended by a Honda. I have to practice against more of them, as I am not used to playing against them.

Took care of my cousin after dinner and practiced more SF4 on the PS3. I was working on some block strings and playing around with Balrog. Too bad there wasn't a proper internet connection for some online games...

Alright, time to sleep.

G'night.

Day 69 - CANADA!!! + Heavy Rain

Oh man... Canada played so well today. We played a great physical game and just played really smart hockey to shut down the Russians. Ovechkin was -2 and had no points, which was definitely a key part in our victory. Luongo played a really nice game, but the same could not be said to Nabokov, who let in 6 goals before getting pulled in the second period. Currently watching the Sweden vs. Slovakia game. The winner of this game decides who plays against Canada on Friday night. Let's bring home the gold!

Canadians did really well today in other Olympic sports as well. We acquired four medals in today's programs and increased our medal count to 15.

Today, I stumbled upon DSP's playthrough of Heavy Rain on Youtube, and I gotta say that I'm hooked. It's a mystery/drama/suspense that has this dark, mysterious atmosphere. It feels and looks like an interactive movie, and is nothing like any other game I have ever seen. The story is quite captivating, and follows many different characters on their journey in stopping a serial killer named the Origami Killer. Although I'm not going to buy the game, I still want to watch the whole walkthrough to witness the ending.

Going to watch more Heavy Rain stuff. I also watched a couple episodes of Bambino, and it's really starting to pick up. I'm excited to finish both series!

G'night.

Day 68 - Bambi!

MR.BRAIN turned out to be amazing. Even thought it had so many like qualities to it's American CSI counterpart, it still had this flair and personality that made me enjoy the show very much. I highly recommend anyone to watch this show. Very interesting!

I stayed on my schedule for shows, and I already started Bambino. In fact, I'm already five episodes in... So far it's been pretty intense, but quite enjoyable. The story follows a young man named Ban. He works in a restaurant in the country-side, but gets a request from his boss to work at a high end restaurant in Tokyo. Ban takes the offer, but quickly realizes how hard the work is in the city. Soon he learns the way of the chef and falls in love with the art of food. I'm hoping to finish this soon. It's been pretty good so far and stars some pretty good actors/actresses.

Anyways, congrats to my friends Eric, Jovon, and Andrew for starting fresh, new blogs. Check them out at:

Eric's - http://itsadreamorisitadream.blogspot.com/
Jovon's - http://www.yenjovon.blogspot.com/
Andrew's - http://teamftn.blogspot.com/

Also, congratulations to the Canada team for winning against Germany today! Let's beat the Russians! We're on home soil for the first time, so let's make it a memorable one. Go Canada Go!

Alright, time to catch some sleep. Going to keep it easy on the shows for today.

G'night.

In the Arms of Perdition by Despised Icon

Day 67.5 - Show Schedule

More of a note to self then anything. I'm hoping to abide by this schedule and finish these shows by at least the start of March Break.

Watching now: MR. BRAIN
Next:
1.) Bambino
2.) Gokusen 2
3.) Hana Kimi
4.) Great Teacher Onizuka
5.) Detective Conan

***

Today was quite a long day. Classes were a bore, but I made it out sane and relieved. After school, I caught up on a few episodes of MR.BRAIN. It's really getting interesting and there are many great guest appearances on the show, including Nakama Yukie and GACKT. Almost done the series.

Tomorrow I think Canada plays Germany in the quarter final. It seems that Luongo will get the start for the team, and I think that's a good choice made by the coaching staff. Brodeur just didn't play like himself last game, and it really cost us the loss. Hopefully Luongo leads the team back to their high scoring ways like when he first started versus Norway. I'm not losing hope just yet!
Go Canada Go!

I have been on a drumming hiatus for almost a week now, and I want to play really bad. I think it's needed for a musician to take some time off and regroup his inspirations and passion to play. If I force myself to play everyday, it becomes more of a chore then a hobby, and that's why I decided to stop for a bit. I need to get my noise-cancelers back! My ears hurt when I play now.

Alright, going to try to finish more episodes. Stay tuned tomorrow as I'll be talking about a new project I'm starting with a few friends. Let's hope it starts off well.

G'night.

Song of the day:

New World by l'Arc en Ciel

Day 67.5 - Wishlisting

WISHLIST:

SF 4 Tournament Edition Fight Stick


Visvim FBT Lattice



Visvans


FFXIII


Canada Goose Vest




Supreme 5- Panel



Supreme Box Hoodie


Bape Shark (guilty pleasure)



Uniqlo... the whole store.


Show schedule and daily post after this...

Day 66 - WTF

We lost... Watched the first and second period, but schoolwork called and I had to study for tomorrow's test. I'm pretty pissed at our performance so far. I guess I shouldn't have hyped after winning against Norway. Let's hope we wake up and play the game we need to win.

Just finished watching another episode of MR.BRAIN. Very similar to CSI, but has a more breezy, easy-going feel. The main character is very fun to watch. With his quirky, hilarious attitude towards his work, he specializes at stopping criminals by using methods involving neuroscience and logic. Sure it may seem like a bore to whoever is reading this synopsis, but the crimes are very interesting and logical, and are executed well for a drama. Definitely going to finish this soon.

I'm contemplating some next pick-ups, and I have made a list to abide by. Sooner or later, I'll purchase these.

- Visvim FBTs
- Fight Stick for PS3. Probably a Tournament Fight Stick.
- Black, slim trousers and/or black slim tapered jeans.

This is just a teaser. I'm too tired to think of a full list, so I'll leave it all for a full post on it.

Alright keeping this one short. Heading to sleep now.

G'night.

Day 65 - Shutter Island + LAN

Yesterday, I watched Shutter Island with a bunch of friends. I walked in thinking that the movie would be amazing, since I found the premise and story to be really interesting. I walked out with a raging headache, confusion, and an immense urge to leave the building. It was really disappointing to watch. Leonardo Decaprio played his role really well, but even his stellar acting couldn't save this movie. This flick should be left alone. A free ferry ticket to Shutter Island? No thanks. 4/10

Today, I went to Net Effect cafe to LAN for the first time. It was actually a good turn out and was really fun. Met some nice people and actually played decent. Met up with a bunch of my friends too, and we headed to eat dinner and shop. Unfortunately, all the stores were closed by the time we got there. Until next time...




Had some good food today as well.

Korean BBQ tonight.






The end of the day... See ya Jovon.


Alright, pretty tired right now. Gonna sleep soon. Good day!

G'night.

Songs of the day:

Excuses by Deas Vail
Silence before the Storm by Nobuo Uematsu for FFX Soundtrack

Day 64 - Ugly Game + SSF4 Update

Canada pulled through with the win... barely. With outstanding goaltending from Hiller, Switzerland was able to come back and tie it up before the end of regulation. It's funny that us Canadians were laughing at the U.S. team for having a close game against the Swiss and then almost lose to them after. Either way, a win is a win. We better smarten up a bit next game and really play hard against Ryan Miller and the U.S. team.

For those who are interested in the new Street Fighter 4 game coming out, three characters have been confirmed for an appearance in the game. Ibuki, Dudley, and Makoto all hail from the holy grail of all competitive arcade fighters, Street Fighter 3 Third Strike, and are looking just as sweet as they were back then. I have a feeling Dudley is going to be God-tier. I, and many other 3rd Strike fans are anxious to try him out here in the new SF4 system. I know I'm going to get this game! Also, the end of the new trailer basically confirms that the new character Hakan will be included into the roster. The description of Hakan is probably the most stereotypical thing I have ever heard from a video game character... "An Arabian grappler obsessed with oil." Unreal.

Started a new drama called Mr. Brain. Starting off good, but still didn't get to finish the first episode. More info on this later.

Alright time for bed. My hockey game really set me into sleep mode.

G'night.

Song of the Day:

Over by Farewell Flight

Day 63 - Struck Gold + Ripping Norway a New One

Congrats to Maelle Ricker for winning Gold in the women's snowboarding event! Also, I am very happy with the result of the first men's hockey game. At first I was a bit weary about the chemistry of the lines, but once second period rolled around, we picked it up and our true colours started to show. Iginla played a great game, netting three goals for us. Doughty and Keith brought some good defensive plays and much needed physicality. I am excited to watch the next game, which is scheduled for Thursday.

I'm eagerly awaiting March for the great games that will be releasing. Final Fantasy XIII is for sure going to be priority. I honestly can't wait to get the game. I hope it will be more like FFX than the disappointing FFXII. The new Pokemon games come out as well. DON'T HATE!! The games are just as enjoyable as they were back in the day. Playing them now brings out some great nostalgic moments.

Tomorrow, I will be starting the Hana Yori Dango Finale Movie. Just got information on this, so I am excited to finally finish the wonderful series for good. I started a new show called Hana Kimi, but I'm not sure if I will finish it or not. I'll probably wait until next week until I do.

Until next time...

G'night.



Brodeur and Luongo FTW

Day 62 - Long Weekend is Over...

Today, I headed over to Vaughan Mills with the family. Since it's Family day today, nothing else was open, so the place was basically a zoo. People were shoulder to shoulder within the mall, and it took us almost 15 minutes to find a spot at the food court. It was bearable though, but the anxiety wasn't worth the lack of sales and bargains.

I met a friend there and found some good deals. I was contemplating on picking up a pair of green vintage blazers for resell, but I decided that they wouldn't be worth the effort. My friend picked them up though, so I'm waiting to see how he deals with them.

As my family talks about it more and more, I get more excited to go to Hong Kong in the summer. I can't wait to visit family there. I haven't been there in more than ten years, so it's about time I go. I also can't wait to visit the shops and sight see a little bit. I plan to sort out my university application acceptance and get my plane tickets soon!

I finished and edited an old drum video. Please give me a view and rate, comment, and subscribe!




I got homework to do, but I think I'll have time to sneak in some time for the computer. Pictures of my Pure Blue Japan jeans will come on the blog tomorrow, but I have already posted on the forums I am active on. Time to eat and then get to work.

BTW the Canadian Women's hockey team is whooping the Swiss right now. Go Canada Go!!!

G'night.


Songs of the day:

The Debut by In Lights
Catastrophe by Four Year Strong

Day 61 - Olympic Gold

Canada has won it's first gold medal!!! Congratulations to Alexandre Bilodeau for winning the gold in the mogul freestyle ski event.

Tuesday is the start of the Men's hockey games for the Canadian team. I wish them the best! As a hockey player, this event means the most to me. I remember getting called down as a class to watch the Olympic hockey games on a projector in the gym. Elementary school was the best...

It's going to be harder then ever to win the gold this year. Russia is looking really strong. With their speed and hands up front, Russia brings unreal offense and scoring potential. Let's just hope our goalies bring their game. Speaking of goalies, it seems like the USA's Ryan Miller might cause us some trouble as well. He has been playing great this year and provides a great backbone for the impressive American team. Let's just hope that we come through with the gold!

I might run some Uncharted 2 and end off the night with a new show. I'm thinking about posting more fits and taking more pictures in the future. I've really been lazy with my progress in my photography hobby. I need some kind of inspiration, but I need to conquer my laziness first!

G'night.



Song of the day:

NJ Legion Iced Tea by A Day to Remember

Day 60 - Happy Chinese New Year!! + SMILE

Awesome show! It's the best one I have seen so far. The acting is superb, and the whole story line is a full, and perfect circle. I have nothing else to say about this one... it was too good. I'm almost speechless.

It's that time of year again for Chinese New Year. I got some red envelopes today and celebrated with close family. Dinner was really good and I was happy to spend the day with the people I love most. I just wished more days were like this throughout the year.

Alright, gonna sleep soon. I'll probably go searching for a new show to start or maybe just hang around Youtube and search videos.

G'night.

Day 59 - Report Cards...

I got my report card today, and I'm happy to see that I did really well last semester. If I keep this going, I'll get the $2000 scholarship at York instead of the $1000. My current average is 91.I scored a 91 in ESS and Biology and a 92 in Writer's Craft. Very happy with the results!

The long weekend is here, and it's going to be a very busy one. Tomorrow = Sushi Mountain at lunch and then Long & McQuade afterwords. Saturday is the Chinese New Year celebration, so I'm looking forward to that as well. Sunday will probably be a chill day with the family, and Monday will bring some nice street hockey to the mix.

I started a new show called SMILE starring Matsumoto Jun and Aragaki Yui. It's turning out very good so far. It's very intense and serious, but still very refreshing to watch. The acting is superb. We'll see how this turns out in a few days.

Alright, time to play some video games and watch a few more episodes.

Ah, congrats to John for finally getting his DSLR. Cheers!

G'night.

Day 58 - F4

I've been crazy about these dramas lately. I have been finishing the Hana Yori Dango 2 episodes since Monday. I just finished watching the finale, and I gotta say that it was one of the best shows I have ever seen. It was a perfect mix to create this show. I thought the characters progressed amazingly, and the cast fit wonderfully. No wonder there's 3 different language versions of this series...

Give it a shot if you can... You won't regret it if you just sit through the 2 seasons. I thought it was horribly boring at first, but I'm glad I gave it another shot. A new favourite has been born.

Gonna start up some Uncharted 2 right now. Borrowed it from a friend, so I hope to finish and return it ASAP. That'll be it!

G'night.

Songs of the day:

Flavor of Love by Utada Hikaru
Set it Off Like Napalm by Emarosa

Day 57 - Hana Yori Dango

Hung out at Jovon's this weekend to celebrate his brother's first birthday. It was really fun even though we just hung out at the house. Next time, I'm hoping to pay the other friends that live around the area a visit. I have come to the conclusion that it is not very safe to sleep first when you're around friends. I won't ever make that mistake! Happy Birthday Cassius!

I finished watching Hana Yori Dango a few hours ago. Really good series. Matsumoto Jun does it again with some good acting. I'm currently watching the sequel to the series, which is already looking interesting. I'm on a roll with these shows... It's a good thing I'm finding interesting ones to watch.

Time to watch another episode. Sleep time after that.

G'night.

Song of the Day:

Ice Box by Omarion

Day 56 - Dragon Zakura

I just finished Dragon Zakura. About 4 days ago, I started the show not knowing what to expect other then the fact that Aragaki Yui was in it. I'm left with some mixed feelings, but overall, I think it's a great show.

The ending was satisfying, but I thought they rushed the individual character endings. Also, I found that it took too long to get to know the characters. I was on episode 8 and I still couldn't name the main students involved in the story. Other then this, I found the premise to be very fun and interesting. It definitely put me in a studying mood, which might help me with the work load of the new semester.

Definitely give this show a try if you can!

Anyways, I'm heading out to go eat Pho with the family. Hopefully, tomorrow I'll be writing my blog post in Vaughan. Let's hope I make it there in the morning tomorrow for the festivities.

Tonight, I'll probably re-start Hana Yori Dango. Let's give it one more shot.

G'night.

Songs of the Day:

Danger of Love by DJ KRUSH
Reflection Eternal by Nujabes

Day 55 - Recording

First day of semester one was alright. My classes don't seem that bad, but for some reason, I don't feel happy in them. Maybe I'm not used to the people in the class or the teacher yet...

Anyways, after school, I headed over to a home studio with my friends in Amber in Redding. I helped them record some drum parts for their EP songs. I hope it turns out really well! I had lots of fun doing it and the drums sounded ridiculously good. I recorded Cool Riff and FBF with them. The songs will be up soon.

Visit them at http://www.myspace.com/amberinredding.

I'm exhausted... Right now, I'm watching Dragon Zakura, but the damn episode is taking it's sweet time to buffer. Have to be patient and occupy myself with other things, but this part of the show is getting intense and I want to know what happens.

Alright, time to unwind.

G'night.

Songs of the day:

Coof Riff by Amber in Redding
FBF by Amber in Redding
F.I.L.O by Nujabes ft. Shing02

Day 54 - Dragon Zakura + Nujabes

Instead of watching Hana Yori Dango, I decided to start a new show called "Dragon Zakura". So far, it's pretty good. Stars one of my favourite actresses, Aragaki Yui, but her role is small and different from the one she had in MBMH. Hopefully this turns out as good as the other ones I have watched.

Today, I stayed home and watched some shows. At midday, I headed out to Chris' to play some games and whatnot. Turned out to be pretty fun. Got some Street Fighter 2 and some Marvel VS Capcom 2 in there, as well as some old school PS1 to bring back memories.

I've always been searching for music that feels different... Something fresh and innovative. A friend introduced me to Nujabes not too long ago, and I have been listening to his music nonstop. He incorporates a few of my favourite genres into something that's amazingly soothing to listen to. With samples and influences from jazz, soul, and hiphop, Nujabes has created music basically everyone can enjoy. His songs and beats hit me deep. Relaxing and sad, but still able to make you smile, his songs create a blend of emotions that usually signal nostalgia or love. It's truly something that every artist should try to achieve for their listeners.

Thank you, Nujabes.


Time to go to bed... maybe I'll watch the first episode of MBMH again!

G'night.

Songs of the day:

Shiki no Uta by Nujabes
Luv Sic Part 1 by Nujabes ft. Shing02
Love You Like Water by Shing02

Day 53 - Gokusen All Day

I just finished watching the Gokusen series. I gotta say that it was pretty damn entertaining to watch. The comedy fell a bit short, but I did catch myself laughing hard a few times. It was more story-driven anyways. The characters progressed very well and the protagonist, Yankumi, didn't get annoying. Next one on the list is probably Hana Yori Dango. I'll give it another shot now that I have more respect for the actors that star in it.

My eyes hurt from all the Gokusen... I'll watch the specials at a later date, so I don't get bored and finished with a series so quick. It's nice to go back and remember it all again.

Damn, the song Sorafune by Tokio is stuck in my head... I can't stop singing it!!!

Anyways, off to bed. It's either shows all day or going to Chris' house tomorrow. We'll see what's going down.

G'night.

Day 52 - ITS OVER!!! + Acceptance

I got accepted to all three of my university applications! I plan on making my decision soon... We'll see what happens. I'm very happy and excited!

Yesterday, I finished My Boss My Hero. AWESOME SERIES. If you have the chance, go watch all the episodes. You won't regret it.

I'm actually really pissed off that it's over. I'm almost certain that I'm going to re-watch it all soon. The characters develop very well, and it feels like a show is missing some soul when they're not there. I'm hoping to find a series as satisfying as the one I just watched. The midget in my body is hurting me from the inside... why did you have to end so suddenly?!

I started a new series called "Gokusen" which is pretty good so far. Very similar premise as MBMH, but has less comedy. Still pretty entertaining, so I can't really complain.

Today, I headed Downtown with some of my friends. I was originally searching for the Ransom varsity, but when I got there, they didn't have my colour preference or size. I tried it on regardless, and in my opinion, the quality could have been WAY better. The wool was really thin and the leather didn't feel that great. Oh well... looks like I'll be saving my money. I guess it worked out for the better.

Dinner was Korean BBQ today with the peeps.

Top's facial hair = win





LOL ADRIAN



Oh, and I got my wallet today. Thanks James! It's awesome!



That about ends my post for today. One more episode of Gokusen and then bed. Probably heading to Chris' tomorrow.

G'night.

Song of the Day:

Sorafune by TOKIO

Day 51 - DONE

Semester one is finally finished!!! The exam today was not bad at all. I had some trouble with a few questions, but I think I made it out fine. Now it's time to relax... until next week of course.

It is so late right now. I stayed up and watched three 45 minute episodes of My Boss My Hero. It's definitely one of my favourite shows at the moment! More MBMH marathon tomorrow. I need to catch some sleep.

I hope my wallet comes in soon. I'm pretty anxious for it's arrival. Impatience is taking it's toll. ARRIVE ALREADY!!!

Alright, off to bed. Tomorrow = SF4 online and possibly a B-Day dinner for a friend.

G'night.

Songs of the Day:

Cool Riff by Amber in Redding
Makes no Difference by Sum 41
Luv (Sic) Part 2 by Nujabes ft. Shing02

Day 50 - Exams almost done.

One more to go... Studied almost all day for this next one. I hope I do well.

Gotta wake up early tomorrow, so I'm gonna keep this one short. Had hockey at 9:30. Almost didn't go because of the exam, but I studied for quite some time beforehand. Anyways, netted one in, extending my point streak to 3 games. 2 goals and 2 assists in the three games of the streak. Not bad... I gotta try hard to keep it going!

Started watching a Japanese drama called "My Boss, My Hero". Extremely funny comedy! I finished one episode yesterday and it cracked me up. I'm going to try and finish the whole series on the exam break.

Alright I'm off to bed...

G'night.

Songs of the day:

Kon Karne by MF Doom
One Man Army by Our Lady Peace
Some Say by Sum 41


1/2

Day 49 - Notes on Notes!

Man, am I tired of studying... Biology exam is at 12:45 tomorrow. Probably going to study in the cafeteria early in the morning tomorrow just to freshen my mind.

Enough with the biology...


Anyways, I want to hit up Ransom soon to pick up a varsity. I saw pictures of them online and they look AMAZING. Quality looks impeccable and the materials look really clean. If I can't get my hands on one, I might just get a WrongWroks one. Still pretty nice, but I would still prefer the Ransom. On the other hand, the WrongWroks one is a bit cheaper...

I'll make my decision when I make my way downtown.

WRONGWROKS



or

RANSOM



Alright, better sleep well before the exam.

G'night.

Songs of the Day:

No Brains by Sum 41
Where is the Love? by Black Eyed Peas
Motivation by Sum 41

Day 48 - Study

Studying for exams is hard work!!!

Biology on Tuesday

Earth and Space Science on Thursday




After that... finito! I can't wait to get it all over with. Sucks that I have to say farewell to my great teachers. It's been a fun semester! Met some great people and enjoyed some good times. Let's hope that Semester 2 will be just as good!

Alright time to sleep. Gotta wake up early and study all day...

G'night books.



0/2

Day 47 - Billy Talent

Listening to Billy Talent music brings me back to the good days... I remember listening to Try Honesty on Much Music and was instantly hooked. Picked up their CD right after and couldn't put it down. I listened to them from Grade 6 and have followed their music ever since.

I can safely say that Billy Talent 3 didn't do it for me. It felt so mainstream and more poppy. Some songs were great, but the CD as a whole didn't do it for me. I need the old, edgy Billy Talent back. The Billy Talent that used weird ass chords, cool lyrics, and awesome effects.

I just put 1 and 2 on my iPod and I'm glad I did. Nothing beats the warm feeling of nostalgia on a cold and dark winter night.

I'm out. Better sleep early today.

G'night.

Songs of the day:

Saint Veronika by Billy Talent
Try Honesty by Billy Talent
Devil on my Shoulder by Billy Talent

Day 46 - ABEL

Been practicing so much Abel lately... and I still got my ass handed to me online. I guess it's a bit early to go test my skills against competitive players. I need to practice a ton more before I get anywhere with this game.

Pretty frustrating when your fighting stick is crap. There are so many dropped inputs and the stick and buttons are so stiff. Unfortunately, it's all I have right now. If only I can get my hands on a fight stick with Sanwa parts for a decent price... Damn you FREE1UP for having one of the greatest custom sticks of all time!!!


If only I could get an arcade cabinet in my house!




Anyways, still waiting for my wallet to arrive. I'm very excited to see it in person. Business with James from Obbigood has been great. Awesome service and communication. I'm glad I picked his goods. It should be here in a week or so.

Exams are coming up... I better start studying for those over the weekend. It's almost over though. I just have to work hard and get it all over with next week. With the exam break, I hope to work on the short film Josh, Chris and I are starting. Hopefully we'll get some good ideas going and work on production by the end of January.

That's about it for this one. Time to sleep. Don't want to stay up too late, yet those Japanese talk shows are really tempting right now...

G'night.

Songs of the day:

Koisuru Angel Heart by Viyuden
Zanarkand Ruins by FFX2 Soundtrack

Day 45 - Weekend Shenanigans

This week was pretty eventful on its own. I had a bunch of stuff due and have a whole lot of projects to finish, but I'll deal with it all this week and whatnot. This semester is almost done... I just gotta hold on and finish up properly!

Anyways, I was meaning to do this yesterday, but I fell asleep. It worked out for the better though, because now I can merge today's and yesterday's events in one whole post.

I saw Book of Eli yesterday with a few friends. Great movie IMO. The good thing about it is, the twist was not the fact that it was a religious film. It was very symbolic, entertaining, and the twist got me thinking. Definitely a solid movie. Go see it if you can and tell me how you like it. 7.5/10



Today, I saw Daybreakers. Holy crap... it was horrible. The CGI was laughable and some scenes were unintentionally funny... and you wouldn't believe what the cure to vampirism is. It was entertaining, but it dragged on at the end and left everyone to assume what happens after the events of the film. The fact that one of the charaters looked like Abel from Street Fighter gave it an extra 0.5. 5.5/10



I'm starting to play more and more Street Fighter 4. I'm really getting to know this game's mechanics and characters. I feel that I'm liking it more and more as each playthrough goes by. I'm actually kinda excited for Super Street Fighter 4 now!


Started listening to L'Arc en Ciel; as requested by a friend. They are amazing!!!


Gotta go study for biology test now. I will probably leave a bit of studying for spare tomorrow.

G'night.


Songs of the day:

Shine by L'Arc en Ciel
Ready, Steady, Go by L'Arc en Ciel
River Below by Billy Talent

Day 44 - Phew...

Today was hectic!!! I had a HUGE 30% weight ISU due, a unit test, AND a quiz. Sunday was all books and work... I'm glad I got it over with...

BTW, I'm selling stuff. Nike SBs, Space Jams, and PS3 games are up for grabs, so get them while you can HERE



I'm just going to show some photos of past weeks. Hanging with good friends, food, entertainment = win.

Scrabble'd



Happy Birthday Marjad!!!


Blazblue!



Good times. Went to Sushi Mountain as well, but didn't take pics. I think I'm headed there again this weekend, but plans aren't finalized yet. I have updates of my jeans to post tomorrow, so stay tuned!!

Watching Utaban and eating Maltist crackers before bed.

G'night.

Song of the day:

Voices of Violence by Billy Talent

Day 43 - SLEEP

I'm so tired. Been getting barely any sleep due to schoolwork and Youtube late-nights.

I think I might be picking up an Obbigood wallet soon. I have to get my university application in first though...

Anyways, I'm thinking about a Studio D'artisan Style with a regular braided reign.



Alright, it's off to sleep.

G'night.

Song of the day:

His Dream by Asher Roth ft.Miguel

Day 42 - Happy New Year!!! + 2009 recap.

1 more day until we all go back to school. I have lots of projects coming up that are gonna be a pain to finish. Gotta get my ass in gear to get those done. Also, I have to get my university application set up before I miss the deadline.

Anyways, on the bright side, I've had a great holiday. I shared it with great people, which makes this holiday season a one to remember. Let's look back at 2009 and all it's iconic moments.


1.) Spending too much money on clothes.
2.) Reading hours on end about jeans, clothing brands and sneakers.
3.) Buying my first pair of raw denim.
4.) Wearing the SHIT out of my Nudies.
5.) NY trips <3
6.) Revealing the Truth.
7.) Working over the summer.
8.) Actually MISSING work.
9.) Street Fighter 3rd Strike until 2AM with Adrian... then work the next morning.
10.) Parrying boxes and gloves.
11.) Bapetalk.com
12.) Japanese culture and music.
13.) Watching hours of Japanese TV shows.
14.) Stressful schoolwork.
15.) Justin coming to Canada.
16.) Justin leaving Canada forever.
17.) Cutting my hair short.
18.) Banana smoothies + LAN
19.) Becoming a 4-eyes.
20.) Ghost Squad.
21.) Pure Blue Japans.
22.) Getting into Bape.
23.) Drumming for Youtube.
24.) Seeing the change in everyone.
25.) 2AM at Future Shop for Boxing Day.
26.) Playstation 3.
27.) Mr. Game & Watch for Brawl.
28.) Appreciating family time.
29.) Sushi Mountain.
30.) New friends and old friends lost.


That's about it. Here's my fit from a couple days ago.

New Era
BDG
A Bathing Ape
Pure Blue Japan
A Bathing Ape





Welcome 2010 with open arms!!!


Uhhh.... Happy