Rambles

Well, Wellington did host a losing game of 20/20 cricket for the Black Caps while Christchurch showed one of the finest, most exhilarating games of cricket of recent times.

I guess it’s only fair Wellington get to keep someone as awesome as me as compensation.

Plans can be made and I’ve already started the ball rolling (see what I did there?) by giving my notice for my current flatting situation. Granted I’m planning on this being 6 months notice but it’s nice to know that a change is coming very soon.

Whether its better or not will never be known until the time it happens… but change itself is awesome.

If you were to look at the stuff portal there are finally some new posts that aren’t me. Looking over these posts, I’m going to continue the trend of talking about how things have changed, although Arc’s wasn’t so much about things have changed but how things have progressed and moobs excerpt advised there was a blog about babies and change but instead it 404′d me. Arc took up tai chi. This counts as change.

There are now babies and an extended congratulations to the youngest Young. The theme to last year’s Boxing Day Picnic was “Bring a baby”. Due to not having one and a minor side note of not being in the city that it was being held I did not attend. Did I contemplate becoming the sifty 32 year old man who opens the car door outside schools and other such areas with candy offerings in order to attend? No.
Not only are there babies, there are also nephews which are more my style. In my hope to be favourite uncle, my brother ruins this, reminding me that I am the only uncle… default, the best two words in the english language (Chrome just told me I had spelt english wrong due to no capital. I’ll decide by the end of this post whether or not I’ll bow to it’s chromy wishes). I’m not really ready for fatherhood nor do I have a long term partner in which to procreate (or at a bare minimum practise) but I’ve also done nothing with my life.
Sure, I’m good at my job and I’ve moved the ranks at a reasonable pace. Sure, I’ve moved cities, gone through the loss of a parent at a relatively early age, and made sweet love to a chicken but nothing of note. These things aren’t achievements. I’m not going to talk down their significance but I won’t be this guy on the achievements of life… although it is argued that this was more than one person and if it was only one person then life is one of the few things I can say I have over them. So petty.

This is probably, ok not probably, is the most frustrating thing about my timing. My job is Up in the Air (great movie by the way) on the eve of my domination. On the eve of me turning around to the Mark of old and tell him go and fuck himself… or a chicken. I can no longer plan for things to come because I don’t know what position I’ll be in to do so.
This all comes back to me doing something about things. Once I know where I am (Welly or Chch) I’m going to change where I live/who I live with. I have two flatmates. One of them is book. Perfect flatmate. The best person I have ever lived with and this group of people includes myself. The other one is not so book and this is the epiphany I had the other day.
My other flatmate is the epitamy of where I don’t want to be at their age (ie a couple of years). There are aspects of them that I see in myself and I fucking can’t stand it. There are also aspects of them that just make me want to rip my own hair out and I’ve decided to move on. The “problem” with this kind of flatmate is that unlike the girl in Auckland, he’s not a cunt. Lovely lovely guy. Good to talk to and every now and then you get a element of why you lived with them in the first place but in the greater scheme of things, you realise that this doesn’t account for the things you don’t like about them that remind you of you and the aspects you just don’t like or have outgrown. It’s just difficult to deliver the hard messages when they’re nice.

and upon the re-read I’m wondering if this is another bunch of excuses I’ve always come up with.

So as I sit here in my lounge, perusing the many DVDs I own (I asked myself why? a couple of days ago. I’ll get back to me when I know the answer), the two computers, the fuckofflarge couch, the piles of games, and I wonder if there was anything I would’ve done differently to get my to this point.

Yes. I realised a couple of days ago that yes I do have regrets. Yes, I do wish I could change some things that were within my control. I’m not overly unhappy with my life nor am I overly happy. I don’t know what I think about it. I have 0 suicidal tendancies bar a couple of random thoughts about how if I did, I’d probably just end up screwing up the rest of my family rather than doing them any good.
The only person who would benefit from me killing myself is me… and would I really? If death was actually a much better place than life then why hasn’t everyone done it? Who has ever looked forward to the completely unknown? We fear the unknown just like we fear the dark.

When I was driving my flatmate (the book one) to the airport yesterday, I saw a couple of churches and I’m sorry if I’m about to offend those of you who do (close the tab now… what do you mean “what tab?”?) but I just don’t get religion. It doesn’t interest me, it doesn’t make any sense at all to me, and I think that the invention of lying while it was crap and probably went to a place which no one was ready for, did a pretty good job of showing one of my viewpoints on religion. If I were to update my facebook profile with religious views, I would be looking for something along the lines of ambivalent but to update it would show I cared. Is it ironic that I am ranting about how much I don’t care about religion? The default answer to these questions always appear to be “Ask Alanis”.

So I digress as “Underdog” by Turin Brakes comes on from Lazy Sunday 3 which today will be. Next Sunday will be awesome even if it means its getting closer to letting go.

If you’re in Wellington on Wednesday 3rd March, from about 5pm I am meeting people to drink beer at some beer bar down Taranaki Street. I actually don’t know the name but seeing as I won’t be going to the Beer festival in Wellington, this seems like a good alternative. If you know how to txt, do that on the day.

Eye’ve bean meaning to Wright something fore a few weeks now if only four the sake of righting something but nothing has felt write too Wright about.
Also too be fare two my commitment two this blog, Eye haven’t had much time too do something about it until now. That has actually mostly contributed towards an increase in content Eye am now able two right about… witch isn’t much two bee honest.

Toe

After sum time Eye have finally gotten around two getting my toe fixed. It’s quite large at the moment as per the image but it only took me a yeah too do something about it. It was quite interesting watching the surgery four the last part. I was a bit disturbed bye the sound of cutting and snipping but fascinated bi the cleaning and killing of nerves. It does seem odd two have this person shoving a stick with a cotton bud into wear part of your toe was but it was two kill the nerves sow that the the nail wouldn’t grow back…, yep that makes it better.

Parties
There have bean a phew over the last couple of weeks and they’ve all bean quite enjoyable. It was grate two see sow many people in awful cardies four the flatmate’s “not my birthday” bash. Who would’ve thought crotchet buttons wood draw so many women?

The inevitable vent
Eye have met some nice Americans. To spring two mined who Eye wood say Eye enjoyed meeting and wood like too get two no them better in a potential friends basis (although two be fare, won of them is actually a New Zealander who left and came back)… recently however, I’ve met sum who fit the bill of your typical New Zealand attitude two Americans. Loud, obnoxious, conversation dominating, annoyances who almost have an expectation of treatment… and this is mostly in the women I’ve found. It was almost enough four me two leave a gathering earlier than Eye wanted but somehow my tolerance level has increased… oar maybe it’s my ability too ignore people.

In any stretch, I’d like too point out that Eye am in a very good place mostly these days. Had a couple of moments of “go away” and extremity either side. Mostly though I’m good. I’m going two put this down too growing up… or whisky.

First of all, this is great. It’s a band called Calexico playing with Iron and Wine. Most of you will have heard of the latter. If you had heard of the former then you’ve been more fortunate than me who have only just been listening to their brilliance after a mate said him and his girlfriend were coming up to see them in concert. I’m now looking at going too.

The title is about my day yesterday which was completely planned out and didn’t turn out that way… which was great. Every Wednesday, I go out with a mate to Plimmerton and man the rescue boat for the yacht races out there. Only done this a couple of times and I was dubious about committing to it every week seeing as it stole my only night off a week but then he advised it wasn’t over a long period of time. Yesterday it rained and sailing was cancelled so after watching the first 4 episodes of Californication Season 1, I ended up watching the last 8.
It’s a very odd show to like. Sure, you get to see a bit of tits and arse but the characters are fantastic. Fucked up but fantastic and thats what I really like. I was trying to clarify this with my flatmate who also believes it has great characters. She made a great remark about how David Duchovny’s career appears to have gone full circle.

Mass Effect 2 is still fantastic even if I haven’t really had much of a chance to play it. I’ve been catching up with some TV and doing stuff on the weekends. There’s something about summer where more stuff appears to happen on the weekends.

I wanted to sum up this blog about the quote from The Simpsons with a youtube video about it always being a “nice story” and how “I like stories”. Problem is, it doesn’t seem to be there so I’ll leave you with one of their greatest openings ever: Homer Evolution

Bahahaha. Good work Zac Efron!

Mass Effect 2: Greatest game ever made. Can’t find anything wrong with it!

see more deMotivational Posters

I never normally get xkcd but I did laugh at this when someone sent it to me.

It was followed by two quotes:
“You cannot make someone love you. All you can do is stalk them and hope they panic, and then give in.”
“I think men who have a pierced ear are better prepared for marriage. They’ve experienced pain and bought jewellery.” – Rita Rudner

I also had a dream a friend of mine was sleeping with Nathan Astle… and people say dreams mean things.

Why would you write to a John in the first place? Everyone knows what context “Dear John” letters have.

Everyone of the ’80s will remember the Crane Kick. I wonder if the new one will be the same.

Virgin movie moments: Saw Avatar in 3D and Whip It in cool-cinema aka Paramont. I preferred the latter. I wouldn’t write home about Avatar but people should see it cause it is cool and there is one dust scene that almost made me do the reachy-out arms thing.
Up In The Air is planned for the weekend. I’ve heard good things and George Clooney is awesome.

Next week is going to be awesome. Crepes, company, and whiskey. I should probably ask Ben to bring his guitar.

My feeling for this new year has not changed.

Ok, so it didn’t have the best start but it did make me realise some things. I found my 97yr old Nena (Malaysian Grandmother) has only a few days to live and at first, my instinct reaction was “Crap. I never went to see her and haven’t seen her in about 19 years”. This feeling lasted for about 8 hours when I was sitting talking to a friend at work and they helped me realise that it wouldn’t have mattered when she was in this situation or who it was. Something I’ve come to realise is that no matter when something bad happens, my first reaction is always to wonder what I could’ve done.
and then it came to me. It’s not going to matter where I am or what I had done, there was always going to be something which I would’ve wanted to do.

Every time I think about my Dad, I don’t think about how he died or the times when I could’ve done things differently. In fact, whenever I think about my Dad, I smile. I remember the great man he was and how much I loved it and the times I think about are always happy times. Even when I go out on the boat each Wednesday night (bar tonight) I think about how much Dad would’ve enjoyed it and then I think about the time we all went out on the catamaran for the day. It was a fun time.

So rather than thinking about what I should be doing, I’m going to think about what I am doing and eventually… the two will meet.

By the way, 28 months could be considered a long time.

Mass Effect
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Borderlands
Champions Online
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Machinarium

with the standard Counter Strike: Source.

Mass Effect
This is giving me my RPG fix as well as preparation for the second to be released. Considering it cost $30, I say win.

Batman: Arkham Asylum
This gives me my “I am fucking cool” fix. It’s awesome. So awesome. I’ve been playing it for 2 hours a day for the last few weeks and am still only 51% through. Not due to noobery but due to awesome flow and lots of fun.

Borderlands
Blame Jim. This gives me my co-op on a rainy night fix. We are pew pewing and only level 14. It’s quite fun and good to play and chat at the same time

Champions Online
This gives me my “I’m sick of World of Warcraft but like MMOs” fix. Quite fun but it’s not WoW. Do like the universe though.

Unchartered 2: Among Theives
This gives me my “No wonder most sites are voting it Game of the Year” fix. Amazing. Great gameplay, compelling cinematic story… it’s like a movie but I’m the main star.

Machinarium
This gives me my puzzle/use-my-brain fix. Very cute wee flash game. Lots of fun.

So for ages, I’ve been wanting to play more games but not being able to find any… and now I have 7. This is also without

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Assassin’s Creed 2

I need more time… I also need to excercise more. I wonder how much minimum sleep I actually need. 10hours is win!

It’s coming to the end of the year and there is some quite interesting debates going around the internets (if you into the games). The most interesting I find is the PC debate and it’s imminent death due to multi-console releases and concentration on more exclusive to console over PC games coming out. My viewpoint on this was summed up by a reviewer answering a user question stating:

Now there is no PC that is better graphically and faster than a PS3…

We need to re-teach him his ABCs, M being for Muppet.

The big ones people seem to be talking about for this year are:
Modern Warfare 2
Batman – Arkham Asylum
Unchartered 2: Among Thieves
Assassin’s Creed 2
Left For Dead 2

I’m not sure about the last one. It’s only been a year since the last L4D was released and all they’ve done is add new modes and weapons, including a frying pan. I wonder if there is a level where you have to throw mamma from the train
The rest seem fair enough to me actually even though I haven’t played Assassin’s Creed 2 (it’s on the list). I’ve already raved about Unchartered 2 but I want to talk about Batman – Arkham Asylum…

OMFG! It’s such a great sneaky game that I don’t get frustrated… and I get to play as fuckin’ batman!!! Hang upside and stuff. I recently bought it and it really is quite amazing.
The other game I recently bought was Machinarium for $20 (or so) through Steam. Very cute wee game. Kind of like Neverhood/Abe’s Odessey meets Robots.

but I’m getting bored of games so I’m still looking for something else.