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Day: Wednesday - 30th October 2002
Time: 11:23 am
Listening to: Keith Sweat & Xscape - Am I Dreaming
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What a week it has already been. Had the weirdest dream the other day. I dreamt I had just woke up and was in the bathroom about to brush my teeth. I looked into the mirror, then saw that 2 of the front teeth on my lower jaw and turned black. The enamel seemed to be a transluscent, semi-whitish colour while the insides were black. Could this be some sort of sign? That I should take care of my teeth better? Bloody freaky.
Also here's abit of information that not everyone might know. Was playing this trivia game on IRC once. It's amazing some of the stuff you learn just by playing games that test your general knowledge, history and geography amongst others. One of the questions asked were "Which is the only part of the body which does not repair itself?".
Yes people, the answer is "Teeth". Now why didn't we learn this in school? Or was I not paying attention? I thought about it and it was true. Dropped hair regrows from the hair follicles that we have. Cuts on one's skin heals with the platlets and plasma, which form a netting over the wound and the skin just regenerates. Well, this is just the top of my head from what I learnt in my Biology lessons. Don't take my word for it. Go read some books to find out more.
Anyway, a broken tooth does not grow back. A chipped tooth does not grow back. A tooth where the enamel gets dissolved by bacteria causing cavities DOES NOT repair itself by filling up the holes, naturally.
It's really weird. God gave us these Wolverine*-type mutant healing powers on almost every part of our body except our teeth. Why not? I mean even something as unimportant as our damned nails grow back. What's the point of our nails anyway? Why do we need nails for? Is there some scientific proven use for our nails? Other than scratching, what else would one need their nails for?
The paragraph above sounds like what a stand up comedian would say. I'm going to get this part copyrighted as one of the many million dollar questions!. If Jerry Seinfeld can bloody become a freaking millionaire having a show "about nothing", I want a piece of that pie while making some seriously good observations!
Time to take care of those teeth, people.
* NOTE: In case you people didn't know and are not comic fans, Wolverine's (in X-Men) mutant power is actually his rapid mutant healing powers. His bones being adamantium (is there really such an element?) were actually genetically modified. His retractable claws. Hmmmmm..... I'm not sure where his claws come from. Don't know if he was born with it or if it was part of the genetic engineering, when he was the lab-rat.
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Monday - 30th October 2002 - suffered Temporary Hearing Loss
Had a shower in the morning. First day back at work after a week off. I must've gotten water into my ears. Couldn't drain them so grabbed a cotton bud and try to dry it out. Think I might have pushed too deep in because I suddenly couldn't hear very well. That scared the shit out of me. I keep holding my nose and trying to blow, like what we do when we're up in the hills when the air pressure is different. It didn't work. I had no time to worry about that, I was hoping it was temporary.
Walked to work. It was busy, rush hour traffic. People were driving to work, buses of school kids on their way to school, trams. The worse thing of it all, my hearing loss was so bad that I almost couldn't hear anything. It was quiet. I couldn't hear the revving of car engines, I couldn't hear the sound of the trams. Well I could but it was all so soft. I was really afraid by this time.
Ben was on duty and Andrew was already there. I told Ben about my temporary loss of hearing, he asked if I was well enough to work. After that, he started making fun of me. He would talk to me and then purposely keep quiet with just his lips moving. I was deaf but not completely deaf.
Decided if it didn't get better within the next couple of days, an appointment with a doctor was necessary.
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Tuesday - 29th October 2002 - Still partially deaf
Woke up in the morning still partially deaf. I conlcuded that it could be a flu that's causing this temporary hearing loss. I think that happens at times, doesn't it? Or I was just trying to convince myself that I was going to be alright.
Hearing started getting better as the day went on. Even Andrew's annoying singing and statements which annoys at times were like music to my ears. Seemed abnormally cheerful when I was working. Mood started going when the day got hotter and hotter. Didn't like the heat. I was sweating which is something that rarely happens at work. Does not help the fact that I had to move about 15 crates soft drink syrups (20 kg each) from the back of the store onto the shelves.
The best thing about yesterday was of course, I got my hearing back. I also got to see Katherine Hope! Yes! But shit - I didn't get to talk to her. She was probably checking her roster and Rob started chatting her up. She saw me and gave me one of her smiles. Why did I have to be busy at that time? Why couldn't I talk to her for just awhile? When will I see her again?
She was wearing one of those baseball type tees with the word MasterClass printed on the front, jeans and white sneaker and had her hair tied up in a ponytail. It's one of those t-shirts that makes fun of other companies. Hers was probably something to do with the "MasterCard". Among the other kinds of designs I've seen are:
- the Ford (car) logo but the word "Fuck" instead of "Ford"
- a print Harry Potter with the wizard, but the words "Harry Pothead and the Philosopher Stoned"
- a print of Homer Simpson smoking a joint of weed or something with the words "Stoner Simpson"
Yes, there are many more t-shirts like that and I saw them all at the store on Swanston Street. Can't remember the store name, could be "Off Ya Tree" or something and they sell bongs and do tattooes at that store.
Got home after work, showered, watched RAW, came online received a reply from Lily's office which mentioned something about me getting a visa. Had an irritating conversation with Dei and Dap. Don't know why I got irritated when they told me Dad kept insisting that the visa I got was my bridging visa. Had to search through my pile of documents to find that I already have my bridging visa. I think I've decided not to let them in on any information until I'm at least very sure of the details.
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Called Lily's office and spoke to Mr. Ong. He CONFIRMED that it was my PR visa that was approved. Made an appointment to see him tomorrow morning.
So this is it. 30th OCTOBER 2002. I'm officially an Australian PR. Strange as it may sound, I'm not jumping over the moon. Should I be excited? Am I normal? Is this a normal reaction? What's wrong with me?
The way I see it, it could be an exciting time ahead. New opportunities, new decisions, new challenges. All these also open up a new set of problems. Maybe that's why I'm not going "whoopedidoodah!" and bouncing off the walls. Maybe its information overload. First few days back at work, weather's shitty. A combination of factors.
Enough for now. Congratulate me when you see me chatting online? This is it for this entry. Signing off.
Wednesday, October 30, 2002
Saturday, October 26, 2002
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Day: Saturday - 26th October 2002
Time: 8:42 pm
Listening to: Paul Mac (feat. Peta Morris) - This Is The Sound Of Breaking Up
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Horrible day. Decided to go get my groceries this afternoon, after spending a couple of hours online. Was determined to get my shopping done and get home in time before "Saturday Night Live" on Arena, today's host being WWE Wrestler, The Rock.
So there I was taking a leisurely stroll down the quiet street (the streets are oddly quiet or less busy on weekends), enjoying the breeze. I stopped by the ATM planning to withdraw some cash when to my horror I discovered my ATM card wasn't in my wallet! First thing I thought was that I had lost it. Then I remembered I took it out, in case I needed to scan it with the documents that I needed to send of yesterday. I concluded I must have left it on my table back home.
Now this posed another problem to me. I had $ 10 in my wallet, and about $ 14 in coins which, for some strange, reason I decided to bring with me today. I was planning to get something to eat and there was definitely NOT enough to get my usual groceries which range from $ 20 - $ 60 per week depending on what I buy. Should I go home to get my ATM card since no card = NO EFTPOS as well! I looked at the time and decided to not to buy my groceries, thinking I could get them tomorrow. Had my weekly fish again after stopping at the newsagents to browse through some magazines.
After filling up my tummy, decided to see what I could get with the odd $ 13 or $ 14 I had in my pocket. In the end, after lots of mental calculation, I managed to get a loaf of jumbo bread, a pack of Coon tasty cheese and a dozen jumbo sized eggs. It came up to $ 12.20.
The point of it all made me realise how dependant we are for money. I reckon I could budget if I really had to. It's just an experience for me that I've never gone through before.
Observation of the Day:
On the way home after getting my groceries, I walked past this post where I noticed a sign stuck on it. It was just a quick glance, didn't intend to read it. What I saw on my first glance was the word "LOST" in bold and the next line, 3 year old girl. I decided to turn around and read the notice. What the sign actually said was:
--------------------
LOST
3 year old girl
misses her favourite soft brown teddy.
If found please call ........
--------------------
Also noticed a pair of underwear on the road. Right....probably the work of those Year 12 students who've finished school. Read about the damaged they caused to some vehicles. Tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage. They throw eggs and flour at each other.
Actually bumped into Belinda Hii and Kara Terlich on the tram on Thursday evening and I actually heard them discussing what they planned to do. They even discussed what has been done in other schools: there were girls who actually photocopied their breasts and sent the pictures out. Interesting. Very interesting indeed.
Have no idea what I'll be doing. There's another DVD left to watch, "Dr. T And His Women" or something like that starring Richard Gere. There's also the movie "Alive" on Channel 7 at 11pm. It stars Ethan Hawke and I'm not sure if its the movie I think it is. The one I have in mind is a true story about a group of sportsmen who are stranded in the mountains after a plane crash. They turned into cannibals eating the flesh of the dead bodies of the people on flight who didn't survive. Should be an interesting watch - if I get to watch it.
Watched Tom Cruise's "Vanilla Sky" last night. Now that movie is some confusing shit. Really consfusing shit. Everything only made sense at the very end of the movie. What the hell was the writer trying to prove in the show? Twists and turns that didn't make sense? Trying to confuse the viewers into thinking if Julie Gianni was really Sofia and vice versa? The fact I didn't like about it was how it all turned science-fiction towards the last 15 or 20 minutes of the movie. Sort of like the Matrix. No wonder it got bad reviews. Seriously if you haven't watched this movie and you're considering, save your time. You'll thank me for saving 2 hours of your life.
Stomach isn't feeling too good now. Might have eaten too much. Bad. The girls cooked spaghetti and offered me a portion. They forced me to finish the meat sauce which I did. Shouldn't have done that.
Have to remember to turn the clocks and watches 1 hour ahead. Daylight savings officially start at 2:00 am Sunday morning (according to the paper I read while having lunch). At 2:00 am tomorrow morning, it officially becomes 3:00 am. OK. Just as long as I'm not late for work on Monday. Already set alarms so that I'll remember to set my clocks and watches 1 hour ahead.
Just talked to Ami and realised "Alive" is not showing today, but tomorrow. What's wrong with me? I look at the TV schedule but I don't look at the date. Not that I normally bother with free TV anyway. Foxtel guides are layed out by individual dates. Its a much easier lay-out. Oh yes, if you're reading this - Hi Ami!!! :D
Guess I'll have to give "Alive" a miss. Working at 8:00 am on Monday morning and I need all the sleep I can get.
Well then, I guess I'll have more time to play "Deathrow" tonight or watch "Lord Of The Rings:Fellowship Of The Ring" on DVD. Had this urge to watch it again. Strangely. Can't wait for "LOTR: The Two Towers" coming out this Christmas.
Day: Saturday - 26th October 2002
Time: 8:42 pm
Listening to: Paul Mac (feat. Peta Morris) - This Is The Sound Of Breaking Up
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Horrible day. Decided to go get my groceries this afternoon, after spending a couple of hours online. Was determined to get my shopping done and get home in time before "Saturday Night Live" on Arena, today's host being WWE Wrestler, The Rock.
So there I was taking a leisurely stroll down the quiet street (the streets are oddly quiet or less busy on weekends), enjoying the breeze. I stopped by the ATM planning to withdraw some cash when to my horror I discovered my ATM card wasn't in my wallet! First thing I thought was that I had lost it. Then I remembered I took it out, in case I needed to scan it with the documents that I needed to send of yesterday. I concluded I must have left it on my table back home.
Now this posed another problem to me. I had $ 10 in my wallet, and about $ 14 in coins which, for some strange, reason I decided to bring with me today. I was planning to get something to eat and there was definitely NOT enough to get my usual groceries which range from $ 20 - $ 60 per week depending on what I buy. Should I go home to get my ATM card since no card = NO EFTPOS as well! I looked at the time and decided to not to buy my groceries, thinking I could get them tomorrow. Had my weekly fish again after stopping at the newsagents to browse through some magazines.
After filling up my tummy, decided to see what I could get with the odd $ 13 or $ 14 I had in my pocket. In the end, after lots of mental calculation, I managed to get a loaf of jumbo bread, a pack of Coon tasty cheese and a dozen jumbo sized eggs. It came up to $ 12.20.
The point of it all made me realise how dependant we are for money. I reckon I could budget if I really had to. It's just an experience for me that I've never gone through before.
Observation of the Day:
On the way home after getting my groceries, I walked past this post where I noticed a sign stuck on it. It was just a quick glance, didn't intend to read it. What I saw on my first glance was the word "LOST" in bold and the next line, 3 year old girl. I decided to turn around and read the notice. What the sign actually said was:
--------------------
LOST
3 year old girl
misses her favourite soft brown teddy.
If found please call ........
--------------------
Also noticed a pair of underwear on the road. Right....probably the work of those Year 12 students who've finished school. Read about the damaged they caused to some vehicles. Tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage. They throw eggs and flour at each other.
Actually bumped into Belinda Hii and Kara Terlich on the tram on Thursday evening and I actually heard them discussing what they planned to do. They even discussed what has been done in other schools: there were girls who actually photocopied their breasts and sent the pictures out. Interesting. Very interesting indeed.
Have no idea what I'll be doing. There's another DVD left to watch, "Dr. T And His Women" or something like that starring Richard Gere. There's also the movie "Alive" on Channel 7 at 11pm. It stars Ethan Hawke and I'm not sure if its the movie I think it is. The one I have in mind is a true story about a group of sportsmen who are stranded in the mountains after a plane crash. They turned into cannibals eating the flesh of the dead bodies of the people on flight who didn't survive. Should be an interesting watch - if I get to watch it.
Watched Tom Cruise's "Vanilla Sky" last night. Now that movie is some confusing shit. Really consfusing shit. Everything only made sense at the very end of the movie. What the hell was the writer trying to prove in the show? Twists and turns that didn't make sense? Trying to confuse the viewers into thinking if Julie Gianni was really Sofia and vice versa? The fact I didn't like about it was how it all turned science-fiction towards the last 15 or 20 minutes of the movie. Sort of like the Matrix. No wonder it got bad reviews. Seriously if you haven't watched this movie and you're considering, save your time. You'll thank me for saving 2 hours of your life.
Stomach isn't feeling too good now. Might have eaten too much. Bad. The girls cooked spaghetti and offered me a portion. They forced me to finish the meat sauce which I did. Shouldn't have done that.
Have to remember to turn the clocks and watches 1 hour ahead. Daylight savings officially start at 2:00 am Sunday morning (according to the paper I read while having lunch). At 2:00 am tomorrow morning, it officially becomes 3:00 am. OK. Just as long as I'm not late for work on Monday. Already set alarms so that I'll remember to set my clocks and watches 1 hour ahead.
Just talked to Ami and realised "Alive" is not showing today, but tomorrow. What's wrong with me? I look at the TV schedule but I don't look at the date. Not that I normally bother with free TV anyway. Foxtel guides are layed out by individual dates. Its a much easier lay-out. Oh yes, if you're reading this - Hi Ami!!! :D
Guess I'll have to give "Alive" a miss. Working at 8:00 am on Monday morning and I need all the sleep I can get.
Well then, I guess I'll have more time to play "Deathrow" tonight or watch "Lord Of The Rings:Fellowship Of The Ring" on DVD. Had this urge to watch it again. Strangely. Can't wait for "LOTR: The Two Towers" coming out this Christmas.
Friday, October 25, 2002
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Day: Friday - 25th October 2002
Time: 1:05 pm
Listening to: Next - Butta Love
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Got up nice and early this morning, about 8:30 am. Got ICQ messages from Dei last night and they urgently needed some documents. Went off to see whichever manager on duty today so that I could ask them to write out a letter of employment for me. Ben's back after his 5 weeks off.
Decided to have my breakfast as well. Was a pig. I had:
- Chive and Omelette Roll (Khanh made a super special one with an extra slice of cheese for me!)
- Sausage and Egg McMuffin
- 3 Hash browns
- Large orange juice
Looks like they all missed me..Khanh..Chris...Got a big hug from Marlene before I left. Nice to know that I'm missed. Hehehe
Went out yesterday afternoon at last. Staying home 4 days in a row kind of took its toll on me. The hail on the Wednesday didn't help either. Just when I planned to go out. DT has got a shot of the hail pellets. Might link it up for the heck of it if he posts it on his site. The backyard looked like someone emptied a bean-bag when it was raining the hail. Lots of little white pellets all over the grass and ground which eventually melted. Now I see the benefits of owning a digital camera. "See a phenomenon or picture perfect shot, snap, save, upload". Simple as that.
Went to have my burrito yesterday for lunch. Stopped by at Pulsar to see if they had "Deathrow" for the XBOX on sale. Non there. Might have sold out. Managed to try out "Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell" though. Didn't impress me that much. Might rent before I buy this one.
Next stop was Myer. I went looking for new t-shirts. Yes. Something I seldom do. Tried on 2 Nike t-shirts but just didn't like them. Some other time I suppose. A pity because they looked nice. I also walked around looking at other apparel. Saw a really nice denim Levi's Engineered Jeans jacket. With a price tag of $ 199.90, it had better be nice. Didn't try that on. Dangerous - might want it! What's wrong with me these days with all the shopping? Is this what people talk about, referred to when one reaches financial independence? Is this what everyone does once they start applying for their credit cards - they go on shopping sprees? Good thing I don't have one of my own. Also equally noteworthy is that I haven't used the card mum gave me. Only once actually - to reserve movie tickets.
I actually bought a CD and another single. Yes - I do too much shopping for a guy. I was looking for this CD for ages! "Next - Rated Next". Got this on cassette back in Malaysia. I went around the whole of Melbourne City Centre looking for this CD and couldn't find it. Good ol' Myer had the last one. Good that they keep stock that are heaps old. This album came out in 1997! The other disc I got was Nelly's "Dilemma" single. Paid for them after browsing through the rest of the CDs. Also found the song I wanted to download. I knew it featured Dido. It's by a group called "Faithless" and the song is "One Step Too Far" I think. Will have to download and give it a listen. Hrm - I seem to be promoting music piracy which is a big NO NO actually. :|
Yay! Myer had "Deathrow". Tried out the new "Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit 2", on the Playstation 2 demo unit. Its addictive. Oh no! That's not good. It's got gorgeous cars....who doesn't like driving a Porsche 911 Turbo?? Ferraris in the game as well. Whats more, you even get to drive the police car to chase down illegal races. Yes - a virtual "Fast And Furious" for you. Also, buying "Burnout 2: Point Of Impact" gets you a $ 20 cash back from Acclaim! Walked around - looked at stuff.
Headed off to Toys R Us to check if they had "Deathrow". They didn't have it in stock. What caught my eye? "Super Mario Sunshine" for $ 89.95 which is $ 10 off the normal price! And I still have the $ 10 coupons which means I pay only $ 79.95 IF I were to get it. Don't know. Might have outgrown Mario....too old for that now. Finally went back to Myer and got "Deathrow". Only 5 copies left. And I couldn't find it elsewhere. Could sell out! Good reviews generally = good game and good games = sell outs!
The weird thing of it all was - I didn't even intend to get it in the first place! Now you must be thinking, "what in the hell is Deathrow?". Here's a "little" synopsis for you, in my own words.
It's a sport/fighting game set in the future called Blitz. Two opposing teams are made up of 4 players on each side. The object of the game is to score points by throwing a frisbee-like disc through a goal about 10 m of the ground. The other way to win is to beat the shit out of your opponents to stop them from scoring. All this is easier said than done though. It's a violent and brutal game. Blood splatters all over the arena floor as characters are injured, there are sounds of bones breaking, injured players move around leaving puddles of blood on the floor. There are things you can get in the arena like power-ups, health, credits (used for steroids and performance enhancing drugs for the players) amongst other items.
What are the cool things about this game? Here's a few:
- You can customize the music by playing your own song off the XBOX hard disk.
- There is a Matrix style slow motion effect in which the camera goes 360 degrees around you when you attack opponents by grabbing them. So far I've seen breaking of arms, a knee to the abdomen or face and a flip as well as other wrestling-like moves.
- Last but not least - the swearing in the game. This isn't a game for kiddies actually. The language is uncensored. Some of the stuff you hear "@sswipe, f*ckhead, motherf*cker,@sshole". There are taunts and threats like "I'm going to break your f*cking neck!" or "You've gotta be shittin' me!!" (this one I heard when I threw the disc from one end of the arena to the other and managed to score a goal!). I actually found the swearing more humourous as to feel offended by it. It enriches the experience methinks :D
It's a bloody addictive game, I must have spent about 4 - 5 hours last night trying to beat the weakest team on "Conquest" mode! I finally beat them. It wasn't easy but I beat the "Sea Cats" by ONE measly point. Pathetic I know - but fun.
I guess my ramblings aren't good enough as say an experienced reviewer. So here's a link for you - "Deathrow Review", should you decide to check it out.
OK - this should be enough for now. Time for more "Deathrow" goodness. My XBOX is my new best friend. Not to say my PS2 and GameCube aren't.
Day: Friday - 25th October 2002
Time: 1:05 pm
Listening to: Next - Butta Love
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Got up nice and early this morning, about 8:30 am. Got ICQ messages from Dei last night and they urgently needed some documents. Went off to see whichever manager on duty today so that I could ask them to write out a letter of employment for me. Ben's back after his 5 weeks off.
Decided to have my breakfast as well. Was a pig. I had:
- Chive and Omelette Roll (Khanh made a super special one with an extra slice of cheese for me!)
- Sausage and Egg McMuffin
- 3 Hash browns
- Large orange juice
Looks like they all missed me..Khanh..Chris...Got a big hug from Marlene before I left. Nice to know that I'm missed. Hehehe
Went out yesterday afternoon at last. Staying home 4 days in a row kind of took its toll on me. The hail on the Wednesday didn't help either. Just when I planned to go out. DT has got a shot of the hail pellets. Might link it up for the heck of it if he posts it on his site. The backyard looked like someone emptied a bean-bag when it was raining the hail. Lots of little white pellets all over the grass and ground which eventually melted. Now I see the benefits of owning a digital camera. "See a phenomenon or picture perfect shot, snap, save, upload". Simple as that.
Went to have my burrito yesterday for lunch. Stopped by at Pulsar to see if they had "Deathrow" for the XBOX on sale. Non there. Might have sold out. Managed to try out "Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell" though. Didn't impress me that much. Might rent before I buy this one.
Next stop was Myer. I went looking for new t-shirts. Yes. Something I seldom do. Tried on 2 Nike t-shirts but just didn't like them. Some other time I suppose. A pity because they looked nice. I also walked around looking at other apparel. Saw a really nice denim Levi's Engineered Jeans jacket. With a price tag of $ 199.90, it had better be nice. Didn't try that on. Dangerous - might want it! What's wrong with me these days with all the shopping? Is this what people talk about, referred to when one reaches financial independence? Is this what everyone does once they start applying for their credit cards - they go on shopping sprees? Good thing I don't have one of my own. Also equally noteworthy is that I haven't used the card mum gave me. Only once actually - to reserve movie tickets.
I actually bought a CD and another single. Yes - I do too much shopping for a guy. I was looking for this CD for ages! "Next - Rated Next". Got this on cassette back in Malaysia. I went around the whole of Melbourne City Centre looking for this CD and couldn't find it. Good ol' Myer had the last one. Good that they keep stock that are heaps old. This album came out in 1997! The other disc I got was Nelly's "Dilemma" single. Paid for them after browsing through the rest of the CDs. Also found the song I wanted to download. I knew it featured Dido. It's by a group called "Faithless" and the song is "One Step Too Far" I think. Will have to download and give it a listen. Hrm - I seem to be promoting music piracy which is a big NO NO actually. :|
Yay! Myer had "Deathrow". Tried out the new "Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit 2", on the Playstation 2 demo unit. Its addictive. Oh no! That's not good. It's got gorgeous cars....who doesn't like driving a Porsche 911 Turbo?? Ferraris in the game as well. Whats more, you even get to drive the police car to chase down illegal races. Yes - a virtual "Fast And Furious" for you. Also, buying "Burnout 2: Point Of Impact" gets you a $ 20 cash back from Acclaim! Walked around - looked at stuff.
Headed off to Toys R Us to check if they had "Deathrow". They didn't have it in stock. What caught my eye? "Super Mario Sunshine" for $ 89.95 which is $ 10 off the normal price! And I still have the $ 10 coupons which means I pay only $ 79.95 IF I were to get it. Don't know. Might have outgrown Mario....too old for that now. Finally went back to Myer and got "Deathrow". Only 5 copies left. And I couldn't find it elsewhere. Could sell out! Good reviews generally = good game and good games = sell outs!
The weird thing of it all was - I didn't even intend to get it in the first place! Now you must be thinking, "what in the hell is Deathrow?". Here's a "little" synopsis for you, in my own words.
It's a sport/fighting game set in the future called Blitz. Two opposing teams are made up of 4 players on each side. The object of the game is to score points by throwing a frisbee-like disc through a goal about 10 m of the ground. The other way to win is to beat the shit out of your opponents to stop them from scoring. All this is easier said than done though. It's a violent and brutal game. Blood splatters all over the arena floor as characters are injured, there are sounds of bones breaking, injured players move around leaving puddles of blood on the floor. There are things you can get in the arena like power-ups, health, credits (used for steroids and performance enhancing drugs for the players) amongst other items.
What are the cool things about this game? Here's a few:
- You can customize the music by playing your own song off the XBOX hard disk.
- There is a Matrix style slow motion effect in which the camera goes 360 degrees around you when you attack opponents by grabbing them. So far I've seen breaking of arms, a knee to the abdomen or face and a flip as well as other wrestling-like moves.
- Last but not least - the swearing in the game. This isn't a game for kiddies actually. The language is uncensored. Some of the stuff you hear "@sswipe, f*ckhead, motherf*cker,@sshole". There are taunts and threats like "I'm going to break your f*cking neck!" or "You've gotta be shittin' me!!" (this one I heard when I threw the disc from one end of the arena to the other and managed to score a goal!). I actually found the swearing more humourous as to feel offended by it. It enriches the experience methinks :D
It's a bloody addictive game, I must have spent about 4 - 5 hours last night trying to beat the weakest team on "Conquest" mode! I finally beat them. It wasn't easy but I beat the "Sea Cats" by ONE measly point. Pathetic I know - but fun.
I guess my ramblings aren't good enough as say an experienced reviewer. So here's a link for you - "Deathrow Review", should you decide to check it out.
OK - this should be enough for now. Time for more "Deathrow" goodness. My XBOX is my new best friend. Not to say my PS2 and GameCube aren't.
Wednesday, October 23, 2002
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Day: Wednesday - 23rd October 2002
Time: 11:53 pm
Listening to: Ja Rule (Feat. Case) - Livin' It Up
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Double post in a day!! What a rarity.
First things first, discovered the correct method to including images with the posts. I'm going to make this site a little prettier with pictures to go along with updates whenever possible.
5 minutes to go. It's KA's birthday today ( 24th October ). It's become somewhat of a tradition to celebrate at the stroke of midnight.
It was rain and hail the WHOLE day. That spoilt any plans I had, wanting to go out this afternoon. There's tomorrow I suppose.
Since all of you might know I'm totally nuts about WWE (wrestling), you should know that I'm waiting for the next game to be out in a couple of weeks. Sometime in Mid-November. To emphasize the fact that I really want this game, I'm going to include 2 pictures to go with this post:
First, an image of the cover of this game. Which one appears on PAL shores is still of a mystery. First one is supposedly the PAL cover. This is a shot of Wrestling's past and Wrestling's future - face to face. The Rock versus Hollywood Hulk Hogan. This was Wrestlemania X8 just a couple of months ago. One match that has gone down in History as one of the firsts.
This one's the NTSC USA cover:
And now - to emphasize how much I want this game:
JUST BRING IT!!!
Yes - being abit of a show-off and wanna show off that I CAN include pictures in my post.
This is going to make things alot more interesting. Pictures to go with my wishlists. Imagine the possibilities. Whoo hoo!! Now, only to go dig up that wishlist again.
Day: Wednesday - 23rd October 2002
Time: 11:53 pm
Listening to: Ja Rule (Feat. Case) - Livin' It Up
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Double post in a day!! What a rarity.
First things first, discovered the correct method to including images with the posts. I'm going to make this site a little prettier with pictures to go along with updates whenever possible.
5 minutes to go. It's KA's birthday today ( 24th October ). It's become somewhat of a tradition to celebrate at the stroke of midnight.
It was rain and hail the WHOLE day. That spoilt any plans I had, wanting to go out this afternoon. There's tomorrow I suppose.
Since all of you might know I'm totally nuts about WWE (wrestling), you should know that I'm waiting for the next game to be out in a couple of weeks. Sometime in Mid-November. To emphasize the fact that I really want this game, I'm going to include 2 pictures to go with this post:
First, an image of the cover of this game. Which one appears on PAL shores is still of a mystery. First one is supposedly the PAL cover. This is a shot of Wrestling's past and Wrestling's future - face to face. The Rock versus Hollywood Hulk Hogan. This was Wrestlemania X8 just a couple of months ago. One match that has gone down in History as one of the firsts.
This one's the NTSC USA cover:
And now - to emphasize how much I want this game:
JUST BRING IT!!!
Yes - being abit of a show-off and wanna show off that I CAN include pictures in my post.
This is going to make things alot more interesting. Pictures to go with my wishlists. Imagine the possibilities. Whoo hoo!! Now, only to go dig up that wishlist again.
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Day: Wednesday - 23rd October 2002
Time: 11:32 am
Listening to: Eve (Feat. Alicia Keys) - Gangsta Lovin'
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You might probably notice that little bit above this and how much shorter it has become. 2 reasons for this:
a) I've complete lost track of time and can't be bothered how many days have passed
b) Nobody really gives a shit how long I haven't played video games anyway, do they? :p
Shoutouts to my new found buddies especially BabySakura! This group of crazy people can be seen frequenting the forum boards of:
http://www.ricebowljournals.com/
It's actually a collection of Asians who've come together to form this community, with lots of links to sites. Some like mine. I joined this site a long time ago but completely forgotten about it until BabySakura decided to add me to her ICQ. ( Note: I dreamt of you BabySakura! :p Thanks alot...I was transported back to my Secondary school days....freaky! )
Anyway, this is certainly uncommon, an update in the middle of the week. Kind of like what was happening before I started working. In fact, for the past 4 days, I've been living the way I've been living back in my student days. Get up, eat, tv, sleep not necessarily in that order.
The last few weeks have been absolutely mad as well. The Bali bombings, the sniper in the US, the shootings at Monash Clayton?! What the f*ck in hell is the world coming to? Wait - I think I've just answered my own question.
So what have I got to say this morning.... I'm frickin' bored. I've been staying at home for the past 4 days and I think I'm going to make a trip to the city today. Who knows what I'm going to come home with...new purchases? A CD perhaps? Something more expensive? I shudder at the thought of it.
What the f*ck...the sky just turned cloudy all of a f*cking sudden! It looks like its going to rain! Guess my plans for going out will be postponed.
Other breaking news...I have got to be one of the most accident-prone person EVER. Colleagues and managers tease and laugh everytime I ask for a band-aid at work. The more sympathetic ones tell me its the oil that affects the conditions of our hands etc. Paper cuts. Sally Kirwan showed me the injuries she got last week....a burn about 4cm long that was the result of accidentally pressing her arm against a metal fry basket just out of the frying vat! OUCH! Not only is there a long line...its got the imprint of the criss-cross pattern of the basket burnt into her arm as well. Poor thing...
Now speaking of accidents, I think I am KING. Honestly...who the hell gets f*cking injured playing video games? Name me a person! Go ahead. I can't believe I f*cking poked myself with my fingernail and cut myself. This is unbelievable. I need a band-aid.
This new guy at work is starting to get on everyone's nerves. Started on day # 2 on the job for him. As of last Friday, he had officially earned himself the following nicknames:
- Blimp
- Rob the Knob (Rob being his name)
- Wanker
- Fat F*ck ( Good ol' Courtney...you give it to him! )
Personally, I've had nothing against him personally but if he decides to be funny with me...Here's how I think of the situation. A new guy comes in, tries to make friends, tries to get along with everyone. That would be the ideal situation. Now Rob the Knob comes in teasing people on the SECOND F*CKING day of work. Shame on you, ROB. SHAME! You're not going to get in anyone's good books like that. First impressions of him were already bad in the sense that he talked too much. Everyone was wary on the first day he reported to work. Andrew actually said he wasn't too bad and ended up the victim of Rob's teasing the following day. You spoke to soon, my brother....you spoke too soon. Also thanks to Andrew, I've learnt a swear word in Kiwi. I don't know the spelling but its pronounced "Giffey".
It's raining. Can't go out. No burritos for me today. No yummy cheesy sauce to go with the seasoned wedges. I guess its just bread and alot of tv to keep my company today. Damn. Just when I had the urge to get out of the house today.
Friday, October 11, 2002
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Day: 296 (Friday, 11th October 2002)
Time: 11:01 pm
Status: End of Week # 14
Days without PS2: 33 day(s)
Days without Cube: 7 day(s)
Days without XBOX: 34 day(s)
Listening to: Nelly (feat. Kelly Rowland) - Dilemma
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It's been a few weeks since I last updated. It's about time that I did.
The past couple of weeks have been school holidays here. Work was absolutely insane. It was supposed to be quiet but it was the complete opposite. Guess someone's projections were wrong. Either that or Melbournians decided not to go for holidays this time around.
A few good things out of working during the holidays. I've actually met people that I haven't seen the entire time I've been working there (2 - 3 months). Her name's Katherine Hope and she's a casual worker. I've only seen her twice over the span of 2 weeks. The first time I saw her, I invited her to join the group of us for the movie we were supposed to go for. She didn't know about it because she didn't see the notice on the wall. The conversation we had before she left for home that day went something like this:
Me: So when will you be working next?
KH: Next week, I've got the same shift.
Me: I see. So I'll see you on Friday night (referring to the movie we're supposed to watch)
KH: *turns to me and smiles* Maybe!
The following Tuesday, I saw her again. The first thing she asked me was "How was the movie?". I told her it was cancelled because a few of them couldn't make it. Didn't really get to talk to her again as she was at the back while I was serving on front counter. When she didn't have cars, she did come to the front to "back" me up. I know I know, I'm being sensitive to this but why didn't she help the others on counter instead of me? Was it because I was nice to her? Who knows....
Once again, she had a 2 hour shift like the week before and she went home before I did. She was ordering and I served her at the front counter.
Me: So what can I get you?
KH: Can I please have 6 nuggets, medium fries and a small coke....
Me: *keys order into register, give staff discount and tells her the price*
KH: *counts money then asks...* How much will it cost for 6 nuggets, small fries and small coke? I don't have enough money.
Me: How much do you need? I'll take it out of my own pocket....
KH: No no no .... how much is the meal with small fries?
Me: *insisting* It's alright...I'll pay the difference for you. I'll just get the money out of my bag. How much do you need?
KH: Just 50 cents.
After getting the money and putting her order through. I ask her when she was supposed to work again and she said she wasn't sure.
Me: See you around then.
KH: I'll definitely be seeing you around again.
Don't know when I'll see her again. Will be looking forward to it though ; ) Did I mention that she looks good in tight jeans? No? Well...did I also mention she's in High School and she's probably between 16 - 18 years old. Now that isn't that good. : |
Attended a staff meeting last week. Talked about ways to improve service, how to draw more customers etc. There was also talk about the venue for the Christmas party that we're supposed to have. Hrmm...it was September and talking about Christmas already. It's the only time of the year when the store closes.
Finally managed to meet SW last weekend. What an effort it required. After being "stood up" 3 times, I finally met her but still had to wait 3 hours for her to show up. Was in the city early to meet Yvonne and Kelly to pass Kelly Ryan's Bionicles. Had a snack with them while waiting for SW, who was supposed to come with 2 other friends. I waited until finally she said that her friends could not make it and I was supposed to meet her at 3pm outside Nike. This was 2 hours later that originally planned. I went shopping and bought a bottle of new "perfume". The new "BOSS" one's not too bad...it's got a orangey smell to it and comes in a spherical container/bottle. Reminded me of a Pokeball from the Pokemon cartoons the first time I saw it. I think its a bit pricey though. $ 120 for 90 ml spray. Settled for "Davidoff Cool Water" instead. Got the gift pack for $ 95 which came with a 75 ml spray bottle, 100ml tube of shower gel and a toiletries bag. There was a bonus gift CD as well which has a couple of songs which are nice in there that I like which are:
Groove Theory - Tell Me
Mary Mary - Shackles (Praise You).
Never really heard the rest of the songs though.
Called Lily's office (Thursday afternoon) and she didn't back until today when Mr.Ong called and assured me they're still "monitoring" my case. Managed to meet KL for awhile in the city. I had to settle some bills and to get to Medibank to claim the money. Had the usual beef burrito with the wedges. Their new cheese sauce is yummy....2nd time I've tasted it. The first time was when I meet Yvonne and Kelly.
Was also at Pulsar wondering how much I could get for "Fuzion Frenzy" for trade-in. I was told I would get "NOTHING" because they're giving away that game with every purchase of an XBOX. Guess Microsoft is planning to get rid of excess copies that way. Saw a few new games that look interesting. "Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny" is out. "Burnout 2: Point of Impact" looks fun too. I've STILL resisted the urge to buy "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" on the XBOX and "Super Mario Sunshine" for a few weeks now. I've heard that "Super Mario Sunshine" is really good though. And I still have 2 of the $ 10 Toys R Us discount vouchers left. Decisions, decisions...what to do?
Been thinking about what car I should get - also the fact, what car I CAN afford. More decisions....
Time for bed I suppose. No specific plans for the weekend. Will see what happens.
Day: 296 (Friday, 11th October 2002)
Time: 11:01 pm
Status: End of Week # 14
Days without PS2: 33 day(s)
Days without Cube: 7 day(s)
Days without XBOX: 34 day(s)
Listening to: Nelly (feat. Kelly Rowland) - Dilemma
--------------------------------------------------------------------
It's been a few weeks since I last updated. It's about time that I did.
The past couple of weeks have been school holidays here. Work was absolutely insane. It was supposed to be quiet but it was the complete opposite. Guess someone's projections were wrong. Either that or Melbournians decided not to go for holidays this time around.
A few good things out of working during the holidays. I've actually met people that I haven't seen the entire time I've been working there (2 - 3 months). Her name's Katherine Hope and she's a casual worker. I've only seen her twice over the span of 2 weeks. The first time I saw her, I invited her to join the group of us for the movie we were supposed to go for. She didn't know about it because she didn't see the notice on the wall. The conversation we had before she left for home that day went something like this:
Me: So when will you be working next?
KH: Next week, I've got the same shift.
Me: I see. So I'll see you on Friday night (referring to the movie we're supposed to watch)
KH: *turns to me and smiles* Maybe!
The following Tuesday, I saw her again. The first thing she asked me was "How was the movie?". I told her it was cancelled because a few of them couldn't make it. Didn't really get to talk to her again as she was at the back while I was serving on front counter. When she didn't have cars, she did come to the front to "back" me up. I know I know, I'm being sensitive to this but why didn't she help the others on counter instead of me? Was it because I was nice to her? Who knows....
Once again, she had a 2 hour shift like the week before and she went home before I did. She was ordering and I served her at the front counter.
Me: So what can I get you?
KH: Can I please have 6 nuggets, medium fries and a small coke....
Me: *keys order into register, give staff discount and tells her the price*
KH: *counts money then asks...* How much will it cost for 6 nuggets, small fries and small coke? I don't have enough money.
Me: How much do you need? I'll take it out of my own pocket....
KH: No no no .... how much is the meal with small fries?
Me: *insisting* It's alright...I'll pay the difference for you. I'll just get the money out of my bag. How much do you need?
KH: Just 50 cents.
After getting the money and putting her order through. I ask her when she was supposed to work again and she said she wasn't sure.
Me: See you around then.
KH: I'll definitely be seeing you around again.
Don't know when I'll see her again. Will be looking forward to it though ; ) Did I mention that she looks good in tight jeans? No? Well...did I also mention she's in High School and she's probably between 16 - 18 years old. Now that isn't that good. : |
Attended a staff meeting last week. Talked about ways to improve service, how to draw more customers etc. There was also talk about the venue for the Christmas party that we're supposed to have. Hrmm...it was September and talking about Christmas already. It's the only time of the year when the store closes.
Finally managed to meet SW last weekend. What an effort it required. After being "stood up" 3 times, I finally met her but still had to wait 3 hours for her to show up. Was in the city early to meet Yvonne and Kelly to pass Kelly Ryan's Bionicles. Had a snack with them while waiting for SW, who was supposed to come with 2 other friends. I waited until finally she said that her friends could not make it and I was supposed to meet her at 3pm outside Nike. This was 2 hours later that originally planned. I went shopping and bought a bottle of new "perfume". The new "BOSS" one's not too bad...it's got a orangey smell to it and comes in a spherical container/bottle. Reminded me of a Pokeball from the Pokemon cartoons the first time I saw it. I think its a bit pricey though. $ 120 for 90 ml spray. Settled for "Davidoff Cool Water" instead. Got the gift pack for $ 95 which came with a 75 ml spray bottle, 100ml tube of shower gel and a toiletries bag. There was a bonus gift CD as well which has a couple of songs which are nice in there that I like which are:
Groove Theory - Tell Me
Mary Mary - Shackles (Praise You).
Never really heard the rest of the songs though.
Called Lily's office (Thursday afternoon) and she didn't back until today when Mr.Ong called and assured me they're still "monitoring" my case. Managed to meet KL for awhile in the city. I had to settle some bills and to get to Medibank to claim the money. Had the usual beef burrito with the wedges. Their new cheese sauce is yummy....2nd time I've tasted it. The first time was when I meet Yvonne and Kelly.
Was also at Pulsar wondering how much I could get for "Fuzion Frenzy" for trade-in. I was told I would get "NOTHING" because they're giving away that game with every purchase of an XBOX. Guess Microsoft is planning to get rid of excess copies that way. Saw a few new games that look interesting. "Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny" is out. "Burnout 2: Point of Impact" looks fun too. I've STILL resisted the urge to buy "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" on the XBOX and "Super Mario Sunshine" for a few weeks now. I've heard that "Super Mario Sunshine" is really good though. And I still have 2 of the $ 10 Toys R Us discount vouchers left. Decisions, decisions...what to do?
Been thinking about what car I should get - also the fact, what car I CAN afford. More decisions....
Time for bed I suppose. No specific plans for the weekend. Will see what happens.