As you know, I have a new job. I still dont like it, but it still makes me money. But it also means that I have hardly anytime for playing games. Which is why, on Monday (day off), I just lounged around and played FF VIII all day long. And then watched half of Lost Season 2 all night long. What a wonderfully lazy day that was. I'm looking forward to my next lazy day, maybe I'll have a bit of time and check out peoples blogs then, and post in some unions.... responsibilities of adults.... sigh :(

Dean

Started my new job this week. Its not the best, and no, I don't really like it, but it's good money. The really bad thing about it is the fact I have to lug around big 28" televisions all day... I work in a second hand store, we buy and sell peoples unwanted goods, cash cheques, foriegn currency, bla bla bla... the tv lugging doesn't do my shoulder any favours at all, as you can imagine, but I need the money and the job, so......

Anyway, this means I haven't played ANY games up until yesterday. Which consisted of a couple of hours on Guitar Hero 3, watching my friend play Lost Odysey (which is pretty stunning, has to be said), and making it to Mission 11 in Devil May Cry 4, enjoying it quite a bit, loving that Devil Bringer :D. I dont own a 360, so I was playing it on his. I will own my own at the end of the month though :P

Asides from that... thats that.

Dean

I'm all strapped up. I get to take off the strap later this afternoon, but heres a photo for posterity

The whole point of it (it reaches further down my back) is to stop my shoulder blade coming away from my chest wall, which is what it does when I reach upwards. It stops me from slouching, improving my posture in the long run. It works, because when my physio put it on, I had to tense certain muscles whilst she was applying it. When relaxed, I can feel the strain againest the strapping, and it forces me to correct my posture. I also have loads of subtle physio exercises to do, some every hour!!! I keep forgetting though :?

Havent played any of my games lately... have to get back to them soon :P

Dean

I finally have something to blog about. Quite a bit actually.

MOVIES.

"Cloverfield"

I have seen this movie twice. It is amazing. The End. Well, no, I shouldn't leave it at that. Without giving too much away, it would seem that New York is, once again, being picked on. Hell, I know that the place is resiliant as hell, but she aint half taken a battering over the last century. But instead of a purely gung-ho approach, all muscle and no heart, the filming method takes a radical turn, and events are viewed from a purely handheld point of view, and instead of a military/ government standoff film, its seen purely from a civilian perspective. It shows a group of people trying to evacuate from Manhattan whilst in the midst of a battle againest enemy/enemies unknown. Thats as much as I'll give away from a story point of view. The cast do a reasonably good job in hooking you into their various story threads and motives, and the stories "documentary" guy, is a sense of light comic relief behind the camera ("...Wait, you know who Superman is?..." :lol: ). The editing is spot on, and, apart from the opening, where we establish the main characters, the film flows along, and has you on the edge of your seat throughout. The special effects deserve a specific mention, as fitting them in so well(mostly) to such a difficult medium was quite a feat. If you haven't seen it, please do. If you have, go again :)

GAMES.

I've been playing a few, lets just say that really. Without too much detail, Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass is one of my faves right now, with its fabulous stylus control method, engaging story and wonderful visuals. Then again, I am a fan of the prequel, Wind Waker, from which this directly continues, so I could be accused of being somewhat biased ;) .

I have also been playing Final Fantasy III as well. I haven't played it since I've had LOZ : PH, one because, well, I've been enjoying Zelda too much, and two, its a good game, but its definetely "old-school" RPG, and after playing it some 20 hours solid, I really did need a break from it :lol: . But I will be back to finish it soon.

Staying on the Final Fantasy thread, I shall be happily skipping off (in a very manly fashion) to my local retailers on Friday to pick up Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings. To my American bretheren, I'm afraid this has not been released in good 'ole Blighty (Britain) yet, but upon its release I shall happily purchase it and play it to death :). I just hope that Final Fantasy Tactics : The War of the Lions gets released on PS2, because I sure as hell cant afford a PSP anytime soon :(

PROGRAMS.

For those of you who know me, you should be aware of my love of 3D and animation. Well, I'm no longer in university (mostly money related), but have been keeping busy in spite of not being in full time education anymore. I have been hunting for the elusive jobs (back to the real world people :( ), but as of yet, no luck. So, to keep my brain synapses firing, I have been teaching myself how to use Flash. Its all basic stuff at the moment, and I dont feel quite ready to take on any solo projects just yet, but once I do, I'll be sure to post here :D .

LOVE.

Lets just say I cant have her. Happy Valentines day though :)

Dean ;)

But I really cant be bothered right now, I think I'm coming down with something. Yea ...(hack hack)...

But I do have a bad headache. I really do.

What a pointless bit of typing.

Dean :(

I've made a new Profile banner :D I haven't made one for over a year at least, thought it was time for a change.

What'dya think? I like it, even though it isn't one of my best. Bit too green :lol: :P

EDIT: I did make a change to it, new lettering, didnt like the other one too much, now I think it's much better :D

I got my Nintendo DS in the post today :D Been wanting to pick one up again for some time now, and I got a bargain off Ebay (which I rarely use), black DS with a game (Pokemon Diamond... I dont think I'll be playing it :lol: ) for 100 pounds, which included postage and packaging :D Swell.

I have two games for it that I will play, Final Fantasy III, which I'm already starting on, and Resident Evil: Deadly Silence, which I have played already, but will enjoy a second time around.

Heres a pic, coz I cant help myself :lol:

Right, off to a find a mythril ring now...

Dean :P

P.S. The DS is my incentive for giving up smoking again. Plus I wanted to cheer myself up after having a big needle stuck inbetween my shoulder joint, being prodded, poked, twisted and turned, as well as xrayed... heres my xray, by the by, of my right shoulder....

The best part was, my physio lady was really cute :P

Its the New Year, and we are back in for rehersals. For those that dont know, I'm involved in an amatuer dramatics company, and we are performing Thoroughly Modern Millie in the summer. I play Jimmy Smith, one of the Male Leads :D Finally getting back in the flow of things, havent done any drama for quite some time now, and definetely not alot of singing either, so its good to get the vocals all warmed up again. My high notes are awesome, I can belt those out, but the lower and softer ones need a bit of work :S

Been playing alot of Portal lately as well. Fab game, despite being a tad short, its so fun to play over and over again. Got through all the advance maps, and doing the challenge maps now. Damn, some of them really tough! Especially the ones were you have to take a certain amount of steps, some of them are ridiculous. But thats when you really start thinking Portals, let me tell you, taxes the brain something rotten. But good for firing the synapses up :P

Anyway, I'm so tired, I may fall aslepp at the keyboard, so I'm off

Dean :D

My housemates girlfriend bought Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock the other day. Very addictive, whilst being insanely infuriating. I've got rythm, just not GUITAR rythm. So to have managed (incredibly) to finish it on Medium mode will be one of my finest gaming achievements :lol: I swear, my fingers have NEVER moved so fast in their entire life, doing that final battle face off was soch a relief to complete. I'm no rocker, but damn, I was the King of Rock in my living room :D

I am SO looking forward to this years Christmas celebrations :D I dont know why, but the festive mood has been upon me for quite a while now, something which has been lacking from previous years. I think the fact that I participated in a Carol Concert, full of old favourites and modern songs helped to crank it up a notch.

So simply, to all my friends on Gamespot, have a FABulous Christmas, and a wonderful New Year :D