[size=14]In all things of nature there is something of the marvellous[/size] Aristotle

At last I found time to finish the Star Wars Trilogy with the bonus disc. It's been quite a while since I last watched them, but they still haven't lost their magic even after all this time. Maybe it's just because they are now on DVD, but the picture quality was a big improvement, so I guess this was also due to the 'digitally remastered'. Very impressive. Noticed a couple of anomalies so next time through I'll be watching like a hawk to "spot the difference". Not too sure about a young Vader aka Anakin Skywalker being shown with Obi-Wan and Yoda at the end, I preferred the old version. After all, Obi-Wan and Yoda didn't suddenly rejuvenate after [color=yellow]they[/color] died did they? Probably this was meant to signify that when Anakin turned to the Dark Side and became Vader, this was when he in fact 'died', but I still prefer the old version. Maybe it will grow on me. Great series, and very interesting extras on the bonus disc!

As we have an international flavour going on here, I thought I would share some rather "unusual" English definitions I came across recently. (They are actually (wrong) answers given by students in tests and exams!) == An antidote is a funny story that you have heard before. == The different senses are commonsense and nonsense. == Letters in sloping type are in hysterics. == Writ of Habeas Corpus means a man is not allowed to commit adultery without permission of the court. == Plato was the god of the Underground. ===== Maybe more another time!

I have at last (I think!) managed to master my PS2 controls with Kingdom Hearts. This game just keeps getting better and better. I am sure I'm not very far into the game, as I have been neglecting it lately in order to finish LOTR Third Age and start up Bloodlines, but I seem to have reached the stage where I want to discover just that next little bit before stopping play for the day, so that's always a good sign. I am about to finish up in Traverse Town, just need to find some pesky postcards to post for promised goodies (they better be worth it!), then battling the 'boss' and onto the next part, maybe today even.

Now I've completed LOTRTTA of course I need a second game going on my PS2. I have decided to try Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance 2 (couldn't find nr.1 anywhere), and am looking forward to seeing how this compares to the PC BGs. The controls look a little more complicated so I will probably need a bit of practice, but the graphics look very good. I have chosen a dwarf rogue, and I am guessing there is no party to control, but I have only played about an hour so I am just starting to getting involved in my adventures! To be continued.....

Yes, folks, I finally finished LOTR The Third Age and with 100%! I just needed to rethink my strategy with the last battle and before I knew it, it was Bam 1 - Sauron 0! I even went back and found that elusive last runestone, how could I have missed it 4 times before will remain a mystery. Of course the reward of Hadhod's armour was rather paltry by this time in the game, so didn't actually need to use it. I have rated it as an 8.0, well worth it I believe. I thoroughly enjoyed the game and only have a few (negative) comments about it. I definitely missed having more save points in some areas. It could get a bit boring if you return to areas already done (as I did searching for the last runestone) to find everything has regenerated. Not that I mind the fighting, but you tend to level up too quickly which rather eliminates the challenge somewhat. I may play this through again in a few months on a harder difficulty (I played medium this time round), and see if this makes a difference. My last 'moan' is that there was no way to drop unwanted items, I tend to travel light when RPGing and a less cluttered inventory would have been welcome! But that is probably just my own pet peeve.:) A good game, well worth the time and effort!

Vampire Bloodlines installed and running! Patch installed and no problems so far. Only a couple of hours into the game, but it is looking really good. For someone who had a problem after 9 runthroughs to play KOTOR on the Dark Side, I am (disturbingly) taking to this dark side of life with ease and yes, even enjoyment. Plus not a Buffy anywhere in sight :twisted: More later, now off to finally finish LOTR Third Age.....

[color=yellow]*****POSSIBLE SPOILERS*****LOTR TTA[/color] I had optimistically hoped to be writing my "Game Finished" for this today, but after a frustrating two and a half hours fighting my way through Pellenor Fields, the Dark Lord seem to have the winning hand. If there is one negative point about this game it is the lack of 'save points' in so many places where you are compelled to go straight from one fight to another without the opportunity of saving in between. Oh well, there's always tomorrow! :)

The sea-quake and subsequent tsunami events last week in Asia have me reflecting more than usual as 2004 becomes 2005. This really is a tragedy of epic proportions, I can't begin to imagine how people directly affected by this are coping and wondering about lost or missing friends, relatives and neighbours. I also find it quite a frightening thought that such a force of nature could affect all of the planet. I was reading about how the massive (dis)placement of the ocean's water has affected the earth's rotation, causing the planet to speed up by milliseconds. Makes you realise how vulnerable we all are. As I said, frightening.

[color=yellow]*****POSSIBLE SPOILERS***** LOTR TTA[/color] I have spent a whopping 3 hours at Helm's Deep today with just one, extremely long, battle. Well actually it was a series of battles, but as you can't save in between battles it just seems like one long one! Apart from the still elusive runestone from the second region (after 4 searches I am not in a hurry to go back yet again for a 5th attempt!), I have 100% on all the other regions so far and am now working my way through the various groups to fight in the Osgiliath ruins. Just have to defeat the Orc Commander, Gothmog, but I'll save that for another day, as it looks like another encounter of epic proportions! My total for the game is now 55% and I have taken 27 hours, so unless there are lots of (nasty!) surprises still in store, I think my original estimate of between 80 and 100 hours is probably being much too generous. Time will tell!