So then, main reason for lack of activity on my part? I'm back home with the Joneses Parents, hense extra travel time needed to get to and from work, and extra sleep time needed to make up for it; all of which pull me away from the harsh sub-reality of tah intahwebs. Plus I had to recuperate and re-adjust the sleeping pattern to make up for all the boxes and to-and-from driving last weekend, bloody exhausting. Still, with Broadband still safely going where I am now (despite BT's best efforts to eff it up, bloody useless morons ), so I'm not going on any hiatuses any time soon.

Righto, time to address the elephant in the room for all those of you that take notice of my status updates. Yep, I've decided to hold off on a 3DS for a while after it releases. Why Shane why, you may be shrieking at the screen if you're a Gamestation employee. Well Basil, it was actually when the price was announced for the Japanese release, and conversion rates (and of course the fact that we always pay more through the nose in the UK anyway) give a pretty good guesstimate that it will be over �£200 here, or at least �£180. Now, I'm not going to ignore all the awesome features the 3DS has, nor all the great games that have been announced for it, but something I realised is that there is not yet one 'killer app' of sorts for me personally, that makes me want it for that game more than everything else. OoT3DS looks great, but at its core it'll be the same game I've conquered dozens of times, same with Lylat Wars and MGS3. Three RPGs have my attention admittedly, but Kingdom Hearts is no doubt a while off yet, I'm guessing Paper Mario is too, and I doubt Tales of the Abyss will make it over here. So in truth, there's very little reason to be in that queue next March (hah, told you all it'd be March ), so waiting for a price drop and/or a hardware revision is the next best option, there'll be a killer library by then. And besides, there's a huge number of 2DS games I want to play in the meantime, not to mention my new PSP...

Gotta talk about that. Guys, for any of you that get cheesed off with the PSP's clunky media, low battery life and Loading times, you've gotta try Custom Firmware with UMDumper. I've used it with my Crisis Core disc, in that the game media gets transferred to the memory card so you no longer need the disc in the actual machine, and it works beautifully. The Battery lasts easily twice as long, it's as quiet as a lamb, and far more portable, although admittedly the Loading times have only a marginal improvement, though I'd attribute that to CC's larger file size than most PSP games. I honestly can't wait for Birth By Sleep to arrive tomorrow, I'll be installing that too. Am still looking for game recommendations, will be glancing around for Half-Minute Hero from your advice Superlink, and would you advise Persona 3 PK?

Hmm, what else? Ah yes, saving is going well, it helps that I have so few things to splash out on now, rent, travel, and Travel Sickness and Cat Allergy tablets being my main account suckers. Found out I'm owed quite a bit from the tax office because they used the wrong tax code on my wageslips for like half a year, so ching ching on that one!

Still, night off tonight, so I've gotta stay up until 9 or so in the morning so I'll be ready for work tomorrow night, fun times. Just finish this up here, do the Trailblazer piece, and maybe watch a few more Tintin episodes from my brother's collection. See yas.

Lots happenin people, lots. I'm moving back home with the parents a week today, and leaving behind the city freedom, on a temporary basis at the very least. Long story short - and then even shorter because I'm like that - , our lovely landlord has decided to sell up the place, and we gotta skedaddle, sharpish. Well, not too sharpish, but the thought of strangers looking amongst yer stuff while browsing the house is not a comforting one at best. So, to save a vast amount of pennies, me and my decent Bro are going back to me Ma, Pa, and the evil Bro, which I'm actually very much looking forward to, if only to see mah puddy cat and have Sunday Roast dinners again.
So then, what does this mean for me in regards to this most excellent of sites? Well, not much, to be honest, except I'll have less time for games and internet access (will still have Broadband as long as BT don't fuck it up again. ), as I've got a fair bit of travel to contend with now, as well as Gym time too. But as mentioned, lots of money will be saved, a hell of a lot; all for the ultimate goal of fixing mah nashers. Can't wait.
There is another reason I'm kinda hasty in getting back there to be honest. We have a small Jack Russel crossbreed, and he is fairly old, but last week he had a stroke, and as we grew up together, it really made me realise that he doesn't have too long left. He's on tablets and stuff right now so he is okay, and not in pain or anything, but I'm hoping nothing else serious happens before we go back.

On the subject of work, I'd wager a fair few of you saw that little rant I posted up not too long ago. Had to take it down as I'm be in real deep shit if my employers ever found out about it, but yeah, getting it out of the system helped quite a bit. Not much has changed since, still being underappreciated, but the wage rate and hours do make up for it admittedly. There's certainly no way I'm giving it up, and I'm working it hard enough to give them very little incentive to let me go, and they certainly wouldn't be able to without a fight.

This year, I'm breaking tradition. Come November, I won't be doing a FF7 playthrough as I usually do every year. Primarily because my PS2 will be in storage until I move back into the city in the future (as will my Dreamcast and XBox 360), but also because it would give me the excuse to get a PSP (my 4th bloomin one ) and I really don't want to waste money like that. The 3DS is a different story, as that will no doubt be competent hardware, but I'm 99% sure it'll be out in March for Europe anyway.

So then, a more brief blog this time around, but hey, I've got packing to do, a travel route to plan, Anti-Cat Allergy Tablets and Travel Sickness prevention to research, and sleep to catch up on, so I'll sign off here. Ciao!

Okie doke, first off, this wonderful site that I happen to be posting on as of this very moment. Huge thanks to the mighty Silvagunner (listing to your Kingdom Hearts 2 playlist right now as a matter of fact bud, top work there ) for his efforts in attracting many promising new members to the fold, and with Nintendo's end-of-september conference with (hopefully) a 3DS blowout, they'll stick around for a long time to come. C3 veterans, let us do our part yeah?
Oh yeah, wanted to mention to you guys, thanks a billion for your birthday wishes on the tenth, it meant a lot, especially since I didn't really expected to get a thread of it, so thanks again kev. Gotta say though, I was a bit ticked that a couple of people from my old workplace that I got cards and prezzies for on their special days, wouldn't even bother to wish me happy returns on my own. Moot point, and still irksome, but you guys more than made up for it, so ta.

Carrying on from that, an update on the dominating subject of the last blog, my new job ( x million) at Matalan. Going quite well thus far, and I'm adjusting quite well to the night shift requirement; daylight isn't a problem to sleep through anymore, which is a relief. Absolutely relentless unloading, clothes stripping (oooo matron!) and moving around though for like 8 hours a night, but holy heck does it feel rewarding at the end of a shift. True, we're still a little behind schedule, but being undermanned at the beginning, and not being given enough storage materials or work space certainly explains that. Can't wait for my first full paypacket at the end of the month.

Am I the only one that doesn't really watch the news on TV anymore? It's all doom and gloom with the media nowadays; recession this, crappy idiot government that. Ignorance is bliss in these cases, though there was one bit of news I caught the other day that I wish I really hadn't.
Remember that news story about the woman who walked past a cat, grabbing it and chucking it into a wheelie bin? Yeah, I'll admit, a very small part of my being chuckled at the sincere randomness of such an act, though my affection for moggies, and the thought of the poor thing getting lifted into a garbage truck and crushed put that chuckle down instantly. Well, something far worse cropped up, some evil little slag throwing newborn puppies into a river, all the while laughing and grinning about it. Oh yeah, they filmed it too, for some kind of sick pleasure (seriously, I only linked the source to prove I'm not making it up, don't actually watch it or you'll probably lose your faith in humanity). This is one case where I believe 'Eye for a Eye' is appropriate; send her down Niagara Falls or something.

Damnit, sorry guys, I said no doom and gloom. Have kinda lost my zeal after that anyway.

Okay, games website, lets talk about games.
I have to say, I have been floored by a recent DS title I've played, in that it was far, far better than I ever expected it to be. I can understand the criticisms I read for it, in that the mission structure gets samey, and the worlds are mainly rehashes of the other games in the series, but damn I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the hell out of Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days. I always believed that it was a cheap, multiplayer focused missions game will little emphasis on story, but it felt like a true fun KH experience, and since I've had to give it back to a buddy now, I'll definitely get it alongside Birth By Sleep and Re:Chain of Memories in the future. It has single-handedly revitalised my interest in the series, so Re:Coded and 3D are now on my eventual radar.

Anyways, gotta depart, just bought the special edition of the Street Fighter 2 anime movie, and I intend to watch it. I'll leave ya with one of my favourite Kingdom Hearts pieces;

Right, first up then; new job. I've seen comments here and there about how it's going, what it's like, etc, and now I aim to answer all here and now, yup yup.
Matalan is surprisingly decent to be honest. Before, I (and I'm assuming many many others, though probably just me ) believed that discount chains and stores carried a stigma of 'cheap products, cheap employee treatment', and for many that could still be true, but after the last couple of weeks, I can safely say Matalan isn't like that. Make no mistake, they get us working hard as hell (and for my position, we really need to), but there is always the air of respect; you always have advice and someone to turn to when you need it, you're never alone, and the shifts are set in stone instead of all over the place. I did have to train in another county entirely, but they paid my way, so I can't complain about that.
Okay, best to stick to the main points before I start rambling. I currently work nights, and on a highly satisfactory paypacket . I'm in a team of 5 (was six but one guy bowed out because of the distance we had to cover for training in the last couple of weeks (had to get two trains to get there myself)), and to cram all our tasks into one spoken line; we're the delivery stockists. That is to say, we take care of the product cages that arrived earlier in the day; we grab the boxes, empty them onto rails or into trolleys depending on the contents, wheel them out onto a very expansive shop floor and arrange them into correct sizes and placements, and put away anything that doesn't go out. Also, we strip (ho ho ) away the plastic covering hanging clothing and then crush it all with big-ass machinery, store flattened cardboard into cages and then skips, and generally hunt around the stockroom to see what stock can go out.
A long-winded explanation to be sure; mainly for me to verify that I remember everything we do, as I'm still learning, and have probably forgotten a few of the minor jobs . But yeah, that is pretty much what we do, and trust me, it may sound simple in written form, but it really isn't, as every major job HAS to be done before we leave, and it is relentless throughout the whole shift. We get breaks, certainly, so I'm fine with rushing around and such; helps justify the wage for starters, and keeps me relatively fit.

Million dollar question next I guess; better than Argos? When I left there, that answer would have been a cat-deafening yes, but looking back, there were a few good points. Just a few mind you.
The on-the-go thing is a immense improvement over work of old; true, getting around Argos' stockroom was no job for a porker, but it was never engaging, consistent, or required any extensive use of logic and concentration whatsoever (even a special person can count after all). The real test of integrity there, the real money earner there, was surviving the isolation and loneliness with your sanity intact, something that was not helped by an utterly pointless and incredibly irritating beeping machine that just made me want to shoot kittens every time I heard it, and the fact that most of the management were just content to leave ya up there to slowly turn senile, and gain the sense that you didn't matter, or that you weren't worth acknowledging to the outside world. Probably wasn't their intent to ignore as such, but at the end of a stockroom worker's shift, it would be immediately obvious to even the most idiotic of people. About only half the management were guilty of that really (Stock Room Manager my ass ¬.¬), the head bloke and the youngest chick were fine.
One thing I do miss though I have to say, are the people I worked alongside, as I built up quite a few friendships there, despite the cramped conditioning. It is weird though I have to say. You guys all remember my blogs before right? Where I stated that I had fallen for a girl that works there, and had been trying to get her attention with Christmas gifts and the like? Yeah, I believed that I'd miss her the most when I left, and if I ever considered going back, it would be to work near her again. Well, I honestly have barely thought about her since that last day. In fact, it is someone else entirely that I turn my thoughts to whenever I think of the place. True, I always thought she was cute, and she had a lovely, shining smile, but to think of her in that way? Not that I'm complaining mind you, just thought it irregular and out of the blue.
So, summary. Matalan, good, Argos, bad (in comparison). My current work pattern demands only weekdays, so I'm strongly considering a small weekend position as well, and it would be a shame to let my built-up skills go to waste (though it certainly wouldn't be the same store if I were to consider it).

That leads us nicely onto the next phase of yakking; what to do with all the extra dosh I'll be lining my pockets with now. Well, it won't be videogames, as disappointing as that may be to you guys , but each and every penny I can grab my hands on and keep out of a baker's hands is going straight into savings. My highest priority, my one true goal, is that dental operation for two single teeth, and then the whole set, and nothing will stop me from doing it, not even the 3DS, which handily I've set up a separate savings for. I quite honestly hate my current nashers, to the extent that I won't show them consciously, even if that means I can't laugh and smile as much as I so badly want to. Nearer the time of change I'll take a pic of them and post it up on here for you to choke on your cornflakes over, okieday?
Another thing I'll be doing is getting a gym membership, as my new workplace is a lot closer to home and I'll be in a good spot for it. Those with lanky statures like myself usually carry the burden of felling like walking skeletons, but that doesn't mean nothing can be done about it, so I'll be lifting those weights, riding that bike machine (and my own to and from work of course ), and with any luck, taking a dip every now and then. I'm 13 stone right now, and my ideal weight is 12, so this'll need to happen sooner rather than later.
Other than all that, Otakus present will be glad to hear that I've properly dedicated meself to learning the Japanese language again! and properly this time too, none of that half-heartedness from before. Not going too bad at the mo; just re-training myself on the two kanas, and building up my vocab (otoko no hito = Bloke, ie = House, that kind of thing) and knowledge of sentence structures.

Okay then, we are on a videogaming website, so let us natter about them for a second or two, just to balance things out.
Yup, I've got Tales of Innocence alright, a lovely English-patched version, with the original still sealed in its box on the shelf. Have played a few hours, and the translation is top-notch stuff, and my credit goes out to the guys that did it all, though the game iself, isn't really all that special; I prefer Symphonia a lot more personally. Still, a monotonous F U to Namco for not letting us play most of the Tales series, as I'm sure many would love this game.
Haven't played the Wii or 360 that much tbh, have been too busy watching awesome Blu-Ray movies my brother hires. I bought one myself; probably the only one I'll ever buy, and I wish he'd watch it, because of how awesome it looks, and how much easier the FF7 storyline is to follow now with all the extra scenes (seriously, the extra fight sequence at the end is just godly). Still, his loss.
Speaking of FF7, it is just two short months until my yearly playthrough of said awesome title! Am quite looking forward to it, though might have trouble yoinking the TV use; might have to begrudingly get a PSP for it this time (really don't want to, it'll be my fourth unit, and I just don't like that hardware at all). Still, considering that I'd buy a PS3 just for that long-rumoured remake, I guess it isn't beyond the realms of possibility.

Welp, I said long read, but it is probably a respectable size for any basic piece, you guys can decide on that one. I usually litter mah blogs with gifs, but I figured I'd try to let the writing provide the entertainment this time, let me know if it worked, or if I need a new spellchecker!

PS. Hey, old penfriend bud Ziek, if you're reading. I will write back, I just keep forgetting to make use of primitive writing tools.

Okay then. So, finally. FINA-FUCKIN-LY. I'm getting out of Argos! Yippie-Ki-Yay Motherf**ker!
The interview was just last Wednesday in fact. I went along, suited up to the gills, folder-of-id-and-qualifications-and-other-boring-crap in hand, looking like a true-blue nerd , and ultimately took part in a group exercise where we had to list examples of Good Customer Service, or some bollocks like that.
Now, this is relatively new, and I'm not exactly sure what it is, but for the past few interviews I've been to, I've acted like an almost entirely new person; I take charge, say the right things, act energitic and youthful , and just generally kick butt. It's a dramatic shift from what I used to be like, and although I genuinely believe it is just the experience of time playing its part, I wouldn't be too shocked to find that the Anti-depressants played a part. True, I haven't even so much as looked at one since the end of March, but I do think they've re-wired my logical train of thought for those situations. And I couldn't be happier about that.

Okay, so, New Job. I got the call the other day; passed through with flying colours! They've offered me a 30 hour contract with an almost-certified guarantee of overtime now and then, at a higher wage than my current salary, with more holiday time, and it is closer to home too.
Granted, there are a few grey-areas. One, the actual hours. They're set, so I'll no longer be on shifts, but they are 10-6. In the Night. So I'm gonna have to get used to sleeping in the daytime (and with this heat, that is going to be a bitch at first), and I'll probably not be on C3 the same time as most of you anymore, which is a shame. Another slightly problematic area is that I'm not sure exactly when I start yet, so I can't hand in my notice for Argos; all I do know is that there's an induction day on the 8th next month, so I'm betting (hoping) that I can make my last day on my Birthday, which would be the best present ever. And third, I'm not sure what the job entails as of yet, although I've heard it is similar to what I'm doing now, but with lots more people so I'll never be alone again (). Not really worried about it, I'll manage anything there, just curious at this point really.

Well, I guess a retrospective look back at Argos is in order, and I honestly wish I could make it completely positive, but I can't. There have been good times, I've enjoyed a few laughs, made some new friends, gained some experience and knowledge about the inner-workings of retail, but I can't ignore the bad stuff. Being ignored when asking for help, overloaded by tickets with no signs of aid, feeling trapped, isolated and useless up in the Stockroom all alone. I won't lie when I say that last part really affected me this time last year; I nearly went as far as you could go, if you know what I mean, and I just couldn't let that happen again, not under any circumstances.
Not only all that, but the hours were so low I could barely afford to live, people around me left right and center were learning new things and progressing on while I was stuck doing the same old shit over and over. Personally, my biggest issue was the complete lack of appreciation or respect from the management; I doubt anyone else could put p with what I went though, and did I get even so much as a thank you for it? Nope. I always start early, unpaid, to help clear a backlog of tickets, and you think you'd get even a bit of gratitude for it, but oh no, nothing I did was ever good enough for them. A key example; last Bank Holiday I went in even earlier than usual to take care of an even bigger backlog than usual (seriously, it was huge), and what does the stupid bitch manager do? Fires through another couple hundred tickets for me to do. So in my own time, unpaid, given from my own generosity, she has to torture me with that damn ticket machine buzzing like mad for a few minutes. Fucking. Slag. Needless to say, I found that sickening, and I refused to do them.
Those are the main reasons I'm going, and I'll also admit to being glad to get away from a certain somebody; I'm not going to go into that 'she broke my heart' soppy stuff, but yeah, she did hurt me, and rather callously I have to say. So, good riddance to her too.

So then. The future beckons. True, Matalan isn't a huge step up from Argos in terms of brand name, but it is something, and I have no doubt I'll enjoy my time there..
There's a lot on my agenda now. A gym is placed very conveniently between my place and the store (might as well call it a mall, it is freakin HUGE), so I'll definitely be joining that and obtaining my long-elusive six-pack. With the extra money, I can contribute more to the bills and let my brother actually keep some of his money, which is bound to make him happy (eventually, he can be a whiny bitch ). And with the extra money I keep, my savings will grow exponentially, which would mean that dental operation will be sooner rather than later.
I'll be saving even more with the lack of nights out on the town, which I'm giving up for a while. I've had a good look at past events, and I've realised that each and every time I go out full of beans, but end up bored and miserable, and ultimately disheartened at the end because of lack of female attention, and I believe that I've been bringing down the general mood of my group as a result. As such, I won't be hitting the town again until I can change that. Ambitions, Ambitions. :d

K, then, that's enough text for now. I'm just going to have a look around and place some gifs here and there. Have a good summer C3.

First though, let's pay respect to the other two headlining E3 conferences. Or Sony's at least, because it is fair to say that Microsoft's Kinect (really baaaad name) showing was abysmal, with a capital A. Many moons ago I lamented Sony's unashamed thievery of the Wii's control concept, and while that belief isn't entirely settled (at the very least they look to have enjoyable games that support it), Microsoft took the 'Games for Everyone' notion, and made it excruciatingly painful to even think about. Here is a device that could honestly have differentiated itself from the Wii's motion ability and thus gone after the same market, and yet, all Microsoft have managed to do is alienate those willing to pay rip-off amounts for their official Peripherals and Online fees, all the while ensuring Kinect is little more than Waggle without a controller.
I'm not going to blast them completely; I love the look of the new 360 design; not too sure why they bothered tbh, as it is barely any smaller than the original, but if it fixes the RROD problem then it's all good. In-built WiFi (fina-fuckin-ly) is welcome too. Bit diaspointed about the lack of PSP2, but after Nintendo's showing, Sony are gonna have to come up with one hell of a device to get anywhere near it.

And that leads us nicely into the main part of this piece, Nintendo's E3 Show!

Raise your hands, those of you who thought Nintendo would kick off with Zelda? Nah, me neither. But dahyam! Does it look good! Admittedly, I'd long since wanted to see what an Adult Link would look like in a Wind Waker-esque design, and now we have it, clear as day, although I'd attribute it as more of a Painting design tbh. Miyamoto stepping onto the stage wasn't unexpected - he appeared with Twilight Princess' reveal after all - but it is a shame how lumbered the control demonstration was. True, one could easily claim that the controls were just iffy, and Nintendo were making excuses by blaming Wireless signals in the hall, but numerous positive hands-on impressions from journalists, negates that somewhat. So, Skyward Sword. Excuse me a moment to look smug, because in every Zelda Wii speculation thread on C3 in the past few years, I have expressed the idea of a Zelda game set in the sky, and now it has happened. Nintendo, I want a free copy for my ideas!

Okay, so Zelda Wii was out of the way, what else besides the 3DS could Nintendo possibly show us? The answer came in a double dose of Platforming goodness, with Kirby: Epic Yarn, and Donkey Kong Country Returns. For many years a Wii Kirby game has been on Nintendo's release schedule, and whilst Epic Yarn isn't the cancelled GC game given a new chance on Wii, dare I say it looks a bazillion times more interesting. The Art Style is just gorgeous, and even from such a small trailer, there was more inventiveness in there than in any game I've seen in quite a while.
IGN had leaked the existance of a Retro Studios-developed DK game a few days back, so it's appearance wasn't surprising, at least not in the announcement sense - I highly doubt anyone was expecting Donkey Kong Country 4. And I'm not going the following to belittle 2D platformers, but anyone seriously contemplating that this is the only game Retro is working on, is insane. Very insane.
Continuing the retro throwbacks, was the showing of the Goldeneye Remake. Shame that dumb-ass Activision leaked the trailer, as that would have been quite the pleasant surprise to see it for the first time. And aside from Wii Party, that's all there really was for Nintendo's little White machine. Bit of a shame really; was expecting the Vitality Sensor to make an appearance, but still, New Zelda!

Regular DS stuff was also fairly scarce, although I was about ready to proclaim Nintendo E3 winner when they showed off Golden Sun: Dark Dawn. Game does look very close to the styling of the Final Fantasy DS remakes - not that that's a bad thing of course - and looks so close to the franchise's roots that I desperately want to play it right bloody now.
Okay, no more stalling, onto with the main eventer, the 3DS!

Raising to the stage on a Podium was very fitting for the successor to one of the best machines ever made, and Iwata was indeed the ideal bloke to show it off. Initially, I had misgivings about the design of the unit; not that it was bad, per ce, just that it was far too close to the DS Lite/DSi, and most people would probably think of the machine as a DSi-style upgrade instead of a true successor; I'm confident Nintendo's marketing will make sure that doesn't happen though.
The first (and only, gah Nintendo!) 3DS game trailer was for a game Matt Cassamassahowdoyouspellhissurname has ranted on about as a Wii game for years, so it was quite satisfying to finally see a new Kid Icarus game (and not at all Angst Icarus, eh Superlink? ), and to be given a glimpse into the power of the 3DS. All I can say is; FUCK YEAH. Ever since the unveiling of the PSP I have pined for a handheld Gamecube, and at last, with decent Battery Life (this is Nintendo) and minimal loading times (cartridges FTW), and now it is finally here.
True, there wasn't too much left for Nintendo to show, as the 3D effect which will no doubt be the 3DS's selling point, would be impossible to broadcast. But the way all those Booth Babes (soooo many *drools*) integrated into the crowd to allow journalists 3DS hands-on experience, was just genius.

So, cool conference and all that. But the real megatons came after the show, when a list of all the initial batch of 3DS games was released. And then, the screens. HO-LI-SHIT.

The next few months are going to be very interesting for the 3DS, as we still do not know a release date or pricing. By the end of the year, and ideally between DS Lite and DSi is my hope.

Phew. All that in one day. I need a lie down.
Big props go to the Cubed3 Staff for all their hard work yesterday in keeping up, and in particular to Mike Mason, who kept both Twitter and the rest of us going, and to C3 overlord himself JB for providing the canvas to which we could paint on.

Okay, so here I am, lying on the bed, picking my nose drying off, getting ready to pound the keyboard like a madman, and we need something to talk about.
Ah yes, of course, Friday's big event. You all know the one, and be damned if you don't, you heathen you. Nowadays it's quite rare that I buy anything brand new, but considering that Nintendo Wii First-Party games rarely fall in price outside of individual offers (case in point, Galaxy 1 is still ���£30 in Argos ), might as well get it now, and enjoy the fuck out of it. Highly doubt it'll top Okami as my fave Wii game; though will most likely be the better quality title regardless. Will also be buying Okamiden brand-new eventually, and maybe the 3DS, whatever happens there, so I'm not a complete tightwad.

Yoink!-ed from the Currently Playing thread, I've been going through the Metroid Prime Trilogy lately. Did complete Prime 1 quite a while back, and had the intention of playing through each one in succession, although I was unprepared for how dull MP2 would feel, so I kinda stopped there. Decided to go back though, and just went on to Corruption instead.
Gotta say, it easily gives Prime 1 a run for its money. Not sure what to think of the cinematic style 3 has over 1's isolation feel, but they work well as companion stories, and I'm sure you don't need to read me gushing over the controls for both. So, yeah, currently trading some Friend Vouchers with C3's good ol' ifrit, and going through the game; am stuck on this section where you have to defend Federation Bomber Troopers, so damn hard. But then I guess I dug my own grave by picking the hardest difficulty huh.

Might be getting a new job soon!
Okay, it is early days yet, but there is a new Matalan store opening in the city, and I've passed the telephone interview, so things are looking good. The whole process looks to be just like the one Argos did when they opened up, so I've got a good idea what to expect.
Ironic though, considering I have no fashion or clothing knowledge whatsoever; still, good time to learn these things. And another reason I'd like to get this, is that it would be closer to home, and that I would be going right past a gym every work day, incredibly handy as I really need to build up my physique.
Will be so fantastic to get out of Argos eventually though, I've grown to hate that place so much. >:

So, it's been two months since I've stopped taking the Anti-depressants, and recently I just stopped to think about how it has been going without them.
In short, there hasn't bee too much difference. I still have times where I feel lower than dirt, and on the flipside, others when I could do almost anything; the pills rewired my brain into acting like that, I believe. Although I was initially warned that the pills would have addictive properties, like a lighter version of tobacco, I never really had those urges after stopping (in truth, I was glad to stop as I've always had trouble swallowing pills ), and I still don't. I would be lying though if I didn't admit to feeling the need to taking one before my next night out; until my teeth get fixed (god knows how long that will take ), I can't say I'll be comfortable around the ladies without it just yet. We'll see on that one.

Okay, well, let's just add some gifs to this wall of blah-blah-ing, and call it a night. Got some cereals in the cupboard with my name on it. Toodles!

Okay, so, week synopsis...like any other week really.
...Oh, I got a letter regarding staff bonuses the other day. Certainly a nice little extra for my account later this week, although of course it'll all be going into savings for my eventual Dental Operation (Can'tWaitCan'tWaitCan'tWaitCan'tWaitCan'tWaitCan'tWaitCan'tWaitCan'tWaitCan'tWait). Have used a bit of my regular wage though; about time I started wearing shorts.
Regarding work, it still sucks big ones. They're still stuffing me away upstairs, I'm still alone 95% of the time in a huge dusty craphole of a stockroom, and as I realised yesterday, everyone elsewhere likes to pretend I don't exist. Case in point; my bitch manager fires up her blasted item-request tickets, which come pouring out the ticket machine at lightspeed with the most irritating BEEP noise you'll ever hear accompanying each one, and even with them in mind I still had to take care of orders and item reservations all on my lonesome. I called down for help, and was subsequently completely ignored. Fucking Fuckers. I'd understand if they couldn't spare anyone, but at least let me know that you assholes. >: On top of that, the bastards completely ignored my break until the last half-an-hour of my shift, which rendered any break pointless.
Yeah, so no radio, no company, and only a shitty machine to listen out for; Argos work sucks, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. Hell, even McDonalds and Burger King look like better alternatives from where I'm sitting.
I will say though, apart from the management, the people I work with are awesome. In particular the girl I still really like (and who still drives me crazy even just from the sound of her voice ), and another one I believe I'm starting to feel attraction for (although I'm quickly backing out of that, as her boyfriend is one of my best workmates ). So despite the general awesomeness of mah co-workers, I'll be very happy to leave soon, with any luck.

Anyway, tide of negativity over, let's talk about Bikes, or how awesome they are. I abso-fuckin-lutely love mine; have been using it for the 5 mile stretch between my place and work for about 2 weeks now, and it is the travel equivalent of heavenly. Can't wait to upgrade to a Moped/Motorbike in later years.
Speaking of fitness, guess which chump played Football on Sunday? ...nah that's unfair, loads of chumps play football for ridiculously overflated wage packets all the time, I'll narrow it down. ...ME! Was absolutely hopeless as I thought I would be; Get the Ball, Kick it Away, that's my policy on the matter. Still damn good fun though, and damn did we work up a sweat - no surprise given how hot it was.

Hmm, onto Anime/Manga now. Anyone else keeping up to speed with the Bleach Anime? Fecking brilliant fight last episode, although I kinda wish they'd stretched it out a bit more. Have also been reading the Full Metal Alchemist Manga, which surprised the hell out of me when I realised it was still ongoing! Considering I polished off the original anime adaptation a while back, it was certainly an eye-opener (yeah, the two are separate stories, but still...)

There is something I'd like to address here actually, and it may be of great interest to those of us with lack of confidence, difficulty sleeping, depression, etc.
Lately on my iPod Touch I've been listing to a podcast-esque app from a bloke called Andrew Johnson, called 'Confidence'. From what I understand, it contains subliminal messages that pierce your subconsciousness even when you're asleep, or your mind is wondering. The message advises 3 weeks of use once a day, so I can't say for definite if it works or not yet, but I'd suggest for those of you in the same boat I was to look it up (I'm fairly sure he has stuff outside of iPod apps as well, try Google), I'm certainly feeling a lot better.

Hmm, well, unintentional advertising plug done and dusted, and content written up. Cheerio for now fellow enthusiasts, I shall leave you with what is quickly becoming my favourite track;

Oh, P.S: from what I hear a few members here now have Facebook. Be sure to add me fellas.

Kicking things off, I'd like to expand upon something I wrote in the Pokemon Discussion thread. No, not about my Flying and Surfing Pikachu (awesome little dude beat the hell out of Lance's L50 Dragonite yesterday, am so proud ), but rather about a little discovery my Mother made at her workplace a while back;

Yeah, the German copy of Soul Silver I've already mentioned. The other one though? A DS flashcart with a 2GB Micro SD stuck in there. Turns out it won't work in a DSi, so I took out the memory card and shoved it into my DSi Action Replay to see what was on there.
Well, all I can say is; somewhere out there is a little brat called Jaime lamenting the loss of his Pokemon game whilst trying not to gouge out his eye with a hook hand. There must have been like 25 DS games on that card; Mario Kart, Animal Crossing, YuGiOh 2007, Final Fantasy III, and many others; what a cheeky little bastard.
So, long story short, although I can see what is on the card through my Action Replay, I can't actually get any of the games going; not something I lament, as I'm against Piracy unless it is absolutely necessary. Which in this case, it isn't. So, with the Card's contents being completely useless to me, I'm going to format it and put it to decent use in my Camera. Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers.

On another related subject of recent acquisitions, I've netted meself a bike! Previously I had been walking to work instead of getting the overpriced, unreliable buses, and my parents thought that 5 miles there and 5 miles back a day was just a bit too crazy, so they got me some wheels. I did feel slightly guilty for leaving them out of pocket like that (I didn't persuade them to get it or anything, in fact I was rather proud of my walking endeavour ), but now I have it there is no way that I'm not using it.
Only trouble is, I'm relatively inexperienced on bikes. I can ride one just fine, but the thought of being on the road with it terrifies the hell out of me. Plus, my stamina, which was never great to begin with, has been worn down by my recent illness, so how the heck I'm going to stay pedalling for 5 miles is beyond my comprehension. Slow and Steady wins the race I guess.

Who else here is stuck with BT as a broadband provider? Question: How badly do they suck? Answer: Majorly. A while back I posted up a speedchecker to prove how absurdly slow their speeds were here, and thankfully in the meantime they have actually fixed the problem. Still being a pest though; last month me and my bro (the good one, not the evil one ) decided to renew our years contract with them, as cost would be reduced and it would be a hassle to switch. We were on Option 3 beforehand, that gave us unlimited Download limits. Somehow, the dumbasses put us on Option 2, that isn't unlimited, from a simple renewal. With any luck, that has been fixed also, although this is BT, so I wouldn't count on it.

To end on a lighter note this time around, E3 is a mere month away! Am really looking forward to seeing the 3DS in action, as I've always dreamed of having the equivalent of a Handheld Gamecube (that doesn't rely on disc based media or have crap battery life and loading times >.< ), so I'm hoping that one rumour about it is true at least. Would also love to see a Wind Waker port, but I'm not too fussed about that. My Fave Mockup I've seen of 3DS (choose your fave here );

Zelda Wii should also be very interesting, although it will only be the first trailer I watch, then it'll be Media Blackout time, much like Mario Galaxy 2. Speaking or which, check out this awesome tribute vid for the first game;

(Oh, btw, this Avatar is here to stay, no more switcharoos, I promise! It perfectly conveys a mix of my favourite Manga/Anime, and offers a side hint of my Favourite Wii Game too. )

Yah, so in regards to the title, of which is admittedly eye-catching but would probably induce a few too many negative images, I've just finished beating off a Stomach Bug. Nasty bastard it was too, and it snuck up on me out of nowhere. Granted, I probably did drink too much last Saturday, but I don't think it was that that triggered it. Whatever it was though, oh never again.
Sunday, I had a sore throat as if someone was cruising with a Sandpaper board around it. Monday was a little better, although my breathing would've made Darth Vader blush. They were both manageable days, but when Tuesday came along, boy did it make its presence known. First half of the day was fine, but out of nowhere - BAM! - felt like a suckerpunch to the gut. Drained all my energy, could barely breathe, and felt like I was going to spill my guts with every step I took. Dunno how I finished work that day, but thank whatever deity above that I had the next three off. Got the bus straight home, went to bed, and couldn't get up the next morning. Quite literally, my stomach sounded and felt like a halogen collider or something. The whole of Wednesday, and Thursday as well, that Bedroom was my prison. (my cocky git brother didn't help with his snarky comments, so I'll take great delight in doing the same next time he is ill ) Thankfully by Friday it was starting to fade, and yesterday I could go back to work. Long story short, me sick then, me not sick now. I think I've had it before though, with a suspicion that it was some kind of mild(ish) Food Poisoning (I do eat a fair bit of close-to-expiring stuff, can't resist those discount aisles. ) Am feeling much better now, although from all that I've got a lot less energy, so I'm having to build up stamina again. Suggestions are welcome.

So yeah, enough of that, lets talk about something that doesn't involve obtrustive viruses battering the hardworking cells and spreading their own brand of polluting crap around; Politics!
Or, rather not, don't want to fall ill again. Glad that leeching crap is over anyway. >_>

Pokemon talk now! Been using the Pokewalker a bit more the past month, and you lot will never guess what kinda Pika I have in my possession now. Yup, it took many steps of my own but I encountered one in Yellow Forest that knew both Surf and Fly. And how awesome he is too. Not evolving him of course, he'll be an adventurer's best friend.
Aside from that, I've also taken the initiative with the Eeveelutions, and currently have the three main evolutions thanks to the breeding program. My favourite one, Espeon, will be a little trickier to get, and I guess I'll have to trade via GPS for Leafeon and Glaceon, but 4 out of 8 ain't bad eh?

Phew, yeah, aside from that, not much happening really. Resting, building back up my strength, and subsequently going back on the job hunt. Another vid for yet another anticlimatic blog ending (soz for that);