Month: January 2009

  • Gee, It sure is Birthday around here...

    Twenty-four today. Holy crap I'm getting old.

    Full update later. 'Till then, I'm going to sleep and pretend I'm still 18.

  • Best of 2008 (My Picks)

    And the new year goes along. It's back to a regular work week tomorrow, but with one slight addition: my birthday at week's end. I will be taking that day off, so it'll be another long weekend for yours truly. Things at work will be a bit different as well; my old supervisor will take up her position as such again, and a new coworker should be added to the ranks. At any rate, this week will signal the resumption of my job search now that the holidays are over. I've got to find a way out of this rut somehow. As long as I don't give up I should be ok.

    But anyway. Here's my "Best of 2008" list!

    The nominees for Best Anime of 2008 are:

    Air Gear
    Code Geass
    Kannagi
    Gundam 00 Season 2
    Hell Girl
    Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit

    The winner: Kannagi. This anime was the gem of the Fall season, and the kind of anime I'd been longing for ever since Tenchi Muyo, a similarly genred show. It had it all; interesting plot, cute girls, gags, and very tasteful fanservice. My only qualm about it is that it only lasted 13 episodes! They did leave it open for a second season though, which given its success and popularity in Japan seems like a matter of 'when' and not 'if'. So it is with much anticipation that I look forward to that season, circa 2010 or so I predict.

    The nominees for Best Song of 2007 are:

    モンスター (trans, 'Monster') by Ellegarden
    Fire Cracker by Ellegarden
    Mr. Feather by Ellegarden
    Love is Growing by James Wendt (music by Yoko Kanno)
    Solus by James Wendt (music by Yoko Kanno)

    The winner: モンスター by Ellegarden. 2008 was the year of Ellegarden, a J-rock band I discovered almost by accident in early May. This song was the first I'd heard, and I was hooked. A catchy riff, strong vocals and even some poignant English lyrics sprinkled in made this song unmatched by any other I'd heard all year. It was by far the most played song of my Ipod that year, and will continue to be unless 2009 steps up and brings more musical lovliness to my ears.

    The nominees for Best Game of 2008 (that I've played in 2008) are:

    The Metroid Prime Trilogy
    Final Fantasy Tactics
    Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings
    Mega Man 9
    Super Smash Bros Brawl

    The winner: Final Fantasy Tactics. I had been introduced to the Tactics line of Final Fantasy via Tactics Advance for the GBA back in 2003. That games was based on the original for the Playstation that came out in 1998. Thanks to a good friend I was able to play the original in '08 and I know now why it it so universally lauded. Deep, engrossing story, intense tactical fights and an absolutely amazing soundtrack cemented this as the best game I've played in 2008. Why hadn't I played it before? Simple. I never owned a PS1, and when I got my PS2 I was too busy playing the current games and past FF titles. Even after I played Tactics Advance and made a point to play the original something or the other prevented me from doing so (mostly college related stuff). But as they say, better late than never. And boy was I happy that it turned out to be the former.

    Looking back, 2008 was a pretty good year for my hobbies. This year I hope to get a PS3, opening up myself to a library of even more titles. Bring it on.

                                                                                                    SEE YOU SPACE COWBOY...

  • Happy New Year: Reflections and Expectations

    Another year has arrived. What a year 2008 was. I think it can be summed up best with some lyrics from a new song I've been listening to (and a nominee for my song of the year 2008).

    "Found and lost so many dreams,
     but some I still believe in,
     others I let walk away.

     Times I laughed and felt so free,
     and times I felt so little.
     The sudden highs and misery,
     yes, that is what you gave me."

    --- "Love is Growing Up"  James Wendt (composed by Yoko Kanno)

    It could not have been said any better. 2008 was a year of many laughs and many tears, many hopes and many fears. More than anything, it was a year where life began to get a lot harder. The worst economic recession since the Great Depression. A historic election and hope for a better day. In terms of my personal life, finally landing a job. Not the ideal job, not the best paying job, but a job. Growing closer to a group of friends from college that made me realize that it's ok to be myself. A home situation that I have grown quite fed up with. Yes, this year had many ups and down. No different than any other year, but this year I've definitely seen a difference in the hardships as I now have to deal with the so-called "real world". As it stands now, I still have the same old job at the Weinstein Company, still live at home and still yearn for a job in production/animation. Hopefully 2009 will be the year of change and evolution; in all aspects of my life.

    As for my resolutions...well, seeing as I only fulfilled one of them from 2008 I don't think making resolutions is a good idea for me...but I'll do it anyway.

    1. Leave Weinstein. Find either a job in production (full-time) or, find a part-time job and go back to school for animation/graphic design.

    2. Read more.

    3. Finish all the video games I currently have yet to finish:
     
    Earthbound
    Super Metroid
    Zelda: Ocarina of Time
    Devil May Cry 4
    Final Fantasy Tactics A2
    God of War: Chains of Olympus
    Resident Evil 4

    (wow. that's a lotta games)

    4. Date

    5. Live somewhere other than my current residence. Be that on my own or in a new house with the family

    And that's all for now. I hope 2009 brings you all your dreams fulfilled, and hope for the future.

                                                                                                                       SEE YOU SPACE COWBOY...