Flashback: Family Woes!

The 14th day of February never really meant that much to me. With retailers’ ploys to grab at your hard-earned cash to be spent on lots of wasted paper and cheap chocolates; I never understood why a special day had to be set aside for those shenanigans. But I remember that one year I got something incredibly special as a Valentine’s Day present. Gifted to me by my awesome Father during a time when I was still a student and without the means to buy games for myself. It was presented to me unwrapped, and behind the red paper cut out heart that read “ To My Little One, Happy Valentine’s Day - Love Daddy” was a menacing, half-eaten zombie face. Indeed, my father with his amazing sense of humour had gifted me a bloody Valentine of Resident Evil 2.

A Lesson Learned from Final Fantasy VII

In the great debate on which Final Fantasy is the best - a debate in which everyone’s opinion has merit and should be respected - my vote is for FFVII.  I realize these days it can feel like a bit of a cliche to like FFVII but I’m not here to argue that today.

However, a little background if I may: For me, I consider Final Fantasy VII as the first serious game I played - molding my little mind and shaping my decisions as to the type of games I gravitate towards now.  I did have the amazing Commodore 64 in all its Bruce Lee, Summer Olympics and The Last Ninja glory but in between that beauteous thing and my Playstation, I did little gaming other than playing with mango seed dollies.

What Final Fantasy VII Taught Me

Recently, I finished Persona 3.  

 It took me some years - almost completing one play through and then booting up an entirely new game with some 80 plus hours later (not counting the 60 plus I previously sank into my first run) - but now it's over.

This time around I enjoyed the game that much more including building up my S-Links (relationships), fusing Persona and of course, that soundtrack by Shoji Meguro.

While I may have almost finished my first playthrough, I never allowed myself to listen to any later tracks on the soundtrack since I had not yet encountered them in the game which of course meant not listening to the Final Boss music.  It's a bit of a code that Bughie J. and I enforced many years ago and a sensible one at that.

And if Final Fantasy VII taught me anything...it's that you need to experience everything as an entire package while playing to build up that great memory you will forever hold dear; and you should always (if a game is good and enjoyable enough) play your games to the end.

Obsessions of the Week(s): 10/06/2009 - 10/24/2009

Final Fantasy VII



Yes, now that I can play it on the PSP, why wouldn't I?! Never you mind I've played it about 3.5 times before. This game is my favourite of all games and while I have (checklist: 'No More Heroes', 'Persona 3' to finish, 'Persona 4', 'Okami', 'The Beatles: Rock Band', 'Disgaea DS' and 'Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door' ) to play, I still go back to my Sephiroth. Really, I'm enjoying this immensely. Again. Even after 12 years, it's still the best. The story, the heartache and everyone to meet again - I love it all.

Professor Layton and The Diabolical Box



Maybe I became less intelligent in the less than 2 years since I played the first installment of this series, or maybe it really did get more challenging. Curse you, Luke and Professor Layton! I love them though... although I'm hearing different voice actors. What?! What happened to Hershel?! What happened to Luke?! Where are they! Ha, Luke's still a riot and Hersel's still got them beady eyes I love. Clever game this and my brain is still not ready but I'm already 1.5 hours in. It's going to be a long journey... ::sigh::

The End of the Year Review



It's almost that time of year. I feel like I am way behind in my games, my anime watching and need to definitely catch up with my music! I'm already thinking about the lists for the best of 2009 in all those categories (I think I've played enough games this year to add that too). And most importantly, I'm thinking about the "Airing of Grievances". So exciting... who's going to be number 1 this year? MC? Frass? X? Hmmm...I wonder...

I Should Know Better

Don't mess with a boy and his earth magic



Currently listening: "Spiralling" by Keane. Best. Song. Ever. (Ha.)

What Do I Have to do to get the Don to Like Me

I sprayed on some sexy cologne that I got from a dame hiding in a bathroom stall in exchange for digestive medicine, that I traded for a pharmacy coupon I acquired for ordering the local restaurant's "special" menu item.

I slipped on a "soft" and "Shimmery" dress - it looked suspiciously like that cotton dress I wore a few years ago, but okay... if they say it's a silk dress, I will believe them.

For once...for once! I didn't have to wear that offending wig on my head. That one that came from a questionable man's underwear. My squats were 16 to 15, so I got a blonde wig.

So let us review - a blonde wig, a silk dress and some sexy cologne. Doesn't that sound irresistble?

And STILL I am not dressed to impressed.

I mean, look at me!

I look fabulous, don't I?!



I even have the concubine...umm, lady-like hand clasp down perfectly!



Bitches are just jealous!



See? The men think me beautiful.





What's the Don's problem?!?!



I also had a revelation...maybe my hatred for Aerith really stems from this whole incident and not her whorish ways with that whole Zach thing. She builds up my confidence...



...only to stab in the back later on. That stupid biatch!



By the way, what was Tifa doing before I found her? Did you see this room?!



Scary stuff, that.

But not nearly a fraction of what's to come at the HoneyBee Manor.

Thinking about what lies ahead makes me have the immediate reaction:

Ow. It hurts.

Leeron, Reno and Rude

Just taking pictures of some of the new members of the tiny army I've been building.

LEERON

Leeron's job will be to contribute to the 'brains' of Operation "OP", while repairing various technologically advanced 'items' in the room, explaining things in simple terms to the less intelligent in the lot and adding some much needed flair to my group of misfits.





He's always thinking! About what? Oh, various things, I'm sure.



Look at that sly smile. Suddenly, I no longer want to know what various things he may be thinking of.



That's a nice looking rock upon which his robot sits upon, yes?

I'm very impressed by this Konami figumate figure. The detail is incredible.

RENO and RUDE





Ah yes, a nice addition to the team but mostly for nostalgia value. We all know they sucked and that Tseng ran The Turks! Bughie J. might comment that it was really Elena. Or was it that she just provided entertainment? Well, whatever it was... I wish I had a Tseng and a Rufus. Oh, when will that day come...



Reno, looking like a smug ass as per usual.



Rude... not looking like anything is going on in the noggin' at all, as per usual.

Currently listening to: the rain falling outside.

Obsessions of Week(s): 3/28/08 - 4/22/08

Patapon



I have yet to fight a giant crab monster or get Patapons that look so fancy but as the great Merciful God Znyx, I let my Patapons rest while I play...

...Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core



I'm just really obsessed with the Great One-Winged Angel Unmerciful Sephiroth. Those other two aren't worthy! I feel a bit sad for Zack too. Who knew I'd ever get attached? But Aerith is still an ass.

xxxHOLiC : Kei



Yay! A second season for xxxHOLiC! I never thought it'd happen but here we are. I am so happy that my Watanuki is back, sad about Himawari Chan and loving Domeki a lot more than I did - at least, this is what I think I will be feeling if only someone would sub the first episode already! Ugh, I need to learn Japanese, clearly.

BLEACH



Once again, Tite Kubo proves he'll give you the good stuff and create twists in the Bleach Universe that'll make you remember that time you said, "OMG, WTF! Aizen's Alive?!"

HIRAKO SHINJI



Only this time, you'll be screaming, "OMG! Shinji's a former Captain?!" And while we probably should have seen that coming... here's to my Shinji. I. Love. Him.



Why wouldn't I love the best looking captain of the Gotei 13? Har har.

Consider It Finished

Now I can move on to the billion and one anime I have to watch. Billion, seven, same difference.

I finished Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core on the train this morning and even after ten years of knowing Zack Fair's fate, I still cried. They just did that boy dirty.

I still love Shinra though.

I still hate Aerith.

God is in his Heaven and all is right with the world.

In other business, I took this picture for Beetchie last week Monday:



If E.P. were there I would have brought her home for you instead, B. In the meanwhile, have some ugly teens in bright yellow track pants and headbands, with hideous mauve sweatshirts that appropriately blend into the Wendy's sign.

My sincerest apologies.

Memorable Conversations of Today:

H1: What's this "Blackle" MC sent to us? Is it real? I find it suspect and maybe even a little bit racist.
Or 2: Yeah, it seems to be legit. I know...why don't you Blackle "Wiki", then Wiki "Blackle"?

On the camouflaged brown bird:

H1: Why is he messing around there by the tootsie pop?
Or 2: That bird is trying to eat the tootsie roll tootsie pop because he too wants to know how many licks it takes to get to the center...
H1: Oh, he's hopping away from it. Even the bird knows how nasty it is.
Or 2: ...Yeah, but now the world may never know...

F.R.: "NIN News: 2 weeks"
Or 2: Until Trent shakes us down for money again?
F.R.: Ha, yeah. That's 15 dollars per song.
Or 2: 36 x 15 is how much now?
D.C.: It's probably "Ghosts" with lyrics.

H1: I should plant a tree today.
Or 2: What.
H1: Eh! Don't mind my hippie buisness! It's Earth Day! I like our earth.
Or 2 & H1 (in unison): Just don't like the people. Hahahahaha.

Happy Earth Day, Bitches.

Want to know what I did today to help out our planet?

I blackled wiki.

Currently listening to: "Kansha" by RSP. Ah, Bleach memories.

"Later!", he nonchalantly said

as one final 99,999 costly punch reduced an almost 1 hour 10 million HP battle to naught.

With that, Minerva returned to the lifestream.

Stupid ass Zack. You could have been a bit more... IDK, relieved? It only took us 70 hours to get that strong.

It took long enough but now I can finally finish this damned game with 100% complete on my missions, and H1 can stop making fun of me.

So yeah, eff you effin' cactuars, razor weeds, ostrich looking beasties and Minerva!

Now from one nerd rant to another or acknowledging a few 'nerds', rather...

Currently listening to: Canadians! and "The Harrowing Adventures of..." (by) Tokyo Police Club.

Wii Fit? More Like, Wii Fat

The HOchies found out yesterday that the new stay in shape or whatever the hell it is game for the Wii, Wii Fit is going to cost more than the damned console.

At $399.00, the Japanese have reaffirmed that they hate us and wish for us stoopid Americans to die because we are poor and can't afford to be 'fit'.

We're in a recession for eff's sake!

Edit 4/25/08: Clearly, Amazon like to keed because they switched the price. It's $90.00 and has been pre-ordered.

In other gaming news, does anyone have not so fond memories of those weed thingies in Final Fantasy VII? They'd show up in a field on the outskirts of Midgar, sometimes hang out with Chocobos I think, right when you left Midgar for the first time.

I have discovered they are my most hated enemies in Crisis Core. While I often wish they would look like this:



Or even this,



Sadly, this is what they really look like to Zack and by extension, me:



And while that may not be terribly horrendous to those of you who don't understand, I can assure you...they really are the stuff of nightmares. Curse you too, Hysteric Voices!

Finally to end this nerd rant, where are all the effin' fat chocobo feathers when you need them?

Memorable conversations of the past 2 days:

Raisins Alex: This new Pope isn't very "grandfather-ish" like the previous Pope.
Or 2: But at least he's smart. He's refusing a dinner with Bush.
Raisins Alex: Yeah, he knows nothing can absolve that man's sins. 'Gel oulla here, Boosh!!'

Or 2: Notice how the Pope isn't having a mass in Crooklyn?
H1: No one wants to go there.
Or 2: Yeah, but people in Crooklyn probably need the most blessings. Also, he's not going to NJ. As scary as this Pope looks, he really is clever.
H1: Yep, no one wants to go New Jersey either. Even the Pope knows.
Or 2: Yeah, if only bands would realise this too.

Or 2: Mountain Time exists! ::searches wiki:: There. You don’t believe Wiki?! There it is!
H1: I still don't understand it. What places in the world use mountain time? Arizona, it says. They also do not observe daylight savings, but the Hopi Nation within Arizona does, but the Navajo Nation within the Hopi Nation does.
Or 2: They all like to keed!

Currently listening to: "A Punch-Up at a Wedding" by Radiohead and one of my favourite songs ever (I love you Watanuki!! you to a lesser extent, Yuko's Watanuki. heh heh.) "April Fool" by S.E.N.S. Project, from the xxxHOLiC Original TV Soundtrack.

Who Wanted To Be A Member of The Angeal or Genesis Fan Club Anyway?

I'm part of the Silver Elite.

Here's my first e-mail:

"The Scent of Silver Winds"

Dear Members of the Silver Elite:

In this update, we present another piece of Sephiroth trivia--the secrets to his beautiful long hair. The hair products he uses are of the highest grade, made and supplied by the Shinra Company. He seems to use one whole bottle of both shampoo and conditioner every time he washes his hair. They are scented with thirteen kinds of perfumes, including Rose and Vanilla. Apparently, the scent in the air after Sephiroth tosses his hair changes daily!

Freaks.

Sephiroth doesn't use product! His hotness is natural. Or Jenova infused. Whatever!

Currently listening to: whatever's playing in Crisis Core. Back to it.

Har Har

I'm getting spam mail from Yuffie.

This is well hilarious on its own but coupled with classics such as "There was nothing but a roster in that HR (Treasure) Chest! Ooh, this is making me so mad! >:[[[ ", it's just damned greatness.

Currently listening to: the PSP and whatever this song name is from the Church in Crisis Core. Back to my missions since I refuse to further my progress in this game any more now that that bitch Aerith has reared her stupid face. Ditz. Ugh, she makes me so mad! >:[[[
I hope she dies!!!! Oh, wait...bwahahahahaha.

Edit - Update from the last letter: "Nasty pictures! Ewww!!!! Sickos! Are Shinra employees trained to put TRASH in their treasure chests? :p That's it! Everyone in Shinra's going to get it someday!"

You show them skinny little monkey, uh...I mean, Yuffie. And you will.

45009

It's no longer an obsession.

The Japanese still hate me but I took one from their fold and that is its number.



After a bit of setbacks, selling bits of my blood (Hellsing, Niea_7, Trigun, Aqua Aqua, Graffitti Kingdom, Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex, Samurai Legend Musashi and Ape Escape: Pumped and Primed - you all served me well, except maybe you GK. You were just ass), frozen accounts and dreading a forthcoming bill, I've a semi-functional piece of Final Fantasy VII history.

It's working completely but semi to me because we're in the US and I can't reap the benefits of Japanese TV. Or can I? Hmmm.

I got it from one of the happiest places on earth - Ebay, all wrapped up in the entertainment section of a Hong Kong newspaper:



On the back was the flyer for an appliance sale which I found to be not much of a sale and I guess others thought the same:



"Here's what I think of your sale!"



I do find it very interesting though that within 8 hours of my getting my package from Hong Kong, I got incredibly ill. Coinky Dinky? Or something else...

H1, I was only keed. Don't you dare even think it and shut your goat-assy mouth! I still have a cough!

Currently listening to: "Not Addicted" by The Streets and not "Not an Addict". MC, get with the times!

Obsessions for Week(s): 3/02/08 - 03/11/08

Crisis Core Limited Edition Japanese PSP Pack



The Japanese continue to hate on me. Do you see that eff? A tiny buster sword and a shoe box! A Shoe box!!!!



And of course, a beautifully designed PSP limited to 77,777 units and it features the love of my life for 10 years - Sephiroth. ::sigh:: All we get is a red PSP with Kratos. Once again, what the eff.

Vayne Solidor



I am not really obsessing over him in a good way, I'm more concerned by the state of his hair. He is my 2nd least fav. FF villain. Honestly, there was nothing cool about him and crimping your hair was so 80s. Tch.

Monster



An anime about a sociopath. So far so good.

Currently listening to: "Naked in the City" by Hot Hot Heat.

Pulling a Sephiroth

****May contain spoilers for all those I will inflict or have inflicted Monster upon - yeah, that's you Bughie J.****

That's what you call walking through flames you created yourself, looking all cool and without a care in the world.

Johan Liebert, Sephiroth Extraordinaire:





For reference:





Awesome.

Quote of the past few days:

"...yes, but who's the real monster?" - H1
"I am the real monster!" - Or 2

A Present For Beetchie

It's funny that you mentioned it but we were waiting for the release of FF:CC at the end of March and for your birthday but because you foiled your present, you get it early,



It's a song, just for you. If you click it...Hear that? It's the sound of love.
If you choose not to, then that's okay. That's probably the same thing Cloud heard after she hit the ground, face first.
That and Sephy's laughing.

And mine.

Happy Early Birthday!

We miss you too.

Re-living the Good Times

I love Sephiroth.



Look at that beauty.

Here's an even better shot,



Ahahahaha, kill that bitch!

So, I don't think I ever put forth my Aerith Proclamation on here.
I've been spewing this for years but my reason that Aerith is a stupid bitch is as follows:

She never truly loved Cloud.

Remember when she first met him? One of the first things she said to him was, "You remind me of him". That ass loved Zack and not our sad little reject clone Cloud.
She used that spikey-headed ass.

We should all love Yuffie.



She was never needy, pitiful or pretended to be something she wasn't.
She wanted materia and who could hate a ninja for stealing?! That's like saying you hate babies for sharting!

They all have good reasons for doing what they do!

Currently listening to: "Wasteland Run" by Mutato Mizuka, from the Jak III soundtrack. Ooo, great game and soundtrack. I want to re-live all my games! Harvest Moon, especially!

Cue the Final Fantasy Prelude and the Multiple Shop Music Themed Flashbacks We're About To Journey Into

"You know...I just used two Amazon gift certificates...I mean, I know they're there for my use but it hurts. Hahahaha (insert nervous, sad laughter), just like spending gil. JUST like spending gil." - Or 2.

"Hmm, and you never know. You might need to toss them at monsters in the last dungeon." - Bughie J.

::sigh::

I hate when I have to spend and/or toss my gil... that's some total bullshart if I ever did see it.

I should just be able to find whatever elixir I need lying around barely obscured by a box in the Ghost Trainyard, an Apocalypse I found in the area just beyond that asshole venus flytrap dealie that tricked me into giving it some poor defenseless frog as a meal, a scimitar I may have stolen off some fish in an Underwater Reactor, or an Oritsuru I found in the Da-Chao mountains on my way to busting up some Don from the Slums...

Yeah.

Those were the good times.

Good, inexpensive, gil saving times.

I never said anything about life saving times.

Just...gil saving.