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T-Hybrid

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Blog Entries posted by T-Hybrid

  1. T-Hybrid
    When I get bored, the gears in my head start turning. It was those gears that lead to the Dark Toa of the Apocalypse in 2001, which would evolve into my Te Mutunga fan-fiction. Those gears turned again during seventh grade study hall, and thus Randomness Is Funny was born.
     
    So while in a thread discussing new Bionicle combiners we'd like to see, I mentioned that it'd be cool to see a combination of the two current Toa teams in the storyline, the Nuva and the Inika. We have the means to do so in Vezon's Staff of Fusion (I do not know what it's official name would be), all that's missing is a motive and a name.
     
    I've started a thread in S&T for discussing this theory. However the original intent of that thread was to discuss the overall theory of when, how, and if the Inika would come to gain their new forms. In the name of keeping the thread focused on the overall topic (at least for the time being) I've moved my personal theories and ramblings about the concept into my blog. Where it can be viewed at leisure without interferring too much with the original topic.
     
    But to get back on topic, it's hard for me to stop my gears turning once they get going in a groove I like. And something about the Inika/Nuva hybrid struck me as potentially awesome. After consdering two names, I settled on the one I liked most.
     
    "Toa Inuva." It's simple, it's origins are clear, and it's the only time you'll see me try to make names for this whole thing by simply combining the two words. For the most part, I'd imagine the combination being given some name by an enemy or outside entity that simply gives them that name out of sheer confusion for what else to call them.
     
    Why would they perform the fusion? It could be that following the defeat of Vezon and the aquisition of the Ignika, a new entity emerges that the Inika alone cannot handle. With the Piraka out of the picture, the Toa Nuva are found/freed and team up with the Inika if only for a short time. They find that their powers alone aren't enough to stand against this new foe. Nuparu, being the clever one, decides the only option is to take the risk and use Vezon's staff.
     
    The resutling fusion produces 6 powerful new Toa, each carrying a double charge of their Elemental Energy. They're able to either stop or chase off this new foe, but find that their decision has brought with it unforseen side-effects.
     
    For starters, the Fusion Staff could be destroyed in the ensuing battle...leaving no means for the Inuva (as they're first opponent names them) to divide themselves. Now the Toa must seek out some means of dividing before the adverse effects of the fusion take permament hold. Starting to sound a bit like the Hordika? Well, give the idea a chance to develope.
     
    While the Hordika faced conflicting mental states caused by their Rahi sides, the Inuva would potentially be facing the problems of two minds sharing the same bodies. In some Toa, similar traits could lead to a melding of the personas, creating what could be considered a third "new" identity. In others, (most likely Tahu/Jaller or Kopaka/Matoro) the merger could cause a sharp contrast in views, leading to an almost schizophrenic behavior. It's something we've seen hints of in previous characters, and have been given in Vezon himself.
     
    There would also be the overall intrique of what powers the Inuva would have. Nothing like this had ever been done before. What will happen when the Kanohi powers clash? Will they blend, will they be nullified...or will they create some bizarre new ability? It's actually why I'd lend for the transformation to be accidental, as I honestly believe it'd be too dangerous an undertaking for the Toa to follow through on.
     
    So the characters themselves would be wrapped in enough mystery to create an interesting story. Combined with the new threat they would face, the story would be set to have some great suspense both internally as well as externally.
     
    Look to my blog for updates on Toa Inuva ramblings. If it's something that I start really grooving on, I'll most likely begin developing the characteristics and powers behind these new heros. If time goes on, I'll probably start sketching them. I really don't know where I plan to go with this.
  2. T-Hybrid

    Birthday!

    By T-Hybrid,

    I was going to write an entry today, pondering the meaning of life and assessing my own path through these last 22 years...
     
    But then I decided it'd be more entertaining to eat cake.
     
    *eats cake*
  3. T-Hybrid

    I Call Shenanigans

    By T-Hybrid,

    So I built my annual Pa-Tahi Toa (this gen would be the return of Khultak and Rangi), and I've run into a problem. I want to buy replacement Toa...but the Phantoka at most stores have had their prices increased to $12.99 to match the Mistika.
     
    Seriously? That's so not cool LEGO. Wal-Mart still has them at the old $9.99, but they only have Pohatu and I also need a new Kopaka. Onua's not as much a problem, but for them to up the price on sets that have been out for months? I was in the Lego Imagination Center at Mall of America a few weeks ago and the Phantoka were still only $9.99. Are they being INSTRUCTED to increase the price as the new sets in...or are store just being ##### about it? And yes, I did check the shelf space. The tag says "Phant" as opposed to the "Misti" tags, so it is being repriced.
     
    I've thought about doing...things...that would be slightly dishonest. Like buying two Pohatu's from Wal-Mart and then returning one to Target in place of a Kopaka. I'm not proud, but at the same time...it's just riddiculous. I bit on the $12.99 for the Mistika. But now you want to take old sets and increase their price by almost 30%?
     
    Very uncool.
  4. T-Hybrid

    Barakki Recommendations?

    By T-Hybrid,

    I picked up three Piraka (mostly because I wanted the Irnakk set). I wasn't too pleased. The Barakki though appear to be the second coming of the Rahkshi (w/ more uniqueness)...and I'm kinda interested. I went to a different Target today and they had the blue and red ones (I'll learn their names someday). A trip to a nearby TRU presented me with the black, white, and "brown" ones (Mantax, Pridak, Kalmah?)
     
    I'm started to get very interested in picking up a few of these (if not eventually all of them). Anybody have suggestions as to where to start? I read the Pridak review and liked what I saw, but then spotted the brown guy in the background and was interested moreso with him.
     
    I've got to pick up a few spare Inika in the meantime, but I can put that off until they start to go down in price (with the Barakki out that may come sooner than I thought). But before I put any more pieces of this blog between parenthesis (or start using commas) I'll open the floor to suggestions and step away from the keyboard.
  5. T-Hybrid

    Final Fantasy: 5 Or 6?

    By T-Hybrid,

    A month or so ago was the release of Final Fantasy V on the Game Boy Advance, yesterday was the release of Final Fantasy VI. So to put it shortly, I can't make up my mind. I haven't played either, and both come with high recommendations from people I've talked to.
     
    The job system in FFV sounds interesting, as the RPGs I've played thusfar have typically stuck with the traditional style of leveling and skill aquistion. However, FFVI is heralded as one of the best (in an almost dead heat with FFVII depending on who you talk to).
     
    I was planning on going out to buy one of them last night, but found myself so discombobulated by the whole thing that I just froze on the couch admist a swirling number of questions. So I ask you for any advice you can give. There are some philosophizers who say that you've already given up free will when you ask for advice, but at this point I'm really indifferent. I want to play a new Final Fantasy, I just can't decide which one.
  6. T-Hybrid

    Question For You

    By T-Hybrid,

    Can somebody tell me just what "figgy pudding" is? I hear it in that durned song all the time...but still have no clue what it is. Even my dad (who was raised on a farm in an old-fashioned style family) has no idea what that stuff is.
  7. T-Hybrid
    Day 1 of my post-college career started yesterday at 8am. And I have to say I think I now know what KIE was talking about. As I was slowly going through the different forms and notifications, I had that feeling that it was all for real now.
     
    401(k), Insurance, Vacation Time...what were all these numbers and terms being thrown at me? Apparently "becoming vested" doesn't mean you get a new overcoat. Who'd a thunk? Thankfully I've got a month to get everything set up, which gives me a chance to learn a few things from the parents.
     
    After a full day of overview training from HR yesterday, my first full day on the actual team came today. About 10 of us in a company of 6000. That's pretty cool that even when it's that big they're able to keep teams small. Will make working together a lot easier, and I think that everybody in the group except me has about a decade of work with the project...if not far more. That means I'm really green comparred to them. Extremely green. My first team meeting was today, with a three-hour block of meetings slated for tomorrow morning. Looks like I'm getting the crash course in reality pretty quick here.
     
    But I'm looking forward to it. Something I've really only said about two jobs in my life...both of which have been in the last year.
  8. T-Hybrid
    Over Christmas Break, Nintendo made five classic games available for the Wii's Virtual Console. One of those was the legendary Super Mario Bros for the NES. I had some extra points left over from my purchase of Mario 64, so I decided to pick up SMB for the reasonable price of $5.
     
    The last time I played this was probably back in 96 or so, shortly before my family made the uneducated decision to sell our NES. Whatever the case, I never beat it. Not really for any lack of trying, but because I was just uneducated.
     
    This was before the days of the internet, before I could click a few links and learn a few tricks here and there. So I was blissfully, or "frustratingly" if you actually watched me play, unaware of the ability to Continue a game by pressing A + Start on the title screen. So when I learned of this yesterday suddenly the game became considerably less impossible. I uttered a few curses here and there in the course of a few of the trickier jumps, and I managed to squeak through that a-maze-ing 8-4 with a very slim about of time left. But I did it. I finally beat the original Mario. 20 years after its original release.
     
    It was really a triumph of the spirit though, and I wish I hadn't been alone in the house when it happened. Mostly because I doubted the dog would understand why his master was jumping up and down with glee. And then I saw this:
     

    Why do the fates torture me so?
  9. T-Hybrid

    House Party!

    By T-Hybrid,

    It was a pleasent surprise to log on Sunday night and find that the Haven had been named Blog of the Week. And because I'm such a super guy, I'm passing the fun right on to you! That's right, for one day only...it's a Hybrid House Party!

    Since they're currently taking a break from being in the storyline, I've managed to get the Nuva to make an appearance. Kopaka pretty much knocked everybody down on his way to the DJ table. Lewa's currently showing off his rendition of the worm, and Pohatu is apparently trying to convince us all that it doesn't take a Mask of Life to bring Disco back from the dead.

    Tahu and Gali.....I haven't seen them around. I think they're off doing the things couples do. Walks in the park, moonlit picnics, you know the usual. Meanwhile, Macku is in the corner worrying about Hewkii, while Onua tries to cheer her up with his best beatboxing. It's quite impressive really.

    I don't know if Takanuva is going to show up. He's been having Ussanui troubles as of late, and you know how it is with vehicles. It sometimes cost more to fix it than it's worth. On the other hand, Makuta is apparently on his way, and I heard he's bringing Tic Tac Throw. Gotta love a party that has Tic Tac Throw.

    The rest of the guests will be arriving throughout the night, so make sure you stop by and say hey. I'll be tending the bar tonight, with all the pixie sticks and other niceties you've come to expect from my parties. If the Manas out front gives you any trouble, just drop my name...they'll step aside.
  10. T-Hybrid

    Fanboy: The New F-word

    By T-Hybrid,

    I'll apologize in advance if this runs long, but with the next gen ready to kick into full gear in the next few weeks, you're going to see a lot of people throwing their weight around when it comes to discussions of the future of gaming. Though the 360 has been around for about a year at this point, the biggest war (as usual) has come down to Nintendo vs. Sony. And unfortunately, as with the case almost every time the topic of video games is breached, people are grouped into one side or another. And what fosters this kind of gamer seggregation? One word, which over the last few years has come to take an extremely negative and annoying conotation. I speak, of course, about the word "fanboy."
     
    It's not to hard to find a discussion of video games break that has broken down into the "us vs. them" mentality. And when that happens, the F-word starts getting flung about with reckless abandon. Unfortunately, the word is most commonly associated with those who enjoy playing Nintendo products. That's what lead me to write this.
     
    I'm buying a Wii, I don't know when...but it'll hopefully be soon. For the time being, I am not buying a PS3. And despite whatever I tell people, there's always some bufoon who jumps into the discussion with the mighty "fanboy" accusation. It doesn't matter that the biggest reason I'm not getting a PS3 is money, no...it's naturally that I'm a Nintendo fanboy, who enjoys playing childish games and whatever other stereotype those with no gaming knowledge seem to latch onto.
     
    Of course, if I was unwilling to buy a Wii because I was unsure of the new control system, there'd be people who'd jump down my throat as being of the Sony persuasion. And that's where the problem lies. Under no circumstance is a gamer allowed to enjoy multiple gaming systems. If they prefer one thing to another, they're a fanboy, and that's the end of the discussion. And unfortunately, the person throwing that word out there is considered the "smart" one.
     
    So why go into a huge rant on such an insignificant word? Because honestly, it's gotten to the point where it's just as bad as some of the other words cultures have used to put down those around them. Let's think about it? What is meant when somebody accuses another of being a fanboy?
     
    To be accused of being a fanboy is to be accused of blindly following a certain company regardless of the moves they make. This includes ignoring the faults of a game or console and only paying attention to the upsides. The reverse would apply to a "fanboy's" way of regarding another system. Also, usually the person throwing about the word is doing so as a means of attempting to sound neutral and more knowledgeable. It's essentially they're way of saying: "You won't listen to what I think. Therefore you are wrong, you are dumber than me, and you are a fanboy."
     
    To a gamer, being called a fanboy is one of the lowest insults. It implies a lack of knowledge, and is used to help the accuser feel smarter than those around them. Though it doesn't carry the kind of history that other such words have developed from, to me it doesn't make it any less ignorant to throw it around in the midst of conversing. I've always been a fan of the "attack the argument, not the arguer" persuasion. The word fanboy does nothing of that sort, and only causes a further divison between what is essentially a group of people that all love the same thing very much.
  11. T-Hybrid
    Bringing to a close the events of this week, I went out to Best Buy and picked up a copy of Final Fantasy VI on the GBA. I had recieved some coupons in the mail, and when I stopped in they only had VI (and only one copy). Having heard it was hard to find either game, I decided it'd be a good idea to get it while it was there. I get paid next week, which will help take some of the sting of the alternator costs. Until then, I can bury myself in the adventures of Terra et. al.
     
    Thanks for the advice, especially from Omi...who's probably the best resource for FF knowledge I know.
  12. T-Hybrid

    Christmas Comes Early

    By T-Hybrid,

    Was out at Wal-Mart this morning to do some last minute shopping, stopped by the LEGO section out of habit and was surprised to see a small selection of Phantoka sets. I'm waiting till after the New Years to do any serious shopping, so I settled for Toa Ignika.
     
    It's a pretty cool set. The Toa looks good, though I'd rather he (it?) had a more colorful Kanohi (first Matoro and Nuparu get Silver Kanohi, and now Ignika...) The jet board is probably my second favorite out of the four extra-Toa pack-ins. Kikanalo of course being #1. I wish it had better landing gear, as right now it doesn't sit level unless you prop the back end up on something. But Ignika looks great riding on it.
     
    Haven't had a chance to play with the new launcher, but it feels solid, and I'm fairly sure it'll launch quite a ways. All in all, it's a good teaser for me and the 2008 sets. Once they're more readily available, and I've got a bit more cash, I'll start picking them up (Toa only for now).
     
    Now if only I could figure out what point there is for the little guys riding on the big guys...
  14. T-Hybrid

    Mahri!

    By T-Hybrid,

    In all honesty, I've had them for a few weeks. But I've been so busy that I never had a chance to write a full review of them. I picked up a few a day over the course of one week, giving myself a chance to build and toy around with them without having too many at once. Well, remember what I said back when the Inika came out? The Mahri are everything I could've hoped for.
     
    Each Mahri presents an interesting and unique build design, from Jaller's crabby ally (an pretty ingenious little twist) to Kongu's brute approach with dual launchers, every character's design reflects on their individuality in ways even the Hagah can barely touch. Do I have a favorite? Well, I suppose I have to. And right now it's a tie between Jaller and Hewkii. I'm not a big fan of the shift from Gunmetal to straight black, as it leaves Nuparu with very little opportunity to shine on his own. I'm especially bothered by both he and Matoro wearing the same colored Knohi. If they weren't going to use Gunmetal on Hewkii, they should've used it on Nuparu. It would make him stand out amoung the others.
     
    The award for best color scheme goes to Hahli, who earns her spot as the cover girl for this year's lineup with her unique blend of blue and green. I recall it being controversial at first, but after seeing it in person I'm sold on the idea. It's a far improvement over her mix of blue and white last year. And even though I'll probably start a bit of an argument with this comment, she looks a tad more feminine this time around than her mustachioed form last year.
     
    The use of tubes to symbolize breathing appartus was interesting, and without a good look until now I was left wondering how it would work. I was especially pleased with Nuparu and Kongu in this regard, as they were given actual airtanks. And my initial concern that they would get in the way is pretty much put at ease, as they all remain fully poseable.
     
    So, quick wrap up:
     
    Positives:
    Truly indivdual Toa for the first time. Perfect match for the Barakki. Creative use of pieces to create airtanks and armor. A weapon. Not a tool, a weapon. They're finally accepting Bionicle's evolution into an action figure. Jaller's crab. Negatives:Nuparu's color scheme. Too bland comparred to the rest of the team. Would've liked to see a better way of mouting the launchers to their hands. Launchers can go the distance, but takes a bit of luck and just the right push to fire. Overall I'm very pleased. Can't wait to see what they come up with next year!
  15. T-Hybrid
    Warning: The following post contains random discussion of Lost and may not make a lick of sense to anybody who doesn't follow the show. As such, I the author apologize in advance for any confusion brought on by viewing the following content.

    Okay, while in the midst of a heated debate on last night's episode of Lost, I randomly quipped about how the castaways just happened to crashland in the middle of a war between the Dharma Initive and the Others. Still joking, I went on to jest: "Until it's revealed that the pilot purposefully took the plane off course."

    And now the gears turn, and my brain churns out the following:

    Viewers of Lost this season are aware the Others are a very powerful organization. During "Not In Portland" we are introduced to a mysterious buisnessman who invites Juliet into their organization. She jokes it would take her ex being hit by a bus for that to work out. Which, much to her surprise, happens. Hints are made as to just what they are capable of making happen.

    We know thanks to "The Man From Tallahasse" that this same businessman is on the island with the Others (thus cementing their connection). Once again, this group was somehow able to find Locke's supposed father and bring him to the island.

    So, is it hard to imagine that the Others could have arranged their arrival on the island? We know that they had planned for Jack to do Ben's surgery, and that they wanted Claire's baby and Michael's son Walt. Kate and Sawyer were on the list, but that could have just been as a means of getting Jack to do what they wanted.

    It's quite possible that the Others put events in motion that would put certain passengers on that plane. They're powerful enough that they could've easily gotten one of their "people" to fly the plane off course and towards the island. Unfortunately things went a little awry when the plane was brought down by Desmond and the magnetic forces in the Hatch. Thankfully most of who they were looking for survived.

    Of course, that's just my theory on it. It sounds a little more wacky now that I've typed it out. And there are a LOT of what-ifs to consider (the big one being how convenient that certain people surivived the crash). Of course, if you believe there is a mystical element to the Island, it's quite possible that their destinies combined with the Others plans made everything work out. As Ben said, he had a tumor on his spine...and a neurosurgeon fell out of the sky.
  16. T-Hybrid
    I just picked up the 8th Season of the Simpsons on DVD this weekend, and was suddenly reminded that it contained what I believe to be one of the best episodes in the history of the show. I'm speaking of "You Only Move Twice" featuring the greatest one-off character ever, Hank Scorpio.
     

    As I watched the episode, I was almost able to quote along with it verbatim. It was amazing, it's been nearly 10 years since the episode aired, and here I am able to remember so much about it. Right down to the little details (the woman snapping the general's neck, Scoprio pulling sugar out of his pockets). There's even the not so memorable yet still funny quotes: "In fact, I didn't even give you my coat!"
     
    It was an episode I hadn't seen in a long time, and while watching it I was reminded of how the Simpsons used to be. Though Scorpio's Bond-esque villiany is hilarious, it serves only as the B-story to an otherwise humorous plot on it's own. The way that Homer is copmletely oblivious to what's going on is almost a testament to how bizarre the world the Simpsons live in can be. And of course, the joke builds until what is literally an explosive finale.
     
    There are other classics that I have watched as I've collected the DVD releases, but for some reason...."You Only Move Twice" is the gem in this massive collection.
     
    Some of my other favorites:
    "Homer's Enemy" (the Frank Grimes one)
    "Two Bad Neighbors" (the George Bush one)
     
    Besides that, Season 8 has other classics such as "Hurricane Neddy" which features a memorable Flanders breakdown. ("And if you really bug me, I'll run you over with my car.") But at this point, I'm rambling. So now with this written, it's back to the DVDs. There's more treasures to be found.
  17. T-Hybrid

    Wii!

    By T-Hybrid,

    I know this news is somewhat old, but Nintendo has annouced an official release date for the Nintendo Wii. November 19th, for $250. As most people figured, this price includes the Wii Sports collection and one controller. Pretty sweet news for all of us gamers. The only downer was that the Gamecube version of Zelda: Twilight Princess is being delayed until December 11th. The Wii version still releases on the same day as the console. Go figure, eh?
     
    Recent developements (namely financial aid adjustments and a different new job) have me questioning my decision to wait until after the holidays to pick up a Wii. And with the PS3 launching in the same time frame, the next-gen looks to be finally kicking into high-gear. While I won't be getting a PS3 for quite some time (read: until significant price drops) the idea of Final Fantasy XIII already in developement and a FFXII spinoff for DS has me quite excited.
     
    Now if Nintendo would just give us a solid date on Smash Bros. Brawl...
  18. T-Hybrid
    93+ Hours: 159 Seen, 92 Obtained. 8 Badges, 1 Championship
     
    At exactly 1 am this morning, I was victorious. After more than a month of on again, off again training and playing, I was able to finish off the Elite Four and become the Champion in Pokemon Diamond. Comparred to the previous games, I have to say this was a tougher Elite Four than the last few gens, especially the champion, who was more difficult than the last two and could probably give the original Rival a run for his money.
     
    Having seen all 150 Shinnoh Region Pokemon, the next step of the game is collecting the remaining Legendary Pokemon and attempting to complete the full dex. If you're keeping score at home, that's over 490 Pokemon. But not much over. So from the above status report, you can tell I've got a LONG way to go. For now, if I can just see most of them...I'll consider it a victory.
     
    But my best option is to start breeding back in Sapphire and LeafGreen, then transfer the freshly hatched babies to Diamond. This is opposed to just clearing out the two previous Gen games. I put a lot of hours into those two games, and have some decent Pokes that I'm going to use in Colleseum and XD on the Cube.
     
    From there, who knows. Battle Revolution is coming soon for the Wii, so I'm hoping to have a decent Battle Team together to start fighting my way through that game. And then, if I'm lucky, I'll have a team I'm confident enough in to start getting into more PvP battling. Haven't fought a human since way back in the Red/Blue/Yellow days.
     
    I'm enojying this game quite a bit. There is a lot to do. Like, an FFXII load of things to do.
  19. T-Hybrid

    The Cats Are Back!

    By T-Hybrid,

    I was worried for a few days that all the Vice Katz had fled amidst the chaos of Maj. But thankfully they're all back now. And before Maj explodes again from the awesomeness of my new feline army, let me introduce them all.General: Harris & Duftmon (Leopard Mode) Gaming: Bertrum & BanchyoLeomon Bionicle: Jonesy & AncientSphinxmon Inuva: Trixie & Bastemon Apollomon's Blog: Wilson & Baihumon Fiction: Bucky & SaberLeomon Creations: Mac & Mihiramon The new arrangement is great. I haven't seen a mouse in days, not to mention the slowly declining insect population. Now if only I could train them to stop using their newly aquired powers to harass the neighborhood dogs.
  20. T-Hybrid

    Join The Movement!

    By T-Hybrid,

    Omicron's a genius! It started with Schizo, then a few more had the same idea, and now this whole mess has a name. So go ahead and pimp out that blog of yours. I don't know if anybody's officially laid any ground work, so let's see if I can't offer a few suggestions:
    A Logo/Main Graphic Custom Content Blocks with Section Buttons A Custom Title (____'s Blog is default)
    That's only the beginning. I'm sure people will come up with other ways to stylize their blogs. Heck, I've already noticed a few Bouncers begginning to pop up. HybridGreymon doesn't mind, though he asks that they keep off "his" turf.

    Speaking of HGM, he did a pretty good job on his entry Wednesday, enough where I think I'm going to keep him on the writing staff as well as security detail. He won't get paid double, but don't tell him that. I figure he's good to have on hand in case I get busy again.

    Other News:
    As HGM let you know, I've moved into the new place and everything's starting to get into motion. Everything except a job, and Internet. I never thought I'd get so confused about something regarding computers. But I am, and now we're trapped in this shoddy Internet service provider, while a better service sits at Best Buy taunting us.
  21. T-Hybrid

    Merry X-mas!

    By T-Hybrid,

    I'm up late...or early depending on your view. Mostly because I'm pumped for the holidays. My mom and sister are flying in for a few weeks, and I'll be making two trips to my grandparents place (which means two X-Mas dinners, not too shabby when your a broke college kid).
     
    A Christmas Story has started it's 24-hour loop on TNT, and my dog is sitting patiently waiting for me to go to bed. But there's a gift for me across the room and I have a good feeling that I know what it is. I've also put up my X-Mas gift to all of you guys in a new chapter for Rebirth. Hopefully there will be more to follow.
     
    Also, I've got some great news that I'm going to surprise my mom with. If you go back to some earlier blogs you may have some idea as to what it is. I can't wait to tell them, as I've been putting a lot of work into it for the last few months.
     
    I probably won't be around today to add anything new to the Fic or to my site (actually that'll probably have to wait until after I get back to my home PC), but I'll be sure to report back with the excitement of the day (as well as the haul) as soon as I can.
     
    So everybody out there, have a great day...regardless of what you celebrate! Take some time to see the family, eat a good meal, and spread the happiness that tends to float around this time of year.
  23. T-Hybrid

    Time Travel Made Easy

    By T-Hybrid,

    As is the yearly tradition in most places (not to sure how it works across the world), don't forget to turn your clocks back an hour before you go to bed. Or after you wake up.
     
    What will you do with the extra hour you've been given?
  24. T-Hybrid
    A buddy of mine invited me to go "Geocaching" with him this weekend. The idea is that you can go online and download coordinates of various caches to a GPS. Then you can drive to some place that's public property (such as a park) and start searching for it. It's government sponsored, and is incredibly popular apparently.
     
    Of the 8 he had loaded up for the day, we were able to find 5 (3 of which I spotted thank you very much!). When you find them, you open them up and look at the various trinkets people have put in them. Each one also has a log you can sign before putting it back for the next person. Looking at the logs, there were some caches that were as old as 3 years, which is amazing considering some of the places they've been hidden.
     
    I'm slowly trying to get back into shape, so for me the idea of a 4 hour, 7-mile hike was rather daunting. Though my feet were burned out and are STILL sore today, it was a lot of mine. The weather's been beautiful the past few days, which made the hike enjoyable. Saw a few swans hanging out in a lake...but the coolest part was the bald eagle we spotted perched on a log. We were able to get a good look, and I think my friend got a picture. But the coolest part was when it spread its wings and flew over us so we could get a good look at it.
     
    I dunno if it's something I could get into on my own, but as a way of just hanging out with people and checking out what nature has to offer...it's a great experience. And the coolest thing is, there are caches hidden all over. Over our 7-mile hike, we never got more than a few miles from a major road or house...yet were in the middle of the woods the hole time!
     
    If you ever get a chance, give it a shot. You'll be surprised how interesting it can be just spending some time out in nature.
  25. T-Hybrid
    By now, most of you I would guess have heard reviews about the newest Bond film. Casino Royale supposedly marks a new direction for the franchise, promising a grittier more down to earth Bond than we've been used to seeing (mostly referring to the Brosnan Era). So it was no surprise when the movie started to draw notice from viewers for its more violent and rough edge.
     
    Along with reviews, a common warning came out. Parents, this isn't a film for the whole family. And after seeing it for myself, I am in total agreement. Bond is much more agressive than we've become used to seeing (going back even as far as Connery's portrayal). In the first scene alone, Bond drowns a man in a bathroom sink after a pretty intense hand-to-hand encounter.
     
    Imagine my disgust when I heard the following from the seat ahead of me: "Daddy, did that man just drown?"
     
    Here, sitting right in front of me, was a family of five. Mom and dad had apparently decided to take their three children to Casino Royale. Unfortunately, the eldest child couldn't have been much more than 10. I couldn't believe it. The reviews, reports, and even word-of-mouth out of the movie all warned against such actions. And yet, what do we have? Three kids that are way too young being taken to a movie where dad spends half the time trying to ensure that the kids realize what they're seeing isn't real.
     
    This bothers me not only as a human being, but as a gamer. Because I am almost certain that these are the kinds of parents that go out and buy their kids games like Bloodrayne and Grand Theft Auto, completely oblivious to the kinds of material their exposing their children too.
     
    There's a time and a place to introduce content such as this to children, or at least prepare them to encounter such material. Age 10 and younger is not this time. Casino Royale isn't the kind of Bond movie you grew up on. And, in general, please heed warnings regarding the content of films, tv, music, and games.
     
    Sorry to rant, but sitting in that movie theater and watching a dad fumble through some convoluted explanation as to why the guy on screen isn't moving anymore just irked me more than the issues HGM was discussing earlier.
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