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T-Hybrid

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Blog Entries posted by T-Hybrid

  1. T-Hybrid
    So Pepsi is pairing with Harmonix to create one of the best promotions EVER. You buy a bottle of Pepsi, and get a code that can be redeemed for a chance at free stuff.
     
    I've currently cashed in over 20 caps for free music. And I have another 18 bottles in the cupboard waiting to be chilled off. Thankfully it's not costing me any more than my regular pop consumption, and I'm trying to mix up Diet and regular to swap my mix of aspartame and sugar.
     
    I have more songs than I know what to do with really.
  2. 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.
  3. T-Hybrid
    I don't know what VGM was so worried about. Yeah all my pals from college are mostly still an hour away on campus. But that doesn't mean I don't know how to have a good time. And yeah, I may have been eyeing the litterboxes...but what's wrong with having one or two cats?
     
    Or eight?
     
    And I haven't given them names, that'd just be crazy. I did however make sure to assign each of them a formal Digimon partner and functioning Digivice. After all, if you're going to have an army of cats you'd might as well do it right. Right?
     
    Sure, I'm going to have to adjust to the smell of litterboxes...and I never know when their pal Ceiling Cat may pop in to survey the surroundings, but otherwise I look forward to my new feline friends. But, of course, all these pets means I'll have less time for the Blue Vice. VGM will likely get his pink slip by the end of the day tomorrow. I'm expecting my new help to show up around the offices by then. It'd awkward to have the old hand still loafing around.
     
    Oops...I gotta go, Harris (the delightful siamese watching over the General section) just hocked a hairball. Hmm, and Trixie (that smiling cat guarding the Inuva section) has now gotten into the catnip.
     
    Okay, so the transition will make for a shaky April. But I'm no fool, in the long run I'll wonder what I ever saw in a bunch of humans.
  4. T-Hybrid
    Finals Week this week. Tests Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday...all in the morning, all finishing before noon. Thankfully it's only one a day, but it pretty much means that I didn't get to enjoy my weekend at all beyond the bit of Pokemon I played (I now have Alakazam, Golem, Machamp...and Crobat).
     
    Celebrated by grabbing a few news games, including LEGO Star Wars. I have to admit it's a bit of guilty fun running around as a Minifig version of Darth Maul. Unfortunately the TV I've got my Wii hooked up to for the rest of the week doesn't seem to like Channel 3, which is the only way I can play it (AV cables plugged into a VCR then run to the TV). But oh well, after this week I'm going to suddenly have the rest of my life for gaming. If you don't hear from me for a few days you'll know why.
  5. T-Hybrid
    Something must be up with Maj. All my pics are down. I had seen the stuff about Brickshelf, guess I should've registered that'd mean Maj might be having some "downtime" soon. Hmm. While I try to get a new place lined up to host pics, and try to recover most of the pics that I had hosted, feel free to just sorta hang out and stare at the empty walls.
     
    Now I see why they work so hard to secure art museums. It's bring in here without the color.
  6. T-Hybrid
    It's after midnight here. I stayed up on purpose so I greet the start of my 26th year with open eyes. Now it's off to bed. Gonna have a busy night tomorrow/today as I bid adieu to my first quarter-century on this planet and usher in the official start of my "late 20s".
  7. T-Hybrid
    I see pics and read stories about how the Mahri are now available. Yet it appears the LIC at MoA has yet to get them in stock. In fact, the Bionicle section's been moved deep into the middle. The formerly Bionicle display cases are now filled with Batman, and the shelves close to the front are Exo-Force I think. But seriously, where are the Mahri? LIC was the one of the first places to get Rahkshi and Hordika, I'm sorta surprised by this recent twist.
     
    But it's probably for the best. I gotta make my first rent payment this weekend!
  8. T-Hybrid
    Well, those leaked pics made the rounds...and now I've seen a crystal clear pic of the Red Mahri, and a few fuzzy canister shots of the others. Thankfully they were nameless pics. And I have to say that the 2007 canister sets easily will rank as some of the best designs Bionicle has ever seen.
     
    From what I can tell, every complaint I had about the Inika is fully resolved. And I may just have to break my resolution and grab a full set of Barraki along with my Mahri team. LEGO needs to be rewarded for what they've done this year.
     
    So start saving now, and if you haven't seen them yet...perpare to be astounded when the official release arrives. Until then, I promise I won't do any of that spoiler stuff to those of you who don't want it ruined.
  9. T-Hybrid
    I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but after an early 6 year hiatus I've started watching pro-wrestling again. Started sometime last year (I think just after Wrestlemania)...and since then I've watched my first PPV (Wrestlemania 25) at a buddy's place. Well, the two of us caught a promo the other day for a house show coming to a stadium nearby.
     
    On an impulse, the two of us grabbed tickets. So both of us are hitting our first wrestling event. It's not a taping for their weekly shows, nor is it a pay-per-view. I've been told by those who've been to them that they're pretty entertaining and have less talking and more matches. So it should be a lot of fun. I'd mention a few of the guys who are scheduled to be there but I dunno who of you would recognize them.
     
    Hopefully I'll be able to get some pictures...though it's still a way away.
  10. T-Hybrid
    My friend and I had some errands to run this afternoon, one of which was stopping at Gamestop. Upon arriving, we were pleasantly surprised to see a playable Wii demo unit. The only game hooked up was ExciteTruck, but it was still fun. The controller's surprisingly small, but fit comfortably in my hand even when turned on its side. The controllers felt a bit loose, but that could've just been me getting used to it.
     
    It was fun having an excuse to throw my whole body into the steering this time, as usually gamers get mocked for getting so involved. Overall, Nintendo's got a good thing here...I hope that they're able to succeed with this endeavor.
     
    Oh, and go to Gamestop to try it yourself. You'll need a driver's license and credit card in order to "check out" the Wii Remote, as they're not able to attach it like a normal controller. So make sure if you're not able to provide these that you get your parents to come along.
  11. T-Hybrid
    Four years and some thousands of dollars late...and I have slain the beast know as College. All that's left now is to actually be handed my diploma and I will become not a student, but an alumni.
     
    With this class change comes the responsibilities of a true adult. I must set off in the world with only my wits and my skills to make my own way. Will I rise to the occasion or sink like a stone under the weight of the world?
     
    Stay tuned and find out.
     
    ...
     
    Okay, I'm only kidding about that last part. I'm actually really excited to wake up tomorrow and face the first day of the rest of my life (I can't believe I've actually found a reason to use that old cliche!) Only a few days left at the internship and that'll be that for my time at MSU.
     
    On a completely unrelated note, anybody know where to find some decent sprite sheets for the characters from the Pokemon games? Just curious.
  12. T-Hybrid
    Tomorrow night's going to be a BLAST. I've reserved my ticket to see the midnight showing of Watchmen at one of those new-fangled IMAX theaters. Have never actually seen a movie at one before, so I'm excited. To make it even more fun, I'm meeting up with a few people from college that I haven't seen in at least a year. If I'm not completely exhausted come Friday, I'll be sure to post a full review!
     

  13. T-Hybrid
    There was an Internet connection where I was staying while on vacation, but it was dial-up so I took the opportunity to take a break and did just that.
     
    Had a blast. Sat in a suite at Center Ice for a Colorado Avalanche game, and had great seats at Invesco Field (at Mile High Stadium) for Broncos/Vikings. Hopefully I'll have some pictures up at some point.
     
    X-mas haul wasn't too bad, got Transformers and Simpsons on DVD plus some money. Some desperately needed gloves and hat as well as a paper shredder and a crock pot. Got a slick toolkit as well, which will make my eventual evolution into a handyman all the more smoother. I'll be renewing my XBL subscription with the money I got, as will also be picking up The Orange Box and Zelda: Phantom Hourglass. There's also some Rock Band DLC that I've been meaning to download (most noteably The Police, CCR, and Weezer).
     
    Hope everybody else had a great holiday season. Now let's get 2008 started right!
  14. T-Hybrid
    As many have reminded me these past few days, today marks the 25th anniversary of when I graced the world with my awesomeness!
     
    Took the day off work, and spent it relaxing. Picked myself up a copy of Foo Fighters' Greatest Hits, and saw The Men Who Stare At Goats.
     
    But the bigger part of the afternoon (while I was waiting for friends to get off work), was spent rocking out with that new LEGO Rock Band game. Maybe you've heard of it? I'm a huge RB fan, and also love the LEGO franchise games (favorite thus far being the Star Wars titles). So I owed it to myself to pick this one up. Aside from the traditional Rock Band game play, there's a LOT of charm in here that comes from the LEGO name.
     
    While each member of your band (including entourage and road crew) has a default appearance, you are allowed to customize these characters using a wide variety of traditional LEGO parts. This ranges from more standard clothing to various costumes (I recently unlocked Frakenstein and the Wolfman). On top of that, the setlist is top notch for what is considered to be a "side project" comparred to the usual Rock Band title.
     
    If you are a fan of Rock Band (of Guitar Hero) I recommend at least renting this. If only because you can rock out to the Ghostbuster's theme (yes, THAT song) in this game. C'mon, you owe it to your inner child!
  15. T-Hybrid
    Some of you may remember this lesson from English courses. The whole "Everybody went to their house" vs. "Everybody went to his or her house". Well frankly, I find the whole "his or her" nonsense. It's something about how "their" or "them" refers to the plural form while he/she is for singular use. But if you're like me, you either don't get it or just don't care enough. So I've taken it upon myself to propose a few changes to remedy what has slowly become a complex grammatical issue.
     
    "Herm": (Hurm) A combination of "him" and "her" primarily for use in such sentences as "I'm supposed to greet the new student. Have you seen herm?" I like this one the most, as it's the most natural combination.
     
    "Hes": (Hez) Combines the words "his" and "her" primarily for use in such sentences as "It was Parent's Day at school. Everybody was sitting with hes parents." It'd be confusing at first on paper and when being pronoucned (as it would commonly be mistaken for "his" or "he's"), but just as with purple ketchup, we'd adjust.
     
    "Hesh": (Haysh) Combines "she" and "he"...though at the moment I can't think of when this would be used in a sentence. But since we're combining two words to make new ones, I figured it'd be smart to set up this one. Just in case you know?
     
    If somebody out there understands the English more gooder than I do, I'd appreciate getting a tip as to if this is built on sound grammatical logic. Or if I just spent an entire blog post offering a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. But hey, can you blame me? The English language is confusing!
  16. T-Hybrid
    I'm still alive. Things have been hectic around here, a combination of work....rec league sports (softball + volleyball)....and I've become a dang Achievement Hunter on the 360. It's become a lot of fun, got my completion to about 86% before I started the new Transformers game today.
     
    I think I've become addicted to that little "Bee-bloop" sound that you when it pops a new one. And I've also started borrowing games from friends to get more. There's a 23% completion in Halo 3 that's bugging the heck out of me! Played it at a friend's house a few years back and now that's the one that's "bogging me down" so to speak!
     
    Also, that War for Cybertron game is fun as all get out. It's nice to finally have a GOOD Transformers game to play!
  17. T-Hybrid
    It's too bad the Anniversary had to get interrupted by the Server Downage, but it looks like everything's back to normal. Except here in Minnesota. As you probably have heard by now, the I35 Bridge in Minneapolis/St. Paul collapsed. Thankfully I was home that evening, though the bridge is the one opposite from where I'd be coming from the Metrodome. And also, just as luckily, nobody I know was involved either. It was a scary evening though, as friends and family called each other to make sure they didn't know anybody who was involved.
     
    Things have gotten back to psuedo-normality since then. Recovery efforts have turned into clean-up and repair procedures, and the bridge probably won't be back up until around 2009/10. Until then, those of us who aren't fans of traffic are just going to have to get used to it, and be glad that it's all we have to put up with after such an event.
  18. T-Hybrid
    My grandfather passed away today. His health had been failing the past few weeks, and thankfully I was able to visit with him the last few days to get my chance to say goodbye. It was hard leaving his bedside yesterday, knowing it would be the last time I saw him. But my aunts, uncles, and nephews were all able to make it down yesterday to spend some time with him and with each other.
     
    When my mom called this morning, I knew exactly what it was...and in a way I was preparred to hear the news. I took my time getting up, and by the afternoon had made it over to my grandmother's. There, several of us spent the day sharing stories, joking around, and ended the evening with some dinner from Green Mill and some desert (pie cake!). It was an odd day. Nobody was visibly upset, but obviously it was on everybody's mind. My grandmother gave me some of his clothes to take home, which she thought I could put to use. I felt odd taking them, but I could tell it was helping her cope, so I accepted them. I dunno how long it will be before I'm able to wear them...if ever.
     
    Why am I writing this? I guess it just feels good to get it out there. But also, to reaffirm something you hear frequently. Never leave angry, and always be sure to tell the ones you care about that you love them.
  19. T-Hybrid
    I've seen two movies over the last 7 days. Iron Man and now Indiana Jones.
     
    Go see Iron Man. If you like super hero movies, this one is for you. It's just as good as the first Spiderman. Robert Downey Jr. is amazing as Stark, and the mix of humor, drama and action is just right.
     
    Indiana Jones on the other hand...oh man did they make some mistakes there. I'm not a diehard Jones fan, in fact I only recently had a chance to watch the movies during some marathons on various channels. But even in my brief experiences with the series, I can tell something was msot definately not right with this installment.
     
    I can't specifically say where, but you'll feel it almost immediately when it happens. There's some great action, and Shia LeBouf ain't too bad as Mutt Williams...but there's a specific point in the movie where things take a turn. And after that I just couldn't get the movie to "sit" if you catch my drift.
     
    So in summation, Iron Man great...Indiana Jones not so much.
     
    ....oh, and stay after the credits for Iron Man. It's worth it. I didn't really bother with Jones.
  20. T-Hybrid
    It's unfortunate. I knew they were coming, I just sorta let it slip my mind that it'd be this soon. Needless to say, I'm buying the Inika.
     
    The last three or four years have been especially difficult financially, with a college education being a much bigger drain on my assests than even the most cynical of graudates could've preparred me for. To get to the point, thanks to student loans, I'm currently $10k in debt.
     
    This will not, however, distract me from my usual Bionicle tradition of tracking down and aquiring the newest Toa sets as soon as humanly possible. If these means shelling out $60+ for a set of Inika at release, than that's going to be the final say on that.
     
    I really shouldn't, goodness knows there are enough things in the fall coming out (2 DS games, the final Xenosaga game, Twilight Princess) that I shouldn't add one more purchase to what is slowly becoming just like every other summer. "Oh, this year I'll cut back. I won't spend as much as I did last year."
     
    Of course, then the Inika come out. And these sets look awesome. Each new Toa cycle, LEGO seriously outdoes themselves. Looking back on the original 6 Toa, it's amazing that Bionicle has evolved into the sets we have today. I feel that I have to pick up these sets, to encourage LEGO to continue this franchise until I'm able to get back into it with the resources I once had available to me (namely my parent's income...and the lack of any significant out-come)
     
    I've already made a few sacrifies to the Great Beast that is higher education (heretofore known as Käreti). Mostly noteably are Axxon (who will maybe find his way into my home when he drops down in price) and the Nintendo Wii (this one hurt a lot saying no to).
     
    But these Inika will be mine. And they will be mine soon. The next step (as is further part of the tradition) will be to build my two Pa-Tahi MOCs of this generation. More on that in a later blog.
     
    It also kind of answers another question. I've been trying to figure out what from my room at home will come with me to the new apartment. There's already a few Twins things, as well as some family pictures. But to make it feel more like home (which is what it'll be for at least a year), I've got to bring a few more things that make me who I am.
     
    One is probably going to be Johan (which is another item I've actually got to buy first), and the other will probably be my centaur MOC once I've landed my set of Inika.
     
    Of course...then I've got to track down replacement Inika figures. The other part of the tradition is that I display all 6 current-gen Toa plus my two MOCs. That's a financial set back for another day.
     
    The moral of today's blog, kids: Take advantage of your parents generocity...and save whatever you're able to. College works-out the pocketbook almost as much as your brain.
  21. T-Hybrid
    Apparently by July 5th, LEGO actually meant July 10th. But I can live with it, because those extra five days worth of reviews and information from other lucky buyers only helped build my excitement for these sets. And I'll begin by saying, they do not disappoint. Since reviewers for the last week or so have been pummeling you with the same photos over and over again, I won't bother with taking some of my own. The pictures do them justice, for the most part. So without further ado: my own opinion.
     
    I'll begin by saying that yes, the canister is huge. My first thought when I opened the box from S@H was that these weren't canisters anymore. The Inika come in plastic boxes with lids that are about the size of bricks. You're going to hear they are big, and you're going to see pictures that make them look big...but once you see them in person, you'll realize how big they are.
     
    But that doesn't really describe the sets, so let's forget the Ini-krates and move on to the meat of the whole lot. Let's talk sets. And what a set they are! Highly poseable, fully detailed, and with some excellent new innovations in set design (at least to me...I don't have many of the 06 or 05 sets).
     
    You've seen the pictures, and read the reviews...so I'll make it quick and break it down into the ups and downs.
     
    Pros:
    13 points of articulation Light-up weapons 6 new Kanohi Unique pieces between Toa New colors for Toa sets Nuparu's shoulder mounted Zamor launcher Cons:All weapons are "swords" Kanohi not compatible with previous sets Odd color selection for some characters Too much silver Heads I'll expand on a few of these. Nuparu needs some orange in him, instead...that goes to Hewkii. I would have preferred to see Macku and Onepu join the other McToran as Inika, but I guess that would not be the case. That's unfortunate both storywise and set wise...as we miss out on a chance to get some purple in our Toa. And looking at the all-black Nuparu, I can't help but think some purple in the under-armor would've really made the figure standout. 
    I also wish that LEGO could've put some more effort into the weapons. Though the light-up feature is great, I would've liked to have seen the sets each get a more uniquely shaped weapon. As it is now, they're all very sword-like in appearance. Also, changing the colors between Toa would also set them apart. Jaller's the only one with an "off-color" weapon.
     
    What I do like though, is the detail that has been put into each set. The Kanohi look fantastic, and finally cross the boundary between toy and movie in appearance. The sets as a whole capture the look and feel of a Toa from the movies. LEGO's set the bar high for the next round of sets. I eagerly await the next evolution of the Inika.
     
    There's one thing I especially hope to see work on, and that's the new head. As many have said, they were originally supposed to glow somehow. The Inika are charged with some kind of mystical lightning, show it in their faces. They don't have to glow in the dark. But using that plastic type used for Matoro and Jaller's joints would be perfect. Also, make sure the next generation of Toa have different eye colors between them. Green eyes work on Nuparu, but they look out of place on Kongu and Matoro. The eyes are the windows to the soul, remember that when designing a set. Heck, I may take it upon myself to spruce up these on my own. I'm guessing a spray brush would accomplish that.
     
    My overall opinion. Awesome. I was questioning the price, but after getting my hands on them...these Inika are worth $9.99. Though I am cautious of accepting any more price increases for future sets. That is, unless, there are drastic changes made in both size and design.
  22. T-Hybrid
    I've been wondering. Is anybody still interested if I were to try and get Rebirth going again? I was reminded today why it's been slacking off in updates when I went to write this entry the first time and had it get blocked by a Board Error. I back up Chapters when I can. But sometimes I try to post them and they just get wiped by Board Errors.
     
    So I store them away, but they're unfinished...and I never get back to them. I can't put all the blame on the board itself, some of it is because I've written myself out of the original outline. I'm sorta at a point where I have to deviate to a point where I need to take some time to figure out if I want to roll with it or try and direct it back where I want it to go.
     
    I've missed a few opportunities with it, and though I'm not disappointed...I'm a bit let down with how it's felt. Te Mutunga and even The Alliance felt fun to write, but Rebirth seems like something where I had a spark but got delayed beyond when it stuck around.
     
    If people are interested, I'll get back into it. But I don't want to keep writing a fic if nobody's reading it. I liked the concept, and think it can go over well if I can find that place where the writing comes easier. I jsut needs to figure out where that is.
  23. T-Hybrid
    Here it is, the 3rd day of April and majhost.com continues to suffer some sort of mysteriously non-foolish shutdown. How am I supposed to share pictures of my new cat army with the masses?
     
    I tells ya, there's nothing that ruins a good April Foolin' like your entire collection of images going down for the week. I oughta go over to Maj and give them a piece of my-
     
    Ooooh is that a ball of yarn!
     
    *runs off*
  24. T-Hybrid
    I've only bought three actual Wii games since I picked up the console in November. And yet I've found myself playing on it everyday. This is because the Virtual Console is super awesome. I've got SMB, Kirby's Adventure, Mario 64, Mario Kart 64...and just recently added Donkey Kong Country.
     
    And the best part is, there's still like 10 games I want to pick up. All of which are classics I just never got a chance to play. Games like Super Ghouls n' Ghosts, Contra III, and Gunstar Heroes. Then there's the "unknowns" that I never knew about...mostly because I grew-up on Nintendo consoles. So there's Turbo Graphix 16 games like Bonk's Adventure and Soldier Blade.
     
    But that's not all, lately I've felt the somewhat forbidden urge to pick up an XBox 360. Crackdown looks like it could be fun, there's Lost Planet, Blue Dragon...but right now I'm making sure to do my research so I don't turn it into an impulse buy. I'm especially nervous about the Red Ring of Doom/Death I keep hearing about.
     
    In the meantime, my DS and Wii still have games coming up that'll keep me entertained. I just finished Final Fantasy VI, and Pokemon Diamond comes out in April. There's also Super Paper Mario, and Zelda: Phantom Hourglass. The Wii right now has Sonic, Metal Slug...and I'm even looking into that new DBZ game. I own Budokai 3, but never got around to playing it (I've got like 30 PS2 games and just no time to enjoy them all). The controls sound like a blast, and I don't have many fighting games. All in all, I've got a lot to keep me entertained. And more looks to be coming in the next few months. Not to mention the big three Wii releases looming in the distance (Mario Galaxy, Metroid Prime 3, and Brawl).
     
    But how are you guys doing for gaming? I know there's some BZPers out there that were lucky enough to score a Wii. Are you feasting on the VC buffet? Or have you been sufficiently sated by the Wii's lineup?
  25. T-Hybrid
    It's funny to look back on this blog after being away from it for over a year. I read some of the things I was talking about, and it's funny to think where it's ended up. It's funny to think, but since my last blog entry:
     
    1) I've bought my first home.
    2) I've recieved my first promotion.
     
    But neither of those would've been possible without the third thing: I met the love of my life, who motivated me to push myself harder than ever to get to where I am now. I've completed my first two half-marathons, gotten into better shape, and found a regular place for myself in a company softball team.
     
    Most importantly: I'm getting married in Novemeber. The woman I met just a few days after my Jan 23rd blog post ended up being just the person I needed in my life. So I apologize for disappearing off the face of the Earth, and I hope that those of you who have been doing your best to stay in touch don't feel like I've left you behind. This forum was a big part of my life for a long time, and I'll always hold a spot for it in my heart.
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