wafblog v3.0

You know what’s awesome? I’ve now seen the Transformers movie TWICE, and it hasn’t even been released elsewhere in the world. How awesome is it that we got to see it a week earlier than everyone else? Considering movies are always released like 2-3 months late in Australia… I think this made up for it. Yes, it was that good, I saw it twice. So far, it’s definitely the movie of the year (we’ll see how I feel after HP - OoTP).

I’m not sure what I expected, I’ve been burned too many times by movies based on a comic/book/tv show. The trailer had looked pretty good, but that’s never clear indication (Spider-Man 3 anyone?). Needless to say, I was completely blown away. I think I was shell-shocked for like 5 minutes afterwards. From the beginning scenes with Blackout and Scorponok to the final fight between Optimus Prime and Megatron - the special effects were just amazing. And the storyline was actually decent with no major plotholes (I noticed one blooper on my second viewing… but eh!). To be honest, I hadn’t thought it would be as funny as they made it. There was a good sprinkling of humour with jokes and gags, almost poking fun at the idea of the Transformers without crossing the line into parody or spoof. Michael Bay did an excellent job of bringing these guys to life, and if you don’t expect the movie to be exactly like the cartoons and you’re not a fanboy with major issues then you’re gonna LOVE this movie. The amount of detail paid to seeing these robots transform from their vehicular form and back again is just staggering. You could literally see the little gears in Prime and the paint job that had been scratched off during his fight. To be honest, I love his new flames (= And just wait until you see Starscream’s manoeuvre in the sky against the other fighter jets. Possibly the BEST action sequence in the entire movie (although I may revise this statement on subsequent viewings), it was amazing to see him transform, shoot at a few jets, transform back, fly around.. transform.. shoot a few more. Absolutely breathtaking.

My main gripe was Frenzy. This character reminded me of ‘Jar Jar Binks’, and anyone would know - that is not a good thing! He didn’t seem very Decepticon-like and I think he was used as a plot device more than anything else. All of the others were cool. Sure, Bumblebee is no longer a VW, but hey… he looks hooooot as the Camaro. In the car chase scene with Barricade, I think it’s fairly obvious why they changed him and I’m glad now that they did. Quite frankly, Bumblebee is ‘da bomb’ :D I guess my only other gripe is that the Autobots seemed a lot smaller than the Decepticons, and the vehicles they chose were not as.. ‘cool’? I dunno - why do the Decepticons get to be tanks and fighter jets? And the Autobots get to be firetrucks? I just don’t understand.

So if you’re having reservations about seeing this movie - I will say that waiting for it to come out on DVD or whatever will not do it justice, unless you happen to have a projector and awesome stereo of some sort. I really doubt you could re-create the effects of a cinema though. And this is one movie that has to be seen in the cinema to fully appreciate it’s awesomeness. Now I’m off to find the soundtrack :D

Alan sent me this link to the Marble Adding Machine, which is absolutely crazy and so completely nerdy I was blown away. Needless to say, I wouldn’t mind if someone built one for me :D

I’m sick. I hate being sick. I feel like, my body has failed me or I failed it. Possibly the later. Fueled by idiocy and alcohol. Mainly the latter. Need to cut back on the alcohol. My hip pocket’s feeling it. As is my waist line, my body and at some level, my own sense of worth. I know I drink a lot when stressed. I drank a lot last year when going through applications for grad positions. On top of the relationship situation and thesis, I think I just needed the out. I had my drinking buddy and together, we drank each week (sometimes more than once) and stumbled around the city in a drunken state. It was fun. It still is. I guess I just need to stop using it as the out. Because it amplifies your emotions and right now, I’m stressing about a lot of things and a lot of people. I don’t think I can be what they need if I’m not at the top of my game. The out I’m looking for, shouldn’t be alcohol. It should just be time out. For me to be me.

Friday night was CNNN2. It was pretty good, except for the last bit. I will remember not to invite randoms next time. I enjoyed spending time with my friends outside of work. I think most of us are getting to that stage where we’re no longer just ‘work mates’ and we’re actually friends. Of course, you’re always going to be closer to some people than others, but that’s just the nature of friendship isn’t it? In any case, I like the way it’s going - because I’ve never really had that before and I hope that even if we don’t end up working together for the rest of our careers that we’ll still keep in touch and stay friends. It’s a comforting thought I guess.

Saturday was fun… went to dentist. Got another filling. Cost me lots of money :s Then met up with old workmates to grab lunch and see Fantastic Four 2: Rise Of the Silver Surfer. It was good to meet up, I haven’t seen them since I left in January, and I always enjoy catching up. Sometimes I think it always amazes me that life goes on. You go and do your own thing and everyone else does as well. It’s odd. Anyways, was rather impressed with Silver Surfer. I was under the (mistaken) impression that they had made Silver Surfer a bad guy… which, if you’ve read the comics, he is not! He is the herald for GALACTUS!!!!!!! Yeah ok. So only I’m excited about that. They kept to the comics, and the story didn’t turn out half bad. Although Jessica Alba’s makeover did. I think, like the other Marvel movies, the sequel is better than the original (=

Went to Manda’s for Korean BBQ dinner afters because her friend Ying was visiting. There were quite a few of us there. I always love going to Manda’s. There’s always more food than you can poke a stick at, and I leave feeling like I’ve eaten enough for the week. We watched a little bit of ‘Full Metal Jacket’ which I’d picked up on DVD for $10 from the cheapo CD store on Pitt. Apparently Kirsten’s never seen it! And was amazed that ‘Full Metal Panic’ fully ripped off half the scenes LOL. Didn’t get to finish it (had to turn it down cos it’s weird eating to gunshot sounds…). We watched ‘Shaun Of The Dead’ after dinner. I have never watched a ’spoof’ horror movie before. I was pleasantly surprised :D It wasn’t scary, and I laughed like I haven’t laughed in a long, long time. There was one part I had to look away (too much gore >.<) but besides that, awesome! I might have to re-adjust my thinking on scary movies. Of course, knowing me, I’ll go watch one and not be able to sleep for a week again. I also have to check out ‘Hot Fuzz’ now.

I’ve spent the last two days at home cos I’ve got the flu. I was happy yesterday though, because the games I ordered from Play-asia arrived. Only took them a week, I’m so impressed. Anyways, I got Dialhex and Boundish, both by bit generations and for my GBu. Travis intro’d me to Coloris last weekend, and told me that they have like a whole series of games, so had a look at their site and thought I might try a couple. Dialhex is a bit like hexic, and Boundish is like a warped sort of pong. Both very addictive, and means I will now pop my GBu into my handbag so I can play on the train. Went back to work today, but took it relatively easy. Think I should be able to finish my stuff on time. Just need to make sure I get lots of rest. So yeah. Gonna go rest.

Or at least, my web life. Time that I could be spending constructively (blogging… uhm, I can’t think of anything else) has now been devoured by the ’social utility’ webpage that is…. Facebook. It really should be called a social menace. But, everyday, I find myself going to there - to see who has added who, if anybody has new photos, what new groups I can join and more recently, what new applications I can stuff into my profile page. Admittedly, it’s made very easy some of the things I wanted to do with this blog. Like, movie reviews! And snap-in Last.FM playlist! And book lists! And soon I hope… game lists! So yeah. I’ll sit at Tichondrius and next thing I know…. four hours have rolled by. Must learn discipline.

I have come to realise that my life is currently this:

Monday-Thurday: Work. If do not finish in time, take work home.
Friday: Work. Go to closest bar. Drink lots of alcimahol. Eat. Drink more. Go to K. Drink more. Go home.
Saturday: Go out. Random events. Try to fit in: dentist appointments, meeting friends, spending time with boy. Usually there’s alcohol involved at night.
Sunday: Rest. Get told off by parents.

I really should try to drink less. Or at least, not be so intent on drinking such large amounts such that I have lose control. But that’s the appeal isn’t it? To lose that control. I suspect I have blogged about this before. And perhaps this is boring. But I think somewhere, in the back of my mind - I know that I shouldn’t need to. I shouldn’t get to a Friday and want that drink (or four). I was asked if I felt like I had something to prove. I probably do. Not sure why. Maybe I’m trying to live up the life that I thought other people were having when I was in uni or whatever. That I didn’t have because I would go home and be good. Or whatever. Somehow this sounds stupid when I try to rationalise it.

Met up with people from uni on the weekend. We went to the Redoak Boutique Beer Cafe! I haven’t seen a lot of people from uni for a while and it’s always good to catch up. Found that people had fragmented into their small groups even more than before and didn’t really get to talk to some of them. That’s probably more my fault than anything. I get comfy with the people that I do talk to and as much as I’ve learnt to be more social, I, like everyone else, tend to stick to the things I know. And then complain that I don’t see enough people or know what’s going on with my friends. So I really should make more effort to keep up. Now to find the time….  I did however, get to try a blackberry beer. And a bunch of others that I don’t know the names to because they came with my food. Must go there again!!

I whinge a lot on here don’t I? Maybe because it’s the outlet for all the bad stuff. Or the stuff that sits on my mind and I don’t really tell people because it’s mainly introspection. My life probably isn’t as bad as I make it out to be. Although recently I can’t seem to do anything right by mum. Which again, is my fault. I should’ve put more effort into her birthday. But this whole her being sick thing, I do not believe makes me the most awful daughter in the world. I do care - and I do make sure she’s ok. Maybe I just don’t do in the way she wants. I got like half a dozen lectures recently, which were all topped off with a “I’ve given up on you ever showing me a little bit of love”. Far out. My parents have never really been the type of parents to be all cuddly with their child or whatever. And we never talk about our feelings or whatever. That’s some other family in some other universe. So what I don’t get, is why all of a sudden that’s meant to be MY family? And why I get lambasted for it? I must’ve missed something somewhere… I’m just not sure where.

So, I’m feeling really… ‘under the gun’ at the moment (thanks for that phrase Chez).

Lots of things happening at once, but there seems to be this resounding feeling that work’s taken over my life. All aspects of work. From the actual work to the social to my outlook on life. I’m not entirely sure that it’s a bad thing - but I’m fairly content with life…. so why do I feel guilty? Sometimes I feel like people have these expectations of me, but I don’t know about them. So I don’t meet those expectations and then I get in trouble. Or they’ll suddenly be like “why didn’t you do this?” and I’m sitting there thinking… “you didn’t tell me you wanted me to do that!”.

I am however, enjoying work. It’s been very busy lately, and there’s still an overwhelming feeling that I don’t know what I’m doing. I am however, starting to get the hang of things. I like that I’m constantly having to think and find different ways to do things. We’ll see if it’s the same when I move to the audit side of things.

Bought a PS2 recently… am looking to mod/chip it. Most likely will be soft modding it - less chance of bricking the console. I can’t believe how tiny the Ps2 slimline console is… but I think I made a mistake in choosing the slimline. It sounds like it’s a lot harder to mod the slimline and there’s no room (or adapter) for a hard drive. I am tossing up re-selling the slimline on eBay and getting a fat one. Which I really should do before I mod either of them. Too many things I want to do. Not enough time.

I owe a few people e-mails - you should be getting them this weekend!!!!

And thanks to ‘Faith No More’ for the title from the song “Ashes to Ashes”. Yeay. Classic rock.

So, I haven’t blogged in forever. And I will update..

But really, just wanted to get some things off my chest. Suddenly had an influx of people needing help. Of varying sorts and varying degrees, but help nonetheless. Do these things come in cycles? Or deluges or something? I’m not sure. And it’s not like I mind - I’m more than happy to listen and provide support or whatever’s needed. I just haven’t had that happen for a while. Everything seems better now, and everything’s under control.

Had this really strange ‘down’ feeling today though. Not sure why, maybe compounding stuff?  Work is strange - some days are totally awesome and I’m gettin’ it and it’s all good. And then other days it’s like, falling apart everywhere and I feel like I know nothing. I think I like stability. Surprises usually don’t go my way. And I get that I’m still finding my way. But I feel so unbalanced right now. Not sure how to fix it - because I’m finding that I’m actually happy with things, mostly. And if I’m happy then I’m not sure I should change it. But I think it’s making some people in my life unhappy, and that’s not going to make me happy in the end.

I am absolutely loving this song “The Story” by 30 Seconds to Mars. Yes, the Jared Leto band. And yes, he does seem emo. But the album actually isn’t bad and there are some stand out songs (like this one!). I saw the video clip for “From Yesterday” and thought WTF, but I suppose that’s what they were going for.

I’ve been thinking of everything
I used to want to be
I’ve been thinking of everything
Of me, of you and me

This is the story of my life
These are the lies I have created
30 Seconds to Mars - The Story

Hrm. Saw ‘Spider-man 3′ last week. I am still undecided on whether I liked it or not. I think that means not. Some parts were very well done, but overall I find it difficult to say that it was a good movie. I’m not sure I want to watch another either. I did like what they did with Venom, but obviously, they didn’t flesh him out enough. Shame - Spider-man 1 & 2 are the best adaptations of comic books, I think.