chibiforte

Been playin' a little o' Mario Kart Wii.  I'm doing pretty well, actually.  I've raced a few online matches against Ted and beat him a few times.  I'm actually getting fairly adept at playing with the Wii Wheel.  I'm still better with the Gamecube controller, but the Wheel helps make it feel more real, if you can call kart racing while throwing shells and dropping banana peels "real". :P

I received my Myself; Yourself OP CD Single, yesterday.  Along with the anime's opening theme, it also had the opening theme for the visual novel.  Both are actually really engaging songs, and I'm glad I made the purchase.  I still haven't received my H20 ~footprints in the sand~ OP CD single, but I expect to get it tomorrow.

I'm also thinking of purchasing the 2006 "LEGEND OF DRAGONWORLD" CD set, which contains a lot of songs from the Dragonball anime.  It seems to have a lot of songs, and when I was listening to the Daizenshuu EX Podcast, the hosts agreed that it was the CD set that you want to get if you're just looking for the main movie themes, OP and ED themes, insert songs, image songs, etc.

Speaking of Dragonball, I actually just finished reading the series last night.  42 volumes worth, as a matter of fact.  It was nice to just get through the entire series in a non-stressful, easy go.  Reading it was the best choice, since it would be extremely expensive to get all the DVDs right now.  I easily breezed through dozens of episodes worth of material in only a few hours each night.  Now, I have the entire series fresh in my mind, and that's nice to have.

Still don't have the pictures of little Matthew.  I'm hoping they'll send them sometime tonight.  I actually talked to my brother on the phone today, and he held the phone up to the baby while he was making noise.  It was so cute! <3

I just turned my head to the left and sneezed, but it caused me to jerk my head to that side even further and hurt my neck momentarily. Ouch. x_x

Anyway, it's feeling better now.

I found not only three of the Petra CDs that I wanted, but I also found two of the dc Talk CDs that I wanted. They were in the CD cases in my parent's room, amazingly. Unfortunately, the "Welcome to the Freak Show" CD is scratched up due to so much use in the past ten years, so it didn't rip properly. It didn't even rip "Time Is" or "It's the End of the World", and I can't find them to complete the album. The torrent's not working properly, seeing as it's stuck at 98.2%. Maybe I can find it for cheap on the internet someplace. Or maybe someone nearby has a CD cleaner I can use.

None of the Petra CDs had "No Doubt", though. That kind of frustrated me. I KNOW we had the CD before, but I have no clue where it's at or whether we stil have it or not. "Alas My Love" sounds like it might be a good song, though. I'll have to listen to that later tonight.

I read past the Saiyan arc last night, and now it's heading into the Namek arc. That'll be fun to read, since I don't remember that arc very well (aside from the endless amounts of Naruto-esque filler material). Should be good.

I started playing Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology earlier today. It seems fun, but it's definitely something I'm going to have to get used to. Maybe I'll set that aside and try my hand at Pokemon Pearl again. That reminds me, I need to sell my white DS Lite and purchase a new DS that actually has a touch screen that works. It's so annoying not being able to play my favorite games because my touch screen is terribly messed up.

One last thing: this is a video of somebody drawing a picture of what Kristin Kreuk ("Lana" from Smallville) will probably look like as Chun-Li in the newest Street Fighter movie (wearing the signature blue-and-gold qipao and odango hairstyle). It looks awesome seeing the whole time-lapse deal of somebody drawing the thing completely in some kind of paint program, and the final product doesn't look half-bad.  She BETTER look like this in the movie!  Check it out. :3

 

Don't you just hate it when your router gets completely fried, thus driving your internet use to a grinding halt for almost a week?

Yeah, that four-year-old router I bought when my first laptop was given to me finally burnt out last week, never to work again.  I'll miss the thing, since it did its job (never really worked properly with my DS, though).  Now we have a new installation set up and everything, but it took my brother several days to do it since he finally moved out and had to come back from his new place of residence in order to hook it up.

It wasn't really that terrible to be without the internet, but it was annoying that I couldn't get my podcasts daily.  I honestly didn't mind that much, since it gave me time to read the entire original Dragonball series in manga form.  That was cool, since I never saw most of the Red Ribbon arc, or the 22nd or 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai, or the Piccolo-Daimao arc, or pretty much most of what happens after the 21st Tenkaichi Budokai.  It was good to really get the whole story.  I'll start on the "Z" era next, since I'm not totally familiar with the Namek, Freeza, Android, or Cell arcs.

I found my Johnny Cash CD.  It's really neat, and I'm listening to it right now.  Of course I ripped it to my laptop, since I don't want to lose it again and be without the songs.  I should buy more of his albums, they're really neat.

I'm also really getting back into Petra and DC Talk, lately.  I really want to find our old "Free At Last" CD, and I want to find the CD that had Petra's "No Doubt" song on it.  I'm anxious to see if it really was as awesome as I remember it to be.

I actually spent a good half hour on some preliminary work on the novel series I'd like to make.  Yes, I believe I'm actually going to write this thing.  I had such great inspiration last night and earlier today as to one of the big story elements I'd like to implement.  I think I'd like to create that particular scene I envisioned in my mind as a test chapter, since it's such an emotionally gripping moment, and if I do well enough with that, I know I'm able to write somewhat coherently.  It'll be great, but I don't know who I'd make it available to.  I guess I could put it up as a download in this journal for anyone to come by and read, as long as they comment on it after they finish.  It'll be awhile before I can get that done, I'm pretty sure, however.  Unless I surprise myself and actually come up with good names for the characters.  Considering that it is going to be illustrated with anime-styled artwork (once I find an artist, of course), I'll just go with Japanese names.  Just a stylistic choice on my part, and I'm not one of those fans who insist that Japan is the end-all, be-all awesome country.  I prefer America, thank you.  And English, of course.

...What was I doing, again?

Oh yeah, so, I'll make a test chapter available when I'm finished, for critiquing and whatnot.  Look forward to that.

I got an opportunity to view a screening of a horror movie, today.  It was one of those test screening deals where the filmmakers allow an audience to watch a movie that is still in development in order to get data in order to make the movie better.  I filled out a questionaire and everything, it was neat.  The movie was decent, but there was far too much cursing and blasphemy, and I really hate that sort of thing (I even mentioned it on the comments section, so maybe they'll take heed).  I took Ben, Jay, and Bronson, and I was going to take Steven, but he bowed out at the last minute in order to finish homework, so that was pretty sad.  It was kind of funny when we got there, though, since the movie theater wouldn't let anybody inside for almost an hour AFTER we arrived there, so we ended up buying chips and salsa from a nearby Mexican restaurant and just snacked and talked during that time on the tailgate of Bronson's truck.  It was a fantastic bonding moment. :3

I can't get over how awesome this Dragonball CD is.  It's my first Japanese CD purchase, and I'm so content with the songs on this album.  I've listened to the album at least once today, and I'm relistening to it right now.  I really like the remastered songs, specifically "CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA", "We Gotta Power!", "Hikari no Tabi", "HERO", and especially "Kimi no Sora e".  They are just adorable songs.

I'm going to be taking piano lessons pretty soon, hopefully.  I started playing around on the keyboard a couple days ago, and I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner.  I really, really like the piano, and it's the one instrument that I could see myself playing as a hobby.  I can already somewhat play Nagisa's Theme from Clannad, as well as part of the Super Mario Bros. World 1-1 song, and the Twoson Theme from Earthbound, and the first group of notes from the Forest level in Super Mario RPG.  And some other various parts of other songs.  And it's fun!  I want to mainly play video game music, but I'm good with anything, really.  I just want to be "that guy", the person who is able to play the piano at a party that is housed in a place that has a piano.  I think it'd be neat.  I can kinda read sheet music, though I have to study it beforehand before I can actually play anything.  I need to read it better, as well as learn finger placement and work on my timing, although timing won't really be a problem with songs I know.

I'm going to be a piano man. :3

I got my new CD in the mail today, the Dragonball one with the long title.  I'm enjoying it very much, and I am surprised it took me this long to buy it.  I guess I just didn't have a chance, before.  But it's good.  A few too many slow songs, but that's okay, they'll grow on me.  The last track is the best, though. <3

I'll post up an entry of the Kotomi route either later tonight, or sometime tomorrow (if it doesn't get lost in the shuffle).  If I tried to post it up now, I'd cry, because it was that sad, yet also very, very happy.  I love her story so much...

I need to make some new icons.  I'm not really sure what to make one of, though.  Maybe Harvest Moon?  Or perhaps one of Vegetto?  Or, maybe, a Forte related icon (considering what my journal name is...)?  I'm not sure, yet.  But I know I'm getting kind of tired of the normal ones.

I can't wait until my Brave Heart CD single gets here, but WHEN is it getting here?  I ordered it either last week or the week before, and I don't even know if they sent it out, yet.  I can't find anything in my Dad's e-mail...

I'm trying to do all this college financial aid stuff, but it's hard when my Mom can't find the time to help me.  I'm not a number person, so I can't say for sure what our income is, nor can I explain anything related to tax information.  This is getting dull.

I haven't been playing much besides Clannad, lately.  I don't know, I just can't find the time to delve into a game.  I'm going to waste all of my video game time once Smash Bros. Brawl comes out anyway, though.  That game is going to rock so hard.  I'm waiting for these people at a website to live stream it, tonight.  It's at 7:00PM, and I'm totally excited to see how the game works out.  The soundtrack is fantastic, I know that much.

It turns out that the theater here has some advanced screening privileges, seeing as how they invited their e-mail subscribers to a free advanced screening of a new movie I knew nothing about.  It's called "Inhuman", and it stars actors from 24 and Prison Break, so I'm excited to see it.  I can bring along four guests, as well, which will obviously be Steven, Ben, Jay, and probably Zach.  We get to have a Q&A session with the filmmakers after the movie, as well, and hopefully some actors will make an appearance.  I'd like to meet Tony from 24, seeing as how they cancelled the seventh season.

So, late last night, I was browsing around the MegaMan Network  website, when I noticed the posting about a rap variation of the MegaMan music from the NES games.  Obviously, this is something I jumped on as soon as possible, considering that I love the old MegaMan music, and I'm actually somewhat fond of rap music, in some respects.

Now, you see, most people don't know this about me, but I was rather heavily influenced by old rap music from the early 90s.  My oldest brother was actually the one into it more, obviously, so he would buy the CDs of artists he liked.  And from there, whenever I was in his room or he was driving me around, I would obviously hear the music.  I never cared for how loud he had it, nor did I care for the lyrics, but there was something about the beat and the rhyming that I enjoyed (which is probably why I really like 10:31 Sermon Jams and Relevant Revolution as much as I do).  So, you see, when I saw that post, I was actually intrigued.  And so I downloaded the album he had available, since the artist gave it to the website to allow them to post it (considering they had an interview with him and all).

And I couldn't be more disappointed.  It was, as I thought it might be, typical rap music.  It didn't have as much cursing as mainstream songs, but it was still there, and there were even sexual overtones to one of the songs I heard, which is really a shame, considering that he used the chiptunes from the NES games as background music.  I really wanted to overlook some of the things he said, but I can't.  I really wanted to like this, but it seems that it's not going to happen.  I'm hoping that I was just not listening correctly, but I don't know how I could mistake what they were saying, since my rap lyrics filter, while rusty, is pretty good at discerning lyrics that sound almost unintelligible.  So, that's sad to hear...

However, I also have good news concerning video game music.  It seems that some enterprising hackers were able to dump the game image of Super Smash Bros. Brawl and rip out all the music tracks in the game (which is, give or take, about 300 tracks, which is amazing!).  I torrented the file for a good bunch of hours, and while it took over a gigabyte in space, it was well worth it.  I'm enjoying the Mario music sooooo much... it takes me back to my younger days, when I would fake being sick just so I could go home and play video games on my SNES, NES, and Sega Genesis.  Not that I'm advocating doing such a thing, since I realize I was very wrong in doing so, but the nostalgia of hearing this redone music is just so nice and peaceful... even when the tracks have a heavy emphasis on the electric guitar.

And the best news is that this soundtrack will more-than-likely never be released, and since I'm going to be owning the game this March, there shouldn't be any moral, ethical, or legal issues pertaining to me downloading the soundtrack.  However, if they decide to release the soundtrack, I will buy it up for whatever price they deem worthy, even if it's over $50.  This music is just THAT good.  Don't think I'm pirating this simply so I have to get out of paying, because I would love to plop some money down at Play-Asia in order to have an official soundtrack.  It just seems that if they follow the past trends, they won't actually release a soundtrack, because as far as I know, they didn't release one for Melee, and while I believe they did release one for the original N64, it's completely unavailable and can't be found anywhere.  But if a legal alternative shows up, I'll pounce on it quicker than my little brother on a new military FPS.

And I forgot to mention this, but I ordered the Dragonball Z: Best New Remix 2006 1/2 Special CD off of eBay, the other night.  It contains redone versions of some classic Dragonball songs, like "CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA" and "We Gotta Power!", which is absolutely fantastic.  I'm looking forward to getting that CD and listening to it like there's no tomorrow. :3

Saw National Treasure 2, earlier today.  It was pretty good, but they totally ended it with an open possibility for a sequel.  In fact, we'll probably see the third installment (or an announcement for one) within a year or so, in my opinion.

I also saw I Am Legend, last night, and it was okay, but it wasn't fantastic.  It needed more action.  That's all I can say about it, really.

Yes, I'm a fantastic movie critic.  I probably wow the minds of the world with my great intellect.

Can you imagine what my reviews will be like when the Dragonball and Street Fighter movies come out?

The internet connection was pretty spotty, today.  Something happened to the modem, I thought, but it turned out that we forgot to pay the internet bill, so they cut us.  But, we were able to pay them to get it back up and running.  Wouldn't really matter to me, since I can tap into the neighbor's unsecured wireless connection, since I'm a techie ninja and all. :3

Oh, and it turns out that Mr. Chow Yun-Fat hasn't actually read the Dragonball manga, which kinda disappoints me, since I think you should actually know about the character BEFORE you agree to play it.  And c'mon, Master Roshi HAS to be played true to the manga, or else the whole character falls apart!  He has to be a lecherous old man, or this movie will bomb! D:

Wow, I just realized that a lot of anime that I'm currently watching are going to end soon...  let's see, what was there?  Myself; Yourself, Kodomo no Jikan, ef -a tale of memories-, Goshushou-sama Ninomiya-kun, and Genshiken II are all pretty much over, it seems.  Wow.  But it was a good Fall season, I'll give it that.  The Winter 2008 season looks pretty spiffy, with four different shows based on visual novels, which, as we all know, are my favorite types of shows.  It's going to be a busy Winter, then, since I'm also going to be watching Clannad, which makes five series that I'm watching for certain.  And with the GekiRanger finale right around the corner, with Kamen Rider Kiba and Enjin Sentai Go-onger both airing immediately after that's done... woah, I'm going to have my work cut out for me in terms of shows I have to watch and critique.

Oh yeah, can't forget about Prison Break and Smallville, either.

Christmas is only four days away, not counting today, correct?  Boy, this month actually flew by rather quickly.  Usually time goes about as slow as molasses stuck with bubble gum on a piece of flypaper at this time of year, but time flew by me, this year.  Lookin' forward to the Candlelight service, but I'd actually prefer it to be longer than half an hour... I was thinking more like three and a half hours would be more fitting for a candlelight service. :3

I need to start playing Pokemon Pearl, again...

Oh my goodness... I can't stop laughing at this news... it just fits so, so well... he would totally make a fantastic Master Roshi... xD

The Live Action version of Master Roshi will be played by...

And I hope he looks like this. XD

It seems like the first few pictures from the new Live-Action Dragonball Movie have been released, showcasing the one and only Justin Chatwin as the main man himself, Goku!

I actually know nothing about Mr. Chatwin, but amazingly, I believe he makes a pretty decent Goku.  Well, more of a modernized, real-world version of Goku, but still Goku, nonetheless.  He's got the orange outfit going for him, an obvious but still great nod to the original Goku, and he's even got a bit of spiky-ness to his hair, even though he looks more like Teen Gohan than Goku.  But hey, what can you do?  At least the movie is actually being made this time.

What interesting poll results. I'm not even sure what to say, really.

Did I ever mention how much I hate the term "X-Mas"?  I really, really cannot stand it.  There is never any reason to use it, it has no relevance to today's society, and it's just a mockery of the actual holiday's name.  December 25th isn't "x-mas"; it isn't "the holidays"; it's really not even the "winter solstice"; it's CHRISTMAS.  Let's keep it that way.

It's obvious as to why people do it, too.  Just because it's shorter than "that other name for December 25th" doesn't make it any easier to use (since we're all used to the actual name by now), nor is it meaningful at all (it deliberately crosses out "Christ", therefore removing all reverence).  It's an insult, really, and I just hold it in complete contempt.  Don't use it in front of me, ever.  I mean it, and I'm dead serious.

And... uhh... I can't really think of anything else to add...

I think I'm going to watch a bit of Digimon Tamers, tonight.  I haven't seen it in years, and it'd be nice to refresh my memory of Digimon in general, since I'm kinda blankin' on specific story events.

I stayed up until about 1:10AM last night, trying to finish that accursed 100th episode.  But I did finish it, and the ending was satisfactory.  VegettoEX sounded a bit choked up about the deal, though it's hard to tell if you haven't listened to all the episodes like I have.  It's actually really interesting to think that it's been nearly two years since I started on this podcast-listening adventure.  It makes me more anxious to start a real podcast of my own, but circumstances cause me to have to wait.

All in all, though, it was a nice tribute to a great show. :3


Oh yeah, and the Straw Hat Pirate icon is fantastic.  I'm so glad I grabbed the Color Walk books while I could, and that Photoshop helps keep it somewhat clean and doesn't pixelate the image like MS Paint. n_n

Gotta tutor a friend in Government today, yet again.  It was fairly easy yesterday, though, so it shouldn't be too hard today.  I'm gonna make me some cash! :D