April 3

That day is fast approaching and will be here before I know it.

The day I leave for BMT (Basic Military Training) is exactly one week from today.

Of course I'm nervous, but kinda excited too.

My dad warned me that the transition may be a little more difficult for me than it was for him. When he joined the Navy, he was already living on his own for a while, but I'm leaving home for the first time.

Today is the day that I will be signing off of GameSpot. I thought about typing up this blog the day before I left, but I know that this last week will be busy with preperations and whatnot. Will I be back? Of course I will. I wouldn't abandon all my GS friends.

However, I will be gone for a while.

BMT is eight and a half weeks and the first few days don't count. Do the math and I'll be gone for over two months.

I don't know when I'll be back. I'm not sure if they give you leave before being sent to your technical school, which for me may land me in California, or if they just send you straight there.

I'm going to try and enjoy my last week of civilian life as much as I can before I'm sent off to be yelled out by a man (or woman) in a Smokey the Bear hat and am forced to shower with and sleep in the same room with a bunch of other women I don't know.

I have been working out for the past few months so at least I won't feel like death on the first day.

So yeah, I guess I'll see you guys in two months or whenever. (Course, I'll check back a couple times to see your comments.)

안녕히계세요 (annyeonghi gyeseyo)

Yeah...WTF?

More funny quotes this week plus an experience that made me appreciate the fact that I'm still here.

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"Hi! We're Square Enix! We just spent thirty-five million dollars making a game that's so cutting-edge, it doesn't need people to play it! We're geniuses!"

[From a site that cannot be named here]
Your forget that R. Lee. Ermey is actually Teddy Roosevelt reincarnated. And now he's trained as a Jedi and is part elf, so he'll never sleep and therefore death can never take him by surprise.

[From a site that cannot be named here]
> The best treatment for a head wound is a tourniquet around the neck.
LOL!

GRiVEN [Destructoid]
I'm up for killing Hitler anytime, any place. It doesn't even have to make sense. He could be riding a dinosaur in ancient China while dual-wielding ray guns. I'm up for it.

not a doktor [Gaijin Smash]
I hate German porn partially for the sounds they make while they try to be sexy, "ja-ja-ja-ja-ja-ja" then a deep guttural orgasm sound that seems like it should come from a new born down syndrome calf.

Kotaku quotes:

"Our Sun, responsible for raisin distribution in breakfast cereals..."

The 72 Year Old Pit Viper
Counting pixels sounds like a perfect rainy day activity!

pan1da7
The older 360s sounded like a raccoon trying to escape from a hive of bees.

depressedjess
If Nintendo made cars, they'd run on carbon dioxide and produce oxygen while curing cancer.

JTown465
I was dismayed that Madden Super Space Marine Ninja Dragon Animalz 3 wasn't shown. Damn fine game right there.

Hot-Tamale
I had a friend who jusr grabbed an armful of bacon from my table and went upstairs to eat it while he took a dump. It was disgusting.

Liquid-X
"I hope no one spoils the end of Passion of the Christ for me. I hope Jesus gets away."

That made me laugh way harder then I probably should have.

Michael Dukakis
"I need to walk on hot coals and sleep on a bed of nails. I need to chew on broken glass. I need to drink paint."

Man... that's one hell of a resume he'll have...

Nick Edge
"reportedly set fire to and barricaded himself within a Roseville, California GameStop"

In that order?

I don't think he thought it through.

Laputan Machine
Isn't it the most delicious irony that people get so into their game that they forgo eating and sleeping in real life while making absolutely sure their game character is well fed and rested?

BeefSupreme
That's why I wish they had matchmaking for the 30+ crowd. Where we fight for a few minutes, then all converge at a point on the map and open a beer, light a cigarette and talk about the things we'll never get to do.

Outrider
For some reason after beating Ocarina of Time on the N64, I decided to run around revisiting each major area in Hyrule wearing the Iron Boots and restricting myself to the Megaton Hammer.

I, uh... didn't really accomplish much. But I sure wasted time!

hazelnutman
Unfortunately for SCII, BlazBlue Continuum Shift is coming out on the same day - a game which takes priority over any RTS.

Unfortunately for me, I'm a Korean who will be ostracized and then put up as a blood sacrifice to the gods for defiling my heritage if I don't make SCII my priority.

SERIOUS BUSINESS, YO.

Walking Eye!
There do need to be more Supreme Court based video games. I always thought the law would fit well with an MMO or a standard RPG.

"The defendant cast motion for summary judgment. Luckily with my Armor of Enhanced Discovery I have a +3 to any Genuine Issue of Material Fact roll."

--------

Okay, so last night, I had a dream that made me appreciate just being here.

I don't remember too much, but what I do remember goes like this:

I wake up in a bed in a hospital. I don't know how I got there, why I'm there or what day or month it is.

The left side of my body hurts...a lot. It's like I got hit with a car or something. I'm covered in bandages.

A guy is at the foot of the bed...a doctor. He explains what's going on when he sees that I don't remember anything.

I'm a hospital in the Middle East. What country? I don't know.

I was with a group of people. We were all wearing helmets and body armor... I think there was five to seven of us.

Was I a reporter tagging along with U.S. troops or was I a soldier myself? I never figure it out.

Someone in the front of the group sets off an IED (Improvised Explosive Device).

That was a week ago.

When I ask where the other members of the group are...

Three are dead. A couple others lost limbs.

The doctor says I'm lucky. That I'm still whole. Other than having to go through surgury to remove shrapnel, I'm okay. The left side of my body sustained the most damage hence the pain.

Just to be sure, I wiggle my fingers and toes, making sure they're all there.

I hold my hands in front of my face. Tears roll down my cheeks.

I'm still alive.

I force myself out of bed against the doctor's advise.

I wake up from my dream right as I set my feet on the cold floor.

Since I was working out yesterday, my body is sore making that dream seem even more real.

I walk into the living room and turn on the TV. I look out the window seeing cars going back and forth...the sun shining (I don't like the sun)...people walking across the street to check their mail...

I'm still here.

Enjoy every day you have cause you never know when it's going to end or, in my case, blow up in your face.

I just thought I'd share some of the strange, funny, and amusing quotes I've saved over the years.

I have a whole lot of them. Gaming blogs, article comments, forum posts, you name it.

Of course, there are some I can't post unless I want to get banned so I'll avoid those.

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"Shipping overnight is expensive. For the price you pay, I feel like they should be rushing the package on a silver platter in a little butler's tuxedo." - Rick Kuhlman, National Instruments engineer

Comment on the Cinema Snob review of the movie "Violent S***"
"Based on the title I would have assumed this movie was about a guy who eats whole a bag of flamin' hot cheetos then takes a porcelain splintering thunder dump, but I got problems that go way back." - abortschtastic1

Len
"everyone is lying constantly"

Basics of being an effective lawyer.

--

Oooh Shiny Objects
Cheese fetish, I can understand. Sneeze fetish? Not so much.

drunkexpatwriter
The sneeze fetish forum is an endless source of amusement.
About five years ago they had an all out flame war over whether or not slipping pepper in
your date's food while she's in the bathroom so she'll be more likely to sneeze would be considered date rape.

--

Borderose (a Youtube comment on Inglorious Basterds)
You know it's a different kind of movie when the most likable guy in the cast happens to be the freaking SS Officer.

Matt Schuler (Twitter)
☑ Kim Jong Il ☑ Khaddafi ☑ Osama Bin Laden ☑ Saddam Hussein ☐ Internet Explorer

"Marines" the only grown group of people where it's socially acceptable to continue to consistently act like a child. - [Terminal Lance Forums]

"Good god, Akira Yamaoka's music does magical things to my penis - Mooks (Destructoid)

"Computer games don't affect kids, I mean if Pac Man affected us as kids, we'd all be running around in darkened rooms, munching pills and listening to repetitive music." ~ Marcus Brigstocke

"Yea, though I walk through the valley... and parts of West Hollywood and Beverly Hills, I will fear no casting director, for my work as Albert Wesker precedes me, and thy fans and conventions comfort me." - D.C. Douglas

"Batman: Arkham Asylum has skilled crimefighter Batman pick up a few new items and skills as the plot requires. Otherwise, he has to buy them with XP. From WayneTech. The company he owns." - TVTropes

[From a imageboard that connot be mentioned here]
Renegade: "Dude, Shepard is such a f***ing prick but he knows how to kick ass and chew bubble gum. I'd follow him to hell and back."
Paragon: "Oh wow, Shepard is upstanding. Knows when to pull a gun or a hand out. I'd follow him to hell and back."

*Why Won't the RE Movies Die?!* (some RE forum which I can't remember the name of)
"Not only does it JUST NOT DIE, it appears to be multiplying and spreading faster at a truly alarming rate... Just like a virus." -WeskerSexyCheez

"Most anime/game hair$tyles are actually possible...Provided you have a cement mixers worth of hair gel, several steel combs, wooden/metal/plastic splints/supports, a long length of string, an intermediate knowledge of sculpting, physics, and structural engineering, and the patience of a god." - Odin (Kotaku)

"I can't say disc-swapping has ever been a major issue to myself. It's not like you have to crawl naked through a desert of thorns to get to your disc tray." - Jim Sterling (Destructoid)

"Kirby's Epic Yarn...
Honestly, do I need to really say anything else? Kirby. Made out of string. Nintendo's press conference was already kicking ass, but when this was announced, it had won everything that there ever was to win. It's Kirby and he's made out of string.
It's like God decided to piss jellybeans directly into my mouth. That's what a winning idea this is. Seriously, Kirby made out of string. How many times do I have to say it? HE IS MADE OUT OF STRING! PINK STRING! OH YEAH, I DIDN'T MENTION THE STRING WAS PINK, DID I? IT'S PINK! IT'S PINK AS F***, SON! That is why Kirby's Epic Yarn is my game of E3." - Jim Sterling (Destructoid)

"I once did a bit of nude gaming -- I took a quick break from Final Fantasy X to take a shower, thought of something I needed to check, went back to the game and then kind of got sucked in before I put clothes on -- but once I realized what I was doing, I was filled with shame. And that was me, by myself, in my apartment. Of course, I was also sitting in a bean bag chair, too, which didn't help matters regarding my dignity either. It's hard to not be ashamed of yourself when you stand up with a Dual Shock in your hand and a bean bag chair glued to your ass." - GamesRadar

"So, I haven't played Halo: Reach yet. That means that much of this list of updates to the game's multiplayer is a complete mystery to me. I don't know what "Crazy King" is, for example, and am forced to presume that it has something to do with the final days of King Henry the VIII and his mental deterioration due to syphilis." - GamesRadar

"Heading into E3 2011, one thing was on everyone's mind – Nintendo's new console. What would it be called? How powerful is it? What games are coming? Will Nintendo reveal another disruptive, Wii-like angle that reshapes the games industry? Questions and speculation were overflowing, as if no other topic existed in the gamespace.
So when Nintendo president Satoru Iwata finally took the stage (after the aforementioned Zelda orchestra), we all assumed the answers were imminent.

Above: Look at him. So pleased with what he's about to do to us

Iwata immediately began talking about Nintendo's hardware legacy, and how its next machine will continue to expand the gamer audience by providing "deeper and wider" experiences. This goes on for many minutes. At this point, we're all on the edge of our seats – all of us, all around the world. We're curious, engaged, teased, hell maybe even a little aroused in a bizarre kind of way, all waiting for OH MY GOD JUST TELL US WHAT IT'S CALLED!
Iwata follows all this with a calm, almost dismissive "we're going to leave the full details for a little later this morning," causing a communal exhale that probably blew his hair back. All that buildup and teasing, just to pull out at the last second! We wouldn't get closure for another 20 minutes, which is the game-conference equivalent of being two seconds from an orgasm and then forced to hold it for another half an hour. Bittersweet, to say the least." - GamesRadar

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I have plenty more. Especially Kotaku quotes since they're the best. I'll post more in the future in you're interested.

It seems a lot happened when I was sick. Someone released copies of the Resident Evil Game Boy prototypes on the web, MegaUpload got shut down, more people are getting killed in Syria, Greece is in turmoil, changes to Gamespot's forum rules (how did I miss that?). It seems the forums are more lenient now. Trolling and flaming are allowed. Not sure how I feel about that...

However, I am now current on the exchange rate of the Pound and Yen to the dollar. I was feeling too much like sh*t to play games so I ended up watching World Business Today at 4 in the morning on mulitple occassions.

A couple days ago, someone posted this article on Kotaku asking why parents don't play games with their kids. I've asked myself that many times and I'm sure many of you have asked the same question and have tried to get your parents to play games.

Someone made an interesting comment about how many gaming conventions we take for granted. We're used to it because we've played so many games, but newcomers don't understand at all.

---------------

Fernando Jorge
Fri 10 Feb 2012 3:01 PM

We who play games all the time probably take for granted a lot of conventions that newcomers wouldn't understand at all.

We know that a woman in a white dress with a staff is likely going to be a healer, and we know a healer is going to prevent your HP from reaching zero, and we know that HP is this abstract number to represent your health and we know that health goes up with level and we know that we level up by killing monsters.

We know that a door will swing both ways, that red barrels will cause explosions, that this random cast iron
plate is going to open some door later, that this boss is certainly going to switch forms, that some battles are scripted, etc and so on.

There's this load of info that tutorials never teach because even the developers take them for granted and
that make games mysterious for newcomers. It is a whole language everyone's speaking and they don't get it.

---------------

I never realized.

My brother is introducing my dad to games with Call of Duty. At first it makes sense since my dad was in the military. Why not start out with a game that was related to his career? But I tell my brother over and over that it's not a game for someone who hasn't played video games since before the Crash of '83.

Me: "The controls are too complex for him. He can't handle duel analog yet. Let me try to get him to play the Megaman Anniversary Collection. Two buttons and a D-pad. Graphics from the 80s. He'll feel more comfortable with that. The original Zelda could work too. Maybe a more casual game like Bejewled 2."

My brother: "Controls in Call of Duty are easy. They're not complex at all. He'll be fine."

Yeah, easy for you and me cause we've played games since we were little. But older people, it takes longer for them to learn. They're reflexes aren't as good. My brother just can't understand that. I mean, it took some time even for me to get used to dual analog control schemes.

Also, it's time for me to come clean or come out of the closet or what ever people call it. No, not THAT "coming out of the closet". Pretty sure I'm straight.

Anyway, I've hinted at it a little before. I was going to reveal this before, but I chickened out.

Please, don't think I'm weird or anything. I've only told one other person about this.

Alright...

I...

...have a uniform fetish.

I don't know why. I think it started in high school. At first, it was just like, hey, uniforms are kinda cool. Then it was like, hey, uniforms are kinda hot. Now it's like, OMG men in uniform! MOAR! I demand more! *drool* It's getting hot in here.

What kind of uniforms? Military and police uniforms. Tactical gear is pretty awesome too. If a cop is wearing tactical gloves, he gets bonus points.

No, my uniform fetish and me joining the military are unrelated. I can assure you. I've been interested in the military since I was a kid.

I denied it for a while, but finally decided to accept it last year. A few months ago, I went to Carl's Jr with my dad. Sitting a couple tables down to my right were two cops one of which was really hot. I had to try so hard not to look at them cause if I did, I wouldn't be able to stop staring. Yet I was continuing to look out of the corner of my eye. Only snapped out of it when my dad asked me if I was going to finish my fries.

What is it about them I like so much? Well, the uniforms are cool looking for one thing. But it's also the badassary associated with it. Maybe I have a thing for authority figures, I'm not sure.

Which uniforms are my favorite? Marine dress blues. No one can resist those.

But, one uniform rises above the rest in absolute hotness. Which is it?

Let's start with this quote from Terminal Lance: "As much as we all hate Nazis, you have to admit they had some pretty badass uniforms..." Also, the latest comic strip.

How about this discussion on Kotaku?

---------------

Azndude
No matter what people say, I will always think that Nazi Germany's officers uniforms to be one of the best, if not the best.
It has a very clear cut $tyle to it.

Now Nazi/fascist ideals can be burn in a pile of dog crap for all I care.

Leanid
Seriously. Everyone has a knee-jerk reaction whenever they see anything related to Nazis.

These dress uniforms are snazzy and intimidating. Also produced by Hugo Boss, though not designed.

kneegrow
Let's face it. The Nazis were murdering bastards -- but they sure knew how to dress for an occasion.

Sugoi
Fascists always have the best uniforms.

13CandyRainbowSuicideMachine
This is a truth I've had long discussions about with my friends.

---------------

Yes, the infamous black SS uniforms. Do I feel terrible about it? Yes, I do. But come on. Even the most hardheaded Nazi hater has to admit those uniforms are hot.

Even TV Tropes agrees:

"The Nazis. Let's face it, despite the notoriety of their deeds, those dudes were fashionable. Dress uniforms, especially that famous black SS uniforms with lots of leather and silver braid — yes."

Seriously, go to a certain imageboard and request pics of uniforms. Sooner or later (more likely sooner) that thread will consist of nothing but pics of SS uniforms. I've seen it happen so many times.

So yeah, I think those uniforms are hot and I'm not alone, deal with it.

Back to the Marine uniforms for a bit. Remember the Halo ODST Live Action short? The uniforms in that short were designed by the costume designer of Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers. I want the Marine Corps to make those the official uniforms because damn, they're hot.

So...it's not too weird right? I mean, most women like men in uniform. I just like uniforms a lot more than the average person.

I haven't been active at all. No blog, no posts in the forum, just a couple games added to my collection.

I've been sick. Nothing serious, just a really bad cold.

My dad's been sick for a few weeks and is now taking antibiotics. Since I'm home all the time, I've been making sure he doesn't forget to take his meds and whatnot.

I'm guessing I got sick from him. I'm the type of person who never gets sick. The worst I've gotten until now was a cold that lasted a day for two. Haven't gotten a flu shot in over ten years.

This time, my cold lasted for almost two weeks. My mom actually took me to the doctor.

Anyway, I'm better now so I hope to be more active. I'm still a little sick though so if I say things that don't make sense, just ignore it.

A couple days ago, I spent a couple minutes rambling about the different endings in the Mega Man X games for no apparent reason.

Only seven weeks left until I leave for Basic Training. Course I'm nervous. It's only 8 and a half weeks, how bad could it be?

Earlier today, I went to a gun range with my dad and his day-shift supervisor (security at a military base).

I had never fired a gun before. Never even fired a BB or airsoft gun. However, I have held a gun a couple of times.

My dad decided I should learn how to use a firearm not only so I know how to protect myself, but so I won't go into Basic completely clueless. It'll also give me a better chance to get one of those Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbons.

Naturally I was a bit nervous.

My dad paid the range fees and purchased the ammo while his supervisor brought the guns. He's got a lot of guns...

Proper hearing and eye protection is, of course, required.

The first gun I fired was a 9mm, a Glock. I already knew a couple of things like trigger discipline or "indexing" and how to hold a gun properly.

Just for the hell of it, I tried holding the gun Rebecca Chambers $tyle. Didn't care for it.

After my first magazine, my right hand had a tingling sensation. My dad's supervisor told me that it was normal. After more practice I would get used to it.

I also noticed that after firing the Glock for a few more minutes, my arms were quickly getting tired. This was also normal and would improve as I got more practice.

My dad and his supervisor gave me crash courses on the various guns and taught me how to breath properly to lower my heart rate and improve my aim.

Next, I fired an M4. I'll be firing a M16/M4 in Basic. Lessons on how to look down the sights, how to hold the weapon properly, how to load the weapon and where the safety is were given.

I had some trouble holding the M4. It's only a little over 8lbs loaded, but it felt heavier than that. Again, I was told that I would get used to it after a while.

My dad's supervisor suggested I try firing the weapon while sitting cross-legged. This was much easier for me as my arms didn't have to support the weight alone and I fired much more accurately despite the fact that it had not yet been zeroed.

"Don't worry about hitting the center since this M4 is not yet zeroed. Just focus on shooting tight groups."

I went back and forth between the Glock and the M4. Before I knew it, the nervousness was gone. I couldn't wait to reload and try again.

I'm not very good with the Glock. While I did hit the paper target, it was all over the place.

When I noticed my arms shaking a bit, I took a break and watched my dad fire a .44 Magnum Colt Anaconda. I was asked if I was willing to fire a round. I was a bit reluctant, but agreed.

My dad's supervisor was willing to help me hold the gun.

It had a lot of kick. I stumbled a couple steps back. Not ready for this gun yet... My dad was quite amused though.

We got a bit bored with the usual paper targets so we used some empty water bottles. Having me shoot at a water bottle would also give them a better idea of where I was shooting at and advise me accordingly.

When I wanted to fire the M4 again, my dad's supervisor attached a holographic weapon sight to it. A Monster can was set up as a target as it was much easier to see from a distance than a clear water bottle. I fired while sitting cross-legged.

I really liked the holographic sight. I was much more accurate with it. I hit the can three times. The third time I hit it, the can went flying and the top half broke off and flew over the hill. The bottom half fell behind a wooden board.

My arms were wobbling a bit again so I took another break watching them fire the M4 and Colt Anaconda for a while. I hope I get that good someday.

I really, really like that M4. I'm buying my own someday.

Three water bottles were set up for me to shoot.

I tried to go for the center one, but couldn't hit it. "F*** it," I thought to myself and went for the bottle on the left.

As I kept firing, despite the sound of the weapon and the hearing protection, I could overhear my dad and his supervisor commenting on my aim.

"She's shooting tight groups. Pretty good for a first timer."

I was still missing the bottle though.

"Her arms are wobbling quite a bit. She's getting tired." Strange, as I didn't feel tired, but that's probably because of that Monster I drank a few minutes earlier. The supervisor's trunk was full of them. Costco sized packs.

When the magazine was almost empty, I finally hit it.

My dad was about to fire the M4 when some guy in a golf cart drove up telling us to wrap things up. Party pooper.

We all had a great time. My dad's supervisor is such an awesome guy. Funny too. Type of guy you want to have a barbecue and drink beer with. On the drive back home, he and my dad discussed when we would go shooting again. I think they already got three more days set up.

I kept that Monster can I shot up as a souvenir. It's sitting on the kitchen table. Maybe I'll post pics.

I came to the realization that I'm much more comfortable firing a rifle than I am driving a car. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not.

Just thought I'd post links of my pictures of Metal Gear Solid RISK.

Limited Edition box art.

Back of the box.

Was hoping to get a lower number, but whatever. You can see Deus Ex in the background.

Since I now have an ImageShack account, I'll be able to show some more stuff.

It's January 1 already huh?

Normally a Christmas/New Year's blog from me wouldn't consist of much besides what I got for Christmas, but last week was really eventful.

It wasn't planned, but we kinda had a family gathering. While it was really nice to see everyone and we all had a great time, what brought us together was the death fo a family member.

Going to a funeral the day after Christmas is something no one wants to do, but that's life.

It was my great aunt or was it my dad's great aunt meaning it was my great great aunt...uh...I don't know.

Before you all go, "I'm sorry" and all that, I didn't really know her that well. I only met her two, maybe three times. It was nowhere near as emotional as it was at my uncle's funeral (where it affected the immediate family).

Her granddaughter almost broke down during the service. After the final viewing, everyone walked out of the church. The pallbearers were right inside. My father was one of the them. Everyone was talking so I could barely hear, but my dad said that she completely broke down, wailing almost. The thought of seeing her grandmother for the last time took its toll. She must have been crying for anywhere from 5-10 minutes. Two people finally calmed her down. At the cemetery, she showed almost no emotion, probably exhausted more than anything. The most depressing sight I ever did see. That's probably gonna be me at my dad's funeral. I don't want to think about it.

Al-alright, enough of that. She lived a long life. She was in her 80's. Life goes on as they say.

-------------

My dad woke everyone up at 7am. It was the day before the funeral. It's a long drive from Leander to Abilene lasting anywhere from 3-4 hours depending on traffic and road conditions.

By the time we made it to my aunt's house, I could no longer feel my ass. I could feel the blood rush to my legs as I got out of the car. Sure I spend a lot of time sitting when I play videogames, but I take the time to stretch once in a while like during a loading screen which doesn't happen often when playing on my GameCube so I have to wait for a cutscene or pause the game...or just play X-Men Legends.

Me and my brother were going to spend the night at our cousin's place while my parents were spending the night at my aunt's. My cousin has two kids, a son who is now 5 and a daughter who's 4. His son is so adorable! His smile and his laugh. I normally don't like kids, but...kawaii!

His daughter likes to play with things a young girl that age are normally into like plastic jewelry and princesses. Agony! She's obsessed with my mom though so she ignored me most of the time. Thanks mom! She did have some stuffed animals and I'm a sucker for those. My room is full of them (they even cover my bed) which looks kind of awkward when next to them sit games like Prince of Persia The Two Thrones and Silent Hill 3.

My aunt needed to get some things at Wal-Mart and my parents needed some things too so we all went together.

My cousin and his family were there too. They were hangin around the electronics section. He and his wife where buying their kids some stuff. In a couple days was his son's 5th birthday. My brother's birthday was also in December so it was decided to celebrate both their birthdays that evening.

My cousin's family and my family went together to the mall to look around. There was a huge bookstore there. The biggest I've seen in a while. My dad being a history buff immediately took notice of the massive history section. Like a kid in a candy store. I quickly went toward the manga section. I noticed a couple of series that I thought went out of print, but I guess they got reprinted. Most of the manga there were omnibus or those VizBig 3-volumes-in-1 editions. I prefer my smaller 200 page tankoban.

My cousin took me and my brother to the GameStop to buy us each a game. Quite a surprise. I not one of those people who hates GameStop with a passion or anything. I'm more in the "dislike" category. One thing I hate (as I'm sure most gamers do) is their practice of gutting games. I like my plastic wrap and my security seals thank you.

Anyway, my brother was looking through the Xbox section while I went straight for the DS games. The new games section was kinda small like most GameStop stores.

The game that instantly caught my eye was Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth. It was out of reach so I had to ask my cousin to grab it for me. Curse my Korean genes! While there were other quality titles, they were ones I could easily get for almost half price on Amazon.

When me and my brother decided on our games and when everyone else finished browsing and messing around (I managed to spend around 10 minutes playing SSFIV on the 3DS on display), we headed toward the counter. I asked if they had a copy of Miles Edgeworth that was still sealed. That was their last new copy. Oh well. The case had some obvious wear on it from people picking it up several times though the manual and other inserts had never been touched.

Leaving the mall, I mentioned the whole "gutting games" thing and wondered why they don't put games behind glass cases like..gee, I don't now...Wal-Mart?! GameStops are pretty small so it's not like it's going to take a huge amount of effort for an employee to walk ten feet from the counter to where a customer wants a game taken out for purchase. GameStops are only really busy for midnight releases and the holiday season anyway and during those times, most of the customers have pre-ordered anyway so the games are behind the counter still sealed. My cousin strongly agreed saying that when you want to buy a game as a gift, you want it sealed for whoever you're giving it too. In the case of me and my brother, it was fine since we picked those games out ourselves.

When we all got back to my cousin's place, he took out of bunch of DS games that he just bought for his kids (I assume he purchased them from Wal-Mart or Best Buy as they were all factory sealed). For Christmas he bought each of them a DS Lite. As he was opening up all the games, I noticed that he took all the manuals out and tossing the cases to the side. He didn't keep the cases and was planning on throwing them away. I asked if I could have them. He thought the request was a bit strange, but agreed.

I immediately took one of the cases and used it to replace the one Miles Edgeworth came in. Like brand new. The case was as smooth as a newborn's bottom. I had a big smile on my face. I now also have five or six spare DS cases.

I'm seriously thinking that I should have wrote that I have OCD on my medical form when going through MEPS, but the doctors there said if you've haven't been diagnosed with it by a medical professional, don't write it down so...it'd probably disqualify me anyway. Speaking of the military, big news! More on that later..

My cousin handed me his daughter's DS to play my new game. She was too busy playing with her Christmas toys anyway.

I've read that Miles Edgeworth has a dry sense of humor and he does, but I like it. I only got to play for about ten minutes. It was a bit chaotic in the house so it was kinda hard to concentrate on reading anyway.

I asked to look at at my cousin's iPhone. Just for curiosity I wanted to look up current prices for new copies of the Ace Attorney games. Needless to say, they're ridiculous (look at the prices of the second and third games - over 100 dollars!) with the exception of the original since Capcom decide to do another print run of that title. My copy of Miles Edgeworth was only $30 (plus whatever the tax was) compared to Amazon with prices starting in the mid $40s. When I showed my cousin this, he was a bit surprised, but also proud that he got a deal.

Yes, people. You can get good deals at GameStop. It just happens once in a blue moon. Just like how my friend got a opened, but never used copy of Xenosaga Episode III for $20 at a GameStop last summer.

That evening we ate out. My aunt suggested a place called Texas Road House. Never eaten there before. My family doesn't eat out much since my parents are frugal with their money. Eating out can be expensive. Not to mention my mantra, "Games over food any day of the week."

Each table has a bucket of peanuts which is apparently something it's known for. There were peanut shells all over the floor which strangely added to the atmosphere of the place.

As we waited for a waitress to ask us what drinks we wanted, I noticed the alcoholic drinks menu to my right. The item that caught my eye was "Alcohol-free Coolers." I had never seen or heard of such a thing. Without hesitation, that's what I ordered. Came in a big glass. I honestly didn't think I could finish it, but I did.

I didn't touch the appetizers and eagerly awaited my grilled shrimp. Haven't had shrimp for so long. I couldn't finish my meal. Before I could ask, our waitress asked if any of us wanted takeout containers.

When we got back, my cousin's wife took my container and put it in the fridge. I ate it later the next day right before me and my family left to head back home.

A bunch of relatives came over. At least I know who they are now. I generally don't like hanging around large groups of people, much less people I don't know. The birthday cake was brought out. We sang Happy Birthday. Blah blah blah.

I'm too full from Texas Road House to eat any cake. My cousins's daughter drags me to her room to play with some plastic jewelry. (Get me out of here!) She hands me some string and some plastic beads to make a bracelet. It's quite simple. She then takes all the bracelets she made and shows them to everyone. She tells everyone about the made I made. "She made this one all by herself!"

Everyone knows how much of tomboy I am. You can tell just by my appearance (Budlight cap, videogame tee, and jeans).

Knowing this, my cousin teases me about the bracelet I was forced to make.

We all spent the night playing videogames. Played some Scene It! Of course, I didn't do so well as I'm not a big movie person. If it was "Scene It! Videogame Edition" or "Scene It! Movies from the 40s and 50s Edition" (Humphrey Bogart and Alfred Hitchcock FTW), I would so kick ass!

Later on we played X-Men The Arcade Game. "X-Men! Welcome to die!" We made fun of the game the entire time. I was Nightcrawler, my brother was Colossus, and my cousin was Wolverine.

When Emma Frost appeared, I started attacking her before she could finish her line. I did not know you were supposed to wait. My cousin found this quite amusing. "Hey, she was monologuing!"

Sentinels in every color of the rainbow. Bipedal crocs. A giant Sentinel (I assume it's supposed to be Master Mold) that spits out guys on mini tanks. A boss called Wendigo that says his name over and over like a Pokemon. This game makes no sense.

The voice acting is hilarious.

Pyro shows up: "I will return you to toast!!!"

Me: "Return you to toast? So...we used to be toast...O__O?

In one scene Professor Xavier goes, "X-men!!! X-men!!!"

My cousin: "What? What?"

Professor X: "Alas, that was Mystique not Magneto. Magneto is in another place."

Me: "Magneto is in another castle."

Final battle with Magneto: "I am Magneto!!! Master of magnet!" ("Master of Magnet" - Hard to take anyone who says a line like that seriously)

During the fight: "X-Chicken!" "SHIELD!!!" "Kill you!" "Come to die!" "I kill you!" Magneto is apparently unable to speak proper English. He also talks too much.

When the game is beaten some text appears onscreen.

First line: "Magneto is defeated."

My brother: "With the power of button mashing..."

My cousin: "...and bad dialogue."

Really cheesy. In a good way.

So after X-Men, it's about time to go to bed. Me and my brother are sleeping on the two couches in the living room. As my cousin brings out pillows and blankets for us, I download the El shaddai demo. I want to play this game so bad even if it's just a demo.

My cousin watches for a bit then goes to bed. After finishing the demo, I notice some PS1 games that he bought on PSN and decided to play Castlevania SotN. I'm the only one awake at this point.

The next morning, my cousin asks about the El Shaddai demo, but I had already deleted it thinking he had no interest in it. It is a very niche game. He said that he'll just download it later.

Once everyone arrives at the church where the service will take place, an older lady walks into the hall saying lunch is ready. She volunteers to say grace and whatnot. Afterwards she says to follow her to the dining area. I grab a plate and begin piling on the food.

I quickly realize that I'm the only one grabbing food. I look behind me and everyone else is still talking. Two older women in the kitchen seem amused at the situation and how confused and awkward I look standing there by myself.

Like the family reunion earlier that year, I'm surrounded by people I'm unfamiliar with, but at least I know more people than I did just a year ago.

Then we have the funeral service and all that.

Fast forward...

After the funeral, everyone hangs out for a while talking about old times and catching up on what everyone's been up to.

After that, it's time for the long drive back. I drift in and out of sleep. Sometimes I look out the window at the stars. My mom and dad talk periodically.

It's around 9pm when we get home.

I put my new Ace Attorney game in the drawer with the rest of my DS games. In the near future I plan to get the three other games I don't have. I don't know about Gyakuten Kenji 2 (Miles Edgeworth 2) since I can't read Japanese.

The spare DS cases are in a plastic bag. I haven't had a chance to put them up yet.

-------------

The next day I decided to play PoP: T2T. I had bought the game months before but never played it. Beat it in two sittings. I couldn't put it down. Damn, I love that game.

And that's how I spent the last week of 2011. Bittersweet I would say.

And for Christmas I got Metal Gear Solid RISK and the Dark Link Exclusive statue from First4Figures. The statue was very expensive so that's why I only got two things.

And here is that big military related news I mentioned earlier.

I now have an official ship out date.

I leave on April 3rd to go to Basic Military Training.

When that day comes, I'll be gone from GS. Not forever. Just a really long time. When April 3rd comes around, don't be surprised to see me gone for three or four months.

This isn't normal.

He's acting out of character. It's not like him.

Who, you ask? My dad!

Me and my dad were watching the History channel. On the show we were watching, there was a scene showing a guy about to be silenced by an assassin. So being the nerd that I am, I pointed at the man and yelled, "ASSASSIN!" just like NPCs would do in Assassin's Creed if you blew your cover. (I still haven't gotten a chance to play any of the games. Woe is me.)

Almost immediately after I said this, my dad says in a deep, gruff, movie-announcer voice, "Assassin's Creed."

I was caught off guard by this.

My dad is not a gamer. Last time he played games was back in the 80's during the arcade craze. He played Pac-Man, Space Invader, and Centipede. Only arcade stuff, didn't play on home consoles. Hasn't played games since. Will occasionsly play Solitaire on the PC during work, but that's it. Plus he's in his mid 50's.

So you see, hearing him make a reference to game that came out this generation is a surprise.

Though he's not a gamer, at least he isn't completely clueless. Back in the day when my parents did Christmas shopping at an actual store and before I could be considered an hardcore gamer (I knew nothing beyond Mario, Pokemon, and Zelda) all I had to do was tell my dad the name of the game and the system it was for and he would get it. Never messed up. And of course my dad knows about Mario and Pokemon (as I grew up in the 90's). Who doesn't?

I will tell my dad about games I'm interested in, but I don't dwell on a game I can't or haven't played. I spend more time talking about games that are from last generation, games that I'm currently playing.

This isn't the first incident of my dad displaying knowledge of games from out of the blue.

A few months back there was a neighborhood yard sale. As my dad and I were setting things up someone drove up asking if we had any electronics to sell even broken ones. He asked if we had any old games such as Atari or NES. I told him that I didn't have games that old and that I never sell games anyway. He and my dad started talking about how games were so much simpler back then. The guy really liked the NES. My dad was telling him about how I'm a big fan of Nintendo games with The Legend of Zelda being my favorite. Then all of a sudden my dad is like, "You look at Link from the first game and then you see him now, he's changed so much. Graphics have really come a long way."

What is this?! I never told my dad who Link was. When I talked about the Zelda games, I never said, "Link went into the the Water Temple and it was a pain." No, I said, "I went into the Water Temple and it was a pain." I used "I" since I'm playing the game. If I did mention Link by name, then it was years ago when I was little or it was only one time thing. Usually when I tell my dad the names of characters he forgets anyway.

On top of that, my dad started to brag to the guy about how big my game collection was! What's going on? My dad having an active discussion about games and bragging about my gaming credentials? Wh-what? My mind is so full of f*** right now! :shock:

Mentioning how much Link has changed graphically was more than likely a reference to Video Games Live! A concert me and my family went to back in 07 (Houston) and 08 (Austin). They showed a Zelda montage showing scenes from all the games. That's probably the most exposure my dad has had to gaming culture since the arcades in the 80's. And because of that concert, my dad is a fan of the music from Halo. He loves those drums!

My dad's never watched me play games either since all the games are in my room except for one occasion. When we first moved to Texas all our stuff hadn't arrived and we didn't have things like cable set up yet so my dad watched me play Soul Calibur II. I remember my dad kept asking me to play as Yoshimitsu or "that mask wearing guy" as he called him.

It gets weirder. The other day my dad mentioned the costume contest that is held at Video Games Live!. He mentioned the one in 08 where two people were dressed as Spartans and were holding a flag just like the one you see in mulitplayer. They won the contest. Anyway my dad at dinner was like, "Remember those two people dressed as Spartans from Halo? They were pretty neat." He remembers what a Spartan is?! OMG! The end is nigh!

And speaking of costumes, my dad thinks that the pointed hood from Assassin's Creed is awesome and that every assassin should wear one so you'll look cool while killing people. What?

My dad does know about Master Chief, but it's not weird since my dad was in the Navy so he's farmiliar with the ranks so it's easy for him to remember and the fact that Master Chief is known to just about everyone.

He does seem to have an interest in Halo, but probabaly because it's all about the Navy and Marines kicking ass.

In the past year or so, my dad has suddenly displayed increased knowledge of videogames. And if anything I've been telling him stuff about videogames much less than in years past. Instead I'm constantly asking him about the military and what to expect since I'll be leaving soon which is pointless since the Air Force is very differernt than the Navy and the military has changed in the past few decades.

So what exactly is going on? Is it all the gaming commercials that he's seeing? Has he actually been paying attention when I talk to him about games? Is it my younger brother's fault since he constantly talks about newer games? Does he have some sort of inner gaming potential that never developed? I thought it'd be cool if I had a parent that played games. A friend of mine has a gaming mom so I was kinda jealous, but now it's getting kinda weird.

Wh-what's going on?!

WHAT SORCERY IS THIS?!?! O.O