After such an exciting first week, I actually realized that I ran out of places that I wanted to visit. I decided that it was time to visit a different place that I haven't been to in years.
I reactivated my WoW account using the 10-day Wrath of the Lich King trial on Battle.Net. It was good to know that this 5-year old laptop could still run the game, albeit on all-low settings. I created a Death Knight on Thaurissan to try out since I no longer knew anyone who played on Gorgonnash. I was immediately hooked to the game again and played it for the greater part of last week. Playing the game was a highly nostalgic experience and, during those few days, I felt like I was reliving my pre-working life again.
However, I was soon reminded that my eyes had not yet recovered and decided that it would be best to cut down till the end of the trial. At least I know the game still works on my laptop and I have that 2-month prepaid card sitting in my drawer (since 2008; I wonder if it still works) should I wish to venture into Azeroth again.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
There can Only be One (Penguin)
I have been working on a casual Magic: The Gathering blog since the beginning of the year but didn't want to announce it at that time due to lack of content.
Penguin Highlander:
http://penguinhighlander.wordpress.com/
The name was originally Elder Penguin Highlander (a play on EDH, Elder Dragon Highlander) but it was deemed way too long and I eventually decided to shorten it.
For those who had been following me, my original plan since last year had been to start a video game blog that would promote console gaming in Singapore. I have always felt that there weren't enough local gaming blogs around and that, with my experience, I could offer something different to the community other than the standard game reviews and copy-pasta news.
However, the idea was never realized and, in its place, I have started working on a Magic: The Gathering blog. I am not sure how often I will update it but it is just a place for me to organize my MTG posts.
Penguin Highlander:
http://penguinhighlander.wordpress.com/
The name was originally Elder Penguin Highlander (a play on EDH, Elder Dragon Highlander) but it was deemed way too long and I eventually decided to shorten it.
For those who had been following me, my original plan since last year had been to start a video game blog that would promote console gaming in Singapore. I have always felt that there weren't enough local gaming blogs around and that, with my experience, I could offer something different to the community other than the standard game reviews and copy-pasta news.
However, the idea was never realized and, in its place, I have started working on a Magic: The Gathering blog. I am not sure how often I will update it but it is just a place for me to organize my MTG posts.
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
No More Work = Freedom!
The 28th of February marked the last day of my job at Great Eastern. I have worked there since July 2007 and, being my first full-time job, it had been a very good learning experience. My decision to leave was not an easy one to make but, after a lot of discussion with my friends and family, I felt that it was best that I took a break from working and looked for better prospects.
And so my long break has begun. Over the course of last week, I went shopping at Orchard, checked out NEX at Serangoon and caught some movies at Bugis Junction and Republic Polytechnic. I also spent quite a lot of time frequenting various TCG stores and played in the MTG Game Day.
It was almost if I had gone back to the days when I was still studying and had all the time in the world to do anything I wanted. I am having tons of fun! I have not felt so carefree in years. This break was just what I needed and I look forward to finding ways to spend my time in the coming weeks. :)
And so my long break has begun. Over the course of last week, I went shopping at Orchard, checked out NEX at Serangoon and caught some movies at Bugis Junction and Republic Polytechnic. I also spent quite a lot of time frequenting various TCG stores and played in the MTG Game Day.
It was almost if I had gone back to the days when I was still studying and had all the time in the world to do anything I wanted. I am having tons of fun! I have not felt so carefree in years. This break was just what I needed and I look forward to finding ways to spend my time in the coming weeks. :)
Friday, February 25, 2011
Star-Shaped Eyes and a Pink Pouch
I picked up Prinny 2 for the PSP in mid February!
I still can't believe the game took close to a year to get an English release. I never got about to finishing the first game due to its brutal difficulty (I stubbornly refuse to use YouTube to beat the final boss). At least there is a "Baby Easy Mode" this time round if I ever need it (actually, I'd rather not use it...).
About a week later, Prinny Asagi herself arrived from the NIS America Online Store.
I find their product description of Asagi to be rather cute:
"You can’t find a cuter Prinny than the Asagi Prinny with star-shaped eyes and a pink pouch."
It looks like she is getting along fine with my Red Scary Prinny.
I wonder if there ever will ever be a third Prinny game.
I still can't believe the game took close to a year to get an English release. I never got about to finishing the first game due to its brutal difficulty (I stubbornly refuse to use YouTube to beat the final boss). At least there is a "Baby Easy Mode" this time round if I ever need it (actually, I'd rather not use it...).
About a week later, Prinny Asagi herself arrived from the NIS America Online Store.
I find their product description of Asagi to be rather cute:
"You can’t find a cuter Prinny than the Asagi Prinny with star-shaped eyes and a pink pouch."
It looks like she is getting along fine with my Red Scary Prinny.
I wonder if there ever will ever be a third Prinny game.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Belated Chinese New Year Post 2011
I had a rather meaningful Chinese New Year this time round. On the first day (Thursday), I actually dropped by at my Grandmother's place to meet up with my Father and mingle with other relatives. I actually neglected visiting them for the past 1-2 years so they were quite surprised and delighted to see me.
On the second day (Friday), I went over to JB to spend a day with my Mother. Just like the previous year, my Guardian drove me across the Causeway and dropped me off at the New York Hotel where my Mother was waiting (she currently resides in KL).
We had a buffet lunch in the hotel's restaurant and then rested in the hotel room for the entire afternoon. I kept fiddling around with my iPhone, trying to get it to connect to the hotel's wifi (which I paid for) but to no avail. It probably only worked with laptops. We initially did not have any plans for the day since most of the stores were closed. It was then my Mother suggested catching The Green Hornet after dinner which I felt was a great idea.
At around 6 pm, we went to the nearby Carabao Authentic Thai Restaurant. It was very filling and I had a good chat with my Mother.
After dinner, we cabbed over to City Square to check the movie timings for The Green Hornet. I was actually very surprised to see that the cinema was managed by Cathay just like the ones in Singapore (Wow, I sound very ignorant haha). We bought tickets for the 9:30 pm show and went window-shopping around till then.
I know that a lot of people were saying that The Green Hornet is a terrible show. I was keen on watching it because it starred Jay Chou. I support Asian actors! I actually didn't know that Christoph Waltz, of Inglourious Basterds fame, was playing the villain. Anyway, The Green Hornet was one of those typical cheesy/comedic 'buddy hero' movies that no one should take seriously. And yet, I found it rather amusing and fun to watch because Jay Chou made it all better. :)
After the movie, we returned to the hotel. My Guardian was already waiting there and he drove me back. Even though I only went across the Causeway for one day, I actually enjoyed myself very much. It felt as though I had just gone for a holiday in a different country (technically, it is) and it was something I had no experienced in ages. Perhaps I should stay longer for my next visit.
On the second day (Friday), I went over to JB to spend a day with my Mother. Just like the previous year, my Guardian drove me across the Causeway and dropped me off at the New York Hotel where my Mother was waiting (she currently resides in KL).
We had a buffet lunch in the hotel's restaurant and then rested in the hotel room for the entire afternoon. I kept fiddling around with my iPhone, trying to get it to connect to the hotel's wifi (which I paid for) but to no avail. It probably only worked with laptops. We initially did not have any plans for the day since most of the stores were closed. It was then my Mother suggested catching The Green Hornet after dinner which I felt was a great idea.
At around 6 pm, we went to the nearby Carabao Authentic Thai Restaurant. It was very filling and I had a good chat with my Mother.
After dinner, we cabbed over to City Square to check the movie timings for The Green Hornet. I was actually very surprised to see that the cinema was managed by Cathay just like the ones in Singapore (Wow, I sound very ignorant haha). We bought tickets for the 9:30 pm show and went window-shopping around till then.
I know that a lot of people were saying that The Green Hornet is a terrible show. I was keen on watching it because it starred Jay Chou. I support Asian actors! I actually didn't know that Christoph Waltz, of Inglourious Basterds fame, was playing the villain. Anyway, The Green Hornet was one of those typical cheesy/comedic 'buddy hero' movies that no one should take seriously. And yet, I found it rather amusing and fun to watch because Jay Chou made it all better. :)
After the movie, we returned to the hotel. My Guardian was already waiting there and he drove me back. Even though I only went across the Causeway for one day, I actually enjoyed myself very much. It felt as though I had just gone for a holiday in a different country (technically, it is) and it was something I had no experienced in ages. Perhaps I should stay longer for my next visit.
Monday, January 31, 2011
January Eye Check-Up
I went for my follow-up eye examination last Thursday. The doctor seemed a little puzzled that I had shown no improvement and suggested that I undergo a few more tests. He asked for my consent first, pointing out that it won't be cheap.
At first, I was somewhat relieved that we were going to be making progress but, much to my annoyance, by the end of it, (1) the bill was the equivalent of what I take home every month, and (2) the doctor still couldn't pinpoint what I was suffering from (he says I have some symptoms of eye diseases but it is too early to tell). He then sent me home with the same bunch of medication and told me to return in 2 months to see if there is any further development. 2 months?! I feel like I just wasted my time and money for nothing.
I guess the only things I can do for now is to live my life normally until the next check-up. If that still doesn't work, perhaps it is time I seek a 2nd opinion. I hear that Traditional Chinese Medicine is pretty effective nowadays so I might give that a shot.
At first, I was somewhat relieved that we were going to be making progress but, much to my annoyance, by the end of it, (1) the bill was the equivalent of what I take home every month, and (2) the doctor still couldn't pinpoint what I was suffering from (he says I have some symptoms of eye diseases but it is too early to tell). He then sent me home with the same bunch of medication and told me to return in 2 months to see if there is any further development. 2 months?! I feel like I just wasted my time and money for nothing.
I guess the only things I can do for now is to live my life normally until the next check-up. If that still doesn't work, perhaps it is time I seek a 2nd opinion. I hear that Traditional Chinese Medicine is pretty effective nowadays so I might give that a shot.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
My Replacement Needs a Replacement
My one-week ICT ended last week. I am beginning to feel that low-key ICTs are the same every time. I still have a 3-week ICT this coming April. It's going to be terrible but for now, I shall rejoice at the fact that I have cleared another ICT. 1 high/ 2 lows down. 7 more to go.
I returned to work on Monday and was pleasantly surprised to see that my boss had managed to hire a replacement for me in my absence. By now, a majority of the people at work know that I will be leaving the agency at the end of February.
My replacement was a 30-something-year-old lady who had prior experience as an admin assistant. She sounded like she was from Myanmar or something. It was her first day on the job so I started teaching her about the stuff I did. Halfway into the day, I started to feel that she was a bit (for the lack of a more suitable phrase) "cannot make it".
The first hint came when we were talking about her previous job at a car company. The expression on her face changed when she learned that what she used to do was a mere fraction of what I am currently doing.
The second hint came when I was trying to teach her stuff after lunch and she stopped me, saying that she was starting to have a headache and needed a break. I left her alone for the rest of the day, thinking to myself that I'll leave the other stuff for tomorrow. After all, I had the entire month to teach her. There was no hurry.
But then the next day came and she totally went AWOL. She refused to pick up her phone when I called her. Hours later, she SMS'ed me to say that she has decided to quit because the job was not suitable for her. Oh yeah, and due to "personal reasons". What a brilliant excuse. This is totally ridiculous. It made me realize that out there, there are probably lots of people pulling this kind of shit and getting away with it.
Anyway, I spoke to a few colleagues and they also felt that she "couldn't make it". Oh, well. I hope the next one will be better.
I returned to work on Monday and was pleasantly surprised to see that my boss had managed to hire a replacement for me in my absence. By now, a majority of the people at work know that I will be leaving the agency at the end of February.
My replacement was a 30-something-year-old lady who had prior experience as an admin assistant. She sounded like she was from Myanmar or something. It was her first day on the job so I started teaching her about the stuff I did. Halfway into the day, I started to feel that she was a bit (for the lack of a more suitable phrase) "cannot make it".
The first hint came when we were talking about her previous job at a car company. The expression on her face changed when she learned that what she used to do was a mere fraction of what I am currently doing.
The second hint came when I was trying to teach her stuff after lunch and she stopped me, saying that she was starting to have a headache and needed a break. I left her alone for the rest of the day, thinking to myself that I'll leave the other stuff for tomorrow. After all, I had the entire month to teach her. There was no hurry.
But then the next day came and she totally went AWOL. She refused to pick up her phone when I called her. Hours later, she SMS'ed me to say that she has decided to quit because the job was not suitable for her. Oh yeah, and due to "personal reasons". What a brilliant excuse. This is totally ridiculous. It made me realize that out there, there are probably lots of people pulling this kind of shit and getting away with it.
Anyway, I spoke to a few colleagues and they also felt that she "couldn't make it". Oh, well. I hope the next one will be better.
Sunday, January 09, 2011
MTG: Elder Dragon Highlander (Commander)
Having less time for video games (due to health reasons) mean that I recently have more time for cards! I am currently just waiting for Mirrodin: Besieged's release and dabbling more in Elder Dragon Highlander, or EDH for short. It is a casual variant format which I have been playing for several months. It is possibly one of the most fun I've had in M:TG in years!
In EDH, each player builds a 100-card deck using only a single copy of any card (hence, highlander) including one Legendary Creature that the player chooses to be his General. The cards used in the deck has to share the General's colour(s). This General starts the game outside of the deck and can be cast into play. There are other rules of course but this is just the gist of it.
Due to the nature of the game, the format is all about casting big spells and watching crazy card interactions/combos unfold. As such, seemingly unplayable cards and junk rares have a home now. The fact that the format does not rotate makes it very accessible to former players as well who have lots of old cards lying around.
I am playing a Mono-Black EDH deck at the moment and it is very fun to use the best Black cards in M:TG, past and present. It feels like a trip down memory lane when I play old favourites that were popular during the time that they were Type II legal.
Wizards of the Coast have decided support the EDH format by releasing 5 precons this year. Apart from the name change (it will be officially known as "Commander" instead of EDH), the game will be untouched and will remain as a community-run format. Mono Black is cool but I'm looking forward to delve into the realm of multi-colour generals once I get my hands on the new Black/Green/White precon (my favourite 3 colours of MTG).
In EDH, each player builds a 100-card deck using only a single copy of any card (hence, highlander) including one Legendary Creature that the player chooses to be his General. The cards used in the deck has to share the General's colour(s). This General starts the game outside of the deck and can be cast into play. There are other rules of course but this is just the gist of it.
Due to the nature of the game, the format is all about casting big spells and watching crazy card interactions/combos unfold. As such, seemingly unplayable cards and junk rares have a home now. The fact that the format does not rotate makes it very accessible to former players as well who have lots of old cards lying around.
I am playing a Mono-Black EDH deck at the moment and it is very fun to use the best Black cards in M:TG, past and present. It feels like a trip down memory lane when I play old favourites that were popular during the time that they were Type II legal.
Wizards of the Coast have decided support the EDH format by releasing 5 precons this year. Apart from the name change (it will be officially known as "Commander" instead of EDH), the game will be untouched and will remain as a community-run format. Mono Black is cool but I'm looking forward to delve into the realm of multi-colour generals once I get my hands on the new Black/Green/White precon (my favourite 3 colours of MTG).
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
New Year 2011
Today was finally my first day of work in the new year. My boss was nice enough to give me Monday off so that meant no Monday Blues for me. Somehow, it doesn't feel like a brand New Year to me (I don't really know why).
Just a quick recap of how I spent the last day of 2010 and the first few days of 2011.
Friday (31st DEC 2011)
- Went to my boss' place for agency BBQ after work.
- Countdown at home!
Saturday (1st JAN 2011)
- Met up with Addict at GameHaven for M:TG. Played EDH (Elder Dragon Highlander), followed by dinner at Arnold's Chicken.
Sunday (2nd JAN 2011)
- Went to Mutoren's house to watch Scott Pilgrim and played some Kinect with the Xbox gang.
- Dinner and window-shopping at Funan.
Monday (3rd JAN 2011)
- Rested at home!
By now, most people already know that I have tendered my resignation at my current job. I plan to work until the end of February, followed by a one-month break in March before I go for reservist in April. After that, I'll start job-hunting again. Looks like it's going to be quite an eventful year!
Just a quick recap of how I spent the last day of 2010 and the first few days of 2011.
Friday (31st DEC 2011)
- Went to my boss' place for agency BBQ after work.
- Countdown at home!
Saturday (1st JAN 2011)
- Met up with Addict at GameHaven for M:TG. Played EDH (Elder Dragon Highlander), followed by dinner at Arnold's Chicken.
Sunday (2nd JAN 2011)
- Went to Mutoren's house to watch Scott Pilgrim and played some Kinect with the Xbox gang.
- Dinner and window-shopping at Funan.
Monday (3rd JAN 2011)
- Rested at home!
By now, most people already know that I have tendered my resignation at my current job. I plan to work until the end of February, followed by a one-month break in March before I go for reservist in April. After that, I'll start job-hunting again. Looks like it's going to be quite an eventful year!
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
New Year Resolutions for 2011
I have not done this in quite a while but here are my New Year's Resolutions for 2011 and I hope I can at least try to accomplish some of them.
(In no particular order of importance. Well, except for the first one.)
1) Take better care of my health.
- No more thinking "it won't happen to me lol". My unhealthy lifestyle of long gaming hours and late nights had resulted in my recent illness (dry eyes & blurry vision). I need to control how long I spend gaming/using the computer and trying to sleep early for a change. I hope this will lead to speedy recovery.
- In addition , I aim to get more exercise this year and hope to lose a couple of inches around the waist. As for the kind of exercise, I was hoping to keep it indoors and in the comfort of my home (*koff*Kinect*koff*). I'll see how this turns out.
2) Get a new job.
- I am hoping to switch jobs by the middle or 3rd quarter of the year after my one-month-long reservist. I've been at my current job for nearly 3½ years and it has become very routine for me. I feel that I should try something different. A change of environment is always good.
3) Personal Makeover?
- Gonna try and be more sociable. Open up a bit. Talk to more people. Befriend strangers. Learn some people skills. I am not sure how but I'll try. Who knows, I might finally find someone to settle down with. Perhaps a personal makeover is in order.
4) Do something about my room.
- I have been procrastinating this for like two years now. My room is always in a mess. I've been wanting to throw out a whole bunch of junk and replace the cupboard/shelves in my room. Maybe I'll get it this time.
5) Get working on my blog.
The idea of starting a gaming blog has been on my mind for over a year now. The lack of inspiration to write and laziness keeps it from happening time and time again. As with above, maybe I'll finally get it this time.
6) Game Less.
- Nuff' said. And also to stop buying every new game out there thinking that I can easily sell it off if it sucks. I need to start looking into the second hand market myself more.
(In no particular order of importance. Well, except for the first one.)
1) Take better care of my health.
- No more thinking "it won't happen to me lol". My unhealthy lifestyle of long gaming hours and late nights had resulted in my recent illness (dry eyes & blurry vision). I need to control how long I spend gaming/using the computer and trying to sleep early for a change. I hope this will lead to speedy recovery.
- In addition , I aim to get more exercise this year and hope to lose a couple of inches around the waist. As for the kind of exercise, I was hoping to keep it indoors and in the comfort of my home (*koff*Kinect*koff*). I'll see how this turns out.
2) Get a new job.
- I am hoping to switch jobs by the middle or 3rd quarter of the year after my one-month-long reservist. I've been at my current job for nearly 3½ years and it has become very routine for me. I feel that I should try something different. A change of environment is always good.
3) Personal Makeover?
- Gonna try and be more sociable. Open up a bit. Talk to more people. Befriend strangers. Learn some people skills. I am not sure how but I'll try. Who knows, I might finally find someone to settle down with. Perhaps a personal makeover is in order.
4) Do something about my room.
- I have been procrastinating this for like two years now. My room is always in a mess. I've been wanting to throw out a whole bunch of junk and replace the cupboard/shelves in my room. Maybe I'll get it this time.
5) Get working on my blog.
The idea of starting a gaming blog has been on my mind for over a year now. The lack of inspiration to write and laziness keeps it from happening time and time again. As with above, maybe I'll finally get it this time.
6) Game Less.
- Nuff' said. And also to stop buying every new game out there thinking that I can easily sell it off if it sucks. I need to start looking into the second hand market myself more.
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