Retail Therapy For Impulsive Disorder?

Right. We actually meant to talk about this and not really do a review for WoW:TCG.

Now what led to that? Well, we received a call during lunch yesterday to inform that our dear camera has finally been repaired and ready to be taken home. So we popped down to 1U after work.

Once again, one more turn...

And popped into a PC store to see if Hammers of Fate was out. It was. Bang! It's mine.

Then popped into Anime Tech for a look-see if Death Note was available. It wasn't, but they have Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children 2-CD Original Soundtrack. Bang! Mine.

Those, plus the Jamiroquai High Times and Robbie Williams Rudebox and That's Life, unplanned purchases all of them...

It's a good thing the Nintendo Wii is not cheap at RM2090.

And we haven't even started our Christmas shopping yet.

Help.

Like, wow...

Of late we've been heading back to trading card games (TCGs) whatwith the arrival of World of Warcraft (WoW): TCG from Upper Deck Entertainment. We weren't really that interested in the game so much as to rush out and buy a starter to try the mechanic like we did for Lord Of The Rings TCG by Decipher (of course, LotR:TCG was released after The Fellowship movie was screened, and we were still enthralled by the Nazgul at that point) when we upped and bought the Deluxe Starter set.

When a friend bought some starters and boosters for WoW we then had a chance to explore the mechanics and game. First card we'd glanced upon was a Rebecca Guay! Whoa. That made a good impression. The game idea was pretty simple: pick a hero, build a deck based on the hero class by throwing in allies and equipment and quests, whack enemy heroes. Somehow, that's when the nitpicking started...

The game is expensive to invest in. Other TCGs cost on average RM35 per starter and RM11. WoW costs RM57 per starter and RM15 per booster. Plus the fact that the starter contains only 30 cards plus 2 boosters.

The card pool me friend had was limited for deck construction. There were 9 classes of heroes to choose from! So our Undead Priest had only one equipment in the whole pool of cards he could use, but it went against our deck strategy of emptying the opponent's hand. But then again Priests probably don't go around bashing people with their staves all that often, nor would Priests actually be able to do a Barbarian War Cry we guess...

Allies make up the brunt of the army, and thankfully they aren't as limited. Like 'Mechs in Battletech:TCG, they're just aligned with one side and many can fit into your deck. Now if only we had more that helped our Undead Priest but so far the allies we've got somewhat complemented the deck.

Combat is done by targetting individual allies or heroes to whack. Hmmm. Somehow this bit seems problematic, because weak allies probably won't survive to see the light of day (of the next turn) if they're just marked for death each time they show their face. At least in Battletech 'Mech's can only target slower 'Mechs and in Star Wars (by WotC) speed determines initiative irregardless of player turn.

Quests are twofold: they work as resources and card fetchers. But as resources they're not really that necessary, as any card can be played face-down as a resource in the first place. This throws up the question, "Is it still necessary to build a deck of 33% resource?" and we thinks, "Not really. We'll just pick a few quests that fetches allies."

Given the card pool limitations, we had an Undead Priest (Omedus the Punisher) deck that does a one-off direct damage of (7 minus cards in target opponent's hand), very very few cards to cause an opponent to discard, plenty of allies and 9 quests. The deck is pretty much anything goes.

Early playtesting finds that numerous allies, with added fact of the ability to target nearly ally/hero during combat pushes advantage to whoever has stronger and/or more allies in play. Tension is fairly balanced with the choice of playing a card as a resource or holding it back for later. We have yet to do a multiplayer game, and am looking forward to introducing the 'It' multiplayer variant (ahhh Battletech days...).

Damn, it turned out to be a WoW:TCG report. And while we were playing WoW, our minds kept thinking back to Battletech.

Nevermind, onwards with the preview card, next post.

Ouch.

Camera shop just called - repair costs for broken Canon Ixus 55 LCD screen is RM220. Sigh. What to do? Cough up the cash of course.

And I Was Not Going To Blog About Work...

It's odd, how my ex-colleagues don't believe me when I tell them about my job.

So since we've changed jobs we'd to update peeps who ask. Of course, how much fun to take them on a more memorable job description. However, those whom I've worked with before took what I said with more than a pinch of salt, while old classmates from various educational institutes took my word for gospel.

As a friend put after clearing the matter up with her on what I'm currently doing: "You see, your friends trust what you say!" Nice.

First time I'd announced I was changing jobs, I'd sent out this text to friends. This was during the Thailand military coup:

Hi. sorry i didnt tell u that Im moving permanently to Bangkok nxt wk. I dont know how long i am staying there. I will gv u the number, address and new email when i get there. Hope 2 c u b4 i leave? Sorry 4 d short notice. I hv no choice. They hv chosen me as the



Next President of Thailand.....

Heh. Now some friends and me sis recognize this not to be my style of texting, and sis even texted back to say, "Thailand has Prime Minister lah, not President."

Nowadays we tell people that we're working as the cleaning supervisor in Amcorp Mall.

Really.

No joke.

Have to take care of 15 cleaners, 4 floors (shopping mall) plus 36 floors (2 office towers), and even the parking basements not easy you know?

It's Supposed To Be A Simple Business Trip...

So why is it when I dump my stuff in the hotel, I have to make 2 trips from the car???

My luggage bag, the shoe bag and Fitness First bag on top of it, a company baggy with loads of materials and papers inside, my Playstation 2 and the laptop.

I Want

Oh dear, temptation-by-brain is at it again.

Have just updated phone software of my trusty (albeit cranky) Nok7710 - a phone that gets most people asking, "Is that the Nokia N-Gage ar?" - for the first time since I've gotten it 2 years ago. That's 2 years that I've been tolerating slow applications; cranky, sudden phone resets; phone hanging up on me (without even me knowing most times!); and my alarm not ringing.

Why wait so long for a software update? Because all this time I've been checking the website, there has been absolutely no annoucement of a software update - under 'Applications and Services' or Software and Support for Owners' I just get a lot of 'Try and Buy' games and such. No such news that goes, "Oh, we've heard a number of complaints about the Nokia 7710, here's a patch to make things better."

*not that I complained in the first place, I love my Nok7710 regardless*

Anyways, was browsing in a Nokia store when I happen to ask them if there were any updates for the phone. Fiddling with my phone, the fellow says yes, it's now version 4, yours is version 2.

>:(

That's 1 year past my warranty. Now I've to pay to have it updated.

Took me a while to get it done, because the fellow tells me they're only open at office hours - when I got there they told me they're open till 7pm, even on Saturdays. Bah. And I was down at KL twice on Saturday thinking the place was closed!

Even getting the phone software updated entailed its own risk - the customer service woman gives a once-through on my phone to note down it's current state (so that when I get back my phone I don't go, "Woi! Where this scratch come from?" etc) and I was pleased with her comment, "Wah, your phone still looks new."

*beams*

Then she continued with, "If there's any problem while updating the software, like if it hangs, got different charges ya."

*blink*

Say what?

"Quotation for that is [checks price list] RM270."

Muh?

Dilemma. Risk the bloody thing causing me extra charges, or live with annoying OS? In the end I decided to risk it. I had to spend a good 4 hours or so totally blocked out from communications waiting for my phone. And since I use my phone as my watch as well I had no sense of time.

Whoa. Gadget-dependant, I am.

When I got back my phone it's as if I've just gotten it for the first time (but I have back-up!). And the software update has made things better. Glee. No complains now.

But...but...but...

Brain is pushing to get something new...OMG. I can't afford this. I've just had the software updated so I could still love my current phone! Brain wants PDA as well as nice new phone! Brain is sick of writing texts and wants alphanumeric keypads once more. Brain wants nonbulky phone. But brain wants PDA for organising purposes too so that brain doesn't need to overextend itself remembering too many appointments and to-dos!

The brain wants, but wallet needs a sugar daddy.

Lazyman's Wrapping 103

This time we've a big prez to wrap. Not keen on taping 2 pieces of wrapping paper together and working from there, I'd decided to go back to wrapping tissue. Unfortunately, this time it's not so quick to finish this.

Requires:
Wrapping tissue
Box
Paper

Firstly, box the present.

Wrap boxed prez in brown paper. Note: Brown paper makes wrapping ugly.

Print out birthday greeting big enough to cover top quarter of box top.

Lazyman's option: Stop here, paste birthday greeting on box and send by courier service of choice.

Else, continue. Paste birthday greeting on contrasting card and stick onto a corner of the box.

Then proceed to wrap with wrapping tissue.

Jump Forever

One -jump-
day -jump-
(hey), -jump-
your -jump-
sweet -jump-
letter -jump-
arrived, -jump-
Reminding -jump-
me -jump-
of -jump-
our -jump-
home -jump-
town. -jump-
My -jump-
thoughts -jump-
drifted -jump-
back -jump-
over -jump-
our -jump-
love's -jump-
memory, -jump-
sweet -jump-
dreams -jump-
of -jump-
the -jump-
time -jump-
our -jump-
hearts -jump-
bound. -jump-

Through -jump-
a -jump-
soft -jump-
veil -jump-
of -jump-
pale, -jump-
shimmering -jump-
petals -jump-
My -jump-
soul -jump-
floats -jump-
away, -jump-
helpless -jump-
in -jump-
passion's -jump-
sway, -jump-
I -jump-
miss -jump-
home: -jump-
you -jump-
are -jump-
my -jump-
home. -jump-
Kokoro, -jump-
once -jump-
lost, -jump-
now -jump-
found.

Hahaha we loves this game in Wario Ware Inc (the first GBA version). And best of all, the English lyrics that appear when you're jumping about isn't a translation at all to the Japanese song that's being sung!

Many thanks to enigmaopoeia for the lyrics!

I Think Something's Broken Inside

I can't see anymore.

It's all bright - and there's a hint of a crack line.

My Ixus.

Shit.

Training @ Starbucks

Bugger. They've lost my bag of just-bought Kenyan beans.

This all started when we first started our new jobbo. Estactic at having a local Starbucks within the same building, we'd made plans to bring our cafetiere (coffee press) to work, and regularly buy beans and a big 20-oz City mug. Upon payment of beans and mug, we'd asked the barista to have our beans ground down for cafetiere use. Her reply, "Do you want to leave your beans here?"

Us: Huh? Leave my beans at the store?

Barista: Leave the bag of beans at the store, each time you drop by, just inform that you have coffee beans there and mention your name. We'll then make your coffee.

Us: Any charges?

Barista: Nope. It's free.

The skies opened and angel choirs sang at that point.

\(^o^)/

We're still in the midst of training our local Starbucks till we can reach the point where they prepare our coffee once we call them.

Currently we've reach the point where some staff members now recognize us upon our entering the shop with our KL City Starbucks mug in our hand. Of course, there're still bumps to smooth out in this bit too, because they only recognize us as 'that customer'.

We call it this way because, working in retail before we come to either love or hate regular customers - if they do their own thing, pay up and leave we don't mind them. If they totally get in our face they become, "OMG, it's him/her. Sheetsheetsheet no one to divert to look for scapeg- Hi! How are you Uncle/Aunty/[customer name]/[no name] today?" followed by the blahs of come what may.

So, we don't wanna know if we're labeled as 'that customer'. we might be 'that cheapskate customer', seeing that we only get a bag of coffee and from then on it's "Make us our coffee, thanks. No, no muffins, no food. Nothing." we don't even drink at the shop, we pack it back to the office. So long as we get our coffee and we don't have to make a fuss.

Hmmm. Things were friendlier back at 1U when we used to work there - but then again we was a (more frequent) paying customer then. And the peeps we knew there are all gone now.

Oh well. Training goes on. Or should we go all the way until they prepare my coffee at 10.30am sharp everyday unless we calls to say we don't need coffee on that particular day?

The Lord's Prayer

Amazing really. Most of us has been singing it now for almost a year, and I don't mean the Millenium Prayer by Cliff Richards (which also rates quite highly with me). In fact, not many of us really realize the first time we hear it that it's the Lord's Prayer!

Here's the original Swahilian lyrics.

CHORUS
Baba yetu, yetu uliye
Mbinguni yetu, yetu, amina!
Baba yetu, yetu, uliye
Jina lako litukuzwe
(x2)

Utupe leo chakula chetu
Tunachohitaji utusamehe
Makosa yetu, hey!
Kama nasi tunavyowasamehe
Waliotukosea usitutie
Katika majaribu, lakini
Utuokoe, na yule, milelea milele!

CHORUS

Ufalme wako ufike utakalo
Lifanyike duniani kama mbinguni (amina)

CHORUS

Utupe leo chakula chetu
Tunachohitaji utusamehe
Makosa yetu, hey!
Kama nasi tunavyowasamehe
Waliotukosea usitutie
Katika majaribu, lakini
Utuokoe, na yule, simama mwehu

Baba yetu, yetu, uliye (yetu amina)
Jina lako litukuzwe (baba yetu)(x2)

Recognize it yet? The chorus would have already told you where you've heard it (if, provided, you're a gamer with a taste for civilization games).

Yep, the main menu song for Sid Meier's Civilization IV.

Better yet, you don't have to get the game to hear the song, it's available to download for free at the composer's site. Yes, free. Yes, legal. Yes, it's the full song. No, you don't have to be Christian to enjoy the song. What are you waiting for?

Quotable Quote

Temptation
"The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it."
- Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900)

Danged Virgin

This Virgin emails us something regular but this be the first time she scars our heart by reminding us of her man in Glasgow.

http://www.virgintrains.co.uk/cityguides/city/glasgow/ourmanin.aspx

Ticking off the checklist to see what I did do and what I'd missed out. Thankfully with his list managed most on the first half.

To be able to travel near halfway around the world again...

Tricked By Treat

So after work we decided to drop by The Curve - had dinner of claypot rice with pork and no drinks - as we were feeling thirsty. Was juggling between a FruitWorks juice or crashing awhile at FF (hey, we paid for those 100 Pluses okay?). Refillable 100 Plus won, and as we walked past TGIF and Laundry Bar the various waiters in makeup reminded us that today is Halloween. Ah. Even had a coven of pretty witches having their pictures taken.

Asides that, some booths were set up and there was a stage where a couple of hosts were getting contestants to 'Guess The Creature In The Box' near the fountain. Poking our noses we learns that 8TV and various newspapers were having a sneak preview of The Covenant at 10.30pm. Seems like we were just in time :)

Amongst the activities going on then include giveaways (posters and free drinks mainly), live band performances and interestingly enough, a Tarot booth.

But best of all was this fire-eater who decided to fire up the band's act.

Treat me nice or I'll burn you all. Who call you so smart wear langsir bought from Kamdar?

Anyhoo. Movie time. We were aware that the deejays kept asking the crowd, "Who wants tickets? Who wants tickets?" and that we got our free tickets even without needing to handover the Malaysia Today cutout. Our rationale was, "It's a free horror movie that's not gonna be crowded."

It's not a horror movie.

It's...gah. Good points: little censorship (some actress moons the audience! The trailer showed her wearing panties!). Bad points: little censorship (what is the matter with minor foulmouthing?). That's being nice and noncommital on movie reviewing.

>.<

Have to chill out after such a movie. What have we? Scrounging our kitchen to find...

Hmm. If I just use a slice of watermelon mum will complain about us 'always leaving the last piece for someone else to finish and clean up'. Although that's true :P but this time we thoughts we shall make use of both slices.

Where the heck are all our cocktail forks?

And since it's Halloween let's make this scary.

Ahhh bliss nightcap.