In honor of my upcoming 100th post, I decide to finally move to wordpress. The bad news is that I cannot import my blog to wordpress since the import system doesn't work with blogger beta. DAMN!!
Anyway, update your blogroll or whatever...and please check me out at:
http://myhaven.wordpress.com/
BTW, I changed my name from Fallen Angel to Angelo...so...better get use it.
Moved!!
South Park by Moi
Metrosexual with a hint of geekness…and very moody!!
Conservatism Vs. Liberalism
Many people label themselves as “conservative” and “liberal” these days; yet, some of them really don’t quite understand their meanings. For example, a person may stat that he or she is a “Liberal” but they fail to state in which perspective. It is very necessary that you stress out the details of your label; otherwise, people might assume several things and thoughts about your lifestyle that do not have any true basis. Here are the three divisions or “schools” that those two labels fall into:
• Culturally Conservative
Culturally conservative individuals usually take pride in their heritage and define what is normal and what is abnormal based on the adapted social norms that the society grew up with, and base the people on how they “stick” to these norms. These individuals usually preserve the culture and heritage and make sure that these norms are passed on to the next generations. For example, if your parents consider that the marriage ceremony must not be mixed and you agree on that, it means that both you and your family are culturally conservative when it comes to this issue (do not mix up culture and religion; although they might seem very interactive).
• Culturally Liberal
Obliviously, a culturally liberal person mirrors the conservative in many aspects. They do not degrade their heritage and traditions but sometimes they feel these traditions don’t have to be a necessity in their lives or they are “old-fashion” and “retarded” to the 21st century. For example, a culturally liberal person (who is Japanese) does not feel the urge to force his guests to take off their shoes before stepping inside the house. Again, do not mix up culture and religion since there are many traditions that might seem related to a specific religion…yet, they are not.
• Religiously Conservative
It’s no brainier really to define conservatisms when it comes to religion. Religious conservatives make sure to preserve the teachings of some particular religion, sometimes by proclaiming the value of those teachings to their lives; and usually are resistant to all changes that they might encounter with their religion. For example, a conservative individual might see that talking with the opposite sex is an absolute sin and there’s no good will come out from it, or they make sure that they stick to their “koshers”. However, it is important to understand that conservative individuals are happy when they construct their lives around their religion and do not feel they are being forced. However, these days, they are facing a serious backlash…as some people consider them “retarded” from the 21st century…which is quite wrong as everybody are entitled to their opinions.
• Religiously Liberal
Although you might think that religiously liberals are the enemies of their own religion…they are not actually. They usually label themselves based on their religion, but sometimes, they don’t consider every single base of their religion as an absolute; or sometimes they agree on certain, primary aspects but don’t take all the secondary aspects seriously. For example, in Judaism, you have the “reformed Jews”, in Christianity, they call themselves “reformists or “protestants” and recently there has been a take about progressive Islam and its implications to liberals. So for example, a liberal in any of those religions do not feel the necessity to marry someone with one’s same religion.
Politics
• Politically Conservative
If you understand the previous schools then you can easily define conservatism in politics. People who take pride in their governments and consider every single aspect that their governments and authorities issue is “ideal” or “correct” are politically conservative. For example, democrats in the USA usually call themselves “conservative” because they see what President Bush says is correct and there’s no mistakes in sending their troops to Iraq and etc.
• Politically Liberal
As democrats are conservatives, republicans are liberals…in America that is. Liberals don’t usually agree with everything their governments or authorities come up with and they feel the urge to alter these issues. They usually “fight” their governments and consider their ideology would be the best for the society. Try to think about the last election that was held in Kuwait, and think, who did you consider the best candidate...
What About “Moderate” and “Apathetic” Individuals?
Some people consider these labels are BS and hate to label themselves with all those fancy terms. For example, moderate individuals might be conservative in one area and then liberal in other; for example, a person might be conservative in drinking alcohol but very liberal in talking with the opposite sex…and so on. Apathetic individuals on the other hand, don't really care and don’t really constrain themselves with ideology; they just go with the flow. For example, a person who does not take voting really seriously is considered politically apathetic.
An Honorary Post: The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time
In honor of the release of the next Zelda game this Sunday on The Nintendo Wii, this post is dedicated to all the precious memories of it’s true prequel: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time that released on The Nintendo64 7 years ago (Yes, I was 14 years old when I tried Ocarina of Time). Now you might ask: Why honor a game? Sure, I agree that honoring a game is a bit geeky; however, Ocarina of Time is not an ordinary game. It is by far (known from all critics and gamers) the best game ever created. Period.
The Achievements of Ocarina of Time
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**Reviews**
• Famitsu Magazine [40 of 40] First perfect score ever awarded since its publication
• IGN.com [10 of 10] First perfect score awarded by the website since its creation
• Gamespot [10 of 10] first perfect score awarded by the website since its creation
• Electronic Gaming Monthly Magazine [10 of 10] Platinum Award
• Edge Magazine [10 of 10]
• Nintendo Power Magazine [10 of 10] Game of the Year 1998
**Awards**
• 2nd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards including:
1. Game of the Year
2. Outstanding Achievement in Interactive Design
3. Outstanding Achievement in Software Engineering
4. Console Game of the Year
5. Console Adventure Game of the Year
6. Console RPG of the Year
• 5 Awards by BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts)
• IGN's "Top 100 Games of All Time."/Reader's Picks
My Top 10 Moments of Ocarina of Time
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10. Confronting King Dodongo
Just after couple of hours (or maybe more) exploring the lava-hot Dodongo Cavern, Link (the hero of the game) ventures deeper into the 2nd dungeon as he finally has his hands on the key to the Boss Chamber. However, just as Link goes inside, he get dropped down to the bottom of the cavern…safely….but not for long, as King Dodongo sees Link as an appetizer for his next meal. Even though this boss is larger than life, defeating him is quite easy. All you have to do is to throw a bomb as he prepares to breathe fire by opening his mouth, when succeed, the boss swallows the bomb and falls unconscious from the impact of the explosion in his stomach. Now, all you have to do is slash your sword at him and he’s history.
“What? Isn’t finishing a game is supposed to be the greatest moment in a game?” Well yeah, but the story is different in most Zelda games. Because completing the game means that exploring the land of Hyrule has finally come to end, and this is the last thing a Zelda gamer would want. In fact, most Zelda gamers refuse to accept the ending and start to relive the experience all over again…and what they find is a whole new experiences because Ocarina of Time never gets old. Never I tell you...NEVER!
This is one of the most exciting and breathtaking moments in Ocarina of Time…and it happens after the first 10 minutes or so from booting the game. Meeting the Great Deku Tree is also the moment when the story of the game starts to unwrap, and you get to know why the Great Tree has summoned you. Just after the conversation, the Tree opens its mouth revealing the first dungeon for you to explore. Breathtaking!
While riding back home with a golden copy of Ocarina of Time, all I wanted to do is boot the game, and quickly create a game file and just have a taste of Zelda’s heaven. Surprisingly, that wasn’t the case when I booted the game for the first time. I got totally mesmerized by the title screen, seeing Adult Link riding his trusty horse Epona, and exploring Hyrule is a cheer joy by itself. It just a small preview (and quite a teaser actually) of what to expect from this epic game, and the journey you are about to embark.
The final battle with Ganon (or Ganondorf) is truly epic. In the first half of the battle, Link loses his sword and you have to rely on other melee weapons in order to do some damage; however, that wasn’t an easy task as you constantly running out of magic from shooting the Light Arrow (and losing arrows in the process as well). Just after delivering a good amount of damage, Link finally (with Zelda’s aid) strikes Ganon on the head and sends him to the Sacred Realm for good.
It’s in the title so it’s no brainier that playing the instrument is an experience that you will never forget. When you get the ocarina, it doesn’t do very much really until you unlock its potential by learning songs and melodies from other people as you travel. Then, the ocarina will be the most essential tool in the game as you turn day to night, summon the rain, and even warping you to other locations you have previously visited by playing certian songs.
The Temple of Time silently rests on the eastern district of the bustling, noisy Hyrule Market, and probably everyone who played the game was taken over by the design and the size of this Temple. My jaw dropped out of amazement of the cheer detail, and the view of Death Mountain on the horizon was certainly thrilling. However, the biggest surprise is when you return to this location 7 years, and witness how horrible this beautiful place has been turned on. It is the very first thing you see when you exit the temple after seven years of slumber. Shocking!
Just when you think your journey is over and return all the Scared Stones to the Temple of Time, Link is forced to “sleep” in the Temple of Time for seven years. Link (and also the player) was shocked on how he has grown and how his face, voice, and body have changed over the past 7 years. This might look shallow at first, but it is actually a very deep experience like no other. When adult, Link will gain the access to many tools that he couldn’t have used when he a kid, also, Link gets to witness the changes that has become to the land of Hyrule by visitng all the previous places and meeting all his friends who have forgotten about him in the last 7 years. Finally, Link will be able to switch back and forth and changing the future by altering the past. Genius!
By far, this is the most difficult and most tedious temple you encounter in the Ocarina of Time. Link will have to manipulate the water level back and forth to gain access to the dungeon’s many different chambers. Equipped with Iron Boots (so he can walk underwater) and the Blue Tunic (so he can breathe underwater), the players had to use all their skills and patience to conquer this temple for good. However, the best surprise of the temple is confronting Dark Link in one of the temple’s chamber. Yup, you have to battle against a dark version of Link and the most annoying thing is not only he predicts your moves but also mimics your exact sword strikes, forcing Link to switch to another melee weapon he might have in his inventory.
OH MY GOD! The first moment I stepped to the Hyrule Field for the first time was a moment that will be hard to forget. I honestly had Goosebumps all over my body; I mean the giant scope of Hyrule Field is remarkable, and walking through the field is thrilling, as you start to trace Hyrule Castle in distance, and Lon Lon Ranch along the way. The hardest thing is that you get tempted to explore the whole land and visit the many places Hyrule Field connects but you wouldn't since you have some business to do in Hyrule Castle first. And as you are making your way to the castle, the sun slowly sinks and before you reach the castle, the night arrives along with an army of monsters that can only attack you at midnight. However, the scope of the field is not shallow, in fact, Hyrule Field possess many secrets that challenges the players to uncover and discover…seriously, my best moment in Ocarina of Time…hands down.
Embrace The Twilight Princess This Sunday
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Wii & Women
Why it has become so hard to convince our girlfriends, mothers, or even our grandmothers to pick up a videogame controller and invite them to our world of gaming that they don't seem to appreciate that much. Mind you, that there are many female gamers out there but their voices haven't reached the gaming public or the gaming industry. However, this news seems to bother Nintendo as well. Nintendo slowly started to capitalize the female market by releasing titles such as Nintendogs and Brain Age, on their current handheld phenomenon the Nintendo DS. Now, they want to make the same thing with their next-gen console The Wii. Are they going to succeed?
It's no shock that much fewer women play video games than men. So from a business standpoint, it makes sense that Nintendo would want to expand their sales into that new market. But whether the Wii and its PR are doing something "good" for the state of gaming equality, that's a whole other story.
On the one hand, it's refreshing to see a major player like Nintendo thinking about women -- not just in terms of one game, but a whole console, and with it a slew of "non-girly" titles. It's also encouraging to see female players linked with innovation, something the video game industry, as a whole needs desperately. Women have finally made it onto the larger marketing map. But there is something unsettling in the way Nintendo has been pushing the Wii for women. It's not that a new design will knock down the social barriers to entry, but that the system is so intuitive, so simple, it will knock down barriers of ability. As if women, like young children and the elderly (another target audience who has the right to be upset), were incapable of playing traditional games.
Now, here’s the wacky thought: the Wii isn't being given to women. It's being given to men to give to women. In some sort of crazy, gender-based, gaming colonialism, Nintendo's new system isn't being marketed toward women themselves, but to their sons, boyfriends, and fathers. Women, like other family members, are only then invited to play along.
Does marketing "easy" gameplay to women hold water? Maybe, maybe not. What's certain though is that, even as Nintendo looks toward its female market, they still consider women as secondary gamers. How many more generations of consoles will it take before women get to hold the controls?
All The Verses
As usual, I was having a little time on my hand, so I thought I would spend some time with youtube’s search engine and type different keywords; hoping might find something exciting. And I did. I happened to stumble upon a bit old video clip of Marwan Khoury’s song called “All the verses (Kel Al Qasayed).” I used to listen to this song a lot but I’ve never seen the video clip until now. The video reminded me of another one he made (and luckily I found it on youtube too) called “Take me with you (Kodni Maak)”, another favorite sing of mine.
I wound up “googling” this guy up (stop laughing) and found he has an official website, at least 3 fan-made websites, and an article about him on CNN.com, in which they called him (The Prince of Romance)…and I happened to agree too. You might want to know that he writes his own lyrics and composes his songs; in fact, according to my cousin, other Arabic singers will “kill” just to get him write and compose a song for them. Cool! Too bad I didn’t find any video clips from his latest album “Palace of Compassion (Qaser Al Shouq)”, in which it released on Christmas Break last year when I happened to be in Kuwait (and yes I paid 5KD to get his “original” album). Anyway, I’ll leave you with the “All the verses’ video clip in the mean time.
PS: Is it me or did he lose some weight in his latest album cover?
In Your Pants
Although my blog isn't quite interesting as the lovely Jewaira's when it comes to these kind of stuff, but I do have knowledge when it comes to sex health (sex health is different from sex addiction which is a sickness). For example, I regularly read almost every topic and column in Men's Health magazine's section on "Sex Health", sex studies, and also, I often visit Anna David's (a sex columnist) blog and website (that doesn't make me a pervert but I think these info will come quite handy in the future). Which leads to me to my next point.
There's a show called "Attack Of The Show" in which it discuses all things related to entertainment and "techy" stuff, including a segment called "In Your Pants". In this segment, the co-host Olivia Munn has a discussion with the sex columnist/specialist Anna David. Now, I understand when Anna talks very openly about sex because that's really her job, but Olivia (the co-host) tends to reveal too much information about her sexual intimacies with the guys she goes out with...making her a little bit...well..."sluty". I mean do I really need to know that she usually fakes her orgasms and doesn’t know if 6-inchs is big or not. Check the videos if you don’t believe me (which they are quite hilarious btw).
Hitched For The Second Time
Last night I decided to watch the movie “Hitch” for the second time on TV since I enjoyed the movie so much in my first. However, in my second trial, I realized why I fell in love with this movie, simply because it presents life expectation on love in a much realistic way from the simplest principle (i.e. Why do we fall in love?) to the most complicated principle that people have a hard time to maintain (i.e. How can I keep my love for that person going?). I picked three memorable quotes from the movie and I would like to analyze them with you all. Please share your thoughts about these manners and principles, surely, you have totally different opinions than the ones I presented here. Note that I’m not bashing the female perspective here, but I’m just explaining my point of view to you…just as you always do.
Never lie, steal, cheat, or drink. But if you must lie, lie in the arms of the one you love. If you must steal, steal away from bad company. If you must cheat, cheat death. And if you must drink, drink in the moments that take your breath away.
I decided to choose this one as the first one because it is so realistic to real life, yet people don’t realize that at all. One of the things that women complain about men is they tend “not to tell the truth” in every single moment they share together, neglecting the fact that what the man is trying to do is to keep her happy, protect her from harm, and shielding her from any negative thoughts that might arouse in her mind. Simply because, men HATE arguments or debates in interpersonal relationships (sure, they like to debate in politics and in sports) but in terms of relationships they try to avoid them because they NEVER win. Seriously, girls, how many times have you believed your man’s words or at least consider his point of view…I will guess very seldom (or in the other hand, some women are so gullible that they believe the obvious, harmful lies). Back to the quote, the “cheating death” line is a good one, because if we are really in love with our partners than we have to survive and enjoy our lives as much possible, so they can enjoy the life with us too.
So how does it happen, great love? Nobody knows... but what I can tell you is that it happens in the blink of an eye. One moment you're enjoying your life, and the next you're wondering how you ever lived without them.
This is so true. One of things that I notice when I explore female blogs is that they always complain that the right guy hasn’t showed up yet, or they don’t know what to do to get the right guy in. Honey, if you always think like that…then you will never find true love. Simply because true love is always unexpected and you don't really know when it is going to hit you. But when in does, you will know, simply because you will start “enjoy life even more” and you will want to maintain that love for the rest of your life and “wonder how you ever lived without him.” I’m not saying that you jus have tot lay there and wait for the man to swoop you from your feet, because, we all know that will never happen; however, you need to make efforts for that love to exist…and I mean realistic efforts, away from the false hope syndrome that most women get trapped into.
I'm a guy. Since when do we get anything right the first time?
Exactly, men aren’t as perfect as women when it comes to relationships (although this might not be always the case). Women tend to be perfectionists when it comes to relationships, thus, any mistake the man might commit, a catastrophic explosion results. So, some women lack patience with their partners; they expect their men to behave like noble princes and be able to maintain their happiness all the time. Well, sorry to break the news for you hun, but princes also make mistakes (you will be surprised how many times that it takes for the fairytales prince to get the job right via trial-and-error). Thus, if you want to maintain that love, then, you will have to see your man in every single step…just like your baby.
NOTE
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Make sure to read Adorra's comment below as she points well-addressed thoughts.
Fears & Rituals
After going through 2 chapters (Anxiety and Stress chapters) preparing for my psychopathology on Monday, I started to get mentally sick already. Although, I came across this very interesting yet very twisted case study. Can you figure out the disorder this guy had?
Gary was a 26-year-old Caucasian carpenter who sought treatment for “terrible thoughts” about “perverse” sexual images that he “could not shake off.” These thoughts, which occurred nearly constantly throughout the day, were tormenting images of incest with his family members, particularly his mother. Gary realized that these intrusive thoughts were senseless and excessive, and he suffered extremes feelings of shame because of them. He tried to suppress his thoughts with numerous rituals, such as tensing all his muscles or walking in a certain way. His greatest fear was that he would become aroused by his sexual thoughts about his mother, and he developed extensive avoidance behavior. At first, he only avoided his mother, but in time he avoided all women and any activity that might be enjoyable to him and therefore arousing. Gary reported that he avoided all activities that elect the feeling of pleasure…even if they weren’t sexual. Gary also described contamination fears and cleaning rituals, reporting that he avoided public restrooms, and spent over 90 minutes a day washing his hands; but these contamination fears were not nearly as troubling to him as the sexual obsessions and related compulsions. He was convinced that his intrusive thoughts meant he was a bad person, and he would never have peace of mind as long as he had these intrusive thoughts.
So what kind of disorder does Gary had? It should be self-explanatory with all the keywords that were presented in the case study.
Women = Problems?
I know this might look sexist but it's so funny that I had to share it with you all.
What do you think?
Absence For 21 Days?
Rumor has it that I might have been passed away because it’s been like 21 days since the last time I blog. OK, there are no rumors because I just made them up. Ahhh, anyway, I have been pretty busy the last 3 weeks; I was working hard and got caught up with school and stuff. Also, Ramadan made me quite lazy so I didn’t even have the energy to blog. So I would like to apologize to all of you for not stopping by and congratulating on Eid….I hope you can understand my situation and move on LOL. I’ll try to devote some time for blogging and start knocking on your blogs pretty soon.
So
&
Happy Halloween
Selection of Funny Videos (Part Trois)
Ready for a third round of comedy!
OK. I know you have probably seen Fresh Prince of Bel-Air like million times but this scene still cracks me up.
Who knew Sharon Stone can be so funny?
So funny. I hope you have the time to watch the entire clip.
A Phenomenal Soundtrack
One of the most things that really get on my nerves is when ordinary people (or in this case, none-gamers) fail to realize how much effort is put on making a videogame soundtrack. In fact, I pay more attention to a videogame soundtrack more than I do to movies (except an Indian movie that my mom forced me to watch with her).
These days, I’m a dedicating a good amount of time playing Baten Kaitos Origins; an RPG game for the Nintendo GameCube. The game is actually a prequel to the first one entitled “Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Last Ocean”. Big title huh? Actually, Baten Kaitos Origins is usually called in the land of the rising sun as “Baten Kaitos II: The First Wings and the Heirs of God.” The bottom line is, is that I have never been moved for a long time by a soundtrack that as powerful as this one. However, if you are an avid fan of Japanese RPGs then you are probably aware of the composer Motoi Sakuraba. This guy is one of my favorite videogame composer of all time, simply because, he knows how to create themes and songs that perfectly match the atmosphere that videogame-makers are trying to deliver to the player. I have selected 10 songs from the game that I hope you find it amusing and emotionally moving. So, here’s what I want you to do: I want you to listen to each song while you browsing other websites and surfing the web, or whatever you feel like doing and I want you to tell me: HOW GOOD IS THIS SOUNDTRACK?
PS: The last three songs are actually battle themes while the rest are not. So that’s why you find a heavy rock/metal instruments incorporated in the battle themes but they are still darn good.
Review: The Departed
One of the greatest moments in life (or at least in a day) is when you wait for a movie to release with high expectations and then find out (after you watched the movie) that the movie is actually much higher than your expectations. And “The Departed” is actually one of those movies. Before you take your seat in the movie theater and you know that what you are about to watch is a Martin Scorsese’s masterpiece (have you seen Gangs of New York), you would realize that would be enough. However, the fun doesn’t stop there when you find out that the movies is portrayed by one of the finest (and probably highest paid) actors in Hollywood such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, and Mark Wahlberg, that’s when you finally concluded that you are in for a ride like no other. You are probably wondering, how good is the movie? Well, let’s just say it is so good that I decided to write a review at 3:00AM, straight from the movie theater.
"The Departed" is set in South Boston, where the state police force is waging war on organized crime. Young undercover cop Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) is assigned to infiltrate the mob syndicate run by gangland chief Costello (Jack Nicholson). While Billy is quickly gaining Costello's confidence, Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon), a hardened young criminal who has infiltrated the police department as an informer for the syndicate, is rising to a position of power in the Special Investigation Unit. Each man becomes deeply consumed by his double life, gathering information about the plans and counter-plans of the operations he has penetrated. But when it becomes clear to both the gangsters and the police that there's a mole in their midst, Billy and Colin are suddenly in danger of being caught and exposed to the enemy -- and each must race to uncover the identity of the other man in time to save himself.
You will have to admit that great movies are few and far between; and Martin Scorsese’s movies are SO few and VERY far between; so missing one of his movies is like missing 10 “averaged-good” movies. The script is very solid from every angle; even though it is extremely structured, yet it will keep your mind actively creating different scenarios for the ending, because every time you think the movie has matched the ending that you had in mind, it will simply reverse what you were expecting. The assembly of the actors is well done and each actor has brought his essences to the maximum and each one has worked his/her character out (even the minor ones). However, when it comes down to it, the actor that totally shined in this movie was none other than Titanic’s heartthrob Leonardo DiCaprio. In my opinion, DiCaprio is one of the smartest actors around; early in his acting career, he first reached to the audience (especially to the mass of fan girls) in Romeo + Juliet and The Titanic; wining the heart of millions of people and then he sought love from the critics by the movies that followed. DiCaprio looked so cool in this movie that I wanted to kick everyone who criticized him as “gay” or “feminine” in the time of Titanic. All the audience who attended this movie was touched, moved, and fascinated by him that they even couldn’t stop talking about his phenomenal act after the movie was finished. Another actor that I was totally impressed with was Mark Wahlberg; he finally beat his standers when he shined in the Italian Job four years ago. And Jack Nicholson is Jack Nicholson, there’s no questioning about his abilities, this guy certainly deserves the “three-Oscar winner” title (and I’m still waiting for his fourth win). It was hard for me to point out a favorite scene because the entire movie is filled with favorite scenes, but I must say, the ending will shock you to the very core that your jaw will refuse to accept the messages from your brain to keep it closed; expect an hour of discussion between your friends when the movie is finished.
Are you kidding? Definitely a must see. So far it is one of the best movies I have seen for this year that you surely don’t want to miss. Hopefully, it will reach the Kuwaiti’s theaters this year and when it does, go and watch the movie with a smile already on your face because what you are about to witness is a masterpiece.
A-
Create a Mii
Create your Mii Here
In case you are not into videogames, let me you fill you in. Nintendo new console has many "channels" called the Wii channels, and one of them is called a Mii channel. The Mii Channel is an avatar creator, where users can design 3D caricatures of people by selecting from a group of facial features. Users can select from pre-made caricatures or create their own by choosing custom body part shapes, colors, and positioning. For games such as Wii Sports, each player's caricature will be shown as their in-game character appearance. Miis can also be transported to the Wii Remote, and be taken to another Wii.
Now, whether you are interested on the Wii or not, I invite you to create your own Mii and post it in your blog. C'mon people, I wanna see your Mii(s). Post a comment stating that you have done your creation of Mii, so I can post it in the Mii Gallery. Remember, your Mii doesn't have to be a depiction of your personal features.
PS: To make a copy of your Mii, select the "Print" option and save it on a document using a JPEG format.
Fallen Angel's Mii
Aurora's Mii
Gina's Mii
3abeer's Mii
SamBoosa's Mii
15 Favorite Things
Been tagged by: Isabelle
I tag the dynamic trio: Bella, Tinkerbell, & No3ik
OK, here are my 15 favorite things. Bear in mind that this list isn’t arranged in a particular order and I’m pretty sure that I like even more stuff, but that’s all I got on the top of my head:
1. Blogging
2. Hugging
3. Italian Food
4. Shopping for clothes
5. Psychology
6. Nintendo and RPG games
7. Starbucks
8. Paris
9. Kira Knightly
10. Friends (The TV show)
11. Friends (The real ones)
12. Getting an A on a test
13. Shirley Temple (The drink, not the actress)
14. Pier 1 Imports furniture
15. Cheesecake
Engarde!
Just came from the Psychopathology exam today…it was quite long, but I think I did good especially since I studied for it in the last minutes. I would like to share the most common defense mechanism that most people adapt only up to a point. Some people adapt at least one defensive mechanism, others however; can adapt more than 2 or all of them if they are completely unsecured about themselves (that means they have either depression or anxiety disorders). The list goes like this:
1- Repression
Unacceptable impulses are pushed down into the unconscious and thereby robbed of their power to disrupt us consciously. An example, would be a man who is attracted to his best friend’s girlfriend; he removes his feelings by removing these thoughts into the unconscious and these thoughts might be represented in the man’s dreams.
2- Denial
Refusal to acknowledge an external source of anxiety; that is, to perceive something that is obvious. For example, an anorexic model refuses to believe that is she not eating properly and refuses to listen to her friends about her weight.
3- Projection
Unacceptable impulses are first repressed then attributed to other, that is, an internal threat is converted into an external threat. For example, a student blames the Professor for getting an F on her exam; not accepting the fact that she didn’t prepare for the exam beforehand, so she throws the guilt to the Professor to relieves herself from feeling anxious.
4- Displacement
Involves a transfer of emotion, that is, the person afraid to display certain emotions against whoever has aroused them, so that person releases these feeling to a safer object. The perfect example would be is a husband who is frustrated from his boss, who eventually transfers all his anger and frustration to his wife.
5- Rationalization
Offering a socially acceptable reasons and explanations for something that a person has committed for unconscious or unacceptable motives. That is a girl insists on buying new clothes because her old ones aren’t suitable for a certain occasion or simply because they are outdated. This method is one of the most common defense mechanisms.
6- Isolation
Avoiding unacceptable feelings by cutting them off from events to which they are attached then acting to these events in an emotionless matter. For example, a girl who is sexually molested by her father does not show emotions at all when she is near her father, that is, she totally “smokescreens” her emotion toward her father.
7- Reaction Formation
Repressing feelings that are arousing anxiety and then vehemently professes exactly the opposite. For example, a “secretly” anorexic girl makes fun of thin models, refusing that she is actually just like them or even worse.
8-Regression
The process of reverting back to an earlier stage of development to make an excuse for unacceptable thoughts. A good example would be 20 year-old girls would gather and talk trash about men (just like teenagers) or how bad their boyfriends are, refusing to confess these feelings with them.
9- Undoing
The process of canceling out an acceptable behavior that previously was committed by pretending it was never happen. For example, a man who got into a fight with his friend, and next day, he acts friendly toward him pretending that the fight hasn’t happened.
That’s it folks; although there are many defensive mechanisms that people generally adapt, but these are the most common ones. I confess that my defense mechanisms that I usually adapt are: Rationalization, Undoing, and sometimes by being sarcastic.
How about you?
Anime Expo Gone Wild
A very funny skit based on Final Fantasy X-2. Yuna's custom is nicely made so is Auron's but the guy playing Auron is too skinny to pass the role.
This one is hilarious. The guy with the red coat is famous among anime cosplayers in the US; his nickname is "Stripper Vash". Vash is the anime character from the Trigun series. The skit is loaded with sexual preferences, but they are nicely done.
A well-acted and yet very funny Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children skit. I love the part where the Turks imitates Team Rocket's theme from the Pokemon anime series.
For more skits, click HERE.
First Impression: Brothers & Sisters
Last night, I witnessed the premier of season 3 of Desperate Housewives (which was really good and funny) and the premier of a new drama series entitled “Brothers & Sisters”. The big buzz behind the show is that not only the show stars the great, two-time Academy Award-winning actress Sally Field but it also stars Calista Flockhart (ya know from the show Ally McBeal). I thought to give this new show a shot and watch the pilot and see how well it stocks up with the rest.
The story revolves around Kitty Walker, a former radio personality whose success just landed her a job as a TV pundit in Los Angeles; as she joins with her family to celebrate her birthday, she debates the prospect of fame and the marriage proposal she just received from her New York boyfriend. Meanwhile, her siblings are dealing with various dramas including saving the family business, dealing with an autistic son and trying to conquer addictions. What this disparate group of siblings doesn't know is that their father Henry is about to die. How will this L.A.-based multi-generational family deal with the loss of their patriarch? As told through the eyes of the clan's most outspoken member, Kitty.
Now, the big question…do I see this show going somewhere? Well, yes and no. For starters, the script is quite solid but sometimes it tends to be cliché in some parts especially since there is tons of family drama TV shows out there. And 2nd, the drama starts way too soon; just after one episode you will get to know that *SPOILERS* the father will die and leave his family with a money crisis in their family company, one of the sisters is in love with a co-worker while her husband doesn’t know about it, and the youngest son has a drinking problem and etc etc. However, I think the actors have done their jobs in absorbing the characters and the show does possess this warmth that invites you to observe the Walker family in their ups and downs. The show just as my cousin puts it "it's a sexier, more muture version of 7th Heaven." And I agree.
For now, I recommend at least registering this show in your TiVo (yes Laialy, I’m talking to you) and see how it goes for you. Although, I’m pretty sure the female bloggers would be more interested in the show than the males, but with a plot like that…it’s self-explanatory. Stay tune for more first impressions as I watch the new shows and evaluate them for you.
Ramadan Kareem
OK, here’s a common fact that all the students who are studying abroad agree on: Ramadan in the US sucks…BIG TIME. Simply because there’s no indication that Ramadan has arrived whatsoever, such as smelling the food that your mother/maid or whoever was cooking on the afternoon (the peak time of your hunger), the warm atmosphere that invites you to sleep “it” in until “Fo6or” time is in, and of course, the great “tashrebah” that you always loved, and not to forget strolling at the malls until 1:00AM and etc. Instead, I’m stuck here with a Subway sandwich, and school work that pills up while you are watching the Ramadan TV shows on NUKS website (not to mention the premieres of TV shows here), and the fact you stay up at 3:00AM wondering what will you eat for “So7or”…because there’s nothing for you to eat. But do you know what part that sucks the most...it’s when “Eid Al Fiter” arrives and you lose your opportunity to get some greens from your family and relatives because you are stuck in some library somewhere studying for a mid-term instead.
Anyway: Ramadan Kareem o “Embarek 3aleekom el Shahar”.
Conversation
This is just a conversation I had with my cousin over the MSN messenger couple of days ago. I saved it because I knew I wanted to post the conversation one day in my blog. By the way, we are really close, so pardon the trashy words (although, there aren’t many). Oh and I also substituted our nicknames with “Me” and “Her’ for identity reasons.
Her: OMG sheft 7al8at Oprah 2ams?
Me: U mean 7al8at Eva Longoria.
Her: eee
Me: Yeah, I saw it.
Her: Sheft Nate….9ej 3ajeeeeeeeeb
Me: Yeah he sure is…I really want to ask him to decorate my home one day LOL.
Her: Ditto LOL
Her: And he’s also soooooo yummy. I want him to be my hubby.
Me: Sorry to ruin it for you honey but Nate is gay.
Her:No way!
Me: Waaaaaaaaaaaaay
Her: No he’s not…he’s not feminine.
Her: Just because he works in interior design does not mean he’s gay. Besides, he was all cuddly with Eva.
Me: Ya 7abibty he’s gay. He even lost his boyfriend in the infamous Tsunami incident two years ago. Wait a sec.
Me: check THIS.
Her: why all the good men have to be gay?
Me: I’m here for you honey.
Her: weeeeeeeeeeeee3
Me: I didn’t mean for marriage idiot. It’s double weeeeee3 for me…ba3ad hatha el’le nage9...me and you....*vomits*
But seriously, this guy is amazing. I like how he turns every simple meaningless thing into art. He certainly deserves the “Lord of Décor” title. Have you guys seen him? Click HERE to access his official website.
Tidbits
• I’m totally freaking out regarding the Calculus exam that we will be having next Wednesday. Therefore, I hate Calculus; mainly because I forgot everything about mathematics since the last time I studied math was on June 2003.
• Our Calculus TA has armpit hair…and the disgusting part is she’s a woman. I mean ewww, what the hell is that about?
• I got a phone number from a girl while riding the bus today by accident. Man, I’m such a natural flirt LoL.
• I cannot get THIS song outta my head; even though it is quite outdated.
• I’m totally excited about Matthew Perry’s new show Studio 60: On The Sunset Strip. Catch the premier this Monday on NBC.
• Might watch The Last Kiss this weekend. The movie seems kinda cool.
• One of my presentation partner in my Psychopathology class is really really cute. Oh and my the way, it is a common fact that all the hotties in our University are mostly Psychology majors.
• Currently playing Resident Evil 4 (NGC) and Dragon Quest VIII (PS2).
• I’m dying for Red Bull right now.
• I hate Calculus (again)!!
• Wondering what to do on the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.
• Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
• I usually watch an episode or two of Entourage before I go to sleep these days.
FRIENDS Bloopers Extravaganza
Didn't feel like blogging today, so here are some bloopers from the TV show Friends.
Enjoy.
Courteney Cox (Monica) Bloopers
Lisa Kudrow (Pheobe) Bloopers
Matt LeBlanc (Joey) Bloopers
Matthew Perry (Chandler) Bloopers
David Schwimmer (Ross) Bloopers
So, which one is your favorite blooper?
Mine is Matthew Perry's.
Review: The Illusionist
Eisenheim (Edward Norton) is a stage magician who amazes the audiences of turn-of-the-century Vienna, drawing the attention of Crown Prince Leopold (Rufus Sewell). When the Prince's intended, Sophie von Teschen (Jessica Biel), assists the magician onstage, Eisenheim and Sophie recognize each other from their childhoods -- and a dormant love affair is rekindled. As the clandestine romance continues, Chief Inspector Uhl (Paul Giamatti) is charged by Leopold to expose Eisenheim, and Eisenheim prepares to execute his greatest illusion yet.
Ironically, the first trailer that was showed in the previews segment while I was attending the movie last night was “The Prestige” staring Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, and the lovely Scarlett Johansson. When I saw the trailer, I thought, “wait a minute, this movie seems quite similar with the movie I’m attending, with much bigger stars. Am I wasting my time?” However, just after the first 15 minutes of the movie I was baiting my lips for thinking such a thing (especially after reading the synopsis of Prestige today, I concluded that both movies are quite different).
It’s been so long since I have seen Edward Norton movie and it seems I forgot how talented this guy is. Norton has truly captured the true essence of Eisenheim’s character; the character of a calm, collective (and very cool) magician that falls in love with a high-status woman, and without losing his “coolness” while doing so. Although, I don’t consider the role of Eisenheim has captured Norton’s essences; I think that Norton was working his character out, not vice versa (If you have seen him in Primal Fear, American History X, and the Fight Club will know what I mean). The script is really strong and very original; I assure you that you will get hooked from the start, and you will be amazed how everything assembles together at the end of the movie in one scene. The acting was excellent for this script, but I definitely wasn’t blown away, because I have seen better such as other Norton’s movies that I have mentioned. However, it was nice seeing Jessica portraying the role of a helpless, high-status woman who can’t seem to change the destiny that was chosen for her; most Jessica’s movies usually involve stunts and broses (i.e. Blade:Trinity, Texas Chainsaw Massacre). As for Paul Giamatti (The Cinderella Man, and Sideways), I don’t think he brought a new depth for his character; probably any other actor would have played his role easily. There wasn’t over-dramatization involved in the movie, and the storytelling was very tight. Not sure I was mesmerized by the soundtrack though.
All in all, you should definitely watch this movie when it hits the theaters. Although, I don’t think the Kuwaiti audience will appreciate this kind of movies; they will probably degrade the movie during or after the movie is over…but what can you do. Highly recommended.
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