Christmas 2009

Oh.my.goodness! How 'effing great is New Super Mario Bros. on Wii?!!

It feels like such a fitting tribute to the series. It almost feels it takes most of it's influence from Super Mario Bros. 3. I'm only on the second world so far but already the desert theme of the world is nearly straight off the same one from SMB3.

If you delve deeper you realise that is merely just the surface. When I was against Larry Koopa for the second time on the first world in order to progress to the next one, I found something that to me was a stroke of genius! Before facing off properly with Larry, a Magikoopa flies by and lands some magic onto him ala Yoshi's Island! It was one of those superb moments as a great reference.

I'm really looking forward to seeing what is around the corner. I even forgot about Yoshi being playable in the game, even some of the original sounds were back. I'm intruiged to see what else they have behind their sleeve next.

So in general this years Christmas felt pretty good. I'm not even sure why, the weather was quite pleasant, damp none the less but at least not horribly cold or icy. I didn't dread going to church either whereas usually most years I do. I think I just had a hunch about it, by the time we got there not a lot of people were around which normally isn't the case. Most of the time when you get there the doors to the church become impossible to open due to how stuffed the place gets. We did what we needed to do anyway and that was pretty much it.

Gift wise other than the obvious of what I mentioned in the beginning of the post I also got Russel Brand's latest DVD which was something I didn't quite expect but again had a feeling I might end up with it. I'm not really a fan of his stand-up stuff but most of this one related to what happened last year with that whole damn scandal. I was also given a model kit of a plane, I think the idea my Mum got was after seeing me with my papercrafting and seeing how I like to make things. This is true although I've never been into model kits and this looks like one of those kits that's going to be quite a challenge to do as it requires painting and glueing together so it's going to take a while. I'm up for it though.

The mystery box that I got from Firebox.com didn't disappoint. I wanted to buy something as a general family thing and so that we didn't know what sort of items we would get if it was random from this mystery box thing. I was aware however since it was coming from a gadget site that chances are the items would most likely be more relevant to me. I think mainly their more relevant as household items. Most of which are useful as décor.

I'm surprised how little of TV I catched today. I guess this morning was very little due to the preparation of church. By By the afternoon during Christmas dinner there was Girls Aloud followed by the annual Top of the Pops Christmas special that seems to be the only thing intact of the show, just barely. That followed by the Queen's Speech which I try to avoid like the wind, that in turn lead me to play New Super Mario Bros. Wii for a while until catching a bit of that Russell Brand DVD and then the Doctor Who special once that came on.

So a pleasant one this time without hardly a feeling of any hassle. I'm still intrigued how it went by so swiftly?

Currently playing: New Super Mario Bros. Wii .

The new additions

Finally after a 3 month delay, they eventually arrived, I was even surprised how long it took for them to get here JUST prior to Christmas Eve no less. Anyhow without further adieu I give you...



Bowser Jr & Waluigi. I never expected they would do these characters.

It made me think earlier on though about something, and something I realised of several characters who make a welcome return again alongside B.Jr other there in the New Super Mario Bros. Wii game. I would absolutely LOVE to see the Koopaling kids as soft toys like these! I would say those would be my most wanted since seeing the original colour variations of the Yoshi beanies I have from a while back.

And considering how they've done these as well as Bee Mario & Ghost Mario, it just makes sense. With this new one on the Wii out I'm anticipating it, their great individual characters to make soft toys out of.

Something tells me the month of January is still going to be just as hassling as it is for this month. This damn other project I'm on annoys me. I don't like the idea I have to start training with it during the beginning of the new year.

I find project "Go Live's" such a pain. It's almost as soon as you have that preparation that the go live process is over much quicker than with the preparation itself. This training we have to do only lasts until the end of January supposedly yet the preparation beforehand has been such a pain. I'm certain it's almost been at least 2 full months of working on it. The idea of the go live is that they get as many people trained on this as possible until the end of the month. I think that's the idea anyway. Prior to this is simply the training preparations along with the required training materials, the locations and so on.

I don't get why they only cram that short amount of time into it. If the idea is to get as many people training with the resources we have then what becomes of new staff and so on for it? I don't really like the idea of being part of community hospitals still as next year progresses, I thought that was the idea of new fixed term trainers coming along. Oddly enough I just realised how busy it may just become next year as I think there will be a sudden flurry of trainers all over again like with the time when I first started. It kind of makes up for the lack of activity that hasn't really happened this year. Who knows how it will all go down...

It's like the same for this being Christmas week aka the lead up to the big day by the end of the week. The weather is atrocious, it's one of the few reasons why I'd like to one day move away from all of this dross. Add to the fact I picked up a cold towards the beginning of the week which isn't exactly encouraging either. Luckily it hasn't been one of those colds that's made me feel lousy, but I don't believe it should be one of those times where you should be doing as much either. I remember last year was much better than this, it was the time when I felt I was settling in with everyone at that place, and essentially to where it's lead me with them now.

In general though I think it just boils down to this other training project. I avoided one of the meetings today since I didn't want to struggle in the freezing cold avoiding the ice to essentially be at a meeting with less than 4 people not having proper enthusiasm to take in what they had in mind. At least I had that excuse to use as well as the problem with having my cold.

At the moment all I feel I want is a simple hassle-free week without having to think that I have to go places to do other things all the time and enjoy this little break. I do feel I need a break even though my next annual leave isn't until March. I think the 'void' week which is the post xmas/pre new year week is usually the most quiet, plus the benefit is that we have the Monday off which technically only leaves us with 2 days only that week. Pretty sweet.

So my final Wantage is supposedly tomorrow but with the weather like this I really don't see the purpose now. It is nice to know this is finally coming to and end, it's just a shame I won't be able to relax in an empty office without any hassle once a week. Regardless it's something I won't miss, especially when the year progresses with other things (hopefully NOT by travelling elsewhere!).

Ah my beloved Blogger, Christmas is coming ever closer and I don't have much at work tying me down, these next two weeks should be a breeze.

I found out towards the end of last week that my usual visits at Wantage are finally coming to an end. I'll miss the freedom of these Wednsdays but at the same time their always a hassle for travelling, so I won't feel a major loss for it.

So I've fully recovered after the events of last week. It did upset me, not so much at what they said but rather the situation in my life. I think my Mum got a bit disheartened by it as I started complaining and getting upset as soon as I got back home that night in my drunken state. I'm still not a fan of drinking, I always tend to find myself as an emotional wreck by the time I get back home. I believe the only reason for that is due to what happens at the time. It happened in June because Carla left and I was trying to forget Jessica at the same time. Then of course this time I was being told what I should be doing with my life by now. My workmate did apologise the next day though, he realised that he didn't mean to say it in such a way that I should be taking action asap because it doesn't work like that.

It still has generally left me feeling cautious about it all. I know I tend to go OTT with my ways and I think that's why I had to stop it as I got in my teens because people always said something. I think it depends on the crowd I'm with, if I'm comfortable enough then I start to goof around a lot more. But once something has been said it just disheartens me then it puts me off completely, that's how I slightly feel still, I go into a cautionary state and try not to give many responses.

There's another Christmas thing going on this Saturday which I'm not dreading but I don't know what to expect now as I keep expecting the worst from it. I finally decided to invite Bigmouth to come along just as a safe backup as I hate the idea of going into town at night on my own looking for particular places, especially during the weekend and the Christmas period no less. It made me think of the time when I was working at the college and how uncomfortable I felt having to go into town in the cold darkness and how I didn't even enjoy the night itself.

I think they want to try and get me wasted but I just fear where I'll end up the next day, plus I feel safer when Bigmouth is around as I know how easygoing he is. I just dont want a repeat of last week, it'll just be embarrassing if it's around everyone else. I could refuse still but again they know it'll only be a lie regardless of what excuse I tell them, and oddly enough I'm still open minded for going. It's just a shame how certain people can make you feel put off with whatever you do. I just want a safe night more than anything and not have to worry thus after in time for Christmas next week.

When things are said

Phew what an emotional week. I guess October and November really weren't as bad as expected and December has been that bad replacement instead.

No wonder I wanted Christmas to arrive so soon. I just feel tired and want my break. I haven't felt like this since a few years back I dont think. Oddly enough even when Jessica was with her guy even I never felt the same emotions, I wouldn't really say that depressed me, rather it simply made feel slightly bothered and in thought about it all.

This week however there was a reason for it being triggered. On the Wednesday there was a Christmas thing going on at work with one of the departments of which they invited me. The nice thing about it was that it was something a few of the doctors organised and they had a tab so anything we wanted was pretty much their treat for drinks.

As the night went by it ended up being just three of us including myself until eventually when they had to close the pub at 11.30pm which I was surprised as that was somewhat early I thought. During that time though a few things were said. Now the thing is with people overly drinking is that the truth can often come out more than expected.

The main thing was that they were discussing how good my situation was and how I should be doing better than just being in their department in the hospital. I mean I understood that completely but the trouble I often find is that so much is said I start to question myself and it makes me think about my life. I made it clear to them though that I didn't want them to think I was looking down on them, which thankfully they knew wasn't the case. They just know I'm doing well, I guess it's not hard to see but I'm not the type to even say anything. I guess now I'm just at that point where I'm easy to read and maybe even people can easily see through me.

I don't really remember what one of them got across about mentioning girls. I think he was saying how I could bag a good one without realising or that I could get one of the girls at work who are unhappy in their situation. He was saying something about how they know how much of a nice guy I am, I didn't really get what he was trying to say though. I think it was probably with me not trying enough or doing something. I don't like being told what I should do though because it never works out like that, it just gets fucked up more.

Since then though it's really gotten me thinking about myself, I shouldn't take it to heart and I feel if I absorb that in a lot more it'll kill off a part of me that's taken a long time to develop. I don't see why I have to 'grow up' when the fact is it never benefits the benefactors who say it. They end up being the ones living their life with regret of the mistakes they made in the past, and they even admit to it. I never wanted to live that way, nor did I want to look back on that either. The whole idea just appals me, to me I don't want to fall like that when I've already witnessed it with others, I would never do that to myself when I know how things end up.

Ugh the boring week ahead, I hate these type of blockade weeks. It's what I like to think as the week before the freedom takes place as the two weeks after that should be better and a bit more lazy. I think it's just mainly this whole project shinaz I've been put on I've found to be a slight obstacle, I just don't feel involved with it. That's only because I don't travel out in the same way as the others do which still annoys me as to why they put me on this damn project to begin with. Hopefully after this week it shouldn't get too much in the way.

I really wish the Christmas period would be here already, it'll be just nice to know that things get quiet from here on out during that time. I found it interesting that for most of this year work had been pretty mellow. It seemed that things don't really start in the year until at least late February I reckon. It's like as if everyone finally decides to start doing stuff. Then the months preceding that end up being preparation for breaks during the summer, which therefore means a quiet time again. That usually goes on until late September when everything comes into play.

Yes it is rather sad of me of seeing the months ahead, I just find it helps to plan things ahead, and also things always take an unexpected turn regardless of what you expect.

That R4 device for the DS is such a blessing. I've just completed the DS version of Mario 64 on there and was rather surprised to see there wasn't much difference with when you obtain all of the stars. I guess to an extent it makes some sense as Yoshi was a playable character this time round whereas he was the best kept secret to the original game and you knew it was a great pay off.

I just thought I would be expecting more out of it, considering this time the twist to the game was being able to play 4 different characters which also meant the bigger challenge of having to collect 150 stars as opposed to the original 120. I even purposefully skipped reading about any secrets on Gamefaqs because I was expecting something good to happen at the top of that castle.

So my recommendation to any of you is to not really bother if you've played or already own the original. It's simply designed to have mini games added as an additional feature and with a slightly different take on the way to play it with other characters involved. So if you ever pondered in the early days of the original how Wario would tackle that caste then I suppose this could shed some curiosity on that. Other than that though there's no drastic change within the game itself and the ending is pretty much the same albeit with the additional characters this time.

Finally, I also felt that Yoshi was the least most relevant character to use out of the others. I'm not sure who I used the most, I would probably say Wario due to his strength although some worlds required certain characters more so than others. Play for curiosity, but not for anything more than that.