Alice in Underland

You read that right, according to ign, I don't think we're in Wonderland anymore. Not only is the name different (Very misleading too, especially considering the name of the film) other things are too.

They go on to saw that the film is unimaginative and does not feel real. You can tell that the characters are CGI, because they act as such.

Apparantly the main actress, Mia Wasikowska has little personality and offers little to the film. Johnny Depp is said not to be on his A game, but Helena Bonham Carter is said to be the saving grace.

The reviewer stated that one should just watch the film in 2-D to save money, the visual effects were not s good as once hoped.

I will need to provide my own conclusions once the film drops on Friday, March 5.

The film received 2.5 out of 5.

I Missed You

I missed you, reading. I finally began to read again. Have I ever missed it.

The first book in my "return" is French Kiss, a book that describes the intricate and confusing relationship of anglophone and francophone Canada and their interations with eachother.

The Chronicles of Narnia, Tar Sands, and many other books will have to be read as well.

The Harry Potter series will be reread this summer, as soon as I can find The Goblet of Fire and The Order of the Phoenix.

I missed you, reading.

Decisions, decisions.

Where do I go for school? London or Toronto?

London is the cheaper route, probably about half the cost. But London is a small, idealistic suburbia, it does not seem natural. Parts of London are just too fake, and almost too slow for me.

Toronto is a gritty, dirty metropolis. I like that. Its fast moving and real. But it will be far more expensive.

Decisions, decisions.

Overall Olympic Impressions

Despite an additional 4 medals at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, approximately the same number of countries had at least one medal, 26. Some countries improved overall, the United States by the largest margin overall (Canada in terms of golds) and some countries fared much worse (Austria and Russia each lost 7 medals overall). The countries with fewer medals picked up the ones the larger countries left off.

Canada maintained its position as third overall if going by medal totals. If going by gold, Canada went from fifth to first.

Of Canada's 26 medals, 10 were from Speed Skating, split evenly amongst long and short track.

Despite having very uneven percentages at the beginning, the women/man ratio of medal count ended at 56/44. This shows strong athletes male and female in Canada. As per usual, it was the women who won more medals in the Winter Olympics overall.

Canada slightly improved in its total medals, but the increased amount of gold medals show that the "Own the Podium" program does work. Canada literally owned the program, as always, in the second week of the games.

Notice the drop off that Italy, the host country of the 2006 games had. They lost 6 medals overall, likely due to lesser funding, which will happen in Canada. The question is if we will see a medal drop off, and if we do-how much?

Overall Canada had a very successful Olympics, and has London 2012, Sochi 2014, and Rio de Janeiro 2016 to look forward to. In London, Canada will be looking to best its record of 22 (Actual record is 44, but half of the world did not compete due to the Cold War). Canada is coming off of an 18 medals in Beijing.

Overall, Canada has done very well at these Olympics and won the event that mattered to Canadians most-men's hockey. Go Canada.

Oh, technology

Why must you be moving so fast? It seems like just yesterday MSN Messenger came out. I could take to people, but not on the phone. It was very weird, new, and cool. Everyone had it and everyone talked to everyone. Secret friendships made, strong bonds broken, it was all good.

Then MySpace, which I never even got into. A social networking site that is now more popular for simply being outdated.

Facebook, BAM! That one really took off. Everyone now has Facebook, and it completely replaced MSN for me. I never really have to go on the computer with Facebook Mobile at my fingertips.

Twitter, oh how I love thee. I actually really, REALLY, enjoy Twitter (As my followers can likely guess, and tell you how annoying I can easily be). Its hip, its cool, and exclusive. Only a week or two after the Twitter revelation comes blogger.com.

Although not new, it certainly has been very refreshing to myself. This site has offered so much to me in such little time.

But now, tumblr. Oh dear. Its the new thing. Its like amix of blogger and Twitter, two of my favourite things. Is it time to switch over? Why does everything change so quickly?

Oh, technology.

Life Post High School

I dropped out of high school. I did. I could not take anymore of the classes.

But already, I am realizing just how much I am going to miss my friends. These people really helped me out, much more than they really know. I am going to specifically mention three people from this year (Most likely the only 3 technologically savvy enough to read this)

Lauren, in grade 11 we really first got to know each other. It started in Marketing, since that class we bonded in Accounting, Math, Geography and more. I want to let you know just how much your company has meant to me. we had a lot of good times and I really enjoyed going to class looking forward for more.

Sean, we met pretty much on the first day, ut it wasn't until grade 9 English that we really became friends. Since then, we set a record for most classes together. You have always been there and I really appreciate that. We've really had some great times that I will not forget. You too, made it a little easier to come to school every day.

Lastly, Kirstyn. We have always kind of known each other and we have always somewhat talked. But it wasn't until grade 13 (Sad, I know) that we really became friends. Too bad it didn't start earlier. I probably saw you the least, even though we had the most classes together this year, because of both of our attendance records. I will remember lunches, and picking on Sean and Denisa the most. Really glad we became much better friends this year.

I was so used to seeing these people every single day that I didn't realize just how much they made school easier for me. It is going to be different now as we all start to actually move forward in our lives. Starting last year people have just started dropping out completely, moving on to bigger things. Some, if not most, of these people I will never see again. That truly saddens me.

There is a lot of people that I will miss. But it is these three that have impacted me the most, in class, this last semester of my high school life.

Thanks.

My Trip to Toronto

I left London all by myself for 2 days. No parents, and I made it. I came back home, alive and well. This was one of my first tastes of independence. This was step one of my adult life, and although there was a couple of bumps along the way, I think I made it out alright.

Here are just a few of the memorable moments from my trip, the ones that I find most enjoyable.

I am notorious in my house for getting my boot laces stuck. Often, someone else must undo them for me as they get much too difficult for me. The morning we left for Toronto I put on my boots, but far too tight. Before I even got on the bus my foot was hurting from the boot. I tried for the next two hours to remove it, to no avail. Even my roommate of the trip tried helping me out, but it was no use. My boots were stuck. I was forced to cut the laces off using my sole razor of the trip. I sliced open the laces and ruined my razor. My foot was swollen and still hurt for hours afterward. it wasn't the best way to start the trip.

Everything in Toronto is big. They do not "do" small. The Eaten Centre was ridiculously large, and had numerous stores. Within the 4 floors of the building, were MULTIPLE locations of Kernels (2), McDonald's (2), Starbucks (2), Manchu Wok (2), New York Fries (2) and then 2, or 3 Tim Horton's. Banana Republic and Abercrombie were split amongst genders and age groups, so they had multiples as well. The stores that only had one location were big. Sport Chek had 5 levels, one less than the ROOTS store. For some reason these stores were massive, and confusing.

The Bay itself was this MASSIVE building, towering at 11 floors. The first 7 floors were bigger than both floors at the Bay in White Oaks COMBINED. One floor of the store was just carpets. It was big and daunting, and I am a little embarassed to admit, I got lost for about 30 minutes inside of it.

The hotel room was extremely cold, I could not figure out why. I put the heater on, even up to full blast, almost constatntly but the room still had a chill. It was not until the next morning that I, frozen solid, realized that the window had been opened the entire time. That was very embarassing for me as well.

At the Raptor's game, Toronto was winning 97-95 with 1.7 seconds left. Guess who got the last 2 points? The other team, forcing the game into overtime. In the OT, Memphis absolutely dominated, and Toronto lost. All hell broke loose. Before the game even officially ended, people were leaving the building in droves. Before the game was over, about 60% of the stadium had left. People were booing, and small children were being sacrificed. It was definitely not a pretty site.

Even though there were some bumps, there was one major plus. I saw the Ted Rogers School of Management, a university I have been accepted to. I discovered its location (In the heart of the city and the Eaton Centre) and I realized that I could move to Toronto. I could do it, I could survive on my own. Whether it was blending in as a local, walking and finding my way around, or even dodging the crazy traffic, I realized that I might have just been visiting my home for the next 4 years.

And you know what, I liked it.

Vancouver 2010

Every two years, the same thing happens: I become completely obsessed with the Olympics. Regardless if it is in the summer or the winter, I find myself glued to the TV, researching and watching, even rewatching events to determine who will win, what will happen.

Its not just for the medals either. I watch events where Canada may not even participate, just to watch the games. Why do I watch them so intensely? Even though I do not watch sports on TV at all. How do the games capture me?

I start preparing for the games months in advance. I learn the events, the athletes, and their track records. Medals are not everthing, but its really nice to see Canada perform so well on the world stage, especially given our small population. I print of different schedules, in different time zones, to make sure I have a plan to watch as many events possible.

Then they begin and I tune out of the real world and slip into this world that the Olympics have created for me. Here, even last place is a huge accomplishment, a vindication of one's greatness.

Skiing, hockey, weight lifting, and my favourite, speed skating, are all watched and enjoyed by me, as well as practically ever other event that the games have to offer.

I sit there and cheer on the people who have devoted their lives to performing in sports they love more than anything else.

I count the medals, and then compare to countries of similar populations, and then compare to previous Olympic outings. I track Canada compared to everyone else and wait on more medals and more great performances.

Then comes the end of the games, for better or for worse Canada is finished and we look at what went right. There is then a depressing stage when I realize that the next games are about 2.5 years away.

But I do not get bored easily, I research the next games. London will host the 2012 Summer Olympic games, followed by Sochi's 2014 games, and Rio de Jeniero in 2016. I start the whole process over again.

But I think the games are good, and I think they stand for the good in all of us. They represent our deepest goals and desires, and just how far we are willing to push ourselves to reach them.

The games represent true sportsmanship, unity, peace, and acceptance. So watching a televised event that represents all of this to me can not be that bad-even if it is a tad excessive.

Questions to Myself

Why am I a loner?

I don't make an effort to meet people, I have no desire to make new friends. Even when given an opportunity to make new friends I pass it up, its too much work to be nice to strangers. too much effort to open up.

Why do I not try and make a difference?

Even though I complain all the time, the sad truth is that I do nothing to change my life. I hate school, yet I stay in. I hate being so selfish, yet I do not help others. I hate being out of shape, yet I do not go to the gym or even try to workout. I have ample time that I could volunteer, instead I play games and do stuff that most people can not afford. I hate being so selfish when I can easily make a difference.

Why do I have no work ethic?

I have no desire to work hard in class, and I have no desire to continue school. I don't want to work either. I messed up. I worked hard in public school and now I'm burnt out. Now is the time I get to goof off, I should get it as a reward. But no, my reward for working hard instead of clowning around is more hard work and I just don't want to do it anymore.

Where do I go from here?

I have no plans for my future whatsoever. I am not prepared. I am not ready. What am I going to do with my life? I have no idea.

Why the Nintendo 64 Totally Kicks Ass

How can a video game system kick ass? Very easily actually.

The Nintendo 64, or N64 as it is called in the gaming community, it undoubtedly the greatest videogame system ever created. No other system really even comes close. The new features and ideas it brought revolutionized the industry, the multiplayer is fantastic and the games are of the utmost quality. The N64 is a system that truly can not be replaced and will continue to be popular for a very long period of time.

Many gaming features used today we take for granted. a lot of the simple little touches we use are all possible due to the N64. Before the system came out all we had were D-Pads (Directional Pads) to guide our on screen characters to do our bidding. The precision was terrible, and the pad could hurt one's fingers after extended use. The N64 changed all of that. With Nintendo's newest machine came the joy stick on a home console. Precision in players' movements reached a whole new level. This is an innovation that every system since the N64 has used. one could not imagine the vast games we play today, and having to use a D-Pad to control our characters. it would be archaic.

Although a separate accessory for the controller, one could easily purchase the rumble pack. A rumble pack provides a rumbling sensation in the controller, used as a hint for secrets, or to exhibit force in a game. every controller now supports this once unthought-of feature. Fighting games use this feature the most, and would feel incomplete without this simple feature nowadays. Two very simple ideas implemented into one little system, changing the way we play games forever.

The one thing that the Nintendo 64 had over all competition at the time was multiplayer. Nintendo doubled the amount of players that could play simultaneously. Instead of having two people playing co-op, the N64 had four people games ready to play immediately at the time of purchase. The system also had a very strong line-up of quality games that utilised this amazing feature, with more games for four people than for most systems released in the last couple of years. Gaming with 3 players at the same time-who are in the same room as you-is perhaps the most fun a gamer can have. The situation makes the adrenaline rush and makes you work extra hard to win in the close competitions.

What makes a system great? The N64 brought some new innovations and ideas, and allowed for four person play, but what makes the N64 the best out there is the games. The system provides some of the highest quality games ever made which hold up very well to this day. Just a few of the many examples are;

Super Mario 64

For the first time ever, Mario interacts in a 3-D world. This game completely took the Mario series and flipped it around. Players were taken from a 2-D side scrolling game to a complete 3-D adventure. Instead of running to the end, players tried to locate and collect all 120 stars, performing missions and playing through episodes to find them all. Players who made it to the end faced the greatest 3-D boss battle of the time, against Bowser. Fighting him in a way they had never done in the past.

Mario Kart 64

My personal favourite game of all time. With 16 courses, 8 characters, 4 battle arenas and 4 player support, this game is extremely fun. Pioneering the famous battle mode, a nice distraction from racing that can be played against 3 other people as well, the game added depth to what was a very shallow series. tight controls and the extra polish made the game stand out and the 4 player mode is one of the best even to this day. This game inspired the extremely well received and high quality game, Diddy Kong Racing.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Known as the greatest game ever made, this game is truly one of a kind. The amount of polish and time spent on this game is hard to imagine. Boasting 6 full temples, 5 smaller dungeons (Including the Well and the Gerudo Fortress), and countless side quests, this game can last forever. To a full-fledged fishing game within a game, to the hunt for 100 spiders hidden throughout the very expansive world. Boasting the ability to travel through time, and over a dozen very memorable and challenging bosses, this game truly can be considered one of, if not the greatest, game of all time. It also inspired the sequel, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. Instead of trying to copy the original, the makers of the game truly wanted a unique experience and made something entirely new. Not as well received as the first, but certainly a game that had some fantastic moments.

Some other games that are notoriously good include: GoldenEye007, Super Smash Bros, mario Party, Mario Party 2, Mario Party 3, Pokemon Stadium, Pokemon Stadium 2, Pokemon Snap, Star Fox 64, Banjo-Kazooie, Banjo-Tooie, Paper Mario, Perfect Dark, Donkey Kong 64, Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, Yoshi's Story, Mario Tennis and countless others.

The Nintendo 64 has stood the test of time and has aged very gracefully. From the system that has provided many industry innovations, introduced the world to multiplayer, and has hosted the best games ever created, the system is still the best ever created. The N64 completely kicks ass.

The Wonderous Adventure of Wii Fit

I used to weigh over 200 pounds. I used to be extremely unhealthy and out of shape. Although I can hardly claim to be in terrific shape now, I do weigh 50 pounds less and I don't lose my breath when I tie my shoes.

Thanks Wii Fit.

Wii Fit was able to motivate me in ways that my real life simply couldn't. Nothing makes you feel so ashamed, or hurt, then stepping on the board and instead of seeing a number, you simply see the word, "obese." That stings. You start to realize just how unhealthy you are, you realize all of the junk food you've eaten has stayed with you. You learn just how bad off your health really is.

But don't worry-Wii Fit is there for you. You start of metting the balance board on screen, your virtual guide through this entire process. Then, you get to meet your trainer who has no name. I decided that I would name the male Bob, and the female Tina. They were easy to remember so I knew who to curse when I was angry.

The game is seperated into 4 distinct categories, Yoga, Strength Training, Aerobics and then Balance games for fun. The first three categories are essential to the game, while the Balance games allow for a short rest period inbetween workouts and exercises.

Yoga is an amazing little gem in this game. Having the tranquility and guidance needed to perform yoga was very relaxing. I could feel my body stretching. I could feel the negative energy leaving. I felt at peace with myself. This was not the most physical of the activities, but was definately the most rewarding mentally.

Strength Training was definately the one that hurt me the most. Who knew there was so many different exercises that could strengthen up different parts of the body? Lord knows I didn't. This is the section that made you feel tired and hurt the next morning. This is where you realize that losing all of that weight will not be easy by any means. You have to pick up your socks and start working hard, this is where it makes a difference.

Aerobics is actually fun as well, and gives the user a pretty good workout. Running, jumping, and more are all present and make the user move their body. This is very important, as it encourages the user to be active outside of the game as well. Running in the game has convinced me to start running in real life, which I will be starting when all of this snow melts. I enjoyed this section the most.

Balance games become really competitive, earning that high score is an honour that should not be taken lightly. Everyone wants a piece of that scoreboard and they're going to have to earn it. from dodging soccer balls to snowboarding down the slopes, the balance games cover it all.

Wii Fit also gives you tips and tricks. Like eating a banana before working out, I guess it gives me more energy. These tips are unique and interesting and can add up to real differences in your life. It gives you encouragement and scolds you for going off of your strict regime.

The most influential part of the entire game is that you weigh-in and it tells you how you are doing. All without pounds. It can tell you your BMI score, Body Mass Index (Mass relative to body size). It basically lets you know if you're overweight. but not having to see the pounds (Rather, they were an option) was nice, I didn't have to focus on losing X pounds for X period of time. Instead, I could focus on going from "obese" to "overweight."

The game lets you set goals and tries to help you accomplish them. It will let you know if they are reasonable or not. If not, you can easily change them for something more attainable.

But what the game does for you, something much more important, is that it doesn't judge you. It allows you to become healthy at your own pace. It sincerely motivates you, you start to look at what you eat and wonder if its healthy. You walk the stairs instead of the elevator. You change your life. The game changes your world around you.

By combining all of this together, the game is able to effectively help you change your life if you let it. You can become a better, healthier person.

Thanks Wii Fit.

Whatever Happened to the Wristwatch?

Having a watch used to mean something. Not anymore.

There used to be stores upon stores specifically catering to the watch market. Not anymore.

Everyone who was anyone wore a watch. Not anymore.

No one wears watches anymore. Did society change while I wasn't looking?

Everyone wore them. People would even trade them at recess. Now, the people who wear watches are the social outcasts, the people behind the trends.

What could possibly be the cause? Cellphones. Who needs to wear those bulky watches when one can easily check their phones, or their iPods, or their Zunes (Yeah right).

Society has become so dependent on technology that the grandest invention of all time is completely foresaken.

There used to be co many wristwatches out there, now there is only a couple left.

At least cellphones will never take the place of sliced bread.

Let the Good Times Roll

My first blog. How exciting. First off, I do not care if not one single individual reads this. This will be self-therapy for me. I want to talk about random things, important things, and everything in between.

I cannot wait to get started.