Happy New Year
I hope everyone has a safe and happy new year. Goodbye 2005, Hello 2006.
Playing Games
I have been playing my Xbox360 recently when I haven’t been working. It is a lot of fun but I could use some more games. I didn’t get any games for Christmas so I was stuck with Hexic HD, which is a really fun puzzle game. On Boxing Day, at Zellers I bought 2 games since all 360 games were $20 off. I got FIFA 2006, and Need For Speed Most Wanted.
I really like soccer so I thought FIFA would be a good choice. I have never owned a soccer game before so I’m still not sure what to expect. I have been frustrated so far with trying to control the ball good. . It seems like my players are passing even though I don’t tell them to. Other times, when I play defense I don’t know how to follow along with a player so I always end up sliding in and getting carded. I guess I just need to learn how to play a bit better.
Need for Speed Most Wanted is a good game. I always enjoy racing games so this one is doubly interesting with its single player story. Although the story is a little hokey I still find it interesting. I started the game off with the Cobalt SS, and switched to a Supra that I won from another rival after I beat him.
Also, from Microsoft’s training, I should have another two games coming along: Perfect Dark Zero, and Project Gotham Racing 3. I can’t wait for this order to finally get through. I imagine that there is quite the backlog with illegitimate people trying to get in on training prizes. The training program is only open to employees of elgible retailers. Which by the way means I am elgible. So the sooner that arrives the better.
I was also hoping to buy Call of Duty 2, and then today I was contemplating buying Dead or Alive 4. I guess I will have to see how fast I get through NFSMW. I still haven’t played any games online yet, but I hope to as soon as I get PGR3.
Merry Christmas
It is Christmas Eve and I think I have finished all my Christmas shopping for this year. I hope everyone likes the presents I got them. I wish everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Along with the Christmas break means I am working more. That means I am working during a really busy time of year. What I wish customers would understand is that if you are waiting for the last week before Christmas to do shopping you shouldn’t be expecting everything to be in stock. It really iritates me when a customer gets upset with me for not having something in stock. I just laugh in my head and try to explain that they will have to wait a couple weeks for it to come back in stock. Next week is going to suck. I am working 5 days, and also on boxing day. . 6:45am is going to suck. I guess I will get some more money now so that way I will have enough for the next semester of school that is starting in a couple weeks. I wish that these holiday breaks would last longer. I guess thats my fault for having such a late final.
Xbox 360 Gamercard
I added a cool gamercard from Xbox Live to my blog. You can see the information in the top right of the screen it displays all my information for Xbox Live. This is all to get me ready for the Xbox 360. Under my name on there you can also view my achievements. The whole thing is kind of cool, I hope that once I get the Xbox 360 I will be able to get a lot of the achievements and prove to everyone that I am good at gaming. Well. . prove to those who care.
Weird Christmas Houselight Videos
I thought these weird Christmas videos would be interesting to everybody. People sure do have too much time on their hands to be able to do stuff like this. They have lights on their houses that are choreographed to go along with music. It is really neat to watch and provides for surprising good entertainment.
Video 1
Video 2
Video 3
**Video 1 and video 2 are from the same house and are different songs. Video 1 and Video 3 are different homes and the same song.**
Next Semester
My next semester is already taking shape. My book list appears to be online at the university and I already have good news. Last time I took an Economics class (Econ201) , I downloaded the entire textbook, study guide, and solutions manual from the textbook manufacturers webpage. The good news comes from the fact that I downloaded the Microeconomics and Macroeconomics portions of the textbook. That means I already have the textbook for Econ202.
My other textbooks include an expensive book for CS340, Data Structures and Algorithm Analysis
Difficulty Studying
I have an English 110 final tomorrow morning and a CS350 final Friday morning. I know how I am able to study for the CS350 final, but the English final I am lost. I don’t really know how a person is suppose to study for something that involves writing an essay. I already read the novels and short stories, and know what is going on . . but without knowing the exact essay question that is going to be on the final, I am a little lost. All that was given was to “think about what we have seen in Scotland and then in our own news think about themes and people’s struggles.” Alright, thats a good start, I can build off of that.
Incase anyone was interested in what I had to read for the semester, I provided a list. The topic for this class was Scottish Crime Fiction.
Novels read:
Hide and Seek – Ian Rankin
Death of an Addict – M.C. Beaton
Garnethill – Denise Mina
Short Stories Read:
Bampot Central – Christopher Brookmyre
How the Angels Fly In – Ron Butlin
Death Wish – Linda Cracknell
Conviction – Chris Dolan
Someone Had To – Janice Galloway
I Shall Fear No Evil – Iain Grant
Statutes and Judgements – Susie Maguire
The Writing on the Wall – Val McDearmid
How You Look at It – Candia McWilliam
A Change of Face – Agnes Owens
The Hanged Man – Ian Rankin
Common Knowledge – Elizabeth Reeder
Of Tooth and Claw – Manda Scott
Business – Raymond Soltysek
Whistling, Singing, Eating Fruit – Ruth Thomas
1 Down – 4 to go
With 1 final in the books, that only leaves me to write Chemistry 102, Computer Science 330, 350 and English 110. Hopefully I can pull off some good finals for these classes and finish off the semester on a positive note for a change. I can’t wait for finals to all be finished though. Then I can finally get some rest time. Having to finish assignments and working on project/essays is not very fun. Next semester I think will be just as busy so I should try to enjoy my free time during the break. Next semester I will have to worry about my Computer Science classes since they normally equate to a lot of work. My other two classes of Economics and Chinese 100, should be easier and manageable. Actually, I can’t wait for Chinese 100. I think that my prior experience of working in China and learning Chinese in elementary school will make this class the easiest out of any class I have ever taken before. I just hope they don’t try to say I’m over qualified for it. Well look at the time! I have to get back to studying.
Final Exams
It is that time again. Final exams are upon us all. I have been really busy as of late finishing up all the last assignments for my classes and trying to get caught up. I finished my English essay and a CS350 assignment for Monday. I think that this will have gone ok, but not good. After Monday, it has been no school but I have gone to some extra help classes from 9 – 12 in the morning for math class. I sure hope that this pays off and I will get a decent mark in the class. . What am I saying?? I just want to pass. I think passing should be manageable though. I will probably only need 35 – 45% to pass the class. . but then there is always the problem of getting 50% to pass. I will put forth my best effort and hope to succeed, since that is all I can do. After this Math final tomorrow, I don’t have another final until next week Monday (CS330). Maybe in the meantime I will get an Xbox 360 . . .
