Blog

The thoughts, opinions, happenings, and just plain ramblings of a seemingly boring person.

Rants

The Best and Worst of 2014

Categories Gaming, Movies, Rants

I don't feel like I've been exposed to a lot that has been on offer this year in terms of movies and games. Nevertheless, tradition must be observed, so here is 2014's movies and games that I most enjoyed, and those I didn't at all.

Movies

I haven't seen any of the Boxing Day movies yet, but I doubt what is on offer will change my mind from the movies I have already seen this year.

The Lego MovieBest Movie: The Lego Movie

Yeah, big surprise, I know ;). It was looking like it was a tough choice between Lego and … Read more →

The End of ‘How I Met Your Mother’

Categories Life, Rants

How I Met Your MotherHow I Met Your Mother finally concluded this week after nine seasons. Despina and I have been watching the show since the first season, and it was actually one of the first TV series we started watching as a married couple all the way back in 2006.

The past three or four seasons had seen it drop in quality, and it wouldn't be a stretch to say that we were watching it more out of an obligation to see it through, rather than genuine anticipation and enjoyment.

So the finale aired yesterday, and whilst it was good to see … Read more →

Game Endings

Categories Gaming, Rants

The Last of UsOver the past few weeks, I have played through The Last of Us (exclusive to the PS3). This might surprise some, considering my abject aversion to playing any game that requires a decent amount of aiming with a controller. Although I still suck miserably at using control sticks to aim, the game was definitely good enough for me to endure the humiliation of having it configured on the easiest possible settings in order to get through it. That, and the $30 price tag made it an easy gamble to make.

The Last of Us is a fantastic game, and although … Read more →

10 Years of Blogging!

Categories Geekery, Internet, Life, Rants

10 Years BloggingWow. Today marks 10 years since I started this blog. I must have missed the 10 year mark of the website itself (which was on 13 July 2013), but it was with the launch of this blog 10 years ago that things really started to get interesting (at least for me 😛 ).

If I was honest, 10 years ago I don't think I would have bet that this would still be going a decade later. At the five year mark I was seriously considering giving it up, but over the years I've come to the realisation that this … Read more →

The Best and Worst of 2013

Categories Gaming, Movies, Rants

It's my usual 'Best and Worst' post time! For those not familiar, I summarise the best and worst movies and games that I have watched and played this calendar year. These are only from the movies/games that I have personally watched/played, so it's definitely not exhaustive.

Movies

Keeping in mind that I have only seen one movie out of those that were released over the Christmas/Boxing Day period, here is a list of the movies that I have watched so far this year.Django Unchained

Best Movie: Django Unchained

Usually a movie will jump out at me as one of the … Read more →

Windows 8.1 Thoughts

Categories Geekery, Rants, Technology

After being on Windows 8 since I built the new computer, I was quite eager to see how Windows 8.1 would improve upon the deficiencies that I have previously criticised.

As a whole, I think it is a bit of a mixed bag. There are some good improvements. For example, the implementation of a 'Start' button goes some way to easing the transition for Windows users, and provides a visual cue of functionality that was previously only an unmarked 'hover' corner. But really, it is only a square that does the same thing as the Start key on … Read more →

The End of My Affinity for Google: Reader to be Shut Down

Categories Internet, Rants, Technology

Google Reader Shut Down

Today it was announced that Google will be shutting down its online RSS-feed aggregator, Google Reader. Ironically, I first found out about the announcement through Google Reader as I am subscribed to the Official Google Blog through it.

To say that I am disappointed with this news is an understatement. Along with Gmail and Google Calendar, Google Reader is one of three Google products that I use all day, every day.

After trying to find a suitable RSS aggregator almost seven years ago, I eventually settled on Google Reader and have been using it every day I've been on … Read more →

Expensive HDMI Cables are a Rort: Don’t Be a Sucker

Categories Rants, Technology

HDMI cableI've been wanting to write this for a while, and keep on forgetting.

Yesterday my parents got a WDTV, and as a result, needed a new HDMI cable to connect it to their TV. Being  around the Carindale Westfield, we decided to try and get the HDMI cable from there, so we went to a couple of the electronics retailers to try to buy a reasonably priced 1+ metre HDMI cable.

JB-HiFi had a generic brand 1.2m for $30, Dick Smith's had their own DSE generic brand 1.5m for $40, Harvey Norman had Philips 1.5m for $50 and a Monster … Read more →

Why Football Will Never (properly) Take Off in Australia

Categories Football, Rants

Football On TVTime for my first rant of the year!

Football has come a long way in Australia. Not just Australia, but in other western countries where the game has not been traditionally popular (think USA, Canada, New Zealand, etc.), its popularity both in participation and attendance has largely been on the increase in the past couple of decades.

However, as much as it pains me to say it, football will never properly take off in Australia, or really in any westernised country where it isn't already entrenched. In my opinion there's one very simple and very significant reason why it won't: … Read more →

The Best and Worst of 2012

Categories Gaming, Movies, Rants

Like last year's 'Best and Worst' post, this year has been a bit lean gaming-wise. Finishing off building our house and moving in in the first quarter, and planning and taking holidays in the latter half of the year go someway to explaining it, and the aging console generation might too,  but I'm beginning to fear that I might be moving away from gaming.

Also continuing on from last year, we saw a lot of movies. My count is 32 released in this calendar year.

Anywho, here is my critical wrap of 2012.

Movies
(see here for a … Read more →