My apologies that my review is a day late. My internet died on Sunday... It is fixed now. So here it is, a rather messy, yet complete, review of Evangelion 2.22 - You Can (Not) Advance.

At first I was not impressed at all by the movie. It was just a recap of older episodes. There is, at the very beginning, a fight between an angel and a rather cute and funny girl that pilots EVA-05 & speaks English. She pilots Unit-05 (an American model, I believe). We won't see her until again until later on in the movie. However, as the movie pressed onward, I got hooked. It was not quite as addictive as End of Evangelioni, but as whole the movie was very addictive (and sad).

Toward the beginning, Commander Ikari and his right hand (I forget his name) head into space. They are orbiting the moon and who do they see? Why they see Kaoru, of course! He then jumps into an angel and slowly heads toward Earth. This angel is the ultimate; his AT field is unstoppable.

Later on, Rei gets wooed over by Shinji. She then wants to throw a dinner party for all of the Eva pilots and Commander Ikari. For the first time, you see Rei show a hint of emotion . Unfortuantely, the date of her party is the day Asuka has training exercises. It also happens to be the day that Auska has training exercises; an angel-emergency pops up that day as well.

Shinji and his father have another fight. He refuses to fight another Eva (the EVA that Asuka is in has turned into an angel); he then threatens Eva HQ. After all of this, he walks away. Asuka has a mental breakdown in her fight with an angel. This is where the movie gets gorey... Asuka gets into another EVA and attempts to fight this angel. The angel dismantles Asuka's EVA and eats the entry plug... no more Asuka. Shortly thereafter, Shinji returns with the help of the mystery girl and fights what Kaoru jumped into at the beginning of the movie. Rei jumps into Unit-00 with no rifle and she charges right into the angel form of Kaoru. She becomes absorbed Here are a few screencaps.



After all of this, we are visited by the dreaded THIRD IMPACT... Shinji reaches into the ulitmate angel's AT-Field and gets torn to pieces. He managed to merge with Rei and the Third Impact ensues. Boy howdy the world is a mess. Bottom line is... shitty movie opening; beautiful ending.

I would rate this movie: 7.2/10

I went swimming at a friend's pool today. It really helped work out my shoulder pain. There were tons of wasps making homes around the pool's parameter; I am lucky that I didn't get poked by one . This time I did not wear cologne; they are less attracted to you if you don't wear anything like perfume or cologne. It was nice swimming around and getting on a floatie and just relaxing. I hope that I don't get a sunburn . Oh well...if I do, it just means that I will get a tan to top off my pasty complexion. I will take anything to top off my Irish tan. I am not fully Irish, but I tan like one, that's for sure; call me paste man, man what looks like paste! Oh well, I need to wash all the pool goo off of me (after I finish writing this blog). Before that, some kids in a nearby town decided to do nasty things in a public pool. They broke in after hours and took a monster shit in the pool. Then shortly after that, another kid did the same thing. The kids are still at large; I am never going to a public pool again (except at the YMCA).

I am for sure going to go to the gym this coming Monday. The pool has helped my injury out, so I should be back in action! I have learned not to trust random newbies to spot me. Not just on a bench press, but on any machine or free weight. I have a workout partner, and he was not there yesterday, but even if he was, I would not trust him with my life to spot me (then why did I trust a total stranger??). Also....for not being there to lift with me yesterday, I am going to PUNISH my workout partner when we lift on Monday (if he even shows up). He does his "usual workout" on a Bow Flex. I've used a Bow Flex a few times, and they don't do jack for me like free weights or any other weight machines do.

Tonight, I am going to watch Evangelion 2.22 - You Can (Not) Advance. This is the only Evangelion movie I haven't seen. I look forward to watching it. If it is like any of the other movies and / or the series, then I will totally crap my pants in ecstasy. I just can't wait to watch it. I'll watch it after my shower. I will post what I think of it tomorrow after I get back from Sunday School and church. I promise to watch Viper's Creed soon! Until next time, GAO!@~

Well my mom had a wonderful birthday this past Wednesday! Unfortunately she wound up cooking for the house. I guess she does not trust my cooking . I was going to make nachos. Even though they are hard at first, the cheese makes the chips nice and soggy after around five minutes. She really does enjoy her wind chimes . Yesterday I tried to get her some of her favorite candy, but the candy store didn't carry it. The other store in town did carry it, but I did not have enough money to get even half of a pound. I learned yesterday that cheaper is not always better. Sorry, mom .

I hurt myself lifting weights today. I was doing a flat bench press and the guy spotting me was a total newbie and dropped the weight right where my left deltoid and right pectoral connect. I had to stop my workout right there; too much pain and I couldn't move my left arm hardly at all. This is the last time I do any free bench exercises without a spotter I trust; not a random pud that can only lift 200 pounds. I am feeling better, but it still hurts like holy hell. I should be back on track at my normal workout time this comming Monday .

Someone special has a birthday today! That person is my Mom. 49 years old and still kicking! Hopefully she has at least another 30 left in her. She got some new wind chimes for birthday (just what she said she wanted). Dad and I are going to cook for her tonight (change of pace for the house)! Now to let her kick back and watch TCM all day long; she really loves that channel. Maybe catch a silent movie--that would make her happy! Again I say, Happy Birthday to my dear, sweet, Mother.

Please have a happy birthday, Mom . Now for some happy birthday music by Frank Sinatra! Enjoy your wind chimes~

Joplin is an odd little city tucked away in the southwest corner of the state of Missouri. It has many perks; the big buildings and traffic of a large city, and the quaint charm of a small town. I am going to run down a list of the things that make Joplin what it is. It varies in climate, population and weather. Each has their pros and cons; I personally like it here for the most part, but there are a few things that I would like to have changed around bit. Let's start out with Joplin's variable, and rather unpredictable climate.

There is a saying that they say around here: if you don't like the weather around here, wait ten minutes. The city has a "dome" around it. Where the city is positioned makes it difficult for storms to hit. When storms do hit though, boy howdy is it a big impact! The summers are dry and brutal; the humidity is most always between 85% and 100%, so heat indices are up there too. July and August temperatures hover around 95 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Winter is also dry for the most part. We get snow, but we also get wind and that makes it incredibly cold. Winter temperatures are around 10 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit. Winter isn't too god awful bad, but summer is horrible!

We get a below-average precipitation rating, but flowers and vegetables manage to blossom just fine. As a matter of fact, my mother usually plants tomatoes, peppers, radishes, and herbs every year and they manage to blossom into beautiful, and tasty, plants. She didn't get around to planting them this , but her herbs came up from last year and they turned out just fine! She even grew carrots last year. They didn't turn out so hot, but she gave it her best shot. She harvests and saves parsley and basil and some other herbs which I don't know of every year. From the soil to the freezer they go. Boy they sure do make her food taste a hell of a lot better. In fact, I just can't imagine her food without her herbs.

Transportation in this town is a hoot. You have three options for public transportation. You have the bus, the trolley and the cab. The bus is horrible. You have to call about 24 hours in advance and they charge you 4 dollars each way you go. The trolley, which is what I use, is the best out of the three choices. You have to meet them at a designated stop. The drivers are idiots and keep the A/C off and doors open half the time. They even miss your stops, which can be bad if you are on your way to work! It one dollar each way, two if you have them come to you, 50 cents if you have a disability card, and free with a prepaid pass. The pass is $30/month ($15 for disability). The cab is just that, a cab. It costs $15 to go across town, gg.

There are good parts to the transportation dilemma. It is a pain the ass to walk across town in the summer heat. Say you don't have a standing bus order, call a trolley deviation! Not near a trolley station or don't feel like walking, choke out some cash and call a cab! Say you are at a trolley stop, wait for the trolley to stop by and shell out a dollar for a cool, refreshing ride across town. Even if you don't want to take a cab or don't feel like walking, call in a deviation for the trolley and pay two dollars. Still less money and you won't die in the heat. I know people in Texas and Arizona deal with greater heat, you have to take into consideration we are only lacking in a few degrees from you.

The last part about Joplin I want to tell everyone about is the population. Joplin has a huge population, that's what gives it the big city charm. There is a bad side, though. With such a diverse population, you are bound to have assholes lurking around. They range into people cutting you off on the road, yelling at you while you're walking, giving you glares, and just plain flipping you off. Yes it is very easy to get frustrated and just downright pissed off in this city. You will run into the person who likes to bump into your shoulder in attempt to move you. Usually they stay away from me because I am muscular, but there is always the exception. Why do they insist on being asshats? I have not the faintest idea...

There are good citizens in town, too. There are those that make way for you. There are ones that wave and say, "Hello!" I am one of those. If I make eye contact with someone, I almost always say, "Hi," or "Hello." Just today I made three female friends by introducing myself; it seems that my shyness is gone! I made two friends at the mall and one on the trolley ride home. While I was at the mall, someone helped me shop for shirts. While I did not buy anything today, I know what I should buy when I go back to Hot Topic. Speaking of shirts, my Dad bought me a nice olive-green polo shirt today. It fits and breathes easy. It didn't cost much, so I don't feel all that guilty for him buying it.

On another subject...anime! I found a more recent anime to watch and review. It is called Viper's Creed. I think that it was released in 2008. It is supposed to be in the same genre as Ghost in the Shell. It is short, only l2 episodes, so I should get it done farily quickly. I will start on it tomorrow . One last matter...there is a special event that is going to take place on July 21st. I will post details on the 20th and set it off on the 21st. I will post again when something comes up. Until then, stay happy~

Yesterday and today have both been pretty interesting days. Yesterday, a storm came wailing in around 9:00 and I went to the gym with a friend around 12:00pm. That shit is waaaay too early for me. I am more of a 2pm to 3pm person. Any earlier and I just have don't have any energy to spare. Today I went on a great adventure. The trolley driver missed my spot once, and he almost missed my second stop. I kept yelling at him, but he never answered. When he eventually realized what he had done, he apologized profusely. So I was stuck on one trolley for two hours, and a second for one hour. Three fcking hours on a trolley... sucks! Considering half of trip was unbearable; the driver thought the weather outside was perfect, so why crank the A/C up... it is perfect ! Needless to say, that wore me down. When I got back home, my folks asked what was wrong with me. "Nothing," I said, "nothing at all!". I was pretty angry at the trolley drivers. I mean, they are good people, they were just acting like morons today. Here is a new picture of me. The quality is low because it was taken on an old cell phone. Also, excuse the Irish tan. Plus I have my shamrock hat on!



I am in need of some good music. The kind I crave is techno / trance. I have means to acquire music, I just don't know any worthy artists. Please name some artists and I will be eternally grateful! I don't know many artists, just "DJ Quicksilver". Please help me out!

"It was the beginning of a summer that was as short as a star's twinkle... and as long as an eternity..."

Kesha, a comment poster, was wrong about Air being a bad series. The underlying theme in the series is dreaming. Everything seems to be enveloped into a dream. Select people join the stars and communicate with others through dreams. Misuzu in particular is effected by these dreams. In episodes 8 and 9, there is a flashback and we get to see all about these dreamers. Apparently they have wings and fly amongst the stars to bring happiness to those communicating on the surface world. These dreamers can dream good and bad, just like us. Those dreamers eventually die if their dreams are bad. In the dreams, they are all at peace and are flying hi in the sky.

Yukito eventually leaves Misuzu for her own health; let us not forget Misuzu's spasms where she crys when amongst a "friend" or uneasy with crowds. Later on, though, he comes back and they "bond"; Yukito takes the form of a crow (or so it seems). He does this to watch over her (I think). Boy this show sure does make you appreciate the value of a mother. The show has a sad ending... Misuzu dies a sad death and the series starts over; I cried. Here are three more screencaps.

I am going swimming in a few hours. I should have Air finished sometime tomorrow evening, so await the final review: does it stay good, or did the ending suck ass? Tune in tomorrow or Monday to find out. Now here is a techno mix from a high school friend called Eat my Buns!. It is based on an inside joke; enjoy!

Today I am going to talk about the anime series known as Air. It is a short, 13 episode series that has quite a few hooks to the story. Most of the characters seem to have a longing to get high into the clouds. Misuzu espically does. I am 62% through with the series (8/13 episodes). It starts out featuring a guy who is poor and down on his luck, Kunisaki Yukito. He performs puppet shows for yen. He is met up with this odd young woman known as Kamio Misuzu. She has a mental illness; she cries and can't make any new friends. Her illness isn't specifically mentioned at the time of my viewing, but it might later on down the road. She loves to dream about flying high into the sky.

There is another young girl by the name of Kano Kirishima. She has a cute and intelligent dog named "Potato". Instead of barking, he just yelps "Piko! Piko!" The series, 8 episodes into it, is best summarized by the quote in the beginning, "It was the beginning of a summer that was as short as a star's twinkle...and as long as an eternity..." Kano tends to sleepwalk and get into all sorts of trouble. She tends to go to the local shrine and mess with a sacred cursed feather. She tries to "fly" to be with her mother whom died many years ago. I am only a tad of the way through the series, but it looks promising. I need to get my paws on the Air movie as well. I can't find a copy on the internet, so I might have to buy one. It seems that all of the females in this series have a mental illness in some form or another. Here are three screenshots of the series.





I am still waiting for Galefore to get online so I can get my account back. I would steal it, but his wife changed the password on it . The problem is that he never gets on. He's busy with work and the naval life though, so I can't put too much pressure on to him. Speaking of military friends. My friend, Kyle, talked to me this morning. He is stationed in Japan. To that I say, "LUCKY!" I am going swimming all day tomorrow, so I won't have much to write about. Sunday after Church, I plan on finishing Air. If I don't, I will come very close to it. Bye!

Another second post in one day! Don't get behind reading posts .

Okay so my parents watch Fox News all the time and I just don't get it. I like Fox & Friends (when I'm awake for it) and Glenn Beck, that's it. What other programming is so interesting that it can "entertain" a person for a whole day?? The only things that seem to be in the news these days are the Gulf Oil Spill (old news) and kidnappings (also old news). About the only thing I get off of Fox News is how poorly President Obama is running our nation. I get my news from the newspaper and the internet, not Fox News. I have nothing against it, I just want to know what the big fuss is? The other networks like CNN or MSNBC seem to be falling behind big time. Maybe Fox News is number one because they are fighting the liberal media on her old turf...television. I honestly don't know what's up, please someone enlighten me. I'll continue to watch local news, read the newspaper, and watch Glenn Beck.

Republicans seem to be quite comfortable on the radio; with Fox News, it is easy to see why Liberals are getting their balls twisted in a knot. I still don't know much about the nation's status at this moment, but I do know that something needs to be done about the oil spill. So Obama, get off your milky chocolate ass and do something about YOUR nation, ffs man do your job. If there's one thing Fox News has taught me, is that you are a horrible leader and are unfit at best to do your job.

Tomorrow I will have some anime updates and perhaps some music stuffs. Or will I do something with video games? WHO KNOWS~

Today I did something that I rarely do. I prayed not for others, but for myself. I usually include loved ones or those less fortunate, but I was feeling needy and somewhat greedy this morning. I prayed to the lord for help with my relationships;; I am way too shy with both girls and boys. It is not just boyfriend or girlfriend relationships, but just plain old friendships. The lord gave me quite a bit of advise and lots of wisdom to add to my arsenal. I felt pretty bad after I prayed, but the Lord said to me, "Do not punish yourself for your prayer, my son, every one prays for themselves." I still felt bad, but my parents reassured me and I feel much better now. I think that the Lord helped me because I was trying as hard as I could to make friends, both male and female.

He said to me, "Do not fear introductions; the other one is just as, if not more, as nervous as you. He also told me not to fear people in groups. He said that one reason people travel in groups is because they are nervous just like you." He also told me to be observant. One example is the movie display in the Vintage Stock at the mall. If there is someone, especially alone, sitting and watching it, join them and share interest! So thanks to Him, my shyness is pretty much null and void. The only thing that will deter me from someone is a ring on their finger. My goal is to have a "friend" by September at the latest.

I might do something that I might regret later. I am thinking of getting my old account back from World of Warcraft. I am starting to miss it...hte PVP, the bigass dungeons like Blackwing Lair, ganking, ahhh the list goes on. Galefore has my account now, but he said that he'd be willing to give it back if I wanted it. I can go back to my priest and get her to the new max level, whatever it is; I can get my warrior up as well. If Blizzard keeps up their name bullshit, I might not go back to the game after all. Then again, is crack this good really going to be deterred by anonymity? This former war crack addict says maybe. I'll have to go out on a limb and check it out to see if it's worth having some stalker having my name. Then again, Facebook has my full name. WoW is supposed to be a fantasy RPG; you don't use "Bob Dole" as your name, you use "Frodo Baggins" or something. Oh well, I'll have to see what goes on. Some of my friends have agreed to pay my account fees if I get on, so that's a plus. I'll post more on it later.

Two posts in one day...omgwtflag!

So tonight I watched End of Evangelion for the second time. It is a very interesting movie; a must see for any Eva fan. You know that crappy ending ("CONGRADULATIONS!"). Well this movie provides an "alternative" ending. Oh it is such a super-duper movie. It has an exciting, unpredictable ending. With out further ado, here is a short summary of the movie. I put in in "spoiler" fashion. Hover over the black lines if you wish to hear about the movie. Don't want to know? Then don't hover over it, silly! The pictures are snapshots I took during the movie. They are pretty cool.

First and foremost, let me break this down. In this movie, everybody dies! Everybody except Shinji that is; I'll get onto that later . The movie starts with Shinji as Asuka's bedside, she got fucked up majorily eariler. He goes crazy and hits her limp body. This pops her top and leaves her "exposed." Well Shinji likes this, because he stares and faps. Soldiers from SEELE then begin attacking NERV headquarters. They get far in; around this time the eva pilots are ordered to get into their EVAs. Asuka gets thrown into her's while she's still dead to the world. She recovers quickly and was ready for action. Shinji was blubbering like a baby; Rei left her room and went to the location of the first angel. SEELE sends their own, fully-mature EVAs. Then it's Asuka -vs- Nine mature EVAs. Her plug gets yanked, so she's on borrowed time. She was doing well until the other EVAs regenerated and then jumped her and ate her....gg. Misato gets shot and says her final words to Shinji; she gives him her cross, kisses him, then throws him in an elevator...then she dies. Shinji then comes out in his EVA and sees Asuka's remains; he flips out hardcore. Rei turns on Shinji's dad and merges with ADAM (the first angel). After rescuing Shinji, thousands of little Rei's spawn and kill everyone. They turn people to liquid...again, gg. That's about it for the movie; I won't give out the absolute ending right here...go watch it yourself !



So I went to the mall again today. I decided to STUFF my shy side and make conversation with everyone I could find, mostly females though. I made a few friendships. I figure "don't rush things and don't act desperate!" So I just said "hi" and had small, five minute conversations with them. Every time I go to the mall, I will STUFF my shyness again and make more friends. Eventually I will find a "special friend" if I keep it up . Until next time, enjoy a good song!

Today I would like to introduce you, the reader, to an old time favorite game of mine. As you may guess, the game is Lufia & the Fortress of Doom. The game is about four villains called the Sinstrals that are made with pure evil. At the start of the game, you are on the island known as Doom Island. This is where the Sinstrals reside. Your character's levels are the mid to high 70s, so all of the enemies are defeated quite easily. The objective here is to defeat the Sinstrals using the Dual Blade that is bestowed upon Maxim (the hero). This is literally foolproof; once you do this, Doom Island falls into the sea. Now, 99 years later, the game really begins.

The battle system is like that of Final Fantasy is as because it is turn-based. Leveling in the game is very easy. Don't go overboard though! You will want to get by on bare bones leveling until you get your last party member or else your party's level range will be a bloody mess. The controls are very easy: control pad to move, and the A & B buttons to select/deselect. X & Y to check status on items. So we can see that the controls and battle system are easy. I see no need to go any further into the game mechanics.

Yesterday I checked out a book at the library (yes, ): Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury. I read one of his more famed novels, Fahrenheit 451 and figured that I should give his other books a chance. I have gotten into chapter IV and am hooked on it. I read one or two chapters at a time, then I take a break. I am not a power reader, so I read very slowly. I have three weeks to read it before I have to return it. I think I'll have it knocked out in one--like I said, I am a slow reader! After I read this, I am probably going to read Lés Miserables (sp?). I loved that book, Jean Valjean (sp?) was perhaps best character in any book that I have read.

On another note, I am feeling much better. Not suicidal, not depressed, not crazy, just feeling gooooooooooooooooooooood. That's all for this post: bye~

While at the mall a few days ago, I ran into an old crush/girlfriend of mine. I engaged in conversation with her, and she did not even remember my name! Needless to say, my heart was broken into a billion little pieces. She was only one out of a a handful of "girlfriends" that I have ever had. She is also the only one that I miss with my whole heart. I am not saying her name, just in case some reader recognizes her. Needless to say, I wrote a poem to express my feelings. I don't know if it is "well-written" or not, but try not to critique me too badly. With further ado, here it is: Anonymous Love.

Anonymous Love...    Say I to my Anonymous Love, why pain? Why...    What have you done    With my lonely heart;    Why hast thou torn it apart?    Sweet, sweet, girl    Such cruelty you hast shown    Showing pain and make my emotions twirl.    Spiteful love, tear my heart,    Why show such pain and anguish on my heart    Anonymous love, go and tear mine apart.    Say I to my Anonymous Love, cease the pain so our love can flourish once again... Anonymous Love...

I start Adult Sunday School next Sunday at 9:30am. I am looking forward to increasing my knowledge of the bible and of the religions of the world! Well that's all I'm going to post today. Just another post that shares my sorrow. If it's not suicide, it is being ignored by my old high school crush. Oh well, I hope you all had a great 4th of July~

To those in the United States, HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!

I am utterly depressed, very lonely, and I don't know if I want to keep on living. All of my friends, in one form or another, have a boyfriend or girlfriend. It has been five to six years since I have been in a relationship. I don't even know how to get past introductions. I am fine once I get to know a person, but the introductions are killer on me. I feel like I am on my own and I just can't seem to strike up a conversation. I don't know if it's my schizophrenia to blame or if I am just naturally shy. As the days pass by, I feel more inclined to end my life. Suicide was an option for me when I was a sophomore and I took my first trip to the loony bin. It's just times like this that make me just want to

DIE

I pray, I am a good Lutheran, I try to be a good person. Sure I am not perfect, but I beg forgiveness on Sundays and try to stay on the good side. I know the good Lord says not to end my own life, but the pain is just too much; I am just too lonely. I am not looking for sex or anything like that. I want a cozy relationship with someone (pref. a girl) that I can call "friend" and that I can cuddle with. This isn’t happening atm. Will it ever happen? I don't know. All I do know is that I want to die. Lord save my soul...

Not much to write about to cover up these past few days. In a month or so, apparently I am going up to Kansas City to visit some family. I am looking forward to it; the family I have up north in KC is always kind to me. Believe it or not I am surprised about this. Then again I should not be. I know that they love me unconditional because I am family; at the same time though, I can be a real, total asshat. I guess that they can see beyond that. My aunt in Kansas City is actually the one that purchased the Japanese elementary textbook that I have, and have gotten great usage out of. I am looking forward to going up there as I only see that side of my family about once or twice a year unless something comes up, like my seizure. I will blog daily while I am up there; I will also try to take some pictures! There also have been reports of "paranormal activity" at my aunt and uncle's house (that they are wanting to sell). It is so bad that people are not wanting to go over even for a few hours, let alone spend the night. When I go up for a weekend, mom says it might be in August, my folks are going to take their ghost hunting gear and give the house a once over; yes, my parents are amateur ghost hunters.

I went to the mall today. I walked it four times (one time == one mile). Then I went into the local Vintage Stock and bought a game for the PS2 called Manhunt. I looked for Steam games and / or any games, but I couldn't find any. I spent about 40 minutes looking thru the bargain game bin before I came across Manhunt. It looks like a badass game, but I can't review it because I haven't played it yet. Speaking of the mall, I was heartbroken today. I saw quite a few friends from my high school back in the day. We all got caught up and shot the shit for about ten minutes, and I went on my merry way. Then I ran across Christina, the only girl that I actually had feeling for in HS. I came up and said, "Hi."
"Hello....do I know you?"
"It's me, Alex, from Joplin High School?" I said, "how have you been?"
She quietly replied, "I don't remember you."
That tore me up on the inside. The only thing I can think of was that the guy she was working with was her boyfriend, and she didn't want to make a scene. Whatever the case may be, I was utterly. Oh well, I guess that I just move on...sic vita est (such is life).

I am making great strides in my waffles account. I am proud of my ratio. I am almost at 1!