Mandaris Moore

Memories

I vaguely remember this book from reading it in junior high or high school. I remember it being a fairy quick read, and probably being the first time that I read something that was humorous and religious.

Plotting

The show works at its own pace. There were some places in it that felt like it was a stopping point before the next scene and I felt that there where at least an episode or two that could have been cut from the show and no one would miss them.

Acting

This is where the show really shines and Michael Sheen and David Tennant really make the it work for me. Honestly, if they weren't on the show I don't think I could have finished it and it's only 6 episodes. If anything, I'd love to see more of their exploits throughout time.

Conclusion

It's a decent show but I don't think I'd watch it again for another season.

I've set aside some time tonight to do a review of some of the things that I told myself that I was going to do. And it's kind of daunting in that some of this stuff has been waiting for a while to get my attention.

Well, there isn't a point in procrastinating much longer.

I know I'll feel better about so many things if I at least get started.

A friend an I usually talk about manga every week via chat or email, mostly about Naruto which we've been reading and watching for almost a decade. Recently, it seems like the series is coming to an end as the author has really cranked up the stakes, action and WTF factors in the story. At this point, I'm reading because I care about the characters and I really want to find some closure.

Even if the story goes a little crazy sometimes, it's still a lot better than bleach.

Honestly, I had almost forgotten that I had read this week's issue.

Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke. I haven't read a good story line with that guy in it since he fought Gaara. Him and his brother are like poo and every time they touch the plot....

As for the 5 [Kages][], although they are supposed to be the embodiment of their respective villages will and stuff they all have some kind of weird weekness.

• Hokage (Tsunade): Medical ninja with a gambling and drinking problem
• Kazekage (Gaara): Recently resolved daddy issues
• Mizukage (Mei Terumi): A woman¹ ;P... but seriously, single note character
• Raikage (A... stupid name for killer bee's brother): One arm...
• Tsuchigake (Onoki): Old

Plus they've been fighting all day and this is an undead opponent.

Sorry about the long email. Just had a roll.

[kages]: http://naruto.wikia.com/wiki/Kage

Nowadays, it seems like everyone is wrapped up in his/her own group of social networks. There's twitter, Facebook, google+, and even myspace; for those of you who are still looking for interesting ways to use the blink tag. The blink tag itself was part of the excitement of the internet at that time and every beginning textbook or html class had an example of how to "best" use it (Hint: Never). Another annoying aspect of being on the internet at that time were the Signatures placed in your outgoing emails. I can understand that a company wants to advertise that they provide free email, but shouldn't the fact that I sent the email via hotmail.com or yahoo.com be enough? To top it off, a lot of free email providers, at the time, where smashed by an assortment of issues like demand for more space and functionality (POP, IMAP, Address Book, etc) and the dreaded SPAM. 

Personally, I was more than excited to get a google mail address (Does anyone else call it that?) and only logged into my old account to look at all the spam to remind me of how good I have it now.

Well, Yahoo! has slowly turned the situation around. The first thing they did was offer free IMAP and contact synchronization to iPhone users. This was great if you had an iPhone, but if you were a regular user you still had to use the web interface if you wanted to send an e-mail, unless you paid for Yahoo! Mail Plus. 

Then wonders upon wonders, Yahoo opened up IMAP free for everyone and eliminated the mountains of spam that onceI get. All without that little signature at the bottom that tells people I'm sending email from the '90s.

I'm just a guy trying to make the best of the world.

I’ve been pushed off of my review wagon (again). One thing you have to keep in mind when starting a new habit is that you should forgive yourself if you miss a day and get back to it as soon as you can. Well, things have been busy in my life: My dad had a stroke, I’m going to be moving to a new place at the end of the month, I’ve had the privilege of raising someone else’s kid for a while and I’ve also been re-evaluating my life.

Sometimes, I don’t know what to do or feel...

Like a leaf in the wind...

Personal Accomplishments:

• Met Andy Ihnatko

• Getting better and better about tracking my list of things to do

• Doing my review again

Well, it seems that I’ve allowed myself to get caught up in the drama again, but I feel like a much better person. I vaguely remember someone once saying that its how we deal with events that define us. I had some very interesting things happen to me since the last time I did a review.

First and foremost, I got sick again. This time it was really bad and I couldn’t leave the bathroom for more than an hour or two before my stomach emptied itself. I don’t think I’ve been sick like that in years and I’m seriously considering talking to my doctor about why I’ve been getting sick so often. My wife says that it might be all the stress of working, a general level of dissatisfaction with where I am in my life, the relationship between me and my family, the list is long. But I definitely could be worse.

Secondly, pack up the kids, we are moving! We are moving to a two story townhouse that has almost twice the amount of space of our current place. We’re put the deposit down and we’re just waiting for the credit checks and then we’ll be set for the end of the month to move in.

Third, I looked at the number of posts that I did in January(12) and compared it with the number of posts that I did back in 2009 (36) and 2008 (24). Wow, that’s a lot of information to put on “Da Google.”

Forth, I came across a journal that I used to keep up a couple years ago and -honestly- I could write a post about it alone. It was sad that I looked at it and saw that I am still dealing with issues from back then. To sum it up, it’s been more reason to do more in order to move my life forward.

Personal Accomplishments:

• Wake up
• Set up a work journal

Things on my mind:

• How to make it all better...

This week, I’ve been really ill. Maybe it’s all the stress that I’ve been under: Looking for a new place to live, Asking for a raise, unresolved issues with my family, weird sleeping schedule (the kids), pressure to produce something!

Anyway, here’s a quick review:

Accomplishments:

• Asked for a raise (Which was quickly followed by questions of “How do you do that special XYZ thing you do?)
• Keep my head when I found out my account information was used to make some weird purchases
• Make a post to email-init to further information about email clients

Things on my mind:

• Find a place to live
• Work on my personal relationships
• Do a deeper review than this

Basically the same thing as last week

I'd like to take this time to thank myself for not going completely crazy this last week. Crying babies, very little sleep and just the aftermath of all the drama from last month and I'm still standing...

...although a little wobbly!

But, I'd like to take some time and do a little weekly review.

Personal accomplishments this week:

1. Finish two projects for work that will reward the company for a while
2. Keep my cool despite the constant pressure to find a new place and money to pay for it.
3. Cut back on my liquid sugar intake. No soda!
4. Did a weekly review

Things Still on my Mind:

• How to make more income
• How to improve the relationship I have with my family
• What are some more activities that I can do with my children in the winter time