Look at Orton! Look at Orton! Look at Orton!

Of all the WWE finishing moves, the RKO is probably my favourite right now. These are some of my favourite RKO's, delivered by one Randy Orton. Even though it looks like sometimes the move doesn't even connect, there's no denying the sheer beauty of an RKO, especially one out of nowhere. Some of these set-ups are contrived, but they are still pure awesome.

(These videos are short, so don't worry, this article ain't a huge time-waster)
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RKO to Jeff Hardy

WWE Title Match, Royal Rumble 2008



This one rules because it's out of nowhere, and everyone thought Jeff Hardy was gonna win this match. Orton did brilliant to spin out of the Twist of Fate and land the RKO before anyone else knew what had happened.
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RKO to John Cena

WWE Title Match (Triple Threat including Triple H), Night Of Champions 2009



There have been plenty of RKO's delivered to John Cena by The Viper over the past 5 years, but this one looks like it hurt the most, just because it was done while Cena was holding someone else on shoulders. Imagine someone driving your face into their shoulder while a man fell on your back. Ouch.
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RKO to Undertaker

Wrestlemania 21



This dude can counter anything into an RKO. Even though he ended up losing this match, Orton definately had the best spot. People usually only counter the chokeslam by kicking the Undertaker before you lifts them up; but after he's hoisted them? Usually that means they're coming down via chokeslam. Not The Legend Killer.
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RKO to 3 jobbers (including Cody Rhodes)

Raw 17/03/08



Earlier, we saw Cody Rhodes collapse onto John Cena as Cena recieved an RKO. This time, we see Cena helping Randy Orton deliver one to Rhodes. This vid is awesome because of the quick successions of the RKO's, as well the epicness of the last one. Rivals double-teaming against another foe is always awesome.
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RKO to Rey Mysterio

No idea when. Looks like during a random episode of Smackdown.



The best part of this is that he really did come out of nowhere. He wasn't in the match, he wasn't even on the screen. Next thing you know: MID-AIR RKO! That's how we do it man. Sorry Rey-Rey. I love how Orton just grins and slides out of the ring afterwards, not even looking back. All slither-ish, before he even had The Viper gimmick.
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RKO to Kofi Kingston

Raw 11/01/10



This one is probably my favourite, but only because it's actually a legit RKO. Earlier on in the match, Kofi Kingston (allegedly) botched a planned move in the finishing sequence. So Randy Orton improvised. By giving a Kingston a real RKO (seriously, it looks like it really hurt), and then yelling at him. Orton is known to have a temper with others when they mess up matches, and if that's true, then this is no exception. Word is that apparently, at the end, when he's yelling "Stupid! Stupid!", it isn't just his character.

Yikes.

There you have it folks. The Viper, the Legend Killer, the Apex Predator, whatever you wanna call him, has one of THE best finishers of all time.

Few thoughts 6

You know what's hardout awkward? When someone in the room is hardout dissing a song or movie, like fully ripping into it, but there's someone else in the room that you know really likes what they are hating on. But no one else realizes this. And the person who likes it doesn't really know the dissing person that well, so they can't be like, "Shutup egg, it's a mean song."

You try to look at the person with a sympathetic look on your face, to show that you feel sorry for them. Or you might even try saying out loud: "Oh it's not too bad right, I don't mind it." But then it goes ultra awkward when they reply with "Nah, it's honestly soooo dumb. Why would anyone even like it? Why do YOU like it??"

Or am I the only person who is ever in those situations. Sigh.
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I really miss Joel Defries. But Drew is a thousand times better than that Jermaine dude. Didn't Jermaine release an actual song, as an artist?

I think it got played twice. Ever.
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Been getting into artists again that I used to hardout listen to that I havn't listened to properly in years. Tegan & Sara, Maximo Park, Lecrae, Broken Social Scene, Animal Collective, Brooke Fraser, mewithoutYou, Paul Simon; really good stuff. Still remember the lyrics, still love em. Oh, and thanks to my cousin Brian, been listening to more Janelle Monae. She's frigin awesome.
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Celebrities being total idiots never deter me from their work. Like how no one likes John Mayer as a person, but I still listen to his songs. And how Christian Bale is apparently a total weirdo with anger issues, but I still highly rate his acting. And I dig Oasis, despite the two brothers being the most up themselves artists I've ever heard of.

The art and talent taken to create the art stand apart in my opinion. Unless the art itself is so objectionable (yes, I looked it up, that's an actual word) that it doesn't matter how talented they are, as I wouldn't want to affiliate myself (publicly or in secret) with such a thing.
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Me and Amy's tastes in good-looking guys are really different. When she points out a guy that she thinks is hot, I'm usually like "Eehh, he's okaaayyy, but not hardout good looking"

Then I'll be like about another dude: "Far out, if I were a chick, I would marry him." And she'd look at me all funny. But then again, maybe she's just looking at me funny for finding a guy hot in the first place? Hmmm.

Okay. Not good.

Okay, so this semester isn't exactly turning out to be the attendfest that I'd hoped it would be. Definately missed classes last week. And this week... Eeeek. That's NOT the way to turn those wag-all-semester-and-still-somehow-pass grades into excellent grades.

Why is wagging so easy? Oh yeah, because the commute is expensive and no one likes spending 2 hours on the train, just to listen to a one hour lecture. Not to mention I always, ALWAYS, manage to sit next to those loud girls on the train that sit far away from each other but still converse loudly, laughing after everything they say, which usually is ridiculouly unfunny and crude. But yes, I know, excuses, excuses. In the immortal words of Troy Bolton: Get your head in the game Jesse. (well, he didn't say Jesse, I added that bit. but he did say* the other words).

Time to pick things up a notch, up the intensity, and get my ass to town. Shouldn't have turned up to high school during 3rd period like I always did, didn't set up good habits. And plus I'm really annoying Matt and Syavie. Oops.
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* = sing

Come on TV

Since Heroes started sucking and Lost went off air (moment of silence....), I've found nothing on television nearly as engrossing, in a "big picture story" kind of way. The current comedies are watchable, but as far as big-budget sci fi shows go, nothing comes even close to matching the mystery and emotional impact of Lost. Fringe isn't too bad, but I had high hopes for it to be incredible. Flashforwards was only barely above 'meh', and V is turning into the biggest suckfest of the television season.

Come on NZ television. At least air Breaking Bad for us. Pretty please.

iLike: Fight scenes

In no particular order, here are some of my favourite fight-scenes of all time. I havn't seen any Rocky movies, so his supposedly awesome fight at the end won't make it on this post. Because, you know, I havn't seen it.

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Qui-Gon Jinn & Obi-Wan Kenobi vs. Darth Maul




&


Obi-Wan Kenobi vs. Anakin Skywalker




Say what you want about the Star Wars prequels, but these two fight scenes are awesome.

The first one was the first to really show us how awesome a battle could be between two Jedis. Watching the old school movies is still cool, but I wanna tear my hair out every time it gets to the fight scenes. Watching Darth Vader duel the old Obi-Wan makes me cry. Two of the best Jedi Knights that the universe has ever seen, and I could've defeated them. But with the Episode I duel, everything was right again in the universe. Or at least in a universe far far away from ours. Everything from the 3-way choreography to the end kill (and watching him fall and seperate into two pieces) rules.

And the second is the full duel between Obi-Wan and Anakin from Episode III, which truly shows how difficult it is to win a lightsaber duel. They fight in various rooms, outside, on bridges, hanging from ropes, balancing over lava; the works.

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Ip Man vs. 10 karate blackbelts




Of all the amazing fight scenes in the Ip Man films, this one to me is the best. It shows more than anything just how ridiculously skilled this dude is. It is very straight forward. Not as much choreography as his other fights, but it's the most brutal. He's pissed, and he's gonna beat up these dudes with almost no remorse. 'Almost' because he stopped before he killed that last dude. I think...

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Neo vs. Agent Smith




&


Neo vs. Army of Smiths




The first scene is when Neo fights Smith for the first time. Watching Neo turn around to face Smith and hearing Morpheus say, "He's beginning to believe" will never get old. Then the old spaghetti western stand off that follows? Brilliant. But nothing beats: "My name... is Neo." Yeeeah booiii. As they fight and Neo holds his own, this is the first time we believe that Neo actually can be The One. That's right I straight capitalised The One.

The second one is hands down the best scene out of the second two movies. It made Neo look completely awesome. The CGI might be embarrasingly out-dated, and Keanu Reeves is as stiff as ever, but even those ascpects can't bring down the awesome chereography of it all. Sure, it doesn't come close to the best that Hong Kong films have to offer, but in terms of big-budget Hollywood fights, this has it all. I mean, considering that they are two actors with no martial arts background, this is very very impressive. Oh, and the best bit is when Neo gets the stick.

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Spider-Man vs. Doctor Octopus




Spider-Man 2 is the best film of the Spider-Man series. And this fight scene might just be my favourite fight scene... of all time.

Everything about it is awesome, due to the utilisation of Doc Ock's arms, Spidey's abilities, and the terrain (on top of a clock tower, then on top of a train moving at high speed). The video embedded here is an extended cut of the fight, so there is more here than was seen in the theatrical release, and in my opinion it makes it even better. Ock gets in a LOT of offence, and watching him punish Spider-Man really is heartbreaking.

This is what elevates this scene: its heart. It's built around a simple premise: Spider-Man MUST save the people on the train, whereas Doctor Octopus couldn't care less who he hurts, as long as he gets Spidey. This all adds up to make it an epic fight scene.

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Honourable mentions:

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Bourne vs. Desh

From the third movie in the series, 'The Bourne Ultimatum'. This would actually be in the main list if I could find a decent video for it. This scene is so totally awesome. It's the most realistic, and yet it's the most beautiful (in a fight-y kinda way). These guys will use absolutely anything they can get their hands on to destroy each other. If you havn't seen this movie, then watch it; the fight scene alone is worth it. Short and anything but sweet.

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(Fight Club spoiler!! Do NOT read this if you havn't seen the movie.)

Every fight scene between Tyler Durden and Narrator

Okay, the the only reason that I have this on here is because of how awesome it is that he fights himself. I mean, how does it work? In one scene, Brad Pitt drags Ed Norton by the hair. By the hair! How would that look to someone watching on?

"It's just the way I am"

"It's just the way I am. I've always been like that."

I hate it when people say that to justify crappy behaviour. It's the most ridiculous thing in the world. Since when does that allow anyone to behave like an egg? If someone does something, and you react way too angrily, then saying "I've always been an angry person" doesn't let you off the hook. It means that you got issues, and you need to sort them, now. Not overnight of course, but the time to start the process should be the first time you realize you have a temper that is hurting others.

For me, something that I've always considered to be part of my personality is how anti social I am. I love being alone, whether or not I've got internet or sky or anything interesting. I'd rather sleep or write down my thoughts than hang out with other people. Especially large hangout groups. I've just never liked it. So I've always kept largely to myself. To those who know me well, I may seem outgoing or whatever, but it's because you're one of the few I've let into my life. But this must change.

Why?

Well, for one, I'm a christian. I have been commissioned to live my life as an example to others, an example of Christ's salvation. I have been called to spread the Gospel. I have been commanded to be the light in other peoples' lives who need to hear me. And what good is sitting alone in my house every day playing minesweeper? No good at all. Except that I'm getting really good at minesweeper. And organizing my iTunes library.

Not that I should be out every night making friends or anything. I am the way I am because God created me so, and maybe my constant desire to be alone is a part of the way God constructed me. But it still stands that anything that stands in the way of what God has clearly commanded me to do must either be removed, or changed to suit his purposes.

Maybe I should befriend those who have the same tendencies as me, and I could reach them in a way that no one else can. Maybe I should use my alone time to do meaningful things that still impact others in a good way. I dunno. Clearly I should be praying about this. But one thing I know for sure is that shutting myself away will do nothing to extend God's kingdom. So I must change this about me.

The second reason is my beautiful Amy. She's like, the opposite of me. She's way more friendly, likes hanging out with other people, and has more friends than me. And while most of the time she hangs with them by herself, there are times that we are invited to other peoples' houses or functions as a couple. And when she tells me about it, I usually say stuff like "but I just wanna hang out with you, not a billion others.". This is quite cruel I have come to realize. Because Amy knows how I am with people, and doesn't make me go to things unless she feels it's important that we attend. And the few times that she's asked, I've shrugged her off and made her go alone. Which is really crappy. So, even though it's "just how I am", it's not a good way to be.

Which is my point. "It's just the way I've been brought up" isn't good enough. If it's crappy behaviour, and we know it, then we should change it. Whatever your upbringing, culture, or personality is, anything that we do wrong is removable if we admit it and surrender it to God. He can then begin to cut away the things in our lives that made us like that. It could be situations, things that have happened to us that we forgot; anything. Once on the other side of the process, we can begin to minister to others, with a much better saying:

"Yeah, I used to be like that too, but then..."

Bigger resolution time

"Simply by being in your presence, non-Christians ought to be able to tell that you have spent time in God's presence."

Awesome quote. No idea who first said it, or the first variation of it, but it's a quote that convicts me and motivates me at the same time.

What should be seen is the fruit. In John 15, it speaks of the fruit that we shall bear as believers, if we remain in Him. These fruits are the physical manisfestations, or proof, that we are spritually growing. These fruits can be seen by others, and should be seen by others. If not, then we're just a bunch of people going to some meeting every Sunday that frankly is a waste of our time.

Gotta get serious about this.

(the title alludes to my previous blog post about inside jokes lawl)

From July onwards resolution

One thing I hate is when I'm hanging around with people that I know relatively well, but the whole time I'm there they are just talking and laughing about inside jokes and stories that happened when I wasn't there. And there's always a billion of them. Like, thanks for including me in the conversation. I so don't feel like an outsider.

I realized though, I think I do that too. There aren't a lot of people I consider inside-jokey-mates, but I still do it. It's funny isn't it. The things we hate most about other people seem to be the things that we don't wanna admit that we do ourselves.

Stop trying to be deep Jesse, you'll just embarrass yourself. Stick to the dry humour.

.....anyway....

From now on, I will vow to not make other people feel left out when they're with me and a very close friend of mine. A tiny vow, yeah, and probably a vow I'm making just to distract myself from bigger issues in my life, but it's one I shall take seriously. Kinda. Maybe. We'll see.

For his entertainment

Didn't Adam Lambert come out of the closet before he released all his songs?

Because I find it very strange that his songs are so straight. Or more specifically, his music videos are. Why does he dance provocatively with girls? Watching a gay dude dance like that with a girl is like... well, like watching a straight guy dancing provocatively with another guy.

O_o

Unless people do that all the time these days? I'm so old-fashioned. Sigh.

One regret

Earlier this year, I deleted my Bebo page.

*moment of silence*

Just kidding, keep making noise, I don't miss it at all. But there is one thing about it that I miss.

On my Bebo photo albums, I used to have this one photo album that consisted only of people picking their noses. These pictures were taken for the sole purpose of being on the album. It was awesome. Respectable people with their fingers up their noses, sometimes also making nasty faces. It was truly something original. I txted, emailed, commented people to send me pictures of them picking their noses. Most complied, and some I had convince to take part. Some even begged me to take them down after they had already complied. I never did.

My regret is that I didn't think of saving those photos before I deleted the page. They are all lost now. Over 60 pictures of people picking their nose. I don't really want to start it up again, but I am sad that I don't have the pictures anymore.

iLike: Album Covers

Anyone who has gotten to know me knows that I can't stand a messy looking music library on a computer. iTunes has to look neat. iPods must look neat. It must have the correct artist, album, year of release (year of album release, not single), track number, and volume setting.

But I think the most important aspect of a neat looking library is that ALL songs have album covers. The correct album covers. Not the deluxe version, unless it's a deluxe track. Not the single version, unless it's just the one song. If a particular song is leaked and has no cover, I find a picture of the artist that's square and make it the temporary album cover, until one is officially released. However, there's more to it than the fact that I like to keep my iTunes library looking awesome.

I can't explain it, but there's something about album covers that I really like. It's the artist's opportunity to capture the album's atmosphere and convey it with one picture. It's what people see when they're in a store and they're wondering whether or not to purchase it. It's the image people have in their head when they reminisce about their favourite albums. Hey look at that, turns out I can explain it.

This is a list of my favourite covers, and brief explanations why. Not all of them, but a few. Of course, there is probably bias towards some of the albums by artists I love, but all the same, they are awesome album art. IMO. Eye mo. Sounds funny. Eye mo.

Disclaimer: Fave album cover =/= Fave album.
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In Rainbows by Radiohead:

Why not start with my favourite album cover of all time? (Well, heaps of reasons, but phooey those reasons) I love it so much it was my display picture for my MSN account for ages. It still might be, I dunno, I havn't used it since fb chat came into my life, but that doesn't change how awesome this picture is.

It's colourful, but not in a cheesy or obvious way. It has the album title written over and over again, but it's almost done so with the intent of just wanting to show more colour. The underscores and slashes I can't explain to be honest, but I like them. There is a thin blue line that resembles a ribbon to the left; this album is a gift from them to you.

The best part though has to be the explosion behind the words... Is it lava? Or paint? Or maybe not an explosion at all. Probably not an explosion at all. But still so... pretty. Very pretty. Man. I need to get out and do something manly after this writing post. But it's 1AM and I'm really cold.

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Absolution by Muse:

A guy standing alone looks up and sees... well, we don't know what he sees, but judging by their shadows, this guy is blown away.

Are they falling? Are they flying? Are they friend or foe? It's a mystery; well at least to us. Given the singer's obsession with aliens and conspiricy theories, it's likely that it's the beginning of an invasion that will annihilate all life on this planet.

Whatever the case, there's a chilling feeling that comes with this image. In a good way. If that makes sense.



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Revolver by The Beatles:

This cover is a perfect representation of where The Beatles were as a band. It was the mid 70's and they were huge, but they had a sound that wasn't fully original. Paul McCartney even was sick of writing music that sounded like music others had already written. So they wrote and recorded 'Revolver'.

The album art conveys it all.

Their faces aren't looking in the same direction; in fact, they look like individual photos put into one image. This represents the band members starting to write songs on their own and develop their own unique styles. There is no symmetry or discernable flow to the image, which represnts their songs beginning to evolve from just pop to something that wasn't conventional. The absense of colour speaks of them ditching their happy-go-lucky image, becoming more obscure.

There are more examples I'm sure, but it is fitting that one of their greatest albums (my favourite Beatles album at least) has also the best album art.

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This Is Our God by Hillsong:

So maybe this isn't the most amazing cover, but it has one simple aspect to it that makes me love it:

The massive font of the title.

The music isn't about the crowds, so they get rid of the random silhouttes they always have. The music isn't about the Hillsong artists themselves, so there are no closeups of Brooke Fraser or Joel Houston. It isn't about impressing or sounding a certain way, so there is no desire to write in flash fonts.

The massive font used to write the title shows the purpose: to worship God. It's a message made large because it is important. To magnify him, and make him bigger in your life than everything else in it. Bigger than the sound of the music itself, bigger than any service, bigger than the "superstar christians" who sing them. The purpose is to point to our king, our saviour, our Lord, and say:

"This is our God."

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Not Too Late by Norah Jones:

1. Memorable dress and design.

2. Simple colour scheme.

3. Digging the font of her name and title.

4. She looks good.

(This does remind me of Albertine though. A lot.)




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X&Y by Coldplay:

This album art is Coldplay in a nutshell.

It's dark, but not in a sinister way. Like the band itself, it's an image that is more sad than it is depressing, and more lost than it is confusing.

There are patches of light, but there is a feeling of something missing. Its emptiness and echoes speak of the sparse sounds of their music, but is also reflects the lonelinesss that Chris Martin will always need to express.

Lastly, the image in the middle is confusing in its nature. (As in, what the ass is it?) But on a close inspection, it's revealed to be merely a pile of coloured blocks. And behind all the eccentric lyrics and U2 pretentions (or U2 admiration if you prefer that), Coldplay are just blocks. Simple, packagable music, made to be mainstream, made to be enjoyed by as many people as possible. They aren't revolutionary game-changers as far as the music industry is concerned, but they are consistent. Formulaic as their songs may seem, they are undeniably good at what they do.

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This turned out to be longer than I expected.

Everybody's a critic. Actually, not really.

The thing about being a movie buff or film fanatic (or a wannabe those things like I am), is that you start to expect certain things from certain films, just because certain people are involved.

For example.

- I assume every Chris Nolan movie will blow my mind.
What if he disappoints? He hasn't yet, but I can't bring myself to believe that he could.

- I expect Quentin Tarintino to make me smirk along with him as his characters interact in awesomely witty conversations.
Well, he already did disappoint. The Grindhouse project was a total waste of time. But since then, Inglorious Basterds has restored my faith.

- I know that Tim Burton will continue to make sucky films.
.... No worries here. I think I will always be right about this.

Make no mistake, there are cons to this type of thinking. Nothing screws up a movie experience like going in with preconcieved notions about it. Especially douchebaggery all-knowing notions. Every time someone said to me that they were looking forward to 'Transformers 2', I tried not to smirk, because being in the know, I knew it would suck. What a douchebag right. (But a correct douchebag in that particular case.) It also works in the reverse with movies that I know are gonna be awesome. Whenever people ask me if I've ever heard of 'Inception', I also try not to smirk. Because I do. I have for over a year.

What a douche.

But there are positives. One is that I see a lot of movies that most people don't, because they are critically aclaimed, but not famous, so no one knows about them. Another pro is that I can avoid movies when we're renting out, movies that others would get just because the cover looks good. Less than 30% on Rotten Tomatoes is usually a good indicator of suckiness. And another cool thing about being in the know is that I can make jokes about how much Michael Bay sucks ass, and anyone who hears that and laughs is cool enough to be my friend. Half of my friends are only my friends because they're indie snob douchebags too.

And it's not like I'm just a dude with a fetish for critically aclaimed things. Proof positive of this is my dislike for anything Johnny Depp related, who the critics LOVE. And I didn't care much for Slumdog Millionaire either. This is also works in reverse, with me really digging some movies that critics heavily panned. Spider-Man 3 ruled people, I don't see what why everyone has a problem with it so much.

Would I change anything though? Would I trade in my fanboy tendancies for just a normal person's appreciation for movies? I guess if I did I would be let down a lot less. And I wouldn't feel the need to defend Terminator Salvation because my boy Christian Bale is in it. But I know I never would. I like my taste in films, and my taste in music. And because of my taste, I can honestly say that I can't decide whether my favourite film of all time is The Matrix or Pulp Fiction. And for some reason, I feel cool every time I say that.

Woes at Eden Park

Interviewer to John Smit:
"Were you surprised by how good the All Blacks were?"

Smit:
"I was just surprised at how poor we were."
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Plus a million points to Smit for honesty.

This heavy loss is the best thing that could happen to the Springboks at this time. They were getting too cocky. This is the wrong time to peak, but it's the perfect time to make necessary changes to prepare for the World Cup. After a defeat like this, there will be a lot to work on.

But still, Tri Nations 2010 matters. And you got one week to fix it boys if you wanna stay major contenders. Here are some pointers.

- Get Jean de Villiers off the wing. The man is one of the best second fives in the world, and Aplon is a far better winger.
- Take Ricky 'I-take-ten-years-to-clear-the-ball' Janurie off. And pray for the swift return of the greatest number 9 in the world, Fourie du Preez, to your ranks. You're gonna need him.
- Unleash the backline. They are capable.

And isn't it random that John Smit was smiling after the match and Richie McCaw wasn't?

Just a FYI

You know what's awesome?

What's awesome is when you're watching a movie, and someone else walks loudly into the room, asks you what's going on, doesn't listen to your answer, disses the movie you obviously love, then strikes up a conversation with someone else on the other side of the room. Then they sigh and go, "I am SUCH a dick head." Well, that's not actually what they say; more like what I hear.

And wait... no... I meant 'sucky', not 'awesome'.

Few thoughts 5

I've noticed something about Shortland Street. Whenever someone asks for advice, the advice given is usually somewhat sensible. But when the advice-givers are themselves in situations, they never react the way they would advise others to. More likely, they'd make exactly the wrong decision. Which probably echoes society and how real people act. It's so much easier to talk the talk, isn't it, than to walk the (right way to) walk.
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Chuck Norris facts are only funny when they're less than 3 sentences long.
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I love it in Spongebob when they zoom into stuff and make it look all exaggerated. There's this one episode with a disgusting crabbie pattie, and when they zoom into it, it's all brown and rotten, with a boot sticking out the side of the burger.

A boot. Awesome.
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People get angry at the Springboks because they only win games with penalties. First of all, watch your discipline when you're playing a team with a world class goalkicker. It's not like penalties are awarded for no reason people. Secondly, last year in the tri nations, Springboks scored 11 tries, while All Blacks only scored 9. Ouch.
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I had a dream once that I owned a Charizard. We flew everywhere together. It was one of the happiest dreams I've ever had in my whole life. Flying through the air on his back, touching the clouds, looking down on cities; it was amazing. And I understood him. He roared, and just as Han Solo understood Chewie, I knew exactly what Charizard was saying. We never flied for too long though, because he knew how cold I got.

My favourite part though? I may have said "owned" before, but that's not accurate. He was my friend. Not my pet to own, not my pokemon to summon, not my servant to instruct; he was my equal.

My friend.

I hope I dream of you again Charizard, I truly do. And when I do, I hope you remember me. Remember how we flew over Manukau, and over Weymouth beach. How awesome would it be, to soar with you one more time.

Our sad sad lives. Or maybe just mine.

You know what sucks? When you're somewhere feeling really tired, but when you arrive home, you go on facebook and the tiredness goes away. It just disappears. Then you try and sleep and you can't, because somehow facebook just fooled your body into thinking you had more energy than you really did. And then when you finally sleep, you are sure to sleep in the next morning (or later on that day).

On the off chance that you actually get up on time, you do that thing where you keeping snoozing your alarm for like, an hour. In that hour, you didn't get a satisfying amount of sleep, because you never had enough time to drift off into a nice deep slumber. It's just 5 minutes of almost being fully asleep, followed by your alarm. Over and over again.

Then, when you finaly get out of bed, you think you should check your facebook page to see all the updates you got while you were away from the computer. But any happiness is extinguished because you only have one notification. It was someone commenting on some picture that you once commented on, and now you get notified every time someone else comments on it. And it's one of those famous pictures that has a gajillion comments, so this happens every day. And you fall for it every time.

You consider writing a status. But the last 5 statuses you wrote didn't get any comments or likes at all, and it's starting to make your page look ridiculously empty. Just you writing heaps of things no one cares about or reads. Kinda like a blog (ouch. self ownage.). That brings you down a little, but it's okay, coffee should cheer you up. It always does.

Replace every time I've said "you" in this post with "I". Because that's pretty much the end and beginning of a lot of my days these days. Days these days. That sounds funny.

Days these days.

Two & A Half Fails

I actually don't like saying the word "fail" but when trying to think of a title for this blog entry, 'Two & A Half Fails' just kind of flowed. Instead of trying to come up with some witty introduction to them, I'll just list the things about today that just didn't work out.

Fail: No Venue

Well, me and my mate Joel planned to meet up today, to continue writing a song we'd started about a week ago. The designated venue was our church auditorium; we figured we'd turn up, get the keys from whoever was there, and just use the instruments til we both had to leave for our other appointments for the day.

We get there, aaand... they were running a kids holiday program inside. Great. So what did we do? What was our brilliant solution? We bought big bens pies and sat in the car, waiting, hoping they would finish earlier than planned. You see, we would have gone inside to check, but as was summed up in the car: "Sunia might see us and make us clean up."

We did however manage to kill a lot of time with some good discussions about music, movies, graphic novels, and where we would meet up next time.

Fail: No Practise

The title of this fail is a dead giveaway. I thought there was music practise tonight at 7.30. Got there at 7.18 and there was no one in sight, but I thought that this was one of those times where it LOOKED like there was nothing, but then one minute before it starts everyone just arrives at the same time. But nope, not this time. Just sitting there alone in the cold dark night. Emo face.

The best part? Amy tried to tell me that there wasn't any practise before, and I did the whole condescending disagreeing thing, shaking my head and saying: "No no no Amy, there is, don't worry about it k. Just leave me here, it'll be all good."

1/2 Fail: Just Passed

Read my uni results... Yeah, I passed, but I didn't sass up like I know I could have. Next semester, definately gonna be less wagging. Or should I say, definately gonna be more studying. Yeah, the second one doesn't sound so bad.

"Nah that rules."

Earlier on, I posted a list of things I didn't like that most people like. This is the opposite. Things I think are awesome that people generally dislike. And I still think that I make up my own mind about things, and I'm not just trying to be different. To prove my point, later on, I will post a third entry on the topic, of things that me and society agree on. There are a lot. So don't believe the hype.

Okay. Example time (there are loads of stuff, but these are the only ones I can think of off the top of my head).

Well, rugby union is still interesting to me. Seems like I'm the last soul on earth still watching the sport and hasn't moved on to league. But maybe that's just because I don't support All Blacks, therefore I havn't been dissapointed and heartbroken for over 20 years because they still havn't learned how to chew before they swallow. (oh snap)

On a related note: I am a Springboks fan. Picked them before I moved to New Zealand, so it was a less ridiculous choice at the time.

Lost. Is. Amazing. Yes, that show about the people trapped on the island, who escaped the island, then wanted to go back, then had to travel through time... that show. Lost is the epitome of television greatness. The perfect blend of drama and science fiction, it created a world filled with characters so deep we cared about them and knew everything about them, yet was able to switch to sci-fi mode in an instant and make it seem so naturally a part of it's world. Haters can just get lost... (yes I did grin when I wrote that)

Zac Efron is the shiz. He's got the complete young actor package: marketable look, natural charm, actual acting ability, not to mention his experience in singing and dancing helps. He's the reason 17 Again wasn't a million types of suck. Even if you hate the High School Musical movies, there's no reason to diss the dude who made Troy Bolton such a likeable guy.

I think wrestling is ridiculous awesome. To see why, scroll down and read my informative albeit long post on the subject

And...

I love winter.

Actually...

I've said before that Jacob and Edward are both loving and deserving of Bella, but just in different ways. However, I take that statement back. I just saw Twilight 3, and it really seems that all Edward wants is for Bella to be happy, regardless of what she chooses, whereas Jacob only wants Bella to be with him, end of story.

So. My official stance as of Friday 2nd of July 2010 is:

TEAM EDWARD.

Warning: Post is long and you might disagree with it

Recently, a friend of mine posted on her blog what she thinks of people who are religious. To be more specific, she posted what she thought of people who are religious idiots:

http://livinglikelaree.blogspot.com/2010/07/relgion-is-opiet-of-masses-marx.html

And.

I agree.

Well, in a way. I agree that it's stupid if you don't understand what you claim to believe in. Whether it be christianity or atheism or whatever, there should be a good reason. It's your life, and if you decide to live it a certain way, the worst reason possible is because you're parents did it, or that you think it's cool (christianity is mostly the former. atheism mostly the latter. in case you're wondering).

I'm not saying that it's wrong to be a christian if you've grown up in a christian environment. I'm just saying that if you don't have your own personal relationship with God, and you're always just doing whatever you think christians should do, it's a waste of time. The idea of christianity itself is so radical that it doesn't make sense to live it half-heartedly, or without knowing why you should believe it.

I grew up in a christian background. Well, by that I mean my parents believed in God. I slept at church every Sunday morning. At least, I did on the days that I was unsuccesful in escaping. We acted out bible stories in plays.

And none of it meant a thing to me.

Church to me was just another chore that I had to do. Yet, I took deep offence to any comments against the church and against God. Because church was such a big part of my life, and because I had some idea of who God was, I felt I had to defend the idea of Him. Or maybe I was defending myself, because if it turned out to be true that God didn't exist, then... well, then I was an idiot for believing He did wasn't I.

Then I became a christian.

Confused? Let me explain something before we move on.

People become believers in many different ways. Some follow a path of logic and reason and somehow end up at God. It's true. Former atheists and agnostics have researched and concluded that God does in fact exist.

Others are brought up in the church family, and from a young age have a clear understanding of what and who God is. Some disagree with their parents and live a different life outside of church, while others agree with it and continue on in the same path.

But there are also those who make the decision on faith alone. No full revelation, no complete understanding, no questions answered. And that's me. As irrational as it sounds, it's what happened to me. Or should I say that as irrational as it sounds, it's what I did. I understand it now, but back then, I didn't; I merely responded. Responded to the unshakable feeling that something huge was missing from my life, and this was what it was.

Since then, I've come to understand a great deal more about christianity and God. But back then, it was just an unexplainable feeling. I can't even remember what the preacher was talking about to be honest. All I remember was a really strong urge to go to the front, and recieve whatever this God had for me.

Let me get this straight. A feeling isn't good enough to base a whole life on. But that's not what my life is based on. It's merely what I started on. But after that? I asked questions. I asked leaders, fellow christians, everyone. As I started to hear the voice of God more clearly, I asked Him questions. I read my bible. I started to look more deeply into stories. All the stories. Not just the ones that people like to preach about with easy messages. I've read books by atheists, agnostics and christians.

And more importantly, I started to form my own opinion. You see, while it's true that you have to have the same vision as the church you're in, and agree on really major issues, it must be understood that a church isn't a group of lifeless zombies who all think exactly the same thing all the time. Little debates here and there are healthy for growth. While it's true that one must respect their pastor, it must also be understood that it's okay to ask them why certain things are done certain ways.

The quote "God works in mysterious ways" has done more harm than good if you ask me. While it is true, most people only use it when they're asked a question they don't know the answer to. If this happens to you and you honestly can't answer the person, refer them to a leader or pastor. Then find out the answer. Unless it's something irrelevent like "Did God reeeally make the world in 7 days, with the definition of 'day' being 24 hours?" Questions like that are interesting to ponder over, but they aren't the basis of your belief. Questions like that don't matter when a soul is getting closer and closer to hell, and God has put us in their lives to act as His light in their dark life. And debating whether or not the beginning of Genesis is metaphor or pure fact isn't gonna help.

Let me leave you with an example.

I don't drink. While this is also the stance of our church and it's elders, it's also a choice I make knowing why. Because it's not wise to surround yourself with the usual atmosphere associated with alcohol. Because it's ridiculously stupid to voluntarily make yourself vunerable to dumb decisions by sacrificing a sound mind. Because the only time I've ever drunk in my life, I had a massive hangover the next day; it sucked. Because I have friends with alcohol addictions, and they need to see how fulfilling life can still be, without booze. And because it tastes absolutely horrible.

That's just one example. There are other questions, some more difficult to answer, and some more easy. But what I'm stressing is this: Shaye is right. You shouldn't be clueless about what you claim to be. You're a christian? Okay, cool. Learn the gospel. Develop your own personal relationship with God. God can speak to you in wondrous ways if you could just learn to listen. Pray and seek Him, seek wisdom, seek knowledge, seek guidance. Because while it is important to use your mind to reason, it's more important to know how to hear from God. Call me crazy, but when a Bible verse pops clearly into your mind that fully applies to your life right when you needed it most, and you've never even read it before, you'll know what I mean.

And remember to understand the message that we are meant to deliver.

Here's a big hint: it's not "turn or burn".

Few thoughts 4: music edition

Post-beatup Chris Brown songs are pretty mean. Post-beatup Rihanna songs are pretty sucky. That's just sad.
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I can't remember if it was Luke or Kauri that said it, but I will never forget the quote:

"If I ever wanna steal an iPod, I'll steal Jesse's, because it'll hurt him the most."
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I am on a really random Alanis Morissette buzz, listening to her songs I used to hardout love. And still do. But it is true what they say about 'Ironic'; most of the things she describes aren't ironic, but merely unfortunate. And it's surprising how much 'Everything' sounds like it's a christian song. That song is almost word-for-word what I've said to God on multiple occasions. Except for, you know, the parts when she says she's a woman. I kinda change that part. So that I'm not saying I'm a woman.
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'Yesterday' is hands down my favourite Beatles song. It runs circles round 'Hey Jude', all day long.
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Why does everyone hate on Creed??? Sure, Scott Stapp wasn't the most likeable guy in the world, but they did write some really cool songs I reckon. What beginner guitar player doesn't wanna learn how to play the intro to 'One Last Breath'? And what nineties kid didn't sing along to 'Higher' at the top of their lungs at one point in their childhood?

"Can you take me higher
to the place where blind men see."

See? As you read that just now, you sung the chorus in your head and remembered how catchy it is.
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I'm still able to rap the first and last verses of the Poke Rap.