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Firstly I’ll start off with wishing everyone a happy new years. Yes I’m a week late but in the scheme of things who really cares.

Anyway the first thing that has caught my attention is the news that McDonalds will be offering free WiFi in basically all their stores around Australia (http://www.freewifi.com.au/listing_mcdonalds_summary.php?rowOffset=1&listing_type=paid&name=mcdonald). IMHO that totally kicks arse and will make life easier and cheeper whenever I need to access something on the net via my phone or laptop so three cheers to that.

Moving on Windows 7 seems to be going the right way. It’s running as smooth as one could imagine on my laptop despite the overly long process that was getting the system to recognise the cd. Seems for whatever reason either the media or burning app weren’t setting the disc up to be bootable by my laptop. Anyway I eventually got things going and I must say I’m quite impressed with the OS so far and it seems a very nice yet logical progression from Windows Vista. The new Super Bar will take getting used to as will a few other things but overall it seems quite good. Worth grabbing a copy.

In regards to films I’m going to say Diary of the Dead is the best film I have seen all year where The Day The World Stood Still is the worst. I’ve only seen two movies but any frankly it wouldn’t take much to beat TDTWSS given it was so absolutely crap. Ohh and game of 2008 goes to Fallout 3, awesome game and I can’t wait for the expansion for that which is due any week now.

Onto stuff outside of the tv or computer stratosphere work has been good if not a bit busy since I began full time just recently. I just did my first Saturday shift yesterday if thats any indication as to how busy things have been but I’m not too fussed as my Coast holiday starts in a fort night and I’m really looking forward to that. Unfortunately I have that one course at uni to finish but It seems it’ll cost me 4 hours max a week in terms of work time. Not ideal but I’ll see what I can do. Hopefully I can skip the lectures completely.

Anyway I’m off to play Far Cry 2.

Having finished Uni for the year as of today, I’ve begun delving into my extensive backlog of games. I was going to play Crysis Warhead next followed by Fallout and Farcry 2 but I’ve instead decided to play GoW2 given it’s the one I think I’m most likely to read spoilers for in the mean time and those other games aren’t going anywhere.

Anyway so far it’s been quite fun, if at times a bit underwhelming. I think my interest is picking up now and I’d have to say my innitial reactions were likely more influenced by exhaustion having just helped a group put together a report longer than my thesis in the space of a few days, my own contribution running in at 25 pages which was over half my thesis in itself. Picking up again today but and I’m really enjoying it it must be said although ultimatly it’s one to play co-opp which I’ll do with a brother soon.

For what it’s worth, it’s probably one of the most visually and artistically impressive games I have ever played so far. Sure theres a few slow loading textures as in the original, but for the most part this is Gears of War on crack and it really does look beautiful. And yes, thats comparring it to the likes of Crysis ect. Sure it may not be as technically brilliant, but it’s certainly holding it’s own, especially on the now three year old XBox 360.

Anyway later this week or next week I’ll have some images to post of a few things which I consider quite snazzy. I’ll let people see what that/they are at the time but. Beyond that I have 10 days or so until I start full time work so I’ll be making the best of that time to do absolutly nothing. My big plans probably involve seeing Bond which is a good measure of how active I plan on being.

Oral done, dusted and done done done doneeeeeeee. That leaves two reports. Ideally I’d do all of one today (Saturday), but that’s unlikely. We’ll see but. None the less, this thing called Uni is drawing to an end for the year and that thing called work is creeping up ever closer.

Bigger the Easter and more fun than Christmas Day, the bi-annual Cast Trip has just been organised for 09. Starting in 2005 (or so) as a one day event it was then followed up by the 5 night event co-inciding with my birthday in 2007 and in 2009 it’s happening again, this time for a 8 nights. Anyway I’m really pumped about this. I was pretty stressed organising it but it’s all a thing of the past and we have the posse down and rooms booked now so I’m glad. I anticipate we’ll do more this time too with things such as surfing lessens, theme parks and clubbing all in the pipe works besides the obligatory beach combing and scenery sighting.

Outside of this I handed in my thesis on Wednesday so thats completly out of my hands and uni is quickly comming to an end. The next few nights will involve me doing a crap load of writing in anticipation for some reports that I need to have submitted but besides that I should be fine. No exams for this mother goose.

Anyway games this time of year are hitting the waller harder than an uppser class prostitute. Just last week I had Metroid, Fallout 3, Fable 2 and Far Cry 2 all arrive on the back of about three or four titles I bought during some sales at Dick Smiths and next week Gears of War 2 arrives. Infact I’m so behind that I’ve decided not even to look at getting Red Alert 3 until next year which is hard to believe IMHO for what is such an A-Grade franchise. Mirrors Edge might be one I’m prepared to get but.

And I think the name “dick” may be making a come back. When I lost contact with Alex T and Duncan Gardiner for the most part post school the name seemed to disappear with them outsie of my brothers. Anyway it made a come back with a vengence when I caught a cab from the valley to another bar with three intoxicated female work mates who decided I’d be their dick for the night. Not sure if the name will stick, but I think theres a good chance it will now.

I pulled an all nighter and the result of that is more or less a completed thesis. Bar one paragraph I need to add along with the cover letter and one additional page as well as a single figure (because I need the scanner), all the content is done. All thats left is to proof the application and do a final build with a change to version 2.0 and an application UID that people can publically sign themselves. I have a manual in the appendix now so that will be a copy and paste job to the CD. All up atm, 68 pages. Add the letter or two and thats going to throw me over 70 pages, of which about 50 to 55 is text. With thesis apparently being in the realm of 50 pages that seems a decent effort for something I didn’t think I had anything to talk about.

Also if anyone would like to proof it be my guest. If not, I’ll put a copy online after the completion and submission of the project incase anyone is interested in looking at the report or the code.