Starburst Summer Fun Fruits

Every time I see a candy and the word "new," I seem to be drawn to it. XD Especially when it's relatively inexpensive.

So, when I saw Starburst's Summer Fun Fruits, I grabbed a package to try it. Overall, it was an average Starburst-ness for me, with two flavors I really liked, and two that I was meh on or just didn't like.

Kiwi Banana: I really, really liked this one. It was sweet and banana-y, but had a noticeable tang from the kiwi. Probably the one that made the biggest impact on me overall.

Strawberry Watermelon: It might be that I just don't remember how my favorite flavor (strawberry) tastes, but this one tasted a little like that -- it had that sweetness, but it was really gentle and had a freshness to it like watermelon. This flavor was also really good.

Cherry Splash: I still can't figure out what makes this flavor unique. To me, it just tasted like plain old cherry.

Lemon-Limeade: I didn't like this flavor for the sole reason that I don't like citrus flavored things, in general. For someone who does, though, I'm sure it tastes great.

Manchester United Got Pwned

Admittedly, I'm not a huge soccer fan (yet). As such, I don't have a clear way of the way the leagues are, particularly over in the UK. But, from what I've heard, Manchester United is the team to beat. Or it was. And, from what I know, or thought I knew, 6-1 is one hell of a point difference. So, since Manchester City beat Man U by five points...wow. Looks like both Manchester teams are doing well, from what it says here. (reading ESPN)

Freedom

This CGI anime was actually quite engaging, very well done and had an awesome story from the most-bits that I saw. Eden is a moon base (or complex of moon bases, I'm not entirely sure if it's just one or all of them together) that operates by rigorous rules, keeping the last of the humans in order and alive. Takeru, a teenager in Eden, breaks a few of the stringent rules, getting him assigned to community service on the lunar surface. It's then that something falls -- a photo of a beautiful girl, a paradise-like setting, and a message that Earth is well, is anyone out there? Driven largely by his instant infatuation with the girl in the picture and curiosity towards a planet thought to be dead, and aided by his friends, Takeru starts an adventure that may very well turn the order of Eden upside-down. I didn't see all of it, but I saw a good portion, I would say. The story has a very epic feel to it with lots of funny moments interspersed. I found it rather enjoyable.

The Galaxy Railways

*ahem* TRAINS IN SPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACE No, seriously. Trains in space. They go from steam engines on up, but they are literal trains. In space. With windows that open. From the cabins. Into space. INTO SPACE. WINDOWS. Anyway. I'm going to get hung up on that point again, so I better spit this out quick. Father is a captain of a train called Big One, in the SDF or Space Defense Force. Being a captain, he's always away, so his two sons, Mamoru and Manabu, decide to sneak to the restricted train platforms to see him off. They end up on the train in space, and conveniently this happens to be the time that shit gets real. Let's just leave it at "Yes, seriously, his sons watch as he detaches Big One's engine and suicides into the threat." Fast forward five years, the elder brother, Mamoru, enters the SDF. Spoiler alert, um, he dies too. So then it's Manabu's turn to leave his mother behind and join the SDF. And then on the way to wherever the SDF headquarters is (IN SPACE) they crash through a time rift because the train derails, likely because Manabu and what is likely the female lead don't know how to get past their prides and close a window. That is open. In their cabin. In space. And the time rift takes them back so that Manabu sees his brother die, AND the obento that was packed for Manabu gets left behind with said brother, so that he gets to die with a picture of his family by his side and a mouthful of his mother's home cooking. And that's about the first two episodes.

Jewel BEM Hunter Lime

At first, I was drawn to this anime because it was deep in the corner, in the "I have never even heard of this before" category. So, out of curiosity, I pulled it out. The story had to do with a magic user, Lime, who must recover seven magical jewels. Or something. With her partner Bass, a blue-skinned, three-eyed humanoid that has to hide in human form and has a perverted streak enviable of any anime character, the angel-winged Lime must transform into various outfits and go incognito to find and recover the jewels. Which turn into monsters that are absolutely freakin' adorable chibi object things. So basically, adorable chibi things + cute, buxom babe + perverted jokes everywhere. And Bass constantly falls/gets run over/etc. I lost count of the craters he made. And that was just episode 1. A good example of your run-of-the-mill over-the-top, fanservicey, quirky anime, at the very least. Unfortunately I only had access to a little of the animation so I can't honestly give a formed opinion on story...it's not epic or anything, but seems straightforward, at least. ...Did I mention fanservicey? I think I keep on understating that.

Power Stone

I have no idea if this was an anime originally or not; it had a more kidsy cartoonish look to it from the getgo. That, I could deal with. The peppy, young-oriented feel I could tolerate. Forced voice acting that made me grind my head against the wall? No way.

Last Writes

I just finished another Jaine Austen novel, the one that I believe is second if going chronologically, Last Writes. This one was hilarious - Jaine manages to get on as a guest writer on a sitcom, and finds out how un-glamorous Hollywood life can actually be. Of course, everyone is starstruck (and proposing their scripts), but the gossip train really fires up when a murder occurs on set.

This story was hilarious and emotionally charged, with Jaine investigating upon an earnest request. While she battles the rigors of television production and the demands of her cat, Prozac, the mystery unfolds in a way that is a surprise unless the reader has a good memory and/or reads the book in one sitting (most mysteries go like that, though, unless you take notes, which...you're going to find out, ANYWAY, so...) and has lots of logical explanations that makes the most common guesses (my most common) at least partially right. Fingers point everywhere until the story, at last, crests at the confession.

Cherry Cheesecake Murder

Hollywood comes to Lake Eden in this highly entertaining installment of Hannah Swensen's delicious detective work. (Er, snooping. She's not investigating officially, after all.) This book broke from the others I've seen in that it started with a prologue -- from the getgo, you know who the victim is. This leaves room for most of the book to focus on the relationships between characters and to establish possible motives while watching a small town relish in the limelight. Added to the mix, if Hannah's debacle between two suitors wasn't bad enough, an old friend appears on the scene and seems to somewhat sweep Hannah off her feet. The book is mostly relationships and happenings of a small town, gossip and little problems. This is fun to read, and gives the reader a lot to think about, especially with the murder victim already in mind.

I think this was my favorite one yet.

Nelson Tethers: Puzzle Agent

I recently played the game Nelson Tethers: Puzzle Agent. It's a computer/iThings game that is also available through the PlayStation Network, for those of you that don't own anything more Apple than...well...an apple, or don't feel like downloading games onto your computer, be it for preserving a dinosaur or paranoia (I don't blame you).

The story delves into the one-man Puzzle Agency sector of the FBI. The lone agent, Nelson Tethers, is called to rural, wintry Scoggins, Minnesota. The Scoggins eraser factory, supplier of the White House's erasers, has shut down after a mysterious incident, and it's up to Agent Tethers to solve the mystery and get a fresh supply of erasers before the President has to strike things out for lack of a better correction method.

As the premise probably suggests, the plot is rather amusing, with characters that personify a quirky little town in the middle of Where The Hell Am I. It's rather short, though, and leaves with only one question answered at the end after leaving another plotstring in blatantly untied view and hinting at several other "wait, WHAT?" points. It's perfect for a sequel, for which there already is -- Puzzle Agent 2 was released by Telltale Games was released at the end of June for computer/iThings.

Since it is a game primarily based on puzzles, and since it is a game, the gameplay, of course, is a serious factor. The puzzle games weren't impossible; I was able to blast through most of them, to be honest, though some took some good thought and there was one towards the end that I got REALLY stuck on (by this I mean "I spent two hours with sleep in between trying to get the damn pattern right"). So, they're not the hardest in the world, but they're good exercise for one's mind. There's a variety of puzzles, from straight out stare at the answers and use logic to a wee bit of math to turning panels in order to make a viable path to the goal. There were also a few jigsaw-style puzzles, where you had to arrange things in a certain way - i.e., at the very beginning of the game, you have to reconstruct a ripped up piece of paper to read a hidden message. Although these sound like they would be difficult, the game has a mechanism where the pieces snap together when they're in the right position, like an online jigsaw puzzle can. This makes it a lot easier, and there was one puzzle (right after the one I got stuck on) that I literally was able to do by dragging one piece around, randomly dropping and collecting until the entire thing was done. As such, these puzzles seemed kind of extraneous, but without that mechanism they would have seemed ridiculously hard.

All in all, the short time I spent on this game was really enjoyable. It tickled and engaged the mind all at the same time.

The PMS Murder

On a recent murder-mystery binge, I finished The PMS Murder, one of the Jaine Austen books by Laura Levine. Jaine's wise-cracking, food loving personality warmed up to me and cracked me up almost as soon as I started flipping the pages. The writing was as quirky and funny as I remembered from This Pen for Hire and the selection from Candy Cane Murder. I thoroughly enjoyed weaving my way through the Los Angeles mystery of a murder at a very high-scale home -- one at which Jaine herself happens to be at when the death occurs. Interactions with Lance, her nosy next-door neighbor, and the other personalities in her fellow murder attendees/suspects are entertaining and Jaine's sharp wit keeps things interesting and moving. Plus, watching her job as a freelance writer pan out alongside the story is quite amusing.

Candy Apple Red

One of the genre of murder mysteries followed by everyday, plucky women that find themselves in a situation with the curiosity and means to discover who committed the murder du jour, Nancy Bush's Candy Apple Red introduces odd-job worker and Oregon resident Jane Kelly. Using the knowledge gained from criminology courses she took to fawn over a now ex-boyfriend, Jane dabbles in tasks such as bearing the bad news of a 72-hour eviction notice to their recipients. By association, she is brought into a slightly different job, one that concerns an infamous local tragedy. Jane goes through her tasks with an irresistible sass and wit, taking plunges more hesitant people wouldn't dare, getting drinks on the house while schmoozing with Lake Chinook's best, and finding herself getting more and more involved in a mystery that blooms to bigger and bigger proportions. The book moves at a good pace, with several humorous asides and subplots that wind their way into allegories and unexpected revelations -- or that just provide a moment of amusement.

The Locket

The Locket by Richard Paul Evans was an intriguing story. The book is essentially a flashback, with the prologue and epilogue being "present day". It tells the story of Michael Romney, a Utah man struggling to keep on his feet and make ends meet taking care of his terminally ill mother, a duty he forfeited his college education for. Michael takes up a position at The Arcadia, a nearby nursing home. Michael's relationship with his coworkers, the residents of the home, and his girlfriend, Faye, intertwine in ways that grab the heart and keep one unable to put the book down. A twist midway through shows the effect of relationships and personalities, eventually bringing the book to an immensely satisfying ending. The writing is heartfelt and connects deeply, bringing characters to life almost as though it is a stylized biography.

A's @ Yanks, Yanks Pound A's

I really wish I'd watched the game last night. Thanks to the wonders of the internet, I got to see the incredible nine-run inning. A three-run homer, two forced runs, and finished off by a grand slam by Teixiera. Wow.

Derek's 3000th

I know this is late, I've been neglecting this blog, I suppose. :/ But I wanted to leave a short blurb to congratulate Derek Jeter, again, on his 3000th hit. What a milestone, first Yank to do it. And he did it with a bang - a home run! That moment was amazing...

Japan Wins Women's World Cup

The game was really intense, from the peripheral view I was able to get. USA scored, then Japan caught up. Rinse, repeat. The penalty kicks were what it came down to, and Japan outmaneuvered USA there for the win - in great part thanks to Japan's goalie, the USA penalty kicks missed, while Japan made the requisite scorings. Congratulations to Japan and the USA both, it was a great, great game.

Women's World Cup Finals

I will be honest, I wasn't REALLY paying attention, just peripherally hearing what was going on, but the finals might have to be watched. Japan vs USA. That...is going to be really interesting, it sounds. Gonna have to pay attention there.

Rozen Maiden

I recently watched the anime Rozen Maiden. From what I hear, there are two seasons; I watched just the first. I have to say, I really liked it. It was an interesting mix of adorable shoujo, comedy, and action. The characters they did introduce were distinctive, in my opinion, and the story carried on quite well. It was certainly a fun watch, though not without its darker moments, as the often Gothic theming might imply...it was really good, I thought.

"Blow" by Ke$ha

It's a catchy song, a lot of her stuff is, but listening to it more closely, the line sounds to me like:

"this place about to blow"

As in, the copula is absent. There is an 'is' missing.

Yes, this is what occupies my attention. Blatant, repeated grammar misuse. Not saying I'm perfect, but it's noticeable for me.

The Canucks and the Sharks (NHL Semifinals)

So, looks like the Canucks are in the finals, they took out the Sharks with what appeared to be relative ease. Bruins and Lightning play tonight; Tampa Bay (Lightning) is on the brink of getting pwned out of the finals, but they're not out of it yet. The Bruins are playing strong, though. If it's not gonna be Canucks vs Bruins, there's going to be a tough road ahead on the ice.

Opening Day: Yankees Win!

I can't believe I got so caught up in things that I didn't post. Opening Day was Thursday, and the Yanks were the openers for the American League (Atlanta and Washington opened for the National League; the Braves beat the Nats 2-0.) CC (Sabthia) pitched damn well, and the Yanks won their first game of the season! It was 6-3, in the end. Great start of the season for the Yanks! :)

Nets @ Knicks

This game was pretty intense. At halftime, I saw, the Nets were actually ahead by ten points exactly. Throughout the third quarter, though, the Knicks slowly caught up, and the game ended with a pretty close score of 116-120 Knicks.

Rangers @ Bruins

An intense last period, with Lundqvist blocking a barrage of shots by the Bruins, who I'm sure were desperate to tie it up. Alas, their efforts went unrewarded - the Rangers won the day, score 1-0. Lundqvist has a personal season high of 11 shutouts now, I believe the statistic was. (Got that from ESPN I think...not totally sure.)

Paprika

Finally, finally, FINALLY got to see the animated movie Paprika, directed by the late great Satoshi Kon. I've been wanting to for a long time because the stills I'd seen were so beautiful and colorful. And, now that I've seen the movie, I know why.

The story is one of those "the bounds of technology may have been reached; see how tampering with nature is screwing us over!" ones. Scientists have developed a device called the DC Mini, which allows people to view and record dreams. However, a terrorist has gotten ahold of said device, and it's up to the scientists, as well as a mysterious dream-world woman, a chipper redhead named Paprika, to stop them before they make all hell break loose.

The movie is interesting and intense, and the theme is certainly applicable to today. The visuals are great, and just as trippy as one would expect a movie that half takes place in dreams would be.

I'm quite glad I watched it at last.

Superbowl XLV

The Sports Aspect:

This was a great game. The Packers were on it at the beginning, holding the Steelers at bay and scoring two touch downs in something like twenty-four seconds -- it was pretty intense. A Packer grabbed the ball/intercepted/whatever and ran with it like a maniac right after the first touchdown.

And then the Steelers began to play. (injuries on the GB side probably didn't help much) They stopped being sloppy and started being dangerous. They started scoring -- at first it was just a field goal, but then there were a few good touchdowns. The gap started closing, and fast. A two point conversion brought it to a six-point game. In other words, if the Steelers scored a touchdown and got the extra point (which is more or less a given), they won. Green Bay'd been on top the whole game, and now, they had two or three minutes to defend themselves from giving it up at the end.

Long story short, they managed to hold out. Green Bay managed to get possession of the ball with about fourty-five seconds left, give or take a few, and that was that.

The Green Bay Packers won Super Bowl XLV with a score of 31-25.

The Non-Sports Aspect:

Christina Aguilera opened with the Star-Spangled Banner. I admit, although I respect her voice, I was frankly disappointed with the performance she gave. She embellished the anthem so much that there were points I could barely tell what song she was singing. I'm not talking the way that Jimi Hendrix did the anthem on guitar - THAT was a GOOD way of embellishing. This was a bad way. She slurred words together and everything. It wasn't very good at all.

The half time show was all right. It was the Black Eyed Peas, being very sparkly with lots of lighted costumes (for them and their scads of dancers). Very Tron. The audio work was pretty bad, though. I actually texted someone to ask if my television was going wonky, and they were like, no. What I heard was a lot of leveling issues, such as Fergie's voice being muted out and then coming back...it's like they couldn't balance it right or something. I will say, though, it was an interesting show. Besides, there's one part I HAVE to give them absolute props for. When I heard "Sweet Child of Mine" playing, I was like, is that Guns n' Roses? What? And then Slash came out of the stage!!! I seriously squealed, pretty much. Huge fan. (Slash is the guitarist for GnR). Also, Fergie's voice really goes well with that song. She does a good parallel to Axl Rose.

The commercials this year were pretty good. Some of them were eh, but some of them were great. My favorites were the Pepsi Max commercials, hands down. There were three of them - the first date one, the dieting one (where the girl keeps taking away food from the guy), and the watercooler one (ends up with a jerk getting a Pepsi Max to the nuts). Also, the Sealy commercial that showed a bunch of couples lying next to each other in bed and then going "it's better on springs" or whatever...that was funny. There were sooo many good commercials. And you can find them all here:

http://msn.foxsports.com/video/shows/super-bowl-commercials-2011

Devils @ Rangers

I caught only the last minute or two of this game, and wow, what a heartbreaking ending to catch. The Rangers, in something like the last fifteen seconds of the game, made not one but two rather good shots at the goal. With five seconds left, I remember, something got past the goalie but was juuuuuust wide enough to bounce off the goalpost the wrong way. They were THAT CLOSE to forcing overtime, but it didn't happen, and the Devils won the game, 3-2.