2012: My Year to Shine

Hello, all. I am writing a blog post about something I’ve never really written about before: My future plans. Normally I talk about my favorites or sports or entertainment, but today I wanted to talk about what lies for me in the future. Over a year ago, I did a blog post on Ten Things I am Looking Forward to Most in My Future: http://briguy17-briguy17.blogspot.com/2010/09/top-10-things-i-am-looking-forward-to.html I have already accomplished one of those things, the one I named as honorable mention, buying a car.

However, I really feel 2012 is my year to shine. I’ll even admit to you since I graduated in Spring 2010 (when my last quarter of school was Winter 2010), I have not done much. I have continued working at Safeway and earning a fairly steady paycheck. I was able to buy a car. I also tried out the “Insanity” workout, but I only did about 40 of the 60 days because of an illness.

This past spring I came so close to applying to an online school called “Full Sail”: http://www.fullsail.edu/ They specialize in the arts and entertainment industries and I was particularly interested in their sports marketing program. You see their advertisements all the time in gaming magazines, which is how I learned about them. They’ve had quite a few graduates have extremely successful careers, such as the director of the Saw series (Darren Lynn Bauman). However, just as I was about to apply, I had realized needing a car was extremely imminent. That may have been a wrong look at my priorities, but my parents pretty much put their foot down on me driving their car the one mile to work and back almost every day. I’m not blaming them, but for me, it was kind of bad timing. I blame myself for that one.

So, here I am in the fall of 2011, still working at Safeway, still telling people I’m between schools. I am seriously going to take another look at that Full Sail Sports Marketing program (which is a Bachelor’s Degree) and more than likely apply next year. I say more than likely because some other opportunity may arise. You never know. There are no guarantees in life.

But I promise you this. I will give it my all next year to get back into school. I will go back to school. I will apply somewhere, most likely Full Sail, but like I said, no guarantees. I am saying this and putting this in writing so that I will actually commit. That is my glaring weakness and the only reason I am not in school now. I hate committing to things. Not people, but things (Don’t worry Amanda). But I also hate change. So you can see how sometimes I’ve been between a rock and a hard place.

You might ask me what I hope to become, what my dream job is. The problem is that I don’t know. I don’t despise work, but there are a lot of jobs I would be uncomfortable having. But I do like business and marketing and I do love sports, so that’s why more than likely Full Sail’s sports marketing program is for me. Oh sure, I’d love to be an actor, an athlete, or a singer/musician. But the fact is, I don’t have the talent or skill to be any of those professionally.

I will also hopefully continue to rise in the ranks at Safeway. I’m hoping that my pay will rise a bit faster or that I will apply for a PIC position. If neither of those works, I will try to get another job to pay for my schooling. Right now I’m saving money trying to get back up to a comfortable mark in my savings account, trying to get it near where it was before I purchased my car. With a little help from my parents, my own savings, and some financial aid, I should be able to afford school when I go back.

One more thing: I mentioned the Insanity workout for a reason. In 2012, I will do the Insanity workout yet again, and this time I will complete it, even if I get sick. I will do it because personally, I’d love to have a better body than I do now. Plus, to say you’ve done it is a huge accomplishment. I can’t say I’ve completed it because I haven’t.

So there you have it. I hope this gives you an idea as to what my plans are and what lies in store for my future. I know that 2012 will probably be the biggest year of my life, with Amanda possibly moving up to Seattle and me going back to school. But for the first time in years, I’m psyched, I’m ready, and I’m forcing myself to be committed to getting the job I really want.

My thoughts and reviews on everything Star Wars

Well, I did this already for Harry Potter, and I think I will also do this for Lord of the Rings once I read it and watch the movies again, but for now, it is time to review everything Star Wars. I will review each of the six movies, plus a few video games I have played. The video games will go in chronologically, so if it takes place before Episode I, I will review it first.

Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic (The video game)
Rating: 9/10
This is a very good role-playing game if you’re into that sort of game. It has a great story with very interesting characters that develop over time: From Carth and Bastilla to Mission and Canderous, this game is phenomenal. Very few flaws in this game—one being the constant load screens. But the development of the characters and the gameplay make this one of the better Star Wars games.

Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords (The video game)
Rating: 8/10
Very similar gameplay to its predecessor, The Sith Lords has new characters, of course, but they are less interesting than the characters in the original KOTOR. Kreia is creepy, Atton is a poor imitation of Han Solo, and Bao-Dur has no personality. The plot also has a less interesting concept—i.e. there is no Revan-like twist (Kreia being a Sith Lord is not a twist, IMO). The gameplay is about the same as the original. But if you don’t play the original and you play this, you’ll see it’s really not a bad game at all. It just pales in comparison to the original.

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (The movie)
Rating: 7/10
Sometimes I feel generous giving this film a 7/10. Sometimes, however, I feel it deserves it. It’s not an awful film as some people make it out to be, but like many other films, it pales in comparison to its original—in this case, the original trilogy. This film really didn’t give us a reason to care about a lot of the characters, and in a lot of cases, there was no drama with certain fight scenes because we knew a certain character was going to survive (i.e. Obi-Wan vs. Maul, Anakin flying the Naboo ship). That problem lingered throughout the trilogy, which is why it is so hard to make a prequel, especially a prequel series.

Star Wars: Obi-Wan (The video game)
Rating: 7.5/10
This game is set before and during the events of Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Obviously, you play as Obi-Wan Kenobi. I do love the missions you go on, such as rescuing the queen from the Tusken Raiders and battling Darth Maul, just like in the film. Some parts of the game, however, are far more difficult than other parts, making it always way too easy or way too hard in some areas of the game, depending on the difficulty you play on. However, it follows Obi-Wan’s journeys well, and it’s a must play for any Star Wars gamer.

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (The movie)
Rating: 6.5/10
I have to say this: Every time I watch this film, I like it less and less. First time I saw it, I loved it. When I got it on DVD, I still really liked it. About a half dozen views more on DVD later and now I’m starting to dislike it. The dialogue, plot, acting, special effects, you name it—all suffered in this film. It’s not a horrible film, but even with less Jar Jar and no “Little Ani”, it still isn’t much of an improvement, if any, from The Phantom Menace. Hayden Christensen was a poor choice for Anakin. His scenes with Padme make me cringe more and more each time I watch it. Yoda fighting with a lightsaber was a letdown. Just everything about this movie is a disappointment. At first I had decided Episode I was the worst movie of the trilogy, but I have now decided it is Episode II. There is something in almost every scene that makes you think “What was George Lucas THINKING?”

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (Video Game)
Rating: 5/10
Ok, so I only played the Game Boy Advance version, but boy does it kinda suck. It's just hard, not fun to play, and has you do things that really were nowhere near what was in the movie. For it being a Game Boy Advance game, the graphics and sounds were ok, but I've hardly logged any time into this because it is so difficult and repetitive.

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (The movie)
Rating: 8/10
I gave this an 8/10 based on the quality of the film, not on how much I enjoy it. Anyway, Revenge of the Sith is probably the best out of the Star Wars prequels. It actually doesn’t disappoint when it comes to connecting the prequel trilogy to the original trilogy. The way Anakin turned to the dark side did, however, disappoint me. I feel it should have been more drawn out and Anakin should have slowly turned to the dark side. I also felt his means to turning to the dark side were farfetched. So, he turns to the dark side and kills dozens of younglings just so he can save his wife, whom he later causes the death of. That’s my biggest critique of this film. Aside from that, the Jedi execution scenes, the scenes on Mustafar, and the scenes with Yoda were all done pretty well and were pretty emotional. Heck, I’ll even admit I still sometimes get misty-eyed when I hear Obi-Wan yell “You were the chosen one!”

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (The video game)
Rating: 6/10
This game looks like it took just a few months to make. The graphics are lacking, the controls are such as that you just button mash the whole time, and it becomes somewhat boring. It follows the movie pretty well, and I love the alternate scene where Anakin defeats Obi-Wan, then kills the emperor, declaring the galaxy belongs to himself and himself alone. But this is really at best an average video game based on a movie. Not entirely worth it unless you are a huge Star Wars nerd like me.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (The video game)
Rating: 8.5/10
Incredible, incredible game. The graphics are unbelievable, the controls are very easy to understand, and you start to get attached to the protagonist known as “Starkiller”. In it, he is Darth Vader’s secret apprentice, and this game has a very nice climax, which (SPOILERS) results in Starkiller’s death. Not many video games out there have the protagonist die in the end, but this one does. (END SPOILERS) The few critiques I have are that the idea of Darth Vader having a secret apprentice is a little farfetched and that Starkiller would be turned so easily. Other than that, very good game.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II (The video game)
Rating: 6/10
How could a sequel have such a dropoff, you might ask? With a bogus concept, a shortened game, and no advancements in graphics or controls. It feels like they rushed this game. I completed it in two or three days, whereas the original took me a few weeks at least. The plot is based on Vader creating clone of Starkiller to try to make this one more obedient, to no avail. The one plus I can say about this game is that the battle scenes with the Gorog were done really well and are very exciting. However, you find it hard to care about this guy since he is a clone and not the actual Starkiller. Disappointing game to say the least.

Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Rating: 9.5/10
Ah, the movie that started it all. Imagine if something had prevented this movie from being released. There would be no Star Wars. This is the classiest, most famous, and most people’s famous film: the original Star Wars. At the time, it was just called Star Wars, but as sequels came out they added a title to this one. This Star Wars movie still proves that you don’t need special effects or battles every ten minutes in order to make a quality Star Wars film. Unfortunately, the series went downhill from here.

Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Rating: 9/10
Some people consider this film their favorite Star Wars film and I can see why. The beginning has a battle and at the end we are left with a cliffhanger (What will happen to Han?) and a huge plot twist (Darth Vader being Luke’s father). I believe George Lucas came up with the idea of Vader being Luke’s father AFTER filming A New Hope, because of the way Obi-Wan described Luke’s father and what happened to him in that film.

Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Rating: 8.5/10
I wish Lucas didn’t try to use gimmicks in his films just to get certain people to watch, but they first became evident in ROTJ. The main gimmick of this film is the Ewoks and their ability to somehow overpower an entire fleet of the “Emperor’s Best”. That’s like saying a bunch of schoolchildren could kill guys that have been trained for the US Army. For this simple thing alone, I can’t rate it any higher than an 8.5. However, this is still a quality film and the Original Trilogy is not complete without it. The scenes with Luke, the Emperor, and Darth Vader were perfectly done. I definitely enjoy this film, but most people consider it the weak link of the Original Trilogy.

Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
Rating: 8.5/10
This is one of my favorite PC games of all time. In it, you play as an outcast Jedi named Kyle Katarn who gets “reborn” in the force after his companion Jan Ors is taken from him. It’s an extremely fun game to play and the plot is compelling. The bosses are just tough enough and you get a variety of weapons (including the lightsaber) and force powers to use on them. The downside to this game is that it’s a bit repetitive with some of the enemies and the final boss can be extremely difficult to kill. But I would definitely have to say this is in my top 3 of Star Wars games.

Star Wars Battlefront I
Rating: 8/10
Solid, solid game, I must say. This game isn’t really set during a certain time period or even have a conceivable storyline or plot. It just is a shooter game where you can take control of any soldier (Stormtrooper, Trade Federation droid, even Wookies). Basically, you are on a battlefield (usually somewhere on a famous Star Wars locale such as Hoth, Endor, or Tattooine). You try to control these “Command Posts” by standing near them. The more command posts you have, the likelier you are to win. It’s negatives are its simplicity and lack of different types of gameplay, but it at the time made for a fun game to play online with other people.

Star Wars Battlefront II
Rating: 8/10
The sequel to Star Wars Battlefront II didn’t really improve much at all. They added the ability to play as a Jedi, but changed little else. Again, limited game modes. There are certain campaigns you can do, but still, no story. I liked some of the locales they added (such as the Death Star) and they also added being able to fly in planes, but I have never liked that game type. I’m not a huge fan of big changes made to sequels in games, but you gotta have more changes than this did.

Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds (The video game)
Rating: 9/10
Based on the Age of Empires engine and gameplay, Star Wars Galactic Battleground is a sort of Star Wars empire simulator. My favorite part about the game is how it takes you to actual events in the Star Wars universe, such as the battle of Naboo’s grassy plains, the battle of Endor, and the battle of Hoth. It also has campaign missions that take place before and after a lot of the Star Wars films. My one critique is its lack of realism—the size ratio of things is way off. Look at Luke Skywalker compared to an AT-AT walker. Is that the way it looked in the film? Nope. Plus, huge machines like Walkers can board air and water transports that are like 1/3 their size—unrealistic to say the least. But if you can get by that, it’s a really awesome game.

My Take and Thoughts on Disneyland

Disneyland is aptly dubbed “The Happiest Place on Earth” and now I can see why. The entire mood of the park is optimism, happiness, and everything is right with the world. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s a fantasy land you can visit to get away from your troubles, that’s for sure. I enjoyed not only the rides, but the eateries and shops and “exhibits” they have, if you will. I will try to go through each part of the park and give my thoughts on it.

First off, you have Main Street, U.S.A. It is the location for many shops, eateries, city hall, and more. This is where Amanda and I did most of our shopping and this road is almost always packed with visitors. At the beginning of the street (or end, if you are leaving the park) there is a courtyard where we watched a ceremony with the marching band. Definitely a must see.

Going clockwise you then have Adventureland to the left which Amanda and I unfortunately didn’t really visit but walked through. There was the Indiana Jones ride I wanted to go on as well as the Enchanted Tiki Room, but we just didn’t have enough time. Next time we visit we’ll make Adventureland a must.

Next is the New Orleans Square which we visited both days. On the first day we went on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, one of the better overall rides in the park. You ride in a boat and see certain scenes and very realistic pirates fighting over gold and doing what pirates do. On our second day we went into the Haunted Mansion, which actually becomes a ride (and surprisingly not THAT scary). Then we stopped at the Blue Bayou for lunch, and I must forewarn anyone reading this: It is a pricy place that recommends getting a reservation for. Each menu item is around $30. However, the appeal is the darkness of the restaurant and being able to see a part of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride off to the side.

Then there is Critter Country which Amanda and I only visited for Splash Mountain which we rode on our first day. A long 45 minute wait preceded it, but it was worth it. Also here, you can meet Winnie the Pooh and some of his friends (Tigger, Eeyore) so it’s definitely a place to visit for any Pooh fans.

After Critter Country is Frontierland which is enjoyable for kids and adults. On our second day Amanda and I took the raft and visited Tom Sawyer Island, which is a must visit at some point for anyone visiting the park. We didn’t do much else in Frontierland except catch the train and circled the park, which is another thing everyone must do at some point. It also helps you get from one end of the park to another.

At the very north end of the park is a fairly newer part called “Mickey’s Toontown”. Amanda and I had lunch here on our first day and visited Mickey’s House. Mickey’s Toontown is the place to go to see all the characters such as Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and Pluto. There isn't much in terms of rides here, but it’s still a place to explore and see all that they have.

In the very heart of Disneyland is Fantasyland which has mainly kiddie rides but a couple others adults can appreciate as well. It has “It’s a Small World” which is appreciated by all ages as well as the “Mad Tea Party” where the famous teacups are. This area also has a lot of things younger girls will appreciate such as Alice in Wonderland, Snow White’s Scary Adventures, and the Disney Princess Fantasy Faire. There is also the Matterhorn bobsleds, but unfortunately when Amanda and I visited, the ride was out of order.

On the east side of the park is my favorite section, Tomorrowland. This section features Space Mountain, a ride Amanda and I enjoyed on our second day. Space Mountain is, well, wild. That’s the best word to describe it. It will whip you back and forth and you won’t even know which way you’re about to turn. Definitely not for those who get sick easily. There is also the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage which again, another long wait, but totally worth it. You ride in a submarine and watch certain “scenes” from Finding Nemo, changed a bit for the attraction. Finally, there is Star Tours—The Adventures Continue, where you wait in line for eternity, but then you get to go on this ride with 3D glasses. You are put on a Star Wars spacecraft and you navigate battle scenes and a random planet (we got the ice planet Hoth). This ride actually left me feeling queasy because it does jerk you and whip you a bit. But definitely a must for any Star Wars fan like myself.

Disneyland is definitely a place I want to visit again. I saw a ton of children (tons of people, actually), and the park is really well maintained and 95% of the employees seem really happy to work there. The park is so well done, so expansive and so big that you experience and see something different every time you visit the park. Concessions are a bit pricy (3 dollars for a soda), tickets themselves are pricy, but it is totally worth it. They are usually open from 8am to midnight so you can definitely get your money’s worth because their tickets last all day. I actually hope to go back there fairly soon, like in the next 2-3 years, because Disneyland is just a place you have to visit more than once.