It's a beautiful, rainy Friday evening, and I had the sudden urge to write that long-overdue blog I said I would write a while ago. I'm such a damn, dirty liar.
Oh, and brace for a huge-wall-o-text you should probably skip for the pretty pictures.
Although I'm well into my Junior Year of High School, I decided that this would be a good opportunity to look back on another wonderful summer spent doing absolutely nothing meaningful.
If I were to summarize my summer in one word, it would be "work". I probably worked more hours this summer than my own father did. I tutored a total of four children in two separate households every single day for at least 3, 4, sometimes even 6 hours a day. I probably had an accumulated number of 5 days off throughout the entire summer tutoring for almost-as-low-as-minimum wage. A huge plus to sacrificing my youth like this has to be the money – and there was a good amount involved for someone my age.
I managed to buy the items in my next section while keeping a very substantial savings for any post-secondary education I may decide to take part in. Even now I have steady income – still working nearly every day while balancing honour-roll status, friends, family, and other extracurricular activities such as band, dance, anime, and of course – games.
I can't lie – life's treating me pretty well lately. Fabulous.
===Game Purchases===
I managed to buy a lot of games over the summer; the funny thing is, only BlazBlue LE was something I spent the full hard-copy game MSRP for. Even Batman was obtained during the Canadian 40-dollar sale upon release. The PS3 games are older titles that have been marked down, with the PS2 games being bought from either EB Games, Craigslist, or eBay.
As you can probably guess, I haven't even started half of these titles yet. Some of them are actually my brother's which I bought for ****s and giggles, including a fully-paid Demon's Souls Deluxe Edition pre-order. I'm just that cool of a brother.
===Other Purchases===
Adding to that substantial games list (at least to my standards), I've gone ahead and bought something I should have bought a long time ago: a laptop! In fact, I'm typing up this blog on my baby right now. She's a beautiful HP something-something. All I know is that she has good video memory, a roomy HDD, and a fingerprint scanner to protect my… secret data. No more note-taking by hand for me!
As mentioned in my last blog, I also spend a good amount of cash on constructing those two arcade sticks. Now, it looks like some of you are under the impression that I was able to make the whole thing by myself. Nothing could be further from the truth. jt4mtb pretty much held my hand (in a manly way) through the entire procedure; so please direct any compliments towards his expertise.
It also looks like I managed to buy two more PSPs and a GameBoy Advance SP from someone for 90 bucks altogether. That's right – I now have one slim PSP, a fat PSP, and another fat PSP. Not to mention, I now have a GBA to replace the old one I lost a while ago. In the end, one of the PSPs along with the GBA went to my brother since having three PSPs would be ridiculous enough, and the GBA is just something that's replacing my brother's lost one.
In between these "investments" was money spent on little things like eating out, movies, and gifts. Those damn scarves from those "Hermes" brand places are incredibly expensive, but make good birthday gifts for your mother. Going to movies with friends became a costly tradition for me; while buying toys for my dog is something I now find to be enjoyable (squeaky toys are just so damn cute). Overall, I spent money like any other teenager would. I spoiled myself, but also made sure I did the same for those around me.
===Anime===
I didn't see as much anime as I would have liked to, but I did spend a lot of time re-watching a lot of shows with my brother (whom I've suckered into the anime world with Gurren Lagann and the like).
Besides weekly doses of Haruhi Season 2 (Endless Eight FTL) and Spice and Wolf 2 (hells yeah), I went ahead and watched both seasons of Code Geass. I thought it was going to be some sort of pretentious, over-rated crap with the occasional mech battle to make up for bad pacing. I'm glad I was proven wrong, since it quickly latched itself onto my top 10 with its massive production values, smart scenarios, and awesome action. I've seen both seasons twice now.
I also finished Kanon (2006), which turned out to be my second favourite KyoAni produced anime ever (second to Haruhi S1). It's simply a wonderful tale brimming with excellent characters and story arcs that are constantly fun to watch.
Minami-ke also managed to climb its way up my personal standings – right next to Golden Boy in terms of comedy! Besides the shows above, I didn't really get a chance to watch as much as I would have liked. I did manage to squeeze in another watch-through of Gurren Lagann, which was again much, much win.
So I guess that's it. Sorry about this being another long blog, but it really gives me a sense of accomplishment and purpose to write everything I've done over a long period of time out so I can see it all lain out in front of me.
Now excuse me while I sleep before I end up writing up anything I might regret in the morning.
A'z - "Sorairo Days A Cappella Cover"(Gurren Lagann OP)
Holy crap, this is awesome; absolutely no instruments were used in this a~cappella cover. Also, the manly grunt at the beginning gets me excited.
Comments
Enjoy them, sorry you've had to work so hard during your summer but I'm sure it was worth it 
But doing all that stuff you deserve it, makes me want to do something meaninful next break, but I already know I can't, those damn college entrance exams.
Also, Minami-Ke = Awesome.
*Eyes 2nd Runner* It's cool that you managed to find that game...*sharpens knife*...you know I've been looking for...*loads gun*...for a copy for a long time, well I'm going out for a walk, keep you backdoor open, just saying
but I also got 3 1/2 weeks of vacation so I cant complain and awesome games that you got and thats would take you a long time to beat them all.
Nice laptop. I need a laptop... Just when I go out for lunch or in a coffee shop I can still do some work. Anyway...Hope everything will work out for you now and in the future.
Still, you couldnt have made a more intresting gaming summer if you tired, BB, AA, DMC the list of amazing stuff goes on and on. What a coincidece! I get on MY new HP laptop to check out your blog and while I knew that you had one, I didnt know ours were so similar, next blog I'll post a pic of mine. Still need to watch Kanon, Im kinda debating on if I should buy GL or Kanon, hell maybe I'll just get both, if my wallet can handle it. I had Code Geass at my house but stupid netflix sent me the discs out of order and I got into Batman TAS so its been put on temproary hold. Anime songs FTW! Oh and dont sweat the long blogs, mine are wayyy to long!
Only if my summer was like yours. I spent all my time just working and making money. Almost no time for games or anime at all. 
Game Purchases: That's an awesome, orgasmic collection of summer-bought vidya gaemz!
DMC 1 and 3 FTW! I'm interested in getting Dead Space, and I now haz Burnout Paradise! Other purchases: Nice laptop
, I seez a reflection in there. Those arcade pads you made look rad, are they working out alright? Holy crap, why so many PSP's?!? xDAnime: Not much to say there, since I don't watch much anime, but cool!
Song of the now: Pretty weird, but good song. I agree the grunt also makes me happy.
If you liked Kanon you should definitely check out Air. It's by the same studio and contains a very similar plot. The biggest difference is that the ending isn't a happy one.
With all those purchases you made you'd think the economy would be better by now. :p
So many PSPs. You could play through Monster Hunters all on your own now. And does the sticks improve your game now?
Code Geass stories are alright, but I don't like Clamp design of their characters, the costume is awesome and all. But the characters look all samey to me now.
Secret data? Of course those are cooking recipes
As you probably saw, I played Uncharted all day today. I'm actually set to finish it in one more sitting - great stuff! It's definitely on the short side, but I can see myself playing through it again and again.============================
@fabz_95: I really need to fix this habit of buying more than I can play
Thanks, and yeah - it was worth it in retrospect.============================
@Frame_Dragger: Glad you enjoyed it
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@luisen123: Daww, well I'm sure you expelled a lot of carbon dioxide so the trees can breath! You're saving the planet every day you know!
Hehe, entrance exams. I'm so unprepared, yet so uncaring of those
I'm screwed, eh?And yeah, Minami-Ke is ****-win. ============================
@Nintenkid49: Hehe, well I'm glad we have a similar taste in games then!
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@megatonB: Yeah, the guy wanted to get rid of his un-used handhelds so he can save up money for a PSP Go! Can you believe it? A PSP Go of all things?!
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@Azure_Valkyrie: Aw damn - seriously?!
I really hope you get a chance to play it one way or another, because it's fantastic.
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@NuKkU: That's the thing - I can't enjoy them all. Too many at once
Thanks!
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@samuraiguns: Yo yo yo?
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@Flame_Blade88: I'm not that knowledgeable on the economy, but it's not hitting me too hard. Hehe, I got ZOE2 on a craigslist deal. I bought it from this dude for thirty bucks - a good deal considering how damn rare it is.
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@reo-117: Beyond a very long time if you ask me
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@Thomas-Crown: I've never been too good with money
But thanks, and yeah - laptops are super-useful. It's like all of the convenience of having a computer on your lap ============================
@Hanzoadam: Yeah, that balance between buying and playing is hard to achieve. Hooray for laptops!
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@Vexx88: Indeed I did!
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@mahan-k: Haha, thanks, buddy. And yeah, the song is pretty cool!
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@KH-mixerX: It's served me very well during school so far. I can imagine it doing the same for you. Go for it!
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@Kid_Black_Star: Burnout is great. Amazing sense of speed with an amazing sense of accomplishment after every license achieved. Great game indeed
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@Roman_Irishman: *Gasp* you'd better not spoil any of my upcoming blogs now
DAAAAAYUUUUUMMMMM! Grats on the laptop, then! I'm super glad you got one in the end. They're really convenient - eh?
I'd say go ahead and buy/watch Kanon first, because you might as well do the new thing first before going back to something you know rocks. I dunno - just my opinion.
But I'd really like to cut down on my lengths though. I know how tedious it can be to read about someone else's life sometime.
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@UnknownElement4: I had a ton of work too
I'm just glad I had some time in between to somewhat enjoy the break as well.Plus, working has its own benefits. The feeling of accomplishment is great!
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@neil_2468: Hooray for DMC games! I'm playing through the first one, and it has a distinctive Resident Evil vibe to it. Either way, it's great.
And sorry to disappoint you, but that picture is just something I pulled from google images. It's the exact same laptop, but a non-personal picture.
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@Gohansephiroth: Thanks! It feels great
I thought the ending was done awesomely. I didn't know WTF Susaku was doing, so when they explained it, I was all like "whoah, good plan".
I got it off of craigslist from this dude for 30 bucks. Good deal if you ask me
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@DMLSLAT: I have failed my ancestors
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@slimdave21: Thanks a ton
Yeah, I beat a good chunk of it today, and it was great! Some really special moments in there. Not to mention - the cutscenes are such a treat.============================
@Bioshockraptor: Yes... *pets cat evilly* ...very pleased.
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@BenderUnit22: Thanks, bro. I know this one wasn't terrible exciting, but I felt like showing off once in a while
Have you seen Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann? It should be your top priority if you haven't seen it yet. Welcome to the NHK is great for some comedy mixed in with drama. Minami-Ke is just flat-out hilarious. Kanon is a must if you haven't seen it yet.
But really, I'm not so sure about giving anime recommendations since everyone has such vastly different tastes when it comes down to it.
I'm just waiting for Black Rock Shooter right now (Hatsune Miku anime), along with Angel Beats (anime made by Key). Oh, and the K-ON OVA of course ============================
@Csalbertcs: omg, I'm so glad I wasn't the only one.
I swear, I was crying like a little **** in the last episode of the Makoto arc. The whole mini-wedding thing made me dawww, and it pained me to see them playing with the bells like that. Slower, and slower, and slower.... until.
I saw Air already. It also made me bawww. I stood up at the end of it with a giant "OH MY GAWD, WHRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY?!!!!!!" I then had the sudden urge to get a dinosaur shirt.
Haha, well it helps to not have to pay taxes, housing bills, auto bills, food, etc.
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@jay_rock_: Just a 300 dollar shipping fee, and sure - I can send you a few games
I'm not a big fan of digital distribution, so while I don't hate it, I don't really like it either
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But yeah, my friends have Monster Hunter, so we regularly have 4 player hunts. They're awesome
The designs were a bit strange at first, but they definitely grew on me. They all looked pretty unique to me though. Maybe it was the eyes that distinguished them apart.
Isn't money great?
Sweet laptop too. I think my cousin has the same one where you get to control the volume and play/pause using your finger sliding it from right to left correct?
Also, you're numero uno for the friend to give codes to, so if I ever end up with an extra of anything anytime, I'll be sure to hollar.
So yeah, let's all have a blast with Uncharted 2 together
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@Orlandun: lol, managing money? More like hey-look-I-still-have-cash-let's-spend-it-on-games-and-food
Thanks!
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@Hellfire-1: Thanks, buddy
Yeah, they're really inconvenient! Everything I could ever want is always right beside me ============================
@TeenGamer92: I would have volunteered doing stuff, but there's not much to do around here except driving for miles and miles to downtown.
Well, the slim is still my favorite. It looks very sexy in white.
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@MareInfinitus: Yeah, it's a great show. On MyAnimeList (where I have to rate things on a 1.0 increment scale), I gave the first season a 9 and the second season a 10. Really smart plot made the whole ride very enjoyable. Plus, I'm a sucker for mechs in general
Yeah, Demon's Souls is going to rock! Man, I still need to play Killer 7 though. I will this week!
Whoah, crazy stuff! Maybe we're long-lost siblings of some sort!
Money might not be able to buy happiness, but it can buy marshmallows, which are pretty much the same thing.
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@Csalbertcs: Wow, me english rite good and peeple say grate honor to mine write? Me are mister hapy thank yuu good man.
But seriously - thanks.
It means a lot because I actually had a lot of disadvantages in writing/writing English for a good portion of my childhood. I couldn't even speak English fluently until I got halfway through Elementary school, which is strange for someone born and raised here in Canada.But really, it's just a lot of real-time proofreading - nothing much. I'm glad you enjoy reading them though! Thanks again!
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@herviross_2: Games are right up there with food, shelter, clothes, and necessary hygienic supplies.
Yeah, the media controls are all touch-sensitive. It's a great time-killer to just slide up and down on that thing and watch the volume bar follow.
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RE:Code Veronica X is the best in the series IMO
Wow congrats on the laptop
My friend spoiled the ending in Code Geass i don't know if i could watch it anytime soon
Then again I guess I did too, even though the only games I purchased were BlazBlue and Oblivion I guess most of my money went to CD' s and like you going out with friends and seeing movies and whatnot.
I didn't seem very enthusiastic because my wrist was sore from playing Guitar Hero 5, so I wasn't in the mood for a lot of typing.
I'll check those out then. I watched the first season of Minami-ke a long time ago and got a great Lucky Star vide from it (except the cross-dressing, that was dumb). Haven't seen all of Okawari and the 3rd season though.
And it's so nice of you to tutor those kids. Seems like a nice laptop, I might consider getting a bigger HDD. Will you be getting Windows 7? That was one sweet deal for 90 bucks dude. I know I wouldn't even get $90 for my PSP-1000 if I dared to sell it at Gamestop.
Code Geass = One of the greatest animes handsdown. The finale... wow, right? 
Yeah, it really maintains its RE roots while having some of the most solid mechanics adhering to the formula to date.
Aw damn, well I got some of the ending spoiled too, but the delivery of the entire thing is just epic.
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@McMJ3: I guess that "CD money" for me went to games, because the only CDs I have are Kenny G ones from years ago
But yeah, it's quite rewarding... literally.
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@BenderUnit22: No, no, no - that wasn't what I meant
I was just saying that I told you some of this stuff already on PSN, so it wasn't all that new to you - hence it not being refreshing/exciting. But hooray for Guitar Hero I'm actually going to walk into the party late and get Guitar Hero 3 for thirty bucks on Red Octane's site. I already have Rock Band, but I'd like a challenging music game for once.Erg, I don't think I'm going to even try any of the other Minami-ke seasons. The first one was fantastic, then they handed it off to some other studio who apparently made it a giant "meh"-fest. I should at least try it for myself, but the new artstyle is already a turn off for me.
But please try Gurren Lagann (about 3 episodes to really get into it) and Kanon 2006 (at the end of the first arc is when you get attached to the characters). I personally loved them
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@Zeromus1337: Grrrrr. Backlogs
I'm actually thinking about picking up one of them TB Harddrives for my media. Yeah, I bought my laptop recently, so they offered me a free upgrade to Windows 7. I recently validated my purchase, so they're sending the whole package to me - absolutely free! I have no idea of GameStop's rates, but I guess I got a pretty good deal?
Yeah, the ending was mind-blowing. Great show.============================
When I do I'll have to blog about it and show everyone. This isn't a guaranteed thing that I'll be doing, I'm just heavily considering it.
N-REAL