My Next Thirty Years

I think I’ll take a moment celebrate my age
End of an era and the turning of a page
Now it’s time to focus in on where I go from here
Lord have mercy on my next thirty years

– “My Next Thirty Years“, sung by Tim McGraw, written by Phil Vassar

 

眺めのいい所で一休み by Mochizuki Saku on pixiv

There could’ve been a lot of other things said today in a post. Another post could’ve taken this one’s place. But I think turning thirty is quite a feat. Especially back in my misguided youth, I’ve thought I wouldn’t live to see twenty-five and had a feeling of utter hopelessness and depression I barely told anyone outside of immediate friends. But things have changed in the five years since that self-appointed expiry date.

 

I now work for the US Federal Government, and as of this writing, I’ve been slated for a promotional interview, so good luck to passing that. I’m about ten days away from my now bi-annual overseas trip, this time I shall be spending one week in Japan before dropping down for two weeks in the Philippines. I bought a new car, I’ve made new friends, lost old ones, and discovered more about myself since then. I’ve covered a bunch of anime from Girls und Panzer which is a great staple, to Madan no Ou to Vanadis, which I want a new season of, to GATE which just ticks all the right-wing fantasies.

I became more politically active yet restrained under the previous administration, apprehensive but begrudgingly approving of the current one, dismayed at the tone and direction of political discourse in the United States, and praying that the fourth box of Liberty is never used, the first three sufficient to keep us going on for a next two hundred years.

I gained some followers and I am greatly appreciative of those who I have and still drop a like whenever I post, it means a lot to me that some people are still looking in at some dude’s part-time blog.

Reisen on a Computer, drawn by itsutsuki on pixiv.

So for now, I guess I’ll leave with this picture of my yearly tradition. I spruced it up a bit, a pair of NY Strip Steaks enjoyed with rice and downed with a bit of iced tea fortified by Evan Williams Honey Bourbon. Watching the Top Gear Vietnam Special from Series 12. Plans for later today is to head on to the range and spend some time punching paper at the local range and then heading over to my parent’s for a Birthday dinner.

So while I might’ve linked to the song I know I will be playing throughout most of today, I think the next song, from my favorite Country singer best exemplifies my mood.

 

Cheers y’alls. I’ll get back to aniblogging when I feel like it, consider this my notice of hiatus or at least intermittent activity.

 

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I’m an uncle!

My nephew was born this morning, September 30th, 2018.

 

I now need to lose weight, take up martial arts, and learn ancient Chinese secrets and magic.

Quick Thought – End of Summer Summary

To say I’ve grown tired of blogging is an understatement. My last entry was in July, and it is now September. I can’t really use my work as a shield, it might just be a general apathy to what’s being aired nowadays. The last series to really catch my had been Kino no Tabi and Re:Creators.

Quick Thoughts: Last Season’s Loose End

Sleep doesn’t sound too bad either. Art by lilywhite lilyblack on pixiv.

So I’ve been putting off writing this for a few reasons, mostly personal. So far for this season I don’t see any blog-worthy series to write about. I’d suggest following Infinite Zenith for that, though I might touch upon a show or two. The summer travel season is in full swing and for those who have long since figured out my employment know what it means.

Anyways, to the loose ends.

Combined Quick Thought: Legends of the Galactic Heroes -Die Neue These- & Space Battleship Yamato 2202

So, a month since my last actual blog post, I’m just going to lump these two shows together for now. It’s quick and easy and I hate it, but I still want to be able to convey my thoughts on the two shows I’m following out to folks who still read my blog.

Status Update May 26th, 2018 – Ain’t Dead Yet!

So, my blogging has taken a hit hasn’t it? I guess I might as well state my case, but no, not gonna hang up my hat just yet. Nor take another break.

Lately work has piled up. It isn’t a desk job or anything, and it’s really stress with long periods of standing and also having to deal with management who seem to believe understaffed locations is a good thing.

So normally I just come home, eat something, and go to bed. So that’s the work aspect.

For those who have me on the book of faces, recently I had some vehicular mishaps. Nothing major, but the dealership I had gone to in my local area had done a poor job in installing new brake pads and rotors on my rear tires, and having taken a quick weekend trip to North Carolina, found out that a caliper bolt was not tightened down, and I had probably lost it somewhere on the interstate.

Having stopped off for gas after crossing the state line, the brakes failed and luckily it did not fail completely until I was 5 feet away from the entrance of the service entrance to a dealership in that town. Needless to say I have now extra costs and a damaged rim, which will be replaced by the local dealership here as well as being reimbursed for the repair done in North Carolina.

Anime Wise, I’ve not done any headway to either Legend of the Galactic Heroes -Die Neue These- or Space Battleship Yamato 2202. Those will be completed together in a quick thought, and probably focus on the difference between the release and episode length of both shows. I haven’t dropped LOGH DNT, but I am pushing it back as apart from some episodes, it isn’t catching my attention as I thought it would.

Gun Gale Online will be given a quick thought as well. Highly recommended by friends and reviews, I might as well add my drop in the ocean of opinion. Most of it favorable to be completely honest. I will also do the same for The Expanse.

I love the fact that Amazon has picked it up, and while I do feel companies like Amazon and Google and the like should probably start feeling the weight of anti-trust laws, the fact that Amazon Studios now produce/picked up two shows that I dearly love (Top Gear The Grand Tour and The Expanse), I am in no hurry to get a Netflix membership at this time.

I'll just let him say it…#TheExpanse#RocinanteIsSafe#BreakingNews

Thank you @JeffBezos pic.twitter.com/wxHN31zgJs

— Cas Anvar (@Casanvar) May 26, 2018

Oh right, I’ve also been sucked into a mobile game.

Girls’ Frontline released its English server and I’ve been on that lately. I’ve played on the Chinese server and I’m quite happy that I now not only understand the content, but also understand what menu does what as well as have friends that can help me. For anyone interested, here’s my UID.

I’ve also upgraded my phone. Not for the game or anything, but I had dropped my old Galaxy S5 into some water with the battery cover opened, so it’s been bricked. It had enough charge to last until the next day where I managed to get to Best Buy to their mobile section and after some back and forth, walked out with a Galaxy S9+ which I intend to have it last for another two or even three years.

Anyways, that’s just a quick down low of what has happened in my life since my last blog entry. I’ll be on twitter more often now as well.

Quick Thought: Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These (Episode 4: The Unbeatable Magician)

So, I’ve been harsh on the remake/reimagining. But frankly it’s not unwarranted. Everyone rails on the bad CGI, the truncated story, and even the bishification. Last episode mangling some of the best background stories was the one that got my dander up. That and a lack of timestamps during battles.

And then a Yang Wen-li episode happened.

Three Episode Rule: Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These (Episode 3: An Indomitable Prodigy)

This was late and very short due to various other things eating up my time. I’m looking at you Stellaris. And BattleTech is on its way. And airsofting.

And the fact I’ve now just come to grips on how much was missed in this.

Three Episode Rule: Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These (Episode 2: The Battle of Astarte)

So, with last week’s episode, I know a lot of purists are not liking the new series for many reasons. Voice acting, ship design, bad CGI, bishiefication of the main characters and so on. And to be quite honest I’m one of them. I know one person who is okay with it but has issues with the franchise as a whole for reasons I’ve not asked about. But continuing on I think it isn’t that bad of a show so far.

Three Episode Rule: Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These (Episode 1: In the Eternal Night)

Seventeen years after the last episode of the Legend of the Galactic Heroes Gaiden OVAs were released, Production I.G. has a new animated adaptation of the long running and well-loved space opera written by Yoshiki Tanaka. I’ve watched all of the OVA, movies, and side stories, and now we shall see if this new series would convey the same sense of grandeur and splendor as the original.