life was best lived in the front row

i'm getting out of my seat.

nobody@vox.com(johann) — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 00:14:02 -0500

front row is closing for good.

i was *so* close to canceling my account except you never know when you'll need to relive some of the moments posted on your blog. i'm keeping this up for a bit... until i decided whether or not i want to export these posts...

but ya. i'll be back on blogger because i like the blogger customizations and anonymous commenting.

later vox. you've been fun.

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side notes are fun. especially when you can make blog posts out of them.

nobody@vox.com(johann) — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 16:09:18 -0500

hi there.
to anyone following my blog, i've revived my old blogger blog and am going to write all my gaming related post to it. within the category of gaming related posts, i'll be writing my monthy blog banter article there. it will be awesome. if you don't read it, your comments will be missed.

i didn't know vox was such a closed society...
it's easy on the audio and video but the commenting system sucks. that's why i switched back to blogger so anons can post comments. fun eh? yay.

anyway, check me out at http://johpan.blogspot.com

i'll still post here for the more personal and music related posts.
i still love you vox. just, you're like the clingy girlfriend that doesn't want to hang out with the rest of my friends. you're cute but... i need my space too you know :P

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you don't realize how thick 5mm is until you have to scrape it off your windshield

nobody@vox.com(johann) — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 16:26:41 -0500

BLUE DIAMOND SNOW

Toronto experienced the first "snow" storm of the season. Snow is in quotes because the cars left outside ended up having a sheet of ice frozen against it instead of having a few centimeters of the fluffy white stuff. Sister woke me up on my day off at around 8 something. She had been scraping ice off her front windshield for half an hour previous to her resorting to me to help. It takes another 15-20 minutes for me to clear off the windshield and she gets on her way to work. I fall back asleep and wake up at 2pm.

I've been playing a lot of TF2. I'm starting to enjoy the Engineer and Demoman classes more though Medic is still my favourite. I still suck with the offensive classes though when playing 2fort, I thoroughly enjoy rushing to the opposing intel room as long as there are no turrets and hopping the tunnel roof to victory. I can say that I love all 6 TF2 maps in their own way. My absolute favourite has to be DustBowl. Grainery and Well are practically the same for me. How Hydro works is a bit weird but I guess I can't complain so much. 2Fort is great but TF2 needs more CTF maps. How much I enjoy GravelPit depends on who i'm playing with...

so. i was just distracted by some drum and bass being played in the hive just now. i don't know what's going on exactly but anyone that spins dnb is fine with me. i approached the decks but they don't look very friendly. that and i only have another 15 minutes here at school.

i'll continue this later...

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orange is the new whatever the hip colour was before.

nobody@vox.com(johann) — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 12:36:35 -0500

The first real test of the Toronto Raptors' season was yesterday afternoon against the Boston Celtics. To make a long story short, shooting was crap, defense was awesome, lost by 3 points within the last 3 or so seconds. TJ Ford made the miracle 3 inbounding with 7 seconds left. Ray Allen replied with his own miracle with the 3 right after that possession. We laughed, we cried. What a game.

bs angel, author of Hawty McBloggy Invites You to Play, made an internet-wide call to video game bloggers to participate in a monthly article writing extravaganza. I've been meaning to write in here more often and here's a perfect opportunity. (life is best lived in the) front row is more of a personal blog. I game occasionally and when I do, I tend to write about it here. It's not really a hardcore gaming blog like hers or, say, Destructoid or QuickJump but I try to get my opinions across as best i can. Maybe the extra traffic would be a good thing. Maybe I should hade a few articles...

btw, I started playing CS1.6 again. Why? Tee hee. There's a reason except I don't feel like sharing it. A guy can have is secrets, can't he?

daily5 here we come:
5. Weighted Companion Cube
4. 4beatgamers.com- my canvas
3. Online gaming with friends
2. Voice chat
1. Honesty

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i've been meaning to write something...

nobody@vox.com(johann) — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 23:55:20 -0400

I haven't been "reading" happiness so I haven't been doing any of the exercises. I've been pretty happy recently. I can't complain. I had my reading week and did absolutely no school work. I kinda regret it but the week overall was eventful.

Here's a few pics of what's been going on...

I haz bayked a cayke

I got bored and hungry over the break and I baked a cake. It was yummy. Cinnamon Crumb Cake. It has icing on top. It looks like someone... you get the idea. I want more... o_o. That was Monday I fink.

But before that, I made a bunch of new friends on stickam with the gamer chat turned Gamers&ELBeats turned 4BeatGamers. Funny story that happened between me and one of the ppl there but you'd have to know me personally and talk to me in person if you want to hear that one. lol. I have to finish making the website. I'll be awesome... I hope.

i haz winned at habanera duble expurt

Anyway, in the week, Friday to be exact, I decided to catch up with an old friend. I went to Fairview Mall to confirm the rumor of there being an ITG machine there and whaddaya know... there was an r21 but custom songs weren't enabled. I wanted to play custom songs so I decided to head down to Putting Edge after and I made a new friend. This new friend just happened to be organizing a tourney the next day. I attended this tourney and met a whole bunch of local ITGers which was comforting. I joined the standard division and won. My FA sucks compared to the expert division but I probably should've joined the expert division... I have been playing for 6 years but I've never really worked on FA until I started ITGing and that's been less than a year. Anywho, I finally passed habanera 1 double expert. Crappy score but a PASS none the less. That was post tourney. My legs were shot post tourney too. I was sitting down behind the machine watching the expert division finish up and my left calf just KNOTS. That hurt but I got over it prett quickly... When I got home and finished showering to go to my friend's birthday dinner and right before I exit my door, my right calf KNOTS. After dinner, we went to Dave and Busters and they had a Pump Zero there. I played one round and the arcade attendants open up the machine and say "how many credits do you need?" and followed with "do you need the volume turned up or anything?" lol it was awesome. I was like a celebrity. Anyway, 4 credits in... my thighs start to knot a bit but doesn't fully flare up. It was kinda scary. My legs a better now.

I got a few packs of keyboard charts for stepmania from a friend the other day. My arms are starting to feel the burn.
I think I was meaning to write more... but I won't...

Oh shi-
The daily5.

5. Mr. Happy. (lol. Distorted Minds and Hazard. It's a drum and bass song)
4. The Toronto Raptors (winning the season opener!! WOO)
3. ITG
2. People who care
1. Seeing things in their place

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Vox Hunt: Hot Ticket

nobody@vox.com(johann) — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 16:11:08 -0400

Show us some tickets you bought for an upcoming event.

[insert Pipettes show tickets here...]

The Pipettes <3

It's a sign. I was about to make a blog post about my excitement about buying tickets to this concert. I've known the concert was happening since about the start of September but I just bought my ticket earlier this week. They postponed their return to Toronto for more than a month due to visa troubles. I was originally scheduled for today... but instead it's on Nov 18th now. I have to schedule off work. Tee hee. I bought the North American "We Are The Pipettes" release. $9.99 @ HMV. Well worth it. I'll get it signed at the show :D Possibly get more pics. Man, I can't wait.

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MR. BUBBLES!?!!?! T__T

nobody@vox.com(johann) — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:58:29 -0400

broken big daddy

Jack came into my room this morning. He had a grenade launcher. He killed my big daddy. I screamed "MR BUBBLES!?" like the little sister that I dream I could be. I needs superglue.

Notice anything weird with this picture? Once you see it, you'll shit bricks. The drill arm didn't fall off but the left arm and left leg fell off.

Going to the Lantern Festival tonight. Pictures will be taken. Hilarity will ensue.

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Vox Hunt: Now Playing

nobody@vox.com(johann) — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 22:58:17 -0400

Audio: Share what you're listening to right now.

Hell Hath No Fury

best song i accidentally found.
i want to say more about this song but i can't do the song justice.
just listen to it.
it brings tears to my eyes.
everything about this song screams epic and perfection.
what are you doing still reading this... go listen.

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proof i'd rather be doing anything than homework

nobody@vox.com(johann) — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 22:25:52 -0400

Just letting you ~~stalkers~~ readers know, I'm still alive.

School started. The semester's going well. I love my classes except the work sucks especially after such a LAZY SUMMER. Oh well.

Started listening to Podtoid today since I had something better to do. I can't really compare it to other episodes since I just started following it, so then, podcasting in general, episode #32 was epic. If you like BioShock, rape, shitting dick nipples, and fat Japanese girls, this podcast/episode is for you.

Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment

Also, good friend, Zad, introduced me to a good book which I still have to purchase. I finished reading the first chapter. It's called "Happier" by Tal Ben-Shahar. It told me to write about 5 things that made me happy throughout the day and that I should do it daily. I've been meaning to do it. I even had a name for it... "my daily 5" except I haven't been able to implement it until now. I won't be doing it everyday though I should. *shrug* Baby steps I suppose. So I'll turn it into a bi-weekly thing. Probably Thursdays and Saturdays? That may change later on though I'm going to keep the bi-weekly thing going. Routines are good.

On with the bi-weekly 5.

5. Taking public transit
Why it makes me so happy? I don't know. Maybe its not having to drive the rest of the way to school? Maybe it's the potential of meeting someone special? Maybe it's all the hot girls? I dunno. I just like taking the bus 4 times a week.

4. Destructoid + Podtoid
As posted above, I started listening to podtoid and just destructoid articles in general. They are tres (with the little accenty thingy cuz I'm too lazy to open up character map) groovy and brutally honest.

3. Routine
Going back to school, the daily crunch, everything. I like it. I hate to admit it. I like it. Ugh. YAY. Bipolar.

2. Technology
It makes me VERY happy. I <3 my PSP, my iBook, RSS feeds, LOVE IT ALL.

1. People who talk to me
You know who you are. I'd name you but then others would get jealous and be like "how come you didn't name me you little bitch?" and I'd be like "IDK WTF GTFO!?" and then the whole e-drama snowball would roll and I'd be dead and have no friends.

0. DRAMA
I LOVE DRAMA WHEN IT'S NOT HAPPENING TO ME.

-1. The weather.
It's still very nice.

-2. Facebook Mafia.
I NEED PEOPLE TO PLAY WITH. My family sucks. LOL I said it.

OKAY. THAT WAS 8. SUE ME. I'll still tag anything with a list of happys as a daily5 in hopes that one day, it'll manifest and all will be good. There's enough bad shit going on in the world these days that a little happy reminder wouldn't hurt on a daily basis. One of the secrets of being happy is to remind yourself of what makes you happy. O RLY? YA RLY.

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Oh Nakata-san... The winrar is you.

nobody@vox.com(johann) — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 00:50:11 -0400

So the FREE FREE / SUPER MUSIC MAKER single came out a few days ago. Instrumentally and emotionally, FREE FREE wins. FREE FREE is definitely more epic and has a lot more sentimental value, but for fun factor and lyrics, I'll have to give it to SUPER MUSIC MAKER. Thanks to the awesomeness that is the contemode community on LJ, we've been blessed with romanized and translated lyrics of the above songs (FREE FREE translations coming soon...).

I love the first comment from limejam, the translation collaborator: "And I totally think [Nakata] wrote SUPER MUSIC MAKER for Ami....to sing about himself."

The lyrics make me want to make an english version of the song. They also inspire me to stay on track of my hobby and to one day achieve my goal of making a track that actually has potential.

Don't mind the slideshow but here's SUPER MUSIC MAKER.

ami suzuki-SUPER MUSIC MAKER -slide show-

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