As per usual, I imagine this blog post will contain a number of topics which are seemingly unrelated, which although may be totally random to read, it is exactly how my mind tends to work – in and out of discussions faster than you can blink. One day I’ll keep on topic for a prolonged period of time!

Lifestyle Changes

First up, the serious stuff. As I mentioned on my last post, I’m ready to put alot of effort in, make the life changing choices and stick to them. I’ve had just under a week now of properly thinking about the food and drink I put into my body and I’ve focused on the healthy side of it – something I didn’t do throughout university and I guess was the cause of my quite hefty gain in weight. Needless to say, weight has been lost this week – the figures I won’t share on the internet at the moment but hey, even if I only lose 1lb over the course of a week then it’s 52lbs in a year! I’ll do a larger update on my thoughts, feelings etc on this subject at a better time.

Peter Kay

Now to more fun things! Thursday was a nice break from the norm whereby I ended up going to Manchester to watch the new Peter Kay Tour that doesn’t Tour Tour…now on Tour in what is it’s first few shows over a near 18 month period. After being away from the stand up comedy circuit for 7 years, all I need to say is Peter Kay not only has kept all his comedy skills, but improved upon them for what was, in my opinion, the best Peter Kay stand up show to date.

As you can see, we didn’t have the best seats, but at the same time we weren’t at home so I’ll take that anyday. Darryl and Jon both thoroughly enjoyed it from what I gather, particularly because it was the first stand up comedy gig for either of them – shocking considering we so often talk openly about our liking for comedy and discuss the DVD’s available on the market. I get the feeling this will be the first of many comedy shows we will attend in the near future – the bug has kicked in once again.

This Week in Gaming

For the final part of my blog tonight, I’m just going to talk about what I’ve done on my Xbox for the week. I go through gaming phases and will sometimes go a number of months without even touching my Xbox, or I might be on it first thing after work until the moment I go to bed. It’s wierd.

Anyway, other than finally completed the 1000GS on Scene It? Lights Camera Action (which might I add was a total and utter pain in the arse – having 975/1000 with a single achievement left. Particularly when that achievement requires a specific genre of question to be answered of which said genre has roughly 6 questions out of the games possible 2000), I completed the single player campaign of Shadow Complex.

I felt Shadow Complex was a new, interesting take on the side scroller game and shows the changes in the technology since the Super Mario and Sonics of old. Although only a 2D game in essence, it was portrayed as a 3D environment with enemies on different levels to the user. The auto aim of the guns would swivel to hit enemies further away from the camera than the player – making a 3D game work on a 2D level.

A typical EPIC Games storyline (other EPIC games being the Gears of War franchise) with poor voice acting but an interesting (if not a little predictable) story behind the game. Although the game took me roughly 5 hours to complete, I was only on Casual and only completed it with 40 something % of the pick ups. The completionist in me will come back to this game, possibly with a guide, to get 100% of the pick ups – I may then possibly increase the difficulty a notch and complete the game again. Time will tell.

For an Xbox Live Arcade game, I would recommend giving it a try – remember the demo’s are available for free of charge but for 1200MSP this isn’t your average XBLA game – it’s a game which you could imagine being sold on the high street.

Shadow Complex 7/10.

Right, I think we have enough for now as I don’t want to bore any potential readers off! I would give you a preview of the next blog post now but as you can see by the above, I have no idea what it will contain!

Until next time,

Matt

The first thing I’m talking about is something which I’m ashamed of. I made the huge post last time about losing weight and what has happened since? I’ve put it on! A whole number of factors were the cause – mainly being in Liverpool for university with no time to attend to a gym and a lack of motivation to cook resulting in junk food binges and the piling on of weight. Right now I am at my heaviest but there is one thing I can say with some certainty – it will be my heaviest ever and I will only be going down. You see all the photos of people who have lost a load of weight and they have a before shot and an after shot, well I am going to take a picture today and needless to say, it is my before shot! In a few months I will post the contrast and I want thoughts and feedback even though chances are no-one reads this. Anyway, my basic point is now it’s time and I’ve already taken my first steps on the long path.

Now the grim stuff has gone, I can update properly! Uni is over and whilst at the moment I don’t know what grade I recieved, I am glad it’s over and I have the satisfaction of finishing a course which began with over 60 people and only contained just over 10 in the final 3rd year. Just to pass I would view as a success.

Although uni is over and I’ve began work again for the company I was previously a placement student for, I don’t want to lose the coding knowledge I have stored in my brain so again, I will be posting updates of how my games are going – my first one being “Polygon Wars”. A basic Geometry Wars rip off but good practice non the less so I don’t gain any coding rust. At the same time I would like to gain some web design knowledge so will be following a number of online tutorials – again I will keep my blog posted.

I’m not really sure what else to say and I feel bad that I haven’t posted a photo or anything which make this post seem boring to view but next time I will – I’m due to watch Peter Kay on Thursday with Darryl and Jon so will blog from my iPhone and supply a few photos.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog and please leave me a comment – I’m sick of all the spam comments and would like a nice one for once

Matt x

This is the year my life gets turned on its head and everything changes. I know how I want to be and I know what I have to do to achieve my goal – it’s just going to take a lot of work to get there, which is where this site comes in. I know I’ve spoken about this previously in my other posts, but never in this much detail and never have I had a clearer vision of my aims. I will document everything on this site, for all to see, as the extra kick in the backside I need.

Something feels different this year. Something feels like it is genuinely going to change and I have a feeling of anticipation for the first time in my life. I can be the confident and happy guy I know I am within, the same person thats been hiding behind the low self confidence, stuck in his shell and too scared to leave. But it changes, I can leave my shell and become who I want to be and all it takes is willpower. The willpower to think “Should I eat this?”  and to say to myself “I should go to the gym”. I want to and will think “I’m going to write a blog later and I have positive thoughts to put into it”

Previously, this blog had an aspect of fun to it and although that element won’t leave in its entirity, it’s going to become a whole lot more serious where I document my thoughts, feelings and desires – bad or good. If you know me and you read this, then understand some of the pains I go through. If you read this and you don’t know me, well I hope you don’t think I’m a crazy rambling fool.

It’s bizarre how this has all come about. I was bored one day and browsing the interweb as a means to cure my boredom and I stumbled onto peoples blogs. Now I know at this point I was already blogging but all my posts were of a fun nature and I’d never looked at them as a way of showing emotion. One of the blogs I stumbled upon was Jennie Ketcham (of becomingjennie.com). Jennie is a recovering drug and sex addict who posts of the fights with her demons in such a public way, whilst her beautiful style of posts helps you to see her life turn around – only today did I read a post of how her relationships are improving – and it is this method of writing I truly admire. So, apologies to Jennie for blatantly stealing ideas from your blog but I will take a leaf out of her book and use my own site as an attempt to sort out my own demons in my own life.

Sorry for my unordered non sensical ramblings, I’m writing as I’m thinking rather than planning out a proper blog post. I feel 1/1 is a perfect date for me to make this detailed post. If you’re still reading at this point – thank you and I hope you’ll continue to follow me on my path, one of which I don’t doubt will have many highs and lows along the way.

That’s all until next time.

Matt.

No matter what I do, what I read or write, I just do not seem to be progressing and I feel I’m no closer to my ever looming deadlines. I have a presentation to give which is crucial towards my Project marks, yet I’m a very poor presentation giver and I have to complete our coursework in an Object Orientated way which I personally don’t think is enough but we will have to make do with the time we have left. As of next Thursday, I’m done with deadlines in the short run – it goes onto the start of January so I can balance my work out over Christmas. I cannot wait to have my life back.

Now, and for now I’m only mentioning this briefly but I will go more in depth when I have time, I’m stuck in a rut of low self confidence. It’s low to the point where I get myself down over it – in turn taking away more self confidence. Living back in uni has screwed my weight, causing me to put back on the 1/2 stone or so I lost in the month or so prior and I feel like it’s ballooned me. This has to change and I will endeavour to change this – this time publically as it may be the thing I need which keeps me spurred on. Knowing people will be reading and being able to track my progress is that little extra boost which could help me.

I know this was only meant to be brief, but it is compared to the new post I’ll add at some point soon.

Thanks for the support on FB, Twitter etc.

After being a sheep and playing Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 online all the time, I thought I should really go back and play the campaign of the first Modern Warfare – on Veteran of course. Now the game itself is tough but possible with perseverance(sp?) you get through them – until this anger enducing stage.

“No Shooting in the War Room”, the last level in COD4 is a truly a bitch and although every so often I get a little annoyed at games, I hit a new peak today. Let’s just say I need a new controller and a bit of white paint for the new black scuff on the wall. It didn’t half feel satisfying and release the anger, just a shame it will be at my wallets expense although in comparison I’m glad it have Daz a good ol’ laugh! Right, that’s enough of COD ranting – although the following picture already makes me angry so god knows what I’m like next time I try to do it.

In other news, the entire DirectX class was offered a week extension with no questions asked. Who am I to say no?! It doesn’t half ease my workload and allows me to go to sleep/wake up without immediately feeling pressured. User Interface Design will be done by Tuesday and we can give the DirectX the attention it truly deserves. I’ll post screenshots and possibly even a playable version of the game when it’s done, that’s if it’s deemed playable.

On that note, I best go out and not keep Cheryl waiting – she’s nagging and nagging me to go out! Hopefully we’re not going too much tonight as I’m looking forward to seeing Sinh ‘perform’ (I use the word loosely) his first acoustic set. Let’s see how it goes – I’ll make sure to post a photo or video!

With one due in less than a week and one due in little over, I feel like I’ve lost my social life and become encumbered by work.

Admittedly we weren’t sensible in staring these as late as we did, but we’re students, isn’t that what we’re meant to do? As it stands I have no idea if we’re behind, ahead or on schedule but I guess time will tell.

All I do know is next I cannot wait for next Friday. As of then I have pure revision and my Final Year Project to complete which I know I can do whilst keeping a normal social life.

Rant over!

Oh, and this is all myself and Deakin will be seeing for the next few weeks…

Don’t things change….or in my case, don’t things not change. I’ve gone from full time work to full time student for final year and moved to Liverpool. I think that is the only change in 6 or so months of life. Truly truly shocking.

Anyway, I cannot wait for Christmas already just for the break from uni. Deadlines are looming and I’m getting distracted by the net and I’m developing my blog – I think my priorities are wrong somewhere. At the moment I’m working on 3 projects, 2 of which are due next week. Looking at the same character sprites for my video game drives me crazy, so for your pleasure, you can see the same sprite sheet I look at day in, day out.

Click for full size

And take note of the sexual ShadowBox implementation!

As much of a pleasant distraction posting a brand spanking new blog post was, for now it’s ending – possibly until later tonight when once again I’m mind-numbingly bored.

In the meantime, tweet me.

I’ve been looking into fixing my Twitter this morning and I’ve once again become engrossed in sorting my blog out and making an effort to keep it maintained.

The first new thing I’m trying out? Wordpress from the iPhone. Apologies for the short entry, this is mainly a test and I’ll do a full entry later on!

The CoD 1000GS feels like a real achievement and is without a doubt the best 1000/1000 I’ve achieved on any game.

Breaking the 30,000 barrier, thanks to a little help from Disney’s Bolt also feels like a great milestone.

I’m proud to announce now however, that the whoring stops and I am going to play games which I actually enjoy and not care about gamerscore.

Anyways, I hate April Fools. I’ve gone through all morning telling myself to not fall for anything that sounds even slightly strange, but yes, I fell for two. Hook line and sinker.

I won’t post what happened on the April Fools as it would take me all day and I should be working, but soon I will post the details.

I’m off. Later.

The veteran mode is awesome. Such a challenge, each checkpoint makes you feel like you’ve properly achieved a goal and it cannot be turned off.

The achievement at the end of every level, worth 60G feels worthwhile and in my opinion is how an Xbox achievement should be as it is genuinely achievement, not like “Die 10 times” which simply shouldn’t be rewarded.

Once COD2 is done, COD4 here I come.