My Life in Review 2009

Although in general, my 2009 was not that of a bang in terms of events but there are spectacular moments to reflect on. 😀 I seriously wanted to end 2009 as it was my laziest year of all. Now, I wanted everything to change and I’m quite desperate. 😀 But first! let me recall some of the greatest events of my 2009 life. 😀

1. the ELC COMPLEX – It still pounds on although with a different teacher. But the toughest ELC major and second to it was clearly remarkable as it nearly killed me. ELC 102 and 106 really do ring the chillzzz in me as these are the majors that nearly took my scholarship away. Why? Both majors have the same scenario: there were only four exams given but because of the shear number of failing students, both majors have to give up one exam to save the peepz. My standing on both majors was “F” before the fifth exam and I always prayed to God not to give my mom a heart attack. God listened, mercifully, twice as I managed to bring both subjects from the killer “F” to “C”. take note, “C” would be the base especially for the toughest because the toughest subject was placed on my junior year which requires a QPI equivalent of “C” or 2.0. Even up to now, I still cannot believe how I did those, mixing in my mind maybe the professors pulled strings or I simply did a good job.

2. MixMas 2009 – I am now a huge fan of UP’s Lantern Parade, largely because it pulls me away from Ateneo and brings me to my barkada way back in high school. It’s my second MixMas and happily, those who were not in my first mixmas were already there and those who were there in my first mixmas was not there! :D:D:D But still great fun. I really love the fireworks routine and this time, I managed to sneak beside the launching area and get to record the display directly underneath the stunning art of explosives. After that, an overnight with my friends which I missed a lot. So nice and I wish we can be complete next time. 😀

3. Loyola Schools Assessment Team – It bothers me a lot, actually, as I am a person who’s very curious on how people think about me and being a team head in this group makes me think, most of the time, that I don’t look as good as anybody else, feeling inferior in short. But in the end, it did not matter as one person told me that being in LSAT is a professional work and I have to be professional in every way, set aside all of the obstacles, if there are any, and fulfill your job at your best. I love LSAT this year largely because of the addition of new members into my team, how a close member of mine bonded them and in the end, I was proud to reeeally call my team a TEAM. and oh, take note, new people, new faces and new bunch of intelligent minds calling me Kuya.

4. Life Coach in University – Life coach that I met when I entered LSAT, Summer of my sophomore year. 😀 Until now, he’s still beside me despite my annoying declines of requests because of other priorities. He’s responsible for my team head position in LSAT. In fact, he was the first Grad Assessment Team head, when the team finally held their separate team when I entered the commitment. Mom knows him well because they share the same field of expertise: Chemistry. 😀 He worked in PIPAC for some time and after graduation for his second degree, went as a teaching assistant for one of the professors in the Chemistry department. He’s also taking his masters and I think he’s the most patient Grad student my team encountered because he knows our agony. Yup, It’s Sir Lord Alec Pasion. XD

5. SINGLE! – No other word for it, really. 😀

6. SCHOOL DIFFICULTIES – Yep, I’m having a difficult time matching the wavelengths of the people around me in school. Really… But STILL, alive here and pounding on!

7. THE TERM “KUYA” – Kuya Pau as most of the people around me call me. And their number became bigger! But, this is the year when I felt that being kuya more, more during high school. I thought people only call me kuya because of my age but there are people who proved me wrong, who made me appear as a “person” in front of them. It was a different feeling and I loved it more than being called Kuya because of my age.

8. BLESSINGS – Here’s one:

Captured by the phone inside that box. It’ll be my phone for the next 5 years. 😀 Unless I decide to change again when I get a decent job. 😀 Thanks…! 😀 Also for the saved grades for this year, I am really thankful, all of those survived near-acad-death experiences, family issues that were solved and more. 😀

9. PEOPLE – People who slapped me in the face…joke… that made moments!

1. Kuya Mark – Santa Clause. 😀

2. LSAT GRAD TEAM – ANG KULET NIYO!

3. Ate Ja – Wanted me to go back to Gabay but I reserved the request. And now I will be using it. 😀 Unless it had an expiration date. x_x nevertheless, Thanks, ate Ja.

4. Jan – An assessor of mine who was most known for bonding newly assigned members in my team. I think it was the best job done so far because I admit…I can’t do that in a fraction of a day…and he did. XD

5. Mom – Still supportive despite me being a deviant sometimes. But of course, I have to compensate for all my wrongs. and now she gave me something that makes in more mandatory to maintain my grades. I think most of the reason why I’m still standing up, was her. (My, my, whatta drama)

6. Gabay Peepz – I think it was Chard who called me “THANK YOU KUYA TOM!” after handing the people there a bag of Lays. 😀 Hahahaha~! still that curiosity I had in LSAT was a syndrome I have in this org. Crossfingerzzz. Oh yeah, I’ll do more of that Lays dropping. Maybe I’ll get Cheetos next time.

7. Jegay – that bet still has two years to go. 😀 and I’m still in the podium. XD Belat.

8. Jesse, Alvin, Amor, Arvin, Carlo, Nestee and MARKY – Grilla Moments. 😀 Can’t say more about it, they might kill me. Oh yeah, the BBZ pioneer, cheers.

9. Manfred – Partner in Crime. 😀 get someone you can court dude!

10. Paul – Partner in Crime, in vacation…in Canada…most of the time. 😀 Hey man, go back here. PILIPINAS NEEDS YOU!

of course, the best would be my FAMILY and BARKADA and there are so many moments to write that I’m too lazy to put here.

and because of my Short Term Memory, I cannot write more! and I declare welcome 2010.

BRING IT ON!

[PSP] F1 2009 Game Review

I won’t be posting a lot of screenshots for this review as this will only be a short one. Why? because this game disappointed me in several ways. I’m just going to enumerate some disappointing and good stuff and compare the game to its predecessor made by Sony themselves, the F1-06.

 

I was actually excited to see this game when it was announced because there were a lot of changes made for the 2009 season including the aerodynamics and the KERS. yes, KERSSSSS… For some of you, KERS is the acronym for Kinetic Energy Recover System… Sounds geeky. What it does is it recovers energy from braking, charges the batteries and lets you have additional 80HP i think on a press of a button. It’s like a boost button to be simple and that goes with 2009 season.

 

So, to the game. I will compare this one to the F1 06 game.

CONS

1. GAMEPLAY – Championship mode is what you always like in this kind of game. Pick a driver from a team and race through the whole season. Nothing’s wrong with that. What’s wrong with it is when it goes down to the specifics. In the 2006 game, it takes time before you can fully tune your car with the track and with the considerations of external factors. In fact, the game will actually help you to match your preferred settings and then change smaller stuff afterwards. Not so with 2009 game as the game thinks you are too professional for seeking help and leaves everything in default and let you change them. I mean, for first time players, do you think you’ll have an idea what CAMBER, TOE, DAMPER BOUND & REBOUND would mean? of course not.

2. HANDLING – I’ve been playing F1 games since PSX and so far, this is the F1 game with the worst handling physics. In 2006 game, the turning is actually realistic because it takes time for the driver to make a complete steering wheel turn not like in 2009 where you can turn the wheel fast. And get this: if the driver can turn the wheel as fast as possible, the car, especially at the front, would respond quick as well, very apparent from your camera view. BUT NO. Also, while driving fast, it is apparent that the steering wheel shakes a bit, not like in 2009 where it’s as steady as a monument while driving straight.

3. GRAPHICS – I admit that in terms of game detail, 2009 wins it. However, there are a bit of flaws when it comes to the animations of the details. One is mentioned in #2. and then another is that while driving, the helmet of the driver shakes most of the time, trying to cope with the forces by the downforce, suspension bumps and so on. Not so with 2009, as the helmet is also as steady as a statue and only moves SMOOTHLY, not like a stuggling one, while turning.

4. SFX – the people speaking to you on the radio are boooring, compared to the 2006 game where the person is really talking to you, reminding you of your position in the pack as well as telling you that you’ve cracked the fastest lap time in a race.

 

PROS

1. CONTENT – Since the 2009 season was packed with enormous changes, those changes were also in the game. The KERS for instance is in the game and you can use it a lot. 😀 New teams such as Brawn are also there as well as the changes made for the cars. New tracks as well! you can now drive for the first time in NIGHT in Singapore as well as drive though the newly added Abu Dhabi GP course.

2. REALISM – Only a bit but the game actually replicated the physics for the new aerodynamic features of the 2009 season cars. Once you remove the driving aids, the cars are really hard to control. Unlike in the 2006 season where once you have speed, without the aids, you can drive with stability.

3. MUSIC – I love the music, far better than the 2006.

 

Codemasters could’ve done better. You’ve seen Colin McRae rally 2005 plus for PSP, that is bad-ass with realistic handling and graphics. But in this particular title, it seems that they’ve forgotten how to do it. The game would have become better than 2006 because the data, the representation is already there but they slipped through the game physics and replication of the motions.