I've seen things you people wouldn't believe.
Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion.
I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate.
All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.

• 4Sep 08

  Shadow of the Colossus has got me excited before I even play it

  So I got it today and the case of all things is fantastic! Its cardboard as opposed to some cheap plastic, and contains some postcards which although serve no practical use (Happy Birthday!) have some fantastic artwork on them.

  The inside covers got a huge snake with the background bleached out and the guy riding his horse beneath, and the introduction to the story is bordering on the poetic ("The journey here was long...Wanda has travelled for many moons to arrive at this place, a strange temple in the middle of a desolate land...a voice speaks from the heavens...the first voice he has heard in a long time"). The artwork shows a world with a haunting beauty, and the lighting looks brilliant.

  

  Before even playing the game I'm getting the feeling of loneliness, resolve and of isolation this guy must feel, looking at him place the girl (presumeably his lover) on the stone steps of a huge, daunting temple.

  This is the only game to involve me before I put the disc into the drive, apart from Morrowind. I have a good feeling about this game

  • Posted Sep 4, 2008 1:01 pm PT
  • Category: Games
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• 30Aug 08

  Summer 2008

  Lots to say so I'll summarise.

  May 12th-June 12th

  Exam period with revision inbetween. I'm 16 and in the UK so it was GSCE's.

  

  June 13th-June 27th

  Work experience. One week at solicitors in London (alright; great people and saw a case in London Old Bailey, the paperwork was awful).

  

  Other week at Merril Lynch investment bank; awesome. Sat with traders, watched them um trade on the stockmarket (shares and one guy derivatives ; swaps if i remember), talked to lawyers, did a project on Tanzania and its potential investments (mining, infrastructure) and did a crazy maths model to create a bell curve which is what the stockmarket as a whole looks like over one day or something.

  

  June 27th - July 4th

  Scout camp; I help out here as a leader so we survival camped in woods in natural shelters, gave lessons on first aid and firelighting etc and then beasted the 15 year olds around Dorset on a 24 hours hike and survival game. Did coasteering (climb cliffs, jump into sea).

  

  July 4th - July 28th

  2 weeks at home. Saw people, played games, watched movies and read books.

  GAMES: Warcraft 3 and Throzen Frone, Eternal Darkness, FFX, started The Witcher, bought but not played Shadow of the colossus and God of War.

  FILMS: Lots of Ingmar Bergman, HEAT, Godfather 1 & 2, Full metal jacket, Platoon...too many to list actually. Deathnote series too.

  BOOKS: The Great Gatsby, The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Book Thief, The Cold War, A History Of the Middle East (started) and Shadow of the Silk Road (half read).

  July 28th - August 30th

  Ecuador: really amazing. 5 days in Quito, then off to a reserve in the rainforest called Bilsa. 9 hour trek through mud; actually the worst day of my life (it was always at least shin deep, some through the dark and one guy collapsed due to low glucose levels).

  

  At Bilsa: pathbuilding, machete work in banana plantations (really fun; brought 3 back to england), carrying palm wood from forest to reserve, digging toilets (we had a mud wrestle in the bottom of the 2 metre pit) and changing water tanks. Also hiked one day through forest, the other 2 down rivers and waterfalls (many pairs of contact lenses may be in the Ecuadorian sea by now ).

  

  Met Antonio (a pirate who gave me his cutlass), Uli (dirty but amusing German guy who was on military service) and Antonio (reserve leader: did NOT shut up...ever).

  Then white water rafting: flipped boat twice, swam a lot especially through rapids. Grade 3 water so not too bad but still rough and choppy.

  

  Then 2 weeks hiking. It was like the Peak District on steroids. Got up Coroson (4800m) no problem, ilinizas (5150) fine but tired as we woke up to climb at 4am, and not Cotopaxi due to terrible weather. Really worth the experience though of pushing myself to my actual limit, and I'm pretty damn fit too atm.

  

  Flew home with 200 cigarettes (make me 50£: I don't smoke) 3 machetes and a few pirate dvds in my bag.

  August 31st - Wed 3rd September

  Got my results back: rather hesitant to post as people get the wrong idea but I got straight grades so that's great. Seeing friends now until school on Wednesday.

  6th form options: English Literature, Early Modern History, Philosophy, Politics.

  And that, as they say, is that

  • Posted Aug 30, 2008 4:53 pm PT
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• 29Aug 08

  So I'm back from Ecuador

  I'll post a blog on my summer soon: it has been SO busy so sorry for not commenting on blogs, forum etc, but I have had like 11 weeks holiday, and only 3 of which at home.

  Jetlagged atm, so give me some time.

  Hd.

  • Posted Aug 29, 2008 3:08 pm PT
  • Category: Travel
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