(Off-blog) My DS choice of game line-up for late 2008!

CHEESE BUN!! (my Tekong lance-corporal's version of swear word equivalent to CB)
Two blog entries in a single day?! Is this some signs of the coming-end of Blue Minute blog?? GG

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Nothing to be alarmed, folks - this just happen to be a random short post about my rpg hobbies, and I am just in the mood to highlight some titles that I am looking forward to playing with my beloved DS.

Besides the now-playing Inazuma Eleven, what I am hoping to get my grubby hands on are:
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Sigma Harmonics
Release date (JP): August 21

All I know is this game plays quite like an adventure novel type (heavy with text dialogue), and it feature the lovely voices of Daisuke Ono, Jun Fukuyama, and Aya Hirano.
Looks pretty unique from the screens, and judging by Square Enix's previous entry "The World Ends with You", I can expect at least something above-average from this title.
Being still Japanese-illiterate, I will just wait for the English version.

Tactical Guild
Release date (JP): August 28

It is a turn-based srpg, or so I am lead to believe. Success came out with "Drone Tactics" and "Rondo of Swords" a few months back, and both were decent srpgs with shallow storyline. So I doubt this little gem will be anything fabulous, but how can I pass up a fantasy srpg? Especially when this one is supposed to focus on guilds? I like guilds! XD

Disgaea DS
Release date (US): September 09

The DS port over for the popular Disgaea, originally for the Playstation 2. I didn't own its predecessor, but had the sequel to it, and very much enjoyed its comical and lighthearted dialogue + story. This series has perhaps one of the best gameplay concepts to grace the srpg realms. Very much looking forward to it.

World Destruction
Release date (JP): September 25

RPG with a basic premise about a band of heroes out to destroy the world. Starring the voices of Mamoru Miyano, Maaya Sakamoto and others, this game appears to play like any other standard turn-based battle concept rpg, but probably with some interesting feature to boot (that I ain't aware of). There is an anime counterpart out that I am currently watching, so if anything, I am actually quite interested in this title.

Rune Factory 2
Release date (US): October 16

Harvest Moon with a fantasy, monster slaying twist. I played the first, and I liked it. Plus the Japanese version main heroine is voiced by Mizuki Nana! There's Noto Mamiko and Kawasumi Ayako in it too; how can I not like this game? The English version will definitely replace the voices, but maybe I will just search for a Japanese patch to quench my thirst for more Nana delights.

Luminous Arc 2
Release date (US): November 18

I actually played the Japanese version for a few hours, since it is a srpg and you don't need to know much Japanese to play your way through. But I eventually decided to put it down and patiently wait for the official translations to arrive. Not one of my personal favorites, but I can still see myself spend hours playing it.


*Other titles without box art that I WANT TO PLAY!!:
- Dragon Quest V
- Tales of Hearts
- Suikoden Tierkreis

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That's about it. Come to think of it again, why the heck am I wasting my precious time typing this post?!

Oh well. Life goes on~

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Overnight at East Coast

Didn't exactly expect to return to East Coast Park nearly one year later for work again (refer to this post).

This time me and a few others from my army unit were tasked (read: forced) to set up barricades and assist as road marshals for the SAFRA Half-Marathon 2008. Very straightforward work, except we were expected to begin work at 2200 hour to the following day (Sunday) 1300. =_=

*no photographs; just imagine East Coast Park, and hundreds of people running together

I mean seriously, it isn't that time-consuming to put up the fencing. Which idiot decided that it was a good idea to start the preparations so early before the actual run? Jeez.
As efficient as we were, the forty-or-so number of us completed the barricading by 0200. Eat that organizer, see how much spare time left to kill?!

Most of us ended up taking short naps till 0600, where we have to proceed to taking up our assigned marshaling positions. I didn't sleep though; too busy playing my newly acquired DS game "Inazuma Eleven"! (box cover below)

Soccer (football) meets Japanese rpg. Already ten hours into the game, and although I understood shit about the storyline, the solid gameplay totally makes up for it. Oh, my bad. This topic is supposed to be about ECP.

So anyway, we ended up standing/squatting etc. at our positions until daybreak. And only by 0700 did the first sight of the runners begin appearing on the road. Cue marshaling, and finally around 1030 that the last of the slowpokes finished their 21km run. It was basically pack up time for us as we load the barricades and other crap onto the designated pickups.

Due to poor scheduling and lack of proper orders, we spent more than 60% of the time afterwards just idling, until 1300++ when it was finally our turn to get on a bus. Got dropped off at City Hall, near padang, where a little more 'saikang' awaits us. Oh joy.
Thankfully, it was just MORE moving of barricades and after completion, fall out time and back home we went.

Overall a lame way to spend time, and our reward? Off day on Monday (today). To quote one of my colleague; "Work one day no sleep, only get one day off. Darn not worth sia!"

Oh, and did I mention I ate ten peanut butter sandwiches throughout the whole job? They were tasty. =P

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Goodbye & Good luck, Ah-md

Another week in Khatib camp. And on the Thursday of that particular week, it was also the time another one storeman leave the crew.

Our dear signal store 2IC Ah-md had finally neared the date of ORD and thus our Staff (Sergeant) Toh decided to give us a half-day off and treat us to lunch over a Yio Chu Kang's Sakura restaurant.
*photos courtesy of Staff Toh*

Staff Toh actually wanted to go town to have lunch, and probably do something else (like catch a movie), but Ah-md persuaded him otherwise as a simple meal alone is fine enough. And somehow that ended up as an eat-all-you-can meal over at Sakura. =_=;

It is unfortunate that I couldn't eat much, especially when compared to the big appetite of R-H and Ah-md himself. But hey, at least I went for the more expensive stuff (sashimi, scallop etc.).

^Our magnificent art

I wasn't involved with most of the table conversation, as I was busy spending time making rounds to the buffet tray. Apparently though, they were more or less gossiping about unit stuff - the kind of subject that would have been uncomfortable to discuss back in camp.

Nothing particular exciting, so I guess just enjoy the rest of the photos. Staff Toh even had a video footage taken - which is kinda of an overkill. ~_~

^Ah-md (left), Abdul (mid), R-H (top), and me

The video was more like a 5min interview with Ah-md, which each member of our Signal giving an opinion of our (going to) ORD personnel. I myself mentioned in the video that even though my time with him was short, I will still miss him as he was a really fine individual/worker. Those were indeed sincere words from me, hehe.
R-H was going about how he (Ah-md) was okay person lah, and that he should be less hum when doing work. Abdul did his "......" impression when it was his turn, which was what we all expected. =P

^Ah-md & our "trendy" Staff Toh

So Staff Toh inquired on what Ah-md was planning to do after army, in which the latter replied that he would most likely be taking an accounting-related job, or specifically as a banker.

Well, wish you all the best in your future endeavors, pal!

Cheers to the 2008's 23SA Signal Storemen!

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National Day, boo-ya~

So yesterday was Singapore National Day, and the day before Olympics opening. And do I give a damn? Not even a single bit.

Maybe in year 2010 I will be in the mood to celebrate, but not when I am still in the army. At least I am given a free holiday tomorrow. Praise the heavens.

Remember how I mention J.H and I-sa were hard to deal with in my unit? Now they are officially awarded the title of "Pain in the Arse", as they have recently hit the limits of my tolerance level. They are so darn annoying that I sincerely wish they get posted out asap. Or simply go DB for a year. I don't care, as long as they get out of my sight.

Things will be a little more hectic from now on as one of the signal storemen, Ah-md will be clearing his leave/off, starting this week. He is as good as ORD now.
It will be just R.H (chatterbox), Abdul and me in signal now. R.H will definitely take full control now that he is I.C, and he will most likely toss me in one corner to collect dust as he still don't trust me with work. Boo-hoo =_=;
Not like he have faith in Abdul too. Well, R.H is rather capable, so he will be able to solo-handle all the shit work. No worries from me. XP

Oh well, nothing much to say. My blog entries are even more boring nowadays with the lack of photos.
...I will just throw in a random shot of my beloved Mizuki Nana then.

Someone, send me to Japan please.

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Introducing 23SA storemen! (part 2)

Yo again~

This is the second and last part of "Meet 23SA Storemen" session, brought to you by your very own REC TAN WJ (Clement)!

Last week I featured the ones that are bunking in the same room as me, now I shall do the introductory for the neighbouring bunk. We got a new member in my bunk too, so I will throw him in the mix as well. Check it out!

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"Ah-Md"
The current Signal store IC, but will be handing the position to R.H (Snubbull, remember him?) when he ORD in September. He is responsible, but maybe a little too prim & proper that his working ethics constantly clashes against R.H, who have his OWN way of doing things.
I will have to work hard and fill in his shoes when he is gone.
Appears to be a firm believer of his religion, as he will always go do his own prayers alone every morning, noon and night, with each session lasting for at least 30 mins.

Trivial: One of the few Corporals around. Non-smoker. Is a good role-model.
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"Cheyrl"
I know his nick sounds like gal's name, but let me assure you it is a HE.
He takes charge of the Clothing store, along with another that I will intro shortly later. Second largest fellow; with a body exceeding 100kg. He knows how to slack, and does it well enough to escape the eyes of the commanders. Isn't completely lazy though, as he does have a serious side when the situation demands. Enjoy playing games, either with his own psp, or borrowing my ds - during WORKING hours. >_>

Trivial: Can be quite irritating when he go about fooling around. Is even a greater threat when tag-teaming with the playful I-sa.
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"Fari"
The dude with multiple posts/assignments. He play many roles, so much that he isn't attached to a particular store. That, or it is too confusing that I don't know where he actually belongs to. He used to be even more busier in the past, but have cut down on his duties as he is nearing his ORD date. He occasionally warns me not to be too hardworking, 'lest I want to end up like him - always busy like shit, which is totally not worth the effort. I do recognize his good intentions, but I desire to achieve some good record in my unit too. Like one would say; "Only by hardwork, comes a path to freedom"!

Trivial: Told me quite a number of his stories, mostly bad experiences, which also serve as advices for me not to repeat the same. One such experience actually landed him in Detention Barracks - only because he mistakenly took some confidential documents back home to finish.
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"Zoo" (dong-wu-yuan)
A not very talkative person. Almost to the point of being forgettable. He is the second person working on Ration indenting, along with G.S, and will be replacing him as IC when the latter ORD. Is able to perform his duties, but G.S tends to outshine him in terms of performance.
Has his own family issues; mostly concerning his pregnant Indonesian wife. Isn't officially recognized as married in Singapore, as he only performed to marriage rites in Indonesia.

Trivial: May not be participating in the upcoming India exercise, as it is around the estimated time frame of his wife's labor.
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"See-Mon"
The other Clothing storeman. Quite the interesting individual, as he is always smiling, and will accompany a laugh with almost any sentence he make. Even when in a heated conversation with superiors, he will still find some way to laugh, albeit in a bitter manner. I once secretly overheard my Mdm mentioned - of all the current storemen, the one she least trust is him. Only because he is very good at hiding his true intentions behind that smile of his.
He does know how to work, but will resort to cutting corners if left alone to be.

Trivial: The first guy who I actually befriended in the unit. I thought he was just your simple cheerful dude, but I guess it is more to him than meets the eye.
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"Faiz"
Not related to Kamen Rider 555. He is the newest member to our 23SA storeman family. He is special though, as he is the new appointed BQ - one put in charge of most of us. A mere Private now, but will soon get the rank of 3rd Sergeant in due time. Quite the relaxed fellow, and is still lacking the leadership vibe. Definitely needs to straighten up, before he get into trouble for not setting a good example as a superior-to-be. Not to worry, he got me to support him if the need arises.

Trivial: Was given the choice of staying in a Specialist bunk, but chose to bunk in with us Storemen instead. He is now my direct adjacent bedmate.
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That's about all the current storemen. I may introduce the commanders next week, but that is not a guarantee.

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