Top Ten: Holidays

   Now that it is between Christmas and the New year, I have decided to do my holiday post. And as much as I wanted to put my birthday on this list, I put my egotistical views aside and put up a proper list instead (aren't I great?).

   Without taking up too much time of your holiday family time:

Top Ten Holidays:

10 - Pi day - I'm a mathlete, I like math. I also like pie. These are hardly related, but on 3.14.xx every year, they combine for one day. That day, is amazing, if only to a small few. Thus it is recognized as a top ten list worthy holiday.

09 - Easter - This is one of the holidays where my family gets together (you'll notice that this is a trend for my favorite holidays). We have all of my cousins together for an Easter egg hunt, while the adults sit around and talk about childhood rivalries. I have seven uncles and aunts, so the stories are always very "informative".

08 - Bring Your Kid Into Work Day - When I becomes President of the United States (positive thinking for the win), I am going to make this a national holiday. My favorite days when I was a kid, was spending time with my dad at his work. I hated the driving time because he listened to sports talk radio, but at work I got to see a cool office building. He also set me up to play Worms World Party, that helped a lot. If you love Bring Your Kid Into Work Day, vote (write in) Geoffrey Nelson 2040!

07 - Memorial Day - This is more of an inside joke more than anything. My mom just bought new pans and she had been bragging about how wonderful they were. All week, all day and all throughout lunch she was bragging about how well-cooked dessert would be. "The pans made it so it cooks evenly, they don't stick, the pans aren't too hot..." etc. When dessert came, it was near impossible to chisel it out of the pans (but it was delicious). It was very memorable.

06 - April Fool's Day - I really don't need to explain this one do I? It's a holiday based on jokes, gags, and foolishness. Next...

05 - Groundhog Day - I love this holiday, because it's based around an animal. The movie with the same names just happens to be an excellent movie. I'm sure that those aren't entirely related at all...

04 - Veteran's Day - Finally, a holiday of sentiment. I am truly grateful to be able to live where I do live. I am more than willing to spend at least one day remembering the sacrifices of others to help make America the way it is today. Veterans, thank you for your service, your time, and your sacrifice!

03 - Thanksgiving - Another holiday where my family get together. This one is really high on the list because it involves a LOT of food. Need I say anymore?

02 - Christmas - I love Christmas. Getting presents is almost as fun as watching other people open your presents. One of the huge benefits of working 11 to 7 on the holidays (especially Christmas), is that you get to be the first person to wish them a Merry Christmas that year. That feeling is magical in and of itself. Many people probably expected Christmas to be number one. But people wh0o know me, also know that there is one holiday that I haven't gone over yet.

01 - Halloween - You get free candy. You get to dress up. You get to scare people. Boom, boom, boom! Halloween is the number one holiday for me when all is said and done.

Happy New Years!

Fun Fact Friday - Miscellaneous 27.12.2013

Hey all!

   The holidays have thrown my usual schedule in a confuzzle, exect some more consistency when I'm not worried about cooking, an traveling, and opening things, and playing things that I opened earlier. Well, only that last part is true, but my schedule was hectic to say the least. So, fun fact number one: I will do a double post next Wednesday of DDOI. If I'm feeling REALLY generous, I might do a triple post just to finish the season, but on the other hand I love cliffhangers!

   Having celebrated Christmas, I opened two games that I have been busy with ever since Pokémon White 2, and The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (finally something I don't have to go to character map for). With quite a few hours of gameplay under my belt, I can honestly say that the new Zelda game has exceeded my expectations. The best metaphor of the game? Take A Link to the Past, and give it the Wii graphics, throw in your favorite Zelda songs done with a catchy orcestra of instruments, and add in giant chickens. It just can't be beat.

   Lastly (and my personal favorite this week), I also recently came across a YouTube video explaining what color mirrors are. If you've never thought about that, then you have never been truly alive. The answer? I won't tell you. I will tell you, that if you experiment by looking at two mirrors across from each other, you can make a good guess. Then, watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yrZpTHBEss
   It makes sense when you think about it; but seriously, make a hypothesis first. It will make you feel more accomplished later. Also, I know a popular question is, well that tint is probably due to the glass. True, but technically the glass is part of the mirror; to each their own.

As always,

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Top Ten: Worst Feelings in the World

   We all have those moments. You are having a good day, and then something comes along and makes your stomach just sink to your stomach. It's nothing that is going to ruin your life, it just ruins that moment of your day.
   These are the feelings where, no matter what you are doing, you try to avoid. When you run into one of them, you hate yourself for it. These aren't feelings like those from tragic accidents, but those of "oh crap" moments.
   Next week will be my Top Ten Holidays, but for now, let us remember the stomach stirring feelings of fear.



10 - The "Broken bag of cereal" feeling
   The first thing I like to do every morning when I wake up (or whatever time of day I wake up), is eat a bowl of cereal. I don't like any complications, but sometimes I have to start a new bag. I would open the bag by sticking my thumbs in the "Bunny-ear" corners and pulling apart (I had long given up trying to open it using the center folded-over piece).
   Roughly 30% of the time, the bag would rip in some unholy way to form a mass of tentacles wrought forth from the remains of an ex-inanimate object, whose twisted tentacles would steal the cereal you are trying to pour and save them at the bottom of the box. Very few things are worse than watching your cereal miss the bowl for various reasons due to the tentacles birthed earlier.

09 - The "I just started preparing a meal, and I'm missing things" feeling
   Following the food theme, we all have those days when you get hungry and you feel like preparing something snazzy. I like to make a nice sandwich, with mayonnaise turkey, ham, bacon and cheese etc.
   I don't like putting the mayonnaise on the bread, and then finding out that we don't have any meat to put on it (pouring a bowl of cereal and realizing that there isn't milk isn't as bad, but it's still bad).
   Mayonnaised bread (or breaded mayonnaise) can't be put back where it belongs, and can't be truly enjoyed. I hate to waste food, but I can't choke down a mayonnaise sandwich (even if I added cheese).

08 - The "I'm sweating" feeling
   Anyone who knows me, knew that this was going to be on my list. I hate sweating, and I hate the feeling just before sweating, and I hate that feeling where I think I'm sweating but I'm really not.
   I constantly go out of my way to avoid sweating, it makes me feel gross. Even worse is when you are running around in the humidity and you get all tacky. Sweating is the grossest most-useful thing besides pooping.
  
07 - The "Oh my gosh, what did I just say" feeling
   We all have those days where we are saying something innocent, but circumstances decide to change that innocence. Timing and speaking too fast are the biggest culprits in my book. It's times like these where I wish I had a restart button.
   I do a mental face palm and hope that the other person doesn't notice. When/if they notice, I apologize and continue the conversation as though it hadn't happened.

06 - The "This person is obviously looking for an answer, but I wasn't paying attention" feeling
   This happens primarily at school. The teacher is talking in a lecture and asks a question; you know it by the tone, and when nobody answers you realize that the teacher asked you. This also happens on dates where your date is talking about something that you do not at all understand (or care about).
   Whenever this feeling happens, something bad is about to follow. The only way to avoid that is to learn to listen; but where's the fun in that right (NO! That's wrong! That's very wrong. Learn to listen)?

05 - The "Could have made it, no I can't, but I could" feeling
   This is traditionally felt when you are driving in the car:
You stop at an intersection and a car is coming, preventing you from going; you stay and wait for the car.
A few moments go by, and you realize that you could have successfully made the turn if you had gone before, but now you wait to let the car go first.
A few moments go by, and you realize that you STILL could have successfully made the turn if you had gone even then, but now it's far too late and the car is passing you right as you say this...
   I hate when that happens, and it happens quite often (I prefer this feeling to cutting someone off every day though).

04 - The "I was going to break up with you, but now you got me some really expensive present, so now I feel like a jerk" feeling
   I can't tell you how many times I've tried to break up when this happened (I lied, I can, twice). It is one of the worst feelings in the world.
   Breaking up is hard to do in the first place, you can't do it during the date because then the date will stink, and you can't do it after because then they'll think they did something wrong during the date, you can't do it over the phone (this one is obvious), but in person you fear for your life (maybe that's a little extreme). The worst is when you are about to break up with someone, and you've been trying to find the right time to do it, and the day you are going to do it, you're significant other happens to have tickets to a concert or a game, or they bought you a random present.
   YAY! wait... ...now what ?

03 - The "I know I'm supposed to know you, but I can't think of your name right now" feeling
   One of the worst feelings for me, is knowing somebody, but not knowing their name even though I should. Usually this happens at work with coworkers, they stop by and say hi and ask about my family and I'm like "Hi they're doing good... yeah..." It's awkward because I know the person, and it's a perfectly normal conversation, but I just can't remember their name.
   I always appreciate talking with other people, so this is one of the more frustrating feelings, because I'm too stubborn to ask and I'm too afraid to guess. Needless to say, if any of you start or attempt to have a conversation with me, and it gets awkward this is probably the reason why.

02 - The "I leaned too far back in my chair, and I can't stop myself from falling" feeling
   If you haven't yet experienced this feeling, you are one of the very few people that haven't. This is the most embarrassing feeling for two reasons, 1) Someone is always there that has said not to lean back in your chair, and 2) You know you are about to attract an enormous amount of unflattering attention to yourself.
   The worst of this feeling, is sitting sideways in a wheeled chair that can lean back. If you lean back and someone pushes you down further, for that brief moment you feel like you are going to fall face first onto the floor (due to the already skewered perception of being sideways).
   This is also a very popular prank at school, so watch out chair tippers.

01 - The "My ride left without me" or the "I think we forgot someone" feeling
   Honestly, if you've ever experienced this, enough said.
   Also, if you are the cause of this feeling, you should feel sorry. You shouldn't be ashamed, it happens, but you should feel sorry.


==xx==

   Going back on this Top Ten, I really dislike the five sentence limit, from a writing perspective. Somethings really can't be explained in only five sentences. But, at the same time, I don't want to write another novel anytime soon. So I am putting it up to a vote. Partially, because I want to know, and partially because I also want to setup a poll (What? I'm curious 8^p )

   Merry Christmas Eve Day! The holidays are almost done for the year. Next week I'll reveal my Top Ten Favorite Holidays!

Fun Fact Friday - 20/12/2013

Tis the season!

   I was bored recently and started taking random Left/Right brained tests. Why? I was bored. I mean seriously, did you even read the beginning of the sentence???

   What did I find out?

   Most tests said that I was more right-brained then left-brained. I took four tests that all said I was Right-brained before I finally realized something. With each question relating to a personality, I realized that I would answer differently depending on where I was thinking about (like work, home etc.)

   What did I do?

   The next test, I took four different times. One for home, school, work, and church. I didn't look at any results (different tabs) and took one test after the other.

   When I finished each test, something surprised me. This time, I was more Left-brained than Right-brained overall.

   The home version was the only one that had me as Right-brained, but even then barely. But having four answers wasn't good enough for me, I averaged the results together with a weight relating to how much time during the week I spent in each.

   Some patterns I noticed:
1) At work I am extremely Left-brained. I work in the medical field. I often have people's lives (or quality of lives) in my hands. I want to make sure that I do the best job I can. I am organized. I make plans. I am more efficient.
2) At home, I am more Right-brained. I like to have more fun; I am more relaxed. At home I am comfortable doing things randomly or without pre-planning.
3) When others are involved, I tend to be Left-brained. Nothing quirky to say about this.
4) When my future is involved, I tend to be very down the middle. When I am thinking about the future of my family, I am more creative. When I am thinking about my future from a religious point of view, I am more logical. But with both instances, only barely. This could explain why I am constantly at odds with where I want to be in the future.
5) Whenever immediate results are needed, I am VERY Left-brained. This simply compliments the previous finding.

   The overall result was:

Left 61 / 39 Right

   I was shocked. From starting the series of tests with pretty much the opposite result, to ending with this.

   What could cause such a dramatic(not) change in results?
I think it was my method of taking the tests.
   When I first started I was just taking random tests and seeing what the results were. Oddly enough(not), the results led to a more Right-brain dominant result. Once I realized the potential for splitting my results, I got more Left-brained dominant results.

   Does your current thinking influence the answers you give?
I believe so. I think it alters the parts you focus on, and which you disregard.

   There have been several studies that I have read about over the years that mention the result of you thoughts in this way. The most recent being the Soul Pancake video with the effect of gratitude on happiness (watch it if you haven't).

   If you are more content with what you have, you will find more things to be content about.
Taking this with my current situation, when I was looking for random tests and going with the flow of Google, I was pulling more from the right side of my brain. Once that pattern started, it was easier for me to find more right-sided qualities whilst answering the questions.

   When I started taking the tests after making a plan, after organizing the results (which use more of the left side), my results started leaning towards the left-sided qualities.

   I really enjoyed this little discovery of mine.
No. I don't get out much.
   One thing this made me question, through a series of questions, was the difference between perceived skill, and enjoyment of said skill. The most notable being art. Some of the questions were Do you like drawing? My answer is always Very Accurate, Yes etc. but that doesn't mean I'm good at it. Would having a variation of that question yield some different results? For example:
1) Do you like drawing? Yes, could lean more towards the Right. No, doesn't necessarily lean either way. Enjoyment of something creative is usually right-brained. Not finding enjoyment in it doesn't really mean you hate it; hating it I could see as leaning Left.
2) Are you good at drawing? Yes, most-likely leans Right (but it also adds a bit to Left). No, most-likely leans Left. I think (answering honestly of course) understanding your own skill in a subject adds to your Left side a lot, even if it is a Right-sided skill.
3) How often do you draw? All the time, leans Right. Not a lot, leans Left. How often you spend with a skill is a great indicator from these tests. This is an almost direct variation of Do you like drawing, but the results will be different due to wording. Personally, I'd prefer this question, to question 1).

   I hope you guys found this interesting and take it to heart. What you look for, you will find. If you need some extra help with it, try living it and give your brain a head start on what to look for.

   I will leave those thoughts with you. And, as always,

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Don't Dead Open Inside - S01:E03

   This theory is still in it's infantile stages, but it will soon grow. It has a lot of strong support in the first season and I'm eager to share all of these points with you. If you are actually starting to follow along (whether from curiosity, entertainment, belief or any combination therein), try watching ahead of my reviews and see if you can start to point the same kinds of things that I do. Discovery is most of the enjoyment; anticipation only goes so far.

   There's nothing too distinctive about this episode except for a few points. This episode almost runs as it implies.

   Without further ado, SPOILER ALERT! *kinda*

Tell It to the Frogs:

   Merle starts off talking to himself. Reliving some of his favorite memories. Some people, who previously gave up trying to get after Merle, try again. Merle tries to get the toolbox that is nearby, but it is too far away.

   The group returns to their base camp. One their way there everyone realizes that Merle isn't with them. Morales says it's better this way. Shane tells Carl he'll teach him how to catch frogs to eat. Finally returning to camp, everyone reunites with their families.

   That night they sit around campfires and try to avoid being seen by people. Ed complains about being cold, not realizing that it's not the appropriate time of year for that kind of weather. Shane keeps the fire and tension down.

   Lori and Rick spend some time together, Lori can't believe it. The next morning, Rick awakens and hears the children scream. The camp comes across a hunter eating a deer. They beat the hunter up and decapitate him. Darryl comes by and says that he has been following that deer for miles, and eats the brains of the decapitated head.

   They tell Darryl about Merle and he goes ballistic. They calm him down, and tell him that he was cuffed to the roof but still alive. They get a small group together to save Merle.

   Shane and Carl "catch frogs". Lori and Shane get into an argument while Ed "guards" the women. The Merle group argues about whether to go for guns or Merle first. They go to get Merle, but Rick reminds them that they need the "guns".

   Shane beats up Ed almost breaking his face in. Shane almost lost it and was on the verge of eating Ed's brains. It was a close call, but he finally found the (dying) humanity in his mind and stopped. Meanwhile, at the very end, you see that Merle's hand is dangling from the pipes, chewed off the cuff.

Notes:
   This episode, due to low zombie activity, runs very similarly to the way they intend it to.
   If Darryl WAS hunting that deer for miles, why didn't he know that it was attacked? Why did he do nothing to stop the "zombie" from mauling and eating it? Was he hunting the deer? Or the zombie?
   Shane beats Ed up so badly, because he loses all sense of humanity. His humanity is strongly based off of Lori, who all of a sudden rejects him. His sense of humanity gone, he realizes his hunger for brains. It becomes apparent next season, that Shane REALIZES that he's a zombie along with the rest of them.
   Also, Merle chewed his hand off. The group imagines the saw there, because that would have been the human way to do it.
  

Don't Dead Open Inside - S01:E02

   Convinced yet? I don't blame you if you aren't; it's a pretty hard sell.

   This episode has a ton of flaws in regards to my human/zombie theory; but it also has some defense against it to. Nevertheless let us continue with episode two...

   (Again, just note that I'm writing entirely based on my theory. If you want to compare, watch the episode at the same time. Also, if you haven't noticed by now, SPOILER ALERT *kind of*)

Guts:

   Rick starts in the tank talking to Glen. Glen points out that if Rick waits too long the people upset about the horse, won't be upset and will hunt Rick again. Rick understands and follows Glen's advice.

   When Rick leaves the tank, somebody notices and shoots at him. Rick jumps off the tank and runs for Glen. Rick and Glen run through the alley and climb up a ladder. The reason that people stop chasing them up the ladder is because of a powerful acid lining the rungs. This is residue from Rick and Glen having just climbed up the ladder. (Sound odd? This is part of the "Left 4 Dead" theory in the notes below.)

   Glen leads Rick into their cage of a store after mauling two random people. Andrea is angry and tries to eat Rick's brains (he's a very new zombie, it has barely been a day), but everyone convinces her that he's a zombie just like everyone else. They point out that they are stuck in the store with hundreds of people trying to get in.

   They hear gunshots and head up to the roof. Merle is standing guard atop the building and people are shooting at him. They obviously miss, but everyone is furious that he is standing out in the open like he was. He gets upset and starts his racist rant, and Rick takes him out and cuffs him to the pipes.

   They try to escape through the sewers, but people sealed them in. These people, living in the sewers, know that zombie are dangerous and do not want to treat them the way others have been treating them. They have been ostracized and "exiled" for it (it still doesn't mean they're wrong though). The sewer people prevent the zombie group from escaping, so they are forced to concoct another plan.

   Rick FINALLY gets hungry, and he also thinks of an idea to get them out of their cage. They bring the bodies of the two people they killed inside and Rick explains his plan.

   They gut the bodies, and then put on their skin. This way, they look fresher and more like people. The two of them put white lab coats over their new coats (to cover up the loose hanging bits) and together they make their way over to the construction site. Off the bat, people notice that they are weird, but the world is full of weird people so they leave them alone. When it starts to rain, some of the more observant people notice (through the wet lab coats), that there are loose dangling bits underneath their clothes. They are force to make a break for it.

   They run over to the site and get in a truck. They drive away. Glen, just so happens to find his "dream car" and drives it as a distraction to the people. People are curious about the loud noise and are torn. Do they want a picture with a group of zombies, or do they want a picture of a zombie driving a car? They pick the car.

   In the meantime, Rick drives the truck in such a way that the rest of the group can escape except for Merle.

Notes:
   Pay attention to the way people word things in this episode.
   When the "zombies" are trying to break the doors down, one of them has a rock. What zombie would hold a rock? What is the point? How does a rock benefit a zombie in any way (if they are trying to dehumanize them of course. Everyone knows rocks can be very helpful in any situation)?
   The "Left 4 Dead" theory: Here zombies are individuals with different powers due to mutations. Rather than having specified classes like they do in L4D (tank, witch and choker etc.), zombies just have some natural supernatural abilities. In this case, zombies are slightly acidic. This is why zombie bites cause you to catch a fever and die. You are really being poisoned with an acid that burns you from the inside out. People can't climb the ladder because the acid burns through their hands (they'll also later become zombies). The acid doesn't affect zombies the same way snake venom doesn't affect snakes.

Top Ten: Pokémon (as of Gen VI)

    I just finished Pokémon Y as a Dark-type gym leader. I was super excited, until I actually beat the game. Starting the game with no foreknowledge and limiting myself to the Dark type, while fun, didn't create an excellent sense of exploration of the new fairy types and competitive battles. That's besides the point.

   I restarted the game this time playing for fun (however, I will rebuild this team and character again as I absolutely loved it. I just want to explore a little too). I know what to do, what not to do, and I know where my choices are, and I'm going to make different choices than last time. This will give me a chance to beat the game with my favorite Pokémon (outside the Dark type). This brings me to my Top Ten Today.


   There will ALWAYS be disputes of which Pokémon are the best and greatest, and each person's view is very different. Today I throw my ideas out there.

   Coming up with a list of my favorite Pokémon was easy.
   Narrowing it down to ten was not.

   For your enjoyment and for my ease of mind (to help me select Pokémon and to make sure the list isn't entirely unbalanced), I created a few rules for today's Top Ten. Here they are:

1) For each type, I picked my favorite Pokémon. My favorite ten Pokémon come from that list of 17 (Fairy is not included as I have not played with any yet).

2) I could only pick one starter. Though I only had a few favorite starter Pokémon, I had to limit myself to one for my top ten list.

3) I could only pick one legendary Pokémon. I defined legendary Pokémon as a Pokémon that there was only one of. Examples include: Lapras, Zapdos, Castform etc.

4) Pokémon I haven't used yet, if they make it onto the list (even though it isn't said, the list is implied to be about Pokémon I have used), are last. To be fair, I haven't finished Pokémon Black version yet so I haven't gotten to use a few Pokémon that I have plans for.

   Now that that is out of the way, here are the Pokémon that didn't make my top ten.
(FIRE) Ninetales
(ELEC) Zebstrika
(ROCK) Aggron
(FIGT) Pancham
(ICE.) Weavile
(WATR) Lapras
(GRAS) Sceptile
(FAIR) Sylveon (Sylveon is both on and not on this list. You'll find out later.)
   If you think these Pokémon are great, wait until you see the rest of my list!

My Top Ten Pokémon (as of Gen VI)

10 - #609 - (GHST)

Chandelure (Luring Pokémon): The spirits burned up in its ominous flame lose their way and wander this world forever.

==xx==

   When I first played Gen I, I fell in love with Ghost-type Pokémon (and Ground). Unfortunately, I was never able to evolve Haunter into Gengar (which I later learned to enjoy, because Haunter is higher on my list than Gengar), so I have been looking for a new favorite Ghost Pokémon ever since.
   Gen III got me hooked on Banette and Sableye (Dark/Ghost type combination WAS my favorite until Fairy was introduced and ruined the "nothing is super-effective against it" selling point), and finally Gen V introduced Chandelure. I haven't gotten a chance to use Chandelure yet, but the design is amazing and the type combination is cool. The concept of this Pokémon intrigues me greatly and so it deserves a spot on my list.

==xx==

09 - #635 - (DRAG)

Hydreigon (Brutal Pokémon): It responds to movement by attacking. This scary, three-headed Pokémon devours everything in its path!

==xx==

   I have never ever, ever been a fan of Dragon-type Pokémon. The Dragonite ruined that image for me for a long time. Once I played Gen III, and Dragons were cooler, I started paying attention to Salamence. When I first saw Hydreigon, I fell in love. I have been unable to use one yet, but I will as soon as I restart my Pokémon Black campaign.

==xx==
 
08 - #133 - (NORM)

Eevee (Evolution Pokémon): Thanks to its unstable genetic makeup, this special Pokémon conceals many different possible evolutions.
 
==xx==

   Let's be honest, everyone loves Eevee. Now, let's be really honest, nobody loves Eevee; they love the potential Eevee has. Eevee holds a special place in my heart, and has since the beginning of Pokémon, because of the various evolutions it holds.
   My first (and so far only) time through Platinum was with an all Eeveelution team named after ponies (durn right!). One other thing that all of Eeveelutions has going for it, that many other of my favorite Pokémon have going for them, is it's rather lupine design (I can only pray for a Rockeon, Scuteon, Eeveon, Draceon, Steeleon, Puncheon, Creepeon, Poiseon, and Flyingeon; have fun trying to guess which name is which type).

==xx==

07 - #292 - (BUG.)

Shedinja (Shed Pokémon): A most peculiar Pokémon that somehow appears in a Poké Ball when a Nincada evolves.

==xx==

   Do you like creepy Pokémon (if you haven't noticed, I like dark/creepy/cool Pokémon)? That means that Bug Pokémon are at a huge disadvantage when fighting for my love. Shedinja remedied that by being completely awesome and amazing (being immune to almost 70% of attacks helps a lot). The method of obtaining Shedinja is obscure, the Pokédex entry is creepy, and using it in battle just frustrates more opponents than I can count. If you pull out a Shedinja towards the end of a battle, a majority of the time you will win that battle.

==xx==

06 - #169 - (POIS)

Crobat (Bat Pokémon): Having four wings allows it to fly more quickly and quietly so it can sneak up on prey without its noticing.

==xx==

   If you have never ever fought against a Zubat andor a Golbat then I don't know whether to call you lucky, or unfortunate. Crobat is a real upgrade to the Zubat family. It is one of the fastest Pokémon of it's time, and it is very hard difficult to defeat. It has a very good attack stat, and coupled with it's incredible speed, it has a very good annoyer-type moves, and it doesn't flinch. Crobat was my goto Pokémon as of Gen III.

==xx==

05 - #717 - (FLYI)

Yveltal (Destruction Pokémon): When its life comes to an end, it absorbs the life energy of every living thing and turns into a cocoon once more.

==xx==

   I know what you all are thinking, Yveltal is on the list only because I just beat Pokémon Y. That probably influenced it a bit, but that's not the reason. I was SO excited when this guy turned out to be Dark/Flying, I almost peed myself. I was doing a base Dark team, and the legendary is Dark type. Whodathunk?
   Now, as for it's power, amazing; that goes without saying. But the story behind  it is amazing as well. At first I was confused as to it's move Oblivion Wing. I had no idea what it was doing in it's move set, until I realized that it represents the Yveltal absorbing the life energy etc. VERY COOL.
   The design of Yveltal is amazing as well. It reminds me of a combination of one of my old favorites (Spearow/Fearow) and one of my new favorites (Absol) with a new paint job. This Pokémon is simply a beast that isn't to be trifled with. Unless, of course, you are 'The One'.

==xx==

04 - #625 - (STEL)

Bisharp (Sword Blade Pokémon): Bisharp pursues prey in the company of a large group of Pawniard. Then Bisharp finishes off the prey.

==xx==

   Anyone who has ever taken karate knows what it is like to have your body become a weapon. Bisharp takes this phrase literally. When I heard that I could trade my (terrible) Jigglypuff for a new slot in the Pokédex, I said "Of course!" When I saw what Bisharp looked like, I said "I like him." When I saw that Bisharp was Dark/Steel (and I needed some steel-type moves at the time), I said "Instant addition to the team." Bisharp did not disappoint.
   Bisharp is an amazingly strong Pokémon if you put him up against the right opponent. He learns very powerful moves, and is backed by a great physical build. As long as your opponent is physical based, Bisharp would love to dice them to pieces.
   The fact that Bisharp looks like a ninja-torpedo-sword is cool to me. I normally dislike humanized Pokémon (Machop, Sawk, Throh I'm looking at you!), but Bisharp was fairly different. Sure it was bipedal and had two arms, but... it... it was a weapon. It was like a sword (and an axe) that fights for you. I couldn't resist.
   This also made me laugh when I was trying to interact with it in Pokémon-Amie. My Bisharp's sweet spot was in the middle of the blades of his razor spine. I had to be very precise when I was giving him a belly rub.

==xx==
 
03 - #260 - (GRND)

Swampert (Mud Fish Pokémon): DATA UNKNOWN [Data entry is from Pokémon Ruby] Swampert is very strong. It has enough power to easily drag a boulder weighing more than a ton. This Pokémon also has powerful vision that lets it see even in murky water.

==xx==

   Swampert was everything I wanted in a Pokémon when I played Pokémon Ruby. It was Water (one of my favorite type because it was very needed Dive, Waterfall, Surf ugh), AND Ground (always a favorite). It was super-effective against Electric, and it just had monstrous stats. I even ran through Ruby in about 16 hours with a single Swampert (and five pick uppers). It knew Surf, Brick Break, Earthquake, and Ice Beam.
   Besides the great adaptability this Pokémon has, Swampert looks amazing. It's like Godzilla and the Cloverfield monster had a baby, and painted it pretty. He learns ground-type moves early enough to be effective against Roxanne, and just owns almost every Pokémon that crosses it's path.
   It's best stat is it's HP, but that doesn't mean that any of the other stats are terrible, except for it's speed. As the saying goes, it doesn't start a fight, but it certainly ends it. If you are playing Ruby, Sapphire or Emerald and you have no idea what your starter should be, Mudkip is your kind of Pokémon.

==xx==

02 - #686 - (PSYC)

Inkay (Revolving Pokémon): It flashes the light-emitting spots on its body, which drains its opponent's will to fight. It takes the opportunity to scuttle away and hide.

==xx==

   Inkay (and yes, I mean Inkay, not Malamar) is a rather different Pokémon than many of the others on my top ten list, but it's this difference that also helps it hold second place in my top ten list. Inkay is amazing. Enough said right there. Get one. However, that doesn't do him justice, so I will spew out more description of his awesomeness.
   Mine was (and will be again once I replay it) called Squink. It's a cute little floating squid. It's Dark/Psychic and... wait... I used the word cute? Blegh! Yes, Inkay is one of the very, very, very, very, very few Pokémon I will ever refer to as cute or adorable (and most of them I do so as a joke, Shedinja for example is adorable). Why? Because he is also very, very, very, very, very powerful. If you aren't convinced yet, you haven't faced one yet (because I'm certainly not helping change your mind).
   Let me spell it out for you. When I was playing and acquiring my Dark team in Pokémon Y, I came across a level 15 Inkay, with my level 35 Frogadier. That's clearly going to end in my favor, right? Wrong. The level 15 Inkay took me down to size... more than once. Are you convinced yet?
   The thing that is amazing about Inkay, is that it is so innocent looking, but it's power lies in one really creative move: Foul Play. The thing with Foul Play, is that it is a power 95 dark-type move that uses the "target"s attack stat rather than your own. That means, while both Inkay's defenses are great, and it's attack is lackluster, Foul Play is still very able to take down another Pokémon.
   Now, I choose Inkay, because I like how it looks and attacks over Malamar. It floats around as Inkay, and when it uses certain moves it turns upside down  and uses them. It's fighting style is so adorable that your opponent will be saying, "is this guy serious?" as his Pokémon slowly falls to the ground unwilling to fight.
   This was is all nothing compared to my all-time favorite Pokémon. It has been so since it's release.

==xx==
 
01 - #359 - (DARK)

and

Absol (Disaster Pokémon): It appears when it senses an impending natural disaster. As a result, it was mistaken as a doom bringer.

==xx==

   When I first played Gen I, my favorite Pokémon was Eevee. Eevee could fill any role on my team and it was cute (another one of those very few Pokémon). That quickly changed when my 500 dollar Magikarp evolved into Gyarados (which was vastly OP in those days, but not quite as OP as every Psychic). That changed back to Umbreon once Gen II was released, when I found out what an absolute tank it was (I mean, really, it took three Earthquakes to the face before it fainted and in later levels it learns moonlight, rest etc...). That changed quickly back to Gyarados when I caught the Red Gyarados.
   Upon replaying those Generations I realize that Gyarados was less OP in Gen II and my favorite went back to Umbreon and Ninetales and (the best of both worlds) Houndoom. What do you notice about this trend? All of my favorite (not broken Pokémon) are lupine Pokémon.
   It's true. I love Eevee, Growlithe, Ninetales, Lucario, Mightyena... etc. When I first laid eyes on Absol, I knew I had to catch it. It was one of the first Pokémon I encountered in route 120. I attacked it once and it fainted. I was disappointed, but knew that I was going to have it. The next Pokémon I encountered, was another Absol. Again it fainted, and then my search continued for days. I didn't know Absol was a rare Pokémon in those parts. Meanwhile, my Pokémon were getting stronger and stronger. I began to lose hope of catching one.
   Finally, I saw another Absol and stuck my tank in front of it. I knew better than to attack it, and I just threw Poké ball after Poké ball until I caught it. Once I caught it, I discovered why it fainted so easily. It's defense stinks. It's HP stinks. It's attack is stellar. The only thing you really need to work on is it's speed and even then it's pretty decent (in it's defense the game gives it Razor Wind which is a two-turn attack where it attacks on the second turn... if it's still around).
   When I started using it, my opponents kept falling left and right before it. It knew only a few select moves that really worked with it (back in Gen III), but with the overhaul of the original attack system, and making each type physical or special REALLY increased the power of Absol (and other Pokémon too). Ever since I caught one in Gen III, an Absol immediately has a spot on my team. Always. No matter what. And finding out that it can mega evolve... I peed myself again.
   Even now, as I'm replaying Pokémon Y and exploring the game a bit better, I have an Absol on my team. It truly is my favorite Pokémon.

==xx==

   Let me know what you guys think. Sorry this one was really long, especially at the end, but I couldn't let my top five be unknown. Especially, not the top two.
   I hope you enjoyed this one, I promise next Tuesday won't be Pokémon-related (even though I already have two more Pokémon-related top tens planned).

New Page!

Hello Blogstuffers! mostly the Pokémon fan ones...

I decided to make a new page in light of today's Fun Fact Friday!
I will make a page dedicated to the Pokémon teams that I have played with throughout the years. It will be my personal Pokémon Hall of Fame.

Fun Fact Friday - Pokemon Y

Fun Fact Friday!
Players of Pokémon, hear me, today's Fun Fact Friday is for you!
(Not the card game, I'm sorry.)

   If any of you play the Pokémon games, you might know how ridiculously easy the games have become throughout the years. From when I first started playing Pokemon Blue and losing to my rival in the first battle, to playing Pokemon Y and beating my rival in a few measly moves. The games have taken a (slight) turn for the easy.

NOTE: I might find the games easier because I'm older, wiser and actually know type advantages and all that as compare to my preteen self. It certainly doesn't help that I heavily investigate the worlds and concoct the optimum team before I even start playing the game. And I'm sure I don't need to mention the use of index cards to keep track of my teams EV training. Yes, Pokemon is very different to me now than when I used to play it.

   Now, I know there are a lot of various ways people play to make the game more difficult. I personally have almost always incorporated a simple No Fainting Rule, so I'm always overly cautious with potions and trips to the Pokemon center. However, critical hits get me every time. No, but there is one level of difficulty that many of my friends like to play with that is very well known. This, of course, is the Nuzlocke Challenge.

   I know a lot of you have heard of the Nuzlocke challenge, I know some of my friends play it a lot. If you haven't, read about it, because I'm not explaining it here; why? Because I don't do it.

   Call me a wimp, but I don't do it. Instead I have a different variation to talk about today.
The first thing I'd like to say, is that Pokémon Y is amazing and you should all buy it. It is great, the graphics are well beyond any previous version, the story (while still very out there) actually means something, and the Pokémon really come to life thanks to new features and graphics again.
Also note, there are NO SPOILERS HERE. Continuing on...

   When I first learned about Pokémon X and Y, I knew I was going to get Y; why? Well, I'm a boy and I have a Y chromosome. That was enough of a reason for me.
Now, I knew that I wanted to make this new version different somehow and I was struggling on how to do that. How can I make this version special to me? After about a month of thinking (thank goodness spoilers didn't really come out during that time), I knew what I was going to do.
I was going to refrain from looking ANYTHING up about this version. I was going to play Pokémon Y just like I used to when I was a preteen.

   Now that that was decided, I now had to wait many days and avoid any website that threatened spoilers. The only things I knew prior to getting the game was new upgrades to the game and what the starter Pokémon were based off of. This was one thing that I did to make Pokémon Y more difficult for me.

   There was one more thing that I did prior to getting the game. I looked up one thing so I could perform my preferred variation of play. I looked up all the types used by gym leaders and elite four, and I wrote down the UNUSED types. With this list of six unused types, I picked my favorite type, DARK, and assumed the role of an aspiring gym leader. I call this variation of play (unsurprisingly):

The Gym Leader Challenge

   What you do is you pick one type of Pokémon. And, as soon as you can, you create a team where each Pokémon on your team has that type (or will have that type once they evolve).
For me, this method has given me a chance to really explore the Pokémon world and use different kinds of Pokémon out there. It also makes it a fun challenge fighting as if you were a gym leader (for me at least). The specific rules for it I have already said:
1) Pick a type. Use only Pokémon that have the chosen type, or will have the chosen type.
NOTE: You can pick any type, I just choose to pick whichever type is not represented in that generation. That is optional.
A few exceptions, and only use them if absolutely necessary.
*You only need this team for battles. This means, you can have HM hogs for traveling the world, but once you get where you want to go, you need to get your team back together. Also, given the wide variety of Pokémon these days, I found that in Pokémon Y I didn't need to have any HM hogs. An all dark team was varied enough that I knew the HMs I needed when I needed to know them.
*For the first gym or two you might not be able to acquire Pokémon of the chosen type. If you absolutely can't, don't worry about it. Just get them ASAP. I was fortunate to acquire and entire team of Dark type Pokémon before I battled the second gym leader.

   How has this changed my Pokémon adventures? Amazingly!
 
   I actually catch Pokémon now, and train various types of Pokémon. I found myself bonding with unusual Pokémon simply to keep more Pokémon on my team. Sure, you could have two really strong Pokémon of that type, but if one trainer is strong against you, you are out of luck. The previous times I've done this, I've had a blast. I used Poison, and Steel.

   It really adds a sense of danger when you face a trainer that is your weakness. It is fun, and adds a new challenge to the game.

   If this is something you might be interested in, I suggest you try it out. I currently have a team composed of:
Absol (You will hear about Absol later...)
Sneasel
Malamar
Bisharp
Yveltal (I was SO glad when I found that this was Dark type)
*Honchkrow*

   I have Greninja, Deino and Spiritomb to choose from but I'm probably going to use Honchkrow because all of the above, and the Honchkrow I caught with Luxury balls. I picked Luxury balls because I am a Dark type gym leader, the balls should match. That was an extra stipulation, but it was another fun challenge as well.

   I've said enough, I hope you found this fun fact entertaining, at the very least you learned a little bit about me.

Happy Friday!

Walking Dead Wednesday: Introductions

Welcome to Walking Dead Wednesday!

I previously mentioned that I would be doing my Don't Dead Open Inside posts on Friday, but instead... I will do them on Wednesday (alliteration be praised)!

However, given my recent realization that Walking Dead Wednesday is the day after I announced it, I am ill prepared to send you the next portion of DDOI (pronounced Di-doy if you will). I write my reviews as I watch through the episodes, and as of late I have been catching my wife up to season four and haven't taken a good look at season one.

This week I will do what I can, and I will post TWO DDOI's next Wednesday.

Today, you get lame zombie jokes. Enjoy!

Lame Zombie Jokes:

A priest, a mechanic, and a zombie walk into a bar. Only the zombie survives.

What if we have zombies all wrong, and the apocalypse happens, and their weakness is really their left elbow? Nobody would ever know... #HeadlessZombiesExist


What happens when a vegetarian turns into a zombie? It hunts for grains.
What happens when a CEO turns into a zombie? It hunts for gains.
What happens when a conductor turns into a zombie? It hunts for trains.
What happens when an athlete turns into a zombie? It hunts for sprains.


If zombies hunt for brains, do zomibes hunt for brians?


Zombies are only looking for brains. It's okay, I think you're safe.


Why are zombies always hungry? Are they afraid of starving to life?


Superman turns into a zombie; is he a "Man of Steel" or a "Man of Decomposing Body Parts"?


An awkward zombie walks into an ice cream parlor. After perusing their selection he asks, "Do you have any coconut?"
One of the workers, surprised, answers, "No, I'm sorry. We don't have any coconut."
Determined, the awkward zombie looks again, and after a moment asks, "Do you have any peach raspberry?"
The worker sighs and says, "No, we don't have any peach raspberry."
Disheartened, the awkward zombie looks again, and after a moment perks up. "Do you have any brains?"
The workers give each other disgusted looks before saying, "No, we definately don't have any brains."
The awkward zombie laughs and leaves the ice cream parlor.


If your child says to you when you leave for date night,
"Bye. Watch out for zombies and monsters."
You're doing it right.

Zombie Buffet Specials

Everything costs an arm and a leg:

Four-knees pizza
Quesadillas with a whole-meat wrap
Buffalo Human Wings
New York-style pedestrian
Hand salad sandwich, made with 9-brain bread. As an alternate, you can have it on eye.

Vanilla, Chocolate, or Strawberry Eyes Cream
Eye brownies
Handful of eye candy

*Every meal ends with a stick of chewing thumb to freshen your breath.

Weekly Schedule

Hey all!

I am slowly concocting a schedule for blogstuffs, this is what I have so far:

Monday - ...
Tuesday - Top Ten Tuesday
Wednesday - Walking Dead Wednesday
Thursday - ...
Friday - Fun Fact Friday
Saturday - ...
Sunday - ...

That's what I have come with so far, maybe Minecraft Monday but setting a schedule for Minecraft would be a bit much for me.

Top Ten: Things People Should Do, But Don't

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesdays!
Whenever I have an idea for a top ten, it will appear on Tuesday. My top tens won't ALWAYS be ten things, but I will try.
Also, to reduce the amount of reading on your part I will limit myself to five sentences each. There is obviously more that can be said about each topic, but I don't want you to spend hours listening to me, amazing though that would be.
Without further ado:

Top Ten: Things People Should Do, But Don't

10 - Drive the speed limit

This is coming from an ex-speeder, so I've been there before.
Don't do it.
If you do do it, don't get mad at other people for doing it.
If you plan your life so that you don't need to speed, and then don't speed, your driving and your life will be less stressful because of it. Less stress usually means happier (and in this case safer).

9 - Clean up

DISCLAIMER: If you are my parents or my wife, don't have a heart attack just yet.
People should clean up after themselves.
I know I'm a slob at home, but at least at home my slobbiness is organized. When I'm at work, surrounded by professionals, I expect that the workplace (especially the employee lounge) to be clean (especially if the trash barrels are on the way out of the employee lounge). A clean and organized environment is a less stressful environment, and a healthier environment.

8 - Learn to Drive

People need to learn to drive and control their vehicles.
Whenever the first snowfall happens, there are numerous accidents. People blame the weather, I blame four-wheel drive; honestly, if your entire plan while driving is to rely on FWD, then you shouldn't be driving. You need to understand your vehicle's capabilities, how it handles, and you need to learn what to do in an emergency situation (FWD doesn't save you from everything).
This is completely neglecting the crap drivers pull during non-winter months (which still should change too).

7 - Work

If you are at work, you are getting paid to work. You shouldn't sit around talking or texting on your phone; you should be working. If you have down time, or are on break, things are different, but in the middle of the busiest time of the night, you should be working.
Finally, if you are one of those people who goof off at work, don't get mad at other people for asking you to do your job.
You should be doing your job anyways, you should say thank you for not reporting me to the supervisor.

6 - Think better of others

There is too much distrust in the world today that is perpetuated by a constant train of distrust.
In order to illustrate my point, how do you feel if someone distrusts you? If I am misjudged negatively, I am more inclined to do less than if the opposite is true. I know that is a selfish attitude, but I have a (minor) inkling that I'm (probably) not the only selfish person in the world today (maybe).
Simply treat other people with respect, and they will give it back; you choose to either perpetuate a downward spiral, or an upward spiral.

5 - Respect

There is an increasingly obvious lack of respect in the world today.
The next generation is becoming more and more about "me" and less about "you".
I believe that this is because there is a difference between strict, and mean. I think that because people are afraid of being mean, they are not being strict.
Without being strict, the next generation isn't learning respect, responsibility or self-control.

4 - Think

If everyone thought more, the world would be 20% cooler than it is.
Think more about others, and the impact your life has (or can have) on them.
Think more about your problems, and how you can solve them, or prevent them. You can't expect other people to solve your problems for you.
Also, the education system could use a revamp...

3 - Say thank you

Saying thank you can make the difference in any one's day.
It encourages me to do more for you, if you take even a little time to acknowledge my work. If you are too busy to spare half a second to say thank you, then YOU are too busy in life.
Here is a video that links happiness to gratitude (in more than five sentences):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHv6vTKD6lg

2 - Understand marriage

Marriage means you will love each other through the good and the bad. It doesn't say that you will love each other only when it is convenient.
People discover, post-marriage, the marriage isn't all good, and they want to get out of it. We need to teach people to think carefully before they marry someone, and not to take it lightly.
Broken families and broken homes lead to a broken world.

Finally, the number one spot on my list:

1 - Speak your mind

A lot of problems in the world stem from people being afraid to speak up.
When they are having difficulty, or if others are doing something wrong, they are afraid of being mocked and remain silent. People need to understand that if they feel something is wrong, they need to speak up.
There are many voices that aren't heard, snuffed out because of fear. How much brighter could the world be if those voices are finally heard?

==xx==

That's all I have for you. Do you agree, disagree? Like, dislike?
This is my first Top Ten, I look forwards to more.

Don't Dead Open Inside - S01:E01

   My theory with how they are going to end The Walking Dead?

   Rick is dead, and has been a zombie working with other zombies throughout the series. Together, their decaying minds try to piece together a sense of humanity in their no-longer-human lives. In short: What WE see as human characters are actually zombies, and what WE see as zombies are actually human survivors. The groups we follow are all zombies whose minds are trying to hold onto their past human lives. Yes, this is sort of version of the Matrix. Don't blame me; blame the producers for using this cliche.

   Does that sound crazy? I'm sure it does, but hear me out. There is a method behind this madness!
   The base evidence is this, they entire show is about the characters de-humanizing the zombies. There are often references about them not being human, they are quick to push the fact that they have no memory of their previous lives.

   So what helps this theory along? Let's find out! One disclaimer before I start: This is intended to be used with the show. I'm writing completely in my theory, so it will be your job to watch the show and see what the show is actually portraying.

Days Gone By:

   In the very beginning of the episode, a little girl picks up a teddy bear. She see's Zombie Rick and wants to give him her teddy bear, because she feels bad. He starts to attack her, and she struggles for her life, but it isn't enough. Zombie Rick eats her.

   (Living) Rick Grimes gets shot and dies (well that was quick); he awakens in a morgue. He works his way over to a girl who just fell off her bike, and she broke her leg mostly immobilizing her. Rick doesn't eat her now, because he has no way to justify her death humanely. He, as a zombie, could eat her, but he is unarmed and unwilling to accept that HE is the zombie and that SHE isn't. He leaves to find a chance to "arm himself".

   Traveling along, he finds another zombie, Morgan (with his dead son Duane). Morgan and Rick realize that there must be other zombies out there. Morgan explains that humans only hunt at night because the zombies have terrible eyesight. At that moment, a group of humans try to lure the zombies out with a car alarm; it doesn't work. Morgan's wife tries to get into the house. She looks in the eyehole and even tries the door handle, but the Zombie Morgan had securely blocked it off. Morgan helps Rick by arming him and teaching him how to kill humans. Rick helps Morgan by giving him some guns.

   Remember that police officer that Rick called immature for wanting to be on the cop shows? It turns out that he survived the zombie apocalypse. They THINK they shot him, when really he was shooting at them, and they just maimed and ate him. Then, Morgan and Rick part ways. Zombie Rick, now armed, is able to justifiably eat the girl because now he has a "weapon". When he gets to the farm, he starts eating the horse, but it runs off. He chases it all the way to Atlanta.

   People see this wounded animal and take it away from Zombie Rick. The reason all these people were standing around idly in the streets in the first place was, because Glenn, another zombie, was spotted and everyone was hoping to get a picture. At this point zombies aren't feared as much as they are popularized. When they take the horse from Zombie Rick Instead, they see him and chase after him to get a picture with a real zombie. Zombie Rick then climbs into the tank (the tank was there to help settle massive riots in the city; you know how disasters are). The soldier was so excited to see a zombie up close that he pulls out a camera, and Zombie Rick takes that time to eat him. Glen acknowledges Zombie Rick and offers to help him out of this paparazzi scenario, and the episode ends.

Notes:
   What about the power outage, and overturned cars? A very terrible end of the world storm happened. I mean, why would zombies overturn a car? What's the point? No, a terrible storm wiped out the power grid to, at least, Atlanta. This is evident in the thunderstorms that you see when Rick is "driving".
   When Rick gets to the farm house witht he dead people, he ignores all of the potential food, supplies and weapons that a farm would obviously have and goes straight for a horse? The only source of living meat? *cough*ZOMBIE*cough*
   Everyone tells them that they HAVE to kill the zombies by killing the brain. In real life, there would also be headless zombies so this is obviously incorrect. This is each zombie justifying their thirst for brains. Remember, whenever they are "shooting" someone, or whenever they are "driving/riding" something that is just their brain making a "human" justification for some event that occurs.
   At the end, when the camera pans out, you see people smashing the side of the tank. If Rick WAS human and the other people were zombies, then they would have gone for the easier meal (the horse), rather than simply banging wildly on the tank.

If you're not convinced by the end of this episode, that this is a possibility, then you need to stick around for more "Don't Dead Open Inside" posts.

Happy Friday!