October. Down in Falmouth it still feels like it's more like Summer than Autumn. Not even the trees have really begun shedding their leaves, yet. Still, last night I enjoyed the winter smell, even if the cold wasn't there.

House of Feck

I've moved into my new house for the next two years, whilst on my course, and I have to say I've been enjoying it a heck of a lot. There's just something that feels so family-driven between all five of us, which I never had in my house at home for the past 18 years or so. I guess friends really are the family we make for ourselves. We even have family meals and sit around a table, which is really nice. I can't say our land lady has been particularly great, though; the want to charge us for just about everything is getting irritable, let alone having to wait three additional weeks for the internet thanks to her meddling. So yes, I've had a lot of trouble getting online, for those who read my journals. I apologise, now. It also means I haven't been at Crash Mania, which saddens me. The times I can get online has been subjected to my course and checking my E-Mails (or Facebook, but again that's more for course-related situations and communication from other important things).

Kung-Fu Writing

FECCLES (Feck) the name of our Drama Society has also been keeping me busy with writings for an additional pantomime prequel, Valentine's Day scripts and Monologue scripting. That's proved to be a lot when added to my actual Uni class work that must be read/written. Still, Love, Actually eat your heart out... and then bleed to death, our Valentine's Day stuff is shaping up quite nicely. All we need, now, are some actual happy scripts from other people. xD

I've also been writing a lot for a particular comedy animation series that Izzy and I have planned. College Days is the random stories of various students in their days at College, evidently. They really are random. The teachers are characters in themselves and it's been a lot of fun to write, thus far. There are only a few main characters, but the secondary characters are in nice supply, too. Look out for that one.

END GAME

That's it, from me. Nothing else has happened. Maybe a bit of Dissidia and... that's about it. So I'll see you all around, soon, with any luck. This is Smaz, signing out.

-Edgar/Smaz.

I apologise for having not updated anything, recently, but I had a lot of issues to sort out offline, mostly regarding how I can afford everything for University, this year. I did obtain a job, in the end, in which the first month's payment was spent all on Uni books, which I really needed earlier on in the summer before I went so much in debt from accommodation costs from the University year just gone. It's one thing after another, so as soon as I sorted a lot of that out, I then receive an E-Mail about needing to pay my first term's house rent cost a week before I move in, which is much before I receive my loan to pay for it in the first place. I'm desperately waiting a reply from my bank, right now, about taking out a loan to pay it so I can actually move, and then paying them back with the loan I normally get for Uni upon obtaining it (which is the 5th of October - as you can tell, that's far too late). I'm supposed to be moving in on the 26th of September, but that's subject to change depending on my bank's reply. Plan B involves maybe having to move in after my course starts, but I'm thinking it's flawed due to loans only being paid to students after they're confirmed on the course on the first day, anyway. Enough about me and my problems, though. Just to let you guys know what's happening with me.

Crash Mania competition winners

So, Crash Mania had a contest, recently. The prize? An actual Crash Bandicoot crate, Wiimote with customisable Crash stickers, Crash: Mind Over Mutant for the 360 and other shizzle. Second place and third place prizes were available, too. I just wish to congratulate the winners of the competition with their awesome pictures which can be found here: [link]

ALcon

I won't linger too much on this, but I went to the Anime League Convention a couple of weeks back. It was pretty fun and many activities were held all about. Some of the talk panels were absolutely awesome, though, ranging from Little Kuriboh (sp?) of Yu-Gi-Oh Abridged, fursuit making, video game concept artwork (from an artist who worked on Sudeki) and much more. Anime was being shown throughout the day and besides seeing 'The Girl Who Lept Through Time', which I rate you see, 'Dead Leaves' is worth a mention for its hilarity and unique artistic style. Both are anime movies.

I think, overall, ALcon was fun but underwhelming in comparison to something like the MCM Expo, for whatever reason. I did like how ALcon had a lot of events going on all around, which is something the MCM Expo just doesn't have (like the Video Gaming room in which I was able to have a lot of fun on 'One Piece: Unlimited Cruise' for the Wii in VS. mode... Gear Second Luffy is pretty fun to play as), though. It was also quite costly with accommodation costs and a lot of additional charges here and there, so I don't think I'll go next year. I still rate it if you want a smaller and more intimate anime experience, however! Leceister was one of the Unis I wanted to go to (second choice to Falmouth, in actual fact), as well, which was were Alcon was held.

I managed to obtain a little Zidane figure from Final Fantasy IX (in his Dissidia form), which made me happy, too. ^w^

Dissidia

Speaking of Dissidia: Final Fantasy, I finally obtained it, thanks to Itami/Lewis! I have been waiting for that game for a good 9 months since hearing about its release in Japan, last December. Every Final Fantasy's protagonist and antagonist all unite to fight in a DBZ: Budokai Tenkaichi-esque fighter of fanboy proportions. Sometimes the main villain from a particular Final Fantasy is replaced by a different main one from the same game, depending on the hero character... such as Jecht being Final Fantasy X's representative, despite you could argue the case the Maester Seymore is the real villain (and likewise with FFIV, Golbez was chosen over Zemus).

I only just completed the story mode, last night, and I must say thia game is amazing for a PSP game. Chaos was a tough final boss, too. I've found myself strangely addicted to it whilst waiting for trains at the station or when I want to keep my mind off of the financial trouble I'm in, right now (when I have money, I will pay my friend back, but right now I don't have that). Zidane is definitely my favourite character in the game, despite thinking it would be Kefka. Also, Emperor Mateus surprised me. Despite not knowing much about Final Fantasy II, he ended up being quite a main villain in the game's story and he's one of my more regular characters to play as, so I'm thinking that I really should try out Final Fantasy II at some point. You can also play against a friend... my best match was defintely Exdeath vs. Exdeath, which involved a lot of hilarity. I think Lewis has recorded and uploaded some particular fights of his (not against me, though) if you'd like to see what the game's like: [link]

I've recorded some good fights against him, but I haven't a means of converting and uploading them.

That's it, from me, right now! Just an update on my life and all. This is Smaz, signing out.

~ Smaz/Edgar.

Kick and punch, it's all in the mind! I have no idea why that onion master guy is in my head from that rapping game, but whatever. Hello my little minions of doom!

First thing's first, I'm skint. That's the say, the Uni has taken everything I have (and more) to pay for the expensive accommodation fees from last term. There goes my overdraft and money to buy Uni books with... and food... and money to even get back to Uni, in September (not to mention the first week's payment of the new house I'll be living in). So, I am calling on some help. *Points at you all* Uncle Edgar needs YOU! But what do I mean?

Commissions

I'm talking commissions, sheeple. It's the only thing I can do, right now, whilst waiting on information about particular jobs (which, by the way, I'm also in a bit of a pickle with, since most want ID and my passport is expired... AND in my old name, so that's bad. It costs £75 to get a new one and oh look - I don't have the money)! I'm primarily a writer, as you all may know from my Uni course, but I can do traditional work, too. So please, please, please let me know if there is anything you want me to do for moneys. I could really do with it, right now.

What I will do for what price

Poetry: £5
Short prose: £5
Long prose: £8
A flippin' short book: £10

Traditional medium character (specify pose): £5
Traiditonal medium landscape (chalk pastel/watercolour/graphite): £10
Traiditonal medium something else £7

Any questions? Please let me know. If you want said things actually sent to you in ze mail, it will cost ze extraz. Probably £2 or something.

ALcon

Now that the important is out of the way, it's time to divulge in ALcon stuff. I paid for this a while back, before this situation happened, so I can't back away from it, now. I'll be accompanying a friend to the Anime League Convention. Whilst we're in the pirate clan, he's gone for a more... ninja based attire. Me, with not enough money to do anything else, costume-wise and not wanting to go as Lucci, again, am forced to go as a generic pirate. Yay. That being said, I do have my beloved pirate jacket and many additional pirate accessories from past Uni events to make use of, so at least I already have something.

One thing I'd love to do, but don't have said equipment, is to film stuff from the ALcon event. My friend Izzy (Dark Koel), was going to do said things, but due to an extraordinary amount of luck on his part, he's won a Paramount Pictures trip to America during the ALcon date, so he won't be attending with us. It seems like a darn shame to have any filming opportunties go to waste, so I would like to try and get something.

Final Fantasy

Guess what comes out next month? At long last, Final Fantasy Dissidia will hit us with voices and menus we can understand! It's been out since December in Japan and it's my most anticipated game of the year, thanks to there being no Crash Bandicoot game until at least 2010. Basically, Final Fantasy Dissidia celebrates the 20th Anniversary of the Final Fantasy series by pitting the main heroes and villains of the numbered titles up to FFXII against each other in a Dragonball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi style. That means open, destructable areanas from the Final Fantasy games and special attacks and transformations from lots of characters. I'm getting a bit sick of Squall vs. Cloud YouTube videos, though. I'm eager to try out Kefka.

Speaking of Final Fantasy, the monopoly game Final Fantopoly is finally complete! Give or take a few aesthetic touches, anyway. With some Trading Arts mini figures (Rosa, Tifa, Ashe, Auron, Zidane and Squall), lots of coloured Gil and some nasty cards, it's actually pretty fun. Moogle Village (FFV) has definitely become the one place everyone tries to get first, since somehow we always land on the bugger (it's the square just before the jail one, on our board... only our jail is KO'd!). I'll try and get some pictures, somehow, and upload them.

That's It

Yup. That's about it for my update. Please help me out, guys! Other things, right now, are secret. There's a film project called 'Eternal' which I'll show you all when its complete, where three guys are out for a crystal which grants eternal life, as well as another project which will take a long time to get going, so it's not worth mentioning, yet.

Let me know how you're all doing! Smaz over and out.

- Edgar/Smaz.

I really haven't updated my journal for a little while, now. I used to do it monthly, but I'm running out of things to update on.

MCM EXPO

The May MCM Expo went very well, despite busting an incredible amount just getting down there and spending the weekend there... not forgetting what I did actually purchase. I did spot the Portrait of Pirates Lucci figure there, which I've been wanting, but it was too expensive for my funds due to how much I spent beforehand. Still, it was an awesome expo full of actual One Piece cosplayers of fun (previous expos seemed to have little to none, in comparison) and less Naruto cosplayers than usual (although just as many Bleach). Besides purchasing a mini Mr. Popo, thanks to DBZ: Abridged, I managed to find myself on the new One Piece Wii game: Unlimited Cruise (1) for a nice amount of time, beating up enemies with the Gum Gum Gattling and in particular Bartholomew Kuma with a bit of irritation. I love how you can play as any of the Strawhat pirates up to the end of the Thriller Bark arc and level them up to learn new skills. Just makes me want a Wii even more, really. I also saw some really awesome Final Fantasy IX cosplays, there, in particular a couple of Kujas. I think a Trance Kuja ended up winning one of the cosplay masquerades, too.

University

I've finished University for the year, now... so that's one year down! I passed, of course, with a high 2:1, which everyone seemed to have also obtained (a B grade, really). I'm kind of annoyed, since my first semester (half of the year) work was mediocre despite my toughest efforts, yet my second semester work was pretty good, even though the effort was about the same. I think it honestly depends on who's marking, just like what happened with my A2 Level English papers. The comparison of grade I received on one paper after paying to have it remarked was pretty phenominal. I'm going to miss the gals I'll be living with for this Sepetember coming and next year, though. Sure, I felt a little left out of their activities towards the end of the year, but it doesn't mean I'll miss them. The house goes by the title 'House of Feck' after our FECCLES drama group and almost all of us being in that group. I have a nice list of books to buy for this term, coming, but I can't do so until I actually obtain a job for the summer. Easier said than done, as always. I'm also far behind on my last term accommodation payment, since it was too expensive for my loan in the first place. I don't know how that will play out, right now...

End and Final Fantopoly

That's about it from me. I'm back for the summer, now, and I've been bouncing back and fourth between my friends, planning on finishing our film project 'Eternal' and a Monopoly set with Final Fantasy attributes in. 'Final Fantopoly' has been coming along well... we managed to print out GIL notes, the deed cards which include Baron, Midgar, Luca and more, and right now we are sorting out the stuff for the board. At least we managed to purchase a cheap but mint condition Monopoly set to customise from a good ol' British Car Boot Sale. See you guys in the near future! Maybe then I'll actually upload something else. xD

- Edgar/Smaz.

Come abord and bring along all your hopes and dreams... together we will find the good things that we're looking foooooooor, (One Piece) Smaz blog! The May journal was somewhat skipped, but then I was insanely busy. Allow me to recap the events of which have been going on, recently. Last time on Smaz's journal:

I Say, Essays

May was a time of epic essaying. I apologise for having not been on the forums and such, in particular Crash Mania, recently. I literally was swarming around the work I had to complete. One was based on public law and private desire in Hamlet, which gave me more than enough trouble and torment in locating sources and trying to foundate my points with said evidence. Another essay was on the dull book 'Light' by Eva Figes. There were many other pieces, including one large creative piece that I have already uploaded on here, but they've really kept me busy.

MCM London Edexcel Anime Expo!

Then, on Wednesday, the essays were handed in and I had a more than satisfactory shlumph sleep-over with many other people on my course. I think it's safe to say that on that Wednesday evening and on the weekend following, I'd been the happiest I had been in a long time. That weekend, of course, was the MCM London convention for anime and media alike. I did decide to go, in the end, after a lot of worries in the September one (being the only one off of Uni time) not going through, anymore. My University is in Falmouth. It is a lengthy journal and not exactly a cheap one, either, meaning I made a lot of financial sacrifice for that one... but it was worth it! Not having enough time to gather the Crocodile outfit I wanted, I simply donned what I wore at the last convention - Rob Lucci from One Piece, only this time slightly better (my eyebrows were done, a white rim around the top hat added and my pigeon secured better). I did think about wearing my hair down, this time, but when you actually look at Lucci from the series and manga, the only time he seems to wear his hair down is before he is revealed to be in CP9 and in one promotional picture of him. Every other time his hair is tied back (in which I studied and got the knot right).

The expo was excellent. This time we stayed for both days, rather than one. It was just awesome. We met some great people and this time there was a bit more variety in all anime cosplaying and items, rather than just Naruto and Bleach at every turn (I often think One Piece is forgotten about... it's the third most popular, right now, behind those two). I also became a bit too hooked on the One Piece game being demo'd there for the Wii. I had some great fun beating up Kuma. Everyone else was crowding arount the latest Narutimate Hero game, of which would have interested me... had I not had played Narutimate Hero 3 a good 3-4 years ago when it was released in Japan. We also managed to participate in the Super Smash Brothers Brawl tournament in which I was slaughtered. We had a few hotel scuffles, but nothing too major. One photo I would really love to get a hold of is from the professional guy who was there. That and a group one with the mass One Piece group and boat.

Other quirks included Monkey's costume falling apart by the second day, meaning he was no longer in costume.

Eternal and Reality Rift

In movie terms, Izzy, Lloyd and I are still filming the half an hour epic 'Eternal'... slowly. That's mostly thanks to me and only being able to return at the end of terms. We'll have it completed when I come back for the summer, but it's something I'm eager to work more on. I just love playing a crazy steampunk man with eternal life.

One major project of note, which we'll be focusing on even more after 'Eternal' is ye olde 'Cyber Master' film. Very old project of embarrassing improvisation. Terrible. Yet, the base story was okay and we all want to, well, work on a very old complete project again and make it something to be proud of. Thus, these last few days have seen me rewriting the whole thing, working closely with my friends Izzy and Lloyd, in order to make sure this new version of it is actually good and presentable. We're opting for filming the scenes of the new script and then animating based on those, in order for realistic movement and yet locations and other said things which are otherwise impossible. With our combined talents and strengths, it is very much possible. We have changed many things, one of which includes the title, itself - 'Reality Rift' which makes far more sense, as far as the story is concerned, as well not sounding like some kind of terrible cyber pr0n.

The Scouter Says It's... Time To Go.

That's it from me! Join me next time in Smaz's blog where I'll find One Piece, defeate Whitebeard and become King of the Hockages! I mean pirates. Emma's a ninja pirate.

- Smaz/Edgar.