Spider-Man, Oz Comic Con, Stan Lee and me…
It’s been a while, hey? I promise that at some point, I won’t start every blog post with that… Anyway, what’s tempted me out of blog posting retirement this time? Well, I recently met one of my personal heroes, and I wanted to briefly write about it.
Swimming and racism
0Recently, myself and my wife have taken up swimming twice a week. Once on a Wednesday, once on a Sunday. This Wednesday just gone, as is our custom, we do over an hours worth of lengths (or widths, depending on the pool’s schedule), before we retire to one of the smaller, warmer pools for a bit of a warm down.
As usual, near to closing time, the smaller pools are generally quiet, save for a few just going in to relax. This time a bunch of kids, Asian in descent, were play-fighting, holding each other down under water etc; the things that kids do when in water.
This was fine, we didn’t mind as they weren’t near us, but then two older women got in the pool too.
It was at this point the lifeguard called one of the kids over to get them to calm down a bit. For some reason, one of the women got involved, and an argument ensued between the eldest youngster and the bigger of the two women.
Now, I’m not entirely what triggered it (I assumed something aimed at her weight), and she responded with a cheap‘Get back to your own country!’.
At this point, everyone’s jaws dropped. Even that of her friend, who was failing to keep her pal calm.
The thing is, the kid was clearly born and raised in Australia, with a broader accent than his nemesis who didn’t even carry a full on Aussie accent. She sounded to me as partly Greek, could even have been Italian, I’m not sure. The point is, just because the kid was Asian in Herritage, and she was white, she felt she could say it regardless of her knowledge of his upbringing.
The kid was rightfully outraged. It was totally uncalled for and everyone there was uncomfortable. The both of them stood feet away from each other, yelling constantly. The lifeguard had given up at this point, and waited until it simmered down, which it did eventually, with both parties going their separate ways.
It really didn’t occur to me at the time. I was likely the only immigrant in that pool. Should I have been offended, even though it wasn’t really aimed directly at me? Part of me wishes I spoke up to find out, but it was really nothing argument over something initially silly. It wasn’t worth getting involved.
While I was shocked and disgusted, should I have also been outraged? Fuck knows. It’s just a surprise to see that people still think like that.
A quick, general update…
5145Ah, time to update this thing again. I had been meaning to do it since Xmas, but yeah, Skyrim happened.
First of all, I want to say what an awesome first Xmas I shared with my wife. We both truly spoilt each other rotten, and you can tell from her choices in presents for both my Birthday and Xmas, that she knows me like no-one else.
So what’s going on with me? Well, as I alluded to, myself and my wife have been heavily invested in the realm of Skyrim. She’s already finished the main quest and is now tackling the thieves guild, while I’m going the opposite way of placating my OCD by ticking off every quest I get before I carry on with that side of things.
The game is immense, though. It’s everything we’ve come to expect from a Bethesda RPG, but it’s improved tenfold and more accessible, though not to the point of dumbing down. Graphically it’s a huge step-up, although I wasn’t convinced of that at first, I booted up Oblivion and Fallout shortly after, and there’s a huge wealth of difference between them.
Away from that, I’ve made a start on my pile of shame. Starting with Deus Ex: Human Revolution, which has only served to frustrate me shitless thus far. I see little point in providing the player that amount of freedom in customising their character to suit them for their play-style, if they throw bosses at them that require one play-style. It defeats the object of the freedom you’re aiming to create.
However, I have been given some tips courtesy of Ben Parfitt at MCV.com via twitter, and I’m expecting to have another crack at it this weekend. So far, though, it feels like the game doesn’t want me to play it.
In between that, I’ve been caning the shit out of Super Street Fighter IV again along with, well, every fighter I can get my hands on. All thanks to the fight stick my awesome wife got me for Xmas.
TIMJ has also reopened its doors following a much-deserved Xmas break, and we’re now back in full swing with some awesome editorials, reviews and features this side of the internet. Personally I’ve had two pieces up already, both Mario related reviews here and here, and I’ve got another piece coming this very morning. In about 30 minutes in fact. One for Street Fighter fans, so please keep an eye out.
Lastly, I’ll just sign off by saying that my PS Vita preorder is in and is already nearly paid for, so as it stands I’ll be providing most of our early Vita coverage, starting with the all important hardware review. Hopefully it’s everything Sony say it is.
Anyway, that’s it for now, just a swifty to let you all know what’s going on.
Personal GOTY awards: Day 31 – Game of the Year 2011: Shadows of the Damned
6083My reasoning? Well, you can find that out tomorrow, as the first of our GOTY articles for this year goes live tomorrow over at thisismyjoystick.com.

Personal GOTY awards: Day 30 – Most anticipated in 2012: Bioshock Infinite
5006Tough one. So many I’m looking forward to; Max Payne 3 (was dubious, but seems Rockstar have tied it together well), The Darkness II, Tomb Raider, Mass Effect 3, Borderlands 2, but it has to be this.
Both Bioshock games were stellar (the first more so), and with Levine back at the helm for this new world and adventure, I can’t wait to see what they’ve got up their sleeves.
I still have that slight issue of it baring the Bioshock name. We associate that with Rapture, though, and like System Shock before it, there’s no reason why it couldn’t have been a different ‘Shock’, however either way, this new Universe certainly intrigues like no other game can.

Personal GOTY awards: Day 29 – Worst Game of the Year: Duke Nukem Forever (Duh)
4501Like it was going to be anything else. Twelve years in the making, and it played like it was twelve years old. The humour was terrible, the gameplay even worse. Sadly not the Duke we saw in Duke Nukem 3D.

Personal GOTY awards: Day 28 – Surprise Announcement of the Year: Grand Theft Auto V
6475I know there were rumours angling towards a 2012 release, but I truly didn’t believe that we’d see anything about it this year. The trailer? I love it. Told us a lot very subtly, and I can’t wait to see more.
Personal GOTY awards: Day 27 – Innovation of the Year: Onlive
4487Can’t play this over in Australia just yet, but it’s fair to say that the technology behind Online is pretty fricking sweet. Whether it dies on its arse or not still falls on whether they can secure the deals they need to or get that support from Publishers, however you can’t deny that the tech isn’t innovative.
Whether I agree with it is another matter entirely.

Personal GOTY awards: Day 26 – Best Twist: The Mayor of Steelport (Saints Row: The Third)
5306Sorry, not going to spoil this one for you. Just know that it’s entirely epic.
