GameWorld: Introduction

Annyeong..

It’s been a while since my last update. Sorry guys *goes away hiding*

I will be starting my new semester on the 9^th of September which will be around a week or so. I have to admit that I starting to feel the jiggly-wiggly of the new semester, but that’s not the reason why I’m getting lazier to update. The thing is..my cousin gave me a new video game last week, and I spent all my free time playing it. AND THAT WAS AWESOME!!!

I really love video games. And whenever I get my hands on one, I can barely hold myself from finishing it and watching the ending. FYI, I really love games with a STORYLINE, not the games that let you bash things without knowing why. And since I get VERY worked up after playing a game, I will not stop until I see the ending. I am THAT hardcore. Once, I played Final Fantasy 6 Advance (awesome game in GBA) in 30 hours non-stop, I don’t even take a bathroom break, no food, no sleep..  After I beat the game, I went to collect all magicites and unlocking and beat all dungeons including the secret dungeons, and after I perfectly beat the game, I realised that I was VERY, VERY TIRED and HUNGRY. And I soon realised I played FF6A for 30 hours straight.. *rolls eyes*

Since I don’t have patience to wait for the ending, when I play a video game, I play it almost every time every day. So, with the new semester is just around the corner, I have to finish all the games I played right now. Then I can concentrate fully in my new class (and hopefully scored better in tests). To tell you the truth, my university break is far too long (I remember coming back home in 14^th of July) and my brain needs some oiling now to fully functional *sigh*

The latest game I played (which my cousin gave me) is Final Fantasy 7: Crisis Core. I beat the game in just 3 days but I haven’t completed it yet. There are TONNES of missions that I skipped due to my eagerness to see the ending. I am currently in my second run of the game to complete it (and I can play patiently now since I already watched the ending. No more over-eagerness^^)

If you ask me about my personal favourite video games, I list out my top 5 picks and their respective platforms.

1. Final Fantasy 7, 8 and 9 (Sony Playstation/PSX) *
2. Harvest Moon: Back to Nature (Sony Playstation/PSX) **
3. Final Fantasy 7: Crisis Core (Sony Playstation Portable/PSP)
4. Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga (Gameboy Advance)
5. Counter Strike: Condition Zero (PC) ***

* - Final Fantasy 7 and 8 are released in PC version

** - Also playable in Sony Playstation Portable/PSP known as Harvest Moon: Boy and Girl. Note that in PSX version, there is only boy version released in English, while the girl version is released in Japanese. In PSP, both versions are in English.

*** - I don’t know if this game fit the category, but I really liked playing Counter Strike during free time. They released a lot of tension, if you know what I mean.

Sidenote: I’m ready to review The Face Shop products that I bought several weeks ago. Stay tuned if you girls interested (and boys, if you also interested..)

MeMyI: Aigoo My Grandma

Annyeong..

Today I’m going to share a funny story happened this morning. I’m not going to sleep late today since I have something up tomorrow, MAYBE. It’s not confirmed yet but I really hope it’s going to happen *big teary eyes*

Yesterday, my grandmother came to my house. She was actually visiting since last week, but she was staying over at my aunt’s house (I have 2 aunts living nearby, Puan Mama’s oldest sister and her youngest sister who passed away recently which I mentioned here). My grandma planned to go back to her house in Segamat and since Tuan Abah wants to go to Malacca today, he is willing to send her home. So, to make it easier for us, my grandma slept in my house yesterday.

My grandma is a bit sensitive over losing her youngest child and she cried a lot thinking of my late aunt. She will not cry in front of anyone, but the minute she’s alone, she will cry. So, Puan Mama asked me to sleep with my grandma, hoping that she will not cry the night out and I said fine. After I uploaded yesterday’s post, I took my pillow downstairs to the guest room and I saw that my grandma has already sleeping.

However, the minute I passed through her to go to the other bed in the room, she woke up and address me sleepily. I replied her softly and thought ‘Wow, my grandma is a REALLY light sleeper. I better not make any noise tonight’. So I silenced both my phones and try to sleep. My grandma has already slept again.

Around 1 am, I was woken up by my grandma. It’s not because she’s snoring (I am immune to peoples snoring, I can sleep through the loudest snore, provided that I sleep first), but she was saying about she’s getting old and she have to use the toilet frequently. So I did wake up and sit on my bed, asking her if she wants to go to the toilet. And I realized that my grandma is actually SLEEP TALKING. And I was too sleepy to realize that she is not talking to me at the moment. I was just nodding and went back to sleep.

Somewhere in 3 am, I was woken up AGAIN by my grandma yelling. I thought something was wrong and I was quickly up and standing (ever try lay down and getting to your feet without sitting?), ready to get anything. It turns out that there were some cats fighting behind our house, and my grandma, thinking that she was in her own house, yells for her dog to stop bothering the cats. My grandma owns several cats and a dog called Tuyut (this dog watch over my grandma fruit orchard and her hen coop) and whenever the dog gets bored, he will come over near the house and disturbs the cats. So I guess my grandma thinks that Tuyut is disturbing the cats and yells for him to stop, she didn’t realized that she was actually in my house, where we don’t own a dog, or a cat. And I was standing there, like an idiot. And my grandma was still sleeping..peacefully.....

And today I woke up, feeling super grumpy because I’m still tired. By the time I wake up, my grandma has already left with Tuan Abah, so I think I must be pretty wore out since even though I am not necessarily a light sleeper, I am really sensitive to someone calling my name or the sound of a closed door. And I’m still grumpy throughout the day and now the internet wouldn’t let me off TT.TT

Grumpy cat does not approve

Sidenote: I was planning to go to Legoland Malaysia tomorrow with my ex-maid (she has been working at my house for like 17 years, and she is still here to be with her husband even though she’s no longer working in my house) and my little cousins. I do not own Legoland card since I rarely home but my ex-maid and my little cousins do so if we did go tomorrow, then we have to pay for only 1 person. HOWEVER, my uncle told Puan Mama that he can’t find my cousin’s Legoland card, and if he can’t find it tomorrow morning, so we can’t go. I have never been to Legoland, and I want to go there before the ticket price skyrocketed TT.TT

MakeupWorld: The Face Shop haul!

Annyeong...

Today I got so bored, so VERY bored so I went shopping in KSL Mall, somewhere in the middle of Johor Bahru. What’s the most efficient way to release boredom when you have some $$$? Shopping, of course. Actually I read about The Face Shop is having a sale right now yesterday in Facebook. Etude House is also having a Buy 1 Free 1 sale right now. And I was like ‘OMG!!!!! I-must-simply-buy-everything!!’.

YAY!! A sale!!!! OMG!!!!! I-must-simply-buy-everything!!

And off to KSL Mall I went. The reason is KSL Mall houses both shops and I am too lazy to go to City Square because it is usually overcrowded. KSL Mall is generally cheaper, too. City Square is the southern version of Sunway Pyramid or Queensbay, where there are rows and rows of super expensive shops that sells super expensive things and going there with my little purse with little money will just make me cry. However, I liked Sunway Pyramid a lot even though I just go there to window shopping (and eat some food from the food tasting corner). City Square is somehow becoming a port for ‘swaggers’, which usually consists of a bunch of teens wearing short skirts, super tight shirt, oversized caps and Supra shoes, and they give you stink eyes if you glanced at them. Pshhh...

Alright, enough with the side stories. This is my loots from the shopping haul.

Let’s start with the skin care. I have a super oily skin, and living in Malaysia with the super sunny days does not helping a bit. So, reading some positive reviews on these babies, I decided to test them myself. These are products from The Face Shop skincare line called Clean Face. I got 3 of them, the Clean Face Acne Solution Foam Cleansing, the Clean Face Mild Lotion and the Clean Face Oil-Free Control Essence. There are a lot more products from this skincare line but I’m not interested in them, for:

a) I’m running out of money

b) My current Simple toner is really, really good

c) I don’t really have spots to buy the spot corrector (however, I do read some positive reviews       on their spot corrector and cream)

From left: Acne Solution Foam Cleansing, Mild Lotion, Oil-Free Control Essence

Give me some time and I will come up with some reviews on these products.

For makeup, I went ahead and buy these 2 cute products, also from The Face Shop. These are new products of The Face Shop under the FACE it line called FACE it Oil Cut Pore Balm and FACE it Oil Cut Pore Powder Pact. I was actually searching for a face primer (I told you I have a super oily skin, the only makeup that I trusted to stay on my face is Revlon’s Colourstay) and the sale assistant told me that the Pore Balm is good to cover up large pores and making makeup stick to your face better, so in other words, can be a replacement for a primer. I know The Face Shop has an awesome primer, named something like Velvet, but I read comments saying that it has shimmering effect, so for me, it’s a big NO. So I bought it, and since The Face Shop has a Buy 1 Free 1 sale on makeup, I get the Powder Pact for FREE!!!

From left: Pore Balm and Powder Pact

MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

The free sample and the bag tag!! Yay for freebies!!

I also get these two cute things as freebies from The Face Shop. The small pink box (why is Korean makeup products so cute?) is the sample for The Face Shop new products, Smim. It contains a Smim toner and Smim emulsify. The green one is a bag tag (also SUPER KAWAII) promoting The Face Shop new skincare line from Chia Seed.

The Smim sample (gosh, so cute ^W^)

Let’s talk about price here. For me, Korean makeup is just a LITTLE bit pricier compared to drugstore brand that I used to buy (Maybelline, L’Oreal, Revlon etc etc). However, it does depend on whatever product you’re buying. For example, in my observation, eye shadows and blushers are generally cheaper here compared to drugstore products. Powders, foundations and primers are about the same or a little bit more expensive compared to drugstores. However, some Korean products are really, really good and can be compared to high end products such as M.A.C or Lancôme. So, if you’re interested in Korean skincare or makeup, I do recommend searching online for reviews and decided on the products you want to buy.

In my Korean products haul today, I listed the products and the price I bought them. Since I bought them in sale, I’ll be also include the original price (Prices are in Malaysian Ringgit/MYR):

	ORIGINAL PRICE	AFTER SALE
Clean Face Acne Solution Foam Cleansing	36.90	25.83
Clean Face Mild Lotion	39.90	27.93
Clean Face Oil-Free Control Essence	39.90	27.93
FACE it Oil Cut Pore Balm	69.90	69.90
FACE it Oil Cut Pore Powder Pact	69.90	FREE!!!

MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

Sidenote: Notice that I just buying products from The Face Shop only and earlier I mentioned about Etude House. The thing is I was searching for a face primer called Pore Ever by Etude House. And the annoying sale assistant told me that there is no such product at Etude House, and if I want a primer, I should buy the latest pink primer (I don’t know the name of it) that would net RM80, and because it is a new arrival product, there is NO Buy 1 Free 1 sale. What the f***? Another gentler sale assistant told me that Pore Ever is discontinued and replaced by the pink primer, which is a combination of primer and BB Cream. That’s weird since I read a review on Pore Ever yesterday, and the blogger posted that somewhere in July 2013. I really need to recheck whether it is really discontinued or I have been trolled by some stupid sale assistants.

MusicUtopia: F(x) - Rumpumpumpum

Annyeong...

Today’s MusicUtopia is the clash between the oldest and the maknae edition with F(x)’s Rumpumpumpum. No, I didn’t spell it wrong. It’s Rum with 3 Pums. So, it’s Rumpumpumpum.

General opinion

What’s the meaning? I don’t know. I searched over the internet if I find anything to describe the song’s title, but I don’t find anything. In my opinion, F(x) usually has the super bizarre song title, such as La Cha Ta, Chu, and Karakkabana. I feel sorry for them since I read comments about F(x) being the ‘bench warmer’ for other SMEs artists, and I do agree to that. F(x) is a great artist, both in singing and dancing, but usually stuck with super bizarre songs with super bizarre outfits. I am happy though that this video has quite normal outfits, with exception of Amber, whose often has the most bizarrest outfit in the planet.

Come on SME, I get it that you really want to maintain Amber boyish image, but at least please give her a better outfit and while you’re at it, do give her a better hairstyle too. Other F(x) members are looking cute and sexy, and Amber stuck with something like a baggy outfits, with blonde hair parted in the middle. She reminded me of Nick Carter of Backstreet Boys from somewhere 15 years ago. I am also thinking of the era of H.O.T, SechsKies and even before that where parted hair in the middle and comfortable baggy outfits was in, but this is 2013 where idols are super glamorous with pastel colors hairs.

So why is Amber stuck with that style? I guess I have the answer to that question. Usually, in idols groups, there is a LUCKY member, who’s selected to be the ‘face’ of the group, even though she is lacking in singing or dancing (or in most cases, BOTH), usually gets the best outfits and hairstyles, and the chance being in the middle of everything despite having less talents. And other members, especially the ‘voice’ of the groups, usually pushed to the side to give the ‘face’ more media attention. In F(x) case, I considered Luna is the ‘voice’ (as well as Amber since she is the rapper). However, more attention is given to Sulli since she is the ‘face’ of F(x) even though she has less powerful vocal and her dancing is so-so. Ever wonder why Sulli gets more variety shows and drama offers compared to the others? And try listen to F(x) full albums, there are a lot of Luna’s songs. This is the reality to the entertainment industry, and does not only affecting F(x). There are a LOT of groups suffering from this situation (I’m looking at you, Hyuna >_>).

Song and video

For starters, let me say that this is a so-so song. The chorus is super catchy but for the other part, it’s just...meh. I read comments about how this song’s teaser is great and how the whole song is.. not that great. For me, I really liked the chorus, as well as the rapping. I even cut the chorus part to be my phone’s notification tones. However, the other parts are..boring. To be honest, while I listened to this song, 8 times out of 10 I will be jump to the chorus part and that 2 times that I didn’t skip is the times that I wanted to hear the ‘Aaa’ part (probably by Victoria). 

So, final verdict: 6/10

I was speechless by this video. Not because it was so bad, not because it was so good, but by that super short dress on Krystal. I don’t know if SME new concept is to promote Krystal as F(x) second face, but wow! Those super short dress and that flaming red hair really stands out in this video. I was really concerned by that dress which even shorter than Victoria’s skirt. Don’t try to tell me otherwise, because I have proofs.

Krystal is supposed to be the maknae (youngest) of the group, but why her dress is is so very short is beyond me. I remembered watching an episode of Happy Together in which several members of F(x) come as guests. Krystal blamed her stylists for giving her a shirt/dress that is too easy to reveal her body especially in NuABO song where they have to lift their shirt a bit and Krystal usually ended up with revealing too much of her body. And now I don’t think that the problem starts from the stylists, but from Krystal herself. While they are trying to make Krystal sexier, SME makes Victoria cuter day to day.

Let me tell you that Victoria is the oldest among F(x) members (she is born in 1987), and if someone needs to be sexier, it’s Victoria, not Krystal. However, I do notice that Victoria is usually stuck with a cute outfit which doesn’t match her age. Seriously guys, Victoria in that red outfit (tartans? I don’t remember the outfit names..sorry) looks super cute, and her other outfit with the small hat also looks cute. I do remember an article saying that SME purposely dress Vic in cute outfits to match the group concept, but now they dress Krystal the maknae so sexily and Vic the oldest so cutely? I don’t understand..

To up the ante of sexiness, SME does not only provide super shorts on Sulli and Krystal, they also provide an easier method for all perverts out there. Do you have an urge to see what’s under idols skirts? Introducing...

THE BRAND NEW 360 DEGREE PERVERT CAMERA!!!!

Yes, you can see several F(x) members spinning in this video, showing every perfect side of them, including what’s under their skirt. I used the term ‘several’ in this context since there are no Amber or Luna spinning 360 degree in this video (they do spin for a bit), and Victoria is sitting on the floor while spinning. Spare me no nonsense that they are wearing shorts under their skirts, because that shorts is literally an undergarments, something like boxers, to cover women panties when wearing a skirt. Dear SME, I know that Sulli and Krystal are now reached an adult age in Korea, but to make them dress scantily and showing their underwear are not the way to celebrate their adulthood.

Conclusion

I might sounded like I hate F(x), but honestly I don’t. I was just not happy with this song and video. I also hate that SME always put the ‘face’ of the group in front compared to the other. Come on, the others needs some love too. For some reason, I feel that this is more of Sulli and Krystal’s song rather than F(x). Also, dear SME, I beg you, do give F(x) more love and give them better songs and outfits. Don’t waste all your money only on EXO and SNSD (I do like them, but I also need some of the other SM artists, not just them) and FOR GOD’S SAKE, PLEASE STOP PUTTING F(X) IN BOXES SETS. From La Cha Ta to Chu to Pinocchio, Hot Summer till Electric Shock, they all dancing in boxes. They even debuted in boxes! Please at least make F(x) next video without boxes. You can spend huge bucks for EXO MVs as well as their DRAMA version, so why not spend a little bit of that money to keep F(x) outside boxes?

For you guys who still haven't see this music video, here's F(x)'s Rumpumpumpum.

MeMyI: Updates on What I've Doing Now Part 2

Annyeong...

Sorry for 'missing' for like...two weeks or so. It's not just my blog, I am also missing from my Facebook and Twitter in this two weeks. Why?

First thing is.. my youngest aunt passed away recently (she is Puan Mama's youngest sister). I posted a blog post on 2nd August somewhere on 3 am, and 2 hours after that I was already on my way to my aunt's house after receiving a news from her husband that she collapsed on her bed while waking up for sahur (since it was still in Ramadhan and we Muslims have to fast). My aunt was actually suffering from a heart problem since she was small, and her condition worsen lately, so..... yeah... We were pretty shocked from the news since she was still pretty strong on the day before her death as she went out with Puan Mama to register her only daughter for next year schooling (sorry for the bad English, my mind vocabulary is not working properly tonight).

Do send some prayers for my late aunt so she can have peace 'there'..

Second thing is we celebrated Hari Raya Aidilfitri on last Thursday. Even though I am a big girl right now, I am not ashamed to be really happy to receive Hari Raya money from relatives (ang pau?). Hey, who doesn't feel happy to receive free money? Since I am such a big girl, I just received money from my uncles and aunts (and some of my older cousins who already works). However, for my own sake, some of the money I've collected is given to Tuan Abah for safekeeping since I don't trust myself to held my own money (since I am a shopaholic). Of course, since we were still quite sad over the lost of my aunt, so the celebration is a bit slow......

Currently I am working on several MusicUtopias and SisterSquabbles stories so stay tuned to my blog^^

WatchNow: Barefoot Friends

Annyeong..

I’m sorry for not updating for several days. I promised myself to update everyday since I’m holidaying right now, but then I broke my own promise *hides inside blanket*.

So, first thing I want to review is the cause (?) of my disappearance. I told you guys that I am really into Korean variety shows, right? Actually the only variety show that I do watch and follow right now is Running Man, and while searching for the latest episodes of Running Man, I stumbled upon the latest variety show of Kang Hodong, Barefoot Friends.

Kang Hodong is dubbed as one of Korean’s National MC (the other one is Yoo Jaesuk of Running Man) and he left the entertainment industry after a certain case (Google it if you’re interested). Now, he came back to the industry, ready to rock the entertainment industry once more. In my opinion, I prefer Yoo Jaesuk’s style compared to Kang Hodong, since Kang Hodong tends to be so loud and he prefers body gags more than funny jokes. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t mean that Kang Hodong is worse and that Yoo Jaesuk is more superior to him. I’m just saying that I prefer Yoo Jaesuk’s style compared to Kang Hodong’s.

Barefoot Friends is a new variety show of SBS, and the comeback variety show of Kang Hodong to the entertainment industry. The main casts of Barefoot Friends are Kang Hodong, Yoon Jongshin, Kim Bumsoo, Yoo Seyun, Kim Hyunjoong, Yoon Siyoon, Eunhyuk and Uee. From these casts, Kim Bumsoo, Kim Hyunjoong, Yoon Siyoon and Uee are variety newbies (means that they never been a permanent guests in a variety shows). The first few episodes show the casts in foreign countries (Vietnam and Indonesia) where they have to work among the locals for food and accommodation. Starting from episode 6, they changed the format to overcome fear among the members and the first topic chosen is diving (to overcome fear of water and fear of height).

Barefoot Friends members: (from upper left) Yoon Jongshin, Yoon Siyoon, Kang Hodong. Kim Bumsoo, Yoo Seyun, Uee, Eunhyuk, Kim Hyunjoong

!!! FROM THIS POINT ONWARDS IS THE OPINION OF MINE. YOU MAY AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH MY OPINION, BUT KEEP IT CIVIL.. IT MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS AND SEVERAL BAD REMARKS.. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED !!!

First of all, I read a lot of comments saying that this show is boring, lacking its own colors as well as points, weak casts etc etc.. I hate judging shows without actually watching it, so I did watch this show from the first episode until now (the current latest episode is 15).

I think lacking own colors and points is actually a really harsh word to describe Barefoot Friends. My opinion is they are still searching for the right theme for the show. I remembered Running Man’s first episode is to search for several codes in order to escape the locked shopping mall. After several episodes, they changed it to several competitions to collect Running Balls and using lottery machines to pick the losers (to suffer dire consequences such as riding a subway without shower after the whole filming all night). I think Running Man changed about 10 different formats before coming to the current style. My point is, just give this show some time. (I remembered Yoo Jaesuk said that Running Man suffers a lot during the first year and they finally received a lot of love starting around Episode 50).

I don’t find any flaws regarding the casts. I’m really glad that this show at least combined entertainers from comedians, idols, and actors. It creates a balance team of face and entertaining. The only thing I dislike (hate is a overly strong word) is I guess the production team is trying to create a love line between Uee and Kim Hyunjoong, and since they both are variety newbies, they don’t really know how to react to it. In 7 out of 10 bus rides, Uee will be sitting next to Hyunjoong. She will be also stand beside Hyunjoong in the opening.

It feels like the production team is FORCING a love line since most variety shows will receive attention after a love line created (Monday Couple in Running Man, Jongkook and Eunhye in X-Man, Fighting Couple in Family Outing etc etc). For some reason, I remembered Yoona and Taecyeon in Family Outing 2, since they are like, forced to do the love line.

I am a bit sad watching Kang Hodong in Barefoot Friends. My first variety show with him is Star King. In Star King, although that he was overly loud (he tends to raise his voice to emphasis something), I can feel his passion, his confidence in his MC skills. I feel the same when he was in 2 Days 1 Night. His booming voice when screaming the shows name can make you feel that this is a great show. However, I guess he lost his confidence after his hiatus. He is still loud, but whenever someone teased him about his case (or his hiatus), he fell silent and making a hurt face. I really hope that he regain his confidence back and making a real comeback. Kang Hodong oppa, FIGHTING!!

Although I really like the diving episode, I hope that the next episode will be on other topics. I think that 5 episodes (from Ep.10 to Ep.15) are far too long for one sole topic. People will get bored from it (except for me, since I like documentaries. I can watch Discovery Channel for all day long).

My conclusion, this could be a great show. I hate people comparing Barefoot Friends with Running Man, 2 Days 1 Night, Laws of the Jungle, Dad Where You’re Going etc etc.. For me, as long as the show title is not blablabla season 2, you can’t really compare them. Every show is different. Instead of judging the show by reading other people comments, why not watch the show by yourself? Who knows you might like it, despite the bad comments. Just give them some time and love and this show will get better and better (I keep my fingers crossed).