LA Noire completed and Playstation Trophies

Spark up a fanfare I have reason to celebrate. For a person who enjoys playing video games I have achieved a new platinum trophy to add to my collection of plats (platinums).

In case you are wondering what on Earth I am rambling on about I shall explain. For the PS3 when you play the games and complete missions or targets you are sometimes rewarded with a trophy, which varies with bronze, silver and gold depending on the difficulty of the task. When you achieve all the trophies you are rewarded by a platinum trophy, the holy grail to achieve in some of the more difficult games like Gran Turismo 5.

The game I platted an hour ago (as I write this) was LA Noire. A game I talked in depth about in an earlier blog entry. It was a rewarding game to platinum, perhaps somewhat tedious with one or two of the trophies. The first run through the missions was quite simple and straight forward, then i had to redo them all to attain a five star rating in each. Again this was straightforward.

The trophy that I hated was the vehicle collector which required you driving all 95 different types of vehicle in the game. It was a complete and utter pain I. The arse, all the hassle for a BRONZE trophy!!!!! I could not find the Ford convertible after searching for hours, I came across it by chance and took immense pleasure in smashing the bastard up.

The game was excellent and I find through labouring away at the trophies I get Full enjoyment and use with the game, doing tasks I wouldn't attempt otherwise and getting my money's worth. Prior to collecting trophies on older systems in would simply play through the storyline and then not touch the game again once I completed them.







I enjoy collecting the trophies and up to now I have collected 599 trophies including 6 platinums. I enjoy the tasks and getting each trophy is rewarding. It would be excellent if the trophies had some sort of redeemable currency for use in the Playstation Store, perhaps in the future with the PS4.

My trophy card

[URL=http://www.ps3trophies.com/profile/TomNolan89][IMG]http://www.ps3trophies.com/card/10/TomNolan89.png[/IMG][/URL]

The Lost World book review

Doing a little blog on my thoughts on the latest book I have just finished reading. Previously I finished the novel Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton and enjoyed immensely, it is now one of my most favourite books. Hot on the heels of that I decided to check out the sequel to it, like the film it was called The Lost World.

The book follows Ian Malcolm again as he joins a rescue mission/expedition to Costa Rica in search of dinosaurs and unexplained carcasses washing up ashore. The book is well written and shares some similarities with the film like the trailers being toppled over the cliff, baby T-Rex breaking a leg and some of the characters are the same.

I enjoyed the book, I did find it rather slow to begin with. At times there is a lot of text on theories which does bog you down but when it gets to the action/suspence scenes the pace quickens really well and it is quite absorbing.

There are a lot more dinosaurs in this book and more descriptions about them as they are being studied from The high hide by Dr Levine.such as Apatosaurs,

Unlike the film where the antagonists are InGen and their dino hunters, the baffles here are Biochem, the same as the first book and their leader the ruthless scientist Dodgson, which like his accomplices meets a grizzly end.

Like the first book, I found myself enjoying it more than I thought I would. At times the huge chunks of text leave you wondering why you started the book but once it gets going it is a thoroughly enjoyable and riveting read. Perhaps the plot is rather obvious, it is a typical dinosaur chase book. But there are adequate curve al sand twists in the plot to keep you e grossed in the action.

Granddad's Memorial

I had meant to post this the other day but forgot.

This past Sunday we (my parents and I) made a small memorial where my late grandfathers ashes were scattered. My grandfather passed away the 17/12/2010 and on the 9/1/2011 we scattered him on Gelligaer Common above the village of Trelewis, where he grew up. It was a nice pleasant spot overlooking the various surrounding villages and also the cemetery where his parents are buried. It was my grandmothers wish that he be scattered and be 'free like the wind'. A wish that she too has asked for herself.

We wanted to place a small memorial for him on the common land so that we have a place to pay our respects. He was cremated and it was grandma's wish for him not to be interred or kept in an urn and otherwise we would have nowhere to grieve or pay our respects. At least now we have a small little area where we can spend a few minutes or hours undisturbed and feel his presence all around us.

The weather was beautiful on Sunday so after lunch we seized the opportunity to put the little plaque we had made on the common land. It was sad to go back there, when we scattered my grandfathers ashes it was the moment that it struck me that he was gone. The man I doted on for 21 years was lost to me forever, being carried away with the wind. I was fine apart from the initial tears when I was told of his passing, the funeral hadn't upset me too much. I was cut up inside but I keep my feelings locked away and rarely show them. But scattering him it hit me like a freight train. I cried and cried all the way home.

I miss him so much and have so many regrets like not seeing him the day before he passed away, I said to my parents I would give it a miss and go up the following day. Even on that day I wish we left the house sooner. The day was horrible and we had heavy snow, I just wish we had left half hour earlier at least then he wouldn't have died on his own. I never said goodbye to my grandfather and that will haunt me for the rest of my life. I love him so much, he's my hero. I just wish I could cuddle him, kiss him and hear him say my name once more.

Here is the little memorial we placed for him and the area where we scattered him.

Our memorial

Close up of the plaque

Area where we scattered Granddad

In helping others we help ourselves

This is a reflective blog. I was linked to a friends new website and was reading a passage she added to her site and it got me thinking. So I have decided to blog on the subject. I find the later the time the better I blog so apologies if this doesn't make complete sense.

Her website is a recently made site where visitors are urged to share their feelings. A place where if you have a problem or issue you wish to discuss you just type it out and someone will read it. As the old saying goes 'a problem shared is a problem halved'. I think this is an awesome idea for a website, often there are times when I know I personally have issues that I find unable to share with others due to being s private person or when the issue arises nobody I trust enough is online so I keep it bottled up and let it fester until it either gets sorted or becomes insignificant.

Online I feel most people are more comfortable sharing intimate details about themselves to anonymous users. You are hidden behind a keyboard and behind a screen name, it takes the stress away and allows you to open up. This idea for a site is great, I'm sure I will use it at some point down the line.

It is a fresh and nice looking site. Clear menu, simple navigation. Really good effort for a starting point. It could evolve into something bigger once it beds in and people visit and use the site. The web address for it is: shareitw.weekly.com

Back to my main point, I was reading the first post on the site by the creator, Bea, and it got me thinking. Her post was about how people should treat others and the very last phrase is what caught my eye, along the lines of 'in'helping others we are helping ourselves'.

That is a very true statement. Being an only child I have often had a selfish 'me me me' outlook on things, I have been fortunate that more often than not what I want I have. I am in a position that I have never wanted for anything. I have a happy family, clean clothes, fresh food, sanitation and every gadget under the sun, lots I don't want or need.

Some people aren't as fortunate as me, yet in my selfishness I would put my needs first and well wouldn't really think about anyone else as long as I got what I wanted. My view on this has changed recently due to the Japanese earthquake and subsequent tsunami and helping out in a charity shop for a family member.

I have so much in life that I take for granted, my life is a walk in the park. I live at home with my parents and I pay zero rent, keep, nothing. My only outgoing bill is my mobile phone bill,which has rarely been under three figures (what love does to someone). I never used to stop and think about those less fortunate than I, how do people without a family cope? No house to stay? No certainty of food for the day?

While watching the news and seeing the devastation in Japan, I was upset at the sights I saw and the realisation that a day earlier they had everything, houses, luxuries and happy lives. Now they have nothing, all taken away by the forces of nature. It shook me a little with the realisation that we have no idea what can happen tomorrow. I scanned my room and I have a TV, PS3, Xbox 360, PC, Laptop, 4 iPods, iPad, Sony Reader, about 100 DVDs and 70video games. I would be devastated to lose any of them, a worry to me is to

Here's me worrying about being first in queue for a new release and across the World people who have real worries. It really opened my eyes to the World, to the point that the £40 I had ready to waste on another game I donated to help with the relief effort. Someone else could benefit more from it than me, why waste it on a piece of plastic that will collect dust in a month. I also emptied my online Playstation Network wallet and donated all my gaming funds to the relief effort. Better use for it than wasting it on some download content I won't use.

Since then I have been thinking about issues closer to home like the beggar on the street we all look down on, giving him a few coins. Perhaps it will be spent on drink or drugs but he could be genuine and use the money for himself, a little food or drink. Even the sandwich you are too full to eat that you will throw in the rubbish, why not give it to someone for whom it could be their first bit of food for many days. We are fortunate to not be in his position and living a lonely life where everyone looks down on you like a piece of dirt on the soles of their shoes. If I was in his position I would like to think people would take pity on me and give me some spare change or a little nourishment out of the kindness of their heart and the often lacking human nature of helping your fellow man.

It is common decency to help out our fellow person if we can, something insignificant to us can mean a lot to someone else, whether it be helping an elderly person with a heavy bag of shopping, holding a door open or paying a compliment. It is the simple things that make the most difference, simple and free things which everyone should be doing without thinking.

So next time you see a beggar, someone struggling with their groceries, stop and think if they could use a hand or a few coins from your pocket. You could be making someone's day.

As the phrase went 'in helping others we are helping ourselves' and we are, we become better people for it. It brings a sense of joy that you have helped someone no matter how small. You did something, yes it may be a slight inconvenience given that today everyone is on the go and nobody. Has time for anyone but one day that could easily be you as events that happen more and more regularly go to show. Don't take your life and what you own for granted, one day it can all disappear before you know it.

The time you expect others to help you get back on your feet you may discover a deafening silence. What goes around comes around. If you never help anyone less fortunate, why should you expect help when you need it.

In helping others we help ourselves, never a more truer word spoken.

Thanks for reading.

Grandads passing 3 months on

Thinking about my grandfather, this Friday it is 3 months exactly since he passed away. The time has flown by. I still don't think I have come to terms with it. You spend 21 years seeing a person every day of your life and then in 10 minutes the person goes from being quiet in their bed to passing away. It is truly hard to comprehend. The phone call to say he passed away will haunt me for the rest of my life, as will my fathers reaction. I have never seen the man I look up to cry floods of tears. 

I can deal with death as it is the only certainty in life, you will die one day other than that life is what you make of it, but what I find hard is granddad has left a vast space in my life. For the past few years he has been in failing health with Alzheimer's and dementia, becoming more forgetful and appearing vacant at times in the last 6 months prior to last December he was my grandfather in body but not in my mind, at least not the man I remembered who would play me on computer games and kick a football in his 70's. 

The fact he is no longer here hits me hardest, I miss him so much. He was more than just a grandfather. His presence in my life is sorely missed, when I go in my grandmothers the house is so empty without him perched on his chair by the window. I miss seeing him, helping him and hearing his voice. Other than photographs and heirlooms I have inherited all i have are memories, I long to see him once more or hear his voice call me 'boy' he is the only person I would take being called that from. 

The hardest part for me was scattering his ashes, the fact that once the container was opened and the dust settles I have nothing more of my grandfather. He is gone in the wind and free as a bird.it hit me hard that moment and seeing what remained of him, a man reduced to dust. I think grandma upset me also, when it was just me and her prior to scattering his ashes she caught hold of me and told me that it is down to me that she too is cremated and scattered where grandad was. I think it was the thought of losing another grandparent, I'll have to go through it four times in total. I dread the day it happens.

Prior to writing this, I am crying my eyes out whilst doing this, that was the first time I cried since the phone call to say grandad passed away. I tend to retreat into a shell and deal with emotional issues by holding up a guard and keeping my feelings hidden, I guess to some I can be seen as strong but to most like my family I am seen as cold and not bothered, which is totally opposite. I guess I try to be strong for everyone else, when you are emotional you don't think rationally. For example we (grandma &dad) decided not to have a post-mortem done to spare my grandfather being messed about with. The decision was made right after we saw his body at the hospital and everyone bar me was in floods of tears, now though they wish they did get the post-mortem done as there may have been foul play and neglect but it's was too late to do anything so we will always have a niggle that if they did their jobs he may still be here.  I guess being emotionless is how I deal with my grief, I don't think i grieved properly and I know it's good to cry and let it all out but I don't know, I guess I can't. I try to put a brave face on for everyone and as the old saying goes 'life goes on' these things happen in life. 

I needed to vent and it has been nice to put this in words. I can talk about it with my family but well I am a honest person and call a spade a spade, intend to say how I feel which causes offence to some, especially my mother. The tears have been a bit weird, I didn't think I would cry whilst writing this. I think of my grandfather every day and hand on my hand I miss him so much. I just wish I could have one more day with him, there is so much I want to say to him.  I never got to say goodbye to him, I regret not visiting him the night before he passed away. I was too busy messing at home to go up, a decision I will regret until the day I die. 

Life is short and you have to cease each opportunity and make the most of every second, tell people you love them and how you feel whilst you can. We don't know what is around the corner and tomorrow the opportunity may not be there anymore.

I'll wrap this up now, it is 6.48am on 13/3/2011, I've not slept a wink yet. If you've read this far, thank you.

The Blue Planet

For a few weeks now  my interest in nature and the planet has returned and I dug out my Planet Earth documentary set to give the brilliant, ground-breaking series another watch. It really is incredible what surrounds us with regards to flora and fauna and it is heart-breaking to see how we are damaging the environment, wiping out species we do not know exist.

The series was at the time (as may still be the case) the most expensive nature series ever produced by the BBC. It was also the first filmed in HD, which I remember was huge when it first broadcast in 2006. The chance to see very rare animals and environments never before seen on film was immense, animals like a Snow Leopard and Lechuguilla Cave in New Mexico. To me this is one of televisions must see’s, it is a perfect account of natural history documented impeccably.

Since watching the series all those years ago, I was aware of a prequel documentary series by the same team, rather than being focused on the planet it was focused on the Oceans. It slipped my mind to buy it at the time and recently as I said earlier my interest in nature has returned so for the past month or so I have scoured every retailers looking for a copy of the series. This week I finally struck gold and bought a copy.

What an awesome and inspiring series, to many the Oceans may be boring and just a load of water that covers 70% of the Earths surface with a couple of big fish in. I was shocked to discover that we have only explored 2% of Earths Oceans and know more about the surface of the moon than the do the hidden depths. I personally would love to see more money given to the exploration of the Oceans and discovery of new species than we waste on Space travel. How many billions has been wasted on failed launches and finding out about planets we will never ever step foot on, we haven’t been on the moon for over 40 years and did we ever visit it in the first place?

Back on topic, the series is well structured and is broken down into 8 episodes;[The Blue Planet, The Deep, Open Oceans, Frozen Seas, Seasonal Seas, Coral Seas, Tidal Seas, Coasts]. Each one focuses on a different aspect of the Ocean highlighting the interaction of each species. Moments which stick out for me are ones like Killer Whales hunting a Grey Whales calf and how methodical they are in their methods by exhausting the whale then drowning it, it is rather sad to see but that is nature. Another moment is the weird and wonderful creatures that live on the Ocean floor, many of these were documented for the very first time, peculiar looking fish like Anglerfish. Absolutely hideous looking and rather scary, thinking of it makes the hairs on my arm stand up.

It is amazing what inhabits our Oceans, amongst the coral reefs are said to be the biggest concentration of living organisms and possible cures for illnesses like cancer. Without exploration we may never know if cancer can be cured from plants and ingredients we may have readily available for us to use.

As much as I would love us to explore the Oceans, we need to take responsibility and look after the precious life that inhabits it. We pollute, overfish and damage coral, which has a long-lasting devastating impact on the ecology of the seas. It is upsetting to see good fish that has been caught up in nets for others species like prawns thrown back into the sea dead or dumped somewhere because a. there is no market for it b. it wasn’t supposed to be caught. Fishermen not only overfish but they damage the ecology with their ways of fishing, coral and reefs getting damaged after being ripped off and torn out by nets. It may not seem too bad but 2 metres of coral is the equivalent of a forest and fish and other species need it to survive, coral is the lifeblood of the Ocean, where fish feed, breed and have their habitats. There would be uproar if this was deforestation in the Amazon but nobody seems to care about the Ocean.

World governments should come together and create safe havens in the Oceans, protected areas where the ecosystems can thrive, areas like known, migrating routes for Whales, breeding grounds for stocks like Cod, where they can breed and not be caught as juveniles by over-zealous fishermen trying to make as much money as possible. This can be done, if the governments get together and raise public awareness to the issues that blight the Oceans. Whaling was almost eradicated due to public awareness and as a result, whales have thrived and some species are no longer endangered, it can be done.

The Earth is precious and we should do everything we can to save and protect it. We are not above any other species and we should do our bit to conserve and find out more about the living planet around us, whether it be on land or in the Oceans. We should do it before it’s too late and time has ran out on us…