Update

Right, after much hard work and concentration, I have worked out that I will be back to frequent blogging on the 1st September.  Thank you all for bearing with me during my absense – it won’t happen again!

Apologies

So sorry for the absence this month – it’s very unlike me and I will be back with you regularly as soon as possible.

Cheats and Walkthroughs

CLICK HERE FOR BEBO HINTS AND TIPS

I was playing The Sims (original) the other day, and started getting annoyed with the fact that my sims’ health meter kept going into red, and restoring it to green was very time consuming. I don’t have much time for games with my lifestyle, so this meant that every time I played it, it was pretty pointless as I was never getting anywhere. But then I discovered little hints – like how if you save the game, activate the ‘move_objects on’ cheat and delete your sim, they’re fully restored. Suddenly, I had an awful lot of gameplay for a 15 minute slot – but also, it wasn’t really gameplay.

After I got my sim practically ruling the world, I realised that half the fun was earning that position rather than using cheats.

As satisfied as I am using the aid of a walkthough to get past a point in an adventure game where I’d been stuck at for days, I always feel slightly unsatisfied when I complete it.

My question is ‘do cheats and walkthroughs make the games or ruin the games?’

I think it’s some sort of paradox.  If you’re stuck in a game then you can’t finish it, but if you cheat to get past it, then you still haven’t properly finished it.  Maybe I’m taking it too seriously…

Views on this, please.

CLICK HERE FOR BEBO HINTS AND TIPS

Spam

We all know it sucks.

But it doesn’t have to suck.

If the spam we received actually contained somewhat interesting content, linked to genuine websites, didn’t threaten to attack us with viruses or spyware and wasn’t hardcore, then maybe we might actually read it.

It’s quite funny, because when I do open spam e-mails for a read (very rarely, when I’m bored), they’re actually written very politely — they’re just always written about either viagra or fake Rolex watches.

Spam could potentially be a good way of advertising if it wasn’t abused; to bring in money and custom to companies, and actually be of use to members of the public. TV stations could e-mail people a weekly schedule and clothing companies could update people on the latest fashions which would be like a form of online ‘Vogue’; which could also bring in customers if they display their name in enough places. But at the moment, I don’t think penis enlargement is very fashionable.

Even quiet, independent companies could make use of spam. Just as long as they don’t make knock-offs of designer labels or illegal copies of computer software.

World Championships 2006: Blackpool Winter Gardens

What an event and a half.

We arrived on Friday night to the avenue hotel and went straight out for a meal to Bella Italia, which we were all pleased about. When we got there, we all realised that the waiter serving us reminded us of a British actor / comedian and none of us could work out who. Every time he spoke to us, we racked our brains trying desperately to work out who he was – Clara even tried ringing her sister for help – it was that frustrating. But it turned out to be quite a funny experience; my dad thought the person he looked like was called Steve – so he started referring to the waiter as Steve. When he went for the bill, he said, really loudly “I want the bill now; I think we were served by Steve.” – and the funniest bit was that his name was actually Steve.

We didn’t look him in the eye again.

After our meal, we headed for the Winter Gardens to get ourselves familiar with the area again, and see if there were any shows on. We played some air hockey with Hayley, Chloe and their friends and family who had also gone in (as well as eaten in the same restaurant as us!), then headed for the legendary Coral Island – the best amusement arcade in Blackpool. It’s massive and has every kind of game you could possibly imagine; Clara and I played head-to-head at driving, drumming and horse racing, and we also managed to get lost briefly.

Before we knew it, it was Friday morning and time for the Preliminary Heats. I was terrified; I have little confidence in myself and my dancing, and always believe that everyone else is better than me, so as much as I was looking forward to dancing, I was dreading being knocked out of the competition.

I danced my three dances and then came the horrible part. The call-backs. To my unbelievably pleasant surprise, my number – 309 – was called out to go through to the second round. I screamed, along with everyone else on my table.

An hour or so later and I was to dance again. When I got round the back for the first of my three routines, I noticed that the judges had eliminated a lot more competitiors than I’d expected, which made me even more proud, excited, and determined. After I danced, I sat down, awaiting the next set of call-backs. This time I was sure I wouldn’t be through – I could feel the tears in my eyes as I waited to be told I wasn’t good enough. But just as Rob went to announce the call-backs, he said something worse than hearing I hadn’t got through. That the call-backs would be announced in four hours time and to check the noticeboard later on in the evening. I went cold. I couldn’t wait all that time not knowing whether I’d made the semi-finals or not.

We went back to the hotel to eat our sandwiches we’d bought for dinner and got changed for the evening party and competitors parade – but I couldn’t eat much from being so anxious. My parents got ready before I was, so they agreed to go to the party first, and Clara and I would meet them later on. I liked the sound of that – it meant they could read the board so I wouldn’t have to see it for myself.

When I walked through the door, my stomach flipped. I felt sick and I could barely breathe – I was that nervous. I walked down the stairs to the dancefloor and saw all my friends sitting around a table. They looked happy… but I still didn’t know the result.

My dad looked angry as I got up close to my table and sat down. I think I must have hyperventalated at this point as I awaited the result. But then he spoke; “You’re through – I think. Go and check”.

I screamed so loud that the whole room looked at me, jumped up and ran across the floor – still screaming – to check the board for myself. Suddenly I wasn’t scared of looking at it. Sure enough, there was my number – 309. I’d made it into the final ten, and all my friends were crying with happiness.

I’d never had such a good evening that night. It was Sarah C’s birthday, so we all celebrated that, as well as us both getting through.

After the parade, we went to KFC in the city centre for a late meal (about 12:30). It was the weirdest sight I’d ever seen. Although it was extremely late, it was busier than it had been all day, and filled with many groups of hen parties, stag nights and general drunks and transvestites. Everyone in the room was in fancy dress of some sort, and singing a terrible rendition of Oasis’ Wonderwall.

The next day, I got up bright and early for my dances. I thoroughly enjoyed doing them that day.

After I danced, we all went to the Blackpool Pleasure Beach – Blackpool’s world famous theme park. Me being me, I only went on my favourite carousel, but Clara went on the Big One – the biggest rollercoaster I’ve ever seen. She came off shaking, but really happy, which was a funny combination.

When we arrived back at the Winter Gardens that night for the social, I realised I was the only one who had gone in fancy dress; as Cleopatra.

I got a few stares and comments, but my picture will now be in Linedancer Magazine, so it’s all good.

At the end of the weekend, I got my results back – I’d come 8th overall and I was so pleased. I beat some tough competition, and got beaten by some even tougher competition, who deserved to come where they did. I never expected to get where I did, and all the pain and work was more than worth it.

I can’t wait for next year.

For more photos from the event, and other personal photos; please click here.

Well Here We Go…

I do apologise for the lack of blogging, but now the time has come for me to go away for 5 days to sunny Blackpool for the World Line Dance Championships (nearly said ‘World Lime Dance Championships’).

I hope the weather cheers up for us; otherwise I can’t be six years old again by going on the little theme park rides in the Pleasure Beach.

I aim to be recording some semi-podcasts live from the event (I say semi because they won’t be brilliant quality; literally just capturing the action as it happens), and if it works out, I’ll get them up here.
And no, I won’t be going near any pub quizzes.</Private joke>

See you all on Tuesday – wish me luck!