Re-Video Games

This continues my previous Video Games review at the end of 2013.

These are the month I played some amount of video games. I thought there might be a pattern since I usually take holidays mid year and spend a while planning for them, but it didn't really seem to be the case.

• September to December 2014
• January 2015
• October to December 2015
• February to May 2016
• July 2016
• April 2017

These months I went on holiday for at least a few days:

• March 2014
• April 2014
• August 2014
• December 2014
• August 2015
• December 2015
• December 2016

Here's the full list:

• 2014
• January
• Grand Theft Auto V (briefly)
• February
• Grand Theft Auto V (briefly)
• Grand Theft Auto IV - The Ballad Of Gay Tony (briefly)
• April
• Grid 2 (briefly)
• June
• Grid 2 (briefly)
• July
• Grid 2 (briefly)
• September
• Saints Row IV
• October
• Saints Row IV
• November
• Saints Row IV
• PlayStation 3: Gran Turismo 6
• December
• PlayStation 3: Gran Turismo 6
• 2015
• January
• PlayStation 3: Gran Turismo 6
• October
• PlayStation 3: Gran Turismo 6
• November
• PlayStation 3: Gran Turismo 6
• December
• PlayStation 3: Gran Turismo 6
• 2016
• Feburary
• Forza Horizon 2
• March
• Forza Horizon 2
• Bioshock Infinite (briefly)
• PlayStation 3: Gran Turismo 5 (briefly)
• April
• Bioshock Infinite (briefly)
• PC: Stardew Valley
• May
• PC: Stardew Valley
• June
• Bioshock Infinite (briefly)
• July
• Final Fantasy XIII-2
• September
• Final Fantasy XIII-2 (briefly)
• October
• Final Fantasy XIII-2 (briefly)
• November
• Final Fantasy XIII-2 (briefly)
• 2017
• April
• PC: River City Ransom Underground

You've Got Sale

Quick trip out east as far as Sale and back over Easter weekend.

All was going well on the roads until near Yarragon, then suddenly we're down to 20 kilometres per hour to get through the town - no idea why they make these highways go through the middle of the town with all of the traffic lights. Things got even worse at the next town Trafalgar, coming to a dead stop about four kilometres out of town.

After getting through both towns it was all good, got to Moe before midday. Before lunch went for a run on the Moe park run course - actually called Newborough. The course wasn't so great as it was just 1.5 kilometre out, then 1 kilometre back the way you came, then do the opposite. So you basically run the same kilometre four times in a row, and there wasn't much to look at.

Had some packed lunch in the car, but there was actually a few places open in the town so got some drinks before leaving. Next stop was Morwell not far away. There wasn't much around, just stopped at the Gippsland Immigration Park for a quick break.

Morwell. Immigants, I knew it was them!

After about an hour of driving stopped again at Traralgon. Had another trip around their park run course which was just 2.5 kilometres out and back on a footpath, not very good. My ankle/foot/heel problem just managed to deal with both sessions.

Finally made it to Sale later in the afternoon, biggest town so far. Did a bit of driving around, came to the historic swing bridge - whatever that means. They had an interesting looking wetlands track but it was a 15 kilometre round trip so couldn't have a go at that.

Sale. Historic Swing Bridge.

Sale. Some lake near the botanic gardens.

Went to the hotel to check-in, nobody at the front desk. Rang the bell and still no answer, so had to call their phone to get someone to show up! No Foxtel either unfortunately, so just had to watch the end of the Good Friday AFL and an A-League game, and went out to get some dinner.

Next morning got up early to drive over to the local park run. Foot was feeling just alright, so I decided to run with the two leaders, got past them after about 3 kilometres and got a first place. The course was easily the best of the three - two lakes and a garden.

Sale parkrun.

Back to the hotel to check out and start heading home again already. Went to Sale farmers market on the way, didn't have anything good, so drove for a couple of hours to Warragul instead which also had a farmers market - chocolate scones! Had a break for lunch before finishing the drive home - beat the Easter Monday traffic by two days.

Warragul. Some park.

2017 Goals

A bit late for goals but I think I made the basic list a few months ago, plus it's a similar format to the 2016 version.

• Blog
• More than last year would be a success !
• Aiming for 50
• Car
• Give it about 50% chance of an upgrade
• Not really important but it's going to start dying one day
• Fitness
• Bike
• Might not be much point before winter now
• The main purpose is some long distance on flat roads similar to weekend running
• Run
• Try to stay injury free, as much as possible...
• Try to get a new record for 5km and 10km
• Getting back to fitness for a half marathon record is probably unlikely
• Not sure if I'll beat my 2015 record (about 250 kilometres per month) since I've missed time already
• Swim
• I would like to reach a point that it's easy to do laps, but it's so cold in winter...
• Triathlon
• Aiming to do one for the 2017-18 season
• Weight
• Getting back to 70 kilograms at last, hopefully before winter (and injuries)
• Food
• Baking
• Should start baking again, all the previous ingredients had expired
• Holiday
• Hopefully find time for a couple of weeks during winter somewhere
• Some short trips for running also including:
• Canberra (done)
• Great Ocean Road
• House
• If only houses were affordable...
• It would be a great goal for the year, but might be a wait and see period at the moment
• Money
• Shares
• Making a profit would be nice
• Get past 250,000 by the end of the year if the share market doesn't collapse
• Super
• Should start contributing a bit extra, since this job only pays the minimum
• Music
• Get to see a few bands at least, depending on tours
• Need to discover some new bands, since most of my favourites seem to be inactive
• Reading
• One a month maybe
• Need to find some new authors too, since I'm running out of good Stephen King options
• Sport
• Not sure what I intended for this category
• Try to get some use out of the MCC membership, although Carlton are no good again
• I don't think holidays will coincide with any sporting events
• Study
• Depends on what is required for work, maybe the Java 8 certification
• Video Games
• Unpack the Xbox One finally...
• Work
• No job change this year hopefully
• Need to build up some annual leave for holidays

March Review

These reviews seem to keep getting later.

I added a bit more running variety with some new park runs at Darebin and Highlands, as well as a second 10km race for the year, in Canberra. I also added a few more variations to my weekend long runs at Yarra Flats and the south side of the Eastern Freeway.

A good month for shares I think, and most of the dividends came through as well. I only invested a small amount extra but it has started promisingly.

The NCAA tournament didn't seem to have as many exciting games this year, although it was a bit hard trying to keep up watching a selection of highlights and second halves. Kansas were looking comfortable as a number one seed before crashing out in the final eight. The AFL is back but Carlton will be near the bottom yet again, so I don't expect to attend many matches during the season.

Nothing much happening on the to do list at the moment:

• 2016 review
• Canberra trip
• Easter short trip organised
• I only wanted a short break instead of travelling the whole time

I still have no idea how long my current work project is going to last, but I'm pretty sure it's not going to meet the deadlines. There is also the possibility we remain around for hand over for some time afterwards, which is making holiday planning quite difficult at the moment - and winter is fast approaching.

That's it for this month.

• Books
• None
• Movies
• The Founder
• I didn't really like the story or the characters
• 5 out of 10
• Music
• Hot Thoughts by Spoon
• Not all songs are great, but I liked quite a few
• 6 out of 10
• Concerts
• Spoon at The Croxton
• A new venue in Thornbury
• They played most of their best songs
• 8 out of 10
• Tickets
• Crystal Castles at The Forum in June
• TV
• None complete, have a few in progress
• Video Games
• None

2016 Running Review

This is a 2016 running summary, which follows the more successful 2015 running summary.

The totals:

• 926.7 kilometres (3132.14 previously)
• 72 hours (236 previously)

A much lower total due to two injuries and one attack that I suppose counts as an injury too.

The few major races for the year were:

• January - April
• Shin stress injury
• June 19
• Sri Chinmoy Albert Park
• 10km in 40:09 (4:03/km)
• July - September
• Hamstring injury
• August 14
• Adelaide Marathon (new event)
• 10km in 1:12:28 (7:12/km)
• August 28
• Shepparton (new event)
• 10km in 49:20 (4:58/km)
• September 18
• Sri Chinmoy Yarra Boulevard
• 10km in 43:52 (4:23/km)
• October 16
• Melbourne Marathon
• 21.1km in 1:31:02 (4:20/km)
• October 30
• Bendigo Bank Fun Run
• 10km in 40:49 (4:04/km)
• November 20
• City 2 Sea
• 15km in 1:00:14 (4:02/km)
• December
• Other injury

A few more 5km park run courses this year. The best of each course was:

• Cairns
• 20:12 (4:02/km)
• Frog Hollow
• 20:00 (4:00/km)
• Lilydale Lake
• 18:55 (3:48/km)
• Mullum Mullum
• Less than 5 kilometres
• 19:03 (4:03/km)