Nanami Kamimura's Blog (Fancy Gray Edition)

A sign.
(Posted on Saturday, July 8, 2006 at 11:09 p.m.) I'm still alive. I just don't have anything interesting to write, especially that the next seasons of The Amazing Race and Survivor won't be out until September. Until then, I'm still thinking about making a new layout for this blog. It's just that for four straight days, my brother brought my laptop with him and I had to wait until the next morning before I go to work just to do my daily internet time. That sucks.

That's all for now.

This entry is brought to you by Nanami.

Hooked on Sudoku
(Posted on Saturday, June 10, 2006 at 09:36 p.m.) I've been hooked in Sudoku lately.

Sudoku is a puzzle in which the object is to fill a 9x9 grid in a way that each row, each column and each 3x3 area should each have the numbers 1 to 9 appearing once. It became popular in Japan and spread all around the world. It became so popular that I've seen Sudoku puzzle books in the bookstores where I frequent.
But it was after the newspaper my family subscribes started to publish Sudoku puzzles right beside the crossword puzzle. I wanted to avoid the new puzzle, but it was so tempting to answer it that I took the plunge. I've decided to write down the puzzles to an elementary notebook I bought just for that purpose and answer the puzzle I transcribe while on the go and at work to see how I slug myself out. I even go to WebSudoku to copy more puzzles to answer. A Sudoku puzzle I solved

Above is the one of the puzzles I solve. Either I copied the puzzle from WebSudoku or the newspaper and solve it on the go away from the computer. If use notice the numbers written at one corner of each of the other squares, that is one way of solving the puzzle. One of the techniques in solving is to see if a particular number has already appeared in a row, column, or area. Although I like Math back in my school days, this has nothing to do with computations. This is a puzzle of logic, determining which number goes where.

Simple Sudoku, a computer Sudoku game and solver program.

I've downloaded a Sudoku program called Simple Sudoku. It gives the user puzzles as well as help the user solve printed ones. If you're new to Sudoku like me, I don't recommend playing this even in Easy Mode because even under Easy Mode, it is difficult to solve the puzzles it gives. If you want to check it out, you can click the screenshot above.
For me, this new puzzle went with me hand-in-hand with my crossword puzzle obsession and took me away from the tangram. But I never know when this will wane. Maybe as long as the newspaper publishes Sudoku puzzles.

This entry is brought to you by Nanami.

Reality Bites finale (for now)...
(Posted on Sunday, May 21, 2006 at 10:56 p.m.) I'm also glad that in last Thursday's episode of the Amazing Race ended my favorite team BJ & Tyler winning the race. Here is what happened: The teams flew from Japan and stepped into Ran Kotobuki's territory, Shibuya to look for Hachiko the dog (not the man with the scarf). The stumbled to a Detour where they either transported Maidens or act as Messengers. After sleeping inside capsules (shades of Dragon Ball), the teams proceeded to the Fuji-Q Highlands where they found a Roadblock where they would find a man holding a sign that says "Lake Yamanaka" while riding on roller-coasters. The teams proceeded to Lake Yamanaka and find a giant swan, where their Pit Stop was. Afterwhich, the teams flew to snowy Anchorage, Alaska. The went to a Detour where they have no choice but to Drill It (some ice). After going into a barn to gather clues, they flew back to where everything started: Denver. They searched for some flags there and put them in order. Though Eric and Jeremy led, they bungled on the flags, BJ & Tyler caught up and went to the finish line first, making them millionaires! Here is the final leaderboard:

BJ & Tyler: GOLD (Good Japanese there. Really gave them an advantage)
Eric & Jeremy: SILVER (They not only had a Gothic Lolita for a consort during the Detour, they bungled on the flags. The two even mistook the flag of Benin for that of Thailand. To tell you the truth, I don't want them to win because they are so narcissistic.)
Ray & Yolanda: BRONZE (They hardly made an impact on me, but they performed well in representing the African-Americans)

I saw yesterday's primetime broadcast of the Survivor: Exile Island finale. I was saddened that Cirie didn't make it to the final Three, but I'm glad someone other that Terry became the Ultimate Survivor. Here's what came down:

Once again Terry won the last reward challenge. His prize: chicken and salad. (What? No car?) But Aras was close.
The final three made their final tribute to their final comrades but putting their torches on the skull on Exile Island and burned it down to the ground.
In the final immunity challenge, Aras and Terry had a hard time standing on the third floater. This gave Danielle power for the first time. She although Terry has the hidden immunity idol, it was already useless. Danielle ultimately chose Aras with her.
While spending their final hours in the camp, Aras hurt himself. But he was finding when he appeared in Tribal Council.
Although some have their doubts and Shane aired his disgust about Aras and Danielle in the Final Two, Aras emerged victorious, earning 5-2.

I still don't know where the next season will be, but for now, I have the video of the Tribal Council Voting and the Revelation of Votes, all zipped up. The videos are in 3GPP format so I hope your computer has RealPlayer to view them.

I've seen the tangram in action in Big Brother and luckily I stumbled on a wooden set in a thrift shop. Since the set did not come with puzzles, I have to print some from the internet. So far, I am stumped with some of the puzzles.

Earlier today, in the ungodly hour of 3am (which was 9pm, Central European Time), I watched the Eurovision Song Festival. I was so sleepy that I didn't catch the last half of the entries so I didn't know how they sound like. But I did download the winning song, Hard Rock Hallelujah, by Lordi. Lordi might look scary, but they rock!

This entry is brought to you by Nanami.

My Guinness Book;
+ Moderate Reality Bites
(Posted on Sunday, May 14, 2006 at 12:06 a.m.) Guinness Book 2006

Last Wednesday, I bought (by coincidence) the paperback version of the 2006 Guinness Book (at around the same time I finally bought a USB mouse and the Bluetooth dongler). The store that usually carries the paperback version is still not stocking it, but another bookstore just happens to have it. Also, by coincidence, the copy was the last one they have when I bought it. I was very ecstatic that I finally have my copy of the Guinness Book two weeks early. I'm planning to save part of my weekly salary for the book for four weeks. I'm glad that I have it.

I'm also glad that in last Thursday's episode of the Amazing Race saw my favorite team BJ & Tyler escape elimination by winning the Fast Forward (because they ate bugs), while the others were stuck in the Roadblock organizing a dinner for some pesky monkeys, and went for a Detour in which they would carry pots and Move It or apply gold leaf on a statue of Buddha and Alter It (the statue). Joseph and Monica were eliminated. Here is the leaderboard as of last Thursday:

BJ & Tyler
Eric & Jeremy
Ray & Yolanda
Joseph & Monica: ELIMINATED

Next week will be the finale with the final three teams going for the gold, passing through Japan and the icy part of the United States (Alaska, maybe) before stepping on the finish line.

This Monday will also be the finale for Survivor: Exile Island. It will also reveal which from either Danielle or Cirie will be eliminated after a deadlock. That is because tonight's episode suddenly ended there, with Danielle and Cirie light a fire for their life in the game. Aras and Terry are now safe, with Aras finally breaking Terry's winning streaks. Furthermore, with Terry moving on to the Final Three, the immunity idol which he found will become useless. How he will win the game is anybody's guess.
I just sure hope that Cirie survives the bubble and win the game.

Today, we have very freaky weather and typhoon Chun Chiang's winds passed over where I am, bringing rains which poured down since Wednesday. And considering this is supposed to the hot season.

This entry is brought to you by Nanami.

Introducing my new laptop
(Posted on Saturday, May 6, 2006 at 11:33 p.m.)

Last Wednesday, my computing experience has been changed. That was because my new laptop finally arrived after three weeks of waiting. And although it lacked two more things (a floppy disk drive and an infrared port), I still liked this new device.
To be exact, it is an Acer Aspire 5502ZWXMi, with Intel Centrino 1.5GHz, 512MB memory, and about 60GB hard disk (actually, it was two hard disks, about 25GB and 26GB respectively). It also has a Super Multi Optical Drive, which can play my CDs and DVDs and burn new ones, too. It also has built in its own anti-virus (Norton) and its own internal modem. There are some programs that I have to install (such as MS Office and Java), but overall I'm happy. All I have to wait now is a Bluetooth antenna (it has Bluetooth capabilities, but it doesn't detect my cellular phone, which has Bluetooth). I also wanted a USB mouse and an external floppy disk drive, but it would be practical and would be impractical, especially the floppy disk drive because floppies are becoming obsolete. So (thanks to my flash drive), I transferred most of my floppies' files to the new computer and burn them later on CD. So I'll have to wait.
For now, the old laptop would serve as a bridge to transfer files from my celphone to this new laptop and vice versa via the flash drive. Better this that isolation.

My comments on Amazing Race and Survivor will not be written this week. I'm still euphoric about my new laptop.

This entry is brought to you by Nanami.

Reality bytes
(Posted on Saturday, April 29, 2006 at 11:20 p.m.) In last Thursday's edition of the Amazing Race, the teams left the desert of Oman and flew down under to Australia. After they found themselves in the Race Equalizer, the teams headed to the beach where they stumbled on a Detour where they would sweep the Sand or swim the Sea. They took the ferry back and boarded taxis to a Roadblock in a former prison. Fran and Barry got the back luck in this leg, and they were eliminated. Here is the leaderboard as of last Thursday:

Eric & Jeremy (Back in first place and still ripping their bodies out.)
Joseph & Monica (Nag, nag, nag!)
BJ & Tyler (After losing their possessions in the last leg, they managed to earn enough money to use and stay in the Race.)
Ray & Yolanda
Fran & Barry: ELIMINATED (After getting into first place in the last leg, the Race Equalizer became their downfall. Surely missed them.)

Next week: The teams encounter some crocs, and Monica and Joseph are starting to be fed up by BJ & Tyler.
We'll wait until next Thursday if they're staying in Australia.

I missed half of today's primetime episode of Survivor, but what I can say is that the Casaya faction is starting to have cracks. To add insult to injury, Terry won immunity again! So with the only La Mina guy immune, Cirie had a mutiny and had Danielle and Aras to vote off Courtney, who to them was becoming a threat (after Shawn and Terry each wanted Courtney to take them to the final two). And vote out they did. At least, Bruce showed up as a jury member alive and kicking.

Some quick entry I did after posting the first one hours ago. But I hope I get the new laptop before I lose my mind on the old one!

This entry is brought to you by Nanami.

Another new face.
(Posted on Saturday, April 29, 2006 at 12:27 p.m.) Another new face has been uploaded. I am thinking making a new template for this blog, but because of the problems of my laptop is experiencing lately (and I'm still waiting for the new one), I decided to change the pics on the circles above and think of a new design later.
This time, it was Misaki of Angelic Layer, Eclair & Lumiere of Kiddy Grade (spoilers!), and Sugar the tiny snow fairy. Kazuma Azuma of Yakitate!! Japan is the only rose among the thorns (being the only male among those I chose). I've also included a picture of the aces of My Second Assorted Anime Playing Cards.

That's all I can write right now. I'll post my views about the latest episodes of The Amazing Race and Survivor tonight (after I watch the latter).

This entry is brought to you by Nanami.

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