A quick update (life is at the end, video games at the start as usual):

Since my last post, I broke up with Tiffany and started dating Lizzy. That's going fairly well, at least I think so. Except for the parts where my parents call both me and Lizzy sluts. That's not a good part. Only awkward thing is that my DDR friend who I always go to the arcade with has started things with Tiffany, so it can be a little awkward. Oh well, I'm still happy for Zach because the last time I talked to him before this he seemed very depressed and now he doesn't seem so depressed. Good!

TGM: Lots of improvements all around, but none of them are incredibly impressive. I guess I'm #1 on a leaderboard finally, but I don't really care too much about it. I spend like 4 hours a day playing the series anyway so it's not surprising that I'd eventually become decent at it. If anything, I should probably be a lot better than I am at it.

I also attended two big meetings in relation to this game's community since my last post. In London, I met up with a French player called Amnesia (#3 TGM2+ player outside of Japan), and two English playersrostilfc (probably top 3 overall TGM player outside of Japan) and Lardarse. This was a pretty incredible experience, since TetrisConcept had just fallen apart a few days prior to the meeting and it was really encouraging to see that we can still stand as a community even when retarded individuals try to destroy the site. I've looked up to Amnesia as a TGM source of inspiration for a long time, and it was honestly incredible to meet him. Even if he seems totally ridiculous online, he is a very cool person in real life and I won't forget meeting him. On the first day of the meeting, Amnesia, Rosti, and myself went to Casino Leisure, an arcade which has quite a few rare shmup and other arcade games in London. Very cool place. On the second day, we all met up at Amnesia's temporary apartment in London to play some TGM. Rosti, Lardarse, and myself then departed and ate at Wagamama. So good!

The second meeting was in Seattle, with Colour_Thief from Toronto (probably the best overall North American TGM player), TWF (see first two lines), myndzi, Ezzelin, Trance (the best Tetris DS player in North America if not the world), and mat_hatter (some gay Oregonian folk singer who happens to be the third best TGM2+ Death player outside Japan). This was absolutely incredible. We spent the better part of a week at somelaurachick 's house using a rented candy cabinet (thanks Bobby Conover!) with colour_thief's TGM2+ and TGM1 boards. It was a very unique opportunity to play such rare games legitimately, one that probably won't be duplicated for a while. On the last day of the meeting, we also ran a TGM3 and Tetris DS tournament at Acme Bowl. That was an absolutely hilarious and one-of-a-kind experience. Overall, everyone had a very good time and I am really grateful that such a crazy event actually came together.

Bemani: Played some Drummania lately, I'm still as good as I ever was at it. No real improvements, but no real decline. I wrote a post a long time backte about how I was very very afraid to stop playing music games, but I think my fears were mostly unfounded. I still play here and there a little, and I'm making some improvements in In The Groove so I guess I'm not at the "not playing enough to maintain my skill level" point yet.

I've honestly been so busy on weekends lately that I pretty much have zero time to visit arcades. One of the big things is that the TGM machine was moved from Acme Bowl to Narrows Plaza Bowl, so I now have to choose between a good music game arcade and an arcade with TGM. Previously, I could just go to Acme and do a little bit of both. Not so much anymore!

I attended the qualifiers for the national DDR tournament run by Konami and did pretty horribly. It was still a really fun time, though, since almost literally everyone was there. Seriously, I saw a bunch of people I hadn't seen in a few years (crackoon for example). I also went to the 20, November party thing at Acme Bowl, and saw some other people I hadn't seen in a few years like metroid23 . Good times were had! somelaurachick was right, the community is definitely bigger than the game.

Other gaming: I've been playing a few shmups lately, mainly just to test the waters in the genre. So far I like Guwange, Esp.ra.de, DoDonPachi, and Progear. I'm almost at the point where I can finish the first loop of DDP, so I'll probably try and do that soon. The only problem is that my arcade stick takes about 30 minutes to switch between 4 way and 8 way, so it's either TGM in a night or shmups for a night and I typically tend to choose TGM.

Breathing problem thing: Well, it's so much better than it was two years ago. I'm still not quite normal, but I'm definitely not debilitated like I used to be. I'm surprised I actually managed to cope at all when it was really bad...I definitely couldn't now, anyway.

School: Well, I'm not sure. I guess my grades are still pretty good, although I'm not really trying very hard. Stupid TGM!!! I think I'm #3 in my Japanese class which is obviously unacceptable since there is no way that Lizzy should be beating me! :P Yesterday, there was considerable ice on the roads in Redmond, but my school decided not to delay their start by 2 hours. As a result, something like 7 students and 2 teachers crashed their cars in the morning. Let's see the fallout from that one!

Music: Still with Seattle Youth Symphony. Also playing with Northwest Symphony Orchestra now. That's fun, although rehearsals tend to be at Mercer Island on nights when I have tons of homework so it tends to kill me a little. I don't know, lately I've been thinking about double majoring in music and something else. We'll see. Probably too early to think about that. Solo and Ensemble Festival is coming up in February, hopefully I can win the regional if not state.

Becoming fat: So I used to weigh about 130 pounds and was 5ft 10 inches. I now weigh 165 pounds and am 5ft 9 inches. Something is wrong here. I blame not playing much DDR or ITG anymore! :P

Driving: Still not happening. Parents aren't going to even start driver's ed for me. I guess I won't be driving until I leave home, then.

Let's go better next time.

Eep, Lizzy's here now! Bye!

 本日夕方ごろ、tetrisconcept.comが突如閉鎖した模様。 

・管理者のcaffeine、突然二週間後にサイトを閉鎖すると宣言。 
・オフ会を2つも予定している最中だったということ、また管理権の引き継ぎや掲示板ログの提供もしないとの宣言だったこともあり、掲示板の閉鎖告知スレが炎上。 
・caffeine氏は最後まで明確な閉鎖の理由を言わなかったが、TTCやアリカらに何か言われたとかでは無い、とのこと。 
・IRCチャットで話し合おう、と言う書き込みがあったしばらくあと、掲示板がアクセス不能に。wikiはまだ直アクセスすれば見られる。 
・トップページは質素な閉鎖告知に。 
・「二週間後」という当初の宣言と矛盾するので、チャットで何かあって、キレてその場で削除でもしたと推定される。 

あの掲示板は結構貴重な情報も埋まってたのに、勿体無い。 

I still have a rename token that someone anonymously gifted me. Anyone have any ideas for a new name for K. Birrell?

KevinDDR2000 (8:40:44 PM): 2:50 was not bad hehehe
kitaru2004 (8:41:01 PM): yeah, lookin' good
kitaru2004 (8:41:10 PM): you almost beat me, right?
kitaru2004 (8:41:16 PM): 2:48 iirc
kitaru2004 (8:41:41 PM): oh, no
kitaru2004 (8:41:43 PM): you beat me
kitaru2004 (8:41:44 PM): 2:51
KevinDDR2000 (8:41:44 PM): !!
KevinDDR2000 (8:41:46 PM): OHHHHH
KevinDDR2000 (8:41:49 PM): you gotta get that back!
kitaru2004 (8:41:53 PM): rofl yeah

fffff

When K. Birrell is at his lowest yet, KevinTGM is at his best yet...

Maybe playing for 3 hours nonstop was a bad idea for K. Birrell. Maybe it was a great idea for KevinTGM.



The video is already obsolete. My record as of 6:58pm GMT 12/24/08 is 3:00.81.

I have no worries...I'm in England now! Haha...for anyone who wishes to communicate with me or feels that a lack of my presence may seriously detriment the quality of their life, I will be online during GMT 10am to 10pm most days. I don't have a GSM cell phone so I can't be texted or anything like that, q_q. Since of course most of y'all who know me live in Seattle this means I'll be on from 2am to 2pm mostly. I might be on until 4pm occasionally, but that is not good for my health.

Anyway gosh it's nice and warm (40F) here! Gosh! Gosh gosh gosh gosh gosh! This keyboard sucks.

If I don't post within 24 hours, assume I'm in England.

I'm not really that excited. I was kind of just looking forward to going to school today and not doing anything. Gosh!

I did get to sleep in though...stayed up too late last night!

The ultimate goal has been reached...

Cleared V [a].

V 

September 5, 2008

Mr. Kevin Birrell
*address cut*
Fall City, WA 98024

Dear Kevin,

Congratulations and welcome! Based on your musical talents you have been accepted for a position in the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestras organization. The orchestra in which you have been placed in is Youth.

Many gifted young musicians auditioned for us this year, and your achievement in winning a place in our organization should make you feel very proud. The Seattle Youth Symphony has one of the most distinguished legacies in American music.




What have I unleashed?

I'll be gone for a week.

Yes, that is right.

THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON HUB GAME ROOM NOW HAS SPEED COIN!

And DDR is also fixed but no one cares.

for the summer!

My Humanities building has been blown to pieces.



Wasn't it beautiful?

I have some awesome possum news to tell you guys:

I HAVE FOUR FREE TICKETS TO THE YOUTH SYMPHONY CONCERT TO GIVE AWAY TO PEOPLE ON LJ OR OTHER PLACES!

If you are interested in coming to see an awesome concert, please contact me or comment on this post by Saturday. I'll hook you up immediately.

I'm not sure what type of tickets these are, but I've heard they're actually in the Preferred Orchestra (usually $24) or Prime Orchestra (usually $33) sections. Again, no strings attached; these are FREE. Just let me know!

So as I promised earlier, here are the details for the concert I am proud to be a part of.

Ludwig van Beethoven	Leonore No. 3
Richard Strauss	Death and Transfiguration
Maurice Ravel	Noble and Sentimental Waltzes
Maurice Ravel	La Valse

Just checking in. Nothing much is going on here. Still having health trouble. No further on in finding out what's wrong. Extensive food allergy testing all came back normal. I nearly passed out at school today. I weigh 132 lbs, down from my previous normal of 155.

I played a couple games of DDR and Pump over the weekend. It knocked me the hell out.

Death is not a hunter unbeknowst to its prey.
One is always aware that it lies in wait.
Though life merely a journey to the grave, it must not be undertaken without hope.
Only then will a traveler's story live on, treasured by who bid him farewell.
But alas, my guest's life has ended, his tale left unwritten.

Whoever just sent me a rename token is pretty awesome. Wish I'd known who it was though! I'm not going to use it just right now, but I'm going to save it for when I actually come up with a decent new name (which I'm sure won't be very long).

Let's pull through this.