Cultured Individual's Second-Half Recap of 2019

In my first-half recap of 2019, I mentioned that I was going to write a post about my blog entries between July and December of 2019. Well, now is the time where I can share my highlights from the second half of 2019. I would normally write about my hopes for the next year at the end of my recap post, but I will save that as its own post. As expected, I write about travel, video games, local events, places to eat, and share some personal stories.

WinterFest at Canada's Wonderland: Straight Out Of A Hallmark Christmas Movie

For this year's holiday activity, I went to the first annual 'WinterFest', created and hosted at Canada's Wonderland in the hopes that the popular amusement park would become more of an all-year destination for fun. The Aurora Winter Festival experience last year was disappointing, and I was hoping that WinterFest could help to fulfill my lack of holiday cheer.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - The "Sweet Spot" of Action-Adventure Video Games

It has been over a year in the making, but I finally purchased a Nintendo Switch. As for my first Switch game purchase, it was a difficult choice, but I purchased Breath of the Wild over Super Mario Odyssey. I wanted my first Switch game-playing experience to be an enriching, rewarding one. What better than to start with the latest installment of one of the classic action-adventure video game series.

Borderlands 2: My Stress-Relief Game

en.wikipedia.org

I have fond memories of playing Borderlands 2 on the PS3 years ago. So, when Sony announced that Borderlands: The Handsome Collection will be the free PS Plus game for the month of June, I was quick to download the game as I was excited to play Borderlands 2 again after so many years. In addition, I have not played all the Borderlands 2 DLC, as well as Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, so this was a nice bonus. I am just going to focus on Borderlands 2 for this post.

Why A Logic Concert Has Me Thinking About My Current Situation

I went to a rap concert not too long ago, where YBN Cordae, J.I.D., and Logic (the headliner) performed on stage. This was my first arena concert and my first concert since university (where I tried to make friends by going to see Metric at a makeshift stage on the university grounds). The concert was entertaining, and the rappers were constantly interacting with the crowd in unique ways. I was particularly impressed with the creation of the lighting effects at the concert.

Review: 17 Steakhouse and Bar

I went to 17 Steakhouse and bar, which is a fine dining restaurant in Mississauga, for a friend's birthday. I try not to go to these kinds of restaurants because they are incredibly expensive, but I have made an exception to this rule and decided to check this steakhouse out. If you have the funds, it does not hurt to go to a fine dining restaurant once in a while. Here are my thoughts.

The Subtle Art Of Reading Modern Self-Help Books

I have been on a binge on reading 'self-help' books recently. Whenever I feel down for an extended period, I would see what the best-selling modern self-help books are, and hope that my local library would have a copy to borrow. The modern self-help books I have read have given me a more positive outlook on life and a more positive attitude (in the short-term). When I talk about modern self-help books, my definition of a modern self-help book is that the language and communication of a book appeals to a younger audience. Younger audiences may not have the attention span to read a self-help book of a medical or psychological nature.

Legends of Horror At Casa Loma

I had the pleasure of going to Casa Loma to partake in their 'Legends of Horror' event. 'Legends of Horror' is a theatrical experience where you go for a 2 km walk at your own pace through the Casa Loma grounds. Throughout the walk, you experience different sets with its own different scenes involving actors and props that create an unsettling and spooky setting.

Canada 2-0 USA: Why An Outlet Is Necessary

The Canadian men's soccer team have not beaten the USA men's soccer team since 1985, until last Tuesday, October 15, at BMO Field. Canada sent the supporters home in delirium with a 2-0 statement win over the USA. I will not dive too much into the particulars of the match itself. Instead, I want to talk about what this result meant to me on an emotional level.

Review: The Cheesecake Factory in Yorkdale Shopping Centre

Almost a full two years after their Toronto location opened inside Yorkdale Shopping Centre, I was finally able to go to The Cheesecake Factory for dinner. Now, I have been to The Cheesecake Factory in the USA, and I was impressed with the decor of the restaurant, the large portions of food, and the dessert (Of course!). If the Canadian location can replicate what the American Cheesecake Factory restaurants can do, then the restaurant in Yorkdale can be a big success. In a way, The Cheesecake Factory's opening in Toronto reminds me of the department store chain Target's expansion into Canada. However, Target did not attempt to satisfy Canadians' expectations and that was a reason (among others) why Target had to pull out of the Canadian retail market.

When Someone Just "Gets" You

One night, I could not sleep (like most nights), because my mind constantly races between thoughts. On this specific night, my mind thought about a girl whom I was friends with back in my university years. Have you ever known someone who just 'got' who you were? I felt like this girl that I knew back in university understood me quickly.

Visiting The Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park

The last of my Atlanta blog posts saw myself taking a solemn trip to the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park. This is a space dedicated to Martin Luther King Jr., as well as the Civil Rights Movement in general. This area also has the home where MLK was born, his tomb, and the church where he would go. This park is a relic of history that is important to preserve as a reminder of how one group of people used to treat another group of people. This park also serves as a reminder for the oppressors never to devolve themselves into this kind of behavior. Parking and admission is free, so if you are ever in Atlanta, you do not have much of an excuse to go to this place.

Atlanta Civil and Human Rights Museum Media Gallery

During my stay in Atlanta, I went to the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. This attraction was one of the highlights of my trip, and further opened my eyes on the continuing struggle for basic human rights across the world.

Trying Not To Roll My Ankle At Stone Mountain Park

I spent a day at Stone Mountain Park, which is the most visited attraction in the state of Georgia. Stone Mountain is essentially a large rock where guests can either walk up the side of the rock to the top, or take a cable car. However, Stone Mountain Park is not just for the large stone, as you can go check out historic buildings, hop on the locomotive that loops around the mountain, and experience laser and fireworks shows at night. Despite the mountain's checkered history of being a Confederate memorial, the attraction brings in people of all different lifestyles and beliefs.

Georgia Aquarium Media Gallery

I went to Atlanta, Georgia for a mini-trip about a week ago, and during my stay, I experienced the mild thrill of going to the Georgia Aquarium to see various aquatic life. The admission was incredibly steep at $45 USD for an adult ticket including tax, which will definitely scare some people from going. However, if you have any sort of interest in sea life, I would pay the admission to go just once, and then you will never have to go again. I compared this visit to my visit to the Ripley's Aquarium in Toronto, and it was essentially the same experience, with the Ripley's Aquarium being a bit cheaper, but also a bit smaller.

Video and more pictures below:

Party Boat Fun Along The North Coast Of Jamaica

On our last day in Jamaica before we flew back to Canada, we spent the day on a large catamaran sailing along the north coast of Jamaica while knocking back large gulps of rum. This experience was the highlight of my Jamaica trip, and I would encourage everyone who is able to drink copious amounts of alcohol on a small boat.

How I Drove Without Car Insurance For Almost A Year

I am usually meticulous when it comes to my car insurance policy. Every year, I look through my policy and discuss with my insurance agent what I deem is necessary to include in my coverage, and what is not necessary. My goal in going through my policy is to try to reduce my already exorbitant monthly payment slightly, which is without success.

Recently, I received my renewed car insurance policy for 2019-2020, after lamenting the monthly increase in my payment (yet again) and reviewing the policy, I went to put the new insurance slip in my car. When I went into my glove box to put the insurance slip in my folder, I noticed that the insurance slip that was showing in my folder was from 2017-2018. I also had previous insurance slips from 2016 (when I bought my car), and from 2016-2017. I was missing my insurance slip from my current insurance period.

It instantly dawned on me that I was driving without proof of insurance for almost an entire year.

I ran out of my car and back into my house to look for my insurance slip for my current insurance period. I found the slip without too much trouble, and not torn out from my policy documents. I had no idea how I forgot to put this insurance slip in my car last year. Regardless, I took my current insurance slip and my newly acquired insurance slip for 2019-2020 and put them in my car, so I would not have to forget for the next year.

Imagine if the police pulled me over in the last year and did not have my proof of insurance. That would have been a bad situation for me, which also would have been completely avoidable.

Falling Off A Trampoline At Margaritaville: Ocho Rios

One morning, while I was lazily walking around the lobby of the Grand Bahia Principe Jamaica resort looking for breakfast, one of the members of our group, who were going to go to a private beach for the day, quickly approached me. I only had five minutes to grab my belongings while the rest of the group waited for me in the minibuses, and we set off in search of a private beach to enjoy the water.

Why Is The Water Glowing Blue Around Me?

On my only nighttime excursion in Jamaica, my group and I went to Falmouth to go experience swimming in the Luminous Lagoon. The Luminous Lagoon is one of the few places in the world where in the nighttime, disturbances in the water (such as swimming or the movement of water boats) will cause microscopic plankton and organisms to emit a glowing blue light. This excursion was certainly unique in its experience, and I was glad to be a part of it.

Review: The Brownie Hot Fudge From Dutch Dreams

On my wanderings around Toronto with a couple of friends, we went to a popular dessert spot that sold all kinds of Dutch desserts and candies. 'Dutch Dreams' was the name of the place, and based on the line that stretched outside; it seemed like a dessert spot that could not possibly disappoint. To put it bluntly, Dutch Dreams did not disappoint at all.

Cultured Individual's First Half Recap of 2019

Let's have a drink and reminisce, shall we?

It is the month of July, and because I have been maintaining an overall consistent schedule of one blog post a week, I thought I would do a recap post on some of my memorable blog posts between January and June of 2019. It is similar to the end-of-the-year post I created for my 2018 blog posts. I did think about waiting until December to do a full look-back on everything from 2019, but I decided to split it into two parts, so I can squeeze more content out of my blog. How shameful of me. In the first half of 2019, I achieved some of the goals that I set out for myself in my 'Best of 2018' post, and I will share some things that I would still like to do for the rest of 2019.

Paying My Respects To The Legend: The Bob Marley Nine Mile Tour

While vacationing in Jamaica, I had the opportunity to go to the village of Nine Mile, in the heart of the country. The village of Nine Mile is the final resting place of Bob Marley, the man who changed the world through his music, vision, and his message of peace and love. In my younger, more quick-tempered days, Bob Marley's music was a source of therapy, as it would put me in a state of calmness and tranquility. It was only right for me that whenever I would go to Jamaica for whatever reason, I would make a trip to his resting place and pay my respects.

All About The Views In The Bahamas

Our last stop on our cruise on-board the MSC Seaside is Nassau, Bahamas. Nassau is a popular port where many cruise ships dock, and so the town regularly entertains many tourists on a daily basis. I have not been to the Bahamas since I was a high school student, and frankly, I cannot remember what I did the last time I was here. So, this felt like a brand new experience for me.

Tequila Tasting (Round 2) In Cozumel, Mexico

As we sail on our voyage aboard the MSC Seaside, our next destination was the island of Cozumel in Mexico. Although most of the island is still underdeveloped, the island has seen an explosion in tourism because the island is a popular port of call for cruise ships. When you disembark your ship and walk down the port, you enter a massive shopping mall filled with shops selling tacky souvenirs and other goods. Cozumel is a place that has a similar feeling to going to Las Vegas or Niagara Falls, where the town and your experience walking around the town feels manufactured and devoid of any authenticity.

The Service At The Grand Bahia Principe Jamaica Resort

When I wrote my review on the Grand Bahia Principe Jamaica resort, I stated that I was going to write a separate post on the service that members of my wedding party and myself received. The provided service to us during our stay had to be some of the worst service we have received in our lives. I have been involved in, and witnessed several incidents and altercations that have disappointed me on how the Grand Bahia staff and management handled each situation.

Resort Review: Grand Bahia Principe Jamaica

I stayed for a week at the four-star Grand Bahia Principe Jamaica resort in Runaway Bay in order for myself to attend a wedding. I stayed at the Luxury Bahia Principe Akumal last year, so I figured that this resort would be a scaled-down experience for me. I kept my expectations low for this resort. Here is my review:

Review: WestJet's In-Flight Pizza

On my 4-hour flight to Montego Bay, I was feeling famished. Normally, I would try to eat something before I board my flight, so I do not have the pay the overpriced amount for in-flight meals. However, the feeling of hunger came over me like a tidal wave while on my flight. I had no choice but to order a meal, and after scouring Westjet's on-board menu, I settled on the pizza (which is described to have authentic tomato sauce), which came at a price of $9.49.

Swimming With Stingrays In The Cayman Islands

Our next stop on our voyage aboard the MSC Seaside were the Cayman Islands, for which I have never been. On my day in the Cayman Islands, I was going to do something remarkable and swim with the stingrays. Going into the trip, I hoped that I would not be too freaked out when a stingray brushes up along my leg, but I also realized that swimming with stingrays would be a once in a lifetime opportunity for me.

Exploring Dunn's River Falls in Jamaica

On my trip aboard the MSC Seaside, the first country that we stopped in was Jamaica. We had a pre-scheduled excursion to go to Dunn's River Falls, which is a popular waterfall and attraction for tourists to go to in the Ocho Rios area. Going into the trip, I have seen pictures from people I knew in front of the falls detailing how wonderful the falls were. Finally, I was able to see it for myself.

MSC Seaside Highlights

The MSC Seaside is one the newest cruise ships patrolling the Caribbean with excited curious guests, and I was one of those guests. Although I gave the ship a less-than-favorable review, there were still positives that I would like to share on this post. I would like to talk about all of my favorite places and things to do among the MSC Seaside.

Cruise Ship Review: MSC Seaside

I came back from my stay aboard the MSC Seaside, a technology-driven cruise ship for sailing around the Caribbean, in an attempt to penetrate the North American cruise ship market. MSC is a European cruise line, and the company is hoping to bring some European influence to North America through the MSC Seaside, the first MSC ship built specifically for sailing around North America. We sailed with the Bella experience, which is the basic package for sailing on the ship. You can upgrade your package for a fee.

Celebration and Reconciliation

My most recent bout with dealing with negative thoughts is what is prompting me to write a short piece about why I need to celebrate myself, especially on my birthday.

It is important that I celebrate my accomplishments and myself as a person. I feel worthless because I push away the need to celebrate accomplishments. The frustrations that I am having are because by my incessant drive of growth, but also because of my lack of celebrating myself. My parents always told me that I could do better, even when I achieve something, and because I have never received much positive encouragement from them, it becomes a main source of why I do not celebrate myself. My frustrations can also relate to not staying for informal department meetings, as it is as a way of saying that I do not care about these people. I need to re-wire myself to appreciate myself more, and catch myself whenever I think negative thoughts. Some people have tried to reach out to me at my time of need, and I should repay them back in some way. Let them celebrate me. I need to enjoy my birthday, and I need to change the negative connotations that I have with it.

Happy birthday to me.

Random Thoughts on Man United's 2018-2019 Season

msn.com

As of writing this, Manchester United will not finish in the top four of the Premier League, and will not qualify for the 2019-2020 Champions League. It is currently a sad state of affairs at the club, with an unmotivated group of players, a manager who cannot provide that motivation anymore, and a CEO who does not understand how to run a football club. I can appreciate it if the players on the pitch play with heart and determination, even if the results may not always go their way. However, the players play lackadaisical, and there is no sense of true urgency when three points are up for grabs. The players deserve much of the blame for this failure of a season.

8 Years And Over 25,000 Views Later

Today marks eight years since I started my blog, and I have surpassed 25,000 worldwide page views as well. I am just going to use this post to discuss the changes I have made to the blog since I wrote my previous self-congratulatory post on my four-year blog anniversary, as well as some other things on my mind.

The Dawn Of The Canadian Premier League: Forge FC vs. York 9 FC

@CPLSoccer

April 27, 2019 is a day that will live in Canadian sports infamy.

As you know, that day was the marking of the beginning of the new Canadian Premier League (CPL) season, with York 9 FC travelling down the QEW to Hamilton to take on Hamilton Forge FC. I have been monitoring the progress of the creation of the CPL for some time now, and now this is the opportunity for me to talk about the league in general.

What The Myers-Briggs Personality Test Got Right (And Wrong) About Me

One day at work, our boss told us about the Myers-Briggs personality test that he recently took, and he wanted us to take the test on our own time, whenever we got the chance. My boss was impressed with how it seemed to explain his personality, his strengths, and his weaknesses in near-perfect detail. I have not taken the Myers-Briggs personality test in years, but I thought it would be a good idea to revisit the test and see what personality I most closely match. My boss and I took the test here.

Your Lie In April: Tragically Beautiful

Nefarious Reviews

It is the month of April, so it is only fair that I re-watch one of my favorite anime shows, Your Lie In April. Your Lie In April is about a piano prodigy named Kousei Arima who loses the ability to hear the piano keys he is playing due to a traumatic event in his childhood. While in his depression, Kousei meets an eccentric, carefree violinist named Kaori Miyazono, who tries to help Kousei snap out of his depression, build his confidence, and get him to start playing the piano again to face his trauma. Your Lie In April is an incredibly emotional anime, and I would like to use this post to describe the emotional impact this anime had on my life more than writing a normal review.

Being Hard On Myself (And Other Struggles About Myself)

I am my harshest critic.

Sometimes, my brain tells me that no matter what I do in life, it will never be good enough. I can never accept any sort of positive feedback from anyone, as my brain will immediately dismiss it as not true. I immediately discredit any accomplishments, as my brain is already thinking about the next thing, instead of living in the moment and rewarding myself. My brain periodically likes to remind me that I cannot escape being the person that I used to be, or rather, that I still am the person that I am trying to distance myself.

Why Are The Yakuza Video Games So Brilliant?

The Yakuza video games are the best video games that North American gamers have most likely never played.

When the first Yakuza video games were released for the PlayStation 2 in the mid-2000s, the games struggled to gain a solid audience over in North America, but still had a smaller cult following. With the release of Yakuza 0 in 2017, the remakes of Yakuza 1 and 2 after that, and the positive reception that came with those games, it seems like the Yakuza games now have the exposure to the wide North American audience that the games deserved.

The Therapeutic Excellence of Strip Clubs

One night, I went out for drinks with a friend of mine. After we had our fill of beer at the local bar, my friend was feeling a little adventurous, and so he came up with the suggestion that we go to the strip club. I was reluctant, but I ultimately agreed to his request (after much pleading from my friend). Therefore, off we went to the strip club for a night of adult voyeurism.

Engraved On A Nation: The Northern Touch (Thoughts)

TSN created a documentary about Toronto FC's fan culture as a part of their "Engraved on a Nation" series, which profiles interesting stories in the history of Canadian sport. I could not watch the initial airing of this documentary due to other responsibilities, but I did manage to catch a repeat airing a couple of days later, and so I am ready to give my thoughts. I did not have any high expectations going into watching this documentary, but I hoped that everything presented about the club's fan culture is in a fair and balanced way. I will be watching this documentary in the lens of someone who has been entrenched in the Toronto FC fan culture since the beginning.

I will keep this in bullet-point form. Therefore, here are my thoughts:

Spider-Man: An Atmospheric Video Game Marvel

Spider-Man is a franchise that I hold dear to my heart. When I was younger, I would always watch the Spider-man cartoons, watch the movies, and play the games on various video game systems I had. I was able to pick up the newest Spider-Man game for the PS4 for a suitable price, and long story short, this was the best superhero video game I have ever played.

The Alejandro Pozuelo Transfer to Toronto FC

www.thestar.com (YORICK JANSENS/AFP/GETTY IMAGES)

There has been so much chatter from the press and from social media about this whole "Alejandro Pozuelo to Toronto FC" situation. I have no choice but to address this in a blog post. The circumstances for this transfer are both intriguing and unbelievable, and so I need to dive in and give my thoughts on this whole situation. Pozuelo's potential transfer to Toronto FC seems to be an even bigger talking point this year than even Sebastian Giovinco's departure.

A Look Back at Belize 1-1 Canada From September 9, 2015

As a Canadian soccer supporter and a follower of the North American region of football (better known by the acronym CONCACAF), I have watched my share of matches coming from interesting Central American and Caribbean locales. In these locations, there is an infusion of the local culture with the actual match, creating a unique atmosphere not seen anywhere else in the world.

Comparing Myself To My Microwave: Which Is Better?

This is actually a picture of my microwave. Not pictured: My angry co-worker.

One morning, I was not able to come into work, as my car was full of ice from the previous day's snowstorm and I was not able to get out of my driveway. I had the only key to my office at work, where it also had the department microwave, so my department co-workers can make use of it. Of course, because there is no access to the office, a senior department co-worker of mine was completely livid that day because she was not able to heat up her coffee in that office which I had the key.

2019 Canadian International Auto Show Media Gallery

For all the years that I have been to the Canadian International Auto Show, I do not believe I have actually made a blog post about it. Anyways, I went to the 2019 edition of this auto show, and I can safely tell you that it was just like all the other auto shows of the previous years. That is not to say that there were not any highlights from the show, because there certainly were. I will share these highlights below, as well as some other pictures I took at the event.

Why I Choose Not To Be Drunk Around Co-Workers

I like to enjoy a good drink sometimes. A little bit of alcohol helps me to socialize, and it helps me to engage in great laughs with the company around me. However, there are a group of people in my life where I am hesitant to drink alcohol around, and that would be my co-workers. Before I dive into why it is dangerous to drink a large amount of alcohol around co-workers, allow me to share a little story of a night out with former co-workers that went sour. This night out serves as the basis of my feelings toward drinking around co-workers.

The Sebastian Giovinco Appreciation Post

Last week, I wrote a post offering my opinion on Sebastian Giovinco's transfer from Toronto FC to Al-Hilal FC of the Saudi Professional League. This post will serve as an appreciation for everything Giovinco has done for the club, and for a once jaded and apathetic fan base.

The Sebastian Giovinco Transfer

It is official. The Sebastian Giovinco era of Toronto FC is over.

The club has confirmed the transfer of Giovinco to Saudi Arabian side, Al-Hilal FC. The news came as a complete shock to me yesterday evening, and I am still trying to process the news. I will write a separate appreciation post for Giovinco, but for this post, I want to talk about the actual transfer and the wider implications on Toronto FC and the supporters.

Video Game Review: Shenmue II + Expectations for Shenmue III

microsoft.com

With my purchase of the remastered Shenmue 1 and 2 for the PS4, it was only fair that I once again dive into the world of Shenmue II and relive some old nostalgia. It may be worth reading my review of the first Shenmue game before reading this review, as I make many parallels between both games. Shenmue II is an obvious improvement over the first game in almost every way, but these improvements only felt marginal. It was not just a continuation of the story in Shenmue II, but also a continuation of the graphics and the gameplay as well.

Toxicity in Conversation

I like to read people, and I do not mean that in a creepy way.

Shenmue: A Reflection

shenmuedojo.net

I recently purchased the remastered Shenmue 1 and 2 for the PS4. I bought the game mostly because I wanted to relive the experience I had playing Shenmue 2 on my old Xbox back when I was an elementary school student. However, I had never played the first Shenmue game, and I was intrigued to play this game based on everything I had heard about it up to this point. Therefore, I gave the game a shot, and here is my reflection.

The Laurent Ciman Transfer and Why MLS Rivalries Feel Manufactured (Right Now)

I will admit that the title of this latest blog post is a slight stretch to compare former Montreal Impact defender Laurent Ciman's transfer from Dijon FCO to Toronto FC, to the forced, manufactured nature of rivalries between MLS clubs. However, I need to explain myself.