So I’ve just been told about a website called “ifttt.com” (ifttt = “if this, then that”) and this post is basically a test post to see if my “recipe” worked.  But hey, I might as well fill you guys in.

ifttt utilizes a very basic logical process in order to make the internet work for you.

If THIS happens, then do THAT.

A couple examples of “recipes”:

• If I post a photo to facebook, I would like that photo uploaded to Picasa.
• If I make a blog post here at road2japan.com, I would like a link to my blog post to appear on my facebook wall.
• If it will rain tomorrow, I want to receive an email reminding my to get my umbrella ready.

New post at Road 2 Japan! Check it out: {{PostTitle}}

Where {{PostTitle}} will be swapped out with the title of my post.  {{PostTitle}} is an “Addin”.  The addins you have available to you are accessible on the right hand side so you can see what you have to work with.  I’m also asked to supply a link URL (to this post), so instead of writing “http://www.road2japan.com… etc.”, I’ll just use the Addin “{{PostUrl}}”.

And that’s that. Set up some tasks, check out other peoples recipes, and let the internet do the work for you. If all goes well, I’ll have a post on facebook and twitter telling my friends about this blog post.

I’m sad.

I’m crying.

Not on the outside, because that would be embarassing and very un-manly of me.  But I am crying.  On the inside.

Tomorrow I leave for Japan.

This post is almost more equivalent to that of a Facebook status update or a Tweet.  I’m slightly nervous.  Why?  Because in 35 minutes our team leader will be presenting a gigantic project our team has been working on over the past 4-5 months at Dreamworld.  This isn’t just a presentation, the future of the project lies on this presentation.  Our humble 3-man development army are competing with some other talented Software Development studios in hopes that our project will be picked and implemented here at Dreamworld.

I mean, I won’t be presenting, but this project is all I have been doing here at Dreamworld, and naturally I would like to see it succeed.  The past 4 months of hard-work really does depend on this presentation and what the suits think about the software and us.

Fingers crossed!

Uni crunch time.  It’s happened before.  It’s happening now.  It will happen… err… one more time, then I graduate.  But alas it is happening now and it doesn’t get easier.

It’s weird… Because I think i’m gonna be on top of all my assessment and feel as though I got this but bam! Out of nowhere I’ve got an Artificial Intelligence assignment due in 4 days and I’m a little too far from completion for comfort!  So lately Tim and I have been pulling all day’ers trying to get our AI projects under control but it really is proving to be a massive dickhole of a task. The majority of time i spend pulling out large chunks of hair (with far too much ease) and Tim has seizures on the floor.  Not the most efficient way to program, I know, but it isn’t our fault.  I would like to credit the software OpenSim for the  full retardation of the project with special thanks to our lecturer who is forcing us to use it (when there are better software out there to serve the purpose we are trying to achieve).

Congratulations OpenSim, you are the winner!  Here’s your trophy! I believe this trophy adequately represents your usability, practicality, and overall awesomeness.

OpenSim, your trophy is special.  Soccer trophies have a soccer ball on top, golf trophies have golfers on the top, but your trophy carries an extra chromosome on top.  The chromosome is wearing a small hat with a propeller.  It also drinks out of a sipper cup.  Your trophy also sports heavily detailed  drool easing its way down the side of the it.  Your trophy does not have a flat base so that you may be able to sit it on your mantlepiece, instead the base is made of vomit and is irregular. There are no obvious handles to your trophy.  If your trophy were to pass GO, instead of collecting $200, it would murder small children.  Your trophy promotes cancer and violence against women.  Also, excluding the sections of your trophy that is made of vomit and a chromosome, your trophy is made of poo.

22 Days! 22 Days till i’m back in Japan, ripping it up with my buddy Emma, only to be joined 3 days later by my cousin Ian.

In the past 2 years or so i’ve done quite a bit of travelling.  But i’ve never returned to a country i’ve travelled to (apart from Australia of course), and so this trip to Japan will be the first time i’ve done this.

My feelings leading up to this trip have recently become very mixed! The excitement of seeing all the things that I miss so dear is overwhelming, but then the possibility of Japan not being as I remember scares me.  This has resulted in me being left somewhat in a state of indifference towards my trip there.  It has made me re-think what it is about the place that I loved so much.  In fact, people have asked me that same question and my answer has been: “I just like it”.

-= English Below =-

３月２１日２０１１年　　月曜日

昨日めっちゃ楽しかったよ！起きたの時、いとこからのSMSメッセージがあった。いとこの名前はイアンだ。それを読んだが「昼ご飯行き食べないか？でも、まず、僕はおじが手伝わなくちゃいけない」。楽しそうと思っていた。ぼくは「はい、いいよ！」を答えた。

１時にはいとこがいなかった。めっちゃはらへっただったよ！もうすぐ、いとこが来って一緒に昼ご飯に行った。車でレストランまで１時間かかった。すごい腹へっただった。

でも。。。そのレストランは全焼した！！！僕は泣きたい。。。イアンは僕に「あっちシズラーがある！行ってみたいか？」と言った。次にいっしょにシズラーに行った。シズラーの豚のリブズは僕の一番好きなシズラーの食べ物だけど豚のリブズが売り切れた！信じられなかったよ！

でも、やっとの思いで、ハンバーガーの店に食べに行った。やった！

後で、僕とイアンは一緒にアイスホッケーのゲームに行った。その前には僕がアイスホッケーのゲームに行ったことがなかったからすごい楽しかった！

僕の週末が面白くてよかったと思う。。。。

Ok, so i’m still currently working on a decent sized blog post regarding the Sunday just passed.  I’m also making it one of my Japanese journal entries, so it’s taking a bit longer than usual – however, it’s almost done!

In the mean time I stumbled across this.  Youtube user “shantzg001″ managed to mod his PS3 to use an XBOX Kinect device as its control input.  He states that this video is just a proof of concept, and it obviously is.  The mod is not at all practical just yet, but there’s no telling what further development might do!

Yeah so about those daily Japanese journal entries.  Eeek.  I figure it’s quite apparent that they won’t be posted daily on this blog because I find I don’t have enough time at my own computer to write them.  Or should i say, enough “proper” time.  I hardly have enough time to squeeze in an English post.  So i’ve been writing some journal entries down in my notebook, but I’m never too happy with them.  I’ve been hanging out with friends and my cousin lately, as well as having some late nights at Uni and the very little time I’ve found myself in front of my own computer is at a moment where the last thing I want to do is think.

Even now, I’m at Uni, waiting for a class to start, and using the computers here in the lab to make this post.  Times are tough.

Not really.

But they are for some.  How are the crazy ass earthquakes in Japan! Terrible terrible stuff.  The photos and videos i’ve seen are just simply shocking, like stuff i’d expect to only appear in some Hollywood flick.  But I am super grateful that all my friends are still ok.  Osaka wasn’t really affected, it seems.  But I do feel for everyone who has been affected by the quake, and I wish peace to those affected and a speedy recovery for Japan.

What else happened this past week? I attended a hobo party.  That was fun.  I also hung out at my buddy Tim’s new place.  We worked on a small game for one of our classes (Mobile Devices) at Uni – it was a productive (and, of course, eventful.  Note: “Tim”) afternoon/night to say the least!