Non-stop crazy past month (Dec 2019-January 2020)

It sure has been a crazy month for me. You know it's been a long one when my study table are full of things on it and I just have not had the time to clean it up yet.

Week 1: (20th December to 22nd December) Malaysia Regional

So I started the week with my last set of classes for the next few weeks before our break and right after that it was off to Kuala Lumpur on the Friday for the Malaysian Regionals 2019-2020, which would also be my first ever Regional. My confidence going into that one was not that high, I did very poorly at the Singapore SPE with what was my comfort deck in Turbo Zard (Reshiram & Charizard-GX).

I tested out Mewtwo & Mew-GX, thinking that's the deck I should go with for the Regional but I could tell I wasn't playing it right or optimally in the lead up to my trip so I brought along a few back up decks just in case. And in the end, I did switch my decks for the Regional, going for Charizard from Team Up, that being my other comfort deck and going for the surprise element. I knew my matchups quite well with this one, something I couldn't say for Mew3 so why not roll the dice with this Stage 2 deck.

Round 1 vs Malamar WW

Yup first matchup was the one I feared the most, Malamar! Traditionally Charizard's worst matchup ever but the combo of Hoopa and Ninetales helped me get the win out of this match. Did not expect that. My surprise tech of Victini also helped. Didn't expect that win, good start to the Regional. But it all went downhill from here.

Round 2 vs ADP/BuzzMosa LL

Not the worst matchup for me. In fact I was feeling good about this because I knew how to win this match. Sadly Zebstrika was prized in the first game and I just couldn't get out of the constant Reset Stamps. I did get close to winning but missed getting the Welder I needed. Game 2 was a similar story, kept getting Reset Stamped after taking the first big KO and once again missed the win by missing one piece, this time the Fire Crystal.

Round 3 vs ADP/Spiritomb LL

This one is an autoloss. Once ADP hits the GX, no coming back for me since I can't trade the prizes well.

Round 4 vs Dark Box WLT

This one really pissed me off. First game went smoothly, I was favoured in this matchup if he couldn't get his Guzzlord out. Second game was just bad. I kept missing pieces I needed to take out the last KO on any of his Tag Teams and that allowed him to come back and take the win. I almost lost the whole round in game 3 by having just one Bliztle to start off and passing my first turn. Thankfully a top drew a Prof Oak to pretty much force a draw. Still that should have been a win too.

Round 5 vs TurboZard LWL

My Charmanders kept getting picked off one by one in the first game. He couldn't set up while I got my Charizard up by turn 2 in game 2 to give me a straight forward win. Game 3 was pretty much the same as game 1.

Round 6 vs Mewtwo & Mew-GX LWT

Cross Division killed me in game 1, I had a hard time setting up. He had a hard time setting up in game 2 and Charizard swept two Tag Teams for the win. Game 1 took to long so neither of us could do much for game 3.

Round 7 vs Gardevoir & Sylveon-GX WLW

Finally a set where I had normal games. Got my ideal set ups in games 1 and 3 to take the games. Lost in game 2 because I took too long to set-up.

Round 8 vs Mewtwo & Mew-GX WW

Had the perfect set-up in game 1, Charizard up with 5 energies by turn 2 to take out the first Mewtwo and a quick game 1. Similar story for game 2, I got the first big KO before he could do anything much.

Round 9 vs ADP-GX/Keldeo-GX LL

Could not set-up in either games. The moment he had used his GX, I still had no answer to take out ADP.

Ended 160th out of the 282 players with a score of 3/4/2. Not what I wanted, my aim was to simply get more wins than losses and I couldn't even achieve that. Other aim was to be in top 100 and yup bottom 100. So my first regional experience was a complete let down, I just wasn't prepared well enough and didn't play well with a deck I knew so well. What made my day worse was the fact that there was another Charizard TEU in the field and that guy just missed out on a top 32 finish to get himself points. Yup, the deck was good enough to do that, I just wasn't the guy to pull it off.

Week 2 (23rd December to 29th Decemer) Japan Trip within Japan

Right after the KL Regional, I was back on the plane to Singapore to pack up my stuff just to head off to the airport on the same day to head off for my final adventure as a 20s and my first as a 30s in Japan.

We landed in Tokyo on Monday noon and just went shopping around Tokyo for the first day. Second day we were in a plane yet again, this time to Nagasaki. Really cool place, lots of history surrounding the place, most of it relating to the World War 2. I liked the fact that we were travelling around in a tram, similar to how it's like in Melbourne, Calgary and San Francisco.

Got to visit the Huis Ten Bosch theme park, for a second I thought I was in the Netherlands. The area was modelled to look like it. Windmills and all! And yes cheese too. There was even a Teddy Bear museum in there too. After that it was off to Sasebo to the observatory tower to have an amazing view from high up.

3 days later and we're off to Fukuoka. Saga was a nice spot, having a tour around one of their shrines, a must do for travellers! We were staying in Hakata and sure enough there was a Pokemon Center there. Not the biggest one I've seen but of course I had to get some stuff there. Got to visit the Dazaifu shrine, Ohori Park, Nishi-Karatsu and yup had to go another observatory, this time at the top of Mt Kagamiyama, the view there was even better. Especially as we reached there just as the sun was setting.

Week 3 (December 30th -January 5th) Osaka, Tokyo, Wrestle Kingdom 14!

Time to leave Hakata but before heading back to Tokyo we took a 4 hour stop over in Osaka. Would love to visit the place for real next time, looked amazing. Yes there was a Pokemon Center there too, and the Osaka one was easily the best Center I've been to yet, it was huge! They even had an area for TCG and held a league challenge when I was there, sadly in expanded format.

For the next few days we did our usual stuff, exploring Akihabara, Shinjuku and Shibuya mostly. Shibuya had a new mall there and it's 6th level was the best bit. There was a Nintendo Store, a Capcom Store, a Pokemon Center and a pop-up Digimon themed store! The perfect place for us gamers eh?

Didn't do much for my 30th birthday, the best part was stumbling across this amazing area in Ginza at the rooftop of one mall. There was a lazer show around the park with some lights displays to go with it. I had way too much fun with it.



Finally got into the Nintendo Store on the 3rd and well, it had Nintendo store but there wasn't much for me to get there, all I got was a pen and a pin of good ol' Mario. Pokemon Center Shibuya was alright, and of course I spent another $50 there.

And finally January 4th. Wrestle Kingdom day! The biggest wrestling even in Japan, perhaps the 2nd biggest in the whole world. It was my 3rd year in a row watching some of the best wrestling matches inside the Tokyo Dome and once again it was great. And then I'm off back to Singapore on Sunday because of...

Week 4 (January 6th-January 12th) Army Reservist Week 1 & League Cup at Project EXT

Army reservist. I had to come back a day early because of it. And sure enough on Monday my family say my favourite wrestler Chris Jericho in Akihabara. Just my luck eh! The first week of camp was a little tiring, not much happening. Just setting stuff up and down for everyone else's training.

We had two League Challenges and a Cup that weekend and of course I went into them with no playtesting or time to prepare, having not played cards since the KL Regional. The first Challenge didn't go so well with my trusty TurboZard. (2/2/1)

The second one went a little worse, again with TurboZard. Should have gone with Mewtwo & Mew. The deck just did not work. (2/3/0)

With two bad experiences with TurboZard, I decided to make a quick change to play Malamar for the Cup on Sunday, having not played Malamar in over a month! I went with the Ultra Necrozma variant thinking there might be a number of Malamar players in the field.

Round 1 vs Gardevoir & Sylveon-GX WW

That round went well for me. Opponent missed all of his Scoop Ups which gave me the advantage in both games.

Round 2 vs Malamar with Venusaur & Snivy-GX LL

It was all going so well, we kept repeating the same stuff the whole time until his VenuSnivy showed up and cleaned my entire board. That changed everything for me. I had prepared for my Ultra Nec turn until that happened. Had to play it differently in Game 2 but I really couldn't do much to stop him from doing the same thing.

Round 3 vs ADP-GX/Glaceon-GX WW

Opponent had no set-up in the first game. Second game was almost the same thing, he did get a Glaceon up but Giratina did it's job to take out the GXes. Mew helped saving my Malamars from being sniped.

Round 4 vs Mewtwo & Mew-GX WLT

First game went my way, took out his Mewtwo & Mew in Turn 2. He got the ideal set-up for game 2, Cross Division killed me. It took too long that we had no time for Game 3.

Round 5 vs Malamar WLW

I got the perfect set-up in the first game. I misplayed the second game, giving my opponent to opportunity to cross division me for his last prizes. We had a deal where whoever had most prizes in game 3 would take the game if we ended up on a tie. Sure enough, at the end of turn 3 when game was called, we were on the same amount of prizes. My opponent was nice enough to give me the win since I was the one chasing for points, really appreciated that!

Top 8 vs Mewtwo & Mew-GX LL

I was given a game 1 loss because of my sleeves. Like I said, I hadn't played Malamar in over a month and didn't notice some of my cards had double sleeves, my own silly mistake there. Sure enough the one game we played I bricked, no chance to take the game to a game 3.

So I ended up with 25 CP to my name after a 3/1/1 score in swiss rounds. I didn't expect to make top cut with a deck I hadn't played in over a month but it went so well. Malamar is a deck that I've played for what seems forever so the comfort was there. I gave up my spot in a tournament to win tickets to OCIC for this League Cup and I'm glad I made the right decision.


Week 5 (January 13th-January 20th) Army Reservist Week 2 & League Cup at PokeBar

Back to a second week of army training. It was more relaxed this time around, playing Monopoly Deal and finishing up my Pokemon Sword game. Our cohesion was at Gardens by the Bay, fancy place for that. Looked amazing as always.

And then it was off to my second League Cup. Went with Malamar again but this time with Trevenant & Dusknoir-GX and Garchomp & Giratina-GX.

Round 1 vs Gardevoir & Sylveon-GX WW

For the second week in a row, my first round was against a Gardeon in the first round. And for the second week in a row, my opponent failed their scoop ups!


Round 2 vs Malamar with Venusaur & Snivy-GX W

We did the usual stuff, Malamar mirror matches are the worst. There was a point where my opponent was about to have the game, having set up three of my pokemon to be knocked out by VenuSnivy. Then came in the big moment, the tech of Mallow & Lana healed up my damaged Malamar and pretty much gave me the win in the first game. We had no time for a second game.

Round 3 vs Raichu/Nuzzle WLT

This game will scar me for the rest of my playing days. I was happy to see Nuzzle, a pretty easy matchups if you will. I knew what I had to do. Game 1 was just the usual, he couldn't keep up with the Spell Tag spreads and the multiple KOs. The second game wasn't the best, I had Mew and Blacephalon prized. I did get Mew off the first few prizes.

I was still trying to figure out if he played the spreading Alolan Raichu or not, he didn't play that in the first game. I was wondering if I should play my Mew down that turn or not. I decided not to and that was easily the worst mistake I've ever made. Sure enough, the Alolan Raichu came down, so did Tapu Koko Prism and Electrode and he took out 3 Malamars in one shot. I was hoping he had no way to take the last prize but he did. We had no time to finish game 3 so there goes my hopes of taking 3 wins in the first 3 rounds and just IDing my way into top cut. Gotta do it the hard way now.

Round 4 vs Lucario & Melmetal-GX LWT

Sure enough one of my must win matches had to be against Adrian Velasco of all people, the top player from Phillipines who was here at our cup. Game 1 was terrible for me. Game 2 went really well. TinaChomp was my MVP, taking out the first LucMet. Used my Fishing Rod to get TinaChomp back and KO the other LucMet with GG End.

Round 5 vs Malamar with Venusaur & Snivy-GX LL

And of course my win and in match had to be against one of our best players, Jeremy. I had already lost to him in the swiss rounds last week so I wasn't feeling good about this match. I tried to play different but it just didn't work.

2/1/2, if only I had placed down that Mew if would have been 3/0/2 and into top cut for two weeks in a row. Then again, it's quite rare that I even find myself in a position to be in a win and in situation for two league cups in a row, the change in decks sure helped!

And that was my crazy month!

Kash's Top 30 List: Favourite Songs

I thought I should continue the Top 30 list bit going for the rest of the year so I will try my best to do just that. So on the 2nd of each month, I'll try to come up with 30 things I like from a subject, which could be on just about anything.

I thought I'd start off with a list of my favourite songs. It'll be a very different list to anything you'll see as I tend to like roxk and roll stuff and generally music from the UK so it's a bit limited but I still think they're all amazing tunes. If you've not heard of any of these, I hope you'll give them a listen and just appreciate the music.

These songs all have a certain meaning to me behind well me liking them in the first place. Some of the lyrics are just too perfect as well, resonating with me for specific reasons.

There is a certain band whose songs shows up more then ten times because well they are favourite after all but the songs they're known for might not show up on this list too. Also the individuals part of that group, their songs make up the majority of this list.

Also, I tried my best not to include any wrestling songs, that can make up another list by itself.

Legend: Song Name - Artist - Album

30) Stop Crying Your Heart Out - Oasis - Heathen Chemistry

Always liked this song but it became more meaningful to me with events that happened in 2019. As the song goes, "don't be scared, your destiny may keep you warm". How true is that?

29) My Way - Limp Bizkit - Chocolate Starfish & the Hot Dog Flavoured Water

This one is an old but gold stuff. My late cousin Jaggi got me into some bands, mainly Metallica but also early on we would listen to Limp Bizkit alot and this was always one of my favourites from them. And I do love the live, "my way or the high way",

28) Chances Are - Stereophonics - Scream Above the Sounds

A very recent one but I can't stop listening to this lately. We all do take a chance in life so this song just spoke to me about taking those chances and going with it.

27)  It's a Beautiful World - Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Who Built the Moon?

Not just a great song but I loved the idea behind it. It talks about the beautiful world we live, but also how ugly it can be. The french bit was a bit eerie as it was saying the world is coming to an end, the complete opposite to the song.

26) Gas Panic! - Oasis - Standing of the Shoulder of Giants

Just love this song more for the music, never heard anything quite like it before. Has some powerful lyrics too. "Yer better get on yer knees and pray. Panic is on the way!" Very rock and roll eh?

25) Morning Glory - Oasis - What's The Story, Morning Glory?

Another one that I've always liked. I like it so much it became my alarm tune. Why? Is there a better way to get up than hearing Liam Gallagher sing "Need a little time to wake up, need a little time to rest your mind".

24) Stevie - Kasabian - 48:13

Another one that I personally liked. It feels like you're in a story as Stevie who's in the wrong but I can't help it. "Live to fight another day, live to fight again".

23) Breath - Breaking Benjamin - Phobia

Always been a fan of Breaking Benjamin and this is probably my favourite song of theirs. There's a lovely meaning behind the song too. "You take the breath right out of me, you left a hole where my heart should be".

22) The Shock of the Lighting - Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul

This song got me back into music and started my fandom of everything and anything Oasis. It just so happened to be in an F1 commercial but the rock and roll vibe I got out of it got me hooked. This song started everything.

21) Judas - Fozzy - Judas

Chris Jericho is one of my all tome favourite wrestlers but he's not bad as a singer too. His Fozzy band has been putting out really good songs lately and I'd say Judas is their best one yet. It just sounds great.

20) Where Did It All Go Wrong? - Oasis - Standing of the Shoulder of Giants

Not a well known Oasis song but one of my all time favourites. It spoke to me when I went through some hard times. Lycrially wise, one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. Don't we all wonder why and how things went wrong for us? "Do you keep the receipts? For the friends that you buy. And ain't it bittersweet you were only just getting by". Yup that was me.

19) The Roller - Beady Eye - Different Gear, Still Speeding

Beady Eye were pretty much Oasis without Noel Gallagher but that is still a big thing missing. They still did have some great tunes, The Roller being my favourite of the lot.

18) Maybe Tomorrow - Stereophonics - You Gotta Go There To Come Back

"Maybe tomorrow, I'll find my way home". This song made me a fan of Stereophonics, love the title itself. Don't we all sometimes just say we'll get something done but maybe we'll do it tomorrow?

17) For What It's Worth - Liam Gallagher - As You Were

I was psyched to hear that Liam Gallagher, my favourite singer of all time, was finally about to be a solo artist. This song was easily his best. Love the song and the meaning behind it, Liam just being sorry for his past behaviour. "For what it's worth I'm sorry for the hurt. I'll be the first to say, I made my own mistakes".

16) Ballad of the Mighty I - Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Chasing Yesterday

Another top tune from the Chief. A true masterpiece and one of those rare songs to have two musical geniuses doing their thing in it, Johnny Marr and Noel Gallagher. The guitars, the piano, everything just worked here. Also this is one of my favourite music videos (never been a big fan of them) because Noel is pretty much taking the piss out of making music videos which he hates! Nice way to stick it to them.

15) The Masterplan - Oasis - The Masterplan

Easily the best song to never feature on any album outright. One of the best tunes I've ever heard. A true masterpiece. After all, we are all part of a masterplan yup? "And as they land upon the shore, tell them not to fear no more, say it loud and sing it proud today". Just amazing.

14) Once - Liam Gallagher - Why Me? Why Not?

The first time I heard a preview of this song, I just knew it'd be amazing. And it was. Such a beautiful song, the lyrics just spoke to me. To me the best song to cone out of 2019. "When the dawn came up, you felt so inspired to do it again. But it turns out you only get to do it once". How true is tgat hit to many parts of life?

13) Easy Money - Johnny Marr - Playland

Johnny Marr has released a lot of good songs lately and Easy Money is easily my favourite. If you're into guitar music like I am, Marr is the man for it! Very meaningful too. People say money is everything but it's really not. "Watch a human fall and that's only money".

12) Don't Look Back In Anger - Oasis - What's the Story, Morning Glory?

One of the most well known Oasis songs ever, played almost everytime by Noel Gallagher in his gigs these days. An anthem for many people, in fact the Manchester locals were singing this song while praying for the victims of the terror attack. It's become that powerful of a song. I mean the title says it all really. We can't look back at things and feel angry about it, they're in the past, gotta move on yup? "She knows it's too late as she's walking on by. My soul slides away but don't look back in anger, I heard you say".

11) Enter Sandman - Metallica - Metallica

Metallica. What more can I say about them that's not been said already. Heavy metal gods amongst us. And Enter Sandman is my favourite of their songs. The song just sucks you into this adventure of musical proportions. "Tuck you in, warm within, keep you free from sins, till the sandman he comes".

10) The River - Liam Gallagher - Why Me? Why Not?

If I had done this list 3 months back, something else would have made the top 10 but this song just appealed to me the first moment I heard it back in August. It just screams rock and roll. Liam hit another classic with this, it just sounds amazing. "Lick your lips like a prize fighter, surely you can take a punch. Your knuckles can't get no whiter, they're gonna eat you for lunch, boy!" That just screams of rock and roll from a total badass like Liam, always ready for a fight.

9) How Soon Is Now? - The Smiths - Hatful of Hallow

An old gitty from the old country as Johnny Marr says right before his performance here. I had to share this version because somehow it sounds even more amazing than the actual version. Always liked this song more for the guitars and the music that surrounds it, was never a big fan of Morrisey to be fair but Marr's playing makes this song amazing for me.

8) Club Foot - Kasabian - Kasabian

A real classic from Kasabian, they've always had some top tunes but this is easily their best. So good FIFA had this in one of their games, which is how I found out about this song in the first place. Still sounds as good as the first time I heard it.

7) Rock n Roll Star - Oasis - Definitely Maybe

This song is called Rock n Roll star, do I need to say more? One of the best songs I've ever heard, one of the first songs I usually listen to when I'm on a long trip, a great way to get me amped up for sure.  "In my mind my dreams are real, now we're concerned about the way I feel? Tonight I'm a rock and roll star". I mean, how many of us have always dreamed of being just that anyways?

6) Cult of Personality - Living Colour - Vivid

Sure this song felt like a political song but it's very rock and roll. The whole idea was to know what makes a good or a bad person. And sure I did find this through wrestling but I've kept listening to it ever since. "Look into my eyes, what do you see? The cult of personality". Very powerful stuff here.

5) Everybody's On The Run - Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

How this is not a James Bond song already, I will never know. The best way I can describe this song is that it was made for the greatest movie we've never seen yet. I simply love the lyrics a lot on this (as I do for most of Noel Gallagher's songs, he's a brilliant songwriter after all), along with the sounds, very simple but that's what makes it so good. Even the backing choir sounds amazing here. "A broken heart is still beating, in and out of time, hold your body next to mine". One of the best songs I've heard play live too!

4) Supersonic - Oasis -  Definitely Maybe

Just listen to it. Not much I can really add on why this song is so bloody good. I always find myself singing along to the tune as well, even though I try not to do that. "I'm feeling supersonic, give me gin and tonic, you can have it all but how much do you want it?". I'd advise against the gin and tonic though, that's not my scene.

3) Back in Black - AC/DC - Back in Black

You know that intro. You know that guitar rift. Just enjoy the ride. AC/DC is one of my favourite bands of all time, true legends of rock and roll. I'm more use to the Brian Johnson era but I still listen to all of them. And of course, Back in Black is one of my favourite songs of all time. I can listen to this for hours and not get bored of it. "Cause I'm back on the track, and I'm beating the flack, nobody's gonna get me on another rap". Legendary stuff.

2) Live Forever - Oasis - Definitely Maybe

This is the song. An anthem for many people like Don't Look Back in Anger. I mean who does not want to live forever? We all have that dream don't we. The lyrics on this song is just amazing, as per usual from Noel and Liam was at it's usual best singing this tune. To me, this is the best song Oasis has ever made. "Maybe I just wanna fly, wanna live don't want to die. Maybe I just wanna breathe, maybe I just don't believe. Maybe you're the same as me, we see things they'll never see. You and I are gonna live forever." Tell the truth, sometimes I just mouth that to myself whenever I feel down or worried about something, it always got me through tough times.

1) Slide Away - Oasis - Definitely Maybe

Live Forever is the best song Oasis made but Slide Away is my absolute favourite song of all time. The lyrics, the guitars, Liam's signing, Noel's back-up vocals, the pace of the song, everything just works on this. I truly enjoy listening to this song every-time I get the chance to hear it, a true masterpiece. "We'll find a way of chasing the sun. Let me be the one who shines with you, in the morning we don't know what to do. We're two of a kind, we'll find a way to do what we've done. Oh let me be the one who shines with you and we can slide away!"

And as a bonus, I've got Noel singing an acoustic version of Slide Away a few years back, which I thought was the best version I've heard it live yet. Thanks for reading and listening, hope you'll like some of the songs I've shared here.

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30

Yup. 30 today. Oh bugger I'm old now haha. But I should follow Takuma Sato's motto for this new stage, "No Attack, No Chance".