I’ve spent most of February getting over a stubborn cold that I’ve had since half way through January. Mostly I’ve just felt bunged up, but I’m finally feeling back to normal this week. With writing, apart from Magic in London, and reviews, I’ve not really done that much. I’m definitely going to be putting some time into that in the next few days. The same with reading. I’m about a quarter of the way through Salman Rushdie’s new book, Victory City, which I’m really enjoying but haven’t really sat down just to read.

Pretty much all my free time has been spent playing Yakuza 3. I finished Kiwami 2 a couple of weeks back and moved straight into the 3rd game. I 100% finished Kiwami 2 and am aiming to do 3 as well, but I think the batting centre minigame has broken me. I just can’t get the timing down on it and I think it will be the last thing left to do in the game, so will probably give up on that. Especially since Like a Dragon: Ishin is out next week, which will sap up my next few weeks of free time.

I’ve been listening to Paramore’s new album, This is Why, a lot this week. It’s clicked with me a lot quicker than Hard Times did, and I’m really enjoying it. I’ve also been listening to the first two parts of Atum, the new Smashing Pumpkins album, but I’m not completely sold by it. Like Cyr, I enjoy it while it’s on but there isn’t a single track on the album that I actually remember after the album is finished. They all just blur into one. Part Three is out in April, so hopefully once it’s all out it will come together and it’ll click after a few listens. Smashing Pumpkins are one of my favourite bands, but I’ve been a little disappointed with their last three albums.

For the last two months I’ve also been putting in as much overtime as possible at work, as I’m saving up for my big holiday this year to Japan. We were originally planning to go back in 2020, but obviously with everything that happened it got delayed but we have it booked now for April and that will be here very soon. While I’m on holiday I’m planning to have posts scheduled on here. I’m hoping to have a good portion of the Showa era of Godzilla films reviewed to put them on here daily, and then there will be Magic in London on Fridays still. I’m a big Godzilla fan, and I think the original is one of the best films ever made. I’ve never reviewed them though, or really written that much about them, apart from Godzilla: King of the Monsters. While in Japan, we will be going to see some Godzilla statues around Tokyo, which I’m really looking forward to.

Thanks for reading and until next time,

Ashley