Five.

Five days until I leave for Japan.

Let's talk for a second about megaman.

I have a fondness for megaman. Well, ok, maybe an obsession. A light obsession.

It all started when my brothers rented Megaman X. Back then the house videogame dynamic was pretty simple: they game, I watch. And when I watched megaman I knew that it was the greatest thing to ever exist ever.

Every time we went to blockbuster I would beg my parents to let me rent it. I made rounds collecting dropped pennies and couch change - anything to get my $3.50 megaman fix.

For years I fantasized about being megaman - well Zero really (he's like megaman but more badass because he has a sword). My life would be so amazing! Jumping twenty feet in the air, launching giant drills at cracked walls to collect powerups, sliding under bullets and arking lightning spheres at my foes - it was a welcome alternative to leggos*.

megaman pins firmly affixed to my man-bag

Someone annoys me? No problem. A little charge time and I can send a boulder-sized laser ball of death their way. After it connects maybe I'll filter through the smouldering ash pile - all that remains - for health pickups or spare bolts.

To this day I find myself secretly raising an outstretched arm in the direction of my enemy, fist clenched.

Activate, laser arm! Activate!


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*Not to trash leggos. I love leggos. Just, well, they aren't very effective against giant evil robots.