The End is Nigh

For Summer that is. I forget if it's today or tomorrow, but that last day is within grasp either way. And that's good.

Oh hey, Cabin in the Woods is out on DVD. If you never saw it, for shame, go watch it now.

We have played several more games (well at least 2) of Betrayal at House on the Hill. It has continued to be fun. The heroes lost both times to the traitor. There were ghosts of various types involved in both instances. It is distinctly possible we will be playing again this weekend.

I have an idea banging around in my head for a board game. I will have to see if I can flesh out actual parts and rules and mechanics. I will be borrowing liberally from a couple other games. More on that if it materializes.

I am reading way too many books. One is on game design another is Call the Shots, the final book in the crude boy humor series that started with Swim the Fly, I'm still going through Game of Thrones and it seems like there are others. I have no idea. Honestly I can't keep anything straight at this point. You're lucky (for varying degrees of luck) I can string words together in any sort of coherent fashion...

In fact my brain has shut down enough that I can't be bothered to cont

Back in the saddle

Books. Games. A week off. So many things. Where to start?

We had a great visit with Dad while he was out. They're always too short and too few. We only had a couple small projects for him this time. We installed a digital thermostat and replaced the light fixture that decided to throw itself to the floor when we replaced the roof. The rest of the time was spent visiting the park or hitting Liberty Land or the pool or the driving range. It was a pretty eventful trip. There was some relaxing in there as well. I also learned that Dad is pretty incapable of walking and looking while trying to play Portal 2. Oh well, nobody's perfect... G enjoyed the laser tag (and the pirate game - don't ask) as did the girls. Although our poor team didn't fare very well. I managed the top spot on our team and 11th overall ranking. Somehow.

While at Liberty Land we also had a lot of fun with a video game version of that scene from Entrapment - you go into this little room and hit the start button to make a bunch of lasers show up, you then have to make your way to the other side of the room, hit a button and then make your way back to hit the stop button. All while trying to do it as quickly as possible and without hitting the lasers. Good fun.

Mostly as I can't be bothered with in depth thoughts on the following here are some quick responses on the many things I've read recently:

Reality is Broken - save the world through gaming. Some interesting ideas, not convinced of her conclusions. worth reading and talking about though.

Demonglass - the second Hex Hall book. Silly good fun. And such a cliffhanger!

Robopocalypse - World War Z with robots. Some of the world building is a little lacking, but pretty fun. Read it.

Fullmetal Alchemist volumes something or other to 24 - good. Series is winding up. What's going to happen? Also a lot gorier than earlier installments.

That should cover the books. I've also been playing a fair amount of Portal 2. It was a Father's Day gift and it's brilliant. So funny. If you like puzzles at all and have a sense of humor you need to be playing this game. There is nothing better than making your way through a tricky room and then getting some hilarious dialog as a reward. The co-op is pretty good as well. Best new game I've played.

I've also been toying around with the Uncharted 3 multi player beta. Now that they've released an update it seems more stable. I can't wait for the actual game. The multi player is decent. I'm horrible at it, but it's fun.

McK has her final softball game of the season tonight (barring possible thunderstorms). Somehow her team managed to make it to the last game. So her team will most likely place second, but still anything is possible. Good luck McK!

Head full of cheese

While the normal human head may weigh about 8 lbs or so, I'm pretty sure mine is clocking in at about 15. I really dislike sinus infections. From the way everything acts like a slow-mo action shot to that slight sore throat to the aforementioned hefty head full of snot, they're not fun. And don't get my wife started on the snoring. Ear plugs indeed...

In other news, G has caught the Star Wars bug. He's been playing through Lego Star Wars (or Star Wars the Clone Wars as he insists on calling it as everything SW related must be named after the show on Cartoon Network) with either my wife or I (depending on who he can con into it at the moment) and having a grand old time. Apparently he finished the game (a feat I myself have not yet managed) and decided that the movies had to be consumed next. I told lovely wife that he could only watch the first one without me. For Star Wars movies are an ancient male bonding ritual and he's not allowed to watch them the first time without me. Or there will be hell to pay. (Apparently the viewing of Ep 4 this afternoon was accompanied by much light saber wielding, toy x wing flying and "hey that was in the game! I remember that!" commentary.) Now to find a way to get that really cool Lego Millennium Falcon... Hmm....

Picked up Blue Moon courtesy of Father-in-Law for my birthday. Will report back on how it is. Looking forward to it as we really enjoy Blue Moon City.

The Graveyard Book and Death from the Skies are still being consumed. I'm going to run out of patience to read long before things to read... Although they may take a backseat to Zombies: A Field Guide to the Living Dead which is lurking on the hold shelf for me. That plus some Rolling Stones, gotta catch up on my classic rock yo.

It needs to snow. That is all.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go use my head for a paperweight.