We finished watching season one of the British Being Human. I'm not entirely certain why people like this show. Or thought it needed a remake. The first 4 episodes (maybe 3 1/2) of 6 were not particularly enjoyable. George (the werewolf) is probably the standout character. Annie (the ghost) wasn't that great (barring her brief tenure as poltergeist) and mostly suffered from being far too predictable in her plotting. The killer was X? Gee, I didn't see that coming two seconds after she was introduced... Mitchell (the vampire) suffers from some predictable plotting as well. They do have good chemistry, but I'm in no hurry to see season 2.
So. For some time our receiver has been slowly dying. There's a short that causes the center channel to just stop working. Which makes hearing dialog difficult. Ran into a nice sale at Amazon and picked up a new one that has apparently just arrived. Which means I now get to pull the tv out, yank out the old receiver try to sort out what's plugged into where and then get everything plugged into the new receiver. And hope it all works. I am not expecting to enjoy this process.
However it will be a cakewalk compared to replacing our computer. It's also slowly dying and in need of an upgrade. I suspect we'll stick with Apple, but I'm really not looking forward to getting everything working again. Mostly as I need to transfer all the music and so on over to the new computer. I'm sure it will go well.
There needs to be a way that this just happens. That doesn't involve paying teenagers to come do it for you. I am looking forward to the fact that apparently the new receiver auto adjusts the speakers for you. That will be nice. Assuming I can figure out how to make it all work.
Finished up Emily Strange: Dark Times. It wasn't quite as good as the first one, but it wasn't horrible either. Some nice quirky humor.
M is currently performing in Mulan as a background singer. It's a little ridiculous the lengths they're going to for a grade school musical, but they do a good job. The costumes and set are all really nice and there are only a few things that remind you it's a grade school. Not convinced it's worth the money they've required for it (we had to pay so she could be in it and pay to go see it and make her costume and...) but she has had fun. I think it's starting to wear on her a little, but that's not surprising. So good job M!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Spoooooky
Finally got a chance to take in Paranormal Activity 2. I really liked it. I enjoy these movies quite a bit actually. I find movies that are more on the psychological side to be spookier than their slasher counterparts (although they can certainly be fun). Lovely wife continued to be freaked out by this series. So that's a plus as well. I found the way that the sequel intertwined with the first movie intriguing. And of course the next morning I left all the cabinet doors and drawers in the kitchen open as a nice wake me up for lovely wife. Alas, McK was the first one downstairs and ruined the joke. At least she called everyone down to see my handiwork. M seemed to think someone had broken in and rifled through the kitchen. I'm unsure why her brain is wired that way...
I'm getting very close to the end of Uncharted 2. It's definitely worth playing. This series could do with a touch less shooting and a touch more exploration, but other than that it's just about perfect. So fun.
Courtesy of a kind father in law, I now have my signed copies of Name of the Wind and Wise Man's Fear. I'm currently about half way through the latter and enjoying it immensely. I'm a little worried it's going to be sad, but it's an absolutely brilliant book.
Got in another game of Mansions of Madness. This time I managed to crush those poor investigators and left poor McK without a brain as my Mi-Go took it and left for outer space. Mwa ha ha ha ha. We played another scenario and it was interesting to see the differences in them. The first one was more like a chase sequence in which the monsters showed up early and harassed the investigators while they searched for clues. This time it was more of a slow burn as the investigators tried to unearth what was happening at a school before everything erupted in a sudden burst of monsters and gray matter. Good times. Also I highly recommend Plano tackle boxes as a storage solution for games with lots of bits. They're brilliant.
We've just started watching the BBC version of Being Human. It started off a little oddly, but we'll see where it goes.
I should probably talk a little more about Heavy Rain, but I think I'll save it for another time. Other than that things are just far too hectic at casa del 'd'. We've gotten a bit of a glimpse of the next few years as the girls get old enough to have after school activities and so on. It's not terribly pleasant. Far too much running around for lovely wife. That coupled with the various reasons that we're out of the house and I suspect we'll start to wonder who these people in the house with us are. If I start referring to lovely wife as lovely stranger send help.
I'm getting very close to the end of Uncharted 2. It's definitely worth playing. This series could do with a touch less shooting and a touch more exploration, but other than that it's just about perfect. So fun.
Courtesy of a kind father in law, I now have my signed copies of Name of the Wind and Wise Man's Fear. I'm currently about half way through the latter and enjoying it immensely. I'm a little worried it's going to be sad, but it's an absolutely brilliant book.
Got in another game of Mansions of Madness. This time I managed to crush those poor investigators and left poor McK without a brain as my Mi-Go took it and left for outer space. Mwa ha ha ha ha. We played another scenario and it was interesting to see the differences in them. The first one was more like a chase sequence in which the monsters showed up early and harassed the investigators while they searched for clues. This time it was more of a slow burn as the investigators tried to unearth what was happening at a school before everything erupted in a sudden burst of monsters and gray matter. Good times. Also I highly recommend Plano tackle boxes as a storage solution for games with lots of bits. They're brilliant.
We've just started watching the BBC version of Being Human. It started off a little oddly, but we'll see where it goes.
I should probably talk a little more about Heavy Rain, but I think I'll save it for another time. Other than that things are just far too hectic at casa del 'd'. We've gotten a bit of a glimpse of the next few years as the girls get old enough to have after school activities and so on. It's not terribly pleasant. Far too much running around for lovely wife. That coupled with the various reasons that we're out of the house and I suspect we'll start to wonder who these people in the house with us are. If I start referring to lovely wife as lovely stranger send help.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Grim Pursuits
The Social Network was a pretty fascinating story. And continues to cement my desire to stay far far away from Facebook. Zuckerberg (as portrayed) seems pretty willing to sacrifice all in pursuit of his idea. (And given his standing on privacy rights - at least as far as Facebook is concerned - he will sacrifice plenty) Fincher is still one of my favorite directors and this movie didn't really alter that at all. May have to track down the book...
The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski is a collection of short stories loosely woven together. It's where the video game The Witcher got it's titular character from. I've heard about the game some and decided to track down the book. I liked it. It's a shade darker twist on classic fairy tales. The witcher is a troubled soul tasked with fighting monsters for people that either actively dislike him or, at best, tend to ignore him. There's a bit of an overarching frame story where's he's recovering from his last fight and some of the time is spent telling or remembering previous such tasks. It's fun to figure out which story is getting told this time (you'll spot Snow White and Beauty and the Beast among others). I think I'll track down the next book as well. I like the characters and the world.
Mansions of Madness did indeed get played over the weekend (and will get played again in a couple days). It's a pretty interesting game. It takes forever to set up and that's saying something. This is a Fantasy Flight game, so some set up time was inevitable, but this is borderline ridiculous. Because it's a story based game with various scenarios you get to set up the board in addition to all the bits that make up the meat of the scenarios. So, if you're the keeper, plan to spend time setting up the tiles and then wading through the myriad cards collecting the ones you need and then placing them in the right order and then placing those stacks in the right places and then mixing the proper decks and so on. Once all that's done, the game itself is pretty interesting. The investigators get a bit of a story to set the stage and then explore the mansion trying to find clues and prevent Ominous Things from happening. The keeper does his best to drive them insane or kill them while striving to achieve his own nefarious goals. I like the way attributes are checked and puzzles are solved and so on. Plus the critters are cool.
Lovely wife found it to be a better first impression than Arkham Horror and M was occasionally unsettled by the mood music (the soundtrack from 28 Weeks Later) and the story. So that's a win in my book. If you're looking for a game with theme and some unique interaction, this is it. Just know that the theme is dark and Lovecraftian...
Heavy Rain finally went Greatest Hits the other week pushing it into affordable game territory. So I snapped it up. I find the way it's played to be probably the most immersive I've encountered in a video game. And it's pretty gorgeous to look at as well. I really want to see where the story is going to go. Plus it wins the best distraction while the game is installing award (previously held by Metal Gear Solid 4). It teaches you to make the origami critter featured heavily throughout the game. Too cool. Don't be fooled by the opening moments of the game (as lovely wife was) - there are certainly grim things ahead. It's not all birthday parties and toy sword fights. I really like the way the opening moments teach you how the game is played by introducing innocuous versions of things you'll be doing later.
So, that's what has passed for entertainment in the land of 'd' lately. I suspect I'm going to have to give the dentist a holler tomorrow. I do not care for the jangle I get whenever I drink/eat something cold. Lovely wife is trying to convince herself that Spring Break will not be an exercise in annoyingchildrenicide and hopes to catch up on some lost sleep. I wish her luck. We'll all need it. I could use some sleep myself. Ah well...
The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski is a collection of short stories loosely woven together. It's where the video game The Witcher got it's titular character from. I've heard about the game some and decided to track down the book. I liked it. It's a shade darker twist on classic fairy tales. The witcher is a troubled soul tasked with fighting monsters for people that either actively dislike him or, at best, tend to ignore him. There's a bit of an overarching frame story where's he's recovering from his last fight and some of the time is spent telling or remembering previous such tasks. It's fun to figure out which story is getting told this time (you'll spot Snow White and Beauty and the Beast among others). I think I'll track down the next book as well. I like the characters and the world.
Mansions of Madness did indeed get played over the weekend (and will get played again in a couple days). It's a pretty interesting game. It takes forever to set up and that's saying something. This is a Fantasy Flight game, so some set up time was inevitable, but this is borderline ridiculous. Because it's a story based game with various scenarios you get to set up the board in addition to all the bits that make up the meat of the scenarios. So, if you're the keeper, plan to spend time setting up the tiles and then wading through the myriad cards collecting the ones you need and then placing them in the right order and then placing those stacks in the right places and then mixing the proper decks and so on. Once all that's done, the game itself is pretty interesting. The investigators get a bit of a story to set the stage and then explore the mansion trying to find clues and prevent Ominous Things from happening. The keeper does his best to drive them insane or kill them while striving to achieve his own nefarious goals. I like the way attributes are checked and puzzles are solved and so on. Plus the critters are cool.
Lovely wife found it to be a better first impression than Arkham Horror and M was occasionally unsettled by the mood music (the soundtrack from 28 Weeks Later) and the story. So that's a win in my book. If you're looking for a game with theme and some unique interaction, this is it. Just know that the theme is dark and Lovecraftian...
Heavy Rain finally went Greatest Hits the other week pushing it into affordable game territory. So I snapped it up. I find the way it's played to be probably the most immersive I've encountered in a video game. And it's pretty gorgeous to look at as well. I really want to see where the story is going to go. Plus it wins the best distraction while the game is installing award (previously held by Metal Gear Solid 4). It teaches you to make the origami critter featured heavily throughout the game. Too cool. Don't be fooled by the opening moments of the game (as lovely wife was) - there are certainly grim things ahead. It's not all birthday parties and toy sword fights. I really like the way the opening moments teach you how the game is played by introducing innocuous versions of things you'll be doing later.
So, that's what has passed for entertainment in the land of 'd' lately. I suspect I'm going to have to give the dentist a holler tomorrow. I do not care for the jangle I get whenever I drink/eat something cold. Lovely wife is trying to convince herself that Spring Break will not be an exercise in annoyingchildrenicide and hopes to catch up on some lost sleep. I wish her luck. We'll all need it. I could use some sleep myself. Ah well...
Thursday, March 10, 2011
In which normalcy returns
We had nice visits with lovely wife's Mom and Dad over this past week. Her Mom, unfortunately, got to spend most of the time working on a costume for M for Mulan. But the costume was completed, so yay I guess? M certainly seems to think so. We also had a fun dinner at Teppanyaki during her stay. We got to see some new hibachi chef routines as well as a magic trick. Mostly due to the family we were seated with, but a show is a show.
G dragged Grandpa over to Cabelas and convinced him to let him play the shooting gallery game. I took advantage of the leftover tokens and had a go myself. It was fun. G needs to work on his aim. ^_^ Kids were glad to see family as were lovely wife and I and now we get to try and calm them down from all the excitement.
Also, congratulations go to nephew L on his Baptism.
We finished off season one of Community. It was great. The paintball episode was indeed amazing (a 28 Days Later reference in addition to some John Woo and a couple others). This may become the 2nd show that I actually bother to watch while it's broadcasting.
I have had my first tooth filled. It theoretically wasn't a cavity - just a small hole on the biting surface of my tooth. But once they drilled in they discovered it went all the way down my tooth. Still a very small hole, just very deep. It wasn't the most pleasant of experiences. I'm trying to decide if it's not completely better. I get a bit of an ache when I eat crunchy things like chips or cereal. Is that normal a week later?
Mansions of Madness is out. And I have my copy. I am very much looking forward to playing it. Puzzles, monsters, loss of sanity, stories full of dread and intrigue... what's not to love? I'm going to try and convince lovely wife and possibly McK to give it a go some time this weekend so we can get some of the rules down.
I'm ready for a bit of quiet. And a nap...
G dragged Grandpa over to Cabelas and convinced him to let him play the shooting gallery game. I took advantage of the leftover tokens and had a go myself. It was fun. G needs to work on his aim. ^_^ Kids were glad to see family as were lovely wife and I and now we get to try and calm them down from all the excitement.
Also, congratulations go to nephew L on his Baptism.
We finished off season one of Community. It was great. The paintball episode was indeed amazing (a 28 Days Later reference in addition to some John Woo and a couple others). This may become the 2nd show that I actually bother to watch while it's broadcasting.
I have had my first tooth filled. It theoretically wasn't a cavity - just a small hole on the biting surface of my tooth. But once they drilled in they discovered it went all the way down my tooth. Still a very small hole, just very deep. It wasn't the most pleasant of experiences. I'm trying to decide if it's not completely better. I get a bit of an ache when I eat crunchy things like chips or cereal. Is that normal a week later?
Mansions of Madness is out. And I have my copy. I am very much looking forward to playing it. Puzzles, monsters, loss of sanity, stories full of dread and intrigue... what's not to love? I'm going to try and convince lovely wife and possibly McK to give it a go some time this weekend so we can get some of the rules down.
I'm ready for a bit of quiet. And a nap...
Thursday, March 03, 2011
In which random things are discussed very briefly
Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson was a fun read. It's part epic fantasy and part con job. Think Ocean's 11 meets Lord of the Rings. An odd little mish mash to be sure, but one that worked pretty well. Sanderson sets up a world in which certain people have the ability to "burn" metals in order to work various types of magic. A group of thieves which specialize in the various types of magic get together to overthrow the government via a con. Oh and it's set in a world where the original "Hero of the Ages" (think Frodo from LotR) failed. Yeah, that's right Sauron won and the thieves are out to bring him down. It's pretty fascinating. It's also the first book in a trilogy (following standard Fantasy rule #3) that I'll probably get around to finishing. I'm gonna take a bit of a break first. Other things to read.
(In strangely related news, The Name of the Wind is just as good the third time through and I've picked up a couple details I missed the first couple times through. Such a good book.)
Lovely wife and I have been making our way through season one of Community. It's been pretty good so far. I really liked the Halloween episode with Abed as Batman. Joel McHale is pretty amusing and I'm glad to see the writers continuing to work in Seacrest jokes. (For fans of The Soup)
We have family in town this weekend for nephew L's baptism. So things will be a little on the hectic side, but hopefully the fun side as well.
(In strangely related news, The Name of the Wind is just as good the third time through and I've picked up a couple details I missed the first couple times through. Such a good book.)
Lovely wife and I have been making our way through season one of Community. It's been pretty good so far. I really liked the Halloween episode with Abed as Batman. Joel McHale is pretty amusing and I'm glad to see the writers continuing to work in Seacrest jokes. (For fans of The Soup)
We have family in town this weekend for nephew L's baptism. So things will be a little on the hectic side, but hopefully the fun side as well.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
In which nothing of consequence is considered
The long weekend was great. Got together with some friends of the family (well, the kids and lovely wife were a little more invested, but we all had fun) and managed to introduce them to 7 Wonders. I really do like that game a lot. Enough that we managed to play a couple more times with different friends. Never play 7 Wonders with the letter 'r'. He will stomp all over you.
We watched both Easy A and Salt over the course of the last few days. One was funny but I don't feel the need to ever see it again and one was an ok action flick with an oddly open ending (are they really thinking franchise for this? Really?). I'm not certain which was which at this point.
I've been messing with demos on the PS3 again. Hoard is strangely addictive. You play a dragon burning towns, ransoming princesses, defending your hoard from thieves, bbq-ing knights - that sort of thing. You can play with or against others. It's fun. Give it a look. Yakuza 4 was simply a look at the fighting engine in the upcoming game. Not terribly helpful if you want to know more about the game. Dragon Age II looks pretty interesting. It's an RPG where you put together a team and kill goblins and whatnot. Good times. I might have to track down the original game and give it a go.
Psst, Wise Man's Fear comes out next week. I am very excited. I'm hoping to score an autographed copy courtesy of my Father-in-law as he lives near a bookstore where the good Mr Rothfuss will be appearing.
In other not inconsequential news, thoughts go out to little sis and favorite niece. Get better.
And I think that about does it.
We watched both Easy A and Salt over the course of the last few days. One was funny but I don't feel the need to ever see it again and one was an ok action flick with an oddly open ending (are they really thinking franchise for this? Really?). I'm not certain which was which at this point.
I've been messing with demos on the PS3 again. Hoard is strangely addictive. You play a dragon burning towns, ransoming princesses, defending your hoard from thieves, bbq-ing knights - that sort of thing. You can play with or against others. It's fun. Give it a look. Yakuza 4 was simply a look at the fighting engine in the upcoming game. Not terribly helpful if you want to know more about the game. Dragon Age II looks pretty interesting. It's an RPG where you put together a team and kill goblins and whatnot. Good times. I might have to track down the original game and give it a go.
Psst, Wise Man's Fear comes out next week. I am very excited. I'm hoping to score an autographed copy courtesy of my Father-in-law as he lives near a bookstore where the good Mr Rothfuss will be appearing.
In other not inconsequential news, thoughts go out to little sis and favorite niece. Get better.
And I think that about does it.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Too many books, too little brain cells
So, I read a lot of graphic novels over the weekend. Another 5 volumes of Fullmetal Alchemist, 4 volumes of Naruto and School Rumble Volume 1. They were all decent in their own little ways. I will single out that I didn't really care for the Ishbalan war flashback volume of FMA, time passes almost as strangely in the graphic novels of Naruto as it does in the anime (something both lovely wife and letter 'r' expressed an interest in. I've only seen a little of the anime, but I know what they're talking about - serious time dilation in Naruto's world), and School Rumble is a sweet romantic farce. We've actually been watching the anime version of it as well lately and it's also a lot of fun. I get a kick out of the characters in this one.
A small further note on School Rumble. I was expecting it to be something of a fighting storyline given the title. Not so, it's actually a high school romantic farce. Not quite as out there as Ranma 1/2 (and certainly lacking the battle sequences) but still pretty wacky. So far my favorite bit has been the message arrow story line. Although there are others that are close.
Iron Man 2 was better than the first movie. I was pleasantly surprised by this. I actually enjoyed it quite a bit.
And that's really all I can scrape together at the moment. Brain no worky. Glad it's a three day weekend.
A small further note on School Rumble. I was expecting it to be something of a fighting storyline given the title. Not so, it's actually a high school romantic farce. Not quite as out there as Ranma 1/2 (and certainly lacking the battle sequences) but still pretty wacky. So far my favorite bit has been the message arrow story line. Although there are others that are close.
Iron Man 2 was better than the first movie. I was pleasantly surprised by this. I actually enjoyed it quite a bit.
And that's really all I can scrape together at the moment. Brain no worky. Glad it's a three day weekend.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Elementary
The Sherlockian by Graham Moore was pretty darn great. It's amazing how much of that book was real as well. Told via two different time periods - one in the past following Arthur Conan Doyle and one in the present following Harold White - the story features mystery, murder and intrigue. Harold wants to know what happened to Doyle's missing journal and who killed the man that claimed to have found it. Doyle wants to know who sent him a letter bomb and almost killed him. If you enjoy mysteries or Sherlock Holmes then there's plenty here for you. Truly a fascinating read.
I've pounded down 4 more volumes of Fullmetal Alchemist as well. Still great. What's going to happen next?!
Red was a fun little movie. I found the pacing to be a touch strange (I think it probably should have been just a bit shorter) but overall it was a good time. This is what The Expendables should have been. Four aging CIA agents, the up and comer charged with taking one of them out, intrigue, romance, yadda yadda, you've probably watched it by now. And if not, you should.
Baccano was an entrancing, if occasionally gruesome, series. There's something about a train, some mafia turf wars, the spreading of joy, dominoes and too much else would spoil some of the surprise. If you're in the mood for something that takes a little effort to keep up with and aren't bothered with a somewhat dark overtone, this one's also worth looking into.
Blokus continues to make us think way too much.
Casa del 'd' is a little under the weather at the moment as 2 out of 3 munchkins are down with something or other. Alas poor munchkins. 'd' is a harsh task master when it comes to being sick. Not a lot of tv viewing to be had for those poor souls. Plenty of rest and fluids though. And books.
Speaking of TV, we're probably just about done with satellite. Rates are getting a little too out of hand for what we really watch. Kids will miss it, but unless they want to start paying for it and get some jobs they're out of luck. I'll miss a couple things (Eureka mostly) but, eh, that's what DVD is for. So if you have any good tips for getting deals from satellite providers send them to lovely wife.
I've pounded down 4 more volumes of Fullmetal Alchemist as well. Still great. What's going to happen next?!
Red was a fun little movie. I found the pacing to be a touch strange (I think it probably should have been just a bit shorter) but overall it was a good time. This is what The Expendables should have been. Four aging CIA agents, the up and comer charged with taking one of them out, intrigue, romance, yadda yadda, you've probably watched it by now. And if not, you should.
Baccano was an entrancing, if occasionally gruesome, series. There's something about a train, some mafia turf wars, the spreading of joy, dominoes and too much else would spoil some of the surprise. If you're in the mood for something that takes a little effort to keep up with and aren't bothered with a somewhat dark overtone, this one's also worth looking into.
Blokus continues to make us think way too much.
Casa del 'd' is a little under the weather at the moment as 2 out of 3 munchkins are down with something or other. Alas poor munchkins. 'd' is a harsh task master when it comes to being sick. Not a lot of tv viewing to be had for those poor souls. Plenty of rest and fluids though. And books.
Speaking of TV, we're probably just about done with satellite. Rates are getting a little too out of hand for what we really watch. Kids will miss it, but unless they want to start paying for it and get some jobs they're out of luck. I'll miss a couple things (Eureka mostly) but, eh, that's what DVD is for. So if you have any good tips for getting deals from satellite providers send them to lovely wife.
Thursday, February 03, 2011
Strange days indeed
So let's see. I have plowed through 4 more volumes of Fullmetal Alchemist. I continue to enjoy that series quite a bit. It's fascinating to watch that story unfold. There are some wonderful heartfelt moments. And some shocks. I was not expecting one of the plot twists that happened in volume 4. I think it was. Might have been 5.
Lovely wife and I are currently watching Baccano, the anime series. It's been pretty great, if confusing. There's a pretty large cast of characters and it's a touch hard to follow. If things manage to wrap up by the end though, this one will definitely be a gem. And Isaac and Miria are awesome. Right you are letter 'd'. Right you are.
So I have now befriended someone on the PS3 that has a copy of Need for Speed. This is a blessing and a curse. It really does make the game more fun (the wall serves a purpose now as does Autolog recommends) but also more frustrating. I can't put the game in after 9:30 now or I will be up all night trying to beat just "one more record" or trying to beat the same record "just one more time". Devious. And compelling.
I've started up Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson. It's pretty good so far. It's fun to read fantasy again. I think I've said this before. But there you go.
We (and by we I mean lovely wife) recently made some homemade chicken noodle soup and some pulled pork. Both were quite excellent. The pulled pork was Carolina based, so it was a vinegar sauce as opposed to bbq sauce. It was quite good. Always fun to try new recipes. Now I want bbq. Or maybe chicken soup.
Lovely wife and I are currently watching Baccano, the anime series. It's been pretty great, if confusing. There's a pretty large cast of characters and it's a touch hard to follow. If things manage to wrap up by the end though, this one will definitely be a gem. And Isaac and Miria are awesome. Right you are letter 'd'. Right you are.
So I have now befriended someone on the PS3 that has a copy of Need for Speed. This is a blessing and a curse. It really does make the game more fun (the wall serves a purpose now as does Autolog recommends) but also more frustrating. I can't put the game in after 9:30 now or I will be up all night trying to beat just "one more record" or trying to beat the same record "just one more time". Devious. And compelling.
I've started up Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson. It's pretty good so far. It's fun to read fantasy again. I think I've said this before. But there you go.
We (and by we I mean lovely wife) recently made some homemade chicken noodle soup and some pulled pork. Both were quite excellent. The pulled pork was Carolina based, so it was a vinegar sauce as opposed to bbq sauce. It was quite good. Always fun to try new recipes. Now I want bbq. Or maybe chicken soup.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Owls and such
300 + owls - blood = Legend of the Guardians (the Owls of Ga'hoole). Given that it was directed by Zack Snyder this should not be a surprise. It was actually pretty decent to watch. Standard fantasy fare to be sure, but fun nonetheless. And some of the animation was amazing. The rain and fire sequences especially. So very pretty. There are worse ways to spend some time with your kids. Or whoever you watch movies with.
We finished off Castle season 2 and now I want to watch season 3. Why is it not on DVD yet? Because it's tied down to a broadcast schedule is not really a good reason. I've really come to enjoy this show, I look forward to more of it.
We had ourselves a game day this past weekend and much fun was had. We played Dixit, 7 Wonders, Sequence, Zooloretto, and a couple others. We also learned to play Blokus. It's quite good as well. I have a sneaking suspicion it may make its way into our home sooner rather than later. You can pick up a pretty nice version for the PS3 in their online store for around $5. We may have to convince little sis to do this so we can play online against them. Well, after we add each other as friends.
I also have a lovely Nintendo customer service story. I'd always heard about how they treated their customers well and I can now confirm it. G went to play Lego Star Wars the other day and the Wii wouldn't take the disc. It also made a strange noise upon powering up the unit. After some brief online searching it was discovered that this could really only be fixed with a repair at ye olde Nintendo. So I called up Nintendo only to be told that our machine was out of warranty and would need to send some money to get it fixed. I asked if they had any loyal customer discounts and the wonderful service rep gave me a one time waiver on the service fee. So the Wii is on its way to California to be fixed. Hopefully it will come back with all our saved game data. Thanks Nintendo for remembering your customers.
(DirecTV on the other hand does not win any customer service points, but that's probably a story for another time.)
A belated happy birthday shout out to nephew K. Hope you had a great day little dude.
We finished off Castle season 2 and now I want to watch season 3. Why is it not on DVD yet? Because it's tied down to a broadcast schedule is not really a good reason. I've really come to enjoy this show, I look forward to more of it.
We had ourselves a game day this past weekend and much fun was had. We played Dixit, 7 Wonders, Sequence, Zooloretto, and a couple others. We also learned to play Blokus. It's quite good as well. I have a sneaking suspicion it may make its way into our home sooner rather than later. You can pick up a pretty nice version for the PS3 in their online store for around $5. We may have to convince little sis to do this so we can play online against them. Well, after we add each other as friends.
I also have a lovely Nintendo customer service story. I'd always heard about how they treated their customers well and I can now confirm it. G went to play Lego Star Wars the other day and the Wii wouldn't take the disc. It also made a strange noise upon powering up the unit. After some brief online searching it was discovered that this could really only be fixed with a repair at ye olde Nintendo. So I called up Nintendo only to be told that our machine was out of warranty and would need to send some money to get it fixed. I asked if they had any loyal customer discounts and the wonderful service rep gave me a one time waiver on the service fee. So the Wii is on its way to California to be fixed. Hopefully it will come back with all our saved game data. Thanks Nintendo for remembering your customers.
(DirecTV on the other hand does not win any customer service points, but that's probably a story for another time.)
A belated happy birthday shout out to nephew K. Hope you had a great day little dude.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Insert witty Castle joke here
Season 2 of Castle has been pretty decent thus far. The mystery plots are pretty secondary to the banter and I'm fine with that. It's certainly worth watching on DVD.
Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson was a fun fantasy book. It features a pretty unique magic system and some fun characters. Lots of little twists and turns before wrapping things up. I suspect I'll read more of his work now. I've heard his Mistborn series is worth checking out as well. It's nice to find some more fantasy again.
Death of a Scriptwriter is a Hamish Macbeth story by M.C. Beaton. If you've been here a while, you might recall me mentioning that we enjoyed the TV series. The books are fun too. Nice little mystery story. Makes me want to watch the show again...
In other news G has been practicing his writing by writing down little stories. Thus far we have had The Fish and the Turtle, The Shark, the Fish and the Dolphin and The Dragon's Gold. One of the stories featured a human on fire and one featured a lovely dinner for a hungry aquatic animal. Hmm. He may be ready for shark week now.
In other other news I got to tell a couple at the Library that it wasn't really the appropriate place to be making out.
I managed to finish off the first Uncharted. It was a lot of fun. I've started the second one and it had one of the best beginnings to a video game I've seen in a long time. Really enjoying this series. And Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit is a frustratingly good time. My driving skill are not that spectacular. But it's a lot of fun to try. Donkey Kong Country Returns is pretty good as well. The collector in me is going to hate this game as some of the levels are fiendishly difficult. I may never finish the bonus temple levels. In spite of G telling me to try at every other moment.
The girls explored mummification for their science projects. At least there were no coat hangers involved. I'm sleeping with one eye open just to be safe.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Nothing to see ... move along
It feels like there should be things to talk about, but honestly I've not got a clue what they are. I suppose if I bothered talking about anything other than games, books and movies I'd probably have a couple topics, but I really can't be bothered.
I did finish volume 12 of 20th Century Boys. It looks like we may now know who the mysterious Friend is. Although it's been long enough since I started the series, that I'm still not entirely sure who it is. I still really enjoy reading the series though. I think we're roughly half way now even! ^_^ Heh.
The Expendables was pretty much a lost opportunity. When I heard about the movie (mostly the cast) I had hopes for a slightly campy, self aware non stop action flick. What I got was a straight up action flick. Now, there is plenty of action, but it's played way too straight. So it wasn't really as good I was hoping it would be. Alas. If you have interest in seeing it (and you somehow haven't already) just know that it takes itself very seriously. Slight Spoiler: Oh and my favorite complaint about the flick is how can you have a group called the Expendables and then let them all live through the movie?
We're about to watch the A Team movie and season 2 of Castle. So good times ahead.
M has decided she wants to be in the school play/musical Mulan. They're letting the fourth graders participate in the background choir stuff. And she's about to start selling GS cookies again. Lovely wife is thrilled.
I have discovered that they're about to release glow in the dark hexbug nano stuff. This is very exciting news. Now you can be strangely hypnotized in the dark!
I did finish volume 12 of 20th Century Boys. It looks like we may now know who the mysterious Friend is. Although it's been long enough since I started the series, that I'm still not entirely sure who it is. I still really enjoy reading the series though. I think we're roughly half way now even! ^_^ Heh.
The Expendables was pretty much a lost opportunity. When I heard about the movie (mostly the cast) I had hopes for a slightly campy, self aware non stop action flick. What I got was a straight up action flick. Now, there is plenty of action, but it's played way too straight. So it wasn't really as good I was hoping it would be. Alas. If you have interest in seeing it (and you somehow haven't already) just know that it takes itself very seriously. Slight Spoiler: Oh and my favorite complaint about the flick is how can you have a group called the Expendables and then let them all live through the movie?
We're about to watch the A Team movie and season 2 of Castle. So good times ahead.
M has decided she wants to be in the school play/musical Mulan. They're letting the fourth graders participate in the background choir stuff. And she's about to start selling GS cookies again. Lovely wife is thrilled.
I have discovered that they're about to release glow in the dark hexbug nano stuff. This is very exciting news. Now you can be strangely hypnotized in the dark!
Thursday, January 06, 2011
New Year Get
So. We meet again. You really need to stop hanging around these sorts of places. All manner of trouble they are.
Frozen has pretty much the silliest plot outline of any movie: three people stuck on a ski lift. The movies itself is actually surprisingly tense. Much like Open Water from a few years back we get to watch a small group of people abandoned in an unfriendly environment. Unlike Open Water they don't fight the entire time. So it comes out slightly on top for that reason. Although that shot at the end of Open Water with the lightning and the sharks is still the best moment in either of the movies. Frozen focuses on two guys that have been friends forever and the newish girlfriend that has tagged along while they go skiing. The movie doesn't waste too much time before stranding them up in the air and then doesn't take too much time before the surprisingly logical ending. That's actually probably the best thing about the movie - everything you think you might try in this situation is covered and it's all pretty realistic. Although lovely wife thinks the guy that jumped was an idiot... So, this one is recommended. Especially to little sis and 'k'.
Gran Torino is pretty much a western set in Detroit. I had it recommended to me as a remake of Shane. I haven't seen Shane (although I might have to now) but I like westerns, so we gave this one a try. If you can get past the racism and swearing it's actually a surprisingly sweet movie. And I think Clint Eastwood is about the only person that could get away with playing the main character. Anybody else probably couldn't have pulled it off. You'd think they were the biggest jerk on the planet. I think part of it is due to all the characters Clint has played over the years. Anyway, this is another one that we liked and you might give a go.
The BBC show Sherlock is also a lot of fun. I wasn't sure I'd like a modern day Sherlock Holmes but they pulled this off as well. Nice banter, clever cases, nods to the original it all works pretty well.
I'm still in the midst of Warbreaker so you don't really get an update on it. Except for me to say that I'm enjoying it.
We managed a couple games of 7 Wonders and Dixit over the break. They're both pretty enjoyable. Dixit is an easily picked up party type game that encourages creativity from the players. It's a little like Apples to Apples and occasionally suffers from some of the same problems, but not to the same extent. (You'll occasionally have a hand of cards that doesn't seem to work, but if the storyteller does a good job of not being too specific it's not really an issue.) 7 Wonders has a bit of a learning curve, but ends up being pretty enjoyable. It will take a few games to start to see how strategies emerge and how the wonders are best utilized but that's ok.
So, that's some of what's been happening around Casa del 'd'. We had a great visit with Dad while he was here. He needs to live much closer so we can get together more often. We also had a great visit with lovely wife's Mom. It was good reconnecting with her as well. I am glad the holidays are over and hope you all had a wonderful time.
Condolences go out to little sis on the job loss. Glad you have a few months to get things in order. Here's to hoping the rest of the year is better.
Frozen has pretty much the silliest plot outline of any movie: three people stuck on a ski lift. The movies itself is actually surprisingly tense. Much like Open Water from a few years back we get to watch a small group of people abandoned in an unfriendly environment. Unlike Open Water they don't fight the entire time. So it comes out slightly on top for that reason. Although that shot at the end of Open Water with the lightning and the sharks is still the best moment in either of the movies. Frozen focuses on two guys that have been friends forever and the newish girlfriend that has tagged along while they go skiing. The movie doesn't waste too much time before stranding them up in the air and then doesn't take too much time before the surprisingly logical ending. That's actually probably the best thing about the movie - everything you think you might try in this situation is covered and it's all pretty realistic. Although lovely wife thinks the guy that jumped was an idiot... So, this one is recommended. Especially to little sis and 'k'.
Gran Torino is pretty much a western set in Detroit. I had it recommended to me as a remake of Shane. I haven't seen Shane (although I might have to now) but I like westerns, so we gave this one a try. If you can get past the racism and swearing it's actually a surprisingly sweet movie. And I think Clint Eastwood is about the only person that could get away with playing the main character. Anybody else probably couldn't have pulled it off. You'd think they were the biggest jerk on the planet. I think part of it is due to all the characters Clint has played over the years. Anyway, this is another one that we liked and you might give a go.
The BBC show Sherlock is also a lot of fun. I wasn't sure I'd like a modern day Sherlock Holmes but they pulled this off as well. Nice banter, clever cases, nods to the original it all works pretty well.
I'm still in the midst of Warbreaker so you don't really get an update on it. Except for me to say that I'm enjoying it.
We managed a couple games of 7 Wonders and Dixit over the break. They're both pretty enjoyable. Dixit is an easily picked up party type game that encourages creativity from the players. It's a little like Apples to Apples and occasionally suffers from some of the same problems, but not to the same extent. (You'll occasionally have a hand of cards that doesn't seem to work, but if the storyteller does a good job of not being too specific it's not really an issue.) 7 Wonders has a bit of a learning curve, but ends up being pretty enjoyable. It will take a few games to start to see how strategies emerge and how the wonders are best utilized but that's ok.
So, that's some of what's been happening around Casa del 'd'. We had a great visit with Dad while he was here. He needs to live much closer so we can get together more often. We also had a great visit with lovely wife's Mom. It was good reconnecting with her as well. I am glad the holidays are over and hope you all had a wonderful time.
Condolences go out to little sis on the job loss. Glad you have a few months to get things in order. Here's to hoping the rest of the year is better.
Friday, December 31, 2010
End of Line
Well, that's a little over dramatic I suppose, but this is the last day of the year and we did just see Tron Legacy, so there you go.
It's been quite the week here at casa del 'd'. We had lovely wife's Mom here through Christmas and my Dad is here to ring in the New Year with us.
Shockingly we actually had to wake the kids up on Christmas morning. I'm not sure what pod people they were replaced with, but it was a little ridiculous. They all had fun opening presents and being around family. G got some Hexbug Nanos that are pretty cool. We can't stop playing with them and rearranging the track. McK has been taking pictures of everything she can with her new camera and M has been reading books and solving mysteries in Guilty Party on the Wii.
We've seen a few shows over the holiday. Tangled was brilliant, Sorcerer's Apprentice was fun, Tron Legacy was pretty good (and the soundtrack by Daftpunk is pretty great too) and we liked Toy Story 3 as well.
So, have a great end of year, and here's to a good new year.
It's been quite the week here at casa del 'd'. We had lovely wife's Mom here through Christmas and my Dad is here to ring in the New Year with us.
Shockingly we actually had to wake the kids up on Christmas morning. I'm not sure what pod people they were replaced with, but it was a little ridiculous. They all had fun opening presents and being around family. G got some Hexbug Nanos that are pretty cool. We can't stop playing with them and rearranging the track. McK has been taking pictures of everything she can with her new camera and M has been reading books and solving mysteries in Guilty Party on the Wii.
We've seen a few shows over the holiday. Tangled was brilliant, Sorcerer's Apprentice was fun, Tron Legacy was pretty good (and the soundtrack by Daftpunk is pretty great too) and we liked Toy Story 3 as well.
So, have a great end of year, and here's to a good new year.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Temporally denoted weather pattern felicitations
Or seasons greetings if you're so inclined.
Not really much to add to that. I think I'm glad the year is drawing to a close. I'm surprised (each and every time) that we've gotten to this point so quickly, but I suspect it's best if we put a cap on this year and look forward to the next. Although the prognosis for the initial part of next year is a bit rocky. Hopefully things will smooth out some.
Which is really just the long way to say that I hope each of you have a wonderful holiday surrounded by those you love. We'll have various relatives staying here at casa del 'd' over the holidays so that should be fun. If nothing else it might distract the kids long enough that we don't resort to ritual bloodshed. Although that might add that extra kick the season needs. Get those stars right. So grab some eggnog and kick back for a bit. Open a present even if you know what it is and act surprised.
Happy Christmas and Merry New Year! (as my old history teach used to say) Or alternatively Ia! Ia! Cthulhu Fhtagn! (as my Great Old One used to mutter)
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Media Consumption
I will try and cover the various things that have been seen and/or read at casa del 'd' recently. I'm not sure I'm up to the task...
Triangle is a pretty fascinating horror movie. Without giving too much away, it's basically a retelling of the Sisyphus story. There are some pretty neat moments in it. Rather liked this one and recommend it. Especially for little sis and 'k'.
Big Bang Theory season 3 is pretty decent too. Although they use Sheldon's Bazinga! joke a little too much. Except for the ball pit sequence. That was pure comedy gold.
The Fuller Memorandum by Charles Stross was also quite good. I really do like the Laundry Files books. I was a little worried that this one would be completely depressing. Fortunately it's only somewhat depressing. And there are a few images that will stick with you for quite some time. Cultists indeed...
Hikaru no Go. I've read a couple more books and I think I may be done with this series. I've read enough that at this point it's really just more of the same. (Some of you probably marveled that it took 21 volumes for me to reach that point, but whatever.)
Fullmetal Alchemist I've read a couple more of this series and am enjoying it quite a bit. Plan to continue this one.
There's probably more, but I can't be bothered to remember what it was. Alas.
In other news, we're just about ready for the holidays. Family members are coming in to town so that should be nice. The kids have one day of school left before they have their break until next year. (Next year! Who let that happen already?!) I can't think of any particularly amazing stories worth sharing. Oh, if you want painted room pictures, head over to littles sis's blog. She has a couple. I may or may not get some put up.
Triangle is a pretty fascinating horror movie. Without giving too much away, it's basically a retelling of the Sisyphus story. There are some pretty neat moments in it. Rather liked this one and recommend it. Especially for little sis and 'k'.
Big Bang Theory season 3 is pretty decent too. Although they use Sheldon's Bazinga! joke a little too much. Except for the ball pit sequence. That was pure comedy gold.
The Fuller Memorandum by Charles Stross was also quite good. I really do like the Laundry Files books. I was a little worried that this one would be completely depressing. Fortunately it's only somewhat depressing. And there are a few images that will stick with you for quite some time. Cultists indeed...
Hikaru no Go. I've read a couple more books and I think I may be done with this series. I've read enough that at this point it's really just more of the same. (Some of you probably marveled that it took 21 volumes for me to reach that point, but whatever.)
Fullmetal Alchemist I've read a couple more of this series and am enjoying it quite a bit. Plan to continue this one.
There's probably more, but I can't be bothered to remember what it was. Alas.
In other news, we're just about ready for the holidays. Family members are coming in to town so that should be nice. The kids have one day of school left before they have their break until next year. (Next year! Who let that happen already?!) I can't think of any particularly amazing stories worth sharing. Oh, if you want painted room pictures, head over to littles sis's blog. She has a couple. I may or may not get some put up.
Wednesday, December 08, 2010
Ch-ch-ch-changes
So littlest sis arrived in town the other night and has coerced lovely wife into repainting some of our house. Currently the basement is several new shades and I think they're tackling the living room as well. I shall attempt some pictures at some point. Possibly. Overall things look nice. (Although that bathroom is still seriously blue...) So thanks littlest sis for the help and a new look on things. (Oh and for the record Dixit does seem to be quite fun...)
Not really too much else to report. Pacman CE DX is a serious time suck. Can not stop playing. Second season of Mentalist is way good. But you knew that already didn't you?
I'll just leave this here, shall I?
Not really too much else to report. Pacman CE DX is a serious time suck. Can not stop playing. Second season of Mentalist is way good. But you knew that already didn't you?
I'll just leave this here, shall I?
Thursday, December 02, 2010
In Which I Make a Few Recommendations
Well, December has arrived. For some of you that means shopping. I managed to do most of my Black Friday shopping on Thanksgiving from the comfort of my computer. It sure beat standing in line, that's a fact. Here at Casa del 'd' we've been playing with my new birthday/Christmas present - a PS3. Big thanks go out to family that made that possible. I'm not entirely convinced Blu Rays are that much prettier than DVDs, but some of the extras sure are fun. We're currently using it to watch season 2 of The Mentalist. We finished up Castle season 1 (it was quite good and we want to see season 2 now) and soon we'll be on Big Bang Theory season 3. Yup, lots of TV on DVD (the way it was meant to be watched) round these parts.
So. In an effort to throw a few opinions out there on what are some worthwhile ways to spend money/pass the time I offer the following suggestions for books/movies/games/etc.
Books: Working in a Library offers a few opportunities to look at books. Book recommendations, however, are tricky. I have no idea what your tastes are. But if you're here, then we probably have at least a little in common. Or you are very bored. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss will probably surprise no one as my top pick for something to read. I loved this book and eagerly wait for the sequel (Wise Man's Fear coming next Spring!). It's fantasy (don't let that scare you off) and tells the story of Kvothe. It's funny, spooky, heartwarming, heartbreaking, and lots of other good adjectives. Seriously, get this book. In a not entirely and yet almost completely dissimilar vein, The Laundry Files books by Charles Stross are also highly recommended. They're a touch harder to sell as you really need some geek/Lovecraft background, but if you've got the interest they're a pretty great time.
Graphic Novels: Like books with pictures? Try 20th Century Boys by Naoki Urasawa, or Scott Pilgrim by Bryan Lee O'Malley. They're a bit of an acquired taste but certainly worth it. Looking for something for younger kids? Owly by Andy Runton all the way. I could go on...
Boardgames: Well, where to start... If you're just looking for a party game I can certainly recommend Say Anything. We've had a lot of fun with that one. (Think Apples to Apples where you can write your own answer instead of relying on the luck of the cards in your hand.) I'm going to go out on a limb and recommend Dixit as well. You'll get a more informed opinion in the future. If you're looking for something to dig into a bit I'll mention Blue Moon City and Dominion as worth your attention. Want something where you can all work together? Forbidden Island is for you. Dexterity game? Pitchcar. Puzzle game? Ubongo. Family game? Tobago or maybe Dice Town or even Incan Gold. (Depending on the ages of your kids)
Movies: Hmm. Prince of Persia was definitely a lot of fun. Scott Pilgrim is my personal favorite of the year... There really were a lot of good ones. You can probably make up your own mind on this one.
TV (on DVD): The Mentalist probably tops the charts. I'd give Castle a nod as well. Eureka is fun as is Big Bang Theory.
Videogames: Well let's see, for the Wii: Either of the Super Mario Galaxy titles are good. Kirby's Epic Yarn is also pretty fun. If you like playing (fighting) together New Super Mario Bros. Wii is certainly worth trying out. For the PS3 I can't really say yet. Uncharted is a lot of fun so far. Basically Tomb Raider with more shooting. I like the exploration-y bits a lot. The shooting bits are hard (although I'm getting better). There is more combat than I'd like, but I'm having a good time. I really really like Pacman CE DX which you can download from the Playstation Store. A quick word of warning though, the games are typically listed as $9.99 or something similar. You can buy points cards for $20 and so on. I thought I'd get 2 games for one card but no, they charge tax. So I was $1.32 short or something stupid like that. Ok, just this once I'll use the credit card to finish off the difference. You can only add amounts starting at $5. So very frustrating and so very stupid. Nintendo does this right. You buy the points card, the games cost X points and you know what you're spending.
I think that's enough for now. If you have questions I'm sure I have (snarky) answers. Feel free to leave some comments and I'll see what I can do.
So. In an effort to throw a few opinions out there on what are some worthwhile ways to spend money/pass the time I offer the following suggestions for books/movies/games/etc.
Books: Working in a Library offers a few opportunities to look at books. Book recommendations, however, are tricky. I have no idea what your tastes are. But if you're here, then we probably have at least a little in common. Or you are very bored. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss will probably surprise no one as my top pick for something to read. I loved this book and eagerly wait for the sequel (Wise Man's Fear coming next Spring!). It's fantasy (don't let that scare you off) and tells the story of Kvothe. It's funny, spooky, heartwarming, heartbreaking, and lots of other good adjectives. Seriously, get this book. In a not entirely and yet almost completely dissimilar vein, The Laundry Files books by Charles Stross are also highly recommended. They're a touch harder to sell as you really need some geek/Lovecraft background, but if you've got the interest they're a pretty great time.
Graphic Novels: Like books with pictures? Try 20th Century Boys by Naoki Urasawa, or Scott Pilgrim by Bryan Lee O'Malley. They're a bit of an acquired taste but certainly worth it. Looking for something for younger kids? Owly by Andy Runton all the way. I could go on...
Boardgames: Well, where to start... If you're just looking for a party game I can certainly recommend Say Anything. We've had a lot of fun with that one. (Think Apples to Apples where you can write your own answer instead of relying on the luck of the cards in your hand.) I'm going to go out on a limb and recommend Dixit as well. You'll get a more informed opinion in the future. If you're looking for something to dig into a bit I'll mention Blue Moon City and Dominion as worth your attention. Want something where you can all work together? Forbidden Island is for you. Dexterity game? Pitchcar. Puzzle game? Ubongo. Family game? Tobago or maybe Dice Town or even Incan Gold. (Depending on the ages of your kids)
Movies: Hmm. Prince of Persia was definitely a lot of fun. Scott Pilgrim is my personal favorite of the year... There really were a lot of good ones. You can probably make up your own mind on this one.
TV (on DVD): The Mentalist probably tops the charts. I'd give Castle a nod as well. Eureka is fun as is Big Bang Theory.
Videogames: Well let's see, for the Wii: Either of the Super Mario Galaxy titles are good. Kirby's Epic Yarn is also pretty fun. If you like playing (fighting) together New Super Mario Bros. Wii is certainly worth trying out. For the PS3 I can't really say yet. Uncharted is a lot of fun so far. Basically Tomb Raider with more shooting. I like the exploration-y bits a lot. The shooting bits are hard (although I'm getting better). There is more combat than I'd like, but I'm having a good time. I really really like Pacman CE DX which you can download from the Playstation Store. A quick word of warning though, the games are typically listed as $9.99 or something similar. You can buy points cards for $20 and so on. I thought I'd get 2 games for one card but no, they charge tax. So I was $1.32 short or something stupid like that. Ok, just this once I'll use the credit card to finish off the difference. You can only add amounts starting at $5. So very frustrating and so very stupid. Nintendo does this right. You buy the points card, the games cost X points and you know what you're spending.
I think that's enough for now. If you have questions I'm sure I have (snarky) answers. Feel free to leave some comments and I'll see what I can do.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Just passing through
Well, in spite of the airline industry I did manage to make it to my Grandmother's funeral. It was really nice to see family again. It was good to touch base with the aunts and uncles and Grandpa. I'm glad he has family close by.
I managed to finish Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi on the plane. I liked the book. Nailer is part of a ship breaking crew - he crawls through wrecked hulks in search of copper and other things that can be sold. After a storm he and a friend run across a wrecked ship that could be the end of all their troubles. Except for the lone survivor. Bacigalupi builds an interesting world that I enjoyed reading about. It did seem like something was missing, I don't know if the end came too quick or the plot was a little too predictable, but I certainly recommend it. (And honestly, as it's a YA book, those slight criticisms only sort of apply.)
Other than that I'm glad to have some time off. With everything that's been going on it's nice to have a break and recharge the batteries. We've been watching the first season of Castle and I have to say, had I actually watched the show from the beginning I'd have liked it a lot better than the random episode I started with. (Oh and the recent X Files inspired episode was pretty brilliant.)
Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Spend some time with family if you can. A good book if you can't.
I managed to finish Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi on the plane. I liked the book. Nailer is part of a ship breaking crew - he crawls through wrecked hulks in search of copper and other things that can be sold. After a storm he and a friend run across a wrecked ship that could be the end of all their troubles. Except for the lone survivor. Bacigalupi builds an interesting world that I enjoyed reading about. It did seem like something was missing, I don't know if the end came too quick or the plot was a little too predictable, but I certainly recommend it. (And honestly, as it's a YA book, those slight criticisms only sort of apply.)
Other than that I'm glad to have some time off. With everything that's been going on it's nice to have a break and recharge the batteries. We've been watching the first season of Castle and I have to say, had I actually watched the show from the beginning I'd have liked it a lot better than the random episode I started with. (Oh and the recent X Files inspired episode was pretty brilliant.)
Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Spend some time with family if you can. A good book if you can't.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Elegy in sugar
Well, technically there's a lot I could cover - I finished The Fall - it got better but wasn't great, Dexter season 4 proved John Lithgow is creepy and so on - however my Grandmother passed away the other day, so I've decided to just post briefly about that.
I'll be traveling out to Missouri tomorrow for the funeral and then back on Sunday. So a very quick trip in which to see family and celebrate my Grandmother's life. I'm firmly in the funerals are for the living camp. I've got some pretty fond memories of my grandparents (Suzy Qs still hold a special place in my heart thanks to them) and I'm glad that once her health started going downhill it went pretty quickly. Not a big fan of some of the suffering people have to go through before finally passing on.
So, here's to Grandma! I will always cherish the house with the absolutely ginormous lawn in which we got rides on the riding lawnmower or the adult sized tricycle with the basket. (And don't forget the time I push started the go kart with my sister behind the wheel. I think it took about three people to chase her down...) I contemplate getting an RV once kids are gone so lovely wife and I can travel about a bit much like my Grandparents did for a while. It was always fine to see them show up in Kansas for the summer. I did not dislike Piper, their Poodle. One of the few dogs to earn my grudging not hate. And I can still hear her voice from the few times we got to talk recently. I wish we'd lived closer to them so we could have gone to visit more. Love you Grandma!
I'll be traveling out to Missouri tomorrow for the funeral and then back on Sunday. So a very quick trip in which to see family and celebrate my Grandmother's life. I'm firmly in the funerals are for the living camp. I've got some pretty fond memories of my grandparents (Suzy Qs still hold a special place in my heart thanks to them) and I'm glad that once her health started going downhill it went pretty quickly. Not a big fan of some of the suffering people have to go through before finally passing on.
So, here's to Grandma! I will always cherish the house with the absolutely ginormous lawn in which we got rides on the riding lawnmower or the adult sized tricycle with the basket. (And don't forget the time I push started the go kart with my sister behind the wheel. I think it took about three people to chase her down...) I contemplate getting an RV once kids are gone so lovely wife and I can travel about a bit much like my Grandparents did for a while. It was always fine to see them show up in Kansas for the summer. I did not dislike Piper, their Poodle. One of the few dogs to earn my grudging not hate. And I can still hear her voice from the few times we got to talk recently. I wish we'd lived closer to them so we could have gone to visit more. Love you Grandma!
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