Binary Wrestling Bliss

11.04.2004

The latest Smackdown game had a release date of this past Tuesday. As I've learned from overhearing workers at various electronics stores over the years, that release date usually turns out to be the shipping date, and most stores won't have it on shelves for another day or two.

Today I went to my local Wal Mart to get some groceries. Well, all I was really going after was some tea. Ok, the truth is I was going after the game and groceries were just a back-up in case the game wasn't really out yet. I went back to the video game section, and there on the bottom shelf I saw Vince's red and blue, Smackdown vs Raw eyes staring back at me. A quick call to a clerk later and it was on its way home with me. And some tea.

Unfortunately, I've ogt too much going on to play right now. Work is in the way (damnable provider of my way of living!). After work will be taken up by TV/Date night. Then there's work tomorrow. It'll be tomorrow night before I can set free the wrestling gods encased in their plastic!

No, no. I'm ok. I can do it. Just a little longer. Circle Circle Left Right Up Down Up Down.

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Don't Be Playa Hatin'

11.01.2004

Like a lot of people, I found myself looking forward to last weeks release of the latest GTA game, San Andreas. After picking it Wednesday and loading into the PS2, I think I was a little overwhelmed with how big the game map is. It's freakin' huge! I was so overwhelmed I went back for a couple of days and played some football.

Well. Sunday I had some spare time between chores and miscellaneous goofing off, so I decided to load up the game and just wander around. Jer came by to help, and I think we spent hours just driving around (me) and randomly shooting people (Jer). I got familiar enough with the map that it's not so intimidating now, but it's still freakin' huge!

In the previous games, it was always good to complete missions to unlock other parts of the map. There seems to be a shortcut in the new game, but with a caveat. The locked sections of the map are always blocked of by a closed, impassible bridge, but thanks to the new ability of "swimming", you can usually get across. The caveat: Your wanted level jumps up to 4 stars once you cross into forbidden territory. I found this to be a fun challenge, to see how much of the forbidden territory I could drive through before being caught by the police. Sure, there's a game with missions to be played, but I'm doing something I'm not supposed to be doing. After all, isn't that the core concept of the GTA games?

So, now I'm more comfortable being a black guy, driving around jacking cars and pimpin' hoes. Ho's? Hos? Hoes. At least for a couple of days until the next wrestling game comes out.

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The Pigskin

10.30.2004

I know pretty much nothing about football. I've never been one to keep up with it, much to the chagrin of my Sports-watching grandfather, who I believe has the remote programmed to jump from one saports channel to the other. I'm up to date with most of the rules, but except for well known stars of teams, I couldn't tell you who was where playing what position. Although I don't keep up with the real sport, I have enjoyed a good football videogame from time to time. I haven't really gotten into a football game in years. I tried one of the Madden games around 2000, but it was just way to complicated for me. I was used to a game where either the QB would run the ball or have the option to pass to maybe 2 receivers if the game was really good.

This year I decided to try ESPN NFL game on the PS2. It's less intimidating than the Madden series, and with the difficulty cranked all the way down it's not to hard to pick up. I've been playing for a few weeks now off and on (and even managed to boost the difficulty up to give me a challenge!), and along the way I've noticed something peculiar. Playing as the Tennessee Titans, I'm learning the names on the roster. I found this out one morning while flipping channels during the commercials of getting my news/weather/traffic-update and pausing on ESPN. They were going over the weekend NFL games, and I suddenly knew who they were talking about. Chris Burman spouts off something about "Mason with a grab under double coverage" and I find myself saying "Oh yeah, go Derrick!" followed by a quick cock of head and a "hey, how'd I know his name was Derrick?" Oh yeah, I throw passes to him in a video game.

So maybe this Thanksgiving, while going for my annual trip to the grandparents to have lunch and see way to many relatives, I'll just strike up the oddest conversation my grandfather and I could ever have. Unfortunately, Tennessee isn't playing on Thanksgiving day, but maybe we can find a game on with a team I've thoroughly trounced and can still name some players.

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Cootie Recouping

10.28.2004

I'm still getting over my cootie invasion, so there's not been much going on. I did come across a well done Star Trek Play By Email RPG the other day. They've got some nice graphics for rank insignia and uniforms.

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The Ahhhs of Chooo

10.26.2004

I have fallen victim to the latest cootie. I am one with sickness. Yesterday was scratchy throat and sinus pressure, today is sinus draining and hacking up a lung. Today hurts more, more I'm hoping it's progress, letting whatever is in my body that wants out, out!

Of course, the important part of all this is who to blame for making me sick. The easiest choice would be the Poplin clan. I went to shower the eldest of the Poplin children with gift on Friday, and the clan has a recent history of being sick. But no, although I enjoyed playing with clan members, especially the Dogs Poplin, their measly city cooties shouldn't be able to affect (effect?) me.

This narrows the field down. Gina returned from Florida Saturday night, so I went to bid her a fond welcome. Yeah, read into that what you want, ya pervs. Gina has been in her new house for a little over a month (I think), and one of the things I remember was on of the inspectors reporting that there was mold growth under the house that needed to be taken care of. Oddly enough, I awoke at about 4:00AM Sunday with a scratch in my throat. I'm thinking it could be a mold-induced scratch, since I haven't had time to build up my immunities to her new home. Curse her new found mold!

Maybe this will guilt her into making me some chicken soup?

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