Post Xmas / Pre-New Year Update

12.28.2010

Gina: You need to update your website so everybody knows that I got you that book you wanted.
Me: Ok.
Gina: Even though books aren't fun. But you wanted it.

So that may not have been the exact conversation, but it's how I remember it. Regardless of the conversation, Gina did good and got me the book I wanted for Christmas. She even made me open it last so as to toy with my emotions. It's a quick read (less that 100 pages, and most of those are pictures) but still enjoyable. I even learned that old pictures showing the NWA belt with a red strap are because it was originally leather wrapped in red velvet.

Gina's Mom did good too, getting me the WWE Encyclopedia which has been on my Amazon wish list since it was first published. I'm not sure why I never just went and bought it for myself, but it worked out well enough. This book is way more than the 100 pages of the NWA title book, so I don't think I'm just going to breeze through it.

The Amazon wish list worked pretty well for all of us this year. Jacob threw in a Lego Seattle Space Needle that I had spied and just thought looked cool. I browsed everyone else's wishlists and tried to stock up on what would make people happy. Overall I think it worked out.

Next is finding the right place for everything!

Permalink random

Is it time to see other blogs?

11.30.2010

Over the past year my posts have been getting more and more infrequent. Less frequent? Whichever it is, I'm not sure how much of it that I have fewer things of interest to comment upon and how much is that blog writing is growing passe. With the growing proliferation of social networks (Facebook, any of the other ones) the day-to-day goings on of people are easily summarized and viewed on a central site as opposed to visiting 15 websites to find out what your friends are up to.

Sure, I find little humorous things that amuse me here and there that I comment on for posterity, more often than not I've had some weird dream or I'm telling the world I've got a cold. Over the past months (ok, year) nothing happens on a regular basis that's worth typing about. I've had a few interesting things happen this past year - went to see Wrestling in Nashville twice, the kitchen remodel, motorcycle class, jury duty - but those high points were bordered by droughts of ABSOLUTELY NOTHING going on.

So, for a while now I'm not going to force myself to write my old fashioned "Mom, I'm alive" posts. If anything interesting happens, I'll make note of it. If not, my silence just means life is running smoothly. Probably boringly, but smoothly.

Permalink random

Crud 2010

11.16.2010

Years ago I mentioned what my Grandmother called the crud, and now it seems each fall/early winter I catch a little cold that I just can't shake. The one I've got now hit me Friday afternoon, and actually I felt it coming on a couple of days earlier. Last year I had the flu, which I was wary of this time except I haven't been running a fever. Plus, a high pressure system has been sitting on top of us for a while so it was only a matter of time before my sinuses gave up.

I haven't really been that sick since catching the flu last year. I've had little sniffles and upset stomachs, but nothing that's kept me away from work for more than a day or so at a time. I'm a big baby when I get sick, so sometimes it's better for me to just stay at home and be sick than to force anybody to put up with me.

I took some time while convalescing to start watching Lost without Jerry (we managed 3 episodes before giving up on syncing our tv watching schedules). I've gotten through the 1st season and have still managed to avoid anything out there that might accidentally tell me what's going to happen. So it's been a productive illness. But I'm ready to be crud-free.

Permalink random

Thermal paper lasts longer than you think

11.03.2010

I went through cleaning off and rearranging bookshelves last night, deciding it was time to get rid of stuff that's just been sitting around for no reason. Amongst the books were a couple of Trapper Keeper folders with even more stuff I don't need. Protractor? Star Trek Video Club solicitation? Orange paper hex grid?

The thing that caught my eye was a receipt from Dec 12, 1994 from Toys R Us for Donkey Kong (or some flavor of Donkey Kong) for the Super Nintendo. I'm guessing I bought it as a Christmas present for Jerry, as I was but a lowly college student (again) in '94 and $60 wasn't easy to come by. The only people I knew with Super Nintendos were Jerry and Kory, but I'm not sure how much I was hanging out with Kory back then so I'm going to say it was for Jer.

I probably held on to the receipt initially in case the game needed to be returned, but after 16 years it should be safe to get rid of the receipt. After all, I think the return period has expired. Just to be safe, I bet I leave the receipt in the scanner until it's time to scan something else. The way this year has gone that should be at least another 3 or 4 months. So, Jer, double check and make sure that Donkey Kong cartridge is working ok!

I just thought of how much fun it would be to try and take the game (if it's still around) back to the store. I can see the kid behind the register - "I'm sorry sir, but this receipt is older than I am. I'll have to call a manager."

Permalink rambling random

Smelling more of what I'm cookin

11.02.2010

As part of my continuing review of Smackdown vs Raw 2011, I've now had time to enjoy the new WWE Universe mode which replaces the Exhibition mode. Simply put,i likey!

For years I've made up my own story lines in the one-off exhibition matches. Now, random story lines are created in which you gain allies and enemies along the course of a year, with each month culminating in a PPV where titles are defended. You fight your way up the rankings for various titles - I'm not sure how to pick which title to go after outside of picking a show (Raw/Smackdown) and adjusting your overall ability score (~85 will put you in the US/Intercontinental bracket, while a 100 makes you World caliber!). I ran through a year and had to fight for 2 months before I got ranked high enough for a title match. After that I found enemies, allies, and even a couple of disbanded tag teams along the way. Just like actual TV story lines, I found myself defending my title against the same guy for 3 or 4 PPVs in a row. This may seem repetitive and mundane, but it's actually modeling what really happens.

I still haven't gotten the new control scheme figured out - I just need to take some extra time with that. There are more open slots for created wrestlers and tag team combination. I whipped up a quick Road Warriors although I left them with the default moveset.

I think I'm going to have fun with the Universe mode. It may turn out to be 2011's saving grace.

Permalink video games wrestling