A Gentleman Always Carries a Handkerchief

Life has conspired against me to take a month off of the blog.  For those few faithful readers that have contacted me, I will try to get back to regular posting again.

That being said….

Recently, I was asked, “What is the most important thing that a man should always carry with him?”

I started to think of an answer and decided to stop thinking and simply look in my pockets.  Out came several items.

1.       Wallet
2.       Pocket Knife
3.       Handkerchief
4.       Car keys

That prompted several others to do the same thing.  Everyone had a wallet and car keys.  Two of the five had a pocket knife, and only one (me) had a handkerchief.

At that point, I was informed that only “old men” carry around a handkerchief.  For whatever reason, my friends never really saw fit to carry one.   One even referred to it as a “relic of days gone by.”

Then I was asked, “Why do you even carry around a handkerchief?”

My response was simple.  It’s part of the code.  The man code.  A gentleman never leaves home without his handkerchief.    

That of course generated a few jokes at my expense, but I was serious.  The handkerchief can always be used by the owner, but the best reason to carry one is to be able to give to someone else when needed.  It’s a small gesture of chivalry to give your handkerchief to another.  I can’t tell you how many times I have given my handkerchief to someone who needed to cry, someone who needed to blow a nose, someone who needed to wipe their brow, someone with a cut or mess that needed cleaned up, etc., and in each of those situations, there wasn’t a box of Kleenex or roll of Bounty paper towels available.  The handkerchief was invaluable.  Something that small and insignificant by itself became the most valuable item in my pocket.

Having a handkerchief should be an essential item in every man’s pocket.  If you don’t own one, go out and buy about 10 of them.  They are dirt cheap and won’t set you back more than a few cups of coffee.  Launder them and take a clean one with you every day.  You will be surprised how often they will come in handy.    

I never remember a time that my dad didn’t have a handkerchief or a pocketknife with him.  That’s probably why I have always carried both items with me.  The day he died, I remember removing both items out of his pockets.  I’m sure the day I die, someone is going to be doing the same with me.  Until then, if you need to cry, have a runny nose, or need to clean up a mess, I’m your man.  I’ll be glad to give you my handkerchief.

As for the pocketknife, carrying one of those is in the man code too.  I’ll touch on that subject later. 

Kayfabe and the desire to believe

Kayfabe…the reality of professional wrestling.  It’s wrestlers staying in character to put on a show.  It’s the reality of their gimmicks, their feuds, etc.  It’s their portrayal that everything they do in the ring is real.

To truly enjoy professional wrestling, you need to suspend your disbelief in what you are seeing.  You need to believe that one man wants to fight another for a specific reason, and this reason can only be settled in the ring.  You need to believe that these men are pushing themselves to their human limits for a real purpose, not to put on a fake, choreographed fight.  It’s the story of the match that sucks you in and makes you suspend that disbelief.  It’s the performance that keeps you at the edge of your seat, waiting to see what will happen next. 

It’s not often fans get taken to that place anymore.  As a kid, I wanted to believe.  Each and every match was real.  As an adult, it’s rare when I watch wrestling with the same feelings I had as a child.  With the internet, news feeds, twitter, etc., it’s hard to suspend your disbelief and “enjoy” wrestling when kayfabe is broken over and over again.  With Wrestlemania coming around the corner, I have been watching more wrestling with the hope that I will once again be able to believe (even for a moment) that what I am seeing is for real.

In the world of Kayfabe, the Undertaker is 19-0 in matches at Wrestlemania.  This incredible record is affectionately called “the streak.”  For the last two decades, this man has been unbeatable on the greatest stage of the wrestling world, Wrestlemania.  Three years ago, Shawn Michaels, largely considered to be the greatest modern day in-ring performer, challenged the Undertaker at Wrestlemania but came up short.  The next year, he demanded a rematch and put his career on the line versus the streak.  Again, he fought valiantly but lost and retired from professional wrestling.  Last year, Shawn’s best friend, multiple time world champion HHH challenged the Undertaker at Wrestlemania.  HHH used chairs and sledgehammers to destroy the Undertaker in a brutal match, but like his friend, came up short and lost.  HHH walked out of the ring the loser, but the Undertaker was unable to walk at all after the match. 

As we build towards Wrestlemania, it has come time for the Undertaker to defend his streak once again.  He wants to prove to himself that he is the better man and can beat HHH.  HHH wants one more chance to be the man who ends the streak.  Shawn Michaels has been made the special referee for the match.  Even though he is known as “Mr. Wrestlemania,” Shawn wasn’t able to end the streak.  In his quest to beat the Undertaker, he had his greatest failure and lost his career.  Is he jealous that his best friend may accomplish the one thing he couldn’t do in his career?  Does he want to be the one to help end the streak by any means necessary?  Or, will Shawn call it down the line?  Will the Undertaker keep the streak alive?  Will HHH finally put an end to the Undertaker's reign over Wrestlemania?

Is all of this real?  No, of course not, but these men are doing what they do best.  They have made me want to believe, if only for a short while, that this match means everything to all three of them.  They are fighting over something beyond a championship.  They are fighting over their legacy as professional wrestlers. 

Only a few more weeks, then I’ll know if the streak ends.  Then I can come back to reality…

Thoughts on the movie Courageous

Normally I watch movies for escapism, not realism.  However, on occasion, I do stray away from your run of the mill zombie apocalypse or alien invasion for more wholesome, family cinema.

A few days ago my wife and I watched the Christian drama “Courageous.”  Like other movies from Sherwood Pictures, the majority of the cast are not professional actors but members of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia.  Don’t let that deter you from watching this or any of their other movies.  You watch their movies for the message, not because you are looking for a cinematic masterpiece.

***Relatively Spoiler Free***

The story centers around four sheriff’s deputies who begin a journey in examining fatherhood and the need for the father to be the spiritual head of the home.  We have the father of two kids who is too busy for his oldest son, the father who feels the need to protect his family, the father who doesn’t have custody of his son, and a young man who seems to be distant when discussing issues of family.  Each has their own story and viewpoint on the meaning of fatherhood.  Eventually we meet another character named Javier who joins our deputies in their spiritual journey.  Javier is a good man, who is down on his luck, but has faith that the Lord will provide for him and his family.

An unfortunate tragedy bring these five men closer to one another and to God, and they all eventually take on a resolution to be the father that God wants them to be.

There are plenty of subplots in the movie with drugs, gangs, stolen evidence, etc.  They all really serve as backdrop for the movie to get its points across (and they will; you will get constantly reminded if somehow you missed the message).  God wants you be an involved father and to honor Him in everything you do.  Your children need that positive influence in their life.  Not having that positive, spiritual influence potentially sets them up to fail in life.      

At times, the film suffers from plot holes and a lack of coherent plot structure.  There is a whole lot that one can criticize about this movie, but if you are doing that, then you are missing the point. 

I think every father can somehow relate to at least one of the main characters in the movie.  That’s what makes the movie work.  You want to see these men stand up for God and succeed as fathers.  You are rooting for them to set the bar high and achieve it.  Hopefully, you will want that for yourself as well.

For me, I don’t want to be a “good enough father” as the movie mentions.  When I am dead and gone, I want my children to have nothing but positive memories of me.  I want them to remember a father who protected them, loved them, and demonstrated for them how to honor their heavenly Father in all that they do.  Courageous reminds me why it is so important to achieve this kind of parental legacy. 

Courageous fills a need that can’t be found in so many modern movies.  If you are in need of a positive, uplifting spiritual movie, check this one out.   You won’t be disappointed.

Adventures on Netflix--Shaolin Soccer

I’m always checking Netflix for a new family night movie.  My kids already know that I am going to try to find something off the beaten path (“culture” as we say), and last night I stumbled across a film from 2001 made by one of my favorite actors from Hong Kong, Stephen Chow.

The film….Shaolin Soccer.

A lot of folks will dismiss the movie simply because of its title, but if you take a few moments to research the movie (Metacritic, Rotten tomatoes, Wikipedia), you will learn that this is a hidden gem in the sea of Netflix mediocrity.    

(Relatively spoiler free movie discussion)

Stephen Chow plays Sing, a Kung Fu master down on his luck who is trying to figure out how to honor his deceased master and spread Kung Fu to the world.  As you can guess, he is very unsuccessful until he meets an old man named Golden Leg.  Golden Leg was a former soccer star now with a bum leg whose life was ruined when he threw a championship soccer game as a younger man.  One of his teammates named Hung was the true mastermind behind this and had Golden Leg’s leg broken so that he could never play soccer again.  Hung became the best soccer player in Hong Kong and is now an evil business man and owner of Team Evil, the best soccer team in the country.

Golden Leg convinces Sing to apply his Kung Fu skills to the game of soccer, but Sing needs a team.  He seeks out his brothers from the Shaolin temple to join him.  Each of them have forsaken their Kung Fu training and are living a miserable existence in society, never fulfilling their potential.  All of them have lost their confidence.  While trying to reunite his brothers, Sing meets Mui, a shy, awkward young woman with severe acne, who makes delicious mantou by using T’ai Chi to prepare the dough.  Like Sing’s brothers, Mui has never reached her full potential and truly embraced Kung Fu as the center of her life. 

Without spoiling the plot too much, Sing and his brothers (Iron Head, Hooking Leg, Iron Shirt, Empty Hand, Mighty Steel Leg, and Light Weight) eventually form Team Shaolin and enter the Golden Cup Tournament.  Their skills and honor will be put to the test as they progress through the tournament and face Team Evil.   Redemption will be found, sacrifices will be made, and true love will be realized.

To summarize:

Action...check.

Romance...check.

Special effects...check.

Humor...check.

Occasional bad English translation...check.

Awesome Kung Fu...check.

Fun for the whole family...check.

This movie starts a little slow as the characters are introduced but is well worth the wait as you progress to the soccer scenes.  I wish all sports movies could be as exciting and fun as this one.

My kids laughed and cheered throughout the movie.  There’s good reason for this.  The movie is great.  For many years it was the highest grossing movie in Hong Kong, until it was surpassed by another Stephen Chow movie. 

If you haven’t ever seen a Stephen Chow movie, then I am sorry.  You are missing out.  Watch Shaolin Soccer.  Then go track down Kung Fu Hustle.  You won’t be disappointed.

Retro Gaming with the Family--Atari 2600

There’s no hiding the fact that my favorite console of all time is the Atari 2600 (my first real console as a kid).  I had so many fond memories of playing my Atari that I have tried on many occasions, unsuccessfully I might add, to share my love of this great console with my family.  No matter how hard I tried, something on the XBOX, Wii, or DS seemed to hold my kids’ attention better than the classic gameplay of the Atari 2600.    

This last weekend, the weather was abysmal, so I decided to try one last time to get the family interested in the old wood-grain box in my closet.  I set up a retro gaming weekend for the family and decided to hide the controllers to any modern system in the house.

Despite some initial grumbling about no Mario, XBOX, etc., I ended up with several volunteers willing to play “Dad’s old piece of junk.”

This time, however, I stacked the deck.  I pulled out the best of the best of my collection (sorry Human Cannonball; I loved playing you as a kid, but you didn’t make the cut).  Space Invaders, Pitfall, River Raid, Berzerk, Asteroids, Yars Revenge, The Empire Strikes Back, Kaboom, Atlantis, Frogger, Night Driver, Centipede, Defender, Vanguard and many, many more were served up to a family trapped in the house by Mother Nature. 

The kids were captivated with the gameplay, and the choice of games.   Two games, however, were played more than all the rest and became the favorites of the group—Warlords and Combat.  

Single player games, and high scores are one thing, but destroying your friend or family member and earning temporary bragging rights of dominance is another.  That’s why multiplayer games were invented, and why Warlords and Combat excel. 

I thoroughly enjoyed watching my family fire up Combat and try virtually every variation of the game.  We fought tank battles, invisible tank battles, three on one dogfight, invisible dogfight, one on one jets with and without clouds, etc.  The short time limit per game allowed multiple turns and set a frenetic pace to rack up the kills on your opponent.  Although my sons put up quite a fight, experience with the joystick helped one middle-aged gamer keep up a pretty good win streak.  When you are old, you will take any bit of help and competitive advantage you can get. 

As for Warlords, that will be for a different blog coming soon.

This weekend was definitely a success.  My sons have asked me to hook up my Atari (no longer called “Dad’s old piece of junk") in their room.  They can’t wait until we play it again.  Over the span of a few hours, my family helped me relive a little bit of my childhood, and my kids gained a better understanding of the history of video games.  I have to say it was a weekend well spent.  Thanks Atari.        

Farewell King Size Snickers Bar

Today, Mars Inc., the fine folks who make such great products like Snickers and Twix bars, announced that they are going to stop selling their products with more than 250 calories in them by the year 2014.

This great idea is “part of an ongoing effort to improve the nutritional value of its products and to sell them in a responsible way.”

Really….

Has anyone ever seriously thought that a chocolate candy bar was a responsible or nutritional snack?

A Snickers bar is meant for enjoyment not health (seems like I said basically the same thing in my Pepsi blog). A Snickers bar contains no nutritional benefits. If you want something healthy, then Jamie Lee Curtis recommends Activia rather than a Snickers bar. You do have a choice. 

I have mixed feelings about this announcement. I should be happy that companies are trying to fight the obesity epidemic, but I don’t think removing the king size chocolate bars will make much of a difference. Last time I checked I could buy two regular sized bars if a king size isn’t available.

Farewell King Size Snickers bar. You will be missed…. and eventually replaced with two regular sized bars full of political correctness. Yum!!!!!



For the full story, click here:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/16/mars-chocolate-idUSL2E8DG06320120216

Lessons learned--Skyrim

For the first time in many months, the stars aligned, and I was given a few hours to attack the pile of shame. There were many games to pick from, but there was one at the top of the pile staring at me, daring me to play.

Skyrim

It’s going to take me about 50 years to finish this game, so don’t expect a review any time soon. There are tons of reviews out there if you need to check one out. For me, I am going to chronicle a few things about my time in Skyrim. I am saving the kingdom, albeit slowly, but learning a lot along the way.

Lessons learned (5 hours in):

1.  Save often.
2.  If your character is at level 3, don’t try to kill a giant. Really, don’t. Just wait awhile.  If you try, you will be impressed with your ability to fly.
3.  If your character is at level 3, don’t try to kill a giant’s mammoths. Seriously, don’t. Maybe you will have better luck killing a chicken in the village.
4.   Leave the chickens alone. Killing one will get you in a lot of trouble. Who am I kidding? Avoid mammoths and chickens. Do some leveling up first.
5.  Whenever the prompt comes up to steal something, don’t do it in front of someone, even if you are carrying a large axe.  It never ends well. 
6.  Don’t step on ornate floor tiles in caves.  Look but don't touch.
7.  When stealth is required, give squatting a try.  Squatting down seems to make you invisible to the world.
8. If your character is at level 4, oh never mind.  See lesson 2.

If these lessons don’t make a lot of sense, pick up the game. You’ll see I am right, and no matter what happens, avoid killing chickens. You’ll thank me for that advice.


Minor Spoiler--youtube video of someone fighting giants

Parenting 101--Where did we go wrong?

“By the Power of Greyskull…..I have the POWER.”

It was early Saturday morning 1 week ago, and I was sure that I was dreaming or having some sleep deprived flashback to my childhood.

Then I realized I wasn’t dreaming or imagining things.  I clearly heard a very familiar sound…the roar of the mighty Battle Cat, He-Man’s faithful companion. 

After getting out of bed, I instinctively went to my sons’ room to watch He-Man, only to find them on the floor playing marbles.  Their TV was off.

I heard it again, the sound of He-Man battling the cackling, evil Skeletor. 

Now completely awake, I followed the sound to find something totally unexpected…my 5 year-old daughter in pink cupcake pajamas watching He-Man put the boots to a group of Skeletor’s henchman (Beast-Man, Mer-Man, and Trapjaw). 

She was cheering He-Man and punching along with our hero.

My daughter then admitted that she turned on the TV and the Roku box to get to Netflix (this should have gotten her in trouble but on this day I just couldn't bring myself to get on to her).  She found He-Man on there and started watching it.  Now she’s hooked.  In an explosion of excitement she said,  “Dad, he punches the bad guys….a lot.  It’s awesome.  I want fabulous secret powers.  I love Cringer.” 

Please keep in mind that my daughter isn’t much of a tomboy.  Everything in her room is pink.  She is all girl, all the time.  Almost all of her activities involve Barbie, My Little Pony, Disney Princesses, Hello Kitty, Strawberry Shortcake, etc.  He-Man doesn’t quite fit the pattern of her existence.

Yet, there she was watching one my favorite childhood shows.  

When I told my wife, she laughed and said, “Where did we go wrong?” 

Instead a grin came across my face as I replied,”No…..where did we go right?”

Daddy-daughter TV time is about to get a lot more exciting…

Pinterest....What is a "Pinterest?"

Pinterest…..

My wife starting doing this “thing” for the last several weeks, and it has grown into an obsession. Pretty soon I was able to see how the obsession spreads like gremlins with water on them (or a zombie outbreak if you prefer). Our email box is bursting at the seam with non-stop Pinterest excitement. Susie is following you on Pinterest. Mary just repinned your pin. It goes on and on.

Finally, last week, I broke down and had a serious discussion with my wife.

Me: What is a "Pinterest?"

Her: It’s a place where people virtually pin pictures of stuff they like.

Me: Ok...

The emails of all the Pinterest excitement continued to pour in, which lead to serious discussion number 2.

Me: What is Pinterest again, and why do they keep sending so many emails?

Her: It’s a social network. People make boards which have pictures and links pinned on them. Other people view the boards. It’s great.  Let me show you.

Me: Ok…why are there so many pictures of babies and food?

Her: That’s what a lot of people like to see.

Me: Ok….

Last Thursday, I finally got the itch to experience firsthand what Pinterest is all about. So I added the app to my iPhone and went to create an account.

Instead of the immediate gratification I was expecting, I was thanked on email for joining a waitlist and given  a promise that I would get an official invitiation to join the site later. What? Is Pinterest the country club of social networks where I have to wait to get in? Well, like most folks wanting social acceptance, I put my name on the list and waited with baited breath for my invite.

Today is the day, and I am proud to say that I’ve been accepted into the club.

I have no idea what I am going to do there. I’m not one of the cool kids, so I hope I can fit in. 

I’ve got a feeling I’m about to have another serious discussion with my wife about Pinterest. This time instead of "What is Pinterest" it will be "Can you show me how to do this thing?  Please."

For me, Pinterest is like stepping on the moon. Ok, maybe it’s not that dramatic but it’s a big step for me.

Pinterest, here I come!!!  Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of babies or food.

If anyone has any tips how to make Pinterest exciting for a middle-aged gamer, please type in the comments.

Thoughts on the death of my father

When I decided to start a blog, I didn’t plan to write anything serious.  I figured I would write about the video games I played, the movies I watched, etc.  I never planned to write out my innermost emotions and feelings.  I think I am going to take a quick detour from my original blogging plan for this one entry.

Lately, with my birthday approaching, I’ve noticed that I feel a bit empty.

I am not going through a mid-life crisis, and I haven’t traded away the family car for a Corvette.  I have pretty much anything one could ever want (an amazing family, a rewarding job, and a great church). 

However, this will be my first birthday without my father, who passed away in December.

It seems odd to “celebrate” without someone who was there your entire life.

I know I am not the first to ever have to go through this nor will I be the last.  We all only have a small amount of time on this Earth.  Knowing this still doesn’t get rid of the empty feeling.

After my father passed away, I was looking through some of his writings and notes.  A couple of years ago, my father began to help teach a Sunday school class.  When he prepared his lesson, he would brainstorm all of his thoughts on paper.  One thing he wrote really stood out to me. 

“You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.”

My father and I didn’t have a perfect relationship, but I did love him, and my world just isn’t quite right without him.

I know in time I’ll adjust, and the empty feeling will go away.  It just won’t be today. 

Dad, I love you and miss you.  My birthday won’t be the same without you.

Atari 2600 Catalogs

Today there is seemingly an infinite number of ways to promote video games (downloadable demos, websites, blogs, commercials, podcasts, youtube, twitter, facebook, etc).  Need a screenshot, video, or review?  No problem, they are out there on the web, en masse. 

It wasn’t so easy back in the days of the Atari 2600 though.  Back then you had……..(drum roll)……..a catalog.

Atari was well known for printing some amazing catalogs to promote their game library.  These catalogs would have exciting, detailed art work to advertise the company’s latest and greatest games. 

Catalogs were packed in with games when you bought them.  These catalogs weren’t small either.  Often times, they would advertise up to 50 titles. 

For me, these catalogs gave the opportunity to see what exciting adventure was out there, waiting for me to find and play.   It also served as a nice presentation piece to assist with formal begging.   There is no telling how many times I gave copies of the catalogs to my parents with all the games “I needed” circled with a red pen. 

In going through some things today, I found a couple of Atari catalogs from 1981 and 1982.  A lot of games were still circled in red ink.  Maybe my Mom will get me one for my birthday.  It still doesn’t hurt to ask…..

To see many of the classic video game catalogs, check out the following website:  http://www.atariage.com/system_catalogs.html

Judge Dredd vs Zombies for the iPhone

“I am the law.”

I haven’t heard the name Judge Dredd in many years. I’m not a huge fan of the comic book series and still cringe when I think of the 1995 movie version of Judge Dredd starring Sylvester Stallone.

I know a little about the Judge though. In the future, Earth is a big wasteland. Humanity lives in mega-cities and “judges” walk the streets dispensing justice by serving as judge, jury, and sometimes executioner. In Mega-City One, Judge Dredd is our main man delivering justice to all the criminals of the city.

How do you try to re-introduce Judge Dredd to modern day video gamers? Add zombies of course. That seems to be the norm with any franchise now.

So, we have a new “freemium” game from Fuse and Rebellion, and it has zombies.

Judge Dredd vs Zombies is a top down action shooter consisting of 30 levels of zombie blasting fun. There’s no real story here, no cut scenes, just action. You are Judge Dredd, and the only way to complete the level is to kill every zombie that moves.

You get to use one of four upgradeable weapons (MKII Lawgiver, Spitgun, Scattergun, or Hi-Ex Launcher) to destroy the zombie hordes. Each has its own pros/cons, and you will have to figure out which weapon works best for you if you want to complete the game (more on this later).

The good:

Controls are excellent. You move with a virtual d-pad on the left side of the screen and firing/reloading buttons on the right side. The game auto-locks on the nearest target (which really helps when the screen is packed full of zombies) but will also allow you to manually target if needed.

The levels are repetitive but fun (walk into an area, kill zombies, walk into another area, kill zombies, rinse and repeat). The action can be intense when you are locked in a room with the zombie horde and trying to fight to stay alive. It will take skill and patience to make it through all of the levels.

The levels are relatively short, which makes it great for quick pick up and play sessions.

The indifferent:

The game is challenging when you decide to leave it as a free game. As you progress through levels, you earn in game currency, which can help you upgrade your weapons (a must if you expect to finish the game).

The bad (and the real bad):

The amount of currency you earn in the game is very low. You are going to need currency and weapon upgrades to progress through levels in the game. Unless you buy credits, you are barely going to earn enough money to upgrade only one weapon to the point that you can beat the game. If you try to balance your upgrades with earned currency, you will end up with four minimally upgraded weapons that simply won’t give you enough firepower to beat the later levels of the game. I would have loved to play the game with all of the weapons but couldn’t unless I spent real money to upgrade them.

That gets us to the really bad: the microtransaction system for the game. It is very clear that the publishers of the game want you to buy additional credits to upgrade your weapons. Buying the credits will run you from $2 to $30 depending on how much you want. If you don’t spend the money, then it is going to be a long grind to finish the game. You will be replaying levels over and over to earn enough credits to make your weapon useful in the later levels. It can be done though. You will just have to demonstrate some patience…a lot of patience. For me personally, I would rather pay for the game and play it completely or allow the player to purchase optional upgrades. I didn’t like feeling that the game was tryng to make me buy credits just to get through a “free” game.

Final Thoughts:

Pick up this game and give it a try. The controls and action are excellent. If you don’t want to grind through the game or spend any money, play and enjoy the levels until you get stuck, then delete the game. If you love it, grind through it, or buy some credits. Either way, have fun being Judge Dredd, even if for a few minutes. Go protect Mega-City One. The citizens there need you.  You are the law.

Second Place is Pretty Darn Good

Second place is being the first loser. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that. Even Vince Lombardi is noted for saying, “There is no room for second place. There is only one place in my game and that is first place.”

This weekend my sons and I came in second place in a Boy Scout fishing tournament, only missing out of first by 3 ounces. According to Vince Lombardi and many others, I should be very unhappy about coming in second place because I am “the first loser.”

There were over 45 parent/Scout teams at the tournament, and only two teams received an award (1st and 2nd place). Strangely enough, I didn’t see a single person get upset about not winning. I didn’t feel like the first loser, and I don’t think that the other 43 teams felt like losers either.

I had nothing but great joy spending a day with my family, getting an opportunity to fish, and watching my sons’ faces light up as they reeled in one rainbow trout after another. Whether we won or not, I felt like a winner just for being there.

I’ll take being the first loser on this one. Coming in second place wasn’t bad at all. In fact, it was pretty darn good.

RIP Robert Heyges AKA Juan Epstein

I just read that Robert Heyges passed away on Thursday January 26th at the age of 60 from a heart attack.  Many won’t recognize the name at first but most will know who he is when you see a picture of Juan Luis Pedro Felipo de Huevos Epstein or more simply Epstein from Welcome Back Kotter.  Heyges did many other things as an actor (such as portraying undercover detective Manny Esposito on Cagney & Lacey and teaching acting courses at Rowan University) but will forever be remembered for his role as Juan Epstein. 

I still laugh when I think of him saying, “Hey Mr. Kotter.  I got a note.”  The note would always be signed by “Epstein’s mother” or “Epstein’s doctor” to try to get him out of a taking a test or doing some other type of schoolwork.  It was one the best running jokes on the show.

Mr. Heyges, thanks for the memories.  RIP.

Thoughts on the Fanfic Video "Grayson"

At one point or another, most kids have dreamed up the perfect story with their favorite superheroes.  I remember as a 7 year old writing a story in which a new Green Lantern (who happened to be a whole lot like me) destroyed an evil dictator named Kal-El (i.e. Superman).  I called it Emerald Dawn.  It was my masterpiece (at least in my 7 year old mind).  Many years later DC comics had its own “Emerald Dawn” storyline in their Green Lantern comic book series.  Fortunately for them, it was nothing like my story.  My story, which in retrospect wasn’t very good, was what folks today call “fan fiction”  (i.e. stories written by fans about their favorite movie, TV, video game, comic book characters, etc.)

There are lots of sites that publish fan fiction, and I’m always impressed when I read a piece that seems to be on par with actual comic book/movie canon.  I’m even more impressed when someone attempts to put a piece of fanfic to video.   Other than youtube, these usually never get published due to trademark issues, but they can still be fun to watch.

This leads me to “Grayson.”

A couple of times per year, I find myself going back to watch “Grayson,” a five minute fanfic movie trailer about Dick Grayson (Robin) putting back on the suit to solve the murder of Batman.  With so many DC Comics references, pictures, and characters involved in the story, it’s obvious that star/director John Fiorella has a true love and reverence for the source material.  It's this reverence that really draws you into his superhero tale. 

Throw out some comic book logic (i.e. why doesn’t Dick Grayson just wear his Nightwing outfit) and have fun watching Mr. Fiorella’s trailer.  It’s a heck of a 5 minute ride and one of the best fanfic videos out there.

Pepsi Throwback

Coke or Pepsi? Coke

Coke or Pepsi Throwback? Much more difficult of a choice, but I am starting to lean towards Pepsi Throwback.

Pepsi Throwback is soda as it should be made. High fructose corn syrup....gone. Pepsi Throwback has replaced this with cane/beet sugar as it was many decades ago.

Nothing makes a soda taste better than real sugar. Nothing.

The flavor of Pepsi Throwback is sweet and goes down smooth. Gone is the acidic, chemical taste found in regular Pepsi. Once you drink a Throwback, you won’t want a regular Pepsi ever again.

Thanks Pepsi. The Throwback takes me back to my childhood when drinking a soda was a real treat. As long as you keep them on the market, I will buy them.

As for the health nuts out there, sodas are meant for enjoyment, not health. They contain no nutritional benefits. Let me repeat, they contain no nutritional benefits. If you want something healthy, go make a protein shake or have some Activia or something. Me, I’ll take the Pepsi Throwback.....at least until Coke follows suit with some real sugar.

The Pile of Shame

When I was younger, devoting hours and hours to playing video games was easy.  A 100 hour RPG.  No problem, just give me a week to complete it.  Video games were not just a hobby, but a passion, a way of life.   As I have become a “responsible adult” I tend to find less time to game as so much of my life is spent between my family and job.  When I do get the chance, it’s usually playing games with the kids or finding a spare moment to try out something on my iphone.  Regardless, the itch to still be a hardcore gamer never goes away, even if you know you don’t have the time to do so. 

Enter the pile of shame.

What is the pile of shame (AKA the stack of shame)?  It’s the pile of games that people like me buy with good intentions to resume their hardcore gaming ways.  “I’ll carve out some time and then I will play it.”  I have probably said this 1000 times.  I have been able to do it a few times.  Maybe it’s a visit to Mom’s house, going to one of the kids’ events, or just mowing the yard.  The time to sink into a long game just no longer exists.  As a result, the pile just grows and grows.  In looking at my current pile, I found L.A. Noire, which I received last year for Father’s Day.  The game is still sealed and seems to be slowly inching its way up the pile.  I really wanted to play the game when I received it, but life conspired to take that time away.  

Christmas saw the addition of Batman:  Arkham City and The Elder Scrolls V:  Skyrim.   I’ve been saying almost daily that I was going to fire up Skyrim, only to have life remind me that I am no longer a hardcore gamer but a father and husband first, gamer second.  Skyrim, however, is patiently waiting for me at the top of the pile.

I still long to be that gamer of old and sink my teeth into a 100+ hour game.  Will I ever get to?  Of course, I’ve bought the game, and it’s in the pile.  I’ll just carve out some time and play it……

Random Thoughts on the Movie Phase 7

Normally I watch a movie when I don’t feel like reading, but sometimes I’ll combine the two and look for a foreign horror or sci-fi movie and bear through the English subtitles. If the movie is good, then I don’t mind. Last night was devoted to watching the low budget Argentinian sci-fi movie “Phase 7” from the Netflix instant queue.

Here’s the basic premise with no major spoilers.

The story is set in Argentina and initially focuses on a twenty something slacker named Coco and his 7 month pregnant wife Pipi. As the story develops we find out that a deadly virus has hit several countries, killing lots and lots of people (they don’t exactly say how many so I will quantify it as “lots and lots”). The Health Ministry begins increasing the threat level in the country, and eventually the building that Coco and Pipi live in is placed into quarantine. As time passes, we get introduced to the unusual group of neighbors in the building and the social dynamic between these people. Although a pacificst, Coco eventually aligns himself with his gun-toting survivalist neighbor Horacio as tensions and paranoia increase from living weeks in quarantine without contact to the outside world.

There is mention a few times about some type of New World Order and the conspiracy that the virus is a way to decrease the population, but this really wasn’t developed much other than to further along some conversations between Coco and Horacio and explain Horacio's survivalist actions. I was expecting monsters or zombies to attack those in the building, but that never happened. The most dangerous predator in this movie was man and his inevitable inhumanity towards others.

Pros

· Decent story with decent acting for a low budget movie, funny at times
· Suspenseful environment
· Musical score is reminiscent of something out of a late 70's/early 80's John Carpenter movie

Cons

· Character development
· Pacing
· The virus isn’t all that frightening in the way it kills (other than it kills you I guess).   However, it’s probably much more realistic than getting a bite/scratch and then bouncing up from the ground as an out of control zombie or monster.

Overall I was satisfied with the movie. Perhaps it’s because I didn’t have any preconceived expectations. If I had wanted to watch Hitchcock, then I would have watched Hitchcock. I just wanted a little escapism and basic entertainment, not a cinematic masterpiece. This movie gave that to me. It also got me thinking about what I would do in similar circumstances. So for that, I’ll recommend the movie. Most movies these days won’t keep you thinking after the credits roll.

If you can handle the subtitles, I would also recommend Troll Hunter (Norway) and Rammbock (Germany), which can also be found on the Netflix instant queue. Maybe I’ll discuss these later, but I have to finish my thoughts on Space Invaders first….

The best gift "ever"

My random thoughts wandered away from Space Invaders and towards the idea of the best gift "ever" (material gift that is; a much greater gift can be found at John 3:16).

This year my kids told me they had the greatest Christmas “ever.”  My sons decided that their BB guns were the best gifts “ever.”  My daughter thought that her Build-a Bear wardrobe was the best gift “ever.”  I remember telling my parents that my Atari 2600 and later my Nintendo Entertainment System were the best gifts “ever.”  My wife said her Kindle Fire was the best gift “ever.”  Ok, maybe she didn’t say that, but she did like it.  This got me to thinking about what really makes something the best gift ever.

A few years ago, my friend Jim gave what I think was one of the best gifts “ever” to his granddaughter Lily.  He wrote a story for her, and his wife Karan drew the pictures for the story, “Princess Lily and the Great Cookie Mystery.”  The story was simply a tale written from a grandfather to his granddaughter out of love.  Buying something for someone is really easy, even when there is a lot of thought to the present, but creating something for another person is truly special.  This story was a gift from the heart and not the wallet.  When I think about the best gifts “ever,” I have to think that Jim’s gift to Lily is right up there as one of the best.  Since then he’s worked to put it e-book form.

If you are interested go check it out at: http://www.crimsonpearlbooks.com/

Jim, great job being a loving grandfather.  You’ve given Lily something she will never forget and will always hold dear to her heart.  You gave her your story.

Coming Soon: Memories and Recollections of Space Invaders for the Atari 2600 AKA the best $25 I ever spent

Hopefully I'll have my first blog finished this weekend.

Memories and Recollections of Space Invaders for the Atari 2600 AKA the best $25 I ever spent

Intro to the Blog

I know nothing about blogging, programming, etc., so bear with me as I learn how to write a blog and make the site a little nicer.  I'm simply a middle-aged gamer with kids and a regular 9-5 job who has a lot on my mind.   My blog isn't meant to change the world, but simply to write out my random thoughts on my hobbies and passions in life.  Hopefully, others out there will share some of these same things, and we can discuss them together.