10 gaming gadgets that will make us hurt ourselves....
OUCH!!!!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Leave to the Germans!
They have conquered the world of gaming and made it their own. All because of a little game called "The Settlers of Catan." It is a lengthy article but if you are a gamer, then you should read it!
Read about it here: CATAN
Thanks to Henry for bringing this to my attention!
L8r!
Read about it here: CATAN
Thanks to Henry for bringing this to my attention!
L8r!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
They work for us?!!?!?
This was sent to me via a friend. It is quite an eye opener. I truly don't know if all of it is true but I think, and am afraid it is. WARNING! The language is rough!
THE GUY FROM BOSTON
THE GUY FROM BOSTON
Thursday, August 20, 2009
What rocked about Gen Con this year...
Gen Con Indy, 2009 was, as always, a great time for the family, friends and I. This year was maybe slightly better than other years.
For one, I paid nothing for hotel accomodations, even though we had to pack and unpack each night so we could go to our reserved hotel, find it a disaster, and with no room for us to stay there. Then we would head 4 miles west and stay at a swanky new hotel that would cost something like 150-200 bucks a night, but yet it cost us nothing. It was on the house so to speak from the hotel we were supposed to stay at. Seeing that they never had rooms for us, they sent us to the other hotel at their expense and still let us park in their parking garage which was only 5 city blocks from the convention center. Yeah we had to move around alot and didn't have a place to go to for a break, but what the heck! It was free!
Secondly, registration and scheduling was a snap! Due to a new system, I got into all the games I wanted and so did the family. AND we discovered the game room where you can just go rent a game for $2 or $4 and play to your hearts content! We spent alot of time in good old room 500! Discovered REDNECK LIFE too! Great game!
Third, and most importantly, I had a blast in each and every game I played. My first game was Tigris and Euphrates, a new game just learned a few weeks ago. My wife and I were to play this with two other people, but they never showed so we went at it by ourselves and found it to be a cutthroat sort of game when played with two people. While she did not stomp me in the game, my wife did defeat me soundly. She would say she trashed me. Another game I played and enjoyed, but would probably not purchase it, is Age of Conan: the Board Game. A good game, but it didn't hold my attention and there were too many small mechanics in the game to make it easily playable. I did enjoy the game, especially because of the theme, but it would not make it to my top 20 list in fun games.
The games I did enjoy the most were Memoir '44 and Battlestar Galactica the board game. Both of these games gave me an adrenaline rush and were hours well spent playing. The Memoir game is a tradition for the group I attend GenCon with. Four years now we have played the Overlord games and come out victorious! This year was my turn at the role of overall commander and we beat an experienced team with a "world champion" of strategy board gaming. Never seen a champion retreat in a battle strategy game before! Anyway, as a team we worked really well and I was happy that we all contributed our best to win the game. It was a hard slog but it was worth it! The other game, Battlestar Galactica, while not a game for everyone, is rapidly becomeing one of my favorites. The premise is that exactly as the show... Humans trying to survive Cylon attacks and plots. In the game, you don't know who is human and who is cylon and it makes for a very interesting game especially with the mechanics of skill checks coming in from everyone, and not everyone is playing to win for the humans! I did not win in this game but I got to play with my daughter and can see she is starting to become a gamer. She has a good grasp of complicated game concepts when she pays attention. Now only if she could translate that into grasping concepts in school.
The only complaint I have about this year's con was our visit to the Ram. The service sucked, the food tore me up inside, and they discontinued their sale of Taylor Fladgate 40 year port. For that alone, I will not return.
It was a great time and I can't wait for next year.
Later!
For one, I paid nothing for hotel accomodations, even though we had to pack and unpack each night so we could go to our reserved hotel, find it a disaster, and with no room for us to stay there. Then we would head 4 miles west and stay at a swanky new hotel that would cost something like 150-200 bucks a night, but yet it cost us nothing. It was on the house so to speak from the hotel we were supposed to stay at. Seeing that they never had rooms for us, they sent us to the other hotel at their expense and still let us park in their parking garage which was only 5 city blocks from the convention center. Yeah we had to move around alot and didn't have a place to go to for a break, but what the heck! It was free!
Secondly, registration and scheduling was a snap! Due to a new system, I got into all the games I wanted and so did the family. AND we discovered the game room where you can just go rent a game for $2 or $4 and play to your hearts content! We spent alot of time in good old room 500! Discovered REDNECK LIFE too! Great game!
Third, and most importantly, I had a blast in each and every game I played. My first game was Tigris and Euphrates, a new game just learned a few weeks ago. My wife and I were to play this with two other people, but they never showed so we went at it by ourselves and found it to be a cutthroat sort of game when played with two people. While she did not stomp me in the game, my wife did defeat me soundly. She would say she trashed me. Another game I played and enjoyed, but would probably not purchase it, is Age of Conan: the Board Game. A good game, but it didn't hold my attention and there were too many small mechanics in the game to make it easily playable. I did enjoy the game, especially because of the theme, but it would not make it to my top 20 list in fun games.
The games I did enjoy the most were Memoir '44 and Battlestar Galactica the board game. Both of these games gave me an adrenaline rush and were hours well spent playing. The Memoir game is a tradition for the group I attend GenCon with. Four years now we have played the Overlord games and come out victorious! This year was my turn at the role of overall commander and we beat an experienced team with a "world champion" of strategy board gaming. Never seen a champion retreat in a battle strategy game before! Anyway, as a team we worked really well and I was happy that we all contributed our best to win the game. It was a hard slog but it was worth it! The other game, Battlestar Galactica, while not a game for everyone, is rapidly becomeing one of my favorites. The premise is that exactly as the show... Humans trying to survive Cylon attacks and plots. In the game, you don't know who is human and who is cylon and it makes for a very interesting game especially with the mechanics of skill checks coming in from everyone, and not everyone is playing to win for the humans! I did not win in this game but I got to play with my daughter and can see she is starting to become a gamer. She has a good grasp of complicated game concepts when she pays attention. Now only if she could translate that into grasping concepts in school.
The only complaint I have about this year's con was our visit to the Ram. The service sucked, the food tore me up inside, and they discontinued their sale of Taylor Fladgate 40 year port. For that alone, I will not return.
It was a great time and I can't wait for next year.
Later!
Thursday, August 13, 2009
The truth-o-meter....
For anyone wanting the truth in politics, check out this site from the St. Petersburg Times!
The home of the OBAMA-meter!
The home of the OBAMA-meter!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Cool things lately...
Rather than join the cacophony of voices screaming and complaining and general negative voices on the Internet, radio and tv... I am gonna just list a lot of great things happening in my life. If you think negatively, which I am guilty of, you will create negative outcomes. Like I tell my son and daughter, "You make your own hell." Life is good and here is why it is for me....
My wife got her motorcycle license and now rides (even long distance) with me and friends! It really is cool to see her riding in the two wheeled brother-(sister) hood.
I have been on two great vacations. One to the Wisconsin Dell and one to New Orleans
I actually was able to witness really good thing happening in New Orleans when people come together with a conscious effort to change a place. In turn, they are changed themselves. Also, out of the blue, I actually got a phone call from a resident of New Orleans, calling me to simply thank us for coming to her town and making a difference. Never met her and probably never will, but we talked like old friends. One of the things I learned there is to listen to people, and really hear them. You will be amazed what you will discover if you shut up and listen instead of yammering on about yourself.
I got to see the WWII D-day Museum in New Orleans.and even met some vets from Omaha beach.
I have a new puppy. What can get better than that? Her name is Astrid Gudrun von Geiken and she is a AKC German Shepard. She is a beauty and very sweet and smart.
I am almost done with repainting my entire house.
All of my bills get paid on time. (thanks to my wife)
I have been able to game about a dozen times in the last month or two. Very Cool!
My daughter has joined the Cross Country team and seems (so far) to enjoy it! That also means she is in Jr. High now... which scares me a little but is still pretty cool in my book. She works hard to get decent grades. I hope we can keep it up in 6th grade.
My son is playing the bass drum in marching band - something that he really wanted to do! This makes me happy that he was excited about getting it. All to often he takes what is left over.
I took the Concealed Carry License for the State of Florida and passed. Now to get the Concealed Carry passed in Illinois. From what I hear, it is close to happening. That makes me really happy!
My wife loves me and I love her. So many couples around me are self destructing and I cannot for the life of me figure out why. Don't people talk anymore in relationships?
My wife and I are planning a wine and dine weekend. Vineyards and nice restaurants...
Speaking of wine, I made another 3 gallons of port for the church and private consumption.
And finally, as the last big blast of Summer, the family and I are heading to GENCON! Gaming and geeky heaven!!! I can't wait!
Dang, just writing this has made me feel better!
Later!
Have a great day!
My wife got her motorcycle license and now rides (even long distance) with me and friends! It really is cool to see her riding in the two wheeled brother-(sister) hood.
I have been on two great vacations. One to the Wisconsin Dell and one to New Orleans
I actually was able to witness really good thing happening in New Orleans when people come together with a conscious effort to change a place. In turn, they are changed themselves. Also, out of the blue, I actually got a phone call from a resident of New Orleans, calling me to simply thank us for coming to her town and making a difference. Never met her and probably never will, but we talked like old friends. One of the things I learned there is to listen to people, and really hear them. You will be amazed what you will discover if you shut up and listen instead of yammering on about yourself.
I got to see the WWII D-day Museum in New Orleans.and even met some vets from Omaha beach.
I have a new puppy. What can get better than that? Her name is Astrid Gudrun von Geiken and she is a AKC German Shepard. She is a beauty and very sweet and smart.
I am almost done with repainting my entire house.
All of my bills get paid on time. (thanks to my wife)
I have been able to game about a dozen times in the last month or two. Very Cool!
My daughter has joined the Cross Country team and seems (so far) to enjoy it! That also means she is in Jr. High now... which scares me a little but is still pretty cool in my book. She works hard to get decent grades. I hope we can keep it up in 6th grade.
My son is playing the bass drum in marching band - something that he really wanted to do! This makes me happy that he was excited about getting it. All to often he takes what is left over.
I took the Concealed Carry License for the State of Florida and passed. Now to get the Concealed Carry passed in Illinois. From what I hear, it is close to happening. That makes me really happy!
My wife loves me and I love her. So many couples around me are self destructing and I cannot for the life of me figure out why. Don't people talk anymore in relationships?
My wife and I are planning a wine and dine weekend. Vineyards and nice restaurants...
Speaking of wine, I made another 3 gallons of port for the church and private consumption.
And finally, as the last big blast of Summer, the family and I are heading to GENCON! Gaming and geeky heaven!!! I can't wait!
Dang, just writing this has made me feel better!
Later!
Have a great day!
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Top of my head ramblings....
Much like the end of the year, the middle of the year (particularly August) is a very, very expensive time for my wife and I. Due to two particularly good Halloween parties we hosted, (15 and 11 years ago) both of our kids were born in the latter part of July and the early part of August, making their birthdays about 10 days apart on the calendar. Both my wife and I are huge proponents of celebrating birthdays and giving gifts to kids and making the most of their special days. Not quite like Christmas, but we do try to make the day special and memoriable. So we purchase gifts, make cakes, host a party or two, and generally shell out a decent amount of cash for the kids. We love them and they deserve it and everyone has a good time! But now, as the kids get older, and they advance in to higher grades, their activities in the school increase and with that, so do the school fees. So, to put the kids in school, get supplies, clothes, sport shoes and clothing, band equipement, medical checkups, and all those other things, and throw in the birthdays, it can be a bit tight in the home of the Longbowman. And because I am a geek and I must feed my inner geek, I bring the family along to GenCon in Indianapolis so that they can be my geek family at the biggest gaming convention in the US. (nothing is sadder than a single geek at a gaming convention.... maybe.) And then you have the hometown celebration (Old Settlers) that I have attended for every year I have been alive the following weekend and you have one very very broke family!
What to do, what to do? To be honest, I have no idea. Cut back on birthdays!? Hell no! God gives each of us a special day and it deserves to be celebrated! Keep the kids from doing so much in school. No way... bad idea. I didn't involve myself in much during my school years and regret it. Skip Gen Con? Possibly, but it is soo much fun and we all have a great time attending it as the last hurrah before school starts. Miss the old hometown celebration that I have never missed? Are you frakkin kidding? That would probably cause the end of the world...
So what to do? You know what... nothing... Do what we want to do. Suck it up, cut in other places or make money elsewhere to help things out. For those that complain about not having money, I feel for you, but if you spending your money and having fun and still complaining about not having money... stop. IF You are not having fun with your money, then you have a MIGHT have a right to complain. But that is your fault. But if you spend it on fun stuff and are still paying your bills, supporting your family, and making ends meet but with nothing left over like just about everyone else, then good for you! You can't take the money with you so use it to live and life will work itself out. God provides for those that make the effort.
August and the beginning of school will be over and then things will be more fluid in the cash department for my family. And we will have had a fun summer despite the fact we will be flat broke. Money is worth nothing if it is not used.
(inspired by a conversation with and unemployed friend who has really good attitude about money and how to use it.)
Later..
What to do, what to do? To be honest, I have no idea. Cut back on birthdays!? Hell no! God gives each of us a special day and it deserves to be celebrated! Keep the kids from doing so much in school. No way... bad idea. I didn't involve myself in much during my school years and regret it. Skip Gen Con? Possibly, but it is soo much fun and we all have a great time attending it as the last hurrah before school starts. Miss the old hometown celebration that I have never missed? Are you frakkin kidding? That would probably cause the end of the world...
So what to do? You know what... nothing... Do what we want to do. Suck it up, cut in other places or make money elsewhere to help things out. For those that complain about not having money, I feel for you, but if you spending your money and having fun and still complaining about not having money... stop. IF You are not having fun with your money, then you have a MIGHT have a right to complain. But that is your fault. But if you spend it on fun stuff and are still paying your bills, supporting your family, and making ends meet but with nothing left over like just about everyone else, then good for you! You can't take the money with you so use it to live and life will work itself out. God provides for those that make the effort.
August and the beginning of school will be over and then things will be more fluid in the cash department for my family. And we will have had a fun summer despite the fact we will be flat broke. Money is worth nothing if it is not used.
(inspired by a conversation with and unemployed friend who has really good attitude about money and how to use it.)
Later..
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