Vid game post and lonely

I've just seen the new guitar hero clip. This newest edition will be like Rockband and have new drumset, new guitar, and a regular mic.

It even supports making your own tracks, and sharing them with others to play. Another online feature they speak of is dueling 4-player bands.


All this is exciting to me, but at the same time: overwhelming. New peripherals? I've already got three guitars... New drum kit? Granted... this one does seem to have major improvements from Rockband (pressure sensitive, raised cymbals, wireless), but I'm running out of room near my TV for all these peripherals.

I enjoy the novelty (and improvements) of all the guitars and other music accessories and the interesting additions the Wii has, but I miss the days of not having to change controllers.

All my systems and games seem to require me to change controllers. This is getting old, and storage is starting to be a problem. I have been going back to games that use the original PS2 controller and classic Wii controllers that came with the system.

PS2 bargain bins and the Wii's virtual console are great for playing games old favorites and ones I never got to play (and much cheaper than newer games!!!!). And what's even better: no controller changing!



Another development of gaming came when I had kids: decrease in violence. While I would like to play the new Fallout 3 when it comes out I don't think I could get much play time as I tend to have young audience members these days. In addition to the questionable content for my younger viewers I would also need new hardware as in 'new computer'. Apart from being rather expensive this also fits in with the peripheral complaint... more 'stuff'.

Music games have been safe, but the kids often lose interest. Definitely more fun to play than to watch! Cian likes to sing on Rockband (and he does very well on a few select songs), but one or two songs and he's done. RPGs have been a family favorite. Following the adventures in Paper Mario or Dragon Quest VIII have a book feel. A new chapter opens up each day/night... new characters and places. While some of the newer RPGs have voice acting and cinematics a lot still have copius amounts of text. Soon the kids won't need my narration as they are starting to read.

(Note: Gaming for the busy parent brings up 'save game' features. I particularly enjoy games that have 'save anywhere' features. Playing for hours to reach a save point is many times impossible.)



SO NOW... everyone being gone is leaving me chapterless. The kids and I finished our subbed anime series, Future Boy Conan; and I don't want to watch ahead on the Mysterious Cities of Gold. I've got a few more games to finish that I've not beaten, but in the meantime I thought I'd write about it...

Now what..

SO... having fataly wounded cable.. It should finally be off today. What to do now. Well, we've been doing all the things we were doing before, but now doing them more. Library books, games, toys. All still here.

I've been enjoying watching series. Rose had borrowed Firefly from a friend, and we have been watching those. If you haven't seen this series you need to! I'm sure we will go into withdrawals after we finally reach the 4th disc and there is no more.


The kids had been watching Boomerang before we canceled cable. Favorites included: Banana Splits Show, Jetsons, Tom and Jerry, MGM cartoons, and many other classic TV. I wanted to watch a series with them. One that popped into my head was one serial that came on Italian TV when my folks were over there, Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water. I didn't know exactly what they were saying (it was in Italian... and Chris didn't translate the whole thing to me) but I remember liking the series.

Finding it on the net proved to be difficult. Other options... Netflix whose $10-20 subscription is much cheaper than cable. Buying the DVDs on my own *ERck.. ack*

Folks had likened it to another series.. one much earlier: Future Boy Conan. I came to learn that the setting was July 2008 and knew I had to see this!! Turns out the destruction of the Earth occured in July 3rd 2008 when WWIII got out of control. Another thing it has going for it: This was Miyazaki's 1st directorial endeavor! (Having watched some of it for my own I can completely agree that this is like a 13 hour Laputa. I suppose that could be good or bad, but I enjoy it because I can watch bits of it all week.)

One of the fansites had plenty of pictures and info that sucked me right in... also had the 1st 2 episodes.

The kids and I watched the first 2 episodes and were hooked. *Note: In episode 2 Conan's grandfather dies.... This did not make for a good bedtime episode*. To redeem myself (grandpa dies and girl kidnapped was not a good way to leave a series) and prove to the kids (and me) that things were really going to get happier I tracked down the other 24 episodes.

I have to set the pace, because Cian is a marathon watcher! "No, Cian.. we need to take a break and eat. Go do something else." And even with my back turned... MWhahaha It is all subtitled!! So we have to watch it together....unless they pick up Japanese, which Jamie is now speaking in her own made up version when she plays now.

So far I'm enjoying this show immensely.

Cutting the Cable

Finally decided to cut cable all together (keeping internet function though!). It took me three calls to get it all sorted out!

They (the cable company) sure don't make it easy to quit. The first gentlemen I spoke to offered me other packages that were reduced in price... tempting, but "no". I told him the price for internet only sounded much better. He said 'ok' and that was that.... I thought.

*Call back to the house* "He said it should be taking place..". Turns out internet (the one service I kept) is not working.

ANOTHER phone call to COX. The technical support people tell me it will all be taken care of on the 4th when a man comes to the house to change a filter. ?! WTF ?! I was told it would be instantaneous. Why is someone coming to my house?? A closer look and the guy finds my router has the wrong IP address. A simple router reset and instant internet.

I hung up too early. Rose had some good questions:
So now why do I have someone coming to the house if this was just a router problem? And where do we return the boxes?

Indeed! ANOTHER phone call. I found out that cable isn't FULLY canceled. NO wonder they didn't tell me about the boxes!!! They just changed my plan to the reduced service cable!!! "We've found that when people cancel their cable they really mean just to reduce it. If you stay on reduced cable you can avoid the reconnection fee" ???Now they know what I 'intend' to do??? So they were coming to install a filter to REDUCE my cable... not ERADICATE as I had requested.

A simple 'please cut the cable and go internet only' was not enough. I had to endure more sales pitches *geez... I thought this would be simple*.
"What are you going to do for programming?"
-'Use the internet'
"In 2009 to get cable you must have a box or provider"
-'I'd like to cancel'
"Where are you going to get your news? Your programs? Weather? Stay up on current events?"
-'The internet. I'd like the internet only.'


She finally gave in and did what I asked. Three phone calls to cancel. Is it really gone? I will find out for sure when I get the next bill!

Library fun

Our Mustang public library has a bug-themed summer reading program. The most recent production featured Professor B Looney who happened to be very skilled with balloons.

Kids were cracking up, and so were the adults.

Here is Jamie who kept commenting she liked ladybugs, so the Professor made HER a ladybug.


Lots of things were made and all stayed with the library (except for the lips made for a dad... and probably the "Shoe" Fly)

Back home

Made it back from Anchorage. I'm sure I'll be back. Still uploading photos.

While waiting in the security line Anchorage airport had one thing many terminals don't: a movie to watch while you wait!! Just like at some theme parks with long lines. This was dedicated to teaching the TSA rules (baggage check screening). It costumed people portaying a moose, beaver, bear, and eagle. Each went through security and had to be reminded of the rules.

The moose (in a suit and top hat) forgot to take his shoes off and his cellphone out of his pocket.

The beaver remembered his laptop, but forgot he had a Gamecube in his bag.

The bear (my favorite) was heartbroken when he had to trash his honey because it was not in a 3oz bottle [half gallon just doesn't make it past security]. He wiped the sweat from his brow as he got the thumbs up from the TSA screener when his ziploc bag with his other liquids passed.

And last the eagle. Had to show some I.D., which had a striking picture of a bald eagle on it. Although he had his ulu's (Inuit knife that all the tourist shops sell in AK) confiscated... couldn't carry them on; he should have checked them.

I don't think most people were watching it because no one else was laughing like I was. More airports need this!!

Dancing up north

So I am up in Anchorage, Alaska. The site up here is getting closer to commissioning (accepting the RADAR). I will post pictures up on Flickr

It began snowing on the day I arrived. I'm told the day before was crystal clear and 50 degrees. I got off the plane in a blizzard. It must have snowed a foot overnight! This was like Oklahoma's entire winter x7 in one day.

After work today I ended up taking a walk. Feeling like Forrest Gump... I kept on walking. All in all about 4+ miles... through the snow... uphill both ways. By the time I decided to turn around I really wished I had some sled dogs... I didn't realize how tiring walking through snow is!

Anyway.. more to come.

Milling around Little Rock

By some weird coincidence I found a picture of a place called "The Old Mill" in Flickr. So I then decided to visit this site I had not seen.


Old Mill info

Basically it was built in the 1930s to look like a mill from the Olde World. People mention a Senor Dionico Rodriguez as responsible for all the concrete sculpture. This stuff was fantastic (knot holes and splits, etc.) These sculptures remind me of some houses I see on "World's Most Extreme Homes" or other equivalent shows.

Apparently it was also used in a scene in 'Gone with the Wind'. Something about in the beginning (haven't seen it in a LONG time).

Would make a great photo shoot location.. lots to explore and climb on :D


Now I'm just hoping all those predictions of snow are exaggerated so my drive home isn't like the drive here (drove here in a constant shower... was snowing when I left OK).