Good ol’ TImes

This weekend we had Justin over to the house for the first time in quite a while. Because of our work schedules or his, we just hadn’t gotten a chance to hang out as much as we would have liked to. It was really great having him over because it really felt like the good ol’ times. The boys played video games and I played on my computer. I baked everyone some cookies and did the normal chores like laundry, etc but it never seems as bad when it is mixed in with video game goodness. We did eat healthier than normal as I was making us food that fit into all of our trainer’s restrictions as much as possible (with the obvious exception of the cookies – though I think it should be noted that I made a tiny batch and it lasted the entire weekend). It was a lot of fun and makes me hopeful for lower stress levels when Justin moves back in with us in February.

Way Back Whenesday: Classic Mortal Kombat

My brother and I used to play Mortal Kombat. No, he played Mortal Kombat with his friends and I would mash buttons against the computer when he would let me use his systems.
The Mortal Kombat movie is one of my guilty pleasure movies and I love the theme song, especially the techno version that is at the end of the movie.

I am mentioning this now because Dave just recently bought the new Mortal Kombat video game for PS3 for Justin’s birthday (it was an early present) and the two of them have been playing it in their spare time ever since.

Way Back Whenesday: Tetris

Now I realize Tetris is still around, but the Tetris I am talking about is the one for the original Nintendo game system (NES).

I remember the system being hooked up to the television in my parents room (the television that was in a wooden case) and my dad playing for several hours. Come to think of it, it was one of the only games my dad really played. Later on, we got Tetris for the Nintendo Gameboy and I played it a great deal on that system. I do believe the Gameboy and Tetris are sitting upstairs right now…perhaps I will go play some classic Nintendo.

(photo found through Google)

Rock Band

Oh Rock Band…how I love and loathe thee simultaneously.
Justin’s parents were up over a week ago and brought his Rock Band with them. It is now set up in our living room and we have spent quite a while playing it. In fact, Justin and Dave are playing as I blog.

I like the drums the most but am still not very good at any of the instruments (guitar, drums, vocals). I do however, really like the free drumming parts like at the end of certain songs and when you want to activate your star power (I think start power is the guitar hero term, but I can’t think of the rock band term).

(image from Google – our version is also for the PS3 though the photos is the XBox 360 version).

The Horde

 

 

Okay, I know I geeked out recently about WoW but give me another second okay. Xanara is my first Horde character. I am going to be honest and tell you that I avoided Horde characters as they were not pretty. Trolls, undead, taurens and orcs tend to be less attractive than the Alliance alternatives. But ever since the Burning Crusades expansions, Blood Elves have been available and though they look spacey and ditzy they are pretty. Their ditziness was confirmed when using the /silly macro and all of their jokes were about getting facials or other superficial things. Oh well.

Xanara is a paladin and a tank at that. I am enjoying it so far and levelling her pretty quickly.

Two at Eighty

Let me geek out for a couple minutes...
First there was Laidelle, my death knight. Despite the fact that she was far from my first alliance character, she was the first to hit 80. But now I have two characters sitting at 80. My Hunter Cyndelle is now sitting at 80 as well. Now I just need to get her some decent equipment.

PIXELS

Dave found this on youtube quite some time ago. As I do with things like this, I emailed the link to myself and then forgot to post it. Anyway, I think it is not only really well done, but just a amazing idea to begin with.

Ctrl + Alt + Del

A while back, okay a long while back, Chris told Dave and me about a webcomic she thought we would really like = Ctrl+Alt+Del. She would periodically send me links to pages of it, most of which were about WoW. Neither Dave nor myself really got into the series, that is until recently. Dave has finished reading the entire comic series from back when it started in 2005 to the most recent posts. I am somewhere in the middle of 2006 and have a fair bit left until I am caught up, but am really enjoying it. Essentially it is a webcomic about two gamers. There is lots about gaming, obviously, and computers and comics and some movies (mostly game based movies), but also bits about their lives. I really like it and think it is actually quite funny. Everyone should check it out. (I have also added a link to it on the right)
(oh and the image is from the Ctrl+Alt+Del website)

Nintendo Wii

Dave and I have been looking into the Wii for quite some time. Originally I was going to purchase it back when he got the PS3 but figured that buying two consoles at the same time would lead to either fighting between who got to use to big television with their console or one console not getting played nearly as much as the other (with the latter scenario being more probably for us).

We ended up buying the Wii system this past weekend and have been playing it since. The reason we ended up buying it is because we got one as a Christmas gift for the Konings (who already know about it so on the off chance that they read my blog, I am not spoiling anything).

So far we only have Wii Sports but boy is it fun. The first day we played it, we tried out all the sports and realized that golf is the stupidest sport and we will likely never go back to it.

We went through the training levels and then tried our hand at the boxing fights which really kicked my butt, but I kicked Dave's so it was okay. We fought and played for about 4 hours and afterwards I was very tired and am now a little sore - but in a good 'I can feel my muscles' sort of way. It feels weird to play video games all day and yet be able to be happy with myself afterwards for being physically active.

We also purchased the Wii Fit Plus package (board and game) but we haven't tried it out yet. I suspect I will be equally sore and tired after it but also pretty impressed and pleased with it.

I want to buy a bunch of games that are out for the Wii like Mario Kart and Super Paper Mario, but for now I am just going to stick to Wii Sport and Wii Fit Plus.

(image found through Google)

Fiendishly Delighted

Whenever I play the Sims, I have a tendency to create a new game and then play it until I am on the second generation or so. It is all fun and games (pun intended) until I inevitably get bored. My Sim family will be too good. They will be going to work/school every day, able to meet their little goals, do homework and get their needs into the green before the next work/school day. I stop playing that family.
I recently determined what my problem was - I always make my Sim good. I make them go to work and get their stats up and live happy little lives. I also have a tendency to pick the perfect traits so that they are excellent at whatever career I want them to have. I make them Genius and family oriented, I make them good and neat - these all result in boring games that are easy to play and generally uninteresting later on. My most recent Sim looks pure and innocent but she is downright EVIL. She is so evil that her lifetime goal is to be the Emperor of Evil. She amuses me greatly. Every once in a while she will cackle or laugh maniacally - it is great! She wants to give money to take charities down and she even wants to steal candy from a baby! Upon doing any of her evil desires she gets the above trait: Fiendishly Delighted. To be honest, I am starting to get a tad bored of her and want to make a new family, but she lasted longer than other Sims and I didn't want her to die (so I could play her evil children) as quickly as I did other Sims. This has sparked a new interest with the game for me. I am started a family now where the main character wants to see the ghost of his rich wife - in essence he is a gold digger! Sims 3 is such a wonderful game!!

Fat Princess Review

Fat Princess is a Playstation 3 game (PS3) that Dave downloaded and started playing a little while back. Essentially it is capture the flag but instead of a silly, boring flag you need to capture and/or protect a princess who by eating cake fed to her by you and your teammates can get very, very fat.
You are placed on either the red or blue team and need to rescue your princess from the opposing team while keeping their princess captive in your castle. You can do this by being as of the following classes: warrior, ranger, priest, mage and worker. There are different maps (or levels) and to be honest, you can play different types of games than the basic capture the princess type, but in my opinion, it is the best.
When Dave heard about this game and showed me the trailers, I though it was a good game - for him. I knew he would really enjoy it and could spend endless hours mastering each of the classes. I never really thought I would get into it as it isn't really economy based or time management or the type of game where you focus on your own character, leveling it up and gaining better skills, etc. That being said, after watching Dave play for a little while, I was definitely interested. He handed me the controller for the first time when he needed to eat some food and didn't want to stop playing. I collected cake and fed it to the princess and ended up getting him a trophy for doing so. I ended up playing on my own account and am now in love.
I have been playing the game for a couple of months now and have really started to perfect one strategy. I start of playing as the worker and collect wood and ore (the two resources in the game) in an effort to upgrade the worker and then the priest. Usually I have to collect enough resources to upgrade (each class is upgradeable which gives them a second 'hat' enabling them to perform a second ability) at least three classes as I am not the only one trying to upgrade their favourite class. As you may have deduced by my previous statement (and the large graphic to the right), the priest is my preferred class. Once it is upgraded it can heal as a white priest or suck health from the opposing team members as the dark priest (wahahahaha). I enjoy running around, sucking people down to their last little heart (health) and then whacking them with my stick (as you cannot actually suck their life completely). I also enjoy switching hats repeatedly throughout the battles and healing as necessary. I find that I am getting really good at it, and tonight's games proved that more so. I won (placed first over both teams) in three consecutive games. I then handed the reigns over to Justin who is now playing and focusing his efforts in learning the ranger, which is a class that I have never really been drawn to.
At $15 dollars the game is pretty cheap. It is also pretty easy to get as you merely download the game from the PS3 store. The only expensive part of this game is the actual PS3, but lets ignore that factor for now shall we? You can play the story, and the maps themselves on your own (ie. with computers players comprising the remaining parts of your team and the opposing one) but I find the online games are much more enjoyable and rewarding. There are many PS3 trophies to obtain so the game, which force you to try different classes and strategies and in doing so, you learn different strategies for winning each level. A patch was recently released that fixed a few bugs and brought into play a new map, which is quite large and in my opinion different than the other maps - but that is likely just because it is new to me. I think everyone who has a PS3 should purchase and install this game and start playing right now - go feed the princess!

Generating Fun

I have been playing Facebook games lately and find the above image rather amusing. While loading the Roller Coaster time management game on Facebook, a loading bar comes up titled Generating Fun. Now, I am pretty used to semi-amusingly titled loading bars from Sims 1 through 3, but found this one to be a bit of a stretch. Is the generation of fun really something that can be loaded and measured?

A Cappella Nintendo

This group is called Redefined and the are an A Cappella group from the University of Wisconsin. Dave found and downloaded this video of them ages ago and we refound it the other day while he was cleaning out and backing up his computer. I figured I would find it on Youtube and share it all with you as it is just so great - especially if like us, you played a fair bit of the original Nintendo games growing up.

Time Management Games

Like Chris, I too love the Time Management games. From Diner Dash to Farm Frenzy, I love them all. I ordered a few time management games from Big Fish Games the other week and asked for a backup CD in case I need to wipe my computer or put them on a different computer for whatever reason. It eventually came in the mail and when I put it into the computer to verify that it worked I found that there was a free game on it. Sadly though, it is not a time management game. In fact, it is basically like the games on the back of the cereal box where you have to circle the listed items as you find them in some cluttered picture. I am not a fan to say the least. I did however finish the Farm Frenzy game and am now going to get started on the Diner Dash line of games I ordered. Gotta love Flo!

One Minute Writer #36

What would be your perfect night out?

My perfect night out is actually a night in. Sitting around watching movies or playing games, hanging out with Dave and possibly friends if they are available.
If I have to go out at night, it would likely be photography based or to see a movie in theatres. Perhaps a dinner out with friends, though if I have my way, this is done during the day and consists of shopping as well.
I am a homebody, I accept this.

Haiku #6 - WoW

World of Warcraft game,
Addictive drug for many,
Nice pastime for me.

Post Cottage 2009 (aka Vacation #3)

The receipts have been counted and tallied, the car has been washed, vacuumed and generally de-sanded and the photographs (for the most part) have been downloaded to the computer. Now comes the process of editing and retouching and displaying the memories.
Cottage 2009 was a very successful trip and was definitely a great vacation #3. It did well as the final summer vacation of 2009 and, like every year, I am very thankful to Chris and her family for allowing us to join them at their cottage.Friday afternoon we headed out of Ottawa with a very full car and drove Erin out to Belleville. We then had the worst Pizza Hut experience ever as it took 2 hours to get, eat and pay for our food, for which they attempted to overcharge us. Driving the rest of the way was pleasant and we got into Paris at about 11 after picking up Justin from Brantford. Saturday morning we drove to Long Point and arrived at the cottage at about lunch time.
I love Chris' Cottage - it is so pleasant and peaceful. The moment you walk through the door you are instantly calmed and all the troubles of the real world are lifted from your shoulders. Sunday morning Dave and Justin headed to his family reunion while Chris, Jerrica and I went sailing with Chris' family. It was an incredibly windy day and despite the fact that I was perfectly fine on the boat last year, I got sea-sick. I did not get physically sick though, which is good because according to Chris' uncle no one has thrown up on the Meridian yet (he would know since he is one of the owners of the boat). When the guys got home we made a fire and had delicious smores. (pictures to come at a later date - stupid SD card).Monday was the Too Late for Canada Day party, an event we usually miss as we have to head back to Ottawa that day but since we were staying extra long this year, we got to participate. Dave made a little buddy very quickly and learned even faster that this particular little buddy was not the type you want to have. We ended up hiding out in our room playing Guitar Hero for a little bit to relax and by the time we came out, the little buddy was gone. I practiced my night photography a bit more this night but am not entirely pleased with how they came out.Tuesday was pretty low-key. We went swimming as we had every day and played a fair bit of Settlers. We went grocery shopping and made Pad Thai for dinner, which I am told was pretty good. A little more settlers later and the night was over.Unfortunately we have come to Wednesday, which was the day we left. We drove back to Ottawa sad and tired. Dave and I had to keep switching as we were both really tired and neither of us could drive for very long. Oh and as a side note, never go to the Brantford bus station unless you really have to - that place is so sketch!

One Minute Writer #33

If your walls could talk, what would they say?

Man, those people sure do like video and computer games.

And the walls would be right.

Sims 3 Continued

I have had the Sims 3 for almost a month now and can say without a doubt that it was money well spent. I have enjoyed every minute of the game that Dave calls 'playing house for adults'. I have made Dave and myself and other random characters as well and of course made a bunch of houses all over the towns. The only part of the game that Dave enjoys is the building of houses so he has built a couple houses in the towns as well.
One of my only complaints about the game is that they have gotten rid of some of the skills I enjoyed the most from the previous game, like the basic music skill. It has been replaced by the guitar skill which means there are no pianos in the Sim world anymore. Also, you can no longer read a generic cooking book to advance that skill, rather you have to spend lots of resources (food) cooking food that will inevitably go to waste. Although, you can store leftover food in the fridge so it does last a little longer than it did in Sims 1 and 2.

New Stuff

In the Sims 3 the people enjoy it when they get new stuff and get a mood booster for a couple of Sim hours. It is a nice little booster because all you have to do is buy them something new and make sure they are around when you purchase it.
I bring this up because this past weekend Dave and I purchased new clothes and a shiny, new fan for the living room. Shortly after the fan was put together, I realized that I too get a mood booster of sorts just after I have purchased a new item. I love the actual act of purchasing things and then the later acts of assembling or arraning/organizing the new item and of course just the simple act of knowing I own something now that I didn't before. It is very materialistic of me, but I can be quite materialistic. But, unlike the Sims, it does not have to be the very best item for me to be pleased with my purchase - I tend to be just as delighted about an item from the dollar store as one from a more expensive name brand store. I just love new stuff.