It rhymes with Walo too.

It’s no secret that I’m a rabid obsessive compulsive. I find one thing I really enjoy doing and then tend to wring it dry. I then move on to the next diversion. Halo 2 is like the horn o’ plenty or an artesian well of sweet sweet water. Sheesh, I cannot stop playing this game. I’m obsessed. All I do all day long is think about playing it when I get home. I’ll go downstairs, get some homework done and then log on and play. It drives Cheryl nuts, buts I gots ta be me.

I’ve become some sort of idiot savant with the Covenant plasma grenades. Plasma grenades differ from traditional fragmentation grenades (which are also available) in that when a plasma grenade hits an opponent, it sticks like glue. This has the euphoria-inducing effect of seeing and hearing someone usually flip out when they "get stuck". I’ve developed this little tactic of letting people run at me thinking they are going to get an easy frag, then I toss a plasma grenade at them (which naturally sticks) and jump off the nearest ledge while they curse and eventually meet their demise. Needless to say, I am getting better at the game. The better you get, the better your opponents are as you are "optimatched" with players that have similar skill rankings.

God I must sound like such a fool when I go on about a game, but unless you have played it and enjoyed it you can’t judge me. It gets its hooks into you and wont let you go. I’m even telling Cheryl and Dad about things I do in this game and they look at me like I’m some lunatic thats just come wandering out of the desert babbling about vast tracts of pristine water inhabited by dainty purple fairies. I know that I’m driving everyone around me insane by talking about it all the time but I can’t help myself.

I’ve even managed to make some new acquaintances that are halfway decent at playing the game. We’ve formed loose knit teams and can occasionally get together all at once to improve our rankings somewhat. So far I’ve managed to secure a level eight in team skirmishes such as capture the flag, assault, and territories. I’m a bit lower in rank in other games like team slayer, head to head matches, rumble pit, and large team matches.

The team I was working with the other night had good chemistry and we seemed to click together pretty well. It’s not hard after you’ve played the same maps over and over again. You intuitively know which directions your opponents are going to come from, and it’s easy to get to all the "good" weapons like the covenant energy sword, the rocket launcher, and the sniper rifle. We’ve played a few games together so far and seem to have viable strategies that give us victories. The several matches we played resulted in all of us gaining a level on team skirmish.

I’m hoping that the developer of the game (Bungie) releases more maps soon. Or at least better ones. It’s starting to get old playing on the same maps over and over and over again.

*Insert blathering on repeatedly here until I start sounding like Charlie Brown’s teacher*

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I’m in week four of school and the workload isn’t as bad as it has been in the past. I’d thought with taking three classes this term that I would be pulling my remaining hair out. I’ve pleasantly surprised myself by getting most of my work done ahead of time and submitted so I have my weekends free to do things I want to do. Like spend time with Cheryl and Emma. Or run errands. Or play Halo. (moving on…)

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The digital projector at the church burned out right around Christmas time. I think it was due to the rapid fluctuations and power surges that many people experienced during that weekend’s ice storm. I’ve been speaking with the Church insurance agent about getting it replaced. This will involve me taking it to the local tv shop and getting estimates and so forth. We’ve already been without it for a month now, and it will probably be another month before I can get some kind of replacement set up and running in time for Spring.

The more I think about it, the more I’d like to get a projector of my own for the basement. When I originally obtained the projector for the church, I felt it was my solemn duty and obligation to test it. I broke it in by hooking up my PlayStation 2 to it and firing up Metal Gear Solid 2 in all its (at the time) breathtaking glory. I’ve got to tell you that playing a cinematic videogame with a digital projector is an experience that is unrivaled. Seeing a video game character nearly life-sized and projected onto your office wall is pretty dang cool. If I’d had surround sound at the time I would have had it set up as well. Ever since I was a little kid, I always wanted a kick-butt home theater rig and by grabby (as Dad says) I will have one someday.

Please note that during this particular tirade I did not once mention that game. Aren’t you proud of me?

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Emma has been growing and learning by leaps and bounds. She is nearly a year and a half old now and has a staggering vocabulary of things like birds, airplanes, moon, farm animals and so on. She can tell you what some letters are when you point to them and even the colors of the letters. She’s been watching a lot of Playhouse Disney, especially the Wiggles. Her other favorites are also the Teletubbies, Boohbahs, Shanna’s Show, Go Baby and other such programs. I’ve set the Tivo up to record multiple episodes of each which makes Cheryl’s life easier as Emma frequently demands to watch the Wiggles and Barney throughout the day. Having these close at hand prevents many a headache.

Speaking of Tivo, I picked up a copy of Tivo Hacks from Bookpool the other day (as well as Knoppix Hacks) and am planning on putting my Tivo on the network. I’ll eventually get around to adding additional hard drive space as well. This will give me the benefit of pulling movies directly from my Tivo and storing them on my computer as well as being able to update my settings and season passes from the web. Yay!

Back to Emma, she is really starting to grow up and be a little girl. The other night she ate her dinner all by herself with her little fork and spoon. She did pretty well and cleaned her tiny little plate. It’s really amazing both Cheryl and I how much of a little sponge she is. She absorbs absolutely everything around her and is repeating new words back to us more and more frequently. She will run up to the TV and say "TV!" Or she will point up to the fan and say "Fan!" Each word is accompanied by an impish smile and a little shy look. Trips the the grocery store or out and about are always accompanied by these little vocabulary building games. It’s great to watch

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Lost, while still one of my favorite shows has been relegated to the number two spot on my season pass hierarchy and Battlestar Galactica has quickly taken its place as my current favorite show. Lost is still intriguing and fascinating but they are doling out bits of mystery much more sparingly now. Either that or I’ve just gotten accustomed to the pacing and I’m ready for something much more meaty.

BSG however is steadily gaining momentum. I’m looking forward to exploring this universe over the next ten or so episodes. I could easily go out and torrent the rest of the episodes but I feel that this show should be savored. It must be enjoyed like a fine wine, only on a weekly basis. It has a damn good cast and a very strong story. Every step along the way the Cylons nip at their heels and every death or harsh decision is really felt. They’ve done an excellent job of producing and presenting this series. It’s somewhat redeemed the Sci-Fi channel in my eyes as much of their fare has been of poor quality as of late. I’ll probably start collecting the season DVDs for both shows as they come out.

Coming Home

I pull into the driveway and reach up to press the button that opens the garage door. As I draw closer to the house I see your little blonde head peeking up just over the top of the windowsill. My father points to my car and I can see him mouth the words, "Look Emma, that’s Daddy." You look out the window at my car, not fully understanding what’s happening. I blink my lights at you once or twice, hoping you interpret that as me waving at you. Your little hand raises up in the air and waves. I blink the lights over and over again and you wave faster.

I see you jump down off your little stool and head towards the dining room. I park the car in the garage and shut the garage door behind me. I open the car door and get out, making sure to leave my things for later as I have more important business at the moment.

I open the back door to the house and I see your little eyes sparkling. You are smiling so big and you are holding your arms up in the air. "Up!" you say over and over again. I bumble taking my shoes off and barely have time to pick you up before you start climbing up on your own. You throw your arms around my neck and give me a great big hug, laying your head on my shoulder.

You don’t need to say it. I already know.

"Welcome home Daddy."

And now for something completely different.

And now it’s once again time for a peek inside my thought processes. Here’s what my day has been like thus far and the thoughts that have rattled around inside my head.

• "Hot potato, hot potato. Hot potato hot potato. Hot potato, hot potato. Hot potato hot potato. Hot potato, hot potato. Hot potato hot potato. Potato, potato, potato potato potato" (A children’s song stuck in my head. Thanks Wiggles.)
• Homework needs to be done
• Customers need to be called
• Fondly thinking of fragging in Halo
• Fondly thinking of fragging in Halo 2 multiplayer matches *drool*
• Call the insurance agent about the burned out projector at the church
• More fragging in Halo and Halo 2
• Wondering how things are going at home with the maternal unit and version 2.0
• Badger badger badger badger badger badger badger badger badger badger badger badger mushroom MUSHROOM
• Should I play some Pandora Tomorrow? Nah, not just yet. More Halo 2 please.
• Burp (quietly… I’m at work mind you)
• Check E-mail
• Talk to Sam
• Check E-mail
• Talk to Sam
• Check E-mail
• Talk to Sam
• Go to the bathroom (after leaving my desk and making my way to the facilities of course)
• Mentally go over the list of shows on the Tivo. Making a mental note of what shows to update and delete off the season pass screen.
• Think about cleaning out the office and the basement.
• Think about not cleaning out the office and the basement.
• Realize that I have to clean out the office and the basement or my wife will get bent out of shape.
• Resign myself to the fact that I will be cleaning out the office and the basement and that there will be no Halo or Halo 2 breaks during said process.
• Make an excuse to "rearrange" my TV and video gaming equipment so I have an excuse to "test" them once they are reassembled.
• Don’t forget the homework!
• Battlestar Galactica starts Friday night! Yay!
• Serenity starts in September! Yay!
• "Hot potato, hot potato. Hot potato hot potato. Hot potato, hot potato.
  Hot potato hot potato. Hot potato, hot potato. Hot potato hot potato.
  Potato, potato, potato potato potato"

Sheesh. I have adult ADHD or something.

Battlestar Galactica

This past weekend I was able to experience the three-hour Battlestar Galactica miniseries when it was (re)broadcast on NBC. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to watch it last year when it was on the Sci-Fi channel. I am impressed with the depth of the characters that have been presented as well as the degree of special effects involved. I’ve read the bulletin boards for the show and some people are lambasting it for being too politically correct, too shallow, and not true to the original series. I say thee nay. None of that can be found based on the input from my senses. I ask you, if a show blatantly makes use of planetary-scale nuclear strikes, depicts the near annihilation of billions of human beings, and shows the brutality of the harsh decisions that not just those in power must make to save humanity, would you call that politically correct? I didn’t think so either. As far as shallow, I challenge you to actually watch the miniseries and weigh that against the original series and tell me which one comes out more shallow. (My guess is it would be a wash.) As far as being true to the original series, times have changed and it’s time for a new Galactica for a new generation.

It has a depth of storyline comparable to that of Firefly (which I sorely miss) and offers to fill the void that Star Trek long ago created when they began their endless franchisement with DS9 and Voyager. (Enterprise is another matter – a good show that is getting better yet may be canceled due to fans feeling burned and used by Paramount.)

I’m genuinely looking forward to BSG. I think it’s going to be a fantastic journey. I have already set up the Tivo to catch the new series which premieres this Friday at 9 on Sci Fi. I’m all-a-twitter.

Overload, eh.

It’s a wonder I even sit at my computer anymore, let alone actually write something. School is back in and I am taking three classes this term. That’s been keeping me extremely busy. When I haven’t been a student, a worker bee, a father, or any of a thousand other hats I wear, I have been slowly sinking more and more time into Halo and Halo 2 multiplayer for the X-Box.

Holy sweet mother of God. These games are incredible. The level of addiction that one experiences in playing them is akin to lighting up crack cocaine for the first time. I have been playing Halo on "hard" mode and have barely begun to scratch the surface. Halo 2 multiplayer has been occupying the vast majority of my free time. It has a level of endorphin stimulation that has no equal. Playing match after match is addictive as … as… *sputter*

When you actually manage to plant the bomb and score in team skirmish is akin to sheer ecstasy. Those of you who have played either know what I mean or think I’m a freak. I’m betting you know what I mean. And when you are playing head to head slayer matches, there is nothing like the feeling of sitting there crouching with the sword and rushing your opponent as he cruises through the door looking for you. I’ve since overcome the "translate my leet keyboard skills to controller skills" problem and have begun being the fleshreaper I am known to be. People are starting to whisper things like "Watch out for Hojimoto man… he’s freaking awesome."

I’ve had little time to play Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow but once I’ve worn out my Halo welcome I plan on sinking some serious hours into that game as well.

Video. Gaming. Overload.

Yay!