Game Night Blog Carnival: 7 Wonders

7 Wonders is a board / card game that has a unique twist. The gameplay is very simple but there are a ton of strategies. I've played this one with a number of others from hardcore gamers to casual players and we are still exploring all the different strategies. This does not stop us from having fun at all with 7 Wonders. It is a game from Repos Production and is good for 3-7 players and takes only about half an hour to finish a game.

The game starts off with everyone getting a Wonder that they can built if they wish, but it produces a resource right away. Each player starts with 7 cards in hand that is distributed from a common deck. Each player picks a card they wish to build and keep it face down. At the same time, each player builds that card, paying other players if they need resources from them. The 6 remaining cards are passed to the player next to you and you pick one of those you wish to build. This happens in 3 rounds (or Ages), switching directions every round, and points are totaled at the end of the game.

I got to play it at Gencon and fell in love completely. My friends felt the same way as they played more games into the night and eventually getting in around 2 a.m. Back in Illinois, 7 Wonders was introduced to a few of my more casual friends and it got the same response. Since then, we have found it online and continue to play through this online client.

There is not much interaction with your opponents. Military victories and defeats are counted at the end of each round, but it won't hurt you until the end of the game where points are counted up. There are many different paths to pursue (commerce, technology, etc) but each one can give you points at the end. The pieces in this game are all for scorekeeping and exchanging money for materials so no need to remember where they were if you bump the table.

I highly recommend this game, and it contends with Dominion for my top spot. With a few more plays it might even overtake it. This is game is great for everyone that it is recommended for (ages 10 and up, although younger is possible too). A quick search online can find the client, but playing it in person is just too much fun.

Don't forget to click the links below and check out the rest of the games being featured by my fellow bloggers. Happy gaming.


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Game Review: Arena of Heroes

My last post about Kickstarter was a nice transition into this board game review. Arena of Heroes is currently up, but I was lucky enough to snag a review copy of the game, just for you guys. I feel big time now. To check out the Kickstarter page, click here.

I wanted to give this one a fair chance by playing with gamers and non-gamers. So the box was opened, cards were shuffled and each group got to experience the game. Every turn you replenish your hand to 5 cards from a common deck. The cards allow you to move, attack, defend and equip items. Each player starts with 10 life and each successful hit takes off a point of damage unless in the center square, which is 2 damage. For the most part, you need to be adjacent to an enemy to deal attack. The rules are quite simple and the pdf version is available here.

Playing with my each group, the first few turns of the first game took a little while to grasp the concepts. In the middle of both first games, we had it down and knew what to do. There was a big difference though following that.

The gamer group is competitive, and so there would be turns where people were standing one space away for a few turns just recycling their hand or most of their hand for great draws. The non-gamers made use of what they had. I change my playstyle based on who I was playing with, and had a lot more fun with my non-gamer friends. We ended up playing more with that group as well because the games were shorter.

I had much more fun with my non-gaming friends because they are not as competitive. My gamer
friends didn't leave so much up to chance which took some fun out of it. I recommend this for the more casual gamers and non-gamer crowd. If you are competitive, it is also worth checking out. There is a short time left to fund it, so be sure to check it out soon.

Arena of Heroes Kickster Page (including an actual play video)

Kickstarter Projects

I've been exploring Kickstarter recently and it's interesting. Kickstarter is a website that was established in 2009 that is used to help creative projects get off the ground. Users submit their ideas and they are accepted or rejected. Once accepted, you set up a goal of how much your project needs, set up incentives, and start getting your project out there. Other users then can donate to your cause and help you meet your goal. Money only exchanges hands if the project is successful.

They have a good number of categories including gaming, technology, books, film, and others. I just came across this site and a few of my Twitter friends have used this with their games and other projects. I recommend checking this out whether you have a great idea and need funding or just want to check out and back some great projects.

Carnival Post: Cloud 9

Cloud 9 is a game I tried out at Gencon a few years ago and loved. I ended up buying it more for my family than friends. This is another card and board game hybrid, and very kid friendly.

The object of the game is to be the first to 50 points. Points are earned by staying in the balloon as it travels up and jumping out before in falls.When you decide to not risk it, just jump out and collect. Each level has a number of dice that need to be rolled. The die have colored and blank sides. Whatever colors are rolled must be matched by the pilot with the cards in their hand. If they can match it, the balloon soars. If they can't match the colors, the balloon falls to the lowest level.

This is a great game for family or if your group wants a relaxing game. I highly recommend this game. With Gencon right around the corner, Out of the Box might even have some deals for picking this up as well as other favorites such as Apples to Apples or new games like Pirate vs. Pirate.

Don't forget to click the links below and check out the rest of the games being featured by my fellow bloggers. Happy gaming.



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Blog Reconfiguration

I have ignored this blog long enough. The reason for it being that I had no idea what to write. I have decided it will be revived, but take on a new form. I am a gamer. Not just any gamer though. My interests lay in roleplaying games of the pen and paper sort, board games and card games. This with a mix of fantasy writing (both authoring and reading) will be the main focus of this blog. I will still visit my followers and comment back, but it won't be as regular as before.

I have no real plans for a schedule but plan on at least 3 times a week. Just wanted to let everyone know in case this is something you aren't interested in. You will be getting random posts still of dreams, thoughts, and some personal stuff. I hope you all stick around and can't wait to start again. No quote this time, sorry. :)

Resident Evil Deck Building Game

The Resident Evil Deck Building Game. This is right now my second favorite game (Dominion is a little better in my opinion). It is however the new thing so my group has been playing this more and more. Here is the requirements for the carnival real quick.

How many players it supports = 1-4
How long it takes to play = 30 - 60 minutes
Party or Strategy = Strategy

First off, if you don't enjoy complex games, this is not for you. It is a strategy game with a more mature theme. On top of that, it is for the more experienced game players. The rulebook doesn't help making it easy either. It introduces you to 3 different game modes, 4 in the case of the expansion. If you are a fan of the Resident Evil series, a fan of deck building games, or you experiment with different games, this game is worth taking a look at.

Onto the gameplay. The rules are simple and the cards are easy to understand. The part that this game gets complicated at is the mansion. Every turn you get 1 buy, 1 action, and 1 explore. Like all other deck building games, you buy cards to change the deck you are using. The goal is to collect the most decorations which you get by exploring and beating zombies. Zombies each come with health, damage, and decorations.

Defeating a zombie takes having enough damage to kill it, which is provided by weapons. Most weapons need ammo they need to be in your hand as well. This requires you to combo to win, at least with the number of plays we have had (10+). This does take away from the game a bit in my opinion. So this is a quick rundown and recommendation from me. The game offers different modes which does change the game and makes it more enjoyable then the basic story mode. For this reason, I do say it is a buy for more "hardcore" gamers.

Don't forget to click the links below and check out the rest of the games being featured by my fellow bloggers. Happy gaming.

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Old stuff

Sorry I have been away for so long. With the wedding coming up and all, I just haven't had time. I give you a gift. This was published in my college's literary magazine way back when. Titled in there as Last Goodbye. It's a short read, hope you enjoy.

“I can’t believe this happened.”

            A boy stood in a world unchanged. Everything was the same, except his own little world. People went on with their daily lives and pressed on to make honest money. Those same people pushed forward with their plans. Plans of growing up, graduating, finding their purpose in life. He had found his purpose through accident, and used it for the benefit of those around him who didn’t know the danger they were in.

            “How could you let this happen to yourself?”

            His eyes were on the horizon as it displayed the last light of the day. The sun crept down under a hill in the far distance. The colors radiated off, giving its viewers a wonderful show of purple red and orange glows. This sunset was different from the others he had witnessed. This one filled him with a great sorrow. He spoke once again seeming more grown up then the mere teenager he was.

            “What were you thinking?

            “I don’t know….” A meek voice responded. A girl stood behind him, the same age as him. Her posture differed greatly from his. Both stood atop a low hill. The boy stood as defiant and proud as ever. His arms rested as his side with his fists clenched. His eyes focused out to the horizon. His short brown hair rustled gently in the wind.

            The girl’s posture was conservative. She stood with her arms close to her body, one arm reaching across to hold her other. She stood less sure footed, using her right foot to dig into the earth with no progress. She hung her head, not daring to look up.

            “I want to know why you did this.” The boy continued looking forward as he spoke.

            “You don’t understand how it is.” She responded softly.

            “I know better than you do. What I am doing isn’t glamorous and I didn’t take any shortcuts. Most of the world will never know my name. The name Drajan only affects a small fraction of all people. And you know how many of those few are glad to hear it? Maybe ten people, if even that number.”

            “I’m glad to hear….”

            “You won’t be anymore, now that you have given yourself to the darkness in the world.” He interrupted her, giving his words a sharpness she had never heard.

            “It’s not like that.”

            “Yes, it is Nara. When you accepted that dark power, you became my enemy.”

            Nara fell to her hands and knees crying. “You don’t understand. I love you. This was for you. I wanted to be strong for you. You tell me you wish it wasn’t your responsibility all the time. I wanted to help, to be there for you. It was all for you.” She continued crying, being the only noise in the area.

            “I do wish I wasn’t the only one sometimes.” His words made her sobs grow softer; she grew anxious to hear his response. “You have made it easier on me too. Without you, and the others, I would not be here today. You all have played an important part of keeping this world safe.” He turned to face her, looking into her eyes.

            “I love you for that as well. But I can’t let you go on as you are. The power you have now corrupts. It may not happen right away, but you will eventually turn against me. The purity you possessed is gone.”

            “It’s not gone!” She cried out defensively. “I still hold that magic. I’m still the same Nara, but with new power.”

            “It is too dangerous. You should have ignored the calling. I told you how I have ignored it many times. I even told you exactly the things it would tell you. It was lying to you as it has lied to everyone else.’

            He turned his vision back to the horizon. “I will let you go. I never want to see you again though. Promise that we will never meet again, under any circumstance.”

            “I can’t.” She lowered her head again, allowing the pain on her heart to take hold once again.

            “It is the only way you will live past this day.” His mind still focused on the moment, but he let his memories gather of the lands he traveled.

            “Please, don’t. I love you so much Drajan. And it’s not Nara talking, it’s Mary. The person who you met and saw was special. The person who would watch this sunset with you everyday, no matter where we were. The person who wants to do anything they can to help you.”

            “Don’t make this harder than it is. This was brought on by you. You could have helped me by roughing it out, the same way I have. I learned with determination to shape the magic I control. I was handed nothing. And you took the easy escape. It isn’t even an escape. It’s a trap. A trap you fell into that some dark entity will use to take control of you. I am giving you this last chance, please just leave.”

            She began to cry out louder, pleading for a solution she knew she would never get. Her power gave in and she collapsed to the ground, covering her eyes. She lay there on the hill, the only sound in the area her pleas. “Don’t…….I can’t……….without you.” Her words got through her weeping disconnected. Her head lifted up, vision blurred through tears. She wiped her eyes with her hand and looked up.

            He was gone, leaving her sobbing harder and pounding her fist on the ground in a mix of hate and desperation.

Fluxx Review

Fluxx by Looney Labs. This is one of my favorite games. The rules are simple and after this next sentence, you know how to play. The rules are, you draw a card, and play a card. That's it. You can all now participate in a game of Fluxx. Games can last from 5 minutes to around 45 minutes. It's usually on the shorter side taking only 15-20 realistically. There is one community deck of cards and contains new rules (Draw 3 Cards, Play All, Hand Limit 2), Keepers (Milk, Cookies, The Sun), Actions (Do something and the card goes away), Goals (Milk and Cookies, Peace no War), and Creepers (War).

In the beginning, there is no way to win. A goal has to be set out to give players something to achieve. The most common one is have the two Keepers on the goal under your control. A Keeper is played out in front of you and stays with you until it is destroyed, stolen, or changes hands some other way. Creepers keep you from winning and Actions are fun.

If this game doesn't seem like it's for you, they have options. Zombie Fluxx, Pirate Fluxx, Monty Python and the Holy Grail Fluxx, Martian Fluxx, even EcoFluxx. Each one can be mixed with each other and the original.

This game is really fun and gets better as more people are added. It is really simple to learn and can keep your family and friends entertained for a good couple of hours (most likely longer). The only downside is it that it is very luck based. Sometimes you can't help but let other people win as well. An example of this is you draw 3 cards and have to play them all. If you have a goal that gives your opponent the win, that's the breaks. Definitely fun for the whole family and it's all contained in a box you can carry with you wherever. Now go get it, what are you waiting for?

Question: What are some of your favorite games?
Quote: "We are shaped by our thoughts;we become what we think." -Buddha

Character and why you should have it.

You love them and you hate them. Characters. Whether it is in the book you just picked up, movies you watch, or NPCs (non-player characters for non-gamers) that you encounter. At least, you should love them or hate them. I recently picked up a new book this weekend and had to put it down after three chapters. This happens with both authors I know and don't know, big and small names. I've had this happen with non-player characters too where I could care less if I help them or not.

This can happen for so many reasons. I want to talk about the positive though because that's who I am. My favorite part of creating characters is their quirks. This is not only flesh and blood or lack of blood people/creatures, but the setting as well. Settings should be given the same quirks and distinguishing marks as people. Maybe that meeting place for your characters has a chalkboard or bulletin board of some sorts where people from the town or travelers leave notes or are looking for help. Possibly there stood a building in an empty lot that if they look through, they can find small pieces of  what once stood there. For people, it could be scars, hair color, or even how perfect they seem (because no one is) that sets them apart.

Characters you make need to show emotion. This is easier when you game because you get to act out your characters. Recently in one of my gaming sessions, one of our players said something highly offensive to the only NPC who would talk to us. I had to actively seek out this NPC to get more information and he was not happy I still hung around with the other player. He reacted exactly as you expected someone who was offended would. I was honestly sad when I said bye to him too because we had gotten along so well.

The point is, he seemed real. He reacted the way the way I expected him too. A character devastated by loss might tear up when they think of the person who is gone. A character might unexpected lose their poker face when presented with an item they've been looking for all their life.

I've covered the description of a character, noting anything radical or out of place. This is one way your reader or players connect. Also covered is the way they act or behave that can make them likable or not. Your reader or players become engaged when they connect with someone or something in the story. If seeing the person they were rooting for succeed or destroying somewhere that they loved affected them, you have done a great job.

These are things that really help me connect and fall in love with not just the characters and setting, but the story just gets interesting.

Question: Anything else that helps you connect with characters or places?

Quote: "I postpone death by living, by suffering, by error, by risking, by giving, by losing." ~ Anais Nin

Zombies!!! Hybrid of Board and Card game

Zombies!!! by Twilight Creation is an older game that has numerous expansions. Unlike other board games, this one starts out with a single tile. Each player is required to turn over a tile from the stack to expand the map. Each tile pops up with zombies on it, and you start exploring. Combat with zombies is resolved with rolling a 6 sided die and a 4+ being a kill. You are given 3 bullets (which add 1 to any combat roll) and 3 hearts (which are rerolls). When you run out of hearts, you die and comeback with the starting 3 life and bullets, but lose half of your zombie kills rounded up.

The game ends when either a player has gained 25 zombies, which you get for killing them, or you make it to the helipad and there are no zombies on it. The helipad is the final tile that is place and come up with the maximum amount of zombies.

You get a hand of 3 cards as well which can for the most part be used right away. There are a few that you need to be at a certain location to use or equip, such as the fire axe at the firestation or a skateboard at the skate shop. These cards give you benefits or hinder your opponents.

Even with the short play rules, this game took us a while to finish due to only having 3 players. We found ourselves plowing through the deck of cards as well and having to reshuffle it. It was a fun distraction for about 45 minutes.  Our game ended with a total zombie kill of 25 as we kept throwing zombies in the way of the helipad. No one player clearly ran away with it which is a huge plus. There were times where someone would be stranded on a long dead end with no zombies and slowly making his way out.

This game isn't for everyone, I wouldn't recommend it for a family fun night or anything. My gaming group loves it as well as other board gamers. Anyone with geeky or zombie interests would find this fun. The level of learning this game is low, no complex rules really. Have a great time with it.

Question: Any other games you want me to review? (Fluxx or Arena of Heroes is next on my list.)
Quote: "Developing love and compassion and reducing anger and spite is a universal activity which requires no faith in any religion whatsoever." - Dalai Lama

What have I been doing with my break?

I have returned, not so triumphantly. In my absence, here are some of the things I have been up to. Feel free to skip to sections you want.


Gaming (Pen and Paper, Cards): 
I have a review copy of a card/miniature game coming to me in the mail which I will be talking about on here. We have tried out a couple of new games during this break and I plan on reviewing those as well. I am currently in the planning stages with another gamer about creating a world/adventures for a (pen and paper) roleplaying game which is going well.

Movies: 
I've actually canceled my Netflix account due to not using it anymore. I'm trying to think of a creative way to do the Unwatchable Movie Challenge without using Netflix. This idea might be scrapped entirely for just in general movie reviews. I'll add terrible movies to the Unwatchable list as they deserve that honor.

Writing:
Not much writing has been going on story wise. I'm more involved with writing for roleplaying games than work on my book or short stories. As inspiration hits, I write though.
 
Life:
We met with the pastor, which made this wedding stuff real to me. A little more than a month from now and I'll be married. Never thought it would turn out this way, but I'm happy it is. :-)  Other than that, work and play as usual. And I'm addicted to Twitter now.

So here are some topics I will be covering. I'm working on the blogger roleplay idea because I think it has great potential and would be really fun. Talk with you again later in the week.

Question:  What kind of content would you like to see coming up?

Quote: "The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall." -Vince Lombardi

Don't call it a comeback #2

Okay, fine, it's a comeback. It will be less regular than what it was, probably 3-4 days a week instead of 5.
Topics will include but not limited to: Gaming experiences, a return of the Unwatchable Movie Challenge, writing topics as well as short works, possibly a return to the blogger roleplaying experience, more music and so much more.

I just wanted to alert the masses of this. I look forward to visiting everyone's blog again as well. :-) See you soon.

Unwatchable Movie Challenge #4

Photo from IMDB.com

Firstly, this is not a return. I just watched this last night and I had to feature this movie. No words can describe it, and I will be giving spoilers. If you don't want to hear about how this movie ends and want to see it for yourself, I'm so sorry, and you should leave now.

Spoiler:
This movie is bad. Dance of the Dead takes place in a smaller town and the big buzz is about the prom. You follow around a mixed up group of a backyard wrestler, the sci-fi club, a cheerleader, the vice president of the student council, and the "main" character who doesn't really fit into a group.

The night of the prom the dead rise from the grave, or in some instances, pop from the grave. There is a scene where the sci fi club took a trip out to the cemetery. The encounter a zombie and run for there life. All around them, the dead are rising. You get a shot of running along side them, and zombies are getting launched out of the graves and hit the ground running alongside the members. I can't find a word for how laughable it was.

The other highlight in this film was the backyard wrestler and the main character fight a little mob of zombies. This main character is godlike, because he can stab zombies with a BASEBALL BAT! Not only stab them, but slice them in half with it. I'll spare you the details of the zombie make-out scene (and yes, two zombies were making out).

The splinter groups all find each other, one group discovers that the zombies like music. The zombies will not attack as long as music is playing, which is very new to me. Because of this, all the zombies have found their way to the prom. They decide to destroy the school with all the zombies inside with the help of a crazy gym teacher.

Dance of the Dead ends with the possibility of a sequel as well. They determined that it was the power plant that had started all of this. The remaining members of the group decide to drive off into the night to destroy it. So keep your eyes open for Power Plant of the Dead.

So that is all. Unfortunately this movie is not available streaming on Netflix. The station I saw it on was called Chiller and this week is zombie week. But now that you know, there is no need. The scariest thing about this movie is that it was made.

Quote: "No great artist ever sees things as they really are. If he did, he would cease to be an artist." -Oscar Wilde

Leaving Blogging

I'm leaving blogging for an undetermined amount of time. I will still be checking in and commenting on blogs, but just not blogging myself. Feel free to unfollow. Until my triumphant return, have a great time.

Contact Info
E-mail: kindroszero@gmail.com
Twitter: @kindros

Choices and Effects

Everyday we are presented with choices. Most of the time, the choice is clear. Yes, I'll go to work or school today. No, I don't need to get gas today. Sure I'll donate a dollar at the checkout. I often wonder about the decisions we make that alters our life though.

When I was in middle school, I wanted to learn an instrument. I was personally dead set on violin. It ended up that we had a trumpet from when my dad and uncle were in band. I gave up my cause pretty early and took up the trumpet. From what I remember of that time, I hated it. I quit without even giving it a year.

What if I had pursued my interest and held out for a violin though? Would my life had been changed that drastically? Being so early in life, I think so. The friends I had would of changed to band and orchestra friends. I might of tried harder to keep up with friends in grades. This would of most likely led to college right after high school. Maybe my love of music would of come earlier in life and I would be following my dreams of performing or being a part of a major orchestra.

The choices you make shape your life. I don't feel you are stuck on a path that you don't want to walk. The only force that keeps you on that path is yourself. Make yourself wander into the forest of uncertainty every once in awhile. Break your routine to see how it feels and what comes of it. Introduce yourself to that stranger because they might be that secret millionaire.

And this is what happens when I think to myself "I wonder how different my life would of been if I played the violin?" Do you ever think "what if" and what is that moment you feel would of completely changed your life?

Quote: "As simple as it sounds, we all must try to be the best person we can: by making the best choices, by making the most of the talents we've been given." -Mary Lou Retton

You've caught him

   The robber makes it out the door and is pursued by land and air. He makes it to edge of the forest before the Golden Eagle makes him stumble and drop a few items. He can't speed up fast enough to get away and is shortly caught.
   "Okay, okay. I surrender." He takes out a pouch and begins to take out item after pouch after item out, placing them on the ground. You reclaim your stuff as he begins to complain aloud. "I wouldn't of needed to steal from you if I wasn't stolen from in the first place by that scoundrel." The townsfolk walk back to town ignoring him. You brave adventurers know a hook when you hear one, so you stay.
   "King Felix is nothing but a fiend. This isn't the first town he has 'saved.' I come from a town a few days travel south from here, Westerdale. Felix saw that we were given no attention and proclaimed himself savior and king of that town as well. The first year was great, and he influenced a festival same as this one. When everyone in Westerdale was at the statue unveiling, he robbed us all blind."
   But that doesn't explain why he was stealing from all of you. "I was trying to stop the ceremony. If people were worried their belongings were stolen, maybe they wouldn't attend the unveiling here." That seems kind of shady still. "If that failed, I was going to catch him in the act. Look, help me catch him in the act so I can show you what a scoundrel he is. If I'm lying, you may do whatever you wish to me. Tomorrow is the ceremony, so we must act quickly."

Are you worried more about Felix or your new "friend" lying? How are you going to catch one or the other? Can't wait to hear the creative traps you come up with.

Quote: "The best way to predict the future is to invent it." -Alan Kay

Movie Review Monday - The Karate Kid (2010)

No unwatchable movie this weekend again. I was actually sick for most of the weekend and ended  up watching the remake (sort of) of The Karate Kid named, The Karate Kid. It was starting one of my favorite action stars, Jackie Chan as well as Will Smith's son Jaden Smith. The story is changed a bit, Jaden and his mother move to China, the Miyagi character has changed a bit, and the finishing move at the end is much cooler.

I enjoyed this movie as much as I enjoyed the first one. At over 2 hours, it does seem a bit long. It is worth it though. I went in to this movie knowing it wasn't going to be an over the top action movie and it wasn't.  The story was basically the same. There were some funny moments and some great settings (Forbidden City, Great Wall) which added to the film. Jackie Chan did a great job, once again showing he can do more than just action (this was kind of cheating though since he became a kung-fu instructor).

Overall, it was worth the watch. I would watch this with my little cousin (8), but not sure if he would sit through the entire thing. It falls into its own category. I mean, I wouldn't put it in action, I'm not entirely sure it fits into a drama, some of the lessons and everything seem like they would be over a kid's head, and it's not a movie you and your "bros" would see. It is available streaming on Netflix, worth it if you feel the need to check it out or have a couple of hours where you are watching a nephew.

Next week, as long as my unwatchable movie partner is around, you'll finally get your unwatchable review. Any good movies you have seen recently?

Quote:
Dre Parker: "You don't know the rules?"
Mr. Han: "Of course I know the rules. Simple. You hit him, don't let him hit you." - The Karate Kid (2010) Source: IMDb

Friday Comments

Thanks everyone for your outpouring of support this week. Lots of great comments, I have no idea where to start. Let's have a look.

RetroSpider at Some Daily Grind writes: "Oh man I better not get into RP again lol bad things happened last time..."
RetroSpider, We've had quite a few stories of bad things happening. Not just in game, but also in real life. The best story, which sadly wasn't from my group, was a couple of roommates had problems both in and out of game. This got to the point where Member A wanted to get some surgery, grafting a weapon or something. Member B knew that the group needed the skull of a latent psychic, which A was. So B, without permission, bribed and planted thoughts into the surgeons head so that the surgeon would remove the skull of A. This did not end well at all, and I mean in real life.

Con Queso of ConQueso's Cross-Stitching and Gaming Blog writes: "This is a GREAT game. but WHY does it have to cost like $30 ? wtf...they're just damn cards." -refering to Munchkin.
I completely agree with this. I usually search around at gaming sites and find the cheapest one. The time I usually buy stuff like this is at Gencon (gaming convention) because of the deals almost everyone has. I usually use Amazon or CoolStuffInc because of their loyal customer discounts.


Paranormal Explorer at Paranormal Exploration writes: "I find it hard to take stuff like that on faith. I always need proof of something."
I feel there is a lot of things that we aren't meant to understand, at least yet. Science is really exciting right now, but most of the focus we have is on petty issues between and in countries, who the brightest stars are, or what is the latest in fashion. That borders on my personal views of the world though, and I don't want to get too deep in that, lol. Science is great and I wish it was more of a focus than it is.


Tune in next week for the next part of the role-playing game, hopefully a game review, and a little more (much more is overdoing it I think). That is all. So what did we learn this week? Have a great weekend.

Quote: "To the world you may be just one person, but to one person you may be the world." -Brandi Snyder

Old souls?

I just finished reading My Soul To Take by Rachel Vincent and it made me think of something from my past. I was a later bloomer as far as college was concerned. I left high school and went straight to work. Years later, I decided I needed to get a degree if I wanted to get out of warehouses.

At college my old habits came back, but worse because I could skip classes. I ended up skipping almost the whole second half of one class. The day of the final, I showed up and was studying with a couple of women who were in almost all my other classes. That is how I met Rachel and something she said to me in the year plus I knew her stuck with me. She called me an old soul.

I am the kind of person who has no idea what to believe. I like having evidence. Rachel was a firm believer in reincarnation until you reach enlightenment. The reason why she had called me that was, believe it or not, "I have wisdom beyond my age." It was pretty weird of her to say that I thought. The more I dwelled on it, the more it did kind of make sense why she would say it. I'm still skeptical about it, but I consider it a possibility for a few reasons.

I feel that it is completely possible that our soul or energy or consciousness, whatever you want to call it, can move after death into a new life. There is no solid evidence because you can't track it and most likely never will be able to. The book talked briefly on this subject and it made me recall this. It makes me feel like I'm not just thinking I am meant for greater things, that it is actually possible. I feel strongly on certain subjects, oppression especially, that makes me feel like I might have been someone who fought these before this life. If it is true of course.  The possible existence of ghosts is the biggest factor that makes me think it's possible. But that is a talk for another time.

I have more reasons as to why I sort of believe and might expand on that on a later post. How do you feel on this subject or have you had any experience with this?

Quote: "There are only two forces in the world, the sword and the spirit. In the long run the sword will always be conquered by the spirit." -Napoleon Bonaparte

Whining at the GM till the Undead Horse is defeated.

I've had this game sitting around for awhile and we had never tried it out, even though I heard great things. Munchkin by Steve Jackson Game is like you are playing a role-playing game, but lacking the actual role-playing and instead it uses cards. The game is basically kicking down doors, fighting monsters, and getting treasure.

There are 4 phases, kick in the door, look for trouble, loot the room, and charity. Combat between you (and sometimes your friends) and monsters consists of you you or other players playing cards from your had to give bonuses to either side. For (almost) every monster you defeat, you gain a level. First player to level 10 wins.

I played this with a couple of other hardcore gamers, and I think it was kind of ruined because of that. We have all been hardcore pen and paper rpg players and we still play card games, so having both of them mixed was weird. I feel if I played this with casual gamers, it would have left me with a great experience. I loved the art and some of the items and monsters were hilarious (Kneepads of Allure and the monster Lawyer that won't attack other thieves). I think I will be bringing this over to my cousin's house and try it out again.

It is worth checking out and you are not limited to only D&D style. They have themed versions for pirates, ninjas, space, vampires, old west, and more. There are expansions for almost every version also. You can also combine different versions together with very little confusion as to how to mix them. I recommend this game, just not in a highly competitive environment.

Quote: "Don't put your fist up, fill them with our hopes, our hearts, and our hands. We're the architects of our last stand." -"Fight With Tools" by Flobots

Trainwreck of an Idea

I had an interesting idea and I'm going to see how this work out. What I need from you is what race and class are you (dwarf warrior, elf wizard, vampire aristocrat, whatever you want to be, be something creative or that expresses yourself or something you just always wanted to be), and answer the question at the end of the situation.

    The bar of the inn is packed. You look around and wonder how you ended up in this town during the middle of its yearly festival. It's not so bad though, the influx of business for the innkeeper means he is charging less for drinks the drunker he gets. There has been more than one person noticing this and he is reaching his limit as you overheard the same story from him for the third time.
   The people in the bar are a scattered bunch. There are other adventurers like yourself, but also a lot of townsfolk who are welcoming and mingling. The townsfolk are talking about how their mighty village was liberated from dark times by their new king. King Felix arrived in town and took control by rallying the people and marching on their old capital.
   As you take another sip from your drink, you hear a scuffling and a thud. "He stole from me," the man who was knocked down called out and pointed at a cloaked figure. The figure was already halfway to the door and you decide to check your pouch just in case. It's not there and the figure is in a full out run to the door as more people find out they've been robbed.

  Question: What did you lose and what are you going to do about it? (Just your actions, the results and next part will be posted soon.Have fun with it.) Also, welcome to roleplaying. :-)

Quote: "I found a way to steal the sun from the sky. Long live that day that I decided to fly from the inside" - "Fly from the Inside" by Shinedown

I quit Magic

For the moment, of course. I'm just burned out.

In other news, more roleplaying and out of the box gaming to come. I told the story of how I became a vampire on Saturday. I'm not going to put my players through that though. A couple of them have more stories of how becoming a vampire killed the game for them.

I discovered one of my talents. The ability to find anything online. I don't know if this is just laziness on the parts of my friends or if they look and can't honestly find it. Need a pandora battery, no problem. NES rom of a very obscure game, easy. Books, playmats, songs, you name it and I will find it if it is available. This is both a blessing and curse. Curse because I usually look for something really obscure when I think about it. Like, right away. I hear a band on Pandora, I'm looking up when they formed, all their albums, tour dates, tickets. This can happen at anytime during the day, and with a smartphone now, just got worse.

Sorry no movie review today. I could review Let The Right One In, but I don't think I should. It was heralded as a fantastic movie, but like all other fantastic foreign movies, it was too artsy for my taste. I was not entertained by it and it was a bit disturbing. Fine, a little review, lol.

Anyone else have an obscure or overlooked talent?

Quote: "Don't rely on someone else for your happiness and self worth. Only you can be responsible for that. If you can't love and respect yourself - no one else will be able to make that happen. Accept who you are - completely; the good and the bad - and make changes as you see fit - not because you think someone else wants you to be different." - Stacey Charter (for a friend, you know who you are.)

Comments + More (Second Saturday Edition)

This feels like my second Saturday, except I don't have to work a half day. Thanks everyone for your comments and it is time to address some of them.

Katie from No Missed Opportunities writes: "Just to be clear, you do watch GOOD movies too, once in a while right? I would hate to think that all you do is watch crap movies."
Dear Katie, I thank you for your concern. I do watch good movies as well. The last movie I watched was Up In The Air, which I thought was great. I watch the whole gauntlet from unwatchable to fantastic. I watch more for the entertainment. I can't watch a movie and think "wow, that was artistic." The artsy movies get lost on me because while they are trying to get across a message, I just want to have fun.

Amy from i am here writes: " I actually like it, but my brother and his friends turn it into a war, where they sit there and yell at each other, then the friends turn to me and tell me not to trade with my brother." (reference to Settlers of Catan)
We have had many of these wars. Being in such a serious gaming group, there are always alliances and denials of every trade from one player. There have been trades for IRL stuff though as well, sometimes cash, sometimes Magic cards.

abby | ybba at Robots in Trouble! writes: "you got a puppy?! awwww! my hubby was going to get me one too but i said no ... even though i really really wanted one :["
The puppy is something my fiance has been pushing for. This kind especially. I kind of caved in to the request but not really. I even told her "I say no to this, but if you come home with it, I won't be mad." Me being mad was her greatest concern, but I'm one of the most relaxed people anyone can ever meet. If anything, I was worried that we wouldn't be able to handle it.

That is all for the comments, now onto how I became a vampire. I play pen and paper roleplaying games (I know, shocker). We had setup for a game of D&D and it was a story that my friend had wrote. The premise was we were hired by one family to steal back weapons (swords, daggers, crossbows and bolts) from another family who had originally stole them. We decided to go through it, fumbling around of course, but that didn't matter as there were only 3 people in the house.

When we got in and it was safe, we were to send a signal to the other family to let them know to come in and grab the weapons.  After we through up the signal/invited them in, that's when things went south for us. Our party was killed one by one. Somehow, we woke up. And in a very cramped space. In a "community" coffin. We were vampires from that point on and in the service of our new lords. And that's the really short version of it.

What did we learn this week?
-Don't invite strangers in.
-Always have a friend who will give you sheep.
-Having a puppy trumps a lot of things.
How about you?

Weekend Plans

My fiancé is going back to her hometown for another dress fitting and more wedding stuff. This means it will be Zelda (the puppy) and me this weekend. I'm hoping to be getting some books in the mail tomorrow or Saturday. One of them being My Soul To Take by Rachel Vincent for a book club being held at Forever Endeavor. The discussion starts on Friday, February 25th. And I have a maybe confession to make. This might be the first YA novel I read.

I know, I know. In my defense, I had never heard of the genre as I use to be a strict sci-fi/fantasy kinda guy. It has a lot of elements that I like and some I hate (vampires), so it was just a matter of time before I discovered it. The other book I got was a roleplaying game core rulebook, so I'm going to start writing and running adventures again and you'll have some stories from that I'm sure.

Backup plan is movies. I have a good list of amazing movies I need to watch including Let The Right One In, Oldboy, The Dark Crystal, and a few more on my Netflix queue. I might start writing out some stories as well for my gaming group. None of them read this, so all the better.

Tomorrow, what we learned this week and responses to some comments. I kind of want to tell the story about how I became a vampire now too, any takers?

Quote: "Believe you can and you're halfway there." -Theodore Roosevelt

I'll trade you two sheep for a brick.

The Settlers of Catan. This is one of my favorite games, possibly my favorite of all time. The only contender so far is Dominion which I covered last week. Settlers is a simple game to learn and does have a lot of luck involved, but there is a ton of interaction with other players.

The Settlers of Catan pits you against other players in a race to 10 points. Each city and settlement that you build will help you achieve this victory, as well as owning the longest road or points from development cards.

The game starts with the tiles randomize to form an island and all each tile getting a random number. You place down two settlements and roads connecting to each one. From there each turn consists of rolling two dice and players collecting resources if they control a city or settlement on the borders of that number, trading cards with other players, and building or buying. Simple enough.

There is a level of diplomacy because every time a seven is rolled, there is a robber that you move from one tile to another. If there is a player with a city or settlement bordering the tile,  the player who rolled the seven steals a card. Whatever numbered tile he is on won't pay out a resource if that number is rolled as well until he is moved. Trading is also a big part of the game, but this can be bypassed by having a settlement or city build on a port (which offers 2 for 1 or 3 for 1 trades).

The Settlers of Catan is has a high replay value as we have been  playing this game for years. There are other versions of this game, but we have never tried them out. You can also find online versions of the game, but again I haven't looked around as much. I prefer to sit around a table with friends or even family members and play. This one is highly recommended by my play group, and is the only board game that some of them play as well. So what you waiting for, grab your lumber and wheat and get to building.

Any other games we should try out?

Quote: " I think a man does what he can, until his destiny is revealed." -Algren "The Last Samauri"

Nothing Serious Today

I don't know why, I'm just not feeling it this week. Most likely my internal struggles are derailing me. I have however, puppy pictures. Here is Zelda, our new dog.

With her green sweater

 

Her favorite activity

 

So there you are. Have a great day and keep your head up. :-)

No Unwatchable Movie This Weekend

Because I caved in and kind of said yes to my fiancé getting a puppy. It is a Dachshund named Zelda. Pictures to come later if they are requested.

So getting a puppy plus having things to do this weekend really threw the weekend off. Have a great Valentine's day everyone.

Commenting on Comments

I hate that title too, lol. Just a placeholder for now.

I love your comments, they do honestly brighten up my day and keep me entertained. Time to address some of these.

Stephanie Faris of Steph in the City writes: "I generally go by the stars of a movie as to whether or not it's good. Any movie past 1990 that stars Luke Perry and any movie past 1997 that stars Lauren Holly can't be good. Definitely B-listers."
Stephanie, the mastermind behind it all, Uwe Boll, is notorious for getting actors to work for him for cheap. He goes with stars are either well past their time or stars that are between big projects and will work for some extra cash. They really didn't have much to work with on this project at all, it was tragic.

Cassandra of Saving Me From Myself writes: "Personally I'm very glad that I take part in public schooling. I feel that I've learned a lot from the experience even if I haven't always had the best teachers, education, etc."
I feel this same way also Cassandra and I believe it has helped us shape our choice. I plan on teaching them a little at home as well. Public school is lacking in certain areas and it really wouldn't
LIGHTNING ROUND!!!

I don't remember putting that in here, oh well, let's get this
kendra30752 @ RiBbOnS and PeArLs: "At least you've done your good deed by keeping someone from wasting their time & possibly money on watching it."
........under way. Yea, I'm going to be taking a break from bad movies soon, I can't take it, lol.

Brad Jaeger @ Brad Jaeger - Aspiring Author: "I do what I want, when I want. That's my schedule."
So much win. Also not a bad idea. I tend more towards chaos than order anyway.

Tracy @ Forever Endeavor: "I love hearing about people (well, guys actually) talking about playing games that aren't attached to a game controller."
I love the card, board, and pen and paper games. I've been playing them for 14+ years and will keep it going. It certainly helps me stay social.

Hope you enjoyed this as much as I did. Looks like As You Like It will be this weekend's unwatchable movie. I have some movies for the following weekend that are suppose to be amazing. No really, completely worth your time to watch them. If you have any AMAZING recommendations for that weekend, leave them here and I will add them to the list of need to see. Have a great weekend everyone.

Quote: "Behind every great man is a woman rolling her eyes." Jim Carrey

A blogging schedule?

I have surprised myself. I actively was trying to create a schedule and failed at it. I just decided to start posting whatever. By doing so, I created a schedule without realizing it. This is what it looks like so far:

Monday: Movie Review (Unwatchable Movie Challenge and sometimes good movies)
Tuesday: Serious Business (Issues regarding daily life or the world)
Wednesday: Random Review (Games, Books, General things I want to have your attention)
Thursday: ??????? (This is where I need your help)
Friday: Comments (Responding directly to comments and/or feature other bloggers.)

Thursday was going to be storytime. Truth is I don't have many stories of my life, I have big ideas but don't take many risks. Most of the stories would be of other people and not sure if they would come across as funny. I could post up some of my short stories possibly or maybe even dreams I've had. What are your thoughts on this? Any ideas for a subject for Thursdays or should I even switch up some of these days? Thanks in advance everyone.

Quote: "See me, I'm still standing. I may be bleeding, but I'm still breathing." -"Renegade" by HED P.E.

Past the Village there is a Festival with Nobles and Spies

Those are just a few of my favorite cards from Dominion from Rio Grande Games. This is an out of the box, deck building card game where you try to grow your kingdom. A little explanation on the deck building card game, you start out with a set number cards in your deck (10 in this one) and each round you can buy cards to add to it. These cards give you extra buys, extra actions, let you remove or add cards to your deck.

Dominion is the first game I ever played like this and I fell in love instantly. Learning the cards and combos the first time around is really fun. After that, it's all about perfecting your approach to winning. The goal is to have the most victory points in your deck at the end of the game. For the first set, victory points didn't do anything. There have been victory point cards that have come out that do also have actions on them though.

There are 25 different cards in the original set, which you only use 10 of them. Setup and cleanup are very easy, most games last between 15 and 30 minutes. Depending on the piles you get, the game can move faster or slower. I've played this with teens as young as 14 and with a few of my elders as well and they loved it as well. If you get a chance, definitely try this game out. There is a free version you can play online but the card pool isn't as extensive. I highly recommend you try this out.

Any other games I should try out and let you know about?

Quote: "Change the sword to words and lift continents." - "Rise" by Flobots

Schooling: Home or Public?

I currently have no kids and not even married. The pace of life moves quickly and before I know it, both will be upon me. Among all the major decisions you have to make, the choice of home schooling or public/private school is the one I've been thinking about the most.

I personally went to public school. It was what everyone had ever done, as homeschooling wasn't as big as it is now. Public school is a good way to learn social skills and team building I feel. The children can find leaders in their teachers as well. On the negative side, the class moves only as quickly as the bottom 25% of the class. I have been in classes where whole sections were left out because students were struggling with certain areas. Also, the motivation is not there I feel. There were very few competitive assignments. I believe that competition is a good thing as you experience it everyday. Being able to not only compete with people who are better than you, but also accepting wins or loses like a good sport is important.

Home schooling appeals to me because the student has all of your attention. This not only helps them get the help where they need, but the student can also identify their weak points and hone study/learning methods to improve. It seems like you can learn a lot more than in public schools. It also helps the parent learn as well as the student. The down side has a lot to do with the social aspect and the team building that I like from the public schooling. The parent also needs to be able to grasp what they are teaching so that everyone knows what is going on.

Just had to vent some of my thoughts on this situation. I'm leaning more towards public because of the dedication needed on our side, which might not be possible being a middle class couple with both of us working. What are your thoughts on this situation?

Quote: "A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new." -Albert Einstein

Final Storm Review

Challenge #3 has been completed, and boy was that a waste of an hour and a half. Final Storm is brought to us by Uwe Boll who has produced numerous movies that make me frown (bad writing, bad concept, just plain bad). My hopes for this movie were already low just because his name was attached to it.

Spoiler Alert!

My fiancé and I laid down and watched it. The opening showed some promise. It had been storming for 3-5 days straight and the world was thrown into chaos. That is about where you can turn off the movie. You follow a country family (mom, dad, and son) and a stranger that they took in. The stranger at first claims it is his house, and it comes out after about an hour and ten minutes that is was his parent's house.

I have no idea what to even say because nothing happens for almost the whole movie. They go to two towns to find them deserted and the last five minutes is the stranger trying to kill the dad and take the family as his own. Other than that 15 minutes of the movie, nothing happens, literally. We were SO bored and the music kept building up to....... nothing. This is probably the worst movie yet in this challenge because of that.
End of Spoiler!

But yea, this is definitely a movie to avoid. I don't even think it fits in a genre just because of that reason. It's kind of a horror but not scary. It's kind of a drama, but you don't care about what's going on. If it wasn't for the music and the feeling that something had to happen, this movie would of been off in 10 minutes. There are so many questions that were left unanswered too. What happened to everyone? Where did they all go? Why are the animals gone? How does Luke Perry know what he does? And the ending leaves even more questions.

Good luck with this movie if you take up the challenge. Now that you know that NOTHING happens though, it will be easier to turn off.

This weekends choices: The Superhero (Action Thriller, a mix of live action and animation; outlook:grim), Narcosys (Action Sci-fi & Fantasy, Netflix says I'm going to give it 1 star, I bet they are right), and finally, As You Like It (Romantic Comedy, a [poor?] adaptation of Shakespeare, almost 2 hours long. /sigh)

Edit:
Quote: "Life is, too short, so love the one ya got." -Sublime (Forgot the quote, so I used the one I have on my gmail account currently.)

Friday Finally

This has been one of the most random weeks. The blizzard on Tuesday and Wednesday that led to having a snow day on Wednesday. Yesterday felt like I was working on a Sunday. The Eureka marathon that I had this whole week and watching the few shows I watch on the wrong nights. Kind of back to normal now, but the weekend starts tonight with a trip to the mall with the cousin for card game tournaments.

This weekend will be productive, that is my goal. I have to watch the next movie in the challenge (looking like Troll 2 right now), and I want to do a couple more random errands. After that, back to writing. No more computer gaming, maybe a break for some Zombies or Munchkin (board/card games), but seriously writing as these ideas are driving me crazy.

I'm looking forward to all of these movies, thanks all..........no really, thanks. /sarcasm. You'll have a more in-depth review of it as I will be trying something different. Unless there is a big swing of votes, Troll 2 it is. I have a few ideas for next week already. Do you all care about spoiler alerts in these or no? Any plans for your weekend? Will it be fun or work?

Quote: "We'd rather make our children, martyrs than murderers." White Flag Warriors by Flobots

Snow day and a little background

Finally back. We got hit with some crazy snow, 20 inches in some places. Yesterday was very anti-productive as well since I'm determined to finish Eureka. Did you have any of this crazy weather?

Background: Origins of a gamer
Lately, especially right now, as in this very moment, I'm feeling all nostalgic. I'm not sure how or why, but my brother and I got into playing the Pokemon card game way back when. This was probably a couple of years before I could drive ( I think it started when I was 14), my grandmother use to bring us out every Saturday to this card shop / cigarette store. Here is where we started getting really good. The people we played against were some of the best.

One weekend after the Pokemon fad had been faded for awhile (we still showed up to the same shop to play though), a couple of our friends were playing a new game. This was something we had never seen before. It was called Mageknight and instead of using cards, it was using miniature figures. We got heavy into this game as well, traveling a little more for tournaments. This is around the transition time from moving to a new shop as well.

Currently, the group we started out with has changed a lot. We have had about 4 or 5 different shops we called home and the thing that holds it all together is Magic: the Gathering. Of all the people I have considered friends, there are really only four who have never really went away in the past 15 years or so. I'm thankful for all the friends I have currently, even if I don't talk to them or see them as much. So thanks everyone for the support and friendship throughout the years to those reading this. To all the others, internet friends, blogging friends, real life friends and family members, thanks to all of you too. :-)

This started out me wanting to talk about how much I want to play Magic at an actual comic shop again, but I guess this is much better, lol. Anyone you would like to thank?

Quote: "If we don't make it alive, well it's a hell of a good day to die." -The Offspring (And yes, I'm fine, just love this whole song, especially this lyric.)

Stupid Teenagers Must Die!

Stupid Teenagers Must Die! was a challenge from MY fiance's brother. Just playing, love you hun. :-)

This had to be one of the worst movies I have ever seen. First off, I could barely hear it. All of the sound seemed like it was in the background, even when they were talking and during important points. This almost made me turn it off in the first few minutes.

Past that, the movie was about a group of teens who go to the home of a famous murderer who killed his whole family. It's a parody of the 80's horror flicks complete with a jock, the "bad" kid, the nerd, the goth, and a few of the popular boppers (two of which are girlfriends).


That's about it for the storyline really. Teens in a house, there is a murderer, and it gets ridiculous. I don't wish this on anyone else, except those accepting the challenge. If you watch this and make it all the way through, give yourself a point.

For next weekend, I put up 3 movie for this weekend's challenge. I'm sticking with movies that can be found streaming on Netflix. Unfortunately (or fortunately, however you look at it), Twilight, Cabin Boy, and Open Water are not streaming. They would be on the list if available though. We need your suggestions to help expand this challenge. Also, what were your thoughts on Teeth or this movie if you are keeping up with the challenge.

Quote: "Julie, you just threw a big knife at Kane and almost killed him." -Sissy (/sigh)

A Good Cause

First of all, Abby at Above Water is doing something amazing. For every comment on her post today (Friday January 28, 2011) she is donating $1 to her favorite charity, Soles4Souls. They give shoes to people in need all around the world. A great cause and all you have to do is show her a little love. :-)

And now, something for you. Jennifer at Ramblings and What Not  is holding a contest. Once again, all you have to do is comment on this post and you are entered to win your choice of a book off her list. This contest expires February 2nd, so head on over and enter for your chance to win.

To address numerous commenters (word?), I had to sit through the first hour of Twilight on a deal with a friend. It was horrible for me, and I did turn it off. Not a good deal at all, he finished and loved the book he had to read the first 3 chapters of. Also, Cabin Boy was an awful movie too. This weekend, I think I will be watching Stupid Teenagers Must Die as it was challenged by one of the soon to be brother-in-laws.

That is all for today. Monday I will give you my mini-review of Stupid Teenagers Must Die and have a poll up so you can decide our next Unwatchable Movie. Have a great weekend.

Quote: "A wise man learns by the mistakes of others, a fool by his own." Latin Proverb

The Sick Note

The Sick Note by The Dubliners. This made me laugh out loud at work, great stuff. Enjoy it and all its glory.






Quote: "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. So is a lot." -Albert Einstein

Unwatchable Movie Challenge #1 - Teeth

I credit this challenge to the donut boys at Donutboys.net. They came up with a great idea and have only been through three of these movies. The unwatchable movie challenge was simple. One member of the group challenged the others to watch a bad movie. It had to be on Netflix and the person issuing the challenge had to also watch the movie. Simple, right?

And so the fiance, my cousin and I decided this was a great idea (kind of). I picked the first one, and so we sat down to watch Teeth on my Wii. This was not the worst movie I saw (it helped that I wasn't the only one sitting and watching it). There have been a couple of movies that I have turned off because they were horrible, so this wasn't as bad as it could get. Teeth is definitely a movie I will not watch again or recommend to anyone.

For that reason, I'm issuing this challenge to everyone. I plan on updating this challenge every week, most likely on Monday. I want you to suggest movies for this challenge as well. It would be easier if it is available through Netflix, doesn't need to be though. Also, you have to watch the movie you challenge with me as well. My cousin is 16 also, so I'd like them to stay R rated at the highest. Have a great with this movie and I look forward to challenges for this.

Quote: "Dentata. It's Latin for teeth." -Dawn

First or third person?

I just wanted your opinion today on which you preferred. I have a couple of ideas for some fun short stories, but was not sure which view to use. I have written both ways and kind of prefer both reading and writing third person myself. The last few books I have read have been first person and I really enjoyed them, so this just adds to the confusion.

I plan on writing/editing a couple of really short (hopefully under 500 words, but they could take off) excerpts or ideas or whatever this weekend. I'll do one in each style and put them up next week.

Other than that, if there are any questions or topics you want me to comment on tomorrow, just leave them down in the comment section.

Random quote: "Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one." -Jane Howard

Dream

First off, I had another fun dream last night. This one had Jack Sparrow trying to figure out how to steal this ship that was being used as part of a house. It was pretty ingenious really, still on the water, a hallway that attached it and decorated really nicely. Elizabeth Swan somehow ended up on the ship as he finally got it to cast off. There was a problem with it taking on water though. Jack was trying to figure it out and said we had a few hours. Elizabeth pulled something up and made it start flooding faster, prompting Jack to say we only had about 30 minutes.

They sent me off to get light by using a candle. I passed butlers and maids that were stuck on the boat now and found another lit candle and some matches. I tried so many things to light this candle but it would just go out instantly. I woke up being frustrated over that.

We need more tolerance and unity in this world. Amy at My heart shaped blog had recently posted about world peace and it made me think about what was needed to achieve this. There is a lot involved with this, but I want to talk about what I think are major issues. The first problem is prejudice and oppression. These kind of go hand in hand. It's happens not just on a large scale, but also small to the point where it can be a block of families. The poor family who won the lotto and moved into a rich neighborhood and don't belong. The synagogue that goes up in a Christian neighborhood. The Americans who move overseas. All of these are scenarios where prejudice and oppression can foster and grow out of hand.

The other major issue I came up with was sovereignty. This happens a lot because countries and even states feel they have the right to choose what is best for their citizens. Take for example gay marriage in the states. There are states who feel it should be outlawed everywhere. You have other states who don't want it, but don't care to impose their rule on other states. And then there are a few who allow and want to keep it that way. This causes so many clashes is still being discussed by the federal courts.

Another example would be in joining the EU, you give up some of your decision making. I actually like the idea of the EU and NATO as it pushes for unity across the continent. There will always be opponents, but some things have to be given up for the greater good. If we as a people start getting pushed around or stepped on, there is always revolution to try and start over.

What is your greatest concern if the world as we know it unites under one banner?

Random quote: "Politics is war without bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed." -Mao Tse-Tung

Blog Ideas

Recently, I've been looking for a new layout for this blog. Not sure what exactly I want it to look like. Probably close to this with dark colors, maybe a green or blue also. Something like Tron but not so 80's-ish. Does anyone have a place or person who they could link me to for a new "flashy" layout?

Aside from that, I want to create an about me page. I got this idea of having someone or few people ask me questions and those answers are what will consist of my about me page. Maybe even an interview (not real formal). Any thoughts on this?

Nothing new other than more Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3 being played, Plants vs. Zombies is almost 100% complete,  and reading The Gift by James Patterson. I'm looking forward to finishing one of my goals this year that quick in the 100% completion of a game in Plants vs. Zombies. It is amazing fun and even my 8 year old cousin is hooked on it. I recommend it if you haven't tried it already.

Random quote: "We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools." -Martin Luther King Jr. A day late, sorry.

Kendra at RiBbOnS and PeArLs felt that I deserved an award, and I'm thankful and flattered. There were some rules for it, and I've already fulfilled the first one. There is another rule that I am against doing just because I feel it is not my duty to tell people what to do. They will either do it not and I don't want to be let down when they don't do it. So Rule 1 of thanking and linking back is done. Rule 3 and 4 really of tagging people and posting on their blog that I gave it to them is not. If you want to take this, I'm offering it to the first 15 and will be posting your name and blog here.

Now for the real reason for it, Rule 2, posting 7 things about myself. This is a little lower than the surface, so enjoy.

1) I currently live with my fiance.....as well as some of my family. This creates an "interesting" environment. The biggest problem is my brother and sister are slobs. They make messes, leaves things where they are and not putting them back, not replacing stuff. This creates a lot of tension between people, which leads me to number 2.

2) I am a very calm person. So calm, that I can't remember the last time I truly got angry. When people get angry, I start laughing. This is makes me a horrible person to have around in very emotional times. Crying, worrying, anger, around any of these I will either tense up not knowing what to do or laugh.

3) I'm a procrastinator. This gets me in a lot of trouble, I'm currently trying to break it though.

4) I'm currently using EA Active 2 for the Wii with my fiance. It definitely makes you move, and hurt, a lot....

5) I listen to podcasts to pass the time at work. I'll plug VTWProductions here. :-)

6) I already failed my water only goal. It's just tough. I am down to only 1/2-1 can of Sprite or the like a day though.

7) I consider everyone my friend until I am given reason to not trust/like someone. Even if you give me a reason, I usually forgive them after a short time.

That's all for me today. Have a great day.

Random quote: "He who commands the past, conquers the future. He who commands the future conquers the past" - Kane

In which I answer your questions.........

Sort of. This is not a new concept, but I was going through my comments and felt some of them deserved direct responses. I'll get a banner and everything for it. Edit: Follower + Friday were taken in a different combination, no idea how I let that slip from me, so I think I'll call it "Commentor Collection." Comment Friday makes more sense, but not as catchy. Without further waiting, Commentor Collection! until I come up with a better name. :-)

Oddyoddyo13 from Dani's Letters writes: "Fabulous answer, but I had just one question....pineapple chunks? Never heard of those before...Like dried pineapple? With sugar?"
-Well Oddyoddyo13, I'm not sure where exactly these are available, like if it's just a regional or national product, but they are just pineapple pieces in their own juice. A favorite snack of mine.  Along the side is a picture of the exact product. :-) I definitely recommend it.

Tracy of Forever Endeavor writes: "I once had this dream about this girl and an incredibly beautiful boy who sparkles in the sunlight, lying in a meadow. I wanted to write it down when I woke up, but someone beat me to it!"
-Tracy, I really hate when that happens. :-)  This did kind of happen to me. I had a pretty decent idea, started writing out things and building the world and all. THEN Terry Brooks (one of my fav. authors) put out Armageddon's Children and I pretty much scrapped everything because it was the same stuff, but would never stand to his quality. That was a pretty depressing day, I almost didn't read it because of that.

Lastly Faye.Buckley of We Are Who We Are writes: "I love reading about how you are so inspired by something you love! It is so uplifting and I really enjoy it!! I love that we can both share hw passionate we both are for something! Even though we have nothing in common, we end up with something in common... Passion for something we enjoy!! :)"
-Faye, I'm glad you found something I said to be inspirational. I try to be as uplifting as possible everyday to everyone I know.  When you get past the outer layers of anyone, you find out there is a lot more you share with them. So next time you meet someone, don't completely pass them up. They might actually hold the key to enlightenment or happiness for you. :-)

Three seems to be a great stopping point. Hope everyone has a great weekend. If you have any questions or other comments, feel free to leave them and every Friday I will be picking out a few like this. Have a great weekend all and thanks for the comments. :-)

50 Questions

 Sharayah at Sugar snow :) had answered 50 questions and left it open to her followers to do the same. I had some interesting answers I felt, so here they are.

1. What color is your toothbrush? Blue, green, and white.
 

 2. Name one person who made you smile today? Everyone of my comments from you make me smile

3. What were you doing at 8 am this morning? At work.

4. What were you doing 45 minutes ago? Same, at work since 7 am.

 5. What is your favorite candy bar? Kit Kats, as long as they count.

7. What is the last thing you said aloud? "See you at lunch."

 8. What is your favorite ice cream flavor? Vanilla, yep, pretty boring.

 9. What was the last thing you had to drink? Cherry Crush (My fav, but last one I'm hoping. Switching to all water.)

 10, Do you like your wallet? Yea, it's pretty nice.

 11, What was the last thing you ate? Pineapple Chunks.

 12, Have you bought any new clothing items this week? Nope.

 13, The last sporting event you watched? Part of the wild cards games for the NFL.

14, What is your favorite flavor of popcorn? Theater, lol.

 15, Who is the last person you sent a text message too? My cousin, Kylie.

 16, Ever go camping? Yea, as a kid. Honeymoon will be in a cabin, so kind of like camping.

 17, Do you take vitamins daily? No, I use to up until about a month ago. Need to start again.

 18, Do you go to church every Sunday? Nope.

19, Are you tan? Or pale? Pale now, as soon as spring I start getting more color.

20,Do you prefer Chinese food over pizza? This is really tough. I think I could eat pizza for longer over Chinese food. Pizza wins.

21, Do you drink your soda with a straw? Nope, unless I'm at a restaurant. 

22, What did your last text message say? "No I can't, finals :("

23, What are you doing tomorrow? Work, then playing Magic: the Gathering at night with my other nerd friends.

25, Look to your left, what do you see? A stack of papers.

 26, What color is your watch? Flesh colored, oh wait, I don't have one.

 27, What do you think of when you hear Australia?---------->

 29, Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive thru? Go in, don't trust them.

 30. What is your favorite number? 13, my birfday number!

31, Who's the last person you talked to on the phone? Fiance.

32, Any plans today? Maybe a wake, writing and reading after work.

 33, How many states have you lived in? Just 1.

34, Biggest annoyance right now? Bosses, lol

 35, Last song listened to? "Heat" by Apocalyptica.

36,Can you say the alphabet backwards? "The alphabet backwards" Yep, I can. :-)

 37, Do you have a maid service clean your house?  Nope, although we feel like it sometimes.

 38, Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time? My vans.

 39, Are you jealous of anyone? Nope, I've very satisfied with life. :)

 40, Is anyone jealous of you? I'll always have haters. :-)

 41, Do you love anyone? I'm pretty sure I do, it's too tough to know.

 42. Do any of your friends have children? Yea, quite a few.

 43, What do you usually do during the day? Work, or sleep, lol.

 44, Do you hate anyone that you know right now? Not hate, strongly dislike though.

 45, Do you use the word 'hello' daily? Of course.

 46, What color is your car? Red, like fire truck red.

 47, Do you like cats?  I'm a cat person, yea.

48. Are you thinking about someone right now? Always!

 49, Have you ever been to Six Flags? Yea, not my scene though.

50, How did you get your worst scar? Can't remember, but mine is on my finger. I do know someone who has a scar across their eye though from a bike tire, and not my fault, his brothers.

That's it. Hope you learned something about me. Any fun memories these questions brought out in you? Feel free to use these as well if you want.