New toy

Hi all,this is test post from my new Nokia N 800 internet tablet, which I love more than a man should love gadget. More tomorrow when I have more practice!

More Favorite Things

About time I got back to this topic, eh?
Some of my favorite blogs:
Joystiq - Great info on lots of different games, often funny, great rumors.

Boing Boing - One my favorite Sci-Fi authors, Cory Doctorow, and several other web personalities blog about everything and anything, literally!

Call of Duty 4

I know I am a few months behind, but I just finished the single player game of Call of Duty 4 on the xbox 360, so I thought I would do a mini-review.

Game: Call of Duty 4
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Infinity Ward

First a bit about my playing style and where I am coming from, since this is my first review on the blog.

The game took me about 8 hours to beat or normal difficulty. I am a mid-core gamer, I play a lot of games, but I don't have super twitch reflexes or the patience to play on the really hard difficulties. Most games are acceptable for me at normal difficulty, but some hardcore shooters I will play on easy, otherwise I get too frustrated from constant re-spawning.

There were two or three spots where I had to repeat the same part of a level six or eight times until I beat it, but this was acceptable, and normal for me.

On to the game itself.

After a few short cinematic and a very clever in-game tutorial, COD4 takes off on a wild ride and doesn't stop until the end credits roll. The first few missions ramp up the difficulty slowly, as you become more engrossed in the story that you are playing.

The missions are varied and interesting, which is great, because there is not a large variety of enemies or weapons that can be found in some games. There were several missions where I found myself wishing I could pick my weapon load-out, like you can in the Ghost Recon games. The default weapons in most of the scenarios did the trick however.

Perhaps the best part of the game is the story. You rapidly become attached to the characters you are playing, and the other members of your squad, and you feel genuine emotion as they suffer through the twists and turns of the game.

I played the Multi-player Beta when it was out late last year, and it was terrific fun. Since I rented the full game instead of buying, I have not had a chance to play multiplayer, other that getting the crap kicked out of me in split screen by my kids.

All in all, there are a few modern shooters I like better, like Ghost Recon 1 and 2, but COD4 is a pleasure to play, with outstanding graphics, story, and game-play. I recommend to all fans of shooters.

My buddy Keith emailed this question out to a bunch of my old school friends today.


"

It’s snowing in Wisconsin – again. Second straight week of slate gray skies and silent falling flakes outside. The lot’s already covered over since lunch, and a general sense of quiet has filled the building. I’m one of three people even in my wing right now; the only noise I hear is the click of my keystrokes and the breathy whoosh of the heating vent outside my door.

White on white outside my window. Meetings all cancelled this afternoon. Coffee gone cold on my desk. And there’s this overwhelming feeling that something is missing. For the past half hour I’ve been trying to wrap my head around it, but it’s just not making itself known.

So I figured I’d ask you.

If you’ve got a minute and you feel the urge, tell me about something you miss right now. Maybe it’s a friend, maybe family member or pet. Maybe it’s a feeling from childhood you see in your kids and wish you could experience again. Maybe it’s as simple as a discontinued ice cream flavor – or just a warm-up on that cup of coffee sitting cold on your desk right now.

It’s been a while since I’ve asked, but that doesn’t mean I’m no longer curious. Take a line or two – hell, take a paragraph if the urge hits you – and tell me about something you miss. Anything at all, really; I’m interested, and going no where in that snow for quite a while.

Missing you, too (…but seriously, though, I’ll probably write something up other than this!)

– Keith"

A great question, and my answer is below.

I will finish up my favorites post later tonight, too much laundry yesterday!

I think what i miss the most these days is my enthusiasm. when I was younger, everything I tried was anew adventure, something challenging for mind or body.

Now that I am sneaking up on 40, every choice or change seems more like a chore.

I look at my kids and see how they tackle everything as if it were the most important thing they have ever done, and I feel proud and sad at the same time. something as simple as a halo toy or legos built into the shape of a starship is a moment of pure joy for them.

I wish I could tap into that for myself.

The other thing I miss is Keith's emailing profound questions like this, and hearing back responses from folks I have not seem in a long long time.

Links to to some fun stuff

I have a ton of Hobbies. Too many in fact. Here is a list of a few, and why I love them.

Tabletop Role playing games:
I started playing Dungeons and Dragons with my Brother when I was 10 years old, and I still get together with my friends ever two weeks for some grown up make believe. It is a lot more fun that most folks realize to pretend to be a jedi knight or a barbarian for a few hours.
Especially when you a in a basement with a bunch of smelly nerds!

Http://www.wizards.com - Owners and publishers of the granddaddy of all RPGs, DnD. they also publish Star Wars RPG and a ton or card and collectible miniature games.

http://www.peginc.com - zombie cowboys, superheroes, pirates and a puritan that fights giant apes and evil spirits!

http://www.sjgames.com - for many years, GURPS, made by SJgames was the only RPG I played. It seems a bit complicated for my play style these days, but I still love the amazing variety of stuff this one game can do.

Cowboy Action Shooting:
I love the old west, and later this year I hope to join the Single Action Shooting Society. I already have a rifle, but I need to get a pistol and shotgun.Here a few cool companies that make old west weapons.
http://navyarms.com/
http://www.cimarron-firearms.com/

More link tommorrow!

Xbox not home yet, fedex sucks.

My Xbox 360 has not come home yet, and Fedex has not updated the tracking info yet, so I have no idea when it will be back. I hope they give me another free month of Xbox live, so I can try out Rainbow Six Vegas with brother and his Forza Buddies.

The good new is, I have one of these in my house:


In the dining room, and the fire feels great when it is freezing raining cold ass poop outside!

Xbox 360 Dies, Part 3

I bought my Xbox 360 about a year ago and I thought I was prepared.

I had heard all the blab on the Internet about how unreliable the console was, and I weighed my options carefully. I almost bought the PS3, but the extra hundred dollars, and lack of games turned me off, so I spent 400 bones and picked up a 360 pro.

I am now waiting for my little white box to return from Microsoft for the second time due to a failed DVD Drive. Since I had to return the first box to Walmart after a week, this means when I get my refurb back in another week or 2, It will be 360 number 4 in a little less than a year.

Not a good track record at all, my friend. If I can sell MR Xbox when he comes back for a reasonable amount of money, I think I am going to switch to a PS3.

I don't have that much time or money, and to waste both on another Microsfot product that might not last seems silly, right?

At least this time we had the Wii to use while waiting for the Xbox to be repaired...