Some ramblings...
Phew. I just finished up a stretch of coaching 7 of my son's baseball games, and 3 of my daughter's softball games, in a 10-day period. That, combined with work getting busy, and trying to get the Pirates of the Caribbean review done, has kept me away from the blogger for a bit. Fortunately, Kellie had something interesting to say...
Anyway, regarding Pirates, the long and short of it is that if you like the movies, you'll like the game. The action and the atmosphere is incredible! The combat's too easy, but some of the puzzles/obstacles are pretty challenging. The review isn't posted yet, but I gave it a "B" (a pretty good score). There's the scoop for you! I don't believe I have anything to review until NASCAR 08 comes out, so I'll just be catching up with some of my other games, like NBA Street Hoops Homecourt and FIFA World Cup. I'm still leaning towards picking up Forza Motorsport 2 and Call of Juarez, but haven't yet, since I knew I wouldn't have time to play them much. I'm also counting the days until NCAA Football '08 comes out!
An interesting note is that it's being reported that EA's football games on the 360 will run at 60 fps, while running at 30 fps on the PS3. Maybe the 360 is the lead console for development, while the PS3 is getting the crappy ports? It's about time. Countless Xbox games suffered from this problem in the last generation. Now the shoe's on the other foot for Sony. Fine with me!
SEGA released a patch for the great-but-troubled MLB 2K7 that at least fixes some of the scoring problems. Hopefully, it fixed the pitcher/hitting bug and the keeping the stars in the minors bug. I'll play some more and report on my findings, when I get a chance...
Yeah for the Crew getting 7 points for their last 3 games! Uh oh; I mentioned it, so they're sure to lose tonight... Yeah for the U.S. Men's National team beating those punks from Mexico for the Gold Cup! Not so "yeah" for their performance in the Copa America (I believe that's what it's called), but it was kind of expected.
Although baseball's over, I'm still busy next week with lots of family engagements next week. In case I don't blog much, let me wish all of you a happy and safe 4th of July weekend ahead of time!
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
MOSs
“A rolling stone gathers no moss.”
This is a great proverb, except for the fact that , I didn’t’ gather [a] MOS either!
That being said, just because you think you know your “stuff” such as a Microsoft application, and you think you know it forward, backward, up and down and any which way and every which way, doesn’t necessarily grant you a MOS (that’s Microsoft Office Specialist) certificate.
I know this first hand.
I’ve been using MS Access for about 3 years now. My friend and mentor trained me so that I could take over for him after his promotion. (Honestly, no one else wanted to do it!) I absolutely loved the idea. (But then, lest I remind you, I am a big GEEK.) Just not geeky enough apparently.
I failed my MOS exam. It sucked big time. I felt ridiculous. Then I found out they changed the testing procedures big time as well. You have 50 minutes to answer 20 questions. That didn’t seem particularly daunting until I discovered that 1) there were multiple tasks to be performed in most questions, and 2) there were approximately 45 tasks to be performed…IN 50 MINUTES!
Did I mention there were ‘trick’ questions? (My Bad!) There are trick questions…or shall I be honest and say, there are MULTIPLE trick questions.
I can’t say anything else about the exam except that there is ONE FREE RE-TAKE! You have only four weeks and then that FREE RE-TAKE offer is up.
Today was my free re-take. Now, let me be very clear (and you will read this as me making excuses, and that is true, but whatever…), I was advised the first time around that if I failed to answer a question, and if there was time left, I could go back and answer that question. So, I passed up about 5 tough ones. I was finished with the exam and had 12 minutes left. Those 5 questions NEVER reappeared. What did appear was a little message box advising me that I failed the exam. (Uhm, yeah, because you didn’t give me the opportunity to answer my 5 bypassed questions!)
I checked the Microsoft site again, and sure enough, as I read previously, if you neglect to answer a question (skip a question and go on to the next one), you do NOT get another opportunity to answer that question. So, the instructor was wrong in advising me the way that she did. Would I have passed had she advised me correctly? We’ll never know.
Today was the last day for my FREE RE-TAKE. I’ve been studying with MeasureUp like mad. (Unfortunately, I cannot load the program at the office so home is the only place I can practice!)
Tomorrow I’ll be submitting my expense of $85.00 to my current employer for reimbursement.
Why?
Because I obtained my Access MOS today! I’m a little embarrassed that it took me two attempts, but as I’ve been informed, “since the change in testing, barely anyone passes on the first try. You are not the first and you won’t be the last.” That was actually encouraging and yes, I needed to hear those words. I truly did.
It felt really good to know I passed today. The proctor was thrilled for me. (She said that even she hasn’t passed that one yet and was quite hesitant to try again.) I walked out of the exam room and let go with a BIG sigh of relief. (Almost felt like losing 10 pounds!!!) Oh yes, that good and then some! I deserve a reward for this. I passed up SteinMart, and the fast food joints. I’m still contemplating my reward (and the iPhone seems a bit too extravagant)! I’m SURE I’ll come up with SOMETHING.
I start my Geek School courses next week. I’m a little nervous. Thankfully I’ll round out that weekend with some friends meeting at a local club to hear some local music. That will probably be my next blog.
Until then…be good or be good at it!
This is a great proverb, except for the fact that , I didn’t’ gather [a] MOS either!
That being said, just because you think you know your “stuff” such as a Microsoft application, and you think you know it forward, backward, up and down and any which way and every which way, doesn’t necessarily grant you a MOS (that’s Microsoft Office Specialist) certificate.
I know this first hand.
I’ve been using MS Access for about 3 years now. My friend and mentor trained me so that I could take over for him after his promotion. (Honestly, no one else wanted to do it!) I absolutely loved the idea. (But then, lest I remind you, I am a big GEEK.) Just not geeky enough apparently.
I failed my MOS exam. It sucked big time. I felt ridiculous. Then I found out they changed the testing procedures big time as well. You have 50 minutes to answer 20 questions. That didn’t seem particularly daunting until I discovered that 1) there were multiple tasks to be performed in most questions, and 2) there were approximately 45 tasks to be performed…IN 50 MINUTES!
Did I mention there were ‘trick’ questions? (My Bad!) There are trick questions…or shall I be honest and say, there are MULTIPLE trick questions.
I can’t say anything else about the exam except that there is ONE FREE RE-TAKE! You have only four weeks and then that FREE RE-TAKE offer is up.
Today was my free re-take. Now, let me be very clear (and you will read this as me making excuses, and that is true, but whatever…), I was advised the first time around that if I failed to answer a question, and if there was time left, I could go back and answer that question. So, I passed up about 5 tough ones. I was finished with the exam and had 12 minutes left. Those 5 questions NEVER reappeared. What did appear was a little message box advising me that I failed the exam. (Uhm, yeah, because you didn’t give me the opportunity to answer my 5 bypassed questions!)
I checked the Microsoft site again, and sure enough, as I read previously, if you neglect to answer a question (skip a question and go on to the next one), you do NOT get another opportunity to answer that question. So, the instructor was wrong in advising me the way that she did. Would I have passed had she advised me correctly? We’ll never know.
Today was the last day for my FREE RE-TAKE. I’ve been studying with MeasureUp like mad. (Unfortunately, I cannot load the program at the office so home is the only place I can practice!)
Tomorrow I’ll be submitting my expense of $85.00 to my current employer for reimbursement.
Why?
Because I obtained my Access MOS today! I’m a little embarrassed that it took me two attempts, but as I’ve been informed, “since the change in testing, barely anyone passes on the first try. You are not the first and you won’t be the last.” That was actually encouraging and yes, I needed to hear those words. I truly did.
It felt really good to know I passed today. The proctor was thrilled for me. (She said that even she hasn’t passed that one yet and was quite hesitant to try again.) I walked out of the exam room and let go with a BIG sigh of relief. (Almost felt like losing 10 pounds!!!) Oh yes, that good and then some! I deserve a reward for this. I passed up SteinMart, and the fast food joints. I’m still contemplating my reward (and the iPhone seems a bit too extravagant)! I’m SURE I’ll come up with SOMETHING.
I start my Geek School courses next week. I’m a little nervous. Thankfully I’ll round out that weekend with some friends meeting at a local club to hear some local music. That will probably be my next blog.
Until then…be good or be good at it!
Friday, June 22, 2007
Day of the Dead
Seems like a pretty dark and ominous title for a blog, doesn’t it? (Thank goodness Kevin is back, huh?)
Though the topic itself seems a bit morbid, The Day of the Dead is actually meant to honor the lives of the deceased by celebrating the continuation of life. Some spend the day at cemeteries and churches. Others build alters and reminisce about their deceased loved ones. Celebrations may even entail feasts and offerings. Obviously beliefs and rituals differ from culture to culture.
So how did this topic become blogworthy anyway?
Well, it was high time for a Girl’s Night Out and we were long, long, long overdue. We met at Momocho’s, a hip little place located on Fulton Road in Ohio City. Known for their ModMex (that’s Modern Mexican) cuisine and killer golden margarita’s, it was decided this new place was the place to be. (We recommend you start with the goat cheese guacamole, warm tortilla chips and chunky salsa -we opted for mild- made with cilantro.)
We also seriously dug the “Day of the Dead” celebratory theme of this place!
The Day of the Dead holiday originated in Mexico and is a national holiday there as well. If you’ve ever seen the movie “The Crow,” you’ll see the Day of the Dead (aka Devils’ Night) being celebrated. Devil’s Night falls on Halloween Eve and is associated with minors getting into major mischief. (It is known as “Mischief Night” in Ireland).
We would most likely associate Halloween with the Day of the Dead. Halloween stems from the name All Hallow’s Eve (also associated with All Saints Day), the evening before All Hallow’s Day. Many European cultures believe it’s the day spirits have the ability to make contact with the physical world.
Traditionally, to intertwine the Mexican traditions with American culture and political elements, some celebrate by making altars to honor victims of the Iraq war. (Source: Wikipedia)
There’s your history lesson, now back to Momocho’s…
Tall, glass pillar candles adorned with either the Virgin Mary or individual pictures of Saints (think All Saints Day and All Soul’s Day), lined the entire length of the bar, spatially arranged to give off a warm glow and enchanting atmosphere. One small wall fought to contain the presence of a large-scale skull (called calavera), portrayed in an orange marigold hue, outlined and detailed with black, to fittingly represent its raw and crude features. You can check it out, along with other photos and a menu right here: Momocho.
With no rhyme or reason to schema (and that’s a good thing in my book), the main wall had an eclectic spattering of adornments including various mirrors, an array of distinctive and unusual crosses, stars, assorted shapes and other tactile pieces. (This wall is not pictured on the site, however the upstairs dining area and paintings can be viewed).
Momocho’s (complete with a friendly staff and an outdoor patio) is undoubtedly a cool place but as usual, the coolest thing was just being able to hang out with friends, talk and laugh, and forget about life for a night.
Though the topic itself seems a bit morbid, The Day of the Dead is actually meant to honor the lives of the deceased by celebrating the continuation of life. Some spend the day at cemeteries and churches. Others build alters and reminisce about their deceased loved ones. Celebrations may even entail feasts and offerings. Obviously beliefs and rituals differ from culture to culture.
So how did this topic become blogworthy anyway?
Well, it was high time for a Girl’s Night Out and we were long, long, long overdue. We met at Momocho’s, a hip little place located on Fulton Road in Ohio City. Known for their ModMex (that’s Modern Mexican) cuisine and killer golden margarita’s, it was decided this new place was the place to be. (We recommend you start with the goat cheese guacamole, warm tortilla chips and chunky salsa -we opted for mild- made with cilantro.)
We also seriously dug the “Day of the Dead” celebratory theme of this place!
The Day of the Dead holiday originated in Mexico and is a national holiday there as well. If you’ve ever seen the movie “The Crow,” you’ll see the Day of the Dead (aka Devils’ Night) being celebrated. Devil’s Night falls on Halloween Eve and is associated with minors getting into major mischief. (It is known as “Mischief Night” in Ireland).
We would most likely associate Halloween with the Day of the Dead. Halloween stems from the name All Hallow’s Eve (also associated with All Saints Day), the evening before All Hallow’s Day. Many European cultures believe it’s the day spirits have the ability to make contact with the physical world.
Traditionally, to intertwine the Mexican traditions with American culture and political elements, some celebrate by making altars to honor victims of the Iraq war. (Source: Wikipedia)
There’s your history lesson, now back to Momocho’s…
Tall, glass pillar candles adorned with either the Virgin Mary or individual pictures of Saints (think All Saints Day and All Soul’s Day), lined the entire length of the bar, spatially arranged to give off a warm glow and enchanting atmosphere. One small wall fought to contain the presence of a large-scale skull (called calavera), portrayed in an orange marigold hue, outlined and detailed with black, to fittingly represent its raw and crude features. You can check it out, along with other photos and a menu right here: Momocho.
With no rhyme or reason to schema (and that’s a good thing in my book), the main wall had an eclectic spattering of adornments including various mirrors, an array of distinctive and unusual crosses, stars, assorted shapes and other tactile pieces. (This wall is not pictured on the site, however the upstairs dining area and paintings can be viewed).
Momocho’s (complete with a friendly staff and an outdoor patio) is undoubtedly a cool place but as usual, the coolest thing was just being able to hang out with friends, talk and laugh, and forget about life for a night.
Monday, June 18, 2007
I'm Back
After a wonderful, but somewhat unusual, week at the beach, I'm back into the "routine" at work and at home. Ironically, the weather here in Ohio was warmer than it was at the Outer Banks, and we had 3 days of rough seas where we couldn't get in the water. Still, we were literally 20-50 yards from the ocean (depending on the tide), so I guess I can't complain. It was big fun as usual, and it all ended too soon.
One of my secret dreams would be to one day buy a house at the Outer Banks, open up a gaming/hobby shop on the island, and just be a beach bum for the rest of my life. Unless I win the lottery, that ain't happening. But, a guy can dream, can't he?
A big thanks to Kellie for her usual entertaining entries at the blog while I vacated my post. It sure is nice to read someone else's work at the blog other than my predictable drivel...
As expected, the Cavs fell apart in the NBA Championship, and the Crew still hasn't won a second game this year. At least the Indians are treading water... For now... And, the Browns haven't lost yet.
I'll be working on the Pirates of the Caribbean review for the next week or so. Then, I'll be in line to pick up NCAA Football 2008. For the record, NCAA Football is my all time favorite game/series, and the only "must buy" game from EA, as far as I'm concerned. I'm also planning on picking up Call of Juarez and Forza Motosports 2 in the near future. Lastly, I'll be reviewing the new NASCAR game in July for the 360, and possibly The Bigs for the PS2.
For my Father's Day/birthday present, I'm thinking of investing in a subbuteo set. I'll let you Google that, and then if you're inclined, let me know what you think. Obviously, it would be for my kids and me. I think it looks fun, but as you know, I'm not really "normal."
Back to the grind, and to "digging" out from my week away from normalcy...
One of my secret dreams would be to one day buy a house at the Outer Banks, open up a gaming/hobby shop on the island, and just be a beach bum for the rest of my life. Unless I win the lottery, that ain't happening. But, a guy can dream, can't he?
A big thanks to Kellie for her usual entertaining entries at the blog while I vacated my post. It sure is nice to read someone else's work at the blog other than my predictable drivel...
As expected, the Cavs fell apart in the NBA Championship, and the Crew still hasn't won a second game this year. At least the Indians are treading water... For now... And, the Browns haven't lost yet.
I'll be working on the Pirates of the Caribbean review for the next week or so. Then, I'll be in line to pick up NCAA Football 2008. For the record, NCAA Football is my all time favorite game/series, and the only "must buy" game from EA, as far as I'm concerned. I'm also planning on picking up Call of Juarez and Forza Motosports 2 in the near future. Lastly, I'll be reviewing the new NASCAR game in July for the 360, and possibly The Bigs for the PS2.
For my Father's Day/birthday present, I'm thinking of investing in a subbuteo set. I'll let you Google that, and then if you're inclined, let me know what you think. Obviously, it would be for my kids and me. I think it looks fun, but as you know, I'm not really "normal."
Back to the grind, and to "digging" out from my week away from normalcy...
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Guilty Pleasures Part II
So what exactly is a guilty pleasure?
Most define it as something that is bad for you that makes you feel good? One person, in their blog, described it as “something that would ruin us if our friends knew about it.” Not my friends. I’m just blessed that way. They know who I am and love me anyway.
I decided I was treading into some dangerous territory here so I asked my friends for some help. In turn, they asked some of their friends, family, co-workers, etc. Here are the responses to the simple question, what’s your guilty pleasure?
Making a really good Mojito and taking the time to sit down and enjoy it (recipe can be found at: http://www.bacardimojito.com/home/default.aspx)
Watching Survivor (everybody makes fun of me for this one)
Calling in sick on a rainy day and making my friend do the same! Then we just hang out all day
Looking at Johnny Depp in the Pirate movies... why do I think he looks so good when he is missing teeth and is so dirty???
Buying a beautiful piece of artwork, or flowers for myself which I do quite often...and I really don't feel guilty about it... okay, scratch that one...
Doing something or nothing JUST FOR ME! (This was a popular one!)
One thing I love to get is an expensive hair product from the salon, which I know, is overpriced. I usually take the sticker off so no one knows how much I paid
Pizza rolls (yes, they have trans fat)
I bought little Ben and Jerry ice cream pints and hid them in the back of the freezer in the garage so no one will see them
In addition to your blog...expensive nail polish ($7.50 a bottle!), Skittles, and the show "Project Runway" :) By the way, I know you already have Zappos as a guilty pleasure, but I would have to add “shopping Zappos while on a conference call”!
(I also found this was done using the laptop issued by work – even more naughty and guilty!!!)
Ann LaMott books
Letting this keyboard act like a puppet and dance around spewing my inner most thoughts and beliefs
BB, CC and GGD (That’s Bad Boys, Counting Crows and Goo Goo Dolls)
Peanut Buster Parfaits
La Crema Pinot Noir
Biker Boots (with no socks!)
Watching the mighty fall
Singing in my car (when it’s dark outside and no one can see me!)
Black nail polish
My $80.00 Editor pants, 7 For All Mankind jeans (on sale), and zebra skirt
Boot shopping
Video Poker
Victoria’s Secret
My free Vista upgrade
The Regal Beagle
Phone calls from my ex
Sawyer from the show “Lost” (Yummo!)
Pink! (The singer, not the color)
Joining a band’s fan club
Crosses
And finally…
Telling myself that false hope is better than no hope at all because, once you lose hope, you lose everything
Thanks to everyone for their contributions! Enjoy your week.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Guilty Pleasures - Part I
Sadly for us, Kevin is on vacation this week and, he left me in charge of the blog. Well, we’re going to stray a little off course here.
In my last missive, I mentioned one of my guilty pleasures. I received a few e-mails from friends regarding their “guilty pleasures.” Huh…and thus a new blog was born.
I decided this topic would need to be revisited. That being said, I sent out an e-mail to my friends (and some other cool people) asking them for input on this topic. I offered to keep their names sacred and confidential unless they gave me permission to “out” them. (I am, if nothing else, a girl of my word! Integrity is still a big deal in my world!)
So far, I’ve received a pretty “decent” amount of responses. (As Sally Field once said, “You like me. You really like me.” Well, some of you…)
My name is to the right of the screen so please feel free to e-mail me if you’d like to contribute to my next (and possibly last) blog here at THE GUT (as Kevin so coolly refers to it.) Again, I will keep your name private unless you tell me otherwise.
I’ll offer up a few more of my guilty pleasures just to create a realm or ideology that feels like a “safe haven.”
More (but not all) of my guilty pleasures include:
Ad’s blog (He has the type of humor I dig and is infectious on so many levels. Coolness comes off him in waves. He makes me smile. Like me, his best quality is that he’s honest…Like me, his worst quality is that he’s honest. Someday I hope to be able to articulate everything as well (brave) or half as well (brave) as he does. For now, I’m content to be his unrequited and orphic grasshopper.)
Zappos (4 inch stilettos ROCK)
Anything camouflage
Bootlegs of my favorite bands
The ability to intelligently speak above my superiors (and purposely do so when they get too cocky) and get a way with it
Telling secrets to my friends and knowing they will keep them, even though it’s killing them, and they want to SPILL THE BEANS
Turning my friends on to really cool music and movies that I have learned about through the writings of others
Motorcycle rides
Not yet, but soon, I hope, the IPhone
The fact that I’m a geek, but I’m still cool
The man at the wine store who always greets me with, “hello beautiful”
My friend who notices the shoes or the outfit and says, “STUNNING!”
Lazy Sundays
Stay tuned for Guilty Pleasures – Part II.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Very Random Thoughts This Week...
...Thanks to all my friends who made my birthday so nice. I am grateful to and for all of you. My friend John forgot my birthday – again – but that’s OK. He’s in trouble for various other things.
...One of my guilty pleasures is a certain TV Show. It makes me crazy that every time a drop of rain spills, the news has to cut in and be the first to let me know it’s raining - somewhere. It seems the best way for them to let me know this is to interrupt MY show – sometimes in its entirety. Can’t you just stream the info on the bottom of the screen? Honestly, you know they wouldn’t dare cut in on Oprah!
...I’ll be watching the final episode of The Soprano’s tonight…and then will flip over to the CAVS game. It’s just the way it has to be. Here’s hoping TONY and the CAVS survive tonight.
...My friend’s daughter who is a supremely cool teenager and most awesome in sports, broke her leg (sliding into home – she was safe by the way). We’re all very bummed over this. We shake our heads trying to understand it. Timing, after all, is everything.
...One day at a time is the only good advice I ever received or gave.
...Someone said of me, “she seems to grow wherever she is planted.” (I’m like a freakin’ weed…no – that’s not what they meant. Still…you have to wonder).
...I love storms. Thunder ROCKS!
...Keep your diamond. Zappo’s is a girl’s best friend!
...No relationship ever works out until the one that does. (OK, that was A.D.’s quote and I borrowed it (and maybe mangled it - just a little.) It’s just so good.
...I suck silverfish up in the vacuum cleaner because they scare the hell out of me. Even my cats fear them.
...My friend got a new job. I’m so happy for him. I’m selfishly sad too, because now I have to go to work knowing he won’t be there. He kept me sane and, well, that’s a tough job. My morning coffee will never be the same.
Cool Stuff To Consider…
· LightScribe
· Best Buy Reward Zone (Sign up – if you don’t use the coupons, mail them to me)
· Bluefly
· Anything camouflage
· All my friends
Thursday, June 07, 2007
A Little Vacation
We're heading down south for a little over a week. First, we're visiting my Grandfather, who's 89 and still going strong, then to the beautiful Outer Banks! Beach, sunshine, fresh seafood, here we come!
I'll leave the blog in the very capable hands of Kellie for a little while... Hopefully, when I come back, the Cavs will be NBA champs and the Crew will have won their second game! Hey, a guy can dream, can't he?!
Father's Day is coming up, and I've got my eye on Forza Motorsport 2 and Call of Juarez for the 360... Also, by the end of the month, I'll have my review of Pirates - At World's End complete. If I haven't said it enough before, gaming on the 360 is really, really, awesome. Go and get one, and join me on Xbox Live!
I'll leave the blog in the very capable hands of Kellie for a little while... Hopefully, when I come back, the Cavs will be NBA champs and the Crew will have won their second game! Hey, a guy can dream, can't he?!
Father's Day is coming up, and I've got my eye on Forza Motorsport 2 and Call of Juarez for the 360... Also, by the end of the month, I'll have my review of Pirates - At World's End complete. If I haven't said it enough before, gaming on the 360 is really, really, awesome. Go and get one, and join me on Xbox Live!
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Judging a Book by its Cover and a Wine by its Label
I try not to judge.
I have opinions that I try not to speak or at the very least, carefully speak them if push comes to shove. I treat people the way I want to be treated; do unto others and all that.
I sometimes screw this up.
Well, I’ve come to find myself on both sides of this fence. First, at our most recent trek to Tremont, we found ourselves enthralled and face to face with a room full of one artist’s work – and one semi-toothed (or semi- toothless depending on how you look at it) man hunched in boredom in a chair. Did we actually happen upon the artist himself?
Secretly I had hoped we had not. There was no excitement, no passion, and no interaction. He could not have wanted to be there less! Dressed in an old dingy shirt and pants, I just could not accept this was the talented artist we had hoped to meet.
A highly energetic chatty woman, dressed more appropriately, was busying herself with a table display. She was talking about the artist which seemed quite odd since he was sitting right there in the lone chair. He listened to her intently. Then he just sort of gazed around the room, not caring one way or the other as to who entered, exited, chatted or purchased.
“Will the artist be making an appearance this evening?”
(Said a very savvy girl while I swallowed the lump in my throat)
“Yes,” came the reply, “ later this evening.”
OK. The passionless man in the chair is not the artist. We don’t know who he is and we never find out. At this point, I find myself secretly sorry for so many things. I’m sorry I judged him with disappointment. I’m sorry I said he was passionless when maybe he was just tired from a long, hard days’ work. I’m sorry he’s not the artist and that he will never see a penny of the profits (and therefore I am not “guilted “ into buying any of it). I smile at him and say goodnight as we leave. He doesn’t acknowledge me and that seems perfectly appropriate.
And then it was my turn.
I met with an admissions specialist at a tech school for geeks. I am a geek – in progress. I am also a blond (by bottle, not by birth). This should not be important – at all – but it is.
Imagine my surprise when my “geekiness” is called into question by a male admissions specialist who plainly tells me, “You seem nice. You don’t look like a “techie.” You’re a little overdressed for us.” So I’m thinking, “techies” are not nice and, I have no idea what one is supposed to look like but it’s definitely not like me, and apparently they don’t wear black pants, a maroon shirt, and a black blazer? (Yes, THAT black blazer)! I resist the urge to walk out. I resist the urge to slap him, or at the very least, make him feel inferior (like I felt). I resist the urge to tell him how wrong it is for him to judge me before letting me speak (been there...done that. Oh - He later refers to his wife as an “Italian Princess” who has to have perfect hair. This is a weird admissions interview, right?)
I stare at him for a moment as I silently reflect on taking the high road. Then I smile at him and tilt my head, roll my eyes, narrow my gaze and look directly into his eyes, with mine squinted, add the furrowed brow, and say, “I get that all the time. I find it amusing. Look, I’m a geek. So either you’ll work with me or you won’t.” I get as far as “So either…” when he starts laughing and says, “I’m so glad you said that. That you’re a geek! OK. Good, let’s talk.”
Huh?
I have to say that it didn’t make me feel any better to sit in the lobby prior to all this, and fill out paperwork while the receptionist and her cohort whispered and giggled. ) Insecurities...who needs them?)
I honestly felt that I was immediately typecast as the “dumb blond” from the minute I walked in the door. I could be wrong, but I don’t think so. Oddly enough, the “interview” went pretty well (if you can believe that), after those disparaging comments. I ended up meeting with a programmer to help me plot my courses, etc. By the end of it, I had won them over and then some. I still feel the "admissions" guy owes me an apology or something! (A discount would be nice. Geek School is expensive!)
We shook hands. I left. Then I went to push the door when I should have pulled. I think I heard those girls giggle again but it also may have proven my point – I am a geek – despite what your first impression of me was. I'm also scared of this next phase of my life.
Still, I try not to judge. I need to try harder and I’m not alone.
It was a long day.
I invited a friend over that night to share some laughs about my day (and because I needed to bounce its events off someone with some semblance of being unbiased and non-judgmental. Or I just needed someone who would agree with my entire take on the day).
My friend brought over a bottle of wine with a cool name and animal replica. I said, “Thanks. Is this one of your favorite wines?”
“Nah, I've never had it” came the reply. “I just liked the label.” (It was excellent by the way!)
________________________________________________________
My favorite phrase today:
“Why look for solutions when the problems keep us happy?”/ Thom Jurek
I have opinions that I try not to speak or at the very least, carefully speak them if push comes to shove. I treat people the way I want to be treated; do unto others and all that.
I sometimes screw this up.
Well, I’ve come to find myself on both sides of this fence. First, at our most recent trek to Tremont, we found ourselves enthralled and face to face with a room full of one artist’s work – and one semi-toothed (or semi- toothless depending on how you look at it) man hunched in boredom in a chair. Did we actually happen upon the artist himself?
Secretly I had hoped we had not. There was no excitement, no passion, and no interaction. He could not have wanted to be there less! Dressed in an old dingy shirt and pants, I just could not accept this was the talented artist we had hoped to meet.
A highly energetic chatty woman, dressed more appropriately, was busying herself with a table display. She was talking about the artist which seemed quite odd since he was sitting right there in the lone chair. He listened to her intently. Then he just sort of gazed around the room, not caring one way or the other as to who entered, exited, chatted or purchased.
“Will the artist be making an appearance this evening?”
(Said a very savvy girl while I swallowed the lump in my throat)
“Yes,” came the reply, “ later this evening.”
OK. The passionless man in the chair is not the artist. We don’t know who he is and we never find out. At this point, I find myself secretly sorry for so many things. I’m sorry I judged him with disappointment. I’m sorry I said he was passionless when maybe he was just tired from a long, hard days’ work. I’m sorry he’s not the artist and that he will never see a penny of the profits (and therefore I am not “guilted “ into buying any of it). I smile at him and say goodnight as we leave. He doesn’t acknowledge me and that seems perfectly appropriate.
And then it was my turn.
I met with an admissions specialist at a tech school for geeks. I am a geek – in progress. I am also a blond (by bottle, not by birth). This should not be important – at all – but it is.
Imagine my surprise when my “geekiness” is called into question by a male admissions specialist who plainly tells me, “You seem nice. You don’t look like a “techie.” You’re a little overdressed for us.” So I’m thinking, “techies” are not nice and, I have no idea what one is supposed to look like but it’s definitely not like me, and apparently they don’t wear black pants, a maroon shirt, and a black blazer? (Yes, THAT black blazer)! I resist the urge to walk out. I resist the urge to slap him, or at the very least, make him feel inferior (like I felt). I resist the urge to tell him how wrong it is for him to judge me before letting me speak (been there...done that. Oh - He later refers to his wife as an “Italian Princess” who has to have perfect hair. This is a weird admissions interview, right?)
I stare at him for a moment as I silently reflect on taking the high road. Then I smile at him and tilt my head, roll my eyes, narrow my gaze and look directly into his eyes, with mine squinted, add the furrowed brow, and say, “I get that all the time. I find it amusing. Look, I’m a geek. So either you’ll work with me or you won’t.” I get as far as “So either…” when he starts laughing and says, “I’m so glad you said that. That you’re a geek! OK. Good, let’s talk.”
Huh?
I have to say that it didn’t make me feel any better to sit in the lobby prior to all this, and fill out paperwork while the receptionist and her cohort whispered and giggled. ) Insecurities...who needs them?)
I honestly felt that I was immediately typecast as the “dumb blond” from the minute I walked in the door. I could be wrong, but I don’t think so. Oddly enough, the “interview” went pretty well (if you can believe that), after those disparaging comments. I ended up meeting with a programmer to help me plot my courses, etc. By the end of it, I had won them over and then some. I still feel the "admissions" guy owes me an apology or something! (A discount would be nice. Geek School is expensive!)
We shook hands. I left. Then I went to push the door when I should have pulled. I think I heard those girls giggle again but it also may have proven my point – I am a geek – despite what your first impression of me was. I'm also scared of this next phase of my life.
Still, I try not to judge. I need to try harder and I’m not alone.
It was a long day.
I invited a friend over that night to share some laughs about my day (and because I needed to bounce its events off someone with some semblance of being unbiased and non-judgmental. Or I just needed someone who would agree with my entire take on the day).
My friend brought over a bottle of wine with a cool name and animal replica. I said, “Thanks. Is this one of your favorite wines?”
“Nah, I've never had it” came the reply. “I just liked the label.” (It was excellent by the way!)
________________________________________________________
My favorite phrase today:
“Why look for solutions when the problems keep us happy?”/ Thom Jurek
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Lunch with a Legend
After meeting him, I know he'd scoff at me calling him this, but I was fortunate enough to have lunch with game reviewing legend Bill Abner.
Bill is an alum of OSU, from Trenton Ohio, and lives in the Columbus area, as do I. Since I've been working for him at Gameshark, we've communicated back and forth a bit, and I think we've gotten to know each other fairly well. As mentioned below, my next review is Pirates of the Caribbean - At World's End, and instead of mailing it to me, Bill suggested that we meet for lunch. It so happens that he lives about 10 minutes away from where I work, so we met at a local Bob Evans.
I've been reading Bill's work in various magazines and on various websites for nearly 10 years. I've secretly always wanted to do what he did for a living, and often thought of trying to contact him just to find out how you get a job like his (at the time), but I never did (why would he want to share that with a total stranger?). Ironically, I'm now in the industry, although nowhere near his level, and even more ironically, I'm working for him. I never dreamed that I'd be in the position I'm in now, but it just goes to show you, through hard work and perseverance, you can achieve your goals.
Bill briefly mentioned our luncheon on his blog, and offered his highly-accurate first impression of me. His wonderful little girl joined us, although I think I scared her a bit. She livened up as the lunch went on, and stole the show, as most little girls can do. Seriously, we had a nice discussion on a variety of topics. He really seems like a nice guy, and we tentatively planned getting together again in the summer. It was fun talking shop with him, but beyond video games, he's a regular mid-30's (I think) OSU fan super-dad family-man gaming-junkie like me. Honestly, it was kind of like hanging out with one of my roommates from college, which is about as relaxed and comfortable as you can be, the only difference being he picked up the check. Although, I must admit, I was a bit nervous to meet him. He'd scoff at that, too.
Bill is an alum of OSU, from Trenton Ohio, and lives in the Columbus area, as do I. Since I've been working for him at Gameshark, we've communicated back and forth a bit, and I think we've gotten to know each other fairly well. As mentioned below, my next review is Pirates of the Caribbean - At World's End, and instead of mailing it to me, Bill suggested that we meet for lunch. It so happens that he lives about 10 minutes away from where I work, so we met at a local Bob Evans.
I've been reading Bill's work in various magazines and on various websites for nearly 10 years. I've secretly always wanted to do what he did for a living, and often thought of trying to contact him just to find out how you get a job like his (at the time), but I never did (why would he want to share that with a total stranger?). Ironically, I'm now in the industry, although nowhere near his level, and even more ironically, I'm working for him. I never dreamed that I'd be in the position I'm in now, but it just goes to show you, through hard work and perseverance, you can achieve your goals.
Bill briefly mentioned our luncheon on his blog, and offered his highly-accurate first impression of me. His wonderful little girl joined us, although I think I scared her a bit. She livened up as the lunch went on, and stole the show, as most little girls can do. Seriously, we had a nice discussion on a variety of topics. He really seems like a nice guy, and we tentatively planned getting together again in the summer. It was fun talking shop with him, but beyond video games, he's a regular mid-30's (I think) OSU fan super-dad family-man gaming-junkie like me. Honestly, it was kind of like hanging out with one of my roommates from college, which is about as relaxed and comfortable as you can be, the only difference being he picked up the check. Although, I must admit, I was a bit nervous to meet him. He'd scoff at that, too.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
Win Some, Lose Some
I'm still basking in the euphoria of the Cav's win last night. It's the first time they've ever been to the NBA Finals. I sure hope that they don't get "satisfied" with that accomplishment now. In any event, I'll be watching, regardless of the outcome. I'm proud to be a Cav's fan for the first time since Mark Price was running the show!
The Crew, on the other hand, are seemingly sinking to new depths. Only 1 win in 9 tries - inexcusable, especially with Sigi in his second year and the influx of "world class" talent, like Schelotto and Moreno. New coach, new players, same sucking. It's hard to like this hapless squad. O'Rourke's giveaway, which led to a 90 yard breakaway goal by Barrett with the Fire down a man, was something I'd expect to see from one of the teams I coach (U8 and U10). Plus, about 7 minutes later, O'Rourke gets his second yellow and gets sent off. Way to put the mistake behind you and work for the win, O'Rourke; or should I say "O'Suck." At least I won't have to watch him the next time out, since he'll be suspended for the red card. I won't be watching anyway; I'll be on vacation on the beach!
Maybe they'll turn it around when I turn them off. My rooting for teams never seems to help them. Or, since I'll take control of them playing World Wide Soccer Manager while I'm on vacation, maybe I can make a positive difference. At least I look better than Sigi... barely.
On a positive note, my son made the travel soccer team (U11) with a new club - the Pride Soccer Club. I won't get into why we switched, but I leave it at this: it was time for a change from Flash. It was partly our fault, partly Flash's fault. I guess you live and learn. We're excited for the new chapter in his soccer "career," though. He came in as the odd man out, and off of training for about 8 months, but was good enough to make the squad. He has some talent, some athletic ability, and a great work ethic and attitude. He may never be the "star," but coaches love his attitude and work eithic, and his willingness to do whatever it takes to help out. He's a true team player. Needless to say, we're proud of him...
The Indians have lost two in a row now, also. Maybe it's my punishment for the Cavs winning. Oh well, my Ohio teams just can't seem to stand success!
The Crew, on the other hand, are seemingly sinking to new depths. Only 1 win in 9 tries - inexcusable, especially with Sigi in his second year and the influx of "world class" talent, like Schelotto and Moreno. New coach, new players, same sucking. It's hard to like this hapless squad. O'Rourke's giveaway, which led to a 90 yard breakaway goal by Barrett with the Fire down a man, was something I'd expect to see from one of the teams I coach (U8 and U10). Plus, about 7 minutes later, O'Rourke gets his second yellow and gets sent off. Way to put the mistake behind you and work for the win, O'Rourke; or should I say "O'Suck." At least I won't have to watch him the next time out, since he'll be suspended for the red card. I won't be watching anyway; I'll be on vacation on the beach!
Maybe they'll turn it around when I turn them off. My rooting for teams never seems to help them. Or, since I'll take control of them playing World Wide Soccer Manager while I'm on vacation, maybe I can make a positive difference. At least I look better than Sigi... barely.
On a positive note, my son made the travel soccer team (U11) with a new club - the Pride Soccer Club. I won't get into why we switched, but I leave it at this: it was time for a change from Flash. It was partly our fault, partly Flash's fault. I guess you live and learn. We're excited for the new chapter in his soccer "career," though. He came in as the odd man out, and off of training for about 8 months, but was good enough to make the squad. He has some talent, some athletic ability, and a great work ethic and attitude. He may never be the "star," but coaches love his attitude and work eithic, and his willingness to do whatever it takes to help out. He's a true team player. Needless to say, we're proud of him...
The Indians have lost two in a row now, also. Maybe it's my punishment for the Cavs winning. Oh well, my Ohio teams just can't seem to stand success!
Friday, June 01, 2007
Freestyle Street Basketball Review is Posted
Here's the abridged version:
There are a lot of reasons why I shouldn't like this game, yet I do. It has that "one more game" feeling captured, at least if you're a fan of street basketball.
Here's the full version.
Feedback is welcomed and appreciated!
My next assignment is Pirates of the Caribbean At World's End for the Xbox 360. Bill Abner, my boss, has the game, so I'll be getting it shortly. I hope it's a little better than the movie...
There are a lot of reasons why I shouldn't like this game, yet I do. It has that "one more game" feeling captured, at least if you're a fan of street basketball.
Here's the full version.
Feedback is welcomed and appreciated!
My next assignment is Pirates of the Caribbean At World's End for the Xbox 360. Bill Abner, my boss, has the game, so I'll be getting it shortly. I hope it's a little better than the movie...
What a Performance!
I've been purposely avoiding writing about my Cavs and Indians, because I didn't want to "jinx" them (not that I believe in such things). Case in point: I mentioned the Browns a few weeks ago, and they drafted Brady Quinn - ugh! Not only did they draft him, but they traded away next year's number one pick to do it, which is almost unheard of in the NFL. Well, unheard of if you support a good team that's run by a good organization.
It's been fun watching the Cavs "grow up" as a team this year, at least during the playoffs. Last night, Lebron turned into THE man in front of our very eyes! Unbelievable! He WILLED the Cavs to victory in double-overtime by scoring Cleveland's last 25 points, and 29 of its last 30, in a 109-107 triumph. His totals for the game were 48 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists. There's no doubt that this was one of the single greatest playoff performances in the sport's history. Dare I say it, it was Jordanesque. Or Birdesque. Or Magic-like. The key is to see if he can consistently carry a team, or will it be a once-in-a-lifetime performance similar to Dominique Wilkins against the Celtics 20 years ago (Bird was just a little better, and 'nique was scarcely heard from again in the post season). I'm hoping for the former, obviously.
A random thought - You know, with the Bulls being on the verge of being pretty good, it would be fun for Lebron to torture them like Jordan tortured the Cavs in the 90's? It's kind of like how Ohio State now owns Michigan, after suffering through the Cooper era. Maybe all of this stuff is cyclical? Then again, the Browns haven't won a championship since 1964, and have never been to a Super Bowl, so maybe it's not…
Another random thought - I watched the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie last weekend. Yes, it was too long. Yes, the plot was convoluted. No, I didn't particularly like the ending (did you stay for the "extra" scene after the credits?). However, it did have moments of brilliance. Most people don't complain about watching a three-hour sporting event for those "moments," but why do folks complain about watching a 2:47 movie that has just as many or more moments of brilliance? Heck, millions of people paid $50 or more to watch De La Hoya fight Merriweather Jr., and it had about 5 seconds of brilliance! Barbosa, Turner, and Captain Jack were as great as ever, and worth the price of admission. Neither Pirates sequel captured the magic of the first, but isn't that usually the case? What did everyone expect? (See Doom, Temple of, for further explanation.)
Back to hoops. The Cavs were exactly in this situation in the series against the Pistons last year. Have they turned the corner? If they're truly on the verge of something great, they'll put away the series at home on Saturday, like great teams do.
It's been fun watching the Cavs "grow up" as a team this year, at least during the playoffs. Last night, Lebron turned into THE man in front of our very eyes! Unbelievable! He WILLED the Cavs to victory in double-overtime by scoring Cleveland's last 25 points, and 29 of its last 30, in a 109-107 triumph. His totals for the game were 48 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists. There's no doubt that this was one of the single greatest playoff performances in the sport's history. Dare I say it, it was Jordanesque. Or Birdesque. Or Magic-like. The key is to see if he can consistently carry a team, or will it be a once-in-a-lifetime performance similar to Dominique Wilkins against the Celtics 20 years ago (Bird was just a little better, and 'nique was scarcely heard from again in the post season). I'm hoping for the former, obviously.
A random thought - You know, with the Bulls being on the verge of being pretty good, it would be fun for Lebron to torture them like Jordan tortured the Cavs in the 90's? It's kind of like how Ohio State now owns Michigan, after suffering through the Cooper era. Maybe all of this stuff is cyclical? Then again, the Browns haven't won a championship since 1964, and have never been to a Super Bowl, so maybe it's not…
Another random thought - I watched the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie last weekend. Yes, it was too long. Yes, the plot was convoluted. No, I didn't particularly like the ending (did you stay for the "extra" scene after the credits?). However, it did have moments of brilliance. Most people don't complain about watching a three-hour sporting event for those "moments," but why do folks complain about watching a 2:47 movie that has just as many or more moments of brilliance? Heck, millions of people paid $50 or more to watch De La Hoya fight Merriweather Jr., and it had about 5 seconds of brilliance! Barbosa, Turner, and Captain Jack were as great as ever, and worth the price of admission. Neither Pirates sequel captured the magic of the first, but isn't that usually the case? What did everyone expect? (See Doom, Temple of, for further explanation.)
Back to hoops. The Cavs were exactly in this situation in the series against the Pistons last year. Have they turned the corner? If they're truly on the verge of something great, they'll put away the series at home on Saturday, like great teams do.
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