All Goo Things Must Come To An End

And so, after two very full years of touring, the Goo Goo Dolls last stop was none other than Cleveland, Ohio. What a night. Forget there was the long wait in line since tickets were general admission. (And by long wait, I do mean 2+ hours). Forget that there was no A/C while standing in line, nor inside the venue. Forget that I was wearing boots with a fairly thick 3.5-inch heel. Forget that we were hot, it was stifling, the opening act came on 30 minutes late and played at least 4 songs too many (out of 6 total). Not that they were bad mind you, they were just late. We were sweaty to the point of feeling gross. All you could think about was a shower. I was just not in the right mindset to even comment or appreciate the opening act called Verona Grove (from Wisconsin). Their songs definitely fall under the category of “pop.” They tried to infuse a portion of Avril Lavigne’s hit “Girlfriend” into one of their songs, which felt like a plea for applause. They are a 3-man band comprised of twenty-somethings that were thrilled, but out of their league, when it came to opening for the Goo Goo Dolls. I half wonder if they are going to be on the Good Caramel label (Robbie’s record label) since they were the “chosen,” I assume, as the opening act.

This show was a “cancel and reschedule”, so perhaps the Goos just gave Verona Grove a shot. I don’t know how it works but the sentiment was appreciated. Some bands are worth the wait and this one wasn’t. In their defense, I believe there were technical difficulties that they could not have anticipated or fixed so it wasn’t their entire fault. It just didn’t help the evening. They touted their new CD, asked us to visit them on MySpace (“We need friends” declared the lead singer), and met any fans willing in the corridors after their performance. Let’s see if they are willing to do the same if and when they “make it.” The Goo Goo Dolls certainly are. I have my photo to prove it. Verona Grove, later that evening, could be seen “stage left” watching and learning from the Goos. It will be interesting to see how that pans out.

I turned to my friend and said, “Just let me know when you are ready to go.” The Goos hadn’t even hit the stage yet. It was that hot – I was delirious. We were dehydrating faster than we could hydrate ourselves (and we didn’t want to lose our place in the mosh pit.)

And then it happened. Pink Floyd’s ‘You Better Run’ came on. And for those who don’t know, that’s the music they play this tour, right before the GGD take the stage.

Everything went pitch black.

And then there was light.

Light that swirled across your face, down your body and over your head – blinding you and begging you not to turn away because you would miss it. You would miss the Goo Goo Dolls take the stage. And then the heat was different. Much different. A mother walked her daughter away from the stage. Heat exhaustion. Johnny.

We moved closer.

A breeze from nowhere circled momentarily, giving you a chance to cool down and catch your breath before you would lose it all over again, and again, and again.

We sang. We danced. We pushed forward. We smiled. We cheered. We laughed and our faces hurt. Our voices tomorrow would be non-existent. We would not leave until the encore, which included America Girls (Tom Petty), was a distant memory. It was rockin’! Johnny was in a great mood. Robbie, naturally, had more energy than the sum of everyone in the room. It’s like he feeds of our energy and we feed of his – this vicious circle and feeding frenzy. It works. He was crazy that night and we felt it. We got crazy too.

Johnny was in rare form. He could do no wrong. And then he told Mike to sing. Mike, of course, is the drummer. He did a drum solo that would blow us way. It was unfathomable. He’s amazing and doesn’t get half the credit he deserves. And then they played their 1st hit, “NAME”. I’ve quoted partial lyrics in this blog before (“Scars are souvenirs you never lose. The past is never far.”) But Johnny, still feeling silly made Robbie take over lead vocals and later, bid Mike to sing. Just for the record, Mike DOES NOT sing. Johnny told us to chant, so we did. “Mike! Mike! Mike…” Mike was freakin’ out. He didn’t know how to get out of this

Direct from the blog at the Goo Goo Dolls official website:

September 26th, 2007 - NAME
We won’t tell them you sang, Mike. We had a sing along to one of our songs and all three of us took a chance at the mic, not being so odd since Robby does several songs a show anyway, but it was a twist when John handed the mic over to Mike who from behind the drums did his very best William Shatner … thank you Cleveland for a fun show tonight...

And thank you Goo Goo Dolls for a fun, memorable, crazy, lively, unforgettable night!

It was “one of those nights.” Something rare happened and we were part of it.

We felt like we were right in the center of it all. You know that everything depends on the center.

Sure, you can live on the edge but, remember that the most important thing about the center is this:

The center must hold.

_________________________________________________________________

Hold on
Before its too late
Until we leave this behind
Don't fall just be who you are
It's all that we need in our lives

(Before Its Too Late/The Goo Goo Dolls/From the Transformers movie)

I thought it only happened in (poorly coded) video games

Last night, in the first playoff game between the Cubs and the Diamondbacks, Lou Piniella made a gaffe usually reserved for second-rate video game managerial AI. The Cubs had two on in the top of the seventh inning in a 1-1 game. Their ace pitcher, Carlos Zambrano, was at the plate. Now, anybody that follows baseball knows that Piniella has two options:

1. Leave Zambrano in to hit, even though the best-hitting pitchers are usually worse that the worst-hitting position player on the bench, so you can get at least one more inning out of him, or

2. Pinch-hit for Zambrano and go for the runs, and hope your bullpen comes through

Lou totally dropped the ball. He allowed Zambrano to hit in the top of the seventh (he struck out), then put him on the bench and brought in a reliever to pitch the bottom of the seventh, who subsequently gave up the go-ahead home run! Any reviewer worth his salt would lambaste a video game for this mistake, yet here's a manager who's got 40 years' experience in the game and a World Series ring making this error!

His excuse was that he didn't want to run up Zambrano's pitch count (it was at 85), so he could save him for game 4, and that he trusts his bullpen. Well, there's some problems with that logic. First of all, if you don't win, there may not be a game four! Secondly, if you trust your bullpen, why did you leave your worst hitter in the lineup out there to hit, knowing you were going to pull him from the game, anyway?! Sorry, Lou, that's weak. And, to top it off, almost none of the talking-head sports anchors mentioned the part about letting Zambrano hit. Boo-yeah, these guys are real experts...

Stuntman Ignition Review

My review is up at Gameshark. Stuntman Ignition is a great game, and I highly recommend it.

Next in the queue is a review of an online, historical version of baseball season-replay king Diamond Mind Baseball. It looks pretty neat, because there are nearly 4000 players available, from all eras, with normalized statistics and modern-day contracts. You draft your team within a $100 million salary cap (sorry, the Yankees couldn't compete in this league!), and play a 162 game season over 9 weeks. Well, you don't actually play, but you do have the option of watching (or should I say "reading") the play-by-play of each game unfold, or just checking the box scores.

DMB is an excellent product, and highly realistic. I'm looking forward to answering some of those age-old baseball questions about "who's better." FYI - the Babe checks in at a $25 million salary! Yikes!

iLove my iPhone

The original wallpaper on the iPhone is a photo of the Earth taken from space. It’s cool. I left it like that for the few weeks I’ve had it. Today, with a little spare time, I changed it to Van Gogh’s Starry Night.

My first “issue” with the iPhone had nothing to do with the phone itself and everything to do with my cable company (TW). Big surprise. Anyway, thanks to David Pogue (author of iPhone The Missing Manual, the problem has been solved.

I was able to receive mail but unable to send it. That’s a big deal. So off to see what Mr. Pogue had to say about that. To be honest, I tried both fix #1 and #2 but neither worked. I ended up using fix #3, which was to use AT&T (official carrier for iPhone) for my outgoing mail. It seems to be working but I won’t know for sure until Monday. If it isn’t, you’ll know by Monday as well.

The other issue I had is I inputted all my contacts but when I synced, I lost them. I haven’t synced since and I know some patches and updates are available. That’s just another cool thing about the iPhone. They tell you NEVER buy the first version because there are bugs and glitches. However, those bugs and glitches are so easy to fix when you just sync your iPhone like you would your iPod. It’s instantaneous. And let’s face it, in a world that demands instant gratification, this is pretty sweet. Hopefully I won’t lose my contacts this time. It’s pretty time consuming to re-enter them and the iPhone doesn’t sync with Outlook contacts. I’ll see what Mr. Pogue has to say about that tomorrow. (If you have a Yahoo, Gmail, .mac or AOL account , you'll be just fine!)

The battery also has to be charged each night if you spend a decent amount of time on- line like I do. Not really a big deal to me though.

Finally for today, you've never seen e-mail on a phone like this. Let me quote David Pogue, "Dude, if you want a more satisfying portable email machine than this one, buy a laptop."

That’s all I’ve had time to comment on so far. Between the new job, school, and life in general, not to mention an over the top Goo Goo Doll concert (future blog to follow), it’s been a little hectic and I haven’t devoted the time the iPhone deserves. It’s been pretty effortless to use and update, and I’m thrilled and proud to own one. I showed it to a less than savvy gadget person who proclaimed, “I must have one.”

I’m surprised I waited as long as I did to purchase mine. I mean, I did get in on the “unprecedented” drop in price, but still…it’s just so cool.

Change is the only constant

That's one of the mantras at my place of employment. At times, I think it might be better said that ambiguity is the only constant, but I don't think they'd take my suggestion.

However, I firmly believe, and have witnessed several times, that change brings opportunity! And, for me, that occurred last week. I'm migrating from a training coordinator position to a systems coordinator position. Training/people development and systems are my two loves, so there really is no way for me to lose. I haven't held a systems job for nearly 3 years at my company, so I'm excited to get back into it. Plus, the systems job is more "stable," which bodes better for my near future. To be fair - I don't want to paint the wrong picture - one thing my company does very well is give folks ample opportunity to find something else within the company when their job is being "transitioned" away. It's not always the best situation, but it's better than the way most companies use the "pink slip." My previous job wasn't up for "transition," but I think it's likely that in the near future changes of that nature could happen.

So, I'll be learning a lot of new things, and re-learning some old things. I am looking forward to it. I did hear through the "grapevine" that some folks aren't too happy about the decision, but that's nothing I haven't had to handle before. There are enough good people in enough right places to get things done, and to make some good relationships along the way. Plus, I'm pretty confident in my own abilities!

Enough about work - it's the weekend!

I submitted my Stuntman - Ignition review earlier in the week (who knows when it will get posted). I gave it an A-; the highest rating I've given an Xbox 360 game yet. Quite frankly, it's definitely the best 360 game I've reviewed so far, and among the best I've played. I'll post a link when it's on Gameshark.

My next project is a review of an online version of Diamond-Mind Baseball. I'm going to start looking into that this weekend. Plus, I might be getting a Sherlock Holmes game to review. I love me a good mystery!

Sitting Pretty

It doesn’t happen very often, at least not to me.

Some of my friends have landed jobs that are “overwhelming” or jobs they simply dislike for a myriad of reasons. Some have even been told, “You have very big shoes to fill.” My one friend keeps telling me, “I can’t keep up.”

Well, I can’t imagine having to be the one that follows the “one” - the one that was deemed ‘stellar’. You surely can appreciate how dreadful and dismal this all sounded to me. I didn’t’ have a choice though. Just like them, I had to start over. I was a little perplexed, pre-occupied, and looking for a Plan B.

Me… The chick that has to find a new job and hears all these horror stories.

Me… About to start this new job that I’m not even sure I want.

Me… I know…it’s all about ME!

As it turns out, to my utter dismay and astonishment, I recently learned that numerous candidates applied for this job. That being said, I ended up, so far, and this is only week # 3 mind you, I ended up “sitting pretty.”

Believe me, I am as shocked as you are.

I know most people do the best job they can. I’m sitting pretty right now because anything I do is a vast improvement over my predecessor, who I’m sure did their best. We all know it’s hard to fit in. I struggle too, with my new work environment, new responsibilities, and new politics. I hate being the new person. I just went through this crap in tech school! I lost my comfort zone, my freedom, and my vacation. I have to prove myself all over again. But fate, or faith, or something I cannot discern or name, stepped in.

I am coming in at the perfect time – when digging out and digging in is required, and more than needed; when new procedures and standards need to be formulated and implemented. When new protocols must be established and adhered too. Where dire straits exist and must be eradicated. All I can tell you is that this quagmire exists and could have extremely detrimental effects. I have my hands full.

I’m also sitting in class right now as I hand write this missive in my notebook. It’s been a very long day for me and I need a break…a break to blog.

I wish I were sitting as pretty in class as I am in my new job.

iOrdered

Great deal. Done deal.

I ordered my 8GB iPhone last Sunday. I also ordered the protective sleeve that fits over the top because I KNOW there will be plenty of fingerprints otherwise. Oh, and I don’t just mean mine. I’m including all those people who want to handle the coolness of MY iPhone, and physically mess with its on-line capabilities and functionality! It’s just like all those who wanted to play with MY ROOMBA! Well, someone has to be the trailblazer of these gadgets and it might as well be me. A girl could do worse.

My brother has had the iPhone for weeks. He said he logged onto a blog to check out a few things but it was filled with pre-purchasers, like him, harping big time on the major price cut that is, to date, “unprecedented.” He said it’s the price you pay for being the trailblazer of new toys, and the $100 rebate is better than nothing. Still, I’m glad I waited.

My brother still thinks his iPhone is the coolest thing he owns and let me tell you, he owns plenty of cool things. I usually get a few of his “old” toys and they are always in mint condition. I contact him before Best Buy. Seriously! Well, to my good fortune yet again, he accidentally ordered two copies of iPhone: The Missing Manual by David Pogue. He was going to return the extra copy but low and behold, he got e-mail from me with a plethora of iPhone questions. His answers simply solidified what I already knew: It was time for me to own an iPhone. So, he sent me the extra copy instead of returning it. I sent him a check and he ripped it up. I’ll be baking him homemade chocolate chip cookies for that. In all seriousness though, if any of you own an iPhone, this book comes very highly recommended.

According to “Kevin,” my iPhone salesperson (not my blog friend), all I need to do when my phone arrives is plug it in to my PC like I do my iPod. Then I can transfer my existing AT&T phone number to my new phone. Sounds too easy. He said it can take anywhere from two hours to two days for the changeover but hey, I’ve waited this long. It paid off too considering the “unprecedented” price drop. Warning: Be aware that your current monthly bill with increase by $20.

So, let’s recap.

IPhone 8 GB: $399.00
Protective Cover: $ 14.95
Leather Case: $ 34.95

Being the owner of an iPhone…. PRICELESS!

Cool phrase I stumbled upon once again:

Ships are only safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships were built for

Do Not Bend

When I walked into my second interview (of my new and current job), I smugly handed over my Microsoft Office Specialist certificate (in Access). I was pretty proud of that certificate. I’m not sure if I mentioned this before, but as excited as I was to receive the certificate, I was equally as disappointed when I realized it wasn’t signed by Bill Gates (though it was signed by two other individuals). I know you are all laughing out there. Trust me, you don’t want to look so smug!

My friends laughed at me. “You think Bill Gates is going to sign certificates?” Even my new boss scoffed at the notion, “Bill Gates? Yeah, right.” And this is why I hate to have high expectations or get too excited about anything because it ends up being a let down. I’m sure you know the old adage that goes something like, don’t get to close - it spoils the illusion. It’s true. It’s happened to many of us, but we try not to lose hope. I just really wanted to see Mr. Gates’ signature. He’s one of the top five people I would like to meet. (Actually, he’s number two).

Well, I just received notice I could get a digital copy of my MCP (Microsoft Certified Professional) certificate. I printed it off the site and promptly (still a little smugly) handed it over to my new boss. It felt good. I then signed up for my Microsoft “Welcome” kit, and was told it would be about six weeks.

Imagine my surprise when it came three weeks early! It was packed protectively and marked “DO NOT BEND” in bold red letters. Inside was my official Microsoft Certified Professional card (same size as a credit card) and yes, laugh if you must, a Microsoft Certified Professional pin. Well, it may not have looked right on my denim jacket covered with guitar pins and concert buttons that I wore with pride many years ago, but I will find a proper place for it.

The official certificate itself is what made my mouth drop. The kit comes in a cardboard booklet. The certificate is on the left side while the pin and card reside on the right. There was just something about that certificate that hit my core. Something that made the geek in me beam just a little brighter. Something that put that smug, sly, slow-shaping smile form across my face until my cheeks hurt. Something that made the words “DO NOT BEND” more critically necessary.

The certificate read:

“Microsoft Certificate of Excellence” and my name, followed by, “Has successfully completed the requirements to be recognized as a Microsoft Certified Professional.”

Cool! But it was the very last line that caused the burning and forced me to take a deep breath. The last line was handwritten. Two words…

Bill Gates

Driving Me Mad

My NASCAR 08 review has been posted. I'm currently in the process of reviewing Stuntman. Man, from one white-knuckle driving game to another...

I don't have a ton to say about Stuntman yet, but if you like Burnout and Project Gotham Racing, then Stuntman is for you. It's really a combination of both of those games, except instead of causing the mayhem like in Burnout, you get as close to it as you can, but avoid it, in Stuntman. Plus, you try to string driving tricks and stunts together, much like earning Kudos in PGR. I haven't decided if I think it's worth a purchase versus a rental, but driving fans really should give Stuntman a go.

It's Always the Quarterback's Fault

Disclaimer: I'm a graduate of the University of Akron, so I am definitely biased…

The Browns traded Charlie Frye to the Seattle Seahawks for a sixth round pick.

First of all, I'm happy for Charlie. He has been set up for failure since day one of this year. The plan was to make all the quarterbacks look incompetent, give none of them the appropriate amount of repetitions, and shatter their confidence so that golden boy Brady Quinn can take the helm. And, in doing so, Savage and Crennel hope to add one more year to their contracts. It's the only way they can save their jobs, given that the state of the Browns is about as bad as it was in 1999, when they returned to the NFL. Savage and Crennel sacrificed the future for Quinn, giving up a sure-to-be high first round draft pick in next year's draft to get him. Their built-in excuse will be that they're breaking in a future star quarterback, and look how much the team improved. Yep, the Browns have led the league in moral victories for the last eight years.

Quinn may turn out to be a good pro, but his track record in big games is poor. Maybe they bought into Charlie Weises' bluster in regard to his talent? Ohio State, USC, LSU, twenty-one other NFL teams, and even the vaunted Michigan Wolverines sure didn't. If you throw Quinn out there now, he has no chance. The line can't block, the receivers can't separate or catch, there is no talent at running back (please don't argue that Jamal still has anything in the tank), and Quinn will be sure to take a ton of hits, making him gun-shy. That's exactly what happened to Tim Couch, Kelly Holcomb, Jeff Garcia, and Charlie Frye. Garcia goes to another team, and then all of the sudden regains his form. I expect Charlie to have similar results, in a system where the coaches will take advantage of his abilities, build his confidence, and work him into the rotation on a team with talent. Or, at the very worst, Charlie will serve as a solid backup throughout his career. That doesn't sound so bad, does it? Ask Tim Couch…

Charlie has had four offensive coordinators in three years. He has a head coach that flips coins to determine who will start prior to games. And, he had a fickle fan base who always thinks the backup quarterback is the best player on the team (see Holcomb, Jeff). Charlie will hold a clipboard in Seattle. But, when the time comes, be it when Hasselback retires or gets injured, or through free agency to another team, he'll get another shot. And, I think he'll show his true talent. I watched this kid in Akron for four years, under difficult circumstances, thrive. He is a winner, a team player, and fearless on the field. He has a good arm, and despite what the Browns would have you think, he can read defenses and make plays. He did lead the league in completion percentage last year, after all.

The Browns have many more problems than just the quarterback. Heck, they had four penalties on one punt play last week - the play that the punter let the ball go through his hands, to boot! They need a better offensive line, a good running back, dependable receivers, a pass rusher to compliment Wimbley, depth at linebacker, and some cornerbacks. Otherwise, they're ready to contend…

It's hard to watch this - the eighth year of this crap. At least I'm free from worrying about Frye having to be perfect to keep his job. Let's just see how good Anderson, Quinn, and Dorsey really are… And, ultimately, will it really win them any more games? I predict 2-14 for this crappy team...

Gotta Go to Goo!

We said we wouldn’t do it.

We said we did it before and we won’t do it again.

We won’t have crappy concert seats. We can’t. Not after I won the radio contest. Not after meeting the band and having a photo op. Not after having second row center seats. We’re spoiled now.

Then I went and ordered tickets from the fan club site, fully expecting that membership had its privileges. The little pop-up notice said I’d get my seat number and row before I exited…so I went for it. I was “all in.” Even when I saw the “GA” (General Admission) seat number, I kept clicking away thinking, “I gotta go to Goo!”

Then I was just annoyed. I felt betrayed. I should run that website (because I have so much free time these days!) I hate “general admission.” I don’t do “general admission” anymore. I couldn’t stop clicking away at the keyboard – like the sound of the “clackers” (those girls whose stilettos make that “clickety-clack” sound on the polished floors as in the movie “The Devil Wears Prada. I’m a clacker!) I'm also a general admission ticket holder.

The tickets arrived and I tossed them aside. Then the concert was cancelled, rescheduled and moved to a new, smaller, venue. OK, time to fess up to the purchase. Well, I told my concert going friend I had tickets. I explained they could also, due to the date and venue change, be returned for a full refund (they were cheap considering what we’re used to paying a broker for second row center seats). I said, “I know it’s general admission. I know it’s on a Wednesday evening. I know we said we wouldn’t do this but…”

My friend said, “I think we should go.” I smiled one of those very slow, sly kind of smiles. I closed my eyes and nodded approvingly thinking, "You gotta see Goo too!"

And that was that. So now I’m going to work on coming in late to my new job the day after seeing our beloved Goo Goo Dolls! I have a couple weeks to work on it.

More importantly, I’m going to see one of my top two favorite bands! I’m seeing the Goo Goo Dolls for the 4th time in a year and a half. How cool is that?

…And scars are souvenirs you never lose, the past is never far
(From their first hit “Name,” by the Goo Goo Dolls)

Weekend Update (not the funny SNL version)

It looks like I’m on a pace for weekly updates… I guess that's better than nothing!

College football has kicked off, and I couldn't be more excited! Last weekend was a dream weekend for me. Akron and Ohio State won handily, Notre Dame was crushed, and Michigan fell victim in the greatest upset in college football history! This weekend, however, will be a nightmare, as my alma mater (Akron) faces the team I've supported my whole life (Ohio State). Since my time at Akron is a big part of who I am, and it's where I met my lovely wife, I can't help but root for them always. Although, it will be difficult this week, due to my immense love for OSU. Fortunately, the dastardly Big Ten Network isn't part of my cable system, so my emotions won't be twisted by watching the battle wage on. I think Ohio State wins, about 31-13 or so. Akron, hopefully, will be respectable.

I'm hoping that Penn State destroys Notre Dame, and that Michigan falls again, this time to Oregon. Kent State also visits Kentucky, which I'm going to record (I bought the Game Plan package this year) so I can scout the losers from Kent (Akron's chief rival) and hopefully see my third-favorite team (Kentucky - my parents are from there, and my dad went there for a year) secure an easy win.

Darrin's soccer team played in a tournament last weekend. They went 2-1, losing to the eventual champion in a closely contested game, 3-1. It looks like they'll be pretty good this year. The most exciting part was when the coach called Darrin's name to take a penalty kick. Darrin's a defender, and he's only scored a few goals in all of the seasons he's played travel soccer. He stepped up, went upper left over the goalie, and put away the last game we played. It was exciting, and best of all, we got it on videotape!

Brittany's softball season started this Tuesday. She's young enough to where she's still in one of those "nobody keeps score/everybody gets a trophy" kind of leagues, and they use a machine to pitch. She went 2-for-2, and was very excited. Hitting's a big mental thing for her, since she's been hit a couple of times, and is a bit afraid of the ball. Often, if she gets just an inch or two closer to the plate, she'll hit. If she doesn't, she'll strike out. That's a giant leap for her mentally, but I'm proud of her for stepping in there and overcoming her fear. She's got an excellent glove, a decent arm, and good speed. However, I don’t think she loves sports and competing like Darrin does, so she probably won't pursue it too much longer. As a matter of fact, for the first time in a few years, she's not playing soccer. That's okay, though. She's having fun, and that's what's most important. There are plenty of other things to do besides sports, and Brittany is very talented in art, and is quite the actress/comedian/story teller. Most importantly, like Darrin, she does very well in school.

My wife's birthday is Monday. Her dad is coming down to watch the kids' games this weekend. He's also going to baby-sit Saturday night so Melissa and I can go out to dinner. I'm going to take her to a place where we don't have to dump our own trays! We're going to one of the better reputed steakhouses in Columbus: Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. Hopefully, it will live up to its reputation. At the very least, we get a "date" for a change.

On the video game front, I got Stuntman in the mail this week, which is my next review for Gameshark. The premise is cool: you're a stunt driver for a movie studio, and you have to execute these elaborate stunts to the director's satisfaction. There also appears to be a bit of a "sandbox" mode, where you can set up your own stunts. You have the ability to save replays of your best work, as well. I don't know if the game will have enough legs to be a keeper, but I'm excited about giving it a run. I'm good at crashing in driving games, so hopefully it will pay off in Stuntman!

Hard Knocks

After a six-year hiatus, HBO's excellent Hard Knocks series has returned to television this season. For the uninitiated, Hard Knocks is a behind-the-scenes look at life in training camp for a professional football team. This season's subject is the Kansas City Chiefs. Previous subjects included the Baltimore Ravens and the Dallas Cowboys.

Even though I'm not a fan of the Chiefs, I find the subject matter so compelling that I watch religiously each week as the drama unfolds. The series does an excellent job of showing the human side of life in professional sports; particularly for those sacrificing their bodies for the dream of making a professional football roster. In addition, viewers get a peek at the work that goes into preparing to compete in a sixty minute NFL contest. If you've ever wondered what meetings are like, what the coaches and player personnel men think, how practices are conducted, what players do while not practicing at training camp, and what professional football players are really like as people, then this series is for you.

I can also heartily recommend Next Man Up: A Year Behind the Lines in Today's NFL, by John Feinstein. It is a book that covers much of the same material broached by Hard Knocks, except it extends through the entire length of a season. Even though the book chronicles the hated Baltimore Ravens (well, hated by me - a Browns fan - anyway), it is excellent reading.

If you're fan of the NFL, you need to spend time with this excellent material. You'll see the game in a way you may not have considered previously.

My Quick Update Too!

Wow. It's been awhile. Even Kevin thinks I'm MIA.

I've been catching up with friends and family this week before I start my new job on a full time basis. I've been going in once a week just to get acclimated. The other day, I was asked to submit the hours I've work thus far. I asked if I could just take "comp" time (since their vacation policy sucks) and was told, "you're getting both." This left me speechless. I finally muttered "thank you" and believe me, it was more than sincere. There was shock in that muttering as well. So far so good. I'm actually excited to start full time. My office is pretty sweet, has a large window overlooking trees, and everyone has been very nice. I advised my boss that I'd need to leave early or come in late a couple days in the next few months, as I've got these certification exams going on. He said, 'You're salary. Don't worry about it.'

Last Monday, I was scheduled to take my first of three Microsoft exams. I am a horrible test taker. I've always done pretty well with essay questions but that's not what these exams are about. Anyway, I passes exam 70-306 and am now an MCP - Microsoft Certified Professional. I'm on my way slowly but surely. One test down, two to go...

I'm meeting some friends for lunch today, gathering with my old co-workers at the Blue Moose tomorrow night, hitting Crocker Park with another friend on Saturday (and the Cheesecake Factory), and looking forward to the nice, long holiday weekend.

Quick Update

It's been a while since I've posted... Soccer's in full swing, as is softball, plus school just started, and I still have new-hires at work (we lost one, so I'm down to 30, with one more probably to go tomorrow). I'm a busy guy!

I just finished my NASCAR 08 review and submitted it Gameshark. It could be posted anywhere from tomorrow to after Labor Day, given the way it's gone in the past, LOL. NASCAR is a good game. It's got some warts, but hardcore racers and NASCAR fans will like it, methinks.

The Tribe is hanging on. They have their biggest lead of the year right now, after winning 4 in a row. There's still plenty of baseball to play, though.

The Crew did draw against West-leading Houston last weekend, which was a good performance, especially since they were down a man. Hey, it's almost September, and they're still alive, so I guess I can't complain. Fulham is still struggling, but the season has just started. I can still be optimistic, although that may not be very realistic...

College football kicks off this week! Go Bucks! Go Zips!

Lastly, I haven't heard from Kelly in a while. I hope the new job is going well!

Monday Musings

It was another tough weekend for me as a sports fan.

First of all, my all-time favorite soccer player, Brian McBride, suffered a dislocated knee while taking a shot unmarked from about 5 yards out. It was definitely a freak injury. Brian is 35 years old, and probably doesn't have many more matches in him. He is a US soccer legend, and a great man and human being, by all accounts. I wish him a speedy recovery (he's slated to be out 3 months), and I hope I get the chance to see him hit at least one more of those magnificent headers into the back of the net before he's done. What a shame...

The Crew, currently barely occupying the last playoff spot in the MLS Cup, turned in another listless effort in a 2-0 loss to DC United Saturday night. Watching this team is like riding a roller coaster - one the goes from sucking, to unbelievably great, to sucking again.

Charlie Frye, a fellow Akron alum, is being set up to fail in Cleveland for "golden boy" Brady Quinn (I've never liked Brady; like his college coach, I've always found him disingenuous and smug, like he thinks he's better than everyone). Frye has never really had the full support of the Browns, nor has he had solid talent around him. They've jerked him around from the end of last season with Anderson, who has shown nothing in his limited time. Yet, he gives his all to the team in an effort to win (how many athletes truly do that anymore?). They'll let him take another beating early this year, until the line gels, and then bring in the "Golden Boy" to save the day. And, like most over matched rookies, he'll probably fall on his face, and the Browns will be back to square one of an expansion franchise. You have to be EXCEPTIONAL to succeed as a rookie, and I truly doubt that Quinn is of that caliber. I honestly hope Charlie gets let go, because he needs a fresh start and a change of scenery, with an organization that will give him a fair shake. Also, it would hardly be fair to throw Quinn to the dogs, much like they did to Couch, and to Frye. At least show some restraint, and take the appropriate amount of time to develop a QB, for a change...

At least the Tribe are in first place. For now...

I've been playing NASCAR 08 the last few days. I have some impressions going over at the Sports Gaming Nation. I really like it thus far, but I have a long way to go.

I'm really excited because I think I've just about settled on a slider set that brings an appropriate level of realism back into NCAA Football 08. I've had only one interception by my defense against the CPU QB's in the last three games (all wins by me, by the way). I still have to tweak my pass blocking and the CPU's running game, but I'm really enjoying the action on the field right now, six games into my dynasty.

I still have 3 Xbox 360 games that I haven't even played! Man, I need more time...

Closer and Closer to Counting Crows New CD

I read it on the Internet so it must be true! (Yes, I’m kidding but I’m also quite hopeful!)

Rumor has it that Counting Crows new CD entitled Saturday Night/Sunday Morning will be available November 6th ! It could be true as new releases are done on Tuesdays since sales figures are released on Mondays.

Even though Adam hates that this happened (Immy, on the other hand, was flattered it appeared on YouTube the very next day), and that people like me spread the word, you can catch a performance of the first single, Cowboys. (I read the name of the first single in his blog along with some other tracks but this is the song I wanted to hear the most. If you’re familiar with “Goodnight Elisabeth,” then you know the lyrics: “we couldn’t all be cowboys, so some of us are clowns.” You knew right then and there that Cowboys was just begging to be written by A.D.) He’s a lyrical genius. You can catch the performance at AnnaBegins.com.

Here are the lyrics too, courtesy of Lisa’s Counting Crow Shrine…

Ah, November 6th! And the countdown begins…(I wonder if I should take that day off work…)

The Pony Express has Arrived

Finally... Yesterday afternoon, I got my copy of NASCAR 08. I'll be digging in as virtual Ricky Bobby pretty heavily this weekend.

Also, I picked up Madden 08 and Call of Duty 3. Toys R Us has a pretty sweet deal, where if you buy Madden 08 you get another game at half price, so I took advantage. I've got a lot of games to play, and I need to start carving out some time! With football about to start, the baseball playoffs being imminent, the EPL kicking off, and the MLS in the stretch run, plus school going back, kids' sports, and 31 new-hires at work, I'm a busy man! Man, I need a nap...

Punch to the Gut

Ugh. What a horrible sports weekend...

My two favorite soccer clubs, the Columbus Crew and Fulham Football Club (in the English Premiership) both blew games that they controlled for about three-fourths of the match. Fulham's just kicking off their season, and there were plenty of positives, so maybe there's something to build on. The Crew, on the other hand, are in a battle for their playoff lives. They blew a 2-1 lead in the last 15 minutes, despite being up a man! Makes me want to puke...

And, to top it off, the crummy Indians just got swept by the Yankee$. I can take it anymore! Why do I watch sports? Nothing good ever comes of it, and I just get upset.

At least the Browns won. Oh yeah, it was pre-season, and they didn't score an offensive touchdown (neither did KC, by the way). At least Charlie Frye (an Akron grad, like me) was 12-15 for over 120 yards. That's mitigated by the two freshman-in-high-school mistakes he made by throwing a dreadful lateral that was returned for a TD by KC and getting tackled at the 3 yard line to run out the clock at the end of the first half.

I guess I should become a USC fan. They seem like a lock to win the National Championship this year. Of course, if I do, they're guaranteed to blow it.

This sucks.

Hot Shots Tennis Review is Posted

For the particulars, check out the review at Gameshark. I'm still waiting on NASCAR 08, although I haven't checked today's mail.

The Waiting Game

The posts have been a little less frequent. Not coincidentally, my son's travel soccer practice has kicked off, eating up some precious "Kevin time" most evenings.

A quick update on the video gaming front… I submitted my Hot Shots Tennis review last week, and I'm still waiting on it to get posted. It should happen this week. Believe it or not, niche PS2 games aren't the highest of priorities at Gameshark! NASCAR 08 has been "in the mail" since last week. I'm not sure what the hold up is, but I'm chomping at the bit to get at that game. Long live Ricky Bobby!

On the sports front, I'm anxiously watching both my Indians and my Crew limp along with playoff hopes. They are both teetering on the brink, but fortunately, neither are out of contention. Brady Quinn finally signed for the Browns. Yawn. Goodbye next year's number one pick, hello Heath Schuler part two. I don't think the Browns will ever climb the mountain.

College football is inching closer and closer! I think the Buckeyes will surprise this year, due to a relatively favorable schedule, and the fact that "Tressel Ball" seems to work better when the coach has a group made up of primarily over-achievers. We're back to the punt being "the most important play in football." Hey, I won't complain, as long as he keeps getting those W's and beating those pukes up north. Although, it looks like scUM will get a measure of revenge this year, with the loaded team they have returning.

The Zips have a lot of holes to fill, but anything can happen in the MAC. Plus, they weren't that great with the hole-fillers that were on the roster last year, so I guess I'll remain optimistic. Unless, however, they lose to Army, after which I will never root for them again… at least until the next game. I mean, really, what should I expect? Success? I'm an Ohio sports fan, for crying out loud!

Prelude To My First Half-Day

Just to solidify my week, feel more attached to my new employer and less attached to the old one, I sent a very brief e-mail to my new supervisor. It basically reiterated the fact that per our last discussion, I would be there on Friday, early, working a half – day.

His response was a little more detailed. It stated I would be having lunch with him, two other team members (who I’ve already met), the company attorney (a woman, and also the owner’s daughter), and the Chief Administrative Officer. That’s a pretty full first half-day. (And, we’re having lunch at, I kid you not, a sports bar located right next to a biker bar. And yes, in case you were wondering, I’ve been to both.)

The e-mail response also included a note to give my boss a call, which I did, fairly promptly (because one should never seem too anxious)! During the course of that call, I was advised I’d already been signed up for a seminar, all day, next month, downtown, regarding Workers’ Compensation. My friend just got a job downtown so I’m wondering if we can meet for lunch. That’s probably not what should be running through my head but nonetheless, it was.

I was also advised (forewarned) not to park in the “designated” parking spaces, as it’s a pet peeve, so to speak (OK. Well, not on my FIRST day anyway…)

I’ll probably spend the first day setting up my office (that’s one plant, one picture of me and my friend with the Goo Goo Dolls, my mirror, lip gloss, nail file, and lint remover, along with the static guard, band aids, Purell, hand lotion, and an emergency stash of…FOOD). Then, and only then I’ll log on, advise all my friends of my new work e-mail address and phone number, and I get to sit with the IT guy. Oh yeah, I’m going to learn as much as I can from him. I already have his name committed to memory. Can you ever learn enough from your IT people? I may have one of my programming books lying around for good measure. Maybe he’ll be able to explain the “Try,” “Catch,” and “Finally” statements I’m perplexed by in my programming course!

Of course, that could be wishful thinking on my part!

Slider Guru

No, I'm not talking about "Slider," the mascot of the Cleveland Indians. Although, it is his 17th birthday today. Allow me to digress to a true story...

Seventeen years ago today, I was home after my freshman year of college working at the local YMCA. A friend of mine from high school (who was a year older than me), also worked there. His dad was my history teacher in high school, and I was good friends with the family. On a day off, my friend, his dad, and I decided to attend a scheduled double-header in Cleveland Municipal Stadium against the Yankees. They were both serious Yankees fans, while I supported my Tribe. As usual in those days, the Yankees destroyed the Tribe in game one. Seeking consolation, I leaned over to my friend and remarked that we at least didn't have one of those stupid mascots. In between games one and two, lo and behold, the Indians introduced Slider to the home town faithful. Yep, this is what it's like to be a fan of Cleveland sports...

Back to the topic. My editor and friend Bill Abner is as much or more of a fan of EA's NCAA Football games series as I am. He's also an OSU alum, which makes him cool. Anyway, I've been patiently on hold in my Dynasty waiting for him to come up with the "perfect" set of game play sliders to fix the doggone interception problem. It appears he has! I'm looking forward to starting my Dynasty up again, now that I just submitted my Hot Shots Tennis review. I've never played on Heisman level regularly, so I imagine that will suck. But hey, I'm used to it, look at how my Indians are doing now.

Gainfully Employed But With a Price and an Attitude

After my second interview, I was feeling pretty excited and extremely relieved. The job offer was on its way to me via e-mail. I was talking to some close friends and close co-workers about the new direction my life was taking once again. It’s hard to think clearly when you realize you’re going to be able to bank all your severance, not skip a beat when it comes to a paycheck, and probably have the iPhone by Christmas!

So there was my office, with a window, a flat panel monitor, a phone with my name programmed into it (so they can monitor my phone calls...I know), and business cards on the way. Everyone is friendly, they all appear to be smiling and generally pretty happy to be there.

The money was right where I needed it to be. There would be a 90-day review of performance and salary (not bad, right?) and a yearly review of both after that. I only had two questions left. The answers sucked both the excitement and relief of finding this job right out of me. It also set me up with an entire batch of new problems. In my mind, I’m trying to work them all out before they even happen. Everything seemingly appears to be manageable, and then I wake up. I’m solving all my issues in my dreams but need to figure out how to make that a reality. Honestly, they don’t give you much to work with.

Two very important things for me are vacation and sick time, and I inquired about both. The answers were the worst I’d received since I’d started interviewing. While I’d rather be working than be sick, a migraine can pretty much take me down for the count and I happen to be prone to them. Truthfully, if you want me to be on top of my game when I’m at work, you’re going to have to give me time off to play and time off to recuperate when ill. Both numbers were surprisingly low. (So I’m going to have to add them together in order to see any light at the end of the tunnel).

The best I can come up with after that is, I’ll be taking a few days without pay (not just to “bridge” the gap but to “bridge the gaping wound)! I’m perfectly OK with that. I just wonder if they’ll be perfectly OK with that? I didn’t ask. I got my foot in the door and now we’ll just take it one step at a time.

I’m also approaching this with a bit of an attitude. I know that sounds awful. I’m not an ingrate. I’m just a little “spoiled” at my current job. And yes, I’m also losing my current job. It’s like culture shock to leave one environment for another and, while I am definitely ready for a change, I’m certainly not ready for such a drastic one.

So, back to my attitude…

This 90-day review is a two-way street. So, if the pay increase isn’t as substantial as I’d like, and if the “time off” isn’t as flexible as I need, I can always look for something else. After all, I have no loyalty to this company at this time. (By the way, loyalty is really underrated these days, isn’t it?)

I’ll have completed school (I hope) and banked some money to live on (plus there’s the severance payment from my current job – AKA the “bridge” to get me from Point A to Point B. Or, in this case, Point B to Point C). While I’m hoping this is not the scenario that plays out, I just need to have a “Plan B” or “way out” if I need one.

Next, I have absolutely no desire to “personalize” my office. I just don’t want to get too comfortable. I want to go one day at a time and see how I feel after 90 days. I’ll work hard, prove my mettle, and I’ll come in with a great attitude on the outside. My insides will twist as my comfort and trust levels are more eschewed than usual these days. I am afraid to put any roots down.

Losing my current job has certainly done a number on me. I’d ask if this was normal but I have absolutely no idea what “normal” is. (Anyway, normal seems boring most of the time!) I faxed over my acceptance of the offer on Friday the 13th! It just seemed the right thing to do (as if tempting fate is ever on my side!) I signed the agreement on the 12th though as I’m not nearly as brave as I thought I was when it comes to fates and superstitions. (Just another thing I learned about myself along the journey…)

A friend pointed out long ago (when yet another crisis/tragedy/shoe feel) that I tend to “compartmentalize” my life. I definitely separate “work” and “home.” Somehow, it gives me balance. I’m not an “open book” but I’m not entirely a “closed book” either. I’m just cautious.

Finally, regarding the new job, they mentioned the Christmas party the company throws every year. As fate would have it, it’s held in the same building where I was advised that I’d be losing my job in 6 months. In my mind, I’m already out of town visiting someone, somewhere at that time. I’m sure, not even knowing the date of the party yet, that I have a previous commitment or prior engagement to attend. (How much do you want to bet the party is held not only in the same building but also in the same room? You KNOW it will be!)

Let me be perfectly honest here. With the miniscule vacation and sick leave they’re offering, there’s no way they’re getting one of my “free” nights.

NO WAY!

So let me properly end this missive and my cynicism with a quote from Sir Bobby Robson, English football manager and former international football player:

“You only get out of life what you put into it. If you don't work hard and
haven't got enthusiasm, nothing comes your way.”

Review News

I just got Hot Shots 2 for the PS2 in the mail on Monday. I'm posting some impressions over at the Sports Gaming Nation. The short version is that it appears to be more of a kids' game, and not real deep, but offering a pretty solid game of tennis.

The NASCAR 08 demo is out on Xbox Live. I'm waiting on my review copy, but if I don't get it soon, I'll probably d/l the demo this weekend and give it a ride.

I play a lot of racing games, but I honestly don't watch that much racing on TV. As silly as this sounds, Talladega Nights has me kid of excited for this game. Ironically, the combination of that silly (but great!) movie and a potentially solid title from EA may make me more of a racing fan. We'll see; but my interest is definitely piqued.

More to come on both titles soon...

Things I don't Like

I'm enjoying NCAA Football 08, but as usual, there are some issues that keep it from being the best game ever, despite the subject matter...

In no particular order, here are the things I don't like about it:

I can't sub by formation, meaning I can't pick who plays on special teams (other than the kicker and returners), who plays the LB in the dime package, etc.

I have to re-enter my settings each time I play a game in my Dynasty. NCAA used to save them in the game file, now it's tied somewhere else, and I have to figure out where...

There are too many interceptions. I'm good, but not THAT good. Too many INT's, and INT's returned for a touchdown. I just adjusted the slider (I'm playing on All American level), so we'll see if that helps (and if I have to adjust it each time - grr!). I just beat Indiana, primarily because they had EIGHT turnovers!

The interface is inefficient. I hate having to start in the shrine, or at the "website." Let me get to the menus, darn it! Plus, the menus move s-l-o-w-l-y...

As I mentioned previously, where are the drills? I hate it when features disappear as the game moves from one generation of hardware to the next.

The stadiums are always full, regardless of your average attendance. In past versions, I enjoyed watching the Rubber Bowl fill up as my teams got better and better. Now, every game is like the battle for the Wagon Wheel. Give me something to work for!

Those are the biggies so far. I'll probably be back to gushing about the game in my next few posts, now that these issues are off my chest. There's a lot to like, but man, why can't EA put a whole game together?! I guess I could ask that question of most developers...

Time Warner Offers No Apology For Their Lack of Customer Service

My living room television decided enough was enough and gave up the other day. I’ve wanted a new TV for a very long time so this was a good thing. (The timing, as usual, was dreadful!) I went to a local TV shop, and not only did they have the Sony flat panel I wanted (Bravia), they delivered it THAT DAY! I was pretty impressed. The salesperson was nice, knowledgeable, and ready to make a sale. He was a bit of a “close talker” which creeped me out but other than that, pleasant enough. The delivery guys, on the other hand, were the exact opposite. The two that arrived with my TV turned out to be the most unfriendly customer service people I had encountered is a very long time. It was obvious they didn’t want to haul my old television away (and I paid an $18.00 dumpster fee for that), or do any work in general. They weren’t rude, but the silence and the sighs spoke volumes. The basic instructions they gave for using the remote would have been better communicated to and by a four-year old. (And that is insulting some four-year olds!) I would soon learn that I needed to be grateful that they actually showed up.

Next on my list was a call to my cable company – good ol’ Time Warner. I asked them to come out with a new HD box and DVR. To offset that cost, I dropped a few movie channels. The customer service rep was very accommodating and scheduled the service between 1PM and 5PM on my day off. Great! Except no one showed up. The movie channels got cancelled and that’s all the rep did. So when I called to inquire as to why TW’s tech was a “no show”, this new customer service rep advised that their records indicate all of the items I requested were already taken care of - the day that I called. I laughed. I asked the rep how likely it was that TW would come out the same day I called? I also advised her I wasn’t paying for the new features so they’d best not be on my bill. (Actually, my monthly cost will be relatively unchanged but I was feeling snippy – and that’s putting it mildly.)

“When would be a good time for us to come back out?” I replied honestly with, “Now.”

We are “now” rescheduled for a Saturday appointment. (“That way you won’t have to take another day off work,” said the rep. Oh good, so now you’re going to ruin my weekend too? I didn’t say that – the thought just continually ran through my mind as I shook my head in disbelief that I was agreeing to ruin my Saturday.)

I absolutely love the last line TW’s reps are required to say: “Is there anything else I can help you with?” As if to imply they helped you with something in the first place. Still feeling snippy, my response was, “not unless you can get the service person to actually show up this time.” I laughed again. She said, “I have it on the computer.” Somehow that didn’t make me feel any better.

Now to be fair, I did admit to her I was annoyed and frustrated, that it was the other reps fault and not hers, but I’ve been waiting for 4 hours and honestly, I really don’t have a spare 4 hours these days. Does anyone?

I guess the one thing that I wanted that I didn’t get was an apology. A simple “I’m sorry for our mix up” or “I’m sorry for the inconvenience” or just a semi-sincere “I’m sorry.”

I got nothin’.



Everything that went wrong was totally due to TW’s customer service reps screwing it up. You would think, as a basic common courtesy, an apology would be offered. Apparently that is not instilled in their reps. Apparently they were never taught the concept either. Unfortunately, what became painfully obvious once more is the fact that they just don’t care. Just like the television delivery guys, they have better things to do and the job they are getting paid for isn’t one of them. (A very interesting concept – especially to someone in my current job predicament.)

While I was waiting for the TW tech to show up (again, he didn’t), I received a call from SBC Global. I started asking some questions (as I’m wireless and have my own modem and router.) This caused great confusion to the SBC rep. Supposedly the cost was $19.99 a month. I inquired as to HOW MANY months that fee was applicable. She said that was their standard rate and it wasn’t just for a couple months. I would however have to use their modem. I said I’d consider it and ended the call.

Honestly, I don’t want to have to change my e-mail address yet again. Maybe when things slow down I’ll give SBC Global a try.

At least when TW was named Adelphia, they showed up for appointments. In fact, one of Adelphia’s techs helped me out a great deal. I’m not expecting that kind of service from TW and I’m sure I won’t be disappointed. I guess I’ll have to be happy if they just show up, right?

So TW stood me up three times. I’m not kidding. Blame is placed entirely upon their customer service phone reps for not scheduling the appointments. When they finally did show, up they didn’t have the HD hook up! That means someone else would have to come out. I was stood up twice more. When I called Customer Service at TW, the girl I spoke with suggested I drive down to their office, pick up the missing cable and they’ll walk me through hooking it up, over the phone. I laughed at her and sweetly inquired, “Is that your idea of customer service?” Later, she offered me a $20.00 credit for my inconvenience and threatened to charge my account a $25.00 fee for making their techs come out again. I asked for a manager but was advised there was no manager available at this time. Unreal. They never did charge me. They never credited my account either.

TW finally got it right. They actually sent two service techs out. I bet they figured “safety in numbers” and I had been stood up too many times now. I had these techs laughing. They couldn’t believe what I had been through and that I was actually laughing about it. They were VERY grateful that I didn’t blame them for this mess. (As I clearly stated, blame falls on the phone reps for not scheduling the service). I told the techs, “You’re not going to know I need service if the phone reps don’t put it in the computer.” Not only did they hook everything up perfectly, they programmed the DVR for me, and offered to assist with any other issues I was having.

Even though Time Warner won’t apologize to me, I’m going to be the bigger person and apologize to them. (Plus it’s been awhile since I’ve put my gift of sarcasm to use.)

I’m sorry every time I have to deal with your PHONE reps.
I’m sorry your PHONE reps lack basic customer service skills.
I’m sorry your (my) Intranet is down at least twice a week (and it’s only Tuesday).
I’m sorry that you are my only choice for cable service. As soon as that changes, so will I.

Now, I’m off to write a letter about that $20.00 credit!

Building my Legend

More on Campus Legend mode...

Sadly, the drills are gone. However, when you "practice" in Legend mode, you get to run 10 plays. The coach calls the plays, and you play your position only. If you do something positive, you get points. In my case, as a RB, I get points for a first down, touchdown, big gain, catching a pass etc. If you get enough points, you can displace the guy ahead of you on the depth chart. I'm the starter now, so it's no big deal. I do practice every day, though, trying to master the controls.

After practice, you have an "evening" event. Often, you get to make a choice, and depending on the choice you make, you could augment your abilities, or get yourself in trouble. For example, on one occasion, I helped a buddy move, and then hurt my back! On another occasion, I turned down an offer to play hoops and stayed in to study, to the tune of +.01 to my GPA (uh, that wouldn't have happened in real life, LOL).

We're 2-0 to start the season. We beat a 1-AA team about 54-0, and I had over 200 yards rushing at about 10 yards per carry, and 4 TD's. I had one 86-yard run, and saved the highlight, but it was basically making one move and using my "99" speed to race to glory.

Just when I thought it might be too easy, we went to Eastern Carolina University. I assume that's a pretty intense regional rivalry, so I figured it might be a tougher game. It was raining, to boot. It was much harder sledding for me, as I only got about 77 yards on 26 carries. I did have 5 catches for over 50 yards, though, and a sweet 12 yard TD run through the trenches. I saved a highlight of that as well, since I carried about 3 guys on my back across the goal line! We won a hard-fought game 27-13. That was better; maybe Varsity isn't so easy - especially when I play the FSU's, NC State's, and Virginia's of the world. Time will tell.

I tried to upload my highlights, but I was unsuccessful. It seems that the server is having problems. I imagine they're getting bombarded with videos. I'll post it here if my highlights get uploaded.

I'm really enjoying this game. Bill Harris, of Dubious Quality, has some excellent commentary (no surprise) on his blog, and I highly recommend it.

I'm holding off on Dynasty mode, because I want to clear up some roster confusion first. I can't quite figure out who ALL of the players are on my team, and I'm a bit obsessive-compulsive about it. :-)

More to come...

It's Here!

NCAA Football 08 is now in it's rightful place in my Xbox 360. I removed the shrink wrap at approximately 3:47 PM, and subsequently spent about 4 hours with it throughout the rest of the evening. Here are some "gut reactions" to my experience.

Saving and uploading your personal highlights seems to be the big addition to this year's game, as you begin in your "shrine," where you can view your trophies and past moments of glory. It's a little different interface, and somewhat cumbersome, but obviously EA is trumpeting it's newest feature. I spent a little time examining what is and isn't available compared to last year's Xbox version, and most everything is there. The only thing I couldn't find was a way to do drills, which was one of the best ways to master the controls. I believe they're in the Campus Challenge mode, but they're not available off the menu, which is a bit of a disappointment.

Speaking of controls, the default controls are different, as the "hurdle" button is back and the sprint button has moved to the right trigger. On defense, "jump the snap" is now the left trigger, which feels a little awkward. As I mentioned previously, there's also new hit stick moves, and gang tackling, which looks pretty cool.

The rosters are definitely bigger. I spent about an hour-and-a-half editing my Zips. I was going to do the Buckeyes as well, but after 70 entries, it got kind of old. I just let the computer name the rest of my players.

After that, I began my first foray into the Campus Legend mode. I created myself as a running back, and proceeded to claim my high school's first state championship since 1985 (on varsity level). I was quite successful as a running back, and I was rated as a 5-star prospect. Almost everybody wanted my services, but only a few quality schools offered me a starting spot as a freshman. Despite his woeful performance as the Brown's coach, I decided to join Butch Davis at UNC. My speed is a 99! Methinks that varsity is a little too easy… I will begin my college campaign tonight, and confirm whether or not the drills are present. Otherwise, it looks pretty similar to last year's Xbox version, in terms of your daily activities and so forth. One major change is "super sim" mode, where you only participate when your player is on the field, and from your player's perspective. It's much like last year's Madden's superstar mode, and it's a welcome change. I should be able to progress through my four years much quicker this way. For the record, I'll also start a Campus Legend on All-American level, and I'll play my Zips' dynasty on All-American level, which I should begin tonight.

Other than getting accustomed to the controls, and the gang tackling, the other thing I noticed was that in my four-game run to the state championship, I can't recall one instance of "Mario running." Maybe it's because I covered up in traffic, which opened up a whole new set of animations, but it was a welcome change. Finally, you can hitch a ride on the hind end of one of your big hogs up front, and clear some space inside the tackles. We'll see how it goes at UNC.

Much much much much much more to come! :-)

My Roomba Reward

As I stated in a previous blog, I passed the exam for MS Access and obtained my MOS certificate. To my utter disappointment, Bill Gates did NOT sign my certificate. I know, I know. This really doesn’t seem like THAT big of a deal. Still, it would have been pretty cool to me. (Two Microsoft executives signed it.)

I also stated that I was going to REWARD myself for this little feat and, the iPhone seemed a tad bit indulgent. As it turns out, I have been the proud parent, uhm, make that owner, of a Roomba. (Yes, the self-vacuuming iRobot. It ROCKS!) I love Roomba. The cats are intrigued by it. No, they don’t try to ride Roomba. They perch on the sofa, chair, or even the steps (because Roomba has sensors so it doesn’t fall down them) and stare at it. Occasionally one of them gets brave enough to “dare” Roomba to touch her. Roomba knows no better than to oblige. He bumps the cat and turns the other way at the exact same time the brave cat runs in the opposite direction. While Roomba is none the worse for wear after the “bump and run”, I can’t say the same for the cat who sought higher ground (a windowsill), and seemed a little confused by the recent event.

So imagine my surprise when a fully charged Roomba greeted me with its happy little tune (“da dee, da dee, da dee”) advising me it was ready to go, and then promptly spun in circles, in the same place. (GASP! “Roombie honey, what’s wrong with you?”) I began to wonder if there was an iRobot doctor (repair person) I could contact. Now this is the original version of Roomba who has needed nothing from me except a new battery pack. Sadly, per my e-mails to iRobot, Roomba cannot be repaired. However, I was offered 30% off an upgrade, no sales tax, but did have to pay shipping and handling.

I said YES! So, I have rewarded myself with a brand new Roomba Discovery! (This is neither the least expensive nor the most expensive model and suits my needs perfectly!) Also, the upgraded battery pack ($50.00) in old Roomba will fit new Roomba Discovery.

I’m excited. I miss Roomba. The cats miss Roomba. I hate vacuuming so often and my sweeper is heavy. Plus I have to lug it up and down a couple flights of steps and that’s just not fun. The cats fear the “Big Sweeper” and once I turn it on, they run for cover – actually, they run for their little lives!

If you’ve never owned one, you would be pleasantly surprised at how ‘smart’ Roomba is and how powerful it is. Granted, I’m a bit of a geek, and when my friends got one, I was over the moon, as were they. In fact, they bought me my original Roomba as a gift. I went home that night, charged the battery, and fired Roomba up the next day. Now you can just let Roomba go work its magic - there’s no reason for you to stick around. Should Roomba get into trouble, he’ll signal you with an “uh oh” type of sound. (Like when he tried to suck up one the cat's toy mice. Oops. My bad.) To be honest, the first few times I used Roomba, like the cats, I just watched in amazement.

I found myself bringing it out when friends were over. It was quite the conversation piece and once again, I was the trailblazer of a new cool toy. Well, I could honestly do an infomercial on Roomba. I love it that much. I’m pretty jazzed about my new one, which comes with a bonus accessory kit (which is backorder for 3 weeks). My old kit contained a couple of filters and a device with an invisible beam so you could keep Roomba out of certain rooms if you so desired.

Anyway, if you haven’t already done so, the site really is worth checking out: iRobot

NCAA Demo is Out

I downloaded it tonight while I was at my daughter's softball game...

It's a game between USC and Michigan (yuck to both of those teams) with 2 minute quarters on Varsity level, I believe.

I'm looking forward to honing my skills on the new gameplay prior to picking it up, so I can jump right in come July 17th. I've been reading good things at DSP. I'll post some impressions over the weekend, after I get a few games in. I'm wondering... can USC and Michigan both lose? That might be a sign of a serious AI problem, but I probably wouldn't mind too much...

Like a kid at Christmas time...

NCAA Football is just over a week away! At (almost) 36, I can't believe I still get excited for this stuff...

To make the time between now and then go even slower, EA has released a half-dozen or so videos, trailers, and tutorials from the game on the Xbox Live Marketplace. Of course, I had to check those out...

Here are the highlights:

• The trophy room has been greatly enhanced, and it includes things like user-saved great play videos and stills. It appears some can even be uploaded. This is cool; there's nothing like reliving those "oh my" moments of greatness on the screen. I still recall the time I (er, virtual Mark Price) hit three 3-pointers in the last minute to win a game in NBA Live (circa 1997, I think). I even re-lived it out on my basketball court. Yes, I need help...
• Campus Legend mode allows you to either take over an existing player, or to create a new one. Instead of doing drills to earn a scholarship, you now play in your state's high school playoff games, among the final 16 teams. You also get to advise your coach of your favorite school, so he can make sure they're in attendance. Your performance in the tournament earns you a rating (up to 5 stars), and subsequent offers based upon your performance. It looks to add even more to the fun, although I don't think they brought the girlfriend pictures back. As I said, I need help!
• Recruiting has been totally revamped. There are now up to fourteen different recruiting pitches, and you can uncover how the player feels about each one, before hammering home your final pitch during an in-home visit to get a commitment. You can rank the recruits in order of importance (which affects how they feel about your school), and also make promises in regard to playing time and so forth. You have an integrity rating that changes based upon keeping your promises, which can negatively affect some recruits if your rating is low. It appears that you are limited to so many "hours" a week to recruit. Also, a much needed change is the ability to search the player database. Now you can focus on exactly the players you want, from where you want, without looking through everyone in the DB. Cool.
• There are a few more plays added, like the ones Boise State pulled off against Oklahoma last season (the Statue of Liberty and the Hook and Lateral). The hit stick has been improved to allow you to dive at players' ankles, and gang tackling has finally been implemented. There's also a new momentum feature, where you can take control of someone, make a play, and improve his moral and the moral of players within his "influence." It looks a little iffy, but at least they're trying to capture the ups and downs of the college game, I guess.

Overall, I'm excited about the changes, and I think this could be the best NCAA ever, assuming there's no major glitches, like QB accuracy, or the ability to rush of the end, and so forth from previous editions. Obviously, I can't wait!

Review is Up

Honestly, I feel a little silly posting my trivial drivel compared to what Kellie's going through. Let me tell you, though, she is grace and dignity defined! She'll come through this and land like all of her pet cats - on her feet.

I'm proud of her for being able to share this tough experience in her life. I'm disappointed in my company for the way things have gone down, but I'm proud of the managers that have done all they can for her. That's the paradox of my company; we're very successful in spite of ourselves sometimes, because there are enough good people that care in enough places to make a difference. I imagine it's that way throughout corporate America. And, although this is little consolation to someone in Kellie's position, at least they didn't "pink slip" them on a Friday. Everyone I've ever known in this situation at my company has had at least 6 months to find another path. I believe everything happens for a reason, though, and that there's a silver lining for all of the Kellie's out there somewhere...

Anyway, back to my insignificant world... My Pirates review has been posted at Gameshark. It's really a good game for aficionados of the Pirates franchise, and a solid choice for those not too familiar with it. NASCAR 08 is next in the queue to review for me. I did pick up Call of Juarez tonight with some birthday money, and pre-ordered my all-time favorite game/series - NCAA Football 08. Only two more weeks until I command my beloved Akron Zips to a MAC championship... on "easy" level, at least!

I'll have a lot to say about NCAA Football when it comes out. I always get my money's worth out of that game - playing several seasons plus a "Race for the Heisman" game or two...

Two Weeks

When you hear the words “two weeks”, what do you think of?

Perhaps, your mind goes directly to the primo thought of “two weeks vacation!”

Recently, for me, it was “two weeks” until my MOS exam and then, “two weeks” till tech school starts.

But soon, very soon, it will be “two weeks notice.” Sort of…

As you know, I am losing my job. (If I would move to Tennessee, I could keep it.)

One time, I applied for a job (same employer as now), and discovered I was the only employee who applied. Huh. I told the person who interviewed me that choices were “overrated.” I said this in jest. (Rumor has it I scared all other candidates but, you know what they say about rumors…only 50% are accurate.) I got the job. Shortly thereafter, my new boss moved to – you guessed it – Tennessee. I lost my job. Still, they found a place for me within the same company, office, and city. This was during a time when your managers actually had a voice. (To their credit, with all that is going on now, I’ve had several managers step up on my behalf…to no avail. But it did wonders for my self-esteem! Sadly, these managers have “no voice.” When that happens, things crumble – quickly!)

I leave behind friends and memories and a safety zone. I am however, looking at this as an opportunity. With my head held high (always grace, always dignity), I am ready to take on some new challenges. Blah, blah, blah. What I really want is a paycheck so I can buy more clothes, shoes and toys (have I mentioned the iPhone?)

Well, I’m about to have my SECOND interview for a potential job that I’m not sure I really want. I’m not sure I don’t want it, but I’m certainly not sure that I do. Confused? Welcome to my world!

I’m ever so slightly wondering (read that as I’m freakin’ out about) how I’m going to handle a full time job and this tech school commitment I made. As I told my friend, I’m basically spending money I don’t have, to spend time I don’t have, for a better job I don’t have.

Where’s my EASY button?

Don't Make 'em Like They Used To

We've been in our house for 10 years. "They" say that after ten years, that's when everything starts to go. By the way things have been going, I'm starting to believe there's some truth to that...

Our refrigerator is 10 years old. It's still running pretty well, but it's not "energy star" efficient, and two of the shelves have broken. Plus, my sister-in-law could use one, so we decided to take the plunge. After watching my wife agonize for an hour over which one to pick, and watching her exceed the "budget" I gave her ever-so-slightly (as usual), we picked one last Tuesday. It was delivered on Friday, and then I got "the call" at work...

The first problem was that the new refrigerator is about 3 cubic feet bigger than our last one. Even though I measured ahead of time, it didn't quite fit in for two reasons: our walls are not perfectly square (that seems to be pretty common for the mass-produced "cookie cutter" homes in our area), and new refrigerators bulge out a bit at the sides due to the added insulation. It's not a major deal, but we have to move an upper and a lower cabinet over a few inches. Correction: that's a major deal for a hack around the house like me, but fortunately, my dad and my father-in-law are both pretty handy...

The bigger problem was that less than 24 hours after we had it installed, it flat out died. No functionality at all. We checked the breaker, and nothing tripped. We checked the outlet; it worked fine. The thing is simply DOA. Then the fun started... You just can't pack up a refrigerator and exchange it for a new one. Plus, there's the issue of keeping the food cold. After a bazillion calls to the manufacturer and Home Depot, we finally have a resolution. To their credit, HD came and got the dud today, and gave us a loaner. We're having another one delivered next Friday, hopefully with better results. That's a fine solution, but it's still a pain in the butt to move the food from place to place each time, and to have the door removed to get the big one in the kitchen, and so forth. Plus, we have a ton of family coming in during next week...

Yep, it was another successful home improvement project for the Mosley's...

So Long, So Long...

I have written and re-written portions of this blog submission so many times that now, it’s just not anywhere near what it was intended to be. I mean it doesn’t resemble anything near its first draft.

I’ll chalk that up to maturity and, the ability to “vent and spew” my anger on my computer privately. (While publicly I retain my grace and dignity.) So what’s my problem anyway?

I’m losing my job. It’s true. It sucks.

The company that I work for has decided my job needs to be moved from one location to another. (I’m not moving for them!) The location choices suck. (Let’s just say, NYC was not an option)! I have been with this company for SO LONG!!

The best way for them to advise me of this decision was to group me with a department that I am not a member of, introduce a man I have never heard of, and then make me watch a PowerPoint presentation that states:

Number of people with your job today: 55

Number of people with your job on 9/1/2007: 0

Nice. Very classy. Thanks for being so kind and considerate. Mostly, thanks for paying for my college because now someone more deserving will reap the benefits. (And they paid for my MOS exam too!)

It’s not so much the fact that I lost my job, as it is the WAY I lost it – via a PowerPoint presentation. Huh. Are you freakin’ kidding me? (What’s that one bumper sticker say? Oh yes, I remember: MEAN PEOPLE SUCK!) It was just so cold. Like the ax man with no remorse for the heinous act he just performed. While it may suck that his job is to tell others they are jobless, the fact that he enjoys it so much is loathsome.

Then I though about KARMA which is, taken from OneLook. com and MSN Encarta, “actions determining future state: in Hindu and Buddhist philosophy, the quality of somebody's current and future lives as determined by that person's behavior in this and in previous lives." (I also thought about walking out of the room. However, I had to drive someone else home after the meeting and it just wasn’t right to walk out and leave this person stranded. Darn! I so wanted to make a statement.)

I had my first job interview in many a moon. The receptionist offered me coffee or water (I said no thanks) and escorted me to a conference room. The mural in this room was so cool – it had the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and many other Cleveland staples. Impressive.

The door the conference room was left open. A man walked by and then came back. He glanced in for the second time and said, “Can I get you anything? Coffee or water?”

“No thanks. I’m fine.” I replied.

“Are you sure?” He said.

“Yes. Thank you.” I said.

Of course he WAS NOT one of my interviewers. I have no idea who he was. I saw him again when I left and he said, “hello again” and smiled warmly. Everyone I encountered was very friendly. However, I don’t want coffee, I don’t need water, and I love tea, but really, just hire me!!!!

I could definitely do this job they described. Unfortunately, I don’t think they can afford me. I don’t think they are computer-oriented (geeky) enough to appreciate me, and that totally turned me off. They were passionate about what they did, which is a good thing, but they didn’t quite comprehend what I could bring to the table. They need me more than they know and a lot more than I need them. Well, I guess that’s not entirely true. But, since they couldn’t come up with a salary figure or range (they offered nothing –NOTHING), I pretty much thought I was offering up way too much and they were offering way too little. The interview pretty much ended and I just didn't even care.

I’ve never sent a “thank you for the interview” note in my life. To me, that’s sort of a “suck up” note and I’m so not a “suck up” kind of girl. (That’s just me. I could be very wrong. That thank you note might be the difference between a follow up interview and never hearing from them again. Feel free to comment. I’m only telling you how I feel about it.) One of my managers said he never sent one of those notes either (and he’s done just FINE!) He felt, that the interview itself was the key. The thank you note meant nothing.

For the record, my greatest attribute is that I’m honest.

For the record, my greatest detriment is that I’m honest.

For the record, I got called back for a second interview.
____________________________________________

Cool Lyrics:

Hand out the window
Floatin’ on air
Just a flip of the wrist
I’d be wavin’ you goodbye


I was thinkin' that the season
Could be held between my arms
But just as summer’s hold is fleeting
I was here but now I’m gone
I’m gone

So long, so long

(So Long, So Long - By Dashboard Confessional w/Adam Duritz)