Ok, this might be dating myself some... but i actually remember sinking quarter after quarter after quarter into a stand up version of Dragon's Lair. I loved that game, even if it was a timing and pattern game. The sad thing is... i never beat the machine. I just couldn't get the quarters fast enough, or myself to the Putt Putt golf often enough. 
Well... to be fair... Cyberball also came along and distracted me some, but i digress. I am sure most readers who come across this blog are familiar with Facebook and the innumerable number of distractions (i.e. games) that are available through that social network. My preferred particular pill of addiction is MouseHunt. Even though i do not just add 'friends' willy nilly there, i do have a handful of MouseHunt 'only' friends (well, not entirely true, two are fellow parents of ASD children - so we have that in common), and through one such friend i learned of an unofficial Dragon hunt coming up in two weeks. Basically, a guys (or Doms - as in Dominators) versus Gals (Divas) competition to catch a fairly difficult mouse - the Dragon Mouse (duh!). What makes it hard is that it is in a remote region of the map that requires time and patience to reach, then it takes time and patience to gather up the supplies to obtain the ingredients to craft the the special cheeses that help you catch mice that drop the ingredients for the next mouse, which drops things needed for the next group of mice who in turn... you guessed it drops loot/ingredients for the group of mice that include the elusive Dragon Mouse. 
And then, this fellow is not a sure catch. While i am not certain what the exact ratio of hunts to misses to actual catches (some hunts will gather the other mice and not your intended target). I know this may sound odd... but this is exactly what draws me to this game. It is not possible to just go there and do this or that. Anyway, even though i do not yet qualify to join the Dragon Dominators (i have not captured enough of the beasts yet) i have decided to go ahead and do the hunt on my own just for fun. Who knows... maybe i can get lucky and get the blueprints for yet another trap! One distraction will be the game's 3rd birthday celebration. But, i will keep my eye on the prize... to catch me some Dragon Mice, and prepare my assault on Zugzwang's Tower.
Well... to be fair... Cyberball also came along and distracted me some, but i digress. I am sure most readers who come across this blog are familiar with Facebook and the innumerable number of distractions (i.e. games) that are available through that social network. My preferred particular pill of addiction is MouseHunt. Even though i do not just add 'friends' willy nilly there, i do have a handful of MouseHunt 'only' friends (well, not entirely true, two are fellow parents of ASD children - so we have that in common), and through one such friend i learned of an unofficial Dragon hunt coming up in two weeks. Basically, a guys (or Doms - as in Dominators) versus Gals (Divas) competition to catch a fairly difficult mouse - the Dragon Mouse (duh!). What makes it hard is that it is in a remote region of the map that requires time and patience to reach, then it takes time and patience to gather up the supplies to obtain the ingredients to craft the the special cheeses that help you catch mice that drop the ingredients for the next mouse, which drops things needed for the next group of mice who in turn... you guessed it drops loot/ingredients for the group of mice that include the elusive Dragon Mouse. And then, this fellow is not a sure catch. While i am not certain what the exact ratio of hunts to misses to actual catches (some hunts will gather the other mice and not your intended target). I know this may sound odd... but this is exactly what draws me to this game. It is not possible to just go there and do this or that. Anyway, even though i do not yet qualify to join the Dragon Dominators (i have not captured enough of the beasts yet) i have decided to go ahead and do the hunt on my own just for fun. Who knows... maybe i can get lucky and get the blueprints for yet another trap! One distraction will be the game's 3rd birthday celebration. But, i will keep my eye on the prize... to catch me some Dragon Mice, and prepare my assault on Zugzwang's Tower.Speaking of dragons... I have been itching to reread The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Reading is, for me, is immersion in imagination. My mind is completely absorbed by what i am reading. I think it's tied into the male's ability to completely blank out the mind. I still remember reading about Bilbo and the Dwarves on their adventures. 
Then the hand off to Frodo and the Fellowship of the Ring. I think it is why i often need to "rewash" my mind with the Bible from time to time. To keep the gospel colored lenses in place and properly filtering what i "see". The actual reason for this blip of topic is that i saw that the theatrical versions of the Lord of the Rings (which are NOT complete adaptations of the book... if they were they would have easily been 20+ hours long) on Blu Ray. I'm telling you, after seeing the dingy gray of The Book of Eli on Blu Ray i am in geeky hi-def heaven (lower case H). However, i am NOT going to be getting the theatrical versions of those movies. The extended versions are just SO much better in my opinion.
Then the hand off to Frodo and the Fellowship of the Ring. I think it is why i often need to "rewash" my mind with the Bible from time to time. To keep the gospel colored lenses in place and properly filtering what i "see". The actual reason for this blip of topic is that i saw that the theatrical versions of the Lord of the Rings (which are NOT complete adaptations of the book... if they were they would have easily been 20+ hours long) on Blu Ray. I'm telling you, after seeing the dingy gray of The Book of Eli on Blu Ray i am in geeky hi-def heaven (lower case H). However, i am NOT going to be getting the theatrical versions of those movies. The extended versions are just SO much better in my opinion.
So the NFL and NFLPA have extended the deadline for the collective bargaining agreement. I am glad, but i am also losing interest in who gets what. I just want to see the Panthers play in 2011. I would like to see if Coach Rivera can string back to back winning seasons. Not another run at the NFC South or even the NFC championships would be nice... but for me... i would like to see consistent winning in back to back seasons. That would make me happy... even if it was 9-7 and 9-7 with no playoffs in either season.I have finally posted another chapter for my short story series. 
This one is about 750 words, and is not even a portion of the 6,800+ word thread i had mentioned not too long ago. For some reason that is a double edged sword for me... both discouraging (because i have not posted the new thread yet), and encouraging because i finally posted something after an almost 8 month undesired hiatus. Even though the two story lines intertwine... i am feeling compelled to leave the second thread on the side line for some reason. Maybe for me to understand the background and use it to write the other thread? In any event, it feels good to be writing and posting stories once more. I even have an idea of how to progress a pair of older characters...
Well, this was supposed to post Tuesday evening, but it didn't so i am going to ramble on for a little while longer.
Had an odd argument this morning over the term "Hooah", you know the motivated response to most questions in the military. This gentlemen insisted that it derives from acronym HUA, which means Heard, Understood, and Acknowledged. While that is a possibility, there is evidence that the term may have originated as far back as the American Civil War. I found a pretty decent response to the question at About.com. All in all, no one can agree where it originated, but it is something unique to the American military (apparently). 
The discussion reminded me of the time i talked with DS1 about my opinion on "Year 0" - or in how the 21st century did not begin until the year 2001, and not the year 2000. Basically i feel that there are way too many people out there who know what they know because they know it and they are not interested in dissenting opinions or sources of information. I lump myself into that category from time to time as well. it not just "those people" who have that issue... i struggle with it too.
A major disrespect of our aging veterans has been taking place in my opinion. Recently the last American veteran of WWI past away (Frank Buckles), and Congress and the House of Representatives have failed to pay proper respects for this man and those who he fought alongside. We have memorials for WWII, Korea and Vietnam.
I am not saying that this man by himself deserves any special recognition, but it is the passing of a generation of veterans who served and sacrificed for this nation as well as for our friends and allies in Europe. Both France and England paid honor to the passing of their last veteran of the "Great War", and France is even sending a high ranking delegation to attend whatever we see fit to pay tribute. If this is how we treat those who volunteer and sacrifice... i fear for our future. Unless hard work and sacrifice are honored and rewarded, we will continue to drift into mediocrity. Our time as a world leader is waning... and perhaps... that is for the best.
A quick note about my current struggles with depression before i wrap up for this week. I have been on Celexa for a little over three weeks. I noticed almost an immediate improvement of my demeanor. I am very happy with the results... but also nervous. On three occasions i failed to remember to take the Rx first thing in the morning (i moved it to the AM to help me sleep better a night, a known side affect). and i noticed pretty quickly a difference. I sure hope this becomes an ingrained habit soon.
This one is about 750 words, and is not even a portion of the 6,800+ word thread i had mentioned not too long ago. For some reason that is a double edged sword for me... both discouraging (because i have not posted the new thread yet), and encouraging because i finally posted something after an almost 8 month undesired hiatus. Even though the two story lines intertwine... i am feeling compelled to leave the second thread on the side line for some reason. Maybe for me to understand the background and use it to write the other thread? In any event, it feels good to be writing and posting stories once more. I even have an idea of how to progress a pair of older characters...Well, this was supposed to post Tuesday evening, but it didn't so i am going to ramble on for a little while longer.
Had an odd argument this morning over the term "Hooah", you know the motivated response to most questions in the military. This gentlemen insisted that it derives from acronym HUA, which means Heard, Understood, and Acknowledged. While that is a possibility, there is evidence that the term may have originated as far back as the American Civil War. I found a pretty decent response to the question at About.com. All in all, no one can agree where it originated, but it is something unique to the American military (apparently). The discussion reminded me of the time i talked with DS1 about my opinion on "Year 0" - or in how the 21st century did not begin until the year 2001, and not the year 2000. Basically i feel that there are way too many people out there who know what they know because they know it and they are not interested in dissenting opinions or sources of information. I lump myself into that category from time to time as well. it not just "those people" who have that issue... i struggle with it too.A major disrespect of our aging veterans has been taking place in my opinion. Recently the last American veteran of WWI past away (Frank Buckles), and Congress and the House of Representatives have failed to pay proper respects for this man and those who he fought alongside. We have memorials for WWII, Korea and Vietnam.
I am not saying that this man by himself deserves any special recognition, but it is the passing of a generation of veterans who served and sacrificed for this nation as well as for our friends and allies in Europe. Both France and England paid honor to the passing of their last veteran of the "Great War", and France is even sending a high ranking delegation to attend whatever we see fit to pay tribute. If this is how we treat those who volunteer and sacrifice... i fear for our future. Unless hard work and sacrifice are honored and rewarded, we will continue to drift into mediocrity. Our time as a world leader is waning... and perhaps... that is for the best.A quick note about my current struggles with depression before i wrap up for this week. I have been on Celexa for a little over three weeks. I noticed almost an immediate improvement of my demeanor. I am very happy with the results... but also nervous. On three occasions i failed to remember to take the Rx first thing in the morning (i moved it to the AM to help me sleep better a night, a known side affect). and i noticed pretty quickly a difference. I sure hope this becomes an ingrained habit soon.
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