Being thankful, Day #2

Today, i would like to express my thankfulness for DS1.  I still remember vividly the day my Beloved told me she was possibly pregnant.  I was working the midnight shift at a Ops Center, and trying to carry a full load of college credits.  She was working full time as well.  I was really tired and having a hard time sleeping during the day, so i was really beat.  I am listening to the shower running, and i am almost asleep when she walked in and tells me, "I might be pregnant.  Go back to sleep."

Hahaha - there was no way i was going to sleep that day.  We went to the doctor together, etc.  It was truly life changing.  We had a really hard time picking his name.  His name now is the first name we both agreed on, and in a lot of ways i feel that it really does fit him.  Ever since he was born he has been strong willed.  While we had a lot of trouble parenting him when he was 3, and we jokingly say that he was lucky to survive his 12th year, he has truly matured into a fine young man.  It is really wonderful to see all the things God is doing in his life.  I continue to pray for him, that God would sustain him, and help him as he grows up.

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Despite my statements to the contrary... this blog has fallen into disuse... that has not been intentional.  I am in a new season of life.  I changed my position at work, the kids are growing older so there are changes there.  Both Thing 1, and Thing 3 are on soccer teams, and Thing 2 we continue to grow with and learn from.  All the while my Beloved and i continue to grow together.  Life never seems to slow down... and my own father says that it just speeds up!  *sigh*  But i don't want it to speed up.  Well, since it has been a 'coons age since my last update, i guess i will just bring things up to date about me...

Let's see - Soccer, or futbol as it is known elsewhere in the world, takes up a lot of my time.  DS1 plays for his High School team and my DD3 plays on a traveling team.  They both love to play, but it is a serious commitment to their parents in getting them to and from practices and games.  Well, not as much for the H.S. level, but the traveling team has 3 practices a week, and some times games on both days of a weekend.  One thing i have noticed is that both of them are not... a part of the "in" clique of their teams, or in school.  I am OK with that personally, but sometimes i worry about them.  I guess that stems from my own experiences at their age.

The driving all over God's creation has been a big contributor to less free time, which directly impacts my writing time.  Not just blog writing, but my short stories as well.  While i have written a few chapters, i am not near as prolific as i used to be, obviously.  I have been able to keep up with some reading though.  I am still in the middle of about 4 different books though.  I finally finished the "Path of the Eldar" series.  Very well done.  I enjoyed each and every page, and i read just this morning that Gav Thorpe is looking in to an Audio book as well.  Very cool.

I am not sure if i mentioned this in the few blog posts i had late last year, and (much) earlier this year, but i am a fan of Cam Newton.  He came on strong last year and set all kind of NFL rookie records, etc.  This year he has struggled some, but i think that is somewhat normal.  He is finding his niche within the game and still feel he will settle in to be the best quarterback the Carolina Panthers have ever had.  Only time will tell.  Despite a 6-10 record last year, and what very well could be worse this season, i think the team is on the right track overall.  Basically, i have been a fan of the Panthers since the league announced the franchise being awarded to Charlotte, i have stayed with the team through a 1-15 season... and i will stay with them through these trying times as well. A side note/observation - no team named after a predatory cat (Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars) has ever won the Super Bowl.  As a matter of fact, only two of them have ever played in the Super Bowl (the Bengals and Panthers), so, while i will remain a die hard Carolina Panthers fan - i will now be rooting for each and everyone of the Big Cat teams!  Unless they are playing the Panthers that is.

With the plethora of time i have, i restarted fallout 3 with a brand new character.  I can't stand not finishing things, and i hate starting things in the middle, so... I am also going to try and journal my 'journey'.  Why?  Well, i really like the game, even after having it for four years now, and i like to write.

Since i last blogged dear reader, i have found two new TV shows that i like, and an "old" one i have finally discovered.  The "old" one is 'The Big Bang Theory'.  I have several people tell me that they couldn't believe i was not already watching it.  But, i did give it a try once and i found it too in my face regarding things about boys and girls "hooking up".  Maybe i am just getting calloused to it, but i really enjoy it now.  I especially like how Stuart is becoming a regular on the show this season.  The two new shows are 'Arrow' on The CW, and 'Revolution' on NBC.  'Arrow' because it is based on the DC Comics character, the Green Arrow.  'Revolution', well, because it was a post-apocalyptic scenario where the power goes out all across the world.  Both of these shows are less than ten episodes on, but i am interested enough to record them and watch them as i can... usually in 10-15 minute intervals.  I am like them both quite a bit.

OK, i am not sure if these are decent updates or not, but it's what i've got for now.  Oh, and i'd like to thank Tulip for her help in making new banners for my blogs.  The one here has been around for a while, but there is a new one for the Fallout 3 blog.  8)  I am slowly trying to spruce things up.

May this find each of you enjoying God's perfect peace and grace as you read this.  No matter how disjointed it comes across.

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Overdue Ramblings

Wow, i cannot remember the last time i blogged... and i am too lazy to go back and find out while typing this one up so... i am just going to go with it.  This one may be long in the tooth as i have several notes i dropped into an unpublished blog entry - which is not being converted into one i am going to (actually) publish.  So let us begin, shall we.

Some time back i mentioned that i was going to do a "Dragon Hunt" in my favorite Facebook game, MouseHunt.  Wow, it was a miserable failure!  LOL - i had 50 pieces of bait, i attracted the beast 14 times, and caught it exactly 0 (zero) times!  That's right, none, nil, nada, zilch, diddly squat!  LOL  God is an awesome God.  He has a perfect way to ensure i do not get so full of myself that i lose sight of more important things.  Even when i jest, whenever i boast or talk smack, i get my tucas handed to me.  In this case i was 'boasting' how i was going to do so well with a fellow MouseHunter that is much more experienced than i. This has been true since... well, High School.  RAM, who i play a lot of games with over the years.  We are pretty evenly matched strategically, etc.  When i just "mind the house" and just take care of business i do pretty well, but practically every time in my almost 30 years of knowing him that i boasted and/or talked smack... he thrashes me in the event.  LOL  Maybe it's a mental block on my end... but i honestly believe it is God's grace that allows it.  And this is a good thing.  If i think about it... i will expound on how my praying for patience is working out in my life.  8)

Well, since then i have dove into the Seasonal Garden and Zugzwang's Tower.  While i enjoy the seasonal theme, i get impatient.  Because i am not willing to just throw expensive Super Brie at attracting the mice (it costs real money, or 4,000+ gold per piece) i tend to get a lot of "failure to attract" (or FTA) results.  This causing the power meter to dribble down 3% each time, while most of the mice you do catch only raise the bar 1% or so.  So it takes me a long time to get the amplifier fully boosted to 150%.  But once that is completed i am able to hit the tower.  I like the overall chess theme and the strategy involved.  What trap to use and when.  What bait and/or base to use and when.  Time is not on your side here.  Each mouse you catch the power bar you worked so hard to charge up out in the garden, drops it a percentage based on the point value of the piece (for example, Pawns drop the meter 1% while Queens drop it 9%).  You also have to catch the pieces in ascending order.  That is, you have to catch 8 pawns before the knights become available, two knights before the Bishops, etc.  However, once you have caught the 8 pawns does not mean they scamper away and hide.  No!  So you can continue to catch mice that you no longer need, all the while trying to catch the ones you do... but your power meter continue to drop with each catch (FTA).  I have made four trips to the tower so far, while my first two trips were decent, catching the King while still having 70+%.  My last trip it was in the 50's before i finally caught the King, but one one trip i stubbornly stayed until the power meter was in the 20's.  The points are great, but not as much gold to be made.  Still, this is my favorite area so far.

A week or so ago i heard about how a current trend is for churches to have some kind of door prize or raffle to draw people in the doors around Easter time.  I can see the arguments about wanting to get people in the door that normally don't attend church, especially around Easter.  Overall i do not agree with the practice.  I feel that it sends the wrong message overall.  I am not saying that God does not use it, or that He won't or wouldn't use it - because God can use anything of course.  In the end, i pray that God does use it.  The most important thing is the sharing of the Gospel, and that it takes root.

I have finally caved.  I took DD3 to Pet Smart and bought her a new fish tank and some fish.  I am just not willing to cave and get a dog, or even a cat.  My beloved and DS1 are highly allergic to cats, and dogs need to be walked and cleaned up after.  No amount of promises that "i will clean up, i will feed" were going to sway me because i know who in the end would be doing such tasks.  I like fish, even with the containment of mess, etc. not taken into account.  There is something pretty peaceful and fun to just sit and stare at them.

While i was watching a show on cable the other day i saw a commercial for "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles"... WHAT?!?  AWESOME!  LOL  I already own the series on DVD, however, i plan on watching it on the Sci-Fi channel just to encourage it in syndication.  8)  I feel Fox really did not do right by this series, and i am pretty sure that it will not make a comeback.  This show is just one of many that i liked that did not enjoy a long run.  Space: Above and Beyond and Max Headroom immediately came to mind.

So, 12-Apr was the 150th anniversary of the start of hostilities between the North and the South of the United States of America.  I believe it is called a "sesquicentennial"... boy that is a mouth full.  Lately DS2 has been showing an interest in seeing a reenactment.  It's not the soldiers he is most interested in, but the muskets for some reason.  He has been wanting me to take him to one for almost a year now, so... i am going to be more actively engaged in trying to find one close to home.  It really shouldn't be as hard as i am making it living this close to the Mason-Dixon line and all.  Oh, and if you can... i HIGHLY recommend Ken Burns' "The Civil War" special that first aired on PBS.  An excellent work in my opinion.

Ok, i am finally going to wrap this up.  One thing that has 'hindered' my blogging has been a tare i have been having writing my short stories.  All told i am pretty sure i've put down over 10k words.  All three of my story lines have moved some.  One has not been "published" (i.e. posted to my short stories blog site, not ink and paper), but the other two have moved along nicely.  i have even taken some decent notes on where to go with all three at this point, so in a way... even if it means my blogging "suffers" (and judging from the number of readers... it will not be missed too terribly) so i can get more writing done.

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Wednesday Wickedness - 20110209

Hi and welcome to Wednesday Wickedness! We are like other memes in that we will ask you ten questions each and every Wednesday. But our little "twist" is that each week we will pick a famous person and pick ten of their quotes. Each of our questions will be based on the quotes. Got it? Great! Let's
begin this week's meme!


I know this is a week late, and is probably not as "current events", but... it is what it is.

Today we picked Charlie Sheen. Here's Wednesday Wickedness!

1. As kids we're not taught how to deal with success; we're taught how to deal with failure. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. If at first you succeed, then what?

What is something in which that you did not expect to succeed, but ultimately you were successful?

The National Guard.  When i first enlisted it was because all of the full time jobs had stopped interviewing me.  Understandable since i never kept a job longer than three months, and the companies were beginning to detect a pattern.  It was my intention to join for the least amount of time (which was 3 years active reserve, 5 inactive ready reserve) and then move on with my life.  Within those first three years i obtained my GED, was planning on attending community college, was on the books with the guard for some high speed training, and had been promoted to Sergeant.  Not unheard of, but nothing to sneeze at either.  In the end it turned into a twenty two year semi-career that saw me in the roll of First Sergeant for a time.

2. Dad kept us out of school, but school comes and goes. Family is forever.

What do you think about home schooling?

I think home schooling is an great option - but only for those where the parents are diligent and ensuring the students are learning and progressing, and where the students are willing and able to learn in such an environment.  It is NOT for everyone.  It also allows for the customization to help facilitate advanced learning in specific areas if such an aptitude exists. It also allows for an increased focus on deficient areas of skill.  While the Public School systems do strive very hard to allow for both of these, it is often very difficult for the teachers and aides within the system to be able to adjust for all students.  It is my understanding that in order to maintain the highest level of education a certain middle ground must be maintained in order to provide for the broadest range of students attending.  Now, having said all that - school teachers, of all grade levels, whether in the public or private sector, and this includes special needs teachers, and the aides of all teachers... they have my utmost respect.  Often a huge burden is placed upon their shoulders, often with insufficient funding, and they put everything they have into their jobs and their students.  Teachers, in my opinion, are often WAY underpaid for all that they do.  May God richly bless each and everyone of you.

3. I just didn't believe I was like everybody else. I thought I was unique.

What makes you unique?

My DNA, my fingerprints, and i am pretty sure my retinas too.  Oh, you meant what about my personality makes me unique?  I honestly have no idea.  AS far as i know, there is nothing new under the sun.

4. I just don't want to live like I used to. And at some point, I'm going to put a gag order on myself in terms of talking about the past. I've got to slam the door and deal with the present and the future.

When you meet someone, how much of your past do you reveal?

Well, unless it comes up in conversation, and is relevant, i am not seeing why any of it should be revealed.  To be honest i do not remember most of my childhood, nor do i care to.  Even now i do not dwell on even recent past events.  The past is the past and cannot be undone.  Learn what you can from it and move on.

5. I saw 28 Days. I don't remember rehab being like a day camp or being that funny. Rehab is a dumping ground. It's a big landfill.

Has rehab helped either you or a member of your family?

I attended AL-ANON a couple of times.  I don't remember if i got anything out of it (Thank you for trying H.P.).  I do have a member of my family who is attending Narcotics Anonymous.  He is extremely diligent in making sure he attends the meetings and talks with his... i can't remember the name, but like an accountability partner.  He also volunteers to help others and try and steer them to support groups and treatments.  In the end, he loves his wife and children very much, and works very hard for them.  So, yes.  rehab has helped me and a member of my family.

6. I still don't have all the answers. I'm more interested in what I can do next than what I did last.

Do you dwell on your past?

Please refer to question # 4.

7. I think what drove me insane for a long time is feeling like I hadn't earned most of what I achieved because it came so fast.

Have you ever profited from something that at the time you felt that you did not earn?

Aside from salvation in Christ?  DS1, aka LONG SHANKS, is a marvel to me.  Despite of all of my many faults and failures as a father (i once yelled at him to stop crying), he has been growing up a strong and self motivated young man.  He is consistently on the honor roll,he is regularly honored by his teachers, and he deeply wants to learn more about his Lord Jesus and be involved with things around the church.  I know i have not earned such a son, it is only by God's amazing grace and the Holy Spirit working in and through him.

8. I've got volumes on how not to behave. I've got more information now than a guy should have at my age.

Have you ever behaved in a way that you should not have?

All too often.  Just this morning actually (at the time of me writing this).  Despite my best efforts i screw up all the time.  A lot of people refer to the innate goodness of man.  I disagree with that generous statement of both myself, and my fellow mankind.  Yes, there are times when people reach down and help each other, but if you look at the heart of each man, woman, and child, you will see a selfishness that will override such charity should the person's idols be threatened. None of us behave the way we should all of the time. "For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23, ESV)  and "Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. (Psalm 127:1a, ESV)"

9. The paramedic called the press and sold me like a loaf of bread. This was news, and he wanted to be the one to report it.

Have you ever been in an ambulance? If not, have you ever been present when an ambulance was used?

Once that i remember.  Not sure why now that i think back on it.  I had broken my collarbone and my mom had called the paramedics (this was before 911).  I have been very fortunate in that my family has not needed emergency services very often - so far.  Another underpaid profession in my opinion.

10. Uncertainty is a sign of humility, and humility is just the ability or the willingness to learn.

Is there any uncertainty in your life at the present time? In the past?

Each day is a gift.  The only certain thing in life is uncertainty.  I am not a chaos theorist or anything, but when is anyone ever 100% certain about anything?  While i like order and symmetry and predictability... i have come to realize i will never be comfortable this side of heaven because "everything in the universe is on schedule, and everything in the universe is subject to change".

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Music Monday - 20110207

When i took LONG SHANKS to the Youth group meeting at church last week i had gone with the intention of adding to my on-going story line.  I shouldn't have gotten on-line if i had honestly wanted to get any writing done, but i did.  In the long run i am glad that i did, but i didn't get any writing done.

I came upon a slide show presented by Together for the Gospel on Facebook. The song moved me deeply and though i needed to use it for my weekly (well, it supposed to be weekly) Music Monday post.   You see, i feel we humans really do see our own contribution to the Savior's suffering and death far too superficially.  I am not saying we remain there, merely that we take an honest look at exactly what our rebellion meant to the very One who created us, who breathed life into us.  For me, when i do this... i feel the joy and immense freedom His supreme sacrifice on behalf conveys.

O Great God

Sovereign Grace Music

Album:  Valley of Vision - August 2006

Verse 1

O great God of highest heaven

Occupy my lowly heart

Own it all and reign supreme

Conquer every rebel power

Let no vice or sin remain

That resists Your holy war

You have loved and purchased me

Make me Yours forevermore

Verse 2

I was blinded by my sin

Had no ears to hear Your voice

Did not know Your love within

Had no taste for heaven’s joys

Then Your Spirit gave me life

Opened up Your Word to me

Through the gospel of Your Son

Gave me endless hope and peace

Verse 3

Help me now to live a life

That’s dependent on Your grace

Keep my heart and guard my soul

From the evils that I face

You are worthy to be praised

With my every thought and deed

O great God of highest heaven

Glorify Your Name through me

Songwriters: Mark Altrogge, Stephen Altrogge, Peter Gagnon, Bob Kauflin, Doug Plank, and Pat Sczebel

This week i would like to include a poem by John Piper.

Doubly Relieved

My patient Comforter, my God,
     My Life, my Breath, my holy Zeal,
My soul is doubly sorrowful:
     That I still sin against your Seal,
And sinning cause my Sovereign grief.
     I know it is your holy way
To make your grief serve perfect joy,
      But I still pray, O bring the day
When, in the twinkling of an eye,
     My soul will doubly be relieved:
I will not ever sin again,
     And you will nevermore be grieved.
by John Piper

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Microfiction, the Carolina Panthers, and other random topics

Susan, over at Stony River, has a weekly writing challenge called Microfiction Monday.  She provides a picture and you provide a story to go with it in 140 characters or less.  It's a lot of fun, and a little bit challenging.  I had mine all typed up and ready to go for this week, but i have no idea where it got off to... so, here it is for this week... a day late, and a dollar short...

Yes, we are doing cheese now... no sir, it does not contain any petro... yes sir, it has been tested by the. F.. I'm sure if you just... *sigh*, ok, thank you for your time.

I "met" Susan through her blog, or she "found" me through mine... i can't remember.  What we have in common, other than enjoying to write (although she is MUCH more serious, and better, than i am), we both have Autistic children.  I enjoy reading her material, and she also has a lot of great links to help aspiring writers.  Both with tips, but also submission leads.  If you enjoy writing, i highly encourage you to check out her blog at Stony River: A Writing Life.

Hoozah!  The 2010 regular NFL season is finally over for the Carolina Panthers.  Normally, i would be disappointed that it was over before a single game of the playoffs have been played, but this was a particularly hard season to muscle through as a fan.  At 2-14 there were very few highlights to enjoy.  I thought it was good for the Panthers organization to finally make it official that Coach Fox would not be returning.  It's something that has been speculated for over a year now.  Still, i think it is a shame.  Coach Fox has literally been the best coach the Panthers have ever had, and the only one with greater than .500 record.  He will be missed, at least by me.  I have no idea what the future holds for the NFL right now, but with everything in limbo... i do not have very high hopes for the 2011 football season either.  I just hope John Kasay is still kicking the ball through the uprights for them.  At least for another season or two, but definitely for as long as God continues to give him strength.  (A nice article with the same sentiments over at the Charlotte Observer: What Does Kasay's future hold?)The Panthers do have the #1 draft pick in April, and everyone seems to think that Andrew Luck is the real deal... but how many times have i heard that before.  Only God knows for sure.  But, i admit... the writers have me excited about the possibility.

Speaking of the Panthers... i have been wanting to make a football fan pilgrimage to Charlotte since they started playing in 1995, but i've always allowed other life priorities to bump my dream to the back burner.  This year, with my beloved's blessing,i hope to make a game (assuming there is a season in 2011... if not 2011, then 2012) next year.  At first i made an arbitrary decision to go to whichever game they wear their alternate blue jerseys... but now i see they will be playing the Washington Redskins in Charlotte... my father has been literally a lifelong Washington Redskins fan... so... i think i will try and take him with me.  At least that is the plan as of 3-January-2011.  We shall see.

2011 kind of limped on in for me this year.  I was broadsided with some kind of serious cold/bronchitis/flu deal.  Lots of fatigue, lots of congestion, and now some serious head congestion.  First time i ever had chest congestion move up into the head.  it is usually in reverse.  Mucinex and Alka-Seltzer Cold are my best buddies right now.  Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, Oh what a relief it is, fast, FAST, FAST!  

My oldest, LONG-SHANKS, recently experienced a loss of a schoolmate.  It was not someone he was close with, but he did know of him and he knew of my son.  DS1 is closer with the other student who was in the care with this young man.  As a parent, i struggle a lot with how to best lead each of my children.  DS1 is not very similar to DS2, not is he very similar to my DD3 (being a male versus female aside).  Each child is unique and requires unique approaches, but even so... i was (and still am) not really sure what to say. I did go with him to a small get together with their teammates.  I have related with him that while i do not know everything he is thinking, or going through, i did experience something similar when a cousin with whom i was somewhat close to, was murdered (i was a little older than my son is now).  Teens today are different than when i was one... and they will be different if/when my son has a teenager... but... by God's grace, i can only hope i am help shape him into a man of God, who is a true Christian.  Life is hard, life is not fair, but God is always there... and i just pray that he sees this... and that the family of this young man, who tragically has to deal with this loss, my feel some of God's grace and peace... i know i would never be able to survive such a loss without it.

I know this is sort of a down point to wrap up with... but if life has taught me one thing... it is to really do the best you can to balance all things as best you can (Ecclesiastes 3)... be open to the Holy Spirit and God's grace (both for others AND yourself)... and really do NOT take a single day of your life for granted.  We are not guaranteed a tomorrow, and you never know when either someone else's (or even your own) tomorrow is going to be canceled.  Never miss an opportunity to stop and smell the roses or tell someone you love them (and this begins with God).

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Ramble, ramble, ramble

I am not sure how to put this... i am feeling a little guilt about not being in similar situations as some of my friends... Friend #1... he was unemployed for, well a really long time.  His wife has been needing to become a stay at home mom due to diabetes, etc. so she could get it under control.  He finally started a new job, after obtaining his Master's degree in history, as a truck driver.  Being a truck driver is a noble and highly needed profession, but it takes him away form his family several nights a week - and obviously it is not in the field he went to school and lost sleep over assignments for.  To top it all off... they are not sure the salary will be enough.  Friend #2... is the manager of a store for a national retail chain.  He is a hardworking, dedicated, and loyal to a fault.  He has worked 50+ weeks, with no over or comp time... for a 'coons age.  He gets up early, works late, packs a bag lunch, his wife has had to work, just for them to make ends meet. 
Friend #3... also has his Master's degree, and some progress on a Doctorate, but life has thrown him a curve.  He now is a Chef, an "ambassador chef" for different food companies, he has done battle field tours at two different Civil War battlefields, he has sold prints and framing, is a a food services equipment tester (and as a result i now have a really nice grill that he tested and blogged about for the manufacturer), he writes food related articles for a local newspaper, and does at least two other types of part time jobs.  He is also partly responsible for helping my Beloved re-enter the work force.  Each of these friends struggle financially, and from what i can tell - for the most part - they are each fiscally responsible.  I, on the other hand, am a high school dropout.  I "feel" into my job... and i have been able to provide an income so that my beloved, until recently, could stay at home with the chilluns.  We were not able to put a lot of money away... far less than the recommended amounts, but we've kept out of credit card debt, we have a nice house, and for the most part have never had any serious financial troubles.  I do not say all of this to proclaim i am some sort of genius at financial matters, nor am i saying i am even very good at either my job or my management techniques.  But i sometimes wonder... why me?  All three of these guys have done the college thing.  They were careful in jobs.  They are all responsible men who seek after God.  I, on the other hand, tend to be "C'est la vie" - what will be will be... and i know it is not because of that.  It is things like this that, in my mind, make the case, it is all of grace.  Because one man prospers and another struggles, that is no indicator of how good or (un)worthy a (wo)man is.

-=-=-=0=-=-=-

I have finally completed my initial run through the ground floor of the "King's Gauntlet" in MouseHunt.  I have no one to blame but myself on the tedium of my initial run because i opted to stock up 1,000 pieces of cheese in order to get as good a stock pile of the Tier 2 potions (used to make the cheese for the next level in the Gauntlet) as i possibly could.  You see, you cannot hunt on the next level until you have captured a mouse that drops a potion, which then needs to be used on some cheese to make potions for that level, and so on so forth all the way up to Tier 8.  My results for my Tier 1 run has been:

208 Wound Up White mice, 187 Toy Sylvan mice,  187 Hapless Marionette mice, 121 Sock Puppet Ghost mice, 96  Clockwork Samurai mice, 17  Puppet Master mice and 172 Tier II potions

The potions in turn are then used to make 6 pieces of Tier II cheese if you use Super Brie cheese (a cheese rewarded for financial support of the game, and rarely dropped as prizes from certain mice within the game), or 4 pieces of Tier II cheese when using the much more common Swiss Cheese.  The trick is to balance the attraction, strength, luck, etc.  The higher the luck the higher the drop rate of potions... but then the cheese goes stale more often, etc.  Sad thing is... this is exactly what keeps drawing me to this game.

Some recent changes to the game have been an additional area for some of the more veteran MouseHunters (MiceHunters?) is Zugzwang's Tower.  I am looking forward to eventually hitting that place (in probably a year from now) if for no other reason than it has a Chess theme! A while back i picked up a trap called Zugzwang's Last Move, a tactical-type trap.  It shows a couple of pawns and other pieces on a chess-board type base.  I bought it, even though i had a more powerful trap already, just because of the appearance!  Well, when the time comes i am going to have to smash it (which means i will be buying another one, just to have them both) to create Zugzwang's First Move.  Since i was in counseling, living in New York City with my father (to help me deal with the divorce, the custody battle, and my mother attempting suicide), i have had a thing for chess.  I remember playing a game with my counselor and winning (i am sure it was because her head was not in the game), and i even played some with my father - who as far as i am concerned... is a pretty good chess player.When i was on active duty a fellow soldier helped me improve some.  I play on Facebook, but i am a lousy player.  I am sure THUMPER, if he is not already, will be a better player than me (he used to play in the chess club at school).

So far i have found a countryside theme, a woodland theme, a graveyard/undead theme, a scientific theme, and a mining theme.  All of them are really interesting (to me).  I am also getting ready to embark on a nautical theme.  In all i have only caught roughly half (127 of 255) of the various breeds of 'regular' mice and only 4 of the 23 special event mice.  But it's not just mice that you can collect. 
There are a wide variety of traps and bases to collect, and not just because one might want to (such as with me and Zugzwang's Last Move - aka ZLM).  Each trap piece has different characteristics that are useful in different situations.  Then there are cheese types (this should get CHEF excited - if he actually ever read my blog) such as Cheddar, Swiss, Gouda, Gnarly, Ancient, Cherry, and many, MANY more.  If the expected trap components and bait options aren't enough or expected, there are then "collectibles" to bu hunted and found.  An ancient Mouse Hunter called Plankrun wrote a journal that has since been lost to time.  Pages of it can be found throughout the kingdom.  But all of it takes TIME and patience.  Even if you know where to find something, that does not mean you will find it right away.  You have to position yourself to be successful, and then patient enough to obtain it.  Fun for the whole family!

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It is hard to believe that it has been five years since Hurricane Katrina struck.  I still remember the smell and sights.  Incredible images of billboards blown to 90 degree angles, yachts sitting in the middle of the woods as if they had just been built and left there until the forest grew up around them, five story casinos that were designed to float on the water... moved inland 200 - 300 yards and plopped in the middle of the highway.  The skeletal remains of buildings (God spared me from seeing the human kind).  Words cannot describe... even pictures fail to grasp the scope or the level of destruction.  How can a picture, even from a helicopter or airplane capture hundreds of miles of destruction?  There is so much still left to do.  Please keep the gulf coast in your prayers, and if you feel so led... contribute money or time to help them to continue their rebuilding efforts.  When i saw  the New Orleans Saints make that push into the playoffs last year... they became my "heart favorite" for the year.  Habitat for Humanity is still there, and many many other organizations.  Seek out ways to help.  If not there... then look around your own towns and neighborhoods.  "For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them."  (Mark 14:7a, ESV)

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Well, it is finally September... and to me this ushers in the best time of the year.  Not only is is the doorway into Fall, but it is the start of the American Football season!  The Carolina Panthers allowed most of their "seasoned" players go - either free agency, or out right release.  I can't remember the total number of players over the age of 30... but it's not a lot.  Coach Fox has never made a big deal out of the pre-season, and to be honest, i am usually not one to get all bent out of shape.  I have seen Super Bowl winners go 0-4 in the preseason the year they won the Super Bowl, but in the era of ESPN-type hype... There is one writer i like to read when it comes to the Panthers.  Scott Fowler for the Charlotte Observer.  Anywho... The Panthers' Offense and Special Teams have looked woeful.  Even my favorite Panther player, the last original Panther, John Kasay has missed an extra point and a 25 yard field goal.  In 42 Offensive possessions of the ball this pre-season... they have had 0 touchdowns!  Now, i do not want to read too much into this, but Steve Smith and Jonathon Stewart have been sidelined all pre-season... and that is a good thing... but i am still nervous.  However, the Defense has looked just plain OUTSTANDING!  If the Special Teams can keep from giving up too many big plays, and the Offense can begin to generate some of its own points and not allow turnovers... this could turn out to be a much better season than i am currently hoping for.  I will be very happy with a 9-7 season... and if they do better than that i will be ecstatic.

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I have written before that my Beloved has returned to the work force after fourteen and a half years away from it.  Throughout that time she has been an outstanding mother and wife to our three children.  For Twelve of those years she had to put up with me going away one weekend a month and my two weeks (usually in the summer - during peak vacation time).  She put up with me being away for Hurricane Katrina AND thirteen months of active duty time - during which DD3 was only four months old when i left.  About a year and a half ago i could see signs of her getting antsy.  She was feeling listless, trouble finding direction (so to speak).  She had dived in and really became an advocate for the Autistic children of our area.  She linked up with support groups, helped run them, etc.  She even helped an outreach program find office space and was supposedly on the short list to help run that office, but that never panned out.  She also tried her hand at substitute teaching, and helping run a deli in the evening at a nearby University.  She didn't really enjoy any of them.  But now she has the same job she left all that time back.  The same position, just a little updated with some technology, and she is loving it already.  Want to hear something sad... i am feeling pangs of jealousy.  I experienced this before too.  Not during those other jobs where she felt "uncalled" (for lack of a better word coming to mind), but this particular job.  She shares with me the unfounded rumors of her sleeping with the bosses that many of the old timers seem to spread (and yes, they spread similar rumors about others as well).  I hear her phone conversations with her now boss who used to be her assistant when she left way-back-when, and how well they get along.  I am so happy for her.  I really am... i see how she is diving into this job, and how she is eating up the new things she has to learn (where everything is kept, the computer filing, the order processes, etc.).  She has needed something like this for sometime now... so why am i struggling with jealousy?!?  I have struggled with this in the past... but not with a job situation.

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