1. Saw the Guess Who in concert. Technically, I suppose it was only two original members of the Guess Who, but all the newer people had either been playing with them for decades or had some connection with the group. Anyway, they sounded really, really good. Exceptionally. And my tickets were flat-out great. The whole experience was so exceptional that I have decided that the Guess Who are unjustly shafted in the Best Band of All Time competition. I'm not saying they are, but I think they deserve to be in the same conversation with The Beatles, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and The Rolling Stones, if that sort of thing is your bag. The point is, they couldn't write a not-awesome song if they tried. Even their simple, just rockin' along, no-big-deal songs like Bus Rider are really really good.
2. Went to see the Indiana Fever. I think the Fever might be the best time I've had at any professional sporting event, ever, and that's some strong stuff coming from a guy who was at WrestleMania VIII and saw the Ultimate Warrior's triumphant return to the ring. Our tickets cost $10, and we were somewhere around 14 rows up, and then were able to move down after halftime. The game was really fast-paced, intense, and extremely physical for three quarters. At that point, the Fever were up by 23 and just coasted through the end. After the game, Tamika Catchings stayed for awhile to sign autographs, then came out of her way to give Kelli a high-five and thank us for coming. It's a really cool experience. If there's a WNBA franchise near you, I can't recommend supporting them enough.
3. Went back to work after having a week off. This, in actuality, was not awesome at all. In fact, it was entirely not awesome, to the point that I might have sufficient motivation to get a good job that might actually require a college diploma sometime soon. Hopefully one in Indianapolis, so I can get season tickets to the Fever.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Fit is really a terrible name for it.
Yesterday, I went on an epic trek to Richmond in search of Mario Kart Wii. I had it on good authority that a shipment was coming in at my favorite video game store, and that it would be there between 11:00 and 12:00, and that I could get one held for me if I showed up. Naturally, I had to take advantage of such an offer, considering the degree of difficulty I've had in locating the game.
Well, to make a long story short, the shipment was short a game, and the other two people they were holding games for stayed in the store while I did shopping elsewhere, so my two hour wait in Richmond was for naught... or was it? The shopkeeper informed me that he did have one copy of the equally impossible to find Wii Fit. Rather than go home empty handed, I decided to give the odd little exercise program thing a try.
First, Wii Fit is decidedly much less exciting than Mario Kart. In fact, there is no racing or turtle shell flinging to be seen, so really, if you've got a hankerin to play some Mario Kart, you don't really want Wii Fit. It's just not going to cut it.
Second, seeing as how I've only had it one day, I'm not really sure I can judge how effective it is at getting people in shape. However, after playing a few of the games, it occurred to me that it was a beautiful day outside and that I might actually enjoy going outside and getting some for real exercise. So that's a plus.
Third, I'm more convinced than ever that the Wii is Japan's twisted vengeance against tall Americans. I first got the clue when I played "Wii Boxing" and my combatant was unable to punch below the chin and threw most of his punches over his opponent's head. Keeping in mind that the first rule of video games is "If you're losing, the controller must be broken," I decided my height worked against me and started spreading my legs way out to make me shorter. Kelli still gave me a solid beatdown though, so I'm still apparently not short enough.
Wii Fit, meanwhile, doesn't fit in my apartment. In order to play, I donned my running shoes and stood up on the three inch balance board and started doing some yoga, specifically the "Half Moon Pose". As soon as I stretched my arms up, my hands hit the ceiling, and I'm now trying to adjust my position so I fit on the board and the little red dot that shows my center of balance is flying all over the place and I end up with a final score of 13/200, and my trainer insulted me. And the strength training where you have to stretch your legs out or do pushups will require some serious furniture moving. Now, I know from watching enough HGTV and The Amazing Race with my dad that there isn't a ton of room in Japanese housing, so I'm assuming that your typical living room gives you plenty of room provided you are not over six feet tall.
So, now I'll have to talk to Kelli about rearranging the living room so that the I will fit in it while using the Wii Fit and try not to think about how perfect my living room set up is for Mario Kart.
Well, to make a long story short, the shipment was short a game, and the other two people they were holding games for stayed in the store while I did shopping elsewhere, so my two hour wait in Richmond was for naught... or was it? The shopkeeper informed me that he did have one copy of the equally impossible to find Wii Fit. Rather than go home empty handed, I decided to give the odd little exercise program thing a try.
First, Wii Fit is decidedly much less exciting than Mario Kart. In fact, there is no racing or turtle shell flinging to be seen, so really, if you've got a hankerin to play some Mario Kart, you don't really want Wii Fit. It's just not going to cut it.
Second, seeing as how I've only had it one day, I'm not really sure I can judge how effective it is at getting people in shape. However, after playing a few of the games, it occurred to me that it was a beautiful day outside and that I might actually enjoy going outside and getting some for real exercise. So that's a plus.
Third, I'm more convinced than ever that the Wii is Japan's twisted vengeance against tall Americans. I first got the clue when I played "Wii Boxing" and my combatant was unable to punch below the chin and threw most of his punches over his opponent's head. Keeping in mind that the first rule of video games is "If you're losing, the controller must be broken," I decided my height worked against me and started spreading my legs way out to make me shorter. Kelli still gave me a solid beatdown though, so I'm still apparently not short enough.
Wii Fit, meanwhile, doesn't fit in my apartment. In order to play, I donned my running shoes and stood up on the three inch balance board and started doing some yoga, specifically the "Half Moon Pose". As soon as I stretched my arms up, my hands hit the ceiling, and I'm now trying to adjust my position so I fit on the board and the little red dot that shows my center of balance is flying all over the place and I end up with a final score of 13/200, and my trainer insulted me. And the strength training where you have to stretch your legs out or do pushups will require some serious furniture moving. Now, I know from watching enough HGTV and The Amazing Race with my dad that there isn't a ton of room in Japanese housing, so I'm assuming that your typical living room gives you plenty of room provided you are not over six feet tall.
So, now I'll have to talk to Kelli about rearranging the living room so that the I will fit in it while using the Wii Fit and try not to think about how perfect my living room set up is for Mario Kart.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Hey! Look! A Blog Post!
So I recently just stumbled upon some blog. It's called "The Ballpoint Banana." The tone seems to be largely sarcastic and condescending, but I think it's a style I might be able to mimic, so I thought I'd give it a shot.
I suppose now would be a perfect time to write about why I write a blog and, even more appropriately, why I do not write a blog.
1. Video Games. When I have a host of fun games at my disposal to play, it dominates my time. Always has. I've been playing video games since before I could read, and I do not see this trend slowing at any point. Recently I discovered I have a Grand Theft Auto addiction, and I have finished Grand Theft Auto III, Vice City, and San Andreas since my previous blog post. I am also halfway through Liberty City Stories on my PSP, playing it only when I am on break at work or when Kelli is shopping for shoes or purses and I am bored.
Speaking of Kelli, the Video Game playing has only increased because I purchased a Wii which we now play all the time. Kelli has enjoyed scant few video games, but she loves the Wii. The prospect of playing video games with a girlfriend is simply to awesome to ignore, so many hours have been played in front of the Wii.
On top of all this, I have The Sims Complete Collection that Kelli and I played for a few weeks before we got the Wii (see, finding a video game to play with the significant other has always been a high priority for me), so I have a whole slew of games that I could lavish my attention on. Or I can write boring blog posts, try for a while to make them interesting, fail, and then go play fun video games.
2. Kelli: Kelli, in case you haven't caught on, is my girlfriend, and she represents a dramatic shift in my dating patterns. I have this whole "fear of commitment" issue going on, largely based on the fact that my life is in no way stable, I'm not settled in what I want to be doing long-term, and I can't say where I'll be this time next year. The uncertainty is not conducive for relationships. However, I still enjoy going out with people, so what I would always do was find girlfriends whose company I enjoyed but couldn't see myself being with longterm due to complete psychosis or general dumbness. My coworker Claudia referred to them as "floozies," and I think that's a rather apt description. Kelli, however, is smart, and funny, and sane. She's also accommodating and friendly and good to me. So my mindset has switched from it's default "This will do for now" setting to "Dear God Let's Not Screw This One Up" setting. This new setting takes quite a bit more attention.
3. Lack of conflict: Life is going well right now. I'm rarely, if ever, bored at home. I spend a good chunk of time with my girlfriend. My car has actually been performing as it is supposed to. I'm even lacking on hilariously embarrassing injuries of late, although the massive sunburn on the top of my knee that I incurred while driving home from Cousin Camp this weekend is up there. The only real conflict is from work, and it is mostly alleged, and it would also be most unwise to talk about it on the internets, so I'm not writing about that. Without conflict, there's not much of a story arc, and the blog turns into "The Journal of the Most Boring Person On the Planet". As such, I will probably spend most future entries taking something completely trivial and treating it as the most important problem facing society today, hoping that the disparity between tone and subject matter causes some comedic material. Look for "Wii Boxing: The Japanese Conspiracy Against the Vertically Gifted" in a future entry.
I suppose now would be a perfect time to write about why I write a blog and, even more appropriately, why I do not write a blog.
1. Video Games. When I have a host of fun games at my disposal to play, it dominates my time. Always has. I've been playing video games since before I could read, and I do not see this trend slowing at any point. Recently I discovered I have a Grand Theft Auto addiction, and I have finished Grand Theft Auto III, Vice City, and San Andreas since my previous blog post. I am also halfway through Liberty City Stories on my PSP, playing it only when I am on break at work or when Kelli is shopping for shoes or purses and I am bored.
Speaking of Kelli, the Video Game playing has only increased because I purchased a Wii which we now play all the time. Kelli has enjoyed scant few video games, but she loves the Wii. The prospect of playing video games with a girlfriend is simply to awesome to ignore, so many hours have been played in front of the Wii.
On top of all this, I have The Sims Complete Collection that Kelli and I played for a few weeks before we got the Wii (see, finding a video game to play with the significant other has always been a high priority for me), so I have a whole slew of games that I could lavish my attention on. Or I can write boring blog posts, try for a while to make them interesting, fail, and then go play fun video games.
2. Kelli: Kelli, in case you haven't caught on, is my girlfriend, and she represents a dramatic shift in my dating patterns. I have this whole "fear of commitment" issue going on, largely based on the fact that my life is in no way stable, I'm not settled in what I want to be doing long-term, and I can't say where I'll be this time next year. The uncertainty is not conducive for relationships. However, I still enjoy going out with people, so what I would always do was find girlfriends whose company I enjoyed but couldn't see myself being with longterm due to complete psychosis or general dumbness. My coworker Claudia referred to them as "floozies," and I think that's a rather apt description. Kelli, however, is smart, and funny, and sane. She's also accommodating and friendly and good to me. So my mindset has switched from it's default "This will do for now" setting to "Dear God Let's Not Screw This One Up" setting. This new setting takes quite a bit more attention.
3. Lack of conflict: Life is going well right now. I'm rarely, if ever, bored at home. I spend a good chunk of time with my girlfriend. My car has actually been performing as it is supposed to. I'm even lacking on hilariously embarrassing injuries of late, although the massive sunburn on the top of my knee that I incurred while driving home from Cousin Camp this weekend is up there. The only real conflict is from work, and it is mostly alleged, and it would also be most unwise to talk about it on the internets, so I'm not writing about that. Without conflict, there's not much of a story arc, and the blog turns into "The Journal of the Most Boring Person On the Planet". As such, I will probably spend most future entries taking something completely trivial and treating it as the most important problem facing society today, hoping that the disparity between tone and subject matter causes some comedic material. Look for "Wii Boxing: The Japanese Conspiracy Against the Vertically Gifted" in a future entry.
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