As much as those of my generation (personal computer gaming pioneers) hate to admit, we have neither the time nor potentially the inclination to play games on our computers like we used to when we were young.
So what do we do for a quick game fix? I might play a quick FLASH game.
There are flash game depots all over the web, but I like Armorgames.com and Miniclip.com.
The nice part of Armorgames is that they rate the games and you can sort on rating.
Right now I am playing a FLASH game called Dino Run. It is a retro game where you have to race your dinosaur against the clock. The game puts all sorts of obstacles in your way, holes in the ground, bluffs to climb, other slower dinos, etc.
This game has a wonderfully retro feel - the dino is all pixelated, the soundtrack has a wonderful 8-bit boop-beep sound to it, and the controls are right, left and up. On a console, this would have had one of those non-ergonomic chrome joysticks with the round red ball on the end, and a jump button with a cigarette burn on it, and I would be smelling pizza from the counter.
For simple, entertaining, mindless fun, try Dino Run.
Web Sites Referenced:
http://armorgames.com
http://www.miniclip.com
Friday, July 25, 2008
Saturday, June 14, 2008
A new beginning - a new dog
We just got a new dog. A rescue doggie; 2 years old, mini-dachshund, very cute, very tiny.
We decided that we needed to give our old dog a rest from trying to play and run around and sleep on the bed, etc. After all, she is way up there - 15 years old, I think (maybe older).
A new dog is very exciting for the whole family. The kids like it because they are there from the beginning for this one. Lady, our old dog was already 5 years old or more before son #1 appeared, and even older when small brown child arrived.
Plus, a new dog is a new opportunity to do it right. Train her right, feed her right, just a new page to write on.
Actually, a new dog is full of so much promise. Like a baby, or a new book. You can't help but imagine what it will be like in a few days, a few weeks, a few years. Meanwhile, I have this little brown lump of fur snoring at me and looking up at me with those big brown eyes, and dancing around when I come home.
So off to the doggie lessons and around the block for a break and we will see what happens.
We decided that we needed to give our old dog a rest from trying to play and run around and sleep on the bed, etc. After all, she is way up there - 15 years old, I think (maybe older).
A new dog is very exciting for the whole family. The kids like it because they are there from the beginning for this one. Lady, our old dog was already 5 years old or more before son #1 appeared, and even older when small brown child arrived.
Plus, a new dog is a new opportunity to do it right. Train her right, feed her right, just a new page to write on.
Actually, a new dog is full of so much promise. Like a baby, or a new book. You can't help but imagine what it will be like in a few days, a few weeks, a few years. Meanwhile, I have this little brown lump of fur snoring at me and looking up at me with those big brown eyes, and dancing around when I come home.
So off to the doggie lessons and around the block for a break and we will see what happens.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Wii - Guitar Hero III
Another game that I dig on the Wii - Guitar Hero 3.
This game is particularly enjoyable because when I was younger - back in college, we used to do air guitar contests. Well GH3 is like an air guitar contest, but you have more control over the music. And you can still jump off the furniture.
As an added bonus, anyone my age (40's) probably has 30 years of rock riffs stuffed into their head, so it almost seems like part of your DNA. So this game, which is basically a rhythm game lie clapping to music, is easier for me than my son, who has been listening to crappy rap and does not have the historical background on these rhythms that I do.
The result is that without having to play as much as him, I can make the big scores. Or at least give him some competition.
The Good Part - loud, non-violent fun, and rockin' tunes.
The Bad Part - seems like a lot to pay for the guitar controller when all the real brains is in the wii-mote which you already paid for. Original game disk was non-surround mono. Had to send disk in to get updated version.
If you are willing to spend the bucks, this is a great game. You can play it for a tune or two and then put it down (maybe...) and the gaming experience is not altered significantly.
This game is particularly enjoyable because when I was younger - back in college, we used to do air guitar contests. Well GH3 is like an air guitar contest, but you have more control over the music. And you can still jump off the furniture.
As an added bonus, anyone my age (40's) probably has 30 years of rock riffs stuffed into their head, so it almost seems like part of your DNA. So this game, which is basically a rhythm game lie clapping to music, is easier for me than my son, who has been listening to crappy rap and does not have the historical background on these rhythms that I do.
The result is that without having to play as much as him, I can make the big scores. Or at least give him some competition.
The Good Part - loud, non-violent fun, and rockin' tunes.
The Bad Part - seems like a lot to pay for the guitar controller when all the real brains is in the wii-mote which you already paid for. Original game disk was non-surround mono. Had to send disk in to get updated version.
If you are willing to spend the bucks, this is a great game. You can play it for a tune or two and then put it down (maybe...) and the gaming experience is not altered significantly.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Gaming - Wii and PC (flash)
Like many of you with kids, I have succumbed to the pressure from the squirts and purchased a gaming console - a Wii (OK, it was not hard to convince me, I wanted one too).
But like many of you fathers, I don't have a ton of time to play. So I am constantly on the lookout for games for the Wii, or FLASH games on the PC that I can do in 5 or 10 minutes, or sometimes a little longer.
So here is what is on my hot rotation list right now:
Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection
This game is excellent!
Graphics are good, controls are good (you can bump the table by flicking the nunchuck or the Wii-mote), sound is suitably cheesy.
I think I am looking for games from my youth, and this one is exactly what i am looking for.
There are extensive reviews online, so google it and read them.
All I will say is that this brings back those wasted nights at the arcade. And I am laying some serious smack on my teenage son on the scores. He just does not know all the little tricks, like using the flipper buttons to change the rollover lights at the top of the table.
Hint: Williams always had great options for multi-ball. Learn how to make multi-ball happen and you are on the way to serious scoring.
This game is fun, pretty , uses the Wii controllers really well, and doesn't cost a bundle. And you can play one game or sink some serious time into it.
This is a BUY!
I have Dream Pinball 3D on order at Amazon, I'll review that when I get it in.
But like many of you fathers, I don't have a ton of time to play. So I am constantly on the lookout for games for the Wii, or FLASH games on the PC that I can do in 5 or 10 minutes, or sometimes a little longer.
So here is what is on my hot rotation list right now:
Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection
This game is excellent!
Graphics are good, controls are good (you can bump the table by flicking the nunchuck or the Wii-mote), sound is suitably cheesy.
I think I am looking for games from my youth, and this one is exactly what i am looking for.
There are extensive reviews online, so google it and read them.
All I will say is that this brings back those wasted nights at the arcade. And I am laying some serious smack on my teenage son on the scores. He just does not know all the little tricks, like using the flipper buttons to change the rollover lights at the top of the table.
Hint: Williams always had great options for multi-ball. Learn how to make multi-ball happen and you are on the way to serious scoring.
This game is fun, pretty , uses the Wii controllers really well, and doesn't cost a bundle. And you can play one game or sink some serious time into it.
This is a BUY!
I have Dream Pinball 3D on order at Amazon, I'll review that when I get it in.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
As you may remember, I am growing my hair for locks of love and I am not one to have long hair ever. It is an educational experience.
My latest discoveries:
If you have a lot of hair, it is harder to take care of
OK, you know all those jokes about getting blown off for a date because I have to wash my hair (not that I experienced any of those personally)? Well the concept, if not the veracity, has some foundation in reality. Hell, even with just a slightly longer mop up top, it takes forever to get it properly wet, and then there is getting the shampoo into it and all the scrubbing and the rinsing, etc. WHEW! I cannot figure out how women do it.
It's OK, I'll tough it out.
When your hair is short the grays are short, when your hair is long... the grays are long!
This is a bit of a shock - I have a crapload of gray hair. 'Nuff said.
Women are just as clueless about men's appearance as men are about women
Perhaps because I am still in the not obviously long hair stage, I am getting a lot of puzzled looks at the office and around town. A surprising amount of, "did you cut your hair?" "Something looks different?" "Are you losing weight?" (I wish), etc.
It must be human nature to notice a change globally, but not to be able to nail it down. So guys, when you get in trouble for not noticing a new dress, or new hair, or nails or lips (but not new cleavage, you should notice the cleavage), don't feel bad. It happens to women too, just men don't really care.
Keep track, more updates to come...
My latest discoveries:
If you have a lot of hair, it is harder to take care of
OK, you know all those jokes about getting blown off for a date because I have to wash my hair (not that I experienced any of those personally)? Well the concept, if not the veracity, has some foundation in reality. Hell, even with just a slightly longer mop up top, it takes forever to get it properly wet, and then there is getting the shampoo into it and all the scrubbing and the rinsing, etc. WHEW! I cannot figure out how women do it.
It's OK, I'll tough it out.
When your hair is short the grays are short, when your hair is long... the grays are long!
This is a bit of a shock - I have a crapload of gray hair. 'Nuff said.
Women are just as clueless about men's appearance as men are about women
Perhaps because I am still in the not obviously long hair stage, I am getting a lot of puzzled looks at the office and around town. A surprising amount of, "did you cut your hair?" "Something looks different?" "Are you losing weight?" (I wish), etc.
It must be human nature to notice a change globally, but not to be able to nail it down. So guys, when you get in trouble for not noticing a new dress, or new hair, or nails or lips (but not new cleavage, you should notice the cleavage), don't feel bad. It happens to women too, just men don't really care.
Keep track, more updates to come...
Monday, April 21, 2008
Household Flub
So you know, when starting a houshold project, you should think it through all the way, or read the documentation.
For example:
The clocks were changing, so it was time to change the filter in our water filter for the kitchen. As an aside, I recommend these under sink filtration systems over those carafe-based ones (read Britta) or faucet mounted ones. They are cheaper over the long run, and the filters last longer since you only use them when you want, and the filters are larger and hopefully more efficient.
Anyway, the filters are in big cartridges, kind of like a very long oil filter. There are 2 of them, a particulate filter and a charcoal filter. To change the filter, you unscrew the holder for them, take them out of the holder, drop in a new one and screw the holder back into the unit.
So I grabbed the wrench, grabbed a towel to catch and drips and reached under there and started unscrewing. The astute handyman will notice that I skipped a step - I should have known better. I forgot to shut off the water supply to the sink. What ensued was just what you imagine - the water started to drip as I loosened the holders, then it became a stream and then a torrent of water spurting from the joints. It was like a Three Stooges episode, except I was playing Curly.
I squawked for my beloved to bring another towel and to quickly reach under there and turn off the valve at the angle stop.
Fortunately, it worked, and with no more Stooges moments.
The moral is, before you start mucking around on a home task, or any task, either read the documentation, look it up on a reputable online site, or site back for a moment and go through the process and see if you can find any flaws in your plan.
Or else you might be going, "Oh, a wise guy, eh?" and getting poked in the eye.
For example:
The clocks were changing, so it was time to change the filter in our water filter for the kitchen. As an aside, I recommend these under sink filtration systems over those carafe-based ones (read Britta) or faucet mounted ones. They are cheaper over the long run, and the filters last longer since you only use them when you want, and the filters are larger and hopefully more efficient.
Anyway, the filters are in big cartridges, kind of like a very long oil filter. There are 2 of them, a particulate filter and a charcoal filter. To change the filter, you unscrew the holder for them, take them out of the holder, drop in a new one and screw the holder back into the unit.
So I grabbed the wrench, grabbed a towel to catch and drips and reached under there and started unscrewing. The astute handyman will notice that I skipped a step - I should have known better. I forgot to shut off the water supply to the sink. What ensued was just what you imagine - the water started to drip as I loosened the holders, then it became a stream and then a torrent of water spurting from the joints. It was like a Three Stooges episode, except I was playing Curly.
I squawked for my beloved to bring another towel and to quickly reach under there and turn off the valve at the angle stop.
Fortunately, it worked, and with no more Stooges moments.
The moral is, before you start mucking around on a home task, or any task, either read the documentation, look it up on a reputable online site, or site back for a moment and go through the process and see if you can find any flaws in your plan.
Or else you might be going, "Oh, a wise guy, eh?" and getting poked in the eye.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Locks of Love
I've decided to give a try to growing out my hair and giving it to Locks of Love.
Now let me preface this by saying that I have never had my hair over my collar, so growing a 10-inch ponytail is quite a change.
But hell, I am 46 and I still have a great head of thick hair, only a little gray here and there, and I mostly work from home and my hair is not going to get any better. So why not? It will be a change, and I can be a bit of a rebel for once.
I went to the LoL website to see what was up. COntrary to popular belief, most of the kids getting wigs from LoL do not have Cancer, but rather have Alopecia Areata (sp?) - which is a disease where the body's white cells attack the hair follicles and cause hair loss.
Imagine being a kid or a teen and having all those body image issues and then losing all your hair. Devastating! I know that my daughter who has tons of lovely hair is always fussing with hers, and if she lost it, I would do whatever I could to make her comfortable.
So I am going for it. We'll see if I can really make this happen - I am in the annoying hair length now.
Now let me preface this by saying that I have never had my hair over my collar, so growing a 10-inch ponytail is quite a change.
But hell, I am 46 and I still have a great head of thick hair, only a little gray here and there, and I mostly work from home and my hair is not going to get any better. So why not? It will be a change, and I can be a bit of a rebel for once.
I went to the LoL website to see what was up. COntrary to popular belief, most of the kids getting wigs from LoL do not have Cancer, but rather have Alopecia Areata (sp?) - which is a disease where the body's white cells attack the hair follicles and cause hair loss.
Imagine being a kid or a teen and having all those body image issues and then losing all your hair. Devastating! I know that my daughter who has tons of lovely hair is always fussing with hers, and if she lost it, I would do whatever I could to make her comfortable.
So I am going for it. We'll see if I can really make this happen - I am in the annoying hair length now.
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