The Top 5 Blog Posts I've Ever Written

Everyone once in awhile, I think it's okay to critique yourself and/or toot your own horn. In honor of my blog turning 5 years old in a matter of days, I thought I'd share with you what I consider to be my best work. I've been through quite a bit over the last five years, and for better or worse, I've never deleted a single entry.

For everyone who has followed me here over the years, I want to say "thank you." (But seriously, if you're reading my blog, leave me a damn comment once a while, will ya?) So, without further ado, here they are:

1. 10 Albums That Changed My Life - June 2008

2. Intel Inside - June 2008

3. Western Caribbean Cruise - December 2007

4. Schoolyard Heroes - April 2008

5. Summertime Rolls - August 2010

December Update

A few posts ago, I gave my top ten things I was looking forward to in the month of December. Now the month's half over and Christmas is just around the corner, I thought reflect a bit the experiences.

Taking Angie to her first Minnesota Wild game

The Wild game turned out to be a mixed bag. On one hand, it was cool to watch a live game for the first time with Angie at X, however, the game itself was big flop. The Wild continued to struggle, providing neither goals, effort or entertainment. If they continue down this road they will miss the playoffs (again) and I will continue to lose interest.

Going skating with Angie for the first time

Still a work in-progress, we've had too much damn snow to think about ice.

Boy Meets World Season 4 (finally!) being released on DVD

While it wasn't the best season in the series, it was fantastic to finally get past season three and enjoy the budding relationship of Cory and Topanga, in their senior year of high school.

Summit beer dinner at Axel's Bonfire 

Holy crap was that a lot of food and lot of beer. Six courses paired with six different Summit brews was enough to send us into an incoherent state. When I finally came to the next morning I thought two things; souvenir glass pretty cool, Tuesday night beer dinner a little rough.

Seeing The 39 Steps at the Guthrie Theater

Having just watched the Alfred Hitchcock film, we were both quite versed on the story and characters before we sat down in the theater. The play follows the plot closely, but takes a much more light-hearted approach, offering more laughs and much more silliness.

Celebrating Xmas, dinner and exchanging gifts

Xmas shopping is all done, just have to make it through the next four days of work!

Decorating the tree and house for Xmas

We found a great tree right down the road and it looks great. There's nothing quite like coming in from the cold to the warm glow of a xmas tree.

Making more lefse/eating more lefse

As a special addition to the Xmas lefse we'll be making, I picked up some lingonberry preserves today at Ikea. What more can you say about lefse? It rules.

Reading "The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest"

Only about 200 pages in so far, just haven't been in a reading mood lately. 

Going cross-country skiing and/or sledding

You'd think with all this snow... but I don't even own a sled. Skiing always seems like a good idea until the temps drop below zero. Anyway, another work in progress.

Topanga Tuesday!

After many years of waiting, hoping, giving up and finally being rewarded, Boy Meets World season 4 is in my hands today. It goes without saying it's my favorite television show of all-time. Some of you may even remember a time when I created and ran my own Boy Meets World website called "Boy Meets Web." That was of course before Google, file sharing and Netflix took over and made fansites utterly useless. Either way, I still continue to carry the torch and I'm so happy I get to pick up where I left off and share the experiences of Cory, Shawn, Topanga, Eric and Feeny all over again whenever I want.

I salute Lion's Gate for stepping up and releasing the DVDs again (after Buena Vista released seasons 1-3 and then pulled the plug). It's especially fun to watch the episodes in their true "TGIF" form, rather than the edited re-run versions that aired on Disney channel. It cost $23, but to me it's absolutely priceless entertainment, that holds up extremely well, even today. I would to gush a little more, but I've got some catching up to do with my old friends from John Adams high.

December Top 10

October is hands-down my favorite month of the year, but December is off to a pretty good start as well. Here are the top 10 things I'm looking forward to this month:

1. Taking Angie to her first Minnesota Wild game
2. Going skating with Angie for the first time
3. Boy Meets World Season 4 (finally!) being released on DVD
4. Summit beer dinner at Axel's Bonfire 
5. Seeing The 39 Steps at the Guthrie Theater
6. Celebrating Xmas, dinner and exchanging gifts
7. Decorating the tree and house for Xmas
8. Making more lefse/eating more lefse
9. Reading "The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest"
10. Going cross-country skiing and/or sledding

Yes, topping my list is a combination of Angie, hockey and Boy Meets World. Man, if only I could play hockey with Angie and the cast of Boy Meets World, followed by a Summit beer dinner.

Mass Affection

The snow storm this morning gave me a great excuse to finish Mass Effect 2. After previously downloading and completing the Firewalker, Kasumi and Overlord expansions, I felt ready to take on the final mission.
It turned out to be a cakewalk, in fact, I was able to nab the "No One Left Behind" achievement for keeping my entire squad alive against all odds. Heir in lies the source of immense enjoyment and partial disappointment. Allow me to explain.
From the start, I chose to go with a female infiltrator version of "Shepard," granting me access to deadly invisibility and pinpoint accuracy with the sniper rifle. After playing roughly half the game, the floor of difficulty gave out completely. With the viper sniper rifle in hand, I destroyed everything in my path, whether I chose to use said invisibility or not. Add additional squad members, ammo/biotic powers and research upgrades and, well, forget about it. Head shot after head shot took down every foe, no matter what "type" of shield etc. I had to deal with. To that end, it became more about the story and less about the combat for the remainder of the game, which is fine.
The story was epic, however, not exactly the choose-your-own-adventure with difficult moral dilemmas as advertised. By choosing the renegade (evil) route, I basically gave everyone a hard time and/or occasionally shot them in the leg if I didn't want to hear what they had to say. This fact of Bioware games has been well-documented, so I realize I'm preaching to the choir. How ever flawed, the story was engrossing and the ability to craft your own ""Shepard" was absolutely vital to my overall enjoyment of the game as a whole.
Mass Effect 2 delivered a solid experience from beginning to end. The bite-sized mission structure, along with a rewarding single-player experience make it one of the best rpgs I've played in a long time. While not exactly a challenge, it delivered in a way that Japanese titles like Final Fantasy 13 could not, leaving me anxiously awaiting my next assignment as Commander Shepard.

Sin City? More Like Smoke City

So I recently returned from Las Vegas, and I think I can still smell the smoke on me. It was my first time visiting and the results are a mixed bag. On one hand, it's pretty cool to have so many things to do all in one place. On the other hand, the gambling, eating, drinking, lights and noise get old rather quickly. Maybe I'm getting old, but it just wasn't really my cup of tea. I'll take a nice vacation outdoors; hiking, sightseeing, swimming (in the fresh air!) anytime.
There were some fun parts, of course. I enjoyed playing The Munsters slot machine, almost compulsively, and it was fun to walk through the different hotels on the strip. Not to mention, I really enjoyed spending time with Angie and her family, as well as my friends. Tthe weather could have been a bit warmer, and I could have hit the jackpot and came home rich, but those things are out of my control. Would I go back again sometime? I think so, however I wouldn't bet on it.

October

This month is going by way too fast; I haven't even had time to watch a single scary movie. Every October I have to (as least) watch Sleepy Hollow, Ginger Snaps, IT, The Blair Witch Project and Garfield's Halloween... looks like I'll be bucking tradition. That's not so bad, considering the weather has been awesome and I've had the chance to spend more time with Angie, bike and disc golf this year.
I'm really looking forward to the Rock Band 3 party on the 29th, followed closely by handing out candy on Halloween. We were trying to think of the best candy to buy (eat) and it's seems we enjoy the simple classics: Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Snickers, Kit Kats etc. We both agreed that Smarties are an example of what not to buy. I have fond memories of Halloween candy, I remember especially enjoying those peanut butter candies that come in the orange and black wrappers.
Besides preparing for the party and the holiday, I've been playing doing a few small projects around the house, watching the occasional Wild game and playing Mass Effect 2. It's the time of year when there are just too many great games to play them all. Anyway, I better get back to the TV. I'm hoping the Vikings lose today and drop to 1-4, that way I can stop wasting 3 hours of my life each week on their games.

Sayonara September

It's already September 27th, can you believe it? That means only three more days until the Halloween decorations go up, and only three more days until my favorite time of the year. This will be my first Halloween in St. Paul and I'm excited to spend the night with Angie and hand out candy together. I just started playing Mass Effect 2, which should work quite nicely to feel my downtime before the big Rock Band 3 release on October 26th. See what I mean? October just keeps getting better and better. But I best not get ahead of myself, it's still September after all.

This weekend we're heading to the Circus at the Target Center, marking the first time in my adult life I've ever been. I'm really looking forward to seeing the show, and hopefully catching a Cirque show in Las Vegas this November. It's been quite the circus-themed year for us, if I do say so myself.

Camping Out

Spent yesterday and part of today camping at Afton State Park, it was quite the experience. Neither Angie nor I had camped at the hike-in hike-out area within the park before, so it was a learning experience. We learned that the strenuous hike to the campground is almost straight uphill, and for that reason, it's best to pack light. As you can see from this photo, perhaps we brought a wee bit too many things. Ultimately, we could have done without our chairs and brought a smaller cooler, but we made it either way.
The campsite was partially wooded, and featured a picnic table and firepit. We had a short walk to the outhouse and firewood, which wasn't much trouble at all. Honestly, once we actually made it to the campsite, everything else was relatively easy. Our tent assembled in under ten minutes, and shortly after we cut some firewood and carried it back to camp, we had a nice fire going. For dinner we cooked hot dogs over the fire and ate salad I had made earlier in the day. Once the sun went down, we roasted marshmallows and ate s'mores before turning in.
The temps were in the low 40s, but we dressed accordingly and stayed warm and toasty all night long. I'm really happy with the tent and sleeping mats we bought this year, they really make a big difference for the overall comfort factor. After packing everything up and eating a light breakfast, we hauled everything out of the park and back to the car. We spent the next hour or so hiking around the trails and finding a couple geocaches. By the time we left the park around noon, the sun was starting to come out. We were both a little tired, but it was the good kind of tired.

Blue Ribbon Day

Today was spent outside playing disc golf at my favorite course, Blue Ribbon Pines. It's located in East Bethel, just north of the movie theater. If you've driven by the area, you've probably even seen the brown sign a time or two. Besides being a little far away, it's far and away the best course I've ever played. I try to make it out at least once a year, and today was a great day for my annual trip.
The course is quite long, 27 holes to be exact, but there is a great amount of variety. From basket elevation, water hazards, trees, wind etc. it keeps things fresh and uniquely challenging throughout. Not only is it scenic, but it's also very well-maintained and constantly being updated and improved (photo).
The clubhouse also has a decent selection of discs and accessories for sale, as well as a lost and found for those smart enough to write their name on their discs. I was happy to find a bag today for under $30 bucks, equipped with a drink holder and plenty of pockets (photo). So while I'm definitely not a pro, I always have the most fun being mediocre at Blue Ribbon.

Pinball On a Stick

Had a great time at the State Fair yesterday, even saw a few things I didn't even know about, like the pinball arcade! They had an entire room of classic pinball including Medieval Madness, Monster Mash, Elvira, Adams Family and more. I couldn't resist playing a quick game (photo)  and picking up this cool mouse pad (photo).
We ate lefse (A), sweet potato tots with cinnamon and sugar (B+), cheese curds (A), catfish on a stick (C), corn on the cob (A) and a peaches and cream parfait (A+). The weather was really nice, around 65 or so with patches of sun. Besides food and the mousepad, we didn't buy much else. All in all, it was a wonderful summer day and a great day at the fair.

Labor Day Weekend

It's been a fun first two weeks at the new job, but I'm already looking forward to the long holiday weekend. Friday we will be attending our first Twin's game at Target Field, the new (outdoor) stadium. Admittedly, I'm not much of a baseball fan, but it will be fun either way. Saturday we're off to "the great Minnesota get together," otherwise known as the state fair. I've never quite understood what all the fuss is about, but I'm not going to turn down beautiful weather and more food than you can shake a stick at.
Speaking of fairs, we had a great time at the Renaissance Festival last Sunday. Sure, it was a little too hot and dusty, but what can you do. It was the 40th Anniversary year, and my 5th year in-a-row personally. This year was especially fun, going with some newbies and some old friends; we took a leisurely pace and made it all 9 hours from open to close.

"Like" My Blog?

I recently added the ever-present Facebook "like" button to my blog. If you're a fan of me, my blog or clicking things with your mouse, do me a favor and let me know by clicking the button on the right.

Back To Work

It was a nice vacation, but today was officially my first day at the new job. My capacity to absorb information reached it's max around 2pm, after that I just felt like a pile of dead weight. I know that's how first days (weeks) usually go, but it's never fun starting at the bottom of your comfort level again.
I had the best time away from work, as you may have read from previous entries, but the show must go on. I'm happy to be working 8-4pm during my training, thereafter my start time will be somewhere between 10-Noon. Besides having a job in my field again, the best part is being treated like an adult, at company that doesn't run like a cross between a nazi prison camp and a 1st grade art class (i.e. "You have just received half an occurrence for arriving over 4 minutes late." "Great job today, here is a gold star with a smiley face for recognition of your efforts!").
Anyway, did I mention it's my favorite time of year? The Minnesota State Fair kicks off this Thursday, and then we've got the Renaissance Festival... throw in Halloween and the start of the hockey season and I'm one happy camper.

First Impressions: Bayonetta

Holy crap is this game a lot of fun. I'm the first to admit, I really don't enjoy the Devil May Cry series either. Something about having to punch, kick, dodge, switch weapons, dodge, jump etc. that was a little too frantic for me. Bayonetta comes from the same mold, but brings a things to a new level; both technically speaking and pure enjoyment. I'm playing it on Normal and I'm not great, however, it doesn't choose to punish me for that reason. The game seems to want you to be better, rewarding you with better treasures, trophies etc. which is all well and good. It's still frantic, but like a three ring circus, there is so many cool things going on it's hard to know what to be watching. More to follow.

Review: Ghostbusters (The Game)

Ghostbusters has been out for quite awhile, but do to my gaming budget and my luke-warm interest level, I put off playing it until recently. I was able to find a copy for just under $16.00 and at that price it was worth a shot.
The game is a rarity, when you consider that all four original cast members agreed to voice the game. Not only voices, but music and character animations go a long way to make it feel authentic, almost immediately. Without a doubt, this is as good as it going to get for fans of the movie looking to pick up a proton pack.
The game delivers around 6-8 hours of solid game play, moving along a decent pace and never becoming tedious. There is plenty of different gadgets to use, items to hunt and ghosts to bust. I found the entire experience quite relaxing, and even giggled a few times at the clever dialogue and banter. Even the achievements are creative, each taking lines from the movie i.e. "Aim For The Flat Top!"
I can't see anyone paying $60 for this, but I definitely recommend it as a bargain bin gem to pass a few hours. I purchased Ghostbusters at Gamestop and completed the game in 7 hours, collecting 29 of 50 achievements for 540 gamerscore.

Mini-Vacation: Day 4

Our final day started with picking up a paper and heading to breakfast at Day By Day. They are "famous" for good food and fantastic patio seating. (photo). We got seated right away and the food was delicious. After fueling up, we make a quick stop at home to load the bikes and hit the road for Menomonie, WI.
It takes about an hour to get there, but the Red Cedar trail was definitely worth the trip (photo). It also gave me time to read my book a bit, in hopes to finish before days end. Not only scenic, but very ride-able, as all of the 14 miles were rode we completely flat (photo). The weather was mild and breezy, people few and far between, a perfect setting for a ride (photo).
The ride home found me nearing the end of my book; "The Girl Who Played With Fire" the second in Stieg Larsson's insanely popular trilogy. Once home again, we paused briefly to enjoy a few bites of our farmer's market pot roast and then it was off to see the film adaptation of "The Girl ..." at a old school theater on Grand Ave.
For the uninitiated, the movie(s) was/were made in Sweden and thus subtitled in English. They are dark, gripping, violent and portrayed by a bunch of actors I've never seen before. Obviously having read the book, I was a blown away by how many things the movie left out. I realize this is not uncommon, but still, I just can't recommend seeing the movie before reading the book. In a world full of Twilight and Harry Potter, it's awesome to have these books to really sink your teeth into. Sidenote: I'm also willing to bet the hottest new baby name is now Lisbeth.
Anyway, It was an amazing string of days we put together. I was sad to see it end; which is another reason why I blog. It's a great way to not only share experiences, but relive and preserve them just a little bit longer.

Mini-Vacation: Day 3

 Day three began with a quick breakfast at home and gathering a few things before heading out to the St. Paul Farmer's Market. As usual, the market was ripe with fresh produce, sunshine and people wandering like cattle. We made it out alive with all the ingredients needed to make our dinner for Sunday, a pot roast in the slow cooker.
Next it was off to Red Wing, the so-called best day trip destination according to City Pages. The drive was a little rough, considering we missed the one (and only) turn we needed to take somehow. Regardless, we drove quite awhile in the wrong direction and finally arrived in town considerably later than planned. Our first stop was Memorial Park disc golf, a scenic course set atop a bluff in downtown Red Wing (photo). It turned out to be pretty cool, despite the fact that the course guide indicated it had restrooms, which upon inspection, were boarded up. Here are a couple more photos of us on the course (photo) (photo).
After golf, we ate downtown at completely deserted Lucky Cat Lounge. The food was a bit underwhelming and the same can be said for the service. The rest of Red Wing didn't do much for me, personally. We walked, we shopped, we explored the vast collection of antiques, stoneware and boots and then we headed home.
Our dinner seemed to be affected by the same funk. We made reservations for a late 9pm dinner for the patio at W.A. Frost, only to have it start raining at 8:55pm as we pulled up in the car. They tried to accommodate us by moving us inside, but the place was so busy I decided that the thrill was gone. After accepting our defeat, we made our way to The Twisted Fork, which turned out to be perfect. By the time we arrived, it was nearly 10pm and unlike Frost, the place was completely empty. Our drinks were great, the food was delicious, and it was a perfect way to end our not-so-perfect day.

Mini-Vacation: Day 2

Day two started with breakfast at The Little Oven. I had some oatmeal and cinnamon french toast and Angie had Eggs, Toast and Bacon. The Oven is one of those old school restaurants that has reasonable prices, large portions and friendly service, at least I've been told. :)
After breakfast, we stopped by a friend's place that was having a moving/garage sale. We chatted a bit while keeping an eye on the sky as severe weather was in the forecast. While we didn't get rained on, we decided that it would probably be best to stay close to home for the remainder of the day just in case. With that in mind, we decided on hitting the Mall of America for bit.
With no real agenda, we first stopped into Air Traffic and picked up Angie a new disc for disc golf. We wondered around for a bit more, window shopping here and there. I noticed that Xbox had a huge Kinect exhibit setup for people to jump around and look like idiots. Personally, I'm not really sold on the whole idea but time will only tell.
After the MOA, we hit Chevy's for some delicious tex mex (photo). I especially enjoy their salsa and fresh take on mexican cuisine. I'm tired of ordering food and getting a runny, cheesy plate of slop; and trying to identify my different items swimming around somewhere in the briny deep.
We then headed back near home to try out the new disc at the Highland Park course. We played a few holes before the rain started coming down, effectively ending our game.
After a brief rest at home, we went out to meet some friends for a quick happy hour at Salut (photo) before calling it a day.

Mini-Vacation: Day 1

As the title suggests, today was the first day of our 4 day mini-vacation. We started the day with breakfast at the Egg and I restaurant. Angie had eggs benedict (her favorite) and I went with oatmeal and a pancake. After our meal, we headed out on the road for Taylor's Falls and ultimately Wild Mountain. It was a perfect day for waterslides and fun in the sun, I think the temp was around 92? Hot. Anyway, I hadn't been there since I was a kid, Angie had never been.
After Wild Mountain we headed toward home for an early dinner at The Blue Door. We each grabbed a Summit Oatmeal Stout on tap, for only $2.00 during happy hour I might add. Besides the brew, the "blucy" burgers were fantastic. Although the place is small, you can't deny the tastiness and the value, I highly recommend it.
Next, we were off to Como Park to play a leisurely round of mini golf at Putter There, a small but welcoming little course right across the street from Como Zoo. Neither one of us got a hole-in-one; blame it on the heat. After golf, we took the 1.6 mile stroll around the lake and packed it back in the car shortly after.
Finally, we ended the day with a fresh-baked scone and fruit at Cafe Latte's. Desert is definitely the best thing about eating dinner early, yum.

Wake Up And Smell The Spolsion, Man!

Alan Wake
I finished the horror/thriller/action title Alan Wake about a week ago, including the first down-loadable episode called "The Signal." This game really struck a chord with me. The story is a bit hard to follow but undeniably intriguing. The combat is satisfying albeit a bit of a breeze after the first few hours or so. The best parts of the game revolve around the twists of story, memorable settings and the fitting soundtrack. The worst parts of game are the annoying jumping/platforming segments, repetitive combat scenarios and the lip syncing during the cut scenes. I highly recommend this game, especially for jaded fans of Silent Hill.

Spolsion Man
I finished the platformer Splosion man a couple days ago, thank goodness. This game is long, difficult, and a complete test of one's persistence and/or patience. Notice, I didn't use the words fun, rewarding etc. Do you enjoy playing levels over and over? Hitting 6 buttons correct and dying on the 7th press (only to die on the 8th soon after). Swearing at your TV? Fighting annoying boss battles? If you answered yes to any of these, would you kindly download this game? Bottom line, while I do appreciate that this type of game has loyal, passionate fan base, I also appreciate that the game does actually end at some point and I was able to see it.

New Look, New Features

I recently updated my blog design and page elements. It's not much, but I think it's a little easier on the eyes and I'm enjoying the the new features:

• You can now add "reactions" simply by clicking the box below my post(s). I still encourage you to leave me a comment, but if you're feeling lazy, just click a box won't you?
• You can also click "labels" to instantly jump to topics of interest (movie reviews, personal, etc.)

Summertime Rolls

My days in the call center are finally over, and not a moment too soon. I start my new Prepress/Print position on Monday, August 23rd. I'll be working for a franchise in South Mpls, about 15 mins away from home. 8-4pm training to start and then shifting to somewhere between 10-Noon start time each day. I'm really excited to be back in my field again, and after only a year and a half (!).
I've got all my stuff moved in to Angie's now, if only the bank would get their heads out of their asses I could be done with my house, finally. Besides the house drama and the new job anxiety , the summer has been pretty great. Even more greatness on the way next weekend; Angie and I are planning 4 days worth of day trips. We haven't settled on specifics yet, but we're thinking of hitting some bike/hiking trails near Red Wing and/or Lanesboro.
Last weekend we went to the Circus Jueventas peformance "Sawdust". It was a throwback to the golden age of circus, loosely inspired by Water For Elephants. I really enjoyed the show, however, the seats were extremely uncomfortable, especially after hour number two. Regardless, I was really impressed and look forward to going again to see what they come up with next.

Time For An Update

It's definitely a blogging kind of day today. I should be at work right now, but I'm not and it feels great. The main reason I'm so excited NOT to be there is I have been offered a new job doing print/production work full-time. The second reason is because my current job sucks so bad I can barely take it another minute. I'm going in this week to talk salary and benefits for the new job, which basically means I've really stopped caring on the phones. I've never had a more stress-inducing job before, customer service/call center work is the last thing I would ever considering doing again. Bottom line, very excited for the new job but a little anxious for the negotiation process.

In other news, just got back from an awesome vacation in Wisconsin Dells with Angie. We booked a suite complete with our own balcony, hot tub, fridge and microwave, which was definitely worth the extra dough. We spent the first night at the Tommy Bartlett show, which is basically a ski, sky and variety show. Our second day we spent at Noah's Ark waterpark, and our third day at Mount Olympus waterpark. Finally, the last day we went to Circus World in Baraboo, Wisconsin. We had lots of fun, perfect weather and we both can't wait to go back again.

Other than that, I've just been trying to enjoy everyday of summer before it's gone. The new bike has been great, as was the Rock Band party we hosted a few weeks ago. Living in a house again presents many "projects" to work on, most recently fixing a leaking faucet outside and hanging a new curtain rod in the living room.

The last great game I played was Alan Wake, which I'm currently in the process of replaying, actually. Not a whole lot of good movies lately, part of me is happy to start cutting back on them anyway. I haven't had cable for over 3 months now, and after initial withdrawal from Mythbusters, I really don't miss it.

Anyway, I'm looking ahead now to a new start at a new job, finally moving all my stuff out of the old house and changing my permanent address. I feel like I've been stuck in transition every since I first walked on at Comcast, just over a year ago. Maybe the house in foreclosure, terrible job experience and living in limbo wasn't all that bad. I mean, if it was the only way to meet Angie, I'd do it all over again tomorrow.

Final Fantasy XIII Review

59 hours of my life passed by during my latest adventure into the Final Fantasy universe, was it worth it? In the words of Japanese RPG characters everywhere "..."

The game wasn't bad, it just didn't feel very dynamic. At it's best, it's a fantastic example of how a great battle system can make you actually seek out danger for the thrill of victory. At it's worst, it feels incredibly watered down and uninspired.

+ Battle System
+ Clear Objectives
+ Simplistic Shopping, Saving and Healing

- Story and/or Pacing
- Supporting Cast
- Level Design
- Not Very Challenging/Satisfying

The minute the achievement popped after beating the final boss (in under 5 minutes), I was more excited to sell the game back than to watch the credits and continue the so-called sidequests. Overall, this game feels more like a race to finish than any other Final Fantasy game I've played.

May Day, May Day

Wow, time  has been flying by; almost a month since my last post. I'm winding down to my last 2 weeks of "training" at work, looking forward to really getting in the mix. I'll be working 2:30 to 11:30pm with Thursdays and Saturdays off until further notice.
If you hadn't noticed, I was recently vacationing in Florida with Angie. We had a great time, even though the weather was cloudy/rainy for part of the time. Highlights include Bowman's Beach on Sanibel Island, The Ringling Museum of Art (and Circus!) and fishing on the shore of the lake in my parents back yard.
I also just picked up a few things in preparation for camping season, including a new Marmot Limelight 3P tent and a low-end bike rack for the car. I'm really looking forward to camping, riding, and geocaching just as soon as we get the chance. We're also planning on heading to Wisconsin Dells and The Circus World Museum in July.
Lots going on and lots to look forward to, just how I like it.

Time To Get Moving

Well, it's official. My house is hitting the market in a few hours and this weekend is my Moving Sale/Craigslist Sale! I'm trying to stay optimistic about the house generating (any) interest, even though in my situation it really doesn't matter, either way my days are numbered.
Training at work is going pretty well, nothing I can't handle at least. However, I'm really looking forward to taking a break and heading to Florida next week. We've got some really fun day trips and beach days planned; rain or shine it's going to be awesome.
In entertainment news, still having a blast with FFXIII. Also, really enjoying Spartacus: Blood and Sand. I can easily say it's my favorite new drama on TV, especially as LOST continues down the tubes this season.

It's All Coming Together

I'm very excited to say that it was a balmy 60 degrees yesterday and a trace is all that remains of winter. A trace is also all that remains of my time working in the field as a technician. I only have four days left until I turn in my tools, turn in my van and turn the page. I begin my new job in St. Paul next Tuesday, where I will spend the first six weeks of training working 8-5pm, after which time I believe my schedule will be evenings with Thursdays and Saturdays off. Needless to say, I'm rejuvenated with the thoughts of starting fresh just as spring has officially sprung.
I'm also very excited that the short sale process has begun on my house. It's only a matter of time before I'll be coming home to a "For Sale" sign and drowning in a sea of cardboard boxes. As a result, I will be selling a metric ton of things before the move, including furniture, shelves, electronics, curtains and more. If you're looking for something, drop me a line and get you some before my official "Moving & Craig's List Sale" coming soon to my garage.

The Goods

• I have an interview scheduled this week for another internal position, finally!
• Final Fantasy XIII comes out tomorrow!
• With temps in upper 40s, the snow is slowly melting away!
• I've started down the path of a short sale on my house!
• I'm going to Florida in just over one month!
• Seeing Alice in Wonderland in 3D doesn't make the movie any better!
• Maybe the Wild will make the playoffs... next year!

Move Along

I had my first interview for an internal position at work on Monday, I think it went rather well. Still waiting to hear back about the other position that I'm more excited about. Either way, I think I've got a great chance of stepping out of the field an into a cubicle and fluorescent lighting real soon.
Finished Assassin's Creed II today, not quite as amazing as all the hype I'm afraid. Still, a fantastic game with an engrossing score and above-average story. I'm muddling through Lego Rock Band as well, however, new Borderlands content was just released and stole my attention.
Also finished reading Breaking Dawn the other day. Meh. Kind of a let down. Like I've said numerous times... I enjoy the characters, just not necessarily how the story goes. Nonetheless, It will be interesting to see how the final book translates to film.
I'm officially sick of winter and ready for warmer weather. At least I've got a nice trip to sunny Florida planned for April to daydream about in the meantime. So here's to warmer weather, a different job and just moving along toward better days.

Out From Under

I recently took my tax refund(s) and completely paid-off my car loan. What's more, I took another chunk of said refund and bought four new tires. I've never had a car loan before and I have to tell you, it feels freakin' awesome to be without a car payment again. Finally, I took what I had left and put it aside for a rainy day, or possibly a vacation in the not-to-distant future. Cruise perhaps?
I spent a fantastic Valentine's Day with Angie yesterday, we saw "Young Frankenstein" at The Orpheum. I was really blown away by the performance, even having never seen the original movie. *gasp* Today I've just been lounging around, playing Lego Rock Band and a Assassin's Creed II. I was hoping that I would get a call about one (of the many) jobs I've applied for a work, nothing yet.

February Fun

Finished my taxes today and was happy to see I'm getting another decent refund this year! Enough, in fact, to completely pay off my car, as well as taking care of the minimal balance I'm carrying on my credit card(s). It's a nice feeling to be completely in the green across the board; now if only Wells Fargo would get their act together and make a decision regarding my mortgage.
Started Assassin's Creed II today and it's fantastic. Not fantastic is the recent movie "Whip It" starring Ellen Page. Yikes, it was bad. Think: The Mighty Ducks with roller derby and more suckage. Also started Breaking Dawn a few days ago, I think around page 200 now.
Looking forward to hearing back from Comcast soon about the Fulfillment job I applied for. I have an "in" with a co-worker, so I'm really excited about my chances. It would be an office job working 4/10 hour shifts, pretty badass. Also excited for Valentine's Day (for once), as Angie got us tickets to see "Young Frankenstein" at The Opheum.

Games I Can't Afford To Miss (or Purchase)

The ever growing list of my "must-play" games is getting a little ridiculous. Thought I'd take a moment and compile a list, just for s & gs.

Final Fantasy XIII (Hottest)
Assassin's Creed 2 (Hot)
Bio Shock 2 (Warm)
Brutal Legend (Luke Warm)
Mass Effect 2 (Cold)
Darksiders (Cold)

Getting Stuff Done

It's a nice feeling.
I brought a bunch of old clothes into Goodwill, followed by a large bag of old books to Half Price Books. I organized (and stored) a ton of my collectibles, art supplies, photos, holiday decorations and other misc. things that really didn't have a place around the house. Finished resubmitting (ugh.) my Wells Fargo documents the other day, here's hoping they don't screw them up again. Finished reading Eclipse last night, as well as reaching level 50 in Borderlands; thus making any future play frivolous. After some research, picked up some fantastic new Asics running shoes yesterday... I have really flat feet but until yesterday, didn't buy the correct shoe to support them.
What else? Well, not exactly "getting things done" but I did sell Jeremy and Kelly's Tiki Bar on Craigslist the other day. Watched Purple Rain for the first time last night, a mere 26 years after it's initial release. Finished painting another custom faceplate for my Xbox, too.
I think I'll follow up today by doing a whole lot of nothing. Done!

Avatar 3D and Other Musings

Angie and I went to see Avatar in IMAX 3D yesterday, it was pretty damn cool. Until yesterday, I hadn't seen an actual 3D movie, and I have to say it was impressive. It takes the theater to a whole new level, actually making me feel like I paid for a unique and immersive experience. I'm enjoying the trend to 3D releases and looking forward to seeing another one soon.
In other news, I'm currently applying for a retail sales position within the company. Needless to say, this is an exciting time and I'm anxiously waiting for news as it develops. For those keeping score, this is my last week of field work before I'm eligible for transfer. Nice!
Also excited about planning at trip to Florida in the coming months. My mom is going to let Angie and I (and friends!) stay at the house for a much-needed vacation in the sun. In the meantime, it's hurry up and wait in the cold.