Z.Monkey’s Blog

Hey all, heard about this game on NPR.  It is a game about redistricting voting districts.  I’ve not played it yet, as I don’t want to start that type of behavior at work.  If you give a shot let me know how it is.

I had a better weekend than normal.  We did a lot of the normal stuff: going to the coffee shop, going to the bookstore, watching the Bruins lose, reading, sleep, playing video games (finally beat Zelda), e&c.  But this weekend there was the adding benefit of clearing off the pond near our home and going skating.  I’m really excited that it is now cold enough to go skating over there.  Having to drive to a rink and then pay money is not nearly as fun.  Plus, on Sunday, five of us got together for some pond hockey.  We were out there for about 3 hours with little or no water… I think I’m still recovering from the dehydration.  Dave took some photos and a movie, which I will post if I ever get them.
Plus the refs made a bad call last week against the Patriots.  You don’t say…

It turns out that Movie Galleries carry Wiis.  One of the guys here found that out and called a whole bunch in the area.  One in Manch-Vegas was kind enough to hold three for us and a short while later, we were holding them in our greasy little hands, smiles stretched around our faces.  I wasn’t expecting to get one until after the holidays so I’m happy.  I didn’t pick up any games but I might grab Zelda on the way home.

Woo.  Woo.  Woo.

It looks like Boby is coming to town!  Yeah!  And just in time to celebrate half way (20 weeks to go)!  The Scientist wants me to throw a party but I don’t really know how to do that.  So instead we’ll get some pizza, like we do most Fridays, and then have some virgin mixed drinks someplace (probably at home).

I’ve finished up my class this semester and now I have a lot more free time in the evenings.  I’m going to layout the potential built-in bookcase this week sometime…

I scored a goal last night.  It was a good one.  Most of the goals I’ve scored since I’ve started playing hockey have been less than pretty.  There have been a few wide open nets, a few hacks, a couple of ricochets, some tricklers and one that I really don’t know how got it… the goal claimed it went through the side of the net.  Anyway, this goal was not like that.  It started with a bad pass that I picked off at the blue line, I then stepped around the pass’s intended recipient, between two D and then put the puck in the net high stick side.  I felt like I actually earned the goal and didn’t just get lucky.  It’s a nice feeling.  Oh, and we won the game 4-3.  Which was also nice.
Still no Wii. Though I think Sunday maybe the day I get up really early and stand (sit) in line.  This thing tells me when stores are expecting shipments of Wiis, which is nice because the people who work at the stores tend to be clueless.

Lastly, I have been drinking too much coffee lately.  Not because I tired and need a pick-me-up, but because it is fucking cold at my work.  Any job I get better heat the place to something higher than 66 degrees.

I stopped by Wal-mart this morning and did not succeed in getting a Wii. I didn’t get up as early as I should have which was apparently 5:30 or so (the first people showed up around 2:30 this morning). Back to the phones to call each store to see when they plan on releasing more!  I am a failure!
Google search ‘failure’ shows whitehouse.gov/president as the #1 result and michaelmoore.com as the #2 result. It makes me laugh what people choose to google bomb. Neither of these individuals are failures:

• assholes? #1 = yes, #2 = maybe,
• arrogant? #1 = yes, #2 = yes,
• stupid? #1 = maybe, #2 = no,
• misleading? #1 = yes, #2 = yes,
• lying? #1 = yes, #2 = maybe.
• failure? #1 = president, #2 = Oscar winning director

Now I couldn’t help but point out this new game: Left Behind: Eternal Forces. The idea is that, after the good people go up to heaven (rapture) the rest of us must fight for… something… ah! salvation. As a player you get 2 points for saving someone and lose one point for killing someone. There is a daily show segment on it if you feel like checking it out. Shockingly, not all Christian’s believe in this sort of apocalyptic vision. This is the part of religion that really sends my mind reeling. It is so different from my view of the world (i.e. a world without and with no need for divine intervention).

Fanaticism at its best!

I read the following in a book from 1722. It is from a dialogue between a deist and a skeptic and it is discussing how Christianity started.

Because the Doctrines of Christianity are not very palatable in themselves, nor were ramm’d down People’s Throats, therefore you can’t imagine how so many Persons should be persuaded to swallow them…

I can’t imagine either.

Dan pointed out that the Wii just came out in Japan, and now I’ll point out that the wii’s second release date was this Sunday. I’m not entirely sure why the stores horde all their shipments and the release them all at once… maybe they think it is fairer. Who knows? So this Sunday I woke up around 7, checked store hours and headed out the door.

No, I was not successful. Target gave out tickets at 7am to the 5 (5!) luck people who were first in line which started forming at 2am or so. Gah! Circuit City and Toys ‘r us both sold out just as early, and Best Buy and GameStop didn’t have any. Any thoughts on why a video game store doesn’t seem to be getting any video game systems?

Anyway, I hear Wal-mart is releasing the consoles they have on Wednesday. Do I want to go in before work and try to get one? If I do I’ll probably have to head over there around 5 or 6. I’m not camping out for longer than a couple of hours… besides it’d give me a chance to edit (write?) the paper I have due on Thursday.

I’ve never played Fantasy Football or Hockey or anything but this could be interesting.

Anyone interested in playing?

So last night was goofy.  Our DM never showed up (the loser wanted food) but he did give us reading to do.  So we were not able to make characters last night but it’s been loosely decided what we will be:

• Maletas - Monk
• Jefe - Something (I wasn’t listening to him)
• JustATest - Theif/Mage
• Me - Cleric (Medic!)

Hmm… Now I have to learn a bit about the political landscape of our pseudo-world.

P.S. Dan, I have no idea why you can never post.  I’ll look more into it but I really don’t know

Wow. How did I get talked into this? what did I get talked into? and did Jefe actually get to finish the sentence before you said ‘yes’? does you wife know? can you talk your wife into it? The idea of putting together a group of nerds to do some dungeon crawling has been bandied around quite a while. The main problem is, of course, trying to get enough people in the same room (especial when our potential DM doesn’t own a car). Jefe has initiative, though, and went out and got some licenses to a thing called Fantasy Grounds (click on the thumbnail); with its powers combined with Skype distance becomes no obstacle. Can anyone guess what my skype account could be? Nevermind.
I think the plan is to get together on Wednesday nights (7 or 8pm). This week may well be impossible. The scientists, Jefe and I are probably going to go out with one of our vendors/friends from Alabama (whose in town for a few days).  Then I have a paper ‘thing’ due on Thursday for the Brit Lit class I talked myself into taking.  Plus I have reading to do for work and class, and some (minimal) homework.  I’ll have to access the situation later this evening.

I’m thinking of making a mace wielding fighter(barbarian?)/cleric.  Probably not a healer though.
Incoherence!