For those who are curious, my book is now in the final map edit phase! I'm picking out the photos for the color spread in the middle (ooooo!) and pluggin' along. I'll have a cover shot up soon as well.
So that's the boring stuff, right? Here's exciting news: I acquired a copy of Gyromite for the NES! For those who don't know (probably everyone except Marc), Gyromite was released in 1985 and was one of the two ROB the robot compatible games for the system. Better still, the game contains a built in Famicom-to-NES converter that allows you to play Japanese games on the American system. This is my second converter (I also own Stack-Up, another game with it built in) though many older NES games with a 5-screw cartridge (as opposed to the later norm of 3 screws) have converters in them. Woo hoo!
Speaking of Marc, I decided to challenge him to a "GOOGLE FIGHT" to see which Dziezynski dominates the Internets. Here's the results:
Using our typical screen names, Emptyeye defeated Bruplex by some 600 hits (though keep in mind, "Emptyeye" MAY be used in other capacities, while Bruplex probably isn't). When using our actual names, I came out on top 760-524; this may be due to the fact I use my name in my professional articles, etc. Most interesting: the name "Dziezynski" alone popped up 1,304 results. Between Marc and I in our Google battle, we had a combined 1,284 of those hits, meaning between the two of us we make up 98.5% of the "Dziezynski" presence on the interwebs!
That's all for now---back to work!
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
NOTE: This post features heavy sports and video game references. This is a warning to all those readers (i.e. women) who may prefer to read about more feminine issues, like this, this or this. There's nothing like the NFL playoffs to make one as utterly unproductive as possible. I actually took a day off (!) on Sunday to watch the final two divisional games: Bears/Seahawks and Patriots/Chargers. Both were good watchin' and I'm left with a few observations:
1-Very few NFL Coaches have learned the value of a time out
You don't have to be one of the nerds at the Elias Sports Bureau to see that many, many NFL games end with the winning team running out the clock. What drives me crazy is that coaches routinely use their precious 3 timeouts allotted per half in the worst ways. For example, this weekend San Diego used two of their 3 timeouts in extremely stupid situations: after a 2+ minute TV timeout (before even running a play) and to challenge a fumble that was without question correctly called the field. The third they used to stop the clock prior to a Patriots field goal attempt, the only acceptable use of the 3.
It should be apparent time-outs are more valuable than gridiron gold. How many times do you see a QB call a time out on a 2nd and 4 play early in the third quarter? Why? If you have to, take the delay of game penalty and the 5 yard loss, but don't burn those time outs unless you must! These are professional teams with very well-paid offensive and defensive coordinators whose job it is to call the plays! San Diego would have had a much better chance to win had they had a few time outs to work with in the final drive. Lucky for me, I'm a Patriots fan...
It should be apparent time-outs are more valuable than gridiron gold. How many times do you see a QB call a time out on a 2nd and 4 play early in the third quarter? Why? If you have to, take the delay of game penalty and the 5 yard loss, but don't burn those time outs unless you must! These are professional teams with very well-paid offensive and defensive coordinators whose job it is to call the plays! San Diego would have had a much better chance to win had they had a few time outs to work with in the final drive. Lucky for me, I'm a Patriots fan...
2-Hey Refs-- let 'em play!
Every single dazzling kick or punt return I've seen this year has been plagued with penalties. Devon Hester's exciting punt-return touchdown for the Bears was called back on a blocking foul, making the number of scoring returns I've seen brought back this year to 6. 6! Anyone who watches football knows that refs can technically call a penalty on any given play but they really need to relax on kick returns.
Think of it this way: there are two rare treats for the NFL fan. One is watching an enormous defensive lineman try to run for a score following a fumble--don't forget shots of the big boy heaving oxygen on the sideline after the "run"! The other is watching a hapless kicker/punter getting blown up trying to make a saving tackle or else, mincing out of the way while pathetically feigning an attempt to actually slow down the ball carrier. Refs, don't deny us the pleasure of watching a kicker get flattened! The D-man recovery is much more rare so lets give teams a chance to jack up a punter when they can! For the fans!
3-Can they show that on TV?
During the Saints/Eagles game on Saturday, the camera locked on a female Saints fan cheering on her team. Nothing wrong there, right? Well, she was wearing a half-shirt that said "F&$%@ Da Iggles". Usually when a camera pans to something like this, they quickly change the shot to something less offensive. Not that I particularly care but in this case the camera stayed on the fan for a solid 5 seconds-- which is a long time in TV terms! It's not the children I'm worried about seeing something like this, it's the drunk, angry Philly fans who will only be more belligerent after witnessing said shirt.
While that's somewhat tasteless, what's downright disgusting is all the slow-mo footage of players throwing up. Barfing mid-game is apparently this year's little black dress. Whether horking into a garbage can, oozing through the bars of their facemask or purging on their own shoes, if I have to watch one more player blowing chunks in 1080i high-def, I'm gonna be sick myself. The only thing worse...and it has been shown in the past...is footage of a player soiling himself right there on national TV. Football is a game of blood and guts but please, it doesn't have to be a game of pee and puke! God help you if ever you stumble upon the "Real TV" clip that shows a horrible, horrible "exchange" between center and QB.
IN OTHER NEWS..
At some time this week, I hope to play through one of my favorite NES games of all time, Blaster Master. It's a shame the game lacks a password feature. Thank goodness for emulators! Does anyone remember my ultra-cool Blaster Master T-shirt (I think Marc D. inherited it at some point)? I may even make a map or 2 for gamefaqs, the first contribution I'll have made in a long while.
At some time this week, I hope to play through one of my favorite NES games of all time, Blaster Master. It's a shame the game lacks a password feature. Thank goodness for emulators! Does anyone remember my ultra-cool Blaster Master T-shirt (I think Marc D. inherited it at some point)? I may even make a map or 2 for gamefaqs, the first contribution I'll have made in a long while.In what would have been a sad moment, I thought I had lost my favorite watch this weekend playing volleyball. My black Suunto Vector has a good deal of personal significance--it has gone with me on every major trip I've been on since 2003, including the Arctic, Greenland, St. Lucia, Nevis, Puerto Rico, Yellowstone, Jasper and many more. It was one of the three pieces of gear that was with me for every hike of my book this past summer (along with my small digital camera and my eXplorist 600 GPS). After two days of searching I found it stuck in the side pouch of my backpack, no worse for the wear! Hurray! Here's to many more adventures with my favorite time piece.
That's all for now! Tomorrow, depending on how much work I have on my plate might be a snowboarding day-- only my second time out this season! Of course, I have such strange work items coming in these days, it's hard to say when I'll next either have a day off OR a viable source of income! Well, I'm off to rescue a frog...
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
As I write the content for luxury hotels in Mexico (my latest writing job), I can't help but smile at the fact I'm gushing about the "delicate hints of incense that indulge your senses" while listening to Megadeth. Imagine walking into a spa in Mexico and having Dave Mustaine as your masseuse? Now that's a credit to dementia.
As of right now, I have more work than I can shake a stick at (whatever that means). So, it's a short blog entry today-- which is better than like half the people on my links list who have either abandoned their blogs or never update them. Slackers! I'm going to need to find new friends on the web!
As of right now, I have more work than I can shake a stick at (whatever that means). So, it's a short blog entry today-- which is better than like half the people on my links list who have either abandoned their blogs or never update them. Slackers! I'm going to need to find new friends on the web!
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Ah mein froids, tis' been a while. In the time between now and then, something very special has happened to me, something I've waited for years to achieve...that's right, I bowled a 606 series! Anchored by two amazing games of 220 and 217 (only my 2nd and 3rd 200 games ever) I complimented them with a 169 to average 202 for a three game set! If the next time you see me at the local lanes drinking a giant glass of watery American beer, paunchy belly ever so tantalizingly poking out of a black t-shirt with some kind of eagle/bear/beer/motorcycle on it and cursing at missing an easy 5-8 spare, you'll know my metamorphosis into "league bowler guy" will be complete.
So with 2007 off to a fine start, I've promptly inundated myself with a whole bunch of writing work that aims to be done by this Sunday. Sleep, I hardly knew ye. Being home was great--tons of awesome food, good restful nights, and fun days of bowling, Donkey Konga 2, and singing (to the best of my ability) to Weird Al in the car--oh and too many Dennis Green impersonations to mention.
Back in Colorado, it's time to get to work again! It looks like I'll be living solo again come February...maybe Xanadu should apply for a credit card to help out?
So with 2007 off to a fine start, I've promptly inundated myself with a whole bunch of writing work that aims to be done by this Sunday. Sleep, I hardly knew ye. Being home was great--tons of awesome food, good restful nights, and fun days of bowling, Donkey Konga 2, and singing (to the best of my ability) to Weird Al in the car--oh and too many Dennis Green impersonations to mention.
Back in Colorado, it's time to get to work again! It looks like I'll be living solo again come February...maybe Xanadu should apply for a credit card to help out?
