Every game room should have at least three things. A mini-fridge, a counter, and some bar stools. Every other game room accessory needs to match the essentials of the room. Other accessories like a tap, a jukebox, and paintings of dogs playing poker are nice, but you always need to start with the basics. I can’t wait to surf the web for the perfect bar stools after we move into our new house with the perfect rec room.
Archive for January 8th, 2008
Bar stools in your game room
Tuesday, January 8th, 2008Dexter on network TV
Tuesday, January 8th, 2008With the writer’s strike looming over all current television shows, the networks are finding creative ways of keeping viewers locked in on their networks. New reality TV shows or a relaunch of an old reality show are some ways to keep viewers. Multiple new game shows are out this season along with a revamped American Gladiators.
On the plus side it looks like Dexter is coming to CBS. For those who don’t have Showtime or access to uploaded videos on the internet, Dexter is a crime drama about a serial killer who hunts serial killers.
Quite a bit will have to be cut out of the show to make it friendly to the PG world of network television, and the time will have to be cut down to make room for commercials. The series should be able to stand up to the editors. They’re not on strike yet.
Let’s hope the studios cave into the writers’ demands sooner than later.
Solitaire necklace
Tuesday, January 8th, 2008A few years ago I bought my wife a diamond necklace. I can scarcely think of a day that has gone by since that she has not worn it. She even wore her wedding ring on the necklace when it didn’t fit on her finger because a baby was on the way. These diamond pendants are a great gift, and I can only hope that other gifts that I get for her are such big hits.
Super delegates
Tuesday, January 8th, 2008Little did I know how un-democratic the Democratic party truly is.
At their convention this summer there will be 4,040 Democratic delegates voting to choose which member of their party will be on the 2008 presidential election. However, almost one out of five of those delegates will not have been chosen by any of the state primaries or caucuses. Instead they are various party members, congressmen, and other elected officials called superdelegates. These are assigned by the party to vote for whoever they want.
Hard to call the process Democratic when 20% of the votes don’t come from the people.
Phoenix dentist makeovers
Tuesday, January 8th, 2008When going out to get a makeover, most people spend loads of money on new clothes, new hair, new makeup, a new tan, and maybe even new body parts. But the first thing that most people will notice about you is your smile. If you have a problem smile, you may unconsciously be trying to hide your smile and give others a negative vibe.
If you’re living in Phoenix and looking for Phoenix cosmetic dentists, you can get whatever kind of dental makeover that you may need. The technology of the teeth has advanced light years from wire braces and headgear. Veneers, dental implants, bridges, and invisible braces are all options to make your teeth look their best. You no longer have to worry about giving someone a bad first impression every time you smile. You should be comfortable with your smile and let it shine to show the world who you are. So, smile!
New Hampshire primary 2008
Tuesday, January 8th, 2008With the results being tabulated as we speak, McCain looks like he’s going to take away the nomination from New Hampshire. Even being from Arizona, I didn’t think that McCain would be able to pull this one off with all of the focus being on the new blood in the campaigns. Until today it seemed that voters were leaning away from the standard politicians and towards new people, younger people, with new ideas.
On the other hand, McCain has always been somewhat of a maverick, so maybe he fits right in with all of the other delegates in this year’s election.
The Democratic race is still too close to call at this point in time, but Hillary is currently in the lead. Again, I am a little surprised. I thought after the trouncing she took in Iowa that voters would be jumping from the Clinton ship and into the arms of other popular candidates.
We’ll all see soon enough.
Semple Pop Art
Tuesday, January 8th, 2008One of the newest crazes that’s sweeping the art world is the modern, pop art of Stuart Semple. Many examples of the work that is being sought after by the rich and famous from all over the world can be found at www.StuartSemple.com. His work immediately struck me as the kind of mishmash of ideas that is usually found on high school binders and book covers. His work usually seems to include multiple images brought together on one canvas with words or lyrics. It seems to me a combination of Andy Warhol and stylized movie posters but with a harsher edge. Check out the latest at his site. Here’s one example below.
Star Wars Epic Duels
Tuesday, January 8th, 2008Star Wars Epic Duels was a game that was released in 2002 just prior to “Attack of the Clones.” The game features almost every major character in all six of the Star Wars films and lets the players re-enact their favorite battles from the films or through everybody together into one giant duel. Never mind that it would be physically impossible for Anakin to fight Darth Vader, it’s a pretty cool idea.
Players draw from decks of cards that are specifically designed for each character. Each major character is accompanied by one or more minor characters. Han has Chewie. Luke has Leia. Darth Vader has a couple of stormtroopers. These minor characters vary vastly in their strengths and somewhat balance out the differences in the major characters. Players then take turns drawing cards, moving their characters around the various settings, and then playing cards for attack, defense, and other special abilities.
It’s a quick and simple game that’s fun for Star Wars fans. I’ve seen a lot worse, but I’ve seen better as well.
Nursing Facility Resource
Tuesday, January 8th, 2008For those of us with parents who are getting on in years, the reality of aging may be hitting home. Although we and they may wish otherwise, it isn’t always possible for us to take care of our parents. Be it distance, financial concerns or something else entirely, there are legitimate reasons for you and your parents to consider other options if they become unable to care for themselves alone. None of us want our moms and dads to end up alone for hours on end trapped in a bed with no one to talk to (as my grandfather was – he solved the problem by constantly calling the paramedics). With information that you might not consider asking, a skilled nursing facilities listings is a great resource when it comes time to choose a place to live. Instead of starting at ground zero, you’ll have a basic understanding of what options are available to your family and what role you can play in their care. Make the transition a little easier for you parents by doing the research for them.
Chick Flick Alert
Tuesday, January 8th, 2008Last night I stumbled upon ‘Emma’ and, though I have seen it more than one time before, I had to watch it through to the end. I don’t know what it is about these Jane Austen books turned into movies that I can’t get enough of but I’m really addicted. I watched the BBC mini series version of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ all the way through and I didn’t start until 10pm. It’s 300 minutes long so you can imagine that I was tired the next day. But I watched it again the next night (I fast forwarded through some of the less romantic parts). I’ve never read a single Jane Austen book. It’s a little bit shameful because it seems that I am going through this author by watching the movies. I guess in my defense I will assume that books written in the 19th century are all dull and that somehow, through the magic of Hollywood, they are made wonderful in the present day. That’ll be my ignorant excuse anyway.
Doggie Day Care
Tuesday, January 8th, 2008I have resisted getting a dog. They’re SOOO cute but I know that if I get one I’m not going to be able to take him or her on most trips that I want to take the family on and house sitters can be quite expensive. I’m also concerned about leaving my dog home alone – inside they can wreak havoc but it’s just too darn hot outside almost all the time to even consider that option. I guess the best choice is the one my dog owning siblings have used – a dog kennel. I actually passed one a couple days ago called a pet resort which looked like an upscale people resort and I know there are amazing things that some kennels do including social activities for your pet. One sibling had her dog’s picture taken with Santa while he was at day care. That’s right – day care. Here’s a parting tip – take your pet with you when you look for a kennel and see if they like the place before you decide on one.
Peter David
Tuesday, January 8th, 2008I’ll admit it – I’m Star Trek fan. In this household you either love Star Trek or you love Star Wars, but really not both. You tolerate the other person, but you’ll always wonder a little about their sanity. Anyway, I’m here to talk about Peter David. Who is this person, you may ask. Why, only the best Star Trek author of all time, I will tell you. In my childhood, it was the Peter David Star Trek books we fought over most. We were only allowed one copy of a book and you had to register with the official owner to get in line to read it (and a long line it was). God help you if a slow reader was ahead of you – you might just as well wait for the library to get it and we all know that takes forever. Peter David’s books have made the New York Times Bestseller list so you know they’ve got to be good. But he’s not limited to Star Trek. He’s wrote the novelization of the first Spiderman movie and it’s impossible to tell how many comic books he has written. He even wrote a book about writing comic books. His writing is witty and heartfelt and most importantly, it is creative. If you don’t like Star Trek, maybe read ‘Sir Apropo of Nothing’ or ‘Tong Lashing’ – oh so funny.
Yoga for Fun
Tuesday, January 8th, 2008About a year ago I bought a yoga DVD in an effort to get into better shape. Actually it was probably more like 3 years ago and I haven’t used it much in that time until recently. Now I try to do it every day. I’m interested in seeing just how bendy I can get. I’ve lost a little weight and its been nice to be able to touch my toes again but I feel like I have done as much as I can with the limited amount of techniques and poses on it. I’m hoping to branch out a bit more so I’ve considered taking some classes in person but that usually costs money that I don’t have and the ones I’ve found so far are during the day when I’m not available. Fortunately I’ve found sites on line that offer poses so I think I’ll be able to expand my pretty small ‘library’ so to speak. I might even find some new muscles to stretch.
The Water Horse
Tuesday, January 8th, 2008I saw The Water Horse. It’s a good kids movie but beware – you may have a crying child on your hands by the time it ends. If you see this movie, you may be jolted by the way it occasionally jumps from WWII to present day and back again. Especially the first time. Here’s a hint – remember the face of the old man at the beginning. That’s not meant as a spoiler but as a way to ease the transition. I had trouble placing his face the first time they made the jump and then they jumped back so fast I was wondering if spliced a different part of the movie in there for some reason. In the end you as an adult may find comfort knowing the ‘REAL’ story of the Lock Ness Monster.
Audio Ads
Tuesday, January 8th, 2008Here’s another innovative way to create a little income from your blog or web page. It’s called Pay Per Play Ads. PPP Online Ads allows you to embed an audio ad on your web site whenever such an ad would be appropriate. The ad only lasts for 5 seconds and is invisible so it takes up no space on your page. It works like Google Ads in that the ad would relate to what you have put on your site. It’s best to check for yourself, but they say it can be used along with Google Ads because it doesn’t violate Google’s Terms of Service.
Tucson
Tuesday, January 8th, 2008All the rain we had recently reminded me of my time in Tucson. The first year I moved there was NOT a drought year. It rained every day for a month. Unfortunately, Tucson does not have a drainage system. Rather, it doesn’t have an underground drainage system. They use the streets instead. This means that even if it rains a little, all the streets get flooded. Unless you have hip high rain boots, don’t bother trying to walk around because they don’t have sidewalks so you have to wade through the ‘gutters’ or go down the middle of the street. This may seem a bit negative and I’ll admit that when I think of all the places I want to visit in my life, Tucson isn’t even a place I want to pass through on the way to those places, but that’s just how Tucson is.