Comp is down... for the count!

Hey everyone!!

I can tell you for a fact those Geeks and Geeks Squad do not know their ass from their elbow. I was desperate. I have been without Internet access at my home for a little over a week. I attempted to complete a secure ID log on for work. I have done this hundreds of times in my past... even on this very same PC. Well, my attempt was partially successful and when I attempted to sign out and sign back in... my internet access was corrupt. I tried all the usual suspects... checked the dam cords... reset my cable service... reset my system in order from cable box; router; pc; and xbox. The silver lining to this tragic story is my xbox. NO PROBLEMO... and I want to keep it that way.

Anyways... friends attempted to trouble shoot with me and it did not work...

So I take my PC to BestBuy. I bring my Dell to the black/white/orange section of the store where men and women in muted black and white surry around from PC to PC staying for a max of 30 seconds as they multi-task software loads and the like. A cheeky fellow name Greg asks if he can help me....

• he does a diagnostic
• he reviews my settings
• he loads some basic fixes
• he makes a determination it could be my network card or something within the operating system program - either way to determine is a max of 40.
• "the sucker okays the work"
• he installs the brand new network card
• FAILED to access the internet!!!
• he then asks about my connection at home (I have one - xbox live)
• he starts chatting about live... his gamer tag... I respond... I'm the 'It's not your fault' guy... he chuckles... "not vs. me" and I respond with "SCDA - any time" it will not be your fault....
• he attempts to sell me on a total reinstall after telling me the network card was flawed - which is clearly was not...
• he was not shocked when I declined that option...

So I have been without PC at home for eyons... it seems!

Still Here...
just nothing to say recently.

On my current play list:

Call of Duty 2 ------> preparing for the Call of Duty 4 recently released.
Halo3 -------> playing whenever the group is on... and not much recently.
TenchuZ -----> Very fun game. Just completed it.
Dead Rising ----------> will be playing this game next. Should be fun.

Racquetball:
I'm recovered. I dropped my first game back, which was a waste since my lack of conditioning actually cost me the game.

3-2 at this point. However the season timeframe is almost up and I cannot get anyone to reschedule.

I may very well end up 3-8.

I'm in the process of reaching out to my peeps I speak with every now and then, but have not lost anything with I hope.

Still Here...

just nothing to say recently.

On my current play list:
Call of Duty 3 ------> preparing for the Call of Duty 4 release.
Halo3 -------> playing whenever the group is on... and not much recently.
Chromehounds --------> for the elusive fight at every map achievement... I will get it!
Dead Rising ----------> will be playing this game next. Should be fun.

I love getting great games for less than 10 bucks and usually closer to 5.99. It is awesome, since I have the patience to wait and favorites to play in the meantime.

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Racquetball:

While I recover from injury all is quiet. I'm 1 and 1 and 4 games to make up so far. I hope to be back in action within 1-2 weeks.

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Halloween Party tonight... my kids look adorable and cannot wait to see them in action.

6 yr old = Princess
4 yr old = Pirate
2 yr old = Raggity Anne

the Mrs... Devil (oh la la)
I'm going as a schlep that works on Saturday (right now!!)

I play with Twelve Year olds...

and lose. No, that is not accruate. I lose badly!

I opened the fall season in the Purple division (again) with a refreshing beating. A 12 yar old took it to me beating me in less than 25 min 41-5. I did what I could. I made adjustments. I found what he does not do well too late to make a come back. Next time, and there will be a next time, I hope to score more.

Pictures...

We have many more. Most of all the pics of the kids are just darling. I am putting my foot down, but before today comes to a close I need to post some new ones.

Tea Bag

Switching gears to another topic this blog has registered as fair play, last night I played good old Splinter Cell. I say good old since like most things fun but dated it is nearing retirement. I have been play Splinter Cell as my number one game since around this time last year.

Heck, when good people recommend a good game it is hard to deny that impulse.

Splinter Cell has evolved. With this change the old guard rotates out to other games of their preference (WoW in some tragic cases) and newbies graduate to elite status. There are a few that just like to play a game for the game itself and I wish I was one of them. Honesty dictates that I am not one of those individuals. I play the game to have fun and when pushed I reveal all my tricks and less used paths in order to get files on those that had been previously winning. That is the part of Splinter Cell that is most enjoyable. Last night this happened...

I was just playing after racquetball and prior to Infamous joining me, I was running with nameless strangers. Without a solid team member, these very good players were having their way with me. Heck, they were good matches. I'm always last to die, so of course my teammates kept dropping as is custom for dead spy's to do. When I was on the mercenary side, the same applied since these guys were good enough to kill the bold mercs lacking the sense not to enter a kill room. So every game these fellas would win and be fairly modest about it. Well that was until this one player entered that surely was the patriarch of this group. Man - if confidence was liquid this dude could fill a 10,000 gallon pool. First game in with this clown and I am doing my normal game at yellow. Try to kill the spy that won't be killed. Even with three mercs in that room - I survive a great deal longer than 99% of other people. Mostly due to their skill, but I probably use several tricks that are not wide spread and if you are anticipating too much it could cost you your neck and a catch phrase... "It's not your fault."

Well, after I grabbed one guy turning up my game play a bit I get killed with a solid grenade. Next life, still a bit reckless, I goto yellow and get knocked down with a good elbow. Clean play - but enter the wise crack and the subject for this post. I immediately bring it back to the lobby and offer my thoughts on the topic. Thankfully, the kids were asleep. We started up game two about 2-3 min into it I set the trap for an easy kill on me to see if we can proceed without this nonsense... sure enough. Subject line #2.

We go back to the lobby and the room empties due to the start stops. Finally, I found an effective way to deal with these losers. Do not get confrontational... just hold them accountable.

Anyways... the rest of the night was fine, but I am putting my foot down on this crap.

Shot Fest 2007

I registered for the best tourney of the year in my geographic region. I paid my 30 dollar entry fee. I was set to play the "C" bracket. I had prepared as much as I could for the test.

then...

I get a message over an hour after it was left that I missed my first match. I was suppose to play my first match at 8:00am on this past Saturday. I was specifically told I was set to play at 11. I was pissed. The person that won "C" just barely beat a player I own. I would have liked to just got a chance to play.

Tournaments are a very different breed of racquetball. All the matches are officially judged with their calls standing. Anyone that has watched racquetball knows that the balls moves so quickly it can be hard for the players to keep track of it. Judges often make bad calls, but you did not hear me say that. Another aspect to tourney play is the audience and their impact on game play. There could be anywhere from 5-30 people watching your match. Bad shots seem to become even worse... poor decisions are second guessed like crazy in the gallery (I've been there!) and most of all - the players are increasingly aware of tight game situations. I usually do not fare well in tourney games for all these reasons, but I have been working on that. I wanted to exercise what I have been working on.

ALL FOR NOT!! or at least until next year...

P.S. My trick is simple. Never look back at the gallery... not even for a second. Make a bad play... back pedal into position. Turn to face your opponent in the back court - I'd lock my eyes on them or the ball alone. After a while the crowd fades... what I did not have a chance to work on was the man (referee) with the microphone... that could be unsettling if not worked routinely!