Another thing I’ve neglected is any sort of writing so as a secondary resolution, I’d like to give a short write-up of each game upon completion.

The List

• Bioshock
• Batman: Arkham City
• Battlefield 3
• Chrono Trigger
• Dead Space 2
• Dragon Age Origins Awakening
• The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
• Empire: Total War
• Final Fantasy IV
• Final Fantasy V
• Final Fantasy VI
• Final Fantasy VIII
• Final Fantasy X-2
• Final Fantasy XII
• Final Fantasy XIII
• Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles
• Final Fantasy Tactics Advance
• Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift
• Mass Effect
• Mass Effect 2
• Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
• Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain Slick Precipice of Darkness Episode 2
• Rainbow Six Vegas
• Supreme Commander 2
• The Witcher
• Various Indie Games

The only problem I currently have is with the Playstation and Playstation 2 games. My the unit that was storing my PS2 was burgled the other day and that was one of the only things they took: the 12-year-old gaming system. I know they are relatively inexpensive, $40 used at GameStop, but that’s a purchase I can’t currently afford. We’ll see how the rest of the year plays out and what money I can scrounge up from my birthday and the like and see if I can’t replace it.

Here’s to a great year of old and unfinished games!

Rachel was going to cook salmon patties tonight. I give props to her, since it’s one of my favorite dishes ever. We’re talking if not #1, it’s in the top 5. We were using my mother’s recipe, a recipe we totally butchered before, when Rachel starts to panic. “We don’t have any parsley.” I mean, how does one respond to this? Not knowing the correct answer, I respond incorrectly with, “So what?” Long story short, I end up being in charge of the cooking tonight. And with that I give to you a modified version of my mother’s salmon pattie recipe:

Salmon Patties à la Kenobi

• 1 can salmon with juice
• 1 pkg crackers (we used Whole Wheat Ritz)
• 2 heaping tbs. mayonnaise
• 1 heaping tsp. prepared mustard
• 1/4 tsp. garlic salt
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• sprinkling of minced onion
• 2 eggs

Mix all ingredients together and shape into patties. Using light oil or cooking spray, fry until brown.

It’s that simple, and that delicious.

Chef Casey out.

I leave for Basic Combat Training in 21 days, exactly three weeks.  One thing that I have pondered recently is what I am potentially giving up by taking this career path.  Since I was young my want to explore, create, and imagine dominated my being.  My youth was not so different from Calvin, the young protagonist of the Calvin and Hobbes series by Bill Watterson.

I dreamed about being just about anything, from the realistic (doctor, artist, marine biologist, fighter pilot) to the fantastic (Jedi, dinosaur hunter, Ghostbuster).  One dream that formed and finally solidified was my dream to make a movie – write, shoot, direct, edit, or all four for a major, feature-length film.  I didn’t really care about the money or fame.  In essence, I wanted to make my imagination come to life.  I wanted to imagine something, put it on paper, then put it on screen.  That’s why I got a degree in Electronic Media Production from Harding University.  The idea was that would put me on my way to realizing that dream.  Through different circumstances, some good and some bad, I realized that dream started to fade.  It made me sad, especially to see one of my friends doing so well with his dream.  We roomed together, made short videos together, had class together, and dreamed together.  Now I’m leaving soon for the Army to start a career very different from any I initially imagined.  Did I give up my dream?

Yes.  And no.  I kept thinking about giving up a dream as a failure, but that really isn’t the case.  Some dreams have merely been exchanged for other dreams.  Rachel once had a dream of becoming a famous opera singer, but she exchanged that dream for a beautiful daughter and motherhood.  Was that dream lost?  You would have to ask Rachel, but my guess is that she wouldn’t exchange Abby for anything in this world (unless it is dinner time and Abby keeps spitting out her food).  I’m very excited for this new dream I have: work hard through basic training and officer training to become an officer of the United States Army, so I can provide for my family and server others.  I want to travel, see the world, and have my family along for the adventure.  This is a dream I feel is worth the exchange.

Casey out.

PS – Dave has to keep at it because I know that he is going to be famous one day for editing, directing, screenwriting, or all of the above.  I need him to succeed so I can also live vicariously through him.

Prometheus Bound (Jordaens, 1640, Cologne)

This week has been a little taxing with yesterday being the worst.  Two big things happened which were part of my own inattention.  On Wednesday morning when I was switching out laundry I discovered my cell phone sitting in the bottom of the washer.  I’ve had that phone for well over a year and, up until that point, was still in like-new condition with only a couple superficial scratches on the casing.  What makes the situation worse is that I’ve had an upgrade due for a long time but was waiting.  I leave for basic November 18.  The phone only really needed to last until then.  After all my training I was planning on saving up and getting a nice iPhone 3GS (or whatever the equivalent would be had Apple released a new one).  As a temporary measure I’m using Dan Ockay’s old Motorola SLVR.  I really appreciate it, but it is older, some buttons are missing, and I can’t be heard by the receiving end if I hold the phone in certain ways.

Yesterday morning Rachel and I both got up late.  Abby had either slept in or was very silent after she woke up so we didn’t get up until almost 9am.  In one way that was great.  Sleeping in once in awhile is nice.  On the other hand it threw me off and laundry needed to get done before I left for work so I had a shirt and pants to wear.  I threw all my stuff in the washer and then had breakfast with Rachel and Abby.  When the washer was done I went to put stuff in the dryer.  Guess what I found?  Wrong!  It wasn’t Dan’s phone – it was my iPod touch!  It took several moments for my brain to completely decipher what my eyes were seeing.  There, in the bottom of the washer, was my iPod touch.  It was just lying there…dead.  There was no reviving it.  I yelled to the tune of 5000 screaming children.  The anger I felt was that of the old gods, like Zues’ anger at Prometheus for giving fire to the mortals.  Fire shot from my eyes and lightening from my fingertips.  In a very unChristian-like manner I gave in to my anger and frustration and let it burn.  Rachel didn’t bother to say much of anything to me because she knew I was in a “mood”.  I didn’t care.

I was so angry I considered skipping work.  Now that wouldn’t have been very responsible so I started getting ready for work.  I went into the half bath (slamming the bedroom door in the process) and started shaving.  This did not have any sort of calming effect by the way.  It’s not a good idea to shave angry.  While I was shaving I heard the bedroom door open and soon after I felt something grab my left hand, which was hanging to my side.  I looked down and saw little Abby standing there, holding my hand and smiling at me.  It was like she knew I was really upset and did the only thing she understood.  My heart broke and my anger faded into nothing.

Sometimes I get mad and lose my patience with Abby.  I shouldn’t, but I do.  She doesn’t understand.  I should always remember that she is a blessing and part of God’s plan for me, even if I don’t always know the how or why.

We are 200% awesome.

Casey out.

These were the words I spoke at the MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station) in Little Rock on Friday, July 31, 2009 at approximately 1045.  Words cannot express the excitement I felt as I spoke them.  I am now a member of the United States Army.  I am a future soldier.  I leave for Basic Combat Training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma on November 18 and there are only two other events of my life that I have been more important to me than this.  I will be gone for six months of training, 3 of Basic and 3 of OCS (Officer Candidate School).  It will be hard, but it will be the best thing I know that I could do for myself and my family.

Casey out.

Transformers 2 was a spectacle, a visual delight, and I was entertained. That’s more than enough for me.
For those who were expecting or demanding a Shakespearean effort, let me remind you what the subject matter is: Alien robots that turn into cars.
And sometimes planes. Ryan Sohmer (full post here)

Casey out.

Casey out.

Of course we could not afford to take it to a computer shop and have them charge us hundreds of dollars to fix it, so I was a little down at the fact that my computer might remain busted for some time.  That is until I read I could do it myself.  I knew this was a classic case of hard drive failure, which was very odd because the Windows side seemed to work well.  It had trouble now and then, but I could run it for hours and hours with nary a problem.  After telling Rachel I could do it myself, I promptly went to Newegg and ordered a new hard drive.

*As a caveat, I do all my computer component shopping at Newegg.  They have great service and prices.*

My hard drive arrived yesterday and the surgery began.

It was both wild AND scary.  I actually didn’t have the necessary TORX screwdrivers, but Nate happened to have them in his car so he stopped by after work and assisted.  For the most part, everything went very smoothly with the exception of me breaking off a couple pegs that keep the glass aligned on the monitor.  I still had 6 or 8 left to keep it in place and it stays on via magnets so it is fine.  Overall it was a resounding success.

After the hardware repair OS X installed flawlessly and I was able to also install the Windows 7 release client under Boot Camp.  Everything is running now as smooth as butter on a bald monkey.  Woot!

Casey out.

1. New theme.
2. I joined Twitter and the tweets are listed to the right.
3. I’m going to try and start reviewing movies and games.  I think it would be fun.

Casey out…for now.

If you notice, I am 10 levels higher than my first previous post.  I guess you could say I’ve been pulled back in.  This time, however, I have been much more responsible with my play time; even Rachel would agree.  On to other things.

A couple weeks ago, my seizures became suddenly worse.  This was odd because I had been sleeping well, there had been no new life changes, no additional stress.  Rachel and I couldn’t figure out what was going on.  It was so bad that I had to miss a week of work.  Luckily I had just enough sick/vacation time to cover the time lost.  I was able to go to the neurologist last Thursday and he wants me to do another study, which means a nice stay in the hospital.  That’s going to be fun again.

This week has been a little better, plus I’ve been playing the bachelor because Rachel and Abby have been in Northern Kentucky/Ohio for almost the last week.  It was nice, but I’ll be glad to have them back home.  I miss them.  They are due back soon.

Casey out.