To all things...

Evening and, once again, well met to all of you. Well, the end of January is nigh and 1/12th of this new year is gone. With it goes the many, many (countless many, actually...) new years resolutions, failed or not, made by an untold amount of people across the globe. Why do I bring this up, you ask? This blog that you have all so graciously enjoy for a month was just that; a new years resolution. For longer than I can remember, there have been so many hobbies I have always said that I CAN do, but I then I don't actually do them. I've never felt the need to prove my ideas in that regard as I 'know' what I can (or should...) be able to do. For this, the year of our Lord 2011, I decided to actually prove my worth and do something that I said I could do but have never actually done...

So what did I learn from this experience? Well, first off, I don't think I have it in me to consistently post once a day, every weekday. Sometimes, I'm too busy with work and home life, I don't have time to churn out a QUALITY blog entry (therein lies the important distinction...). I do not want to get to the point where I am phoning in this blog and just make short posts about random crap I think of (far, far too easy and then what's the point...). For each post, I want to showcase something in my life that I have enjoyed or (at the very least...) caused some kind of emotional reaction within me (for good or for ill...). By using pop culture items I am interested in inherently, this prospect was made so much easier. But it was definitely a more difficult prospect that I realized at the outset...

Where we go from here is uncertain. My intention was to do this blog often enough that posting would become habit and I got close to that idea. While I did make enough posts for each weekday in January (yay...), what I more succeeded in doing was making myself anxious for something to blog about. Close enough, I suppose. However, I did promise to unveil my entire Ireland journal on this blog and we are still fairly early in the journey yet and I will attempt to continual daily blogging until the end of the travel log. I am hoping (cross your fingers...) that by continuing until that goal is complete, I will have gotten into a better groove and just keep going on and on until I tire of it. I have not grown tired yet, I am just tapping myself out too quickly and I need to find my blog voice or at least define it better than I have already. Maybe something will spring force as this blog evolves from its nascent state...

As a great man once said (you know him if you know me well enough...), 'Excelsior!'. I'll leave you with that...

We prere'd the crap out of that day...

Seems I missed a day again. This will have to count for last Friday (problematic at the very least...), which is kind of odd since what I will go over today happened on Sunday, so it wouldn't have been an issue then. Cop out? Perhaps, but it is a good topic none the less. So, Big Brian (yeah, I said it...) and I decided that, after such a long hiatus, it was time for us to blow some cash and have some geektacular fun, just the two of us. And we're off to Glen Burnie for the Mirrodin Besieged M:tG prerelease...

A little prere explanation: Before the official release of any Magic: the Gathering set, Wizards of the Coasts sends out a set number of booster pack boxes to locations across the country for the use of having a Limited tournament (a type of event where only the very most recent cards are allowed...). Each player is given six boosters with which to make a 40 card deck (lands are comp...) and then the players are paired off, standard elimination style. If you do well enough, you could win additional boosters as prizes. Usually, those who do the best are those who randomly receive the biggest bombs (REALLY good cards...) as well as factoring in proficiency at deck building. If the deck building skills are comparable between two players, the game is often decided which player pulled the better cards from the outset. Further, larger locations may also run booster drafts, which allow X players to pull-and-pass packs, taking a card one by one and then making a deck with their choices. At the end of the day, each player walks home with a promo card and (at least...) six booster packs worth of the current block sets, all for the cool price of 30 bucks for one sealed flight (drafts and additional flights cost extra...)...

This then brings us up to Mirrodin Besieged, the second set in the Scars of Mirrodin block (this block being a sequel block to the original Mirrodin block back in 2003...). When last we left Mirrodin (a metallic world where life is infused with metal [the trees, the people, everything...]...), the elf Glissa had saved the day, the green sun had been created, and the turmoil within that set had been (to one degree or another...) appropriately resolved. Fast forward 7ish years (real world time...) and enter Scars of Mirrodin/Mirrodin Besieged. Life progressed as normal on Mirrodin (whatever normal happens to be for metalish beings...). However, the once defeated Phyrexians (M:tG's overarching baddies...) have returned and insidiously invaded Mirrodin, right under the noses of the (un...)natural inhabitants. The Phyrexian forces have finagled their way into every aspect of Mirrodin life, which brings us to the end of Scars. Within Mirrodin Besieged, the Mirrans have noticed their planet being overtaken by the Phyrexians and fight back finally, splitting the planet into two warring factions (Mirrans vs. Phyrexians, if you hadn't guessed by now...). Mirrans favor the red/white philosophy (Mountains/Plains, attacking bonuses, cheap fast creatures, lots of removal spells, etc...) while green/black is the purview of the Phyrexians (Forest/Swamps, poison counters, regeneration, big stompy creatures, wither away forces and resources, etc...). Blue, then, is split in twain between the two factions, subtlely supporting both sides of the war(Islands, card drawing, charge counters, evasions, temporary removal, etc...)...

This prerelease was different than the others I have been to, specifically because the players had to pick which warring faction to play as. This affected the cards you would get (Mirrans got more red/white cards, Phyrexians got more green/black...) in each Besieged pack. Rather than getting a standard booster with a standard assortment, players received three Scars packs and three Besieged packs of their faction. I chose Phyrexian and Brian went with Mirran (we wanted to see how each side fared...). Brian did not pull cards that were so great, but I pulled decently. I built a very solid green/black/artifact deck and it played fairly well each game. My problem: no real bombs to speak of. Many solid cards, but nothing that was really game changing/ending (see: Blightsteel Colossus, Massacre Wurm, Creeping Corruption, etc...) so I had to rely on my deck building skills over just 'getting lucky'. I would be remiss if I did not mention that Brian is very integral to my continued deck building skills. He is great for bouncing ideas off of, though sometimes I feel I may use him as a crutch (though one of the few times he wasn't there, I won packs...)...

My first match was against a Mirran deck, but the guy didn't really seem to know what he was doing (at the very least, he was not a good deck builder...). I smoked him 2-0; he played very little cards and my efficient deck just ran him over (like a boss...). Second game, I got a beat down quite a bit (I went 1-2...). This guy played a Phyrexian deck like mine, but ended up pulling better cards from the get go. He was faster and his bombs were very bomb-y (the above Massacre Wurm made multiple appearances...). I was able to poison him out one game, but it was for naught. My last game (1-2 again...) was a beast to play. This guy was running multiple awesome cards (Venser, Black Sun Zenith, Sunblast Angel, etc...) in a strange (but effective...) black/white/blue combination, but my 'Little-Deck-That-Almost-Could' pushed through enough poison to end the game. That guy was pissed. However, game two I got mana screwed (not enough resources to cast my spells...) and then he just beat the crap out of me in game three. Good matches, even if I won no prizes...

Final thoughts regarding the prere: I have missed it and it was a lot of fun. However, I will say the overall match ups were a little dull(ish...) as you could almost guess what you would see once you figure which faction the opponent was playing. The variable of deck types were reduced a bit (I was very pleasantly surprised to see black/white/blue in round three...), but the game play itself was a delight. Brian and I hadn't played a prere since Lorwyn in 2007, so it was nice to get out and do it up right. This time, it was a local store rather than a big convention hall so it was a bit of a different experience (less of an event and more like a Friday Night Magic...). I am highly looking forward to the next prere tournament, but will satisfy my cravings with the occasional one on one draft that Brian and I do so well. Until next time, enjoy gaming folks, however you find it...

LOOK! You see? The Cliffs of Insanity!

Another day in (Irish...) paradise...

Day 2

Very tired this morning. Jet lag caught up to me big time. But after much poking and prodding from Tara, I was roused. After a light breakfast (one step in my weight loss plan...), we hopped into the car for the day to begin. First stop: Dunguaire Castle...

The castle was actually smallish from the outside and, since it cost for the tour, we decided to walk the grounds. We got some nice pictures and, all in all, it was a nice first stop. It got me ready for the next item: the Cliffs of Moher. Before the cliffs, we passed through some gorgeous scenery (though I am seeing very little that isn't gorgeous...) and drove on one of the worlds curviest roads; the aptly named Corkscrew Road. Anyways, onto to the cliffs...

The Cliffs of Moher (colloquially known to many Americans as 'THE CLIFFS OF INSANITY!!!'...) were very impressive and stretched for miles down the coastline. Despite being fairly touristy for a national natural monument (though I suppose no more so than any in the states...), the cliffs were a treat. I got to see my first puffins AND an honest to God raven in the wild. Tara and I spent a long while trying to decide where that bit in The Princess Bride was filmed; we think we narrowed it down to a couple sections. Got to try my first Irish soft serve there, too (delicious...)...

Lunch next, then it was off to the Burren. The Burren was an odd area, topographically speaking. The whole area is (mostly...) limestone, but due to time and erosion, the ground looks like this: Most of the ground was flat stone and the rain had grooved the land into an intricate rivulets that were dark and deep with hardy grasses growing in most of them. Very cool. The Burren also contained two man-made monuments: A ring fort and a grave marker (called a portal, I believe...). The grave marker resembled a part of Stonehenge, just thinner stones. They actually call the flat stone areas 'pavement'. Weird. Going back, the ring forts (scattered across the island...) are structures used, and later modified, since ancient times (BC...) up to the 15th - 16th centuries. Though each is different, it was quite unique and interesting to be within something so old and still around...

The rest of the evening was spent at camp. Tara and I walked a bit on the beach, ate some packed dinner, and bedded down for a drier night than the previous one. The itinerary tomorrow: The Aran Islands...

June 14, 2009
Nicholas C. Witte

Bonus - A cute picture of me and Tara at Moher...

Oops or Ba da BAA DAAA...

OH CRAP!!! MISSED A DAY!!! THE GOOD TIMES ARE OVER!!! Alright, calm down, take stock and rally. ::shakes head vigorously:: Brrrururrur. Ok, here we go. With Tara out of town, stuff crops up that I don't normally deal with and it crimps the free time with a vengeance (to say nothing of Dude Night...). So, to make up, I will have to do TWO posts today to catch up to my goal of one a day. So long as I can do this, I will still count it as a success and keep on going. By the by, I'm going with gaming today and a relatively new game to boot. No more foreplay: This is GoldenEye 007 for the Wii...

This particular game is a strange reboot/sequel/reimagining of an extremely popular and memorable game for the Nintendo 64, GoldenEye 007(f'n duh...). The 64 game was freaking fantastic. Beyond the storyline itself (I only played a handful of mission, but I was told that it was very faithful...), it is renowned for its replayability with multiplayer death matches. I cannot tell you how many countless camp hours I (and my Ware brethren...) spent shooting the crap out of each other, Bond style. We learned the layouts of each of the levels by heart and knew exactly the best sniper spots, the best location for proxy mines, and exactly where to find all the body armor. The graphics (now extremely dated...) were on par for that time in 64 gaming, but it was obvious that more time and effort was given to said level designs as well as weapon design diversity. Before GoldenEye, we would see this kind of FPS in PC games (like Doom and Duke Nukem...) almost exclusively and it was GoldenEye that proved it could be beyond successful on a console. I am not much of an FPS guy and I LOVE playing old school GoldenEye. It goes beyond nostalgia or the enjoyment of the Bond franchise. It was just a solid, fun game...

This brings us to the younger brother of the polygonized version of Bond. As far as graphics go, it is a delight. The settings and characters are very smooth and lifelike and (I'll say it...) on par with most FPS around. It may not reach Halo level of detail, but it's damn good. There are changes to the Classic levels and some are almost to the point where I didn't even recognize I was playing in the same level until much level. The designs of the levels remained similar, but the details and additions to the level skewed my perception to the point where you would have to convince me it was an old level. The 64 just didn't have the capabilities to do what the Wii does (also f'n duh...). I cannot honestly comment on the changes to the story as I haven't played any mission, but I've heard there are small changes to the overall story and it works well enough. Further, they brought the game play style in line with more modern FPSs (Halo, etc...) in that you get one main BIG gun and a smaller side arm. This is a significant departure from the past where each character had a Bag of Holding or access to Hammerspace to carry all the weapons. It's not necessarily a bad thing; it's just the changing of times...

Here's the biggest (subjectively...) change between the two games: they switched the Brosnen Bond with the Craig Bond (as well as some of the other characters to their more modern counterparts...]...). I am honestly not 100% sure on how I should feel about the change. On one hand, I feel the purist in me screaming 'FOUL!' and wants to see a slicker Brosnen sprite in this 'new' game. I mean, c'mon, it's GoldenEye! It's his movie, for the love of Pete! However, I can understand the desire to update it for a modern audience as Craig is the current Bond and GoldenEye came out over 15 years ago at this point. Also, FPSs aren't what they were in the mid-90's so if they were going to give it an overhaul, they probably figured why not just go all out instead of cherry picking the updates. Then again, maybe Pierce didn't want to do it at all. Who knows? I think at the end of the day, though, I would have wanted a more faithful character adaptation. It could be argued that I want it from a nostalgic standpoint, but that's what this part of the game should have been...

Final thoughts on the Wii version: Quite enjoyable, at least from a multiplayer stance. But that is why I (and many others...) really want to play GoldenEye. Die hard Bond fans might want it for the story, but the casual gamer (or even the casual Bond fan...) will pick it up for this reason. It's realistic, it's action packed and fast paced, and it never gets old (even when you think it does, you always come back to it...). The Wii controls took some getting used to, but I eventually got on par with more seasoned players (I'm looking at you, teeg...). Do I prefer it over the 64 version? Not really. They are almost separate beasts with the change in game play style, but since I don't own a 64 anymore, I would be more likely to pick up and play the newer version. I'm honestly not sure how the Virtual Console version compares yet; no one I know has it (does that tell you anything?). I am curious, though; Do you have any fond or interesting stories from playing GoldenEye, either the old or the new version. I'd love to hear them...

Bald Travolta?

I had quite the weekend with plenty to talk about. I enjoy having enough spare time on my days off to take in a movie or two (even if it's at home...), especially if the movie(s...) is just mindless fun. Guess what? That's exactly what I'm gonna talk about today (HUZZAH!). Most know I'm a fan of many over the top action movie, particularly those from the late 70's through the early 90's. I'm not sure if this one is supposed to be a throwback, a send up, an homage, or what, but it would have fit within this grouping say 15 years ago. Today, we're going to look at From Paris with Love...

This little gem stars Jonathan Rhys Meyers as James Reese, a ladder climbing CIA agent who gets assigned with John Travolta as Charlie Wax, an over-the-top secret agent with an unorthodox style of getting the job done (fairly standard buddy cop setup...). Reese must prove his worth by helping Wax uncover a terrorist plot to mess up some kind of political summit, all the while dodging countless bullets, taking part in foot/car chases, discovering traitors and the like. Further, Wax's attitude and modus operandi (oh yes...) basically drag Reese from gun battle to gun battle, getting him into loads and loads of trouble. Luckily for Reese, Wax is also very good at getting him out of said trouble (think Mary and Pippin from LotR, but with guns...). I don't want to spoil this movie (in case you're a fan of this kind of flick...), but there is a bit of a twist in it, so I am holding back on plot details (for now...)...

All in all, this was a pretty good movie, even if it was a bit predictable. Standard action movie fare, for sure, but quite enjoyable (if you like to turn your brain off and watch some gun fights...). It was co-written by Luc Besson, who you might remember from such movies as The Fifth Element and Leon the Professional (two highly rated flicks by moi...) and his flair for film once again shows here, albeit a bit more polished that The Professional. Meyers plays the budding agent type fairly well; intense in a nubile kind of way (a departure from The Tudors...). Travolta (a more than seasoned actor at this point...) really looked like he was having fun with Charlie Wax. I think Travolta has played most kinds of characters by now and it was much fun seeing him as this particular kind of character; narcissistic to the core, brash and in-your-face along with a devil-may-care attitude. The character definitely harkens back to the roles of Schwarzenegger, Stallone, Gibson and Lundgren during their heyday of being action stars and I love it for that...

My only complaint is that the movie could have been 'more'. I was expecting more slugfests from Travolta (say, with a rival/enemy agent who's as bad ass as Wax...) at some point and I didn't get my wish. Also, they could have made Reese tougher than he was. It kind of felt like Wax just kept dragging him by the collar from one scene to the next. But, would I recommend this movie? Sure would, just not to everybody I come across. This is definitely a dude movie, through and through. It's a sit down, veg out with a bag o' popcorn, and turn off the brain kind of show. From Paris with Love will certainly never win any awards (nor does it need to...), but it sure beats the hell out of Battlefield: Earth...

Grade: a solid B and the hope a sequel wouldn't suck...

An odd little review...

Hoo-ha, e'erbody! Certain things tickle my funny bone more than most; pratfalls, my ridiculous friends doing ridiculous things (I'm looking at you, Matt...), the comedic stylings of vintage Looney Tunes cartoons. But a web cartoon that capture my attention and keep it's funniness is rare to find. Lucky for me, I found one. I am an avid viewer of Homestarrunner.com (if you've never heard of it, allow me to introduce you to the interwebs. Interwebs, this is somebody who lives under a rock...) and have been since 2001. They build their comedy mostly on nostalgic pop culture references (which I dig...) and ridiculous antics from strange cartoon characters. However, one toon in particular found that perfect balance of homage, nostalgia, ridiculousness and humor. Enter: Shopping For Danger!...

A quick aside: Cheat Commandos are a 'toon-within-the-toon' in the Homestarrunner universe, much like Itchy and Scratchy in The Simpsons or Terrance & Philip in South Park. The 'show' itself parodies most 'boy' shows during the 80's into the 90's; i.e. a good of fighter/military/tough guys who fight a group with an over-the-top villain (read: G.I. Joe vs Cobra...). However, these guys take the parody to directly referencing what each show would do: Instead of inferring to buy action figures and the like, the slogan of the Cheat Commandos is literally 'Buy All Our Playsets and Toys' sung in a very patriotic manner. The concept alone is very cute, but it is this particular episode that has won my heart...

Herein lies the plot synopsis in case you do not care to watch the toon: We begin at the Cheat Commandos base playset, when a Blue Las-alert goes off, signifying that Blue Laser is up to no good! In reality, they are shopping at a grocery store and will save a lot of money. The over enthusiastic leader type (Gunhaver...) stirs the other Commandos into a frenzy, but leaves behind the dorky type (Reynold...). They try to prevent Blue Laser from checking out, but Reynold has accidentally set off a rocket launcher, destroying part of the base. The Commandos return, mistaking Reynold's mistake for a Blue Laser attack. It ends with Gunhaver cry vengeance in the next episode (literally...), while Blue Laser cleans grout as it is (apparently...) a key to defeating the Cheat Commandos...

It's the little things that make this episode near and dear to me. The plot itself is a parody of any ridiculous plot that you might find Cobra do in G.I. Joe, but beyond that, I found the adherence and the references to the little things from my childhood to be paramount. Example: when there'd be a jokey or uncomfortable scene, a 'dopey' piece of music would play. It feels very He-Man to me, but so many 80's cartoons used this trick, I can't say it's just from one show or another. Changing scenes by using the title logo is straight out of West-ian Batman show which was then used in countless kids shows since then. It's hard to pin point each and every reference and why they are great (to me...) since the whole is greater than the sum of it's parts in this case. The Brothers Chaps (creators of the H*R phenom...) out did themselves and showed there love for the genre in this short, but very sweet cartoon...

You can find the link to the toon itself here. If you give it a chance, and happen to love 80's cartoons like did (and still do...), I think you'll really dig what these guys did. While your at it, peruse the site and see what else Homestarrunner.com has to offer. There hasn't been as many updates as there has been in the past, but I still swear by the site...

The Hood vs The Cowl...

Comics today, but specifically the moving pictures variety. I had the opportunity to watch Batman: Under the Red Hood recently and I was very pleasantly surprised. Not that I actually had a much of an opinion one way or another (I have read the comic version already...), but I had been putting it off because I hadn't really heard much of anything about it at all. I am very glad I gave it a chance and here's hoping you will too...

A little back story: Semi-way back in comic book history, Dick Grayson retired as Robin to become Nightwing and a contender in his own right (a very acceptable and logical character move...), but Batman ended up needing a Robin to back him up. Enter Jason Todd: a spunky kid from the streets Batman took in to prevent him from entering a life of crime. However, it is shown very early on that, since Jason grew up hard on the streets, even at his young age, he did not have the remorseful drive that Grayson or Wayne has. He is far more reckless and got into more trouble than he solved. Flashforward many issues: The Joker kidnaps Jason in a building a beats him nearly to death with a crowbar (very brutal even by most Joker standards...), then leaves him to die in a warehouse that is about to explode. Here's the tricky part: the public voted on whether Jason Todd was to live or die (he was never as popular as the original Robin...). The public voted death, so the second Robin died in an exploding warehouse; just another ghost to follow Batman around...

SPOILERSSPOILERSSPOILERSSPOILERSSPOILERSSPOILERSSPOILERSSPOILERSSPOILERSSPOILERS

Flashforward again: This time, we are very near the present and within the confines of the 'Red Hood' story. A new vigilante enters the scene, calling himself the Red Hood (side note: that was also the first 'moniker' of the Joker...). He runs amok within Gotham's criminal underbelly, but kills the bad guys rather than helping the police lock them up. Batman (with Nightwing in tow...) scour the city in search of this deadly hoodlum. Meanwhile, he kidnaps the Joker and severely beats him with a crowbar (Symbolism, thy name is...) but doesn't kill him. Chases upon chases abound when finally Batman has the Red Hood cornered. We then see who the Red Hood really is: a resurrected Jason Todd (a cosmic calamity brought him back; i.e. Superboy punched the multiverse [ugh...]...). The final showdown happens with Jason giving Batman the choice of either shooting the Joker or shooting his former (dead...) partner to save the Joker. Batman gets out of it, everybody lives, and the bad guys escape. Hey, it's a comic book...

As far as the movie is concerned, it actually a very, very faithful adaptation of the story. The violence level is about on par (some toning down is expected...), even if a lot of it is off screen. It isn't implied that Joker beats Jason with a crowbar; we here sound effects and see shadows of the act as well as more blood than usual. Similarly, one of the cyber-bad guys head explodes and another thug gets immolated on screen. A serious cartoon for a serious audience. The action is well paced and I would imagine it is more of an exciting surprise if you don't know Red Hood's secret (though the toon is self contained, rather than a decade’s long waiting period like in the books...). The voices are also a very solid addition, though I still wanted Kevin Conroy as the Batman. John DiMaggio did a really good job, even if I could tell he was kind of channeling Mark Hamill (check the laugh...) as the Joker. Even the comically frustrated Black Mask worked for me...

Even if you have no feelings toward the Jason Todd character or have little knowledge of who he is, the story itself should be compelling to most who want a little twist into the Batman mythos. Even Batman, who is often the most human of supers, can't seem to die. But to have an actual, on-screen death affects him directly and impacts him in a lasting, meaningful way (like his parents, but much more 'in your face'...), makes the character seem more fallible. And this is important to the continued intrigue of the character. He's not Superman who can shrug off everything and save the day. At the end of the night, Batman is still a man, and it's one of the reasons we dig him so much...

Grade: A+ and the wish that more animated comic book experiences were like this one...

Don't know when I'll be back again...

Here comes another entry from my Ireland journal; this time I wrote from a different country. Remember, these entries are verbatim and reflect my mindset at the time. Some of the opinions on these pages may have changed over the course of the trip. Enjoy...

Day 1

If moving from Ithaca the way I did was an experience, then getting to Ireland was a cluster fuck and a half. To be fair, I am still on the proper flight, but let me explain:
-First, I got little sleep on the first flight. No biggie; that happens to everybody...
-Then, customs went smooth with few questions. Bonus...
-Backtrack: the flight into Birmingham was quite painful, due to the fact my ear kept refusing to pop. Even in the air now, my left ear feels full. Bad start to the day...
-Next, the baggage claim. My info wasn't clear on if I transfer the luggage myself (that felt right since I was changing airlines...) or they do it automatically (this is the correct one...). Originally, no problem. I had like 40-45 minutes till the flight. Here's where is all went south...
-I first went to the wrong terminal. Stress builds...
-I find the proper terminal, however the Aer Lingus gate has closed for check in A HALF AN HOUR BEFORE THE FLIGHT. I'm screwed big time...
-Nearing tears (to be fair, it would leave me stranded IN ENGLAND...), I happen across a mother/daughter team who did the same things I did (It's an American thing. We screw up alot...)...
-We then go to rebook the flight (which would seriously crimp the budget...) and come to find out our boarding passes are at the US Airways gate. Frantic, adrenalized energy sets in...
-RUN!!!
-Jump the security check line. RUN!!!
-Boarding pass and passport checks out. RUN!!!
-Get on the plane and quiver with relief/terror/etc...

Two points of note this morning. One, if you arrive on one airline and will leave on another one, isn't it natural to assume your ticket will be picked up at the NEXT airline? Yes. Is that the reality of the situation? Hell no. At least, hell no in England/Europe. And what the crap is that 'closing check in early'? It doesn't leave any time for stragglers, late comers, or emergencies. Now, maybe it's my spoiled American ways, but it seems a little too...overly efficient, let's say...

And speaking of efficiency, number two; the British security check points. They are tight, efficient (I said that...), and a model for the rest of us. EXCEPT: They are quick almost to the point of careless (almost...). I didn't have to take off my shoes (American airlines only?) and I didn't even get an obligatory pat down. Maybe we should be taking a cue from them, albeit tightened up for good measure. I mean, who wants to copy the English, yes?

Seeing Tara made up for the crappy day in spades. I know it was only a couple of weeks being apart and all, but it was a stressful couple of weeks and I've gotten used to having her around. Though, I suppose it was good she wasn't around for the move. I needed all the space I had and then some...

The next part of the day was mostly uneventful. It was a long drive back to our campsite (it only FELT longer than its 4+ hours...), and I was quite drowsy. After some caffeinated beverages, we played catch up and got all kissy faced. Ireland DOES have some pretty country sides, by the way, even if some of it is a bit dull. You could see much of the same in Pennsylvania that you could see here. Dull aside, it is pretty neat to be here. A new place and all...

Our first city tour was in Galway, which I swear was like a modern themed, year long Ren Fest. All the shops were flush with the next and a wide variety of buskers and street merchants abounded. Tara's not much of a city girl, but I sure as heck am (...wait...)! Despite that, we took a walking tour of the town, went to St. Nicholas' cathedral (SUPER stained glass windows. Primo tops...), saw like seven couples making out, then we had dinner...

Since it was my first real meal off the plane, I went with a traditional Irish lamb stew with a Guinness and Tara went with haddock. The food was great, the ambiance was great, the service was ok. Three thumbs up!!!

Afterwards, there's little to tell. We got home, bedded down, got busy, and went to bed. It was a good first day. Tune in tomorrow for...The Cliffs of Moher!

June 13, 2009
Nicholas C. Witte
Guinness Count: 1

Sean Connery INNNNN SPAAAAAACE...

When most people think of space travel, they tend to veer towards the Star Wars/Star Trek spectrum (nothing wrong with that...). The flashing laser blasts, exotic worlds, creatures beyond out contemplation; all of it displayed for our viewing pleasure. But there is far more out there (movie-wise...) for us to enjoy, often times forgotten when there are most comfortable, flashy franchises to be had. Consider the first two Alien movies: very un-flashy, understated sci-fi flicks. No laser blasts or beam swords, no magical elements what so ever and a general grounding in futurealism (Dig it...). They gave us a dirty or 'used' universe, rather than the utopia of Star Trek. Even Star Wars has a certain utopia-esque feel to it, despite the conflict (everything felt very bright and clean, even on sandy Tatooine or murky Dagobah...). But I digress. The movie in question for today is a movie from 1981 starring Sean Connery called Outland...

Apparently (I found this out after seeing the movie...), the storyline is a variation on the western High Noon. I've never seen High Noon. However, I will say that the story is very much like many western movies you might have come across; a sheriff rolls into to town (Sean Connery as a Interplanetary Marshall on Io [a moon of Jupiter...]...), finds some shady business going down (the manager is dealing narcotics that causes mining workers to work harder but make them psychotic...), vows to stop it at all cost (his family does not approve and he could get killed...), has a big gun fight near the end (both hit men explode in the lack of atmosphere of space...), and basically shuts down the bad guys for the good of the land (The Marshall rejoins his family, mentioned in a space age post-movie scroll...). While very linear, the story is well paced and does keep the interest of the audience over the entire film. You want to see just how The Marshall will get out of this sticky situation...

Now, the way the film is shot and the setting that it takes place in would feel very comfortable within the confines of the Alien universe (at least up to the second movie...). The style of rooms, the overall grittiness of general setting, the lack of the fantastical elements in many other franchises, the reliance on fairly modern implements such as modified shotguns, florescent lights, and obviously clunky mechanical machines for jobs rather than streamlined...anything really. Also, the use of green computer displays and early 80's graphics and fonts lends itself to the idea of what space travel might have been like if we had not progressed beyond the technology of the 80's. Combined, it makes it an easy leap from this movie to Alien; I was halfway expecting to see something specifically related to the aforementioned franchise appear in the background...

Further, unlike some more modern sci-fi movies, we actually build an emotional attachment to the characters, as they are normal people (similar to Vasquez, Hicks, and Hudson...). Flawed, human, and actually complex. Connery is not some superman character who never misses and doesn't get hurt. He's an aging Marshall, he gets shot and bleeds, and he can't just take a hit and get over it. By the end, he's been put through the wringer and seems to win by sheer will alone. The lead 'heavy' is just a man who wants to control his colony and make a lot of money doing it. He's no sinister archvillain out to kill everyone; the stress of not being able to have business as usual and not being able to get rid of the Marshall takes a noticeable toll on the character. The Marshall's lieutenant is a corrupt cop, but wants to do right by the Marshall. He agrees to help the Marshall be a spy and even shows a decent amount of shame (at least before he gets bumped off...). Even the female doctor (Connery's foil who almost acts like a western deputy...), while wooden at times, actually manages to grow as a character by the end and realize that things don't need to be as they are...

Among the great many pieces of crap sci-fi movies of the 80's (I'm looking at you, Masters of the Universe, Earth Girls are Easy, and Howard the Duck...), I'd rank this one very high. It's not the epic that Star Wars is, nor is it the rip roaring action event that Aliens is; what it is a solid story built upon a simple concept and executed seriously. And therein lies the key; the entire staff of this film (the actors, the writers, the director, all of them...) treat this movie with a seriousness that occasionally seems lost to modern day film makers. The setting could be anywhere and I believe it would have been presented in a manner that I would find appealing. It seems that modern science fiction are two concerned with how much money to throw at the effects, rather than developing good stories and characters (I'm looking at you, Battlefield: Earth, Pandorum, and The Fountain...). Hollywood could take a page or ten from this oft forgotten sci-fi tale...

Grade: Solid A-

...And she don't care...

I love me some board games. This is as much a fact as my hair is brown or favorite color is green (most of the time...). Barring most 'children's' board games (Chutes & Ladders, Candyland, and the like...), I'll play anyone, anytime. Don't misread this statement; I'm not the King of Board Games. I have been known to lose give or take as much as I win. I just love to play. One particular board game of interest is a rather tricky one for me to get a handle on strategically. I rarely win at this one at all, but I still will jump in (lightly begrudging, of course...) when there are others who are better at it or enjoy it more than I. The game in question is: Ticket to Ride...

The setting is...set in the turn of the century America. The players represent a club of travelling tycoons with a wager on who could travel the furthest by rail (insert your favorite blustery, vaugely british/rich drivel...). The game play is very simple (almost deceptively so...): You pull your routes (Random 3, keep at least 2...), then you can do 1 of 2 things on your turn. Either draw train cards (only one that's face up if it's a locomotive/rainbow...) or play enough train cards to make a route (from 1 track up to 8...). You get different points per amount of trains played, as well as points for completed routes and if you have the longest continuous connected route. That was longer than I originally anticipated. But, once you get into the game it is crazy, crazy simple to play and replay...

I may have stumbled up why I am not as good at Ticket to Ride as I am at other games (partially thanks to my lovely wife Tara's insight...). Consider: I'm very damn good at Small World (another game for another day...). There are few games that I have played that have more player on player interaction than Small World. It holds the game together, at least for a guy like me. Now, back to Ticket to Ride; there is very little to no player on player interaction from game to game. What Ticket to Ride DOES have is great player on player TENSION, and this is important to making Ticket to Ride unique. In essence, TtR gives each player their own puzzle to complete and they must complete it faster than the other player else too many obstacles get in the way. However, one player cannot do anything PROactive about what the other players do (other than guessing what the other players will do next and taking the cards the other players might want [poker-type players might be quite good at TtR...]...), but must be REactive to the board state as it changes...

It is here where I lose my game playing mojo. I am better (mayhaps even excel at times...) at games where I can pit my skills directly against another player(s...) skills and have sort of a battle of wits and wills during the game. But, in a game where you can do so little against the other players, my skills founder and it shows. I get frustrated that an area can get locked away by the other players and there is NOTHING to be done about it except adapt. Don't get me wrong, adapting strategies is cool with me. I find it to be a necessary skill for a good game player to have. But, when the only thing you can do to 'adapt' is just find a new route to your destination, adaptation doesn't help as much as it would in a game like Settlers of Catan...

Now, you may imagine that this is an overly scathing review of TtR, but I find it to be one of the most frustrating games I've ever played and still not figured out yet. It's the challenge that brings me back to it each time. It is so simple in execution; and that is the exact reason of my frustration. I'm at a point in my board gaming career (yeah, chew on that idea...) that a game such as this should be more easily beaten than the luck I've been having. But, this is a game for anyone who has, or wants to, venture out into the wide world of grown-up board games. It's simple to grasp, it's not cutesy, it appeals to many different kinds of people. I recommend this game highly; I just may not want to play it with you all the time...

Grade: A...