Half Life 2 (From The Orange Box)

Well, before I began playing Bioshock (BS), I had started on my Half Life 2 (HL2) journey, compliments of The Orange Box (TOB).

As creepy as BS starts out, you get used to it as you go along and never made me jump more than a couple of times. HL2, on the other hand, makes me jump... fairly often. >.< Where BS had the creepy sound, HL2 has the BOO!! factor.

So, at any rate, I'm back to playing HL2 and trying to drop my BS habits. lol Not hitting "B" in BS when I first started playing was my biggest hurdle to overcome since it used your first aid kits, etc. And now I need to relearn it because if I remember correctly, in HL2 it reloads your weapon. Pretty important button. :p

Anyway, I'm having fun. And if you haven't had the opportunity to pick up TOB, at least rent it. It's jam packed with coolness.

Bioshock is AWESOME

A quick note on the Xbox 360 version of Bioshock.

I finished the game this afternoon, and I just want to say it's FANTASTIC.

The controls were natural, the graphics fantastic and the voice acting is seriously some of the best I've ever heard in a game. The story immersion is just beyond excellent. And the sound... creepy and mood setting. Beware if you have surround sound, as you'll completely be freaked out.

I totally give it a 10.

If you haven't played Bioshock. Do it. Just.. do it.

The Big Haircut - One month later

I figured I should probably follow up to my previous blog about the new haircut. ;)

One month into this new 'do', I'm pretty much in love with it. While I think it was probably a bit short in places, the stylist did a good job, and it's growing out nicely. It's time to have the neck touched up and right over the ears, but other than that, I'm very happy.

It's also grown on the kids, and they don't hate it anymore. :p

Now the next step is to get some highlights. =)

As far as picture requests, I don't do pictures well. :$ If any decent ones get taken over the holiday, I'll post them at XBLF. =)

The BIG Haircut...

You know what that is, right? It's THE haircut. It's the one that you'll always remember as the biggest change you EVER made in hairstyle.

I have had the BIG haircut. Day before yesterday, as a matter of fact. Wednesday, Setptember 19, 2007 at 5:25pm, the first cuts were made in my BIG haircut.

I've had short haircuts before. All one length just below the ears.. a Dorthy Hamill has a kid.. Assorted layered cuts.. But NEVER, have I ever had a cut THIS short.

How short you ask? Short. Like.. REALLY short.

What's the story? Well, it goes like this:

I had shoulder length, frumpy hair. Years ago it was straight as an arrow. Thick as all billy hell, and I was pretty picky about how it looked, etc. But these last several years, it started to get frizzy, hard to manage, and frankly, I became really lazy about doing ANYthing to it. I'd shower, pull it back in a barrette while wet, let it dry (because blow drying didn't change the appearance any) and do whatever I needed to do. I looked.. awful.

So one day Terry and I are in Wal-Mart. We're cruising the automotive isle as he looks at car goodies and we bump into a lady that works where he does. Attractive lady, with this really short spikey kind of haircut. Highlights..etc. Looked really nice. I looked at Terry after she'd walked off and said, "I wonder if my hair would do that?" I doubted it, since I have incredibly thick hair, but I can always dream, right? Anyhoo, he absolutely floors me with "Well, you'll never know if you don't try it." This is the man who years ago hated these kinds of haircuts and never wanted me to have anything but long hair. And they say women are fickle. lol

So after months of hem-hawin' around about it.. looking at pictures, and searching for a decent stylist.. I finally make an appointment with the stylist that does that woman we saw in Wal-Mart's hair.

How did it turn out? Wellll... when she finally got finished with me, and I was turned into the mirror, a lump lodged in my throat the size of Texas, and I amazingly held it together long enough to pay and thank her, and assure her that it was something I would have to get used to when she asked what I thought.

My mom had come along as moral support, and as we got to her car, I could feel my face getting warm. Still no tears.. holding strong, I discussed with her what I thought.

"I look like a DYKE, MOM!" (No offense to those who are, or have lesbian friends.. but I'm not one, and don't wanna look like one.) "Now Cindy, it's cute! Give it time, it'll grow a bit. You just need to get used to it."

So I tell her bye and call Terry to prepare him and the kids for my arrival.

"Terry, it didn't turn out quite the way I wanted it to."

"What do you mean?"

"I look like a dyke! She got it a bit too short for my hair type, I'm afraid. And I don't like it."

"It'll be fine." And when I got home, he said the same thing. I still don't know if he's lying to save my feelings or if he really doesn't mind the way it looks, but he's a dear sweet man either way. =)

My kids, on the other hand aren't happy with it. My younger two adjusted pretty quick tho. My oldest said, "Mom, I told you not to do it." LOL

But now, 2 days later, even tho I think it needs to be a bit longer in a few places, it's starting to grow on me. It's really nice to be able to fix my hair in 5 mins... It's an awesome feeling to know I look presentable with so little work.

Also, because I felt the cut looked so 'butch', it has prompted me to wear make-up again. Something I haven't done in YEARS. Seriously. I've had full make-up on (base, powder, blush, eye-shadow, mascara.. etc.) less than 10 times in the last 5 years. It was just too much hassle to mess with. Especially when my hair always looked so crappy.

I had lunch with my mom yesterday. I was telling her how old my makeup was, and this morning she brought me probably $30 worth of new make-up! She shouldn't have done it, but let me tell ya, I used every bit of it after she left, and it was GREAT!

Woot! I'm female again. Butch haircut and all. =P

(ps. I want to say I don't hold it against the stylist. I just don't think she anticipated my hair to act the way it did. I neglected to tell her it shrinks pretty bad when it dries. That little bit of information could have made the difference, and I forgot to mention it. lol)

Home Depot can get BENT.

Well.. today I found out just how low companies can sink to in the attempt to protect their asses.

Link to story

So, it seems Home Depot isn't a very safe place to be. I guess if it'd been a rape he'd witnessed, he was suppose to run back inside and phone the police while the rapist finished up and headed off on his merry way to more victims?

Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy to know the company is really looking out for my saftey. They'll never get another cent from me.

Woo HOO! School is back in session!!!

Wait, was I a little too excited about that? Well, you would be too after spending the entire summer cooped up in a house with a 16 year old, 9 year old (actually 10 in a month) and a 3 year old (4 in a week.)

We didn't make Tyler get a job this summer, because he didn't turn 16 until after the summer had started, because he didn't have his license yet.. and, well.. I think I felt a bit sorry for him at the time. Summer of his teenage youth, and all that. BUT... Having spent the summer with an INCREDIBLY bored teenager, I shall never make that mistake again. ;)

So now there will be less of "LEAVE YOUR SISTER ALONE!!" and more of "DO YOUR HOMEWORK!" lol But I can handle it, because there will be more PEACE and QUIET during the day. My sanity is SAVED!!!

Oh, btw

Some of you might remember a post of mine from a couple of years ago?

Link to post
Well, the drawer thing... happened again a few weeks ago.

Stretch... breathe...

Ahhh.. it feels good.

I'm not missing WoW. Really. Hardly a second thought has gone back to it, and when I do think about it, I just breathe this big sigh of ... relief.

I loved that game, I really did. But it was also eating up my life in the time spent to accomplish anything 'worthwhile' in-game. It was also the source of endless frustration and headaches since I was (most of my time in game) a guild master.

To fill the gaming void, I've gone back to playing a little bit of Oblivion. I have it on both the PC and the XB 360. It's wonderful to be able to play a game, and stop ANYtime. It's awesome. =)

I'm also having fun enjoying my new car. Zoom Zoom !!

Vista is the devil

Truly.

My post for help at TheVistaForums.com

And that's just one problem.

My official stance on Vista at this point. Just. Don't. Do IT!!

Alrighty then..

Well, there was indeed a reinstall of my OS. Was it pretty? NO.

And damn it, what's up with Vista?? Upgrades/installs are either smooth as glass or bumpy as the freakin' Rocky Mountains. >:(

When I upgraded my 2nd pc (ripped from my possession by my evil younger children and now sitting across the room and no longer at my fingertips) it went from XP to Vista like a champ. Not one single hiccup. But both times I've tried to upgrade mine.. ISSUES ISSUES ISSUES. Even a clean install has been plagued by errors and "blah blah blah has stopped working"....

BAH!

I sense an OS reinstall coming on..............

Damn it.

Nothing.. freakin'.. works.

My iTunes is totally screwed. I've uninstalled it, uninstalled Quicktime, and all of the other assorted 'Apple' stuff on my PC, reinstalled.. blah blah blah. Followed every 'fix it' suggestion I can think of and STILL it's jacked up.

So even tho Terry's PC will whisper sweet nothings in it's ear, my PC is absolutely oblivious to it's presence. /cry

Then this morning, I can't get MSN to load.. It starts to sign on and then freezes!? WTF?? And as we speak, Trillan is frozen mid install.

I need something to kill............... Where's a night elf when you need one. >:(

Off the WoW... again

Back to the land of the living...... ahhh

This time I'm not alone. Terry canceled, too. And I mean we actually turned the billing off. (Didn't do that last time.) I have about 3 wks left before my account expires. Terry has about 2 wks, and Tyler will renew for one month, just so he can tell his friends good-bye over the next week or so. We cancelled our youngest son's infrequently played account as well...

So someone.. please point us in the direction of the nearest WoW-a-holics Anonymous meeting. ;)

What's up with us...

Yeah yeah... so I don't update that often. lol Mostly because nothing happens that anyone else would be interested in. Unless you play WoW, that is. :p

Most recently tho, Terry's dad suffered a major heart attack, and is in the hospital at this time. Apparently his regular doctor took him off of two medications when he shouldn't have.. and the last two heart specialists (one private and one VA) agree that his attack was brought on because of that. He developed a blockage around a stint.. which they had repaired within an hour of the heart attack.

It was first recommended that he get a bypass and pace maker. But now it's believed, after figuring out what caused the attack, and realizing he has good flow through his other arteries, that they can treat him with meds... so long as he follows their instructions on physical exertion and diet, etc.

So it's been a hairy week for sure.

Nothing much else going on.

Here's a couple of pics of Wiley. He doesn't sit still very long, so I have a hard time getting good pics. ;)

What Em sometimes does when daddy plays WoW. This was taken in May.


This was also from May.


This was taken today.

Testing Cursor Mania

Edited

Puppy Update

Well, he's here! Actually, he has been since last Sunday, but I'm just now getting around to posting pics and video. ;) What can I say, it's been a hell week. I'll spare ya the details, and get on to the pup stuff.

Wiley is a doll. My son decided to keep the breeder given name, and thus a coyote is born. And he has a voice to rival any coyote's, I'll promise you that. Just visit us around kennel time and you'll be sure to agree.

A some video I snapped a little bit ago. Don't let perspective fool you... That lobster toy is only about 4" long. Wiley is barely more than a handful as this point. LOL



The voice you hear is my daughter in the background playing around.

More later.......

Coming Soon....

See this face?

Awww.. Ain't he cute? Meet "Wiley". Right now he's 6 wks old. Next week he'll have a new name, and a new home here with us. He's a Miniature Australian Shepherd, and my son's new puppy.

We traveled 1.5 hrs one way last night to pick him out of a group of 5 available puppies. My son is on Cloud 9. =)

He's been waiting for his very own puppy for a long time now. And the time has finally arrived.

To be continued........

The death of a shaman..........

For now.. Palana, level 65 Troll Shaman, currently stationed at Spinebreaker Hold, Outland.. is dead. Her sisters of battle (Avette, 61 Undead Mage; Myrethea, 63 undead Priest; and Blymthe, 60 Undead Warrior) followed her, dying of broken hearts.

Why did they die? Because I woke up. And I've been asleep for two years. That's a long time to sleep when you have three kids. One of which is only three years old.

Last night, I watched my three year old daughter peacefully sleeping next to me in bed while I read a book, and realized just how much I missed of the last two years by playing in the wonderful fantasy land of Azeroth. AKA the World of Warcraft.

You just cannot play that game in moderation. I thought about just trimming down my time online, but I've tried that.. and it doesn't work. I always end up playing every night. Someone always needs help, or there's one more piece of gear to get. Being the guild master didn't help. You always feel like you HAVE to be there. It helps to justify your time online.

I'm taking some time off. To catch up on life. To catch up on my kids. To enjoy some of my hobbies again....

Will I go back to Outland, and finish Palana's training to level 70? Maybe. But not until I can do it with moderation. Not until I can put the game in it's proper perspective. It should always come last. It is, after all, a game.