Thanksgiving holiday and weekend

For the Thanksgiving holiday, we went up to Washington, Utah.  We left on Wednesday night, after i got off work.  The drive up actually wasn't that bad.  Oddly it seemed better at night.  I spent time with the in-laws.  We had a great Thanksgiving day.  Food was great, and we had a good time.  We did watch some football, and the Vikings lost.

The next day was younger sister-in-law's birthday.  Happy birthday!!!  For some reason I thought she was younger than she is.  She and her hubby had plans, so we helped with watching the nephews.  We went to a craft fair, but to me it seemed more like a swap meet of mall kiosks than actual crafts.  Later I actually went to a park with the 3 older boys.  We drove some r/c's, and played on the playground.  The boys really enjoyed driving the Pro-line Ambush, even though it was slow.  Their dad and grandpa showed up with the 4th boy.  We played with some of the balls at the park.  After spending a few hours at the park, we went back home and had left overs for dinner.

I've actually gotten into doing a Thanksgiving sandwich.  Some places refer to it as the Bobby, and others as the Pilgrim.  I do bread, turkey, stuffing, mayo, and cheese.  I'm not real big on cranberries or cranberry sauce, but I will drink cranberry juice.  Go figure.

I also brought along a few of my indoor drones, but only flew the Inductrix FPV.  I let the nephews where the goggles, and they really enjoyed watching the flying.  Only one didn't get dizzy when doing the funnel move.

On Saturday, the wife and I went for pizza and the Pizza Factory.  A good pizza place.  After that, we meet everyone else at a park.  When driving their we tried using Waze.  It got us close, but wanted to take us into a gated community.  Luckily the park wasn't too far away, and we made it.  We just relaxed.  After the park, it was time for us to return back to Vegas.  We got back and all was well.

And now another personal bit of info: I drink beer.  Yay me!  But I actually prefer hard cider, with my favorites being Angry Orchard and Smith & Forge.  I do try to sample other beverages.  This weekend was Great Basin Wild Horse Amber Ale.  Please keep in mind that I am no connoisseur.  If I like it, I say I like it and I drink it.  If I actually finish a bottle, I definitely liked it.  I liked this one, and will pick it up again.

Well that's all for now.  I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving!  Now on to the Christmas holiday!

Stay safe, drink responsibly, and be merry!

New Thrash Metal, and VG Soundtracks!

Hey! Another personal info post. ("Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?)  Sorry about that.

Eariler this year in January, Megadeth released a new album: Dystopia.  I finally got a digital copy back in July.  A great ablum!  Feels like their Countdown To Extinction album, which I have.  The only other full album I have of theirs is "So Far, So Good...So What!"  And then I have a few singles here and there.  I really should listen to some of their other older albums.

Just last week Metallica released "Hardwired...To Self-Destruct".  But if you are Metallica fan or follow me on Facebook, you know this.  And what is awesome about the promotion for releasing this album?  They did music videos for all the songs on the album.  They had already released 3: "Hardwired", "Moth Into Flame", and "Atlas, Rise".  All very awesome songs.  Then on Wednesday and Thursday last week (Nov 16 and 17), they released all of the other music videos.  I do not know of any other music group or artist that has ever released official music videos for every song on an album.  I would love to see more of this, and not every single album.  I know that would be very time consuming to do.  But I do think that more of the big names should do this.

Metallica actually released 2 version of this album.  A regular one with 12 new songs, and a deluxe one with 14 additional previous songs (most of which are live versions).  On iTunes the price difference was only $3, so I got the deluxe since I don't really have much of their older stuff.  I have "...And Justice For All" and "Metallica" (aka the black album), and singles here and there.  But I also did pick up the full "Master Of Puppets" album.

It's funny.  Here I am in my 40's getting into old school thrash metal.  Love it!

(OK, so what about this "VG" thing?)

I have also been getting into video game sound tracks.  This actually all started with Quake II.  With the original game, you could put the game disc in a CD player, and listen to the music tracks from the game.  So recently, mostly due to my r./c video, I have started "collecting" some video game soundtracks.  And 2 actual music soundtracks have been released.  One for the original DOOM done with actual instruments instead of  MIDI music, and from the new DOOM 2016 (or DOOM 4 as it has been dubbed).  Both are great metal music.  I do have a few other soundtracks.

Keep rocking! And papering and scissoring! Ha ha!

Fun with nephews

Today we too nephew #2 birthday shopping.  First we stopped off for lunch at Firehouse Subs, his choice.  We then went to Toys-R-Us, and he ended up getting a new r/c car.  I picked up 3 new Hot Wheels monster cars.  (But it's after Halloween, you know?)  Then back over to older sister-in-law's place.  When we got there, they were all playing outside, so we joined in.  We tossed around a couple of soft footballs.  They rode scouters.  And there was even an Otter Pop break.  It was a fun time.  I don't get to do much of that.

chairs and comics

Yesterday I got a new office chair.  Well, computer chair for home.  The one I have been using is easily 15+ years old, and has been showing its age for awhile.  I was supposed to get a chair from the in-laws.  Instead, that went to my younger sister in-law and her husband.  Mom in-law provided funds to get a new chair instead.  We went shopping at Staples.  I was going to get a small one, but wife convinced me to get a bigger one.  So I did.  And it is very nice to have a new chair.  I just assembled it this morning, and so far it is very good.  Hope that I can keep it nice and it lasts 15+ years.

For those that know me and follow me on social outlets know that I like comic books and characters.  Just last year I actually started collecting more comics.  My usual has been trying to get any Predator comics.  This is my favorite sci-fi/comic character.  Bad-ass aliens with kick-ass technology!  Sorry for the language. (no.  no you are not.)  They have actually been doing a lot for Aliens and Predator the past few years.  Here are some titles:

• Archie vs Predator
• Vampirella vs Aliens
• Fire and Stone under the following:
• Aliens
• Predators
• Aliens vs Predators
• Prometheus
• Dredd vs Predator

The Fire and Stone was done with 4 parts under each franchise(?), giving a total of 16 comics.  Now I am not sure what order to actually read them in as I am sure they all reference each other.  Dark Horse Comics is doing a new arc for the Aliens/Predator franchises called Life and Death.  And it is being done in the same manner, but being released one franchise at a time.  I guess this is to help us know where to start reading.  Hopefully this will encompass all 4 franchises.

I am also getting:

• the main Star Wars arc
• Deadpool
• Deadpool/Spider-man
• Deadpool and the Mercs for Money
• Puppet Master
• Batman Beyond
• Oblivion
• The Shadow
• The Lone Ranger and Green Hornet

Plus some other one-offs and short arcs.  The only problem is that I need to read them.  I really should set aside time for comic reading.  (I never expected to say that as an adult.)  There are so many more that I would like to get, but I need to keep my comic book budget in check.  After all I do have other pricey hobbies.

Well that's all for now.

Party on Wayne!  Party on Darth!

October movies week 4

And almost a week late.   Here is the list:

• Zoombies
• The Mummy 1999
• Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man
• The Wolfman 2010
• I, Frankenstein
• The Fog
• Hotel Transylvania
• Monsters vs Aliens
• Dracula 1931
• The House of Dracula
• The Wolf Man 1941
• Young Frankenstein
• The Addams Family

I know that Universal is rebooting their monsters and trying to do a shared universe like the MCU.  Too bad they couldn't include The Wolfman and I, Frankenstein into it.  I actually enjoyed watching those movies.  Though I do have to admit that the original Wolf Man is better.  But I do like the new take on Frankenstein's monster with I, Frankenstein.  Oh well, I guess we'll wait and see what Universal does.  I hope the keep with the original Wolf Man, mostly.  I do like the idea that he is a reluctant werewolf in search of a cure.

Zoombies.  Well what's there to say about that one.  It's a Syfy pictures movie (The Asylum).  So basically what you would expect: a bunch of zoo animals become zombies and kill people, while a group of people try to escape.

Unfortunately I didn't get chance to watch any movies on Halloween.  But I did go over to younger sister-in-law's house and help hand out candy.  Yay!

Earlier at work, I wore some of my costume t-shirts.  I also participated in a potluck by baking some gluten free peanut butter cookies.  I actually tried to make them vegan.  No, I'm not vegan.  I also got in my new iPhone.  My previous one was requiring a recharge before i even left work, and after a full night of charging.  But the phone is over 3 years old too.  So it was time.  It was an OK Halloween.

At work, we have been allowed to grow beards again. So I have been doing that.  And I also found out that there are beard care products.  I have tried some from Badass Beard Care.  Next I am going to try some from Texas Beard Co.  I've been going for the outdoorsy scents.  So far I am likely the cedar and pine smell.  Oh, and no shave November is just like any other month for me now.

That's all for now.

Happy November!

October 2016 Movies Week 3

Well I'm posting this a little late, but I'm posting it.  Here is this weeks (don't you mean last weeks) movie list:

1. Resident Evil: Damnation
2. Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
3. The War of the Worlds 1953
4. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde 1941
5. The Return of the Vampire 1943
6. Them!
7. Underworld
8. Lego Scooby-Doo!: Haunted Hollywood

Another mix of good and fun movies.  I've actually been enjoying the classic monster movies.  I think I'm going to have to remember to go to TCM and scroll through the list next year and hopefully catch a butch that I have missed.  Love watching these old classics. (I really should look at TCM's schedule more.  There are probably other great classic movies to watch.)

This past Friday was my 10th year anniversary.  Every year past 3 for me is a great one (I have my reasons, and not going into them here).  I'm going to have to try and do something extra next year, but we'll see how our schedules go.  I would like to take a train ride for one of our anniversaries. We went to Hash House A Go Go for brunch.  A very awesome place.  Their tag line is "Twisted Farm Food."  I ended up getting just a regular breakfast: eggs, potatoes, biscuit, bacon, and sausage.  It was good.  Will be going back, and I'll have to get something different.  The place seems a little like a bar and grill, farm food with good rock and roll.  We then went to see Jack Reacher: Never Go Back.  It's been a while since we saw the first one.  This one is good.  I like action films.  Then for dinner we ate at Panchos.  I'm not big on eating Mexican, mainly because I'm not big on spicy foods.  But I did have my first Chimichanga!  Thanks mostly to Deadpool.  It was the wife's pick so I agreed.

Well that's all I can think of for now.

"What evil lurks in the heart of man? Only the Shadow knows!"

October movies week 2 and comic related stuff

Hey, another round of movies.

1. Bride of Frankenstein
2. Day of the Triffids
3. Resident Evil: Afterlife
4. Resident Evil: Retribution
5. Clue
6. Van Helsing: The London Assignment
7. Van Helsing
8. Deathgasm
9. Ghostbusters (1984)
10. Ghostbusters II

Some more great classics. More Resident Evil.  I'll actually go and see the 6th one when it comes out.  And the best movie based on a game: Clue.

I finally picked up the Darkman collection.  Actually I have the first one, but never picked up the other two.  I decided to go looking and found the three pack on Amazon cheaper than buying 2 and 3 individually.  And I also ordered Darkman vs Army of Darkness graphic novel.  Can't wait to read it.

Another thing I like is costume t-shirts.  I have several, and the collection is slowly growing.  I recently got in a classic Johnny Blaze Ghost Rider.  My collection so far includes Star Wars, Marvel, and Ghostbusters.  I actually started with Ghostbusters Venkman, that has glow-in-the-dark slime.  I have a Green Lantern t-shirt, but unfortunately it is more of a logo shirt than a costume one.  Guess I'l have to change that.

Speaking of Ghostbusters, there's a video/song mash-up that you should check out:  Thunder Busters by Wax Audio.  But be warned, if you haven't listened to mash-ups you might start looking for more after this.  There are good ones, and there are some not-so good ones.  This is one of the good ones.  Actually Wax Audio does some very good mash-ups.

And another bit of info on me.  I enjoy metal music.  My favorite band right now is Powerman 5000.  But I also like others: Anthrax, Megadeth, Metallica, White/Rob Zombie, etc.  Megadeth just recently released a new ablum: Dystopia.  I enjoy this one.  Metallica is releasing a new album soon: Hardwired...To Self-Destruct.  Sr far they have released 2 songs/videos, Hardwired and Moth into Flame.  Both are great.  I have listened to them several times, and can't wait for the album.  PM5K is also supposed to be working on a new album, and I thought it was supposed to be released this year.

Who you gonna call?

October 2016 more movies

Well instead of daily posting of the movies I have been watching, I figure I would just do a weekly posting (good. otherwise that would be just silly).  Here is the list for this past week:

1. Resident Evil: Degeneration
2. Resident Evil (live action)
3. Resident Evil: Apocalypse
4. Resident Evil: Extinction
5. Frankenstein (1931)
6. The Mummy (1932)
7. The Invisible Man (1933)

On the Resident Evil movies, I do enjoy them all (really?).  However, I prefer the CGI movies over the live action.  Big surprise there, right? (not really.)  The CGI movies seem to be a lot closer to the games, revolving around the main characters from the games (of course they are).  The live action ones are entertaining, but would have been much better if they were closer to the video game stories and characters.  Maybe when a few years have passed after the 6th one, someone else can come in and give us better live action ones (don't bet on it).  The other thing that bugs me about the live action movies, is that they went the zombie apocalypse route.  Something that most all other live action movies have done.  Personally, I think this idea is way over used, and too easy to do.  Plus it's predictable.  Look a new zombie movie.  Let me guess, a group of people trying to survive a zombie apocalypse?  Yep.  "Yay!" He says sarcastically (hmmmmm...now where did that come from I wonder).  At least the CGI movies still have civilization with a zombie virus outbreak, and I think that alone makes them better.

As to the other 3 movies, can you believe that this is the first time that I am actually watching them? (Not really.)  I can't either.  I should have done this years ago (duh).  They are very good, even today.  I am watching the off the DVR, so I may not get to see some of the other classic monster movies this year.  But I do want to work on picking them up on DVD or Blu-ray so that I can watch them any time and without commercials.

On a non-movie related note (again? really? you should broaden your blog post titles if that is what you are going to do), I have been picking up candy for the office.  I don't ask for anything in return, and it is there for all to enjoy.  This year I have been focusing more on vegan acceptable candy as another co-team (not sure if that really is a thing, but I don't care!) has a couple vegans and I want them to feel included.  Turns out Swedish Fish and Laffy Taffy are vegan friendly.  And they have been a big hit.  So this weekend I have picked up both for the office.

Danger Zone!  (what?!?!?)

October 2016 movies continue

Before I get to my movie list for today, I did some weekend errands (then why is this post titled just about movies), including taking the wife's car in for the oil change.

I got home with lunch, and got caught up on the FIA WRX round 10 in Latvia.  What an awesome race!  It is a new track and 1st time for all the drivers.  The 1st two heats were normal racing.  But then they got rain.  And that is when the fun began.  Lots of missed turns, rubbing, bumping, and crashing.  All drivers are OK, which is always the awesome part after seeing them wreck.  There were even 2 Latvia drivers in the race, Baumanis and Nitiss.  I was rooting for them both to take the podium.  But they didn't make it past their semi-final.  And my favorite driver, Ken Block, didn't even make it to a semi-final.  Though his team mate Andreas Bakkerud did make it to the final, but he didn't podium.  The winners in this round were:

1. Sebastian Loeb - French
2. Mattias Ekstrom - Swedish
3. Timmy Hansen - Swedish

Congrats to them!  And great racing to all! (Oh sure. Way to include all the drivers).  Can't wait to watch the next round at Estering track in Germany on Oct 14-16.

On to my Halloween movie marathon progress (well it's about time).  Today I actually watched two (you do like to live adventureously on the weekend, don't you):

1. Bloodrayne
2. DOOM

(Um...what?!?!?!)

Both movies based on video game franchises.  Bloodrayne is alright (keep telling yourself that).  The move is a set during the Dark Ages with vampires.  And even though DOOM lacks what really makes the games awesome, I do still enjoy watching it. (Well at least it wasn't directed by that Uwe Boll guy.  Probably would have had it take place entirely on Earth, and have the monsters be some sort of military or corporate genetic weapon gone wrong.)

(I would have some sort of closing, but I can't think right now. So. . .good fight!  Good night!)

A recent interest

For whomever (or is it whoever; darn grammar) reads this out there in internet land, here is something that I have an interest in.  Well technically it will be a few, but at the top level it is one. (Don't over think it.)

Auto racing.  More specifically:

1. Red Bull Global Rally Cross
2. FIA World Rally Cross
3. Stadium Super Trucks
4. The Off Road Championship (TORC)
5. Lucas Oil Short Course Trucks
6. The Dakar Rally
7. Formula Drift

Did you think I was going to list NASCAR? (I think you did. Is it because I'm an American?)  Ha ha.  Though honestly I did try watching it a few seasons, and even attended an event in town.  I just couldn't really get in to it.  Not enough jumps and banging around I guess. (They do jumps in Formula Drift?) But not Formula Drift.  They frown upon bashing and jumping.

What got me really started in the above is this guy: Ken Block.  A few r/c companies did some models based on his cars.  I decided to find out more and came across his Gymkhana videos.  From there found out he was in the Red Bull GRC.  And this year he moved from there to the FIA WRX.  The others were started by Traxxas having short course trucks, Robby Gordon, and the LaTrax 1/18 Stadium Super Trucks.  And since Robby Gordon participates in the Dakar, I started trying to catch the highlights on those races.  I got into watching the Formula Drift from Vaughn Gittin Jr and Justin Pawlak.  Two other drivers that have also licensed r/c cars.

Most of the time I have to catch replays on their sites or YouTube.  Red Bull GRC used to play on a TV channel I get, but not this season.  So it's been a little difficult for me to watch those races.  With the FIA WRX, and I can catch the delayed broadcast of their live stream.  Which is awesome that they do this, especially since most of their races are in Europe and happen early in the morning (when I like to continue sleeping).

Last year, I was able to catch the Red Bull GRC here in town.  For the most part it was fun, but could have done without the rain.  Even though it is more fun to watch them race in the rain.  But this season they are coming to town.  And neither are the Stadium Super Trucks.  I was hoping they would.  Oh well, guess I'm stuck trying to catch the full races on the internet.

These races I really enjoy watching.  I'm usually rooting for the above mentioned drivers, along with anyone from Sweden.  (Why Sweden?)  Possibly a heritage thing?  Hmmmm...  And I also root for the women drivers.  We need more women auto racing drivers, especially in the Rally Cross and Drift. Ah heck, we need them in all circuits/genres.  Whatever you call the different types of racing.

Anyways, that's all this time.

Drive safe, and drink responsibly! (Wait.  Where did the drinking come from?)

31 days of Halloween 2016

Wow! I haven't posted here for a long time.  Well I hope to change that, but we'll see how things go.

Staring off with my October 31 days of Halloween movies.  Well it is actually a bit longer as I started last weekend.  My movie choices for the most part are not what you would typically consider Halloween type movies.  If it involves creatures, vampires, werewolves, zombies, or contains something that could be considered a Halloween theme, then it is in my list.  Some of it scary, and some of it funny.  Heck, I guess I could watch Uwe Boll films. Ha ha.  They are scary in their own right.

So far here is what I have watched (and yes, I own copies of these):

1. Blade
2. Blade 2
3. Dylan Dog
4. Ghost Rider
5. Jonah Hex
6. Vampirella
7. Alone in the Dark

Happy Halloweening you trick-or-treaters!