You are here: Home

Diablo 3 is finally here

by on May 15, 2012, in photography, technology/yes I am a geek, video games

Diablo 3 is finally here

I haven’t blogged here in a while because I’ve been extremely busy—mainly at work, but that means I’m a lazy pile of bones in the evenings when I get home, and the weekends have been filled with cleaning, errands and, of course, video games.

Which brings me to what I’m so excited about this week. After beta-testing it for months, Diablo 3 is finally out! Today! The servers went live at midnight PDT (which was 2 a.m. here on CDT), and despite setting an alarm to wake up and play right at 2, I slept until 3. But I did get up and level my Demon Hunter to level five, about halfway through what I’d played through in the beta. Currently I’m at level 13, I believe, which was the highest level you could take your character in the beta.

I’ve been so, so excited about this game, and since I’d been waiting on it for what, 12 years? I decided to take some vacation time to play it. (Yes, I realize how incredibly nerdy that sounds, but shut it. Who says vacations always have to mean traveling somewhere? This is cheap and relaxing. And fun.)

So I went into work yesterday to wrap up some deadlines I had, and then I’m taking today through Friday off to play Diablo! Friday also happens to be my birthday, and I figured the timing was too good to ignore.

I’ve played a few quests past where the beta ended (The Skeleton King, for those who know what I’m talking about), and I’m really glad I took this vacation. The game is epic, and so far has it has not disappointed. I’m glad I’ve got some time to really explore it without feeling the need to rush to get through as much as I can before the weekend’s up. I’m sure I’ll be doing a lot of that in the coming weeks, but for now, I’m just having fun with it.

Comments { 2 }

Is this what being patriotic is like?

by on April 19, 2012, in around town, jump aboard the crazy train, photography

Is this what being patriotic is like?

I was shopping at Target the other day (for, like, the third time in a week—don’t judge) and stopped by their soft t-shirt section (Ian and I are obsessed with soft t-shirts and will wear no others) and saw the one pictured above. (Also: how many sets of parentheses are allowed in one sentence?)

I knew it was related to a comic book character because the tag screamed MARVEL COMICS, but I had to Google to make sure that it was, indeed, Captain America. And here’s where I got weird. Despite the fact that it was the softest soft t-shirt I’d felt, and despite the fact that the star reminded me of the stars on Tennessee’s state flag, I considered not buying it because I was afraid it would look “too patriotic.”

Because lately it seems that the only people who wear “‘merica, fuck yeah!” shirts are assholes who think gays shouldn’t be able to marry, women shouldn’t be able to receive reproductive health benefits with their insurance (despite the fact that Viagra and other boner pills continue to be covered with no qualms) or have any kind of control over their bodies, and we should punish poor people and make life increasingly difficult for immigrants.

So I sat there in Target for a good five minutes trying to decide if I should buy this $10 t-shirt that I really liked, design- and material-wise, because I was afraid that people who wouldn’t recognize the emblem as that of a comic book character would think I was one of “them.” Either with them or against them—I didn’t want to be mistaken for that kind of person. That kind of patriot.

And then, it struck me: I am more worried about being mistaken for a proud American, because of what that means now, than as a comic book nerd.

In the end, I bought the shirt for three reasons:

  1. It was really, really soft. And as a nerd, I generally like to support other means of nerdery, even if I’m not into comics.
  2. I don’t give a shit what people think about me. Well, I try like it’s my job to not care, but I’m human so I fail at this occasionally. But really, none of us should care how perfect strangers perceive us, especially those who would judge someone based on a t-shirt.
  3. I don’t want “patriot” to mean “person who wears American flag paraphernalia to show that he/she hates everyone who is not a middle-aged, white, straight Christian.” So I am going to wear this shirt and love gays, abortion rights and birth control pills. And while we’re at it, I’ll also wear this shirt in support of immigrants, welfare and atheists. Because what’s more American than challenging the opinions of the loud-mouthed majority around you, right?

Ha, but you know what’s really going to happen? Nobody is going to notice or give a god damn about the shirt, because in the end it’s just a t-shirt. And it doesn’t matter.

Comments { 3 }

Poor Baby Kitty

by on April 16, 2012, in my cat's cooler than yours, photography

Saturday morning I got up at the crack of dawn (8 a.m.) and hauled BK to the groomer to get her fur shaved off, King Boo-style. BK is a purebred Maine Coon, so she blows her coat about once a year. Not just her top fur, either. She loses the thick undercoat ALL over the house. And unfortunately, middle Tennessee decided to bring summer to town in late February this year, so she’s been blowing her coat for more than a month now.

BK is a beautiful cat. I mean, she’s basically the most gorgeous cat you will ever see. Look at this and tell me that you’ve seen a better-looking cat:

Poor Baby Kitty

That’s what I thought. You haven’t. And you never will.

Unfortunately, she looks dumb as shit with no fur. The groomer did a great job, but she is a cat meant for long hair. I had them do a modified lion cut—her body is shaved but she still has fur on her head and a full tail, as well as her “boots” (the fluffy part of her feed up to about her knees).

We knew that she was skinny, but with no fur she just looks gaunt. And despite never having been anywhere near overweight, she has belly skin that just hangs off her. Near her back legs she has this paunch that hangs down to about her knees and resembles—as best as I can describe it—scrotum. I got so freaked out about it that I messaged a friend on Facebook who’s a vet to ask if this was normal. I hate being “that guy” who tries to get free advice from friends, but it was late Saturday night and I was afraid it was an indication of a medical condition. My friend assured me that it’s normal and is called an “apron.”

Poor Baby Kitty

But worse than how she looks is how she feels. She’s obviously uncomfortable. She spent Saturday and last night stomping around on our pillows in the bed, finally laying down only to immediately get up, frustrated, and try to find a better position. Last year King Boo did the same thing for a few days, and this year it only took him a day to get used to his new fur.

She’s eating, drinking and behaving normally otherwise, though, so I guess it will just take her a few days to acclimate to the change of her coat. She alternates between looking sad and looking like she is going to murder me as soon as I fall asleep, so I hope she finds some relief soon. Poor kitty.

On the bright side, she’s being incredibly nice to King Boo. I guess she figures they’re in this stupid haircut club together.

Bonus picture of BK as a kitten:
Poor Baby Kitty

Comments { 5 }

Shaved kitteh is shaved

by on April 9, 2012, in animals, but in our house we never get bored, my cat's cooler than yours

You’d think I’d have learned my lesson after last year, when I waited until April to have King Boo shaved and wasted almost an entire month chasing around after his tumbleweeds. You’d think, after summer came in February this year and spring was hardly to be seen, that I would have just gone ahead and gotten his hair cut in early March like I kept threatening.

What you don’t know is how glorious his fur is, though. Like a rabbit’s, except that it’s attached to the friendliest and silliest cat I’ve ever known. I wasn’t aware that a personality could attach itself to fur, but apparently it can. And did. And so I procrastinated shaving it off him.

But we’re in this weird, belated spring period now, which means I want the windows open at all times. Which means cat hair that had fled beneath the couch has been unearthing itself for the past week. Which means it was time to shave King Boo.

So we did. Well, the groomer did. And now, my beautiful, sweet, silly, kind cat who’s never in a bad mood and usually looks like this:

Shaved kitteh is shaved

Now looks like this:

Shaved kitteh is shaved

He’s gotten over it quicker this year than he did last year, but I think he can tell we’re laughing at him. Poor guy.

Comments { 3 }

Day-parking at Bonnaroo

by on March 28, 2012, in around town, life etc.

I rarely pander to an audience, but I can see that a lot of people have been finding my blog lately by searching for some variation of “Bonnaroo day parking.”

So in the interest of helping my fellow Bonnaroo-goers out, let me tell you about day-parking: It is awesome.

More to the point, if you aren’t big on camping in the middle of a giant field with no tree cover for three to four days and live relatively close (or are thinking of getting a hotel reservation nearby), the day-parking situation is fucking great.

I live about 20-30 minutes from Bonnaroo (depending on traffic—driving in from Murfreesboro is generally busier than leaving), and day-parking last year was the best decision I made besides choosing to eat the gourmet pizza every day. I love camping, but I do not love camping in the blazing heat for several days with no shower or refuge from the sun. My sister and I drove in and out every day, and it was great.

Depending on how early you get in, you will have about a mile to a mile-and-a-half walk from day-parking to the entrance of Bonnaroo. It’s really not bad at all, but be prepared to not be able to just run out to your car quickly in case you forget something you wanted to bring in with you. I carried a Camelbak backpack with water, snacks and other supplies, and only once did I have to come back to the car (Emily and I got cold and went back for our hoodies later one night).

When you drive in the first day, tell the people who are checking your car for contraband (they will do this every day but it gets, ahem, more lax as the days go by) that you’re day-parking. They will tell you which way to go, and you’ll end up in a very large field where the parking volunteers will wave you into your parking spot. It’s probably a good idea to tie a helium-filled balloon to your car so that you can find it easily when you’re leaving later that night, because the field fills up with cars and you will be disoriented.

Day parking at Bonnaroo

The walk to Bonnaroo from day parking is lined with food and drink vendors, and you’ll pass by the car-campers, port-a-crappers and some first aid tents, too. The walk back to day-parking is well-lit at night, and I never felt concerned for my or my sister’s safety last year. I mean, be alert, of course, but you’re not going to be walking down a pitch-black gravel road for a mile.

Bottom line: If you’re considering day-parking because you live or will be staying close by and value cleanliness and air-conditioning, go for it.

Comments { 0 }

March 26: My beans are here!

by on March 27, 2012, in accidental vegetarian, photography

March 26: My beans are here!

After hearing Lesley sing their praises for a while, I finally ordered some heirloom beans from Rancho Gordo.

They require 4-6 hours of soaking plus another 1-3 hours of cooking time, so they will probably be something I make on the weekends. Or on a rare night I get home before 7 or 7:30 p.m.

Comments { 0 }

In my element

by on March 22, 2012, in technology/yes I am a geek

Today I wore a t-shirt with 15 different NES games on it, and then when I got into work I was asked if I knew what an IRC chat was. And I was all, “You mean the old school chat rooms?! Hell yeah, that shit was my jam back in college!” And so I was invited into an IRC chatroom with the developers that I work with and we were all “/me vomits” and “/me kicks [another developer] in the nuts” and changing our nicknames, just like it was 1997 again and I was in the computer lab in the basement of Lyon Hall at MTSU.

Oh, and then I was asked to provide sound clips of this guy yelling “BOB SAGET!” and “BALLS!” so that they could play throughout the office when certain events happen on our servers.

And yeah, all those people who made fun of me for being a nerd in school can kiss my ass.

Comments { 0 }

On baseball and revisiting past haunts

by on March 22, 2012, in but in our house we never get bored, jump aboard the crazy train, life etc., past lives, photography

On baseball and revisiting past haunts

Years ago, before Ian and I started dating, we took a trip to Atlanta together to see the Braves play. We had been friends for years, but it was the first out-of-town trip we’d taken together. When we got to the hotel, I fretted a bit over the single bed they assigned us, as I had a boyfriend at the time. I didn’t fret too much, though. It was the first of several trips Ian and I would take as friends, all of which I look back on fondly. Trips that eventually bled the lines between friendship and more. That led me to see who we really were to each other.

This Atlanta trip was not my first to the city, but it was my first Braves game. His dad had gotten us pretty good seats, I recall, and afterward we took the MARTA to Underground Atlanta and hung out in this dirty, dingy Irish bar called Irish Bred. There was nothing Irish about it, but it was filled with other 20-somethings pouring cheap beer down their gullets. We found a table on their patio and made friends with some people from the University of Florida. Or maybe it was Florida State.

Eventually we paid our tab and headed to the MARTA station—on the way to which we were accompanied by a homeless man who professed to know where the best party in town was, and would we follow him there? Ian had a bit too much to drink and thought this was a great idea, but luckily he took my advice and followed me to the train station instead (where he proceeded to inform me that the way to avoid potentially dangerous situations was to “make everyone aware that you are crazier than they are,” and then he began singing L.A. Woman, specifically that he was Chief Mojo Risin’).

We visited Atlanta again in 2003, and went back several times while we were dating, but we haven’t been there since we got married in 2008. But with the news of Chipper Jones retiring, this is going to change—this summer.

I don’t think our Irish bar exists anymore, and I’m not sure Underground Atlanta has fared well over the years, but it will be fun to go back and spend some time in one of our favorite southern cities, seeing what kind of mischief we can get into. That’s the thing about being married to someone you’ve known for 15 years—you have plenty of memories to call on, but it’s effortless to make new ones, too.

Comments { 2 }

Taken March 19 at 5:30 p.m. in Nashville

by on March 20, 2012, in around town, life etc., photography, Project365

Taken March 19 at 5:30 p.m. in Nashville

I don’t even want to think about what summer will bring.

Comments { 1 }

Running Diablo 2 on Mac OSX Lion

by on March 18, 2012, in Internet, technology/yes I am a geek, video games

In between bouts of frustration with my piece-of-crap scanner today, I got on a retro video game kick. It started with playing a few rounds of Tetris, and then I beat Super Mario Bros. 2 in about 30 minutes.

Then I decided to fire up the Diablo 3 beta, but after seeing it was still in maintenance mode and not available, I got the bright idea to see if I could get Diablo 2 to run on my MacBook Pro. With the release of Lion, Apple killed their support of PowerPC (read: pre-Intel processor) applications, referred to as Rosetta. Diablo 2 is a PowerPC game, which should mean that I am unable to play it on my MacBook Pro that runs Lion.

But the Internet is full of resourceful, clever people, and it didn’t take me long to find a way around this. There were many solutions that involved Boot Camp or partitioning my hard drive and installing an older operating system on one of the partitions, but that seemed like overkill just to play a video game for a few weeks out of nostalgia.

Luckily, I found a blog post by a guy who had a much easier way. All I had to do was download the Windows (not Mac) installer from Blizzard (made possible by entering my original CD keys at Blizzard’s Battle.net), download the free trial of an application called CrossOver by CodeWeavers, and then use that program to install the Windows version of Diablo 2 and play it.

It’s not perfect—I can’t play the game in fullscreen and the default window is pretty tiny. I couldn’t play through the whole game like this for sure. The application is $40, too—not an investment I would be willing to make unless fullscreen was available, and even then I don’t know that it would be worth it. I’ve only got to wait a couple more months for Diablo 3, and I have plenty of other video games waiting on me to play them.

But it was neat to revisit Diablo 2 and my favorite of its classes, the Amazon. I logged onto Battle.net in-game, too, and it was kind of sad to see how the chat had devolved into nothing but spam. I’d heard Blizzard wasn’t really policing their servers, and it shows. Hopefully Diablo 3 will be better managed.

Running Diablo 2 on Mac OSX Lion

Comments { 2 }
← Older posts