For those of you without RSS readers, Eric's been posting to Websnark again.

Happy New Year!

Current Mood: bouncy

( Inspired by the line in Tuesday's strip (which I only noticed the third time I read it). )

CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CATS

Jericho the Cat: "Let me outttttttt."
Me: "Really? You know it's freezing fucking cold out there."
Tink the Cat: "That's silly. I think I would know if it was that cold. I'm sitting here, right now, meowing by the back door, I wouldn't be doing this if it was really that cold."
Me: "No, I'm serious. You don't want to go out."
Jericho the Cat: "I want to go out."
Me: "Fine."

(I let the cats outside, close the door, and watch them through the door window)

Tink the Cat: "OH MY GOD. WHY DID YOU CLOSE THE DOOR. WE CAN'T GET BACK IN. CAN'T YOU SEE THE ICE? I CAN'T FEEL MY PAWS."
Jericho the Cat: "Why? WHY? I'm dying, Tink. Hold me and hear my final, frozen breatttttthhhhhsssss....."
Tink the Cat: "HE'S DYING. DOES THAT MAKE YOU HAPPY, YOU SADIST? LET US IN!"

(I let the cats back in)

Me: "I told you."
Jericho the Cat: "Oh god. I saw my life flash before my eyes."
Tink the Cat: "Don't be absurd, I have no doubt I would remember if you had told me it was that cold. I have an excellent memory.
Jericho the Cat: "It was all food and naps, mostly."

(five minutes pass)

Tink the Cat: "No, really, you shouldn't keep us cooped up in here."
Jericho the Cat: "Let us outttttttt"

I've not played it yet, don't have the cash and I'm not that bothered, but I'm wondering something about the longevity of the game post-release.

Dragon Age is supposed to be a trilogy of games yet with all the DLC and the announced expansion pack I'm wondering if Bioware can actually keep people's interests and if a sequel will really be a sequel with these constant additions. Bioware already has a trilogy series in action with Mass Effect, but so far that has only had some paltry DLC and no expansions, and the sequel looks to be continuing the game on the same basic level. Can Dragon Age do that? Across all the add-ons and extras? Or will they have to revamp the game significantly for the sequels, likely giving them the same DLC extravagance? Obviously those of you who've finished it will know better than I whether the story can be continued and whether these DLC/Expansion releases are helping to flesh the world out or simply padding out some gameplay time.

Planned trilogies in games have been around since the Saturn days (the earliest I can think of is Shining Force 3) and so far I've not been convinced by the concept. The games industry moves and changes so much that forward planning of this nature seems foolhardy at times. Shining Force 3 only had part 1 released outside of Japan, Golden Sun got to part two and vanished for years (resurfacing on the DS now, not sure if it's continuing the story), even Valve have dropped the ball with having Episode 3 hidden so long it's almost just a myth. The largest and most personally disappointing part of this being the Shenmue series, so expensive, so flawed and so beautiful. No ending and no closure.

I don't know, I'm not any kind of games expert, but I do wonder on how successful these systems will be. It seems that the current console generations lifespan has increased significantly as the cost of the development for each has spiralled to insane heights and so perhaps this will work out better for developers? Building a game as an initial platform and expanding upon the content and engine rather than having to start from scratch might save money, but will require a hell of a great game to keep players hooked.

One of my daughter's friends dyed the tips of her hair blue - presumably so she could look more like a shojo heroine or something - and one of her other friends told my daughter she thought it'd look really cute on her. Ayup. We've reached the "listening to my idiot friends' ideas" stage now, and she's gotten it into her head that she wants to get some pink streaks or purple tips or something like that as well. Yet another test in my life I don't need.

But to both her and her mother's surprise, herein follows the conversation after she brought the idea up at dinner last night

Me: "Sure, whatever you want, Sweetie."

My wife, looking at me like I was a complete stranger who also happened to have lobsters crawling out of his ears: "Really? You don't mind?"

Me: "Not really, no. If it's OK with you it's OK with me. Find someone who'll do a nice job. But on one condition: she has to do some chores around the house to 'pay' for it."

My daughter: "Really Daddy? AWESOME!"

What it comes down to - and I talked with my wife about this later when it was just the two of us - is that I don't *always* want to be the parent who says "No." And that really, a silly dye job is pretty harmless, and it's far better than some of the other things she could be getting up to. She doesn't date boys or get in trouble at school and her friends are all "good girls," so some hot pink or purple streaks in her hair are hardly worth worrying about. I'd rather save my vetoes for important stuff.

Now, whether or not she's willing to meet my condition, seeing as she's a *bit* of a lazybones, remains to be seen.

1260 calories. Pretty good. It would be great if it was 1350 and I had remembered to eat a breakfast bar this morning, but it isn't and I didn't, so it's not!

Pretzels at about 9:30 - 160 calories
Lunch at around 12:00 - Subway 6 inch ham sandwich, lettuce, tomato, spicy mustard - approx 300 calories and Spicy Chipotle Sun Chips - 200 calories
Dinner at around 5:25 - 3x6 tuna rolls = approx 400 calories, ginger salad = approx 200 calories (that's a high estimate, but still)

Not gonna make a daily thing about it, but it's a good start.

Tomorrow the plan is similar, but I am thinking of getting a french dip and some soup somewhere for dinner. Or maybe I will have sushi for lunch and then go lean cuisine or reheated chili for dinner. Whichever feels the tastiest to me.

About 80% through the Larsson book The Girl with the Dragon Tattooand am hooked. It took everything in my power not to finish listening to it once I got home. I am simultaneously elated that I enjoy it this much and disappointed that he died without writing more than three already credited to him.

I'll never truly comprehend people who are willing to post some frothing rant from either end of the political spectrum and then be completely unwilling to discuss the topic with anyone who doesn't slavishly agree with them. Have the courage of your convictions, or find new convictions.

I met a grown woman this weekend who openly referred to herself as a "Twi-Hard." She was none too pleased with my assessment of Edward as a creepy stalker. Coincidentally, this is the same woman whose child I am fairly convinced is a sociopath-in-waiting.

Yeah I never post anything here but private entries anymore, I know. I would like to thank Vanda for like... 8 years ago turning me to this because I've used it in earnest to keep myself sane through so many events. It's also very useful for looking back and remembering how I felt at times since I leave myself a lot of little private notes.

I spent the new years weekend with Vanda and Anthony at their place this year for a change... because well things have changed. They finally have their kid and they're very lucky as far as babies go. He's fairly easy to keep not crying and generally only cries when he specifically wants something which breaks down to sleep... food ... or some attention. Not really hard to solve.

It is interesting to see my friends turn into parents, the changes a baby makes on a living situation is profound. Video game pause features are nigh abused and the couple has to trade off all the time. It occurred to me that children are really the ultimate test of a relationship. If your bonds are not rock solid, the experience will kill what little love between you that exists. It also occurred to me that while this is a commonplace event and reason for divorce, that even in the worst of relationships couples often tough it out and stay together for a while just to makes sure the kid is taken care of. Even in the worst of times, I suppose it's obvious to any observer that taking care of a baby is a ton of work.

Off we go into 2010 with new hopes, dreams and plans. May at least some of them work out ;)

Things of note:

1. Houston Culinary House makes some fucking MEAN Indian food. Em and Steph made some effing delicious butter chicken and naan one night which I kind of wanted to keep it all to myself. It was so goddamn good. It was actually better than the butter chicken I use to adore at Kabob and Curry, which no longer exists. Here is their recipe. Nummmm.
   
2. I made the family egg dish, which apparently got renamed to Bob-Toast while I was down there. It turned out acceptably. I've done it better, but it turned out well enough.
   
3. On the way home I listened to about half of the audiobook of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson and I was immediately hooked. Gonna finish that tomorrow at work, and I am already thinking about getting what appears to be at least one follow up book. I've really only read mostly the setup for this book, but I'm liking it very much. Like the characters, love the elaborate mystery plot.
   
4. Super Mario Bros Wii was played mostly down there. It's a fun game! Very, very fun with four players. I had forgotten that my folks bought a Wii hoping my gramma would be able to get into it. That failed, and mom still wants a Wii fit, but I actually have ACCESS to one. I may wait until Super Mario Galaxy gets really cheap and try that out.
   
5. Amazingly enough, I didn't gain any weight after my trip down to Houston. I say amazingly enough, because I was not particularly well behaved there. I had bacon burgers, and I pretty much snacked constantly on pistachios. The only night I was particularly good about eating was the night I spent guzzling booze. Who knows. But the diet starts TOMORROW. Ultimate goal: 175. Current status: right around 220. I am actually pretty confident about this.
   
6. I bought a new blanket at Target right before heading down, and I adore it. It's all soft and big and wonderful. Both my cats have attempted to stake their claim for it, and I am having difficulty keeping them away from it.
   
7. I think I left my green Cardinals hat somewhere at Emily's place. It was/is one of my favorites. Very sad.
   
8. The other thing I bought before heading down was an iPhone car charger. Usually it will last with constant play all the way to Houston, but just barely. I can't complain since that's about 8-9 hours of almost continuous use. But I thought keeping it charged would be smarter, and it looked even more smart when I discovered I had been dumb enough to leave my regular socket charger at home. Doh.
   
9. I thought I had morrrreeeee to sayyyyyyyyyy
   
10. I saw Bruno while in Hewstun. Wow.
    
11. I also saw Crank 2. I have to admit I really liked Crank 2. Maybe I need to rewatch the first one. I think I expected/wanted a movie from the first one and was just upset I got something else, and didn't really pay attention to how fun what I got was. Or maybe I was right, just like ALWAYS.
    
12. GO COWBOYS