Monday, February 26, 2007

Video Games Vs. Egos

I am the first to admit that at times I can be a wicked kid at heart. I see nothing wrong with this! Everyone should let their hair down, ditch grown up responsibilities, and enjoy themselves periodically. Given it is my birthday week (we celebrate weeks here in my home rather than a single day it's far more rewarding), I was given a PS2 for my birthday. While some of my presents will wait for the actual day, I did receive three presents from others earlier. This leads me to two very popular games that I have spent plenty of time with this weekend.





Guitar Hero II is going to drive me batty. I would like to think it has nothing to do with my age, but as someone who can type 80 words a minute, I know my fingers are capable. For the life of me, I cannot make my brain and fingers connect for Guitar Hero II. I did manage to pull a three star rating on Heart's Crazy on You, but for the most part I will be in a pattern of red red yellow yellow and then have to hit green and fail miserably.

In the end, I am highly addicted, but I wonder how many cases of carpal tunnel syndrome will occur from this game! If you want a game that both parents and kids will have so much fun playing together, purchase Guitar Hero II. It's available for either the Xbox 360 or the PS2.



PS2 also offers a new Karaoke Revolution game that is an at home version of American Idol that gives you ample opportunities to have Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, and then some Paula Abdul Wannabe named Laura tell you exactly what they think of your singing. This game is PERFECT for those who want an ego boost!!

Now, I realize I can sing. I may be too old for American Idol in real life, but the game has no age restrictions. My issue, I can't get Simon to tell me I suck. I do know that he can do it, he told my son who was imitating Bob Dylan's style that he was horrible. For me, I always wind up with Randy telling me I rock, Paula/Laura saying she can sum me up in two words - Phe and Nominal. Then Simon tells me how much he loves me and how I am the next American Idol in his mind. And the cartoon version of Simon is just as sexy as the real life version. ;-)

Karaoke Revolution American Idol is great fun. I can see it providing hours of entertainment at our next poker/game night. It's another must-have in my book.

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Online Dating

I recently had to write a series of articles on online dating. I had to write them for sixteen different companies and include the pricing plans, features, and such. This was an easy and interesting task, but I also learned something.

First, everyone tells you not to trust what you see. I would state this is true. In order to access any of the information, I was forced to create free profiles with each site. In every possible case, I added that I was only researching costs and that in order to do so, I had to sign up for an account. This made me active with most of the sites. The men I was matched with --- well some were dead on it seemed while others were so far away from what I like in a man that it wasn't even funny.

I used my traits from today and then based everything else on when I was single.

Note for those creating dating sites - if a person puts absolutely no smoking - don't then turn around and match them with a smoker anyway!!

So basically I worked on two articles per day.

Now if you've been thinking about signing up, be cautious. I created a new account through Yahoo and immediately turned on Spam filters. Even though eHarmony told me they couldn't find me a match because I had shown devotion to my children, they were the first site I enrolled with and I did not get any spam following my enrollment. A few days later, I reached a website called American Singles and then LavaLife and my spam count started multiplying. Perhaps it was coincidence, but it just seemed odd that the day after I finished those articles my spam counts increased.

There was one thing that did happen that made me leery of using online dating. I live 10 miles south of one of Vermont's maximum security jails. I have driven by the correctional center many times and know the building and scenery surrounding it. One potential match, who looked vaguely familiar to me, showed this scraggly looking guy standing in front of a red brick building with a chain fence in the background and trees behind that. Now this is the set up at this correctional center. I began to wonder if he was an inmate there... The city of residence said St. Albans for him so that would still fit. It defintiely made me wonder!

Overall, I think the online dating services are pretty good. Some are far more expensive than others, and some certainly lack. Look for sites that focus more on personalities than looks. You may find your true love sooner than you were expecting. Meanwhile, I'm happy I'm married and out of the dating pool!

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Do People Have Nothing Better To Do?

Today's news--- Prince is underfire for his half time show in which some people believe he deliberately made it appear that he had a huge penis. PLEASE. First, he's male. Men are proud of their genetalia, so what if he did? Turn off the television or walk away. I don't like seeing hairy plumber's butt cracks, but I certainly will not start a movement to have plumber's banned from the world.

Did Prince do this intentionally? I highly doubt it. First, any guitarist holds their guitar at that level. Do you expect them to hold it at the chest level and still be able to play? Get over it. If you have this much time, maybe you need to get a life or spend some quality time with your friends/family/children, etc.

The next story to raise my ire. The Snicker's ad that mimics the Disney movie "Lady & The Tramp." Two men are eating a Snicker bar and wind up bumping lips. Realizing they practically just kissed, they decide to do something manly and pull out a handful of chest hair. Certain gay and lesbian organizations find it offensive. Whatever...

The ad was funny. That's all Snickers was going for - a unique dose of humor. No one threw a fit when Lady and the Tramp did it - is that because it was male and female? If so, then the gay and lesbian groups would have been fine with the ad if it was man and woman - isn't that just as disciminating? And aren't they supposed to be open minded?

Their claim is that the ad puts gays in a negative light. No - I think Rosie O'Donnell does a good enough job of that. Part of the problem in today's world is that people are making huge deals out of stupid things. Rosie's fit that Kelly Ripa is a homophobe because she didn't want Clay Aiken putting his hand over her mouth. I wouldn't have either. I have enough colds/viruses come into my hands because of school, I wouldn't want to be exposing myself to even more of it.

I wish I could snap my fingers and make everyone tolerate everyone else, but it isn't going to happen. Part of the thrill of being human is the right to make up your own mind - free speech!-- if I am being told that an ad is offensive to a few and therefore must be banned then my free speech is being tampered with and I'm not happy.

I'll share something I told my kids - if you don't like something, that's fine. Keep it to yourself and move on. Lingering is only going to piss others off.

Monday, February 05, 2007

Parenting

I was just reading the news and apparently the government in California is currently acting to introduce legislation that bans spanking a child. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16929303/

So $1,000 or one year of jail if you spank your child in public. PLEASE.

First, I think there are more troublesome offenses that need to be taken care of. You can drive while intoxicated in many areas and get away with a lower fine and no jail time. That is a travesty.

Now, I will add my two cents to this. First, spanking in my book is a quick smack on the padded bottom or hand. Face is never allowed. It is also one slap, not a series and certainly not with dropped pants like a former neighbor did to his own children. I have my limits.

My own children, I can't remember the last time I did smack either one of them, but I can tell you why. My daughter was going to put a pencil into an outlet after figuring out how to remove the safety caps that we had in all of our outlets. She got her hand quickly smacked. She dropped the pencil immediately and never touched outlets again. She was three at the time and should have known better, but being curious, she tried it anyway. Is she scarred for life? No. Did she get zapped causing possible health issues? NO! I took action and remedied the situation immediately.

My son. He was four and decided to go across the street to see our neighbor's grandson's new Hot Wheel's Jeep type toy (the one that kid's actually drive.) We were doing dishes and never heard him leave the house. Our street is not the safest street to go across - we are the short cut to one of the quieter (and free) boat launches for Lake Champlain. Boat traffic in the summer goes far too fast and too frequent for any child that young to be out in. The fact that he made it across the road safely thrills me, but the fact that he went across alone got him a smack on the rear end. Even today, he admits that he knew he'd be in trouble but he wanted to see the Jeep. He's not scarred by it. In fact, those who will say that hitting leads to hitting (in my book hitting is not a quick slap), my son has never hit another person. He's one of the rare few in middle school who has never gotten into a fight and has walked away from fights despite the laughter from his peers.

Now, I know people who refuse to hit their children. One of these children throws more temper tantrums in one day than my children have in their entire lifetime combined. This mom constantly battles with her child to eat the meals she has prepared, go to bed at his set bedtime, pick up toys, take a bath when told, and stay in their yard. She swears that the simple word NO and restrictions works well, but I can't see that it has. Fighting with her child on a daily basis makes me thrilled my kids have learned that I am the boss! They know I love them, they love me, and they also know that when I say NO it means it.