I have created another blog to give updates on my writing efforts. You can find it here.

February 28, 2006

In which wireless and XBox are discussed

Note: This entry began life as an e-mail to Walter, telling him about some recent goings-on in the Samtown neighborhood of Geekville. I decided to edit it a bit and turn it into a journal post so everyone could share in the geek love. Whee! Walter, if you're reading this, you've pretty much already seen it, assuming you actually read the e-mail I sent you. I mean, as I write this you have yet to respond, so I really don't know whether you've seen it or not. Slacker. You'll probably respond around the same time that you update your LiveJournal.

With Darlene and the posse moving down in a few weeks, the house has to be rearranged, including the computer setup. I realized I was going to have to set up wireless in the house to make it all work the way I want it to work without stretching cables all over the place. With that in mind, I bought some wireless gear at Best Buy on Sunday. I got the Linksys Wireless-G router and PCI adapter. I bought two adapters--one for my computer, and I went ahead and got a second one to put in Darlene's computer when it gets down here.

I also bought a computer desk for the new kitchen setup. I put it together last night and moved the computer from the bedroom into the kitchen. It looks pretty good. There was a shelf above the desk that I had to leave off, as the desk was clearly designed for a flat panel monitor; my monster monitor was too thick to fit with the shelf on. Darlene has been talking about wanting a flat panel anyway, so we'll probably be getting one sooner than later. When we do, I'll put the shelf on. After I got the computer reassembled, I put the wireless card in, moved the cable modem into the living room, put a splitter on the cable jack (so I can keep watching TV), and plugged in my new router. Power up the computer, Ubuntu picked up the new router right away--nice! A couple of configuration tweaks later, BANG! (tm Emeril Lagasse); I have a wireless network in my house. The router and modem are sitting on top of the subwoofer in the living room. Once Darlene's computer gets here and we get the kids' bedroom set up, I'll get that box configured for wireless as well. I'm pretty proud of myself, actually.

I also got a new game for the XBox. I got Forza Motorsport, which is the Gran Turismo competitor created by Microsoft Games for XBox. The game includes over 50 tracks and more than 200 cars to choose from, most of which are locked at the beginning of the game, if you're in career mode. I've begun a career and am currently racing a purple PT Cruiser in low-level races. Racing badly, by the way. It's a tough game to get the hang of. It's pretty schweet, though. I fully intend to beat Steven soundly on as many tracks as possible as soon as they get down here. I also recently got EA Sports' Arena Football for the XBox and have been playing the heck out of it. It's ridiculously fun, and highly addictive, just like real-life arena football (Go Force!).

45 days till the wedding! Whoo!

February 14, 2006

Put your hands behind your head and step away from the XBox!

I've been so slack!

You may notice that I have neither updated my blog nor written a new 24 article in quite a few days now. It's my own fault, really. I've been playing too much XBox again. It's a cycle I go through now and then--I get a new game and spend hours and days and weeks at a time doing nothing but playing. Most of my spare time the last three weeks has been spent playing Jade Empire, a very cool RPG set in the fictional Jade Empire, a sort of depiction of China, if all if its myths were real.

It's pretty cool. Sort of a mix of traditional "Neverwinter Nights" style RPG action and kung-fu movies. I've played it through once already, following the "Way of the Open Palm" (which made me a "good guy"). My current character is named Smarmy Pao Yang and is following the more tricksy and evil "Way of the Closed Fist" which, in the grand tradition of good/evil RPG player character morality, is a lot more fun. Bad guys simply have more fun in these games. It was true in Neverwinter Nights, it was true in Knights of the Old Republic, it's true in Jade Empire as well.

I finally decided to go ahead and update my blog. No telling when I'll get caught up on 24. I haven't even watched the last two episodes. I may try to get to them this week, but then again, I may end up being slack some more. I will catch up eventually, I just don't know when.

60 days til the wedding! As if there would be an entry with no mention of the wedding. HA!

February 4, 2006

Sam Brady Writes A Book About 24

My new 24 article is up at TTNMC. I guess you can call it an article. John calls it a book. It's a long one, that's for sure. Then again, a lot went on. Here's the link. Enjoy!

24 5.06, 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m.

February 3, 2006

"...a dweem wiffin a dweem..."

I'm getting married ten weeks from tomorrow. In fact, as I begin writing this, 71 days from this exact moment I will be ten minutes away from an event that will change my life forever. It's going to be a busy 71 days, too. Between the two of us we have to figure out how to get her kids enrolled in school here, move them down here, get new clothes for the wedding, make sure everyone is happy and healthy, plan the ceremony, decide what to do afterward, talk to each other at least twice a day, and say "I love you" to each other at least 1,400 times. About the only thing we're not doing between now and April 15 is framing Guilder for anything. We're swamped. We're loving it, too. It's definitely a good swamp to be in.

I'm going to have three new kids in my (our!) home, not to mention a wife, and that's way cool. I've been by myself for much too long. I'm ready to be a family man. It's a little scary sometimes--I've lived by myself for most of the last 14 years. I'm going to have to get used to sharing closets and bathrooms and a bed and the TV and all the other things that having a family entails. I also get afraid sometimes, that I'm not going to know what to do as a dad or as a husband in certain situations. That worries me. I don't want to mess up. I'm sure I'm not the first husband/dad-to-be who has worried about that, though. I'll learn about my family, and they'll learn about me. Yeah, it's scary, but it's going to be good.

As I finish writing this, 71 days from this very moment we'll be at the altar, crying our eyes out. If you guys are reading this, I love you, and I can't wait until we can be together all the time.

February 2, 2006

haiku no. 2

billtamer runs slow
like a winter nose; i hear
yo-yo ma's cello