A kindness....

Does it not seem that the world should stop trying to invent the next big thing and maybe we should all focus on resolving existing problems like hunger, homelessness, un-adopted children, violence, etc. I think it's time we stop looking at charity as something we'll get to and make it something that is required of every citizen in the nation over a certain age. Give of your time in some manner so that another person's life is made the better because of it. The time spent doing this adds more value to your life than time out shopping and spending money on things that only add value to your ego. We need to reach a point where we decide to do away with things and focus on the people in our family, community, and lives so that the jobs we no longer have, are no longer necessary because we're all looking out for each other and barter our time for the goods necessary to sustain us. 

How many of you moved in order to be closer to your work? 

How many of you moved to be where you felt your family could grow up safe and secure? 

Wouldn't you like to be able to be home to be with your family? I'm sure many of you have skills to barter that your neighbors do not. Is it possible they have skills you yourself do not have, but require? Consider the benefits of living in a society where we are all one big community again that uses only what we need, and gives what we do not to others in exchange for their help. I believe it is time to return to a time when we were no longer Corporate America, and were once again Franchised America. We have civil discussions with the other franchises, but we would really prefer to focus on enjoying the experience of living in our respective environments, and sharing that with others in need.

Finishing the Swan

I got an update from one of the communities I'm a part of, Game-Modo, that there had been the release of a new game for the Playstation 3, The Unfinished Swan, I had been waiting for, that came from a new Indie company, Giant Sparrow. I found myself intrigued by a game that lacked any color or detail for the first level and wanted to see how my daughter would interact with it while using the Move controller. It is not a true virtual world, but you find yourself drawn in because of how you must interact. You're given only a paintbrush to explore the world through the splattering of ink. My daughter walked through the world flinging ink around the level to reveal benches, hillocks, statues, stairs, docks, etc. She got bored at one point and began flinging the paint straight up into the air and reacted to it when it came back on her by saying,

"ah, it got me Daddy, it got me".

Every time she saw something else in the world exposed she became excited at the discovery and was able to immerse herself more in the environment of the game. It helped her to grow more creative with where she flung the paint, and where she should walk in the level. Mind you, she's only 3, but she was able to get the hang of the 1st level rather easily. This is still not what I would consider virtual reality because she was not feeling as though she was there, but the fact that she pretended to be hit by the ink shows that it did stymie her imagination. Anything that can help her to further develop her imagination is a win in my book.

If you have a Playstation and want to play a really inviting game that will reveal itself to everyone in a completely different way, then I highly recommend purchasing it from the Playstation Store today.

Getting Along with a Newborn

Just dropped a bunch of knowledge on a family member of a family member of a family member that I loaned some baby goods to when I found out she was in need. Thought I should share the same information here so others would have an opportunity to see if it applies to you as well.

push through and remember that baby comes first in all things. 
never take what each of you say to each other in moments of irritation/anger/exhaustion as true. the first 7 months are the most trying because you both have to adjust to having less sleep, and less time with friends and family. 
Advice: remember that each of you need to try and spend at least 15 minutes a day just being together. Just turn some music on and sit with each other. Talk about the past, talk about the future and things you want to do with baby girl. Or don't talk. Just sit and look at each other and smile. and laugh.  Laughter is what keeps people healthy and happy.

HER: I try but he just thinks im weird and doesn't understand.

Does he have a role model that could help him understand? Match him up with a person who will explain things to him so he can understand the importance of how his actions affecting your relationship will be a part of how your daughter interprets relationships to be. That's why baby has to come first. The blunt response is, does he want his little baby girl to grow up looking for a guy that treats her wrong because she thinks that is the norm?

Know what? I have no idea what situation you're in. I have no idea how he's acting towards you and baby girl. I have no idea what you're requesting he does. So it's not fair to make recommendations that make him look like a bad guy. So here's some neutral advice.

Think about what would make you happy. Then, think about what makes him happy. Then, think about whether there is something both of you can do, to make each other happy. Then, think about whether this would enable baby girl to be happy. If so, do it. 
Ask him about having a calm discussion without feelings where you both express your personal needs, and allow each other to finish. There should be no anger or resentment from anything said. After you have discussed it calmly, you can both discuss how to go about making each other happy. Both of you will have sacrifices to make, but because you love each other, and your daughter, both of you should be willing to make them. 
THERE, neutral advice that works for any mature couple that wishes to have a strong and healthy relationship.

Ah, knowledge. That's what we're all here for right?

Keeping her happy with the move

There is something so painful about the process of choosing where you're going to move. I find it to be very similar to when you're looking to buy a car. There's the car you know you can afford, the one you may have to work some extra hours each week to afford, and then there's the car that requires the latter plus you need to take a bus to work. I find myself in a similar situation.

When you have the belief that your company will be moving you to a new department with a pay increase you start seeing those other locations that are slightly outside your price range and think,

"Well, by the time I have to pay a full month of rent, I'll be making enough money to afford it."

There are so many amenities and great offerings at the "budget-limit" location that it is sorely tempting to move there. However, one of the most important things to me right now is shortening the commute so there's more time to spend with my daughter after work. I don't see it as being much of a family when you only see each other an hour or two each day.

That, is why I have to do the right thing and choose the location that saves us more money, and means neither of us has to commute. At least not a real commute considering I would only have to ride my bike 8.5 miles, while the girlfriend could walk to work. I have to do right by my daughter and ensure that the place we move to is a place we can comfortably afford now.

But that means swinging it by the girlfriend who expects to live in a style that is equal to her position. I understand that need. I respect that need. However, I would rather be taking the money we spend on rent and applying it to a mortgage payment instead, and taking the place that offers a savings in rent would speed up the process of buying a house.

Well, battery is going to die on the laptop, so that's all for now. Thanks for letting me get that out of my system. If any of you have any thoughts on how best to keep the girlfriend happy over the course of this move, and the subsequent lease term, I am all ears. Or eyes in this case.

Something New

Brief announcement that I'm making as a failure for a time finder, I think I'll have a sub-section that relates to the cooking experiments that I do. Following the recipe doesn't always mean I get the intended results, so expect to see a section regarding the Crossed Fingers Chef, or Crossed Fingers Cooking, I'm not sure which. At some point. In the future. When I find time....

The Avengers is Not One to Miss

Avengers was EPIC!!! Several tears fell, merely from the overwhelming "IT" that was The Avengers. The last time I was this excited for something was while waiting in line to ride The Hulk rollercoaster at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. And just like that coaster, it didn’t disappoint. Joss Whedon has fully cemented himself in my mind as a man that can do anything.

The action was there in a way that looked almost like a dance, which leads me to believe that the fight choreographer (Jonathan Eusabio) should never stop doing what he does. Humor was throughout the movie in expected (almost anything Tony Stark says) and unexpected ways (watch Hulk for some of the best parts). Speaking of The Hulk, Mark Ruffalo and the new style they implemented for creating The Hulk worked perfectly. It was like he took what Edward Norton did for the character and then built upon it with the experience he would have had after several months/years? of hiding. Both of the end credit scenes were done great (yes, I said both), and Cobie Smulders pops up as a strong addition to the cast with some great physical acting.

Sets were all done with what appeared to be meticulous detail and this lent to the illusion of depth for the 3D format. When the pieces had to interact with the digital additions (I’m talking about the best part, destruction) everything made “sense” as it was being demolished by heroes, villains, creatures, and set pieces. These were not Captain America sets, but instead Thor and Iron Man inspired that were glossy when expected, and natural when needed. The costume designers work really shown when battle damage came into play, and sidenote during the selection of Ms. Potts first costume (fabulous legs Ms. Paltrow).

I saw it in the 3D format, but I think this is one of those films that used it as more of a way to ensure that there is depth to each scene, and not really immerse you in it. I suppose 2D would also be fine, but I've already decided to get it on 3D Blu-ray when it comes out because I’ve found it difficult to transition to 2D versions after the 3D experience (might just be me). Of course, if someone invites me along (on their dime) to see it in theaters again and they don’t care to see the 3D version, then I wouldn’t say no.

Speaking of the Blu-ray, after seeing this film I am really excited for the "Making of" extras that are hopefully on the disc, because the way the actors all interacted makes me think that when they wanted to have fun off camera, they had fun.

I’m sure all of you were already planning on seeing this film (otherwise why are you reading my review), but I hope my review will aid in enhancing your viewing of this amazing work. Because maybe those little details you might have missed like fight choreography, battle damage, and the real final scene at the end of the movie wouldn’t have interfered with your ability to enjoy it. But I’d like to think that knowing about them will make you appreciate it just that little bit more.

Stop Confusing Us about Microsoft Deals

So, you read about the new deal being offered by Microsoft for their XBOX 360 with Kinect and are thinking of taking advantage of it. But you are having trouble still deciding on what this deal will actually cost in the long run, and whether or not it will fit your needs. Some people have been leaving confusing comments about this subject (because they have misinterpreted the deal, or they wish to start trouble for trouble’s sake) and this write-up is done in the hope that the confusion can be dispelled.

The deal is this, you pay $99 up front and sign a two-year contract (similar to when you buy a phone with contract), during which you'll be paying $15 a month for an XBOX Live Gold Account.

Math time: $99 + ($15 x 24-months) = $99 + $360 = $459

 
Now obviously, for people that don't have the money to go out and buy a new 4GB XBOX360 with Kinect at retail cost:

Full Retail pricing: $300 + (2 years x $60) = $300 + $120 = $420

This could be exactly what they need to get started with the XBOX 360. With the overall cost difference being only $39 this appears to be a very smart move on the part of Microsoft. And even when you factor in the cost of additional streaming options like HULU or Netflix, the monthly bill will still only run about $15-$40 depending on selections.

Okay, now for the savvy consumer look.

First, anyone that has been using or scouting the purchase of an XBOX 360 knows that a system with only 4GB of space won’t be enough for the needs of most families. With the abundance of games that need to store game data on the drive, 4GB is going to be gone through quickly. I feel it’s also important to mention that the Kinect will need more space to save the snapshots and video of your actions it can take during the course of playing your games, in order to share it with your friends. If you choose to take advantage of this deal, then you may find yourself in need of a new hard drive within the first 3-6 months to expand your media library options. The upgrade is a simple enough process, but depending on your needs, it could still cost from $70-$150 to complete. Looking at the higher cost for both we see that it could be:

With Contract: $459 + $150 = $609

Without Contract: $420 + $150 = $570

We see that this doesn’t really alter the overall cost of the deal versus retail, but it is an important thing to consider when looking at investing in an XBOX.

Second, how many people actually spend $60 on a 12-month Live Membership? Most people search online for deals and can get a single user Gold Membership for $35-$45. Here is a strong reason for not going with the contract as we can see here:

With Contract: $459

Without Contract (and with savvy shopping): $300 + (2 annual Memberships x $35/45) = $300 + $70/90 = $370-$390

There is a $70-$90 difference between them now. You could take that money and apply it to a harddrive upgrade, gaming headset, or extra controller. Knowing this, it appears the smart decision would be to pass on the new deal.

But for those of you who can’t get your hands on $300 and want to play a gaming system that has continued to give the Playstation 3 a run for its money in graphics, games, and online offerings, take the deal and have some fun.