Avast, Ye Scury Dogs!

My parents got back from a camping trip yesterday. As they were driving home, my dad started to have some problems with one of his eyes. Seeing spots, floaties, things like that.

Today he went to the hospital, and found that he had a small tear in his retina. No big deal, as it turns out. He was referred to a doctor up in St. Cloud and they drove up there, had the laser surgery, and were back by 4. Pretty amazing stuff, really.

Anyway, my mom had called from St. Cloud, letting me know everything was ok. After the usual "Is he okay?" question, what do you think was the next question out of my mouth?

"Does he look like a pirate?"

I sure do love them pirates.

Shout At...er, Out

Games, I dig em. All shapes and sizes, colors and creeds.

Lately, I've been playing a ton of WarCraft III, an older game published by Blizzard. Great game. RTS, if you're interested. Anyway, most of the playing I've been doing has been on user created maps. These are maps that dedicated fans create for others to enjoy, with no compensation other than perhaps a rating on some website, or an email of thanks.

I wanted to say thanks to all of the mappers out there for all your wonderful work. It's a lot of work, and I appreciate it.

Maps I'm currently playing...check them out: (most all are AoS-style)

DOTA Allstars w/AI
Rival Nations 3.0
EW Armageddon
Gate Keepers 2

Down home at the X-Games

This week the famous X-Games are held. Those are those sports on ESPN, in which young people do crazy things like jump over mountains with a skateboard, or bike through lava, or something equally bizzare. Extreme is the name of the game.

I'm a bit of an extreme athelete myself, actually. My sport is Extreme Reading.

This past week I went on a very enjoyable camping trip with my dad. Out in the wilds, roughing it. Good times, good times. Monson Lake State Park, if you're interested, is the smallest and probably least used State Park in Minnesota. Not too far from where I live, but a nice quiet, bug free area. And clean, too. I reccomend it if you are looking for a decent campground.

Anyway, my main activity while braving nature and her minions? Reading. I'd like to think I could read anywhere, like over a mountain or in lava or some crazy thing like that.

My reading was occasionally broken up by Extreme Hotdog Grilling. That's just a hobby, tho.

Ma and Pa Kettle

I've spent a lot of time travelling all over the state this summer. More than I can remember or count or even make sense of. And whereever I go it seems people are having kids. Crazy, that is. Little ones, big ones. Quiet, loud. Even ones with enormous heads.

It's either that or people are talking about having kids. Big ones, little ones, quiet, loud. Though no one has mentioned the big=headed thing before they have them. I think that just kinda happens.

There is a point to all of this. I don't mind small kids as much as I used to. They kinda grow on you, apparently. Now, you'd think I'd be all for children seeing that I work in public education. But I was never a fan of the under 5 crowd. But I must be growing soft in my old age, they seem much better than I remember them.

Kids these days, they grow up so fast.