Ant 00037

[update #2]

The ship is taking on water(s)!

Everybody! Quick! Grab a bucket and start bailing this old tub out. . .

No, seriously, as the (self-appointed) Captain of this ship – I have to inform you that one of the games that I have been playing is one of those pretending type of games where when the bath tub starts filling up with water . . . I pretend that I am actually in a sinking ship . . . which is kind of odd – since never in my wildest imaginings would I figure that I would be taking a shower while going down to meet Mister Davey Jones at the bottom of the deep dark depths in a sinking ship – but I guess that is kind of beside the point.

Usually I wait until the water gets just over my feet – but not quite to the ankles. I wait because I don’t want to be a ninny (yes – I said it) who freaks out over a splash of water on the deck . . . boats tend to get water in them from time to time. Conversely – I absolutely have to start fretting way way before the ankles – because by that point . . . things really are looking grim – and the crew (the ones that haven’t already abandoned ship) are generally ready to keel haul me straight into the shackles in the brig to pay a fishy fee for all of my worldly misdeeds. As if they were any kinds of saints while they were traipsing about the land loving shores of ‘Peco Peco Bay’ during all of their miserable lives anyway . . .

One day I guess I will have to figure out what in the world is actually wrong with the (nameless at this point) boat – why water is always seeming to come in – how that can be fixed – and also on a slightly different note – how to build some sort of bridges between the crew and I so that whatever problems that this sinking ship scenario has brought up can be ironed out once and for all . . . perhaps a pot luck?!

Ant 00036

Nintendo Wii (without any funny in the headline)

Today I went over to the Nintendo World Store in Rockefeller Center and hung out with the Nintendo Wii. It was a pretty small setup. There were only 2 (two) units playable – both of which came equipped with their very own Nintendo cheerleader of sorts who kept throwing little catch phrases that ranged from the straight forward like “Look . . . when you swing – she swings too!” and then moved more to the “zany” side of the fence when they would tilt the “Wii-mote” on it’s side during the game selection screen and say “Watch out . . . that cursor is tilting . . . tilting . . . it is turning on it’s head!” – both of those examples are paraphrases of the things that I think that I heard – I was honestly as giddy as a bear cub at a honey convention . . . and I was also distracted by the cursor ‘turning on it’s head.’

While I waited in a remarkably short line (only two people in front of me when I got there) I got to watch a businessman bowl, a young child play tennis and an older teenager play baseball. If you haven’t figured it put – the only game on display was “Wii Sports” – probably because it was the easiest game where they could move people in and out the quickest.

All of the games that I saw from “Wii Sports” were very simple (like mini-games) – but seemed to have good solid mechanics and also, they looked really fun to play. As the business guy cradled the “Wii-mote” like a ball and made a “throwing the ball” bowling motion, he really seemed thrilled whenever he picked up a spare or bowled a strike. The young tennis-pro got to serve the ball and then volley with forehand and backhand as his mother kept asking the Nintendo representative “When does this come out again? How much will all of this cost?” peppered in with her saying to her kid “Good hit! Next time move further to the side and hit it with your backhand . . .” and other helpful tips that only succeeded in making the boy cringe. Mister baseball got to “swing” the bat – hitting what I though were far too many “Home Runs” – but again these were simple and fun little games and then he move to the mound where he showed that he was a true double threat by throwing a no hitter.

When it was my turn – I got lucky because the Nintendo rep had just gotten the second part of the “Wii-mote” which allows it to take the form of “Nun-chuck.” None of the other games that I had seen needed the second part of the controller to work . . . but I asked – in my own eloquent way to “do the boxing one – please” at which point he said that I was going to be the first to do that. But the first what?! Of the day? In the store? In – possibly the world?!?! – It was almost too much to think about as I had to start punching (using both hands), bobbing from side to side (by dipping both controllers to the side that I wanted to go to) and covering my face/stomach (by putting both of the controllers in the appropriate spots). I went 3 (three) rounds and knocked the computer guy down 3 (three) times – at which point I thought that I had won – so – exhausted from 4 (four) minutes of punching, bobbing and weaving, I started taking off the “Wii-mote” (which is held onto your arm with a little cord) . . . and then the jerk got back up and started to fight some more. I almost knocked him out for the 4th (fourth) and what surely would have been the last time . . . but then the fight ended and I was ushered away to make room for the next guy. Winning by points is lame in boxing . . .

All in all – it was really really fun – even if I did hate having/getting to “box” in front of all of those people hearing their “look at him punch . . . he sure does punch a lot . . .” comments as I fought. I wish that there would have been more games to try out – but I am glad that I got to see as many as I did – and figure that I will just check back a couple of more times before launch (November 19th (nineteenth)) to see if there are any more games . . . but until then . . . I give it a good times – great games award (which I possibly just made up).

[update #1]

The New Job . . .

Along with the big move also came the jump to the new job – which just happens to be the old job. You see – you see – the job that was now officially is the job that . . . uhm – is. It’s also the job I won’t be able to go into – or mention ever again – for fear of repercussions . . . they sometimes break knees up in these parts – and I do so enjoy all of the time that I spend with my unbroken knees.

With all of that being said – I do feel that I am slightly at liberty to share one or two quick asides from my first day at work that won’t cross over any company lines. The very first thing that I noticed – after tying on the old brown on tan apron is that the place really seemed to be much unchanged . . . the sounds, the camaraderie, the smells – they were all their and – frankly – they were still awesome. The one thing that I’d notice that was shocking was when Frank (oh jeez – I guess that I shouldn’t mention names – but this guy really took me under his wing and showed me the ropes on the first day – so why not give credit where credit is due I say?!) took me over to the grease vat – which was already at a rolling boil . . . and the place hadn’t even opened yet. Evidently they had gotten some new burners for the fryers – and boy but those babies could pump out some serious flame!
I was so excited to get my hands on the controls of the new equipment that I hardly even noticed when ‘Paco’ the kitchen cat sauntered over my way and started to my butt his head against my leg – no doubt trying to entice a good scratch behind the ears – but I had learned my lesson years before when after trying to give ‘Paco’ a pretty little pat – the only thanks that I received in return were a few well placed claws and teeth and claws for my troubles . . . boy that ‘Paco’ sure can be ornery sometimes!

All right – I have definitely said enough about the job . . . but it sure does feel nice to fall back into the sheets of nostalgia to find that the bed is still the same bed – with the same pillows, the same throw – and of course – the same old sham.

Sorry if the end got a mite flowery with the imagery there – but truth to be told . . . getting back into the trenches – well the experience is just really tough to put in words . . . simply put . . . it is just the bomb.