Assimilation

I'm not sure if it's come up on my blog here before, but I'm pretty much addicted to the Magic the Gathering trading card game(worse than some of my other hobbies).  This weekend, not only did one of my best friends come out to my college for the weekend (a 4.5 - 6 hour drive depending on how fast you drive), but we also saw another friend completely join our addiction. See (500) Days of Shaneiferd.  We took my friend from home and our latest victim to some of the local comic/card shops and spent far more money than we should have. Our Saturday night culminated in a five person game, and it was some of the most fun I've ever had in a 2+ people game. Such games are usually incredibly long and boring, but there wasn't a dull moment with this group.  We decided that Shane fit the Blue magic profile of manipulation and politics almost too well. Even though his freshly built deck wasn't all that intimidating, he did his best to manipulate his stronger opponents into working with him.

I bought many individual cards this weekend, but I did buy two boosters at the one shop. The New Phyexia pack contained a Moltensteel Dragon and a holographic Chancellor of the Dross. Two rares in one pack, pretty exciting stuff. 

 The same shop also had boosters from the Mirrodin set, which released back in October 2003.  This was one of my favorite blocks back in 9th grade, I had to get at least one pack (A block by the way is usually a group of 3 sets within the same storyline/plane). I'm glad I did because I got some cards I didn't own and some I hadn't even seen.

Had plenty of a newer version of this one, but never the original.

 

 The last card that I'm pretty excited about I acquired as a single. It was actually a pre-release promotional card that you'd get for buying something the first weekend or something like that, but since it's been a month I got one for a couple bucks.

Ooooooo, shiiiiiiiiiny.

 I have to confess that Black isn't my strong point, though I employ it more than Green, so finding a good use for Sheoldred and Chancellor of the Dross might prove tricky, but I'm sure I'll make do.

That's enough about my hobby/addiction,  and I'd like to encourage everyone to share their hobbies with other people, no matter how weird or nerdy or plain insane. Until next time, keep corrupting your friends!

The Living Dead Are Amongst Us

Seriously, check out this wicked cool science: http://www.npr.org/2011/06/13/137029208/heart-with-no-beat-offers-hope-of-new-lease-on-life

An artificial heart with no beat, no pulse, and no EKG reading.  Any medically trained person would declare you dead.

Been a big week, yet boring in some ways.  Lot's of hurrying up to wait type stuff.  More details to come by the end of the week.

Till then, keep on laughing.

Nintendo's E3 2011 Opening

These are notes I took on my cracked iPod Touch during the live webcast

E3 Nintendo
Zelda concerts worldwide + CDs
Sept. Four Sword free on DSi
Dec. Skyward Sword

Satoru Iwata
To serve every player
Luigi's Mansion 2?

Reggie Fils-Ime
3DS for everyone
-Mario kart
  Customizable karts
  This holiday season
-Star Fox 64
  Use system as control yoke
  Your face and voice linked to your ship
  September
-Super Mario 3D
  Before end of year
-Kid Icarus Uprising
  3v3 multiplayer battle
  3d cards
-Luigi's Mansion 2
  Several new mansions
-Resident Evil mercs & revelations
Mario & Sonic Olympics
Ace combat
Tetris
Cave story
Driver renegade
PAC-man
Tekken
MGS snake eater

3DS Virtual Store
-Excitebike
-Pokemon enhanced Pokedex "Pokedex 3D" Nintendo eShop only

Wii U
Controller has 6.2in touch screen & classic buttons
Can play whole game on controller
Drawing pad, board games
Video calls
Browse
2012
Backwards compatible
can transmit HD to TV

Smash Bros. For both Wii U & 3DS
-will work together somehow

LEGO City Stories for Wii U and 3DS

Darksiders 2
Assassin's creed
Ghost recon online 
Batman arkham
Dirt Codemasters
Aliens Colonial Marines
Metro Last Light
Tekken
Ninja Gaiden 3

Wasting Away Again

Today is June 6th, the anniversary of D-day, one of the biggest and most complicated military actions the world has ever seen.  During World War II, this was the Allies' last chance to take Europe back from Hitler and his Nazi regime.  Failure was not an option. Young men on both sides, most probably younger than my 22 years, fought valiantly.  Yes, even the German troops should be recognized, for not all Germans were Nazis, and I'm sure not all those on the front lines agreed with everything Hitler did.  Either way, no matter where in the world you live, today should be a celebration of Liberty, and the hope that it will always prevail, and that someday, we'll perfect it.

In other news, the Electronic Entertainment Expo, better known as E3.  This time of year is more exciting than Christmas for most avid gamers.  I think one of this years biggest buzzes is what Nintendo is going to release next.  It's been five years since the Wii was released, the average lifespan of a Nintendo console.  There's speculation that we'll get a beefier Wii, dubbed Wii 2 or WiiHD.  The writers over at Gamesradar think we'll get something even better.  Nintendo has stated it won't  release a console that doesn't do things completely different from the Wii, so suspicion turns towards an HD powerhouse similar to the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.  One of the writers suggests that the new console's name will simply be "Nintendo," raising the points that Nintendo tried not to associate their name with Wii very much at any point, keeping it casual for casual gamers.  Now, they think the big N is trying to win back the "hardcore" gamers, with the machine that should have followed up the Nintendo Gamecube.
Either way, I'm pretty psyched to see what tricks Nintendo pulls, even though I won't be able to afford a new console for a long time.

Until next time!

Keeping In Touch

A little late, but thanks to all the Veterans out there!  Even if you don't agree with war, you have to respect what these men and women do.

Been a while, haven't had much to talk about, still don't actually.  The past week or so has been relatively uneventful but I did learn how to play the Pokemon TCG.  And not the shitty new Pokemon, I mean the original cards. I've had a Base 2 deck for years but never really learned the game.  This past weekend my friend and I were drinking and playing Magic the Gathering, he decided to teach me how to play with that Base 2 deck and one I had built from collection.  Apparently having 3 Mewtwos in you deck is a dick move, but oh well, muahaha!

Sadly there's been no fencing practice the past 2 weeks.  Last week the marshal couldn't make it and this week was a holiday.

That's all I've got for now, stay cool in this heat and drink lots of H2O!