Game Collecting

So President's Day is here and what do I decide to do? Why go out hunting for older video games of course. It's not as easy as you might think. Back in high school and even some times in college, going to a thrift store or second time around store was a regular thing. Thinking back I remember piles of Atari games, consoles and the like. Well, it had been a while since I had gone, but this crazy itch to collect is getting to the point where I'm just not going to stop it. I tried a Salvation Army to start... nothing but a few controllers for systems I'm not aware of (which, in all likelyhood, I will go back to buy after some research on them). Next up was a American Volunteer shop across the street... jackpot. There was an Atari 2600 surrounded about 42 games and a Sega Genesis. The prices where ridiculous but I went with the 2600 and 19 games for $40. This brings my Atari console collection to:

Atari 2600 - Model CX-2600 1978 or 1979 not sure yet. It is not the Sunnyvale, CA 'heavy sixer' but a six switch wood panel none the less. It does have the Super Service sticker.

Atari 2600 - Model CX-2600 A. This is the first four switch with wood panel.

Want to find out what Atari Console you've got? Go to www.atariage.com, but make it quick, otherwise you'll end up like me.

Great Lakes Brewing Co.

Not all is amiss in Cleveland. Great Lakes Brewing Co. makes a few great beers. First let me say that putting a picture of the metal you won on your beer label is either idiotic or stroke of whatever. Bottom line is the taste and in taste is succeeds. Right now I'm enjoying the Dormunder Gold. Obviously a German style beer, being named after a town there. It is close to a Pilsner. I'm snacking on Gloucester with Stilton and Colburn cheese depending on what type of GL beer I'm drinking at the moment; which now would be the Edmond Fitzgerald. The best thing about this flavor is the name. Come to find out the Fitzgerald was a ship that sank. Cleveland rocks. Prolly the better tasting as of right now between the two I have mentioned. Sharp, with a honest to goodness coffee flavor. Believe it or not I would prefer this over a Rogue. However, since I am going through a few of these, the one pictured is the Dormunder.

The Video Vault Pt.2

A trailer, of sorts, for a longer video (and blog, I guess) for a top video games list. 

I am constantly trying to satisfy the video game loving monster inside of me but he just keeps asking for more. In a lot of ways this video is better then the one it is previewing. Every time after watching this I want to play. The beginning part was filmed at The COSI center in downtown Columbus, Ohio and I'm looking East over the Scioto River.

The Video Vault Pt.1

Here is a look at a video that was incomplete... but much time spent on. It was made nostalgically for days playing Ghost Recon in NC. It was created shortly after GRAW came out for the 360. I tried to capture the chaos the games moments sometimes had. And I'll write another short sentence here. Why not another one. Too dark I guess, but I came across it today and still like it so I'll post it up for the few people who may see it. 

Snowy Columubus Ohio

Dec 14, 2007
Jan 3, 2007

Win and In

Redskins in the playoffs... when I came here to write something I discovered that I am at a loss for words. Over the past few weeks it looks like the skins are finally coming together as a group. When looking at the road to the Superbowl you can't help but think that they have a shot to run through to the big game. If it weren't for that embarrassing loss to the Pats earlier this year I might actually believe they have a legit shot at winning it all, but that didn't happen so I have to lean on two things: 1. letting the insane skins fan in me to say 'they can win it all!!!'. And 2. The Madden 360 season I played through in which the skins win it all (Patriots v. Skins in the Superbowl). The secret to beating them is moving Cooley to FB.

Christmas

Christmas time is a exhausting time for anybody out there working retail. Wal-Mart, I'm sure is open today. The theaters are open and I'm pretty sure more then a couple of restaurants are as well. Lots of people working hard when most of the country has off. I'm lucky enough to work in a sector of retail that has off (but back to work tomorrow). Keep these folks working today on your mind as you go wondering about today once the cabin fever sets in. My retail experience was a good one this year. I had over 80 people working hard on my teams. That breaks down to 5 team leaders, 4 group leads, 32 full-time employees and over 50 temporary. I had lots of great experiences this year. Lots of memorable things happened. I was able to meet lots of new people. I learned the art and power of a good motivational speech. I better learned how and when to act towards a disruptive employee, a tardy one, an absent one, one that throws a trash can into a bathroom stall, one that relieves himself in a trash can, people who want to fight, come in drunk. I also learned a bunch about helping injured employees. One strange thing that happened this year is that we had three seizures on the floor. All three I was witness to. The first a girl passed out and hit her head hard on the floor causing quite a bit of bleeding then the seizure. The second was in the same area similar result. The third was was actually someone who refills the medicine cabinets. He passed out because of his diabetic mediation. He stopped breathing for a while then started his seizure which I helped contain (or restrain, as he became violent). Remarkably, all three people were fine after the event.

All that said it was a successful and full-filling holiday season. I'd be hard pressed to find another job like it and enjoy the challenge. My company being located where it is you can't help but wonder and daydream about what it is like to work at one of the 100's of other distribution, fulfilment or manufacturing centers in the area... that is until you hear about a place like Victoria's Secret DC... they have a 30% return rate. Think about that one for a bit. It gets funny.

The above is a picture of one of my teams that I very proud and happy to be a part of.

From L to R: Scott, Beverly, Aaron Lyon, Rosemary Sullivan, Jimmy Dardinger, Ashley Pierce, Kathy Eicher, Juan Mackey, Lisa Latham, Matt Dickenson, Alexis Nile, Joyce Hasan, Britinay, Paula Mitchell.

D.B. Hobbs Beer

I was searching for a lovable cheap beer. I found the worst beer i have every tasted. I love it. I don't know where this beer came from. The best I can figure is that it is a new beer brewed in the old style... which sounds like an excuse to make another really bad tasting beer.