Edward's November 2023 Mix

 

 Settling into the new job despite the occasional curve ball, it’s a move I’m glad I made. I especially love the hours. I don’t know why, but it just feels like I have more time off. I guess in a sense I do. (No more 12-14 hour days.) I’ve been engaged in more extra curricular activities. I joined a pretty active board game group. And I’m sojourning to a neighboring town for Friday night Magic gaming sessions. I’m still trying to nail down Rush’s “Closer to the Heart” on my guitar. The solo is quickly becoming my favorite solo to play. 

 

Undaunted by Osprey games: I’ve talked about it before, but this game is a brilliant mix of cards and dice and beautifully art rendered tiles that form battlefield maps. Using squad level tactics, players try to run each other out of cards (or render their deck hands useless by clogging them up with unusable “fog of war” cards. Of course, it’s a two player game, but I have few friends interested in it so I play it alone, which is entirely possible. It’s a great game to brew up some hot chocolate with and play a battle or two.  

 

Euro Truck Sim 2 on PC:  It’s amazing how a game that emulates the mundane tasks of hauling freight from one European city to another can be so hypnotic. But it is. The cities and the highways are varied enough not to mention the changing times of day and night, that the game holds a certain fascination for me quite unlike any other. An update just remodeled some of the cities and added a dynamic moon. Little things, yes, but they just serve to make the game that much more dazzling. You need a wheel/paddle/shifter set to do it justice, but if you make the plunge for that type of hardware, it will be worth it. 

 

Magic: The Gathering: After a many year’s hiatus of this great collectible card game, a buddy at work named Ross, got me interested in the latest iteration. So far, I’ve spent far too much moolah to make a formidable deck, and at this point, I’m not doing so well with it. This new Commander style might just be the death knell for my interest in the game. I tend to be masochistic when it comes to gaming. (I’ll play on the hardest levels of difficulty.) But I think this game is making me a glutton for punishment. Maybe time to call it quits. 

 

Red Dead Redemption on Steam: I’m always late to the party when it comes to PC gaming. I just have always been one to avoid virtually all hype (there have been exceptions, albeit rare ones.) So, when I finally did delve into Rockstar’s venerable western, I found it oddly overwhelming. There was just too much to do, although I spotted many moments of brilliance within the game. I gave it another go this month, and did manage to finish 25% of the story, and that’s after having uncovered only a small portion of the map. I keep hearing it’s a game that eventually gets its clutches into you and turns into a blazing race to get to the finish. I’m waiting. 

 

Aliens Fireteam Elite on Steam: Me and my buddy Vicster have been making some progress in this game. A special thank you goes out to our mutual friend, Loxlo, who pretty much carries us through these overtly over the top difficult missions. I’ve said it here before, it’s basically Left 4 Dead set in an Alien environment. It’s not AAA game, but it’s solid enough to ensure a great time, especially with friends. Hopefully, by the time you read this, Loxlo, will have carried us through to the end.

Terminator Resistance on Steam: Vicster convinced me to pick this one up after I watched him stream it on Discord. It’s was a plunge I’m glad I took. Developed by Teyon Studios, this is a game sent out as a love letter to Terminator fans. You’ll get no ray tracing or DLSS here; this is a game created by a small studio. But they acquired the license and did a hella good job with it. One Steam reviewer said it best: “This is the third Terminator movie the fans should have got.” The game is entirely authentic and makes you feel like you are the last bastion of salvation for humanity.

Moby Everything is Wrong on CD: This is Moby’s third studio album release. I bought it simply because it has the song, “God Moving Over the Face of the Waters.” It was the strangely fitting beautiful ending dirge to the great Deniro/Pacino movie, Heat. But to my surprise I discovered another truly great song on the album called “When It’s Cold I’d Like to Die.”  This is one of those albums I missed out on, and now wonder who I could have.

Pandemic by Z-man games: Another great board game not particularly favored by my friends, so I play it alone. But that’s okay. The game is setup for solo play. Definitely one of my favorite gateway games. When you’re ready to move away from Monopoly and Sorry! I’d suggest you pick this one up. Racing to squelch four worldwide viruses in a race against time.  

 

 

 

Edward's October 2023 Mix

 

 

 Halloween this year, wasn’t. Tuesday on a night with snow flurries. No soaped windows. I’m taking candy to work. Trunk or treat being a thing now? Yeah, give it three years: no more trick or treaters. It was the best times I had as a kid. It’s a shame all good things have to end. I got to visit the Energizer Bunny this month. My defibrillator was replaced since the old one’s battery died. I should be good for another seven years. The scar is already gone. I still can’t help but think this is happening to someone else.

Mr. Kitty “After Dark” on YouTube: Mesmerized. There is no other way to describe how I felt after listening to this. Walking in a huge museum with skylight ceilings, each footstep being a click reverberating throughout the building. This is the sound of that. Listening to this inspired me to listen to more, and admittedly it was good, nothing matched this.

Resident Evil on PC:  I’d had this game in my library for years. I figured it was time to play it. No time wasted truth be told. Controls were too clunky. I give it a hard pass. Don’t bother. My friend, Garret Thrasher, told me to start with Resident Evil 2 because it’s set up for modern mechanics. I’ll have to give it a shot.

The Adams Family at Depauw University: I hate colleges. To me they are an indoctrination center for young people destined to become socialists, so much for a place for higher learning. Still, the familia went out to our local university production of “The Adams Family” which was a trickle down from a Broadway production. I was impressed! The sets alone were high dollar flotsam (being that our local university has money thrown at it.) The actors participating were adequate enough that I felt compelled enough to read their backgrounds. Backgrounds included vocal training to Friday night Dungeon & Dragon campaigns. My kind of people.

Energizer Bunny: My defibrillator lasted seven years. Considering it’s doing 85% of my heart function, this is pretty amazing. Well, all good things have to come to an end, so the cliché says. Imagine being sleepy, warm blankets being placed over you, nurses leaning over you, feeding you poppy seeds and feeling as if you died in bliss. This is why I don’t necessarily dislike hospitals.

Counter Strike 2 on Steam: This is a game that’s been out since 1997. It never appealed to me. I was too busy playing Fallout and Rainbow 6. But I guess it’s a thing. My aforementioned friend, Garrett Thrasher begged me to try it, so I did. Boy howdy! I love it, though I suck at it. It’s a simple first person shooter that will make you feel like you have learning disabilities. But stay the course, you’ll get it.

System Shock on PC: I had the original box version of this back in 1993. I tried to play it, but it was too wonky. I abandoned it; I don't think I lasted 20 minutes. And now, Steam released a version distributed by Nightdive Studios, a company who takes old games and remasters them (Kudos to them.) I’m on the second level of the game, and I have to say, it’s a time robber. I wish I had stayed the course when it first came out. I used to drive by Origin (the original game designer of the game) once a week. I actually applied there once for a job. Playing this game now takes me home.

They Live! on Blu Ray: My good friend, Gene Clifford, loaned me the Collector’s Edition Blu Ray of this movie. The presentation had director John Carpenter and the main actor, Rody Piper, commenting. I had never seen the movie before. It was definitely a 1980’s cheese movie, especially moreso after Carpenter admitted he hated President Ronald Reagan and his “Reaganomics” which is surprising that ‘Reaganomics” is what made him a Hollywood Richie Rich. Still, the transfer is beautiful. This is a movie that made Rody Piper an actor. Interesting little trivia: The opening scene in which a train passes through cost Carpenter $12,000.

Need For Speed: Most Wanted on PC: I’m a hardcore PC racer, but I do like me some casual Xbox controller shenanigans from time to time. This game was that. Unfortunately, the remake was a redux of the 2005 edition which harbored the cheesy FMV actors and instilled its own compellation to play the game. This game was anemic at best. There were 10 racers to beat. Period. Beat each of the ten racers, crash their cars, take the cars, and use them to beat the next racer in succession. It took me 30 hours to beat. I almost didn’t beat it, however, because one racer took me 43 attempts to beat. Me being the non-quitter that I am, finally beat the game.

 

Edward's September 2023 Mix

 

 

Whole lotta shakin’ going on this month. I got a promotion. And I moved to dayshift. Yay! My work hours decreased, which is a wonderful thing. I honestly forgot how intoxicating sunshine felt. I have eschewed my vampire coffin for seeing my shadow walking with me and birdsong. It makes me wonder why I didn’t do this long before. I have so much more time for myself now. Man, how I have missed it!

American Gods by Neil Gaiman:  I’m still waist deep in this great little Gaiman tome. I have fallen behind in my reading, but each time I immerse myself in this story, I have to ask myself why I took so long to get back into it. I keep encountering these wonderful written nuggets that make reread passages over and again. It truly is like panning for gold. Neil Gaiman makes me sad in a way because I know as long as I live, I will never be able to put pen to paper and exude magic quite like he does.

Reacher Season One on DVD: I’ve been watching this series with my stepfather. As you know, I’m a fan of the books, so the Jack Reacher in my mind is different than any recent rendition of him in any other media that’s popped up in the past few years. Tom Cruise plays a good character, but he’s not the Reacher I see in my mind’s eye. Alan Ritchson, in the series spawned by Amazon Prime, and the one I watched this month is much too young and “pretty” to be the Jack Reacher I know of. Or so I thought. This guy totally grew on me. I think he may change my own Reacher book paradigm. This series is compelling and is wholly accurate to the first book, yes, that’s right. The first season is based solely on the first book of a series that expands to well over twenty books. Season 2 has already been slated to release in December. I can’t wait! I don’t often binge watch anything, but this has been an enjoyable exception.

Baldur’s Gate on PC: Still chugging away at it. I’m in the middle of Chapter 3 (of 5 chapters?). This old school game renewed is every bit as enticing as anything I’ve played in recent years, despite its yesteryear graphics. I’ve probably said it before but it’s like popping open a great fantasy novel and diving into it, becoming more than printed words on paper, more like an immersive experience – a waking dream. My ranger – beastmaster character is at level 4 now, not too far away from level 5. He is more than the sum of his parts simply due to the party members that accompany him. Each with compelling stories of their own and enough magnetism to make you reload each time one of them dies. The thought of watching them die and not being able to continue the game without them is unthinkable. 

 

                                             

 

Railroad Corporation on PC: I recently tried to get through Railroad Empire which I purchased on Steam some time ago and couldn’t do it. I really wanted to like the game with its cartoony-like graphics. It was a cross between Sid Meier’s Railroad Tycoon 3 and Sid Meier’s Railroads! But I couldn’t finish the scenarios. I even watched YouTube vids and tried to mimic them. They were just too difficult. I ended up uninstalling the game. Railroad Corporation seems to be scratching that railroad simulation itch I get from time to time. It’s more of an economic sim than an actual railroad operation sim. There is no train switching or complex track laying involved. (Definitely a welcome reprieve from Railroad Empire.) In this, you don’t own the railroad. You actually work directly for a robber baron, lining his pockets thereby lining your own. It’s a wonderful time sink that’s been utterly fun without being frustrating. (So far.)

 

 

Nothing But Thieves: Dead Club City on Amazon Music: This band popped up on my Sirius XM, and I’ve not been able to stop listening since. A group of five members including 3 guitar players colored me interested from the get go. They are compared to Queens of the Stone Age, but I liken them more to one of my favorite bands, The Killers. I would suggest you listen to “Overcome,” and I’ll defy you not to fall in love with the sound.

Jagged Alliance 2 on PC: I had to restart this incredibly difficult and set it on Easy this time. I loved the original, and as I’ve probably mentioned it on here before, I played all the way through (and I’m the only person I know of who ever has beat it.) And, with that said, I can’t recommend the first game to anybody. The graphics are just too old and muddy. Not surprising since I played it in 1997. Jagged Alliance 2, isn’t much better from a graphic standpoint, but Jagged Alliance 3 released earlier this year and it’s getting stellar reviews. Since I played the first one, I just have to beat the second one before I can move onto the third. Go me, the eternal purist. 

 

 

The Black Phone on Amazon Prime: This is probably the most interesting horror movie I’ve seen all year. It’s more a psychological slow burn than an in-your-face jump scare horror movie, but the main star of the movie is the setting and the attention to detail used to convey that setting. Taking place in 1978, I found very few (if any) anachronisms. The clothes, the cars, hairstyles, and what I notice most of all, the way the people talked. Scott Derrikson and C. Scott Cargill (writers and director) nailed the time period. And I didn’t realize this was based on a short story by Joe Hill. (I personally think he’s the better writer than his father.) Ethan Hawke’s creepy mask wearing villain resembles Lon Chaney from his vintage London After Midnight character. He pulled the role off so well I kept finding myself disbelieving it was actually Ethan Hawke beneath the mask and makeup.  

 

 

 

 

 

Edward's August 2023 Mix

 

So August is over already? Wow! Where has this year run off to so quickly? It’s gone by so fast I’ve hardly been able to come up for air. I didn’t even get a chance to do anything this month, well, I accomplished a few things, despite the mandatory work Saturdays and the long hours. (I did get a promotion this month, yay!)  I parted ways with my beloved Doctor Seuss mobile, my cherished Vespa. But it’s gone to a good home where it will have the chance to be more adored than I was having time for. I apologize for the brevity of this month’s mix, it’s short, but oh so sweet.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman:  Shadow, a man being released from prison after a 3 year separation from his wife, is just told his wife was killed in an automobile accident the night prior. He’s handed his personal effects and a flight ticket his wife purchased for him days earlier, from a guard who says, “This is like one of those bad news/good news jokes, isn’t it? Your wife died, but you’re getting out of prison.” And then the guard laughs as if it’s genuinely funny. On the flight home Shadow meets a mysterious man who knows everything about him and explains that Shadow is going to work for him now. And so, begins Shadow’s bizarre path to freedom. Opening this book and diving in is like belly flopping into a pristine Beverly Hills swimming pool and finding I’m actually in the murky lagoon featured in The Creature from the Black Lagoon. Like everything I’ve read by Gaiman before, this is fun.

Live Aid (1985) on DVD: Mucho thanks to my guitar mentor, Michael Stevens for providing this miniature time machine compacted onto 4 DVDs. This concert is a who’s who of anybody who was somebody musical in the 1980s. Each artist does one or two songs, so never boring. The blue skies in the background, and all of the hair, and the screaming fans, this takes me back to my own 1985. I had just been discharged from the Navy which must be what getting out of prison is like. Hard to believe this was almost 40 years ago.

Baldur’s Gate on PC: Many moons ago, I dabbled with Dungeons & Dragons in the Navy. And then in 2002 my cousin, Justin Rexroad, loaned me his discs of Bioware’s venerable Baldur’s Gate (1998). I didn’t get into it back then. But now, with the hoopla surrounding Baldur’s Gate 3, I couldn’t resist revisiting the original game. (I’m always the purist!) A company called Beamdog took the game and tweaked it for modern systems (remastered graphics, widescreen support). And boy howdy, does it shine! I’m already in Chapter 3, yet I’m still level 2. This game doesn’t hold your hand, you have to work for each level, but my Beast Master Ranger, Edward Doogooder, is staying the course. Neverwinter Nights (2002) is the only deep RPG I’ve ever beaten. I think this one is going to be next. 

 

 

 

 

Edward's July 2023 Monthly Mix

 

 

This was a great July. I got to see my cousins from down south, albeit, I wish it was under better circumstances, but I was also able to head south, myself, and spend some time with the daughters and grandsons. I also hung out with my brother (always a good time) and some long-lost friends, all part of the road trip. My buddy, Gunnar Gallaher got my Vespa running again. It’s always great riding around town looking like a character out of a Dr. Seuss book. I suppose it’s more like riding a piece of art. I’ve made it halfway through my GoodReads reading challenge. All in all, a nice long month with a lot of activity.

In the Garden of Beasts – Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler’s Berlin by Erik Larson:  In 1933 William Dodd, a college professor and the head of the History Department at the University of Chicago was appointed to be the US Ambassador to Germany. He along with his family was at first ensorcelled by their new European home. Witnessing abrupt and drastic changes coming into play by the rise of Nazism and mistreatment of Jews made them realize they were dwelling in a powder keg. Dodd conveyed his concerns to the US government which fell on deaf ears. And his daughter, Martha, became entranced with the young and high-spirited officers of the Third Reich, having affairs with them, including Rudolf Diels, head of the German gestapo. I’m finding this book a fascinating study on the rise of where Germany went wrong. Mucho thanks to my good friend, Neil Campbell for turning me onto this magnificent read. Like all things done by Erik Larson, it’s a history lesson so fantastically done it makes you wonder why you didn’t know this stuff before.

Civilization V on PC: I always find this game to be daunting. Yet, when I begin a new game it’s as if I enlist for a hitch in the US Army. It’s as epic as a boardgame that covers your entire kitchen table and every bit as beautiful. I remember playing the original Civilization when it came out in 1991 per a recommendation by my friend, Ed Humes. I skipped other iterations through the years until Civilization V popped up on a Steam sale at an irresistible price. There are still aspects I find confusing. I still don’t know whether to make each and every city I build to be as big as possible. I still get curb stomped by most armies that attack me, but it’s a game I still have fun with even when I lose.

Need for Speed: Most Wanted on PC:  The original game which came out in 2005 was a theme park of hammy acting cut scenes, cop evasions, dazzling graphics and a cheesy storyline. I enjoyed it thoroughly despite never being able to finish it because of the very last sequence of the game requiring me to jump across a broken bridge and make an escape that segued into the end credits. (I never could do it.) In 2012 Criterion Games released a game that was more the spiritual successor to the Burnout series than the original NFS: Most Wanted. The game was lauded for its multiplayer, but received negative reviews for its lack of a singleplayer story, which is my main gripe with the game. Like the original in which you beat rival street racers and earn their cars, this game contains the same mechanic, but there are no cheesy cut scenes or hammed up actors! I am enjoying the game, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not nearly as good as the original.

The Guns of Navarone on 4K Blu Ray: Knowing my love for war movies, my daughter, Ginger, gifted me this great film. Based on the novel by Alistair MacLean, which I read years ago, this movie is true to the book and garnered an Academy Award in 1961 for Best Special Effects. It’s a typical “action movie for guys who like action movies.” The 4K transfer is stunningly beautiful. Colors simply pop out of the screen and the soundtrack is boisterous enough I had to turn the subwoofer down to keep my wife from awakening. Unbeknownst to me, the original 1981 Castle Wolfenstein game which probably pioneered stealth mechanics was inspired by this movie. And Call of Duty: United Offensive (2005) has a mission inspired by events in the movie and its scenery. No wonder I liked this movie so much!  

 

 Light Blue by Dolce & Gabbana: a summery light cologne I had discovered on Amazon (though I purchased it elsewhere.)  We’ve had this conversation before, but I wear fruity spicy in the summer and musks in the winter. It’s just the right thing to do. Though I’ve gotten compliments on this outdoorsy springtime scent, it’s not my favorite. It’s redolent of citrus fruits with a blend of a Florida beach sunset, but I think my Armani Code nails it all a little better. With that said, I don’t get many compliments on the colognes I wear, and I still struggle with the correct way to apply them. I think it’s a fine line between taking a bath in it and putting on enough that lends itself to that classic moment when you walk by a group of people and there is something so deliciously subtle about your passing and it turns out that it’s the cologne you’re wearing.

Heat on 4K Blu Ray: Ah, where do I even begin with this movie? I’ve seen it on VHS and owned it on DVD and Blu Ray through the years, and now I recently picked up the newly released 4K Blu Ray, and all I can say is it’s a remarkable transfer of an amazing story of two men who are so individualized that they are authors of their own selves. There are no protagonists in this film, it’s all about the antagonists. It’s perhaps the most character driven movie I’ve ever seen. One man, a cop, and the other a robber, so much alike in that fortune plays no part in their lives. It’s all cause and effect; and one mistake makes it impossible to unravel the strings of causality. This movie was the basis of numerous Grand Theft Auto games and was based on real life incidents occurring in the early 1960s. Michael Mann, who made the film, once saw a portrait of a gun sitting on a coffee table with the silhouette of a man standing in the background. This was the basis for his creation of this film. 

 

 

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine on PC: I’ve only ever caught fleeting glimpses of anything Warhammer. I know there are dual universes, one which is sort of medieval fantasy and another far into an interstellar future. Space Marine is the latter, in spades. Basically, a hack and slash shooter, it’s along the same lines as a Doom game. I’m having fun with it, but I can’t see it being any more than an 8–12 hour game (which it actually is.)  The Orks’ British accents are a little off putting, but it’s good clean bloody fun. And the impetus that brought me into this whole thing was the trailer for the upcoming Space Marine 2. Color me interested.

Spark 40 Amp: Quite simply, the best guitar practice amp I’ve owned. This thing does everything but make coffee. It has over 50,000 effects in the guise of numerous stomp pedals and amplifiers. You can voice ask it to play a song (through Bluetooth) and it will not only play the song, but show you the cords and play them slowly so you can mimic the song on the guitar. It has a tuner, and also creates the perfect bass and drum backing track for your own noodling.

 

 

 

Edward's June 2023 Monthly Mix

 

June has become special over the years. It’s the month of my firstborn’s birth and it always marks the beginning of a two week break from work. Ah, the time to get things done, right? Well, yes and no. Road trips and home projects galore. The freedom to get all those things done you can never do otherwise because you’re always working. The month invokes its own stress. (They say some stress is healthy!) Road trips and home projects galore. That said, I still found some time to get the more important things done: gaming, new music, reading and movies!  

 

 

Car Washing: Don’t laugh, you did read that right. Having a new car sparked an interest in washing my car the right way, not leaving it at the mercy of an automated car wash, a giant toilet type brush that butts up against five hundred other cars a day, or feeding a bevy of quarters into a DIY wash bay. So, I did what any resourceful bloke does these days. I began watching YouTube videos about people who detail their own rides. And I fell into a rabbit hole. It all begins with a $99 Ryobi electric power washer from The Home Depot. And then, brother, let the mods begin! Replacing fittings, hoses, and nozzles, and picking up some candy flavored soap called Mr. Pink from The Chemical Guys, I’ve made washing my vehicles a fun little money saving project. The end result is a car that looks at least as good as my local coin operated wash bays, done right here in my own yard. Micro fiber cloths and drying towels are the finishing touches. I’ll get better at it as I do it.  

 

 

World of Warships on PC: I’ve been playing ranked matches in this chocolate crack of a game lately. You delve into a battle with five other guys, and slug it out with six opposing guys with matching ships. I made it up to level 5 and that seems to be about the record. I started a new bout and now I can’t move from level 8. Bloody heck! I have a level 10 Battleship, the Kremlin, which this being a Russian game, I figured I’d have a slight advantage going down the Russian line of ships. So far, that’s not been a distinct advantage. (Hey, I’ll take an edge if I can get one!) The game is fun though, but it’s one of those live service games that keep me from doing any kind of completion of my Steam library. Is this a good thing?

Star Trek Season 7 on Blu-Ray: My stepfather and I are finally into the last season of this venerable TV show which was hailed as the best writing in the history of television at the time of its broadcast. We’ve just begun it, but I can see it as such. I’m a fan of the Blu-Ray medium. (As I am 4K Blu-Ray). And this series gets the ultimate treatment. I often watch a series then unload it on eBay or my local Disc Replay store (that is unless they want to low ball me with a ridiculous price.) But this Star Trek series is so beautiful I think I’ll always have it in my library. Well, that and the memory of watching it with my stepdad which makes the activity of watching it all the more special. This season opens up closing out a cliff hanger involving Data’s less than nice brother Lore (as they do every season starting with season 3 making it an irresistible two parter.)

The Bazaar of Bad Dreams by Stephen King: If asked, I would tell you I’m not a Stephen King fan, but then I’m also a hypocrite. This book will be my 25^th book by King. I was going to say tome, but this actually isn’t. It’s a collection of short stories. And it’s mostly stories about people written in a vein similar to a less than wholesome version of what Ray Bradbury would write. I’m not saying that’s necessarily a bad thing by any stretch. Some stories are by far better than others, and this even contains some poetry (of which King himself says he’s a bad poet. I will just say his fiction is better.) I’ve got about a hundred pages left (of 400 plus) and it’s not a bad read, especially if you’re a fan of Stephen King.

Slay the Spire on Nintendo Switch: I’ve said it before. I bought the Switch to have the power of portable gaming, and then they had to go and release the Steam Deck! So, now do I sell my Switch and pick up the Steam Deck? In all honesty, as long as they have games like Slay the Spire on the Switch I think I’ll take a soft pass against the Deck. I have a few games for my Switch, yet when I boot it up, this is the only game I play on it. I’ve talked about it here before, but I keep coming back to it. It’s a collectible card gathering game in which cards depict fight moves, perks, and blocks. Play throughs consist of loot drops that change or improve your cards, preparing you for inevitable boss fights and higher levels. Yes, it’s as addicting as it sounds. I’ve gotten midway to the second level, and it seems the best I can do, but the heartbreaker is the feeling the game always gives you empowering you to think you’re going to beat it if you try just one more time.

Sirius XM Radio: My commute to work is close enough that I’ve always scoffed at the idea of subscribing to a radio service. I mean, I have Amazon Music and my digital audio player with a bevy of hi-res music files. These should be enough, right? Well, when I got my Subaru I was given three months of Sirius XM for free. I didn’t even consider a subscription. And then, like a visit from Mario Puzzo, I truly got an offer I couldn’t refuse to convert the trial into a bona fide subscription. Taking a drive to Texas this month, I got some real use out of it, and I have to say I was not disappointed. You all know commercials are the bane of my existence. I don’t even have radio stations programmed into my car radio simply because I can’t take commercials. So, you can imagine the appeal of a radio with no commercials. The myriad of stations is just that, a bevy, but it does have its limitations. I love ambient music, but there is only one “new agey” type station. That needs to change.

Lost in Space Season 1 on Blu-Ray: As I wrote last month, I started the first season. I got to watch some episodes with my youngest grandson this month in Texas, and I think I converted him into a fan. He didn’t even seem to notice what we watched were in black & white. I can’t wait until he gets exposed to the next season (which was filmed in color. The Robinson’s vibrant uniforms are to this day one of the most dazzling use of color I’ve ever seen in a television series.) I’m on episode 6, the show’s more seriousness being eschewed for some character development. Dr. Smith is transforming from a murderous and nefarious villain into a buffoon, sacrificing his evil for utter greediness.