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.