LEGO Star Wars - The Video Game

How have I had this game for almost three weeks now and *not* talked about it in my blog yet? After being given a link by someone on one of the BBs I read, I discovered the LEGO Star Wars Game. Now, before you click on that link (too late?), let me warn you about how addicting this game is. I am NOT a gamer, in any way, shape, form, or fashion. It has also been a source of constant consternation to my husband, as he has repeatedly tried to get me interested in any of a wide variety of games, be they PC, Nintendo, or Playstation. I wouldn't necessarily call him a gamer either, but he is rather attached to his baseball and basketball games. It's just something he enjoys, and he wanted to share that joy with me, despite my clear lack of enthusiasm (much like me encouraging him to read books....). So, imagine his surprise the day he comes home and I point him to this website and say, "I think I want this game." You probably could have knocked him over with a feather. After perusing the site himself, he insisted that we go out that very weekend and pick it up. No argument here.

I was honestly afraid I wouldn't like it. Remember, I'm not a gamer. No reason to mention my adoration of Pac-Man and the like. Heck, I still miss some of the games we had on our Commodore64! They had this version of pinball.... *ahem* Anyway! I loved playing games on the Nintendo and the SuperNintendo. Super Mario Brothers, Bubble Bobble, and Tetris *still* rank as favorites to this day. But since then, none of the games (at least, none that I've ever seen/heard of/played) have ever interested me. It doesn't help that some of the few that did, like Spyro, make me motion sick to a certain extent, so I cannot play them for long. Most frustrating! So here we are, about to spend money on a game that I may or may not like (and no, I didn't download the demo); no worries, though, because DH is bound to like it, so it won't be a waste of money. Just more time he spends on the computer instead of with me. I figure it won't be gory, but will it be too violent? (How you can make LEGOs overly violent, I'm not entirely certain, but I am sure that someone has/will manage one day.) Will the movement of the "camera" be too much for me, like some other games I've tried? Will it just be really boring (to me)? Will it be too hard, or too easy, or too cheesy, or too childish, or....

Nope, nope, nope. We load it up, plug in the controller, and off we go. And it is so unbelievably fun! It is *exactly* my kind of game. I don't think they could have designed a more appropriate game for me if I had given them my precise specifications. I'm sure for any serious gamer, it is a piece of cake. (In case you were wondering, I believe "real" gamers refer to it as a platform game.) They guy who wrote the help guide said that he could complete it in "a few hours." Well, good for him. Instead, we've enjoyed playing it a chapter or two at a time.

Note the key word there: we. Yes, DH and I are playing it together. How nice of it to come with a two-player option, no? Once I saw how fun it was, we went out the next day to get a second controller. We do have our own "single" games going, but it's way more fun playing as a team, and many of the tasks are easier as well. We're both genuinely sorry when we can't play it on any given night. I had to stop playing during Luke's naps because I would get frustrated that he would wake up when I was in the middle of a level! LOL It's just that much fun. I think DH is having just as much (if not more) fun watching me play, and enjoy playing, as he is playing himself. Apparently, I am a novelty. It's certainly a side of me he doesn't see often.

Which is why stopping before the end of the game has been so hard! See, the game is broken down into sections based on each episode of the prequel trilogy. Each episode is broken into several chapters. We have finished all of the chapters in Episodes I and II. Obviously, Episode III will have spoilers in it, but I didn't figure that it would have anything serious or major in it, right? The movie isn't out yet, don't want to ruin it. Lucas is famous for keeping the details of his scripts secret. But then, I heard that the novelization for Revenge of the Sith is out now. This makes no sense to me. It is a book based on the movie, so I imagine it follows the story pretty well. (Gee, ya think?) And I've seen how particular elements of the other episodes have been handled. Hmm.... this could be dangerous. Some events obviously have to happen, and I've run across a few other spoilers already. I don't really want to know any more than I already do before I see the film. So we cautiously start Chapter 1 of Episode III. It was fun. I'm glad we played it. If it is *any* indication of what that scene in the film really looks like, then it will be breathtakingly awesome!

And I now refuse to play any more. Too great a risk of learning too much. And I now have no idea of what to do with my evenings. I feel like I'm wandering around lost. I miss playing so much! DH and I have taken to watching each other play our individual games (which we didn't get very far on once we started playing jointly), but it just isn't the same. I won't go so far as to say that my life no longer has meaning, but my nights sure do seem boring now after Luke goes to bed.

Three more weeks until Episode III makes its theatrical debut to the general public. Probably an additional week until my parents can come visit. Looks like four weeks total before DH and I get an evening to ourselves to see it. I'll try to make it that long.

And a voice echos in her head: "Do, or do not. There is no try."

Currently feeling: obsessed

One day, I will learn....

[blank]

Currently feeling:

Two, two toofies... Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah!

Yes, that's right ladies and gentlement, The Count as taken a peek inside Luke's mouth, and he has spied not one (which we knew about on Saturday), but two little teeth. They're sticking up 1-2 mm, I guess. Doesn't sound like much, but I assure you, it is. And they have to be about as sharp as beever teeth; owie! No more chewing on mommy's knuckles (or anything more delicate, for that matter). At least he's being efficient about it (i.e. both at the same time) and not making me go through the "my mouth hurts" whimpering twice in just a few short weeks. It's already about more than I can stand. We've tried everything: Orajel, Tylenol, water rings, teething beads, frozen washcloths, cold wet washclothes, dry washclothes, vibrating gum soothers.... anyone have any other ideas?

Currently feeling: chewed

Is there a reason....

The smoke alarm battery can't fail at 6 PM in the evening? Why does it *always* wait until 2 AM to start beeping?!

Currently feeling: bleary

Calendar vs. Thermometer

And I'm afraid the thermometer is winning! When we last had The Weather Goddess upset with us, it snowed in March. Now it is the last week in April, and we're having frost warnings! Yesterday, it never got above 55 degrees, and the low was in the low-30s. Today did approach a "normal" temp of mid-60s, but the low for tonight is in the low-40s. BRRR! I can't remember the last time we had to turn on the heat this late in the year. We were running the A/C full blast just last week to combat temps in the 80s. I'm not complaining, mind you. The longer we hold off on the insanely hot temps, the happier I'll be. It's just weird. And I know we aren't the only ones. According to the folks on the BBs I frequent, the weather seems to be flipping out all over the world. Perhaps it will be cool with plenty of precipitation this summer? Yeah, I'll hold my breath for that one.
Currently feeling: chilled

The Toothless Wonder is no more

Well, maybe. Seems he has a very tiny but very sharp point sticking out of the center of his lower gums. Almost feels like a pin sticking through, it's so small, but unless something really strange has happened, it has to be a tooth. That means I need to hurry up and get his 6 month photos made! I want a toothless grin for those, so we have to do it before that sucker pops through. I'll let you know when we have official confirmation.

Currently feeling: surprised

A few less owies

My foot is mostly recovering. I still can't walk normal yet, but I'm only slightly limping, and carrying Luke is much easier now. It aches all the time now, but in the way that a bruise does, so there isn't really much I can do about it. Come to think of it, that's really what is currently hurting: the bruising caused by the break. My entire toe took on a definite purple haze, though it didn't turn black and blue like I thought it might. It's slowly going away, but it's that part of the healing that is currently bothering me. I just have to wait, I guess. Oh well.

Currently feeling: bruised (literally)

Which saint is it?

I need to know who is the patron saint of "please give me strength so I do not throttle my child before DH gets home." There has to be one. (I'm not even Catholic, but I'll try just about anything at the moment.) IIRC, Pope John Paul II oversaw the sainthood of 400+ saints during his reign alone, and there is already a patron saint of lost television remote controls (seriously). Given how much more important this is, there *has* to be a saint for it. Maybe Job? (Is Job a saint?) I sure could use some of his patience right now.

Oh wait, I see, it must be the same one as the saint of "let me flash mommy the cutest smile in the world so she doesn't kill me." Seems to be working. For now.

Currently feeling: frazzled

Do not adjust your moniter

This is the new look of Erin Expounds. It's not exactly what I had in mind, but I don't know enough about CSS yet to get it working with precisely what I want. Eventually I'll learn, but this will have to do for now. Expect some minor tinkering in the next few days and weeks, but it will probably stay this way for a while, unless I get a good deal of negative feedback.

Your thoughts on the new look? Please leave a comment. (And no, I'm not just begging for comments. I really want to know what you think!)
Currently feeling: pleased

Ow ow ow ow ow!

Ow ow ow. Just had to get a few more in for good measure. I broke my toe today. Second time in less than a year! Different toe, but same foot. And let me tell you, this one hurts *way* worse. In July, I broke my left "pinky" toe (the one on the outside). Hurt pretty bad when I did it, but unless I was wearing some funky shoes or I put a lot of pressure on the outside of my foot, it was fine, as long as I didn't bump it.

Not this one. This time, it was the toe next to it. My fourth toe, counting the big toe as 1. In case you were wondering, that toe does support weight and force when walking, no matter where on your foot you decide to put pressure. I can't walk on my heel, on the inside of my foot, anywhere. I pretty much have to hobble or crawl. Do you have any idea how demeaning that is? To literally have to crawl to the bathroom, as it's considerably faster than hobbling. Ice helped some, and the ibuprofin helped some (prescription strength), but it still hurts. Taking care of Luke tomorrow is sure going to be a blast (not). I may try taping it, and I may try to wear a shoe of some sort tomorrow. We'll see how it feels. I'm going to have to try to remember to take some ibuprofin when Steve leaves for work in the morning so that it is already working by the time Luke wakes up.

How did this happen, you ask? Well, I bet you don't realize how much you walk around the house on auto-pilot, without truly looking where you're going. Especially when you're in a hurry. That would explain why one would not *really* acknowledge the fact that the swing is close to the walkway, instead of over by the computer where it usually lives. This could potentially lead one to clunk their toes on the back leg of the swing before the brain has registered that it is indeed there and should be avoided. Despite being a lightweight travel swing, it is still capable of inflicting rather serious harm on any foot that may come into forceful contact with it.

I have that *stupid* song stuck in my head....

You put the lime in the Coke, you nut, and drink them both together
You put the lime in the Coke, you nut, and drink it all up....

I'm really ready for the end of this particular ad campaign. It's worse than "it's a small world." Every time I hear it, I get it stuck in my head. Some would say that is effective advertising. I hate lime. Not gonna work; won't drink it. Ever. I'll just sing the song in my head until I die. Unless....

There is just one moon and one golden sun, and a smile means friendship to everyone....

Some whine with my cheese, or lack there of

Restaurants charge a not-insignificant amount to add cheese to burgers. For our usual fast food place, it's 50 cents. Given that the burger costs $2.50, we're talking a price hike of 20%. 50 cents in and of itself isn't much, but I am paying 20% more for a burger with cheese on it. Or so I thought.

I think the amount I should have to pay for cheese should be directly proportional to the amount of cheese that is on my burger when it arrives home. The cost of the cheese stuck to the paper the burger is wrapped in because someone can't take the time to at least make sure the cheese is *on* the meat should not come out of my pocket! In that case, I should have only had to pay about 10 cents for cheese today. I ordered a cheeseburger, not a plain burger wrapped in cheese paper! GGRRR

Six month photo

Taken a couple of days late, but that's okay. The outfit has a goal, a basketball, and the words "Slam Dunk" embroidered on the lower left side, but you can't see it in the pic. You can, however, see the basketballs on the socks. The whole ensemble is way cute! Thanks to Nana for the outfit.

Happy Half-Birthday to Luke

How can it possibly have been six months already? In some ways, it seems like you just got here. In others, I almost can't remember what life was like without you. I hope your first six months in this world have been wonderful for you. They have been more wonderful and frustrating and magical and tiring than I ever could have imagined six months and a day ago. I love you, son. May your next six months, six years, six decades, and beyond, continue to be wonderful and magical, for both of us.

Look Mom, no pillows!

Okay, so I know this seems to have become the Luke blog, but it *is* a place for me to write about what is going on in my life, and well, Luke is a huge portion of that. Hope no one minds. I'll get back to other stuff (like baseball starting, YAY!!) eventually, just as soon as Luke stops learning new tricks every couple of days.

Guess who can now sit without support. He can't get into a sitting position by himself yet, but if I sit him down, he doesn't fall over. He can bend forward and reach side to side, all without toppling (well, until he starts getting tired). Check it out: