The Ceasefire is Kaput

 It was 78 (F) this morning at 0600 which means today is going to be a hot one.  We are under a heat warning... however, the forecast no longer has us breaking into triple digits.  Nope.  Our high is now supposed to top off at 98 (F), which is the high temp we had on both Sunday and yesterday.  And it is all downhill from today on.  I can live with 98 (F).  

Yesterday was sort of meh.  I did get in a nice band/dumbbell workout.  I want to get a ride in this afternoon.  I had bought a small window A/C unit for the workout room since there's no Central Air vent in it; my house is over 120 years old and venting was not big in the early 1900s.  It was cheap and worked well for one year, and okay for the 2nd year.  Now, it's basically a big fan.  So, one of these days I'll carry it downstairs and throw it out.  

I did sent an note to Christos in Greece, his copy of The Body in History is out for delivery.

I did start playing a new game:  the remaster of Oblivion.  The remaster looks simply great!  It was the first game I downloaded with the new T-Mobile internet.  For a WiFi download, I was pleased that I had speeds up to 145 MBS.  With the FIOS I was lucky if I got 45 MBS.  That's a big difference.  Anyway, here's the trailer.  It's a Bethesda RPG game.  If it looks familiar, it's part of the Elder Scrolls series.

And for those of you who were worried that ceasefire between Iran and Israel might actually do it's intended purpose of raising Orangie's approval rating, fear not, the deal he said was going to last forever has fallen apart after only 3 hours.  Both sides have violated the terms.  Those grandiose fantasies he has about himself are now nothing more than soiled linen.  And now all of those who so quickly jumped aboard are stained as well because they believed someone who's only successful at being a liar, a cheat, and a con.  Everything Orangie touches dies and when it does he blames Biden.

 

Rowing on Lake Mead

 So it's Thursday.  The spring-like temps continue.  Today we're predicted to hit the mid 50s (F), which is not bad for mid February.  Long range forecasts have our temps dropping back down into something considered more normal by next week, of course we all know how reliable long range forecasts are.

I finished playing Starfield last night by becoming Starborn.  As with most Role Playing Games, Bethesda is looking for replay value, the incentive for players to play the game again.  With Starfield, you can replay the main storyline again, or you can do other things, I chose other things.  While I did lose all of my weapons, I did retain all of my traits and abilities.  To make it interesting, as a Starborn, I've transitioned into a new universe (part of a multiverse scenario), so while they original characters are still there, they've changed.  In one universe, some of the good guys are now bad, so while the quests remain the same, you're dealing with an entirely new world.  How long will I continue to play?  Well, that all depends on when I get bored.  I might find a nice comfy planet and start building a settlement.

I tried a combo workout yesterday, rowing and then cycling.  The result was interesting.  It was the first time I'd used the laptop on the new stand, and it didn't roll as easily as I had been expecting.  I'm ambidextrous with a lot of things, working a mouse isn't one... yet, all I have to do is practice.  I did get to row with a gentleman named Kevin Scott, who has decent videos on that Kinomap I signed up for.  Yesterday he and I were rowing in Lake Mead.  What makes his videos interesting is that he changes the direction of the camera, so for a while you're seeing where you're going, and then for a short time you're watching him row.  Here's a teaser of him rowing in Tahiti.  As you might expect, it's a teaser to get you to sign up for Kinomap.

And the Supreme Court get's to hear arguments today on whether states can kick Trump off of the ballot.  This is not the same as when they have to decide if he has immunity, if they even take that hot potato.  I find the entire thing fascinating.  Conservatives so desperately want the court to give them a pat on the head (that's why they loaded it), however they are a minority.  While they did backflips of joy when Rove v Wade was overturned, it has cost them elections, which shows just how shortsighted they are.  Ballot initiatives enshrining abortion rights in state constitutions are easily passing, ripping their joy from their dark, tiny hearts.  Even in Florida, that Cracker Jack Crazy land of DeSantis, the state Supreme Court look dubiously at Republicans efforts to keep on such initiative off of the ballot.  Florida conservatives are going to fail.  Can you hear me laughing?

At the Rainbow Bridge

 Well, if it's Black Friday and you're sitting here reading this, then Christmas shopping is probably not high on your list of things to do today.  Me?  I might buy a pair of slippers later; it's an image I'm trying to groom: old man wearing a cardigan sweater and slippers.

The weather's supposed to be nice today.  Temps are predicted to be in the mid 50s (F).  There's also a bit of yardwork in the forecast.  I need to rake my gingko leaves around the base of the tree.  Over the winter they decompose and I'm left with a nice, free, circle of mulch.  There's also an aquarium clean on my chore list, as well as laundry.  The first load has just finished.  My, aren't I the expeditious one!

Thanksgiving dinner was at my brother's farm.  Noah, his youngest, is in his late 20s, his oldest is nearly 40.  When they were younger, we didn't talk, I'm simply not good with kiddie-speak.  Now we talk.  We have discussions.  My one nephew is head union rep where he works, not something my brother's too pleased with, being the conservative that he is.  I was a little concerned about driving home at night and it turned out to be a non-problem.  In fact, I don't mind driving at all.  

Yesterday turned out to be pretty good, except for the notice I got from Bethesda telling me there was no way they could give me back my 28 levels of game play.  They sent me a survey.  I replied honestly.  I was hoping they'd be able to give me a magic bullet that would restore my character both his strength and prowess.  They can't.  So, very politely I told them I was extremely disappointed.

Breakfast this morning is spice cake with cream cheese icing.  

Now that Thanksgiving is over, the Republican circus is about to begin again.  Well, I'm a bit wrong on that since it never did actually stop.  Take Wednesday for example:  there was a fiery car crash up by the Canadian border and a number of Republicans (Ted Cruz perhaps the most prominent) began shrieking that there was Terrorist Attack at the Rainbow Bridge of all places.  Of course, these yokels were getting their info from Fox.  Many of them began backtracking after it was learned that there was no terrorist.  The driver of the car was a rather wealthy man, from an upscale community, driving a $300,000 car, who was a mite upset because the Kiss concert he had tickets for was cancelled, and so he and his companion decided to go to a Canadian casino instead.  Everybody quietly updated... except Cruz, who still has his terror post online.  It figures.

Pins and Needles

 Well, it's Thursday and I get to work 8 hours.  Yep, that's right a full shift.  And no, this is not an endurance test for me.  That'll happen in 3 weeks when I'm scheduled to work 25.5 hours.  Holy Banana Peels!  I can't remember the last time I worked that many hours.

We did have snow yesterday, about 2 inches.  White and fluffy, the dogs went out several times though I don't know if that's because they like the snow, or just really liked being toweled off when they come back in the house.  With Biggie?  I'm certain it's a biscuit thing.  For him, biscuits will always rule the day.  

Bethesda had a big showcase yesterday showing off some of their upcoming games.  No Starfield information.  That's the game the world is waiting for, and I do mean world.  It's supposed to drop in the first half of 2023, though the release date is complicated.  They don't want to compete with themselves, and a little thing called Redfall has a release date of May 2.  That means Starfield will probably drop probably in late June.  I guess the big question is not when it actually releases, but if it's going to sell over 35 million copies on day one.  At $69 a copy, that's a lot of moolah moolah.  Here's a bit about Redfall.  It's free on Gamepass, so I'm not planning on purchasing this one.

Of course, a lot of people are on pins and needles as they wait for the first indictment to drop.  I'm not, but then I can be very patient.  Justice is Karma.  It doesn't happen at the snap of your fingers.  The longer it takes, the more brutal it can be.  Let's be honest.  We don't only want to see Trump pay the price.  There are others we want to see incarcerated.  Like Roger Stone.  I would definitely like to see that shitty smile of his legally wiped off his face... for the rest of his life.  And Jimmy Jordan.  Knowing that he's spending the rest of his days having to use a group shower with men who see him as just another piece of meat?  With his history of ignoring student predators, would that just be simply delightful.  These people do not understand that they are not special.  They have not been chosen.  Justice is going to teach them this lesson.

I don't know about you, but I'm beginning to chortle, chortle, chortle at Kev McCarthy's frustrations.  Did everybody hear he flipped out when an NPR correspondent asked about George Santos?  Kev made so little sense that for a few moments, I thought he was speaking in tongues..

And finally, there will be protests when the first Trump indictment is revealed.  Now, I know some of you will want to let your own frustrations out, well, don't.  America is watching.  I would not be surprised if we see a reenactment of January 6, but worse, in several cities as stupid MAGAs take to the streets.  The Republican party is dying.  These protests will be their death knell. 

Fallout

Can we have a hearty hello for Sunday?  The got down to a chilly 34 (F) last night.  Today's high is predicted to be in the low 60s (F), however, rain comes into the picture and the rest of the week the temps are suppose to be in the low to mid 70s (F).  It is that time of year when I begin to mow my leaves.

Well, I stepped on the scale this morning and had to almost physically stop myself from shrieking like a howler monkey.  I've evidently forgotten that I need to burn more calories than I ingest.  I'm blaming all the candy that's showing up at work.  Or, possibly, it's the chicken marsala; I've been cooking and eating a lot of that.

That being said, I'm going to be making pumpkin cheesecakes today.  This means I'll have to climb back into  the saddle and ride miles, and miles, and miles.  Tacx has started adding rides filmed in the US.  They have a really nice ride filmed up in Oregon.

3 more chapters to go until the first draft of The Body Under Ice is finished.  For those curious, I've already begun making notes on the next book, The Body in Motion (sounds intriguing, eh?).

As many of you know, I play video games.  While I really enjoy the Assassin's Creed series, most of you know my favorite game studio is Bethesda, based in, not surprisingly, Bethesda, Maryland.  Fallout, their most popular series is being made into a series for Amazon Prime.  I've already shared some pictures.  Well, Bethesda has dropped some more info.  Pictures and a video, to be precise.  The pic below is from Vault 33, located in California.  It was the clip, however, that got people excited.  

And finally, I saw that Liz Cheney's pac has started airing an ad attacking Kari Lake.  I like it.  Honestly, when I see Kari Lake, I see a woman so hungry for power she would have no problem sacrificing anything and everything to get it.  She is a rabid attack dog and nothing more.

 

It's in the Stars

Is everybody excited for the new work week?  I am.  Not because I have to work, which I do, but this morning the January 6 committee has another hearing... and I don't need to be at work until 12, that means I'll get to watch part of it.

Yesterday, as I expected, was another slow day at work.  I had around $2000 in sales, so I hit my goal for the week.  That's nice, it kind of keeps management quiet.  Otherwise, we sat around.  Here's a sample of how poorly things are going: for the same week last year the flooring department had 26 measures, this year we had 5.  Ouch!  To compensate prices are going up because American Capitalism has decreed that in order to satisfy Wall Street, you will need to punish the general population.  This makes things worse, but tell me, do you think corporate America really cares about anything other than their own financial gains?

Right now, I'm using my old laptop stand as a printer table.  I hate it, so I'm replacing it with a small, 2 drawer filing cabinet my mom gave me decades ago.  At present, the cabinet is beige, later this morning it will be painted red to fit in with the rest of the decor.  Pictures to follow.

Since business was so slow yesterday, I got to watch the Xbox / Bethesda showcase on the flooring desk computer.  Not the who 2.5-hour showcase, mind you.  I had the sound playing lowly and now and then would open the window to see which games were being talked about.  There was only one game I was truly interested in, and that was Starfield, Bethesda's first new IP in 29 years.  If you don't own stock in Xbox, now's the time to buy.  I know there are people who think gaming is only shooting things up, but there is so much more, like exploration.  There are over 1000 planets in Starfield to explore.  There is settlement building, where you have to gather the raw materials to build a settlement and then hire people to work there, all done without firing a weapon.  There are millions of gamers who find that fascinating.  Here's the release video with game play.  Oh, and in case you're wondering there is some shooting.

And today is the January 6 committee's 2nd public hearing.  A lot of people are trying to predict just what they're going to do, but let's be honest, without a program, we'll just have to wait and see.  Some of their guest witnesses are intriguing:  the guy who ran Trump's campaign and got fired because losing is not in Trump's vocabulary.

And then there's Georgia.  Even Newsweek is implying the case there will bring us the arrest so many want.  There's so much evidence.  Like stars in the heaven, if you look up, you can't miss them.

 

Fus Ro Dah

 Well, I did what I said I was going to do yesterday.  My alarm clock went off this morning... and I got up.  To be perfectly honest, I'd have turned the sucker off and gone back to bed, however Biggie had a very full bladder which took priority.  Some things are more important than grabbing an extra half hour of zzzz's.

They got snow out west, we're getting showers in the east, at least that's what they're forecasting for this afternoon.  We've got a week to go before we finally change seasons.  Spring will be welcome this year.  The bulbs I planted in my front yard flower bed are already pushing their leaves well of the ground.  I'm anxious to see if the tulips bloom.  Sometimes they don't, and need to be replaced.  Oh, and last year I did not dig my Dalilah bulbs up so they will need to be replaced.

I bought some new glasses from Zenni.  If you wear glasses, check out their website. They're a lot less expensive then buying them from your optometrist.  Unless, of course, you're one of those who need to wear designer frames.  Not me.

I check every now and then to see if there are any Xbox Series X consoles available for purchase and the regular price,  Desperate people can buy one from a scalper for over $900.  Not me.  I do want to have one by the time the new Bethesda game arrives, probably in November.  A new IPO called Starfield, I suspect it's going to be as popular as their most famous... Skyrim.  I remember picking it up at Best Buy 10 years ago and having the clerk tell me he already had 70 hours in game time.  One of the first interactive games, as dragonborn you could use  the microphone on your headset to shout commands, the first you learn is Fus Ro Dah!  Here's the original trailer.  I didn't just fall into gaming, I dove in headfirst.

A decade after it's release, Skyrim still sets the bar high for Role Playing Games.  

And this should come as no surprise.  Biden's first prime time address nicely smashed the ratings of Loser #45's first address rather badly.  Ratings were the life blood of Loser #45.  This means Biden is continually kicking his ass.  Now, doesn't that give you a nice, fuzzy, warm feeling?

$7.5 Billion... in CASH

 As I was looking at my calendar this morning, I realized today was Saturday.  As I've said before, that's just a name to week.  Saturday represents nothing to me because I always work.  At some point I will shift into part-time hours.  At that point I will select which days I want to work.  Saturday will probably not be one of them.

I just checked, my stimulus check was deposited sometime yesterday.  Thank you Joe Biden.  By the same token, I can tell you things are going to get crazy at work.  These checks are a nice chunk of change.  People are already planning on how they're going to spend them: new carpet, new laminate, new tile.

This past Wednesday was a big day for gaming.  Microsoft purchased Bethesda (headquartered in Bethesda, MD coincidentally) for $7.5 billion... CASH.  The two had a video conference on Thursday, sort of a 'meet and greet' for everybody to watch.  That's when they announced Bethesda games were going to be exclusively on X Box.  Exclusivity is a big deal.  This means you can only play Bethesda games on either an X Box, or a PC.  If you own a Sony Playstation, your out of luck.  How popular are Bethesda games?  $7.5 billion in CASH popular.  Here's a vid showing the games that are now Exclusive.

My brother in law has sent me texts for the past two nights either praising Loser #45 or attacking Biden.  I ignore them because my sister is, unfortunately, married to him.  They do, however, provide a good insight into the mindset of MAGA's and how they're not dealing with reality at all.  You see he never once said a word to me about his depraved worship of Loser #45.  My sister was the one who always passed along bits about his shriveling sanity. Now, as Biden's approval rating is in ascendance, MAGA's are going crazy.  Their minority is shrinking.  Over 71% of Americans approve of Biden's handling of the Pandemic.  The 29% that do?  They are pure maggotry.  Nothing will ever clean out the corruption in their minds.

The Majority of Americans ( and a fish video, too)

My Saturday has arrived!!!  I did sleep a little late... in an odd sort of way.  I got up at my usual 0445, left the dogs out, pottered around for about 15 minutes and then decided to head back to bed.  After working 6 days, I do need to... relax... and prep for today's chores.  As a home owner, there are always things to do.

There was big news in the gaming world yesterday.  Microsoft is buying Zenimax (Bethesda Game Studios) for $7.5 billion.  That's right... billion.  The announcement was made a day before pre-orders go live for their X Box Series X.  Of course, I'll order one, probably right after I finish writing this entry.  

And the other 16 cent goldfish has died.  I got home from work yesterday and he was floating.  Since that little tank is now empty, I'll clean it out and head down to That Fish Place.  I'm thinking of getting a few mollies.  They're a nice addition to a community tank.  And speaking of my tank, I did a little video this morning (another reason why today's blog is a little late).  And is this one... I speak.

Even though a majority of Americans say the Senate should wait until after the election to try and fill RBG's seat, they're moving ahead with plans.  I suspect the reasoning is twofold:  1) they're certain the Idiot Jerk is going to most likely lose; 2)  if the election is close, they'd like to have a Conservative ringer on their side should the Court have to decide the election.  Their unprincipled craven need for power is almost laughable.  The will of the majority means nothing to them.  Every time they use the phrase "the people," they lie.  They totally fail to comprehend that a minority party, if it gets into power, as they have, needs to take the majority into consideration.  And they do think they're going to win this election.  How terribly wrong they are.

Everyday the reality of their loss tightens.  They believe (thanks to Reagan's lie) that there is a silent majority of conservatives out there.  They couldn't be more wrong.  There are no 'shy' supporters of the Idiot Jerk in the White House.  They have become the party of no values.  All they want, all they dream of, is a tinfoil dictatorship, and starting November 3, the majority of of Americans is going to start crushing that dream.  Will there be retribution?  Possibly.

 

Stick with what you're good at

So, tomorrow is Thanksgiving and a lot of people are off work... except for those whose services are necessary for human survival, like nurses, and doctors, and police officers, and fire fighters, and retailers... Wait!  Retailers?  Well, not all.  The large, orange home improvement retailer I work for will be closed.  That's right, I will not be working.  And on Black Friday?  I have my regular 8-4:30 shift.  In fact, we open at our regular hour, 0600.  Yep, that's our standard start time.  Contractors, you know?  Not that there are going to be a lot of contractors out on Friday morning.  Nope, we're not going to run a special sale on lumber.  That 2 x 4 you so desperately want?  It's going to cost the same on Friday as it does on Saturday, and on Monday.  And, no deep discount on nails either.  This is, as I told Jennifer, the best time of the year to buy a new appliance, but that sale has been on for a few weeks, and will run until the end of November.
And there was a debate last evening between Mike Espy and some white, racist cow named Hyde-Smith down in Mississippi.  He charged her with being a white, racist cow (or something like that), and she apologized.  Holy Shit!  The fact that she even considered that comment, about sitting in the front row of a hanging, even remotely acceptable speaks volumes about her hatred for people of color.  The fact that when the comment was made public she said she had been making a joke is repugnant as hell. That's right, she was joking about hanging.  Would she think it were funny if one of her children was hung up to die?  Her comments reveal a lot about the inner workings of the minds of white racists.  But don't worry white, racists of Mississippi, she apologized.  And the Idiot Jerk in the White House is so desperate to have another white racists in the Senate he's going to go down and campaign for her, but then he's always thought he was the cherry on the top of the white, racist sundae.
Finally, a bit of news about my most favorite game studio, Bethesda Game Works, located about 60 miles southeast of where I live.  They are considered one of the best studios when it comes to Role Playing Games (RPG), and they make hundreds and hundreds of millions of $$$ off of games like Elder Scrolls, Skyrim, and the Fallout series.   While that may seem like a lot of money, you can make a big boodle more off of a Massive Multi-player Online game.  You see, there are people out there, gamers call them 'whales,' who have no problem dropping $40, $50, or much more per month to buy "cosmetic' changes for these MMO's.  Well Bethesda decided to release an MMORPG (yeah, I know, it's a lot of letters) so people will continue spending lots of money after the initial game purchase.  A week and a half ago they released Fallout 76 because it's always good to continue racking in hundreds of millions of $$$.  The reviews, however, are bad, it only gets a 56 on Metacritic (believe me, that's bad).  In the UK sales of the hard copies are down over 82% over their last 'AAA' title, the overwhelmingly popular Fallout 4 (I love that game).  This is fine with me.  For Bethesda, it's a learning lesson.  Stick to what you're good at.  Don't let your greed get the better of you.  This is how life works.

Ho Ho Ho and beyond

Well, here it is Wednesday which is sort of my hump day since I work on Saturday.  Of course, I'm off then until next Wednesday.  The temptation is there to all off on Saturday.  I'm hoping I'll be strong.... hoping.
I've been pondering the idea of stepping down from my Specialist position.  Right now sales goals are set.  I need to sell so many $'s to meet my goal.  Some weeks I surpass my goal, others I don't.  There's very little praise when I do but always a 'friendly' conversation when that goal isn't reached.
E3 is over.  Bethesda announced some really good games, but their Fallout 76, an online MMO failed to excite me.  There's no offline, single player mode.  This means every 'human' character you see will be another person playing the game.  Sometimes these players can be fun, but then they can also be 12 year old asswipes.
Ubisoft has a new Assassin's Creed coming out.  Odyssey, like in Homer's Odyssey.  And it takes place in the Greek Peloponnese during Greece's Golden Age.  You get to play as a Spartan, either male or female.  This is now a full blown RPG which includes crafting... and romance... with either gender.  One commentator said this is similar to the Role Playing Games Bioware put out before they were bought by Electronic Arts.  As you might guess, I've already pre-ordered.

And speaking politically, I got a real chuckle this AM while perusing Bloomberg.  There was a lengthy article about how the real winner from the meeting of the Idiot Jerk and Kim Sum Dumb was... China.  Didn't I already say that?  Oh, and there was another article about the North Korean propaganda machine and the version they are putting out.  Evidently, the Idiot Jerk sat down with Kim Sum Dumb because North Korea is now equal in its nuclear capabilities to the United States.   So tell me, do you really thing they're going to give up their nuclear weapons?  Make themselves weaker than the US?  This whole thing is going beyond Ho Ho Ho, and not in a good way.
As for me, now I'm looking forward to running around Greece looking like Alexios.

Now, how's that for a Ho Ho Ho?

Farting around the truth

Well, it's Monday and the weather outside is drizzly.  The temp dropped down to the mid- 50's (F) so I turned on the heat... in June.
I stayed up last night till nearly 11 PM watching the Bethesda E3 Showcase.  Meh.  Much of what they showed featured co-play, where you play with friends.  However their use of the word 'friends' is rather figurative.  There are times when your human friends may not be playing, so you will be matched up with 'friends' you don't know, and who have different playing styles and skills.  Fallout 76 turns out to be an online PVP (Payer versus Player) survival game set in West Virginia.  There are some really nifty locations, such as the Greenbrier Hotel / Bunker.  And while there will be some interesting mutations to fight, mostly you, and your 'friends,' will be gunning for other players.  Some will love this MMO / PVP Survival game, many of Bethesda's fan base will end up waiting for their next real RPG.
Oh, and I see where the Idiot Jerk's cluster fuck of an administration is beginning to tamper down expectations in regard to his summit with Kim Jon Dumb.  You know things are looking bad when a teacher says the way to win over Kim is to tell jokes.  What the hell is this?  A Mel Brooks movie?  Is he telling the Idiot Jerk he needs to lift up his leg and fart?  Sure, that was funny in "Blazing Saddles," but will it go over in Singapore?  I doubt it.

Of course, the way the Idiot Jerk in the White House farts out lies, I suspect this is about as good as it's going to get.

Evil Canadians

Sunday, my last day of work for a while. 
Tonight is Bethesda's E3 showcase, starting at 9:30 PM EST.  I'll be watching.  I'm also a bit leery.  There are a lot of so called leaks out there saying their next AAA game, Fallout 76, is going to be an MMO, (that's Massive Multiplayer Online).  I don't play MMO's, single player only.  None of my friends play MMO's.  Sadly, mulitplayer games make a lot of money and, unfortunately, game publishes tend to go where the money is.  So far Bethesda Game Works has bucked this trend - let's hope they continue.
Oh.... and all that G6 bullshit?  I looked at that picture Merkel tweeted of the Idiot Jerk sitting there like an obstinate prick and thought... 'this is exactly what he wants.'  He is the star of the show.  He is creating the disruption Putin wants so much, the Idiot Fool who will burn so many bridges out of stupidity.  He is the Idiot Jerk who has failed to learn a single thing from his four bankruptcies.  As for our Allies?  They are learning what it feels like to be a contractor on one of the Idiot Jerk's projects.  He will stab them in the back when ever he gets the chance.  Sad to say, his supporters actually believe he's standing up to the evil Canadians.  Shit!  I can't believe I just wrote that.  It made me laugh.  I mean, those Evil Canadians!   How long will we have to wait until he starts talking about building a wall between the United States and Canada to keep out those Evil Canadian illegal aliens?  And, of course, he has John Bolton on side which means every Allie is an enemy.
How more absurd can this get?  Well, in 2 days he's going to be meeting with Kim Jon Dumb for a repartee of Big Macs and Diet Cokes.  Sadly, for the Idiot Jerk, Kim Jon Dumb isn't that dumb, in fact, he will probably play the Idiot Jerk as the Fool of the Century (and the century is not that old).  Who is going to come out of that meeting smelling like roses?  Kim, because he wrangled the Idiot Jerk into meeting with him in the first place.  And if things go well between the two?  Well, jumping Jehoshaphat, isn't he the kind of Allie we want on our side.  He'd be so much better than those Evil Canadians.

No doubt the Idiot Jerk found a live mouse in his Diet Coke.

Fresh

So it's Thursday.  For those keeping track, today is my Sunday... in other words, the last day of my weekend.  Tomorrow I'll start a 3 day stint, but then I'm off for 5 days.  Then I'll work a day and have another 3 days off.  Retails schedules suck.
Yesterday saw me accomplishing almost everything I had planned... except for the yard work because the weather was drizzly, and rainy and cold.  Today is supposed to be warmer.
I went to Dick's to get sweatpants and bought... none.  I like my legs wrapped in warm fleece, not tacky polyester.  I ended up buying another pair of cycling shorts and some gloves. 
Pier 1 saw me purchase candles.  I like candles as long as they're not in jars.  Candles in jars  are a waste glass.
While a number of Americans feel the Idiot Jerk might be somewhat responsible for the economy, a vast majority want him to be controlled by Congress.  Right now that isn't happening.  The prospects of a Democratic House and Senate keep improving, much to the Idiot Jerk's dismay.  Actually, to say dismay might be a little too soft.  The idea Congress might tell him to shut his pie hole infuriates him.  Prepare for hostile attacks.  And investigations.  Republicans are terrified.  They've gone so far as to cancel their August recess to hopefully force as much of their agenda down America's throat.  They know their failure is in the offing.  Now, won't that be fresh.
The trailer for the new iteration of "A Star is Born" dropped yesterday.  Good Fucking Grief.  Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga.  For those who don't know, Janet Gaynor was the first ingenue with talent.  She was followed by Judy Garland in a 3 hour epic which was edited down to something you could sit through (sorry all you Judy lovers).  Then it was Streisand's turn.  She won an Oscar for co-writing 'Evergreen.'  Now we're getting Gaga.  If they felt they needed to do a remake, why couldn't they try and freshen up this old chestnut, say an older woman and a younger woman?  Or an older woman and a younger man (stud muffin, you know?)  Or an older man and a younger man (interesting, right?).  Nope, they're churning out the same stale formula.
Finally, we are now 3 days away from the Bethesda E3 event.  They are not part of the actual E3.  Their showcase will be a day early, on June 10, at the Figueroa Hotel in LA.  They've already started decorating.

That is some really big signage.  My big wonder is why the one on the left is mostly blank.  Be prepared for some really fresh surprises.

Getting excited

Okay, so we're into Thursday.  Clouds, showers and thunderstorms are in the forecast for today and tonight.  This weather pattern is supposed to continue into next week.  The following week, when I have vacation, things are supposed to be more summer like... you know, sunny and warm.
I read this interesting opinion on the Idiot Jerk in the White House; how he really is terrified of the Mueller investigation.   For the first time in his life he can't just shit away accountability.  He knows he's a scumbag, doesn't care that he's a scumbag, he just wants to tell people what to do.  Rather than demonstrate ethical attributes which earn loyalty, he found it much easier to buy it.  His favorite choice of attack was always the lawsuit.  Small business owners were easy prey.  Except now, that option is no longer available.  When something goes wrong with the economy, his supporters will go for his throat.  He knows this.  He is an asswipe phony who's managed to lie himself into a position where he may be the first American president who goes to prison.  I find that rather exciting.   Well, not that I think that will happen.  As I've said before, he'll run away to Russia first.  That's what cowards always do, and that is one thing you can be certain of, he is a coward.
For the past 2 weeks, ever since Blogger did an update, I've not been getting any notification when someone leaves a comment.  A lot of bloggers have been complaining and evidently Blogger is working on a fix. 
So, I went out yesterday and bought a new toy.  A PS4 Pro.  I have been having issues with my Xbox one special edition.  They started with the original controller's inability to stay synced with the console.  After much arguing with Microsoft, they replaced the controller.  Sometimes with a disc in the drive, I needed to disconnect the power cable in order for the console to boot up.  At other times the game will play in what seems to be slow motion.  You should get more than 2 years play time out of a console.   The PS4 Pro gets good reviews and is expected to be around for a number of years (4 or 5) before a new console gets released.  I may no longer be playing games by then.... nah, I'll still be playing.

I also have a bit of a problem with Microsoft.  I bought a Surface tablet for my writing and... well, the damn thing is not nearly as versatile as I was expecting. 
And the new Bethesda game is..... Fallout 76, which evidently takes place in West Virginia....  Holy Shit!  Coal Country!!  On the Fallout timeline, the story starts in October 2102 - 25 years after a nuclear war devastated the planet, a war initiated by the Chinese, I might add.  More reveals about the game will come in the next 11 days.

Oh... dear me... I'm getting excited.

Please Stand By

Wednesday!!  My weekend begins!!  And the weather is supposed to be shitty!!  High humidity!!  Storms quite possible!!
Ah, well, this is how it goes.  I checked the calendar this morning and saw that legally we are still in spring.  Spring is a transitional season from winter cold to summer hot... and usually dry.  We will have to wait and see on that one.
I saw where some bimbolina politician from Tennessee has said pornography causes school shootings.  Now true, she was speaking to a group of pastors, but give me a break.  Everything they have chosen to pass judgment on causes school shootings... except the availability of guns.  The fact that any nearly brain dead supporter of the Idiot Jerk in the White House... or, to be perfectly transparent, the fact that any brain dead numb nuts who wants a gun, can get a gun, which absolutely nothing to do with school shootings.  No, blame pornography.  Porn must be popular in Tennessee since she says you can buy it in super markets.  Wonder if it's located in the Deli section.  You know?  "Hey, I'd like an order of T&A to go."
And yesterday Bethesda started their reveal of their new game.  Teaser trailer to arrive today.  How did they do this?   With a livecast of a Bobble head standing in front of a test pattern.  These things are indicators of a new Fallout game.

During the livecast several people wandered through the scene.  They had balloons, drank what might have been booze, did  brief little skits. Eventually, someone put the Bobble head to sleep, laying him on his side and setting his alarm for 0945 this AM.  At one point Forbes noted that over 140,000 people were watching (which beats the number at the Idiot Jerk's inauguration).
Now I know there are those out there who are saying... "oh, it's just a video game," without realizing that this game, coming from Bethesda Studios, Maryland, the United States, will make more money then "The Avengers, Infinity War."  How important is this game?  Forbes is continuing to broadcast the livestream.

And for those who don't know who or what Forbes is, here's the link.
At this point, all I can say is

PLEASE STAND BY

By Invitation

This is the last day of my 4 day work week.  Two days off starting tomorrow will be nice.  Sadly, the weather looks to be somewhat shitty for my mid-week weekend.  Sunny, humid, but with the possibility of storms and thunderstorms.  Yippee!
And, speaking of storms, I didn't pay too much attention to the latest streams of shit from the Idiot Jerk's Twitter account.  From what I gather, he spit out a lot of diarrhea with the usual chunky bits for his followers.
I haven't done a workout in like... oh, a week and a half and I feel all slacked.  Tomorrow, there's some things that need to be done, but I'm hoping to get both a free weight session in and a ride.  There is the possibility I might have to be satisfied with just one of those.  If that happens, I'll focus on the ride.  Your legs are the engines of your body.  Keep them strong.
Twelve days until the Bethesda E3 Event.  The only bad thing is that it's going to be a 6:30 PM Pacific Time, which is a lot later here on the east coast.  Excitement is building.  There's going to be a big announcement.  Holy Crap!  I might have to actually stay up and watch it live!

Tomorrow, one of the things I'm going to have to do is run the push mower over my front lawn again.  All this rain makes the green grass grow.
Oh, and I might go see Solo on Thursday.  Maybe.  Don't know yet.  Reviews are... so, so.  And ticket sales fell below expectations.  They should have waited.  But no, greed has taken over the Star Wars empire.  As a result, you're going to see dropping ticket sales as no expectations build.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go throw a load of laundry in the washer.

Time to kick ass

Well, we have rain... what they've been forecasting... kind of...  Nothing torrential to report here in Central PA.  No downpours.  Just a steady rain which will last until sometime this afternoon.
Prince Harry and Meghan got married.  Good for them.  I do think making that the number headline after 9 students and one teacher's aid were shot to death yesterday in Texas is rather sad.  Yep, click on any major media outlet and their wedding is topping the bill.  Oprah's there.  The Clooney's are there.  The Idiot Jerk isn't.  He's no doubt huddling with the NRA planning their next leap into denial.
Anyway, yesterday was not a good day for high school students in the United States.  Prepare yourselves.  Brain dead supporters of the NRA will start shrieking about teachers having guns... more guns.  More guns mean more lives.  They will become more desperate as they realized they're going to lose.
Oh, and I saw that the Idiot Jerk is now claiming there was an FBI spy planted in his campaign.  This moron is beyond belief.  Well, for sane people at least.  His supporters, who love their conspiracy theories, are right up there with him.  Dumb-da-dumb, dumb.
E3 is in 3 weeks.  I know a lot of you out there may not know what that is so I'll tell you.  It's the Electronic Entertainment Expo for 2018.  There are a lot of gaming industry conventions, but E3 is the biggest.  E3 is where the reveals happen for next year... well, most of the time.  While I like playing games from Ubisoft (Assassin's Creed, Far Cry), most of the games I play come from Bethesda.  That's right, an American gaming studio based in Rockville, Maryland (isn't that amazing).  Bethesda doesn't actually participate in E3, they're are doing their showcase the day before, on June 10.  Anticipation is bubbling and boiling and reaching the overflowing stage.  They've already done a number of reveals, the biggest so far is for Rage 2.  Rage was fun - a post-apocalyptic shooter.  However Rage 2 will not be released until 2019.
Something else.  Something bigger is going to be released this fall.  What's it going to be?  No one knows.  Three weeks and  counting.
I'll leave you with the gameplay trailer for Rage 2, an open world, driving, shooter that looks like it's going to be fun.

What better way to say it's time we started kicking ass?

Remastered

A long, long time ago, back in 2011, I walked into a Best Buy with my friend Betsy with the soul purpose of checking out their game selection.  Back in those times you could actually buy the hard copies of the games, I mean you still can, however many now simply down load.  Anyway, one title jumped off the shelf and hit me right between the eyes, a little thing called Skyrim.  When I gave it to the clerk to ring out he said, in a very, very calm voice "this is great, this is really great, I've already have over 60 game play hours in."
Skyrim went on to win hundreds of gamer awards.  That's right, hundreds.  And it made hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars. At one point, there were over 5 million people playing Skyrim concurrently (at the same time) on Steam.  The total revenue this game has earned is staggering.  And tonight, at midnight, Bethesda is releasing the original, remastered to UHD and it's selling like hotcakes.

And, of course, tonight at midnight, PST, Skyrim is set to download onto my Xbox one.  If only life were always just that simple.