tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22963000473278724732024-03-18T21:16:56.711-07:00Niel in Real LifeNielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938387929398190748noreply@blogger.comBlogger1571125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296300047327872473.post-50017220778627291632021-12-06T12:25:00.002-08:002021-12-06T12:25:30.588-08:00Star Trek Fluxx - Archer and Porthos expansions <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjk8RtJYUud_xln8-ba3m-ukwPjMl8q-jUVCbrDtVyT5HThrehPImlh_zjNxbh4xgApBvO-1yEa5KKUBewNCGr3Ul0WbTw_O5ZQxW4UBfHA9Wg7FVZB156QHPX6RRL8rWe85tG4UpOWups6XSk1NZTsWfoFQOQdY90gISk7MT-T8cjcNI4PeN10bataVw=s2048" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjk8RtJYUud_xln8-ba3m-ukwPjMl8q-jUVCbrDtVyT5HThrehPImlh_zjNxbh4xgApBvO-1yEa5KKUBewNCGr3Ul0WbTw_O5ZQxW4UBfHA9Wg7FVZB156QHPX6RRL8rWe85tG4UpOWups6XSk1NZTsWfoFQOQdY90gISk7MT-T8cjcNI4PeN10bataVw=w240-h320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1">In what may be the final voyage into the final frontier of Star Trek themed Fluxx games, the geniuses at @looneylabs have released two new expansions sets the Archer expansion and the Porthos expansion. The expansions which were designed to be played with any or all of the previous Star Trek Fluxx decks. Added onto the Original Series, Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and Voyager, you are looking at a deck of nearly 450 cards and much like Trek itself chaos is sure to happen. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 20.3px;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1">Some of my favorite cards of the new deck are The Table of Captains goal, where you have to have Archer along with any of the other iconic captains - Kirk, Picard, Sisko (my favorite captain), or Janeway to win. A Kor keeper card that encourages you to tell your opponent that they have no honor <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(batlh DaHutlh if you want to say it in Klingon and honestly who wouldn’t). A fun new meta rule is you can have a goal for every set you are using, the odds of keeping your eye on your progress and your opponents are lower than the odds of winning big at the dabo table at Quarks. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 20.3px;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1">As of now it seems unlikely that we will see decks for Discovery, Picard or Lower Decks, but you never know. In the meantime there is more than enough Trek Fluxx to keep the biggest Trekkies (Trekkers) satisfied. The expansions along with the main sets are available at Looney Labs website and your local gaming stores. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 20.3px;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1">Note: I was provided with a copy of the expansions to facilitate this review, but as always all opinions are my own. </span></p>Nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938387929398190748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296300047327872473.post-39901997823201335892019-12-20T07:15:00.002-08:002021-03-18T18:11:31.431-07:00The end of a saga<p style="height: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="color: black; font-family: ".sfuitext";">The first movie I remember being excited to see was Return of the Jedi. I remember seeing Star Wars and Empire Strikes Back in the theatre. But RotJ was the first movie I couldn’t wait to see. Now 37 years later I am sitting in an empty theatre waiting for the final chapter of the Skywalker saga to begin. </span></p><p style="height: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="color: black; font-family: ".sfuitext";"><br /></span></p><p style="height: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="color: black; font-family: ".sfuitext";"><br /></span></p><p style="height: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="color: black; font-family: ".sfuitext";"><br /></span></p><p style="height: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="color: black; font-family: ".sfuitext";"> </span><br /><span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">Star Wars was a huge part of my youth. The toys, the movies, the waiting in a long line at MGM studios to go on the Star Tours ride or even the bedding. It was everything. It was part of our family fabric. I’m sitting in the same theatre (the historic Midway theatre) that my mom brought us to see RotJ all those years earlier. </span><br /><span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">My young adulthood was filled with Star Wars special editions and prequels. And I thank a certain someone for humoring me as we sat in theaters all over the city to watch them multiple times. </span><br /><span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><br /></span></p><p style="height: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><br /></span></p><p style="height: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><br /></span></p><p style="height: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><br /></span></p><p style="height: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><br /></span></p><p style="height: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><br /></span></p><p style="height: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><br /></span></p><p style="height: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><br /></span></p><p style="height: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><br /></span></p><p style="height: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">I was happy as a dad I was able to share Star Wars with my kids. I can’t count how many lightsabers I bought over the years. One year I went trick or treating with Luke and Leia. And I knew that the next generation was on the right track. </span><br /><span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><br /></span></p><p style="height: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><br /></span></p><p style="height: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><br /></span></p><p style="height: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><br /></span></p><p style="height: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext";"><br /></span></p><p style="height: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext";">This movie starts in about twenty minutes. And I come into it with no preconceived notions. I’ll accept any ending. And be thankful for all the men and women who made a truly American fairytale. </span><br /><br /></p>
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Nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938387929398190748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296300047327872473.post-7349622602752609872019-10-15T18:36:00.000-07:002019-10-15T18:36:07.595-07:00My heart broke a little bit todayYou get to a certain age and you get sentimental about things, people and places. This morning I got up early-ish and ran some errands. I got a much-needed haircut and took a long walk before stopping for coffee. I decided today would be the day I stopped at the new coffee shop in Ridgewood. <br /><br />In the past decade or so we have had an influx of new coffee shops. Which has been great? But I have been hesitant to come to Porcelain. Mostly because for decades I used to come to this space every Friday night for my weekly scout meetings.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The former butcher shop on the corner of Catalpa and Woodward Avenues was home to Troop 327 for decades. Probably about a decade ago we outgrew to space and started meeting exclusively in the school building. But that building was always referred to as the scout office. I grew up in this room (well it used to be two rooms). Some of my best memories happened here. And now I’m enjoying a very buttery apple and pear tart in what was the Catalpa side window where Mr.Dowd always wanted to install a LED recruiting sign. Feet away from where a future Naval Commander and a national guard director would go crashing through a plane glass window. I’m sitting here drinking a way too expensive and way too ordinary cup of coffee and listening to what I can only imagine is Brazilian music. </div>
<br />I know the church sold this building. And eventually, the new owners would turn it into something else. And a coffee shop is a great choice (it was also a set for some scenes in The Irishman starring Robert DeNiro). But I can’t help remembering meetings here. Lugging up equipment before and after camping trips. I became Scoutmaster in the room (weirdly enough I also stopped down as Scoutmasters in this room during a committee meeting). <br /><br />They didn’t fix the ceiling, change the floors or the iconic aluminum door (where the totem pole lived behind) but this is not my place anymore.<br /><br /><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />Nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938387929398190748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296300047327872473.post-47860320956654786932019-03-07T16:11:00.000-08:002019-03-07T16:11:06.273-08:00Tom Terrific and my Abuelo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As I drove into work this evening I was listening to Mike Francesca on WFAN. The big story of the day wasn’t the LeBron James led Lakers clinging to slim playoff hopes, or what the Giants and Jets would be doing in the upcoming NFL draft, or even about the Phillies Bryce Harper potentially tampering, it was about the furthering decline of a winemaker from California <br /><br />Ok that winemaker is baseball hall of famer and Mets great Tom Seaver, and today his family announced that the 74 year old would be retiring from public life due to dementia associated with Alzheimer's Disease. While Seaver pitched most of his career before I was a fan, he is a beloved name in Mets lore. He is on our Mount Rushmore, our Babe Ruth. <br /><br />But this news reminds me of someone who also loved baseball but had a about 311 less major league wins, my grandfather who also about 13 years ago succumbed to Alzheimer's. The same disease that will one day kill Tom Seaver. <br /><br />I think there is a lot written about the horrors of cancer. It is a horrible disease that destroys your body from within, and the medicine that fights it is also destroying you. Your family gets to watch your body wither away. It's terrible. I was too young to see that happen to my father, but I stood by and watched it happen to my father in law. But even to the end he was still himself.<br /><br />On the other hand Alzheimer's destroys a person’s soul. Their essence. It is equally as painful watching a basically healthy person who doesn’t remember the names of their children or grandchildren, as someone who is too weak to drink water on their own. <br /><br />Every summer when we would go to Puerto Rico to visit our grandparents. Abuelo was ready for us, almost as if he was waiting all year until we got back. Before we arrived he bought cases of Coke, Old Colony Uva and Orange Crush for us to enjoy while we were there. <br /><br />He would take us all around town, his Little Big Boy and Big Little Boy. Being obsessed with baseball, and not able to read Spanish he would help me translate baseball stores in the newspapers. By default he became a Mets fan, Howard Johnson was his favorite. We watched the major league all star game together every summer. <br /><br />Then we all got older. My brother and I stayed in New York during the summers. Eventually Abuelo moved to Connecticut with my aunts. He was now only an hour drive away. But I was busy. Either with school, or with a certain special lady, or the beginning of my career, life. As he aged he became more and more forgetful, he was just taking off and then not knowing where he was. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and he moved into a really great nursing home. We would go visit him, and the man sitting there in a sweat suit looked like my grandfather, smiled like him and sounded like him. But it wasn't him. You could see it in his eyes. That wasn’t Jose Nieves anymore. <br /><br />He was like that for several years. We were just strangers who sort of looked like the pictures on his wall. He smiled and was pleasant. The rides back home were always worse than being there. <br /><br />I remember it clear as day, Ani and I were taking our newly leased car on a impromptu road trip to get cheesesteaks in Philadelphia. When my mom called, Abuelo had fallen and broke his hip. She was heading to New Haven via train, we turned around at the next exit and headed there as well. Over the next weeks in the hospital as will happen with 90 somethings, other things started happening. He developed pneumonia and passed away. It was terribly sad, for us. But I like to think that it was a huge relief for him to finally be unlocked from his shell.<br /><br />This disease doesn't discriminate, it destroys soft spoken accountants and three time cy young award winners alike. I hate to say that the Seaver’s are facing a horrible few years. <br /><br /><br />Alzheimer's is a terrible disease both for the victim and for everyone who gets to watch someone they love forget them. <br /><br /><br /><br /></div>
Nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938387929398190748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296300047327872473.post-45948622611159742042019-03-03T20:22:00.003-08:002019-03-03T20:22:39.705-08:00Tales of the Rockabilly Rambler<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In the history of pop culture, the United States has there ever been a more influential or important figure than The King himself Elvis Presley. Even 41 years after his “death” Elvis is still a pop culture icon. <br /><br />While the world was obsessed with music, curled lip, and swinging hips, Elvis was obsessed with law enforcement. He had asked then President Nixon to deputize him as a federal drug enforcement agent (Nixon gave him a specially made Bureau of Narcotics badge), he was also an honorary captain in the Denver police department, and among his most prized possessions was a collection of police badges from departments all across the nation.<br /><br />During a trip to Graceland, artist and publisher Aaron Allen found himself looking at a turquoise handled colt 45 pistol, in a display about Elvis and law enforcement and he was “All shook up”* and it came to him.<br /><br /><b>“What if Elvis had pursued that life? Why not create short fictional stories of his time as a police officer?”</b><br />Allen recruited 9 writers and 9 artists to create an anthology of stories about Elvis in law enforcement. The nine stories which make up the Tales of the Rockabilly Rambler take the tale of the king in all sorts of directions. We see the king, reimagined as a ninja bashing badass, a gun-slinging sheriff, a femme fatale, a supernatural demon hunter, and more. The book is a really fun read, some of the artwork is really stunning and if I'm being honest some is not my cup of tea. Then again some people like quaaludes and fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches, and others don’t. To each his own.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The publishers are currently running a Kickstarter to bring <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1545414828/tales-of-the-rockabilly-rambler">Tales of the Rockabilly Rambler </a>to comic book stores everywhere in a beautiful hardcover edition. So far so good on their campaign, but they are looking to get over the finish line and bring this great book out to the masses. </div>
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<br /><br /><b><i>NOTE: While I was given a copy of the book to review, I was not compensated for this review. All opinions are my own.</i></b><br /><br /></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">* How can you do a review of something Elvis related without at least one reference to a song lyric. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">As an <span style="text-align: start;">aside to this aside, If you don’t like a sprinkling of song lyrics this might not be the comic anthology for you. </span></span></td></tr>
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Nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938387929398190748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296300047327872473.post-47599453253083176222019-02-28T08:29:00.003-08:002019-02-28T08:37:07.934-08:00Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs - Chuck Klosterman My ten year old daughter has probably read 20 books in 2019. When I bought her a new book during a recent visit, she mentioned another book she wanted. Ironically it was the book I didn't choose at the store. So I ordered it for her. I wish I could read as fast as she does, but I don’t I finally finished my first book of the year. Chuck Klosterman’s Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs*.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH4mPgMyfQYBYTUoBUxiNaak7UqS2oKLbwiZxZKBPETAu9MVdBmURYrbwtg0w5tgFAuxk39gCpWnsBrn9VyNHvDoXFv17n0grwYvuAyytHiMAkwzdRHjlYdHiWzpW0-KiJnNyfRcJhlUXX/s1600/51Mkna2fooL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="328" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH4mPgMyfQYBYTUoBUxiNaak7UqS2oKLbwiZxZKBPETAu9MVdBmURYrbwtg0w5tgFAuxk39gCpWnsBrn9VyNHvDoXFv17n0grwYvuAyytHiMAkwzdRHjlYdHiWzpW0-KiJnNyfRcJhlUXX/s320/51Mkna2fooL.jpg" width="209" /></a>This book which I had bought at a second-hand store many years ago, is a collection of short essays that seemingly have no through line, except that no pop culture exists in a vacuum. And the idea that after you read a<br />
book of essays about pop culture you should have a list of things you want to watch, read, and listen to, even if it won’t be your first time consuming it.<br />
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Set up like a playlist. Klosterman jumps from stories about Guns n Roses cover bands and the Real World Seattle (the one where the girl with lupus gets slapped as she’s driving away in a cab) to the Zodiac killer. With short interludes in between.<br />
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What is great about this book is it is almost a time machine back to a more innocent time, of pop culture before the responsibility of post young adult adulthood.<br />
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<i><b>*A low culture manifesto</b></i><br />
<br />Nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938387929398190748noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296300047327872473.post-49024903516085467322019-02-19T15:49:00.005-08:002019-02-19T16:03:19.533-08:00Old is new again. <p><br></p><p>It’s been nice to see some of my older posts pop up again on the City Dads Group feed. </p><p></p><p></p><p><a href="https://citydadsgroup.com/nyc/2018/09/call-me-daddy/">One Day, My Son, All Fathers Go from ‘Daddy’ to Just ‘Dad’</a></p><p><a href="https://citydadsgroup.com/nyc/2016/11/best-water-park-survival-tips/">Indoor water park survive and thrive guide. </a></p><p><br></p>Nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938387929398190748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296300047327872473.post-45623885245634450812019-02-17T12:12:00.001-08:002019-02-17T12:12:58.223-08:00Time Breaker <br />
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When I found out that I was going to have a free (non-traveling) Saturday, I texted one of my buddies to see if he and his wife were doing anything. They were free, and when we were figuring out what we were going to do, I mentioned I had a new game. All of a sudden we had a plan.<br />
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We were going to try out Time Breaker from <a href="https://www.looneylabs.com/">Looney Labs </a>. It's no secret that Looney Labs is my favorite game publisher. Fluxx was my first foray into modern gaming, Zendo is one of the best games I've played in the last few years, and you can’t beat the vast array of games you can play using Looney Pyramids.<br />
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So<a href="https://www.looneylabs.com/games/time-breaker"> Time Breaker </a>which will be released at the end of February is both simple and extremely complicated all at the same time. Which is kind of the Looney Way? In the game, you need to capture a criminal and bring it back to the Time Repair Agency. Easy enough right? No. In addition to the other players also trying the capture the criminal, there is also the time traveling element.<br />
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Did I not mention the time traveling. Yeah, there is time traveling. There are no straight lines back to the TRA. You and your captive need to jump from the past (age of dinosaurs) to the recent past (moon landing) to the distant future (World Peace) and beyond and before.<br />
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It's the kind of game where you look at your cards and you see your path to victory. Only to watch one of your “Friends” do something to mess up your best laid out plans. The game is for 2-5 players, 8 and up, and can take ten minutes or a lot longer depending on how quickly the players catch on and the level of strategizing they are capable of.<br />
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The game is really easy to learn, there is virtually no set up, has high replay value and it is compact enough that you can carry it around in a backpack so a game can break out where ever ... or more accurately<b> whenever.</b></div>
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<i>NOTE: While I did receive a copy of Time Breaker to facilitate this review, there was no further compensation and all the thoughts and opinions are my own.</i><br />
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Nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938387929398190748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296300047327872473.post-78711992951146435602019-02-04T16:47:00.004-08:002019-02-04T16:47:50.741-08:00FortniteLast year my son really wanted an <a href="https://www.xbox.com/en-US/">Xbox One,</a> he wanted to play Minecraft and Rocket League (which we had played at a <a href="http://www.gamestop.com/">Gamestop</a> one day). So being the first Christmas after the separation, I got him one. And it was great, yes we needed to return it to Gamestop because it wasn't working, but eventually, he had a working Xbox. I eventually got one myself for when he visited, and for me to play as well.<div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That scout looking guy in the middle is the only extra skin I have bought for myself</td></tr>
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Like all things with little kids, they wanted more. And what he wanted was to play <a href="https://www.epicgames.com/fortnite/en-US/home">Fortnite</a>. Because all his friends from school were playing it. I subscribed to Xbox Live and we use a family set up to give him access to play, without access to buy anything. Which for the uninitiated, there is plenty of stuff to buy. And not even stuff that helps you in the game. Might as well purchase a digital toilet and flush your dollars down it. But I digress.</div>
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He was playing and enjoying it. Eventually, I started playing with him. And it has become our thing. Part of our daily chats usually involves "shooting at some guys". If you haven't played, or don't live with an 8-18 year-old, Fortnite is basically two games, a single player sort of first-person shooter where you try to save the world. It's not very realistic looking and there is a building component, which I'm not a fan of personally. And the second game is what everyone is obsessed with. Its called Battle Royale. 100 players parachute onto this island and search for weapons, gather materials, avoid a poisonous storm and then try to be the last one standing. We usually play duos mode, where the two of us take on 98 others with the hope of getting a "Victory Royale". I initially liked it because it was way more cartoony than other shooters, Call of Duty is very realistic (and I'm pretty awesome at that game).</div>
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Which has not happened for us yet. He claims it is because I don't practice enough. Sorry I have a job and need sleep. Trust me if I had neither, I could become awesome at this game. Also being old doesn't help my reflexes against a bunch of Monster Energy drink fueled kids screaming into their headsets. </div>
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I like it, I have spent more money than I'm proud to admit on vbucks (the currency of the game) to buy new skins, harvesting tools, gliders, and dances. Oh yeah, there are dances. We were at Great Wolf Lodge this past summer for his birthday and there were gangs of boys (and a few girls) standing under where the giant bucket was about to dump hundreds of gallons of water down onto the floor and anyone standing on that floor doing various dances from Fortnite, most notably flossing. </div>
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As he has gotten more and more into it, he gets so mad when he loses. He throws his controller (hey those $60 controllers don't grow on trees). Slams his fists on his light up keyboard, which he uses because all the pro players use keyboard and mouse. He gets visibly upset, we are usually Facetiming. And telling him it's just a game doesn't help. I was lucky that I was never really obsessed with any one thing that it became all-encompassing. But I saw my brother become so obsessed with Dungeons and Dragons that he lost a full ride scholarship to one of NYC's best high schools. He ended up in another high school that my mom had to pay for (no Niel couldn't have used a car, but I digress). Apparently, this is very common. </div>
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So my relationship with the game is very love/hate, It's nice to play a video game with him and share some time together. He takes the lead, he creates our battle plan, and the other day when I killed two guys in one round he was super impressed. I don't like that he doesn't want to do anything else. The other day, he was homesick and spent the entire day "convalescing" in his pajamas in front of his XBox. I know it has been cold but still. I guess once it is warmer he can ride his bike or take a swim. But for the time being, we are stuck with this game. </div>
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<i>For context now he sometimes wants me to just watch him play. As I have been writing this I'm watching a live stream of him playing on <a href="https://mixer.com/">Mixer</a>.</i></div>
Nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938387929398190748noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296300047327872473.post-47460079778351564022019-01-24T15:06:00.003-08:002019-01-24T15:15:24.457-08:00Pawz And Cupcake <br>
Last night I arrived home after the long drive from North Carolina and for the first time in as long as I can remember there was no one else there.<br>
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When we separated almost 18 months ago, my ex and the kids headed down south and I was left with the two cats, Pawz and Cupcake. I was not thrilled about it. I didn't want these cats in the first place. Now I was stuck with them. They couldn't move down until my ex got a bigger place.<br>
As the months went on. I got used to them. Did I get used to them walking on me when I was sleeping? No. But I got used to them. Then I starting thinking about Tony Soprano’s ducks. Or were they geese.<br>
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I’ll call them ducks. There were these ducks living in the Soprano’s pool. And Tony who despite being a sociopath, loves animals. Think back to what he really got mad about during Christopher’s intervention. But I digress. Tony had told Dr. Melfi about the birds, and she surmised that they were stand ins for his family and he was so sad when they flew away from him.<br>
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While I don't think the cats were stand ins for my family I certainly see similarities in the personalities of the cats and my kids. Pawz, the younger male cat is a little reckless, willing to try new things, insistent and despite himself super sweet and loving. And Cupcake, the older female cat is more reserved, loves lounging around once she is comfortable, but will slide into the background until she is ready to not be in the background. They're both high maintenance, but Cupcake pretends shes not.<br>
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And if you really know my kids, you would think I was describing them. I hadn't really thought about it until I drove them (the cats) down to their new home on that frigid Monday morning. As expected when I arrived with two cat boxes to the house, my son was super excited that he was finally reunited with his beloved cats, my daughter was a little more reserved and wanted to see how this was going to play out.<br>
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I texted my ex and said that I kind of missed the cats. She wasn’t surprised and suggested getting dog. I don’t think I’m going to miss them that much.<br>
<br>Nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938387929398190748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296300047327872473.post-42040618290634158412018-12-31T10:20:00.001-08:002018-12-31T10:21:09.262-08:00Sweep<p><br></p><p><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WnKqZm0Uba8/XCpd_XmnGuI/AAAAAAAADvc/RR_3qbfvxHEx2i9uu98CrhbHm8WyoTNUgCHMYCw/%255BUNSET%255D" alt=""><br></p><p>Guess what, for me 2018 was a better year than 2017 which is a good thing. 2018 wasn’t perfect by any stretch but it was going in the right direction. There were really high highs and terribly low lows, but all in the right direction. I said my slogan for the year was "reclaim the throne" and I’m still working on that, I was hoping this years motto would be something on the theme "wear the crown" or something like that, but I’m not there yet. </p><p><br></p><p>For 2019 my motto will be Sweep. No explanations, just sweep.</p><p></p>Nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938387929398190748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296300047327872473.post-89712424844092604002018-10-09T07:51:00.001-07:002018-10-09T07:51:12.099-07:00What I’m listening to<p>I take a monthly 500 mike road trip to see the kids. To pass the time I listen to music, audiobooks and podcasts. So I am always looking for new things to listen to. </p><p></p><p></p><p>This past trip I subscribed to a bunch of new podcasts along with my normal podcasts. One of my favorites was a seven episode radio play called Sandra. </p><p><br></p><p><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yrP7N73mIsU/W7y_GcCyHHI/AAAAAAAADrY/FNLww35Y_y8lMiC1mw9Mpbg7kTGIilcagCHMYCw/%255BUNSET%255D" alt=""><br></p><p><br></p><p>Sandra, a dark comedy in the vein of Black Mirror, stars Kristen Wiig. It’s very different than anything you have ever seen or heard her in. The basic story revolves around a fictionalIzed version or Siri, Alexa or Cortana, and some of the lives that get affected by that comforting voice coming out of that box in your living room or your phone. </p><p>So if you have a few hours, Sandra is a great and interesting way to pass the time. </p>Nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938387929398190748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296300047327872473.post-47987318890850403032018-09-25T09:22:00.005-07:002018-09-25T09:31:37.910-07:00The proper way to act around a drunk college girl<p><b><i>I’m really trying not to be political here ... but you l know who doesn’t get accused of harassing or assaulting women? People who respect women. I’m just saying</i></b>. </p><p><br></p><p>It was a warm November evening in Florida, 20ish years ago. And I was lightly stumbling along the streets of Downtown Disney with my then new girlfriend (who would go on to be my wife, then it gets complicated). We were in town for a college journalism convention, that night we gone on our first date it was to Pleasure Island (Disney’s adult area). I think we had Jell-O shots or some frozen boozy cocktails, or both. </p><p><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--x_F9Mb6AeY/W6pgN5k_BDI/AAAAAAAADp8/Ufrc8-YvOEAmocYmDU6uT5aqIYpp8oDuwCHMYCw/%255BUNSET%255D" alt=""><br></p><p>That part of the property just smells like fresh cut grass, unlike other parts that smell like fruit loops. Blister in the Sun by the Violent Femmes was playing over the well hidden speakers. Ani was stumbling a little more than me because she couldn’t hold her liquor then. She’s better now. </p><p>We were in a fun place, away from home, and there were tons of quiet nooks that could have been perfect for some "after hours fun". But we crossed the boulevard and went back into the hotel we were all staying. I brought her to her room, said goodnight and then headed back to mine. I replayed the events of the evening. I didn’t mention it to any of my roommates because we were keeping it quiet. </p><p>The next day one of her roommates mentioned to me that she was mad at me. Apparently she thought I was rejecting her since I didn’t make a move. We spoke about it and I said I wanted to "make a move" but since she was drunk I didn’t want do anything that she didn’t give consent to. All was good. </p><p>I respected her enough as a human being that I didn’t want to take advantage of her. When I could have. No one had to tell me that you don’t do things to drink people because they can’t agree to it. Because it was common sense. I wouldn’t want someone to do something to me when I was not in a state of consent, so why would I do it to someone else. </p><p>It's terrible that people need to be told that forcing themselves on someone else is wrong. I’m I saying I was raised better than the President, a Supreme Court nominee, a formerly beloved comedian, a swimmer, or countless Hollywood executives, not necessarily. But I have the decency to know when making an advance is appropriate. </p><p>I hate that this is something that we have to reinforce to our sons and other boys and young men we influence, since they are inundated with images on TV and online saying that behavior is ok and the "boys will be boys". I also hate that we have to teach our daughters to be on the look out for this kind of behavior and try to reassure them that those same images they see are not normal and shouldn’t be tolerated. </p><p><br></p><p></p>Nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938387929398190748noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296300047327872473.post-27450201032856378652018-09-15T16:17:00.001-07:002018-09-15T16:17:17.437-07:00Call of Duty -Black Ops 4 BETA<p><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2OlJOS89_Ec/W52PpRK9lCI/AAAAAAAADoc/Y6V2j1MKn78ozD6KumQa8F69oED01gXtwCHMYCw/%255BUNSET%255D" alt=""></p><p></p><p></p><p>Thanks to a fellow dad, I got a code for the Private Beta of the new Call of Duty game. I’ve really enjoyed play other CoD games so I was excited. </p><p>In this edition of the game, they are moving away from the single player story mode and more into massive player vs player action. The beta which doesn’t have all the whistles and bells that the full game will have seems to be to be a Call of Duty themed Fortnite. </p><p>You parachute out of a helicopter onto a giant land mass. You need to find weapons, and ammo but everything looks like Call of Duty. The storm is there too, but they don’t call it a storm. But it’s a storm. </p><p>I had a lot of fun playing it, wish the playing area was smaller and they got rid of the storm. I liked not shooting at dancing pandas. And they didn’t incorporate the building portion (which I still don’t understand). Here is a pro tip- if you can find an ATV get on it, way faster and more satisfying than a golf cart. </p><p>The game comes out in October, it will get a lot of praise from people who dig Fortnite and probably not so much from die hard Call of Duty fans. </p>Nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938387929398190748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296300047327872473.post-66813111215206764632018-09-14T03:11:00.001-07:002018-09-14T03:22:15.605-07:00Brothers keeper <p><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--ceqpOIrY4U/W5uIeJRUpoI/AAAAAAAADno/9JTZjf5MAVgedoEZo8HPREo98--3W43WACHMYCw/%255BUNSET%255D" alt=""></p><p></p><p></p><p><b>A while ago I made what I called a goal cloud. Sort of like a bucket list but with some lofty things that I want to do (go to Philmont) and some less lofty things that I just haven’t gotten around to (purchasing new domains -DONE). Some are things that can happen in one day (win HQ -DONE) and others are long term processes, this is one of those. </b></p><p>Before you make any friends in the outside world, your first friends are the siblings or cousins that are in your own house. My brother is less than two years younger than me and he’s a quick learner so we played with the same toys, watched the same TV, fell in love with the same movies and participated in the same activities. He also had his growth spurts younger so we were often very close in size, so much so people asked if we were twins. </p><p>As time goes on your circle of friends grow. And you find your own passions that don’t always match up. You learn to see faults in people (seriously tell me one person you’ve known 42 years that doesn’t annoy you sometimes) and you drift apart. Which is what happened with me and my brother. </p><p>I know that I let things fester inside and I explode when I’ve had enough. But I don’t like confrontation which helps with the build up.I always need to have validation, I have a very fragile ego, and I can be very passive aggressive (I’ve had a lot of time realizing how shitty I am in this past year). While he enjoys confrontation, is kind of self centered and uses diminishing your point of view as a weapon. So as you can imagine that is a recipe for conflict. </p><p>Over the years there have been plenty of blow ups and times where we just don’t acknowledge each other at all. And we have drifted father apart. Yes there are times when we could have good times together but they became less and less. </p><p>So when I worked on my goal cloud, one of those goals was to work on my relationship with my brother. This wasn’t going to happen overnight. He had moved a few states away and I hate talking on the phone. So it would have to happen in person when the opportunity arose. He and his family came over to visit our mom and spent around 30 hours here. And yes I have an odd work schedule but I didn’t see him at all, I chatted with my sister in law, I spent a little time with my niece and nephews, but I didn’t say one word to my brother, never saw him. I’m not about chasing people for attention. I posted something online, and he called me and asked if that was about him. I dismissed it, telling him everything was not about him. </p><p>Then I noticed the post it note in the cloud and realized I can’t wait for this guy if I want to achieve my goal. I had to take responsibility for it myself. </p><p>My mom’s birthday was coming up and I texted to see if my brother was coming into town. He said he was and for a myriad of reasons he was coming solo. So I said he could crash in my apartment, which would be cooler and more comfortable than the basement. He got in late, I was already asleep. </p><p>He was going to hit a museum in the morning after dropping mom off at dialysis and I was going to pick her up. Then he asked if I wanted to go check out the exhibit, and I saw this as an opportunity. So we both dropped her off and then headed into the city to see a display at the Museum of the Native American. We walked around lower Manhattan for a while before it opened up. </p><p><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-f1v_GmvT3fw/W5uJKIeA80I/AAAAAAAADn0/8KHGAZ2tu3ko346rGB3C_CmDaWIYFbocwCHMYCw/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="">We talked about a lot of things. Which was good. It was the first time we talked about my separation. The museum was really interesting, he confronted the guards over the shoe thing (he doesn’t like to wear shoes). We picked up mom and were planning on taking her for a birthday lunch, but she needed some rest. So we ran some errands together, installed a new shower head, played video games and had a pretty good day. </p><p>Is all the damage fixed no. Are we going in a better direction. I think so. Am I ready to cross off that post it, not yet. </p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p>Nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938387929398190748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296300047327872473.post-6520277082436510792018-08-28T09:36:00.003-07:002018-08-28T11:58:48.906-07:00FaceTime Father<p>While kids were running around the living room at a birthday party for a cousin’s son, I was at a table talking to that cousin’s ex-husband. In the conversation the separation came up. I was still in NYC while the rest of my family was now 512 miles away. He lit up as we now had something in common. </p>
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<p>Then I said something odd but true. It's never been easier to be apart from your kids as it is now. It is not easy at all to be apart from your kids. It is gut wrenching. It's lonely. It's bad. </p>
<p>But right now it's easier than ever. Thanks to technology. And this goes for people who are away for reasons that have nothing to do with breakups (military service, long distance jobs etc). On my phone there are no less than five different apps I can use to see my kids every day. Our app of choice is <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/facetime/id1110145091?mt=8">FaceTime</a>. We have used Skype and WhatsApp among others. </p>
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<p>What's great about the app is it's free, it's loaded on every iPhone or iPad and only takes a wifi connection to use (you can also use cell signal as well). It's been a godsend. <br></p>
<p>Kids hate talking on the phone, I hate talking in the phone, but they love looking at screens. So when we FaceTime we are still looking at each other while we chat. There are days when I'll chat with the kids for over an hour, there are days when it's just a quick check in 10 minutes between the two of them. I've played board games via FaceTime, read books, been read to, watched as they play with dolls or video games and even walked them through difficult math homework. On my end I've given safari tours to see how the cats and turtles are doing. </p>
<p>When I take the monthly drive to or from their place, depending on the time frame we will chat on FaceTime while I drive. I had highlights from the first day of school, minutes after they got off the bus. Which is pretty cool. </p>
<p>And as much as I'm not a fan of Fortnite, my son and I play a few games via <a href="https://www.xbox.com/en-US/live">Xbox Live</a> pretty much every day (now that school is back on after homework is done). Usually we will be on FaceTime at the same time as well. But going around, not finding bad guys and building giants ramps for no reason, is something that we are able to do together remotely. </p>
<p>I know fathers who live at home,with their kids, who don't interact with them nearly as much as I do. </p>
<p>For six years, I was a Stay at Home Dad, then all of a sudden I wasn't, nowfor the time being I'm a <b>FaceTime Father. </b>Is it ideal. No. But it's pretty good. <br></p>
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Nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938387929398190748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296300047327872473.post-778084992017585232018-08-03T12:54:00.003-07:002018-08-04T05:16:02.325-07:00<p><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uXEU_jzNuFc/W2Sy25vQw3I/AAAAAAAADk8/XgF1-1ASnAwni-Pl_6DNWPYl1KfLl7DowCHMYCw/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="">
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<p>About seven years ago I found myself struggling to identify myself as a newly minted stay at home parent and I started the "new" latest version of a blog I have had for years. It was called Great Moments in Bad Parenting. The name was clever, there was a funny backstory and eventually it began to gain some traction. I wrote a lot of things I am really proud of I used it as a place for a lot of quality sponsored content. </p>
<p>But then things changed. I'm other things now. The name no longer resonates for me. I will still write about being a dad, things I'm passionate about and figuring out my own journey. This is <b>NIEL IN REAL LIFE. </b></p>
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Nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938387929398190748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296300047327872473.post-45045219041192873562018-06-12T12:52:00.000-07:002019-04-17T07:08:14.149-07:00Last minute Father's Day gift idea - for brand new and expecting dads<p>A few weeks ago I was at the NYC Baby show along with the guys from the NY City Dads Group as we manned the Dad's Lounge. A haven for dads to chat with other dads, get off their feet and perhaps change a baby. </p><p>What I noticed at the show that diaper bags have evolved from the days when we first needed one. Well the choices for moms have really evolved. But dads were still in the Stone Age of an overgrown messanger bag or a genetic diaper bag in camouflage. But <a href="https://www.ecknox.com">EC Knox</a> is making a bag that is both practical and stylish and one that make dads proud in their role as parent. </p><p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSqoUW8blYDcT-cOZjFMArgxNcXkAs07v_7ziT0GpfXmDSYwBME-RHjq-j6VEXVBuT1PMg31dPEn7jo19GzHGhUcvjGltMa-9Zq-ZawscVZ0A4vU81eHy8ujm5ZJVPqovByistRwh534ua/" alt=""></p><p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyoy-KLVOSeZ6PxhrcYx231YZd0YJ6BasUu9stT_ZHeXwwrM3b3O0RqyKQXEzbfu-Y-YdRYq3rR6zMgs-CKcz_2EkCJQM6aqZE8H436BmPPBcIV7jZRKnOTWpPHbjss49Z0f_trizxbFq_/" alt=""></p><p>We know the bag looks cool but what's under the hood. A removable liner that can be washed, replaced even removed so the bag grows with dad a stylish messenger bag after the days of carrying around diapers and spare pants are done. Inner carabiner holds keys and your collection of #1 Dad keychains. It also has a flashlight for particularly desperate midnight searches for that one special pacifier the little screamer demands. And exterior and interior bottle holder, a little milk for the little one on the outside and a little something for papa on the inside. </p><p>We want every dad to feel needed, and stylish. So one of you will win the Ellision Diaper bag, enter <a href="https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4c88d446195/">HERE</a>. </p><p></p><div><br></div>Nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938387929398190748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296300047327872473.post-46497736174730180012018-03-06T04:44:00.000-08:002019-04-17T07:08:14.238-07:00Goal Cloud<img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhW42VZltI_H6XMPdA2yYTKCxT4h7gQGqCnylyMpFKX3eiuHVvlY-LlbpLjQbty925rCzvqh_OoKplorEbSJeNzygI0xwRJdnxU4XU79R8VOHkM34ambLHrpZ_6rLOJopdc9Y6joQeojZz/" /><br /><br />I read somewhere, I really wish I knew where. About making a visual representation of things you want to accomplish. It makes it more real for you. <br /><br />So I went out and got some post it notes and a sharpie and started writing. I was sitting in a parking lot at 9am writing down goals big ones, little ones, ones that can be achieved by doing one thing, and ones that will take a long time for me to be convinced that they are done. <br /><br />I'll keep adding as things come to me. And I'll chronicle some of them here. And some I'll save for myself or to be published elsewhere. But anything to keep myself accountable to being a better and more effective Niel. Nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938387929398190748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296300047327872473.post-61349833691655038322018-02-28T12:39:00.000-08:002019-04-17T07:08:14.358-07:00FOCUS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAo7K2IPuSrbwIBuUA8a9SKV9cMUYmCKsIgk92ANcGBRu8P8ryzKqYtrSJOdlbKMe0Xdk0unlMq5kqvTLRMd4XwK4zHabyuEj-kh8GoFy0_oNmWrC4eZYPUyu5_bl0QbwsgsnB_aXn94BP/s1600/focus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAo7K2IPuSrbwIBuUA8a9SKV9cMUYmCKsIgk92ANcGBRu8P8ryzKqYtrSJOdlbKMe0Xdk0unlMq5kqvTLRMd4XwK4zHabyuEj-kh8GoFy0_oNmWrC4eZYPUyu5_bl0QbwsgsnB_aXn94BP/s320/focus.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><br />I watched a video about blogging recently called <a href="https://ig203.infusionsoft.com/app/linkClick/114101/b097cda9f8422ce2/213964051/45f3e95685da77b9">Blogging Made Simple</a> by Ruth Soukup while at the gym "Reclaiming the Throne" and what not. And I realized that one of the things that I am not doing is focusing my content. This blog is about parenting, but there is a lot of other stuff that I have been posting. So to maintain focus on the parenting content that you want to read, I have started two sub blogs one for <a href="http://www.tabletoptuesday.blogspot.com/">gaming</a> and the other for <a href="http://www.troopscribe.blogspot.com/">scouting</a>. There is not any new content on either page yet, the gaming site will launch on Tuesday March 6th while the scouting one goes live this Friday March 2nd. I will continue to post parenting content here.Nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938387929398190748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296300047327872473.post-38734531402515725772018-02-22T14:38:00.000-08:002019-04-17T07:08:14.426-07:00TableTop Tuesday special edition: Two games I'm looking forward to playing. <p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCu_s84jQud-152IobEwAhkD_1AyUBp8ku6QY60ZxsqaZ31KchBfFppn35M5ipPCoXOHxpMgxLsovtwPgi35TfWjZQjmUUBziqarnQ3-XzlblE2R2IjVGS_UIAJ8LB1a6b7cv-W9x6xLia/" alt=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXEk8wZu3jY9MfCmRfQVKRfK9qRqJSD_gxTu6wEKHAlyKq-h6RkjU3RW-cPtPos834CINJQe9AvjW1hLx75TayHbyaFM-eIkTtBFiA3sbI0hvCr9caoBJX50pEyzCzrgxpj01J77lWV3C4/" alt=""><p></p></p><p><br></p><p>This past week I went to the 115th international Toy Fair and saw lots of cool things and tried out a lot of neat games. But by far the two games I can't wait to play more of are. <b>Cookie Scouts vs Aliens </b>and <b>Get the MacGuffin. </b></p><p>The first game is a cooperative game where you and your troop of Cookie Scouts need to sell cookies around town, earn merit badges and transport a thermonuclear weapon all before the twin is overrun by aliens. It's light it's fun and I really like playing as a team. The game is from <a href="https://topsidegames.com/products/cookie-scouts-vs-aliens">Topside Games</a> and is available now. </p><p>The other game which will be available in April is from the mad genius himself Andy Looney of <a href="http://www.looneylabs.com">Looney Labs. </a>this absurd card game is both overly complicated and completely simple all at the same time. For me when I tested the game out, even though I was already eliminated, the highlight was when one of the players sought and got advice on how to win from Andy himself. I can't wait to take a deeper dive. </p>Nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938387929398190748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296300047327872473.post-46273944721249957402018-01-16T10:11:00.000-08:002019-04-17T07:08:14.521-07:00Tabletop Tuesday - Utter NonsenseIt was a cold and snowy Saturday night when my regular game night group met up for a night of trying out some new games. One became an instant favorite, the other one not so much. This is the story of the latter. <br /><br /><img height="320" src="http://www.utternonsensegame.com/content/images/01_UN_Naughty.jpg" width="320" /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.utternonsensegame.com/">Utter Nonsense</a> is an ok game... it's just not for me. Or for the other three people sitting around that glass covered table. We played the “Naughty” version. Basically, the players are each dealt seven cards with very topical statements. This is my first problem with this game. A year from now many of those cards will seem so irrelevant or totally nonsensical. I like an evergreen element in a game. I want to be able to pick up a game five years later and play it. <br /><br />One player acts as the judge. He or she plays a card that describes an accent that all of the players need to read one of their cards in. Then the judge picks one player as the winner. This was problem number two. Having one judge leads to picking a winner based on factors not necessarily based on gameplay. Artificially choosing a winner to keep the game going, or to appease a complaining player or whatever. Perhaps if all the players vote on which one was best the results would be fairer. <br /><br />I think that perhaps my group is too old for this game and that a younger crowd might like it a little better. Actually, I could see this being pretty entertaining to watch if it were improv comics playing the game. I’ll say this my pirate impression is dead on. But my Donald Trump was a bad impression of bad impressions of Donald Trump. I was a little uncomfortable with some of the subject matter, especially in mixed company. I know that there is an entire generation of card games that pride themselves in outrageous language. But for me, it just didn't work.<br /><br />The game has easy rules, and you can start playing as soon as you sit down at the table. I could see how people could really like this game. Perhaps in addition to us being too old (late 30s early 40s ... not that old), we were also to sober to really get the most out of the game.<div><br /></div><div><b><i>Note: I was given a copy of Utter Nonsense to facilitate this review but all opinions are my own.</i></b></div>Nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938387929398190748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296300047327872473.post-51907130337165658232018-01-15T20:38:00.000-08:002019-04-17T07:08:14.590-07:00Let me AXE you a question<p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqIsUclTe8hyphenhyphen8o68hbY286i1SMgsldOKD5qf__6HPKh_LvnUMnYSZx7DmWkD1HnYDmJlF5bUDiV89RwbQGR_cW-wkaoSdv2fVtjVH63w9g5VCNH1C0tMa-6UEj8QL_aJ2h13BKpTlihrat/" alt=""><br></p><p>Like many days in my life, I was sitting behind my phone scrolling through Facebook, then I saw something magical. I had followed a video link and went down the rabbit hole. And there it was the most awesome video ever. </p><p>Jason Mamoa (Khal Drogo from 9 episodes of Game of Thrones ...I refuse to call him Aquaman from the garbage fire that was Justice League) was in what looked like a place where you interrogate hostages. He takes a big swing of beer, then picks up an axe and hurls it towards a target on a wooden wall. <a href="https://youtu.be/eXHxVsvBdKE">Bullseye</a>. <br></p><p><b>I knew that I had to do that. </b></p><p>I immediately searched for axe throwing places. Nothing close enough to make an hours worth of throwing worth the drive. I lamented. And then did what any sane person would do. I bought some throwing axes on Amazon. They were clearly too small for me(and what I would learn later, way too light). But I set up a target in the backyard, I threw a little. The kids threw a little. It was alright. </p><p>Then a few days before thanksgiving this year, I saw a Facebook ad about a axe throwing place that was opening in Brooklyn. What! So I contacted them and I was invited over to the soft opening. </p><p>After a lot of scheduling problems for interested “axers” I arrived at the Gowanus location of <a href=" https://www.kickaxe.com">KickAxe</a> on a snowy Saturday morning with three friends. We signed in and waited for our lanes to be ready. The waiting area was sort of a gentrified hunting lodge. But in a good way. Someone invested a lot of money to make this place look perfect I said to my friends. There was even a giant blue ox right outside. </p><p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3bSFOIzgA8k_rll4gnsBaZCgt4JZfiKGJIEyAX-kuPp8KoY0vns8SYGxjPxh3C5lk8Fw532GLemUEzcMr56j0JQHU9Q_D307xc8aW5eoSsaSNsRPHU0i8p0lLDnDa8Xz83_johnRLshu/" alt=""><br></p><p>When it was our turn we went to one of the 10 or so axe lanes. The lanes which are two targets that are fenced in with thick artificial grass on the floor. And a large stump to hold the axes. We were given an “Axpert” to guide us. Though he was not allowed to throw, he gave us tips on how to stand and hold an axe. </p><p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxIxOClzaALI5eyOrtREyG3cy_OIWBQZNlISwOOOZ76TNT_gmUKMhp1qgc2o1nhrrqsffgS7mT8albtxbsGyUJUJ4nEwJiKkRdClCp4CjXmz8LQXe6V_-m5cIegKpqFkF8Ac5tyApIKm5Z/" alt=""><br></p><p>It's harder than Jason Mamoa makes it look. We were using estwing hand axes. It was very hard for me to throw them lightly enough. I had to switch to a one-handed throwing style. We started sticking some but it was infrequent and a little frustrating. A little bit into our session I asked if we could switch to the bigger axes that were in other lanes. And boy did it make a difference. The heavier head of the axe stuck in the wood like crazy. I'm glad to say my team (the troop 327 alumni association axe throwing team) won both games we played (30 and Moose). <br></p><p>While they claim children as young as 7 can throw, I think it might be frustrating for them. My seven year old has a good arm, but I don't think he could throw an axe (even the lighter one) high and far enough, with the needed force to hit the target. A lot different than the “range” I made inbetween the swing set and the trampoline. </p><p>It was so much fun. I can't wait to go back again and unleash my inner Khal.</p><p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT6w_OcVUk_SePGyyw0Rr4MY5DjcT_pJh1OTxhTIe1hlii-0aeuvjlr8wgYWChRClnbJAocvEyX9JZKVi2heea2keIpaUa9ZhdbBaVV60f_hKAjNTXvmHv9bJikeZP7U7WIMlOC2wd-vLW/" alt=""><i><br></i></p><p><i>Note: I went to the KickAxe soft opening and our group threw for free but there was no expectation of any reciprocation. All opinions remain my own. </i></p><p><br></p><p></p>Nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938387929398190748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296300047327872473.post-14077285959075386442018-01-11T02:26:00.000-08:002019-04-17T07:08:14.659-07:00Leaving a legacy <p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2pyyRZIYNTKDonZ1Pk3KkUh8IvKcAN2foEqN0clIDON_hmCTaRT6fUUlBRdAtEgbh6Fd0DT9E30TPj8jWPYXFoTF6Ug-y22G56AjSB41TJhRiRChy26bkNJGbDgBNKC4UqiansnWtqJA3/" alt=""></p><p>I was sitting in a dimly lit bar in Lower manhattan alongside several scout leaders. All of us had spent the day at our council’s Training Extravaganza, usually called TreX, and we were reflecting on a fun day of learning and teaching. It was on that stool with a cold beer in hand that I verbalized something I was thinking all day long. </p><p>About eight years ago I took a Scoutmaster training course, even though at that point I had been a volunteer leader for about 17 years and my days as Scoutmaster were long over. But it was invigorating and recharged my battery. I soon joined our district’s training team. And it was great, our team was filled with people from that initial course and run by the guy who ran the course, a former biker/tattoo artist/lead singer nicknamed Hawk. He was, and is, a larger than life character and he got us to teach courses on cold Saturday mornings, on consecutive Wednesday evenings. But he never asked any of us to do things he wouldn’t. </p><p>Was our training team part, biker gang, part cult and part a well organized group of knowledgeable volunteers. Yes. We used to joke that the only way you got out of the training team was in a box. But during the next few years I helped train hundreds of leaders, both in our district and council wide at events like TreX.</p><p>I was encouraged to take Woodbadge, which is an advanced leadership/management course. It was amazing and I wanted more. I ended up staffing the course two times. I hope to do it again. </p><p>As I walked into the Borough of Manhattan Community College, where TreX was taking place on that cold frozen Saturday morning. I kept running into people who I had trained over the years. Most were taking classes but a few were instructing courses. I was teaching a course called Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops. The room had about 17 young men and another seven adults, looking to take that knowledge back and run the course for their troops. I have taught this course for at least six years in a row, last year I taught it in front of nearly 50 people (this year there were two sessions of the course and our combined total was about 60 people). It's a pretty popular course, they were asking me if I was willing to do it again nearly six months ago. </p><p>I imagined the cascade of influence that I have had over those people and then the influence they have all had on the young people who they are leading. And I thought back to my own scout leaders and trainers. And wow, its pretty overwhelming. </p><p>So as I sat at that bar, next to someone I taught how to build giant fires. And across from newish scout leaders who were in the most recent Woodbadge course I staffed. We all talked about why we do this. One guy mentioned watching his son standing up to a bully. Another mentioned that there was no one else to do it. And when I was asked, why i did it all the training and etc. I thought about watching my son lead his den of his friends. And how much pride I had it in that. But it came out as “I don’t know it's just what I do.” Then I talked about all of the people over the years that I had trained and that is part of it, I am building a legacy that goes way beyond me and that I never will be (nor really desire to be) acknowledged. Apparently building better leaders is just part of who I am.</p><p><b>Note: Everyone who influenced me along the way John, Lee, Barbara, Tom, Miguel, another John, Joey, yet another John, Scott, Fred, Kris, Donna, Dawn, Gary and Tim (and countless others) you are all part of that legacy because without your part in this all I wouldn't be the leader I am today. </b></p><p><br></p><p><br></p>Nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938387929398190748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2296300047327872473.post-78411339700277157842018-01-09T08:25:00.000-08:002019-04-17T07:08:14.726-07:00Tabletop Tuesday - COBRA PAW<br /><br /><img height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtvyQh_2K86TRBu6aZCR37WNJ8wgQ1kP7tzzAXnTcgJ2YDq1NE357yhefb0pnfYedKHxIoQSrUVcu8BKWygiYQWvy-iR2UH7fEyvWK8GFI6gxrfiBEZ0BR_JJE0QMlNhhOTauBi07C0koK/" width="300" /><br /><br /><br />If there is one thing you need to know about my kids is my son loves cats and my daughter is so competitive she will cut you. So it was a natural fit when I brought home the game Cobra Paw.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.bananagrams.com/games/cobra-paw">Cobra Paw</a> which if you just looked at the packaging you would assume it is some ninja cat themed mahjong game. In actuality, it is a speed and skill based matching game. A set of domino-like markers are spread out in the middle of the table, then dice are rolled. The dice have the same symbols that are on the dominoes when you see the same pattern come up you reach out with your paw and drag the corresponding tile into your pile. This goes on until all of the tiles have been claimed. But before this happens the games gets sneaky and cutthroat, players can steal tiles from each other's piles. All legal. Yes, there will be fights. Still all legal.<br /><br />The game is very easy to pick up and like with a lot of matching games, older kids will overmatch their younger siblings. Which may frustrate them. Another nice feature is you can play the game one-on-one (very useful when you have a younger sibling pouting in the other room about the game being unfair). <br /><br />Cobra Paw looks great and can be enjoyed by people of all ages. <br /><br /><br /><i>NOTE - I bought my copy of Cobra Paw and was not influenced by anyone for this review.</i><br /><br /><br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpmjhD6_jARObJfR8e1WODQ3rMCJWnP3rDfBqsx5LTPXyYVQacqSA5wK3oijMYYwVPFQikabKp_d0LU_XchOfOODFJ1XXtqI3stToQIjhmzkytFmBkRc3uVYCcEMK_VodL_ywz6z0w2KjW/" />Nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16938387929398190748noreply@blogger.com0