Thursday, August 13, 2015

Oreos... You have not quite succeeded

I love Oreo cookies. And I don't mind trying different flavors from time to time. The newest flavor I've tried was the brownie mix ones.... Not a fan. Brownie mix is yummy when you're making brownies and licking the spoon. Not as frosting in a cookie. 

Saturday, August 8, 2015

HEB summer reading program completion!

So proud of my kiddos for completing the Summer Reading List for HEB. They got their certificates, shirts and pencils in the mail. Makes a nerd mommy proud! 
Remember, reading encourages imagination. It strengthens the mind and language skills. And it only takes 15 minutes a day. 

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Living with idiots...

It can be draining sometimes. Living with people who would rather blow through money than manage their time well enough to actually take care of and maintain what they have. Case in point... my roommate and our vacuum. Its true that vacuums are not made as they once were and that you do have to treat them like fragile machines or replace them more often. However, if you use them properly and occasionally take the time to clean out their insides, you can prolong the inevitable. That's what I did today.
And oh what a wonderful difference my cleaning was.... 

Friday, July 24, 2015

Pixels Movie Review

I was fortunate enough to watch the premiere for the movie Pixels.
When I first heard about it, I wasn't thrilled. Adam Sandler isn't as funny to me as he is to everyone else. I usually choose not to watch his movies in general. But this one was about gaming. So how could I not? Besides, it was a free movie. 
So, Adam Sandler plays a classic gaming nerd. As a teenager in 1982, he became a champion at the original video games in the newly opened arcade. His high scoring success was based on his unique ability to recognize, memorize and beat the patterns embedded in the codes of the game. Pac-Man, Duck Hunt, Q*bert, Galaga, Space Invaders and the formidable Donkey Kong were his time consuming passions. Every chance he got, he was playing at the arcade, beating everyone else's high scores. When the world championship came around, he met other gamers and put his abilities to the test until he best everyone except the Fire Blaster.
Fire Blaster was a dwarf with fast fingers and a big ego that slipped insults to anyone and everyone without caring who he hurt. Donkey Kong was the champion-crowning game. Sadly, Fire Blaster (Eddie) won. Sandlers character (Brenner) is heartbroken. His passion is lost. 
Fast forward to modern day. Brenner is a professional nerd who installs others' entertainment devices. His best friend is the unpopular president of the United States. His other gaming days buddy is an awkward conspiracy theorist that only shows up after a random attack on a U.S. Military base in Guam occurs. 
In 1982, a video was taken of the gaming championship. It was added to other video clips and put in a NASA capsule that was shot into space in the hopes of contacting extraterrestrial beings. Apparently they (extraterrestrial beings) did get the message. And interpreted it as a threat against them. Challenge accepted! They mimic the games characters as the attack. So here comes Galaga and Pac-Man to destroy us.
The Pac-Man fight scene was my favorite part. The ghosts were modified mini coopers that had me wishing I was short enough to own one. 
They sent a message that in order to save the planet, there will be games. Whoever wins the games, is champion. The Nerds are suddenly given power to train the best of the military in gaming techniques. Then it's out to the field. Sadly, the military couldn't keep the game training as well as they could military tactics. So the nerds are sent in with blasters to take care of it. Eddie the Fire Blaster was even taken from prison to join the fight.
But he has a secret. And his secret puts the planet at risk. Can they work together and save human kind from the impending invasion? 
Overall I enjoyed the movie. There was humor and nerd talk to keep me happily entertained. I'm not thrilled with the ending and how Q*bert turned out. But no movie is truly perfect. This is for mature audiences. Plenty of language and references that kids aren't going to get. I hope you can enjoy it as I did though.