Chainsaw gun!

I decided to finally go out and buy a brand new game for my XBox One.  I've been playing the same old games, all two of them, forever now.  I ended up getting the XBone exclusive Gears of War 4.  I actually played Gears of Wars: Judgement not that long ago because it was a Games with Gold freebie, so that was what pushed me.

I picked it up this morning from Best Buy (it was on sale!) then had the long excruciating wait of having it install and update.  Only a mere 46GB!  I played it all afternoon and while it's very familiar it's still fun.  Although, I was a little annoyed it took so long into the game before I was able to chainsaw something in half.

A huge bonus of buying Gears of Wars 4 is that you are also buying all the previously Gears games as well.  The game comes with download codes for the original Gears of War, Gears of War 2, Gears of Wars 3 and Gears of Wars: Judgement.  Once I finish GOW4 I'll like to go back and replay all the previous Gears games, unfortunately I don't even have room for all those games on my hard drive.  I'll have to download each game individually, play it, remove it and then move on to the next game.  

Even better than getting bonus games is getting free stickers!  This sticker sheet was also in the case with the download codes.  I'd probably buy more games if they came with free stickers.  I think the last game I bought that came with a free sticker was The Munchables(2009) for the Wii!  I can only hope Gears of War 4 will be as amazing as The Munchables.

Almost

I had Monday and Tuesday off this week and I almost...almost made a quick trip back to Cranbrook.  But then I didn't.  Looks like I'll be going back for the last weekend of this month anyway, so it's no big deal.  Avery has a hockey tournament in Cranbrook that weekend, but most importantly I need my Christmas presents!

So with two days off in a row I could probably be get a lot done, or I could sleep in, watch TV, play video games and eat chips.  Guess which one I did?  I also even briefly left the house to buy groceries on Monday and then Tuesday I went to the thrift store where I spent $3.00 on movies and CDs.

Here is an out of focus shot of the two CDs I got, Smashing Pumpkins and the Golden Eye soundtrack.  I finally have an actual copy of Machina/The Machines of God.  This whole time I've been using a copied version Cam made me.  I'll still keep the copied Cam version because it has bonus tracks on it.

The two movies I got, but since The Hire was in a CD case the lady rang it up as a CD, so I paid 50 cents for a CD instead of $1.50 for a DVD.  Yes!  I already own a copy of The Hire, so paying 50 cents is cool, but $1.50 would've been too much.  That said, it's available if anyone wants it!  I watched this afternoon, so I'm done with it.  The cover says "Widescreen Presentation" and yes the films are widescreen, but they're not anamorphic widescreen, so you got the black bars on the top and the sides.  It's kinda of annoying.  After watching the movies I think Cam should try and replicate all the stunts from movies since they just used factory cars and not heavily modified stunt cars.  

I also found this awesome sweater, but unfortunately it was too small.  It was grey and it said "Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back" on it in coloured text.  It was simple which I liked.  It actually looks exactly like this!

The one thing I really hate about thrift store shopping it when you find a really cool shirt or jacket, it's never your size.  Happens all the time.  I almost bought it for Cam, but then remembered he's more of a Star Trek guy.

Musique

Here's another post about something I randomly discovered just by doing internet stuff.  I came across an article about a Beastie Boys/Daft Punk mash up album that was free to download.  I had to check it out to see what it was all about and found out there was good news and bads news.  The good news is that it was actually pretty good, the bad news is that it's no longer free to download.

The deal is that it's called Daft Science, eight Beastie Boys tracks all remixed using only Daft Punk samples done by Toronto artist Coins.  All his projects are "name your price" which means you can pay $10.00 or you can pay nothing.  I guess Daft Science must have had a lot of downloads as the option to download has been suspended.  A free album this good is a shame, but I guess it's too good to be true, but even it returned as pay only I'd buy the album.

You check out his Bandcamp and SoundCloud.  I've embedded the Bandcamp player below.  Ch-check it out!

KFX

The other night I was doing internet stuff and came across somebody mentioning the Kelowna Fan Xpo.  I had to check it out and see what it was all about.  This year's Kelowna Fan Xpo, or KFX, takes place March 24th and 25th at the Kelowna Community Theatre.  The website is here, http://kelownafx.com/.  It is and I quote, "an annual event that will transport the interior of BC to a world of comics, manga/anime, Sci-Fi, fantasy, horror, gaming, movies, and more."

After checking out the website it's obvious the show is pretty small as the guest list is pretty lean.  They do have a lot of time to add more guests though.  Being small isn't that bad as it's easier to access guests and I'm sure it will grow in the future.  Despite the small guest list there are two people on it I know I'd go see.

1. John Delaney, I've actually met him before and he's pretty cool.  Back when I first moved to Calgary I heard about this comic "thing" that was at some community hall.  I went with Murray and we dragged Elaine along with us.  The "thing" turned was in the gym of a community center and was pretty small.  Guys had tables set up with stuff for sale and John Delaney was there as the one guest artist.  We waited (not long) to meet him and he signed a copy of Adventures in the DC Universe.  He was friendly and easy to talk to and was even doing free sketches.  You'd never get a free sketch from anyone now.  He did a real cool Nightwing sketch for me which I still have framed up somewhere.  At the time he was mainly doing DC stuff, but Elaine asked him for a Hulk sketch and me and Murray were totally embarrassed omg.

2. PJ Fresh Phil!  The YTV legend PJ Phil is going to Kelowna!  If only they can get Paul McGuire for a reunion.  I know he used to be on CMT, but I swear I saw him on ET or ETalk the other day.

I know Cam and Cara probably already bought their early VIP passes and that's why I'm asking them to get me a PJ Phil auto.  Thanks guys!!!

New year, same old me

I bet you're wondering why it's been so quiet around here lately.  No pictures of Cranbrook, Christmas toys and socks, and Willie?  That's because I ended up staying in Calgary for Christmas and doing absolutely nothing.  And I mean absolutely nothing as a couple days I didn't even get dressed, I just hung around the house in my pajamas.

I had planned to go back to Cranbrook on the 23rd after I finished working a half shift in the morning.  I had watched the news the night before and the weather said it was going to be flurries in the afternoon.  Didn't sound like a big deal except when I left work at 11am it was already snowing pretty hard.  The news also said it would quit snowing overnight, so I decided to just postpone my drive back until the next day.  When I got up on Saturday, turns out it didn't stop snowing, but in fact it kept snowing and it snowed all Saturday and into Sunday.

I'm really tired/bored of the drive back to BC now as I've driven the road so many times.  I really hate it, so when a bunch of snow makes a drive I hate makes the roads crappy and the drive longer then I'm going to just not going to do it.  I'm old and ornery now, so I don't things I don't like.

I heard from Avery that I got a lot of presents, but they're all in Cranbrook.  That also means nobody got any presents from me because they are all still here in Calgary.  If I known I wasn't going to go back to Cranbrook for Christmas I wouldn't have rushed through my Christmas shopping.  I got lots of time now.  I did end up sending Logan a copy of the new COD because I figured he needed the copy of the game to play with his friends.

I got this card from Cody.  Cody is incredibly lazy when it comes to buying gifts, this year he just got me some gift cards.  I will be using the Cineplex card on Thursday because we are finally going to see Rogue One.  The gift card might not even cover the cost of the ticket and nachos, but I haven't had nachos for a while.  He also got me an Amazon giftcard.  Did you know they made a Die Hard colouring book?   It's on my wishlist, next year I'll just give him the link to it.

I'll probably go back to Cranbrook in January or February, as long as it doesn't snow.  Maybe it can snow after I get there, then I call work and say I'll be back in April.  I'm still packed and ready to go.

Fakit & Bakit

Welcome to my first real Christmas post of 2016 and with today being December 20th, I bet you thought I was going to forget.  Shame on you!  In today's post I'm going to make a Christmas tree ornament despite not even having a tree to put it on.  I'll be making a Makit & Bakit ornament kit...or will I?

Yes, but not really.

I got this at Michael's when they were "buy one, get one free" and kept this one for myself and sent three more back with my mom to give to Avery to make for his Christmas tree.  I wasn't sure if he has the attention span to actually do one, but I'll find out in a few days when I go back to Cranbrook.

I would've gotten an actual Makit & Bakit kit, but they didn't have any at all.  Yes, I actually looked for them.  I bought some there a couple years ago, but all they had was this knock off one from Creatology.  If I finish the kit does that make me a Creatologist?

I do like the way the package the plastic chunks in resealable tubes.  It makes it easier for dumping them out or just just keeping them sealed when you aren't using them.  They also gave a picture of what the tree should look like, but for some dumb reason part of the tree is yellow.  Did it die, is that why it is yellow??  I made my tree all green because that what trees like look dammit.

Ready to go in the oven!

I was putting the cookie sheet in the over when I dropped it totally messing everything up.  For a second I considering baking it as is, but then decided I had to do it all over again.

I actually followed the instructions of putting in the over at 375F for 15 - 25 minutes, but even as the 25 minute mark it wasn't melted.  I let it stay in a bit longer and it wasn't melted.  I turned up the over to 400F and at the 54 minute mark it was ready and I took it out.  At least the original Makit & Bakit would melt when there were supposed to.

Then again upon reading the instructions after I already made it, they state to not use an air bake cookie sheet.  I don't know if my cooking sheet is an air bake sheet or not.  I looked on it and it doesn't even say.

I changed the colour layout of some the tree decorations after dropping it, but it turned out "okay".  It's not Cara good, but more like Cam good and that's good enough for me.  You'd think by now I'd be getting better at these things, but this time I blame it on the fact that it's not a true Makit & Bakit kit.  Also, now I don't have to worry about not having a Christmas tree because I just made one.  I'll hang it up or more likely just prop it up somewhere.  Merry X-Mas!

Heat for a treat

I haven't been able to find those gingerbread Oreos since I bought that first bag.  I really liked them and was hoping to get them again.  I've seen the candy cane Oreos, but I'm holding out for gingerbread.  In the meantime I found these new Chips Ahoy! Hot Cocoa cookies.

Just in time for the winter comes a hot chocolate flavoured cookie with mini marshmallows in it.  Even better you can heat it up for a warm cookie!

I put my two cookies in for 7 seconds which I thought wouldn't be long enough, but still had melted chocolate on my fingers, but that is necessarily a bad thing.  They tasted okay, not as good as they looked or as good as I hoped.

Unfortunately, the cookies are so small!  These would be way better if they made them bigger.  Even the regular Chips Ahoy! soft cookies are this size which is too small.  I like the idea of hot cocoa cookies that can be warmed up, but Christie needs to refine the taste and the size.

Lately

It's been a while, but I've been busy leading a boring life, so I haven't had time to write about everything.  This post is a catch up post with a bunch of small lame things aren't worth a post on their own.  Here we go!

This is our front door and done up Christmas like.  This was Cody's doing not mine because I would rather spend my money on stuff for me than some wreath.  I took picture back before it snowed and got super cold here.  It's -21C here right now and that is without the windchill.  You can't see it in the picture, but there are even little snowflake stickers on the window.

My mom had a meeting in Calgary on Tuesday, but came down on Sunday afternoon and we went shopping on Monday.  I actually got some Christmas presents, but still managed to buy some shirts and socks for myself.  We went for a quick trip to Ikea, probably the fastest my mom has ever been in and out of there.

In the upstairs area where everything is laid up and set up into little rooms so you can get a feel of how thing look there was a little storage bench filled with bran discs or rye bran crisps to be exact.  They are frisbee sized and if you were to eat one you'd need a pitcher to water to keep from choking to death.  I imagine eating straw to about the the same as these.  Anyway, above the pile of bran discs were a couple coat hooks mounted on the wall...

Somebody decided to impale the rye bran discs on the coat hooks.  It's an unorthodox decorating technique, but I appreciate the effort.  Sorry for the blurry picture, but the camera on my phone couldn't decide what to focus on with all those colours and patterns.

When I was back in Cranbrook last time Avery told me he wanted a set of drums and I was like, "I already got you a set of drums once!"  His mom got rid of the drums a while ago and while another set of drums is out of the question I did find these at Winners which are the next best thing.

I also got him a Kris Kross CD at the thrift store, so he can rock out to it with his new drum sticks.  Don't worry I'll get him something good.  I'm still looking for Young MC.

Later!