Is it normal if it glows like this? I feel like it's not normal.

I just realized I did not post yesterday. I even commented on other Jeff's post before double checking. I was certain I had posted yesterday. First missed post evar. Oh well, I join a long tradition of completely forgetting to post. And if ever there was a manly act, it's being so busy you forget to do something important. That's how we miss birthdays and anniversaries and such. As for missing my post? I blame it on the lack of donations. If more people cared about saving boobs, I wouldn't have forgot to post. That's my story anyway.

Hint: It's the next number in the shown sequence, which the Tudlow turtle uses in its gasping mating call.

We traveled from upstate NY through Vermont and back down to Massachusetts today. We took the scenic (read as: long) route.

I'm very tired. But my beard is still here, and it wants you to win the ThinkGeek gift code. So here's the 6th character in our sequence of 9.

I'm still at $40 (thanks, Laura!), so unless you start donating and spreading the word, I'm stopping at the lone gift card. C'mon! Don't you want $100 to spend at ThinkGeek?

Read the rules

Not a lot of orthographic camera lenses out there

So here's Game Two for today. The camera angle here is the only clue. But my beard looks nice, don't you think? Makes you want to donate, perhaps?

Part One's game is Dig Dug, released as an arcade game in 1982 by Namco, and ported to countless console and mobile versions. The Pookas are supposedly based on tomatoes; given the theme (digging into the ground) I'd say potatoes would have been a better bet myself. Both Donkey Kong and Dig Dug came out around the same time, and were big competitors of the day, but as I've eluded to, Donkey Kong faded in popularity and was replaced by the Mario series, and Dig Dug, despite a long line of sequels, well, just faded.

That said, Wikipedia lists Dig Dug as the 6th most popular coin-op, based on The Killer List of Videogames site. Which, like Dig Dug, is sadly defunct.

Sponsor...or else!

Today was a professional day.

I spent most of my day writing curriculum for my school district (recently determined to be the 17th largest in the nation). So next year when all the 8th grade teachers complain about how bad the new curriculum is...that's on me.

Today's writing was all about the Cold War...or rather the start of the Cold War. Communism. Berlin. Iron Curtain. NATO. China. Done.

I also, just about 2 minutes ago, decided to not re-join my professional organization, the National Council for the Social Studies.

I've been a member since I was a student teacher. The cost isn't very great ($60-something for the year). I know it's good to have on a resume. But the bottom-line was this. Even if it was free, I think I'd want to drop it.

I used to pay for it because it would get me access to certain benefits. Specifically, access to register for conferences (local and national) and some professional development opportunities.

However, since moving to North Carolina 3.5 years ago those benefits seemed to have evaporated. There is no professional development opportunities that I'm aware of and my district won't allow me to go to any conferences because that costs money, which we don't have (and haven't had for 4 years, and seem to have less of ever year despite that).

So what have I received for my membership? A mailbox full of junk...er...offers/opportunities and a newsletter/magazine I never read. That's right, I'm paying for the privilege to get extra junk mail and stick a line on my resume saying that I paid a bill once.

So yeah, I'm done with it. I'm reclaiming my mailbox...and those extra dollars...maybe it'll find a better purpose now.

Anyway, that's my rant for the day, on to the Manly Points:

Chris - 70

Beard A Non - 110

Drew - 185

Wesley - 287 (-1 for tempting me with more food when I'm in a weight-loss challenge)

Bob - 287 (+1 because being dirty is manly)

Duane - 130

Brian - 240

Cmaaarr - 296 (+1 for holiday beard)

Fred - 99

Jeffrey - 275

Kris - 278 (-1 for being abducted by Thanksgiving aliens...+2 for leaving me in a unique situation...has anyone else not missed a single day besides me? The usual suspects are falling by the wayside this year, as I recall)

Michael - 101

Pete - 267 (-1 for that very un-manly pose, and -1 for ice skating, the least manly "sport" on the planet, which is why I've never learned to do it, not that I'm bitter)

Brian E - 125

A Dam - 260 (+1 hunting)

Jim - 281 (+1 note taken)

Wannes - 179

Chooch - 230

Jason - 219 (+2 double Muppets with kids day)

Fanta$ti¢!

Ok, this is take two, since my system crashed while posting this last time.

Today we took the Kiddos Three to go see The Muppets, and it was great. Although I heard it was great, and we're all huge Muppet fans, I had some fear it would not be great, but it was. Until about a year ago we had watched The Muppet Show as a family on DVD each Saturday night. If Disney ever gets around to releasing the last two seasons on DVD, we'll pick up where we left off (I'm not sure why they aren't in stores now so they can be picked up for Christmas gifts in the wake of the movie).

After that, we grabbed some lunch, went home and popped "The Muppet Christmas Carol" into the DVD player (which, much like their later take on "The Wizard of Oz" is remarkably true to the source material). It was an interesting contrast, as it was the first Muppet movie after Jim Henson passed away, but Frank Oz was still performing his Muppets (Eric Jacobson has been slowly taking over his characters starting with Bert and Grover in the late 90s). This was also the beginning of the Rowlf's silent period, where he was often seen, but never spoke more than one or two words (this continued until 2005 even though the current performer, Bill Barretta, had been performing the character since 1996).

One thing I love about the Muppets is that consistency of character. While they ofter change drastically early on as the performer seems to find the character in the Muppet, they seem to settle in and stay put. On a different level, I know it's working for my kids as well because if they notice people sound different they don't mention it (unlike the Peanuts TV specials, where whey often comment on the changing voices).

Post-gap photograph.

Well, so much for posting every day. I'm sure I have a compelling reason for missing yesterday's post—alien abduction or something—but I wonder if anyone else has a theory. Anyone?

Less angel and devil than foe and foe

So I took a day off a week or so ago, and promised that I'd add an extra game to make up. As this is the last weekend in the month, this is probably the last day I can do this. So here you are, two games and two pictures for today. This also makes up for missing Day 0 (Jeff, please take note).

For this picture, I should really be wearing white and carrying a jackhammer, but hopefully my friends -- or should I say enemies? -- should help give you a clue. The guy on my shoulder should really be wearing yellow goggles as well, but I didn't have any in his size.

Day Twenty-Six's game is BattleLore, one of the games in Richard Borg's Commands and Colors series. The series covers time periods from the Classical (Commands and Colors: Ancients) to the Civil War (Battle Cry) to World War II (Memoir: 44). The general idea of the series is that the battlefield is broken into three parts, and you play cards to control the left wing, right wing, or center. If you don't have a card in your hand to control that area of the battlefield, too bad. In an abstract way, this represents occasional breakdowns of the chain of command.

BattleLore is an odd duck, being both a game of medieval warfare and a fantasy warfare game. So the Scots are represented by Dwarves, and the Saracens (sort of) by Goblins. Creatures, presumably, represent war machines. Or do they? It's not very clear. There's also magic (or Lore) -- or you can play without it. For this reason, it's been hard to sell it, both for Days of Wonder, the original publisher, and Fantasy Flight, who bought the license in 2008.

The game also has a large number of figures, making it expensive to produce. So when FFG put all the expansions up for sale, it really does send a message that they're done with this game. Thus making it vintage before its time.

Yep, I admit it, I've been slacking on the photo front. But I've been keeping up with the bearding. The sides are starting to show some red as always happens as it gets thicker.

The Thanksgiving holiday was another joyous number of days filled with laughter, love, and many great craft beers. Today I'm finally catching up on some things around the house (and the Internet). Preparing to go back to the grind tomorrow.

Technically I worked Friday, but the office was so blissfully empty that I don't know if it counts.

Scruffy Sunday!

We got up late and attempted to decorate for Christmas, but found that all of our lighted garlands had died in storage. No clue how four strands of lights all go at once. Oh well... we got three years out of 'em.

We met up with my folks and my sister to see "The Muppets" at the Chagrin Cinema. It wasn't the greatest movie, but it wasn't a major disappointment either. The humans were sort of unnecessary distractions, as were the musical numbers. It seemed like fifteen small plots all running in the same direction. Still, it had that 'Muppet magic' even if the script was weak. It made me smile and feel like a kid again, which is all I expect out of the Muppets.

Yeah, I'm still here. Yeah, so is my beard. I keep forgetting/not having time to update. Maybe I'd remember to update more, if people would give my beard more money. For boobs!

After the deer hunters ball.

End of the week folks. Only one more left to the month.

Ice to see you!

Today's beard picture is brought to you by poor ice skating skills. On the upside though, I didn't fall a single time the whole night. Yes, I am impressed and yes, I also think that is donation worthy. 'nuff said.

Good night everyone!

The cap totally fails to hide the fact that ne'er a brush did touch my hair today

I never even achieved shower, let alone pants. What a gloriously frivolous and duty free day. I did manage a little cooking and a little cleaning, but that's it.

I finished Fable 3. What an unbelievably frustrating game. It has lots of charm, humor, a few bits of good drama, some very smart game mechanics, but also is just mind-bogglingly inscrutable at times. I accidentally killed all the people. Not because of something I did, but something I didn't get around to doing because it seemed I had time to do it later and was trying to accomplish something else in the mean time. Then, with no warning, the choice was no longer in my hands. Game over, you killed everyone. Nice job. Oh, and there's no save for you to go back to. Thanks for playing.

Do I sound frustrated? I'm a bit frustrated.

Phew, busy Thanksgiving days, but the turkey was excellent.

We opted for a Indian style Tandoori flavored turkey. First time we worked with an oven bag too, and it worked very well.

I created the spice mixture the evening before Thanksgiving and had the bird marinating overnight. So much flavor packed in there.

Now I finally got around to making another post here. A few more days left for donations. Come on everybody, make it count!

"Treebeard: We have just agreed...

[Merry and Pippin lean in]

Merry: Yes?

Treebeard: I have told your names to the Entmoot, and we have agreed you are not orcs.

Pippin: Well, that's good news."

- The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers, 2002

Tonight, I heard there was to be a Solstice Entmoot nearby. Sure, it was disguised as being the opening weekend of the Cincinnati Zoo's Festival of Lights, but that was a facade easily seen through. As such, I went and brought my face-mane to bear, hoping to make it pass more quickly.

No such luck.

That noted, it was exceedingly festive and done for boobs, so that part's a win. Hopefully, they'll be done with introductions by HoNoToGroABeMo 2012.

Descriptor of the day: epic wind-frizz

I could just eat you up! No. I'm serious.

I think I'm running out of ideas. Okay, maybe that's even generous. I think I ran out of ideas somewhere around day 8 and I've been winging it ever since.

Now, I seem to be running out of... um... wing...ing...ness.

But I have a cinnamon bun, so I'm going to eat it now instead of typing.

Yep...that's the beard. That's where I keep it.

Tonight we had another game night (twice a month, typically). It started an hour late and involved epic tier PCs that we'd never played before. So it highlighted the biggest problem with 4e D&D, combat speed. We had one combat. That said, it was a pretty cool combat, I felt like I was active and doing things, it was a good time.

What's more, it was a one-shot night but the story ties into our regular mini-campaign (I'm taking a break from our 1-30 campaign that we've been running since a few weeks after 4e was launched). Andy, our DM, has been running us through a Dark Sun in a 1-30 game on fast forward. Every 2-3 sessions we jump up 5 levels, so we'll get to experience the breath of the PCs and the different tiers of Dark Sun as well.

Tonight's one-shot was a historical vision. One of our PCs had a vision of the world 8000 years ago, during the Green Age before Dark Sun became the fun place it is today. There were cows. I've been learning from a documentary series based on a book from a historian called Guns, Germs, and Steel...so I happen to know that cows make all the difference.

Long (not really) story short, we were a group of heroes trying to save the world...and in doing so taught a buddy of ours how to cut the world off from the other planes...and the gods...and that's what broke Athas (the world of Dark Sun). Yay...we saved the world, and doomed it to horrible-ness.

It was a good time and I suspect that what we did tonight will come into play in the normal campaign...I have suspect that our current PCs will actually see what's become of our original PCs (who were trapped in the pillars that helped power the magic that allowed the horrible things to happen). Good times. Good times.

Oh, and one of our PCs was a dwarf...so, you know, beard. And we were fighting to save the world...including the 50% that are female. So, you know...boobs.

Connection made...I think I nailed that one. :-)

Manly Points:

Chris - 70

Beard A Non - 110

Drew - 185

Wesley - 278

Bob - 276

Duane - 130

Brian - 240 (+2 for the tree topper, -1 for the lack of evil-ness)

Cmaaarr - 285 (+1 for Cmar vs. Cactus)

Fred - 99

Jeffrey - 275

Kris - 267 (+2 for remembering Evacuation Day, here's to all the one's who didn't survive the occupation of New York)

Michael - 101 (+5 for managing to keep the beard...yay!)

Pete - 259 (+1 for the most entertaining installment of the cat-beard series)

Brian E - 115

A Dam - 249

Jim - 278 (+1 for three-way Jim)

Wannes - 169

Chooch - 220

Jason - 207

Hint: I am holding a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ é _ _ in this picture. The fifth character (of nine total) in the ThinkGeek code is the letter that this word begins with.

Observe! A photo taken after the wedding of my dear friend. See that beard? Aside from some tidying up, it survived! Turns out the other groomsmen were all suitably hirsute, and we decided that we should all keep our facial hair for the special day!

Win win!

All the rules of my fun little contest are here.

dJim/dt = 3

I've divided myself into three parts to mourn what I believe is the end of a great game. Fantasy Flight is having a huge sale, and all the expansions for this game are on that list. Doesn't bode well for the future of the title, that's for sure.

Yesterday's game was Craps. Craps is a descendant of a much old game called Hazard, possibly named after the Arabic Al Zar, meaning "the dice". The game was first noted during the Crusades, and played by the troops while besieging Saracen fortresses. Similar to Craps, in Hazard you make an initial roll (called the main point), and then need to make another roll (called the chance point), and then if you haven't won or lost at that point, need to match the chance point. Winning or losing during the chance point is rather complicated, depending on the main roll and the chance point (and perhaps the phase of the moon as well). It's unclear whether Hazard was brought to America by the British or the French (via New Orleans), but there it was simplified and became the game we know today.

Luck is always a lady, by the way. It's just that as a lady, she's very discerning of good character.

I love human$. Alway$ $eeing pattern$ in thing$ that aren't there.

Here's the beard and I ready to take the family to the Holiday Stroll downtown. There were crowds, candles, Santa, food, singing, a smiling moose giving out hugs, pirate ice sculptures, and telescopes showing Jupiter and four of it's moons, and much more.

One of the most interesting things I saw was a booth selling hats made from skins of dead Hello Kitties. At least that's what they looked like. I suppose there is some chance they were just supposed to be cute Hello Kitty hats, but that is not at all what they looked like.