Hero Inc.

After years of wishing and hoping, I was finally able to dress as a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. I may not have been my favorite, but a turtle is a turtle.

The party was great and the costumes were even better. I was unable to defend my Best Costume 2008 award, but the Democrat deserved the award for staying in character all night. I am jealous for not receiving a Nobel Peace Prize since he was handing them out to everyone.

Overall, I believe the Double Dare couple was the best. I mean, it was so simple yet so perfect. I wanted to throw my drink at them any time I was nearby so that I could win the physical challenge.

I was also shocked at how many people could tell that my shell was a papasan chair. I did receive several compliments and that was without being noticed as the guy that also brought the pizza to the party.

The party was great and the costumes keep getting better every year.

Yes, you read that title correctly.  I’m talking about the NES.  The original Nintendo gaming console that everything else was built upon or measured against.  Currently IGN is compiling their list of the 100 greatest NES games.  I’ve only been able to see 100-81 and I’m already remembering the dream. Weekends, summer days, hours trying to beat all of those great games.  Well, in order to be nostalgic, here’s my quick list.

10.		This was never a game that I ever felt like I was truly getting the hang of it, but I always wanted to play it if I visited a friend who owned the game. Tornadoes, dogs, angry home owners, and grim reaper are all normal deterrents to a normal paper delivery.
9.		The original puzzle game doesn’t offer too many changes from each encounter, but people still flock back to it. Classical music and puzzle blocks was apparently the winning formula.
8.		This game has the luxury of being a combination game and essentially gets that boost to be included in this list. Super Mario Bros. provided the first real effort in trying to save the princess from Bowser. From land to water to sewers to castles, this first version had it all. Once you were done with the Mario’s, you could switch to a new game without even changing cartridges. Sure there was that annoying dog that everyone tried to shoot, but you had the latest technology in your hands as you lifted that light gun and pulled the trigger. The science of how it all works still escapes me.
7.		Quite simply the greatest football game ever created. You have four plays to choose from (normally 2 running and 2 passing). What else do you need? Sure, the latest football games are more realistic, but they are not as entertaining. I have hated the 49ers in real life, but I always found myself playing as them in every game.
6.		One freakin’ hard game but every version is always fun and challenging at the same time. One of the first games to feature a female primary character. Similar to the Legend of Zelda approach, one could choose his/her own path. Who knew that Samus would be that attractive underneath that suit?
5.		Machine Gun, Spray Gun, Anything but the lazer. Quite simply the most widely known cheat code in the world and the easiest way to see if someone is a team player (Are they entering “select start” to make this a two man show?).
4.		Yeah, I’m a wimp and never made it farther than Soda Popinski, but who cares. The music was too cool to pass up.
3.		From the opening title sequence you’ll be hooked. We all know that we start with Flash man and work our way from that point onward. Wily vs Light. Good robots vs Evil robots. All of the robots had terrible names but cool special moves.
2.		Many people want to place this game as number 1 on their list and I am actually fighting moving it higher myself. Super Mario Bros. 3 had it all: cool suits, great bosses, cool worlds, and an interesting story. We all cheated using the whistles once we learned of them but I actually have gone back and taken the time on a few different occasions to walk through each and every world before conquering it. I’d say my top items from this game are the Tanooki Suit (useless but fun) and the giant world.
1.		There is no game that I have played since this one that truly captures my interest quite like the original gold cartridge has. Working as Link in order to save Princess Zelda, one must trek across a huge world in search of different levels that offer many goodies and several baddies. The game was a choose your own adventure and the order was up to you and your skills. One of my favorite memories was spending an entire birthday in college working to beating the game before watching Aladdin. Man, I’m a big kid.

Here are the few honorable mentions: Ducktales, TMNT, Chip N’ Dale Rescue Rangers, River City Random, Excitebike, Double Dribble

That’s right baby.  I was able to watch my beloved Atlanta Falcons destroy the San Francisco 49ers this weekend 45 – 10.  Check out NFL.com for game highlights.

This trip to San Francisco was planned about a month ago and the highlight was going to be this game.  I have been to a few different NFL stadiums (Raymond James, Alltel/Jacksonville Municipal, and Superdome) but I have never been in an NFL stadium, other than the Georgia Dome, watching an NFL team play.  I was really excited even though I was informed of the horrible characteristics that were used to describe Candlestick Park.  Horrible neighborhood.  Worst NFL Stadium.  Surly the local SF residents were exaggerating just a bit.

…..Or not.  I must state that Candlestick Park is really one of the worst stadiums I have ever been to or seen.  This includes all sports (baseball, basketball, hockey, etc.).  Sure the area was terrible.  That’s where you build stadiums because the property taxes are low and you have fewer people of “power” to complain about adding a new monstrosity.  But this stadium was/is in need of several improvements.  Heck, you pay a few hundred people and a new coat of paint would improve it drastically.  It worked for the Georgia Dome to go from this to this.

Once inside the stadium it did not get any better.  I believe the seats used inside the stadium are the same rusty seats ripped from any youngster’s early childhood memories of the local sandlot.  I think I could have gotten Hepatitis if I turned the wrong way in my seat.  I also must state that I’m never a fan of combination stadiums (i.e. baseball and football).  They just don’t work effectively in my eyes.

Enough about the stadium.  My pictures speak for themselves.  On to the fans and the game.

The fans were pure 49ers, early 80’s magic.  Walking through the tailgating area made me feel that I was a young punk during the 80’s but without a cool windbreaker jacket.  Maybe it was the throwback jerseys that I saw.  Maybe it was the atmosphere with the old stadium, but I truly felt like I took a step back in time.  I could easily pick out the fans of the dirty birds because they at least looked updated.

The 49ers fans that actually spoke to me (before the game started of course) were really great.  They loved to perform the normal trash talking that was expected.  I even had a group of 49ers fans with a fully eaten chicken bone telling me that this was the way they expected their dirty birds. It’s a shame I couldn’t find them 15 minutes into the game.

Overall, the trip to SF was great because I was able to see May (the true reason for going) and my Falcons truly put together a great game on all sides of the ball.

Go birds and I’ll see you again in Atlanta vs Da Bears.

Zombies, Van Halen, Humor, Killing Zombies, Pop Culture. What else does one actually need?

The Earth has been overcome with a plague that turns all who receive the bite to become a zombie.  You have now entered Zombieland.  There are only a few humans left and those humans must fight to survive.  Simple enough story.

Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenber, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin all bring something different to the film. Woody is your off his rocker man just wanting to kill zombies. Emma is your love interest. Abigail is the little sister to bring a “family” element. Jesse……well…..Jesse is your poor man’s Michael Cera. Michael probably turned down the role and Jesse was just enough to fool the average movie watcher.

Now I knew the movie would be funny based on the trailer, but I never expected how funny it could be.  You’ll need a vast array of pop culture knowledge to truly enjoy this movie but you will still laugh until it hurts.  The banter between Woody and Jesse will get you started.  Enter the two female leads and your sides will hurt.  Break out an ultra A list celebrity and you will be on the floor gasping for air.  Bless you celebrity.  Bless you.  (FYI, don’t go looking at IMDB or other sites to see who it is.  It’s worth it to be surprised.)

Great soundtrack that keeps the movie rocking.  Filmed in Georgia (congrats Coweta).  Instantly quotable (a must).  I’m still laughing.  If only Jesse wasn’t a wannabe Michael Cera, I’d be able to give this movie 5 out of 5.  Oh well.  close enough.

[Rating: 4.5/5]