Now you see him




Now you don't

Poor kid still has a McGrady jersey


(Non)Action shot


All I could think about when I saw this kid was how it was a much simpler time before puberty

I've noticed that more and more lately I spent too much time sifting through websites instead of actually getting something done. I tracked the web sites I went to and it turns out about 8-10 took up 90% of my time. Finally, I decided it was time for an RSS reader.

I've played around with a couple readers before but never really sat down and hashed out a good system for using one. After playing around with a couple different readers, I gave Google Reader a shot. I took the 13 sites that I visit on a daily basis and got started.

By only listing the titles of the articles it was amazing how much of the material on my favorite web sites that I was not even interested in. I'd say I read only about 30-40% of posted material. After about a week I've found that I can go through a days worth of new material on 10 sites in about 15 minutes. Before I spent probably 2-3 hours each day just sifting through material that I had either seen before or something that I had no interest in to begin with. Now I have to find another way to try and look busy at work.

The only two real drawbacks that I've seen so far are that
1) You lose some of the personality of the site. Each of my favorite sites has a different feel to it and you start to lose a sense of that when the layout and text for each site looks the exact same. I've found that opening a new tab for a link that really interests me helps keep some individuality with the sites
2) When you are away from your computer for a while, say out of town for the weekend, and come back there is usually a very daunting number of unread posts. I've been gone for 3 day and came back to 1000+ new stories. It's a huge number but then I realized that these were there before and either I read them or didn't, and I have the same options now.

All and all it's been a great experience and I will definitely continue to use an RSS reader.

Featured post on Destructoid

They liked the game room.

One thing that I think a bunch of gamers my age are going through is trying to find some way to keep in touch with this large part of my life while still trying to have a somewhat adult house/room. As I moved into my new house and decided to designate the den to my gaming the ideas started peculating. This wasn't a new idea, the Mario block cabinet that I built back in my apartment was the first step this process, but after seeing this blog the level got raised.

This part goes out to a tribute to Kyle at
http://ultra-awesome.blogspot.com/2008/05/nes-coffee-table-final-post-rah.html

I should add that I have had basically no woodworking experience, but was really ready to learn about he whole process and throw down some change for the tools. I was really just looking for a good project to get started so this is what I came up with.

I've got a couple of other ideas that I will throw up on here that happened before the table, but none turned out to be quite as bad ass (minus the Donkey Kong shelving).

Well, here is when I'm starting. Just 3/4" MDF and a dream. And wood glue/clamps.


Another facanating view of wood gluing. Grass is growing on some other blog right now, sucker.




The box finalized







Marking off and getting ready to start cutting/drilling. Buying the hole saws was a bit of a pain, but I bought a set on Amazon and it was cheaper than buying a single one at Lowes.



Cutting out the middle pieces. The D-pad took a while but it was pretty simple.

The raised area around the outside of the D-pad was placed on top of the main base. It took quite a while to complete, but the little details really help make it feel more like the real thing. I put them around the d-pad, start/select buttons/A&B buttons. I also shaved off the edges to give up a nice curve. I used an oldschool hand plane but it did a great job.




How the buttons look after constructed. I used springs from Home Depot/Lowes and bolts to help keep them in line. The restriction feels pretty nice and pushes back nicely.

Start/Select buttons

Another view with the springs


Close up of the A/B buttons.

Bottom view for those kinky bitches.


D-pad before the install

D-pad still before the install


Overview before I get too happy.

It's all coming together, a little too nicely.

Ready to prime.

Taping and primer


Black spray paint that bitch.
Oh, looks nice.

For the buttons I got some model paint. It is oil based so you can smash on the buttons and it won't wear off like typical interior paint.

Painting continues. I took a controller to Lowes and picked out a color that matched the puke green middle section of the controller. It would look nine kinds of fugly on it's own, but in the middle of everything else it looks like hot sex. Dirty hot sex.

More paint. I used painters tape to mark off the area and cut out the lettering with an exacto knife. Painfully slow.

Here it is all assembled. Excuse me while I change my pants.

Again.

Back side.




I can store all kinds of hotness in there.


I had a custom piece of glass cut and make some little wooden stands to support it off of the table.


Well the projector is almost installed so the table wiring will be coming up soon. Those damn crooks took off with my damn NES controller so the wiring is going a little slow. As soon as I can find a nice cheap one on ebay I will be soldering these bitches up.

Spring time is just around the corner and having just got the house in the fall I have not had to do too much yard work. We don't have a sprinkler system installed and I didn't figure that would be too big of an issue for Houston as it rains quite a bit, but so far we have barely had any rain. The grass is starting to look a little sad so I decided to try setting up a DIY system to save me some headache as well do it consistently as watering the lawn is usually the last thing on my mind.

I had bookmarked a post from Lifehacker last summer and decided to do it. I pretty much followed it word for word as it was not overly complicated but still substantial enough. The Lifehacker link is here.

I surveyed the yard to find the best way to water the whole yard. My yard is slightly odd shaped since I'm at the end of a culdesac but two sprinklers should cover the back yard and one for the front.

I bought the exact same timer as the article, 3 sprinklers and 3 hoses. The process was as simple as attaching the hoses to the sprinklers and the timer. After a little bit of simple programming the timer was set to give two good deep waterings twice a week in the middle of the night. That was I wouldn't have to put up with wet grass in the mornings. I also decided to bury the hose a little to help hide it and it is barely noticeable in most of the places. Pictures below:

Timer attached to the faucet


Sprinkler 1



Sprinkler 2

Lego Land

Lego Space
Lego Death Star
Lego Blowing Up Alderaan

Lego Big Blue Opponent
Lego Clever Girl
Lego "Oh my god he's right behind you run"

(I'm the one of the left)

Main view
That's me in the blue shirt

I really like magazines

Full bar, contests going all night, and plenty of pinball


That's me in the white shirt


That's me in the red shirt
That's me in the black shirt (an event this big required multiple changes of clothes)
That's me in the tupperware