2nd Boardgame Purge of 2023 (2)

 Time to talk about more vintage games that were purged from my collection this year:

All the JP games had to go. I bought them for Megan years ago in the hopes she'd play vintage games with me that connected to her childhood. 

She didn't. In fact, her nephew was the only one who even cared about these games anymore. So they were only played once a year. I'm tired of bringing them out just for him. The offer no joy and are (in different ways) flawed games. Happy to remove them from my collection. 

Unique theme, but more like "Where's the Game?" I did change the rules to assist with gameplay but overall its trade value far outwieghed its worth on my shelf. So I let it go. 

Spin and move anyone? No? Wow. Well I guess its decent trade value makes it a perfect choice to remove it from my list. The girls played this with me once and that was enough "memories" for me. The funny thing is, no one will ever know this game is gone now that I don't have it anymore. 

Megan told me if I got her this game she'd play it with me. 

We never opened it up once. 

Surprisingly this also had some trade value to add to my tally which I was gratful for!

More coming tomorrow!

Things I'm thankful for (19)

 Today I'm thankful for my youthful appearance! 

Just had a neighbor recognize me last week from a place we both worked at 20 years ago. She said the reason she recognized me was because I looked exactly the same as I did back in the day. 

Now I know I've aged, but she meant I looked similar to how I did back then which is why she knew my face. 

....or maybe because I wear the same clothes as I did 20 years ago?

Hmmmm....maybe this wasn't a compliment at all!

Who cares?! I'm thankful either way!

Things I'm thankful for (18)

 Today it's my nephews. Though they really don't play board games with me anymore, I'm thankful they did for so long this year. 

We used to play wiffle ball too when they were younger, that was fun until they grew out of it too. 

I now watch an occasional movie with them every now and again. And even though it's not as fun to me as our board game nights were, it was fun while it lasted!

Things I'm thankful for (17)

Today I'm thankful for all the many friends I've made over the years through YouTube. I got to meet 2 more of them this year for the first time ever and I've enjoyed them all. 

Next month I'll be looking at closing in on 8K subs! Incredible. I'm very humbled so many people find the channel that interesting. 

It's only a hobby for me (not a career) but I'm thankful for every subscriber I get!

 

2nd Boardgame Purge of 2023 (1)

 Well... I did it again! I traded a ton of games to Noble Knight in exchange for a few solid ones to help reduce my collection. 

Which games were purged? Let's begin!

FINALLY!

I hate this game. It was the FIRST game on my list to go. Horrible game. I will never miss it. 

Another vintage game purge as I brought my collection down to an even 100 games. Spin and move. Terrible. 

Believe it or not, some of these games carried a little trade value. People remember the Care Bears. Hence this game will give them nolstagia for their childhood....it'll also bore them out of their skull with the amazingly poor gameplay. 

This is one my little girl asked me not to sell....she's since forgotten about the game altogether and that's a good thing. 

I'll be back with more next week!

Things I'm thankful for (16)

 

This isn't a picture of my car but rather one like it. 

Either way, today I'm thankful it still runs today. 

With paying for new AC units, I don't have any savings at the moment. So I need everything else in my life to maintain and hold together until I build it back up. 

My car is well past 100,000 miles, yet it's had less work on it than Megan's brand new vehicle from less than 2 years ago. 

It's been a warhorse for me and has been stable this whole year. Now more than ever am I thankful for that!

Matt's Top 100 Vintage Board Games 2023 (#10-1)

 

Things I'm thankful for (15)

 One last time for family and I'll move on. 

Dad. 

I wasn't sure he'd be around to celebrate another Thanksgiving with me and happily it looks like he'll be around for quite a few. 

It's the best news I've recieved all year, hearing he was going to be ok. Nothing else has even come close. 

I think about this every day now, not just in November. EVERY holiday I get to spend with him from this point on is a blessing and I'm gratful to God for it!

This may be the thing I'm most thankful for this year overall, but I still got a week's worth of things to mention so I'll see you tomorrow with more. 

Matt's Top 100 Vintage Board Games 2023 (#20-11)

 

Things I'm thankful for (14)

 Today I'm sticking to the subject of family and talking about my Mom. 

She's the only person left on the planet to give me an actual birthday present anymore. It's not much. Usually socks and candy but if it wasn't for her I wouldn't be opening anything on my birthday. 

Mom is always willing to help when I need a babysitter on Saturdays when I have to clean the house and any other time I need her. She's loving (like a mom should be) but also very kind to everyone she meets. I'm glad I had that in my life to understand kindness for others. Though Mom still takes the cake when it comes to being "kind" I'm thankful for all the things she's done me in the past and present. 

Matt's Top 100 Vintage Board Games 2023 (#30-21)

 

Things I'm thankful for (13)

 

Today I'm going with my siblings. I'm glad 3 of them live around town so I can see them often. Get to know and watch their kids as they get older and spend time with them now and again. 

It's always been nice growing up in a big family. A lot of people I know, I know from my siblings connections. It's certainly made my life fuller in more ways than one. 

Matt's Top 100 Vintage Board Games 2023 (#40-31)

 

Things I'm thankful for #12

 I love reading books. And I'm closing in on re-reading just about everything in my collection. All that'll be left by the end of the year is (maybe) a few Star Wars stories and my Calvin and Hobbes collection. 

It's been a wild trip since 2020 rereading every book on my shelf. But I've enjoyed every book. It's always a comfort to me to read and that I still find the time to do it, is a blessing. 

It truly is the small things in life that can deliver the best enjoyment!

Things I'm thankful for #11

 

Boy am I thankful to have a gaming group. Sure it's slowly dying off, but I've been able to keep it for years now and that's a blessing in and of itself. 

This is my "happy time" every week when I invite others over and we get to play a few games togeher. Win or lose I'm thankful for the opportunity to enojoy my favorite hobby. 

It's been the highlight of my weeks for most of the year and I pray it continues for many more moving forward. 

Things I'm thankful for #10

 I live a stressful life. I take care of all the bills, the groceries, diapers, everything!

Currently living paycheck to paycheck but that should change next year. 

And all through 2023, I'm not stressing out about it. Ever. 

Oh, I'm concerned at times but I don't let it effect having fun with my kids when they're up. Or enjoying personal time with friends and family. And I'm thankful for that. 

I never want to be the guy who's constantly complaining or stressing out about something in his life. Sure ther'es plenty I could be stressed out about, but I choose not to. 

And the ability of that choice is what makes me thankful today. 

Matt's Top 100 Vintage Board Games 2023 (#50-41)

 

Things I'm thankful for #9

 Thankful for my house. I love it. I knew it was perfect for us the first time I stepped foot in it almost 2 years ago. 

I could see our entire lives through here and I'm happy we're making memories to back it up!

I work hard to keep it as clean as I can. Having to watch all the kids every night and all day on Saturdays makes it a little hard to get cleaning done, but during naps and bedtime, I work hard for an hour or 2 every night to take care of our home. 

I'm also thankful for the 2.75% rate I have, while rates now are closing in on 8%! How blessed is that?!

Matt's Top 100 Vintage Board Games 2023 (#60-51)

 

Santa Bowl Update XI

 The FINAL update before the big game!

I'm assembling my team now. The Adults MUST get a big team this year if they're to have a chance against the Youth. We can't play Ironman ball out there or we'll lose. 

There's been a lot of drop outs for the adults over the years. I'm slowly having to rebuild the team, but I'm sure I'll have it by the end of the month. 

I still don't have an improved trophy to show off yet but if I get one before now and then, I'll make another post. 

Until then....see you at GAME TIME!!

Things I'm thankful for #8

 My health is something I'm thankful for everyday but especially this month. There are friends I have that are 13 years younger than me who can't move around like I can today. 

Now, I'm not fooling myself. I know I'm getting older and will be doing less physically as time goes on. But for the moment, I'm thankful for all the things I'm still capable of doing today!

It's a great feeling (literally) and I'm thankful to God for granting me so much health in my current age. 

Things I'm thankful for #7

 Finally I want to say about work is my team in general is awesome. I learn so much from them and recieve so much support that I can't begin to repay it all back. 

Sad to say, but they rarely call on me as much as I call on them for help. And they are glad to assist every time. 

It's one of the many reason I enjoy working for the company. Being on a good team such as I am, makes that difference. 

I even have one lady who watches my kids for free and loves them just as much as I do. Just incredible the amount of support I've recieved from all angles at work. 

Things I'm thankful for #6

 Another thing I'm extremely thankful for concerning work is my boss. She's great. In fact, I think I'm going to go as far and say she's the best one I've ever had at Chase. She even beats my first boss, who gave me the job in the first place. 

She's completely awesome. Makes me laugh. Watches out for me. Drops anything she's doing to speak to me as soon as possible when I ask and always gets my issues resolved quickly. I truly love her for that. 

She's talking about coming to Monroe in 2024 and if so, I'm giving her the biggest hug and thanking her for every single things she's done while I've been underneath her. 

The last time she was here was 4 years ago and she was my teammate back then. I couldn't be prouder of the leader she's become since then. 

Things I'm thankful for #5

 I got a lot of things to be thankful for surrounding work so get used to seeing this logo a couple more times tonight. 

First off, I'm thankfull for the job I have. Chase has been incredibly good to me over the years. I love working here, I love my job and I'm thankful it brings in enough to help me provide for my family. 

I can't ever see me going anywhere else. Every year (but one) I've recieved offers from other places, but keep turning them down without even giving them an interview. Chase is my home and I'm not leaving anytime soon. 

Things I'm thankful for #4

 I love my little Ella. She's my sweet sweet girl and she loves her daddy. I love her laugh and her smile. She's "Miss Cheerful" around the house and she sleeps through most nights. She's been my favorite around the house lately fo that last fact alone!

She's so pretty too. She loves sitting in my lap and talking to me in the car. She turns her head to look at me when she calls my name. I love it. 

She's content most of the time (unless she's hungry) and I couldn't ask for more in a child. Like all my children, she holds a special place in my heart. 

Things I'm thankful for #3

Oh Meridian. A name I thought I'd never get away with calling my little girl though I've wanted it for decades. 

She's got a million faces and knows how to make friends easy and make people laugh. There's not a kid out there who doesn't love her. She's got my personality. Though she loves her momma way more than me at the moment, it doesn't change the way I feel about her. 

I could hold her all day in my arms and not get tired of it. (though she would after 30 seconds) She's a talented girl and is going to do great things one day I just know it. 
 

Things I'm thankful for #2

 By the way, these aren't in any order. 

But next up is my little man. He's a smart guy and a big stinker at times but he's my only boy and words can't express how much he means to me. 

He's fearless and energetic. Lately he's come around and is sharing more with his twin, which I love. I've always wanted a boy named "Forest" and now that I have one, I feel complete. 

He started very thin and worried several doctors his first 8 months. But I knew he'd overcome it. And now he's as healthy as they come and I'm thankful for that even more!

Things I'm thankful for #1

 

I meant to start this at the first of the month but time got away from me so I'm a little behind but I'll post 8 today and continue throughout the remainder of the month. 

I love Thanksgiving. It's my favorite holiday. And there's SO MUCH to be thankful for this month that I wanted to list something every day of it, leading up to Thanksgiving Day. 

First off, my Piper. 

I love her. She's my special girl who loves being around me and I love her so much. She's got a big heart and is the first to console anyone who needs it. 

Her smile brightens my day and I'm thankful for her not only during November but the entire year. 

Matt's Top 100 Vintage Board Games 2023 (#70-61)

 

Matt's Top 100 Vintage Board Games 2023 (#80-71)

 

Matt's Top 100 Vintage Board Games 2023 (#90-81)

 

Fall Back Blues

 I hate that we're losing even more sunlight come this Sunday. Sure it's an extra hour's sleep but then it starts getting dark at 5:30pm and I'm bummed. I feel like I'm misisng out on my day. 

I thought we were stopping this since a vote passed through the Senate last year but it appears the bill failed in the house so we're once again stuck in this ridiculous pasttime of setting our clocks back on hour. 

Ugh!

Matt's Top 100 Vintage Board Games 2023 (#100-91)

 

Too much candy!

 I just finished seperating (and throwing some away) the candy from my girls Halloween haul. 

Completely ridiculous how much we got. 

Enough to fill up 2 huge jars. 

We'll never eat this. 

Ugh. 

World Series Champs!

 Congrats to the Rangers on their first ever World Series title!

I was pulling for them but in truth, I'd have been happy for the Diamondbacks too. But the Rangers played hard, they played well and are deserving champions without a doubt. 

Good for them!

Matt's Top 100 Vintage Board Games 2023 (#113-101)

 

Happy Halloween

 I'm just going to hold my breath and wait for this day to be over. (vomit)

Ghost (Sour Pink Lemonade)

 There's getting to be so many flavors out there even I can't keep up now!

And it's hard to find some of the uncommon ones like this but I found a place that had it so I decided to try it out. 

Not bad!!

I love lemon flavored energy drinks and this one taste great! The "sour" really comes from tartness of the leamonade flavor. It's honestly one of the better ones I've had from this brand. 

The only ones I know are still out there that I haven't tried are "Faze Pop", "Bubbliscious Cotton Candy" and "Sour Rainbow Strips" but I have no idea where to go for these since most places only carry the basic flavors. 

It won't stop me from looking though!

Venice Nursery Promo (mini-review)

 Really good game I picked up this year had a promo I had to get. This let's you move you're other boat and even promote a worker at another building!

I really like this one and since I've been playing the game a lot more (it's got to be a Top 100 for me now) I knew I had to get it. 

Is it worth getting? Yes. (if you're a fan of the game as I am)

Easy to find at the BGG Store right now. 

Have a good weekend folks!

Elevator Room (review)

 Scary movie month continues...and comes to a screeching halt with this dud. 

The trailer is impressive...the movie was made off of a collage budget. 

You play a game and if you play it wrong, the "Red Lady from Level 5" gets you. If you play it right? The Red Lady from Level 5 gets you!

Huh? 

So what was the point of playing the game in the first place?! The movie can't come up with an answer. 

The acting is poor, the lighting it horrendous and the "scares" are few and far between. 

The only thing enjoyable about this movie was that I got to watch it with some fellows who kept the laughs rolling as we watched this garbage. 

PASS.

You're better off taking the stairs than playing the Elevator Game on your TV. Trust me. 

Coke Y3000 (review)

 I always have to try a new flavor each time I see it. So the moment I saw this at the gas station I knew I had to give it a try. 

Yuck. 

Orange Creme soda. No wonder they hid that with an obscure name. Because if you called it by its true flavor NO ONE in their right mind would buy it. 

Also, I need to be more careful around this time of year. You never know when the dreaded "pumpkin spice" version will come out. 

I shudder at the mere thought!

As for this flavor? It's another swing and a miss for Coke. 

Retribution (review)

 I don't know why I even bother watching Neeson anymore. It's the same premise, different setting. 

Remember 15 years ago when he was playing the dad of a teenage girl who gets kidnapped? 

Now he's still playing the dad of young teenage children (at 70?)  and trying to get out of a situation that feels it's straight out of a 90's movies. 

Someone plants a bomb under his car seat and unless he obeys the instructions of the mysterious caller on the cell phone, he'll blow them all up. 

This "thriller" takes place overseas in another country for no apparent reason then that's where they decided to film on location. 

The plot never goes anywhere and the "twist" ending makes even less sense. 

The reason I watched this one in the first place is because it actually got a theatric release (unlike the last 2) so I thought the caliber of the story would be better. 

It's wasn't. 

Avoid at all cost. Not sure if I'll ever trust another one of his films again. He had a great run, but now it's going nowhere (just like this film did) 

Talk to Me (review)

 

It's Halloween season... I'm striking out when it comes to movies. 

BOR-RING!

20 minutes of character development before they get to the actual story but the problem is, by the time that all starts you care NOTHING for the characters. 

They aren't likable or relatable. 

For half the film nothing really scary happens, there's one scene that's "ok" and the ending is so predictable you'll know it 10 minutes before it ends. 

I'm getting tired of these horror movies with an interesting premise, but predictable ending. Seems that's all they make these days anymore. 

PASS!

Big Game Energy (review)

 Gave this one a try a few weeks ago out of curiosity (and that it was a sour drink)

Very, very MEH. 

Weak, flat taste. Wasn't a fan. While the flavor was unique, is wasn't very good either. I won't be trying any of flavors. 

Have a good weekend folks!

Carl's Date

Didn't even know this short came out. Didn't even know I wanted to see more from the world of "Up" either. 

It was good. Not great, but good enough to make you miss Carl as a character. There's a little heartfelt moment in the end to make you smile as well. 

Pixar has lost its magic over the years, but I love when they bring classics back the right way like they did here. Worth the watch if you're interested. 
 

Formula D Catalina Santana Promo

 I usually don't go for promos for this game but when I saw it came with the extra car I couldn't resist. 

Not worth getting. It was $20 w/shipping (they charged me $5 but the envelope said $1.35) So probably paid too much. But overall I'm happy I got it. 

We played this a lot during summer vacation and I was caught up in the moment when I bid on it during a BGG auction. 

That stupid auction was a month long so it didn't come in until September. 

Again, I'll probably never play the character card since I don't play the advanced version but that car? That will be my car I use for every race going forward!

Architects of the West Kingdom: Christ the Redeemer Promo (mini-review)

 A few MONTHS ago I bought this from their online store. Due to several delays and 2 attempts to get my address right (their fault, not mine) it finally came in last month. 

I bought a few other promos for the game but decided not to feature them because they're just extra cards to the game with no particular name for them other than "promo pack" All those cards and this Wonder do is give you more choices in the game and I'm all for that. 

Don't be fooled by the size either. That meeple is bigger than the picture indicates. I was a little surprised when I got it in. 

Again, it's your average run-of-the-mill promos that only add extra choices to the game but nothing new. Worth it? To me, yes. To a fan of the game? I'll go ahead and say "Yes" too.  

Dinosaur World Lawyer Promo (mini-review)

 I'm a completist, what can I say? 

This card is currently available in the BGG Store, so during one of their Flash sales I went ahead and picked this up. 

It's a good card to get if you think you're going to get hit hard that round. Is it a must have? No, but you can't tell a completist like me that. 

Justified: City Primeval (review)

 Finished it last month and I have to say...not bad!

The Good:

- Having Raylan Givens back felt good from the start. Though 8 years older since we last saw him, he's still a character that draws you in the moment you see him. 

- Excellent villain. You believe he's as bad as he pretends to be. A little cocky mixed with some smarts on how he knows the law and has been in the game long enough to sniff out a trap or betrayal. Very believable character. 

- Raylan still makes me laugh. The show writers kept the integrity of the show the entire way through. That shouldn't be hard to do with only 8 episodes but...has anyone seen a Marvel show lately??? EEEE...

The Ho-Hum:

- Its 2023 and you have to check that diversity box these days for execs to approve your show. So they set the story in Detroit which made sense and also allowed a slew of diverse characters into the show. 

The Bad:

- I HATE when they deconstruct a character. It's what EVERY writer likes to do these days because they aren't talented enough to write a continuation from a happy ending. Raylan and his wife are divorced, for NO reason Raylan falls in love with an old chubby lawyer (diversity check!) but when he finally quits the US Marshals at the end, it isn't enough to bring his true love back to him as she says in her cameo appearance in the end "You couldn't quit for me, I'm glad you're quitting for her" (the daughter) This was extremely disappointing but expected in today's limited writer's imaginations.

The GREAT:

Raylan gets his man in the end with 15 minutes left to go and you're thinking "Ok....what's next?" Then they hit you with a whopper!!!! Bringing back Boyd at the end....with a jail break and a cliffhanger that shows Raylan seeing the Alert, trying to ignore it while his phone starts ringing from a call by the US Marshalls.

PERFECT. 

Whether or not they go with another season I don't care. Either way, that was a GREAT way to end the series. 

Overall, I was happy with it and would welcome more if FX seemed fit.   

Funyuns Spicy Queso

 I love me some Funyuns, but spicy queso? Why??

Didn't matter because Megan knew to pick them up for me without asking. I'm all for trying something new like this. 

Aaaaaaaand, it's not Funyuns at all. Just Spicy Queso flavor on chips shaped like Funyuns. What was the point? 

Not a taste of onion. None. Just Queso. 

Don't understand it, not getting it again. What a waste. 

Carmella Creeper

 Got to try out the newest Monster cereal flavor last month. It's so-so. Caramel taste that's not too strong and is fine. It falls in line with the other cereals and I hope sticks around for years to come. They also came out with another "Monster Mash" that includes here but unless they go on sale, I don't see a need to get one right now. 

Here's to hoping we get Yummy Mummy back in stores next year! 

Santa Bowl Update X

 Egads! I made an error! The game is on December 9th NOT Sunday the 10th!!

Just noticed that as I was lining up my team for the upcoming game. 

But I'm noticing there's an issue....people on my side are getting too old for this. 

My brother Jeremy informed me he "stopped running years ago" and a few others who played years ago have expressed their regrets that they can no longer play anymore. 

I'm in a little bit of trouble here. Putting together a team of 22 people (like we did in the old days) is the only way to ensure no one gets gassed halfway through the game. But if I only have 11, we're going to get smoked!

Oh well. It's only a game right? 

She you with next month's update!

Last Voyage of the Demeter (review)

 I'd heard this movie left theaters almost the moment it arrived. I thought it was an interesting story about how Dracula came to England and was interested in checking it out. 

I finally got a chance to watch it and it was pretty good! I'm surprised it bombed in theaters. Its beautifully shot, has interesting characters and a good overall story. 

Odd, but I kept thinking it this had come out 15 years ago I may have made more money. It looked like a movie that would've killed at that time. But I guess these days people are more picky with which movies they choose to go see and I can surely understand that. 

But if you get the chance this October for a "scary" movie, it's worth a watch!

Still young

 It's wild the think that my friends (some of whom are 14 years younger than me) are aging faster than I am. 

For example, we have stairs at our house. I'm still running up and down them with ease. But the biggest thing I've noticed is chairs. For game nights and podcast upstairs I'm always used metal folding chairs. But as of this past year everyone is telling me it hurts to sit in them now. 

I'm slowly buying more comfortable chairs but until then, I'm the only one stuck in a metal folding chair without pain and discomfort. While friends my age or up to 14 years younger, MUST sit in a comfy chair or they back hurts. 

Needless to say, it make me very thankful to be in this good of shape at my age. 

Now I'm still getting older in a few aspects. We used to play on the floor 14 years ago....I can't do that anymore. I feel the pain. 

I know in another 10 years I'll be singing a different tune, but for now I'll be thankful for what I've got!

Have a good weekend folks!

Out of checks

 I'm out of checks. 

The last time I ordered checks was when I joined Chase....exactly 14 years ago. 

I'm not even sure if I want to order them again. That was 2009 and it took me this long to order them all. How long will it take the next time?

Yeah, I'm think I'm finally done with these. My church was the only one really getting them anymore and I believe even they have an app now. 

Wow. 14 years. This is no longer relevant in our society anymore its safe to say!

All Hollow's Eve (movie review)

 

Tis the season for scary movies so I thought I'd watch the movie that started all the "Terrifier" movies in the first place. 

I never knew about this until a buddy of mine told me about this low budget movie where the clown was first conceived. 

It's cheap, bad acting at times....but the clown was really good in this one. I liked him better in this one than his bigger budgeted movies. Less gore and more creepy moments which is how it should be. 

It's all about a babysitter who's watching 2 kids at Halloween when they find a VHS tape in one of the kids bags. (yep VHS)

They decide to pop it in and play it, only to discover it's weird "horror" movie vibe. The babysitter send the kids to bed but continues watching the movie without them. It's a couple of "horror" shorts with the clown being a part of a few. 

At the end, the clown comes to life from the TV and reeks havoc on the babysitter. Not a bad ending either. 

Do I suggest watching it? Meh. Not really. It IS cheap and the acting IS poor. But for what it was, I enjoyed it. A good kick off to a month of watching horror movies! 

The Meg 2 (review)

 

Do you like shark movies?

Then don't see this one. It sucks. 

Honestly, Megan and I watched it and couldn't believe how bad it was. The first one was fun. This was.... is just awful!

The story is EVERYWHERE and makes no sense! The sharks (yes there's more this time around) are hardly in it and the entire film is just a giant mess on the big screen. NOT worth your time. 

Writers shouldn't go on strike when their product is as bad as this. 

Slush Puppie commercial - 1984

This was my jam back in the day!