PURGE 2024 (2)

Let me be clear....I LOVE this game. But for years no one will play it with me, so I finally decided to let it go. It's easy to pick up should I ever need it but I'm doubtful anyone will ever play it with me again. 

Another game I LOVED but NO ONE else did. Every time I played it I was bummed out because no one else at the table ever shared my excitment for the game. This WAS my Star Trek game! And the only one I ever wanted in my colleciton. But when no one else cares for it, there's no sense in keeping it around. 

Another game I was over the moon about! I LOVE the incredible unique mechanism of how planets move around the sun, changing the time it takes to travel between planets. BRILLIANT!

But no one knows Buck Rogers in my gaming group and even though I brought this our several times to my adult group, it never took off for them. The pieces looked good and the gameplay was solid for being so old, but it didn't exicte my group and with no one else to play it with me, I let my "dream game" go. (trade value was pretty good as well, which also added to my decsion)

Yes, even Waddington wasn't immune to my purge this year. I looked at each Waddington game but the only one I had the heart to cut was this one. I'll be honest, the others my have to look out in the future because only good memories protected them this time around. I'm not so sure how that'll stack up before the next purge comes...

Easy set up, fun little game but if you don't roll the polar bear much in the game, it's just a simple boring racing game. It doesn't happen every game we played. But frequent enough for me to toss it in a trade. 

Another sad day. This was in my Top 10 for Vintage games back in the day. I love this little card game. But it went over like a lead balloon with my group and nephews. No enjoyed it as much as me and it rarely came out at all which is why it got purged from my collection. 
 

PURGE 2024 (1)

 It's time to announce the first round of games to be purged from my collection!

This first round was easier than the next one will be, simply because I can already identify reasons why the following had to go. 

Some surprises in here to be sure. I'd done this AFTER filming my "Top Board Games" videos and now that I've started playing through the list again. Here were some easy ones to discard:

We'll start with some easy ones first. My vintage game collection is taking a hit for a few reasons. One is that I want to curb it down as well but secondly, these are just games I don't see myself ever playing again. 

The first example of that is this game. 2 player game and I rarely play it because I never play with only 2 people at the table. And even if I did, no one would appreciate this simple game. So I purged it from the colleciton. 

My nephews used to love this game. Now they don't play board games with me anymore and it's not getting played at all. Classic game. Enjoyable, but if it's not coming to the table, it's only taking up space!

A game I bought for Megan because I thought she'd play it with me. She did....once. Now it sits on a shelf gathering more dust than play time. Easy decision to cut it, she'll never notice it missing for years I bet. 

Another game of the Mrs who never plays with me anymore so there's no sense keeping it. I have plenty of games to play with my girls when they get older and this isn't one I felt had to be kept around. 

This one hurts a little. It's a solid game but I mainly got it for my buddy Nick and I to play. He was a long time member of my board game group for years until he moved away. Since then, it hardly gets to the table now and no one seems to enjoy it as much as I do, so it had to go. 

I'll be back with more tomorrow!

12th Day of Christmas!

 Welcome to the final day of Christmas!

I have a reocrd player and this is really the only time of year it gets played with all of our Christmas albums. I wish I had collected more back in the day when we used to shop flea markets and antique stores. 

I hope you all had a wonderful celebration this year. It was another wonderful Christmas season for me and my family. Here's to the next 11 months, as we go through out the year until another season arrives. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

One more day to go!

 It's been a fantastic bit of Christmas for us. Even though by this time, most folks have taken down their Christmas lights and decorations. I won't do that until this weekend. 

It's funny, because even when we were young, dad usually kept it open until after the first week in January. Mainly because my grandparents would come in the visit after New Year's and we'd do one more Christmas with them, so Dad kept the decor up. Now we do it to celebrate the entire season. 

But I'm still listening (and enjoying) my Christmas music. The last day I'll listen to it is tomorrow. Then I strictly forbid it being played in the house until after Thanksgiving again!

2023 New Years Goals lookback!

 Looks like I only had one goal last year. And that was to spend more time with Mom and Dad. And I certainly achieved that!! More than I ever dreamed!

It was my only goal and one I dedicated myself too the entire year. So not much else ot review this year like I have in the past. Just another "checkmark" for Resolutions!

Happy 10 Day of Christmas everyone!

New Year's Resolutions

 Here's my goals for 2024:

1) Reduce my collection down to 200 games. I've already made a purge recently and will discuss is more next week on what games got cut this go round. But I'm not done yet! I'll be cutting more games by year's end too to ensure I get to or under my goal!

2) Finish my comic book series. Yes, I'm back to drawing again. I drew a comic for my sister at her request for Christmas back in 2022. Ever since then I've been working on and off on another 50 issue series but had multple delays and wasn't able to get it out in 2023 so this year I plan on finishing it and maybe even starting on another one after wards. 

Lots of ideas in mind for series, but it's finding the time to draw that's harder to find as I have 4 kids now who do everything in their power to hinder my own hobby. 

But I at least plan to get this first series done this year. 

3) Eliminte more junk around the house. 

This seems to be a constant "resolution" for me each year. But I've got DVD's I need to see if BAM will take in trade and TONS of junk in the garage to either give away or DUMP. Since I live with a packrat it isn't easy, but each year I quietly eliminte junk around the house. I'll be stepping up my game in 2024 that's for sure!

That's my goals, what's yours?

Happy 2024!!

 A new year and I new beginging for everyone! This is my last day off before returning to work in over 2 weeks. To be honest, I'm ready to get back into the swing of things and see what I missed. 

Have a good year everyone!

Goodbye 2023!

 All in all, the year was pretty good! 

The best thing was I still have a job I love, kids are growing and all my family here to celebrate. 

Last year I was a little worried but not this year and I'm thankful for that. 

The only bummer was getting swindled by the AC people out of $14K but I plan on building back up my savings in 2024. No more living paycheck to paycheck again I hope!

Have a good evening folks and a Happy New Year!

Lordy, lordy, look who's 40!

 Megan celebrated the big 4-0 this year. I already got her a present from her childhood to give her today and I'm hoping for a party but every time I ask her about inviting her friends she changes the topic. So it may just be me taking her out to her favorite restaraunt and that's it, but either way, she leaves the realm of the 30's today!

How to celebrate the holidays

 So besides parties with family what else do we do for the season?

We'll for the first week of Christmas I'm off work and go around with the girls doing various fun things with them. Day at the park, to go get a treat and even the trampoline park are just a few things we do with them. 

We play games, have special treats and have fun every day! Sometimes we even have leftover presents we let them open or whenever someone visits with gifts for the kids, we hold a special celebration altogether. We shcedule those events with Aunts and after Christmas visitors so the girls get to opn a gift just about every day. 

We even hold the 12th day present as the biggest to end the celebration on a high!

Happy 5th day of Christmas everyone!

Mardi Gras Tree

 In Lousiana, a lot of people keep their tree until Mardi Gras. Turning there tree into something that celebrates the hoilday. 

Walmart even sells Mardi Gras tree decorations for the season. We don't do that but I know more and more people every year around here who do it. 

Even had one friend who kept his tree up for 11 months straight! Each month or so, he'd change the decor on his tree for every holiday he could think of. But after Halloween he took it down. 

When I asked him why, he said it was because he wanted to put it up again for Christmas. BOO!! He only had one more month to go!

I've thought about doing it and maybe one year I will. I think it'd be fun to have a tree up all year to celebrate different holidays. Maybe when the girls are older they could help me with the decorations. We'll see....but not this year. 

Why don't more people celebrate the 12 days?

 I've always wondered this. Why don't retailers start picking up bringing the 12 days into the public eye? It would be a big boom for them financially and I think the public would love celebrating a true 12 days instead of just one each year. 

I remember before we celebrated the 12 days, you felt a little deflated that it was all over all of the sudden. 

I see people throwing out their tree on Christmas night even! Are they THAT done with the holiday by then? I doubt there are that many people who would be against 12 days. 

These days it only takes one "trending" moment on social media to start a trend. Perhaps one day, someone will do just that and open up the knowledge about what the 12 days of Christmas are. 

I'm not that guy, in case you were wondering. 

 Watched this Christmas Eve. John Woo film with no dialogue just action. As a man seeks revenge over the death of his son which a gang accidently killed in a drive by shooting. 

He takes a year to prepare before he launches his violent assault. 

To be honest, not bad. I even got choked up a couple of times during scenes where he'd remember his son. And even at the end he daydreams of what could have been if the kid had grown up. 

Don't know if I'll ever watch it again, but worth one viewing at least. 

On the 2nd day of Christmas...

 If you don't know, the 12 Days of Christmas begins ON Christmas day not before. 

Years ago, our family started celebrating the entire season together. We plan Christmas parties at each others houses on different days to makr the celebration!

January 5th is when it ends and I have so many plans to hang out with family and friends for this entire Christmas season. 

So if you're  celebrating it as well, I wish you all a Merry (2nd Day of) Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

 On the first day of Christmas I wish you all the merriest!

Christmas Eve and All's Well!

 This is the only night out of the year when I don't hear any cars on the highway at night. 

Truly a "Silent Night"

Enjoy your evening folks!

Thanksgiving (Movie review)

 Finally had a chance to watch this last night. A horror movie set around my favorite holiday. 

It's hilarious that this town LOVES Thanksgiving more than Christmas, but they do. When "Black Friday" is portrayed as a Thanksgiving holiday, you know they're stretching the truth slightly. : )

It's what you'd expect in a typical horror film. Imaging the poor man's "Scream" with a Thanksgiving theme. Believe it or not, I heard this movie made money so they're doing a sequel! I'll watch it but this won't be a "Thanksgiving" classic for me at all. 

Candy Cane Flavors (4)

Last ones and I'm done for the night!

I know this is a "healthy" flavor but I'd pass on getting any. 

Another "spicy" cinnamon flavor. I'd get it because its called "Krampus" but other than that, I wish they could've been more creative on the flavors. 

Yep! Just like the other food flavors, this one would be interesting to try. 

 Nope. I don't think this would be good at all. 

Ok folks, that's it for now. Merry Christmas!

Candy Cane Flavors (3)

So interesting. Who thought this was a good idea? I mean....I'd try it, but who thought THIS flavor was needed for candy canes?

Clams....no.

It's a cinnamon flavor....I like the look but cinnamon? That's the most common flavor they could come up with?! LAME.

 This is a weird one as well but I'd try it. Megan made a face when I showed her this flavor but if you combined this with a few other "meal" flavors of candy canes, you could come up with quite a meal!

Candy Cane Flavors (2)

I would try them. I bet it'd be a weird taste. Seriously, if I were rich I'd have bought them all, put them on the tree and had a blast while people tried guessing what each flavor was. 

I have NO idea what this is, so no. I wouldn't want to try it. 

I think this one would be pretty good. But are they salty or sweet? Because I don't think this flavor would be that good if it were sweet. 

Yes, this is another one I would try. I love me some brisket and this one piqued my interest big time. But they weren't worth the price (in my opinion) so we walked out of the store empty handed.