StormSurge

So I had a random thought the other day while browsing through the channel guide & realizing there was NOTHING on TV that I wanted to watch. I have DirecTV (no cable options on the island & over the air isn't an option either). I have no problems paying for it. I only watch NFL games, UConn men's basketball, Mets games, reruns of The Office, Parks & Rec, Seinfeld, other random sitcoms, any airings of Step Brothers & other random movies, etc. Basically, the only current show I watch is The Good Place & I usually catch that on Hulu. My DirecTV programming is filled with networks I have never watched & never will watch. There must be at least 100 channels that fit that description. So my idea is this. Similar to an ideal a la carte programming plan, where the consumer could pick the networks they would want & eliminate all the filler, how about the consumer picks the content?? Instead of choosing say 50 networks, what if the option existed where the consumer could dictate what is shown on each channel (along with choosing networks). For example, let's say I want to have ESPN, NFL Network, HGTV, History, CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox, & a few others. To round out my programming, I would also like one channel that only played Seinfeld, one only played Barney Miller, one only played Buck Rodgers, one only played The Office, one played The Twilight Zone, etc. Those channels could still have commercials like if a network was showing a marathon, but the consumer chose what each channel played. I know it sounds kind of wacky, but I'd be much more inclined to spend three hours watching Everybody Loves Raymond than not watch anything. A lot of these shows are already available to be streamed on various streaming networks, which makes me think this might not be that nuts in the future. Just a random shower thought I figured I'd share with you all. 🤔

5.5"!!!

EXACTLY!!!! ☃️

I was finally able to shovel snow for the first time all winter yesterday morning (a little over 3” fell) & we’re due for some more tonight. This has been a HORRIBLE winter for a snow-lover, of which I am (I’ve never outgrown that amazing feeling of waking up to snow outside & news that school is cancelled for the day).

Soooo, a few weeks ago I picked up a Switch. The only game I currently have is Civilization 6. I do plan on picking up Breath of the Wild & a few others. Any immediate recommendations? Super Mario Odyssey is up there for me, along with Mario Kart & Smash Bros. Is New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe a sequel/similar to New Super Mario Bros from the DS? (Which to me was a like a suped-up sequel to SMB 3) Just looking to see what you all would recommend. I have 200GB memory card (thanks Amazon flash sale!) on the way and wouldn't mind a new game to add to the collection.

I hope so too. It was a struggle in this area during the heydays of arcades. I missed out on soooo much because it was tough to get to one. Being 8, 9 & 10 years old in 1981, '82 & '83 (as opposed to say 13, 14 & 15) limited my time, as I had to rely on my parents to bring me. Even still, in this area, there were only two that I was aware of. I think I had more exposure to arcade games (which FASCINATED me) from pizza places and bowling alleys. (And Silver Spoons.) One day I will own my own & not an Arcade 1UP knock-off.

So, Sting Ray Afternoons is a MUST read. This book was fantastic & right up our (as in age group) alley. He's not much of a gamer & is a little older than (most) of us, but it's a wonderful nostalgia trip. I highly recommend it. SRAs ends when the author graduates high school. He has since announced a sequel that picks up where SRAs leaves off. https://www.amazon.com/dp/0316419435/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_1sUDCb72C96KB

I knew this was too good to be true. It never materialized. 😔

Still here! Sorry for the lack of posts/updates, etc. Still working & much busier. The island is still quiet and peaceful. The internet still works great, I'm a member of the volunteer fire department (FF1, Treasurer & Lieutenant, not sure how I got that last responsibility, since I still haven't seen a real fire yet), assistant coach for the boys basketball team & just enjoying the solitude. Oh & we had a tornado last October. 😀 🌪️ I'll do better at sharing more pics/videos if you're interested.

I started this in December & need to get back. I've enjoyed it so far. I think I'm subconsciously dreading the decision of choosing Yennifer or Triss. 😍

Open some O'pee Chee!

This was my favorite SW card set. Love 'em!

I never saved a box. I assumed everyone tossed them like I did, so I’m amazed at how inexpensive CIB games are. Of course in hindsight , I wish I had saved every box/card back from every game, playset & action figure I ever had as a kid.

I can't believe I didn't respond to you both. Thank you @RickR & @kamakazi20012 for your kinds words. I appreciate it! And @RickR, I don't think I had a difficult childhood at all! Yeah, my parents divorced & my mother had poor choices in men going forward, but I had two Christmases, two birthdays & my father pretty much gave me anything I could have hoped for. Yes, I wish that the time was reversed (meaning I went to school with my Dad & weekends with my Mom), if only to have more time with all the cool stuff I had at my Dad's. But if that was the case, maybe I wouldn't have had all those cool things and my summers wouldn't have been as awesome as they were.

Fantastic! I have the same set & I love it. Nice job!

Looks fantastic Justin. Great job!!

If this means I can unlock achievements on Switch games, sign me up. 🤓

Great job!! I loved mine & like most of my childhood belongings, I wish I still had it. Just seeing that control pad brought a wave of nostalgia. So cool!

Were you able to finish it??

New, longer trailer.

I LOVE seeing stuff like that. So cool!

Good info Rick! With regards to the Retron77, I recently installed the latest Stella build for it & it works FANTASTIC. I'm looking into an adapter to optimize the paddles, but for now, it's working like a champ for me.

Rick, did you do the mod yourself? I have a FB2 & would love to have this done.

Progress is great. I think I take for granted that I have the ability to watch pretty much anything I want on a device that I can hold in my hand with no wires attached. I can also listen to ANY FREAKING SONG I want on that same device. No matter sitting next to my old boombox, finger on the record button, hoping the DJ will cue up the song I want to hear. I don't always take those facts for granted, as I will occasionally stop to think about what I was doing when I was my daughter's age. But I still will whine & complain that there's nothing on TV and yeah, I can punch up Hulu, Netflix or Amazon but that would require pushing a few extra buttons and really, who has time to deal with that hassle? (I vividly remember not having cable, receiving MAYBE three clear channels & when I did get cable, having the controller box be tethered to the TV. Things were definitely simpler 30+ years ago but that was because we didn't have so many options. It's almost overload nowadays, which isn't totally a bad thing. Personally, I'm able to discover more classic films & shows that I missed growing up. I watched The French Connection a few months ago & it was so great seeing NYC before it was cleaned up. Good stuff.

Woo hoo!! That would be incredible!!