GeoCaching: Congrats to the Wife!

I'm already about a week late on this, but my wife just found her 100th GeoCache last weekend as she and I trooped about in the cold mud. She's already found another 20 or so. I'm quite a bit behind having only 8 to my name, but I've been enjoying the adventures.

For those unitiated, head over to this site to find out more. Basically there are small caches hidden all over the world, and using a GPS or your smartphone, you can track them down. Some are tiny caches that are hidden, others are large caches that hold a bunch of goodies you can swap stuff for. But all in all, it's a great way to go around outdoors and enjoy nature.

Thanks to Skill-less Brian and his family for introducing us to this.

Life as a Kelmelis

Over last weekend, my brother and sister-in-law took Laura, LeeAnn and me out to the Melting Pot for dinner - it was a Christmas present from last year. Every year they do something really nice for the siblings to all enjoy together. It's a lot of fun to spend a night out on the town with them. One year it was Eric and I enjoying a trip to Baltimore together. Last year, the two of them took Laura and me to sushi and a show.

So this year we arrive at the Melting Pot on the day after Thanksgiving. It's a bit crowded and they fit the five of us at a table that, frankly, is designed for four people. Plus it's right under the speakers for the music. None of us can hear each other, see each other, or pull our arms above the table to reach the fondue. So we decide we're going to ask for a new table before it gets too unbearable.

Eric heads back to the front to let them know our pain. The guy says, "Okay, I think we've got another table coming up soon." Eric looks around and spots a nice spacious round table that's clear and says, "I think we'd like that one." The guy looks at what Eric's pointing at and says, "Oh, that's an eight person table," and then shows Eric a different, much smaller one. Eric shakes his head and says, "No. I think we do want the other one instead." The guy looks at Eric a moment while Eric keeps a straight face, and then says, "Okay, we'll get you that one."

It's not the first time Eric's lived a charmed life. On the way to the Redskins game on Sunday, a car pulled up to his and said, "Do you guys need a parking pass? We have two and we only have one car." The parking pass in question? Platnium parking. Right in front of the stadium.

He's also managed to land not one but four hotel rooms at a hotel that was booked solid (or so they say) for a mistake in booking that he had made. When the man at the desk told him there was nothing he could do, Eric just said, "No, that's not going to work for me." There was a long silence, then the guy said, "Maybe I should get the manager?" and Eric agreed, "That sounds like the right thing to do here." Sure enough, the manager came out with four keys for him and his friends.

It's good to be a Kelmelis.

The Godfather, Part Two

Over the past weekend, Laura and I took a trip up to New York to see Peyton Zusmer's baptism, and I became her godfather. She spent the entire weekend doing what she does best: being cute and spitting up over everything. Congratulations, Peyton!

Her brother, Cormac, was quite amusing too. He's learned how to say "hi" and thinks it's the greatest thing in the world. Whenever he spots someone, he'll say "hi". If the person doesn't respond, he'll start saying it louder and louder until they say "hi" back. Then, satisfied, he'll move on to the next person he spots. If no one else is around, he'll go back to the first again.

Flashback to the 90s

I was up at my brother's place a few weeks back and he was showing me the New Super Mario Brothers Wii game. I have to say, it was finally a game that made me want to go out and get it for the Wii. I have a lot of memories of hanging out in my room with my brother playing the Super Nintendo and Super Mario Brothers 3 with a pizza set out between us. It was always annoying when he was so drastically better than me, so he'd run through and complete four maps before he'd die, and then I'd come in and get killed in the next five minutes. The new version allows side-by-side playing so we can both run on the same map.

Of course, it also allows fun things like grabbing another player and throwing them in a pit. They come back immediately in a little bubble and have to get tagged by another player to be brought back into the game, so it's not like you're out forever if you die.

Probably the most fun I had with Eric was when he started hunting my guy. He'd grab me and throw me in pits. Finally, I figured out how to do the same to him and my response was to chuck him in a pit and then run as fast as I could to get away from his bubble so he couldn't come back in the game. We had one particular level with a roller coaster. I'd kill him, jump on the roller coaster and try to dodge his bubble while heading through a massive lava-filled roller coaster track. Of course I never made it to the end alive, but man, it was fun!

In My Hot Hands

When I was at my brother's house, I was reminded of how much I like living in the DC area. Being half an hour outside the city in the sprawling suburbs is pretty nice. Eric's up in Pennsylvania in a big house on a huge lot (compared to here, anyway). His kids can head outside and run all around, play in the yard, etc. It's perfect. Except there's nothing near it. Head down the street and you'll find a farm complete with cows and barns. To reach the closest grocery store, you're taking a twenty to thirty minute drive.

I like being here. I can decide I want to build something and within ten minutes, I could be walking into any number of locations to get what I need. There's a grocery store around the corner, several gas stations within a couple miles, two hardware stores, an electronics store, a Walmart, a Target, bookstores, a movie theater, and many, many restaurants. I like the convenience of being able to go where I want with ease.

Take today, for example. I was working, decided I wanted a little break, and instead of just walking around for ten minutes, I took a trip over to Best Buy, picked up Dragon Age: Awakening by BioWare (and the second season of Sex in the City - I promised Laura I would... I swear it's not for me!) and got back.

Good thing I did head out to Best Buy - they were already down to only three copies of the game left! I was hoping they'd have a guide book for it too, but no such luck. I wanted something to glance at as I was waiting for reports to run at work.

But I did grab the instruction manuel on the way up to the office. Not much in it, sadly, but it's something to tide me over until I can install it.

First off, if your character died in your playing of Dragon Age: Origin, you can still play him in the expansion. It just assumes you didn't die. If you're not level 18, it automatically bumps you to that. If you play a new character, you start at level 18. It sounds like the story's going to focus on rebuilding the Grey Wardens after the events of the first game. Good stuff!

They have three new skill trees, 56 new talents/spells, and six new specialization paths (two for each class). It doesn't look like there are any other new classes added in to the mix (I was wondering if they'd try a cleric-type class, but the healing mage kinda fills that role). Looking forward to giving it a spin!

Lost Cities

My brother and sister-in-law got Laura and me the game Lost Cities by Rio Grande Games. The two of them had been looking around for a good two-player game and this came highly recommended. It's a pretty good one.

There are about 60 different cards with 12 of each color. They number from 2-10, and then there are three different finance cards. Each person has eight cards in their hand. Every turn, you play one and draw one. The idea is to get the most points at the end of the game. Each person has their own field of play, so I can't play on my opponent's stacks of cards. You can play cards on any of the five colors as long as the color matches and the number is higher than the one already there (you can put anything down of that color to begin with). So if I have a red 3 down, I can put a 4-10 down. But I can't put down the 2 that I just got at the end of last turn.

Once the game is done, you count up the numbers in each of your stacks and subtract 20 from each one (that's the money you invested to go on the journey). So if I played a 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, I'd end up with 11 points (3+4+6+8+10-20=11). If I had a 2, 6, 10, I'd end up with -2 points. I do that for each stack and whoever has the most points wins.

Now the Finance cards throw another little twist in the game. You have to play them before any numbers are placed in the stack, and there are three for each color. What each one does is multiply your final total for that stack by an additional one. So if I have two finance cards down in the example I got 11 points for, I'd end up with 33 points. And if I have them for the example I have -2 points in, I'd get -6 points.

The game ends when the last card is drawn from the deck.

Pretty simple game. Each turn you put a card down on one of your stacks or discard a card to a mutual discard pile for each color, then you draw a card from the deck or from one of the mutual discard piles. As you see your opponent starting to play certain colors, you move to block them by holding the key cards they need. Once they've started playing cards, you can pitch the lower ones if you don't think you'll do well enough in an expedition on that color to make up your initial 20 point investment.

Overall, a very fast game, and pretty fun. Laura and I have been splitting the games pretty well, and my mother's a big fan of it too. I like that it's designed to be cleaned out in about 5-10 minutes, and the replay value is pretty high. Each game you don't know where the value will be and you're trying to decipher your opponent's strategy while keeping yours hidden for as long as possible. Play the color you want to get the most points from too early and your opponent will start hording those cards. Play it too late and you may not have enough time to finish it. If you're looking for a fun, relatively mindless two-player game, I'd put this one up on your list. Laura and I now have three we like to play: Lost Cities, Racko, and Bananagrams.

Flowcharts Revisited

So on the way out the door to work this morning, Laura and I were arguing about something. And she just wouldn't see my point! I kept trying to explain it and she kept ignoring it and talking about something else. It was infuriating! Then I realized the problem. She must have read my flowcharts below and clearly she was stuck at one particular point.

I would've won the argument too if she fought fair. Hmph...

Kid in a Candy Store

Over this past weekend while up at Eric's place, he took Laura and me to a heavenly spot called the butcher's shop. I'd never been to an actual butcher's shop before, but it was amazing! It was a tiny hole-in-the-wall place where you walk back to the back and two guys are sitting there with massive knives just chopping up meat. You tell them what they want and they get it for you!

So naturally I was paralyzed with consideration. What did I want to order? Fortunately, two other people next to me came up and said, "Three NY Strips, 1" thick." So the butcher went back to the back and came back with a huge piece of cow. He tossed it on a band-saw and sliced off three pieces of 1" thick cow. Heading back to the cutting board, he proceeded to trim the fat until there were three awesome looking steaks.

Well, I just had to have some. So I stepped up and ordered the same thing. Now Laura and I have a couple of NY Strips ready to be cooked when we have a special occassion. My mouth is watering just thinking about them. I need to find a butcher's shop around here.

Time is on My Side

My mother just sent me a picture of a clock that she got from her coworkers. I'm very jealous.



I'm anxiously awaiting the last 10 episodes of the series. It's been a long ride. Hopefully the end can do it justice.

Batman's a Scientist

Over the weekend, Laura and I went up to Pennsylvania to check out John Patrick, my new nephew. He's pretty cute. At less than a month old, he's already over 13 lbs. Surprisingly strong for his age, though, he was able to keep his head up on his own. It was great to see the little guy.



We also delivered Natalie her birthday present. Laura and I tried to figure out what we should get her for a while and decided to get her a little science kit. The one we found had volcanoes, crystals and color, so it would keep her interested long enough.



When we gave it to her, she was fascinated by it and within an hour, we had it open and were starting to conduct experiments. We did the baking soda and citric acid trick, then added some red cabbage dye to test acids and bases. Nicholas and Mary Kate didn't want to be left out, so all three of them were playing with science.





Soon we were pulling everything out of the refrigerator to see what was an acid and what was a base. Mary Kate was pretty excited to see what we were going to be doing with it.



Over the course of the afternoon, the kids were enthralled by everything that was happening. Natalie was catching on pretty quick to how acids and bases interact, and was able to make some hypotheses and test them with her kit.

Eventually, we got to an experiment that took about 2-3 hours to set up the solutions for. Laura read ahead and saw the one after that took the same setup, so we just doubled the solutions required to set up. That night, we finished one of the two experiments, but Nicholas, impulsive as always, picked up one of the remaining solutions and dumped it into the second solution, thus ending the second experiment quickly. We set everything up and then finished it in the morning, but that stalled us from doing anything more before we left. At least there's a lot left to do with their mom and dad. When we left, Natalie exclaimed, "I want to do more science!" Grandpa would be proud.

Patterns in Conversation

Twice now, in the past week, I've had someone (or a group of someones) mention to me about Laura and me having children.

First was when my mother called me earlier this week. While it was jokingly, she mentioned she'd be fine with Laura and I having ten children. Also mentioned she was pretty sure Laura's dad would be happy being a ten-times-over grandfather too.

The second time was last night when I was out at dinner with my coworkers. There was a point in the conversation where all eight other people there were talking to me about what they thought I should do and when I should have children. From "right now" to "as soon as you're married" to "wait a few years" to "don't bother." I think the best piece of advice I got was "Just do whatever feels right."

I just find it funny that Laura and I aren't even married yet and already we're hearing from people about when we're going to have children. I guess now that I'm engaged, they're looking for that next conversation topic.

An Unexpected Phone Call

This morning I'm on the computer and just checking the news before I make my lunch and head out the door when my cell phone rings. No one normally calls me this early in the day, so I'm a little worried. The name flashes across the screen saying it's my mother. So I pick up the phone.

"Hello?"

There's a long pause. My mother is up at my brother's house. He lives tucked back in Pennsylvania, and I know my mother's phone doesn't have great reception. I wait a minute.

"Hello?" I ask again.

"Hello," a tiny voice comes back, clearly not my mother. It's got to be Nicholas or Mary Kate, my nephew and niece. Natalie would have a bit more to say.

"Hey there," I say, and start chatting. The conversation is pretty vacant on the other end of the phone, usually with only one word answers. "Is Nana around?" "Yeah." "Can I talk to her?" A long pause, then a "No." So I chat with my niece/nephew. "Did you get to play in the snow?" "Yeah." "That must have been a lot of fun." "No."

Eventually, my niece/nephew bored of the conversation, set the phone down, and walked away. I hung up and headed for work with a smile on my face. I'm sure my mom will eventually find her phone on the floor at my brother's house and wonder why it was left there, and whether the kids managed to call anyone.

New Family Member

Kate and Eric have a new baby boy! John Patrick was born yesterday at around 3:00 PM. He came in around 11 lbs. Both mother and son are doing fine. Mary Kate took to him immediately (no doubt very pleased she was no longer the youngest). Natalie's taking the eldest child role very seriously and keeping watch over him. She was holding John when I was talking to my mother yesterday. Nicholas just fell asleep after meeting John.

Kate made it home in time for Lost. Got to have your priorities, after all.