30 Nov 03

What is exciting is that the Happiness Factor is already above 1 (Click on the link if you are confused)! I plan to keep the factor posted like that till Christmas leave starts. Also, the Navy Football team has secured a spot in the Houston Bowl, so BZ for them. However, seeing as the game falls right in the middle of my leave period, I don't think I will be going. This week also marks the start of Army Week, so I can hardly wait to see what kind of hijinks the plebes are going to pull.

I can't believe that this is the last week of class already! However, with three papers due (only one of which is anywhere near completion!) it is going to be a busy week, too. Nevertheless, I am gong to try to make some time each night to relax with a little gaming. I have been spending some time with the new BF 42 patch and the new version of Desert Combat, and I think I will get around to actually reviewing that game this week. Also, be on the look-out for a new editorial/feature.

25Nov 03

24 Nov 03

Well, today was the same 'ol boring Monday routine, with the sole exception that I got the last period off. Plus, the fact that I get to go home on Wednesday helps too ;).

I have decided to tackle a project that I have been putting off for a while: Updating the USNA pictures section with more recent photos. Be sure to catch the pics of Tecumseh painted up as Strongbad!

Speaking of Strongbad, I got my "Strongbad Sings" CD in the mail yesterday. No amount of superlatives sent flying in this CD's general direction would be sufficient to describe it's awesomeness. This disc is hilarious, for both its decidedly ghetto CD and case design and its many songs. I especially like how even the songs that are available for download at the Homestar Runner site have been remixed and expanded to freshen them up. This CD is a fan's dream come true, and at $16 including shipping it is practically "Cheap as Free!"

I have also put together some impressions for Rogue Squadron III. Considering how far I have gotten into the game, I am tempted to write a full blown review for it, but I have decided to hold of on that for a while.

23 Nov 03

I have been so incredibly busy ever since the Halloween Concert, I have either not had time to update this thing or haven't felt like it when I did have time. Oh well, that should be changing now that the semester is winding down. Okay, that's enough complaining!

Since so much time has passed since my last update, there have naturally been a lot of things that have happened. Where to start...

The Halloween concert was a great success, and I really had fun doing it. My Mom and her best friend made the trip out to Annapolis to see it, and I will post some of the pictures they took in the near future. The Catholic Choir trip to New York has also come and gone, and I think that it was the best trip yet. We took a group of 49 mids this year, which is the most since I started going on the trip three years ago. Yet, despite this, everything ran smoothly and without incident. Huzzah!

Speaking of huzzah,  while I was in NYC I saw Russell Crowe's new movie, Master and Commander. If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend it. He plays a British Royal Navy sea captain (ca. 1805) who is attempting to track down and kill an American-built French commerce raider. I found the sheer amount of technical detail fascinating and the large scope of the scenes awe-inspiring.

Also while I was in NYC, I picked up Rouge Squadron III. I have found this game to be quite entertaining, but not without flaws. Impressions will be forthcoming (Monday or Tuesday). I have a few games that I am looking forward to this Christmas season, so I might put up a short list of my Most Wanted too. I have also put in orders for the last 3 DVD's of the Battle Athletes Victory series, so I should be rounding out those reviews in a few weeks. I can't wait to see how the series ends up!

This past week, I have had the distinct pleasure of helping to host one of four visiting cadets from the Japanese Defense Academy, or Bouei Daigaku. I have had a great time showing him life here at the Academy, and I have also picked up a lot of help on my Japanese from him. Still, it is a good thing his English is better than my Japanese!

Just an administrative note: I am going to try a new way of keeping track of past updates. Instead of breaking it down week by week, I am going to do it on a monthly basis. I will try this for the rest of November and possibly December before I make any final decisions on what format I like best.