Posted by Rob on May 31, 2010 – 2:39 pm
Shell and I got back from the hotel today. Right now Shell is getting her hair cut by her sister, so I had some time to pop on here and share the news.
So in case you’ve been living under a rock (and avoiding my blog and Facebook), Shell and I got married yesterday! It was a wonderful wedding, and all our planning worked out perfectly, as the day went off without a hitch. It was a wonderful mass, and I don’t think I ever cried so much on a single day (yes, I am a baby when it comes to sentimental stuff like this.)
The reception was beautiful. The people over at Birch Hill worked hard to provide us with a beautiful room and great food. The DJ did a great job, and the photographer, though aggressive, did what we paid him for, and I’m sure we will be enjoying tons of great photos from him.
So I’m now a married man. It feels good…it feels right. I love the fact that Shell and I are now officially together, and am ready to spend the rest of my life with her.
Thanks to all the friends and family who came to share our day with us. It was great to see the extended families from far away, as well as good friends who I rarely see. Now it’s off to Disney World for a nice two-week honeymoon!!!
And a special thanks to Steve, who really was the “best man” by breaking into my apartment while I was at the hotel one morning and placing a nice 40″ HDTV in my living room for Shell and me! I almost dropped her as I carried her into the apartment and saw the box there, beckoning to me!!!
Posted by Rob on May 29, 2010 – 8:16 am
Well, this is it. My last post before my wedding. After tomorrow, Shell and I will be a happily married couple. I’m looking forward to taking this huge step in my life, and sharing our love with all our friends and family who are traveling up here to experience it with us.
I’m still not feeling too nervous yet. I’m sure it will start kicking in today during the rehearsal, and especially tomorrow at the actual mass. But once that is over, I think I’ll be feeling pretty darned good, and I look forward to having a good time at the reception!
That being said, this will be my last post for a long time. I won’t be back from the honeymoon until almost the middle of June, but when I get a chance I’ll pop some pics up from the wedding and honeymoon.
Thanks to everyone for the support and well-wishes they have been giving me. See you all again in a couple of weeks!!!
Posted by Rob on May 26, 2010 – 6:27 pm
Today was the last day of work, and it felt good. That job, while a cakewalk, was just so demoralizing, boring, and pointless. It feels good to be out, and to be able to breathe fresh air again! It was really easy, steady money, but in the end it was pretty ridiculous and stupid.
So yeah, the wedding is now fast approaching. Shell’s mom and sister come in tomorrow night, and I will make everyone my fresh chicken cacciatore dinner. Friday we are doing last minute stuff and going out to dinner with her family. Then Saturday is here, meaning rehearsal madness, and then the wedding is Sunday. The day after the wedding we will be doing last minute junk and packing, and then Tuesday we are off to sunny Disney for our honeymoon!!!
Posted by Rob on May 26, 2010 – 7:21 am
Filed under Sports
Tagged as big bad bob, bigbadbob, blackhawks, chicago, flyers, hockey, nhl, Philadelphia, pittsburgh, Sports, stanley cup
It’s official now…the 2009-2010 Stanley Cup Finals will be the Chicago Blackhawks vs. the Philadelphia Flyers. Now that they know who will be in it, the schedule is complete, and you can see it here. The first game starts this Friday, and the game 7 (if necessary) would be June 11.
Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll be able to see any of the games due to the wedding and honeymoon, seeing how we will be down in Florida until the 12th. Even though the Rangers aren’t there, I still enjoy watching the Stanley Cup finals, and will miss it this year.
As for the team I’ll be silently rooting for, I think I’ll go with Chicago. Being a Rangers fan, I should have a pre-determined hatred for Phili, but I’m more busy hating on Pittsburgh…
Posted by Rob on May 25, 2010 – 8:45 pm
Filed under Video Games
Tagged as big bad bob, bigbadbob, boulevard of broken dreams, demo, green day, guitar, instrument, keyboard, PlayStation 3, PS3, rb, rock band, rock band 3, welcome to paradise
So I downloaded and checked out the Green Day Rock Band demo today. After playing through the demo’s two songs, Boulevard of Broken Dreams and Welcome to Paradise, there were a couple of ads about Green Day Rock Band, and then the last ad was the above image (except this one is from the 360 demo apparently). As you can see, there is a icon now that appears to be that of a keyboard. Thus, it is correct to assume (as most of the internet community has done as well) that Rock Band 3 will support a new plastic instrument in the form of a keyboard.
This could be fun, since keyboards are one of those instruments that everyone plays as a child. Also, I can see the keyboard being integrated more functionally in it’s true essence as opposed to the guitar. Also, what songs will there be? Will we be getting a Billy Joel Rock Band? Only time will tell…
Posted by Rob on May 24, 2010 – 7:55 am
Filed under Sports
Tagged as big bad bob, bigbadbob, canadiens, chicago, conference, flyers, habs, hockey, nhl, Philadelphia, phili, stanley cup, washington
The Chicago Blackhawks completed their sweep of the San Jose Sharks yesterday, making them the Western Conference champs and allowing them to make it to the Stanley Cup Finals. I’m glad to see them do it, and I’ve been hoping to see them in the finals since the playoffs first started.
The question that remains is “who will they face”? In the Eastern Conference, Phili and Montreal are still playing, but the Flyers are leading the Habs 3-1 in the series. The next game is tonight, meaning that Phili can end it with a win and advance to the Stanley Cup. I personally didn’t see Phili getting this far, and after Washington was eliminated early on, I was rooting for Montreal. I would like to see them win, but for them to bounce back and win three more games is asking a lot.
So yeah, I think it’s going to be Chicago and Phili, and the sooner the better. I want to get the Stanley Cup going already so I can watch a few of the games before I leave on the honeymoon!
Posted by Rob on May 24, 2010 – 12:02 am
Filed under TV Shows
Tagged as abc, ben, big bad bob, bigbadbob, daniel, dark tower, DVD, heaven, island, limbo, lost, miles, purgatory, series finale, stephen king, time travel
So Lost has come and gone, and the series is finished. I remember first borrowing Cara’s DVDs and once I popped them in, I was hooked. Over the summer I watched seasons one and two within a week, and was ready for season three once the show came back that fall. The show did such a great job in creating deep, rich characters, and you couldn’t help but love or hate them.
After watching the finale, I’m at a loss. The show didn’t really explain everything and spell it out for you. What I got out of it so far is that they all died in the plane crash. The island was a limbo/purgatory type place where they were given a chance to redeem themselves in a way. Many of them overcame their flaws and became good people, while others did not. In the end, I’m pretty sure they were successful in whatever they were meant to accomplish there, and were allowed to move on to the afterlife (being Heaven.) Read More »
Posted by Rob on May 23, 2010 – 3:06 pm
It’s been awhile since I popped up some pics of the cats. Both are doing good and really get along well. They still like to wrestle, but that’s just their way of playing or showing off to Shell and me. Now that I’ve seen the two of them together, I really should have named them “Baby” and “Scarface”. Whenever they fight, Loki is always the one to scream and howl, but Odin is the only one to leave with a face covered in scratches.
Odin has also become the one to sleep through the night with us. He crawls in by our legs and will attack them from under the blanket, but once the lights are out, he will calm down and go to sleep. It’s cute, especially since it’s something that Loki never really did. We don’t look forward to leaving them alone for the time we are on the honeymoon. Luckily, our neighbors agreed to watch them, feed them, and do their litter, so they will be ok. It’s better than having to drop them off in some lame kennel or whatever you call a place that watches cats.
So here’s some pics of them. Enjoy!!!
Here’s them together:
Here’s Loki:
And here’s Odin:
And here’s Odin crazy on catnip:
Posted by Rob on May 22, 2010 – 10:58 pm
I can’t believe that at this time next Saturday I will be in the midst of the rehearsal dinner, getting ready for my wedding on the following day. The time really did fly by, and all of a sudden it’s here. I’m not really nervous now, but I know I will be on the actual day. So this weekend is really our last time to breathe before it all starts.
I work until next Wednesday. On Thursday Shell’s family is coming in, and Friday will be hectic with doing all manner of last-minute things. Saturday we have one final meeting with the woman at the reception place, and then we run out for the rehearsal at the church, followed by the dinner. Afterwards I hope to get some time to hang out with people, and then before I know it I will be headed to bed (though I doubt I’ll get much sleep!)
I am really looking forward to the honeymoon. The longest vacation that we have ever taken together has been a three day one to Niagara Falls when we first started dating. Everything else since then has either been a quick one-night escape or a longer vacation with other family members. It will be nice to just relax for almost two weeks and not worry about anything, after worrying about everything for the past couple of months.
All in all, I look forward to taking the next step in my life. I consider myself extremely lucky to have found someone who really genuinely “gets me”, understands me, and shares my life with me on the level of soulmate. My only regret is the loss of game time I’ve had and will continue to have, but it’s a trade-off that I am more than willing to take.
Posted by Rob on May 21, 2010 – 7:02 am
Filed under Video Games
Tagged as demo, earthworm jim, game review, mega man, new super mario bros. wii, PlayStation 3, PS3, PSN, rocket knight, rocket pack, sonic 4, sparkster
You might recall a game called Rocket Knight from back in the day. I do, though I never played it, I know of it. Rocket Knight stars Sparkster who I believe is an opposum in a rocket pack knight armor and wields an awesome sword. Anywho, Rocket Knight is the next game in a long series of old-school games that are getting redone with today’s graphics, yet maintain their original gameplay (see Mega Man 9 and 10, Earth Worm Jim, Sonic 4, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, etc.)
The demo was a lot of fun. The game is a basic side scrolling platformer. Sparkster has a small set of moves (common for an old-school game) with a basic sword attack and a few different rocket pack-fueled attacks. Using the rocket pack, you can dash a short distance at incredible speed to get past obstacles (traps or pits) or plow through enemies. You can also use the pack to briefly hover, which will extend the distance that you can jump.
All in all, Rocket Knight has it all…the simplicity of an old-school 16bit game, but beefed up with today’s graphics engines. As fun as it was, I won’t spend the $14.99 price sticker to get it, but if they were to ever give it a nice 50% off sale, I’ll be sold. Definitely check out the demo for a blast from the past.
Posted by Rob on May 19, 2010 – 5:59 pm
Filed under TV Shows
Tagged as america: the story of us, big bad bob, bigbadbob, canceled, carnies, heroes, highlander, lost, mini-series, nbc, season finale, series finale, the force, tv show
There are currently three shows that I say I am a true fan of, and will religiously watch them regularly when each new episode airs weekly: Lost, Heroes, and America: The Story of Us. However, all three of the shows are soon to be gone…the series finale of Lost is this Sunday, Heroes has been cancelled, and America is only a mini-series, which will be ending within two weeks. So the big question is: what the hell am I going to watch on TV now? I have nothing to look forward to!!!
The end of Lost is going to be sad. It’s been a solid show the entire series, and I hate to see it go. However, it had to happen at some point. I’m really excited for Sunday to see how they end this awesome series. I’m skeptical as to what they will do, and am afraid that something they will reveal will be completely retarded and I will hate the writers for it. Somethings are better left unexplained, such as the Force (miticlorients?!) and immortals (Highlander II claimed that all the immortals are aliens!!!) So if it’s a good explanation, then give it here, but if it’s a bunch of crap, I would rather not watch it, thank you very much.
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Posted by Rob on May 19, 2010 – 7:17 am
Filed under Video Games
Tagged as big bad bob, bigbadbob, campaign, first impressions, game review, gta, hunting, multiplayer, online, PlayStation 3, PS3, rdr, red dead redemption, rock star, single player, third person shooter, western
I got to check out the game for about two hours yesterday. While I had some friends playing online, I wanted to check out the single player mode first to get a handle on the game. I did not like GTA III and IV, so I never really got used to their controls, and Red Dead Redemption has similar controls. After playing in single player for a bit, I must say that the game is enjoyable, and I feel comfortable trading in an uncontrollable car for a solid steed.
RDR is a third-person shooter that takes place in the Ol’ West. Basically, your character is an ex-criminal who turns over a new leaf and settles down with a family. However, the government comes by, kidnaps his family, and orders him to rustle up some outlaws (his ex-partners) in order to free the ones he loves. The single player has missions that move this story along, but there’s plenty more to do. You can take on side missions from strangers, hunt animals and sell their hides and meat for a profit, pick wild plants, which can be used to make items or can be sold, play mini games (like poker at a saloon), tame wild horses, and other things as well. There are towns scattered across the world map where you can go to buy and sell supplies, weapons, outfits, or get a room of your own (which allows you to save and restock your ammo.)
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Posted by Rob on May 18, 2010 – 5:49 pm
I came home from work today to find that Amazon had delivered on its release-date shipping promise, seeing how my copy of Red Dead Redemption was waiting on my doorstep. I’m pretty excited to check the game out…unfortunately I’m still feeling a little under the weather so I don’t know if I’ll get around to it tonight.
Posted by Rob on May 17, 2010 – 10:27 pm
I woke up this morning feeling a little blah. As the day went on it got worse, and by the time I got home from work I was spent. It’s just a whole mishmosh of common symptoms such as a sore, dry throat, headache, and the general feeling of knowing you feel like crud and are sick. If anything, I’m glad it’s happening now, so that I will hopefully overcome this in time for the wedding, which is ONLY TWO WEEKS AWAY!!!
Posted by Rob on May 15, 2010 – 8:14 pm
Filed under My Personal Life
Tagged as big bad bob, bigbadbob, butcher block, disney, grocery shopping, honeymoon, iron man 2, mall, netflix, price chopper, prime rib, saturday, shopping, steakhouse, the blindside, wal-mart
Today went by ridiculously quick. We started at 8:00am with a fresh egg and turkey bacon breakfast. After getting ready for the day, we did our normal grocery shopping routine, which consists of Wal-Mart and Price Chopper. We also stopped at the liquor store and picked up some wine, since our cabinet was low.
After returning home and eating lunch, we headed out to the mall. We did some more wardrobe shopping and other junk, and ended up catching an afternoon showing of Iron Man 2 (a review of it will be done in a separate post.) Needless to say, the movie was freaking awesome. I’ve been very happy with the Iron Man franchise as far as the movies go. Read More »
Posted by Rob on May 15, 2010 – 12:57 am
Filed under My Personal Life, Video Games
Tagged as big bad bob, bigbadbob, butcher block, classes, co-op, co-optimus, iron man 2, mall, online, PlayStation 3, PS3, red dead redemption, Resistance 2, soldier, xp
It’s Friday night, which meant it was time to play some Resistance 2 online with some of the folks over at co-optimus. I got a little under three hours when when the fatigue started to hit me, but in that time I was able to get my Soldier from level 15 to 17, which is pretty good. Leveling up characters takes one heck of a long time in this game, which only adds to the great replay value.
I really want to start playing this game more, to get more xp for my classes, but it’s tough with all the other games I have, especially with Red Dead Redemption coming my way Tuesday!
I headed off early since we have a busy day tomorrow. After grocery shopping in the morning, we are heading over to the mall to do some shopping, then hit up Butcher Block for dinner, and end the night by finally getting to see Iron Man 2. I’m pretty excited!!!
Posted by Rob on May 14, 2010 – 7:24 am
I received State of Fear as a Christmas gift, and have finally gotten around to reading it. State of Fear is a work of fiction by the late, great Michael Crichton. I love his books, as while they are fiction, they do have some plausability, and he backs up his works with science, which can often go over the reader’s head. Just for the record, Jurassic Park is one of my all-time favorite books, and I read it BEFORE the movie came out, and I can definitely say that despite how awesome the film was, it didn’t do the book justice.
State of Fear is based around global warming. A small island nation sues the United States, claiming that it is the largest contributor to global warming, and that the higher ocean levels will soon flood the entire island country. However, as the story unfolds, it becomes clear that there may in fact be no global warming at all. So this story takes some turns as a lawyer and others try to find the truth. Oh yeah, and they are also trying to stop some eco-terrorists from doing something crazy.
It’s pretty good so far at about 1/3 the way into the story. I’m trying to blast through it because I’m excited to read the God of War novel, which comes out May 28th.
Posted by Rob on May 13, 2010 – 11:15 pm
Filed under Video Games
Tagged as alien, big bad bob, bigbadbob, co-op, dynasty warriors, first impressions, FPS, gamefly, guns, lost planet 2, online, PlayStation 3, PS3, ps3 review, space pirate, strike force, t-energy
I received Lost Planet 2 in from Gamefly today, and actually got the chance to put a little over an hour into it. I’m still a little on the fence with it, but it is definitely too early to make a final verdict, especially since I haven’t actually gotten to play with anyone online yet. Still, here’s what I have seen from the campaign so far.
The campaign mode of the game is interesting. There is technically no “single player” mode that you just continue from the last save point. From the campaign menu, you can either jump into someone else’s campaign, or you can create your own campaign. If you start your own, you can start it at any point you wish, up to any point you have already unlocked in the game. The campaign mode supports up to four players, and they can be online buddies or AI. I played two campaigns…one with the AI and one with the online. Unfortunately, no one decided to join in my game, so I was basically getting my butt kicked around. That was one of the first annoying things…it’s hard to play online with random people. I can see it being a lot of fun with some friends who you know will be playing alongside with you, but if you’re hoping to have someone join your game, you could be in for a bumpy ride.
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Posted by Rob on May 13, 2010 – 7:10 am
Filed under Sports
Tagged as canadians, cindy crosby, crosby, game 7, goal, hockey, mellon arena, montreal, nhl, penguins, pittsburg, playoffs, sidney crosby, stanley cup, sydney crosby
This year was finally the year that Cindy Crosby’s super ego was put in check, as the Montreal Canadians routed the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2 to advance to the final round of the playoffs before the Stanley Cup. To make things even more delicious, the Penguins lost at the Mellon Arena, so not only did Crosby get a huge reality check at home, but so did all those ridiculous Crosby fans. Oh yeah, and Crosby finished the seven game series against Montreal with ONLY ONE GOAL! I’m sure he’s kicking himself for that one. Mr. Hockey indeed.
Crosby really needed this…he needed to see that he is not a hockey god, and that he is not unstoppable, and that he is not the greatest player in the NHL. I love the fact that his team lost, not because I necessarily hate the team, but because I hate him, the captain of the team. Man, I would love to see him right now, lying in bed with the lights off, trying to hide from the truth that he couldn’t make it to the end of the playoffs.
Posted by Rob on May 11, 2010 – 7:50 pm
About a month ago, I was tossed up on which game to rent from Gamefly when the time came…Lost Planet 2 or Red Dead Redemption. Both were promising some interest online co-op, and I couldn’t be sure which to set my Gamefly account for. In the end, I ended up buying Red Dead Redemption from Amazon, which cleared up my Gamefly queue to be all about Lost Planet 2.
I’ll be honest…I wasn’t a huge fan of the first one. I don’t know squat about this one. All I know is that it’s a FPS that offers online co-op, so I’ll be checking it out. I have heard some bad reviews about the game so far, so I’ll try and write up a quick first impression when I get the time.
