Thursday Thirteen 197: Atari

Long before Nintendo, Game Boys and wii, there was Atari. My family had about 30 different games, some played more often than others. Here are a few that I remember.

1. Pong — Yes, I admit it. The first video game we ever owned was Pong.

2. Pac Man — I rolled this one a couple of times. It was the best-selling Atari video game ever.

3. Ms. Pac Man — Though I came close a few times, I never managed to roll this one. Turns out, there was a flaw in the software that prevented players from doing so.

4. River Raid — This was my all-time favorite. My friend Angie and I used to have intense battles with this one. The player controls an airplane in a top-down view over a river and gets points for shooting down enemy planes, helicopters, and ships. By flying over fuel-stations, the plane's tank can be refilled. The player can shift side to side and change the speed of the plane. Sections of the river are marked by bridges.

5. Space Invaders — Of course. Object: Shoot the aliens before they reach the bottom of the screen and take over the Earth.

6. Barnstorming — My mom bought this one for my dad, and though he wasn't much into electronic games, we actually did get him to play on occasion. The object: pilot a biplane through a series of barns in the shortest time possible while dodging windmills, weather vanes, and geese. Bumping into anything slows down the plane for a couple of seconds, increasing the overall time.

7. Steeplechase — Try to jump your horse over fences and other obstacles without crippling him. Not as easy as you think!

8. Combat (also known as Tank Plus) — This was a 1-4 person game. Sort of a "capture the flag" with tanks. Great for slumber parties!

9. Raiders of the Lost Ark — This one was impossible to play. We never got very far in it and eventually gave up on it.

10. Frogger — This is one my mom liked.

11. Asteroids — Another must-have arcade game. Object: shoot and destroy asteroids and saucers while not colliding with either, or being hit by the saucers' counter-fire.

12. Q*Bert — I almost forgot about this one, which was Baby Sister's favorite. It was a platform game that featured two-dimensional (2D) graphics. The object: change the color of every cube in a pyramid by making the on-screen character jump on top of the cube while avoiding obstacles and enemies.

13. Tennis — Odd that this is the only sports one I can remember (aside from Steeplechase). This is one Younger Sister played a lot.

Inspired by this post from Savannah.

LINKS TO OTHER THURSDAY THIRTEENS:

(Please leave your link if this is your first visit!)

Maddy Barone * Adelle Laudan * Journeywoman
Alice Audrey * Bratty * Shelley Munro
Xakara * Pamela * Sandra Collins * CountryDew
Kimberly Menozzi * KS Manning * Harriet
Skylar Kade * Janice Seagraves * Paige Tyler
Mama Zen * Jana * Debbie Mumford
Jennifer Leeland * Darla M Sands * Colleen

Teaser Tuesday 78: The Frog Prince

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: * Grab your current book or recent read. * Share a few “teaser” sentences from somewhere in the book. * BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away. You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) * Share the title and author so that other participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teaser!

READ OVER THE WEEKEND. THIS EXCERPT REALLY HIT CLOSE TO HOME. YEAH...BEEN THERE, FELT THAT.

The tears are so close to the surface but there's no one to call, no one to tell. I’ve spent too much time trying to be okay; I don’t know how to ask for help. (pg 207)

About the Book:

The Frog Prince

By Jane Porter

Holly Bishop is the proverbial, small-town good girl. She always follows the rules, thinks of others first, and she never, ever makes mistakes. Until she marries the man she thought was her Prince Charming, who confesses on their honeymoon that he's not sexually attracted to her. Now, 14 months after, Holly's marriage is in the toilet, along with her self-esteem. Determined to start over, she moves to San Francisco, where she must navigate the landmines of dating in the big city. In the shadow of the Golden Gate and amid a population of wacky Bay Area eccentrics, Holly will discover that nice girls don't always finish last. In fact, they sometimes end up with everything they'd ever wanted.

It's Monday, isn't it?

It has definitely been one of THOSE days. The kind where you wish you could have pulled the covers over your head and stayed in bed all day. I swear, there are some people on this planet who should NOT be allowed phone privileges. Seriously. I'm sure you all know a few people like that. My question is, do they all have to call on the same day? Couldn't they spread it out a little? Sigh... I think I've dealt with enough fruitcakes for one day week.

Mona Lisa

Sorry I don't have any close-ups or in-process shots of this one, but it's something I have been meaning to share for some time. This is, obviously, Mona Lisa, also known as La Jaconde (French) and La Gioconda (Italian). It is entirely done in counted cross-stitch. I did this in 1997 for one of my oldest and bestest friends as a Christmas present—it was ten years after a group of us spent spring break in Paris. And yes, we did see this work of art while there. Sort of. Due to the crowds we were unable to get up close to the display, but we did gaze at it on tippy-toe above the heads of those around us. Sigh...

I actually started this the day after Christmas, Dec 26 1996, and finished it in November 1997. Yup, it took me almost an entire year, working on it a little bit every day. Some nights I only did one row of stitches, other days I'd pop in a movie or two and get some serious work done on it. Believe it or not, it was a lot easier than The Starry Night is, as there were large blocks of color. I think the detailing of the hands, particularly the fingers, was the more difficult work. But, for the most part, there was none of this one stitch here, one stitch there like there is in my current project.

Of course, this piece is also why it has taken me years to work on The Starry Night—this thing was really hard on my hands. Especially the left one, as that is the one that grips the hoop. Didn't do much for the left elbow, either (other stitchers will understand, I'm sure). Needless to say, my friend loves it, and it hangs in pride of place—directly over her living room sofa.

Artzoobilee: Swamp Frog

This was one of my favorites, probably owing to the Monet-esque quality of the lilypads.




BACK:



SIDE:



BELLY:



THE NIECE:






Animal: Swamp Frog
Artist: Dan Gardiner

Thursday Thirteen 196: Recently Viewed

I was trying to decide on a topic for this week when it occured to me I had not done this in a while--not since sometime last fall. So, here are the most recently viewed movies or DVDs, going backward over the last few months. Click on a link for information on any title listed below.


13. Monk, Season 1 (Complete first season, good for when you need a few laughs.)

12. Burn Notice, Season 1 (Complete first season. Mmm...Michael Weston.)

11. Inception (Awesome movie, highly recommend it. Totally deserved all its Oscar wins and nominations, especially those for special effects.)

10. Lost in Austen (4-part mini-series based on Pride and Prejudice. Modern day woman ends up in the world of P&P where anything that can go wrong, does, and characters are not necessarily as they seem in Jane Austen's novel. Funny situations and great one-liners.)

9. Over the Hedge (I'd been wanting to see this for years, so when I stumbled across it one Saturday evening just as it was starting, I had to watch. Loved it!)

8. American Gangster (Good movie, based on a true story. And, well...it has Denzell, and Russell...)

7. Extraordinary Measures (Another good one, based on a true story.)

6. Letters to Juliet (Love this one, great romantic comedy!)

5. Sherlock Holmes (Good action movie, but I think friends enjoyed it more than I did.)

4. Valentine's Day (Jam-packed with stars, but really good. I like the different intersecting story-lines. This one is now on my wishlist.)

3. The Legend of Johnny Lingo (This was okay; it was a weekend non-cable offering. I was bored, not feeling well and wasn't in the mood to read or do anything else.)

2. The Lost Valentine (I hate you, Hallmark, really I do. This was a real tear-jerker.)

1. Fly Boys (Based on the true story of the Lafayette Escadrille, a WWI flying squadron. Good movie. If that's not enough for you...men in uniform.)


Have you watched anything good lately? Anything you'd recommend?



LINKS TO OTHER THURSDAY THIRTEENS:
(Please leave your link if this is your first visit!)

Maddy Barone * Adelle Laudan * Shelley Munro
Bratty * Alice Audrey * Colleen * Mercy * Ron
Sandra * CountryDew * Dawn * Harriet
Paige Tyler * Jennifer Leeland * Janice Seagraves

Wordless Wednesday 2

I can't wait to see spiderwort in bloom again!
(Photo: UW Arboretum, June 2010)

More Wordless Wednesday Photos

Teaser Tuesday 77: Mockingjay

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current book or recent read.
* Share a few “teaser” sentences from somewhere in the book.
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away. You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title and author so that other participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teaser!


How I spent my weekend—well, part of it anyway. I read half the book on Saturday, then finished before bed on Sunday. 400 pages in two days. Whew! No wonder I felt so tired Monday. *G*

And, I'm sure you all won't mind if I offer up not one, but three quotes from this phenomanal book. If you haven't yet read this trilogy, what are you waiting for?

Frankly, our ancestors don’t seem much to brag about. I mean, look at the state they left us in, with the wars and the broken planet. Clearly, they didn’t care about what would happen to the people who came after them. (pg 84)


President Snow says he’s sending us a message? Well, I have one for him. You can torture us and bomb us and burn our districts to the ground, but do you see that? Fire is catching! And if we burn, you burn with us!” (pg 100)


What I need is the dandelion in the spring. The bright yellow that means rebirth instead of destruction. The promise that life can go on, no matter how bad our losses. That it can be good again. (pg 388)

About the Book:
Mockingjay (book three of series)
By Suzanne Collins
Genre: YA

Young Katniss Everdeen has survived the dreaded Hunger Games not once, but twice, but even now she can find no relief. In fact, the dangers seem to be escalating: President Snow has declared an all-out war on Katniss, her family, her friends, and all the oppressed people of District 12. The thrill-packed final installment of Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy will keep young hearts pounding.

Random Photo 3

Squirrel tracks, leading away from my front window, taken after the blizzard back in February. I'm sure the squirrel is as happy as I am that we are no longer looking at this stuff!

Latest project

This is the latest project I have been working on this winter. I actually started this I don't know how many years ago, and had set it aside to work on something else then...never got back to it. Last month I decided I needed to pull this out and finish it, once and for all. Unlike about 99% of larger projects I do, this one is not for someone else. Nope, this one is all mine, since it is of one of my most favorite paintings in the world. Can you guess what it is?




Here's a look at a section of the pattern. I have to tell you, thank heavens for highlighters; they make keeping track of where you are a heck of a lot easier. I think I'm on my fourth highlighter now. Most of it has been tracked in ornage, but there is one section that was done in green.



And here's what the stitched section looks like. I try to stitch as much of the larger blocks of color as I can before going back and filling in with the colors where there's one stitch here, two stitches there. The large blocks of color are relatively easy, but filling in the other colors? Major pain in the neck. Literally. Good thing it looks so cool when it's done!



Look back at the top photo taken a week ago, then at the one below taken Friday night. Can you tell how much progress I've made in the past week? Slow but steady! I think I'll pop in a good movie this afternoon and work on it a bit more...

Artzoobilee: Serengeti

Animal: Serengeti
Artist: Ann Windell

Randon Photo 2

This one is for Nina, who wanted a look inside my closet. And yes, I really am this organized!

Thursday Thirteen 195: Irish Edition

Happy St. Patrick's Day! This week I present a bit of celtic music for your listening pleasure. Just click on any link to hear a song. Erin go Bragh!


1. Danny Boy by Anthony Kearns (There are hundreds of different versions of this popular standard, but I hope you enjoy this one.)
2. When Irish Eyes Are Smiling by Bing Crosby
3. The Last Rose of Summer by Méav Ni Mhaolchatha (of Celtic Woman)
4. Peg of My Heart by Charles Harrison
5. Isle of Inisfree by Órla Fallon (of Celtic Woman)
6. The Soft Goodbye by Celtic Woman
7. The Wearing O' The Green by Wolfe Tones (It was difficult finding a decent version of this one)
8. The Rose of Tralee by John McDermott (A poignantly beautiful song)
9. Sweet Rosie O'Grady by the Freddie Williams Barbershop Quartet
10. It's a Long Way to Tipperary by John McCormick
11. Dúlaman by Celtic Woman
12. Voyage by John McDermott (I absolutely love this one!)
13. Carrickfergus by Órla Fallon

And here's a bonus with a toast to all:
14. Whiskey in the Jar by The Irish Tenors (I wanted to post a version by local group The Kissers, but could not find it. Ah, well...)

LINKS TO OTHER THURSDAY THIRTEENS:
(Please leave your link if this is your first visit!)

Maddy Barone * Shelley Munro * Jennifer Leeland
Alice Audrey * Adelle Laudan * Mercy * Colleen
Janice Seagraves * Jamie Babette * Mary Quast
Anthony North * Long & Short Reviews
CountryDew * Harriet * Darla M Sands * Paige Tyler
Janet * AlphaWoman * A Catherine Noon
Kimberly Menozzi * Xakara

Random Photo 1

I have so many hundreds of pictures, I thought I might start posting some random photos and, though this one is definitely from winter, they won't all necessarily be from the current season.



Taken in February. You can actually see the space around this boulder now.

See more participating photos at Wordless Wednesday.

Teaser Tuesday 76: The Ghost and the Dead Deb

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current book or recent read.
* Share a few “teaser” sentences from somewhere in the book.
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away. You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title and author so that other participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teaser!


Whew, just about done with this book—am sure to finish it before going to bed tonight. This scene is from the end of the last chapter I read before bed last night. And no, I had no bad dreams resulting from such. This is a bit longer selection than usual, but I couldn't bring myself to post only part of the paragraph and, due to foreshadowing, it doesn't really ruin the plot.

In this scene, the heroine is wandering through a small wooded area at night when she trips and drops her flashlight. With all the walking I do in the Arboretum, you know this scene would be one of my biggest fears (not that I would go walking there at night, but still...).

It landed off the path, rolled and stopped. The beam of light fell on what looked like a squirming black mass. I blinked as a cloud of flittering night bugs rose from the heap on the ground. I looked closer, saw a length of yellow rope encircling puffy black flesh, straw-blonde hair pulled into a tight ponytail, and pale, mottled skin still crawling with insects.

Then I screamed.

(pg 194)

About the Book:
The Ghost and the Dead Deb
By Alice Kimberly
Series: A Haunted Bookshop, book 2
Genre: Cozy Mystery

Don’t haunt the customers...

This was the only rule bookshop owner and widow Penelope Thornton-McClure had given her resident ghost, hard-boiled PI Jack Shephard. But when the hot young author Angel Stark arrives at the store to promote her latest, a true crime novel, Jack can hardly contain himself. After all, this is his specialty!

Angel’s book is an unsolved mystery about a debutante found strangled to death. And it’s filled with juicy details that point a finger at a number of people in the deb’s high society circle. But when the author winds up dead too—in precisely the same way—Pen is fast on the case...which means Jack is too. After all, a ghost detective never rests in peace.

Sympathy for a friend - 2

And this is the card I made for my friend's mom (see yesterday's post). As mentioned before, I have needed far too many sympathy cards (four in the last five weeks!) so far this year. Let's hope these are the last I need!




A close-up of the front:




Paper: DCWV and Stampin' Up
Ink: Stampin' Up (Basic Black)
Stamps: Stampin' Up ( Forest Friends)
Accessories: Printed greeting, word window punch (SU), scallop edge punch (SU)

Sympathy for a friend - 1

It's only March, and I've already had a need for far too many of these. Another close friend recently lost her grandmother. This is the card I made for her--I'll share the one I made for her mother tomorrow.









Paper: DCWV and Stampin' Up
Ink: Stampin' Up (Basic Black)
Stamps: Stampin' Up (Feathered Hope; Warmest Regards); Wordsworth (My Thoughts)
Accessories: Colored pencils, Blender pen, grosgrain ribbon, scalloped punch

Artzoobilee: Tiwanaku

Closeups of the artwork painted on this one:





The niece being coy:






Animal: Tiwanaku
Artist: Tom Kelly