The launch went off without a hitch.

Yes, it’s nice to finally have an end to such an epic series, but the only reason I was able to procure the final leg of the trilogy last night was just out of curiosity and fear.

Alaina and I walked into the door that was standing open. It wasn’t a traditional entrance, it was more like a loading dock door, but whatever.

When you walk in, there is no sign or person telling you what is going on, and what to do.

What should have happened is someone or something telling you that:

1. You need to pay for your copy of Halo 3 in full before midnight, or else they won’t be able to give you the game.
2. The line starts here.
3. We have several Rent-a-Cops on Duty, and they will neither serve, nor protect.

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Ah, it’s that time of year again.

The leaves turn color, the air turns crisp, and through every hill and dale the drunkards of New England are enjoying jugs of spiked Apple Cider.

Oh, and it’s the birthday of my beautiful wife!

She had the luxury of not having to go to work today, so we decided to sleep in. It seems our neighbors thought otherwise, and decided to thrum their much-appreciated music through the walls at 7:30 a.m.

Of course, this led to a second message left on the landlady’s machine, telling her of the wonderful reverberations at all hours of the day and night.

After that, I made my wife pancakes of the steamiest variety, and then at 1, we went to Olive Garden, and she got the long-awaited, and lusted after Caesar Salad. We knew we had cake at home (see here.), so we decided we “didn’t save room for dessert”.

I was happy that we were both home when my hand-tied dozen of Lavender roses showed up at the door (I’m sure she’ll blog about that soon), and she’s enjoying them thoroughly. She was lovely enough to say that they were her new favorite flowers, even more than her previous pick, Charlotte Roses.

I’m trying my best to be giving and tender to (and with) her today (and always, of course), so anything she wants, she gets.

Also, as far as the picture above goes, there was another version I was going to use. You can find that here.

Thank you for being born, darling. Your constant love, affection, and support goes neither unnoticed nor unappreciated.

Now, for the customary birthday Tickle Fight.

[i/o]

Best Buy.
Mountain Dew.
Seven Eleven.
Burger King.
Wal-Mart.

These are just a few of the major retailers that are enjoying the veritable cash cow that is Halo 3. Granted, it will probably be a great game. They’re stepping the campaign up to near epic-status (because apparently some people didn’t even play the campaign in Halo 2), and the multiplayer is going to be more feature rich than ever before. Clans, more complex player customization, new game types, and I’ve been told a level editor.

But my problem is this: does it really generate more sales for the game to have some sort of Master Chief Slurpee™, or Game Fuel? Whatever the hell that is.

Does it even stimulate the economy? Granted, over a million people buying one game within the span of 48 hours is surely a feat, but to what end? Does it further fuel these companies ideas that making random game-related crap is profitable?

I can’t help but think of all of this as blind consumerism.

Now’s the time to call me a hypocrite because I have reserved my copy of Halo 3. But I come from a different breed. I was not influenced by mass-marketing or “Cherry-Infused Kicks to the Mouth”. I bought my original Xbox for Halo. I bought Halo 2 because I enjoyed Halo so much. I’m getting Halo 3 because Halo 2 game me never-ending enjoyment. I still play it to this day.

Either way, sorry about this rebellious post, I’ve just gotten a little sick of all the junk being thrown in my face. Most of the people making truckloads of money probably won’t even buy the game that lines their wallets. They probably don’t even know Master Chief’s real name.

I do, John. I do.

[i/o]

What better day to drop some news like this than Grandparents Day?

Now, after you’ve done the double take, I’ll let this sink in: Alaina and I are pregnant.

Well, if we’re being extremely literal and analytical…she’s pregnant. I’m just…a spectator.

Sorry about having to hide this from everybody for a while, but we just wanted to make sure it was the real thing, and not just a fluke. 3 tests and a certificate of pregnancy can’t be wrong!

Either way, we were told our “Expected Day” would be somewhere around April 5. But…you know…if it ends up being something closer to March 19th…that wouldn’t be terrible.

This is quite the momentous event, so I’m also celebrating it by tearing Alaina away from her site long enough to say a few words here.

[In my best Olmec voice]: And here she is now!

Um, surprise everyone? We know it could’ve been timed a little bit better, but it’s nothing we can’t handle. We weren’t quite sure when to tell everyone, but it’s hard to keep it a secret. It was decided that if something unfortunate should happen, we would want to be able to grieve with everyone and not have to go through it by ourselves. And if everything is to go fine, then we of course would want to be able to share and enjoy with everyone. So, Happy Grandparents Day! I love you all!

Straight from the glowing horse’s mouth.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to celebrate with a dinner of hot dogs and water.

[i/o]

Oh yes. That’s right.

And this is after the Bioshock demo had downloaded. Yeah, I know. I already played the demo and beat it, but I don’t have the game, and I had a hankering. I needed some pipe wrench-wielding awesomeness.

As we speak, the top download is already finished, so I think I’ve found a good method for fast downloads.

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I think once you take a look at this picture, you’ll agree: Alaina and I surely live amongst what must be at least a majority of Mensa members.

Some of the people Alaina works with not only openly admit to doing drugs (whilst some of them pregnant), but they apparently sell them as well.

And not just simple stuff either. I mean, like…hardcore.

I’m not sure if it was just an off-day for Billy the Marquis Handler, but come on. “Our” is one of the most base words in the English, if not Human language. It means “as a group”, or “more than one”. It is essentially the plurality of a people, and this barnacle from the bottom of the barrel of intellect got it wrong.

Even if you were to give him the benefit of the doubt and say that he was perhaps using the phonetical spelling, his word comes off as having one syllable more than it should.

But then again, someone who works at Irving erected a sign informing other employees about the water in the mop bucket.

He used the word “Emty”. As in, “Emty the water from the bucket when you are done.”

Really, and I mean startlingly good work there. Perhaps it’s in the water.

(Good thing we drink Poland Springs.)

P.S. For all those who were curious, the interview went marvelously; came off with out a hitch.

[i/o]

Just wanted to make another post, this one of the spooky variety.

If you haven’t yet, check out Ted the Caver. I haven’t yet been able to decipher its validity, but I’ve read that you can see faces in some of the rock formations and there’s some sort of photographic anomaly in the picture with the dog named “Whip”. This of course is not the scary thing.

The scary thing is there’s no page 11.

[i/o]

Man, let’s hope you didn’t purchase an iPhone recently. Or your ass just got nailed to the wall like Jell-O. Which is to say, not very cleanly. And they probably forgot that they nailed you there, so they’ll be vacuuming next weekend or something and just happen to see you behind the wall-quilt. But by then you’ll have stained the wall and you’ll be quite put-out.

Needless to say, Apple is now offering the iPhone’s 8GB version at $399.

Happy Birthday.

[i/o]

Man, I don’t know why I regretting checking my “usuals” today (MacRumors, TUAW, Engadget, Joystiq), but I really missed quite the bombshell.

Apple not only refreshed the iPod Shuffle in new colors (funky, yet muted), but they also introduced redesigned iPod Nanos, with slimmer, all metal enclosures, and shorter heights. Oh, and bigger displays that will display video. And Coverflow.

Bam.

Not to mention their new iPod Classic and iPod Touch offerings as well.

The iPod Classic is like the “regular” iPod. Regular click wheel, but tasty new all-metal enclosure.

The iPod Touch brings everything you like about the iPhone into an iPod. And best of all? No monthly fees! Oh, and no phone calls or FM receiver, but whatever.

So head on over to Apple’s website and drool to your heart’s content.

(Seriously, how hard is it to add FM functionality?)

[i/o]

I’ve had my Xbox for a few days now, and I just wanted to say a few things about the Xbox Live service.

It’s really an unending joy to use. I download demos, watch trailers, and game with complete strangers…all in the name of gaming. I do have a few problems, but I thought I’d list my pros and cons for all to see, and be wary of.

Enjoy!

Pros:
• I feel more connected to the gaming community and “up” and games than I ever have before.
• The amount and quality of downloads is breathtaking. Example: I downloaded the Bioshock demo yesterday, loved it, and played through the Beautiful Katamari, Tenchu Z, and Viva Pinata demos as well. This morning I watched trailers for Assassins Creed, Fable 2, and Mass Effect. The idea that whatever you want, you can have is very prominent. I felt that my every gaming wish was catered to, and I couldn’t be happier.
• The fact that the Xbox team actually provides live feeds of gaming conventions through the Xbox Live service is greatly appreciated. I’m sure plenty of people don’t get G4 or similar game shows.

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