Barb Kicks Ass

Barb kicked total ass this past weekend.  There's just no other way to say it.  She took the bull by the horns and decided it was time to get the basement completed the way we wanted it.  So she (with some help from Zach) got the new theater area painted, got everything moved, arranged, hung and accounted for and now the basement is fabulous.  The kids have the run of 70% of it.  It's a huge play area where they can do what they want, have tons of toys at their disposal and a TV and DVD player as well.  It's very kid-friendly, decorated very cutely and just perfect for what we need.

And the theater area turned out way better than I ever expected.  It's perfect for movies, sports, gaming or visiting with friends. Barb got all of my movie posters up and all of my gaming stuff stored neatly.  I got everything all hooked up and working so it's a go.  We could not have done all of this without Jessica either, so a big thanks to her as well.

But Barb was the worker.  She was the (wo)MAN.  She kicks ass!

Vacation Time!!!

It's been a long haul since Jan. 4th, but today marks the start of a much needed 10 day break. It actually started yesterday at noon. I took the afternoon off and drove down to Ogdensburg NY to pick up an amp that I had shipped to the UPS Store there.

The amp is an original Tone King Meteor, a 40W 1x12 combo with reverb and tremolo. It has two footswitchable channels, one based on a Fender Deluxe Reverb and the other on tones that range from Fender Tweed Duluxe into early Marshall territory. A half power switch allows you to run the second channel at 20W. Very handy! I haven't played much at all since returning to work in July, but the itch is coming back in a big way. There's nothing like a new amp to fuel that urge, and I have a killer Slacker Radio mix set up and ready to roll for backing tracks. Yee-Haw!!!

Tonight we're off to the Sens game courtesy of tickets I won in a raffle about a month ago. Our seats are 12 rows behind the Senators net, so it might be a good night for some photo opps. Looking forward to the game and hitting our favorite arena restaurant for beer and burgers beforehand.

My main "project" for the week is to get our taxes done. Up until now it's been a very straightforward affair, but that's all changed since I became self-employed last year. Lots of receipts to compile and expenses to calculate. I'm not looking forward to it, nor am I looking forward to the trip I need to make to the licence bureau to cancel the registration on my old car sometime next week.

I'm not sure how much time I'll have for gaming, but whatever there is will probably put towards a second play through Heavy Rain. Joyce was actually asking about it last night (gotta love that!). She'd like to see how differently it might play out the second time through. So would I?

Joyce is working through Wed., then on Thurs. AM we hit the road for a few days in Ithaca NY. Why Ithaca, you ask? Well, it came highly recommended by a server at our favorite eatery in NH. It's primarily a college town (Cornell U, Ithaca College) with lots of pubs, restaurants, live music, etc. Were booked into an historic inn on the edge of Ithaca Commons - the hub of activity downtown. It's apparently a lovely town and area, and also wine country. Neither of us have ever been to a winery and, though it's no doubt out of season, we'll definitely be seeking one out. We're also planning a day trip up to Waterloo about an hour to the north. There's a huge oulet mall there that we're anxious to check out. In the meantime, I've been busy compiling tuneage for the tour (fighting iTunes every step of the way). Really looking forward to the trip and getting the Mazda on the road for it's first serious run (notwithstanding my round-tripper to Ogdensburg yesterday).

Finished God Of War III

Awesome.  Just absolutely awesome.  This would have been a serious Game Of The Year contender last year.  I am sure it will make the finalists for 2010.  If you have a PS3 you shouldn't miss this game.  Just the sheer spectacle itself is worth the price of admission.  And the gameplay is dead-on as has always been the case with this series.

Now it's time to see what all this fuss is about with Just Cause 2.

Quick gaming thoughts

I am about 3 hours into God Of War III and - no surprise here - it's awesome.  The graphics are phenomenal, the cut scenes tremendous, the voice acting superb and of course the gameplay is 2nd to none.  Dave from Were Not Here claims that this is the best video game series of all time and if it's not, it's gotta be in the running.  Simply stellar.

I also will be getting Just Cause 2 today.  I pre-ordered it yesterday, trading in Dragon Age: Origins.  I could just never get into that game and I tried with 2 different characters.  I wish I hadn't waited so long, I could have gotten more credit for it.  Anyway, Just Cause 2 looks fun; it's a huge sandbox type of game where stuff blows up real good.  :-)   I won't be playing it until GOW3 is finished but I will give impressions when I do.

What's on your iPhone?

Here’s how mine is loaded at the moment…

Facebook – iPhone and Facebook, they were made for each other

Dragon Dictation – a ‘gee whiz’ app – converts speech to text with surprising accuracy

AppBox – a plethora of useful little apps, including a great unit converter

Around Me – like the POI function of a GPS – I haven’t had occasion to use it yet, so can’t vouch for accuracy

Mixology – cocktail recipes at your fingertips – can even suggest recipes based on your bar and mix inventory – bottoms up!

Bump! - bump iPhones to transfer contact info. - nifty!

TSN Mobile – The Sports Network – good for news, not so much for boxscores

Sportsnet – easy access to boxscores, but meh for news

Sportacular – for broader and more in-depth results tracking

Slacker Radio – create your own radio stations – love it! - I’m going to subscribe

Flycast – somewhat like Slacker, but provides access to real radio stations from across the U.S.

Shazam – another ‘gee whiz’ app – point the iPhone at a music source and Shazam will tell you what’s playing – amaze your friends!

Gibson – yeah, THAT Gibson – comes with a built in guitar tuner which should prove very handy

IMDB – gotta have access to movie and TV info.

IGN – have seldom referenced this – reviews seem to lag behind the main site

Bejeweled 2 – a fave from Xbox 360 Arcade – one of the very few apps I’ve purchased

Peggle – see Bejeweled 2 – another great Pop Cap title worth shelling out for

Words with Friends – if I could only have one app, this would probably be it – mobile Scrabble is big fun and a great way to stay connected

FloodIt 2 – highly addictive – Joyce has been playing the life out of it on FB

Slingshot Plus – a silly little time waster where you take out cows and gophers with a slingshot

Fingerzilla – another time waster - devastation and destruction literally at your fingertips – try it!

Gold Miner – for the platform gamer in all of us

Hatch! – crack the egg and out pops a cute little animal – two year old grandson Koen loves it

Zombie Farm – a surprisingly “deep” sim for a handheld – just getting into this one

Web Pages – fave sites accessible from my home page…Hockey’s Future Boards, SensChirp, The Gear Page, We’re Not Here and, of course, Memory Almost Full

So what’s on your iPhone?

P.S. Barb, this would be the perfect opportunity for you to step out from behind the shadow of anonymity and post your very first blog.

R.I.P. Alex Chilton

I was very saddened to read that rock music cult icon Alex Chilton passed away suddenly on March 17th.  Chilton was the lead man behind Big Star, an early 70's band that was extremely influential despite poor record sales.  Big Star is often referred to as the pioneers of Power Pop, a genre that includes such bands as Cheap Trick, REM, The Replacements and The Posies.  After years away from the music scene, Big Star reformed with members of The Posies rounding out the band.  They had been active until his death and I am seriously bummed that I never got a chance to see them live.

As mentioned, Big Star never sold a lot of records.  They put out 3 albums in the early 70's and each one was highly acclaimed and they are now all considered classics.  When Rolling Stone magazine released their list of the 500 greatest rock albums of all time, all 3 original Big Star records made the list.  In 1987 The Replacements released their excellent Pleased To Meet Me album.  The 2nd track on the album?  A rocker entitled "Alex Chilton."

Chilton's biggest hit was as a 16 year old singer in the band The Box Tops.  The band hit #1 with their classic The Letter.  It was after his success with The Box Tops that Chilton formed Big Star in Memphis.  Chilton's solo work away from Big Star has divided many critics, some who love it and others who think it is a far cry from his best work.  But that seems to matter little at this time.  The man's music and legacy will live on mostly through his work with Big Star.  If you have not heard Big Star, I recommend checking out all 3 of the early albums: #1 Record, Radio City and Sister Lover/Third.  It definitely has that 70's vibe but to this day it still sounds fresh and exciting.

There have been recent rumors about a Big Star movie in the works, though whether it would be a documentary or a drama I am not sure.  Another early member, Chris Bell, died in an automobile accident after he had left the band.  Bell was extremely talented in his own right and was a tragic figure with some inner demons that he may never have conquered.  Now Alex Chilton is gone too.  Rest in peace, fellas.  The music world is a much better place for having had you.

God Of War III has arrived

I only got to play around with it for 20 minutes or so, but my goodness, what a grand opening!  I had heard that the scale of the game has been increased considerably, that some of the settings and foes were almost too huge to describe, and that is obvious even in the short amount of time I have played.  The gameplay seems largely unchanged from the first 2 games (that's a good thing) and the control is once again spot-on.  I won't be able to really get my hands grubby with this game until next week, but I am really looking forward to it.

I also ordered the strategy guide and it is awesome as well.  If you have seen the guides for either of the 1st two games, you know what to expect: not only a complete walkthrough and locations for all the treasures, but also background on all of the Greek mythology that is in the game.  It's really like a very palatable history lesson and its worth shelling out the bucks just for that alone.

They say that this is the last game in the series but I am finding that really hard to believe.  These games are massive sellers and are universally acclaimed.  Walking away from this series would be a very bold thing indeed and I am not sure Sony wants to see such an obvious cash cow just disappear.  We'll see.

Heavy Rain - The Full Report

Billed as an interactive drama, Heavy Rain is just that - not so much a game that you 'play' in the traditional sense, but a movie you participate in. It's exceptionally well constructed with high production values from top to bottom. The game 'looks' like the movie it's striving to be with great art direction, lighting and camera work, solid character design, animation and voice acting, some effective use of split screen, and a fantastic script and musical score. However, as well executed as it is, you'll never be fooled into thinking you're watching and controlling anything other than video game characters. I think we're still probably a couple of generations from that point. It's a minor gripe in any event because it's all about the story, and they don't get much more compelling than this.

Without giving anything away, Heavy Rain is a psychological thriller that at various times echoes films like Se7en, Mystic River and The Cell. It follows four principal characters involved in the investigation and hunt for a serial killer who has been murdering young boys. It's a highly emotional story and the characters, whom you play in turn, are so well drawn that you form a deep attachment to each of them. You genuinely care about their plight and physical and mental well being because it's ultimately 'your' choices and actions that determine their fate and that of those around them. And Quantic Dreams didn't stop with the lead characters. The secondary and bit players are fully formed as well, and it all melds together into an extremely believable whole.

I've never played a game that was based, in whole or part, on Quick Time Events. In fact, I'd never even heard of QTE's until I started reading up on Heavy Rain. With the exception of character movement, HR is entirely QTE based. Rather than dictating the action yourself, the action is dictated to you in the form of screen prompts, and your response and choices impact what unfolds within the story itself. If that sounds boring, well, it certainly can be at times. But it can also be thoroughly engrossing and exhilarating. Much has been made about how Heavy Rain drags at the beginning. While I found that true to a point, it wasn't long before I was fully engaged in the story. The preliminary scenes are used primarily to familiarize the control system and set the stage for what's to come. This involves some pretty mundane tasks which allow you to become accustomed to how the controller is used to direct events as the game progresses (and HR makes use of the WHOLE controller).

The control scheme is generally well implemented and results in the most realistic action sequences I’ve ever experienced, but it’s not without faults. While the prologue serves as a good tutorial, not every control is fully explained – there’s a certain amount of trial and error involved. That’s all fine and dandy when a character is brushing his teeth or shaving, but becomes more problematic at critical junctures later in the game when quick and decisive action can make the difference between life and death. I’m all for puzzles in video games, but when figuring out the control is one of them, it just feels cheap.

Heavy Rain also makes fairly extensive use of wireless motion control and, for the most part, it works well too. However, there are moments where it doesn’t react as you expect (could have to do with my seating position), and that can be very frustrating if not fatal.Finally, character movement is quite unorthodox, using the left stick to look/turn and the R2 trigger to move. There’s also a second camera that allows you to alter perspective. The relative lack of perspective and extremely limited field of vision (you can’t look up or down, for example) are guaranteed to have you yearning for a more traditional control mechanic at times. I don’t want to make ‘too’ much of the control issues because they’re largely sporadic. But when they do occur, it totally removes you from the sense of immersion that the game works so hard to create.

It’s worth noting that the game offers three difficulty levels based on familiarity with the controller. Even nicer is that it can be adjusted in game. I played through on the middle of the three settings and, even then, there were sections I found very difficult to navigate. There are only so many buttons these old fingers can press and hold at once!

HR relies heavily on presentation to create the illusion that you’re actively participating in a movie. It’s essentially an extended series of cut scenes, some of which involve you and some don’t, which are edited together in film like fashion. Load times between scenes are generally brief, providing a fairly seamless quality to the presentation, but a few scenes are simply too short and tend to disrupt the flow. Major sections, when you shift from one character to the next, require slightly longer loads, but I was usually ready for a pause by those points anyway.

The script is built on the foundation of a really good story and once it grabs you, it doesn’t let go. It’s all pretty tightly knit but, depending on how things develop, it can loosen up towards the end leaving you with unexplained character motivations and unresolved events. I suppose that’s part of the price to pay for a branching narrative that accommodates multiple outcomes. Through most of the game, though, the branching works spectacularly well. You will repeatedly question how a scene may have played out had you chosen or acted differently, especially if it results in the death of another. The game actually allows you to do just that by selecting individual scenes from the Chapter List, like a DVD. You can even save the new result if you prefer, though I can’t imagine why you’d do that as opposed to playing through the entire game a second time. And while I’m thinking about it, DO NOT watch the end credits if you plan to play again. There may be spoilers lurking in there depending on how the story evolved for you.

If you’re considering a purchase or rental of Heavy Rain, be warned that it can be a very passive experience. This is clearly not a game for the hardcore, action-oriented gamer, though the action sequences alone are almost worth the price of admission. There’s a lot of watching involved here, either in the form of true cut scenes or menial tasks that you’re presented (hitting a few golf balls, making a plate of eggs) to bide time while events and dialogue unfold around you. The game is also quite short so, unless you foresee multiple plays, a rental is definitely the way to go. In my case, there’s no question I’ll be playing through at least once more, and I’d like to explore the branching intelligence by playing some individual scenes beyond that.

In the end, it’s hard to rate a game like Heavy Rain. Its brevity, extraneous content and periodic control issues conspire to hold it back from greatness. However when it all comes together, which it often does, it feels truly groundbreaking to me. I’ve never played anything quite like it, and I want more. I hope this is a genre that finds its niche so developers will continue to nurture and expand it. The imagination runs wild at the possibilities as video game technology continues to mature and allows the likes of Quantic Dreams to bring the full scope of their ideas to life.

Finished God Of War II

After a marathon night of gaming, I finally finished GOW2, just in time for Tuesday's release of GOW3.  GOW2 was all it was hyped up to be, an epic action game with great production values and a terrific story entwined with Greek mythology.  I had a blast getting through this game.  I think at some point I will go back and replay the original GOW just because it was so epic as well.

I still have yet to play the latest Borderlands DLC and am anxious to do so.  Still, it may have to wait it's turn behind  GOW3.  And with Pete saying very good things about Heavy Rain, I am intrigued about that as well, especially since I could play that one with Barb.  There are some really good games coming out soon, so I will be anxious for the reviews to begin trickling in.

Heavy Rain - First Take

My copy of Heavy Rain arrived late last week, and I've logged several hours of gameplay over the last couple of days. Rather than posting detailed impressions, I'm going to hold off in favour of a complete review when I finish the game. I'm about halfway done at this point and am so engrossed in the story that I don't want it to end. Another play through is already a given, probably immediately following this one. Joyce has been watching as though it's a movie (which it pretty much is) and the story has her hooked as well.

Heavy Rain is certainly not without its faults, but it more than makes up for it with a riveting story, and moments of sheer excitement and emotional impact. If you've read the reviews and are intrigued, then you shouldn't hesitate in picking it up. Just be aware that there's a lot of watching involved and the gameplay can be very passive, amounting to nothing more than filler or a button press or two to advance from one scene to the next. If you're a hard core, action oriented gamer, then Heavy Rain probably won't be your cup o' tea (though the action sequences are extremely well executed). It's also reputedly quite short, clocking in at 8-10 hours, so it would make a perfect rental if the prospect of multiple plays isn't of interest.

I was in the mood for something different, and Heavy Rain is filling the bill to a tee. More later...

A little update

-I got my daughter Jess out for her first driving lesson today.  We went to a big parking lot and she learned the basics.  She did an excellent job with the steering, accelerating and braking.  I was really impressed with her confidence and her attitude.  Well done, Jess!!!

-Barb and I finished season 4 of Dexter last night so we are all caught up.  We are both still recovering from what was an absolute shocker of an ending.  Neither of us saw it coming and it really has stuck with us both all day.  Stunning is all I can say.  I'm still not sure if I am mad about it or not.  I guess the writers did their job well.

-God Or War III comes out next week.  I have it pre-ordered from Amazon (with free release date delivery) along with the strategy guide.  I got $10 off the game for having pre-ordered Bioshock 2 from Amazon earlier.  It's a great way to get your games and save money.  Now I am feverishly trying to finish God Of War II before GOWIII arrives.  God Of War II such an excellent game in it's own right, I am trying not to rush too much so that I can savor it's quality as well.  BTW, the reviews are coming in for GOWIII and as expected, they have been universal in their praise.

That's all for now.  Enjoying the heck out of my iPhone and playing Words With Friends.  I am down 2 games to none to Pete.  I have buzzard's luck against him, but he is an excellent player as well.  I'm not giving up, Pete!

Gaming Update

I finally returned to Borderlands the other day after a long break that dates back to the start of the Olympics. It's been a blast so far, but I have to admit that I find the gameplay is becoming a little tedious the further I get into it (currently Level 18). I hate to bail on it now but, at a minimum, I'm ready for a break. After a steady diet of Fallout and Borderlands over the last three months, it's time for something completely different (Python reference intended).

Enter Heavy Rain. This one arrived today, and I can't wait to dive into it over the weekend. I'm not entirely sure what to expect, but I really like what I've heard. And it's supposedly quite short, which would suit me just fine right now. Sounds like the kind of thing Joyce might get into watching - always a bonus.

I'm not sure what will follow HR, possibly a long awaited return to Bioshock, or maybe Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 (another short one!) first. Then there's MLB '10. I cracked the seal on that one the other day and spent a considerable amount of time creating my custom player in RTTS, only to somehow lose everything I'd done! Grrrr. I'd also like get back and spend some more time with NFS Shift. Maybe there's a Mazda 3 in there somewhere... In any case, I'm ready for a little variety in my gaming life.

The 2010 NFL Draft: QB or not QB?

That is the question if you are the St. Louis Rams and finished an NFL-worst 1-15 (ouch!) in 2009.  In fact, the Rams have won just 6 of their last 48 games, setting an NFL record for futility.  Last year's rookie head coach (Steve Spagnuolo) and rookie GM (Billy Devaney) got a pass for having to deal with an old, underachieving roster that was basically bereft of talent, especially once injuries had their way with the team.  This is the 2nd season for Spags and Devaney and probably will be the first under new ownership, if the team sale to Shahid Khan goes through as anticipated.  The fan base is restless, to say the least, and wants to start seeing some results.  But the task is daunting; turning around a 1-15 nightmare will require a massive roster turnover and will take time.  And time is something that Spags and Devaney may not have a whole lot of.

After the college conference championship games this season, one man became the consensus "best player in the country."  That man is Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.  He had a lights-out senior season and is dominant on the front line, stout against the run and one heck of a pass rusher as well.  As time has gone on, some have declared Oklahoma's Gerald McCoy to be his equal or even better, mostly based on how his game projects to the NFL.  Still, the majority think Suh is the man.  And with the Rams awful against the run last year and unable to muster any sort of consistent pass rush, he should be the no-brainer pick at #1, right?

Maybe not.  Enter Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford, the 2008 Heisman Trophy winner.  Bradford surprised many people when he decided to come back to Oklahoma in 2009; the thought was that if he had turned pro he more than likely would have been the first overall pick in the 2009 draft.  But he returned to Oklahoma for a chance to win the national title.  His hopes were quickly dashed when he injured his throwing shoulder not once, but twice during the season.  After the second injury he shut down for the rest of the year to focus on rehab and announced he would enter the 2010 draft.  Now his status is basically unknown.  If he hadn't been injured, he would automatically be one of the top 5 players in the draft.  His surgery went well, he is ahead of schedule in rehab and is throwing the ball 20-40 yards 100 times every other day.  He will have his pro day workout in late March where he will be put through the ringer to see just how ready he is.  And this is where the Rams are in the toughest of tough spots.

If Bradford throws well at the pro day workout and gets a clean bill of health from the doctors, what should the Rams do?  Because as bad as the defense was last year, the offense was worse.  And not only that, it was b-o-r-i-n-g.  It was painful to watch and many fans simply chose not to as the year wore on.  And while the old axiom may be that defense wins championships (and that's oversimplifying things, but that's a whole other blog), offense puts fans in the seats.  A team can be mediocre as long as they are still somewhat fun to watch.  But when they are dreadful, no one wants to pay any attention.

There is no doubt that QB is the premier position in the NFL.  If you have no viable option at QB and have a chance to draft a player that you feel is a potential franchise QB, you do it.  If Bradford had not been injured, I think the Rams would take him without a doubt.  As it is now, I still think they are seriously considering making him the pick.  If his pro day goes well, I have little doubt the Rams can convince themselves that Bradford is their guy.  Devaney has already gone on record as saying that if a QB grades out close to the top, you take the QB even if he's not quite at the top.  But passing on Suh is a risky proposition as well.  Many Rams' fans are convinced he is the best player in the draft and that if you have the first pick then you must take the best player.  Many are wary of Bradford not only because of his injury history but also because they feel he will have little impact on the team this year, especially with little talent around him.  Meanwhile the thought is that Suh could instantly make the DL better by occupying 2 blockers and freeing up defensive end Chris Long.

I myself am on the fence.  I lean a bit towards Bradford, simply because there is more value in a QB and I thought he was an elite QB before the injury.  If he checks out okay, then I think it is worth the gamble.  At the very least his work ethic, character and leadership are unquestioned.  He is a very accurate passer and has above-average arm strength.  He interviewed very well at the combine and is seen as very intelligent.  It is true that drafting QBs early is a risky business, but if you look back at past drafts, picking DTs early is no picnic either; many early picks have turned out to be duds.  As good as Suh is, and make no mistake he is very good, there is no such thing as a sure thing in the NFL draft.  Rams' fans will be in an uproar if the pick is Bradford and he is mediocre or especially if he hurts that shoulder again and Suh goes on to be a dominant presence.  You can make a case for either player.  The problem for the Rams is that they have to get this one right.

Mazda 3 Sport GT - First Impressions

I took delivery of my new Mazda 3 on Thursday, and bid a fond farewell to my faithful Subaru Legacy (much to the delight of Joyce's daughter, Heather). Mixed emotions to be sure, but at least I didn't have to leave the old girl on a dealer lot while I drove away.

As is often the case with a new vehicle, excitement is balanced with a certain period of adjustment. The Mazda is a class below the Subaru size-wise, and that became immediately apparent. The cabin space is more compressed (though not claustrophobically so) and the main cargo area isn't large enough to fit a guitar without dropping one of the rear seats back. You gain some of that space back in height by the ability to stack cargo. There's obviously also some compromise in rear leg room in a smaller car. On the plus side, the shorter length fits more comfortably in the garage.

The other major adjustment is shifting (pardon the pun) from a manual to automatic transmission. The '3' comes equipped with a 5 speed "Sport Mode" automatic which, in real terms, provides the ability to control the shift points of the transmission. The concept sounds great in principle, but I was underwhelmed with it when I drove the 6-7km home from the dealership. It wasn't until last night that I realized the shift points on the Mazda were one gear below those on the Subaru. At that point, everything clicked. It's still like some weird hybrid of manual and automatic but, man, is it fun! The HP and torque are essentially the same as the Legacy, but the car is much lighter. That results in a whole lot of zippedty-do-dah.

One of the deciding factors in choosing the Mazda over a Subaru Impreza was the feature set. Buying a Mazda is like ordering cable TV - every group of options has another set that's a prerequisite. In my case, I really wanted Bluetooth, GPS and a premium sound system because I didn't want to deal with after-market upgrades (though I'm sure it would have been much less expensive that way). Of course those options only come with the highest options package, so you end up with a fully tricked out vehicle, which is both a blessing and a curse. Lots of features means lots of controls (including those mounted on the steering wheel), and you have to be able to see them all in the dark, right? At night, this thing lights up like the Griswald's on Christmas Eve. It's simultaneously impressive, and garish. And speaking of night driving, not only are the headlights auto leveling, they're really freakin' bright! I swear they'd restore sight to a blind man.

I'm pretty impressed with the tech capabilities so far. The on-board GPS is nice, if a little small, and the sound system has good clarity and wallop. Bluetooth setup is pretty straightforward, and voice recognition is a welcome touch. I had little difficulty pairing my iPhone or Joyce's LG mobile, and I actually had Slacker Radio streaming from my iPhone through the Mazda's sound system this afternoon. Cool! I haven't activated the six month free subscription to Sirius radio yet, but I'm looking forward to that, too.

The GT-E also comes with automatic keyless entry and start. For the uninitiated, like me, this means that your car "keys" remain in your pocket (or purse as the case may be). Pardon me, but that's just fookin' weird. The keyless entry is actually pretty cool, as is the way the power driver's seat auto adjusts on entry, but the push button start is just plain foreign. There's something about inserting the key and turning on the ignition that's intrinsically part of the driving experience. And shutting down the car and walking away all with the key in my pocket still feels odd, not necessarily in a good way.

It's only been 48 hours, but I'm really excited by this little car so far. And "little" truly is the operative word, especially compared to what I'm used to. The Mazda 3 is a great little runabout, and the 2.5L engine will handle highway driving with aplomb. But as an only vehicle it's a little on the small side, even for a "single'" couple like us. We're already starting to think about replacing Joyce's 2005 Kia Spectra with a small SUV in a couple of years. It would be a perfect complement to the '3'.

MLB 10: The Show

I picked this up today for the PS3, trading in the '09 version in the process.  I pre-ordered it because you get 6 classic stadiums for no additional cost, though it appears as though they won't be available until May.  Early impressions from others say that it plays a lot like last year's game but with improvements, such as better ball physics and a refined Road To The Show mode.  I won't be getting too much playing time any time soon, but will give impressions when I can.