Debit or Credit Card?

Sometimes, despite the word "debit" being clearly visible on the front of a plastic card, said card must be used as a credit card. Silly, but true.

Second Mortgage

To implement the second phase of the Missed Fortune plan, you need to scrape together enough money to be able to make payments on a second mortgage; that is, the mortgage (interest-only) on the second home. Supposedly you can do that because of the money you're saving from phase one and other tactics.

Qwirkle Bag

The bag that holds the tiles in the game of Qwirkle isn't made of the best material and will eventually need repairs. Thankfully, my wife knows how to mend such things.

Digital Camera

You can get a nice digital camera, like the PowerShot A550, for less than $100 (probably used).

Getting Out

My son is likely going to get out of the musical instrument repair business by the end of the year. There just isn't enough demand in this area.

Of Geckos and Parrots

[For 7/25]

This past Thursday, my son saw gecko in a box that arrived at his place of employment. It wasn't supposed to be sent there, and no one knows how it got into the box that it was shipped in. Strange.

That same day, he and some friends saw a lady with a trained (like a falcon) parrot on the 18th hole of a frisbee golf course. Interesting.

New House in West Allis

Our niece and nephew-in-law-to-be have a very nice old house in West Allis, a suburb of Milwaukee.

To Teach or Not

[For 7/24]

One of our "adopted daughters" has chosen not to become a teacher. That's a good decision if you're not really sure that's what you want and have always had something else in the back of your mind that you did really want to do instead. Actually this is true for anyone going to college, not just teachers.

King of El Grande?

The stats showing who has played (and logged) the most of each game at BoardGameGeek.com are back.

Currently...

Castle = 80 = 1st place by 60
Abbey = 62 = 1st place by 41
El Grande = 52 = 1st place by 19
Aquadukt = 22 = 1st place by 6
Carc City = 47 = 1st place by 2
Pillars = 53 = 3rd place
Alhambra = 86 = 5th place
Qwirkle = 29 = 8th place
Attika = 61 = 9th place

Nameburst = 32...others: 4, 3, 2, 2, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1
TP Music = 27...others: 5, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1
TP Disney = 11...others: 3, 1
TP Vol. 6 = 8 = 1st by 5

Nameburst Is King

It's no surprise really, but Nameburst is our family's favorite game, based on ratings that each of us awarded it. Tied for 2nd place are El Grande, Mystery of the Abbey, and Pillars of the Earth.

Family Rated

[For 7/21]

Nameburst is the game that we own that is most highly rated on average by everyone in our family. Pillars of the Earth and El Grande are tied for 2nd place, and Alhambra, Hacienda, and Ra are tied for 3rd.

Handel's Water Music

I don't know where my organ book of Handel's Water Music is. I could use it for a wedding coming up next month. Hmph!

Batman Begins

I enjoyed Batman Begins. My favorite part was the playing of the piano. (It had to be. I'm a musician.)

Playing Games in Summer

[For 7/18]

While we still like to play boardgames in summer, apparently most other people have other things to do. We had our lowest attendance at a game Gathering tonight. I'm not complaining, just noting that our usual crowd must have all been busy reading up on the Brett Favre saga instead.

Drum Sets

[For 7/17]

Drum sets, the electric kind, don't cost as much as I thought. A decent Yamaha brand set can be had for about $700, or so I'm told.

Music Sequencing Software

[For 7/16]

Music sequencing software, like SONAR 7 by Cakewalk, is difficult to setup the first time you use it.

Can't Stop!

Can't Stop! is a classic Sid Sackson press-your-luck game that my wife picked up for cheap at a local thrift store today. We've found that, not only is it hard to stop when it's your turn, but it's also hard to stop playing the game, period.

Academic Pricing

You can get academic pricing for all kinds of software if you're a student, teacher, or church musician (or something close to one of the above in some cases). The only difference is the pricing itself; the software is the same as for any other consumer.

WWZ Upgrade

The cost to upgrade the WWZ to a "deluxe" league won't cost as much as I expected.

Ioway

[For 7/12]

The natives of what is now Iowa were originally known as the Ioway people. I suppose the "y" just got dropped somewhere along the line, and we now pronounce the state "Iowah" instead of "Ioway".

US 151

[For 7/11]

Travelling US Highway 151 is a great way to get from Wisconsin to Iowa. You avoid the tolls in Illinois along the Interstate and get some scenic views instead. So, the next time you want to go from Milwaukee to Des Moines (or vice versa) take I-94, US 151, I-380, and I-80 (or the reverse order).

Zone Alarm and Microsoft

I wasn't the only one with a problem accessing the Internet after installing the latest Microsoft security update. Anyone with Zone Alarm set to "high" had the same predicament. Fortunately, Zone Alarm has been fixed with a new version that I installed today.

Display Cases, Part II

Those display cases I mentioned the other day...They're filling half of our garage now. I don't really mind, but it is good that some of them have already been sold.

Windows Update Cut Me Off from the World

A Windows security update I installed earlier today prevented me from accessing the Internet. I had to uninstall it to be able to write this here for you. I wish I had written down the number of the install. I might try it again sometime because I think there was a glitch during the installation.

Secret Friend

[For 7/7]

I got to see what D's "secret" friend, M, looks like.

Xe Queo

Xe Queo is a quick little game of bluffing that can be made on your own. I don't think I'd pay for an official copy even if I could find one. Sorry, Alex.

The Spiderwick Chronicles

The boy (Freddie Highmore) who starred in August Rush also played twins in The Spiderwick Chronicles. It was pretty well done. We had to look it up to be sure he was playing both parts.

Display Cases

[For 7/4]

There will soon be some store display cases in our garage. My son got them free from someone who no longer needed them. They are for sale.

Wall-E

Wall-E is an entertaining, very cute, and sometimes witty love story that drives its point home about going green -- before its too late -- with a sledge hammer.

Solar System Squashed

The solar system may be squashed; that is, its current shape doesn't seem to be a nice round shape as has been previously thought. The Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 space probes didn't get to the edge of the system the same distance from the sun.

House for Sale

A house next to the property that our church has purchased has now been offered at a reasonable price, so our church intends to purchase it as well. Thanks, God.