Christmas and Boxing Day 2009

Hope you all had an enjoyable and safe weekend. Just wanted to do a quick little rundown on the happenings from Christmas Eve until Boxing Day.

On Thursday, Christmas Eve, after getting home from work, we did our traditional family and friends get together at our house (again, this year, as on occasions, the house changes). So, it was good seeing my cousins' again, and we had lots of food to eat, and played video games throughout the evening.

For those that have me on Facebook, the videos of myself and my cousins' playing Band Hero, are posted in My Videos. We were really just messing around. I also decided to drink a lot more than I normally would at our family gatherings. Meh, I wasn't driving. I just had to make sure I got up the stairs, from the basement, to the top floor, without falling. :)

Christmas Day was really a lazy day for me. Gifts were exchanged and opened, amongst the immediate family. Smiles on everyones' faces. It was a good day. I received the following:

- Umbrella Academy: Dallas Limited Edition Hardcover
- The Boys Definitive Edition Volume 1
- Plastic Beads made into a turtle shape, and one spelling out my name (done by my siblings)
- Cash :)

The rest of the day was just playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Just having so much fun with that game. Still working on collecting the trophies, for my PSN status. Ended up collecting all of the Intel, making the completion of the story mode for me at 100%. Now working on Spec Ops. Online is always fun, 'cept I feel bad when I get my ass handed to me, by some 9-year-old in Brazil... 12-year-old, I'm good with. Not a 9-year-old.

Didn't really do much Boxing Day shopping. It's just too crazy for my liking, and there wasn't much I wanted to buy. I did place an order for a 1TB external/portable hard drive. Can always use more hard drive room.

The only place I headed out to on Boxing Day, was Cyber City Comix. The previous two years, I spent quite a bit, buying a bunch of stuff. This year, I walked away with one hardcover. The Locke & Key: Head Games hardcover. There just wasn't anything I was actually looking to buy. Was just gonna buy stuff that caught my eye, and for a while, I thought I was going to leave without buying anything.

Don't get me wrong, there was a lot to buy. It's just my comic buying habits have been cut significantly.

Then on the way home, I bought a Big Mac... it wasn't on sale.

After, the family party was over at my cousins' house. It was more eating, drinking and video games throughout the night. Drank a little more than I did, back on Christmas Eve. Was feeling it. Called it an early night, because I had to work the opening shift Sunday morning.

Merry Christmas to all of you that celebrate!

For those that celebrate, have a safe and Merry Christmas!

To those that don't celebrate, enjoy your stat holiday pay!

Boughts and Thoughts - December 23rd, 2009

Chew #7 - Quite disappointed that the character they introduced in this issue, was taken out in this issue. Hoped this character would have lasted a little longer. Oh well, this was still a good issue.

Chimichanga #1 - Wasn't sure what this was about, but a new book by Eric Powell, seemed like a thing to try. Not sure if I'm going to continue.

Green Lantern #49 - This was a John Stewart issue... didn't enjoy this one as much as the rest of the Blackest Night tie-ins.

New Avengers #60 - You know... I'm done with New Avengers. This is the second time I'm dropping this title, though that first time I dropped it, I picked up all the issues I missed (which was like 4-5 issues at that time). Out of all my comics, this is the book that I have every issue, since the first issue (not including all of the variants). Because it's the longest run I have, I'm kind of sad to drop it, but for $4 an issue, it's just not worth it.

In need of an "Ass-Kicking Anthem"...

So there I am, filling up gas at the local Esso station, when someone pulls up, blasting "Celine Dion" over their radio. I'm standing there thinking, "I really want to hurt this guy."

This gets me thinking. "Is Celine Dion really the best music to be playing at the time, when wanting to fight someone?"

Obviously not.

This brings me to my question to you. "What song would you have playing, when you're fighting someone?" In other words, "What song is your "Ass-Kicking Anthem?"

I dislike the Best Buy Reward Zone Program

Here I go again, with a rant on Best Buy. For those that don't remember, I had a little rant back in February, about Best Buy and the early release of Street Fighter IV.

This rant isn't really about something any employee did or anything. Just about the Best Buy Reward Zone Program.

I'll start off, openly admitting, "at least it's better than not having a free rewards program." But it's been going on for a while now, and it hasn't really improved.

For those that are not familiar with the program, you get one point for every whole dollar you spend (prior to taxes), towards your earnings total. When you reach different thresholds, you are eligible to redeem a coupon for a certain dollar amount off your next purchase.

Here is the breakdown.
- 400 points gets you a $5 coupon
- 800 points gets you a $10 coupon
- 1600 points gets you a $20 coupon

This is where one of my dislikes stands. I personally prefer points systems where they discount the total points required to earn higher levels of discounts.

My suggestion would be something like:
- 400 points gets you a $5 coupon
- 750 points gets you a $10 coupon
- 1450 points gets you a $20 coupon

A little more enticing, in my opinion. Either way, people are going to spend money. This is just a better way to "reward" the customers for spending $1450. Frankly, they are going to spend the $150 eventually, anyways.

Also, Esso even gives you a bonus, if you save up your Esso Extra points (1800 points for $10 gas card, 4300 points for a $25 gas card, 8500 points for a $50 gas card). Frankly, gas is arguably more of a necessity, than a new TV, so Esso doesn't really have to entice people, because drivers need gas. Esso just does it.

The next thing I dislike about the program, it takes approximately 36 days after purchase, before the points actually get added to your total. They register the purchase, but put the points in a "pending" total. I guess this is a way to prevent people from returning their item after they receive their coupon. However, I still don't like it.

I'm sure, there will be people that would scam the shit out of it, if the points were added immediately. So I do understand why it is probably done that way. However, I still don't like it.

Last dislike, once you hit your points threshold, they automatically deduct the points from your total, and send you an email with the coupon (which takes them approx. 3 days to do so). Then you have a three month expiration date for the coupon.

Funny thing about the last one, I actually used the coupon I got, a day before I received the email notifying me that it was available. Talk about slow system.

Okay, rant is over...

IRON MAN 2 TRAILER!

Check It Out!

LA 2009 - Madame Tussauds Slideshow

Here is a photo slideshow, from my LA trip last month. It's just the photos from Madame Tussauds.

Boughts and Thoughts - December 9th, 2009

Adventure Comics #5 - Got the variant. Didn't read the first part of the book (involving Superboy-Prime), but read the last part. Liked it, but wanted more.

Daytripper #1 - Figured I'd give this a shot. Think I'll wait until this series is collected. Enjoyed it, but doubt it'd be a book I'd follow on a month to month basis.

New Avengers Annual #3 - Meh... I'm really on the verge of dropping New Avengers. Preview of Siege at the end... Yay! Another "Stamford, CT" incident, but involving Asgardians, and in another city. Shit Bendis... Millar already did something like this...

The Walking Dead #68 - Dropping this again, for the time being. Not sure when I'll continue, but knowing me, I will.

Boughts and Thoughts - December 2nd, 2009 + Wolverine: Weapon X

Really small week for me, but spent so much money. Pretty much all of it went to a great cause, the Hero Initiative.

Jonah Hex #50 - Damn good issue. Really, this was the only comic book I bought today, but it was really good.

Wolverine: Weapon X 100 Project - The third "100 Project" release. Picked it up, in support of a great cause.

Paradise Comics held another signing, in support of the release of the Wolverine: Weapon X 100 Project. Guests that appeared in support of the Hero Initiative, Agnes Garbowska, Dale Keown, Leonard Kirk, Ken Lashley, Alvin Lee, and Marcus To. Sketches I got are below.