Me: Live on twitch.tv playing StarCraft 2!

So you might recall from some of my previous posts that I'm really into this game called StarCraft 2.  StarCraft 2 is a real-time strategy game that is currently one of the most popular multiplayer games online right now.  It is probably the top game in the eSports gaming era at the moment and there is a huge fan and player base that encompasses tournaments being held worldwide and the gameplay being casted online.  There are already several players who cast themselves playing the game on a livestream...Team Liquid provides links to several of the current top SC2 players in the world right now.  I myself love watching livestreams of games and decided that I'd give livestreaming a try.

For the last week I have been learning how to stream gameplay to the popular website: twitch.tv.  I learned a ton about streaming in the process and am proud to say that my stream is ready to be shared with my friends and the world.  I know I'm not the best gamer out there, but I can definitely hold my own (I won the online tournament for Red Alert back in '99).  I'm just hoping that streaming my games can be a fun experience for myself and anyone who becomes a fan of me.  I know there are professional StarCraft players out there who are 100x better than me and I am not putting myself anywhere close to their level...but if I did, wouldn't you want to be a part of it? :)

With that said, feel free to check out my game at http://www.twitch.tv/atrain64 and like my fan page on Facebook. :D I welcome all comments, suggestions, questions, and to an extent, insults, lol.

New Toilet!

I'm not much on home improvement (I bought my home in 2005 and it was remodeled at time of purchase and thus doesn't need much work), but every now and then there are things that need taking care of.  I recently replaced the toilet in the guest bathroom, which was really old from over 10 years of use.  I ended up installing a CADET3 by American Standard and I'm pretty happy with the results so far.  I almost don't want to deuce on it 'cause it looks so clean and nice.  I'm also really proud that I was able to complete replacement all by myself.  I may not be Master League when it comes to improving bathrooms like my friend Matt over there, but I think I just got promoted to Silver League! :D

PAndyX

A few weeks ago, I mentioned how I was starting to feel fat and out of shape and thus was going to change my diet and start doing P90X.  I had been on vacations the last couple weekends, but finally got to start last night with the Plyometrics workout.  It was pretty intense and halfway through and I really started to get tired, but overall it was a great workout and I enjoyed that I didn't even have to leave the house for it.  (Thanks Matt for hooking me up by the way!)

I can't actually say that I'm doing the P90X program though.  My goals are to maintain my current lifestyle, but add P90X into the mix.  For example, I still lift weights every 3-4 days and play basketball on the days that I don't lift.  However, I don't play basketball on back-to-back days anymore, so if you do the math, that leaves several off-days where I'm not doing anything.  Those are the days I am reserving for P90X cardio-workouts.  I likely won't even touch the strength training videos since I have my own (not videos, workouts, duh!).  In addition to the workout routine, I want to maintain the same diet (which I altered a few weeks ago) that includes eating the same things, but eating them differently.  Also, you know I still like to party, so my drinking habits will remain the same.  There's also one more difference and that has to do with the 1 day of rest a week you get with P90X.  I don't plan on having a normal day of rest but instead will rest if I feel like I really need to.  I'm not worried about slacking and resting multiple days in a week since I've technically never stopped working out for 14 years straight.

For my body, the goals are simple.  Feel less fat and lose a couple inches off the waist.  People look at me and say, "you're crazy! you look just fine!"; but honestly I'm just not where I want to be and I don't want things to get worse.  That and I am crazy: I'm addicted to working out.  I'm not necessarily looking to regain the 6-pack abs I had way back in high school; I think I'd have to quit drinking to accomplish that. :) I just want to look slightly better and feel physically and mentally better as well and I achieve that by working out!

I guess I will still revisit my status in 90 days from yesterday, but just think of it more of PAndyX instead of P90X. :) See ya on September 26!

Another Celebration in Vegas

This last weekend I went to Vegas to celebrate my friend Kassie's 25th birthday.  She hadn't been to Vegas since she was 15, so to her, Vegas is very new and exciting.  For me on the other hand, I end up going a few times a year because Vegas just seems to be everyone's choice for celebration, fun, and excitement.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the company of my friends and love being invited on trips, but personally, the city of Vegas is really starting to lose its lure.  I am no longer excited to go there because I've been there so many times and I just don't find it as appealing anymore.  I will probably never get tired of gambling however.

We got to Vegas Thursday morning and stayed at the MGM Signature Suites, a hotel I've stayed in before, although this time we had two suites that were connected, so it was pretty ballerific.  The first day we walked a bit of the strip in 110 degree weather, probably not the smartest idea and we would eventually take a cab back down from Caesar's.  We kept Thursday pretty simple, but played plenty of Pai Gow and getting several long islands in the process.  We ended up at night at the Nine Fine Irishmen for some drinks, which is somewhat true to its name 'cause there were pretty much just men in there but they were neither Fine nor Irish.

The next day we hit up the Grand Pool which is pictured above.  FYI, if you want to look at talent, don't go to the Talent Pool.  The title is very misleading.  Instead, you should find your way to the Lazy River, plenty of good scenery to see there.  More gambling ensued throughout the day until dinnertime, where the mild drama started.  Chet and Kassie wanted to go to Shibuya at the MGM for teppanyaki and nice dinner.  At first, people were on board, but then it became a "I don't want to spend that much and would rather go to Hooter's across the street."  First of all, I committed to this trip because Kassie invited me to celebrate her 25th with her, so that's what I planned on doing.  The other 4 guys went to Hooters and I went to Shibuya with the 3 couples including Chet and Kassie.  The food was very delicious and was a full out meal (not good for my diet but oh well, it's vacation).  I dropped $192 on dinner because I wanted to buy the $65 bottle of Sake for everyone, and my bill turned out to be more than any of the other 3 couples', lol.

Later that night, some more annoyance ensued.  Chet and Kassie went to "The Bar at Times Square" in New York New York.  Several of the party had split, but I went with Jonny to go meet up with them and we paid $10 cover to get in.  Once inside, Chet and Kassie were sitting in an area where the bouncers wanted us to pay $30 cover to join them.  I texted this to Kassie asking if she wanted to come over to the bar area, but responded by saying "we didn't have to pay, you guys have to pay the $30 sausage fee" and then further indicated "that's why you need a girlfriend."  I was honestly offended at this point because 1) I only flew out here to come celebrate with you and 2) I don't need a girlfriend just so I can go into shitty venues in Vegas.  Anyway, Jonny and I decided to just split after that and we went to Dick's Last Resort at Excalibur.  It wasn't a great scene, but they played good music and I hit on some hot married chicks (they were the only good looking girls in the place).  At the end of the night, we stopped by Centrifuge at the MGM where we sat down at a table with 4 girls.  I continued to spit game only to see rings on their fingers moments later.  It felt like everyone in Vegas this weekend was married.

The next day Jonny and I were pretty hungover, so we didn't get out of bed until literally 4pm LOL.  Hangovers are pretty rare for me these days, but I guess having 20 or so drinks the previous day will do it.  Saturday was our last day in Vegas, but it ended on a good note.  Differences aside, we were able to get everyone together to go to Studio 54, the nightclub at the MGM Grand.  Vegas nightclubs are all pretentious, we already know this.  However, I enjoyed Studio 54 because there was no bullshit about getting in without an even ratio, the line was less than 10 minutes, and all 7 of us got in for free because we were hotel guests.  Inside, the venue is two stories and they played good music.  Chet went full out and got us a table and two bottles in the VIP area so we got to enjoy the nightclub like ballas.  You would think that would help attract the ladies but man, I just couldn't give away free drinks.  Since the VIP area was upstairs, you had to convince girls from downstairs to come up and have drinks with you, but that proved to be a very challenging mission.  I literally couldn't give away that free shit.  Out of everyone we asked, we were only able to get a group of 3 girls up there who in a total had 2 drinks.  More reasons why I think the clubbing scene in Vegas just isn't that great.

And so concludes another trip to Vegas.  Overall I still consider it a fun trip and I will probably be going to Vegas again at some point, I just really hope it's later than sooner.  I really don't want to go back in 2011 unless I have to.

I also just reread this entire blog and I am officially a grumpy old man at the age of 27.