Somehow Microsoft seems to have become more efficient at turning the 360 repair cycle around. When I sent my 360 off circa January 21, I wasn't expecting a replacement to arrive by now. I guess that means I can return the loaner I borrowed from work.

Good job Microsoft! The $1 Billion you are spending to replace the failing hardware seems to be money well spent.

Yesterday I heard an awesome analogy that spoke deep to my heart. Life is like Tetris.

One member of my congregation got up during the services and shared some very insightful comments about how when life is difficult we feel pressures akin to a lot of those pesky geometric pieces piling up. The savage, pseudo-Siberian music in our heads gets louder and more intense. Of course, all that is alleviated if we properly place the pieces we are given.

Evidently he has been recently blessed with the piece he needed to clear out some of the junk in his life. From there, he has made the necessary changes to reduce the lines in his life and get the incoming pieces to go where they need to go for himself and his family.

Awesome.

GameSpot's Tournament TV had a very exciting showdown between the disparate finalists. For those of you who tuned in yesterday, you saw one of the tightest finishes in GameSpot TTV history! For those of you who mayhave missed it, I saved a link for you:

[video=6185478]

We had a lot of fun setting up and running the tournament. I guess now I can say I have dressed up as a video game character: MrBomb . . . James Bomb.

However, I really need to take my hat off to the Live team. They all do such a great job in their respective producing, directing, and editing roles that I really feel like the new kid on the block whenever I step foot in the studio, but somehow they make my meager contributions look good. Thanks guys for all of your hard work and support! Nobody but Jody, Dan, and I probably know how incredible the intro really was. We recorded the audio in the late morning. Within a few hours, Dan Mihoerck had taken our raw media and blended into a montage far more exciting than the sum of its parts. That made for a very exciting Fragday!

On my way home from work I was wearing my Resistance jacket, my Playstation hat, and my Konami backpack. Under my arm was a 360. Ironically enough the woman next to me at the crosswalk was later heard to say, "they need to get off of the drugs and go to sleep."

That's some good advice. While I don't use illicit substances, I should definintely get some more sleep. Goodnight GameSpot.

This last weekend my wife had me do a lot of work to radically reorganize our home. Friday my duaghter manifested a nasty cold. By Monday night, all four of us had it. Today I have reached the "ugh!" phase of the sickness.

It is something I have labeled "Murder-Death-Cold" (to borrow from Demolition Man). The worst part of this is I don't have a working 360 with which to make my time before I am fully restored.

:cry:

Does this mean I got sick from the points detox?

:?

Maybe some Mario Party 4 and a nap will help me feel better because I don't have time to get into Chrono Cross.

. . . so much for anything special for post 575.

The delayed video blog is here. It's got archival footage and new content. Plus, the oft-asked-about daughter makes her video blog return.

[video=K3BllWev5bwJvzfY]

Hopefully once the 360 returns, more developments will be discussed. Something with a bit of Burnout and some Mass Effect completeness.

After a big success like yesterday's resolution to play games again (not simply mine points), my 360 decided to hit me with three red lights, the infamous RRoD.

I guess we'll have to raincheck the online play. Expect a video blog (complete with hyperbole-infused conspiracy theories) to be uploaded today-ish.

Sunday Update: Vid blog has been delayed again due to malfunctioning image uploading tool and two children who keep inserting themselves into the recording process.

The pessimists didn't think I could do it. But what do they know?

Tonight I finished Call of Duty 4 on Veteran. Turns out I missed a piece of intel back on The Bog so I had to go back and fetch it. I decided to fire up the level on Rookie just to see how easy it would be.

:shock:

Was that the same game I just played? I finished that mission in about 6 minutes. That was crazy fast!

While I didn't really keep to my resolution of finishing all of the achievements in CoD4 in one playthrough (and one playthrough only), I am content with my showing. I only replayed a level for intel. . . and that is satisfying. For now I am going to take a break and savor my victory. Then, when I get the itch I will go back to Mile High Club. All the pessimists and doubters don't matter. I'll do it. Of course, I will never finish until I start.

Yesterday I played some online for the first time (maybe second) where I was able to level up. The party system is lacking for online. but that is nothing a lot of people didn't already know. While the onine experience is enjoyable, the matchmaking isn't as tight as it is in Halo 3 . . . which imo is the only thing Halo 3 has going for it in my collection.

Now that my completion percentage is back up to 86.86%, I am going to savor some of my games I've neglected and maybe indulge in some more CoD4 online. . . because 55,099 is a pretty rad number. If seven of you o my friendslist want to jump into the same TF2 match, let me know. I still need that achievement and I could use some more enjoyable online experiences.

Day 3 of trying to get past the missile silo portion of CoD4's No Fighting in the War Room level on Veteran. I am detecting an escalation of commitment. I've come this far. I'm going to be like Tom Petty and not back down.

I'm almost there, but that door . . . how I hate that door! That and the bullets that kill me . . .not such a big fan.

Is it just me, or does Rooney's I Should've Been After You sound like the best Foreigner song ever. . . and by thatI mean it sounds like a Foreigner song, but thankfully wasn't made by them. The Beatles-esque interlude was a nice break.

In the end, I am glad to know I can depend on Rooney to keep giving me great 70s music piped through Southern California filters. Every time I see those guys I think I am hanging out at the Irvine Spectrum or Fashion Island.