As you may know, I'm a teacher. In Michigan, you are first given a 6-year certificate called a "Provisional Certificate." During those six years, you must accumulate 15 credit hours towards a Master's, or a Master's Degree itself. Once that requirement is met, you earn your "Professional Certificate."

Unfortunately, I have had **** teaching jobs for five years, and only now have a position where I am appreciated, backed by administration, and wanted. Until this time, I was going to probably going to switch careers after my certificate expired.:? Now that I have a good job, :D I've decided to stay in teaching; but I'm on my last year.:(

Panic ensues. :o

After much research, I have discovered that I can get my employing district to sponsor a one-time, 2-year extension on my Provisional Certificate, if I am a part of a Master's Degree program, and will finish within those two years. But

• I need my job to get the extension
• I need the extension to keep my job

After much begging, and a "heart-to-heart" between HR and my principal, my district is going to sponsor me for the extension, and thus let me keep my job.

PHEW! :)

Then there's my bank... two and a half months ago, I noticed that the minimum payment on our loan had lowered. "Hell no," I thought. If my monthly payment lowers, I'll never get out of debt. So I called up customer service, and requested the automaticpayment to stop, and I would set up a different automaticpayment online for a higher amount.

Unfortunately for me, my bank is stupid. The customer service agent did NOT correctly/successfully remove my original monthly payment setting, and so for the past two months (despite several phone calls in which the agents claimed they fixed the problem) I have made two payments instead of one. :evil:

Long story short, rent was late for two months, and we're handed an eviction notice.

In the end, it all worked out, as I spoke to a very understanding women in the main office (not my local apartment office) who said that if I was able to pay this month on time, she would have the court case dropped and we could remain in our home.

PHEW does not quite describe it

What do you do when your feelings are genuine, but you believe you have no right to feel them, much less express them?

Games I Own or Have Access To (By Platform)

Wii
Super Mario Galaxy

Gamecube (Wii)
Resident Evil 2
Resident Evil 3

NES (Wii)
Castlevania 2: Simon's Curse
The Legend of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link

DS
New Super Mario Brothers
Metroid Prime Hunters
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourgla

PC
Arx Fatalis
Command & Conquer: Red Alert
Command & Conquer: Red Alert: The Aftermath Expansion
Command & Conquer: Red Alert: Counterstrike Expansion
Command & Conquer: Renegade Expansion
Command & Conquer: Red Alert II
Command & Conquer: Red Alert II: Yuri's Revenge Expansion
Command & Conquer: Generals
Command & Conquer: Generals: Zero Hour Expansion
Crysis
Deadspace
Deus Ex: Invisible War
Diablo 2
Diablo 2: Lord of Destruction
Dreamfall: The Longest Journey
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Evil Genius
Fallout 2
Fallout 3
Giants: Citizen Kabuto
Gothic
Gothic II
Gothic 3
Icewind Dale II
Indigo Prophecy
Giants: Citizen Kabuto
Left 4 Dead
The Longest Journey
Neverwinter Nights
Neverwinter Nights: Shadows of Undrentide Expansion
Neverwinter Nights: Hordes of the Underdark Expansion
Neverwinter Nights: King Maker
Planescape Torment
Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor
Prey
Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones
Project Snowblind
Psi-Ops
Rise of Nations Gold Edition
Sam & Max Season 1
The Ship
Sid Meier's Pirates!
Spellforce 2
Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadows of Chernobyl
Starcraft
Starcraft: Brood War
Strong Bad Season 1
Syberia
System Shock 2
Greyhawk: The Temple of Elemental Evil
The Witcher

Xbox
Call of Duty 2: Big Red One
Psychonauts
Robotech: Battlecry
Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory

Xbox 360
Aegis Wing XBLA
Alone in the Dark
Arkadian Warriors XBLA
Assasin's Creed
Battlestar Gallactica
Bionic Commando: Rearmed XBLA
Condemned 2
Dead Rising
Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2
Lego Indiana Jones
Lost Planet
Ninja Gaiden II
Prince of Persia XBLA
Tomb Raider: Anniversary
Undertow

Edit: removed placeholder text.

After my absence from the F.E.A.R. franchise (since the original), all I've heard about the two expansion packs and prequel was the phrase "more of the same." I think these claims come fom crack-whores. Crack-whores of the dirtiest kind, really. The kind with dieseases.

First, "the same" (i.e. the original game) was fantastic. It was creepy, full of action, told an intriguing story (despite that somehave claimed it was delivered poorly), and had the best enemy AI that I have ever encountered.

Second, "Extraction Point" featured wide-open outdoor environments; the exact opposite setting that so many lamented in the original. This may have removed some tension by giving my character more room to move, but it was a welcome change from the sometimes-cramped setting of an office building.

Third, this expansion opened up the story to include Alma and Fattel wiping out the entire city with the help of their clone soldiers.

Fourth, the ending was completely unexpected, even after experiencing the original game's ending.

If you're a F.E.A.R. fan, this game is a no-brainer. Try to pick up the gold or platinum version, which can be found for $30 or less.

I played through F.E.A.R. on easy to refresh my memeory of the story; I played it on easy so that I could finish it within 24 hours.

So far, "Extraction Point" has been fun. On one hand, the game is more of the same (even though "the same" was great), but on the other hand, there are alot more open levels to combat the cramped office-space levels from the original.

While I'm enjoying the game, I hope to finish both it and the other expansion pack, "Perseus Mandate," this week.

I JUST finished this sucker. So I'm totally late-to-the-party on this one!!! Shut up! Ahem...
Here is my review:

"The Perfect Example of an Expansion Pack"

The original Dawn of War is to-date my favorite RTS game. Actually, it's probably closer to a Real-Time Tactical Game, as there are only two resources to gather: land and power. With that micromanagement out of the way, the road was open for tactics like retreat, cover, suppressing fire, melee combat, and plenty of time to consider each unit's strengths and weaknesses the moment you see them enter the battle.

Two expansions later, Dark Crusade comes out. Tau and the Necrons are the two new factions. While the former offers an aesthetical change, the Necrons require some new schemes to utilize well.

The world map (yes, there actually is one now) consists of continental provinces which can be observed, occupied, reinforced and attacked, RISK-**** Just when I thought this would be the only source of evolution, I realized that a few maps were shaken-up by changing the all-too-standard "destroy your enemy" win condition into "find 5 lost servitors," or "destroy x number of your enemy's buildings;" a welcome change indeed.

Lastly, the decision to make this a stand-alone expansion was brilliant. While you couldn't play all of the previous empires unless you owned the original game and first expansion, the new empires and low price are enough to entice new prospectors to pick this gem up.

Well done, Relic.

Friday, I went home an hour early because I didn't feel good. My digestive track was going nuts. By Saturday, I began to feel better. But on Sunday, my younger daughter had a fever, and my wife was "getting sick" in the bathroom for hours on-end.

So, I stayed home from work yesterday to take care of Samantha and Maura. But to make my guilt-trip worse, I had already requested today (Tuesday) off so that I could go to a doctor's appontment (different specialist, though).

Like I said, "random."

Kronos, that is... you know; Dawn of War: Dark Crusade.

As seen myeah, I have jumped into the third expansion to my favorite RTS game of all-time, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War. psssst... I'm the red group. I loved the original, was happy with the first expansion ("Winter Assault"), but this one actually lives up to the hype. The take-over-the-world meta-game is awesome, and adds some turn-based-strategy mixup to keep you from getting bored in the campaign.

But... is it me, or is this game MUCH harder than the last two?

Introducing my NEW PHONE!!! After dealing with the piece of **** LG-whatever that refused to hold more than 15 seconds of a charge for several months, I decide to finally force myself to get a new phone at the local Verizon store.

There was a hugely-awesome Blackberry deal going on at the time; buy one, get one free. Unfotunately, I doubt that they would let me get away with that, knowing that with my "New Every Two Years" deal, I would probably get the first phone free. What killed me was the fact that one had to purchase a monthly e-mail plan for an additional $15/month.

My wish-list of features included a QWERTY keyboard, mobile e-mail and instant messaging, a full html web browser (to use intermittently), 3G network speeds, and GPS navigation capability. I know, I'm a bit of a **** when it comes to this.

If you couldn't tell from the pilfered picture above, I chose a black LG Dare. Apple Phone, kiss my ass.

Games I Own or Have Access To (By Platform)

Wii
Super Mario Galaxy

Gamecube (Wii)
Resident Evil 2
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis

NES (Wii)
Castlevania 2: Simon's Curse
The Legend of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link

DS
New Super Mario Brothers
Metroid Prime Hunters
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourgla

PC
Age of Mythology
Age of Mythology: The Titans
Arx Fatalis
Baldur's Gate
Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast
Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn
Baldur's Gate 2: Throne of Bhaal
The Bard's Tale
Bioshock
Bloodrayne
Bloodrayne 2
Call of Duty
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
The Chronicles of Riddick Developer's Cut
Command & Conquer: Red Alert
Command & Conquer: Red Alert: The Aftermath Expansion
Command & Conquer: Red Alert: Counterstrike Expansion
Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun
Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun: Firestorm Expansion
Command & Conquer: Renegade
Command & Conquer: Red Alert II
Command & Conquer: Red Alert II: Yuri's Revenge Expansion
Command & Conquer: Generals
Command & Conquer: Generals: Zero Hour Expansion
Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars
Crysis
Delta Force: Black Hawk Down
Delta Force: Black Hawk Down: Team Saber
Deus Ex
Deus Ex: Invisible War
Diablo
Diablo2
Diablo 2: Lord of Destruction
Doom 3
Dreamfall: The Longest Journey
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Enclave
Evil Genius
Fallout
Fallout 2
Far Cry
F.E.A.R. (already completed)
F.E.A.R.: Extraction Point Expansion
F.E.A.R.: Perseus Mandate Expansion
Freelancer
Giants: Citizen Kabuto
Gothic II
Gothic 3
Half-Life: Blue Shift
Half-Life: Opposing Force
Halo
Hellgate: London
Icewind Dale
Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter
Icewind Dale II
Indigo Prophecy
Giants: Citizen Kabuto
Left 4 Dead
The Longest Journey
Lords of Magic: Special Edition (decided I didn't give a s***)
The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring
Max Payne
Max Payne 2
Medal of Honor: Allied Assault
Medal of Honor: Allied Assault: Spearhead
Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault
Neverwinter Nights
Neverwinter Nights: Shadows of Undrentide Expansion
Neverwinter Nights: Hordes of the Underdark Expansion
Neverwinter Nights: King Maker
Pariah
Planescape Torment
Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor
Prey
Prince of Persia: Sands of Time
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within
Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones
Project Snowblind
Psi-Ops
Quake 2
Quake 4
Resident Evil
Rise of Nations Gold Edition
Serious Sam 2
The Ship
Sid Meier's Pirates!
The Simpson's Hit & Run
S.I.N.
S.I.N.: Espisodes 1
Sam & Max Episode 101
Sam & Max Episode 102
Sam & Max Episode 103
Sam & Max Episode 104
Sam & Max Episode 105
Sam & Max Episode 106
Spellforce 2
Splinter Cell
Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadows of Chernobyl
Starcraft
Starcraft: Brood War
Starship Troopers
Star Wars: Dark Forces (half of it, anyway)
Star Wars: Dark Forces II - Jedi Knight
Star Wars: Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast
Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2
Star Wars: Republic Commando
Strong Bad Episode 101
Strong Bad Episode 102
Strong Bad Episode 103
Strong Bad Episode 104
Strong Bad Episode 105
Syberia
System Shock 2
Greyhawk: The Temple of Elemental Evil
Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness
Tron 2.0
Unreal Tournament 2003 (the offline ladder)
Vampire: The Masquarade: Bloodlines
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War
Warhammer40,000: Winter Assault
Warhammer 40,000:Dark Crusade
The Witcher

Xbox
Call of Duty 2: Big Red One
Family Guy
Jade Empire
Psychonauts
Robotech: Battlecry
Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory

Xbox 360
Aegis Wing XBLA
Alone in the Dark
Arkadian Warriors XBLA
Assasin's Creed
Battlestar Gallactica
Bionic Commando: Rearmed XBLA
Condemned: Criminal Origins
Dead Rising
Gears of War
Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter
Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2
Halo 2
Halo 3
Lego Indiana Jones
Lego Star Wars 2: The Original Trilogy
Lost Planet
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
Mass Effect
Prince of Persia XBLA
TMNT Arcade XBLA
Tomb Raider: Legend
Tomb Raider: Anniversary
Undertow