Ride

I had a chance to go snowboard today, for the first time in around three years. Three things:

1) I still got it. Hopped on the board, went straight back into it.
2) Upside: fresh powder is the snow for snowboarding, and we got plenty today. Downside: moguls, lots of them.
3) I’m not 20 years old anymore. Ouch…

We went to Owl’s Head, near the U.S. border.

As you can see, I had a pretty good time.

Format

Another winter weekend gone without snowboarding. This time, a cold epidemic among my riding folks is to blame. Seems like I might as well admit that it’s over for this season. Just when I was making some progress, too… sigh

Anyway… spent much of the weekend playing D&D on the Xbox, in the form of Baldur’s Gate II. We’ve already finished it once, now we’re unlocking hidden characters by playing at the Extreme level. Ridiculous — Level 34 Cleric with AC 180, and I still get killed in one shot. Maybe I need to learn to block.

Talked a bit with a friend that might be doing some new gaming stuff with me under the Vectorsphere imprint. We got plenty of ideas, the hard part is giving them a format that will be both attractive and useful. Attractive, because no one buys ugliness, despite those vocal gamers that clamor for tiny fonts and no pictures. Useful, because the market is so satured now that people are buying only what they can use in their home campaign. And then, only if it can be easily dropped in without requiring alterations, which require time that most people don’t have anymore.

Fortunately, I think I managed to come up with something that fits both requirements. Now the hard part is to take all those notes of mine and make something useful out of it. Ideas are a dime-a-dozen, after all, it’s actual finished products that bring in money. (And at this point, with the wedding and the house hunting in the picture, we’re certainly going to be able to use any cash that come our way.)

Sunday Night

Quiet weekend here, with lots of sleep and not much computer use. Got caught up on stuff on Saturday (added one pic in the Snowboard section), and started the new Baldur’s Gate II computer game on Etienne’s Xbox today. Not as visually nice as the first one, but there are more character choices and a new weapon craft system. Too bad the game still only takes two players — Martin was reduced to making comments on our fighting style from the peanut gallery. At least I get my favorite class/spell combination back (Cleric with Cure Wounds and Flame Strike).

Opportunity landed without problem. I followed the event in real time, and was delighted when it touched down right on the spot. Hopefully, the rover can avoid the Flash problems that are plaguing its twin on the other side of the planet…

Now just checking the Web, with the wife-to-be… Life is good.

Happy New Year!

Since we’re about to leave for our New Year Eve’s party, I’m posting these best wishes for the new year right now. I hope that all of you will have a great year in 2004 and get to enjoy great happiness, as we no doubt will ourselves (see previous entry).

One of my resolutions for 2004 includes blogging more often, since it’s an excellent way to practice my written communication skills. I got a bunch of short essays and observations to post when I return, and I will also update the main Vectorsphere site with new stuff, including a snowboard page and a more detailed freelancing bio (since I’m hoping to score a few writing gigs next year to help pay for the wedding).

Have fun tonight, don’t drink and drive, and may you have a Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

The title says it all, I think. Leaving for the folks’ tomorrow, and will spend the next few days zigzagging around the province, visiting family and friends. So, no real updates here (and that’s different from usual, how?).

Had our first real snowboarding outing last weekend. The fiancee proved to have considerable talents for learning. I think she’ll be able to follow us by the end of the season, if not sooner. More when the pictures get developed.

One lousy half-inch

SNOW! Okay, not much of it, but at least it’s somewhat white outside. Now if only a nearby ski resort would open soonest… (Mont Ste-Anne opens on November 15, but it’s three hours away.)

Time to get the snowboards out of storage and re-waxed.

One lousy half-inch

SNOW! Okay, not much of it, but at least it’s somewhat white outside. Now if only a nearby ski resort would open soonest… (Mont Ste-Anne opens on November 15, but it’s three hours away.)

Time to get the snowboards out of storage and re-waxed.