Remember I while back I mentioned that I wanted tp get a new camera? Well I finally did. I got a digital SLR. The Pentax K10D to be specific. I also got two lenses to go with it. A Pentax 50mm f/1.4 standard and a 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 zoom. All together a nice package to start with. I've already been posting photos on flickr.com and some are pretty good. Nothing that's going to make National Geographic of course and no where near what some people are capable of but it's been fun. I have a lot to learn about photography thats for sure!

That's one reason why I haven't been on Gamespot in a while and not playing any games either for that matter. Sounds like a lot of people are getting away from Gamespot after the Jeff Gertsman debacle which figures. I haven't played any games since Rainbow Six Vegas! I know Rainbow Six Vegas 2 is coming soon and I still might get GRAW2. I may even breakdown and get Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare even though the single player is reportedly so short.

G got herself a new game after playing Viva Pinata to death. She got Kameo Elements of Power. She's plodding slowly along using the cheat sheet. She's not the gaming adventurerer type though. I have to read the sheet to her as she plays when she gets stuck... sigh.

Anyway she's got the Xbox 360 occupied and I have photography books to read so no gaming for me for awhile.

Here we go again. Call of Duty 4:Modern Warfare is out. Gamespot gives it 9.0. Various others give it a 9.0 to 10. Reviewers love it. Great gamesplay, excellent graphics, sound everything you could want. With one common complaint... the single player is too short. Once again us single player gamers are short changed again. Why should I go out and spend $60.00 for a game I can finish in 5-8 hours? I was thinking of getting this game, but now I'll just wait until next year for the price to drop or pick up a used copy.

What a shame, another short game.

So anybody playing the campaign mode In Halo 3? Anybody finish it? I'm not making any head way at all because of G's continuing playing of Viva Pinata. Will it never end? I can't believe she's still playing it. I've been working late quite a bet lately so by the time I get home G is well into cute little Pinatas prancing about. Agh. I finally got a chance to play Halo 3 and of all things I got stuck. Master Chief is supposed to disable this huge gun that is taking shots at drop ships coming in. How do I disable it? Shoot it? Get aboard it destroy it from within? I'll figure it out next time I play, it was just that I was so tired I didn't feel like messing with it. I just wanted to run and gun a little. Oh well...

I see where Half Life Orange Box is available now. Anybody getting that one? I don't have Xbox Live so I wonder if it would be worth it?

I just got Halo 3.

I did not read the directions, or the history or the newest weapons or anything. Just stuck it in the 360 fired it up and off I went. Fist thing I'll say is the game looks great. More detail, better graphics, lighting effects, rats (yeah rats!) and better looking water and grass. The game play was about what you would expect - just as fun as ever. I got past a few check points, saw some cool cut scenes and knocked off a few Grunts, Jackals and Brutes. So far so good.

I wasn't going to get it till after the rush but I work close to a Gamestop so I thought I would drop in during lunch to see if they had any copies. Most people coming in while I was there pre-ordered and were picking up their copies. I just walked up and said "Halo 3" and I got one. No problem.

I'm going to take my time and enjoy this game. It will be well worth it.

Here it is the end of August and it's still raining here in H Town. It rained what seemed like every day in July. Then about mid August we got the usual Houston heat and humidity for about two weeks. Now it's raining again. I went to the Astros game last night after practically swimming through the streets to get to Minute Maid Park. I got there just in time for the national anthem. Then sat and watched the 'stros get blanked by the Cardinals 7-0. Great.

Well the kids are back in school so maybe I'll be able to get some gaming in. When last I saw my 360 I was playing Gears of War. I still haven't gotten back to it yet because G is still playing Viva Pinata! She has gone as far as to download the game guide, print it out and put it in a three ring binder! Woman is serious. I may have to pick up BioShock as my next game. I hear it is really good. I hate paying full price for games though... especially now because:

I'm kind of depressed because I was hoping to have a new digital SLR camera and a couple lenses by now. But I was set back by car repairs and other expenses. Oh well that how it goes sometimes.

Good news is George Strait has another new hit song - "How 'bout Those Cowgirls". That man seems to just get better with age. Wish I could say the same for me! Also with a short break in the rain Me and G got back on our bikes and did a few miles last weekend. Sure felt good to go though the park again after the long layoff. After the latest bout of rain it looks like we're in for another layoff unfortunately.

It seems that there isn't much going on with blog entries lately for me and many others. I guess everybody's out and about for the summer and leaving the gaming until the big fall releases. Fair enough. I'm really looking forward to getting Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Army of 2, Medel of Honor: Airborne and of course Halo 3.

I've been really busy at work but we finally put a project that took 2 years to finish out the door. So now I can come home at a normal time like most people in my office.

Hope everybody is having a wonderful summer. It's been raining off and on for most of June and July in our part of the country. That's good and bad. It's good in that it keeps the temperatures down but bad in that with all the rain, I can't playmuch golf. I guess I'll have to go indoors and play golf -Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07!