Reading Time: 5 minutesAlright, a spiffy new category, let’s see if we could break it in. First off, Theme Park Adventures is going to be a pretty open category. Experiences, stories, picture dumps, reviews, whatever. Basically, when we moved back to Orlando, we knew one of the top …Read More….
Reading Time: 7 minutesLost In The Echo After such a long break, it’s hard to just come back and act like everything is dandy. I mean, I’m posting stuff now, but I went more than a year without updating anything new. That’s just bananas! And not the yummy, …Read More….
Huuuuuuuumpday update!
WOW, remember this?! A weekly update into the little details that are going on in life?? It’s been fooooooorever since I did one of these! Looks like May 27, 2015 was my last HDU. That’s a loooooooong time without meaningless nonsense!
I was always skeptical of these posts. Like, who is going to care about these little tidbits of minute life details? But you’d be surprised! I love reading about other people’s lives. Maybe that’s just me being the gossip queen I am, but if I’m following your blog, it’s because I’m interested in what you have to say; the way you think, the things you’re up to. So posts like this are appreciated, I think!
What am I going to be covering? I don’t know! Maybe various unboxings of stuff. Weekly adventures that don’t need a dedicated post. Stuff going on that’s irking or bothering. The possibilities are endless! So let’s get started:
The elephant in the room is the eclipse that happened Monday! First off, there was a ton of hype surrounding it. And rightfully so! But there were so many people warning of blindness and all that mess that it kinda got me spooked. I was even telling the wife that maybe we should keep the kids home from school. I know! I’m a sucker for mass panic, what can I say? But I was so confused about everything due to all the different reports and warnings. Like does the sun give off a unique type of ray that only happens during an eclipse that will cause blindness? Is it instant?! Like, if I hear a plane and I look up to see it and accidentally get a glimpse of the sun out of the corner of my eye, will I never be able to see again?!? OMG, it was so ridiculous these fears I had! And all from unanswered questions. Eclipses will do funny things to your head, like make you forget that the sun is bright AF and will cause you to go blind if you look into it on a regular ol’ day. But you don’t think about dumb little facts like that when there’s an eclipse coming!
There were some great pictures out there. The one above was grabbed from NASA’s Eclipse and Transit Images Gallery. You’ll find a bunch of amazing shots there. There’s also this shot from a friend of mine who is a photographer. Hot damn, that’s a picture. Looks like another he got a look into another world. Then there were these from Disney Parks Blog that I looked really cool. All around, I’m happy pros were out there to capture it all, despite me wishing I had the skills and time to get a good shot myself.
It was spectacular, to say the least though. I don’t consider myself a space nut loaded with a bunch of facts and such, but I’m an enthusiast who deeply appreciates space and science and the like. The whole day had a sort of feel to it. Like you knew something was going on and the entire country was waiting in anticipation. It was a weird feeling, like you didn’t know how it was going to be but at the same time you knew exactly what was going to happen. The peak of it around here happened at 2:50ish. The same exact time that I was leaving to get the kid from school. Let me tell ya, it looked WEIRD outside. Very, very strange. I don’t know if it was my mind knowing that it was clear as day out and it was supposed to be bright but it wasn’t. But everything felt different outside. The way the shadows were being cast, the overall dimness of the light, the temperature change. It was all very eerie. Wife thinks I’m crazy, but dammit, it wasn’t normal! And I don’t know about you, but despite all the warnings and such, I was insanely tempted to look up and see with no protection. Like when people tell you DON’T LOOK DOWN! And you immediately look down. Yeah, that was me. I didn’t! But boy, did I want to.
Still though, it was amazing to experience. I didn’t think I was going to be able to see it because we weren’t on top of things and didn’t get a pair of eclipse glasses in time before they sold out everywhere. But thanks to a lady who works at the school, she was going down the line of cars, sharing her pair of glasses so everyone can get a glimpse. I felt bad that I got to see it in all its glory but the wife and kid didn’t. But turns out our neighbor across the street had a pair and she was nice enough to let them have a peak. I’m so happy we got to see it with our own eyes. Even happier we can see with our own eyes still.
How did you guys celebrate the eclipse? Get to see it? Let me know!
Moving on! We did fall cleaning in the house this past weekend. And by we, I mean the wife. I DID dust the shelves in the loft though! Mainly because they’re full of my nerd junk and the wife ain’t got time for dat. But while dusting, I remedied a problem I’ve had for a long long time – Too much junk, not enough space! Now, what you’re about to see may show you the level of Macgyver I’ve reached. Remember, I’m not proud of my jury-rigging, but my crafting skills are on point!
The way it all came together, it brought me back to that cardboard Star Destroyer I made not too long ago 3 freaking years ago! That was the height of my craftiness and seemed like only yesterday.
See, with so many of the kid’s toys and figures on the shelves, it was hard to see them all. So I cut out some cardboard shelves, and taped them together in a way to help display them! Lemme tell ya, the kids are THRILLED they get to see all their toys displayed correctly now. I always wanted to get fancy acrylic shelving that is meant to do the same job, but now, why spend the money on that when we have cardboard!?
If you’re curious about what else is on my the kid’s shelves, check out the gallery below. The bulk of it is the complete collection of Disney Infinity figures (R.I.P. Disney Infinity), and my amiibo collection. Dabbed in there are also various gaming collectibles, POP! Figures, and blu-ray steelbooks. Go ahead and check out the gallery, you know you want to 😉.
Lastly, to round up this HDU. It’s just the friendly reminder that Fall is Coming…
I posted a few pics on Instagram of our fall wreath and the Halloween pumpkin wallflower from Bed, Bath & Beyond Bath & Body Works. Also out of the closet is our custom Nightmare Before Christmas Halloween countdown plaque! Some may think it’s too early. Nonsense! Fall is here in this house, I don’t care what you say!
Actually, I do care. Tell me what you think! Too early for fall decorating? Where are you at with it?
Maybe it has to do with us living in Florida where it’s basically summer all year round? There’s no definitive cut-off of the seasons where you’d feel a cool breeze coming in and know fall is here so we’re just going by our trusty calendar. Not our fault!
So that’s the Humpday Update from me! I had fun putting this together and I missed it, can you believe that?! This probably won’t be a weekly thing, but I’ll try to put one out when I can. Adios till next time.
Reading Time: 6 minutesHere we go! The first food post in forever! I know it’s not so much for you, but for me it’s a big deal! Like, block-out-the-sun type huge! Seriously, It’s really hard to measure my excitement, it’s so astronomical. Marvel in its totality! Ok, good …Read More….
Reading Time: 8 minutesWelcome Hi! Remember me?! I used to be a food blogger, before I stopped caring and found other hobbies to spend my time on. Well, here I am, back AGAIN. Hey, stop those collective groans! How many times can a person leave and come back? …Read More….
I’ve been putting this off for a while. No, not for the usual laziness that’s typically why I don’t write reviews anymore. But because it would signify completion. Writing this up and putting it out there for the world to see would be like reading the last chapter of a book. It’ll give me the green light to move forward and say “I’ve beaten it, reviewed it, and now I can move on.” And even though I saved the kingdom from the evil that has plagued it for 100 years, and watched the credits roll on the screen, I could honestly say that I am nowhere near done with Breath of the Wild.
I guess that puts us in a strange relationship, huh? I mean, you come here looking for a review on a game and the first thing I tell you is I’m nowhere near done with what it has to offer. Hopefully I’ll be more clear as I continue to babble. This is, after all, my first review in nearly a year, so pardon my rust. Also, let me warn you: While I am spoiler free, I’m not your typical reviewer. I won’t speed through the pros and cons, give you a score at the end, and call it a day. Like everything else I do, I will dance around my point that I’m attempting to make for at least 2 paragraphs before forgetting what I was getting at in the first place. But hey, at least I’m consistent!
First off, let me channel Han Solo for a second here and say everything you’ve heard about the game – the world, the addictiveness, the amazing adventure that unfurls before your eyes – it’s true. All of it… When you take your first steps into the world and see the vastness, you think, “Wow. This is going to be fun.” Well I’m here to tell you no, you’re wrong. There is absolutely nothing that could prepare you for the adventure you’re about to embark on when you take those first steps. There’s so much to do, and so many ways to do it, you couldn’t begin to fathom the possibilities. I approached it with a very survivalist mindset, and happy that nothing holds your hand. Unlike other Zelda games, you’re not forced to do a 3 hour tutorial that drags out the beginning of the game. No, this throws you blindfolded into the deep end and doesn’t tell you anything about the pool you’re in.
50 hours in and the reality of it all dawned on me like a giant moon smiling as it edged closer and closer to my little world: I will most likely never experience a first-time joy like this again.
Before this, my favorite Zelda game was A Link to the Past, with Ocarina of Time, and A Link Between Worlds after that. But now? I couldn’t give you a straight answer. Of course, Breath of the Wild is in the top spot, but it’s in a different category from every other one before it. It took everything I ever loved about Zelda, and flipped it around. It is far from the typical formula you’re used to playing, and you’d think that would be a bad thing. But it is such a welcome change. So much so that I don’t know if they will ever be able to go back to the regular Zelda formula again. But that’s another post, and I cannot get into it here without completely derailing.
If you want to put a number on it, it took me 80 hours or so to get from opening to credits. For me, at this point of my life with 2 kids and hardly enough time to cook dinner most days, I’d say that is a huge feat. But honestly, as I stated earlier, saying I’m nowhere near done with the game, I could easily have clocked in double that time with no problem whatsoever. See, at around the 50 hour mark, I had to make a choice. It was a difficult choice, but it’s one that I’m happy I did. I was at a point where I had done enough to say I’m satisfied with what I’ve accomplished and could begin the end game. I came to the fork in that road and I took the path to the end. Not because I was bored or because I wasn’t having anymore fun. But because I didn’t want to rob myself of anymore joy. Let me explain..
I was playing relentlessly. Going from point A to point B, having the absolute time of my gamer life. I was making discoveries, exploring the world, taming the vast wild that had a new mystery around every corner. I was scaling mountains with my bare hands for the sole purpose of finding the closest undiscovered shrine, and hoping it was a ways below me so I can paraglide to it. And in that moment – leaping off the ledge of a mountain that took a stamina elixir to conquer, opening my glider and hearing it snap as it caught the wind, then looking over to see the sun rising over another mountain that I wonder if I’ve been to yet – it’s then that I realized I couldn’t be happier. Sadly, my happiest moment quickly became my darkest. Because it was then that it hit me.
50 hours in and the reality of it all dawned on me like a giant moon smiling as it edged closer and closer to my little world:
Whenever someone asks the age old question “If you were trapped on an island, what game would you want to have with you?”, I will happily name Breath of the Wild and look forward to my isolation with it.
So I made a choice. I could continue my path I’m on. Exploring every corner, doing everything there is to do in the world with the biggest grin as I enjoy every moment of it. Or, I could focus on the main quest, complete the 4 temples, beat the boss, and walk away with something to come back to. I thought about it for a few days. It wasn’t easy, but I finally decided I was ready for the end game. I began that path and finished, and as the credits rolled, I couldn’t help but feel empty. I just completed something I invested 80 hours in and I know there was so much I didn’t do. This was about two weeks ago and I still feel this emptiness, especially when I partake in conversations about it, or worse, help my kids as they play on their files. Does it make me sad? Yes, but at the same time, I know I have at least another 80 hours of exploration, adventure, and mysteries that have yet to be discovered. No, I didn’t finish all the shrines (64/120), or complete/find all of the side quests, but I am happy knowing that when I do decide to pick it up again, there will be stuff I didn’t do waiting for me. And enough of it to make everything feel fresh and new. And that’s not even thinking about the expansion pass – both The Master Trials and The Champions’ Ballad – which I haven’t even purchased yet because I haven’t dived back into the game since I beat it.
And like a wise man spinning tales to a wide-eyed group of children. Knowing every word he’s saying is another rock on the mountainside that you’re hanging on to for dear life. The game is letting you savor it all, rock by rock.
There’s just so much I never expected from a Zelda title. I was so used to the classic formula of getting to a temple to get a weapon, then using that weapon to get to the next temple, etc.. But A Link Between Worlds experimented away from that and I loved it. Breath of the Wild evolved even further and made so many changes in so many areas, it’s amazing to experience. Even the voice acting in the cut scenes – that I wasn’t too keen on when I heard it was being implemented – gave it another level of depth to get lost in. I don’t think the characters you encounter on your journey would’ve been nearly as memorable if it weren’t for their voices lending to their personas. It showed the diversity in the different races throughout Hyrule and made you wish you had more interactions with them in the game. Which greatly excites me to get that expansion pass when I decide to play again.
Is this a review? Probably not. Am I gushing on and on like a high school cheerleader talking about the dreamy football player? Maybe. But it cannot be helped. Breath of the Wild left a major impression on me, and made me proud to be a gamer. It dug its claws into my roots and reminded me why I have this undying love for a franchise I have so many memories with.
Even the Divine Beasts, the Temples in this game, were impressive and memorable. In the beginning, I had very mixed feelings about the Beasts, seeing them as the weakest part of the entire game. As I went on though, they grew on me and I began to appreciate what they were and how they functioned. They added so much depth to the story, I couldn’t imagine beating the game without completing them. The beasts, the characters, the world – which is a character in itself – it’s all part of this grand story that the game is telling you. 
And like a wise man spinning tales to a wide-eyed group of children. Knowing every word he’s saying is another rock on the mountainside that you’re hanging on to for dear life. The game is letting you savor it all, rock by rock. No, it doesn’t spoon feed it, very much how it doesn’t hold your hand through your journey. It’s up to you to find the memories that tell the story of what happened. And again, if you’re a fan of the series and you’re invested in certain aspects of the universe, there are some gripping moments that all lead up to, and execute, a climactic ending that will leave you feeling at peace with what you’ve done to get there.
Look, I know. I sound biased and blinded by excitement and I’m not really giving any counter points to make me sound like a fair reviewer. Sue me, because I’m not going to lie, it’s hard for me to say anything negative about Breath of the Wild. While I was playing there were a few things that I complained about, but looking back now, I can hardly remember what they were. Which shows how overshadowed by the good they were. I’m head over heels in love with what Nintendo delivered and would be happy if they just added to the package rather than craft me a new one in a few years. Like I mentioned, I’ve been playing the series for a long time. And this is by far, the greatest adventure you can set out on in Hyrule. Living up to its name, this is truly a legend.
Reading Time: 4 minutesThat’s right! I’m posting on the blog! Better play lotto or somethin’, because hot damn, this isn’t normal! I used to do this sort of thing a lot, you know? Unboxing collector’s editions, taking pictures, talking about art books and mandolls like a nerd. But …Read More….
Reading Time: 3 minutesNo Man’s Sky!! So crazy, that we could now happily go out, buy it, and venture into this vast universe that we’ve longed for so.. long.. As always, I took some pictures because, hey, someone has to be a super ultra dork around here. Might …Read More….
Alright, it’s been a while, so why not give you guys a recipe?!
Fall is coming. And if you haven’t checked your calendar recently, it’s coming ridiculously fast. It’s almost September! So I’m going to try and get the jump on some fall flavors here because let’s be honest, there’s nothing better than fall flavors.
I still haven’t made anything worthwhile in the kitchen. Every time I make something small like banana bread or just regular dinner, I fear for when I do go to blog something. It’s the lighting! The lighting in our kitchen now is soooo… so.. meh. But anyway, here’s a little something I made a while ago when we still lived in North Carolina.
Pork and apples is one of those combinations that you can’t ignore. There’s nothing fancy about it, they just go good together. The flavors mend and compliment each other and it’s just yummy goodness. Combine it with some brown sugar and cinnamon and a few other spices and rum and boy, oh boy.
I prefer to grill the pork chops because, well, the same reason why I prefer to grill anything. For the flavor. But if you have to, searing in a pan and finishing in the oven works just as good. For the apples I’m almost positive I used Braeburn, which you can say is our house apple. Though I’m sure you can use your favorite with no problem as it will bring your own twist to the dish. As far as the rum glaze goes, you could easily omit the good stuff if it’s not your cup of tea. It adds another level of flavor but it’s mainly because I had it on hand and thought it’d be good. Because, you know, I’m Puerto Rican and it’s my natural thought process. “Hmm, now what is it missin… *snaps fingers, pulls out bottle of rum*”
All that said, let’s go check it ou…. what? Oh, me? No, nothing. Just getting to the recipe. No, no history on the pork chop or back story on what apples mean to me. I’m just trying something new here and getting to the point (WINK WINK).
Ok, so what’s first?
You’re looking for the apples to still have somewhat of a crunch to them. Not too much though. On the other hand, you don’t want them too soft that they’re mush. I know, I should be less cryptic. You would think I knew how to explain myself better by now.
So when you think they’re done, go ahead and slide them off the heat and let them sit there for a bit. Just let them mellow out and relax in the rum… like some of us tend to do. See? I knew you’d understand. While they’re sitting there, don’t be envious, get the pork chops going!
Either way, it’s fine. As long as they’re cooked.
When they’re done, there’s nothing much left to do but….
Yup. It’s as glorious as it looks.
Make sure you scoop up some of the sauce and pour it over the chops.
Cutting into it, letting the sauce soak into the meat. Getting a bite with some apples, all dancing like it’s a rave going on in your mouth.
Yeah, it’s pretty damn good.
And that be that. See? Nice, simple, impressive. Who said fancy stuff takes too long? I did something similar once with a mango salsa I made on a pork tenderloin. I couldn’t tell you which one I liked better because mango and pork is equally amazing. But pork and apples with rum? C’mon now. Plus, summer is coming to a close mighty fast. Best to get out there and say sayonara to it the right way.
Hopefully I could find some other pictures I haven’t posted yet. They should help in this desperate drought of food posts here. Until I figure out how to get to cooking in here, at least. But until then..!
Adios.
