Late Adopter

About two years ago Aimeé was given an XBOX 360 system. I was dead set against the idea but turned out that she had always wanted to play video games. At first I was a reluctant observer but Aimeé persuaded me to try some games, nothing interesting until she started playing Assassin’s Creed II.

Up until this late stage of life I had avoided video games because I considered them time wasters. Back in the late 70’s I played some text-based adventure games and found them addictive, so for me the best life strategy was to ignore the whole industry.

According to recent datathe gaming industry is now making more money than the music and movie industries combined.

I was very impressed with Assassin’s Creed II: the graphics, the sound, the story, the game-play; and I played happily for hours, especially while Aimeé was in Mexico this summer. In October here in Guanajuato we bought the latest generation XBOX system and the Assassin’s Creed Ezio Collection, which comprises three games.

As of early December I had finished all three games as I have lots of free time in Mexico. Choosing the next game required research. I liked everything about Assassin’s Creed except for the violence, which is pervasive in video games. I decided on The Talos Principle and will have finished that game very soon.

I need a break from gaming as I feel the weight and guilt of playing so much, but finding the next game to play is on my to-do list. Not only am I a late adopter of video games, I was unaware of the demographic trend of video gaming for seniors and its benefits for healthy aging.

Cabin Re-roofing Project

After much discussion, planning, and preparation, the re-roofing of the cabin project has started.  This post will be updated with progress reports for the duration.

Sep 28 – the front side is complete and we are done for this year.

Aug 10 – received metal roofing package in Garden Bay

Aug 11 – materials stored in the garage

Aug 16 – 1st load of 10 panels loaded to go over

Aug 16 – underlay and eave flashing

Aug 17 – first panel and gable flashing, but we were sold the wrong screws and could not attach the 2nd panel

Aug 24 – still no screws but more underlay applied

Aug 26 – installation of the panels goes quickly

Aug 31 – bottom section mostly finished, strapping installed for transition

Sep 6 – good progress on upper roof, but the rains started the next day

Sep 23 – it has rained every day except one since Sep 6, but the forecast for this week is for sunny days and we are heading back to the cabin this afternoon to hopefully finish off the front roof and close up for the winter.

Ski Trip

I got three days of skiing in at Whistler before Christmas but have not been back.  Although spring has arrived in Vancouver and I’m starting to think about going to the cabin in March, tomorrow I embark on a one week ski trip that should be fantastic.

On Sunday I drive to Revelstoke BC to meet up with friends and ski a couple of days at Revelstoke Mountain Resort.  “Revelstoke Mountain Resort boasts North America’s greatest vertical at 1,713 metres (5,620 ft)” and I have never skied there before.  I’m staying at the budget-minded Revelstoke Lodge.

On Wednesday we’ll drive to Meadow Creek BC to go catskiing at Selkirk Wilderness Skiing.  The lodge is half way up the mountain in the wilderness and we’ll go up that afternoon for 3 days of powder skiing and 4 nights of good food and good fun.