Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in Cazmonster's LiveJournal:

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Thursday, March 5th, 2009
8:51 pm	Catch Your Death of Cold For once the guns to the East were quiet. No Stalinorgel rockets shrieking into thunderous explosions. No gut-clenching reports from 152mm artillery signaling the deaths of dozens. Wind drifted through the corpses of slagged buildings, moaning into the emptiness. Rendelberg moved quietly through the snow-shrouded ruins of what had once been an apartment block. He could hear his men whispering to each other from his location, and he damned each of them to a Hell colder than this one for giving their position away. They had at least the good sense to keep their fire low and hidden in the corner of a couple of walls. “I am telling you again, German, I saw them,” it was Ivar, their Cossack scout. The man was a half-tamed bear, gigantic and unkempt. “Saw them plain as I am seeing you. Six Russians, all frozen solid like statues of ice.” “You steppe-men are all liars, Ivar,” countered Lehmann, the runty Bavarian. “You've been lying for decades, ever since you realized how ugly your women are.” He snorted loudly, as his overlarge nose ran in the cold. The other seven men chuckled at Lehmann's attempt at comedy, but Ivar was undeterred. “You are a small man, German, and you do not know History. You have forgotten about Baba Yaga and the Holod Prizrak, the frozen ghosts. I remember them from stories from my great-grandmother, warning us of the icy death that lurked in the middle of winter. Now, I have seen their marks. They hunt us.” As his men made fun of the Cossack, Rendelberg slipped behind them, his step sure even across splintered concrete and bent iron. In a low voice of disdain he spoke, “folklore and legend are powerless in the face of the Fürher's will.” A couple of his men flinched, spooked by their Oberleutnant's arrival. “Keep quiet, fools, there's no telling how many Russians managed to infiltrate this far.” The Oberleutnant warmed his hands for a moment over the fire and then said, “Ivar, I want to see these bodies.” The Cossack nodded once and drew his antique bolt-action rifle out from under his long coat. The Oberleutnant saw the heavy saber and long dagger Ivar also carried. The rest of them cast searching glances for infiltrators, checked the safeties on their MP40's and followed slowly after Ivar and Rendelberg. In the dark, the cold was torturous. It numbed fingers. It ate away at noses and ear tips. All of them bore pale white scars where the cold had lingered overlong. Moving through the bomb-blasted landscape set them all on edge. There were Soviet snipers and troops in hiding, waiting for a chance to kill them. Ivar led them to the remains of a shop where the six bodies lay arched and twisted on the ground. Their hands stretched out in hook-fingered claws. Even Lehmann, who hated Russians with a passion, was awed by the naked suffering that had killed them so horribly. Blue-black lesions marked the grayed chalk of their faces and throats. The skin looked cracked, crazed, split apart as if from some terrible pressure. The men were staring dumbfounded at the bodies when Kalb started screeching. Rendelberg turned to see the boy struggling with someone. The hooded attacker had managed to latch onto Kalb's back and hook a gray-black forearm under his chin; his other hand was clamped across Kalb's face, but was too thin to block the boy’s scream. Rendelberg thought it must have been one of Stalin's Rattenkreigers - snuck out of a shadow to kill his men. Instantly, the soldiers went into action. Lehmann squeezed off a burst into the sewer rat’s head, tearing away the thin cloth of the babushka. The bullets had no further effect and sounded with solid wet smacks. The rest of them took cover as the OL and Cossack charged to grapple Kalb's attacker. Rendelberg was only two or three steps away when he saw with horror the color leaching out of Kalb. The Landser was being frozen, just like the other corpses. Ivar threw himself bodily at the thing, his long knife flashing in the moonlight. The effect was horrific. Kalb's flesh, weakened by the intense cold, shredded, tearing away most of his cheeks and his left eye, stuck fast to one of its fingers. The Cossack stabbed at it repeatedly until his knife shattered in its rock-hard torso. Only then did Rendelberg see that it was an emaciated old woman, a frozen corpse given life. The Cossack roared in horror and his screams were matched by the rest of the squad as the other corpses quickened and reached for the warm, pulsing life around them. Rendelberg had only a moment of sanity left to yank the pin on his last grenade and toss it into that wretched tangle before running headlong into the lethal cold of dying Stalingrad. I can't remember if I posted this before, so if I have, my apologies. Game Design is rearing its head again and asking me to get to work. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Saturday, January 10th, 2009
9:57 am	Fully Rigged for Facebook I think I just got livejournal to post to facebook. Now I can have additional food-related posts as well as my nonseniscal twitter posting where everyone can read it. (Comment on this)
Saturday, December 27th, 2008
3:02 am	Holiday Cookery Yesterday was a grand day. The boys love the wonderful things that Santa brought for them. Barb and I are both really happy with the gifts we gave each other, and I got to cook some of the best food of my cooking career. Roast Turkey Breast Out of the Bird Stuffing and Cranberry Sauce I faked my way through some Idaho Buds and the blue box for the boys (which is good, since they screamed at us as if we had lit them on fire for suggesting dinnertime) but the three home-made pieces were as good as I could have imagined. Cranberry Sauce 1 Bag of Ocean Spray Cranberries - washed and picked over 3/4 C White Sugar 2 C Orange Juice Zest of One Orange 2 Tbsp Maple Syrup (Darker is Better) 1 Tbsp Crushed Crystalized Ginger Pinch Kosher Salt Use a 2 1/2 quart nonreactive saucepan for this recipe, given that it is likely to bubble up. Combine cranberries, juice and sugar in the saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. You will hear the cranberries pop from time to time. Once the cranberries have cooked for 10-12 minutes, add the orange zest, maple syrup, ginger and salt and stir through until well combined. Cook for an additional 3 minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes before transferring to blender or using immersion blender. Blend into a thick dipping sauce for your holiday meal. The turkey and the stuffing were from Cooks Country. I'll provide the hookup to those who desire it. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Saturday, December 13th, 2008
5:05 am	Food Talk - Cook's Country Chinese Food Tonight, we had General Tso's Chicken and, according to one of my guys it was, "One of the top five most delicious things I have ever put in my mouth." That made me good and happy. The chicken recipe is not overly complex, but because it involves fat-frying I seriously suggest having a more complete dredge rig than I used tonight (a big shallow plate of huge messiness). Furthermore - this is the best fried rice that I have ever consumed: And now I realize I don't have the magazine with me. Eventually, there will be a comment or another update with the foodly goodness. If you folks who read this are foodies, I seriously suggest Cook's Country from America's Test Kitchen. Everything I have made has been insanely tasty. (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, November 13th, 2008
3:57 am	REPO! The Genetic Opera! I've just gotten back from the movie experience of my year. I had to drive five hours round trip for two hours and it was totally more than worth it. REPO! The Genetic Opera, starring Anthony Stewart Head, Alexis Vega and Paul Sorvino is the post apocalyptic opera you've all been waiting to see. Jason Blair and I went and had a total blast, singing along to Zydrate Anatomy and At The Opera. The songs are on the mark all the way through, the visuals are fantastic and you totally buy this as an actual opera. I loved the whole show through, especially the end scenes. The only downside is that Lion's Gate screwed the movie after it is in the can. They didn't think it would recoup any costs or some crap and so the movie is only being released to show like 14 times in theaters. The Music Box in Chicago was sold out for it. I can't think that any other theater has any open seats for the show. There's talk of a wide release sometime in December. I really hope it happens, just so that you all, my friends, can get the same great experience. (Comment on this)
Sunday, October 12th, 2008
4:22 pm	So I found a new LJicon I love the intarwub. I love it good. Also, I love my nephews who played the hell out of Castle Crashers and then had a great time at a farm today. (I got to pet some cows - fun!) But for now, I'm really happy with GraveRobber there. (Comment on this)
Sunday, August 24th, 2008
1:51 am	The Monster's Magic Mushrooms Tonight, trollbabe had a hankering for mushroom omelet. I had the goods and the time and got to cooking. I got all culinary with my bad self and wanted to test out the new 14" nonstick skillet against a pound of mushrooms. Victory was delicious. Here's the shopping list and the technique. Oh, and the omelet is along for the ride, (below the cut) fill as you see fit. MUSHROOMS WITH WHITE WINE Hardware: Cutting Board Colander Chef's Knife Measuring Spoons Large Nonstick Skillet or Griddle (I use a 14" nonstick skillet) Silicone Spatula Software: 1 lb. White Button Mushrooms (Cremini's would be extra special, but not necessary.) 2 Tbsp Butter 2 Tbsp Olive Oil 1 large Shallot (just bigger than a golf ball) 2 oz Wine you like (I used the cheap white stuff that comes in the four 5oz bottles) Kosher Salt Parsley (I used dried parsley flake - the real stuff is not crucial here.) Prep: Allow butter to come to room temperature. Wash, dry, stem and slice mushrooms into about 1/4" slices Dice Shallot (Remove top, peel off outer papery skin, slice vertically, set half on board, carefully cut several horizontal and then vertical slices not all the way through to the root, repeat with other half, chop very fine - keep knuckles turned under) - yield about 1/4 Cup Cook: Place skillet over medium high heat and add 1 Tsp. Butter. Wait for Butter to stop foaming - there should be a slightly nutty aroma. Add 1 Tsp. Oil. Swirl to coat pan. Add Mushrooms all at once - spread into even layer. Add large pinch of salt (about 1/4 tsp.) - scatter evenly over mushrooms. Cook - turning often as mushrooms steam and release juices - total cook time about 12 minutes. Mushrooms will be light golden brown and well reduced in size. Clear center of pan. Add Butter - allow to melt and foam. Add Oil Add Shallots. Add pinch of salt over shallots and saute in clear space for about 2 minutes. Mix sauteing shallots into mushrooms and cook until shallots are softened maybe 2 minutes. Add wine and parsley. Reduce over low heat until pan is almost dry. ( BASIC OMELET ) (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Wednesday, August 20th, 2008
9:41 am	MOJO MANAGED! I want to thank everybody for their good wishes and mojo. I got the job with CDW/Berbee this morning. I'm ecstatic right now - because it's more money and better benefits than I have ever had and the job is doing the kind of work that I am very good at. So, thank you guys for hoping for me. It paid off! (7 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, August 18th, 2008
1:50 pm	Make with the Mojo! So I just interviewed with CDW/Berbee and I'm feeling like I could maybe land this job (which would be about the best job I've had). If all y'all could make some mojo and send it Caz-ward, that would be much appreciated. (8 Comments |Comment on this)
Saturday, August 2nd, 2008
3:01 pm	Feelings for 4E - Based on play Paul asked me to step up and talk about my 4E experiences so far - and I'm happy to do so. You can expect most of this to be the good points, as I'm really happy with the game to date. First off - the game is fast. The battlemat makes it easier to keep track of distances and lines of attack for the whole group. There are fewer discussions about whether this piece of cover or that attacker matters for cover/concealment. Oh, and Cover and Concealment work just about identically, making that part of life easier (and no cock-blockery over percent miss chances). Combatants have fairly set bonuses to attack, so after you get them stored in temporary memory, you're rolling dice without having to review all the time. Everybody only has four possible DC's for effect - so much better than check vs AC or Spell has specific effect. Damage is sometimes static, especially for minions, so there's another speed up. Saving throws are so much better than they have ever been. Every time your character suffers some kind of status change, you get a save at the end of your round. That means you might have half a dozen saves to make at the end of your turn, but they're all 10 or better - fast again. There's more that I can't really think of now - but I'll be dropping post-mortems of each game from here on out. (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, August 1st, 2008
5:03 pm	Sweet and Sorrow We made it to the second session of D&D, in spite of losing a player between here and there. The second game was, for me, a blast to run through. Compelling, risky, and full of surprises for all three of us, the intrepid characters managed to fend off the crazed goblin hexer and his pack of shock-scorpions (I can't remember their real name). amanofhats saved the day with back to back critical hits to end the night. I was very happy for the players. We're going to miss "Black" Jon Etter, but I think the game has a great chance of continuing to be fun. 4E is crazy solid and fast - the only thing that's iffy right now is the whiff factor of some of the daily powers. (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, July 20th, 2008
11:03 pm	Weird Game Question So I've been played a whole lot of GTA over the past few months and I had a thought just today. How hard would it be to drop MP3's that I own into the 'playlists' of GTA (or a similar game)? I'd love to see the X-Box and a good complex game support me cross-loading a new song from my thumbdrive into the game and have it show up as I'm running from the cops. I bet there's crappy licensing stuff between here and there, but the core concept should be valid. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Sunday, July 6th, 2008
12:26 am	Movie Reviews... \m/ \m/ We have so taken advantage of the movies in the past week. Going with copious kids and having someone who is in the same house while the boys are asleep makes it all too easy. I'll start with Wall-E. I have heard that folks are hoping it goes up for Best Picture at the Oscars this year. I think it deserves a shot. The movie is stunningly beautiful, has a fantastic story, and really is everything I and my boys have been hoping to see. if you love animation, robots, or animated robots - you owe it to yourself to see it. Next up - HANCOCK. I'll aim this at Daki first. If you ever want to see something that Uncle Warren could have written up on the big screen, see HANCOCK. It is the most real story of a superhero that I have seen - beats out Batman Begins, beats out... well, it beats them all. Charlize Theron is so very easy on the eyes. On top of being a fantastic superhero movie, it has the villain payoff I am always hoping to see. And it hands it to me in spades. Really, see the show for slam bang action with a purpose. WANTED - Truly fantastically excellent gunwank (as Yatzee Croshaw would put it) on top of primo wire-action stunts, great camera tricks, and AND ANGELINA JOLIE'S FANTASTIC MOISTENED ASS! Yes, that does deserve all caps. It is one fantastic ass. See it for full throttle bombastic action and balletic gunplay and commeupances aplenty. Movies this year rock the house in huge ways - pay them back by seeing them in the theatres. (Comment on this)
Friday, July 4th, 2008
11:56 pm	Sweet Tomatoes and The Morton Arboretum If you live in Chicagoland and can't figure out exactly what you want to eat - find a Sweet Tomatoes franchise - it is worth your time and effort as it is bascially a Sizzler or Ponderosa without the overjacked prices, roasted meat stink, and air of desperation. Honestly - it did seem like somebody lost their Meat Delivery Service at a Ponderosa and went for what they could. That being said - it was fine eats with lots of choices. Second - THERE ARE GIANT BUGS AT THE MORTON ARBORETUM! Giant Bug statues, but enough to make me think of THEM! which is always a good time. The twins had a fantastic time in the childrens' garden area - playing with progressively wetter water features until they were completely soaked. Good Good times until the Battann Death March of crying back to the car. We spent the time with Ottery - who is doing very well with the Sprog On Deck. It was way fun and I hope to do it again soon. (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, June 22nd, 2008
12:19 am	The Middleman You people who read this occasional ramble listen up! The Middleman is the sleeper hit of this summer season. I can say this with great confidence after watching the pilot. I have not laughed this much at a TV show in years. More, it has tons of geek cred, including references to Hentai Tentacle Monsters, Fell, Mouseguard (FUCKING MOUSEGUARD people!) a stance on Barry Allen vis a vis Wally West, and Spanky and his Gang of artificially enhanced computer controlled gorillas. The show echoes the live-action version of The Tick so hard I can hear Patrick Warburton's suit squeak. It's sarcastic and fast-paced and given clever camera work, the effects budget can stay down to an acceptable level for years. Watch the show - tell your tivos to pick it up Mondays. You will be glad you did. Oh - and Cash said that I should edit this up to include the network - ABC Family. Cash is Good. (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, June 18th, 2008
1:20 am	Steak Cookery I read a whole lot of Cooks Illustrated and watch Food Network for fun. Tonight, I made a pan sauce for steak that was far and away better than anything I have eaten, short of going to the now defunct Fyfe's. Here it is for you all to experiment with. Software: 1lb sirloin steak 1 tsp vegetable oil 5 oz red wine you like (I used white merlot from Sutter Home) 1 Tsp dijon mustard 1/2 tsp garlic powder 2 Tsp Half & Half Kosher Salt Fresh Ground Black Pepper Hardware: Cast Iron or Steel Pan large enough to accommodate steak. Timer. Heat resistant gloves. Tongs. 3 Plates. 2 Ramekins. Aluminum foil or steel bowl large enough to cover steak. Wooden or heat resistant spatula. 1. Set oven to 450 degrees - place cast iron or stainless steel pan in cold oven to heat. Set your fan or other ventilation system to full draw. IMPORTANT - THIS CANNOT BE DONE WITH NON-STICK. DOING SO WILL RELEASE UNHAPPY GASSES INTO YOUR HOUSE! (Disclaimers are good) 2. While your oven comes to temp, season steak - two pinches of kosher salt per side. Allow oven to come to temp. (This usually takes about 15 to 20 minutes for my low-power model. If your oven is more powerful, you may want to season the steak earlier.) 3. Using heat-resistant gloves, remove pan from oven and place over high flame on range top. 4. Lightly oil top side of steak. Put steak, oiled side down into pan and lightly oil other side of steak. 5. Sear steak for 2 minutes. 6. Flip using tongs and sear steak for additional 2 minutes. 7. Turn off range and using heat resistant gloves, place steak in 450 degree oven. Roast 2 minutes. 8. Flip using heat resistant gloves and tongs and sear for additional 2 minutes. 9. Remove pan from oven, place back on range. Steak will be crusty and delicious looking. 10. Place ramekin on plate. Use tongs to place steak askew on ramekin so that any juices will drain onto the plate. Cover with bowl or aluminum foil. 11. The pan should have a good amount of fond from the cooking process. Set range to high flame under pan. Deglaze with the wine. Use the spatula to scrape up everything from the bottom of the pan. Pan should be boiling readily. 12. Add Dijon Mustard, Garlic Powder, Black Pepper and Half & Half to pan and stir until well combined. Reduce flame to medium and continue to cook at rapid simmer until reduced to 1/3 of original volume (you will have about 1/4 inch of sauce in a 10" pan). Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. 13. Remove steak, slice into 1/3 inch strips and plate on clean plates. 14. Serve sauce in clean ramekin - enjoy your steak. (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, May 28th, 2008
2:05 pm	This is the Best Dog EVAR! May 4Chan and its strange children never die. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Sunday, May 11th, 2008
12:19 am	GO SPEED RACER GO! I went out tonight with envertigo and saw Speed Racer. I had an absolute blast. I grew up watching Speed Racer on Channel 44 out of Chicago and always looked forward to watching it. I didn't really know then that the animation was fairly primitive. I remember being scared of the Monster Car. I remember thinking Racer X was the coolest guy ever. My memories were really well served by the updated movie. Seeing it on the IMAX really made me feel like the guy in the old memorex add, where he's pinned to his chair by the awesome coming out of his speakers. The supersaturated colors and high octane action, coupled with more sound than I've experienced, well, basically ever, made the movie more than a visual experience. I felt like I was surrounded by the movie. I had a really fantastic time. The music won for me. Not only do you get to hear the Speed Racer theme mixed throughout the show, but there's a sequence with Freebird that I could watch again and again. Spridle and Chim Chim more than lived up to my hopes during their hero sequence in the show. I've got one quibble with the movie. Near the end is too much talking, not enough racing. It winds up being about 2/3 talking heads panning across the screen, 1/3 racing. I give that particular part an 8.5. If it had been 2/3 racing and 1/3 talking, the entire movie would have had a solid 10 for me. If you get the chance, unplug your adult brain, and buy that kid inside you some popcorn, candy and a soda and have a great, great time seeing Speed Racer. Current Music: Alpha Team GO SPEED GO! (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, May 7th, 2008
6:00 pm	I Know the Creed I finished Assassin's Creed last night and the game is solid good up until the last two fights of the game. I don't want to spoil it for those who haven't finished it, so those in the know, look below the cut. ( How it Should Have Ended: Assassins Creed ) (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, May 6th, 2008
12:41 am	Design Document - ROCK ON! For your video game concept document, you must turn in the following items: Title page, including: Title of your game, Name of your group, One or more images from the game such as a character, scene, or artifact (car, gizmo). the goal of this image is to provide an initial impression of the visual qualities of the game. An overview page, that states the name of the game, and then is logically divided into three sections: A table at the top of the page that describes the game genre, platform, and team size. A "key points" section in the middle that contains a bulleted list of important aspects of the gameplay. the goal of this section is to give the reader, in a very condensed form, a high level understanding of the goal of the game, the main characters, the main fictional elements, the significant scenes in the game, the flow of the game, what makes the game unique, and the primary actions the player takes. Example bulleted list items include (but are not limited to): "An educational game that teaches algebra, calculus, and differential equations!" "MegaFido, the biggest, meanest cyber-dog in the ultrapound chases tetra-cats and zypher-squirrels using his super smell and razor-sharp canines." "The player runs around collecting acorns, banana slugs, and bay leaves which they exchange for scantron sheets, allowing them to progress past the exam puzzles." "Multiple levels provide increasingly rich gameplay as the number of mutant starfish grows, and the slippery spiny lobsters get faster, and more canny." "You'll have players running for their umbrellas as more and more objects drop from the sky." "8 levels span multiple distinct regions of the campus, as the player clears the giant banana slugs from forest, meadow, library, classroom and dining hall." "The adventure takes the player on a madcap trip through the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, and Zion National Park!" An image, similar to that on the cover, that conveys the visual feel of the game, or displays one or more scenes from the game. The image should generate excitement, and convey the energy of playing this game. A page that gives true pocket (brief) biographies of all team members (1-2 paragraphs per team member). These biographies should stress experiences that make you a strong game designer. Why should the publisher trust your team to develop a new, innovative game? 1-3 pages giving, in textual form, a description of your game. This should include: The fictional background of your game (what is the background story? Are you saving the princess, or saving the world?) This includes a brief description of major characters in your game. What is the goal of the player of the game (how does the player win?) What are the key challenges presented to the player? How does the player interact with the game? How does the player advance the fictional aspects of the game (if possible)? For example, how do they save the princess, or save the world? If the game has levels, a brief description of each of the levels. If the game is an educational game, describe how it meets its educational goal. If the game is designed for a specific audience (young kids, middle school girls, absent-minded professors), describe how the game has been specifically designed for this audience. 1-2 pages giving sample artwork from the game. This artwork can be in rough (sketch) form, and does not have to be production quality. This can include: Sketches of characters Sketches of levels Sketches of key game interactions (a player performing a specific game activity) Note that we expect all artwork used in the game to be either original, or have license terms that permit non-commercial use. See the project description page for more information. (1 Comment |Comment on this)