If you play games on a PC, you know what Steam is. If you don't, then you aren't paying attention. I'm old enough to have been around when Steam came out so I can tell you how amazing it is. It used to be that you'd install two, four, or even six CD's worth of …
Star Wars
The boys have been really into Star Wars for the past few months. It started earlier this year when I allowed them to play with my collection of Star Wars action figures from my teenage years. I had kept them around, not for collecting per se, but because I couldn't bear to part with them. …
Nerd Excitement
Everyone knows I'm an Apple person. My household is full of Macs, my family has iPhones and iPad, I've got an Apple TV, I've even got a Mac Museum. If Apple makes it, I will likely shell out the money to buy it. Apple products are often associated with simplicity – they are "easy to …
Michael Jackson Favorites
Michael Jackson is one of my favorite artists, so it's not surprising that the boys like him too. We listen to him in the car and watch his videos at home. They reference Michael by name quite often; Zach was even Michael Jackson for Halloween this year. As with anyone, the boys have favorite songs. …
My Gaming PC Revisited – What If I Built it Myself?
I go through a cycle when I make a big purchase. I figure out what I want, do a bunch of research, make a choice, and then make the purchase. Then I usually start having buyer's remorse, or more accurately "was it a good value remorse", where I try to make sure that the choice …
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My New Gaming PC
As a bit of a birthday present to myself, I decided to take advantage of Black Friday sales and buy a dedicated gaming PC. My iMac has been serving double-duty as both a Mac and a Windows gaming machine since I bought it in 2010, replacing my previous iMac in that role since 2006. The …
Artwork
We decided to be good parents today and try to do an art project with the boys after dinner. Winter is coming soon and we'll need something to keep them busy during Christmas break. Legos, movies, and driving each other nuts can only last so long, so why add some creative expression to the mix? …
The Bottom Line – Apple's October 2014 Products
Apple announced their final major product updates of the year today. I've tossed together a little table that summarizes the announcements and whether you should get one. You're welcome. Product What's New Cost Should I Get One? iPad mini $50 price drop $249 (16) No - the technology inside is 3 years old. iPad mini …
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Puzzles
The boys have been really interested in puzzles lately. They play with puzzles at school but recently they have dusted them off at home again. Zachary has been particularly enamored. He sits quietly on the floor searching for pieces, bringing them to the puzzle, turning them on each side to see if they fit, and …
Mac Museum Additions: Mid 2014
iPod 2nd Generation This is the iPod that started it all... almost. Released in 2002, this was the first major revision to Apple's iPod, which at the time was still relegated to Mac users with deep pockets. The second gen model uses the same case design as the first, but replaces the mechanical scroll wheel …
Relatively Ambitious 