Ascension

Rollie Agado March 3, 2013

Got my copy of Ascension in the mail Friday afternoon and spent a good part of the weekend playing it with family and friends.

The game is a “deck building” game, allowing opponents to quickly build up (or pair down) your battle deck to collect point before the game draws down to an end.

When both players are familiar with the game… you can squeeze out a full game in about 20 minutes.

The games usually come down to 3 points or less, so it’s freakishly addictive after suffering a stinging loss.

Highly recommend it to all my game board friends.

Build quality is exceptionally high. A version of the game is on iOS also. Online play is pretty solid too.

Below (thanks to Vine) is Ascension.

The building in this picture operated as Porn Shop (Adult Video) for a good part of my life. It’s located right off US Route 83 before the Ed Carry Exit. I’ve never been able to give directions to my parents house without ever being inte… — The building in this picture operated as Porn Shop (Adult Video) for a good part of my life. It’s located right off US Route 83 before the Ed Carry Exit. I’ve never been able to give directions to my parents house without ever being interrupted and hearing “*oh, you live by Adult Video ! ?* “

I forget when the space stopped being Porn shop but it briefly became a scratch & dent appliance store.

The Washing Machine on the left reminded me of a Sonic Youth album sleeve and I took the photo.

Said building also operated briefly as a SLOT machine/arcade/probable backdoor casino in 2012.

It’s now vacant but will always be remembered as “Adult Video”.

History of San Benito:
by Alamo City Rollie

Random Art

Rollie Agado March 1, 2013

After a rather lengthy wait, I finally got my Braid split 7” record w/Balance Composure.

Braid / Balance and Composure

Rollie Agado March 1, 2013

POZ March Sadness: Announcement + Vote-In Round

Rollie Agado February 28, 2013

propertyofzack:

We’ve talked about doing a fun POZ response to March Madness for well over a year now, and today is the day that we are launching March Sadness - an emo-lover’s substitute for NCAA bracket season (it’s cool if you dig the basketball too, this is just sadder).

March Sadness consists of a vote-in round (that’s today!) followed by 16-bracket spots broken down into 90’s, Early 2000’s, MId 2000’s, and Modern Day Emo. We are limiting ourselves to 20 bands that will be voted down to 16 by Monday’s Sad 16 launch.

We realize “emo” is both a subjective word and genre, but March Sadness is all about us having fun and interacting as a community. So please click “Read More” below and join us in voting for four out of five of your favorite bands in each emo category through Sunday evening, and the Sad 16 will launch on Monday!

Read More

Painted by Nature →

Rollie Agado February 28, 2013

Tulip fields, photographed in air over Holland

holland

The Perks of Being a Wildflower

Rollie Agado February 26, 2013

Finally got around to watching “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” last night and want to recommend it to anyone who was Freshman in High School in the early 90’s.

I haven’t fully processed the movie after one viewing and wished I had time to watch it a second time to confirm my feelings of liking or disliking the movie.

One thing I’m not on the fence about is actually reading the book its based on.

The film centers on a Kid whose about to start High School where his siblings attend(ed), while also having a few hangups about some heavy things that just occurred to him recently.

I’m not purposely trying to be vague here… the film has a few sub-plots that aren’t fleshed out very well on film, but I’m guessing are addressed a little better in print.

I found myself easily getting swept up in the first half of the movie as the central character finds himself trying to fit in among a group of peers he doesn’t quite exactly meld very well with.

It reminded me a lot of my early high school friendships and the discovery one makes their freshmen year of anything.

It’s almost applicable again my freshmen year of college and my first 2 or so years figuring out life after not attending school full time.

As luck would have it… I don’t know anyone whose seen it so I hope to hear from someone (anyone) who has to discuss some of the finer moments of the film.

Till then, I leave you with a track that is discussed heavily in the film and a very deep cut off the Louder than Bombs album.

"Asleep"

Disc Golf

Rollie Agado February 24, 2013

San Antonio was treated to some picturesque weather this afternoon so friends and I made it out to Universal City Disc Golf to walk (and play) 18 holes.

i didn’t keep score but felt like I played +6 or so after 18. If the weather holds up in the coming weekends, I may make it out to some of our other local courses and enjoy the trails while the weather is amazing.

Below (thanks to Vine) is Chivo doing what he does best.

TEN : Sells 10 million Copies (How Am I Supposed to Feel About That?)

Rollie Agado February 21, 2013

Learned this afternoon that Pearl Jam’s debut album TEN broke the 10 million record plateau… rarefied air seeing how a handful of artists/albums have done this in the past 25 years.

TEN is possibly one of the oldest CD’s I have in my personal music collection. I purchased it originally on cassette and replaced it with a CD 10 or so months after stressing my cassette copy from too many listens.

I’ve never quite been able to figure out what drew me to the record… It’s not my favorite PJ album, that distinction goes to NO CODE.

There’s a number of songs on the album I could go without ever hearing again like “Jeremy” and “Alive”.

I’m also torn over liking/disliking the production of the record as a whole. These feelings are only punctuated by members of the band also going on record as saying that they disliked the final mixes of the album.

Still… all it takes for me to rekindle my appreciation for the record is to listen to the song “Black” in a dimly lit room/by myself to appreciate the record as a whole and the band for disallowing it to become a single.