BadPower.com Blog

To: Ash
From: Crecente
Re: Yes, I Have Barfy Kids

So I finally got off my fat backend and got around to exercising. After a lifetime of being underweight, and mostly fit, it was a pretty big shock to hear I was so completely unfit earlier this week.

I looked into a number of exercise options, mostly thanks to all of the nice people who emailed and Twittered me, but finally decided on something I’ve always wanted to try out. As a kid I bowled (yes on a team), was on a swim team, tennis team, baseball team, soccer team, basketball team. Later I took taekwondo, took shotokon karate, I fenced for nearly a decade, skied snowboarded, rock climbed, hiked, mountain biked and road biked. But I’ve always wanted to try out Kendo.

Yesterday I tracked down an impressive dojo in Denver, drove to the place, paid my fees and dropped directly into my first two hour class. It marked what I hope will be the first of many twice weekly, two hour workouts.

Now, I know you’ve told me you want to do this too. So do it. That way, one day we could spar!

FIGHT!!!

What you missed:
Points For Toothbrushing: The Gaming Speech Everyone Is Talking About
What Ever Happened to That Other Prince of Persia?
Assassin’s Creed II: Bonfire Of The Vanities Micro-Review: Once More, With Fleeing
Speak-Up On Kotaku: Game Mash-Ups, T-Shirts, Singalongs, And Viewtiful Woes
David Jaffe Took Your Calls, Needed 15 Bleeps
Nintendo Summit News Round-Up
Is Valve Bringing Steam To The Mac?
In Defense of – and a Salute to – The Pro
Killer Whale’s Violent Past Includes Deadly Attack on Ultima-Obsessed Drifter

To: Crecente
From: Bashcraft

A spatula. No idea why, but he always carries around a spatula — a spatula we no longer use. When he goes outside, he brings his spatula. It’s like his teddy bear, but not.

Today, he also carried around a small can of corn for a good hour or so.

Yes, we do feed him.

Mini-Bash loved toy cars when he was a toddler, and Micro? Cooking utensils and canned vegetables.

What you missed last night
Microsoft To Unveil Xbox Live Mobile Today
We Now Know How Many Of You Have A HD Television
Final Fantasy XIII’s Xbox-Only NBA Commercial
Plants vs. Zombies Has Sprouted on The iPhone
If You Want To Play EspGaluda II, Read This Post

To: Crecente
From: Bashcraft

A spatula. No idea why, but he always carries around a spatula — a spatula we no longer use. When he goes outside, he brings his spatula. It’s like his teddy bear, but not.

Today, he also carried around a small can of corn for a good hour or so.

Yes, we do feed him.

Mini-Bash loved toy cars when he was a toddler, and Micro? Cooking utensils and canned vegetables.

What you missed last night
Microsoft To Unveil Xbox Live Mobile Today
We Now Know How Many Of You Have A HD Television
Final Fantasy XIII’s Xbox-Only NBA Commercial
Plants vs. Zombies Has Sprouted on The iPhone
If You Want To Play EspGaluda II, Read This Post

To: Crecente
From: Bashcraft
RE: Pricey Bags

Until today, Mini-Bash hadn’t had a haircut in months. And when Mrs. Bashcraft took him to get his haircut earlier today, the kid brought along something to show the stylist: a DVD copy of Star Wars Episode I.

Mini-Bash wanted a haircut like Obi-Wan has in Episode I. You know the cut. (It’s right up there, if you don’t!) Mini-Bash thinks Obi-Wan is a cool dude and when we told him that he could not get a Darth Maul haircut (kid is on an Episode I kick, for some reason), he settled on a Ben hairdo.

Oddly, Mini-Bash says he has no idea which character Jar Jar. I imagine Mini-Bash blanks out the character whenever Jar Jar appears on screen. That’s what I do.

So, DVD in hand, Mini-Bash and mom went to the hair saloon. The hair stylist took a look at the haircut on the box and pretty much cut the kid’s hair like that.

However, while getting his haircut, Mrs. Bashcraft later said, Mini-Bash got increasingly glum. Sad, even. And when the stylist showed him the haircut, he slid out of the seat and moped his way home.

What’s wrong?
I was waiting the entire time.
For what?
I was waiting for that thing.
That thing?

It seems Mini-Bash thought he would be getting a Padawan braid and was utterly crushed, declaring that without it, he does not look like Obi-Wan.

No, we did not make any remarks about facial hair.

What you missed last night
Gran Turismo 5 vs Real Life
Nintendo Launches Budget Wii Label In Japan
Goodbye, Burnout Paradise DLC, You Will Be Sorely Missed
But What Does Modern Warfare 2’s Timed Exclusive DLC Mean?
First Good Look At New Metal Gear Solid PSP Bundle

To: Ash
From: Crecente
Re: Delays Aren’t Necessarily Bad, Yo

Busy, busy day what with the sex bots, Tiger woods stuff and our podcast.

Did you listen to the podcast? It was a ton of fun and man, the sound difference. I can’t believe the difference a professional sound engineer and studio makes. OK, I can believe it.

What you missed:
Cred vs. Influence (or Killing our Soul)
BioShock 2 Director Explains Vita-Chamber Changes, Backtracking Prohibition
New Final Fantasy Trailer Includes Lovely Music, English Voice Acting
Ubisoft Delays Splinter Cell: Conviction, R.U.S.E.
The Next Assassin’s Creed Features Online Multiplayer [UPDATE]
How Gaming Helped Create Roxxxy’s Skin-Deep Personality
Speak-Up On Kotaku: An Inconvenient Truth, Death, Swag and Fantasy
Reggie: Don’t Count On Wii Successor In The Coming Months
Frankenreview: Army Of Two: The 40th Day

To: Luke
From: Crecente

Your late Christmas post was a real eye-opener. I’m going to have to really concentrate on my game play this month if I want to be prepped for the slew of games coming early next year. No work for the wicked I guess.

And check out these kudos from Cnet.

Oh, don’t forget to stay tuned tonight for our Left 4 Dead 2 review.

What you missed:
All Out War (Games)
Command & Conquer: Red Alert Micro-Review: Palm-Size Power Trip
Nintendo Talks Mario Multiplayer And Keeping Zelda’s Secrets
A Room Full of Loot
Frankenreview: New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Kotaku Game Club: Modern Warfare 2 Discussion Resumes.. NOW (Levels 7-9)
Reggie: Wii 2 Theories Miss Key Point
In College, the Party Never Stops – for LAN
Mario Vs. Bowser, Waged Through Chess

To: Luke
From: Owen
Re: Modern Mario

Bear, my cat, has been behaving a little weird lately. I think the crap weather here in Oregon is getting to her, because it’s darker than California and the wet weather means she’s indoors more often. Bear usually would hang out in a kitty bed behind the TV, or in one of my dresser drawers. But this week, she’s taken to hanging in the tool closet, up on the towel rack over the commode and, all of today, in front of my keyboard. It’s like trying to type around a furry meatloaf.

So if there were any typos, misspellings, errors or libel this week, blame the cat.

Some of what you missed:

Leaked Survey Tips Off MLB 2K10 Cover Athlete
Odd And Odder Mario Sightings In New York
Laser Engraver Blasts Out Super Mario Theme
New Super Mario Bros. Wii In-Game Tips
Nintendo’s Temporary Mario Museum, The Video Tour
PS3: It Only Does Kidnapping …
Jersey GameStops Break Street for Assassin’s Creed II, L4D2
Stick Jockey: Maybe the Greatest of All Time, but not In Its Time

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To: Mr. Ashcraft
From: Mr. Totilo
Re: {Insert Night Note Here}

Sir,

The esteemed Brian Crecente was indisposed today and left the duty of writing the Day Note to me. I intended to reply to your previous missive with great cheer but was flummoxed by its lack of verbs. And yet, maybe it contained a great message that I could just not see. It reminded me of a time when I purchased a box from a game store. Upon this box was the label “Great game inside.” I never opened it, though I think Schrodinger’s cat may have been inside.

That said, I just made that last anecdote up.

What you missed last night (because a man’s got to sleep)
You Came, You Saw, You Critiqued
Mario Bros. 3 Better Than Galaxy, And Other Discussions In Today’s Podcast
Infinity Ward: Modern Warfare 2 PS3 Online Problems Server (Not Patch) Related
They Made The Wii Bowling Ball, And They’re Not Done Yet
Kotaku Game Club: Modern Warfare 2 Discussion Begins.. NOW (Levels 1-3)
MW2 PS3 Combat Wireless Headset Review: Pain in Your Ear
Brütal Legend Forges Unholy Union With Mishka For Brutally Metal Tees
Write a Walk-Through, Maybe Win Stuff

To: Crecente
From: Bashcraft
RE: Modern Warfare 2 Launch Night, Do You Care?

Oh yeah, I care. I’d like to play it, but I haven’t gotten it yet… Quite enjoy Infinity Ward previous Call of Duty games.

And if you did get it, well, whaddaya think?

What you missed last night
Modern Warfare 2: 360 vs PS3 (Part II)
Square Enix Makes FF XIII Announcement Announcement Official
Welcome To Modern Warfare 2, Everyone