This past weekend I ran in my first ever 5k run. The cool thing about it, you had to avoid zombies, and had to complete and navigate multiple obstacles. It was a LOT tougher than I thought it was going to be, but I did complete the entire course, I should make a full recovery about this same time next week I ran in memory of a friend, and two family members who all lost their battles with cancer over the past five years and raised $2500 for the American Cancer Society.

Here is Stacey all zombiefied.

Here is a quick THREE MINUTE VIDEO of the run, this was fillmed the same day I ran. Every 30 minutes a wave of 500 people started the run, in total almost 16k people ran over the weekend.

So, as it turns out.... I am running in my first ever 5k event this weekend. I had a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society tied to it, hit my goal of raising $2500! With that said, I have 6 people coming in from out of town, and are all staying until Monday night and Tuesday morning. That's great! but.... Hurricand Sandy is making her way up the coast and should hit directly over us Monday/Tuesday This can make return flights impossible for when they are scheduled.

To all that are in this B!tches path, be safe and try to be prepaired as much as possible to be without power for a few days.

It's been a long time since I have done any type of game review..... a REALLY long time. I have been playing BF3, NHL 2013, Dishonored, Uncharted 3 and F1 2012, yes, I do infact have gaming ADD. For no real reason I have decided to do this unbiased review of F1. Now, just to be clear, this will be a full, fact filled, unbiased review. That means, NO OPINION will be given, only facts

ON WITH THE SHOW!

F1 2012, what can I say? It's a racing game. You drive a race car on a racetrack, either on a circut track, or city track. You will make left and right turns. The goal of the game is to beat the other AI drivers in each event.

Controls:

You use the right trigger for a simulated gas pedal, and the left trigger for the simulated brake. The right stick is used to steer your simulated racing machine. The RB is used to change you camera. The game also includeds the DRS(Drag reduction system) that yo can use by pressing (Y) at designated points during races. If you go to fast around turns, you will crash. If you hit other cars you will cause yourself and other AI drivers to crash. Also, the RS is used to turn your car left and right. LT is used to simulate reverse.

Graphics:

You will see lots of colors that simulated other cars, signs, buildings, people and other objects that make it feel like you are on a race track.

Audio:

You will hear the sounds of your car (simulated of course) and other surrounding noises.

Modes:

You have the option of career, season and quick race modes. And, you can go onto the inturwebz and race against other real poeple.

There is also simulated weather. If simulated rain starts to fall, you have the option to switch the tires on your simulated car to better fit the situation.

Over all, I give this game a 8.5

Gamespots level 63 is a cruel joke......

Summer has come to a close, not a whole lot going on in the gaming world for me it seems. Still playing lots of BF3, NHL13 and now F1 2012 (that game is hard). Really looking forward to Dishonored, something just looks very interesting to me about that game.

Got a new 32" LED monitor showing up today for the PC, can't wait to get some game on with that bad boy!

Something very odd is going on here in Baltimore, got these in the mail yesterday...

I know the season is nto over yet, and anything can happen, BUT HOLY CRAP is this AWESOME!

Going to Jamaica for 5 days over Thanksgiving, that can't come fast enough!

That's it.

GO RAVENS!

Big Smoke, that is my new level here at GS. Man, making it through level 62 was a long journey! Big Smoke.... what, do I live in London now?

Hope everybody had a great weekend! Tonight, we are heading to our first Ravens game of the season!

What was I talking about 3+ yrs ago? Seems the more things stay the same, the more they stay the same. This is from Jan 2009.

So, last week, or maybe it was two weeks ago, GS launched a new feature that is intended to put user blogs back in the spot light called Chalk Talk.

Has anybody figued out how to get to this feature? I can't see a link, icon or anything that guides me to it, and I know it was up. Is it gone, or am I just missing something?

I'm sure many people have heard about Defiance , and I am also sure many people have not.

My question is, as a "gamer", how do you feel about this very ambitious project? If, and that's a big IF, they do it right, it has a chance. But, IMO, even if they knock the cover off it, it will still fail. Why you ask, because of their target audience, US gamers.

As a community in general, we are never happy with anything, always nitpicking and over analyzing everyting. One key focus of this project is in incorporate events from the TV show, into the game, and events from the game, into the TV show. I can already here it, people will be crying about "that's not how it happend" or they will be complaining that their precious god like character did not get mentioned. The game side of it will also inevitably be compared to WoW, no matter how different it might be.

With all that said, I am still looking foward to this. I mean, who does not like watching a tragedy unfold right in front of their eyes.... right?

Thoughts?

Good morning Gamespot!

It's been a while since I have done a proper blog, SO, this won't be one

Just wanted to take a quick moment to ask for your assistance. As many of you know, last month I lost a dear friend to cancer, a long time gammer buddy. This October I will be running in my first ever 5k event, it's what's called a Zombie Run . Well, I have decided to also turn this in to a fundraiser, with charity donations going to the American Cancer Society.

I know we all get asked to make donations to multiple events, and there is NO pressure here, but if you feel you can donate anything at all, no matter how small, please visit my webpage . Any amount will help fight a disease that has probably touched all of us at one point or another.

Thanks in advance for any donations you may send.

War

Stylish Crazy Action. Who comes up with these level names?

It's Friday, what is normally a fun day to look forward to has started off with a very sad event. Just outside of Denver CO, during a midnight viewing of The Dark Knight 14 people were shot and killed, another 50 injured. My thoughts go out to all that have been effected by this tragic event.

Stacey is out of town, again, so I have no plans for this weekend except for getting back to the gym, I gained almost 7lbs on vacation and have had a hard time getting back into the swing of things!

Gaming: pftpftpftpft.. I feel like I have crawled into a gaming hole, I have no desire to try anything new, and seem to keep with BF3 and Hockey, and Hockey is probably getting traided in this week.

Hey, who do you think would win this race?

On a side note, we always need something to look forward to, to help us keep moving forward as the day to day blues try to get the better of us. I know it's only July, but I am already looking forward to our next trip in Feb, to Costa Rica. THEN, after that, we already booked our next BIG vacation, back to Europe next June!

BTW, this is the type of ship we take these vacations on....

That's it, hope you all have a great weekend!

We have returned from our trip to Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria, Croatia and Hungary. As expected, it was awesome, I will be posting SOME of my 1800 pics soon.

On a side note, my friend did pass away while we were gone Even though I knew it was going to happen, getting the phone call while out of the country was hard, but I do feel better knowing that he is no longer in pain, and that we did have a chance to say goodbye.

Vacation Notes:

It was HOT, really F#$KING HOT the entire trip

Europe, needs to discover air conditioning!

While they are at it, learn what ICE is.

Gypsies

War is very common in Eastern Europe

Vampires

sunflowers

old buildings

Ice cream

currency with LOTS of "zeros" behind the leading number

Mult'umesc

?????

köszönöm

First off, I wanted to thank everybody for your advice on whether or not I should call my good friend who is very sick. I took the advice, last night I spoke with him, it was maybe the hardest thing I have ever had to do, many tears were shed. I know I did the right thing, even though it hurts like almost nothing can, he is in a lot of pain, this made the conversation even more painful for lack of a better word

I know I needed to talk to him, I know there is extremely little chance of him still being with us when I return from vacation. I realize I am not the first, or only one that has lost a great friend, and I thank you all for your strengh and guidence with this, it helped a lot.

DW....... I feel like I am losing a brother, and best friend. The past few weeks have been difficult to an extreme, I can't replace you as our right wing, I can't talk to anybody else about photography, and our xbox banter about politics will never be replaced. It has been 12 yrs of late nights, fun visits and great conversation....... miss ya buddy.

It's that time again, vacation is T-4 days away! Friday evening, we leave on a 17 day trip to Hungary, Serbia, Croatia and Romania. The big part of this trip (for me) will be 5 days up in the Carpathian Mountains where we will visit "Draculas Castle"

It does not hurt that by the time we get there, I will have just finished the book Abraham Lincoln Vapmire Hunter

I hope everybody's summer is off to a good start and that you get to do some fun stuff!

****** WARNING ******

The following is a somewhat censored rant. It might offend people, it might sound like I am uneducated (which I am compared to many people) It might not make sense, you may not agree with it, but in the end, it's a rant and in the famous words of Jbul, I just don't give a flying Eff what you think.

****** YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED*****

You know what happens in life, people get F****D. Bad things happen, to good people while a$$holes continue along their merry way. People might say it's "all part of the plan" yeah, well... I can tell you where to put that plan. There is no "god" that decides to "bring people home". You know what that is? Bad things happening to good people.

I am not disillusioned about life, I know it's not fair. I have learned that lesson way to many times to argue it. I think "religion" is there for the same reason as a home security system, or the TSA, to keep honest people honest. And even then, religion fails to keep many honest people honest.

People need to get over the fact that corporations, and small businesses are in the game of... wait for it, MAKING MONEY! You are not owed anytihing by them, just as you owe them nothing in return. A small business owner, does NOT owe it to you to supply you with anything except a JOB if you are selected for it. If you are not, tough sh!t, move along. If you don't like a companies product or policies, don't buy them or follow them. Don't stand in the street screaming "give me give me give me" becaues you only look like a fool. Don't like the way it is, go start your own company. Ohh sorry, you were dealt a poor hand in life? Read my statement above about it not being fair. I have fought tooth and nail for everything i have, I have tried to make my self better than the next. Life is about survival of the fittest, that's called nature, always been that way, always will.

Does that thought process make me an ass? It might, in your eyes. What it does do is give me self worth, self pride and the attitude of "I did it on my own" without handouts from the masses. Now, with that said. I do undertand that SOME people need a little help along the way, I have been one of them, and I am sure I will need help on something in the future. BUT, what happend to a fare days wage for a fare days work? Not, "oh just give me stuff for nothing in return" You want welfare and are not physically or mentally disabled, then get out and clean the streets for us, help build or fix things, you can cook! great, get in a state run kitchen, DO SOMETHING besides stick your hand out.

You want to own a house, but can't afford the payments you agreed to even though you did not lose your job, sorry, looks like you need to move out. You signed the paper, OHHH that's right, you were "mislead" and did not understand what you were signing so that now means other people either poney up and pay for your house, or you go find another living situation.

OMG, your food is tainted with something you don't want to eat.... go grow your own. HEY! that gun that killed your friend as he walked down the street, it must be the manufactures fault, go sue them. Do the same with the people that made the car that killed your sister because the driver was drunk, oh, sue the bar owner and anybody else that was there that night drinking.

One more thing, you don't think gay couples should be allowed to marry and be in a legal union? Stay in your house, cover the windows, block the doors, caues I'm sure their all coming to force themselves on you. Stay bunkered down until your god comes to sort it all out. Let's see how long that takes.

Crap like THIS is what sets me off. I forgot WE'RE ALL WINNERS! Nobody can be better than us, you can never lose. What a gem.

You have a choice. You can throw in the towel or use it to wipe the sweat off your face.

/rant.

Hey, anybody interested in some BF3 this weekend?

Yesterday, I was home, working, like I do 4 days a week (the 5th day I am in my office) when suddenly I decided to log into Steam to see what was new. Well, 6 hrs later I was at year 1875 in my CIV 5 game.

I CAN'T LET THIS HAPPEN AGAIN!

I few year or so ago, maybe two, I worte a blog about "gamer friends", and how something that many people think is a "anit-social" hobby, can lead to life long friends that you look forward to talking with every day. I went on to talk about a great article that I found (the link to that article is now broken)that brought up the subject of having a contact list of your gamer friends that you can give to your mom, dad, sister, brother, wife, husband, girlfriend or boyfriend, in the event that something happend to you. This list would be used to send emails, post a blogor call people to let them know of your situation if you couldnot do it yourself.

It's a sad, depressing subject, but I feel a necessary one it in todays world where you might know a handful of people, that you really only talk to online. What would happen, or how would you feel if suddenly one of those people just stopped showing up online in games that you play together, or in forums that you always post in? Not knowing what has happened to someone is a terrible feeling.

During the course of the past 15yrs I have made some AWESOME, lifetime friends via video games, and sites like Gamespot. When I say awesome, I mean friends that come to visit, friends that I go visit, friends that I talk to via LIVE almost every single night when I am home. I, in a way, grew up, and lived life with some of these people. I know where they grew up, I know where they live, what they do for a living, have shared laughs, crys in good times and bad. I know their kids, borthers, sisters, and in some cases their parents. Long story short, they are a very important part of my life, these "virtual friends".

I bring this up today because I recently (this past Monday) got back from a very nice vacation and was looking forward to getting on LIVE Tuesday evening to chat it up with the two people that I have been playing wtih almost every night for the past 15 yrs. Our relationships started in the way way way back during PC games where all you could do was type messages. Voice chat programs came out and we then had a chance to talk, where we really started to know each other. We played Half-Life, DoD, NASCAR, C&C, StarCraft and uncountable other titles. With the release of the Xbox360 we have spent countless hrs screaming, yelling and laughing at each other, the entire time still getting to know each other like family.

I signed in to LIVE at our normal start time of 8pm and sure enough, one of my buddies was already on, waiting in a chat room. We BS'd for a little while, waiting for a third buddy before we would dive into our nightly hockey game. Time passed, the third was a no-show. This is a little odd for him, but not unheard of as sometimes he is a little late. After about 30 minutes of talking politics and vacation stuff I asked buddy #1 if he heard from buddy #2, his response was this.... "no, I have not seen him on at all in the past 6 nights".

This immediately caused me some alarm as I know buddy #2 schedule like the back of my hand, I know he had no vacations planned, and I know he does not travel for work. Barring a complete lack of internet on his end, there was no reason for him not to be on with us.

I told buddy #1 to hold on, as I sent buddy #2 a quick text to see if he would be joining us. The response I got back was a sucker punch directly to my face.

Buddy #1 was lying in the hospital, waiting for surgery that was already scheduled for the following morning. It turns out, the night I left for vacation he had gotten extremely sick and was rushed to the hospital. Two days later he was diagnosed with kidney cancer, which has spread to his bones and lungs. Yesterday he had a Kidney removed, but the prognosis for him is bleak at best. People in his situation based on what they now know,, do not have much time left.

This will be the third gamer buddy, extended family loss I have experienced in the last 10 yrs.

What I am trying to say is this, please make sure you create a contact list of your gamer friends so they can be contacted in the event of something like this. It would have killed me to not had a chance to speak with him again just because of something as simple as a list not being made, or a phone # not being exchanged.

Hopefully in the next two weeks I will be traveling once again to meet my friend, maybe to see a movie with him, maybe a baseball game, maybe to just sit and share stories. The only thing I actually know, it will be to say goodbye.

I will be here,

That's what I'm talkiin about. Punta Cana DR baby.

And, somehow I have managed to reach level 60 here at GameBomb. Somehow my life now feels complete. Hope everybody has a great weekend.