So I have put video games on the back burner for the last several months, but continue to buy them and put them on the shelf to play at a time to be determined.  After a visit to my doctor roughly six or seven months ago, when he told me I was borderline diabetic, I have re-vamped my lifestyle a bit and put that as the main focus for now.  Over that time, I have started a new diet, which is quite tolerable, as it eliminates a majority of processed carbs (as my tri-glycerides were through the roof at 853, FYI - Normal is 150).  I also started going to the gym four to five days a week.  My doctor also put me on Fenoglide to help lower my triglycerides.  So the good news is:  I have lost 25 lbs., Down from 215 to 190, as well as building good lean muscle and being truely in the best shape of my life.  My triglycerides are down to 153, which is a heck of a lot better, and my dry skin patches have cleared up in this process as well that I have had for 13-14 years.  I feel so much better and I've now started phasing gaming back in, sans the chips and beer (which I miss sometimes, but I have an alcohol night every 1 1/2 or 2 months that I allow myself some beer etc....)  

    Now that I started working some games back into my schedule at night, Iam really liking Far Cry 3 and can't stop playing it.  I would pick it as my Game of the Year for sure.  I still have a backlog of games to play, which include the last 2/3 of Borderlands 2, Hitman Absolution, Black Ops II, Lego Lord of the Rings, The last 2/3 of Dishonored, X-Com: Enemy Unknown, and finally Need for Speed Most Wanted.  And I still have another 7 games pre-ordered in January, February and March.  I'm not sure I will be getting to them too soon.  Happy New Year to everyone!!!!

      So it's the last day of E3, and everythings pretty much been shown, so no last minute surprises!!!  Their was a haze of Next Generation consoles hanging over the expedition, but I was really surprised by some games and added a few to my pre-order list, that I didn't think I would be interested in.  

Watch Dogs looks like a great new IP, and they say it will release on Xbox 360 and PS3, but i have a sneaking suspision that it will be a next gen console game, with a downgraded to current gen systems as well, like Battlefield 2 on Xbox and on Xbox 360.

Dishonored was a new add to my list just before E3 and looks really promising.

Splinter Cell: Blacklist looked really good and I didn't really expect it as I thought Ubisoft would be pushing Rainbow Six: Patriots, which was absent this year which means we could be seeing it at next years E3 as a next gen game perhaps?  Splinter Cell looks excellent and I instantly added it to my pre-order list even though we are looking at a March release date of 2013.

Assassin's Creed III - I was really looking forward to this game as I was getting bored with the current setting and time period of the AC world.  I was really blown away with the addition of combat on the high seas as well.  

Sleeping Dogs - This could be the sleeper hit of the year like GTA III was when it released years ago.  

Far Cry 3 -  I have always loved the Far Cry games and the map editor, but I was pleasantly surprised by the 4 player Co-op, and the live animals that can work for you or against you in the game.  Looks Brilliant.  The only thing I really miss in Far Cry is Predator Mode, which was the most fun my group of friends had in a game.

       So today I made it to 43.  I'd say I'm pretty happy about that.  I think it's fairly ironic that I am the thinnest of my family (6'2", 210 lbs.), and I am the one the doctor put on a special diet for high triglycerides due to hereditary issues.  So no breads, starches, basically no carbs.................GASP including Beer!!!!  I am doing well and can deal with this diet, but need some beer every now and then.  I used to have beer every Frday night when gaming online with some guys I know locally.  Now I'm coming up on week 3 no beer on Friday gaming night.  I think once a month should be more than reasonable.  It's easier to deal with my K/D ratio on MW3 when I have been drinking though and it makes for a great excuse.  Oh well!!!!

     So at the end of February, I took my kids to one of these trampoline warehouses (i.e. Airheads, etc...) for a birthday party and the kids loved it.  I hurt my back though, stopping quickly on the trampoline to avoid knocking my daughter down.  Figured I pulled a muscle in my mid-back or had a muscle spasm.  So, I figured no big deal, I'm getting older and it happens.  So after a couple months of nagging pain, I go to my doctor to find out I have a compression fracture in one of my vertabrae.  Holy Shit!!!!  This is freaking me out.  Bad News!!!!  So he refers me to a Orthopedist, and I saw him yesterday, kind of freak out about talk from my doctor of Vetebralplasty Surgery.  So he does some more x-rays, and it turns out I fractured two vertebrae.  Sucks!!!  It turns out the doctor is not really cocerned about it, because I basically had reached the healing stage already, and he sees no reason to do surgery.  Great News!!!!  So still no surgeries EVER so far in 42 years (almost 43)!!!!  Woohoo!!!!  Side note:  No more trampolines EVER!!!!  So short of jinxing myself with this post I can look forward to another couple months of nagging back pain while it finishes the healing process.  I'm going to ride this with the wife.  "Honey, I can't clean out the garage, no heavy lifting for two more months, Sorry!!!!"  We'll see how long I can go.  I need to rest and get some video games in.  Max Payne 3 and Game of Thrones today, and Ghost Recon next week.  Also, kicking around with Hitman Absolution Sniper Challenge, which is pretty cool for a pre-order bonus.

Made the short drive from Tampa to Orlando this weekend to go see Kasabian at The Beacham Theater.  Their were a hell of a lot more people at this show than in 2006, when they performed at the State Theater in St, Petersburg, and about 300 people showed up, which has to be humbling when you're used to performing sold out arena in Britian.  None the less it was a great show and they are top notch performers.  

Nice Zoom for a phone camera.

   Where has all the good Surplus .308 ammo gone?  I have been scouring the interwebs, and most of the good stuff has dried up.  I found some, but most are at 1000 rounds for like $600.  I don't want that much at once, as it too pricey.  I even went so far as to get linked ammo last time and spent the time de-linking and cleaning it up.  Great price on British Surplus, but now it's all gone.  I guess all the "Preppers" are buying it all up.  Anybody fire Spanish Suplus ammo?

Yesterday was Steak and Blowjob Day, and nobody posted it on here!!!!!  I am highly disappointed all you thought about was video games yesterday!!!!  Should I be upset my wife forgot????  

   This is a Double Barrel 1911 by Arsenal Fire Arms.  I don't know of any practical application for this, but it pretty damn cool.  I don't know if this will sale in the US as firing two bullets with one trigger pulls is considered a "machine gun" by ATF standards, but it would be fun to spend a little ammo on this.  How long until this appears in a Call of Dutty game, and double weilding would be the new striker.

    I broke down and splurged a little on some new hardware I have been wanting.  I got the Kimber Ultra Crimson Carry, chambered in .45 ACP, which is pretty damn sweet and will be a Carry Weapon I alternate with my Walther PPS.  I really like the Crimson Trace built into the grips on this one.  Also, I'm really excited to get the M1A Socom II, thanks to my wonderful wife.  I'm trying to decide between the Aimpoint ML3 and the EOTech 552 to mount on this baby.  I want to get adjusted to the iron sights a while first.  Oh yeah, and that whole save up for it thing.   I can't wait to get this one to the range.  With the excellent muzzle break it supposedly only kicks like a .223, and keeps pretty steady on target for a .308 with such a short barrel.  I guess we'll see soon enough.  Just ordered a nice Pelican Case for these gems to tote them back and forth to the range.  If you have any suggestions on the Aimpoint or EOTech, I would love the input.  

         Friday night I finally got the last achievement in MW3, snagging all 48 stars in Special Ops.  Smacktown was my final mission to get completed on Veteran difficulty.  It was a bitch, but I got completed, after failing about 80% of the way through it the night before.  Usually you die within the first 47 seconds while still in the helicopter.  Now back to Assassin's Creed Revelations, Arkham City or one of the many other games still sitting.  For some reason I became obsessed with completing this game 100%, which I only have 5-6 fully completed games.