Daily Ramblings – Gaming, Reading, Watching, and Learning

Tags

CODM, Dark Time, Discord, Gaming, Learning, Reading, Reddit, Season 6, The West Wing, Watching

Call of Duty Mobile start season 6 today. There are new guns, the KSP-45 and L-Car. A submachine gun and machine pistol respectively. I completed the challenge last night for the L-Car and got the KSP-45 as part of the season’s battle pass. We’ve got a new map, new weapons, new character skins, and all kinds of challenges coming up. Oh, and did I mention they are adding jet aircraft to battle royale? HA!!! It’s going to be great fun!

For those of you doing the “Too Close for Comfort” Challenge, there is a slight glitch in the task list. The task of using The Purifier flamethrower 5 times wouldn’t work when I first started playing it. The key is to use the generic version of the Purifier, not the H20 version or even using a camouflage. You need to use the plain, generic Purifier and the task will count the games you use. This threw me for a bit, but I visited Reddit and the solution was there. I’d also like to pass on my thanks to CODM’s folks on their Discord channel. They directed me to Reddit, updated me that the glitch was fixed, and were terrific.

I’m reading Star Carrier: Dark Time. It’s a great read so far. I’m also reading my bible daily. I love a good story. Reading is what I call one of my “critical tasks” because it keeps the creative juices flowing. Each time you read, you are invoking your inner creativity, so that the scenes, characters, and story come alive. At least that’s what I do. I truly enjoy the escape that reading provides.

My sister and I are still watching season 2 of The West Wing. She’s been busy lately with her friends, going out and such, so we haven’t watched too much this week, but that’s ok. I’ve watched the entire show about 9 times. I just love this show. This time around, since it is no longer on Netflix, I am buying each season as we go, just like I did with The Sopranos. For those shows I really enjoy, I buy them, so I always have access to them everywhere. I don’t buy DVDs anymore. I really try to minimize the things I own, because there’s nothing like having access to everything I need digitally. I joke from time-to-time that I can literally survive with what’s in a backpack.

I’m watching a great documentary on the Civil War on Amazon Prime. I’m also continuing my studies on Udemy. This week I learned about the Index() and Match() functions. Today, the instructor is going to use both to show how powerful a combination these two functions are in Excel. I enjoy learning something new each day. It’s a real rush when you learn something you didn’t know the day before.

Well, that’s it for this week’s installment of gaming, reading, watching, and learning. I hope you all enjoy this posting. I’m thinking of separating gaming into a separate day, like Saturday, but haven’t decided yet. What do you think? Put your comments in the section below. I’ll listen.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Wisdom Wednesday – Freedom

Tags

Abraham Lincoln, Freedom, Nelson Mandela, Pope John Paul II, Rights, Ronald Reagan, Viktor E Frankl, wisdom

Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.

Viktor E. Frankl

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.

Ronald Reagan

Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought.

Pope John Paul II

For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.

Nelson Mandela

Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves; and under the rule of a just God, cannot long retain it.

Abraham Lincoln

Today, I’ve strayed from my typical format. I wanted to concentrate on the theme of freedom, because that is what this country is about. The freedom of women to choose what to do with their bodies. The freedom of people to associate with whomever they want. The freedom to express your thoughts, your gender preferences, whatever, without repercussion. The Bill of Rights was created for a reason. To codify rights that are so important that the government cannot take them away, without the consent of the governed through their representatives. Your freedom is at stake every single day. Fight for it. It is the only way you will remain free.

Have a great Wednesday, all.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Ted Talk Tuesday – Roe v. Wade

Tags

Abortion, Landmark Decision, Personal freedom, Roe v. Wade, Ted Talk, TedEd, United States Supreme Court, Women's Rights

I try to stay far away from politics, but this is something that is hard to ignore. I believe in personal freedom. The freedom to choose to do what one feels is best for them. I’ll leave it at that. This recent landmark judgement will have a huge impact on many women in the United States. I hope a reasonable solution can be arrived upon. We should never return to the days before Roe v. Wade. Those days were the “dark ages” for women, in my opinion.

Have a great Tuesday, all.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Motivation Monday – Little Things Add up to Big Things

Tags

Battle Royale, Big Things, CODM, Exercise, Legendary, Little Things, momentum, Reading, Writing

I’m a little wiped today, as I ground the last few days on CODM to attain Legendary status in ranked play. I got it last night, after a week worth of heavy game play. Grinding by the way, is a term in gaming for playing and playing and playing until you reach a goal. I grind to get diamond camo and I grind to get Legendary. I still have 3 days to get Legendary again in Battle Royale and knock out the season’s last challenge.

The reason I ended up grinding the last few days to get Legendary status in CODM is because I did not plan out the season well. I only had 6 days left in the season when I started, and now I’m down to two days to finish out the Battle Royale. So, what’s the lesson. It would be much easier moving through a single rank area in the progression than trying to do multiple levels in a short period of time.

It’s easier to get in shape if you work out each day. It’s easier reading 50+ books a year if you read a little each day. It’s easier to write a book if you write a little each day. This little consistent actions each day will be bring Big results. Subsequently, when season 6 starts in 2 days, it’ll be working on both Battle Royal and Ranked Multiplayer each day to attain Legendary status in both within the first few weeks. This will be much less stressful, and a heck of a lot more enjoyable. I do not want to do this again.

So, if there’s a goal you have, like reading so many books, posting so many blog posts, or working on a book, do a little each day. These little actions build momentum, build habits, and make attaining big results easy–almost subconsciously. Once you learn this anything is within reach.

Well, that’s it for today.

Have a great Monday, folks!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Funny Friday – Jim Breuer

Tags

Chuckle, Comedian, family, Friday, Friends, FriYAY, Giggle, Jim Breuer, Laugh, Relax, Smile, Snicker, Stand up, Weekend

This is quite a funny sketch. I hope you get a good laugh like I did. Have a great Friday and weekend, everyone. See you again on Monday!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Gaming, Reading, Watching and Learning

Tags

Amazon Prime, Call of Duty, Civil War, CODM, Dark Time, Diablo Immortal, Grand Master, Ian Douglas, Star Carrier Series, The West Wing, Udemy

The Call of Duty Mobile saga continues. I am currently at the Grand Master level in both Battle Royal and Multiplayer and have a few more levels before I hit legendary. It’s a real grind. For those of you who do not know what grind means in this context, it is the literally playing and playing and playing until your objectives have been met. I grind to get ranked and I grind to get my diamond camouflages for my weapons.

I have also started a game called Diablo Immortal. Boy, that is a great game. All kinds of things to do, all kinds of weapons, gear, gems, and gold to collect. I am really enjoying the Role Playing Game (RPG) genre again. These guys at Blizzard really know how to create great games.

I’m started reading Dark Time, another book in the Star Carrier series. It’s another great read so far. The way Ian Douglas writes is terrific. The characters are awesome. The weapons and military craft descriptions are the best. I highly recommend this series if you are a SF fan.

My sister and I are in season 2 of The West Wing. It’s terrific. I never grow tired of The West Wing. The characters are so terrific! Sam, Toby, Josh, Donna, CJ Craig, Danny, President Bartlet and Leo are terrific. I won’t give away any spoilers, in case any of you are interested. The entire show is on Amazon Prime Video, but you’ll have to pay. It’s about $25 US per season.

I’m watching a new documentary on the Civil War and continuing with my Excel class on Udemy. Yesterday I learned about HLOOKUP. Today it will be INDEX(). I enjoy this class because of the short session lengths and the easy example files to work with.

Have a great Thursday, folks!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Wisdom Wednesday – Henry Miller

Tags

American Novelist, Attention, Destiny, Henry Miller, Love, Submission, Wednesday, wisdom

Every man has his own destiny: the only imperative is to follow it, to accept it, no matter where it leads him.

Henry Miller

Every moment is a golden one for him who has the vision to recognize it as such.

Henry Miller

The moment one gives close attention to any thing, even a blade of grass it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself.

Henry Miller

The only thing we never get enough of is love; and the only thing we never give enough of is love.

Henry Miller

True strength lies in submission which permits one to dedicate his life, through devotion, to something beyond himself.

Henry Miller

This is one colorful character. Take a look at his bio on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Miller What a great life!

Have a great Wednesday, folks!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Ted Talk Tuesday – Juneteenth

Tags

History books, Juneteenth, Learning, Racial Bias, self-improvement, Slavery, Ted Talk, TedEd

I found this on TedEd and thought it would be worthwhile to share. Many do not know the importance of what has become known as Juneteenth, so here’s a video explaining it. When you look at all the history books that have been written, you begin to realize how racial bias can impact generations. When I was in school, Juneteenth was never mentioned. Why? Because most of the textbooks were written by a race that enslaved another. To quote a character on The West Wing, who was being prepped for a position in the the attorney general’s office by the Josh Lyman character. He said, “You can’t kidnap another race and put them to work for no pay…” (paraphrased).

I hope you enjoy this and learn something. I purposely try to find short videos like this, because I know many of you have jobs and busy lives. It is an important topic, however. Something, everyone should know.

Have a great Tuesday, folks!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Motivation Monday – Know Thyself

Tags

Exercise, habits, Learning, Monday, motivation, Self-Knowledge, Social activities, Spiritual things, Writing

Happy Monday, all!

Whenever we look at adding something to our day or creating a new habit, we have to know what makes us tick. For me, habits are only formed when I do something every day. When it comes to exercise, I have to do it first thing in the morning and I have to go to the gym every day. If I take a day off, that day off turns into a few days, and before you know it, I’m not going at all. Not a good solution.

So, I do the same things each day. I write by working on my blog, my book, my journaling, my letters. Another habit that will fall to the wayside for me if I do not do this each day. Make sense?

Perhaps many of you are not wired this way. That’s ok. The key to being motivated and getting things done is about self-knowledge and regulation. Know thyself. Know what makes you tick. Learn some tricks to help you attain the goals you want to achieve and the habits you want to establish for yourself.

I hope all of you have a great Monday. It’s rainy and cold here in Michigan. A perfect day for writing, learning, and reading and drinking coffee.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Bonus Content – Father’s Day

Tags

Bonus Content, Dad, Father, Father's Day, Papa, Papi, Pops

To all the fathers in my readership, Happy Father’s Day. I wish each of you a great day, filled with family, friends, and lots of joy. It’s your day, Dad. Enjoy it!

Until next time…

Dave