Kinect it

Kelli and I have a new toy. The Microsoft Kinect. The Kinect is a new way of interacting with video games and media. Instead of holding a controller, you simply move. Lots of movement.

We took a trip to Frys so I could pick up a new cable for my new security camera (more on that in a bit) and happened to see a Kinect demo. I knew a lot about it, but Kelli didn't. Once she saw how easy it was too use (two kids were using it) she liked it. We bought one.

Very easy too set up, but it needs A LOT of room. We have a good 12 feet between the TV and couch, it's barely enough room for two people to play. The device scans the area and shows on the screen how many people can play. I think I can mount it to the wall, rather than on the entertainment center, and get another foot or two of playable area.

Kelli and I played a Kinect game  for an hour last night and were both in a sweat when done. Lots of jumping, turning, and twisting. Pretty good work out....but fun. We are going to try out two workout games and see how we like them. The Wii workout games were always awkward because of having to hold the controllers in odd ways. The Kinect uses an infrared camera and regular camera to monitor body movements. It's VERY fast and accurate.

I found a steal of a deal on a car seat. I monitor slickdeals.net several times a day. To date I have ordered a few things from the links they provide (mostly from Amazon). The deals are all from regular people who love saving money. They find neat coupons, price mistakes or giveaways.

This weekend one of them found that Diapers.com was allowing two promo codes to work at the same time that discounted Britax car seats by 45%! In reality only one should work.

We have been looking at car seats for a while. If we had not known the Britax name we would have passed on the deal. Everywhere we looked the Britax seats were the same price or within $5. We bought a $330 Britax car seat for $180! Free shipping! Awesome. The deal only lasted a few hours before Diapers.com "fixed the glitch". They could have cancelled the orders....but they didn't. They took the loss. Diapers.com was recently purchased by Amazon. Amazon has awesome customer service. The seat arrives Wednesday. Can't wait.

Family. I've never been big on family. Don't really talk to my family much beyond my Dad. Eh. I'm much more involved with Kelli's family. We see her siblings and parents several times a year even though they are spread on on both coast.

My sister in law recently ended her relationship with her girlfriend. They had been dating for a little less then 2 years. I respect my sister in law and her choices....but I'm kinda bummed because I am going to miss hanging out with her girlfriend...she was really funny and laid back. Both my sister in law and her girlfriend deleted their Facebook accounts. Then this morning her girlfriend resigned from a game we have been playing for a while. Guess she's cutting all communication. Sad.

Out of Kelli's siblings Kelli and I do have the longest running relationship....will be 9 years next summer. Nine years. Over 3200 days. We should....hmmm...Kelli should get an award. We are far from perfect. No better than any other couple. We are just both too damn hard headed to leave/give up. It's well known we have little in common. We have had bad times...and good times...and "you're lucky we live in a state that uses death penalty because I would sooo..." times. We work through it. Not easy....especially since Kelli is a tree hugging liberal democrat (instead of a blessed by god Conservative Republican like me). Kelli did remark that if we ever wanted to split up, we could do it in less than the time it takes to watch the average movie. We have sperarate bank accounts. Very little co-mingling of anything. I'd be like Steve Martin in the Jerk:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VbI5zcB8Ac

"And that's the only thing I need is *this*. I don't need this or this. Just this ashtray... And this paddle game. - The ashtray and the paddle game and that's all I need... And this remote control. - The ashtray, the paddle game, and the remote control, and that's all I need... And these matches. - The ashtray, and these matches, and the remote control, and the paddle ball... And this lamp. - The ashtray, this paddle game, and the remote control, and the lamp, and that's all *I* need. And that's *all* I need too. I don't need one other thing, not one... I need this. - The paddle game and the chair, and the remote control, and the matches for sure. Well what are you looking at? What do you think I'm some kind of a jerk or something! - And this. That's all I need"

I have a new security camera. Mounted WAY above the front door looking down. Happy. Two more coming for the backyard soon. Then the system will be complete!