Mega awesome!

It's official. "Mega Man 10" is my new favorite Mega Man game.

After downloading the game this weekend, I quickly found that Capcom wasn't kidding with its addition of an easy mode. I breezed through the game and beat it within 90 minutes. And this from a guy who's never toppled Dr. Wily unless he's used password cheats to stock up on energy tanks. Truly, the easy mode in "Mega Man 10" is exactly what the franchise needed to welcome new and lapsed players. It is teh awesome.

But if the game is so easy, will I play it again? You bet I will. For one thing, this kind of simple relaxation is exactly what I need some days. For another thing, the game allows you to alternatively play as Proto Man and, if you pay $2 starting April 5, Bass. Add to this the many skill building exercises in challenge mode and you've got a game I'll log many hours playing.

If you're on the fence about "Mega Man 10," like I was before I bought it, do yourself a favor and get it. We need more games like this one.

That's one strong 'Legacy'

The funny thing about the new trailer for "Tron: Legacy" is that it shows the program world as I've always envisioned it. Full of awesome and win.

I watch the original "Tron" movie from time to time and generally enjoy the ambitious — albeit dated — production. But I've long wondered how that world would look if it were redone today and given the flashy overhaul that benefitted "Battlestar Galactica." Now I know. Those imposing Recognizers look sweeter, those speedy Lightcycles look cooler and the female programs look hotter.

Wow. I am such a geek.

Seriously, though, I love the look of "Tron: Legacy" and consider its visuals more than a worthy successor to the classic "Tron." Early indications of the sequel film's plot show the movie is headed in an interesting direction, too. (And not "interesting" like you say in Minnesota when you're trying to avoid saying something derogatory; "interesting" as in genuinely intriguing.) If this film plays in theaters even half as good as it's playing in my head, Disney will have successfully rejuvenated this franchise.

"Tron: Legacy" hits theaters Dec. 17. Is it going to be a long wait? As good old Bit would say: "Yes."

Do not do the Dew

I learned a valuable lesson last weekend. I learned that my body does not respond well to energy drinks.

And this is coming from someone who once routinely drank Mountain Dew because I simply liked the taste. Those days are now behind me, but I thought I'd take one more trip down that path Sunday when I accepted a free canned energy drink from some company promoting them outside the Verizon Center in D.C. I have no recollection of the drink brand — probably because that knowledge was lost as my head vibrated itself to sleep that evening.

I actually felt no ill effects after drinking the concoction at 3 p.m. Sunday. But when it came time for bed, I tossed and turned for an hour before I abandoned the notion at 11 p.m. I plopped down before the computer and proceeded to cruise the information highway. For three hours. I forced myself back to bed at 2 a.m. and tossed and turned some more before finally falling asleep somewhere around 3 a.m.

To say the drink made me twitchy is like saying Congress has time management issues. You're grossly understating the problem.

So as my body ages, I find that I must now put intensely caffeinated drinks on the Dead to Me list. I consider that a good move, though, if it keeps me from having some Sheldon Cooper inspired breakdown.

One more chance

You'd think as much as I enjoy video games, I'd excel at beating them. But you'd be wrong.

I rarely finish the games I begin, partly because I lack the time needed to refine my skills at each game and partly because I frustrate fairly easily. My lack of skillz were brought most starkly into focus when I attempted "Mega Man 9." A notoriously brutal game, I couldn't finish a single level. It nearly killed my enthusiasm for the franchise and made me unabashedly uninterested when "Mega Man 10" was announced. Even with the addition of an easy mode, I was unenthused.

But then two things happened to change my mind. The first: Nintendo let me demo the game at their store in New York. I didn't spend much time on it, but I found the easy mode did indeed make the game easier. The second: This review from Original Gamer, which affirms the easiness of easy mode. The author notes that he, too, was unable to beat a single level in "Mega Man 9," but waltzed through easy mode in "Mega Man 10."

So I shall give the "Mega Man" series one more chance. Capcom will get another $10 from my pocket. And I, hopefully, won't regret this.

Buy, borrow or steal

I kick it old school when it comes to movies. I buy them or I borrow them. I never steal them. And that apparently makes me an oddity.

There's a great many people who have illegally downloaded from those notorious file sharing sites all the kids love. Whether it's the latest blockbuster, a niche film or something that hasn't even yet hit theaters, movies are being downloaded through these unorthodox means with increasing frequency. And whatever their rationale, these modern day pirates are costing the industry millions of dollars each year. Call it a problem, call it a plauge, it's all the same to me. It's stealing. And it's wrong.

I'm curious, though, about the thought process behind these actions. Knowing that the fine readers of Think Lynsen would never commit or condone any illegal acts, I'm curious what you might have heard from other people about why they pirate movies. I'm not so much looking for the "because I'll never get caught" answer as I'm seeking to resolve the "it's mine because" riddle.

Can anyone help me crack this nut?

Making your tweets readable and retweetable

I once took an English class where the teacher promised to fail anyone who went more than 10 percent above or below the required word count for an assignment. And most of the assignments were limited to a mere 500 words.

Accustomed to blathering on for pages, working within this constraint actually made me a better writer, because I knew every word had to count. Much the same can be said about Twitter.

Having only 140 characters in which to express yourself can be limiting, especially when you’re just starting out. But it’s an excellent opportunity to learn how to get your point across concisely. The trick is to do it in a way that’s clear and readable.

Continue reading my latest musings on Small Act's blog.

Function over form?

Longtime friends might have noticed in yesterday's post that I'm wearing the same winter coat I've worn for years. Many, many years.

The parka I got in Minnesota has served me well and kept me warm. It's done its job and it's done it well. But because the coat is, well, less than fashionable, it's drawn some odd looks and derogatory comments from some of my fellow Washingtonians. The critiques have led me to consider retiring the parka — a thought that's somewhat foreign to someone who's known to wear clothes until they're fraying at the edges.

So much like my old clothing survey, the question I pose to you is this: Is form more important than function? Is it time to go shopping? Or is function more important than form? Should I keep wearing the coat despite the eyerolls?

Let me know your thoughts in the comments. Thanks!

A momentous occasion

Congratulations to our friends Jeremy Moon and Bryan Legaspi, who wed today in Washington's first same-sex civil marriage ceremony. I attended the ceremony and made this video marking the occasion for DC Agenda.

How big is 30 Rock?

That big. And for added perspective, here's a shot of me in front of the building. I am but an ant before this 70 story behemoth.


The buildings in New York are supersized. Annie and I must go there together and see them. We must buy tickets to the top of the Empire State Building and gaze upon the Big Apple's skyline. We must wander the streets, look up and channel The Tick as we say with awe, "Tall…"

Here's hoping fortune smiles upon us and we're able to get there later this year.

Nick Kral = awesome

If you'll forgive this moment of self indulgence, I just wanted to share with you how much fun I had reuniting this weekend with an old friend.

Nick Kral of Nicreations, perhaps known to you for having a fantastic short on the "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog" DVD, was my best friend and constant companion for many years in elementary school. We were in Cub Scouts together, we staged intergalactic warfare with our Star Wars toys, and he introduced me to the wonderful world of video games. We shared some great times those — oh dear — 25 years ago. Those times ended only when we went to different middle schools.

Nick and I recently got back in touch via Facebook, though, and we made plans to share a meal when he next visited D.C. He came to town this weekend and we met at my favorite brunch spot, Matchbox. We had such fun catching up, sharing stories about all the curve balls life threw at us during the last decade, that I lost all track of time. After chatting at the restaurant for more than two hours, we spent another two hours walking around D.C. and talking some more. We swapped personal and professional tales, exchanged more than a few funny stories, and talked at length about politics. I felt so relaxed talking again with Nick that the conversation came as easily as it did at age 6. He was an awesome guy then and he's an awesome guy now. I'm so glad that we were able to get together during his visit.

I hope that fate has given or will give you a similarly fun reunion with someone from your past. It's a great way to regain perspective — and remember just how important it is to have good friends.

OK Go makes another jaw-dropping video...this time with a Rube Goldberg device

See how this amazing Rube Goldberg device was made.

Watching "The Princess Bride" again for the first time

I managed to discover two fellow geeks who had never seen "The Princess Bride" (which I've always seen as a veritable initiation ritual to geekdom), so a movie night was arranged and on Sunday, I watched the movie with them and another friend.

I tried to watch it through the eyes of the newbies. To put this in perspective, the only piece of artwork in our living room is a framed, autographed poster of "The Princess Bride." And if you've read prior posts, you know swashbucklers were pretty instrumental in the development of my psyche.

So watching it without my nostalgia glasses was hard. And a little disconcerting. How can one justify the admittedly-hokey special effects, the overdramatic acting and over-the-top music to people seeing it for the first time as adults? Sure, it's a self-parody, but how does that hold up in the era that brought us "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Matrix"?

I think for me, the movie will always hold up, because it's such a part of who I am. But I have to be honest...I don't see the generation following mine gleefully crying out, "Have fun stormin' the castle!" And that makes me terribly sad, because I don't think this generation really has a similar common thread, a movie all geeks know and love that speaks their language and is oh-so-quotable.

Am I wrong? Tell me in the comments.