Our Hobby

This post is for Anonyvox.  I've been making mysterious references to which she is curious about the meaning.  It's been so nice getting to know Anonyvox online. We've never met in person but I think we could have been separated at birth or something because we have so much in common.  We have mutual loves for food, ONJ, camping (especially tent camping), LUSH, dogs... the list goes on and on. 

I realized there is a very fundamental aspect to my life that people in the real world know because it's literally pretty obvious. I take it for granted that people know about our hobbyobsession-gone-wild. We like pinball.

Teehee, OK, that's an understatement. We love pinball. We collect machines. We have a LOT in our basement (see pic below), and I'm cool with that. There is a culture across America, and actually the world, of people who love to play pinball. Most of the spouses of the men who play and collect do not appreciate the hobby. The games are big, expensive, and they complain because it takes time to work on the machines. A hot deal may require an emergency cross-state road-trip adventure to obtain that must-have machine. Or you talk a relative into picking up and storing a machine until your next visit. Most women resent the hobby. To which I respond "Poppycock!!!". Why not embrace something your hubby loves. Maybe get into it and enjoy it for yourself. I'll get off my soapbox now, cause this little post isn't going to convince them to stop their whining. Just saying, you might give it a try.

So in 1996 we bought a Police Force. It's a nice Williams machine that is a lot of fun to play.  I remember the day we brought it home.  Little did I know what was yet to be.

From there the hobby turned into an obsession. It's like potato chips, you can't have just one. Why? Aren't they all the same? No. They are not.  They all have their own individual personalities. Pinball machines come in different themes and from different eras. There are the old ones with wooden side rails and wooden legs, and then wedgeheads with a distinctive antique kind of feel.  Then the latest games have the most visually advanced displays with videos and 3D graphics.  Past manufacturers include Gottlieb, Williams, Bally, Data East, and even Atari (there are more, but these are the ones I know).  Current manufacturer is Stern (and I think another one possibly but can't remember the name).  Did you know the first pinball machines had no flippers?  You were supposed to bang and push on the side of the machine to get it to go where you intended, and the ball pretty much had one shot down the playfield.

We collected a few over the years. Whatever would fit in the basement. And then the garage. And then we expanded the garage to store more. And then stored some at a neighbors house. An then another neighbors house. And then Todd got a storage area... 

We currently have an awesome house with a nice open basement, just perfect for our games.

Here's part of our basement.  Yes, it's an arcade.

There is a community of pinheads in KC. We are so happy to be back in the area so that we can see our friends again and gather for pinball events.  There are new people to meet since we left & came back.  More women are getting into it too.  There is one tournament we enjoy going to monthly.  Actually, here is an article about the tournament.  I happen to be the one in a black t-shirt playing pinball (recognize my ring Mrs. Irritation?).  You might recognize the guy in the picture, too. 

We went last Saturday night, and I tied for 5th place in the tournament!  I beat the first 3 guys I played.  I had a couple of awesome games!  It was exciting to say the least.  And then the guy who ended up winning first place beat me.  I don't mind.  I usually don't play very well, so this is a big deal for me.  I knew the guy who beat me first was going to place very high, and he took first, so I was beat by the best.  Last Saturday night was good pizza, good pinball, and good friends.

Plenty of pinheads available to jump in and fix a game that developed a problem.
This was at the tournament a month ago.



Dawn, the Boy and Todd having fun at the event a month ago

We also travel across the country to attend pinball conventions. Yearly conventions for us have included:

• Texas Pinball Festival (TPF) yearly in March in the Dallas area (we still attend this one every year).  This is my favorite show from a party perspective.
• Pin-A-Go-Go in Dixon, CA (used to attend when we lived in NV)
• Pacific Pinball Expo (PPE) in Marin county (San Francisco area) in the fall (used to attend when we lived in NV and a couple of buddies would fly in from KC to go with us).  This by far is my favorite show from a machine perspective.  HUNDREDS of games from the 30s to the 70s plus a few newer ones.  This show made me appreciate the oldies. 

There is the Stern pinball factory in Chicago that you can tour. We've never been, but I could see going to that some year.

I've had a brush or two with pinball "royalty". 

• Once at PPE, I was waiting in line to play a tricked out Metallica machine (based on an Earth Shaker that someone had seriously modified in a most cool way), and just before it was my turn, Steve Ritchie walks up to play. Being that he is a well known designer of pins, I offered to let him go ahead of me. He declined, knowing I had been waiting. I said "OK, I'm not that good so it probably won't take long". I played with him watching and to say I was a little nervous was an understatement. I'll be darned if I didn't have an awesome ball or two! I had a respectable game.

• This past March at the TPF, I happened to get into an elevator, and someone was rushing in to catch the elevator at the last second, and it was Steve Ritchie.  I had just stood in line for hours to play AC/DC a few times, and I don't remember exactly what I said but he asked if I was having a good time.  I told him I was and I told him how excited I am about the AC/DC machine and he did a really great job.  It makes me excited about pins again.  I waited in line to play that game about a dozen times that weekend.  Some day, I'll have one.  Some day.

• One time at PPE, Larry Zartarian shared with me the strategy for playing Coronation.  I had a few great games on that machine and found myself drawn to it over the other several hundred machines.  Understanding the strategy from a pro made me appreciate the game even more.

If you find yourself in a pizza place and there's a pinball machine, give it a whirl!  Especially if you see an AC/DC machine--that will be my next acquisition.  Some day.

My score was the top one!

Some Day...

Top ten reasons why T *needs* an AC/DC pinball machine:

10.  This game is so much STINKING FUN!!!!  Look at this score--I killed it!

9.  It's AC/DC.  Does there need to BE another reason?

8. We have the PERFECT spot just ready for it in the living room.

7.  I stood in line TEN TIMES throughout the weekend in Dallas to play this awesome machine. It single handedly reignited my passion for pinball.

6.  There's a cannon. 'nuf said.

5.  TNT.  Get it?

4.  You get to pick your own theme song when you start your first ball from a jukebox style song list.

3. It brings back fond memories of the AC/DC concert my brother and I went to long ago. It was SO Rockin'!!!

2.  AC/DC and pinball go together like peanut butter and jelly!

And the number ONE reason why T needs and deserves an AC/DC pinball machine is:

1.  T is the coolest wife of all, and you *KNOW* it!

Oh, Hi There!

Where has March gone?  Someone tell me, cause I just don't understand.

Here is a miscellaneous list of updates starting with the best news first.

Abby's test results came back and the "large" bump removed from her nose is benign!  Super yippee for our little girl.  I can't explain why I wasn't worried, but for some reason I knew it wasn't anything to get my panties in a wad.  Bonus: she looks completely normal (this picture was taken pre-surgery but she looks the same).

We took Shadow to the vet for her very first vet visit ever.  That would be like an 80-year little old lady going to the Dr. for the very first time.  The up side?  She had no reason to fear the place.  "What's this?  A new place with nice people who pet me, take my temp in my ear instead of up my bum (which she has never experienced)?  Great, count me in!"  She got her shots, a treat, and some love from some nice people.  I don't think she will hate going back next year.

Needless to say, we found a local vet I really like.  And the best part about it is that we live in a SMALL town.  The vet bills?  Are SMALL too.  Annual visits for 3 dogs and the bill was about $200?  Really?  I'm never ever moving again.  Ever.  Quote me on that.

Speaking of little old ladies, on our way back from the TPF (Texas Pinball Festival) last weekend, we stopped on the turnpike at McD's for a bite to eat (there was nothing else available).  The bathrooms were super busy.  I walk in and tell Todd my order then head towards the back and think "crud, this little old lady being escorted by a little old man 5 people ahead of me can't move very fast. Patience, I must exercise patience".  So what else can I do?  I slowly follow the crowd into the bathroom. 

It's not the worst bathroom I've been in, but it's not new by any means.  After a few minutes, it's just 2 young teenage girls in front of me, and I think finally, I'll get there. 

All of a sudden I hear "Help, I need help".  I look at the girls in front of me and think to myself "self, with the look of utter panic and bone-chilling fear on the faces of these young'uns, I'm the only game in town".  So I walk back there and say something like "can I help you, ma'am?" 

Turns out, this little old lady had this hip brace thing on that straps around her waist and around one leg (around her thigh).  On top of her pants.  And she had to pee but couldn't get it off.  She HAD TO PEE.  So I wrestle (gently) around with the contraption, figure out how to get the leg brace unlocked, but unfortunately, she asked for help a little too late.  She said "I'm afraid I peed my pants" and she sure did (although I didn't feel anything through her clothes).  I felt so sorry for this poor little old lady who was obviously embarrassed by her predicament.  I helped her down onto the toilet. 

She told me her hubby needs to get her some clean undies.  I go out to see if I can find the little old man who had hobbled along with her to the bathroom door, and I don't see him.  Fortunately another lady (good-Samaritan #2) realized what was going on and told me that she would find him and get the undies.

So I go back in.  Did I mention I had to pee?  So I go real fast in the stall next to the little old lady, and I yell over that I'm right there, don't worry.  I text Todd so he doesn't think there is some Texas Chainsaw Massacre happening in the women's bathroom, and then I come out of my stall.  I was shocked to open my door and see her standing there butt naked from the waist down.  Cause she had peed herself.  She said "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." to which I said it's OK.  She said that she's diabetic and that doesn't help the situation.  I told her it will all be OK, let me go see what's holding up the panties.  I go out and I see a family of PEOPLE looking through bags in a car.  THERE ARE OBVIOUSLY NO CLEAN PANTIES BECAUSE NOBODY IS WALKING BACK IN.  But then this teenage girl starts walking back to grandma.  Or great-grandma.  I ask good-Samaritan #2 what the status of the undies are and she said the girl is a relative. 

SERIOUSLY?  THERE IS A FEMALE RELATIVE AND SHE DIDN'T HELP HER OWN GRANDMOTHER?  WTF IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE?  Old people do not have cooties.  The "old" isn't contagious.  It may be inevitable if you're lucky, but it isn't contagious.  It's not UNCOOL to be seen helping your elderly relative--it's called BEING A HUMAN BEING.

I thought about it for a split second, and I thought if this teenage girl is this helpless, that elderly lady may need more help, I want to make sure she is OK.  So I went back to grandma and asked "Is that girl a relative, are you OK now?" and she said "oh yes, thank you so much".  I tell her to take care.  I am now excused.

POINT OF MY STORY:  I'm going to be old some day.  I hope to God I don't pee my pants in a dagnabit McD's of all places.  But I hope and pray that your granddaughters will be kind enough to help me in my hour of need.  I am confident anyone reading my blog will raise women responsible enough to help an elderly senior citizen.  I promise, I wont have cooties.
   
I'll update you on TPF from last weekend soon, complete with pics. A real good time was had by all...  However it did take me a couple of nights to stop worrying about that little old lady.

I gave blood last Friday!  I'm really happy I did it.  I am beginning to recognize the regular phlebotomists.  It's the same group who comes to my place of work to collect blood every 2 months.  It was absolutely painless (well, a tiny sting, but it was nothing, really) and I have no bruise.  Totally worth saving up to 3 lives.

I spent yesterday planting plants and doing yard work.  YOU GUYS, it did NOT require a devil's fork and crow bar, there was NO SAND, I only encountered 2 small dinky pebbles, NO boulders, PLENTY of earth worms, and I got to play in DIRT.  REAL DIRT.  You have no idea how completely giddy I was after planting 8 clumps of maiden grass in just a few hours (NOT DAYS).  I am so happy to be back in farm country again.  My nails wont be clean until October.  And I'm happy about it!

Here is the grass I planted (there had been 3 established clumps, now there is a total of 11 clumps):

Also planted yesterday were: onions, potatoes, and asparagus.  Today the blackberry and raspberries were planted. 

April, bring on the rain!