Oh To Be A Micro-Manager

I don't think I'll ever quite understand how each individual day can crawl by so slowly, yet the months seem to go so quickly. It can't believe it's November already. I mean it's been over a year now since I've been permanent here at the Board. It also means that it's been over a year since I started looking for my own place. Who looks for a place for a year and doesn't find anything? Obviously my parents want me out cause a couple weeks ago they announced that they are going to start charging me rent. I was totally pissed, but in typical me-style, I just held in the anger until I was alone in my room. All I wanted to do was run away... throw a tantrum... anything to make them regret their decision.

So of course I've been trying to find things to help me escape from day-to-day life. Because of this I've probably been spending a little more than I should on things like movies and video games. One such purchase was on Company of Heroes - an excellent Real Time Strategy. Now I'm not a big RTS fan and it's set during WWII which is such an over-done period so I wasn't sure how much I'd like it. But based on people impressions of previews of the game and a quick attempt at the demo I picked it up. This game is such a good game. All the details are just done right. The graphics are very good, allowing you to zoom right in on individual squad members. The sound is fantastic, especially hearing the "poof" of off-map Howitzers in the distance and the roar of the destruction as the shells hit their targets. You don't have to micro-manage your infantry units cause they are "smart" enough to try and find cover when they are fired upon. Tanks are invulnerable to machine-gun fire so infantry have to get upgrades like bazookas to try and do any damage to them. Killing a tank is easiest by flanking it from the sides or behind where the armor is weaker. Again, all the details are just right. I've been having a hard time winning a game online cause of my lack of experience with RTSes, but I'm still having fun. I've been able to piss off a couple people at least with my mad skills, but I still have a lot to learn.

Matthew.