Disassembling a pool pump, Battleborn, and a couple of short trips.


Of course more east coast trips. I can't be mad, I brought some Pot Belly peppers back this past time. And the one before that I got to ride the sweet Detroit airport tram that is overhead in the terminal.


I noticed the pool was losing water pretty quickly. At first I suspected the pvc connections, but quickly found that the pump was leaking out of the housing where the basket connects to the motor. After ten years of use I figured it was reasonable to replace, but when I saw that model had doubled in price I decided to pull it apart. Six bolts later it was pretty obvious a seal was worn out. I ordered the replacement kit that included a few more seals that just required pulling one more panel.


At the same time, the garbage disposal decided to stop working. Electrical hum, no grinding. Couldn't turn it by hand (reaching down into it). Breaker didn't change anything (as you would imagine). The electrical hum with no motion made me assume a mechanical failure. In going to HD to get a replacement, I noticed they sold allen wrenches for cranking out blockages (using an exposed nut on the bottom). This is probably common knowledge but I've never run into it.


J and I started Battleborn, the fps team brawler from Gearbox. The critically-panned team brawler from Gearbox, I guess.


At first glance it looks and feels like Borderlands - no doubt there was plenty of code share. So in that respect it's a strong fps.


There was more PvE than I expected. We've only played a little bit - so I don't know the full scope - but it's at least on the level of $20 steam game content. It's a great way to try out characters and get inventory as you go.

On the subject of bosses and inventory gathering in a brawler, it would be kind of cool to have a survival mode that would grant inventory and other rewards. Often this game mode is just endgame high score challenges, but if it was a legitimate way to get stuff for other game modes, well that's just synergy right there. (Disclaimer: if it exists, I'm new to the genre outside of HotS).


Of course the main game mode is fps brawler. It has all the elements of HotS and the like - heroes, squishies, fortifications, mercs, etc. It's a well-proven model with solid shooter mechanics, so I'm not quite sure why this game isn't loved. Of course, J and I are in the pre-mmr pool which is pretty empty; like I-sat-for-20-minutes-and-didn't-get-a-PvP-match empty.



One of the coolest surprises was the anime element with intro track by Deltron.



Shane got himself married (table 17!) and all the stuff that goes with it.


It was a pretty epic event: lawn games, signature cocktails, tray passed deliciousness, cigar bar...



We've been doing some more office x-wing. I have my own on the way.

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