Believe it or not. Black Friday 2009 was a pretty quiet time for me.  No, I didn’t line up throughout the night as documented in previous years. Yours truly decided to stay away from raucious crowds and overbearing line ups.  I purchased a lot of stuff online and, most important of all, from the comfort of my own home.

Like the old saying goes, “Good things come to those who wait”. As a big fan of Left 4 Dead 1, I was grasping to get a hold of the newly released Left 4 Dead 2. After numerous bouts of impatience, I finally purchased a digital copy thanks to a Black Friday sale on Steam. The game was bought at a significant markdown. 

I’ll try to post a review in a couple of days.  Right now, I need to shoot some Zombies!!!

I consider myself a pretty good cook. But when it comes to baking, I’m pretty lackluster and downright horrible. Perhaps one of these days, I’ll summon enough talent to bake these super cool Mario Bros. candies. The detail and quality is absolutely stunning! All these tasty treaty were hand baked by super talented pastry chef Ana Fuji. And yes, she has Pokémon characters too!

Source: Ana’s Flickr Stream

Since I only work 1 to 2 hours a day, there’s plenty of time for me to pursue other leisurely activities, like sleeping in every morning, watching paint dry, and most important of all, playing video games.  After a couple days of intense meditation and soul searching, I finally gave in to my evil desires (again).  Yes, I purchased another gaming laptop .  However, this is one laptop that you won’t find at a typical electronic store.

As a hardcore PC gamer, I need cutting edge technology to compete on the virtual battlefield.  Owning the fastest equipment is the only way to stay ahead of the competition.  This is why I recently purchased the hot looking Alienware M17x laptop.  Even though Alienware was purchased by Dell a couple of years ago, the company remains true to their roots by building super fast gaming machines for their respective audience.

A Monstrosity Known as the Alienware M17x

To be honest, the Alienware M17x is overkill for most computer users.  Don’t expect me to write essays, watch YouTube videos or post Tweets on this machine. With dual nVidia GTX 280M video cards and a beefy quad-core processor, this hefty amount of hardware is built for one purpose; to keep frame rates high and graphical settings at a maximum.  My previous gaming laptop is still very fast but pales in comparison to the Alienware M17x.

This is a bad-ass machine!  If you want portable gaming with the power of a high-end desktop, the Alienware M17x is a crazy perfect choice for hardcore enthusiasts (at least till the next upgrade cycle).

Rock chips and bug splatter is a reality every vehicle owner must face. A driver can take all the necessary precautions to avoid these objects but sooner or later a nasty rock end up hitting the front-end. In the past, a leather or vinyl bra was commonly used for added protection. Unfortunately, this application is rather ghastly in terms of physical appearance.

I wanted a formidable means of protection while maintaining the natural lines of my vehicle. This is why I recently installed 3M Scotchgard Protective Film on our brand new 2009 Suzuki Grand Vitara. It is a clear bra designed to shield surfaces from stone chips. Depending on the installation or color of a vehicle, it is practically invisible.

Here are some pictures of our Suzuki with the 3M Scotchgard Protective film. Protected sections on our vehicle include the hood, front bumper, fog lights, headlights, side mirrors and wheel fenders. A passerby won’t notice anything at all, unless they’re really close to the sheet metal.

The clear bra was professionally installed by 3M Certified specialists. Since I live near Vancouver, BC Canada, the kind folks at Vancouver Clear Bra utilized their services to apply the product. Their attention to detail, service and workmanship is excellent. There’s also a 5 year warranty by 3M.

It is possible to install this product by yourself or with a partner. A novice can save quite a bit of money by purchasing a pre-cut kit. But unless you’re a professional detailer, I’d highly suggest a certified specialist for a quality installation, especially on larger areas with complicated curves. In fact, I ordered a similar protective film (a few months ago) for my 17 inch laptop called the Invisible Shield. It was a real burden to install. I could have gotten into a lot of trouble if the clear bra was installed with my own hands.

How much did it cost me? Well, the total cost is less than a paint job for the front-end. It also saves me a lot of time from applying touch-up paint on a peppered bumper. If you care about the finish of a vehicle or would like to minimize stone chips, I would highly recommend 3M Scotchgard Paint Protection Film as a viable solution. The vehicle will thank you in the end!