Connect Four and Other Stuff

Connect Four was a game I enjoyed greatly as a kid. So when I noticed an application for my iPhone called Four Free (the free version of Connect Four), I downloaded it. This was just over six weeks ago, on January 3.

I spent a little time playing the computer on easy. Then I moved up to medium. Then I moved up to hard. Then, I decided that my goal was to be able to win twice as many games as the computer. But at this point, I was already 15-20 wins behind such an accomplishment. I didn't think it would be too tough, so I kept playing and kept playing and kept playing, and I was obsessed.

By the end of January, Kristin was getting upset with me. By now, I was upwards of 40 straight wins behind my goal. So clearly, I wasn't even going in the right direction. But I told her I would quit, and so I erased the history.

Then, a few days later, out of boredom, I picked it up again. This time, my goal was to win twice the amount of games as the computer, plus 40 on top of that, to make up for my previous shortfall. I kept playing more and more. On occasion, I'd get hot and go on a run, and cut my deficit to 20, but then I'd go on a short losing streak, and have all my progress wiped out.

Well, this weekend, I finally did it. I made a run to cut the deficit back down to 30 and picked up some much needed confidence. Then I got it back down to 20, only to lose some ground. And then finally, I went on a phenomenal streak, and achieved my goal! At that moment, I was so very proud of myself. Of course, I had probably played 900 games or so in total, so that's nothing to be proud of. But I have now put the game down for good, or at least until I get bored again.

In other news, Kristin and I took a trip up to San Francisco this weekend. Our plan was to see the city and friends. I would post pictures here, but Kristin didn't bring the camera. (So much for NEEDING a new 10-megapixel camera.)

I did take this picture of the Marina Lounge:
This was my favorite bar when I lived up there. It was very small, open by 9am on Sundays, and patronized only by uncool people like me. And it was great!