Box Break: 2023-2024 Panini Contenders NBA Hobby Box

See which NBA player jersey card I pull.

Box Break: 2025 Topps Series 1 Retail Hanger Box

I pulled an autograph from this box.

 

Book Report: 'A Farewell to Arms'

A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've been on a Hemingway kick lately, and delving into his earlier work has fueled my fire for the author. The semi-autobiographical work details his World War I service and is seeped in cynicism and wry observations.

His storytelling is efficient and clear, abounding with truth and impactful minimalism. The story arc is penetrating and mildly uplifting, pulsing with a growing sense of fatalism that gnaws away at its bones. This is beautiful, elegant storytelling fueled by penetrating introspection.

"A Farewell to Arms" provides a steady stream of intimate observations and delicious slices of life. It may be a humanist examination of the chaos and doom brought on by war, but it seems like more of a peek inside of Hemingway's diary, before he was a capital-A Author, back when he was just a guy trying to find his way in life, bubbling with hopes and dreams, struggling to survive to see another dawn.

View all my reviews

 

Game Review: 'Indiana Jones and the Great Circle' PS5

 

It's taken a few extra months, but PS5 players can now enjoy the greatest Indiana Jones story since the 1980s.

Originally released as a timed exclusive on the Xbox Series X/S in December, "Indiana Jones and the Great Circle" brings its swashbuckling ways to Sony's console. I was swept away by the initial release on GamePass, and relished the chance to don the fedora and bullwhip once again.

MachineGames does a spectacular job of replicating the look and feel of Harrison Ford's iconic performance, even without the use of AI. Credit Troy Baker for a phenomenal voiceover performance, as well as the dev team for replicating the look, feel and movement of the iconic character. The final product has earned Ford's appreciation, and ensures the character can survive well into the future.

The story is set in between the events of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and "The Last Crusade," and crammed with knowing, loving references to the lore of the era. The globe-hopping adventures take you through Thailand, Egypt, China and the Vatican.

The game's excellent mix of hand-to-hand combat, stealth and light puzzle sequences blended with invigorating cut scenes that you wouldn't want to skip, recalls the thrill ride highs of the "Uncharted" games, which in turn were heavily inspired by "Indiana Jones."

An excellent tapestry of characters, action set pieces and twist-filled story arcs keep the narrative lively and exciting, leaning heavily into the pulpy trappings of classic Indy. The game looks great on the PS5, and the game is integrated well into the DualSense controller's unique capabilities.

Whether you play on the Xbox or PS5, "Indiana Jones and the Great Circle" is a ludicrous amount of fun, and a must-play for Indy fans. Its release on the PS5 completes the circle, allowing gamers of all stripes to join in the mayhem.

Publisher provided review code.

Box Break: 2024 Topps Heritage Baseball High Number Hobby Box

 See which relic I pull.

Review: '90 Day: The Last Resort' Season 2 Review

 It’s easy to dismiss reality television as the cultural equivalent of a bag of potato chips—all empty calories and no nutritional value. But every so often, a show comes along that, in its own trashy, unpolished way, reveals something genuinely profound about the human condition. 90 Day Fiance: Last Resort is one of those shows. The premise is a beautiful kind of hell: a handful of the franchise's most famously dysfunctional couples are sequestered in a tropical paradise, not to relax, but to participate in intensive couples counseling. The second season, in particular, proves that there is still plenty of mileage in this particular brand of misery, and it is a surprisingly compelling, if often cringeworthy, watch.

The genius of the show is that it takes the manufactured drama of its parent series and attempts to impose a structure of genuine, therapeutic conflict resolution on it. The couples are forced to confront the root of their issues, and the results are not always pretty. The show doesn't shy away from the raw, emotional fallout of infidelity, betrayal, and deep-seated resentment. It’s a messy, awkward, and often painful process, but it’s undeniably real. We are not just watching people argue for the cameras; we are watching people fight for the survival of their relationships, and the stakes feel genuinely high.

What separates this show from pure exploitation is the inclusion of the therapists. They are not there to be background props; they are there to challenge the couples' self-serving narratives and force them to take responsibility for their actions. It's a fascinating study in denial and delusion, as we watch these people, often for the first time, have to face the truth about themselves and their partners. The show is at its best in these moments, when a cutting remark from a therapist manages to puncture a lifetime of bad habits and defense mechanisms.

The second season, in particular, finds a compelling mix of familiar faces and new problems. The conflicts are more complex, and the emotional fallout is more profound. It's a show that forces you to confront your own prejudices about love, relationships, and what it takes to make a marriage work. It’s a harsh but necessary look at the ugly side of romance, and in that unvarnished honesty, it finds a truth that is far more valuable than a dozen feel-good dramas. It’s not an easy watch, but it is an important one.

Book Report: '101 Tough Conversations to Have With Employees'

 

101 Tough Conversations to Have with Employees: A Manager's Guide to Addressing Performance, Conduct, and Discipline Challenges by Paul Falcone
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is sort of a dry manual, but offers a chilling insight into a cutthroat, emotion-free mindset of management that tends to permeate the professional world. The sheer cold, calculated cruelty that emerges from the thinking of Falcone's insight is as discomforting as it is illuminating.

His Machiavellian advice coaxes managers to trick employees into incriminating and devaluing themselves, helping to tip the balance in the corporation's favor when it comes to potential lawsuits or NLRB grievances.

Many of the lessons here are examples of ingenious ways to protect yourself as a manger while undermining the livelihoods and senses of respect of those who serve under you. Occasionally, though, there are reckless recommendations that coax you to subtly threaten and instill a sense of paranoia in those who rank above you. Such tactics, I would guess, would come at the risk of your own head.

Although Falcone's advice is often tough to stomach and sometimes as labored as a textbook, it's still recommending reading for anyone who finds themselves in hot water at work. You could learn something valuable that could give you another shot at saving your job or throw off a sinister plan to trick you into taking the fall for something that isn't your fault.

View all my reviews

Device Review: Google 9 Pro XL on T-Mobile Network

 

In the constant struggle for smartphone supremacy with Samsung and Apple, Google has thrown considerable heft behind its Pixel line, innovating in the fields of foldables and AI. But its engineering team clearly holds its flagship device as its primary point of pride, and you can clearly see all the love and devotion that went into the creation of the Google 9 Pro XL.

The 6.8-inch screen, which boasts 1344 x 2992 pixels in a 20:9 aspect ratio, offers shimmering visuals, and boasts an astute brightness adaptability that shines bright when needed most help conserve battery with dimmer visuals when you don't need it.

The slick, sturdy design makes it easy to use such a large phone with one hand when needed, without putting much strain on your wrist or fingers. The phone is light and thin yet incredibly strong, responding ably to my unforgiving daily routine, which involves taking care of a device-drop-prone toddler.

Fueled by Gemini connectivity, the phone's suite of AI capabilities is as impressive as it is useful. The generative image creator and writing aids considerably amp up your content creation capabilities. Circle-to-search functionality is incredibly useful, saving you time and tedium by giving you crucial facts and specifications. In a sense, the phone makes you smarter, faster and quicker to respond. 

Fused with T-Mobile's speedy, beefy, industry-leading 5G network, the device handled streaming, gaming, downloads, uploads and a gauntlet of multitasking without missing a beat.

While the phone won't necessarily make you look better, its camera suite will make your images a lot prettier and more effective. Cutting out untold hours of editing, filtering, cropping and color correction, the AI-enhanced camera suite is a powerhouse. Add Me functionality sneakily plops you into any group shot you missed, the updated panorama mode helps you capture sprawling vistas with the elegance of a NatGeo photographer, and the ultrawide and telephoto settings help you nail incredibly detailed shots from distance.

If you're into hiking, world travel or trekking to other parts unknown, you should consider subscribing the T-Mobile Starlink service, which lets you stay connected to the world via satellite texts no matter where you find yourself.

On top of all of the Google 9 Pro XL's capabilities, it's got a beast of a battery within, often managing to go more than a day and a half of heavy use without begging for a recharge. 

A capable ride or die, the Google 9 Pro XL is an absolute beast that manages to tackle all your needs with comfort and ease. The device impressed me from every angle, and I feel like I'm only scratching the surface of what it can offer on the AI front. This is a phone that feels like my new best friend.

T-Mobile provided device for review. For a look at T-Mobile's Spring deals, click here.

Box Break: 2024 Topps Baseball Series 1 Hobby Box #3

 See which relic I pull.

Box Break: 2024 Topps Baseball Series 1 Box #2

 See which relic I pull from this box.

Box Break: 2024 Topps Inception Football Hobby Box

 See which two autographs and relic I pull.

Device Review: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra on T-Mobile Network

Staring at the screen of a Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is like getting lost in the eyes of a crush. The dazzling, 6.9-inch, 1440 x 3120 Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 120Hz display pops with scintillating color displays, a breakneck refresh rate and brightness that shimmers even in full sun exposure.

The display has been called by many outlets as the best screen on the market, and it's tough to argue with those accolades. And it's just the beginning of the device's marvels. The Qualcomm SM8750-AB Snapdragon 8 Elite processor tears through just about any multitasking difficulties you can hurl at it. Whether gaming, watching videos, taking notes with the S Pen or recording and editing audio-visual content, the S25 Ultra hums with vibrancy on T-Mobile's superb 5G network.

The AI assistant, accessible via the Galaxy Now button on the home screen, is dazzling on the surface, but when put into use can have some rough edges. Now Brief gives you a daily rundown of news stories geared toward your interests, location and tendencies, ideally giving you a one-stop focal point to start your day. The integration with Gemini streamlines your search, shopping and navigation needs, and enhancements to photo and video editing, not taking and writing are refined and seamless. You may find the AI a little off-kilter and overbearing at times, but the way you continue to use it shapes the way it adapts to your needs.

AI makes your photography talents seem stronger than they really are, and the camera suite gives a hefty boost to your capabilities as well. The 200MP main camera, bolstered with 3X optical zoom, helps you capture the action from distance, perhaps making it seem as though your seats to a concert or sporting event were a lot closer than they actually were. The 12MP selfie cam is also impressive, letting you nail up-close visuals, whether you're making influencer videos or face chatting for business or social connections.

If you're riding with T-Mobile, you can subscribe the T-Mobile Starlink service, which allows you to be accessible anywhere by connecting with a satellite connection to text. The invaluable service could come in incredibly handy if you find yourself in remote locations.

While the $1,300 MSRP can ignite sticker shock, the price is largely justified by the Galxy S25 Ultra's bewildering capabilities. In my time with the phone, I've found myself more productive and effective. This is a phone for the mover and shaker, providing capable, AI-fueled assistance to those who have big ambitions in ever-dwindling time frames. If you can't make a dent in your to-do list, it certainly won't be the S25 Ultra's fault.

T-Mobile provided device for review. For a look at T-Mobile's Spring deals, click here.

Box Break: 2024 Topps Baseball Series 1 Hobby Box

 Check out the relic I pulled from this box.

Early Game Review: 'Koira'

 

A lyrical sense of innocence and altruism courses through "Koira," an endearing and fascinating indie-style game from developer Don't Nod. The game is set for release today, and is a delightful experience for all who happen upon its twisting path.

You play as an outsider who stumbles into a dark, mystery-laden forest. Early on, you happen upon a puppy caught in a trap, and forge a tight bond while mirroring one another's musical expressions. The dog becomes your companion as you solve a series of whimsical puzzles, unlock new areas and wander your way through parts unknown.

An excellent selection for younger players, as well as for parents to play through with children, "Koira" touches on themes of loyalty, trust and honor. Relying on sounds, insinuation, rhythm and critical thinking, "Koira" eschews the spoken word in favor of subtle cues.

The game wears its "The Legend of Zelda" influence on its rolled-up sleeve. Progress bottlenecks often, but solutions that allow you to advance are always fair and in plain sight. Comprehensive walkthroughs will undoubtedly surface, but you'll enrich your experience by ignoring them and using your own deduction skills to wind your way through.

"Koira" isn't as flashy or bold as some of Don't Nod's other efforts, which include "Jusant" and "Life is Strange," but it's far from a throwaway. The talented dev team channeled its considerable insight and sentiment into every pixel of "Koira," and that love and commitment shines through every moment. "Koira" has a way of sticking with you in between sessions, letting you ruminate over what you've seen and done and anticipate what's next. The game is a delightful recurring daydream that you long to come return to again and again.

Publisher provided review code.

Arizona Theatre Company Review: 'Bob & Jean: A Love Story'

Before the common mode of long-distance written communication shifted from handwritten letters and telegrams to texts and email, words were ironclad documents of fleeting experiences rather than throwaways in between emojis. The intimacy of penmanship flourishes and inserted photographs forged a theater of the mind that helped hearts take flight, as well as shatter them.

"Bob & Jean: A Love Story" is true story about a man's attempt to piece together his parents' cross-global romance through the letters they left behind. Bob (Jake Bentley Young), a Navy sailor deployed to Europe during World War II, and Jean (Mary Mattison), a USO performer and aspiring actress, forge an indelible connection via pen and paper as both face their solitary struggles. They dream, they fantasize, they bicker, they pull back and they embrace.

Although the leads always share the same stage, they are most always half a world apart. Both Young and Mattison excel at expressing their yearnings, fears, loneliness and, especially, their deepening connection.

The narrator is their son, played by Scott Wentworth, who makes wry comments about the hokeyness, stubbornness and cluelessness both characters often demonstrate. He often adds in colorful anecdotes that foreshadow future character traits both will exhibit as parents. Wentworth's warmth and charm is key to bringing the audience into the story.

The latest effort from Pulitzer and Tony-winning playwright Robert Schenkkan is a deeply personal voyage that becomes a fascinating journey of introspection. Bolstered by an elegant stage enhanced with subtle flourishes of projection, the three actors cast a transcendent spell over the audience. It's in the second act that "Bob & Jean" truly comes into its own, with a pair of scintillating monologues and a tear-jerking epilogue.

I found myself as enraptured as I was when I was less than half my current age, savoring Schenkkan's ruminations in "The Kentucky Cycle," the only play that has ever made me cry. I had to fight back tears at the end of "Bob & Jean." I sort of wish I'd let them flow.

"Bob & Jean: A Love Story" plays through April 12 at the Temple of Music and Art. Buy tickets here.

Box Break: 2023 Topps Baseball Series 2 Monster Box

 See which 1985 and foil cards I pull.

Game Review: 'Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition'

Slowly but steadily, Nintendo has managed to revamp nearly every major first-party Wii U gem for the vastly more popular Switch. It may have taken until the end of the console's life cycle, but the publisher has now revitalized the beloved JRPG "Xenoblade Chronicles X" as the "Definitive Edition."

The 2015 Wii U classic, known for sprawling landscapes roamed by gorgeously detailed monolithic enemies, blossoms to new life on the Switch. Those who keep the old console around just to plunge into the realm of Mira can now give the Wii U its deserved Viking funeral. A few hours with "Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition" and you'll find it as tough to go back to the original as it would be an old toothbrush.

Developer MonolithSoft rebuilt the stunningly immersive saga from the ground up. In addition to HD visuals, buffed-up animations, smoothed-out battle mechanics and seamless loading, the dev team took an imaginative and holistic approach to removing the old game's irritants that disrupted the flow of play.

While the 2015 product was astounding, MonolithSoft took care to listen to fan suggestions to integrate a slew of subtle improvements that make the Definitive Edition play more like something akin to a new release than a last-decade relic. Inactive party members now rack up EXP in line with that accumulated by active party members, negating the need to distribute playtime equally among your benchwarmers. A new hot menu allows you to swap out party members at any time, rather than having to track your pals down in order to make substitutions.

While the narrative of "Xenoblade Chronicles X" may lack the depth of many other games in the series, the cinematic majesty of the landscape, bolstered by its myriad traversal options, more than makes up for the thin story. Every moment is fueled with a sense of forward momentum and steady, gnawing urgency, but the tone also allows you to make yourself comfortable with the thought of taking a step back and evaluating your methods.

Customization is king here. You can adjust your avatar's gender, attributes, class and abilities. Tinkering with various Arts and passive abilities helps you formulate ideal loadouts for various objectives.

Just as in the Wii U version, there is a multiplayer aspect that adds some spice to the package, letting you recruit allies for Squad Missions or take on frenemies in antagonistic Nemesis Missions. While many insular JRPG fanatics will ignore these features, their presence enriches the experience by allowing you to share in the glory, and sometimes agony, with familiar players and anonymous passers by alike.  

I was floored by the gloriously painstaking restoration of an underappreciated classic that "Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition" turned out to be. Like a Renaissance painting reconstructed with an artistic vision that matched the precision of the original mastery, this new edition adds even more heft and majesty to one of the greatest RPGs in all of gaming. Even if you wore the old game out a decade ago, it's high time to make your introduction with the version of the game that surpasses its legendary progenitor.

Publisher provided review code.

Book Report: 'Three Stories and Ten Poems'

 

Three Stories and Ten Poems by Ernest Hemingway
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Ernest Hemingway's first published book is a mixed bag, with plenty of impressive moments that show the promise he would one day fulfill, bogged down with inconsistency and self-indulgent scene painting that goes nowhere.

I found the poems to be largely throwaways, and two of the three stories to be worthwhile. "Up in Michigan" is a heartbreaking tale of misplaced romantic yearning that leads to crass abuse and "My Old Man" is a stirring rumination of a child's experiences in the highs and lows brought on by his father's rise and fall in the corrupt horse racing industry. The other one, "Out of Season," falls victim to Hemingway's worst qualities as a writer, and is a dense bore.

The book is so short that it's worth reading for any Hemingway fan. If you can do without the author's low points, it's skippable.

View all my reviews

Early Game Review: 'Assassin's Creed Shadows'

 

After a 15-month break, "Assassin's Creed" is back in action in glorious form with the release of "Assassin's Creed Shadows," a vibrant and rich return to form for the franchise, which makes its way to east Asia for the first time. Due out Friday, the game is a powerful saga that thrives as a riveting adventure, fascinating historical reenactment and meaningful push forward for the franchise's ongoing saga.

Set in the late 16th century Azuchi-Momoyama period in Japan, during which frayed factions are beginning to unify into a single entity, the game exists in an iconic time frame, in which samurai roam the land attempting to scrape by under the heels of bickering warlords. Gilded castles, clashing cultures and historical turning points abound, as an old way of life begins to fade into the background as firearms and Western culture begin their incursion on the old ways.

The story spins the saga of two outsider underdog heroes, Naoe and Yasuke, both who are intertwined with Oda Nobunaga. A female, Naoe is a lithe, elegant merchant of death, while Yasuke, is a tank-like force who has traversed from across the world and strives make a name and life for himself under Nobunaga's tutelage.

The usual conceit from the franchise is back. Once again, you play as a near-future person who relives and alters an ancestor's memoires through a VR-infused version of time travel. The combat is an excellent melding of swordplay, subterfuge and strategic projectile deployment. The best "Assassin's Creed" games introduce a steady diet of verticality to the tactical repertoire, and "Shadows" manages to do so in a way that should please those who found "Mirage" to be a humdrum effort. 

Style abounds in "Shadows," which will please those who found themselves fascinated by Hulu's "Shogun" or Sony's "Ghost of Tsushima." Steeped in well-researched sociopolitical tapestry, the game comes to life as a vivid recreation of its time and place. 

"Assassin's Creed" games have always flowered to life as educational tools, zipping you around the globe and timeline with the fervor of a Jules Verne fever dream, and "Shadows" is a similarly grandiose dollop of historical fiction. A timeless score by the English duo The Flight helps set the mood for each fascinating scene. Skip scenes may be skippable, but it's not the least bit tempting to zip through the gorgeously cinematic storytelling.

I adored my time with "Assassin's Creed Shadows," and am excited to talk to friends and colleagues about the similarities and differences of ways we experienced the voyages of Naoe and Yasuke. One of the key facets of the franchise's magic is the way its iterative style results in radically varied experiences that reflect the player's mindset, insecurities and drives. 

A stunning and hauntingly masterful return to top form for "Assassin's Creed," "Shadows" casts a long and looming silhouette over its chosen time and place. The dev team at Ubisoft Quebec should take pride in its luminous accomplishment.

Publisher provided review code.

Box Break: 2025 Sage Hit Football Low Series

 See which three autographs I pull.