The Wii is soooo overrated!

Just ask Walter Day, head referee of Twin Galaxies: "I wanted to be a hero. I wanted to be the center of attention. I wanted the glory, I wanted the fame. I wanted the pretty girls to come up and say, 'Hi, I see that you're good at Centipede.'" In other words vintage gamers get more ladies than David Hasselhoff...in the Night Rider Days



Over the weekend Courtney and i watched "The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters." Although it will never be described as a work of complete, devastating brilliance, and it is unlikely that many review will read: "what's so remarkable about this film is not its time frame but the wealth of its detail, the eloquence of its images, and the sweep of its ambition." However, some reviews have said "A stupendously entertaining nonfiction film concerning the cutthroat battle for world records on coin-operated arcade games." and "A hilarious story about an unbelievable collection of arrested-teenage morons and, yes, an inspiring fable of persistence and redemption." and perhaps most telling



..."Nerds Rule!"


And in my opinion the move was great! It had everything.

A compelling hero - Steve Weibe (say it with me weebee) - a lovable loser on par with the Boston Red Sox (Pre 2004) Chicago Cubs, Utah Jazz, and Roy Munson. Weibe has spent his whole life on the verge of greatness only to fall desperately short, and now, after being laid off, is trying to redeem himself by claiming the world record for Donkey Kong (which has gone untouched since the 80's). Just as a matter of clarification this is the original Donkey Kong, not Donkey Kong Country, Donkey Konga or any of the other more advanced affiliates.

A dastardly villain - Billy Mitchell - A villain comparable to Nasty Man, and the legendary Snidely Whiplash. Mitchell is the current World Record holder for Donkey Kong (800,000+ points). Equipped with a well trimmed beard, long flowing locks, and unrivaled hand-eye-coordination, Billy has owned the vintage gaming world since he was a teenager, and he is determined to stay on top. "...but competitive gaming, when you wanna attach your name to a world-record, when you want your name written into history, you have to pay the price!" - Billy Mitchell

And of course a damsel in distress - Princess peach!

Not to mention that it is utterly hillarious to listen to people who are excessivly passionate and serious about video games. Take Billy Mitchells protoge, Brian Kuh, for example: "You know, he's gonna have to play it perfectly, he's at the hardest part of Donkey Kong, and it's not gonna get any easier. So we may have an exciting moment here, or you know, the pressure may get to him, one of those random elements might happen. Sounds like he just cleared another board, but we could have a wild barrel, or some aggressive fireballs. I thought I was gonna be the first FunSpot kill screen, and then I had three fireballs trap me, I had the hammer in my hand, they still got me. So anything can happen in Donkey Kong. So for someone else to beat me to the kill screen would be a letdown, but lets see what happens, maybe he'll crack under the pressure and maybe I'll get my chance to do it."

Perhaps right now you are thinking...there is no way i am wasting an hour and a half (actual run time: 79 minutes) on a movie about Donkey Kong. However, The guy from Men's Warehouse and i have teamed up to tell you "You are gonna like [The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters]I guarantee it!" (George Zimmer may or may not have actually endorsed the previous quotes).




After watching the movie i waxed nostalgic and tried out Donkey Kong on my computer. I would like to say that i absolutely crushed it and took over the new world record...but in all reality, it took me numerous tries to get past the first level, and at the moment my high score is 15,240 and i have passed 7 levels. So only 20 levels to go, and a mere 800,000 points! Steve and Billy had better watch out! Feel free to try it out yourself (http://donkey-kong.freeonlinegames.com/) and let me know how you do.


You may need to check this book out at your local library!


Just a closing thought for all those who may have a little video gaming addict in their blood. Consider this quote from competitive gamer Adam Wood "I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't do drugs. I play video games, which I think is a far superior addiction to any of those other ones."

kaba modern - thriller

Really this is why I love YOU TUBE! Sorry the first one didn't work!

Kaba Modern Thriller episode 5

...now this is why "I love YOU TUBE"!

I AM LOST!

If it is true that...

"You are what you eat".... then I am Beef Stroganoff.
"You are what you spend your money on"... then I am shamrocks and St. Patty's decorations (which I just bought at Walmart for my dance 1 class).
"You are what you grow"... I am a weed.
"You are what you read"... I am subtitles or picture books.
"You are what you think, say or write"...I should be more careful.
"You are what you wear"... I am dance clothes.
"You are what you listen to"... I am Disney Channels Greatest Hits (thanks to my 3 jazz classes of preteens)
"You are what you love".... I am Scott Jacobsen 6'3", 25 lbs.
"You are what you order"... I am Salmon!
"You are what you watch"....I AM LOST!


A few weeks ago Scott and I went to visit some friends of ours McClane and Jane Juggler. McClain and Scott were companions on the mission in "OOOOOHH KLAHOMA!" Just before leaving the Jugglers gave us seasons 1 and 2 of LOST to watch. We had told them about our initial attempt to get into it about a year ago which ended after disc 1 season 1. They insisted that it got better and that we needed to give it another chance. When we got home that night around 11pm, we thought we would watch an episode. Seven episodes later, we went to bed. Church was rough that next morning!
Needless to say, we made it thru Seasons 1 and 2 in under two weeks. We had to drive to North Ogden yesterday to return 1 & 2, and retrieve Lost season 3. Oh, and to see the new baby, Riley. She is so cute! And although I argue that Riley is just as cute and entertaining as most of the characters on LOST, she is simply less addictive.
So here go! I am now leaving my computer to watch season 3. I had to wait for Scott to get home from school or he would have disowned me as his wife.

Happy Valentines Day

My wife is awesome! Today she made me breakfast in bed (coffee cake muffins and an omelet) and brought my favorite cookies in the whole world (Ben’s Cookies) to me while I was at work. So, like I said my wife is awesome. I love her, but although I may be the President of the Courtney fan club, I am by no means the only member. The Courtney fan club is a thriving organization full of people from all over the world that love, cherish, adore, admire, and respect her. Today is Valentines Day, a day that we are to shower those we love with praise and love. So, on that note: Courtney I love you! And you are amazing but as the great LeVar Burton often said “Don’t take my word for it.” Below are some comments of praise from a few of the many people that love you. Happy Valentines Day…I Love You.

Courtney Parker Jacobsen is the greatest. First of all she was the most awesome, loud, goofy, hilarious kid there ever was. Courtney you have been my friend since before we were born I am convinced of that. You were my partner in crime as kids. We came up with the most amazing games; we were obnoxious together and quite funny at times too. My most favorite thing about you as a kid, besides your Beethoven video, was that you would do all of my talking for me when we had to talk to anyone else! I loved it! For fear of sounding ultimately cheezy I will make this brief. You are the most amazing person Court. You have been my best friend through the awkward years, the interesting years, the bad decision years, sad times, good times, ridiculous times and everything in between. You can make me laugh and cry all at the same time! I admire you so very much; you have the most amazing ability to forgive people. You are so talented, you have the ability to talk to anyone, you love the gospel, you like to be crazy silly with me, and you married someone great who can actually put up with me as well! I love, love, love you! Courtney you are my hero. - Tracie Bryan


Courtney is fun loving, outgoing, and includes everyone. I have know Courtney since pre-school and one thing I can say is she is loyal and sincere, two qualities that I rate so much higher than other qualities, because I meet so many people who are neither. She is just all around the kind of person that is fun to know and be around. - Heidi Evans Myers

What can I say there is no one like Courtney! I know it might sound silly to say but I love her more than words can say. She is the true model of a best friend that everyone should have. I still remember the day that I met her like it was yesterday and her bright smile that made me know I had a friend in her when both of us were leaving our family and friends to a foreign land thousands of miles away. She has been there for me ever since that day and I know she always will! I love you Courtney!!!! - Brittany Gardineer

I love that Courtney is passionate. Whatever has caught her attention at the moment is her quest. She gives it her not only her heart and soul, but also her blood, sweat and tears. Love you! - Adrianne Parker Murdock

Courtney is... happy, obviously patient since she deals with Scott, loving, caring and kind to all who come in her path. - Andy Jacobsen

I love Courtney because she helps me see my potential. She is sincere and genuine and gracious. She is amazingly fun to spend time with and has an infectious laugh and smile. I am incredibly excited to be neighbors come August and look forward to the many memories in the making! - Staci Garcia

Courtney is great because:
- She came from good stock.
- She is almost always in a pretty good mood
- She is thoughtful and service-centered
- She once said to me, "Oh, that's great that you're finally getting out and exercising, Paul!"
- She is my only real competition for Favorite Aunt/Uncle.
- Paul Jacobsen

I love Courtney because she loves me. She has always been a friend to me. I love Courtney because she loves Scott. Courtney is the kind of person who cares about everyone, but cares about you individually. You can feel her charity personally. - Mark Taylor

Words could never describe how much I think of "Little Courtie Bug!" One of my very favorite things about Courtney is her testimony and the knowledge that strengthens that testimony. HAPPY VALENTINES DAY Courtney. I love you - Terese Cracroft

I adore Courtney for the bright light that is her countenance, for her knowledge & enthusiasm for the gospel, for the love she pours out upon all who know her, & for her fun spirit! :) - Sarah Haslam

I love Courtney because she is one of the few genuinely nice people that I have the pleasure of knowing. She is wonderfully caring and always makes me and everyone around her feel like they want to be a better person because she is that way. Courtney is a fantastic dancer and performer and I admire her greatly for her wonderful spirit and loving dedication to her life, friends, family and husband. Happy Valentines Day Courtney! - Ali Spehar

One of my favorite things about Courtney is that she has “black magic” When we think of how she always had the ability to calm people and create a situation that would allow everyone to be happy we thought there was something special about her. Now the Black Magic has transferred somehow to Scott…because he got Courtney - Zach Whitchurch

I love Courtney Parker Jacobsen because she loves Scott Haldan Jacobsen. I love her for making him so happy, for causing him to reach a little higher, be a little better, become spiritually taller and seeing their great potential together. She also adds a lot of class to the Jacobsen bunch :). - Charlotte Jacobsen

I love Courtney because she is a great sister, friend and support. I can always count on her for a Wendy's run or a quick shopping trip. Thanks Court! Happy Valentines Day! I love you - Ashley Connors

While I certainly need to get to know her better, when I think of Courtney, cheerful, fun and positive are a few of the words that come to mind, and while I can’t find a word for this – another thing I appreciate is that she loves my little brother who is not so little anymore. - Bruce Jacobsen

The Pertile family loves Courtney beyond words!! She means the world to us and will live forever on our minds and in our hearts. She is permanently a part of our family. She is unforgettable. She is our "Cookie".
She loved Jake, Grant and Sarah like the love Jesus had for children!! She changed their lives and ours.
WE LOVE YOU COURT!!!!!
- Paul,Barb,Jake,Grant and Sarah(and Pancake) XOXOXOXOXOXOXXOXO

p.s. anyone else who may want also want to tell courtney how awesome she is may do so in the comment section, or by emailing me (shjiceman@yahoo.com) thanks!

Families Helping Familes 08

For our second year in a row Courtney and I traveled to Mexico for the Christmas season. We were able to enjoy a few sunny days by the pool, a game of golf (in the midst of gale force winds), and beautiful surroundings. So while Bing Crosby may have been "dreaming of a white christmas" we are here to say that 75 and sunny is pretty sweet too.
On Christmas day Courtney made abelskievers (a Danish/Jacobsen tradition) that were a smash hit. Courtney continues to try her hand at Charlotte Jacobsen standards, and thus far has succeeded with flying colors. i cant help but be impressed. But this trip was not just about flying (actually driving) south for the winter. While we were there we spent 5 days building houses for families in the Puerto Penasco area. We did this work through the organization Families Helping Families. The organization built 4 houses this year, and we were part of building two of them. It was a great experience, and a fantastic way to take part of the Christmas spirit.

Favorite Albums of 2007

I love music, and i listen to a lot of it, however i don't listen to enough of it to make a "BEST of..." list, with any real authority. So instead i will present to you a list of my top 10 favorite albums of 2007. The You may also like portion is not really to compare and contrast, but rather to suggest a few bands you might like as well. Feel free to agree, contest, replace, and/or edit with your input.

Honorable Mentions:
Alison Krauss & Robert Plant - Raising Sand (MOST HONORABLE MENTION)
Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga
Eddie Vedder - Into the Wild (soundtrack)
Iron & Wine - The Shephards Dog
Kanye West - Graduation
Lyle Lovett and His Large Band - It's Not Big It's Large
Okkervil River - The Stage Names
Avett Brothers - Emotionalism
Teddy Thompson -Up Front & Down Low
The Shins - Wincing The Night Away
Stars - In Our Bedroom After the War
Great Lake Swimmers - Ongiara
Beirut - The Flying Cup
Linda Thompson - Versatile Heart


10. Radiohead - InRainbows: As I have already posted, this album could change music history with it's "you pick the price" release. But this album also has some great music. You may also like: Interpol, Low, Magic Numbers, Of Montreal, and the Weakerthans

9. The National - The Boxer: The song "Slow Show" ends with the line "You know I dreamed about you for twenty-nine years before I saw you You know I dreamed about you, I missed you, for twenty-nine years" I think if were John Cusack in the movie "Say Anything," and i had to choose one song from 2007 to play while holding a stereo above my head and standing out side the window of my high-school crush...it would be "slow show." By the way, the rest of the album is great too. You may also like: Bright Eyes, Death Cab For Cutie, and Fiona Apple

8. Josh Ritter - The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter: Clean crisp songwritting, His songs are simple and beautiful. If singer-songwritters are your thing, you will love Josh Ritter.
"Rumors," "Edge of the World," and "Real Long Distance" are among my favorite tracks. You may also like: Paul Simon, Gillian Welch, Griffin House, and Josh Rouse

7.Minus Story - My Ion Truss:
This has been my go to album since i bought it. Anytime i cant think of what to listen to, i put this on and i am satisfied everytime. The album has a great mix of energy and emotion. Favorite tracks include "Aaron" "Battle of Our Lives," and "Mamma Mamma" You may also like: The Mountain Goats, Aimee Mann, The Decemberists, and Broken Social Scene

6. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible: Although Canada has a long list of embarasingly bad artists such as; Alanis Morisette, Shania Twain, Crash Test Dummies, Celiene Dion, and the list goes on. Canada however, also has a few fantasic bands like; Neil Young, Ron Sexsmith, Rufus Wainwright, and Arcade Fire can also be added to the list. "Neon Bible," A great follow up to 2004's "Funeral." Tracks like "Keep the Car Running," "Intervension," and "No Cars Go," charge through the album as the Arcade Fire delivers another refreshing album. You may also like: See other good Canadian artists.

5. Band of Annuals - Let Me Live: Local Band from SLC, but this selection is not just about supporting local music. This album is solid all the way through. This is Alt-Country at it's best, simple melodies that ring, perfect harmonies, and a powerful pedal steel that just sounds lonely. Of all the albums on the top 10 i think i am most confident recomending this album to anyone with any music taste, it is hard to dislike such classic songwritting. You may also like: Ryan Adams (and Whiskytown), Neil Young, Atherton, Steve Earl

4. Joe Henry - Civilians: After a good round of tennis my brother Paul recomended Joe Henry to me. Technically speaking he was nausiated that i had yet to hear Joe Henry, and now after listening to "Civilians" i understand his dissappointment. You may also like: Band of Horses, Teddy Thompson, and Damien Jurado

3. Fiest - The Reminder: Despiste her song "1234" being drastically overplayed on iPod commercials, the radio etc, i still can't get enough of it, and that pretty much says it all. Further, "My Moon My Man" could get my vote for song of the year. You may also like: Beth Orton, Stars, HEM, and Damien Rice

2. Fionn Regan - The End of History: If i still used a CD player this album would be stuck in it. You may also like: Elliot Smith, Devotchka, Elvis Perkins, Iron & Wine, and Laura Gibson

1. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky: You have likely heard songs from this album on VW commercials, which is fitting. This album is great fo a car ride.I recently started collecting records which has gotten me into enjoy albums as a whole. Every couple of years a movie comes out that redeems my faith in movies for example A Beautiful Life. Similarly this album redeems my faith in albums. The Advent of CD's, and iPods has killed albums. Just ask yourself when was the last time you listened to a whole album from start to finish, or even bought a whole album? This album is comple album. I have listened to this album on my iPod, and on record, but never on shuffle. Buy the album, and enjoy.