This might not be of interest to any of you, but as this blog is about me, I figured I’d share something I’ve been working on and thinking about a lot lately.
I’ve been making some superficial, yet needed, improvements to the Donkey Kong Junior game that my wife has so graciously allowed me to have in our dining room. None of these cost very much money, but have made a pretty nice improvement to the game. Below are some pictures (the text explaining the pictures is above each image). Click a photo to make bigger.
- This is a picture of the game as it is now. Notice the marquee is lit up and the stickers are new. Of course none of the bulbs used in the marquee are sold in stores, so I had to buy a couple $2 bulbs online ($9 shipping of course)
- This is what the instruction card under the control panel used to look like. If you look closely you can see a sequin under there. I don’t know how it got there, but it annoyed the crap out of me. I’m glad it’s gone now.
- This is the new instruction card I installed with the help of my wife. I was able to download it from Mike’s Arcade and print it on photo paper. I’m happy with how it turned out.
- This is a picture of a sticker that rests just above the control panel. It was in terrible condition, but still clung to the wood with all its life. This was a bear to remove.
- Another view of the beat up old sticker. I’m glad it’s gone.
- This is the new sticker I printed on sticker-stock and installed. I’m not entirely happy with it, but it is much better than what used to be there.
So, things are going pretty well with that. Friday night, I did find a part inside the game that was failing (a sound transformer). Now, this part is no longer made. I can’t go down to Lowes or Radio Shack and pick a new one up. Luckily for me, the Internet exists, and a fellow arcade enthusiast has a spare one of these and is sending it to me for free (I offered to pay shipping, but he declined). Sometimes it pays to sign up on a message board of a hobby you have and ask for help. Most times, people are happy to help. Of course, I won’t forget this act of kindness and I hope to pay it forward someday.
The Struggling Writer 
Your Donkey Kong stories are taking me back to my teenage years! Thanks. I love it.
Thanks Susan. It’s fun to play too.
Most guys wuld have found themselves, their freelance job, abd their toys on the street long ago. Your wife’s a treasure; keep her!
I have to agree with Jim — I’m sort of falling in love with your wife and her cool ‘tude.
So cool! You’ve made some great changes! It looks so much better already!
Hope you’re taking time to just play, too. 🙂
I was playing it a lot heidi, then I discovered the sound transformer thing. I need to fix that before I play it again.
I would have been all over those stickers, too. Just seeing the before and after stickers is helping my OCD tendencies. I cannot believe the new stickers were printed from the computer — especially that sticker across the top.
Excellent job!
Grr. I used .net by accident on my email address when it should be .com and now my gravatar is a blue punk.
I fixed your comment, cardiogirl 🙂
Thanks, Zeus! And that is why you rock.
I agree with everything written above – the internet is a Godsend in circumstances like these, I love this hobby of yours, the machine does look so much better and your wife is a saint.
🙂