blog / 2008

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5 / 26 / 08 [20:26] - Serious Business

Things are proceeding along pretty well for me. I don't have much to complain about. I'm working pretty hard right now trying to get a game finished. It's a struggle sometimes but I'm happy with the results and I just want to get more done.

Always more, more, more...

I try to make the most of my time but this weekend I was about as useful as dirt. I watched a ton of documentaries on some random website that links to google videos. I had a serious case of the lazies but sometimes that is just what you need.

I realized that just about every venture I make into public space results in some sort of monetary transaction. Sure, I can go for a walk but almost every trip I take either by car or on foot has, at its root, some commercial purpose. I don't think this is accidental.

On the bright side I am planning a trip to Ohio to visit my family next month. I'm hoping the weather will be good so I can go swimming and get some sun. It will be nice to take a break, even if travel can be a little stressful. This is the first trip I've taken, by myself, where I'm relying on NJ Transit. From my perspective, growing up rural Ohio, public transportation is still a rather novel concept.

 

5 / 5 / 08 [19:45] - False Start

This week started out kinda rough. I felt horrible today. But I'm looking forward to what the rest of the week has to offer. I got a copy of The Toxic Avenger (1985) which I haven't seen in a really long time. So I'm looking forward to watching that and hopefully catching some extra sleep tonight.

I'm sure tomorrow will be better ;)

 

4 / 28 / 08 [11:49] - The Rigors of Everyday Life

I burned myself today while microwaving Ramen noodles at work. That might have been fine if I was making something good to eat, but these were Ramen noodles.

Not worth burning yourself.

Work was going well but my head started hurting around 2pm. My relationship with caffeine has become tumultuous in the last year and I deal with it daily. Not enough caffeine and I grow sluggish and achy. Too much caffeine and I become dizzy and overwhelmed.

The sweet spot seems to be a 50 mg window that keeps shifting.

Overall the day went well and I'm relaxing now at the end of it. I had a burst of inspiration and productivity near the end of the day as the office cleared out. I left work feeling satisfied yet eager to resume in the morning. Though it's doubful those feelings will make me any more perky climbing out of bed tomorrow.

It's quite possible that the secret to enjoying life may not lie in seizing the highs and lows of human experience, but rather in riding

the wave of banal and mundane occurances

that push us on day by day. There are so many incredible things about ordinary life and I'm waking up to them each day.

I started carrying my camera with me again. Hopefully I'll have something to show for it ;)

3 / 25 / 08 [20:22] - Technology and Human Progress

Life has been very busy since I returned to New Jersey.

I'm working on two projects at the moment and haven't found the time to update my website. I work on one project during the day at work, and another at night when I get home. Having two outlets is a great way to stay creative because it keeps things fresh. Occasionally I have dreams where the two projects combine into one, and its kind of enlightening.

Unfortunately I can't say what either project is. But they're cool!

As I sit at home working on my laptop I've been projecting onto the wall a non-stop stream of old movies, horror and sci-fi mainly, using my desktop computer. I'm pretty sure all of the movies have fallen into public domain, as most of them were created between 1940 and 1970.

You can check the streams out at America Free TV

The movies are boring enough that they don't distract me from my work, but instead offer sporadic distraction, moody ambience and an odd since of companionship one might expect from traditional radio or tv.

Some cool flicks to look out for:

The House on Haunted Hill (1959) w/ Vincent Price

Teenagers from Outer Space (1959)

The Devil Bat (1940) w/Bella Lugosi

Zontar the Thing from Venus (1966)

Night of the Living Dead (1968)

King of the Zombies (1946)

The Giant Gila Monster (1959)

1959 was a good year!

That's all for now. Sorry to everyone hitting dead links within my site. At some point I will make the website my primary project again. But my head's not there right now.

 

1 / 5 / 08 [13:47] - New Year!

After a triumphant holiday vacation I have returned to New Jersey to resume my normal life and work. Here are a few highlights from my trip.

1 - On my drive into Columbus, Ohio I stopped at Oldfield's On High and saw my brother Eric's band, Counterclockwize and my friend Dan in Sax Man Dan. The shows were awesome and I'm glad I made it into town in time to be there.

Counterclockwize, but not at Oldfield's.

2 - Christmas at my parent's house was great. I wrapped some cool presents for my family and received some nice stuff too.

Nice wrapping job eh?

3 - On New Year's Eve I went with my family to Woo Doggies in Columbus to see my oldest brother Sean's band Pleather. Pleather is an 80's tribute band and they put on an amazing show. It was a great way to spend the first hour of 2008.

Pleather promo shoot.

4 - On January 2 my family and I celebrated my 23rd birthday at The Spaghetti Warehouse. I'm usually not much for going out to dinner, but I had a lot of fun. A drank a martini, received some cards and gifts and spent time talking with my bros.

Dining in the train car is a SW favorite.

I hope everyone had a nice Christmas / Hanukah and a fun New Year's Eve / Day. I am looking forward to another exciting / tedious / stressful / woth it year of game design and life in New Jersey. If you have the spare time, come visit me!

My 2007 blog entries have been archived below.