Coworker Met in Parking Deck Elevator: I wonder when they're going to clean the coffee stains.
Me: ?
She points to coffee stains on the elevator. "They've been there for quite some time. We keep wondering when someone will clean them."
Me: Oh.
On the way past the security desk, I point out that the coffee stains are there and need to be cleaned.
Security guy: We'll get right on that.
When will they get cleaned?
Answer: When someone does something about it.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Busy and Fun Week
So Monday I went to Push Push theater with Mom and Skip for a reading of a Winter's Tale. It was really well done because we took just one scene and broke it down into its component parts and analyzed them again and again. It helped me as a writer by showing me how much you can cram into just one scene. Which I like a lot. I hope to go again though I won't be going tomorrow because of the Letoro Concert for Mythic plus the Venture Brother's viewing at Sergey's.
On Tuesday I went to the Gym and worked out. I also got more reading done on Dark Faith. I've been working diligently trying to review it but its a 400 page anthology of very deep and profound stories and I want to do them all justice. Then I went to see the first half of Venture Brothers and while I'd seen a few episodes, I must say it is six buckets of awesome. Blithering Idiot ale is also nice but I'm not gonna have that much again next time. We had fun.
Wednesday I had a nice talk with Jay and also got offered a part as a writer for the Mighty Tide of Justice website, which I am looking forward. I checked out the martial arts place I chose called Atlanta Kicks, and while it is expensive it sounds like what I'm looking for. Right now I'm tempted to go for their bigger package which includes cross training. I've been exercising more and lost some weight but until I reach certain thresholds I'd rather not mention specific numbers...yet.
Thursday night I went to the gym and got some errands done.
Friday I finally mailed Wayne's hat back. I then went to the range and practiced with 200 rounds. I'm about half of where I want to be, but I improved. Practice, as they say, makes perfect. I then went to see the show Winter's Bone, which is an absolutely excellent movie that I recommend if you can see it, though its indy and not for the feignt of heart. It is about the struggle of a 17 year old girl who has to keep her family together by taking rather drastic steps and how she suffers because of it. I then ate dinner and had a few beers at Manuel's tavern. This was just the right amount of alcohol and I had a good time. This might seem small or trivial, but for me it feels as if I have obtained one of many pieces of my life and skills that others take for granted that I've never had. (shrugs). It was a good night for me.
Saturday, I went to see the Dali exhibit at the High Museum of art. Dali was awesome but looney toons. I learned he was amazing self promoter and had an obsession with Nuclear Mysticism and Rhinoceros horns. I definitely want to continue learning more about him. I went to Centennial Olympic Park for an amazing view of the city, got some writing done and then practice Billiards a bit at Twain's.
Today has been relaxing and I've done rather little.
On Tuesday I went to the Gym and worked out. I also got more reading done on Dark Faith. I've been working diligently trying to review it but its a 400 page anthology of very deep and profound stories and I want to do them all justice. Then I went to see the first half of Venture Brothers and while I'd seen a few episodes, I must say it is six buckets of awesome. Blithering Idiot ale is also nice but I'm not gonna have that much again next time. We had fun.
Wednesday I had a nice talk with Jay and also got offered a part as a writer for the Mighty Tide of Justice website, which I am looking forward. I checked out the martial arts place I chose called Atlanta Kicks, and while it is expensive it sounds like what I'm looking for. Right now I'm tempted to go for their bigger package which includes cross training. I've been exercising more and lost some weight but until I reach certain thresholds I'd rather not mention specific numbers...yet.
Thursday night I went to the gym and got some errands done.
Friday I finally mailed Wayne's hat back. I then went to the range and practiced with 200 rounds. I'm about half of where I want to be, but I improved. Practice, as they say, makes perfect. I then went to see the show Winter's Bone, which is an absolutely excellent movie that I recommend if you can see it, though its indy and not for the feignt of heart. It is about the struggle of a 17 year old girl who has to keep her family together by taking rather drastic steps and how she suffers because of it. I then ate dinner and had a few beers at Manuel's tavern. This was just the right amount of alcohol and I had a good time. This might seem small or trivial, but for me it feels as if I have obtained one of many pieces of my life and skills that others take for granted that I've never had. (shrugs). It was a good night for me.
Saturday, I went to see the Dali exhibit at the High Museum of art. Dali was awesome but looney toons. I learned he was amazing self promoter and had an obsession with Nuclear Mysticism and Rhinoceros horns. I definitely want to continue learning more about him. I went to Centennial Olympic Park for an amazing view of the city, got some writing done and then practice Billiards a bit at Twain's.
Today has been relaxing and I've done rather little.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Blueprints for Life
So, I'm mixed. See, I ...hmmm...I'll use an analogy.
In "The Stand"...well, in "On Writing" the autobiography of Steven King, in which he writes about WRITING "the stand" he mentioned getting stuck in the middle of the book because his characters were doing exactly the same thing that the rest of society had been doing before he'd spent the first third of the book wiping it out. Of course, many consider the ending to be sub par to the rest of the book.
I don't want to be stuck in a pattern of failure. On the other hand, my ability to set goals and be organized is my greatest strength. So I can set goals and generally accomplish them, but I need to find a balance between setting goals that lift me up as a person and lift the world up, but that also leave enough room in my life for spontenity.
Here are my initial goals that I thought up at Dragon Con.
For my second life, writing, the next novel will be a contemporary novel set in the near future. Yes, that sounds like sci fi, but the difference is that I'm writing what I want to write, and there are a lot of things I want to say about the world and this is a way to say it. I also mean to write a few more scripts.
For my third life, producing, I've decided to produce a play, a documentary and a movie of some kind over the next year. The subject of the documentary has already presented itself to me but I'm not sure of the exact tone or scope. I also want to be cautious not to step on toes. For the film I'm not sure but I'm bouncing a lot of ideas.
For my fourth life I want to start a damn business. I have ideas but one way or another something will be in motion by the end of the year.
For my fifth live (yes, I'm starting that one already), I want to continue working with the Mythic Imagination Institute. Its a not for profit. I also want to work with a charity, but I'm not sure which one. I am patient but keeping my eyes open.
That still leaves who *I* am. I'm definitely going to start the martial art this year and I think I have the place picked out. Might keep up with the shooting. The larping...I was given caution on that and I'm considering. I am getting old, so I'm not sure one can continue to this kind of thing forever. On the other hand, I know being alone at dragon con sucked. So what I might also consider doing is getting involved with some local sci fi clubs/fan bases that ran tracks at Dragon Con. I'm still researching that.
Still, there are a few things that feel missing, but its a start. I have at least a frame work for a life and a direction, and those things will take up quite a bit of my time in the next few weeks anyway. While I'm open to dating at this point, I was given some very good advice about a few new skill sets I'd do well to learn....
How to learn them is still a bit of a mystery, but I'll keep you posted...
On the whole, things go well. Finished the first half of the graphic novel script, and writing a rather long kick ass review for a friend, though its an anthology which slows down how fast I can write it or the short stories all start to blur together.
In "The Stand"...well, in "On Writing" the autobiography of Steven King, in which he writes about WRITING "the stand" he mentioned getting stuck in the middle of the book because his characters were doing exactly the same thing that the rest of society had been doing before he'd spent the first third of the book wiping it out. Of course, many consider the ending to be sub par to the rest of the book.
I don't want to be stuck in a pattern of failure. On the other hand, my ability to set goals and be organized is my greatest strength. So I can set goals and generally accomplish them, but I need to find a balance between setting goals that lift me up as a person and lift the world up, but that also leave enough room in my life for spontenity.
Here are my initial goals that I thought up at Dragon Con.
For my second life, writing, the next novel will be a contemporary novel set in the near future. Yes, that sounds like sci fi, but the difference is that I'm writing what I want to write, and there are a lot of things I want to say about the world and this is a way to say it. I also mean to write a few more scripts.
For my third life, producing, I've decided to produce a play, a documentary and a movie of some kind over the next year. The subject of the documentary has already presented itself to me but I'm not sure of the exact tone or scope. I also want to be cautious not to step on toes. For the film I'm not sure but I'm bouncing a lot of ideas.
For my fourth life I want to start a damn business. I have ideas but one way or another something will be in motion by the end of the year.
For my fifth live (yes, I'm starting that one already), I want to continue working with the Mythic Imagination Institute. Its a not for profit. I also want to work with a charity, but I'm not sure which one. I am patient but keeping my eyes open.
That still leaves who *I* am. I'm definitely going to start the martial art this year and I think I have the place picked out. Might keep up with the shooting. The larping...I was given caution on that and I'm considering. I am getting old, so I'm not sure one can continue to this kind of thing forever. On the other hand, I know being alone at dragon con sucked. So what I might also consider doing is getting involved with some local sci fi clubs/fan bases that ran tracks at Dragon Con. I'm still researching that.
Still, there are a few things that feel missing, but its a start. I have at least a frame work for a life and a direction, and those things will take up quite a bit of my time in the next few weeks anyway. While I'm open to dating at this point, I was given some very good advice about a few new skill sets I'd do well to learn....
How to learn them is still a bit of a mystery, but I'll keep you posted...
On the whole, things go well. Finished the first half of the graphic novel script, and writing a rather long kick ass review for a friend, though its an anthology which slows down how fast I can write it or the short stories all start to blur together.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Summary of Summer and Plan for Life 1 - Gaming
So, even though in many ways I consider myself 'retired' in this aspect of my life since I've done masterful things in the following areas:
Written and Published a supplement with a major rpg company
Run a gaming company
Run a masterful PBEM that was the crescendo of 10 years of epic play
Run almost two dozens awesome face to face campaigns
Played almost every conceivable character
Done hundreds of random 'things' I've wanted to do in games.
So, I think I can call that a lifetime of achievement. Obviously I could do more or less, but I'm satisfied with it. But even when 'retired' one can do things.
In this case, I've spent the summer thinking of a lot of things. Recovering, drifting and the like. It might seem a little silly to 'plan' one's life but things have been so upside down for me that the inertia that most people have simply doesn't apply to me. Everything was literally in flux. And it still is but I'm finally at a point where I can at least pick *A* direction and move that way.
Dragon Con 2010 was a crucible for me, which was very painful in some ways, but it was also at the same time a creative reset. I had a rather nice LARP experience that was quite fun. I have determined that I'm going to want to go back next year, which this year was very much in flux.
The chance of my staying in Atlanta at this point has gone up to about 67%. Basically, I'm going to try and make as much of a life here as I can. I'm moving out on my own again in early December and I'm going to spend six months after that establishing as many friendships and ties as I can, building a life as if I intended to stay a long time. If I feel satisified with my life and I'm still employed I'll stay. If I lose my job again, or I really feel only partially fulfilled, then I'll give some place else a try.
The night of my divorce, I had a conversation with someone that emotionally scarred me, forcing me to question a lot of my associations and hobbies. I've decided that while I do need to expand my life into other areas, quite frankly I'm satisfied and proud of a lot of the 'geekier' things I've done. Here's a hint: There were (by my count) about 40% of women for every guy at Dragon con, in some of the most nerdlike hobbies imaginable. So the primary argument of my 'nemesis' as she referred to herself, is essentially null and void. The flip side of that is that most of them are about 10 year younger....good for younger generations, not so helpful for me but (shrugs) the other major decision I've made is that while I'm open to dating at this point, I'm going to spend my time putting my damn life back together first since I still have occasional mental/emotional break downs. In fact, the truth is that given all the baggage I carry at this point, those won't ever entirely go away. Its a fact I have to understand going forward. High maintenance, impersonal or empathetical companions are best avoided in general, but especially in my case because I'd end up emotionally investing in someone that is just going to cause problems later on down the line. One step at a time.
So 'the plan' is as follows:
While I'll still do incidental board games and table top rpg's with friends, I'm kind of 'done' with that on a regular basis. LARP's on the other hand, I've found I love. I'm definitely upping my activity in that area, so I'll be spending the next few months finding one (and only one) that I really like. I'm kind of partial to trying out the Forest of Doors first because they ran the LARP I liked so much at Dragon Con.
The second thing I'm going to do is something competitive and something physical. If the Martial Art X (something I hope to start after the 15th of this month whatever it might be) is fun and I enjoy it, I'll try tournaments in that area. If it isn't, I might try competitive shooting (since I now know from experience I like shooting guns....which shouldn't really be a surprise) or perhaps billiards. That decision will ultimately be made at the end of the year.
More posted each day as I plot out my 'life'.
Oh and I'm retiring Red Anvil at the end of the year. What that means EXACTLY is still kind of vague but it certainly doesn't mean I'm not going to be doing many creative things. In fact, in some ways, this is only the beginning.
Written and Published a supplement with a major rpg company
Run a gaming company
Run a masterful PBEM that was the crescendo of 10 years of epic play
Run almost two dozens awesome face to face campaigns
Played almost every conceivable character
Done hundreds of random 'things' I've wanted to do in games.
So, I think I can call that a lifetime of achievement. Obviously I could do more or less, but I'm satisfied with it. But even when 'retired' one can do things.
In this case, I've spent the summer thinking of a lot of things. Recovering, drifting and the like. It might seem a little silly to 'plan' one's life but things have been so upside down for me that the inertia that most people have simply doesn't apply to me. Everything was literally in flux. And it still is but I'm finally at a point where I can at least pick *A* direction and move that way.
Dragon Con 2010 was a crucible for me, which was very painful in some ways, but it was also at the same time a creative reset. I had a rather nice LARP experience that was quite fun. I have determined that I'm going to want to go back next year, which this year was very much in flux.
The chance of my staying in Atlanta at this point has gone up to about 67%. Basically, I'm going to try and make as much of a life here as I can. I'm moving out on my own again in early December and I'm going to spend six months after that establishing as many friendships and ties as I can, building a life as if I intended to stay a long time. If I feel satisified with my life and I'm still employed I'll stay. If I lose my job again, or I really feel only partially fulfilled, then I'll give some place else a try.
The night of my divorce, I had a conversation with someone that emotionally scarred me, forcing me to question a lot of my associations and hobbies. I've decided that while I do need to expand my life into other areas, quite frankly I'm satisfied and proud of a lot of the 'geekier' things I've done. Here's a hint: There were (by my count) about 40% of women for every guy at Dragon con, in some of the most nerdlike hobbies imaginable. So the primary argument of my 'nemesis' as she referred to herself, is essentially null and void. The flip side of that is that most of them are about 10 year younger....good for younger generations, not so helpful for me but (shrugs) the other major decision I've made is that while I'm open to dating at this point, I'm going to spend my time putting my damn life back together first since I still have occasional mental/emotional break downs. In fact, the truth is that given all the baggage I carry at this point, those won't ever entirely go away. Its a fact I have to understand going forward. High maintenance, impersonal or empathetical companions are best avoided in general, but especially in my case because I'd end up emotionally investing in someone that is just going to cause problems later on down the line. One step at a time.
So 'the plan' is as follows:
While I'll still do incidental board games and table top rpg's with friends, I'm kind of 'done' with that on a regular basis. LARP's on the other hand, I've found I love. I'm definitely upping my activity in that area, so I'll be spending the next few months finding one (and only one) that I really like. I'm kind of partial to trying out the Forest of Doors first because they ran the LARP I liked so much at Dragon Con.
The second thing I'm going to do is something competitive and something physical. If the Martial Art X (something I hope to start after the 15th of this month whatever it might be) is fun and I enjoy it, I'll try tournaments in that area. If it isn't, I might try competitive shooting (since I now know from experience I like shooting guns....which shouldn't really be a surprise) or perhaps billiards. That decision will ultimately be made at the end of the year.
More posted each day as I plot out my 'life'.
Oh and I'm retiring Red Anvil at the end of the year. What that means EXACTLY is still kind of vague but it certainly doesn't mean I'm not going to be doing many creative things. In fact, in some ways, this is only the beginning.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)