Dragon Con was a lot of fun. We were able to prepay the hotel room and the ticket which meant that it was a very nice vacation at a time when we needed it. Thursday night was the first night we stayed at a hotel there which helped give us more time on Friday since most of the other times we've gone to Dragoncon, Friday morning was always hectic. Jennifer got pictures and we hope to put them up soon.
Some highlights include:
*A neat panel with Nimoy and Shatner Friday morning. Shatner is a total attention hog but was cool at the same time. Nimoy was rather zen the whole time. Interesting questions.
*Felicia Day was in the Dollhouse panel which was quite packed. I think we may see more Dollhouse guests next year.
*Warehouse 13 also had a lot of people though it had no guests. The panels with a lot of fans talking to each other generally just aren't as interesting.
*A rather cool panel with Michael Stackpole and other podcast authors that gave me some good insights into putting my own novels on podcast. I'm considering doing so but haven't decided the exact way I'm going to do it. Might establish a second podcast which is ....yeah. Too many blogs already. Logistics have yet to be decided, but apparently putting a novel in podcast form doesn't (according to them anyway) interfere with the ability to sell it...and considering my luck selling it anyway....We'll see.
*Went to the parade for the first time this year. It was awesome. Even if you don't go to dragoncon, this should be an annual event for anyone seriously into sci-fi/fantasy. It was quite fun and its totally free.
*Gave blood for the first time this year at Dragon Con. Vaccinations and foreign travel plus other circumstances prevented me before. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.
*Masquerade was cool but not as cool as years past.
*Steam punk is in vogue. So much so that I'm making my next novel Steam Punk...of course....I'm only vaguely aware of what steam punk is, so it is a bit blind. That and I do like retro tech which helps in this case. It might end up being something more like "Tompunk"....
*Saw Pete Abrams at a panel. He does the comic Sluggy Freelance. It was very interesting. :)
*Saw a lot of rather cool short films. The production value on the films they show at Dragoncon are just...light years beyond what I can do, but I still intend to do them. We'll see how Other People's Musicals comes out. So far it is on track.
*Jennifer had a LOT of fun at the Oragami panels.
*Jennifer also enjoyed seeing Draco Malfoy, who is apparently a pretty cool guy.
*There were lots of Twilight fans there due to the guy who played the lead in the movie being there, but they didn't really cross my path, which is just as well.
*Seeing a live performance of Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog in a room with 2000 screaming Whedonites is just plain awesome.
*Jennifer's costume was also awesome.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Monday, September 7, 2009
Link to a political post
Without going into details, here is a link to my political blog about a video given to me by my friend Ken Lightner that I think sums up the current discussion (or lack thereof) quite well.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Life
I had a phone interview today and another interview scheduled next week. But with the economy being the way it is, who can tell? I heard back from my recruiter and apparently I slam dunked the interview I had last week but they are still not sure which way they want to go. And that's a government contractor, which tells me that even if I have a lot of interviews that doesn't necessarily mean anything. I have too many second hand accounts from family and friends from all of the companies that are in absolute turtle mode until 2010.
We'll see.
In a related note, I am quite happy for a personal issue that has recently been partially solved. I won't go into details but suffice to say it was worrying me greatly and now it isn't.
Fortunately we'd gotten the Dragoncon tickets early (ie when I had a job) which makes the whole impending vacation affordable. It happens to be right here in Atlanta which helps too. :) More details will probably be posted during the weekend.
We'll see.
In a related note, I am quite happy for a personal issue that has recently been partially solved. I won't go into details but suffice to say it was worrying me greatly and now it isn't.
Fortunately we'd gotten the Dragoncon tickets early (ie when I had a job) which makes the whole impending vacation affordable. It happens to be right here in Atlanta which helps too. :) More details will probably be posted during the weekend.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Return
Well we went to Gencon last week. Jennifer spent two of the three days visiting with her father and step family while I was at Gencon. On Friday we did some events together. Thursday kind of sucked because I thought I had lost my bag which had a character for an event that I'd been preparing for for months. I was able to replace most of what I needed but it still wasn't quite the same. As such I was kind of down for most of Thursday but things picked up on Friday with Jennifer.
Jennifer finally learned how to play Killer Bunnies. We also played a Dungeons and Dragons game called "A Fist Full of Clerics" but by far the most fun we had was playing a larp called "The Dragon of Feldra." We both had characters that fit well. It was a small event, but it was Jennifer's first time doing a Larp and she enjoyed it. For those of you who are not familiar with what a larp is, thing "Dungeons and Dragons" meets "How to Host a Murder Mystery."
The drive back went largely without incident. I'm still trying to help Grandma with her house. Last week Mom and Skip did a lot more than I've done so far in terms of getting some people to clean the front. Mom and I had gone to clean out the cat room and some other things. We're nearly at a point where we can have some packers come in and put some stuff in Storage. That should be helpful.
One step at a time.
The job search goes well. I had my first interview Thursday, and haven't heard anything. They were supposed to make a decision yesterday which means I probably didn't get the job, but in the three weeks since my job at Cox ended I've had four placements which is pretty good. We'll see how things turn out.
Jennifer finally learned how to play Killer Bunnies. We also played a Dungeons and Dragons game called "A Fist Full of Clerics" but by far the most fun we had was playing a larp called "The Dragon of Feldra." We both had characters that fit well. It was a small event, but it was Jennifer's first time doing a Larp and she enjoyed it. For those of you who are not familiar with what a larp is, thing "Dungeons and Dragons" meets "How to Host a Murder Mystery."
The drive back went largely without incident. I'm still trying to help Grandma with her house. Last week Mom and Skip did a lot more than I've done so far in terms of getting some people to clean the front. Mom and I had gone to clean out the cat room and some other things. We're nearly at a point where we can have some packers come in and put some stuff in Storage. That should be helpful.
One step at a time.
The job search goes well. I had my first interview Thursday, and haven't heard anything. They were supposed to make a decision yesterday which means I probably didn't get the job, but in the three weeks since my job at Cox ended I've had four placements which is pretty good. We'll see how things turn out.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Life
Well things have been busy. The main project right now is helping Grandma with her house. Yesterday, Grandma, Mom and I went and emptied the house of a lot of trash which we put into a dumpster we'd rented for that purpose. We also removed the mattress from and cleaned much of the dreaded Catroom. Suffice to say that upon arriving home I removed all clothing and put it in its own special wash to avoid special friends that might have accompanied me.
Job market isn't great right now, but I am getting calls from recruiters. Mainly though it is for lower paying positions. Might have gotten TOO experienced at tech writing, which means the transition to project management was probably at the right time. Of course, it takes experience to get a job and get experience, but I've got a few ideas. Mainly, I've been thinking bout starting a small business for a while....I can hire myself as project manager. I need 3 years of experience to get my PMP which is really the key to getting Project Management work.
So, I've also realized that I've accomplished most of my original life goals. The only two remaining are become a father and see the Louvre. So I made up a new list.
0. Become a father.
1. See the Louvre.
2. Travel around the world on a way way trip. Japan, Australia, India, Egypt, London, Italy and Hawaii.
3. Learn a martial art.
4. Competitively enter a fencing competition.
5. Assemble a band for a tour based on music written by me.
6. Start seven businesses.
7. Learn a musical instrument.
8. Sculpt something memorable.
9. Create or help create a graphic novel.
10. Own a plane, sailboat, taught or ultralight and learn to pilot/sail it.
11. Write seven novels.
12. Produce a musical based on Simon Bolivar.
13. Go on a cruise.
14. Organize a convention (ideally one based on Sci fi)
15. Invent a card game.
16. Build a house (not necessarily my own.)
17. Own my own home (all own, no mortgage)
18. Have a room with a secret passage
19. Learn electronics (ideally a remote controlled object or robot battles robot)
20. Gain 3 patents.
21. Own a self sufficient piece of land (energy, food, light manufacturing)
22. Go on a cruise.
23. Be in a guerrilla musical dance number.
24. Help in a local political campaign (meaningfully)
25. Set up a treasure hunt for after I die. A real one.
26. Live the fifth life (who knows what)
27. Ditto the sixth.
28. Ditto the seventh.
If the right door opens.
29. Kept to myself.
30. Establish a business empire dedicated to a not for profit foundation.
31. Visit (but do not live in) Space.
32. Buy my own island.
33. Establish technological reboot centers.
34. Create a national movement to reform the electoral system.
35. Create a functional and profitable news network that actually produces what is independent.
36. Create an institution to focus on pure research.
37. Create an institution dedicated to the study of Narcolepsy.
38. "" Neurological regeneration.
39. Paid Angel agents to quietly and anonymously do good.
40. Create a series of libraries (10) dedicate to principles original to libraries. Secular sanctuaries and temples to knowledge.
41. Create a school system based on my ideas of education.
42. Create a wide range of nuclear desalination plants on the west coast.
43. Breed dogs to live twice as long with higher intelligence (ie uplift)
All I've thought of for now.
Job market isn't great right now, but I am getting calls from recruiters. Mainly though it is for lower paying positions. Might have gotten TOO experienced at tech writing, which means the transition to project management was probably at the right time. Of course, it takes experience to get a job and get experience, but I've got a few ideas. Mainly, I've been thinking bout starting a small business for a while....I can hire myself as project manager. I need 3 years of experience to get my PMP which is really the key to getting Project Management work.
So, I've also realized that I've accomplished most of my original life goals. The only two remaining are become a father and see the Louvre. So I made up a new list.
0. Become a father.
1. See the Louvre.
2. Travel around the world on a way way trip. Japan, Australia, India, Egypt, London, Italy and Hawaii.
3. Learn a martial art.
4. Competitively enter a fencing competition.
5. Assemble a band for a tour based on music written by me.
6. Start seven businesses.
7. Learn a musical instrument.
8. Sculpt something memorable.
9. Create or help create a graphic novel.
10. Own a plane, sailboat, taught or ultralight and learn to pilot/sail it.
11. Write seven novels.
12. Produce a musical based on Simon Bolivar.
13. Go on a cruise.
14. Organize a convention (ideally one based on Sci fi)
15. Invent a card game.
16. Build a house (not necessarily my own.)
17. Own my own home (all own, no mortgage)
18. Have a room with a secret passage
19. Learn electronics (ideally a remote controlled object or robot battles robot)
20. Gain 3 patents.
21. Own a self sufficient piece of land (energy, food, light manufacturing)
22. Go on a cruise.
23. Be in a guerrilla musical dance number.
24. Help in a local political campaign (meaningfully)
25. Set up a treasure hunt for after I die. A real one.
26. Live the fifth life (who knows what)
27. Ditto the sixth.
28. Ditto the seventh.
If the right door opens.
29. Kept to myself.
30. Establish a business empire dedicated to a not for profit foundation.
31. Visit (but do not live in) Space.
32. Buy my own island.
33. Establish technological reboot centers.
34. Create a national movement to reform the electoral system.
35. Create a functional and profitable news network that actually produces what is independent.
36. Create an institution to focus on pure research.
37. Create an institution dedicated to the study of Narcolepsy.
38. "" Neurological regeneration.
39. Paid Angel agents to quietly and anonymously do good.
40. Create a series of libraries (10) dedicate to principles original to libraries. Secular sanctuaries and temples to knowledge.
41. Create a school system based on my ideas of education.
42. Create a wide range of nuclear desalination plants on the west coast.
43. Breed dogs to live twice as long with higher intelligence (ie uplift)
All I've thought of for now.
Friday, July 31, 2009
The Two Edged Sword of Emotion
God has given me many talents. I have a desire to express poetry and to work to find the true story of something. When I am in an interview, one of the most common questions I ask when we get to the "Do you have any questions?" part, is that I like to ask a bit about the history of the project and the company if they haven't already gone over it (though more and more these days they are as part of the 'info dump' part of the interveiw.)
It is this trait that lets me be a writer and walk in worlds that never were. Through role playing games, I've been able to save the world a few dozen times now. I think we'll all agree that the odds of my doing that in the real one are rather...slim.
But what is a strength can be a weakness. The dramas created in my mind can be painful at times, despite the increasing strength of my reason. Rationally, I am entirely aware of the fact that I've been unemployed before, and that I will again, and that I will get another job. By basic probability it should be within one or two months, three or four if you include tough economic times. The longest has been six. Yes, we're in a depression right now, but one can find work in a depression.
The true problem though isn't the anticipated distance between jobs, but rather this vague murmering belief in the back of my mind that somehow I've offended all of my recruiters and previous employers and that somewhere there is a blacklist somewhere of people not to hire and my name is on it.
There is no rational basis for this belief, and more importantly, at least I am capable of recognizing that it is there, but that doesn't make it any less painful to beat down on a regular basis.
Aside from that, things are going quite well. I've got a lot of projects and a lot of drive to get them done. The more I can focus on them while still searching for a job, the more I can tamp down delusions of paranoia. :)
Last night Jennifer and I went to an excellent concert featuring the Wiyos, Willie Nelson, John Melancamp and Bob Dylan. Jennifer got the tickets at the beginning of the month. I liked them all but you'd but amazed to find that my favorite was actually the cover band you've never heard of before (the Wiyos.) Dylan was hard to understand, but appearantly he's always hard to understand and you can hear more in a man's voice than the words he says.
It is this trait that lets me be a writer and walk in worlds that never were. Through role playing games, I've been able to save the world a few dozen times now. I think we'll all agree that the odds of my doing that in the real one are rather...slim.
But what is a strength can be a weakness. The dramas created in my mind can be painful at times, despite the increasing strength of my reason. Rationally, I am entirely aware of the fact that I've been unemployed before, and that I will again, and that I will get another job. By basic probability it should be within one or two months, three or four if you include tough economic times. The longest has been six. Yes, we're in a depression right now, but one can find work in a depression.
The true problem though isn't the anticipated distance between jobs, but rather this vague murmering belief in the back of my mind that somehow I've offended all of my recruiters and previous employers and that somewhere there is a blacklist somewhere of people not to hire and my name is on it.
There is no rational basis for this belief, and more importantly, at least I am capable of recognizing that it is there, but that doesn't make it any less painful to beat down on a regular basis.
Aside from that, things are going quite well. I've got a lot of projects and a lot of drive to get them done. The more I can focus on them while still searching for a job, the more I can tamp down delusions of paranoia. :)
Last night Jennifer and I went to an excellent concert featuring the Wiyos, Willie Nelson, John Melancamp and Bob Dylan. Jennifer got the tickets at the beginning of the month. I liked them all but you'd but amazed to find that my favorite was actually the cover band you've never heard of before (the Wiyos.) Dylan was hard to understand, but appearantly he's always hard to understand and you can hear more in a man's voice than the words he says.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times
On paper, things should be going badly right now. What with my job ending in a week and a half, family members being in health distress and financial distress, the winds of politics and current events things appear more and more dire. But slowly, ever so slowly, I am wrapping my passion in a blanket and directing the fires of my soul into an engine of reason which will grant me great and relentless power.
We shall see what we shall see.
We shall see what we shall see.
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