12/14/2003:
Page Updates:
- updated Scribble
- updated Links (updated link to VP's page)
12/10/2003:
Got to see Amy P. last night, yay! We hung out and chatted for a couple hours, but then she had to leave, unfortunately,
as she had to work early today. But said she'd like to come back, and I think that would be great. I have missed her much.
It had been almost 2 years since I last saw her (February of 2002). Still my beautiful elfin girl...
Started my Network+ class on Monday. There's only 4 of us in the class right now, and I'm good friends with two of them.
The other is an electrical technician who used to be in the Navy. He's a nice guy, and seems to know his stuff. The class
is going pretty well; I'm learning new information, and I'm happy about it :) The teacher is really laid back, and that
certainly helps, too, as all of us are pretty laid back individuals as well.
A little bit of travel done last night. Not really even enough to post on Dragon-Rider, just some stuff I needed to take
care of over there, to help out a friend. This time I did not wake up after traveling; I went directly to normal
dreamstate afterwards, which is comforting, getting back into a familiar routine.
Page Updates:
- updated Scribble
12/9/2003:
Traveled last night, briefly. Did some sparring with my fellows, but that was about it. Woke at 6:15 am and got a drink
of water before falling back to some semblance of sleep.
Page Updates:
- updated Scribble
12/7/2003:
Traveled last night and actually remembered it, and it was wonderful. An account is posted on the Dragon-Rider site.
Again I woke at 7:15 am, same as yesterday. Now I know why. I traveled both nights, and woke to this world before going
to sleep and dreaming normally. This has not been the case in the past, but I find it is acceptable, as I still get
enough rest, even if it is more difficult to get to sleep at 7:30 am, on account of the light and the people moving
about downstairs and outside. Perhaps this will readjust itself later on, as I get used to visiting the realms again.
Then I may be able to leave the realms and fall directly into normal dreamstate without waking first. Time will tell.
I feel good today, refreshed, awake. We got a good amount of snow here, and they plowed the lot today, so I had to
clean off my car and move it a couple times. I stood outside after I moved the car, waiting for the lower lot to be
plowed so I could move it back, and it was nice to get the fresh air. Got to meet the other person who lives across
the hall from me, too. I hardly ever see anyone that lives in the complex, but I suppose that can be attributed to the
strange hours I keep. I get to play D&D today, too :) We're continuing Pete's Ultima campaign today, and I'm looking
forward to playing my gnome again :)
Page Updates:
- updated dragon-rider.us (Happenings section)
- updated Scribble
12/5/2003:
Got a call from Amy P. last night. Haven't talked to her in quite awhile, and it was a very pleasant surprise to hear from
her. She was supposed to come over tonight after work, but the owner of her company called an emergency meeting that she
has to attend, so she cannot. I am disappointed at this. Not in her, of course, but in the situation. Almost every time
we try and get together, something like this happens. However, she is working nearby next week, and hopefully we will
be able to get together then :) She is my elfin girl, and I miss her.
I did go and sign my paperwork yesterday, accepting the state funds for my schooling. I start on Monday at 6 pm. Yay!
My friends Sean and Roland also got approved, along with a few others that I do not recall currently, so I will have some
friendly company for classes as well :)
Page Updates:
- updated Scribble
12/4/2003:
Took a silly little quiz online:
|
12/3/2003:
Dreams batter at the fortifications in my mind until they fall, and then they fly away when I wake, leaving me confused
and unrested. Don't know what was going on last night, but I fell asleep around 3:30 am (the norm lately), only to wake
at 7 am. It took me until nearly 8 to really get back to sleep, and then I was dead to the world until 1:20 pm. Didn't
expect to sleep so late, but I suppose it's no big deal, as I don't have anything going on until later. Still, it's not a
habit I want to get back into. I will make an effort to get to bed a little earlier when possible, as waking before noon
is preferrable to me.
On better, more normal notes, I had a good long weekend in VT for Thanksgiving. I got to see my parents, and also a goodly
number of cousins, aunts and uncles that I don't get to see very often (as I am in VT less and less, it seems, as the years
go on). Also got to see grandma and grandpa, and that is always a very good thing.
I received confirmation yesterday about the state grant for me to go back to school. Seems all I have to do now is sign
a paper saying I accept the grant, and I'm all set. Now, to get in touch with the people about signing the paper... Just
left a VM for the person; hopefully she gets back to me today, as I am supposed to start school on Monday :)
Page Updates:
- updated Links (changed Link of the Now, linked Roland's and Kris' pages)
- updated Scribble
- updated Pics (added Weapons, Sky, and Miscellaneous sections)
11/24/2003:
More good news :) I took my Core (Hardware) and OS exams on friday, and passed both! They're scored on a scale of
900. I got a 900 on the Core, and an 832 on the OS portion. I am now officially A+ Certified! Yay!
I'm awaiting confirmation that I am receiving the state grant (there is only enough for a certain number of people; there
has not yet been enough allocated to cover everyone who is seeking education). I got all my papers in to my career
counselor at CareerPoint last wednesday, and she said she'd submit them to the proper officials by friday. I should be
hearing back from them very soon concerning the grant. Hopefully we will find out soon about the Federal Grant we are
pending as well.
Spoke with my friend Jeff online a few nights ago. Hadn't heard from him in months, and it was great to touch base. He
made it out to California, as was the plan, and is now living in Hollywood. Hopefully I'll get to talk to him again
soon.
11/19/2003:
Posting later than expected. Been busier than I would have imagined, being unemployed and all. Big news for this post is:
I'm going back to school for awhile! We who were laid off from RCN have been approved for a state grant, and we're also
pending a federal grant. I'm going to be attending CTC (Corporate Training Center), where I will receive training and
the knowledge to pass some of the major computer industry certification exams. The program will last 39 weeks, finishing
up in early September of 2004. When I have completed the courses and passed all the tests, I will have the following
certifications: Network+, Security+, Linux+, MCSA, and CCNA. I am really looking forward to the learning experience
being provided to me by this training, and also, of course, looking forward to obtaining the certifications, so I can
get a good job in the IT field :) Will post any more news on this when I know more.
Besides my busy-ness in getting everything prepared so I can go back to school, I have had a good week. I will be taking my
A+ certification test on Friday of this week, so I've been studying and taking practice tests in preparation for it. I
am confident in my ability to pass the test, but more practice testing can only help me. I've spent several evenings this
week hanging out with good friends, and that is always good. Had an excellent D&D session on saturday, which
left a lasting impression on me and my players. Pete (the rogue/sorcerer in my campaign) has started up a campaign of his
own, which we are all playing in. We had our first session last week, and it was a great deal of fun. We're playing
again today, and I'm looking forward to it. I'm playing a Gnome Barbarian! I'm a pint-sized terror that wields a heavy
pick as my primary weapon (x4 crit, have to wield it 2-handed because I'm so small). We've also got a Halfing Paladin
(*laugh*), a Half-elven Rogue, and and Elven Cleric. Quite the interesting crowd :)
11/11/2003:
Had a fantastic weekend down in Long Island. The Murder Mystery party held at Jen's place was a great deal of fun (thank
you again, Jen)!. Most people did dress up to a degree, and everyone had a great deal of fun playing their characters.
I played Baron Walter Brock, a 48-year-old businessman, who was a competitor of the man murdered the previous night. Alas,
I did not guess who the murderer was; it turned out to be the man's son, and I thought it was the man's wife. Ah, well.
Got to see Sharon's new place after the party on Friday, and slept on her very comfy futon (thanks again, Sharon). Spent
Saturday with Serena (yay). Got to meet her mom, dad, and sister, and her two great dogs. She has a husky named Sindel,
and a big black half-wolf named Zeus. Both great dogs, and very friendly. Spent some time wandering the mall with Serena
and Sharon, then headed over to Jen's again for another party :) Had a great time, just hanging out. Played some cards,
laughed. Gave and received kisses under a full moon (which eclipsed near the beginning of the beautiful night). A
majestic time.
Did lots of driving over the next couple days. Drove home to MA on sunday, drove to VT on monday, had a doctor's
appointment today, then drove back here to MA, through a snow, sleet, and freezing rain storm, to go to my A+ class. I'm
pretty tired, so going to head to bed. More post later...
11/3/2003:
My site has been moved to its new home. I realized it's much more convenient right now for me to have an external webhost. I pay for my own electricity now, and this way, I don't have to run a server 24/7. Also, I can experiment with other types of servers on Linux, and not have to worry about compromising my webserver.
Fuitadnet is my new
webhost, and they do a great job. I pay a small price for alot of options. The transition was very easy, and my site will hopefully now be a permanent fixture on the 'net :)
11/1/2003:
Another beautiful day. Second one in a row, and I don't want them to end. Yesterday, got some errands done, and
explored the area some more. Today, didn't accomplish so much. Got up at a decent hour (10:30), watched some cartoons
(Teen Titans and Justice League), sat outside and read awhile, then spent quite a long time playing
Fallout 2. Later on, hung out with Pete, Roland, Sean and Sarah and watched
28 Days Later. I thought it was pretty good. The
camerawork was really impressive, and it was as dark and gritty as I thought it would be.
Now I sit, a flood of feelings and energies flowing through me. I want to run and hunt and shift; I want to go to war
and decimate those that would oppose me (us), I want to be enveloped by another in the throes of passion. And yet I sit,
because the first and second are not practical for me in this world, and the latter requires another, which is something
that is not here with me. And the loneliness descends on me, trying to smother me, but I resist, easier than it once
was, as my friends are close, even if not physically here with me. A close friend offers me counsel and compassion, and
I thank her. Here I message another, someone I've found online, and my greeting is welcomed and returned, and I feel
better already. I do look forward to the dreamworld tonight, where I may exercise some of these things I have spoken
of. Perhaps all of them...
Page Updates:
- added some pics of myself to the pics section, for any who are interested.
10/30/2003:
After some technical difficulties (*cough* port80block *cough*), this webserver is back online. The pages load a bit
slower than before, due to some rerouting, but as far as I know, the site should function fine. If this is not the
case, please let me know. I will continue to do some research, and perhaps come up with a faster solution, but for now,
I am happy to have the site back online.
10/27/2003:
Back online and happy :) My move went very well; another big thank you to all of you who made it so. Getting
settled in pretty well here. Living room is mostly arranged the way I want it; bedroom still needs a good amount of
organizing. I'm living on the 3rd (top) floor, now; no more people living above me, and I can keep my windows open and
not worry about people looking in just by walking by :) I'm going to like living here :)
Busy couple of weeks coming up. I'm training to get my A+ certification, and taking a 4-week course before I take the test.
It's a free course, 2 nights a week (tuesdays and thursdays), 6 - 9:30. Some of my good friends are also taking the course,
so it shouldn't be too bad (not like I would expect it to be anyway).
Time for some relaxing, maybe some more organizing.
10/22/2003:
My moving day is coming up very soon, and I am quite excited about it. I've packed most of what I can. We're playing D&D
this evening (yay), and after that gathering, I will pack up everything else except my computer stuff. Speaking of which,
my online presence, including this site, will be down for the weekend, while I move. The site will go down mid-afternoon
on Friday, 10/24, and will hopefully be back up by the end of the day on Monday, 10/27.
10/21/2003:
Roland got me into writing haiku last week, and I thank him for it. It's been months since I've written my thoughts down
(except for my D&D campaign work), and I found this writing form to be a good one for expressing how I was feeling at
several points during the last week.
Page Updates:
- updated Scribble
- updated Pics. Added more pics of Lynx, and categorized them. The cup
series is currently my favorite :)
10/20/2003:
Really good weekend. Mark, Sharon, Dave, Chris, Wills, and Jennifer came up to visit, and we had a good time. Lots of
talking, lots of Magic and video games (yes, it is a recurring theme for our gatherings). Got to catch up with others'
lives, and have some thoroughly enjoyable conversations :)
We saw Kill Bill Vol. 1 on friday night. I think it's the most violent movie I've ever seen. Some of the bloodshed
bordered on comical, with gallons spewing from a single body, sometimes resembling a fountain in its intensity. One couple
had brought their kids, probably aged 5 or 6, to the movie. I really do not know what would possess someone to do such a
thing. The language alone was bad, but the gratuitous bloodshed should not have been viewed by a child so young.
I did finally finish Jedi Knight II: Outcast a couple weeks ago. I am now working through Fallout 2, and
thoroughly enjoying myself.
10/14/2003:
Has it really been 9 days since my last update? Apparently so...
My good friend Jesse came down to visit me from VT last week. We played lots of video games: Doom2, UT2003, Jedi Knight II;
talked about lots of stuff, as usual. It was a good time. Played a long session of D&D on saturday, and another fairly
long session on monday night. Both sessions went very well; all had a great time. I can't express how good it feels to
play with the group I have; all wonderful people and players.
My move is coming up quickly. I am looking forward to the change. I think it will be good for me. I drove around the
area I'm moving to again today, to get a better feel for it. It really is a nice area. I look forward to calling it home.
I've been leisurely packing things in boxes this week. No need to rush. Just taking my time, because I have the time to
take.
Friends coming to visit this weekend. I can't wait. Been far too long since I've seen them.
10/5/2003:
Things have been looking up around here. I did receive my first unemployment check last week, and it was bigger than
expected, so I am quite happy about that. And I found a place to live! On the weekend of October 24th, I will be moving
to a nice 1 bedroom apartment in Chicopee, MA. The place is not very far from where I live now, which means I'll still
be close to my local friends (in one case, closer), and I am very happy about it. Plus, it's not a basement apartment! I'm
done living in basements for now. Easier to heat and cool, but having people able to look in my windows just by walking
by gets a little unnerving.
Been a creative couple of days, as I continue to build the world upon which my D&D campaign is based. I have an overview
map of the north half of the world completed, and the south half is coming along well. Then, I will need to flush out a
whole ton of details, but that will come later. Overall, I am quite pleased with how the whole thing is coming along. I
will be able to write more about it here as my PCs further explore the world. Wouldn't want to spoil the fun if one
of them happens to read this ;)
Had fun hanging out with Dave and Chris this weekend. We played a ton of Magic:The Gathering, and watched Ghost Ship
and a Dragonball Z movie.
Can't think of much else to write, so think I'll go work on my campaign some more :)
9/30/2003:
Been a bit of a stressful day, as I am realizing how hard it is to look for a new place to live without having any idea
what kind of income I'm getting from unemployment. I will hopefully receive my first check this week, so I'll have some
sort of idea what kind of funds I will have to live off. Good news is, I've looked at and applied for 3 apartments so far,
so hopefully at the end of this month, when my lease expires here, I'll have some place to go, and won't have to sleep on a
friend's couch and put my stuff in storage. Also in good news, my leg seems to have healed up nicely. I go back to the
doctor's on thursday, to make sure it healed up correctly. Then I may have to do some physical therapy, but hopefully soon
I'll be off these damn crutches!
Slobfest VI kicked ass, of course. Played D&D all weekend. Jesse DM'd
and we had 5 players. Our party kicked some serious ass, and everyone had a huge amount of fun, which is of course what
slobfest is all about!
Page Updates:
- added a bunch more pics of Lynx, finally
- added pics of my friends (and sis) from my last trip to Vermont.
9/23/2003:
Being all accident prone again this week, and it's all falling on my right index finger. Sliced it open real good while
putting my fileserver components in a new case (yay for the upgrade, though). Managed to shut the same finger in the door
last night while putting out the trash. Then, today, scraped it on my car door, for more blood and excitement. More
frustrating than anything. I really don't like getting any more injured than I already am, though my leg does seem to
be healing up nicely. Hardly any pain at all, as long as I don't twist the wrong way.
I started programming again, and it feels great. Working on a random treasure generator for 3rd Edition D&D. Eventually,
it will also be a random encounter generator, per terrain type, and will calculate treasure for said encounter, but first
I really want to get the treasure generator working. It's coming along pretty well. Coin generator works; working on
random gem generator now. It's been a few days since I've gotten to work on it, but I plan on picking it back up again
tomorrow or thursday. Programming it in C++.
Slobfest this weekend! Going to kick ass! I'm playing a 4th level
dwarven fighter who is specialized with a guisarme (polearm) :)
Page Updates:
- upgraded the webserver hardware. Now running at 350 MHz, with 192 MB of RAM.
- shrunk the size of the thumbnails down for much quicker loading of pictures.
9/21/2003:
Really good weekend. Chris, Yaco, and Wills came over. We played lots of video games and lots of Magic the Gathering.
Chris and I went and saw Cabin Fever on thursday afternoon. Strangest movie I've ever seen. Was good for the first
hour or so, then just got really strange. Near the end, it looked like the producers just had extra shots left
over (some of them unfinished), and decided to throw them all in instead of just leaving them out. It was worth watching
once, but I'd wait to rent it if I were you. Chris, Yaco, Wills, Miranda, Sean, Sam and I went and saw Underworld
on opening night (friday). The theater wasn't nearly as full as I thought it would be. The movie was good. Vampires vs.
Werewolves...can't go terribly wrong with that combination. The werewolf transformations were awesomely done, though the
vampires could have been cooler. They just didn't use any of their physical abilities; instead, they relied on high-tech
guns and other weapons. The werewolves ripped it up with tooth and nail, and I loved it :)
To top the weekend off, I finally upgraded my fileserver (Direwolf) back to its previous status. Hopefully the new
mainboard will hold up better than its predecessor. Next machine to be upgraded is this webserver, but that will need
to wait until a later date. Maybe tomorrow I can get it done. Should not take too long at all; the motherboard,
processor, and PSU are already in the case. Just need to swap over the hard drive, CD-ROM, and cards, and should be good
to go.
9/18/2003:
Cried tonight. Cried for quite a long time (for me). Feel better now, I think. Kind of somber, thoughtful. Was watching
Parenthood. Was near the end. I was laughing, then a few tears started slipping out. By the end I was crying.
I feel better now. Already said that. Oh well. Think it was an accumulation of the past month, catching up with me and
escaping. Better that it leave me than stay in. I wish I could describe the wealth of emotion felt, but I can't. I am
in need of a hug. It is rare that I feel I need a hug, but this is one of those rare times. I'll find one somewhere,
tomorrow, probably. *sigh*
9/16/2003:
Look at how much updating I can do, now that I have all this free time! *sigh* It's nice to have the time off while my leg
is healing, but I am greatly looking forward to when it is healed and I can get out and do things without so much hassle
and inconvenience.
Got cable TV installed today, standard basic channels. It will be good to have when I'm on the couch, leg elevated
(common situation), and just looking for something to occupy the time. I usually work on my D&D campaign during such
situations, but it's nice to have something to watch, and I can work on the campaign during commercials. Speaking of which,
my planning for the campaign is going well, and I look forward to our next playing session, which is tomorrow night.
Continuing fun for all involved :)
Had a very disturbing sexual dream last night. I still can't shake the feeling of wrongness about the whole thing.
I won't go into it here. I don't feel comfortable discussing it, but hoped that mentioning it might get it out of my head.
9/15/2003:
Almost got in a car accident on my way to Blockbuster today. That's just what I need: more injuries. The light turned
green, I went ahead, and a car blows through the red light behind me, blaring his horn, like it was my fault
he almost drove right into the side of my car. I shouldn't have to look both ways before driving through a green light,
but with the way people drive around here, I'm going to have to start doing just that. Rented The Hunted, on a
recommendation from Blackwatch. Also picked up Parenthood,
because it's a good, funny movie.
Finished Black House yesterday. Excellent, excellent book. A
must-read if you like Stephen King, especially if you've read
The Talisman and the Dark Tower series. I started reading
Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles yesterday. Interview with the
Vampire is the first book. I'm about 60 pages in, and so far, I find it quite enjoyable. It's the first book I've
ever read by Anne Rice, and I look forward to continuing to read her work.
The accident on 8/15 continues to haunt me. Sometimes, I just cannot stop the images and feelings from coming back. The
worst part of the whole thing was the loss of control and the feeling of complete helplessness as we moved towards
the guardrail. Like many such happenings, all was in slow motion, until we connected with the rail, then it all went
very fast, and before I knew it, I was laying on my right side, next to the road, with my left hand on my bloodied left
leg, saying, "It's broken, it's broken", over and over again. *shudder* *sigh*
9/14/2003:
Had a good weekend up in VT. Jeff and Mike are off to Santa Monica, CA. I wish them the best of luck and health in their
journey. Went to see
Once Upon a Time in Mexico
last night. I thought it was pretty decent, though some of the
effects were so over-the-top that it was more funny than impressive. When you shoot people with a shotgun, you don't
get sparks, smoke, and explosions where the bullets hit. You just don't.
Johnny Depp was, of course, great in his role. Salma Heyek (sp) shouldn't have
been listed as a star of the film; she just didn't have enough screen time for that. Her character was important to the
film, but there weren't many visuals involving her (sadly). After the movie, Jesse, Jeff, Mike and I hung out and played
rummy until midnight or so. It was great :)
Page Updates:
- It's fixed! Now, your address bar should say "dragon-rider.us" instead of my IP address. Once DNS updates, hopefully
everyone will be able to get to the page. Yay!
9/11/2003:
Watched Death to Smoochy last night. Pretty good movie.
Funny. Robin Williams was more pissed off in that movie than I think I've ever seen him. Edward Norton, of course,
was good in his role. Two nights ago, I watched
Memphis Belle. I always liked that movie, and
decided it was time to see it again. Watched
Tonari no Totoro tonight. It was pretty good. Silly in
parts, serious in others, as good anime should be. Totoro is a very interesting character. I also liked the giant cat-bus
:)
Tomorrow, I'm meeting my Mom, aunt, and uncle at the airport to see my grandmother off. She's flying back to Florida.
I hope everything goes well for her down there. After that, I'm headed to VT to see Jeff off to California. He's leaving
sunday I think, and I plan on returning here on that day, as well. Hopefully I'll make it back on the planned day this
time.
In site news, I've set up the transfer of my domain to another registrar
(Registerfly.com), which offers free dynamic DNS, and forwarding/
masking if I need it, so "dragon-rider.us" can show up in the address bar, instead of my IP!
9/8/2003:
Just finished watching Identity. Goddamn what a
good movie. Lots of nice plot twists, turns, and surprises. Not much more to say, but see it if you haven't.
Started reading Black House by Stephen King and Peter Straub. It's the sequel to The Talisman. About 1/3
of the way through so far, and it is very good. More ties to the Dark Tower of course; the Beam, the Breakers, the
Crimson King have all been mentioned several times. Good stuff. Gets my imagination going on dark paths, and I like
it.
Something that came to me tonight:
A parade of dark shadows
Marches across the back of my eyes.
I like to think others can see it,
But my hopes of such things are lost for now,
Until I can project such things forth from me
Or meet someone who can see behind my eyes.
Met someone whom I feel a good connection with. We had a good conversation tonight, and I am really looking forward
to our next one. Our conversation flowed without awkwardness or interruption, and it felt good. I conveyed these feelings
to her, and she agreed, the connection is there, though how powerful the connection or what form the energies will take
remains to be seen. I eagerly await our next conversation.
9/7/2003:
The birthday wasn't quite as bright as I'd hoped. As most of you who read this probably know by now, my dad and I went
out on a motorcycle ride (his bike) on the night of 8/15. While going (thankfully) fairly slow, we hit some gravel and
slid into a guardrail on the left side of the road. My dad sustained some puncture wounds on his left leg from the
bolts on the rail. I ended up with a fractured shin bone, and ended up in the hospital that night. For my birthday, on
8/16, I received a few hours in surgery, where the doctor inserted a steel rod into my leg, running from my knee to my
ankle. The rod will hold the bone in place and keep it straight while it heals. Beats a cast. I spent a week in the
hospital, then another week and a half at my parents' place up in VT. As of last wednesday night, I am finally back
home in MA, and healing steadily. At least I should be able to build up my arms with all this crutching around...
I did get some good presents for my birthday, besides the rod. My parents got me a much-needed new black trenchcoat, which
I love, even though I haven't gotten to wear it yet. Also, I received a much-wanted digital camera :) It's a Fujifilm
2650, 2.0 megapixel. Came with a 16 MB memory card, which is plenty for me right now. It takes good pictures, and can
also record small video clips. I am very happy with it, and of course had to take pictures! So there are some new
pictures posted in the appropriate
section.
Still working on getting used to being home, and the differences inherent in getting around on crutches all the time. I've
gotten set up down here pretty well now, and can relax most anywhere in my apartment, and have access to media and things
to do (movies, games, reading, etc). Speaking of which, it's time to go get some lunch, and elevate my leg some more
(a very common occurence, the leg-elevating).
Found an interesting link: Battleground God.
This is how I fared:
How did you do compared to other people?
- 100871 people have completed this activity to date.
-You suffered 1 direct hit and bit 1 bullet.
-This compares with the average player of this activity to date who takes 1.37 hits and bites 1.10 bullets.
-46.75% of the people who have completed this activity, like you, took very little damage and were awarded the TPM Medal of Distinction.
-7.48% of the people who have completed this activity emerged unscathed with the TPM Medal of Honour.
Page Updates:
- added more pictures to Pics section.
- archived logs from 1st half of 2003.
8/14/2003:
This place is starting to wear me out. Hard to get motivated to come to work, knowing you won't be working in the same
place 3 weeks from now (if working at all). But I am willing to work here until the end, to support my friends and
coworkers if nothing else. *sigh*
In brighter news, my birthday is coming up in 2 days, and I'm going up to VT to see my family. My cousin Jon may also be
coming to visit, which would be great, as I haven't seen him in 14 years. I hope also to connect with some friends while
I am up there.
Page Updates:
- updated Pics page. Pics now posted from last weekend's party!
8/11/2003:
Trying to figure out why my muscles are sore today, and I cannot. Feels like I worked out, but I haven't really. Played
some frisbee on Saturday, but it wasn't strenuous at all. Front of my thighs and the area above my shoulder blades are
sore. Just odd. Perhaps I can talk someone into giving me a shoulder massage today.
Still feeling elated from my weekend. Coming to work was a bit of a letdown after such a good weekend. Amazing how little
I can tolerate my job now that I know I won't have it in a month. Job search has only yielded 1 positive contact so far,
and there are no new positions opening in that company until an estimated 8/21. Will be calling them on that date, at
their request, to see if I can get in there somewhere (consulting company). Will see how it goes then. Still don't
really know what I want to do, but tech support is currently the most viable option, because it's something I know, and
something I can get paid to do.
Page Updates:
- added Pagan Links section to Links page.
The 3 there so far I got from business cards obtained at Starwood 2003.
8/10/2003
Just got back a little while ago from a really good party (party was last night, until I crashed and slept around 4 am this
morning). I got to wear a toga all night. I got to see all my friends wear togas. I met some very cool and interesting
people, and got to see them wear togas. I got to be creative, writing runic phrases on many people, starting with basic
things, then moving deeper into what I felt for/about them; I felt it was good for everyone. A black Sharpie marker is
my new party accessory. I had 4 separate people bite me, and also obtained quite a number of scratch marks. I got to
experience the beauty that is two girls kissing (twice). I bantered, I talked deeply with friends, I laughed alot, I
smiled, I felt happy. Good times to be had by all. Pictures to be posted, with permission, when I get them.
8/8/2003:
It's 1:00 am and both servers are back up now. Rebooting the router seemed to fix the website problem (whew). Had to
replace the motherboard in Direwolf. Now it's running at 350 Mhz, but at least it's running (and better than expected).
Will look into getting a
new motherboard next week, so I can put the 866 processor back in. Whee computer fun. At least it was a lot more fun
than work tonight, where I took 79 calls! Woo! Time to watch some cartoons and go to bed. G'night!
8/7/2003:
My file server (Direwolf)
is down until further notice... I woke up this morning, to find it locked up completely. The power and
hard drive activity lights were on solid, and there was no video output. I had to turn off the power supply to get the
machine to turn off. Turned it back on: the power supply kicks on, but nothing else happens. Curiously bad stuff. Took
out the RAM (3 sticks), tried 1 stick individually in each slot, testing 2 of the 3, in case of a bad stick. Same problem.
Tried a different PSU, same problem. Doesn't even start to start up. Bad motherboard? I'm starting to think so,
as unhappy as that is. Could be the processor. I'll have to see if my P2 350 proc will work on that motherboard, for
testing purposes. Hopefully it will; otherwise I have no way to test it. If it doesn't, I'll set up the P2 350 and
motherboard it is currently attached to with all the same components, and we'll see how it goes. I might have time for
that tonight. Will post when I know more about the situation. Didn't have much time to futz with it before work.
8/4/2003:
All this rain has made it so I haven't been able to lay my tarp out to dry, so I can clean it and put it away. May have
to clean it in the shower, and let it dry in the bathroom... I don't really want it in my trunk much longer; afraid it
may start molding.
Talked to my apartment complex's management office today, hoping they would be able to offer me a 1-bedroom apartment
somewhere nearby. Turns out the least expensive 1-bedroom they can offer me is only $100 less than what I am currently
paying for my 2-bedroom. I'm going to have to do some searching elsewhere, it seems. I will probably do that today for
awhile, to see what there is around here, even though I'll be at my current residence until the end of October, when my
lease expires. Of course, if I get a job outside of commute distance, I'll have to move for that, anyway, but I don't want
to plan on leaving the area yet. Just need to take things day by day...
Feel a little more awake today than yesterday, which is good. Practicing earth shielding today, because I want to get
back in touch with those energies, and active practice is the best way I can think of.
I picked up some interesting items at Starwood. I found a nice Egyptian-styled longknife (sharpened) and sheath for a
relatively low cost. That now adorns my bedroom wall, near my saber. I also purchased my first sarong, a piece of cloth
that resembles a small tapestry, which can be worn in a variety of ways. It is colored a tranquil blue, with a black
celtic cross in the middle. I haven't worn it yet. I found a nice dragon necklace, which I gave away as a gift. Also, I
bought a new ring for myself, which I now wear on the index finger of my left hand. The design on the ring resembles
thorned vines. I like it alot. Was looking at my other rings, and I've got most of the elements accounted for now :)
Thorn ring for earth, dragon ring for fire, wave ring for water. Do not possess a suitable air ring yet, but I'm sure
I will find one sometime, as long as I'm not actively searching for one :)
Oh, I also got a really sweet faerie shirt. It's ironic that I forgot to mention this, since I was wearing it today...
Also picked up a couple bumper stickers. One says "Celtic Warrior", which I gave as a gift to a friend. The other one,
which I kept, says "Walker Between the Worlds". I like that one :)
Mental note: never try to wash a dirty 10' X 10' tarp in a 6' X 3' bathtub. It will end up out on the wet lawn, where, if
no one steals it, the rain will do the washing for me.
Page Updates:
- created link to Starwood 2003 Journal on sidebar.
8/3/2003:
My Starwood energy high has faded. My stomach is still feeling much better, which I am thankful for, but for the past
3 days, I have been waking up tired, regardless of the amount of sleep I'm getting, which is what I was experiencing a
couple of weeks ago. Could be the lack of exercise, as I haven't exercised since Starwood. I plan to start in with the
sticks again later this week. Should help. Perhaps some meditation to focus my energies would help, as well. I did learn
all that wonderful stuff out at Starwood; now to put some of it to good use.
Weekend went well. Hung out with Chris on Friday for a few hours, got to see Wolverine's Revenge and Pikmin
played. I can see why Pikmin is addictive. Will have to play it at some point, somewhere :) Played D&D on Saturday
this week, which worked out really well. We played for about 6 hours, chatted, bantered, and ate dinner for another 2 and
1/2, making for an overall very enjoyable Friday, where we got to relax and still make lots of progress campaign-wise. The
PCs have now achieved 6th level, and will most likely head north next session, to see if the elves of Sh'ley Forest have
any answers to their questions.
Speaking of the campaign, I continue to develop new ideas, which is a lot of fun for me, as it gives me something to do,
gives me a release for my imagination, and almost ensures great fun for sessions to come :)
Finally watched Laputa Castle in the Sky (anime) last night. It was silly in parts, but had a good story and I
enjoyed it immensely. I recommend it.
7/31/2003:
Tent is finally all dried out and put away. Still need to finish drying the rainfly and my tarp. Should be able to
do that tomorrow.
Thought up a whole bunch of ideas for my D&D campaign today. Wrote up 2 and 1/2 pages of information and got started on
some new maps. Playing on Saturday afternoon this week; should have enough information for a decent session by that time.
7/30/2003:
My Starwood 2003 Journal has been all typed up and posted. It's a good
amount of reading, but I think most of you will find it quite interesting. I am going to copy some of the information
over to the Mystic section of the page soon. I will note it as an update when it is done. Now it is sleepy time.
- Page Update: Starwood 2003 Journal posted.
7/29/2003:
I have returned from my vacation. I had an awesome, wonderful, excellent time out at Starwood. I am still working on
finishing up my journal from Starwood, and then I will get it into electronic form and post it here on the site.
I hope to finish it and get it posted by the end of the week. I won't go into anything here until I get that up and
readable; then I'll expand on my experiences out there.
I will say this: it's a whole other world out there. Star put it well: "Starwood exists in its own bubble, outside of
the rest of the world". While you are there, you are in a totally different environment from everywhere else. Everyone
is friendly and open-minded, and they are willing to talk about anything, at almost any time. Plus, clothes are optional,
so you can be as free or as conservative as you want to be in respect to your attire.
Getting back into my usual routine after being in such an environment has been a little difficult. I spent the past week
without a computer, and I didn't miss it much. There was so much else for me to do, discover, and learn, that I didn't
really even think about it. The only thing I missed once in awhile was a) my music collection, and b) the information
to be gained from the internet, to expand on what I learned each day out there. Now that I am home, I plan to expand on it
:) Also, the energies in Starwood are generally really uplifting, and one gets attuned to them. Here, at work, the energy
is not quite so happy, and the huge amounts of electricity pouring through the building all the time only serves to distort
these energies further. It will take a few days to attune myself to this environment again, but I am certain of my
success.
Today is going by v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y. And my typing skills were doing good last night, but they are slowly failing me
today. I guess I didn't just need a break; I really just cannot type ;)
7/18/2003:
It's 5:15 pm and I think I'm all ready to go. Have most of my stuff packed; some of it will need to wait until tomorrow
morning before I leave (i.e. toothbrush, deodorant, and soap), but otherwise, I'm all ready to go! Now, to just sit back
and relax for the rest of the day, and try not to get to anxious about my vacation ;)
7/17/2003:
Crappy day already, and I haven't even taken a call yet. Slept restlessly, woke up tired, stomach in a huge knot for
no reason. Ate breakfast as late as possible, and still stomach is upset because of it. But this is it. Last day
before vacation. Tomorrow, I relax, pick up a few remaining items, and pack my stuff. Saturday, it's off to Maine to
see Star. Then, Monday, it's off to Starwood! Probably won't get there until midnight, but Starwood doesn't start until
Tuesday, anyway, so it's all good! Hopefully today won't continue to suck. A cute girl did smile at me from her car on
the way in, so it is certainly not all bad.
Page Updates:
- added more webcomics to Links page.
- updated Link of the Now.
7/16/2003:
I am so sick of today. I just want to go home. We've been busy all day. This in itself is not a bad thing, but our
machines have been running like crap because of the extra monitoring the company is doing to make sure we're not being
mean to customers, and therefore I need to wait all the time for my computer to actually load my tools so I can help
the people that are calling me for help. Arrrrrrrrrrgggghhhh!!!!!
I don't want to talk to people on the phone any more today. Please, make them stop calling me.
Need to do some meditation tonight, to get some of this frustrated energy out, so I can relax. Hopefully that will help
my stomach, too, which has been acting up all week. Just 1 more hour to go... And after tomorrow, vacation!!!
7/15/2003:
"It's the final countdown." T-minus-52 days and counting.
Have dreamed about Starwood for the past 2 nights in a row, intermingled with visions of the dream realm and other realms.
I know I've been traveling, but my memories are in pieces, like so many shards of glass. I am looking forward to my
vacation. Just a few more days to go. And while I'm on the subject: while I'm away, my web and ftp servers will be up.
However, if they go down for any reason, and require repair, they won't be getting it until I return. Just a warning.
Hopefully they will stay up for the duration of my vacation. I'm a poet and I didn't know it. I'm insane in the
membrane, insane in the brain (un poco loco). Augh.
I have been happy to discover that there are jobs out there. Not many, but some, and within commuting distance,
no less. Most are about 1 hour away from here, which is a far commute for me, but not impossible. And if I land a good job at that distance, I will certainly seek to move closer at the earliest opportunity.
Have spent the last two days working,
tweaking my resume, applying for jobs, and not much else. Maybe I can do some other things today. I do need to do some
work on my campaign before thursday. Speaking of which, the campaign is going quite well, aside from our first PC death
last week. The monk was knocked down, healed, got up, knocked down, healed, got up, then knocked down to -8. Druid tried
to heal, attack of opportunity was landed, critical, with a great axe, knocking him down 22 hp. He did not make his
concentration check, spell failed, monk died. The player is currently creating a new character to play in the campaign
from this point forward. I look forward to seeing how the new character comes out. The PCs are currently 5th level,
rapidly approaching 6th. Still having a great deal of fun running the campaign. I get the impression my PCs feel the
same :)
Finished
The Complete Book of Swords yesterday. It was very good. I will need to pick up the books
that come afterward at some point. I started on my next book today,
The Psychic Battlefield. It looks to be quite an interesting read. Reports to follow.
Think I overdid my exercising 2 nights ago. Shoulders and middle back are still quite sore, like I overextended a bit.
Will probably do some more stick/sword work tonight, but will take it easier. Going to be driving alot in the coming
weekend (4 hours on Saturday, ~12 hours on monday), and want to be comfortable while doing so. I'm going to Starwood!
Yay!!!
7/13/2003:
The weekend was really good. Got to spend time with Jen, Chris, Kris, Pete, and Roland. Saw
The League of Extraordinary Gentlement on Friday night, and found it
to be very entertaining. Saw
Pirates of the Caribbean on Saturday. Also a very
good movie. Was money well spent on movies during the weekend. Was especially nice to spend time with Chris and Jen, whom
I do not get to see very often.
As some of you may have noticed, production has been halted on dragon-rider.us. I will start expanding it again when I can. Currently, much of the time I used to spend working on the site is spent researching possible new jobs for myself.
I traveled 3 nights ago, to the Realms, and I actually remembered bits of it when I returned. This is a good sign. Maybe
I can do it again soon. Hope so...
2 nights ago, as I lay exhausted on my bed, I felt a hand gently massaging my temples, where there was some pain. I've
been getting headaches, centered around my temples, more often lately. The near-ghostly hand eased the pain, allowing me
to fall into a deep sleep. I am still wondering who the hand belonged to; whether someone from this world or another.
If anyone has any knowledge of this, contact would be appreciated.
7/9/2003:
Talked to Dad last night, Mom this morning. Grandmother had seizures yesterday, had to be taken to the hospital. Heart
stopped once, I think; they needed to use the defribulators (sp?). She's alive, but still undergoing monitoring and
treatment in the hospital.
Oh, fucked up life. Anyone need a computer tech? My resume is mostly updated. Just needs some design changes. Hell, most
of you who read this are already computer techs, probably looking for new jobs... but if you find an opening for a tech, drop me a line. You know where to reach me.
7/8/2003:
What a completely fucked up day. First off, I talk to my friend whom I was supposed to go see in Canada in a week, and she
has a friend going into surgery that weekend that she needs to be with, so I cannot see her. Mad? no. Disappointed? yes,
since we have been waiting to meet each other for years. But I understand she has to do what she has to do, and that
is just fine with me. We will catch up at some point. Maybe next summer.
Which brings me to my next point: I was informed today, around 1:30 pm, that, as of 9/5/2003, this call center will fold,
thereby laying off everyone who works here. This is a complete and total shock to all of us, who, just today, were
commenting on our job security. Let me tell you, nothing is fucking secure in this world. So now it's time, again, for me
to start hunting for a job; a prospect I do not find in the least bit entertaining. I don't have the words to express
right now how pissed off I am, and I cannot even form much for coherent sentences, let alone type them. I will post
later, when my head is not so muddled. Just thought I'd let anyone who actually reads this the oh-so-happy news.
And to add to the wonderfullness that is life, my closet is taking in water again, after maintenance supposedly "fixed it"
last week. Looks like time to call them again... When it rains, it fucking pours. Shite.
At least I still have my health... wait, no I don't. Nothing like some added stress for the ole' stomach.
7/7/2003:
Feeling better today. Stomach not quite so unhappy, and no sign of a headache yet (knock on virtual wood).
Started playing Utopia today. Sweet little free online game
where you get to run your own kingdom and wage war on other kingdoms. Mmm, medieval fantasy fun. For games at home,
I've been playing few. Have been working slowly through Jedi Knight II, and occasionally playing
UT2003 with my
clan. Also, some Diablo II has been played, with my Necromancer
finally achieving 64th level, and my new Paladin reaching, um, 8th, I think ;)
The rest of my time has been spent doing...other things. I'm not quite sure where all my time goes. Did spend some time
organizing my MP3s last night...but that didn't take too long. Also watched an old fantasy classic,
Krull, on my new TV :)
7/6/2003:
Good weekend in VT. Got to see most of my family up there, though there were some I had hoped to see and did not. Perhaps
during my next visit, probably in August, as I do have a birthday then. Hit a yardsale while I was up there, and picked
up some good stuff. Got a color 20" TV in good working order for $40. Also picked up books: Anne Rice's Vampire
Chronicles series, plus a couple others. Books were $1 apiece. Plus, got some movies for the same price: Krull, Sneakers, The Abyss, Spawn, and one other that I cannot recall just now. Will give me something to
watch on my new TV :)
Starting to remember dreams again, so I'm happy about that. However, they seem to be taking alot out of me the past couple
nights. I'm not getting the rest that I need through sleep. Will have to remedy that in some way. Will meditate on it
tonight. May also have to do with the magnet treatment I have started again. Certain magnet placements affect my
sleeping. I will have to narrow those down and avoid them if possible. As a result of the above, I am quite tired today.
Thankfully, work is slow, so I have time to relax and prepare for tomorrow, which is certain to be busy.
Just two more weeks until my big vacation. Have most things in order, ready for my trip. Need to get a few small items,
but even if I somehow forget them before I leave, they would be easy enough to find elsewhere, on my way out or whichever.
I have been plagued, last night and into today, by feelings that something is wrong with one of my friends, but which I
cannot pinpoint. One I will see soon, hopefully, and find out yes or no from her. Otherwise, I have no idea, and each time
I try to focus to get a more definite idea, I just get more tired. Will have to meditate close to bedtime tonight, because
I'll probably fall asleep while doing it.
7/3/2003:
Find myself wondering about the design of the new site. The setup is identical to this site, with the side by side frames
and all. I did try a top frame for awhile, but it just doesn't suit my needs for the page. Functionality is the key
for the page right now. Yes, I want it to look nice, but I guess there is nothing wrong with the look, as it does
look nice, if the same as this site.
Spent a good while today going over the various configuration options for Apache and making a couple tweaks here and
there. Good learning experience. Most of my other work time today was spent reading a battered copy of
The Complete Book of Swords, which is required reading for someone like myself, but I hadn't actually gotten to
reading it until a week or so ago. Coming along well. I just started the 2nd book (of 3). Thank you to Miranda for
letting me borrow it.
A couple of days ago, my life seemed kind of hollow and empty, and then, over the past couple days, it has been full
to the brim with stuff to do and thoughts of more stuff that needs doing. I would rather be busy than bored, but with
more business comes worry about things that I may not get done that I feel I need to get done. Can't even think of a solid
example right now, but there are some. At least maintenance finally came today to fix the water problem in my apartment.
Knock on wood, the baseboard on the outside walls has not leaked a bit, but last week I noticed dampness along the baseboard
in my bedroom closet, and it had gotten worse as the week went on, so I called maintenance today and Raul finally came down
to fix the problem. The water leak was being caused by my bathtub faucet, which I knew leaked, and had called maintenance
on a few times before, but they never showed up to fix the problem. Raul was fixing it when I left for work, and a fan
was running in my closet to dry the floor out in there. So hopefully things will be all good when I get home. And once
that is verified, I pack up and head to VT until Saturday :) And thank you again to Miranda for taking care of
Lynx whilst I'm gone.
7/1/2003:
Talked to Amy P again last night. She's working nearby this week, but she gets out at 3:30, and I don't get out until
8:30, so no chance of seeing her this week. Hopefully soon. Been too long since we've gotten to see each other. She
agrees. This is a good thing. Also got to talk to Heather, finally. I have been needlessly worrying about her, but I
do that. I suppose it's payback of sorts that she disappeared for a couple months; I have a tendency to do the same
thing sometimes, though with my newly acquired cell phone, anyone who I have given the number to can get ahold of me
that much easier now. I will call her again tonight, and we will discuss the dream realm and happenings in other worlds.
Things are stirring, but I don't have a clear enough picture right now to describe what is happening. Hopefully soon
I'll be able to put it to words.
Page Updates:
- dragonrider.us -> added more dragons, and a few more links to pictures on the riders page.