Truth Hits Everybody - Pt. 9...

9) I Make No Resolutions That I Know I'll Never Keep...

New Year's Day is upon us all and I've been taking a little time recently to put things in perspective. Normally on a day such as this, you will hear/read/see countless articles/entries/programs covering "predictions of the coming year," resolutions made and in-depth looks back at events of the previous year.

Here's my recap:

In 2007, I worked a hell of a lot.

I managed to knock off a few days here and there to go goof off, notably tubing and a very brief trip to the Gulf Coast.

I didn't write, Photoshop or web design anything of consequence.

I did, however, make a kickass retirement video for my Dad, which I was very proud of.

Besides that, I didn't create much in regards of my own stuff, but essentially assigned most of my creative brainpower to the various projects I've had at work.

I think I lost a best friend who'd I worked closely with on various projects over the past few years as well as just having a good time whenever we could. I think this one just happened like things sometimes do and it's a shame. Tried to contact a bunch of times, to no avail. That sucks, but these things happen. My pal moved away to find a better existence and there is not a thing in the world wrong with that.

Another friend also moved away to Illinois, but we still keep in contact.

Another friend moved away to Seattle, but we exchange e-mails here and there.

Fortunately, on the awesome side of things, I reconnected with three excellent colleagues from the past. That made me very happy and I hope to see more of them again soon!

My brother got me hooked on crack this Christmas. Um, World of Warcrack(craft), that is. I may not be able to play every day now that the holidays are officially over with, but I'm sure I'll be there to fight the good fight when I can. I think the awesome part of this is that my bro and I can catch up with each other's lives from time to time while we're beating the ever living piss out of nasty monsters and exploring a huge world. It's a blast of a game, if a little too addicting for my own good. Heh. Yaaay for brotherly battles against great evil for great justice!

I had lots of late night hilarious/awesome/insightful chats with my esteemed colleague, the Honourable Ash of Indiana. Hope your New Year is faaaannnntastic.

I did manage to explore more recipes in the kitchen this year. I do so enjoy the freedom of cooking something new.

I survived '07! Yaay!

I wrote quite a few blog entries (not one per day, mind you) and that makes me grateful to those who stop by my chunk o' words! Happy New Year to you all! :)

In less than 9 hours from now, the last digit in the year will roll over. I mentioned earlier about not making resolutions that I know I'll never keep? Yep, I haven't made a one. I think I'll start this year without any unreasonable expectations and build up from there.

To me, that's the best resolution I know I could make! :)

Happy New Year!

Truth Hits Everybody - Pt. 8...

8) Christmas Keeps Me Busy. Reeeeaallllyyyy Gorammed Busy...



*****EXTREMELY UPPER-CASED WARNING*****

Don't let your kids read this. I don't want certain things in life spoiled for them. I also am ranting about the holiday season in general and I do not want to be your buzzkill. Heh.

Read further at your own discretion.

*****/Warning*******



My last update was on the 6th, so I posted two updates today. Not that this makes up for my absence, mind you, but it does provide a starting place for Holiday Season 2007 - eXtreme Edition!

This month, no, this entire quarter has been a busy one. I've had twice the amount of work to do over last year so I've been spending a lot of time in my editing cave, more so than last year. It'll make my bank account happy to actually have some savable cash in there for a change, but lords did it take a lot of effort to get there.

Remember when you were a kid and December was filled with wonder, excitement and visions of that skateboard or Barbie Dream House that you JUST HAD TO HAVE? What the fuck happened to that, if may I ask in so blunt a fashion?

Truth is, you grew up. You became an adult, worried about finding this and that, dealing with deadlines, uninspiring corporate Christmas parties, putting up with relatives who drive you fecking insane (yet you thought they were the loveliest people when you were a kid), dealing with lines, traffic and the in-rush of unidentifiable fruitcakes and NON-STOP ADS, JINGLES, CAROLS AND OBNOXIOUS ATTEMPTS TO TOUCH YOUR HEARTSTRINGS WITH ONE HAND WHILE THEY SNEAK THEIR OTHER HAND INTO YOUR PURSESTRINGS.

Am I shouting in a slightly hypocritical fashion? Perhaps so. I've worked around retail environments in one form or another for half my life now, so I know the score. This holiday hullabaloo keeps me in a job and without it, I'd be slinging pizza again while looking for another job. That's the truth of the matter.

"Make money. Make more money. Make other people make money.”

-L. Ron Hubbard

Heh. You noticed who the quote was from, eh? Fear not, I haven't started ph34r1ng Xenu's return yet or anything. I will say this for LRH; sick little bastard that he was, he didn't hold back much on his own deranged outlook on life.

I tend to get a little cynical this time of year and that quote from one man's deranged mind seems to sum up for me the unspoken First Law of Retail. Make money at all costs.

It's the reality of it that strikes in my heart. When we were kids, we were told of the jolly fat man who'd carpet bomb the world with peace and joy...

...and loot. We didn't know where it came from, nor did we care. The elves made it, man! Don't question the universal truth of Santa and his benevolent nature.

We'd spend time with the family, play with our toys, get hugs and cookies from grandma. Then we'd spend the day immersed in the awesomeness that was Christmas.

How do you feel about it now? Do you still have that same excitement? Do you count down the days in anticipation of the joy of the day, or do you count down the days until you don't have to hear "Frosty the Snowman" for the umpteenth time?

Kinda digs at you, doesn't it?

Breaks my heart, to be honest. I look at how this month passed and I can't say I feel... Anything besides "thank Deus, THAT'S over."

Perhaps extremely tired, perhaps a little over-negative. I tell myself that today was the finish line, V-Day, The End, but what's left beyond that?

I'm spending time with the family tomorrow and that makes me happy. Not joyful Christmas Spirit happy, mind you, but earnestly goddamned glad to see you kind of happy. Some of my assembled family I haven't seen in 1.65 years since they moved across the continent and I cannot wait to see them. Some others I saw just a month ago, others six months ago.

I know not who in the family is coming, but I hope everyone in reasonable driving distance will stop in at some point. Just to check in, if nothing else. Let me know that they're alive and that they are doing well. I miss the hell out of all of them.

And, selfish as it may sound, I hope to regain a sense of what the Holidays are supposed to be about.

I need that most of all.

Take Us To Defcon Santa...

For those who've never seen this, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is currently tracking Santa's movements across the globe as they have for several years now. They've teamed up with Google Maps to provide updated map info and video recreations of his visits every five minutes.

Click here to keep track of the Big Guy as he races against the clock to deliver goodies for Christmas!

Also, Happy Christmas to you all!

I Got My iPod, Textbooks, Lead Me To The Station...

Apple recently posted this on their website:

iTunes University

Basically you can access online college courses and podcasts via the iTunes Store (using iTunes). I don't think you can actually get any real course credit right now, but if you're interested in learning something for shits and giggles, this is pretty neat!

I am currently "attending" the Worlds of Wordcraft course offered by Vanderbilt University. This English course takes the world of MMORPG's (by involving the online game Lord of the Rings-Online) and blends it into literature and thought. Pretty damned cool, pals.

***Shameless, unsolicited plug***

Also, if you're interested, head over to Texas Tech's page on the iTunes Store. If you click on the Ranching Heritage Center tab, you can listen to podcasts that are being produced by my ol' pal Robert. He hasn't recorded his own voice on there yet but he is responsible for putting these suckers together.

/***Shameless, unsolicited plug***

Truth Hits Everybody - Pt. 7...

7) I am a strong believer in the concept that a gentleman will walk but never run...

...except when chased.