The weather is getting chilly. I have had to keep the house's heater on tonight for fear that the pipes will freeze (they probably wouldn't but I am a worrier).
So because I did actually get a small amount of work done today I am going to treat myself to a good night's rest. Hopefully there will be a new movie review tomorrow.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Friday, November 7, 2008
What To Do?
There are two sides to everything that I want to do in life. On one hand, it seems like i would be totally happy doing close to nothing in the way of work. I would spend the vast majority of my time playing games, reading things I might want to look over myself, and over all live a life with a simple and slow routine. On the other hand, I would love to work hard at something, almost anything, and do something that I can eventually garner fame and pride from. While not totally exclusive, these two things become so as you move to the extremes of each.
Because of this I try to do like so many do in life. Make sure that the very busy days full of things that are hard to do (or you simply don't like to do but feel you must) are offset by a day every so often in which you do nothing but relax and enjoy the day. In thinking about this, I think about how Obama must feel right now. He no longer has to bounce around the country giving speeches every day, so there is some relaxation, but he is also gearing up to spend the next decade of his life never having a real day off.
For me today was a day of peace, I have taken every opportunity I can to be calm and happy and plan to continue to do so until tomorrow morning when I wake up and get to work on the multitude of things I have to get done this weekend.
Because of this I try to do like so many do in life. Make sure that the very busy days full of things that are hard to do (or you simply don't like to do but feel you must) are offset by a day every so often in which you do nothing but relax and enjoy the day. In thinking about this, I think about how Obama must feel right now. He no longer has to bounce around the country giving speeches every day, so there is some relaxation, but he is also gearing up to spend the next decade of his life never having a real day off.
For me today was a day of peace, I have taken every opportunity I can to be calm and happy and plan to continue to do so until tomorrow morning when I wake up and get to work on the multitude of things I have to get done this weekend.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Playing Games
We have been talking about Second Life and other virtual worlds in my Honors class lately. In fact, one of the assignments has been to go into SL and interact with the world and its inhabitants. This might be all well and good for some, but when it comes to any sort of MMO (massively multiplayer on-line) I just can't seem to get into it. Mostly it is because of two things: the scope and the people.
As a college student, already barely making time for his girlfriend, I find that there is just not enough time to go around learning how to build things in a place that not only has a steep learning curve but also no benefits outside of itself. Maybe if I thought I could gain in any way (even in a intangible way) I would be in these worlds more often, but as it is the job of inserting oneself into a community in a way that encourages the types of things I would want out of such a place... the job is time consuming.
Beyond this, I really just don't care about talking to people. I find that even in communities that I have made myself a part of in my 1st life there are a large number of people with whom I have no reason to interact with. These people do not make me a better person by connecting to them and thus they are but fluff in my social web. The same is true of most people in virtual worlds. Most everyone is friendly and kind, but it is rare that I really find a rapport with anyone. I am lucky to have the friends I have considering how poorly I keep up with any of them.
When I have time to enter a virtual world I like to do it on my own terms. If I have the chance over the Christmas break (ha!) I could see myself getting Fallout 3 and playing it for several days straight. Fallout is a game defined by its large world full of things to discover and do within it, but there is no one else there but you. This means to get the maximum benefit from the game I do not need to join a guild, talk to people to trade goods, or in anyway deal with other players. I can play the game on my terms and my terms alone.
This opposition to multiplayer games probably comes from my development as a gamer. While many of my friends were playing on-line with their Starcraft games, I was sitting at home playing Goldeneye in my room, all by myself. The idea of playing against other real people never really appealed to me until Halo entered my life during my senior year of high school. Being able to play with the few friends I had over two TVs and then talk about how awesome the battles were as we emptied the fridge at whosoever's house we were at gave me some of my favorite memories from that time. I bought a Gold X-box Live account when I first got to college, but playing against random people never really clicked for me. Likewise, playing WoW or any other MMO without anyone I could share some precooked bacon with after we killed a dragon seemed boring somehow.
Maybe I just need to host a kickin' LAN party sometime soon...
As a college student, already barely making time for his girlfriend, I find that there is just not enough time to go around learning how to build things in a place that not only has a steep learning curve but also no benefits outside of itself. Maybe if I thought I could gain in any way (even in a intangible way) I would be in these worlds more often, but as it is the job of inserting oneself into a community in a way that encourages the types of things I would want out of such a place... the job is time consuming.
Beyond this, I really just don't care about talking to people. I find that even in communities that I have made myself a part of in my 1st life there are a large number of people with whom I have no reason to interact with. These people do not make me a better person by connecting to them and thus they are but fluff in my social web. The same is true of most people in virtual worlds. Most everyone is friendly and kind, but it is rare that I really find a rapport with anyone. I am lucky to have the friends I have considering how poorly I keep up with any of them.
When I have time to enter a virtual world I like to do it on my own terms. If I have the chance over the Christmas break (ha!) I could see myself getting Fallout 3 and playing it for several days straight. Fallout is a game defined by its large world full of things to discover and do within it, but there is no one else there but you. This means to get the maximum benefit from the game I do not need to join a guild, talk to people to trade goods, or in anyway deal with other players. I can play the game on my terms and my terms alone.
This opposition to multiplayer games probably comes from my development as a gamer. While many of my friends were playing on-line with their Starcraft games, I was sitting at home playing Goldeneye in my room, all by myself. The idea of playing against other real people never really appealed to me until Halo entered my life during my senior year of high school. Being able to play with the few friends I had over two TVs and then talk about how awesome the battles were as we emptied the fridge at whosoever's house we were at gave me some of my favorite memories from that time. I bought a Gold X-box Live account when I first got to college, but playing against random people never really clicked for me. Likewise, playing WoW or any other MMO without anyone I could share some precooked bacon with after we killed a dragon seemed boring somehow.
Maybe I just need to host a kickin' LAN party sometime soon...
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
The Writing Process
For the past week or so I have had what could best be called writer's block when it comes to my thesis. Part of this is because I have been doing other projects, but most of it comes from an intense need to get it done. I often find that on most projects I can think much more clearly if I know I have a deadline, but it is far away. Right now my thesis needs to be mostly complete by the end of this month.
This is crazy.
I have spent the last year and a half working on this thing. I have read a good number of books, many make it into the paper while a good deal of them are only there in spirit only. I have had so many conversations about cool with my advisor, my girlfriend, my friends, my family, and nerdy guys who work for NASA out in New Mexico. I have written upwards of 150 pages on cool, but have junked most of it or at least refined it down to something between 40-50 pages. I apply everything I learn to cool, from game theory to democratic system formation. I may not be cool, but it is always on my mind.
After meeting with my advisor today and bouncing some ideas off of her, I wrote a little today. I will write more as soon as I wake up tomorrow too. I feel like I have a second wind. I might actually make this happen.
This is crazy.
I have spent the last year and a half working on this thing. I have read a good number of books, many make it into the paper while a good deal of them are only there in spirit only. I have had so many conversations about cool with my advisor, my girlfriend, my friends, my family, and nerdy guys who work for NASA out in New Mexico. I have written upwards of 150 pages on cool, but have junked most of it or at least refined it down to something between 40-50 pages. I apply everything I learn to cool, from game theory to democratic system formation. I may not be cool, but it is always on my mind.
After meeting with my advisor today and bouncing some ideas off of her, I wrote a little today. I will write more as soon as I wake up tomorrow too. I feel like I have a second wind. I might actually make this happen.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Where Do We Go From Here?
Now that we can get things done, Obama, do these things:
- Continue Twittering. If you want to stay popular and connected with the people make sure that you tweet every time you do anything at the White House.
- Don't till away your grass roots. While you might need to mow the lawn on your campaign support system do not get rid of it. Instead use the people you had generating support for you to begin creating informal local gatherings to talk about certain issues. Maybe every month is a different topic, but you must need to keep people engaged. We all too often turn off our brains when there doesn't seem to be anything going on that we can have a say in.
- Meet with every economic and political leader in the world. Go to China and talk with the people in charge of the business part of government. Go to Middle East and talk about what they can do to ensure that once oil is gone they will have industry to keep them rich.
- Be the leader of the party. Don't let Reed or Pelosi boss you around. You know what you want to do, get it done.
This is just a short list of things, general things, but if you follow them the rest will come.
- Continue Twittering. If you want to stay popular and connected with the people make sure that you tweet every time you do anything at the White House.
- Don't till away your grass roots. While you might need to mow the lawn on your campaign support system do not get rid of it. Instead use the people you had generating support for you to begin creating informal local gatherings to talk about certain issues. Maybe every month is a different topic, but you must need to keep people engaged. We all too often turn off our brains when there doesn't seem to be anything going on that we can have a say in.
- Meet with every economic and political leader in the world. Go to China and talk with the people in charge of the business part of government. Go to Middle East and talk about what they can do to ensure that once oil is gone they will have industry to keep them rich.
- Be the leader of the party. Don't let Reed or Pelosi boss you around. You know what you want to do, get it done.
This is just a short list of things, general things, but if you follow them the rest will come.
Monday, November 3, 2008
My Generation
For the last two years I have been looking forward to tomorrow night. That's because tomorrow night will be the first time I feel like I am a part of a generation of people who are willing to make something happen rather than ride on what the babyboomers did in the 60s.
Generation X has done very little in the way of pushing the world toward anything new and better. Instead, they let themselves become idle spectators in history refusing to admit that just because the Cold War was over that there was anything left to do. They seem to prefer accepting that we have reached the "end of history" as some political scholars have put it.
While I think it matters greatly as to who wins the election, I hope that either outcome will result in my peers standing up and making the things that work today better suited for tomorrow. I hope that we are able to spread information to everyone as to allow new ideas to sprout forth from every individual. I hope that we can take a world powered by oil, the sticky black remains of those who once lived and ruled, and turn it into a world powered by the supply of energy granted to us each day anew. I hope that we can soon provide the world with the feelings of joy the very privileged of us here in the West have by simply walking our peaceful streets at night after a full meal. I hope that we can all find a way to make sure that everyone's job is work and not labor.
I hope that I remember these words on the 5th, then again in January. It will be at these moments that our ideals will be tested. We must roll up our sleeves and dig our hands deeply into the soil of the future. Unlike those who came before us we must always know that the future is fertile with new opportunity, but it must be cultivated. From this we can produce something the likes of which has never been seen by civilization. I don't want to be the greatest generation, but I want to be better than any before. And I hope that we can inspire the next generation to the same or better.
My goals are lofty, but I don't think I am alone.
Generation X has done very little in the way of pushing the world toward anything new and better. Instead, they let themselves become idle spectators in history refusing to admit that just because the Cold War was over that there was anything left to do. They seem to prefer accepting that we have reached the "end of history" as some political scholars have put it.
While I think it matters greatly as to who wins the election, I hope that either outcome will result in my peers standing up and making the things that work today better suited for tomorrow. I hope that we are able to spread information to everyone as to allow new ideas to sprout forth from every individual. I hope that we can take a world powered by oil, the sticky black remains of those who once lived and ruled, and turn it into a world powered by the supply of energy granted to us each day anew. I hope that we can soon provide the world with the feelings of joy the very privileged of us here in the West have by simply walking our peaceful streets at night after a full meal. I hope that we can all find a way to make sure that everyone's job is work and not labor.
I hope that I remember these words on the 5th, then again in January. It will be at these moments that our ideals will be tested. We must roll up our sleeves and dig our hands deeply into the soil of the future. Unlike those who came before us we must always know that the future is fertile with new opportunity, but it must be cultivated. From this we can produce something the likes of which has never been seen by civilization. I don't want to be the greatest generation, but I want to be better than any before. And I hope that we can inspire the next generation to the same or better.
My goals are lofty, but I don't think I am alone.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
It has begun
While I would much rather be in the situation that the Penny-Arcade guys seem to be in, I am pretty much crazy busy right now. I have to polish up a thesis as to make it worthy of even being submitted for OTA, I have other papers to write, many books to read, and a house that needs constant cleaning thanks to the gathers that seem to be taking place here every weekend.
I am going to try to start blogging every day though. I know it will be hard and some days will be better than others, but it is National Novel Writing Month. And if I were to try to write a novel I might not have time for anything else.
In other news: Happy Birthday Tre!
I am going to try to start blogging every day though. I know it will be hard and some days will be better than others, but it is National Novel Writing Month. And if I were to try to write a novel I might not have time for anything else.
In other news: Happy Birthday Tre!
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