Tag Archive for 'money'

It’s late, so here’s a post.

Published on December 3, 2009 in Hobbies and Media. 6 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

So this is unique. I downloaded a beta of a program called OmmWriter, and that’s what I’m using to compose this blog post. The idea appears to be that with this absorbing the screen, I can concentrate on writing to my heart’s content. Seems to be working. I’m writing, after all, aren’t I? The program takes up the whole screen with a serene snowy minimalist scene, and also advises I put on headphones to complete the experience. In my ears is a very ethereal tune, also quite minimalist. I could grow used to using this software for creative writing (certainly can’t use it for school – I need my resources in front of me!).

Moving on… I seem to say this with every post, but I should be writing more often. It’s a release, if nothing else. But with school and schoolwork and fraternal obligations, family obligations, girlfriend obligations… my own obligations take the backburner. So here I am. Over a month later than when I last wrote. A lot has happened since then, I assure you, dear reader. To wrap up my entry from last time, FYE did evntually call me, but their offerings were too little too late. I’ve since given up on them and botcotted the franchise.

Halloween was pretty grea. I want was Frank West, photographer from Dead Rising, complete with my Canon T1i. :3 Yep, I bought the thing, and consequently went so poor the only idea I had for a cheap Halloween involved making the camera part of the outfit. Came off rather well, though, and I got to play with my new toy all that night.

As a sidenote, maybe this program is -too- peaceful. I just conked out for about 30 minutes. @_@ Now my eyes are all out of focus and fuzzy. :S

I’ve been hard at work on project after project. Everything is finished now, and I have a few grades back too. Remember the Star Wars/Romeo+Juliet mashup I posted back then? 96%. I couldn’t be more proud. That class is going spectacularly. Tomorrow I share my final project in that class, which I will stick here, too:

Done in Second Life (blegh), we did an adaptation of a scene from Troilus and Cressida, a lesser-known Shakespeare play. Since Cressida is a bit of a whore, we decided to exaggerate her elements and adapt the pivotal scene to a club, with Cressida in a skimpy outfit, and Diomedes as a pimp. Completing the scene with some popular dance music and voiceovers, we had a blast, and the prof seems to like it. I’m hoping for another A – this class should be a shoe-in for an A. :)

Who saw UP? I bought the Blu-ray when it came out on November 10th, and after waiting a week (fraternity initation), I was finally able to watch it. Wouldn’t ya know, I cried. Dammit all to hell, Pixar has me. How can a single movie studio have EVERY. SINGLE. MOVIE. they make be so original and emotional? Fuck, I get teary-eyed at the short “Partly Cloudy” that came before UP (it’s just that perfect. I know exactly how that cloud felt…):

So after Thanksgiving, on November 4th, I was on the way to the fraternity for our Wednesday night meeting when my car was hit by a MARTA Moblility bus. x___x This was awful – held me up for the meeting, damaged my car a bit, and mostly pissed me off. I lost my temper, but mostly at the world than anyone in particular. Thankfully I didn’t scream at the MARTA driver, his supervisor who showed up, or the cop (who was very helpful). The car is still in perfect working condition, but now has a dent on the back left side where the bus merged without looking into me. Because they were at fault, MARTA had a 3rd party insurance claims adjuster come look at my car, and “assess” it. Days later, I recieved the assessment in the mail: $742.60. For a dent to be fixed, and the car to be painted. @.@ Fuck. It’s like the money fairy just came in a dive bombed my wallet! I still have no intention on getting the dent fixed right away – it’s not hurting me or anything, and getting the car repainted means I have to actually CARE about scratches and whatnot. AND remove my bumper stickers? No way. I’ll just keep the money. Wooooo! Plans are already underway for my newfound wealth… Big ones. But little things include The Beatles Rock Band (waaaaant), a new telephoto lens for my beautiful camera, and I might be getting a used DS Lite for Pokemon-ing. >.> And maybe, finally, that bass guitar. But big plans first.

Speaking of games, I’ve been playing more and more of them recently. An unexpected gem for me, personally, is how much fun I’ve been having with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. I honestly didn’t expect to enjoy this title THIS much! A short single player campaign experience, but it’s brutal yet beautiful in how it’s presented. Imagine a game so compelling that it makes you actually consider the damage and violence you propogate. It’s how I felt, and how my stomach churned uncomfortably as I watched terrorists mow down civilians in an airport in MW2.

And when Russia brought the war to Virginia suburbs and bombed Washington DC… this game is amazing. Not to mention the actual combat itself is spot on, and the multiplayer is so much fun. I want to have a LAN party with my Xbox 360 in Augusta as soon as I possibly can. Anyway, please, guys, watch this trailer if you’ve seen nothing else about this game:

Another fun game (this time, wholly expected as such) is Brutal Legend. This game is the epitome of METAL, and I loved the environment it set up. With the handpicked metal soundtrack, this game screamed epic, and it was. While I’m showing things off here, I have to link to a recent discovery I’ve had many a lulz at: KnowYourMemes.com. Take a gander at some of their informative material:

…Why not speak about me a bit more here? I don’t know what the purpose of this blog is, yet. Sadly, you think I would. I share some vague thoughts, some vague feelings, and youtubes of far too much stuff I find entertaining.

Something about me: I have found that, almost against my own will, I really enjoy Twitter. Why is completely beyond me. I wish my friends would use it, or if they have one, used it more often. It’s a short blurb into the insight of their mind that I wish I had, I guess. I try to contribute enough, but I suppose I could be doing better with it. I could say some things that are more insightful. I think I’ll try this.

Sometimes I don’t feel I’m creative enough on my own. I’d love to actually go somewhere when I have time, take pictures and video to my heart’s content, come back to my Mac and MAKE something with them. I think I’ll make this my goal for the month. I don’t know if I can accomplish it, but I’ll try nonetheless. Wish me luck.

I wish I had a more skilled hand at poetry.
I wish I had access to materials like a pottery wheel and clay. Lately I’ve wanted to try my hands at throwing clay again.
Maybe I just want to THROW the clay.
Maybe I’m beginning to ramble.
Maybe I need to ramble.

… Maybe I need to go to bed. :) More coming soon. Just… remind me.

… And if you read this, a comment would really make my day. <3

a friend in need is a friend indeed, a friend with weed is better

Published on October 2, 2009 in Hobbies and Media. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , .

…Pay no mind to the title, simply a lyric from Placebo’s “Pure Morning” from their debut album “Without You I’m Nothing”. Picked it up last night from iTunes, and I’m enjoying it so far.

A number of times I load my blog and contemplate what to say. A number less I close it with far more work ahead of me. These past few weeks have been exactly that. What with Tricia moving in, fraternal obligations, but mostly class and project obligations… I’m been a busy fish. Working on a sonification project for Interactive Narrative/Fiction, our UI Design project, and just finished our Shakespeare Star Wars mashup, which I’d like to share here.

And opinions are more than welcome, either commented here or on the actual YouTube. :) I’m pleased with the outcome, especially Yoda’s bits and the Viceroy’s bits. :P

So I’m now sitting in UI Design and my weekend plans have been canceled. I’m okay with it – I understand why. I think I’ll end up sleeping when I get back to the apartment, but I’m unsure. I don’t know what else I can do – I’m actually more interested in doing nothing this weekend. :P

And suddenly it smells strongly of cut grass in here. Not the good kind of smell either, though I’ve never been a fan of the scent, but the sweaty gardener cut grass smell, and I’m getting a headache from this crap. I’ve actually been paying attention in this class now, but there’s only 10 minutes left. Maybe my next paragraph will be for the next class, but I feel like wrapping this up sooner than later.

I want, badly, some money. More and more often I find myself pining after something I can’t have, even though I would really like it. Even though I have the money for it, too, I can’t bring myself to buy it… like that Canon T1i. So… an alumnus emailed the fraternity with a job opening for a data entry specialist, and I emailed back my resume. 15 hours a week at $10 an hour? I hope they are okay with me. I’d love some spending money. I would buy that Canon T1i so fast. And… save for lenses. Like a Telephoto Zoom lense… or a tilt-shift lense. I had never seen or heard of tilt-shift before seeing this video last night. I am now fascinated with this, as this video is beautiful and perplexing at the same time.

This is Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. Yes. The actual thing. The lense changes perspective so strongly you think you’re looking at a miniature model. I. Want. To. Do. This. x.x Also, the music is so soothing.

Not to mention a plethora of other little doodads I could use, like an external harddrive or a new router. I just ordered a new thumbdrive from Amazon that’s the same size and shape as a key, so it will fit with my keychain a lot easier. Y’know, stuff like that. >.>

Let’s see where things go, right?

Chicken Catcher

Published on July 1, 2009 in Media. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

I wish I had the time to say more about life right now, but unfortunately I don’t have much to say. I’m still saving for that MacBook Pro, and all’s going well – payday is going to be Thursday as opposed to Friday because the office has that off for 4th of July. Another unpaid holiday because I’m not beyond the “new employee 90 day window” for getting paid holidays. :( Oh well.

I need more time in the day. *sigh*

But, as filler and as a promise to write more soon, I wanted to share this clip:

I normally do not like contemporary/modern country, but this was amazing. His name is Kevin Skinner, a chicken catcher from Kentucky, and this is his first audition on America’s Got Talent (my father loves the show). What a voice, and what a performance. As the judges put it… it was emotional. Just watch it – I certainly enjoyed it.

-Fish

Pruitt-Igoe

Published on May 14, 2009 in Hobbies and Media. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , .

It’s a sad story, but the complex just fascinates me in sheer scope. More on that later.

I apologise for not having written sooner – I was just getting back into the groove of it, too. :P But what with finals, immediately having to move out, and then immediately having to start work? It’s almost a surprise I haven’t dropped dead yet.

Almost.

So I’m all moved out of my fraternity. It’s a weird feeling, but altogether I’m so entirely glad I got to live there, and at the same time I’m so entirely glad I’m getting my very own apartment. However, the reality is sinking in of all the preparation I need to undergo for this immense move (after the home move in the coming month, which is even MORE immense). I need to have a kitchen table+chairs set, hopefully donated by my mother when she gets a new set for our new home. I hope to inherit a full-size bed from my grandmother for Tricia and I to sleep on in our apartment as well. The mattress is apparently so new it’s practically never-been-used, so I’ll probably get some sheets and a pillowtop for it and we’ll be set. :) Then I can use my futon for a sofa, and I won’t need to spend my money on toooo much else for the apartment.

I have other plans for my money. :)

For instance, I want to get myself a cheap $299 camcorder for dicking around and youtubing… and while I’m at it, a larger external HDD to store the raw video on! And my brother Cody has been teaching me bass guitar, and I’d love to get my own bass. I’m proud of myself; I’m actually improving. Though, my fingers hurt. I have the bass and camcorder picked out, so click the links for pics and such. I even have the bass guitar case picked out, and be sure to look at the sexy red interior in the next picture one you open the link. :P

So, my job. To earn the money for this stuff, I’ve been working a LOT. All at Contract Callers Inc. Yep, I’m a debt collector this summer. Well, sorta. Where I work there are two kinds of debt collectors: 1st and 3rd party collectors. 3rd party collectors introduce themselves as debt collectors with Contract Callers Inc, and are the hardball guys. 1st party collectors introduce themselves as part of the clientele company (in my case, Orlando Utilities Commission) and I forward delinquent accounts to the 3rd party types. I basically just ask for money; the other guys DEMAND the money. I like my job, but I’m new and still nervous with it. My supervisor, Beau, is a really great guy for reassuring me though. :P And it helps that I’ve known the head honcho boss for about a decade through TaeKwonDo. ;D

So, Pruitt-Igoe. I looked into this recently after noticing one of the films I watched in Ozge’s film course at Tech was put, in its entirety, on youtube: Koyaanisqatsi. Click the damn link, I think this movie is haunting and yet beautiful. It has no plot, no dialogue, just images. Powerful images. And the music…. however, most people will probably recognize it now as WATCHMEN used it for Dr. Manhattan. :P Kinda makes sense, though. XD

But the scenes with Pruitt-Igoe show just… the scope of this public housing project and how badly it ended up being. How we, as a species, build and build and build… sometimes without thinking, and it’s all for nought. Makes you think, y’know.

Give the movie a glance, at least.

I need to call Tricia back. :P Until next time!

Get up and drop the Bombshell

Published on April 2, 2009 in Hobbies. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , .

I’m lying here feeling rather detached, like I’m just going through the motions without further intent or designation.

What is all this, I wonder. I have hopes and dreams and no means.

I’m so tired.

I realize I haven’t written in forever. For that I apologise. I’ve been absorbed in the real world, and I fear my attention span has dimmed. I’m rather certain I have ADD by now – I can’t even concentrate on this window and yet it is something I want to do. I miss writing.

I should try to update on where I stand in life. It’s initiation in my fraternity right now, so this week is a particularly busy one. I’m sitting in my CS1050 Constructing Proofs course right now. I’ve never found it particularly interesting. I just can’t concentrate on it. *shrugs*

It began to rain just as I was leaving for class this afternoon, and it’s been pouring and lightning and thunderstorming since. I wish I had some more gadgets, like a video camera and tripod and a better camera. I think time lapse photography is pretty interesting, and I can only imagine what that would look like in the rain…

The biggest thing on my mind is that I need money. I need a job for the summer in Augusta so I can begin saving to furnish an apartment for Cody, Tricia, and myself to live in next fall… I need to afford expensive ring-thing for Tricia down the line so I might as well save now… I want to go to Disneyworld for New Years with Tricia, Patches, and Kiki… I would like a new computer and a new camera, but those come dead last for “things I should save for”. I couldn’t be a waiter in Augusta, though. I can’t remember orders well, and I’d drop everything. I don’t know what else I could be doing in Augusta. Retail? I dunno. I just need a summer job.

SO yeah, if you read between the lines, you see that I’m getting an apartment in Atlanta. Right now the only place Cody and I have looked is the Post Renaissance, but we’re planning to look at more. It’ll be nice and quiet, and moving Trish down here will be an adventure, expensive, but well worth it. Meanwhile, in Augusta, my folks are moving into the home they’re building, and it’s gigantic and beautiful. Everything is going to be different soon… Another “reading between the lines” (not really) was the plan for the four of us (myself, Tricia, Patches, and Kiki) to go to Disneyworld for New Years! I cannot wait – we did the math, and if we stayed at the Walt Disney World Port Orleans – French Quarter resort for a week and each of us had park tickets for a week with Park Hopper passes, it comes up to (split evenly) $660-ish a person. VERY affordable. A bit more if we want to do Cirque Du Soleil’s “La Nouba”, which I want to, but… yeah. :P I’ll be saving money for souvenirs this time. I want the giant beer mug from Epcot’s Germany, among other things. Best of all, we don’t have to do the ridiculous one-night hotel stays before and after the week because Patches has a cousin who we can stay with in Orlando. :)

I bought a book on how to knit when I went to Vanderbilt University one weekend with Nick and Frendahl to visit Lisa, Frendahl’s girlfriend. I hope to find some time over the summer to do that and be good at it. I have both Grandma and Kiki to help me, which is nice. Then I can make gifts instead of buying them, which is ultimately much more heartfelt (to me), not to mention more inexpensive.

I don’t have anything else right now. I’m glad I wrote, but I wish I had more to say. Something more sincere. But I’ll be honest, I’d be very surprised if anyone reads this anymore – especially after the hiatus I accidently took.

Um… yeah. Until next time.