Unplug Successful...

Well.  Mostly successful.  Have been completely ignoring the Steam Holiday sale... for several reasons.  The main one being the whole laptop exploding debacle.  And the second one being that I still have a game or two from last year's sale that I haven't finished yet.  So that's good news.

On Christmas I was painfully reminded not to mix a bottle and a half of red with hot tea (and milk)... oooh that was bad.  At least I didn't make a mess, I just passed out peacefully on the couch.  I pray I didn't snore... I guess I will ask Greg upon returning to work.  Greg said he'd write a letter of recommendation for my future exploits, so that's good news.

But truthfully, it feels good to unplug.  I finally finished reading Dan Abnett's Eisenhorn trillogy.  I can see that in his earlier work he's not as accomplished a writer as he is in his later novels, and in some sections of "Xenos" it reads a bit dry.  In retrospect it seems appropriate since Gregor's character at that point is very hard-nosed, dry, emotionless and difficult to sympathise with.  I also find it interesting that only after Gregor's facial muscles become damaged so he can not show any facial expression, does his character actually show a slightly more humane side and the story begins to flow a bit better.  I must say I do prefer the Ravenor spin off trilogy than Eisenhorn, but of course, Abnett had become a much more accomplished writer in that time.

What's next to read?  Not sure.  I have more Abnett books on the shelf, a few comic books and a textbook on lighting which I should very well be reading... but I think I'll just continue to paint and listen to random music, and harden my fingertips on guitar chords (of which I only know two... sad)... and rest.

But rest has it's disadvantages too.  Being restful means not exercising my brain and body to it's full capacity.  And in not doing that... it means both body and mind have an access of energy, and sleep cycles become... interrupted.  It's 6.30 am and I am unable to sleep because I simply do not feel tired. Infuriating.  Frustrating.  I am not sure if this is insomnia or that I just trained myself to infuse that much reserve energy into it for all the professional "crunch time" my work demands from me.  Hmmm well at least I know I'm still have the energy for operating at peak capacity.  That must be a good thing.

Huh... well someone's doing laundry at 6.30 am.  I can hear the dryer going... amongst other rather non savoury sounds at 6.30am.  I should head back and try to sleep...

Brutal

I think this is the first brutal Christmas I've ever had.  I hope it's the last...

Times like these.

What to do...

Thinking this thing through.  Logically.

Right.  So... here's the plan.  The old laptop... kiiiind-of works.  Kind of.

- I can't use it to do any creative work because of that huge stripe down the middle of the monitor.  This can be substituted by using another monitor (which I have).
- It's rather difficult to type on unless I plug in another keyboard (which I also have).
- The video card is slightly corrupted and it refuses to play certain games.  I don't really care about this part for the moment, although I did want to re-play Mass Effect 1 and 2 before Mass Effect 3 comes out in Nov 2011 (yes I have a shitload of time for that)...

So... this effectively makes the old laptop a ... desktop.  Since moving it around is... well... just not going to work.  I can use it to download a heap of shit, since I don't really care about corruption/viruses on something I'm not going to be able to do any work on.  However, not having internet at home currently makes things rather retarded.

If it wasn't any time near the boxing day sale madness, I would just leave the blue brick at home and let it be.  Save the extra cash and use it on something I'd really like to do.  Like a return ticket back home to visit friends for a week or two.  Or even just doing something rather nice with Jenny.  I'd probably go for the latter.

Also, the stupid thing is, because it's holiday season, I won't know if any of the job apps I applied for have been looked at until the new year.  IF all things go smoothly and I do land a position there, whether it be for 4 or 6 months (and will probably roll over into the next project for even long than that...), I wouldn't mind getting that laptop on boxing day since my salary would be double the rather paltry sum I'm currently receiving.

Maybe, just maybe I should be saving that money for an emergency... but isn't my laptop turning into a brick an emergency?  Ughhhh I hate making this type of decision when it involves so much money.  Gotta talk it through... probably talk it through with Greg, since he doesn't mind dispensing the advice, and Jenny too, since I'd rather spend that money on a plane ticket to wherever she wants to go.

... in other non-financial and non-technological news...

Fingers hurt from trying to play guitar.  I still suck.  Although... Raphael and Lucas both play, so they're going to give me some pointers tomorrow.  That'll be pretty cool.  The finger hurting thing is normal.  I remember my lips buzzing like mad after playing the trombone the whole day for the first time.  Completely numb.  But hey I loved the trombone.  Not quite so sure on the guitar just as yet but I am bloody well determined to play at least two songs on that damn thing before I even think about any sort of towel throwing!  GRR!

4 Deffkoptas assembled.  Ahead of schedule. Slightly.

Bull

You know it's this sort of negative thinking that got me into such a shitty way in the first place.  There's nothing that can be done about it... so I should just fucking get over it.  Righto!  Yes!  Moving on...

Hmmm let's go do all the things that are productive and WORTH doing shall we?  But let's start first by going to sleep.  Yes.  Do the things I -said- I'd do.

Indeed.  That's the way to think.  How did I regress to being such a dumbass in such a short span of time?  I guess it's just the fact that the universe tends to blindside me with bullshit every now in then at the most inopportune times.  That sneaky mofo. 

Well shit...

Just when you think everything was ok... something blows up in your face.  This stuuuuuuuuuuuupid laptop.  *sigh*.

Seem to be having trouble playing some guitar chords.  Pretty sure it's my fingers being stupid.  Or the shape of my fingers.  I will try harder.  I need fatter fingers...

Last Day

At work before the 'break'.. going to download some guitar tabs and "how to" vids so I don't quite suck THAT much.  Maybe even a song...  Let's get some Wreckless Eric going or something... that song only has 2 chords.

Should get some painting done too... so much to paint.  A bucketload of orks.  See if I can at the very least get 6 deffkoptas done.  They're easy to assemble... not so sure how easy they are to paint.  Looks like a bunch of drybrushing and fairly easy detail-pickouts... might even do some freehanding on the hulls.

Mmmmm going to be a rather interesting holidays.  Taking Rob's advice and just -chill the fuck out- dude.  Hell, it's the first holiday in... what... two... three years?  I don't know.  It's just for a week though.

Wish Jenny was here.

Anxiety

Stupid stupid anxiety complex.  Now I can't sleep.  Goddammit... this new blog is beginning to sound remarkably similar to the old blog.  Well.  Maybe tomorrow (ie - later today if I can get any sleep) will be better.  I hope so.  I hope so.  I hope I don't have to vacuum the whole freaking lab again.  So not in my job description.

Note to self

Take a page out of Rob's book.  In social situations, just get the fuck out of there.  Every time I open my mouth if I'm in a group of 2 or more people, stupid shit comes out.  Do what Rob does.  Be awesome at your job (check).  Show up for the awards (check), and then get the fuck out after eating (now why the hell didn't I do that)... 

Argh!

Well it's not exactly a new year yet...

But there's no harm in starting a bit early with the 'life renovations'.  I've ditched the old blog..... been ranting on that thing for too long.  Too many connections to the past.  I gotta let it all go sooner or later, right?

Anyway... tonight is the graduation.  Not my graduation... but what I suppose is my first batch of students.  It's going to be rather cringe worthy.....  Going to sit out the back.  And hide.

... but first I have to find a tie...