Entries Tagged as 'to-be-filed'

North to South: Day One

Path: Renton to Spokane
Time: 4.5 hours
iPod Playlist: 4 hours of Tom Waits
Sleep:  Riverside Park in Spokane

The first day of the trip. 4 + hours of driving along windy roads with shrubbery as far as the eye could see. Camped the night at Riverside, in a tent, but that was the extent of “roughing it”. There was a full bathroom/shower, soda machines….very sad. I will have pictures and video up as soon as I get a better connection.

<tag> seatac, spokane, camping, riverside, traveling </tag>

Tags: to-be-filed by Monkey King
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Major Updates

Big updates. Updated the wordpress, finally. Updated to a new theme. Added some neat new widgets to share my world. Updated links, updated flickr. Whew. More changes to come too!

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links for 2007-04-08

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Need Work

So I’m starting the first task on my list: Find a new job. I am really pushing for a journalist job, but my lack of experience may make this difficult. So I’m trying to get any position at a newspaper. Today I applied for five positions at the Times. Three are sales related, but the other two are reporter positions If all of those fail, I’ll try the weeklies. Either way, I need to get out of retail, and this task needs completed before I can move on down the list.

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Sick

I am currently both physically and mentally ill.

Physically, I have a vile bug devouring my insides. My head is pounding, my noise is dripping a viscous  fluid with its own evil personality, which has decided to use my throat for an amusement park.  My throat feels like I swallowed a rabid porcupine. My muscles are fine, if by fine you mean rubberbands dipped in liquid nitogren and hit with a hammer.

Mentally, I am a blank. I’ve got nothing. I have so many things to do; write a thesis, apply for other jobs, try to market my company, deal with bills, a kid who is going into surgery that costs 50K, another who is now a pre-teen. I know that the secret to this and just pick one, get it done, move on to the next one.

I think my first task should be the job. I can’t deal with retail anymore, I truly believe that I am beyond this now. I have five positions that I am applying for at the Seattle Times, most are non-reporting, but there is a biotech reporter position that I am hoping for. When this is done, then I NEED to tackle the thesis, I only have this year to finish it. Then I can look at the future. But not now. Now I need to focus, something which has been and continues to elude me.

[tags] life-sucks [/tags]

Tags: to-be-filed by Monkey King
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Update on my world

for the few that read this, I figured that I would update my recent activities.

watching: Lost, Battlestar, Jericho, 24, Dresden Files, finished Carnivale series
listening: Regina Spektor, Paul Simon, Dresden Dolls, of course more Tom Waits
reading: many many tech blogs, Pattern Recognition, comics: Fell, Desperation Jones, New Universal. thesis: Encyclopedia of Rhetoric, various Kenneth Burke texts.
learning: sumi-e painting, harmonica, throwing knives
working: still in retail part time, working on iktomi services, thesis
writing: this blog, thesis, a few story ideas

I’m happy with the series, it is good to see well told stories versus reality tv. It is a shame about Carnivale, just finished the last episode before the cancellation.  Was an amazing story of biblical proportions. Lost is still compelling as always. This is my first 24 series, but I’m enjoying it. Jack is a vile vile man, its beautiful. Jericho almost seems to take place after 24, a little soap operish, but still an interesting story.

Regina Spektor has been a fun discovery. A pianist like Tori Amos, but with some very well written songs. Her sound is unique and the lyrics compelling. I particularly enjoy Apres Moi le deluge (After me comes the flood)

Having trouble getting through Pattern Recognition by  Gibson. It is quite different then I am used to. But it definitely has picked up here at the end.

Well, g’night all.

[tags] lost, 24, jericho, carnivale, william+gibson, thesis, sumi-e, writing [/tags]

Tags: to-be-filed by Monkey King
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working the brain

or attempting to. I have rigorously setup a schedule of activities that I have wanted to do for a while, call them hobbies if you’d like. these are activities I have wanted to try my hand out for a while, but never managed my time well enough to accomplish it. Also, each of these activities “work” the brain in different ways, hopefully this will keep me sharp.

In the morning, I start out with sumi-e, the chinese art of wash painting.  A simplistic definition would be waterpainting with only black ink, except it is more than that. The style emphasizes simple brushstrokes, but can create complex and amazing art. It is half art, half meditation. I usually practice the Four Gentlemen techniques for a little while, then I start drawing. I have a drawing book that I practice the exercises from, such as buildings, objects, peoples faces, etc.

After this I practice the harmonica, a lovely instrument in the hands of John Popper, not so much in mine. I have the highest rated book and dvd from amazon.

Then I work on the business for several hours, then the thesis. I throw in some World of Warcraft in there for the addiction.

Now, I am waiting for my throwing knifes to come in the mail : )

[tags] sumi-e, harmonica, lifehack, thesis, iktomi [/tags]

Tags: to-be-filed by Monkey King
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new theme

new theme for the blog, a minimalist approach. I am using the Hemingway theme for the Letters from the Earth site, but I am going to customize this one a little more.

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Apple iPhone

Ok, so its true, Apple released their rumored iphone, and I must say, it is damn impressive. I have long said that the future of computer interface was multi-touch displays, think Minority report, but not quite as high tech. Recently, an MIT researcher revealed a large format touch screen, with impressive results. Today, Apple revealed a miniature version. The iphone uses multi-touch controls for the whole thing, again, with impressive results. Part phone, part ipod video, and smart phone, it frankly does damn near everything, and probably will do everything once people start writing programs for it. The only flaws I have seen; it is strictly a cingular phone service, and it is $499, that is WITH a two-year contract!! Hell I would be tempted to buy the thing if it wasn’t for the contract issue, sigh.

 http://apple.com/iphone

[tags] iphone, apple, cingular, expensive+as+hell [/tags]

Tags: to-be-filed by Monkey King
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Gaming Resolutions

So, as many others, I have my list of resolutions. Some are modest, some not so modest, all plausible. And I am going to use this interesting site called Joe’s Goals to help out, it is like a do-to list, but with points, so you’re “playing” against yourself. Not sure if it will help, but we’ll see.

The List
Write Everyday: Getting better at this, but it’s tough at times.
Yoga: On Mon. Wen. Fri. at night before bed for flexibility.
Tai Chi: On Tue, Thur, Sat. at night, for many benefits.
Healthier: yeah, I know, kind of general
Complete Thesis: yes, finally, this year is it, or not at all.
Practice Harmonica: Already started, but I have a ways to go.
Publish in a major magazine: Sure I can get at least one in a year ; )

Well, that’s ambitious enough for now.

[tags] resolutions, do-to, tai chi, yoga, harmonica, writing [/tags]

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