Posted 11:52 AM by Tim
Right. So, I took a look at my DCI ratings today. For those who don't know, that's your official standing in the world of tournament Magic. My Vintage rating (the only format I play really), is what I was looking at. Still 1640. Makes sense. It doesn't change much while you're not playing. Wayne, has got himself a nice 1714, and another friend of mine is 1613. What's that mean?

Well, that puts Wayne at about 49th place in Ontario, me at 130+, and Mark around 193rd. Not too bad, but then, there's only about 250 rated players in Ontario. I've got to start working if I'm going to break the 100 mark. That's really where I'd rather be. That means attending a few tourneys and actually winning a few games. We'll see.

Posted 5:17 PM by Tim
Another exciting day. Well, I found some music I was looking for, more or less. See, there's this song that's been routing around in my head. "The Night of the Skajaquada," and nobody else seems to have heard of it before. The internet knows everything though. A few searches came up with several items, finally giving me the name of the band. Green Jelly, which used to be called Green Jello. Interesting band, intersting sound. They're more or less defunct though. Music from my youth. Guess I've always been exposed to the unusual in music.

I've been thinking about getting back to some drawing lately. Can't find the mechanical pencil I was using before, but it's bound to be about the house somewhere. I just have to look for it. And the sketchbooks. And about an extra hour a day or so. Not sure where I'd find the time.

I've got a few projects on the go already, and I really need to start trimming back. Time to start finishing things off and getting them out of the way.

Posted 12:17 AM by Tim
HO HO HO! Merry Christmas and all that.

The holiday - at least, Christmas - is over. We were out to see the in-laws, and share a little Christmassy spirit. I didn't really find any this year though. Like I'd said, I'm expecting it to turn up around January or so.... 2005. Anyway, it's not important. I did, however, have a rousing conversation with a co-worked about the differences between her Christmasses and mine.

FYI, Christmas for me has always meant shouting and angry people. Not all the time, mind you, but enough that you notice. Her's, apparently, was always about love and joy and the sharing of the season with your loved one. Talk about your storybook lives. Anyhow, she apparently couldn't see eye-to-eye with me on how I could see Christmas as being over-commercialized, over-blown, and exaggerated beyond all semblance of what it's supposed to represent.

I'm not sure why people don't understand my policy on gift giving. Here's how it is. If I feel like getting you a present, I'll get you one. I won't necessarily wait for some arbitrary holiday to do it either - though it's nice if there's one handy. If you get me a gift, you'd better not expect me to get you one too. I don't work that way. I feel no obligations to giving. If I do give you one, it's going be because I was going to get you one anyway. The fact that you gave me one means diddly to me. I love getting stuff, but you're not going to guilt me into getting you something.

This year, I did no Christmas shopping. None. AT all. For anyone. Not even the wife and kids. Now, there's several reasons at work here. First, I've got no money. It's not like I get to spend the money I make at work. And it's not like I get an allowance or anything. So, I've no cash to buy things. Second, I rarely get out of the house, so I don't get to do much shopping anyway. Third, I didn't get all Christmassy this year, and couldn't be bothered enough to go do some shopping. Now, there's some things I wanted to get people, but I just never got to it. I'll get something for them eventually. And that'll be Christmas for me. My co-worker and I had a nice long chat about this too.... something about how I never seem to put any work into anything for others. She's probably right. I've had that problem a long time.

Anyway, next up is New Year's. I've no problems with that... just don't expect me to make any resolutions.

Posted 12:58 PM by Tim
Well, Thursday to Sunday isn't that many days. At least I'm starting to make more than one post a week.

So. We've been with the new roomie for about a week now. It's been alright so far. A few bumps here and there, but overall, it's been working out alright.

Christmas is coming up on me rapidly. Still no sign of Christmas spirit though. It's been very lacking these last few years. About 3 years ago, I managed to find Christmas spirit just in time for the holiday. The next year, I think it didn't hit me until New Year's. Last year, I don't recall finding it at all... maybe it waited around until April or so? I'm not holding up much hope for it this year. If it keeps up like this, then sometime in the next few years I'll find it at Christmas, but it'll be the spirit from the year before.

Novelling has been slow. No. That's a bold lie. I haven't written a thing. I'd like to blame the whole thing on my missing dictaphone, but I know that's just not the case. I could (read: should) be editing. But I just haven't been. More procrastination from me.

Also in the procrastination box is my exercises. I've done them here and there, but it's been very inconsistent. Very, very inconsistent. When I'm doing them, it's good. I'm happy, and it's not like a chore or anything. Just that after I'm done, I sort of forget to get the weights out the next day, so I'm not really improving. Just got to get on with it, right?

Other news... I'm expecting a case of Mirrodin to arrive today. I've been looking forward to it all this week. Gonna open at least a box worth, and start the sorting process. I've been thinking about organizing the business into something that looks like a real business. That means getting the finances in order, tracking the cards that I have, and putting together a few more tourneys. It'd be nice if I had a chance to get my organizer's info so that I could start sanctioning events. That would be very cool, in my opinion.

I've been mulling the idea of putting together a database for "the store." It'd have to be capable of carrying a diverse set of information. It'd need - at the minimum - to have info for the cards in stock (inventory), events (scheduled and past, etc), and info on the current finances (cashflow). I wouldn't mind if it had a little bit of space to record player information as well... I figure that it'd take about 3 or 4 hours to design and check. Maybe another 1 or 2 to work up in Access, and a lot of time to fill in with data, and make look pretty. A nice little front in VB might be a good idea too.... once I've got the time.

Hmm.. I like this idea. I think I'll take it on. Gotta go! Lots to do today!

Posted 1:06 AM by Tim
Lately, when I'm blogging and someone asks me what I'm doing, I don't say "I'm blogging." Instead, I say, "I'm complaining to the internet." First, it seems that people understand the latter statement more than the whole idea of "blogging." Second, it's a lot more accurate.

Anyone who's looked at my blog for more than a few entries has easily seen that most of what I do here is complain. Complain about my weight, my lack of time management skills, and the little frustrations of my day. Sure, there's the occasional bit of happiness in there. All too brief interludes of real thinking, or short tirades on how I think things should be. Most often, however, this is little more than a place that I can just gripe about the problems of life.

In a way, it's what I've been looking for in people. I've always wanted to have a friend who knows me intimately, is willing to listen to me complain, yet is also not going to try to give me advice, or tell me what I'm doing wrong. I don't think I've ever found anyone able to do that. The internet, or at least blogging, has been that for me. As much as I've allowed it, anyway. Stuff that I throw out here on the blog stays out here. And it rarely - if ever - talks back. That's nice, you know?

Of course, some of you out there are probably thinking that I should be discussing my problems with real people, not just tossing them out on the internet. After all, what can possibly get resolved without feedback, right? I'm not sure. I know that I'm the kind of person who'll talk to themselves to work out a problem. If I've got a money issue, I run the math by myself and see how it looks. Time problem? I think up a few schedules and work that out too. Of course, this kind of thinking can lead to problems.

The main problem comes when there are other people involved. Trying to work things out all by myself isn't going to work because I don't really get to involve them in the thinking and decision-making process. That leaves them feeling left out, which usually causes more problems than it solves.

But, I'm digressing. My point is, that my blog is really just my way of complaining to anyone who'll listen - without feeling like I'm burdening anyone with my ramblings. It's nice, and I can't see that changing any time soon.

Posted 1:20 AM by Tim
Let me set up a quick little timeline for you here.

2 Weeks ago, the new roommate was living in Little Hickville, Northern Canada, with the last few days of a dead-end job, no girlfriend, a little bit of cash, and some hope for the future.

4 Days ago, the new roomie moves into the house, sets up his room and gets settled.

3 Days ago, he's taking a break and hanging out with all of us in the house, trying to get settled into the new digs.

2 Days ago, we take him grocery shopping at the new store in the area, where he drops off his resume and has an on-the-spot interview with the store manager. He learns that the manger person doesn't like the current evening shift.

Yesterday, we take him around to a local recruiter to get him started on some serious job searching. That afternoon, he gets a call from the grocery store, wanting him to come in and sign some papers so that he can start working that night!

Today, I'm just a little bit jealous. But, I'm also happy for him. This is what he needed. Some prospects, a little more hope for the future, and a source of income. This should get him some friends, some cash, and some local work experience. If this all works out, things will be looking really good for him.

On a more personal note, the company that I have been working for these last three mohths has finally opted to hire me full time. I get a slight raise, access to shift bonuses, benefits, overtime pay, vacation pay, holiday pay and better stability. Still, it feels like the top rung of a short ladder.

I'll be off work between the 24th and the 4th January, which gives me a bucket of time to myself. I'm thinking that it'd be the perfect time to get some writing and editing done. We'll see if that actually works out.

Posted 4:23 PM by Tim
My internet went down for almost an entire week. So, no chance to post, missed webcomics, and a fully jammed inbox. Blah. We've switched from DSL over to Cable-net. I've yet to see a real difference between the two of them for speed. Maybe that's just because of the speed of my laptop.

We've got the new roomie here, and so far it's been unsettled. Everything's just a little bit different, so everyone's adjusting to everyone else. That's expected though. I figure it'll take a week or so before everyone's into some sort of routine again.

Posted 7:48 PM by Tim
Aarrgghh! Why does everything have to piss me off so much? I'm trying to be a nice guy, but it's not working. See, the email list that I chat on now and then for Magic has had a member that has been slowly growing more and more irritating. Well, to be honest, he's been irritating a lot, but I've been trying to defend him. I know where he's coming from a lot of times.

The main crux of the problem comes from discussion about religion. Some of our members are religious. Christians mostly. Some of them are non-religious, or religion indifferent. The trouble is coming from when discussions come up about religious things. The Non-religious members feel that they're being preached to, and the religious people feel that they're not getting their point across.

It might not be so bad if the discussions started on something related and them moved towards something religious. But they don't. One member seems to just flip over into evangelical mode without any sort of connection. A total mash of topics. We've talked to him about it, but it hasn't done any good.

I'm personally against the idea of bannings without valid reasons, and talking about religious stuff isn't a banable offense to me. I've sent him a message to discuss this matter privately, and I figure that it'll probably cause a lot of bad blood between us, but hopefully it'll help in the long run. Maybe.

Posted 8:57 AM by Tim
Ok. More than a half month has passed since I've posted. Time to get back into the habit.

NaNoWriMo is over again for another year. It was getting close for me there, but I finally made it. I got the 50,000 words in. I'm pleased and slightly surprised.

The local newspaper is running a story on NaNo, and I've been interviewed for it. I'm eagerly looking forward to it. Gonna have to get me a few copies for the family members that don't live in our area.

With November being so busy, I put off any thought of doing any sort of exercise program. Now it's time to get serious, though. Gotta start up a nice regimen with the free weights. I've been looking at getting me a 10lb so that I have something to work up to.

We'll be having a new roommate soon enough. I'm looking forward to it, as it means that there'll be someone around to hang out with. That should be good.

November looks like it could be pretty busy. I'm figuring that there's bound to be far too much going on to run any tourney's too. So I'm taking the month of December off, only to pick it all up again in January. I've already got three weekends pre-booked. Ought to be a good month for tournaments then.

That's all for now! I've got to go forge some documents for the LARP game. Got to get some stuff in before the end of the week.