BeMused

Well, I upgraded to pMachinePro, but managed to blow away the archives file. So now if you click on one of the archive links on the right there, you’re gonna get squat.

It wouldn’t be a Shad Undertaking if I didn’t hose something.

My entries are all in the backup of my database I made, so I can see them. I just need to figure out how I’m going to get them hooked back up. Fun fun fun…

During my Tuesday night Creative Writing class, I had an idea for a story. I quickly jotted down a couple of notes so I wouldn’t forget it, and then turned my attention back to the professor.

Later that night at home, I told the wife about my idea. All the little stories and such that I’ve written in the last year have been either amusing or analytical. When I told her about the idea, she actually jumped a bit and said “That’s creepy!” which is exactly the kind of reaction I was going for. I want to stretch myself, and see if I can actually write in different styles, different generas, and broaden my skills. Not that they’re all that right now, but practice, practice, practice, eh?

On a side note, it appears commenting might or might not be working. Thanks go to Sarah, who mentioned it in her own comments so I would see. It looks like I’ll be upgrading to pMachine Pro, especially now that it’s free. That’s assuming my brother and his buddy (the guys who run ragnarok.net) let me. Maybe if I bat my eyelashes and my kissy faces in their direction or something.

Ok, maybe not.

I have found myself suddenly quite busy with three different websites to build. One I have 95% done, one is pretty much all done, I’m supposed to just “pretty” it up, and the last needs to be built from scratch. It’s for my HOG Chapter’s annual Memorial Day Run, called Ride of the Patriots. The Chapter and dealership we’re associated with purchased the domain, and now they need a website built. Wanting to be more involved, I voluntered.

Between schoolwork and webwork, I’m going to be quite busy for the next few months. It should be fun though, I enjoy web design and creation, and schoolwork is my creative writing class, i.e., I get to write stories. We were supposed to write a quick story, about 1 1/2 to 2 pages, using a technique called juggling. I wrote 8 pages, and then after editing, managed to get it down to 4. And that wasn’t even thinking about it.

I’m worried that I’ll get a bad grade now, simply ’cause it seemed so easy to write. Writing is a good creative outlet, as it the web design bit. I can’t draw worth squat (like some people I know) so I need SOMETHING to get rid of the tedious humdrum that is a QA Engineer’s job.

At least two posts a week…isn’t that what I said? Yeah, we see how well that worked out. I just never know what to talk about, nor ever have anything really profound to say. Not that it matters, this is supposed to be just thoughts in my head.

Class went well last night. A few of us read the short pieces we’d done in the class before. I read mine, and was pleased with a couple of the comments I received. We also started another exercise that will help me get an idea for a story that’s been brewing down on paper. I’m really enjoying the class. Having friends from the previous class, as well as the instructor from last class really helps.

Not too much going on otherwise. Gail’s going to Tucson for her cousin’s wedding Thursday, and will be back Monday. I’m thinking woo-hoo! Bachelor Pad Time! Then I remember I have kids and dogs and cat and fish all to take care of. So…no partying for me! Instead, I think I’m going to surprise Gail and get the table sanded and stained (It’s been half-sanded for almost a year now), and the workshop cleared out and some shelves built for her pottery wheel, which she’s getting for her birthday. I was trying to throw her off this morning (I let slip she was probably getting one), citing that we need to get the Isuzu fixed, and the dog as well. Dan (my dog) is scheduled to go in for surgery here shortly, as he somehow tore a ligament. I think I’m the one that might’ve done it (He was losing his mind and trying to chase a squirrel from window to window, upsetting water bowls and knocking stuff over. I grabbed him by the collar and sat him back on his butt and apparently that did it ), so there’s a guilt feeling involved and I need to make sure he gets the attention he needs.

Silly dogs…for “free” dogs they sure have cost me a lot of money over the past three years.

Started class again last night. This semester I’m taking English 212, which is a Creative Writing course. It’s actually the course you’re supposed to take after 211, in which you learn about plot development, characterization, etc. In 212, we’ll be learning point of view mostly. I haven’t taken 211 yet. I guess I just have to do everything backwards. We’re also supposed to do a lot of writing (naturally), both fiction and poety. I’ve stated my views on poetry before, so we’ll see how this goes. The class seems to be eager to get into it, and there’s some very…”passionette”…people in there. There are also a few classmates my from my last English course attending, including Krysta. I’m looking forward to it, this should be as much fun, if not more, than my last class.

Along the blog front, I’ve been contemplating moving the site over to Expression Engine, or EE for short. pMachine won’t be developed anymore, and I really like the team behind it. As they’re the ones responsible for EE, I’d feel much better about moving my site over to them, rather than someone else. EE costs about $100 bucks though, so I’ve been debating it. It has what looks to be an impressive photo gallery module, which I’d really like to take advantage of. I’d like to start sharing some of my photos, and getting them organized in a user-friendly way would be wonderful. I tried getting the free 14-day trial to run on my laptop here, but you have to include the Zend Optimizer in order for the free trial to work. I haven’t had any luck yet, and I’m not sure where I’m going wrong. I thought about upgrading to the latest version of PHP, but I’m not sure I want to do that yet. I have 5 virtual sites I develop stuff on here on my laptop, and hosing the PHP install (as I’m so apt to do. Ask my brother) is not something that would help me at all.

Perhaps I’ll bite the bullet and try again this weekend.

As stated in the previous post, I want to try and get at least two posts a week here. Apparently I’m going to bookend this week, with one on Monday and today’s, Friday. Hey, at least I’m writing.

And writing is a good thing. For now, it’s serving a dual purpose: First, it lets me get down in writing several things…things I wish accomplish, items of note, events that happens around me as I percieve them, etc…. It also serves as a creative outlet, one in which I am sorely in need of. My current job as a QA Engineer is mind-numbingly repetitive, and offers no evidence of work I can point to and say “I did that”. That, to me, is very unsatisfying. So the writing outlet is good. I’ve found myself wanting to do other creative things as well. For some reason, though I’ve never done any sort of wood working, I’ve found myself wanting to get a mini-lathe and use it to build a mock-up (or several) of a log home. It’s always been my dream to live in one, preferably one I’ve designed and helped build. As I can’t just go out and start building one, I thought it’d be cool to build a model of one, without using popsicle sticks.

I also bought a Reason book that comes with a video tutorial CD. I’m wanting to find time to play with one of the coolest music making pieces of software I’ve ever seen. It’s just finding time to do it that is the problem.

Last, and certainly not least, I have such a nice camera now, that I feel guilty if I’m not out spending every bit of time I can squeeze out of the day taking pictures. I’ve obviously taken a few, but nothing I’ve really worked at, nor bothered adjusting in Photoshop to get the best possible exposure. And I’ve had that “photos” link up top there forever. You’d think I’d get around to actually posting some.

So, hopefully in the near future we’re going to see Shad being more creative and productive. Getting things done in an expedient manner, and then instead of simply surfing the web laughing at stupid photos

Taking the last three weeks of the year off usually ends up in me spending very little time on the computer. Hence the reason there was a whopping two journal entries for all of December. So I guess resolution numero uno for this journal is to try to get at least 2 entries a week. I actually think I’ll be more into writing these next few months as I’m starting a Creative Writing class at the community college. That’ll help get the writing bug going.

As for other resolutions, there’s many. Too many to list, though I really should and then print out the list and tape it on my bathroom mirror so I can focus on it every day. Everything from getting my body in shape (a perennial favorite), to getting the house in shape. Basement, garage and the rest all need work. I think rather than call them resolutions, I’ll call them my Best Intentions. Resolutions are when you resolve to do something, and sound so serious. It’s my Best Intention to do all these things, and this way, I won’t feel as bad if they don’t get completed.