What’s This? An Update? Really?
Yeah, really, I know it’s been a while. So… yeah. I’ve been busy. Looks like that last one of these I did was way back in April. So let’s see what I can update you all about since then.
First, I’ve gone totally social-network happy. I have a Twitter and a Facebook and everything. Since about May I think. I have totally jumped into the steampunk scene this past year (started January no less) and it’s been a hell of a ride. But I think I’ve got a good system worked out: I use this as my own personal blog / journal type thing. I post my personal thoughts and political rantings, neat links I like on a non-hobby basis, etc. I use the other two things almost exclusively for shameless self-promotion. So far, it’s been working well. So yeah, I promise to keep my `punk related stuff to a minimum on this LJ, except for the communities I track of course.
The primary hobby aside, I’ve got a few other interests and hobbies I’ve neglected and just not had time for. I think I’ll be going back to writing my old game very soon. I have a group of pals I play D&D with on Mondays that would love to play it, and I’ve just not prioritized the writing yet. Rather than scold myself, I have resolved to give it some love and attention during the slow down of the holidays.
This past year saw both a resurgence in my own desire to become healthier, and its decline yet again. But I feel a real pull for getting back in shape and I’m pretty much settled on the notion of adjusting my sleep schedule and getting to the gym again on a regular weekly basis. We’ll see how it goes. But yeah - a shift back to healthy is coming again, and this time I’m hoping it sticks around.
School took a back seat to debts and being constantly poor. This has probably been the worst part of the whole year.
Next, I feel a need to discuss the people in my life. I have generally left one hobby and started another. For the most part, the friends I had have drifted, and that’s to be expected. A few remain, and most have been so enmeshed in their own lives that I rarely see them. But I have learned that the days of casually seeing my friends on a regular basis is just not in the cards for this time period in my life, and I’m OK with that. I’ve been happy with my occasional visits from old friends and I’m happy to have them in my life, albeit not nearly enough. The feelings on that seem to be mutual, but it’s hard to stay close when our lives are in two very different places and there is no longer the glue of a common hobbies to keep things consistent. Such is life. I have, however, still managed to keep a couple of pals from the old hobby and that has been a real delight, as I was slightly afraid that I’d simply loose all my old peer base, and having friends that remember all your sordid past is always good to keep one’s ego in check. ;-)
The new friends have been nothing short of the most welcoming, warm, and just amazingly creative bunch of people I have known in a while, and I’m always looking forward to the next Con or gathering or whatever just as a pretense to meet and mingle with these folks again. And we’re starting to set aside time to hang out and just pal around, costumes and craziness aside, and that’s been a blast. So I’m happy to have been so accepted and so well received in the new group of people and it’s been a read ride.
Of course, the person most important in my life is my amazing wife, and I’d be remiss not to say that here. She’s been so supportive, inspirational, and just perfect for me. She’s been my best friend, my support system when needed, and my boot to the ass when I need to get in gear and get off my rump and do something. I am fairly certain the new opportunities in my life, the new loves, and the new success in realizing that anything I choose to really commit to doing are possible, I all attribute to having her around.
On Wednesday she goes in for surgery and I will be spending the next few days afterwards in caring for her while she’s on the mend. It’s outpatient surgery, it’s nothing serious, so no need to ask for details. Suffice to say it does mean we’re not doing a Thanksgiving thing, since she’ll be too doped up on pain killers to care what we eat. I’m settled on making lasagna and eating off that for the long weekend. To follow up with how amazing the new pals are, they have offered to drive down and spend a few days making sure I’m not alone in taking care of her. So I have folks driving to visit from Birmingham and Nashville just cause they care. It’s pretty touching, though not really necessary. Still, having help is something I didn’t plan to say no to. But all in all, I expect a very lazy week of rest, relaxation, and hopefully writing if I can keep up my desire to recommit to it again.
Oh, and I have the coolest dog ever, that hasn’t changed. My cats are pretty stellar, too. The younger one - now 7 - even plays with Maddy a lot these days since the elder statesman cat - now 12 - is getting to really show his age. Last night when I got back from Birmingham, I reclined on a couch watching Big Bang Theory with the wife, our dog huddled under the throw sheet and the Elder cat purring in my lap. Totally passed out in complete relaxed domestic bliss.
OK, that last bit may have been a bit sappy and/or boring, but I make no apologies. My life has been busy, crazy, and just plain fun. Looking forward to next year already.
First, I’ve gone totally social-network happy. I have a Twitter and a Facebook and everything. Since about May I think. I have totally jumped into the steampunk scene this past year (started January no less) and it’s been a hell of a ride. But I think I’ve got a good system worked out: I use this as my own personal blog / journal type thing. I post my personal thoughts and political rantings, neat links I like on a non-hobby basis, etc. I use the other two things almost exclusively for shameless self-promotion. So far, it’s been working well. So yeah, I promise to keep my `punk related stuff to a minimum on this LJ, except for the communities I track of course.
The primary hobby aside, I’ve got a few other interests and hobbies I’ve neglected and just not had time for. I think I’ll be going back to writing my old game very soon. I have a group of pals I play D&D with on Mondays that would love to play it, and I’ve just not prioritized the writing yet. Rather than scold myself, I have resolved to give it some love and attention during the slow down of the holidays.
This past year saw both a resurgence in my own desire to become healthier, and its decline yet again. But I feel a real pull for getting back in shape and I’m pretty much settled on the notion of adjusting my sleep schedule and getting to the gym again on a regular weekly basis. We’ll see how it goes. But yeah - a shift back to healthy is coming again, and this time I’m hoping it sticks around.
School took a back seat to debts and being constantly poor. This has probably been the worst part of the whole year.
Next, I feel a need to discuss the people in my life. I have generally left one hobby and started another. For the most part, the friends I had have drifted, and that’s to be expected. A few remain, and most have been so enmeshed in their own lives that I rarely see them. But I have learned that the days of casually seeing my friends on a regular basis is just not in the cards for this time period in my life, and I’m OK with that. I’ve been happy with my occasional visits from old friends and I’m happy to have them in my life, albeit not nearly enough. The feelings on that seem to be mutual, but it’s hard to stay close when our lives are in two very different places and there is no longer the glue of a common hobbies to keep things consistent. Such is life. I have, however, still managed to keep a couple of pals from the old hobby and that has been a real delight, as I was slightly afraid that I’d simply loose all my old peer base, and having friends that remember all your sordid past is always good to keep one’s ego in check. ;-)
The new friends have been nothing short of the most welcoming, warm, and just amazingly creative bunch of people I have known in a while, and I’m always looking forward to the next Con or gathering or whatever just as a pretense to meet and mingle with these folks again. And we’re starting to set aside time to hang out and just pal around, costumes and craziness aside, and that’s been a blast. So I’m happy to have been so accepted and so well received in the new group of people and it’s been a read ride.
Of course, the person most important in my life is my amazing wife, and I’d be remiss not to say that here. She’s been so supportive, inspirational, and just perfect for me. She’s been my best friend, my support system when needed, and my boot to the ass when I need to get in gear and get off my rump and do something. I am fairly certain the new opportunities in my life, the new loves, and the new success in realizing that anything I choose to really commit to doing are possible, I all attribute to having her around.
On Wednesday she goes in for surgery and I will be spending the next few days afterwards in caring for her while she’s on the mend. It’s outpatient surgery, it’s nothing serious, so no need to ask for details. Suffice to say it does mean we’re not doing a Thanksgiving thing, since she’ll be too doped up on pain killers to care what we eat. I’m settled on making lasagna and eating off that for the long weekend. To follow up with how amazing the new pals are, they have offered to drive down and spend a few days making sure I’m not alone in taking care of her. So I have folks driving to visit from Birmingham and Nashville just cause they care. It’s pretty touching, though not really necessary. Still, having help is something I didn’t plan to say no to. But all in all, I expect a very lazy week of rest, relaxation, and hopefully writing if I can keep up my desire to recommit to it again.
Oh, and I have the coolest dog ever, that hasn’t changed. My cats are pretty stellar, too. The younger one - now 7 - even plays with Maddy a lot these days since the elder statesman cat - now 12 - is getting to really show his age. Last night when I got back from Birmingham, I reclined on a couch watching Big Bang Theory with the wife, our dog huddled under the throw sheet and the Elder cat purring in my lap. Totally passed out in complete relaxed domestic bliss.
OK, that last bit may have been a bit sappy and/or boring, but I make no apologies. My life has been busy, crazy, and just plain fun. Looking forward to next year already.