Writing

I don't talk much about my writing here, figuring that most people won't get it, or not be interested because it's hard to explain exactly what I write. But anyway, my writing has slowed down quite a bit over the last few years, probably partly out of frustration with the pulbishing and payment situation, but also just my mood, and the terrible time vortex that is the internet. Thank god I never got really into video games: even now the Wii only gets used every once in awhile for a tennis break. I think I'm scared to play Zelda.

But as I am trying to finish this book that has been languishing around for well over a year, I feel like I'm kind of getting a second wind (and also another outlet for publising!). I actually feel like sitting down and doing some writing after work. And I have to say that my cool new toy (all the coffee I ordered has arrived already! yay!) is kind of an incentive too, since I do find that a little caffeine jolt helps me get to work. I've already had a coffee and an espresso (not bad, and certainly easier than making with the little espresso machine I have sitting in the corner of the counter, unused for years now...)

So, back to it! I wonder if I'll be able to sleep after all this java...

Sunday Afternoon Blahs

Okay, so I didn't call R.; probably just as well. Class was good this morning, and I did some shopping and cleaning, but now I'm in one of those kind of depressing reflective moods... like where I am in my life and why my situation is... well, what it is. How much of it is my own laziness or deliberate (conscious or unconscious) isolation? Relationships of any kind are difficult and challenging for me. I'm sure even the spin students feel how I keep my distance...

Ah well, maybe I'll go play with the Wii.

Sucky Weekend

I hate being a homeowner sometimes. Actually being a condo owner can be the worst of two worlds.

My skylights are cracking, but since they are some common element, I have to pay for them to be fixed while how it is done is under the control of the association board. ruled by a scary, B.O.Q. who is not on the top floor and has no skylights, so has no interest in getting a good price. And she hates me. Last quote: $3500.

Plus I need to replace all my windows, let's talk around 4 thousand dollars.

And my dishwasher just stopped working today, after 6 years of perfect operation, then 2 months ago a technician replaced the door because of a recall. Hmm. Coincidence? Of course they say so.

What will break next? Sometimes it gets so overwhelming. Where is my spouse to lean on?

So I played Wii sports. Tennis gets more challenging, and I discovered if you do some maneuver you can do a power serve (signified by shadow balls behind your served ball that sometimes means an ace). And in some way the wiimote respods to really subtle maneuvers, but sometimes (as reported on X-play in other games) it just seems to flake out. I did some fine service returns and got aced, Ouch.

So I switched to bowling. Again the wiimote is often amazingly sensitive, and like tennis it can remind me of my own bad technique (in tennis I got yelled at all the time for not getting the racquet back fast enough). Here I would let go of the ball too late or I had a bad hook. In some ways it is almost creepiy realistic.

Oh, and duh, I only just realized how the wiimote vibrates when you hit the ball in tennis, to simulate the impact. Um, kind of weird that it does that. amd I did not even notice, because it was all part of the experience. But it is still an amzing little device.

Which brings me to...

I love Wii sports cause it is easy and I have a real short attention span with video games. But on some level it is... lonely. I want someone to play with. How sad is that? Yeah it's all part of my October birthday fall depression but still.

The Honeymoon is Over

Well, I started playing Metroid last night and I got so frustrated.... Grrr. It's not about the Wii so much as I hate these games that expect you to do things that make no sense (like shoot things in your home base).

I guess it would help if I read the instructions.

Wii!

OMG I am all sweaty and out of breath from Wii Sports Boxing. I kicked ass on my first match, won all three rounds!

It's taken me a little while to get the hang of the Wiimote, but I did start winning tennis when I learned you have to anticipate more, and twisting the wiimote actually lets you put spin on the ball.

I'm ready for Red Steel, and as they say on X-play, a Wii game with lightsaber fights has to come sooooon...

Good Morning

• It's another beautiful morning in the DC area (two in a row!) 55°F, partly sunny and windy.
• Al Gore won the Nobel Peace Prize! The WHite House is 'happy for him.' Riiiight.
• My Wii arrived! Damn this thing is heavy. Now I got to cart it home. It's soooo cute though. Ken gave me like eight awesome games with it, including Zelda!

Birthday Presents

My birthday isn't for over a week, but I just bought myself two big presents. I'm getting a massage on Saturday, and I just bought a Wii and a bunch of games (Including of course, Zelda!) from my old friend and former co-worker Ken!

Wii Commercials

Here's that whole Wii ad. The cute Asian boy doesn't show up till about minute 4 or so, but note the earlier white guy in the Barcelona chair. Certainly someone has an eye for style. I even love the music running through this ad.

Wii Commercials

Fabulous boy, fabulous outfit, fabulous apartment, fabulous Breuer chair, fabulous game console, fabulous game, fabulous ad.

What is the boy doing in the second picture, you ask? Link is walking on the magnetic roof in his iron boots. What did you think he was doing?


It's Friday; everyone have a great weekend!

Friday. No Snow. Scattered Angst

Today is dragging for some reason. It's slow as far as work coming through, but I have plenty of little projects to work on. There was a little trouble where D. printed some final prints of a job that I had done proofs for, and and the final color was a little off. He was getting his ass ripped by the boss, so I stepped in and tried to save him by saying maybe my instructions on how I printed the proof wasn't clear. Then we took everything under some better lighting and the colors looked closer. So, crisis averted. Still D. gets frustrated when things don't go smoothly. You can't get easily frustrated in this job, because things rarely go smoothly.

Oh, and it didn't snow. Not even a flake that I saw. That sucks.

I want a Nintendo Wii. And I want to play Final Fantasy XII. The X-Play crew is right, the main character sure is androgynous/pretty. And his little vest thingy is cute too. Oh and the flying ships are so cool.