Happy Holidays/I Need a New Hobby

I love the holidays. Not so much the last-minute frantic present purchasing, the indigestion from overconsumption of trans-fat laden dips and chocolate treats, or the inescapable hangover from consuming far too much eggnog, but the general...cheer. Both of my children were tremendously excited about Christmas this year (that's not saying much for my hyperactive 5-year-old son, but it speaks volumes in regards to my near comatose 13-year-old daughter), and while it took some time for my wife and I to catch the Christmas bug ourselves, we eventually did.

And boy am I glad.

My son was literally bounding up and down like a jackrabbit on a sugar rush when he rose (surprisingly late at 0730) on Christmas morning, and both he and his sister tore through their gifts with relentless aplomb. Everyone got plenty of loot (between my wife and I we acquired "Lost Season 3", "Battlestar: Galactica Season 1" and "House Season 2", and it was only last night that we finally had the time to push our way through the rest of the 3rd season of "Scrubs"..suffice to say, we've got plenty of tv to catch up on...). My son has been playing his new video games almost non-stop (just as my wife and daughter have been extensively playing Viva Pinata on the new XBOX 360...yes, Santa got a little jolly this year...). And I...well, I've been watching the shows, hanging out with the kids, and above all enjoying my time off. I haven't had to get up before 7 a.m. in almost 10 ten days (which is a sublime feeling), and I've become about as lumpy and couch-potato like as one can imagine.

But it hasn't been all fun and games!

Deciding that the roll of fat that has slowly but steadily creeping around my mid-section is a) not an alien entity, and b) not going away on its own, my wife turned me on to a great website called SparkPeople, which, among other things, has a great tool for tracking your daily calorie and fat intake. Just seeing the information compiled before your eyes is almost enough to motive you to stop eating altogether. (You never knew how many calories "light" popcorn had...). With the aid of exercise (I walk at least 2 miles every weekday, and three times a week I throw in 35-45 minutes of cardio exercise when I have the time), I may actually start to look less like Jabba the Hut and more like a young Obi-Wan Kenobi. (I feat that reference made little sense, but you get the idea...).

I've also decided that I need a new hobby. Right now my past times consist of a) writing (which I have done little to none of in about 2-3 weeks), b) playing D&D Miniatures online (this is pretty much what I do when I'm not hanging out with the family or working), and c) watching movies or TV. Earlier today, after having my poverbial a$$ handed to me in two games of D&D minis games in a row versus some fine European opponents and getting extremely cranky about the results, I came to a realization. While I do indeed hate to lose (and, for the record, I generally lose badly...I can admit it...), it's not the losing that upsets me so much as the feeling that I suck at the ONE hobby/pasttime of mine that I've really kept up with. Its a terrible feeling, like a runner realizing he doesn't know how to sprint, or a knitter who fails time and again to construct something as rudimentary as a dishcloth. The more I ruminated on my two unfortunate losses, I came to realize that the most fun I've ever had playing DDM is when it was NOT my primary focus or hobby (such as during NanoWrimo). You see, I have what you might call an obsessive personality, and I tend to focus on one thing (hobby, job, whatever) with such psychotic intensity that I have been known to actually give myself cramps. This is bad, for such intense compartmentalization lends to my acting like a completely moody dick. And no one wants that, least of all me.

Now, the obvious answer is "Start writing again, dip$hit"....and I will (woe be the world at large). But this is 2008! Time to buck some trends! I want to try something else, a new craft or hobby that I've never tried before!

I just have no idea what. Maybe a "Dad" type hobby, something involving power tools and wood chippers (my wife shudders at the thought, recalling how I nearly severed my right finger in a Village Inn back when I sold knives...). Maybe something crafty to express my Carson Creely side, like knitting, latch hook or embroidery. Or maybe something completely nonsensical and deranged, like improvisational taxidermy or freestyle bison lancing.

Who knows -- if you have any suggestions (oh, ye 8 readers o' mine), drop me a line -- I'm willing to try anything at least once!

In any case, Happy Holidays to all!

Industrial "Heroes"

"Heroes" is an interestng show, one that I like a lot more than I thought I would based on what I'd read and heard about it. (For the record, the same holds true for "Lost", which I am now hopelessly addicted to.) While the show has some issues in the writing department, it's overall very enjoyable, and I've enjoyed watching the 1st season alongside my darling wife, who turned me on to the show (she's already seen all of it, including up to most recent episode of season 2, while I just finished the penultimate chapter of the first season.) While much of the plot/story is somewhat derivative of....well, most every comic book I've ever read...the show has some great ideas for how super powers would work and be used in the real world (including some highly creative uses for telepathy and telekinesis), nicely developed characters, and an undeniable momentum that carries you along even when you're not sure if the writers know where they're leading you. (In case it doesn't sound like one, that little review there was a recommendation: it's a great show, and I can easily see why it's become so popular.)

Coincidentally, quite a few months ago, before I knew anything about "Heroes", I ran into this Youtube video while searching for music by Imperative Reaction (a talented agro/electro/dance industrial band that I like). This video (made by one Evilatino) puts scenes from the episodes "5 Years Past" (one of my 3 favorites of Season 1, with the possible exception of the unseen finale) and "Landslide" to the song "Closed In", to pretty good results. (Of course, I knew some of the names of characters but didn't know what any of them looked like, so when I viewed this video for the first time I was completely mistaken about what I thought was going on.)

(Be warned that the scenes here contain spoilers to those episodes, and to the season in general, so if you haven't watched through the end of season 1 and you're interested in the show you may want to skip this. Also note that there's a bit of violence in the video, what with people getting their heads telekentically opened like tuna cans, and whatnot.)

The Best Snowman Ever

Snow in Washington! (No way!) Truth be told I'm not all that fond of the stuff...it's nice to have around for the holiday atmosphere, but it does murderous things to my commute, and try as I have to come to appreciate the whole "melting snow inside of my socks" thing, that particular sensation has yet to find a fond place in my memories.

But, in any case, we don't get much of the white powdery stuff here in Washington, so the kids and I seized the opportunity when this early portent of a White Christmas decended earlier today and constructed the beautiful snowman that you see above!

Now...before you get too critical, please keep in mind that we don't have a lot of experience with snowman construction. In fact -- and I'm prepared to be as incorrect about this fact as I've ever been incorrect about anything, which is qite a bold statement indeed when one considers how incorrect I am half of the time about everything else -- so far as I can recall this is the first snowman I've ever built. Sure, I may have participated in the construction of somone else's snowman back when I was in elementary school in the 1600s, I grant you, but such duty was likely akin to holding the carrot nose (which I was allowed to do only in exchange for not speaking) or else fetching one of the grown-ups a beer while they made the snowman (one of my favorite grade school activities, I must say...my Dad used to pay me $1 a beer!).

No, I do believe that this was my first tour of duty as Head of Snowman Construction Operations.

Yes...he's a little dirty. And...sort of...lacking in tallness...but hey, with the aid of my trusty minions (aka son and daughter) I think "Whitey" here is a fine first attempt in what is destined to be a future saturated with snowman construction!

I Did It!!!!!

While I'm nowhere near to being finished with this silly little project, I surpassed my 50,000 word requirement for Nanowrimo (though my week has been so crazy I honestly couldn't tell you if it happened yesterday or today). "The Ending Dream" isn't even remotely finished (I've barely scratched the surface on Part One of the novel, to be perfectly honest) and I won't even say it's my best work (my writing has taken something of a strange turn this year...which isn't necessarily a bad thing, mind you), but it was a fun distraction, and since I'd so long intended to work on this project I'm going to try my best to keep rolling with it. Of course, I also have about four novels worth of already written material that desperately needs revision...oh, well, one thing at a time.

In other news (and I should have blogged about this days ago), M&M (or "Mom & Michael", as they're more popularly referred to) are moving to Washington! Michael actually arrived on Tuesday after a very lengthy drive, and we're excited to have them about...it'll be nice to add to the repertoire of local family folks (and it seems that my baby bro may be joining us, as well...it's going to get crowded, I think).

In the meantime, I'm going to lay off on the excessive blogging for a while. My darling wife signed me up for Nanoblowpo...no, wait...Nanoblomo...wherein one was supposed to blog every day for the month of November. Well, I nearly did it (one post was eaten, and I missed one day this week), but in the meantime I'll be back to my once a week or so blog postings.

November is nearly finished -- have a great weekend, and bring on December! I can take it! (Wait, no...not in the face!!!!...)

Writing Update (And Little Else)

Work is hell. Enjoy the widgit.

Tis' the Season

Christmas Shopping!!!! Ahhhhhhh!!!!!

I actually enjoy Christmas shopping. I love the buying of "loot" for others (especially kids) and anticipating their opening it days/weeks/months down the road. I love searching through wish lists, standing in line at stores and hunting down great sales. I love trying (generally unsuccessfully) to come up with new, original or even just unexpected ideas of what to grab for people. I love hiding the loot, wrapping the loot and then showing off the wrapped/hidden loot in oblique manners to pique the curiosity of the intended gift recipients.

I may be a bit insane for liking all of these things. But so be it.

What I DON'T like is budgeting for Christmas. This year, we've had unexpected car repair bills, unexpected medical bills, the unending headache of mortgage and credit card payments, and a trip to DC for my daughter looming juuuuust over the horizon. Because of budgeting headaches, I think I can understand why some people don't like Christmas, or at the very least don't get as excited about it as perhaps they used to. I'm trying -- desperately trying -- not to become one of those people. It's tough, but I know I can do it.

To everyone who may be feeling a bit dragged down by the whole "sick of gift buying/gift budgeting" flu this holiday season, here's what I tell myself when I feel the bite: keep your chin up. You'll work through it, just like you always have. And, in the end, you'll be a happier person for all your efforts. :)

(This unusually chipper blog post brought to you by the letter "A", for: Accountant who's finally done with stupid a$$ meetings for the day...)

Lost while waiting for "Lost"...

I don't want to dwell, or sound like too much of a fanboy, but I'll admit it right now: I'm a "Lostie". I'm re-watching Seasons 1 and 2 in anticipation of acquiring my DVD copy of Season 3, which I of course plan to devour and re-watch in preparation for Season 4, which should, at the very least, prove interesting.

The only thing I don't like about "Lost" is that most other shows just can't even compete with it for my attention. Do I know every secret and every connection? Do I fully comprehend what the heck is going on and where things are going? Do I have my expectations on how things should turn out so I can be disappointed when the ending doesn't fit my theories? The answer is "Heck No!" on all counts, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

"Lost" is, quite simply put, a continually intriguing, exciting, and entertaining slice of intellectualized science fiction/mystery, and, in my humble opinion, it's getting better and better as it rolls along. Some have accused "Lost" of spinning its own wheels or being directionless, but I almost hesitate to acknowledge those arguments. "Lost" is consistent with delivering what it's viewers have come to expect. It is a show that delights in presenting mysteries, not solving them. It is a show that delights in the journey as much as -- if not more than -- the destination. It is a nigh unsolvable labyrinth of Byzantine connections and intriguing plot twists.

In the end, when the series is finished and all secrets have been revealed, the payoff will probably pale in comparison to the build up that got us there, but no matter: I've thoroughly enjoyed the journey much more than I have with almost any other television show I've ever watched, and I'm glad to be a part of the "Lost Experience", wherever it may end up going.


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