The Agenda, Part I
Here's what I've been up to and what I'm going to be up to in the near future, if things go as planned. Of course they never do, but I figure this is a good way to at least organize my thoughts.
Doings:
1) Learning guitar. I was just practicing tonight. It's pretty rough, as I have absolutely no musical background to speak of. I'm 22, and just starting to learn. I mean, I played recorded in like, 3rd grade, but that doesn't really help. Fortunately, I have a great teacher in my current housemate Ryan. I think he's got enough of a musical background for the both of us. It may just be because Ryan's a good friend, or because I love live music, but I think that he's an outstanding guitarist. He's got a good singing voice and his lyrical abilities have really been impressing me of late. Again, I'm biased, but I really think Ryan could make a career in music. He said that when I learned to play guitar, I could be his guitarist. I'm holding him to that.
Anyways, I'm a pretty independent guy and I also hate to inconvenience people, so I've mostly been trying to teach myself. It's slow going, for sure. I've semi-learned a few "real" songs, and I know a few old folk songs (Kumbaya, etc.) from this "Guitar for Dummies" book. ...Yeah, I know, shut up. In theory, I know how to play Bob Marley's "Redemption Song," and "Acoustic #3" by the Goo Goo Dolls. I'm currently working on "Rough Draft" by Yellowcard. For the most part, I know the notes and chords to play, I just have to work my coordination up to the point where I can strum it at a decent pace.
2) Paying off my car. My girlfriend, who really is wonderful beyond any ... tangent: Reno 911 on Comedy Central is a pretty quality show. Well, it's hit-or-miss, but when it hits, its really brilliant. End tangent.... so I was saying, my girlfriend is fantastic, and she was nice enough to front me $700 to buy a car. It's a '93 Ford Tempo, standard. Vicki taught me how to drive standard, too, which has proven remarkably useful. So anyways, things always come up and you know how that goes, so it's taking me longer to pay her back than I'd like. In any case, it is exciting to really have my own car. I had used my parents old Caprice Classic before I went to college, but I never really felt like I owned it. So this is a good feeling. Or will be a good feeling, anyways. Hopefully the car will last me for a long time -- about half the thing was just recently replaced with brand new parts, so here's hopin'.
3) Reading Game of Thrones. I'm a huge geek, so I love a good fantasy novel. You know, Lord of the Rings-type stuff. Anyways, Brian (another good friend/roommate) had the Game of Thrones books by George R. R. Martin. I had heard that the books were phenomenal from like six different people. All of my friends from GAGG (it stands for Geneseo Area Gaming Group) were reading the novels about a year ago and couldn't stop raving about it. I had just about forgotten about it until I noticed that Brian had 'em. I'm on chapter 4 (5, maybe?) of the first book now. It's pretty good, but unfortunately I keep reading it when I'm tired so its sometimes hard to focus. It's nice to be reading for pleasure again... I haven't done that in ages.
4) Working. I currently landscape for a living. Vicki and I work there together. It's tough work, but a good work out. And its decent money. There's definately some shady stuff going on right now with our boss, but that's a story for another time. I really want to finish up this post in a timely matter as its getting late, so I'll put it on the back burner.
Sadly, that's about all I've really been doing. I work, play guitar, read, watch TV, and occassionally play some Magic Online or Online Poker. It's pretty sad, but working is pretty draining, and it the end of the day, its hard to get motivated to do a whole lot.
To-dos, in Brief:
Getting tired, so I'll just run down this stuff so I don't forget it. Details next time or whatever.
1) Update this freakin' blog more often. I'm nototiously bad about keeping journals and such. Daily is a lot to hope for, but hey, you never know. Which reminds me of one of the topics I wanted to talk about: the lottery. Other upcoming blog stuff: "I, Robot" review, a couple of CD reviews, more talk about my dysfunctional brain (note to self: The Bike Accident), my recent bad luck streak and superstition, the state of music these days, politics (maybe), my apparent problem with brevity...
2) Work on the Matrix RPG, as well as other game projects: helping out on the Mage Academy BBG (note to self: suggest Blogger to the guys for communication purposes) and my pet game setting, Soulbinder.
3) Actually win at both Magic and Poker. There's a Grand Prix Trial coming up I want to hit for Magic. For those of you not in the know (probably most of you) Magic: the Gathering (which is a collectible card game, by the way) has a professional circuit that I've been passively trying to break into. I'm pretty sure that I'm a pretty good Magic player, and it would really be a dream if I could make money on one of my favorite hobbies.
Much more likely though, is to make money on Poker. I say that because Magic only pays out cash to the top, top players. Poker revolves around money, so with some careful play, I can hopefully come out on top in my gambling endeavours. I invested $35 into an online Poker room... at my best, I had turned that into $170, but I was stupid, went "on tilt" as they say, and lost it all. I turned $20 more of "bonus" money that I had gotten free into $50... then lost that all on one hand because I didn't trust my instincts -- I knew the other guy had the pocket aces, but I just kept betting anyways. Anyways, a lesson learned, and hopefully next time I can make -- and keep -- some of that money. I've got a plan, but more on that another time.
3) Look for a new job. There are some nice prospects out there, details on that next time 'round.
4) Go home. I've got to take a trip home sometime, see the family. Haven't done that in a while. Speaking of that, hopefully my cousin and some other friends from home will be coming up and we'll be going to the Rolling Rock Town Fair in PA. If I'm able to go (it's looking rather shaky :sad face:) I'll be sure to let you all know how it went.
5) Tangent: Mena Suvari (of American Pie, American Beauty fame) is pretty hot. Vicki asked me once who the hottest celebrity was in my opinion, and I thought she was at that moment. She fell out of favor with me after that, but I just saw her for a sec on the tube, and she was looking very nice. End tangent... ...
...
... I really thought I had more for this to-do list. Well, maybe I'll remember for next time.
Until then! Have a link!
Peace,
Schmitty
Doings:
1) Learning guitar. I was just practicing tonight. It's pretty rough, as I have absolutely no musical background to speak of. I'm 22, and just starting to learn. I mean, I played recorded in like, 3rd grade, but that doesn't really help. Fortunately, I have a great teacher in my current housemate Ryan. I think he's got enough of a musical background for the both of us. It may just be because Ryan's a good friend, or because I love live music, but I think that he's an outstanding guitarist. He's got a good singing voice and his lyrical abilities have really been impressing me of late. Again, I'm biased, but I really think Ryan could make a career in music. He said that when I learned to play guitar, I could be his guitarist. I'm holding him to that.
Anyways, I'm a pretty independent guy and I also hate to inconvenience people, so I've mostly been trying to teach myself. It's slow going, for sure. I've semi-learned a few "real" songs, and I know a few old folk songs (Kumbaya, etc.) from this "Guitar for Dummies" book. ...Yeah, I know, shut up. In theory, I know how to play Bob Marley's "Redemption Song," and "Acoustic #3" by the Goo Goo Dolls. I'm currently working on "Rough Draft" by Yellowcard. For the most part, I know the notes and chords to play, I just have to work my coordination up to the point where I can strum it at a decent pace.
2) Paying off my car. My girlfriend, who really is wonderful beyond any ... tangent: Reno 911 on Comedy Central is a pretty quality show. Well, it's hit-or-miss, but when it hits, its really brilliant. End tangent.... so I was saying, my girlfriend is fantastic, and she was nice enough to front me $700 to buy a car. It's a '93 Ford Tempo, standard. Vicki taught me how to drive standard, too, which has proven remarkably useful. So anyways, things always come up and you know how that goes, so it's taking me longer to pay her back than I'd like. In any case, it is exciting to really have my own car. I had used my parents old Caprice Classic before I went to college, but I never really felt like I owned it. So this is a good feeling. Or will be a good feeling, anyways. Hopefully the car will last me for a long time -- about half the thing was just recently replaced with brand new parts, so here's hopin'.
3) Reading Game of Thrones. I'm a huge geek, so I love a good fantasy novel. You know, Lord of the Rings-type stuff. Anyways, Brian (another good friend/roommate) had the Game of Thrones books by George R. R. Martin. I had heard that the books were phenomenal from like six different people. All of my friends from GAGG (it stands for Geneseo Area Gaming Group) were reading the novels about a year ago and couldn't stop raving about it. I had just about forgotten about it until I noticed that Brian had 'em. I'm on chapter 4 (5, maybe?) of the first book now. It's pretty good, but unfortunately I keep reading it when I'm tired so its sometimes hard to focus. It's nice to be reading for pleasure again... I haven't done that in ages.
4) Working. I currently landscape for a living. Vicki and I work there together. It's tough work, but a good work out. And its decent money. There's definately some shady stuff going on right now with our boss, but that's a story for another time. I really want to finish up this post in a timely matter as its getting late, so I'll put it on the back burner.
Sadly, that's about all I've really been doing. I work, play guitar, read, watch TV, and occassionally play some Magic Online or Online Poker. It's pretty sad, but working is pretty draining, and it the end of the day, its hard to get motivated to do a whole lot.
To-dos, in Brief:
Getting tired, so I'll just run down this stuff so I don't forget it. Details next time or whatever.
1) Update this freakin' blog more often. I'm nototiously bad about keeping journals and such. Daily is a lot to hope for, but hey, you never know. Which reminds me of one of the topics I wanted to talk about: the lottery. Other upcoming blog stuff: "I, Robot" review, a couple of CD reviews, more talk about my dysfunctional brain (note to self: The Bike Accident), my recent bad luck streak and superstition, the state of music these days, politics (maybe), my apparent problem with brevity...
2) Work on the Matrix RPG, as well as other game projects: helping out on the Mage Academy BBG (note to self: suggest Blogger to the guys for communication purposes) and my pet game setting, Soulbinder.
3) Actually win at both Magic and Poker. There's a Grand Prix Trial coming up I want to hit for Magic. For those of you not in the know (probably most of you) Magic: the Gathering (which is a collectible card game, by the way) has a professional circuit that I've been passively trying to break into. I'm pretty sure that I'm a pretty good Magic player, and it would really be a dream if I could make money on one of my favorite hobbies.
Much more likely though, is to make money on Poker. I say that because Magic only pays out cash to the top, top players. Poker revolves around money, so with some careful play, I can hopefully come out on top in my gambling endeavours. I invested $35 into an online Poker room... at my best, I had turned that into $170, but I was stupid, went "on tilt" as they say, and lost it all. I turned $20 more of "bonus" money that I had gotten free into $50... then lost that all on one hand because I didn't trust my instincts -- I knew the other guy had the pocket aces, but I just kept betting anyways. Anyways, a lesson learned, and hopefully next time I can make -- and keep -- some of that money. I've got a plan, but more on that another time.
3) Look for a new job. There are some nice prospects out there, details on that next time 'round.
4) Go home. I've got to take a trip home sometime, see the family. Haven't done that in a while. Speaking of that, hopefully my cousin and some other friends from home will be coming up and we'll be going to the Rolling Rock Town Fair in PA. If I'm able to go (it's looking rather shaky :sad face:) I'll be sure to let you all know how it went.
5) Tangent: Mena Suvari (of American Pie, American Beauty fame) is pretty hot. Vicki asked me once who the hottest celebrity was in my opinion, and I thought she was at that moment. She fell out of favor with me after that, but I just saw her for a sec on the tube, and she was looking very nice. End tangent... ...
...
... I really thought I had more for this to-do list. Well, maybe I'll remember for next time.
Until then! Have a link!
Peace,
Schmitty
posted by Kultcher at Thursday, July 22, 2004
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