Schedules, Shantytowns and Simplification

The word of the week is ponderous.

Jan 18 – Blue Monday?

Supposedly today is the saddest day of the year.

You can substitute whatever phrase you like for it: Most Depressing, Personal-Low Day, whatever - it all basically means the same thing: it's a low point.

I had my low point last week, with my almost-panic-attack. Definitely not depressing, but certainly akin to the same. Around this time of year, Christmas is but a memory a month gone, bills are due and it's really dark out too early in the day. Myself, I've noticed that I've been quite lethargic these last couple of months, more so than usual, and I attribute it to a general lack of exercise.

To combat that, I've started going out for walks on one of my daily breaks, taking a turn around a block or two. The fresh air, exercise and brighter light seem to be helping, in that I don't feel so run down by the time I get back home. Working in an office does have its downfalls, for all the perks that a good job may offer, one of them being a lack of moving around or carrying things like my former office supply job. As well, I'm considering getting

I've also started paying attention to the Health app on my Pebble Time watch. It tracks the number of steps I take in a day and I'm trying to get that up to close to 10,000. Walking to work and back is about 5,000 so I just need to try to double that on a daily basis; may be leaving earlier for work or taking a more roundabout route home will help, depending on the weather. Fortunately, it hasn't been anything more than rainy here, compared to the lambasting that the Eastern half of the continent is getting right now.

On a positive note, it's all uphill from here, seasonally-speaking!

Jan 19 – Artistry     

Some people just have talent in spades.

Take, for example, Kay Pike, an artist who works with paint... and uses her body as a canvas. She's able to create incredibly realistic-looking characters, thanks to her color choices, skill and abilities as a photographer/videographer. It's like watching a comic book come to life:

Nebula Bodypaint KayPikeFashionHey all, This is the Nebula Bodypaint from last night http://www.twitch.tv/kaypikefashionI almost have the complete set, Nebula, Thanos, and Gamora so far! I actually did a decent job of getting the bald cap on properly. I am pleased. Can’t wait to have to photos ready for this one. Wish me luck on finding time to do edits!Nebula was pretty fantastic to paint, still trying to figure out the blacks however! Overall its pretty good, I carried over my robotic techniques from DR Doom, and this one was relatively stress free with next to no optical illusions. She looks just like me :D#nebula #sister #scifi #comic #movie #favouritemovie #villan #gotg #cyborg #assassin #badass #retro  #guardiansofthegalaxy  #twitch #twitchcreative #creative  #makeup #bodypaint #bodyart #paint #art #artist #cospaint #cosplay #cosplayer #yyc TwitchTV Guardians of the Galaxy
Posted by Kay Pike (Designer/ Model) on Sunday, January 17, 2016

Here's hoping this sort of talent will help her go far as an artist. She and others like her are one of the many reasons that I love browsing through FBook, to see just what wonders that some people are capable of creating.

Jan 20 – Clearing my Schedule

The first half of 2016 is going to be pretty dull for me, in some ways.

I'm stepping back from running my writing group, for one thing. The group seems to have attained a self-sustaining momentum, in that I no longer feel that I have to give at least one presentation a month in order to keep the membership happy and returning on a regular basis. This will help clear up some time for me during the week in order to write, which is somewhat overdue, I feel - ironic that I have to give up writing in order to write, but that's life for you.

I'm also stepping back from social obligations, in small ways only, however. I am going to limit my boardgaming to once a month, again in order to free up time. As well, I'll be cutting back on going out for drinks or dinner to once or twice per month, for the same result.

These reductions will also help my budget, which I've resolved to shape up even further by limiting my 'meals out' to one of each type( breakfast/lunch/dinner ) per week, again in order to both save time and money.

It's my hope that these reductions will have the dual effect of getting me focused on just my writing as well as reducing my stress when it comes to my finances. I know I'm capable of living simpler, in terms of sociability at least, and my sense of accomplishment when it comes to getting my writing done can certainly use a boost in 2016: I have a lot to do.

Not to mention getting my new business off the ground by the summertime...

Jan 21 – In-Tents

In most cases, nobody knows how good they've got it.

When it comes to life, people are always wanting more, were taking for granted what they already have - sometimes both. I know I've been guilty of each in years past, wanting instead of needing and not appreciating the less tangible things that I possessed but instead thinking that the material could somehow become tangibly important.

For the last six months, I've been walking past a tent city on the way to work.

It's full of people who have very little, in every sense of the word. Materially, personally, professionally and financially, they are poor in these senses and many more.

Victoria has always had a large homeless population, but for the most part they are barely noticed by the citizenry except for people traversing the downtown core. The homeless are everywhere, on most of the busy street corners, asking for handouts politely and quietly on a daily basis. They sleep tucked away in corners of the downtown at night, or more commonly in tents in the city parks.

Most people ignore them as they go about their business.

It's been hard to ignore them these last few months however, as a tent city took root on provincial land next to the city courthouse in June of 2015. Since the land belongs to the province, not the city, the homeless discovered that local laws do not apply to them and their tents could remain there 24/7 without molestation by police. Word spread quickly and soon dozens of tents sprung up, creating a small community of very visible homeless, easily seen by any passerby. It's a far cry from the remove of a few tents visible here and there in city parks, I'd say.

There's been heated talk in the city now of how to help the homeless, from providing them temporary shelters to permanent homes. All of these solutions and others come with costs, of course, and I'm not the only one wondering what the best solution will be for both the homeless and the taxpayer in the city.

It's not pretty, and it's now made national news today. When you have nowhere else to go, life isn't great.

Jan 22 – 80's-Perfect

I love the 80's, though I was born in the 70's.

There's something about the combination of energetic music, materialism and a simpler worldview that makes me smile when certain shows are on the TV. Miami Vice, Magnum P.I. and MacGuyver all come to mind, along with the The A-Team, Knight Rider and others, all of them shows with stars that were bigger than life. Not to mention cool cars, explosions and great hair!

Trust The Simpsons to be able to pick out exactly what made the show's great and turn it into the best Couch Gag introductions that any 80's fan could hope for:

It always amazes me that The Simpsons can somehow focus in on exactly what made something great, parody it and still managed to have created something even better than the original thing they're parodying.

It's genius!

Jan 23 – Mech-Gaming

I don't really play video games anymore, which saddens me.

I know I've mentioned that before, but usually I told myself it's because I just don't have the time, but if I'm honest there's another reason why: I'm not really that good at them - which also comes down to time. Those who are good at something usually devote regular time to practice, and I've never really done that.

However, if you really love something, you can make the time.

These last few weeks, I've made the time to improve my game in Mechwarrior Online. I've always loved the giant-robot game genre since the days of my first games of BattleTech, which is what Mechwarrior is based on( and MWO is made by a Canadian company, which is also a good reason to support them ).

I've never really given thought to giguring out my play style before now, for any given game, but as I am limiting my game-time for 2016, it only made sense to try. Briefly: in MWO, there are 3 types of weapons: energy, ballistic and missile. I've never had success with the missile or ballistic weapons, as it takes a lot of ammo to have any real effect, so I stuck with the energy weapons: point laser, shoot, repeat.  However, using a trackball has meant my endpoint waves all over the place and even with a mouse, it's hard to hold the beam on the target long enough. Meaning as wasting a lot of damage by missing large portions of my shot time... which is really just a waste of time and adds to my frustration.

After figuring out this little gaming-gaffe in my play style, I switched to ballistic weapons, as well as a couple of similar-type energy weapons: aim, shoot, move. Seems simple, but it's really made a big difference in my enjoyment of Mechwarrior Online: actually getting somewhere now on a regular basis instead of depending on my teammates to hit the enemy more than I was doing.

Which only adds to the fun. One of these days I'll go back and finish up some of the dozens of video games that I have languishing on my shelves... but not before I finish my book trilogy!

Jan 24 – Localizing

This is the year of staying close to home.

It kind of makes sense, in that traveling is expensive. Especially to the States right now; with the dollar the way it is, there's little reason for anyone to cross the border except if you actually have a need to go that's vital.

The same goes for me traveling back to Ontario this summer, or anywhere else really: it's just not in the budget. I'm trying to get ahead and I can't do that by spending money, as painful as it is to admit when I really would like to see some of my friends and family again. It will be three years this summer since my last trip back east to visit in 2013 and that's a long time to go without seeing people that are important to you, especially as close as I am to so many of them.

I long for the future to arrive where I can simply teleport to wherever I need to be, or even operate an android by VR remote technology to allow me to have a telepresence wherever I want. Hopping on a plane, however convenient, is still an expensive proposition even in this day and age, especially living on the other side of the continent from most everyone that I want to visit.

By the end of 2016, I hope to have made great strides in my personal and professional life, enough so that I can take a trip to visit in 2017 back east. It's high on my priority list, for while I now call Victoria home, I will always want to travel back to Ontario to see those who aren't out here with me now.

I'm looking forward to a quiet week ahead: nothing planned except work and writing. It’s even my short week, so I’ll be able to get in a full day of writing on Friday. It hearkens back to the times years ago in 2012, when all I did of a day was write for hours and hours, just being creative. I need to get back to that, to move my muse forward.

Hearing, Hyperventilation and Hyperloops

The word of the week is efficacy.

Jan 11 – On Blogging

On a recent FBook post about blogging, I made this comment, which more than a few people seem to like. I think it sums up well what I've been doing with this blog over the years, for those of you who may not recall the reasons why I blog:

I write, as often as I can, probably not as often as I should. Years ago, I moved away from all my lifelong friends and family to start a new life, part of which is to focus on writing for a living. And I'm achieving that goal more recently, but there's still a fair ways to go.

As part of that life change, I started a blog to keep those I left far away updated on How Things Are Going Out Here; I've hit a million words to date and plan on going for a least a million or two more. It's something that's a part of my life, now.

It's worth it, to write out things: all the things of your day, your week, your year: your life. To show to others, or not: to communicate, to everyone or just yourself. My lady prefers to text me, not to talk on the phone( despite my radio voice ): it's what she wants, and I respect that. Over the years, I have 'met' many good friends online and we keep in touch through writing, via various mediums, though we've never met IRL. My writing has allowed me to express my creativity through MMO's, where I've created characters that have resonated with myself and others deeply over the years: that alone has taught me so much.

Write. Whoever is in your life, near or far, will appreciate the time it takes to craft words from within. You might be surprised at the voice that emerges from inside you.

Jan 12 – Trekking Towards The Future

Darn it, I wish I had more time for video games these days...

I just ran across this particular game, set in the Star Trek universe, that looks absolutely gorgeous. Call Star Trek: Excalibur, it's about:

Excalibur breaks the mould of traditional space simulation games by putting the player firmly in the boots of an experienced Starfleet captain. From the outset you will be able to control your character and command your ship as if you were standing on the bridge yourself. From taking direct control of the helm, to transferring command of any ship in your task force, or even calling your senior staff to the briefing room to discuss mission tactics; Excalibur is the most immersive Star Trek experience ever. Set six months after the events in Star Trek: Nemesis, Excalibur's story mode deals with the turbulent political scene caused by a decade of war and turmoil. From the second Borg incursion in First Contact, to the fall of the Dominion and the collapse of the Romulan political system; these events resulted in huge loss of life and changed the Alpha Quadrant forever. 

If that doesn't get your attention, have a look at this mind-blowing pre-Alpha( still in heavy development, but it's stunning! )gameplay video. I haven't seen anything this exciting in Trek ship-to-ship combat since Klingon Academy, which came out back in 2000. The visuals look just like you are playing inside a Star Trek movie, or one of the ST:TNG episodes:

ST Excalibur Pre-Alpha: Galaxy Class Raw Gameplay - Indie DB

Advances in gaming technology like this make me hunger for what's coming down the pipe: fully immersive simulation experiences using VR that put you, the player, right in the middle of the action.

Just like being there: I can hardly wait to see what's coming next!

Jan 13 – Don't Panic

I had a panic attack today at work.

At first I didn't know what was happening, really: I lost focus on my work, my heart started racing and I felt dizzy. It happened really quickly, mid-morning and it's the first time I've ever had this happen to me, in all these years of stressful things.

Fortunately, I managed to avert it - just.

Tipped off by my suddenly racing heart, I checked my heart rate using an app on my phone( which uses the camera to detect your pulse )and realized that I was letting my problems get to me all at once, which was Not Good.

Taking some calming breaths, I focused on the simple, good things in my life, telling myself that All Was Well and there is no need to overthink things. I managed to steady out my heart rate, dropping it from high 90's to low 80's within 3 minutes or so of effort and then I just sat back to keep relaxing for the next 10 minutes or so.

Crisis avoided, and nobody at work was the wiser. This time.

As I've said in previous entries in the last few months, 2016 is a make or break year for me. Today my subconscious brain just couldn't handle that anymore and my body started freaking out, but it was all to do with what I was telling myself / focusing on: finances versus future, happiness versus despair, etc.

It's a choice, and today I chose not to panic, as I've learned the hard way that it simply doesn't do any good; the same goes for worry. I just need to buckle down and Get Things Accomplished instead of letting my brain around in circles chasing its own tail, trying to fix things backwards by overthinking them. While it was a bit of a low point for me today at work, it was also a personal victory: I didn't panic, because I recognize what was happening and did something about it.

Don't Panic, as Douglas Adams said: good advice to take to heart.

Jan 14 – Rickman and Bowie

Two big losses this week, of talented, good-hearted entertainers.

Alan Rickman was a man possessed of great skill as an actor, along with an amazing and unique voice that was instantly recognizable around the world. Of all his roles, the one I liked the most was as Dr. Lazarus in Galaxy Quest. The role allowed him to poke fun at being an actor, while still delivering a memorable performance as a character who needs to rise above his situation and embrace everything that he thought he thought he despised about himself in order to succeed. I found his performance poignant as well as humorous, a combination that always speaks of a solid match between the script and the actor.

As well, I should note that many people spoke quite highly of Alan Rickman's down-to-earth personality, in that he always behaved as a regular person and not a celebrity - this account by the actress who played Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter films sums up these sentiments perfectly and is a terrific read.

The other celebrity that we lost this week was truly unique: David Bowie.

While I can't say that I am a fan of his music, I do like many of his songs and I'm chagrined to note that I wasn't all that familiar with him as a person. However, I was pleased to find out that much like Alan Rickman, everyone who came into contact with David Bowie noted what a wonderful human being he was, in addition to how he broadcasted his talent and genius simply by being in a room.

The genius side of David Bowie extended well beyond his abilities as a performer. This short interview shows how in 1995 he managed to envision where the Internet of today would develop, all the more remarkable for being an on-the-spot answer to an interviewer's question:

Jan 15 – Hearing

I got my ears tested today, for free.

A month ago, I made an appointment to get my hearing checked, as I'm not getting any younger and I've never actually had it tested before. I was pleased to find that there is a local company here that offers comprehensive audio testing of people's hearing for free, so why not?

The test took about an hour, including the time for me to answer a fairly thorough questionnaire at the start. I was placed in an audio isolation booth, which was the size of a small closet, carpeted inside for noise attenuation but with a window on one side to avoid claustrophobia. It was hot and stuffy however and I found out afterwards that the student technician forgot to turn on the exhaust fan - oops. Fortunately, I didn't experience any claustrophobia, thanks to the window.

After listening to a series of words sent to each year separately, that I had to repeat, we moved on to tones of various pitches. As I'd suspected, my right ear has become less sensitive to certain tones over the decades, I suspect mainly from traveling with loud companions in the car while I was driving. Overall, my hearing is 'average' according to the technician and the doctor both, meaning that I don't have to worry about hearing loss quite yet. They did suggest that I get my hearing tested every two years or so, depending on situational things such as workplace noise or other factors such as a genetic propensity for hearing loss.

It was a relief to know that my hearing was normal, though I was disappointed to learn that I don't have any sort of super powers in this area and I was slightly annoyed that my right ear was indeed not so great anymore. All the same, I'll keep protecting my hearing with earplugs from life's daily noise blasts and see if I can't avoid getting bionic implants until I'm well into my 80s or 90s.

Hear what I'm saying?

Jan 16 – Hyperloops

Zoom Zoom!

There has to be a faster way to get from A to B, coming in our near future, if air travel keeps getting more expensive and fuel more scarce. But what can replace aircraft in terms of their combination of speed, convenience and routes available worldwide?

Enter Elon Musk's Hyperloop.

This is truly futuristic technology here, folks. Superficially, it's similar to a small passenger train, traveling inside a closed tube from point to point at nearly the speed of sound. It's fast, too: three times as fast as the quickest bullet train.

But that's where the similarities end. Have a look:

I find this technology fascinating, as it seems to take a leap beyond the MagLev( magnetic levitation )train concepts that have been languishing in development hell for decades: nobody can get their cost down to the point where it's economically feasible to build Loops of MagLev track across North America, let alone connect up systems globally.

With the Hyperloop, the costs are far lower for even better performance, thanks to the closed-tube design that allows much higher speed due to lower air pressure inside the tube. With air friction reduced as much as possible, the system can connect cities far more economically than air travel, with far less pollution. Not to mention not having to leave the ground more than a few feet at the time. According to Elon Musk, once the distance gets over 500-700 miles, it's more economical to use aircraft - for now.

Jan 17 – Doing It All

Given how busy I am most days, I feel I should add things in perspective as to what I hope to actually get done this year. A few years ago, I came up with an example of how one can only do so much in one's life at any given time.

Everyone's familiar with elastic bands: they stretch, up to a point, then break.

Picture your available time as elastic band, and all the things that you want to do as objects you construction and around - pretty simple, right?

Now, there's always going to be more objects than you can stretch the band around, the matter how clever you are: that's life. You can imagine the object is all being of the uniform size, or some things being bigger than others, depending on the time commitment involved - that's totally up to you.

The point is, you can only stretch the elastic around so many things before it becomes tight. After that point, if you try to add anything else to the bundle, you risk the elastic breaking, which is a metaphor for everything coming apart, really.

Sure, you can cheat a little: stretch the elastic beforehand, arrange the objects in a more compact mass or switch things out on a regular basis: again, that's up to you.

For me, I think I almost "pre-broke" my elastic this week, with the averted panic attack: in imagining all things I had to do, I was stuffing a huge number objects into an elastic of finite size and I didn't consciously realize that I was doing it.

2016 has a lot going on for me, but I need to take it one thing at a time. I'm mentally stretch enough to do it, as long as I admit that I can't do it all at once.

That's it for me this week. I've been feeling quite tired and slightly nauseous, though I think the second part is something that's been going around of late, as many people have said the same thing at work. Signing up to get some regular exercise as well as eating better while stressing less I think is the formula for the next few months, at least until the sun is up as early in the mornings as I am again.