It really is amazing how habits collapse after one failure. I was going to skip it tonight, but then I thought about it - come on, I'm not ready to let this die. It's not time yet.
Did an AMA on Reddit about Magic rules reviewing. Someone asked if I wanted to write about Magic for his website (and be paid for it). Also received something for FAQ construction, with a mid-templating expected in a few days. Weird how it all comes in a clump...
Had an awkward conversation with Efrain about Sylvia. He let a relationship collapse in the past, and regrets it. I don't know how similar this is. Denial? Particularly interested to observe myself, and how uncomfortable I find this kind of emotional conversation.
It's late. Time to sleep.
Wednesday, 10 February 2010
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
Day 27 - Red Robin again!
Huh. My first failure at this - I wasn't able to write yesterday. I was bamboozled into babysitting all evening with no computer. Please don't let this jeopardize the habit. Probably won't be disastrous, since I've gone almost a month now.
On the spur of the moment, took advantage of a commitment-free evening to hang out with Derek. We ate at Red Robin, and passed a very pleasant couple of hours chatting about everything and anything - how his girlfriend's going to try being religious again (I compared it with taking up smoking); differences in culture and language and religion, and whether they're good (world diversity) or bad (cliques); how awesome it is to be a game developer; how to set up a website for Swym (Derek reckons Swym got me this job - which is cool, since it lost me the last one); Neal Stephenson books; etc.
Very pleasant.
Also, posted cards for eBay.
On the spur of the moment, took advantage of a commitment-free evening to hang out with Derek. We ate at Red Robin, and passed a very pleasant couple of hours chatting about everything and anything - how his girlfriend's going to try being religious again (I compared it with taking up smoking); differences in culture and language and religion, and whether they're good (world diversity) or bad (cliques); how awesome it is to be a game developer; how to set up a website for Swym (Derek reckons Swym got me this job - which is cool, since it lost me the last one); Neal Stephenson books; etc.
Very pleasant.
Also, posted cards for eBay.
Sunday, 7 February 2010
Day 25 - Red Robin, Spider Man, and Swimming
Spent too much money today. Hope we don't have a problem later in the week.
Anyway, took the kids to Efrain's place and played on the Wii for a bit. Michael didn't really get how Wii Sports worked. I guess that's not such a bad thing. Then we went to the Red Robin for lunch, excellent as always; then got a fantastic chocolate crepe for pudding, from Cafe Crepe on Granville. Mmm.
After that they had a bit of a nap, so I popped into the comic book shop they have there, and browsed for a bit. Considered getting Munchkin Adventures 2, but it was very expensive and to be honest, I don't get that much mileage out of such games. Bought a discounted Spiderman book instead. $6 is more my price range...
Finally, took them swimming. All in all, a pretty enjoyable day, in fact.
My Lotus Cobra finally sold on eBay. Packed it up in cardboard ready to send, but forgot to bring it with me. Oh well, tomorrow will be good enough.
Anyway, took the kids to Efrain's place and played on the Wii for a bit. Michael didn't really get how Wii Sports worked. I guess that's not such a bad thing. Then we went to the Red Robin for lunch, excellent as always; then got a fantastic chocolate crepe for pudding, from Cafe Crepe on Granville. Mmm.
After that they had a bit of a nap, so I popped into the comic book shop they have there, and browsed for a bit. Considered getting Munchkin Adventures 2, but it was very expensive and to be honest, I don't get that much mileage out of such games. Bought a discounted Spiderman book instead. $6 is more my price range...
Finally, took them swimming. All in all, a pretty enjoyable day, in fact.
My Lotus Cobra finally sold on eBay. Packed it up in cardboard ready to send, but forgot to bring it with me. Oh well, tomorrow will be good enough.
Day 24 - Zelda
(writing this the morning after, again. Shape up, lad.)
Looked after the kids all day. Oh, they're fun but soo tiring. Michael spent the whole day complaining that he wanted to use the computer to send text messages to Grandma. I'm sure she'll appreciate them.
Sylvia complained the house was a mess when she got back. Which I think was thoroughly unfair, it wasn't that untidy, and I was actually in the process of cleaning it.
In the evening, tried Zelda: Twilight Princess on Efrain's Wii. Kinda boring, wandering around this little village with no particular quest to achieve. Nothing I was doing mattered; and in the end, stopped playing because I couldn't work out what I was meant to do next. Then I tried the original Zelda from 1987 - Man, what a difference! They had it all figured out back then.
Without a single piece of explanatory text, it was clear that here I was on an epic quest, first collecting a sword to fight off the wildlife, then exploring a dungeon, finding my first piece of the Triforce (what's that? Doesn't matter, it's clearly a golden mcguffin), finding a Bow (don't have any arrows yet, but I can see where to get them)... holy shit. They should make modern game developers play this and learn where they've gone astray.
Simple gameplay (no tutorials necessary), self-explanatory situation (no cutscenes necessary) = genius instant-appeal game, regardless of 1987 graphical quality.
Looked after the kids all day. Oh, they're fun but soo tiring. Michael spent the whole day complaining that he wanted to use the computer to send text messages to Grandma. I'm sure she'll appreciate them.
Sylvia complained the house was a mess when she got back. Which I think was thoroughly unfair, it wasn't that untidy, and I was actually in the process of cleaning it.
In the evening, tried Zelda: Twilight Princess on Efrain's Wii. Kinda boring, wandering around this little village with no particular quest to achieve. Nothing I was doing mattered; and in the end, stopped playing because I couldn't work out what I was meant to do next. Then I tried the original Zelda from 1987 - Man, what a difference! They had it all figured out back then.
Without a single piece of explanatory text, it was clear that here I was on an epic quest, first collecting a sword to fight off the wildlife, then exploring a dungeon, finding my first piece of the Triforce (what's that? Doesn't matter, it's clearly a golden mcguffin), finding a Bow (don't have any arrows yet, but I can see where to get them)... holy shit. They should make modern game developers play this and learn where they've gone astray.
Simple gameplay (no tutorials necessary), self-explanatory situation (no cutscenes necessary) = genius instant-appeal game, regardless of 1987 graphical quality.
Friday, 5 February 2010
Day 23 - Volver
Sylvia picks the best movies. Watched a Pedro Almodovar movie called Volver with her tonight. It's just so well written. Gave me lots of little flavours to put into Skyward. It's starting to come together, I think.
At work, got all my Closed Beta 2 bugs polished off, ready for Monday. This basically amounted to switching our lobby to run at 1024 x 950. Mark my words, in a few weeks we'll be redesigning the tabs to go down the left-hand side...
Now looking at the Urza's Saga FAQ. Mark says it's huge... yummy.
At work, got all my Closed Beta 2 bugs polished off, ready for Monday. This basically amounted to switching our lobby to run at 1024 x 950. Mark my words, in a few weeks we'll be redesigning the tabs to go down the left-hand side...
Now looking at the Urza's Saga FAQ. Mark says it's huge... yummy.
Thursday, 4 February 2010
Day 22 - Aliens vs Predator! Aliens vs Predator!
So, yep, managed to post Misty Rainforest, and buy envelopes. Relisted the other cards - hopefully they'll sell this time. Reduced the price.
Played the new Aliens Versus Predator demo at lunch. Awesome stuff, though I was disappointed by the way the aliens jumped. Hardly any distance at all, really.
Bought and ate dinner by myself for the first time in years.
Played the new Aliens Versus Predator demo at lunch. Awesome stuff, though I was disappointed by the way the aliens jumped. Hardly any distance at all, really.
Bought and ate dinner by myself for the first time in years.
Day 21 - oops, too late
Writing this the morning after. Dang.
Anyway, a pretty good day - Greg was very happy that I could prototype new screen layouts so fast. :-)
Do Not Forget: Must post Misty Rainforest tomorrow. Er, today, that is.
Anyway, a pretty good day - Greg was very happy that I could prototype new screen layouts so fast. :-)
Do Not Forget: Must post Misty Rainforest tomorrow. Er, today, that is.
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
Day 20 - Silent Night
Today was roughly 1000% better than I expected it to be. Not that my expectations were especially high.
Anyway, I think I see, for the first time, that this is not going to be the end of the world as we know it. Separation has almost the opposite effect - it means that we can no longer simply be passively together in the house, doing our own things. It would feel wrong - why am I there, instead of here? So it actually makes us far more conscious of our time together, and we relish it all the more for that.
An unexpected healing force.
Anyway, I think I see, for the first time, that this is not going to be the end of the world as we know it. Separation has almost the opposite effect - it means that we can no longer simply be passively together in the house, doing our own things. It would feel wrong - why am I there, instead of here? So it actually makes us far more conscious of our time together, and we relish it all the more for that.
An unexpected healing force.
Monday, 1 February 2010
Day 19 - If this were the last day of your life...
Ok, so I'll write what I want to write, but I won't publish it right now. At some time far in the future nobody will be upset to learn of the events of today.
And here we are. I packed a suitcase with my few meager clothes, stuck my laptop in its bag, and moved out to Efrain's house. I'm not being a good roommate, though. Hopefully we can get to know each other and make this a nice arrangement.
It's frustrating that the words are coming out so bland. My head is swimming, every sentence is taking me 5 minutes to write, and yet all I'm managing to say are the dry facts. I was avoiding people all the way here, lest my red eyes disturb their pleasant evening. It occurred to me that, for Vancouver, the weather was a disappointingly light drizzle tonight. Hardly reflective.
I don't want Sylvia to call. It's too painful.
And here we are. I packed a suitcase with my few meager clothes, stuck my laptop in its bag, and moved out to Efrain's house. I'm not being a good roommate, though. Hopefully we can get to know each other and make this a nice arrangement.
It's frustrating that the words are coming out so bland. My head is swimming, every sentence is taking me 5 minutes to write, and yet all I'm managing to say are the dry facts. I was avoiding people all the way here, lest my red eyes disturb their pleasant evening. It occurred to me that, for Vancouver, the weather was a disappointingly light drizzle tonight. Hardly reflective.
I don't want Sylvia to call. It's too painful.
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