Yah, it's the same old story. Been away, haven't had time, blah blah blah
It's not really true though. I just haven't had the motivation to keep up a blog of any sort. It has been awhile though and I've decided to start working on it again. I've also started up a third blog (I'm an idiot, clearly) to chronicle any updates with a new little project/company I'm starting.
Bum/Star, or Bum and Star Productions, is something I have had rolling around in my head for a long time now and am really just starting to get put it in motion. In any case, things will be getting updated a bit more periodically now.
Keep an eye out here, Bum/Star, to see what's going on with that stuff. Just put up a small post detailing what it's going to involve. It's really everything I've said I was going to do with Reality Grounded but I'm rebranding it basically to keep it more uniform and in line with some other stuff. Reality Grounded will probably remain a small part of the Bum/Star brand but, more or less anything involving new or creative media such as podcasts and videos will be Bum/Star branded. Reality Grounded is sort of a floater for now.
Same goes for AZ Rogue Travels.....haven't really had the energy to focus much on that lately either. I have been travelling a lot more recently but have sort of giving up on travel blogging. It was sort of a pointless endeavor on my behalf. I will keep the site up just for the hell of it but I'm not going to be pursuing keeping it active any longer. Maybe just make it into a sort of vacation picture blog or something. I dunno...
[edit] I just wanted to point out that I did also update the photography page on this blog. I now have a small little slideshow up for your enjoyment!
Anyway, thanks
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Neglect is Such a Dirty Habit
I write these types of posts pretty often, I leave blogging alone for awhile as I become more acquainted with other aspects of my life but I inevitably come back to it for one reason or another. Mostly, I like to try and post something occasionally just so that the blog doesn't seem stale.
Anyway, much of what I have planned for the future of Reality Grounded is still in planning stages or ready to go but I just don't quite have the time to focus on it all yet.
See, I'm getting married in less than three months and if you've ever been married you know what sort of stresses that can bring about. Thankfully most of what needs to be done is done at this point, there still are some things for the wedding that need a little work here and there but not much.
I started a new quick blog on Tumblr that you can check out though in the meantime while Reality Grounded is slow, http://fucknodubstep.tumblr.com - it's something I just started, I really just post videos from YouTube of dubstep songs and then the Top YouTube Comment below the video. It's really just for fun and is extremely easy to manage (note: not so damn time consuming) so check it out.
Cacao for now
Anyway, much of what I have planned for the future of Reality Grounded is still in planning stages or ready to go but I just don't quite have the time to focus on it all yet.
See, I'm getting married in less than three months and if you've ever been married you know what sort of stresses that can bring about. Thankfully most of what needs to be done is done at this point, there still are some things for the wedding that need a little work here and there but not much.
I started a new quick blog on Tumblr that you can check out though in the meantime while Reality Grounded is slow, http://fucknodubstep.tumblr.com - it's something I just started, I really just post videos from YouTube of dubstep songs and then the Top YouTube Comment below the video. It's really just for fun and is extremely easy to manage (note: not so damn time consuming) so check it out.
Cacao for now
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Serial Stories
I often have a difficult time just sitting down and writing, specifically when it comes to writing any sort of short story, it truly baffles me. Stories float around in my head, bending and warping, and they just sort of sit there. I don't really touch them. Occasionally I may pick one out and start to write it but once I've started the act of writing, the story goes away and I can no longer think on it.
This poses a real big problem for me. I want to write novels that people cherish and enjoy reading but I am wholly unable to focus on something quite so lengthy. This blog is really a place for me to experiment with my writing style and try to find things that work for me. I'm quite able to write personal thoughts down without any effort and on occasion I can write down small editorial-esque type pieces. I am proud of my writing, I feel that it is strong, well written and concise, but I need more practice with fiction.
I've devised a plan that will hopefully alleviate the issue of forcing stories out of my head by working on them more slowly and over a long period of time. Very much the same thing that Charles Dickens did with many of his novels. Though I don't have a particular public outlet, other than here, for any sort of exposure. I am hoping though, that regardless of whether anyone reads my stories, this method will allow me to work on a singular piece until it's completion.
Depending on how my day turns out I may kick things off tonight with a fresh story that started brewing in my head this morning. It's a bit of a departure for me in terms of subject, but then again I do like to float around with different ideas until one makes sense to me.
This poses a real big problem for me. I want to write novels that people cherish and enjoy reading but I am wholly unable to focus on something quite so lengthy. This blog is really a place for me to experiment with my writing style and try to find things that work for me. I'm quite able to write personal thoughts down without any effort and on occasion I can write down small editorial-esque type pieces. I am proud of my writing, I feel that it is strong, well written and concise, but I need more practice with fiction.
I've devised a plan that will hopefully alleviate the issue of forcing stories out of my head by working on them more slowly and over a long period of time. Very much the same thing that Charles Dickens did with many of his novels. Though I don't have a particular public outlet, other than here, for any sort of exposure. I am hoping though, that regardless of whether anyone reads my stories, this method will allow me to work on a singular piece until it's completion.
Depending on how my day turns out I may kick things off tonight with a fresh story that started brewing in my head this morning. It's a bit of a departure for me in terms of subject, but then again I do like to float around with different ideas until one makes sense to me.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Today in Google
Today Google announced their newest tool in an already vast arsenal, Google Wallet has made it's debut. The rumors of such a service have been floating around for a few weeks now after it had been revealed that the big G was looking to secure a new form of checkout scanner in select stores across the country. Also not to mention the fact that they had released the Google Nexus S phone with a new form of wireless communication known as NFC or, Near Field Communication, as it were.
The big news today though isn't necessarily that they have announced the new service in of itself but who they have already partnered up and ready to roll with it. The first big contender is MasterCard and their PayPass system. If you happen to have a capable phone, it will now essentially act as a it's own PayPass MasterCard virtually anywhere that PayPass is accepted. This could mean in many places around the world even, negating the hassle of exchange rates of currency and the like. Very cool stuff.
Next up we also have Citi Bank MasterCards being officially supported. Then we also have Sprint which there doesn't seem to be a lot of concrete details on yet. With the way Sprint has cozied up with Google Voice recently though, I expect some really tight integration of Sprint services (payments, etc) into the Android OS on their handsets.
As far as retailers go we have so far: Macy's, Subway, Walgreens, Toys 'R Us and Noah's Bagels with 'many more in the coming months'.
The service itself will begin with some trials in New York and San Francisco before spreading around the states, again in the 'coming months' which could or could not happen at this point. Things seem very beta-like to me as it stands now.
Finally Google has announced Google Offers, a new service which will provide discounts to consumers from the various retail partners that have signed up. I'm guessing there will be tighter integration with this and Google Latitude as things start to get rolling full-steam. Latitude has had similar offers for about a month now when you check in to various locations frequently, very much the same way 4Square works.
There's a lot more in store with this and if anyone will really be able to bring the fire, it's Google. This really seems like a natural progression for them being as heavily monetized by ads as they are. Anyway, that's all I really have to say about things now, may write a small followup later on as more information is brought forth.
The big news today though isn't necessarily that they have announced the new service in of itself but who they have already partnered up and ready to roll with it. The first big contender is MasterCard and their PayPass system. If you happen to have a capable phone, it will now essentially act as a it's own PayPass MasterCard virtually anywhere that PayPass is accepted. This could mean in many places around the world even, negating the hassle of exchange rates of currency and the like. Very cool stuff.
Next up we also have Citi Bank MasterCards being officially supported. Then we also have Sprint which there doesn't seem to be a lot of concrete details on yet. With the way Sprint has cozied up with Google Voice recently though, I expect some really tight integration of Sprint services (payments, etc) into the Android OS on their handsets.
As far as retailers go we have so far: Macy's, Subway, Walgreens, Toys 'R Us and Noah's Bagels with 'many more in the coming months'.
The service itself will begin with some trials in New York and San Francisco before spreading around the states, again in the 'coming months' which could or could not happen at this point. Things seem very beta-like to me as it stands now.
Finally Google has announced Google Offers, a new service which will provide discounts to consumers from the various retail partners that have signed up. I'm guessing there will be tighter integration with this and Google Latitude as things start to get rolling full-steam. Latitude has had similar offers for about a month now when you check in to various locations frequently, very much the same way 4Square works.
There's a lot more in store with this and if anyone will really be able to bring the fire, it's Google. This really seems like a natural progression for them being as heavily monetized by ads as they are. Anyway, that's all I really have to say about things now, may write a small followup later on as more information is brought forth.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Transitioning
Lately, I've been mainly blogging on my Wordpress account and am ultimately unimpressed with it. They have some nice, professional looking themes but overall the customization is utterly lacking. So as it stands, I believe I am going to try and start blogging a bit more with Blogger, I don't see much of a reason not to as I tend to run the rest of my life via Google, why not my web/media outlet as well?
Anyway, going to moving things around slowly and getting things back on track. Hopefully my musings will become more frequent here soon.
Anyway, going to moving things around slowly and getting things back on track. Hopefully my musings will become more frequent here soon.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
An Easter's Day Meditation
Tomorrow marks the beginning of a new chapter in my life as I progress from one realm to another, financially speaking anyway. I start my new job at a prompt (read: early) 7 am doing something I am wholly unaware of though totally keen on learning. I don't like waking up so early and this is going to just be something I learn to deal with over time and eventually, hopefully, I will be able to start my days a bit later.
There is, as always, a flip side to the whole ordeal however. Early to work means earlier to get home than usual. I'm suspect that most days I will be finished around perhaps 2 or 3 in the afternoon giving me mucho free-time during my evenings. My sleep will suffer more than anything, I am quite used to and happy with getting 8 to 9 hours a night and depending on how early I can actually force myself asleep I may only be getting 6 to 7 now. All in all, not too bad, I know people who get less sleep than that on a nightly basis but it's not in my nature.
Anyway, more meditation. I'm deeply excited to be starting a new career, something I think I may actively be able to refer as a career. I've had jobs in the past but nothing quite this significant. What makes a job into a career anyway? The pay? The hours? The people/connections? I believe it's a combination of all three plus the secret ingredient of enjoying the work. I'm thinking this new job could end up being something I really enjoy for both the work and the ulterior benefits as well. You know, the money, the free time, the travelling etc etc
Reality Grounded is my true baby though. I'm going to do what I need to grow into the new job and get a life established for myself and my wife. But on the side I'm going to be nurturing my creative side, feeding my ideas and working on them closely, micro-managing small details until they begin to blossom and grow and expand beyond my dreams. After such close care they grow so large they become a safety net just waiting for the time when I need them. After some time I make a bold leap forward and my net is there, stronger than ever and ready to whisk me away to happiness-land...
There is, as always, a flip side to the whole ordeal however. Early to work means earlier to get home than usual. I'm suspect that most days I will be finished around perhaps 2 or 3 in the afternoon giving me mucho free-time during my evenings. My sleep will suffer more than anything, I am quite used to and happy with getting 8 to 9 hours a night and depending on how early I can actually force myself asleep I may only be getting 6 to 7 now. All in all, not too bad, I know people who get less sleep than that on a nightly basis but it's not in my nature.
Anyway, more meditation. I'm deeply excited to be starting a new career, something I think I may actively be able to refer as a career. I've had jobs in the past but nothing quite this significant. What makes a job into a career anyway? The pay? The hours? The people/connections? I believe it's a combination of all three plus the secret ingredient of enjoying the work. I'm thinking this new job could end up being something I really enjoy for both the work and the ulterior benefits as well. You know, the money, the free time, the travelling etc etc
Reality Grounded is my true baby though. I'm going to do what I need to grow into the new job and get a life established for myself and my wife. But on the side I'm going to be nurturing my creative side, feeding my ideas and working on them closely, micro-managing small details until they begin to blossom and grow and expand beyond my dreams. After such close care they grow so large they become a safety net just waiting for the time when I need them. After some time I make a bold leap forward and my net is there, stronger than ever and ready to whisk me away to happiness-land...
Saturday, April 16, 2011
From Sparrow to Crow pt.1
One rather cold winter's day a new life was welcomed into the world. A little sparrow by the name of Atlas emerged from his sun bleached egg, squeaking and chirping, ready to take on the world. Unlike many other birds he was lucky enough to have both his mother and father stick around long enough to try and help him into his majestic flying adulthood.
Atlas was a rather average sparrow in terms of distinction; he had hatched with his father's brown fluffy feather and his mother's pearly white beak. Behind his cold black eyes however laid the intelligence of a bird far beyond that of his fellow hatchlings. His mother and father both lauded his intelligence as they were certain that he would bring great happiness to his nest. He quickly learned to fly and scavenge for insects while also developing an extraordinary habit of tidiness.
The nest he called home was always considerably cleaner than that of the other birds in the tree and much of what his own doing. He took great enjoyment in being a bit of a star amongst the other birds and tried his best not to let them down. One day however, he met his downfall after observing some of the older birds a few branches above him.
He wasn't always the most liked by the other sparrows his age, they saw him as an outcast with his impeccably white beak and his fluffy brown feathers. The others had darker beaks and their feathers so much more rough than his and they flaunted it in front of him. He began to retreat inside himself and stuck more closely to the family of birds in his nest while observing the other birds. He thought maybe if he did what the older birds did, that the sparrows his age would be more kind.
He watched as the older birds began to feed more freely on the food that people would drop for them instead of scavenging on insects like the others did. He watched how they would act in increasingly stupid ways to garner the attention of the humans and then how the humans took such enjoyment from it and fed them without any hesitation. One day he decided he too would feast upon the peoples gifts and hope to impress the other sparrows with his courageous and frivolous tricks.
He eventually worked up the courage to perform his first trick and immediately became hooked on the delicious morsels of bread and cake that the humans would leave for him. He kept it to himself at first, realizing that it was frowned upon, but eventually became too caught up in the game that his act was found out. His family was not happy with him and tried to reform him by forcing him to wait silently and wait for the bugs rather than feed upon the instant gratification of the people's food.
[to be continued]
Atlas was a rather average sparrow in terms of distinction; he had hatched with his father's brown fluffy feather and his mother's pearly white beak. Behind his cold black eyes however laid the intelligence of a bird far beyond that of his fellow hatchlings. His mother and father both lauded his intelligence as they were certain that he would bring great happiness to his nest. He quickly learned to fly and scavenge for insects while also developing an extraordinary habit of tidiness.
The nest he called home was always considerably cleaner than that of the other birds in the tree and much of what his own doing. He took great enjoyment in being a bit of a star amongst the other birds and tried his best not to let them down. One day however, he met his downfall after observing some of the older birds a few branches above him.
He wasn't always the most liked by the other sparrows his age, they saw him as an outcast with his impeccably white beak and his fluffy brown feathers. The others had darker beaks and their feathers so much more rough than his and they flaunted it in front of him. He began to retreat inside himself and stuck more closely to the family of birds in his nest while observing the other birds. He thought maybe if he did what the older birds did, that the sparrows his age would be more kind.
He watched as the older birds began to feed more freely on the food that people would drop for them instead of scavenging on insects like the others did. He watched how they would act in increasingly stupid ways to garner the attention of the humans and then how the humans took such enjoyment from it and fed them without any hesitation. One day he decided he too would feast upon the peoples gifts and hope to impress the other sparrows with his courageous and frivolous tricks.
He eventually worked up the courage to perform his first trick and immediately became hooked on the delicious morsels of bread and cake that the humans would leave for him. He kept it to himself at first, realizing that it was frowned upon, but eventually became too caught up in the game that his act was found out. His family was not happy with him and tried to reform him by forcing him to wait silently and wait for the bugs rather than feed upon the instant gratification of the people's food.
[to be continued]
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
My Thoughts on Online Identity
I don't know exactly what it was that got me thinking on the subject, doesn't take a lot to get me started though, but I've been going over different ideas for online identity in my mind all day.
It today's times where a person's life can tentatively be lived out on the internet, there is a need to build not only an online presence but a persistent online identity as well. The two concepts straddle a very fine line but I do feel there are distinguishable features between them.
An online identity is a core, an absolute finite representation of one's self in the ever evolving world of the internet. It represents who you are, whom you associate with and what you do.
Whereas an online presence, while also encompassing aforementioned online identity, goes beyond who you are. An online presence is you and what you create, a sphere of new-media and social cliques that at one point would have been unattainable by most.
Essentially your identity is the guy backstage rehearsing his lines and your presence is both you and the character you are playing. (Bad metaphor?)
So far, I haven't found one really great resource for actually creating such an identity online, there are great ways to create a presence. You can blog, you can create YouTube videos, take photos, Tweets and Wall Posts on Facebook; but where does your identity actually reside online?
I've been working on my presence for years, I have thousands of blog posts buried in the depths of the internet, multiple thousands of Tweets from the past 2 years, photos and artwork scattered about the likes of Flickr, TwitPic and DeviantArt but where am I? I suppose with so many little pieces of me spewed about that if one were to gather it all up you could maybe define some sense of who I am but it just won't be quite the same.
I don't know if there will ever be a definite answer to such an issue as this, as little as an issue it may seem to be, right now. I do predict that online identity and the self will become a greater topic of discussion in the coming future. One day people may truly live online. For now, well, we'll just have to keep embarrassing ourselves, putting potential employment opportunities at risk, degrading our sense of self worth, living in pseudo-anonymity while exposing our secrets to the world, playing white-knight, trolling...etc...etc...etc
It today's times where a person's life can tentatively be lived out on the internet, there is a need to build not only an online presence but a persistent online identity as well. The two concepts straddle a very fine line but I do feel there are distinguishable features between them.
An online identity is a core, an absolute finite representation of one's self in the ever evolving world of the internet. It represents who you are, whom you associate with and what you do.
Whereas an online presence, while also encompassing aforementioned online identity, goes beyond who you are. An online presence is you and what you create, a sphere of new-media and social cliques that at one point would have been unattainable by most.
Essentially your identity is the guy backstage rehearsing his lines and your presence is both you and the character you are playing. (Bad metaphor?)
So far, I haven't found one really great resource for actually creating such an identity online, there are great ways to create a presence. You can blog, you can create YouTube videos, take photos, Tweets and Wall Posts on Facebook; but where does your identity actually reside online?
I've been working on my presence for years, I have thousands of blog posts buried in the depths of the internet, multiple thousands of Tweets from the past 2 years, photos and artwork scattered about the likes of Flickr, TwitPic and DeviantArt but where am I? I suppose with so many little pieces of me spewed about that if one were to gather it all up you could maybe define some sense of who I am but it just won't be quite the same.
I don't know if there will ever be a definite answer to such an issue as this, as little as an issue it may seem to be, right now. I do predict that online identity and the self will become a greater topic of discussion in the coming future. One day people may truly live online. For now, well, we'll just have to keep embarrassing ourselves, putting potential employment opportunities at risk, degrading our sense of self worth, living in pseudo-anonymity while exposing our secrets to the world, playing white-knight, trolling...etc...etc...etc
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Wondrous Beauty of Life pt.2
Picking up where I left off in regards to what the new job will hold in store for me.
Thirdly, travel, the new job will involve lots and lots of travel around the greater Phoenix area which will work nicely with my sister blog AZ Rogue Travels.
Fourth, solitude, aside from all other things listed previously I will most likely enjoy this one above all. I will not only be making more money and travelling more often but I will be working on my own most of the time. I will be dealing with customers on a daily basis but as far as coworkers go, there will be little to no interaction. I work best on my own and this will prove to be the perfect job for me.
Moving on from the wonders of the new job I'd like to post a tidbit on some plans I have for Reality Grounded here. When things really start to settle down and I start to have more free time I am planning on starting a bi-monthly podcast. I don't really have many plans on what I will be doing with said 'cast but I'm thinking just a free-form whatever the hell I want sort of deal. It will be co-hosted by myself and my lovely wife-to-be.
I've been looking into necessary equipment to produce something of decent quality and have ultimately decided upon the purchase of a new Mac-mini to delegate strictly to my pursuit in creating an online media network.
Ultimately the plan is to work not only the blogs and podcast but also create more videos for the YouTube side of things, start a webcomic and more. It may seem a little all over the place but I really would love to take things further and maybe even create some sort of job/money for myself in the process.
That's all for now. I may post up something a little different later on tonight.
Thirdly, travel, the new job will involve lots and lots of travel around the greater Phoenix area which will work nicely with my sister blog AZ Rogue Travels.
Fourth, solitude, aside from all other things listed previously I will most likely enjoy this one above all. I will not only be making more money and travelling more often but I will be working on my own most of the time. I will be dealing with customers on a daily basis but as far as coworkers go, there will be little to no interaction. I work best on my own and this will prove to be the perfect job for me.
Moving on from the wonders of the new job I'd like to post a tidbit on some plans I have for Reality Grounded here. When things really start to settle down and I start to have more free time I am planning on starting a bi-monthly podcast. I don't really have many plans on what I will be doing with said 'cast but I'm thinking just a free-form whatever the hell I want sort of deal. It will be co-hosted by myself and my lovely wife-to-be.
I've been looking into necessary equipment to produce something of decent quality and have ultimately decided upon the purchase of a new Mac-mini to delegate strictly to my pursuit in creating an online media network.
Ultimately the plan is to work not only the blogs and podcast but also create more videos for the YouTube side of things, start a webcomic and more. It may seem a little all over the place but I really would love to take things further and maybe even create some sort of job/money for myself in the process.
That's all for now. I may post up something a little different later on tonight.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
The Wondrous Beauty of Life
As I seem to write more often than not, I've been too busy with so much else going on write now that I haven't had much time to devote to actually writing. It really makes me sad, I need to practice as often as I can find which is very rare these days. With that out of the way though, there is some big news going on, I have recently signed on for a new job which equals a few major things for me.
Firstly, job security. I will no longer have much to worry about in regards to keeping my job. Assuming I am able to do it well (I guarantee I will) then there is not much to worry about there.
Secondly, financial security. This one should probably make top of the list but whatever, here goes, I will be making close to 3 times the amount I have been at my current place of employment which is fantastic! No longer will I need to worry about making rent/bills but I will even have a little extra cash on the side to invest in some new equipment to further this whole blog thing.
More to come later.
Firstly, job security. I will no longer have much to worry about in regards to keeping my job. Assuming I am able to do it well (I guarantee I will) then there is not much to worry about there.
Secondly, financial security. This one should probably make top of the list but whatever, here goes, I will be making close to 3 times the amount I have been at my current place of employment which is fantastic! No longer will I need to worry about making rent/bills but I will even have a little extra cash on the side to invest in some new equipment to further this whole blog thing.
More to come later.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
I Feel Like Writing Something
It's been a slow weekend. I've been battling pink eye and strep throat for the past four days now and have been in a world of pain. I didn't do much except for rest this weekend which gave me ample opportunity to kick back and do something I haven't had much time for recently, play some video games.
I was just about to write up a review of Beyond Good and Evil HD, which just released this past Wednesday in the Xbox Live Marketplace (you can download it here) but ultimately am not feeling up to it at the moment. I will say that it is a gem of a game, originally released years ago for the Playstation 2 and Gamecube, it's finally been given a fresh coat of paint and a new audience. It never sold well the first time around which is a damn shame, I had always meant to pick up a copy but never could afford too but now it's only 10 bucks and will probably decide the fate of the much needed sequel.
All that aside, I don't know much else to write about, I had planned on taking a small day trip out of the city this weekend to get some new pictures and a new post up over at AZ Rogue Travels, my currently 'a work in progress' travel blog but due to being ill that fell through. Things were pretty quiet around here this past weekend and it was really nice.
I'm pushing lots of tea and medicine, hopefully I can kick these viruses before much longer and get back out there on the road. Probably gonna put up a small post at AZ Rogue tonight too.
That's all for now, peace.
I was just about to write up a review of Beyond Good and Evil HD, which just released this past Wednesday in the Xbox Live Marketplace (you can download it here) but ultimately am not feeling up to it at the moment. I will say that it is a gem of a game, originally released years ago for the Playstation 2 and Gamecube, it's finally been given a fresh coat of paint and a new audience. It never sold well the first time around which is a damn shame, I had always meant to pick up a copy but never could afford too but now it's only 10 bucks and will probably decide the fate of the much needed sequel.
All that aside, I don't know much else to write about, I had planned on taking a small day trip out of the city this weekend to get some new pictures and a new post up over at AZ Rogue Travels, my currently 'a work in progress' travel blog but due to being ill that fell through. Things were pretty quiet around here this past weekend and it was really nice.
I'm pushing lots of tea and medicine, hopefully I can kick these viruses before much longer and get back out there on the road. Probably gonna put up a small post at AZ Rogue tonight too.
That's all for now, peace.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
News and New Gear
Quick little post here about some new things I've got started and some new gear I got to help me out with it. First off, let's get right to the news. I'm currently developing a new blog, which you can find by clicking here, titled AZ Rogue's Travels. It is exactly what it sounds like, a travel blog dedicated simply to my home state of Arizona.
See I happen to take numerous little trips around Arizona when I'm sick of the city or I just need to clear my head and I always take loads of pictures and even sometimes video, so I decided why not actually put it to good use and try and get some recognition for it. So I now have this new blog setup and ready to go as soon as I can find some time to sneak off on a trip. (Hint: it should be pretty damn soon)
Secondly, I got some new gear in the mail on Friday from the good folks over at Timbuk2 whom I have previously spoken about. They hooked me up with two hundred dollars worth of stuff and I got to say it was a rather nice haul.
These bags came in the mail
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcneildd/5483342518/in/set-72157626158956720/
Bi-Fold Wallet, a 2Way cellphone/camera carrier and an On the Go Toolshed bag
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcneildd/5483343208/in/set-72157626158956720/
San Francisco bike route waterproof map, was actually part of the packaging, very cool
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcneildd/5483343966/in/set-72157626158956720/
The main attraction, a customized Timbuk2 Swig backpack
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcneildd/5482754371/in/set-72157626158956720/
Here's what I've got inside now
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcneildd/5483349466/in/set-72157626158956720/
And then inside that other bag lay these goodies
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcneildd/5482756519/in/set-72157626158956720/
And that's pretty much it for the haul, I got a some really nice stuff which I cannot wait to put to good use. The wallet is already getting it's fair share but the backpack I can't wait to take on a trip with me. It's extremely comfortable and carries the load perfectly, it's going to be great for taking out on photo-hike/writeups.
For now, that's all I have got, so see you around folks.
See I happen to take numerous little trips around Arizona when I'm sick of the city or I just need to clear my head and I always take loads of pictures and even sometimes video, so I decided why not actually put it to good use and try and get some recognition for it. So I now have this new blog setup and ready to go as soon as I can find some time to sneak off on a trip. (Hint: it should be pretty damn soon)
Secondly, I got some new gear in the mail on Friday from the good folks over at Timbuk2 whom I have previously spoken about. They hooked me up with two hundred dollars worth of stuff and I got to say it was a rather nice haul.
These bags came in the mail
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcneildd/5483342518/in/set-72157626158956720/
Bi-Fold Wallet, a 2Way cellphone/camera carrier and an On the Go Toolshed bag
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcneildd/5483343208/in/set-72157626158956720/
San Francisco bike route waterproof map, was actually part of the packaging, very cool
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcneildd/5483343966/in/set-72157626158956720/
The main attraction, a customized Timbuk2 Swig backpack
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcneildd/5482754371/in/set-72157626158956720/
Here's what I've got inside now
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcneildd/5483349466/in/set-72157626158956720/
And then inside that other bag lay these goodies
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcneildd/5482756519/in/set-72157626158956720/
And that's pretty much it for the haul, I got a some really nice stuff which I cannot wait to put to good use. The wallet is already getting it's fair share but the backpack I can't wait to take on a trip with me. It's extremely comfortable and carries the load perfectly, it's going to be great for taking out on photo-hike/writeups.
For now, that's all I have got, so see you around folks.
Monday, February 21, 2011
New Stuff Soon
So for awhile I had vacated this blog to start working more with WordPress and I'm still sort of undecided where I want to go with things.
Keep an eye out here for future posts though, I hadn't been on in awhile and I'm digging some of the new features I was seeing and I do love Google so I may as well use their product instead of a competitor.
Anyway, that's it for now, I need to sleep.
Keep an eye out here for future posts though, I hadn't been on in awhile and I'm digging some of the new features I was seeing and I do love Google so I may as well use their product instead of a competitor.
Anyway, that's it for now, I need to sleep.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Oh How Time Flies
Life has become a rather hectic endeavor these past few weeks. For a rather long time work had been awfully slow which gave me more free-time throughout the day to read and write. Lately however, it's been anything but slow and I find myself having almost zero free time to focus on my interests.
I refuse to completely give up on my blog through Finnegans Wake but as it stands currently but am going to be putting it on a small hiatus. With the way things have been I just don't have time to try and read through the insanity that Joyce unleashed upon us close to a century ago.
As for my other ideas and projects I have currently planned, one in particular I intend to start focusing on in a big way. I've been mostly discouraged by my lack of proper equipment to really bring anything of value to the table but I need to get over this fear. There's more to quality than flashy lights and smooth silky voice, though honestly they don't really hurt, but I will do my absolute best to make do with what I currently have available.
Now on the same subject, Kickstarter, a community based funding project has intrigued me greatly. The only problem here is that again, as with my discouragement in equipment, I find fault in my own ideas. It should go without saying yet somehow flies over most people's heads anymore but if you never ask, you never receive. So I'm struggling with working up, within myself, the notion that my ideas are just as valuable as anyone else's.
This blog post here, written by Lizzy Bennett, Online Marketing Manager of Timbuk2, is what has most recently set off this series of explosions in my mind. Little explosions that my ideas truly are worthy of something and the reason why, is, I am that StrangeBum from Twitter, I am the one that sparked the little partnership between two of my favorite companies, Timbuk2 and Sanuk Footwear.
So that's where things stand for me currently. My life is filled with ideas that I truly think have some potential to get me to where I truly want to be. All it takes now is a little creative marketing on my behalf to get my name out there and also to just push through my insecurities and get something done.
Thank you for reading and with this, I am done for the night.
I refuse to completely give up on my blog through Finnegans Wake but as it stands currently but am going to be putting it on a small hiatus. With the way things have been I just don't have time to try and read through the insanity that Joyce unleashed upon us close to a century ago.
As for my other ideas and projects I have currently planned, one in particular I intend to start focusing on in a big way. I've been mostly discouraged by my lack of proper equipment to really bring anything of value to the table but I need to get over this fear. There's more to quality than flashy lights and smooth silky voice, though honestly they don't really hurt, but I will do my absolute best to make do with what I currently have available.
Now on the same subject, Kickstarter, a community based funding project has intrigued me greatly. The only problem here is that again, as with my discouragement in equipment, I find fault in my own ideas. It should go without saying yet somehow flies over most people's heads anymore but if you never ask, you never receive. So I'm struggling with working up, within myself, the notion that my ideas are just as valuable as anyone else's.
This blog post here, written by Lizzy Bennett, Online Marketing Manager of Timbuk2, is what has most recently set off this series of explosions in my mind. Little explosions that my ideas truly are worthy of something and the reason why, is, I am that StrangeBum from Twitter, I am the one that sparked the little partnership between two of my favorite companies, Timbuk2 and Sanuk Footwear.
So that's where things stand for me currently. My life is filled with ideas that I truly think have some potential to get me to where I truly want to be. All it takes now is a little creative marketing on my behalf to get my name out there and also to just push through my insecurities and get something done.
Thank you for reading and with this, I am done for the night.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Slow Updates
This is really more of an apology to myself than anyone else, as I do not believe I really have anyone who actively reads this here blog, but I haven't been keeping up to date on the blogging lately. Mostly it's just because I've been too lazy to write anything and I definitely need to break out of that habit.
Though I have been doing a few other things lately. Finnegans Wake was on a temporary hiatus as I was working my way through the game Red Dead Redemption for Xbox 360. I used to be a really heavy gamer and had shelved it as of late due to various reasons but have finally taken it up again. I won't be quite as absorbed as I used to, I can't fund that sort of habit anymore, but I do plan on trying to play more often.
With all that said, I'm thinking of maybe writing up a small review about the game, I'm pretty much finished up with the storyline now and all I have left are the small side stories and numerous challenges if I want to 100% the game which I would like to try and accomplish.
I also recently finally saw the new Tron: Legacy movie and have some thoughts on where they might be going with the series after this one. I assume they are going to be making a third movie and I have good reason for believing so and I might also do a writeup on that as well. There will be spoilers so if you are actually reading this just be warned.
And with that I bid you farewell and thanks for reading.
Though I have been doing a few other things lately. Finnegans Wake was on a temporary hiatus as I was working my way through the game Red Dead Redemption for Xbox 360. I used to be a really heavy gamer and had shelved it as of late due to various reasons but have finally taken it up again. I won't be quite as absorbed as I used to, I can't fund that sort of habit anymore, but I do plan on trying to play more often.
With all that said, I'm thinking of maybe writing up a small review about the game, I'm pretty much finished up with the storyline now and all I have left are the small side stories and numerous challenges if I want to 100% the game which I would like to try and accomplish.
I also recently finally saw the new Tron: Legacy movie and have some thoughts on where they might be going with the series after this one. I assume they are going to be making a third movie and I have good reason for believing so and I might also do a writeup on that as well. There will be spoilers so if you are actually reading this just be warned.
And with that I bid you farewell and thanks for reading.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Finnegans Wake [pgs. 1-6]
So I've finally started getting more into the book finally, I am still rather hesitant, and most definitely will be taking my time with this read. I have not as of yet found a central sort of story, though it may be starting to take some small shape it is not quite apparent yet. One thing for certain however is just how much fun it is to read.
I walked into the book with my only expectation being 'this might be a bumpy ride' which it most certainly is. On the flipside though, I was not expecting to enjoy it so much. The way Joyce has written the book is phenomenal. There's so much poetry in each line. Lot of usage of repetition, alliteration, portmanteau and even some malapropism which I always enjoy. His so-called dream speech is beautifully put together and most definitely seems to be the focus of the work.
From what I have gathered from various interpretations is that there is a central plot and characters that develop over time but I am not so worried about that. I am beginning to think that the more I read the more adapted to the language I will become, therefore allowing the story to unravel slowly within my mind.
I haven't quite figured out exactly how to make specific posts on other pages yet, so please bear with me while I work on figuring out what exactly I want to do with it all. For the time being, natch, I will be posting here on the 'blog' page. Other things to bear with, spelling errors and such, as I am blogging from my phone. I don't often have time anymore to write from the computer and I would whilst working but my web usage is quite restricted.
Anyway, thanks for reading and hopefully you will come back for more.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
A Quick Update
As it were, I have begun reading Finnegans Wake and must admit I'm quite lost with it...I'm going to be taking a lot of time making my way through this book. To think I ever thought A Clockwork Orange was difficult to read, that's laughable now.
In any case, I would also like to mention that while I would like to update here as frequently as possible it just won't be feasible to update daily. I'm thinking small blog posts every two to three days, making it about two or three posts a week. This should leave me time to read enough to talk about and also have time for my other projects.
Anyway, don't expect another post until later this week I presume. Thanks!
Monday, January 3, 2011
It's Here
The time has come. With 2010 now behind us and 2011 ready for action I can finally start focusing on my writings here more effectively. I have only been waiting because I really wanted to get started with a fresh year and therefore, a fresh outlook on life.
Now I have been talking about some big project that I'm planning on starting and now I shall announce it along with a few other resolutions I decided would be good goals to work toward.
First, this blog is going to beging focusing on the James Joyce's book Finnegans Wake. Long considered to be the most difficult book in the English language to read, Joyce's tale utilizes language that he considered to be more akin to dream speech than anything else. It is a book many may consider indecipherable, incoherent or just plain silly and it very well may be; however, my plan is to not only read the book thoroughly but also offer my ideas and opinions on the subject.
I am not the most highly educated individual nor would I claim to be the most suitable person for analyzing Joyce's gibberish. But alas, this is precisely what I intend to do.
Other than that though I did mention other projects. Firstly, I plan on creating more intricate videos for posting on YouTube rather than the vlog style musing I've been doing recently. Secondly, I am going to attempt writing and publishing a children's book by years end. I have some vague ideas of where to take that but have not started quite yet.
And then, that is it, that's all I have in the works currently. Hopefully I can keep it all up and hopefully someone out there is able to find this and enjoy it.
Thanks
[Post Edit]
Forgot to mention, along with the other little (big) projects above I am also planning updating this blog with multiple pages with various focuses and maybe a layout change.
Thanks again!
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