…in which I talk about my new blog style, before I’m even done with it.
I’d gotten more than one comment (complaint) about the white on black text layout, so I started looking for a new theme with a lighter color scheme. I like the one I got, but its got some layout issues that I’m still working out. So for now, its looking better, but I still have some work to do on it. I hope this is a bit of a better color scheme for you guys.
Some days I realize that I’m pretty much unskilled in the areas that I’ve chosen to make my living. I realize that a lot of people have probably found their way into a similar position, but every now and then, I realize that I really want to go further in some directions and I don’t have the skills or knowledge to do so. Really, rather than being well eductated, I’ve become a fast learner and can follow dirrections very efficiently. Fortunately, for the most part, that’s pretty much all I need to do. On occasion, however, I realize that that’s just not enough and that if I were to really want to do something, I’d not have the qualifications to do so. And even if I could convince other people that I could do it, I would be concerned that my shortcomings would make it to where I would feel that I shouldn’t have done it in the first place.
Shit, does any of that make any sense? I think I’m just rambling.
Long story short, the school that I work for has finally admitted to itself (though a lot of political leverage) that it needs a new web page. This is something I’ve been fighting for since, well, since I created the present incarnation of it (yes, that generic looking B&W monster is my creation). I was excited about this because it meant I’d be able to do something I truly enjoy as a part of my standard workload. I enjoy designing and coding web pages, but I realize I’m not a great designer, which is why I was doubly excited by the fact that one of our design faculty was going to spearhead the design aspect and I’d be on the back end putting it all together.
At a lunch meeting today with the faculty member, our network manager and myself, two students happened along as well. It turns out that she had recruited some members from her class to assist with the project but by the end of lunch, it sounded like all my talents and efforts would be covered by these students and I would be left to “implement” the final website. From my standpoint, “implement” equates to “copy final files to the web server.”
Color me dejected.
So since lunch, I’ve felt like a day laborer who just happened to find his way into computer support. I often think of how much I’d enjoy some simple, blue color labor, but then I realized that I’m technically an unskilled laborer and wouldn’t qualify for better than a floor worker that would make significantly less than I do. In fact, about the only advantage I have over a simple day laborer is the fact that I speak english as my native language. Damn.
I’m going to go now.
Oog, 5 hours of sleep is not enough for this job. I will not offer to run any more games on Wednesday nights. From now on, gaming doesn’t start until at least thursday.
So my bank account, the one I use for my “allowance” got screwed again last night. The preorder that I placed in August for Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance II went through last night while I only had $6 in my account. So now I’ve gone from $6 to -$75 (as a result of penalty charges from going negative). I think, due to unscheduled charges this month (things I didn’t actively purchase but were pre-ordered or part of a subscription) I’ve been charged almost $100 in overdraft fees. From now on, no more subscriptions, no more pre-orders on my allowance account. They’re too chaotic to plan for.
I was informed yesterday at work that we would be redoing the S.O.V.A. web page. I’ve been wanting to do that for some time now and I’m finally getting the chance. Unlike last time, I’m not in full control. One of the faculty is doing the bulk of the design work and I’ll just do the coding and data entry, but it’s still going to be a lot of work. Not only that, but the deadline is ruthless, they want to have something online by Feb 15. What sucks is I already scheduled a weekend out of town on the 7th and 8th, so there’s a whole weekend I can’t work on it. I paid to go out of town already, so I can’t really back out of it. I’d be out $20. I’m just going to be pushing hard all that week. We have our first official design meeting tomorrow. I hope I get the initial design comps soon so I can start the layout.
But I get to go to the office now, so no more looking at cute girls in the lab for me.
Monday, Nick 
Steve, and I plan on having a console gaming day since we have the day off of work. We’re gonna get some game systems together and play a bunch of multiplayer games. We’re all trying to get people together to join us but I’ve realized lately that Nick and Steve are pretty much the two people I’d invite to hang out so I guess I’m done. If you’re reading this and think you’d want to hang out, feel free to drop a comment. I’m an email addict, so I’ll see it, don’t you worry.
So far the big games on the list are Halo, Mario Kart: Double Dash, and D&D Heroes.
I’ve been thinking lately that I want to redo my web page, maybe break it up a little more cleanly so there is distinctly a personal section and games section so that I can kind of give a clearer idea as to who I am and a better place to showcase this journal. Right now, my website is mostly a storehouse of gaming info. I like being a resource but for some reason I’ve been feeling more and more in need of connection, contact, whatever, and I’m wondering if by being more personal on the web, I’d be able to meet and interact with more people on-line. I like the idea of talking with people regularly. I started realizing that I don’t even get social emails anymore, just work mail, game scheduling, and junk.I have three email addresses, but the one that’s dedicated to personal email is full of nothing but junk mail every day. I got kind of depressed at that.
Maybe I’ll dig up some old email addresses and see what other people are doing these days.
Wow, the fog from this morning is finally bruning off, but it was so awesome. We had like 20-40 feet of visibility when we drove in. It was so awesome. I love weather so much, I just wish there was a bit more of it here in Texas. We get a lot of the “good” stuff (warm days, sunshine, low humidity) and not enough of the “bad” stuff (fog, rain, storms, snow).
Anyways, I’ve been a bit off the last couple days. I think my body’s killing something this week. My ears are a bit stopped up, which makes me both partially deaf and a bit dizzy. Also, yesterday, my thinking started drifting so far from logical and linear, I’m surprised I got as much done as I did. As I commented late last night, I got some work done on my D&D web page, but I also resolved some pretty fucked up issues in the lab, assigned a pretty creative project to a couple of my lab attendants, and just all around took care of business.
In the process of getting my D&D page updated, I did teach myself some things about Java and some menus I’d generated in FireWorks well in the past. While there’s no way I’d ever be able to code them myself, I can at least build and configure them completely manually now.
We played some more MK:DD last night. Damn that game is good. Even getting our asses handed to us by Peach & Daisy, we still had fun. I played for a little while after Heather stopped. Since I’m the driver, I kind of feel like I’m in Cool Runnin’s. The three guys in the back of the bobsled go out and party while I sit and learn the tracks until I can drive them as fast as possible.
Anyway, I have work. or something like it to get back to.
Just thought the D&D playing readers out there would want to know that I’m starting to do updates and revisions to my D&D page on PeloVish. I’ve been inspired both as a designer and a DM, so I’m going to try to start making some headway here. Hope work doesn’t get too much in the way.
Ugh, today was so slow. But at the same time, the day went by surprisingly fast. It’s like ever minute crept by sluggishly, but then when you looked up, it was lunchtime, or time to go home. I played around with CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) today and acutally learned some interesting new things, but mostly learned that what I wanted to do wasn’t possible, at least as far as I could tell.
I’m working on the web page for my D&D setting, a world completely invented by me, or at least as much as I can do so with all the external influences affecting my ideas. It’s more a new combination of classic ideas. I actually started developing it this past January when I was at Winter Fantasy with Jeremy, specifically on the drive back to Indianapolis from Ft. Wayne. I want to get a lot more written down but the more I work on it, the more excited I get to run. I know I’ve been hoping to start again and again, but I’m really hoping to get something started for after the holidays. I really need to get cracking on that timeline and start determining how I’m going to fuck up the d20 classes. I know I want to use a lot of 2nd Ed AD&D Skills and Powers shit, but I still need to work it all out in my head.
Other than that, I did some paperwork, did a little PR around the building, boring shit like that. I got to see zoemonke‘s box in the lightwell. It was really cool, very fine craftsmanship. Even this weekend was really kind of laid back and slow. I’d comment about the game on Saturday, but I walked away from it somewhat deperessed and dejected (no fault of the game or you Steve). I really wish I knew better where I stood with my friends some days. I do have to say though, regardless of what we’ve been through, ups and downs, ins and outs, I’m really glad that Steve and I are friends and I’ve really grown to appreciate the fact that I know him and can talk to him openly. He’s probably the most open minded person I know (in certain aspects, no offense Steve) and he holds very few grudges. Thanks Steve.
Huff, my chest hurts a little (I’m lying over the arm of the couch typing) so I’m gonna give up for a bit and work on my Christmas List.
I had two dreams the night before last (Wednesday night) that I kept meaning to talk a little about. Neither one was necesarilly nightmarish, but I wouldn’t classify either one as a good dream. The first was a work dream. There are a lot of politics about the web page here at work. I’m pretty much the only one who maintains it, but we’re on a temporary web page that’s only up until the “real” web page is finished (the real web page that’s been in progress for over two years). As a result, I don’t put a lot of time or effort into it, it is my lowest priority item, after all. I want to make a new one, even if it’s a new interim page, but I don’t feel that my work would truly be appreciated by the people who need to appreciate it, and I’ve been told, in no uncertain terms, to hold off on making a web page until I’m actually compensated beyond my normal pay. I’m more than willing to agree to this. Eventually, the “real” site will be done. Anyway, I’ve strayed away from the dream thing. I dreamt that another, worse, web page was created and I was forced to put it up in place of our current interim web site and no matter how much I argued, I was not allowed to alter this new one at all. It was not only frustrating, but a slap in the face because not only did they pay yet a third person to create this shitty page, but then they force me to put in in place. Fuck.
Dream two was a car dream. I don’t remember too many details about it, mostly I remember I took my new car and backed it into a pond by accident. From there, there was a lot of running around trying to figure out how to get it out of the pond and on the road because we were on a road trip and had just stopped at my Grandparent’s house for the night.
Oh, and I had another car dream last night too, but damned if I even remember what that one was.
Well, with all the new LJ features and such, I’ve been playing with the S2 style options. I’m not sure yet if I like the new look of the page. I can change it back to the way I had it, but I hink I’m going to try this on for a while. It’s like a new pair of shoes, until the get a little broken in, they’re stiff and uncomfortable. You have to force yourself to wear them so that they’ll actually get comfortable.
There are a lot of options available in this new S2 style system, but they’re pretty complex. They say to stay away unless you’re a programmer or a web designer. Well, I fancy myself a web designer, and it’s still looking like it’s a bit over my head. I’m going to have to look at it for longer and with a bit more seriousness.
Well how long has it been since I wrote anything here? Sheesh, I’ve been so busy and so stressed out I just haven’t had the time or inclination to write any thoughts down.