The Plan by Jerimar & Isyldar
This I wrote with a friend of mine who worked with me on developing Chaos Reigns MOO a long time ago (nearly 10 years!) I found it whilst scrounging through that old content, and have to say, I rather like it.
Plan:
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The world is tinged with shades of grey,
What once was so is not today,
The solid hues of yesteryear,
Cannot be found in this world here.
—–
It lies in us to forge our path,
Knowing not this from that,
To win the game is to which we strive,
To master the game, we know we’re alive.
—–
–Jerimar & Isyldar Compilations
Apple Bans Brilliantly Idiotic Phone Throwing App
http://www.appy-geek.com/Web/ArticleWeb.aspx?regionid=3&articleid=11709274
The link above is for this article with the same name as this post. And the title really says it all… Who would consider such an app? I agree with the “brilliantly Idiotic” part wholeheartedly.
Cheers,
Isyldar
[Top]New Content
I have added some new content to the site. It is still very much a work in progress, both sections of it.
The first section, is a portfolio of work that I have done over the years. This one has very little content as yet, due in large part to the amount of work it will require for me to gather all my articles that I wish posted here and format them accordingly.
The second, I have called “Worlds“. Its very concept is a work in progress, yet I have added some stuff related to a game I was a part of creating nearly 10 years ago now. Nothing spectacular, but due to its nature, I felt it needed a place here.
[Top]Sunshine
To each their own, of course; but I have always been a big proponent of light. Not just in having it of course, but in having the right light. You can’t just throw a light in the ceiling turn it on and call it good enough. A room needs the right amount of light, and in the right places.
My parents would always scold me for turning on all the lights in the house, in nearly every room when I was home by myself. They would often come home to this, and be angry with me for it; and I can truly appreciate their reasons. It does, after all, cost money to do these things. (Though I admit, back then, I either didn’t realize this, couldn’t comprehend it, or didn’t care. I won’t decide which. It was probably some part of all three.)
Nowadays, I often find myself sharing their opinions of needing to reduce the number of lights I leave on in the house; because, I pay the bills now, and I don’t like having a really big hydro bill.
However, I still greatly enjoy having a room lit appropriately. In the evening, or through the night, when I’m not up working on a project, a couple lamps in the corner to throw an ambient mood, relaxing; when I’m working on a project and want the energy that comes with a well lit, fully lit, all guns ablazing room, all the lights are on.
And then there’s the day. I absolutely love being able to throw open all of the windows in the house, every curtain, and let the sunshine in. Particularly if I’m in that room. If I’m not, I just like knowing that the house is open to the air, and that the room is lit, not dark stuffy and closed. I like open-air freedom. In my office, I like nothing more than to have no lights on, but the sun streaming in the window, lighting my way and giving off that sense of reality, rightness that only comes with a naturally lit space. This is how it should be; why must it be any way else?
I know, I’m eccentric, and fussy to boot. Hell, most days I don’t even understand myself, let alone do I expect anyone else to. Still, it’s fun to write about it.
Isyldar
[Top]So much writing to do
Writing is ever one of those things not far from my mind, and even more so while I have devices at hand that make it so easy to do so. I am sitting now out upon my deck, writing on my tablet as I would a notebook not so very long ago. It is certainly not as quick a process as would be typing ; however, typing just doesn’t do the creative process much justice .
So here I sit with modern day tech, using old Techniques To write a journal entry. It’s kind of amusing really. Still, I am enjoying myself . that is what matters.
So, of what should I write today? Besides of course the manner in which I chose to write the first two paragraphs of this entry? I jot down a hundred ideas and every one of them I think worthy of a post; yet I often, as now, don’t wish to spend the time fleshing them out when I do have a moment. No, that’s wrong. When I do have a moment I am often relaxing and a lot of my ideas will require time and effort put into them that shouldn’t be taken up when relaxing. That’s just stress inducing. Oh hey, I can dictate this instead of typing it…
So I guess I’m not particularly concerned with posting about anything specific I just wanted to post something for the sake of posting something. But that in and of itself is relaxing, much as it is dictating text to your tablet instead of having to type or write it and watching the text flow screen without you having to do anything at all. Save perhaps correct the odd word here and there and at a little bit of punctuation now and then.
So for those looking for a little bit of poetry or little ditty, much as I am want to post here and there, I apologize but I have none as yet today. But you never know the creativity may come yet to write one for your entertainment. Otherwise I bid you adieu for the time being.
Isyldar
P. S. It really is awesome to see an entire entry done with most of it having been done by talking.
[Top]Language
I have been increasingly intrigued by other languages over the past while. Years really. No idea why, it just seems to interest me. The thought of speaking to someone in a different way yet getting ideas across… Perhaps that is why. Or perhaps I just don’t like being unable to understand things that are in plain view or earshot.
I have said this elsewhere, that I work in retail; and infrequent though it is, I do get customers in who don’t, or cannot speak English, or just can’t very well. I have often wished at that point that I could be the one to bridge that gap and converse with them in their own language, even if poorly on my part.
To that end, I often pay attention to translations of this or that. French is so prevalent in Canadian culture and advertising that it is difficult not to learn some of the language even without trying. I have even picked up on some key phrases and words in Japanese from watching as much anime as I have these past months. I am very very far from being able to make use of that language in any meaningful form; however it feels good to know what little I do.
And all of that has led me to today, and yesterday really. I was reading Android magazine, and they featured this among many other apps: Duolingo. It’s a free app that offers to teach you a few different languages. Alas, no japanese; however french is there. And that one I feel is more important to my every day life at this point than being able to watch anime without subtitles.
So I started in on the app and it’s training last night while enjoying the night air and a fire on my deck; and thus far I have been fairly surprised by how much I do know of the French language. Don’t get me wrong. I couldnt hold a conversation with a stick at this point, but it has been easy for me to comprehend many of the phrases and words in the training thus far. I still struggle with so much of the grammar and genderization in that language, but I am slowly picking up on syntax. And every new word I learn brings me closer to making true use of the tongue.
I am going to keep at this. So far the lessons have been quick and poignant, and a lot of fun. I find myself trying to speak the phrases I am leaning, and often get a step wrong because I translate the phrase to English and key it as such instead of entering the French text. The amuses me.
So we will see where this goes. Hopefully it isn’t a passing fancy as so many other interests in my life. Only time will tell that. Until later,
Au revoir à plus tard!
Cheers,
Isyldar
[Top]Back to Work
I work in one of the more stressful industries, that aren’t manual labour: electronics retail; and today was my first day back to work after vacation. What can I say about it? Well, instantly the pressures I left behind me returned… But i suppose that’s par for the course.
I suppose though that the most interesting part of today was coming home. Yes, there’s a lot of projects awaiting me here too, but now they don’t seem so burdensome, so desperately crucial, so heavy. I guess it could be related to taking up the mantle at work again, and the home stuff just not seeming as hard to accomplish… I don’t know. Either way it’s good.
It’s just plain nice to come home to home, with all its foibles as they are, and bbq up a couple steaks for supper with your wife, in preparation for the evening, be it what it may.
Isyldar
[Top]Fire, on a Moonlit Night
I wrote in a post earlier this week, that I had an opening line for a poem that I had used badly in the past. I think this will suit it much better; and that, I can call this one done.
The fire on a moonlit night,
sang out to the open sea
For where or not, at all is known
none but you and me.
The fire on a moonlit night,
sang out to the open sea
This day of clouds, white and gray
for none at all but me.
End of Vacation
Well, if nothing else, it has been a very up and down week. I return to work once again on the morrow, back to the grind and all that I needed a vacation from. It is a daunting thought. But one I think I need. A vacation from home almost. Though I know quite well that given some more time I’d be comfortable at home and get some more things done.
As I sit here, my wife is putting away the groceries and we are going over the meal plan in part for next week. Feels like a typical sunday afternoon to me. Prep for the new week, lament over what didn’t get done last week.
One of the tasks that she took on this week was painting our spare room. I, sadly, was completely out of it with stress, and wasn’t able to help her with it. 2 coats of primer and 1 of paint later, we still need to do another coat. I guess I will have to take that on tomorrow afternoon when I get home. After all, if it doesn’t happen soon, it just won’t.
That brings up another bundle of thoughts. The rest of the plan for this week. How much do I plan out? I am thinking it easy to fill every night and morning with something to do; and now it’s on my mind, there are a bunch of small tasks that need completing before Thursday when we have the Electrician over.
Bah there’s never an end. Often vacation serves to add more projects to the list of those that might never see completion. And that, is stressful in and of itself.
So I ask myself, what did I get out of this vacation? At first, I am uncertain how to sum it up. Yet now, I can say, it was just a change of pace.
Cheers,
Isyldar
[Top]Lantern Light
I started this the other night while I was sitting out here on my deck, being relaxed, and enjoying the evening atmosphere. Tonight I am doing the same, although with a bit more fire around me. 🙂 I picked up a tabletop fire pit at the hardware store the other day. A small thing, with lava rocks on top that runs on propane. But it’s nice to have out here. It’s nothing great for light; but it does wonders for ambience. And I suppose, I could roast a marshmallow or two on it if I wanted. Heh.
But that’s not what I’m up to this evening. My wife is inside, raiding her heart out with our fellow Guild-mates on World of Warcraft. I drew the Standby lot this evening, what with our declining attendance due to that inclement weather that is summer. Par for the course, really, but it can be frustrating at times. Then again, it could be a blessing in disguise. We have so much work to do around the house this week that, despite being on vacation, our schedule is as busy as ever. It gets ignored a lot, but it’s still packed with things that SHOULD get done. 😛
The next few days, I think will involve me getting out of the house a little more. Not necessarily in spending more time on the deck with tablet and keyboard, much as I would like to; but more, walking the dog, or going out and just doing something that doesn’t involve being inside. I have no idea what that would be yet, but…it needs to happen. Either that, or I have to get my act together and start working on some of the house stuff. I realize that those aren’t mutually exclusive; I’m just not of a mindset to admit that I need to do both right now.
More ramblings. I’m not making a whole lot of sense, and I’m aware that my writing in this post is haphazzard at best; sorry. I’m just kind of writing down things as they go through my head, and that can be scary at times. For one, there are more things flying through my head than I can hope to write down before they leave. 🙂 “A thousand thoughts and dreams, with hopes on wings…” A line I’ve used in prose a few times during idle thought…though I can’t say that I recall ever specifically recording it in any one piece. Perhaps in something on Facebook.
The Fire on a moonlit night, sang out to the open sea… … Another line that I came across when goingn through old writing. I used it to write a poem, very badly once. The opening line in and of itself is great; but the rest of what I wrote is crap. I’ll reuse this at some point to write something better. Just have to figure out what. I need to wait for the inspiration to hit me.
So, 5 days into vacation, with 4 left to go…and I feel like I’ve accomplished next to nothing. Worse than that, I’m feeling stressed, and I shouldn’t be. It’s going to be another late night I’m afraid. Though perhaps this time, instead of spending the wee hours of the morning gathering materials in WoW, I’ll go for a late night walk. It’s been a long time since I’ve done that; and tonight’s weather is rather ripe for it…even if there is too much cloud cover to see many / any stars. Still, I need to do something about this knot of emotion in my chest. What the hell is it?
Ignore it for now. That question leads to panicking about it…and that is scary; very scary.
And all of that said, my post about lantern light at night, sitting on the deck while enjoying a relaxing evening just went completely south. I’m going to have to rewrite this, or start anew on a similar topic another day. This one’s up. I need to walk.
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