Downtime Planning

I can't honestly recall the last time I had a Sunday off that I didn't ask for. (I lied. I recall the last time I had a Sunday off that I didn't ask for. It was over two months ago. *facepalm*) It's rather rare for someone like me to get a weekend day off, and it's made all the more better because I have awesome plans with awesome people (and maybe some ketchup).

However, all that's going down later on today. For now, though, this means that I have some time to kill until then. And what better way to do that than by typing out a much-deserved big entry on here? (Well, I was originally going to play Valkyria Chronicles and maybe some World of Warcraft, but I think my blog deserved some love.) I'm sure y'all are excited over this.

Lieutenant Welkin Gunther knows how to command his squad. I should learn how to command you readers, too. =P

But enough dilly-dally from me - it's time to charge into today's text storm. Squad 7 Readers: move out!





CURRENT MUSIC:
Daft Punk - "Around the World"
Homework

Helping us keep the day relaxed and mellow is a classic Daft Punk track. Simple in the fact that the only words in the piece are "around the world" and that the overall sound makes me feel like I'm going casual, it does its job well in getting myself in a leisurely state. (Which, when you consider the album name, seems to be a tad ironic.)

Oh, and don't ask me about the video from the above link. Seriously, don't. I'm probably just as baffled as you are. At the very least it'll make you wonder if you ingested any acid prior to viewing it... even if you're straight-edge when it comes to drugs.


Sugar Ray - "Words to Me"
Sugar Ray

Continuing our streak of relaxing and casual music is a track from Sugar Ray's self-titled album: "Words to Me."

Those of you who've known my blogging style usually will expect some kind of comparison between the song and the meaning I took from it. However, with most Sugar Ray songs, I usually don't look all that deep for a meaning. Let's face it - I'm in a state of relaxation today, and as such, why worry about things like that when I'm supposed to be taking it casual?

(Although when looking into the song lyrics again, "Words to Me" doesn't seem to be all that positive. Hrm.)





Good afternoon, everyone! It's been a while since I've taken some time to write a decent amount of text on here, hasn't it?

August is coming, and that means that it's inching ever so closer to my birthday. Now, what's that have to do with today's entry, you ask?

Nothing, really. Except for the fact that it's another year in my life, and that it's part of an upcoming vacation!

Yes, I'm aware I probably confused you. Just shut up and keep reading. =P





Time Management Doesn't Equal Boredom
(Y U NO POST DECENT ENTRIES, JOSH?)

As can be seen with the past week or so, life has been... drab. Now, that's not to say that my actual life has been all "meh" - rather, the words I used to type up the entries in that time frame seem to be lackluster. If one were to judge my life based solely on this blog alone, they'd probably see some lethargic twenty-something who keeps using "life" as an excuse to write boring entries.

Well, maybe I need a document that allows me to be boring. I've probably posted enough "blah" on here to earn one, but as this Garfield Minus Garfield strip demonstrates, Jon Arbuckle has outclassed me and is in a league of his own.

Despite what I may have typed on here (or what I may not have typed), life has been good for me lately. I've hung out with people, worked my tail off at work (I think), got some new (old) games for me to (re-)beat, and all in all been pretty complacent with life.

Unfortunately, most of this month has also suffered from a lack of quality entries. As June was before it, July also happened to be a month of apparent laziness with the occasional good (or "good") entry dotted here and there. While June had no real excuse (I don't think I had one for it), July had a lot of things happen to me and around me that I got to take a part of - and I unfortunately miscalculated my time. Erroneously I had made the mistake of thinking I would be able to post something decent and then realize I frakked myself over (or the graver mistake of not having the time to post something good when I suddenly get presented with an opportunity to do it).

It's sucky, and it makes my blog suffer. Hell, it's made these past two months look as if they suffered from a drought of inspiration and quality.





Twelve Days to Ten Days
(Vacation's where I wanna be.)

Despite what I typed up in the above section, I don't think August is going to suffer like June and July did. You know why?

Possible things to do during my (birthday) free time:
- adventures with friends
- watch ponies
- talk about murders! (YAY!)

And if you're looking at this picture and wondering why you're getting déjà vu, then perhaps you've been reading my blog too much. Stop looking back at May.

Yeah, that's right - I got myself some "free space" days, y'all! Remember that vacation I was planning earlier this month? How I wad debating on what days to take off and whether or not I should take some extra days in addition to the days already requested? Remember how I was waiting for news about whether or not I'd be able to take that vacation?

Well, it got approved! I decided to take the Friday and Saturday before the vacation block (the 10^th and 11^th, respectively) off as well. When I checked back with the electronic HR site a few days ago, I found that it had all been accepted. After the joy and shock wore off, I began to realize something: I have ten days to do fun things with fun people. Ten frakking days in a row where I don't have to work. Ten frakking days to say "frak it" to my woes and relax.

Naturally, of course, this led to the next step in my typical vacation routine: figuring out what I could do during this time off.

So, let's see what I could do...

One of my old high school friends dropped by my car a few days ago and left me a message:
"Clean me! <3 Jozie"
I didn't notice it until I arrived at the gas station that night and saw it. Cue the laughter.

I could take the time to get my car washed and serviced. Chariselle does need some love, and as a guy it would be completely irresponsible of me to keep my car feeling like crap.

Looking up throw the woods can be fun sometimes. I could just sleep...

I could take some time to behold nature and all of its beauty. It's been a while since I've done something like that. A walk in the woods, anyone? A night gazing at the stars? A day at the aquarium or zoo? So much wonder... and so much life!

"Alright, maggots, listen up! Popo's 'bout to teach you the pecking order. It goes: you, the dirt, the worms inside of the dirt, Popo's stool, Kami... then Popo."

I can get an opportunity to organize myself and figure out what needs to go where. Naturally, this means that I might have to make repeated visits to and from my storage unit, but hey - if it's cleaned out of the junk I don't need at all, then perhaps it'll be a fun time. (And if anypony volunteers to help me, you might score some pizza out of it. Hehe.)

This meal would've been a lot more hilarious if I had some heavy metal playing in the background as I ate.

Hey, maybe I can use the vacation time to learn how to cook something! Yeah - that'd be awesome! And maybe - just maybe - the thing I learn how to cook can be from my New Year's resolution list from oh-so-long ago!

Because nothing beats a good time like a good time spent eating good food. Past me would know about this greatly, and if I end up enjoying my food like I did when I had this fried rice, then I'm sure I'm going to have a good time.

Soloing Ragnaros is mere child's play at this point... but the experience of doing so is always fun. The trick is not to get killed by the fall damage when Ragnaros sweeps you into the air. Normally the ranged DPS and healers find a wall for them to fly into immediately after getting swept.
Tanks and melee DPS don't get that opportunity. Their only hope is to get thrown up in such a trajectory that you land in a deep pool of lava.

And then afterwards I can gear up and totally take down beings of great power and fear. I got an early birthday present from some of my friends: a World of Warcraft time card. I haven't played in a while and they want me back in. Which is perfect - they need a tank, and I happen to play a pretty good Protection Paladin.

"In the not too distant future, on a tired battlefield, war becomes routine."

But first, maybe I should go save the world before all this planning becomes routine. It's time for this lethargic old soul to get up and back into the fight... and it's time for me to kick off tonight.





Well, I'll see y'all tomorrow. Until then... stay cool!