Eve of Seven, Strings of Thought

Look into this entry and grasp the obvious - that the eve of seven days' work is approaching, and that three days' work of excitement is about to unfold.

Oh, and notice that this is going to be an awesome entry, too. =P





CURRENT MUSIC:
Bear McCreary - "Roslin and Adama"
Battlestar Galactica

As Battlestar Galactica fits under the genre of "space opera," that means it is allowed to have its own romantic storylines. While there are a decent number of these in the course of the series, there's one that I absolutely adored: the subtle and natural romance between President Laura Roslin and Commander William Adama.

"Roslin and Adama" is the aural representation of their budding relationship (one that seems more obvious to us than to them). Composed in a style akin to a slow waltz, this string-heavy piece with piano backing plucks at the heartstrings whenever it appears. Matter-of-fact, it's so powerful of a leitmotif that Bear McCreary himself "...reserved this theme for only the most powerful, dramatic scenes in their relationship."

Powerful, stringed, and warm despite being slow and almost-melancholic-sounding. You can't really ask for a better combination than that. Unless of course, you're Bear McCreary and decide to make a piano-only version of it.



"One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries."
- A. A. Milne

Quite true. Maybe that's why I'm always so disorganized, both in a physical and mental sense. I keep bumping into things that grab my attention and get me to think or play.

Oysters in the Middle

I get the feeling that today's going to be one of those days where it's going to be... well... let's just say "interesting" for lack of a better word. I don't know why, but for some reason I have this gut feeling that it is.

Wednesdays do that to me often, it appears. And Wednesdays are just the middle of the week. Obviously there's going to be majorly good things in store for me come this weekend (what, with Pacific Media Expo 2011 just right around the corner), so all I can say is that it's going to be crazy.

As for today, however... not much to report just yet. Like I said, today is going to be interesting, but as of this moment, nothing has happened. It's probably going to be at work - some guest makes my night, I tell someone off, I find lots of money - who knows? Today's my oyster.

*dances off*

Drifting Around

My mind keeps drifting all over the place today. I can't seem to keep myself focused on any one thing - including typing a blog for today.

So far, I've been jumping the gun and working on numerous things, including (but not limited to):

• working on a new Top Ten list
• reading some books I acquired
• looking out the window and daydreaming
• eating pizza
• attempting silly hat tricks (not "hat-tricks," mind you)
• tracking Carmen Sandiego
• eating a yummy breakfast burrito
• listening to music from Battlestar Galactica
• wondering what time I go in to work
• waiting in anticipation for PMX 2011
• stroking an imaginary fu manchu
• browsing craigslist for silly things
• watching Colonel Tigh yell at himself
• browsing the Internet for various cosplay items
• contemplating about re-watching Avatar: The Last Airbender, and
• sleeping.

(Author's Note: I may not have done some of these things. Of course, what didn't I do? That's the question you want an answer to, right?)

Maybe I have ADHD or something, or maybe I'm just having one of those (many) days where I want to do a great many things with myself and the world and have so little time to perform all these said things. I don't know. But perhaps if I take some of the things I listed above (as well as the many things I didn't list), I could create something that's good.

Eh, something will come to me. One of these things has to give me inspiration, and I'm sure that something will come up before the week is out.

Conversations With a Hybrid

Well, I said I'd give you something good today. It's time for me to deliver.





CURRENT MUSIC:
Avenged Sevenfold - "Dear God"
Avenged Sevenfold

As WinAmp went through its shuffling of its playlists, this song popped up. It matches today in terms of how easygoing and sunny this day seems to be thus far and how mellow and easygoing "Dear God" sounds (that opening just sets the mood up so well). Plus, this song is noteworthy for me because it holds a slot in my "Songs Inappropriate for the Zombie Apocalypse" playlist on WinAmp.


Lady Gaga - "Telephone (f. Beyoncé)"
The Fame Monster

There's a few meanings I got from this song, and I'm not quite sure which one is the most likely one. However, the only thing I remember in the end was this: it's quite danceable. I'll admit: I've had this song stuck in my head for a while. Add the fact that I found a StepMania simfile for the song and you could probably guess how much rotation this song's been getting. As I'm attempting to get an A-Rank on StepMania with this song, this'll probably be on my head for a while.


Bear McCreary - "The Dance"
Battlestar Galactica: Season 3 Original Soundtrack

Can someone say "fun musical piece" here? Yeah, I know you're thinking it. This 2.5 minute dance-worthy musical interlude just screams Irish/Scottish jig. If the fiddle and uilleann pipes didn't give it away, I'm not sure what will.

An excellent and lively piece, "The Dance" is sure to put a spring to your step as you work on whatever you're working on. A few of you may even be inspired to dance along with the music (or even perform your own (crappy) Irish/Scottish jig). Don't lie - you know you want to go along with the music.



"Chickenshit refers to behavior that makes military life worse than it need be: petty harassment of the weak by the strong; open scrimmage for power and authority and prestige; sadism thinly disguised as necessary discipline; a constant 'paying off of old scores'; and insistence on the letter rather than the spirit of ordinances. Chickenshit is so called - instead of horse- or bull- or elephant shit - because it is small-minded and ignoble and takes the trivial seriously."
- Paul Fussell
(Wartime: Understanding and Behavior in the Second World War)

Not-so-surprisingly, this quote can be applied to areas outside the war zone. Much like The Art of War, the concept of chickenshit is easily seen amongst the work force, politics - pretty much anywhere where a person is in some kind of command position amongst others.

I felt like quoting this for a few reasons:

1. I went through my ever-growing list of quotes I have on my laptop and randomly scrolled until I felt like stopping. This was on the page I stopped on.
2. As the retail world enters the fourth quarter of the fiscal year, they prepare to deal with large sales, even larger crowds of shoppers, and improperly-exercised authority amongst command crews who crack under the pressure that the fourth quarter brings.
3. It reminded me of Band of Brothers - both the book and the television series. Captain Sobel, anyone?

Now, that's not to say that every single retail worker out there (myself included) will either have to wade through the chickenshit or drown our subordinates with it. I just know that each part of the retail world will have to deal with this eventually - and fourth quarter's the most likely time for a tidal wave's worth to crash down on us.

Bleh

After a long and exhausting day at work, nothing pleases me more than to say:

"I'm going to bed."

Until the 'morrow, everyone. Great entry tomorrow - I promise.

White Knight Live: A Random Park

Okay, that's a lie - this isn't a random park. I know where I'm at and what park this is. I'm just choosing not to disclose that information. While I've said that I'd pretty much be frank with you, I still have to retain some kind of secrecy, don't I? *shrugs*

Anyway, I'm digressing. I'm at the park for a few reasons.

1. Catch up on some reading.
   The few books I am currently reading should be read, no?
2. Work on This is Not a Book and Finish This Book.
   At the rate I'm tearing through these, I can't say for certain when I'll be finished (or when I'm allowed to display coverage of Finish This Book), so I figured I could get some decent work done in a calm, collected, and serene spot. Parks count, right?
3. Develop lunch plans with people.
   I'm a social person - what can I say?

Besides, it's a nice day outside - only party cloudy as compared to yesterday's mix of rainy clouds and random bursts of sunny ray beams. Yay for that, so I figured I'd enjoy a cool-yet-warm autumn day before winter tears its heart out.

Plus, there's a faint aroma of freshly-cut grass - pleasant enough to accentuate the air but not too terribly overpowering. Helps me to concentrate. I could use the mental focus.

Well, that's that. I'm going to go off and read/write stuff before hitting up lunch with some friends. Until the 'morrow, everyone, and remember: Daylight Savings Time smacks us tomorrow, so adjust your clocks and set them an hour back!

*leafs through his books and continues reading*

Shining Water

It's rainy and sunny all at the same time... what a beautiful day to read. That's what I'm doing before work today. Reading. I know... so un-American, but I enjoy a good read. And with the books I have, it definitely is going to make things interesting.

Maybe you should tuck yourself in to a cozy location, get something nice to drink, and a good book to read. Enjoy the day. I sure will.

Philosophizing

Hey, everyone. How's it going with y'all on this decent evening? I can say on my end that it's going quite well on my end. I've been busy with a great many things, which is a good thing - it helps you not concentrate on things that... well... aren't quite as good. Anyway, I have a written dilemma of sorts. (And I don't mean an old blog entry I made, either.)

Sometimes there are days where you feel like relaxing in a carefree manner. You lie in bed, let the phone ring on and on, catch up on your sleep, and just go about doing absolutely nothing "productive." Then there are those days where you're tasked with something ridiculous and/or difficult. Oftentimes there's a deadline issued, and the people who tasked you with your project expect nothing but the best at whatever cost necessary - even if it means giving up your sanity.

Every once in a while, though, a dedicated person (or a stubborn one - the similarities are high) will end up assigning themselves with something ridiculous and/or difficult because it relaxes them in a carefree manner. Sound confusing and/or psychotic? I suppose so, but sometimes one has to go insane to recover their sanity.

I think I've done just that. Of course, the response some of you have with that statement involves one question: "Wait; you haven't gone insane yet?" Maybe I have... maybe I haven't. You'll just have to keep reading.

As I've been working on Finish This Book and playing video games, I've been doing quite a lot of thinking. (Before you start questioning how good of an idea that is, I wasn't delving heavily into depressing thoughts. I'm fine. I think.) I've encountered a myriad of characters, storylines, and ideas that have gotten me to ponder on their impact in the game's legacy and what not. It's kept myself busy - mostly due to me writing like crazy and doing research on topics that I (felt the) need to talk about. All of this has been boiled down to term paper-sized documents (or more, if I feel inclined to) that I feel like completing before I have to have it "due."

Here's the kicker, though: I'm not doing this for a class. Yup, that's right: I'm writing a perfectly large essay on something that's not going to be graded. I'm writing an essay for kicks. I'm writing it because I'm borderline insane I bloody well can write it. Hell, I don't think I can even call it an "essay" - "dissertation" is more like it. (Yes, I'm writing that much. o.O)

Now the question remains: what am I writing about? Well, I personally won't tell you, but I'll give you one decent hint: search through my Pensieve and see if an answer pops up. I'm sure there's bound to be one in there somewhere - after all, I did say that I'd write about those topics someday, didn't I? Keep in mind that I could very well be lying my head off here with this hint.

All I can say is this: I'm thinking... and I'm typing. What it is... you'll have to see later.

Taiko Rain Check

Good entry tomorrow. Not one today. Right now I feel like shooting the crap out of the Covenant. You'll just have take this rain check and cash it in tomorrow. That, and I have writing plans for tomorrow, so it makes sense for me to throw everything in one big entry.

*goes off to play Halo: Combat Evolved*

Oh, and just so you can tell yourself that visiting today wasn't that big of a lost cause:


Here's some taiko to fill you with energy. I don't know how they do it, but... maaan.

Full Plate Entry

The start of the month, and all I can think about is what I'm doing with the projects I currently have on my plate. It's fun and interesting, and it's definitely doing its job in keeping me entertained. Not to mention sated.

Yeah, I know - not a dynamic entry for November's first blog entry, but I'm a little preoccupied with a certain part of the plate: Finish This Book. It's quite intriguing, and it's definitely getting me to think creatively.

I'd share what's going on, but as I mentioned back on Sunday, I'm not at liberty to divulge and discuss anything I do with Finish This Book unless otherwise instructed to do so. Yeah, I know - it's just a book, and I don't have to listen to a damn word. Thing is, though, sometimes a little control seems necessary.

Other than that, today's a nice and casual Tuesday and could very well be called a decent start to the eleventh month of the year. Only time will tell what happens over the course of these next twenty-nine days, so... we'll just have to wait and see what happens here, right?

*resumes working on Finish This Book*