Annoying but Good

I worked on Fiction Interactive for about an hour this morning. It was depressing! So many details still need attention. The site is very sloppy, every page looks different from every other page - there's no cohesive vision.

A couple of months ago, I went through and changed the 'terms and conditions' notice from text to art - this way, I could change it easily, on all pages with one step. Well I hadn't created a psd file for the copywrite.gif, and it took me forever to find the correct font, size, and style. I must have spent a good half an hour on that. The most annoying thing about that is, what was I thinking in October, to put '2004' on the tag? Did I really think that it would be complete and online? I know that I didn't. I was just not paying attention. Grrr.

And the links art at the top of the page needs some attention! It's too big, too blocky, and the 'jobs' page has no link up there! I'm thinking of stretching some of the mini threads and using that as the background. Of course, that would mean the art on the Story and Decision pages, for Dictionary, Synposis, and Characters should be changed to match. Ugh.

As annoying as it is, at least I'm working on it. I just have to finish it already!

Lunch is over, took my walk. Another cool, wet partly cloudy day.

Hey, it's a New Year!

So far, the new year is a good thing. It was raining this morning, we have some leaky windows in the apartment, but no big thing. It's overcast and sunny now, I just got back from my post-lunch walk around the block. The air is crisp, clean and cool with a slight tang of ozone. I pondered my 'Cosmo' children's book idea as I walked.

I didn't get anything useful done this morning, short of depositing money so I won't be overdrawn, and turned in to the bank a woman's ATM card she'd left in the machine. I guess those were both useful things... :o)

Work is slow, I don't know why I always feel compelled to report that. It's always slow. Oh! In my list of projects I'd like to accomplish that I typed out the other day (you know, the other day - a week or two ago) I think that I forgot to include "Spanish for Retail", and 'nuff said.

Cindy and I have been playing many hours of Evil Genius, it's loads of fun. You build an underground base, and you have little workers and henchmen and all sorts of people you can order around. Secret Agents break into your base and try to sabotage your stuff, and you get to kill them. When you kill someone, they're put into a body bag that you can store in your freezer. We have the strategy guide for the game on order, but odds are, we'll be done playing it before the book arrives.

So this year I hope to finish a project or two (for a change). Even if I alternate what I'm working on, hopefully something will get completed. It's so hard, when you have lots of ideas every day. The new ideas are more fun than the old ones... I'll try to do better.

Brat1 Pic

posting this pic so I can use it as my profile image...

An Indifferent Sort of Day

I worked almost a full day yesterday. I did the regressions for the new build, did a smoke test and a playthrough. Fun.

Last night I played DDR for half an hour, Michelle did laundry, we ordered pizza and relaxed at home. Michelle played Evil Genius and I spent about an hour playing Bloodrayne2. So far, I'm preferring the original Bloodrayne, but nostalgia always makes the originals seem better.

I did a few sketches for Cosmo, but nothing really clicked. I should look up pictures of actual space probes and see what inspires me, I guess. Though a realistic probe won't have a lot of personality... Unless that's the plan - that Cosmo is sent out in a pretty boring configuration and gets more and more interesting, more personality added along the way. Hmn. It probably should have eyes and a mouth, at the least. That way, when he's happy or bored or lonesome, I can get that across.

It's a gray overcast day, things are slow at work, nothing to be done. Not really in the mood to be at work now. Nothing going on. I can leave whenever I like, but it would be nice to have a decent paycheck.

After Christmas 04

It was a nice long holiday weekend, I had 5 days off!! It was pretty relaxing, but I'm slightly bummed that I didn't get many 'useful' things done. Just slightly. :o)

I played at least 10 hours of 'Evil Genius', which is a game about building your evil lair and sending out minions to gather funds and research through world domination. It's fun and addictive. Michelle really has a thing for it, and has been playing quite a bit, too.

I got lots of neat goodies for Christmas! We didn't have a big to-do, I made a roast and mashed potatoes, and we hung out at home and relaxed. Michelle and I each gave one another slippers.

Back at work today, but it won't be a full day. Most people are off / out of town, so it's pretty quiet around here.

Cosmo the Space Probe!

Got to work early today - about 7:45. It was either stay late last night or come in early. I hates me some staying late! It's not the hours, it's the time. I look at the clock, and my brain says "I should be at home watching The Simpsons right now." and I lose all motivation to be useful.

Wrote up a few bugs today, though not as many as yesterday. We're waiting on a new build which I think is gonna be a long while coming.

I went to work with Michelle last night, she had to close down, count the money, all that fun stuff. We didn't leave her store until after 2am. Ugh! I'm glad this only happens at Christmas time. She works hard!

Didn't work out this morning or do anything useful since I had to work so early. Michelle is closing tonight, so mebbe I'll get something done when I get home from work. Still need more goodies for her Christmas! I've thought of another item, I'll probably get that tonight. All her items are kinda small, so hopefully she doesn't show up with huge boxes for me, cause hers are small (tho good!).

Thinking about the children's book about the space probe. It's about a deep space probe named Cosmo that is sent out by Earth, a very basic, clunky no-frills design. Cosmo is sent off to explore the universe and he enjoys that. Cosmo eventually gets lonely, and then meets another (alien) space probe going the opposite direction. They chat for a bit, then Cosmo is alone again. He's disovered by an alien race who study him and make an addition to his hardware to help him out, and send him on his way. Cosmo is encountered by a number of friendly alien races, and each one adds something.

...Cosmo gets faster engines, better computers, new sensing equipment for tasting colors and seeing music, and so on. Eventually Cosmo makes it back to Earth and it's been hundreds of years. The Earthlings don't recognize Cosmo and greet it as a new alien. Cosmo is happy to be home, but misses the stars, so they send him out again, this time with a friend to keep him company.

It's a cute idea and I'd like to do it. I need to finish all my other projects (and they are legion) before I start another one. The NaNoWriMo novel, Fiction Interactive.com, etc.

Go Go Go!

Busy day! We got a new build just as we left last night, so testing began in ernest this morning. I wrote up like 2 bugs, this build is really buggy!

Got up this morning at dawn, did a walk/run, snuggled with Michelle, lost all my motivation and didn't write. I burned a backup CD instead, and read a book I bought recently... Can't recall the name. It's about a boy investigating the murder of a dog.

Back to Work!

Today is the first day of the new routine, back to being disciplined. Damn it. :o) Got up this morning at dawn, walked my two laps around the park - forgot again to get the pedometer from Michelle - and got some writing done before leaving for work. At least a few hundred words, go me.

Boss man Tim responded re: my 'what's up' letter from Friday. Brian, Gabe, Tim and I had a conference call, and we got some more details about work. Looks like there might well be some dead time ahead, where we'll be off work and getting paid for half time. Not bad for not working!

It seems that we won't become RT employees until like February (if at all) because it's unlikely any contracts will be signed for the Prototype Project until late January - (if then). Bleh. I don't like all the hurry up and wait of it all, it's a strain to be uncertain about one's employment.

Went over to pick up a gift for Michelle during lunch, and it turns out the item I'd been considering was $170.00!! Whoo! No, thanks. Luckily I saw the price tag before a sales associate could help me. I was in the store for all of 15 seconds, and spotted the tag. Yikes! Not that Michelle isn't worth it, but that's a lot for a shirt.

Are you a bug, Bill Murray?

Dave talked to me first thing this morning about the possibility of me working a few weeks for the company doing the Bratz game - (I'm pretty sure he meant I'd work on-site, here.) It seems that the next project has a verbal agreement, but nothing has yet been signed. So, the next project might not happen. Fun.

He said the Bratz people might be interested in me, but probably not interested in someone as high level as Brian. Ha. Apart from spending more time on the phone with the guys up north and/or chatting with Gabe, we have the same job. And I have very nearly twice the amount of bugs entered as he does.

And don't get me started on regressions. Sometimes it seems like I'm working alone. I've got like two or three times the testing experience he does. Whatever. I'm not looking to stay at this company, so whatever. Brian's done a great job of making everyone see him as management material. Way to go dude. That's the art, I suppose, not being a best worker. Pleh. One day I will learn to play the 'social' card.

Got up at dawn, walked at the park, did my weights, did some writing, snuggled with Michelle, and helped her carry down her gifts to be mailed. Who's the Good Du?

I had an idea last night, to do a book for 'Retail Spanish' which would help workers to be better equipped to help Spanish-speaking customers. I think I'll put together a query and send it out, see what kind of response I get.

Finally!

I was the excellent du this morning and got up, took a walk, and did some writing! Yay! Only like a hundred words maybe, but still. A step in the 'good habits' direction.

It turns out I left my camera in Ed's car the other night. He's gonna drop it off sometime this weekend. I'll be able to give him his Christmas gift!

Stopped on the way home and picked up some Druid Circle cookies - oatmeal, raisins, and walnuts! Yummmy!