Something That Happened.

The next iteration of this blog may actually look pretty since I'm taking an online course to learn Adobe Photoshop. I took an Adobe Fireworks course in the Winter, and in the Fall an Intro to (Web) Programming course. Last Spring, an Adobe Dreamweaver course. The Fall before that I attempted some Database classes at UCLA Extension but failed miserably. Simply didn't continue attending the classes. I wasn't enjoying drawing maps of database workflows; just not my bag, baby (though I'll probably have to learn how to do that someday if I ever work with databases). Next up: Probably plunging into a real programming course, something to enhance my self-education in that area, and perhaps some more design courses.

All this began as a way to develop my skills in a more disciplined manner. I'm fairly good at learning skills on my own, but I seem to learn more thoroughly when I pay to learn. Then, I have this persistent and nagging voice telling me that I've got a schedule to attend to, "Do you really want to lose more money you don't have?" Granted, I'm not paying hundreds dollars, as I did for each of those UCLA courses I took that aforementioned Fall, but I'm still in for at least a hundred ones each online class I'm taking now. $20 a unit may not seem like much to some of the more fortunate of you, but it's enough to keep bankless me hitting the books (which are, by the way, usually more expensive than the classes).

Technorati Tags: learning, continuing education, skillsbuilding, cost of education, back to school, web design, something that happened

I have a fair idea about what Charles is talking about (though I still don't know what "tokenizing" is), but that's not why I stopped reading his article. The following phrase caught my attention so I ended up copying and pasting it into Google:

"Zend Avesta" "english translation"

I wanted to see what the translation would reveal. I have no idea what Zend Avesta means, though the term Zend sounds vaguely familiar to me (and I think it has to do with software). It sometimes bothers me when I don't know what something means and I feel like I should. I still don't entirely know what it means: I simply glanced at the search results. Perhaps I should be more concerned with not knowing the meaning of "tokenizing", since it's clearly a scripting term, as I've often found it within the context of articles regarding computer programming. (For those of you not following that last sentence: scripting = programming, more or less.) If I'm serious about learning how to program/script, I should know all about tokenization by now.

Anyway, after that quick detour I returned to Charles' blog and read the rest of his story. I even used his copy 'n' paste code to link back to his article. (See the link above.) Now I await his response. This is how blogging works sometimes: Call and Response. Like making music, except it's nothing like that. Anyway, there's not always a response. In fact, in my case there's rarely ever a response, but that's okay because I never know how to respond to a response anyway.

Side note: Day before last I hinted that I was somewhat inspired by Nick Sagan's story, and I was, but now I'm inspired by Ron McLarty's The Memory of Running. Oh, wow, what a voice this man has. What a story and what a voice. This one has me laughing and (nearly) crying all the way through, and I want to share it with my dad. I think he'll really enjoy it. I want him to hear the audio version, but I don't know if he can put up with listening to a story for long. He has to listen to Mr. McLarty tell the story (which, by the way, is Mr. McLarty's own). He's hilarious -- what terrific characterizations! So real. His own creations, of course, which probably explains why they're so good. Reading the book simply won't be as pleasurable. So if I can recommend one audio book this year, I'd say get this one, it's that good. If only I could tell a story like this one, and in the way this fellow tells it...

Technorati Tags: something that happened, Charles Iliya Krempeaux, tokenizing, scripting, Zend Avesta, Ron McLarty, The Memory of Running

Labels: audio books, books, commentary, distractions, Ron McLarty, scripting, storytelling

Reaquainted with audio books lately. Actually, audio lover that I am, this is the first time I've been so consistently listening to mainstream audio. First, found my years-old collection of Audible books, listened to those, then began paying more attention to the audio book torrents, downloaded some of those, then I discovered a hearty selection of audio books at my local library. I love it because listening allows me to "read" in the dark, while my girlfriend is sleeping. Also allows me to read while walking for exercise. Why didn't this occur to me before? I guess I hadn't realized how much I would enjoy listening to mainstream audio narrative. So I've been listening to sci-fi by Arthur C. Clarke, Orson Scott Card, Richard Bachman (A.K.A. Stephen King) and now Nick Sagan. (Scientifiction and Fantasy are mainstream now, aren't they? I suppose they'll always be somewhat outside the norm. Aside from the Harry Potters and Star Treks, of course.)

Tonight I finished: Idlewild, by Nick Sagan (Carl's son). Fantastic. Virtual-reality type of stuff. Characters and plot compelling. Page-turner. Read wonderfully by Clayton Barclay Jones.

When I find myself reading or listening to such a compelling story, I can't help but hope that I have at least one this good in me...

Technorati Tags: something that happened, audio books, science fiction, Nick Sagan, Idlewild, stories, novels, books

According to today's Wall Street Journal:

Stagflation, a term coined in the United Kingdom in 1965, defined the years from 1970 to 1981 in the U.S. Inflation rose to almost 15%. The economy went through three recessions. Unemployment reached 9%. Fed Chairman Paul Volcker finally conquered inflation, but only by dramatically boosting interest rates, causing a severe recession in 1981-82.

That's where we may be headed again. Maybe that's why we had lots of hair then? To cut expenses? That doesn't explain those short shorts, though. Maybe we should all move into Second Life. Even if you're poor and wearing jeans and a white t-shirt when you start out there, at least you can still get things (like clothes) for free. Plus, you don't need to eat...

Technorati Tags: something that happened, stagflation, Second Life

Been awhile since I've posted. (Sorry for posting that phrase, as I know at least 30,000 others have done so. I'll try to be more original from here on out.) So where have I been, why haven't I posted? Let's skip the excuses for now (or forever) and get to the fun. You don't need to know everything I've been up to. Frankly, I haven't been doing anything particularly interesting or worthy of mention. Sure, I could argue that everything is interesting, depending on how you look at it blah blah blah. And sure, that's how I see things, truly. But I'm not going to do that. Not now. Not today. Today I'm going to go with the common thought, mundane is boring. So let's skip the mundane.

Okay, I'm done. That's all I had in me. I just want to get this thing going again. For a great story, please listen to Tim Coyne's short tale of love and heartbreak, The Jester Card. If I could cry, I would have, it moved me so. And Tom Simpson, you are missed. I've been off-IM, off-chat, off-SL, off-Skype, and off just about everything these past couple of months (except for email and the few odd comments posted here and there). I hope you and your wife have a great fucking time this Thursday.

As the kids say these days, "Peace out." For now.

Technorati Tags: something that happened, checking in, Tim Coyne, Tom Simpson,