So tired...
Well, I've been working for a while now at a builders exchange, and I have to say I like the job. It's not quite as challenging as I'd hoped, but at least I can look forward to going to work.
... And speaking of going... I ride the bus to work. Normally that doesn't seem so bad, but it takes 40 minutes for the 80X to get to Mt. Vernon from Bellingham, and another 30 to 40 minutes to get from Mt. Vernon to Everett on the 90X. And, unfortunately, the walk up the hill is taking its toll on my legs. I've always had a bit of trouble when I walk quickly - my peroneus longus has always gotten very sore very quickly, despite being very loose; I have never once been able to stretch that muscle (despite many, many attempts), so it has always been quick to tire. But now, my flexor digitorum longus feels as if it is tearing. I can't figure out what would have caused it or why the onset was so quick. It doesn't hurt as much now as it did a few days ago, but still... Ow.
In any case, the time I spend on the bus has given me a lot of time to think and read. I don't much enjoy letting my mind wander so, so I'm looking forward to buying a Vaio SZ740. It's just so hard to force myself to save my money...
No work and too much play make Charles a bored boy
Yeah, I've been spending too much time without a decent programming job, and what little temp and contract work I can find just isn't enough. Now, with my pinky's tip split (5 stitches!) and slowly healing, I'm realizing how much I really miss working at Innuity.
A little project I've been working on sort of on the back burner is a 3D game engine. I never talk about it much because I've had so much trouble focusing on it recently. I suppose not having any deadlines or milestones is a bad thing. :) (That's also probably why I've not bothered to fix my site yet, etiher. I need comments functionality - I just haven't set aside the time for it yet.)
I'm learning very quickly just how hard writing a 3D graphics engine is. I'm also learning to really love the boost library. My only real hangup at the moment is just how, precisely, to handle resource management - specifically, how to deal with data files in a portable way. For example, detecting the executable file's location is not exactly straightforward or portable. Nor is detecting the appropriate application data directory very straightforward. ... Never mind the fact that on the Mac, there doesn't seem to be a POSIX-compatible way of doing it: On OS X, there is a special object specifically for paths. I'll need to get myself a Mac one of these days. For now, though, I don't think anyone will complain about it being Linux-only. It's about time someone did that. :)
Anyway, with my PS3 and WoW barely holding my interest anymore, I'm anxious to get myself back to being chest-deep in code. I only hope someday someone will pay me for it again. :)
暇を出します。
When one comes to the sudden (and unpleasant) realization that the modern corporate economic environment is fundamentally and fatally flawed, it becomes stunningly obvious that the System is ultimately doomed to fail. Corporations today - once they become publicly traded - inevitably lose their original focus as a business with a mission; and suddenly, they are encouraged (no, required) by their shareholders to produce capital. Their intent quickly moves away from the purposes for which the company was founded, and they suddenly become obsessed with their now inherent greed. Now that money-focused investors and shareholders "own" a piece of the company, these same persons are focused solely on recouping their "investment." They demand of their company that it produce ever more capital - more money for more "investments."
These "publicly-owned" corporations suddenly develop the most severe kind of attention-deficit disorder: They move from project to project, seeking the highest return on investment - seeking at any cost the greatest benefit for the least work. These entities - legally recognized as persons - are willing to cut out their own kidneys for the piddling loose change to finance their next big project: Cutting off their big toes.
Starting today, Vista.com and Credit Discovery are going to be hobbling along, pretending they can still stand, while their parent company, Innuity, Inc., fumbles with that scalpel.
That's right, I was fired laid off today. (ed. Apparently, I used the wrong term here. I don't acknowledge a difference. To me, a "layoff" is a "mass firing" and nothing less.) Along with another experienced and valuable software engineer. The reason? The company "is restructuring and eliminating the Employee's position."
Am I angry? Bitter? Hurt? I'd be lying if I said no. But I don't, and truthfully couldn't, fault my friends there. I'll miss seeing them all each day, no matter how much Larry's snacking annoyed me. :)
No, it's time to move on, though I've been unemployed for only a few hours. I just wish my confidence hadn't gotten in the way of seeing this coming. I loved my job, and I can only hope and pray I can find something that I can enjoy as much.
Geekdom hurts.
I know I've told all of my friends, "I'll never get a cell phone!" Yet, after I managed to avoid being put on call for work over the holidays, I realized that I'd need something after all. Just knowing I bought a Sony Ericsson Z300a makes me ache.
Enough lamenting.
I'm also the proud owner of the domains for four Dragonmarked houses: Deneith.com, Lyrandar.com, Phiarlan.com, and Thuranni.com. And I have no idea what to do with them. Well, except for deneith.com. I have some ideas for a web-based app that D&D players may find useful. We shall see.
And damnit, I keep forgetting that I still need to rewrite the code for this site... I have some ideas for a very cool templating system (based on some things I've thought up at work) for Ruby web development. Again, we shall see. Ruby has some very nice syntactical tricks that allow for very simple constructs that not only improve the readability of code, but streamline the whole process of writing it.
Meanwhile, I'll just keep spending hundreds of dollars on somewhat rare manga. I'm almost ashamed of my renewed (and vigorous) interest in the medium. I swear, it's amazon.com's fault for introducing that damned Amazon Prime.
When the fan hits the... no, wait.
I've been neglecting my site, and I feel wretched about it. Having been so busy for such a good cause, though (i.e., finding a damn job), I've simply not had the time or the inclination to put any work into my site. In the coming days, though, I'm hoping I can get some work put into it.
But speaking of jobs... I found one, and I'm now on my third day. It's really quite the enjoyable job, even working with my nemesis PHP, on something quite on the grand scale.
It is good. Very good indeed.
I keep hoping, though, that I'll find some excuse for hacking something together in some other programming tongue. ^_^
I'm on a similies kick right now. Sorry.
Intersting tidbit: I seem to have been living on top of a massive bundle of dark fiber for nearly two years and never knew it. I intend on finding out if i can hook into it. I mean, really. An OC-48 15 feet away and I'm not plugged in? I simply must get in on that shit. ^_^