Ink | Pen | Paper

I woke up at around 5:30 AM today, but immediately went back to sleep because I spent an extra few hours into the night babysitting our 'bot, and could come in late for work.

(I originally wrote a lot of stuff in this part, but I've opted to delete them, with the concern that the readers of this note, the ones who believe they know me well to a certain extent, would actually figure out how dismal my living conditions are, and how I'm still so far from achieving a reasonable level of material success, in the hopes that whatever illusion I've created when I talk about how cool and awesome my job is, and how I get to do this or that, be preserved in the minds of those who have been fooled into thinking that I'm really "doing well in this world"...but then my saying this would be an act of effectively destroying the illusion now, wouldn't it)

(BTW the reason for me not "achieving a reasonable level of material success" is simple--I suck at saving, even "saving for a rainy day". So, I should carry a big sign around my neck that says "GASTADOR: WAG TULARAN" But wait, I'm not really a "gastador"...I guess I just really suck at budgeting...so the more apt sign around my neck is "HINDI MARUNONG MAG-BUDGET: WAG TULARAN")

It's my daughter's birthday tomorrow. But like last year, I won't be able to send a gift to her due to my current financial quicksand. I'll just call her and say that I'll hopefully be able to send a gift by the end of the month.

(another sign around my neck: "IRRESPONSIBLE DADDY: WAG TULARAN")

At this point of the note I'm trying to figure out if it still makes sense to continue writing this.

But okay, I'll go on.

I really needed to build that castle.


It's not for a client--it's just for internal company purposes. It's been a long time since I actually worked on something that I really enjoy doing. Other people might frown at that idea and respond with "Hey, it's your job you're not supposed to enjoy it!" But hey, the reason why I wanted this job because I thought I'd enjoy it, not because I'm going to get rich doing it. Not that I don't want to get rich of course.

If you're wondering how I built this castle (btw, it's still unfinished, but by the time I took those snapshots, it was about 4-5 hours after I began from zero), this video will perhaps give you a good idea how. In it I'm building a Mediterranean-style street with buildings on both sides.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sr0nbL_4n-g
Building structures and mechanical things is really my forte. I know how to make avatar accessories and the like, but I tend to churn out buildings and structures faster. My girlfriend recently expressed the desire to learn how to make avatar clothing and accessories in Second life, so that would make for an interesting collaboration.

In one of the photos, you can actually see my avatar at work. Perhaps you're wondering what that thing is on my back.

It's a giant ladybug I made, that acts as a sort of backpack when your avatar is just standing on the ground, but once you fly up in Second Life, the ladybug's wings open up and flutter, as if it's responsible for keeping you suspended up in the air. I made this about two years ago, and from time to time, I still get thank yous from people who have received it (and variations of it, like a Stag Beetle I made) in-world and who enjoy using it.

I'm supposed to meet up with some people who are into flight simulation today. Some of then are real pilots and fly real airplanes. They are members of a group that I belong, that's currently celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Philippine Flight Simmers Group, or PFSG.

I hope the 'bot doesn't act up or else I'll be forced to tell the guys I won't be able to make it. Each time there's a gathering like this, the more I develop a sense of awkwardness, as the years go by, because of the fact that it seems I have slowly drifted away from aviation-related matters of interest, particularly real world aviation, so I'm stuck in that dilemma of belonging to a group that perhaps, I won't really relate to any more, because of a lack of recent experience in whatever common interest the group is supposed to have and are engaged in.

Well I've been trying out simulations again, like Trainz, and I'm also trying to get ShipSim2008 to work as well, but there have been issues with the software and I haven't had time to fix them. I really want to create a new video about how to drive a stream train, because I think it's fun. It's a bit complicated, but it's pretty enjoyable once you get the hang of it, esp. if you realize how much of an impact railroads have had in the creation of the modern industrial world.

That's it for now. I really don't know what I did. It could have been a form of venting, or maybe just an urge to share what's been going on with me as of late. But the good news is, I feel better already, because I managed to write it all down, here.

Kung sa constipation pa: SUCCESS! Nyhahahaha!

-RODION