Fear the Crab

Population: You.

I don’t know why I’ve been having trouble sleeping.  If it’s not the inability to properly fall asleep once I’m in bed, it’s the consistent interruptions during the night.  I wake up only a few hours after I last remember closing my eyes with all the regularity of a well-fibered meal, and after that it’s a good chance I’ll do it again two or three more times.

I posited to Maile that one reason for waking up in the middle of the night could be that my unconscious mind is actively listening for my alarm clock.  Since I wake up earlier than Maile, I keep the alarm low to minimize the disturbances.  However, I think it’s so low that I’ve set my ears on sensitive, and now any noise of alarm-clock level will jar me awake.  It could be the dog, it could be the house settling, or it could be the weird chirp-whistles outside the window.

I say this because on the weekends, when I typically do not set my alarm, I can rest peacefully without complications and take in well over 8 hours.  Of course, I probably also “know” that it’s the weekend and I don’t have to be anywhere by any particular time.

Last night I could not even close my eyes.  My brain was going off on a tangent of randomality, and no amount of Ovis numerations would slow it down.  I tried tiring my mind with some crosswords on my new Nintendo DS, which usually does the trick, but this time it didn’t work.  I went into the living room where I fired up some MLB Power Pros 2008 and played some electronic baseball, but that also failed to make me sleepy.

In hindsight, playing a sports video game is probably not the best way to make yourself tired, especially if you’re a fan of the actual sport.

I think it’s high time I got a Nintendo DS of my very own.  I’ve been borrowing Maile’s for the past month or two.  At first it was to share the same game, but eventually I began to branch out and acquire media on my own.  Now we end up fighting for stylus-time during our respective down-times.

Not to mention, there’s always the old “porno in the VCR” risk whenever there are disparate interests in game genres.  What possible excuse can I have when she discovers the sordid tales of my amusements, all because I forgot to return the game to my secret stash?

I suppose the use of VCR dates me to a bygone era.  Obviously I am not all up-ons with the times.

* * *

Watched a spot of videos about a guy who dances all over the world, in particular the most recent of his accomplishments prominently aired in high-def (as high-def as a web video can get, anyway).

I don’t know why, but when I first saw the video for 2008, it made me tear up.  Like, literally, enough salty droppings to blur the lines between “Aw, that’s sweet” and uncontrollable “Blooob blooob blooob.”  I do know why and how this guy did it, but what I took from these videos was something different.

Perhaps it was my perception that despite the global conflicts, despite the wars and poverty and famine and fundamentalist propaganda that is prevalent in the news today, despite all the negativity and distrust and cynicism and ignorance and corruption and despair, despite all of that…

…there are regular schmoes around the world, the everyday people that walk the land and toil hard to eke out their small portion of existence, that can gather together as strangers and dance like complete morons.  They can dance a goofiness that is without language, without contempt, without judgment, without any of the psychological barriers that can make a person mean and nasty, and they can do it collectively and have actual fun.

Perhaps it is a reflection of what humanity could be, if we didn’t let all this stuff about status and power and fear get in the way.  Perhaps it is a hopeful dream.

That’s what I got out of the videos.  Your mileage may vary.

Fuck off, you’re making me tear up again.

* * *

ADDENDUM:  I miss Mr. Rogers.

Maile and I splurged on cinematic entertainment, buying three movies from Borders. This outing saw my first purchase of a Blu-Ray disc, Casino Royale. I haven’t watched it yet, but I have heard enough first-hand accounts of its decency to feel justified in the monetary expenditure.

The next movie was technically a choice of mine, but only so far as making its existence known to Maile. El Espinazo del Diablo (The Devil’s Backbone) is classified as a horror movie from Guillermo Del Toro, and since that director has a good history of weaving a terrific story, Maile was inclined to get this.

El Orfanato (The Orphanage) is another movie of the horror genre, and while it was not directed by Del Toro, it did feature him as a co-producer. Which could mean almost anything, I guess.

I only watched bits and pieces of the two horror movies, preferring to spend the rest of the time addressing the less-spooktacular adventures of Rayman’s Raving Rabbids. Maile contends that the movies were not at all scary, but if it’s one thing that I do not like, it’s creepy ghost kids.

My mother told me a story of how my brother would, as a young child, be awakened by nightmares in the middle of the night. The waking-up part, I’ve witnessed personally, but never thought much of it beyond a casual, “He’s at it, again.”

However, my mom revealed that my brother would wake up because he was being visited by little ghost children, who wanted him to come out and play. He would get scared, naturally, and bolt for my parents’ room. Turns out, long long ago, the area where I live was once home to a village whose population were besieged with plague, and a great number of children died. These kids were burned to stop the infection, and their spirits (along with anyone else, I imagine) still remain in the area.

If there’s one thing creepier than a ghost, it’s a frickin’ ghost kid. Adult ghosts can have a friendly melancholy that you can easily wrap your head around, and often they act as messengers of a wronged past or harbingers of omens to come. You can learn something from an adult ghost, I think. A lesson exists from those vengeful ghosts, too; don’t mess with them and get the fuck out of the house.

But ghost kids are unpredictable. They can be mischievous, they can be malicious, and they always look at you in that blank expression. Adult ghosts will tell you flat out what’s bothering them. Ghost kids seem to speak in riddles, or not at all. Ghost kids are fucked up, man, and ghost babies are the worst of the vile, monstrous lot.

Ask Maile, one of these days, to tell you the story of the ghost baby crawling out of the ocean, its lamenting cries preceding its arrival on sandy shores.

EDIT: The Kimberly told me of a time when she was house-hunting, and during a visit to this quaint little abode surrounded by a jungle of vegetation with her ex and two kids, how the house felt cold and dark. Evidence of the previous owner’s family still lay in plain view, most notably the child-proofed stairway with baby gates at both top and bottom, and acrylic-paneled banister. Something about the house was unappealing, so The Kimberly passed on it.

Later, in the car, her then-4-yr-old son mentioned that he didn’t like the house, either. When prompted why, he said, “That baby was really mean. I didn’t like him.”

FUCK!

I spent money over the weekend, even though I have wedding plans and need to fix things around the house. Buying even something as small (and significant) like wedding bands is pricey! Deposits must be made, I need enough cash to cover, and I still haven’t seen any quotes for flowers.

Sometimes I think saving money is a lot harder than trying to quit smoking. In a moment of weakness I satisfied my craving for video games with Call of Duty and Medal of Honor for the GameCube. Older games, sure, and cheaper because they were used, but that’s still $30 that I could have used to buy one rose for my wedding.

No one makes a patch or gum to soothe shopping addictions, do they?

Plagued by stomach cramps throughout the night. I must have eaten something bad. As a result I am very tired at work, and have resorted to catnapping inbetween webcomics and email.

Happy news is that I got paid again today. This happiness is tempered by the fact that I need to replenish the accounts I tapped to make the holiday presents happen. I should be thankful that a full-time job leaves me less time for spontaneous spendage.

My xmas loot consisted of money, clothes, and video games. Time to make merry! I got the Zelda for the GameCube and Dawn of War: Dark Crusades for the PC. They be orgasmic! Except I found out the Zelda for the GC is mirror-imaged from the Wii version. Everything, including the map, is swapped. Only the text remains the same, but it’s got me wondering if Link was a lefty to begin with. Who got the switch?

Do not take my ponderings to be an indication of dislike. I love the new Zelda game. I love the puzzle-solving (however simple it might appear to be) and I love the story. I also love the fact that I spend every minute of gameplay wondering if Midna is going to betray me. I have not beaten the game yet, so spare me the gory details until I discover the evisceral truth for myself.

I don’t know. There’s just something about the way Midna treats you that makes you think there’s a knife ready for the space between your C-4 and C-5. The little fairy from before would just annoy you, but you knew it wouldn’t lead you into the lava pits.

Dawn of War: Dark Crusades is turning out to be a fun game. I didn’t like the single-player campaigns from the first two (starting out with less than the full complement of units was rather unappealing), especially since they forced you to play as a particular army. I spent more time playing the 1-time skirmishes, which while fulfilling the instant gratification category, never really gave a sense of accomplishment.

Thankfully DoW:DC satisfies my lust for achievement with its campaign mode. Now I can choose any of the selectable armies, start with the full complement of troops and buildings available, and can determine my own course of success. Plus, earning wargear for my leader and an honor guard of veteran units gives a sense of progression, a reward beyond the increased landgrab. I’ve already taken over the planet with the Necrons, and have started a new campaign with the Space Marines.

My brother stopped by to spend a couple of weeks with the family. He returns to California today.

I write from Nat & Big Mark’s house. I am housesitting, and by association I am also dogsitting, because the dog came with the house. Maile has been here for the past two days, whilst I have only been here one.

One of the first things I did when I got here was establish my territory. That meant turning on Nat’s computer and putting my name into her Minesweeper. Considering how no one in this house seems to play Minesweeper, my name(s) have a good chance of lasting for a long time.

The second thing I did was figure out where the bathroom was. The house is in a state of remodeling, which means that floorspace is a premium, which means that normal walkways are now filled with stooff. And it’s hard to tell what’s been temporarily placed there, or just what is actually supposed to be there. Not only did I have to figure out where the bathroom was, but I also had to figure out where the dog’s bathroom was, and I really wanted to avoid that area.

Still, after a while I couldn’t shake the Cheesy withdrawals. I tried the client that runs via cheesymud.com, but that kept disconnecting after 15 minutes. I tried the telnet client, but having no local echo gets tiring fast. What to do? I couldn’t take it, I HAD to get onto Cheesy! So I brought out my laptop, disconnected the cable from Nat’s computer and slammed in the sweet sweet connective delights.

Turned out nobody else was on.

I ate the pizza for dinner, thanks to Galbraith. It was a good option because there’s not much of a stove left, and Maile and I weren’t in the mood for anything microwaved. We also didn’t want to leave the house alone for long by eating out, especially with nothing but a plywood board for a door. Actually, that’s not entirely true, but my paranoid tendencies sometimes kick in.

I have no idea where I’m going to sleep. That should have been the third thing I did. Meanwhile, I’ll take pride in using the three common font formatting tags in this post.

Today is the first day of the fall semester. I’ll be taking ICS 321 and 331 this year. Only two classes, but they span four days out of the week, including Saturday. This means I’ll only be able to work at The Lab two days, but hopefully they’ll let me stay longer so I can earn more money and not worry about making enough hours to qualify for medical. Best case scenario is to work 6-7 hours a day at The Lab, while pulling in 20 hours a week at The Office. I should still have enough time to get any homework done, since there will be time at the Office to take care of stuff.

Parking is going to be a problem for many people, so I will have to revert back to my original schedule. I think waking up at 0500 is worth the ease in traffic and the bounty of parking stalls at the structure, so long as I manage to leave the house by 0545.

I’ve decided to start work at The Office an hour later, at 0800, so that I can grab some breakfast at the caf when it opens at 0700. I do this because I’m not particularly enthused about tummy-rumbles during work. It’s very uncomfortable.

Bought a new game called Black & White the other day. It’s some sort of god-type game where you micromanage villages and people, flaunt your godly powers, and control some kind of magical giant creature to act as an Avatar. Seems a simple concept, one that’s been used for many years, but this time there’s a level of complication that isn’t advertised in the fine print. For one thing, each village and your creature have minds of their own, and if you leave them alone for a bit they’ll do their own thing. In terms of villages the effects of this aren’t that earth-shattering, stuff like eating too much food or breeding like rabbits and sucking the earth dry, but the creature can do things that you might not like, such as eating the villagers or pooping on the temple. Training the creature is not unlike housebreaking a pet; you give it love when it does something good, and slap it around when it does something bad. I was going over some gameplay tips online and the sheer amount of tasks one must accomplish to have a “decent” game is staggering. I don’t think I’ll be playing it with much enthusiasm, especially with school.

In the meantime I drink coffee to stay awake and ponder how much notes I will have to take with just binder paper. I seem to have forgotten my new notebook at home.

Today I’ll be taking Maile and Malia (sp?) home today. Since parking is an issue, they’ll be dropped off and I’ll drive them home. This won’t happen every day, of course, since schedules are so different. It’s too bad they can’t reserve a parking permit right now, since they’re not that high up on the registration scale, but I believe after a couple of semesters they’ll be able to. Otherwise they’ll get the hang of finding free parking around the Manoa area. I found some numbers for alternate parking that they can try to take advantage of.

Well it’s been a long long time, and I can thank school and work for that. I’ve been getting a couple of projects from The Office that are giving me hassles, but in ways that I have no control over. For example, I need to manipulate some files, but unbeknownst to me, I don’t have permission to do that. I (and everyone else, apparently) don’t usually realize this until I’ve spent a day whitening my hair. As far as The Lab goes, it goes. I’ve noticed they’re sending me to some dentists that aren’t under my jurisdiction of “town.” It’s only been a couple of times, but since I don’t do “Leeward” I have no idea where these dentists are. I make sure to act dumb when they call, too, just so I can hear them fumble around trying to give me directions.

Speaking of white hairs, Maile noticed I have one growing on my neck, in the beardy area. It’s kinda bright when I let it grow out some. But it’s not in a sexy-sexy place, it’s sorta right under the mandibular angle (for you anatomy freaks), so it just looks weird.

In Animal Crossing news, I’ve been spending some time drawing textures. I made a couple of Mashimaro designs, the University of Hawai`i athletic logo, the Decepticon and Cobra and Star Wars Empire insignias, and my current fave, GIR in a dog suit. The GIR design I especially like, because from far away it actually looks like him. It’s too bad there’s no way to “trade” designs with other people short of having to actually visit their towns; I know a couple of people who might be interested in ’em. Of course, when these designs are put on a shirt or umbrella, the results are very humorous. But I think they look neat on signboards strategically placed in strategic areas.

My summer class is going.. okay. There was a bit of a problem with my most recent homework assignment. I had to get input from the user, and it seems the code would “catch” the carriage return and pass that to the variables, making the whole thing look funny. I had to incorporate a dummy variable to grab those annoying newline characters so that the real variables could get the proper data.
But this opened up another can of worms. I’ve set up the code so that it will only accept a certain amount of characters, truncating the data so that it will always fit. It seems to work fine when I test it, but when two or three distinct variables are processed (one after the other), the previous variables lose their data as the later are assigned. And I have no idea how to fix that.

I just finished off lunch, some suck-ass chicken katsu that came from the cafeteria. Bleah.

Next semester I hope to take ICS 312, which is supposed to be a continuation of the C class I’m taking now. I was planning to go for 311, which involves more theory, but the prof who’s teaching it in the Fall is, while uber-smart, kinda hard to understand. By which I mean that only if the student is also uber-smart will the student learn anything.

So, since I need 6 credits to continue working for ITS, I’m going to take Spanish at Leeward. Oddly enough, Maile is also going to take Spanish because she needs the credits, too. We’re going to be taking the same class at the same time. I think it’ll be fun!

I have an urge to get together with all the old folk that have some connection to DFS. It’s been a while since I’ve been out, and I consider a month as a long time. What with all the schedule changes, though, I imagine it’ll be hard to arrange. And while I’m on the subject, why am I the one who always seems to coordinate these things? Maybe that’s why I’m getting more white hairs than a Maltese.

Just kidding.

It seems the more I work, the less time I have for journal entries. Of course, playing Animal Crossing and Legend of Zelda doesn’t help. Anyway, I got my first project for The Office, and it’s a simple thing every new student programmer gets. It’s supposed to let me apply what I’ve read towards “real world” applications. Right now I’m creating a simple program that will let a user input a first name and age, then store that information in a separate file. When storing, it should save it in alphabetical order, and upon a command be able to display all the names that are saved. I need to also enable the program to be able to delete names. I haven’t done that part yet, but I believe I got the first two (input and save) down. There are three parts to this project, and I’m still on the first, but this part isn’t due until April 9, so I’ve got some time. Plus, I’m in the office for a good 8 hours, which gives me an opportunity to fully concentrate on it.

I’m a bit worried about how the summer session will go. I’m taking that class I dropped this semester, ICS 212, which is C and C++ programming. It’ll be the only class I’m taking, so perhaps I’ll fare better this time around, but the class starts at 1730 and ends at 1930, Tuesdays and Thursdays. I’ll have time to make it with my current work schedule, but what I’m mainly worried about is the amount of time I’ll have to do the homework. Hopefully I’ll be disciplined enough to ignore the GameCube.

I haven’t been posting for a while because I’ve been playing Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of time and Master Quest. I’ve also been cruising through my Animal Crossing town. Add to that my final days at duty free, and it’s been a rather busy absence.

There’s not much to report, either.