Inspire

I've found it's impossible to save the world or change it on a global scale.
But focusing on being a very good friend to a few people at a time, perhaps I've changed their worlds and changed their paths for the better.

Perhaps still I have or will inspire someone to go on and do things that could make change I wouldn't be capable of.

That is a more valuable contribution to society & humanity than wasting time behind action-less causes.

Paradoxical Traits of the Creative Personality

I read this article and every last word describes me.
A little creepy, like the time I read that article on synesthesia and realized I wasn't alone in the world.

The guy who wrote it says he's been studying creativity for 30 years. Some of what's written sounds like generalities [I'm jaded by things like palmistry & fortune telling since I know they're based on widely sweeping generalities so as to draw the customer in]. Even so, it's very accurate to me.

Hacker

This is a good article, describing that "Hacker" is a mind-set, not a stereotype.

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/hacker-howto.html

First Snow of 2012 in the City.

SNOW!

It started snowing early this afternoon and continued thru the early evening. It's started to stick on grass, bushes, parked cars, and rooftops (I can see those from my apartment window).
Snow, like Christmas, makes me feel like a kid again. It's almost magical. ;-)
Since starting working in DC I've been looking forward to the day when I would walk out of the office to walk to the Metro and it would be snowing on me. That day is today! I was all smiles walking out of the office, and again walking from the Metro to my apartment.
Not driving to/from work = big win!
I'm also enjoying it because even tho the air is frigid, I can breathe like a normal person, and deeply! No more asthma that I had had since I was a kid, and that is awesome.

At first when I put my headphones in while walking my thought was "I don't have a snow/winter playlist yet" and then I thought "Skyrim soundtrack". That's perfect -- Skyrim takes place in the cold, snowy north of Tamriel; and an orchestrated soundtrack to me is always good for walking in the city. B-)

Just wish I had brought gloves... brrrrr.

But still: happy dance!


The picture above was taken a block from my office, the Christmastime snowflakes are still up on the light poles. =)

Reflection on 2011

At the beginning of the year, instead of making trite New Year's resolutions, I make a list of all the good things & positive experiences & events & jazz from the previous year, roughly in month-order. This way I can see all the wonderful things that comprised my life, and be thankful for.



TL;DR version:
This year has a short list; the first half of 2011 was pretty sucky and I was unmotivated to do anything. IT support during tax season for a financial institution for the 2nd year in a row (altho I wasn't doing IT, but co-managing the order processing dept so the work wasn't bad but the company/treatment was). Then I got deathly ill for a week in May. Then I got better and decided to stop cruising through life and finally set and accomplish my life-goals & write my own destiny. And I did!


Here we go...!
*Had a blast out to dinner & drinks with Steve & Andrew on my birthday, tons of laughs. Then Steve & I filmed a short parody magic trick using cars instead of cards --> blog entry with vid.
*Brought Steve down to Raleigh a couple of times, for Lego conventions; my cousin & I introduced him to our NC friends.
*In April I moved out of my apartment and in with Andrew at his house -- great experience, lots of fun.
*Cirque du Soleil TOTEM was awesome; perhaps more than KOOZA was. Reminded me of the time I did sound for Cirque when they did a cabaret party at our bar, and we got to hang out with them at a diner after. ^_^
*I got terribly sick in May, and part of that included a return of asthma which I hadn't had since I was a kid. Went to the doctor for the first time since high school, was prescribed 2 inhalers and 3 types of steroids. Lost my voice for 2 days (a first!). Got better. And I didn't realize until 6 months later, while walking in the cold, that my lung capacity is now fully normal! No longer am I short of breath while walking in the cold; something I've experienced all my life. I am cured!
*Took the biggest literal step in my life, as silly as it sounds: took a commuter bus into DC for a job interview. It left from Columbia MD at 7am and I had to drive 35+ min from Owings Mills MD to get it on a Tues morning, skipping work. The distance traveled + the high stakes of what it meant felt like the biggest most important thing in the universe that day. In fact, in my universe it turns out that it was. It was daunting, it was worth it.
It seems silly now because of the leaps & bounds I've been making since!
*Left my crappy call center "help desk" job and got an awesome, hands-on IT job at an awesome company in DC -- which was my exact goal. I feel fortunate and lucky every day: I made a transition to a different & better & better-paying job during a bad economy, and I blasted myself so far forward doing it; both career-wise and personally.
*22nd annual family vacation at LBI. I came a day late because BrickFair was that weekend. I think it was the best family vacation yet. =)
*Excitement & adventure in DC during my first earthquake (August, 5.8 Mag) -- a city full of people standing around outside the buildings!
*Lived at my sister & bro-in-law's house for the first 3 months of my job, during the weekdays; I was commuting via commuter bus from Columbia into DC each day. I'm really glad I was able to live with them, I feel it was a great bonding experience! (My dad lived with his sister & Fam in MD for 3 months before we moved from NY way back when.)
*Moved inside the DC Beltway; downtown Silver Spring, 1-bedroom apartment to myself in a very nice building, with garage parking for my car.
*Tony Stark for Halloween -- with authentic light-up arc reactor in my chest. B-)
*My sister had her first baby; I became an uncle and the Godfather. Finally the title I've wanted since I was a teenager. >:-]  I'm also humbled by having Luc's middle name named after me. ^_^
*Big huge Fam'ly party at my parents' house the weekend before Christmas. Reminded me of ones when I was a kid. Family should be together at the holidays!
*City life. Walking everywhere. Love it!
*I met and made friends with so many great people; decent human beings.
*Rediscovered love for magic & performing. Part of my rejuvenation with my new life, rediscovering the hobbies I have passion for! I'm looking to get a new Wacom tablet for digital drawing... maybe a come-back tour of webcomics...??
*Lots of video game playing -- including the sequel to American McGee's ALICE: ALICE Madness Returns. Was just as good as the original, I thoroughly enjoyed the return to the dark, twisted Wonderland...
Minecraft provided many hours of creative fun; especially lloonngg late nights playing with Steve via Skype. Crazy! It's popularity proved what I've always known -- a good game is good because of the gameplay, NOT the graphics.
And Skyrim. Oh yesssssss... Fus Do RAH!~~~
*Expanded my music collection and variety like crazy. Awesome. (Now at 49Gb of music.) Bought an iPod Touch 4G. I've always hated the previous iPod's scroll wheel, but this is basically a mini-iPad. hehe.
*Rang in the New Year with my sister, bro-in-law, and baby nephew at their place. Low-key fun evening of laughs & sushi & sake.
Cheers to a new year and a new life!

I'm always amazed / By what can take place / Within the span of three hundred, / Three hundred and sixty-five days! [Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "365 Days"]

I told you my reasons for the whole revival / Now I'm going outside to have an ice cold beer in the shade. / Oh, I'm gonna listen to my 45's / Ain't it wonderful to be alive / When the rock 'n' roll plays, yeah / When the memory stays, yeah. / I'm keeping the faith / Yeah yeah yeah yeah keeping the faith. [Billy Joel, "Keeping The Faith"]