llamanade blog

Drive

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 21:18:25 -0400

On Tuesday mornings the interior design grad students get together for a half hour informal meeting to discuss whatever is on our minds. If nothing comes to us Kotaro directs the discussion to whatever he feels like talking about. This week he asked us all to talk about what our long term goals were. Like 10-30 years down the line. I couldn’t come up with anything.

At first I thought I was unable to take part in such an impractical exercise. Why should I set a 30 year goal when I should be focusing all of my attention on getting a job period in the next six months? So I thought about it in the abstract; what would I do if I were independently wealthy? Well I’d own the finest computer controlled woodshop that I could afford, and spend all day doing 3D models and making thing with a 3D printer or CNC machine. But that seems to be more of a hobbyists dream rather than a career goal.

Then I started reading a book titled “Design Like You Give A Damn” about architectural solutions to humanitarian crises. The projects all had noble goals, and accomplished them beautifully, but I had almost no emotional response to the problems they were addressing.

I came to realize that the only time I get excited about a project is when it helps, entertains, or in some other way affects the people around me. I feel happiest when I’m solving problems, either for myself, or more importantly, for someone else. But I never go out searching for problems to solve.

So now I’m supposed to write a personal statement detailing my professional dreams and aspirations which will probably read close to the following:
“I’d like to get a job, preferably in the architecture / design industry, which pays enough so I can pay off my student loans and keep my family fed and clothed. Anything beyond that is icing on the cake.”

Jerk

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 13:13:05 -0400

“I often act like a jerk, but don’t feel bad about it” is one of the most honest things I’ve ever said.

Dammit Blizzard

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 14:28:00 -0400

So Blizzard has revealed that Diablo III will need an always-on internet connection to play. Not just to log in and check DRM, not just for multi-player, but always. And while the features available with online play are nifty indeed, in my opinion they do not make up for the imposition placed upon those who cannot or do not want to play online.

I had no intention of pirating the game. I played Diablo II and I play World of Warcraft, and even though I’ve never gotten into the Warcraft/Starcraft games, I trust Blizzard to deliver a high quality game that I will enjoy. I will buy it, probably even from a store rather than downloading a digital copy. I know they believe they have to check DRM with an internet connection, and that doesn’t bother me very much. I think it is a futile effort to combat piracy, but not bothersome.

I am a solo gamer, and I will not be playing multi-player. I’m not a competitive person when it comes to gaming. Being able to claim superiority over someone else is not fun for me, nor is having my own shortcomings pointed out during a leisure activity.
I also don’t really like playing co-op. Gaming is not a social activity for me. I treat gaming like reading a book or watching a movie, the inclusion of another person detracts from my experience.
Therefore I am the perfect video game customer. Once the game is finished and shipped there is no more action required from the producer. I don’t need servers to be maintained, matching systems implemented, or any other continuing support.

I plan on cheating. Seriously, when I get to a point in a game where I feel more aggravated than challenged I bust out the cheat codes. I fully support server checks that prevent cheating when playing competitively, but what I do on my computer is my own business.

rainbowsqueeze: GPOY

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:52:35 -0400

rainbowsqueeze:

GPOY

You Know You're Getting Old When...

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 12:44:00 -0400

Yesterday I walked to school and back because it was a nice day and I hadn’t been outside in a few days. The walk is about 9 miles round trip, I made it in about 3 hours.

Today my hips hurt so bad that I can’t walk straight.

25 Things About Me

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 09:16:06 -0400

I posted this to Facebook a few years ago. I still find it amusing, so I’m re-posting it here.

1.When I was less than a year old I was stolen by a Dingo and survived in the outback for a week before I was found.
2.I have eleven toes.
3.I punched a baby in the face. Little shit was lookin’ at me all wrong.
4.In 1998 I became a methadone addict without ever doing heroin.
5.I can recite every word from every song, in order, including intros and interludes, from Notorious BIG’s Life After Death double album.
6. I use LEGOs for sexual gratification.
7. I’m the CEO of a small corporation based in Panama
8. I lost $10,000 in one day.
9. My vacation in Antarctica ended abruptly when my snowmobile was stolen by an elephant seal.
10. I mix my body fluids with my paint when I make paintings.
11. I once replaced the sacramental wine with ocean spray cran-apple juice.
12. Rocco sent me.
13. I have an insatiable appetite for lizard meat.
14. To my knowledge, I only have three children.
15. I am immune to most strains of Staphylococcus.
16. Bald chicks turn me on.
17. I spent a year in federal prison because a witness falsely identified me.
18. I’ve never been drunk. I just use alcohol as an excuse to act like a jackass.
19. I suffer from hysterical blindness every Monday at 6am. It lasts exactly 7 minutes.
20. I never learned how to use a can opener.
21. I can’t correctly pronounce the word Girls without concentrating on it for about 5 seconds.
22. I auditioned for the part of Kevin McCallister in Home Alone.
23. I can speak six languages fluently.
24. I’m allergic to celery
25.Only one of these things is true.

The Dilatory Dozen

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 14:44:32 -0400

This company has had signs marking our street as ‘no parking’ from 6am to 5pm for the past two weeks, but today was the first time I’ve actually seen people working.

Well, not exactly working I guess.

I wonder if I can get paid to stand around outside my front yard.

Stagnant Creativity

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 15:04:00 -0400

I’ve spent the last two weeks redesigning the two domains I own, www.llamanade.net and www.cbran.net. The latter is my professional portfolio site, archiving all of my design projects that will hopefully lead to me being hired someday. The former is a more personal site for a catalog of my art projects and a blog that will hopefully not prevent me from being hired someday.

Unfortunately by spending the last two weeks on these sites I’ve not had time to work on any of the dozen other projects I have lined up for myself. So at 9:30 last night I announced to my roommates that my sites were done, and I could finally get to work on said projects. Yay! But now I’ve been awake for about five hours and I have had absolutely no desire to do anything but watch West Wing DVDs and stare out the window.

Summer Brews

Sun, 12 Jun 2011 18:23:00 -0400

Yesterday the roommates and I stopped by BevMo to see if there was anything we couldn’t live without. Turns out there was!

Both bottles pictured above come from New Belgium Brewery, creator of my all time favorite, Fat Tire.

First was Somersault, their newest seasonal summer beer. From their website:

Somersault Ale was designed to be a fun roll around on the tongue while requiring only the minimum of palate gymnastics. In other words, this perfect summer lounge around beer is ridiculously fun and easy to drink.

Light and crisp, it is a fantastic summer ale. Drinking this was the perfect way to end a day spent digging around in the garden.

Next I opened the big bottle of Super Cru. On the bottle it was described as a having the backbone of Fat Tire, but with double the malt, double the hops, and asian pear flavor added in. It was a little too sweet for my tastes but I’m very happy to see the 20th anniversary special brews stocked in my local BevMo. Next week I’ll have to try the Dunkelweiss.

Bucket List

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 21:19:00 -0400

Punch someone who works at AutoDesk

Bucket List

Tue, 31 May 2011 20:33:00 -0400

Get slapped for saying something innapropriate.