So I have a bit to catch up on, where to begin... A couple weekends ago, some friends and I went hiking in the Malaysian jungle wildnerness to see some waterfalls and generally be active people. This was a challenge for me, as it required leaving at 7 am on a Saturday, and my physical fitness could be better. Nevertheless, it sounded like a fun time with good people, so I went. The first difficulty we encountered, as usual, was finding our way there. While Google Maps might be accurate 99.9% of the time in the US, Canada, and other places, here the success rate is much lower. Sometimes it will take you down one way roads in the opposite direction. Maybe the street doesn't exist or is mapped incorrectly. Other times two people will search the same address and get three different route options. It's generally pretty good at getting you from A to B, but it means that each for each trip there are one or two dedicated navigators for the driver. Fortunately for us, the route wasn't too difficult (probably because the falls are pretty close to the city) and we arrived without much hassle.
The actual hike there wasn't too bad. We took an ATV trail to get there since it was the fairly obvious trail to take and only a little longer than the walking trail which we couldn't locate (probably behind the big gate that looked as if it had been recently installed). As one might expect from the geographical area, it was very muddy and had a fair number of hills to hike up and down. Hiking uphill wasn't terribly difficult; slippery spots aside, it was a little tiring but nothing too unpleasant. Going downhill was a little more challenging. That high center of gravity that comes with being tall was working against me, and, combined with my ankles' subpar support ability and muddy shoes, made me very cautious to prevent falling. Fortunately I found a nice way to get through it all: sliding. Using what little balance I have, squatting at the knees, and keeping a hand or two on the rocky side of the trail, I was able to coast down the hills very quickly and without incident. It also gave me renewed hope I might actually be able to snowboard without breaking anything, as long as there's a support pole I can hold on the way down.
It took less than an hour before we reached the lower falls. Even though I hate waking up early, it was well planned because no one else was there when we arrived (this was quickly spoiled 10 - 15 minutes later, but you can't win 'em all). We decided to try going to the middle and upper falls as well, but there were two routes to get there: the normal trail route, and the route that required you to hike upstream through a river. Two of us took the trail, and three of us decided that going through the river would be pretty sweet. It took a couple minutes to get to the river, but once we did the adventure really began. And by "adventure," I mean the realization of how unprepared I was. For one, I only had shoes; no sandals, no towel, no change of clothes. I was also wearing shorts, which is something you would probably plan on doing when hiking in a Southeast Asian jungle... until you start to see leeches attach to your leg and realize, "Hey, some lightweight and breathable pants would really come in handy right now." Not to mention when you reach certain very hard to pass pieces of land, a machete and/or hiking pole would be a godsend. Nevertheless, we roughed it upstream pretty well for over an hour, wet, exhausting, and leech infested as it was. However, we finally reached a point where the terrain was impassable due to fallen trees and shrubbery, and decided to turn back. Which is also fun, having to climb back down that big rock you scaled a half hour prior and were hoping to never see again.
It was at this point, heading back, physical exhaustion started overwhelming my mental drive. It started getting hairy in a couple places; slipping on a rock here, not paying attention and almost sliding down a slope there. The last thing I wanted to do was sprain or break part of my body. Fortunately I only escaped with a scrape on my forearm that somehow didn't get infected with a tropical parasite (that I know of, anyway). After making it through the river and climbing up the enormously large hill I slid down earlier, we finally made it back in one piece. Well, mostly. A couple leeches had somehow managed to make their way underneath my clothing and latch on to my shoulder and foot for who knows how long. They seemed to get a pretty decent meal out of me.
That was probably the most exciting bit over the past couple weeks. However, I have decided, in a better effort to chronicle my journey, I'm going to switch this whole blogging thing over to Tumblr. There's a nifty app on my phone that will more easily allow me to post pictures, update, etc., and I think that will work better than the walls of text I normally present. And I can still post walls of text when needed. So without further adieu, http://markbalcerak.tumblr.com . There's even a picture of the waterfall we saw! So yeah, that is where my updates will be from now on. Hope y'all enjoy it.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Chicken Rice
One thing everyone (well, most people) always gets excited about when traveling is the opportunity to try new food. And here is no exception; there's a vast array of new and exciting dishes for me to try and experiment with at home. On paper a lot of it sounds great. Chicken, rice, and some exotic spices and veggies you may or may not have had. Sounds yum. And it can be. An important piece of the equation a lot of people leave out, however, is food preparation. Like chicken. In the US if you order chicken at a restaurant it's usually a breast or thigh (sometimes a drumstick) that's been trimmed, boned, skinned, etc. Other countries (Malaysia being one of them) don't necessarily do that. You could get the left side of a chicken that's been cut in half. Or maybe the chicken was smashed with a hammer until the pieces were separated. Maybe it was even cut into pieces with no regard to the bones that may or may not encbe included. So far in my two and a half weeks here I have been presented with all these options. And while chicken does taste like chicken, the experience can be a little different when you're picking bones out of what you chew every other bite.
Another two meats are beef and fish. With fish, you're typically going to get a whole fish, with scales, the head, everything still attached. Beef tends to taste like you'd expect beef to taste. But the method in which the cow was raised and slaughtered might be different, as well as any spices used to enhance the taste (chili powder, pepper, and cumin seem to be popular options here). As for pork, well, there's not a lot of that depending on where you go. You can find it, but it's in its own section of the store, right next to where you buy your liquor and cigarettes. Or you can go to Chinatown and there's pork in all kinds of varieties wherever you go. I haven't tried bacon from the pork carts they have, but I am really tempted to.
Of course, there is a downside to trying new food: not all of it will agree with your digestive tract. It can taste delicious going in, but once inside, all bets are off. I had my first experience with that last night continuing into early this afternoon, where the chicken fried rice and lamb I ate for dinner didn't want to digest without a fight. It's basically done for at this point, so all is well. It probably won't be the last time it happens, so rolling with the punches is a necessity.
Overall, however, the food I have had has been pretty good. The stuff with fish heads floating in it that comes from a cafeteria? Not so much. But I think that can be said about any cafeteria food. The best so far has probably been from Chinatown, and I plan on doing that again since everything they cook there smells delicious. I haven't had a huge amount of Malay cuisine outside of work, since that's what is usually for lunch in the aforementioned cafeterias. And there is only so much chicken rice you can have over the course of a week before you want something different. But it's something I plan on getting around to soon, since an entire cuisine cannot be judged on what is mass processed for your consumption. I'll also try and get pictures going soon. It's kind of hard since I don't have wireless in my apartment yet and I'm starting a new workout routine (meaning any free time I have, I'm walking, running, or swimming), so it has kind of fallen through the cracks. It'll happen, though. Eventually...
Another two meats are beef and fish. With fish, you're typically going to get a whole fish, with scales, the head, everything still attached. Beef tends to taste like you'd expect beef to taste. But the method in which the cow was raised and slaughtered might be different, as well as any spices used to enhance the taste (chili powder, pepper, and cumin seem to be popular options here). As for pork, well, there's not a lot of that depending on where you go. You can find it, but it's in its own section of the store, right next to where you buy your liquor and cigarettes. Or you can go to Chinatown and there's pork in all kinds of varieties wherever you go. I haven't tried bacon from the pork carts they have, but I am really tempted to.
Of course, there is a downside to trying new food: not all of it will agree with your digestive tract. It can taste delicious going in, but once inside, all bets are off. I had my first experience with that last night continuing into early this afternoon, where the chicken fried rice and lamb I ate for dinner didn't want to digest without a fight. It's basically done for at this point, so all is well. It probably won't be the last time it happens, so rolling with the punches is a necessity.
Overall, however, the food I have had has been pretty good. The stuff with fish heads floating in it that comes from a cafeteria? Not so much. But I think that can be said about any cafeteria food. The best so far has probably been from Chinatown, and I plan on doing that again since everything they cook there smells delicious. I haven't had a huge amount of Malay cuisine outside of work, since that's what is usually for lunch in the aforementioned cafeterias. And there is only so much chicken rice you can have over the course of a week before you want something different. But it's something I plan on getting around to soon, since an entire cuisine cannot be judged on what is mass processed for your consumption. I'll also try and get pictures going soon. It's kind of hard since I don't have wireless in my apartment yet and I'm starting a new workout routine (meaning any free time I have, I'm walking, running, or swimming), so it has kind of fallen through the cracks. It'll happen, though. Eventually...
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Boleh
So far the adjustment to Malaysia has been pretty smooth. The company has helped out a great deal in this regard, and especially the people with whom I work. Things like helping me find a place to live, figuring out the train and bus schedules, little nuances with the taxis, putting me up in a nice room, etc. are very much appreciated. They make the experience more like slipping into a warm bath rather than jumping off a cliff and hoping for the best.
Of course, there are those things I still have to adjust to personally that no one can really help with. The first is that I stick out like a sore thumb. It's pretty obvious if you've ever met me that this was going to happen. Big tall white guy in Southeast Asia isn't exactly a common thing. (Side note: Nor is it uncommon. I had a nice conversation this past week with a 6'6" man who looked and sounded like the love child of Dolph Lungren and Arnold Schwarzenegger. We bonded over being tall. It was nice). Fortunately, overall, it hasn't been a huge issue. It's something I notice more than it bothers me. I typically don't even think about it unless it's along the lines of "Wow, that woman is barely taller than my hip." Most likely it's because I've already been taller than most everyone all of my adult (and most of my teenage) life that it doesn't bother me anymore. But at least it's a clear line of sight wherever I look here.
The language things are the fun ones. One of the first things I was told was not to point with my index finger, but I shoud use my thumb instead. I'm not sure why the thumb, and I haven't been able to pinpoint what it means if I do use it. The closest I can think of is a theory a coworker of mine has, that pointing directly at someone can be considered rude or offensive. It was kind of tough for a week making the change, but I got into the habit of keeping a pen in my hand to help with the transition. It kept my hand closed and it's kind of a similar motion, pointing with an object and pointing with your thumb. And at this point, I point like a politician without thinking twice, no thumb needed. Another is the use of "can" (or "boleh", in Malay). When answering in the affirmative, Malays use can or cannot instead of yes or no. Which is still a struggle for me to do. I actually find it easier to say boleh, and that might be the better way to do it, instead of trying to rewire my speech process to use can. Not to mention it will make me sound like a native, since I won't exactly be looking the part anytime soon.
Probably the hardest thing I've had to deal with is understanding the accent. I'm at that point in my life where my hearing is probably starting to decline a little, and mixing that with a new accent and people who don't talk very loud can make understanding a little difficult. It also doesn't help that sometimes people switch from talking English to Malay from one sentence to the next (this is usually in meetings, and I can only assume they're saying great things about us when it happens). Getting used to this will take some time, but I think that's common when learning a new dialect. It just means I have to pay closer attention when people are speaking and not be afraid asking people to repeat what they said. I could also just start pretending I'm deaf. That might be the easier route to go, and I've wanted to learn sign language...
I've finally settled on the apartment and will be moving in there soon. It comes furnished, but there isn't a lot of decoration around the place, so I might have to get creative in that regard (which is something I'm terrible at). There's an Ikea not too far away so I imagine I'll probably go there to stock up on supplies and whatnot. I have a huge amount of wall space to cover, so that will probably be my biggest challenge. Kitchenware shouldn't be too hard, and rugs are pretty easy to come by. Learning how to decorate like a civilized human being, and not a caveman or college student, is all part of the adventure, though. This can only end well, right?
Of course, there are those things I still have to adjust to personally that no one can really help with. The first is that I stick out like a sore thumb. It's pretty obvious if you've ever met me that this was going to happen. Big tall white guy in Southeast Asia isn't exactly a common thing. (Side note: Nor is it uncommon. I had a nice conversation this past week with a 6'6" man who looked and sounded like the love child of Dolph Lungren and Arnold Schwarzenegger. We bonded over being tall. It was nice). Fortunately, overall, it hasn't been a huge issue. It's something I notice more than it bothers me. I typically don't even think about it unless it's along the lines of "Wow, that woman is barely taller than my hip." Most likely it's because I've already been taller than most everyone all of my adult (and most of my teenage) life that it doesn't bother me anymore. But at least it's a clear line of sight wherever I look here.
The language things are the fun ones. One of the first things I was told was not to point with my index finger, but I shoud use my thumb instead. I'm not sure why the thumb, and I haven't been able to pinpoint what it means if I do use it. The closest I can think of is a theory a coworker of mine has, that pointing directly at someone can be considered rude or offensive. It was kind of tough for a week making the change, but I got into the habit of keeping a pen in my hand to help with the transition. It kept my hand closed and it's kind of a similar motion, pointing with an object and pointing with your thumb. And at this point, I point like a politician without thinking twice, no thumb needed. Another is the use of "can" (or "boleh", in Malay). When answering in the affirmative, Malays use can or cannot instead of yes or no. Which is still a struggle for me to do. I actually find it easier to say boleh, and that might be the better way to do it, instead of trying to rewire my speech process to use can. Not to mention it will make me sound like a native, since I won't exactly be looking the part anytime soon.
Probably the hardest thing I've had to deal with is understanding the accent. I'm at that point in my life where my hearing is probably starting to decline a little, and mixing that with a new accent and people who don't talk very loud can make understanding a little difficult. It also doesn't help that sometimes people switch from talking English to Malay from one sentence to the next (this is usually in meetings, and I can only assume they're saying great things about us when it happens). Getting used to this will take some time, but I think that's common when learning a new dialect. It just means I have to pay closer attention when people are speaking and not be afraid asking people to repeat what they said. I could also just start pretending I'm deaf. That might be the easier route to go, and I've wanted to learn sign language...
I've finally settled on the apartment and will be moving in there soon. It comes furnished, but there isn't a lot of decoration around the place, so I might have to get creative in that regard (which is something I'm terrible at). There's an Ikea not too far away so I imagine I'll probably go there to stock up on supplies and whatnot. I have a huge amount of wall space to cover, so that will probably be my biggest challenge. Kitchenware shouldn't be too hard, and rugs are pretty easy to come by. Learning how to decorate like a civilized human being, and not a caveman or college student, is all part of the adventure, though. This can only end well, right?
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
The Next Frontier
It's been about one week since I've moved from Jackson to Kuala Lumpur (here on out referred to as "KL"). Like anything I write, finding the words for the beginning is always the hardest. Or, like that time I moved to Jackson (the last time I updated this thingy), there isn't much to write about and it tails off completely. Oops. Fortunately, I feel this time there will be more interesting things on which to write. I'm on the opposite side of the world, after all. A lot of new and interesting places are a short plane ride away. I'm still young, single, and therefore wreckless with my disposable income. And if I'm not going to make the most of my time here, why did I even come here?
But I'm getting ahead of myself, let's rewind to the beginning. First off, after flying business class on an international flight, I don't know if I can ever go back to coach. I did it twice for China and Australia, but the difference really is night and day. Chairs that recline into beds? Actual space for those beds? Leg room? A four course dinner and breakfast? Hundreds of hours of TV and movies on demand (including unedited Game of Thrones)? Free, quality booze? I was spoiled, I felt like a Disney princess the entire time (Jasmine, for those curious on which princess). After I stepped off the plane in KL, collected my bags, and made my way through customs and immigration, I could only think one thing: I desperately need a shower. Despite the business class luxuries, I was tired, looked bad, smelled worse, and couldn't get excited for anything other than nap time.
After washing the cartoon stench lines off my body is when the reality finally started to sink in. I'm now living in a city with a metro area population of over 7 million people. The tallest twin towers in the world are a short cab ride away. Bali, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and many other places are a short plane ride away. I am much taller, whiter, blonder, and more blue eyed than anyone else within miles. More importantly, I don't know what comes next. For the first time in a while I don't feel stagnate. While I learned a lot living in the South and met some fantastic individuals, I was never going anywhere. I woke up each day knowing what it held. It got to be routine, upon routine, upon routine. While that has its perks for some, for me it felt like a prison. Here, in a port city, a major trading hub, with a rich multicultural history and heritage, I feel overwhelmed by the possibilities available, but it's an opportunity I'm glad to have. I'm still creating a mental to-do list of things while I'm here, but some things so far include:
Riding an elephant
Getting one of those pedicures where the fish nibble on your feet
Visit some awesome beaches (Penang is one, which looks like it might happen next weekend)
Visit Singapore, Bangkok, etc.
Drive on the left side of the road
Go up the Petronas Towers without peeing myself
There's more to write but I'll cut it off here for now. To give a few quick updates, I'm still living in a Hilton until I can get moved in to an apartment, business class helped me avoid major jet lag, Malay food from a cafeteria could be more appetizing, I haven't worked up the cajones to eat a fish head, and it's kind of weird being 12+ hours ahead of everything. Until next time, you stay classy probable-resident-of-North-America.
But I'm getting ahead of myself, let's rewind to the beginning. First off, after flying business class on an international flight, I don't know if I can ever go back to coach. I did it twice for China and Australia, but the difference really is night and day. Chairs that recline into beds? Actual space for those beds? Leg room? A four course dinner and breakfast? Hundreds of hours of TV and movies on demand (including unedited Game of Thrones)? Free, quality booze? I was spoiled, I felt like a Disney princess the entire time (Jasmine, for those curious on which princess). After I stepped off the plane in KL, collected my bags, and made my way through customs and immigration, I could only think one thing: I desperately need a shower. Despite the business class luxuries, I was tired, looked bad, smelled worse, and couldn't get excited for anything other than nap time.
After washing the cartoon stench lines off my body is when the reality finally started to sink in. I'm now living in a city with a metro area population of over 7 million people. The tallest twin towers in the world are a short cab ride away. Bali, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and many other places are a short plane ride away. I am much taller, whiter, blonder, and more blue eyed than anyone else within miles. More importantly, I don't know what comes next. For the first time in a while I don't feel stagnate. While I learned a lot living in the South and met some fantastic individuals, I was never going anywhere. I woke up each day knowing what it held. It got to be routine, upon routine, upon routine. While that has its perks for some, for me it felt like a prison. Here, in a port city, a major trading hub, with a rich multicultural history and heritage, I feel overwhelmed by the possibilities available, but it's an opportunity I'm glad to have. I'm still creating a mental to-do list of things while I'm here, but some things so far include:
Riding an elephant
Getting one of those pedicures where the fish nibble on your feet
Visit some awesome beaches (Penang is one, which looks like it might happen next weekend)
Visit Singapore, Bangkok, etc.
Drive on the left side of the road
Go up the Petronas Towers without peeing myself
There's more to write but I'll cut it off here for now. To give a few quick updates, I'm still living in a Hilton until I can get moved in to an apartment, business class helped me avoid major jet lag, Malay food from a cafeteria could be more appetizing, I haven't worked up the cajones to eat a fish head, and it's kind of weird being 12+ hours ahead of everything. Until next time, you stay classy probable-resident-of-North-America.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
What's New Is Old, What's Old Is Still Old
Time to dust off the old blog and give an update. It's been a couple months, and part of the reason for the delay is that I was moved from Montgomery to Jackson, Mississippi. Coordinating the move, finding an apartment, and all that jazz took up some time, as well as the fact the apartment I found did not have internet access until quite recently. I could go quite in depth on some of these subjects, but here are the quick hits:
- I hate apartment hunting, never want to do it again, and if/when it comes time for me to buy a house, I will hate that process with fiery hatred only met by the flames of hell.
- Living in an empty apartment for two weeks sleeping on air mattress while your stuff is overdue to arrive can really drive a man crazy. Conversely, with the lack of anything to do, it's a good reason to drive around and get to know the new place in which you live.
- Some radio stations here are apparently stuck in the 80s, because I hear an inordinate number of songs by Guns 'n Roses and Rush. You'd think they were still topping the charts with the frequency I hear Welcome to the Jungle and Limelight.
- I'm apparently the only Polish person to ever live in the state of Mississippi because people have problems pronouncing my last name way more than any other place I've lived. (My favorites: Belichick, Ball-chur-ick, Bell-sir-uk).
- After finally receiving my stuff, I realized how much of it I never really use or need. I used to be a pack rat when I was a kid, but now? All this stuff is just a hassle. A purging fire is on the horizon (in the metaphorical sense, since apartment regulations won't allow for an actual one).
- The project I'm on should be great, from the looks of things. There are a lot of experienced people, we've been well received by the client, and we all get along really well. Assuming I don't hit a stumbling block or choke somewhere along the way, this should be an awesome work experience.
- Having my own apartment instead of a temporary one really does feel so much nicer. Knowing it's all my stuff, that it's my space, feels liberating. It's a place I can call home.
- Maybe it's a result of playing too many video games, but I keep finding parallels between my new life here and Harvest Moon. I think I'm just bored in my new found downtime. But if the townspeople take a vote two years from now on whether they'll allow me to stay or if I need to move out, remember I wrote this.
- While I have bought a washer and dryer for the apartment (my first major appliance purchase!), I still haven't bought a TV. I don't know why, it just hasn't happened yet. I don't know if I got burned out planning and thinking about it or what, or if it's just the idea of spending thousands of dollars that has me balking. Also deciding whether I want a wall mount or a stand on an entertainment center.
That's pretty much the long and short of things. For those who were hoping for more details, I apologize. I've hit a point in my writing I usually hit and have problems moving past. If there’s one thing that’s plagued me in my writing career it’s the fear (or realization, perhaps) that what I’m jotting down isn’t anything new, insightful or original. It’s the exact same steps every teen, adolescent, and young adult goes through for that particular stage of their life. We all know moving is hard. We all know that it's difficult meeting new people in a new town. A new job is difficult, and will be stressful until you find a rhythm. Every time I see (or think) it happening, I’m hit with the sensation of being a thief, or even worse, an unoriginal hack who’s wasting others’ time. And from there I tend to give up; like I’ve painted myself in a corner and decided to quit redecorating the room altogether. The fact that they are *my* realizations and *my* words are probably of interest to some, but for me I need more. It's most likely a comfort level thing I need to get past, and I will most certainly try if for no other reason than to keep my writing skills relatively sharp. Hopefully I can find that happy medium sooner rather than later.
- I hate apartment hunting, never want to do it again, and if/when it comes time for me to buy a house, I will hate that process with fiery hatred only met by the flames of hell.
- Living in an empty apartment for two weeks sleeping on air mattress while your stuff is overdue to arrive can really drive a man crazy. Conversely, with the lack of anything to do, it's a good reason to drive around and get to know the new place in which you live.
- Some radio stations here are apparently stuck in the 80s, because I hear an inordinate number of songs by Guns 'n Roses and Rush. You'd think they were still topping the charts with the frequency I hear Welcome to the Jungle and Limelight.
- I'm apparently the only Polish person to ever live in the state of Mississippi because people have problems pronouncing my last name way more than any other place I've lived. (My favorites: Belichick, Ball-chur-ick, Bell-sir-uk).
- After finally receiving my stuff, I realized how much of it I never really use or need. I used to be a pack rat when I was a kid, but now? All this stuff is just a hassle. A purging fire is on the horizon (in the metaphorical sense, since apartment regulations won't allow for an actual one).
- The project I'm on should be great, from the looks of things. There are a lot of experienced people, we've been well received by the client, and we all get along really well. Assuming I don't hit a stumbling block or choke somewhere along the way, this should be an awesome work experience.
- Having my own apartment instead of a temporary one really does feel so much nicer. Knowing it's all my stuff, that it's my space, feels liberating. It's a place I can call home.
- Maybe it's a result of playing too many video games, but I keep finding parallels between my new life here and Harvest Moon. I think I'm just bored in my new found downtime. But if the townspeople take a vote two years from now on whether they'll allow me to stay or if I need to move out, remember I wrote this.
- While I have bought a washer and dryer for the apartment (my first major appliance purchase!), I still haven't bought a TV. I don't know why, it just hasn't happened yet. I don't know if I got burned out planning and thinking about it or what, or if it's just the idea of spending thousands of dollars that has me balking. Also deciding whether I want a wall mount or a stand on an entertainment center.
That's pretty much the long and short of things. For those who were hoping for more details, I apologize. I've hit a point in my writing I usually hit and have problems moving past. If there’s one thing that’s plagued me in my writing career it’s the fear (or realization, perhaps) that what I’m jotting down isn’t anything new, insightful or original. It’s the exact same steps every teen, adolescent, and young adult goes through for that particular stage of their life. We all know moving is hard. We all know that it's difficult meeting new people in a new town. A new job is difficult, and will be stressful until you find a rhythm. Every time I see (or think) it happening, I’m hit with the sensation of being a thief, or even worse, an unoriginal hack who’s wasting others’ time. And from there I tend to give up; like I’ve painted myself in a corner and decided to quit redecorating the room altogether. The fact that they are *my* realizations and *my* words are probably of interest to some, but for me I need more. It's most likely a comfort level thing I need to get past, and I will most certainly try if for no other reason than to keep my writing skills relatively sharp. Hopefully I can find that happy medium sooner rather than later.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
The Written Word
For the past couple weeks I've been in a rut of sorts. It was nothing real specific that I could pinpoint, just the feeling and knowledge that the wind was taken out of my sails, or that I've hit a lull or wind hole. In my off hours, I found myself asking more and more what I was doing with my life. I've got a sweet job and all, but as far as personal betterment is concerned I've been doing jack shit. I've fallen off the swimming wagon, there isn't a whole lot to do in Montgomery I haven't already done, and my days have become uncomfortably interchangeable. I thought about my activities and nothing really stood out; it seemed more like a collection of diversions that killed time between commitments. Keeping up on the news is good and all, but being informed isn't a goal. It's a means to an end of being a well rounded person. I need something to stimulate my mind and intellect, and reading up on political squabbles and glorified press releases just isn't doing it for me.
So I took a cue from an awesome person in my life and picked up a book. It's called Consider Phlebas, the first in a series of space sci-fi novels that revolves around an advanced society called The Culture. It's been a very good read; I've had it for about a week and am already nearly through its 500+ pages. Iain Banks has a way of writing that flows extremely well, and is very descriptive and witty in places, but most importantly it has stretched my mind. The book is quite epic in scope, and the way people, places, societies, and events come to life are a breath of fresh air compared to what I'm used to. It made me realize that most of the things I read on a daily basis aren't very well written, or aren't that creative or imaginative. I'm a computer guy and spend a lot of my time on the web, so this might just be a reflection of the sites I choose to visit, but it made me think about the old programming principle Garbage in, garbage out. If the input is terrible, you're going to get terrible results; there isn't some magic box in the middle that makes good things happen in a puff of glitter and happiness. Even though reading in one's spare time is mostly for fun and diversion it does have an impact on their overall life. For me, I kept remembering the old books I read, video games played, and comic books I tore through. Not only were they entertaining, but they moved me in some way to try something new, read up on some subject, or change my habits for the better. Inspiration is the essence of writing; unfortunately, that tends to be lacking in a lot of the places I visit.
Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy visiting Reddit and other various sites, but I guess I need to find a balance. If there's one thing I've learned after four months of being out here, it's that "balance" is a concept I tend to struggle with. Fortunately I'm still young and have time to learn these things. The Culture series stretches nine books so far, so that should keep me occupied for a little while. Hopefully after then I'll have more to go on, but in the mean time it's good progress on clearing out the garbage that's started to accumulate and weigh me down.
So I took a cue from an awesome person in my life and picked up a book. It's called Consider Phlebas, the first in a series of space sci-fi novels that revolves around an advanced society called The Culture. It's been a very good read; I've had it for about a week and am already nearly through its 500+ pages. Iain Banks has a way of writing that flows extremely well, and is very descriptive and witty in places, but most importantly it has stretched my mind. The book is quite epic in scope, and the way people, places, societies, and events come to life are a breath of fresh air compared to what I'm used to. It made me realize that most of the things I read on a daily basis aren't very well written, or aren't that creative or imaginative. I'm a computer guy and spend a lot of my time on the web, so this might just be a reflection of the sites I choose to visit, but it made me think about the old programming principle Garbage in, garbage out. If the input is terrible, you're going to get terrible results; there isn't some magic box in the middle that makes good things happen in a puff of glitter and happiness. Even though reading in one's spare time is mostly for fun and diversion it does have an impact on their overall life. For me, I kept remembering the old books I read, video games played, and comic books I tore through. Not only were they entertaining, but they moved me in some way to try something new, read up on some subject, or change my habits for the better. Inspiration is the essence of writing; unfortunately, that tends to be lacking in a lot of the places I visit.
Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy visiting Reddit and other various sites, but I guess I need to find a balance. If there's one thing I've learned after four months of being out here, it's that "balance" is a concept I tend to struggle with. Fortunately I'm still young and have time to learn these things. The Culture series stretches nine books so far, so that should keep me occupied for a little while. Hopefully after then I'll have more to go on, but in the mean time it's good progress on clearing out the garbage that's started to accumulate and weigh me down.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
(Not Yet) Moving
So it looks like I'll be in Alabama for a little bit longer. How long? Don't know. But my lease is up and it goes month to month now, so I remain in limbo. I wouldn't really mind much, except it's making travel plans difficult. I'd like to go back to Seattle for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas, but I don't want to buy plane tickets only to change them and get jacked $100+ for changing my point of origin. I would also like to buy a grotesquely large HDTV the size of a wall, among other amenities, but it's difficult to put them in a fully furnished apartment. In addition, I'd like to get a smart phone and join all the cool kids and their apps, but it helps to know what city has what kind of reception with whatever carrier (preferably Verizon, as I'd like to get a Droid).
It isn't all bad, though. I still get all the sweet temporary assignment perks, and things on this project are starting to get more serious as we're approaching some key deadlines. It means I might be a little more busy, and also get to see more of how things are supposed to shape up on an implementation. This is a well run project, and the more I can learn the better. It's also still warm here, which always makes me smile when I look at the forecasts for Seattle and Missoula. However, I'm kind of itching to get a place of my own built up. The entire time I was in college, I lived a relatively Spartan life (you know, excluding the trips to China and Australia. Yes, I know how much that makes me sound like an asshole). The only time I ever updated my wardrobe was when my mom or sister-in-law would give me new clothes while forcibly removing the old ones, making snide comments about them as often as possible. I only bought a couple posters as decoration, and didn't buy any chairs, couches, or TVs. Usually my money was spent on going out, nicer groceries, and kitchen supplies. I like food and cooking, and have no fashion or interior design sense, so I guess it was kind of a logical series of events.
Now that I have a steady income, I'm ready to put it to use and pimp out my abode. I find myself looking at the TVs and chairs and couches and wanting them with an increasing urge. Same with cooking gadgets, though I have been picking those up as needed. And I made a weekend trip to Atlanta last weekend, so my urge to get out and travel was sated for a little bit. (By the way, Atlanta is an awesome city. I highly recommend it. Between Gladys Knight's Chicken and Waffles and a burger called the Double Coronary from The Vortex, the city might kill you over time, but it's totally worth it). Still, if I'm ever going to win me my trophy wife or not lead a complete life of squalor it might help to have more than a bed, a big screen, and cardboard boxes.
I guess, more than anything, I want to do things. Work takes up a large chunk of time, and when I'm not consulting, I don't want to just sit around and veg while watching Jersey Shore. Getting all set up is something I've been thinking about ever since I got the job and I want to finally get around to doing it, to accomplish that personal goal. I've made it; I've accomplished all those scholastic and career goals I had in college, and buying my own stuff with my own money is tangible proof I can achieve what I set my mind to. I'm more than happy to stay as long as I'm needed, and am fine with the current situation here in Alabama. I'm not unhappy, but there are certain things I'd like to do but can't. I guess the moral of this story, on a Sunday dominated by football both real and fantasy, is that I want my goliath HDTV + TiVo already!!!
It isn't all bad, though. I still get all the sweet temporary assignment perks, and things on this project are starting to get more serious as we're approaching some key deadlines. It means I might be a little more busy, and also get to see more of how things are supposed to shape up on an implementation. This is a well run project, and the more I can learn the better. It's also still warm here, which always makes me smile when I look at the forecasts for Seattle and Missoula. However, I'm kind of itching to get a place of my own built up. The entire time I was in college, I lived a relatively Spartan life (you know, excluding the trips to China and Australia. Yes, I know how much that makes me sound like an asshole). The only time I ever updated my wardrobe was when my mom or sister-in-law would give me new clothes while forcibly removing the old ones, making snide comments about them as often as possible. I only bought a couple posters as decoration, and didn't buy any chairs, couches, or TVs. Usually my money was spent on going out, nicer groceries, and kitchen supplies. I like food and cooking, and have no fashion or interior design sense, so I guess it was kind of a logical series of events.
Now that I have a steady income, I'm ready to put it to use and pimp out my abode. I find myself looking at the TVs and chairs and couches and wanting them with an increasing urge. Same with cooking gadgets, though I have been picking those up as needed. And I made a weekend trip to Atlanta last weekend, so my urge to get out and travel was sated for a little bit. (By the way, Atlanta is an awesome city. I highly recommend it. Between Gladys Knight's Chicken and Waffles and a burger called the Double Coronary from The Vortex, the city might kill you over time, but it's totally worth it). Still, if I'm ever going to win me my trophy wife or not lead a complete life of squalor it might help to have more than a bed, a big screen, and cardboard boxes.
I guess, more than anything, I want to do things. Work takes up a large chunk of time, and when I'm not consulting, I don't want to just sit around and veg while watching Jersey Shore. Getting all set up is something I've been thinking about ever since I got the job and I want to finally get around to doing it, to accomplish that personal goal. I've made it; I've accomplished all those scholastic and career goals I had in college, and buying my own stuff with my own money is tangible proof I can achieve what I set my mind to. I'm more than happy to stay as long as I'm needed, and am fine with the current situation here in Alabama. I'm not unhappy, but there are certain things I'd like to do but can't. I guess the moral of this story, on a Sunday dominated by football both real and fantasy, is that I want my goliath HDTV + TiVo already!!!
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