KISS

Tonight, I'll be going to see KISS for the fourth time. I'm certain it'll be a good show and I'm looking forward to it. Every time I've seen them, both live and in video, they've always put a great deal of effort into their shows and you can expect a quality performance. This will be my first time, however, seeing them at an outdoor venue (Lakewood Amphitheatre), but I don't believe this will negatively affect the experience. The only thing I really don't care for is the fact that it's on a Tuesday, a work night.
I'm also nearly finished with my first short story and I'm actually feeling pretty good about it. I do admit that it's a bit derivative of Robert E. Howard's work, but this was really more of an exercise to see if I could do it. I'll probably try my hand at a few short stories before I attempt a novel length story.

A bit of a funk...

I've been in a bit of a funk for the last month or so. I wouldn't quite go as far as to say depressed or angry, but definitely off-kilter in a negative way. I think one of the reasons is due to the divorce. I've never really done well dealing with women. I tend to be shy at first, but when I do finally open up, I tend to be too honest. This was one of the reasons I went with internet dating with my wife, I had nothing to prove and my feelings were known up front. She knew I was seeking marriage, so there was none of the "Let's be friends" to be heard. After those events, however, I'm loathe to try that again. Maybe I'm pushing too fast again?

New work computer.

I finally received a new computer for work. It's so much faster than the previous one and it's in a much smaller tower, as well. I am pleased.

Breakdown of kills

Via: Term Life Insurance

Sore and wore out

The last few days I've managed to wake up early (5 AM) and go to the apartment complex's exercise room (it's not big enough to be a gym). I'm doing pretty well and hope to continue doing so, but I am exhausted. This, traditionally, has always been one of my problems. It's so easy to say "I'll sleep in tomorrow and start back the day after". Of course, "the day after" becomes "the day after that" and so on and so on. It's really as much a mental challenge as a physical one, but I do plan on forging ahead. It amazing how, during my brief stint in the service, we could wake up at 4 AM to exercise, do various tasks throughout the day, and then get maybe six hours of sleep. That's essentially the schedule I'm hooting for now.

My weekend

I had a fairly fulfilling weekend; doing nothing. I watched "Centurion" on Pay-Per-View. It was good. It's a fictional movie based on the Roman Ninth Legion in Britannia in which most of the legion is wiped out in an ambush by the Picts. A handful of Romans survive, but are stranded behind enemy lines and are being hunted by the Picts. There were some anachronisms and factual errors in the film. While there is some mystery as to the fate of the Ninth, there is evidence they were transferred to the Eastern Frontier from Britannia. There was also a Pict who used a two-handed, double-bitted axe, one of my personal pet peeves. It was a good movie, however,and will probably see it if, and when, it comes to theatres.
I went to the theatre to see Pirahna 3D. I enjoyed it immensely. The premise and acting were suspect at best, but that's not why you see movies like this. There was plenty of nudity, women in bikinis, and gore. In fact, it's the goriest film I've seen in years. The 3D aspect was also well done. I may see it again.
I also started reading "A Feast For Crows"; book four of "The Song of Fire and Ice" series by George R.R. Martin. I'm about half way through the book and it's brilliant, as were the others. It's been so long, however, since I read the other books, that I'm having to look back to the last book to remember some of the plot.

Common people

Today, I had to travel to Villa Rica, Georgia, for my great aunt's funeral, which I mentioned in an earlier post. While a solemn occasion, I did have an opportunity to interact with "small-town" folks. My mother's people are from West Georgia, near the Alabama state line. These are country people, generally simple in their beliefs and needs. While I'm a suburbanite myself, it's refreshing to be around them. There seems to be less duplicity and less of a need for myself to conform or prove myself.

Today

Today, I had to attend my great aunt's funeral. I admit, I wasn't very close to her, I mostly saw her around the holidays and at the odd family gathering. I probably saw her an average of four times a year, so I'm not too sad about it. It does put life into perspective, however. I do want an open bar at my funeral.

Gaming

Last night, my AD&D (2ND Ed.) group finally made it out of The Undermountain. We switched editions a few months ago and I've been very happy with the results. I've been a roleplaying geek since I was thirteen years old and I've played and gamemastered in numerous systems. I don't know why, maybe nostalgia, but to me, many of the earlier game systems seem better for actual roleplaying. AD&D/ D&D is a great example.
While First Edition had it's faults, mostly a slant towards powergaming and rules organization, Second Edition cleaned it up and stream lined the core rules (in my opinion). It's big problem was the tidal wave of optional rules that came later. Third Edition made some elements of the rules run more smoothly, but added books upon books of rules, not counting books from other companies published under the Open Gaming License. There was also a tendency to base everything on dice rolls. Roleplaying, though not quite gone, was being relegated more to random chance than previously (the two previous editions had charts for this, but the characters had to initiate roleplaying before rolling). In Fourth Edition, actual roleplaying is rarely mentioned in the books. The previous three editions had entire chapters dedicated to the subject; how to act in character, how to come up with a background, the difference between player and character knowledge, etc. Many people, including myself, think that the product has just become a money grab by a clueless company.
My party made it out of The Undermountain last night. It was a good feeling.

My Great Aunt

I found out yesterday that my great aunt, Elsie, has passed. Admittedly, I was not close to her. She was on my mother's side of the family and we rarely saw her ; except on holidays and such. I am a little sad, however. It means the family's getting smaller and smaller. It means things never get any easier.

It's been a while...

It's been nearly a year since I've written anything; I've had many profound changes in my life since last I wrote and I'm still working out some of the kinks. My Father passing was before my last post, but the ramifications of that are still resounding through my life. I've been divorced for nearly six months now and my Mother's home (my family home)may be foreclosed upon soon. The last year and half have been a trial, but I am pushing forward. I have neither the time nor inclination for a personal pity party.
I do plan on working on my writing more now. A friend of mine suggested I try and write something, no matter how small, everyday. Some of that will be here on this blog. I also plan on writing a few short stories. These will likely be put here on the blog. Ultimately, I'd like to write novels, but I feel the short stories will help me refine my abilities (if any, the jury's still out). They'll also be easier for others to read and critique.
I hope to discipline myself and start doing the things I want to do with my life. Today, I woke up early and worked out with my kettle bell and wrote this post. These are tiny steps, but they may be the beginning of a journey I wish to make.