DC for Thanksgiving

Well…I just got back to Durango yesterday from Thanksgiving break. My family and I made a trip to Washington, DC. It was pretty awesome. I’ve been there a few times, but since I was with my family, we did a good bit of sight-seeing; from a Smithsonian IMAX movie about coral, to the newly built Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. It was a break I’ll remember, and if I’m honest, I wish I were still 3 thousand miles away. Instead I’m in Durango holding on by just a thread.

I stared out the window of the departing plane back to Durango. In that moment I had to admire the beauty of the 7 o’clock sunrise. It is a sight I rarely get to see. As we took off, I took one last chance to take in the imagery. The Washington Monument stood majestically high behind the shiny reflecting pool. It made the sky seem bigger, and I didn’t feel like I was leaving a city of tiny green boxes like I usually do. I was completely alive in this moment, and couldn’t have even thought to pull out my phone and snap a picture. Not because I didn’t want to, but because I didn’t have to. It was all there and I knew I’d remember.

There aren’t enough of these moments in life when we are simply content. We are fully present and nothing can phase us, even the voice of the pilot that feels everyone should know our exact altitude and what kind of weather we can look forward to in Dallas, where I’ll spend about 45 minutes.

The Weekend of Brutus

On Grassy Mountain.

Brutus came to the four corners and precipitation was everywhere. In some places heavy rains, in others snow. On our mountain, Grassy Mountain, we received a meager three inches of fluff which was not nearly as much as the omnipotent Weather Channel. I am not sure what to make of that outfit for they rarely seem able to predict accurately for our area. I sure hope they were able to help prepare others for all they did for me was get my hopes up.

In Durango it is rather dry. Visiting the Fort Lewis campus was nice and cold today. The view from the top of the Student Union towards the west showed a very snow-covered Silver Peak. Really amazing. It’s stark contrast to the brown Hogsback Ridge is something truly inspiring, spiritual, and exciting. Full blown winter is around the corner and I will be spending many a weekend at Purgatory, Telluride, and Wolf Creek, snowboarding all day and catching my breath at the base. I think I might tone down my hours at the job just so I can have some time for myself after such a busy semester.

I received my Archaeology test back today. I got 96% on it and I am averaging 98% overall in the class. SCORE! I couldn’t believe that some major slack asses in the class, three actually, totally skipped the test. They had the ability to take it today and only one person took Dr. Riggs up on the offer. And the remaining people didn’t even take him up on the withdrawal slips to get out while they still can. Honesty, I have no idea how anyone could get any less than an A in the class with all the great info he gives and the ability to bring hand written notes to class for the tests. I guess that being late isn’t as bad as not even showing up or giving any effort to even pass the class.

That just makes me wonder how some people even get on in the world. They put forth so little effort and allow everything else take precedence over their responsibilities. They make excuses and think they are fooling people with their jackassery. They cannot or will not commit to their responsibilities and have the audacity to blame others when they cannot step up and take charge and are called on it. I don’t want to be that way. Sure, I am a day dreamer. Sure, I have needs to have my own time, but despite my inability to be punctual I DON’T LET PEOPLE DOWN! I don’t forget my duties. I don’t take the easy way out and expect others to cover my ass or make me look good. I take my kudos and I take my lumps. I am responsible for my own destiny and I realize that.

It makes me glad that I have two great parents and some solid friends that stand by me and help me realize when I need a nudge now and then, just to get back on track. I hope we get to spend lots of time together playing in the snow this winter, too.

A Full Weekend Ahead – When Does It End?

Well, the weekend is almost here again and I see no end in sight to my busy work. I have multiple video games to play and review, videos to cut and pot to add legit content to my youtube page, homework galore, maybe I can see Clara this weekend when she visits home (not sure since it is 3 hours round trip to Farmington, NM), and I know that I have a shift Saturday day at the Strater Hotel. Man! I just do not know how I am going to make the time needed to take care of everything and everyone.

So far I have Borderlands 1 and 2 and Dishonored to play and review. Mass Effect 3 and Singularity coming in tomorrow. I also have a new 500GB external hard drive for the PS3 coming in tomorrow so I can copy games and record video while playing games. Dad is trying to locate his old Atari 2600 so he can relive his past and give some reviews on things like Pong, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Haunted House. I think that’s cool, but wow have games come a long way since the Atari 2600!

I miss Clara a lot! But all this absence and lack of communication is making my feelings change, I think… I don’t know. I shouldn’t talk about it here, but I had to get some of this frustration out. When she calls I am somewhere else, and vice versa. It sucks. Long distance relationships are incredibly painful to be a part of. Don’t you think?

Despite all that, I still have to do a synopsis of a couple of poems for my English class, some reading and note reorganizing for my Archaeology class, and of course Ancient Art History is NEVER without a project or reading. GOOD GOD that class is killing me. It is like the teacher has no clue that I and others have OTHER CLASSES!

Ok, I better jet. Time for bed… ok, maybe about 20 minutes of Glitch first, then bed.

Laterz.

Glitch! My New Love!

Hey folks. I have been introduced to a great waste of time called Glitch, by Tiny Speck.

This is what I call “Farmville on crack”. It has all the busy-work that Farmville has in that you maintain everything. You harvest vegetative crops, animal crops, and mine ore all to assist you in building skills and material items to help yourself and others (in the form of gifting and barter) in an imaginative world. Here is the backstory in a nutshell:

11 gods imagined the world you are a part of. Your part is to play the role of a little Glitch and live your life they way you see fit. During the life, you procure items, create items, make contacts, explore the vast realm you live in, and deal with the amazing to the mundane. You give offerings to your god (no blood sacrifices, sorry) and they grant you goodies in return. Watch your health meter or else you will find yourself in Hell stomping Hellish Grapes. Don’t worry, stomp enough grapes and you are right back into the fold of the Glitch universe.

There is a monetary interface to this game, but at this time you do not have to participate. Sure, you can spend money on some of the items to help personalize you and your home, but again this is not necessary in order to enjoy many of the features this game has.

Currently it is in Beta testing and requires you know someone to invite you. I currently have 3 invitations that I am happy to give to the first three people whom comment on this post. It would require you to hand over an email addy so I can send the invite to you.

http://www.glitch.com

Here is a trailer: