December 31, 2016 (Sat)

Drinking - yes.

Paid work - just the usual maintenance stuff.

Creative work - none.

Happy New Year!

December 30, 2016 (Fri)

Drinking - yes.

Paid work - a decent chunk.  Not bad at all.

Creative work - pretty much nothing.  Still a bit psyched about finishing and posting the Flash Thing, so I'm taking it a bit easy until I think of a new idea.  Maybe tomorrow.

See you then.

December 29, 2016 (Thurs)

Drinking - yes.  Of course.

Paid work - a decent amount.  Nothing spectacular, but fine in and of itself.

Creative work - nothing, really.  Some PhotoShop stuff.  I'm wondering what the next project should be.  I kind of think I should keep with Flash, to continue the momentum, but I have no story ideas.  If, on the other hand, I start something in Maya, that might spark something without requiring a narrative.  It would be a new direction...it would stem the tide of progress with an avenue of newness.  A new tomorrow., maybe.

See you then.

December 28, 2016 (Wed)

Drinking - of course.

Paid work - a decent amount.  Nothing spectacular, but not bad.

Creative work - I finished the damned Flash project, and posted it to YouTube!  Yee-hah, me. 

What to start on tomorrow?  I have no idea.

See you then.

December 27, 2016 (Tues)

Drinking - yes.  I should probably just change the blog title to this.

Paid work - a bunch.  More than I expected. 

Creative work - only a little.  Had a good idea of what the coda should be for "the project" and started working on that.  Not much done, maybe more tomorrow.

See you then.

December 26, 2016 (Mon)

Drinking - yes.  So many frustrations in so little time deserves a toast (or twelve).

Paid work - not really.  Most of our clients were closed, since Christmas arrived on a Sunday. 

Creative work - again, not really.  I found out that if you export Flash stuff to QuickTime, instead of the more universal AVI, all your animations, sound stuff, etc, is preserved perfectly.  So there's that.

However, I still think the Thing deserves some kind of "coda" ending. 

I also discovered a fatal flaw in Firefox.  If you downloaded something, and the download failed, and you tried again, and it succeeded, be careful.  If you look at your Library History, and say, "Hey I can remove that failed one," it will delete the successful one as well.  So, be wary.

I've learned to be distrustful of so much software.

See you tomorrow.

December 25, 2016 (Sun)

Drinking - yes.  Not sure why, just like I'm not sure why I didn't last night.

Paid work - no, it's Sunday.  I did some maintenance stuff anyway.

Creative work - hm.  I tried to export the latest chapter of the Project to AVI, and the sound is off.  Let me explain.  In one section, the image and sound would not line up.  I mean, they lined up just fine on the timeline, but wouldn't play together in the preview.  So I moved the sound several frames after the image, and it played fine in the preview.  In the AVI, they are off in the way I would expect them to be off, given the alignment.  Why does Flash have such a problem with sound?  Sound has been in movies for about 90 years.  It's not going away, Flash.

Worse, though, is that none of Flash's native animations play in the AVI.  They just...sit there.  I don't understand it at all.  Obviously I can't post that, so tomorrow will be troubleshooting day. 

See you then.

December 24, 2016 (Sat)

Drinking - no.  Yeah, I can't believe it either.  I even have alcohol in the house, and still, drinking - no.

Paid work - the usual Saturday maintenance stuff.

Creative work - just a bit, but the Flash project is done!  All audio and visual elements completed, and it looks and sounds great.

Of course, what I mean is that the third chapter of the Flash project is done.  All that remains is stitching it to the other two, and maybe some kind of (BRIEF!) final bit.

Probably do that tomorrow.  See you then.

December 23, 2016 (Fri)

Drinking yes.  Probably my epitaph.

Paid work - a few hours, not bad, more than I expected this time of year.

Creative work - added the "vomit" bit to the main Flash project.  Looks good, just needs a bit more, and that doesn't scare me.

The "drinking" bit does.  Oh well.

See you tomorrow.

December 22, 2016 (Thurs)

Drinking - yes.  If this disease is going to kill me, please do it quick.

Paid work - more than I expected. 

Creative work - some, did a bit for the Flash Project, and worked with "bones" for the first time on something that will be published.  Felt great.   Barring some sound effects, I might actually finish this tomorrow.

See you then.

December 21, 2016 (Wed)

Drinking - yes.

Paid work - not much, but some.  Could be worse.  (It always could be worse.)

Creative work - some.  Working on the last major bit needed for the Flash Project.  I was going to avoid this, because...

--well, the circumstance is this.  A few weeks ago, I got a new backup drive to replace my dead backup drive.  Got a sweet 6TB drive which backed up everything--well, near as damn it. 

Then, a week ago, I nobly offered to give up my backup drive to help a client.  Today, I got a replacement drive, which will back up everything--well, near as damn it.

So, my files are being backed up.  Which will take at least a week to complete.  So I was a bit hesitant to start working on new stuff, thinking it would slow the backup.  But then I thought, the heck with that, let's do something.  So for the last hour or so, I've been working on Flash stuff despite the fact that it might slow the back up.  I won't let the backup process intimidate me.  What a hero!

See you tomorrow.

December 20, 2016 (Tues)

Drinking - yes.  Not sure why, except that garbage day has traditionally been a drinking day.  Not always, but mostly.  Mostly.

Paid work - a handful, again, more than I expected.  Always nice.

Creative work - quite a lot of Flash work, at first great, then problematic, and finally great again.  Or, at least, working.  I am satisfied so far, and have only one major element to add--the "blurby voice animation," which will make no sense to future scholars, but heck, I can't do everything.

I've started liking the project again.  I wasn't expecting that, so good on today, more or less.

See you tomorrow.

December 19, 2016 (Mon)

Drinking - no. 

Paid work - a decent chunk.

Creative work - none, really, though I thought about things I can do without the dread that usually comes along with that. 

It's amazing how much one thing can turn your mood around.  Last night, I had such an event that made me happy.  Tonight, the opposite.

Maybe tomorrow will be different.  See you then.

December 18, 2016 (Sun)

Drinking - no.  I'm not sure why. 

Paid work - nothing on a Sunday, though I did get an email that woke me up at 5:40 AM.  Who the heck works on a Sunday at 5:40 AM?

Creative work - did a lot of work on the Flash project--to the point where I just need one other element, a bit of tweaking, and it'll be done.  No hesitation about finishing like last time.  I want this thing over!

See you tomorrow.

December 17, 2016 (Sat)

Drinking - yes.  What is wrong with me.

Paid work - well, the usual system maintenance stuff.  An easy couple of hours.

Creative work - a decent chunk of Flash work, plus some painting.  Probably would have done more Flash, except the RAID drive started acting like it needed a time out, so after making sure the new Flash stuff was backed up, I shut it off.  It's five years old at least, and sometimes needs a nap.  Not really a problem.

Depressing day.  Wet and damp and overcast, add the usual money problems, and what can you expect?  Depressing time of year for me, too.

See you tomorrow.

December 16, 2016 (Fri)

Drinking - yes.  Friday's pull is hard to resist.  Not a good excuse, but a real one.

Paid work - pretty much nothing. 

Creative work - some decent creative work in Flash.  I'm satisfied.

On to tomorrow.  See you then.

December 15, 2016 (Thurs)

Drinking - yes.  But...weird.  Maybe details later.

Paid work, only a little.  Creative work, none.  But after several days of decent paid work and creative work as well, I'm okay with a slow day.

See you tomorrow, and thanks for glancing today.

December 14, 2016 (Wed)

Drinking - yes.  If you knew, you'd understand.  And yes, that's not--or shouldn't be--an excuse/

Rather a lot of paid work, which is good.  Lots of driving, which is getting wearisome.  But there you are.

A bit of Flash work on the creative side, which I welcome, actually.  It means I'm not intimidated by Flash and can open it, and the various projects within, when I want to!  Ha!

Also took on a kind-of-major bit of painting.  I might have neglected to note that I am painting again, just not a lot, and taking it slowly.

Tomorrow is open, and see you then.

December 13, 2016 (Tues)

Drinking - yes.  I still hope this won't be the title of this blog.  But oh well.

Some good paid hours. 

And some good creative hours, too.  Some Photoshop stuff, fun as always, but hardly counted in the "expanding realm!" stuff. because I've done it all before.  Still, it's nice to DO THINGS, even if those things don't matter much.

And I did a bunch of stuff on the "Flash Project"--which I enjoyed doing--that has taken way too long.  Still, getting closer to the end of this albatross.  And then?

Well, that's why tomorrows were made. 

Speaking of which, see you then.

December 12, 2016 (Mon)

Drinking - yes.

Lots of paid work, but more dispiriting than good--someone downloaded a virus, and the business got shut down.  Lots of depressing fixing, including using my personal drive.  I guess hours is hours.

Lots of Flash work, too!  It was actually fun, and I enjoyed doing it.  I added it to the main project, and it worked well.

So, a productive day, but due to the season and various others, a depressing one as well.

Hope tomorrow is better.  See you then.

December 11, 2016 (Sun)

Drinking - yes.  My relationship with alcohol is a complex one.  Actually, it's probably very simple, but "complex" is a nice word to use in an addiction scenario.

Overall, not much of a day.  Rested a lot.

Paid work - not really, it's Sunday.  Did some stuff but it's previously accorded to another day.

Creative work - some PhotoShop stuff, but more importantly, some Flash stuff too!  I created some stuff for the main project, and it was pretty good stuff.  I think it's a good step in the right direction, because unlike days prior to this, I'm not afraid to launch Flash now, and work in it.  Previously, a type of dread kept me from even thinking about starting Flash, let alone work.  Now, that dread seems to be gone.

I hope it's not related to alcohol...

Anyway, see you tomorrow.

December 10, 2016 (Sat)

Drinking - yes.  More than I ought.  Unless you've had the day I had, in which case you would adjudge it inadequate.  Nevertheless--

A good chunk of paid work for a Saturday.  Always welcome.

Nothing much on the creative front.  Okay, I tell a lie, I did do some PhotoShop stuff, which I liked, and took some pics, and organized a lot of previously non-organized stuff.  So there was that.

Everything else today was largely terrible.  Maybe tomorrow will be better.

See you then.

December 9, 2016 (Fri)

Drinking - yes.  Oh well, at least it's not much drinking.

Paid work - some, a decent amount.

Creative work - I actually opened up Flash and did some work!  And I liked what I'd done!  And I thought about adding more elements, which is (probably) not a good idea, as it just means delays.

Mood - kind of frustrated, depressed.  Maybe tomorrow will be better.

See you then.

December 8, 2016 (Thurs)

No drinking again!  Yay!

Creative work--just a bit of painting.

Paid work - a handful of hours, not bad.  Not great, but not bad. 

See you tomorrow.

December 7, 2016 (Wed)

No drinking!  Yeah.  Not sure why, but I'm not complaining.

Some decent work today, largely frustrating and uncompleted.  Oh well!

Creative work was only a bit of PhotoShop, which I thought was okay.

See you tomorrow!

December 6, 2016 (Tues)

Drinking - yes.

Some decent paid work.

A bit of creative work - some PhotoShop stuff.  Inconsequential, but fun.

See you tomorrow.  Thanks.

November 5, 2016 (Mon)

Some paid work--not really enough, but one takes what one can.

Creative work - lots of painting.  Yeah, that counts.

Drinking - yes.

Damn me.

See you tomorrow.

December 4, 2016 (Sun)

Drinking again.  Oh well.

Solved a couple of bothersome issues, but otherwise no paid or creative work done today.  On the other hand, it's Sunday, a day of rest.

See you tomorrow.

December 3, 2016 (Sat)

More drinking.  It's the style.

Good news, from the "stuff I've been avoiding because I hate disappointments" section--

It turns out that the stuff I rescued from the damaged hard drive, way back in October, actually WAS rescued.  Hooray for the company, which I will be sure to name once I'm a bit more sober.

It's Saturday, so no paid work.  Only a tiny bit of creative work--some painting.  I don't know why, but I seem to be afraid of the work I can do on the computer.  Not sure why.  Perhaps because, somehow, I know it's futile in a sense.  Or think so.  As I say, not sure why.

See you tomorrow.

December 2, 2016 (Fri)

I originally wrote "No drinking!" hoping that would act as a talisman.  No such luck, there's been drinking.

Not much in the way of paid work, which I am okay with, really.   Expected nothing, got something.

Only a bit of creative work--some painting.  I think I'm afraid to open up Flash, because what I need to do is basically "grunt work" and I keep thinking, "Computers are supposed to eliminate this."

Someday I'll open it up again.  Just not today.  Maybe tomorrow.

Speaking of which, see you then.

December 1, 2016 (Thurs)

Did more of the drinking thing.  I keep hoping I'll shame myself into stopping, but...I don't know.

A nice handful of paid work.  As always, some of it is a bit frustrating, but there it is.  Can't pay bills without it.  FMS.

Only a bit of creative work, some PhotoShop stuff.  Still, I don't feel like the day has been a total waste.

...which honestly, they really aren't are they.  It all comes down to choosing where one's energy goes.

See you tomorrow.