Half-year update

So, I hardly ever post on this. Yadda yadda, etc. But here's how I'm doing so far with my goals from the start of the year.

-Lose 16 pounds (to 195)
I am currently sitting at around 202, down from 211 at the start of the year. I am making decent progress here.

-Get to 80% done on the thesis (to first draft status)
Still at the literature search stage, but I have found a research group I can hopefully hook up with to get things really rolling. I at least have a solid area of application that I want to work within now, and a list of applicable papers in the area, which I am about 2/3 through reading.

-Finish Stress Test. Whatever state it's in at the end of the year, it's done.
I am currently tweaking the final mix and awaiting my lovely album art. After these are done, I plan on getting the thing out on CDBaby. It could be kind of awesome.

-Pay off credit card debt entirely (potentially doable this time)
Rik and I have made significant progress here and have a plan in place to be completely out of CC debt by the end of the year.

-Volunteer 10 times in 2009
1. 2/3 Harvesters distribution center
2. 2/21 Bridging the Gap recycling center
3. 3/25 Children's Mercy game night
4. 3/30-3/31 KCUR spring funding drive
5. 4/25 Bridging the Gap Arbor Day tree planting

Upcoming opportunities include the KCUR fall funding drive and some more shifts at Harvesters. Also hopefully a return visit to Children's Mercy. I wonder if the employer will sponsor a Habitat build this year... if so, I am there.

-Do RPM Challenge in February
Done! Get the record here.

-Do NaNoWriMo in November
signed up.

-Get involved in the KC Fringe Festival in some capacity
I think I have officially missed the volunteer training, so my involvement may just be "going to fringe fest". Alas.

-Paint the porch and deck
Nothing yet. This has fallen to a low priority.

-Install the new windows
Handyman Dave is going to help us out with this one, I think.

-Do at least one other home repair that improves my home repair knowledge
I think the complete bathroom remodel will more than suffice here, once it's done. Those are the magic words.

-Get more involved in public transit advocacy and improvements
I've talked at least one person at work into riding the bus. Does that count?

-Spend at least one entire month without driving to work
Nothing thus far.

-Read 20 books, courtesy of time spent on mass transit
1. Alan Weisman - The World Without Us
2. Banana Yoshimoto - Lizard
3. Chuck Klosterman - Downtown Owl
4. Neil Gaiman - Stardust
5. Dave Eggers - What is the What
6. Mark Kurlansky - Salt: A World History
7. John Updike - Trust Me: Short Stories
8. Maira Kalman - The Principles of Uncertainty
9. Dave Eggers - How We Are Hungry
10. Frank Schaeffer - Crazy for God
11. Alex Beam - A Great Idea at the Time
12. Haruki Murakami - What I talk about when I talk about running
13. Brent Runyon - The Burn Journals
14. Don Thompson - The $12 Million Stuffed Shark: The Curious Economics of Contemporary Art
15. Neil Gaiman - Smoke and Mirrors
16. Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith - Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (in progress)
17. Remy Stern - But Wait! There's More!

-Run 5 races
1. Love 2 Run 2/14 (4 miles, 50:20)
2. Westport St. Patrick's Day Run 3/14 (4.15 miles, 47:00)
3. Olathe Marathon 4/4 (5K, 33:12)
4. Brew to Brew 4/5 (8 miles, ~90:00)
5. Trolley Run 4/26 (4 miles, 45:08)

-Participate in Carrot Mob
awaiting next Carrot Mob event / planning meeting. In touch with the carrot mob folks.

-Damn the man, save the empire
Man damned. Empire's future still in question.

So, I think I am doing ok so far. Must keep forging ahead! Etc.

I really am happy with how Stress Test is turning out. It still needs some tweaking to pass the car test, but it should be a good time when completed.

Must-sees

Ok, so in the interest of paying off my credit cards sooner (no pun), I am planning on restricting my concert ticket purchases for the remainder of the year to the following bands, if they come to the area.

Grizzly Bear
St. Vincent
Art Brut
Amanda Palmer
Animal Collective

I will, of course, make exceptions for bands that are exceedingly unlikely to play anywhere near here, e.g. Aphex Twin, Squarepusher, IAMX, etc.

BORED!

I am bored with everything.

Oh, and I'm also still alive.

As Michel would say, I have ennui!

The Anti-Green

So, I was thinking today about my personal habits, particularly with regard to recycling and creating less waste. I came up with the most wasteful thing I do (that I can think of, anyway). I need to quit getting takeout Chinese from Price Chopper for lunch. I don't do it very often, but I would be better off not doing it at all. It's terrible for me, it doesn't even taste that good, and it's a disaster as far as creating waste for a single meal goes. It comes in a Styrofoam container, within a plastic bag. It also comes with a paper cup. The straw is wrapped in plastic. The takeout meal is placed in a plastic bag. I use a plastic fork from the store to eat it (also wrapped in plastic!). Then, I throw everything away. It's really pretty horrendous.

You two or three readers out there: is there anything like this you do that you're ashamed of?

Data Damage - Get Humongous Fang Power!!!

So, as of about 10 minutes ago, I have finished my album for the 2009 RPM Challenge. It is entitled "Get Humongous Fang Power!!!" after a spam e-mail title that I found amusing. I hope that you enjoy it. I had a lot of fun making it. You can download the album, cover art, and liner notes here.

New Sonic Engineer Demos

New demos for your listening pleasure. Aqua Nose has been around for a while in unfinished form, but I finished it up.

Aqua Nose
Sleepy Sandwich
Air Culture

Thanks, random song name generator! Couldn't do it without you!

2008 Report Card and 2009 To Do List

My Resolutions for 2008 follow, along with my self-grading on those.

-Lose 20 pounds. Well, I lost a couple, but not nearly 20. D+
-Eat out only once a month. Hahahahahahah. F--
-That thesis thing should be started. Well, I am narrowing in on a topic, at least. C-
-Finish Stress Test album. I did get through a couple new tracks. C-
-Pay off credit card debt entirely. F-----
-Volunteer four times in 2008 (start slowly, eh?). I volunteered three times. B
-Get involved in the hyde park association. B
-Get involved in local politics. C
-Continue to improve the house. B+

So, I didn't do well with my 2008 goals. Let's set some equally unrealistic ones for 2009! Nah, I mean, it's time to stop dicking around, eh?

-Lose 10 pounds (to 195)
-Get to 80% done on the thesis (to first draft status)
-Finish Stress Test. Whatever state it's in at the end of the year, it's done.
-Pay off credit card debt entirely (potentially doable this time)
-Volunteer 10 times in 2009 (Harvesters should help with this now that they are answering my e-mails)
-Do RPM Challenge in February
-Do NaNoWriMo in November
-Get involved in the KC Fringe Festival in some capacity
-Paint the porch and deck
-Install the new windows
-Do at least one other home repair that improves my home repair knowledge
-Get more involved in public transit advocacy and improvements
-Spend at least one entire month without driving to work
-Read 20 books, courtesy of time spent on mass transit
-Participate in Carrot Mob
-Run 5 races
-Damn the man, save the Empire