Entry tags:
"...I'm runnin', findin' my way back home.."
Over the weekend, my computer died. It seems that what most likely happened is that the CPU heat sink got too much dirt caught up in it. I wasn't checking up on it like I should have been, so it caused the CPU fan to overheat and die. Then, without the fan to cool it somewhat, the dirt in the heatsink acted to finish off my CPU. Thankfully, though, Charles had been stashing "trash" around his workplace for while. I got upgraded to an AMD Athlon 64-bit dual core CPU, on a motherboard running PCI Express for video, and the ability to use all my old memory plus the 1GB stick that was already in there (for 2.5GBs of RAM). I also got a pair of hard drives striped together to make a 75GB 10k boot partition. The only downside was that my beautiful ATI Radeon X850 video card wouldn't work in it, because it is an AGP card. I'm using a 128MB card now, but WoW is definitely suffering for it.
As a result, I spent the greater part of the day since maintenance ended at 1pm watching TiVo'd shows. Two episodes of Fringe, two of Supernatural, two of That 70's Show (first season airing on FX now!), and the latest Chuck and How I Met Your Mother made for a full day of nothing. I enjoyed catching up on some shows, since I really like the way Fringe is playing out (Olivia is awesome, though I think John Noble's brilliant mad scientist steals the show). The only thing that I'm not happy about is that I was watching television only because I can't enjoy WoW right now, since the video card really drags it down, despite the computer getting upgraded (significantly) in every other way.
I was watching Chuck most recently, though, and Chuck's sister's concern about the direction Chuck seemed to be going resonated in me. Then, the beautiful Yvonne Strahovski's (Sarah Walker, CIA agent) on-screen romance with a computer nerd (Chuck) got my mind moving again. See, I want her. Well, not her specifically (though I wouldn't say no!). As I've been saying repeatedly of late, I want to move forward with my life, and get things back on track (where they seeminly haven't been for at least ten years, I'd say).
Recently, I said that November first was my target date for turning over my new leaf. Tonight reminded me of that, and helped reaffirm my resolve to see that goal through. As I mentioned last time, I want to start slow, so I don't overdo it and burn out too quickly. Changing habits isn't easy, and trying to change too much at once can really backfire. I am going to start with one goal, and add on to it once a week until I have five goals I'm aiming for (on 11/29). I'll keep at those until New Year, when I'll evaluate how I've done so far, and plan what's to come.
First things first. Beginning this weekend, I am going to dedicate myself to one of my goals for November. (Not counting NaNoWriMo, which I believe I'm going to silently participate in. I've always wanted to do something with the D&D campaign I did a few years back that I felt was particularly successful. Tweak some of the odder bits, clean up the storyline, and see where it leads. Obviously, it's based in the Forgotten Realms, so it'll never be published, but hey, I gotta try, right? Besides, I want to reaffirm to myself that I haven't lost my imagination, and that I just need to exercise it again.)
Wish me luck, eh?
My long term goals seem rather ambitious to me, but that's from my POV of sitting on my duff, not having even started this beyond my mental desire to improve.
In five years, I want:
As a result, I spent the greater part of the day since maintenance ended at 1pm watching TiVo'd shows. Two episodes of Fringe, two of Supernatural, two of That 70's Show (first season airing on FX now!), and the latest Chuck and How I Met Your Mother made for a full day of nothing. I enjoyed catching up on some shows, since I really like the way Fringe is playing out (Olivia is awesome, though I think John Noble's brilliant mad scientist steals the show). The only thing that I'm not happy about is that I was watching television only because I can't enjoy WoW right now, since the video card really drags it down, despite the computer getting upgraded (significantly) in every other way.
I was watching Chuck most recently, though, and Chuck's sister's concern about the direction Chuck seemed to be going resonated in me. Then, the beautiful Yvonne Strahovski's (Sarah Walker, CIA agent) on-screen romance with a computer nerd (Chuck) got my mind moving again. See, I want her. Well, not her specifically (though I wouldn't say no!). As I've been saying repeatedly of late, I want to move forward with my life, and get things back on track (where they seeminly haven't been for at least ten years, I'd say).
Recently, I said that November first was my target date for turning over my new leaf. Tonight reminded me of that, and helped reaffirm my resolve to see that goal through. As I mentioned last time, I want to start slow, so I don't overdo it and burn out too quickly. Changing habits isn't easy, and trying to change too much at once can really backfire. I am going to start with one goal, and add on to it once a week until I have five goals I'm aiming for (on 11/29). I'll keep at those until New Year, when I'll evaluate how I've done so far, and plan what's to come.
First things first. Beginning this weekend, I am going to dedicate myself to one of my goals for November. (Not counting NaNoWriMo, which I believe I'm going to silently participate in. I've always wanted to do something with the D&D campaign I did a few years back that I felt was particularly successful. Tweak some of the odder bits, clean up the storyline, and see where it leads. Obviously, it's based in the Forgotten Realms, so it'll never be published, but hey, I gotta try, right? Besides, I want to reaffirm to myself that I haven't lost my imagination, and that I just need to exercise it again.)
- To begin, I'm going to make it a point to get at least seven hours of sleep a night. Fudging twice a week is allowed, as long as no more than one of those days leads into an off day (that is, I am not skipping out on sleep when I need it... before work).
- On 11/8, I will begin taking my lunch to work (brown bagging a sandwich, fruit, and some vegetable I can eat raw). Once a week, I will eat something "out", either from my deli's steam table or McAllister's.
- On 11/15, I will begin exercising (riding my bike on days that it's light out and not too cold, or jogging around the common area a couple of times, coupled in both cases with some stretches, jumping jacks, situps, and push ups). I will do it five days a week (once on a day off, other times it'll be before work, or before bed).
- On 11/22, I will do my chores in a timely manner, doing what needs to be done when it needs to be done instead of skipping it. Again, I will allow myself, at least initially, two instances of "I'll do it later" per week. Sometimes, you really don't feel like it.
- Finally, on 11/28, I will start eating right in general (already technically begun with lunch, but this is when I'm going to reinforce it with better eating habits at home too). Notice, of course, that it's also AFTER Thanksgiving. :)
Wish me luck, eh?
My long term goals seem rather ambitious to me, but that's from my POV of sitting on my duff, not having even started this beyond my mental desire to improve.
In five years, I want:
...to be renting/buying my own house.Let's see how it goes, shall we?
...to be working in a job I enjoy and can take pride in.
...to have gone back to school, and gotten an Associate's degree in a field I want to have a career in.
...to be more fit, physcially, mentally, and emotionally.
...to be dating someone seriously.