by Matt | Jan 28, 2004 | Imported Entry
I couldn’t help but think back to the advice
that I got from my dad a few times
he said
“…time goes by so fast, in a blink of an eye, so never close your eyes…”
“…I always wanted something more than 50 hours every week
and a paid vacation on the jersey shoreline”
And he said
So when ambition turns into competition
I’ll never be the better man
I can’t help but think back to the time
he said “life goes right by”
And told me never think twice
“you can’t second guess how to live your life”
All these years have been way too short
to be spent on some factory floor like me
I never went back again
I never looked back again
Well, my old man never worked in a factory, but he did always tell me to reach for my dreams and to make sure above all that I was happy. I think I’ve reached that place. I dunno, over the past few weeks I’ve become very very content with my life. Sure, I have some problems, namely financal, but who doesn’t. It is and always has been my belief that if you work really hard at something you can make it happen. I know I’m going to work myself “out of the red” and into financial independence from the evil world of credit and higher-finance. I have school loans, they’re big, but I’m going to beat them. Plain and simple. That’s really my only complaint lately. Everything else is my life is just like I’ve always hoped it would be. I have a wonderful wife who loves me, I have a great job, I have a nice car, I have all the little pleasures in life I could need. I just thank God every day that things turned out the way they did. I’m eternally greatful, no pun intended.
As the song says, I’ve never second guessed how to live my life. I’ve had doubts, but I always made my decision and stuck to it. If you dwell on the past to much it only gets you into trouble. If I suck the marrow out of life and enjoy it for the ride it is then I’m happy. Look at me, I went 1200 miles to go to school. Why? Because I hadn’t done that before and I wanted to. I met someone wonderful there and desided to spend my life with her. I had fun, met life long friends and got a degree in something I love doing. Now I’ve moved another 1200 miles to Texas and now I’m having adventures here. I really can’t ask for any more than that.
I guess I’m just saying I’m happy. I know that’s a change from my usual bitching and moaning but for once it’s true. I’m happy. Many more people deserve to say that as well.
*end daily affermation*
Is that even how you spell “affermation”?
Anyway, the SuperBowl party was pretty cool. I didn’t get to talk to folks from the Pats or Panthers but there were NFL celebs galore. Eric Dickerson was there, Howie was there, the guys from the EA-Sports/NFL Blitz show on ESPN were there, Marcus Allen was there. All sorts of folks. They were also giving away nifty things throughout the night and I was able to score an Eric Dickerson signed card and a handful of expensive cigars from the “private” humador they were passing around. Seriously, they had these things on a plate and they were passing them around with the h’orderves. It was a pretty good night. I actually had a lot of work though. I was carring a light stand and strobe pack around for a few hours and bouncing light around on the ceiling so Paul could shoot. I did get to try out my new suit too. I got a $500 Jones New York 3-piece suit for $199 the other day and, damn, did I ever look good. If it wasn’t for the light stand in my hand you would have though I was actually special enough to be invited to something like that. Heheh. I got in late though, which has made work today very sluggish. Actually, I’m thinking about packing it up and heading home early.
Later guys.
by Matt | Jan 26, 2004 | Imported Entry
Well, I have a few new things to mention. First and formost, since it’s now official, I’m probably ok to talk about it. Tomorrow night, here in Houston, the NFL is throwing it’s official SuperBowl bash. This is a invite-only, formal dress sort of shindig. Guess who’s going? Yup. Me. Paul and I will be photographing the whole event. Celebrities and sports stars and all sorts of interesting people are supposed to be there. ESPN will be there providing coverage and doing interviews and we’ll be taking pictures. How friggin’ cool is that? Man, I love my job. Being a well known photographer and, more relative to me, working for such a photographer certainly has it’s upsides.
Also, in the same vain of excitement, guess what photography studio might be taking pictures of Rodger Clemens in the very near future? Yeah. Doesn’t get much cooler than that. And yes, I will be wearing my RedSox hat that day in the studio. I’ll even wear my “Dan Duquette sucks” pin and make him feel right at home. Huzah!
Ok, besides all that excitement, there is something else I’d like to share. It’s a little game called Gun Bound. It’s a 100% free, 100% fun little internet game. In the same vein as the legendary SubSpace, you sign up, join a server and play against people from all over. It’s a simple game. You’re in little mini tanks (sorta) and you fire at the other players guessing the power and angle of your shot. That’s about it. The more games you win, the higher your score, the cooler the stuff you can get to play with (powerups and such). Pretty easy. Check it out if you have time.
That’s about it kids. I’ll tell you all about the party after I get back. Matt out.
by Matt | Jan 24, 2004 | Imported Entry
Ok, after complaining about not having a mail program yesterday I went and found one. After saying yesterday that I wasn’t completely happen with Thunderbird I’m now going to have to retract that statement. I hadn’t really put it through it’s paces but after really playing with it yesterday and today I think I can honestly say it’s IT. I’ve found my new program. It has all the features I need. It has built in spam filtering, whitelists and adaptive learning, not just general message rules. Plus, I can skin it. As some of you who are groaning know, this is a bit of a hobby of mine. Customization and programs (in my opinion) should go hand-in-hand. Anyway, I just wanted to say that I’m no longer searching for a mail program. I’m happy with Thunderbird for the moment. And if you haven’t seen it or given it a try, I’d suggest it. Heck, it even runs on Linux, OSX and Windows.
by Matt | Jan 23, 2004 | Culture
Ok, I know Chris is probably a die hard Outlook user and Chip probably only telnets in to check his mail, but what do the rest of you guys use? I can’t stand Outlook Express at work and I’m getting really pissed at Outlook 2003 at home. I want something thats secure, can check both IMAP and POP accounts and is completely free, meaning no ads (Eudora) or spyware. It should also not be buggy as hell (Opera). I’m playing with Thunderbird’s mail at the moment but I’m not completely satisfied with it. Does anybody have any other suggestions?
by Matt | Jan 21, 2004 | Games
Jason’s comment on the last post spurred me to actually think for a moment about the game I’m playing. ESPN NHL Hockey is probably the closest thing to the hockey game I (we) drempt of when I was a kid. “Wouldn’t it be cool if…” was always the statement, usually followed by a desired game element that was obviously too complex for the time. Playing NHL’94 on the SNES and wishing and hoping that you could check someone through the boards, or get into real looking (read: well designed) fights, or push people over the boards and into the benches. Those are things that simple 8-bit sprite based games simply couldn’t give us. I’m very proud to say that this new game make old school hockey fans very happy. Seriously, when I put someone through the glass for the first time I was jumping around the living room like a little girl. Unlike NHL 2004 (EA-Sports francise) the pace is much slower, you can still score on a wrap around, the characters react accurately, the fights make sense and it’s not a scoring free-for-all. Don’t get me wrong, NHL 2004 is also a very good game, I happen to own it. But it’s a completely different kind of hockey game. ESPN hockey is more a a purists game. It’s a simulation, complete with John Buccigross and Bill Clament giving the play by play. I don’t think I’ve had more than 5 goals in a game the entire time I’ve been playing it. That’s accurate. Rarely (read: never) would you see the Boston Bruins winning 75 to 2 in real life. Also, that’s an actual score I’ve gotten in NHL 2002. I’ve yet to top it since. Anyway, I just wanted to spread the good word about that game and say that finally, real solid hockey games are back. Oh, and by the way, the Bruins beat the crap out of the Rangers the other night. Go B’s!
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