Ars Poetica

Star Wars: The Voice Acting Republic

2011-12-29T15:50:00.007-06:00

Preface: I have been playing Star Wars: The Old Republic, an MMORPG by Bioware that launched on December 20, 2011. This post pertains to certain voice actors used in the game.

I have restarted the bounty hunter quest-line several times -- either because I didn't like a choice I made, I rolled on another server, or otherwise -- and each time, I keep coming to the same conclusions: the Male Bounty Hunter voice acting is credited incorrectly on several websites.

I've looked around, and it seems that early discussions indicated that Steven Blum (who also voices a several other characters in the game) was confirmed as the Male Bounty Hunter voice...but then I found that the credit on a few websites (such as IMDB) is being given to someone I hadn't heard of -- Tom Spackman -- who is basically a watered-down Don LaFontaine (the "movie voice guy").

None of the voice-acting lists I've seen have been fully confirmed, and I tend to treat IMDB as I would Wikipedia -- that is, don't trust it unless I hear it from the horse's mouth. But I am curious to find out if anyone else thinks that the voice is Steven Blum emulating David Hayter (who also worked on voices in the game).

Here are some clips the demonstrate my point:

Steven Blum
as Spike Spiegel from "Cowboy Bebop"

David Hayter
as Solid Snake from "Metal Gear Solid" (various titles)

SW:TOR Gameplay
on Hutta, the Bounty Hunter starting zone
(discussion starts at the 8:40 mark)

And finally a link to the page of the alleged voice actor
Tom Spackman

I mean, it's still early, so people are trying to attach names to voices (and so-on) but I feel like I'm taking crazy pills! I listen to the snark and tone, and hear a combination of Spike and Snake. The playable character is a Bounty Hunter and a Mercenary, which SCREAMS to be an homage to both of those characters.

Anyway, just a passing thought I thought I'd share!

I need to write more...

2011-06-15T16:36:00.003-05:00

Somewhere, in the race that has been this year, writing fell to the wayside. For that, I am sorry -- to my readers and myself. I find ideas don't come to me as clearly as I'd like, and I fumble over words. I never fumbled over words before, but unless I sharpen my creative, sharp tongue soon, I feel I will rapidly lose the capability of true wit.

Yes, I think I'm witty. Wannafightaboutit?

Obviously, I have Twitter and Facebook, to write little bite-sized packets of mind musings. But those barely serve to quell my hunger. Every now and then, I find myself craving a meal, so to speak. What a fugue is to whistling a jingle. A pas de deux to dancing a jig. A schematic to...well, you get the idea: I need to write something of grander substance.

I have a good excuse: I started a solid job as a contractor with Texas Instruments. I work with a small team -- nestled within larger-growing layers of teams -- where I am the baseline. It's exactly what I needed right now, and is giving me some stellar experience. I quite enjoy my coworker and boss -- Joe and Elaine respectively -- who have been a trememndous help in my transition into the corporate, contractor workforce. I find myself constantly challenged here.

But that's just my excuse: it's draining. After spending several hours working in a constantly evolving environment, one needs to embrace escapism in whatever manner they can. In all honesty, I fall back on friends, television, videogames, or some combination of the three.

But it is summer: the season of bad television. Except for Game of Thrones. Go watch that shit right-the-fuck now if you haven't already! Seriously. I'll wait...

[/whistle]

...right? RIGHT!? Anyway, it depresses me to admit that I haven't been writing, playing music, or even running as much as I said that I wanted to at the beginning of the year. I'll fix that.

Also, for those of you that didn't know: I have a puppy now. His name is Fenris and he's 95% Timberwolf, 5% Husky, which makes him 100% amazing. Trust me, I did that math. He's also my new running partner, since he's finally old enough to keep up with me. This should make things interesting. We'll talk more soon. Until then...

...Over and out,

David Lucio

Check in - 10 Days

2011-01-10T14:41:00.002-06:00

So far so good, I think. I'm being mindful of all my resolutions as things come up. I haven't started the breakfast thing yet, and running almost immediately hit a halt when I got ill last week; I wasn't going to make it worse by trying to work out.

But otherwise, the ongoing resolutions are proving to be easier than I originally thought. I've even been brainstorming ideas for my website. I figure I'll wait until my birthday (March) before officially starting the project, so I can treat it like a gift to myself.

Speaking of which, I found the first thing on my (tentatively titled) "list of outlandish, shiny things I want, but don't expect to get at all, for my birthday." It's, quite simply, a masterfully crafted case for my iPhone 4.

The EXO 5, Silver or Black Aluminum Cases with Rosewood Sides just looks classy as hell to me. I'm not quite sure why. But, since it costs half as much as the phone itself, I am not really banking on getting myself one -- much less anyone else getting it for me.

I came across these on Gizmodo and fell in love. In my defense, I also saw a jetpack on there I would love to have as well, but I'm being reasonable with myself!

A few months until 25, and I'm already dreading it. I figure it's a big-enough staple that I should celebrate. Some kind of party, perhaps? With a theme maybe? We'll see as the day draws closer.

Over and out,

David Lucio

New Year's Resolutions -- 2011 Edition

2010-12-31T12:18:00.003-06:00

It's been a long, arduous year, filled with many trials for almost everyone I know. Many of my friends and family have had to contend with employment issues, romantic problems, or the deaths of loved ones -- some at the same time -- and I was not immune to these. But sometimes I let myself get so involved in the bad, that it envelops me, which is why the latter part of this most-horrendous year was dedicated to finding the hope and brighter side of everything that happened.

I think (read: hope) that it worked, because I have been generally happier lately, all things considered. And through it all, I found out a lot about who my real friends were, how amazing my family really is, and just how far you can push a nice guy before he stops caring. That last one is especially true when it comes to my list, because I made too many concessions for people in 2010, which consistently backfired. So, as I begin to piece this list together, I'll start it off right:

In 2011, I resolve to...

1) ...stop letting people who aren't my friends -- or who aren't being good friends -- dictate who I can or cannot spend time with. Avoiding a party full of great people just because my ex didn't want to see me and got my former best friend to tell me off is the last favor I do for someone who so clearly hates me. No more, 2011. We decide who our friends really are!

2) ...stop putting off going to the doctor. Starting January 1, I will finally have great health insurance for the first time in almost four years! I keep toughing through things, hoping I'll get better naturally, but let's face it: I'm not wolverine. So in 2011, "If it's broke, fix it."

3) ...cover my ass on the little things. When times got tough, and I had to tighten my belt, I thought renter's insurance was a simple corner to cut! But even in one of the safest neighborhoods I've ever lived in, things went awry, and I lose a lot of stuff. So this year, I will err on the side of caution once I start rebuilding my temple of technology.

4) ...Run! A lot! In a little while, I'm going to go buy some new running shoes, and soon enough I will break them in. Maybe, by the end of 2011, I will even try a half-marathon. I might have used to run track in early college, but I never willingly ran past seven miles. I was too scared of my asthma, but finding a fix for that goes along with No. 2 on my list!

5) ...be less liberal about my use of the words/phrases "awesome," "legendary," "mind = blown," "snap," and an iterations of "best. thing. ever.," when they're not applicable. I know it annoys some people, entertains others, and the majority of you have probably written it off as normal (albeit weird) for me! So it's not stopping completely, just becoming more frugal. Because even I recognize that things like finding a lost guitar pick do not merit note, much less a, "Best. Day. Ever!" Not all the time, at least.*

6) ...keep telling people I care about the truth, or what's on my mind, or when I think they're doing something amazing, because people deserve to hear that. Good people deserve honesty, and to be reminded that they are appreciated or admired! In the same respect, people need to be told when they're out of line, or wrong, because letting someone continue on in ignorance will only beget more issues later. But don't worry, I know how to pull my punches.

7) ...start eating breakfast, and eating healthier. I say this every year, and it goes well until about March. I will try again, because my amazing older brother -- Daniel, who is a vegan -- has been showing me more and more that I can enjoy many (not all) completely natural, healthy foods. Just, you know, no more vegan-friendly gravy for Thanksgiving.

8) ...continue doing what I love for a living! I am constantly grateful that I get to do web-development, and that I am using my degree to its fullest, because I enjoy it. It's not a luxury many people get, and though I may gripe about work now and then (really, who doesn't?) I am always careful to remind people that I love my job. I wish this kind of luck to anyone else who is looking for a position: love what you do. It makes getting paid for it so much sweeter.

9) ...build myself a website. I might as well make good on what I wanted to do last year now that I have some money. I don't know what I'll do with the site, but odds are I'll just move my blog there, or start trying my hand at amateur photography/videography. I mean, really, I should put my entire skill-set to use for myself once in a while.

10) ...buy a girl flowers! No, I don't have anyone in mind. And no, it doesn't necessarily have to be romantic. I have bought single roses plenty of times before, but it has been several years since I bought a girl a whole bouquet of flowers (and I remember exactly when too). So, along with caring for my new Peace Lily, I will also shell out for what I used to believe was a pointless, and very fragile token of affection. It's on the road to change.

-- That's it for now. I'll add more as I think of them, but I'm tapped out. Have a wonderful, safe, and Happy New Year!

*Addendum: My use of the phrases "crazy-random-happenstance" and "bam, said the lady" are infrequent enough that I will continue using them. Plus, they really are kind of awesome.

Moderately Misogynistic Rant

2010-12-06T23:00:00.002-06:00

I still don't get it: girls are allowed to like manicures & pedicures, romantic comedies, planning their ideal wedding since they were kids, scented candles, and a bunch of other stereotypical hullabaloo...and we -- as gentlemen -- generally keep quiet about it, and go along with it.

But yet, women have no qualms pointing out to us when they think we're stupid (or "lame" in this case) for liking sports, action flicks, videogames, firearms, or other awesomeness? Why the double-standard, ladies?

Thank goodness for the common ground. And even more so for both sides of the argument that genuinely enjoy the other gender's stereotypical tendencies. I'll admit that I enjoy a good concert -- not just a rock show, but a symphony -- or an art gallery once in a while. More often than not, I enjoy a good romantic comedy because I find them charming and hilarious. I literally have scented candles in my fireplace because sometimes I just want my damn apartment to smell like cinnamon rolls without having to bake! AND YES, I CAN BAKE!

But please, for fuck's sake, stop making me feel like I did back in high school -- alienated and degraded -- just because I make one little comment about the fact that I want to play the new World of Warcraft expansion that releases at midnight!

I can't even get it until after work tomorrow, ok? I'm an adult, who puts his adult responsibilities first, and I just wanted to add my little bit of manly (albeit nerdy) desire into what millions of other people are treating like a holiday. So seriously, ladies, if you have a problem with the fact that I love videogames: piss off.

That goes for you too, guys. Don't act like most of you weren't gung-ho for Black Ops, Madden, or Red Dead Redemption earlier this year. To each their own.

-- David

I admittedly refuse to bring either Harry Potter or Twilight into this argument, because frankly those speak for themselves in both fandom and ridicule. I respect both in at least that degree...Justin Bieber is another story, He just needs to die.

Did I give up on my blog?

2010-06-22T13:34:00.002-05:00

No.

If you take note of the date that I took hiatus (around May 9) then you can see where I started to drifting off into the next month and a half of being busy.

At first it was being busy with clients, trying to finish some freelance projects. During that time, I was also apartment hunting. I found an amazing one in Euless, and my move-in date just happened to be the day after I finished my biggest project of the springtime: Stephanie Williams Photography

I began packing and moving over the next week, and drove my father home so that we could take care of some family business in the Rio Grande Valley. I never relish going back there, but I did get to see a lot of family. In those three+ weeks, I drove a collective 3500 miles or so.

Once I got back, the first order of business had become "unpacking" and "getting a job." I attacked both with as professional a frenzy as I could muster. The unpacking came easy -- aside from moving the heavy furniture donated to me by my best friend, Jessica.

The job hunt -- which had approached about 6 months already -- proved a continually insufferable. I rewrote my resume, updated all of my online job-listings, and scoured through a number of different search sites looking for adequate (read: not-at-all-shady) job listings.

On Thursday, June 10, I updated my Monster.com resume and profile; I mean, I really ironed that sucker out with ambitions and goals for my future in web design, etc. Within two hours of finishing, I received two calls -- approximately 20 minutes apart -- requesting phone interviews. I obliged both right then and there, respectively; one went extremely well and the other I felt went terribly.

The one that went well asked if I would be able to come in for an interview the next morning, at their offices in Dallas. I canceled any plans I had for the rest of the week (including plans for the very night), went on a hunt to find a printer so I could have fresh copies of my new resume, and made sure my suit was ready to go.

The story of my interview is tremendously long, but basically it went well. So well, in fact, that by noon of June 11 I was offered a position with NowLegal.com as one of their new web developers! I made it through my first week there last week, and am happy to say I am doing extremely well there! I love my new job, the people I work with, and my cozy little office.

Now, that brings me to today and this blog post: All this time, I have knowingly been neglecting this site for hopes that I would focus on much larger objectives. I have still, however, taken a picture every day (I keep track of them via an application on my phone) to contribute to the 365 project!

I promise that once things settle down with the new job, new city, and trying to fix my personal life, I will be back to post them all...I really will. In fact, by the year's end, I plan to buy that web-space I've been gawking at and finally build my own site from the ground up. At that point, I'll even put in a separate section JUST for my Chronicle Project. Sound like a deal?

Good. Then it's settled. I still love you all and such, but I must continue ignoring this space for the time being. I'll let you know when things clear up.

Sincerely,

David Lucio

Entry 129 - Mothers' Day

2010-05-09T19:08:00.002-05:00

My mom lives in another time zone, almost a day's drive away, so I don't get to see her often. Instead, this year, my brothers and I conspired to put together a web page for her Mothers' Day Gift. I hid it within the website she asked me to start making for her high school reunion, and let her in on it today. She loved it.

Happy Mothers' Day, all of you maternal-types out there! Keep up the great work.

Entry 128

2010-05-09T19:03:00.003-05:00

My favorite exceptional couple, Kyle and Ashleigh, invited me to come out and shoot some pool. More so, they wanted to see how I've been the last month or so. We did some talking, catching up, planning for the next couple of weeks, and the Kyle proceeded to clean the floor with me at billiards. Good times.

Entry 127

2010-05-09T18:59:00.003-05:00

Got to spend some time with an old friend, Kelly. It had been a few years since I'd seen her, so we had a lot of catching up to do. The entire thing was very spur of the moment, and turned out to be a nice surprise.

Entry 126

2010-05-09T18:56:00.002-05:00

I was working on some server-side organization for Steph's website, and then all of the sudden my power went out. It wasn't out for very long, and the work was saved anyway, so I decided to wait out the outage by the pool. Can't really program without power...

Entry 125 - Cinco de Mayo!

2010-05-09T18:47:00.002-05:00

Can't you tell?

I went out to celebrate with a few of my friends. My friend Bri is Australian, but here in Texas we all appreciate the value of our Mexican friends. She donned a sombrero, gave me her best war face, and I walked away with a priceless photo. Then I proceeded to celebrate my ancestry, and the minor victory over the French at the battle of Puebla...also, tequila.

Entry 124

2010-05-09T18:41:00.002-05:00

Had that meeting with Stephanie over at her place. She had art everywhere -- go figure an artist would have a place full of her art -- and her desk had a familiar 'cluttered' feeling. We spent a good, solid hour discussing plans for her website over the course of the next two weeks. I hope to finish this one quickly.

Entry 123

2010-05-09T18:33:00.003-05:00

Spent most of the day hanging out with a friend and watching. I haven't had the chance to visit very many houses up in the DFW. The ones I have seen tend to have elaborate walls, feel kind of tiny, and tend to have a good deal of leather furniture.

None of those are ways I would use to describe my family's house back home.

Entry 122

2010-05-09T18:29:00.002-05:00

When your apartment's dishwasher suddenly stops working with less than a month's time left on the lease, sometimes you panic. Thankfully, I was able to fix it. It wasn't anything major -- just a jammed piece at the bottom -- but it gave us a good scare.

Entry 121

2010-05-09T18:26:00.002-05:00

When you see a few of these surrounding a nearby Whataburger during a late-night run, you start to wonder if a late-night fast-food run was a good idea or not. Or, perhaps they were hungry too? Entirely possible.

Entry 120

2010-05-09T18:23:00.002-05:00

It seems like no matter what we're doing, if Duran notices me taking a picture, he poses somehow as quickly and casually as he can. Can't catch that kid off guard.

Entry 119

2010-05-09T18:19:00.002-05:00

It was the last printing of the semester at the NT Daily, so a few of them went out to celebrate. Sophia and Justin asked me to come by and have a drink with them at Lucky Lou's for old times' sake.

Entry 118

2010-05-09T18:09:00.002-05:00

Had lunch at Dickey's with a good friend of mine. She knows I try to keep up with this project, and kindly asked me not to put her name or photo on here. I laughed, and obliged. It was a simple enough request.

Entry 117

2010-05-09T18:05:00.003-05:00

I worked on Stephanie's website all day. Made some solid progress. We were supposed to have a meeting this week, but things got kind of crazy.

Entry 116

2010-05-09T18:02:00.003-05:00

Derek went grocery shopping today. I think it's safe to say that he likes salsa and cheese. I suppose it's not unexpected from a Hispanic family, but still...it's a bit much.

Entry 115

2010-05-09T17:56:00.002-05:00

We ran out of milk, so I walked to Big D's in my pajamas to get a quart. I am realizing that soon I will have to leave the apartment I am in. I will miss this little store, right across the parking lot, because it really embodies the 'convenience' concept.

Difficulties in Self Motivation

2010-05-09T17:39:00.002-05:00

Taking a picture every day is not difficult. Convincing myself to post it on here just seems like such a taxing task after a long day. In this respect, I am lazy and unmotivated. However, the amount of work I've completed the last couple of weeks might beg to differ.

At some point this week, I need to go apartment hunting. I think I would prefer to stay in the DFW area, but we will see how that pans out. I haven't been able to find work, and it's disheartening. For now, bear with me while I update this blog somewhere around 15 times.

- David

Entry 114

2010-04-25T14:47:00.002-05:00

I went to Medieval Times to celebrate my friend Kaylei's birthday. It was my first time being there, and it hadn't quite occurred to me that it was more of a kids' place. The food was good, and the company was nice, but the show was kind of bland.

I thought most of the knights were kind of small, but I did think the king did a great job. He was one of the most believable characters in the entire thing.

Entry 113

2010-04-25T14:34:00.003-05:00

My renewed driver's license finally came in. It had been mailed to my family's house by mistake, so I had to have them mail it to me.

As for covering it with my thumb, see Entry 104 about not putting pertinent personal information in a public forum such as this. I just covered the majority of the crucial numbers, but you get the idea of what it looks like.

Entry 112

2010-04-25T14:26:00.002-05:00

The rainy weather was at it again, so we worked out inside again. It was a double-workout day (about an hour and a half of Insanity) so I got quite exhausted. Afterward, I just laid there for fifteen minutes, staring at the still ceiling fan...

Entry 111

2010-04-25T14:22:00.002-05:00

Bipolar Texas weather decided we should have a bright, sunny, warm spring day. So I went with a friend of mine to the dog park. It was quite relaxing.

Entry 110

2010-04-25T14:06:00.002-05:00

Went out with a bunch of my fellow UNT Computer Science graduate friends to catch up on the past four months. It seems I'm the only one struggling. I say this, because some of them have jobs they absolutely hate and told me explicitly never to apply for, a couple of them are in grad school or about to go back because the job market sucks, and one of them...well, actually he has a great job and is getting married soon. Congrats, Trey!

Anyway, we went to the new El Fenix in Denton, and talked it over. They were very reassuring that they think I'd be a damn good web designer, and that any firm would be idiotic not to hire me. Then again, they're biased because I helped some of them pass our web design class by knowing how to wireframe and draw up professional documents.

On a side note, the fajitas were pretty good.

Entry 109

2010-04-25T14:02:00.003-05:00

It seems as quickly as he got back, Duran came down with something. We didn't have any medicine in the apartment, so I went on a 4:00 a.m. run to Walmart to get him some basics (which may or may not have turned into me getting breakfast).

Poor kid couldn't fall asleep, so I stayed up with him to make sure he was ok. I think it's safe to say he'll be missing a lot of class this week.

Entry 108

2010-04-25T13:56:00.002-05:00

Back to the airport to pick up Duran. This time I had help from Derek, but it was ill-spent since several flights came in at the same time. It took us about an hour to get in and out of Love Field...

Entry 107

2010-04-25T13:51:00.002-05:00

The rain continued heavily, so -- since it was just Derek and I this time -- we decided to bring our workout indoors. I think it turned out nicely, though it was quite intimidating having Shaun T looking directly at you throughout the workout; much different than a lawn chair and a laptop.

Entry 106

2010-04-25T13:47:00.002-05:00

April showers, I suppose.

Entry 105

2010-04-25T13:43:00.002-05:00

Taking Duran to the airport today, because he has a dentist appointment back home this weekend.

Incidentally, you gotta love that DFW rush-hour traffic. Just saying.

Entry 104

2010-04-25T13:39:00.002-05:00

My license plates for my new car came in today! I took some time to put them on, and wanted to take a picture. However, the careful person in me decided it would be pointless to take the picture and then blur out the actual plates. So instead, I took this shot after the work was done.

The plastic plate frames had to be removed because they're technically illegal in Texas.

Entry 103

2010-04-25T13:32:00.002-05:00

I often find it amusing that my brothers and I have similar mannerisms; we stand alike, make the same gestures with our hands, and tend to participate in similar activities. Duran and Derek were having a conversation before we started working out, and I think these pictures capture my point quite well...

Entry 102

2010-04-25T13:29:00.002-05:00

Went to go see Paul Slavens again with Jessica. This time, she was doing an article for Pegasus News about them, so we weren't there for very long. Still, it's always nice to hang out with her and get a few laughs in while we're at it.

Slacking off and the flood of posts to come

2010-04-25T13:26:00.002-05:00

That pretty much sums it up in a nutshell. I have been neglecting the blog for a bit, but I have been taking my pictures. Today I plan to catch up.

My apologies if the one, two, three...like 13 posts are a bit much!

Entry 101

2010-04-12T14:44:00.003-05:00

Laundry day! One of the machines ate my quarters. I went to the corner-store to exchange the loose change I had in my car. Also, some cute girl in our complex was puppy-sitting and the puppy adorably attacked me while I was carrying my laundry...too bad I don't have a pair enough to strike up a conversation while in my laundry clothes.

Oh well, at least my regular clothes are clean.

Entry 100

2010-04-12T14:38:00.002-05:00

I would say that making it 100 days is a major staple, and that I should take a special picture to celebrate, but Saturday all I did was workout and play videogames with my brothers. Oh well, here's your picture...

Entry 99

2010-04-12T14:32:00.002-05:00

Hard at work again on two websites at once. My workplace isn't as cluttered as it usually is, but it'll get there soon enough. Anyway, back to work...

Entry 98

2010-04-12T14:28:00.002-05:00

Spring is in full bloom. The down side? When this tree outside our apartment blossoms, the flowers smell a little like fish. I don't think anyone intended for it to be that way, but it is an unfortunate placement for us.

Entry 97

2010-04-12T14:20:00.002-05:00

Big interview today with {algo+rhythm} again in Fort Worth. I love their office, especially since it's in this amazing building in the center of downtown called "The Tower." I hear back in two weeks as to whether or not I will get the position...another two-week waiting period makes me nervous.

Entry 96

2010-04-12T14:06:00.002-05:00

Playing catch up on the blog. Tuesday, I got a good shot of my brothers after our workout. We were all tired, but once they realized I was going to take a picture, they decided to pose. Since we can't workout in our apartment, we go to a little, grassy lot by the front office of our apartment complex, and use my laptop on a chair to run the DVD. Not a bad setup.

Entry 95

2010-04-05T22:17:00.002-05:00

Along with a long day of work on my websites and shuffling through emails and phone calls left over from Spring Hiatus last week, today my brothers and I started the "Insanity" workout. We had our fitness exam, and I was BEAT afterward. The look on my face is most definitely not scripted (even though the picture is) as I really was that tired. In 59 more days, I hope to be fit as an Italian Stallion!

Entry 94

2010-04-05T22:10:00.002-05:00

Happy Easter to all the observers out there. Happy Zombie Jesus Day to all others. My router died (Rest in piece, "S.O.S. Brigade") so we bought a new one. More specifically, Derek bought himself one -- a Netgear RangeMax. It's pretty...

Entry 93

2010-04-05T21:55:00.002-05:00

Rent was due, so I went by the front office to drop off my second-to-last rent check for this complex, checked the mail at our box, and then came back. At least it was another gorgeous spring day outside.

Entry 92

2010-04-05T21:29:00.002-05:00

My friends Ashleigh and Kyle invited me to hang out at Lou's. I love spending time with them, because they are extremely goofy, we have a lot of overlapping interests to talk about, and they give me hope for finding someone perfect for me...eventually.

The funny things is, I found out that they met for the first time in a bar. We had a good laugh, because it just doesn't happen these days. They have been together for about 13 months now.

Entry 91 - APRIL FOOLS DAY

2010-04-05T20:46:00.003-05:00

My family is a huge advocate of using April Fools for humor. Over the years, we have created some small and some elaborate jokes to play on each other, our friends, and sometimes total strangers. This year, I used my skills in Photoshop to render an image of my new car with a vulgar keying in the hood.

The joke count by the end of the day was well over 30 people. I had some help from close friends to make it seem legitimate, and then came clean later that night.

Jessica and I also went to a local battle of the bands to decide the opening band for EdgeFest 2010 -- an annual show hosted by 102.1 The Edge. The winner was a band called Ishi, and they were phenomenal. All-in-all, a great way to start Epic April!

Entry 90

2010-04-05T20:24:00.002-05:00

Derek got a haircut, and then we went grocery shopping. Like I said, it's been an uneventful week. At the very least, it's the first haircut he's had in a while. His hair doesn't grow very fast, and he doesn't like to bother with it.

Entry 89

2010-04-05T20:09:00.002-05:00

Jess started a new job at the Apple store in Northpark Mall, so her time is limited. She had Tuesday night off, so her friend Bob and I got to hang out with her. We talked for a bit, then took a walk down to Crooked Crust Pizza, a new restaurant on Fry Street. Not a bad evening.

Entry 88

2010-04-05T19:59:00.003-05:00

I'll be labeling these differently, since I'll be posting each day individually.

In this case it was a standard Monday night: Me and whomever I'm with -- my brothers usually -- watching How I Met Your Mother, and some other shows.

Entry 87

2010-03-29T17:39:00.002-05:00

Day 87 - The weather was beautiful all weekend, so before going on a short jog, I decided to take as good a picture as I could to demonstrate just how gorgeous conditions are outside.

The contrast is really high on account of all the sunlight, but isn't that sky just amazing shade of azure?

Entry 86

2010-03-29T17:25:00.003-05:00

Day 86 - My third and final date with Jessika. We had an awesome picnic in the park near the Denton library, took a nice walk in the spring weather, and talked over most of the issues we had set out to address in the first place.

The whole time, we both knew they weren't real dates. I still treated them like real ones in practice, because I have been where she is now -- the post-relationship limbo -- many more times than she has. I know that sometimes it's just nice to experience things with other people, and realize they aren't exclusive to your former paramour.

Now that she's finally decided she can give the idea of finding someone new again, my work is pretty much done. So, Jessika and I have decided we can stop now, and continue just being friends.

It was good practice for me, and it gave me time to decide that I do, in fact, still want to be a nice guy and not revert to old habits. It's more fulfilling to pointlessly go on dates with someone you have no intention of being with, than it is to just fish for someone to keep you company for a night...

Entry 85

2010-03-29T17:06:00.002-05:00

Day 85 - I went out with some of my nerdier friends to celebrate our friend Stephen's birthday. It meant I got to see Kaylei again -- I had hung out with her on my birthday earlier this month -- as well as a few other friends that I hadn't seen in a while.

The party included people from the normal group of friends I'm used to -- Craig and Bill on the left -- and some of Stephen's coworkers whom I had never met -- Logan and Aaron on the right. It was good in theory, by Kaylei and I were both kind of peeved that Stephen cared more about his coworkers than his normal friends.

Entry 84

2010-03-29T16:58:00.002-05:00

Day 84 - My brothers and I went to get dinner at TJ's, a small pizza place right across the parking lot from our apartment. They noticed I was taking a picture, and decided to do goofy random stuff...most of it came out blurry, so I chose the least blurry picture from the group.

Entry 83

2010-03-29T16:55:00.002-05:00

Day 83 - Derek had a big project to finish, and he decided to get to work on it. By "get to work on it" I mean that he decided to play Bejeweled on his computer because he felt completely uninspired. That was the highlight of my otherwise boring day.

Entry 82

2010-03-29T16:48:00.002-05:00

Day 82 - My friend Caitlin drove up to visit today! We went to Fuzzy's Tacos to get some dinner and drinks. She had many people to see, so I only got about an hour and a half of her time, but it'll do for now.

Hiatus 2010

2010-03-29T00:40:00.002-05:00

That's what I'm going to start calling my replacement for "Spring Break" from now on. "Spring Hiatus" from work, from stress, and from worries. I decided that I might do that this coming week, so I have time to update my blog (sorry for the delays) and not worry about the job hunt for once. I might even drive out of town to visit some friends and family.

We'll see how that pans out.

Other than that, I spent a week working on my websites so I can get paid in time for May. I have to remember to at least make some phone calls this week, and pay some bills. I also have to invoice my clients once their projects near completion, otherwise I could potentially get gypped.

I promise a week's worth of updates tomorrow! For now, I might start off my hiatus with some snoring.

Over and Out,

David

Entry 81

2010-03-22T15:54:00.002-05:00

Day 71 - Spring Break is now officially over for my brothers, so they were returning to classes. I had to continue freelance work, and I was starting to feel better, so my father felt it was time to go back to D.C.

We grabbed breakfast, took him to DFW Airport, and said goodbye. It was great having him here, but if he and our mom are apart for more than one day, they both get very sad. Thanks for sharing him, mom. Love you both!

Entry 80

2010-03-22T15:26:00.007-05:00

Day 80 - I went on a date tonight. It was a second date with Jessika -- the girl I went out with in February. We had it all planned as a very relaxed evening, including ice cream, maybe dinner, and getting a movie from RedBox.

Throughout the course of the date, I fell UP a flight of stairs (and yes, it is as dumb and painful as it sounds), I shattered the screen of my iPhone (and she cut her finger on it when she picked it up), I forgot my jacket so she insisted on not bringing hers (it was freezing cold) and I lost our parking space so we had to walk from Fouts.

To top it all off, when we went back to her room with dinner, she did a "10 second cleanup" and put a bunch of stuff under her desk. I then accidentally proceeded to spill a 32 oz. Dr Pepper all over and under her desk. We spent the next 15 minutes cleaning...

...but she was an amazing date, yet again. She was patient with me, calm about the spill, sweet and worried when I fell, apologetic even though she did nothing wrong, and we stayed up for hours just talking. By the end of the night, we were laughing at how ridiculous the date was compared to our amazing first date; we set up a third date to make up for it this coming Saturday.

This picture is of the desk, the wipes we used to clean it, and the Dr Pepper in question. Enjoy the humor in the awesome metaphor that was the most unique date I will probably have for a long time.

p.s. I keep forgetting to mention that she read Pablo Neruda to me, played a song on acoustic guitar for me (I think the guitar's name was Oscar?), and brought me her favorite children's book from home just so I could read it. I think I'll keep her around for a little longer...

Entry 79

2010-03-22T15:10:00.002-05:00

Day 79 - My friend and her fiancé -- Brooke and Chris respectively -- threw a late St. Paddy's day party. I completely forgot to take my own pictures, but at some point Chris and his friend -- Kate -- asked me to take a picture for them.

I used my iPhone for the picture and emailed it to Kate; it's the only photograph I took from the entire night. But take it from me, it's probably for the best...

Entry 78

2010-03-22T15:01:00.002-05:00

Day 78 - We picked up Duran from the airport in the morning, and then spent the day doing some shopping. Our main stop was Grapevine Mills, but after a couple of laps we needed a break.

Derek ended up with a PS3, and I bought a few new shirts from PacSun out of the sale area. It was a damn good day.

Entry 77

2010-03-22T14:53:00.002-05:00

Day 77 - Derek got a new P.C. in the mail today. He had ordered it a few weeks back. He looked like a kid on Christmas morning opening it up, and then we broke it in with a good, old-fashioned raid.

Nerd day.

Entry 76

2010-03-22T14:45:00.002-05:00

Day 76 - Sometimes, when stress hits, the only solace I can find is in family and music. I did just that today -- played for hours and waited for my father to visit me.

Entry 75

2010-03-17T16:55:00.003-05:00

Day 75 - I was "summoned" to Lucky Lou's by my friends Ashleigh and Kyle to shoot some pool. I don't get to see them often (since January in this case) so I joined them. I beat Kyle once on a fluke, but aside from that he usually runs the tables over me.

After that: a little chaos.

Entry 74

2010-03-15T20:37:00.002-05:00

Day 74 - A long day of working on websites, working out, and busy work (read: census papers). Since I don't want to post a screenshot of my work, and I won't take my phone jogging with me, the best I could do was get a shot of my post-workout electrolyte intake...or something like that. Tomorrow will likely be just as boring, but I'll find something more exciting for the picture.

Entry 73

2010-03-15T01:06:00.005-05:00

Day 73 - Jessica wanted to take Daisy to the dog park today, so Sarah and I joined her. I even let Daisy play around in my new car! We picked up some beverages, and the girls picked up snacks, and we headed out.

We watched the dogs play around for a couple of hours, and we even came across a beautiful black lab that looks just like my dog back home -- Ditch. I nicknamed him "Mitch" to make myself feel less sad.

Now I'm ending my day watching Season 3 of How I Met Your Mother with Sarah. It turned out to be a good weekend afterall.

Entry 72

2010-03-15T01:00:00.002-05:00

Day 72 - It was a pretty boring Saturday, so Sarah and I decided to finally go see Alice in Wonderland. I loved it! It stay much truer to Lewis Carroll than the original cartoon. Plus, there's a Jabberwocky!

Entry 71

2010-03-13T19:15:00.002-06:00

Day 71 - That gift I was talking about -- a 2009 Dodge Caliber! I took some time to think about it, and I decided to name her "Sorairo-hime," or 'Sora' for short. It means "Azure Princess" in Japanese, and the nickname means "Sky."

She's standard transmission, gets 30 MPG, is spacious as hell, and (my favorite part) has an "AUX" hookup that I can use a direct line for my iPhone.

Sarah rode around with me while I took Sora out for a celebratory joyride, and then I picked up a new hat and some shades to sport in my new vehicle. Sure, I miss Beni-hime -- my old 2003 Neon that now belongs to Derek -- but I adore my new car. I'm thinking roadtrip soon. Ideas?

Entry 70

2010-03-12T03:54:00.002-06:00

Day 70 - Technically, my younger brothers' Spring Break started tonight. They were both thrilled, but I -- being a bitter, out-of-work, college graduate -- was not all too empathetic. To me, this meant I might have to take a week off to chauffeur them home to visit family and relax. Thankfully, my parents assured me that this would not be the case.

My dad drove down from D.C. to come spend some Spring Break time with his sons, and to help take the boys home. He also brought me a new toy as a "Happy Graduation" and "Happy birthday" present combined. But, we'll talk more about that later. For now, it's just good to hug my pops. Hope I get to hug my mom soon too...

Entry 69

2010-03-12T03:51:00.002-06:00

Day 69 - To completely kill all innuendo about this entry, I decided my picture would be of what my brothers and I watched tonight during dinner: Kill Bill Vol. 1 and Vol. 2.

What can I say? I like sword fights. Have a nice day!

Entry 68

2010-03-12T03:37:00.002-06:00

Day 68 - Sometimes I find that I almost exhale nerdiness, and when I am not being nerdy enough I get withdrawals from not releasing enough. When this happens, the best course of action is an obvious one: Dungeons & Dragons.

I started a new character, and he proved insufficient, so we reworked him to a Dwarf Fighter named Mason, with high Charisma, Full Plate, a Dwarven Waraxe, and abilities that would otherwise make him what we call a "Tank." Now at level three, he has 40 hit points. /drool

I don't get to see these guys often, so I stayed after our campaign run to watch them play some Final Fantasy XIII. Once my levels of nerdiness were under control, I went home and got some rest. It was much needed -- the rest and the gaming.

Entry 67

2010-03-08T22:58:00.002-06:00

Day 67 - Duran turned 19 today. He's the youngest of my brothers, and yet still older than any of our cousins. His friend Miranda opted to take him out to dinner, so we all went to Chili's.

Since I had my minor share of embarrassment on my birthday, I decided to inform our waiter that it was his. They came over, sang a song, and gave him a milkshake. He got off easy if you ask me!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DURAN!

Entry 66

2010-03-08T22:48:00.002-06:00

Day 66 - The night before this, I was thinking to myself, "Man, it would be awesome if we got some rain tomorrow."

I woke up to the rimshots of rain on the roof of our apartment, and was instantly happy. That is, until I remembered that it was laundry day. Oh well, I'll take the good with the bad, even if I have to walk to the laundry room.

Entry 65

2010-03-08T22:42:00.002-06:00

Day 65 - Lazy Saturday recuperating from the night before. The boys and I stayed in, got some Wingstop, and watched Battle Royale. All-in-all a nice relaxing night.

Entry 64

2010-03-08T22:07:00.002-06:00

Day 64 - My actual birthday celebration was Friday night at a place called "Magic Time Machine" in Dallas. Jessica recommended it, and so I agreed, not having any idea what I was getting into.

The party consisted of two of my brothers (Duran and Derek), me, Jess, Sarah, and our good friends Francisco, Courtney, and their friend Diego came to join! The food was decent, and the wait staff was awesome -- all dressed up in costumes and acting their parts. But my favorite part were the drinks called "Magic Potions" that were delicious and bubbling!

It was a much more entertaining evening than my actual birthday, and I'm glad to have such hilarious friends to share it with. Hello 24. It's nice to meet you.

Entry 63 - Happy Birthday!

2010-03-04T23:09:00.000-06:00

Day 63 - It's my 24th Birthday today! That's it. Nothing else exciting happened today. Most of my friends were busy -- I suppose it's a side-effect of being a working-class adult.

My friend, Kaylei, called me when she got out of class and invited me to come hang out with her in Arlington later that night. The funny thing was, she didn't even remember it was my birthday. When she figured that out, she decided we should go to Hooters for dinner. That was basically my entire birthday...

Entry 62

2010-03-03T23:13:00.000-06:00

Day 62 - Spoke to Audrey at Fortis First this morning; they were the company in charge of my recruitment for the internship at {algo+rhythm} -- the one I'm super anxious about. She basically passed along the same message, "Only a couple of weeks left of deliberation for the position. Be patient!" I'm excited!

In the mean time, today I worked on the SQL Database (NT Daily archives) for three hours straight. In case you don't know, that's enough to drive someone clinically insane. True story. I also started on my new freelance project to kill time.

I met with the new client, Stephanie, at Art 6 this afternoon to draw up a wire frame and site-map for her new photography website. I'll be using Drupal for the first time to layout the website, and have it done by May. I also got a French-vanilla latte, and continued my crazy workout today.

Tomorrow: Changeover. The movie keeps going, and nobody in the audience has any idea...

Entry 61

2010-03-02T03:06:00.006-06:00

Happy 26th Anniversary, Mom and Pops! Enjoy!

Day 61 - Today is March 2, 2010 -- my parents' 26th anniversary. They have five sons, including me, and have lived very hectic lives; still, they persevere and have been together for more than a quarter of a century.

My brothers and I collaborated on an impromptu video gift, using webcams and a quick stint in Windows Movie Maker (I did say, "impromptu," afterall). We made a video counting down several landmark points in their lives together; it has many inside jokes, a whole lot of heartfelt sentiment, and 26-years' worth of love.

Happy Anniversary to Rick and Melissa Lucio! We love you very much, mom and dad.

- Your sons,

The 5 Ds:
Daniel Ryne, David Armando, Derek Robert, Dario Miguel, and Duran Arturo

Entry 60

2010-03-02T02:59:00.002-06:00

Day 60 - My brothers and I started a new spring-cleaning movement for the month of March. This included me spending most of today reorganizing the living room, cleaning, and starting a new workout regimen.

I'm sore all over, but I really feel the results coming through. I figure if I keep this up, I'll be back in fighting-form before April! But along with a new routine comes a new diet, so I am eating light and healthy.

In honor of that, the boys and I decided to order from Sukho Thai II. I had rice to eat, a Powerade to drink, and nothing else. I'm proud of myself...but tomorrow is where the real test comes into play -- can I keep this up!?

Entry 59

2010-02-28T23:56:00.002-06:00

Day 59 - Jess took Daisy to the dog park -- Wiggly Field -- and she invited me to come. There were puppies everywhere! It was so much fun.

Lazy Sunday.

Entry 58

2010-02-28T23:24:00.003-06:00

Day 58 - Derek and Duran had planned a get-together a couple of weeks back that finally came to fruition. Duran invited his good friend, Miranda, and her boyfriend to come hang out, so I invited my friend, Sarah. We started out at "CiCi's Pizza" to take advantage of their anniversary deal -- all you can eat for a throwback, $3.99!

After that, we went back to our apartment, and commenced with normal adolescent festivities. Jessica came over with her puppy Daisy, we played some Apples to Apples, and then Duran started stacking plastic cups...

...and then Jessica and Sarah found our Nerf Guns. And, well, here's another terrible iPhone video to show you the torture they put Derek through.

Entry 57

2010-02-28T23:05:00.003-06:00

Day 57 - The boys had a craving for sushi, so I took them to "I ♥ Sushi" for a small splurge. I ordered a Cactus Dragon Roll, Derek ordered a Calamari Roll, and Duran tried out a Bento Box.

It's always fun having dinner out with my brothers, because we can find humor in the weirdest things; this time around, we thought it was cute that the prominently Japanese staff was sitting in front of a T.V. in the dining area watching the figure skaters from Japan compete. They were cheering quite a bit, and it was awesome. I wish I had gotten a picture of that.

Entry 56

2010-02-28T22:59:00.002-06:00

Day 56 - It was a fairly uneventful day, so I swung by my old office to visit old friends -- especially Sophia! Then she drew some animals on the board in dry erase marker, and I went home.

See what I mean? Uneventful. But still fun!

Entry 55

2010-02-24T21:02:00.005-06:00

Day 55 - Can you say, "Free pancakes?" Because as starved-for-work (not to mention, nearly starved) recent graduates, my friend Brooke and I know the word "free" very well. Add on the deliciousness of pancakes, and we're sold!

IHOP held their annual Free Pancake Day, so me, Brooke, and my brothers decided to help the cause! Brooke spent the whole night tweeting about the event, including our antics while in the waiting room. Then she tried to record us on her phone, but it backfired on her...

Entry 54

2010-02-24T20:38:00.002-06:00

Day 54 - This was the most important day of the year for me so far! I was interviewing with {algo+rhythm} for a paid internship position doing some web-design. I had done a couple of interviews before this with Fortis First -- a company that was assigned to do their recruiting -- and I was anxious to be able to finally meet with someone from the actual company.

I think the interview went extremely well, and their office looked amazing. I managed to sneak a shot of their awesome lobby and the conference room where I was interviewed. I was told that they will make their decision within the next few weeks, and I'm on the edge of my seat waiting to hear from them.

Entry 53

2010-02-24T20:34:00.002-06:00

Day 53 - After a long day of starting some new freelance projects and preparing for the interview of a lifetime, I decided to relax a little bit. So, Jessica and I went out to see what was apparently Paul Slavens' last show ever. We had a lot of fun, and it relaxed me just enough to head into the interview with a calm demeanor.

Entry 52

2010-02-24T20:08:00.003-06:00

Day 52 - Long drive home, but Duran and I stopped in Corpus Christi to visit our older brother, Daniel. I saw him in January, but he moved into yet another new apartment.

One of the first things he wanted to show us was the view of the bridge and the bay...through his ridiculously strong binoculars. It was a nice place. Sadly, we had to hit the road so we finished the long drive back. Collectively, I drove about 21 hours this weekend.

Entry 51

2010-02-20T19:25:00.002-06:00

Day 51 - It's always easier to gas up the night before a big trip. We plan to hit the road as early as we can, because Duran has a study session (that he didn't tell me about) in the evening.

He didn't tell me so that he could go hang out with his friends; Thankfully, even if he doesn't make it to his study group, I can't be held accountable for it. After all, I was gassed up and ready to go tonight.

Entry 50

2010-02-20T19:12:00.002-06:00

It's hard to believe that I've managed to keep up with this for 50 days now. I like reading the posts that some of my friends are doing for similar 365-blogs; it reminds me that this experiment can keep us motivated to do something every day we can.

Day 50 - I got into town at 2:00 A.M. and did some much needed sleeping. In the morning, my best friend K.C. came into town from Kingsville. We have a very odd tradition whenever we see each other after a long period of time:

We scream each others' names in a tremendously high-pitched voice, and reach out to one another. The irony of it makes us laugh.

Entry 49

2010-02-19T02:24:00.002-06:00

Day 49 - Duran had an appointment set up with his dentist for Friday. His dentist just happens to be back home, in the Rio Grande Valley. So we packed our bags, jumped in the car, and I drove him 10 hours -- Denton to Harlingen, Texas.

He got creative with the wires/connections I have in my car, and decided he would watch GLEE on his laptop to pass the time. I enjoyed listening to the music on the drive, but sadly while driving it's quite difficult to enjoy the show itself.

Now that I'm all caught up, I think it's about time for me to get some rest. I've been awake for too long working in the morning, driving, and trying to get things settled. As it was, the journalist in me was agonizing, wishing I could be covering the plane crash while we passed through Austin.

I just want this month to be over, so that maybe I can get some good news for a change. I just hope March is more forgiving.

Entry 48

2010-02-19T02:07:00.003-06:00

Day 48 - Sooooooooo, about that date I mentioned...

...I wasn't quite sure if I was even ready to be dating, much less with a girl who recently left her boyfriend of three years. But, considering the person, I didn't think I had anything to worry about.

So I planned a basic date for my friend Jessika and I -- dinner and a movie. I guess we both let ourselves get caught up in it at first, because about 45 minutes into the "date" we started weighing it logically; we discovered that it wasn't a real date at all.

It looked like a date, felt like a date at first, and I set it up to be a date. But as it turned out, she was just using me to get back at the recent ex-boyfriend because he absolutely loathed me. Still, I held my head high and went on with the date (trying not to break a sweat).

It was fun, and it lasted from 7:00 P.M. until almost 2:00 A.M., during which she had to stop me several times because her "face hurt from smiling too much." After that, I went home, and tried not to be depressed over the fact that I had just been used as a tool in a rather unsettling ploy...

Entry 47

2010-02-19T01:59:00.002-06:00

Day 47 - Yes, that just happened. It's nothing new for me, being that I have been a nerd pretty much my entire life, but it had been about half a year since I even rolled my die.

A few friends called my up to see how I was doing, and to see if I was in the area. I was feeling better, so they invited me to come join them in a Dungeons & Dragons campaign I had previously participated in.

It was great seeing them all again, playing D&D and Guitar Hero all night. Sometimes nerds just have to nerd-out a little when things don't seem to be going so well. It reminds us that we can still have fun with pencils and paper.

Entry 45 & 46

2010-02-19T01:47:00.003-06:00

Day 45 - Valentine's Day isn't exactly one of my favorite holidays. But, my brothers -- Derek and Duran -- and I were all spending it alone this year so we decided to make the best of it.

Our grandparents decided that they would give us a nice surprise treat for the occasion, and sent us all a small handful of spending money. Thrilled, and now armed with cash, we went to have the happiest food we could think of: Pancakes! Hope you had a good day. Aside from coming down with a fever, I had a delicious and fun day.

Day 46 - Remember that fever we talked about? Yeah, he came back to kick my ass overnight. I spent most of the day fighting off the chills and the sweats as they used my body as the court for their tennis match. The walls of my room were basically all I stared at all day, so I decided I would treat you to their blandness...

...on the other end of the spectrum of irony, I got asked out on a date by a close friend of mine. This marks the first time I have EVER been asked out, and not done the asking...I was thrilled. But more on that later in the week...

Entry 43 & 44

2010-02-13T20:43:00.002-06:00

Had a long week, but it's finally winding down. Aside from a huge interview, getting my degree in the mail, seeing a rock show, and playing in a foot of snow, I'd say it was a pretty uneventful week.

Day 43 - The snow started to melt today, but we had a freeze overnight. I bought some extra salt overnight to make sure we had plenty for the stairwell outside out apartment.

My brothers' classes were canceled again, so we ran a few errands around town, and began the relaxing.

Day 44 - Lazy Saturday. Not much else to say. We're all feeling a little under the weather (worth it) so we sat around playing games and catching up on our television shows from the week.

Entry 42

2010-02-13T20:05:00.003-06:00

Day 42 - SNOW DAY! The DFW area got over 12 inches throughout the day, and my brothers' classes were canceled. So, we got a couple of friends together -- Sarah, Jessica, and Jessica's puppy Daisy -- and went to North Lakes Park to play!

We built an eight-foot-tall snowman, had a frozen picnic, and admired the beautiful snow-covered surroundings. It was a cold day in Texas, and we might have all fallen ill by the end of it, but it was totally worth it.

Entry 41

2010-02-13T19:24:00.003-06:00

Day 44 - I had heard that one of my favorite bands -- Motion City Soundtrack -- was going to be at The Prophet Bar in Dallas on a rather impromptu tour for their new album -- "My Dinosaur Life". Sadly, while I'm still looking for work, I am kind of short on cash.

However, my friend Elvira came to the rescue! I had introduced her to the band about four years ago (most of my friends learn about them through me). She wanted to hang out, so she treated us to the show!

I got to listen to some great music, spend some time with an awesome friend, and she got the chance to make her sister super jealous because she got to go to the show. We took plenty of pictures as proof, but we weren't the only ones with that idea...

After the band finished, I got signatures from all the members for Elvira's boyfriend (who couldn't make it). I also got to hang around with the lead singer, Justin Pierre; we talked about learning Japanese, the new season of LOST, and one of his hardcore fans gave him a bunch of gifts. It was a great night...

Entry 40

2010-02-09T19:45:00.003-06:00

Day 40 - Look what came in the mail today! Now it's official. I'm gonna go watch LOST and take a nap, because my life is complete... (except for that whole get a career, start a family, and grow old stuff)

Entry 38 & 39

2010-02-09T16:14:00.002-06:00

Day 38 - Superbowl Sunday! My brothers, my friend Sarah, and I sat down to watch the historic first-ever Superbowl victory for the New Orleans' Saints. We had quite the spread for just the four of us, but we were expecting more people to come. Things don't always work out, but we had a great night anyway.

Day 39 - It was a long day. Not only did I have to stop by the campus to drop off my time sheet for the website work I did last month, but I had to do some "homework" for an interview I had that day for a paid internship.

I suited up again, went in with my laptop, business cards, and résumé. I think the interview went extremely well, and the gentleman who conducted it said he's recommending me for a follow-up. We'll see how that pans out!

The problem with professional favors is that...

2010-02-09T13:57:00.016-06:00

...at some point, one would have to ask one of two things:

How can this person ever find the means by which to repay this favor?

OR

Am I willing to -- or can I afford to -- do this out of the kindness of my heart without expectations of any future compensation?

At this point, I really can't afford to do much out of the kindness of my heart; some things tug on my heart strings to the point of crippling pain, but I can only give so much of myself before I'm out on the street.

Unfortunately, I am slowly realizing that I am probably the only solid web designers that many of my close friends know. This comes to my attention, because my last four years have been spent primarily in the company or writers, photographers, reporters, artists, musicians, designers (clothing or similar), models, and a handful of other programmers and engineers.

The programmers find themselves very capable of handling their own web design, but most of them don't have a requirement to sell themselves as an individual product. The same is true for engineers, since both groups would be able to easily work in firms where individual presence is negligible.

Unfortunately for the rest of those people -- the ones who have chosen careers in artistic or individually-competitive fields -- the most crucial tools to them are their experience, professionalism, and marketability as personal product. In today's industry, the fastest way to do this is to make contacts and develop a web presence. I have known this for more than a decade.

But it seems suddenly, many of these people are only just embracing this revelation. That's where I [apparently] come in! In the past 72 hours, I have been approached by at least four different people about the prospect of building them a website. So, I prepared a response which I posted to Facebook earlier today:

"Yes, I know many people want to develop a web presence. Yes, I do know how to build a website and get you the resources people need to make that side functional. But be forewarned: it is not inexpensive to do something that isn't a free blog, at some point you will have to take over control of your site (i.e. I cannot ...be held accountable for user error), and no it will NOT look or function as well as the following:

Because you are most likely not a millionaire. But if you need my help, and you are willing to compensate, then yes, I will help you if I have the time as long as you PROMISE not to be like this: How Web Design Goes Straight to Hell"

So like I said, I'm not opposed to doing favors. As I was reminded this weekend, nothing should be beneath me at this point; but it's not that. Right now it's just a matter of finances and demand. And if one person asks the favor and is willing to compensate, then if I have the time to make myself -- as a personal resource -- available to others, shouldn't I rightly require compensation from them as well?

Just some ranting, and food for thought.

Over and out,

David

Entry 33-37

2010-02-06T23:30:00.005-06:00

Got a little behind in my posts this week. Sorry again guys! I have been cleaning, running errands, revising my resume, sending out applications, visiting family, and just a slew of other activities. Well, I'll just let you read about it.

Day 33 - Today was the premier for the final season of LOST. I set aside the evening to just hang out and watch the three-hour event. Being a big nerd, we have our own miniature holidays sometimes -- this was the first major one of the year for me.

I'm still on "Team Desmond," but Jack is still one of my favorite characters. Oh yeah, and the groundhog saw his shadow. More winter!

Day 34 - Had to go pick up my business cards today. I was going to make some copies of my resume, but I decided to hold off until the weekend. In the mean time, while I was already out and about, I went to pick up my little brother from class.

I love the way the winter looks. I wish that Texas got more snow, but for now the beautiful grey sky and cold rain will do. No sarcasm, I genuinely love it.

Day 35 - I got my first response today for a paid internship. I set up a phone interview for later in the week, and decided that I would celebrate by starting my spring cleaning early.

It's not the normal way I would celebrate, but I needed to empty the closet anyway so my little brother could move his stuff in there. But the end of the spring, I plan to have the entire apartment in tip-top shape.

Day 36 - Our father drove in from Washington D.C. today on an impromptu road-trip back to the Rio Grande Valley. It's always great to see him, since he lives so far away.

He insisted on preparing dinner an washing dishes. We didn't argue, because he is an amazing cook (and we all hate washing dishes).

Day 37 - I woke up at the crack of dawn today to go to the Society of Professional Journalism (SPJ) Conference in Arlington. I had been looking forward to it for a while, since I had yet to have an opportunity to do any networking in the DFW area.

The keynote speaker was Nancy Barry, a journalist who is also the author of "When Reality Hits." She gave a strong speech about 'soft skills' that all journalists should have, and I realized just how many I have.

I also had the chance to speak to Robert Francis (left) and Susan R. Petty (right) about magazine and book publication after a breakout session. Robert used to be a writer for trade magazines, including some majro computer publications -- the kind of job I'd ideally like to have someday.

In a discussion about convergence journalism, I had the chance to speak with Kent Chapline (left), Matt Stiles (middle), and Elise Who (right) about their respective careers. The all had quite a bit to say about the set of more specific convergence skills that are necessary to be a viable 'product' in today's industry, not just another writer. I realized just how strong my skill set is, and really hope to expand on it

All-in-all a great day. I handed out some cards, got a few myself, and was able to speak to some very talented journalists. I really hope I can find work soon, because I realized how much I miss being involved in the media!