Day127 - Piano Won The Day

A relatively relaxing day, inspired to music. I'm glad, as lately there has been some internal debate over how to spend my evenings; in inspiration or escapism. Long days can eat into motivation to inspiration. I'm glad I'm back to my usual inspired self.

I've been spending the occasional hour or so gaming with a group of friends that I've played online games with for years - some who I've known for over a decade, and some who I hadn't met in person until a dinner a couple of years back, but had come to know quite well via various virtual worlds. I met up with the group again while I was in NZ last month for a live table-top gaming session and we have plans to do so again on next trip. Since then, I've joined most of the group in yet another virtual world, but it's not about the games as much as the community. Myself and one friend who ran the games night - and has been known mostly to me as his online avatar "Iconoclastix" - have great conversations, ranging from discussing Robert Anton Wilson and Naomi Klein, to dancing naked to Marvin Gaye. He's a really joyful character, very intelligent and worldly, and a true defender. He won't let anyone push him or his friends around. It's a pleasure to know people like him and to be part of a great bunch.

For me, online gaming is like an action movie, but instead of being a passive experience, you are one of the participants, helping push the storyline. Suspension of disbelief is so much easier in an immersive environment, especially amongst several thousand others.

*epiphany* I just realized that it is online gaming that has made it so difficult for me to sit through an entire movie. I get antsy if I'm still for too long... I need to be participating, active or creating. And I love that I am this way. I am abundant energy.

However... even though I've had many fun adventures, I just can't invest the time into gaming that I used to - the creative spark forbids me from neglecting it for long. As much as I love the social aspect, I literally get restless and can't sit there wasting away hours. Much the same with TV - I can't just watch any old rubbish. It must either enlighten or inspire, or both. Most of my entertainment is taken in the form of audio books, lectures and documentaries: philosophy, science, language, poetry. Music is in there, and in spades, but it is more than entertainment to me.

Tonight after my nightly phone call, I had the choice of free time, and I was driven to music. I ran through vocals for our emerging setlist, worked on a couple of new guitar parts, then settled in at the piano.

For some reason my guitar playing improves after a stint at the piano - I can pull off intricacies that I otherwise almost get. In fact, my hands and fingers become doubly tactile after playing, no matter the activity.

I'm completely at ease and comfortable on guitar, but I'm no piano master ...yet. One of my musical goals is to perform live one of the songs I've written on piano. Maybe even bring tears of appreciation and understanding to an audience member's eyes... I live for those moments.

I can't wait.

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Speaking of Marvin Gaye, here's a track that narrowly missed out on inclusion in my Top7 songs of all time. Absolutely love it. I could drink this song endlessly.

Marvin Gaye - Sexual Healing

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Day106 - monday, zombies

Plants Vs. Zombies is pure fun. So much so, that it required a picture drawn in tribute.

"Dad with butter on head"

"Me as sunflower"

I think I got the raw end of that deal.

The video that plays upon completion of the game should explain everything... or possibly confuse things even further.

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Kiwi music week, instalment #3:
None. I can't get the Plants Vs. Zombies song out of my head.

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Day11 - Materialism

I took a server quote profit from a flat $200 to over $800 today. Not a bad increase, especially from a $3.5K sale: pretty typical of my way of performing sales - while still providing the client a discount & undercutting the main competition. I really think sales are my strong point - I'd like to focus more on this area. I understand the mindset of clients & their available options, I also do the research required to give me the intelligence/edge.

Strange then that I'm not very materialistic. I admire beauty but abhor status symbols. Sometimes they're mutually inclusive, I focus on the beauty, or look elsewhere for that without the taint. I live simply, well, & want for very little. I love the saying "you can't take it with you". The accumulation of wealth has never seemed difficult to me: just a matter of investing the time & timing your investments. If one thing does make me wake in the early hours, it's the thought of finances, but that has not occurred for a long time (I'm too busy dreaming about performing astral projection experiments!). Maybe that's why I treat sales like a game.

Interesting then to think that I initially proved my market skills in another game: EQ (and other subsequent mmo's where I've bothered to invest the time). I still have the spreadsheets I used as ledgers, that I later used in WoW & Warhammer. I had a ball with trading in EQ - almost as much fun as the game itself, however both are insane timesinks. Even though loads of fun & some awesome memories, these days I feel like I'm wasting my life playing & not necessarily learning as much as I could be, or even better: creating. I've proven my skills in virtual currencies, I have no desire to do so again. I need to find a real-life equivalent to put my skills to use. I don't get bad returns on my current investments, but I know there's more out there for me. More RL gaming to be had =) I played EQ for 3.5 years, but in the end I wasn't playing the game, I was exclusively trading. Buy low, sell high, know the market, time your purchases. Pretty simple formula. Once I reached my goal of an impressive 1,000,000 platinum profit (2.5K cash in the bank) I quit.

It seemed to be the most logical solution.

PS resumed my bathing ritual tonight. Bath oils, half a bottle of a slightly sour moscato (Wolf Blass), and some sobering (and ironic) viewing: watching Celebrity Rehab. That show invariably makes me cry - it really gives me much encouragement, inspiration & renewed vigor.