Woop, starting to get excited about the trip I’m taking. Heading up to Nebraska this Sunday for a week of full-time work and training for this contract job I’ve got. Going to drive the whole way by myself, which is gonna be kinda weird since I’ve never driven anywhere farther than 30 minutes away. Fortunately the route should be pretty easy, but man, that’s gonna rock. I bought The Odyssey on Audio-CD to listen to while I drive. Should be six or seven hours each way, depending on how heinously I speed and what stops I make.

I’m still making preparations for what to do and what to take. Sort of… meaning, I started thinking about it today, two days in advance. Gotta get money, pack a lunch to eat on the way because I don’t want to stop anywhere, be sure to take my books and CDs, can’t forget my cell phone charger, must be certain to pack my collection of vibrating butt plugs, etc etc.

Should be a fun trip. I’ll be learning the new engine tech which requires much more involvement on my part, but the results will be a hundred times better than anything I’ve done before. Also, at night, I’m going to be doing some serious working out so I can kick ass and improve myself. :D I think it’s important to improve your body as well as your mind… aside from the practical benefits that it gives your brain more oxygen (original typo: “gives your oxygen more brain”) and such, but also the dramatic boost it gives one’s self-esteem and self-confidence. Even if the results take a while to achieve, there’s still such a rush from the effort itself, and the knowledge that you’re really TRYING to push yourself further and carve a better shape out of yourself. I like knowing that I’m really accomplishing something practical, doing something good for myself, and having fun while I’m doing it. It’s nothing but benefits, and the only thing it requires is time and patience, which I have.

Even more fun is that when I get back, the following weekend I’m planning a trip down to a good friend’s house to have fun, watch movies, play games and talk, which is something I really only do very rarely with people in person… like, REALLY TALK. I’ve been homeschooled my entire life and I’ve never really had many opportunities to find someone at least as intelligent as I am to actually sit down and talk to, and not feel like I’m having to dumb down what I say, as if talking to a child. Aside from my girlfriend, this guy the only person I can really communicate with on the same level. Everyone else I’ve met is just too fucking stupid.

Man, I love reading, and I’ve got so much I can do. I just ordered four books on Socrates (well, actually three, but one has Socrates in the title, and it’s about philosophy, so bleah), and I have Survivor and Invisible Monsters by Chuck “Fight Club” Palahniuk. I’m about halfway through survivor and I can’t put it down. In fact, I’m clutching it in one hand as I type this. It is practically epoxied to my armstumps.

So far it’s really enjoyable, very much in the spirit and tone of Fight Club. I think it’d make a really great movie, and I’d like to see Fincher do it of course. In fact, I remember having read that some studio or another bought the film rights to it already, which is great, because it’d be a very natural conversion from book to film if done properly. I’m only halfway through it so far and I’m kind of thinking that Kevin Spacey could do the lead role pretty well, but that could well change by the end of the book.

I also have a biography of Winston Churchill by Violet Bonham Carter, Baroness Asquith of Yarnbury, some famous English politician or another. The biography is really interesting so far, and I think that there’s a good chance that I’m developing an interest in reading about strong, successful people. I intend to become one myself so I guess that’s only natural. Still, it’s encouraging and exciting reading about their lives and accomplishments. :)

Also been watching a bit of movies lately. Yesterday I watched The Game and Donnie Brasco. I’m starting to really enjoy Michael Douglas’ work… I saw Falling Down last week and really liked it, and I also liked seeing him in Traffic, as well as this. I love his voice and demeanor… I think I’ll start watching more movies with him in it. Donnie Brasco was pretty good, though I didn’t commit my full attention to it so I’m sure I missed a lot of the subtleties. I realized too late that it’s the type of movie you really need to dedicate yourself to watching. That’s not to say that it was long or boring or anything, just that it’s not something you can really afford to have on in the background. More of an active participation is required for fuller appreciation, you might say.

I’m so fucking glad I have a job now. I hate the insecurity not having one brings. It’s cool that I’m making more money than before, having more fun than before, doing something I enjoy, from home. It affords me the ability to indulge in the things I enjoy most, like buying books and seeing movies and such. I’m planning on buying a Game Boy SP soon and a couple games for it to occupy myself. I’ve never had a Game Boy before and never really played on one, but I’ve always wanted to, and it looks like the time is now! I’m also going to trade in my Dreamcast and games to get a GameCube at some point in the near future. I see no point in getting a PS2 since my girlfriend already has one and we’re going to be moving in together at some point in the near future, and the X-Box is still too expensive for me, and doesn’t have enough compelling games for me. I’ll get one eventually, but right now the GameCube just looks a hell of a lot more interesting.

This is so weird, I’ll finally be able to allow myself the time to play games again. I never used to, because I always devoted all my spare time to either my girlfriend or to my work, because there’s always been a much greater need to work than play. ‘Work’ to me IS play, in a way. I like being good at what I do, and I love the challenges it sets before me, and I love the act of creation and interpretation. I enjoy that far more than playing Grand Theft Auto or Tomb Raider or some shit. It’s more of a release for me than games are. Now that I have a day job, though, I’m getting the fulfillment I need AND I’m getting paid for it, so now I can have the time to play games and actually enjoy the fruits of the industry I’m working in. It’s still just so fucking weird, though, I feel like I should feel almost guilty for not being productive (a powerful urge \ desire \ need in my life), but, I already was, so now I can cut loose and find new forms of enjoyment. :D

That’s all I have to say, really. Not sure why I felt like updating but it’s fun to write, and I know (hope?) my friends enjoy reading this, for a little slice of my brain and my thoughts. Hope you two enjoyed this! :P