Keeping Time

I should really quit the everyday thing, seeing as how each blog doesn’t contain more than a few paragraphs. But to hell with it all. I live life on the edge.

Today was the first actual day that it really felt difficult to stay away from my computer. Generally after school I come home and sit on my computer until dinner, or if you’re into that kind of thing, supper. Today wasn’t so much the same. I played some music with my neighbor and entertained myself in a number of other ways.

One of which was by finishing up Wristcutters: A Love Story. I hold a firm belief in the fact that the more indie something is, the larger chance it has of being deemed “good”, seeing as how it has to conform less to majority standards and more towards the mind of the director. Wristcutters was pretty good, and seeing as how I’m a sucker for a good story and good writing over anything else, it didn’t disappoint in any large way.

Also, while I’m waiting for Narrow Stairs to leak (it “leaked” today, but it was a fake), I’ve been listening to some of the rare/b-side Death Cab for Cutie stuff I have, namely the John Byrd EP. It’s pretty good stuff, and the whole thing has really got me psyched for their new album.

On a similar time killing note, I’m also reading Chuck Palahniuk’s Invisible Monsters, and from what I’ve read so far, it’s pretty good. I don’t really have a “favorite” author, but as authors go, Palahniuk’s work is up there with Orson Scott Cards in terms of books I enjoy.

I’m starting to see some signs of effort. With my time down to two hours, I’m really having to watch myself.

Now I know why I set these goals.

I’m beginning to get a routine down with this whole internet thing. While I still have some time left to dwaddle if I want, I check a few things then get off and do something else. Today consisted of a trip to Ikea to get a much needed table for my room, right next to my desk. The whole setup is quite nice, especially since it eliminates the clutter. Also, Ikea? Crazy. But drifting on the carts between the isles? Fun as hell.

In other news, the new Death Cab for Cutie album hasn’t leaked. Thats priority #1 on my internet time. Find that damn album.

At least I think it’s day six. I counted it over in my head and it came out to six, but you never know.

Anywho, I was gone the last few days out in Pacific City. Luckily, seeing as how it’s spring and I’m at the beach, mother nature decided to do her thing and be indecisive about the weather the whole damn time and be off and on rainy. I spent all but a few hours couped up inside watching TV, along with playing Guitar Hero and watching all six Star Wars movies, which was actually quite nice since I hadn’t seen IV, V and VI since I was a child, although the DVD versions I got as a gift for non-denominational winter holiday were altered from the VHS versions I grew up with, which phased me a few times.

Also, on that whole Guitar Hero/Star Wars note, I also got a new high score on Through The Fire and Flames by DragonForce on Guitar Hero. I attribute it all to the fact that I was playing it on the analog TV provided in the house rather than the HDTV that I usually play on. With the lag gone, I was also able to beat every song on Expert difficulty aside from The Devil Went Down To Georgia, which I don’t think I will honestly ever pass. I may upload a video of myself failing and crying later on.

Tomorrow I move down to two hours a day. I haven’t gone over yet, mainly because two and half hours leaves room to enjoy myself. But tomorrow is another day, so we’ll see.

Filling one’s time is surprisingly simple.

Seeing as how yesterday was Easter, I received some gift cards and cash to go out and use today. So my day was easily spent out and about at various stores, along with the dentist. I picked up a few albums to add to my collection. However, tomorrow I go out to the beach and I’ll be gone until Saturday, so just take the next few days of blog abstinence to mean that I’m not on the computer, which is a good thing.

In other news, Pretty. Odd. leaked the other day and I got my greasy little internet hands on it. I’m not really sure what to think. This isn’t the catchy, guilty pleasure band that I secretly listened to every once in a blue moon. This is a new Panic. Maybe they just need their ! back.

Speaking of ! I also picked up the Metal Gear Solid: Essential Collection the other day. Great use of $25.

Ok, so I would have blogged last night but I opened my PC to put another hard drive into it and I realized that it is essentially impossible for a number of different reasons. So after that I just left it open and went off to play my newly returned 360.

Anyways, first day was a little weird. In ways it was quite difficult and in others it was really easy. There were times where I just wanted to go on the computer and kill some time but I didn’t want to cut that much into the rest of my two-and-a-half hour time on the computer. But that mentality seemed to keep throughout the day as I didn’t really want to cut into that time. It felt odd having to stay away as my Web 2.0 sites updated and I missed digg stories, but ultimately it was a lot easier than I thought.

But I killed time in a number of different ways. I watched Charlie Bartlett, which was pretty good. At times it tried to be deeper than its atmosphere allowed but overall the whole movie was pretty good, and it’s a shame that it didn’t have a huge release.

Other than that, it was Easter, which also proved to be difficult. As a child, it always goes: after dinner, the adults talk and the kids go off and do whatever. Occasionally I stay around and converse but normally I go off and enjoy myself in computer land. I did for a little bit, but I tried to stay off for the most part and just napped to pass the time.

I don’t know about this whole thing. I think that I may have to cut my allowed time down a bit seeing as how things feel almost too easy. Then again, the hard part has always been staying off the computer during the weekdays rather than the weekends. Either way, I’ll keep you guys updated.