Well I haven't written all summer (year). In part because I was working for steve (I'm not even going into what a shitty idea that was.) and partly because I've had computer problems off and on and misplaced the fact that I had a blog. lol. Mostly though, I've been spending so much time on WoW that I haven't done much else.

I sent a man to prison yesterday. What did you do?

Musings on MMORPG's: Why is it that people spend so much time in what is, essentially, a useless pursuit? I realize that there are those who make substantial monetary earnings from gaming, but for the vast majority online games are only for entertainment. But why do we spend so much time and effort and, indeed, money to built up fictional skills instead of using that time to learn skills in the real world? Why would I (who have more than a passing interest in archery) rather sit in front of a computer for hours at a time, upping my archery skills on a character rather than go outside, and do it for real? How is it that I can have a character with vast amounts of income, when I can barely afford to put gas into my car? (Yes, I know. It's because I spend all my time on the computer instead of looking for a job. That's beside the point.)

I think at least part of the reason is that things are so much easier in the game compared to real life. Things are laid out for you plainly. Go here, kill this, you'll get X amount of money for it and Y amount of experience. Add up Z number of experience, and you advance to the next level. In real life things are much more nebulous. I have no way of knowing if my archery is really improving that much. I have nothing to double-check it against, no comparison.

Real life could work like the game in some respects. Go here, do this, you'll get paid for it, and work/skill experience. The process is much more complicated in the real world, perhaps needlessly so. I could, for instance, take my bow and some arrows, and go hunt things until I was an expert shot. But that would be illegal, and for good reason. My next option would be to go to a shooting range and perfect my skill that way, but I'd have to pay for that. On a limited budget it too often seems like a frivolous expense. My only cheap, legal option would be to set up a range in my backyard, but for many even that isn't really viable. So instead they live, as I do, vicariously in a world uncluttered by population, unfettered by laws, and with animals and evil-doers to slay; but who never really die. If we had to live in this world all the time I don't think we'd like it very much.

I'm not really looking for comments, though theories on why people spend so much time in this vicarious lifestyle would be interesting to hear.

You know what my problem is? I'm too easily distracted by shiny objects. damn.

I hereby resolve to:

1) not eat at fast-food places for 6 months. this should help me with . . .
2) lose 30lbs by my birthday. I want smaller boobs dammit.
3) hrmmm . . . no #3 yet. I suppose I could resolve to quit smoking again, but why make a promise I know I'll break, and which no one will call me on.

I saw someone do a, year in review-type thing where they took the first line from each month in the past year. So here's mine.

Wednesday, February 02, 2005

I'm not really sure what the point of all this is.

Thursday, March 03, 2005

I think I've found someone who feels exactly the way I do about religion.

Sunday, April 03, 2005

I'm way stressed out.

Wednesday, May 04, 2005

Dream: I was riding a black horse over a field.

Wednesday, June 01, 2005

So, last night S and I went over to the dorms to throw a "going away party" for Will.

02 July 2005

I'm absolutely terrible about updating these things.

04 August 2005

Well, um . . . I've apparently gotten my first booty call.

01 September 2005

I really am terrible at updating these things aren't I?

02 October 2005

Why? Because I wanted to know what it would feel like.

01 November 2005

After much deliberation, and consulting with a few other people, I have Finally signed up for classes.

Monday, December 05, 2005

It was the strangest thing.

Instead of being even somewhat creative and coming up with something original to say, I think I'll just repost what I wrote on my LJ:

So . . . I thought I was getting better, apparently I was wrong. Lucky me gets to be sick for christmas. blarg. I found out yesterday that my financial aid has been revoked. I have no real idea why, as far as I know my GPA is high enough. But I checked online and apparently this semester I was on 75% SAP probation. Not that anyone ever informed me of this, or the reason behind it. There's a sneaking suspicion that it's something to do with my having gone to Guam; and my coordinator not sending my transcript until 4months after it was supposed to be here. So, maybe this is all a big mix-up and will resolve itself naturally. Then again, it might have to do with my failure of multiple classes while I was In Guam, in which case it'll stick. My coordinator here said that my grades while on exchange wouldn't transfer, just the credits. But I think there's a credits attempted/credits earned ratio, that I have to be on the winning side of. I really have no idea. And of course this has to happen at christmas-time, so there's no one around I can ask and have this straightened out with.

lol, well if I have to drop classes in order to be able to pay for them, I'm definately dropping Logic. and hey, my "store credit" went through so I could return the books for the classes I'd dropped, and have more money to put towards paying tuition. G-ma said she'd give me money for school, so I might be able to afford going 1/2 time or even 3/4 time. That'd be good if I was having to work full time to pay off the rest.

*sigh*

I'm just rambling now, I think I'll go make some tea.

"Spannungsbogen" The self-imposed delay between desire for a thing and the act of reaching out to grasp that thing.

~Dune