Foz | Cinder Inc.

Projects

Getting time while commuting over the last few years, I’ve had a lot of time to think, and contemplate things. A common occurrence is to continue to think of my “projects” that I have mulled over for years, but still have never had the time to really sit down and do. Well not all of it is time, some of it is pure getting distracted by a new (or old) game or just lacking the knowledge to complete them. I thought I’d share a few things I hope to at least try, or at least enjoy planning in my head.

– A homemade arcade controller – Since seeing the home built MAME arcade cabinets people have made over the years, I’ve always wanted to do something, but on a smaller scale, like a nice two player set-up where I could play Street Fighter 2 against my wife and friends, and have something nice to actually play these arcade classics correctly. I’m sorry but the keyboard, or a game pad is not the way to play a fighter.

– An EEPROM Burner – This ties into many different ideas and projects, but basically it would be a great way to get back to electronics, and allow me to move into some NES Development and hacking. I’ve always wanted to create my own cartridge of some of the hacks and translations of old NES games, and be able to play them on my TV. All this leading eventually to getting the NES hooked up to the Internet. Possible? Don’t know, but it would be fun to try.

– A Podcast of my very own – So in thinking of ideas for doing a podcast, I thought of covering my rentals from Netflix, as Jess and I have tended to get classics and foreign films, it might be fun to discuss them and talk about them in a podcast format. Though I wonder if I could actually talk long enough to make it interesting.

– A nice working house media server – I think I’d have a hard time convincing the wife that this was necessary (since it isn’t) but it would be a lot of fun and with technology going crazy it’d be great to be able to play movies on my TV from a computer that is down in the basement, or something along those lines. Neat? Yes, but I’m going to be realistic on this one and say it’s not going to happen.

There are a few more, but I’ll save them for later.

Excuses

Seems I’m always good at coming up with excuses as to why I’m not writing much here these days. Mostly it’s a real good reason now. My son, Ash, keeps my wife and I busy and I really don’t have much time to sit and relaxingly write much or do much on-line anymore these days. Not that that’s a bad thing, but I’d rather spend time watching my son coo and smile. Sure I won’t forget Cinder Inc., in fact I’ve got a writing bug in me right now anyways so you’ll see somethings being posted up here for sure.

Pat Robertson Makes Me Mad

Okay. You know what, I’ve had it with Pat Robertson. The old guy has gone too far, again. Saying that because the citizens of Dover, PA voted out the school board that was trying to bring intelligent design into science classrooms, God has left there town and if a disaster strikes, too bad. God isn’t going to help you. What the fuck.

I’m sad for the moderate Republicans and moderate Christians these days. With crackpots shooting off their mouths, behaving in a decidedly non-Christian ways, and then claiming to represent the will of God in the country. Is God going to leave you because you don’t agree with him? Did Jesus suggest overthrowing the Romans, or assassinating Herrod? No. Pat Robertson, where is the God of love and peace and forgiveness that I learned about? Where is your tolerance and willingness to embrace the outcasts? I guess I’m just not down with this warmongering, if you’re not 100% with us you are wrong type of mentality that I see in some of the Republican party over the last 5 years.

I understand Pat Robertson that you believe that you are saving the country from going down the road to Soddom and Gamorra, our “moral decline”. I see it as taking our country away from the freedoms it was founded upon, creating a society of intolerance and fear. I’m glad that moderate Republicans are finally standing up to the far-right and getting the country back on a middle road that can more evenly represent the will of the American people. Keep working guys. Keep working on bringing your party back from the brink, and saving it from people like Pat Robertson and Dick Cheney.

Impending Fatherdom

I’m going to be a dad in less than two weeks the people in the doctors office tell me. Two weeks till my life is going to be completely different. Two weeks until I’m partially responsible for making sure that my son grows up and stay’s alive long enough to take care of me. I’m going to have to teach him useful things, some of which will be fun (doing his shoelaces) others will be a trial (how to use a toliet, though that has an upside of no more diapers). In short I’m incredibly excited and terrified and a little mystified all together in one.

Jess, my wife, is doing very very well. She’s tired, of course, of lugging around a baby that loves to kick her in the ribs, and sit on her bladder, but has had an overall great pregnancy with all the horror stories we’ve had to endure from people. She’s started the nesting phase, tearing out part of our kitchen at 8:30 on a Friday night because it seemed like a good idea, even though we are not remodeling the kitchen until at least next spring.

It’s been interesting going with her places and seeing people. People love pregant ladies. They’ll talk to a complete stranger and share details of their family life with you like you were an old friend, just because of your belly.

So soon. Things will be different. I can’t wait, but I don’t think I’m fully ready, but then when is anyone “ready” to be a parent? Go Ash William Anderson, can’t wait to meet you.

Job Hunting

I’ve been job hunting for the last month or so. Was laid off from my last job doing pharmaceutical sales (yea, I know, it’s an “evil” industry, but at least I was selling drugs that make people live longer and were not something like Viagra). The timing of the whole thing really sucked, with a baby on the way and needing health insurance, let alone an income to provide for the guy was at the top of my mind every day.

It’s interesting working more now in the career style jobs now. It was always growing up and through school, one interview and you’re hired, come to work next week to fill out this paperwork. The further you progress up the pay scale the longer it seems to take. Phone screening, then phone interview, then paperwork to fill out, then in-person interview #1, in-person interview with someone else #2, then maybe an offer, or “We went with the person who has experience in this field already.”

Monster.com was my primary source for finding interviews, and where recruiters seemed to find me as well. It’s amazing how many more calls you can get when you have 2 years of experience, versus 2 1/2 years ago when I first started down the career path route. Companies that wouldn’t touch me were calling me now. Though it was for things like financial planning, insurance sales, copier sales, or a good favorite one was selling house siding at 100% commission, no benefits and you start in the territory in the winter (which of course is when everyone thinks of doing home improvements!).

I’d get down from time to time. It’s funny. You miss working sometimes. You miss having a place to go and do “work” even if it bores the hell out of you sometimes, or if you love it, it’s worse. The other reason I’d get down is the fact that, here I am, supposed to be the provider financialy for my family and I don’t have a job or income. Great. I’m such a good husband and dad-to-be! You get over it, and then look some more.

A Challenge and social networking?

My wife challenged me to something and I’m going to take her up on it. Write here on Cinder Inc. for a week straight. At least once a day. “It’s your blog, you can be self indulgent and get away with it really easily. Just write though.” So why not.

Social networks. I’ve always liked the idea. Friendster and Live Journal have been around a while. I’ve tried them out in the past. Hell, I’ve got pages on both. I think I may even have one on Classmates.com, though if I do it was done ages ago. So I’ve tried out some in the past, but never really gotten into it. So why am I starting a MySpace profile? Good question.

So far after just signing up last night, I now have MySpace. Uh. Yay? Dunno yet, but it seems to combine a bit of the above networks into one. I’ve found some family and friends from school days already. Kinda fun in a way, but I really need to finish filling out the page and getting it put together. May be a way to keep track of people I suppose. It might even get more than two people to visit here from time to time. We’ll see.

Tacoma Coffee – The Mandolin Cafe

The first entry into my quest to find good coffee here in Tacoma, WA, and generally anywhere else I go. I’ll keep a running page of all the shops I go to here with links back to these stories.

First up is The Mandolin Cafe, located on 12th Ave. just up the street from Union here in Tacoma.

It’s a good atmospheric place, lot’s of tables, plenty of room to spread out if you are studying or working. A nice fireplace with a few comfy couches around it. Even a conference room type setting that can be reserved for meetings and the like. Art for sale surrounds you on the walls, available for purchase. All in all a good place for atmosphere. In fact that’s what initially drew me in.

The coffee is roasted in-house by the owner, AJ Anderson, under the label Vahalla Coffee. Seems a good guy, always in the store when I’ve dropped by, working on roasting and picking up small things around the store like owners tend to do.

Let’s get down to the coffee though. The store’s baristas make up the coffee on a 3 group La San Marco machine. I’ve never been a fan of the machine, working on one at The Kickstand Cafe, but it does have the ability to make decent coffee. Does it here? Short answer: no.

The americanos I’ve recieved have tended to be either overextracted, or way under. Shot times are kept short it seems usually, and they seem to miss out on pulling just the right shot. I’d like to play around and really taste what their espresso roast is like. With their light colored and thin crema, it just leaves me wanting in their preperation. The barista’s have been trained, but seemingly only a bit.

As for their milk based drinks, my wife gives their foam two thumbs down. We’ve given it a few go’s, as we plan to do for others, just to see if it was a particular barista. Nope. Foam tends to be bubbly and thin, and not much up there when a drink is poured. I will say though from the few sips I have had though, the espresso is strong, and is not overpowered by the milk.

It all comes down to this: I continue to go there because of the large table seating area in which I can spread out whatever I am working on at the moment, certianly not for their coffee. I’ve even started to not get coffee and get tea (of which they have a very nice selection, and with the ability to get pot’s of it as well, so more bonus points). In the end, it’s a place to study, work, and bring a larger group of friends or family to because of the room. Stay for the space, and enjoy your coffee, but I know there has to be something better out here in Tacoma. I just have to find it!

The Escapist

Not the Michael Chabon superhero of Kavalier & Clay fame, but the new “webzine” called The Escapist. I found it on a link from Insert Credit as a new weekly look at video gaming topics. Each week would have a theme or area that the articles would cover, with the results being available on-line and also in a much more readable PDF format.

It’s in it’s 12th week so far and though all of the articles arn’t something I’m that interested in, and not all do I agree with, they have have had some insightful articles on many aspects of gaming from mobile, casual and even the massive multiplayer experiences. Subscribing to it is easy enough with an e-mail being sent to you with the latest articles every Teusday, and another one with Friday extra articles.

It’s worth it to take a look at what they have to offer. It offers a break from traditional game writing, without decending into the navel gazing that new game journalism can decend into. Take a look.

Netflix

Netfilx, one of the few .com companies to survive the blow out and keep going strong. Being as nerdy as I tend to be at times, I’m suprised that I didn’t get into the service until just a few months ago.

I thought it might be a hard sell to Jess, but I think her friends at work did a better job of selling her on it than I ever could have. So we signed up a few months ago. Started a queue, and now with 50 movies or so in it and more that could be tossed in, it’s great.

It’s been a great way to pick up older classics (Hitchcock, Kirosawa), foreign and fun newer movies. Not to make this a cheesy ad for Netflix, but I like the ability to find obscure movies and keep them until I actually have a chance to watch them (I have had Kirosawa’s Rashamon for a month and a half now).

I’m Not Dead

Really. I’m not. But lots of activity in the life has kept me away. Good news and all though:

– It’s going to be a boy. Due November 4th, little Ash William Anderson will make his way out into the world. It’s amazing!

– We just got our first home. It’s fun, stressful, and a lot of work.

Both those and just regular work keep me busy, but I’ll be back. Honest.