2011 is dead, long live 2012

Now that 2011 is disappearing in the haze of firework smoke, it is time to reflect on achievements and setbacks and hope for a feeling other than regret or shame. Hoping to avoid the feeling not unlike using tissues by yourself when you are not sick. 2011 must have been fun because it disappeared faster than the dips on Christmas day. Or was it just our dips that the flies covered? I'm not so sure now if that is an appropriate metaphor.

Anywho...

I tried a bunch of new things this year and achieved two out of the three goals. I went climbing on real rocks with a bunch of mates and now go climbing regularly, albeit indoors (it is just too bloody hot at times). I did get together with the Chess Hammer guys and did silly voices in a microphone. The only thing I did not accomplish was the first draft, but I am halfway there (whoa, living on a prayer) and look to finish that in the next couple of months when work dies down in two weeks. I have not been avoiding writing, I have just been writing things other than the novel.

Plus now I am inspired by the A Beer For The Shower's debut novel "The Missing Link", available at all good Amazons as an ebook. It is super funny and hooks you straight away with jokes about fat cats with diabetes (not a competition entry, the book is actually funny). Read their blog and get in to it.

Big shout out goes to Greg at Dogs On Drugs, your website is one slander case short of legendary and your insanity is helping me keep track of mine. I hope someone makes you a sandwich soon, preferably someone famous.

The Simple Dude in a complex world is worth a look if you're not already doing so on a regular basis.

Scott at It's MY Mind can manifest a good chuckle, get in to that too.

For 2012, life is going to get pretty busy.

• I will finish that first draft, and if it is any good, start the second draft.
• I am getting back into long distance running despite what I have said before. It is mostly because I like food too much, but there are a few ultra marathons that I want to do.
• I'm going to do more stand up comedy. I have entered into Raw Comedy, which is an emerging stand up competition in Australia. I hope to develop my act, get more comfortable on stage, and be better at writing jokes in general. The less time my girlfriend rolls her eye the better I would imagine. But with more puns.

Let's see how that goes for now, I can always re-evaluate in a few months. That's the point of goals over resolutions.

2011 is dead, long live 2012.

Look after yourselves,

Rusty

Those who think they're funny, please Stand up

Of all the things that made headlines last month, this wasn't one of them. 

My girlfriend dobbed me in to have a crack at stand up comedy. There is an open mike night here at the Rhino Room every Monday, and the people there are awesome and very supportive. Check them out if you are in the area.

The guys from The Chess Hammer and the Chess Hammer collective came out for support, we had a few local beers and pear ciders, and it turned out to be a good night.

I loved it. I was shitting myself, but I loved it. It is an amazing experience to make a room full of people laugh, and equally amazing to hear silence. 

Some of the jokes were adapted from this blog, and I will be having another crack soon. I will let you know how that one goes. It should be within the next week or so.

Unless I die in the arse...

Steve Jobs is dead, long live Steve Jobs 2.0

The Internet is a buzzing. But instead of the hyper excitement or removed anger that usually drives such buzzing, this time it is a mournful drone; Steve Jobs has passed away at the age of 56.

What does this mean for Apple? Will they lose their vision and way without the turtleneck out front? Time will tell on this story, but for now they will still be strong. 

I have never been that keen on Apple. Not because of their products, because unlike many things they just work and fill a need, but because of the beret wearing hipster wannabes proclaiming that Microsoft was evil and was controlling the world.

What about iTunes? Everything goes on or in an Apple product is controlled by Apple and approved by Apple, and it took awhile for them to lose the DRM on their music. Even setting up your device to work on more than one of your computers is a pain, and to what end? Apple is not that innocent.

To be popular and successful in technology, you are invited into people's homes, offices, and everyday lives, and store and share their personal and secret information. In business it is always about growth, and growth is made by a tribe, and keeping people in your tribe. Apple did that well.

The products are still with Apple, and they are still great, the people who help create and share the dreams are still with Apple, and they are still brilliant, most importantly the tribe is still with Apple, and they still wear berets.

Do you think the next man out front for Apple should wear a turtleneck? Does it define the brand?

Image taken here: http://xkcd.com/934/

Goal Update 3

Half the year has gone, only a third of the way through that rough draft... it is going to be a tight finish. Motivation is not the problem, I am trying to do too many projects at once. I need to step back, do some planning, and re-organise my priorities so that goals are met.

The Chess Hammer stuff is coming, it is just in an editing phase.

On the long Easter weekend I did achieve the third goal. I climbed a real rock. Have a look on the page for a picture.

Is this my shortest post ever?

Goal Update 2!

I said no excuses, but March sucked for output.

No work was done on the novel and that is just not good enough. April has been good so far though; I have written three more scenes and have attended a workshop to help with the planning and building of my book. Good advice was received and motivation at a high.

I did however write and re-write a script for The Chess Hammer. Recording is planned this week for one of our sketches. I'm really excited and looking forward to it. It would be weird if I was excited and wasn't looking forward to it but its my sentence so back off!

Take that grammar freaks.

Goal Update!

Finished research and outline last week. I am now the proud owner of the start of my first draft! Two scenes down so far, and many more to go.

February has arrived, and the following few months will be as busy as how January ended, so I need to pump out as much as I can now.

There will be no excuses.

Merry New Year to you all!

My dad got me out of the habit of asking people if they had a good Christmas. Now I wish them a happy “New Year” or ask them about their "holiday season", which is as generic as it comes. It was a good idea on three fronts; the obvious cultural sensitivity, Y fronts, and what would become my loathing of Christmas. I’m not saying that we should stop celebrating Christmas for fear of offending people or endorsing the “Political Correctness Police”. Far from it. I am just saying if you want to avoid that uncomfortable silence that follows when you have made a knob out of yourself in front of someone who does not celebrate Christmas, it is probably best.

But now  tis the season to make resolutions, and by late February, that becomes the season to break resolutions. Fa la la la laaaa, la laa laaa laaaa. I find resolutions a difficult subject. I love the concept that a fresh Gregorian year is a head of us and it is a time to admit our shortcomings and try to fix something in our lives that we are not too happy, or proud of. Just remember when we fail to meet them; it is not all that bad.

I prefer to call them goals. It is a little homebrand “same shit, different label” but goals are a little more flexible, can be re-evaluated along the journey, and therefore not the end of the world if you fall short.

These are my goals for 2011

1. Write a first draft of a novel
I love to write, but I only share it with a few select people. I have been writing since 2004 and I have attempted a novel in the past, but I have never finished one. I generally write short stories, sketches, radio plays, and just really odd stuff. This will be the year I turn down that self critic voice.

2. Produce either a clip, short film, or a sketch with The Chess Hammer.
The Chess Hammer is a bunch of my mates and I who just have a great time and talk shit together. We have been talking about doing stuff for a while, and this year we are finally in a position to do something. Let's stop talking and start filming!

3. Climb a real rock
It is always good to have a physical goal. Last year I ran a 54km ultra marathon, but this year I started doing indoor rock climbing, and it is pretty sweet. I do have a problem sticking to just one route because I am colour blind and have trouble differentiating between some of the rocks. I asked some people at the climbing centre what I could do about it and they climb some real rocks. Sounds like a good plan to me.

I have added a few new pages so that I can track how each goal is coming along. Drop us a comment and let me know what you will be striving for in 2011.
 
Good luck for the coming year!
 
Rusty