Ravings of an Undead Cheese Minion

In 1.5 hours.  I'm going to bed now but I'm sure the fireworks will wake me up.  "This will be the day we've waited for."

candlewax on her back blood pools below as the evening shadows dance I wander here below lost in the rhythm of fireglow burning holes in the dust as I pace --  my art that paints my hate for this place faint smoke rises as candles glow hollowed-out drumbeats on empty skulls we are the ones who forsook it all amidst the thorns, we chose to fall and so we burn the candles atop her back the gray moon topples as the stars turn black (let it all turn black, let it all turn black) why did you snuff out my stars? my moon and Venus, Saturn, Mars I wanted to watch them fall from the sky As they were mine, the day my light died. When these skulls once lived, what made them scream? Their thoughts, their hopes, opinions, dreams? We are the ones who made them die In these sputtering flames that mock the night sky.  we are the ones who forsook it all amidst the thorns, we chose to fall and so we burn the candles atop her back the gray moon topples as the stars turn black (let it all turn bl...

I was always using bodyspace to track my lifts. But then I found this thing (Liftoff) Do you see this elephant? The tiny little elephant with a sweatband? It's so cute. Serotonin temporarily restored. This little guy will get me progressing in the gym. 

  I've been doubted today again. This happens a lot when I visit home. 

NYR aren't finished yet, but I have a loose list of deliverables and challenges. I didn't realize advent of code ended on Christmas (lol, should've been obvious based on the name) so I flubbed that.  My main pain points are: Not getting to bed on time Running out of time for 3d art Running out of time for coding projects Running out of time for engineering studies 3d art will be fixed if I do at least 30 mins at the end of my art studies. I need to figure out code/eng because there's a lot of physics and math to do. Then if I don't game any later than 30 mins before my cutoff time for bed, I'll get to bed basically on time. 

Didn't realize my Gardevoir's like 50 power move would nuke it Legit just randomly stumbled on a shiny of one of my favorite pokemon and killed it I really don't have much going for me right now. 

I watch some Nick Bare videos from time to time. One of them really stuck with me because it helped me to understand something that didn't make sense to me for most of my life until now.  I never understood what people meant when they said "you have to make time ." Like, what does that even mean?  Turns out, it just means scheduling in advance and committing to what you've scheduled. That's it.  Instead of reactive planning, where you try to "fit everything in" and then suddenly it's the end of the day and you haven't done half of the stuff you wanted to.  Yesterday I 100% ran out of time. I ended up working late due to being stuck on a major bug (and figured I could use that to leave early on Thursday anyway). That was worth it I feel, even though it is very rare for me, but then I got completely thrown off the rest of the day. Because I did not make time for everything.  So, how am I going to do that today? I also have to make up for the sessio...

DSA I'll be studying: Double linked lists  Circular linked lists  Challenges I'll be doing: Advent of Code  Coding and IT concepts I'll be reviewing: Kaggle (ML), Bandit Wargames (level 12-13), C++ Operating systems (Google IT) Excel operations Shader programming Python in Maya Fast.ai lesson 1 Coding projects I'll be working on: Foam Fraction Flow (plus email professor) Fortune Quest Arduino blinking lights  Freelancing: my dad's site Portfolio site revamp Open source -- might start with Krita.  Art concepts I will be reviewing: Virtual cameras Grid method  Anime hairstyles Pencils Lines Drawabox 250 boxes  Art projects I will be working on: Webcomic character designs  Finizen fan art 3d ornament  Writing projects I will be working on: Eternisummer: finish chapter 8  WTS (collaborative project): finish chapter 1 HGHL: outlining Engineering, math, and physics: Mapping shapes -- finish up.  Intro to EE week 5 PLC I review everything ...

Some is to be expected with ramping up workout intensity, but I'm going to have to start separating my creation and study block sessions with walks and stretches. It's been hurting the past few days.  Something like Creation: art, writing, music, Duolingo  Take a 10-15 minute walk or roll out Studies: technical stuff  10-15 minutes movement Games and game dev I think it's the only sustainable way of progressing if I'm going to stick to this intense schedule. In the summer, the first walk will instead be a water park session instead so it will be a lot longer. Just anything to get moving without jacking up the back. 

Wed is my most intense day of the week. Here's what it looks like: 70 mins lifting legs (doubles as a warmup for the run): quads, hams, glutes, calves, abductors, adductors 2x sets of: Bodyweight squats Thigh abductor machine Thigh adductor machine Seated leg press  Seated calf press Lying leg curls Leg extensions Seated leg curl Standing leg curl Hack squats Bulgarian split squats Dumbbell lunges Dumbbell calf raise Flutter kicks Dumbbell squats Dumbbell seated one-leg calf raise Hip circles Standing barbell calf raises Clams Side-lying leg lifts Glute kickbacks 6.25 mile run: 1 mile tempo 1 mile fartlek 1 mile hills, slopes, and stairs 1 mile intervals (400m with 400m rest) 1 mile accelerations (get faster every 400m) 1.25 mile cooldown  Balance board Yes. Yes it does hurt. :D My 5k split today was 21:41 which means I should be able to race a lot faster than that :) I've thought about adding in one-leg standing  calf raises but idk. Kinda don't want to amp up the liftin...

I did well in Data Structures & Algorithms. I also did well in Algorithm Analysis. In fact, I aced all my C++ classes. BYU used to start you out with C++, with the idea being that other languages would feel much easier after that (they don't do that anymore, IIRC they start you with Python).  And they were right. It worked well.  Unfortunately, I haven't been caught up on my C++ lately, despite being a "graphics guy". Almost all my stuff was in C# and Python. And that was what my interview was supposed to be about yesterday, C# just like the first round that I cleared easily, but for some reason, it was in C++. I got destroyed because I completely forgot the basics of pointers and memory management (again, from classes that I once aced). They also drilled extremely deeply about the 2 projects I had forgotten most about: my Adobe popup card project, and my DreamWorks pipeline porting project (the latter of which I did while in the grips of despair because I was los...

Triple pepperoni nooooo it looks so good lol 😭 I LOVE Marco's pizza but I already derailed my cut for 2 weeks (sick + holiday, I always overeat when I'm sick) and I need it done before I go home for Christmas or else I'm never going to lean bulk and actually gain muscle.  This had better still be there when I'm done lol. I generally can't even do pizzas this big on Saturdays because I'll inevitably end up eating the rest later in the week and blowing my budgets. Too much is at stake right now.   

I may hate the winter, but I've got a good routine going now.  1. Lift weights, full body.  2. Long run of 14-16 miles.  3. Get ready for the day. Breakfast, shower, maybe do the hot tub outdoors.  4. Artistic: Languages, music, digital art, reading, writing. ~2h.  5. Lunch and walk at the park.   6. Technical: Coding/IT, engineering, games/game dev. ~1.5-2h 7. Rec center water slides and hot tub -- my theme park activity. Then shower back at home.  8. Dinner with friends 9. Gaming, watch a show or movie, meditate, stretches and injury prevention, bed.  When you get a good routine, guard it with your life. No interruptions tolerated without significant advance warning, or absolute emergencies. 

It highlighted a treasure chest for me to click on. I did, thinking that it was another lesson or reward, and it forced me to start a Super trial with no way of opting out.  I didn't want to try a Super trial until my finances were more stable (I make decent money atm, just suck at managing it and my roommate owes me about $8000 in overdue rent payments) and I haven't had time to use the premium features since I only use Duolingo for 10-15 mins a day for my spanish, japanese, and Norwegian. So this is kind of dumb. Sure, the trial is free but I'm not gonna get the use out of it that I want. I wanted to wait until I was close to actually wanting to pay, though admittedly I have major subscription fatigue right now.  Prob gonna just use Duo as a daily warmup and switch over to Dreaming Spanish to attack that language first.  I did not ask for this yet you homicidal owl 

I'm going to try and complete at least 1 challenge. I'll just use Java since I'm the most familiar with it. Though sometimes I want to do C++.  My yearly challenges are usually: July: Art Fight October: Drawtober November: Rough Draft Challenge (formerly NaNo) -- didn't do it this year BUT fixed my routines up which is huge December: Advent of Code Also I'm using Habitica and WOW this app has made me significantly more on TRACK. Why didn't I start this earlier? Well, I think my brain went "it's probably paid lol" and thus I never looked into it. NOPE, it's open source and free! Break was good. Man I love Santa Barbara. Especially the zoo.  Currently running on Bucked Up and spite. Will need to sleep early tonight, or else I'll be soup tomorrow. 

Turned around at Santa Barbara because it was "too foggy" and he flew us back to Vegas where our layover was. No refunds or hotel and we're stuck here overnight. Also the guy next to me was coughing the whole time. And I JUST got over being sick.  And I spent $16 on toothpaste  And of course I checked a bag instead of taking a carry on  Screw this stupid airline 

2 things for today.  1. I am still sick. I guess I'm not going to my band concert tonight, which is a shame, because it would've been my first solo. Can't be having coughing bouts onstage. However, my symptoms have improved significantly so I will likely be fine for Thanksgiving. This is just a blip in my musical journey (even if it's super annoying) 2. Kaggle's got a bug with their streak. On Saturdays I often don't log in until like 9 PM and I find that my streak is reset despite not missing a day. It seems that it's not synced to my timezone. 

1. run a lot 2. lift a lot 3. walk a lot 4. hike sometimes, maybe 3 hikes.  5. do some balance board, arch/toe strengthening, basically all stabilizer muscles 6. get the permit, for July or August ideally 7. pack insane amounts of food and water. if you think you have enough, you do not. I am probably gonna have to suck it up and use a water filter next time which I've never done before. pop some tylies (tylenol) and take your inhaler if you are asthmatic  8. do it in one day because backpacking overnight is lame when you could be in a nice hotel 9. start by walking at night through the obscenely creepy forest  10. once you hit the switchbacks, just keep shoving insane amounts of food in your mouth even if you feel like you are going to puke and just keep going. drink some water and Gatorade as well. pop more tylies  11. if you see snow or a cloud rolling in turn back turn back TURN BACK who cares 12. you will have a pounding headache at the top 13. on the way down y...

 667th post, sad day. 666 should reign supreme.   My end goals for competency are as follows:  LIFTING: 8% body fat at 160 lbs.  This should not be too much, so it won't mess with Boston, which brings me to... RUNNING: BQ consistently Ideally, 2:45 marathon and all the other times that match that MUSIC: Play clarinet in a reputable symphonic band or orchestra, play piano at the level where I can accompany choir and sing at the same time myself, and learn organ so I can get a few gigs doing that.  ART: Do commissions (2D and 3D), make comics, make games and VNs. Have an impressive portfolio and reel. Do FX and rigging. Have models and textures available on sites like TurboSquid Also be sure to watch shows and play games to stay immersed WRITING: Publication, read a ton, fanfic submissions  CODING/IT: Top at Leetcode/Neetcode, Kaggle/Advent of Code/CTFs, impressive portfolio of completed programs/apps and games, IT/security certs, freelancing and releasing my...

(1 book a week indefinitely. I'm nowhere near there yet but it will happen) ...Is that I'll finally be able to read all the 69420 fantasy novels that Zucc keeps spamming to me on FB

computer science is a field that inherently requires intensive abstraction you can't survive as a programmer without a propensity to abstract   data structures don't actually exist; they're human-level abstractions of code, which is itself an abstraction of circuitry. ultimately programming is just the art of flipping electrical current on and off in precisely the right sequences, electrical current which has been engineered to implement digital logic from analog electrical voltage. but then again, the digital realm itself is an abstraction; it does not exist in reality.  there is nothing that is truly digital; there is simply varying voltage that falls within specified ranges that we as humans  have determined to convert to 1s and 0s for the purpose of simplicity --  abstraction.  so yeah -- abstraction is all over the computer science world.  but art requires the exact opposite of that. you have to detach yourself from all abstraction, and focus solely on...

PR in the half marathon on Sat (1:23:02) after eating a Maverik pizza of all things the night before. Plus an uncrustable, Reese's lava big cup, a zero calorie ice pop flavored drink, and I can't remember what crackers or chips I ate right now.  Today what I thought was dryness ended up being a full blown sore throat. It got worse as the day progressed and my water consumption skyrocketed. Evening run is out, and so is clarinet and voice practice except for reading sheet music. Cut is on hold again even though I'm a week or two out from a sixpack. What a time to get sick. Piano in church on Sunday, band concert on Monday, dress rehearsal tomorrow, interviews actively in the pipe, and flying home on next Wednesday.  I shouldn't be surprised though. I get sick every November. And to think I felt like a million bucks lifting this morning. Oh how fast the tower topples.

Once again... As before, I cannot guarantee a lack of reposts. Let's see if blogger can handle all 71 or so of these lol