Temporary Hiatus

At first it was a video game addiction that caused my hiatus (though I could write up a list on what Final Fantasy 9 is teaching me), but now a family crisis has come into play. This is not to be an overly personal blog, so the explanation will remain vague. Basically, there is an inevitable event approaching...much faster than we expected, and I will probably be an unstable mess for several weeks. Actually, it will likely last much longer, but I think the impact on my ability to write in this blog won't last as long. I don't know. I've never really faced this sort of situation before. For now, I will remain on this hiatus and my hope is that I'll be able to start sporadic posts within a few weeks. Preparation can sometimes soften the blow, but said blow can still knock you flat. I cannot predict my full reaction. 

I still find ways to reframe the situation, but they are way to personal to post here. Memories are powerful. Always consider what kind you want to make. 

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates. 

~Marty~

Snow Day Lessons

1 - You know you love something if you get giddy at the thought of it.
2 - It's actually quite mentally refreshing to play a game you haven't played in years...especially if it's your favorite.
3 - Shoveling sleet while it's still coming down is like...um...Well, it's just a bad idea. Better to do something productive that won't get erased within half an hour or so.
4 - Snow days are fun.
5 - People can just be so silly sometimes.

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates.
~Marty/SoLuKo~

Late Night Lessons

1 - There will always be slip ups, but how you treat them determines whether you will succeed or fail in the end. My advice, learn and keep moving forward.
2 - No matter what your relationship, friendship or romantic, communication is a key factor in keeping it alive.
3 - Sometimes help comes from unexpected places (for me, it was a clip in a TV show. It helped me realize how to properly vocalize something I've been repressing for a while. Still hurts, but having a firm grasp of how I feel about it is actually rather calming).
4 - Once you get used to a particular sleep schedule that involves going to bed before midnight, later nights are really hard to deal with.
5 - Mother nature is obviously not fond of us right now...unless lots of snow and ice is her way of showing love.

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates.
~Marty/SoLuKo~

Small hiatus due to unexpected addictive show

I will post a real entry later, but needless to say my two day hiatus has been due to the live action version of Wallflower stealing my soul. It's really hard to stop watching. I always like to post in the last hour of the day...Well, that's when I've been watching Wallflower. I expect to have slip ups like these for the first few months of this project because I'm really not used to blogging every day and I have difficulty keeping to a routine.

I plan to do better. This project is all about teaching myself to stick to at least one scheduled activity as well as trying to get something out of life every day. Even the less active and exciting ones that provide very little material.

So, early on this Sunday morning I am learning the meaning of self control and the consequences of losing it. I have not stayed up this late in a rather long time, so I'm definitely going to feel it tomorrow. Whee.

Oyasuminasai, minna-san...Bah. I have a tendency to slip into what I do remember of my Japanese classes when I watch Japanese shows.

What I mean to say is good night, everyone. I'll write a real post later today.
~Marty/SoLuKo~

Lessons of the Book Club Dinner

1 - The advantage of a book club is that you have at least one night a month that you spend with good friends talking about a topic you're all interested in...Sometimes there's good wine, too.
2 - Always remember to count yourself when figuring out numbers for a party.
3 - You know you have a true friend when they roll up their sleeves and help you with the dishes. Don't forget to be one, too.
4 - The disadvantage of meeting your mom's friends is that they all ask how you're doing and what you're up to.
5 - I adore the ladies in my mom's book club.

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates.
~Marty/SoLuKo~

I think I need to get out more

1 - Sometimes life likes to wait until I've voiced my annoyance to another person before it makes things happen.
2 - When an opportunity to try something new presents itself, don't be afraid to take it.
3 - Random casual chats are fun.
4 - I know you're not supposed to shop when you're hungry, but I don't think it's so bad if you steer yourself towards healthier items.
5 - Our neighborhood raccoon is huge...it also likes to hide under recently parked cars.

Is it weird that most of these lessons came from a simple trip to the grocery store? Well, sadly that was the highlight of my day.

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates.
~Marty/SoLuKo~

Five Important Words

1 - Respect
2 - Perseverance
3 - Honor
4 - Appreciation
5 - Love

Today was a slow day, so I decided to go with a list of words I try to keep in mind every day.

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates.
~Marty/SoLuKo~

Rather Anecdotal Lessons

1 - Even if you're sure of what to expect, sometimes life will just pleasantly surprise you.
2 - If you're going to spend time in a basement rec room with inadequate heating during the winter, remember to dress in layers and always keep a blanket at the ready.
3 - Nothing startles me more than a carbon monoxide detector with a low battery. Those things are frakkin' loud, especially when they're less than five feet away from you (I was playing a game when it started its little beep once every couple minutes and I almost fell off the couch. The weird thing is that it stopped when I got back downstairs with the new battery, so I left it alone. It started again about 20 minutes later and I changed the battery. I think it was messin' with me).
4 - There is a sort of zen one must reach while attempting to ace levels on LittleBigPlanet 2. Without it there would be broken TVs and controllers.
5 - My dog Mitzi likes to bark at the most random things when she's watching the backyard through the windows.

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates.
~Marty/SoLuKo~

Lessons of the Sleepy

I probably wouldn't miss days if I posted earlier in the evening.

1 - A great way to start the day is with laughter.
2 - It's rather nice when you suddenly realize that you've been relaxed and in a good mood overall for a record number of days.
3 - Try to take time to exercise your creativity in some way.
4 - Trust your instincts. More often than not they are right.
5 - Sleep takes priority over any project.

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates.
~Marty/SoLuKo~

I have the urge to write these in haiku

I just might write the list in haiku one of these days.

1- Don't mourn what once was, use it as a reminder that such things are possible for you to have again if you work hard (for example: I was once at a healthy weight with decent strength in my muscles, which means I can get that back with hard work and perseverance).
2 - It's exciting when you realize you've really started something that will improve your life.
3 - Random conversations are fun.
4 - It's really hard to stop watching falling snow. So mesmerizing.
5 - I am easily addicted to BBC shows (right now it's all about Downton Abbey).

I get the feeling I've repeated a lesson, but I'm too tired to check right now. Though there are some things where repetition is a good thing.

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates.
~Marty/SoLuKo~

Random Lessons

Well, I missed it again (because I fell asleep earlier than usual). Hmm. Perhaps I should make a new rule to make up for my forgetful days.

1 - Sometimes the best laid plans get better instead of going awry.
2 - Some of my best story material can come from the strangest places.
3 - It feels good to throw in a helping hand and do more than what's expected of me.
4 - I seem to enjoy things more when I've had to wait for them.
5 - Little Big Planet 2 is frakkin' awesome. It definitely won my favor when they used Nightwish music.

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates.
~Marty/SoLuKo~

Lessons in aisle seven

1 - I like to think that award shows not only exist to acknowledge those who have exceeded expectation, but they're also around to remind you what movies and shows you haven't seen yet (my parents always make a list of things to see when they come out on DVD...or things to try to see while they're still in the theater).
2 - Sometimes it's fun to let your imagination run away with your time.
3 - Athletic companies need a clothing line that is aimed at people who are not already fit like an Olympian.
4 - I think bra makers have a vendetta against women who are not a size 2 or sommat, especially when it comes to sports bras.
5 - Chocolate makes everything better. A large amount of it is not required though. Just a piece of GOOD chocolate.

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates.
~Marty/SoLuKo~

Longer Lessons

1 - It's easier to find people with similar interests than one might think (I had only been at the fitness center for about 10 minutes before I found some ladies chattin' about the BBC. It was awesome).
2 - It's really hard to be embarrassed when there are about 20 other ladies doing the exact same thing as you and they obviously don't feel that way. They're having fun.
3 - If you're new to setting goals and putting in the effort to reach them, it's better to clearly define what your goal is and set a vague deadline. A bit easier to follow and you're less likely to completely stress yourself out over it. Also, if you can, find a way to make it enjoyable for you.
4 - It's better to exhaust all possible solutions before declaring something broken because sometimes it's something really simple that's causing the problem.
5 - Nature can completely surprise you.

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates.
~Marty/SoLuKo~

Keep moving forward.

Well, I missed yesterday, but I won't let that get me down. It's bound to happen every now and then. I just have to let it go and move on. Plenty more days to have fun with.

1 - Taking initiative with something feels really good.
2 - Seeing someone you care about also take initiative to better their health is also an excellent feeling. Though this time it's pride and relief.
3 - I have more social skills than I thought I did. I just have to gain more confidence in them. Well, practice creates improvement.
4 - My dreams can be enormously weird sometimes...and really frakkin' interesting.
5 - Zumba is fun. It'll help me lose weight and restore my rusty coordination skills to what they used to be.

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates.
~Marty/SoLuKo~

Lessons of the semi-conscious.

1 - Some surveys can actually help you reevaluate your life and give you ideas on how to make things better.
2 - Just because a day starts out poor doesn't mean it has to stay that way and sometimes it can provide you with an advantage to the rest of your day.
3 - A broom is a very effective tool for getting snow off your car.

4 - Sometimes all it takes is having a nice person around to make an unpleasant experience more bearable. 

5 - In spite of all the needle pokes I had in the fall, I still hate them. However, the people who have to stick me with 'em have made the experiences tolerable, especially today...she gave me food.

Yeah, I'm really tired and spent most of the day in a dazed state due to an early start paired with fasting and lots of blood work. It was still a good day though. I met some nice people. =D

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates.
~Marty/SoLuKo~

Scattered Lessons

1 - There is always a way to have fun with something you don't particularly enjoy. You just have to be creative and figure out a way to make it amusing. If you know yourself well enough, it should be relatively easy.
2 - Snow can provide marvelous entertainment...like watching all the local news stations scramble to find stories about the snow.
3 - You're more likely to succeed if you actually try to do something instead of just talking about it.
4 - With the proper instructions, I can cook meat without ruining it.
5 - Possums can and will live just about anywhere they want to.

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates.
~Marty/SoLuKo~

I appear to be in a chatty mood today

1 - It's actually really nice when your own brain knows exactly how to make sure you get up for an early appointment. Even if it's not particularly pleasant (in my case, having me dream about someone I'd rather not dream about paired with a situation that I want, but know will never happen in reality...Still it got me up and the rest of the day was wonderful. I'm on to you, brain. I know you're cleverer than you seem sometimes).
2 - School workbooks are a great way to refresh your skills in various subjects and just because you've got a college degree doesn't mean you remember everything you learned in previous grades (I realized this while looking through math workbooks in Borders. There's so much I've forgotten how to do. XD)
3 - I've realized that even though some of the coincidences in my life are really weird, they also make things rather convenient (ex: the doctors that I have to see in a given year seem to be split into three different groups. Each group shares a similar location whether it's offices in the same building, on the same street, or in the same general area. It makes it easy to remember how to get to them.  The most convenient situation is if I have to see my orthodontist and dentist in the same day because they're on the same floor of the same building...and my psychiatrist is right up the street from them. XD)
4 - Nothing makes you feel closer to working society (even if you aren't quite a permanent member of it yet) like visiting a grocery store at lunchtime (despite the crowds...it was a lot of fun to see who descended upon Whole Foods to buy their lunch). While some may not like this feeling, I rather enjoyed it.
5 - A bit of Guinness is a recommended ingredient for the soft gingerbread.

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates.
~Marty/SoLuKo~

Today is all about the dogs...mostly.

1 - Playing with a pet is a great way to recharge your batteries.
2 - Something that always cheers me up is the overenthusiastic greeting of my dogs.
3 - My dogs are some of the strangest and silliest creatures I've ever encountered. I love 'em.
4 - I believe pets (in general) exist so that you know that you are loved no matter what happens, which is why you should take good care of them.
5 - The media is a beast that will never die...they eat just about anything, too.

Okay that last one isn't exactly positive, but it's hilarious if you imagine the media as a final boss in an RPG game and think about the type of attacks it would have and what it would be weak against.

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates.
~Marty/SoLuKo~

I draw some of today's inspiration from video games.

They can teach you a lot. Like patience, hand-eye coordination, and there's a reason primal screaming is an accepted therapy by some psychologists.

1 - Things not being what you expected isn't always a bad thing.
2 - Sometimes it's better to talk about a problem than to keep silent about it. You can be pleasantly surprised by the results.
3 - Failure can be frustrating at times, but it tends to make success just that much sweeter in the end.
4 - Every now and then it's okay to spend the day in your jammies. It can refresh your spirit.
5 - Breakfast for dinner is delicious. =D

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates.
~Marty/SoLuKo~

I also learned a lot about Napoleon today.

I went to the Napoleon exhibit at the history museum today. It was very interesting, but I kept having stray thoughts about how Rimmer would've reacted had he ever found such an exhibit.

1 - Despite the trouble it can cause later, watching snow fall is very calming (and apparently my dog, Mitzi, enjoys watching it, too).
2 - I get a real laugh out of Victorian era entertaining etiquette (I bought a book about it and I love the way it's written because it's serious about the subject, but...it just seems so...ridiculous. It's so over the top). Despite the silliness, it's still one of my favorite eras of British history.
3 - I've learned that a dog (in this case, my dog, Ginger) who's very determined to get a kleenex out of the trash can is frakkin' hilarious. Though I haven't learned why she loves kleenex filled with boogers so much.
4 - Don't pick fights with Russia. It's bad luck. Leaders who have picked fights with that country in the past tend lose the wars they're already fighting.
5 - I'm taller than Napoleon.

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates.
~Marty/SoLuKo~

Today was a Foxy Day

I got my Stupid Fox plushie today (along with a cute button) and in a funny coincidence I had decided to wear my fox shirt from Threadless...and then there's my fox calendar. XD

1 - I'm a fan of delayed gratification because it's more satisfying in the end, but sometimes a bit of instant gratification is rather nice.
2 - Sometimes life has a fabulous sense of irony and it can be quite amusing. (today's example: I'm probably a month or two away from getting my braces off and the guy next to me in the office had just gotten his put on).
3 - Life also likes to set up really weird coincidences that are just frakkin' hilarious. (I was on the elevator with two other guys and we all left the building, heading for our cars and it turned out that our cars were in the same row and in the same order that we stood in when we were on the elevator. Also I like to think that our cars sorta matched our outward appearances and implied personalities. High school kid (maybe early college *shrug*) had the typical smallish, obviously used car that kids in that age range all seem to have, middle aged man with the trucker look had a large pick up truck, and then there's me the one that looks kinda crazy with an eclectic taste in clothes and bumper stickers. I probably looked even crazier because I started laughing when I noticed this).
4 - It doesn't hurt to be social with people you're probably going to see a lot more of in the coming months. Who knows, you might make a new friend or two.
5 - I can't have a bad day when it's full of foxes. =D

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates.
~Marty/SoLuKo~

I need to stop posting so late.

1 - There are times where missing a meeting (in my case choir) turns out to be the better choice.
2 - It's quite difficult to get out of bed when there's a dog pinning down your arm.
3 - The phrase: "Men are from Mars and women are from Venus" is quite true...at least in my family's case. My dad and my brother displayed that phrase today. They had a similar view on a subject, but said view was very different from how my mother and I looked at it. It was actually really funny. XD
4 - Always double check the list of possibilities.
5 - Science is fun.

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates.
~Marty/SoLuKo~

Happy Anniversary to my Mom and Dad

1 - That statistic that says 50% of all marriages end in divorce...Bah, lies. At least in my parents' case. 36 years and still very much in love with each other. =D
2 - Long, warm showers are a blessing. I love 'em.
3 - There are many pleasures in life and, to me, opening a crisp, new puzzle book is one of 'em.
4 - It's amazing what you can sleep through if you try hard enough and/or are tired enough (in my case, it was the guys cutting down our walnut tree. I got up to move my car a bit after 8am and went back to bed, thinking I'd only get a bit of sleep before they woke me up with all the noise...Nope. I got almost two more hours of sleep. They were halfway finished with the tree by the time I got up). Having two warm dogs as bed companions helps.
5 - If pick pocketing is really frakkin' hard for me in a game (Assassin's Creed) then it would probably be even harder in the real world. Definitely not a viable career choice for me, so I will keep looking. Where'd I put those classified ads? Hmmm.

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates!
~ Marty/SoLuKo ~

Insert Witty Title Here

1 - If I had to choose between playing video games alone and playing video games with friends. I'd go with friends. It's more fun.

2 - Sometimes it's better to approach something carefully rather than go barreling through it. 

3 - I always feel more refreshed and energized when I start the day with something I enjoy. Like a bit of story writing.

4 - Never be afraid to ask for help.

5 - A cappella music is awesome...and rather addictive.

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates. 

~Marty / SoLuKo~

"Oh Happy Day"

Takin' a phrase from Sister Act 2.

1 - Even if the night was rough, the day can still be fantastic. (I've been spending most of my nights coughing because of a bad sinus infection, but that doesn't mean my days have to be crappy, too). 

2 - My dogs apparently believe my having laryngitis gives them the freedom to ignore my squeaky commands. Their reactions to my change in voice is pretty funny, too. 

3 - The simple act of relaxing on the couch with a pair of loving dogs can make one feel much better (add in a puzzle book and some Mythbusters episodes and it's even better. XD)

4 - A chore can be more fun when done with another person.

5 - Squirrels are extremely entertaining animals.

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates!

~Marty / SoLuKo~

New Year's Day

1 - Time is never wasted if you enjoy what you're doing.
2 - A clean room can have a very different feeling from a messy one. It's more relaxing.
3 - Dreams can provide interesting characters who have quite a fascinating story to tell.
4 - Sometimes taking things slower than usual can yield something fun. (In my case, it was taking my time with breakfast. I got to watch all sorts of birds in the yard and even saw a Cooper's Hawk. Sweet!)
5 - My mom can make a mean standing rib roast. Yum!

Hope your day was as fantastic as mine.

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates.
~Marty / SoLuKo~

The Point of This Blog

This is probably the fourth or fifth blog that I've made in my lifetime. I've been wanting to get back into blogging for years, but I wanted to keep it from becoming a place of ranting and self-analysis like my others did. Those are just too personal and let's face it, who the hell wants to spend time reading an entry about how much someone hates something (unless it's humorously written) or one that involves someone whining about how unfair life is ("OMG So-and-so is totally mean! My parents won't let me stay out late! They suck! I can't get a bf/gf! OMG my life totally sux! *insert more drama-addict whiny shit*"). Yeah...I don't see how anyone would want to read such things unless they plan to make fun of them...or they have no life and like to troll...or both. Sometimes those go hand in hand.

So, I've been racking my brain to figure out what I want to write about. I wanted to do something that was somewhat personal, but would keep me from ranting and raving on bad days. Avoidance of ranting also led me to decide against some sort of highly opinionated blog because there are things that get me really wound up. In the end, it came to me. Write something positive about life. I'm a big fan of looking on the bright side of things and the idea that life is an ongoing learning experience, so I came up with the five items list that I have come to call "Reframing the Day".

Reframing is essentially changing the way you think about a situation. Looking at an event with a different perspective, context, point-of-view, etc. I particularly like to use humor. I spent way too much time in high school and college focusing on the negative things (especially in high school). This really changed when I read an article on reframing in one of my college courses and it was only built upon when I took Positive Psychology and read Viktor Frankl's Man's Search For Meaning in History of Psychology. The weeks I spent experimenting with these ideas were some of the best I have ever experienced. When you look on the bright side of things...you just feel better. It's not about ignoring the bad stuff either. You merely reframe the bad stuff to make it more positive and/or humorous. For example, I have no job right now (I'm trying to remedy that), but for now it allows me to focus on getting things done that I would otherwise ignore if I were busy with a job (cleaning my room, learning to cook, etc). Yeah, the problem still exists, but I'm not letting myself get depressed about it. Negativity dooms progress. Short term you might get more done if you're trying to make yourself feel better, but that doesn't last long and there's the chance your progress could deteriorate (starting with the "two steps forward, one step back" effect and eventually you're going backwards).

The rules of the blog are simple:

1.) Try to post once a day (I say try because sometimes I really don't have anything to say. This blog is meant to encourage me to make daily posts. If I had made it mandatory then I don't think I'd enjoy it at all).
2.) At least three of the five statements must be positive.
3.) Negative items must be spun in a humorous light. (ex: "Today I learned that violently shaking a Micron pen is a bad idea...The spatter effect on the wall is fun though.")
4.) Try to keep things short and simple. (It's unlikely I'll write more than two paragraphs again unless I have an amusing story to write about).
5.) Do not write when angry. Do not write when angry. Do not write when angry! (When angry, go play video games instead...or work on battle scenes for your stories).

Every now and then you might get some extra paragraphs or even an extra entry from me, but only when I feel like it or if it's something necessary (like a hiatus I can't avoid or sommat). The blog design will also change with the seasons.

So, that's what the blog is all about. It gives me something to do every day and encourages me to keep it positive regardless of what happens. I get more things done that way.

Catch ya' on the flipside, mates.
~Marty / SoLuKo~