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| Notoriously. |
First off, I'm done with the GPS program at Ithaca College, but I didn't get anything out of it. I'm putting my math presentation project on the sidelines. No one wants to hear my inane rants about how to make sense of cubic reciprocity, leastwise me, at the moment. I'm taking a few InfoSci and CompSci classes next semester at Cornell University (I know what you're thinking, "goddamn it, more Cornell?! Rearry?!!" I say unto you, yes, because shut up). I looked over my resumé...and it's terrible. Chalk it up to a lot of pro bono editing, TKD and personal trainer, but I feel like it looks extremely empty. Therefore, I'm bolstering it in the best way possible. Jumping from personal project to personal project isn't my thing (which I've been doing with the math theorem, game project, music album), and I need to start moving forward. Also, building connections in this field might actually help me find professors and students interested in Project Hallabbey Shuffle. Like I said before, a one man team can do so much before sucking.
No, you perv, that's not a double entendre.
"But Lushima?" you ask, "how will you afford to take classes with a shitty job?" Well it's pretty obvious, isn't it? I'll whore myself out! No, but seriously, I'm thinking about supplementing my income by making a full-time business out of my paper editing (by "full-time", I mean I'll make people pay me for my work, for once). Peers and professors alike have taken a big liking to my skills. It's funny...it started with my parents asking me to look over their works. As usual, I agreed to it for nothing. Eventually, word spread through my mom and dad's respective offices that I possess a particular set of skills that make me a nightmare for typos and grammatical errors. Other friends gradually learned of my knack for eloquent writing and began making requests. Cut to now, people are interested in using me as an editor/for feedback. So, yeah, if I can make it work, I'll be, for lack of a better word.......stoked. (Yeah, that's some witty writing wordplay right there!
Sometimes, I wonder if I made the right choice by staying in Ithaca instead of going to Denver, as I'd planned before. It would have given me a chance to be around my brother and sister-in-law and to watch/guide my nephew as he grows into (more) badassitude. Also, Bill Pottle's school is there, which would give me the chance to compete with some top level athletes. I'd be foolish to deny the opportunity in that. However, I feel that I made the right choice, at least for the time being. I've got plenty of unfinished business here, personally and professionally.
Project Hallabbey Shuffle continues. With an outdated computer and software (and a broken CD drive, meaning no updates), I'm stuck with OSX 10.5 until I get a new computer (which will be a PC, btdubs), meaning I'm waiting until I can budget a new comp - hopefully soon, if everything goes according to plan! Since last I blogged, I've made major progress with the engine, though. C# and GTK 2.0., inefficient and archaic as they are, have allowed me to create the necessary classes to at least test run the meter/damage/counter system, if not the physics of the thing. After all, in order to create an engine/damage system, I only needed a most basic OOP language, and C# fit the bill. My very first game project (if you read my post Oldies but Goodies) was done using RealBasic and Java. Yes, it was terrible, but it got the job done, I s'pose. Now, if only technology didn't progress exponentially...using software outdated by four years is tantamount to using history textbooks that are 50 years old in a classroom setting. Psh, but NO one does that, right?
....right?
Anyway, I'm focusing on the music section of the project and have been banging out a few tunes here 'n' there. My friend Matt moved to Colorado and was effing awesome in that he gave me his bass upon leaving. It's people like him that remind me of the true Ithacan spirit. Thanks, Matt (not that you're reading this, but I just felt like making a shoutout)! Anyways, I recently came up with track GOLD - but actually track aluminum - with one particular theme, called Magazines in the Sand. Check it out here in the Hallabbey Shuffle set < https://soundcloud.com/cnrhkxtreme/ >. The movelists, as you probably know, have been well completed. All that's left to do is to balance meter damage. As for the engine, I've decided to add a few minor mechanics to it. Graphics...uh, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. If you, reader, know anyone interested in an awesome project, speak now or forever hold your peace...or speak later, that works too.
Most importantly, though, the 2013 US Open is coming up on February 18th, and I'll be competing in the welterweight division. No, I'm not talking about fucking golf or tennis (tennis would be pretty baller though) - this is TKD. This is major for a few reasons: this will be my first competition in approximately a year, my first injury-free competition in...well, lord knows HOW long, and my first time going to the US Open. Every year, some frustrating thing gets in the way (or I should say, I let something get in the way - excuses are a biatch): this year, it was both injury and finance, which I could have avoided by simply saving more carefully; last year, my class and Cornell Taekwondo schedule wouldn't allow me enough time, but I should have been able to find a way to make my professors understand the importance of this to me; the year before THAT, I just told myself I was too scrubby for the US Open and didn't bother going. I've since come to the conclusion that I won't be in good physical condition forever. Why not just go out and see what happens now, while I still can? It's also a good stepping stone for my World Championship/Olympic plans.
Strange as it sounds, winning isn't my goal - it's mainly to fight the strongest while I'm in prime fighting condition, and if I win, that's a nice perk. There are going to be a lot of top-level competitors, likely including Aaron Cook (a once-upon-a-time inspiration of mine, repping Isle of Man), Jayson Grant (also the effing man, repping Jamaica) and a few former ECTC/USAT allies and adversaries. It's since occurred to me that I shouldn't stratify fighters by their accolades - in the ring, titles don't matter for anything.
Anyway, it's going to be a pretty big event, and there's a lot I've had do for it. Cutting weight is paramount, but nothing new. The 80kg (176lbs) weight limit is much easier than the former ECTC limit of 78kg (172lbs) to which I've grown more accustomed, so I'm relieved. The two most important things are fully adjusting to the Daedo electronic scoring system and improving my stamina. Watch the below video for an example of Daedo electronic scoring in case you haven't seen it. (Also, Terrence Jennings is a BAMF, in case you didn't know and had no idea he won a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics).
I've got quite a lot to do next year...and I'm very excited about it. As a person who generally only really feels happy when he's doing something valuable and high-reaching (I'll admit to that much), I definitely look forward to all the experiences. Geronimo!
Oh, also the title's post is reference to one of my favorite games (and worst lines), Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. My sister and I used to play the game religiously. One thing, however, that stuck out about it - the awful lines. Just, terrible. Here's the transcript for the introduction fight before the game actually starts.
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