Saturday, January 26, 2013

Screener, Avid Issues & Friends

Today started with podcasting.. I have a ton of podcasts that I need to get edited and out. I have fallen a bit behind due to this new job and just trying to rearrange my free time. So I was up early 7am. I swore I wasn't going to watch any TV or jump on LOTRO until I got some of these podcasts done. I have to finish a MASH 4077 podcast, Confessions of a Fanboy podcast, Alien Nation podcast, My Gimpy Life podcast and a Knights of the Guild podcast.

I started with my MASH 4077 podcast as that podcast has been released on time since we started almost two years ago. My others can vary though I do try and release on a regular schedule. As I am an avid podcast listener as well and enjoy when my podcasts come out on a regular bases.

I worked on MASH for about two hours and then had to get dressed and head over to UPS to pick up a package that I had to sign for so it couldn't be left at my house. The closest distribution to my place is in Sylmar, which is about 40 miles south. So I made the trek down there. I didn't have a clue what was sent to me. When I got there an editor friend of mine was there as well and said "Oh you're here for the Life of Pi screener as well" And sure enough I opened the package and there it was. I've never gotten a screener so late in the award season. I mean the PGA Awards (which I vote for) were going to happen the next day and I had already voted a month prior. Now I'm not complaining about getting the screener as this was one of those movies that I was hoping to see. It's just unfortunate that it came so late.

Before I left for UPS I started to upload the MASH episode that I needed for the podcast I was working on. It can take a few hours to upload so I figured by the time I was home the upload should be done. Well when I got home I noticed a error on my screen. The upload didn't work and I had to start over again. Now when I upload I can't do anything else on the computer so I started the upload again and had a few hours to kill while it uploaded. Though I swore I wouldn't watch TV there really wasn't anything else I could do so I popped on the TV and watched some recorded shows off my DVR.

Two hours later the upload finishes and guess what.. my Avid crashes and I lose everything.. again. I normally upload video and audio of the episodes though I only use the audio.. I like having a visual reference. Well screw that I stripped away the video and started to upload only the audio. Now this only takes about 15 minutes which is much better then 2 hours.

I continue my work on the MASH podcast.. it's now 3pm and I have dinner plans at 5 which means I have to leave my house at 4. For the next hour my avid gave me nothing but problems. It was a very slow process and by the time 4 came around I was about 2/3'ds of the way done. So much for flying through these podcasts.

I went over to my friends John and Moises house for dinner. Joining them were the usual bunch. Tom and Ervin, Bruce, Martin and of course me. They've had this dinner party for years. I don't get to see these guys as much as I use to and I miss that. I don't know why we don't hang out more but I need to make a bigger effort in seeing these guys more. It was a great night of friends, laughs and great food. I hope to see these guys again soon.

I got home a little after 10pm and was determined to get at least one podcast edited today. So I spent the next 2 hours finishing up my MASH 4077 podcast.

Though I had big plans today for podcasting.. with all the techy issues I only mange to get one done. Oh well I guess it's better then nothing.

Friday, January 25, 2013

The Next Day

Well it's the next day after my fun meeting yesterday and I'm doing better. The person whom blindsided me yesterday was not in the office so it was a nice quiet day here at work. Everything went smooth and I told myself whatever happens.. happens.

When I got home I jumped on LOTRO with my buddy Chris and played the rest of the night. It truly is a great stress reliever and since I'm going to be busy all weekend I won't have a chance to jump on. It's just what I needed.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Work Woes

Well everything was going great at work when suddenly WHAM!!!! I was blindsided. I won't go into details here but needless to say my future here on this show is in the balance. I'm gonna to do this job as best as I possibly can.  I'm not a quitter, I've only ever quit one job in my entire career. And honestly I don't care if I am let go from this gig.

This brings up how I have been feeling the past three or so years. I'm tired of working in the entertainment industry. There is to much stress and BS and the older I get the more it gets on my nerves. I would get out of it in a heartbeat but it's all I know. I've been in the industry for 18 years and it's taken it's toll. There isn't another job I could jump right into and still make the same amount of money. Lucky for me money isn't everything. I just need a job that will cover my bills. I think once I sell the house and not have a huge mortgage to think about I'll reassess my life and see what I want to be doing for the next 40 years of my life.

Life is funny.. it takes so many twists and turns..

My Lord of the Rings Online MMO Characters

So since I upgraded my LOTRO membership to VIP for the year I get an additional four characters for a total of five. So earlier this week I took the time to create three more characters. I now have four, one for each race.

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My primary character is my Hobbit. Happiest when enjoying a simple life with six square meals a day, hobbits are solid and dependable when called to action.

His name is Drialdo: his nationality is Harfoot, The Harfoots are the most prodigious hole-dwellers and were the first to cross west into Eriador. They generally tend to be browner of skin than the other kindreds, as well as smaller and shorter.

He is a Guardian:  Guardians wear heavy armour and have many defensive skills that allow them to survive battles against the most fearsome foes. Guardians also have skills that draw foes' attention away from their allies and to themselves. In fellowships, a Guardian forces enemies to attack himself, so his more fragile allies will not be harmed by the foes.

The Guardians are the stout protectors of the weak and defenders of those in need, loyal companions to the end. True Guardians stand to the forefront of battle, shielding their allies from enemy assaults.

This class was inspired by the hobbit Samwise Gamgee, whose loyalty to Frodo Baggins knew no bounds.

His skill sets are those of an Explorer, which means he is a Tailor, Prospector and Forester

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My second character I made was my Elf: Long ago, the Elves welcomed the younger races of Middle-earth and allied with them when the need was great, but centuries of war, betrayal, and hardship have made them fiercely protective of their seclusion.

His name is Gillthilion, his nationality is Lórien, You come from Lothlórien, the fabled golden woods whose Elves dwell high in the mallorn-trees and are ruled by Celeborn, wisest of the Eldar of Middle-earth, and the Lady Galadriel.

He is a Lore-Master: Lore-masters are the masters of crowd-control, skills that trap foes and keep them from fighting. They may call on animal companions to fight by their side and even call on elemental forces to damage their foes. In fellowships, a Lore-master concentrates on supporting his allies, primarily by hindering the foe's ability to deal damage.

Lore-masters are seekers of knowledge and the guardians of wisdom. Through study of bygone Ages, they learn ancient secrets that allow them to hinder foes, as well as protect against the dark powers of the Enemy. They have many skills that invoke the natural world of Middle-earth, but it is draining on the will, thus costing them Morale to fuel some of these powerful skills.

This class was inspired by Elrond Halfelven, Elf-lord and Master of Rivendell.

His skill sets are those of a Historian, which means he is a Scholar, Farmer and Weaponsmith

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Third Character I made was my Dwarf: Dwellers of stone and miners of metal, the dwarves are a doughty folk, resistant to the corruption of the Enemy -- but not to greed.

His name is Arikk, his nationality is The Lonely Mountains, You hail from Erebor, the Lonely Mountain, where Smaug the Golden made his lair until Thorin Oakenshield reclaimed it for his people. There does Dáin Ironfoot now rule as King under the Mountain.

He is a Champion: Champions wade into battle swinging their weapons in all directions, dealing significant damage to many foes at once. With each strike their Fervour grows, allowing them to use even more potent skills. Special stances may be used to greatly increase damage dealt at the cost of defence or enhance defence at the cost of damage. In fellowships, a Champion concentrates on engaging as many foes as possible. Unrelenting in battle, Champions are the consummate warriors.

A Champion cares not for his own well-being, but relies on his strength and prowess to slay the Enemy before they can bring more destruction to Middle-earth.

This class is inspired by Gimli son of Glóin, whose skill in arms matched the bow-skills of Legolas.

His skill sets are those of a Armourer, which means he is a Prospector, Metalsmith and Tailor

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Fourth Character I made was my Man (well Woman): Not as long-lived as Elves, sturdy as dwarves, or resilient as hobbits, Men are renowned for their courage and resourcefulness.

Her name is Kiwyn, her nationality is Rohan, You are one of the Horse-lords of the Riddermark, the realm granted to Eorl the Young by Cirion, Steward of Gondor, currently ruled by Théoden, son of Thengel.

She is a Captain: Captains are armoured melee fighters and masters of buffing; skills that enhance allies. They may summon a Herald companion to fight by their side, ensuring they always have an ally to buff. They can also Mark foes, giving benefits to all who attack them. In fellowships, a Captain supports his allies with healing and buffs, while still dealing respectable damage.

The Captains of Middle-earth hold the future in their hands. By their own strength of arms and the inspiration they instill in others, they must lead the Free Peoples to victory.

This class is inspired by Eärnur, last King of Gondor, who was revered both as a captain skilled in arms and as a lore-master.

Her skill sets are those of an Armsmen, which means she is a Weaponsmith, Prospector and Woodworker.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Wondercon & Podcasting

Last night while talking to my buddy Will I found out that he got his professional passes for Wondercon. He also sent in verification last year and didn't have to show it again. So this morning I emailed them asking why I had to prove I was a professional last and and then again this year as it's suppose to last for 3 years.  And this was the response I got: "Kenny,  It appears that my predecessor approved your application and sent you the email, but failed to change your actual Member Class. I have rectified this error and you should be able to register for WonderCon (and Comic-Con) as normal.  If you have any further issues, let me know."

So guess what I did.. I registered for Wondercon and got two guest pass for my friends Chris and Jes. I still don't know if I'm going all three days (Friday - Sunday) as I don't know if I can get Friday off but I'm defiantly going for the weekend. Chris is also still up in the air, since he had to fly in from Montana but hopefully will know more about his situation soon. Really the only reason I go to Wondercon is to cosplay.. it's kind of an addiction. Will have to see if I can tweak my Hobbit outfit a bit so it's not the same as last year.

After work I went over to Teal's place to record a quick podcast for My Gimpy Life podcast #10. It's going to be my final podcast for this series, at least for the time being. It was a quick 20 minutes and I was on my way home.. will have it edited up and posted at the beginning of February.

Was going to spend the rest of the day just chilling and catching up on some TV (I haven't done that in a long while) but of course for the last hour or so I jumped on LOTRO to mine and gather goodies.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Work, Lunch, Work, Dinner

Well the work day started off a bit rocky when I somehow got on the wrong freeway when coming to work. I normally take the 14 to the 5 to the 170 and then get off at Victory and take the streets to the office. Well I took the 14 to the 5 and then got on the 405 (in my defense that was the way I went to work my past two previous jobs) what is scary is that I was on that freeway all the way to the Victory exit when I realized that this didn't look right, this doesn't look like the exit I normally get off. All of a sudden I realized I was all the way across town on the wrong freeway. You would think the bad traffic would have been a dead giveaway that I was on the 405 but I figured oh well it's the day after a holiday and traffic is really bad. Anyways I got off the 405 and drove an extra 20 minutes on the streets to get back to the point where I normally get off the 170. Lucky for me my job start time is very flexible and I was only a half hour later then I normally would have been.

For lunch I was in for a treat. My friend Steve (from Canada) was having lunch with the lovely Teal Sherer and America Young. He was kind enough to ask if I wanted to join them. They were meeting up at the Hard Rock Cafe at Universal Citywalk and I just happen to work right at the bottom of one of the streets that goes up to Citywalk.  It was great seeing Steve again as well as Teal and America who I don't think I had seen in a few months. We talked, shared stories and laughed alot. It was a very nice lunch and something I hope Steve remembers for a long time.

Afterwards I went back to the craziness that is my job. I had made plans to have dinner with my buddy Will tonight. He texted me if we were still on and I said of course. He mentioned that he got a new car... a Honda CR-Z, that's the car that I want to get... and in fact he didn't know about the car until we went car shopping a few weeks back and I introduced it to him.... I was so jealous. Anyways he asked if I mind if Jes and Dallas could join us for dinner. Of course I love our one on one time but I also enjoy hanging with even more friends so I said I didn't mind. We agreed to go to... yep you guessed it.. Universal Citywalk. They actually came to my job and we all walked up to Citywalk together.

Jes had never been there so we walked from end to end. And since it was Jes' first time there we asked if she would pick a place to eat and she chose Tony Roma's. I've never been to a Tony Roma's as I'm not a huge rib lover. But I got some very tasty shrimp and rice. By the end of the meal I was very happy that she chose this place. It was a great evening of food, friends and plenty of laughs.

Said goodbye to Jes and Dallas and I drove Will back to his place where we took his new car out for a spin... it was a nice way to end the evening.

Days like today remind me that though times can be crazy (at work) the in between times (hanging with friends) are what we live for.

Monday, January 21, 2013

So I Start My Third Week

Well today starts my third week at Hud:sun Media.  It MLK day which of course we don't have off but coming to work was a breeze as most of the other people out there did have it off so there was hardly any traffic. I wish everyday was a holiday.

President Obama was sworn in today for his second tern as President of the United States of America. I didn't watch it but got tweets all morning quoting his speech. The big thing for me, being a gay man, is his inclusion of equality for all people including gay people. This is the first time that a sitting president mention us gays in an inaugural speech.. it's pretty awesome.

It was another crazy day here at work, which I'm sure if just the beginning of my crazy days here at this new job.

Sunday, January 20, 2013

My Friend From The North

Today I got to hang out with my buddy Steve, he is down from Canada visiting. Steven and I are online friends. We've been chatting via Twitter and Facebook for a few years and only have talk on skype a few times. He's a big fan of The Guild and then become a loyal fan of my Guild podcast Knights of the Guild. We've been friends every since so when he told me he was coming down to visit I was very excited to finally met him in person so I set aside an entire day to hang out with him.

He was staying down in Long Beach with his family so I got up early and made my way down there. It's about an hour and a half drive. Once there I picked him up and we drove over to the Long Beach convention center, I wanted to show him where we shot The Guild season five. We then headed to LA. I was taking him to Whimsic Alley, it's one of the coolest Harry Potter stores around. It's been a few months since I had gone last and they changed things around. I love that this place is always changing and getting bigger. Steve didn't purchase anything but I manage to buy some Butter Beer (Butterscotch Beer). Not sure what it will taste like but I'm looking forward to it.. I mean if it's anywhere close to what I had in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter then I'm going back to buy a few cases.

After Whimsic Alley we drove down to Beverly Hills and then down Rodeo Drive. We wound up going to Islands on Pico as Steve wanted a good burger and I think Islands has one of the best.

Our next stop was Hollywood and Highland, hand and foot prints and the stars on the walk of fame. It was fun walking around there. Again it's been a while since I've been there and they have really changed things around.

We then went to my place as I wanted to show Steve where I podcast and had a few gifts for him. We ended our adventure with a half hour hike at Vasquez Rocks. I mean if you're a geek and don't make a stop at Vasquez then you're not really a true geek :)

I then drove him back to Long Beach and we had dinner at Outback Steakhouse (one of his favorite US restaurants) before we said our goodbyes and I headed home.


It was alot of driving, over 300 miles, but it was great to finally meet and hang out with my friend from the north.