What's the difference?

Apparently intrigue (or whatever) is present for Facebook users of the Oregon Trail application, which will be replaced next week by a speed-dating application. People who have the Oregon trail application currently will find their beloved remake of the classic computer game gone and replaced by an on-line dating application.

See the link here. Of course, those of us who stop to think about it realize that there's no real difference: with both apps, the goal is to make it all the way without finding yourself wiped out by disease or financial hardship, and a lot of sacrifices end up being made. So in the end, I guess nothing will change with this application, except the name... and of course, the fact that this new version will have remarkable live-action sequences that could actually put you at risk of getting offed, financially and physically.

Great idea... really...

No, I'm not complaining...

I've been neglecting this site... mostly because I haven't had the energy to do anything on it lately. Heck, I've got a ton of work to do on other sites, so keeping you up to date with all the details of my life (it's really boring) has been a bit low on the priority list. It's just not all that high up on my list of things to do. What can I say. Still, I felt compelled to write something here about what's been going on so you don't all think I disappeared (I know you'd all miss me just SOOOO much if that happened).

So the short version is that teaching has been pretty rough... not that I'm complaining about it, it's just a more hectic schedule than I'd originally anticipated. 4 classes Monday and Tuesday really drags me out, so that Wednesday morning I spend in recovery, and Thursday I'm trying to make up for Wednesday at REI. Friday morning I teach again, then I go to REI again, then I teach again Saturday, then I go to REI again... Sunday, if I have any energy early enough in the day, is the one day I actually have to myself, but it tends to be mostly me getting ready for the new week.

Maybe it sounds like a trivial change, but I actually prefer what next quarter is looking like: class spread out a bit more, and I can actually have a few evenings at home... well, not my own home... not quite. I'm staying in West Seneca for the foreseeable future, with my Aunt. This was a wise move, in the end, because I'm finally starting to pay off the last of my bills from school, save some money up, and even buy some things I've wanted to for a while... like power tools (ok, yeah, I'm sure that worries you, but I'm not turning into Tim Allen, I'm just getting stuff that's good for doing home repairs... regular drill, compound miter saw... eventually a table saw). I'm starting to put a bit of resources into re-building my model train setup. It's stress relief, what can I say. And I'm starting to work on a portfolio for my master's.

So I've been busy. But hey, it's life.

Anyway, I wanted you know that things are fine and I'm still here and eventually I will get back on target with the stuff I've been working on for here for a long time.

Incidentally, those of you who have 3D experience (with 3DS Max) might be interested to know I am putting together a website (and hopefully, eventually) a book on 3DS modeling and animation... yes, we need another, and yes, I think we need something with WAY more detail than what I've seen lately.

Anyway, watch for an announcement for submissions, probably around Christmas time.

For the time being, I gotta get back to work.