I initially titled this entry 'The Big Push,' then I realized that I would, undoubtedly, have many other big pushes in the future, so why set myself up for backpedaling and excuses later? Indefinite articles all up in here.
So, what is this particular 'big push' about? Well, beginning from a place of zero prior knowledge in the area, I pushed through a weekend of learning how to configure a server for web hosting with no assistance or management from the hosting provider. This was all in the name of getting the REAL the mutable up and running as soon as possible. I hit a few snags, but ultimately I have the server mostly secured and in testing I was able to get a public-facing test page to load properly for myself and others. I still have a couple more steps to take to lock everything up to my satisfaction, but while I'm figuring that out, I can also start really digging into coding the site. The sooner I can migrate my content to a distinct domain--and roll this blog into it--the better.
I'm also going to start experimenting with a new approach to my weekly writing, where on Sundays, instead of a sixth day of writing, I just use that time to outline and develop things. Currently, it feels like I'm hitting a productivity bottleneck owing to trying to combine plot/character construction with prosecraft, which is just asking for difficulties. Tuesday through Saturday can be for writing and editing, with a clear direction as determined by Sunday planning sessions. This would mean that the weekly output would be about 17,500 words once I reach the target of 3,500 words/day, which is still acceptable, as it allows for 3 or more distinct blocks of content each week--enough variety to keep me happy.
As soon as I have even the barest functional alpha version of the mutable up and running, I'll be linking to it here.
Still learning,
~L
Monday, November 18, 2013
Monday, November 4, 2013
Limitations
There are times when I am made acutely aware of the limitations of my way of life. I live close to the bone, trading income for the opportunity to focus on what I love first and foremost. Of course, I aspire to a state where the pursuit of what I love provides for me on its own--that is what this blog is detailing the process of--but in the interim, my life is like a string under great tension: it holds steady as is, but is always on the verge of snapping.
Most of the time, these limitations are manageable, minor things. Little money, a need for far greater caloric intake than most people, and the desire to make healthy ingredient choices means there's a fair bit of figuring that goes into making groceries work week to week, and the math works out that I typically fall ~500kcal/day of my desired intake levels. Or I don't have the money to invest in a membership to a proper gym or the space to build my own setup on the cheap, so I limit myself to bodyweight exercises as my sole method, when I'm getting to the point where I'd rather use them as the centerpiece of an approach that also employs powerlifting and olympic lifting.
Sometimes, the limitations make for deeper frustrations. This is the first post I've made from my desktop computer in quite some time, because nearly 3 months ago, the motherboard shorted out. Of course, in the process of diagnosing the issue, I ended up purchasing a replacement power supply (not necessary!), had to mooch a spare graphics card off my best friend (this was also not the problem part), a replacement motherboard (this was the problem initially), and a replacement CPU because mine broke in the process of removing it from the old motherboard.
Now, I have the desktop functioning, but it's only allowing me to use half of my installed RAM, and the Solid State Drive that had been relatively cooperative in the month leading up to the motherboard short-out, is now freezing more frequently than it ever did. This would be taxing enough if I'd been able to address the situation immediately, but my tight finances mean that the whole process became wildly drawn out, and roughly $300 later, the computer works as well as one $300 cheaper. Replacing the SSD will be anywhere from another $100 to another $180. The RAM issue is something I'm still hoping I can resolve without needing to purchase anything new.
Then, there are the times the limitations are legitimately troubling. I injured my right hand severely doing parkour eight weeks ago, and while it no longer hurts or impedes me in day-to-day function, it is bad enough that the wrist will not support significant weight, leaving me unable to do upper body exercises. I've tried to make the best of it by focusing on lower-body and core development (which needed to catch up anyway), but I can't pretend it's not a worry. If I had more money, I'd readily be able to consult a doctor, get it examined and get a surgery if necessary. As it stands, I can't afford any of those things, and have been hoping it would heal on its own. Its condition hasn't really changed noticeably in the last few weeks.
That being said, I am committed to trying to make the best of things. I lost a great deal of time I should have spent writing on trying to fix my computer, but I the time I did spend writing went very well--things flowed quickly and easily, and I had a great deal of fun. I also have access to all my language-learning resources again, so I can start my studies. I can't do upper-body exercises, so I'll continue using this time to build my core and legs up more. I'm also going to ramp up the aggression with which I pursue freelance work; even one extra contract would dramatically improve my position at this point.
Here's a look at the sort of Tuesday-Sunday schedule I have in mind for the immediate future:
06:30 - 08:00 : Exercise
08:00 - 08:30 : Hygiene
08:30 - 10:30 : Writing
10:30 - 11:30 : Drawing
11:30 - 13:30 : Writing
13:30 - 15:00 : Nap
15:00 - 15:30 : Lunch
15:30 - 17:00 : Japanese
17:00 - 18:30 : Freelance
18:30 - 19:00 : Dinner
19:00 - 21:30 : Freelance
21:30 - 22:30 : Free Time
22:30 - 00:00 : Khmer
00:00 - 01:00 : Coding
01:00 - 02:00 : Free Time
It's a tight schedule, no doubt about that. As always, the intention is to drive down the size of those 'Freelance' blocks with increased revenue from writing. The other area that potentially has some give is, surprisingly, the writing blocks themselves. Presently, I have four hours devoted to it, but if I'm pushing for an output goal of 3,500 words/day, then churning out and editing that much is something that could become a 3-hour process as I get back into it. Of course, I have plenty of non-prose writing I'd love to have more time for, and that might be where I'd take it from, as I want to convert freelance time to music time first and foremost.
I'm also not sure how things will work out with the language study process. I may find that 90 consecutive minutes would be better spent broken up into two 45-minute blocks for each language. Maybe I'll find that one hour each for three languages at a time is a better fit; I honestly can't say, since I'll be approaching it from an entirely new angle.
Still, exciting stuff.
Still learning,
~L
Most of the time, these limitations are manageable, minor things. Little money, a need for far greater caloric intake than most people, and the desire to make healthy ingredient choices means there's a fair bit of figuring that goes into making groceries work week to week, and the math works out that I typically fall ~500kcal/day of my desired intake levels. Or I don't have the money to invest in a membership to a proper gym or the space to build my own setup on the cheap, so I limit myself to bodyweight exercises as my sole method, when I'm getting to the point where I'd rather use them as the centerpiece of an approach that also employs powerlifting and olympic lifting.
Sometimes, the limitations make for deeper frustrations. This is the first post I've made from my desktop computer in quite some time, because nearly 3 months ago, the motherboard shorted out. Of course, in the process of diagnosing the issue, I ended up purchasing a replacement power supply (not necessary!), had to mooch a spare graphics card off my best friend (this was also not the problem part), a replacement motherboard (this was the problem initially), and a replacement CPU because mine broke in the process of removing it from the old motherboard.
Now, I have the desktop functioning, but it's only allowing me to use half of my installed RAM, and the Solid State Drive that had been relatively cooperative in the month leading up to the motherboard short-out, is now freezing more frequently than it ever did. This would be taxing enough if I'd been able to address the situation immediately, but my tight finances mean that the whole process became wildly drawn out, and roughly $300 later, the computer works as well as one $300 cheaper. Replacing the SSD will be anywhere from another $100 to another $180. The RAM issue is something I'm still hoping I can resolve without needing to purchase anything new.
Then, there are the times the limitations are legitimately troubling. I injured my right hand severely doing parkour eight weeks ago, and while it no longer hurts or impedes me in day-to-day function, it is bad enough that the wrist will not support significant weight, leaving me unable to do upper body exercises. I've tried to make the best of it by focusing on lower-body and core development (which needed to catch up anyway), but I can't pretend it's not a worry. If I had more money, I'd readily be able to consult a doctor, get it examined and get a surgery if necessary. As it stands, I can't afford any of those things, and have been hoping it would heal on its own. Its condition hasn't really changed noticeably in the last few weeks.
That being said, I am committed to trying to make the best of things. I lost a great deal of time I should have spent writing on trying to fix my computer, but I the time I did spend writing went very well--things flowed quickly and easily, and I had a great deal of fun. I also have access to all my language-learning resources again, so I can start my studies. I can't do upper-body exercises, so I'll continue using this time to build my core and legs up more. I'm also going to ramp up the aggression with which I pursue freelance work; even one extra contract would dramatically improve my position at this point.
Here's a look at the sort of Tuesday-Sunday schedule I have in mind for the immediate future:
06:30 - 08:00 : Exercise
08:00 - 08:30 : Hygiene
08:30 - 10:30 : Writing
10:30 - 11:30 : Drawing
11:30 - 13:30 : Writing
13:30 - 15:00 : Nap
15:00 - 15:30 : Lunch
15:30 - 17:00 : Japanese
17:00 - 18:30 : Freelance
18:30 - 19:00 : Dinner
19:00 - 21:30 : Freelance
21:30 - 22:30 : Free Time
22:30 - 00:00 : Khmer
00:00 - 01:00 : Coding
01:00 - 02:00 : Free Time
It's a tight schedule, no doubt about that. As always, the intention is to drive down the size of those 'Freelance' blocks with increased revenue from writing. The other area that potentially has some give is, surprisingly, the writing blocks themselves. Presently, I have four hours devoted to it, but if I'm pushing for an output goal of 3,500 words/day, then churning out and editing that much is something that could become a 3-hour process as I get back into it. Of course, I have plenty of non-prose writing I'd love to have more time for, and that might be where I'd take it from, as I want to convert freelance time to music time first and foremost.
I'm also not sure how things will work out with the language study process. I may find that 90 consecutive minutes would be better spent broken up into two 45-minute blocks for each language. Maybe I'll find that one hour each for three languages at a time is a better fit; I honestly can't say, since I'll be approaching it from an entirely new angle.
Still, exciting stuff.
Still learning,
~L
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