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    • Archive for September, 2016

    Watch that Step…


    2016 - 09.30

    Posted in Creative Writing, Goals, Health, Philosophy, Photography | No Comments »

    Well yes I did miss yesterday, but mainly because the post was still draft. So the following is what was going to be yesterday’s post.

    Work on the first short piece of writing has started, with a basic plan of the parameters of the story. This one will have a Cthulhu Mythos flavour to it. This seemed like a good choice to hold interest for the first one for me and give’s me motivation. I’m hoping it will promote an enthusiasm to put the effort into a Cthulhu RPG campaign.

    Now for Today’s update.

    I’ve attempted a different tactic on the sleeping cycle this time: rather than just trying to crunch it back in like I used to be able to do 10 years ago working shift work which hasn’t been working much for me this time around, I’m trying a technique suggested to my by my friend Kate. Information that she’s researched indicates that a better method is moving the time back piece by piece (so to speak). So Thursday I was awake from 23:00 (Wed night) through to about 20:00, awaking at about 03:00 this morning. This should encourage a getting back to a more regular sleep cycle for me going to bed about 22:30 and arising at 06:30. That’s the premise anyway.

    I’m also planning several trips down the Geelong way to photograph wildlife so as to enter some shots in the coming competition for the Geelong by Nature. I’ve decided it’s time to get more serious about the competitions. I’m also keeping my eye out for others that may not necessarily be wild life related.

    Dust off the Bucket List…


    2016 - 09.28

    Posted in Art, Creative Writing, Depression, Goals, Health, Philosophy, Photography | No Comments »

    While I’ve still got energy to move (emotionally and physically) I’ve decided to cross another goal off my list of artistic endeavours I’ve always wanted to do. I’m going to write some short stories and publish them. Self publishing is a real option these days, and I guess while I can still afford internet I’d best give it a shot. I’ve set myself a goal of trying to have four done by the end of October. Once they’re done we’ll move onto the next step of publishing.

    Also I’ve set a commitment of getting at least one post a week on my two Photography sites, that is both the store & the blog. As far as the Store’s concerned I’ve set myself the goal of 6 new photos a week for the next five weeks. As for the blog, at least one update a week discussing some technical issue.

    Struggling…


    2016 - 09.28

    Posted in Art, Depression, Furbag, Health, Philosophy, Photography, Relationships, Work | No Comments »

    I must say I’ve been struggling the last few weeks. It seems the constant Black to Red to Red to Black to Red to Red to Red to Black etc of the finances since losing the last lot of part time work has been wearing me down. I’ve noticed quite a few things slipping, and the last one has been the sleeping cycle. I can feel my depressive levels increasing and this has been borne out by the monitoring I’ve been doing over the last 18 months.

    I need to pull several things in together and prevent another dive into where I was around June 2015. It’s not the lack of money that’s hurting, it’s the increasing pressure of the services that I can’t really change anymore. I’ve actually managed to decrease my electricity and gas costs over the last six months compared to last year which is pretty amazing considering it’s been colder (I think) for the most part of this winter compared to last. My food budget is well under what most households would be even accounting for my lack of partner & children. Don’t think you can do much better than $60 / week for groceries. Vegetarianism may help a bit, but I’ve already been keeping a fine line on the grocery budget over the last year.

    I wasn’t deluding myself thinking I was going to be self sufficient with Shards of Arcadia by now, I’d been counting on part-time work to keep me afloat while still building the business. However without that being enough to meet the outgoings over the last twelve months, it’s been a slow slide. I really can’t last another six months of this “income”. Anybody who thinks that living on $530 a fortnight is a holiday is clearly out of touch with the reality of the cost of living in Australian Society. I know I’m not the only one, I’ve watched several friends lose their roles too, and there’s no guarantees of work for any of us anymore.

    Anyway I’m not wanting to be morbid, just needing to express this and move on. I’ve made a personal commitment to myself to really put in some yards by way of holding my days together. So now I have a monthly commitment to a post every day on this site until at least the end of October.

    I feel somehow that I’ve sold my soul and not in a good way by signing up to a number of “paid survey” sites to try and scrape up some cash. I have to say I’ve been pumping away at them and feel suitably “dirty”. Oh well, a new personal low.

    On a positive note the Furbags will have food until at least the end of the year! I still have friends, I’m warm and have a roof over my head. It’s a good thing I’m a man of simple needs.

    Jumping off the Meat Wagon…


    2016 - 09.01

    Posted in Depression, General, Goals, Health | No Comments »

    I’ve been adopting a Vegetarian Diet over the last month, but have finally crossed over the line to full-time Vegetarianism now. I’ve been draining the cupboards & fridge over these few weeks of any meat I’ve had left and worked on generating a starting list of recipes to get me into the swing of things at a price I can afford while I’m still chasing more work. Fortunately I know several long term Vegetarians so advice and recipes are not in short supply.

    I’m finding it particularly helpful that it’s still cold weather and I’m not having to go full blast with Salad. Not that I mind Salad, but psychologically I think my winter casseroles, stews & soups are the the challenge to get comfortable with at this stage. I think my biggest hurdle will be to see if I can create an enjoyable relationship with Dhal.