State of the Sparr
Apr. 19th, 2011 10:49 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sparrI haven't been journaling a lot lately, not that I ever did except when Kat convinced me to do the 750words writing challenge or when I had something specific to write about. I've been posting small tidbits to Facebook and Fetlife when interesting or important things happened, but haven't had anything worth writing more than a few public sentences about. However, after long enough, all of that starts to add up. I've been re-reading my old posts and there's a lot of information out there that's out of date. Many of those posts are due for a 6-month(-ish) rewrite, since I somewhat expect people to use them as a reliable source of information about me in some situations. Before I start doing that, though, I'm going to give a general synopsis of how things are going for me.
I've been working at http://peer1.com for 8 months now. The job itself hasn't changed much. Our department got rid of and gained a few different responsibilities. We haven't had as much a personnel increase as we need to match our workload increase, so there has been more overtime available lately and less free time during work hours. The work continues to be tedious and boring, but something I'm good at, and the money is still great so I keep doing it.
Speaking of money, I've got a lot more to spare than I have in a long time. The last time I had this much disposable income I was playing Everquest for a living. I'm soon to begin investing in my retirement and short term savings, but that won't make much of a dent in the excess. A few large purchases are also priorities. I recently purchased a large pickup truck, and will soon be buying a small car for daily driving. Other than those, I'm looking to invest in some small moneymaking projects alone or with my roommates at C7, or a large project that would involve getting my own space.
I moved into C7 about 6 months ago. I'm enjoying the experience in general. It's definitely different than anywhere else I've lived before. I have about 9 roommates on average, with folks moving in and out every month or two (which isn't as bad as it sounds, a move every month with 10 people in the house makes the average retention 10 months). We have a huge workshop where we can work on random projects, and large group meals with gallons of leftovers. We have enough space for a dozen extra people to spend the night, if the need arises. I think I'll be staying there for a while, unless an exceptionally good opportunity comes along.
Romantically and intimately my life has gotten a lot more lively since the last time I posted much on the subject. I recently made a resolution to stop being so timid. I might be erring on the side of boldness now, but it's an improvement. I am doing my best to make my intentions and desires abundantly clear to anyone who I'm interested in, in any way, if I think there's any chance the feeling is mutual. This has yielded mundane dates and play dates and sleepovers aplenty so far, with plenty of other opportunities visible on the horizon or in negotiation. This week, for the first time, I had to decide who I was going to sleep with on a particular night. I expect to hit some serious bumps on this particular road in the near future, without knowing what they might be. The positive should still outweigh the negative, even assuming more experiences as bad as my previous breakup.
Frolicon is coming up this weekend. This provided part of the impetus, and a very convenient opportunity, for my recent streak of boldness. Being in the same place at the same time as someone I'm interested in who I know is at least interested in the things I want to do with/to them eliminates almost every possibility of failure, leaving only their disinterest in me. I expect my dance card to be quite full for the weekend, with hints or plans towards play time with at least a dozen female friends and acquaintances. Kat will be in town, and at least one other girl has expressed an interest, so I'm looking forward to expanding my experience with three[or more]somes and group play.
Medically speaking, I'm doing slightly worse as the years roll on. The scar on my eye is becoming a bother more often, sometimes becoming painful at night, especially in dry environments. I'll be seeing an ophthalmologist about it again soon, to see if it's any more likely that I could seek a corneal transplant or a tattoo (to fix the vision problem, not the pain). I've gained about five pounds since last spring (since which I lost 10 pounds from walking, gained 25 pounds from cycling, then lost 10 pounds from being sedentary). My new doctor (whose brief but direct manner I enjoy, but whose staff continues to forget to run various labs for me) tells me I'm creeping towards a cholesterol problem as well. My body continues to operate consistently on a diet anywhere from 2kkCal to 6kkCal, whether I'm sitting still all day or walking or biking for miles. Some day I'll need to figure out if that's a thyroid problem or something else worth worrying about. I've got my first cavity in about 15 years, which is one reason among many that I need to see a dentist (and dental hygienist) soon.
I've attended a lot fewer conventions lately. I'm on track to attend less than ten this year, which is a far cry from the ~25 that I attended in 2007 and 2008. I've been attending less gaming and anime events and more sci-fi and party events as well as more burns. The burner community is very interesting to me, and appeals to a lot of my unusual leanings regarding lifestyle and community and organization. I've also been attending a lot more electronic music / dance events, including "raves" and DJ shows and night clubs. I'm neither into nor opposed to most of the popular forms of electronic music, although I do particularly enjoy some trance, but I attend the events for the crowd. The raver crowd, young and old, also has strong tendencies toward sharing and community. I also won't hesitate to admit that I like to see fit young girls in skimpy clothes dancing, especially when they tend to come from crowds that like the same sorts of toys that I do.
On the topic of toys and play and such, I haven't seen so much change as refinement on that front lately. I still enjoy all sorts of sensation, especially when it's novel to my subject. I've gotten a lot better at using my TENS units (and gotten new ones, and new attachments, today actually) and my vibe gloves. I've also gotten significantly better with rope, and am comfortable doing a lot of things now that scared me before, including rougher and more dangerous suspensions as well as neck bondage. I have many thoughts on how to branch out in this arena, and that will mostly be driven by my partners. Skillful application of handcuffs, blindfolds, and various spanking implements are all on my list of recent requests, so there's still plenty to learn out there.
I still talk to my family a few times a year. Not out of dislike, more out of indifference and aversion to talking to people on the phone in general. My sister is getting married soon, and I want to make it to the wedding if she ever returns my messages asking for the date (which I've forgotten). My mom and dad... exist. I really haven't talked to them much since my sister's graduation, but I assume she would have told me if anything happened to them.
Technology-wise, everything I own is 6 months older now except for my new phone. I'm still using the same camera, same computer, etc. I haven't been doing a lot of photography, or playing many new games, so that's all continued to work for me just fine. The new phone has done wonders for my connectivity, and opened up a lot of opportunities that I would have otherwise missed. I'm planning a major software upgrade on it soon, and that will be documented in its own post.
That's pretty much what's been going on with me lately. I hope to write a lot of more detailed posts, many of which will revisit topics from my posts last August, in the near future.
I've been working at http://peer1.com for 8 months now. The job itself hasn't changed much. Our department got rid of and gained a few different responsibilities. We haven't had as much a personnel increase as we need to match our workload increase, so there has been more overtime available lately and less free time during work hours. The work continues to be tedious and boring, but something I'm good at, and the money is still great so I keep doing it.
Speaking of money, I've got a lot more to spare than I have in a long time. The last time I had this much disposable income I was playing Everquest for a living. I'm soon to begin investing in my retirement and short term savings, but that won't make much of a dent in the excess. A few large purchases are also priorities. I recently purchased a large pickup truck, and will soon be buying a small car for daily driving. Other than those, I'm looking to invest in some small moneymaking projects alone or with my roommates at C7, or a large project that would involve getting my own space.
I moved into C7 about 6 months ago. I'm enjoying the experience in general. It's definitely different than anywhere else I've lived before. I have about 9 roommates on average, with folks moving in and out every month or two (which isn't as bad as it sounds, a move every month with 10 people in the house makes the average retention 10 months). We have a huge workshop where we can work on random projects, and large group meals with gallons of leftovers. We have enough space for a dozen extra people to spend the night, if the need arises. I think I'll be staying there for a while, unless an exceptionally good opportunity comes along.
Romantically and intimately my life has gotten a lot more lively since the last time I posted much on the subject. I recently made a resolution to stop being so timid. I might be erring on the side of boldness now, but it's an improvement. I am doing my best to make my intentions and desires abundantly clear to anyone who I'm interested in, in any way, if I think there's any chance the feeling is mutual. This has yielded mundane dates and play dates and sleepovers aplenty so far, with plenty of other opportunities visible on the horizon or in negotiation. This week, for the first time, I had to decide who I was going to sleep with on a particular night. I expect to hit some serious bumps on this particular road in the near future, without knowing what they might be. The positive should still outweigh the negative, even assuming more experiences as bad as my previous breakup.
Frolicon is coming up this weekend. This provided part of the impetus, and a very convenient opportunity, for my recent streak of boldness. Being in the same place at the same time as someone I'm interested in who I know is at least interested in the things I want to do with/to them eliminates almost every possibility of failure, leaving only their disinterest in me. I expect my dance card to be quite full for the weekend, with hints or plans towards play time with at least a dozen female friends and acquaintances. Kat will be in town, and at least one other girl has expressed an interest, so I'm looking forward to expanding my experience with three[or more]somes and group play.
Medically speaking, I'm doing slightly worse as the years roll on. The scar on my eye is becoming a bother more often, sometimes becoming painful at night, especially in dry environments. I'll be seeing an ophthalmologist about it again soon, to see if it's any more likely that I could seek a corneal transplant or a tattoo (to fix the vision problem, not the pain). I've gained about five pounds since last spring (since which I lost 10 pounds from walking, gained 25 pounds from cycling, then lost 10 pounds from being sedentary). My new doctor (whose brief but direct manner I enjoy, but whose staff continues to forget to run various labs for me) tells me I'm creeping towards a cholesterol problem as well. My body continues to operate consistently on a diet anywhere from 2kkCal to 6kkCal, whether I'm sitting still all day or walking or biking for miles. Some day I'll need to figure out if that's a thyroid problem or something else worth worrying about. I've got my first cavity in about 15 years, which is one reason among many that I need to see a dentist (and dental hygienist) soon.
I've attended a lot fewer conventions lately. I'm on track to attend less than ten this year, which is a far cry from the ~25 that I attended in 2007 and 2008. I've been attending less gaming and anime events and more sci-fi and party events as well as more burns. The burner community is very interesting to me, and appeals to a lot of my unusual leanings regarding lifestyle and community and organization. I've also been attending a lot more electronic music / dance events, including "raves" and DJ shows and night clubs. I'm neither into nor opposed to most of the popular forms of electronic music, although I do particularly enjoy some trance, but I attend the events for the crowd. The raver crowd, young and old, also has strong tendencies toward sharing and community. I also won't hesitate to admit that I like to see fit young girls in skimpy clothes dancing, especially when they tend to come from crowds that like the same sorts of toys that I do.
On the topic of toys and play and such, I haven't seen so much change as refinement on that front lately. I still enjoy all sorts of sensation, especially when it's novel to my subject. I've gotten a lot better at using my TENS units (and gotten new ones, and new attachments, today actually) and my vibe gloves. I've also gotten significantly better with rope, and am comfortable doing a lot of things now that scared me before, including rougher and more dangerous suspensions as well as neck bondage. I have many thoughts on how to branch out in this arena, and that will mostly be driven by my partners. Skillful application of handcuffs, blindfolds, and various spanking implements are all on my list of recent requests, so there's still plenty to learn out there.
I still talk to my family a few times a year. Not out of dislike, more out of indifference and aversion to talking to people on the phone in general. My sister is getting married soon, and I want to make it to the wedding if she ever returns my messages asking for the date (which I've forgotten). My mom and dad... exist. I really haven't talked to them much since my sister's graduation, but I assume she would have told me if anything happened to them.
Technology-wise, everything I own is 6 months older now except for my new phone. I'm still using the same camera, same computer, etc. I haven't been doing a lot of photography, or playing many new games, so that's all continued to work for me just fine. The new phone has done wonders for my connectivity, and opened up a lot of opportunities that I would have otherwise missed. I'm planning a major software upgrade on it soon, and that will be documented in its own post.
That's pretty much what's been going on with me lately. I hope to write a lot of more detailed posts, many of which will revisit topics from my posts last August, in the near future.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2011-04-20 11:14 am (UTC)I'll see you at Frolicon!
I'll be there most of the day Thursday, part of Friday and Saturday Vauxhall Garden Variety Players are performing Bluegrass on Friday and Klezmer on Saturday for the music fest. Then I have to go to work.
Thursday and Sunday I am doing Load-in and Load-out Respectively.
You have the unique personality to bring in the younger crowd...
no subject
Date: 2011-04-20 01:30 pm (UTC)~Sor/Kat
no subject
Date: 2011-04-20 07:12 pm (UTC)And loooooooong hair is another matter entirely :-p
also... agirlnamedraven :)