September to Remember!

I wish that I had more time to write so I could share some thoughts about the new iPhone 6, Apple Watch, Pay and iOS8 (which looks amazing)… but being out here has really changed things. Aside from the usual things that I had to deal with in Oakland, there are these events and invites to things that come up, as well as free dinners almost any night of the week.

Of course, nothing is really free — most of these perks require some time at the tables or machines. But I did get to see the Air Races, Reno Collier and Larry The Cable Guy, as well as the Mayhem Showtime PPV event with Mayweather vs Maidana on a big screen while sitting in a very nice private booth I managed to snag.

Mostly, I’ve had to adjust to getting into a different mindset and thinking about things like inevitable gambling losses differently. It’s quite different when you live out of town and gamble maybe a few times per year; very different when there are major casino resorts less than one mile away.

One great side benefit is that I’ve been doing a lot more walking. It’s nice being able to leave the house without much worry about, well, Oakland things.

I still have a few art and design projects to finish up, and my birthday is on Tuesday. Hopefully I’ll get something neat! Like a $7K Royal Flush. Or something from my Amazon wish list. Who knows.

Life is much better here. But that definitely leaves less time to chat and rant about things on the internet. Hopefully I can find balance there, too.

Birthday

"Happy Birthday, dear Bradley..."

On Monday, my birthday passed by quietly. No Hawaiian vacation, Disneyland trip or Reno excursion... just a quiet evening with family (sans sister, unfortunately, due to proximity) and it was just fine by me.

It's been a difficult year. Illness and disability has kept me inside for most of it. Spent a lot of time reading; some writing, some designing, some sketching. Researching politics and world history has led me to reevaluate many things — it's been very troubling and somewhat disheartening, to really understand the dark and ugly truths behind American government, the Federal Reserve Bank and our fiat money system, and the push toward disarming America and moving toward a globalist, collectivist authoritarian government. Post 9/11 America — post-Bush, post-Obama America, how much free speech and independence will we have?

A worthy cause...?

At a minimum, it's inspired me to want to spread information and ask more questions, difficult questions. We should always question and scrutinize our government and leaders. We should always be skeptical of government and its messages — especially when they've told us they not only have and will continue to lie, but they have an obligation to. For our safety and security, they claim.

To that end, I will be working vigorously on my new website project, aimed at asking hard questions and unveiling inconvenient truths. Americans have been locked in an increasingly hostile left vs right paradigm for over 100 years when we should really be looking at individualism vs collectivism.

But that doesn't mean I want to give up on having some fun.

I still love art. I love the good in the world. Technological innovations and video games. One minute after my birthday ended, Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto V released — a sort-of belated present, I suppose. I installed iOS 7 also, though I must admit to being slightly overwhelmed by it.

I miss the tweet/post widget in Notifications. I think I'll leave my phone on iOS6 for now because of it. I never updated my iPad 2 to 6 because of YouTube. Now I have devices on each OS from 3-7.

If you have PSN, add me: rainfault — especially if you want to play VITA games like Soul Sacrifice, Dragon's Crown, Earth Defense Force 2017... or Diablo III for PS3. My GTAV copy is also PS3.

Life.

I was listening to an interview with survival guy Blake Sawyer — he thinks that 90-95% of Americans will be dead within 5-15 years. According to him, he's researched some of the same stuff I've been looking at, but for the past 35 years, and it's time to bail — flee America for safer, better, libertarian nations.

But I love America. I believe it's worth fighting for. I believe in The Constitution, and I believe that there are millions of Americans willing to fight and die for the freedoms here, at home. Mass exodus won't solve the problem.

It comes down to this: are you willing to die for what you believe in. Are you willing to die for the things you love?

Not just people, but things. Maybe sports, or movies, or video games, or bike riding. What would you give up to stay alive?

The thing is: everybody dies. Sometimes early, sometimes late in life... fulfilled and unfulfilled. My family is here. My dreams are here. And I am not alone.

So this post got kind of serious fairly quick. But that's what I've got. I'll try to get that new site up soon (it shall be, as soon as the content is written well enough), so this blog can go back to being about tech and toys.

Take care, stay safe, and have fun. While you can. Dun dun dun...

Posted with Blogsy

Update Fail, Fall, Fun — trying

A brand new Toy Yoda. Too funny.

So I had a few days' rest and was going to write for the blog, but I ended up falling down some stone steps — long story, short: it was hot and sunny, got dizzy — and have been hurting and aching since. 2013 is so not my year. Well. It's almost over.

My birthday is in one week. I feel old already. How did this happen? I hope I'm not sick on my birthday again. Maybe I'll get some stuff from Amazon. That would be nice.

It's been really hot in Oakland these past four days. I want some cold weather and rain! Unable to do much, I've been reading and playing some games. Like Terraria and Dragon's Crown. I like Terraria more than Minecraft, but I'm not a fan of the typography. I wish Skyrim Hearthfire's house-building/customization was more like Animal Crossing. I also got Diablo III (PS3) for free. So if you're on PSN: message me — rainfault. I won't be playing videogames for too long, however, because I'm still in pain and tired from the fall and the infection preceding it. sigh

Happy?

I am. It’s my birthday! Going to play some cards — gamble a bit. Got some stuff in the mail; thanks to Andy and Sullivenom. Just in case… I have my Amazon Wishlist and one at StarCityGames.

I’m going to bring my laptop, so I’ll be able to post. I have a few new books, and I haven’t written anything about the Department of Corrections in quite some time… and I haven’t talked about attraction dynamics in forever. So much with so little free time.