Arkcher

I'll be with my family in a little town called Leesburg, about an hour north of Orlando. Aside from Universal Studios and Disney Land (world?), I have no idea what there is to do around there.

So hey. I'm going to Florida, too. See my folks for Christmas. It'll be pretty great.

I didn't think much of it until a morning news report emphasized fuel shortages in New York, and how it needed to be rationed among the mile-long lines. Most people weren't so much interested in fueling their chunky SUV's as they were for generators at home. Not a fun prospect to have a storm mess up your house and be without power for extended periods of time. And if tanker trucks with fuel weren't plentiful, one might assume other freight like groceries aren't a regular thing, either.

The notion of a small chunk of Sandy making its way to Kansas is silly. ... such as seals.

Nebraska isn't known for its tourist attractions. I guess the most magnificent thing to see is the Huskers' stadium. Economical living, though!

Well, aside from the overheating issue, it's pretty good. I built myself a fancy desktop computer about two years ago, with two 22" screens and a big ol' keyboard, so switching from that to a little compact laptop was pretty drastic. I figure if I downgrade my hardware, I won't waste as much time, and I can focus on some things I've always wanted to get in to: namely audio recording/mixing, and flash animation. Right now I'm using Ubuntu Studio which tries to be Mac OSX with multimedia software built-in. I still beleive that Mac hardware is overpriced (although more stable than, say, Samsung) but i've grown to appreciate their software, especially after taking some programming classes. I intend to dual-boot to Mac OS and Ubuntu Linux with this HP dv9700. Today I've got my M-Audio KeyStudio 49-key plugged in, and I've only just got it to work and make some noise with some soundfonts.

Our family used to live in Texas about 3 years ago, at which time we all moved to Nebraska. Dad got a job offer in Florida, so both parents moved there and left myself and my brother here in Nebraska, since we're big kids and can take care of ourselves and responsibility whatnot. They're about an hour north of Orlando, if I remember right.

I drive a '96 Ford Ranger pickup. It's kind of those small-medium kinds of pickup trucks, the appropriate size so that it's not too small to be self-defeating, but big enough to actually carry something. You should break your resolve and get one. also DOOD I WENT TO SEE BIRDEMIC TOO with those Riffrax Live guys and now my bros and i seek to invest in slrpnls. If we don't, birds will... behave violently in a way that defies all description.

As super-exciting as the midwest is, it wasn't my first choice of living conditions. I wouldn't call it unpleasant, though. Just a lot of corn and college students. I maintain that there are only two cities in my state, and lots of populated truck stops. I'm in Lincoln, which tries really hard to be a capitol city. I've been to Omaha only a handful of times.

oh gads, my past-self embodies effectively every behavior that I find irritating today. I think my past-self would find the 2012 model to be super boring.

My folks moved to Florida several months ago, and here's their first hurricane! Also some important friends of mine in Virginia and New York who I haven't heard from for a few weeks... I can only hope for the best.

well let me just swing by a month later to check on my thread here Last year I made an unwise investment in a first-generation Samsung Galaxy Tab which was obsolete before a month of ownership. Good job, Samsung. I'm never buying from those guys again. Of course, I can still use it as an oversized mp3 player, so... there's that. I've since upgraded to a laptop with the most dreadful habit of heating up to about 70C by just sitting idle. I'll keep myself occupied with this until I fix the copper heatsink one of these days. And that's my cheap hardware story. Is Hampsterking still around? Last I checked he was super old.

if this site had a mobile version, i'd be more responsive. Ill post some proper responses once i get a real keyboard- ive got an outdated 7" tablet i use to check in on things.

nothing but the best for my old droogs and lewdies. So I hear lots of people are off having birthdays, getting married and the like. How's that all going for you? Last time I checked, we were a lot of 12-year-olds spouting off whatever comes to mind without any thought. That's what I did, anyway. Since then, I tried moving on from childhood habits and went on to more "grown up" things online, which almost exclusively meant logging upward of 30,000 hours playing PC games online. I ended up getting a job that allowed purchase of more software and shenanigans, I've since realized that I've wasted several years with nothing to show for it, and pretty much abandoned my lifetime hobbies, not exclusively gaming, but any and all computer-related activity, including my planned career path of programming. And, let me tell you, there's a really cool world outside. I've been part of more meaningful hobbies, peers, relationships, employment, and in the past year I've pretty much changed every aspect of my life. I'd just about completely forgotten about my old stomping grounds here. Occasionally while browsing lists of online contacts i've accumulated, downsizing wherever possible, Kat's presence reminded me of that one forum I'd always go to when I was a kid. We totally met there, you know. Like ten years ago. So that's the last four to five years since my last check-in. I've recently picked up the art of chain mail crafting, more than once I've participated in medical research studies and indirectly helped in the efforts against cancer, (a fancy way of describing how I'm being paid to be a lab rat) and I've held a relationship together for a bit over a year with the loveliest of exceptionally short ladies. I've gathered, from my brief tour, that only Horatio and Topazia stop by lately. I'll just use my wizard powers to suggest other users swing by, too. By the way, I'm totally a wizard, now. I forgot that part.

well next time you swing by exotic Nebraska, I know of some airports that are fully compatible with most modern aircrafts.

Guys. guys. How long has it been since I made this account, it was like ten years ago. And it feels like even longer since I actually used it. I was very thrilled to see Horatio's enthusiasm once again, i tell you whut

omg it's mw i'm so excited HEY HEY MW HI

So I started participating in Version 2.0 but then got distracted by some Canadian culture.

I'm a bit late to the thread, but that is terrible news. Makes me sad to know of unfortunate losses coming to people who have a consistent, positive, upbeat attitude such as yourself. At the same time, it's very heartwarming to see these people continue through life without letting this drag them down. You're a very respectable, patient person, Horatio. Sorry for your loss.

Heheh. Good to know I've left an impression

Reporting in from exotic Nebraska-town. I wholeheartedly approve of this thread.

[hnnnng okay after i go to work tonight i get TWO CONSECUTIVE DAYS OFF in which i will probably play video games until they lose my interest* and then i'll start writing some more of this honestly, the only thing holding me back is how I have most of an outline written except for Josh's intro part 2. Intro P2 is gonna put all four characters in one place, and effectively all that Josh needs to do is drive from one place to another and I really can't think of a way to make it interesting, so i might just skip it since i've come up with nothing after a month of thinking about it.] [*may or may not take the duration of both days off. see store for details.]

so I just saw this post and i'm confused about liking your brothers' quotes. also bumping again for Katman who always does things on time.

... and his name is Arkcher and he is a handsome and amazing young man. :V

Post 1.1.4 Joshua Bradford sternly filed through his large collection of cassette tapes, intently searching for a specific one. He had developed the habit of keeping an audio journal; friends and family had urged him to keep some record of his otherwise eventful life, but even after forty-some years, penmanship was definitely not one of his stronger points. Some might call him old-fashioned, still using a cassette tape recorder, but he was comfortable with using this medium. Minimal risk of overwriting what was stored, no chance of deleting them if they were stored digitally… They were somewhat large and bulky, which made them easy to keep track of. Joshua had, in fact, led an eventful life. Silver-tipped hair, unrefined wrinkles, and a slowly declining endurance for physical activity made this more evident. Spending this gradual change alone was a harsh reminder that his life was, indeed, eventful. “When you lose someone you love, you die too…” a quotation came to mind. “… and you wait around for your body to catch up.” Still scanning through his archive, a written date caught Josh’s eye. August sixteenth, 2008. Joshua sighed, before picking up the cassette holder and placing its contents in a nearby player, and starting it. A flood of memories came rushing to him, before any clear sound came from the speakers. Josh was an enthusiastic religious pastor, back in the day. Part of his ongoing journal records included him developing and presenting sermons and lessons based on religious ideals and scriptural passages. Josh listened to himself give a sermon on blessings of prosperity to those who live righteously, and the flip side- adversity given to the wicked. Still with a zealous drive in his demeanor, Josh was telling of the outcome of Naaman’s behavior as recorded in the Old Testament. Today, Josh was truly listening with utter contempt toward this story’s morals. While preaching this very lesson to his humble congregation, Josh was not blessed for his righteous intentions and aspirations. Distastefully, Josh fast-forwarded the cassette for a few seconds before resuming, just in time to hear its conclusion, followed by a long silence. It seemed comparable to what some would call the calm before a storm. Josh vividly remembered recording this next half of the record- news had then reached him that his wife and only child had been involved in a car crash. Still holding to the advice of his close friends, he recorded himself in prayer. “Lord… If you don’t help me, I can’t get through this. I can’t.” The cassette player began playing back his voice, shaking with emotion. “Lord, I’m too old for games… Foolishness…” A long pause, followed by a quiet sob. “And I’m tired of rhetoric… meaningless rhetoric. It never changes things.” Joshua’s recorded tone of voice made it very clear that he was struggling to control himself. “Lord… Just help me.” Joshua was overcome, both in the past and the present as he revisited this memory. He was repeating the words “help me” in between quiet sobs, unable to think of any other request for the one constant in his life. Hands shaking with emotion, Josh reached for a blank cassette and replaced the old journal entry with the new one, to continue recording himself in significant points of his life. He proceeded to audibly describe what occupied his mind as he reviewed this entry. “I was feeling God’s pain! I have never had anything that’s been any worth—in my forty years—that wasn’t born in agony! Never! … Never…” Josh was feeling very bitter with his life and all the experiences that it had brought. He understood very well about “refinement,” how even a coal can be changed in to a diamond, but only with sufficient pressure, heat, and time. The process is what deters people from continuing. Josh was no exception to this idea. “I’m… feeling like I’m… empty, dead… This refinement that is supposedly strengthening me... Has brought me nothing but, but pain! Is this a refinement? What have I done wrong?! God, you have… taken everything that I have ever lived for! I have nothing to hold on to!” Josh had been a pastor for over twenty-two years, and had once thoroughly believed in the same Christian orthodox beliefs that governed most aspects of his life. Even today he believed that there was a supreme creator, but he no longer thought of this God as a friend or ally. “What can be done… to restore any hope for me? What am I to look for next? Another… sermon from someone? A new revelation? Covenant?” Josh hesitated, realizing that he himself was not sure what he was asking. “I’m just not happy with the current state of affairs. The agony of God's heart is the awareness of all his children's shortcomings, all of our sin... and it seems as if I must endure this loneliness and pain as well, until I have been anguished over… some event… Until something, anything happens, I’m… I’m preaching sermons.” Josh glanced at the old journal entry that had started him on this tirade. Realizing the hypocrisy of his actions, but having no other path to follow, Josh was overcome with emotion, and simply wept uncontrollably, rife with memories. --- A loud noise caught Josh’s attention, as he gradually regained his senses, aware of his surroundings. He was sitting at his desk, effectively sprawled across the surface in a mess of cassette tapes and papers, with his cell phone nearby alerting him of an incoming call from a number he did not recognize. Josh rubbed his face with his hands, trying to regain soberness. “This is Joshua Bradford.” “Father Bradford? This is… Constable Redden of the Canon Police Department. How are you this evening?” Josh cringed at being called “father.” The caller introduced himself, but the name was not familiar. “I’m well off enough. How about yourself?” Josh tried to hide the grogginess in his voice, unable to recall if he had dozed off or cried himself to sleep earlier. Nonetheless, phone call greeting formalities took place. “I could be better. I remember several months ago I attended one of your Sunday religious services, and thought so highly of you and your message that I kept your contact information, but… law enforcement doesn’t always allow flexible hours, I regret not being able to attend your meetings more frequently.” “I appreciate your remarks.” “Well, the reason I’m calling is that I have an inmate who has made some poor decisions, and you’re the first person that came to mind for some words of comfort. A milder variation of last rites, if that makes sense.” Josh hesitated, still trying to wake himself up to make a decision in a more sober state. Why not, he thought to himself. It can’t be any different from other meaningless sermons I’ve been throwing together. “Where, what time? I think I can throw something together, if… schedule permits.” Constable Redden audibly smiled, sounding relieved that Josh had agreed. That made Josh think that Redden was interested in a sermon for himself in addition to the inmate. “Well,” Redden continued. “As soon as your schedule permits. He’s not being executed, just locked up. He’ll be in the Canon Penitentiary, out south of town.” Josh glanced at his wristwatch. “How about in an hour?” He would arrive at roughly 6:45, and still have time for himself afterward. “That soon? … Great! Sooner the better, I mean, whatever suits you.” “Can you meet me there?” Joshua asked, not wanting to take enough responsibility to track down “another soul to save.” “I… think that I can arrange that, yes.” Judging by the tone in Redden’s voice, he had prior commitments but was willing to make adjustments to meet Josh in person. “Excellent. This won’t be the first time I’ve gone there, so with that, I’ll see you in an hour.” “Thank you very much, Father Bradford.” Josh hung up before his conversation partner could continue. “Alright…” Josh sighed to himself. “now to find some flowery feel-good message.” In the past, Josh had heard that “one cannot convert another beyond his or her own belief.” This was just another lie that he had held on to for too long. He has given the same canned sermons to groups of people that have been brought to tears with how “touching” it was. Maybe they just want hope, something to hold on to, to know that a divine being cares. People will believe anything if they want to, even if it comes in the form of a bedtime story. Josh considered telling the inmate about the story of Job, which could be interpreted in many different ways. For children, it can be a reminder to stay obedient or bad things can happen. For adults, it’s a reminder to keep going when times get tough. Either way, it reads like a novel; nothing implies divine inspiration or where the story came from. How could anyone know of the discussion in the heavens that led to Job’s adversity? Catching his mind as it wandered off on a tangent, Josh pondered aspects of other passages rather than their legitimacy. Stepping in to the bathroom, he splashes water on his face before stopping to stare at his reflection in the mirror, thinking about how the subtle wrinkles and intensifying grey hairs were more visible than he remembered. Some people consider these aging effects to be shown with pride- a sign of age, experience, wisdom. Josh only sees wasted years, meticulously studying something that got him nowhere. With only a vague idea of what message to give to his awaiting audience, Josh leaves his home, feeling ready. “He’ll believe it. Just like everyone else.” [Five bucks to whoever catches some cultural references in here. :B ] [Next installment of updates will probably be about this long. Brace for impact.]