"Ideas can be life-changing. Sometimes all you need to open the door is just one."--Jim Rohn

"My thoughts are open season." -- Stone Sour

I had my review at work yesterday and did well. Not that I expected different, but it was still pleasant to be reassured my boss appreciates my work. One of my assigned objectives, for this new review cycle is to become an expert in the new computer system! Those bad programmers are at it again...:) (See previous posts). But actually, that was one of the smartest things she could of done (and my boss is smart). We're stuck with the good and bad of this computer system and to have a knowledge of it will only benefit me. I've never failed to complete an objective so I will become good with it. Another objective will allow me to be learning more actual freight routing. I can currently route freight on the ground both with BIG CORPORATE TRUCKING and many of our vendors but do not know how to route air, in time I will be taught this. This is both a profitable and portable skill. One that will give me more options should I ever leave my current job. My boss will be working with me on getting more organized professionally and sending me to a time management seminar. Also, I'll be working with our next new start. I'm excited about this, I love to train and am seeking a career path that includes it. If all that wasn't enough, I'll be learning Power Point and doing some training presentations with it. Even though my end goal is not to sell air freight, I must say I do have a good job and am glad to be there. Though someday I will leave, I am only better for having done what I do.

Martial arts training is going well. I have not missed a practice or a solo work out yet. As simple as that may sound, I'm proud of that fact. It means I am budgeting my time well. I injured my neck somehow and have had a hard time moving it the past couple of days. No pain, no gain...right?

I've also been trying to lose a little weight, not a full blown diet yet but getting there. I've lost a few pounds and cut Coke and sweets out of my diet. Next is to cut down on carbs...oh the thought of it! I love you Pastaroni! I'm getting used to Diet Coke.

My BLOG got eight hits last night, and it's grown in hits in leaps and bounds over the past month. People are reading it! This makes me smile (lol). If you're reading, please use the commenting system, I'd love to talk to you and remember I trade links. I'll be writing a piece soon called, "Blog Hopping" about the many BLOGS that I enjoy and read and about the people I've met through them. Most of them I aspire to be as good as.

As for my writing, I will be working on more of it. I have decide poetry is my best outlet and will be creating much more. Look for the results here soon. Probably some more gross out type short fiction too, I do pissed off and disgusting oh so well.

I have joined the Alpha Centauri APA and added their link to my BLOG. I'm really excited about this. I've always wanted to try an APA. This will give me an opportunity to meet more creative types in a personal environment, almost like a writer's group. And give me examples for my writing portfolio. Thanks to Scott Marshall for introducing me to the group, you can hit his link on my link box. I found Scott through Blogger's 'Most Recently Published'.

I will need to get some page layout skills, my first couple or APA 'zines probably won't look very good. I'm also upset to find out that my copy of Word '97 is missing the Newsletter Wizard. I downloaded one template last night but having a hard time find any decent ones. If someone can recommend a good source for these types of templates, please let me know.

I want to work on my poetry and possibly start a story for the APA. I think my 'Zine will be called, "The Blue Rabbit Chronicles" and instead of giving it an issue number, each issue will have a title. The first one being called, "Let Sleeping Does Die" from my imaginary rock band. I will be writing APA exclusives, and recycling some material for the BLOG.

I also need to get a book on punctuation and grammar. I'm seriously lacking in these tools. Not good for writers.

I'm thinking about relearning to program computers again. Though I was never great at it, I did make a really fun Kaboom knock off (showing my age here), a Craps game that was much better than the real thing, a Star Wars type cartoon, and I loved entering in and customizing the programs from 'Family Computing'. Not a lot exists like Family Computing that I can find today. Every month, they would have a different program or programs in BASIC that you could enter by hand. I really learned a lot. Some of the neat programs included a skiing simulator, holiday graphics including a jack -o- lantern, and a cross word puzzle generator. Does anyone know which version of Visual Basic I should purchase?

Currently, I'm reading 'Smoke and Mirrors' by Neil Gaiman. I love short story collections and this one is like the title--magical. I just finished 'I.Asimov' and William C. Dietz's 'Earthrise'. Both good books, in different ways, the latter being really good. The Deathday/Earthrise books are everything 'V' wanted to be.

I also read Entertainment Weekly every week. Monthly I read X Box Magazine, Writer's and Poets, and Writer's Digest. I'm going to let my subscription expire on the last two, they really just distract me from writing and reading.

As for comics, monthly I read 'Y the Last Man', 'The Losers', and bi-monthly 'Planatary' and 'Metal Hurlant'. Only one more issue of 'Global Frequency' to go, I've read that whole series too which isn't nearly as good as I thought it would be. I want to read more comics, and I do pick up others occasionally but they are so expensive. However comics are my true reading passion. I want to purchase some more graphic novels including 'Orbiter' and 'Our Cancer Year' and finish my Transmetropolitan and Sandman collections.

More and more each day, I find myself wanting to do and learn so many things. I don't think it's some sort of manic phase. No, not this time. I am becoming the image in my head, day by day. And though I may not be like others, I am finding I do like myself, who I am and what I am becoming. These are the few, many things I have to say today Until next time: keep your dreams alive and thanks for reading.

Lost in the sun.

Sincerely,

Today just call me Matt