Trying To Take The Next Step

08.08.2006

I love playing around with computer graphics (or maybe that should be "graphics on the computer"). I always have. I've never been an expert, but I like to think I'm just a little better than the average person. The majority of my graphics work has been done using versions of Paint Shop Pro. Paint Shop Pro is now up to version 10, and I bought version 7 a couple of years ago and more than got my money's worth out of it - especially after using the trial of version 5 long after was "legally" allowed. With the latest version of Paint Shop Pro, it's changed ownership from Jasc to Corel. A couple of months back I got the upgraded version 10 and played around with it a little, but found myself going back to version 7 more often than not. It seems I just don't like Paint Shop Pro 10.

There's nothing really wrong with Paint Shop Pro 10 (or Paint Shop Pro 7, other than it's a little dated), there's just some subliminal part of the program that turns me against it. I've also been finding that there are things I want to try to do, or learn to do, that are difficult in Paint Shop Pro since all the cool kids are using Photoshop, hence most of the tutorials and explanations are Photoshop-centric.

I've put off diving into the Photoshop world due to the learning curve of getting me to my Paint Shop Pro-level of knowledge, but the more I look at what I would be able to do after that initial learning period is making me ready to commit myself to making the switch. So last night I went out downloaded a trial version of Photoshop to see how painful this is all going to be. Hopefully I'll survive. I just have to try not to fall back on Paint Shop Pro 7 too quickly.

Permalink programming/interweb random

Pow Bam Snikt!

07.29.2006

Back in March I came across the what type of D&D character you are quiz, finding out to no ones surprise that I'm a Chaotic Evil Human Barbarian. For a change of pace I took a Which Superhero Are You quiz, even though there's about 10,000 of them out there. Here's what the first one told me:

Your results:
You are Batman

Batman 65% Green Lantern 60% The Flash 55% Robin 52% Spider-Man 50% Catwoman 50% Hulk 50% Iron Man 45% Supergirl 40% Superman 35% Wonder Woman 30%

You are dark, love gadgets and have vowed to help the innocent not suffer the pain you have endured.

Batman. That's pretty cool, I like Bats. I could handle being Batman as a superhero - just don't tell my parents what will happen to them. I wonder what a different test would tell me?

Wolverine You scored 23% Batman, 23% Superman, 20% Spiderman, and 60% Wolverine! The gruff Canadian with an unknown past. He kicks ass and takes names, but he also has a gentler side. A loner who can never settle in one place.

So now I'm Wolverine. I've got the "gruff" part of "gruff Canadian" down most when I need it - I think Jer refers to that side of me as "surly". Evidently my Wolverine-ness has dropped me to only 23% Batman as opposed to 65% on the first test, but I can twist that logic and combine the two to become 88% Batman! Maybe I'm an amalgam of Batman and Wolverine. I guess that would make me Dark Claw. Dark Claw doesn't sound as cool as Batman or Wolverine. Sounds a little too much like Darkwing Duck for my tastes.

Next I must find out what villian I am!

Permalink books/comics random

To Boldly.. well, you know how it goes...

07.23.2006

I seem to be a little Trek-heavy on the blog of late since mentioning that I've started watching Voyager. Voyager is the final series of the Star Trek franchise available left for me to watch. At least until November 21st.

That's when Paramount is (finally) releasing the animated series. I remember the series being on, but to be honest I don't ever remember watching an episode. The closest I can remember to watching one is a tangled memory due to an old View-Master slide that I had.

This also coincides with the announcement that the next Star Trek movie is now slated for a 2008 release. Not only that, but there's a couple of Trek starship combat games coming out at the end of this year, too.

It seems Paramount is gearing up to plug the Trek 40th anniversary and get everything they can out of it. Nothing new there, though.

If you want to click around to see where the hard core Trek nerds go to educate themselves, take a look at Starfleet Academy!

Permalink movies/tv/dvd

A Pound of Flesh. Twice.

07.19.2006

After 4 months of non-negative progress on my diet, I was about due to take a turn for the worse. So, at the 17 week mark I've managed for the first time not lose weight, not stay at the same weight, but instead to gain a little weight back. Two pounds of doom have come back to live with me. After a dip down to 348, I am once again Tree Fiddee.

I guess I should be distraught, I sound distraught. But I'm not. I went a little overboard last week and ate a couple of things I shouldn't have due to some extra stress and (knowingly) slacking of willpower. Not the brownie pictured above, but I did dive into some nachos at Rosies, along with overindulging in my low-carb snacks a few times (eat enough of anything and it adds up). In truth, I'm a little relieved that it was only 2 lbs. If anything this should motivate me to diet a little harder in the overall sense. For the past 4 months I've just been eating the South Beach/Low Carb way. My excercise has been non-existent. I should really being paying more attention to the fat content of the things I have been eating (it's impossible to eat low carb and low fat, but minimizing the fat is important).

I need to get back into the groove of fixing myself a salad for lunch and bringing it in to work instead of frquenting McAlister's for their Chef Salad a couple of times per week. I do like those salads, though. Maybe a little too much.

Permalink diet

Going boldy where man has gone for 40 years

07.17.2006

Friday I lost horribly at Battleball Game,and I don't want to talk about it. Instead I'll bring up another of my time wasting past-times!

After months of putting it off, last week I finally started watching the last of the Star Trek series that I haven't seen: Star Trek Voyager. Between the original series, TNG, DS9, and Enterprise I've seen 21 years worth of Star Trek. Now I'm working on the final 7. I can only really remember watching the first and last episodes of Voyager, so this series is as much of an unknown to me as Enterprise was. Looking at it that way, this is like a whole new show set the Trek universe. I just have to keep an open mind and not get mired by what I may have heard or will hear about the show. It's been off the air for 5 years now, so my mind should be pretty safe.

I've watched the first 8 episodes of the first season so far. It's got the usual "getting to know the crew" feel, along with too many time travel plot twists. But this is what the first season or two of any Star Trek series is about. Setting up the relationships between the characters and then watching them grow. I've jsut got to be sure not to vegetate on the couch trying to watch too many episodes at once. Nothing is worse than waking up Monday morning realizing you've spent the weekend watching 16 episodes of Star Trek. I've had more than one of those Mondays in the past.

Permalink movies/tv/dvd