Thanks to one of my co-workers, I've been introduced to an online game known simply as Trukz. In this game, you assume the role of an over-the-road truck driver, armed with a small amount of cash, a broken-down truck (purchased with a portion of the aforementioned cash), and a desire to make a living for yourself.
The game play has two modes: real-time, where each hour's leg costs a fatigue point that is recouped in the next hour, and deadlines loom large, or casual, where you have thirty days to complete a route. Right now, I'm playing real-time, because I'm finding that I like the challenge. Also, I'm an independent for the time being, although in my first 24 hours of existence, I've been solicited to join no fewer than 30 companies.
Company employment offers the stability of contract work, along with assistance toward cost of fuel repairs, and tickets, but there is no such thing as a free lunch -- the company takes a percentage of the profits from every run you complete. How large that percentage is, and what the company offers back in return, varies and adds great depth to the game dynamic.
This should prove to be a fun experience. If you want to unleash your inner BJ McKay, come join me. Look for JeTDoG (my other common nom de 'net), or my friend Bulldozer (who got me started in this, and is affiliated with Bulldog Trucking). See ya on the open road...
18 February 2008
05 February 2008
miscellaneous ramblings
Haven't posted in a while due to being dragged in about a billion different directions by work, hobbies, and other stuff, so I figured I'd best get my butt back on here lest this become a "digital dustbowl".
Of course, with the rain we got last night and this morning, "dustbowl" was the furthest thought from my mind. From the thunderclap that woke me up at about 2:15am, I knew it was going to be an interesting day. Leaving the house about 15 minutes late, I headed downtown on the #39F, and we promptly got caught in traffic.
I've got to say, a pack of lobotomized chimpanzees would have done a better job of finding alternate routes into downtown than the batch of Rain-Man-meets-Mario-Andretti MORONS who insisted that the freeway was the only way into downtown (definitely the only way, definitely...). Fer Chrissakes, haven't you people ever heard of a traffic report? Life teaches you when you find yourself in a hole, the first thing you do is stop digging. Apparently, the simplicity of this lesson was lost on the throngs who insisted on racing like lemmings up the various entrance ramps.
So, what should have been a 15 minute trip wound up slightly more than thirty. Ah well, at least I made it in one piece, which is more than I can say for the somewhat more compact car we passed at the head of the jam -- ouch, babe...
Work was decent, if a bit hectic -- the case of being good at what I do. It seems like everybody wants a piece of me (in a good way), and there's just so many pieces to go around. I think I've gotten past the last of my VMWare configuration issues, so I should have my Linux desktop running with a virtualized XP install shortly. I left Microsoft in the dust at home about six months ago, and my slow progress toward divorcing my work environment from the Microsoft beast is moving along.
I stopped by Fat Fish Blue for their Mardi Gras buffet after work. Didn't stay long, food was good, music was decent, though I've come to an unfortunate conclusion -- I'm at "that age", squarely between the twenty-somethings a party like that is made for and the 50+ crowd that looks utterly ridiculous trying to act half their age. Don't get me wrong, I have older friends with youthful spirits, and I love 'em to death, but they know, recognize, and willfully disregard their age. They don't try acting like they never graduated college. It's a fine-line difference, but it's there.
This should be the year I finally start brewing my own beer. I went to a meeting last night of the SNOBS (Society of Northeast Ohio Brewers), and they seem like a fun bunch. Between that and my SCA involvement, I should have lots of resources available to me.
Speaking of the SCA, I was in charge of the feast servers at this past weekend's event, and being in such a position helped to reaffirm my faith in people. When I walked into the event, I had four confirmed servers for a hall of nearly 200 people, and prospects looked bleak. By the time the feast was seated, I had a crew of about a dozen and we ROCKED the house. "Tight" only began to describe how well the entire event went. I can sum up the hit of the night food-wise in two words -- "rabbit pie". Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail, Peter, Br'er, Bugs, y'all better watch out, 'cuz this craving ain't going away any time soon.
So, that's about it with me for now. I'll probably catch lunch with Sunny (and Jeff, if he's still on jury duty) on Friday, then probably go over to the Home & Garden Show this weekend. My weekends are as busy as my weeks, and ya know what, I kind of like it that way.
Of course, with the rain we got last night and this morning, "dustbowl" was the furthest thought from my mind. From the thunderclap that woke me up at about 2:15am, I knew it was going to be an interesting day. Leaving the house about 15 minutes late, I headed downtown on the #39F, and we promptly got caught in traffic.
I've got to say, a pack of lobotomized chimpanzees would have done a better job of finding alternate routes into downtown than the batch of Rain-Man-meets-Mario-Andretti MORONS who insisted that the freeway was the only way into downtown (definitely the only way, definitely...). Fer Chrissakes, haven't you people ever heard of a traffic report? Life teaches you when you find yourself in a hole, the first thing you do is stop digging. Apparently, the simplicity of this lesson was lost on the throngs who insisted on racing like lemmings up the various entrance ramps.
So, what should have been a 15 minute trip wound up slightly more than thirty. Ah well, at least I made it in one piece, which is more than I can say for the somewhat more compact car we passed at the head of the jam -- ouch, babe...
Work was decent, if a bit hectic -- the case of being good at what I do. It seems like everybody wants a piece of me (in a good way), and there's just so many pieces to go around. I think I've gotten past the last of my VMWare configuration issues, so I should have my Linux desktop running with a virtualized XP install shortly. I left Microsoft in the dust at home about six months ago, and my slow progress toward divorcing my work environment from the Microsoft beast is moving along.
I stopped by Fat Fish Blue for their Mardi Gras buffet after work. Didn't stay long, food was good, music was decent, though I've come to an unfortunate conclusion -- I'm at "that age", squarely between the twenty-somethings a party like that is made for and the 50+ crowd that looks utterly ridiculous trying to act half their age. Don't get me wrong, I have older friends with youthful spirits, and I love 'em to death, but they know, recognize, and willfully disregard their age. They don't try acting like they never graduated college. It's a fine-line difference, but it's there.
This should be the year I finally start brewing my own beer. I went to a meeting last night of the SNOBS (Society of Northeast Ohio Brewers), and they seem like a fun bunch. Between that and my SCA involvement, I should have lots of resources available to me.
Speaking of the SCA, I was in charge of the feast servers at this past weekend's event, and being in such a position helped to reaffirm my faith in people. When I walked into the event, I had four confirmed servers for a hall of nearly 200 people, and prospects looked bleak. By the time the feast was seated, I had a crew of about a dozen and we ROCKED the house. "Tight" only began to describe how well the entire event went. I can sum up the hit of the night food-wise in two words -- "rabbit pie". Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail, Peter, Br'er, Bugs, y'all better watch out, 'cuz this craving ain't going away any time soon.
So, that's about it with me for now. I'll probably catch lunch with Sunny (and Jeff, if he's still on jury duty) on Friday, then probably go over to the Home & Garden Show this weekend. My weekends are as busy as my weeks, and ya know what, I kind of like it that way.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
