The dreaded words "Series Ended"

As we approach this year's fall primetime lineup, I find myself thinking less about the new shows about to launch and more about the shows that aren't returning. There are a whole slew of characters and plot lines that will never again be enjoyed by all of us that invested so much time into them over the years.

It's strange how television has this tendency to suck you into it. I guess it's much the same with movies and books, but I think the nature of television programing gives it a unique ability to draw you in and keep you coming back. I assume it has to do with the fact that television is episodic. We tune in each week for the next installment and over time we begin to genuinely care about the characters.

Whether we simply like one of the characters, have a crush on an actor/actress, know someone who reminds us of someone in the cast, or feel like the story mirrors our own lives, we invest a little part of ourselves in the show as we watch. The characters become almost real and we actually legitimately care about them. We laugh, we cry, we love, and we hate. While none of it's real, we treat it as if the situations and relationships are.

The problem is that it isn't real. Furthermore, their existence depends on the amount of people that tune in every week and if the studio execs decide that a show has run it's course, it gets pulled. Along with the shows death goes all the time we've put into watching. What's going to happen to John and Susie (two completely arbitrary names)? We'll never know. We'll just have to live on without them and replace them with the next series to come along. But I guess all things come to an end.

posted by Christopher Schnese

Are we living in a simulation? (The Argument)

A while back I was listening to an episode of Buzz Out Loud (which is [still] just about the greatest podcast on the net) and a story was brought up of a man named Nick Bostrom, who believed that we might very well be living inside of a simulation. At the time, the story resulted mostly in laughter, however, the Buzz Crew actually brought Nick on to yesterdays show to talk about his Argument for a Simulated Reality. The resulting conversation was very interesting if not intriguing.

When the subject was brought up in the original episode, I didn't really care much. It just came in through the head phones as I sat in the office and got filed away in the back of my head. I didn't even bother to look the original article like I usually do when the cast mentions a subject of interest. I wish now, having heard the argument from nick himself, that I would have given it a chance. While his argument is not a "proof" by any means, it does bring up some interesting points and makes you at least willing to entertain the possibility that we may be living in a simulation.

The argument is built upon three premises, one of which you must accept when discussing the possibilities of a simulated reality. They are (more or less) as follows:

1) No civilization could ever reach a level of technological advancement so great that they could create a simulation so real that the participants couldn't recognize they were part of the simulation.

2) A civilation could reach a level of technological advancement so great that they could create a simulation so real that the participants couldn't recognize they were part of the simulation, however, they would have absolutely no desire to actually create that simulation.

3) A civilation could reach a level of technological advancement so great that they could create a simulation so real that the participants couldn't recognize they were part of the simulation, and would create such a simulation. Thus, we could be in that simulation.

Now of course, all you have to do to send the argument crashing into the ground is accept the first premise. In it, we could never be existing within a simulation because no such simulation could exist. But if you are willing to throw the first premise out, you're really only left to accept the third. I mean, can you honestly tell me that if we could create an artificial world that was in distinguishable from real life, we would refrain from doing so. You've got to be out of your mind. This is where we're headed folks. Simulations, whether for entertainment or study, are a huge industry. We live in a world where people do just because they can. If the technology is there, you can bet your ass we're going to use it.

So if we're all on the same page here. If you believe that we could possibly become advanced enough. If you believe that we would use that technology given the opportunity. Can you honestly then refute the possibility that this could all be a simulation? It's something to think about.

posted by Christopher Schnese

Microsoft Points: A broken marketplace system

Those close to me know that I'm no fan of Microsoft. In fact, Microsoft has done very little that I'm proud of. Often, my hatred of the company is often associated with my love for Apple, Inc and I'm simply accused to being to much of an Apple Fanboy. Now I recently bought an Xbox 360, which I think is proof that if Microsoft can do something right, I'll give them a chance. So far I've been very impressed with the 360 hardware and even the software that operates the device. I was utterly happy until Microsoft Points came into the picture.

For those who aren't owners or 360s or simply don't use the box for anything other than playing the games purchased in a store, Microsoft has implemented something they call the Xbox Live Marketplace. This online store allows users of the service to purchase and download content such as game demos, complete arcade games, television shows, movies, and themes. The problem is that unlike Apple's iTunes Store, Microsoft decided they'd shy away from actual cash transactions and thought it was somehow a good idea to move to a completely obscure points system.

In theory, A points system would be ok if there was an easy way to calculate the dollar amount of a purchase on their site. However this is not the case. Unlike an arcade where a token is equivalent to one quarter, one Microsoft point is equivalent to one and a quarter cents. Let's move on from this though, one can argue that a price by any other name still costs as much. The real problem with the system is in the purchasing.

Microsoft points are only available in increments of 500, 1000, 2000, and 5000 from their website and increments of 1600 and 4000 in retail stores. Here in lies the main problem. After playing the demo for Geometry Wars, I decided I would purchase the full unlocked game, which requires 400 points. So, if I want this game, which is all I want, I have to spend $6.75 to buy 500 points to purchase a 400 point game. If you're bad at math that leaves me with 100 extra points or a wasted $1.25. This is annoying because you can't buy any games for 100 points. I think I could buy tip a tip video for the game I've already beaten, but nothing worth it. Astonishingly, this isn't the worst part.

I finally said screw it and decided to buy the 500 points so I could play my game. I logged in, selected the 500 point package, selected my already confirmed credit card they had on file (you know the one I used to purchase the 3 months of Xbox Live from an hour earlier), and clicked the confirm purchase button. After a moment it gave me back an error. "That's strange" I thought. I wondered if Microsoft was worse than I imagined and forced you to buy the $20 package to start things off, so I click on it. Once again I received an error. Well, I said screw it and just settled for playing more demos all night.

Well the next day, I went out for my lunch break at work. At the register, I attempted to pay with my VISA Check Card. Blamo! Denied. "Do you have another card sir?" the woman behind the counter said. I told her no, she tried it again, and in the end I had to cancel my order. Quite upset and a little embarrassed (to have my card rejected in line at a Del Taco), I walked out to my car pulled out my phone and called my card provider. To make a long story short MY BANK PUT A HOLD ON MY CARD BECAUSE I ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A PURCHASE FROM MICROSOFT'S POINTS SITE.

What the hell? Are you telling me that besides making a stupid, obscure, customer screwing points system for their Xbox Live Marketplace, Microsoft didn't even bother to make sure their service was flagged as a legitimate site by all major banks and credit card providers? What the hell indeed. Oh, and since I cannot add points to my account with my check card without it having a hold placed on it, I had to purchase my points from a retail store which only sold it in the 1600 points for $20 package. Which, again, means buying $15 worth of points I didn't want. Congratulations Microsoft, you've managed to tarnish the one thing that I thought you had done right.

posted by Christopher Schnese

The Automobile: A temporary cure for ADD?

We all have places, things, or activities that inspire us or help breed creativity. We all have something that, when we really need a moment to clear our heads or search for a solution, will allow us that little edge we need to accomplish that goal. For me, oddly enough, that place is behind that wheel of a car. For whatever reason, when I'm driving in a car all the white noise that is usually floating through my head is completely cleared and the creative energies of my brain are allowed to roam free and unhindered. Until recently I simply accepted it and was thankful. I now believe, however, that clarity of mind is actually a side effect of the act of driving on an ADD mind.

For most of my life I actually held the belief that ADD was not only a misdiagnosis, but this grand conspiracy concocted by the pharmaceutical companies to gain a little money. Over time, however, I made a complete about-face and even became convinced that I was actually plagued with it myself. While I've never been diagnosed with ADD, a fact that may have changed had I ever been tested for it, self-analysis of my own thought processes and thinking patters lead me to hold this truth.

A lot of people think that people with ADD simply can't concentrate on any task placed before that. While there is some truth behind it, it's looking at the result and not the problem. What's actually happening is (and forgive me if I butcher this a bit) that their brain is constantly searching for stimulus. When the brain begins a task what provides little or insufficient stimulus, it will move on from that task in search of something more stimulating. This is why an individual appears inattentive. The brain is, in a manner of speaking, bored with whatever it's doing. Now this is treated with various drugs, all of which are themselves stimuli. By chemically stimulating the brain, there is no need for the constant searching and the individual is allowed to concentrate on the tasks set before them.

I believe that driving a car mimics the effects of ADD medications, at least within my brain. When I'm behind the wheel of a care there are two distinct and very present activities operating at all times. First off is obviously the act itself of operating the car; the steering, signaling, and observing the actions of other vehicles on the road. Secondly, I almost never drive my car without my iPod playing. This is more than enough natural stimulus to keep my brain actively engaged.

This, in effect, leaves the creative centers of my brain to work through any thoughts, emotions, or problems that I may be faced with. This may seem counterintuitive to most people, but I will often go on spontaneous two hour drives on days when I'm feeling antsy or days where my brain is filled with particularly noisy "chatter". I know that driving is often aggravating, enraging, and the last thing most people would do to calm down, but it always works like a charm for me. All thanks to my self-diagnosed ADD.

posted by Christopher Schnese

The pains of post-college life

Let's face it, school (no matter what grade level) is always sort of a drag. As I slugged my way through my last semester, I had slaved way too long and way too hard to not be dying to see my career as a student coming to an end. In what seemed like no time at all, it did come to an end. And now I'm totally free. Or at least I should be.

So it's been a little over three months now and I think I'm losing my mind. To be fair, things may have been different had I not dislocated my knee and been land locked to my room for a large chunk of that time, but I think I really am losing it. I wont lie, I've always been somewhat of a hermit, but I've grown a lot over the past few years into a very sociable person. Now that school is out, it's quite obvious what a factor in socializing school had become.

Everyone has their own lives, jobs, families, and relationships that will naturally "take up" most of their time. School, however, was one of those things that all but guaranteed you'd see those friends at least one time a week. It seems like the time just isn't there anymore these days. And believe me I'm not trying to place this on anyone else but life. Hell, with my working 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, finally sleeping in one my first free day (Saturday), and then going to Church (and all the related activities) Sunday, I don't exactly have time to make myself available to anyone else either.

[Interjection: This, of course, makes it incredibly hard to get back into dating too, but that's another story for another post]

Sure, so I miss school, but you know what the worst part is? I actually, and this is going to hurt me to say this, miss homework. That's right, I said it. I, Christopher Schnese, miss annoying assignments with even more annoying deadlines. Ok, let me digress just a bit. I don't miss all or any home work. I specifically miss assignments geared towards my Visual and Performing Arts major.

Basically, I am a creative mind trapped inside a little box with no outlet. This is the true reason why I'm going mad right now. My brain is flying at a million miles an hour and I just need something to do to keep it busy before it explodes. Back when I was in school, I was forced to utilize my creativity to actually create something. I had a professor to direct me, to give me a starting point, and to hold my feet to the fire. Right now I have nothing.

Today I just limped back and forth from my room to the kitchen holding my little Canon MiniDV Camcorder in my hands, desperately racking my brain for something to shoot and edit. I literally couldn't take it anymore. I desperately need footage, I need to be inside of Final Cut Pro, and I need to edit something. I have a little notebook full of video projects, but all of them need a crew, cast, and a fully flushed out script. I even have three television commercial spoofs that I'd like to do, but I can't shoot them in or around my house, so I'm sort of stuck with those too.

I just need some people who want to work on some projects. Even something simple. I just need something to realize my creative potential before I lost the potential to be creative.

posted by Christopher Schnese

Computers, humans, memory, and experience

Have you ever spent a lot of time on an activity, fallen asleep after holding out as long as you possibly could, and then ended up having a dream about the very activity you were doing? Now in most cases, a dream of this sort isn't very exciting or interesting. And it's not one you'd usually share. Sometimes, however, the seemingly simple dream can be a segue to something so much more. This morning I awoke from just such a dream.

Last night my brother and I went to the movies to see The Bourne Ultimatum. Though we returned home well after midnight, the action and intensity of the movie had me wide awake. Unable to sleep I booted up my computer and began playing World of Warcraft. I played the gave for a few hours and then headed to bed once my eyes began to get heavy. Once asleep, my brain slipped back into the state it had been while I was awake and I began to dream that I was playing World of Warcraft. Only there was one subtle difference.

When I began playing in the dream world, it was using a different account and a different player than my own. I didn't know who's account I was on, who's character is was playing, but it was a dream and I never thought anything of it; I simply played on as if nothing were wrong. When I woke up, rather than having the expected "maybe I should play less if I'm dreaming about it now" thought, I began to surprisingly philosophical thoughts springing from the seemingly inconsequential dream.

I thought less about playing that character and more about being that character. I was very intrigued by the idea of existing in the game, knowing and having an understanding of all the spells and abilities my character had, and yet knowing nothing about the experiences involved in earning those spells and abilities. I thought of it in terms of the differences between memory in human brains and the memory in computer hard disks.

We always grow up with the idea that our brains are like super advanced computers and modern scientists are constantly trying to create smarter and smarter computers that are capable of "human-esque" learning. However, there is a significant and fundamental difference between the way a computer catalogs data and the way our brains catalog memories.

A computer absorbs information without bias, and without care really, for the source and reasoning for the data. The world is simply a series of charts, databases, failures, and successes. When a quadrupedal robot "learns" to walk, it hasn't truly "learned" anything. It was programed with the task of moving forward, began making random movements, and then compiled a database of "movements that accomplish nothing" and a database of "movements that create forward momentum". Furthermore, a computer program like the servers of Wikipedia have endless "knowledge" stored within them, however that data means absolutely nothing to the machine. All the computer knows is how to store 26 characters, 10 numbers, and several symbols. It knows nothing of experience.

The human brain on the other hand, knows only in experience. The data itself comes almost secondary to living through the intake of said data. As humans we tend to learn through our emotions. This is why things that are funny, sad, or interesting are so much easier to remember than things that don't interest us. This is why we do so much better in the school subjects that we like than in the classes that we don't care about or are forced to take. Scientists may one day discover that our brains have cataloged and stored every single piece of data that has entered them, much like a computer, but that will still not change the fact that we will never be able to "remember" that data. That is unless the experience was significant in some way.

That is because data, without experience, is just noise.

(image borrowed from www.changeyourmind.com)

posted by Christopher Schnese

Self-censorship on a personal blog

I've never been the best of writers, but I've always enjoyed it. Even back in school it seemed that as long as the subject matter was good, I actually enjoyed my writing assignments. I've always seemed to have an over active mind and I can't really go through the day without analyzing the events and environment. With everything I see and experience, I find myself needing to talk it out or express it externally, rather than drown in the swirl of thoughts that quickly build up in my head. I guess I see writing as a way of having this needed conversation when there isn't anyone around to hear it. The problem I have is that when you have a true in person conversation, you know who's listening and you generally have a good idea of how they'll react to it.

Unfortunately, when blogging, you have absolutely no guarantee to who is reading and how they'll interpret your written words. As such, I often find myself censoring my own posts. In many cases, the would be posts are thrown out long before I even sit down to write them. There are many people out there who view their blogs as a journal that they freely let strangers flounder about in. Some, seemingly forget that their entries are public and post their personal thoughts and feelings to the world unknowingly. I, however, write entries that I intend to be read, that I would openly converse about in person, and that are written for a general audience.

I've become the worst enemy of the writer inside me. As I go about my day, the over active mind I mentioned earlier will drudge through my thoughts and memories and pull themselves together into these conversational blogs. For a split second I begin writing the blog entry in my mind; mulling over the introductory paragraph in my head. Suddenly, the creative and analytical side of the brain is shut off to make way for the editor who is very conscious of who may or may not be reading the entry that would follow.

Many people know me in many different ways. It's not that I act differently based on the people I'm with at the time, it's just that I'm a very complicated individual and it would be literally impossible to present myself in full to any one person. So, many people experience different layers of the onion that it me. When I write something in a public forum (of which, being accessible to anyone, my blog is), I'm very cognizant of how it will be viewed by all those who could possibly stumble upon it. Because of this awareness, I often find myself not writing more posts than I do.

Because text is so different than spoken word, in which meaning can be implied by inflections in voice, it's impossible to guarantee that my readers will understand where my writing comes from and what my words really mean. In normal conversation, I often use miniscule examples to leapfrog into more universal and significant subject matters. If I uses a personal experience as my miniscule example, it would be easy for a reader of my blog, especially one for whom it was a mutual experience, the tone and direction of the piece might be interpreted as an attack on them.

The self-censorhip doesn't just stop with a fear offending someone. It also stems from an attempt to pay respect and not belittle the the trials and tribulations of others in the world, regardless of whether those individuals would ever even see my post. I'll often hear a story of tragedy that will spark a thought or a reevaluation of my self. While I'd like to express those thoughts and feelings, I come to the conclusion that I could never really understand what those people are going through in their time of tragedy. Furthermore, I end up feeling like making my post, one build of the mere idea of loss, only takes away from the suffering of those. This post, in fact, is taking the place of just such an entry. I simply cannot bring myself to coat-tail the experiences of others in this way.

If, from the very beginning, I would have begun writing anonymously, I would have no problem writing each and everything thought that sprung from the depths of my mind. However, Just Because iCan is the personal blog of Christopher Schnese and I write it as myself. I simply cannot allow myself to write anything I wouldn't speak, to each and every person I come across, in real life.

posted by Christopher Schnese

Dislocation Part 2: The Status

Well, it's been four days since "The Incident". I'd love to say I'm up, happy, and running around, but then I'd be lying. The truth of the matter is that, though I'm leaps and bounds better than when it first happened, I'm still far from where I want and (more importantly) need to be. The Doctor Visit: Yesterday I had my first checkup with the doctor. Unfortunately, the doctor I was supposed be visiting doesn't accept the HMO I'm under, so we were forced to see a different doctor. This of course meant that I was walking into an office to see a man who had absolutely no prior knowledge of my accident except for what I jotted down on the clipboard in the lobby. After the new doctor took a look at my leg and ordered up some new x-rays, he had some good news and some cautionary news.

The Good News: My leg is now well enough that I can bend it. I have to admit I was really scared the first time (after having it lay straight for 3 days), but once I got it bent I was thoroughly relieved. I cannot express how joyous it is to know that when I sit down I can take off the brace and actually sit normally. The doctor also said that I should start working the leg, bending and straightening it, to build it's strength back up. This is very exciting for me. It basically means that I'm not confined to my bed anymore. I can actually move about and possibly even [somewhat] enjoy myself around the house.

The Cautionary News: this all seemed like pretty good news, and while he did say I shouldn't get all worried about what he was going to tell me, he did have some words of caution. The doctor said that while I should be on my way to a nice recovery, there was a slight chance that my knee could spontaneously dislocate again, several times. If this turns out to be the case, it means I will need surgery to correct the problem. This, is obviously not the outcome I'm hoping for.

I have a follow-up appointment in two weeks. Hopefully by then, I'll have full mobility back and I wont have to go to therapy, which will be mandatory if I've not recovered by then. For now, I'll just have to continue to deal with the side effects of my injury.

The Pain: At this point in the game, pain is not the issue I'm dealing with anymore. I'm not going to pretend that it feels "all fine and dandy", but the real issue I'm dealing with is pressure and immobility. If I'm just laying there relaxing (or anything that involves not moving), I [can] almost forget that I have any injury at all. It's when I'm forced to move because of a cramp or because I'm physically moving from one area to another that the discomfort sets in.

The Pressure: Apparently, as it was explained to me, when my knee dislocated, it tore a bunch of ligaments and other organy things (okay, so anatomy was never my subject) which have since bled into the knee cavity. This is why my knee looks so swollen, because it's filled with blood. While it's not to much of an inconvenience when my leg is straightened out, bending my knee tightens the skin around the cavity and creates enough pressure to create a lot of discomfort. It is, however, completely manageable and I'm ecstatic that it's all I have to deal with now.

The Real Issue: Even with the discomfort, pressure, and immobility, we haven't even gotten to the real issue that's making this whole experience so difficult for me. The problem is that the injury is to my driving leg and I live 20 miles from both place I work. Fortunately, because my "Tuesday, Thursday" job is graphic design work, I've been able to work both days from my house, but I'm not so lucky with my Audio Engineer position. Did I mention that I usually lug my G5 and both monitors to the office each day?

It would be one thing to try and find someone to pick me up and drop me off at work everyday, it's another thing to find someone who will crawl under my computer desk, unplug everything, pack it in the car, drive me to work, unpack, and set it all back up in the office for me. With the holiday last week, I've already missed three days of work and I literally cannot afford to miss anymore. I'm not sure what I'm going to do. All three of my bosses are actually out of town at an Audiobook Publishers Convention, so I have to wait till they're back before I can discuss it with them and try to work something out.

The [Other] Real Issue: As most of you know, I'm supposed to be in my new place right now. Obviously the accident has made it a little hard to move. Not to mention the fact that if I do move, I get dropped from my mothers health insurance which is covering all the costs of my injury. So, I don't even know where to go with that.

And with that, I think I'll leave you and return to my leg "exercises" (if you can even call them that). Thanks again for all the support and good wishes I've received from all of you.

posted by Christopher Schnese

Dislocation Part 1: The Incident

Fist off, I'd like to thank you all for your concern, well wishes, and prayers. If you have to wake up with your leg in a "knee demobilizer" as pain rockets up and down it, it makes it just that much more bearable to know that there are people out there thinking of you and wishing you a speedy recovery. The Incident: Well, I'd love to have some crazy story about what I was doing when I dislocated my knee, but truth be told I simply do not. This was literally one of those freak accidents that I could have never seen coming. As I'm sure you all know by now, I've been slowly but surely packing up my room in preparation for my big move (which was supposed to start earlier this evening). As such, in front of my closet there are stacks of economy storage boxes. It came time for me to begin disassembling my electronic drum set. Being the OCD person that I am, I wanted to make sure all the pieces were placed in the same area for packing. As I took the set apart, I( remembered that I had stashed one spare piece in the closet (right behind my new stack of boxes). Since I didn't really have the room to relocate the boxes just to get the piece, I arched myself over the stack and began to awkwardly fiddle about reaching for the piece. Apparently, as I extended forward trying to gain that extra inch of reach, I turned in just the right way to just ruin myself.

I heard an enormous popping sound and my leg (or half of it rather) came out from under me. When I hit the ground, I immediately grabbed my knee [area] and knew instantly that I was going to need to go to the hospital. To make matters worse, I was in my room, with the door shut, with music on, while my family and a bunch of little kids were in the backyard celebrating my little sisters birthday. Unable to turn off the music or move through the barricade of my partially packed life, my only option was to scream bloody murder and hope someone would hear me.

After about a minute or so of screaming, one of my sisters friends heard me, sent here in, and she was able to grab my parents, who dialed 911 upon viewing the remnants of should have been a knee I was clutching in my hands. Now I've broken a few bones and I'd like to think that I have a pretty high threshold for pain, but this was the single most excruciating moment of my life (that is until they reset my leg, but that comes later). For the most part I could partly manage the pain through heavy controlled breathing and long drawn out swear words, but every few minutes or so there would be a sudden rush of pain that would peak out the "1 to 10 pain scale" and send me into uncontrolled screaming and spasms. When the paramedics got there, they promptly began pumping me full of morphine, checking and rechecking my stats, and then pumping my full of even more. All in all, I arrived at the hospital with 20 cc of morphine coursing through my veins.

Unfortunately, my local hospital (the same one I was born in) was at full occupancy (I don't remember their term for it) and were no longer admitting anyone, so we had to hop on the freeway and drive to another hospital. Once there, I was placed in a room and had to wait for a doctor to become available (apparently, only a "real" doctor can reset your leg is need be). As I lay in the room alone waiting for the doctor, I experienced a few more of the excruciating waves of pain I mentioned earlier. At one point, a security guard and another member of the hospital staff came in just to see what the camotion was all about.

Finally, it came time to reset my knee. Now I watch a lot of medical shows, so I was expecting the resetting to work the way it does on any prime time drama. The doctor would grab my leg saying "ok, now on the count of three", and then when he reached "2" he'd jerk my leg and everything would be fixed and good to go. Well, I was entirely wrong. And as I mentioned earlier. the pain I was experiencing just moments before was nothing compared to what I was about to feel. First we had to straighten my leg (which I had kept bent since the injury happened to help with pain) out. They laid me down flat and then began pulling my leg into a straight position. The pain was so great that I literally almost hopped off the gurney. Once they had it straight, it was time to pop the bone back into place. The doctor grabbed the protruding bone and began to apply [what he thought was] enough pressure to pop it back in.

Long story short, it took three tries to get the bone to pop back into place, each time pushing for longer and with more force. When it did go back in place, the pain immediately subsided. With the pain gone, I got an instant rush from the 20 cc of morphine and I began hysterically laughing. I kid you not.

To Be Continued...

posted by Christopher Schnese

[next: "Dislocation Part 2: My Status"]

And so, now begins the packing

It would appear that this is turning out to be a pretty big year for me. Not only did I finally graduate from college (after far too long of a wait), but in four days I'll be moving out of my parents house. And so, now begins the packing. For the last several years, my ever-growing accumulation of worldly objects has been built up, rearranged, and [dare I say] masterfully placed about my 9 by 9 foot room. Well, now that I'm moving out, I've got quite the task ahead of me. Those who've seen the inside of my room will corroborate, I have a strange knack for fitting a lot of stuff into a really small space. Lets just see if I can collapse my 9 by 9 foot into 12 economy storage boxes [and my car].

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get to it.

posted by Christopher Schnese