So after a week and a half hiatus, I’m finally getting the blog back up and running.  Still no pics today, but hopefully by next week everything should return to normal.  I knew that moving would take some time and effort, after all, that’s why I said there would be no updates last week, but I had no idea of the scope.  Today is the first day since we started packing that I’ve had nothing scheduled, and there’s still plenty to be done both at the old house and the new house.  I’ve driven back to Lawrenceburg nearly every day since we’ve moved up here for some reason or another, and  I’ve only managed to play a few hours of StarCraft 2 over the last 14 days, and that’s only because I stayed up later than I should have a few nights.

All that said, we’re really liking the new place so far.  I still haven’t got a feel for what’s it’s like to be back in Lexington, I’ve spent most of my time cleaning, unpacking, or driving so far.  I did get the opportunity to play in a Magic tournament last night, my first one in two months or so.  Classes start on the 23rd, so I’ve got next week to finish settling in, and then things will start to really take off.  I’m not for sure what shape the blog will take after school starts, but I hope to maintain the MWF schedule, even if it ends up being in an abbreviated form.

Thanks to everyone who’s helped make the transition easier, and thanks to my readers for being patient with me.  Hopefully Lexington will bring a whole new world of photographs and adventures.

Ryan

Just a brief update today, as Leanna is working from home, and I can only steal the computer from her for so long.  First, there will be no updates next week.  We’re set to pack up and move on Monday, assuming we can manage to find an available U-Haul, and I plan to spend most of the rest of the week unpacking all our stuff and setting up my aquariums. 

It’s hard to imagine that we’ve lived in this house for over four years now.  The only place I’ve lived longer is at my parent’s home on Pigeon Fork.  It has come to represent some form of stability for us.  A constant in our ever changing lives, and now it too must change.  With that stability also comes stagnation, and though we never intended to make this our final resting place, four years ago we could not have guessed that we would be heading on the path we’re on now, wherever it may take us.  We’ve made a ton of good memories here, and had a lot of fun together, both alone, and with friends, but in the end it’s just brick and mortar.  We’ll pack up our memories just like everything else and take them with us.  We’ll take them to our new home, however long we may stay there, only to pack them up again, along with new ones, when it’s time to move on again.

So a farewell to Lawrenceburg, though I will visit you from time to time, I can’t imagine ever living here again.  But then again, I’ve not proven myself the best predictor of the future.

Ryan

As some of you may be aware, yesterday was the long awaited release of StarCraft 2.  In celebration I worked up a rotoscope of myself as a Terran Marine.  I took a promo image from Blizzard’s website, took a picture of myself, and four hours later, voila!  I’m really pleased with how this one turned out, though I left out a ton of detail from Blizzard’s original image.  I can’t even begin to fathom how long that took.

I’m about 8 missions into the campaign, and I’m really digging it so far.  I’m not quite ready to tackle any online competition though.  Leanna didn’t get a chance to sit down a play last night, as we decided to go see Inception instead.  I definitely enjoyed the movie, though I didn’t find it quite as mind blowingly awesome as I’d been led to believe. 

Counting down the days until we move; which is a little awkward since we don’t have a solid date yet.

Ryan

Blizzard's original image.Self portrait; only took three shots.Self portrait; only took three shots.

Self portrait; only took three shots.

Here's the inks. I wished I had saved an image of the flats, but I forgot.

So this is the second post in a row with no images.  Sorry folks, but I have run into a serious creative block.  And instead of throwing up some old archive images or just snapping a few shots in the backyard, I decided to just come clean.  Between getting ready for school in the fall, and figuring out when and how exactly we’re going to move, my brain has become more than a little crowded.  It’s all left very little room for photographic endeavors, mentally and physically.

We’re all getting very excited about the move.  Leanna and I packed up everything in the garage over the weekend, and we’re going to start on the rest of the house this week.  We keep saying we’re not in a rush to move out, but that’s not the truth of it.  We’ve been talking about this move for so long, like ten months, and now that it’s within striking distance, we’ve both become quite anxious.  I also want to offer a humble apology to my friends out there who I haven’t got to hang out with much over the last several weeks.  I’m hoping that all will change when we get settled in Lexington.  We’ll try to get game night back up and rolling.

I’m extra hyped about getting to start over on my 265 gallon aquarium.  I’m cooking up some really cool ideas; hopefully I will be able to do them justice.  I’m still trying to settle on future inhabitants, but I think I’ve got the basic scape worked out in my head.  I still need to work on the 125 gallon in Mom’s office, it’s a little harder tank to work with.  The long and narrow dimensions provide for some aesthetic challenges.

Starcraft 2 comes out tomorrow, which I plan on picking up as soon as it’s available.  Digital copies go on sale after lunch.  I’ve still got some money tucked away from selling Magic cards on eBay, which I’ve been saving for this express purpose.  I told Leanna that I’d cook her dinner tomorrow night if she would sit down and play for awhile.  I was explaining the difference between Warcraft and Starcraft to her last week and she seemed genuinely interested.  Either that or she’s just really good at appearing engaged.  She’s never really got into gaming, but I don’t think she’ll be able to turn down dinner.  I’ll let you know how it goes.

I finished Mario Galaxy 2 on Saturday.  Solid game, and I’d agree with the general consensus that it has a slight edge over the original.  Also, I started playing the original Mass Effect last night.  I’m really digging it so far.  I never got to play either of the Knights of the Old Republic, a shame to my gaming cred I know, so it’s all very fresh.  I fear it will fight for my time with Starcraft.

Maybe I’ll find the motivation to get out and shoot some tomorrow.  If anybody has any suggestions on a cool place to go within a reasonable driving distance (read one hour), then I’m all ears.  Now what to do next, more Mass Effect or packing?

Ryan