a sketch a day - June

063006
It's 11:39:23 at night and I am here at the office, again, after finishing dinner. Tony MacAlpine's "Edge of Insanity" is on full blast in front of me to try and get my energy going. How appropriate, since things are not going as smoothly as I'd had hoped. Silly me for thinking I can have a full non-stressed and free weekend. Like Murphy's Law states "anything that can go wrong, will go wrong". Well, that law sure proved to be correct, for the build of the game that was working before I had left for dinner, is now not working. Sigh. Looks like I will need to come in sometime tomorrow to clean and finish up this mess that is Godfather 360.


062906


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062606


062506


062406
You have a big package and you start to unwrap it, but when you unwrap it, there's another wrapper. So you tear that off and there's another wrapper, and another, and another, and so on, and so on. As you continue this course of action, because this is your day, all you can feel is the anticipation of what's inside, and what's inside is a jewel that's going to make the work that you did all worth wild. But deep down inside, you know that there might not be anything at the end but an empty box. So, what then? Disappointment? Giving up? Kill yourself? The things is, even though I know that there may be no jewel in that box, the one you work at so hard to unwrap, I have to believe that there is, even though, there may not be, a jewel. I have to believe that because then I can finally get a peaceful nights sleep, for tomorrow, there's another box to unwrap.


062306
Though I had a lot to say today, I'm too tired to say them, so I'll try and remember what it is that I wanted to say, tomorrow. But, I'm happy right now.


062206


062106
Okay, pretty lame sketch, but still a sketch. It is a co-worker's birthday and a lot of people went out to his dinner party. Afterwards, when to his place to hang out and do some drinking. Not too much, but, it was fun. A good relaxing time during a stressful time before content lock next week. Which means working the weekend to get as much done as possible, blah! Anyway, this guy is a pretty nice guy, so everyone pitched in to get him a BBq grill. Not too bad. So after some drinking and relaxing, needless to say that I'm not quite focused on anything elaborate for a sketch:p


062006
They say that "Time flag when you're having fun", but why's it flying when you also have so much work to do:p I have to say, this year is going to be interesting because there's going to be so much outsourcing of content for every project at work. I don't really want to be part of the management staff that hand holds those outsourced asset companies, so what is one to do? The PS3 is already looking to be a bear of a console to port to, so I may just take a "leave of absence" and concentrate on my paintings. But, who knows, maybe it'll all work out. Keeping my fingers crossed.


061906
Sometimes, I feel like I'm drowning in a see of bureaucracy. The simplest things just takes so long to get approval or taken care of. Seems like what ever efficient system gets put together one year, just gets ripped out the following year. It's like an amateur mechanic who gets this garage full of premium parts and occasionally, puts together a winning engine. But instead of keeping it running the way it is, takes it apart and starts over, and yet, never learns about ones mistakes.


061806


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061506
I've got carpal tunnel in both my elbows from working fourteen hour days, so I really would like to just do nothing and daydream my work days away, sipping cider and rum. Yes. These days have been so nice. It's beach weather, not dark office weather. It's the kind of weather where the convertible top comes off and a nice drive in the hills is in order.


061406


061306


061206
Today is what's call Alpha. The time when everything that should be in the game has to be, except for final polish of art, programming and gameplay. Not much of an Alpha, for this is just a port:p Enough said.


061106


061006
Last weekend and this weekend is the East Bay open studios for the local artist there. This is the third year that my friend, Suzanne, has participated in the event. She has some great abstract landscapes that I really like. I admire her for her courage to just quit work and paint full time, and have been quite successful at it. She has shows in San Francisco, New York and some places in Arizona and others. It's what every artist would love to do, but it is hard work. Check out her stuff here http://www.sonodera.com


060906


060806
Oh this is terrible! A co-worker is sick and now he gave it to me! Bastard! So, I've been brewing some cocktails to, hopefully, kill it before it gets worst. Crushed a bunch of vitamin Cs, Bs, multi-vitamins into a powder and put it into a blender for a shake. Boiled up some garlic, ginger, brown sugar soap and downed that, too. Hope this cold passes by quick. Over night would be preferred, hahaha.


060706
Today is one of those days when I feel like I'm on auto pilot. After so many hours and days of monotonous work, my brain just shuts down and auto pilot switches on, and the body just runs the pre-scripted programs of fixing this or that which requires little or no decision making from the logical side of the mind.

My manager talked with me about what it is that I wanted to do after this project because I had mentioned to the project Development Director, or DD as they are called, about wanting to go onto a more creative project. You see, I have not created any real content for my portfolio for over two years, and I really need something to show for these passing years. My DD then mentioned that he had me slated to go onto the PS3 port of Godfather. Well, to tell you the truth, I've pretty much had it with Godfather! I can't wait till this thing is over, end of July, and get plastered and sleep for a week. Sooner would be better, and I think I'm going to start because I need to blow off some steam. I am even seriously thinking of taking a leave-of-absence for a few months if I have to go on to another port of this porker. It's late and I am ranting, blah,blah, blah.


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060206
Today was a good day. It was a good day because I took it off, hahaha. Since I've been working a lot of hours, I asked for a day to recuperate before the next wave of insane hours that's going to be logged in for the next two plus weeks. This can not be helped for that is the nature of this industry. It's a cycle of hills and valleys and this is the time of the climb to the top of the hill before the gentle decent that is after Beta. Thank goodness the end to this project is drawing near.


060106