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Do the locomotion!
By traskjd on Saturday Jul 24, 2004 @ 10:37:18
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Just did a bit more reading on Chris Sawyer's new game - locomtion. Looking good to be released soon (early september) so I might have to pre-order that as well. The screen shots are a bit lacking (graphics look old as) but I don't think I've ever seen screenshots for his games that have made me go wow - it's the gameplay that rocks.
I wonder if I'll get a free beenie and figurine for pre-ordering like I am getting with Doom3 
- traskjd
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Late night musings
By traskjd on Friday Jul 23, 2004 @ 19:27:48
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It feels like every time I start another entry I'm tempted - or do - start off with "well it's been a long time bla bla bla". I really do wish I could train myself to blog more often. I might finally get around to writing a new system shortly - who knows.
This evening I pre-ordered my copy of Doom3 which I've been looking forward to for a while. It was a pretty good deal, I paid 89 dollars for it and it includes a beenie (not that I wear them) and a figurine of one of the game characters which will be nice. The game comes out on the 3rd of August which isn't too far away.
I also went to see the movie I, Robot tonight and I have to say that it was well worth it (even though the total cost was around 45 dollars since I ordered dinner to be delivered to my cine-lounge chair midway through followed twenty minutes later by a nice ice-cream - you have to indulge sometimes). I found the acting in the movie to be alright, not the best - just alright. Some of the humor was used quite well but I have a bit of difficulty getting my head around the fact that all of this is meant to have happened within 30 years. I won't say much more about the story line since it will give it away. One thing I will add though is that the teaser I saw earlier was considerably different to the movie. For example, lines in the teaser said by will smith were not said by other actors etc.
My room is pretty cold, I've just been talking to a friend online and telling him how even though it doesn't feel colder than when we were leading into winter my heater now takes considerably longer to take the chill out of the air in my room.
Ingram Micro need to sort out their shipping management! About a week ago I ordered a new LCD monitor and they said they were waiting on an order that would arrive on the following Monday. Then on the Monday they changed it to the 19th of August! Then the next day they changed the status of the monitor to "shippable" but it didn't change for a day so I called them up - apparently they were needing credit verification - which was on the order!! So they guy said he'd ship it and it would arrive on Monday (this coming Monday) but thankfully - even after all their stuffing around - it arrived early this morning It's really quite good, I've had no issues at all with it and it's working fine with my ATI card.
Work was interesting today, I've been working on a tool to extract the contents of an SDO file (Content Management Server database export into an xml format accross heaps of files) and presenting that information in an easy to read manner. I've decided to integrate it into the CMSInfo tool that I wrote a couple of months back just to beef up it's functionality which hasn't changed at all over the last couple of weeks. That's been keeping me fairly busy but I've got to get it sorted out completely soon as I have some pretty big things coming up over the next month or two.
Anyway, that feels like enough typing for now.
- traskjd
P.S. Also brought some new shoes when I went to the movie to replace my VERY old existing work shoes. The pair I got really nice and comfy and look a damn sight more professional than my last pair!
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First two weeks
By traskjd on Sunday Feb 01, 2004 @ 12:05:45
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My first two weeks in welly seem to have flown by.
Work at Intergen is going well, I'm slowly picking up the ropes. I've been working with a guy called Chris who has been teaching me a some new things about building ASP.NET applications. Heaps of stuff around that place are interesting and I'm sure I won't get bored for a while.
I still miss my family a lot but I'm going back to see them (and go to a wedding) next week. I will probably need to put in some extra hours as I need to leave the office a little earlier than normal on Thursday night (Waitangi weekend and all) to catch the train back to Palmy. Should arrive about 7pm I think.
Last weekend Mum, Dad, Ben, Allannah and Ari came down for lunch. It was really nice to see them. Mum seemed to think that I might not like them being here but it was really cool 
This week has flown by. The boating has been postponed twice but hopefully we will go this week. I have had a stash of boating clothes in the corner of the room now for two weeks and really want to put them away.
I was going to write a longer blog here but I seem to have got myself into a chat with some people in NZ so I keep flicking back and not giving this enough attention.
- traskjd
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The Catapult
By traskjd on Wednesday Jan 14, 2004 @ 15:41:34
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The Catapult
Handy in the real world manipulation of objects and events, this personality type is easily enthused by practical projects. Once gaining the interest of the Catapult, a project will be quickly and sometimes manically dealt with. That energy however will be invisible to those not witness to it. Abrupt is a watchword of this personality.
Spontaneity is important to the Catapult because it never quite knows when inspiration will hit. Because of this, it often ignores or conveniently forgets rules and boundaries that limit its freedom. This need for freedom extends even to the personal sphere and though this personality is kind and gentle, it will often be hard to pin down to a monogamous lifestyle. When discussing their need for freedom, the Catapult will most often resort to non-verbal means to express itself.
My personality
- traskjd
P.S. I realise some parts might not go down well with Rowena!
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New Years
By traskjd on Thursday Jan 01, 2004 @ 09:30:13
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Well, I feel it is only appropriate that I take the time to post the first blog entry for 2004 for this website. I hope that everyone had a great new years eve party and enjoyed themselves.
I haven't posted in a very long time sadly. I've been spending vast amounts of time developing software using C#.NET. Everything seems to be going quite well with it. I have so many plans for things I want to do in 2004 that I'm not sure I will be able to achieve them all. One of the big ones for this site is a complete re-branding. I will keep the traskmicrosystems.com address however I will buy a new domain, and re-brand to that (both pointing to the same site) simply because I hate how long this name is and feel embarrassed at the name (I used it when I started writing software at age 9 - talk about a bland name!). I'm not usre when that will get done - I will need to see how my new job goes.
I start at Intergen on the 20th of Jan. I'll be moving to Wellington on the 18th I think. I didn't think I was really going to miss where I am now because I have wanted to move to Wellington for more than a decade but now that the time gets closer I find myself wishing I could stay. Just earlier this morning I was lying out in a hammock between two trees, nicely shaded from the perfect cloudless day, the birds were chirping away and Rowena (my Girlfriend of over two years for those that don't know) was gently rocking the hammock. I don't think life can get much better and relaxing than how I was feeling right then.
I am looking forward to the challenges that await me in Wellington, the independence will be a great factor, the job will provide challenges and the new environment should be exciting. I'm somewhat behind the times I feel - nearly all my friends moved away from home when they started university three years ago and probably feel quite hoo-hum about being away from home now. I'm tempted to take some pictures and/or videos of my room and the place that I live so I can show my kids one day (or put in my book - the life and times of the great John-Daniel. Screams best seller right?  ) I dunno, I guess I'm just starting to feel a bit on the emotional side - finally leaving my childhood behind. I'll miss seeing my family the most, you get used to seeing everyone in the family every single day (even if they get on your nerves sometimes  )
I'm also going to do another no-coke phase when I move to Welly. I want to try and break some of my bad habits when I move. I managed to not drink any coke for about 3 months (although Nick/Kokon will no doubt take this moment to point out either the bourbon & coke I had or the time I tested Rowena’s coke to make sure it was diet - since she is diabetic).
Christmas was great, had the extended family come to our place this year. It was nice catching up with them - I cannot believe that it had been almost a year since I saw them last. It seriously feels like about 2 or 3 months. It was nice however.
Rowena has been working hard in Wellington - as you may know from her blog. That means I don't get to see her as much as I used to - but we'll be together in Wellington for a while. Then she is going back to Palmerston North at the end of Feb for uni. It will be nice to share some time with her when we both have some money coming in (having a student relationship where neither of you are really earning any money is quite hard). I look forward to that.
Rowena and I also celebrated our second anniversary. I was amazed at the nice things that she got me! She certainly set me up for what I need next year - very nice blue tie, blue shirt (I've been instructed wearing both at once is a bad idea - I didn't realise I was that bad with colours!), some socks (nice pairs), a very nice tie clip, some protein bars (15 to be exact - they cost me a bomb at the gym when I buy them), a yellow tie... probably more that I have temporarily forgotten (sorry!).
I also paid a surprise visit to Wellington a couple of weeks back. It was great - I surprised her so well. Rowena had been feeling a little home sick I think so I decided to visit. I send her a couple of emails in the morning - explaining how I was busy all day and probably wouldn't be online when she got home. The trap had been set - she didn't suspect anything. I drove down at about 1pm and arrived at about 2:20pm (I continually claim it was because there was little traffic and not speeding but no one seems to believe me). I parked at her flat and decided I had just enough time to duck into down and get some lunch before just "happening to be outside" her work when she finished I was walking along the main street (no the terrace - one over) and realised I had walked too far - no more Burger Kings or Maccas, so I turned around to go back to find one when I see Rowena walking with Ewen (a guy from Massey who is working at the State Commission with Rowena) towards me. She was about 50 - 60m away so I just walked casually towards her. I keep looking her in the eyes and she looked at me probably about 10 times and just didn't register that it was me. Just as I was about to walk right past her I gently reached out and put my hands on her shoulders to give her a bit of a fright. My surprise had worked perfectly - she had no idea and I will never forget the look in her eyes when it finally clicked I had driven down to see her Nothing like it (only other time I have seen the happiness in her eyes was when I brought her a Wacom Graphics Tablet (which I had to endure her talking about constantly for the first 6 months of our relationship ) and brought it for her as a surprise.
I think I will leave this entry there - I could write so much more but to be honest, you probably don't want to since it's mostly just my memories of things!
I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season.
- traskjd
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). It's the times like that which I miss the most while she is away.