Where's that horse?

NaNoWriMo is coming in 27 days! Who's in with me? To get my creative juices flowing again, I've decided to get in as much writing as I can, in as many mediums as possible. The most consistent of my writings has been my tweets on Twitter, pretty much updating every day. I want to start writing more than the 140 characters but don't expect to be writing long narratives here.

I'm visualizing blogger as metaphorical push-ups one does first thing to start the day. Not necessarily to build muscle but more for maintenance and morale building. By the way, I haven't done a push-up since the first day I got Wii Fit. It wasn't pretty.

So keep your eye out on new posts. This time around, I'm going to try to keep them more like narrative commentaries, a little more memoir-ish, and a lot less journal-like. As you can see my descriptive abilities have gotten flabby. Lots of work to do.

Twitter 6th sense

This is a great Wired article for all those twitter naysayers who complain that 0ne line "tweets" can never tell a full story about someone's life. These same folks don't see the need for a play-by-play of everyday life. But it's not in the individual tweets, but all of them as a whole that creates what the article calls "social proprioception:"

They give a group of people a sense of itself, making possible weird, fascinating feats of coordination.

Twitter and other constant-contact media create social proprioception. They give a group of people a sense of itself, making possible weird, fascinating feats of coordination. For example, when I meet Misha for lunch after not having seen her for a month, I already know the wireframe outline of her life: She was nervous about last week's big presentation, got stuck in a rare spring snowstorm, and became addicted to salt bagels.

So why has Twitter been so misunderstood? Because it's experiential. Scrolling through random Twitter messages can't explain the appeal. You have to do it — and, more important, do it with friends. (Monitoring the lives of total strangers is fun but doesn't have the same addictive effect.) ... It's practically collectivist — you're creating a shared understanding larger than yourself.

And now...a shameless plug to gain social proprioception into my world.

Status Update

as of 16 September 2007

* Twitter status: Alvin... blog post and status update (less than a minute ago)
* On repeat: Doo Wah Ditty by Zapp & Roger, Bubbly by Colbie Caillat
* Reading: The things they carried
* Current Obsession: Wedding in 21 days
* Last unnecessary purchase: Football beads at the Raiders Season Opener

Tired but Funky

Wow...readers are coming out! Thanks V and Jas for the comments. The video below is dedicated to you two.

If I felt South Carolinish a couple of weeks ago, I feel like this today:

Well, not entirely. I stayed up last night until 2 in the morning playing FIFA 07. I created myself and put me as a striker for Arsenal. I made myself around the same height and build as my real world greatness. But...I made myself 21 and souped up my attributes. My victory dance is The Robot followed by the Running Man. Being 5'4" no matter how good you are doesn't give you much of an advantage when you're running against 6-footers with 4-foot legs. I couldn't win a match until 2.

Now I'm at my old job finishing notes. I'll be here for another month. I'm that behind.

This weekend was full of celebration and drinking. Friday was my going away/marriage license party. Lots of free drinks and good people. Saturday was the last Victory match. We lost, but went out with alcohol, semi-pitch invasions, flares and smokebombs. I got two jerseys from Chucky Kim! They smell like death but their mine! Sunday was the Raiders home opener. More drinking and yelling. After the game I felt so ill that I had a quarter of a head of iceburg lettuce for dinner.

I've been heavily relying on the services of Twitter. So all of you loyal followers...all 4 of you...you can keep up to date with me there. I will try to post more interesting entries soon. I only really have time for updates.

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!!!

This week is going to be crazy. As much as I would want to post, I don't think I'll have enough time. It's my last week at my current job. I'm so backed up on paperwork that it's sick. I'll be doing paperwork well after my departure. I'm also trying to transition to my next job...getting fingerprinted and going onsite for the first time on Monday.

Friday I will be applying for my marriage license. Wait...that didn't come out right. Friday I WILL BE APPLYING FOR MY MARRIAGE LICENSE!!! Thank you, I feel better now. Plus lots of drama going on with the wedding planning which is too deep to get into here.

Twitter is your best bet in finding out what's been going on with me. I update pretty consistently. The one line aspect of it makes the commitment a lot easier and stress free. You can either log onto this page and look at the top of the blog or go directly to http://twitter.com/alllgood And if you're really nerdy you can subscribe to my twitter feed.

Status Update (or: Twitter on NPR?!?!)

I just got to work. I was listening to an NPR podcast that announced a "new" trend of a type of short, real-time blog that is catching on these days. Twitter.

C'mon folks!!! Join twitter already and become my twit! I know that I've pushed you hard in the past to recruit you. But if it's on NPR it's about time. It's kinda like when formerly hip and socially acceptable phrases turn up on balloons, greeting cards and posters with animals: "Totally Awesome!" "What's up dog?" "Phat!"

Get on it!

Status Update:

* Twitter status: Alvin... just heard about twitter on NPR?!?
* On repeat: Everything reminds me of her by Elliot Smith
* Reading: The West with the Night by Beryl Markham
* Current Obsession: California Victory
* Last unnecessary purchase: USMNT Scarf and a P-touch Labeler

Status Update

Happy New Month, y'all! I don't have too much time right now other than to do a status update and some other random updates. I had an awesome birthday weekend! The Mexico v. Ecuador match was insane! (I just found out that I can attend the US v. China in June! Anyone down to go?) Get on LibraryThing; it's my newest obsession (more to come on that). And...I added new things on the sidebar of the blog, so check it out.

Status update:
* Twitter status: Alvin... is sniffling after a weekend of good times.
* On repeat: The Luckiest by Ben Folds
* Trying out: Bob Schneider
* Reading: Tortilla Curtain by T.C. Boyle
* Current Obsession: LibraryThing.com
* Slang I last used in a session: That girl seems messy.
* Nice things said to me this past week: "When I hear David LaBruyere, I think of you" and "You're like an uncle to me."

Once again, I'm hip but don't even know it

Well, as hip as the technogeeks at the latest SXSWi Festival. As the C|Net Article titled "To Twitter or Dodgeball at SXSW" begins:

AUSTIN, Texas--One question heard more than any other this week at South by Southwest Interactive (SXSWi), "Are you on Twitter?"

I've been trying to get people to join Twitter for the longest. At the time of this writing, I have 9 Twitter friends. Some of which haven't posted in awhile. *nudge* And some who haven't made their first entry, yet. *nudgenudge* I've checked out Dodgeball, but it seems too complicated and too much like Friendster and MySpace. I'm sticking with good 'ol Twitter.

Status Update and Grasswatch!

* Twitter status: Alvin... first cup of coffee on a lazy Saturday morning (3 minutes ago)
* On repeat: Ang Huling El Bimbo by The Eraserheads
* Reading: Still...It by Stephen King (page 859 of 1090!)
* Current Obsession: growing grass and Dance Dance Revolution
* My mood as a a song from DDR: Saturday Night by Ozomatli
* Last unnecessary purchase: Grass seed, potting soil, and a pot

Pictures taken this morning. Up to 4 inches! (Click for larger picture)

Status Update

• Twitter status: Alvin... high on Vietnamese coffeeeeeee
• On repeat: I know what kind of love this is by Cry Cry Cry
• Reading: Still...It by Stephen King (page 751 of 1090!)
• Current Obsession: Crosswords, twitter.com and football (i.e. soccer)
• My mood as a a character from "Heroes": Claire Bennett
• Last unnecessary purchase: Dance Dance Revolution for Xbox 360

And as another (literal) sidebar note, I added a countdown timer to my wedding on 7 October 2007 which reads:

The Final Countdown
221 days until my wedding.

Happy New Month!

2 Feb 2007 minus 25 July 2006 = a long time since last posting. I'm back and better than ever. I've been working on the sidebar for the last 20 minutes to include my twitter status and updating my regular status. I'm not sure if I have an audience anymore, but even if I don't I will write as if you are eagerly awaiting my next post.

Before I go and cut and paste my status onto this entry, I want to recruit you to twitter.com. It will definitely replace my daily postings here. I've been describing it to people as a blog for the lazy and non-committal. One line check-ins. A lot more easier and a lot less intimidating that a blog post. There's something oddly satisfying and comforting to get updates of my twitter friends (I only have 3 now) in real time, without IM-ing, emailing or talking. A nice and safe distance in my busy day.

Reading the twitter public timeline is sometimes funny, sometimes sad, and always voyeuristic and intriguing. If you ever join, please add me as a twitter friend!

Well...here's to February 2007 and new beginnings.

Alvin's Status

* Twitter status: Alvin... is writing about his morning. (about 4 hours ago)
* On repeat: Can I Stay by Ray LaMontagne and All My Days by Alexi Murdoch
* Reading: It by Stephen King
* Current Obsession: twitter.com and football (i.e. soccer)
* Slang I've recently used in a session: Why do you think your brother is a wankster?
* My mood as a NPR commentator: Robert Siegel
* Last unnecessary purchase: Pilot Dr. Grip gel pen