Seven Month Recap in Two Parts

Part One

So much for the last rebirth (and the one before that, and the one before that). This time, I mean it! I've taken uncomfortable steps towards ensuring that I'll keep myself honest and continue to update Ants on a Blog: I have sought out the aid of a long-time enemy: Facebook.

Yes, AssFacebook, that contraband website surfed in secret in English computer labs the country over. I've had a profile for a couple years, since back when I needed to find out exactly what my students would rather do than to listen to my dick-jokes in class. I didn't do anything with it then because it didn't focus on what I wanted to do: blog. There was little else I liked about FB at the time because Ants was already going strong and saw two and a half glorious years of attention. Then things changed, I came back to SLP, and there seemed fewer reasons to keep it up.

Excuses, excuses.

The most recent reason why I'm trying again came about while I was working on an application for a blogger position for a video game website (more on that in the future). I was asked to compile links to published online work relating to video games. Ants is the closest thing to that, so I scoured the three years of its existence, looking for posts that best exemplify my writing relating to video games.

I had a blast. Two things resulted from my scouring: I want to play chess again, and I want to write now as much as I used to. I failed to resurrect the blog before mainly because I didn't stick with it, but also because I wasn't reaching enough people. I have already reached out to a lot more people in my two days back on Facebook than I thought possible, so I have a feeling it will help inspire me to write more.

Here's hoping. Ultimately, though, the newest rebirth of Ants on a Blog could never be as awesome as Gandalf's Rebirth:

Part Two

Here's an up-and-down-the-ice recap of what's happened since September. The action will be fast-paced, so forgive me if I yadda-yadda-yadda over a few items that might require a little more explanation:


1) Amanda and I are getting married on October 18th. Yadda-yadda-yadda... I hope she wears this wedding dress.

What, oh what, indeed?

[Editor's Note: That's Kitty Pryde of the X-Men, you F'n dorks! The author is not ashamed to admit that this frame along with these hot Links are perhaps the sexiest and dorkiest pictures he's ever seen.]

2) Hip Replacement is starting to take off. We've seen some lineup changes that could normally kill a band: Andrew left us for Oregon for a doctorate program in Music Theory and Kubes is searching for himself and a place to park his van in San Fran. I have made the permanent switch to drum set, which could have been lethal but has gone well.

I love it. I am very happy to be playing drum set again. And we have a blazing horn section. These guys are as profesh as profesh gets and add an element to our music that we've never successfully nailed. Additionally, they are awesome people.

3) Job prospects are looking up. A couple months ago I applied for the two teaching positions at Normandale Community College. There was one opening for a one-year Visiting Artist in Creative Writing, and five openings for full-time English Faculty. I feel confident that I have a good chance at getting an interview at least. More on that as it unfolds, which should be soon.

As I mentioned above, I recently applied for a blogger position with a video games website. I think it might be a little unprofessional to be more detailed at this point. More on that as it unfolds, also hopefully soon.

Lastly, I have been taken on as a regular contributor for an up-coming Minneapolis-based online magazine called Juiceb0x. I will be covering things like video games, technology, and other general dorkery going on in the metro area. I am very excited for this opportunity. I will certainly update this space with more news about that, again, as it unfolds.

4) My hairy daughter, Willow Isa Luthien Tinuviel, is growing up, but she's still very much a silly kitty. I would supply a couple new choice pics of her, but my cell phone isn't cooperating with my computer--and I'm aiming for brevity here! Just know that she's beautiful, loving, and will rend your flesh from your bones if you don't play fetch with her. Come over and see her! Get some of these:

Here's another old pic that's still my favorite:

O HAI!!1 I CAN HAZ NAP IN PANTZ?

5) The Wild continue to stress me out like you wouldn't believe. They are technically doing well and are still in the playoff race. Sometimes, however, I feel like us hockey rubes could take them on and give Kim Johnsson something to mouth-breathe about.

6) Lastly, for now, Super Smash Bros: Brawl has been out for a week. How could things not be good?


Mace... Out.