Today I am going bowling right before volleyball practice. I am going to go bowling with my friends from the National guard. We are in the same squad.
The end.
tisdag, februari 09, 2010
onsdag, juli 08, 2009
Gnnh... Can't fucking sleep.
Woke up after another really freaky dream (that analysts would say suggest I play too much World of Warcraft) that had me basically killing a friend I haven't seen properly since I was maybe fifteen, and he was a raid mob, and made out of gold. The birds outside my window and a thousand loose threads prohibited my sleep in a very efficient manner. Maybe I need some serious time off for the first time in years - I've still had a fairly calm semester and the work load hasn't been stellar at work either, but the few weeks I had off obviously wasn't enough to get me back in a normal rythm.
torsdag, juli 02, 2009
Sweet, sweet rain
So the burnt area finally received some rain, and the fire fighting effort has been called off. Although I could have gone for another night both physically (was just getting used to the rythm, and found a good kit) and economically, I feel relieved both on my own part, and on part of the land owner.
Work starts at quarter to eight monday morning. Until then I will try and achieve a state of total relaxation.
Work starts at quarter to eight monday morning. Until then I will try and achieve a state of total relaxation.
tisdag, juni 30, 2009
Witty title here
Seriously, I'm dead tired after a full days normal work, and I'll be going back into the woods to work another night. And then some. And then some. Ugh.
I'll be making top dollars that I will spend to make sure these hellish nights were worth it.
I'll be making top dollars that I will spend to make sure these hellish nights were worth it.
måndag, juni 29, 2009
Achievement earned: Hot Pocket
So yeah. I got the achievement for staying in the crotch pot, but the boss isn't dead yet. The fire is still not completely put out.
There's a clip from the local news here, unfortunately in Swedish but it shows some live action pictures of the day time team working with putting ember fires out. As I write this, my own images are uploading to Picasa. I'll link the album at the end of this post. My camera smells like smoke.
When we first got there we had no idea what was going on. I had very little information other than "Hey we're going to a wildfire" and that we'd probably be fed (this ended up being a very broad truth). We eventually got droven out to our "base camp", the fire truck that was feeding our hoses. There were also some soda/mineral water/low alcohol beer to feed our thirst. From there, we were driven on a cart behind a fourwheeler to our own base stations, to start sweeping grid squares. Each group in my part consisted of a fire man and two national guardsmen, and we were responsible for 2-3 grid squares each, each square being about 200*200 meters.
My group started doing recon, to see where the problems were worst and possibly relocate the hoses. We then started filling watering cans and lugged them around, putting the smouldering beds out. We kept doing this until feeding time, which was midnight. We each got three hot dogs in buns, and we (10 people) got one loaf of bread to share, along with two thermoses of coffee. I didn't think much of it at the time since we agreed to meet back at about four in the morning to have some more cuppa. I assumed we'd get some more food by then. I'd myself had a big dinner at about five, but with the amount of work we did, three hot dogs was barely noticable at midnight. Anyway, back out into the woods for continued work until four o'clock came around. No. There was nothing. We'd fill up on mineral water and cold coffee mixed with chocolate powder to maximize nutrition and waited a little bit for the last rays of sunlight to show up, making complete daylight. Smoke is really hard to spot once the light starts to disappear even the slightest. Once this was done, back into the woods. My group was ordered to relocate some hose to be able to meet up with the other group that was being fed from the same fire truck. We did some recon in one of the worst terrains I've ever been forced to get through, and then proceeded to lay the hose down. About the time we finished, we were ordered back to the fire truck at about quarter past seven (we were due relief at eight) for breakfast. Jolly good! We sat around until about half past, then relief arrived, and the minibus took us back to the headquarters compound where we had sum bread and oatmeal porridge. We were then thanked for our effort and set free. I went in the same car as another man from my squad and I think I fell asleep five times during half an hour. I went home, got up, tore my clothes off, showered, and literally collapsed in bed and slept for twelve hours. This is easily one of the most excruciating experiences I've ever had. I had little nutrition, became dehydrated at times, had to breathe light and heavy smoke most of the time we weren't in basecamp, and the terrain was at times almost untrekkable. At first I wanted to go back for another night since the money is real good, but I simply cannot. My shoulders and my feet stop me from doing any serious work at all and knowing what would await me, I'd not be efficient.
Oh, and by the way. There were mosquitos and midges all over us, just to round out the fun.
Clicky for pictures! Please use the zoom function, I uploaded them at max resolution, and Picasa sometimes does bad things to my pictures.
There's a clip from the local news here, unfortunately in Swedish but it shows some live action pictures of the day time team working with putting ember fires out. As I write this, my own images are uploading to Picasa. I'll link the album at the end of this post. My camera smells like smoke.
When we first got there we had no idea what was going on. I had very little information other than "Hey we're going to a wildfire" and that we'd probably be fed (this ended up being a very broad truth). We eventually got droven out to our "base camp", the fire truck that was feeding our hoses. There were also some soda/mineral water/low alcohol beer to feed our thirst. From there, we were driven on a cart behind a fourwheeler to our own base stations, to start sweeping grid squares. Each group in my part consisted of a fire man and two national guardsmen, and we were responsible for 2-3 grid squares each, each square being about 200*200 meters.
My group started doing recon, to see where the problems were worst and possibly relocate the hoses. We then started filling watering cans and lugged them around, putting the smouldering beds out. We kept doing this until feeding time, which was midnight. We each got three hot dogs in buns, and we (10 people) got one loaf of bread to share, along with two thermoses of coffee. I didn't think much of it at the time since we agreed to meet back at about four in the morning to have some more cuppa. I assumed we'd get some more food by then. I'd myself had a big dinner at about five, but with the amount of work we did, three hot dogs was barely noticable at midnight. Anyway, back out into the woods for continued work until four o'clock came around. No. There was nothing. We'd fill up on mineral water and cold coffee mixed with chocolate powder to maximize nutrition and waited a little bit for the last rays of sunlight to show up, making complete daylight. Smoke is really hard to spot once the light starts to disappear even the slightest. Once this was done, back into the woods. My group was ordered to relocate some hose to be able to meet up with the other group that was being fed from the same fire truck. We did some recon in one of the worst terrains I've ever been forced to get through, and then proceeded to lay the hose down. About the time we finished, we were ordered back to the fire truck at about quarter past seven (we were due relief at eight) for breakfast. Jolly good! We sat around until about half past, then relief arrived, and the minibus took us back to the headquarters compound where we had sum bread and oatmeal porridge. We were then thanked for our effort and set free. I went in the same car as another man from my squad and I think I fell asleep five times during half an hour. I went home, got up, tore my clothes off, showered, and literally collapsed in bed and slept for twelve hours. This is easily one of the most excruciating experiences I've ever had. I had little nutrition, became dehydrated at times, had to breathe light and heavy smoke most of the time we weren't in basecamp, and the terrain was at times almost untrekkable. At first I wanted to go back for another night since the money is real good, but I simply cannot. My shoulders and my feet stop me from doing any serious work at all and knowing what would await me, I'd not be efficient.
Oh, and by the way. There were mosquitos and midges all over us, just to round out the fun.
Clicky for pictures! Please use the zoom function, I uploaded them at max resolution, and Picasa sometimes does bad things to my pictures.
söndag, juni 28, 2009
Burn in the maker's fire
Apperantly I'll be sent off with the National Guard later tonight to combat a wildfire that's been active since wednesday a few miles off from where I live. This means I'll miss work on monday, but I'll be paid more than enough to make up for that. I still don't know what the sleeping arrangements will be (if there will be any sleep) or, for that matter, anything. The real problem is that sunday night raid is a no-go, both 25 man and the backup 10 man we were planning. However, making an effort for the greater good of societ.... oh, who am I trying to kid. I'd rather be raiding, but it's also actually nice to get out of the house for a change, and I can't say no to that kind of money.
Time to visit the attic and get some kit packed.
Time to visit the attic and get some kit packed.
måndag, juni 22, 2009
Too much sleep
What? After all that incessant whining, how can it be?
Well, I pushed myself through sleepless delerium (I was up more than 28 hours, by no means a feat to write home about, but still pretty significant since I'd slept very little in preparation for it) the entire saturday, to be able to sleep normally from saturday to sunday. I went to bed at twenty to ten and fell fast asleep. However, I didn't get up at eight the next morning as planned, but rather fell back asleep and got a grand total of fifteen hours. I played some WoW, led a raid, and went to bed at midnight. I feel asleep almost right away, but woke up for some reason (I had a pretty freaky dream, but it was strange, not frightening). Wide awake I tried falling back asleep with hopes of holding out until my cell would awake me five hours later.
I don't think I have to elaborate on how well that went, and I got up an hour later. I'll probably be able to inject some Coke Zero into my veins and stay awake and be efficient at work (free coffee arf!), but I have the same work times tuesday too (only work half a day wednesday but I don't think I want to take yet another period if wonked sleeping just cause work is gonna be light up ahead). I do have some things that need doing (tweaking my WoW UI for one thing...) that I can use the night for, but that's weak comfort knowing I'm going to have at least one day of being completely off my feet.
I raise my glass in hopes of a good night.
Well, I pushed myself through sleepless delerium (I was up more than 28 hours, by no means a feat to write home about, but still pretty significant since I'd slept very little in preparation for it) the entire saturday, to be able to sleep normally from saturday to sunday. I went to bed at twenty to ten and fell fast asleep. However, I didn't get up at eight the next morning as planned, but rather fell back asleep and got a grand total of fifteen hours. I played some WoW, led a raid, and went to bed at midnight. I feel asleep almost right away, but woke up for some reason (I had a pretty freaky dream, but it was strange, not frightening). Wide awake I tried falling back asleep with hopes of holding out until my cell would awake me five hours later.
I don't think I have to elaborate on how well that went, and I got up an hour later. I'll probably be able to inject some Coke Zero into my veins and stay awake and be efficient at work (free coffee arf!), but I have the same work times tuesday too (only work half a day wednesday but I don't think I want to take yet another period if wonked sleeping just cause work is gonna be light up ahead). I do have some things that need doing (tweaking my WoW UI for one thing...) that I can use the night for, but that's weak comfort knowing I'm going to have at least one day of being completely off my feet.
I raise my glass in hopes of a good night.
tisdag, juni 16, 2009
The blog posts that weren't
Yesterday, I got awakened a little too early by my boss asking me if I could come in and work today. I was gonna write a blog post about it and some more stuff, but I noticed the tab with the unwritten post this morning when I got up after about three hours of sleep and named my new post "The blog post that wasn't", figuring I would write about the blog post my non-functioning brain forgot.
However, my lack of sleep led me to forget this one too, if only for about an hour. Thus a new title was born. That's just how fucked up I am today. I will try and get some sleep later, to reset my totally fucked up head to just plain old "fucked up", but first, I will wash the dishes and do some cleaning and shopping, taking advantage of the fact that my mind won't notice how boring those activies are due to being zonked. I'll probably end up being done at about three hours before the raid anyway, and not sleep at all before it (which is supposed to the plan, although I'm only leading a Naxx-10 I prefer to have my head screwed on the right way, raiding or not).
Having little sleep several nights in a row quickly lose it's appeal, unfortunately. I'll do the best of it and hopefully I'll be decently back to normal (as normal as I come) by the time work actually starts.
However, my lack of sleep led me to forget this one too, if only for about an hour. Thus a new title was born. That's just how fucked up I am today. I will try and get some sleep later, to reset my totally fucked up head to just plain old "fucked up", but first, I will wash the dishes and do some cleaning and shopping, taking advantage of the fact that my mind won't notice how boring those activies are due to being zonked. I'll probably end up being done at about three hours before the raid anyway, and not sleep at all before it (which is supposed to the plan, although I'm only leading a Naxx-10 I prefer to have my head screwed on the right way, raiding or not).
Having little sleep several nights in a row quickly lose it's appeal, unfortunately. I'll do the best of it and hopefully I'll be decently back to normal (as normal as I come) by the time work actually starts.
söndag, juni 14, 2009
Common nerdery
This weekend was game weekend in the hobby room (which our club shares with the two medieval societies in our town), and I finally got some time to finish up the Victoria Haley model. Some highlights, a basing job and a slightly better looking belt later, the end result is satisfactory. There are comments on all the pictures in the album, so poke over there and have a looksie whydontcha.
http://picasaweb.google.com/foggster/VictoriaHaley
http://picasaweb.google.com/foggster/VictoriaHaley
fredag, juni 12, 2009
Spending pants
Good ole Swedish saying might not be so good after all, but yesterday I put my spending pants on and bought a new graphics card, some memory and a heat sink for my chipset, since the fan died. This should make sure the computer lasts until I move out of the house, meaning I can bring it with me for use as a HTPC, and build a new rig for gaming. Somehow, it feels good spending the tax return as "free money", even though it was my money all along. If I had paid less taxes, I'd probably just spend it on something less lasting. Such as beer. Mmm, beer.
Also, I have ordered sum new internets. My ADSL equipment is old (like, 1st gen. old) and gets intereference from the phone line when someone calls, and the speed upgrade was something like 30:- (thats about two pounds or four dollars) extra a month for 12-24 mbit instead of 0-8 (in reality I had about six most of the time). Plus, it's on the cable TV network so no possibility of intereference, and it won't suffer from bad cable quality. It will also alleviate the "problem" of me losing bandwidth to my mother when she surfs wireless from the living room somewhat.
I won't start working until the 22nd of June, which means I have more than a week of beautiful slacking ahead of me. I shall spend it well: Right here.
Also, I have ordered sum new internets. My ADSL equipment is old (like, 1st gen. old) and gets intereference from the phone line when someone calls, and the speed upgrade was something like 30:- (thats about two pounds or four dollars) extra a month for 12-24 mbit instead of 0-8 (in reality I had about six most of the time). Plus, it's on the cable TV network so no possibility of intereference, and it won't suffer from bad cable quality. It will also alleviate the "problem" of me losing bandwidth to my mother when she surfs wireless from the living room somewhat.
I won't start working until the 22nd of June, which means I have more than a week of beautiful slacking ahead of me. I shall spend it well: Right here.
tisdag, juni 09, 2009
The early morning blues
Blue skies, not blue mood. I'm liking staying up all night more and more. It lets me get stuff done, cause no social interaction is possible when everyone else is sleeping. It's not as if I have any things planned anyway, except raids who all happen on normal night time anyway. The fresh air, the singing birds and the calm really gives you energy to sit for another few hours after a dark night. Being there when the stores open to buy breakfast is a feeling that's hard to beat, and if it's a really warm morning, grabbing a beer on the lawn is just spectacular. Add in some nice music, the high from being tired and you'll be walking on clouds.
måndag, juni 08, 2009
The modern man
I call this composition "The modern man" because it strongly represents both the traditional core, male values of being a fixer-upper (and perhaps procrastrination?) and the more modern views about him as a family man, knowing how to take care of a household.
Okay, sorry, I don't know who I'm trying to bullshit here, I just took a shot of the kitchen in it's current state of 'a mess' with an artsy angle. When I'm done eating the professionally prepared sausages and store-bought potato salad, I'll fix myself up, put the bike back together, have a walk to the gas station to fill the tyre (the bicycle pump as seen above does not work), and then get on to our hobby room to be a nerd for a while.
Then I'm gonna do absolutely nothing until work calls and says "were'nt you supposed to be here today" and I'll reply "nobody ever tells me these things". Hopefully, that's a few weeks in the future.
Okay, sorry, I don't know who I'm trying to bullshit here, I just took a shot of the kitchen in it's current state of 'a mess' with an artsy angle. When I'm done eating the professionally prepared sausages and store-bought potato salad, I'll fix myself up, put the bike back together, have a walk to the gas station to fill the tyre (the bicycle pump as seen above does not work), and then get on to our hobby room to be a nerd for a while.
Then I'm gonna do absolutely nothing until work calls and says "were'nt you supposed to be here today" and I'll reply "nobody ever tells me these things". Hopefully, that's a few weeks in the future.
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