How y'all doin...mentally and physically? How's your family? How's work? What you watching/listening to? You nervous about the election or excited? What's up for the weekend?

I'm really bullshittin at work (my basement) today. I got like 5 big claims to follow up on, but other than that...I'm not really going hard. Next week I work Monday, then I'm done until the following Monday. It's been raining in the Lou ALL week...cold rain, too. Today is a crispy 55 degrees and sunny. Taking my pops to dinner tomorrow for the first time since his stroke. He was kinda hesitant because he's in a wheelchair, but I think it will be good for him. Other than that and some regular housecleaning...I ain't doin shit but chillin and watching sports and getting some stick time in on a new game I bought for the PS4. This post aint really about shit. Take care of yourselves and your people's man...life is fragile.

...I'm from the era when A.I. was the answer, now they think ai is the answer - Marlon Craft

It's good that you're trying to take it in man. That's kinda where we are, right? What should we be doing? I've done the shake down on everyone I know to go vote early. Most of them have gone already. Now it is about to be whatever it is.

It's been lowkey 'cold' in Houston. Like 50 degrees and chilly when the sun ain't out.

I'm lucky to be working still and from the house. I like it more than I ever thought I would and I don't ever want to go back to being in a crowded office everyday. Not ever. If I want to see big-legged women that I'm never gonna get at cuz I'm married, there's Tumblr and PH.

I'm beginning to think this election is gonna go like the last one: a bunch of folks thinking the Dem is gonna win only to find out that some folks are lying about who they're voting for. I hope for record turnout to make my guess wrong. I really am. But I don't know if it will matter. Murrica seems deadset on steering into the skid with DT at the helm. I see hella DT flags in my neighborhood too so maybe my surroundings are scaring me.

I plugged up the ORIGINAL Nintendo Wii yesterday. Composite to HDMI converters be working! I started playing the Wii Punchout again while I wait for Ebay to deliver Mario Kart (which I thought I had but didn't). Good times. I need to take it back to the essence on gaming for a bit. I'm tired of building castles on my phone. And I don't care about graphicks that much. I care about gameplay and getting my skills back up. Then I'll jump back on God of War or something.

I'm tired of Madden and basically refuse to play it with default settings. Football players occasionally break tackles, EA! I watch NFL pretty strong still. I hate seeing bad teams and love watching good QBs be good.

I'm listening to music more too. Just got some Jabras (75 elite active whatevers). I really like how they sound so I'm gonna listen to even mo music soon.

I'm still walking a lot. I've started mixing in some weights at the house. I'm trying to avoid injuries and pay attention to my knees. That about it.

>How y'all doin...mentally and physically? How's your family?
> How's work? What you watching/listening to? You nervous
>about the election or excited? What's up for the weekend?
>
>I'm really bullshittin at work (my basement) today. I got
>like 5 big claims to follow up on, but other than that...I'm
>not really going hard. Next week I work Monday, then I'm done
>until the following Monday. It's been raining in the Lou ALL
>week...cold rain, too. Today is a crispy 55 degrees and
>sunny. Taking my pops to dinner tomorrow for the first time
>since his stroke. He was kinda hesitant because he's in a
>wheelchair, but I think it will be good for him. Other than
>that and some regular housecleaning...I ain't doin shit but
>chillin and watching sports and getting some stick time in on
>a new game I bought for the PS4. This post aint really about
>shit. Take care of yourselves and your people's man...life is
>fragile.

I've been at home since March 16th and I NEVER want to go back. They took several surveys to find out what people are thinking and I was like...just leave me here as long as humanly possible. I'm on the old-school game tip, as well. I guess someone my age who works at EA sports remembered how amazing NHL 94 for Sega Saturn was...so they pitched it to someone with clout and they decided to remake it. It's got today's teams and players with NHL 94 graphics and gameplay. Me and my potnas spent HOURS playing this game back in the day...shit used to get heated to. Broken controllers, dudes having to be separated...the whole 9.

...I'm from the era when A.I. was the answer, now they think ai is the answer - Marlon Craft

>I've been at home since March 16th and I NEVER want to go
>back. They took several surveys to find out what people are
>thinking and I was like...just leave me here as long as
>humanly possible. I'm on the old-school game tip, as well. I
>guess someone my age who works at EA sports remembered how
>amazing NHL 94 for Sega Saturn was...so they pitched it to
>someone with clout and they decided to remake it. It's got
>today's teams and players with NHL 94 graphics and gameplay.
>Me and my potnas spent HOURS playing this game back in the
>day...shit used to get heated to. Broken controllers, dudes
>having to be separated...the whole 9.

That's threatening me with a good time...I love when folks remake old games with the new players. Speaking of that, I need to find the new Tecmo bowl. Someone somewhere usually goes and makes it with the updated rosters. It's a party every time.

Even if Biden wins, who knows what type of bullshit Trump/Trump supporters might try and pull. If Trump wins, its going to be fucking dark. Not sure I can stomach another 4 years of this.

Otherwise things are good for me, I can't complain at all. Celebrating my girlfriends daughters 5th birthday tonight which will be really fun. It snowed a good amount and got really cold here a few days ago but its back to sunny and 60's. Trying to enjoy any nice weather we can get before the dark days of winter set in.

I just pre-ordered the HP Reverb 2. Time to upgrade from my Rift. Need to upgrade my graphics card too. The new geforce cards seem like a good value but impossible to get for a while.

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http://www.soundcloud.com/sectachrome

"Even if Biden wins, who knows what type of bullshit Trump/Trump supporters might try and pull. If Trump wins, its going to be fucking dark. Not sure I can stomach another 4 years of this."

I'm also concerned what Covid is gonna look like come the dead of winter. Will folks started buggin, thinking any cold symptom is Covid? We didn't get an actual winter to spend with this, since everything went sideways like, Mid-March.

...I'm from the era when A.I. was the answer, now they think ai is the answer - Marlon Craft

luckily the damage looks minimal but I won’t know until the claim adjuster comes out.

Everyone is safe.

Just knocked out a dope lil graphic for work and will bang out the webpage this afternoon.

We have a dope lil Halloween hunt and the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown movie set up for the kids. Hopefully it goes over well. At this age you never know.

edit: almost forgot. I’m mad nervous about this election. I’m still preparing myself for a Biden L but I sure want to be wrong af. When I hear shit like “Dems scared in Florida due to low turnout in Miami Dade” it makes me wonder if all these polls are national polls. Biden should win the popular vote but that’s not how this works. Still concerned about these long lines and GOP shenanigans.

****************
TBH the fact that you're even a mod here fits squarely within Jag's narrative of OK-sanctioned aggression, bullying, and toxicity. *shrug*

so my mind won't overthink shit.

...I'm from the era when A.I. was the answer, now they think ai is the answer - Marlon Craft

by that i mean focusing on my family, kids, friends, job and newfound passion (also $$$ side hustle).

in general, i'm a positive, happy person so i know that has to be helping a lot to have kept me "normal" and relatively stress free during all of our current turmoil (covid, racist cops, bum ass president, etc). my new found passion for thrifting/vintage has definitely kept me busy and focused.

that said, i can't help but feel the weight of the importance of Tuesday. i know Biden isn't compelling to most (and i'm one of those folks), but if he loses, i TRULY fear where we are headed (no bshelly). like, shit is already bad and has been bad for decades or centuries if we're being honest but most people just looked away.

it is adding to my stress level.

while i'm not totally versed in the specifics and i'm sure there are a shit ton of issue i've not even thought of, it would be GREAT if America could take a cue from Chile and throw the constitution in the fire and write another one. there's no way a piece of paper (people treat the constitution like a god or something when it's TRULY a piece of paper some dudes wrote on) from 250 years ago based on ideals even older than that should be governing how we live. i mean, people say it's a living document but i mean, ain't much life left in it if any. i realized i have a better chance of walking from here to the moon than something like that happening in America, but can a man not wish. even if people were willing to do it, i feel like the country is too divided to come a consensus on rules for society in 2020.

and how'd you get into it?

...I'm from the era when A.I. was the answer, now they think ai is the answer - Marlon Craft

that said, i learn something new everyday which is also part of the appeal.

mostly clothes and bags (vintage backpacks, waist packs, etc.) and some light toys and memorbilia.

really got started just about 3 month ago but it's something i really love. my mother in law saw me posting items at 12:30am last night and was like "dang, you're still working" and i told her "when you love it, it's not work" then I realize i was THAT guy.

now, i do have some quite rare items that i've sold or have for sale, but i have a lot of "regular" shit that flips just fine.

there are some major players out here whose cheapest t-shirt is $100 and they sell $2000 tees to NBA players and shit. i'm not that guy though maybe i will be one day - i doubt it cuz i kinda just do it for me and i'm not really into all the networking in the "vintage scene" that you have to do to be one of those guys.

i used to be really into crate digging but most of the good records are mined now and have been for at least a decade, so i realize this scratches that kind of itch for me.

no idea what to focus on stocking...



"Get ready....for your blessing....."
"Bury me by my Grand-Grand and when you can come follow me"

.

...I'm from the era when A.I. was the answer, now they think ai is the answer - Marlon Craft

this my buddy since 6th grade so we're like brothers.

i was over in his town last weekend and i hadn't seen him in 2 or 3 weekends, when i normally see him every weekend. so i popped up on him randomly after this afternoon football kickback i went to.

and he was just chillin at his place by himself. which in itself isn't weird but if you're gonna blow off your friends its usually to do something. he looked kind of off compared to his usual, so i'm messing around in his kitchen and i see a lot of liquor bottles for somebody that doesn't have company. so i got at him a bit and he admitted he's been killing the drink lately. i know his fam is heavy alcoholics so i've always tried to look out for him when i can.

dude hasn't been doing anything but work and grad school for the last 3 weeks. no guests over. blowing off friends. so i dragged him out he house and had him DD me to a couple spots i knew had some food trucks out. and i'm breaking the ice a bit and he eventually just floods out all these emotions/feelings, that are totally in his own mind however i acknowledge how he feels.

the best way i can describe it is how someone described depression to me once. the world is in full color, but to you it looks gray.
and i really worry for him because he feels like his life is being held hostage by a breakup 2 years ago because she's moved onto bigger/better things and he's "stuck" (don't get a fucking creative writing degree kids) running parts for a car dealership at 30. and hanging out w/ us all the time reinforces that stuckness to him. but he's not willing to branch out and try to expand his circle, or try new hobbies, or quit his job and bet on himself.

idk im just at a loss other than being there for him. he's not the type of person that will seek out folks to vent to and get feedback. he'll let it sit, and fester, and get into toxic self-reinforcment. he'll hole up away from the world.

<--- Big Baller World Order

Our drinking is up as well but we are active as hell.

Cant really go out and run the town but we get out in this air for a few.

A few people back home have died from OD’ing on that other pandemic. That white horse is serious in the rust belt. especially if you are alone and your mind is playing tricks on you.

He’s only 30 tho.. and I don’t think you can blame the creative writing degree. He should have a blog or be writing content for people.

****************
TBH the fact that you're even a mod here fits squarely within Jag's narrative of OK-sanctioned aggression, bullying, and toxicity. *shrug*

chilling at home solo most days was starting to wear on me. as much as my job annoys me I do like seeing most of my coworkers everyday. I’ve kicked it up at the dealership a few times and he doesn’t have that sort of outlet

the writing thing is tough to me because that’s actually how we became friends as kids. Just writing random fan fiction and original stories. I still write (like...pen and paper write lol) as a hobby actually even though I have no intention of ever actually putting something out. I just truly enjoy the creative process of it and how it flexes your brain the same as I enjoy bench press or conditioning.

I get why you would get a creative writing degree, the same way as why you would go to art school when you can just make art and hustle instead. The network and access is half of the point. My thing with him has always been (before and after the degree) just write “something”. It doesn’t have to be great but get the reps in. Keep your mind conditioned. Have an idea, and see it out even if it’s complete shit so you can master your process. Hell keep a journal. He’s so concerned with hitting a home run at his first at bat that he never actually starts anything when it’s time to put those keys to work

I know he’s got all the ability. There aren’t many people I would ever trust as a co-writer and he’s one of them.

<--- Big Baller World Order

sounds like you two are close enough, that you know how hard you can go at him. It's tough. Can't imagine living alone, through this.

...I'm from the era when A.I. was the answer, now they think ai is the answer - Marlon Craft

good on you for staying on him.

---

But hell, what do I know?

Personally doing okay. Work is mad stressful, but there's just a lot of shit going on for everyone. And I'm still working from home, so that makes some things easier. Wife works from home three out of five days, so that's nice too. Being around each other all the time hasn't been an issue, as we haven't gone through "I'm sick of seeing you/want to kill you" phase.

Physically I'm okay. It's finally cooling down there's considerably less smoke in the air, so I'm able to go out walking again. Which helps.

Mostly listening to stuff that I write articles/tributes to regarding anniversaries. So I'd had Stankonia/Taste of Chocolate/Dogg Food in a constant rotation for a while. In terms of new stuff, I need to check out the Busta. I have been bumping the new Benny, Armani Caeasar, Cargo Cults, and Sa-Roc. The homie said a new Common project, which I hadn't heard about it.

Watched the new episode of the Mandalorian. Watched the new season of Archer. Really need to finish Lovecraft Country (last episode I watched was #4). Been working through What We Do in the Shadows with the wife. Need to also watched The Good Lord Bird.

As for the election, cautiously optimistic. But I'm really not trying to go crazy about it. Wife and I already have plans for Election Night involving being nowhere near a TV or checking our phones. We're gonna go to a Drive-In about 20 minutes away and watch a couple of movies. So we'll see Monsters Inc. and then Tenet for the second time. And we're going to put our phones in the trunk.

Not much else is going. Glad you seem to be doing okay.

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