From 727a88a388fcd695c18dca9880e3e268e6790b42 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Bill Niblock Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2025 14:34:02 -0500 Subject: [PATCH] Add life category, old now page updates --- _layouts/corrupt_now.html | 3 +- _posts/2024-08-19-life-in-progress-august.md | 82 +++++++++++++ .../2024-09-24-life-in-progress-september.md | 106 +++++++++++++++++ _posts/2025-01-03-life-update.md | 110 ++++++++++++++++++ _topics/life.html | 6 + 5 files changed, 306 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-) create mode 100644 _posts/2024-08-19-life-in-progress-august.md create mode 100644 _posts/2024-09-24-life-in-progress-september.md create mode 100644 _posts/2025-01-03-life-update.md create mode 100644 _topics/life.html diff --git a/_layouts/corrupt_now.html b/_layouts/corrupt_now.html index e498d6f..ba6ae12 100644 --- a/_layouts/corrupt_now.html +++ b/_layouts/corrupt_now.html @@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
{% include cor_menu.html %} diff --git a/_posts/2024-08-19-life-in-progress-august.md b/_posts/2024-08-19-life-in-progress-august.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0515a55 --- /dev/null +++ b/_posts/2024-08-19-life-in-progress-august.md @@ -0,0 +1,82 @@ +--- + tabtitle: "Life in Progress: August, 2024" + title: "Life in Progress: August, 2024" + topics: [life] + pub: 2024-08-19 + short_desc: "Life In Progress update for August" +--- + +# Life In Progress, as of {{ page.pub }} + +- Learning [Stan Rogers' + _Bluenose_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZVpvJsqTMM) on mandolin and voice +- Building a few games in the [TIC-80 fantasy console](https://tic80.com) +- Deploying my own ["Pages" server](https://codeberg.org/Codeberg/pages-server/) +- Building a Forgejo Action for deploying game builds to Itch.io using + [butler](https://itch.io/docs/butler/) +- Building a custom WordPress Docker container that uses SQLite +- Starting my own business + +## Music + +Adam and I continue our semi-weekly jam sessions! We've settled on [Stan Rogers' +_Bluenose_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZVpvJsqTMM) for our first piece. I +normally pick up lyrics pretty quick, but this song eludes me. We worked on the +chord progression last week, and I've been actually practicing! + +## Game Dev + +Still having a blast with [TIC-80](https://tic80.com/). I made a small farming +experiment game, to learn [Fennel](https://fennel-lang.org) some more and also +nail-down some basic design principles. Some of the ideas in that experiment, +namely generating the map with a loop and `mset` instead of using the built-in +map designer, gave me some insight for solving my darkness troubles in +Nightgolf. I'm still wrapping my head around it, but I think this will be a +solution. + +The farming experiment game lives on +[Itch.io](https://vagabondazulien.itch.io/farm-experiment-1) and the [TIC-80 +Webzone](https://tic80.com/play?cart=3965). + +## Tech Dev + +[Forgejo](https://forgejo.org/) continues to be rewarding, and I'm looking +forward to expanding my deployment of it by deploying my own ["Pages" +server](https://codeberg.org/Codeberg/pages-server/). This will allow me to +deploy my static sites on my own infrastructure. I'm also working on an "Action" +for leveraging [butler](https://itch.io/docs/butler/) to publish games I publish +the source code for from my Forge to Itch.io. + +In preparation for both my own use, and my business use, I need to learn more +about Nextcloud. I'm also working on building a custom WordPress Docker +container that relies on SQLite instead of MySQL. + +Hovering about all this is backups and monitoring, both of which I sprinkle into +my learning voyage. I'm looking forward to writing up some documentation about +my implementation. + +## Entrepreneurship + +I'm happy to report I was accepted into New York's Self-Employment Assistance +Program, [SEAP](https://dol.ny.gov/SEAP). I will be starting a business offering +managed online services, such as website design and deployment, personal cloud, +and email. I would like to offer these services to local small businesses and +not-for-profits. I think of it as "Silicon Valley experience" at reasonable, +local prices. I'm excited to dive into the parts I'm not very familiar with, +namely the business side of things. I have extensive technical experience and +mastery, but I lack any significant business experience. + +## Gaming + +I've started a new playthrough of [Darkest +Dungeon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darkest_Dungeon). It's mildly +frustrating, but mostly fun. I have fun yelling at the game; it's like stress +relief. I've been generally successful, but the Crimson Court has been very +rough to me. It is a game about challenges and loss, though, so nothing +unexpected. + +I've continued my play-through of +[Sundered](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sundered), though have put it down for +a bit. I'm playing it on my Steam Deck using [Lutris](https://lutris.net/), and +it works very well. Lutris continues to impress me, and I want to try writing an +installer for a game. diff --git a/_posts/2024-09-24-life-in-progress-september.md b/_posts/2024-09-24-life-in-progress-september.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2f0b94d --- /dev/null +++ b/_posts/2024-09-24-life-in-progress-september.md @@ -0,0 +1,106 @@ +--- + tabtitle: "Life in Progress: September, 2024" + title: "Life in Progress: September, 2024" + topics: [life, gaming] + pub: 2024-09-24 + short_desc: "Life In Progress update for September" +--- + +# Life In Progress, as of {{ page.pub }} + +- New hardware: laptop, phone, and NAS +- **TWO** game jams! +- Finishing up Morrowind +- SEAP/Self-Employment Progress + +## New Hardware + +### Framework Laptop + +This new [Framework](https://frame.work) is great! I've only had it for a few +weeks, but it is wonderful. I've been slowly sync'ing and migrating workflows +from my various existing options to it. Being able to work for multiple hours +without worrying about battery life is nice. + +Previously, the Chromebook I have was my go-to remote personal macine. +Considering its age, and the inherent limitations of a Chromebook, it served me +better than I ever could have hoped. However, I knew it's time was drawing +near, and the Dell I got as part of my work severance was not going to cut it. +Considering I'm starting a business doing technology, I needed a reliable, +"all-day" machine with Linux. The ARM-based Macs are incredibly tempting, but +I am not a fan of Mac. I've been eyeing Framework for a bit now, and their +newest 13-inch model with AMD components checked enough of the boxen for me to +dive in. + +### Phone + +For a while I've been eyeing Mint Mobile. In the US, they have a plan offering +unlimited text and talk, plus 5 GB of data, for $15 per month. I generally use +less than 1 GB of streaming data, so this seemed like a clearly better option +than the $30+ I was paying for Google Fi. When I decided to switch, they had an +incredible deal offering a Google Pixel 9 plus a year's service for a great +price, so I not only switched carrier, I also snagged a new phone! I had a +Samsung S21, which was more than sufficient for my needs, so switching isn't +quite as significant as with the laptop, but it's still a nice new experience. +The OS and environment on the Pixel is much nicer than Samsung phones, so +that's quite the plus! + +### NAS + +I bought a 2-bay Synology NAS from a friend a few months ago, and with the +myriad other changes, decided to set it up proper. I setup +[Navidrome](https://www.navidrome.org/) for audio, and [Jellyfin]( +https://jellyfin.org/) for video. I had previously used Navidrome, then +switched to Jellyfin for both audio and video, but with the new phone comes a +return to form. I like [Ultrasonic](https://gitlab.com/ultrasonic/ultrasonic), +and Navidrome plays nicely with it. + +The other big additions with the NAS is more backup scripts, and also pulling +down some YouTube series I like for local copies. More details in a full post. + +## Game Making + +Two game jams! One for the entire month of September, [Clone +Jam](https://itch.io/jam/clone-jam-game-a-month), and a +[Mini-Jam](https://itch.io/jam/mini-jam-167-cyber). For the Clone Jam, I was +working on building a ray-casting-based dungeon scavenger, similar to "Legend +of Grimrock", but with less combat. However, while I have made great progress +understanding how ray-casting works, and how to implement it, I won't have time +to finish such a game. That knowledge won't go to waste, though! There's a +game-jam at the end of October where I intend to make use of it. Instead, I'll +be touching-up and submitting a clone of Minesweeper I made: +[TICsweeper](https://vagabondazulien.itch.io/ticsweeper). + +For the Mini-Jam, I decided to make a "runner" type game: you maneuver your +sprite to collect and/or avoid certain projectiles. I also made this game in +the [TIC-80](https://tic80.com). While I didn't pull any all-nighters, focusing +on a single project for 72-hours with as little down-time as possible is still +quite exhausting! My submission was called +[RUNR](https://vagabondazulien.itch.io/runr). It ranked 48th out of 66 +submissions, which is honestly disappointing, but not enough to demotivate me +from continuing my game-making journey! + +## Game Playing + +I finally finished my play-through of Morrowind, and one of its two expansions, +Tribunal. (Note: before "DLC", new game content for existing games was +distributed like the game itself, on a piece of data-storing media, such as a +CD. These were called "expansion packs.") I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in +The Elder Scrolls III, and I definitely understand why many claim it as their +favorite. I will talk more about my experience in a full post, just like I did +for my recent Fallout 3 replay (I mean, just like I _will_. I _WILL!_) + +## Business Time + +Alas, while game making and playing are great uses of my time, they do not get +me the resources I need to pay my bills. I continue to work on starting my own +business. I've met with two mentors, one business and one technology, to help +get me started and provide guidance. In fact, this week marks what I would +consider the proper beginning of my business. With some dedication, I'll have +more exciting news to share about this next time! + +## That's All For Now! + +I think the original intention of a "Now" page is to be less verbose, but I +find the monthly cadence of a somewhat comprehensive update to be more +appealing! Until next month! diff --git a/_posts/2025-01-03-life-update.md b/_posts/2025-01-03-life-update.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f672a5d --- /dev/null +++ b/_posts/2025-01-03-life-update.md @@ -0,0 +1,110 @@ +--- + tabtitle: "Life in Progress: January, 2025" + title: "Life in Progress: January, 2025" + topics: [life] + pub: 2025-01-03 + short_desc: "A retrospective of 2024, up to the beginning of 2025" +--- + +# Life in Progress: January, 2025 + +My [now page](/now) is growing too verbose. Instead, I'll leave that page as a +summary of what this/these page(s) will explore. I'll start with a retrospective +of 2024, up to now, the beginning of 2025. Maybe a bit of ambitions too. + +## 2024 Retrospective + +2024 was a significant year. The most notable change being that I was laid off +in April. The remaining 8 months were quite nice. Before April, the year doesn't +feel much different or significant. From what I remember, I was stressed, +unhappy, and overall dissatisfied with my situation. I was in the process of +saving money to leave, when I was laid off and paid a generous (enough) +severance. It's nice when the universe solves problems. + +Much of April and May was time spent decompressing. A bit too much drinking, +from what I recall. I began receiving unemployment payments, and looking for +jobs, though only half-heartedly. I was already decided I would start my own +business. I also started my playthrough of **Fallout 3**. + +At the end of May, I entered into a game jam, and made my first video game, +[L4-N-DER Training Simulator](https://vagabondazulien.itch.io/lander). One thing +I do remember from the beginning of the year was speaking with some friends +about trying to publish a video game on Itch. I made the game using +[Fennel](https://fennel-lang.org/) and the [LÖVE 2D game +engine](https://www.love2d.org/). It was incredibly rewarding, and a great +learning experience. This game would be the first of 5 that I published on my +Itch page this year. + +Much of the summer was spent procrastinating starting my own business, and +golfing. At the beginning of summer, in June, my grandmother passed away. She +was about 2 weeks from her birthday, and so we round up and say she lived to 98. +I spent some time helping to clean and clear up her house too. In the beginning +of July I traveled to New York City to see Rezz. I also started properly +exploring WordPress, and working to understand better the business I was still +going to start. Around August, I began playing **Morrowind** for the first time. + +In the fall is when I "got serious" about my business. I signed up for the New +York State Self-Employment Assistance Program (SEAP), and through them signed up +with SCORE to speak with a mentor and begin some small business training. I made +my first WordPress site, for a relative (and for free). I also entered into 3 +more game jams during this period, publishing +[TICSweeper](https://vagabondazulien.itch.io/ticsweeper) (a Minesweeper clone +mde with the TIC-80); [RUNR](https://vagabondazulien.itch.io/runr) (another +TIC-80 game); and [Escape The +Crash](https://vagabondazulien.itch.io/escape-the-crash). _Escape_ was based on +some work of mine over the summer to better understand and implement ray-casting +in the TIC-80, which I then translated for use in Fennel and LÖVE. At the end of +fall, my remaining grandmother severely injured herself, placing her in town +through the end of the year. For the second year in a row, much of the holidays +would be spent visiting a rehabilitation center (the same one as my first +grandmother's). Since the pandemic, I don't think I've had a "normal" holiday +season. + +At the end of the year, I formally started my business, [Niblock Technology +Solutions](https://www.niblock.tech), and began working on websites for two +additional clients. Exploring this new world has been exciting, and there are a +lot of new challenges. I love working with others to solve problems, and I'm +looking forward to it. I'm also beginning work on a second business idea for a +game shop. I want to build a community space for people to play games, enjoy +company, and relax. Rounding the year out was my first playthrough of **Deus +Ex**. + +## Now: January, 2025 + +Now. Plenty of plans and ambitions. + +Easiest: I started a playthrough of **Oblivion**. Similar to **Fallout 3** and +**Morrowind**, my goal is to complete the main story and all DLC's. This time +around, I explored a new modding setup, using [Lutris](https://lutris.net/) to +install and manage the game (from GOG), and all the modding tools. For all three +of these games I want to write up a brief retrospective about my experiences and +any of the setup required for playing them on Linux. I already have two articles +for Oblivion ([Part 1](/2021/11/20/oblivion-linux.html), [Part +2](/2021/12/09/oblivion-linux-2.html)) detailing using Steam and Proton. I think +the Lutris approach is a bit nicer. + +_Escape The Crash_ was fun to make, but it's not done yet. I want to add in a +floor, sound effects, a skybox, and objectives. And an actual ending condition. + +Game-making in general I want to continue. I've started looking into the +[DragonRuby game engine](https://dragonruby.org/). I also want to learn (more) +Godot. I have no shortage of ideas, only my regular struggles with motivation +and focus. + +I've fallen into a few bad habits, and my health is worse for them. Its absurdly +easy for me to put on weight, and equally as difficult to lose it again. At my +heaviest I was over 320 pounds, and I'm now at a much better 240. I want to +bring that number down to 200, but I also want to remove as much significance +from that number as I can. It should be a metric, not a grade. + +I've also set for myself several music goals. I want to get better at +sight-reading, and so I have a goal to read a new piece of music each week. I +also want to explore music production, and try making my own 45-60 minute mix. + +There are the business goals. I need to have an income that supports my +lifestyle, which means more clients and (hopefully) more businesses! + +Finally, I want to write more. I think about writing, but rarely follow-through. +As all my other ambitions develop, sharing them with the world will help me +formally catalog my successes. Plus, if I have something useful and helpful to +share, then I want to! diff --git a/_topics/life.html b/_topics/life.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..05ea32e --- /dev/null +++ b/_topics/life.html @@ -0,0 +1,6 @@ +--- + title: Life + tabtitle: "Life Posts" +--- + +{% include topics.html %}