Just What I've Always Wanted

Well, guess what? I finally got something that I've wanted for quite some time. I finally have a dedicated Unix-like workstation on a reasonably fast computer. It's actually running FreeBSD version 7.0-Prerelease (more info here). I have GNOME set up (GNOME's homepage can be found here) for my graphical environment and basic desktop utilities, and I'd like to become very comfortable using it for everything possible (in an effort to reduce my reliance on Microsoft Windows at home). I don't know how well that will work, but I'm off to a good start (finally). In fact, this blog entry is being written from that very computer. Most of my Unix experience has been on the command line, so installing and configuring all this graphical stuff is somewhat new to me.

I'm also working to get Solaris 10 set up on my Sun Microsystems Ultra 60 Elite 3D workstation. It's a little frustrating, because I haven't used Solaris for nine years (the latest version I used was 2.6). It's pretty much all new to me, but I'm determined to learn it and get more comfortable with it. Why? Because it's fun. Who knows? Maybe it'll help me get a job; it's certainly going to look good on my resume if I can claim that I'm relatively proficient with it.

So let the learning and fun begin.

Games

I played my first game of The Spoils yesterday. It was more fun than I thought it would be, and that's a good thing. Unfortunately, my deck didn't seem to be shuffled very well (even though I shuffled it like 20 times), because I kept getting resource cards instead of non-resource cards. It sucked for my friend, but it kinda sucked for me, too, since I really didn't get to experience what would probably be considered "typical" gameplay. We'll try again, and I'll make sure my cards are quite shuffled. Don't know if we'll do it tonight, this weekend, or some other time, but I'm sure we'll play again.

So far, I thought it was pretty fun. I'm not real good with strategy, so as we play more and more I'm going to find that I really do suck at these kinds of games. Maybe not; I might be surprised. We'll just have to wait and see.

The Busy-ness of the Day

I've tucked myself away in a hole at work. Though the door is unlocked and visitors are welcome (though not desired), the lab provides sanctuary for me as I go about my busy-ness. It's a nice change from all the interruptions I get at my desk. I feel like I'm actually accomplishing something. Which is precisely why I'm writing a blog entry instead of working. Hrm... :)

It's not that I don't like my work, it's just that I'd rather be doing something else. I've regained an interest in my computers at home, so after work and on weekends I fill the time quite well. But at work I catch myself longing to be back at home, watering the seeds of interest and learning new things on my computers.

I need to clean my desk. I need to pay bills. I need to clean the bathroom. I need to do laundry. Tonight would be a good night to do that, except that I'm going to play The Spoils with a friend of mine. That means we'll probably be up late and I won't have time to do any of that stuff before bed. I guess it'll have to wait until Friday unless I go back over to my friend's house to play some more. Who knows.

It's almost lunch time, and my day is almost over. I leave today at 13:00 to go to the rec center and then off to play cards. I hope it's fun. But even if it's not, it's the company that really matters, not the game.