28 July 2003... Time waits for no one

Started off this morning intending to work on the architecture section of this website and also to finish off my "other than computers" resume. I did neither directly but did eventually end up on some architectural issues. First off I read the news about Bob of course, then instead of getting to work went to check and see what was on the menu at MetaFilter. It was there I came across the link to the 3D Artists at raph.com which has just an incredible array of 3D modeled pictures of the likes to make you think you could just walk right on in to them.

The shot below is by a South Korean artist by the name of Chang Kyung Seok and was rendered on a PIII 600 with 128 megs of ram. He is using 3D Studio which is a three thousand dollar piece of software but I suppose if you were really dedicated you could recreate the same scene with POV-Ray. What I can't get over is these buildings just flat out don't exist but there they are just as plain as day and so detailed you could almost hear the sound of footsteps over that beautiful wood floor. These folks are just flat out talented.

This next one just blows me away. Kaya doesn't have a body yet but that's okay cause this head by Alceu Bapistao is definitely the most realistic I've seen so far. The software used here is Maya which is available in a free not for commercial use version.

The next two pictures are by GIlles Tran at Oyonale. Not only is Gilles a talented artist who worked on the first 3D picture ever rendered in space but Oyonale itself is a seemingly never ending journey encompassing a vast body of work. Check out Book of Beginnings in which Gilles adds the beginning of a story with no ending to the pictures.

25 July 2003... Time stands still

After the tax refund arrived I fought off the urge to take off for a northern california jaunt on the motorcycle. Good thinking financially but productivity-wise I would have accomplished just as much and would have at least come up with something interesting to write about. I've never seen it like this before. All my other in between job episodes there's always been money around and I look back fondly at lazy days and no place in particular adventures when I didn't have a care in the world.

This time it just flat out sucks and truly seems that I've warped into some eerie dimension where time stands still. Still I shouldn't complain as my circumstances could be much worse and the stories I read about the unemployed legions remind me of that on a daily basis. I can't really even afford to just go drive around to lighten the mood so maybe I oughta just strap the pack on and take a long walk.

06 July 2003... Livin La Vida Boo Radley

State income tax refund finally got here which means only that I have more than zero dollars and will be able to afford gas money and insurance. Aside from just being able to get out of the house I won't have to worry about how many interviews I can drive to. I had stopped looking at Santa Cruz jobs because I didn't have enough fuel to make the round trip for an interview. What's frustrating me the most is that work on the mountain house has come to a standstill cause I can't afford the trip up and down the hill.

This morning's paper had a front page story headed long-term unemployment and the help wanted section is down to three pages. I've gotten to where I can tell by touch when I first pick it up whether or not it's gotten smaller. What's next? This page left blank intentionally?