phoenixgarage.org

I am going to try to be less of a bum.

For starters, I am breaking my "addiction" to Fark (new window). I have been a long-time poster and peruser there, but lately, it feels like nothing more than a giant time sink that doesn't give back anything worthwhile anymore. I feel like I am wasting my time there.

This isn't the first time I have done this with a site; I did it with kuro5hin (new window), then later with Slashdot (new window), both of which, in their own ways, left something to be desired. I have thought the same off and on with Fark, but I continued to hold on...no more.

Goodbye Fark. You are no longer interesting to me. I am sure I mean the same to you.

So, where to now?

Well, for starters, I want to get back to what I love to do: Hacking. No, not the illegal stuff (though that fascinates me and always has; I am too old and have too many responsibilities to go further down that road). I mean the love of programming for fun, robotics experiments, virtual reality, experimenting with junk, learning new ideas, all of that.

I want to try to recapture how it was when I was first starting out with computers, 25+ years ago. I have the drive, I have the heart, I have the ambition to do it. I have a site on which I can rant about it if I need to! I even have my first computer...

Yes, my mom passed away; my wife and I buried her with her first children (long and sad story there; one day I hope to recount what I know of it here), we are now going through a long and somewhat complex process of probate. Some of this stuff has gotten in the way of things that I want to do, but the real truth is that I have been lazy, and letting other things get the better of me.

About the UGV Project (new window):

This is another item I will return to soon. My friend Jared no longer works at my place of employment; he had personal issues he couldn't resolve while he was there and left to pursue other options, and frankly, it seems like he isn't going to participate in the project further, which is OK. I do, however, plan on continuing it. Fortunately, I was able to purchase the components he had financially contributed on from him for a fair price.

I am also getting some new and interesting hardware for my old computer of my youth, my Color Computer 3 (new window)! From that same site, as a matter of fact. Hopefully it will be here soon; Roger is a busy man, though - the site and the hardware he builds are truly "labors of love". One of the pieces I am getting is the "RS-232 Hackers Pak"; I am seriously thinking about hooking my Arduino (new window) up to it for kicks...

Wish me luck, and hopefully I will be back here again soon to update everybody on my progress (ah, who the hell am I kidding, I am talking to air now - oh well).

UPDATE: Now with line breaks!