several days and 4/20; 4/21 goals

For some of the missing days, I kept track on Notes on my iPod. So it's ok, right?

Brief summary of stuff done:

Sent off QA app. Got approval of technical resume. Little bit of this. Little bit of that.

Positive experience at one-off job that might lead to future jobs.


To do tomorrow:

Email B for game industry brain-pickin'.

Email yesterday's job a thank-you note.

Study study study study!

Take care of that damned KDDI thing.

4/14; 4/15 goals

3rd draft for technical resume done; write email and send tomorrow morning.

QA resume done.

1st draft for QA cover letter done; 2nd draft tomorrow morning.

Some exercise, some cleaning, some cooking prep. Sent in an application for a one-off 'talk in English for munny' job, got a response, we'll see. Decent cash for a minimal time investment.

Started designing something I can make with what I've learned so far in iOS. Basically... a text-based adventure game, with tabs to switch between exploration and inventory, both of which would be table views. Icons and supplemental graphics can be added. Yes, I know, a text-based adventure game on iOS. You shake your head in disgust. But it should be a good way to practice data structures and review moving from one view to another. I'd like to start working on it tomorrow afternoon.

4/13; 4/14 goals.

Submitted mygengo.com test

Minor resume edits, wrote draft of cover letter for QA job

Made notes on entry-level programming resume

Studied iOS programming

Didn't complete some of these goals, but progress was made.

For tomorrow:

More iOS programming

Finish QA application

Finish programming resume

Deal with KDDI

4/13 goals

Finish mygengo.com test

Finish file system chapter

Send QA app

Resume for entry level programming

A brief plan.

Maybe a quick post early in the morning of things I want to get done that day.

Then another one at night, listing what I've done.

The Many-Headed Hydra, or, I'm Not Actually Multitasking.

Things I am working on this very minute, or will be when I finish this post:

A spec for currently-fantasized iPad game brought to you by the letter A, yet again in collaboration with friend brought to you by the number D, because one of these friggin decades one of these ideas is going to crystallize.

Character designs for aforementioned iPad game A. Not because I'm any good at it, though. Why don't I know any artists who are into this stuff? I hear there's a thing called networking. But then I'd have to meet people.

A spec for project brought to you by the zygote B for company brought to you by the prime number W, because coding a prototype for a browser extension is just so, so far from anything that I want to do or learn right now. Whereas spec-writing... that's useful for me, and fun. And actually far more useful for them in the long run.

Fleshing out old iPhone game notes into a spec and translating it into Japanese, because companies hiring for "planner" positions - which match quite closely what I'm looking for - would like to see a sample of work. Makes sense. But I find writing in Japanese to be far more blocked than writing in English. Note the absence of my Japanese homework being posted up so far, for example.

This blog.

Nifty things to work on once some of the above are done:

Practical, hands-on learning of Objective-C and iPhone development via writing ezfrizbee strategerizer. Did I say frisbee? I mean, er. Ultimate. Flying disc. Ah, Wham-O, if only that was not your corporate name but instead the colorful sound effect displayed when Batman punches you in the eye. Pricks.

How the hell do you make pretty drawings on a computer? Photobooth in order to show my latest character designs is not my idea of a good time.

Job apps. Can't do 'em without that sample design doc! In Japanese. Meh.

Things that have pretty much hit rock bottom on the giving a shit scale:

Schoolwork. I fell back into the 'it's all masturbation, why bother' hole a while ago, and with real projects about real things, it just doesn't even compete. Sorry kids, it was fun for a semester, but not two.

Dinner. It's under ten degrees celsius in my kitchen. I ain't goin out there. Maybe I'll just pee into my trashcan when the time comes.

In sickness and in health.

A headache plus violent fits of coughing make a potent combo.

A couple of nifty point n' click puzzle/adventure games with substantial free demos, playable in a browser:

www.thedreammachine.se

machinarium.net

These guys give me hope that I can make something something great. However, since my forte is writing, I need to find a partner who can art.

A productive day, given the pounding and the hacking. Chicken soup was performed, and I eagerly await the healthening.