Off the Clock
A different way to spend the afternoon.
Sometimes I want to follow a race. Sometimes I want a world I can take part in, or a chance to put something I've been learning into practice.
There are old interests here, and a few I'd like to give more time to. And occasionally, the best idea is simply to leave the desk.
EVE Online
EVE appeals to the part of me that wants to understand how a whole world fits together. The spaceships help, but it’s the people and their competing plans that make it interesting.
I created Obsidian Blackthorn in early 2013 and have spent most of my EVE career in small-gang and solo PvP. Along the way, I had the honor of flying with Noir as a mercenary for a couple of years.
These days, I live in a C3 wormhole called Florida with DKVC, better known as Kitchen Sinkhole. Texas in real life, Florida in space. Apparently, I’m drawn to spread sheets in space and questionable weather.
Formula One
I've watched Formula One for years, but going through Drive to Survive brought me closer to the people behind it. The drivers and team principals became more familiar, along with the friendships, rivalries, and history they carry into a race.
Finding out how many of the drivers grew up karting together added something I hadn't appreciated in the same way before.
I follow Red Bull Racing and Max Verstappen, and enjoy watching Kimi Antonelli too. The engineering is fascinating; knowing the people makes every small decision feel a little bigger.
Sim Racing
Sim racing brings that interest closer to the driver's seat. Learning a circuit, finding a rhythm, and understanding what the car is doing all appeal to me.
So does the equipment, admittedly. There's a lot to get interested in before you've actually driven anywhere.
It's a hobby I want to make more time for. The satisfying part is getting better at it, one small adjustment at a time. At some point, I do have to stop thinking about the setup and drive.
Movement and discipline.
I grew up with Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, and kung fu films, and martial arts became part of my own life too: ten years of karate and five of Krav Maga.
Training gave me another way to appreciate timing, control, and all the practice behind movement that looks effortless.
I still enjoy a well-choreographed fight scene. These days that appreciation can be exercised from a considerably more comfortable seat.
Home is on the coast.
For all the worlds I can disappear into on a screen, there's a good one outside the door. North Padre Island is home, and I'd like to make more time to enjoy living close to the water.
Getting the Tacoma out, leaving the desk for a while, and letting a little of the day stay open all sound like worthwhile plans.
I can probably manage that last one without designing a framework for it.