Last July I posted a list of ambitions.
Time for a review.
- To work in a streetcorner newsbooth. Partly a joke – but I’d still quite like to do this. I suspect they’re basically owner-operator kind of deals, though. Gonna look into it this week.
- To become a cult leader by rising to the front ranks of Neurocam and then either taking it over, or creating a sizeable splinter group. Done. I became the head of Neurocam last August (and was subsequently deposed in November). Being a cult leader was fucking cool, if extremely intense and an insane amount of work. I want to be one again some day, in some form. It suited me nicely.
- To write a throwaway novel (“which I am doing in November“). As things turned out, I was too busy fulfilling ambition no 2 to do this last November. So I’ll do it this November.
- To make an album, provisionally entitled ‘Everyone’s Too Stupid‘ (“which I will do next year when I have more time”). A change in outlook has seen this one deprioritised – although I might still release a compilation of Mishuki One‘s recordings for Hagakure 419 under said title, if a sufficient number of them accumulate.
- To study for and obtain a degree in Creative Arts from Melbourne’s premier university (“guaranteeing me a colourful and lucrative subsequent career as a Creative Artist”). I intend to begin persuing this one next year. Unless my career takes off stratospherically between now and then, of course.
- To finish reading “The Magus” by John Fowles, and then to ritually burn it. Done.
- To have fun and not care about people.
- To be beautiful.
- To be loved. Realisation of these three remain works in progress, although great strides have been made (admittedly, in some cases, made then lost) on all fronts.
Material things I wanted:
- An umbrella. Acquired.
- A preamping device for my microphone. Latterly I’ve been using my soon-to-be ex-housemate’s guitar pedals for this purpose. But they’ve stopped working – I think because the audio-in jack on my eMac is fucked. (Along with several of the USB ports.) But – see above – evolved approaches have rendered this less important than it used to be.
- A Bigpond Movies membership. With a Blockbuster just down the road, this has become less desirable. Although I would like to join ACMI, whose lending collection goes places theirs, frankly, doesn’t.
- A region-free DVD player. Acquired. (It isn’t really region free. But it’s okay.)
- A better camera. Acquired.
- Peter Greenaway DVDs. Some still pending, some acquired. In one case acquired (see previous link), then rendered unplayable due to careless handling.
- See also: Amazon wishlist. Note: the DVDs on this list are for reference only – although I know you’d love to buy them for me, I’m better off with locally-purchased Region 4s (see above).
Updated want list:
- More driving lessons. I started learning to drive in March last year, but stopped in September, due to being too busy & stressed. I’m no longer too busy/stressed, but I am too poor. Shall recommence when it becomes viable.
- A cat. Once my domestic arrangement stabilizes somewhat – and again, given sufficiently consistent income.
- New trainers. Soles of my current trainers:
- iPod Mini repair. I bought a little 512mb Shuffle after my 4GB Mini broke for the second time late last year. At around $150 this was a substantially cheaper option than getting the Mini fixed. At this rate I will be able to get a Nano for less than the cost of getting the Mini fixed. In any case, I miss my Mini.
