So the unreal engine developer kit, you know, that thing that used to cost somewhere in the region of $100k, is now free. Just like that. LINK!
The catch? None for non-commercial developers. Use the UDK for free, no strings attached.
For commercial developers its still a pretty sweet deal. 25% of your royalties on any revenue over $5000.
I can’t quite believe it… it’s just so totally awesome!
I’ve most definitely been having a really good time here in BC since I arrived. I’ve been climbing, taken up sky diving, made good friends, hiked around and explored the local area, I like my jobs – although I wish they where more challenging- and there’s a wonderful Baha’i community here that I can take part in.
Since my last post I started working at London Drugs, in the computer department. My name badge says “Computer Specialist” which basically means I sell computers. Getting this job has changed my plans somewhat, as I agreed to stick around until early summer. So it looks like I’m going to be in town for the next two seasons.
Thanksgiving doesn’t exist in the UK, but over here its time for families to get together and eat a turkey. I spent the weekend with my friend Jayce on Victoria Island, and meeting up with some old old friends I haven’t seen since I was about 12 years old.
Shortly after I went to visit a friend in a small town further into the mountains called Revelstoke. The town sits in the clouds, coupled with the Halloween theme that was going down and the general grid structure to most towns around here gave me a rather eerie feeling of silent hill. (note for none gamers: silent hill is a famous horror computer game) OH! I learnt to solve rubiks cubes on that trip! w00t!
Skydiving season has ended, so I’ll have to wait till spring before I can do any more, but the snows coming, and that means skiing and snowboarding time! I just have to make sure I do actually save up some money too. After all, I have to get my tickets for around Asia, among other things.
This month I’ve been listening to a lot more music than I normally do. I have a tendency to forget about music… which is rather weird, as it totally brings me up. Until about a week or so ago, I had been in a really good habit for keeping music on to inspire and thrill me. However I’ve noticed a big slump in my normally cheery mood and decided to attribute that to the lack of music I’ve recently listened to, rather than the ongoing severe lack of sleep.
Ok, so heres the situation. In January I will be moving to China. Unfortunatly the great firewall of china has blocked facebook, and it doesnt look like thats going to change anytime soon. I’d like to develop coffee stains and ink spills a little more and implement a “wall” feature, so that friends can leave me messages that don’t need to be affiliated with any particular blog post.
The idea is that people will be able to (pending approval by me) register, and then will be able to leave comments on posts without the need for them to be approved. Additionally registered friends will be able to leave comments on my wall.
I’m happier with this visual concept than the last one. It doesn’t feel as ominous, and feels more fun and professional. This is the current blue print I will be working from, but let me know what you think, constructive critisism is always appreciated.
The great firewall of china blocks facebook and twitter, two online services I update from coffee stains and ink spills. When I post on the blog, coffee stains and ink spills updates my twitter message to inform twitter friends that I have done so. Twitter also updates my facebook status. Additionally, whenever I make a new post, it syncs with facebook notes, and becomes a post in my facebook account. As kiamo.co.uk is hosted in north America, these updates should continue to work, despite my living in China. However, I will not be able to log in to any of them directly, and will therefore not be able to read any messages people leave me on either facebook or twitter. So I encourage you all to comment or contact me on Coffee Stains and Ink Spills.
[click image to see bigger]
Yesterday I was playing in photoshop and created this concept for a new kiamo.co.uk theme. I feel a bit unsure about it. While I do like it, it somehow doesn’t feel completely appropriate.
What are your thoughts?
I’m thinking I’ll turn it into a wordpress theme regardless of whether or not I’ll use it. You know… just for practice, and fun.
Click to enlarge
I started this one at the end of last summer, but no matter how long i spent at it I couldn’t get something that felt “finished”.
Nearly a year later I decided to revisit it and I reckon I’m finally done with it :D
crit welcome =]
I really enjoyed working on this one today.
Fun little doodles from last night
Yesterday I went climbing with some new found friends. We went to a local climbing spot in cougar canyon which was SWEET! I’m not really in the habbit of climbing with the proper gear; ropes, shoes, harness’, chalk bag, etc. However a few months ago I bought the basic essentials and climbed at some indoor walls 2 or 3 times in preparation for coming out here to Canada.
Free solo climbing is awesome fun, and I love to feel so close to death, something I feel (with regards to climbing) very capable of doing safely. If that makes sense. It’s all about knowing your ability extremely well, and having a really good judge of what hold and grip can take your weight. Free soloing also opens up a rather substantial reservoir of energy. It’s the whole “if i don’t do this right, then I die” factor. It makes a huge difference which I definitely notice the lack of when climbing with ropes.
However, climbing with ropes is awesome too. First of, it enables me to try things I wouldn’t normally try, I can experiment more with various techniques and holds, and I can also attempt rock faces I wouldn’t normally attempt. It’s ultimately is the better way to improve at climbing.
So yesterday we went out to cougar canyon, which was only a short walk from where we parked. we set up some ropes and began climbing some 20meter(I guess) climbs. There was a cool cave like overhang bit that I wanted to play in, but there where a whole load of wasps hanging about which put me of considerably. On the other side of the waspy area there was a 30meter climb, which I really wanna go back and try again, as I totally failed it yesterday. Orion beat it in 4 minutes! FOUR! That seems pretty fast to me but he wasn’t happy with it.
There are more pictures in my photo’s page.
Making our way there
Free soloing, yay!
The bigger climb
Well done Jaz!
man! I wanna go climbing again soon!
I’ve always enjoyed coffee, although I haven’t consistently drunk it over the years. I used to drink masses of coffee between the age of 13 and 15, but then I switched over to tea, and I tended to only go through fairly short coffee phases.
Coffee in the UK has a big competitor; Tea. When King Charles II married the Portuguese princess Catherine of Braganza in the 1660’s, the princess brought the habit of drinking tea to the court, who would have imagined that it would become so strongly adopted by the British culture.
Tea in Canada is not nearly so popular and instead there is a strong appreciation for coffee. French and British expeditions began exploring North America in the late 15th century, so maybe they simply missed out on the tea drinking fad, or perhaps they refused to adopt it as a sort of protest to their British ancestry. Either way, the support for coffee over tea has resulted in a much richer diversity of quality coffee drinks than I ever experienced back in the UK.
I have noticed a few Starbucks in the UK have started offering coffee’s with various syrups and flavours added in, but over all most places just offer either instant junk, an americano, a latte, or a cappuccino. Here however there is a huge range of either hot or iced cappuccinos, latte’s, mocha’s with berries, cream, syrups, nuts, and all sorts of flavours.
For the next six months I’m going to really enjoy drinking all these different coffee drinks, and I’m really gonna miss them when I get to China, which is another tea drinking country.
The photo below is of a caramel almond latte that I am drinking while writing this. One of the most delicious coffee’s I’ve had so far.
I’ve been living in Leicester for almost 3 years now. It’s been great! People I’ve met, friendships fostered, course complete, exploring the arts and discovering more of the wonders in life, have contributed to a great chapter in my life, certainly a time to look back on and smile.
I’ve been making a point of savouring every moment with my friends here before I leave for Canada and then, indefinitely China. Baha’u’llah said:
“Regard man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value. ”
(Baha’u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u'llah, p. 260)
Everyone has their own treasures, their own gems which I’m going to miss, but life goes on and it gladdens me to see everyone moving forward in life.
Some are working, some are moving, some are staying put, committed to nurturing the local community, some are continuing to hone their skills, and some are searching for their path to tread.
I’ve always wanted to travel, travel far that is. I’ve seen a fair bit of Europe (although there is still plenty left to explore) but I’ve been yearning for a long time to see more of the world. To explore new countries, climb new summits, meet new people and become acquainted with their cultures and be of service in their Baha’i communities. It’s time to chase my dreams.
“I live my life a quarter mile at a time. ”
(Vin Diesel – The Fast and the Furious)
I couldn’t resist quoting Mr Diesel, I feel much the same, never really knowing what’s going to happen next. I just try to make the best of it and live one step at a time, trusting in Baha’u’llah (but tying my camel albeit somewhat loosely), and seizing what opportunities I want that come my way. I like it this way, it’s unpredictable and exciting.
At the moment I’ve been asked to house sit for a lovely sounding lady, and she as a cat! I really miss having a cat, I can’t wait! I’ve also been presented with the chance of a job at Starbucks in Vernon, the city in Canada I’m going to move to. I really like the idea of working in a cafe, and Starbucks is awesome. I wouldn’t say its a life job, but it would certainly be a fun way to keep me alive, go on small trips and save up funds for further adventures in China. I feel so blessed. I’ll need to say lots of prayers for thanks.
There’s been so much running through my head to blog about but its 4 am and time to wrap this up. I went hiking and camping in the Lake District with Paul last week, which is where I am in the picture up top. More photo’s will be viewable in my photo’s page very shortly.
Time for some rest methinks.
