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Archive for August, 2007

Facebook

Posted by jetblack on August 28th, 2007

By the way, if any of you are on Facebook, here’s my profile url:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=508787747

Or search for “gmichael@yahoo-inc.com” and you’ll find me pretty quick.

See you there.

CCNA

Posted by jetblack on August 28th, 2007

Yeah, I broke down and decided to get certified in something. I’ve been working in NOCs for forever (8 years next April), and I think I’ve hit the ceiling on the pay scale for NOC work right now. Networking seems like the next logical step in training and I do enjoy network design and maintenance a great deal. I’m just hoping I’m not wasting my time, because getting the CCNA means I want to make a career out of this, when I didn’t want to.. really. It’s like admitting this is what I want to do with the rest of my life, and it’s really not. But writing can’t pay as well as this industry does, so… here I go…

Not to sound like I don’t have a lot of enthusiasm for it, but I guess it’s just the admission to myself that I’m going to be doing this type of work. Maybe it’s better to write as a hobby, because I tend to hate the hobbies that become an occupation.

Big Mike’s Anime Festival

Posted by jetblack on August 13th, 2007

Every year in July, the San Francisco AIDS Foundation raises money through the AIDS Walk. Last year, my wife, and one of my best friends, , participated and raised about $1500+ between them for AIDS research. I thought this was a great cause and I have long donated money to AIDS research, personally. I think everyone can agree that raising money for such a cause is a good thing.

A week ago, I was chatting with a friend and he asked me when I was going to start running my own anime convention. Interestingly enough, he was the millionth person to ask me because I seem to be getting that question A LOT. I figured, hey, if people want me to run one, it seems like people want to go to it if I do. I think somehow there’s a guaranteed audience right there, but I didn’t really want to do for profit, yanno? If we were going to raise some money, I wanted the proceeds to go somewhere that needed it and so I’ve chosen to combine the idea of running an anime-related event and a donation to the AIDS Walk.

So, here is my plan:

  • Hold an anime marathon in San Francisco, at the Red Vic Movie House
  • Find 20 people to donate $100 each ($2000 total) in seed money to cover the venue.
  • Sell the remaining 127 seats at $35 each for a 12 hour show.
  • $35 times 127 people is $4,445 which would go straight to the AIDS Walk for my wife’s team.
  • We’re calling it “Big Mike’s Anime Festival” on the advice of others.

The event would be held two weeks before Anime Expo on a Saturday, to help ease the cost. Plus, I think people can do $35 for charity given enough notice, and they get: 12 hours of anime with good friends, a special badge (which I’ll create), and a ‘program guide’. If we do this every year, I think we can start helping to make a difference.

Who’s with me on this?