We are machines. Biological in nature — chemical, actually — but all the same are we: Machines. And machines have quirks, and design flaws, and patterned behavior.

I can only assume that my Serotonin valves get stuck from time to time, because for the last few days I’ve been slowly getting back up on the horse. Well… a different horse. I’m doing stuff; just not the stuff I’m “supposed” to be doing. In the last few days, I have accomplished the following:

• Built new machine for Max out of spare parts, connected it to the Internet (scary for a 7-yr-old (and his parents!), but he wanted it), made it stream TV shows from the ReplayTV unit wirelessly through two floors
• Cut the back lawn, which had grass a foot high (not exaggerating). Hopefully my crazy neighbor will stop calling the police now.
• Returned the email of a few old friends — they had emailed me in 2004 (!!!!) and I only NOW returned the mail, but hey, I always answer my email. Eventually.
• Figured out a new way to get more performance out of the 8088 Corruption player and started work on the first phase of implementing it (hint: A/V chunks now need to be sector-aligned). Also brainstormed SpeakerTracker implementation ideas.
• Cleaned up the DVD-quality version of the MobyGames Classic Gaming Expo 2004 retrospective video and made it available online
• Submitted a backlog of about 150 cover scans to MobyGames that I had scanned in 2005 but never edited/uploaded
• Backed up my 180GB network share to six DLT tapes. Last backup was… 2002? (Thank you, RAID-5!)

Not too shabby, I guess. None of it is probably what I’m “supposed” to be working on, but progress is progress. The hardest obstacle of all is when you realize your main issue (lack of direction, aimlessness, a smidgen of depression, etc.) is completely without merit compared to the real, legitimate problems that others have — death, poverty, etc. — and that realization makes you feel bad about yourself, feeding the causality loop. Argh!

Chemical machines have another nice habit: They try to fix other chemical machines when they’re in need of repair. Honest thanks to everyone who wrote me, blogosphere or otherwise, with a kind word or helpful suggestion. I read them all, and they did help.

We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths. — Walt Disney

Keep moving forward.