Mike Experiences The Internet

Author: Michael

  • 02252026 – The Multiplatform Experiment

    02252026 – The Multiplatform Experiment

    There is such a thing as having too many choices, especially with video games. The implied definition of a backlog is exactly that, too many choices. So what do you do when you have backlogs on more than one system?

    For as long as I can remember, I’ve always owned one (or more) of the latest gaming consoles, on top of whatever PC I had at the time. When I would own more than one console, the really popular games I’d play with friends (I’m looking at you Destiny 2); I’d buy one copy on each platform; which ran up the costs very quickly.

    Fast-forward to last year, during Abby’s cancer treatments I could count on one hand how many games I ended up buying, and the vast majority of them were on Switch 2; because I was always on the go. Now that things have slowed down, I can enjoy games more on PC.

  • 02112026 – A Meaningful Way Forward

    Thinking back over the last couple of weeks (and through a couple of deleted blog entries), I tried to think through a few things, including the family tradition I ended up mentioning.

    Obviously, a lot has changed since that last took place; but saving $250 a month for a couple of years; while doable; presented financial issues which couldn’t be overcome. I also am very bad at saving money, due to my mental disabilities causing episodes of mania from time to time.

    I’ve never bought my own smartphone outright, outside of getting from our carrier. Maybe I should start saving up for that!

  • 01302026 – The Lightbulb Experiment

    01302026 – The Lightbulb Experiment

    “It’s time to finally settle down here. I’m tired of renting and our landlord, and I’m tired of not having a reliable car.” – Abby

    As the featured image for today’s post implies, we’re both house shopping, and car shopping. There was a “aha” moment that happened during the recent storm from a combination of things; a interaction with our current landlord and the issues mentioned previously with the car I bought.

    The landlord is a nice guy, and has good intentions; and does really well for a single person managing a 30-35 unit complex … but he did absolutely nothing leading up to, and during the storm about the ice on the stairs leading up to our 2nd floor apartment.

    We plan to move very quickly on both of these (30-45 days to look and purchase both).

  • 01282026 – Learning from multiple disappointing things

    01282026 – Learning from multiple disappointing things

    An email is shown, letting the recipient know they did not move forward in the admissions process for a watchmaking program.

    I received this email yesterday morning around the time of this post. I was really hoping that I would receive a different version of this email, one that would say that I had been accepted … but the reality is this. After reading this email, I wrote the administrative assistant a really nice thank you note. I was taught to do this many years ago when I was in college, as part of one of my classes (which specialized in mock interviews).

    I also had a learning experience about a recent major purchase that I made. I recently financed a car (!!), and just a few days in; it started to have issues. We still had about a week to bring it back in; but then Winter Storm Fern hit. I was barely able to get out yesterday to return the car to the dealership, and all is well on that front.

    It is very hard to not give up when things are like this, and I feel that in the context of the last few months that I’m very close to doing just that.

    I just hope that things get better soon, because I’m tired of being sad and angry at everything (and everyone).

  • 01262026 – The Horology Confinement

    01262026 – The Horology Confinement

    It’s been a while since I’ve done a horology post, but seeing as we are snowed in and can’t really go anywhere; why not right?

    It will soon be time to find out whether or not I made it past the essay process; and just like being a caregiver I’m going to see this through to the bitter end.

  • 01182026 – The Year of Movement

    This is an official photo of the very first 5K Mike ever walked, the very last Heroes Run 5K in Shreveport, Louisiana. The photo was taken in October 2023, and appears with implied permission from BGC Racing, Inc.

    In my last post, I mused about adoption of a yearly theme; but decided against naming it there because of a pending decision. Fast forward a couple of days (during which I came up with my yearly schedule of 5K events), and I came up with movement as the yearly theme for 2026.

    It ties in perfectly between the admissions process, my progression as a walker/runner; and in general because we seem to be on the go all the time. But it does lean more on the walking/running side of things. After spending the last couple of years walking and running local and area events, for 2026 I am planning to travel to two events, one regional; and one national. Travel will be subject of course, to money and to Abby’s whims.

  • Blog Post – 01152026

    “Birthdays are supposed to be a fun time, why aren’t you having fun?”

    My birthday is tomorrow. It used to be that I would look forward to my birthday every year for a myriad of reasons, but given the current and previous state of things; I just view it as another day.

    I know I shouldn’t feel this way about it … yet I do.

    On another note, I am going to work on a yearly theme for the remainder of this week (and hopefully have something by next week).

  • The End Is In Sight (and Yearly Themes)

    Ring this bell three times well, Its toll to clearly say … My treatments are done, Its course is run; And I am on my way.

    I thought this day would never come.

    Today (as you’re reading this) is the last day of cancer treatment for Abby. This afternoon, she’ll ring the bell with the quoted phrase above at our treatment center; signifying the end to this round of treatment and the beginning of her recovery (and eventual return to full-time work we hope). The last couple of weeks have been a true test for us; and I had to step up and take more of the responsibilities on my shoulders so that she can focus on getting better.

    Onto the other topic.

    The last couple of years, every January I come up with a yearly theme that I try to stick to for the entirety of that year. Last year was “The Year Of Making”, and usually I have a theme in place by now. The concept is not really new, and is very common in productivity circles; but I haven’t decided on a theme just yet because of not only the treatments, but also waiting on a decision regarding my application for the watchmaking program I applied for last year. That should be a separate posting here, once I know more.

  • Welcome 2026

    Welcome 2026

    The end of 2025 was interesting, if you consider spending Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve with your spouse in the hospital that way. In the overall context of the previous year, it presented me with chances to not only grow professionally; but as a person, and husband/father/grandfather too.

    2026 so far, is looking to be a lot of the same as the end of 2025 was. But hopefully it’ll only be this way for January. There are just a handful of chemo and radiation treatments left, and coupled with the daily antibiotic treatments for the remainder of the month … it’s a lot. But I soldier on nevertheless.

  • Reflections – 2025

    With the end of 2025 in sight, I figured I would reflect on everything that has happened, both good and bad.

    Good Things:

    Celebrated 2 years here at the apartment in early June
    Abby reached a career milestone at her job
    Quakecon (always a fun time here, even if we were only able to come up for the day)
    Applying for the job of a lifetime

    Bad Things:

    Becoming a caregiver (this isn’t really a bad thing, but the stress adds up)
    Burnout (I burned out for about 3 weeks a while ago, I do not recommend this)


    Music:

    Started Out – listening to death and black metal
    Year End – listening to KPop all the time (well, most of the time anyway)

    This would be the point where I would have picked a video of me and my dog Mac, but there’s another site quirk and I absolutely cannot be arsed to do anything about it right now ….