Welcome!
WHY?
There are several reasons for setting up this website: 1) My personal webspace at the University of New Orleans (UNO) got "tanked" after hurricane Katrina (although, it did get partially restored recently... and then officially deleted). 2) Since Katrina, I haven't really had a home or place of my own, so I guess I'm staking out some virtual turf here. 3) It was free. 4) I like Google and wanted see howGoogle'sPages worked. *** which is awesome!!! *** very user friendly, very intuitive, I even got one of my marginally luddite friends had to admit it "looked easy".
WHO? and WHAT?
Who am I? Like most professionals (Doctors, lawyers, engineers, etc.) I tend to define myself by my occupation. I am a Librarian. Specifically, I am the new Engineering Librarian at San Diego State University (SDSU). I was the Engineering at the University of New Orleans (UNO) for a little over seven years prior to coming to San Diego. I have several other degrees, a BA in English - Creative Writing (and occasionally creative spelling) and a BS in Physical Geography; however, it is only the Mastersin Library and Information Sciencethat 
has the "secret handshake" and mild hazing process (of course, I'm joking... sort of.) Additionally, I have recently completed my Ph.D. in Higher Education Administrationat UNO.
What is this all about? Well, I'll warn you in advance. It is very likely that I will talk about librarianship from time to time. Katrina, also still figures promently in my life. However, I will also talk about my other interests in art (painting - drawing), food, movies, games (board games, rpg, video <playstation nerd>, and computer - o'lord, am I a geek), and books (mostly fiction, science fiction, and biography). I will likely talk about comics because; I was, up to recently, a comic book collector, but Katrina washed away my collection. I hope that I can get the will (and money) to start collecting again, but it might be awhile yet. There may be other things/topics that eventually make to this site, but generally speaking, they'll center around that short list of interests. Hope you enjoy your visit!
WHERE IS WIL NOW?
As of July 10th, Wil is in San Diego, CA!!
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WIL is in California?
Well, my gal and I have been slowly settling down into life in California. We have about reconstructed the household since everything was washed out to sea. It is the odd things that you forget to buy, until you need them.
They are the things like salt shakers; which mothers have all dutifully sent their children off into the world with once they leave the nest. A potato masher was the most recent thing that we noticed we didn't have ... forks don't work nearly as well as one might think they would. The better half was inspired to use some "off color" language to describe some potential uses for the fork.
Never the less, we over came the "potato incident" and try not to speak too often of it. Regardless of these 'moments', it is nice to be normal again. Not drive 2 hours back and forth to work. Not discuss the storm daily. Not have to look at the destruction every day on my trip in to work. Still there are intrusions of Katrina in my life; however, being in a functioning environment makes it seem okay.
Are there regrets about leaving - certainly. However, not having a FEMA trailer to put on the property or aided in any way by my university to be placed in a trailer on campus was pretty much the nail in the proverbial coffin. I'm sure they have their excuses, but I ceased to care what they were anymore. I had to save myself, the girlfirend, career, and my education. Nothing was getting accomplished and everything was falling apart. Or, at least, it sure did feel like it was falling apart. I gave it almost a year and what an awful, awful year.
Maybe if I'd gotten some help from the university securing a FEMA trailer. Maybe. Maybe if the response to this unbelievable mess was responded to faster by the State and Feds. Maybe. Maybe, I would have stayed. But, fundamentally, I felt unwanted. Unwanted, in my home. I roll that around in my mind and I still can't quite understand it, "I felt unwanted in my home." Maybe, I'll return to Louisiana someday, they say that we all do those that were born there in Louisiana.
I was born in New Orleans and I've lived almost all my life in South Louisiana and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. I still wake mornings here in California and think, "I'm in California, I really am in California." Although, with less frequency now.
Poem for home.
I debated placing this poem on the website. It is too melancholy and strikes me as seeming more sad than I really am. It isn't representative of my constant mood or even where i am right now, mentally speaking. But, it does capture my low. I've never considered myself a poet. I know what a great, "qualified" build-up.
Still alive and posting.
I've added a little more content to this website. I tried to mark it in the index. Still a lot of work left here to do and little time. As usual I'm creating more projects for myself. I started a DeviantART site that I'm working on (we'll see how long this lasts).
I have added a little more content.
I have started on the Book section of this web page, mostly more autobiographical stuff and some brief information on a book that I've recently read and reviewed for Choice Magazine. Keeping up with my webpages has been a little difficult this past month. Mostly school and work stuff ... and I've been feeling a little exhausted and overwhelmed lately. I have been working a little on some of my art projects. Haven't really even played my games very much... which may be part of my problem. I do live for my diversions. Anyway, it is June and the beginning of summer, so I expect that I will be a brief surge in activity here and in my other web content.
Oh... I almost forgot... in July I will have been in California for a year!!! A year!!! And Katrina happened almost 2 years ago in August.. I still imagine the breeze off the Gulf sometimes and the sunsets low over the water - orange, violet, golden, and red. A year I've been away and returned home only once. It is hard to for me to sometimes believe that I I'm not home.
I have been a little busy.
Well, I have been a little busy lately. Mostly with school work (working on dissertation), trying to get focus groups together and rewriting/editing the first 3 chapters of the dissertation. Getting the focus groups together hase been something of a mild nightmare. I sent out a reminder letter asking for additional participants... we'll see. Graduating this year would be nice.
The following Tarot Card personality test was amusing... to say the least.
 | You scored as XIII: Death, Death is probably the most well known Tarot card - and also the most misunderstood. Most Tarot novices would consider Death to be a bad card, especially given its connection with the number thirteen. In fact this card rarely indicates literal death.Without "death" there can be no change, only eventual stagnation. The "death" of the child allows for the "birth" of the adult. This change is not always easy. The appearance of Death in a Tarot reading can indicate pain and short term loss, however it also represents hope for a new future.
Which Major Arcana Tarot Card Are You? created withQuizFarm.com |
Giving the Webpage a "NEW" Look
I decided to shake things up around here and refresh the look some on these pages. I can't promise that this will be the finished product. I am prone to changing my mind... often...er... frequently... from time to time.
Maybe it was the Tarot card that inspired the change or the... maybe ... the schizophrenia...
Playing around with some music ...
I've been playing around with some audio and remixing some music with a new online mixer at Splice. Here is one that turned out rather nicely.
Second song ... more New Age than Techno ...
This was mashed up with another new toy of mine. A computer Program called: MixPad. This song used Crazile's "programmed spacemen" off of ccmixter.org and some sounds that I downloaded from Splice... which I will also place in the useful links and review as well. All three have their pros and cons, but I'll discuss that later.
Made with Mixpad (.mp3 download) --->
Footfalls: East meets West (The Spaceman Mash)
Okay... I was inspired... and sleepless.
Maybe I need to create a separate song/music page. This one may seem a little political... it isn't really ... really. Just a little good natured jibbing ... okay??? Please don't send me to Cuba... I don't tan... I can't speak Spanish... chemically treated fabrics give me rashes. :)
Staying on Message (aka Republican Acid Rave)
Well ... this may be developing into another hobby.
I was playing around again on Splice and decided to do a Halloween themed song.
Sleep Hallow Ride (Headless Horseman Mix)
The following is a work in progress... originally made with Splice... going to toss it into Audacity and edit it a bit. Here is the work in progress from my Splice site...
Yeah... I know ... like I needed another hobby.
Thought I'd add this...
This is a recent article about ME!!! Yes, it is all about me... that is not an ego thing... just an article introducing me to the SDSU faculty is all. Sheesh, some kind of ego you must think I have! Anyway, I can't say they've described my GLORIOUS self perfectly; but who can? Easier to describe a sunset... <cough>... right. Well, at least there is a current picture of my round happy face. :) The salt and (red) pepper around the mouth is a new thing. Strangely starting in 2005... August/September I believe.
This is the LINK.
New Song Oct. 25th, 2007
I haven't made any remixes lately... so I went to Splice and quickly put this together. I used some of the Bush quotes I didn't use on "Staying on Message" This one is lawnmower man.
This is just the audio without the Bush quotes.
They are okay... I prefer the second one more. My favorite is the Sleepy Hollow Ride still.
Took the Site Down. Bringing it back up. June 30, 2008
Well, I briefly took the site down. I guess because I periodically feel the need to self-edit and self-censor. Although, I really didn't change or delete anything much. Mostly some glaring typos and a few ill conceived comments that I wrote while in a rush or half-asleep. Again, nothing bad or naughty, just seeking clarity of expression.
July 1st, 2008
Well, a quick FYI. I finally graduated this past MAY, 2008. So, yes, amazingly enough I am a Doctor. Ph.D. Piled higher and deeper. It has been an odd month and a half for me. Not that I expected to feel different (suddenly smarter.. HAH!)... but I actually do feel a little different. Perhaps, it is just relief... or maybe it is the open ended question of what is next. I'm not sure I really thought about what to do afterward... should I even be thinking that...
I've been working on two articles... one based on my study, co-written with my major professor... not a big surprise there... another on Information Policy. Hopefully, in the coming month I'll find out if I got a research grant and an opportunity to write a chapter in an upcoming book. Of course there are always book reviews to write. But, what next... is this the end of school for me... no more... I've always been in school pretty much (a rare moment for me not to be 'in school') ... I mean... I think in semesters.
I jokingly said to my mom that I have about 2 years left on a BFA in painting... I think that I was joking? Well, we will see... I do have my diversions. I recently brought my father's mandolinhome from Louisiana.I thought I might try to learn to play... something for my dad.
Well, that is about it. I promise to add more stuff here. All is as it should be...
Google Lively July 8th, 2008
Google came out with Lively today. I initially placed this under "Gaming"; however, upon further consideration, I don't think of it that way. In fact, Google is basically billing it as chat in a 3D environment. I still think that it is a little unusual, but it is Beta. So, there will be some changes... you can't create content right now and as for adding your own music (Scream Copyright infringement here) you can't upload a file larger that 512K. I have sound files that are larger than that... much less music (and I will be loading only my song or those that are Creative Commons, should I find one under 512K). To access the room that I created below you will have to have the lively client on your computer. You can download that from here:
http://www.lively.com/html/landing.html
The Sequestered Retreat is my first room that I created using Googles presets. I may tinker with this a little more to see what I can do with it. If I can eventually get my own images, movies, and sounds -- it may have some good uses.