Chiyo's Journal

Hey all. Names Cj, but since CJB is a guy with a name, I go by Connor or Chi. Im a street performer, RPG author, and explorer who does the usual bali stuff of wandering and adventuring.

In terms of like, general hobbies, im kind of ordinary i guess, but there are some notable things: I’m a double black diamond level skiier - qualified by the skii school at sun peaks. I could teach, but i don’t have a car so that wont happen any time soon.

Im a capable swimmer, too. I can do front and back crawl, tread water for ten minutes, stuff like that. Never enough to be competitive, but its one of the few sports environments i think id be pretty good at.

On solid, unfrozen ground, im a capable mountain climber and hiker. Ive got experience hiking trails for the last decade at least, and I know a decent bit of survival skills and herbology stuff. My favorite thing to do as of late is hike into the mountains, set up camp somewhere, and hang out for a few days at a time.

As an author, i write the TTRPG called Osmond Ward. Its been going on since 2019, around October, and we have 79 people in our discord server. Nice, niche little community of folks. That’s kind of more of a hobby for me, and its a bit of a passion project. Lot of effort put in on my end.

Finally, on the music end, im a… middling? Musician. I’ve played in two international music festivals, and worked with people like CNN, CBC, Hydra Performing Arts Festival, Kamloops International Buskers Festival, and Shaw to put out bits and bobs on my life and work as well as play small gigs. My stuff isn’t super well known or even well regarded online, and most of what i do is confined to IRL chatter - playing farmers markets and playing on the street when im not doing a big gig or something. You get the idea.

Anywho. Pleasure to meet you all. Hope to write in here every so often.

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May 3rd, 2021.

Been doing a lot of job hunting, lately. I recently got my hands on an oculus quest 2, and it reignited a long dormant part of me that fell inlove with VR and virtual environments. Ive loved the virtual environment situation ever since i got my hands on a virtual boy in middle school, and after working as a vr technician and salesperson in 2018, i have been trying to find opportunities to use it more ever since. Recently, covid isolation’s really been beating me while im down. Ive been isolated, lonely, and sleeping a lot, so naturally depression became a thing. Its been a slow, insidious thing, picking away at me and taking what little social skills i have, so… VR. Vr was a solution. Its been helping, having faces to talk to and people to interact with meaningfully. Still. Its not an easy process to accept that shadow into me. Never has been. It gets better in summer, but winter’s always been the worst for it, when i have nobody to hang out with and i cant go busk. Recently thats become a situation where ive tried to turn around and properly accept it, and… its getting easier, at least? Still not easy by any means, tho.

Anywho. Yeah, Rambling. Uh. VR on quest 2 is… very. Limited. As a result, job hunting has become a necessary thing, so that i can save up some cash to pick up a better computer and get more involved. Also, Ebike. Gotta get an Ebike. Transport’s always been super necessary, and its getting annoying walking and bussing everywhere. Thought i wanted a motorbike, but a bicycle will let me get around on sidewalks so i decided on an electric assist over a gas power. Helps the environment too, kinda, since its less diesel in the atmosphere.

Other than that… Osmonds going well. Dealing with lots of drama from a few specific players, but after recently putting my foot down things have been… better? I really hope thats the case and they arent yelling at each other behind my back but thats not really my problem at that point anymore so -(o3o)/-

Anywho. Write again soon. TTYL.

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May 6th, 2021

Ughhh. Phone troubles. Turns out my microphone on my phone died, so i had to get it replaced. Surprise surprise, little did i realize that apple STILL doesnt give their shops right-of-repair standards, so I HAVE TO BE GIVEN A NEW PHONE. Nice, since the warranty’s on it so its free to me, but as a result i gotta use a loaner! YAAAAY. Cue me spending the next eight to ten hours trying to get it into usable, workable condition.

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Apple phones are a real pain in that regard. The lock button on mine has been broken for two years and there’s no easy way for me to get it fixed without a warranty claim. Also independent repair shops have told me that just the single button costs $130 which is absolutely ridiculous.

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ugh. yeah. apples really just generally awful to small retailers.

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I ended up getting sick of things not being allowed to be repaired and went in the deep end and got a fairphone.
Good luck with the new iPhone!

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Turns out needles are far easier to handle than i thought. Got mine a few days ago, and other than a couple days of stiffness i wasnt even bothered. Ive been busking a lot lately, but its not enough for what im trying to save for. Probably time for me to seek another part time.

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April 29th, 2022

oh hey, look at that. Old journal dusted off. Pog.

Ive been… busy. Working for a guy who developed Vampire: The Masquerade 1e, invited to try and help on a 3rd party call of cthulu project, and going HARD on osmond stuff. The last few months have come at me hard, and ive risen to the occasion as best i can. Summer has come back, and with covid’s end im really getting back into music and working hard at things. Money’s flowing in, gigs are being thrown at me, and the world is finally looking up.

I have a girlfriend, now. It was a year in the making - formed from a really close friendship that kind of blossomed a bit from there - but im really happy with it. Shes great, maybe one day ill introduce you all.

Overall, things have been good. Im working hard, not really working a job, but trying to do what i can to really put myself in a better position in my life. I guess ill kick around as best i can, but for now ill just be lurking. Good to see and hear you all are finally returning to this stuff, and im sure you’ll hear from me again.

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December, 2023.

The world has come and gone. Snow melted, the summer wilds have come and went, and snow has reappeared in the little mountainous town.

I work hard, lately. My job has been painful and stressful and anxiety loves to kick me when im down, but i keep walking - keep moving forward despite the crap that threatens to overwhelm me.

I got a book deal. Well, partially? Kind of? They want to sign me on with them. A lot of money is on the table, and suddenly Osmond has gone from “a fun little project with me and my friends” to “a family i will defend from hell and high water, and make into a book we can all say “we made that” for”.

As i go through the publishing hell, i think back to this place. This tiny community on the edge of the internet, where i made my passion reignite - where i saw my once suppressed love for writing return to me. I wonder how it was for you, CJ. It must have been stressful. scary. It must have felt like your sky was falling. Still, you persevered. Made a community that has lasted, despite the cracks and fractures. I take a lot of my own strength from that.

People like to say im stuck in the past, but recently ive taken steps towards my future, and little by little ive started using those building blocks to make a little red house of my own.

I hope its enough. Desperately. Wish me luck, basecamp.

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oh, hey, ive been here five years too. cool :3

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