After completing a routine read-through of my bookmarks, I moved on to Wikipedia in search of a few topics I had read about and found interesting earlier. I am not entirely sure of the six degrees of separation involved, but I eventually found myself reading about the music industry.

After a few more hops, I came upon an Associated Press article from 09 July 2006. It stated that music album sales in the United States were down 4.2 percent (12 million albums) in the first half of 2006, while online music sales surged 77 percent during the same period.

Those are some interesting figures, considering we are regularly told that free (illegal) file sharing mediums are negatively impacting album sales. I would like to know if those unsold 12 million albums were actually purchased in the form of the 281 million singles or the 14 million full-length albums downloaded.

Regardless, the article's prominent header graphic—as inserted by the publisher, canada.com, where I happened to be reading the above—was the soundtrack album cover for the Disney Channel movie High School Musical. In a one sentence mention it is said this album was the best selling so far this year, pushing 2.6 million copies.

Back at Wikipedia, I browsed the page about this soundtrack whose music was apparently quite popular. At a glance, it appears to be exactly as you would expect: pop fluff for kids.

The "Mainstream success" segment of the page detailed music chart histories, online sales figures and other statistics. From these tables of data it popped out at me like a familiar stranger does, walking toward then past.

Listed as singer on multiple tracks was Andrew Seeley. It seemed possible that the person that popped into my mind could be one and the same. I searched for the name and in doing so discovered my original inclination was correct.

Many of the details are long washed away, but I remember when Andrew Seeley started at Lake Brantley High School. He made himself popularly known through his thespian performances and general sociality. I knew him mostly due to the close relationship between the Drama and Band departments, the latter of which I partook.

It was amusing to watch a pack of giddy sixteen year old girls frothing as the so-called hot newbie from Canada passed in the corridor. From our limited interaction, he seemed like a nice enough guy filled with motivation and budding talent. And a nice smile, as I recall.

It seems the exhibitions I witnessed were indeed a prelude to more, as he has done some Hollywood acting, released original music, performed a live tour and played a hand in several other ventures, including the disc that indirectly brought these memories to the surface.

I found it interesting to note that of the cited Lake Brantley performances in Andrew's IMDb biography—Into the Woods, Gypsy, Once Upon A Mattress, The Miracle Worker and The Merchant of Venice—I remember having seen them all. Not due to a secret love for stage shows, mind you, but in doing sound booth work and the support of my friends, both on stage and in the pit.

I suppose if someone can go from one red paperclip to a house in fourteen trades, I should not be shocked to randomly stumble upon someone I once knew, if only barely. I do find it refreshing to learn that some people are doing what they want, what they have wanted to do from an early age, and are succeeding.

Within the next few minutes I will be off to Orlando for the holiday weekend. I may check my e-mail in the duration, but there are no guarantees. Additionally, new articles will not be available until Tuesday or Wednesday despite a few recently received complaints about my fluctuating posting behaviour.

With me heading south into the night shall travel Russ, who has been staying with me for that last two months. I am sorry to ferry her back four hours away from my contact, but it is in her best interests given the assortment of medical issues common to a cat of her years — seventeen as of November. I will have to make a special effort to pop back to Orlando soon so that I can visit with her again.

Generally speaking, I am in a state of disbelief over the fact that Christmas is only one day away. It seems impossible that it has been one year since I left my last job. Or that it has been now three months, twenty-five days since I moved to Tallahassee and started my job with the government.

Time is an interesting character, indeed.

As I make final preparations to move, I can now comfortably indicate my planned moving times.

First, I will travel with primary living equipment — clothing, bathroom accoutrements and my notebook — to my friend's Claire and Ash where I will stay temporarily as my apartment is readied. I plan to make this leg on Sunday, 28 August 2005 barring any unexpected need that requires my presence in Tallahassee sooner.

Then, after living and working for a few weeks I will travel back to Orlando on Friday, 16 September 2005 and stay the night. On Saturday, 17 September 2005 I will pick-up my U-Haul 6' x 12' Trailer, pack it and begin the trek back to Tallahassee, this time with the gracious assistance of my parents. Once in Tallahassee, we have a hotel room waiting for us where we will quickly crash after eating somewhere on Monroe Street, as the next day's move-in procedure will begin quite early.

Hopefully everything will continue on track as it has been so far and this schedule will hold until implementation. In the meantime, I continue to pack and arrange for services — such as my bank and treasured Post Office Box — to be started or transferred. Oh, and I have a couple of articles I have been meaning to compose. I should have some time to get to that as well.

Well I do suppose I have held out long enough now. I am always extremely cautious when telling more than a few people about certain things going on in my life — a process I adopted after highly touted events in the past ended up self-destructing rather dramatically.

So without further adieu I hereby announce I am leaving Orlando, Florida in August. I have interviewed for and been offered a position with the State of Florida government in Tallahassee. My first day on the job is Monday, 29 August 2005. The other major opportunity that this relocation brings is my return to the college education system. While the specifics of that move are yet to be worked out, I am totally committed and will make it work — even if it takes years to complete my degree(s).

I do wish the timing was different so that I would have more time to prepare for all the usual moving activities — apartment hunting, shopping for "stuff" and, of course, the move itself — but I suppose only having one month to get everything in order helps to keep priorities in line.

It has always been and will continue to be my policy to never discuss specifics about things like employment on Mount Sutro, so if you are a friend and want to hear more, e-mail or telephone me.

Additionally, I am trying to set-up social events to occur sooner rather than later. If you are interested in doing something before it gets too far into August and I have surely chopped my head off, let me know.

I will be keeping my telephone number indefinitely, but my mailing address will change as soon as I secure a new Tallahassee-based post office box. And as far as other matters go, well, it is a step-by-step process. I hope not to turn this into a moving blog, but I have a feeling time will prohibit much else. Anyone with "stuff" they no longer need in their home, please let me know! Kitchen supplies and — ahem — computing equipment are of particular interest right now, but any offers will be gladly accepted. Thanks!

Parrish Park in Titusville turned out to be a fantastic spot to watch the Space Shuttle Discovery launch NASA's return to space, the first such mission since the Columbia accident. And despite the fact a sensor in the main external fuel tank failed, necessitating the scrubbing of the launch, the trip to the coast was not in vain.

After driving around Titusville, Merritt Island, Cocoa Beach and down to Melbourne and back, Chris and I decided that we would board the Ambassador II and give the Sterling Casino ship a try. It ended up being great fun! While our bets were limited to the slots, Blackjack, Craps, Roulette and Poker were also available. The free buffet was nothing extravagant, but complemented the free alcoholic beverages well. Not to mention that I am sucker for a nice boat ride.