Many around here play video games, nothing wrong with that
However, what are you doing with your actual life? Your answer can be simple or complex, depending on how deep you want to go, but I'll start with a simple answer:

I'm working on finishing my PhD -so lots of research, publish papers, go to conferences, I like it!

and you??

-avatar!

I'm working on a B.S. in Chemistry.  I have about two years left.

Meant to make a post in this thread, but this one is just as pertinent.  Got my bachelor's degree in computer science, then switched over to nursing and earned my ADN degree.  Took the NCLEX test to become a registered nurse and gained my licensure.  I work Fridays and Sundays at New York Hospital, and Monday through Thursday at my computer counseling job as a financial supervisor.  I can't say that I was particularly happy with the five years I invested in the CS field, as I've had zero jobs that actually implemented the skills I took away from school - but I am grateful that I'm now gainfully employed, and doing work that I'm enjoying.

My future ambitions have less to do with my career as they are wanting to get out and do all the recreational stuff I've always wanted to do. I want to fulfill my lifelong dream of seeing America, cross-country style -- and I just recently got it in my head that I want to do it on a motorcycle. I want to visit Japan and Europe, because no amount of footage, photos or hearing about it could possibly top being there.  I want to try my luck at creating a short, independent film.  I want to bring back all the members of my college chamber group, to just get together and "jam" like the old days.  I want to formally learn how to the play the guitar.  I want to take up sword-fight training.  I want to watch entire seasons of shows I'd missed or need to catch up on, like The X-Files, Alias, Lost, Dead Wood, Grey's Anatomy, and South Park.

I keep telling myself that there's still plenty of time to do everything.... but turning 27 this year has brought to mind that I'm one year less in the prime of my life to do so.  In other words, I'd better get on the ball.

I'm close to finishing an A.A.S. in Computer Networking.  Someday I may go for a computer science degree, but none of my applied science credits transfer to the academic degrees in my college, so I'm not sure if I will take another 4 years of classes anytime soon.

My goal is to beat some games on the VC that I never played back in their heydays.

This is the year my wife and I find a place to move in together.

I generally don't make goals past 1 year.  It's way too easy for me to get sidetracked or disappointed.  Set the bar low.

my goal for this year is to crack 60 plates of sushi in one sitting.

also some slow saturday this summer im going to bring a digital camera to work, park the fedex truck in front of the NAMCO building in bensenville,, and take a pic of myself pushing an invisible big object up to their front door for delivery... i will then proceed to photoshop a katamari into the said space where i was pushing... and will have a picture that you will all be proud of...

i also plan to hone my skills using the force so that i can get double snacks from vending machines.

I'm just going to the local community college for an electronica music class once a week, and continuing to build a cd collection.
My main hobby besides music is my Lj, I try to keep a decent reader following by writing interesting and/or bizarre events/thoughts.

My goal is to continually improve myself in one way or another.  For a long time, I did that through education.  Now, I'm taking a break from that to improve myself professionally.  Depending on how successful I am at that, I will reevaluate whether or not I want to hunker down for a PhD.  I did a small amount of physical improvement last year.  I plan to make sure the benefit of my effort lasts, but I doubt I'll bother pushing myself much farther in that veneer.

Working.

...Okay, so that's not the ONLY thing I'm doing, but it sure seems like work takes up a lot of life. Partly 'cause my hobbies have infiltrated work, heh.

I'm working at getting into college right now. The college in question states that certain elements are missing from my application processes, but they have given me no indication of what these missing elements might be. My application fees are in, and I'm sure my mail-sent student transcripts have arrived to them by now, what could possibly be missing?

Anyways, I wanna take baking in college, and my long term goals (in the next 5 years) are to travel to Europe, learning the trade from the best in the biz. This sort of thing isn't set in stone at all, but it's something I really want to do.

The trade being baking? That's very cool. It's one of those things that people do that just would never have occurred to me in school as being a real job. I also like it because it's a direct production type job (as in you're not just moving money around or fiddling with systems we made up) and it also has a layer of creativity to it.

As for me, I'm making cartoons mostly. Writing some stuff and being generally busy. 2006 was a good year for me workwise so I'm actually hoping 2007 will be quieter so I can get some energy back for 2008.

Technically: I'm a network technician working for a Boston-based subsidiary of one of the largest banks in the world, the parent company being MUFJ. I'm currently thinking about searching for another growth opportunity at another company, which would allow me to freely explore my personal indulgences and develop myself both financially and interpersonally.

In reality: My job sucks, the people I work with suck, and I'm going to leave soon and take a few weeks off so I can sit at home in my pajamas, drink coffee and get through some of my gaming backlog before working for a company that doesn't force its employees to mine without a canary.

That's the first time I've "heard" someone actually say: 'mine without a canary'. Very nice! Canaries did indeed save the lives of many coal miners. Anyway, hope you find a better job! On your last day you should bring in a canary and give it to your fellow sufferers as a 'getting outa there' present

cheers,

-avatar!

Independent Studies:

Currently researching the Mayan language and culture. (This might interest some of you - Mayan most resembles Japanese, since it combines a syllabary with logograms.)
Still studying Korean as well.

Financial:

Saving to finish college. Once I reach a certain level of savings, I'll reduce my hours at work and take whatever is necessary to finish (I have 124 hours complete, so it shouldn't be too much). The college I can afford doesn't offer a degree in linguistics, which is what I want to major in.

Other:

I want an e-m converter. Now. Right now.

Next year I'm going to get my MA in International History from the London School of Economics.  Finishing up my BA here in Toronto and I'm trying to learn German.

Finishing up my third and last year in the JET Program in Japan.  I teach junior high school English, and frequently do actually teach it (an opportunity not afforded a lot of ALTs, I don't think), given that my schools are very small and the teachers have put a lot of trust in me.  I love my job and love my kids, but will be heading back to the US in July to return to high school instruction.  I'll be adding Japanese certification to my teaching license so I can hopefully start teaching that at the high school level in the states.  I'll also hopefully be taking the Japanese Language Proficiency Test level 2 next winter, as I did far better than I expected on level 3 this year.

So yeah, that's me.  Not terribly exciting. 

Well.

I can give a run-down of what I have done, what I do now, and what I will do.

At age 18, as you old timers know around here, I joined the military.  I did not goto college after high school, because frankly, a poor white guy in the hood could not afford it.  I delivered Pizzas.
....
yeah.

So I enlisted in the Air Force.

Basic training was 7 weeks, in San Antonio, Texas.
Technical training (see below) was in Wichita Falls, Texas.
The duty that I chose was that of "Mental Health Techinican"  Basically, an assistant to a psychiatrist, in a very clinical role.  See AirForce.com for details.

My first duty assignment was in Abilene, Texas.

I hate Texas.

I spent one year in abilene working towards an associates degree in applied science of mental health, from the "Community College of the Air Force.  I got my AAS when I was 20.
I spent one year in Abilene.  I wanted to leave, and badly.  So I put down for all sorts of remote assignments, and got Guam.

Guam was nice.  I didn't do any school at all when I was there, which was a 15 month tour.   All I did was weight train, and run. It was Nice, Sunny,with beaches, Scuba Diving, Snorkeling, Sand, etc.  It was very nice.  Unfortunatly, during my 15 months there, I got cut out by 4 months, and received temporary duty to an undisclosed location in the middle east.  More Sand, and hot hot weather. 

After I was done with Guam, my follow-on assignment was to Germany, where I currently reside.  Here, I picked back up with school, having earned a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science. 
I've also progressed pretty quickly through the whole rank thing in the military. 
Right now, I am a Staff Sergeant.
Currently, I work as a Substance Abuse/ Alcohol Counselor.  I'm a board certified CADAC.

I started writing a book in January 2006.

I get out of the military in November, which will put me at 5 years, 10 months.  I chose to extend out here, because I *love traveling, and also, so I could get PRK surgery on my eyes, and eliminate that whole "seeing" problem.

I'm pretty much done with traveling Europe, as my passport is completely full.  I have to get new pages. 
This weekend, I am traveling to Venice, Italy.  It will be for Carnivale! And it will be great.
The only place I want to go after here, is Castle Bran, in Romania.

Future plans for when I get out involve, in this order, in the next year.

1) Getting my personal trainer license.
2)  Traveling stateside, living off my GI Bill and money I have saved, staying with friends that I have made from my travels.
3) Finish my Master of Public Health.
4) Finish my book
and then,
5) Start Medical School for the 2008-2009 year.

And I still play games, too. 
Portrait of Sorrow was Beautiful.

It all sounds pretty good, but, I left out all the heart break that I have been through for the past 4 years from a certain female.

I know I don't post on here all that often... I lurk more than I post these days here.  I am currently a writer/producer for Rock 97.7 in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada.  I finished the NAIT Radio program in Aug 06, and got hired on here in October.  Our radio station was owned by OK Radio Group, but has since been taken over by Rogers.  Now, the creative department where I currently work is due to be centralized, and moved to Edmonton around the summer sometime.  I currently plan to apply to transfer there... as much I like my job in Grande Prairie, it's not the most ideal place to live... =p

As for other aspirations, I still want to take a trip to Japan at some point (I am half japanese after all), and I want to do some other travelling as well for enjoyment (you know like cruises and what not).

That's just about one of the most ambitiously coolest things I've heard yet.  Do it, man!

Kelly? What are you gonna do with your life?!

"I'm going to get what I want!"

christ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHFC6rlGsH8

Ramza

PS - real response? I write stuff for RPGFan because I like to, and I'm an RD at a school because kids are alright too.

I honestly didn't expect anyone to reference that, although in retrospect, it seems obvious. Reference of the Week!