Author Topic: Stuff you hate  (Read 166105 times)

tushantin

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Re: Stuff you hate
« Reply #1725 on: April 18, 2013, 06:49:30 am »
I hate terrorists.  I hate their arrogance.  I hate their cowardice.  I hate their petty acts of vengeance.  I hate them for the lives they destroy in their fruitless quest for relevance.  Most of all, I hate them for the fact that they will continue to exist thanks to a world devoid of empathy and reason.

 :picardno
On another note: A U.S. Bombing kills 30 civilians in Afghanistan.

Yup, we all hate terrorists. But wouldn't these civilians now think that the "First World leaders", like the Americas, are terrorists they need to "eradicate"?

Thought

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Re: Stuff you hate
« Reply #1726 on: April 18, 2013, 12:25:54 pm »
While it might be pointless academic dithering for those who are dead and suffering from that 11-year old Afghanistan bombing, the two events aren't comparable. "Terrorist attacks" specifically are targeted at civilians and at eroding a people's sense of peace and safety. The Boston bombing seems to fit that bill, while the Afghanistan one you noted, Tush, doesn't. Certainly the civilians might think that the American leaders are terrorists, but they would be wrong.

Attrition is not terrorism. Attrition is still wrong and should be avoided, but its a different problem with different solutions. Conflating the two serves no purpose.

tushantin

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Re: Stuff you hate
« Reply #1727 on: April 18, 2013, 01:14:16 pm »
While it might be pointless academic dithering for those who are dead and suffering from that 11-year old Afghanistan bombing, the two events aren't comparable. "Terrorist attacks" specifically are targeted at civilians and at eroding a people's sense of peace and safety. The Boston bombing seems to fit that bill, while the Afghanistan one you noted, Tush, doesn't. Certainly the civilians might think that the American leaders are terrorists, but they would be wrong.

Attrition is not terrorism. Attrition is still wrong and should be avoided, but its a different problem with different solutions. Conflating the two serves no purpose.
I completely understand in that abstract sense. :)

However, remember that I'm speaking from the POV of the Afghan civilians (and if I were to speak from the POV for the survivors at Boston, or U.S. in general, then obviously the stated opinions would be the same as Lennis'). To the Afghans, attrition or terrorism, lives were lost nonetheless. People are dead. Grief reigns. And the one who caused it all was the U.S. Military.

You cannot deny that the world is judged by the sentiments of each individual that in influenced by the situations in their life. If a car ran over a pedestrian and killed them, whether maliciously or simply out of accident, the driver would still be blamed for being irresponsible because a life was lost because of their actions.

The survivors of the Afghans who perished due to a "missed target"? They would feel they have every reason to hate America now, and you can't even blame them for it, even if I were to agree with you right now.

tushantin

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Re: Stuff you hate
« Reply #1728 on: May 14, 2013, 07:21:01 am »
I might have the best ideas for soundtracks and music, but I totally can't "create" them, even with the best tools at hand.

Musical competency? I has not.

Sajainta

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Re: Stuff you hate
« Reply #1729 on: July 17, 2013, 10:14:10 am »
People who make excuses for sexual violence infuriate me.

utunnels

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Re: Stuff you hate
« Reply #1730 on: July 17, 2013, 09:29:06 pm »
I might have the best ideas for soundtracks and music, but I totally can't "create" them, even with the best tools at hand.

Musical competency? I has not.

Artist / Musician, nothing can beat this dual class combination.  XD

Sajainta

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Re: Stuff you hate
« Reply #1731 on: July 17, 2013, 10:06:50 pm »
I might have the best ideas for soundtracks and music, but I totally can't "create" them, even with the best tools at hand.

Musical competency? I has not.

I get that, except replace "soundtracks and music" with "drawings."  I can barely draw stick figures, and it's so frustrating because I have all these wonderful ideas for art in my head (usually based on dreams) and I can't get transfer them onto paper.

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Re: Stuff you hate
« Reply #1732 on: July 18, 2013, 02:17:13 am »
Reminds me of that similar problem I have with writing. Many ideas cross my head, but I just can't seem to be able to flesh them out into an actual story.

tushantin

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Re: Stuff you hate
« Reply #1733 on: July 18, 2013, 10:43:15 am »
I might have the best ideas for soundtracks and music, but I totally can't "create" them, even with the best tools at hand.

Musical competency? I has not.

Artist / Musician, nothing can beat this dual class combination.  XD
Unfortunately, I'll need to heavily rely on muscle memory for this (I can't read a jack on music sheets). XD I should REALLY get myself a piano and practice all day on it. It's indispensable for an indie-artist.

Music relies on "flow" and "muscle-memory", the dexterity of which I have a hard time grasping. But for drawing / art, rather than the flow, it's "abstract perspective" that's required first and foremost. And for writing, you need a bit of both: the FLOW of music (for fleshing out) and the ABSTRACT perspective of art (for the beginning "skeleton"). In which case...



I get that, except replace "soundtracks and music" with "drawings."  I can barely draw stick figures, and it's so frustrating because I have all these wonderful ideas for art in my head (usually based on dreams) and I can't get transfer them onto paper.
I could actually teach you! Or better yet, you might want to find a local artist who can teach you in person.

Or in case you can't get someone to get you up to speed on the basics, I'd greatly recommend watching Youtube just to see how these artists do what they do (tip: when in abstract, at the first stages never focus on details; just the composition. Details come later. Work your way from big to small)

Here's some of the best links I've known:

1) *You just can't live without Bob Ross -- The Joy of Painting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7idELSC-sg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NMyeSBYpb0

2) Youtube also has an auto-generated channel for Painting; great source from multiple artists!
http://youtu.be/7aeIpW0Tkvc <----- Simple and inspiring video by bubzbeauty (great to start with)
http://youtu.be/9RgLHG2hWi0 <----- And another one.
http://youtu.be/WlSBKobJsfM <----- Dragon vs Viking oil-painting technique, by Jeff Miracola, has been my most ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE tutorial by far! And to say he made such a great interpretation of his son's short-story!
http://youtu.be/CiDEj7WEZoI <------- Lachri's surrealism beauty; begins with simple and ends with awesome.
http://youtu.be/YpK_UFzpQfs <------ Of course, if you've no plans or ideas to start with, you could always just go for "automatic drawing" sessions out of random whims!

3) And then there's Art Apprentices, great for beginners and intermediates alike.

4) Jason Bowen has excellent tutorials on landscape painting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHxcDB9TBHs

5) If all you've got is a pencil, then Mark Crilley (author of Brody's Ghost) has got you covered!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCD2CF65888663986  <------- That's the whole "How To" playlist of his.
http://youtu.be/SCW9D2GytHo <------- 1-point perspective Background Tutorial
http://youtu.be/bBoa8TAy65s
http://youtu.be/rSIdwDIAVBw

6) Mural Joe also has some great time-lapse videos of his, well, murals and stuff! He also explains his works pretty well.
http://youtu.be/UuVnK2FnrJE <------ here's him airbrushing flames.

7) Darryn James Rae (Reart) is a CRAZY fellow! He can not only come up with the craziest ideas for Abstract Art and how to paint them (hint: like, "sticking nickels on a canvas" or stuff), but will also show you HOW he does it! And before you know it, his nonsense suddenly begins to make sense to you. Chick out some of his videos here:
http://youtu.be/NDKm9BOwnHM  <---- In this video, he asks you to get any stuff that's laying around your house... and stick it to your canvas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrMYSc7qXEQ <--------- A speed-up of one of his murals.

8 ) Igor Saharov is also a great source if you just want to watch the process of painting, as opposed to tutorials: http://youtu.be/dkxG3CBdUdo

9) And for a synesthete as you, how could I go without recommending Voka's surrealism?
http://youtu.be/f56WNu4T2aY
http://youtu.be/HviaL11bnQk

10) And if you're in the mood for the HARD way, the ZEN way, what better than the masters of Sumi-E Ink-Wash technique? Like Kazu Shimura? Or even Virginia Lloyd-Davies?
(Note: The essence of Sumi-E is not to capture the surface details of what you see or imagine, but the essence and soul of it, stripped away from the unwanted to preserve its identity.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0ljeeZJcRA <------ This is just the preparation of the ink.
http://youtu.be/Ri-LEBbDJP4 <------ Painting a sparrow, with nothing more than black ink.
http://youtu.be/cr6HEm_kkPM <------ Virginia really hits a point home; that there can be more meaning in a brush-stroke, than there should be more brush-strokes in a meaning.

11) Some more great tutorial sources...
Painting and Drawing channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/paintinganddrawing
Gagnon Studio (next best thing after Bob Ross):   http://www.youtube.com/Gagnonstudio    http://www.timgagnonstudio.com/lessons/

Also, don't forget the music! https://www.youtube.com/user/KacskaTB


If neither of these hit the mark, let me know: what kind of style do you wish to learn? I can help with that.

Of course, you could completely ditch tutorials altogether and go for experimentalism; i.e., teaching yourself via trial and error. Just keep in mind that, as Bob Ross puts it, when it comes to art there are no mistakes, just happy accidents. Honestly, the best way one could ever learn painting well is by thinking like a child, playing around and making random mess and chaos. Think about it; what's more fun than that? And besides, just the process of painting can actually be a great meditative experience. As Picasso puts it, painting helps clean your soul of the dust of everyday life.

So don't worry about failures, and just enjoy yourself! :)

*Note: Bob Ross videos actually come as a collection DVD set. Most of the videos on Youtube are de-centralized, so you're more likely to hunt for it than have a specific channel, save for a few like BobRossClips.



Reminds me of that similar problem I have with writing. Many ideas cross my head, but I just can't seem to be able to flesh them out into an actual story.

Haha! This reminds me of the old saying: the ideas that cross your head are usually just a fragment puzzle piece of a greater picture.

Now, the process of writing is even more complex than actual painting, and the styles and approaches are various. What kind of style suits you? Plot-driven or character-driven? What sort of feel do you wish to give with your work? What do kind of things do you want to convey?

The trick is to just not worry about it (part of the reason why I never get anything done is because I worry too much), unless the stress is actually positive enough to drive you to work on it with energetic anticipation.

Depending on what you need, I think I can help! Planning on writing a short-story? How do you normally work on it?

Acacia Sgt

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Re: Stuff you hate
« Reply #1734 on: July 18, 2013, 04:24:01 pm »
Reminds me of that similar problem I have with writing. Many ideas cross my head, but I just can't seem to be able to flesh them out into an actual story.

Haha! This reminds me of the old saying: the ideas that cross your head are usually just a fragment puzzle piece of a greater picture.

Now, the process of writing is even more complex than actual painting, and the styles and approaches are various. What kind of style suits you? Plot-driven or character-driven? What sort of feel do you wish to give with your work? What do kind of things do you want to convey?

The trick is to just not worry about it (part of the reason why I never get anything done is because I worry too much), unless the stress is actually positive enough to drive you to work on it with energetic anticipation.

Depending on what you need, I think I can help! Planning on writing a short-story? How do you normally work on it?

Well, to be honest, I haven't been able to dedicate much time to it since school started to overwhelm me since I entered College, and those sort of questions... to be honest, I'm not really good at defining this sort of things, as pathetic as it may sound.

Haha, I suppose that is one of my faults. I do worry about how it may turn out, and in result, I don't quite "find" a suitable way to write it down.

Well, usually what comes first is just key stuff, so to speak. Like, pick a stray idea or two, then see what I can do to expand upon it. That can lead to having general ideas waiting to be connected by fleshing them out, and that's where it usually stumps me.

tushantin

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Re: Stuff you hate
« Reply #1735 on: July 18, 2013, 10:04:37 pm »
Well, to be honest, I haven't been able to dedicate much time to it since school started to overwhelm me since I entered College, and those sort of questions... to be honest, I'm not really good at defining this sort of things, as pathetic as it may sound.
Lack of time has always been a problem. You might wanna try figuring out how you could take a few spare moments a day to work on it. Or perhaps, a whole weekend? xD I realize it can be troublesome plan things out, but I think it's always worth it.

As far as those questions go, don't worry about it. We'll dabble with those in detail later, but here's just the basics you ought to know:

Stories usually require three things: Plot, Settings and Characters. However, writers have their own way of figuring out which one weighs most, simply because of either requirements or their own methods of working / thinking. So a primary dichotomy of writing techniques include:

1) Plot-driven: Basically, you are the GOD of the story, so what goes is all that you decide. Your characters are just actors, and you're the director; you judge which action should go where, and you take complete control of the flow and details. This can be tedious and takes a lot of energy if not done right.

2) Character-driven: You just create setting, a simple plot for the characters to follow, and bestow "free will" upon those characters. These characters, then, will have lives of their own and forge their own fate, take their own decisions regardless of what you, as their God, want them to do; they wouldn't care about the voice in the sky, and will interpret you as they desire. This is, by far, the easiest writing technique as it allows you to fly with your words without needing any control, and the characters you flesh out tend to be more vibrant than plot-driven stories.

So basically, Plot-driven stories require thorough outlines, while character-driven stories are often good for automatic writing, where you figure out the plot as you go. Of course, character-driven plots tend to be the messiest, but that's a good thing in a way; you get things "done", and you save the criticisms and editing process for later.

I personally have a balance of both.  :)

Haha, I suppose that is one of my faults. I do worry about how it may turn out, and in result, I don't quite "find" a suitable way to write it down.
Ahah! There we go!

I can only give you this advice, which comes from Bob Ross (again): "There are no mistakes; just happy accidents." This comes from the idea that, when Bob Ross makes a mistake of accidentally using the wrong paint and badly smearing it across the canvas, even that error might make you think out of the box and see the mistake as an opportunity, a clue, to something completely unpredictable but a worthwhile reward. That is, turning that smear into an aurora, or vines, or a train of grasses, etc. Creativity never has limits!

In other words, don't worry about how it'll turn out, because you don't have to publish it immediately. Simply because even the crappiest idea you put down on paper is likely to spark ingenuity within you to flesh even that out into something more beautiful. Because it might be just an out-of-the-ordinary poke by your muse, giving you a clue that something interesting lies beyond the horizon, where you can't see anything yet.

So what'chy waiting for? The muse calls, buddy! Go and play with her!

Well, usually what comes first is just key stuff, so to speak. Like, pick a stray idea or two, then see what I can do to expand upon it. That can lead to having general ideas waiting to be connected by fleshing them out, and that's where it usually stumps me.
Hah! You know what this calls for? Meditation! :D

Tell you what; take some time off early in the morning (like, REALLY early), take your notepad and pen, go off somewhere isolated and just... sit there. Or better yet (as I do), just walk. Just keep thinking about this one idea you have. Don't be in a hurry to write it quickly. Just soak it it. Just try to absorb it, and think about it with a clearer mind. Daydream. Get really bored. But think. Passionately.

You'd be surprised how much you're able to nurture that one idea into creating roots and foundations in your mind.

Once that's done, now you must write. Scribble everything. Make connections. Join the dots. Write your feeling. Make a mess!

And despite all that effort, it might still not be a story. XD But it's still pretty fun doing it. Why? Because you've just captured the very soul of the idea and story that you could create! The next step, of course, is to create characters and plot that represent it. Think like an artist: what symbolisms you could use? How could they play, as props, no a stage?

I think you'd have plenty of fun giving your mind some free reins on this. This just a way I usually begin my projects, though I'm not quite sure how your mind works when it comes to these things. I can only suggest experimenting and having as much fun as you can!

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Re: Stuff you hate
« Reply #1736 on: July 19, 2013, 04:06:22 am »
Lack of time has always been a problem.

I realize that this isn't going to deliver anything of real meaning, but I can't help myself; hearing people on this site talk about amounts of time insufficient for them to get things done just amuses me to no end. With how much we know about the series, you'd think that time travel would be a snap for us or something! Just need to mug PSZ and take that damn pendant, then I might have a shot...

Acacia Sgt

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Re: Stuff you hate
« Reply #1737 on: July 20, 2013, 01:09:57 am »
That's some very sound advice, Tushantin. Probably soon enough when my time gets some rest from school-stuff I could start. In fact, I have an idea I could use. It's not that big and simple enough... hmm...

tushantin

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Re: Stuff you hate
« Reply #1738 on: August 05, 2013, 08:59:39 am »
This is less of a "Stuff I hate" and more of a "stuff I'm sad about".

So, my first ever Android smartphone just died. It was my first love too! It was just injured when I had been holding it gently, and I thought a little treatment by specialists could make her all better again. I had hope.

Turns out, it was those specialists that ended up killing her.

Just goes to show that sometimes you can't trust engineers out and about; you just have to go the hard way and learn mechanics and tech-repairs and maintenances on your own. Because your dear tech's life is more important than anything. And now the dear phone is dead....

RIP, old used HTC Desire... Barely knew ye. You have served me more than anything in this world ever could. I appreciate that very much, and I will miss your resourcefulness...