Ongoing entry (to fill another slow work day)
Part I: Content? Nahh.
9:30 am
At work, have recreational reading, have recreational writing, have directorial reading and writing, but it's a bit early yet so just for the moment:
List seven songs you are into right now, no matter what the genre,whether they have words, or even if they're not any good--they just must be songs you're really enjoying now. Post these instructions in your LiveJournal along with your seven songs. Then tag seven other people to see what they're listening to.
* * * (works on Timid Dragon directing stuff)1 * * *
____________________________________
1I did mention my directorial debut on LJ already, right? Can't remember. Have been avoiding LJ a bit. Except on days like this where I go overboard, which then inspires me to avoid it again.2
2It's been pointed out to me that I often have difficulty finding a happy medium between non-involvement and discomfiting over-involvement. And they usually flip back and forth. Am trying for a happy medium in RPing and (for the moment) succeeding. But LJ always tough.
Random aside: Hurrah for being paid to complete personal work that one probably wouldn't get to at home anyway!
_____________________________________
* * *
Part II: More mentally active diversion. Subtitle: oh dear.
2 pm
soulchanger idly asked, "What is smart?"
I rambled enormously before deleting it from a comment and relocating it here:
Definitive answer? Pah! (Below spiel forbids it.) Anecdotal answer... well, I'm at a temp job with time to kill, so I guess I'm making the overly sincere, painfully verbose attempt.
When I was a kid, I'd sit on the outskirts of "adult" conversation, or look at figures who seemed to really know what they were doing, hear the kind of patter that seemed to tag someone as "smart", and wanted to know how on earth to do that. So I quested after it. Here are some of the prominent issues related to that.
How to seem smart, in one particular manifestation: engaging in the game of "adult" conversation (where there's a patter and rhythm going on and people use certain kinds of vocabulary to be taken seriously regardless of the actual content of what they're saying.)
Things to obtain: largish vocabulary and wide enough range of references (artistic, logistic, empirical--though be very careful and/or sparing on that last one) that can be applied, with some degree of convincing applicability, to whatever conversation. And/or, learn subtly and convincingly how to turn the conversation onto such topics you can expound upon. Then do so using clinical-sounding vocabulary. Also, be able to walk that fine line between actually listening to/absorbing/responding to what others say (this seems to be optional, but is much more rewarding when observed--though does depend on whether one's trying to learn from the conversation or playing the game of conversation--usually both), but not letting yourself get swept over in the flow of conversing: butt in and pipe up, you don't get a turn otherwise.
How does one obtain these things? Schooling very helpful 'cause it's a concentrated focus on the next, but mainly inquisitiveness, finding knowledgeable people to talk to and picking their brains. Still more basically: getting out in the world and, with [intention of an] open mind, looking around. The main thing: a genuine drive to look, listen, and learn.
I think my main realization/goal of college, in the pursuit of a bit more "worldliness" and expanding the mind, was: one must recognize one's own mental box of assumptions about the nature of reality. Before you can even break it, or think outside it, or make it big enough to hold a large quantity of stuff like references and vocabulary, you have to know it's there, and maybe map out some of its edges. This is ongoing, there's always another box. So think things through, question own observations, seek other points of view. Which I believe absolutely everyone is capable of, but it hinges on the willingness/desire/opportunity to actually attempt.
Aside: I suspect the desire/willingness itself is the hardest part. For one thing, there are lots of inborn cultural imperatives flitting about that rely on people not introspecting and challenging too much. And some of them, perhaps depending circumstance, can be intrinsically linked to (or at least associated with), literally, survival. Also, for anyone in any circumstance, it'll probably at points be very tiring and scary-threatening.
A possibly related lesson/hint: not to be convinced by conviction. If someone sounds so forcefully, unarguably positive about what they're saying. (a) don't settle for that alone, get their reasoning, to often find (b) usually they're less likely to have such a comprehensive knowledge of the subject, and have some other agenda going on, be it emotional or political or whatever. Perhaps then it's another mark of success that the more I learn, the more difficult it is to sound absolutely positive on anything, because the world's a complex place.
The problem, of course, is one can regressively introspect to infinity; at some point you either achieve enlightenment or have to just call a place to halt so you can get out and exist, let alone act. But even looking into that well can inform actions and existence, whether one ever gets to the bottom of it--if there is a bottom.
Perhaps the ongoing assumption that you never will "absolutely" know what you're talking about, and the quest to accept and improve on that, is "smart".
I think I'll abandon this here and see if anyone picks it up.
Unfortunately, an upshot of this in myself is the interminable ever-circling labyrinth of phraseology, which probably doesn't read smartly at all. I've achieved the overthinking thing; I need to reclaim (if I ever had it at all) effective brevity in trying to convey any of it.
* * *
Oooh, lunch break.
* * *
Part III: "His Reach Extends"
3:25 pm
(Cross-posted to www.questforarrakis.com/ )
Coming back to work from my lunch break just now, I found myself examining the call panel of a tardy elevator. Above the buttons there was a keyhole, reserved for firemen use, labeled as such with engraved letters painted over in red. But it just so happened that the paint on one of the letters had been rubbed completely away, so at first glance it looked like something else...
Well, whether or not by spice-enabled reverse causal engineering, this lift is reserved "For Fremen Use Only".
* * *
5 pm (afternoon always busier, actual people interaction. And then--)
Wow, that was effective. Didn't even have to attempt to explain my theorizing on the functionality of rituals that's sort of allowing me to face the whole Christmasbonanza with less rage than ever. Next time, next time. Now, off to catch an _elanorgamgee_ for supper!!
(To eat with, not to eat of course. Of course. Yeah...)
9:30 am
At work, have recreational reading, have recreational writing, have directorial reading and writing, but it's a bit early yet so just for the moment:
List seven songs you are into right now, no matter what the genre,whether they have words, or even if they're not any good--they just must be songs you're really enjoying now. Post these instructions in your LiveJournal along with your seven songs. Then tag seven other people to see what they're listening to.
- You Brought Me Up ~ traditional, cover/arr. Méav Ní Mhaolchatha
- Pirates of the Caribbean main theme by Hans Zimmer
- 26 Welsh Songs, WoO 155: No. 17 the Dairy House (Mrs. Hunter) ~ folk song arrangment by L. v. Beethoven, sung by John Mark Ainsley
- Shasta (Carrie's Song) by Vienna Teng
- Chain Gang by Sam Cooke
- Lament for Boromir by J.R.R. Tolkien & Caspar Reiff (The Tolkien Ensemble), sung by Morten Ernst Lassen & Kurt Ravn
- Dead Boy's Poem by Tuomas Holopainen (Nightwish), sung by Tarja Turunen
* * * (works on Timid Dragon directing stuff)1 * * *
____________________________________
1I did mention my directorial debut on LJ already, right? Can't remember. Have been avoiding LJ a bit. Except on days like this where I go overboard, which then inspires me to avoid it again.2
2It's been pointed out to me that I often have difficulty finding a happy medium between non-involvement and discomfiting over-involvement. And they usually flip back and forth. Am trying for a happy medium in RPing and (for the moment) succeeding. But LJ always tough.
Random aside: Hurrah for being paid to complete personal work that one probably wouldn't get to at home anyway!
_____________________________________
* * *
Part II: More mentally active diversion. Subtitle: oh dear.
2 pm
soulchanger idly asked, "What is smart?"
I rambled enormously before deleting it from a comment and relocating it here:
Definitive answer? Pah! (Below spiel forbids it.) Anecdotal answer... well, I'm at a temp job with time to kill, so I guess I'm making the overly sincere, painfully verbose attempt.
When I was a kid, I'd sit on the outskirts of "adult" conversation, or look at figures who seemed to really know what they were doing, hear the kind of patter that seemed to tag someone as "smart", and wanted to know how on earth to do that. So I quested after it. Here are some of the prominent issues related to that.
How to seem smart, in one particular manifestation: engaging in the game of "adult" conversation (where there's a patter and rhythm going on and people use certain kinds of vocabulary to be taken seriously regardless of the actual content of what they're saying.)
Things to obtain: largish vocabulary and wide enough range of references (artistic, logistic, empirical--though be very careful and/or sparing on that last one) that can be applied, with some degree of convincing applicability, to whatever conversation. And/or, learn subtly and convincingly how to turn the conversation onto such topics you can expound upon. Then do so using clinical-sounding vocabulary. Also, be able to walk that fine line between actually listening to/absorbing/responding to what others say (this seems to be optional, but is much more rewarding when observed--though does depend on whether one's trying to learn from the conversation or playing the game of conversation--usually both), but not letting yourself get swept over in the flow of conversing: butt in and pipe up, you don't get a turn otherwise.
How does one obtain these things? Schooling very helpful 'cause it's a concentrated focus on the next, but mainly inquisitiveness, finding knowledgeable people to talk to and picking their brains. Still more basically: getting out in the world and, with [intention of an] open mind, looking around. The main thing: a genuine drive to look, listen, and learn.
I think my main realization/goal of college, in the pursuit of a bit more "worldliness" and expanding the mind, was: one must recognize one's own mental box of assumptions about the nature of reality. Before you can even break it, or think outside it, or make it big enough to hold a large quantity of stuff like references and vocabulary, you have to know it's there, and maybe map out some of its edges. This is ongoing, there's always another box. So think things through, question own observations, seek other points of view. Which I believe absolutely everyone is capable of, but it hinges on the willingness/desire/opportunity to actually attempt.
Aside: I suspect the desire/willingness itself is the hardest part. For one thing, there are lots of inborn cultural imperatives flitting about that rely on people not introspecting and challenging too much. And some of them, perhaps depending circumstance, can be intrinsically linked to (or at least associated with), literally, survival. Also, for anyone in any circumstance, it'll probably at points be very tiring and scary-threatening.
A possibly related lesson/hint: not to be convinced by conviction. If someone sounds so forcefully, unarguably positive about what they're saying. (a) don't settle for that alone, get their reasoning, to often find (b) usually they're less likely to have such a comprehensive knowledge of the subject, and have some other agenda going on, be it emotional or political or whatever. Perhaps then it's another mark of success that the more I learn, the more difficult it is to sound absolutely positive on anything, because the world's a complex place.
The problem, of course, is one can regressively introspect to infinity; at some point you either achieve enlightenment or have to just call a place to halt so you can get out and exist, let alone act. But even looking into that well can inform actions and existence, whether one ever gets to the bottom of it--if there is a bottom.
Perhaps the ongoing assumption that you never will "absolutely" know what you're talking about, and the quest to accept and improve on that, is "smart".
I think I'll abandon this here and see if anyone picks it up.
Unfortunately, an upshot of this in myself is the interminable ever-circling labyrinth of phraseology, which probably doesn't read smartly at all. I've achieved the overthinking thing; I need to reclaim (if I ever had it at all) effective brevity in trying to convey any of it.
* * *
Oooh, lunch break.
* * *
Part III: "His Reach Extends"
3:25 pm
(Cross-posted to www.questforarrakis.com/ )
Coming back to work from my lunch break just now, I found myself examining the call panel of a tardy elevator. Above the buttons there was a keyhole, reserved for firemen use, labeled as such with engraved letters painted over in red. But it just so happened that the paint on one of the letters had been rubbed completely away, so at first glance it looked like something else...
Well, whether or not by spice-enabled reverse causal engineering, this lift is reserved "For Fremen Use Only".
* * *
5 pm (afternoon always busier, actual people interaction. And then--)
Wow, that was effective. Didn't even have to attempt to explain my theorizing on the functionality of rituals that's sort of allowing me to face the whole Christmasbonanza with less rage than ever. Next time, next time. Now, off to catch an _elanorgamgee_ for supper!!
(To eat with, not to eat of course. Of course. Yeah...)