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| I have come to two realizations recently. Actually I don't know if you can call them realizations. Anyway.
The first has to do with a common saying I've been hearing lately on the news, particularly the news in Germany, and that is "one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter." This statement is patently false. There is a significant distinction between the two groups.
Freedom Fighters, by definition, are effectively rebel soldiers. They are fighting a government, an army, political figures, etc. A terrorist, on the other hand, exists only to spread terror. Their targets are not carefully selected, but instead randomly chosen from a specific group (i.e. an entire civillian population). To illustrate this difference: suicide bombers == terrorists, people blowing up military barracks == freedom fighters. Much as I may disagree with particular target choices, the fact that they are attempting to minimize collateral damage indicates that they have a target in mind.
The second thing that has me annoyed at the moment is an inherent flaw in our legal system. Namely, the failure of what is legal and what is right to mesh. This comes after watching a Law and Order episode in which a father shoots the guy who drove his daughter to suicide by sexually humiliating her. Now, normally I think that killing people is wrong. But some people just need killing. Pacifists can argue if they want, but they won't win. You can't say that killing someone like Charles Manson is wrong. You could possibly argue that just locking him up for life away from everyone is less wrong, but that's torture in my book. | | |
| While I'm in Germany for training, I will be posting a daily journal thing. You can find it at:
Dave In Deutschland
if you need to get ahold of me, I am online between 3:30 and 4:00 EST most days, and on the weekends at random times. E-mail is probably the easiest way.
Anyway, later. | | |
| Alright, this one's for sarah, as her comments are full and I think she reads this:
Don't worry about not making the Lighter for your short story; it counts for very little in the grand scheme of things. I hate to say it, but most of the stuff that has been published in the Lighter (at least while I was at school) was tripe that could've come right out of a gothkid's high school "I want to die" poetry notebook. For some reason, people are fascinated with poetry, even if it is garbage, because it's "different". Short stories, on the other hand, often get overlooked even if they're spectacular. Same thing with novels. Fiction works usually don't get the credit they deserve--hell, they're still saying that those russian dudes are the be all end all of fiction, which is an idea about 60 years out of date.
Also, look at your critics; are they mostly poets or fiction writers? I bet you they're poets, and as such have an inability to recognize good fiction when it bites them in the ass. I will freely admit, I write short stories and (attempt to anyway) novels, and I don't know the first thing about poetry; consequently, when someone says "check out this kickass poem", I'm like, "Meh, it's someone using bad grammer and strange words to attempt to be artsy". I'm sure it works the other way as well.
In short, don't change your ambition because of what someone else says. Wait until you actually attempt to get things published in the real world before you make any career choices. | | |
| Ok, that's it, they've gone too far.
I can understand putting racing minigames in videogames. I don't happen to appreciate them, but hey, some people have fun with them. But using them as main missions in non-racing games gets really old, really quickly. I have mentioned this before.
Now they really fucked up.
Ultimate Spiderman has a race level every other mission.
HE'S FUCKING SPIDERMAN! HE DOESN'T FUCKING RACE!
The Flash, I could see. The Human Torch, ok. Spiderman? He swings on fucking webs! He's an acrobat! HE DOESN'T RACE!!!
The ESRB needs to come up with a new content labelling system, detailing exactly what percentages of the game are devoted to action, puzzles, races, and stealth. That way people wouldn't be suckered in, thinking their friendly neighborhood game is cool when in fact it blows goats hard because the designers are attempting to cater to rednecks who DON'T EVEN FUCKING OWN A PLAYSTATION. | | |
| This is a test. This is only a test. I am posting this to record my current state to exam later when I am no longer in said state and am capable of thinking clearly.
I have been awake now for >30 hours. I am somehow coherent, but I have no fucking clue how. My body feels as if it is wrapped in a thick woolen blanket, as do my senses, if that makes sense. I am less coherent than when I am drunk, but more coordinated than when I am. I also cannot fall asleep, and I am wondering if alcohol will help or hinder the situation.
Pete claims this is the hallucination stage. I have not yet seen pink elephants (is that how you spell that?), but I am definitely not perceiving the world as normal. This is really fucking weird.
I also just realized the reason that I am cold is that it is cold outside and the window is open. I think it best to retreat back under my mountain of blankets and wait out the insanity. Or elephunts. Or whatever.
UPDATE 8:21 PM:
Still awake, although I had two quick 1 hour naps...I don't think they helped at all. Things are getting trippier by the minute, which is interesting. I wonder if I will be able to go to work tomorrow? Anyway, I will be attempting to sleep again now. | | |
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