All righty, then!
Jun. 17th, 2005 10:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
silveradeptAfter that scintillating review of Star Wars Episode III, it's time for me to settle into my more normal routine. There's quite a bit that could be said, so I'll start with some headlines. First, after the thrashing at the hands of the autopsy doctors in the Schiavo case, it would appear that the religious conservatives that are puppetmasters for the Republican Party are not yet through. CNN tells us that Governor Jeb Bush has started a probe to see why it might have taken Michael Schiavo as long as it did to contact 911. It appears that if they can't get him for murder one way, they'll try for at least negligent homicide in another. Really, guys, let it die.
And a little more information about that strange sort of witchcraft/Christianity thing I mentioned a little while ago - there might even be child trafficking involved for those who want to cast some powerful magic spells. The blend is a little strange, but considering what sorts of systems the American mind can put together, this is not untoward. Still, it would be horrible if it turns out that this trafficking is true.
Technology hopes to do some pretty neat things, like rendering a 3D model off of a printer. Not a picture, but the actual model itself. Perhaps even, if things go well, and quickly enough on the bandwidth, the models will be able to move. That'll make collaboration a real trick on projects, especially if everyone can look, feel, and test (well, maybe) the product themselves.
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uncle_pervy has made a decision to firebomb the RIAA building. And probably several of the music label boardrooms, too. (Just kidding, Federal agents who are reading this journal because of unconstitutional powers granted by the PATRIOT Act. He's just pissed off at DRM, that's all.) I agree with his problems with things designed to prevent you from playing the music that you legally bought in things that you also own. Plus, I wonder about the pricing model - how much money goes to the artist, how much money does the company actually need to recoup advertising costs and such, and how much is profit in the way of "Let's see how much teeny-boppers can get their parents to pay for our crap"? I suspect that profit margin is pretty big. So maybe I'll mix up a couple of Molotovs and we'll go out carousing on the town (I'm still kidding, by the way, Carnivore or whatever your name may be.)
'Twould appear that I have to go through some loan counseling before I can get my diploma mailed to me. That'd be great, I'd love to, except I think this is the first time that any correspondence has been mailed to me that has the right numbers I need to actually go through with it. Silly university. But I'll slog through that on Sunday, probably, after it arrives at my domicile. 'S still a little quiet around here, but for now, I'm watching the playoff basketball games with the neighbors. So I'm trying to be social - really! I guess I just feel a little more relaxed when I don't have a situation that I'm necessarily being drawn into. With no role that I think I have to fulfill, I just enjoy things. Kind of nice, actually.
Probably least on the list - I'm sitting up and paying attention to this particular part of Piro-character's life - not just because I empathize considerably with him, but because the "shojuo manga" solution might be unfolding before my eyes. Kimiko seems to have a grip on things that sounds something like what other people may see about me - I might be going about trying to break other people's noses, while what I'm doing is trying to hurt myself. She's seen that, and then she turns around and gives Piro the significant honor of intimacy - she tells him to call her Kimiko. (Quick culture lesson in the Japanese language, for those who might understand: The name that you call someone, as well as the honorific - things like -san, -chan, -kun, or -sama - indicates the amount of familiarity you have with a person, as well as your relative positions to each other in the societal stratification. The most intimate contact is to call someone by their first name without any honorifics at all. So Kimiko's letting Piro express an intimacy that he might think he hasn't earned.)
Piro-Artist also mentioned that some people have great frustration with Piro and Kimiko's dance, usually those that find Largo, Erika, or one of the more "active" characters to be the most interesting. They don't quite understand why Piro can't just say what he means. Or that he can't just drag Kimiko to a love hotel and let them work things out that way. People who do "get" Piro a bit more understand that would be bad character development or something severely out of character. Piro would have to be as plastered as Largo is now (was?) before he'd even think about such a thing, much less try it. Besides, I think if anyone's dragging someone off to a love hotel in that relationship, it's Erika playing matchmaker.
Actually, that comic, mixed with a line in Star Wars III (Padme's actually) that stuck in my head also had me think about a paradox of our nature. Okay, my nature, but I suspect it's probably widespread enough that I'm not the only person who has it. Another one of the assorted neuroses of my brain is the simultaneous need to trust someone completely and the fear that drives you to trust absolutely no one completely for fear of being hurt. Normally, you can spread the trust spectrum across the circle of friends - there are some people who you trust more than others - you know, "best" friends and such. The people who get to view the protected entries versus the people who just get the regular feed. For shell-builders like me, there's probably one or two people who you would trust to talk and give advice about almost any subject. But I don't know if I have anybody who I would trust completely in all matters and be willing to expose the full self to. People can be cruel, you know. I see and hear enough stories of intimate trust betrayed, sometimes because of fear, others because of jealousy, manipulation, or other causes. There's plenty of good reasons to walk around in society wearing thick plate and brandishing a sharp sword. But armor's kinda heavy, and it restricts your vision, and freedom of movement, and it doesn't really let a lot of people see what you're really like inside. I'd rattle on a bit about how society wants everyone wearing nice thick armor, in the interests of "being a man" or "being tough" and such, but I think I've detailed those parts anyway, even if not in that metaphor.
So at the same time that I'd rather just run around wearing no armor (hey, it's easier to shout "The Emperor has no clothes!" if you're a nudist), if not in society, that an least around one person, I've had it drilled into me what a security risk it is to be that open with anybody. Maybe that's what love is - being willing to take that risk... and a good relationship might be both sides taking that risk and also taking what the other person says in that vulnerability seriously. Or maybe I have unreasonably high standards and will be a bachelor for the rest of this life. Who knows? At the very least, if Piro can succeed, then maybe there's hope for me.
And a little more information about that strange sort of witchcraft/Christianity thing I mentioned a little while ago - there might even be child trafficking involved for those who want to cast some powerful magic spells. The blend is a little strange, but considering what sorts of systems the American mind can put together, this is not untoward. Still, it would be horrible if it turns out that this trafficking is true.
Technology hopes to do some pretty neat things, like rendering a 3D model off of a printer. Not a picture, but the actual model itself. Perhaps even, if things go well, and quickly enough on the bandwidth, the models will be able to move. That'll make collaboration a real trick on projects, especially if everyone can look, feel, and test (well, maybe) the product themselves.
uncle_pervy has made a decision to firebomb the RIAA building. And probably several of the music label boardrooms, too. (Just kidding, Federal agents who are reading this journal because of unconstitutional powers granted by the PATRIOT Act. He's just pissed off at DRM, that's all.) I agree with his problems with things designed to prevent you from playing the music that you legally bought in things that you also own. Plus, I wonder about the pricing model - how much money goes to the artist, how much money does the company actually need to recoup advertising costs and such, and how much is profit in the way of "Let's see how much teeny-boppers can get their parents to pay for our crap"? I suspect that profit margin is pretty big. So maybe I'll mix up a couple of Molotovs and we'll go out carousing on the town (I'm still kidding, by the way, Carnivore or whatever your name may be.) 'Twould appear that I have to go through some loan counseling before I can get my diploma mailed to me. That'd be great, I'd love to, except I think this is the first time that any correspondence has been mailed to me that has the right numbers I need to actually go through with it. Silly university. But I'll slog through that on Sunday, probably, after it arrives at my domicile. 'S still a little quiet around here, but for now, I'm watching the playoff basketball games with the neighbors. So I'm trying to be social - really! I guess I just feel a little more relaxed when I don't have a situation that I'm necessarily being drawn into. With no role that I think I have to fulfill, I just enjoy things. Kind of nice, actually.
Probably least on the list - I'm sitting up and paying attention to this particular part of Piro-character's life - not just because I empathize considerably with him, but because the "shojuo manga" solution might be unfolding before my eyes. Kimiko seems to have a grip on things that sounds something like what other people may see about me - I might be going about trying to break other people's noses, while what I'm doing is trying to hurt myself. She's seen that, and then she turns around and gives Piro the significant honor of intimacy - she tells him to call her Kimiko. (Quick culture lesson in the Japanese language, for those who might understand: The name that you call someone, as well as the honorific - things like -san, -chan, -kun, or -sama - indicates the amount of familiarity you have with a person, as well as your relative positions to each other in the societal stratification. The most intimate contact is to call someone by their first name without any honorifics at all. So Kimiko's letting Piro express an intimacy that he might think he hasn't earned.)
Piro-Artist also mentioned that some people have great frustration with Piro and Kimiko's dance, usually those that find Largo, Erika, or one of the more "active" characters to be the most interesting. They don't quite understand why Piro can't just say what he means. Or that he can't just drag Kimiko to a love hotel and let them work things out that way. People who do "get" Piro a bit more understand that would be bad character development or something severely out of character. Piro would have to be as plastered as Largo is now (was?) before he'd even think about such a thing, much less try it. Besides, I think if anyone's dragging someone off to a love hotel in that relationship, it's Erika playing matchmaker.
Actually, that comic, mixed with a line in Star Wars III (Padme's actually) that stuck in my head also had me think about a paradox of our nature. Okay, my nature, but I suspect it's probably widespread enough that I'm not the only person who has it. Another one of the assorted neuroses of my brain is the simultaneous need to trust someone completely and the fear that drives you to trust absolutely no one completely for fear of being hurt. Normally, you can spread the trust spectrum across the circle of friends - there are some people who you trust more than others - you know, "best" friends and such. The people who get to view the protected entries versus the people who just get the regular feed. For shell-builders like me, there's probably one or two people who you would trust to talk and give advice about almost any subject. But I don't know if I have anybody who I would trust completely in all matters and be willing to expose the full self to. People can be cruel, you know. I see and hear enough stories of intimate trust betrayed, sometimes because of fear, others because of jealousy, manipulation, or other causes. There's plenty of good reasons to walk around in society wearing thick plate and brandishing a sharp sword. But armor's kinda heavy, and it restricts your vision, and freedom of movement, and it doesn't really let a lot of people see what you're really like inside. I'd rattle on a bit about how society wants everyone wearing nice thick armor, in the interests of "being a man" or "being tough" and such, but I think I've detailed those parts anyway, even if not in that metaphor.
So at the same time that I'd rather just run around wearing no armor (hey, it's easier to shout "The Emperor has no clothes!" if you're a nudist), if not in society, that an least around one person, I've had it drilled into me what a security risk it is to be that open with anybody. Maybe that's what love is - being willing to take that risk... and a good relationship might be both sides taking that risk and also taking what the other person says in that vulnerability seriously. Or maybe I have unreasonably high standards and will be a bachelor for the rest of this life. Who knows? At the very least, if Piro can succeed, then maybe there's hope for me.
no subject
Date: 2005-06-18 02:05 pm (UTC)We still have friends and acquaintances, but a lot of people here don't think about the distinction and assume that acquaintances are friends.
Maybe that's the problem. You want friends and all you see are acquaintances. Of course, I could also be doing that thing about wanting others to break me out of my shell, too.