Archive for January, 2010

That’s brilliant; where can I get one?


2010
01.25

As a kid I used to want to do everything, to be a part of everything.  I’ve tamed down that desire to a few things and one of those things is acting.  Every time I watch a really good movie or TV show, I want to jump out of my comfort zone and act.

Watching something like the most recent few Doctor Whos (and their confidentials) seems like a kind of magic.  How do they do this?  How do they get the emotions just right, and create something from nothing and make it feel like you (the person watching) is going through what the Doctor is going through.

The second time I watched the Waters of Mars episode (yes, I’ve seen it twice) I knew what was coming and yet I was still amazed at the acting and I was still amazed at the Doctor’s character – he’s walking away.  Throughout most of the episode he’s walking away.

Even when he goes back and starts saving them, you get this uneasy feeling: he wouldn’t have just walked away earlier unless there was a really good reason.  He’s snapped, he’s not being logical.

Back on Earth he’s playing God… well he is called a Time Lord.  The Time Lord Victorious:

Scan

Time lord victorious… Drawn from looking at a screenshot from the episode

It’s brilliant, and I just don’t understand how, I can’t understand the mechanics behind creating things like this.  There are some people who think advanced technology is just like magic; I don’t: I think great writing and acting and creating these characters is magic.  It’s inconceivable how they create it.

That might be what’s driving me to want to try to act: a desire to be able to make this magic.  I always want to do things that seem wonderful and impossible.  I think “That’s brilliant.  Where can I get one?”

(My blog entries about random Doctor who episodes probably don’t do them justice.  I found a review of this episode over at bleedingcool.com, which has pictures like actual screenshots instead of a half-drawn picture.)

A Taste of Armageddon


2010
01.14

I never watched the news, but I think I am going to start… and as silly as it sounds, I am emotionally ready to start watching the news.

My parents don’t watch the news.  My mom reads the paper and I think my dad does but often he’s fairly ignorant about the world.  I just followed suit.

Back in 2005, I saw something on TV about bombs in the London metro, and I decided that I don’t want to know about these things.  People suck, sometimes.

flowers

In my field of paper flowers...

Image credits: Scarlet Lillies.

Now I think I’m ready.  As in emotionally ready to watch the news, to see stories about people being killed or hurt and about people killing or hurting.

I realize that there are some things I can’t change.  Maybe there are some things I can change.  What I need right now is the wisdom to tell the difference.

So, it’s time to find out what is going on on this planet.  Time to start watching the news!

Things that have just blown my mind


2010
01.10

I heard that David Tennant (Tenth Doctor from Doctor Who) was Barty Crouch Junior in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

No way!  The Tenth Doctor, the one who would sacrifice himself to save a human… a completely insane death eater.

So I downloaded Harry Potter and watched a bit.  Sure enough, David Tennant was said completely insane death eater!

This has just blown my mind a little.

003-1

(Aaaand back to logic gates.  I think there’s a typo in our notes.  It says
NANDs with 3 or more inputs convert to an OR with 3 or more inverted inputs.
NORs with 3 or more inputs convert to an OR with 3 or more inverted inputs.
I don’t understand how both of those can be true.  That’s essentially saying NANDs are equivalent to NORs.)

Storytime


2010
01.02

I am about halfway through writing a short story.  I think it’s the best thing since 1.5% milk, but I’ll probably read through it later and realize it’s not.  Either way, I’m going to post it here.

New Years Resolutions


2010
01.01

I am typing this earlier, because I’m going to be at a New Year’s Party with some wonderful friends.

Here are my New Years Resolutions for 2010:

Organization and logical stuff

  • Posture, flexibility, balance, endurance, exercise, dance.
  • Set out things the night before and set alarm for 15 minutes before I have to leave.
  • Pack a lunch and not buying om-noms on illogical impulse.
  • Eat only until not hungry, use observation skills.
  • Stop picking at nails and lips, sitting for hours in front of my blog, and making fun of dad.
  • Being organized and planning studying.
  • Wash face and floss every night, even at N’s,
  • Apartment next year.  Be flexible and don’t expect ideal, but strive for.
  • Getting out and doing things, not taking the lazy way out.  Also, telephones and double salchows.
  • Write letters.
  • Put things away promptly and take a day in January to organize and sort everything.

People-skills and other weaknesses

  • Sensitivity and feelings and stuff.
  • Focus on making people comfortable (physically and mentally).
  • Logistics of having friends.
  • Filtering what I should say.  Filter out random, irrelevant.
  • Being able to present yourself as a likable person for co-op job.
  • Not being nervous (“weak”) about stuff I care about.
  • Decisively choosing and sharing/connecting with people.
Organization and logical stuff
Posture, flexibility, balance, endurance, exercise, dance.
Set out things the night before and set alarm for 15 minutes before I have to leave.
Pack a lunch and not buying om-noms on illogical impulse.
Eat only until not hungry, use observation skills.
Stop picking at nails and lips, sitting for hours in front of my blog, and making fun of dad.
Being organized and planning studying.
Figure out apartment next year.
Wash face and floss every night, even at Nigel’s,
Apartment next year.  Be flexible and don’t expect ideal, but strive for.
Getting out and doing things, not taking the lazy way out.  Also, telephones and double salchows.
Write letters.
Put things away promptly and take a day in January to organize and sort everything.
People-skills and other weaknesses
Sensitivity and feelings and stuff.
Focus on making people comfortable (physically and mentally).
Logistics of having friends.
Filtering what to say.  Filter out random, irrelevant.
Being able to present yourself as a likable person for co-op job.
Not being nervous (“weak”) about stuff I care about.
Decisively choosing and sharing/connecting with people.