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PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 10:51 pm 
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There are some real benefits to mindnumbing boredom! I've been reeeeeall bored while sick this week. I gotta find a damn job just so I can keep myself from going completely out of my mind. >_>

In the period between when I finished grad school and when I got a job, I almost went stir crazy. It was really amazing how fast the novelty of not having anything to do with my days wore off - I was practically climbing the walls by the end. I think it gave Mrs. OL a terrifying glimpse into what I hopefully will not be like as we live out our dotage together. Otherwise she'll pack me off to go spend my days as a Walmart greeter, or something.

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We just need to get Jedi and Ruwin and Aaarrrgh in on the fun and we'll have just about all our active M:EMbers, unless I'm forgetting someone. (Oh, which, now's probably as good a time as any to remark that Yxoque is taking a bit of a breather. I think he plans to return though.)


Yay to the first part, wistful sadness to the second. I miss our Duke of Waffles.

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I'd be down for a real time writing challenge sometime, though. That could be interesting.


Assuming there was enough interest, something like a 60-minute story jam one of these weekends could be a hoot.

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PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 10:55 pm 
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I've added whom has contacted me through google on there, so I have almost-realtime access to Keeper, Raven, and Yxoque; and while I've never really seen them on, I also have Ruwin and HairlessThoctar on my... part of my... in my circles.

I'm also on Skype, though I'm rarely if ever on since the only person I know on there is Yanmato (and I haven't talked to him period for months).

I'd like to point out that Yxoque has been here as recently as the first week of April for voting, so he's not technically an "Inactive M:EMber" even if he hasn't been around for a while.

P.S. I need to find those other article for my "What I've been Reading about Writing" series.

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PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 11:03 pm 
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I've added whom has contacted me through google on there, so I have almost-realtime access to Keeper, Raven, and Yxoque; and while I've never really seen them on, I also have Ruwin and HairlessThoctar on my... part of my... in my circles.


Ugh. I'm going to have to weigh my crippling fear of the internet against my sudden desire to get on the Googles and play with the cool kids.

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PostPosted: Sun May 18, 2014 11:09 pm 
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I've added whom has contacted me through google on there, so I have almost-realtime access to Keeper, Raven, and Yxoque; and while I've never really seen them on, I also have Ruwin and HairlessThoctar on my... part of my... in my circles.


Ugh. I'm going to have to weigh my crippling fear of the internet against my sudden desire to get on the Googles and play with the cool kids.

If you want to shoot me an email its: Kraigonus42

Even if you don't want to join google we can still email each other. I like having contingency plans in case anyone ever drops off these forums or if the forums just drop out from under us. Plus it gives us an alternative to PMs in case we want to act clandestine.


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PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 12:02 pm 
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Hey, would you look at that? It's been a week today since I posted something along the lines of writing advice. So, here's another installment of "What I've been Reading about Writing":

25 Things You Should Know about Narrative Point-of-View

This is something Keeper actually linked to on googlebook quite some time ago, but I bookmarked it for future reference and such. There appears to be more, similar articles from that site, but I haven't checked them out.


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PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 11:10 pm 
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Oh my god soooo I was just digging through some old information and getting ridiculously sidetracked, as I do, and I happened to poke into an area of Jeff Lee's old site (the source for the Guides to Ulgrotha and Jamuraa) and I found... a forum... dedicated... to Magic fanfiction... from 13 god damn years ago.

I mean the general list of all the still extant threads is here: http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www ... sages/13/*

But if you want to see the absolute best thread of all it's definitely without a doubt this one: http://web.archive.org/web/200009010752 ... 0586.shtml

which is an ecchi Gerrard/Hannah collaborative fic.

It... it kinda puts this project in perspective, doesn't it?

I'm... gonna go ahead and... stop dramatically idealizing the old storyline community now I think. o_o


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PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 11:26 pm 
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I'm... gonna go ahead and... stop dramatically idealizing the old storyline community now I think. o_o

I know it hurts when someone smelts your rose tinted shades. No more tapping for red for you.

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To deafened ears we ask, unseen / "Which is life and which the dream?"


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PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2014 11:32 pm 
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No more tapping for Gerrard either WAHEY!! [pulled via cane off the stage]


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PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2014 8:58 pm 
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So I'm having a little personal freak-out // frustration thing going on right now because I was supposed to start clinical rotation tomorrow morning, but I think bureaucracy has struck. Months ago we (by which I mean my entire class of ~20) were told what papers we needed copies of (immunizations, insurance card, etc.) to have administration submit to the hospitals. The one I was assigned to was also supposed to send me an online module to complete before they would allow me to start clinicals.

They never sent it.

Now I am not even starting tomorrow because they won't let me in until I've completed it -- but I don't have any access to them -- and unless it gets sorted out tomorrow I won't even be going until Tuesday (if it gets sorted out between Thursday and then).

I'm very shaky at the moment. Hard to concentrate.

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PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2014 9:08 pm 
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So I'm having a little personal freak-out // frustration thing going on right now because I was supposed to start clinical rotation tomorrow morning, but I think bureaucracy has struck. Months ago we (by which I mean my entire class of ~20) were told what papers we needed copies of (immunizations, insurance card, etc.) to have administration submit to the hospitals. The one I was assigned to was also supposed to send me an online module to complete before they would allow me to start clinicals.

They never sent it.

Now I am not even starting tomorrow because they won't let me in until I've completed it -- but I don't have any access to them -- and unless it gets sorted out tomorrow I won't even be going until Tuesday (if it gets sorted out between Thursday and then).

I'm very shaky at the moment. Hard to concentrate.

I've got a friend who is also doing the same sort of clinicals. While he didn't encounter this exact problem, he did tell me of a number of similar "missing paperwork" type problems. I know it's hard, but try not to worry to much. It will get taken care of eventually, you just have to believe that, and stay on top of things as much as you can.

Wishing you the best, man.


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PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2014 9:14 pm 
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@ Luna - First of all, it's all going to get worked out, and things are going to be fine. Remember that.

Second, my suggestion to you would be to, if you haven't already done so, call the office in question on the phone and get a name of a specific person who is supposed to be in charge of helping you to get all your paperwork set up. Then get that person on the phone and don't hang up until you feel confident that you're squared away. If they're supposed to e-mail you something, for example, ask them to do it then and stay on the line until you see it appear in your inbox.

Speaking for myself, I hate having to do those sorts of things, because I am not an assertive person by nature. But hard experience has taught me that, to wriggle out of these bureaucratic snafus, you have to identify a single person who is responsible, and you have to make sure that your problem is their problem until the two of you have sorted it out.

Just my two cents, anyway.

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PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2014 9:21 pm 
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Thanks. I'm trying to calm myself down right now by posting around on these boards, but so far all I've accomplished is going from shaky in fear to shaky in tears. And I'm still in physical fear. I can feel that blue film around my heart squeezing while it's pumping at... *checks* 100 BPM.

That's not too bad, actually. Normal is 60-120 I think so I'm just on the upper portion. Of course, it's not pumping very hard and I'm getting a bit light-headed now.

I'm not sure if contacting anyone else could help, honestly. I have let my clinical instructor know (and I don't know if I'm the only one to whom this has happened or whether multiple students stationed at that hospital have this issue), and she said she won't penalize me for this and will try to get this sorted out as soon as she can. I figure since she is going to be there tomorrow morning, she can probably identify whom was responsible (because she is familiar with the place and all) and hopefully get it sorted tomorrow.

I just worry because 1)tomorrow is already completely shot since I doubt I'll be allowed to attend half of the day; 2)if for some reason it cannot be sorted tomorrow, I've been denied my first week.

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PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2014 9:44 pm 
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Thanks. I'm trying to calm myself down right now by posting around on these boards, but so far all I've accomplished is going from shaky in fear to shaky in tears. And I'm still in physical fear. I can feel that blue film around my heart squeezing while it's pumping at... *checks* 100 BPM.

That's not too bad, actually. Normal is 60-120 I think so I'm just on the upper portion. Of course, it's not pumping very hard and I'm getting a bit light-headed now.


I don't know if you have any experience with doing relaxation exercises, but I find that they help me out if I'm having moments of acute anxiety.

A couple examples:

Mindful eating - Get a small portion of some food which you like. Close your eyes, and take a small bite. As you do, try to think very mindfully about the physical action of eating: how does the food feel in your mouth? How are you chewing? What is the texture like? What flavors do you taste? Is it hot or cold? And so forth. Eat slowly, and try to be very present in the moment, and to just try to focus on all the sensory experiences associated with eating which we usually tune out at normal times.

Tension release - Starting with your toes and working your way gradually up your body, take turns tensing all your major muscle groups as tightly as you can for a few seconds, then allow the muscles to relax. As the muscles relax, tell yourself - out loud - that you can feel the tension draining out of your body, and that the tension is going to drain out of your thoughts as well, and that you are going to allow your mind to relax as well.

I know this can sound very New Age-y and hokey, but I find it's something practical which I can do to help myself when I feel like I'm stressed-out and that my stressors are out of my control. It's a way to regain control over my mental processes.

EDIT: Also, it never hurts to remind yourself, out loud, that everything is going to be okay. Even when we know that, sometimes we just need to hear ourselves say it. And the brain responds to the things that we say.

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PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2014 9:56 pm 
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I'm mostly over the hump now; the tension cord has snapped and left me loose at both extremities (with a knot between my shoulders that's probably more due to bad sleep and bad posture than anxiety). I will definitely keep those techniques in mind next time I get worked up, though, thanks.

I will say that I am normally very mindful of when I eat as well, though; I wouldn't have tried that technique now even if I could because it's too late now. There's actually an in-joke among my meatspace friends because for years (and relatively commonly even now) whenever anyone would ask "are you hungry?" my first reaction was always "what time is it?".

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PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2014 9:58 pm 
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There's actually an in-joke among my meatspace friends because for years (and relatively commonly even now) whenever anyone would ask "are you hungry?" my first reaction was always "what time is it?".


See, on my end, the more likely joke is that someone will ask me "what time is it?" and I'll say: "It's time for lunch!"

(When we babysit my nieces, I have to watch nothing but episode after episode of Bubble Guppies. It has left me a shattered man.)

Feel better, sir.

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PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2014 10:25 pm 
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There's actually an in-joke among my meatspace friends because for years (and relatively commonly even now) whenever anyone would ask "are you hungry?" my first reaction was always "what time is it?".


See, on my end, the more likely joke is that someone will ask me "what time is it?" and I'll say: "It's time for lunch!"

(When we babysit my nieces, I have to watch nothing but episode after episode of Bubble Guppies. It has left me a shattered man.)

Feel better, sir.

You could always try getting them to watch quality entertainment like Gravity Falls or Adventure Time or My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. I would recommend the first and the third, and haven't yet seen enough of AT to like it or really understand it.

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PostPosted: Wed May 21, 2014 8:40 am 
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You could always try getting them to watch quality entertainment like Gravity Falls or Adventure Time or My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. I would recommend the first and the third, and haven't yet seen enough of AT to like it or really understand it.


Maybe in a couple years, fingers crossed. They're still at more of a Blues Clues age/stage of development. And it turns out that Bubble Guppies is like a magic pacifier. When it's on, there is silence and good behavior. When it's off, there is chaos and backache-inducing footraces to chase after small children and scoop them up before they can put whatever that thing is that they're currently holding in their mouth and/or bash the other child over the head with it.

I have no idea how full-time parents pull it off. I watch the kids for a couple hours, and it makes me feel like I've just gone ten rounds with mighty Thor.

* * *

Changing subjects, Luna's regular posts with material about writing have got me thinking. From time to time, I think I'm probably going to toss out small snippets of writing which I find instructive for one reason or another. Hopefully other people may find them useful to think about as well.

Characterization has been on my mind recently, and I wanted to share a little piece of writing from Planescape: Torment. That game was hugely influential for me for a number of reasons, and I think that one of the things which stands out about it is the quality of the character design, and the distinct voices which the writers managed to create for each of your companions. Along those lines, here's Morte's character biography, as told by the disembodied floating skull himself. I think it's remarkable how much of a feel you can get for this very strange character from just a couple paragraphs:

Quote:
Of course you got questions about me -- you probably have questions about ALL sorts of things. Let me boil it down for you: when you've been as dead as long as I have... without arms, legs, or anything else, you spend a lot of time thinking, y'know? I figure it's been a few hundred years since I got penned in the dead book, but time doesn't really tally up the way it used to... without that mortality thing pressing down on you, all the days and nights kind of blend together. So you think about this, and you think about that... and the most important piece of wisdom I've learned over the past hundred or so years is this: There's a LOT more obscene gestures you can make with your eyes and your jaw than most people think. Without even resorting to insults or taunting, you can really light a bonfire under someone just with the right combination of eye movements and jaw clicking. Drives them barmy! If you ever get beheaded and your skin flayed from your skull, I'll show you how it's done. I got some real gems, chief -- they'd drive a deva to murder, they would.

I know what you're thinking: I'm dead. I've lost so much. It should have sobered me up to all that joy I missed, all those loves I've lost. Some people get all depressed about death -- they haven't TRIED it, of course -- but one thing they never seem to realize is how it changes your perspective on things; it really makes you take a second look at life, broaden your horizons. For me, it's pretty much made me realize how many dead chits are in this berg and how few sharp-tongued men like myself there are to go around -- you spin the wheel right, and your years of spending nights alone are over!

Shallow? I'm not shallow. I just don't get caught up in all that philosophy and faith and belief wash that every berk from Arborea to the Gray Waste rattle their jaws about. Who cares? The Planes are what they are, you're what you are, and if it changes, fine, but things aren't bad the way they are -- and I should know. Go on, ask me some questions about the Planes, or the chant, or the people, or the cultures -- when you end up like me -- without eyelids, that is -- you end up seeing a lot of things, and I can tell you almost everything you need to know.

It's like this: We're in this together, chief. Until this is over, I stick to your leg.

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PostPosted: Wed May 21, 2014 2:26 pm 
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Okay, that's fair enough. I've been there in taking care of my nieces. Of course, that was before I had been in to any of the cartoons I had mentioned; and lucky enough for me they liked big Disney musicals just as much as... those kinds of shows you mention (I have no recollection what it was they watch[ed]).

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PostPosted: Wed May 21, 2014 3:43 pm 
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Maybe in a couple years, fingers crossed. They're still at more of a Blues Clues age/stage of development. And it turns out that Bubble Guppies is like a magic pacifier. When it's on, there is silence and good behavior. When it's off, there is chaos and backache-inducing footraces to chase after small children and scoop them up before they can put whatever that thing is that they're currently holding in their mouth and/or bash the other child over the head with it.

I have no idea how full-time parents pull it off. I watch the kids for a couple hours, and it makes me feel like I've just gone ten rounds with mighty Thor.

From how I understand it, they just let it happen and then tune out the screaming.
Or at least, that seems to be how every parent that takes their child into public conducts themselves...

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At twilight's end, the shadow's crossed / a new world birthed, the elder lost.
Yet on the morn we wake to find / that mem'ry left so far behind.
To deafened ears we ask, unseen / "Which is life and which the dream?"


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PostPosted: Wed May 21, 2014 10:25 pm 
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How would you guys describe a goatee in high fantasy fiction? Is the term goatee acceptable? It always seems overly modern to me, but I could well be wrong. What do others think?


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