Ask Zulehan stuff

[starlark]

man you guys have dirty minds

Another question for Zule, what's your favourite flower?

oups...bahahaha that sounds dirty too

 

[Lock]

Spoiler: Putting a spoiler so I'm not clogging up the thread lol

To backtrack a bit, I was reading a caption under one of yer pictures mentioning the traffic lights. It reminded me of something my dad had mentioned a long time ago, that if yer a foreigner in the Philippines it's always best to pay someone else to drive. Also that there are a lot of buses, jeeps and motorbikes. I kinda vaguely remember someone telling me that cars have their steering wheels on the left but drive on the right side of the road. My mom always had a huge paranoia of being a pedestrian and my dad said it's because in her country they don't have the right of way like here. But I think she's always just been an anxious person, so traveling with her anywhere can be overdramatic and painful. Doesn't matter if it be in a car or on foot lol

Ugh mosquitos. Given I live in Florida and that's our state bird, the mention of mosquitos is terror. It's funny cause if I get bit by one, it's irritating for maybe an hour. But my husband, who's from Kansas City, Missouri, will look like someone beat him up with a baseball bat for three days to a week. He use to whine about it and I'd tell him "it's just a mosquito bite chill out!" But then I realized he has a sort of allergy and it didn't become a reality til that trait got passed to my kid. We always have cortizone stocked at my place.

So I understand the 'mutant' transitions after mosquito bites very well. Lolz! Hopefully they didn't leave scars cause I've seen that happen. Mutant mosquitos are nothing to mess with. Which reminds me, I saw a picture of a giant bat once that apparently came from the Philippines. XD

Also thank you! Owning a house is exciting, but after the honeymoon period it really starts to eat away yer free time haha. Also I definitely get the stranger aspect that you mentioned. My moms family is so extensive that I still don't know most of them. The issue is they're everywhere from Florida, California, Canada, random Asian countries and the Philippines so we rarely cross paths. There's maybe a handful I actually know by name. She always gets mad at me for not knowing someone when they finally come to visit and it's like.. You gotta be kidding me. (Plus they almost always have unconventional names, least by an Americans perspective. It's like every first name has to be said twice.) Luckily they're all very understanding so at least they don't give me a hard time. But they seriously all have five kids and those kids have kids. Talk about a giant mess.

All and all I think it's difficult for anyone to leave home to want a better life for their families and even though my family can drive me nuts I started to understand their stances more. Like my mom had to go through something I'd never have to back in her country. So i have to hand it to Filipinos cause they're very industrious in their motivates and granted very generous people. So I can't help but feel bad in the sense that I think my mom deserves a chance to go back at least once. My fear for her though is it won't be exactly what she remembered cause it's been decades. I could be wrong to worry though.

My family in general can't stop being over the top. Most people don't believe me half the time. That is til they have to actually interact with them. If I ever get a quiet day I feel blessed, but it does give me a lot to talk about lolz

---

I'm very reluctant to admit on this site that I was an illustration major at Ringling College of Art and Design because that's exactly what I wanted to be.. A cartoonist/comic book illustrator. I never got to complete my BA because of finical reasons. (Competition for art is difficult because there's a lot of talented people, so money an give you an edge in some cases.)

It's been a while since college so I feel like is be setting my own standards if I was to make it a thing. Mostly anything I 'showcased' in like avatars and signatures are just things I put together in the small amounts of time I have when my kid is napping lol. I do have a deviant art but it's ten years old and I removed most of my comic work from the site. I just didn't want to link it in my signatures because a lot of it was done when I was 17 before I got any formal training.

I just love storytelling above all else. I like when people openly express their experiences but I noticed if you intimidate people they lose their motive to share. I started to notice after college that my excitement was being confused as cockiness and frankly that makes people treat you differently. If that all makes sense lolz. I just don't want people to think I'd be judgmental cause I don't think it matters if yer technically good as long as yer willing to share something it's still worth a glance in my book.

But for the sake of sharing, heres stuff I had on my computer that were not finished pieces. I plan to finish them one day.. I do intend to start some sort of new comic series now that I have more personal material to work with. I believe I can do something better with it then staying within the high school dramas I was use to years ago.

Spoiler: some unfinished artwork that I could find

Whoops that got lengthy. My bad. I'll start condensing things lolz

 

[Zulehan]

Feeling so happy right now.

That was like, what, 10 - 15k? Some serious fundraising, for sure. Congrats.

JOY! Those are good episodes, my favorite is 'Margaritaville', I find it so well written, original and smart.

Searching for that episode right now. Not sure if I have seen it, but if not I will have by tonight.

Edit: Just started watching the episode, and already love it. Favorite part is Stan's father trying to explain what went wrong with the economy but getting drowned out by the margarita machine.

Reminds me of the segment on comedian John Oliver's show that talked about 'civil forfeiture,' or the 'Drug War' era law that gave law enforcement officials the ability to put citizens' property on trial and to confiscate that property without ever charging their owners. Part of the segment mentioned law enforcers in one city using the profits from civil forfeitures to buy a margarita machine.

But the kicker is at the segment's conclusion, which showed a fake trailer for a new Law & Order criminal investigation drama spin-off specifically about civil forfeiture. Toward the trailer's end, one of the officers comments that if you live in the city long enough, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth. At which point a fellow officer claims to have the answer for that bad taste, and activates a machine. The camera slowly pans away from that officer to reveal a margarita machine slowly filling a second margarita, before he happily hands it to the fellow officer.

I suppose your favorite South Park character is Cartman? Also, what are your favorite Disney movies, and Disney favorite characters, if you have any?

Yep, Cartman. Who can forget that song starting 'Kyle's mom is a big fat....' I just loved how American parents brought their children to theaters with the mindset that of course an animated film would be for children, and then collectively stormed out of the theater once Cartman started singing.

Among those Disney movies you mentioned, Treasure Planet would be my favorite. As for other movies, since Disney was the production company, I assume Return to Oz would count. I particularly like the 'darker,' run down version of Oz 'infested' with 'Wheelers;' the Witch who went to a walk-in closet to change her head depending on mood; and the beautiful architecture of the 'collection' room of the Nome King. The Incredibles is another favorite.

Oh, God, how could I forget the Toy Story franchise? Fortunately, that was one of the franchises that only got better by the third film (my favorite).

I just looked up if Brave Little Toaster would count: there were several production companies attached to the movie, but Disney only distributed. I am still interested in knowing Disney had involvement at all, however, since that film could be a bit disturbing.

I must have a lot more favorites that I simply do not recall at the moment, as Disney is one of those companies that has defined my childhood in terms of media. In fact, I have started watching the Disney Channel again because of the wonderful new series Girl Meets World.

Oh, man, and just thinking about the old shows like TaleSpin and Chip and Dale: Rescue Rangers... nostalgia bomb.

As for characters, what Anna did at the end of Frozen made her a favorite. Also, though I was not particularly fond of Alice in Wonderland (2010), I very much liked Mia Wasikowska's portrayal of Alice, from her willfulness (particularly in the ending scene) down to her outfits. And as for another Wonderland character, I have long liked the idea of the Cheshire Cat, but my favorite portrayal of him (along with his many pithy sayings) was in American McGee's Alice, rather than any Disney film.

BUT my favorite, hands down, definitely goes to John Silver. I read the classic novel by Stevenson that Treasure Planet is based on. Silver, one of my favorite all-time villains, is one of the most nuanced characters I have ever read, and that nuance to his character is still striven for in this film adaptation. In other words, the movie keeps to the spirit of the novel in terms of character development.

Good choice of words there pal

Bed... deep...

The springs are so noisy, though.

I now ban myself from my own topic.

Another question for Zule, what's your favourite flower?

I have forgotten the name, but I believe one of my favorites is the English Lavender. I came across mention of this flower when researching an Indian nation that still lives in Oregon, the Nez Perces. Here is a short video clip of the flower: http://www.shutterstock.com/video/c...rple-flowers-in-california-united-states.html

And here is a poem I wrote that mentions it:

A Quaint Namesake

Eight letters unpack

Into spired purple petals
On snowswept meadows
Where ram horn bows are strung

Into sailing foam fat with salmon
Swallowing snapping pinecones
And hoop nets thrown from planks

Into amber grasslands
Trampled by hooves
And surveyed by hawkish eyes

An untrained ear fails to detect
The lower whispers in three syllables
That boom into a cultural universe

Where natural canvases
Are ascended forever
Over doting hands

Where plowed and poisoned spirits
Are joined and made whole again

Where warriors preserve life
And give thanks to its givers

Where familiar tongues
Say "relatives" in more ways
Than hands in houses can count

A quaint namesake encases
A million new and old songs: Nimipu
Meaning "the people"

I also like the wisteria. I know this flower is 'featured' on the trellis PWP of New Leaf, but here is a decent image of wisteria by a Belgian photographer who did not have to travel far from home: https://secure.flickr.com/photos/houseofsecrets/14117931371

Finally, I love zinnias, which grow wild here in California and have a most pleasant smell. I also mentioned them in a poem:

Turbulent Path
Islanded by life’s narrow vale, the blind youth
still follow the asphalt path; oh, resigned youth.

Stop, smell the zinnias, scrape the knee and bleed,
and by a turbulent path be defined, youth.

Freely seek the learning of Yeats’ “starry men,”
but not only do well, do good: be kind, youth.

Unaccustomed pilgrims meekly drag their chains –
split them; loose the tragedy of confined youth!

Without heart, nothing warm is in the flowers,
and truths sit in empty vessels. Stay, pined youth!

Unexplored joys: Trying wolfish cadenzas
on faded ivories, fate is unkind, youth.

Even elders fear a dreamy earth, renewed;
inner churches mature in maligned youth.

Lifelong trained slaves to mechanic value, die
pure as blank paper: lost, undefined youth.

Beneath shade where peaches fall, a butterfly;
future, frailty, fuss is forgotten. Unwind, youth.

When asking my brother for advice on what new case to get for my iPod, he suggested I not choose the one with the flower design because it does not suit me, but he has not read my poetry, heh.

Putting a spoiler so I'm not clogging up the thread lol

No problem at all; I quite like to see my topic filled with lengthy posts.

To backtrack a bit, I was reading a caption under one of yer pictures mentioning the traffic lights. It reminded me of something my dad had mentioned a long time ago, that if yer a foreigner in the Philippines that it's always best to pay someone else to drive. Also that there are a lot of buses, jeeps and motorbikes. I kinda vaguely remember someone telling me that cars have their steering wheels on the left but drive on the right side of the road. My mom always had a huge paranoia of being a pedestrian and my dad said it's because in her country a lot if times they don't have the right of way like here. Sometimes though I think she's always been an anxious person, so traveling with her anywhere can be overdramatic and a pain whether it be in a car or on foot lol she's always whining about motorcyclist.

There certainly is less well defined boundaries in much of the Philippines. We take sidewalks, street lights, bicycle lanes, etc. for granted; even though San Bernardino, the city I live in, is the second poorest in the States, the conditions of its streets are far better than a lot of the Philippines.

In regards to driving in the Philippines, we were fortunate to have family driving us, or accompanying us. The latter is especially important since of course people would try to get more money from us than warranted.

There are a lot of jeepneys in the Philippines, which are refitted U.S. Army jeeps left over from the Second Great War. As indicated, they are extremely old, yet still widely in use, even in the most developed parts of the Philippines, such as central Manila. This obviously causes problems, since jeepney drivers are often not properly licensed, and the vehicles themselves would oftentimes certainly not be acceptable on American roads.

Unfortunately, I do not see much action by the Filipino government to curtail this transportation issue. A country like Turkey has been more proactive toward a similar issue they face, as they are attempting to supersede older transport vehicles with licensed public buses. I hope the Philippines follows suit, even if the jeepneys have become a cultural icon (not unexpected at all, since the Philippines is one of the most Westernized Asian countries).

Going back to jeepneys, you must certainly have skill in hardwiring and repairing cars, using a stick shift, counting pay and giving exact change to several customers while driving, etc. I remember watching a show where an experienced London taxi driver went to the Philippines to drive one of these vehicles, and the learning curve was steep as a vertical cliff.

Ugh mosquitos. Given I live in Florida and that's our state bird, the mention of mosquitos is terror. It's funny cause if I get bit by one, the bite will be irritating for maybe an hour but it'll go away pretty quick. My husband, who's from Kansas City, Missouri, will look like someone beat him up with a baseball bat for three days to a week after being bitten by one. He use to whine about it and I'd tell him "it's just a mosquito bite chill out!" But then I realized he has a sort of allergy to them and it didn't become a reality til that trait got passed to my kid who has the exact problem. We always have cortizone stocked at my place. So I understand the 'mutant' transitions after mosquito bites very well. Lolz!

Yeah, definitely do not want to take a wilderness hike in the Philippines (or even stay anywhere outside luxurious accommodations) without plenty of preparation for those mosquitoes. Glad your kid has been safe from those infernal insects.

Also thank you! Owning a house is exciting, but after the honeymoon period it really starts to eat away yer free time haha. Also I definitely get the stranger aspect that you mentioned. My moms family is so extensive that I still don't know many of them to this day. I've always been more involved with my dad's family, but my mom always wanted me to get to know her side. The issue is though, her family is everywhere from Florida, California, Canada and the Philippines so we never cross paths.

Oh, my, I cannot even imagine the work that goes into owning a home.

And your family sounds as cosmopolitan as one gets. I have a few family members living abroad, too, but most are in the Philippines or the States.

My fear for her though is it won't be exactly what she remembered cause it's been decades. I could be wrong to worry though.

So much melancholy thinking about that. You start a new life and all the while people that mattered to you are leaving this world. I cannot even imagine.

I'm very reluctant to admit on this site that I was an illustration major at Ringling College of Art and Design because that's exactly what I wanted to be.. A cartoonist/comic book illustrator. I never got to complete my BA because of finical reasons. (Competition for art is really high now that a lot of people are getting into it, so you definitely need the dough to have an advantage.)

It's been a while since college so I feel like is be setting my own standards if I was to make it a thing. So for a couple months on here I'd just keep it on the down low lolz. Plus my computer decided to crap out so I'm forced to draw with a mouse and use programs I've never used before so I haven't been sitting down to really draw anything. Mostly anything I 'showcased' in like avatars and signatures are just things I put together in the small amounts of time I have when my kid is napping lol. I do have a deviant art but it's ten years old and I removed most of my comic work from the site. I just didn't want to link it in my signatures because a lot of it was done when I was 17 before I got any formal training.

Sounds like you are definitely an illustrator at heart, though. Makes me sad you were not able to go through with it professionally due to money, as I wish that were not an obstacle for anyone who is driven. There goes life taking us in so many unexpected directions.

Maybe I will never become the professional writer, but may writing always be my passion.

I just love storytelling above all else.

Yay, speaking of writing.

I like when people openly express their experiences but I noticed if you intimidate them then they won't feel as confident to share. I started to notice after college that I was always accidentally intimidating people because they'd confuse my excitement as being being cocky and generally that makes people treat you differently. If that all makes sense lolz. I just don't want people to think I'd be judgmental cause I don't think it matters if yer technically good as long as yer willing to share something it's still worth a glance in my book.

Oh, yes, I believe I know the feeling. To share one incident that might be relevant, I recall how only a few months ago a fellow student suggested that I am ******** for not understanding the 'point' of her poem. She did not say my name and was making a general statement, but it was in the context of me having just read her poem a few moments earlier. That experience stayed with me.

But for the sake of sharing, heres stuff I had on my computer that were not finished pieces. I plan to finish them one day... lolz

My first thought was, Yay, a fan of Ōkami. I like the details and proportions of your character drawings; the first and third strike me as 'realism,' though the second makes me think 'surreal' because the head strikes me as quite large compared to the rest of the figure.

Thank you so much for sharing these, and sorry for not having more commentary for you.

And thank you for the questions and responses, guys!

 

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See I had a feeling you were a writer. Might've been how articulate/clever you seem throughout the forum. I have to applaud yer skill because it makes it that much harder to keep my responses short lolz it's like you can elaborate on any topic someone throws at you. I have to say that's difficult considering every time you post it's like I imagine Pippy. XD hopefully that's not bizarre, but it's fun to think you've given me this perspective of her being a wide owl instead of a peppy rabbit.

In college for me, not understanding the point seemed like common ground. Stuff like "the eyeballs to the world" kinda threw me off. I'm all for unconventional but I want to say most of that happened because someone forgot to do their homework and tried to ad lib Lolz there were several fine artist that I have to say kinda went beyond me. I've been forced to critique artwork for so long seriously the scariest phrase anyone can ask is "what do you think?" Normally my go-to is "I don't think." But that's why I'm always impressed by your charisma when it comes to owning a thread like this. You handle it effortlessly.

Jeepney! That's the word. I couldn't remember what it was called since everyone just refers to them as jeeps. I laughed when I read about the London driver. It always amuses me whenever Filipinos stump other cultures. Where I live the pan handling thing is an issue, but I'm sure it's got to be sad over there. Also considering their recent natural disasters. That news was devastating and I can only imagine what it takes to recover from something like that. And/or the result of what it can do to people.

I'm actually from Oakland California, but I have little memory of it. (I've always been told Oakland can be kinda shady.)We moved to Kentucky then Florida, where my dad's parents forced my mom to settle until my dad retired from the Navy. We grew up pretty poor but things over time got better. I've always been told that if yer American you can't ever complain about not doing what you want cause even if you don't see opportunity it's there. Which is not always the case elsewhere.

And also I'm a bigger fan of Okami than Zelda. Just gunna throw that on the table. I try my best not to glorify my fan art, but I definitely make exceptions for Amaterasu. That game was just beautiful. Also Ami is my lead in Marvel Vs Capcom 3. Haha she's amazing in every game.

Darn it this thread is a disease. I tried but can't win. Lolz

 

[Zulehan]

Sorry: would have replied sooner, but laying down when you are tired has a way of turning people into avid snorers.

See I had a feeling you were a writer. Might've been how articulate/clever you seem throughout the forum. I have to applaud yer skill because it makes it that much harder to keep my responses short lolz it's like you can elaborate on any topic someone throws at you. I have to say that's difficult considering every time you post it's like I imagine Pippy. XD hopefully that's not bizarre, but it's fun to think you've given me this perspective of her being a wide owl instead of a peppy rabbit.

Heh, every time I respond to you, I actually feel inadequate, though since all that remains in my head and only the confident words come out, it seems like I do not struggle to say something.

Reminds me that oftentimes aspiring writers wonder how professional writers manage to be so confident, when in actuality this confidence is a matter of discipline rather than an absence of self-doubt: the self-doubt is always at the edges biting the conscience, telling the writer this is not good enough, you will never be good enough.

So I am trying to have more discipline, to believe in myself more, but with the expectation that I will always have doubts, and will always have to fight them. Gotta aspire to write professionally well before I become a professional writer, which is why even at a forum I put effort into what I say.

But I feel a lot more anxiety than you might have realized about whether my replies are even up to snuff.

And I just love the idea of being thought of as Pippy every time I post; you are not the first to say so, too.

Finally, you praise me, but I very much enjoy reading your posts.

In college for me, not understanding the point seemed like common ground. Stuff like "the eyeballs to the world" kinda threw me off. I'm all for unconventional but I want to say most of that happened because someone forgot to do their homework and tried to ad lib Lolz there were several fine artist that I have to say kinda went beyond me. I've been forced to critique artwork for so long seriously the scariest phrase anyone can ask is "what do you think?" Normally my go-to is "I don't think." But that's why I'm always impressed by your charisma when it comes to owning a thread like this. You handle it effortlessly.

If I correctly understand you, I certainly read poetry or other writings sometimes and think there is less sophistication here than people suggest. In other words, sometimes I feel like people write things a certain way just to sound sophisticated.

When I write, I always wonder: how can I write things simply, so that even the most illiterate person can get the gist. After all, no matter how awesome a writer you suppose to be, the point of writing is to communicate messages, and if the audience is not getting those messages you fail as a writer. (Of course, for poetry and other creative writing, messages related to the reader are often unintentional/their own inventions, which is still communicating messages to readers, only creatively rather than informatively).

Going back to other writings, sometimes people will put a lot of effort into flowery sentences to tell the same old story, and I wonder where is the imagination, the daring, the development. I am not talking about using the same archetypes, etc., as I believe all stories are heavily influenced by literary and cultural norms, but following conventions for the sake of following conventions, as that is the 'safe' way to write, rather than using the storytelling medium to explore, to dare, to reflect. If that makes any sense.

Finally, as a writer it occurred to me that oftentimes what struck me as simplistic work only seemed that way because I 'lived' with it, while other readers have to create their own subtexts/below-the-surface meanings. I think once this is realized the insecurity about my writing lessened. So I would read a short story to a friend, and he would say, 'I like how it seemed your character, Effie, was sinking into the several levels of Hell.' And I would tell him, See, this is what I meant about earlier. You created a subtext, and it is at this point I as the writer say, 'Yeah, I was totally going for that.'

I wonder if anything I just said is even remotely related to what you said.

Jeepney! That's the word. I couldn't remember what it was called since everyone just refers to them as jeeps. I laughed when I read about the London driver. It always amuses me whenever Filipinos stump other cultures. Where I live the pan handling thing is an issue, but I'm sure it's got to be sad over there. Also considering their recent natural disasters. That news was devastating and I can only imagine what it takes to recover from something like that. And/or the result of what it can do to people.

Yeah, not to mention that the Philippines, after the Second Great War, ironically benefited little from being part of the Allied forces, and rather it was the Axis powers such as Japan that received the bulk of aid through the Marshal Plan and other efforts. So the Philippines remains too underdeveloped to be listed as a Global North country at least for the next few decades, and so much of the development is focused on Manila rather than other areas: it is like the makings of a First World city-state within a stagnating Third World nation-state. But I have high hopes for the nationwide economic and social prosperity of the country, especially after reading such encouraging forecasts by organizations such as the CIA, World Bank, and United Nations: it is expected to become the fifteenth largest economy in the world within my lifetime, if memory serves.

I'm actually from Oakland California, but I have little memory of it. (I've always been told Oakland can be kinda shady.)

It certainly is economically troubled: there are a lot of areas in the city dominated by liquor stores without grocery stores in place, so some locals have created their own grocery stands that have locally grown vegetables, fruits, and protein-laden foods in paper bags, which they hand over to residents for a low price. The idea is that the liquor store often does not provide all the necessities for healthy living, so they make up the deficit. Oakland may not be as troubled as the average Third World city, but for the First World it is certainly in a less than ideal state. That said, people there certainly are not standing idly by.

We moved to Kentucky then Florida, where my dad's parents forced my mom to settle until my dad retired from the Navy. We grew up pretty poor but things over time got better. I've always been told that if yer American you can't ever complain about not doing what you want cause even if you don't see opportunity it's there. Which is not always the case elsewhere.

You got around quite a bit, it sounds like. I moved a lot, too, but stayed in the southern California area. Ironically, I moved from a more middle class Glendale to the highly impoverished west San Bernardino, and now live in the quickly developing west Highland (or, more accurately, an unincorporated pocket of San Bernardino that is largely taken care of by Highland). So I grew up in an impoverished area, but under the protection of my mom, who knew the life of a lower-class farmer in the Third World, and wanted to make sure that here in the States I never had to experience what she did.

I certainly believe there is far more opportunity here in the States than in the Philippines for upward mobility, but also believe that there is plenty to complain about, especially with the growing divide between rich and poor fueled by a shrinking middle class. And I also believe that just because our conditions are not as bad as the average Third Worlder, that does not mean the issues are not notable. People here do suffer and die in the midst of wealth because they did not receive much needed help.

For instance, the San Bernardino County Sun recently reported on a health care crises, which specifically focused on the quick growth of Emergency Room admittance due to an inability by patients to otherwise see a doctor, and how waiting times in southern California notably exceed the rest of the country, to the point of some medical scholars calling the situation inhumane.

And also I'm a bigger fan of Okami than Zelda. Just gunna throw that on the table. I try my best not to glorify my fan art, but I definitely make exceptions for Amaterasu. That game was just beautiful. Also Ami is my lead in Marvel Vs Capcom 3. Haha she's amazing in every game.

Yes, I own this game for... PS2, was it? I am tempted to re-buy it for the Wii. Also, I believe there was a DS version that I might want to buy, too.

Still a big fan of Zelda, though. Recently finished beating A Link to the Past for the umpteenth time on the Wii U virtual console. And bought the Wii U over a year ago to play Windwaker (which I missed on the Gamecube), and for the upcoming Wii U Zelda game.

Speaking of style, the whimsical cartoony look of Windwaker actually makes me think of Ōkami, though obviously the wet paintbrush look is more apparent in the latter.

Have not played Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (or any game from the franchise, for that matter), but maybe I will check it out. (Do not recall the last time I played one of those fighter games since Guilty Gear for the PS1.)

Darn it this thread is a disease. I tried but can't win. Lolz

Heh.

Thank you, as always, for the feedback.

 

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Spoiler: whoopies

I never take it personally if you don't reply instantly, btw. You'll notice that my replies will usually have a giant duration of time between them. As the day goes, I'll write parts on my phone and then append it on my computer when that moment to, so excuse how sporadic I sound sometimes.

Actually every response spans from like 8 or 12 hours after I read what you wrote lolz. My train of thought gets interrupted by projectile miniature cars quite often.

As an artist, I get what yer saying. I was never formally trained before going to college so the intimidation was enormous. Suddenly that small town hero thing was gone and I was competing against people who were very familiar with technique like it was cooking a pancake... and I mean, I suck at pancakes, so imagine the fear there. A lot of my doubt comes from that because it's a difficult life experience to shake off once you've been use to it. Even on this forum, I have this awareness that I could sell artwork for tbt and just be done with it, but I won't because its been forever since I've made an effort. So I'm killing the opportunity over the idea that my style might not be appreciated since I'm not a heavy anime artist. (I try but it never looks exactly like 'their' anime cause I have my own spin on it.) I should know better, but eh. I liked that you referred to it as having discipline.

I, admittedly, am very intimidated by writers. I've never been the type to be good with words so I've always relied on drawing to speak for me. For the sake of this conversation, I'm gunna say my medium can become a little more literal in that sense. I think the ability to evoke the visual without a physical reference is actually quite amazing. If someone told me to express sadness because of a breakup, I could easily draw someone crying holding a love note ...or something... and of course people would get it, but writers can take that same concept and turn it into something that pulls deeper. As dumb as it sounds, I'm always finding single words that can explain a mess of emotion. Like... teenage love is 'ephemeral' seems to paint a better picture then saying teenage love doesn't last. I think I'm starting to blather on.

But yes! on the sophisticated twist. It is like saying the same ole thing and dressing it up doesn't always bring out something more. I think what I like about how you write is the sincerity behind yer words. I've been in social groups that consider themselves writers, but personally, it feels like they're only reading books or studying the language because they feel like it separates them from society to have that particular knowledge over the common folk. They like to envelope a struggle with a fancy stamp and call it quits however. I've poked some people on their writings, even with my lack of understanding most of it, and I never get a decent response. Instead it always goes that direction of 'if you don't get it then you don't deserve an explanation. fufufu to you commoner.' So I have a very high appreciation that you do take the time to understand what someone is expressing to you and, in my opinion, it shows to me that you do love what you do and want to expand more. Which I think is great. You don't talk down to people either which I commend because sometimes I find that really hard to do on this forum.

I dunno why you'd even feel inadequate to respond because you've successful kept me thinking past "I bid 20 mil" which, I have to say, should be my quote on Bell Tree. Despite having a ton of distractions and with the time I'm warranted, I do aspire to keep up better. I think I'm really casual, so I wish I could respond as well as you can. Its nice to have to exercise the brain a lil lolz

Maybe I'll start writing my responses into comic book form since I'm a tad better condensing things that way.

---

Though I've moved around a lot of it was when I was really young, so I only have memories of stuff like yellow tulips and maybe this five seconds of playing in snow, which isn't enough to make a definition of.

I wish I knew more about the Philippines, but luckily yer helping me gather that information more effectively than my mother haha My dad always complains that hes forced to pay for her international channels and yet she's always misinforming herself of whats going on over there. Granted she watches a lot of talent shows and soap operas...

The Japanese occupation of the Philippines sounds familiar. I think that was brought up to me during my 'anime phase' and why I should hate the Japanese not support them lol My mom's response to the Grave of the Fireflies; "Good."

---

And yer right about the shrinking middle class. In my field of view, I noticed a lot of people around me have created their own demise. Personally, its hard to take a side because what I see is people choosing to own three brand new cars and not pay their mortgages. And I use to be a store manager for a small business ice cream store and at first it was such a nice community accent where people would get hired to keep their families going, but over time greed got the better of things... employees never got raises and machines never got fixed.... and we would get the same ole 'bad economy' excuse while the owners daughter had a new designer bag every month. After a while, the store was not making enough to keep the accounts going and I was always in charge of having to dodge debt collectors. All the same those people would be going on vacation to their condos that they obviously couldn't afford. I would never consider them 'rich' because their debts outweigh their income. It was sad to watch them living out that lie, but they definitely were good at looking the part.

Granted... Florida is a big state in stuff like fraud, so that becomes my perspective. I think there is a lot of people living past their means and are bitter that it's not working out and the government isn't helping them. What sucks about that is the people who do feel the sting from poverty don't have a voice because people who aren't that bad off are pretending to be, which robs the needy from actually seeing any real benefit from programs that were set up to help them. I do think a lot of our issues are because everyone is out for themselves and not connected to the sense of community anymore.

--

The reason I'm not too big into Zelda is because it does kinda follow that classic fairy tale formula, save the princess. (Its weird but thats the same reason I couldn't get into Mario) I have never beaten a Zelda game even though I've tried many of them, but that's really as far as my defense goes. Its pretty sad and I'll admit that looks worse reading it than when I was thinking it.

And yes Okamiden! but the impact wasn't quite there like the PS2/Wii platform of Okami. It kinda gave me the impression that it was developed to run with the fad rather then take things a step further. It was fun, but it kinda went along with the first game more than I wanted it to in some places and less in others.

ah crud blathers I'm gunna end here haha

Note: I wish I drew this picture... I dunno if I'll get in trouble for posting it XD its almost a bad word.

 

[Zulehan]

As an artist, I get what yer saying. I was never formally trained before going to college so the intimidation was enormous. Suddenly that small town hero thing was gone and I was competing against people who were very familiar with technique like it was cooking a pancake... and I mean, I suck at pancakes, so imagine the fear there. A lot of my doubt comes from that because it's a difficult life experience to shake off once you've been use to it. Even on this forum, I have this awareness that I could sell artwork for tbt and just be done with it, but I won't because its been forever since I've made an effort. So I'm killing the opportunity over the idea that my style might not be appreciated since I'm not a heavy anime artist. (I try but it never looks exactly like 'their' anime cause I have my own spin on it.) I should know better, but eh. I liked that you referred to it as having discipline.

Heh, but having your 'own spin on it' is precisely why I went to Gracelia and asked for a watercolor style signature set. I am sure there are people craving something different here, rather than the same style. I believe a lot of people might just get the same style because they do not know there are others. After all, they are not the graphic designers: they are not the ones worrying about 'takes' on AC related signatures.

And because of your mention of small town and food, I immediately thought of the character Megumi Tadokoro from Shokugeki no Soma. Tadokoro worked hard learning to cook and became the local hero at it for her small town, but all that confidence dissipates when she reaches the 'big leagues' in the form of the most prestigious cooking school in her country, filled with people who worked hard like her and 'know' they will make it to the top over the bodies of their competitors. But another unlikely 'winner' in this cutthroat school is the son of a small restaurant owner in a quaint district who does not fear getting in competitor's faces despite not being from the 'right' lineage, and who encourages everyone around him.

This encouragement rekindles Tadokoro's confidence, so that when she participates in the 'elections' (a series of cooking fights where the student government body is determined, heh), she does not break down under the pressure of going up against another small town cooking heavyweight, one with a completely different style from hers: Tadokoro focuses on 'pleasant' dishes, while her competitor is about 'violent flavor.' Tadokoro's most unorthodox 'clear' soup did not win the match, but it was such a superb dish that nobody felt she was in the wrong place (i.e., under the roof of a prestigious cooking school).

I, admittedly, am very intimidated by writers. I've never been the type to be good with words so I've always relied on drawing to speak for me. For the sake of this conversation, I'm gunna say my medium can become a little more literal in that sense. I think the ability to evoke the visual without a physical reference is actually quite amazing. If someone told me to express sadness because of a breakup, I could easily draw someone crying holding a love note ...or something... and of course people would get it, but writers can take that same concept and turn it into something that pulls deeper. As dumb as it sounds, I'm always finding single words that can explain a mess of emotion. Like... teenage love is 'ephemeral' seems to paint a better picture then saying teenage love doesn't last. I think I'm starting to blather on.

Ooh, I love 'imagery' in poetry, and consider my style 'imagism.' In this sense, I am in love with Elizabeth Bishop's 'The Fish' for its four to eight syllable lines, each line containing its own rich image, seemingly describing a simple incident of a fisherman catching a fish and letting it go, but giving just that hint of spiritual subtext near the end: http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/index.php?date=2003/07/10

That said, you envy the writer, while I envy the drawer. Here you are going on about the creation of image without physical reference, while I think about the drawer's ability to tell a story without words. If you have not seen it, I recently wrote a poem about sculptures and statues, and how they saw a lot about the society that made them: certain interests or the 'wider society' tells a story about what it means to belong to that society, and everyone melts into the message without resistance, without even being aware that resistance might be necessary.

And I am brought back to my art essay, where I talked about a sculpture made of reddish-purple stone that depicted the Tetrarchy, or 'college of four,' that held the Roman Empire together after the 'Crises of the Third Century.' I spoke about how the sculpture clearly was idealistic just as some art historians say, but that it also spoke much about the humanity behind the divine-like figures: the positions of the statues (two men in the front with an arm over the other two) and the presence of a beard for the two man in front reinforced a sense of heirarchy, but also hinted at the provincial, non-patrician origin of men who rose through military rank (as the beard on an Emperor would mean soldier class). In other words, the sculpture told a story of Rome in flux. And finally, I talked about how these exercises of discovering the story behind the sculpture is very much like the efforts of literature historians to analyze written works. The literary historian finds subtext in words, while the art historian finds subtext in the images.

Finally, when I set up a sub-forum for members' creative works at my forum, I included a quotation above the topic listing that had to do with writing, but also of course included one having to do with drawing or sculpting (visual arts):

'I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.' Attributed to Michaelangelo.

But yes! on the sophisticated twist. It is like saying the same ole thing and dressing it up doesn't always bring out something more. I think what I like about how you write is the sincerity behind yer words. I've been in social groups that consider themselves writers, but personally, it feels like they're only reading books or studying the language because they feel like it separates them from society to have that particular knowledge over the common folk. They like to envelope a struggle with a fancy stamp and call it quits however. I've poked some people on their writings, even with my lack of understanding most of it, and I never get a decent response. Instead it always goes that direction of 'if you don't get it then you don't deserve an explanation. fufufu to you commoner.' So I have a very high appreciation that you do take the time to understand what someone is expressing to you and, in my opinion, it shows to me that you do love what you do and want to expand more. Which I think is great. You don't talk down to people either which I commend because sometimes I find that really hard to do on this forum.

I believe some people still think it was a bad idea to make education available to people in general, rather than a privileged few. People time and time again have felt that knowledge in the 'wrong' hands puts society in danger, when in actuality it is the ability to record what we have learned that allows society to advance. There is nothing wrong with being proud that you understand much, but I believe that pride should be predicated on a willingness to share and explain. What I found to be the highest compliment by a fellow student with I shared a chapter from a textbook was that she could actually visualize what I was explaining about an aspect of ancient Roman domestic life: she could feel the rain falling from the courtyard onto the hollow pool, she can hear the dining room conversations against the backdrop of monochromatic paintings.

I think it is far more rewarding and sensible for a lover of literature to spread that love without an air of superiority, rather than to bask in being the holder of secret knowledge that supposedly only you can truly understand and respect.

And that point about sincerity reminds me that even a man I respect greatly accused me of dishonesty, or rather being smug, because of the way I talk. That was years ago, but that accusation made me shiver because that should certainly not be how I am coming across. I have had to work at appearing less full of myself, and part of my reply to the person I still of course respect is that I would sometimes be too cautious, too overbearing in the way I talk not out of smugness, but at an insecurity over my use of language. After all, how could he know my background: that I was born to a Filipino farmer and grew up speaking Ilonggo, and that she encouraged me to abandon this identity and focus on making mastery of English my focus?

By the way, I have a feeling that someone else with an ask topic also thinks I am being smug, which is why I shy away from compliments: it is particularly easy to come across as smug on the Internet, where mannerisms, the body at ease, honest warmth, etc., does not come through with the text. In other words, I might come across as writing these walls of text in order to then admire those walls of text, as if I were staring with admiration at my own reflection.

Though I've moved around a lot of it was when I was really young, so I only have memories of stuff like yellow tulips and maybe this five seconds of playing in snow, which isn't enough to make a definition of.

I wish I knew more about the Philippines, but luckily yer helping me gather that information more effectively than my mother haha My dad always complains that hes forced to pay for her international channels and yet she's always misinforming herself of whats going on over there. Granted she watches a lot of talent shows and soap operas...

The Japanese occupation of the Philippines sounds familiar. I think that was brought up to me during my 'anime phase' and why I should hate the Japanese not support them lol My mom's response to the Grave of the Fireflies; "Good."

Oh, wow, bad blood by your mother over the Japanese. The occupation is still apparent in everyday life in the Philippines. My favorite aunt is an elementary school teacher in Bacolod, and the building she teaches in was used during the Second Great War for the Japanese soldiers to use their 'comfort' women, if you get my drift, and as they referred to their sex slaves. While my uncle drove my family to another town, we passed a bridge that overlooked an archaic, incomplete bridge that, as he informed me, was built during the Second Great War by Filipino slaves under Japanese soldiers. And of course there is the memory in living Filipinos traumatized by the events, and the families who suffer alongside their traumatized brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, cousins, etc. My grandmother is one of these people, her memories including hiding behind the brush soaked by rain as Japanese soldiers marched by.

But I am glad the Allies learned from the mistakes of the Great War, at least when it came to being the victors: grinding your enemies to the dust will come back to bite you. Instead, improve conditions so that people have the opportunity to reflect, atone, and move on. So many people suffered in Axis and Allied countries alike, and I wish there is healing in all of them.

That said, sounds like your mother has that Filipino channel and often makes long-distance calls to the Philippines. My mom really wants the Filipino channel, but I am surprised she has not gotten it. She does often make the calls, however. Then of course there are the several recent trips to the Philippines.

And yer right about the shrinking middle class. In my field of view, I noticed a lot of people around me have created their own demise. Personally, its hard to take a side because what I see is people choosing to own three brand new cars and not pay their mortgages. And I use to be a store manager for a small business ice cream store and at first it was such a nice community accent where people would get hired to keep their families going, but over time greed got the better of things... employees never got raises and machines never got fixed.... and we would get the same ole 'bad economy' excuse while the owners daughter had a new designer bag every month. After a while, the store was not making enough to keep the accounts going and I was always in charge of having to dodge debt collectors. All the same those people would be going on vacation to their condos that they obviously couldn't afford. I would never consider them 'rich' because their debts outweigh their income. It was sad to watch them living out that lie, but they definitely were good at looking the part.

America certainly is struggling with defining the role of government, and the responsibility of individuals. I am brought back to the Great Depression and how Franklin Roosevelt was prompted to reform by a growing socialist and communist movement in a country that had long been atypical of other developed democracies by its aversion to such movements.

Relatedly, when it comes to extensive government economic and political control (or statism), I believe Americans share more in common with Europeans that they realize. For instance, despite often being called the only developed country without universal healthcare, the States nonetheless has one of the most developed and heavily funded public-private hybrid healthcare systems in the world; i.e., America is very much a welfare state.

So in such ways Americans may be seen as far more statist than they realize, while it is also true that Americans see themselves as antistatist, or very much invested in small government and individual responsibilities. In short, there are two large strains of thought in America today (statism and antistatism), and I believe both influence us heavily regardless of which strain we lean on.

Granted... Florida is a big state in stuff like fraud, so that becomes my perspective. I think there is a lot of people living past their means and are bitter that it's not working out and the government isn't helping them. What sucks about that is the people who do feel the sting from poverty don't have a voice because people who aren't that bad off are pretending to be, which robs the needy from actually seeing any real benefit from programs that were set up to help them. I do think a lot of our issues are because everyone is out for themselves and not connected to the sense of community anymore.

Speaking of people who really do feel the sting of poverty, also does not help to have influential think tanks like Heritage Foundation having the audacity to claim that poverty in America is simply a myth.

The reason I'm not too big into Zelda is because it does kinda follow that classic fairy tale formula, save the princess. (Its weird but thats the same reason I couldn't get into Mario) I have never beaten a Zelda game even though I've tried many of them, but that's really as far as my defense goes. Its pretty sad and I'll admit that looks worse reading it than when I was thinking it.

Then Majora's Mask would be a breath of fresh air.

And yes Okamiden! but the impact wasn't quite there like the PS2/Wii platform of Okami. It kinda gave me the impression that it was developed to run with the fad rather then take things a step further. It was fun, but it kinda went along with the first game more than I wanted it to in some places and less in others.

Oh, good to hear it was still fun. I might still get it then, heh.

ah crud blathers I'm gunna end here haha

Note: I wish I drew this picture... I dunno if I'll get in trouble for posting it XD its almost a bad word.

Ha, I can imagine the next image having a close-up of Blathers with blood-shot eyes saying, 'Sorry, let me rephrase that: give me your foking fossil right foking now.'

I am sad to be new to AC, since I started the franchise with New Leaf not initially knowing that Blathers was more of a character in a previous AC game. I wish the developers kept his unique dialog about the bugs and fossils you collect.

Much thanks for the talk, as always.

 

[Lock]

Haha! I love how the Japanese conceive exaggerated competitions/tournaments from almost anything. I'm sure there has to be one about pogs somewhere. "My dad taught me everything he knows, but unfortunately he died in the great pog war against the Pog Overloard. Now I cannot rest until I defeat the Pog Overlord and avenge him." XD (Not to poke fun at anime/manga, but I kinda am. I'll always be a sucker for it nonetheless.)

I should look that up because recently I've been watching the Food Network. It sounds like Shokugeki no Soma takes Chopped to a new level of cooking drama lolz. I've actually been watching shows that have to deal with cakes/cupcakes; mostly because I was a cake decorator at my last job. I'm not a pastry type of person, but I have to say decorating desserts is fun and gets the best of my girlie side.

Ah man I melted at 'the mechanism of his jaw'.
Seeing that I've had to deal with a lot of fishermen, that poem really hits home in a lot of ways. Like the description of colors and details reminds me of being on the Skyway Bridge in Tampa... Like even if it's just talking about a fish, it makes me imagine this background of overcast on the ocean at 7 in the morning. Of course I can see and feel it myself, but I'm terrible at describing it. lolz Also I can't tell if its about a fresh water fish, but generally my mind likes to go back to the ocean whenever permitted. oh and 'a five-haired beard of wisdom trailing from his aching jaw' gave me this cute little picture of a grandpa fish that's told a lot of stories haha. But did the fisherman let the fish go because it didn't fight back or just because they felt a connection to it? That's kinda confusing me a bit.

oOo are you talking about the four tetrarchs that lost their noses? If I'm picturing the same sculpture, I think that was the Roman notable that didn't distinguish each individual, but rather suggested the nature of the tetrarchy itself. If its the same one, I do remember it was important because it basically borrowed the Egyptian kouros stance in order to give the figures an iconic feeling rather than stylized realism. I think it was Late Antiquity because of the spiritual meaning behind it. (Ugh foggy memory)

Art is absolutely one of the universal languages (I guess another one is math.) But without literature a lot of what we see would not exist. In the same sense, without religion, we would never have the masters of art. (Since biblical icons were heavy subjects for patrons.) I guess in a way, tradesmen were separated since the beginning, given that in the past only selective figures had the means to create. Besides pieces like the Venus of Willendorf, if you didn't have power behind you then yer work gets lost in history. Its just always odd to me that it still exists in people's minds because we all have the opportunity to master a skill and aren't bound by class.

Have you ever read the Giver? I know the movie just came out (I was like one of three people in that theater when it released, which I think is a shame.) It is one of my favorite books even though I read it in the fourth grade. But I think it plays out the idea of what happens when society is built to 'protect those from the truth' and how the ones who know the secrets only wish to share it. I mean I could go on and on about it, but since the movie came out I've been told to stop chattering about it. lolz

I noticed in ACNL that the smug personalities kinda border hipster a bit. But for the fun of referencing AC, I'd say yer more Zell smug than Julian smug. I got excited because Zell was the first one of my animals to talk about the trains and I thought that was pretty rad. In my mind, it was like Zell had some passion behind his sleepy eyelids. A couple months later though Julian repeated it and it made me feel like he was just competing. Its like Julian, just go back to talking about yer fashion sense, get out of here.

If Zell isn't behind his bar then he's fishing. I mean he's just a cool dude.

In my case with people, I get confused for a 17 year old all the time because of the way I look. So whenever I start talking about something 'I'm not suppose to know about' I usually get those stares like oh you think yer better than me? People will always make their own conclusions, but it becomes tricky because of having to filter which comments will help you improve versus the ones that are just coming from someone's self doubt. I think Im at the point in my life where I get it, but I just don't bother executing it. Honestly, I don't see an issue with yer persona because it is what separates you from the lot, but wanting to be better is always a good thing. It's like art, nothing is ever finished.

Poor Blathers. I have to say he use to drive me crazy and I was excited that they stopped him from having a heart attack every time you handed him something, but now that its gone I'm starting to miss our talks. Whenever I donate he just stands there and I'm like... "um..okay... anything else Blathers?" then he proceeds to go back to sleep.

Wish I could expand more, but I just saw a ball fly past my head. -___-

 

[Zulehan]

Haha! I love how the Japanese conceive exaggerated competitions/tournaments from almost anything. I'm sure there has to be one about pogs somewhere. "My dad taught me everything he knows, but unfortunately he died in the great pog war against the Pog Overloard. Now I cannot rest until I defeat the Pog Overlord and avenge him." XD (Not to poke fun at anime/manga, but I kinda am. I'll always be a sucker for it nonetheless.)

Oh, man, exaggeration is the name of the game in that comic. To show that judges were enjoying the 'carnival of flavors' for the beef stew of one cook, it was not enough to merely depict their happiness, but now they were all wearing school uniforms, riding the roller coaster, taking pictures next to mascots, etc, etc. The most recent chapter introduced two student chefs about to face off, and it looked like they were two generals about to lead nations to war, rather than two young adults about to put a food dish together. And do not even get me started on the president of the school, who despite being old looks like he could be the physical trainer for Arnold Schwarzenegger.

And my brother told me about another comic called Prince of Tennis where two competitors for some reason are facing off on a court that manages to stay in place while the world literally falls away around it, and one competitor wins by striking the winning blow with only one string left on the racket.

What? Ha, ha. Ah, I love it.

Yeah, I have been making fun of the cooking comic because of its exaggeration, but I know the author is having a lot of fun with that exaggeration, and it adds a lot to the enjoyment.

I should look that up because recently I've been watching the Food Network. It sounds like Shokugeki no Soma takes Chopped to a new level of cooking drama lolz. I've actually been watching shows that have to deal with cakes/cupcakes; mostly because I was a cake decorator at my last job. I'm not a pastry type of person, but I have to say decorating desserts is fun and gets the best of my girlie side.

I miss the original Iron Chef because the voice-overs were such terrible exaggerations. And whenever the 'reporter' wanted to share with the judges what the cooks were up to, it sounded like he was shouting 'squeeze on!'

For an exciting one-on-one without the competitors being douches to each other, I very much prefer the show Beat Bobby Flay, rather than shows like Cutthroat Kitchen. Also, Best Kitchen surprisingly does not have Chef Ramsay just screaming at people about how horrible they are, so I think this show is quite fun, as well.

Ah man I melted at 'the mechanism of his jaw'.
Seeing that I've had to deal with a lot of fishermen, that poem really hits home in a lot of ways. Like the description of colors and details reminds me of being on the Skyway Bridge in Tampa... Like even if it's just talking about a fish, it makes me imagine this background of overcast on the ocean at 7 in the morning. Of course I can see and feel it myself, but I'm terrible at describing it. lolz Also I can't tell if its about a fresh water fish, but generally my mind likes to go back to the ocean whenever permitted. oh and 'a five-haired beard of wisdom trailing from his aching jaw' gave me this cute little picture of a grandpa fish that's told a lot of stories haha. But did the fisherman let the fish go because it didn't fight back or just because they felt a connection to it? That's kinda confusing me a bit.

I think either interpretation works. What I got from it is the fish already endured so much in life that nothing the fisherman did could take away from that, and the fisherman felt envious of the fish.

But yeah, everything you took away from the poem without it being explicitly said: I love that effect of written work. And that poem reminds me not to over-pack my narratives with description, but rather give just enough for the readers to construct their own words.

oOo are you talking about the four tetrarchs that lost their noses? If I'm picturing the same sculpture, I think that was the Roman notable that didn't distinguish each individual, but rather suggested the nature of the tetrarchy itself. If its the same one, I do remember it was important because it basically borrowed the Egyptian kouros stance in order to give the figures an iconic feeling rather than stylized realism. I think it was Late Antiquity because of the spiritual meaning behind it. (Ugh foggy memory)

Yes, I agree with that assessment, yet am not sure the individual is lost entirely. My reasoning is is this: the Tetrarchy gained power at a time when the patricians were losing their power, and the plebians were regaining a foothold in governance. Along those lines, the two senior and two junior members of the Tetrarchy all grew up from plebian families, and rose to power through the military. The beards and the positioning of the figures would not have been lost on the plebian audience that the sculptures were aimed at. I think the plebian background of the Tetrarchy shines through in the sculpture despite the iconic feel.

Oh, and I am referring to the sculpture made of porphyry, or that purplish red stone chosen specifically to suggest the Tetrarchy shared a close connection to the gods, and were royalty.

Art is absolutely one of the universal languages (I guess another one is math.) But without literature a lot of what we see would not exist. In the same sense, without religion, we would never have the masters of art. (Since biblical icons were heavy subjects for patrons.) I guess in a way, tradesmen were separated since the beginning, given that in the past only selective figures had the means to create. Besides pieces like the Venus of Willendorf, if you didn't have power behind you then yer work gets lost in history. Its just always odd to me that it still exists in people's minds because we all have the opportunity to master a skill and aren't bound by class.

When it comes to artwork, I am naturally drawn to the cultural context that can be gleaned from the literature. For instance, when considering that Greco-Roman sculpture 'old market woman,' I think about it being a product of a the late Hellenistic period, and also created under Roman patrons. But I also think about how the Hellenistic Greeks, though fragmented, still formed a power center in the south Rome, and in a sense might still be considered patrons for Roman art.

Also, you remind me how the museum Venus of Willendorf is housed in adds quite a bit of 'theater' to bring the sculpture to life, but we know so little about it. Reminds me of the theater ancient Greek priests would attach to every single sculpture and statue they displayed.

Have you ever read the Giver? I know the movie just came out (I was like one of three people in that theater when it released, which I think is a shame.) It is one of my favorite books even though I read it in the fourth grade. But I think it plays out the idea of what happens when society is built to 'protect those from the truth' and how the ones who know the secrets only wish to share it. I mean I could go on and on about it, but since the movie came out I've been told to stop chattering about it. lolz

Have not seen it, but heard about it, and know the awesome Jeff Bridges is in it. I believe it was a fellow student, a librarian, who talked about it in a children's literature class. For some reason, the novel makes me think about Jeanne DuPrau's The City of Ember.

I noticed in ACNL that the smug personalities kinda border hipster a bit. But for the fun of referencing AC, I'd say yer more Zell smug than Julian smug. I got excited because Zell was the first one of my animals to talk about the trains and I thought that was pretty rad. In my mind, it was like Zell had some passion behind his sleepy eyelids. A couple months later though Julian repeated it and it made me feel like he was just competing. Its like Julian, just go back to talking about yer fashion sense, get out of here.

If Zell isn't behind his bar then he's fishing. I mean he's just a cool dude.

I like Zell; thought of keeping him. Never did 'get' Julian, though.

In my case with people, I get confused for a 17 year old all the time because of the way I look. So whenever I start talking about something 'I'm not suppose to know about' I usually get those stares like oh you think yer better than me? People will always make their own conclusions, but it becomes tricky because of having to filter which comments will help you improve versus the ones that are just coming from someone's self doubt. I think Im at the point in my life where I get it, but I just don't bother executing it. Honestly, I don't see an issue with yer persona because it is what separates you from the lot, but wanting to be better is always a good thing. It's like art, nothing is ever finished.

I am the big guy with scruffy beard who looks much older and up to no good. I have seen people shocked to find I tutor, and not just remedial English but — no way! What? — college English. I was recently interrogated by a security guard for potentially 'smoking' when I got lost on campus for five seconds (I was only on campus in the first place to tutor). I sometimes notice someone go out of their way to avoid my walking path in broad daylight with plenty of people around (and I check my body odor; I just showered and smell fine). And I remember when someone high on drugs crashed into me, but the police treated me like a belligerent (my manner in real life is the same as this forum) — giving the other person more time to speak, repeatedly asking if they are alright.

Poor Blathers. I have to say he use to drive me crazy and I was excited that they stopped him from having a heart attack every time you handed him something, but now that its gone I'm starting to miss our talks. Whenever I donate he just stands there and I'm like... "um..okay... anything else Blathers?" then he proceeds to go back to sleep.

Heh. Wish I had that experience. The same with other NPCs like the the Able sisters. My memory is not so good on the Able sisters' history, but I remember it being a story of overcoming challenges to make their own business.

Wish I could expand more, but I just saw a ball fly past my head. -___-

If I read that correctly, I know what you mean. I am often writing my replies as my nephew attempts to rip the keys off my keyboard, send the mouse to the floor, and decipher the purpose of the 3DS.

 

[Delphine]

'sup? :3

 

[Zulehan]

'sup? :3

I am hip to the jive hardcore, yo.

I mean, good.

Hope you are doing well, too.

 

[Delphine]

I am hip to the jive hardcore, yo.

I mean, good.

Hope you are doing well, too.

Nice to know you're doing fine! n_n/ I'm okay too.

Do you think you have a good knowledge of national flags across the world?

 

[Zulehan]

Nice to know you're doing fine! n_n/ I'm okay too.

Glad to know.

Do you think you have a good knowledge of national flags across the world?

Nope. I am the worst person to ask for details about national flags. Most flags I would recognize right away I only vaguely recall color combinations for. So... South Africa's would have green, maybe red, and there must be black and white. Just looked it up after saying that, and notice I missed the yellow and blue. Let us see... Philippines would have blue, red, white, and yellow. Yay, got that one.

On the other hand, I bet you must have photographic memory for national flags.

 

[Delphine]

Nope. I am the worst person to ask for details about national flags. Most flags I would recognize right away I only vaguely recall color combinations for. So... South Africa's would have green, maybe red, and there must be black and white. Just looked it up after saying that, and notice I missed the yellow and blue. Let us see... Philippines would have blue, red, white, and yellow. Yay, got that one.

Yay for Philippines' flag! I don't think it's extremely important to know countries' flags, it's good enough to be able to place some countries on a map in my opinion. But I think it's quite interesting to know a national flag's history, it usually tells a lot about the country.

On the other hand, I bet you must have photographic memory for national flags.

Not particularly, I just learned all flags from English speaking countries and a few from Africa.

Are there some brands that you especially like? I'm mostly thinking about clothing in general

 

[Zulehan]

Are there some brands that you especially like? I'm mostly thinking about clothing in general

Not particularly, sadly. I like any 'tall' shirts with dark colors. I like button up shirts with the long neck cuffs. Even more, I like cheap. Whatever I like, I wear it as if it were a uniform: all the time when going out. I prefer no labels on shirts unless I actually very much like the label: for instance, I wear a shirt with a logo by TWiT, the Internet-based technology channel, since I watch their programming frequently. I wear a shirt by the band Eluveitie because I find their music relaxing and often listen to them. But most often what I wear looks generic and neutral.

Of course, I am the same with everything else I wear. Perhaps the only exception are my shoes, tough hiking boots imported from Germany, heh. I hate shoes that break apart fast, so I paid the extra dollar for better.

Thank you, Delphine.

 

[brownboy102]

Hi how are ya'?

 

[Zulehan]

Hi how are ya'?

Not sure how I missed this, sorry. I was busy, but fortunately the weekend is here. As always, thank you for the questions, Hardy.

Also, I was going to bump this topic with the following:

The restock, it hath come again
To make a fool of grown-ass men.
They come in flavors, like our candies:
Chastising collectors like inept dandies.
Or hoarding naught but to set aside:
Patron saints who wear their stride.

 

[starlark]

Fun fact for you: The Filipino flag flips colours if it is in war.

Out of war:

In war:

 

[Zulehan]

Fun fact for you: The Filipino flag flips colours if it is in war.

That is definitely quite interesting, Starlark. Thank you. In fact, now I will look up the history behind that practice.

 

[starlark]

That is definitely quite interesting, Starlark. Thank you. In fact, now I will look up the history behind that practice.

It's fine, I didn't know it either. I sourced this particular fact from the human Wikipedia himself: Matthew Santoro :L