Kevin's Watch

Sorus wrote:but I did watch Hale-Bopp from my roof (that ladder was terrifying, and I say that as someone with no real fear of heights).

I am amused by this description.
Props to you if it was a self-motivated escapade! =)

SD wrote:We still have greatly enjoyed each other's company at Elohimfests.

Hence....

Menolly wrote:...but it needs to be done in a civil manner, without tempers flaring up on any side.

(and what Sarge said!)

Okay, so I came on here to tell you guys that I've been away and I'm sorry, BUT I'm writing a short story, and I loooove that!
I am "returning to my roots" and writing a story that mostly consists of logs of fictional internet conversations.
*tries to find the derpiest emoji to follow that*
I'm not going to say that it's people trying to grapple with problems such as sarge and Menolly described, because that would just be toooooo much of a weird coincidence, I think!

I would love it if some of you would read it.
Tell me on-thread or hit me up with PM's saying you want to read it whether you want to read it or not b/c then I'll feel loved and like my work is getting read. (haha, kidding! mostly.)

Oh, but only if you're willing to be 100% scrupulous and not post it anywhere on the internet! b/c that's Not Allowed! (at least for the next few months, I think.)

Other exciting things in my life are that my younger kid decided he wants to program. (which warms this geek-mommy's heart)
...and make computer games, and I asked around and someone suggested I download a 3D GAME ENGINE - which would not have been the first thing I woulda thought of!
It's incredibly engaging for him to learn, though we of course want to get him to be someone who writes good, clean code. (which I realize will not happen by default and/or from him being trained by random beginner classes)

I know it's July and 2020, and a lot of people are sad, angry, stressed, anxious.
So it might be a bit weird, but, I've had a few weeks of being in a little "bubble" of mostly happy-fun-place.
(there's a voice at the back of my mind gnawing at me telling me that's overly rosy depiction and noting a counter-example in my life BUT. I stop there.)

Yes, please. I consistently enjoy your writing, and of course I won't share it (other than with Dam-sel and Menolly, who will abide by the same terms.)

I can read.

Linna Heartbooger wrote:Other exciting things in my life are that my younger kid decided he wants to program. (which warms this geek-mommy's heart)
...and make computer games, and I asked around and someone suggested I download a 3D GAME ENGINE - which would not have been the first thing I woulda thought of!
It's incredibly engaging for him to learn, though we of course want to get him to be someone who writes good, clean code. (which I realize will not happen by default and/or from him being trained by random beginner classes)

Have him download Blender. (If he hasn't already.) It's a free 3D modelling program and a good place to start. It's what I use for my lightsabers.

DigiPen here in Redmond is supposedly a reputable video game programer school. I know they've gone to remote learning during lockdown, but I don't know to what ages they offer classes. It may be only open to high school graduates and above.

Linna Heartbooger wrote:(there's a voice at the back of my mind gnawing at me telling me that's overly rosy depiction and noting a counter-example in my life BUT. I stop there.)

I swear Linna, without a primer reading your writing is like trying to make sense of a bag of badgers!

Lazy Luke wrote:

Linna Heartbooger wrote:(there's a voice at the back of my mind gnawing at me telling me that's overly rosy depiction and noting a counter-example in my life BUT. I stop there.)

I swear Linna, without a primer reading your writing is like trying to make sense of a bag of badgers!

Hahah, love it!
(Which is probably not what you were hoping to hear, given that you're probably encouraging me to try to make my words more comprehensible to the world.)

Ehhh... when I put something in parentheses, it's me saying, "Feel free to skip over this" to someone reading.

Anyway, I think you got the primer b/c you've been around here so long, Luke!
I appreciate your investment of time and thought.
*takes a bow*

Menolly wrote:DigiPen here in Redmond is supposedly a reputable video game programer school. I know they've gone to remote learning during lockdown...

Menolly- Neat! Thank you!
Also, this reminds me that I yearn to try the remote version of an Improv class!! (For me and that same kiddo. For multiple reasons!)
...but I keep putting it off indefinitely.

Khaliban wrote:Have him download Blender. (If he hasn't already.) It's a free 3D modelling program and a good place to start.

Ohmygoodness. That sounds kind of awesome.
(Ah, Opensourcecommunity, what things you have done for the normative pricetags on high quality software!)

sarge and SD- Thank you for being up for reading my story!
(appropriate messages have been sent! SD may get to see two different versions of said story!)

Linna Heartbooger wrote:

Lazy Luke wrote:

Linna Heartbooger wrote:(there's a voice at the back of my mind gnawing at me telling me that's overly rosy depiction and noting a counter-example in my life BUT. I stop there.)

I swear Linna, without a primer reading your writing is like trying to make sense of a bag of badgers!

Hahah, love it!
(Which is probably not what you were hoping to hear, given that you're probably encouraging me to try to make my words more comprehensible to the world.)

Ehhh... when I put something in parentheses, it's me saying, "Feel free to skip over this" to someone reading.

Anyway, I think you got the primer b/c you've been around here so long, Luke!
I appreciate your investment of time and thought.
*takes a bow*

Not really being a member of any KW buddy groups I was thinking that put me in a good position to give an honest opinion, and maybe a little constructive criticism. Friends usually tell you what you want to hear, which keeps you locked in your comfort zone.
However, maybe I was a bit heavy and in doing so painted myself into a corner. I gave this some thought.
I've taken enough creative writing classes down the years to know that you ignore your reader at your peril - losing them quicker than a fart in a confessional.

That being said, I often think when reading you writing that you have too much to say and will pack too much into a sentence. But that's likely a North American thang, easily lost on us Brits.
Multiple view points on multiple levels! You may well be the Mary Alcott of our age, a Virginia Woolf forging a style of writing for a new generation. So don't mind me, I'm only here for the beer!

Khaliban wrote:Have him download Blender. (If he hasn't already.) It's a free 3D modelling program and a good place to start. It's what I use for my lightsabers.

What a learning curve though... I was sad when Caligari went out of business and Truespace stopped being a thing.

I managed to export a model from blender and import it into Truespace (which I still have) to manipulate, then export it from there and import it into Blender, but I have no idea how to texture it, or what sort of scale it would be in the game I was hoping to get somebody to mod it into for me.

--A

Damn, I feel as if things have been vewwy vewwy quiet...

--A

There isn't a wabbit emoticon.

However there is a tiger!

Avatar wrote:I managed to export a model from blender and import it into Truespace (which I still have) to manipulate, then export it from there and import it into Blender, but I have no idea how to texture it, or what sort of scale it would be in the game I was hoping to get somebody to mod it into for me.

--A

Start with a procedural texture, unwrap the UV, and bake the diffuse and normal maps.

Yes, those are all real things.

Sounds like a recipe for radioactive muffins. Not sure where the map fits in.

^ Hahaha ^

Khaliban wrote:Start with a procedural texture, unwrap the UV, and bake the diffuse and normal maps.

I haven't been able to figure out how to even generate / apply a procedural texture yet.

On the other hand, I haven't put much effort into it...no doubt a Blender texture tutorial would sort me out...I'm trying to convince other people to do it for me instead.

--A

Hobbes!!!

Imaginary Playmate!

That is interesting. I was only thinking this morning that I've been conducting some kind of Bear Therapy (not bare therapy) with my Tarot cards.

I worked as a security guard about 20yrs ago at a haunted manor house; not that I really believe in such things. But the place was so 'unnatural' to this day I still have nightmares.
So to combat this recurring vexation I decided to try a set of Tarot cards with a little self-psychoanalysis.
I've been using the Ghost Tarot by Davide Corsi - a deck that was sitting idle on a bookshelf still in it's wrapper after more than two years.

While doing Tarot spreads, (and guided meditation) I formed an awareness of a Lady of the Manor (the haunted house) who also is a Taroist. Through these imaginings a kind of entree is being forged.
The depictions (archetypes) in the cards reveal oddly accurate narratives - these scenarios or short/short stories I then record in a journal. A good enough reason to break out the coloured pencils, scissors, pritt stick, protractors, compass...

July 24th at 8:15 AM
I find my brother dead in bed (he lived with me)
he was 58. July 3rd was BD)
He complain of severe shoulders pain the night before.
Had EMT come out and do an EKG.. nothing.
I have lost my last brother.
I will be 66 on July 27.
I'm really messed up right now.

Oh, Ur Dead. There are no words.
I'm sorry for your loss.

Ur - you are in our prayers.

Very hard Ur Dead, very hard indeed.

Thinking of you at this sad time.

Peter.