At the end of the summer I have finally saved up enough money to go for a CELTA course. The clever reader may remember that I once tried to get onto this course which would give me much sought after teaching qualifications. It was time for another try. Everything seemed to be in place. I could pay for it on my own and I could use my holidays to go for it so it was only logical that I were to download the application form.
My first problem to tackle was that of having a sufficiently high grade in an English exam to qualifiy for a C1 level of comprehension at least. I had to track down the Common European Framework of Reference chart comparing grades of various English exams and found that my IELTS score of 7.5 was enough to qualify. It turned out that it was just what I needed and that everyone who has been telling me I should get a First Certificate in English should shut up.
The best part of filling the application was how I got to the section for Languages Known and Their Level... and I ran out of space...
After submitting it, I received several language tasks meant to check my knowledge of the English language. I got a reply saying that I need to redo two of them because they wanted me to use specific books that were on the list provided because they wanted to check my ability to do language research. The tasks they were referring to were about differences between tenses and different uses of modal verbs. The problem was that I wanted to do it as soon as possible so I used what any self-respecting linguist would do and used corpora for the task. Yet they wanted me to use specific books so I got mad and decided I'll give them an analysis that will make their eyes bleed.
This stage was the longest one. I've spent the first week in two libraries going through some grammar books and a huge chunk of time just waiting for books I've reserved to be returned to the library. In the end I wrote an analysis of tenses and modal verbs and sent it off. I received an invite to an interview about a week later and it took me another week just to set up a time for the interview.
I went for the interview and it was quite interesting. I was first given a task to write about what teachers and learners can do to enrich the language learning experience and then I had a chat with one of the teachers. She told me that she never saw that detailed and well-referenced analysis of tenses and modal verbs. She gave me a few tasks on spelling and punctuation. I was a bit nervous and made some mistakes but I think she was happy with how I could see where I made them. She asked me about parts of speech and affixes. It was really funny when she asked me what -able in manageable is and I told her it's a derivational morpheme. She told me it's true but she wanted a simpler answer so I just guessed she wanted me to say it's a suffix.
Then we went on to talk about teaching methodology, my experiences with teaching and learning and she asked me to show her how I would explain some grammar concepts, what I would teach specific groups of students and some teaching specific terminology. All around, it was a very enjoyable conversation. At one point we talked about pronunciation. She told me not to worry about my accent because everyone has an accent of some sort. I told her that I do try to look up IPA for words I'm not sure about, she asked if I can read it and I told her I can read most of the signs that are on the board behind me. She asked me to demonstrate, so I did and she was quite impressed... even though I only went through the vowels and diphthongs which are the ones I have most problems with.
I told her how I doubt I'll get a job even after this course because schools prefer to employ native speakers rather than people like me but she told me her school has several non-English teachers and they even had a Polish woman working here a while time ago. So there may be some hope for me yet. I did feel better after hearing that.
There is one thing that she kept on coming back to as the interview went on. Mainly how most people who enter this course need to start thinking about English on a higher level while I have to do the opposite since my English is that advanced. I kept feeling like the questions she's asking me are too simple that they must be trick questions and she kept telling me they weren't. For instance, she asked me to say what he and do is in a sentence and I was really surprised when she told me that some people don't know that he is a subject.
She had a laugh when I told her I find it fascinating how different languages can have the same word but pronounce it differently, like Spanish and Italian. We were talking about it because she asked me to give her a short lesson in Polish just to check how I would approach teaching complete beginners. The subject of drilling in pronounciation and relation between graphs and phonemes came up.
I was nervous during the whole interview but looking back at it, it was a really enjoyable conversation about subjects that I love and I kept myself together better than I was expecting to. I really feel like I came a long way these past few years.
I nearly cried when she told me she will give me a place on the course.
Friday, 14 December 2012
Thursday, 13 September 2012
A Stream of Thoughts...
Another summer went through and I'm still undecided on how I feel about it. Many things have happened... good and bad... over the period of many months...
I had some very serious problems with my father that caused a rift between me and my family. Anyone who knows will be aware that I hold family ties very dear to my heart. Unfortunately, the situation went so out of hand that I no longer felt safe in my own place. I guess I could say I got unused to it after I moved out so I felt like I'm taking a step backwards rather than forwards...
Nobody wants to go back to dark places...
It was horrible. I felt like I was a prisoner... and my only crime was that I wanted to help my family... but whatever I did was not enough because I refused to throw away the life I am building for myself... Once again, I started to fear going back home... my friends knew about it and tried to help me by just hanging out and chatting while I was waiting for my dad to just go to bed...
The gesture was nice and I am still grateful but it did cause problems of its own. I felt like I was with people 24/7 and that tires me out greatly. The extent of how terrible an effect it has on me I can only see now, after nearly five months of build-up.
Then I managed to get rid of my dad and my sister arrived for the summer. Last year our shifts at work were such that we didn't have a day off together, that changed this year. Although I knew it would be hard, I didn't have the heart to just make sure I would keep my contact with her to a minimum, especially since she was happy to have a chance to spend time with me. So I kept our shifts the way they were. stopped going to the Roleplay Club and ended up with no time to study...
I am generally unused to it, she usually just ignores me. I suspect she wanted to alleviate the tension that rose up with our father... and well, after we went through the most recent season of The Vampire Diaries, she lost interest...
I asked her to do things together. I suggested films, series and games for us both but she preferred to read comments on the net.
I suppose work was a bit better... I had a few annoyances with people telling me that what I'm doing with my free time is wrong and I should stop... I minimised contact with one really nice person because she kept saying things that hurt me... and I stopped talking to someone really annoying...
I also made the decision to stop drinking all together rather than having a cider now and then... so now I have to deal with people being even more obnoxious about my drinking habits...
As I said before, there were also good things. I started to give tuitions and people became very interested in me teaching them. I met a lot of wonderful people this year and I've been making changes to my life that I hope are for the best.
At one point my sister's laptop broke down and I couldn't bare seeing her unable to find something to do with herself. Since then I've been spending more time on my Xbox and while my Gamerscore did go up significantly, I lost my ability to order my thoughts. I didn't think about it back then... just like I didn't think not going to the gym for a week would cause insomnia... but it is what it is...
My mind is chaotic and labyrinthine... like the dreams of the Neverborn... to look into it can drive anyone insane... Now I realise that I do need to order my thoughts... I do need time alone, by myself, to either write down or contemplate things so I can function normally...
I did try to talk about what's going on with me... but I'm not a talker... I'm trying as hard as I can to go out and talk to people... and it's odd to hear someone say that I like to talk... after so many years spent in the silence of a grave... but talking is still stressful... I can teach, I can explain, I can guide but I doubt I have a good grasp of having a simple chat...
but I like to listen... and every time someone asks me for my opinion, taking me out of that comfortable state I'm in... my first thought is: ANGRIFF!!!
All of the above has built up in me to the extent that I keep acting in ways that are so far away from my norm... I no longer feel like myself... it has gotten to the point where I'm lashing out at anything and anyone... things that I would normally ignore cause me to erupt with uncontrollable rage...
I'm losing my cool too often...
but it's not the first time I'm at this stage...
I know what to do...
I'm just afraid I might not be able to...
well...
My sister is at work now...
and I'm here alone...
in silence as soft and gentle
as a wind sweeping ashes off the graves...
surrounded by the absence of light...
being consumed by nothingness...
and with only my heart...
counting down the last few moments...
...
...
...
I had some very serious problems with my father that caused a rift between me and my family. Anyone who knows will be aware that I hold family ties very dear to my heart. Unfortunately, the situation went so out of hand that I no longer felt safe in my own place. I guess I could say I got unused to it after I moved out so I felt like I'm taking a step backwards rather than forwards...
Nobody wants to go back to dark places...
It was horrible. I felt like I was a prisoner... and my only crime was that I wanted to help my family... but whatever I did was not enough because I refused to throw away the life I am building for myself... Once again, I started to fear going back home... my friends knew about it and tried to help me by just hanging out and chatting while I was waiting for my dad to just go to bed...
The gesture was nice and I am still grateful but it did cause problems of its own. I felt like I was with people 24/7 and that tires me out greatly. The extent of how terrible an effect it has on me I can only see now, after nearly five months of build-up.
Then I managed to get rid of my dad and my sister arrived for the summer. Last year our shifts at work were such that we didn't have a day off together, that changed this year. Although I knew it would be hard, I didn't have the heart to just make sure I would keep my contact with her to a minimum, especially since she was happy to have a chance to spend time with me. So I kept our shifts the way they were. stopped going to the Roleplay Club and ended up with no time to study...
I am generally unused to it, she usually just ignores me. I suspect she wanted to alleviate the tension that rose up with our father... and well, after we went through the most recent season of The Vampire Diaries, she lost interest...
I asked her to do things together. I suggested films, series and games for us both but she preferred to read comments on the net.
I suppose work was a bit better... I had a few annoyances with people telling me that what I'm doing with my free time is wrong and I should stop... I minimised contact with one really nice person because she kept saying things that hurt me... and I stopped talking to someone really annoying...
I also made the decision to stop drinking all together rather than having a cider now and then... so now I have to deal with people being even more obnoxious about my drinking habits...
As I said before, there were also good things. I started to give tuitions and people became very interested in me teaching them. I met a lot of wonderful people this year and I've been making changes to my life that I hope are for the best.
At one point my sister's laptop broke down and I couldn't bare seeing her unable to find something to do with herself. Since then I've been spending more time on my Xbox and while my Gamerscore did go up significantly, I lost my ability to order my thoughts. I didn't think about it back then... just like I didn't think not going to the gym for a week would cause insomnia... but it is what it is...
My mind is chaotic and labyrinthine... like the dreams of the Neverborn... to look into it can drive anyone insane... Now I realise that I do need to order my thoughts... I do need time alone, by myself, to either write down or contemplate things so I can function normally...
I did try to talk about what's going on with me... but I'm not a talker... I'm trying as hard as I can to go out and talk to people... and it's odd to hear someone say that I like to talk... after so many years spent in the silence of a grave... but talking is still stressful... I can teach, I can explain, I can guide but I doubt I have a good grasp of having a simple chat...
but I like to listen... and every time someone asks me for my opinion, taking me out of that comfortable state I'm in... my first thought is: ANGRIFF!!!
All of the above has built up in me to the extent that I keep acting in ways that are so far away from my norm... I no longer feel like myself... it has gotten to the point where I'm lashing out at anything and anyone... things that I would normally ignore cause me to erupt with uncontrollable rage...
I'm losing my cool too often...
but it's not the first time I'm at this stage...
I know what to do...
I'm just afraid I might not be able to...
well...
My sister is at work now...
and I'm here alone...
in silence as soft and gentle
as a wind sweeping ashes off the graves...
surrounded by the absence of light...
being consumed by nothingness...
and with only my heart...
counting down the last few moments...
...
...
...
Sunday, 13 May 2012
Introversion
As it usually happens when venturing forth into the unknown space of the net, you sometimes find some interesting things. Yesterday I found this nifty list on the internet... I'm reposting it here mainly because I see a lot of myself in it and I think just going through it might help some of my friends understand why I behave in certain ways when I go out with them...
Introverts don’t like to talk.
This is not true. Introverts just don’t talk unless they have something to say. They hate small talk. Get an introvert talking about something they are interested in, and they won’t shut up for days.
Introverts are shy.
Shyness has nothing to do with being an Introvert. Introverts are not necessarily afraid of people. What they need is a reason to interact. They don’t interact for the sake of interacting. If you want to talk to an Introvert, just start talking. Don’t worry about being polite.
Introverts are rude.
Introverts often don’t see a reason for beating around the bush with social pleasantries. They want everyone to just be real and honest. Unfortunately, this is not acceptable in most settings, so Introverts can feel a lot of pressure to fit in, which they find exhausting.
Introverts don’t like people.
On the contrary, Introverts intensely value the few friends they have. They can count their close friends on one hand. If you are lucky enough for an introvert to consider you a friend, you probably have a loyal ally for life. Once you have earned their respect as being a person of substance, you’re in.
Introverts don’t like to go out in public.
Nonsense. Introverts just don’t like to go out in public FOR AS LONG. They also like to avoid the complications that are involved in public activities. They take in data and experiences very quickly, and as a result, don’t need to be there for long to “get it.” They’re ready to go home, recharge, and process it all. In fact, recharging is absolutely crucial for Introverts.
Introverts always want to be alone.
Introverts are perfectly comfortable with their own thoughts. They think a lot. They daydream. They like to have problems to work on, puzzles to solve. But they can also get incredibly lonely if they don’t have anyone to share their discoveries with. They crave an authentic and sincere connection with ONE PERSON at a time.
Introverts are weird.
Introverts are often individualists. They don’t follow the crowd. They’d prefer to be valued for their novel ways of living. They think for themselves and because of that, they often challenge the norm. They don’t make most decisions based on what is popular or trendy.
Introverts are aloof nerds.
Introverts are people who primarily look inward, paying close attention to their thoughts and emotions. It’s not that they are incapable of paying attention to what is going on around them, it’s just that their inner world is much more stimulating and rewarding to them.
Introverts don’t know how to relax and have fun.
Introverts typically relax at home or in nature, not in busy public places. Introverts are not thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies. If there is too much talking and noise going on, they shut down. Their brains are too sensitive to the neurotransmitter called Dopamine. Introverts and Extroverts have different dominant neuro-pathways. Just look it up.
Introverts can fix themselves and become Extroverts.
Introverts cannot “fix themselves” and deserve respect for their natural temperament and contributions to the human race. In fact, one study (Silverman, 1986) showed that the percentage of Introverts increases with IQ.
Introverts don’t like to talk.
This is not true. Introverts just don’t talk unless they have something to say. They hate small talk. Get an introvert talking about something they are interested in, and they won’t shut up for days.
Introverts are shy.
Shyness has nothing to do with being an Introvert. Introverts are not necessarily afraid of people. What they need is a reason to interact. They don’t interact for the sake of interacting. If you want to talk to an Introvert, just start talking. Don’t worry about being polite.
Introverts are rude.
Introverts often don’t see a reason for beating around the bush with social pleasantries. They want everyone to just be real and honest. Unfortunately, this is not acceptable in most settings, so Introverts can feel a lot of pressure to fit in, which they find exhausting.
Introverts don’t like people.
On the contrary, Introverts intensely value the few friends they have. They can count their close friends on one hand. If you are lucky enough for an introvert to consider you a friend, you probably have a loyal ally for life. Once you have earned their respect as being a person of substance, you’re in.
Introverts don’t like to go out in public.
Nonsense. Introverts just don’t like to go out in public FOR AS LONG. They also like to avoid the complications that are involved in public activities. They take in data and experiences very quickly, and as a result, don’t need to be there for long to “get it.” They’re ready to go home, recharge, and process it all. In fact, recharging is absolutely crucial for Introverts.
Introverts always want to be alone.
Introverts are perfectly comfortable with their own thoughts. They think a lot. They daydream. They like to have problems to work on, puzzles to solve. But they can also get incredibly lonely if they don’t have anyone to share their discoveries with. They crave an authentic and sincere connection with ONE PERSON at a time.
Introverts are weird.
Introverts are often individualists. They don’t follow the crowd. They’d prefer to be valued for their novel ways of living. They think for themselves and because of that, they often challenge the norm. They don’t make most decisions based on what is popular or trendy.
Introverts are aloof nerds.
Introverts are people who primarily look inward, paying close attention to their thoughts and emotions. It’s not that they are incapable of paying attention to what is going on around them, it’s just that their inner world is much more stimulating and rewarding to them.
Introverts don’t know how to relax and have fun.
Introverts typically relax at home or in nature, not in busy public places. Introverts are not thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies. If there is too much talking and noise going on, they shut down. Their brains are too sensitive to the neurotransmitter called Dopamine. Introverts and Extroverts have different dominant neuro-pathways. Just look it up.
Introverts can fix themselves and become Extroverts.
Introverts cannot “fix themselves” and deserve respect for their natural temperament and contributions to the human race. In fact, one study (Silverman, 1986) showed that the percentage of Introverts increases with IQ.
Saturday, 21 April 2012
Identity Crisis
Roleplaying had always been a very large part of who I am. I've been playing those games since I was twelve years old. I've even considered writing a more-or-less detailed history of how I went through the games. Even now I have notes to write a few blog posts within the subject of roleplaying games, I once had an idea to write a whole series of posts on how to run games on a forum and I still have those plans for articles to be submitted to Asylum which I really should work on.
Throughout most of my life I didn't have a group of people dedicated enough to sit down and play some games with me regularly. When I was a teenager, the greatest thing ever was to get so drunk you woke up the next day. It is perhaps suffice to say that I tried and failed to see the attraction. Roleplaying games, on the other hand, provided me with enough mental stimulation and an outlet for my rampant imagination that I played them more and more. Alas, it is rather difficult to play them without anyone to play them with. So I tried playing online. First with chats, then on a forum and in the end I landed on RPoL.
I liked it for many reason and I've both ran and played in many games over there. Some were good, others died a slow and painful death. At present I'm running one game with people that proved to be very patient when I was going through some very harsh times. They stayed for months when I was homeless or (even worse!) internetless. Yet now, after all these years, I find myself at a point in time I thought was impossible to appear on my path. I come to the conclusion that I've lost enthusiasm for roleplaying.
I'm not really sure as for the whys or hows. Truth is, running a game on a forum requires commitment. It doesn't matter how you feel, sometimes you just have to sit down and write what you have to write. It's a very similar process as with writing anything. When you have deadlines, you work on meeting them whether you like it or not... and for a long time, that's what I did. I ran several other games before and I did actually have a time set up in the day to write what needed to be written. I kept to that time and there were days when I cursed myself for it and there were days when I was more than happy to see what came out of my, and my players', writing.
This is not how I feel today...
What I've described may seem tedious. That's because it is tedious. Roleplaying has become as much work as it was a fun past time. While this may seem like it was a problem, it wasn't a problem at all. I revelled in it and I was happy. Alas, today my feelings are much different.
I find myself waking up and I have some time to kill before work. I see there's work to be done on this game I'm running. I don't do it. Later on, I come back from work and while tired, I feel obliged to do some work on this game I'm running. I open the web-address and look at it. I don't do it. This is not to say I didn't do anything at all. I did update and clean up the game a few times but this is the worst part. When I actually did some work on it, I felt nothing... no frustration, no enthusiasm...
I don't think I burned myself out. I did a few times in the past when I had no idea what to do next and needed to take two weeks off to clear my head. No, I know what I want to do and I am sure I have the time to do it. What I think is happening is that I simply no longer care enough...
I have a theory that it's all because of a previous game I ran. It was an Exalted game, a system that is perhaps the closest I would say to being my favourite. I've been running that game for nearly three years and I was very proud of how it all went. The plots and the characters were marvellous. It was a real shame that I didn't manage to save all the data from it before it got deleted due to inactivity... but that's entirely my fault...
Thing is that now it seems like all the games I'm running just pale in comparison and I just can't get myself to create another game that would be as great and as fun as that one. So I'm left feeling inadequate for now and thus this feeling of mellowness is given rise.
In the end, I decided to make the hard choice of leaving forum roleplaying for the time being. I think I may see if the club I used to go to has any spaces in any games... maybe that will help me rekindle my gaming problems...
Throughout most of my life I didn't have a group of people dedicated enough to sit down and play some games with me regularly. When I was a teenager, the greatest thing ever was to get so drunk you woke up the next day. It is perhaps suffice to say that I tried and failed to see the attraction. Roleplaying games, on the other hand, provided me with enough mental stimulation and an outlet for my rampant imagination that I played them more and more. Alas, it is rather difficult to play them without anyone to play them with. So I tried playing online. First with chats, then on a forum and in the end I landed on RPoL.
I liked it for many reason and I've both ran and played in many games over there. Some were good, others died a slow and painful death. At present I'm running one game with people that proved to be very patient when I was going through some very harsh times. They stayed for months when I was homeless or (even worse!) internetless. Yet now, after all these years, I find myself at a point in time I thought was impossible to appear on my path. I come to the conclusion that I've lost enthusiasm for roleplaying.
I'm not really sure as for the whys or hows. Truth is, running a game on a forum requires commitment. It doesn't matter how you feel, sometimes you just have to sit down and write what you have to write. It's a very similar process as with writing anything. When you have deadlines, you work on meeting them whether you like it or not... and for a long time, that's what I did. I ran several other games before and I did actually have a time set up in the day to write what needed to be written. I kept to that time and there were days when I cursed myself for it and there were days when I was more than happy to see what came out of my, and my players', writing.
This is not how I feel today...
What I've described may seem tedious. That's because it is tedious. Roleplaying has become as much work as it was a fun past time. While this may seem like it was a problem, it wasn't a problem at all. I revelled in it and I was happy. Alas, today my feelings are much different.
I find myself waking up and I have some time to kill before work. I see there's work to be done on this game I'm running. I don't do it. Later on, I come back from work and while tired, I feel obliged to do some work on this game I'm running. I open the web-address and look at it. I don't do it. This is not to say I didn't do anything at all. I did update and clean up the game a few times but this is the worst part. When I actually did some work on it, I felt nothing... no frustration, no enthusiasm...
I don't think I burned myself out. I did a few times in the past when I had no idea what to do next and needed to take two weeks off to clear my head. No, I know what I want to do and I am sure I have the time to do it. What I think is happening is that I simply no longer care enough...
I have a theory that it's all because of a previous game I ran. It was an Exalted game, a system that is perhaps the closest I would say to being my favourite. I've been running that game for nearly three years and I was very proud of how it all went. The plots and the characters were marvellous. It was a real shame that I didn't manage to save all the data from it before it got deleted due to inactivity... but that's entirely my fault...
Thing is that now it seems like all the games I'm running just pale in comparison and I just can't get myself to create another game that would be as great and as fun as that one. So I'm left feeling inadequate for now and thus this feeling of mellowness is given rise.
In the end, I decided to make the hard choice of leaving forum roleplaying for the time being. I think I may see if the club I used to go to has any spaces in any games... maybe that will help me rekindle my gaming problems...
Location:
Hove, Brighton & Hove, UK
Sunday, 25 March 2012
HeroClix Rules Update
HeroClix is one of those games that I love to play but I end up having no one to play it with... This is something that happens often with any hobby game... yet I can't say that fact stopped me from engaging in my geekness...
About a month ago I came across an announcement that the rules for Team Abilities have changed. Probably the biggest news was the introduction of a new Team Ability: Avengers Initiative. Anyone following the Marvel film, especially Iron Man, should know this refers to this year's Avengers film. In other words, the changes came about in anticipation of people getting interested enough in superheroes that they would go and buy some miniatures. Especially since there are plans to release a set that would include a lot of characters from the films.
Last summer I decided that the small rulebook and list of powers provided with the starter sets are just not good enough. The problem with the game is that small changes are introduced every so often so if you want to have reference sheets that are up to date, you have to buy the sets regularly. Alas, I can't get myself to buy a set solely for the purpose of getting a reference sheet... so as with most things, I made one for myself...
If you want to take a look, I've created a download link just for you. I have all those pages printed out and put in a small folder, whenever a change is made (which I think is about once a year), I print out the pages that have changed and replace the old ones with the new ones.
Even though I never even got to use it...
About a month ago I came across an announcement that the rules for Team Abilities have changed. Probably the biggest news was the introduction of a new Team Ability: Avengers Initiative. Anyone following the Marvel film, especially Iron Man, should know this refers to this year's Avengers film. In other words, the changes came about in anticipation of people getting interested enough in superheroes that they would go and buy some miniatures. Especially since there are plans to release a set that would include a lot of characters from the films.
Last summer I decided that the small rulebook and list of powers provided with the starter sets are just not good enough. The problem with the game is that small changes are introduced every so often so if you want to have reference sheets that are up to date, you have to buy the sets regularly. Alas, I can't get myself to buy a set solely for the purpose of getting a reference sheet... so as with most things, I made one for myself...
If you want to take a look, I've created a download link just for you. I have all those pages printed out and put in a small folder, whenever a change is made (which I think is about once a year), I print out the pages that have changed and replace the old ones with the new ones.
Even though I never even got to use it...
Thursday, 1 March 2012
Black March
Well... Black March has started... if you're anything like me you've been hearing about protests over internet censorship for the better part of the past two months. If you're not, then this image should help.
Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA) and
Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA)
All really nice words and ideas... sadly a name is not what makes a law. Most people don't even look into what is incorporated into those words. I can't say I do either but I do know that just from looking at the public, it's not a welcomed change. Alas, most people don't care to look beyond the names.
My main issue with them is that they allow for taking down websites based solely on allegation. I was shocked when I found people who thought it was a good idea. I can understand their thinking in a way, allegation is the first step in prosecution but there's a lot of other steps between that and deciding whether the accused is guilty or not. These acts simply give organisations the ability to decide whether a website is illegal or not based solely on their own decision. This in turn gives an organisation a very scary ability. It is now allowed to define what is right and wrong and always be right about it, without anyone having the right to argue their point.
I'm not really sure when reading George Orwell has stopped being a mandatory lecture in schools but apparently it did happen... either that or someone wasn't paying attention.
No, I don't see any of these as good ideas. They are a clear attack on culture, an attempt to stop people from engaging in it. Copyrighted material is used in speech constantly, talking about films and literature is a past-time between friends, modifying a still from a film as a form of a joke is funny, adding a clip from a film to your video review of it is expected by the viewers, drawing a character from a cartoon with your own hands is what makes people awe yet all of these are apparently illegal and you should be given a five year sentence to serve in prison for putting people out of their job.
This is really what this is about. The companies in the entertainment industry see their profits going down so they lobby to get laws like this passed. They think that by making it illegal for people to engage in their own culture, people will have no choice but to buy the culture they are producing. It doesn't matter whether the product they are giving is better or worse than the one someone else would offer, it only matters that the money goes to them.
So I think this Black March would be a good idea. I do actually like having books and DVDs. Enough so that I buy some on a monthly basis with the disposable income I have. I do want to support the people who are making the things I enjoy but then I am suddenly not allowed to even talk about it. It just doesn't make sense.
I did read an article once about how piracy has changed the entertainment industry. It argued that due to people downloading films, the movie industry doesn't want to invest in productions that they deem risky. In turn this causes the industry to invest in remakes and sequels. While this does make sense from a logical standpoint, it's just not the sort of impression I get from people. Whenever I talk about films, one of the most common questions I am asked is what sort of special effects are in it and what year is it from. This to me indicates that people just want special effects and care very little for the story or content of the film. Give people lots of Computer Generated Images and they'll awe at the brilliance of your film-making. Since this is apparently the main reason why people spend money on film, this is the main focus of film producers. And that has nothing to do with people downloading films.
In the end it all comes down to money and where it's going. A fact that is often forgotten is that you don't have to spend your money. I am amazed at how many people complain about spending their money on something they don't like (which was not a necessity) as if they had no choice in the matter.
Right now I don't like the attitude of the entertainment industry, instead of adjusting to live in this economy and this era, they try to halt our cultural progress. So I won't be buying anything in March and I hope enough people have heard about it so that this can actually work and someone can get a taste of the fear of their people...
Wednesday, 15 February 2012
Fantasy RPG Class
The Spirit Reaper
25% Strength, 65% Bloodlust, 22% Intelligence, 12% Spirit, 25% Vitality and 40% Agility!
Masters of killing and evasion, the Spirit Reapers can easily eliminate any foe. A slash of of their weapon means certain death. All who stand before them fall in pain and defeat. Using their dark magic, Spirit Reapers can literally transform themselves into shadows and easily sneak up on their foes. The Spirit Reapers trap the souls of defeated enemies within their scythe so that they can summon those spirits in future battles. Creeeeeeeppppyyy! In addition, their weapon is able to absorb the energy and abilities of the people they have reaped. For example, if their scythe slashes through the soul of a spellcaster, their weapon will take on the magical properties and powers of that spellcaster. Spirit Reapers will often hunt down powerful magicians to collect an array of diverse and powerful forms of magic, and with enough magic at their command, Spirit Reapers will become deadly and virtually invincible warriors of darkness. In addition, the souls they've absorbed extend their own lifeline and can even be used as a sort of shield to bear the brunt of any attacks that come their way.
Congratulations on reaching this high class!
You have not mastered any Hidden Power granted by the Genie.
Take The Fantasy RPG Class Test
Congratulations on reaching this high class!
You have not mastered any Hidden Power granted by the Genie.
Tuesday, 14 February 2012
Far Away Thy Love Lies
I rarely make calendar-themed posts but the subject matter has been on my mind for the past month, the reason for this is shrouded in mystery as deep as the sleep of Cthulhu, and since it's February, it's fairly appropriate I publish it for this day.
Many times I've heard the assertion that long-distance relationships can't work. From what I gather people seem afraid to give it a try because due to a long physical distance it's easy for the other person to do whatever they want. To me this isn't an issue with distance but with trust. Saying that not having someone around 24/7 enabled them to cheat on you is like saying that the act of moving in makes it impossible to cheat on you. Alas, since people divorce each other due to unfaithfulness, distance doesn't seem to be a factor in this.
My main view on long-distance relationships is that they are probably the strongest ones. One obvious thing about being in one is that it is really hard. It is undeniably hard to be away from someone you love for very long periods of time. Now the question is who would voluntarily be in such a hard relationship when there must be easier alternatives. The first thing that comes to my mind is someone who loves you.
Love isn't all beauty and happiness. It requires work: sometimes hard work, other times gruelling work... on the part of everyone involved. This is what makes it special, love that is easily made is also easy to shatter. When you have willingness to work through issues that seem impossible, that's a sign of more than just affection.
I once had this friend who had the choice between two guys and she went with the guy who wasn't about to move out of town. He cheated on her despite living in the same city. Then I have two friends who are in marriages with men who each first met online. One pair started out apart between two sides of a country and the other was transatlantic.
Many years ago someone wished me to find love as beautiful as a rose but with no thorns. To which I could only reply that a rose without thorns is not picking up. This is why I like the rose as a symbol for love. It's beautiful and sweet but must be cared for with a gentle touch or it drains your life away. That's what hard work is; not taking love for granted and making the relationship work despite issues and obstacles.
Naturally, not everyone is capable of that, some just can't deal with too much and there's nothing wrong with that. Everyone has different needs but couples who manage to make such a relationship work earn my respect.
Many times I've heard the assertion that long-distance relationships can't work. From what I gather people seem afraid to give it a try because due to a long physical distance it's easy for the other person to do whatever they want. To me this isn't an issue with distance but with trust. Saying that not having someone around 24/7 enabled them to cheat on you is like saying that the act of moving in makes it impossible to cheat on you. Alas, since people divorce each other due to unfaithfulness, distance doesn't seem to be a factor in this.
My main view on long-distance relationships is that they are probably the strongest ones. One obvious thing about being in one is that it is really hard. It is undeniably hard to be away from someone you love for very long periods of time. Now the question is who would voluntarily be in such a hard relationship when there must be easier alternatives. The first thing that comes to my mind is someone who loves you.
Love isn't all beauty and happiness. It requires work: sometimes hard work, other times gruelling work... on the part of everyone involved. This is what makes it special, love that is easily made is also easy to shatter. When you have willingness to work through issues that seem impossible, that's a sign of more than just affection.
I once had this friend who had the choice between two guys and she went with the guy who wasn't about to move out of town. He cheated on her despite living in the same city. Then I have two friends who are in marriages with men who each first met online. One pair started out apart between two sides of a country and the other was transatlantic.
Many years ago someone wished me to find love as beautiful as a rose but with no thorns. To which I could only reply that a rose without thorns is not picking up. This is why I like the rose as a symbol for love. It's beautiful and sweet but must be cared for with a gentle touch or it drains your life away. That's what hard work is; not taking love for granted and making the relationship work despite issues and obstacles.
Naturally, not everyone is capable of that, some just can't deal with too much and there's nothing wrong with that. Everyone has different needs but couples who manage to make such a relationship work earn my respect.
Saturday, 21 January 2012
Away for Christmas
As someone on Facebook has reminded me... I did have a lot of bad luck when it comes to travelling... and I haven't talked about it much lately... mostly because I didn't do any recently... in the span of a year I moved into four different places so I didn't really have time to travel anywhere exciting... I didn't say anything during my last trip to see my family in October because my mind wasn't even on this blog... shameful, I know...
I did, however, go for Christmas this year.
It's rare for me to actually be with my family for Christmas since I usually have to either work or go to classes. It wasn't that difficult when I was still living with my parents because it just meant we were spending an evening together instead of the whole day but now it's just not doable if I can't take at least a week off to leave England.
BUT WAIT?!
Do people not get Christmas off?! Why yes... people do get the period somewhere close to the 25th December off... I usually get bored during that time... I was kinda annoyed that my workplace decided to not open on that day... if I knew sooner, I'd probably try making some plans so I don't die out of boredom... on the plus side, I did get holidays without any problems and there were no classes to attend to in the first week of January so I did get to spend Christmas with my closest family... that would be fourteen people currently... though my dad couldn't make it...
WAIT WHAT?!
You can blame Julius Caesar for that.
While most of the world follows the Gregorian calendar for religious practices, I do not. Thus I have Christmas in January. I also have New Year starting on the 14th January.
Anyway...
The process of going from one country to another wasn't all that bad this time around. Neither was the last time I did this, strangely enough. There was hardly anything exciting going on. I went out of the house a few hours early to spend some time with someone . After two hours of chatting I went to catch my train... I feel like crying just thinking about it... I went to London, I went underground and had to wait half an hour at St Pancras... incidentally they had this really cool tree at the station... it was so cool that I had to do the unthinkable... I took out my phone and snapped a photo...
I did, however, go for Christmas this year.
It's rare for me to actually be with my family for Christmas since I usually have to either work or go to classes. It wasn't that difficult when I was still living with my parents because it just meant we were spending an evening together instead of the whole day but now it's just not doable if I can't take at least a week off to leave England.
BUT WAIT?!
Do people not get Christmas off?! Why yes... people do get the period somewhere close to the 25th December off... I usually get bored during that time... I was kinda annoyed that my workplace decided to not open on that day... if I knew sooner, I'd probably try making some plans so I don't die out of boredom... on the plus side, I did get holidays without any problems and there were no classes to attend to in the first week of January so I did get to spend Christmas with my closest family... that would be fourteen people currently... though my dad couldn't make it...
WAIT WHAT?!
You can blame Julius Caesar for that.
While most of the world follows the Gregorian calendar for religious practices, I do not. Thus I have Christmas in January. I also have New Year starting on the 14th January.
Anyway...
The process of going from one country to another wasn't all that bad this time around. Neither was the last time I did this, strangely enough. There was hardly anything exciting going on. I went out of the house a few hours early to spend some time with someone . After two hours of chatting I went to catch my train... I feel like crying just thinking about it... I went to London, I went underground and had to wait half an hour at St Pancras... incidentally they had this really cool tree at the station... it was so cool that I had to do the unthinkable... I took out my phone and snapped a photo...
But what is so awesome about this tree that I just had to make a photo of it? I'm glad you've asked, my theoretical yet non-existent reader. Well... in my infinite wisdom I have made a close up specially for YOU...
It's made out of LEGO... most awesome indeed... Lego Christmas Tree... so shiny...
MOVING ON
I caught the last train and had to spend the next couple of hours waiting for my plane. I may have fallen asleep somewhere between Brighton and London but what kept me awake was the paranoia of one of those people at the airport secretly being a brain eating alien from outer space. In order to keep my crumbling psyche intact, I decided to train my Pokemon and beat up two Gym Leaders on my quest to becoming the greatest Pokemon trainer in Unova!
After check-in I decided to dine at an airport restaurant, for breakfast. You see, I always hear tales of how bad the cuisine there is but I've never tried it myself so I couldn't in evil conscience say that it is bad. Now I can say that it's not bad but it's definitely overpriced. Compared to one restaurant in Brighton, the breakfast at Luton is half the size and twice the price. That's really not my idea of a good meal.
The plane was not delayed by a day nor did it crash. Yet something else happened which I haven't had the pleasure of experiencing until that day. Mainly, the announcer was telling over the megaphones that the plane is about to fly off and that all passengers for this flight should hurry up before they get stranded on the airport for all eternity. Strangely enough, everyone was still in line because the plane didn't open the door yet. Some people chuckled... some got annoyed... a kid punched my knee...
I slept through most of the flight. After landing I got my luggage and went to catch the bus, which was already at the parking lot waiting for the driver to finish his break. I slept through most of the ride too. Then I got picked up by my mom and sister...
It took me 12 hours to get from point A to point B so it wasn't bad at all on my usual standards...
Christmas went well... I played on my 3DS with my two Sith Apprentices... though I ended up with a 40 degree fever shortly afterwards and had to delay my flight... which meant I spent New Years in bed instead of with friends like I was planning too...
and I'm still coughing... but there are plus sides, mainly the image below...
Thursday, 12 January 2012
Polityka i Logika
Po przybyciu do Polski na święta nieuniknione jest, że zacznę patrzeć co to się dzieje w polityce polskiej. Nie żebym jakoś specjalnie starał się wnikać w tego typu szczegóły ale, że TVN24 jest prawie zawsze włączony a posiłki jemy przy telewizorze, także i herbatę wieczorem się spożywa przy Szkle Kontaktowym, jest to raczej nieuniknione.
Jedna rzecz, która ostatnio przykuła moją uwagę to wypowiedź Kaczyńskiego. Komentował on sposób w jaki Premier Tusk jest na urlopie podczas gdy oficer prokuratury wojskowej próbuje popełnić samobójstwo przy dziennikarzach. Chce pewnie przez to powiedzieć, że Tusk nie nadaje się na Premiera skoro nie rezygnuje z urlopu gdy tylko w państwie źle się dzieje. Jednak mi nasuwa się inna interpretacja tychże słów.
Ostatnim razem gdy Tusk wyjechał z Warszawy by przemierzyć kraj swym autobusem w ramach kampanii wyborczej, ktoś się podpalił. Teraz pojechał na urlop i ktoś próbował się postrzelić. Kaczyński najwyraźniej twierdzi iż są to wydarzenia jak najbardziej powiązane a zatem można dojść do prostego wniosku, że gdy Tusk przestanie być Premierem, przez Polskę przetoczy się wielka fala samobójstw.
Jedna rzecz, która ostatnio przykuła moją uwagę to wypowiedź Kaczyńskiego. Komentował on sposób w jaki Premier Tusk jest na urlopie podczas gdy oficer prokuratury wojskowej próbuje popełnić samobójstwo przy dziennikarzach. Chce pewnie przez to powiedzieć, że Tusk nie nadaje się na Premiera skoro nie rezygnuje z urlopu gdy tylko w państwie źle się dzieje. Jednak mi nasuwa się inna interpretacja tychże słów.
Ostatnim razem gdy Tusk wyjechał z Warszawy by przemierzyć kraj swym autobusem w ramach kampanii wyborczej, ktoś się podpalił. Teraz pojechał na urlop i ktoś próbował się postrzelić. Kaczyński najwyraźniej twierdzi iż są to wydarzenia jak najbardziej powiązane a zatem można dojść do prostego wniosku, że gdy Tusk przestanie być Premierem, przez Polskę przetoczy się wielka fala samobójstw.
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