Dreams, Steampunk, and Jewelry making.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Rapunzel vs Tangled, A Review Part 1
This is both a movie review and a multi-segment intellectual comparison of the movie and the fairy tale Rapunzel. If you are only interested in the intellectual discussion please skip to the section labeled Comparison.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
SteamCon 2010
This review is going to be a lot less detailed than my Tesla Con review since I was only at SteamCon for one day. Also, a lot of this is going to be a comparison between TeslaCon and SteamCon.
I was only able to attend SteamCon on Saturday, November 20th, as my trip to Seattle was primarily to visit family.
I was only able to attend SteamCon on Saturday, November 20th, as my trip to Seattle was primarily to visit family.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Dream 11/12/10
It was a strange setting, nature and deep industrial merged so deeply that they couldn't have been torn apart. I was fishing next to a warehouse with a dear but distant friend. Other people would pass by and look at our progress, but no-one was who they initially appeared to be.
A storm was coming. No one did anything to prepare.
When it hit the waves began to grow in size and violence. I saw one wave in the distance that would overwhelm us. I yelled to run, and sprinted for the warehouse. I made it to safety. My friend and the others outside didn't.
I lived that moment over and over. Seeing the wave, telling people to run. Sometimes a few people made it, but never my friend. Sometimes I didn't make it. All the chances in the world meant nothing.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Review of TeslaCon
I had originally intended to write what would be a much longer post, a full blow-by-blow essay that details everything I experienced at Tesla Con. Then I realized that my post would reach new heights of tedium, so I've reformatted my post and my thought about TeslaCon.
Unless otherwise noted, the pictures used here were taken by Krista Kuhn.
Unless otherwise noted, the pictures used here were taken by Krista Kuhn.
Dream 03/30/07: Part 5
This is the final segment in the Dream 03/30/07 series.
Time passes, the relatives are gone, and I’m entertaining two friends in my grandmothers living room. Apparently since the last time I was in this room, my grandmother had gotten digital consuls. Computers, etc....
Time passes, the relatives are gone, and I’m entertaining two friends in my grandmothers living room. Apparently since the last time I was in this room, my grandmother had gotten digital consuls. Computers, etc....
Dream 03/30/07: Part 4
Time passes, the relatives are still here, and I have a camera. I get a group of the women to let me take a picture of them, one aunt would have refused, but I complimented her outfit, and then she agreed to the photograph. I have them stand in a group, and give them a few commands so that they will fit in the picture. They repeat them as they perform them.
"Stand closer"
"Stand closer"
"Take two steps back"
"Take two steps back"
"Smile"
"Smile"
It turned out well, but not as well as I would have liked. Then I take the camera and decide to get pictures of my cousins, just doing what they naturally do as they play. Many of them are playing in the park that has appeared in the middle of my grandmother's condo. I slip through some rosebushes, angling for a good shot, and I get it, it's amazing and the lighting in perfect, everything.
Then a wasp gets into my hair as soon as I start to snap the photo. I freak out, and begin trying to get away from it and kill it simultaneously. The leather gloves on my hands become an asset, but I’m not quite able to kill the wasp.
"Stand closer"
"Stand closer"
"Take two steps back"
"Take two steps back"
"Smile"
"Smile"
It turned out well, but not as well as I would have liked. Then I take the camera and decide to get pictures of my cousins, just doing what they naturally do as they play. Many of them are playing in the park that has appeared in the middle of my grandmother's condo. I slip through some rosebushes, angling for a good shot, and I get it, it's amazing and the lighting in perfect, everything.
Then a wasp gets into my hair as soon as I start to snap the photo. I freak out, and begin trying to get away from it and kill it simultaneously. The leather gloves on my hands become an asset, but I’m not quite able to kill the wasp.
Dream 03/30/07: Part 3
I wake up in my grandmother’s apartment, apparently unaffected by the waves. My father is there, which is strange, before he was elsewhere. He is making ramen noodles. We get into an argument about how he should strain them, and he yells at me that I shouldn't be allowed to touch them or else I would ruin them. I get out a pot and water and begin to make my own ramen noodles. Waiting for the pot to boil, I walk into the next room.
Many of my relatives are there, around my grandma, who is crying because she was taken in by a conman, she thought she was giving money to someone in need, and now she's wasted it. Everyone else looks uncomfortable, so I suggest that all of us pool our money to help grandma. Everyone else shifts away uncomfortably, and I can feel my father's growing anger at my rudeness.
Many of my relatives are there, around my grandma, who is crying because she was taken in by a conman, she thought she was giving money to someone in need, and now she's wasted it. Everyone else looks uncomfortable, so I suggest that all of us pool our money to help grandma. Everyone else shifts away uncomfortably, and I can feel my father's growing anger at my rudeness.
Dream 03/30/07: Part 2
Time passes.
I am walking home from school with the girl; she is very shy and quiet. We enter the hub by the ocean, where many staircases and such meet. There is a boardwalk extending out from it, into the ocean. On the boardwalk there are a few other buildings and such. It's the first time there that I really notice the sea. The waves crash against the boardwalk with a fury, spraying us with salt water. I turn to her and exclaim in excitement about the ocean. She smiles and nods as though she usually isn't permitted to acknowledge the wonders of the world around her.
Immediately after that an even bigger wave crashed against the boardwalk, water flows over the edge up to our ankles. Each wave after that becomes larger and larger; the water rises to my waist. I manage to find a slightly sheltered spot against a building on the other side of the boardwalk from where the waves are coming. I grab onto something and hold on to keep from being swept away by the water. But the waves are still crashing. The water rises so that I have to find higher and higher handholds against the building, which has transformed into a bookshelf. I reach the highest part, clinging to the wood. The water is still rising. Finally I realize that it is too much, and although I try to fight from it, I sink down. Nothingness.
I am walking home from school with the girl; she is very shy and quiet. We enter the hub by the ocean, where many staircases and such meet. There is a boardwalk extending out from it, into the ocean. On the boardwalk there are a few other buildings and such. It's the first time there that I really notice the sea. The waves crash against the boardwalk with a fury, spraying us with salt water. I turn to her and exclaim in excitement about the ocean. She smiles and nods as though she usually isn't permitted to acknowledge the wonders of the world around her.
Immediately after that an even bigger wave crashed against the boardwalk, water flows over the edge up to our ankles. Each wave after that becomes larger and larger; the water rises to my waist. I manage to find a slightly sheltered spot against a building on the other side of the boardwalk from where the waves are coming. I grab onto something and hold on to keep from being swept away by the water. But the waves are still crashing. The water rises so that I have to find higher and higher handholds against the building, which has transformed into a bookshelf. I reach the highest part, clinging to the wood. The water is still rising. Finally I realize that it is too much, and although I try to fight from it, I sink down. Nothingness.
Dream 03/30/07: Part 1
I arrived at my grandmother’s new condo, I was excited, because not only had I not seen my grandmother in forever, but her condo was right on the sea, in a huge warren of complexes. Families packed so tightly together that we should be able to sense the presence of them, but because of the rather rich and tasteful way the building had been made there is no awareness of this. The apartment is very modern in an expensive, potted ferns and cream shades kind of way. Although I have no memory of my room, I remember that the main room had a fireplace where you could sit, and no entertainment centers, it was purely a family room. I remember a library with the confusing sense of it being both outside and inside at the same time. Quite an accomplishment considering that the apartment was deep within the bowels of the complex.
Fast forward.
I am staying with grandma for an extended period and attending the local school, which I have no memory of. But I make some friends, a boy and a girl in my class. I find myself visiting the boy’s apartment in the complex. For some reason it smacks of Japanese culture, although why I had this impression is a mystery. We’re talking and such when his mother enters. She begins questioning him about something I'm not familiar with. They enter a fight, during which the mother stops periodically to apologize for the rude nature of their fighting in front of me. I get up to leave, but first I turn to them and assure them that fighting is not a bad thing, my family fights all of the time at home.
Immediately I can see in the boys face that I have said something wrong. Nevertheless I leave, for reasons that I am now not quite sure of. When I arrive home my grandmother has already had a telephone call from the boy’s mom, who told my grandmother how I had dishonored our family by criticizing them in public.
I am in trouble.
Fast forward.
I am staying with grandma for an extended period and attending the local school, which I have no memory of. But I make some friends, a boy and a girl in my class. I find myself visiting the boy’s apartment in the complex. For some reason it smacks of Japanese culture, although why I had this impression is a mystery. We’re talking and such when his mother enters. She begins questioning him about something I'm not familiar with. They enter a fight, during which the mother stops periodically to apologize for the rude nature of their fighting in front of me. I get up to leave, but first I turn to them and assure them that fighting is not a bad thing, my family fights all of the time at home.
Immediately I can see in the boys face that I have said something wrong. Nevertheless I leave, for reasons that I am now not quite sure of. When I arrive home my grandmother has already had a telephone call from the boy’s mom, who told my grandmother how I had dishonored our family by criticizing them in public.
I am in trouble.
Dream 8/18/08
My feet touch the floor.
The first thing that I am aware of is the architecture. I’m in a large mansion that feels like a mall because it has that commercial, well-frequented feel. There are a lot of balconies and rooms. And a garage. From the outside the house seems to be a garage attached to a lot of balconies.
It’s a party, and everyone is there. Everyone.
It’s very public, every action is observed.
The first thing that I am aware of is the architecture. I’m in a large mansion that feels like a mall because it has that commercial, well-frequented feel. There are a lot of balconies and rooms. And a garage. From the outside the house seems to be a garage attached to a lot of balconies.
It’s a party, and everyone is there. Everyone.
It’s very public, every action is observed.
Dream 8/27/08
I’m driving in Bloomington. I park my car in a parking lot next to a small restaurant, but the lot has that deserted look to it. After I’ve gotten out of the car I see a man approaching. I start to get nervous, but he isn’t coming right at me.
He circles around me, staring at me, smiling nervously; but he approaches my car. The car has mysteriously turned into a convertible, and before I know it he is getting the top down.
“What are you doing?” I scream and run towards him. He jumps out of the car and grabs me by both arms, pulling me close.
“What do you think I’m doing?” he says roughly, pulling me away from my car and down the sidewalk. I struggle, refusing to walk and I scream; but no one pays attention.
I begin to struggle, moving us toward the street while he is distracted with keeping me in his control. We trip off the sidewalk into the road. The cars coming at us swerve to miss us, causing a crash. He takes the opportunity to release me and run. I stagger up, shaken. The drivers of the cars look at me scornfully, I caused their crash.
When I get back to the parking lot my car is gone. I go into the restaurant to use their phone. Inside is brightly lit with plants and laughter. I ask, “Did any of you see what happened outside?” they all look at me blankly, “A man grabbed me, I was screaming.”
A man behind me stands up and grabs my arm. “Come here sugar, I’ll give you some comfort.” As he leers at me, I grab his nose and kick him in the crotch. He goes down and I run.
He circles around me, staring at me, smiling nervously; but he approaches my car. The car has mysteriously turned into a convertible, and before I know it he is getting the top down.
“What are you doing?” I scream and run towards him. He jumps out of the car and grabs me by both arms, pulling me close.
“What do you think I’m doing?” he says roughly, pulling me away from my car and down the sidewalk. I struggle, refusing to walk and I scream; but no one pays attention.
I begin to struggle, moving us toward the street while he is distracted with keeping me in his control. We trip off the sidewalk into the road. The cars coming at us swerve to miss us, causing a crash. He takes the opportunity to release me and run. I stagger up, shaken. The drivers of the cars look at me scornfully, I caused their crash.
When I get back to the parking lot my car is gone. I go into the restaurant to use their phone. Inside is brightly lit with plants and laughter. I ask, “Did any of you see what happened outside?” they all look at me blankly, “A man grabbed me, I was screaming.”
A man behind me stands up and grabs my arm. “Come here sugar, I’ll give you some comfort.” As he leers at me, I grab his nose and kick him in the crotch. He goes down and I run.
dream 2/2/09
In my dream last night there was a man who was obsessed with answers.
he constantly fretted over what could not be definitively solved.
God.
eventually he killed himself; but before he did, he said to me:
"even if it's all true and I end up in hell, at least I will KNOW. death is the way to the answer. God is in death."
My journey in the dream went differently. It was all about falling, water, jungle, and darkness.
he constantly fretted over what could not be definitively solved.
God.
eventually he killed himself; but before he did, he said to me:
"even if it's all true and I end up in hell, at least I will KNOW. death is the way to the answer. God is in death."
My journey in the dream went differently. It was all about falling, water, jungle, and darkness.
Dream Diary: The Compilation
Over the past couple years I've had a variety of vivid dreams. I usually keep a small record of my dreams out of curiosity and for later examination. I often post these summaries on facebook, but I am going to start posting them on here as well, as this allows me more flexibility and character length.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)