Shard: of a 12th Kind

Precursor: A very special episode of the ramblings of a young geezer in which we welcome a new human into the world.

Body:

The End: And that's what I have to say on that subject. I hope everyone that celebrates it had a good Turkey Devouring Day. And if you don't celebrate it, why don't you? Are you some kind of happiness hater? It's a great day full of stuffing good food in your mouth. No matter what you celebrate, here are some things to look at:

Shard: The Eleventh

Precursor: We live in an interesting time.

Body: Our technology has developed to a point where anybody can find out at least a basic level of information on virtually any subject. Most of the time people can do this anywhere, at any time. All it takes is typing a few words into your electronic device of choice and you're an instant expert.

The direction this can take us in can unify us as a global entity but usually drives wedges deeper between disparate parties. If we can overcome the petty nature of internet discussions we could probably achieve most anything and maybe even start living on other planets. That's what I'm hoping for, anyway.

But that's not really what's been on my mind about this access to all of human knowledge. What's grabbed my mind is the fact that we have this access and yet I don't like it.

I don't like that when I ask a person about something I usually get the response, "Look it up." And I really don't like that my response to questions (more often than I'd care to admit) is the same. I do try to look it up for myself, if I'm curious about the thing, but that's not the point. The point is that we seem less inclined to discuss things or even answer questions when it's more convenient to just have someone go away and leave us to our Facebook games.

This isn't exclusive to internet searches. I've had people that were supposed to know more about a particular subject answer my questions with "what does the literature say?" Some of them do this because they think that I'll learn the information better if I look it up myself. Or perhaps it'll be more satisfying for me.

No matter their reason I still usually end up staring at the suggested literature or internet search absorbing absolutely nothing. I've always learned better (and there's not many people that I know that don't) from observing another person. From listening to them, watching them perform it, and then doing the thing myself. This loss of human interaction is jarring.

Which brings me to the next part; when I ask a person a question it's usually because I want their answer. I want their take on a thing and if I'm not sure of what they're saying I can ask them to clarify whatever I'm not sure of. And this leads to something wonderful. Something that every person can benefit from: conversation.

Conversation and discussion keep us connected to each other in a way that written word typically doesn't. We get to learn from another person and, if properly engaged, help another person learn, too. I love conversation. I may not always go out of my way to talk to people, but when I get a chance to have a real discussion, a true interchange of ideas, with somebody I ride that hurricane for all it has to offer. I'm also a bit of a smart-aleck, so I enjoy the opportunity to agitate people.

Don't misunderstand me. I love creating. I love drawing, writing, even building things. I have nothing against the written word, but information is something I want from a person or to be able to discuss with a person. And there's some things that an internet search just won't accommodate. For instance, if you've got a wedding or potential birth pending, I don't think that I should read about it on the preferred social media before I hear it from your mouth. Of course, if we don't really ever talk, that's different.

And I think I've gone on rambling long enough. I tend to do that unless somebody stops me. Yet, another good reason to communicate in person.

The End: So, if somebody asks you a question, try giving an actual answer before suggesting they look it up. Also, before I give up your attention I have a little bit of a request.

I'm working on a project and would appreciate some assistance. If you strip away the names of the various religions found throughout history around the world, what kinds of things make each of those religions unique? Some religions require animal sacrifices, other's pray to various deities. I want to know what kinds of things  you can think of that make religions what they are.

And here's a couple of things to think about when you're not thinking about that:

Shard: (2X3)+(5-1)

Precursor:

Body:

The End:

Shard: IX

Precursor: Now it's time for a story.

Body: "Hello!" laughed the Wind as it played in the Tree's branches.

"Hello," responded the Tree with as little interest as is possible. "How are you," the Tree added without meaning anything by it. It regretted it immediately.

"Oh, I'm fantastic!" exclaimed the Wind as it danced around the Tree wistfully. "I just flew a kite! It was so magical!"

The Tree, in an effort to kill the conversation said, "I hate kites. They get stuck in my branches and then those things climb up me and break stuff to retrieve them. Absolutely deplorable." And with that the Tree prepared to return to being a tree.

"Oh, that's too bad. They are really fun! Ooh! and then before that I was pushing a boat in the ocean! Can you believe that? Little ol' me, pushing a whole boat!" The Wind was determined to impress the Tree and then be the Tree's friend.

"Boats are awful. They are useless when not on land and if that weren't enough, they are usually made from my dead companions. Do you do anything useful, petulant one?" The Tree, despite itself was getting drawn in to the conversation.

"I'm all kinds of useful! Just the other day I was involved in taking rain, that's water from the clouds, friend Tree! I carried rain to a field. A field is a place with lots of plants, you should like that," offered the Wind hopefully.

"Hmph! Rain is a fine thing, in moderation. But I know what fields are. They are full of plants made to be slaves by those things. Even some of my brethren are made to fall in line." The Tree obviously wasn't going to give in to the Wind easily.

"I'm so sorry to hear that," apologized the Wind as it slowed to a more pensive flow. It offered for judgement, for now it felt the need to bare its sins, "I wish I could make it up, especially since I was involved in something worse."

"And what was that?" The Tree couldn't help but be amused by the Wind's sorrow, though he was sure it wouldn't last. The mood of the Winds never does.

"I was in a storm. And not just any storm. This was a storm that tore things apart! It flooded and ripped and crashed things! I didn't mean to do it, but when winds get together we get rowdy." The Wind, if it had one, would hang its head right now. "All of that trouble, just because of a party..."

"Well, did you harm any trees," inquired the Tree. It hoped that the critters had been inconvenienced, but trees deserved better.

"I don't know! It all happened so fast and we just keep pushing!" The Wind would have been in tears if it had tear ducts. "If I didn't, then I imagine some of my friends did..."

"See, little Wind? Those of you that can't help but move, those of you that can't sit still, end up harming others eventually," lectured the Tree. "If you all were more like trees, things would be better. For example, do you know what I've done today?" Knowing that the Wind would not have an answer, the Tree continued,"I have made oxygen, something that the creatures need to survive. Nobody has asked me to, I just did it. I have also made fruit that many of the creatures need to live. I have also made seeds. Those seeds will become strong trees, like me. They will do all of these things. We will be a forest and that forest will be important, because when we trees get together, unlike you winds, we make life better for everyone."

Satisfied with itself, the Tree goes back to being a tree and fully expects the, now disheartened, Wind to move on and bother something else. The Wind however, seemed to sit there doing something most winds don't do. It considered its place in the world. It thought about the Tree had told it.

Then it seemed to gain spirit. It began to dance and play again. It whistled and made the fallen leaves dance a ballet while it figured out what it actually wanted to say. And then it says, "I remember something! Just today and other days I have picked up seeds and took them places! I don't remember all the places, but they were places where they could grow! And they grew because they could have sunlight. Sunlight that you would have denied them, but that's not your fault. It's just the way of trees. And that fruit you make? I've seen the animals that eat it. They eat it and then take the seeds you've hidden in it and they do like me! They give your children better places to grow! See! I've done good and trees can do bad! We're the same," exclaims the Wind.

"Hmph," replies the Tree. It did not like this attitude the Wind had developed.

Finally recognizing that the Tree doesn't want visitors, the Wind goes on it's way and tries to be more helpful before it inevitably dies down.

The Tree prefers this new peace as he keeps making its forest larger, one seed at a time.

The End: So, that's kind of a pointless story and there is no moral or real resolution. But I bet you didn't realize that trees and breezes had such engaging conversations, did you? Also, here's something else for you since you had to plod through all of that:

Shard: 8

Precursor: I over-think about the weirdest things.

Body: Lately, for some reason, I've been thinking about Batman and Spider-man. This isn't unusual in and of itself, I think about costumed goofballs constantly. This most recent consideration, however, is a little more precise.

I think I realized one of the reasons I prefer Spidey over Bats. I've always like the friendly neighborhood chap over the caped coconut, but something struck me. Spider-man, with all of his super powers is more human than Batman, the world's greatest (at least richest) detective. I find it easier to put myself in Spider-man's shoes, well tights, than Batman's cowl.

Let's go over the two characters, shall we?

Batman: Lost his parents as a child, obsesses over the loss, takes his inherited fortune and turns it into a form of violent therapy while also cleaning up the mean streets of Gotham. He trains long and hard to become an amazing fighter. He studies devoutly to become an expert at many sciences. He's mysterious, spooky, and kind of a jerk. He invests money into lots of specialized gadgets that seems to spring up at just the right time and place. And let's not forget that magnificent ride, the Batmobile.

Spider-man: Lost his parents as a child, gets taken in by his aunt and uncle that dote on him, they're working class at best. Pete has a great knack for science, however and seems to be a shoe-in for a college scholarship. He has a chance to make something of himself. Due to his scientific curiosity he attends a demonstration and gets bit by a radioactive spider. This spider grants him super powers that are (loosely) based on a spider's abilities. He tries using these powers to make a quick buck and loses his uncle. The loss of his uncle drives him to fight bad guys in the streets in brightly colored pajamas. He's still poor and tries taking care of his sickly aunt while still trying to deal with being a teenage geek in high school.

Now, why would I be able to identify with a radioactive freak over a highly skilled person? Well, because of the money factor. Spidey may have powers, but he's had to struggle and earn everything he has in his life. Things tend to suck, but he tries to make them better without succumbing to corruption.

Bruce was born rich and has an endless supply of money and even connections he can use to achieve whatever he wants. he lost his parents, but still has his father figure, Alfred that's always there to give advice and iron his cape. Spidey (at least for a long time) had no confidants to help him.

But the issue isn't with family, it's the fact that I'm more likely to get bit by a magically radioactive spider and get powers than I am to suddenly inherit a fortune. I don't see any money meteors heading my way. And even if I did find a way to get a comfortable amount of money, I'd still have to struggle to maintain that. No time to use it to beat up super-powered ne'er-do-wells.

But if I were suddenly given superhuman abilities, I would likely use them for the greater good. And try to profit off them, sure. I do need a way to survive, after all. But when all is said and done, I wouldn't have the escape of wearing a spooky mask and then living every single man's dreams. It is a bigger stretch of my imagination that I could have that sort of financial resources than for me to suddenly stick to walls.

The End: So remember, being human has nothing to do with super powers, it's about being in touch with the reality that is other people. Or something. I don't know. I tend to ramble without going anywhere useful. Like right now. But as a bonus, here's two pictures of stuff:

Shard: Seven

Precursor: Why call something one thing if you would rather it were another?

Body: As a warning, this is going to come off as a slight Nerd Rant. As a person that enjoys things like stories and heroes I have a tendency to get a little excited when I hear news of a new movie or game based off of a book or comic that I enjoy. I'm one of the kinds of people that will obsessively follow any news about the new thing. I also try to take it all for what it's worth, it may not be exactly what I want but it should at least be what they say it is. Heck, even a new interpretation of the source can be interesting, so long as the  source material is at the heart of it all.

But that's where I get annoyed. Most people that choose to see a movie based off of a book or comic want to see it because it's what they read in motion, not because the writer wants to take everything in a completely different direction. If you want to make a movie about a wise-cracking good guy that fights a villain, then make that. Trying to make it darker or more depressing doesn't improve on the source, especially if the source (in that scenario a comic book) is full of dudes (and dudettes) brightly colored clothing. Make the characters pop off of the screen at the audience. That's all we ask.

And if  you're going to make a game, well, the same is true. Except now people want to pay you for your work because they want the experience of being the hero of the story. It doesn't have to be a direct copy of a particular story (unless the book is a stand alone story), but trying to alter how the characters behave doesn't work.

Once again, I tend to enjoy these movies and games. I will play just about any licensed game that's based off of a story or book that I enjoy. And yes, those have a tendency to be less than great, but I know that going in. Make it fun if you aren't going to make it high quality and don't take control from my hands when something awesome is going to happen. I don't care how the movie did it, I want to make that scene happen with my hands, not some animator's.

If you, as a script writer or game designer want to make a hero that, instead of being a goody-two-shoes, is pragmatic and angry then write that script, but don't hide it underneath the mask of the source material. Very few people are talented enough to make that work and if you are reading my words then you are likely not one of them. Just remember that the fans get angry and write blogs. It's the modern version of torches and pitchforks.

As an addendum, this also applies to movies based off of games. The only good one of those that I've ever seen was Clue.

Of course this is all trivial and does not affect the Greater Good, but it was on my mind and you're reading it. If you want to read something else go right ahead, the Internet is a pretty big place.

The End: In conclusion, I am in lustful love of like stories of all sorts. I prefer knowing the source material, but like new ideas. Please don't pollute something a lot of people love with your filth. And maybe next time I'll include tasty kittens, but for now you get this:

And this:

Shard: Of the 6th Kind

Precursor: Why go to a social gathering if you're not going to mingle?

Body: I've got a couple of websites that I check on a somewhat regular basis. Of course everyone does, that's nothing special. However, the discussion forums are what I'm concerned with at the moment.

I love reading through the discussions. I'll try to keep track of what's being said and by which person. There are usually enough people on them that are not internet-stupid that the discussions are usually interesting and even well thought-out, if not always grammatically correct. It's always a good time for me.

But then I start to feel like a stalker. You see, I hardly ever post anything myself. I see so many people that post regularly and I'll even have an opinion. I just don't post anything. I see people that have joined the site years after I did that have more posts. Sometimes it feels like I'm standing outside of somebody's house that has people over and I'm just staring in through the window at them. I just stare and eavesdrop, even though I did receive an invitation. I'm just that much of a creep.

All of that is going on inside my of head. And I keep thinking that I should actually join in. Maybe try to make useful, if not amusing, responses. Some of these people are even looking for emotional support while going through a rough time that I fully understand. Instead of saying, "Hey, buddy. I've been there. It'll get better (for unknown values of better)," or even a helpful suggestion I merely read the consequential posts and figure, "meh, good enough."

To me, it's like creating an email account but never using it. Which I have done before on more than one occasion.

So, anyone out there ever think about this? Any ideas on why people like to know but never interact? Is it that part of us that likes to watch television that's jumping in there? Who knows?

The End: I'll make a resolution right now. It's a real one, not one of those bogus "New Year's Resolutions" that nobody ever intends to actually keep. I resolve to be more interactive on the internet. And maybe even in the physical real world.

Also, two bonus points:
1) I'm looking for suggestions on sock puppet designs/personalities. If you have a good idea, let me know.
2)