Daisy Daisy

Some notes from a Swedish interview: - They want to render the computer divine and mysterious, i.e. cast as something more prophetic and mystic (mystic in the sense of communion with something divine). - The developers have created a "programing language" for the player to use in the game that adheres to it's own internal logic. Following this, the game will be heavily systemized. They gave an example in which the protagonist comes across a locked door, and instead of brute forcing it yourself, you write a program that does it for you. - Progression in this game is as much about the player (you) as the protagonist (your character). You learn new functions and possibilities which you will apply with what you already know. Now I don't know if this knowledge is unlocked in the traditional sense (i.e. is bound to narrative progression) or if you can play through the game again and apply "endgame-code" to starting areas. Anyway: ENDLESS EMERGENCE. P. S. My Swedish is a bit rusty but I think I understood well enough.

Hmm I spot Borges, perhaps Calderón (de la Barca?) or Calvino? Also Brian Eno, U2 and Eagleman(?). Will this be a more a literary cast?

I should have clarified, we are taking a stand against "The Man" together. She cares for Valentine's about as much as I do. She's coming over soon and we'll toast each other, play some Chess, and gently go to sleep. What I react against is how artificial the celebration is, I feel disingenuous doing nice things on this day. And I'm not above giving her gifts when I find something I know she will like or when I feel the need to buy myself out of guilt. Or above doing something nice if my SO feels that this day is important. And I'm sorry you are alone today, perhaps I was inconsiderate and showy whining like this. If so, I apologize. I'd probably feel bad about it too if somebody reminded me about it, I'm not that strong.

Oh Valentines, you shitty celebration of love. In Motherland the concept of Valentine's Day was introduced in the 60s to increase sales of flowers, jewelry and other high-end products. And unless you are a Catholic stuck in time somehow, the day shouldn't mean much to you. Anyway, I intend to drink Rye with my girl and perhaps catch a movie. I resigned to peer-pressure

Now I'm reading: Tobias Wolff "Our Story Begins: New and Selected Stories" - Very, very good. I just LOVE how he turns quotidian, more or less rural scenes into the mystic realm. I really wish I could explain how I feel about this, it's such an amazing effect. Especially considering how raw, down-to-earth and visceral his prose is. Aleksandar Hemon "The Question of Bruno" - An emigre writer, escaped the civil war in Yugoslavia and now writes weird and wonderful stories about his history and the history of his people. In one story, called "The Life and Work of Alphonso Kauders" he just piles on facts to build a portrait of a special man, facts such as these: There are plenty more, and an appendix. When I realized that these facts actually are canon and used as mythology in other stories, I felt pure glee. Some poems by Charles Simic, here and there - all great stuff but I probably don't need to tell you. Criticism by James Wood (mainly from The Irresponsible Self) and Coetzee (Inner Workings, On Stranger Shores). Really makes me wish I could articulate better in English (any language, really).

Oceanography is more like going beneath the surface, dredging up what lies hidden in the dirt and darkness. But then again I go hard for a sonar.

I saw Almodóvar's La piel que habito (The Skin I Live In) two weeks back. A really good, weird and disturbing movie. It made me think of Cronenberg but Iberian. Now whenever I run around* in long johns and henley shirts I think of myself as Vera - only less graceful. *

I do think that this is fairly awesome. It seems like as a developer, you don't touch another developer's games. Breaking this convention is such a fun little way is incredible and goes to show what you can do with the proper resources. I want to see more developers messing around with mods and toolkit for games they themselves didn't create!

As an outsider: I'm terrified both of, and for, USA. Reading n+1, Dissent, NYRB, the New Inquiry, Jacobinmag etc does that I guess. Anyway, this is an awesome political ad from back in the day. I just love the aesthetics and the fear-mongering: 63h_v6uf0Ao If I had the resources, I'd do bogus ads in this style.

What do you think of Nietzsche? Also, of Nabokov? Ever since I read James Salter's Burning the Days I've wanted to read Speak, Memory but I haven't got off to it yet.

Thank you all, both for your input and for your kind complements. I would feel weird with that here, but if I post something obtuse you should definitively ask for clarification. I don't really have that as a point of reference, I'm thinking more about the non-fiction of David Foster Wallace. He bends words and metaphors which allows him to reach almost perfect clarity while maintaining an enjoyable tone and style. To be fair, these two paragraphs will probably be interpreted differently and the changes are mostly arbitrary, I think I get your point though. Thing is, I don't really want to revise my posts too much. If I was writing an essay or article for school or publication, then certainly. But when posting on a forum I just want to get my thoughts out while being clear and comprehensive. Again thanks for your advice, all of you!

Spoilers for where you find shields:

Scandinavia, Cumbria does sounds appealing though.

Right, I actually felt silly posting here since this really isn't very existential. Actually I pretty much only read/listen to/watch English art/media/x but I think I have plateaued a bit. I think I might have to move into an environment where English dominates to learn more and become more fluent, I'm not sure though. And I'm not sure if this is threadworthy, just something I thought people here might be able to help with.