New modern art idea: an ugly statue, maybe made of plastic bottles or some other "found art," that is secretly a robot with a knife, that stabs people it detects say "that's not art." Also doubles as greatest idea ever.
People who rage against modern art, saying that a six year old could make it. That's bizarre. What's the mentality there? If they feel it's a feat so easily accomplished, why are they jealous? Is it of the success? Why are they jealous of someone who successively made a work of art that a six year old could?
The success they found in the art world after making said work of art, right.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Monday, April 29, 2013
Correspondence 11/2/09 21:07 - 21:29
We discuss Comrade Helicopter's "sound," with Cailin having a more indie approach in mind and me hoping for a higher-production alt rock/arena rock feel, since I know Raphael is into layered sound and bit tracks? Okkervil River and Dr. Dog are both totally good, though, and you should check them out; I can kind of see what Cailin was getting at with some of the backing tracks but I think our vocals are a bit more clean. From this we discuss They Might Be Giants and swearing in songs. There are some heavy swears there, mostly from unreleased tracks, but there's some pretty heavy stuff.
Re: B-Sides!
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 9:07 pm
What would you best describe Comrade Helicopter as? I'd say
U2 meets Barenaked Ladies.
Re: B-Sides!
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 9:09 pm
Hm, I'm thinking Okkervil River meets Dr. Dog.
Re: B-Sides!
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 9:11 pm
I s'pose.
I was going to add "But done by the dudes from They
Might Be Giants" but yours works too.
(fun fact: I actually modeled Comrade Helicopter's wiki
after They Might Be Giants'.)
Re: B-Sides!
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 9:12 pm
I suppose we both have different musical tastes to draw
from, so it'd be hard to agree.
Re: B-Sides!
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 9:15 pm
(Seriously, even the "Bad English" and
"Swearing" category pages.)
Re: B-Sides!
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 9:16 pm
(Well then they had a great system of organization.)
Re: B-Sides!
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 9:20 pm
(I don't know, I think it's just the sheer silliness of the
categories. Do you remember those Dunkin' Donuts commercials?
"Fritalian" was them.
And I think we could do that shht and ffk think they
do sometimes to bleep out swearing when they're showing movies on TV sometimes.
Not only is it awesome, and allowing us to get away with saying lots of crap, it
helps us avoid those nasty Parental Warning stickers. But I think you can get
away with some swearing. U2 has done it. And have you seen the
"Swearing" category on This Might Be a Wiki? TMBG does some pretty weird
stuff, man.)
Re: B-Sides!
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 9:23 pm
Yeah, those stickers can either destroy sales by not being
carried in major stores, or do well because of the controversy.
Re: B-Sides!
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 9:25 pm
Yes. No, I mean it, check it out:
And this from a band that has at least two children's albums
under their belt.
Re: B-Sides!
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 9:28 pm
Wow, a lot of that is pretty out there.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Correspondence 11/2/09 21:04 - 11/3/09 20:20
From last installment's Back to the Desert Again, we discuss song titles, Sophomore Slump, and Cailin's orphaned songs.
Re: B-Sides!
Re: B-Sides!
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 9:04 pm
As for Desert, I remember a really cool name for a song that was going to be on BtES:
Cities of Sand, Deserts of Rain.
No wait, that was, Cities of Sand, Planets of Rain. so never mind.
Re: B-Sides!
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 9:06 pm
Neat, no titular conflicts here. I'm not sure if it's a song that ought to go on BtES though. I need to write something softer, rather than anarcho-pop.
Oh, and, could Underground Man be on BTES? I feel like it fits.
Re: B-Sides!
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 9:15 pm
Sounds vaguely familiar... But In truth I am more acquainted with even Transient Son.
Re: B-Sides!
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 9:16 pm
Ah, that one'd work too.
Re: B-Sides!
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 3, 2009 6:36 pm
Yeah, well, the songs on Felinity Femininity may be better, but I think that False Prophets of Greensboro as a whole is a much better album.
Re: B-Sides!
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 3, 2009 7:01 pm
I think so too, it's great as a whole, even if the pieces are a bit weak on their own.
Re: B-Sides!
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 3, 2009 7:53 pm
Right. Um... What are your orphan songs?
Re: B-Sides!
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 3, 2009 8:03 pm
You know, songs that aren't on albums.
Re: B-Sides!
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 3, 2009 8:09 pm
Alonliness
Amiss
Back to the Desert Again
Egotistical
Empathy
In a Sense
Relapse
Toast to Remember, Drink to Forget
Transient Son
Two Spirit
Underground Man
Re: B-Sides!
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 3, 2009 8:12 pm
Thenks.
Re: B-Sides!
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 3, 2009 8:20 pm
Anytime.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Correspondence 11/2/09 20:36 - 20:59
In this installment, we continue our talk on Comrade Helicopter. We discuss songs to make as b-sides and songs for future albums. It all culminates in Cailin sharing Back to the Desert Again, which is awesome, from our forthcoming album, which is... forthcoming.
Re: B-Sides!
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 8:36 pm
Now.... B-sides?
Re: B-Sides!
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 8:37 pm
I see you changed your punctuation.
Re: B-Sides!
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 8:38 pm
Yes, now it's a question. B-sides?
Re: B-Sides!
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 8:39 pm
Maybe?
Re: B-Sides!
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 8:40 pm
I don't know. I kind of played around with the idea for a
while that the Skirt b-side should be called "Arse Over Teakettle."
Re: B-Sides!
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 8:41 pm
I like it.
Re: B-Sides!
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 8:43 pm
And I just reviewed the track listing for FF. It's actually
a more solid collection than I thought. I was getting kind of scared because
FPoG has such great songs, and an album that's not a great second album will
doom a band to abject failure for the rest of their lives.
Re: B-Sides!
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 8:46 pm
I agree about FF, it's really quite good, but it's certainly
different from the FPoG stuff.
Re: B-Sides!
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 8:47 pm
Hold on and let me dredge up the list of all- no, wait,
some- of the orphan songs I've written...
Re: B-Sides!
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 8:48 pm
I think my best work is on FF and BCF.
And, on the topic of homeless songs, I've got ten, soon to
be eleven.
Re: B-Sides!
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 8:51 pm
But are they B-side material?
Re: B-Sides!
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 8:52 pm
I suppose not, not most of them anyway.
Re: B-Sides!
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 8:59 pm
And I just finished a song of mine, it's not titled, but
going by the repetition in the song, I guess it'll be called Back to the Desert
Again.
Here we go, I wanted to add a chorus for once:
I know it was hard, you know it as well,
But I think we ought to go back,
Into the maw of hell,
Yes we gotta go back,
To the desert again,
But let’s bring water this time.
[CHORUS]
We'll flood the place,
We'll bring a typhoon,
We'll fight that sun,
And fight high noon,
Back to the sands dunes and sun,
Back to apart from everyone,
Back to around the bend,
Back to the desert again.
[CHORUS]
I know it's not easy, as time has told,
But we gotta go back,
To the days so hot nights so cold,
Yes we gotta go back,
To the desert again,
But let’s bring fire this time.
[CHORUS]
We'll burn the place,
We'll burn it all down,
We'll fight the cold,
And fight sundown,
Back to the sands dunes and sun,
Back to apart from everyone,
Back to around the bend,
Back to the desert again.
[CHORUS]
Friday, April 26, 2013
Correspondence 11/2/09 20:12 - 20:35
We talk about Comrade Helicopter, specifically deciding which tracks from the False Prophets of Greensboro we wanted to release as singles, in order to find out what the B-sides should be.
B-Sides!
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 8:12 pm
So, B-sides?
We'd have to figure out singles first. How many singles per
album?
Re: B-Sides!
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 8:13 pm
How many do they usually put on?
Re: B-Sides!
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 8:14 pm
Four?
Re: B-Sides!
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 8:15 pm
Well then let’s do five, show 'em we mean business.
Re: B-Sides!
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 8:17 pm
Awesome!
FPoG...
Definitely Skirt...
Umm... I like Lovely Nuisance, but that's a bit ahead.
Re: B-Sides!
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 8:20 pm
Are we going with a theme here?
Re: B-Sides!
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 8:21 pm
I don't think so. I've got some sort of idea to do singles
from BtES as portions of the Dragon thing but...
Gently Baby Easy
Slowly or the Plague!? or both?
Re: B-Sides!
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 8:23 pm
I think Gently Baby
Easy Slowly is more single material, sort of a pop feel.
Re: B-Sides!
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 8:25 pm
Okay, umm... You know what, let's just take away the
throwaway songs from the album and see what we have left.
Re: B-Sides!
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 8:26 pm
Good idea.
Re: B-Sides!
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 8:29 pm
Umm... To be honest Crime
Scene I always saw as a sort of throwaway song, even though it's referenced
so gosh darn much. And, I don't know, I wouldn't mind if After the Fire wasn't a single.
Re: B-Sides!
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 8:32 pm
Hm, I'm not particularly attached to any of my songs on
FPoG.
Re: B-Sides!
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 8:34 pm
So that's Skirt,
Gently Baby Easy Slowly, It's Better, TBoRaG, and, I don't know, whatever.
Four is good.
Re: B-Sides!
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 8:35 pm
Yes, four works, and I think that's a good selection.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Correspondence 11/2/09 20:27 -20:37
I decide to see how far Comrade Helicopter has gotten within the context of the outside world, how notable we are. Or at least what its title means in its own context. Answer: some bizarre stuff.
Typing "Comrade helicopter" into Google
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 8:27 pm
This is just from one of those Asian websites that has a
long list of random English words.
atreus landhold dissertation ferric bestow chin bough
sphagnum bruegel amicable
lounsbury gabbro erasable holden baku auntie einsteinian
asteroidal architecture
asthma chicano chef jaunty swear blunt documentation
geophysics ciceronian
granule siegel
consequential dodd graveyard secrete congestion belch
hideout incriminate
benign bib comrade helicopter grade heater claustrophobic
dispensate
mccallum gogo abram noble goatherd raspberry defray downwind
Re: Typing "Comrade helicopter" into Google
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 8:31 pm
Weird that they're next to each other like that.
Re: Typing "Comrade helicopter" into Google
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 8:32 pm
Crazy. It really makes you wonder how many random English
word websites there are.
Re: Typing "Comrade helicopter" into Google
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 8:33 pm
I think it's a cool concept, reminds me of numbers stations.
Re: Typing "Comrade helicopter" into Google
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 8:36 pm
But three of the eleven results are actually about the band.
I got kind of worried with this one, (the only non-asian, non-band related hit)
but it's okay, because the dude calls everyone comrade.
Wall Street could not get enough of banks or anything that
touched a mortgage today. The failure of IndyMac and the troubles at Phony and
Fraudy were forgotten in the stampede. Wells Fargo decided to extend the number
of days they don't get paid on a loan before classifying it as delinquent.
Voila! They hit the analysts earnings expectations. And once again the sky is
blue in financial land.
But Comrade Cox was more worried about short sellers and not
that Wells Fargo can change the accounting rules as they please. Of course
Comrade Cox was missing in action while Comrade Greenscam was blowing bubbles
and now that we know there was rampant fraud. But neither has that stopped
Comrade Helicopter Ben from his generosity to the Wall Street CEO proletariat.
Posted by: ab initio | Jul 16, 2008 6:51:40 PM | 8
Re: Typing "Comrade helicopter" into Google
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 8:37 pm
Haha, that's... unsettling.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Cap'n Patches: The Dames (Wenches?)
I had already shown you this:
So, that's a few ladycats. A few catty wenches. I know what you may be asking: why no dogs? As of right now, too weird for me. Sorry.
And from there I got better. Much, much better.
This one, coupled with I guess a Siamese cat who was right there overlapping so I couldn't remove.
 |
| LACISM? WHAT LACISM IS, MEAO? |
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Correspondence 11/2/09 17:09 - 19:48
Imma writin'
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 5:09 pm
How do Rem's men refer to him, Khal and Django and the gang, I mean. By first name, last, "boss"?
Re: Imma writin'
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 7:03 pm
Sir?
Re: Imma writin'
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 7:16 pm
Too formal, I went with boss, in the end.
On that note, I'm finished with my chapter, I'm just adjusting some stuff.
Re: Imma writin'
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 7:26 pm
Boss? Too '30s gangster.
Re: Imma writin'
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 7:29 pm
Aw.. I think it fits.
Anyway, here's an embarrassing question I have already asked one too many times in my short life.
How do you double space?
Re: Imma writin'
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 7:30 pm
Top bar thingy, format, paragraph, line spacing...
Re: Imma writin'
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 7:36 pm
Hm, I think that only works with microsoft word, I'm using a knock off version.
Re: Imma writin'
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 7:37 pm
Well, I used Microsoft Works Word Processor, and it worked in there.
Re: Imma writin'
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 7:39 pm
I've got WordPerfect 12 and it doesn't seem to be working.
Re: Imma writin'
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 7:40 pm
Wait, so it has the toolbar, and all the buttons? Then did you make sure to highlight the selection that you want to doublespace?
Re: Imma writin'
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 7:41 pm
I don't know how, but I figured it out!
Printing now.
Re: Imma writin'
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 7:43 pm
[thumbs up]
Re: Imma writin'
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 7:45 pm
But my printer seems to have a near fatal case of the sucks.
It only printed half of the first page, and printed the rest smaller.
Re: Imma writin'
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 7:46 pm
(mirth)
Re: Imma writin'
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 7:48 pm
Gonna run it over to my cousin's house across the street to commandeer their printer.
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 5:09 pm
How do Rem's men refer to him, Khal and Django and the gang, I mean. By first name, last, "boss"?
Re: Imma writin'
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 7:03 pm
Sir?
Re: Imma writin'
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 7:16 pm
Too formal, I went with boss, in the end.
On that note, I'm finished with my chapter, I'm just adjusting some stuff.
Re: Imma writin'
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 7:26 pm
Boss? Too '30s gangster.
Re: Imma writin'
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 7:29 pm
Aw.. I think it fits.
Anyway, here's an embarrassing question I have already asked one too many times in my short life.
How do you double space?
Re: Imma writin'
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 7:30 pm
Top bar thingy, format, paragraph, line spacing...
Re: Imma writin'
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 7:36 pm
Hm, I think that only works with microsoft word, I'm using a knock off version.
Re: Imma writin'
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 7:37 pm
Well, I used Microsoft Works Word Processor, and it worked in there.
Re: Imma writin'
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 7:39 pm
I've got WordPerfect 12 and it doesn't seem to be working.
Re: Imma writin'
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 7:40 pm
Wait, so it has the toolbar, and all the buttons? Then did you make sure to highlight the selection that you want to doublespace?
Re: Imma writin'
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 7:41 pm
I don't know how, but I figured it out!
Printing now.
Re: Imma writin'
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 7:43 pm
[thumbs up]
Re: Imma writin'
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 7:45 pm
But my printer seems to have a near fatal case of the sucks.
It only printed half of the first page, and printed the rest smaller.
Re: Imma writin'
From POMegranate to Persomem Nov 2, 2009 7:46 pm
(mirth)
Re: Imma writin'
From Persomem to POMegranate Nov 2, 2009 7:48 pm
Gonna run it over to my cousin's house across the street to commandeer their printer.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Elementary, My Dear... Watson? BOOM!
While Holmes did indeed speak the line "Elementary" in one of Doyle's original stories, the first recorded instance of the entire phrase "Elementary, my dear Watson" comes from a film, The Return of Sherlock Holmes, where the classic line is uttered by Clive Brook. There is literature indicating that it may have been said earlier on the stage by the actor William Gillette as Holmes, but the phrase itself does not appear anywhere in the script in question (but seeing how he also wrote the script for the play, it could easily be taken as an author's liberties with his own script.) As far as we know, the line could have been in the common vernacular by then, so there's really no way of telling for sure who said it first.
And I don't think Noah counts.
The line also serves to raise some eyebrows between Holmes and Watson, and Sherlock for one receives this quite heavily. You know what I mean. The whole "my dear Watson" part. So maybe it was for the best that they Starbuck'd Watson in Elementary (yeah, it's a verb now. Look it up.) She's female here. So aside from incompatibilities in character (which may be being being chipped away as Watson herself becomes more and more capable a detective in herself) that kind of thing's not out of the question.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Thespis Strip Dated Sunday, April 19, 2009
 |
| Click to embiggen. |
TRANSCRIPT:
Marvin, thinking: So, anyway, back to the philisophical [sic] indulgences of a few issues back...
What about Collin? His I.Q. is practically -3, (which, face it, is far, far lower than even severely Mentally Retarded people. No one really ever seems to make that connection, but...) So, what is Collin? How does he even live? Is he just a bundle of neurons?
Does
Collin
even
think?
Collin, thinking: I wonder what happens if you mix Tang and Glue?
NOTES:
Hmm, in a world where thought bubbles are apparently visible, you'd expect he'd know the answer to that. Marvin's question, not Collin's. Though, with Collin's question, well... You know my thoughts on Tang. I guess this is a reference to that.
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Correspondence 10/30/09 10:11 - 10:27
Cailin had kind of wanted to get to control the direction of the next album, so when I came up with a new album idea, I introduced the idea, but kind of... planned it further down the line. We've got three albums (not counting the Beatles Christmas one) and Cailin gets four, so Beyond the Evening Star "probably" the "fifth or sixth album." Makes sense.
Beyond the Evening Star
From POMegranate to Persomem Oct 30, 2009 10:11 am
May I introduce to you Beyond the Evening Star, which will probably be Comrade Helicopter's fifth or sixth album:
Re: Beyond the Evening Star
From Persomem to POMegranate Oct 30, 2009 10:17 am
Reminds me of all the album covers by The Strokes. They were nice, and so is this one.
And, I think we need an acoustic album of some of our best songs, created and released for some non profit organization that helps third world children read shoes and net mosquitoes and stuff.
Re: Beyond the Evening Star
From POMegranate to Persomem Oct 30, 2009 10:19 am
Album... Acoustic... Like, non-electric guitar, or just the guitar and no vocals?
Re: Beyond the Evening Star
From Persomem to POMegranate Oct 30, 2009 10:27 am
Basically mainly built around the acoustic guitar, with regular vocals, but no electric sound, some other traditional instruments are okay though. But simple stuff, like bongos.
Beyond the Evening Star
From POMegranate to Persomem Oct 30, 2009 10:11 am
May I introduce to you Beyond the Evening Star, which will probably be Comrade Helicopter's fifth or sixth album:
Re: Beyond the Evening Star
From Persomem to POMegranate Oct 30, 2009 10:17 am
Reminds me of all the album covers by The Strokes. They were nice, and so is this one.
And, I think we need an acoustic album of some of our best songs, created and released for some non profit organization that helps third world children read shoes and net mosquitoes and stuff.
Re: Beyond the Evening Star
From POMegranate to Persomem Oct 30, 2009 10:19 am
Album... Acoustic... Like, non-electric guitar, or just the guitar and no vocals?
Re: Beyond the Evening Star
From Persomem to POMegranate Oct 30, 2009 10:27 am
Basically mainly built around the acoustic guitar, with regular vocals, but no electric sound, some other traditional instruments are okay though. But simple stuff, like bongos.
Friday, April 19, 2013
April 19
It's my grandparents' anniversary today. Happy, you know, that.
Um, I thought... wasn't there... Shoot, did I even ever know how they met? I don't think I know how they met. Mmm.
Anyway, again, happy anniversary. I was told, hey, you're going to be gone, but you can plan posts to say happy birthday and stuff to people. So here it is now!
Um, I thought... wasn't there... Shoot, did I even ever know how they met? I don't think I know how they met. Mmm.
Anyway, again, happy anniversary. I was told, hey, you're going to be gone, but you can plan posts to say happy birthday and stuff to people. So here it is now!
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Correspondence 9/12/09 13:57 - 14:12
Continuing from last time, planning on how to cowrite. I suppose it isn't strictly necessary to show this, but it gives you an idea of the timeline.
That which rises must converge
From POMegranate to Persomem Sep 12, 2009 1:57 pm
Wow. I like it. Not quite what I had in mind, but epic scope. We'll have a lot of room to diverge, and then we'll rise and converge.
And we'll need more time that I anticipated.
Re: That which rises must converge
From Persomem to POMegranate Sep 12, 2009 2:03 pm
Yep, but it should certainly be more enjoyable and less difficult to write than what we'd previously ventured into.
Re: That which rises must converge
From POMegranate to Persomem Sep 12, 2009 2:04 pm
Okay, so, what? A month? Two? One half?
Re: That which rises must converge
From Persomem to POMegranate Sep 12, 2009 2:07 pm
Let's go with... pressing for the end of October.
Re: That which rises must converge
From POMegranate to Persomem Sep 12, 2009 2:10 pm
Have from the middle, or towards the end of the museum fight scene to at least at the locking of the chair done by Halloween, swap, compare, get together again by election day and... Combine.
Re: That which rises must converge
From Persomem to POMegranate Sep 12, 2009 2:10 pm
Alright, it's a plan, then.
Re: That which rises must converge
From POMegranate to Persomem Sep 12, 2009 2:12 pm
'k.
That which rises must converge
From POMegranate to Persomem Sep 12, 2009 1:57 pm
Wow. I like it. Not quite what I had in mind, but epic scope. We'll have a lot of room to diverge, and then we'll rise and converge.
And we'll need more time that I anticipated.
Re: That which rises must converge
From Persomem to POMegranate Sep 12, 2009 2:03 pm
Yep, but it should certainly be more enjoyable and less difficult to write than what we'd previously ventured into.
Re: That which rises must converge
From POMegranate to Persomem Sep 12, 2009 2:04 pm
Okay, so, what? A month? Two? One half?
Re: That which rises must converge
From Persomem to POMegranate Sep 12, 2009 2:07 pm
Let's go with... pressing for the end of October.
Re: That which rises must converge
From POMegranate to Persomem Sep 12, 2009 2:10 pm
Have from the middle, or towards the end of the museum fight scene to at least at the locking of the chair done by Halloween, swap, compare, get together again by election day and... Combine.
Re: That which rises must converge
From Persomem to POMegranate Sep 12, 2009 2:10 pm
Alright, it's a plan, then.
Re: That which rises must converge
From POMegranate to Persomem Sep 12, 2009 2:12 pm
'k.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Correspondence 9/12/09 13:24 - 13:54
After all the brainstorming we could do, we decided to hunker down and actually get to writing. It takes some effort much less to decide how to do it but to decide what to do. A core weakness of cowriting, exposed here. I think we managed to get around it.
Alright, so...
From POMegranate to Persomem Sep 12, 2009 1:24 pm
Did you start on that?
--OR--
Do we decide exactly where to begin?
Re: Alright, so...
From Persomem to POMegranate Sep 12, 2009 1:28 pm
Let's decide where we'd like to begin, I guess. Will we both be doing the same section, or will be tackling different parts?
Re: Alright, so...
From POMegranate to Persomem Sep 12, 2009 1:29 pm
I don't know. Someplace right after all the exposition, right in the action- the Lethean scene would be perfect.
Re: Alright, so...
From Persomem to POMegranate Sep 12, 2009 1:33 pm
Yes, it would. let's do that then.
Re: Alright, so...
From POMegranate to Persomem Sep 12, 2009 1:35 pm
aright, so, how do you propose we set out to do this?
Re: Alright, so...
From Persomem to POMegranate Sep 12, 2009 1:39 pm
I don't know, in our own way, and at our own pace?
Re: Alright, so...
From POMegranate to Persomem Sep 12, 2009 1:41 pm
Deadline(s)...?
Re: Alright, so...
From Persomem to POMegranate Sep 12, 2009 1:43 pm
I prefer not to, but I suppose we can generalize.
Re: Alright, so...
From POMegranate to Persomem Sep 12, 2009 1:46 pm
Okay, so it's like:
Have from (here) to (here) done by (date), swap, compare, get together again by (date) and... Combine.
Re: Alright, so...
From Persomem to POMegranate Sep 12, 2009 1:47 pm
Yes, but only as a sort of guideline, not a real deadline.
Re: Alright, so...
From POMegranate to Persomem Sep 12, 2009 1:50 pm
The exact locations (Positions?) starting and ending points of writing?
Re: Alright, so...
From Persomem to POMegranate Sep 12, 2009 1:54 pm
Well, let's just start in the middle, or towards the end of the museum fight scene. And end at least at the locking of the chair. Of course, let's just sort of wing it here, and do as much as we can, or as much as we feel comfortable with.
Alright, so...
From POMegranate to Persomem Sep 12, 2009 1:24 pm
Did you start on that?
--OR--
Do we decide exactly where to begin?
Re: Alright, so...
From Persomem to POMegranate Sep 12, 2009 1:28 pm
Let's decide where we'd like to begin, I guess. Will we both be doing the same section, or will be tackling different parts?
Re: Alright, so...
From POMegranate to Persomem Sep 12, 2009 1:29 pm
I don't know. Someplace right after all the exposition, right in the action- the Lethean scene would be perfect.
Re: Alright, so...
From Persomem to POMegranate Sep 12, 2009 1:33 pm
Yes, it would. let's do that then.
Re: Alright, so...
From POMegranate to Persomem Sep 12, 2009 1:35 pm
aright, so, how do you propose we set out to do this?
Re: Alright, so...
From Persomem to POMegranate Sep 12, 2009 1:39 pm
I don't know, in our own way, and at our own pace?
Re: Alright, so...
From POMegranate to Persomem Sep 12, 2009 1:41 pm
Deadline(s)...?
Re: Alright, so...
From Persomem to POMegranate Sep 12, 2009 1:43 pm
I prefer not to, but I suppose we can generalize.
Re: Alright, so...
From POMegranate to Persomem Sep 12, 2009 1:46 pm
Okay, so it's like:
Have from (here) to (here) done by (date), swap, compare, get together again by (date) and... Combine.
Re: Alright, so...
From Persomem to POMegranate Sep 12, 2009 1:47 pm
Yes, but only as a sort of guideline, not a real deadline.
Re: Alright, so...
From POMegranate to Persomem Sep 12, 2009 1:50 pm
The exact locations (Positions?) starting and ending points of writing?
Re: Alright, so...
From Persomem to POMegranate Sep 12, 2009 1:54 pm
Well, let's just start in the middle, or towards the end of the museum fight scene. And end at least at the locking of the chair. Of course, let's just sort of wing it here, and do as much as we can, or as much as we feel comfortable with.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
The Wind is Ghosts
I was chatting with Cailin, and there was some pretty funny stuff, eh. The idea that all supernatural phenomena can be chalked up to the weather. Ghosts? The wind! Psychics? The wind! Alien abduction? That tractor beam coming down from the sky, it's just a particularly bright tornado.
Must've been a spotlight swept up in that.
And then twist ending, it turns out that the wind IS all supernatural phenomena, and wind is just ghosts.
I hope that was an original idea of his, because, you know, I wouldn't be copying anyone. Not like a TV show or anything...
Monday, April 15, 2013
Correspondence 8/22/09 13:33 - 14:17
Re: Birds Cracking Foxy
From POMegranate to Persomem Aug 22, 2009 1:33 pm
Alright, so it turns out that O.A.R. has a song called Whatever Happened, too!
(But notice without a question mark.)
Re: Birds Cracking Foxy
From Persomem to POMegranate Aug 22, 2009 2:02 pm
So... that's two other bands with such a name. Huh. I guess we'll be number three.
Re: Birds Cracking Foxy
From POMegranate to Persomem Aug 22, 2009 2:10 pm
Man, I don't even know.
Fourth album?
Re: Birds Cracking Foxy
From Persomem to POMegranate Aug 22, 2009 2:12 pm
Kind of a lot of whatever happeneds.
A name?
Re: Birds Cracking Foxy
From POMegranate to Persomem Aug 22, 2009 2:13 pm
I dunno.
Just...
It's been a long, long time.
Re: Birds Cracking Foxy
From Persomem to POMegranate Aug 22, 2009 2:17 pm
It really has...
From POMegranate to Persomem Aug 22, 2009 1:33 pm
Alright, so it turns out that O.A.R. has a song called Whatever Happened, too!
(But notice without a question mark.)
Re: Birds Cracking Foxy
From Persomem to POMegranate Aug 22, 2009 2:02 pm
So... that's two other bands with such a name. Huh. I guess we'll be number three.
Re: Birds Cracking Foxy
From POMegranate to Persomem Aug 22, 2009 2:10 pm
Man, I don't even know.
Fourth album?
Re: Birds Cracking Foxy
From Persomem to POMegranate Aug 22, 2009 2:12 pm
Kind of a lot of whatever happeneds.
A name?
Re: Birds Cracking Foxy
From POMegranate to Persomem Aug 22, 2009 2:13 pm
I dunno.
Just...
It's been a long, long time.
Re: Birds Cracking Foxy
From Persomem to POMegranate Aug 22, 2009 2:17 pm
It really has...
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Thespis Strip Dated Sunday, April 12, 2009
 |
| Click to embiggen. |
Marvin: Hello, and welcome to...
THESPIS
Marvin and Collin: THE BOND GIRL EDITION.
Marvin: Jynx. [sic]
Collin: !
Octopussy.
Marvin: Pussy Galore.
Collin: Honey Rider.
Marvin: Christmas Jones.
Collin: Miss Moneypenny, Miss Moneypenny!
Marvin: CAMILLE MONTES!
Collin: You win.
Quantum of Solace in stores now!
NOTES:
Bond Girls! This is basically a double-entendre off. It starts with a really bad pun on (Halle Barry's character) "Jinx" and just devolves further from there. Also, apparently it's only the Pokémon that's spelled with a "y." Go figure. Not much has changed since this, really. Now I suppose it's the same thing with Skyfall.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
How to 3D w/o Glasses
You know how when you look through a pair of binoculars everything looks hyper 3D because it's two different viewpoints but seeing things at a distance where your eyes would be relatively at the same angle to it? There's an awesome optical illusion, I guess, where you can do that to 2D things. Try watching TV through a pair of binoculars sometime. It looks like a 3D movie. At least to me, and this has been corroborated with at least one other person.
There's this thing which some people have where that's always or almost always the case. They always have the ability to see 2D shows or movies in 3D. I think you might be able to train yourself into it. I mean, I can do it. Maybe I always had it but didn't realize it, but after watching Avatar in 3D I know what to look for? Or maybe it was latent and only unlocked after that experience.
There's this thing which some people have where that's always or almost always the case. They always have the ability to see 2D shows or movies in 3D. I think you might be able to train yourself into it. I mean, I can do it. Maybe I always had it but didn't realize it, but after watching Avatar in 3D I know what to look for? Or maybe it was latent and only unlocked after that experience.
Friday, April 12, 2013
Correspondence 7/18/09 9:42 - 18:10
It took me the longest time to get Fur on a Wire right, but when I hit upon this, I knew I had something. You have no idea how satisfying I find this.
Comrade Helicopter
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 18, 2009 9:42 am
So, I more or less got the synopsis to "Fur on a Wire" from our album Birds Cracking Foxy:
Okay, so there's this guy, the Narrator, whose totally hot girlfriend, with whom things are starting to get pretty serious, mentions the song "Bird on the Wire" by Leonard Cohen to him, and the guy thinks she say "fur on a wire" and he says to her, you know, they say you shouldn't really put fur coats on wire hangers, because it's bad for the coat, and you should really use like wooden hangers instead. So then his girlfriend starts accusing him of animal cruelty and he's like what the heck are you talking about you're the one who brought it up and I'm just showing off my amazing depth and breadth of knowledge like you said you always liked me doing, but she'll have none of it, and the guy starts thinking that maybe she's not the right girl for him:
And I'm realizing now that she's like
Fur on a Wire
She's a Fur Coat
and she's on a Wire Hanger
And I know that there's probably
Out There, Somewhere
A nice Wooden Hanger
for her
But I can't stand to tell her...
Goodbye.
Re: Comrade Helicopter
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 18, 2009 2:41 pm
You have no idea how satisfying I find this.
Re: Comrade Helicopter
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 18, 2009 5:45 pm
Well it's a lot.
Re: Comrade Helicopter
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 18, 2009 5:57 pm
A lot of song synopsis?
Re: Comrade Helicopter
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 18, 2009 5:59 pm
Well yes that too. I was of course referring to satisfaction.
Re: Comrade Helicopter
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 18, 2009 6:01 pm
Oh, a lot of satisfaction.
I am happy that you are happy.
Why are you happy?
Re: Comrade Helicopter
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 18, 2009 6:02 pm
I am happy because I jumped from one rooftop to another yesterday.
Re: Comrade Helicopter
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 18, 2009 6:04 pm
And that makes you happy in my song synopsis?
Re: Comrade Helicopter
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 18, 2009 6:07 pm
It makes me happy about a lot of things.
But no, I like the normalcy of it, makes it somehow more profound.
Re: Comrade Helicopter
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 18, 2009 6:08 pm
Oh. Okay.
Sweet.
Now what?
Re: Comrade Helicopter
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 18, 2009 6:10 pm
Also it's quite humorous.
Um... I don't know.
Comrade Helicopter
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 18, 2009 9:42 am
So, I more or less got the synopsis to "Fur on a Wire" from our album Birds Cracking Foxy:
Okay, so there's this guy, the Narrator, whose totally hot girlfriend, with whom things are starting to get pretty serious, mentions the song "Bird on the Wire" by Leonard Cohen to him, and the guy thinks she say "fur on a wire" and he says to her, you know, they say you shouldn't really put fur coats on wire hangers, because it's bad for the coat, and you should really use like wooden hangers instead. So then his girlfriend starts accusing him of animal cruelty and he's like what the heck are you talking about you're the one who brought it up and I'm just showing off my amazing depth and breadth of knowledge like you said you always liked me doing, but she'll have none of it, and the guy starts thinking that maybe she's not the right girl for him:
And I'm realizing now that she's like
Fur on a Wire
She's a Fur Coat
and she's on a Wire Hanger
And I know that there's probably
Out There, Somewhere
A nice Wooden Hanger
for her
But I can't stand to tell her...
Goodbye.
Re: Comrade Helicopter
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 18, 2009 2:41 pm
You have no idea how satisfying I find this.
Re: Comrade Helicopter
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 18, 2009 5:45 pm
Well it's a lot.
Re: Comrade Helicopter
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 18, 2009 5:57 pm
A lot of song synopsis?
Re: Comrade Helicopter
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 18, 2009 5:59 pm
Well yes that too. I was of course referring to satisfaction.
Re: Comrade Helicopter
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 18, 2009 6:01 pm
Oh, a lot of satisfaction.
I am happy that you are happy.
Why are you happy?
Re: Comrade Helicopter
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 18, 2009 6:02 pm
I am happy because I jumped from one rooftop to another yesterday.
Re: Comrade Helicopter
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 18, 2009 6:04 pm
And that makes you happy in my song synopsis?
Re: Comrade Helicopter
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 18, 2009 6:07 pm
It makes me happy about a lot of things.
But no, I like the normalcy of it, makes it somehow more profound.
Re: Comrade Helicopter
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 18, 2009 6:08 pm
Oh. Okay.
Sweet.
Now what?
Re: Comrade Helicopter
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 18, 2009 6:10 pm
Also it's quite humorous.
Um... I don't know.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Why I am Not a Squirrel
I thought I was turning into one a while back because my nose was distinctly squirrelly. But as you can see from photographs of my nose, my nose has just kind of always looked like that. I suppose it was a new-found sense of... my own physical appearance. I never really felt my nose was all that distinctive, and it was in fact my least favorite part of my face, but I don't know, it must have changed.
I always thought that I had a problem with my hair, though. Well, not always. When I began being concerned that I might look awkward, after I caught glimpses of myself in recordings. A high grating nasally voice, awkward posture. I've come to realize, though, that it's not my thick matted hair that makes me look like a shut-in, but when it's all greasy and I haven't shaved. When my hair's flat, that's the problem. It would actually be better to have even thicker hair. My head is eminently pettable as it is, but my hair looks good and I actually look pretty awesome when it's poufy. It even emphasizes how kinda like Robert Pattinson. I still can't change the shape of my head, but it's nice to know that I was right about hairstyles all along.
I always thought that I had a problem with my hair, though. Well, not always. When I began being concerned that I might look awkward, after I caught glimpses of myself in recordings. A high grating nasally voice, awkward posture. I've come to realize, though, that it's not my thick matted hair that makes me look like a shut-in, but when it's all greasy and I haven't shaved. When my hair's flat, that's the problem. It would actually be better to have even thicker hair. My head is eminently pettable as it is, but my hair looks good and I actually look pretty awesome when it's poufy. It even emphasizes how kinda like Robert Pattinson. I still can't change the shape of my head, but it's nice to know that I was right about hairstyles all along.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Correspondence 7/13/09 17:58 - 21:02
I meant to ask "what happens next," but accidentally left off the word "next." Which led to... to this.
What Happens...
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 13, 2009 5:58 pm
Re: What Happens...
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 13, 2009 6:00 pm
When an unmovable obj-
...
Re: What Happens...
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 13, 2009 6:01 pm
Yes, the old paradox of irresistible force vs. unstoppable object. Kind of like God resisting a free t-shirt.
Re: What Happens...
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 13, 2009 6:03 pm
What is the plural of paradox, anyway?
Re: What Happens...
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 13, 2009 6:05 pm
Paradoxes, of course. Add -es. Just like... well, pretty much every other -ox ending word except for ox itself.
Re: What Happens...
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 13, 2009 6:07 pm
I suppose Paradoxen would sound silly.
Re: What Happens...
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 13, 2009 6:08 pm
I pointlessly agree with you.
Re: What Happens...
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 13, 2009 6:11 pm
Your score goes up by one.
Re: What Happens...
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 13, 2009 6:12 pm
So, anyway, what happen next?
Re: What Happens...
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 13, 2009 6:21 pm
Um... I don't really know. I'm running extremely low on bot INSPIRATION© and MOTIVATION™.
Re: What Happens...
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 13, 2009 9:02 pm
Yes, I can see that by how you letf off the "h" in both.
So, some other time.
What Happens...
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 13, 2009 5:58 pm
Re: What Happens...
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 13, 2009 6:00 pm
When an unmovable obj-
...
Re: What Happens...
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 13, 2009 6:01 pm
Yes, the old paradox of irresistible force vs. unstoppable object. Kind of like God resisting a free t-shirt.
Re: What Happens...
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 13, 2009 6:03 pm
What is the plural of paradox, anyway?
Re: What Happens...
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 13, 2009 6:05 pm
Paradoxes, of course. Add -es. Just like... well, pretty much every other -ox ending word except for ox itself.
Re: What Happens...
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 13, 2009 6:07 pm
I suppose Paradoxen would sound silly.
Re: What Happens...
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 13, 2009 6:08 pm
I pointlessly agree with you.
Re: What Happens...
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 13, 2009 6:11 pm
Your score goes up by one.
Re: What Happens...
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 13, 2009 6:12 pm
So, anyway, what happen next?
Re: What Happens...
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 13, 2009 6:21 pm
Um... I don't really know. I'm running extremely low on bot INSPIRATION© and MOTIVATION™.
Re: What Happens...
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 13, 2009 9:02 pm
Yes, I can see that by how you letf off the "h" in both.
So, some other time.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Correspondence 7/8/09 15:21 - 7/13/09 17:57
After a pause (which makes it kind of herky-jerky to start up again,) we finalize the name of the second book, I quote Roger Waters, and we demonstrate why I can't post very many of our correspondences, aside from the inherent spoilers of brainstorming plot points: namely, a lot of it is freaking boring pointless crap.
Book II
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 8, 2009 3:21 pm
Impetus.
Hello?
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 12, 2009 9:15 am
Hello?
I love you.
Is there anyone in there?
Re: Hello?
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 12, 2009 4:11 pm
Why yes there is someone.
Someone with erratic computer use and sleep schedule.
I've been really out of it lately, and for that I apologize.
Re: Hello?
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 12, 2009 7:07 pm
Shweet, so you
're not grounded or anything.
I too have the awful sleep schedule.
But could you at least, I don't know, post updates, or progress reports, or something?
Seriously man, I was just about to send the Letheans over there to check up on you.
But how about Impetus? Is that good?
Re: Hello?
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 12, 2009 9:13 pm
I like Impetus, actually, I think it works quite well.
Also, how does... in the medium sense of this project... a text adventure sound? Just as a fun retelling.
Re: Hello?
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 12, 2009 9:27 pm
I shall edit the page to reflect the new title
and fun, but, is it necessarily productive?
Yeah, probably.
Re: Hello?
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 12, 2009 9:31 pm
Well, I've played quite a few lately, and some are very immersive and highly story driven.
Re: Hello?
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 13, 2009 11:54 am
Excellent, well, but how do you propose we do this?
Re: Hello?
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 13, 2009 5:16 pm
I downloaded a program that allows you to make them remarkably easily.
Re: Hello?
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 13, 2009 5:38 pm
Amazing! Finally! All my wildest text-based adventure dreams have come true-er than they were twenty-two minutes ago.
Re: Hello?
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 13, 2009 5:40 pm
I know, right?
Re: Hello?
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 13, 2009 5:49 pm
Well. This isn't very productive, just sitting around agreeing with each other, right?
Re: Hello?
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 13, 2009 5:50 pm
But of course.
Re: Hello?
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 13, 2009 5:52 pm
I knew you were gonna...
Re: Hello?
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 13, 2009 5:54 pm
You led me into it.
Re: Hello?
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 13, 2009 5:54 pm
Kind of.
Re: Hello?
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 13, 2009 5:57 pm
Yeah...
Book II
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 8, 2009 3:21 pm
Impetus.
Hello?
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 12, 2009 9:15 am
Hello?
I love you.
Is there anyone in there?
Re: Hello?
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 12, 2009 4:11 pm
Why yes there is someone.
Someone with erratic computer use and sleep schedule.
I've been really out of it lately, and for that I apologize.
Re: Hello?
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 12, 2009 7:07 pm
Shweet, so you
're not grounded or anything.
I too have the awful sleep schedule.
But could you at least, I don't know, post updates, or progress reports, or something?
Seriously man, I was just about to send the Letheans over there to check up on you.
But how about Impetus? Is that good?
Re: Hello?
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 12, 2009 9:13 pm
I like Impetus, actually, I think it works quite well.
Also, how does... in the medium sense of this project... a text adventure sound? Just as a fun retelling.
Re: Hello?
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 12, 2009 9:27 pm
I shall edit the page to reflect the new title
and fun, but, is it necessarily productive?
Yeah, probably.
Re: Hello?
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 12, 2009 9:31 pm
Well, I've played quite a few lately, and some are very immersive and highly story driven.
Re: Hello?
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 13, 2009 11:54 am
Excellent, well, but how do you propose we do this?
Re: Hello?
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 13, 2009 5:16 pm
I downloaded a program that allows you to make them remarkably easily.
Re: Hello?
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 13, 2009 5:38 pm
Amazing! Finally! All my wildest text-based adventure dreams have come true-er than they were twenty-two minutes ago.
Re: Hello?
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 13, 2009 5:40 pm
I know, right?
Re: Hello?
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 13, 2009 5:49 pm
Well. This isn't very productive, just sitting around agreeing with each other, right?
Re: Hello?
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 13, 2009 5:50 pm
But of course.
Re: Hello?
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 13, 2009 5:52 pm
I knew you were gonna...
Re: Hello?
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 13, 2009 5:54 pm
You led me into it.
Re: Hello?
From POMegranate to Persomem Jul 13, 2009 5:54 pm
Kind of.
Re: Hello?
From Persomem to POMegranate Jul 13, 2009 5:57 pm
Yeah...
Monday, April 8, 2013
Change
I'm leaving, going to leave, as I write this, and will have been gone by the time you read this. It's weird. But that's not the weird part.
Any degree of change in the status quo is strange by itself. But by far the most surreal aspect is our degree of acceptance to that degree of change. "People," said the Greek philosopher Epictetus, "are disturbed not by things but by the view which they take of them."
Any degree of change in the status quo is strange by itself. But by far the most surreal aspect is our degree of acceptance to that degree of change. "People," said the Greek philosopher Epictetus, "are disturbed not by things but by the view which they take of them."
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Thespis Strip Dated Sunday, April 5, 2009
 |
| Click to embiggen. |
Collin: Hello out there.
*(Editor's Note: Last week's Flock of Seagulls haircut noticably [sic] absent)
Collin: In keeping with the maxim that comedy comes in threes, we have decided to introduce a new, third character: The Ankh!
Ankh, thinking:
Collin: The Ankh is the Ancient Egyptian symbol of Death. I'n't that cheery!?
Ankh, thinking:
Ankh, thinking:
Ankh, thinking:
SFX: WUMPH
Collin: WELL SAID, ANKH!
Marvin: We're just kidding.
NOTES:
I think this might be a Discworld reference. An ankh? Like, Ankh-Morpork. Mmm. The ankh isn't a symbol of death, by the way. Quite the opposite. But this is far funnier. "I'n't that cheery!?"
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol
The scene where Anil Kapoor's character leaves Paula Patton's character at the same time we left Jeremy Renner's character hanging (kind of literally, but without wires.) All we know of his fate is that Jane is crying, and we hear over Tom Cruise's character's headset: Jupiter, he's gone. She's talking about Brij, and crying because she was acting for him, but that's not what it looks like.
So wait, what? Jeremy Renner just... died? Pretty dark for a film series that starts out with the main character of the show getting brutally murdered only to have his assassin take on his identity in a scheme to sully his good name and drag his wife into it too, presumably to ruin it for the rest of his family including Angelina Jolie (that's in the fanon somewhere, right? Something like that.)
So wait, what? Jeremy Renner just... died? Pretty dark for a film series that starts out with the main character of the show getting brutally murdered only to have his assassin take on his identity in a scheme to sully his good name and drag his wife into it too, presumably to ruin it for the rest of his family including Angelina Jolie (that's in the fanon somewhere, right? Something like that.)
Friday, April 5, 2013
Mission: Impossible III
In Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, Brad Bird reference several times the sequence A113, a nod to his previous work at Pixar. This is the question: what if Abrams had done that with Slush-O? That would effectively place the entire Mission: Impossible franchise in the same continuity as Star Trek, which would be problematic, at best, seeing as how both shows often shared the same cast and crew.
Forget the Tommy Westphall stuff, even without it that would in itself be problematic. This would be a direct crossover. A crossover of a crossover isn't necessarily canon, though, so maybe not.
Forget the Tommy Westphall stuff, even without it that would in itself be problematic. This would be a direct crossover. A crossover of a crossover isn't necessarily canon, though, so maybe not.
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Mission: Impossible II
Say what you want about Mission Impossible 2, but it set a precedent for the series: each installment would have its own tone and style, reinventing the formula instead of repeating it. And even the weird over-the-top John Woo stuff can make sense in-universe.
The events of a film are canon, the directing isn't. In this segment of Ethan Hunt's life, the producers knew there would be doves, and some randomly exploding motorcycles, so they hired John Woo to direct. Makes perfect sense.
The events of a film are canon, the directing isn't. In this segment of Ethan Hunt's life, the producers knew there would be doves, and some randomly exploding motorcycles, so they hired John Woo to direct. Makes perfect sense.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Mission: Impossible 1
Another take on Mission: Impossible: there's a lot of complaint that Jim Phelps, the main character of the original television show, turns out to be the bad guy here. But I see it as a deconstruction of sorts of IMF's apparent recruitment process: it's actors! Disguise artists and magicians and super models.
The IMF hires a bunch of performance artists! There's always the theory that the movie's "Jim Phelps" was just a disgruntled Dan Briggs in an IMF mask, which makes some amount of sense and is pretty mind-bending in and of itself. And which I may have just made up myself? I don't know; it's been a while.
The IMF hires a bunch of performance artists! There's always the theory that the movie's "Jim Phelps" was just a disgruntled Dan Briggs in an IMF mask, which makes some amount of sense and is pretty mind-bending in and of itself. And which I may have just made up myself? I don't know; it's been a while.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Original Chapter One, Part Two
"Grand Altesti Hotel, Grand Altesti Hotel..." Rem repeated, thumbing with one gloved hand through a phone book, huddled in a phone booth not far from the station. He held a slip of paper in his other hand with the hotel name written on it, and pinned the phone's receiver between his neck and shoulder.
"Here we are." he said, pocketing the slip of paper, and entering the long number into the keypad. He set the phone book back down on the low shelf in the booth, grabbed the receiver in one hand, and straightened his shoulders.
There was a moment of silence, then came a voice from the other end of the line.
"Hello, this is the Grand Altesti Hotel, how may I help you?" asked the pleasant voice of a young sounding woman.
"Hello, yes, my name is Oreth Allmahn, I've a reservation."
There was a sound of shuffling papers on the other line, as well as the faint sounds of business as usual.
"Oh, yes, Mr. Allmahn!" the young woman said, as if in apparent realization of an obvious fact, "You're our very special guest. I've been instructed to send a driver to pick you up, is that correct?"
"That's what I was told from the main office in Steinway."
"Well then, we'll send someone right away. May I ask from where you are calling?"
"From the train station." he said, dryly.
"Oh, of course." she said, sounding rather embarrassed. After a short silence, the young woman spoke again, "Well, a car has been sent, and will be arriving shortly."
"Thank you" said Rem, mechanically.
"I apologize in advance for the time it will take to arrive. Goodbye."
"Goodbye." Rem said, hanging the phone up.
Rem left the phone booth and crossed the street to get back to the station, where he sat on a bench to wait. He sat nearly motionlessly, watching people walk by.
Rem sniffed and shivered a bit, and held himself a bit tighter. It had begun snowing almost as he had arrived in Altesti, and what little sunlight he'd seen while on the train was gone now.
"Why's this city got to be so bloody cold?", he thought, "I thought we'd traveled south from Steinway."
Looking around him, Rem noticed the life of the city, so many people going to and fro, despite the cold.
In the distance, there were few skyscrapers to speak of, but a wide array of buildings of various heights none the less. The architectural style was slightly different from the buildings he'd seen back in Steinway, which, being the capitol, had a great amount of rustic looking buildings, to promote a sense of permanence. Here the designs were more practical, and abounded with the personal touches of their inhabitants.
The people who traveled by were of diverse ethnicities and clothing styles, giving the city a cosmopolitan air about it, at least in Rem's mind.
Cars drove by endlessly, mostly large, commercial vehicles, come in from the highway that led out of the city, following the same path of the train which he had come in from. Of the few private vehicles, he saw groups of happy, adolescent occupants within.
While watching just one such car drive by, he noticed a black car pull in near where he sat. As the door opened, a middle aged man clad in driver's uniform and cap, with a bulbous nose, receding hairline and bright eyes stepped out.
"Mr. Allmahn, I presume?" he asked, approaching the bench.
"Yes. And you're here to take me to the Grand Altesti Hotel, I take it."
"Of course sir." the driver added, with a smile.
Rem stood up and brushed the bits of snow that clung to him off his clothes. The driver opened a door on the second set of doors on the elegant looking car.
"Get in sir," he said sympathetically, "you must be damned cold."
"Thank you" said Rem. He got into the car, and as the driver shut the door for him, Rem took off his outer cloak-like apparel and fastened his seat belt. The driver entered the car and fastened his seat belt as well, and adjusted the seat and mirror's slightly.
"Well, best be on our way then" the driver said, starting the engine and adjusting his cap.
The driver shifted into drive and carefully pulled into the coming stream of cars.
"My name is Elvie Winton," said the driver, " though I doubt you care 'bout that much" he chuckled.
Rem, not quite sure how to respond, didn't.
"Want to hear a bit 'bout this city then?" Winton asked. "Well I'll tell you then," he said, not giving Rem a chance to answer.
"This is the city of Altesti, of course; founded in... well some odd year." Winton explained. "I'm from a little town called Erry, not but forty-five kilometers west of Penspire, which is near ol' Steinway, so course I don't know too much 'bout this place, not even really part of the country yet, still in the status of 'Territory'."
"Well, anyway, used to be the capital of some little country a decade or so back, before our country, The Persistence (always thought our nation'd a bit of an odd name) came in and adopted the place, so to speak."
Winton took a sharp turn that made Rem shift dramatically in the car. They had just passed a building that seemed to be the capitol building, with a crowd of protesters out front. Winton seemed to notice, but not care, so Rem assumed it was a common enough occurrence as to shrug off.
"But before The Persistence came in, this grand little place used to be not much more than a ruddy little coal mining town. Was as dirty as can be."
"And that's 'bout it, nothing really more interesting ever happened here or is happening. It's that sort of place." WInton said, seeming to have finally stopped his rambling.
The car made another sharp turn, and passed by what appeared to be the city's shopping market, where droves of people were walking and driving about.
"Tell me 'bout yourself Mr. Allmahn, what kind of man are you?" Winton asked after a long silence.
"Well, what kind of man do you think I am?" retorted Rem.
"I've been around for some time, Mr. Allmahn," started Winton, "and I must say, you're a most peculiar gentleman. You don't hardly say a word, and I can't judge what kind of person you are at all. So I ask again, what kind of person?"
"I'm a determined man."
"Oh? And what are you determined to do?"
"The very thing I've come here to do, to find my sister, she's been missing for almost a month now."
"Your sister, you say?" Winton inquired, rather curiously, "What's she like?"
"Her name is Anakaitsie, she's the only family I've got. She's a brilliant, unique little girl." Rem said, sounding rather nostalgic.
"To what extent would you go to find her?" Winton asked, preforming an elaborate maneuver through a fleet of cars.
"Any", Rem stated resolutely, gripping onto the white leather interior, in an attempt to remain upright.
"Now that's devotion," Winton said with a sincere smile, "it's rare to see that sort of thing in kids these days." He stabilized the car and Rem relaxed in his seat.
Looking out the window, Rem spotted the Grand Altesti Hotel, a few blocks away, a magnificent building, ornate yet functional, an admirable design.
"Well, we're just 'bout here now." Winton remarked, proudly.
The car pulled into the enclosed front lot of the hotel, rounding in on a drop off section where employees in uniform with luggage dollies bustled about. Winton parked carefully, turned off the engine, and stepped out. He made his way to the back and opened Rem's door.
Rem got out uncomfortably, his height making it somewhat difficult to get in and out of smaller cars, and stretched his back and arms.
"Well, the lobby's through here," said Winton, pointing to the large, automatic glass doors at the entrance, "I've got to be going, I'm afraid." He worked his way back into the car, started the engine, and, with a wave in Rem's direction, he sped off into the traffic.
Rem smiled a small, almost imperceptible smile, and walked through the large doorway.
Inside the door was a large expansive room, with a high ceiling, and many corridors, lined with paintings and potted plants, and jostling with men in business suits, and the occasional family.
Rem walked up to the front desk slowly, still taking in his surroundings. As he approached the desk, the young, blond woman behind the counter greeted him curtly.
"Welcome to the Grand Altesti Hotel, may I be of assistance?"
"Yes, I've reservations here, I'm Oreth Allmahn." he said, without emotion.
"Oh yes, we talked over the phone." she said, delightedly, "I didn't think you'd be quite so young, or good looking from the sound of your voice. I'd expected you to be another stuffy old businessman, by the importance of your case."
"Sorry to disappoint," Rem said, with a slight tinge of sarcasm, "now, where is my room?"
"Oh! Sorry, I didn't mean to bore you, I've a habit of talking too much." she stated, apologetically.
"Not a problem," Rem politely explained, "seems everyone's been doing it."
"You must be referring to Mr. Winton." she said, cheerfully, "yes, he's quite the talker, usually a hit with the customers."
"Yes he certainly talked... Well, my room?" Rem added, once more without emotion.
"Ah!" she exclaimed, her face turning a shade of red, "I'm sorry, I did it again. Here you are," she said, handing him a set of keys with a thick plastic tag binding them with the text: "ROOM No. 748" printed on both sides, "Please enjoy your stay with us."
"Thank you." said Rem, taking the keys from her hand, and seeing her blush as his hand touched hers, smirked a bit.
Rem checked a sign on the eastern wall in the lobby, stating where rooms could be found by number. Rooms 600 through 800 where listed as being on the fourth floor, to get to which, the elevator on the lobby's eastern wing would have to be used.
Walking only a short distance, and, rounding a corner, Rem made it to a large area where four elevators were at work. The elevator second to the right opened up, and a group of businessmen stepped out, discussing politics, Rem assumed, having heard them talk about the "Loffman Administration", and its various faults. Ignoring this, Rem stepped into the elevator interior, and pressed the button marked "4" which lit up, and the doors began to slowly close. The lift went clear up, with a window to its back, causing Rem to feel a bit uneasy looking out.
Even so, Rem found the view fantastic, to be able to look out on the city, and to see all its intricacies, its people and places in all their myriad beauty, all bathed in a fresh snow, was a breathtaking experience.
As Rem gazed on, the elevator doors opened behind him, startling him slightly. He regained his composure, and exited the lift.
Rem walked through the vacant halls of door after door, counting the number plates on the doors, as they gradually became larger, from 600 up. As he got into the 700's the doors began to have greater space between them, seemingly so that the rooms would have greater room within them. He went further and further down until he reached room 748, as printed on his keys. He inserted the largest key into its hole and turned. The door gave way, and he was greeted by the rooms beautiful interior; a large beautiful bed, small dining area, a variety of plants, and a large television and stereo system in the corner. The room's most fetching feature, however, was the large window over looking the city, sealed tightly to keep the cold out, but with a balcony and chairs arranged outside it.
Upon entering the room, Rem noticed a note upon the table nearest the door, which read:
I hope you find this room to your liking, it was chosen especially to suit your needs, and to aid in your search. Try not to be too serious, there is much opportunity for leisure here, don't squander it like you used to always do. Please remember to report in to the Steinway offices regularly.
Signed, S.K.
The note was written in rather childish handwriting, and Rem could not for the life of him recall who this "S.K." fellow was, nor how he seemed to know him as well as the note implied.
"Here we are." he said, pocketing the slip of paper, and entering the long number into the keypad. He set the phone book back down on the low shelf in the booth, grabbed the receiver in one hand, and straightened his shoulders.
There was a moment of silence, then came a voice from the other end of the line.
"Hello, this is the Grand Altesti Hotel, how may I help you?" asked the pleasant voice of a young sounding woman.
"Hello, yes, my name is Oreth Allmahn, I've a reservation."
There was a sound of shuffling papers on the other line, as well as the faint sounds of business as usual.
"Oh, yes, Mr. Allmahn!" the young woman said, as if in apparent realization of an obvious fact, "You're our very special guest. I've been instructed to send a driver to pick you up, is that correct?"
"That's what I was told from the main office in Steinway."
"Well then, we'll send someone right away. May I ask from where you are calling?"
"From the train station." he said, dryly.
"Oh, of course." she said, sounding rather embarrassed. After a short silence, the young woman spoke again, "Well, a car has been sent, and will be arriving shortly."
"Thank you" said Rem, mechanically.
"I apologize in advance for the time it will take to arrive. Goodbye."
"Goodbye." Rem said, hanging the phone up.
Rem left the phone booth and crossed the street to get back to the station, where he sat on a bench to wait. He sat nearly motionlessly, watching people walk by.
Rem sniffed and shivered a bit, and held himself a bit tighter. It had begun snowing almost as he had arrived in Altesti, and what little sunlight he'd seen while on the train was gone now.
"Why's this city got to be so bloody cold?", he thought, "I thought we'd traveled south from Steinway."
Looking around him, Rem noticed the life of the city, so many people going to and fro, despite the cold.
In the distance, there were few skyscrapers to speak of, but a wide array of buildings of various heights none the less. The architectural style was slightly different from the buildings he'd seen back in Steinway, which, being the capitol, had a great amount of rustic looking buildings, to promote a sense of permanence. Here the designs were more practical, and abounded with the personal touches of their inhabitants.
The people who traveled by were of diverse ethnicities and clothing styles, giving the city a cosmopolitan air about it, at least in Rem's mind.
Cars drove by endlessly, mostly large, commercial vehicles, come in from the highway that led out of the city, following the same path of the train which he had come in from. Of the few private vehicles, he saw groups of happy, adolescent occupants within.
While watching just one such car drive by, he noticed a black car pull in near where he sat. As the door opened, a middle aged man clad in driver's uniform and cap, with a bulbous nose, receding hairline and bright eyes stepped out.
"Mr. Allmahn, I presume?" he asked, approaching the bench.
"Yes. And you're here to take me to the Grand Altesti Hotel, I take it."
"Of course sir." the driver added, with a smile.
Rem stood up and brushed the bits of snow that clung to him off his clothes. The driver opened a door on the second set of doors on the elegant looking car.
"Get in sir," he said sympathetically, "you must be damned cold."
"Thank you" said Rem. He got into the car, and as the driver shut the door for him, Rem took off his outer cloak-like apparel and fastened his seat belt. The driver entered the car and fastened his seat belt as well, and adjusted the seat and mirror's slightly.
"Well, best be on our way then" the driver said, starting the engine and adjusting his cap.
The driver shifted into drive and carefully pulled into the coming stream of cars.
"My name is Elvie Winton," said the driver, " though I doubt you care 'bout that much" he chuckled.
Rem, not quite sure how to respond, didn't.
"Want to hear a bit 'bout this city then?" Winton asked. "Well I'll tell you then," he said, not giving Rem a chance to answer.
"This is the city of Altesti, of course; founded in... well some odd year." Winton explained. "I'm from a little town called Erry, not but forty-five kilometers west of Penspire, which is near ol' Steinway, so course I don't know too much 'bout this place, not even really part of the country yet, still in the status of 'Territory'."
"Well, anyway, used to be the capital of some little country a decade or so back, before our country, The Persistence (always thought our nation'd a bit of an odd name) came in and adopted the place, so to speak."
Winton took a sharp turn that made Rem shift dramatically in the car. They had just passed a building that seemed to be the capitol building, with a crowd of protesters out front. Winton seemed to notice, but not care, so Rem assumed it was a common enough occurrence as to shrug off.
"But before The Persistence came in, this grand little place used to be not much more than a ruddy little coal mining town. Was as dirty as can be."
"And that's 'bout it, nothing really more interesting ever happened here or is happening. It's that sort of place." WInton said, seeming to have finally stopped his rambling.
The car made another sharp turn, and passed by what appeared to be the city's shopping market, where droves of people were walking and driving about.
"Tell me 'bout yourself Mr. Allmahn, what kind of man are you?" Winton asked after a long silence.
"Well, what kind of man do you think I am?" retorted Rem.
"I've been around for some time, Mr. Allmahn," started Winton, "and I must say, you're a most peculiar gentleman. You don't hardly say a word, and I can't judge what kind of person you are at all. So I ask again, what kind of person?"
"I'm a determined man."
"Oh? And what are you determined to do?"
"The very thing I've come here to do, to find my sister, she's been missing for almost a month now."
"Your sister, you say?" Winton inquired, rather curiously, "What's she like?"
"Her name is Anakaitsie, she's the only family I've got. She's a brilliant, unique little girl." Rem said, sounding rather nostalgic.
"To what extent would you go to find her?" Winton asked, preforming an elaborate maneuver through a fleet of cars.
"Any", Rem stated resolutely, gripping onto the white leather interior, in an attempt to remain upright.
"Now that's devotion," Winton said with a sincere smile, "it's rare to see that sort of thing in kids these days." He stabilized the car and Rem relaxed in his seat.
Looking out the window, Rem spotted the Grand Altesti Hotel, a few blocks away, a magnificent building, ornate yet functional, an admirable design.
"Well, we're just 'bout here now." Winton remarked, proudly.
The car pulled into the enclosed front lot of the hotel, rounding in on a drop off section where employees in uniform with luggage dollies bustled about. Winton parked carefully, turned off the engine, and stepped out. He made his way to the back and opened Rem's door.
Rem got out uncomfortably, his height making it somewhat difficult to get in and out of smaller cars, and stretched his back and arms.
"Well, the lobby's through here," said Winton, pointing to the large, automatic glass doors at the entrance, "I've got to be going, I'm afraid." He worked his way back into the car, started the engine, and, with a wave in Rem's direction, he sped off into the traffic.
Rem smiled a small, almost imperceptible smile, and walked through the large doorway.
Inside the door was a large expansive room, with a high ceiling, and many corridors, lined with paintings and potted plants, and jostling with men in business suits, and the occasional family.
Rem walked up to the front desk slowly, still taking in his surroundings. As he approached the desk, the young, blond woman behind the counter greeted him curtly.
"Welcome to the Grand Altesti Hotel, may I be of assistance?"
"Yes, I've reservations here, I'm Oreth Allmahn." he said, without emotion.
"Oh yes, we talked over the phone." she said, delightedly, "I didn't think you'd be quite so young, or good looking from the sound of your voice. I'd expected you to be another stuffy old businessman, by the importance of your case."
"Sorry to disappoint," Rem said, with a slight tinge of sarcasm, "now, where is my room?"
"Oh! Sorry, I didn't mean to bore you, I've a habit of talking too much." she stated, apologetically.
"Not a problem," Rem politely explained, "seems everyone's been doing it."
"You must be referring to Mr. Winton." she said, cheerfully, "yes, he's quite the talker, usually a hit with the customers."
"Yes he certainly talked... Well, my room?" Rem added, once more without emotion.
"Ah!" she exclaimed, her face turning a shade of red, "I'm sorry, I did it again. Here you are," she said, handing him a set of keys with a thick plastic tag binding them with the text: "ROOM No. 748" printed on both sides, "Please enjoy your stay with us."
"Thank you." said Rem, taking the keys from her hand, and seeing her blush as his hand touched hers, smirked a bit.
Rem checked a sign on the eastern wall in the lobby, stating where rooms could be found by number. Rooms 600 through 800 where listed as being on the fourth floor, to get to which, the elevator on the lobby's eastern wing would have to be used.
Walking only a short distance, and, rounding a corner, Rem made it to a large area where four elevators were at work. The elevator second to the right opened up, and a group of businessmen stepped out, discussing politics, Rem assumed, having heard them talk about the "Loffman Administration", and its various faults. Ignoring this, Rem stepped into the elevator interior, and pressed the button marked "4" which lit up, and the doors began to slowly close. The lift went clear up, with a window to its back, causing Rem to feel a bit uneasy looking out.
Even so, Rem found the view fantastic, to be able to look out on the city, and to see all its intricacies, its people and places in all their myriad beauty, all bathed in a fresh snow, was a breathtaking experience.
As Rem gazed on, the elevator doors opened behind him, startling him slightly. He regained his composure, and exited the lift.
Rem walked through the vacant halls of door after door, counting the number plates on the doors, as they gradually became larger, from 600 up. As he got into the 700's the doors began to have greater space between them, seemingly so that the rooms would have greater room within them. He went further and further down until he reached room 748, as printed on his keys. He inserted the largest key into its hole and turned. The door gave way, and he was greeted by the rooms beautiful interior; a large beautiful bed, small dining area, a variety of plants, and a large television and stereo system in the corner. The room's most fetching feature, however, was the large window over looking the city, sealed tightly to keep the cold out, but with a balcony and chairs arranged outside it.
Upon entering the room, Rem noticed a note upon the table nearest the door, which read:
I hope you find this room to your liking, it was chosen especially to suit your needs, and to aid in your search. Try not to be too serious, there is much opportunity for leisure here, don't squander it like you used to always do. Please remember to report in to the Steinway offices regularly.
Signed, S.K.
The note was written in rather childish handwriting, and Rem could not for the life of him recall who this "S.K." fellow was, nor how he seemed to know him as well as the note implied.
Monday, April 1, 2013
Original Chapter One, Part One
My sister… They’ve taken her. They’ve taken my sister.
Why? I don’t know why. All I know is that I promised to her that this wouldn’t happen again. And I failed her.
I failed her, like my father failed me. The one man I promised I would never become, I am turning into. And it’s ripping me apart.
I can’t think straight anymore. My memories have become foggy; Either I am thinking of her more and more, or I am thinking of everything else less and less. The only ones that are making any coherent images in my mind are of her. My sister.
Kite.
"The weather's been rather nice lately, don't you think, dear?" said the woman occupying the train car's uppermost seat.
"I suppose so," said the gruff man to the left of her, "But it's hard to enjoy with all this news of riots and armed conflict in this horrid little territory. Why the state, or even my own department, wanted it is beyond me."
"For the oil reserves, I've heard," said the woman absentmindedly, staring out the window, watching the scenery gradually change, seemingly from one world to the next.
"Ah, yes," said the man mournfully, "consul Loffman, and his Labor Party, always after their oil, scarcely concerned for the well being of the common man."
"Or woman," she added, still staring out at the landscape as it rapidly became greener, departing from the cold wastes behind them.
"You know what I mean," the man chuckled, " but really," he
added gravely, "had I known working for the census bureau would take me to
such remote, dangerous little areas, I might have thought twice about taking
that job offer," he finished, sternly.
"But it pays so well," the woman said, thumbing through a magazine that was lying in the rack above her seat.
"Which of course, we'll need the money, what with a baby coming along," the man said pleasantly, patting the woman's stomach.
"But I just wish we didn't have to travel so much, it puts such a strain on you, and I imagine, the baby. If only we coul---"
The man and woman jumped, as well as the car's third occupant, to an explosion not far away.
"Must be those rebels," said the man, half bitterly, half exasperatedly, clutching his wife in his arms.
At this, the dark haired young man in the corner ceased his furious scribbling on his bit of paper, and began to be noticeably interested in what the man had to say.
He was a man of roughly twenty, tall and thin, yet well proportioned, very pale in complexion, with a pair of dark, slanted eyes.
He leaned forward slightly, his length of black hair falling forward to conceal his eyes, to better listen in on the couple at the other end of the car's conversation.
"So many groups opposing the state these days," the man began, zealously, "and for what? Our nation is the pinnacle of liberty on this continent, one of the few democracies in this sea of communist, fascist, and, God forbid, theocratic nations. What are they protesting?"
"But I'm sure you know what I mean, eh?" said the man good humoredly, motioning to the young man in the corner, dressed in a dark, somewhat ornamental, military uniform.
The young man leaned back, his hair falling into place, revealing his eyes. Though his hair still seemed pushed forward, as if by a backwind; all but for a small bit in the back, sticking off in the opposite direction, defying convention.
He paused for a moment, as if choosing his words carefully.
"Of course," he said, in a voice that was soft yet cold.
The man laughed uncomfortably after the response, and the woman seemed oddly attentive.
The young man made note of their reactions. The couple stared on, as if trying to place a familiar face, at his distinct appearance. After a moment, the two of them seemed slightly shocked.
"Say... what's your name?" the man finally asked, slowly.
"I'm Oreth Allmahn," he said, in the same softly cold voice, though this time more politely, "but I much prefer to be called Rem."
There was a long silence, punctuated only by the rhythmic sound of the train on
its rails.
"Oh, I'm sorry, it's just you look... so distinctly like...," the man began. "Never mind, it doesn't matter."
There was another otherwise silent, rail clacking silence.
"The train will be arriving at the station in Altesti shortly," came the voice over the intercom.
"You'll be getting off in Altesti, I presume?" asked the woman to
Rem, gazing at the window at the arising cityscape.
"That's the plan," Rem said, going back to his writing on the hanging table retracted from the seat in front of him.
After a short while, the couple began conversing again, and Rem, apparently done writing, folded the paper and tucked it into an already addressed envelope, and slid it carefully into his shirt pocket without sealing it.
As Rem was no longer occupied with his writing, he began to stare out the window, resting his chin in his palm. His face belied no particular emotion, and his eyes focused on nothing specifically.
Outside, buildings, homes, and people going about their daily lives came into view and rushed by just as quickly, as they began to enter the city. There was a thick overcast of clouds, with a part or two letting sunlight in in magnificent pillars of light in the afternoon air.
"We are now arriving in Altesti station," spoke the intercom, "please remain seated."
The car's occupants shifted, collecting what they could of their things while still seated.
Rem had few things to collect, the rest of what remained on the table in front of him, he pocketed these small items, and pushed the table back into the back of the seat in front of him. He positioned himself in his seat so as to allow an easy exit, and set one hand on the crumpled pile of cloth next to him, in the seat nearest the aisle.
The train was in the process of braking, slowing more and more, the urban scenery no longer rushing by, faces now becoming individually discernible.
The incessant sound of wheels clacking on rails that filled the train ride's silences lessened in tempo, as the train came to a soft stop.
"Thank you, the train has now come to a complete stop," the intercom sounded once more, "it is now safe to exit."
With an electronic beep, the doors opened automatically, and a cacophony of human voices, automobiles, and a wide variety of other sounds filled the car.
As the couple was busy grabbing their array of luggage from the racks above their seats, Rem picked up his cloak-like article of clothing from the seat next to him, and draped it about his shoulders. It came down a little past the waist, and he fastened it tight at the neck, and made his way to the door.
As Rem left he was powerfully greeted by the sounds, smells, and most notably, the cold of the city. Holding himself in an attempt to stay warm, Rem walked off the station platform, and into the city of Altesti to do what he'd come here to do, to find his missing sister.
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