As seen in the books of her unholy haemomancer-ness. Any reference to any person real or fictional is probably intended. If you're a lawyer, this post was written by my neighbour.
This crepuscular tale begins with a girl. She can be described as beautiful, intelligent and a stunning example of nature's crafting. But then, that would be a lie. We'll settle for something a tad lower. She's average.
The tale proceeds with a boy (Girl on girl action, involving cups, is best left to shock-sites). He would be an average guy in a normal world. But then, with a normal world and a normal boy, you can't have rabid fangirls across the universe. So, in their world, he's strong, understanding, smart, good-looking (So fantastically beautiful, in fact, he wouldn't be altogether out of place as a tragic hero in a story about a boy wizard). Since we have a boy and a girl, there's bound to be some action. So, let's give him good breath. Most important of all, he's sparkly. Like a firecracker. Or a Christmas decoration.
Now that we have our two main characters decided, we must ensure the two meet. What do average girls of schooling age do? Go to high school. And what do sparkly, superhuman immortals that have spent decades hunting and battling bands of roving trolls do? Go to high school, of course.
All high schools are in areas with wooded clearings right around the corner. A perfect spot for one-to-one conversations about life, the universe and everything. But not for our couple. Being the deeply romantic and moving story it is, our couple will sit in said clearing and talk about how bad sandwiches taste when cut in particular ways. As you are on the verge of forgiving them for this minor transgression, they reveal they are falling in love. *Slow, painful music*
No romantic story can exist without a disturbing love triangle. Girl is bat-crazy about guy 1. Guy 1 is sparkly enough to possess homosexual intentions towards Guy 2. Guy 2 has a wolf-like hunger for love from Girl. Guy 2 is doing something that all rebellious girls love. He repairs motorcycles.
To add a bit of originality, let us add family affairs and century long blood-feuds to the broth. Any parallels you are drawing with Romeo and Juliet are your own imagination. Any similarities you find with the works of Bram Stoker will cause him to turn in his grave, obtain vampiric unlife, hunt you down, dismember you and set you on fire. Stoker wrote novels, not fairytales with christmas decorations.
Since we've provided here the key elements of the story, it is up to you to make up the details as you go. In all probability, whatever sappy tosh you come up with, it just might be what our unholiness wrote in her series.
I read a book last night.
This post submitted for Blogomania 2010. If you like it, head over there and vote for me.
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Critiqus Anonimus
*Points* The Critiqus Anonimus. She's a beauty isn't she?
This marvelous creature, known my its common name whysostoopid, never ceases to amaze binary etymologists around the web. Rearing its neck from its hovel only to let out a slow, winding moan, the creature makes its presence felt by sending shock waves rippling across the interwebs. These waves are often created by a group that closely follows the activities of the creature and are responsible for feeding it and keeping it alive (The group, incidentally, is known as The Group). Critiqus shows a level of intelligence not unlike the others of its kind, which, when considered as a whole, are called blogs (Of course, any researcher worth his salt knows that the right term would be blag). This particular member of the species shows sleeping patterns that are affected by how often it is fed by The Group. Being a youngling of its kind, it seems to depend a lot on them for its nourishment and well being.
An interesting example of its kind, Critiqus, has shown behaviour that suggests it wants to be the Alpha individual. Supporting this evidence are its shouts via the group and its erratic speech pattern (probably a result of the varied fodder from members of The Group) that are surely calls seeking attention. The fate of this specimen might prove to be interesting with its caretakers indulging in various forms of legal, semi-legal and not-really-legal-but-fun-anyway activites including (and not limited to) Geohashing, Alcoholism, Marijuana cultivation, Tweeting, Piracy and Studying. Initial date collected about members of The Group indicate addiction to Alcohol (as mentioned earlier), The Interwebs and videos showcasing the mating rituals a 10-foot-tall, blue-skinned, alien race.
Coming back to the creature, the Critiin is a must watch for a researcher seeking worldly knowledge. Even if the information from it comes in little bursts, the occasional light it sheds on some topics to such enlightening degrees that it just might be the next big flash of news. To find the Critin in its natural habitat, one must tread carefully to its top-secret mountain hiding place.
I hope more of my journeys will open our eyes to such insightful creatures. If you ever feel the need for adventure, trek to said hiding place and observe the Critin.
In other news, I finished Soul Reaver 2. My next post may or may not see me writing normally again. Also, I am searching for things from my past. I found a poem.
This marvelous creature, known my its common name whysostoopid, never ceases to amaze binary etymologists around the web. Rearing its neck from its hovel only to let out a slow, winding moan, the creature makes its presence felt by sending shock waves rippling across the interwebs. These waves are often created by a group that closely follows the activities of the creature and are responsible for feeding it and keeping it alive (The group, incidentally, is known as The Group). Critiqus shows a level of intelligence not unlike the others of its kind, which, when considered as a whole, are called blogs (Of course, any researcher worth his salt knows that the right term would be blag). This particular member of the species shows sleeping patterns that are affected by how often it is fed by The Group. Being a youngling of its kind, it seems to depend a lot on them for its nourishment and well being.
An interesting example of its kind, Critiqus, has shown behaviour that suggests it wants to be the Alpha individual. Supporting this evidence are its shouts via the group and its erratic speech pattern (probably a result of the varied fodder from members of The Group) that are surely calls seeking attention. The fate of this specimen might prove to be interesting with its caretakers indulging in various forms of legal, semi-legal and not-really-legal-but-fun-anyway activites including (and not limited to) Geohashing, Alcoholism, Marijuana cultivation, Tweeting, Piracy and Studying. Initial date collected about members of The Group indicate addiction to Alcohol (as mentioned earlier), The Interwebs and videos showcasing the mating rituals a 10-foot-tall, blue-skinned, alien race.
Coming back to the creature, the Critiin is a must watch for a researcher seeking worldly knowledge. Even if the information from it comes in little bursts, the occasional light it sheds on some topics to such enlightening degrees that it just might be the next big flash of news. To find the Critin in its natural habitat, one must tread carefully to its top-secret mountain hiding place.
I hope more of my journeys will open our eyes to such insightful creatures. If you ever feel the need for adventure, trek to said hiding place and observe the Critin.
In other news, I finished Soul Reaver 2. My next post may or may not see me writing normally again. Also, I am searching for things from my past. I found a poem.
So long
And thanks for all the memories.
Time pulls closer the inevitability of fate and my condemnation to the darkest of realms, where I shall wander again, a listless soul, anguished by the sheer weight of a burden that no mortal must be bid to bear. It is time to be parted from the comfort of my home and embrace, with might, the bleak future that adorns my path. It is also time to leave my love. My only solace lies in this fate being shared by numerous others; brave souls that will do battle by my side; souls that will face, with me, ambushes of the most vile of papers, set upon us by demented mentors seeking to test us on the little we learnt (while awake) under their tutelage.
College. And no, I still haven't finished Soul Reaver 2 (guilty, yet again, of poisoning my tongue with language deemed archaic).
Right, that wraps up everything I have to say. Here is a list of things I did these holidays (some of which, even if I say so myself, proved rather fun):
Have fun.
Time pulls closer the inevitability of fate and my condemnation to the darkest of realms, where I shall wander again, a listless soul, anguished by the sheer weight of a burden that no mortal must be bid to bear. It is time to be parted from the comfort of my home and embrace, with might, the bleak future that adorns my path. It is also time to leave my love. My only solace lies in this fate being shared by numerous others; brave souls that will do battle by my side; souls that will face, with me, ambushes of the most vile of papers, set upon us by demented mentors seeking to test us on the little we learnt (while awake) under their tutelage.
College. And no, I still haven't finished Soul Reaver 2 (guilty, yet again, of poisoning my tongue with language deemed archaic).
Right, that wraps up everything I have to say. Here is a list of things I did these holidays (some of which, even if I say so myself, proved rather fun):
- Discovered Very Demotivational, IMMD and Hawtness.
- Saw more funny pictures.
- Earned money.
- Spent said money.
- Learnt about suicide on uncyclopedia.
- Convinced people on Omegle that I was Basement Cat.
- Discovered that my parents follow my blog AND my twitter handle. (Not on fun list)
- Set up a collaborative blog.
- Found out my blog has 10 followers (w00t!).
- Downloaded Deus Ex, Final Fantasy VII and Soul Reaver 2.
- Downloaded The Playlist of Instant Attraction.
- Planned for my digital art event coming up in February.
- Entered 3D art. (Check out earlier posts)
- Downloaded and subsequently fell in love with Plants Vs. Zombies.
- Wrote a short story-poem in Sci-Fi for Kurukshetra. (Will put it up sometime)
- Read So long, And thanks for all the fish.
Have fun.
Follow up: TMoHS review
Going through my previous post, I noticed I had not covered comprehensively the view-ability aspects of the series. Alright, maybe it wasn't much more than a fan rave. Seeking to undo my wrong, I set upon the forging of another post that delves deeper into the plotline and emerges as a review for the blessed series. (Archaic language, courtesy of Soul Reaver 2).
First, the plotline. Oh, the plotline. Giving out the slightest of details would constitute a spoiler. For a series that is an incoherent stampede of episodes, the plot holds up rather well. The first few episodes introduce the main characters of the series sequentially (with the exception of the first episode itelf, which, to cut a long story short, is disorienting and interesting). Compressed into 13 episodes is the story of a girl, Haruhi Suzumiya, combining the genres of Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Mystery and plain, old, high school life. The direction of the series is exceptional, with subtle imagery that mimics the events in the story.
Next, the graphics. As good as any other well designed anime, TMoHS captures the emotions of its characters with a good degree of accuracy (ex. the insanity on Haruhi's face). Its not something that you could watch the series for, but it satisfies nonetheless.
On to the music. The fact that the seiyu (voice actor) Aya Hirano won multiple awards for the songs in the series (especially Bouken Desho Desho, which, is awesome) should speak for itself. The beginning and ending songs epitomize the ideas the series prescribes.
Finally, the characters.( *Must... fight... Fanboy rave urge...*) Well, they're good. Really, really good. Each character is developed with a specific purpose that is revealed over the course of the anime. The depth and detail devoted to each character is unimaginable in the age of hack-and-slash franchises like Bleach and Naruto.
Overall: A great series for anyone looking for a good story. If you watch with a mind open enough, you could even be influenced by the series (Yes, this is to blame for some of my weirdness as well). If the concept of having fun has always caught your fancy, you're sure to like it. As I said in the previous post, do watch it. You won't regret it. A little Haruhiism never hurt anyone.
First, the plotline. Oh, the plotline. Giving out the slightest of details would constitute a spoiler. For a series that is an incoherent stampede of episodes, the plot holds up rather well. The first few episodes introduce the main characters of the series sequentially (with the exception of the first episode itelf, which, to cut a long story short, is disorienting and interesting). Compressed into 13 episodes is the story of a girl, Haruhi Suzumiya, combining the genres of Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Mystery and plain, old, high school life. The direction of the series is exceptional, with subtle imagery that mimics the events in the story.
Next, the graphics. As good as any other well designed anime, TMoHS captures the emotions of its characters with a good degree of accuracy (ex. the insanity on Haruhi's face). Its not something that you could watch the series for, but it satisfies nonetheless.
On to the music. The fact that the seiyu (voice actor) Aya Hirano won multiple awards for the songs in the series (especially Bouken Desho Desho, which, is awesome) should speak for itself. The beginning and ending songs epitomize the ideas the series prescribes.
Finally, the characters.( *Must... fight... Fanboy rave urge...*) Well, they're good. Really, really good. Each character is developed with a specific purpose that is revealed over the course of the anime. The depth and detail devoted to each character is unimaginable in the age of hack-and-slash franchises like Bleach and Naruto.
Overall: A great series for anyone looking for a good story. If you watch with a mind open enough, you could even be influenced by the series (Yes, this is to blame for some of my weirdness as well). If the concept of having fun has always caught your fancy, you're sure to like it. As I said in the previous post, do watch it. You won't regret it. A little Haruhiism never hurt anyone.
The Phenomenon of Haruhi Suzumiya
Let's start with a friendly word. Anime is not cartoon. Ignorance is not an excuse.
Before we get started on the (pending) post on TMoHS, it would be a good idea to get a clear picture of what anime is. Ben10 is a cartoon. Cartoons are primarily for kids. Anime, on the other hand, caters to as wide a range of viewers as chocolate, i.e. everyone. You have the childish run-of-the-mill fantasy series (like Bleach), the types that beckon with childlike beauty (like Chobits), the complex types (like S. E. Lain) and the types best left without mention (ask me in person). These broad classifications are but examples of the most typical genre. Add to this a thousand series, each having a devoted fan following and you have a whole new order in your hands. Sadly, however, for the inexperienced viewer, anime falls into the worst of classifications (hentai and cartoon). I can only ask you to watch some good ones before you take your side on the 'anime is for kids' debate. There are amazing examples that are shorter than 26 episodes. Eat that, sitcom addicts.
On to what this post is really about. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (TMoHS, as mentioned earlier). TMoHS is one of the best pieces of art I have seen - and that's putting it lightly. It isn't a series that I would suggest for someone getting started on anime. It certainly isn't a defining work. And most important of all, it is a heady mix of a number of genres. Watching it twice will probably be necessary before you fall into Haruhi's fandom (and eventually start worshiping her). The sheer brilliance of it all does not come out until the end (Hell, the first episode, provided you watch it in the right order, leaves you wondering what you saw). Choosing a non-linear narrative is a nice touch that brings the right amount of suspense to the mystery that is TMoHS. Oh, and do watch it in Japanese (with subs).
To see the aftereffects of TMoHS, a google search will reveal how far things from the series have entered our world. Apart from huge fan bases (and related rabid fangirl/fanboy attacks), the show has even inspired flash mobs in full cosplay that start dancing at busy intersections. The prison inmates at a filipino prison (yeah, the same guys that brought us the Thriller dance) added the outro of the series to this their dance numbers (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Xx4tszZ-DE).
Just like any other series, TMoHS has its critics, who, despite being hammered by fans, pick at the anime. I guess there is a price to pay when you adapt a long manga and shorten it to 13 episodes (that's less than half the running time of the average english season). The depth and the ideals brought out in the series make up for most of its shortfalls. The songs from the series, which are among my favorites, If you've got the time to download and watch it, do it right away.
On another note, I'm trying to figure out something fun to do for New Year's. Any suggestions?
Before we get started on the (pending) post on TMoHS, it would be a good idea to get a clear picture of what anime is. Ben10 is a cartoon. Cartoons are primarily for kids. Anime, on the other hand, caters to as wide a range of viewers as chocolate, i.e. everyone. You have the childish run-of-the-mill fantasy series (like Bleach), the types that beckon with childlike beauty (like Chobits), the complex types (like S. E. Lain) and the types best left without mention (ask me in person). These broad classifications are but examples of the most typical genre. Add to this a thousand series, each having a devoted fan following and you have a whole new order in your hands. Sadly, however, for the inexperienced viewer, anime falls into the worst of classifications (hentai and cartoon). I can only ask you to watch some good ones before you take your side on the 'anime is for kids' debate. There are amazing examples that are shorter than 26 episodes. Eat that, sitcom addicts.
On to what this post is really about. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (TMoHS, as mentioned earlier). TMoHS is one of the best pieces of art I have seen - and that's putting it lightly. It isn't a series that I would suggest for someone getting started on anime. It certainly isn't a defining work. And most important of all, it is a heady mix of a number of genres. Watching it twice will probably be necessary before you fall into Haruhi's fandom (and eventually start worshiping her). The sheer brilliance of it all does not come out until the end (Hell, the first episode, provided you watch it in the right order, leaves you wondering what you saw). Choosing a non-linear narrative is a nice touch that brings the right amount of suspense to the mystery that is TMoHS. Oh, and do watch it in Japanese (with subs).
To see the aftereffects of TMoHS, a google search will reveal how far things from the series have entered our world. Apart from huge fan bases (and related rabid fangirl/fanboy attacks), the show has even inspired flash mobs in full cosplay that start dancing at busy intersections. The prison inmates at a filipino prison (yeah, the same guys that brought us the Thriller dance) added the outro of the series to this their dance numbers (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Xx4tszZ-DE).
Just like any other series, TMoHS has its critics, who, despite being hammered by fans, pick at the anime. I guess there is a price to pay when you adapt a long manga and shorten it to 13 episodes (that's less than half the running time of the average english season). The depth and the ideals brought out in the series make up for most of its shortfalls. The songs from the series, which are among my favorites, If you've got the time to download and watch it, do it right away.
On another note, I'm trying to figure out something fun to do for New Year's. Any suggestions?
Liminality at Pragyan 2010
The tech fest of NITT is around the corner. This time, with a dull website and interesting events, the interest thus far has fallen a mile short of overwhelming. The prizes are as good as always (I still cherish that coffee cup I won in my first year). Offsetting that is a surge in the number of events (some of them, surprisingly, are good). In this freshly sorted heap, is Liminality; The first event Pragyan has seen that takes your mind away from the technical and technological indulgences that have become something of a bore.
I'm sorry the picture isn't that good. I didn't have enough time to work on it.
Now, back to Liminality:
The basics - Limi is a digital art event. We'll be giving the participants PS (CS 3 or 4) and let them paint the town pixelly. Artists that use graphic tablets are also allowed to participate and they're allowed to bring their own brushes and fonts. We'll also be putting up a PS101 for people that haven't tried it before but are eager to.
The cash - 3,000 if you win. Slightly smaller amounts for coming in second and third. And if your initial submissions are good enough, we might even be printing T shirts with them :D
There is no restriction on the genre; In fact, we'd like to see some variety in the submissions. Any thing from pixel art to photomanips is allowed.
If you're into art, or know friends that are, please pass this on. The topics are not your standard love, war and peace (We nearly made them Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magik but decided to avoid copyright entanglement) and the people reviewing it might actually understand pop culture references you make. There are also bonus points for using lolspeak in your image.
Link: Liminality
Pass it on, won't you?
I'm sorry the picture isn't that good. I didn't have enough time to work on it.
Now, back to Liminality:
The basics - Limi is a digital art event. We'll be giving the participants PS (CS 3 or 4) and let them paint the town pixelly. Artists that use graphic tablets are also allowed to participate and they're allowed to bring their own brushes and fonts. We'll also be putting up a PS101 for people that haven't tried it before but are eager to.
The cash - 3,000 if you win. Slightly smaller amounts for coming in second and third. And if your initial submissions are good enough, we might even be printing T shirts with them :D
There is no restriction on the genre; In fact, we'd like to see some variety in the submissions. Any thing from pixel art to photomanips is allowed.
If you're into art, or know friends that are, please pass this on. The topics are not your standard love, war and peace (We nearly made them Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magik but decided to avoid copyright entanglement) and the people reviewing it might actually understand pop culture references you make. There are also bonus points for using lolspeak in your image.
Link: Liminality
Pass it on, won't you?
The end and the beginning
With 12 grueling hours topping off a largely similar week, my work draws to a close.
What this means to you: Articles on everything I've mentioned in the past but let slip.
What this means to me: Life. Liberty. The pursuit of the fairer sex. Or, as a friend put it,
Rather than leave this a stub, I thought I would put in a few pieces of junk that are too small to occupy their own topics and interesting enough to warrant mention.
First, visit Wiki: Balls by Picasso for a well written entry that describes the literary society of NITT. Depending on when you decide to pay a visit, the status of availability of said site will vary. If you have a wiki account, post in the Talk section and vote against deletion ^_^.
Second, and with a slight shade of importance, are quotes. Not the quotable kind you get in RD (Ex. Love people. Use things. Never confuse the two.) but the kind that must be shared with the intensity of a roll. Mentioned below are actual snippets from a conversation we were having with a professor who is overseeing our project.
Prof: So, you're from Trichy. You know, that place is fit only for night schools. Because it is Tiruchi Raa Palli.
Us: He He... yeah...
Prof: Do you have all the data I gave you?
Us: Yes sir, we have it all filed.
Prof: Oh, that's not possible. Only if you're in Mech Engg., you can file everything.
Us: Ha. Ha. *cough*
Prof: Tell your friend Harshavardhan to be nice to people, or he will be called Harsh vardhan.
Us: Yeah...
Prof: (In MS Excel) Ah, I just managed to add 3 rows to the sheet. Now, I can order the same brand of tea (Go figure).
Prof: In a North Indian restaurant, there is limited variety - Rotis, sabzi and raita. Each is kept in a separate row. A customer eats there and complains that the sabzi provided isn't hot enough. Why?
Us: ??
Prof: Because it was kept in sabzi row!
(WARNING: Grand finale)
Prof: It is the year 2020. There has been a variant of avian flu that has killed most of the chicken on the planet. All the people are sad since tasty wings are out of the question now. I create a device that manages to cook crows (they aren't that tasty normally) and brings KFC back in business. Now, to patent my invention, what do I call it?
Us: *Blank stare*
Prof: Mycrowprocessor!
Us: *Facepalm*
We hope you enjoyed it.
And I'll try to make up for this with a few good posts ^__^.
What this means to you: Articles on everything I've mentioned in the past but let slip.
What this means to me: Life. Liberty. The pursuit of the fairer sex. Or, as a friend put it,
"There'll soon be a billboard on Elliots Beach... "Wanted: Single Woman, any shape, size, age. Kindly contact the undersigned. Mod"
Rather than leave this a stub, I thought I would put in a few pieces of junk that are too small to occupy their own topics and interesting enough to warrant mention.
First, visit Wiki: Balls by Picasso for a well written entry that describes the literary society of NITT. Depending on when you decide to pay a visit, the status of availability of said site will vary. If you have a wiki account, post in the Talk section and vote against deletion ^_^.
Second, and with a slight shade of importance, are quotes. Not the quotable kind you get in RD (Ex. Love people. Use things. Never confuse the two.) but the kind that must be shared with the intensity of a roll. Mentioned below are actual snippets from a conversation we were having with a professor who is overseeing our project.
Prof: So, you're from Trichy. You know, that place is fit only for night schools. Because it is Tiruchi Raa Palli.
Us: He He... yeah...
Prof: Do you have all the data I gave you?
Us: Yes sir, we have it all filed.
Prof: Oh, that's not possible. Only if you're in Mech Engg., you can file everything.
Us: Ha. Ha. *cough*
Prof: Tell your friend Harshavardhan to be nice to people, or he will be called Harsh vardhan.
Us: Yeah...
Prof: (In MS Excel) Ah, I just managed to add 3 rows to the sheet. Now, I can order the same brand of tea (Go figure).
Prof: In a North Indian restaurant, there is limited variety - Rotis, sabzi and raita. Each is kept in a separate row. A customer eats there and complains that the sabzi provided isn't hot enough. Why?
Us: ??
Prof: Because it was kept in sabzi row!
(WARNING: Grand finale)
Prof: It is the year 2020. There has been a variant of avian flu that has killed most of the chicken on the planet. All the people are sad since tasty wings are out of the question now. I create a device that manages to cook crows (they aren't that tasty normally) and brings KFC back in business. Now, to patent my invention, what do I call it?
Us: *Blank stare*
Prof: Mycrowprocessor!
Us: *Facepalm*
We hope you enjoyed it.
And I'll try to make up for this with a few good posts ^__^.
