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Why Read the Classics?

Italo Calvino

“A classic is a work which constantly generates a pulviscular cloud of critical discourse around it, but which always shakes the particles off.”

A collection of essays on classic texts from beloved author Italo Calvino, plus 14 definitions of what makes a classic at the link.

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Yet another new, creative media that has emerged is through that of Machinima, with one of the most popular being that of 'Red vs Blue', which now has millions of hits, DVD's, merchandise and one of the biggest internet fanbases to date. This is yet again an example of how a group of average people cut out the middle man entirely and made something huge.

Machinima is the use of real-time 3D computer graphics rendering engines to create a cinematic production. Most often, video games are used to generate the computer animation. Machinima-based artists, sometimes called machinimists or machinimators, are often fan laborers, by virtue of their re-use of copyrighted materials

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One of the biggest, more recent styles of creativity comes from parodies, specifically that of song parodies, taking the beat or tune of a song and writing a comedic version, sometimes reflecting the song, sometimes about a totally different subject matter.

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How To Become A Writer

I'm just writing this on the spur of the moment, after someone asked me the question, how do I become a writer?

The question may seem impossibly broad and difficult to answer, but in my eyes, it has a very simple answer.

Do it.

Whether it's writing, music, drama, those kind of things won't happen until you take action. The person who will always hold you back is yourself, they will be your biggest critic and if you can get past that and go for it, then there is little that can stop you.

Never dwell, always take action. 

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The Wind by mel-face

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Thank you for your questions

I appreciate everything you are currently sending in and happily will answer any of your questions and hopefully, some of my advice you find helpful and not a complete waste of time.

- Conor Gleeson

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“Wasn’t that the point of the book? For women to realize, We are just two people. Not that much separates us. Not nearly as much as I’d thought.”

                                                                            - “The Help”, Kathryn Stockett

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Music has been cut from my school and I love to play instruments, what do I do?

Start a club, in or outside school, it may even be more rewarding since it will be your own creation and can make it however you want it to be. Whatever you do, don' give up, if you do, you'll just slowly forget about it and that's never a good thing.

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I have a writers block, what do I do?

Images can be a real help, even browsing google images can be a great way to inspire you. 

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What is your biggest tip to people who wish to take up writing?

Honestly? Start.

Almost everyone who wants to write, never gets around to it, so just start, write anything, a journal, a poem, a song, a short story, just get into the habit of it and it will be so much easier. 

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Mass Effect 3: The Ending

             Considering I'm currently planning, for my course, a seven week session plan for a course on the video gaming industry and how to write for it, I thought it might be a good idea to give a quick overview and review on what is currently considered one of the most disappointing moments of writing and creativity for video games in recent years; the ending to Mass Effect 3.

As you might have guessed, this will contain spoilers, so if you wish to continue to be naive to the ending, best to look away now.

As someone who picked up the first Mass Effect game shortly after its release, I knew this was going to be a special series, even with the slightly rough combat and a few bugs here and there, the core gaming aspect, the story and the choices blew me away and I fell in love with the whole idea of it very fast. Then, Mass Effect 2 came out and things seemed to only be going up for the series, which improved and polished on its prequel and got most people beyond excited for the final conclusion to this epic series. 

Then Mass Effect 3 came along and that excitement was met with sheer joy at the quality that they brought to the game, everything had been improved and it was beyond satisfying to see all the work that had been put it and it was hard to call Mass Effect 3 anything other than a masterpiece...

...until you got to the ending.

For the record, I knew nothing about the ending when I finished Mass Effect 3, I was completely unaware of the anger and hate that had emerged from the forums and genuine Mass Effect fans, so I can say that my reaction to the ending was genuine and untainted; and you know what? I fucking pissed off. I'm not an angry gamer, I don't start flame wars, I could honestly not care less about if you prefer Xbox or Playstation, so for someone like me to be foaming at the mouth at what I was given, well, that tells a lot. 

Now don't mistake this for a 'Mass Effect 3 sucks' rant, because it's not. Mass Effect 3 is the best game of the three, until the final ten minutes. But that makes it all the more baffling to me that those ten minutes could essentially destroy any desire to replay the games ever again. It's really that upsetting to me. Especially when we were promised, and I quote; "It's not even in any way like the traditional game endings, where you can say how many endings there are or whether you got ending A, B or C."

In a way, I suppose he's right. We didn't get A, B or C, no what we got was, blue explosion, red explosion or green explosion. BioWare's misleading claim that there are "sixteen different endings" is so close to a lie, that it's hard to think of as anything else. Giving the impression you'll get sixteen unique endings, when what you got was sixteen endings that at 95% the same, with such minor tweaks that sometimes it's not even noticeable. 

But honestly, I could go on and on and complain until you're all sick of me about this rip-off, cookie cutter ending to such an incredible series, so I'll break it down into six points and explain them a little:

God Child. The most bizarre and, in my opinion, worse aspect of the ending, ME3 fails to realize it's made one of the worst mistakes you can make in any form of writing, introducing a character in the last ten minutes that changes the entire story. This character not only diminishes the mystery and purpose of the Reapers, but also has a logic that is so moronic, that it's almost hilarious to believe this 'child' is supposed to be an AI smart enough to control the Reapers. The moment this character was introduced, it was like a deadly kiss to any hopes for this ending.  

Shepard.  This may sound like an odd one, but hear me out. Whenever anyone in the past has given Shepard stupid choices or bleak options, he has refused to accept their logic and stuck to finding his own way around a problem. But at the pivotal moment when this 'God child' gives him three, illogical options, he doesn't question it or even consider whether it's the truth, he just follows the logic without question, completely destroying the character in a matter of seconds.  

 Mass Relays. It is made clear earlier on in the series, that wiping out the Mass Relays would, without a doubt, destroy an entire solar systems. Yet, no matter what ending you choose, the Mass Relays are destroyed. In other words, ME3 has decided to ignore continuity and skip over the fact that Shepard had basically killed more people in one hit than the Reapers ever could have. Wonderful.   

Galactic Fleets. With no Mass Relays to get home, all those fleets are stuck around Earth, a planet that is still basically rubble. With both Turians and Quarians unable to eat human food and nowhere near enough time to rebuild these relays, destroying them has basically sentenced all the aliens you asked to help to death. Unless of course, BioWare decide to use space magic yet again to explain their survival.   

Synthesis. This ending choice is by far the most damaging to the series, as it basically says we can't all be happy unless everyone exactly the same, no individuality, no differences. For Shepard who has fought for the idea of self-determination, this seems like the biggest cop-out ending possible. Not only that, but Javik even admits that the reason Protheans lost against the Reapers was they were forever the same, never advancing or changing and therefore lost.   

Normandy.  No matter what you choose, Joker is seen piloting the ship and escaping the Mass Relay explosion, which would have been impossible had he stayed to fight, like all the other ships. So, what, Joker ditched the war and decided to abandon Shepard? Not only that, but your teammates that are on the ground with you during the final battle, can also be seen coming out of the Normandy after it crashes on another planet. So, what, now Mass Effect suddenly invented teleportation and they were all fine abandoning Shepard? Nice. 

I don't regret playing Mass Effect 3, what I regret is honestly spending as much time I did investing hours and hours into all three games and waiting five years for a finale that really doesn't care what you did beforehand and gives you three endings no matter what. Mass Effect 3, as it stands, was an incredibly high that sadly wasn't worth it when it came to the end and you all but crashed and burned. Who knows, maybe DLC content will change this, but as it stands, I doubt I'll be replaying these games any time soon.  

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About Me Section Added!

Just a small little update guys, I've finally completed the 'about me' section of this blog, which just gives a little bit more information about myself and what I'm currently up to. It will no doubt be added to as I go along on this blog, but I thought I'd let you know about!

So, click below to head over to it.

(link)

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I Ask You This: By Conor Gleeson

What does this mean to you? I ask you this. When you shred yourself from your own being Like dead skin, you peel slowly, as if it means not a thing. Until all you are is a shadow of what you were. A mere echo of a self you happily tossed aside. How strange, to destroy one’s self for a personal goal. The goal is no longer what you see, but what you are. It is all you remember, it is all you want to remember. And soon that echo is nothing more than a dying whisper.

What does this do for you? I ask you this. When all you know is this one desire, this one lust. When you let it consume you; let it devour you. When you fade from this earth; to wish on that star. Mindless you become, a wanderer to fate’s hand She mocks you with ease, watching you quiver helplessly You know this; you know what poison you have bathed in And yet you still write the next verse of this tragedy How fickle your shallow, empty heart must be.

What has this done to you? I ask you this. Companions, you have no memory of such a word, why would you? Lost like a broken child, you wander, lost to even yourself. A mere shell of even your memories, this was your goal. A chance to grasp the stars, you broke any links to this world. But it is in there that you lost your grip; It is in this, that the stars are further than ever before To lose oneself; is to forget about the stars. To lose oneself; is to lose the stars. Always reach for the stars But never forget Who you are.

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A Writer You Are: By Conor Gleeson

Pen and paper are no tools for a writer They are the tedious requirements of an author’s truth. It is but the mind and the soul that you must trust in this life. Both are your enemies, yet both are your only chance of survival. Tears and screams are the price of this choice you made. Blood flows thicker than the ink which stains the beauty we capture in vain. Only to find we have but caught a mere whisper of beauty’s true screams. When you lose yourself in each word With meaning in which you have not discovered But rather it has discovered you. When your thoughts have no will to your tales Yet the souls of others guide them with unknown nature. A Writer, you are. When your body trembles with surrender, Yet your mind begs for more. When morality gives you not but a moment’s thought And time means nothing of our fading youth. A Writer, you are. Originality is no rule for a writer. To trust words of the past is the faith of today A different tale on a familiar story. To tease and to taste their desire, their wish to know. To make and break their eager, naive hearts is what we do. We toy, we love, we hate and we kill those who come too near. When you know nothing of what you want. But know all that you want from me. A Writer, you are.