#I have like 3 of those degrees and 1 in progress heh

[unseenhand1997]

Since I love Return to Monkey Island so much (and I missed @captmickey and @nexttrickanvils's stream earlier today) here are 5 reasons why I adore part 2 of the game (with some notes about part 3 as well).

1. I love how LeCrew highlight how far LeChuck has fallen and the main difference between him and Guybrush. In any other Monkey Island game, these guys would have worshiped LeChuck. Iron Rose's whole puzzle chain is about how much she used to admire him. And yet, LeChuck's obsession with getting revenge on Guybrush has completely destroyed their faith in him, and he treats them like garbage. There are hints that he does care about them to SOME degree (he talked with Rose by a fire on Terror, they threw a birthday party for him, and he even praises them when he talks to Madison) but he refuses refuses to treat them as anything other than objects. Meanwhile, Guybrush spends the entire chapter talking to LeCrew and interacting to them like actual people (which is even more interesting when you consider the ending). Guybrush views people as people; LeChuck views people as objects.

2. Putra and Flambe are amazing characters, and I would be so happy if they came back. I particularly love how genuinely passionate Putra is about her craft (as a fellow artist, I can relate). You can joke all you want, but the fact that she made Scorched Alaska (Baked Alaska irl) with the materials she had shows real skill. I could totally buy that Guybrush could be friends with someone like her. Also, Bob is awesome.

3. I love that LeChuck's pamphlet was adapted from "The LeChuck Way" which was one of the audiobooks mentioned in Curse! It's a cool easter egg that shows the progression of how LeChuck manages his crew.

4. I love how bureaucratic LeChuck is in this game. In a game all about childhood and aging, it's interesting that the main villain embodies the most lifeless (heh) idea of what adulthood is. He's the kind of bitter old man that Guybrush might become if it wasn't for the presence of Elaine (and later Boybrush).

5. It's a shame that so many of my favorite scenes with Madison and her crew are kinda hidden. I love all the dialogue those 3 and Murray have with eachother if you go to the Monkey Head before you spring the trap.

[theancientgeekoroman]

Interpretive Planner

Working under the Interpretive Planning Manager, the Interpretive Planner researches, develops the content and creates outlines for, and writes exhibition- and gallery-related collateral, including text panels, labels, audio and video scripts, multimedia content and other elements as required by project. In close collaboration with curators, content experts, researchers, and collections managers, this position serves as the primary contact for individual project teams. The position is responsible for working with the Project Manager to initiate the project schedule, establish milestone dates and deadlines for projects, as well as leading all content development meetings. The Interpretive Planner is responsible for writing labels for object removals and change-outs throughout the Museum, and manages the exhibition content. This position will also collaborate with external content developers, writers, multimedia and design firms as well as internal team members, including designers, preparators, conservators, collections managers and registrars. They will work with appropriate parties to design and conduct visitor studies and exhibit evaluation as needed. They are responsible for the purchase and procurement of content, including rights and reproduction for exhibition content. Finally, this position will mentor undergraduate and graduate students through the process of creating exhibitions regularly. This is a two-year, term funded position with renewal subject to available funding and Museum needs.

Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in Art History, Archaeology, Anthropology, Museum Studies, Creative Writing, or related field required, Masters preferred, with 3-5 years experience or equivalent combination of education and experience required. Experience in research tactics and demonstrated experience in developing content and excellence in writing exhibition text, in a wide array of voices, for a wide range of audiences is essential. An understanding of informal learning strategies is helpful. Familiarity with cutting-edge interpretive and interactive approaches to museum exhibition practice is necessary. Understanding of the special needs associated with displaying museum objects. Ability to work collaboratively is essential. Ability to use the Microsoft Suites is essential, and working knowledge of Adobe Suites, Filemaker Pro, and collections database software is helpful. Knowledge of Vectorworks, Sketch Up or similar CAD program is helpful, but not required.

Applicants must apply through the Jobs@Penn website. The job posting can be found here. No phone calls will be accepted for the position.

Posted August 21, 2018

[obsoletehumanity]

now playing: headlights by charlie cunningham

whew. it's 4:30am on the last day of 2020. I can't sleep. and somehow I've found myself back on Tumblr, posting on this, because I can't use Twitter as a scream sandbox anymore. too many of my tutors from undergrad and other people are following me. so here I am, heh.

the funny thing is that despite all this time, it feels like I only go in circles. yes, I'm doing much better at this life thing. I'm no longer a failure in an academic/Asian sense - if it's not enough being at Oxford for postgrad + getting first class honours for undergrad at Bristol... well, fuck me.

it is true that the things that I worry so much whilst I was in JC and letting down people and being castigated to the ash heap of history and people's lives have passed. it hasn't been that bad. in a way, I've proven myself. in some ways, I should totally give the middle fingers to all the teachers at Hwach who have wished to see me fail in one way or another. fuck you, to the one who wrote "why do you even bother doing physics" on my prelim exam script. fuck the teachers who still give me nightmares 7 years after I've left Hwach. to those who act faux-compassionate and went out to set up tuition centres, may karma find you.

but above all that I still feel like a bloody failure. I don't have a job lined up after graduation. I have so many things I still need to do (yes, I don't have abs and all; I can't master Dutch for nuts; my net worth is still... bleh. I don't have a student loan and my stocks have done pretty well so I do have somewhat more money that most of my peers at my age, but still...), and ultimately, I can't find the energy to love myself. I just can't get over the fact that I'll never be enough and that this is who I am - I will only be this ordinary person that will get casted out and sidelined by people even if I try my hardest and my very best, and for arbitrary reasons. I know this world is unfair. it always is, but it feels like I'm always working against it in some ways and for what?

and I feel like what I've been doing for the past 2.5-3 years has been trying to reconfirm that. I know I'm broken so I make myself even more damaged so that I prove that no one will ever want me or think I'm salvageable. having a bit too much sex for the last few years. when I can't count the number of nationalities I've screwed with both hands. when I've fucked someone on the three trips I've taken in 2020 before Covid happened; and 8 at Club Church just before I had to take a flight back. me at Club Church? 18 year old me would never think about it. ha. but here I am.

I remember the time good friend S was worried about me being on Grindr and everything. Maybe... he still should, but I don't ever want him to worry about me. I told him before that I don't gain much pleasure from it. I don't. but he doesn't know that at the end of the day I just want, for a split second, to feel accepted and "loved", and that's the thing that I gain from it. aaand this is ironic because my first hookup with a guy, Calvin Harris and Sam Smith's Promises played in his car just after we screwed and he wanted to bring me to somewhere where you could see the Clifton Suspension Bridge. and the entire meaning behind Promises is literally having someone for the night. but yeah. me, using sex and me being promiscuous as a way to just make myself broken, damaged, and unrepairable to the Asian gaze, so that I prove myself right. go me!

I know I'm incoherent. but I guess what I want to say is that all my life what I wanted is just to be accepted for who I am but it always feels so distant. And I seem to be actively self-sabotaging that by making myself for damaged. I don't seem to be good enough for anyone, and people have proven that to be true before. and maybe all I wish is someone to just like and love me despite all the damage that I am, how 'used' and filthy I am. this is stupid and idiotic, but I wonder if the shorter-than-me and smaller-than-me robotic surgeon in Melb did have his way and raped me, would it make much of a difference, given that I already feel so dirty as a being myself?

also - I don't think I'm even good enough for my friends... I really feel I'm just a huge burden on my life, and it is true, I am. will anyone remember me if I'm gone? maybe a few will... but that's it.

but I won't ever yeet myself because I lost a grandparent to suicide and I've seen first-hand how that stuff really screws people up. and I've been trying to make sure people don't go the same path. life is shite, but there will always be a glimmer of hope. and even if I can't see that myself sometimes, I just hope others do. in a way I feel like my life... is just about being there for others. is this ego death? I don't even feel like my life is really that important except having enough money to survive and not be emotionally abused or held hostage to the whims of my parents or to society at large. I'm not sure if I'm truly motivated by anything except 1) being financially independent (so that I don't have to deal with being held emotionally hostage), 2) care and concern for my friends and 3) just a huge desire to be accepted and loved.

as for 2020... I know people hate the year a lot, and I do too. but were it not for 2020, I don't think I can achieve this level of personal growth, and confirmation that I'm the only person that I can rely on for myself. I do have regrets though. I regret not having enough balls to yeet way more money into my two biggest holdings (which are up 10+ times as of today) when my hand hovered over the button, or loading more stocks in March, or buying more VIX options when I knew something was happening (I hated myself so much for this). Maybe if I did I could somehow (no, I WILL) have seven figures in the bank, lol. But hindsight is 20/20 and I still believe playing things somewhat conservative will save my ass time and time over again. Plus I'm only 24. I still have time.

I also regret having my progress on trying to love myself regress after the entire debacle with * last year. I regret not chilling down more often and instead being stuck in a purgatory of executive dysfunction + stressed not-doing-anything, all the time. But the year has been pretty okay bar the pandemic. At least - I've graduated and for what the degree is worth, I have a pathway to jobs. somehow. and I don't have to live in fear that I have had over the last 20+ years about being cut off by the family because of anything I've done or not done. and hopefully that position will get strengthened further once I'm done with Oggs.

what about 2021? I'm just going to focus on 1) strengthening my financial position (which translates to less emotional turmoil if ever induced on the family front), 2) getting a job (and hopefully staying in the UK/Europe), and 3) being a better friend to people; and 4) being a better person to people in general. 5) Survive and thrive, because 2020 had royally screwed my plans to, so they aren't going to get in my way for 2021.

it's 5:30am now. and I'm not sure if I wrote anything useful or readable for the last hour. I just really hate myself at times and I wish I could just be enough for my friends, if I'm not good enough for anyone else. I really fucking do care about all of them, and my two sisters. I just hope they know. I hope I've done enough and will continue to do enough and be enough for all of them.

-

is this how K felt when I read his posts and knew his inner thoughts? this isn't even going to my finsta, and never will. I just hope K's alright. I really hope he is. I'm not used to radio silence from him. and to the eyedealmentality dude I follow on here. hope you're well too Mikey, I haven't heard from you in years. and to the person I once loved and probably still will forever. I know I will never be the person you want, and that's okay. I don't think we were meant for each other, and that is fine. I just hope you are well too. stay safe, take care, and may your future be brighter than what you've expected in your wildest dreams.

[eruriku]

does anyone have answers cause ive lost mine

you can just … imagine a self deprecating sigh here.

so im in university, if you’re new to my blog and don’t know me. it’s my final year, this is my fourth year living in this city, and when I started, i had dreams of … progress. i wanted to figure out what would come AFTER university. AFTER the degree, and which ~career path~ i might want to take, or a few options even.

i wanted to make friends, ones that would last a long time. friends that would check up on me without me having to initiate the conversation. friends that i KNEW i could ask for a shoulder or a hug or a joke. i wanted human connection.

i wanted to learn. i wanted my mind to grow and develop through struggle and challenge.

i wanted to help people, whether it’s other students, or professors, or people in the local community; i wanted to do good with the eyes and ears, and hands and feet that god gave me.

i dreamed of a better version of me. all my life i have been taught, by my parents, peers, and professors, by the characters in the films and books i grew up with, that we can always be better. and we should choose to become better.

i have no sense of what i have accomplished, what ive achieved, what ive learned.

when it comes down to it, here are the facts:

it’s lonely. i have … a multiplicity of doubts. about people but mostly about myself.

i felt that i gained nothing but money (which is one of only two positive things from last year) from that yearlong internship. what have i learned and become through the internship? i became bitter. im more tired. and im only sadder and more ashamed. was i not good enough for something better? and what kind of person does it make me that im so ungrateful.

i have lost a sense of direction and purpose in terms of academia. it goes without saying that a bachelor’s of arts is less valued in today’s society. i can see why. those who don’t put as much effort as i might choose to prioritize other things than the education that I’m slaving over every day and every evening. the irony is that some of them end up getting the same grades as me anyway.

must i sprint to catch up with everyone else? or just to maintain the same place?

my assessments are mostly essays. and yes, perhaps they’ve been structured to be more complex and theoretical than other educational systems’ assessments.

however. who, may i ask, is going to hire me for being able to write an essay?

when all of this comes to pass, what will i remember and value in 5 years, 10 years?

adults I’ve met (real adults, with steady salaries and mortgages) have told me: the degree doesn’t matter.

the degree doesn’t matter??

i’ve stood up for education when my friends feel the way im feeling now. when they doubt the point of 3-4 years going to lectures and submitting essays, i have tried to give them hope and encouragement and I have tried to restore their faith in education. but i am finding it harder and harder to believe myself.

my brain knows my grades don’t define me. my soul feels differently. my only knowledge of self value since the tender. goddamn. age. of 7 years old. was the happiness of my parents when I came home with good grades. and i know this is… heh, an “issue”. im workin on it.

but at this point in time, 2 years of a BA degree that employers won’t look twice at on my linkedin’s captions, 1 year interning at humble and understaffed but genuinely *good* department at the university, and 2 months into the final year that I pray (and hope) won’t break me, i have just about lost my faith in the value of education.

what have i learned.

how have i changed.

i don’t feel any better, nor any stronger. in fact I do think I regularly feel quite the opposite. i’ve even managed to pass my bitterness and negativity to my dear, sweet little brother, who does NOT deserve this kind of influence in his new life starting his own journey through academia.

it’s a testimony to how much of a completist i am that i’ll obviously still forge through the next 190 or so days (yes i googled how many days left until my dissertation submission). i will do my best as i have always done because that is the one universal constant, and the only thing I know not only in my brain and my heart but in the very core of my SOUL that will never change.

someone once told me (and you all know who it was) that there’s no such thing as a painless lesson. i have to hurt before i heal. i have to struggle before i succeed.

perhaps ive lost sight of what it is i dreamed of. and i know ive lost all remnants of what it is I wanted from coming here and getting “an education.” that’s just it. hilariously, i, like so many others (too many others) have no idea what i am, in fact, doing at this university.

but so help me god. i will claw and scratch my way out of here alive.

[besthomemachinery]

Which BiMetal Sawzall (Metal Cutting) Blade Best? Let's find out!

In a previous on sawzall blade swe tested several different brand names and we found out that there are dark contenders and then there are Pretenders.  One of the pretenders that we tested was the Warrior brand We're going to give the Warrior brand a different chance today and see if it wore the uniform this time We're also going to test a couple of other bi-metal blades that I failed to include last time.  Hey bad on meI should have included Lennox and the Diablo bi-metal blades, because in my opinion and they pinion a lot of others- those should be Contenders.  Well, I don't know if they are not, but we're about to find out, so let's get the testing underway!The only way to provide unbiased results is to take the Humans out of testing and that's exactly what this jig is designed to do. I'm not gonna be touching this device during the testing process all I'm gonna do is plug in the Machine and stand back.  A lot of questions regarding the saw zall that I used and I'll be using the same one for this one, this is a Milwaukee 12 amp sawzall with a one and 1/8 inch stroke.  The first test We're gonna be cutting through some pipe.  It's 3/16 inches by almost two and a half inches.  Well, this isn't the cast-iron pipe This is definitely harder than mild steel.  So that's gonna put the blades to the test So the previous showdown we had 20 pounds of weight cutting through some steel.  Some People thought that that was too much weight that I shouldn't apply any weight at all.  Why others thought 20 pounds was absolutely perfect So I want to find out the right amount of weight to ensure that we don't burn up blades and that we are doing things As efficiently as possible So before we test all the blades I'm gonna use a brand of blades that we're not testing today and do some experimentation to see which amount of weight works the best This saw zall has variable speed capability I went ahead and slowed the sawzall down to about 50% speed compared to last video in a previous video We used a piece of wood in front of the blade to keep the blade from wobbling badly this time We're not going to use the piece of wood.  We want to see how stable these blades are without extra support We're gonna run the saw for one minute without any weight on it to see how it performs Obviously running the sawzall without any weight on it is counterproductive, and all it's going to do is heat up the blade and we're not Going to make any progress towards cutting this steel.  I want ahead and added ten pounds to the sawzall.  Let's see how it cuts now Ten pounds is clearly not enough, so I'ma add another ten pounds So it's interesting to compare these blades side-by-side the Milwaukee is not quite as tall as the Diablo The Diablo has a 14 18 TPI compared to an 18 TPI with the MilwaukeeSo Diablo cut through this steel in a minute 1 seconds, which is very impressivewe're gonna allow the steel to cool off to 80 degrees Fahrenheit and then we're going to test the next blade.  The Warrior brand has an Alloy steel body that electron beam welded to an m2 high-speed cutting steel edge for tougher longer lasting teethIt also has 14 teeth per inch.  The pipe is cooled down to 78 degrees Fahrenheit So we're gonna go ahead and test the Warrior blade. Unfortunately, the warrior blade is not able to cut through the steel So, I'm going to go ahead and stop the task cuz all we're doing now is just heating up this steel and that's going to delay starting the next test. During the last showdown the Milwaukee sawzall blade dominated the competition Among the by metal blades proving that it is the best but can it beat Diablo and Linux?Heh, the Milwaukie cut through this deal in a minute and 38 seconds a very impressive performance Even though it wasn't as good as the Diablo getting through this steel is a tough challengeI had a lot of requests to test the Linux gold.  It's a 14 TPI curved and 10 coated bladeSo, how big is the curve? It's a little bit less than a millimeter. The linux blade finished and then at 23 secondsJust behind diablo at a minute and three seconds.  The diablo not only won in terms of the ability to cut the fastestBut it also sustained the least amount damage when it comes to the warrior brandIt's obvious that you pay for what you getThese are cheap blades as far as price and obviously the performance reflects that the paint is in terrible conditionThe teeth are in horrible condition They've been destroyed the milwaukee blade did a very respectable job with a third place finish You can see there's quite a bit of damage to these teeth, a loss of paint when you compare the paint loss and the damage To the diablo- there's really no competition Diablo definitely came in first compared to the lennox blade the lennox blade had quite a bit of damage to the paintThere's also some damage to the teethIt did a very respectableSecond-place finish I have to admit I'm really impressed with the lennox blade the next test includes cutting a piece of angle ironThat's an inch and a half from center to side and an eighth of an inch thickThis may look like a harmless piece of steel but bed frame material can be pretty hardSo this is going to really put these blades to the test As you can see the Linux blade was just not up the task This is some really hard steel even though it's very thin steel.  It's gonna be tough for any blade to manage So up next one to see if the Diablo blade is up to the task The Diablo blade is to the right The linux blade cut is to the left.  A as you can see- the Diablo blade went about three times as deep as a Linux bladeUp next we're gonna test the Milwaukee blade to see how it does. So the Milwalkie blade did a fairly respectable job coming in second place Diablo is the champ though and Linux seems to come in third place on the very hard steel Well for everyone that recommended that we do another showdown on the bi metal blades- Thank you very much. It was a very good recommendation with Diablo coming out on top and then of course Lennox or Milwaukee coming in a close second Depending on how you want to interpret the results.  In any event- if you're buying any of those blades.source- https://pickthetools.com/best-reciprocating-saw-reviews/

[khymnal]

10 Writing Questions: Tag Game

My best friend @homesteadhorner has decided to probe into my writing habits - Go check out his blog, it has some incredible works and tips for all you storytellers.

1. What’s your writing “comfort zone”?

I veer mostly towards freestyle poetry, as well as more “big picture” ideas. I’d ideally like to improve my skills of sitting down and writing a detailed exchange of dialogue between two characters, but right now, it’s easier for me to write drafts of scenes or the overall plot line of things. I think I thrive best in pieces that are more charming, endearing, humorous, lighthearted - at least when it comes to comics or characters. But my poetry actually swings on the other end of that, being very serious and personal.

2. What is the oldest WIP that you’re still working on? How has it changed since you first started it?

Oh shoot, mmmmmm there is this one piece that I’ve definitely put on the back burner for quite a while now. I don’t think I ever even had an official name for it, either. I have a handful of well-developed characters for it, though, and the plot has a lot to do with the concept of cheating death. You know how after a while when you haven’t touched a project and you go back to it with fresh eyes, you suddenly get new ideas? The more I think about it, I could probably make this into a comic even though it has darker, more serious undertones than my current project, Nightshade Inc.

3. What’s your go-to way of staying motivated?

Discussions. Not even kidding. I get the BEST ideas when I am talking to people about them - they just suddenly come up. If I don’t talk about what I’m working on or have some creative discourse with others, I’ll likely won’t even touch it. I also like to do a lot of little extra tidbits for my characters, like create playlists inspired by them and whatnot. Music helps a whole stinkin’ lot and has inspired many scenes and images in my head. You give me a vague song, I could write a novel about it.

4. What are your outlining methods? Do you outline at all, and if so, in what format and in how much detail?

My brother Jake helps me SO much with this. Easily maybe the most detail-oriented person I know when it comes to stories. He wrote a character sheet one time long ago that I’ve used/modified for my characters ever since. Right now, my google docs is chock FULL of different character sheets that cover any and all bases - their background, their appearance, their qualities, their relationships, their likes/dislikes... I also have a separate sheet for ideas that are more floaty and freeform without anywhere to land yet. That usually happens with plot/feelings/scene ideas. Outlining helps me put the puzzle pieces together a little bit.

5. What got you started writing? How long ago was it?

It feels like I’ve written forever. I just remember getting comments from teachers over the years despite my lackadaisical pursuits about how different my writing was. I can’t necessarily attest to that, but it made me feel so special and certainly encouraged me even when others have made me feel otherwise. The inspiration has come lately from friends that encourage me to let my ideas run wild. And tabletop games/DnD have helped immensely as well.

6. What book or author has been the greatest inspiration or influence on your life?

Todd LaBerge when it comes to poetry, all the way. Read his posts and his book, “Unwritten Letters to You” - I feel much safer sharing my pieces when I see those examples of sentimental, raw emotions exposed through text. On a completely different end, Lemony Snicket. I ADORE his writing and the creativity he uses in making a point or painting a picture is daring and astounding and I hope to use it in many other means. He’s maybe the most original writer I’ve ever read from.

Book-wise? “You Are Special” by Max Lucado. A children’s book that ruined my whole life and shows the power of analogies/metaphors through the story it paints. I literally wrote a college paper on it. And Francine Rivers and her book, “Redeeming Love”. I just finished this one and holy crap, the story it tells. Looking back, I keep thinking the book is written in first person when it isn’t. She is just that good at stirring up your empathy for how the a person is feeling internally and reacting externally.

P.S. Web-comic inspiration shout-outs to Camp Weedonwantcha and Bad Machinery.

7. What are your future plans for writing?

I would really, really like to eventually publish my comics. I so thoroughly enjoy doing them and I can truly say it’s something I love. But beyond that, just recently, I’ve begun to pursue a larger degree for Creative Writing in hopes that I might become a teacher someday and inspire others.

8. Is writing your main goal in life, or is there something more important to you?

I actually went to college for Theology. Right now, I direct the high school youth ministry at my church and I love it so. At the heart of hearts, that’s what I know I’m going to do throughout my life (not necessarily *youth* ministry, but just ministry in general - loving others, serving and shepherding them...) But if not for ministry, I wouldn’t be inspired to teach, let alone teach writing or encourage young people to use their gifts.

9. Have you ever done NaNoWriMo and would you ever want to (again)?

Hehe, no. Since my writing style is much more choppy and not necessarily something of a manuscript, I haven’t. But I just did my first Inktober this past year... I got maybe half of them done? That’s more than I’ve drawn in YEARS, though. It helps.

10. Do you share your work with anyone? How hesitant are you to share things?

Eheheh.. heh. Poetry? SUPER hesitant. Like I mentioned before, it’s very personal. I’ve shared too many things to the wrong people and it’s closed me off a bit on that end. As of the moment, I’ve only really felt comfortable sharing that stuff with @homesteadhorner because he understands the analogies and pictures I’m painting. That’s also been something I’ve struggled with - if I’m trying to explain something to someone, the idea might sound too vague or the concept might be missed until the finished product. It has hurt sometimes, but it motivates me even more to work on it. And pitching/explaining it has gotten... better. I’ve shared the concept of Nightshade Inc. with some people - a couple think it’s grand, but a few let it fall off their shoulders. I suppose that’s kind of the risk of putting it out there, but I’m incredibly proud of the progress it’s made and am slowly becoming more open and brave.

Tags: Anyone and everyone - tell me about what you’re working on!! I’d love to hear it, you closet creatives. Tag ya girl in it so she can read it and flood you with embarrassing compliments.