And some things.

I might just be infinite.
I might just be crazy.
Either way, the Universe is brilliant.

So classes have been chugging along and I'm consistently being just good enough to be considered better-than-average, or so I assume. Hopefully I don't sleep through class more than the once. I'm rediscovering writing, and enjoying it immensely. I'm also rediscovering some other things that were once very dear to me, but which I suspect will need to simmer for a while if they're going to regain any influence in my life more substantial than spiriting my fancies away for some moments every few days.

Because let's face it: everything spirits my fancies away all the time.

The other thing to report is that I've bought the first half of Kyle's trip to Maryland. I've bought all of it, actually. So far he's destined to be stranded there, but I'll settle the other half of that before long. It remains to be seen whether I'll make it to Star. I think I could definitely go; I have to check with some people to see whether it's a recommended idea. I think I'd love going. I know I'd love going.

I should stop procrastinating on the tiny amount of work I have to do. Goodnight.

Fun fact: I used to sort of know how to draw a little. Maybe I still do.

One, Two, Skip a Few...

I'm glad painting still exists.

Painting and acrobats and rocking chairs.

I'm glad they exist because...fuck it, man. The future is coming at us, fast.

Really, though. When I came around the Internet barely existed, and not nearly in the public eye. Today, though, I can fit an immersing world that displays in three dimensions on a little device in my pocket (which also plays music and takes pictures and goes online and all sorts of neat things). One my-age-now from before-I-existed ago, color television was pretty fly. A span of now-since-then before that point in time, radio was awesome. We're going quickly. Today I heard about a pair of glasses Google is developing that just does run-of-the-mill Google things (everything) from your eyes. Also, a private company is working its ass off to get us to live on Mars. This shit is real. It's amazing, too. I'm thrilled that I get to live in modern comfort with all these grand and exciting developments. The world is amazing and it's only going to get better.

As cool as all our new stuff is, though, I'm a little distressed. There's certainly a lot of technical skill going into all our development, but I feel like we're losing out on the real art we can make. I'm not talking fine art. There's plenty of that, and it'll last for a long time. Actually, I am talking about fine art. People will always know how to paint, but since it's so digital these days, the ability to create a realistic image just isn't as impressive. Just as much work is put into making those images today, but a lot of the work of making the pigment and the canvas and the brushes and using it all without making mistakes...that's all been coded in and will henceforth be accessible forever - it is no longer a particular trade skill somebody needs to possess. I guess our ability to archive is the real culprit, then. We're little squirrels, storing up our acorns and going to them later. Only we never eat them. We just add more and more forever until we're living on Mars with Google-goggles. It's awesome - don't get me wrong. I just don't want to lose out on some of the simpler things.

Sunsets, for one. Have you ever seen those? They're beautiful. People dancing, too. Also, hand-made ice cream is delicious. All that still exists today, and will for a long time, but it's less commonly appreciated now. People are all caught up in their daily rush, with their smartphones telling them anything and...what else do you need? I'm subject to it for sure, but I'm not entirely consumed - not yet. I was alive early enough to know a world that's really beautiful in its non-electrodeath form. We're making big strides these days, and I'm glad I was in before I would have been unable to love simple things like enjoying nature. Basically just...as nice as things are getting, and as rough as things were before, they were also really splendid before, in an entirely different way.

Though I have to wonder...I consider myself on the cusp because so many incredible advancements have happened during my lifetime. The things I grew up with, though, must have been just as incredible to people 50 years ago, and their everyday was just as amazing to 50 years before them. Everybody must always feel like they're on the cutting edge of human advancement. That makes the future even scarier. I do think we're in a particular shifting phase, though, as electronics really march in and overtake the mechanical. I suspect there will be other paradigm changes like that, but I'm pretty sure this is one of them.

Anyway, was just thinking about that. I should probably do some homework.