Conversation Between POKEMON_MASTER_0 and txteclipse
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  1. POKEMON_MASTER_0
    November 3rd, 2008 7:30 PM
    POKEMON_MASTER_0
    Yo me quiero tambien.

    And I'd love to beta the Eon Chronicles. If you need me, I'll read.

    Today has been...exciting. I came home from school and found that Tiesto's Nyana, which I ordered from Amazon arrived. In addition, I also got Brisingr from the library.

    And that convention last weekend...as expected, the music did stink. I'm still trying to banish it from my head by listening to my CD that I got today.

    However, the rest of the convention was suburb. The speakers were all very dynamic, all very relevant to our lives. One that I liked in particular was a priest who came from Asia. Being that his English was not very good, he gave most of his presentations using PowerPoint.

    The basis of his entire presentation was an analogy that compared us to "rock stars who built the Catholic Church". I know it sounds stupid, but the way he presented it was hilarious. At the end of it all, the lights were dimmed, and "Party Like a Rock Star" was blasted over the speakers for five minutes. There were around three thousand with us with our cell phones and glowsticks...um...partying like rock stars. I think that was the closest we got to a rave.

    On another occasion, I also saw a skit that was very, very powerful. Before it even ended, I was crying my eyes out. That's highly unusual for me. It was strange...I was neither happy nor sad. I guess that it just connected dead-on to my life and that was all it took.

    I feel like I'm drawing this out. If you want to hear more about it, I could tell you. Or...perhaps someone recorded it. Maybe I'll do a quick search of YouTube.

    EDIT: Unfortunately, it isn't there...yet. It's been less than a day since it ended, so it's understandable that there aren't tons of videos on the net. I did find something kind of worthwhile, though: this. Yes, although a bit corny and a bit dark, keep in mind that there were three thousand of us chanting that. The bleachers would stand, shout their deal, sit down, and then the main floor would stand and shout. It alternated. Although true that I'm not one for vocal prayer, I actually found it very galvanizing, hearing three thousand people shout the same thing.
  2. txteclipse
    November 3rd, 2008 1:05 AM
    txteclipse


    Um, yeah. Quiero.

    Anyway, I'm happy to say that the next chapter of the Chronicles is coming along. I've got a tad over a page right now.

    ...If you don't mind me asking, I might need you to beta this one. I have this thing at the beginning that may throw a ton of people off on IGN, because I can't use italics there. I'll fill you in more if you're okay with doing it.
  3. POKEMON_MASTER_0
    October 31st, 2008 9:39 PM
    POKEMON_MASTER_0
    I've kind of tried that as well. If you feel like crap, tell God that you feel like crap. If you feel good, tell God that you feel good. As you said, I think it kind of breaks down that old-school perception that we're separate from God: that he's some white guy sitting in the clouds with a staff while we're a million miles away on Earth. It makes things more unified. I think that breaking the barrier is important.

    And I agree, words can be used as a form of praise. If I write something good about God or say something in his name, I think that he will notice. However, I think that we have to be careful in using words to describe God, as he is beyond words. I think that even calling God "God" is an understatement and assigning "him" a gender is unfitting as well. I guess I just call him "him" because of lack of a better term, which is a perfect example of the limitations of words. Bottom line is, words are finite and God is infinite. They can be readily understood by God if used to praise him, but if they are just mumbled or written mindlessly, they don't account for anything.

    EDIT: I think I need to get going. Regardless of the finiteness of sound, I think that I'll probably check out that hip hop group just because I can. I'll give you a report on Sunday.
  4. txteclipse
    October 31st, 2008 9:25 PM
    txteclipse
    You know? I've been having trouble with spoken words/whatnot as well. It's really, truly mindless for me. I feel like a robot while I'm singing hymns or repeating prayers that I've said many times before, and so on.

    Here's what I try to do now: whenever I pray, I address God directly without changing my normal tone. I literally start with "hey God, it's me." It's more personal and helps tear down the walls that I feel society has put between itself and God.

    As for the "words not being able to describe" thing, I see what you mean. However, I find it invigorating to try, and I think God likes it when we do so, as well. You've seen some of my descriptions in my fanfiction: that's all amazement at God's work. It's a form of praise, if you will, and it's heartfelt. I think that as long as that condition is met, you're truly worshiping.
  5. POKEMON_MASTER_0
    October 31st, 2008 9:09 PM
    POKEMON_MASTER_0
    Yeah...Halloween has been kind of dull here too. We got maybe ten people at the most. Usually we get fifty or something. It probably has something to do with the rain.

    I cannot say that I like Christian music either. As of late, we've been prompted to sing to it in class (in the form of an old CD on an equally old CD player). Words just seem...vain. I'm not talking just about music. I'm talking about everything. Spoken prayer after spoken prayer, homily after homily. It just becomes monotonous and loses meaning. I don't know about you, but for me personally, I'm beginning to realize that words are useless when trying to describe or even commune with a higher power. If words are finite, and God is infinite, I don't think that they're necessary...for me at least. If words help one identity with a higher power, then that's fine, use them. I guess that I just don't work that way.

    And that also goes back to music. I think that if you try to describe something infinite through the finiteness of sound, you will fail pathetically. Not to say that music is completely vain. I've found a number of songs that put me into a reflective mood (incidentally, mostly trance). Although sound may be useful for reaching a reflective state, I don't think it can be used to reach a higher power. That's why I find Christian music and spoken words of praise are dull, and almost laughable. Just because the words and sounds are made does not mean that something is going on internally. Again, maybe words do help some people reach that higher power, and I mean no disrespect to those people. For me personally, I don't think that words do God justice.

    I agree though. If we were able to mix every cool song that was created, we might get something that sounds like real Christian music. Even then, I don't think it would be convincing enough for me. I'll just stick to meditation for now. (:

    Long religious statement aside, I think that my new fan fic has offered a reprieve from One Latias when I get writer's block. I'm still wracking my brain for a title. The most likely at this point seems to be "Punk Enlightenment" just because it sounds kind of cool.
  6. txteclipse
    October 31st, 2008 7:49 PM
    txteclipse
    Halloween...I'm sad to admit it's going over worse than I thought. I'm sitting in my dorm room watching Poltergeist and posting here...kinda dull.

    As for "Christian" music, I really, really don't like it. It's so uninspired for something that's supposed to be about God. I mean heck, He's the creator of the universe for crying out loud. Mix all of the awesome songs ever created and you'll be getting somewhat close to what real Christian music should be like. /mini rant

    So a new fanfic, eh? It's hard to avoid. Mastermind just kinda sprung up on me, and I couldn't resist, lol. It adds some tedium, but it can provide a level of relief if you get tired of writing your other stuff.
  7. POKEMON_MASTER_0
    October 31st, 2008 7:21 PM
    POKEMON_MASTER_0
    Busy, busy, busy. Even with tennis season over, time has been limited. So what am I doing on this Halloween night? I am sitting in my basement, blasting D.A.N.C.E. over the speakers, writing fan fiction, eating candy, and giving an occasional handful to the kid who comes to the door. Yeah...my life as of late has been pretty dull.

    In addition, I have to go to a convention tomorrow. It's a requirement for my Confirmation class. No matter how hopped up on sugar and rave music I get, I'll have to simmer down by tomorrow morning. On the plus side, they are going to have "hip hop music" there. Out of all of the "normal", non-electronic music, I think that hip hop is probably the genre that I find most appealing. I have the sinking suspicion, however, that this is going to be watered down Christian music. Now if Justice were to show up...I'd be packing my car and heading off to the convention right now. Nonetheless, it should be an interesting change in pace.

    And I was meaning to keep this a secret so that you and everyone else come in and go, “Woah…what the heck did this guy post?” After about a week, I’m failing epically. I started a new fan fiction. Originally, I intended for it to be a one shot, but I see now that it’ll take a few chapters. Hopefully it won’t be any more than five parts long, but I don’t know. All that I’m saying is that within the first six pages, a slew of awesome gadgetry has already come into play. At best, it will be highly experimental; at worst, it’ll look like a slew of stereotypical, poorly-written characters that have been thrown into a slum. We’ll see, I guess.
  8. POKEMON_MASTER_0
    October 19th, 2008 7:47 PM
    POKEMON_MASTER_0
    I'm Christian as well. At first, it bothered me when I saw kids wearing gold crosses and rosaries around their necks just because it's "cool". Over time though, I kind of got used to it too. If they want to use the cross that way, then so be it: it doesn't change what the symbol means to me personally and I doubt that it will for the other billion people who are Christian as well.

    And I just saw the video. It was intense, very intense. Although I loled when the radio of the stolen car randomly played D.A.N.C.E. and one of the guys kicked it to make it shut up.
  9. txteclipse
    October 19th, 2008 7:34 PM
    txteclipse
    It is fairly controversial. But a lot of gang members wear crosses and stuff around their necks, which is also counter-intuitive, so I dunno. I'm a Christian, and I can recognize fairly easily that the video isn't trying to be symbolic of religion or anything. It's just Justice being Justice.

    The music is actually kind of annoying...it was hard to watch because of that.
  10. POKEMON_MASTER_0
    October 19th, 2008 7:31 PM
    POKEMON_MASTER_0
    I've seen gangstas portrayed in movies before, but I dismissed the majority of it as over dramatized, made-up crud. I guess I haven't been around the culture enough to know what it's like.

    We actually do have gang members here (there are two rival gangs in particular that seem to be always searching for recruits at our school) but the majority of the members are pretty low-key. I've seen a few flaunting colors and a few throwing down signs in the hall, and every now and then, there is a gang-related fight. Still, they seem to lead a fairly quiet existence.

    I've been meaning to see that video for awhile now. I heard that it was labeled "controversial" for featuring a group of guys wearing cross-shirts while vandalizing stuff.
  11. txteclipse
    October 19th, 2008 7:12 PM
    txteclipse
    I live(d) in San Diego, so I'm fairly used to that kind of thing. There's an official word for talking like that, but I can't remember what it is.

    Basically all you have to do is wear a hoodie with lots of vibrant colors, as much gold jewelry as possible, make up words that have meaning only to people in the know, and throw lots of gang signs. Mad dogging is encouraged, where you try to stare down people if they make you even remotely angry.

    The music video of Justice's "Stress" portrays it pretty well, yo. It grates on my nerves in a big way, however.
  12. POKEMON_MASTER_0
    October 19th, 2008 6:56 PM
    POKEMON_MASTER_0
    I have to admit that I'm not all that well-versed with being "gangsta" either. I guess you basically have to look tough while addressing everyone as "homes" and threatening to take over their "cribs". Apparently, it also seems to help your image if you take on a foreign accent and utter long, near-incomprehensible strings of curse words teamed with the aforementioned threats. Very random, yet strangely satisfying to do with a group of friends.

    On another note, I'm waiting for Brisingr (I think that's how it's spelled) right now. I'm too poor to buy it outright, so I put myself on the waiting list at the library. I've advanced to number five. I'm hopeful that I'll get it within the next two months.
  13. txteclipse
    October 18th, 2008 10:38 PM
    txteclipse
    Random. I'm allergic to all things gangster, I think. Although that may have proven interesting.
  14. POKEMON_MASTER_0
    October 18th, 2008 10:10 PM
    POKEMON_MASTER_0
    I'm listening to Daydream right now and it is pretty good, very mellow, as you said. I just got back from a debate tourney and my voice is almost gone. It was...interesting. It felt kind of like school on a Saturday, hurrying back and forth between rooms in a giant building.

    It was quite fun, mainly because after my last round we had three hours to kill before the bus got back...So I banded together with five other people and we all concurred out of boredom that it would be in our best interest to act like gangsters (or should I say "gangstas"). We grouped by the entrance and whenever someone would exit, we would hunch our backs, throw up our fists, shake like crazy, and yell random things that we thought were appropriate for gangstas to say. It was hilarious, to say the least.
  15. txteclipse
    October 16th, 2008 9:46 PM
    txteclipse
    Hey, I found a new artist as well. His name is Markus Schulz...maybe you've heard of him, maybe not. His music is kind of a combination of chillout and progressive: it's easy to listen to, and kind of relaxing and chilling (the spine-tingling kind) at the same time. The vocals are pretty nice in some of his stuff, which is saying a lot coming from me. I'm not a huge fan of vocals.

    Samples: Daydream, Perfect (takes off around 3:00)

    I'm also listening to Armin Van Buuren, who you probably have heard of before. He's fairly good as well (he remixed one of Markus' songs, which is actually how I found Markus).