House of Much Random Banter and Haluesen's Various Wondrous Cookies #197

[TheWombatOfDoom]

All Parties -

(I feel like I know nothing sometimes with you folk, I always am asking what you're all talking about, without much capacity for research, as I'm limited in my access in this computer)

Is DwarfFortress similar to MineCraft? I've heard mention of it, but nothing as to what it is/what's fun about it.

ION: Getting Skyrim AND a HD Flat screen TV for birthday last week was a potent combination. ALL OF THE QUESTS.

[randman22222]

All Parties -

(I feel like I know nothing sometimes with you folk, I always am asking what you're all talking about, without much capacity for research, as I'm limited in my access in this computer)

Is DwarfFortress similar to MineCraft? I've heard mention of it, but nothing as to what it is/what's fun about it.

ION: Getting Skyrim AND a HD Flat screen TV for birthday last week was a potent combination. ALL OF THE QUESTS.

Imagine Minecraft meets Lemmings.

[TheWombatOfDoom]

Imagine Minecraft meets Lemmings.

LEMMINGS! I...THIS...WHAT! THAT SOUNDS FANTASTIC!

[Devmaar]

My two days in the Lake District celebrating a friend's 21st have been pretty neatly rounded out with a ridiculous conversation about a different friend's potentially subsersive cabbage-related activities and ideas.

I am cautiously intrigued by this

LOOK EVERYBODY
MY FIRST CARROTS OF THE YEAR
LOOK AT THEM

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My girlfriend says that she is very happy for you

[LaZodiac]

I've played Dwarf Fortress. I couldn't even lose, it was so difficult to play XP

[Haluesen]

DWARF FORTRESS.

Okay. First of all, you start off with the wiki's quickstart tutorial. It'll get you on track. You can also download DwarfHack, which contains a visualiser that you can use as a crutch to understanding the ASCII symbology. It WILL become a burden later on though. Any other specific questions?

Hiya, Hal!

It's the best game ever. Losing is Fun!

I suggest you'd find your way to the Dorf Fort wiki, it has all the info you need. Super helpful, although not helpful to me really since I honestly need someone to walk me through things hand in hand. Maybe someone smarter could elaborate more? I'm really bad at this...

Imagine Minecraft meets Lemmings.

I've played Dwarf Fortress. I couldn't even lose, it was so difficult to play XP

Hmm thank you for the insights everyone! I'll probably look up that wiki later. I don't know, I really do want to try it, since that tagline is hilarious. XD ASCII really throws me off though. I think I'll just have to get over it and try sometimes when I have more free time.

[Mutant Sheep]

Haluesen I am glad you know about budgerigars. I was prepared to preach the budgie gospel at you pretty hard! *nibble*

Hello Marsupial Eschatologue!

Teddy wait a little more for your present -- I got wrapped up last night making phone calls, Grand Marnier, and working on my Draw Your Friends piece.

This evening is going to be grand, I'm going to get some South African wine (nod to Feytalist), crank Beethoven, and work on arts until bed.

The Wombat of Doooooom.

Gasp! AUGH BOOZE, and SUPER GASP WHAT?

Ohhh, fancy wine. Decent music... And ART. ALL THE ART.

Your household sounds like a place I would like to visit. All of these activities are congruent with my ideal lifestyle, even though I play Dwarf Fortress with the grace of a squirrel eating fermented fruit off the ground (and Bach with only slightly more).

However: sipping lovely wine is not incompatible with sophistication! It is not the swills of the drinking classes that flood the mind with crudy vapours -- it ignites a radiant clarity that rises from the heart. I beseech an exception.

I have to tell you, there are some tight young purple cabbages in my garden just starting to get round. Pass the message.

I wanna play Dwarf Fortress... (Also:Those other things.)
*swills and drinks all the wine*

*munch munch*

O! How gay! There is some fluff on that throat that needs nuzzling.

You are guitar-man in this music? Are you singing also?

There is an early Black Sabbath sound in this. I dig it, thanks for sharing.

No! No! You musn't! Coffee should be the thing that helps you to stop for at least a few minutes, and breathe, and be! Otherwise it is a mere drug.

I am very intrigued by this dream world. Thank you for sharing.

LOOK EVERYBODY
MY FIRST CARROTS OF THE YEAR
LOOK AT THEM

Spoiler

Show

That is not the giggle I imagine of Knee lying on his bed with the window open. It IS madhouse worthy, though.

Amidus did it all. He has nine hands.

Quite. Fun!

Otherwise, it's just a caffeine IV, yes.

Too much wordage. xD. TOO MUCH.

Rather than "my girlfriend says things", I say YAY CARROTS. *looks at them*

[Teddy]

High five for uncooperative stomachs! *falls over*

"Good morning, Amidus. Your digestive system would like to reject the absence of food you ate last night."

Reject the absence?

But yeah, having a stomach which tells you to stop eating even before you've started is no fun at all...

Well...there've been times when I have wanted to hide my emotions behind the smileys, when I am very depressed and don't want to bother others with it. But lately I have gotten terrible at hiding my emotions, even when I very much know how. It is so weird.

Hmm...

Well, I've come to feel so comfortable with the people of this thread that I feel I won't be invasive by showing my true emotions. I guess it's a matter of trust, but I speak for many when I say that we don't feel bothered by anyone feeling down.

Ah dang I wish you the best, hope you feel better soon. I've had a few stomach issues myself lately, so at least I know how that can suck. Still have no clue what is up, and it's been this way for months. Take pills to settle my stomach usually.

Yeah, it's not uncommon for a tall, thin guy to have a high metabolism, but when tough times are going to trigger eating disorders, that's when it gets annoying.

I developed a drink which I call Lonely Heart, though. It's basically just blackcurrant cordial and vanilla sugar mixed together and heated, but according to some ad-hoc calculations, I estimate that a single glass should contain roughly 600 kCal, or between a third and a fourth of the recommended daily intake. I'm still not sure that's enough to even out with my metabolism, though...

Does there exist medicine for telling your stomach to stop throwing feelings of fullness at you as soon as you look at food?

ION: Good morning people! I get to start my next online class today, my third retry at Drawing. It's difficult for me, to say the least. Everyone wish me the best for these next 6 weeks, I just cannot fail this again.

Good luck! If you need art criticism, I'll be more than willing to help. I've got an eye for details which may come to use...

I had that trouble until I updated Firefox a few months ago. Not the add-ons. Now it stops once for half a minute and then gives the Stop program box. I click Stop and that video crashes and I never again have a problem as long as Firefox is open.

Hmm...
*goes off to look*
No, I'm already using Firefox 22, so there's nothing for me to upgrade to...

Updating to this Firefox broke a lot of add-ons though so I understand if you don't want to do that. And if someone hears of an XMPP chat client that is updated to work with Firefox 22 please tell me. Chatzilla is only IRC.

I don't use many add-ons, so that's never be much of an issue, though...

When I was younger, and got sick, I'd always have dreams where dust would start getting bigger and bigger, first turning to pebbles, then larger and larger until they were boulders and crushed me. *shudders* One time I dreamed that dream, except I was a duck instead of a person.

Sounds like a dream I used to have, where the outlines on everything grew bigger and bigger. For some reason, decimetre-wide outlines can be very threatening...

But last night I had an awesome dream that took place in a post-apocalyptic setting. It was in a desert, and there was a human town built and concealed in the side of a mesa-mountain-thing. (Not mountainous, but not flat enough to be a mesa.)

Because of mutations and whatnot due to the apocalypse, the humans had hippie-magic. They grew their vehicles, which were metallic and organic at the same time, and the food grown in the town could be used as explosive weaponry while near one of these vehicles (it was implied that there was fusion/fission involved). So basically they were organism-machines used as food-based mecha.

There was also a faction of robots who were the most advanced in terms of magic. (Way to break down convention, subconscious. ) They could literally conjure things from midair, when they gathered in sufficient numbers and concentrated. They were also one of the... less intelligent factions. All they did was conjure up tools like knives and ploughs and so on, and travel from settlement to settlement selling the things they conjured on the way. And woe upon anyone who didn't buy anything. They'd try to beat you up if you didn't.

Really the dream made me think of Adventure Time and Fallout mixed with a bit of Dune.

Also I freaking LOVE my subconscious. I think it's about a million times more creative than my conscious self.

Your dream self is the best worldbuilder.

Teddy wait a little more for your present -- I got wrapped up last night making phone calls, Grand Marnier, and working on my Draw Your Friends piece.

Heh, I can wait. I have good patience...

LOOK EVERYBODY
MY FIRST CARROTS OF THE YEAR
LOOK AT THEM

Spoiler

Show

*carroooots*

Mum's not even here, and I can still taste her envy...

Oh, wonderful! Delightful! Exquisite!
*falls in trance gnaws carrots* Mmh... would go well with a bit of teddy bear...

*sneaks off into darkness*

@Dwarf Fortress:
I suppose DF can be described as "strategy Minecraft" (even though it rather should be Minecraft that's described as "first person DF"). Basically, you control a settlement of dwarves and make them build a fort and grow mushrooms and build riddiculous automatic trap-ridden murder corridors and then you get smashed to pieces by a bronze collosus. Or a goblin invasion. Or a forgotten beast with three eyes and four wings, except Urist McLonely, the last man standing, manages to punch the head off the bronze collossus and now remain to rebuild what was destroyed...

Or, you just lost. Losing is fun!

ION:
Today I went to the youth advice reception and got to talk to a nurse about my problems. We concluded that I probably need a wellfare officer to talk to, and he helped me figure out where to turn next. Gonna make that call tomorrow, try and book a time this Monday...

The greatest victory, however, is taking myself seriously. I was feeling rather well this morning, and I barely managed to dodge the idea that everything just was a passing mood swing and that I should go back to life as usual...

[FinnLassie]

ASCII really throws me off though.

ASCII is superior. Graphics are an inferior matter. All heil ASCII.

*sneaks off into darkness*

*notices Nalle*

Ooh...

*gnaws arm*

*POPUFFFF*

Wh... What am I... ACK! Sorry Nalle! I must've been in a trance again!

[Amidus Drexel]

You. I like you.
You're invited to the next cookathon.

And the more I hear about you, the cooler you seem.

Hrm... now I've just got to somehow get to Scotland...

Edit: Amidus'd!

But...that would prevent tasting the coffee. Also needles.

Oh, right. Hrm... Dunno. Small shots of espresso, perhaps?

Scared of needles, are we?

You are guitar-man in this music? Are you singing also?

There is an early Black Sabbath sound in this. I dig it, thanks for sharing.

LOOK EVERYBODY
MY FIRST CARROTS OF THE YEAR
LOOK AT THEM

Spoiler

Show

I am the bass-man, except in the acoustic-only song, where I play the guitfiddle, aye. I sing some, yes. Rafiki does also, and both Robin and Logan sang briefly.

*bows, perhaps akin to a viola* Thank you, sir.

Ooh, cool. Interesting colours... what variety are they? Do they taste different than the normal orange ones?

No not as much, considering I always do. I just go to sleep earlier than 2 or 3 or 4 am. I only wish it were so.

Ooh gaming stuff to plan? Or something else?

Very much so but I get new ones tomorrow. ^^

Heheheh Well, good for you. I wish I could get my sleep schedule in order, but I somehow doubt that'll happen anytime soon.

Indeed. I've been invited to DM a session for two friends of mine, probably tomorrow or Saturday. They need to hurry up and tell me what sort of game they want, actually... or I'm going to decide for them.

Aw yeah. I love using new headphones.

Ha! Ha! My tired brain was correct.

I rather like having long hours during the summer, but the darkness during the winter can be really, really annoying and tough to get through.

*shrug* Well, not sure if I'd like to pay for hardwood floors for only 6 to 12 months of living tbh...

Only on a technicality.

Eh, I like night happening when it's supposed to.

*shrug* I'd just not bother, myself, but then again, I'm lazy.

Believe me, randman can be very, very eeeevil. He will not put enough bacon to your food and then blackmails you in a horrible manner about something.

Well, there are things you don't plan and they happen despite it being something that wasn't in your agenda, eh?

Heheheheh

Hey, it's impossible for things to not go according to plan if there is no plan.

Okay. First of all, you start off with the wiki's quickstart tutorial. It'll get you on track. You can also download DwarfHack, which contains a visualiser that you can use as a crutch to understanding the ASCII symbology. It WILL become a burden later on though. Any other specific questions?

Never get rid of ASCII.

Amidus did it all. He has nine hands.

Bahahahaha, oh, that would just get in the way... I'd need a bunch of extra shoulders too, and an extra pair of legs.

ASCII is superior. Graphics are an inferior matter. All heil ASCII.

Quoted for truth.

[TaiLiu]

Some time ago (about 4 months, give or take), I promised some things... >.>
It's far too late for me to go into any kind of detail on what I think of it personally, but I can do that later. It's rough (especially the last track), but I'm satisfied with it. Rafiki insists on charging for the songs (ludicrous, if you ask me); if you want the sound files for free, just shoot me a PM - I'd be happy to oblige.

Oo, nice! I like the font for your band!

I've almost managed to digest my breakfast (honestly, everything esle in my life right now would be so much easier to stomach if my stomach just was a bit more cooperative). A little bit longer, and then to attend to filling my daily phone quota again...

Ah. This is good!

So, last night I had a dream. A dream I was going blind.

The black part of my eye had slowly worn away, and the color part was being worn away and fading too. It was really scary.

I had a weird dream that I was losing teeth for no reason. It was actually very creepy.

Eek.

Yes I do need a nicknames. I have plenty of RL nicknames, but none for Haluesen yet.

Excellent! You shall be known as 'Hallo!'

>.>

Cons of living in a small town: everyone is your cousin. Creepy does not begin to describe it.

That sounds like fun, actually. I so rarely see my cousins [on my father's side].

Another recurring nightmare i have is that my head is trapped inside of something and nobody cares at all that I can't breathe when they do stuff with it.

Oh, my. That's quite frightening.

LOOK EVERYBODY
MY FIRST CARROTS OF THE YEAR
LOOK AT THEM

Spoiler

Show

THEY LOOK GREAT
SO FRESH AND TENDER
DELICIOUS

[randman22222]

Gameplay mechanics and Fun come first. Graphics come second. Okay, but as a composer aiming to get involved with game soundtracks, I do think DF is lacking on the sound front.

[LaZodiac]

Gameplay mechanics and Fun come first. Graphics come second. Okay, but as a composer aiming to get involved with game soundtracks, I do think DF is lacking on the sound front.

I'd contest that graphics should be combined with gameplay, atleast to the degree of "this is actually playable"

I had a tough time with the game, even with texture packs. I played for like an hour and nothing happened.

[Teddy]

*notices Nalle*

Ooh...

*gnaws arm*

*POPUFFFF*

Wh... What am I... ACK! Sorry Nalle! I must've been in a trance again!

Well, I guess I'm lucky to have a thick fur...

Excellent! You shall be known as 'Hallo!'

I think I prefer "Hallue!" myself. It has a nice and silly ring to it...

I'd contest that graphics should be combined with gameplay, atleast to the degree of "this is actually playable"

Personally, I think graphics is a trickier subject that that. I mean, graphics become art in and on itself, and even though the ASCII graphics for DF wasn't chosen as an art statement, I consider how complex objects are boiled down into a chart of 200 and some symbols is art in and on itself. I mean, take the cheese, represented by a '%' sign. It makes scant sense, until you thing of it as a lying cheese wedge with a hole on its top and side...

I still haven't figured out why it's red, though...

I had a tough time with the game, even with texture packs. I played for like an hour and nothing happened.

Yeah, Dwarf Fortess is not a game you play waiting for something to happen (at least in fortress mode), much as you don't do so in Minecraft either. DF is best played when you have a goal, something you want to establish, be it a large fort of silver and clear glass in the middle of the forest or the mightiest dwarven army ever witnessed by the world to launch a frontal assault on the gates of hell...

Then you work for hours and days toward reaching your mighty goals while keeping your fortress operational as a whole and producing legendary microline puzzleboxes and yak bone spears to your left and right.

And then, when you finally think you have the goal in sight, you are beseiged by a vast army of goblins, a dragon and at least two forgotten beasts, making mush of your defenses. Or you just mine yourself into HFS and are done with. That's how Dwarf Fortress is fun.

[randman22222]

Your dream self is the best worldbuilder.

You've no idea. My dreams have a few settings. One's an alternate Earth, one's a section of a galaxy, with about 20 solar systems. These settings are consistent is the crazy thing. I really should get around to turning some of these things into stories. I feel they deserve it...

Also I hope things turn out okay; they sound like they might be looking up now.

[Teddy]

You've no idea. My dreams have a few settings. One's an alternate Earth, one's a section of a galaxy, with about 20 solar systems. These settings are consistent is the crazy thing. I really should get around to turning some of these things into stories. I feel they deserve it...

Sounds like a good idea. Or at least write down key information about these settings, so they won't be forgotten...

Also I hope things turn out okay; they sound like they might be looking up now.

Yeah, right now it's looking positive, but it's also very hectic. I feel myself running on some amount of adrenalin right now, which means I'm having a hard time winding down. And my summer course work is slow progression, I really can't pull myself together for that one. The only thing which prevents me from quitting is knowing that no matter how little I work, it's still of more use to my group than if I just jump out of it...

[Haluesen]

Hmm...

Well, I've come to feel so comfortable with the people of this thread that I feel I won't be invasive by showing my true emotions. I guess it's a matter of trust, but I speak for many when I say that we don't feel bothered by anyone feeling down.



Yeah, it's not uncommon for a tall, thin guy to have a high metabolism, but when tough times are going to trigger eating disorders, that's when it gets annoying.

I developed a drink which I call Lonely Heart, though. It's basically just blackcurrant cordial and vanilla sugar mixed together and heated, but according to some ad-hoc calculations, I estimate that a single glass should contain roughly 600 kCal, or between a third and a fourth of the recommended daily intake. I'm still not sure that's enough to even out with my metabolism, though...

Does there exist medicine for telling your stomach to stop throwing feelings of fullness at you as soon as you look at food?



Good luck! If you need art criticism, I'll be more than willing to help. I've got an eye for details which may come to use...

@Dwarf Fortress:
I suppose DF can be described as "strategy Minecraft" (even though it rather should be Minecraft that's described as "first person DF"). Basically, you control a settlement of dwarves and make them build a fort and grow mushrooms and build riddiculous automatic trap-ridden murder corridors and then you get smashed to pieces by a bronze collosus. Or a goblin invasion. Or a forgotten beast with three eyes and four wings, except Urist McLonely, the last man standing, manages to punch the head off the bronze collossus and now remain to rebuild what was destroyed...

Or, you just lost. Losing is fun!

ION:
Today I went to the youth advice reception and got to talk to a nurse about my problems. We concluded that I probably need a wellfare officer to talk to, and he helped me figure out where to turn next. Gonna make that call tomorrow, try and book a time this Monday...

The greatest victory, however, is taking myself seriously. I was feeling rather well this morning, and I barely managed to dodge the idea that everything just was a passing mood swing and that I should go back to life as usual...

I agree very much with the feeling comfortable with people here. The thing is that I don't know when this changed. 2009 I was very nervous with talking to anyone about anything that wasn't just casual hobby-talk, and emotions were easily bottled up. I do the taking care of people, the advice and support. Being on the other end of that is new and....I'm not totally used to it yet. But yes, I cannot hide my emotions well at all anymore, though some would say this is a good thing.

Yikes that does not sound good. The stomach issues I mean. I take allergy pills, diphenhydramine, for my stomach, but I have no clue why it works so I cannot recommend it. I admit your idea is intriguing. Sounds experimental.

I shall let you know if I do, though honestly I mostly just want to get through this class and not look back at it. I love art, I just hate having it graded. I may post some of my stuff up here just to show my friends.

Yes, I think I shall give it a try later, when I am done having fun with Fallout: New Vegas again. But I absolutely shall give DF a try.

And good for you! It does sound like things are improving. Hold onto that feeling of goodness. Hug it!

ASCII is superior. Graphics are an inferior matter. All heil ASCII.

Not sure if I agree there...I can barely understand any of it.

Scared of needles, are we?


Heheheh Well, good for you. I wish I could get my sleep schedule in order, but I somehow doubt that'll happen anytime soon.

Indeed. I've been invited to DM a session for two friends of mine, probably tomorrow or Saturday. They need to hurry up and tell me what sort of game they want, actually... or I'm going to decide for them.

Aw yeah. I love using new headphones.

Hey don't mock those with a fear of needles! *shudders*

Hey don't give up hope. And mine isn't fully in order, just kinda. I think one of these days I need to let myself actually catch up on sleep.

Nice! Hehe surprising them would be fun... But overall good luck with it and I hope the 3 of you have very much fun.

I can't wait, but I have to. It's nice of my grandma to get them for me.

Excellent! You shall be known as 'Hallo!'

I can agree with this. ^^ Hallo, Hal, Hallue...I like having lots of nicknames! They're fun and a sure sign of a nice life.

Gameplay mechanics and Fun come first. Graphics come second. Okay, but as a composer aiming to get involved with game soundtracks, I do think DF is lacking on the sound front.

Ehh...true but the graphics still have to be fair. I can have fun with old Legend of Zelda's, or Street Fighter, or Morrowind. But DF actually kinda seems to have a complete lack of any graphics. It is all symbols and letters! But, don't take this for disdain. I still plan to play it.

[Amidus Drexel]

Oo, nice! I like the font for your band!

That sounds like fun, actually. I so rarely see my cousins [on my father's side].

You can thank Rafiki for that. He's surprisingly good at making things look good.

Lucky. I see mine all the damn time.* Nah, I don't mind my cousins. The ones that I'm closely related to are pretty cool. (the ones that live around here, anyway).

*Note: Or rather, I would, if I ever left the house.

Gameplay mechanics and Fun come first. Graphics come second. Okay, but as a composer aiming to get involved with game soundtracks, I do think DF is lacking on the sound front.

Truth. I'd much rather play Doom or Pong than [generic new sports game], because the gameplay is much better, regardless of what it looks like.

I normally turn the game music off and substitute my own... >.>

I'd contest that graphics should be combined with gameplay, atleast to the degree of "this is actually playable"

Well, yeah. That's like saying that the controls should work. It needs to be functional.

You've no idea. My dreams have a few settings. One's an alternate Earth, one's a section of a galaxy, with about 20 solar systems. These settings are consistent is the crazy thing. I really should get around to turning some of these things into stories. I feel they deserve it...

You really should flesh out these settings... if nothing else, they could be used in some games. What you said earlier would be really cool to run in a futuristic game, for example.

Hey don't mock those with a fear of needles! *shudders*

Hey don't give up hope. And mine isn't fully in order, just kinda. I think one of these days I need to let myself actually catch up on sleep.

Nice! Hehe surprising them would be fun... But overall good luck with it and I hope the 3 of you have very much fun.

But DF actually kinda seems to have a complete lack of any graphics. It is all symbols and letters! But, don't take this for disdain. I still plan to play it.

Heheheheh

Well, I haven't so much given up hope as I have just simply not tried to do anything about it...

Ah, but they've finally messaged me back. To work, then.

ASCII is just symbols and letters!

[Elemental]

Eh, no more wrong than it already has . It'd come with a confirmation page listing the name of the account to be banned and number of threads/posts that will be moved. Plus, it would be strictly for spambots.

Oh good. It would be terribly if you leant on it, or spilled coffee or used it as an impromptu anvil or something.

*continues poking*

Stop that! Stab me in the back instead, it sometimes helps with muscle pain.

What exactly is a budgie?

Melopsittaccus Undulatus: A small bird native to inland Australia that is often kept as a pet in many parts of the world due to their nature, comparatively low cost, song and varied colours.
For what they look like, see Kneenibble. Unless I am mistaken, he wears that likeness at this time.

The little boy half of the line of Baa Baa Black Sheep doesn't fit either so I do not mind. It sounds like it was translated and not done well. Was it Swedish first and later made into English?

No idea. But then, most nursery are rather ancient if one thinks of it, so are bound to have gone through translations and language alterations.

IOON: RE: Things that need attending to

Some time ago (about 4 months, give or take), I promised some things... >.>
It's far too late for me to go into any kind of detail on what I think of it personally, but I can do that later. It's rough (especially the last track), but I'm satisfied with it. Rafiki insists on charging for the songs (ludicrous, if you ask me); if you want the sound files for free, just shoot me a PM - I'd be happy to oblige.

Hmm... I shall have to listen to them when it is no longer an absurdly late hour. Probably in the morning when I actually post this as I'm saving the whole thing in a text document and getting to it in the proper morning.

Edit: Maybe when I'm more awake... Why did I get up at seven? Oh wait... It's a sane and rational time to be awake!

ION: I have just discovered that Macs have inbuilt dictation software. Expect many long and possibly grammatically incorrect (when the software gets it wrong) paragraphs from me in the near future. This is just too fun to ignore. I wonder what else I can do with this.

I can't wait. Of course, I'm not sure whether I should be afraid or not, but I am certain the result will be interesting, and humorous.

So, last night I had a dream. A dream I was going blind.

The black part of my eye had slowly worn away, and the color part was being worn away and fading too. It was really scary.

Going blind is something I'm afraid of as well. But on the other hand, I think it could be a very interesting experience... Particularly if I get to wear a blindfold all the time like some sort of seer.
It's too early in the morning to properly articulate one's self...

I had a dream that everyone I knew and loved had been brainwashed into thinking I was their cousin.

It was much creepier than it sounds.

It's kind of hard to figure out how that would be creepy... Probably because I have so many cousins already. But then, dreams are by definition crazy so I kind of don't really want to how it was creepy, but on the other hand, I really want to know.
Curse this inquisitive mind!

Not a single person used my name. My own mother said 'Oh hi cousin!' as I ran past sobbing because I was also being chased by the people who were brainwashing everyone.

Oh heavens... I was right... I didn't want to know!

Good morning! Good luck! Honestly, I graduated with an art education degree and have had the misfortune of not getting any job remotely related to it. I work security. So, if you want help/practice/drawing sessions with someone, I would love to assist you.

Hmm... If you still want to teach, you could try to get the qualifications to teach another subject... That way you'd manage to get into the education system and possibly move into the arts. But I don't know if that would work particularly well.

LOOK EVERYBODY
MY FIRST CARROTS OF THE YEAR
LOOK AT THEM

Spoiler

Show

They're more colour than my entire wardrobe! Green, red, orange and yellow? Four whole colours?! I jest, but not by much. I just like sedate colours too much.

But that aside, I am very impressed by your harvest. Our every attempt to grow carrots fails miserably despite the apparent vitality of the plants in question. And Mum keeps serving frozen carrots, which are of course entirely lacking in quality. I do understand that she doesn't have the time or energy to prepare carrots on every occasion, but it is depressing when I find one of the few vegetables I actually enjoy to be too disgusting to eat. Maybe I should just prepare my own salads and things...
Anyway... Carrots should ideally be served raw in my mind.

Well, yes. That is why I am not willing to have a PICC line placed. I very much still want to enjoy my coffee. I just want it faster/more convenient/free...

Run for political office. I'm sure members of the legislature get free tea and coffee provided.

Personally, I think graphics is a trickier subject that that. I mean, graphics become art in and on itself, and even though the ASCII graphics for DF wasn't chosen as an art statement, I consider how complex objects are boiled down into a chart of 200 and some symbols is art in and on itself. I mean, take the cheese, represented by a '%' sign. It makes scant sense, until you thing of it as a lying cheese wedge with a hole on its top and side...

I still haven't figured out why it's red, though...

Huh... That makes so much sense now that you've said it.
As for why it's red, perhaps it's coated in wax like some kinds of cheeses are? I can't remember what the term for it is though...

[TaiLiu]

You can thank Rafiki for that. He's surprisingly good at making things look good.

Ah. Thank you, Rafiki!

Lucky. I see mine all the damn time.* Nah, I don't mind my cousins. The ones that I'm closely related to are pretty cool. (the ones that live around here, anyway).

That is good! What activities do you perform with them?

[Amidus Drexel]

Edit: Maybe when I'm more awake... Why did I get up at seven? Oh wait... It's a sane and rational time to be awake!

They're more colour than my entire wardrobe! Green, red, orange and yellow? Four whole colours?! I jest, but not by much. I just like sedate colours too much.

Seven is far too early, and you know it.

Er... Hrm... My wardrobe mostly consists of four colours, so... >.>

Ah. Thank you, Rafiki!

That is good! What activities do you perform with them?

He does wonderful things sometimes, and it's always much appreciated.

Er... hrm... It's been a while, actually. I don't get out much anymore. My aunt's got a pool and a volleyball net, so when I'm over there there is often someone swimming, and occasionally a game or two of volleyball. I'm not big on swimming myself, but relaxing by the pool is nice.

ION: Yay, dorm assignments.
And we all know what this means.
Time for Amidus to fill out more forms! WOOHOO!

Lucifer is a damn bureaucrat. I've had enough of this "fill out stuff" nonsense; they should have all of my information already, from all the other forms I've filled out. *explodes*

Screw it, I'll do all that crap after I get up. Too much trouble to do it now.

[TaiLiu]

He does wonderful things sometimes, and it's always much appreciated.

Indeed. Pass on my thanks; tell him it's from an internet stranger!

Er... hrm... It's been a while, actually. I don't get out much anymore. My aunt's got a pool and a volleyball net, so when I'm over there there is often someone swimming, and occasionally a game or two of volleyball. I'm not big on swimming myself, but relaxing by the pool is nice.

Oh, neat! Rich aunt?

ION: Yay, dorm assignments.
And we all know what this means.
Time for Amidus to fill out more forms! WOOHOO!

Lucifer is a damn bureaucrat. I've had enough of this "fill out stuff" nonsense; they should have all of my information already, from all the other forms I've filled out. *explodes*

Screw it, I'll do all that crap after I get up. Too much trouble to do it now.

I love filling out forms! You should give them to me.

[Coidzor]

I love filling out forms! You should give them to me.

What could you possibly find to enjoy in filling out forms? That said, I guess you'd be one of the few people to enjoy life as a bureaucrat for reasons other than abusing what petty trifles of power you can accrue.

[Amidus Drexel]

Indeed. Pass on my thanks; tell him it's from an internet stranger!

Oh, neat! Rich aunt?

I love filling out forms! You should give them to me.

Heheheheh

Er... not exactly, no. Both she and her husband have reasonably good jobs, though, and they've earned and saved a fair amount of money.

If only I could... I'm not giving you all my passwords and personal information so you can do that, though, even though you're probably one of the only people I'd actually trust with that information.

What could you possibly find to enjoy in filling out forms? That said, I guess you'd be one of the few people to enjoy life as a bureaucrat for reasons other than abusing what petty trifles of power you can accrue.

Yeah, I'd agree with that. Seconding the question, too. Forms are time-consuming and eeeeeeeevil.

[TaiLiu]

What could you possibly find to enjoy in filling out forms?

It's a similar joy to reading books, I think; I like to read the forms, then fill it out with style. (By "style," I mean add lots of exclamation marks.)

Example:

Name: TaiLiu!?
Age: Twenty-three?
Occupation: Socially unacceptable!!

That said, I guess you'd be one of the few people to enjoy life as a bureaucrat for reasons other than abusing what petty trifles of power you can accrue.

Intriguing. May I ask why?

Er... not exactly, no. Both she and her husband have reasonably good jobs, though, and they've earned and saved a fair amount of money.

Ah. Wise investments, indeed.

If only I could... I'm not giving you all my passwords and personal information so you can do that, though, even though you're probably one of the only people I'd actually trust with that information.

Really? This is such a great honour!

[Coidzor]

It's a similar joy to reading books, I think; I like to read the forms, then fill it out with style. (By "style," I mean add lots of exclamation marks.)

Intriguing. May I ask why?

...We must read for very different reasons then.

The *why* is what I was reacting to, your professed enjoyment of paper-pushing and form-filling. I can't see any reason whatsoever for why you would ask this question.

[TaiLiu]

...We must read for very different reasons then.

Perhaps. I read for knowledge, and pleasure. You?

The *why* is what I was reacting to, your professed enjoyment of paper-pushing and form-filling. I can't see any reason whatsoever for why you would ask this question.

General curiosity, really. Hm. My enjoyment for filling out forms is similar to my dislike of music, it seems, in that people find both irrational.

[Feytalist]

This evening is going to be grand, I'm going to get some South African wine (nod to Feytalist), crank Beethoven, and work on arts until bed.

Oh my, how grand. I hope it was most flavourful.

No! No! You musn't! Coffee should be the thing that helps you to stop for at least a few minutes, and breathe, and be! Otherwise it is a mere drug.

Word. Instant coffee is a travesty. In fact, I'd advise everyone to develop their own coffee ritual, simply to enjoy the experience more. Coffee-drinking should be me-time.

[Teddy]

I agree very much with the feeling comfortable with people here. The thing is that I don't know when this changed. 2009 I was very nervous with talking to anyone about anything that wasn't just casual hobby-talk, and emotions were easily bottled up. I do the taking care of people, the advice and support. Being on the other end of that is new and....I'm not totally used to it yet. But yes, I cannot hide my emotions well at all anymore, though some would say this is a good thing.

I think I've always been able to talk about my emotions, if you asked me. But it's only recently when I feel like I can do it openly, knowing that I won't annoy people when doing so...

Yikes that does not sound good. The stomach issues I mean. I take allergy pills, diphenhydramine, for my stomach, but I have no clue why it works so I cannot recommend it. I admit your idea is intriguing. Sounds experimental.

Hmm, I'm not going to go about taking medicines without consulting a doctor first either...

I shall let you know if I do, though honestly I mostly just want to get through this class and not look back at it. I love art, I just hate having it graded. I may post some of my stuff up here just to show my friends.

Be aware that my art critic mode has been put in a default on state, so I may start talking improvements, even if you don't ask for it, for as long as you don't explicitly tell me to stop. Just so you know...

And good for you! It does sound like things are improving. Hold onto that feeling of goodness. Hug it!

Yeah, I think they are. I called the other youth guidance centre earlier this morning and got the phone number for their welfare officer, so now I should be just three days and one call away from an appointment...

Not sure if I agree there...I can barely understand any of it.

It's a matter of getting used to, I think, and it probably depends a bit on how good you are at linking symbols to concepts. Also, I find it helps when you've built up your fort and know where everything is. I mean, the only things you need to think too much about are the letters (creatures) and the minerals and gemstones. Most of the rest can be identified with the query tool, if you feel the need to.

Also, it's quite useful to learn to understand how much of it actually is nothing more than visual noise...

And finally, there is one positive side to the ASCII graphics, and it's that they're so basic they can't get outdated (or any more outdated, depending on who you are). If Dwarf Fortress had been given okay 3D graphics when it started, it would look horribly dated now, despite being highly up to date...

No idea. But then, most nursery are rather ancient if one thinks of it, so are bound to have gone through translations and language alterations.

According to Wikipedia, the oldest recorded version is still nearly identical to the contemporary one. At least in the final line...

Huh... That makes so much sense now that you've said it.
As for why it's red, perhaps it's coated in wax like some kinds of cheeses are? I can't remember what the term for it is though...

Yeah, that's the beauty of it. To take another example, a slightly tweaked version of the 'Æ' is a chest or a backpack, seen diagonally from the side with the upper half being the lid.

And yeah, I thought about that too, except you usually don't coat cheese wedges in wax, but rather the whole wheel...

[FinnLassie]

Hrm... now I've just got to somehow get to Scotland...

Aw yeah. I love using new headphones.

Eh, I like night happening when it's supposed to.

*shrug* I'd just not bother, myself, but then again, I'm lazy.

Easy. Turn that non-existent money of yours into real money. Can't be that hard.

I love to use them too... or, would love to, if they were as good as my old headphones... *narrows eyes*

And so say all the people that haven't experienced the awesomeness of a nightless night.

Why did I even attempt to expect anything further from you?

Well, I guess I'm lucky to have a thick fur...

Yes, but *pthui* it's really annoying when *pthui* I end up having all the fur in my mouth when I'm gnawing your arm! *picks hairs from tongue*

Not sure if I agree there...I can barely understand any of it.

I value imagination and how we people use it, and the thing with the ASCII is that I can use my imagination nearly to the fullest extent. It also lets me focus more on the technical side of the game, which in my opinion is amazing.

Stop that! Stab me in the back instead, it sometimes helps with muscle pain.

Oh! This just means that I have to give you a massage!