Experience Machine.

Are people familiar with the thought experiment called the "Experience Machine"?  (Here's a link if you haven't heard of it before.)

I came to a weird realization today:  The Experience Machine exists and we've already chosen it.

Things like video games, television, movies, cosplay, books... aren't those as good as the Experience Machine, and haven't we already chosen them?

(I realize this is not exactly the argument of the Experience Machine, but bear with me.)

I bring this up because whenever the idea of the Experience Machine comes up during discussion, people (at least a few) always seem to get really vehemently angry about it and insist that they would never take part in such a machine.  I have never understood, because for me the choice is really easy: I would always take the experience.

In my mind, whether the experience is "real" or not shouldn't matter; I have no idea if the things I experience are real or not, or if I'm just living in the Matrix or something anyway; at least by choosing the Experience Machine, I acknowledge that I am not actually doing anything, but I at least receive the experience.

Which led me to today's realization:  People play video games (or watch television, or observe art) because we want the rewards of experiencing life without the risks.  And as an artist, it is my purpose to provide that experience.

... here's a picture of action figures.

Marching Band.

10/8/11:  Beautiful day for a Valleyfest.

And then, when I came back to school, this was waiting for me:

Too Much.

It's because I write too much, isn't it?  That it's difficult to follow my rambling thoughts.  XD

Actually, I write too much when it's unnecessary, but when I'm trying to write a lot, I really can't.  "Write 15 pages!"  Stuck at 12... something like that, usually.  More to the point, "Write a 50,000 word novel!"  But the closest I've ever gotten is 30,000...

If you don't know what I'm referring to, it's NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), which takes place in November and which is an event where you try to complete a 50,000 word novel in a month.  It's about 1,667 words a day, which is not too bad until you start falling behind, and suddenly you have one day left in which to write 20,000 words...

But this year I'll definitely do it!  Because SilverEyes42 and I will be writing a set of not-exactly-collaboration novels in order to stay motivated!... I hope.  XD

Unexpectedly, my novel ended up taking place in the Sorae universe as well.  All I really know so far is that my main character is named Jaeger Noughtwind right now.  Um... I don't know if that name will stick.  (Andria's doesn't even have a name yet!  I'm one terrible step ahead!  XD)

We also named another character Gilbert, which is not a reference to anything at all.  But as a result, roommate Tiranee and I have been coming up with the most ridiculously German names possible.  It's really bad.  Don't let us do that.

Campus Photos.

Photo taken outside of Friley Hall at sundown.

Photography isn't my focus or anything, but I do enjoy it.  :D  I really like taking pictures of the sky at different times of day.