SoulinEther

looks like i'll need to be getting torrenting again.

Creative's online store offers a 30% off coupon for most of their products (and decent price cuts on those not included in the 30% off). It'd get you an Aurvana Live for $50, for instance. edit: even works on their outlet store. edit 2: nov 26-29

beeeeeeeautifulllllll. really! have to share this with my friends, because her voice and her work are gorgeous.

OMGeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. You've already done a minute. Why not explore this epic awesomeness further?!

I'll bet you are. I'm strongly considering throwing down the $100 for a E7. Since I need a new phone anyway, thinking of going iphone + getting a dock line out cable (i can't find any other phone that offers unadulterated line out) and that way I could use the thing as a DAC with my laptop and as an amp when i'm on the go.

I was just looking at this song in the to be posted section last night and wondered "When will this get posted?" I closed the page in total hopelessness. But I am pleasantly surprised to see it on the front page so soon! I've been listening to a copy since the WIP days. I love how the lyrics keeps me guessing at a true meaning, but they're a little open-ended or fragmented - when I read the explanation in the writeup, it made sense. The choice to simplify part of the rhythm for the verses really made this flow and feel natural...worked well. Personally I liked the modulation at the end. To me it reflects the narrator's encouraging optimism in the face of separation and that indeed the split was peaceable. Five star(man)s.

hey, woo... thanks. congratulations to the other two people who submitted just the same - churning out any body of text really is an accomplishment. while my thoughts on the other entries are still fresh in my mind, allow me to address them! er... and I hope I don't come off as harsh or snobby at all - if I do, I swear I don't mean to (it seems I have a lot lately, though, to those who don't know me so well). These are just my criticisms, and I am only expressing them because I think they will help and because I want to help if I can . Silence is a convincing work, but I do think it could have used more beef/length, particularly with characterization and some detail, but at the same time, dreams often don't make sense. I think my feelings are best put in saying that I think this is a good piece of "flash fiction," and I don't mean to put it down in any way by saying this. It's possible this could have taken place in a larger work, and then perhaps this would have fit better in this competition? I thoroughly enjoyed the premise of Throw-down in Snowtown!, particularly in terms of the title of the work and how personal it felt for the narrator. I can relate to the jack of all trades vs master of one concept, but (if you're about to stop reading, I swear I do throw in praise later!) I'm not sure how well that worked with the plot of the text, since it seems that the person "good at a ridiculous variety of things" suddenly becomes better than someone "who strive to be great" without even a Rocky workout montage (this is his first tournament after being injured and he wins!). Maybe thematically emphasizing bringing your A-game when it counts most or something would have worked better. Plus, you used something like "intensity filled the air" twice, and in a short work...it sticks out (just saying, lol). And that last paragraph. The resolution was way too...corny. "I went on with a newfound self-confidence that helped me accomplish a variety of achievements" was vague and unsatisfying, and the next sentence didn't redeem it at all...I felt like I wanted more out of the scene you were in and not just a brief fast-forward that briefly touches upon how the protagonist's life has changed. the quote at the end felt really out of place and like you sort of just...glued it on. It works, but I needed to be prepared for it with some context and narration. HOWEVER!!!!! The story-telling was marvelous. I don't know much about amateur wrestling, but you included just enough details to keep it convincing, realistic and exhilarating without alienating someone who is unfamiliar with the sport. Everything in the body felt very natural and flowed wonderfully. To wrap it up, I'd say your ability to communicate events and, really, a story, is strong, but there are I guess some "housekeeping" and refining to do in the presentation of your overall work. Think of it as a sort of polish that makes everything really shine.

that looks ridiculously fun... i might give it a try, if I can find a suitable topic.

Happy birthday. I checked your new site layout a few days ago and it's pretty sweeeet (but i was feeling too lame to comment on it at the time).

HAPPY BIRTHDAYYYYYYyyyyyyyyyy! woooo ambient birthdays.

Wait, MAD LUST ENVY (lulz), do you mean you're using the Fiio E7? I ran into a few reviews and they all seem positive...my laptop's sound card is (naturally) shit and inserts tons of noise into whatever I listen to - is it a worthy purchase (or investment if I later get hard-to-drive headphones)?

qft. lol yeah. it's all looking sick.

qffe... i'm just glad my comp won't be able to run it. edit: i'm getting a lot of GW vibes from reading that post.

Yeah I meant open; something that just sits against my ears, not around em...again, all for casual use. I did see the Portapros, and I have heard a lot of good about them. Sound leaking out is fine. It's not like I'm listening to wailing pornos or anything, and if I was gonna receive flak for listening to Lady Gaga, I would've already. Those aurvanas have been tempting me for a long while, especially since I realized all the low-end creative audio stuff suck. (eh, i suppose $60 is still fairly low end)

Actually, I would be very interesting in a decent budget pair of on the ear headphones for when I'm at my desk and want to be able to hear things while keeping my listening fairly private...those look like something I'd consider, or something else made by koss using the same drivers.

i'm a cheap headphones/earphones guy. i loved my old jvc marshmallows...left em in a pair of pants and stuck em in the laundry, came out wet but STILL WORKED when they dried (actually, I think they sounded better cleaned). then a wire broke some months later from being stuck in/retrieved from skinny jeans. damn you fashion. my biggest splurge yet has been on a sennheiser cx400 for about $45. they fit in my ears very nicely and I love the sound. i'm still young..no need to spoil myself with amazing sound yet - gotta have something to look forward to when all I have left is my hearing (whoops, tinnitus, never mind..) (edit: damn you totally ninja-posted) edit2: FISHY OMG. i realize that those panels are probably not for (visual) aesthetics but DAAAAAAAAMN. h0t.

oh shit i have to vote!!!!!!!1111!!!!111 seriously it's been busy. mid-semester and everything. edit: ugh 6 points, 3 entries and one is mine. #awkward

I think these sounds work. Everything feels a little understated as the mixing seems to be a little quiet, but it might work better this way. Maybe leads could be boosted? I'm getting a real sort of funky, pensive, sim city vibe from this, which is not at all what i'd expect with a castlevania source, but I'm really enjoying it. The second half carries over ideas from the first half but I found the motifs and variations to be natural and fitting with what the source offers. Thought: the little riff at 2:08 is really amazing. I think it deserves more of a highlight in this mix than it gets presently. How would it sound if those 7 notes were played solo, and you reintroduce your backing after it, as a sort of mini-breakdown/build?

I just wanted to say I loved the lyrics. A lot. A lot a lot a lot. 'tis all.

You're right indeed... I hadn't considered how few entrants this competition regularly sees. Perhaps someday.

Interesting that you ask this (alright, hardly: you're the OP). I remember reading a ton of your critiques in the WIP forum and wondering to myself why you didn't have anything posted because I thought you were spot on most of the time. I respect Gario's opinion just the same..haven't really read anything of dannthr or Yoozer that I can remember but I will consider all criticism when I evaluate anything artistic. Really, I was kidding. I am the epitome of a (now) part-time forum whore. I will read every post in a thread; it's just when that little tag pops up, some part of me says "you better read this" and I get a sudden uncontrollable urge to rub my nipples...and a black mage boner. It speaks volumes. I like you that much more. edit: I see a tag. cyber plz?

Some sigs sure say a lot... ones with quasi-humorous stories in them (Coup/Doulifée in particular) I enjoy and strongly associate with the person. Then there are those that shamelessly self-plug (eh hem, me, Darksworde.. eh, I need to vlog more). I do look at the colors in signatures as they are often very telling (or misleading). A lot of bright, fairly contrasting colors would have me thinking the person's pretty cheerful and approachable. Dark colors and shadows shroud you in mystery, even if your words leave you naked in plain sight (oh baby). Screen grabs or animated gif sequences from tv shows/movies give me a glimpse of what you find funny (i mean nobody uses dramatic stuff). And if you use your own art, you'll often leave me intrigued by your style (binjovi)(hm, I'll try to throw in some abstract, perhaps Arabesque sketches I doodle in my lecture notebooks into a signature of my own soon). There's always something more personal about stuff you've drawn yourself. Avatars are what I use in conjunction with like the shape of the first letters in your username (along with the presence or absence of a long line that reads something like "remixer profile") to decide whether or not your post merits my attention. How douchy. I think analoq is wise in browsing with sigs disabled. There's a lot of fluff in them and the best image of a person you can formulate is with their opinions and words.

Well, that sure is frustrating. I emailed the document to myself just before I left only to find a few changes I had made to not have... been saved...or something. Whatever. I fixed up what I could and I'm satisfied with what's there. https://docs.google.com/View?id=dfzbswsw_1207ngj5gx I'm working on a short story with a simple title Love. I contemplated submitting the first section but it was above the word count, so I decided I'd submit the second and third sections instead. They are fairly self-contained, but as they are the middle sections of a larger work, they certainly don't resolve. The plot in the first section was a fairly complete mini-arc that ended on a turbulent note. This is a part of the larger conflict and rising action of the entire work. If you don't think this is appropriate, feel free to disqualify it Halcyon. I leave this to your better judgment. ...and as an aside, I was thinking that we should consider using "themes" or basic plot concepts for these competitions as is done with the various musical competitions run here. My rational is that it can be more interesting to see how several authors tackle the same topic, and that there might be an easier basis upon which we can rank the entries (how well the idea was incorporated into the work in addition to the intrigue of the story/imagery of the poetry/overall meaning, etc.). It would also push authors out of their comfort zones and help them "find" creativity (or at least not have to figure out a concept of their own if they're completely dry). For instance, a plot guideline for a short story could be "Two people meet in class at the start of a semester and fall in love" (gee, wonder where I pulled that from); a theme could be something about friendship. Poetry might benefit from motivic or thematic guidelines, like the passage of time or loss. The winner of one competition could pick the idea for the next one, subject to your approval Halcyon. And if we do this, the freeform section would remain completely open-ended to allow for any sort of work stemming from any sort of interest in the author. (edit: halcyon halcyon halcyon - it's odd referring to someone with an adjective! unless you're using it as a noun as an adjective... uhm, yeah. lol)

I have school all day today (until 5:30 pst)...and I have something to submit. I'll try to find time to submit it before midnight UTC. I'm pretty sure I'll make it. (woo for post #420)

I'll think about it.