Late Post

This is the sort of thing that's not supposed to happen.

I guess it conveniently solved my lack of a post for the letter L, though.

The deficit in posts can be attributed to a lot of school stuff going on. I am looking forward to a month and a half of Important Tests. I don't really have anything to say today, but I suppose this L post can mark a sort of milestone and then let the Better Posts continue. I will do my best to keep posting every other day, but I may neglect the blog in favor of my life, sorry (OOOO BURN). I will also try to get around to commenting on you guys' blogs once I am done with all of this; I am presenting my last big Natural Science assignment tomorrow (conveniently without any preparation, whoops), so once that is off my back there will only be 8 million tests left to do. We'll have to see how this goes.

In other news, I suppose I could sum up a bit of interesting trivia about said Life I mentioned.

• I am currently drinking cold tea. I was off gallivanting and forgot about the poor sod, but just dumping it out would be wasteful. Cold caffeinated tea before bed? Great plan, Sophia, great plan.
• I might have bought 3 new books today despite the fact that I already have somewhere around 8 new books yet to be read.
• Today's Bigass Test was one that I almost failed last year, or rather the corresponding one for the grade below. It's a writing test, and despite the fact that the writing itself was flawless, I assumed the graders could read between the lines. This was a stupid thing to assume. (It went better this time around. I think.)
• I always forget the genius things I plan to write here.
• I am probably going to need to fabricate a Personal Training Plan for P.E. It's not fair of the teachers to only give us one chance to reach a certain grading criteria, but if this turns out to be it, I will just have to tell myself that the effort put into faking a record of a two-month training program is less than actually doing a two-month training program.
• I've finished watching ATLA and have begun watching the first season of Supernatural upon recommendation. It has a lot of flaws. Luckily Jensen Ackles' face has none. This almost makes up for it.
• yeah I keep fucking forgetting

Have a great day!

nOPe

Knowledge

To me, knowledge is the most important thing in the world. I have loved reading and learning since I was very young, always excelled in school, and was always labeled the "smart kid," more or less. My dream is to go to a world-class university and get a doctorate from there. It would be the ultimate achievement.

I believe all knowledge is good knowledge. It is never bad or unnecessary to know or learn about a certain thing (although, of course, this does not excuse boring lessons or unprofessional teachers). However, sometimes I wonder what place being an academic and having most of one's skill focused on the intellectual actually has in the world. For someone like me, whose talents lie in schooling, it's fortunate that today's society values that sort of thing. But what would happen if, say, the zombies attacked, or a meteorite struck the earth? Nobody would care about linguistics or history or politics then. Those things would come later. Isn't it really more important to be able to survive in the wild, build houses, or know how to fight? And even today, aren't charity workers and doctors better, and more important, than book critics and anthropology professors?

On the one hand, I have to face the fact that pursuing this sort of future is selfish, not really helping anyone but myself. But on the other, there is nothing I would rather do.

Just... One... More... Ep...

So, as some of you may know, I am currently watching Avatar: The Last Airbender. Some of you may have seen it when you were kids. I never watched it and have been told I missed out, so here I am now. ATLA is an American children's show with heavy anime influences, set in an Asian-inspired world. Its plot is pretty much summed up by the intro, as told by the character Katara:

Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. Then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could stop them; but when the world needed him most, he vanished. A hundred years passed and my brother and I discovered the new Avatar: an airbender named Aang. And although his airbending skills are great, he has a lot to learn before he’s ready to save anyone. But I believe Aang can save the world.

Yup. Chosen one has to save the world. With his elemental powers. That are better than anybody else's. It's great. Even though ATLA's target audience is considerably younger than I am, the show is still readily accessible and entertaining to people who are older. Sometimes there's a monster of the week or a bit of drama that seems simplistic and childish, but this is more than made up for by the fantastic cast of characters. Pretty much all the main and recurring cast are well-rounded and believably flawed, traits that culminate in "lovable." Aang, the main character, could easily have become a generically kind kid for the audience to identify with, but he's as developed and interesting as any of the others, coming across as very human and real. And in the second season, the gender balance and variety of personalities and abilities within the cast is absolutely brilliant. It's rare to find a show where so much actual work has gone into creating the characters and their world.

Speaking of the world, it is equally great. As I mentioned, the Four Nations are all stylistically derived from East Asia, reminiscent of ancient China and Japan. The result is gorgeous aesthetics all over. The "bending," or physical manipulation, of the four elements is an accepted art here, and the fighting sequences are full of martial arts moves and awesome, "magical" elemental attacks. There is also a wide menagerie of strange and splendid hybrid beasts, such as turtle ducks, ostrich horses, and saber-toothed moose lions. Most prominent among these is Aang's oldest companion, Appa the flying bison. He is my favorite character, by the way.

At the time of writing, I am almost done with the second season (or "Book 2," as it's called in the show's vernacular), and am really enjoying myself. For anybody who's not averse to watching a "kids' show," I can really recommend it. Although it's so easy to watch that at times it's hard to stop. Just... one more, then I'll go to bed. Promise.

*presses play*

Investment

Remember my mug collection, and how I promised it wasn't the last? Well, here's a second demonstration of something I hamster obsessively.

I adore television series. There are few things more fun than getting to know a cast of characters and follow their adventures in one installment after another. It might be partly hereditary, since I have a collection of aunts who have been watching the same soap operas for decades and discuss the characters as if they were people they knew. (Now that I think about it, they're just like me. Minus the decades part.) But whatever the reason, I know that it's great.

In my humble opinion, TV series > movies. Sure, films can be great, but they're so limited by their running time, and you just don't get immersed into the world in the same way as you do when you follow something over a longer period.

The only thing better than watching shows on TV is owning them on DVD. Not only because this induces a fantastic feeling of closure, but because it's great to have them there, tangible, waiting... Oh, and cliffhangers become a nonissue.

I enjoy DVD boxes so much that I even consider buying shows I don't even really like, just for the fun of the experience. Also, as long as something isn't absolutely horrendous, I can seriously consider watching it just to be able to discuss it.

Here is a list of the series I currently own on DVD:

• Dollhouse, seasons 1 and 2. The jewel of my collection. Precious, precious jewel.
• Buffy the Vampire Slayer, seasons 1-4. I never finished watching season 4 because Buffy is one of those shows that I don't actually like very much? I really need to write a post about this someday, I wonder if I can fit 'er into one of the letters.
• Merlin, seasons 1-3. I need to write a post about Merlin too and explain why season 3 blew.
• Six Feet Under, seasons 1-5. This one also kind of devolved???
• LOST, seasons 1-6. WOW I CAN WRITE WHOLE POSTS ABOUT ALL OF THESE, MAYBE I SHOULD
• Game of Thrones, season 1. This is the newest addition.

...Really? Now that it's lined up like that, it doesn't look like much at all. That makes me very sad. I need more variety, pronto.

To put this post into perspective, I built a tower out of my DVD boxes and lay down behind it. This is what I do when I have free time.

Hugs

Personally, I love hugs. I love leaning on people and I love cuddling with them (especially since my body temperature is usually very chilly, so they make excellent radiators).

However, it must be explicitly stated that hugging, leaning on, or even touching people has to be mutually okay. Now, we're not getting into molestation territory here (mutual molestation??? whoa this is getting all NSFW up in here) - just basic acknowledgement of personal space.

Don't be a Voldemort.

I, for one, even though I like having physical contact, cannot stand when people I do not know and do not want to be close to get in my face. Being an attentive listener does not mean channeling their words into your spirit by permanently keeping your hand up their butt. Nodding along, tapping someone on the shoulder, and making affirmative sounds will do. You do not have to touch me. You do not have to rest your hand tenderly upon my waist whilst gazing into my eyes as though they were the most enticing of woodland pools. I'm OK with you not doing that. Seriously. It's cool.

(In less facetious terms, people who insist on keeping physical contact throughout a conversation kinda give me the heebie-jeebies.)

Another thing I despise is when people slip their arm through mine. To me, walking armsie in armsie with another chick feels kind of like being chained to a massive morningstar-style prison ball by heavy indestructible links. That, or as if they're urinating on me. I am not your territory. I want to be able to drift away without needing to wrest my arm free first. Since I'm so uncomfortable with this gesture, I usually kindly tell people this, and they'll let go. But some people just don't get it. One time I escaped from an arm link only to feel the same arm wrap constrictingly around my shoulders. Flesh status = crawling.

Point: Hugs and touching is great and cozy and fantabulously fuzzy ... if the other person is OK with it. If you aren't certain they are ... don't touch them. At least not if that person is me.

Games I like: Deus Ex: Human Revolution

IN A NOT SO DISTANT FUTURE ... EVERYTHING IS TOTALLY FUCKED.

Yeah, yeah. We've seen it before. In 2027, humans are able to upgrade themselves with mechanical augmentations. Multinational corporations are more powerful than governments. Science is flourishing like never before. Something, somewhere, has to go wrong.

And this here guy's here to fix it.

Scientists, of course, have dubious morals. On the flipside, the people who claim to be on the side of justice blow stuff up. Adam Jensen, head of security for the biotech firm Sarif Industries, experiences both things firsthand when he is caught in the crosshairs of a brutal terrorist attack on the company's HQ. His wounds would have killed him, had not Jensen's employer put him back together. He wakes up from surgery to find large parts of his body replaced by cutting-edge prostheses. More machine than man, Jensen is now a supersoldier, a living weapon ... and as he sets off to track down the people behind the assault on his corporation, he picks up on the trail of something much bigger. Something that encompasses the entire world.

Facial Recognition

I have a very good memory. Well, not when it comes to that household chore that I mysteriously never finished, but in many other situations. I think of it as being semi-photographic - I can't recall everything I've seen in minute detail, but words and patterns just stick in my mind. This has proven very useful in learning foreign writing systems, and many a last-minute cramming before a test.

It also means that I remember people's faces. I would recognize somebody I've seen around school in another situation. If I'm introduced to someone, it's a basic courtesy (in my book) to memorize their name and match it to their face. Useful as this may seem - because so many people claim to have no memory whatsoever for names and faces - it's created a lot of awkward moments. I might remember somebody's name, where we met, and any details about themselves they may have let slip ... but they have no recollection of me. At all. Oops.

Some people appreciate being remembered, while others are completely weirded out. People with unusual names in particular are relieved when somebody gets 'em right (this includes me; up here, Sophia is almost exclusively spelled with an f, so anyone who even asks about the ph has my instant respect), while people with large, active social lives might not process every acquaintance they bump into. Which is fine, I get that! It's just a bit ... iffy. Especially if the person in question is somebody you hoped to get to know. Ah well.

Anyway, this has led to me pretending to be more forgetful than I am. I will go "Oh, right, you were ... um ... this person from that place, right? :D" and wait for affirmation, when really I am not hesitant at all and could rattle off their name, their interests and how many cats they have.

At least the internet tells me I'm not alone.

A side note: Mysteriously, my face-recognition abilities don't seem to apply to recorded material, as I can never keep track of who is who in films.

Enhancements and Ethics

As you may have guessed from a cursory glance at my blog title, I like cyborgs. They are really cool.

Of course, cyborg (cybernetic organism) refers to a being that is part organic and part robot/machine, as opposed to being fully artificial. I am sick to the bone of the science fiction trope "DOES THE ROBOT FEEL???" and much prefer the closer-to-home question of how much machine a man can be and still be considered a man.

With cyberpunk, my favorite genre, proclaimed "dead" while it is in many ways flourishing and alive in our daily encounters, questions of how much technological betterment humanity can afford are very relevant - or will be in the near future. Do we DNA-screen our babies, give amputees bionic limbs, perform surgical procedures for the smallest of quirks, transfer Facebook from computer to eyelid? How much of it would help us, how much would ultimately hurt us, how much would be used and then abused by government, military, organized crime? What reactions would we see, and who would the extremists be? The possibilities, both beautiful and frightening, are endless. As are my thoughts and will to speculate. I can discuss these things forever; heavy doses of skepticism, conspiracy theory and distrust of the medical system are to be expected, but then I've been overexposed to fiction and "natural alternatives" during my short time on earth. Heh.

Were some of these visions to actually become reality, they would most likely seem scary or threatening. I'm fascinated by them and love juggling concepts, but I prefer they stay pushed into their cozy nook in a won't-be future. That way, I can keep thinking cyborg arms are the best thing ever without actually having to face the thought of what a weapon-modified one would do if it were available for use. (Yeah, I'm very yellow. Not afraid to show it; maybe a little bit ashamed of it.)

Now it's your turn. Say any kind of futuristic über-technology was within your reach. If you could get any physical enhancement you wanted, what would you go for? Would you be ready for the consequences? [PENIS ENLARGEMENT JOKE HERE.]

Me? The first thing I would do would be fix my eyesight, and get vision worthy of a fighter-plane pilot. As for those mechanical arms ... awesome as they are, there would be no point in cutting off a perfectly good organic arm to get there (not to mention that it would be very disturbing!). But a slick, strength-amping reflex-booster exoskeleton? YES PLEASE.

Dollhouse

I don't think I've ever written a post shoving this show down people's throats yet.

Well, it's about freakin' time.

What if you could program a person? What if it was possible to create the perfect lover, friend, assassin, or spy? What if you could have anyone, do anything, and leave regretting nothing at all? If actions had no consequences, what kind of world would this be?

Technology has made this reality for the very powerful and very wealthy - not in a not-so-distant future, but all around us, today. Volunteers sign away five years of their lives to an underground organization called the Dollhouse, and during this time, their brains will be imprinted with new custom-made personalities to suit their clients' needs. But the Dollhouse has skeletons in the closet (and maybe some fresh bodies too...), and there are people who are doing their utmost to bring the Houses down. In the Los Angeles 'House, there is one doll who goes by the name Echo. She is beginning to wake up. But will she be able to wake up the world?

I'm going to come clean with you: Dollhouse is my favorite show. Much as I love television series, I have never seen anything as good as this. Its simple concept opens up boundless complexity. It's full of more or less fantastic characters. Its plot is well-rounded and complete. Must I go on? (And it's only part bias!!!)

Dollhouse was created by Joss Whedon, the dude behind Buffy and Firefly. Some of his self-proclaimed followers were pissed off and disliked Dollhouse because i loved errything else he made then he changed it boohoo. (I may talk more about this some other time, since Buffy and I have a bit of a complicated relationship.) It got weak ratings and was cancelled after two seasons. But do not be deterred. It's really good.

Some people put off watching this show because the conceptual basis sounds "shallow and ridiculous" ("Glorified brothel!!! Romanticized trafficking!!!"). I am wont to disagree, as you may have guessed. Part of what makes Dollhouse so excellent is the way it does not try to shape your opinion of the ideas it presents. Although it insinuates that taking away freedom of mind and body is wrong, the characters in the show have different ways of approaching this ideology. Some believe the technology on which the Dollhouses are based should never have existed, while others think the temporary contract the organization offers will benefit individuals' lives in the long run. The world of Dollhouse, like the real world, is full of people with differing views on morals and ethics, and whether or not we like them or relate to them is up to us. Those examples I gave you? There are characters within the show who feel exactly the same way about what goes on down there, and who will do anything to stop it.

A show does not come without faults. In typical Whedon style, it features a lot of awesome, strong female characters, which in itself is refreshing and super great (for example, Dollhouse passes the Bechdel test in its very first scene). But, like Buffy, the heroine Echo is über-centralized and such a unique snowflake that she makes all the other snowflakes look like identical twins. In my opinion, the supporting cast more than makes up for this, but it is sometimes a bit bothersome. Also, before the crew was notified that the show was going to get cancelled (at which point they wrapped up the entire storyline and tied together almost every loose end; really admirable work!), there are a lot of "monster of the week" type episodes. The "monster" is usually some variety of depraved man who later gets his ass kicked by a girl. Although the stories are varied and interesting, the formula can get old if you notice those kind of things. Again, the hints of backstory, the humor, and the cast carry the show through, but I'd have liked to see some more evil women in the show.

I've already gone completely off on a tangent, but what I want to say is, I really recommend this show. It's a short and sweet sci-fi driven by character and thought provocation, and has excellent standards through and through.

GOD, EVERYONE SHOULD WATCH IT.

Crooooooooners

In direct contradiction with my post for the letter B, the one for C is dedicated to a genre of music which I wholeheartedly enjoy! Some of you may remember a post on my old blog in which I rained praise upon a CD called "Mob Hits." Well, I listened to Mob Hits again today (during a walk, while thinking intensely of a new story), and it is so great. Seriously, why is this stuff no longer popular.

So far, I have listened most prolifically to Dean Martin, by whom I own a double CD. (All credit goes to tech-savvy grandma and her advanced disc-burning skills.) However, I am looking forward to discovering more great old-time artists. If you know of any, please drop a line.

What is it about backslick-greasy, shaven-faced smooth oldies music that I find so fantastic?? I'm not completely sure, but it may be due partly to the large amount of Italian-Americans who sang these kinds of songs, making me in equal measures curious about and proud of my heritage, and partly to their extremely high sing-along factor. Few types of music allow the singing style "Uninhibited Belting" like catchy crooning postwar swing. Awwwww yeah.

(Oh, and those artists made great Christmas music.)

Its appeal is also most definitely related to my fascination with the dark cynicism of noir. The music is from the same era, and yet it's so glad, so wholesome by modern values. The resulting contrast is priceless. That walk I told you about? Too much of it was spent imagining violent mafia scenes to the tones of "Al-Di-La."

It's fun being morbid.

Background Ambiance

This is the kind of badly phrased post that makes me really glad this blog is now e%c100sively populated by a single-digit number of persons who I like because they are nice. You've been warned.

One thing I've never really understood is people's passion for music. Don't get me wrong, I like music too. However, I find it difficult to appreciate solely on its own merits. My favorite music, or any music that I think is especially good, is usually connected to a memory or creates a certain atmosphere. I enjoy instrumental music very much, like smooth jazz, piano solos, and epic soundtrack stuff - it's relaxing and very easy to work to. Music that is catchy or pleasant also ends up on my iPod as a way to pass the time while traveling. And of course, some stuff just sounds good. I like having music on while browsing the internet or writing or not really doing much in particular, but I never just listen to music. The only time I immerse myself in it is when I'm reminiscing (quick example: listening through the early Homestuck albums and getting nostalgic feelings for all the characters especially John).

Maybe I'm missing out on something massive here, but what I really don't get is all those "music is my drug <33333 post this if you can't live without music!1!!11!!" shenanigans (and their more sophisticated, non-Myspace Facebook counterparts). Music seems to be such a huge passion for so many people, and I wonder why this is. Is it because it's accessible, and easy for any hearing person to listen to a 3-minute song (as opposed to, say, reading a 700-page novel)? Or because there's often subculture and community that comes with being a fan? Is it because concerts are fun (I have never been to a "real" concert, nor do I really want to - just seems loud to me, and I am sound-sensitive), or because musicians are people it feels good to look up to? None, some, or all of the above?

I couldn't find any good pictures for this post so here is one of a giraffe

I very seldom, pardon my French, give a shit about the lyrics or the musicians behind the work. Which, uh, sounds a little harsh. But what I mean is, of course there are bands I like, but I don't usually bother finding out stuff about the members even to give them a tip of the hat. I listen to plenty of Japanese music with lyrics I do not understand, nor aim to, simply because my intent is to have some nice audio in the background while doing something else. I do look up lyrics sometimes, and I absolutely love songs that try to tell a story - these I can turn to for quick inspiration if I want to write. But repetitive lines about losing or seeking love, or being alone, misunderstood and going through tough times, or just something weird and whimsical that needs to be interpreted, really don't do anything for me. There are plenty of songs I like with those kinds of lyrics, but I kinda tune them out in favor of a pleasing listening experience. I know tons of people who actually relate, though. I'm not looking to undermine anybody's experiences, but I've heard so many people talk about bands "saving their lives" via their music and I, with my preferences, just don't understand how. (But then again I have never been suicidal. Or understood poetry.)

Yeah, yeah. People are into different things, I know. But it is so much easier to find somebody who loves music (although it may be hard to find someone who likes your particular kind of music) than, say, rock climbing. At least in the average gaggle of teens.

Don't even really know what my point is, besides emphasizing a slight aberration of opinion in my case since I am, in fact, a poorly closeted hipster. Why is this in any way relevant? Well, subtle differences in motivation can create massive amounts of "not having fun" when a topic comes up for discussion, if you're with the minority. And in every group of friends, there is always a mandatory conversation about music. Kind of like there is always a mandatory conversation about horror films, or amusement parks (although not necessarily horror films about amusement parks), or other things that yours truly really does not like. Being actively unsettled - or just bored - by things most people find very entertaining kind of sucks.

Okay, have I made my sad special snowflake problem clear? Good. What about the rest of you? Is there anything that people really adore discussing that just kinda ... puts you the hell off?

(ON A HAPPIER NOTE: Did I mention the part about epic soundtrack stuff?????)

Anime That Survived

Since a while back (suspiciously near the time I started reading Homestuck), my interest in manga and anime has waned considerably. On the other hand, I suppose you can say my standards have gone up, and I no longer buy any low-quality, high-price crap just for the sake of "starting a new series!!1!1!1!"

It's not as if I've completely disowned my old favorites, though. Here's one of those nifty lists!