Visual Stimuli?

This weekend, I attended a lecture given by a director/scenic designer. As someone who spends a fair amount of time working on theater, I found it a very interesting discussion. One thing that really struck me was the extent to which the designer relied on visual stimuli. He poured over thousands of visuals until he found the ones that spoke to him. That's where he drew most of his inspiration from.

This took me somewhat by surprise. In hindsight, I guess it shouldn't have. Theater really is a very visual medium. Except, when I do it, I still don't approach it in that sort of visual way. I make spreadsheets and checklists. Maybe that's just me. I often prefer words to just a picture. Or music. I've mentioned before here how I like that for inspiration. I've just never thought of myself as highly visual.

Which was why I was surprised by how much I like Pinterset. It's a website where you can set up boards, like cork boards, and collect on them images that you like, that interest you, that inspire you. I heard about it ages ago, but I only got one recently after all of my friends proved to me how awesome it is. I must say, they had a point.

Pinterest is a great tool for people who like visual inspiration or even those who just like looking at pretty things. It's a great site, and I'd highly recommend it.

For more on getting the most out of Pinterest, I'd suggest reading Rachel Gardner's thoughts on the subject.

How do you feel about Pinterest? Do you enjoy visual stimuli?

Isn't It Ironic, Don't You Think?

Just the other day, I was watching a video in which someone explained that he uses the word gay to mean stupid because he is "an ironic liberal." I am not linking anyone to this video, as the arguments it contained were ridiculous (not gay -- ironically or otherwise -- because arguments are not attracted to other arguments of any sort or gender, assuming that arguments even have genders, which I doubt).

Let's clear a few things up:

1) Irony is "the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning." Thus, using gay as stupid would imply that the concepts of homosexuality and intelligence were in any way related. This is incredibly untrue. Thus, there is no capacity for the use of the term gay to mean stupid and achieve irony. I would say sorry,but it would have to be ironically, because I in no way apologize for the meaning of these words.

2) As the word gay refers either to homosexuality or happiness (setting aside all overlaps thereof which would be puns and not ironic), the only way to achieve irony using this word would be to use it to refer to things that were either heterosexual or sad (including any overlaps thereof, which would not be puns or ironic). Thus, if I referred to two heterosexuals of the opposite gender kissing as gay, that might be construed as ironic, but more likely we would consider that annoying and ridiculous, and I'd look like a prat.

Ironic does not refer to things that are frustrating, accidentally offensive, or just don't make any sense. I'm sorry, that catchall, quick fix only works on people who don't know what the word means. I'd like to think most of us do.

Remember the song "Ironic" by Alanis Morisette? (Which I will link to, because it's a nice song.) Of course, the real irony of that song is how much of the song is not really ironic. But we know that now.

So, please, people of the internet, stop misusing the word ironic or assuming it's a quick cover for being a prat. You're damaging the English language, misinforming people about the meaning of words, and frustrating the people who know what that word actually means. And because you're making a fool of yourself. There's that too.

Are you a fan of irony?

Some General Randomness

First off, I'd like to take this opportunity to remind every citizen of the US who is of age and eligible to register to vote. If you won't be in your area on election day, register to vote absentee. Just to remember, we live in what's pretty much a democracy. (Sort of a democracy. Sort of a republic. Trust me, I've heard of people expound on this. I won't.) Remember, as Shaw said, “Democracy is a device that insures we shall be governed no better than we deserve.” Or, more to the point, to quote H.L. Mencken, "Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard." So, let's vote people. Register, and vote!

Moving on...

I wanted to share two pieces of video phenomenon.

First: Positive Pranking.



I'd like to help this concept spread, and I've already got some wonderful plans to positive prank my local area. Hope you can spread the love in your area. :-)

Also: A new concept -- A Book.



I've recently received the One Lovely Blog Award from Carolyn Snow Abiad. Thanks so much for thinking of me, Carolyn.

Rules:

• Acknowledge the blogger who gave it to you
• Pass it on to 15 bloggers you have recently met.

My list comes in no particular order, but I'd highly advise checking 'em out.

1. Kate Coursey @ Weaving Colors
2. Jenna Wallace @ Writing in the Dream State
3. Karen Amanda Hooper @ * Eternal Moonshine of a Daydreaming Mind *
4. Roni Loren @ Fiction Groupie
5. Tawna Fenske @ Don't Pet Me, I'm Writing
6. Hannah Moskowitz @ Invincible Summer
7. Stephanie Thornton @ Hatshepsut: The Writing of a Novel
8. Genie of the Shell @ The Magic Nutshell
9. Creepy Query Girl @ Creepy Query Girl
10. Jennifer Daiker @ unedited
11. Jayne Ferst @ A Novice Novelist
12. Tere Kirkland @ The Lesser Key
13. Talei Loto @ The Lady Doth Scribe
14. Mia @ Literary Toast and Jam
15. Lola Sharp @ Sharp Pen/ Dull Sword

I hope you all have an absolutely fabulous weekend. =)

Oh, the Interwebs

A while ago, I read a post on Roni Griffin's page about web presence. And, naturally, that got me thinking about, well, web presence.

I do not have a very large web presence. I feel secure enough in myself to admit that. ;-) This blog, this one right here, that you are looking at right now, this is my web presence. I don't twitter. I don't have another blog. I have a livejournal I created to look at something and now just links back to this blog. I don't have my own personal website. I am not splashed all over the Internet.

And, you know what, I am okay with that.

Because this blog takes time. Any form of web presence takes time. So, if I wanted to add anything else to the list of things I do on the Internet every day, I'd have to take some of that time away from here. I'm not okay with that.

See, even if I occasionally have a bad week or so, I like to think that I'm bringing my A-game to these posts. I don't want to write meaningless drivel that wastes your time and mine. And, something tells me, if I take up twittering, I might not have enough time and energy to give this my top notch stuff. Not okay.

That's my web presence.

How about you? What's your web presence? Big? Small? Are you considering changing its size? Why?