Gaia :: Profile Comments

Report | 01/23/2008 10:32 am

Why CSE? Hm. Well, virtually all of my artwork and creativity stems from the computer one way or another. All my music is electronically made (including the orchestra.) My artwork comes from 3d animation via computer. I type my stories on the computer. I also used to make music videos (still have a nice handful of them on my YouTube account.) And I like to program stuff, seeing the applications come to life (once they actually do, that is User Image

). But if I find I can’t stand doing it for a living, I’ve thought about majoring in commercial music like one of my friends. At this point it’s unclear, only my second quarter of OSU thus far.

Calculus is difficult to me because we learn the theories in class, but when it comes to homework the actual way to solve them is barely covered. The teachers assume we all remember all the algebraic tricks and simplification methods. Which yes, we should. But I in particular forget math too quickly. Then exams usually only use the real tough questions. Math doesn’t come the most naturally to me I’m afraid.

I’m not sure if I definitely believe in the supernatural, but even science agrees that there is quite possibly more than we’re seeing. A lot of conceptual physics and stuff. Uncharted energies, perhaps. Something more than meets the immediate senses, like how some people have the ability to detect when they’re being watched. But those TV psychics, ghost hunters, etc… I think they’re mostly just hoaxes.

I am a UU Christian because I was born and raised Methodist. There are a number of Christian organizations out there on campus, but I joined UU because I thought I’d be able to meet people with different ideas on life and the soul. Also because I don’t think it’s right for people to judge who goes to heaven or hell or draw the world in black and white. I don’t take the bible literally, but I believe in its good intentions and a majority of its morals. I don’t think I can direct you toward any answers though. I think half the point of spirituality is finding them yourself J How about you? What do you believe, or seek to find in religion?

Hm. I know that Notepad can’t render files to .mp3, and I don’t have that program installed on this laptop, otherwise I’d ask if I could hear User Image

But if you figure out a way and are willing to share, let me know! If you do get FL Studio, I’d advise you to get the $100 or $150 version. Expensive, I know, but if you order it online you get free lifetime updates. I’ve had FL Studio for 3 years now and it’s definitely been worth the money for me.

It’s fun to ramble with you too User Image

. It’s nice to chat with people who think beyond the here and now. I haven’t had a good deep philosophical conversation in ages J But also, to be truthful, you’ve really helped to bring me out of my post-friend-withdrawal depression… thanks!

Report | 01/21/2008 7:09 pm

New Era Orchestra

Eep… I’m so sorry to hear about your sister L. The friend I mentioned before used to be suicidal too. A lot has changed since I first knew her, of course, but I’m truly thankful she’s alive today and doing better. I hope you’re doing okay now.

My major is, somewhat surprisingly, computer science and engineering. However, I’m finding that I’m not doing so great in my math courses, and while I understand the CSE stuff I’m learning by the end, it takes me a while to understand. In the meantime, I’m really enjoying classes like English last quarter and Psychology now. Good luck in biological sciences, if you enter it. I liked biology in high school, but since then I’ve had virtually no involvement with it.

As for what the soul is beyond the body, I am a bit more confused about. I don’t really know whether or not I believe in an afterlife, or what it is like. I could never imagine clouds and a set of pearly gates being what really exists, though. Perhaps the afterlife is different for everyone based on how they lived and what they believed in life. Maybe it’s a void where your soul drifts until you are reincarnated. As for what happens to specific qualities, I have even less of a clue about. In a scientific sense, intentions mean nothing, and all emotions mere extensions of the body. Or perhaps the soul is what shapes the body. There’s just no way of knowing.

Unitarian Universalism and Christianity… hm. They’re not incompatible, technically. UU is formed out of many different kinds of religions and ideologies. It’s made up of Christians, Muslims, Buddists, and many other religions. And you’re right, there are also many agnostics, atheists, humanists, etc. UU is non-creedal which means you are not asked to believe in any one particular idea for salvation. Or even in any ideas at all. It’s kind of a mixed ideological community more than a religion, really.

Anyone can write music. Hah, you should have heard the kind of stuff I was writing three years ago. It sucked, save a few nice pieces. But over time you start to develop your own way. If you’re hesitant to try it, don’t be. There’s always something new you can make. If you think about it mathematically, there are trillions of different ways to work a melody with just half a minute of a song. Especially if you choose to disregard all the classical ideas of what is “right” and “wrong” in music. Go for the bad sound and see how you can make it good. (There is a free download for FL Studio if you want to check it out. You can do everything in it… except save your work L ) Inga and Cybo do have websites, yeah. I’ll have to track them down though. I remember hearing about Angels and Airwaves and Hellogoodbye before, but haven’t heard their music. Yet User Image

.

Thanks for listening to my tunes! I work on them when I have the time and inspiration. Haven’t had much on the time part lately, though. Especially since the program isn’t working right now, grr.

Keep me updated for when you do put something up!

*Can't tell if I beat your post length or not... hm... User Image

*

Report | 01/21/2008 4:16 pm

New Era Orchestra

Lol, you did much better in high school than me! I didn’t get into Honors because I was one ACT point shy. 28. Needed 29. And seven AP courses? Wow! Are you still in all 7??? I took AP US Government, AP European History, and AP US History, which to be honest are the easier ones. My scholars group is Communications and Technology Scholars, which has several advantages. One is priority scheduling (though not before honors.) Another is that we get to go to NYC this spring to meet with some studios. The last is that we are offered a series of special classes in Flash, Web Design, Computer Animation, FL Studio (the program I write my music in), and some others I can’t think of right now. But yeah. You could easily get into OSU if you wanted to, I’m sure. Out of curiosity, do you know what you want to study?

Hm… I have done a bit of thinking about the “soul.” It’d be hard to summarize in just a few words though, but I think part of it has to do with the fact everyone is unique. Everyone has different memories, different morals, different likes and dislikes, abilities and disabilities. And that everyone in some form or another has changed the world, whether for the good or bad, great or small. Like you, I’m non-denominational Christian, but more formally Unitarian Universalist which does not seek to explain, only to teach and suggest.

Electronica is a vast genre. One of the things I don’t like about common genres like rock is that is often the same base formula. Guitar, bass, drums. Sometimes add in piano or other instruments. But electronica has a near infinite amount of sounds you can craft so everything’s a little new. The down side is it’s difficult to perform live, and thus hard to sell. And it’s also hard to find good electronica artists, not because they are rare, but because they have so little exposure. Two unsigned friends of mine, Cybo3 and Inga (both on MySpace), are both great artists but don’t really draw in any profit because of it. Yet at the same time it’s really good to be able to talk to them, not as fan to musician, but human to human.

I have some songs uploaded at www.soundclick.com/neweraorchestra. About half are NEO tracks, the others are either experiments or donated shorts. Ambivalent Traveler is on Mystic Soundscapes, an internet radio station, and probably my most “published” piece. I’m still trying to learn how to remaster them, then I’ll submit them to Itunes and CDBaby and see if they’ll be willing to sell them.

One reason I’m no good at painting is because I never want to draw what’s actually there. I want to create something new from nothing I’ve ever seen before… but you have to learn somewhere I guess. Do you have any more of your art online? I figure it’s harder to scan a canvas than a sketchpad, but still J

Ack! I’m afraid my wall of text is longer oO

Report | 01/21/2008 12:19 am

New Era Orchestra

To be honest, I never gave much thought about how hard it was getting into OSU. I did pretty well in high school, c** laude, some AP courses, president of Writing Club, all that resume fodder. I was accepted, but I wasn't able to get into the honors program since my ACT score was one too low. But I'm actually thankful for that now, as I did get into a scholars group and nice dorm because of it. Thinking about coming? User Image

I find a particular attachment to Shakespeare. Not only him, but a lot of older poets too. It reminds me how little the world has changed over the course of two thousand years, of us as people. Everything I’ve felt, someone has felt before me. It’s just our particular combinations that make us unique, the way we choose to express ourselves.

I looked up Ed Van Fleet on You Tube (lots of good free music on it User Image

) but could only find one song, Citizen of Another World. I do enjoy that kind of music. It’s the stuff I wish I could write, to tell the truth, except add a more electronic spin to it. “New Era Orchestra” is… well… meant to be a New Age Orchestra after all User Image

. Oh, and by the way I do have one more site where some of my music is uploaded if you’re interested, but there’s no telling if it will work either.

All the art on my page was made in either Anim8tor, Photoshop, or both. Anim8tor is a free download, a 3d modeling program. And I’m pretty bad at it too lol. My images are pretty simple and rely on repetition on geometry, so I barely even know the basics of what the program can do. But I’m content with what I do have… it’s kind of fitting along the themes I am fascinated with. Like infinity, time, alternative realities… yeah I’m getting pretty abstract here. I wish I knew how to paint, but it’s something I’ve never really been good at.

Oh, and thanks for commenting on my journal entries too!

Report | 01/20/2008 7:51 pm

New Era Orchestra

OSU is a decently large college, I guess, some 60k students last I heard. I don't how many live on campus in dorms, though, but I'm pretty sure it's not 60 thousand User Image

I'm glad you were able to resolve your friend situation. I'm rapidly losing hope in mine... oh well. Being a long-time friend truly does help. Unfortunately, since I'm at campus and my friend is still in my hometown, I have no chance to see her, talk to her... anything to remind her that I still even exist. I tried all I could to help her through a year and a half of depression, and now she abandons me in my greatest time of need. Ever heard of the Shakespear Poem "Blow Blow Thou Winter Wind?" It's just like that User Image

To address something you said earlier about the music on my profile, did you mean on my Gaia profile or Myspace profile? The music playing on Gaia is by Enigma, but the stuff on my MySpace profile is stuff I wrote last year. Either way, I'll be sure to check out that artist; I'm a fan of David Arkenstone and a lot of other New Age artists.

And speaking of art, I like the stuff on your profile. The painting looks so real I thought it was a photograph at first...

Report | 01/19/2008 1:06 pm

Elastic Rock

Yeah i guess that would be a good idea.....but i don't think im too good...i mean im okay but im too good

Report | 01/19/2008 9:34 am

Vampire-x-Goddess

Thanks. ^.^ Your profile looks awesome, btw. I love the cloud layout.

Report | 01/18/2008 11:57 pm

New Era Orchestra

If you decide to work for a year, stay sharp! Don't forget everything you've learned in high school. But that should be pretty obvious User Image

I have three roomates, but I got really lucky this year. None of them drink, smoke, blast loud music, stay up all hours of the night, etc. Although it means there's virtually no privacy, it's kind of nice to always have someone to hang out with, just so you don't die of boredrum trying to read half your textbook oO. Also, one of my roomates brought in a projector, so we play video games and watch movies on the wall. It's pretty nice.

Yeah, a large part of my depression comes from the friend I've lost contact with... I'll write more about it in PM... sometime else. I hope your friend situation is going better than mine... hopefully you still get the chance to talk to them, and at least try to make things work out.

Report | 01/18/2008 10:15 pm

oh i like you

one of wut?

Report | 01/18/2008 9:21 pm

oh i like you

no

every1 luvs me bcuz im famous

Report | 01/18/2008 8:05 pm

illStartThisBrokenHeart

yeah me too, and thanks

Report | 01/18/2008 3:19 pm

colliyXD

yeah i dont know when since last talked

Report | 01/18/2008 2:51 pm

Elastic Rock

uhmm....i dont have any on gaia....and most of the stuff is art class stuff...but im working on a DeviantArt account =]

Report | 01/18/2008 12:14 pm

New Era Orchestra

Well,... Benefit 1: Living on campus introduces you to life indepent from parents and family. Negative 1: Living on campus introduces you to life indepent from parents and family User Image

It's a double edged sword, but of course that depends a lot on the maturity of the individual. When I moved to campus my friends back home were still supportive, and I still talk to one of them semi-regularly (and would speak to the other if she'd let me User Image

), but it kind of gets strained. However, one of my roomates has been able to stay in near perfect touch with his girlfriend. It all depends, really.

Personally, I'd recommend it, especially if you're allowed to take a car to campus. If you live 5 minutes away, it won't be difficult to come home weekends or certain weeknights. Not much different than after graduation anyway, as there is no common school for you and your friends to attend regularly. I hope to rent an apartment my third year of college, which means I'll have to learn how to balance a job and school and learn what it's like to not have 5 minutes of free time for weeks at a time, lol.

So if you’re just looking for a new pattern, living on campus is a sure way to go. It’s more about whether you enjoy that new pattern or not, but of course that’s life, you never know what the future holds.

I met my two close friends at the start of junior year of high school, but wasn’t really that close until autumn senior year. I’ve always been kind of a drifter, I guess. Friends come and go for me.

Hm... I'm afraid I just built the tallest text wall yet! oO

Report | 01/17/2008 7:28 pm

Elastic Rock

Well my favorite kind is sketching but i know how to do some other stuff i know how to paint...and other stuff

Report | 01/17/2008 5:54 pm

New Era Orchestra

College is a huge step. At least for me it was, because while I only live some 15 minutes away from OSU I decided to live on campus, so I don't live at home anymore. Which is both good and bad. Depending on where you're going, you may find an entirely new pattern of "normal."

Well, my calculus class is doing Limits right now, which in theory is easy but the algebra is really killing me since it's been two years since I had it. Then derivates is kind of tricky until you get to use the easy way to do it, moving the exponents and all. Beyond that I don't really know, but I sat in all the lectures and it looked pretty tricky! oO

I used to think of myself as an invincible person too, of sorts. Back then, though, I didn't know my two closest friends, and then when you love someone all logic flies out the window User Image

. But yeah... thanks for your well wishes! I hope your transition into summer and college goes smoothly. Blink and it'll be the first of classes User Image

Report | 01/17/2008 12:47 pm

Elastic Rock

Oh thank you....i like your the art on your profile...im an artist myself ^^

Report | 01/16/2008 11:17 pm

New Era Orchestra

Aww, I think senior year was probably my best, and a good summer afterward. Since then it's all been downhill though. Oh well, it's different for everyone.

I'm in Math 151, which is basically just Calculus like what you take at high school. It's my second time taking this course (first time I withdrew after 7 weeks) and while I'm doing slightly better than last time, I've just now hit the material that really stumped me before. Except now I have other classes keeping me busy and the mental turmoil caused by the friend issues that really keeps me from focusing on what I need to.

Report | 01/16/2008 9:56 pm

Asylum Director Aries

TRULY THESE ARE THE END OF DAYS!!

Report | 01/16/2008 9:14 pm

New Era Orchestra

Glad to hear that.

Mine could be better. Friend issues, homework, math quiz tomorrow I haven't studied for... good times User Image

Out of curiosity, are you a senior? I'm 18 too, but a college freshman.

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