It's beginning to get that Fall chill in the air, and things are starting to wind down for the winter. This is the time of year I really love, it's like something out of a Robert Frost poem, timeless, beautiful, and soul-stirring all at once. I'm planning a trip out to that tunnel next week, the (un)lucky Tunnel 13 on the same rail trail that I showed the photos of tunnel 19 earlier this summer. I hope I get some good shots, and if I'm lucky, maybe get out to tunnel 12 too, and get a few photos of it as well. If I get them, I'll post a few to let you all see a hint of West Virginia history at its best. Tunnel 13, and Bond's Creek (runs just outside the Western end of the tunnel) is the site of a train derailment back in 1956. It was a passenger train, but I can't recall the details from the stone monument off hand. I'll have those for you when I get the pictures.
But that's another week away so why bother talking about it now? I started looking into some things to hopefully kick start some sort of income for myself. I won't know how well that'll go until later. The writing project is also coming along well, but needs a lot more before it's finished.
With the sound of a train roaring in my ears, it's time to get to the meat and potatoes stuff.
Comments:
alphonse13:
To be completely honest, I didn't think I could write something like that either, my experience is with writing Sci-Fi styled short fiction, not information articles. But, I just had to try anyway.
Yensid:
Sure, that's no problem, go on and link it, and everyone crows now and again.
I saved your comment on the article itself along with all the others I got. Yours was well worded, I really appreciate that.
Yeah, it's painfully hard to completely put aside personal bias when it comes to evaluation, I'd be lying six ways from Sunday if I said I've masterd it myself. That's part of the reason I'm holding off on the specifics of toning down (I really shouldn't say "removing" that's impossible for all but the most honed minds) personal bias. It's a delicate process that needs to be described in just the right way, or it could cause more confusion than good. Keep checking the article for additions like that. I'll actually put an amend date at the top of it so anyone reading it will know there's new material in there, and I'll mention any updates I make right here in the blog after I make them.
I don't know that I agree with that statement on conceptual thinking, well, actually I know I don't agree with it. Deeper thought is possible from any functional mind. Conceptual thought may appear to be ambiguous and complex, but that doesn't mean most people can't do it. Sometimes the most simple minded people, the ones who "shouldn't be able to think that way", are the ones with the most profound thoughts. Intellect isn't measured by diplomas, degrees, awards, honors, publications, lectures, or public appearances, not even a standardized test can remotely say a person is genuinely intelligent. Conceptual thinking is something anyone can learn to do, and it's not that hard either. It isn't taught in school as a part of any class, my situation is proof of that. You wouldn't know from the way I communicate that I never officially finished High School would you? Books shouldn't be telling people, or even remotely implying, that conceptual thought is something most of us are incapable of doing, that's just wrong. The human mind is infinitely dynamic, always changing, always growing. It has no limits to it's capabilities, and this applies to anyone, not just the "gifted" people who seem to think the rest of us are ignorant.
It wasn't so much doing my homework as remembering what my Theatre teacher taught me about doing it right, and putting all that to words that make sense and aren't referencing theatrical elements. We had one college level director who was brutally honest in his critiques, but even he did them right. A lot of the students who worked with him (I wish now that I had been allowed that opportunity), said they were better off for having been given the notes he gave them, the way he did. But I always recommend that people be polite, but be honest in your critiques, that's something everyone needs to remember. You're less likley to offend someone if you're polite about your critique.
beyblader
Maybe my knack for telling stories spilled over to this project. Take your time, it's not going anywhere.
Mamma Vash:
You bring up an excellent point, if I wanted to really tailor the article toward art critique, I could go more into depth on those various technical aspects of art evaluation, but I think I'll keep my article simple enough to apply to just about anything. I do recommend that anyone wanting to get truly serious about evaluating any specific field should study up on the techncials of that field. If you want to critique a stage play for example, you would look at the lighting and music (how they set/maintain the mood, do they fit the scene etc.), the delivery of lines, stage blocking (how the character move on stage), and things like that.
The weather has been insane here, hot cold, hot, cold, humid, dry, just nuts. But the cool days are good for something, they're great for split pea soup. Nothing cures the body of chills like a nice hot bowl of spil pea soup on a cool day.
Shireishou
I noticed earlier that you did get the link up. I do appreciate people linking to the article. I didn't write it for a lot of personal attention, I just wrote to help people. Evaluating anything can be a scary process if a person is unprepared for it fundamentally. If anything at all, I'll be happy to hear that the article has taught someone something important, even if it only teaches one person.
