I’m not quite done with my grandmother’s portrait, apparently. One of the things I did over the weekend was to start learning colorization, and now Grandma has a pretty pink dress:)
Posts Tagged ‘creativity’
Still Dancing
Posted in Likes, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2021, Affinity Photo, creativity, family, learning on June 28, 2021| Leave a Comment »
Tempus Fugit
Posted in Likes, Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2021, Affinity Photo, creativity, inspiration, sff on June 25, 2021| Leave a Comment »
Mr. Man had to get up early so we started the day with an extra hour. I decided to use it to learn something.
Suddenly, that extra time has disappeared and taken its friends with it.
On the plus side, I found an angel.
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Do My Ancestors Proud
Posted in Likes, Science!, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2021, astronomy, creativity, inspiration, NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day, stars on June 24, 2021| Leave a Comment »
How are stars made? You know, those celestial bodies illuminating the sky, happily burning until they get tired of that and become star dust, the components of which we are made.
“The cosmos is also within us. We’re made of star stuff.”
— Carl Sagan
Check out this simulation of a star forge.
How do stars form? Most form in giant molecular clouds located in the central disk of a galaxy. The process is started, influenced, and limited by the stellar winds, jets, high energy starlight, and supernova explosions of previously existing stars. The featured video shows these complex interactions as computed by the STARFORGE simulation of a gas cloud 20,000 times the mass of our Sun.
— APOD: 2021 June 23 – STARFORGE
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I’m also making today, although nothing as dramatic as stars. More like yogurt, a project that required the sewing machine, and a hack for our leaky dishwasher (yes, another appliance is on the road to obsolescence; they really don’t make them like they used to).
I’m also heading into the workshop to make things out of wood. Well, to remember how to make things. And find my tools. And my respirator. And my wood turning clothes. It’s been a while (thanks, Covid)!
My projects won’t be as dynamic or lovely as a star (or Chopin’s music, for that matter).
I’ll still try.
After all, I want to do my ancestors proud.
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From Imagination to Reality
Posted in Likes, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2021, creativity, innovation, Thoughts on June 23, 2021| Leave a Comment »
I love seeing ideas move from imagination to reality, even if I’m not the one doing it. Take this robot mani/pedi machine idea, for example:
Want Your Nails Done? Let a Robot Do It. – The New York Times
This ideas has been in the back of my mind for some time.
Now, I don’t polish my nails. I think I have a bottle of clear somewhere that I bought for a wedding once (my wedding? Quite possibly, but the fact that I don’t remember tells you something). I keep it around to use in the workshop and the garage.
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So why did I start thinking about an automated mani/pedi machine years ago, and why am I excited to see it now?
Because a lot of things are hard for the elderly, and doing your nails is one of them.
These particular machines aren’t there yet, but the fact that innovators are working on polishing suggests that shaping won’t be far behind. And that means anyone could keep their nails in good condition without having to rely on someone else or popping a hip joint, and stay healthier for it.
If the end result is effective and affordable, it’s good for people, and, as the population continues to age and boost demand for adaptive technologies, good for companies.
And I’m all about win-wins.
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The Big Train Rolls On
Posted in Likes, Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2021, creativity, family, history, technology on June 11, 2021| Leave a Comment »
More from the olde thyme archives. You may have seen the recent to-do about My Heritage’s Deep Nostalgia:
‘Deep Nostalgia’ AI gives life to old photos through animation – Big Think
Essentially, they are using AI-based technology to animate a static image. Very cool with a side of potentially creepy, but fascinating.
This is my great great great? uncle Walter “The Big Train” Johnson (1887-1946), one of the first inaugural members of the Baseball Hall of Fame:
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I love how people are using this technology to animate ancestors, and also add life to historical figures we know only as two-dimensional figures. Here are just a few examples:
Stargate, Beta Edition
Posted in Likes, Science!, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2021, creativity, inspiration, technology, yay on June 5, 2021| Leave a Comment »
This is one of the coolest projects I’ve seen in some time:
The cities of Vilnius, Lithuania and Lublin, Poland—which are 376 miles (606 kilometers) away from each other—unveiled their futuristic portals this week… allowing a real-time feed of whoever is in front of the portal to be transmitted between the two cities via the internet.
— Vilnius and Lublin Unveil a Futuristic “Bridge” Between Cities
It’s not quite Stargate, but “it’s a bridge that unifies and an invitation to rise above prejudices and disagreements that belong to the past.” (Benediktas Gylys)
So cool. Here’s the project home: PORTAL
Things I Know for Sure
Posted in Likes, Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2021, #ThingsIKnowForSure, 4, books, creativity, Lord of the Rings, star wars, Thoughts on March 27, 2021| Leave a Comment »
For today, I give you this highly-personalized, certainly particular list of #ThingsIKnowForSure:
- Creativity is what’s important, not how or why or when you do it.
- I eat less when I can taste more.
- My garden deserves better.
- Summer is a montage of awkwardly-placed mosquito bites. Still worth it.
- The world needs a better brand of catnip.
- Sometimes figuring things out is a matter of a good book and a long afternoon. If that doesn’t work, try a walk. Or a stiff drink.
- That thing you don’t want to do is probably exactly what you should do (sorry!)
- Sometimes a day just needs a thunderstorm.
- Tonic and lemonade are good together. Also gin.
- Some days there are just too many choices.
- Touch ID hates me.
- Sometimes you actually do need that ancient laptop you stashed in the closet.
- A good book makes any day better.
- I’m pretty much done letting other people define what’s “good” 🙂
- Star Wars is the best movie ever (#1, now renamed #4 like a child whose parents changed their mind when she was ten years old. Who does that?)
- Lord of the Rings is the best book ever. Even though I don’t read it every year (anymore), the effect it had on my life means that it will remain The Best Book Ever for always and ever and ever.
- Kittens are hard to catch.
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Photo by Henda Watani on Pexels.com
Do Something Amazing
Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2021, creativity, Motivation, productivity on March 2, 2021| Leave a Comment »
Today, do something amazing.
…
And the more I learn about creativity, productivity, and motivation, the more I realize that the most important word in that sentence is “today.”
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Notes on Writing
Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2021, creativity, Dwight V. Swain, Jim Butcher, writing, writing advice, writing tools on February 21, 2021| 2 Comments »
This is a pretty particular post, but it’s something that would have helped me, so here you go.
There are a lot of books and other resources out there for writers. A while back I mentioned a few of the ones I’ve found helpful, including this one:
Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight V. Swain
At one point I read an Ilona Andrews* post mentioning they used the book when starting out, and decided to check it out. There’s a lot of useful material here. My edition looks like this:
Swain’s approach is very detailed, and while not the last word, obviously, he does have a Lot to say about the nitty gritty craft of writing. What, how, and why, all those questions everyone ahead of you seems to know but often don’t explain. And have I mentioned that this book is Very Detailed with Teeny Tiny Type? Even if you have the book, getting a handle on the discussion’s arc and the location of useful details was something I found time-consuming. So I wrote up an outline, including descriptions and page references for all the bits I wish the table of contents had included. Click the image below to view the full PDF.
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Will this outline help you? If you have the book and are interested, yes. If you don’t have the book but wonder if you might be interested, this file will at least give you a sense of what’s included.
If you want to know more about techniques like Motivation-Reaction Units, I also suggest this summary post by K.M. Weiland:
Motivation-Reaction Units: Cracking the Code of Good Writing
And since we’re here, I’ll also mention Jim Butcher’s LiveJournal series on writing. He discusses outlines, characters, scenes and sequels that look a lot like Swain’s approach, and more:
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Even if you don’t need this now, tuck it away in your stash of tools for writing. You never know when it might come in handy!
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* Love their work. Check it out if you’re into fantasy starring interesting magic, well-developed characters, smart, capable, kick-ass ladies, and more!
A Wish for You
Posted in Holidays, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2021, creativity, quotes, ray bradbury, Valentine's Day on February 14, 2021| Leave a Comment »
May you be in love every day for the next 20,000 days. And out of that love, remake a world.
— Ray Bradbury
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