litguru 3Speak Podcast: Recent Episodes
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Listen and watch the latest videos from litguru. Hosted by 3Speak.tv. The free speech video platform on the HIVE blockchain.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/hqcpqczh
The vision distorts fields and suddenly
Wave after wave of remembrance
Dots and lines converge
Edges
Luminance
Windows and doors
The wall
Doorways to go through under diamond skies
On pebbled beaches
Flowered gardens
Naked in the sun
Radiant on our bodies
Swaying branches
The hill among cedars
Us holding hands
It was a time when we met
Another dimension
We were
As we descended the mountain path
Bubbling in class
Like a stream of consciousness
Leading to waves
That lapped on our skin.
Thank you for watching and reading my poetic exploration. I used Grok Imagine to add the special effects seen on the video, including the audio. I used both automatic and custom modes to generate the animations. Thank you!
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Images generated by @litguru using Generative Art software
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/tqtltgyc
I’ve been inspired by the passion of flamenco music lately. I used to listen to a lot of it and even sang when nobody was around, trying to imitate the passionate inflections of the singers. I listened to both classic and modern flamenco. I’ve always dreamed of singing and playing this music, even went so far to teach myself to play the basics of guitar, but the idea never really took off.
Enter AI to the rumba.
I’ve used Udio to generate a reggaeton song before with my own lyrics, and it came out alright in spite of my linguistic limitations. There’s a lot of rhyming in the genre. Flamenco is a different style so one has to enter a different head space when creating this style of music. Being familiar with flamenco helped me in writing the lyrics by hand. I used some of the calls used in traditional and modern songs. I drafted several versions in Spanish and used a Spanish checker to refine the text’s grammar and spelling. I still ended up making mistakes, so my Spanish speaking paisanos and paisanas will have to excuse me. I did not rely on AI to write the lyrics because flamenco comes from that inspiration called duende and to the extent that I could summon up that spirit in my poetry, I crafted the following words:
Caminando por senderos
Mirándote, Lunita hermosa
Toda la noche y alba
Por luz tan preciosa.
¡Guapa! ¡Guapa!
Otros caminos
Dímelo, luna tierna,
ai que otros caminos tú iluminas?
olé, olé, olé
Ai, esta lujuria me quema
Abrázame y bésame
resplandeciente con tu labios
Dame esta noche, Lunita
En este sendero viejo
Aiii
En este sendero viejo, Lunita,
Dame tu rayito de luz
Dame tu rayo de luz
Dame tu rayito, hermosa
Lorai Lorai Lorai
(See DeepL translation at the end)
I entered these lyrics in Udio AI music generation software. I created different versions of the song with a length of 2:10 mins. I chose two among the best songs, and the one in the video is the one that more closely matched my vision.
Those who speak Spanish will notice a number of errors, some are mine and some are the AI (yes, I’m blaming the AI). In spite of these errors, I think the final product is fantastic and really tickled my creative bone because it matches the mood and style as I thought about it.
I created the graphics and animation with xAI Imagine. The animation clips create their own sound when generated by Imagine, and I prefer not to use it, but in this case, I left the original sound from the clip at the end of the song because I think it matched well with the music.
Creatively, I originally thought about just having a single man dancing and yearning for the moon, but I think we’re all adults and know exactly what this song is all about ;) While I was tempted to animate the entire video with some dance extravaganza, I decided to keep it simple and minimal, so the focus would be on the vocals and instruments.
I put the video together in MS ClipChamp. Thank you for viewing and listening.
DeepL Translation:
Walking along paths
Looking at you, beautiful moon
All night and dawn
By such precious light.
Beautiful! Beautiful!
Other paths
Tell me, tender moon,
oh, what other paths do you illuminate?
Olé, olé, olé
Oh, this lust burns me
Hold me and kiss me
Shining with your lips
Give me tonight, little moon
On this old path
Aiii
On this old path, little moon,
Give me your ray of light
Give me your ray of light
Give me your ray, beautiful one
Lorai Lorai Lorai
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
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Images and audio generated by @litguru using Generative Art software
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/iicdbmxg
Raves used to take place in the most unusual places. Many of them were held in old warehouses in the industrial side of town. The police did not like young people hanging out all night, possibly taking illicit substances, well into the morning. So, subterfuge was involved to spread the word among those who saw raves as more than just "a party" but more like a gathering of the tribe for a celebration. Pamphlets were distributed advertising the events. People were never told where the event was taking place, but through word-of-mouth, they were instructed where to meet so a magical bus would take them to the event.
The pamphlets usually had art that set up the vibe for the party with a specific theme like aliens, cyberpunk, psychedelic, and so forth. In addition to the funky art, the pamphlets had positive encouraging messages like beauty, love, self affirmation, cultural awareness, cosmic delight, tribal unity, computer tech, space age, and many other messages that hippies from the 60s would have understood perfectly with a glint in their eyes and aliens from the future would have acknowledged with flashing probes.
As ravers all congregated at the appointed place, it was like the gathering of extra-terrestrials with all the neon silvery alien high-tech fashion. The police usually showed up, but as there was NO ALCOHOL on the premises, trying to stop the bizarre dancers from swaying to the beat was like trying to herd cats on catnip. It wasn’t over until the last laser sizzled and the music stopped. Let me reiterate this point. There was no alcohol because the event was not about getting smashed to hook up. Attendees usually danced on their own, not in pairs, but solitarily grooving to the beat with whatever funky jungle moves they could improvise to the music. This meant you could attend a rave all by yourself, dance by yourself, and go home without ever having to interact directly with others. For many of us, it was more about the music, the dance, natural wonders, and the tale of existence as old as time.
One particular rave was held in a church. How the organizers were able to secure a church is beyond my understanding. The cops didn't shut down the event, so it seems that the ravers had a little help from above.
This video was inspired by the 90s rave scene, which was like a cyberdelic UFO arriving towards the end of the millennium. I prompted the xAI Imagine video generation platform to create an image for a rave in a warehouse with stained-glass windows and then proceeded to animate those images based on the stylings of the rave scene. The software created characters with extravagant designs that seem more appropriate for Burning Man than a rave, which usually involved high-school and college age kids who wore all sorts of colourful baggy clothing usually bought from second-hand stores, so the threads had a 70s vibe. This is difficult to recreate at the moment with AI given the differences among cities and countries across the ages. Having said that, there were people who dressed like these characters at raves and added an element of sensuality to the bouncy flashy proceedings.
The two songs that you hear in the video were created using AI music software called Udio. I wrote the lyrics, which were cheesy but positive slogans sometimes found on rave pamphlets. I prompted the AI to generate this techno music with rave flair and lyrics that had embedded echo commands. This allowed me to experiment with echo effects. Individually, the songs were too long, so I edited them to include the parts that I found the most interesting. I put together the video in MS Clipchamp using mainly transitions and little effects because the videos themselves already had a good visual effects.
Thank you for viewing and keep those glowsticks waving in the air.
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Images, music, and animations generated by @litguru using Generative Art software
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/ljaskhym
Something went haywire with my previous upload of this post, so I'm re-uploading it again for your proper train-riding enjoyment.
"I’ll stand and guard the Fraser River that no harm comes to my people... and no harm comes the fish that comes up to feed them."
The Legend of Lhilheqey (Mount Cheam) as told by elder Óyewot (Amy Cooper).
Indigenous cultures that have traditionally lived in the west coast (Coast Salish nations) have oral traditions by which they pass on their stories, containing a mix of history, mythic-religious themes, and natural (and supernatural) elements. The quote above is from a Stó:lō nation story that tells the personified legend of mountains (Cheam and Washington) marrying and having offspring (other mountains) around the Fraser Valley region through which the river flows. I recommend listening to the audio.
The Musqueam nation have legends about how the Fraser river was created by a Double-Headed Serpent. Important resources like salmon and sturgeon are mentioned in their stories. Another nation, the Squamish have stories about the Fraser, which is associated with two sisters (mountains) that watch over the river in the form of lions.
The Tsleil-Waututh nation have a saying in relation to the Fraser, "when the tide goes out, the table is set." Harvesting clams, fish, kelp, and other marine foodstuffs was essential to their food procurement activities. This abundance of the river is a recurrent theme along with warnings about what happens if balance is lost.
I came across the following poster at an exhibition in Fort Langley that details another story of the river told by a Stó:lō elder.
ResourcesFraser River on Wikipedia
Fraser Valley on Wikipedia
Legends of Vancouver
Oral Traditions
Stó:lō on Wikipedia
The Legend of Lhilheqey (Mount Cheam)
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Images by @litguru
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/bhuyvxktij
"I’ll stand and guard the Fraser River that no harm comes to my people... and no harm comes the fish that comes up to feed them."
The Legend of Lhilheqey (Mount Cheam) as told by elder Óyewot (Amy Cooper).
Indigenous cultures that have traditionally lived in the west coast (Coast Salish nations) have oral traditions by which they pass on their stories, containing a mix of history, mythic-religious themes, and natural (and supernatural) elements. The quote above is from a Stó:lō nation story that tells the personified legend of mountains (Cheam and Washington) marrying and having offspring (other mountains) around the Fraser Valley region through which the river flows. I recommend listening to the audio.
The Musqueam nation have legends about how the Fraser river was created by a Double-Headed Serpent. Important resources like salmon and sturgeon are mentioned in their stories. Another nation, the Squamish have stories about the Fraser, which is associated with two sisters (mountains) that watch over the river in the form of lions.
The Tsleil-Waututh nation have a saying in relation to the Fraser, "when the tide goes out, the table is set." Harvesting clams, fish, kelp, and other marine foodstuffs was essential to their food procurement activities. This abundance of the river is a recurrent theme along with warnings about what happens if balance is lost.
I came across the following poster at an exhibition in Fort Langley that details another story of the river told by a Stó:lō elder.
ResourcesFraser River on Wikipedia
Fraser Valley on Wikipedia
Legends of Vancouver
Oral Traditions
Stó:lō on Wikipedia
The Legend of Lhilheqey (Mount Cheam)
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Images by @litguru
<sub>Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App</sub>
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/xtvddsqz
The larger than life statue stands on the grounds of Fortaleza Ozama along the banks of the river from which it takes its name. There is an aura of contained power about the cloaked figure with a plaque at the base that reads: GONZALO FERNANDEZ DE OVIEDO.
His head is half turned, as if something on the horizon has caught his attention, oblivious to the signs of weathering on his head and shoulders, his sense of mission evident in his firm and poised demeanor.
Cronista de Indias. Alcalde de la Fortaleza de Santo Domingo desde 1533 hasta su muerte. Capital y procurador de esta ciuidad y autor de la historia general y natural de las indias escrita en este recinto
Historiador etnologo antropologo y naturalista
English translation
Chronicler of the Indies. Mayor of the Fortress of Santo Domingo from 1533 until his death. Capital and attorney of this city and author of the general and natural history of the Indies written in this enclosure
Historian, ethnologist, anthropologist, and naturalist
I stood there watching the statue. When I think about the colonization of America, images of armored sword-wielding conquistadors come to mind, not austere quill-wielding intellectuals. Yet, here was this imposing figure, a man of letters and ideas, standing tall and proud like a general. His scientific credentials further lauded by mention of how he sent emissaries far and wide to record the contents of the new world.
I made a mental note to look him up when I got back home.
“Estas Indias son tan apartadas y diferentes de todas las otras partes del mundo, que requieren diferente historia y nueva manera de escribir.”
“These Indies are so remote and different from all other parts of the world that they require a different history and a new way of writing.”
Gonzalo Fernandez de Oviedo, Historia general y natural de las Indias, Book 2
Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo y Valdés was born in Madrid in the 15th century and was educated at the court of Ferdinand and Isabella, serving as a page to their son, and basically enjoying all the perks that came with being a member of the upper class with royal ties. He traveled to the Americas soon after its European discovery by Columbus in 1492. He worked as supervisor of gold smelting in Santo Domingo, and upon his return to Spain, he was appointed historian of the West Indies.
As I read further, I realized I was in the presence of a unique figure. After his return to Spain, he continued traveling to the Americas and was put in charge of the Fortaleza Ozama.
He wrote several literary works such as the magnum opus “Historia general y natural de las Indias”, which chronicles the colonization period, reporting on its people and natural wonders across fifty volumes. These were great contributions to the natural sciences and culture in general by introducing concepts such as the hammock, pineapple, tobacco, and barbecue.
“La piña es de las frutas más hermosas y de mejor sabor que hay en estas Indias, y su figura es tan gentil que parece obra de arte más que de naturaleza.”
“The pineapple is one of the most beautiful and best-tasting fruits in these Indies, and its form is so elegant that it seems more a work of art than of nature.”
Historia general y natural de las Indias, Book 7
The General history of the Indies included descriptions of plants and animals unknown to Europeans, and some of which later went extinct and only their descriptions in the general chronicles remained. Additionally, the volume discussed the people found in the region and could be considered a pioneering work in anthropology and ethnology.
During his stay in Santo Domingo, he wrote a chivalric romance entitled Libro del muy esforzado e invencible caballero de la Fortuna propiamente llamado Don Claribalte (Book of the very valiant and invincible knight of Fortune, properly named Don Claribalte). It was the first literary work written in the Americas. From what I understand, there is something odd about the book, which was written in two parts. These two parts show differences in composition with the second part introducing magic swords, giants, and supernatural phenomena missing from the first part altogether. In a sense, it was like a romantic ghost story, and descriptions of the plot vaguely remind me of magical realism.
During the tour of the Fortaleza, I entered a room where there was an animation being shown. I noticed that there was a key recessed on the wall (or perhaps creating the illusion of hanging in mid-air), and from time to time the animation would go dark and the key would shine. I had arrived in the middle of the animation, so I wasn’t sure what was going on, especially as there appeared to be ghosts involved in the story.
I noticed a poster nearby that had as title: The Key
On the night of June 26, 1557, Don Gonzalo Fernandez de Oviedo died inside the Keep, clutching the keys to the stronghold in his hands. They say his ghost still roams this fortress where he served as the commander until his death.
Don Gonzalo Fernandez de Oviedo was more than a politician ahead of his time, he was a scientist and researcher who understood that the wealth of the New World lay in its plants, its animals, and its people. Through his book ‘The General and Natural History of the Indies,’ which he wrote within these walls, he unveiled to Spain and Europe the richness of the new discovered lands.
Listen to his story, one that deserves to be remembered.
I don't know the truth about this legend, but I wholly agree with this last sentiment. The more I learned about Don Gonzalo, the more I realized I was in the presence of a (slightly mad) genius who lived once upon a time in colonial America, and whose futuristic ideas and methodical observations had far-reaching influence (just don’t mention it to his contemporary Las Casas who apparently was not a fan of Don Gonzalo). With his courtly soldierly training, he used the intellectual tools of his age to shine a bright light on the turbulent new world of the Americas (while telling a few intriguing yarns along the way).
“La grandeza destas tierras y la diversidad de sus cosas es tal que no se puede comprehender sin verlo, y aun viéndolo, parece sueño.”
“The greatness of these lands and the diversity of their things is such that it cannot be comprehended without seeing it, and even seeing it, it seems like a dream.”
Historia general y natural de las Indias, Book 6
ResourcesDon Gonzalo Fernandez de Oviedo Wikipedia page.
Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo: Research Project
Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo. Historia general y natural de las Indias
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Images by @litguru
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/iliegfqghh
I was walking down the trail when I heard a thudding sound above me. I spotted a bird pecking at a tree and doing good work of it too. It was really committed to the task as bits of bark flew everywhere. I took the following video of the pecking action.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/iliegfqghh
I don't know what specific species this bird belongs to, but looking at my trusty copy of Pocket Birds of Canada (Bird, 2016), this might be a Pileated Woodpecker, which can be found through the Southeastern US and the southern areas of Canada, including the west coast.
These birds dig cavities in trees to create nest or look for insect treats. They lay 3-5 eggs once per breeding season. They are the largest woodpecker in North America with wingspans between 26-30 inches (Bird, 2016).
ResourcesDavid M. Bird (Ed). 2016. Pocket Birds of Canada
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Images by @litguru
<sub>Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App</sub>
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/amzulezu
The 431 Air Demonstration Squadron, or Snowbirds as they are more commonly called, are the aerobatic military wing of the Royal Canadian Air Force. They are based in Saskatchewan but travel all over Canada to demonstrate their aerobatic power and skills in a number of events throughout the year.
They have performed a number of shows recently in the west coast, and this particular one was part of the Fireworks extravaganza taking place on the waters of English Bay. Prior to the fireworks, the Snowbirds showed up to wow the attendees with their skillful and well-coordinated maneuvering.
While the squadron was formed in 1978, its roots can be traced back to world war 2 when Canada was part of the force that helped defeat the Nazi threat. I used UDIO AI music generator to create a song with 1940s swinging sounds. I worked with the song in multiple iterative steps beginning with a middle then extending that with an intro, longer middle section, and ending. I put images and sound together in MS Clipchamp then clicked a lot of buttons like a chimp and voila.
The squadron made several passes above the crowds of onlookers who cheered as the snowbirds soared into the air and criss-crossed from different directions. These are some of the images that I shot during the show and which I used for the video. Enjoy!
Thank you for flying along!
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Images by @litguru
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/nkaebrqq
All around lie the remnants of that ancient forgotten empire- Vijayanagar. Here was a place of ancient voices and faces, as far back as the 7th century, swirling in a turbulent history of prosperity and decline, an empire that shaped the course of history in the region and the world. Yet for long it has remained but a distant forgotten land.
The royal Hampe temple, a cathedral- so the old historians and travelers referred to the complexes of this fabled land. The spiritual center of the Vijayanagar empire. Rulers lived and died. Festival filled the nights. Invasions. Wars. And all that comes when people come together to make a last stand.
The Virupaksha temple should probably be called the Virupaksha and Pampadevi temple, for Virupaksha is a manifestation of none other than Lord Shiva and his consort Parvatti, who takes the form of Pampadevi in the temple. Pampa was an old name for the nearby Tungabhadra River on whose banks, bouldered with granite, the majestic city was built.
Histories, rituals, events, commemorations, and much more decorated every inch of the palaces, temples, and gateways that had withstood the test of man's wrath, and the ravages of time. Before its destruction, its grandeur was much higher. It was a vast realm of granite filled with merchants, warriors, nobility, priests, temple girls, and so on.
I felt dizzy thinking about the city in its heyday, when crowds filled the squares and streets on this alien world of stone.
The temples are dedicated to forces represented in the form of gods and divine beings. Destruction and transformation. The end of ignorance, restoration of cosmic balance, spiritual liberation, strength, obstacle removal, blessings, fertility... to walk among Indian temples is to enter a world of sensory delights. Voluptuous shapes caress your eyeballs wherever you look. Everything is an invitation to inspect, appreciate, visually caress, and feel the thrilling current of electric spiritual energy transmitted trough architectural forms and motifs. A sensual zap! Shiva-Parvati dancing eternally the ecstatic dance of life and death.
The structures used to be painted at the height of their splendour, and from time to time I would notice the old faded paint in some images. I marveled at this, imagining all the motifs that I had come across painted with bright vivid colours. Flowers. Abstract shapes. Anthropomorphic sinuous curves. Dancing bodies. How stunning! An entire empire built to turn on the senses through symbols and art.
The temple complexes were extensive, and the grounds stretched along the rocky dry terrain. The stone temples and other structures like elephant stables had been built with material from local quarries. One can see jagged rocks and large boulders surrounding the ruins. Some rocks even had carved figures, begun and abandoned by the ancient artist.
I had the opportunity to take many photographs of the beautiful structures but most important the art and design motifs adorning the beautiful and majestic temples. I could see that there was a common theme in the forms decorating the temples. What did it all mean? Scenes of daily life, festivals, political events, godly frolics, and so forth. Everywhere I looked, I saw the beauty of the human body aroused to glorified exaltation like a rising Shiva linga firmly placed upon Parvati's embracing pedestal. All carved in granite.
I created the music with UDIO generative music software. I sought to create a tune with ambient rhythm that would accompany this highly exotic part of the world. The song is created with a prompt through a series of iterative steps to create a score with an intro, middle, and end. I worked with a song entitled Whispers of the Sitar.
I put audio and images together in MS Clipchamp, giving them a little bit of depth.
Visiting this temple was a unique experience. It aroused my aesthetic curiosity because it was filled with so much art and symbolism. It was striking how much they focused on beauty, though I think I also spotted some scenes of war. The history of this land is mind blowing, and I hope this post has aroused your artistic curiosity as well.
SourcesSewell, Robert, Fernão Nunes, and Domingos Paes. 2000. A Forgotten Empire (Vijayanagar): A Contribution to the History of India. Asian Educational Services.
Vijayanagara Empire wikipedia page
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vijayanagara_Empire
The Virupaksha temple on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virupaksha_Temple,_Hampi
Dive into another section:
1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 3, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6-8, 9, 10, 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4
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https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/vrquxhak
I recently came across Rendora, an AI tool that can be used for video production with a variety of avatars, studios, gestures, tools, and so on. The software uses a combination of traditional and AI-enhanced functions. For this particular story, I decided to use an art gallery as the studio in which to showcase a series of photographs that I took in San Juan. I used the avatar that I call Garret.
The store is located in the old historic center of San Juan, which is a great place in and of itself. This is one of the oldest cities established in the Americas, so its history is deep.
To make the video, I had to work on various pieces for the content and 3D presentation. The content included the script and the images. I wrote the script then edited it several times in order to make it work with the voice, gestures, timing, and other aspects of the 3D render. The software provides control over the flow of events that include placement of the images in the timeline. So, in this sense, it works as more traditional software.
The presentation includes control of camera angles. You can see in the video that the camera switches to different positions. There was a wide selection of angles, distances, and so forth, so the production value can be quite high. In the video, you see the avatar wave and give a thumbs up. These gestures can be sprinkled throughout the script for correct timing.
I could've just written a post in a few minutes instead of the hours that I've spent on it with the software, but I wanted to explore its capabilities with a simple topic. Although it is marketed as an AI product, I like that it doesn't really feel like I was working with AI. Instead of taking over the creative process, the AI components play a supporting role in the production.
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Images by @litguru
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/yqgvaujc
The AI tools are appearing fast and furious. I was attracted by one called Rendora because it uses a mix of traditional digital and novel AI tools to create a 3D show based on your script (or that written by an AI).
First you choose an avatar and modify it the way you would in a video game. You can choose the look like hair style, facial features, clothing, and so on. There's a number of options for voice and tone. Once the avatar is all set up, you can choose a background studio from a number of templates available.
Screenshot from Rendora interfaceThe magic happens when you add your script to the AI editor, either written by you or with the help of the software's AI. I chose to write it myself, but I was impressed by the AI tools available to refine the script. At this point of script drafting, one can add hand gestures commonly seen during presentations, tv shows, video podcasts, and forth. These gestures are reflected in the avatar presentation, so you can time them exactly withing the script.
In addition, you can add your own images (or stickers to use their term). As you can see in the video, I was able to position my personal shots in the desired location. I also resized some of them. The number of tools available is growing. You can add video, text, audio, effects, and so forth. The power of media at your fingertips. There’s a free and paid version, which among other features, also gets rid of the animated watermark you can see in the free version of the video.
Overall, I liked using this tool. It was straight forward and has enough features to do some cool stuff.
This is my first post in this new community, Invisible Horizons. This video depicts an alternate imagined world that is half real and half digital. So, I thought I would share it here. Please let me know if it doesn't fit with the community's objectives.
I almost felt like I was there in the studio with Garret, and although limited by some presets, I was impressed with the amount of control and features available this early in the software's development cycle. I never thought I would ever do a video show like this, so this opens up exciting possibilities.
Thank you for viewing!
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Screenshot of Rendora generated by @litguru, text by @litguru, video by @litguru using AI software
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/eigaejwj
This video project was inspired by the recent topic for the June Psychedelic Challenge, which is a collaboration between Alien Art Hive and NFTShowroom. I’m not formally entering the challenge, however, but I wanted to acknowledge the inspiration.
I created the video in honour of Maria Sabina, one of history’s most enigmatic psychedelic heroes. During the 1960s, youth began to experiment with mind altering botanicals, which led to a host of social changes (good and bad) in various regions of the western world. The beginnings of that psychedelic revolution had some of their roots in a remote region of Mexico, where a wise old lady conducted pseudo-shamanic rites for clients in need of spiritual guidance.
Maria was visited by ethnomycologist Robert Gordon Wasson and his wife Valentina, who learned about the techniques of the veladas, as Dona Sabina's rituals were called. Wasson wrote about these techniques, including the use of special mushrooms, and the rest is psychedelic lore.
History was not kind to this amiable and noble lady. For her troubles of bringing eternal wisdom to the world, her community shunned her, her house was burned, and her son was killed. She died in poverty and obscurity. Yet, she is without question one of the most influential personages of the 20th century and beyond.
This video project is composed of three main parts: the images, the audio, and the video.
I generated the images using AI, prompting for Maria Sabina by name with a few added descriptions to try to get a younger version of her. Most what we see of Maria is from her older years, but I wanted to elucidate the fact that she had been young once and had lived an entire lifetime. I generated multiple versions of the images to use in the video.
I used UDIO generative music software to create the music score and voiceover. I conducted research on the life of Maria Sabina and incorporated some of the key elements in the lyrics, which I wrote by hand.
Invisible wise mother,
Weaver of secret histories,
Timeless poet;
Tonight the flame dances to remember.
Generations awakened in a mycological dream,
Singing the mysteries of the jungle.
Ancient primordial game of life,
Creator of worlds,
Words that were unheeded are now needed.
“Beautiful love
Always remember
You are the medicine.”
I copied these lyrics into Udio and prompted it to generate a spoken word song using the lyrics. I added descriptions to try to get a slow tempo ambient song with ethnic meseoamerican sounds. I created the song in pieces, first creating several 30-second snippet, then extending the chosen one to add an intro and an ending.
I brought these media artifacts together in MS Clipchamp. I tried to create a psychedelic effect with the variety of effects and filters available.
Thank you for viewing!
Good night, Maria. Wherever you are in spacetime.
Maria Sabina by Don Juan Peralta, Wikipedia (Public Domain)
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Images generated by @litguru using Generative Art software
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/jcodqtns
Hello lads and lasses, I bring you my latest musical offering made possible by the goodness (or deviousness) of AI. This time, I was inspired to generate a song with Celtic New Age flavour.
🍀
I wrote the lyrics to the song the old fashioned way of smoking weed and getting down to business with my fingers. Then using UDIO AI music software, I prompted a New Age celtic song with a haunting female singer. I first created 30 seconds songs and through a process of iteration, I increased the length of the one I liked to one minute and added some variations to the lyrics because of this increase in time.
Across the vale,
I see the maiden fair.
Her hair flowing through the glades.
A flash of sunlight,
Autumn in the air.
Hear the whisper of the wind,
The rustle on the grass,
Beside the gurgling stream.
See the world glow,
The clouds as they pass,
Beneath a hazy moon.
Across the vale,
I see the maiden fair.
Her hair flowing deep in the stars.
A flash of moonlight,
Silver in the air.
Following the druidic tradition, the lyrics are about beauty and the wonders of the natural world. That's it. No hidden agenda or political message. Just good old fashioned nature paganism.
I took the images during a hike last fall along the coastal area of British Columbia. This environment inspires with its wonderful scenery.
I put the video together in MS Clipchamp and added the lyrics because I think it's very impressive how the AI handle them. They could be better, but I didn't have enough UDIO credits to mess around too much with them. I hope you enjoyed the video. Thank you for visiting.
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Images by @litguru
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/bdejpyyy
Black holes are astrophysical entities hypothesized in Einsteinian physics and corroborated by modern scientific instrumentation. They are intriguing because our current physics is unable to penetrate their mysteries. This is an astonishing admission that basically our physics is somewhat wrong.
According to current findings, every galaxy appears to have a massive black hole in the centre. Our own galaxy has a hole in Sagittarius A*, which is four million times the mass of the sun. There are some black holes out there, so massive that it's best not to think about it too much. ;)
I used AI to generate illustrations of a Black Hole singularity goddess. There are many weird ideas surrounding black holes. For example, it is possible that our universe exists inside a black hole from another universe, as recent space telescope findings suggest. Others posit that our universe is created when black holes "observe" it, thus collapsing multiple realities into one. There is also the idea of a singularity existing within its center, a point of infinite density. So, I asked myself, what if the black hole was itself a conscious being? What would that look like?
I created these images in 2024, but it wasn't until recently, when I saw the Beyond Human contest, that I was inspired to get off my butt and share them with you all. This week's theme is Create-A-Creature, so I thought that my singularity goddess was a perfect candidate.
I like the ethereal nature of the images, and I knew I wanted to make some music to go along with them. When you look at these type of images, you might hear the sound of angelic voices, ambient rhapsodies, or Wagnerian overtures.
What about reggaeton?
I asked myself.
I've been itching to try my hand at writing a reggaeton song. For those of you who don't know, reggaeton is a style of music from the Caribbean that mixes rap, Afro-Caribbean sounds, Hispano-Latin spice, and so on, which creates a unique electronic beat. To be honest, this type of music is an acquired taste, as it is considered low-brow street music. It's not everybody's cup of tea. For me, it's a highly creative mosaic of fused sounds and words that is expressive, futuristic, and experimental.
I wrote the song lyrics by hand with pencil using a few reggaeton cliches. The theme of the song was about the Black Hole goddess emerging from the singularity. I avoided the use of too much science because I didn't want to turn it into a lecture and focused on themes of love. These type of songs use a lot of word play for surprising effects. They usually have a sense of humour as well. After transcribing the lyrics, I copied them into UDIO, which I prompted to generate a reggaeton tune using the following words.
(Male vocals in Spanish):
Ella sale sola de ese hoyo
Y me dice que el que ama soy yo
Por el universo unos versos
Que le gusta cuando le hablo y le converso
Por el tiempo y el espacio
Nos daremos muchos besos
(Female vocals in Spanish):
Así es la cosa, bebe...
Por ese agujerito
Nos metemos calentitos
Alegre y con cuentos bien bonitos
Cuando hacemos el amor muy lento
Con nuestro corazón adentro
Latiendo rápidito
Suavecito
Y como gatos dormiremos tranquilitos
This is a lose English Translation that I made without the aid of translator because it is basically impossible to translate accurately. Reggaeton music uses words like the beats of an instrument sometimes, and for some reason, the Spanish language is well suited for it.
She emerges alone from that hole
And tells me she loves me with her soul
Around the universe in verses
She likes it when we speak and converse
Through time and space
We'll give each other many kisses.That's how things are, baby
Through that little hole
We'll enter a little hot
Happy and telling very pretty stories
When we make love slowly
With our heart within us
Beating very rapidly
Softly
And like cats we'll sleep snuggly.
The song is 2:11 minutes long. If you speak Spanish, you may have noticed that the UDIO system split the lyrics between male and female singers as instructed in my command but switched them in the final song. It split the words and sprinkled the lyrics throughout the song using a variety of rhythms, singers, and effects. Strangely, it put what sounds to me like gibberish words in the middle of the song, but it could be some language/dialect used in this genre of music. I'm not familiar with it enough to know for certain. If it's just gibberish, then I think it will be an interesting AI artifact for posterity.
The software generated different versions of the song. Some of them were catchy, and some were just horrendous. Nevertheless, I was impressed that it could actually sing in SPANISH!
I put all images and audio together in Microsoft Clipchamp. I didn't hold back with the filters. I had a lot of images, so for each image I randomly clicked any of the filters in a wild frenzy that was fun and invigorating, then I calmly reviewed and edited the results carefully and repeatedly until I was happy with the product.
I hope you liked the beat and enjoyed the groove. Thank you!
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Images and audio generated by @litguru using a combination of AI software and manual work, video by @litguru
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/jchzrdep
The production of this video began on a sandy tropical beach, where I took off my sandals, put down my satchel, and with camera in hand walked into the sea.
I had no intention of going for a swim that day because I was feeling under the weather and staying close to the airport had not been a great idea. The nearby beach was popular, however, so it was nice to go for a walk.
The waves looked inviting, and the way the light diffused through them reminded me of the European masters who tried to capture their beauty and mystery in brush strokes.
The Olympus Tough camera is a jack of all trades that is waterproof and even functions underwater. It was safely tucked in my satchel. I had carried it for miles, so I figured it was time to put it to work.
The waves were somewhat strong that day, and many of the beaches in the San Juan area (Puerto Rico) are too dangerous for swimming because of riptides. So, I didn't do anything too crazy. My procedure consisted of watching the waves with camera in different modes, then as they approached, I jumped in front or beside them while snapping the photos.
Splash!I generated the ambient track using Udio generative music service. I first generated a couple of 30-second clips and chose the best one. Then I 'extended' that video to one minute, generating two new versions. I chose the version that I liked the best, and extended it by 30 seconds, creating two new versions, then I repeated the procedure one last time until this final version was generated. I also edited the initial prompt with each generation, refining the sounds. I put the final video together in MS Clipchamp.
Thank you for diving in.
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Images by @litguru
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/zhxwnlskxz
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/zhxwnlskxz
The kites (or parachutes) rose in the air and veered sideways in the wind. It was a wonderful afternoon, partly cloudy, and the conditions on this end of the mainland, near the flats of the river delta, ideal for riding the wind. I honestly don't know what this activity is called. It's not parasailing. Perhaps para-joyriding? Kite wheeling? It looks fun and a great way to experience the kinesthetic thrill of fast vehicular spatial displacement. As can be seen in the video and photograph, the riders do need to wear helmets. Not a bad way to spend the long weekend.
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Images by @litguru
<sub>Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App</sub>
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/czbilgxcpi
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/czbilgxcpi
This is my new ritual before I start the day. My system can't really handle this game and sometimes stutters in key moments but it's so good. I'm using a DualSense controller, though it would be easier to play with keyboard and mouse, but the controller feels right for this type of game.
Kidding aside, I do think it's a good idea to start the day playing video games. I find that my symbolic monkey mind and planning systems do not come fully online upon waking up. However, my spatial and motor lobes are usually raring to go in the early morn. Maybe this is all monkey business on my part, but I think it'll be a fun little experiment.
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Images by @litguru
<sub>Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App</sub>
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/odkehwcp
It's like a great beast as it glides by, it's motion relative to ours in the racing ferry creates a nice Einsteinian effect.
There's something solemn and grandiose about the ship. I feel that our own boat is like a sleek dolphin cruising by a great whale. There are other boats and planes on the water like several species of technological animals gathered together on the ocean surface and grooving in the waves.
Nestled pearl of the Pacific. Home in the vast blue.
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Images by @litguru
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/otgawyxuiu
I enjoy small stadiums because they feel more intimate than their larger counterparts. It gives me a feeling of community that I don't really feel in the big complexes. When I attend games in the city, I feel more like I'm part of an army going to war with my fellow fanatics. In the small stadiums, it's more of a cultural event. Both help cement the bonds of a community, but each in unique ways. It must be said, however, that in this clip, I was visiting enemy territory, and although the margin was only one goal, victory was ours! 💪
"They think they'll come here and blow us out of the water," a father told his son after the game, making sure us traveling fans could hear him.
I guess there's still an element of rivalry and competition even in the small places.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/otgawyxuiu
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Video by @litguru
<sub>Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App</sub>
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/eqxjhtlcot
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/eqxjhtlcot
Yo, yo
We measured seismic waves on Mars deep underground
And homies won't believe what they found
Yeah
In the fractured igneous rock
Dig it
Right there beneath crust
Aha
An ocean 13 miles underneath
Yeah, yeah, yeah
13 miles deep
Yeah yeah, yeah
I recently came across an astounding piece of news indicating that water had been found 7-13 miles deep in Mars' underground. I don't remember exactly what I was smoking when I decided to write a song about the article. So, I wrote some lyrics and firing up the ole Udio AI music generator, I created a few hip-hop style tunes. In the past, I've let the software automatically create the lyrics, but this time every single word was written by yours truly.
The software effortlessly took the lyrics and generated music to match. The variety was stupendous, but I was not entirely satisfied with the first few songs. One of them was so garbled, it actually summoned a demon :)
I realized that the flow of my lyrics was not working well, so I began to edit them and vary certain things like pauses and words commonly heard in hip-hop tunes. I worked the lyrics until they reached their final form, and the software managed to produce some decent songs. As you heard, the two songs have the same lyrics but vary in style.
In keeping with the hip-hop vibes, I created images of "hip-hop stars" doing different things in an "ocean under the surface of Mars." I kept the images abstract with surreal elements like nebulous clouds and bubbles. I specified an aquamarine color to give it that blue ocean quality, though now that I think about it, the ocean under Mars' crust might be red.
Look at that ethereal hair! Honestly, I didn't know exactly how to blend the human and underground ocean elements, so I created them as abstract as possible but added the word 'scientific illustration' to create some sort of systematic sciency vibe.
I put the video together in MS Clipchamp. Each song is 32 seconds. Udio now allows you to create songs longer than 2 minutes, so we're on the cusp of a musical revolution. Thank you for viewing and listening.
Peace.
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Images generated by @litguru using Generative Art software
<sub>Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App</sub>
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/gkhwwxbp
I'm almost positive that this is a red-winged blackbird, though it doesn't have that distinctive robotic call. I think the males make that machine-like noise, and this one is likely a female, given that it doesn't have the conspicuous red splash on its wings.
Red-winged blackbirds are numerous in North America and like to live in wetlands, meadows with tall grasses, and open woodlands. Their diets consists of seeds, grains, and insects. Throughout the months of March to June, they lay 1-2 broods of 3-4 eggs each.
From Pocket Birds of Canada by David M. Bird (ed). 2016.
I took this particular video early this year. They say that the sight of blackbirds frolicking in the cattails is a sure sign that spring is near.
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Images by @litguru
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/qtsnmcup
I know the silly title is a mouthful, but I couldn't help myself. I don't remember how exactly I came up with this idea for this feline "musical", but once the muse goaded me, I pounced into action.
I've been playing around with cats here and there in writing and art. So why stop now? I asked myself. In keeping with the theme of the French revolution (or thenabouts), I generated images that combined several themes of Victor Hugo's epic novel, Les Misérables, including the clothing style, settings (alley, city, top of buildings, and so on), actions (dancing, burning stuff, smooching, etc) along with various settings that defined the prompt.
I generated the music using Udio AI music creator. I prompted the software to generate musical scores in various styles, but all of them with the theme of cats. This is why all the auto-generated lyrics have to do with felines, usually doing something in an alley. Some of the results were hilarious, but it was still very impressive how the system could so seamlessly create a musical score in various styles. I chose four songs for the video, respectively as follows:
- Moonlit Whispers
- Serenade of the Night
- Midnight Wanderers
- Shadows in the Night
As I mentioned, I played around with the themes of the French revolution and Les Misérables, a work by Victor Hugo. I've never read the novel or seen the opera, but I know the general gist of the story, which is about the struggle against oppression in post-revolutionary France in an event called the June Rebellion (1832). I did not try to recreate the story I just tried to get the general flavour and narrative arc.
I put the video together in MS Clipchamp.
I experimented a bit more with transitions and narrative. I used them to differentiate key scenes and characters in the video. Transitions also gave cadence and rhythm to the flow of the video, so it was not so linear and monotonous.
I did encounter some technical and creative difficulties along the way, but I will spare you the details and me the pain of writing it. Suffice to say that I found my way around them (I think), and I hope you enjoyed the final piece. Thank you for checking it out.
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Images and music generated using AI software. Video by @litguru
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/rscoupez
Charles Dickens is one of the most celebrated authors in English literature. His story A Christmas Carol has basically attained mythic status in western culture. I voraciously read his work as a young lad and made my way through Great Expectations, David Copperfield, and other works.
Although Dickensian literature is considered high-brow culture, from time to time, one comes across references of Charles Dickens in popular culture. This particular example is from a TV show called Cheers, which aired from 1982 to 1993 in the US and Canada.
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair…
--A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
A Tale of Two Cities is generally considered Charles Dicken's best novel. These opening lines from that work are well known, and perhaps they're the only lines that people actually memorize from his work. It is genius because they're basically a synopsis of the themes discussed in the novel, which surround an age of dualities and polarization that existed around the time of the French revolution. The French revolution is important to western cultures because this event sent shockwaves of change through the western world, including colonial America.
I consider Charles Dickens the ultimate Steampunk author. He was there in the thick of things as the might of the industrial revolution began churning and steaming. Sometimes told from the point of view of young characters, his stories tackle the social disparities that were magnified during the age of industrialization.
I created the images using ChatGPT (DALL-E 3). I prompted it to develop scenes from Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities using different quotes from the opening lines. For example, 'it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness'.
The themes addressed in the story A Tale of Two Cities include the following:
- Wisdom and foolishness
- Belief and incredulity
- Light and Darkness
- Hope and Despair
In keeping with the pop-culture theme, I asked ChatGPT to give the images a comic-book flavour and style to the images.
I generated the song in the AI music creator called Udio. I prompted the software to create a classical song for the French Revolution. The song that you hear in the video is called Revolution's Echo.
To create the video, I used MS Clipchamp. The voice over was a bit tricky to work with because one has to get the timing and tone just right. I added a bit of artistic flair with the ghostly words that appear and disappear throughout the video. I hope you enjoyed it.
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Images and audio generated using Generative Art software. Video by @litguru
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/bznjclgv
A mysterious fire flashes from its eye,
and a flaming aureole enriches its head. Its crest
shines with the sun's own light and shatters the
darkness with its calm brilliance. Its legs are of Tyrian
purple; swifter than those of the Zephyrs are its wings
of flower-like blue dappled with rich gold.
—Claudian, "Phoenix", ll. 17–22 —translated by Henry Maurice Platnauer, 1922, LCL: 136, pp. 224–225
The Greek legend of the Phoenix has been enduring in western culture. I like the simplicity of it. A bird that rises from the ashes of its demise and never dies but cycles through iterations. Death. Renewal. Resurrection. Eternal life.
I created the animations using AnimDiff in Stable Diffusion. I used a simple prompt requesting a phoenix along with variations of angles and styles. The results are a bit on the surreal side to put it mildly.
I wasn't sure what to do with the phoenix animations because I was just experimenting. I like that there is a visual consistency to the style, so I thought they would look good together in a video.
Rise of the Phoenix is the name of the song generated using the AI music generator Udio. I prompted it to create a song with Renaissance, rock, and electronic flavours. I asked it to use old English, and it did so to a certain extent in the auto-generated lyrics.
The fire dark bright
from ashes Phoenix born
In the dawn's new light
from the mist of morn
Oh, oh, oh
Feeling so high
Oh, oh, oh
Bird did not die
I put the video together in MS Clipchamp using stills, animations, and the audio. The process was fairly straightforward, and I hope you enjoyed the results. Rock on! 🤘
Resource
The Mythology of the Phoenix on Wikipedia
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Images and audio generated by @litguru using Generative Art software; video by @litguru
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/pdohogpe
This is my entry photo to #SMaPI spotted this dark-eyed junco perched on a tree branch and making a lot of noise. It turned out to be a juvenile, which could explain it's strange behaviour. It simply perched on that branch and did not move. I thought it would be the perfect subject for the Show me a Photo (3SMaP) challenge.
The dark-eyed junco is colloquially known as the "snowbird" because of its winter feeding behavior that constitutes of showing up to hooman houses when the snow arrives and begging for food. Just kidding, the humans put out the feeders willingly, and a junco's gotta do what a junco's gotta do.
There are distinct population scattered throughout North America, and I believe this particular specimen belongs to the "Oregon" variety that breeds along the Pacific west coast. It has a loud rapid buzzy twitter, as you can hear in the video.
They're ground bowl nesters who live on a diet of insects, seeds, and berries. Retiring to secluded and private resorts in coniferous and mixed forests during breeding season, they seek out more urban digs (like parks and fields) during winter. They will lay 1-2 broods of 3-5 eggs from May to August (Bird, 2016).
Resource
Bird, David. 2016. Pocket Birds of Canada.
Images by @litguru
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https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/jvqdeakn
As you can see and hear, I'm having a lot of fun with AI generated art and sound. The song I generated using Udio AI music generator. I wanted to create an electronic song that was silky and sensual. The lyrics were automatically generated by the software. You can put your own lyrics and it will try to turn them into song, but I haven't used this yet.
Whispers in the night
Feel the echo of desire
Softly in light
Of passion taking us higher
Slowly feel the rhythm close
Ah!
Bodies lost in this gentle flow
Ah!
The poetry is not half-bad, considering that the AI also needed to make a song out of it. The line "slowly feel the rhythm close" sounds a bit weird, but after a lifetime of listening Nirvana lyrics nothing surprises me anymore. I prompted the software to make it sexy, so that's why you hear the sounds of moaning ecstasy towards the end of the song.
Those fingers, man. I forgot to prompt it not to create misshapen fingers, and I was liking what it was producing, so I just let it run with it. Someday in the future, they will look back at the AI Art produced this part of the century, and they're going to have a good laugh. Who knows, it might even be a thing. I didn't sweat the fingers because I just needed the general feel.
I was going to include the lyrics in the video with a smoky effect. It looked kind of cool but then something went wrong with the text feature in MS Clipchamp, and I lost hours of work. I decided not to include the lyrics, and I think this makes for a cleaner look, but I'm still bummed about the lost work.
I liked what the software generated. This was one of those pieces that I actually wanted to listen to the whole thing. Alas, one is allowed 32 seconds. There might be options for more time, but right now I'm in the exploratory phase of all these new tools popping up everywhere.
Nine fingers! That must be a record. I didn't use this image in the video because she looks like the acid is kicking in, but the image still has some cool elements and styleAt a thematic level, I wanted to create a video about tantric sensuality. The images show the motifs of eastern design (of course filtered through the lens of the AI). This type of sensuality is not your garden variety romp in the hay after a few drinks. Tantric sensuality is more controlled and requires a lot of practice, and I'm not just talking about playing with the naughty bits. With continuous and sometimes arduous exercises, a practitioner is said to achieve levels of sensual arousal not otherwise possible under standard mating practices. Some say this includes seeing colorful visions and feeling a sense of oneness with one's partner(s) and the universe. I included mushrooms because mushrooms are cool.
Thank you for visiting! 🔥
Images generated by @litguru using Generative Art software
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https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/owstlzjs
I wrote a short story in the Ink Well writing community entitled The Shadows in the Light, and the video accompanying this post contains media artifacts and text generated from that story using AI and non-AI tools (like my noggin).
I usually include at least one image that contains elements of the story when I post. In some cases, the text is influenced by the AI-generated images in a continuous cycle of writing (100% organic) and generating AI artifacts including the audio. After having reviewed the images, I chose one for the story and kept the rest to myself. So, I thought it would be a great idea to share them with you in the context in which they were created.
I used Udio to generate three songs. I prompted the software for an ambient style song with some animal sounds thrown in. I created a total of six songs but only kept one. Then I used a feature called 'remix' in order to take that original song and make two other versions with varied parameters. I used the original song and the two remixes in the final video.
For the text, I took snippets from the story and added them to the video via MS Clipchamp's text-to-speech narration feature. At first, I was going to use a male voice, but then I decided to experiment with a female narrator. She has a British accent, and I altered the vocal pitch and pace so she sounded more relaxed, which is how I hear it in my mind. I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you for coming along in the journey.
Images and audio generated by @litguru using Generative Art software
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https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/fjwycsvo
There were two festivals happening in šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énk Square. The taiko drummers were part of the Taiwanese Canadian Cultural Festival celebrating Canada's 157th birthday. It was a banging performance. There was another stage with Jazz music being played, but I didn't catch any acts. Walking around this long weekend, I came across a number of events that involved music, food, and culture. Great to see that the city is tackling its reputation as a no-fun city (though I'm still mad about the cancellation of fireworks for Canada Day).
Images and video by @litguru
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https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/xgzsceru
Hello cool cats, I hope you're having a slammin' weekend. We're celebrating 157 years as a country and what better way to celebrate than with some good old freaky deaky disco.
I put the video together in MS Clipchamp using all kinds of transitions and settings to get the desired effects. I was just experimenting a little to get to know the software and its capabilities. So, I hope you don't mind if it's a bit over the top.
The track is called Electric Nights, and I created it using Udio AI music generator. I prompted it to create some disco music with a modern twist. It generated some terrible stuff, but I thought this was a catchy tune. The lyrics and track title were generated by the software. I didn't have a clear plan for the track, but after listening to it, I began to visualize the video and then settled on a disco theme.
The images were generated using a combination of prompt terms and software settings. Terms such as disco, platform shoes, nightclub, seventies era, dancing, etc. defined the aesthetics of the pieces. I conducted an initial pruning of images, deleting those that I did not like. Then I imported the chosen images into Clipchamp and layered them on top of the music track. I experimented with transitions, timing, and transparencies. I wanted to keep the motion of the images in synch with music's tempo. Thankfully, I had plenty of media artifacts to work with. Some of the images included in this post didn't make it into the video, but I think they look cool.
Thank you for dropping by and joining the party. Have a funky weekend.
Images and audio generated by @litguru using Generative Art software
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https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/fuamkpjw
"This is really a beat generation...a swinging group of new American men intent on joy..."
Jack Kerouac
There are stories that have been told repeatedly in several ways, and as technology changes, some of those stories bear repeating in the new mediums. So, I decided to experiment with some old lit, AI music, and generative art. This is my first post in the Hive Book Club community, and I didn't see anything about the use of AI, so if I have broken the community rules, please let me know so I won't do it again. :)
The words in the posted video are from Jack Kerouac's On the Road.
the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue center light pop and everybody goes “Awww!”
On the Road was a widely read novel in the USA that influenced the development of counter-cultural groups. The Beat Generation, or beatniks as they were called by popular media, brought about a new rebellious independent post-war style that emphasized individuality, exploration, and self-expression. The mad ones. They were proto-hippies who helped give rise to the 60s generation in the USA and bring about a cultural revolution that echoes to this day.
For the video, I used AI generated images from the 40s, 50s, and 60s in San Francisco, giving them a vintage look for kicks. Some of the characters are from now personages of the era while others are just random people. I did not sweat the image details, so most of them have that AI funkiness visible in limbs and other body parts. The main idea was to capture the literary flavour of the eras (40s and 50s) in which this sub-culture thrived, while giving a nod to those that came after (60s, 70s).
The narration was voiced by MS Clipchamp's text-to-speech agent (Brian). I had to play around with the punctuation in order to elicit the right intonation, speed, rhythm, pitch, etc. The app is limited in what it can do with the voice function, particularly when it comes to emotion. I'm not fully happy with the result (especially the ending of the narration) but given the app limitations, it's not too bad.
Uncle Bill
Mr. Howl himself
Jack ready to step on the gas and go! go! go!The music track is called Pulse and Brass, which I created using the AI Music Generator called Udio. I prompted the software to develop a jazz song mixed with electronic sounds. Several pieces were generated, and I chose the one that sounded closer to what I had in mind.
The women of the Beat Generation were more independent that their mothers and were surely influential in the later waves of feminism that rippled through western cultures.The Beat Generation was a literary force of poets, novelists, essayists, journalists, and mad prophets who defined a generation and planted the seeds that later bloomed into the flower children of the 1960s. On the Road was an influential book in my life and the lives of many others, so it was a lot of fun creating the video and putting together the different elements (i.e., audio, video, images, and narration). It gave me that rush that I experienced when I first the novel as a young dude. Thank you for coming along!
Images generated by @litguru using Generative Art software
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The Dragon Boat festival takes place every year and hosts thousands of attendees and boat racers in the waters of False Creek, Vancouver. This year, it also featured a drone show, as you saw in the video. The venue was packed, and we all stood around waiting for the drones to turn up for what seemed like an eternity.
Dragon!The show was supposed to start at 9:30, but it didn't get going until 10 PM, when the sky was dark enough. I was in no way technologically and skill-wise prepared to capture a drone show in those light conditions, so like everyone else around me, I used my phone (Pixel 7) to record the aerial proceedings.
City looking good
At the end of the show, the drones spelled out the word PIXEL in block letters. Very cool. I was too slow on the draw, however, and only caught a bit of the L. 😌I did no record every moment of the show, only a few highlights. It was a wonderful choreography, though not as extravagant as the one's I've seen online from Singapore and Dubai. I wish the sky had been darker, but it was already 10 PM, and I don't think many would be willing to wait until 11 PM. So, the photographs did not turn out that great. Given the low lighting, a tripod would've helped stabilize the image for crisper shots, but I didn't want to lug around heavy gear in the middle of a crowd. It was a fun experience nevertheless with plenty of lessons for this kind of environment.
The sky at 10 PM is nuts in the northern hemisphere
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The annual Go Skate Day took place on June 21. Skateboarders from all over the world congregated downtown to ride along the streets. Apparently, this has been happening for the past 17 years, but I just became aware of it. They say it is an all-day event with all kinds of gnarly events and plenty of skateboarding.
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As you can hear in the video, the Red-Winged Blackbird has a distinctive call with a metallic quality to it. The males are mostly black but have distinctive red feathers on the side of the wings. These red feathers unfurl into red-yellow "flags" when the bird spreads its wings, which for this species tends to average 28-35 cm. The females have a more light brown stripey complexion and their plumage is less conspicuous than their male counterparts.
A group of blackbirds is called a cloud or a grind
Looking for seeds brought by the hoomans
"Watcha looking at?"
A feast on the pierBlackbirds love wetlands with tall grasses, reeds, and cattails. They live their meadowy lives in bowl nests with great views of the marshy action around and plenty of insects, fruits, and seeds to spice up their suburban living. According to Bird (2016), the blackbirds lay 1-2 broods of 3-4 eggs each during the months of March through June. So, they have a tight window of time in which to get jiggy with it.
This guy was hanging with both feet spread wide apart as the breeze swayed the branch. Impressive.
Young lady feeding seeds to a blackbird while photographer ruins the shot by focusing on grass.
Male blackbird keeping an eye out. The lookout tower is seen in the background. Very appropriate.
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This is a familiar sight along the shores of Canada's west coast. There are colonies of great blue herons nearby, and one can see (and sometimes hear) them when they're out and about. They're mostly silent, though from time to time, they emit a loud squawk. They use twigs and sticks to build their nests on trees, which are usually located in wetlands and marine habitats. Typically, they'll lay 2-4 eggs in 1-2 broods through the February-August season. While their primary food is fish and frogs, they're known to eat duckling and small mammals (Bird, 2016).
As you may have seen, the heron in this video caught a small fish that appear to be coming on the waves. Notice how the heron lowers its neck and strikes at the wave. I was lucky to be recording it when it happened. Their patience is saintly and seemingly infinite. They're truly a joy to see but you have to be patient yourself if you want to see them in action.
Resources
Bird, David M (Editor). 2016. Pocket Birds of Canada.
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The last time I went to the circus, I must've been around four or five years of age. I remember the clowns. That's it. I don't remember the trapeze acrobats, animals, and so on. Just the clowns. Laughing. LAUGHING! HAHAHA! No, I don't have a fear of clowns. That's just what I remember.
🤡🤡🤡
So, I decided to check out the Royal Canadian International Circus the other day. After so long, I had a forgotten what it all entailed. Why do people find circuses fun? Would I find it entertaining now after having experienced so many years of adultivity? Would I be able to cast off the armor of a civilized man and experience the exhilaration of being a childish immature one?
It was hot hot hot inside in more ways than oneThe place was packed and buzzing. A child kept blowing a vuvuzela near my ear, but I didn't let the little rug-rat ruin my fun. There were snow cones, cotton candy, flashing lights, music, and all the pomp and circumstance that goes with a circus show. Whoee!
I was actually surprised how fun the whole thing was. The defiance of humanity against the laws of physics, not for some survival or territorial need but pure exploration of human abilities, bravery, homour, and sense of beauty. It was a thrilling kinesthetic show.
As shown in the video, this acrobat ran outside this contraption. I stopped recording just as he performed his death defying trick. But it was cool, trust me 😅It is an international circus, which meant that many of the performers were from around the world. The ladies dancing came wearing extravagant customs then sinuously proceeded to enthrall us with their high-twirling acrobatic dance.
There were no clowns or lions, but for a brief moment that hot parking lot turned into a magnificent place of wonder. There were comedic performances and magic shows that entertained adults and children and immature men. This is difficult to pull off, so it was impressive how they manage to create a seamless experience that could entertain a variety of audiences. They ran a smooth tight ship. After the motorcycle show, I was buzzing. I had way more fun than I thought I would. My only regret is that I didn't get that snow cone I was lusting after.
Captain America must do what Captain America must do
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The sound of drums awakens some primal feeling in my mammalian lobes and instinctively I head towards it. Nothing to do but explore and admire the wonders of a sunny afternoon. The mind freed from the larval concerns of planetary life. The ocean is pacific and the waves lap softly on the shore. Families, couples, and lonesome solitary figures hang out on the beach, which stretches on for miles around the coast. It's a cool spring day. There are fluffy things in the air. Sun rays. Laughter. Little dogs barking. Crows. Then bunnies made an appearance, and the sky shone so bright!
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Talk about immersion. They reconstructed an entire cave by the ocean. The scene in the video is part of an exhibit in the Royal BC Museum on the natural history of British Columbia. I documented some of the exhibits in Part 1, and this post concludes my photographic tour.
I enjoy geeking out on information design, and they have done a great job in the museum pieces. In this case, it is a blend of traditional illustration and interactive digital info-graphics.In this exhibit, you use the buttons to change the topographic details and the information layers on the globe. Three-dimensional interaction fascinates me endlessly. Novels like Neuromancer, Snowcrash, and other cyberpunk lit just turned on my imagination. I'm surprised that we're not as advanced in 3D tangible interaction as I thought we would be. I mean, we were controlling interfaces with hand gestures and even body heat over a decade ago. So what happened?
I was so excited about this info-graphic that I didn't notice the actual object beside it. So, I accidently cropped the image of the barometer described in the illustrated caption. Mistakes were made, yarr!
This almost looks like a painting in the photograph. In reality, there is a greater sense of depth, and I felt a stronger sense of immersion. There was also sound, waves and bird calls, that enhanced the experience. I felt a bit of that uncanny valley experienced in virtual worlds, feeling transported to another time and place that was at once familiar and alien. It's an odd but fun sensation!Further along one comes into an exhibit that takes place inside what looks like a steampunk submarine. It is filled with bits of vintage tech, art, and specimens.
Here's where things got cool. I can't really tell you what the story behind this exhibit is because I wasn't paying attention, when all of a sudden I turned around and found myself in this Willy-Wonka world.
Elegant simplicityIt seems like the idea here is to let visitors imagine themselves inside a research vessel during the age of discovery or perhaps inside a Jules-Vernian voyage several leagues under the sea.
Then back out in the wild. In the misty forest, you can hear the sounds of the herd. The call of the birds and other sounds of this lush coastal environment.
Notice the nice touches in this exhibit. The moss on the trees, the dry material on the ground, ferns, and even the birds on the branches. It's very realistic, so I appreciate this attention to detail.
Check out the Northern Flicker on the tree
Mr. Kitty here made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. It's very realistic. This part of the exhibit is also connected to the two preceding photographs with the elk herd. I like how seamlessly the coastal and forest areas were demonstrated in this particular exhibit.
More info-graphics!There's so much more to explore, and I didn't even get to see the exhibitions that were closed. Ah well, c'est la vie, as these taxidermic specimens would likely agree.
"Indeed!"
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I was taking a macro shot of a pretty flower when the bird flew in and perched on a branch above me. I didn't want to scare it off, so I remained still while raising my camera to take a few snapshots. It just stood there and barely moved. I then put away my camera and pulling out my phone, I recorded the video accompanying this post. The bird seemed to be habituated to humans. Not far from where I was, there was a dock on the lake that was full of birds like ducks, blackbirds, geese, and sparrows. People were feeding them seeds, so I figured that was likely the reason this particular bird did not seem to be spooked by my being there.
I hadn't the faintest idea what kind of bird it was, but later I saw an info-graphic that led me to believe the bird was a Dark-eyed Junco because of the white outer tail feather and reddish flanks.
When I returned home, I took a closer look at the info-graphic and realized it was actually a Spotted Towhee, as can be determined by the spots on its wing feathers. These spots are the distinguishing features that separate it from its eastern cousin. Other characteristics include the black hood, long tail, red eyes, and white underpants (Bird, 2016).
During May through August, the Spotted Towhee lays two broods of 3-5 eggs on ground nests hidden in the thicket. It forages on or near the ground for insects, fruit, buds, and seeds. It lives in dense woodland, forest edges, shrubbery, and "disturbed" forests. Its wingspan is approximately 10.5 inches.
(From the Pocket Birds of Canada by Bird, 2016)
The bird looked a little chubby to me, so it was rather well fed. Still, I think it must've been disappointed when I left without giving it any seeds. It was still on the branch as I made my way down the trail.
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Hello groovy little aliens, I decided to combine some AI generated audio with AI generated art in my latest experimental piece. A few months ago, I tried creating some AI music, and while the results were fun and interesting, it wasn't what I was looking for. After hearing a few generated clips on X, I decided to dive back into the AI audio madness and try a little experiment. I'm a big fan of psychedelic rock, so using Udio, I generated a song that mimics the sounds from that music era. The clip is 32 seconds. The images are a montage of art work that I thought could fit with the theme of the music, and I have included them in this post.
I hope you find it to your liking and pleasure.
Peace
Images generated by @litguru using Stable Diffusion software
Audio created with Udio AI music generator
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Hello groovy little aliens, I decided to combine some AI generated audio with AI generated art in my latest experimental piece. A few months ago, I tried creating some AI music, and while the results were fun and interesting, it wasn't what I was looking for. After hearing a few generated clips on X, I decided to dive back into the AI audio madness and try a little experiment. I'm a big fan of psychedelic rock, so using Udio, I generated a song that mimics the sounds from that music era. The clip is 32 seconds. The images are a montage of art work that I thought could fit with the theme of the music, and I have included them in this post.
I hope you find it to your liking and pleasure.
Peace
Images generated by @litguru using Stable Diffusion software
Audio created with Udio AI music generator
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Yes, excuse the wind on the mic and the out of control motion on the video. I didn't even think of the wind at the time of recording. I was so darn excited to see the Norther Flickers in action.
There were a couple of them. Likely a male and a female. One of them (probably the male because of the coloration) seemed to be looking for food on the ground. The female (or so it seemed to me) remained perched on the branch as seen on the video.
It had always seemed strange to me how every time I saw these birds, they were doing something in the bushes. As it turns out, they are ground feeders, though they put their nests up in tree cavities. They are mysterious- just going about their business as unobtrusively as possible without bothering anybody. Very polite and industrious. Seagulls could learn a thing or two from them.
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If you have a thing for the Australian accent but can't make it all the way down under, then you might want to give Whistler BC a try. This place is so unique that you'd think you've gone to happy land. Everywhere you look you see the cheery happy faces of tourists who come in droves to enjoy the winter season (though the rest of the seasons are also great). It's full of Australians because the two governments have an agreement that makes it easy for adventurous Aussies to spend a season or two working and playing in the mountains of British Columbia. Is there a more fun happy-go-lucky group of people out there than the Aussies? I don't think so, mate.
Imagine getting on top of a snowy icy slippery mountain. I mean, you need a machine to get you up there and then basically you have to throw yourself over the side of that mountain and get down. There is a point of no return when you're about to descend. It's either down or try to crawl back up the mountain or be rescued by the ski patrol. It's dangerous, especially if you're a novice. But once you're up there, and then you're sliding down, just gliding over the smooth snow, the trees passing by, the sound of snow under your board or skis. Forget about it! Pure bliss.
What a view!Then you make it down right into the village. As you can see from the photographs, the ski runway finishes right beside it. Very convenient. After spending so much kinesthetic energy, you come in for a soft landing. You'll be famished. So, you can grab a quick bite to eat, something to drink, then head back up that mountain and do it over again.
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I stop. The water rushes downhill. Massive rains and warm temperatures have created a wet world of wonder. Slushy snow awaits. What a wild ecosystem that definately tunes you to the raw rumbling power of the planet. The streams never cease to amaze me, and I can't help but stop to admire them. It's like glimpsing into some deep mystery of nature, but I don't know exactly what. The stream follows its course. In a little while, I follow mine.
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One of the most dangerous things when you're venturing out in the wild is an assumption based on false expectations. Take snowshoeing as an example. For me, this activity conjures up romantic images of fluffy pristine snowy terrain and winter bliss, not Blair Witch projects in the making. Leisure and pleasure on ice. This assumption and expectation were quickly challenged when I saw the condition of the trail leading up the side of the mountain- patches of dirt carved by currents of water that streamed down the slopes and across the trail.
Taking the snowshoes on and off was not feasible when the objective was to move at a fast pace. So, I had to make my way through the ragged trail with the contraptions attached to my feet, walking (and sometimes jumping) as if I were an explorer in an alien planet. Keep in mind that, based on online reviews, I was expecting a flat paved road around a beautiful lake. I shook my head. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I could hear Axle Rose's voice screeching, "You know where you are? You're in the jungle, baby..."
The hike did start innocently enough. Just look at the nice straight terrain in the following image.
A flat track with beautiful vistas as background. There was a guard at the entrance who was in charge of selling the passes into the trails as well as providing the form to wave off any liabilities against them and take responsibility for what one is about to do. Call us if you need us, but you're entering those trails at your own risk.
That should have been a warning sign, I guess, but the beauty of the trail made me feel at ease.
The river running along was raging with turbulent brown and foamy water, as seen on the image below. I think this was one of the early points in which I began to question the infallibility of my decision-making abilities.
The guard had recommended the lake viewing point just off the trail. He marked it on a colorful paper map, which showed the network of trails, separated by snowshoeing and cross-country skiing sections. It was necessary to stay off the skiing trails because the tracks were maintained pristine for the cross-country skiers. Others had to take the mountain trails.
In two of my previous posts (here and here), I wrote about hiking up to the lake viewing point where I tested my photography gadgets. Then retracing my steps, headed in the opposite direction.
Climbing up the mountain and entering the forest immediately alerted me that this wasn't going to be a walk in the snow park like I had initially assumed. I found myself making my way through slushy snow, hopping across patches, then splashing cold water with the snowshoes, all the while my camera and phone are swinging in my pockets, and a whole lotta monkey business going on. I had planned on bringing only hiking sneakers for the trip, but at the last minute, I purchased proper winter boots that could withstand the rigors of the trail. I was glad I did. At one point I found myself crossing streams that had inundated the trails, nearly slipping in the process, my foot sank in deep water but was kept dry by the height and waterproofness of the boot. Warm temperatures and heavy rains from the last few days had made a mess of the trail and surrounding environment. Yet, even without the wet mayhem, the trail was still moderately difficult as it meandered around the mountainside.
I was taking my time as I followed the trail, stopping to take pictures of the scenes. I had a few pounds of gear on my back, and I wanted to capture a few highlights. The deeper I walked into the forest, the more difficult it became to navigate and handle my extracurricular activities. I had a couple of trekking poles that made things easier, but this meant I couldn't carry my camera gear in hand. So, I ended up mainly using my Pixel 7 phone to record images and video. This phone is not meant to be used in this extreme environment, and though it gave out on me at the end, it was instrumental not only in recording the sights but also in getting me out of a very tight spot later on.
Splash! Splash! Splash!
My pace quickened the further I trekked. My poles had small basket tips specifically made for snow. It gave me much pleasure when I encountered snowy sections of the trail and saw just how well the baskets gripped the ice and propelled me onward, the snow crunching under my snowshoes. Then further down, the patches of melted snow laid bare the brown dirt and streams of gurgling water rushed down the slope.
The trail so far was fairly straightforward. They were well marked with names like The Torture Never Stops and Comfortably Numb, which again should alert the would-be adventurer about what lies ahead. There is a mischievous humor in the naming of the trails, which takes on a new meaning when you actually find yourself in trouble, and the only way out is to take the long torturous way back or keep moving forward into the unknown.
Why Johnny Can't ReadIn spite of the horrid conditions (as far as snowshoeing was concerned), the trek was actually kind of fun. The trail was much more rugged than I had anticipated but looking at the map, the lake was nearby, and this made me feel at ease. The trail split in different directions with the skiing trail leading towards the bright open lake while the snowshoeing trail veered up higher into the somber dripping darkness of the mountains and the forest. The feeble sun was obscured by clouds and beginning to make it's slow descent towards the mountains. In about an hour and a half, the forest would be completely dark.
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For thousands of years our pre-historic ancestors headed out into the great outdoors with very little in the way of possessions. They were not doing this because it was a fun adventure, a way to commune with nature, or a stress reliever from the rigors of work. They did it out of necessity. Think of it, they had to enter a harsh, extreme, and highly dangerous environments, and on top of the mountain of stresses they encountered, they had to conduct their business: Hunting, foraging, gathering, seeking new territory, defending territory, raiding, etc... This repeated behavior went on for millennia, if you consider the evolutionary strands that came before us. Cities, civilizations, cultures- all are relatively recent additions to our development. We carry a brain that was molded by the pressures of the great outdoors, so we still have the ancient programs that our predecessors relied on to survive.
Now we have advanced economically to such a degree that venturing out in the wild is no longer necessary. A few still do it because of work. Even so, they're still surrounded by technology and the stability brought by the civilization matrix they're part of. We're all nicely encapsulated in a cocoon of socio-cultural stability maintained by our ability to use tools, commit violence, and manage our symbol-processing wetware. This doesn’t mean that those old hunter-gatherer programs went away. Quite the contrary, they’re still with us, and from time to time, some of us feel the need to activate them again.
I don't think we like to be reminded that we're still a primate species, imprinted and conditioned with animal urges and instincts. We consider ourselves civilized people, after all. Enlightened even. With a degree or two under our belts perhaps. So, it can be unsettling getting in touch with your monkey self and see the wiring underneath. Yet we're still wired and have a need to run those programs. We usually do so by hiding them in a thin veneer of respectability and culture. Sports and leisure activities like fishing and hiking are sure ways to get in touch with your inner mammal and investigate those delightful hunter-gatherer lobes of the brain.
Although I prefer to read books, analyze data, and process information, I'm not afraid to get on all fours. Cybernetic bio-feedback is my jam, but my nervous system still feels that need to go out there and explore to see what lies over the ridge, around the bend, and down the valley. To be on the edge of danger and violence. Venturing out in the wild has its pitfalls. Things can quickly turn on a dime. One minute you're admiring the pretty flowers, and the next you're wondering why your foot is facing the wrong way or why that bear doesn't want to cuddle. I ask myself, in a dire situation, how would I react? By freaking out, probably, which is why I like to activate those old caveman programs and understand their operation in a relatively safe manner. For me, a trail is a great neuro-particle collider where one can fire off synaptic signals and see how they react when they collide with the environment.
Without lens
With lens attached
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I usually come across images from outdoor gear companies showing people in all sorts of adventurous outdoor situations. Beautiful, bright, inspiring, majestic. People look cheerful, and they glow with the aura of inspiration on their ruddy cheeks and eyes. I'm not criticizing or making a statement about commercialism. I love commercialism. I think that creating marketing graphics is an art in itself, and I myself have dabbled a bit in the past. What is often missing from those shots is the pain and sweat of actually getting to that point in the adventure. The messy details. When venturing outside with several pounds worth of gear, then you have to take certain considerations about what to carry, not unlike our hairy hunter-gatherer ancestors thousands of years ago.
I recently posted an image of gear that I took on a hike. The items consisted of an orange camera organizer with some photography hardware. I have never used most of those items in an extreme environment, so this was going to be a test.
Trail head towards the viewing pointThe trails in the area were covered in snow, but given that this is an El Nino year with non-stop torrential rains, sections of the trails were also bare with water streaming down the slopes. This meant that I had to wear snowshoes to trek through the paths while carrying a 32 LB backpack, so I was rather unstable on my feet as I traversed the icy mountain trails. Besides a potentially painful fall and broken gear, this instability could also have an effect on the quality of the photographs because of jitter.
From past experience, I knew that trekking poles were a perfect way to turn yourself into a beast of burden, so I brought those as well. With trekking poles, you basically become a quadruped able to distribute the weight plus stabilize yourself in uneven terrain. I’m convinced that this hike would not have been possible without them. One drawback of trekking poles is that now your hands are full, so how can you carry camera gear and have it ready at a moment's notice, particularly when most of it is safely tucked in your backpack.
Initially, I realized that using the camera was next to impossible while hiking with the trekking poles, and so for the first leg of the trip, I used my Pixel 7 phone to take pictures and video. I could easily put it in my pocket and take it out when needed. Part of the issue was that I wanted to test a new teleconverter lens for my tough camera. By itself, the camera is small, but when you pair it with a lens, it becomes bulkier. I decided not too worry about it until I got to the first viewing point, where I would test my new gear. Carrying the phone was tricky and precarious. It is not a rugged device, so one misstep and bye-bye phone. Thankfully, I have a smartphone grip (product page) that converts the phone to a more traditional camera body. This helps in gripping the phone and stabilizing the image, which is very useful for video. At one point, I realized that I could put the phone in one of the many pockets of my Fjallraven bushcrafty pants. The handle stuck out, so I could just grab it and bam!
A teleconverter lens is different from a telephoto lens in that the teleconverter is akin to putting a telescope in front of the camera lens. This is a cheaper way to magnify images than a telephoto lens, but there are some trade-offs. I had recently purchased a teleconverter lens because the tough camera doesn’t have other options. I took the following image with the lens attached. I did not do any post-processing, so the images will not look as refined (except the last two. I couldn't help myself :).
Focal length (35 mm conversion): 25 mmNotice the pinhole effect when you take a picture with the lens attached and a focal length of 25 mm. To make it work better, you need to zoom in until the pinhole edges have disappeared. In the process, the field of view contracts, and you can no longer see the surrounding environment.
Focal length (35 mm conversion): 77 mmThis narrowing of the viewing field means that this lens is better suited to photograph specific subjects but not sweeping panoramas or vistas. I think it is perfect for geological features, plants, and wild life (unless it’s a large bear about to maul you). As I was hiking up a steep snowy slope, for instance, I saw a mushroom deep in the woods. I wasn't about to venture into the uneven terrain, so I used the camera with the lens to get a closer look at the specimen.
What a hardy mushroom to be growing in winter but it just goes to show how warm it has been this yearUp on the viewing spot overlooking the lake, I took pictures with the lens on and off to see the effect. One can definitely see things a bit closer than without it. The images are alright and could probably be improved with some fiddling, but I used a basic HDR setting, which means that the camera took multiple images quickly and then combined them to create deeper colors. It was probably the wrong setting to use with the lens. Another drawback of the lens is that because you have zoomed in closer, then there is more movement of the subject on the lens. A tripod is recommended for this setting to keep the camera still. I did not bring a full-sized tripod but did bring a tiny one that you can place on objects in the environment.
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this lens and whether I would have buyer’s remorse later, but as soon as I saw the results, I knew I had a winner. I was still miffed that I could not use it on the trail. What if I came across a deer? A bird? An abominable snowman? Given that I already had the phone in one pocket, I decided to see if the camera would fit in the other with the lens attached. To my delight, the camera sensually slid into my Fjallraven pants and a shiver of delight electrified my ancient circuits as the camera snugly fit in the pocket. Really. So there I was on the mountainside hiking with a phone dangling in one pocket, and the camera in the other. Each item had its own purpose, and what a riot it was to use them both as meandered like a jackrabbit up and down and around those slopes.
I did not use the camera for this hike very much, I ended up using my Pixel phone. It was basically a matter of convenience and quality. I think the lens is better suited for the type of photography where you need to focus in a specific subject and you take the time to work the dials and buttons to get a good image. But when you're also dealing with the harsh elements around you, then all you can really think about it is making it out alive, so the phone is a more convenient device. It's great to have the choice and opportunity of using either in any given situation. So, I make sure to give thanks to the Photography Goddess every day.
Notice how dark this photograph is. While it was a cloudy day, putting on the lens made the photograph darker in this instance. Notice the edge of the pinhole on the upper right corner of the image
The light on this photograph is much better and more true to the environmentTo demonstrate the capacity of the lens, notice the difference between the following two images.
This photography was taken without the lens and focal length (35 mm conversion) of 25 mm. Notice that the snowy peak in the distance is barely visible.
This photograph was taken with the lens attached and focal length (35 mm conversion) of 100 mm. More details are discernable on the peak. Trees have more texture and even the wispy structures of the clouds are more clear. On the other hand, the surrounding mountains are no longer visible because of the smaller field of view.The effect of the teleconverter lens is very much like looking through a telescope to see distant scenes. It comes with trade-offs and a learning curve as you adjust to the changing conditions.
I also tested a monocular telescope with the pixel 7, so I will be discussing that next. Thank you for coming along and happy trails.
Without lens
With lens attached
Explore the W files
1, 2
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Sadly, Christmas is coming to an end. We’ll have to wait a whole other year to do it again, boys and girls :( But let’s not close the festivities without a cheerful farewell to the season. The Bright Nights event in Stanley Park sees the forest transformed into a Christmas wonderland with a miniature train cruising along a railway through the bright forests of lights.
Entrance to the light show is by donation, while tickets for the train are sold online. Unfortunately, the tickets were sold out, so I did not get to discover the magical wonders that lie within that forest. Nevertheless, I captured a few sights around the area that will give you an idea of what a lucky rider might experience.
This post is image heavy and my apologies to the hard-working mods in advance. But I'm sure that like me, they also can't get enough of Christmas content and would love to close out the season with a bang. So without further ado, enjoy the ride. Choo-Choo!
All aboard!
It's Frosty!
Ooo, that mean old Grinch!
Not creepy at all
This just seems like the opening scene of a David Lynch film
I'm pretty sure I've seen this guy in a horror flick
Gnomes on working Ferris wheel
Hasta luego, amigos!And that's just about the end of my Christmas content for this season. Thank you for making it this far. I hope you enjoyed it!
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I was walking through the park when I came across these flashing lights. I thought they created an interesting effect with the shadows. You can also hear a helicopter overhead. It was a dark and lonely place. The flashing lights made it even more mysterious. The question is, why does my shadow disappear?
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This weathervane is mesmerizing to watch. The way the wind blows on the mic and then registers in the movement of the installation is a beautiful accidental synchronicity. I enjoy art that is meant to turn on the senses or alter your perception in some way. There are many kinds of art, as we all know. Art, for example, that is meant to activate our survival neural centers. There is art for emotions. Art for the intellect. Some art is meant to enhance social (religious, political, judicial, etc) cohesion. The kind of art that speaks to me is that kind of art that you come across one day when you’re just walking about minding your own business, when all of a sudden bam! You’re confronted with a mind-bending reality that takes you down from rabbit hole to rabbit hole, spinning, sliding, turning, around and around, wheeeee! your eyes looking this way and that guided by top-down bottom-up processes that coil in swift synaptic interactions, zoom! what's going on? how did I get here? and you begin to question your assumptions about everything you've know and want it to stop, but you can't stop, so you go! go! go! falling down the whole of time until you stand there mesmerized like a squirrel looking for lights to chew on the infinite wisdom of existence.
That's my kind of art.
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Hikes often take you to unexpected places. I was going down a path in the forest when I spotted something deep within. I stopped and peered through the branches. Ah yes! I could see it. Mushrooms on a tree. My foraging instincts kicked in. The fungi were deeper in the woods, where I didn't feel comfortable venturing into for fear of getting bitten by some creature or wrangle with a Sasquatch. I thought I could double back from a fork in the road up ahead, but after scouting that road, I realized it led in another direction. So, I did the only sensible thing: took out my phone, pressed video record, and walked into the woods.
Even though the area was not far from the path, and beside a noisy highway, the forest enveloped me with its aura as soon as I walked into it. In this region, we don’t have many venomous critters or scratchy kitties (though we have some felines in the surrounding mountains), so I wasn't too concerned. There are other denizens of this forest that could pose a problem for an urban cat who just wants to get some mushroom action. So, I proceeded cautiously.
The woods are lovely dark and deep, but they can pose challenges if you’re actually moving through them. My senses became alert as I walk along the mossy forest floor, which sank softly under my footsteps with years of old growth carpeting the ground. The deeper I went, the more uneasy I became. Branches cracked under my feet. I looked this way and that. Listened for any sounds, scanned for movements on the periphery. Soon I was surrounded by the trees towering above me, some already past their prime. What a spectacle! The young, the old, and the dead, all wrangled together in a web with its own intricate structure. You would not find a car here, a house, a paved road, a supermarket, or a chocolate bar. Just nature in its raw form, stripped of man-made technologies, pretensions, and rules. If one of those tree branches broke and fatally fell on me, my body would crumble, torn apart by dispassionate natural processes. Returned to a primordial state. Would anything remain once my body had disintegrated? Or would evidence of my existence be just a few words scribbled on a digital page that say, “I was here.”
All this deep thinking and philosophizing had made me hungry, and as eating is part of my survival, I decided to forage for a snack. So, like I've done in video games many times, I stuck my hand inside a tree hole to see if I could find a something that a racoon or a leprechaun might have stashed away!
I was right and found some loot! Clearly, nature was subtle and mysterious. I know that a creature probably needed this food item to survive, but I'm a creature too and also need to survive. It's the law of the rainforest.
Alright, maybe it didn't happen exactly that way, but you have to admit, it's a darn good yarn.
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"You can float in the plane," said Ron.
"What do you mean?" Larry asked him.
I was sitting on the back of the small airplane that Ron was flying.
After high school, we had all gone our separate ways. Years later we met again, and as it turned out, Ron had become a pilot, of all things, and he had access to a small airplane, on which we were then flying.
I felt the airplane go up and point its nose straight up, and then my heart seemed to give out. The pit of my stomach sank as the plane dropped all of a sudden like lead, and I felt myself coming off the seat and floating towards the middle of the cabin.
“Holy shit!” Larry and I said at the same time. It was a brief, but what a rush!
“Oh man that’s nuts,” I said.
“Take this quarter," said Ron reaching into his pocket, "and put it on the tip of your finger. Hold it like that. Now watch.”
Larry put the coin on the tip of his index finger.
Again, Ron swooped up in an arc and pointed the plane’s nose straight up, then like a drop on a leaf, he let it fall.
The coin floated in the air, and so did my soul. It was far out, but soon I began to feel queasy. I sat back feeling wretched.
“Want me to do it again?”
“No man, that’s good.” We both told him.
I could barely say a word and just sat back with a groan, hoping we’d get down to the ground soon. When we did so, I was glad to put both feet firmly upon it.
I took the video in this post last summer during the firework festivities. People began gathering early in the day to find a good spot from where to view the pyrotechnics. I found a nice grassy knoll and recorded the video. While reviewing it today, I saw that the pilot did the same maneuver as my friend, Ron, had done that day. It looked like he was having fun. But I still get that queasy feeling in my stomach when I see it.
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The Winter season inches closer, and there's no better way to tempt fate than by strapping on some sharp blades on your feet and hitting the ice. This winter season is supposed to be warm (thank you El Nino!), but that won't stop us from enjoying some icecapades (ouch, that word gave me brain freeze). While the temperature is above zero Celsius, thanks to Canuck wizardry, the ice rink is open and everyone is having a blast. It's great to see this kind of festive scene. It's like a postcard of a moment in time.
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The days are shorter with a sunset of 4:22 PM. The feeble light cannot keep the cold at bay. Some birds congregate near the shore, where the ocean water and the breezes blowing from the Pacific provide some warmth, comfort, and nutrients.
The video shows a beach on the southwest corner of Stanley Park area in Vancouver, British Columbia. It was windy day when I took the video with my Pixel 7.
A few other random sightings shown below, I took with my Olympus camera.
It's difficult to tell from the photograph, but there are also some birds on the water that kind of look like buffleheads up close, but I am not sureWhy does it seem that crows are always up to something? Other birds seem to repeat a given repertoire of behaviors, but crows are different kinds of bird, and one never knows what they're up to. No wonder their cousins creeped out Edgar Allen Poe.
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I’m not a man of culture, but I am a man of POP culture, and whenever something makes me giggle, then I’ll likely gravitate towards it like a moth to a flame. I came across a musical performance that was to be delivered by candlelight, so this piqued my interest. Furthermore, the performance involved the musical scores from the Legend of Zelda- a video game that has become the bedrock of the Nintendo corporation. As an aside, did you know that Nintendo was founded in 1889? Mind blown!
I was having a moment of metaphysical angst and conflicting philosophical emtions because the concert was to take place inside a cathedral. That’s right! For me to enjoy the melodies of yore, I’d have to enter a church, and if you’re familiar with my writings, you know how that usually ends up.
In any case, I had previously attended a Gregorian chant concert in this church and survived, so I was not worried about burning up on the spot. God, I figured, was not about to smite a customer. I was planning on taking a lot of pictures of this beautiful cathedral, but as it appears to be the fashion nowadays, the lights were off, so the place was dark and not conducive to a photo-shoot.
In case you’re wondering, I did have a companion. And no, I’m not going to tell you who it was. Let’s just call her… Jezebel. Suffice it to say, I was feeling very sinful as I entered the cathedral. Although, let’s face it, in all likelihood, the audience was full of pagans and heathens. After all, the Legend of Zelda is chock-full of Demons, Gods, magic, rune reading, spell casting, and so forth.
As I entered the holy premises, I checked my hands to see if there was any smoke rising from my skin, but thankfully all was good with the manager upstairs, so Jezebel and I were ushered into the corresponding aisle that had no assigned sitting. First come, first serve? We got some great seats, but had we arrived a bit later like we had been planning, we would’ve gotten some crappy seats, and given that I had paid premium prices, I would have uttered a few ungodly phrases right there and then. Thankfully, someone must’ve been watching over us that evening, and we ended up with a relatively good view.
Here’s where expectations meet the asphalt, in a manner of speaking. I realized that the cathedral was an intimate space with not much room for an entire orchestra. So, I figured it’d be just a few instruments that together bring into harmony the tunes from the Legend of Zelda. As it turned out, it was only one piano performer, who did a fantastic job of it, given the limitations. During his performance, he paused briefly to discuss the music from the games a bit and the making of the melodies, which apparently included a nod to bolero. A wonderful performance that was only tempered by our expectation that there would be more instruments during the event.
A word about the set. One of the show’s main attractions was the candles. They created a wonderful shimmering atmosphere that unfortunately disappeared when one sat down because the candles were low on the floor, so the audience couldn’t really see them unless they were close. The candles needed to be placed at different heights to create a truly magical effect for everyone. As it was, unless one was seated on the front rows or aisle seats, the candles were not visible, only the glow on the walls and piano.
The piano player did a great job given that he didn’t have an orchestra to back him up with all the drums and twinkling instruments common in Zelda scores. So, in that sense, it was masterful of him to still bring out the essence of the pieces.
At the end of the show, we were allowed to take pictures and videos. I kept the phone down low because I didn’t want to disturb those around me, so I focused some of my filming on the Gothic architecture of this historic church in the heart of the city.
It was a night to remember enveloped in the magic sounds from the kingdom of Hyrule.
After the cathedral, Jezebel and I went out for drinks and snacks.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/rhprysrq
There is a funny video out there about a man who lost his cool on a flight because of a crying baby. On my flight back from eastern Canada, there was a crying six year old, and he just about drove everybody nuts. All I kept thinking was about that man on the video and what he said.
To take my mind off the whining crying kid, I decided to investigate the textures of the mountains over British Columbia. They are ruggedly handsome, and full of delightful peaks, among other wonders.
I'll be honest here, flying in these messed up times is not as exciting as it used to be. There is a tension in the air. So much has changed that I don't know where the next shoe is gonna drop, and hopefully it won't drop while I'm strapped to a sit several miles over the surface of the planet.
I do enjoy feeling the roar of the engines. Their power as the airplane propels forwards and swooosh! one is lifted through the air as if from a rising rollercoaster coming at full speed around a curve. Such awesome power humanity has harnessed, and though I might never escape the gravity well, it is always a privilege to get just a little bit closer to the edge of space.
The mountains over British Columbia are not a single range but comprised of several ranges including the coast mountains on the western portion of the province, Rocky mountains to the east, Hazelton along the north, there is Columbia, Cariboo, Boundary, and so on. This is a tectonically active regions, and these mountain ranges are the results of plates grinding and crashing against each other.
Stunning glaciers, alpine meadows, crystalline lakes, verdant rivers, remote wilderness, stunning sights, and even bear maulings await those who venture across the mountains. From the air, the place looks wonderful but it's the one part of the country that makes me nervous. If the plane was to suffer a malfunction, you might have a good chance on the flat open prairies of Alberta, Manitoba, or Sasketchwan, but up there above the jagged mountains of BC, even if you survive the crash, you'll likely get beat up by a Sasquatch, who as legend has it, packs a mean punch.
But it's all good because if you were to crash at least you wouldn't have to listen to that child that has begun screaming again. Thankfully, the plane begins its descent, and we're now coming in for the landing.
Ah! there's the Fraser! The veins of industry and an important artery in the life histories of all people who heeded the genetic call to migrate and live on these western shores.
Home! Hello beautiful!
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I don't like silence.
I like being surrounded by noise.
I have to admit this after spending time in quiet neighborhoods and having pleasant conversations in peaceful environs-
But missing the roar of engines, the mysterious repetitive noises that drive you up the wall, the sirens (which during the pandemic blared all day and night), the neighbour upstairs hammering nails, the alarm going off for the umpteenth time in the middle of the night, the seaplane engine in the atmosphere assuring you that someone somewhere is doing crazy shit like flying a contraption through the air, the rustling of leaves on trees planted in concrete, and the engine roar of the inconsiderate ass riding his Harley through urban artery at full throttle-
But silence...
Its sound...
Makes me think of my own mortality and all the regrets of life, of which I have none because I drown it all in the bliss of noise- the noise of people going about their business, of shiva-kali banging existential drums in eternal dance of orgiastic creation and destruction, shimmering crowded streets and shopping malls- drunkenly and disorderly joyous along Granville street, picking fights with strangers in front of bars, squealing chicks on heavenly sidewalks, the sound of cash registers cha-ching cha-ching cha-ching and the sushi chef chops chops chops and the delivery driver dings dings dings
and let me digress here for a moment, to tell you about the time during the pandemic, when I went downtown during soft lockdown to check out the scene on a Saturday night, let me tell you about the eerie silence that permeated the city because we were all locked up in our homes with only camera rebels and lost souls wandering through ghostly streets- All lost, humanity hunkering down for extinction potential- and all this silence of a dead Saturday night
I would guess most people prefer the beauty and solitude of nature. Her serene silence which even has benefits for soul, mind, body and spirit, its slows cozy Quaalude raw genetic embrace. I understand. So seductive to be in her arms sucking on the teat of grandeur and pacific verdant reveries. I myself partake of her company, rushing up her bushes and over mountains switching back and forth with 40 pounds of camping gear on my back to bathe in moonlight and majestic aura of alpine silence.
But yesterday I got in a roaring plane that creaked itself onto the sky and across clouds, rode a jingling snapping crackling train across whispering rails, got crapped on by laughing bird outside train station while waiting to cross the street to the hum of traffic, then back to the sounds and the laughter and the noise of a city in the throes and spasms of cybernetic labour
I figure, we're at war with the forces of entropy. This is our training ground for those battles. The western front. Like a good general, I like to hear my troops hauling ass and marching and singing and laughing in the jangling wheels of the seasons- ready for the battles to come in disorder and confusion along the northern wall-
silence
bring on the noise of the crowds in the stadium and sobbing Taylor Swift fans waiting for her arrival that never comes- let me hear the mad rambling of corner prophets, the cry of the seagull in the bay, the dinging of the bike rider everyone loves to hate, the coffee machines hissing into warm milk, the giggling scantily clad feminists coming out of movie theatres dressed in pink- on the waves, the rowers shouting dragonboat commands, the skateboarders raising a racket again with their anti-gravity tricks to the sound of crows chasing a raccoon in the urban thicket- the naked activists fighting for some cockamamie cause or another, and the hoochie-coochie sounds rising from dark alleys behind the throbbing beat of the night club; here's where I feel alive because others are alive, and I can hear them. Their wails and torments, their joys and ecstasies, the boom boom and bang bang, and the whole whirring beeping shouting splashing rolling beat beat bop swaying swoosh of short mini-skirts rustling against skinny legs and all, then I'm alive with the slurping sounds from ramen joints and ice cream shops, here I am alive with each lick and slurp, and the waves crashing against the seawalls of the 21st century, the mournful horns in the fog, and at the end of the day, as flying Canada geese cry in the evening, then there will be silence.
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Competitive sports reenact and activate the mental processes associated with defending/acquiring territory. They are bullish, aggressive, devious, dramatic, violent, and physically demanding. We love them for this reason. In a way, when two teams meet, they engage in the ancient human behavior of warfare, and everyone is a participant in the ritualistic mammalian mob behavior that leads to “beating” the opposition.
When people and cultures reach a certain level of territorial stability, they begin to explore the motions of the body, and the mechanisms of the sensory-perceptual apparatus not as it relates to warfare but as a means of self-discovery and self-actualization. Yoga, dance, surfing, acrobatics, and some martial arts are designed for the adept to gain control of sensory processes and direct body-somatic energies to more kine-aesthetic experiences. They are non-competitive because the focus is on the sensual mastery, the transcendence of territorial behavioral norms, and the short-circuiting of robotic movement. These techniques are a way to liberate the body-mind system from the gravity of earthly life by tapping into the primal essence of the human “spirit”.
Grupo Axé Capoeira is an international capoeira organization, which according to Wikipedia was “founded in 1982 by Mestre Barrão in Recife, Brazil,” and has its headquarters in Vancouver. I recently had the pleasure of seeing their performance at the Italian Day festival (see my report), where they were conducting a demonstration of their skills.
Capoeira is a dance created in Brazil that combines dance, martial, arts, and music. The dancer performs a series of demanding body movements designed to challenge gravitational vectors. What makes capoeira different from other forms of aesthetic dance is that it has a communal aspect to it. The dancer not only masters the movements within himself/herself but also in relation to other companions who are dancing or singing in a circle. Capoeira has the semblance of fighting, and its roots as an afro-indigenous form of self-defense bear this out, but competitive fighting is not the point. The point is to control the instinct to attack and instead direct the somatic energies around each other in a dynamic flow, yoga in action, being aware of one’s movement as well as those of others while keeping a rhythm with the auditory vibrations emitted by the singers and other participants. It can be a powerful transformative experience for those who practice it.
Thankfully, I arrived just as the group was beginning their performance, so I was able to record some excellent and beautiful moments of their dance. At some point, I mistakenly hit a button on my phone and everything went blue. I did not have time to fix the issue because the performance got underway, so if you notice a blue tint, now you know why. The dancers were actually dressed in white, which made them look very angelic in form and movement.
The dance is participatory in the sense that it’s not just about the dancers or even the musicians, but also the audience whom participates through applause and song. It’s an ancient tribal tradition that seeks to structure energy around a communal nexus. Very powerful and beautiful. I hope you found it so.
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https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/cpshxkwi
“You want a filter?” Jerry said, holding on to the train bar.
Kevin raised an eyebrow. “A filter? What’s that?”
“You know, for your input port.”
“Oh, right. I thought you were about to sell me drugs or something. I don’t know, hoss. I’ve got plenty of upgrades to last me a lifetime.”
“This one is cool,” said Jerry, stripes of afternoon sunlight striking his face. “It alters your vision, so everything you see looks like a watercolor painting. You can choose the style, like Monet or Van Gogh, then zap! you’re in. Instant sunflowers and shit.”
“With exams coming up, I’m feeling more like the Scream.”
Jerry leaned forward, “it also has audio.”
“Audio? Wow, you don’t need an adapter for that?”
“Baked into the program. No need to rewire that sucker.”
“I don’t want mess around with my neural pathways.”
“Nothing to worry about. It’s all handled by the hardware, and it pops right out with a finger press. See?”
Jerry pressed the side of his temple, releasing an AR lens from his eyeball onto his palm.
“Gross," said Kevin wincing. "Maybe I’ll check it out later.”
The train stopped at the next station. The two friends bumped fists, then stepping off the station, they went off in separate directions.
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The wind blows hard and cold from the ocean. Colder than the surrounding area, but given that its temperature remains somewhat constant throughout the year, it acts as a heater for the coast. We’re in direct path of the Pineapple Express, so called because it blows from the south Pacific- Hawaii and other places where the weather is warm enough for pineapples to grow. It blows softly and it blows hard, though sometimes it doesn’t blow at all. When the surrounding temperature is colder than the wind, then birds come from all over to bask in the warmth. All along on the hill, on account of all the warm blowing, I reckon, the flowers carpet the hills early in the year. The path twists and bends all around, so even if you find it hard on one side, you would soon reach the other where it’s softly blowing.
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William Blake is one of the most celebrated poets in English literature, and his poem, The Tyger, is one of the most famous of all time with its energetic opening line:
Tyger Tyger, burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
Like a spell, the poem conjures up visions of the tiger’s terrifying and majestic beauty. The poem is part of a larger body of work published in two volumes as the Songs of Innocence and the Songs of Experience. The Tyger poem appears in the latter.
Most of the analysis of this poem focuses on the thematic meaning in terms of its religious connotations. The counterpart to the Tyger appears in the Songs of Innocence and is called The Lamb. Contrary to the fieriness of the Tyger, the Lamb poem is soft and beautiful. The narrators keeps asking it who made thee, little lamb? as it dotes over the paradisical beauty of the lamb. The Tyger, on the other hand, conjures up visions of strength, dangerous beauty, and power beyond one’s comprehension. It shows astonishment at the hand or eye capable of creating this fearsome creature. The poet seems perplexed by the dichotomy of existence that represents heaven and hell. How can someone who created the Lamb also create the Tyger? The question is incessant to the point that one begins to have doubts about the answer, who made thee, how, and why?
In the 1960’s, various counter-cultures rediscovered William Blake. His verses were visionary, accompanied by visual art created by Blake himself, given that he was also a painter and printmaker. His paintings have that psychedelic aesthetic popular in the 60s, and his verses resonated with the young botanical explorers of the era.
I created a few AI pieces using Stable Diffusion with the prompt being the first two lines of the poem, quoted in the introduction. I played around with the prompt settings until I got some half-decent creations. I then imported the art into Clipchamp. Using the text-to-speech function I added each stanza, which consisted of four lines. This allowed me to vary the speed of the voice throughout the poem, so it didn't ’t sound too monotonous. This mimics how a poet would read his or her work, modulating their speech based on the emotions evoked. The text at the bottom of the screen was done with a text filter appropriately called smoke. I added a transition between the images for smooth flow. There was a little bit of adjustment to do to get the different elements (text, audio, and art) to sync just right. I could’ve tightened things here and there, but I think that for an afternoon experiment, it’s not too shabby. I hope you enjoyed it.
ResourcesThe Tyger Wikipedia page
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tyger
A Short Analysis of William Blake’s ‘The Tyger’
https://interestingliterature.com/2017/03/a-short-analysis-of-william-blakes-the-tyger/
Images generated by @litguru using Stable Diffusion software. Video and audio created with Clipchamp
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Leo Threads
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/evpouozv
I’ve been writing a series of sea-faring micro-tales on Twitter along with some generative art. This time I decided to publish on hive and add some audio-visual effects into the mix. I used Microsoft's Clipchamp to develop the video. It has some interesting text-to-voice features, which I'll discuss at the end.
To sum up the tale, a "doctor" is on board a fishing vessel of sorts with a motley crew. He's asked the men to bring him any cuttlefish they find, so he can study them. The men do so, for a price. Then one day they find a man from the orient floating aloft on the water in a skiff. The shipmates are suspicious of him. The grateful man gives the doctor a vial of strange ink. The scene in the video takes place soon after that. Here's the script, along with the images I used.
Mori-san has disappeared... The men swear they haven’t seen him. Perhaps he was a ghost, they mutter. Maybe a ghost ship came for him in the night. Or the albatross of death whisked him away- and so on with all sorts of fanciful yarns.
Maybe the knaves took matter into their own hands. This fog is making them mad and bringing out their superstitious nature... I do fear the worst...
Of his existence, the only thing I have is the mysterious vial of ink. Its properties are remarkable. Almost bewitching. I am a servant of science, but truth be told, this liquid puts my logic and reason to the test.
The voice in the recording is not great but not too bad either. The voice I hear narrating the story in my mind is raspier, deeper, and more mysterious. The audio is missing the right inflections at certain moments, which are necessary to insert a dramatic effect. I also had to play around with the spelling to get the right intonation. The app does give you the ability to alter the tone and pitch, as well as the speed of the speaker. You can choose different sounding voices and accents too, so this is cool. These functions imbue the voice with some semblance of personality. I did have to alter the story because the older draft didn't sound right when narrated. So, I edited and re-edited the story until it worked okay-ish with the voice.
The images are closely intertwined with the tale. I generated them iteratively using the imagery from the written draft, and vice-versa.
I hope you enjoyed it.
Images, audio, and video generated by @litguru using video-editing and Stable Diffusion software
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https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/smerwhkt
We'll ignore for a moment the magnitude of the cosmic situation in which we find ourselves in careening through the endless void
We'll pay no mind to the neurons sizzling and popping in our angel heads
Wink Wink
This moment
This now
And the city
Never fall in love with an Idoru
Lust for the cluster of pixels sprayed on retinal screens
Patterns colors sounds
Sense impressions that make up the fragments of each day.
Here we have an ocean
A guy blowing his horn
Rippling waves
Swaying
The little boats on the bay.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/rjsfytbs
Calangute was an enterprising cultural roller-coaster of a town, and our ride was coming to an end. On the third of January, Bianca and I woke up early to have enough time for a leisure breakfast before we traveled to Vasco da Gama at noon. Named after the famed explorer, the city was founded in 1543. For us, Vasco was just a quick one-day layover before moving on to our next destination the following morning.
We decided not to stray too far from the guest-house and had breakfast in the restaurant next door. Simple enough. Away from the amazing beaches, Calangute was a hectic busy place that kept you on your toes. We wanted to avoid any possible mayhem and smoothly continue our journey.
As we were enjoying our breakfast in the open-air section of the restaurant, we heard the sound of crackling flames on the other side of the wall. A young guy was perched on the rooftop of the building beside us. He was cutting down and throwing dry palm fronds to his friend below, who then chucked them into a roaring fire in the middle of the courtyard.
Soon the flames rose above the wall, crackling and dancing in a mad bonfire that reached so high it began to scorch the branches of the trees above it. A lady began yelling at them. I could not understand what she was saying but she sounded rather alarmed and none too pleased by the dangerous turn of events outside her doorsteps.
The restaurant staff had also come out to see the spectacle. One of the guys ran across the rooftops and hooked a hose to a water tank. The other threw buckets of water into the flames. Once they got it under control, we all clapped. With a sheepish grin, the two rascals waved and chuckled embarrassingly. We could still hear the lady haranguing them for their antics, so they made themselves scarce and disappeared inside.
Bianca and I continued enjoying our breakfasts while exchanging amused looks.
"The action is non-stop in this adventure," I said.
"I'm just glad the lady said something. The trees are very close to the houses."
Travel is not all about the grand temples and extravagant festivals. Those simple moments can also create long lasting impressions for they are the vicissitudes of life, and the types of cultural tales that anthropologists try so hard to capture in their reports.
As the road unfolded, I peered at the world of Goa, its bustling activity in the heat. The commercial veins that ran through this ancient world still pulsated in modern-day India.
Everywhere I saw the overt expressions of their industry
and the colorful structures inspired by their metaphysical beliefs, which have not only influenced this land but also those beyond the Goan sun.
It's probably not what you think
In Vasco, we found ourselves in a daze. This city was not a tourist destination and has retained its uniquely Indo-Portuguese character through the centuries. It was a city in between spaces. A Hopperian abstraction of the hauntingly liminal.
We went to bed early because we needed to make it to the station before dawn. Tomorrow a new adventure would begin. A train journey towards one of the most fabled cities of the Vijayanagara Empire: Hampi.
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1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 3, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6-8, 9
Images by @litguru using a Nexus 6P
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https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/qwixtalq
The sand vibrated beneath our feet as the air exploded arounds us, blasts of colourful lights lit up the coast in a breathtaking spectacle of pyrotechnic mayhem.
It was New Years eve, and after a trip to Old Goa, we explored the streets of Calangute, which were positively vibrating with locals and tourists getting ready to welcome the new year with a bang.
As darkness fell, Bianca and I made our way to the beach, where the fireworks extravaganza was to take place at midnight. I was looking forward to it because I take immense pleasure in exploding pyrotechnics. Back home, a fireworks festival is held during summer, when organizers put a barge on the bay full of fireworks. Thousands gather to watch them on the beach (from a safe distance). On New Year’s eve, fireworks can be seen at several locations throughout the city. Once in a while, you hear firecrackers from mischief makers, but it is against the law to have fun with explosives on your own, and for the most part the citizens obey this fun-less yet prudent rule.
We weren’t sure what to expect in the fireworks department in Goa, but people we spoke to sounded very enthusiastic about the New Year explosions. We did not know where exactly they would go off, so we wandered around the beach and checked out the scene. The place was a madhouse with a cacophony of electronic music blaring from every restaurant and beach party. It was difficult to discern any particular song because it was all a blend of synthesizer sounds, beeps, boops, screeches, and looping beats. It was a discordant musical symphony.
The sea was turbulent, its waves crashing loudly in the throes of a high tide. Part of the beach had been flooded and we had to take off our shoes to get through certain areas. There were shouts and hoots as gangs of tourists and locals strolled up and down the beach for miles in either direction.
Vendors walked among the merry makers, selling lanterns, glowing sticks, jewelry, horns, and many other products geared towards enlivening the new year festivities. The lanterns were particularly popular with western and eastern European tourists, who took immense joy in watching them float across the sea like ghostly specters. If you forget for a moment the wasteful and harmful pollution this creates, and instead relive that innocent state of childhood, you would have seen a line of lantern lights rising up in the mystic Goan darkness, propelled by playful ingenuity, rising with a flickering flame, conjuring up the spirit of a new season with their magic, winking out like the phantoms of the past year as they gently fell upon the waves.
“It’s just an accident waiting to happen,” said the level-headed Bianca watching with a raised eyebrow at a nearby group of children struggling to light one of the lanterns.
Restaurant staff had placed tables on the beach, and we found a nice one right beside the shore, where the sound of the waves somewhat masked the spicy mix of discordant sounds blasting from loud speakers.
The restaurant beside us hosted a rowdy group of Irish men and women who danced around a wooden pole to the sounds of Cotton-Eyed Joe and other Celtic-inspired beats, hooting and hollering, jumping around half-drunk and mimicking traditional Irish dance moves. A crowd of locals had gathered to watch the Irish antics and watched wide-eyed as the dancers kicked up their legs and swung around the pole. One dancer stumbled backwards and fell on the sand, her companions cheered her on, so she stood up and tumbled forward on all fours, then she reeled back leaning on her friend, swaying her hips to the beat while holding on to the pole, and the celebration carried on into the night.
After dinner, and as midnight approached, we looked up and down the beach for the fireworks viewing area, but it was nowhere to be found. There were revelers everywhere, yet nobody seemed to be particularly concerned with fireworks. I looked at my watch. It was 11:47 PM. At that precise moment, the pyrotechnics went off all around us. We ran through the crowds and took refuge behind some boats.
Groups of young men piled palm fronds and other detritus to build bonfires, which they they used to blast their rockets up in the air and all around the beach. There was no viewing area because we were standing on it. The whole length of beach, miles of it, exploded with light and echoing booms in the maddest spectacle I’ve experienced! Colors splashed the night sky and the surfing waves crashing on the shore.
Goa had exploded in a ecstasy of fire.
Bianca and I looked at each other in the seemingly endless flashes. What a holy madness! The warm wind blew from the illuminated sea, and beaming with smiles beside the raging bonfires, we rejoiced in the flickering flames of a Happy New Year!
We remained in Calangute for a couple of more days. To get to know a place, you need to spend a bit of time there, so rather than darting off to another destination right away, we settled down to the rhythm of Goan life.
On the beach, we chatted with Lamani ladies who came from the east to sell their crafts on the Goan beaches. Their sense of humor and wily salesmanship was boundless. One of them approached us, and in perfect English told us that she was ‘different’ from the other ladies that had crowded around us. Indeed, she did not give us a sales pitch right away, but instead asked about us and our home. She was sharp like a fox, and keenly aware of the cultural differences among people of different nationalities including her own.
“I know how people behave,” she said. “The Indians, the Russian, The British…”
“What about Canadians?” Bianca asked her.
She smiled enigmatically.
“I don’t know much about Canadians,” the girl admitted warmly.
It was all becoming a blur of sky, sea, and beach. Temples and churches. Signs warning of ‘brigands’ in the area. The heat rising from the warm sand.
At one point, while Bianca was swimming in the lantern-detritus-filled sea, a jellyfish caressed her leg, and she soon began to feel ill with a burning sensation.
A line of red welts formed on her creamy thigh, where the tentacle had graced her skin.
"There's no way I'm peeing on your leg in front of all these people," I said.
We rushed back to the guest-house and acquired some vinegar from a nearby restaurant whose manager seemed a bit mystified by our dilemma. In a few hours, she began to feel better and off we dashed to one last night of exploration.
Our time in Goa was coming to an end. I looked up at the moon that had been our companion these past few days. We stood in the middle of the street while we looked up beyond the palm fronds and promised to never forget. This was the timeless moment. Not a past that existed in photographs or other form of media. Not a future of best laid plans. This tantric now. This glowing moon. This last night in Goa.
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1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 3, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6-8
Images by @litguru
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https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/bcmdvrzi
Ah, my dear Senorita, you have arrived. Allow me a gentle kiss upon your fair hand. Oh, but where are my manners? It looks like I’ve forgotten to put on some clothes. I shall wear this robe, yes? It’s silky and made of the finest synthetic material you can find on Amazon.
You are curious, are you not? What secret lies beyond that door? What heavenly delights await there? You must be patient, chiquita. Like the great bard Axle Rose once said, “all we need is just a little patience.”
Before I invite you into my boudoir, we’re going to need some hardware. Oh yes, naughty isn't it? I love antiquated charms, but I am very much a man of the modern age and not shy of synthetic pleasures.
I do have a confession to make. I’m wild in the sack. O yes! Especially when I fall asleep. Tossing and turning and hopping and humping and bumping and thumping and wiggling and writhing and just causing a whole lot of shaking throughout the night. While under certain conditions, this excited restlessness can be exhilarating, it usually ends up in a poor night's sleep. This is the reason why I am now testing the BedJet sleep system.
The concept of the BedJet system is fairly straightforward: pump some air into a sheet and use it to regulate your body temperature throughout the night. That’s it. Despite its simplicity, there is some bulky hardware involved. A heating/cooling air pumping unit is hooked up to a hose, and then the hose is clamped to the side of the bed and inserted into a special bed-sheet provided with the system. Doesn’t that sound sexy? Here are some product pics to get us in the mood.
Look at this package. Nicely organized and protected. That’s how I like my toys.
The big box on the upper left corner is the brains of the system, which allows you to set the temperature, fan speed, and scheduling functions using the remote control and a phone app.
The air hose can be lengthened or shortened, depending on your needs
The air hose is plugged to this end of the unit.
This is the spine of the system The idea behind the BedJet system is that during the night, you temperature needs will change. With this system, you set up a regulated environment that can adapt to those changing needs and produce a better night’s sleep.
Adjustable air hose and control unit
"Oh my! Is that an air hose under your bed, or are you just happy to see me?"
Industrial strength hijinks
I think this is illegal in some provinces.
It's a promise, not a warning 😜
The remote control allows you to program several functions and assign them to buttons
The controller lights up when you pick it up. The texture is smooth, silky, and feels well made. The interface is easy to navigate and gives you access to multiple functions, including firmware updates
I've only used this system for a few days, so it's not enough to determine if it has actually improved the quality of my sleep. It works in the sense that it delivers a stream of air (warm or cold) and changes the temperature in your immediate environment. It's gratifying when you feel the sheet begin to inflate, as if a fluffy cloud just fell on top of you. The volume of air also adds a light cozy weight vaguely reminiscent of a cuddly embrace.
I love dimples The unit makes noise, but it’s no worse than small fan, so it quickly fades as background noise. Increasing the fan rotation speed produces a stronger stream of air (and more sound). The air stream can feel pleasurable, but it can also be a source of annoyance when it begins to feel 'drafty'. By lowering and raising the temperature, you can you find the optimal range that works for you. Although the set up and interaction are simple, learning to use the system properly takes time. You have to interact with it throughout the night to find the appropriate settings. Conveniently, you can script "biorythms"- a set of grouped functions (speed, temp, and time)- and store them for quick access. The engineering looks solid and attaching it to the bed was easy. On aesthetics, the system is not going to win any awards, but the remote control is well made and cool to interact with.
So are you ready for a new experience? Are you ready to slip into the ecstasy of cybernetics and enjoy the bliss of the jet age?
All images by @litguru
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/gxlfgkuv
Women have magnificent perceptual systems finely tuned to a wide variety of sensory input. They’re simply faster, more effective, and more efficient than men at processing somatic signals related to the machinery of sensation and perception. This is not just me being poetic, there’s plenty of scientific information showing this to be the case. The reasons behind this advantage by females over males is lost in the evolutionary mists of time, but we can speculate that it served some survival need in the ancient past, and perhaps it resulted from differential evolutionary pressures, including division of labor and sexual selection. In modern times, we no longer use these systems merely for survival. Entire industries have been developed centered around the idea of accurately selecting somato-kinesthetic patterns that enhance our sensory realities for fun and pleasure (e.g., saunas, aromatic oils, massages, body creams, flotation chambers, sun-tanning, and warm baths). Men rarely allow ourselves to enjoy the delights of the senses. Once in a while, we turn them on, such as when we shave or shampoo our hair. Generally, enjoyment of the senses is considered feminine behavior. Not manly. So, I felt a little sheepish that afternoon in Goa, when I took off my sandals and let the warm waves lap over my toes.
After a restful siesta, we decided to walk the length of Agonda beach and explore some rocks in the distance.
We strolled along like wet noodles, splashing water with our fee. As we did so, a few beach entrepreneurs approached us with offers of dolphin tours and nighttime events. We took their pamphlets and promised to contact them if we decided to do it. Some of them were more persistent than others.
“We leave in the morning to another beach,” said one of them. “You will see the dolphins. Very nice”
“Sounds wonderful! We’ll think about it,” Bianca said to one of them.
“My number is in the card. You call me. We leave in the morning.”
He wanted our personal hotel info, but we simply waved at him and carried on.
While I was aware that India had different commerce systems, I had never experienced them directly. So, being approached with wild offers of dolphin excitement by beach salesmen was not in my repertoire of shopping parameters. I did not have a mental schema to gracefully interact with and extricate myself from a stranger promising fun in the waves. So, when it became obvious that our leisurely walk was making us targets for marketing opportunities, we just stared ahead and pretended not to notice the bliss merchants that tried to approach us with their offers of sensory delight.
As I walked along, I got the distinct impression that we were being followed. Turning my head, I saw a pack of stray dogs heading our way.
“Am I being paranoid or are those dogs following us?” I said to Bianca.
We stopped and watched them go by. They kept going, except for one who stopped a few meters ahead of us.
“That’s the dog from the restaurant today,” Bianca said, looking at the lean pooch, the fearless leader of the feisty pack we had encountered earlier that morning.
Canine intelligence is quite astonishing. Sometimes dogs behave in ways that remind you that there is a rational thinking being in there. A being with hopes and aspirations, plans and schemes, even if their logic is somewhat primitive when compared to ours, there is still a sense of mammalian kinship that we rarely establish with other species.
“What are you up to, doggy?” Bianca said eyeing him suspiciously.
When we began walking, so did he. We stopped, and so did he. He looked back and waited for us until we started walking again, and so did he.
“Woah! That’s amazing!” I said. “This dog is following us, or rather leading us. What would make him do that? Why us? All of a sudden he’s our companion for some unfathomable reason.”
I was flabbergasted and tried to think of the neural and cognitive mechanisms for this behavior. It’s evolutionary utility. I had seen dogs following other tourists on their beach walks. Apparently, the creatures just randomly attached themselves to humans and became companions on their walks. Is this how humans and dogs began their timeless friendship? One day, a dog just began following a human for no discernible reason, and the rest was history.
On this side of the beach, there were more Indian vacationers. Mainly families, and more young men than women. Unlike their western counterparts, most of the Indian women I saw there did not wear bathing suits but entered the water fully clothed. I imagined that India being a more conservative culture, its women were less likely to show off their bodies in an openly suggestive manner the way women do in western societies. Though to be fully honest, even I was surprised by some of the outrageous displays of creamy flesh put on by the western ladies on the other side of the beach. Perhaps this could account for the predominance of young Indian men making the rounds up and down the strip.
I saw a guy walking around with an old karaoke machine on his arm and a mic in the other. It emitted a garbled sound, but he more than made up for it with his enthusiasm. In his language, he sang a strange and haunting melody. Its soundscape was ethereal. Other worldly. It reminded me that I was a stranger in a strange land.
The dog led us on to the end of the beach, where the path was blocked by rocks and boulders spilling onto the sea. Jutting out of the ground, in the seesawing waves, water, erect like magnificent Shiva lingams.
Our companion had stopped near the rocks on the beach where the waves lapped against them. Unfamiliar with the terrain and the tides, we decided to climb over the boulders instead. As I began to climb, I lost sight of the dog down on the beach.
From on top of the large rock formation, we had a clear view of the beach and the sea.
“Check this out,” I said to Bianca. “If you look at this rock from this angle, what does it look like?”
She gave me a sly look. “Are you twelve?”
“This could be a sacred place,” I said in a detached scientific tone. “It looks like a Shiva lingam. It could very well be a sacred place of worship.”
"Uh-ha."
On a slab of rock nearby, I saw a young amorous couple laughing softly side by side. The girl’s long legs were bare as her dress had casually slid over both of them. The boy held her hand and seemed very agitated as he playfully reached to touch her hair and land soft kisses on her hand.
To my left, I could see the lush fertile mountainside, and to my right, the wide open sea.
We finally climbed down the other side and the dog met us there, seeming quite satisfied with his cleverness.
“He knew the way all along,” I said. “We should’ve trusted our guide.”
On this isolated strip of beach, a pungent odor was carried in the breeze- dead sea things. I spotted several fishing boats moored inland in a nest of tangled nets.
A group of Indian fishermen worked on their gear while others appeared to be resting. As I came up to the sand, I realized that they were enjoying the show being put on by a very fit blond girl who was wearing a short tank top and tightly engineered yoga pants. Her male companion had a professional-looking camera that he used to photograph her sublime poses and Nordic contortions.
Bianca and I smiled at the naughty hijinks and carried on with our canine bodyguard following close behind us.
Like intrepid explorers, we climbed over more scraggly rocks to see where they would lead. The stony sentinels rose above us. The mystery drawing us ever on. As we maneuvered through the narrow crevices we came upon another couple who had been hidden by the boulders around us. The man was shirtless and wearing shorts. The girl wore a slinky bikini. They seemed surprised to see us. They passed by us in the narrow path, and the girl flashed us a pink-cheeked smile as she went by.
As we rounded the corner and reached the spot where the couple had been, we saw that there was nowhere else to go, and the view was blocked by the cathedral of rocks.
“There isn’t much space here,” Bianca observed.
“They must’ve been really cozy,” I said catching her drift. “Maybe we interrupted some aquatic liaison.”
Isn’t that romantic? I thought. At the end of the road, there is love.
What was it about this land that made you want to… snuggle? Seriously, without being too crude, I was feeling a bit frisky already. Later in the journey, I would learn that in India it’s not just the food that is spicy.
On our way back, I noticed that the amorous young couple was still there and had gotten more touchy touchy with legs entwined and showering each other with kisses in exchange for glances.
The karaoke tunes blared in garbled cacophony, ethereal against the setting sun.
We spotted what looked like a lagoon at the edge of the tree-line and explored the surrounding environment with our binoculars. Mountains, palms, and lush vegetation rising up the mountain.
I sighted a large bird propped on a branch near the edge of the water.
“I think it’s a kingfisher,” I said.
“Oh yea, like the beer.”
“That’s right!”
Bianca peered through the binoculars.
“Oh, he’s beautiful!”
At the precise moment when I sighted it through the binoculars, the bird hopped off the branch and dove into the water with graceful precision. It disappeared beneath the surface in a quick splash then resurfaced with a squiggling fish in its beak. Flapping its wings, it flew off into the forest with the fish flailing in its beak.
“That was amazing!” said Bianca.
“A Discovery-channel moment,” I said.
Our dog guardian, who had been patiently waiting for us nearby, yawned.
“This pooch is hard to impress,” I said.
Seeing as we were taking our sweet time by the lagoon, the dog finally got tired of waiting and simply wandered off on his own.
The sun had already turned orange as it glided towards the horizon.
“Can you smell that?” I said.
“The smoke?”
I nodded. “I think that’s why the sun is so pale. Look at that purple haze over the ocean.”
Out there, on the hazy horizon, boats circled in the waves while the silhouetted crewmen dropped nets into the shimmering water.
“Imagine being a fisherman,” I said looking out at the intrepid crew. "What a life!"
There was a commotion further down the beach where a crowd of onlookers had gathered.
“Now what’s going on?” said Bianca.
Guards raced by in a jeep. Contrary to my expectation, they ignored the commotion and just kept driving towards some unknown destination.
As I got closer to the source of the raucous, I saw a boy from one of the nearby restaurants hauling buckets of food that he emptied on the sand. This caused a stampede of cows, calves, and riled up dogs. Tourists crowded around them snapping selfies, reaching out to feed the cows, pet them, and the whole thing was pure bovine mayhem.
Then, out of a mystic vision, the horse materialized on the beach. Stoic, he made his way down the beach, stopping only long enough to let a human pet him.
This land was pure blissful madness.
We sat on the sand and watched the last rays of the red sun fade to dark below the horizon. The fishermen in the distance hauled their nets up the boat while a flock of seabirds circled above them with eyes on their harvest. Beyond the shadows of this scene, the sun dimmed on the horizon, and the stars began to glitter in the sky.
Mood Music
Punjab by Karunesh
Karunesh on Spotify
Dive into another section:
1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4
Images and video by @litguru
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/opfhlgvh
Self indulgence. Somatic delight. Sensory bliss. Awareness of our bodies not as instruments of the state, church, or vessels of procreation, but as organs of sensual pleasure and rapture. In the west, hedonism has been generally tolerated but viewed with suspicion. Too much of it, and you may just be straddling the thin line between decadence and sin. Luxury and gluttony. Tsk! Tsk! Mon Dieu!
In the 60s, hordes of hedonistic hippies followed their genetic instincts and gravitated towards this inner-space playground called Goa. Freed from the bonds of toil and survival, their info-starved psychedelic brains floated towards the gene pools in the East, attracted not only by the metaphysical revelations of oriental teachings, but their understanding of pleasure and indulgence as just another stage in the progression towards ultimate enlightenment. Hindu gods and brahmans enjoyed the bliss of Soma in their heavenly abodes, according to the vedic teachings, which systematized pleasure and gave it metaphysical importance. This was the genius of the ancient Hindu sages. The arousal of the senses was not just a weekend thing or a side-effect of traveling. It was an important mystical experience. Skillfully learning the art and science of pleasure was an integral chapter in the Sutra of life.
The lane opened to a wide beach that stretched for miles around. The heat rose from the sand as we surveyed this novel domain. A new land! A new experience!
Warm breezes played with the fronds. There was not a single cloud in the sky.
We followed a path through a palm grove and found ourselves in an open-air restaurant with a spectacular view of the sea.
Following my gaze along the shoreline, I could see rows of lounging chairs where tourists lay soaking up the sun in various state of undress.
Some chilled cows lay on the sand and kept a wary eye on a pack of dogs that had taken refuge in holes they dug in the sand beneath the shadows of the lounging chairs.
There is a wonderful feeling of relaxation that comes over you when you’re liberated from the bonds of survival. In our home environments, our bodies become used to the routines of daily life, and we keep on rolling on like hamsters in a wheel. When those bonds are severed, however, and you manage to step off the wheel, different areas of your brain are activated, expanding in scope, releasing a barrage of exhilarating pleasure chemicals that put you in tune with the somatic rapture of the novel sensory input, its delicious processing, culminating in copious amount of bliss washing over you. Aquarian consciousness unchained. The Shiva-Parvatti garden of somato-sensory delights.
Clinking mugs, we cheered.
“To Goa!”
In the heat, the beer tasted like Soma. Not that I know what Soma tasted like. Nobody knows what ingredients were used in this mythical brew, though rumor has it that cannabis and magic mushrooms were involved.
“That was quite the trip,” I said.
“It's all a blur. I'm exhausted.”
Now that the rush of adrenaline had began to subside, I felt a bit melancholic and homesick, as if there was something I needed to do. My mind was still in city-mode, and I kept fighting the urge to take out my notebook and scribble or fiddle with my calendar.
Instead, I closed my eyes and listened to the waves then synced my breath to their rhythm. Floating down the liquid pulses of relaxation elicited by these novel sensations.
Bliss is a team sport. One has to jump from one step to the next hand in hand with others spinning with a similar speed, velocity, and trajectory. That’s the yoga of union. Many a misunderstanding have occurred when two or more agents on different tracks recognize each other and try to fly in V formation. Imagine a sassy post-industrial professional woman trying to establish a romantic connection with a cave-dwelling stone-flinting macho man. They are at two different levels of consciousness, and the arrangement could not work. So it is with the yoga of sensory self-awareness. Hook up with other wise intellects at or near your level of consciousness and help each other propel to higher levels. Self-contained colonies away from the pressures of daily life are excellent playgrounds for those seeking to shed their old self and give birth to a new ones with a little help from their friends.
Humans could have upwards of 800,000 taste receptors grouped in buds that allow us to taste different chemical properties of things we put in our mouths- sweetness, sourness, saltiness, bitterness, and savoriness. It’s a complex neuro-biochemical system associated with several regions of the brain that together give us the conscious perception of flavor. In daily life, we process food almost robotically, more concerned with refueling our bodies for further production, we rarely take the time to sit back and focus on the finer subtleties of taste. When we travel, we do allow ourselves to passively slide down those gustatory neural pathways, but we only scratch the surface of what's possible with our sensory equipment.
We ordered some biryani, calamari, and shrimp with several sauces.
The calamari was crunchy and hot. The biryani dish was an orgy of flavors. You think I'm kidding? Let me tell you. There was a party on my tongue and everyone was invited. Indian spices didn’t mess around. They assault the gustatory and olfactory senses with intense flavors and aromas.
“They are masters of the spice,” I said. “I can see why our European ancestors sailed upon these distant shores. This is delicious!”
The heat of the spices and the effect of the drink quickly lifted my mood. I marveled at the shimmering sea, the chilled cows floating in the karmic waves, and the afternoon breezes that cooled my forehead.
The body is not made to mechanically and repetitively move about an assembly line or maze of cubicles. The body is an ancient space-time ship propelled by sandals through the back alleys of Agonda. Among unfurled psychedelic flags rippling in the breeze, the knick-knacks for tourists, colorful cushions inviting us to a soft landing. There was a a quaint archaic charm to the place. Embodying an eternal spirit that flourishes in the mists of time. Unfathomably deep and unknowable. I was keenly aware that even when traveling, we do not truly leave home. Our new experiences are filtered through the old lenses. Rarely do we experience the true raw naked reality of a new place. Yet, in those moments when you do manage to pull yourself back and be in a place as it is, not as you think it is, then that moment of grace is a revelation of conscious experience as the ultimate aphrodisiac.
Several cows and their calfs slowly made their way along the main road or simply lay down in the middle of it for a quick nap.
“They’re so cute,” said Bianca.
“They seem pretty relaxed.”
Motorists swerved around them, giving the creatures some space but causing all sorts of chaos along the way. I chuckled as I watched the spatial conundrum caused by the beautifully docile creatures who ruled like the lords and ladies of Goa.
Looking around, I could see how a place like this could attract the somatic wizards from the 60s and 90s. The laid back atmosphere with fronds swaying in the breeze, the Hindu religious iconography, similar to their lysergic visions, and the friendly locals who smiled softly, as if knowing some ancient secret that westerners have only just begun to uncover.
After taking out money from the bank machine, we stood along the main road.
“Now what do we do?” asked Bianca looking this way and that.
“The sky is the limit," I said, "but these new sandals are killing me. I got blisters already, and the sand is making them worse. I need to go back to the shack and get new footwear.”
"I told you to break them in first."
We headed towards the beach away from the center of town. I was limping, so I took off my sandals and walked along the shore with the waves soothing my feet. Ah yes! That's the stuff!
As evening fell, we sat near the shore and watched the spectacular Goan sun turn red then purple near the hazy horizon. A slight smoky scent permeated the atmosphere. The waves crashed on the shore, and the foam fizzled on the sand. It was a soothing murmuring sound, a timeless frequency that mesmerized us and beckoned us deeper into the entrancing mystery of India.
Dive into another day:
1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4
Images and video by @litguru
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/reixmxgh
“It’s too bad most of the BDs we do here are only good for flogging the log.”
Judy at Lizzie’s Bar- Cyberpunk 2077
Sci-fi authors, designers, and artists like to show us blueprints for possible (and impossible) futures. William Gibson described one of the most titillating possibilities by imagining a world in which humans could directly interface with neuro-computational networks. This idea gave birth to other possibilities like the metaverse, the matrix, OASIS, and so on. Cyberspace, another term popularized by Gibson, became the staple of the cyberpunk genre and has appeared in various forms in literature, board games, movies and video games. More recently, the wizards at CD Projekt Red have presented us with their vision of the future which involves doing a little brain dance.
No matter what you may have seen on movies or video games, we do not yet understand how our brain represents information internally. For example, if I tell you to think of a white elephant, then what does that representation look like in your neural net? It could be a highly detailed image similar to a computer graphic. On the other hand, it could be something more abstract, indescribable like a Picasso painting involving not only visual input but also auditory, kinesthetic, sensory, and so forth. Perhaps it’s somewhere in between, a kind of Dalian constellation of dream-forms held together by the persistence of memory. We just don’t know.
In the Cyberpunk 2077 video game, there is a technology called a BrainDance (BD) that allows a user to relive the recorded experiences of other people. Brain implants are required to record the original experience, which can then be transferred into a file (the BrainDance) and replayed with the help of head-mounted brain devices, allowing the operator to relive the experiences of the other person, including sounds, sights, feelings, sensations, and even emotions. They are a form of entertainment that is mainly used for sex and violence. In the context of the game, BDs are used to systematically analyze a scene in order to gain clues that advance the plot. BDs could be considered their own mini-game, serving a similar function that Gwent served in the Witcher 3 game, also created by CD Projekt Red.
In the absence of real world scientific data about how our brain represents information, the game designers had to imagine what BD technology would look like, keeping in mind the limits of current human-computer interaction. It could very well be that the mental constructs we actually develop are virtually incomprehensible if you try to recreate them in a computer game. Fleeting sense impressions like ghost ships in the cognitive waves. Nevertheless, creating a model of these mental abstractions in a video game can lead us to think of novel ways of exploring and navigating our consciousness in real life.
I recorded a BD the other day, and I thought it would be a good idea to deconstruct the clip and dig deeper into this hypothetical technology. If you play this game, then you likely know everything there’s to know about BDs and probably more. But I know that some people don’t play this game, so they might be interested in learning more about the ideas and concepts underlying its cyberpunk narrative. Also keep in mind that this is not a tutorial but just a discussion of the concept and its implementation.
The embedded video clip shows the protagonist, V, accessing a BD from security personnel. It contains a scene from the perspective of a guard, who is about to meet a violent end. I inserted headings throughout outlining the different components of the BD interface.
In the clip, V appears to be talking to someone. That’s just Keanu Reeve’s engram, which I discussed in a previous post. This little cameo by the actor also brings furthers questions about the brain technology underlying these neural net dreams. How is it all actually wired up within the nervous system? But let’s ignore Keanu and focus on the actual BD, as envisioned by the designers at CD Projekt Red.
In normal playback, the BD scene looks just like any ordinary in-game scene. There’s nothing surreal or “psychological” about it. Therefore, in this design scheme, the contents of someone's recorded consciousness look just like a faithful copy of the real world- clean, crisp, and rich in detail. As seen in the video, you can “rewind” the scenes the way you would an old style video tape. They even included some of the tape jitter one sees in old videos. It’s rather clever of the designers to use this anachronistic trick to denote the passage of time in a futuristic game. It pays homage to the era that gave birth to the Cyberpunk genre. In reality, it is not clear how we recall memories, but it’s unlikely that we “rewind” through them like an old tape. Our attentional spotlight somehow scans the cognitive darkness to reveal the ephemeral forms of memory. These neural abstractions are likely more phantasmagoric than those envisioned by the game designers. We do have to remember that they had limits imposed by the interactive technology being used to tell the tale (e.g., PCs, consoles, controllers, keyboards, and screens). So using a realistic approach would've been more difficult and time-consuming, particularly in an industry notorious for it's crunched deadlines.
The surreal, or mental, bits show up when you start interacting with the BD, and its various layers in the timeline editor. The game allows the player to search for narrative clues in the BD. When you activate the editor, you’ll be able to interact with three layers of the scene: visual. thermal, and auditory. Along the top of the BD interface, you see three sets of bars, each denoting a layer for accessing visual (yellow), thermal (blue), auditory (green) information. When a segment of any of the three bars becomes brighter, then somewhere along the timeline (as highlighted along the top bar), there is a clue. You have to analyze the scene (usually by pixel-hunting) and find the clues that will reveal further information hidden in the scene. Once you have found (or think you have) all the clues, then you can end the BD.
When you access each layer in the editor, the graphical environment changes its visual design. Instead of a sharp and vivid scene, you see a dark scene constructed of points of light that mainly render the objects of interest and facilitates the search. In the video, the first layer that I accessed was the thermal layer. Any clue with a strong heat signature will show up as yellow and red. Imagine what it would take to be able to record someone’s cognitive experiences and extract heat signatures from artifacts in the recording. The game designers took it a step further. After analyzing a heat signature from a device like a security camera, the player can access the recorded footage from said camera. This means that at the time that a person is recording a BD, he/she is also extracting data from surrounding devices and networks. We’re talking some really far out (and far-fetched?) technology here.
In the auditory layer, the player can analyze sounds like voices or ambient noises. The important sounds are denoted by the green concentric rings, which I imagine is the representation of a sound wave. Analyzing the rings reveals audio clues important to narrative development. In this scene, the clue is a conversation between characters.
The visual layer shows information using a similar pointillist design as the thermal and auditory layers. Sufficient detail is shown for the player to get a sense of the environment and facilitate the location and analysis of clues.
In editor mode, the scene has a more psychological feel to it. It’s somewhat haunting and strange. When you first enter it, an eerie feeling comes over you. There is an initial sense of disorientation and spookiness. It’s like watching someone’s raw consciousness. I wish they had given this weird vibe from the get-go. Perhaps they could’ve warped the geometry of the scene like in the movie Inception. In any case, the editor gives one a sense that one is interacting with a neural construct and not just a normal video. Regardless of its feasibility, the end result is a game scene with a hallucinatory quality to it, and for the first time we get the impression that we are experiencing a
graphic representation of data abstracted from banks of every computer in the human system. Unthinkable complexity. Lines of light ranged in the nonspace of the mind, clusters and constellations of data. Like city lights, receding...
William Gibson, Neuromancer
As mentioned, the BD is like its own mini-game, the way Gwent was in the Witcher game. Unfortunately, the BD is not as engaging and fun as Gwent was. It’s a shame because there’s a wealth of research on how the brain processes information at the sensory, perceptual, and cognitive levels. Yet, it seems to me that few games are taking advantage of this publicly available information. Imagine playing a triple-A game that actually tests your mental skills and abilities in a systematic manner, records the results, and plays them back to you for further refinement. That’s one of the things that makes me excited about video games. They’re not games per se, but systems capable of helping you examine the contents of your consciousness by making that famous Apollonian aphorism a reality- know thyself.
I know that Elon Musk is working hard on Neuralink, but in my very humble opinion, the chances of BD technology being ready by 2077 are fairly low, but you never know. There’s just a lot that we don’t know about how our own consciousness work, and for some reason we seem reluctant to find out. Psychology in general has that spooky vibe about it, so I understand why people shy away from the topic. We just don’t like learning about our own plumbing. This is why sci-fi video games are important. They provide us with a playful and interactive blueprint of the future that prepares us for what is coming down the evolutionary pipe. Mutation shock is lessened when the species is prepared. Will we be able to share memories and experiences in the future? I’m absolutely sure of it. Will it look like a Cyberpunk 2077 BrainDance? Not likely. Whatever form it takes, it will be delightfully bizarre, and that is perhaps the scariest part of these unmapped territories. How ready are we to tango with the one behind the mirror? Will we use these technologies to understand ourselves at a meta level? Or are we forever destined to use neural tech as just as another way of facilitating the flogging of the proverbial log?
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/anujeeif
Joanna jumped across the purple rocks nestled against the sea, and when she found a nice spot with a close view of the water, she lay on her side with a notebook and pencil in hand, cradled on the nook between two large boulders.
Stationery had been a luxury during the war, but now that it was over, she could afford to buy some basic supplies and take the time to continue her drawing studies. During the war there was no time for sketching, not unless it was in the service of war itself. Her uncle, for example, used to be a painter, but during the war he made a living drawing blueprints for the force, and even designed posters to motivate the population.
The waves lapped against the rocks and made the most wonderful gurgling sound. The neon-blue seaweed floated gently beneath the waves. Joanna was mesmerized by its motion, back and forth, swaying in a most elegant and complex way.
Houston, her golden retriever, came over and sniffed around.
“What are you doing, silly boy?" she said stroking him. "What are you looking for, eh?”
Houston looked up at her, barked once, attempted to lick her face, then skipped along the rocks wagging his tail.
She looked at the waves, the play of light on them, the dance of the seaweed beneath the water, and the many delicate shadows that ebbed and flowed in the calm yet lively sea. She drew a few tentative lines. Stopped. Her eyes darted from detail to detail, pencil hovering over the page. Then she began anew. She drew as fast as she could draw without thinking too much about it. When she was done, she examined her work. It was a composite image of the seaweed dancing in the waves. To an observer, the work would look superb, but she simply tsk-tsked, shook her head, and turned to a new page.
Why couldn’t she get the motion right? The sense of movement in the stillness of the page. Maybe one day, she would save enough funds to afford a light-box and actually capture the movement, not just the flat impression.
She flipped the page.
Houston barked.
“Oi, what are you going on about, boy?”
Joanna peered over the edge of the crater and saw Lilly running down the beach.
Houston ran towards Lilly and jumped on her, sending both of them down onto the rusty red sand.
Joanna giggled.
At last, Lilly managed to disentangle herself from Houston and came up the rocks, gasping for air.
“You should’ve gotten a poodle,” said Lilly looking at the frisky pooch.
“What is it?” Joanna asked her. “I told you not to bother me.”
Lilly reached into the pocket of her dress and took out an envelope.
“It’s from Mark,” she said with a big smile.
“From mark!? Give it here.”
Lilly put the envelope behind her back and blew kisses at her cousin.
“Joanna and Mark, sitting on a tree, K-I-S-“
“Don’t be a pest,” Joanna told her. “This is serious!”
“It’s not so serious,” Lilly teased her.
“How would you know?”
“’Cause I already read the message.”
“You wouldn’t dare!”
Lilly finally relented and handed over the letter to Joanna who eagerly read it.
Sweetest Love,
My tour is coming to an end, and I’ll be home soon. We depart Earth on Thursday and will arrive on Mars within a month’s time. I cannot wait to see you and hold you. Give everyone my best, and tell Lilly, I look forward to her new cookies recipe.
*Always,
Mark*
She read the letter several times as if trying to extract some secret meaning. It was almost like a dream. After two years away on that terrible planet, he was coming back to her. She realized that Lilly was looking at her with a big grin.
“You DID read it, didn’t you?” Joanna accused her.
Lilly laughed and scrambled along the rocks with Houston barking alongside her.
Joanna peered over the rocks and looked at the waves. The light sparkled on the water. She wondered if the seas on Earth looked the same as those on Mars.
Overhead, the sound of a biplane crossed the orange sky. She tried to get back to her sketching but with the news from Mark, it was hard to concentrate. She watched the seaweed dance for a little awhile. She would certainly save for a light-box, she decided. You could even make three-dimensional films with it. Who knows? She might be able make a living making films and showcasing them at art festivals. Now that the war was over, the sky was the limit.
Thank you for reading my entry to The InkWell prompt #55: Lens.
Images and video by @litguru
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/xqacitiw
Do you like your RPG game experience ruined by a long-winded discussion with a bunch of plot spoilers? Then you’ve come to the right place! Let’s get buuuusyyy!
Cyberpunk 2077 appeared on the video game scene like a fart in an elevator. The audience piled up the rotten tomatoes on CD PROJEKT RED (of Witcher games fame), and the game was flogged pretty good in social media. I think that I’m one of the few who didn’t mind the game when it first came out. Then again, I didn’t play long enough to come across any nasty glitches. I put it aside and decided to pick it up once some of the bugs had been worked out. I recently began playing it again and recorded a bit of game play.
From a narrative perspective, this game is as dense as Christmas fruitcake. Every little slice is packed with plot goodness. I have to admit, I don’t like too much dialog when playing video games. I just want to get on with the smacking and the blowing. Cyberpunk 2077 has a lot of diolog, half the game is sitting around talking. You can easily get lost in a morass of ideas and technical jargon. Being a cyberpunk fan, I’m already familiar with the concepts of the genre, so I take it all for granted. I easily forget just how philosophically intoxicating these themes can be. This post is an attempt to sit back, mull those themes over, and consider the narrative experience in a more thoughtful manner.
We often eat the fruit and throw away the seeds. Discard them as if they’re nothing important. Yet, the seed contains the most important part of the fruit- its genetic blueprint for future development. It’s the same with art, and science fiction in particular. We’re often dazzled by the colors, the flashes, and the creamy protuberances, then we carelessly discard the seed message and its implication for our own future development. In all the hand-wringing surrounding the game's near-Hindenburgean release, we ignored the importance of its themes. A shame really. After all, there is a reason why these ideas are enduring and are being told once again.
Back in the 80s, William Gibson published his breakthrough novel, Neuromancer. In this novel, Gibson introduced the concept of cyberspace, and the idea that in the future, we’ll be able to neurally hook ourselves to this "consensual hallucination" via computer consoles. Consciousness would not be limited to the meat body but could extend across cybernetic networks. Talk about consciousness expansion! Since then, this theme has been explored in various novels (Snow Crash), games (Deus Ex), and movies (the Matrix). It is an enduring viral idea that is also a key element of the Cyberpunk 2077 narrative.
For those who are not familiar with Cyberpunk 2077, it’s a video game in which the player assumes the role of V. You can play the game from the perspective of different characters- as a street-smart hustler, a corporate dude, or a nomad. You choose your background at the beginning of the game. I chose to play as a streetkid because this one seemed the most interesting to me.
Massive Spoilers incoming in 3, 2, 1…
I’m not going to get into all the details of the plot because I want to focus on the themes as described in this particular scene. In the game, characters are able to connect neurally to computer networks and interact with engrams, backup copies or constructs of an individual’s consciousness. Our hero protagonist, V, is neurally equipped to interface with engrams and during one of his jobs, the engram of a terrorist rock star, Johnny Silverhand, is inserted into his brain. V, the protagonist, actually gets murdered, but because of the chip in his brain, he comes back to life. The only downside to this astonishing turn of events is that the engram of Johnny Silverhand became active and began interacting with V's neural system. Did I mention that Johnny Silverhand is played by none other than Keanu Reeves of Matrix fame? That’s right. In this game, you’re stuck with Keanu Reeves inside your head.
As an aside, this is one of Keanu’s best performances. It’s not necessarily his acting skills that are compelling, but the strong sense of immersion you derive from the interaction, and the feeling that you and Keanu do indeed share a special bond. I get a chuckle every time he shows up and starts with his smart-ass quips. It’s rather unfortunate that not many people will get to interact with the actor in this manner. It’s really a superb experience.
In the scene shown in the video, the protagonist, V, is already aware that Silverhand is inside his mind, and that the chip in his brain is going to kill him in due time, unless he finds help. Those who have read Gibson’s Neuromancer will find this story line familiar. In Neuromancer, the anti-hero, Case, is implanted with sacs that contain a neurotoxin that will dissolve in his nervous system unless he completes a job on time. The job has to do with the memories and thought-patterns of some famous hacker. Sound familiar?
In Cyberpunk 2077, V has captured Hellman, a neuro-engineer who is familiar with the chip inside V’s head. V has taken Hellman to a motel, where he interrogates him about what he knows regarding the chip now lodged in V’s neural network. In this scene, Hellman conducts a quick examination of V’s chip and proceeds to tell him the bad news.
Silverhand’s graphical avatar is supposed to be only visible to V because Silverhand (Keanu) is just a neural engram, the thought-patterns of the long dead rebel. From time to time, his image flickers to remind us of Silverhand’s “virtual” construction. While this flickering effect seems futuristic, it is actually anachronistic. After all, we’re dealing with a neural, not a digital construct. The flickering effect has been derived from the visual noise of old fashioned tapes and early era computer glitches. We can only imagine what neural glitches will actually look like if we ever get that far.
So Hellman tells V the real bad news: the chip has become embedded in his neural network. Terrible. This is the part that makes us squeamish about the idea of computer chips in the brain. It’s one thing to replace a hip or even a heart, which can be removed if necessary, but it's quite another when you embed something that literally becomes a part of you. Unfortunately, there just doesn’t appear to be any other way. The artificial and the neural must interface somehow. If we’re going to cybernetically merge with computational devices- and everything seems to be pointing that way- then we need to get synaptic.
The Cyberpunk genre has become so saturated that we take this idea of chip-in-the-brain for granted. We forget how ontologically and metaphysically shocking the notion is. Let’s put it in context. It has taken evolutionary processes billions of years to develop the human neural network with all its intricate computational complexities. Now we’re getting close to a time when we will be able to accelerate neural evolution by manufacturing components artificially, giving us the ability to enhance and create new forms of consciousness within an astonishing short amount of time.
Ah yes, there's always Sweden. Which reminds me, what’s up with Sweden?
“It’s programmed to take over its new environment. At all costs.”
Clutches pearls and faints.
Take a deep breath, relax, and read that line a few more times.
I assume there will be people in positions of power who will abuse this chip technology. That is a given. We all know the usual suspects. I used to think that something like this wouldn’t happen in the western world because we’re all freedom loving individuals and would never let it happen. Seeing the state of the world nowadays, I’m sure it will happen. What better way to control what people say and do than by giving total neural control to a bunch of bureaucrats in the politburo. When that day comes, the natural response to this will be horror and recoil at the possibility of government mandated brain chips. It will inevitably turn many against the technology. They may even fight against it, but it will be futile. This is why I’m in agreement with Elon Musk; we either put the chip in ourselves or someone else will do it for us.
We used to talk about multiple personality disorder (now dissociative identity disorder) with the understanding that this was a disruption in one’s mental functioning. We did not and still do not believe that there are two or more separate personalities within a person who suffers this condition. An engram, as conceptualized in the game, is a different ball of wax because the engram contains the neural patterns of a real separate personality. So you're not just imagining things, you do have multiple personalities within you.
This is thoughtful and clever writing. Through this piece of dialog, the writers are letting us know that our subjective experience of Johnny, as a graphical entity we can interact with, is not real, it only seems real to us. At the neural level something else is happening, which to some extent is outside our control. This is the kind of nuance, you can miss if you’re not keen on sitting through extensive dialog scenes, of which this game has plenty.
Imagine having a chip embedded in your brain that will slowly merge with your neural apparatus and eventually take over. The change will be inevitable and perhaps irreversible. What could be the consequences of such a drastic alteration?
The engram has the capacity to take over the host’s personality to the point of influencing his or her behavior. This is exhilaratingly thrilling and spooky at the same time. I can see the positive and the negative in this system. Imagine someone who’s paralyzed and requires a neural patch to regain mobility. Just get a chip. Imagine someone who’s shy and would prefer to be more outgoing. Just get a chip. Maybe someone has an unhealthy fear of spiders. Nothing that a chip in the brain couldn't fix. Perhaps they would like to be a better lover. Chip it good, chip it real good. Or maybe someone doesn’t want to get vaccinated. Wait what?
Hellman is just trying to mess with V’s head, but he’s got a good point. At what point in the process, does your old self disappear, and the self (or selves) embedded in the chip take over? Would it be a seamless transition or an abrupt dissociation from your old self. This is mind-boggling to think about, as anyone who’s had experience with ego dissolution can tell you. As a society, it’s a conversation we’ll need to have sooner or later.
This is what makes Keanu’s performance in this game exceptional. The wry sense of humor and just plain bad-assness of his character. The tension of the conversation is broken by his mischievous lowbrow wit. At the end of the day, when trying to look into the near or far future, the titanic shift looming over the horizon, you gotta keep that sense of humor. Be like Keanu. And if you’re not the type of person who enjoys his type of humor, then have I got the perfect engram for you!
This type of dialogue makes Cyberpunk 2077 a great, though not spectacular, game from a narrative standpoint. In some ways, I feel like this story has been told already, and we’ve tread down this path before. The theme of our intimate relationship with artificial electronics is enduring and central to the cyberpunk mythos, but it is perhaps our cultural statement that this type of chip-in-the-brain future is inevitable and just around the corner. We won’t have to be dragged to that future kicking and screaming because it will wash over us like a tsunami. Some of us will go along, some of will fight against it, and some of us will let the chips fall where they may.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/rkydfoja
Video games can teach you many lessons about life. About relationships and experiencing life together, for example. Some researchers say that we reach our video game peak around 24 years of age. This is the time when we’re at our most nimble mentally and physically. Then life goes on. You find a girl (or guy), you set up a home, and then you grow together and leave video games behind. Later, after you’ve done some adulting, you get back to the digital fold and realize that you now suck at video games. You’re not as nimble with the controller, you’re not as perceptive of the surrounding environment, you’re not as fast in detecting threats, and navigating through the mazes. Yet, you’re still growing together and sharing those special memories.
“What the fuck are you doing?”
“It’s not me. The controller is not working.”
"What do you mean it's not working?"
"Look, look. I press the button and nothing happens."
Soon you also get blown up, and you realize it’s not her, it’s not you, it’s both of you. Time passed while your heads were down and now a simple task is a gargantuan struggle.
“Oh my god. Pay attention to the gun.”
“What gun?”
“The one that keeps blasting your ass! The tank gun! Swerve from side to side to avoid it.”
“Okay, but don’t get mad. I’m trying my best.”
"I'm not mad."
"You're shouting."
"Just pay gaddamn attention to the tank."
Compassion in the face of adversity. The wisdom of the ages. Yes, it's difficult to stay calm when you got a tank barreling on top of you. But it’s just a game, right? Nothing to get worked up about. Together you have faced more difficult obstacles and overcome them.
“Okay look. Let’s calm down a bit, or we're gonna be here forever.”
“You’re the one who’s freaking out.”
“We’re getting stuck at the end of the hallway. It comes to an end, but because WE'RE BOTH freaking out, we don’t realize it. Once you get to the end of the hallway, there’s a door to the side. Go through the door, and we’ll be safe.”
“Alright.”
"Remember. Situational awareness is the key."
"Got it."
That’s it. It’s the poetry of life. You don’t have to fly to the moon to make it work. You don't have to climb mount Everest. You don’t have to create an amazing work of art. You don't have to be rich and famous. To grow in harmony together and save the world from the zombie apocalypse, all you need to do is pay attention to your surroundings and don't freak out.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/ieybpfmg
The city has shrunk. Viral spaces have grown, segregated by ribonucleic function. Genetic social engineering. Never mind the passports that keep you from entering certain places. Your polite resistance. Vaccinated or not, the virus is still there. Feel like playing Russian roulette?
In the fancy restaurants downtown, life stirs again. Packed with baby boomers. I don’t think their generation expected this final battle. Welcome to the 21st century, flower children, our holograms are ready to serve you.
Many places are still empty. Cafes, usually bustling on a Friday night, now sit empty with chairs stacked on top of tables. Stores boarded up and closed for good. Dark. Silence. The younger crowds scattered or missing altogether. They’re at Earl’s; yes, it’s always happening at Earl’s.
The constriction is real. Palpable. The pandemic, like an anaconda, slowly squeezing the life out of the city. Not as bad last year when there was more silence and darkness. Now, there is more light and sound. Faces. Like Picasso porn, disjointed scenes full of promise and titillation.
Avoid the crowded streets. Always.
“Check out that dude ahead of us. He’s got a vape. Watch how the steam blows out of his mouth. Can you smell it? The sweet aroma of the vapor? Those particles traveled all the way from his lungs and into our nostrils. The same goes for everyone around us. The very act of breathing. We’re lucky in a way. If this virus had been just a bit stronger…”
Corona-punks. Anti-heros. Shunned to the margins because some nerd made a mistake in a Chinese lab and released this thing into the world. Or was it by design? Anything is possible at this point. Apparently, they wanted to infect bats with nano-aerosols containing chimeric spike proteins. You can’t make that shit up. Reality in scifi mode.
So for now, we’ll have to content ourselves with strolling along the razor-thin edges of the city. Find pleasures wherever we can. Try to put the virus out of our minds while avoiding close contact with others. Talk about cognitive dissonance. Ha! There is no escape. We still don’t know how it will come to an end. Shall we ask the oracle? Maybe it’ll blow over with just a little sneeze, or maybe it will drown us in waves. Whichever, Pandora’s genetic box of goodies has been opened. We’ll just have to deal with it.
So faced with this existential threat, what are our priorities this Friday evening?
Reggaeton music blares from taco trucks, right across from the gallery, where the native children memorial has been set up in Robson square. There is heavy foot traffic this cool evening. Not quiet as busy as it used to be, but a bit of the old vibrancy has returned. A quivering and nervous energy permeates the autumnal atmosphere.
Plenty of masks but not as many as last Fall. As I navigate through the crowds, I wonder who’s vaxxed and who isn’t? Maybe in the future we can develop an AR app to scan people and quickly determine someone’s vaccination status. Wouldn’t that be fabulous, kids? Welcome to the new and improved dating game!
But enough of my nonsense, and let’s get to what I really came here to talk about: Arthur Erickson.
This famous architect was born in Vancouver. He designed many buildings world-wide and several in his home town that included a museum, a university, downtown square, and other landmarks of the Vancouver urbanscape. His last major work was the Trump tower downtown. So the man was obviously a very stable genius.
A new art installation called ‘Erickson Revealed’ showcased to the public recently, so I decided to check it out. That’s what I find myself doing downtown instead of solving the world’s problems back in my secret lair. The installation consists of video clips and images projected onto the side of a building that used to be known as the MacMillan Bloedel office tower, but has now been changed to the Arthur Erickson tower in honor of the prolific and influential architect. Multimedia wizards projected a 10-minute film honoring Erickson, who passed away in 2009.
We congregate on the sidewalk across the building, maintaining a safe distance from one another. The sound of music rises, and the windows flicker with light. Red, purples, and greens. Bright geometrical patterns. Photographs of a young Erickson flash across the projection along his architectural masterpieces. After about 10 minutes, the music rises to a crescendo, and the show comes to an end. Then it starts again in a loop until 10 PM.
So that’s what we’re doing at the end of the world, faced with an existential crisis, we move on and try to forget. Behind me, the classical music fades. Ahead, the streets glisten with that old glint of pre-pandemic life. Uneasy and furtive glances. Let us act normal shall we? Stick apart and just try to forget.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/nmftjgrc
“ARE YOU AFRAID OF DYING!?”
The mistress of ceremonies shouts into a phallic microphone. She’s dressed in a dainty pirate’s outfit that hides little of her exquisitely engineered chrome figure. Her face is smooth with no visible features, except for a single eye patch bolted on her quicksilver facade.
“NO!” The audience hollers.
A silvery-green mechanical parrot hovers near her shoulder, glittering like a Christmas decoration.
“Lying dogs! Lying dogs!” The parrot whistles and squawks.
“Yes, Lorito is right. You’re all a bunch of lying dogs.”
Hooting and hollering, the attendees wave their arms.
The android heaves her bosoms and cracks her whip as she spins in micro-gravity.
“ARE YOU AFRAID OF DYING?” she asks again.
“YES!!!” The audience shouts, roaring with laughter.
The lights dim.
I look at Sarah. She's floating beside me, and she seems just as puzzled as I am, though a slight smile has appeared on her lips. I don’t like it when she smiles that way.
It’s our last day in the Three-Eyed Geisha. I’ve been trying to lay low and prepare for the trip tomorrow, but this is a show I cannot afford to ignore. We received an invitation from Hana Sensei herself early this morning. So, we had no real choice in the matter, given that she is now our patron and benefactor- our only chance to complete our ill-conceived mission.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” calls out the android, “I present to you, the magnificent flower of Spring, The Petal of the East, and our Chief Geisha Officer, Hana Sensei!”
In the silence, a bell tolls, and I hear a girl’s voice.
“We used to go to the hills and fly white paper planes. He taught me how to fold the pages. I love white paper planes.”
The silhouette of the kimono-clad Hana floats across the room. She’s holding the familiar box of gears on her palm. Her fingers dance above it, and an ethereal melody permeates the atmosphere.
The voice in the box changes, grows deeper and turns into a man. “Fear of death… that’s how they control you.”
Loops and electronic beats pulsate through my body.
The room spins, and soon we’re all floating uncontrollably through the circular chamber.
Ancient holographic cities rise. Spurred onwards by agricultural processes and industrial inventions, cultures evolve and become more complex. The men and women in the audience marvel at the intricate and fast-paced renderings. We see the exploitation of muscular and mechanical power, societies rushing headlong into the information future. Smoke rising from factories and transforming into a ring of digital fire.
“Manage the gene pool!” the parrot squawks.
The walls spin around us, and strong air currents send us tumbling through the air.
“Obey!” Shouts the pirate. “Submit to authority in the face of death. Food for the worms or cooked in the oven. It’s your only way out.”
“Submit! Submit” echoes her parrot, swiftly flying in micro-g.
Our bodies bump and press against each other.
“Weak and helpless,” the mistress shouts, “sacrifice your individuality for the collective. How else can we build a post-industrial society?”
Robed figures glide into the room, followed by a column of coffins and floating candles.
“Death! Death! Alarm bells!” shouts the parrot.
“That’s right, Lorito! Warning! Warning! Alarm!” She twirls and hovers before the procession. “They’ll activate your death circuit when you’re most vulnerable. In the hospital bed. They offer visions of graves and tombstones; the chanting of the last rites. Turn on reflexive primitive fears. Helplessness and submission. They’ll accept nothing less.”
A fine mist is sprayed into the room. I feel lightheaded. We hold on to the throbbing beat.
Graphical images hover like glowing ghosts. Pyramids, temples, houses of worship throughout the centuries materialize and crumble in an instant. Empires morph to the beat of technology. Cocoons for the next evolutionary phases. Two lovers thrown out of the garden. Wandering the earth as sinners. Arab harems blowing in the desert sand. Arranged marriages. Desperate housewives. The mating ritual controlled by community standards. Sperm-egg fusion in the service of the genetic hive.
“Ah, yes, they’ll show up at your deathbed and deal some instant karma. Your ticket to paradise between the hospital beds and the graveyard.”
“Warning! Submit! Obey!” Lorito squawks.
Holographic paper planes fly through the air.
“Obey! Submit!” Squawk!
“Yes, Lorito is right!” the mistress says and cracks her whip. “If you want salvation, they say, a ticket to the eternal gated community in the sky, then you must-“
“Obey! Submit!” Squawk!
“What lies beyond fear?”
Neon letters flash in the air:
CyberNetic consciousness
MetaBiology
Visions of a multiverse
Genetic mutation
Post-Metabolic intelligence
Neural downloads
Quantum Uplink
The bass pounds in my chest and swirling frenetic loops disorient me.
I stumble towards Sarah.
Fingers reach but never quite touch.
She smiles as she disappears in a tangle of arms and legs.
“I love white paper planes.”
The funeral figures disrobe themselves. The coffins fly open, and a flock of android angels soar into the air.
A laser image of God reaching down with his finger. Pulsating, it burns afterimages on my retina. Multi-armed Siva destroys the holograms with his fire.
We’re a floating mass of sweaty flesh, gripping (and groping) in a maelstrom of sensuality.
“Death imprint!” the parrot squawks. “Fear!”
“We’re no longer living in the stone age or industrial eras when management of death by the select few was necessary. The individual didn’t matter. Only the structure and cohesiveness of the hive was of essence. But we’re in the post-biologic era, landlubbers, we should be free! They still refuse to give up control of your dying process, and you let them have that control. Eager to submit. The death reflex is your chain. Your fear of death is your prison.”
“Got you right by the balls!” shouts Lorito and sprays a shower of sparks across the air.
The music is frantic.
“Right to die, cybernetic consciousness, euthanasia, cryogenics, astral displacement, teleportation, immortality- any form of individual self-control over metabolic death is a threat to their power.”
“Pilot your own soul!” Squawk!
Whipped into a frenzy, our bodies collide.
“Social mechanisms of birth control.”
Hana’s third eye flies open.
“Navigate the postmortem rituals. Monopolize your own dying process.”
“Abolish fear of death!” Squawk!
Three-dimensional cities grow in the virtual night.
A flashing road sign reads, ‘terminal lane. Next exit.’
Pulled into the momentum of the carnal maelstrom, I’m flung towards Hana Sensei.
She holds up the box on her palm and her fingers dance around it.
“Death is a grave mistake,” says the voice of an old man with a chuckle.
I crash against the wall just as the melody subsides and a girl’s voice hangs in the air.
“I love white paper planes.”
Read other parts
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Part 10
Part 11
Part 12
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/apiaubtk
Yes, I know the way is clear, but please bear with me a moment. Take out your compass and your pencil then make a mark here and there on the map, turn that dial, flip that lid, don’t break it, let us set our needle to magnetic north and align our purpose with our destination. A two and half hour hike in that direction. Along the river shore, around the lake, and into the singing creek.
Now comes the first heavy footstep as you begin your trek down the trail and into the wild, backpack bouncing- ahoy! and hello mighty trees and hello little berries and hello wild flowers and ancient ferns, hello tectonic dreams
"Hello hello hello!"
Peering into the forest, where nature flourishes and where she decays, recycled by forces so vast that they span entire human lifetimes.
"Should we hang our bear bells from our packs now?"
Look around look around. There is nothing to fear but-
“Hello mr. bear! Would you like some berries? You must be hungry after such a long slumber."
o gurgling stream! flowing like dreams during REM sleep, unstoppable, uncontrollable, just swirling and merging and flowing on and on-
every pressure point is activated as we trek down the path, parting aside the long prickly brambles and leafs, something poking on the side, it’s time to stop, strap, unstrap, adjust, have a snack, a drink water
“Hello heat stroke!”
the river was not visible yet as we turned this way and that with the mountains looking down at us and probably wondering what in the world we were doing here.
then we could hear the rush of water and down the ravine the icy rushing waters through the trees, unstoppable, mighty- no meandering stream that one but a mind-boggling torrent of glacial water ripping through the earth.
"A way a lone a last a loved a long the riverrun, past Eve and Adam's, from swerve of shore to bend of bay, brings us by a commodius vicus of recirculation back to Howth Castle and Environs."
Don't you just love a girl that can shout quotes from James Joyce while hauling 35 pounds of gear on her back and she acts like she don't a give damn for her soul rejoices like a pagan in the altar of Earth-
But we could not ignore the magnificent torrent of water rushing beside us.
"You ain't in Kansas no more, hiking boy!" shouted mother nature like a crazed hag, "you're in my domain now! WOOOOOSHHHHHHHH! Ahahahaha!"
We're so small, so small-
“Hello existential angst!”
Yet so bold that we watch a few videos, buy some gear and provisions, carefully inventory them, weigh them, yes, even the trail bars, draft a plan, act on plans- review, rinse, repeat until no second has been left unaccounted for- An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure- especially when you’re about to throw yourself at the mercy of the elements for fives in the mountains and forests of the Pacific Northwest. Back-country wilderness camping to boot. Think food preparation, shelter, bedding, health, safety- bears, cougars, and Sasquatches. No vehicles, no stores, no carefully manicured campsites, no nearby hospitals, no sassy nurses! Just you and whatever you have on your back pinned against the rumbling tumbling forces of nature.
“Hello pioneer!”
Or so you tell yourself for the foolishness you have set in motion as you prod along the snaking muddy trail and plunge headlong into the wild; no stopping you now, you have conquered your primal fear, cast your fate upon your wits- huffing, puffing, there's no turning back, you might as well look up with determination and wave hello hello hello at the great unknown! Read more:
Part 1, 2, 3
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=litguru/mmhbfhkb
Nature is relentless, unapologetic, and unstoppable. She follows her own set of often brutal Darwinian rules. Fighting, fleeing, feeding, and f...
As we further consider the preceding statements, let's not get entangled in semantic and conceptual hots waters in regards to what does or does not constitute the natural world. The old tired dichotomy of natural and artificial is not and never was at play except in the symbolic artifacts of human thought. We are a product of the natural world, are we not? Our actions, behaviors, and creations are as natural as the early morning sun. Didn't Moby say, we're all made of stars?
As the virus has swept across the world, humans have retreated to smaller ranges. Confined to our homes and neighborhoods, we no longer frequent public areas or visit one another as much as we used to prior to the pandemic. Our habitability zone has narrowed. Now the rest of nature marches and fills the empty spaces. No apologies and no hard feelings. If you’re not fit to walk along your sidewalks, row a boat on your waterways, chill out at your parks, and sunbathe at your beaches, then step aside, little monkeys.
After a couple of months, human activity began to stir in the downtown streets, and I ventured out on some errand. I came across a humorous (and somewhat unsettling) sight. A pair of Canada geese sitting pretty in the middle of the sidewalk. The traffic was somewhat heavy that day, and even a few people were walking around. Yet this careless pair thought it perfectly okay to sit there and check out the downtown scene. Passersby moved around them and not a feather was ruffled. They just sat there and observed. Lord and Lady of the urban jungle.
Reports have come from all over the world about changes in wildlife behavior. In particular, animals are being seen in unusual places. The absence of humans it seems has emboldened these wild creatures who now reconquer lost territory. Use it or lose it, appears to be law of the land.
It makes sense that the rhythms of human activity have an impact on wildlife. Take where I live as an example, on a typical day, the crowds are teeming on the streets and leave little room for a pair of lordly geese to roam around or lounge in sidewalks. We also wreak havoc on the beaches and parks during late spring and summer. Our fireworks festivals flash and boom and echo across land and water. We are a loud and often obnoxious force of nature.
When the flocks of geese turn up during spring and summer, we manage to coexist by staying out of each others way. It is not unusual to see the geese walking among humans, but we always keep our distance. Yet this year has been different, or so it seems to me. I have noticed that geese seem to approach humans more closely, breaking away into little groups to mingle among us. Observe us. It's as if they're curious. Maybe they know that something is going on.
I wish I could say that seeing wildlife expand their range makes me glad. It does not. It awakens some primal Darwinian fear in me that makes me want to push back. Why should other creatures inhabit spaces at our expense? We stole it fair and square. Nature grows and expands and makes no apologies. If these geese think they're going to take over our streets, our parks, and our beaches, they got another thing coming.