Topic: The Chit Chat Thread

Random but anyone missing the 2010s? I felt that was such an amazing time, plus I’m listening and consuming a ton of 2010s media now and it makes me miss it so much…I just heard some once popular Overwatch fan song called No Mercy now and I’m getting reminded of how great Overwatch was upon its release in 2016 before it went downhill with its sequel.

@Pastellioli
I prefer 90's and early 2000's era in term of music and entertainment media.

@Pastellioli In terms of media I miss everything

Each decade from the 80s until 2010s gave us so much in terms of gaming, movies and media in general.

But with the shift of the economy and the tech we see a shift in the culture as well. And it is not a good shift. That is why the big companies can turn the greed levels high, because they feel they can get away with most stuff.

@Anti-Matter I see. I do like some 2010s media, but I find I’m also more of a fan of older media, in terms of movies, games, and television, and some music, though a majority of the songs I listen to are from the 2010s and usually are in Japanese, but I’ve been trying to listen to some older songs. There’s this feeling 80s-00s media gives off that makes me happy that I think is hard to find in modern media…

@Zuljaras One thing I remember so much about gaming in the 2010s was Nintendo. I kind of miss how Nintendo was personality-wise during the 3DS and WiiU-era from 2011-2017; although you could say Nintendo was kind of cringy and unfunny in a few of those Wii U ads, it really showed a wacky side to them, plus (if it makes sense in how I say this) I think the consoles had more of a personality too. I still like the Switch and I do think it’s one of the best consoles to come out of the 2010s, but I vividly remember the 3DS and Wii U kind of a bit more. I can remember so many things that came out of the 2010s that I liked a lot.

I do think companies have gotten worse as the 2010s started nearing to an end…I think some have become less creative and do worse now, plus they always lay off employees far more frequently this decade compared to the 2010s. I can’t remember it all, but I think it could come from a bad economy shift that you mentioned (also a notable one is the awful price inflation). The atmosphere has kind of changed a lot, and I just wish it’d go back to how it used to be decades ago. 2010s and the years that came before it seemed happier, simpler, and better.

@Herculean I may be having rose-tinted glasses on…for me I thought the 2010s had a lot of memorable media (mainly the songs, tech, movies and the games that came out of it) and I felt way happier there than now, but I do think issues like layoffs, greedy micro transactions and that just got worse a decade later, especially since the 2020s notably got off to a bad start.

I see. Although I am kind of nostalgic for the 2010s, I really like older media a ton! I just love the feelings they give off, and I often play older games too and sometimes prefer them a bit more over modern games.

@Th3solution How are you man? Been up to much? I defeated a couple of mini bosses in Sekiro since we last spoke, Samurai Generals, the defeat of which was described as no easy feat by a fellow user on here, so I was pleased with my progress. Besides that just the usual jazz, hip hop and volunteering stuff going on. How are whatever game(s) you're playing at the moment going?

@BlAcK_Sw0rDsMaN Hey, buddy - doing okay. I’ve just been busy with my usual routine, although I have mixed in some exercise finally, after a hiatus from it. I need to get back in shape.

My gaming was quiet this week, so I only played a little Gris over the weekend since I had some friends visiting and then I ended up having to work one day, which isn’t typical for me. I had a goal to finish RE4 this week, but I just didn’t get to it. I’m in Chapter 13 (out of 16…?) so it’s not long now. Usually each chapter takes about 1-2 hours, so theoretically I could probably finish the game in one long sitting. I don’t expect that much time to open up again until next weekend though.

And hey, by the way, nice work on the Sekiro success! It’s been encouraging to see your steady progress. It gives me hope for myself.

@Jimmer-jammer How are you, man? I couldn't help noticing some love/praise in The Music Thread for/in anticipation of Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, and wonder how you feel it is going to compare to the obvious Shinobi-style games such as Nine Sols and the almighty Sekiro? Will you still be playing Nine Sols at some point?

@Jimmer-jammer I just have this whole power fantasy about being a Shinobi on some level of my life, thru gaming, reading about ancient Samurai in Japan etc. (yes, I know that's different to Shinobi, but, hey) so I'm loving playing thru Sekiro rn, and plan to play Nine Sols further down the line as well. That new Khazan game looks good as well, and features plenty of parrying ,from what I've seen, so that's more than enough to whet my appetite for Art of Vengenace until it comes out. (The short answer is no, not yet).

I discovered this article, recently, on the Art News website, the 100 best artworks of the 21st century, a retrospective piece. Very thought-provoking.

https://www.artnews.com/list/art-news/news/100-best-artworks-...

@Th3solution Also, further to my post to you in the 'What PS5 Games Are You Currently Playing?' Thread, I was just wondering what else you do besides, to a certain extent, as you told me before, posting on here, to improve and maintain your language skills? I'm just asking b/c I've read Literature most of my life, but feel like it has reached a point where now I am only interested in reading intelligent literary newspapers and magazines to maintain my language skills, because after a certain amount of reading, I feel, enough is enough.

Edit: I think you previously mentioned writing skills are required for your job, also.

@BlAcK_Sw0rDsMaN That’s a great question, and I don’t know that I do anything special, personally. But I do have to read and write a lot at work (emails, presentations and proposals, evaluations, research, etc) and that naturally makes me have to work on it. I’m sometimes required to read scholarly articles mixed in as well, often as part of preparing for projects. I have to engage in some public speaking too, and so I’ve always felt that I lean toward conversational writing better than academic writing.

A small thing I like to do is follow a word-of-the-day to keep the vocabulary evolving. I’m not very good at it but I try to use the new word in some conversation or written discourse that day. Sometimes the word will stick and become part my daily lexicon, but usually not. Even if I get into the habit of using one new word a week, it’s more than I was using before, so it’s worth the effort.

I do think reading and writing tend to invigorate one another. The more one reads, the better they write and vice versa.

@Th3solution Good point, and, after reading your reflections I think it's wise not to abandon Literature altogether, after all, because, as you say, the one often has a bearing on the other.

I've realised today that life, in many ways is like an RPG. You choose your identity, or it is shaped by those around you as well, you can customize your appearance, to a certain extent, you obtain currency or xp through your labours which you can spend on clothing and items i.e "armour" and "loot" and obtain mental tools or, if you will, psychological "weaponry" to help you survive and progress through life.

@AgentCooper 😂 @Hapless 😂 My thoughts, exactly, boys.

@Hapless @BlAcK_Sw0rDsMaN @AgentCooper I hear Calvin Klien do +5 pants for Charisma.

@JohnnyShoulder … for about a tenth of the price you’d have to pay for actual Calvin Klein pants too 😉

@Hapless @JohnnyShoulder @AgentCooper @Jimmer-jammer 🤣Indeed!

Now, from the ridiculous to the sublime. This is just a general comment, below, for anyone to read.
I think I have finally mastered jazz guitar, the secret, I feel, is to play with freedom and abandon, and a minimal (it can be more expansive) knowledge of musical theory.

Edit: I can finally play the guitar to my satisfaction! I think abandoning recording had something to do with it -now there's no pressure! I didn t like the ego-related thing about performing to other people - i.e potentially showing off to some people's perspectives as well. Now it is just something I choose to do for myself, and I really enjoy it! One life ambition complete.

Currently watching England demolish Wales in the rugby down the pub with a Welsh E3mate. Good times. 😂

@JohnnyShoulder A pretty great result but it's sad to see Welsh rugby take such a nosedive over the last few years.

England didn't deserve to win the competition really but a great effort to be in with a shout going into that final match.

@Thrillho Yeah what is that for Wales now, 16 games without a win? That is horrendous form.