Topic: The Chit Chat Thread

@FuriousMachine "I also feel that these forums are mostly people voicing their opinions rather than trying to force anything on you or make you feel bad about your opinion (at least these days), which is why I love coming here."

Yes any place online will have a few bad apples that just seem angry at life. But honestly, in my short time on this site, I love it here. Many great people to talk to about everything. And we can debate things in games as adults. We can disagree and it doesn't turn all aggro. most the of time anyways lol. I was just an on looker on this site for many years. Never signed up. Just came here for the gaming news, since playstation will always be my primary and fave console to own. Then finally decided to join up and join the convo. glad i did

Oh, you're very welcome here, then. "One of us, one of us, gooble gobble, gooble gobble" 😅

Once again we agree 100% - I am ashamed to say that I've not listened to the unplugged album in a long while, but dug it out after reading your post last night, and yeah, that is intensely powerful. AiC are also my favourites from the Seattle grunge scene, though back in the day I was more swayed by Pearl Jam than anything else (at least grunge related - that time was the height of my Queensrÿche fan era). After Vitalogy I sort of fell off the Pearl Jam bandwagon, but AIC remained strong. I didn't come to Soundgarden until quite a bit later.

I love watching movies, I love reading books, but none of that has the same profound effect on me as music can have. Sure, every once in a while a movie or a book can be immensely impactful, but not as consistently stirring, rousing, emotionally transformative as music can be. And, as you say, music can be experienced on a deeply personal level while movies and books are typically only someone else's story.

I need to find that Killswitch Engage piano guy you mentioned, do you remember the name? I love Killswitch Engage (though I found their latest a little underwhelming - hopefully it will grow on me) and was set to see them live last Monday, but health issues prevented me from going. Caught them when they were last here, on their Atonement tour, and that was brilliant.

Happy you decided to join us fellow long-winded freaks here, it is a very civil and welcoming place, I think

[quote=FuriousMachine]

"Oh, you're very welcome here, then. "One of us, one of us, gooble gobble, gooble gobble" 😅

I appreciate that. There's just 3 things in life that I feel when I talk about them, I tend to really get into it and can talk someone's ear off and be annoying as F. Its Music, Video Games and Ice Hockey. lol The guy's name is Sean Townsend, I'll post a video here for you. I had to look him up myself, because its been a minute since the last time I've been to his page. His channel has been inactive for the last 6months, but he's got a ton of KSE songs to check out along some other bands you might like.

@StitchJones I'm going to add something KSE related in a moment and not leave it up for long.

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That's what I mean about being involved in Metal/Rock. Almost every band we mentioned last night I've photographed at least once if not multiple. It's a job for some and they need social media engagement/clout to get noticed and pay the bills so to speak. For me it's a hobby and because I'm in that PR side I can give myself press credentials/or move credits and copyright around. In the middle is KSE, the bottom left is Sabaton, the bottom right one of the Norwegian bands I mentioned. It started as still shots for music videos then I started getting tour invites. It can be a job like I said but every job I've had ruined seeing what I was doing as a hobby. I added blur etc, I don't want clout or a social media following but I do like shooting Metal. The lighting conditions, the speed, is all against you and I enjoy the challenge.

@FuriousMachine
@Ravix
I'm deleting this in about an hour if you want to see before I do.

@GirlVersusGame those shots are pretty epic if you ask me. the imagery really captures the esscence of what is happening in any given pic. You seem very talented at what you do. Good for you for possessing this talent and passion for it as well. That shot in the middle of the 1st collage, that is Jesse from KSE right? Regardless, I love that shot cause of the way the beams of light are captured coming from up top from the stage lighting. Its nice touches like that, that add to the overall feel. Sweet

@StitchJones Thanks, I started with film and cinematography but film wasn't for me and while I was headed out the door a friend mentioned a music video gig. It was a band I really liked, they weren't English speakers either so I decided to try. Some how we bridged some kind of language barrier, everyone was lovely. I found that they were in it for the love of music, in film it was the love of money. I applied cinematography to my shots and it worked for certain material but not for others. I've had work featured on tour posters, magazines like MetalHammer, certain CD inlays, and more that I've probably forgotten. It's kind of cheating because press credentials usually mean the first three songs and since it's me giving myself the access I often go over the first three. That's Jesse he joked that I made him look like a gremlin then used it as his avatar for a few days and we published it over on Roadrunner for a time too. I prefer shooting more obscure European bands like Children of Bodom. It's a mix of keeping memories, the challenge of the stage, and a hobby that I really like but rarely ever share. People get the wrong idea, it was my 'in' for that music scene and I'm starting to feel like I need to pursue something else. I'm just not sure what, I think I'm photographed one hundred and seven bands but that's counting festivals like Download/HellFest and there are so many bands on stage and so many stages.

@GirlVersusGame its nice to have a career/job whatever, where the tasks are not like jobs, its like hobbies. You want to go into work every day. No starring at the clock waiting to be done. Few jobs are like that

@StitchJones I'll be honest I hardly know what any job is really like because it's all too curated. I never got to do much in film but visit sets like Pinewood in the UK, and people naturally said good job when I technically did nothing. It's different with music I understand that particular genre and know what I'm trying to capture. It's always easier having a lens if that makes sense. I think part of it too is what they say about never meeting your heroes. Most guys in Metal aren't as tough as their exterior but some bands that I really liked or rather some lead singers, just weren't that nice to be around. One particular band that I grew up with the music of put me off their music for life and I'd already assigned so much meaning to their work. I'm sure it happens in every industry, it's just not always expected. Then there's the actual travel, I'm naturally suited to travel but with music you can do one gig in one city one night, another the next, another country three days later and they do it for six months. That's the part people don't see, all of the insomnia, broken sleep schedules, that's why I only did it for the summer. I'd never do it during the winter.

@GirlVersusGame On the flip side of what you are talking about, I've always been a blue collar worker, now turned full time loser lol. I would never know what your lifestyle would be like. Getting close to musicians and such. I've only been to 3 concerts in my life due to a health issue that makes that environment dangerous for me, so. As a music fanatic, if i was a reg person in that regard, I'd be the type that went to every band I love whenever they were in town. it is what it is, we are all dealt a different hand of cards in life.

@StitchJones I think if I shared some more of my old social media you'd get a better idea. It bounced around as I did, that helmet is an EoD helmet that military use in movies like Hurt Locker. I was on a military base at the time. The top right is the arrival of a president, I took it standing beside security because I was already past that barrier. The plane I took with a 600mm lens, the wolf is just a wolf but I quickly started to notice that my social media wasn't exactly 'normal' so I just stopped really updating things. That and obviously privacy etc. I've been around musicians but never really known them, I've never even picked up a guitar. A lens is a kind of natural divide, I don't think we'd have a lot in common. They started much like you said blue collar workers, working hard to grind shows until they became better known but even now some drummers work two jobs. Most bands now tour because they have to, CDs/etc aren't bringing in the money they once did and Metal as a genre can often get over-taken by whatever it is people listen to on TikTok. It's the kind of genre that has die hard fans that keep it going, without them and without concert goers a lot of those labels would struggle.

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@GirlVersusGame they look cool to me. Admittedly, I got distracted by dogs in coats 😄 but the use of light is definitely a stand out feature of the shots. The first two and a third to the middle really stand out to me. There's 5 or 6 in total like that, actually. Very good. If you ever feel like you don't want to hide away your hobby/talents for a moment, then i'm notoriously nosey and will happily take interest.

I won't pry in to the people getting the wrong idea bit, but... f*** people, remember. People can think whatever they like! What use are people? What good have people ever done?People, bah!

@Ravix That dogs in coat I met one day out for a walk and their Owner let me take a picture. That's how I actually met Anonymous too. There were some folks protesting Scientology (which I knew nothing about) I took some pictures, we got talking, I agreed with their ethics, found ways to friend people online and then helped fund one of the very first offline Anonymous gatherings. We had authors, survivors etc. There was an odd moment where one of the members showed me his mask, it was kevlar. The police in Paris were that physical, I thought of my own kevlar and we just clicked. I still to this day never saw the German members without masks, even afterwards for drinks. They are that serious about their beliefs, work, it's really admirable.

I know fudge people but I understand that kind of divide and it's wrong to post things like that when you know people don't have them. Then there are the people who judge you for what you have not who you are. It's just easier to remove it all and not really think about it. Also I don't want to be part of the problem, people put so much meaning on things and it's worrying. That's why I won't post in the gaming tats' thread. I always saw hobbies as something you did for yourself, I know it mentions photography on Youtube but I pulled those videos too. I've probably removed every hobby off of the internet since then. And now that I think of it the last non forum comment to me was 'you are part of the problem', the world is a very different place at the moment. Or maybe it always was.

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Another perfect example of what I mean. Top right is No Man's Sky, one of my all time favorite games, beside it a custom book from someone I tried to promote (her work was so good) some art (I covered most I don't share that part of me anymore to anyone) the wolf is an exception I love wolves and he came out really well. But then there's the car, which to me was normal until I saw Bruce Wayne driving the same one. It was 'normal', but it's not, if I scrolled ever higher there would be other cars. It's just not compatible and once you finally realize that you can't mix and match because it's all 'normal' to you (as in me) but to everyone else it paints an automatic picture. Also the black and white image is Papa Roach, I grew up listening to them too.

@GirlVersusGame yeah, I think I get what you mean. And agree with the internal ethics of your reasoning, but then part of me is like "but it is still just you as you are and it is something you enjoy, and hobbies are simply meant to be enjoyed, after all" I get that it can be 'weaponised' in a way when people want to project an image, and that can be a slippery slope, especially with social media. But it is still hard for me to understand as I do find it hard to actually judge people like that (like in the negative manner of 'being judgemental' about someone), but sometimes I forget that I am very differently wired to a lot of people, for better and for worse.

I also know some people from industries who have to project a certain personality and lifestyle and I think the fact that this type of thing exists encourages people to also try to do the same regardless of it'll they actually need to. Again, social media is something I do not like on a personal level, but I do understand its uses. It is just a shame that its uses (the projection of certain lifestyles and images) can also lead to people falling into traps when they don't need all the noise and the extra stress that it causes them as it is hard to keep up.

But on the other hand I do quite like to share being a big geeky nerd with other like minded people now (hence being on a gaming forum) as it is something I kind of missed out on growing up. People's geekdom was always there around me, but it was more of a passing background and went over my head at the time. But I always loved how much other people loved it, and I still do. I just join in with it more actively now.

I can be a bit stupid and oblivious on matters like this though, but because my personal intent is never to harm by sharing what i'm interested in with other people with similar interests, or with my stupid jokes and satire (of course, if someone is here actively targeting people or here on a proper windup then I will defend quite aggressively or return the windup to sender ten-fold 😬) but I just assume everyone else is like me and understands my way of thinking, when it isn't always the case.

In simple terms, I see someone post something they enjoy and I think 'that is interesting, fellow nerd, let us now do an overly complex handshake or bow to acknowledge our culture's ways' 😁

But, I mean, maybe I will call you Bruce Wayne from now on, if that makes things easier? 😛 The values and ethics hidden beneath the mask, but not the literal mask of Batman, the figurative mask of Bruce Wayne himself!

@Ravix I did like Batman until the Justice League movie when he said his superpower was being rich. I saw that not as a superpower but as a weakness and it made me physically wince. Previously in my mind Bruce Wayne was the costume and Batman was the truth. Something really bad happened to him as a child and he became what he needed to be in order to bring balance, he did it from shadows, no one knew his real identity and he didn't need them to know. He didn't have BatSocialMedia, he only had signal in the sky and that was just to beep him when there was an emergency. I don't think social media was an emergency, more like an experiment. I can live without it. I originally joined for the 'social' part and the whole thing just seemed like one big popularity contest.

I'm probably looking too deeply into it but Batman was out there in those shadows, he was making a difference. That's originally how he did become my favorite (only?) superhero, I could identify with different parts but the most important parts felt more real, the others were something he just had to do in order to keep doing the right thing. That's also why I never watched Iron Man, I like the actor but I wasn't sure how I'd feel about Tony Stark as a character. I liked The Shadow too, partly because of Alec Baldwin (he's a good looking man) but again he was similar and he was so in that darkness that he took the literal name Shadow. He beat people up, even shot them and it was for the right reasons. You can probably tell that I don't watch a lot of super hero movies. It's just very hard to reverse my ethics when I know it can lead to being someone I'd personally have disdain for. I already have to project a certain image offline, multiples even, maybe even involving actual masks (Eyes Wide Shut joke) then again everything has it's basis in reality. Even Batman, there's probably someone out there right now beating someone up for the right reasons.

How did you miss being a geek/nerd growing up? Does it go back to what you said about Soccer? when you were one person in one place, then another in another place.

@GirlVersusGame yeah, that's what I was getting at, with Bruce as the mask. 100% the Bale Batman, not the other thing it became when they changed from Nolan. Holy S word, Batman - Bateman. Bateman is definitely what happens when the money and power takes the other path. Sorry, weird brain being weird about the 2 Bale roles and the similar spelling. Both wore many a mask too 👀

I don't think everyone needs to connect with comic book heroes like that, either. And Tony stark is a tool (but they do at least acknowledge that he is a tool) My first real taste of comic book heroes was the batman arkham games (i think) and they were all given to me second hand by someone that I suspect wanted me to evolve to be more geeky by playing their old games 😂 (and damn, it actually worked)

On your assesment: it was partly what you say, and partly that I just didn't get into anything much young as I played a lot of sport, which in turn took up most of my time. Music and movies were always there and there abouts, and that was my creative outlet too, but being a full on geeky/nerd, not so much. It developed slowly over time as I much prefered the company of my alt friends to the others, and still it was mostly me being into the music and movies and then some games later, rather than all the other little hobbies and fandoms people had. I mean, it was only about 2018/19 that I got into The Witcher which is my biggest geekdom, and not a great deal later we all had the change of Covid and the world was much different again after that, and I leant into it even more as I enjoyed it and it is both nostalgic and new. Don't get me wrong, i've always been weird as fudge, but I was markedly 'less weird' when I was actively involved in more sports and football, because you are just about passion and aggression on the field of play and more casual stupidity and fudging about around those people, but that was about as deep as those relationships could get. But I still liked it, because I was brought up playing sport all day every day when possible. But there was probably a bit of a switch, as you know. I mentioned being a bit of a chameleon previously, I believe. Sometimes it is just easier, and it was kind of natural to me. And I was far more at home within the counter culture as a teen. High school helped open my mind more to all these new and interesting people and cliques and they all had their own hobbies (building pcs, war craft, anime the traditional geek stuff) and as I already had a tonne of weirdly adult music and obscure film interests courtesy of siblings and cousins going into high school, I was already ahead of the game in that aspect and could show those who were starting to form their own counter culture identities some more advanced stuff, haha. If it sounds weird it is only because it is. Weirdness will always be the key, and our collective weirdness formed us all into these liberal, messy, depressed teens and we stuck with it. Still though, I didn't commit to full nerd, and I still haven't to be honest, i'm just able to be more nerdy than Inwas. And this is also explained by the part where any money I got as a youth inevitably went on partying, football, skateboards, BMX's, albums, and just doing random stuff, living wild and free as much as humanly possible. I think at some point you are kind of limited to how many hobbies and pastimes you can have, too. But I can also afford to do a little more within gaming and stuff I do like now than I used to be able to, so I can get much deeper into the hobbies that I do have, so I appreciate that is one element too. I have always been an advocate for maybe moving the planet, altereing our biology and you know performaing a little black magic so we can have longer days and longer lives to get everything we want to do done though 😅 I've yet to succeed at this. But maybe a lobotomy to remove some desires would be more suitable. Being able to function on less sleep helps a little bit with this though. (Oh Shlap. I should've at least lyricised this part and said a D.I.Y Labotomy. - Old School Reasons)

I will say, it feels like I've lived about 5 lives, if that makes anything clearer or less clear. Obviously I haven't, but I have crammed a lot in and maybe i'm finally starting to relax a little bit more than I used to

What better time to pop 'Time to Waste' on. See you in the music thread 🫡

@Ravix Only five? You need to get those numbers up, I'm kidding but I understand what you mean. Just hobbies alone (and I'll forget some) I've tried, gaming, drawing, piano, cello, fencing, krav maga, calligraphy, reading, music ice-skating, chess, flower arranging (yes that's a hobby) photography, painting, ballet, and more I'm forgetting. Candle making that's another (less said about that the better) horse riding. Others like yoga and swimming, shooting and dancing aren't really hobbies in the sense of the word, but again I definitely forgot a few. It would be nice to want to pick up a game controller, it's been days and I don't feel that pull.

'we all had the change of Covid and the world was much different again after that'

Would you believe I didn't even notice lockdown. I did manage to catch Covid and had to be even further sequestered away, it was like having my own little Cuba. Not an actual island, just all of those rooms etc, I did whatever I wanted because no one wanted to get sick. That was my lockdown, it was a positive experience. I played my music loud, may have had a few drinks, I even called it the republic of (insert name here) It was a complete reversal of 'normal' I paid for it after (truly) because I really did go a little wild but when people mention lockdown I think 'my lockdown was good'.

I think I was drunk too. My friends reaction said it all, the cat. I think I went a little crazy being alone because even right now just a room away there is someone just doing their thing, the word bodyguard is a bit dramatic. He might as well be a piece of the furniture because they are rarely ever conversationalists and they have a job to do so I don't try. When I was that sick no one could see me and I really did do what I wanted. I wasn't in England at the time either, my parents were deathly afraid of Covid. My friends would say 'oh how awful get better soon!' but I was having such a good time until I got better and the full extent of the damage was seen. I shouldn't even smile remembering it because I know it was such a bad time for everyone but it gave me that one moment where I got to actually do what I wanted. And well the results were chaotic, I'm sure something must have snapped. Obviously I'd never do that again. My friends were just as shocked. That's the first and last time I ever rebelled, they even took my rifles until I learned to respect firearms again.

@Ravix I moved this over to here

• I see it as a kind of slipping off the rails, and why I find it easy to consent to such things. It's not that I think I can't take care of myself, I know I can't. Usually I'd just game in a situation like that but it's not working, He's only been gone one night and feels like a week. It's a very strange feeling, all I've been doing is listening to music for every minute of the day. It's not even that it's that one specific person it would be the same with whoever I was with, they complete a kind of mental circuit that I need to operate and without it I don't know what to do. When I was small music was just there, no matter what was happening it never went away, I could always rely on it being there, tonight is the same. Gaming should be but I'm just not feeling it all.

It might get lost in translation but if someone said 'lay down and go to sleep in the dark' that approach is kind of forceful, if it was 'I want you to sleep' that's an order but only involves one person. If they said 'I want you to want to go to sleep for me', it clicks. It says if you do this for me and if you want to do this for me then I'll be happy. You did what they asked, it was for them but you also benefited.

On a normal night W/we'd be out until maybe three but I'd be asleep either once we returned of fall asleep in a car and wake up the next day in a bed. I've woken up in other countries before. it's just the act of not having someone not physically here helping to move that along, it's very odd I know but that's how that mindset works especially when it's 24/7 which is why I tell people to be cautious if they are considering to do it. If you live that long your mind clicks into that natural order and without that actual controlling force you effectively shutdown in a way.

@GirlVersusGame in relation to Covid story: truly fascinating 😁 like I say, I can't judge, I will just take it for what it is. Someone's own story, life, experience. And thus it is fascinating to me, nothing more, nothing less. (And now I knownyou are now laughing about it, so that is good)

Oh, but now you're going to awaken my desire to encourage rebellion in people. I can't help it. Maybe not in an unsafe way, but in as interesting and fun a way as humanly possible. I mean, I've already permitted you to have a drink before reading this 😬, so I might wait and let both threads converge so we're not having two conversations at once. But still. The urge is taking over to encourage more rebellion 🙈 do it. Or... yes, do it. No. Maybe?

All that is in my mind now is... can you command the 'not bodyguards' or staff to do things or get you things if you need something? Or is there an overriding command from 'above'? This is an important aspect of my post. Because maybe just once a week, or once a month you just need a time to relax and be free, no consequences? It sounds like it would be a good emotional reset and be of benefit to you, and thus make everything else much easier for everyone else. Solid reasoning, I think. Justification is like 90% of the battle. I'm trying to solve a riddle for you, create a scenario where you can safely loose control for a set time, and then simply return to 'normal' afterwards, refreshed.

By the way, I wrote another post the other day, but didn't post it. I probably will, at least temporarily, just to give you some context for some things. So if you see something that starts with "Oi" and then an awkward flippant remark, it is the post I made a few days ago. At the moment it feels like I have posted it and you have read it, when that is not the case. So the basis for these chats now are lacking a little context from the moment last week when my empath sensors kicked into overdrive when talking to you and vermines. I will post it after this as I converge the two chats we're having, knowing it is kind of outdated content, but still partially relevant to now.

And now the two chats converge here. Now I know you are wetting yourself laughing about your Covid rebellion reaction, it kind of plays in to the earlier part of this post. Encouraging more rebellion, in a safe environment, for the good of all involved. Does this appeal and sound like a worthy reward for the rest of your time spent obediently? And it really can benefit everyone if it leaves you refreshed and envigorated.

And now you have, in a way, given me the metaphorical key. If you assign time to enjoy yourself this way, your happiness should also please your partner, as I assume he would permit you to be happy, and thus the circle is complete on that front, too. Something to ponder, I think.

I think I covered all angles 😛 rebellion incoming, totally safe and manageable rebellion without consequences, of course.