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Messages - TEM

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16
General Chat / I'm in China
« on: July 25, 2013, 09:44:53 AM »
Ask me anything.

17
General Chat / Re: New/Returning Members Post Here!
« on: October 02, 2012, 06:39:49 PM »
What is this, 2005?

18
Video Game Chat / Re: TEM's Biweekly Video Games
« on: February 09, 2012, 09:42:50 AM »
Ten Thousand Hours

When some people grow up they begin to do things that take up a lot of time. This leaves less time for things you thought you'd do for the rest of your life.

Video games have become a smaller and smaller part of my life. I've never wanted to become (and always resented) the people that "grow out of" video games; yet I can see and feel it happening. And I'm okay with it.

Before I thought the term "grow out of" meant becoming mature and turning away childish things so you can pretend to be an adult (be boring). But that isn't it. You actually grow so large in what you want to do with your life that there's literally no time to spend properly enjoying a video game, at least not on the scale that I'm accustomed to. I'm playing Skyrim right now and I just started recently, months after release. This would be unthinkable to me 5 years ago, and I'd be playing multiple games at the same time.

For the past few weeks the only game I've really played is Skyrim, and before that, for months, I didn't play video games much at all. My X-Box 360 is long since gone. My Wii hasn't been touched in nearly a year. My PS3 is a Netflix and blu-ray playing machine. I watch a lot of movies; I try to watch one new movie a day. This isn't as a preoccupation, for entertainment; or the more revealing French word divertisement. This is in service of Hours*.

I've become fairly dedicated to the concept of 10,000 Hours (it takes 10,000 Hours of dedicated practice and study to master a specific skill, such as playing an instrument or racing a car) To obtain the 10,000 Hours in 5 years I must read and write for forty Hours a week. For me the "growing out of" is caused by school partially, but mostly writing (Fiction, Nonfiction, Screenwriting*). I've been reading my entire life, but I only just learned enough about writing in the past year or two to say I've begun to read in service of Hours.

I'm going to finish a slowly earned Bachelors degree soon. Will I spend my extra free time returning to leisurely pursuits? To playing video games for 30+ hours a week? No. I'm going to put in my Hours. Do I do this because I have to? Because if I don't I'll starve to death if I don't sell some stories or get noticed and get a job? While this last part may be true, I don't do it because I have to. I do it because I've grown into something that must work toward the goal of skill mastery. I want to write. I want to cease playing video games so I have more time to practice and get better and hone my skill. The abandonment of what I once enjoyed is an acidic bittersweet taste in my mouth that spurns me to go forward, to cut off ties to past desires and move forward into a better, brighter future.

This isn't sad. It's fantastic. Since studying and indulging in writing stories and film scripts myself I enjoy movies and books on a level unknown to the average person. I've become a Hardcore reader/watcher; so to speak. My life is filled with something I love and enjoy and the dramatic emotional sting will eventually fade away and things of the past will be gone, shades of a life I half remember. I've set a marker for myself. When the next Half-Life game comes out; I will be done. I'll buy and play the game and (hopefully) enjoy it as the climax to a great series of games characterized by well established characters and subtle storytelling (these things accomplished in a specifically video game register, unique from other mediums). And then I'll be done with video games and I'll grab more hours for each week that I can turn into Hours. With these Hours I will grow. With these Hours I'll be even closer to my skill mastery. I'll use this skill to create and become a Person. And in that way I'll be the closest thing reality has to a god.

What am I going to do after I get my 10,000 Hours? I'll write a good story.

And then another.

And then another.

Final Questions:

Why ten thousand hours? What level of concentration and learning denotes the earning of an Hour? Do you truly have to spend so much time doing something to become great at it? Is completely abandoning things necessary? Is this method the best way to be happy? Do you put Hours into a skill? What skill? Is it a skill worth putting hours into? Why or why not?

19
General Chat / Re: The ANGST thread: Complain here!
« on: February 02, 2012, 09:18:04 AM »
Because then I ask them what its like to see colors ...

It's FANTASTIC! The array and beauty of all the hues inherent to the spectrum of visible light is vibrant and energizing! Seeing a lively display of color in tasteful or extravagant extremes can make my day! Film and artwork employ a new dimension of communication and artistry when in conversation with color and enriches the entire experience many times over! I love seeing colors!

20
General Chat / Re: Weather/Climate Topic
« on: January 31, 2012, 07:37:32 PM »
It's been freakishly warm all summer here.

EDIT: All *winter*, not summer. It's felt like spring all winter long.

21
General Chat / Re: Winter 2011 ADVANCED Poster Awards!
« on: January 26, 2012, 06:54:45 PM »
When I gain control of the website after winning the Deezer award I'll make sure that no communist systems get put into place.

However, I will require everyone who owns businesses to help pay for the web hosting fees, and the businesses that make more money have to pay more than the businesses that make less money. The ones that make less money might even get some money. It's only fair.

Vote TEM for the Deezer award!

22
Fan Creations / Re: Searscat
« on: January 24, 2012, 08:58:10 AM »
I actually find the better drawn ones that aspire to be bizarre advertisements amusing.

23
Fan Creations / Re: The TEM Awards
« on: January 24, 2012, 08:55:06 AM »
Decisions will be made soon.

24
General Chat / Re: Winter 2011 ADVANCED Poster Awards!
« on: January 24, 2012, 08:53:29 AM »
Don't listen to Lizard Dude. He's a grumpy old man afraid of change. I'll lead us into a brighter, better tomorrow.

25
Video Game Chat / Re: Personal Bests on non-Mario titles
« on: January 22, 2012, 09:04:00 PM »
A smattering of MVP screen captures from Team Fortress 2.

26
Video Game Chat / Re: Trackmania
« on: January 21, 2012, 08:05:59 AM »
http://tem.kontek.net/Game%20Captures/Trackmania/

Edit: I just added a few that weren't uploaded, so they may be never before seen.

Banana Twist
Barrels
Gohhog Wild
Hotwheels
Spinal

These actually predate Dirty Clam, but weren't uploaded for some reason.

Some of my older tracks are poorly made, but I'll leave them up for historical purposes. I'd say about halfway through the list (chronologically) they start to get good.

Obviously these tracks are for Trackmania Forever/United, not Trackmania2.

27
Forum Games / Re: Let's count to a million FOR REAL
« on: January 20, 2012, 04:20:20 PM »
2256.

28
General Chat / Re: Winter 2011 ADVANCED Poster Awards!
« on: January 17, 2012, 03:09:33 PM »
If I don't finally win the Deezer Award this year I'm leaving.

FOREVER.

F - O - R - E - V - E - R.

29
Forum Games / Re: YTMND THREAD
« on: January 17, 2012, 03:07:14 PM »
LD doesn't think it's funny.

LD lives with his sister.

Coincidence?

30
Forum Games / Re: YTMND THREAD
« on: January 14, 2012, 03:51:26 PM »
http://yugiohsecret.ytmnd.com/

If you get it you're old enough to hear it.

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