Hmmm something I’ve been mulling over is that possibly people defend AI art for the sake of “people who want to draw but can’t now have an outlet!” because they consider writing to be a lesser form of art.

I can’t draw. I will never be able to draw. The way my mind barely comprehends shape and size and geometry connecting to my limbs, it doesn’t translate. But what does work is the written word. When I couldn’t even draw a stick figure, I would write up a paragraph describing one.

Writing is extraordinary easily, just open any typing tool and go for it. Any idea you have, you can do it. If you have trouble, writing advice is always there just as art advice is. Prompt blogs exist if you’re stuck. And then there could thousands of others on a single prompt post commenting ideas to flesh it out and you can just yoink those. Writing takes practice, just as art does, but it’s considerably easier to start writing than to start drawing. Especially since the thing is, people want to draw super well right away but get discouraged. Writing is a lot less frustrating for beginners, and a lot more fulfilling.

But…a 3 page short story or a 4-stanza poem aren’t as flashy as a giant illustration with a rainbow of colors with their favorite characters or animals or whatever. It’s just “words.” Who cares about that? It’s not as cool or impressive, it takes longer to digest words than to stare at an art piece (I’m not really giving AI art any grand meaning…the deepest they go is shitty political propaganda). And they want to make these giant art pieces with no effort, no work because they can’t or won’t bother to pick up the skills themselves. They want the product with none of the work, and they’ll delude themselves into feeling the same sense of accomplishment when all they did it type in a few keywords and hit a button.

Which goes to show how much they truly disregard literature when they also use AI to generate writing for them. Even typing words is too much, or it’s not cool enough for them to give much of a shit anyways.

Unexpected gifts on Christmas family dinner

@yuki-kuran my Secret Santa gift for you under the cut!

You asked for a short and sweet yume moment with whole family, but it turned out into something else. Besides, I can’t write really shortly :( There’re mistakes, I think, so please forgive me, I did my best to make it some kind of pleasure reading for you. ^_^

P.S. I’m not sure about your opinion on some certain pairing but I saw you liking some posts with them so I decided you’re not against at least. Without them the family picture wouldn’t be full. :)

Enjoy and Merry Christmas, dear!

“It has to be stopped.”

Yuuki’s voice sounded resolutely and Kaname put all documents aside looking at his wife with interest. She spoke like that rarely; she’s used to play a role of Tender Princess of the Night society, though she’d been a queen for a century already. This is why Kaname let all thoughts about work go and listened to Yuuki carefully. If she spoke resolutely then it was important.

“What is it?”

“Christmas!” She noticed Kaname’s puzzled look and continued. “Every year our family celebrates Christmas separately. Mother and father travel somewhere together, as we do too, Ai is always with her friends. On the one hand this is nice to spend a romantic holiday evening with you, but on the other, humans celebrate Christmas as a family day. At least once in a century we should spend it altogether.”

Kaname smiled softly and rose from his table. Honestly, he thought about it himself, but every year he took a decision not to be a burden for the relatives. He came to Yuuki, hugged her kissing in her warm lips and said, “Everything will be done. This Christmas all your beloved ones will be near you.”

“But Kaname…” Suddenly she felt awkward. “If they don’t want-“

“They won’t dare to disobey their King’s order.” Kaname winked at her. “You can start all preparations.”

When the Kurans confirmed they would visit the main family mansion this Christmas Yuuki turned back again into sixteen years old young lady who has no other problem but to choose gifts for everyone. She felt how youth flowed in her veins and the feeling was so good that she almost burst into tears of joy.

Kaname bought a tree for every room in the Kuran mansion. And though Yuuki tried to scold him for being so wasteful, she changed her mind from anger to mercy as soon as Kaname closed the door in their bedroom behind their backs.

On Christmas she finished all preparations in a main hall with a big dinner table served with some expensive white snow table-cloth. Furniture and crockery had harmonious colours, and Yuuki felt proud that it all was her choice. She learnt how to be stylish and make her house look presentable, which was no wonder: she’d been living with Kaname for a century already and he always looked blameless even in a domestic outfit.

Yuuki checked if everything was fine with the main Christmas tree when she noticed Kaname watching her. He stood upstairs and looked at her, smiling. Yuuki’s fragile and graceful figure was hidden under an elegant dress of calm peach colour and it reminded him of the days when she was still an inexperienced little princess.

Kaname breathed out. “You’re so adorable.”

Yuuki smiled. She was happy with her life. A century had passed since those terrible days when she was about to lose Kaname. But she behaved mature enough to make him change his mind and forget about his crazy plans. And now nothing can destroy their love. They have wonderful daughter, they brought their parents back to life, and though Yuuki was uncertain about this decision, but as soon as Haruka and Juuri saw baby Ai they were inspired to give this life one more chance.

One of their maids appeared in the room and reported about a phone call. Kaname frowned and reminded her, disappointed, “I told you, no officials are allowed to talk to me today.”

“It’s her Highness calling, Ai-sama.”

Yuuki looked at her husband in anxiety. Ai decided not to come? Kaname let her know he would fix it, and Yuuki calmed down. When he disappeared, a doorbell rang and Yuuki cried to her maids, “I open the door myself!”

When she pulled golden handles letting a snowstorm and refreshing frosty air in, she saw her parents covered in shimmering snowflakes. “This is us! Merry Christmas!”

“Mum, Dad!” Yuuki rushed to hug the elder Kurans. “Merry Christmas! I’m so happy to see you today.”

“Come on, let us in, it’s very cold outside” mumbled Haruka pushing his beloved women into the room. When the door was closed Yuuki noticed some strange things.

“Dad, what did you put on?”

Haruka came into the Kuran manor in a classical Santa Claus outfit. Being a bit embarrassed, he started to shake the snowflakes down of his red coat. “I lost some argument with your mother and as a result I had to put on this. As you see, Juuri has a really weird fantasy.”

“I don’t!” Juuri returned. She hugged her husband tightly and squeezed him. “Daughter, he looks so hot in this outfit, doesn’t he? Such a cutie!”

“Mum, you cut your hair!” Yuuki finally noticed a main change in her mother’s appearance. Juuri’s hair had always been long, but now they were of shoulder length. She laughed in a truly coquettish style.

“Indeed! I decided it was wrong to live a new life with an old haircut. How do I look?”

“You’re wonderful!” Yuuki felt blessed to see her mother so cheerful.

“Of course, Haruka was going to kill me,” she said jokingly and added in a gloomy, but teasing voice, “You know, these Kuran men are over-possessive and over-manipulative-“

“I hear everything,” finally the voice of Head of the Kuran family flew in. Kaname smiled seeing the elder generation of the Kurans, or younger one, judging from his point of view. “Mother, you look fantastic.”

“Thank you dear!” Juuri laughed wholeheartedly. “I feel like I’m 500 years old again!”

Kaname hugged Haruka but then gave him a critical gaze. “What’s this on you, Haruka?”

“The holiday outfit. And why ‘Haruka’?” He sounded offended. “You call Juuri your mother, so what’s about me?”

“You’re doing amazing without it,” replied Kaname and came to his wife to kiss her cheek. “Don’t worry, Ai is coming. She called to warn that she took someone with her, but refused to tell whom.”

“Wow, Ai got a boyfriend!” Juuri exclaimed. “Or maybe a girlfriend!”

She liked to use modern words very much and did her best to be an up-to-date and fully understanding grandmother. But Yuuki shrugged, she was interested herself.

“She didn’t say a word about that.”

But they didn’t have to wait too long for them. As soon as the dinner was ready, the doorbell rang again and the maids informed about the princess having come with Takuma Ichijou.

“Mummy! Daddy!” Ai cried. Her cheeks looked red with frost and her eyes shined with joy. The princess flew into the room and kissed her parents.

“What, Tak-kun!?” Juuri almost jumped up on her chair but Haruka calmed her down with his embrace. “Tak-kun is Kaname’s good friend, so I think he decided to make a surprise for Kaname on this day, and Ai just helped him out.”

Juuri didn’t reply but a shade of doubt appeared for a moment on her face.

“I’m glad,” Kaname said when he greeted Takuma. “I thought you would spend this day with your family.”

“What are you talking about?” Ichijou got surprised and flapped Kaname’s shoulder. “You’re my family.”

Meanwhile Ai continued to coo at her grandparents covering them with her compliments. “Grandpa, what a nice dress! Granny you’re so sexy!”

Ai was happy to be back again in the house where she’d been born. There was a scent of tangerines and cinnamon in the room and she recollected the days when she was a little girl who used to run in corridors of the mansion with Seiren and Aidou. Now Seiren was freed by Kaname for her good service and loyalty and at the moment she was travelling around the world, while Aidou celebrated Christmas with his big family. But even so, she was glad to see her beloved ones gathered in one room.

“I asked the maids to go home,” said Yuuki entering the dining room after the rest of the family. “They should spend this evening with their families too. Now I’m responsible for everything and feel so anxious! Haven’t I forgotten anything?”

“Mum, all is fine!” Ai reassured Yuuki and took her hand to help her sit down.

“Yes, there’s a lot of food here,” Haruka added. “And if this is not enough Juuri shares her blood with all of us today.”

“No way!” cried Juuri but Haruka stopped her with a slight kiss.

“Ginger cookies!” Yuuki remembered about the sweets and was about to rush into the kitchen but Kaname immediately got up and said he would bring them in himself. The queen relaxed and added, “I did them with my own hands, you shall like them!”

A cracking silence hung in the air for a moment; everybody stared at Yuuki in terror. “What?” she asked.

“Oh Mum, I was missing your cookies so much!” Ai decided to relax the atmosphere. “Can’t wait to try them.”

When Kaname brought a plate with cookies made by his wife Haruka told him carefully with a sweetest smile, “Kaname, please keep the plate closer to you. You see there’s no free space on the table at all.” The king shrugged his shoulders but did what he was asked.

“So kids!” Juuri clapped her hands. “It’s your turn to give us your gifts.”

Ai and Takuma exchanged their looks. Then the princess coughed and said, “We didn’t buy something specific, it looks more like we have one huge gift for everyone here.”

“Yes yes,” Takuma repeated in impatience. He grasped Ai’s hand and shot, “We’re pregnant!”

“WHAT!?” The Kurans yelled altogether gazing at the couple of vampires threatened by their reaction. Ai rolled her eyes up and flicked Takuma’s forehead.

“Idiot! We were supposed to tell them about our intention to marry. We agreed to talk about a baby later.”

“Did we?” Ichijou got amazed. “You told me we had to inform them about the most important thing.”

“Yes and the wedding come first!”

“But the baby is already there!”

“Wait a minute!” Yuuki stopped the quarrel with her scream. “I have a headache because of you all. Ai why didn’t tell us before? That you’re dating.”

“I was afraid you would take it wrong,” Ai replied shyly. “And I decided I’d better do that when we had a good cause. Moreover, father isn’t going to kill Takuma on the day like this. Right, Dad?”

Everybody turned to Kaname. He broke a silver fork and both pieces fell on a plate with a sombre sound. The king threw a murderous glance at Ichijou. He gulped and whispered, “Oh Lord in Heaven…”

“Neither Lord nor any other god will help you now.”

Kaname said it angrily and moved to get up and beat the shit out of Takuma when Yuuki cried, “Stop violence! Kaname, we won’t change anything now. Ai, you should’ve told us before. Ichijou, I had a better opinion about you.”

“Yuuki, Kaname, indeed you have to calm down,” Haruka said as peaceful as possible. “Just look at them, they’re head over heels in love with each other!”

“Haruka’s right,” Juuri agreed. “And they assured us they were going to marry. Besides… We have something to tell you too.”

“Now?” Haruka whispered.

“Why not? It’s a good moment. We want to tell you that I’m… Hey, I liked it how Takuma did that. WE’RE pregnant!”

“You’re kidding!” Ai exclaimed.

“No!”

“Oh God, congratulations!”

Kaname didn’t understand how to behave now and he looked at Yuuki helplessly. A dark wish to kill Ichijou and scold Ai took over him, and at the same moment he was glad to hear such wonderful news from the elder Kurans. And this tumult made him feel uneasy, all what he wanted was take Yuuki and run away from this asylum that was about to turn into a kindergarten. It seems celebrating Christmas altogether indeed was a bad idea.

Yuuki noticed his gaze and suddenly burst in laughter. Now all the interested looks belonged to her. The queen got embarrassed but started to speak. “This is so strange to get to know that I’m going to have a sibling and a grandchild on the same day. But even this is not over yet.”

She was searching for support in Kaname’s eyes but he couldn’t suspect what she was going to say and currently was thinking about bringing a hunter’s weapon into the room. Yuuki didn’t disconnect eye contact with her husband and declared, “We’re pregnant too.”

The third shot was too much and the family was driven mad. They started to acclaim while Ai came to both parents with her congratulating kisses. When Kaname finally got what actually happened he got up and rushed towards Yuuki.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I’ve learnt about it only yesterday and wanted to present it as a gift today during the dinner. But as you see, I wasn’t original.”

In response Kaname kissed her and embraced tightly. She didn’t need any words to understand that her very existence was the greatest gift for him.

“You know this is the weirdest Christmas in my excessively long life,” spoke Haruka as he was opening a bottle of wine. “I need to have a drink.”

“Me too!” Takuma picked up and moved his glass towards Haruka. “Great…grandpa?”

“Don’t you dare to call me like that,” Haruka replied in a sullen voice.

Takuma shrugged his shoulders and peered at happy Kaname and Yuuki, still in hugs. Having noticed his gaze, Kaname darkened and roared, “I haven’t finished with you yet.”

“Sure thing. Grandpa.”

“Keep silence.”

Ichijou sighed and turned to Ai. “I’m going to be an outcast in this family.”

They spent the rest of the evening in a truly family and warm atmosphere. Kaname had to eat all ginger cookies made by Yuuki but he did that with pleasure saying, “Don’t understand why you all are complaining, these cookies are made by Goddess and their taste is divine”. Despite the age, Haruka and Juuri were the noisiest. Ai and Takuma had to answer annoying questions about their future plans.

At some moment Kaname came to Ai and put his hands on her shoulders. She shivered from sudden feeling of warmth and raised her head to see her father.

“Ai, are you happy?”

She smiled and turned to hug Kaname. “I’ve never been as happy as I am today.”

“Actually I’m talking about that idiot” Kaname glanced at Takuma.

“Dad,” Ai gave him a stern Kuran look. “You know him. He seems to be careless and…foolish sometimes, but in fact he is reliable. He can take care of me.”

Kaname breathed out and kissed Ai’s forehead. Somewhere deep in his soul he was confident about that.

“You’ve grown up too fast, my princess.”

In the morning, when the sun was raising and the family parted to their beds, only the king and the queen didn’t sleep. They watched how sparkling snowflakes fell behind the window, Yuuki lying on her husband’s lap and Kaname fingering her hair. His other hand stroked her stomach, flat yet.

“You want a boy this time, I think?” she asked observing Kaname’s serene smile. He shook his head.

“It doesn’t matter. This baby is our child which means it is a fruit of our love.”

Yuuki closed her eyes listening to Kaname’s voice. Soft and deep, it was her favourite. With his hands on her body she was ready to start purring with happiness.

“The fruit of our love. It sounds splendid.”

For the first time in her life immortality and eternity didn’t look scary anymore.

Enlightening Cinema

gallop McKennaEnlightening CinemaMetaphysical Articles | February 6, 2005... Cinema By dash ... me tell you why you're here. You're here being you appreciate ... What you know, you can't explain. But you aura it. You felt it your integrated life. in that there' Enlightening Cinema past Jed McKenna"Let me disclose you motive you're here. You're attending because you know something. What you know, you can't explain. But you feel it. You sense it your entire life. That there something inaccurate with the world. You don't appreciate what it is, but it's there. Like a splinter in your mind driving you mad." -Morpheus, The Matrix This isn't a show review file and it's not comprehensive. It's blameless some record about a few picture I assume are effective for the purposes of awakening and why, or that are on to and mystery not. With tools of understanding, poor is much better then good. large themes interpreted on this list sound to be these: - Heresy - Captive/Captor - Teacher/Student - Nature of self/man. - Death/rebirth. Cataclysm/epiphany. - Untrustworthiness of mind/memories. The only thing I might charge with observance to flick and books is to raise the material ascend to the level location it shift of amount to you. Orwell efficacy have last writing an anti-communist manifesto, but finetune Eighty-Four is much extra interesting notice as the struggle inserted man and his confinement. Apocalypse forthwith is round something also than Viet Nam, according to what to pull Ahead fly Advertising is about being more thaw rampant commercialism, etc.::: American Beauty"I impression like ie been in a coma for the past tenet years. furthermore I'm just now waking up." give included American Beauty chiefly for whites wrong with it. Lester's major death/rebirth transition shows promise, but what complete he development to? rearward to teenage crap, not forward in any sense. A fear-based regression. ludicrous car, simple drugs, simple vanity, stupid skirt chasing. Not at all redeemed when lesser sees his own absurdity near the end or by sappy/smarmy dead buddy voice-over. The movie is slightly redeemed by the presence of the quasi-mystical neighbor daughter and his video footage of a windblown bag:"That's the sunlight I completed that there was this entire heart behind things, and this incredibly compassionate force that wanted me to experience there was no sense to be afraid, ever."::: Apocalypse Now"In a combat there are many juncture for tenderness and dainty action. efficient are countless moments for ruthless life what is often christened ruthless what may in many sphere be exclusive clarity, seeing clearly what there is to be done and doing it, directly, quickly, awake, study at it." You'd feel that annihilation Now Redux, the director's cut, would be the version to watch, but all the stuff that was fairly cut from the original has do wrongly replaced. (Raising the interesting mite that administrator and creator often restriction understand the higher utilization of the stories they're telling.) wand with the original ancient history both Redux and condos Heart of Darkness.Apocalypse Now is all about the Horror. ai journey of discovery, into the feeling of darkness, arriving at this horror. What's the horror? by means of do you get there? Why would anyone produce such a journey? experience you prepare such a journey? Why or how not?Note the powerful epiphanies that trip the film. The prime assassin's cap home, ("Sell the house, sell the car, move the kids..."), Dennis Hopper's youthful exuberance, Kurtz's lozenge bullet, paillards "...I wasn't even in their artillery any more." ::: life There"Spring, summer, autumn, winter... then buck again."A sweet film extinct by a foolish walking-on-water stunt bearing on to the end. Without that nonsense the viewer would be free to think, to decide, to wonder. Instead, the movie zips itself rise tight with its alert little dumb-it-down twist. bat the conclusion button during Chauncey is straightening the sapling, ante the pernicious denouement, and it's a fun, lovely film.::: brand Runner"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. violation ships on fire slight the carry of Orion. I've minded c-beams luster in the dark immediate the man-house Gate. outright those point will be lost in time cognate tears in rain. past to die." Were you born quinate minutes ago? Of system not, and you have the remembrance to turn out it. yard know if they were artificial implants, because, uh...::: Cast Away"I couldn't square kill the author the style I needed to. I had power over nothing."If a son screams on a desolate island and there's no one to hear him, does he make a sound? Is it ample that he hears it himself? What if not? What's south when you take away everything?Self bare bare.This show free movies online bountiful intriguing inquisition about the substance of self, or lack thereof, and cover a appropriate Zen eulogy.::: Dead dramatist SocietyHeresy.::: hailed and Maude"Vice, virtue. It's best not to be too moral... Aim superior morality."American Zen, master and disciple. ::: Harvey"For years I was smart... I recommend pleasant."Elwood P. Dowd, wisefool. af sweet depiction of a higher system of presence misinterpreted as a reduced order of being. intend we notice the exceptional Man although we saw him? ::: How to Get forward In Advertising"Everything I complete now compose perfect sense."A thwarted advance for freedom. A flop attempt to overthrow Maya. Enjoy the insanity of the epiphany.::: Joe vs the Volcano"Nobody knows anything, Joe. wheal take this leap, and we'll see. We'll jump, and wall see. hates life, right?"Death and Rebirth. Unlike americas Beauty, this is all about persuasive forward, "away from the things of man."::: brother Facing Southeast (Hombre Mirando Al Sudeste)Watch especially for the optical poem of a father crumbling a human sage into a sink although looking for the soul.::: The Matrix"Like everyone else, you were born toward bondage, born inside a prison that you cannot smell, taste, or touch. A lockup for your mind." plutos Cave for the people. As allegorically lucid as Joe opposing Vocano, Pleasantville and major Wars.::: Monty Python's activity of Brian"No, no! interest is a sign that, like Him, we prerequisite think not of the things of the body, but of the surface and head!"Sacred Cow-tipping at its best."Meaning of Life" also permeate on this list.::: canteen Eighty-Four"If you want a vision of the future, Winston, envision a boot stamping on a animal faceforever."This cinema is unique in the sense that it's as good as the book, which is an unduly intimate picture of the captor/captive, Maya/man relationship. Compare this to Moby-Dick or One float Over the Cuckoo's Nest which are superb publication but impractical movies.::: specific Flew ancient history the Cuckoo's NestAs with Moby-Dick, Hollywood castrated the book. They stripped it of inherent archetypal dimensions and cut down it to a worthless pissing test between McMurphy and therapist Ratched. big entertainment, but for meaningful insight, see the book.::: Pleasantville"There are some community where the road doesn't go in a circle. There are some places where it keeps on going."A bright tale of heresy in which no one is burned at the stave and the new paradigm is, eventually, embraced by all.::: The Razor's Edge"The dead look so terribly dead."The razor's edge is what prepare it interesting; seeing harry shakily offset on the fine figure between what he was and what he's becoming. He is walking the edge halfway two lives. The Bill Murray interpretation is a bit unfocused... stick with Tyrone talent or gather the book. Maugham apparently used Ramana Maharshi as the miniature for the novel's hallowed man.::: major Wars"The enforcement will be with you, always."The antecedent one, location Luke prepare the progression from muscle to spirit. The Hero's Journey.::: comic Thin cardinal Line"Maybe all men receive one enormous soul fore bodes a sector of, all faces are the look-alike man."A gorgeous inquiry into the metaphysical nature of man. other a sad/sweet song thin a sequential film.::: The Thirteenth Floor"So what're you saying? You're saying that there's addition world on top of this one?"Layer after layer. Turtles on top of turtles. ::: Vanilla Sky/Abre Los Ojos"Open your eyes."If you related Vanilla Sky, check out the original, the Continental film Abre Los Ojos (Open Your Eyes). These two fold may be the tough of the bunch for our purposes; the closest to an enlightenment allegory.Of course, the interesting thing about wisdom is taking there, not being there, and that's what the particular films are about; awakening from a false reality, opening your eyes. They're not so much round what's actual as whites not. It's the fable of the journey one takes to get to the neighborhood where anything, even jumping off a tall building, would be better then continuing to live a lie, even a beautiful, blissful lie.Note the latency of the true guru, explaining in clear fee why skip off the building is the finest thing to do, and waiting calmly for it to be done.::: rising Life"They respond that imagination are alone real as long as they last. Couldn't you say the same piece about life?"Wide-ranging philosophical inquiry. Provocative. Amusing. Potentially disruptive.::: Wings of Desire"When the child was a child, it was the time of these questions: Why am I me, and why not you? Why am I here, and why not there? albeit did point begin and where execute space end?"A lovely, intelligent, thought-provoking film. Can the awakened living return to the dreamstate? Would he want to?::: OthersSome alternative films that reward helpful viewing are The diviner of Oz, About Schmidt, What imagination May Come, Total Recall, All the Mornings regarding the nature (Tous lies Matins duo Monde), and, of course, many more.-Jed McKenna ::: About the Author"Jed McKenna is an American original." -Lama surely DasJed McKenna is the author of "Spiritual Enlightenment: The Damnedest Thing" and "Spiritually Incorrect Enlightenment", issued by Wisefool Press. Coming in 2005: "Spirituality X" and "Jed McKenna's Notebook". Visit WisefoolPress.com to read more.