DustLightAndRain

For the world is hollow and I have touched the sky. This is my eclectic, eccentric, esoteric blog.

[astronomicalwonders]

A Wide-field view of the Pencil Nebula

NGC 2736, also known as the Pencil Nebula, is located in the constellation Vela about 815 light-years away and is part of the Vela Supernova Remnant. This image of the region of sky around the Pencil Nebula shows a spectacular celestial landscape featuring the blue filaments of the Vela supernova remnant, the red glow of clouds of hydrogen and countless stars. It is a colour composite made from exposures from the Digitized Sky Survey 2.

Credit: ESO/Digitized Sky Survey 2 Acknowledgment: Davide De Martin. 

[dustlightandrain]

I miss being able to see things in nebulae.  I still find these larger-than-our entire-planet-and-then-some sized dust cloud formations incredibly beautiful though.

[dustlightandrain]

There are few things that elicit more emotion in me than clockwork, for reasons I still cannot describe in effective words. There's a part in the video that's a bit gorry. Warning I suppose.

[dustlightandrain]

Happy Birthday Nikola Tesla

My hero. I don't even mind that you tried to build a death ray. Normally that's a deal breaker.

[dustlightandrain]

I keep a text document on my laptop with random ideas I get. I try to merge them all into an all encompassing universe. The ideas are usually for characters, monsters, funky science stuff, or stories. Whatever I find interesting. For example, one of my favourites is of a robot who labours for countless years believing he is helping humanity; although he has never seen or met anyone since his creation. There are other robots at other factories that he has robotic interactions with. One is badly injured, immobilized, and slightly malfunctioning. Since this character is a robot he does not have to cope with the loss of someone he knows. Then comes the twist. He meets a human who's been using the robot's labour to harm others. Suddenly the thing that the robot has been telling himself: "I labour for the good of others" and all that it means is stricken from him. The rest of the story is about how he grows and compensates from his 'life' being thrown into shambles. It is a rough process for him. He is forced to discover what exactly life is and more importantly how to (I'm having trouble thinking of a word to describe this)... In the same way that a person can enjoy something that they do not need yet have nothing else that they do need available to them. This is what The robot aims for. In case you're wondering why the robot is a 'he' and not agender. I got nothing. These things usually come to me fully formed and he came out a boy robot. I'm not sure why I'm spending so many words on this as it is the least important part of the story. It's not about gender identity. I got other ideas that are(I think, if not I'll make one). It's a story about my favourite themes. What does it mean to be human? Whenever I think of an idea like this I always ask myself why does a part of me likes this thing, how has my life influenced this idea. That's the Ding an sich I suppose.

[dustlightandrain]

"This moment is your life" I bought a t-shirt a couple years ago with this phrase written on the part that would be hidden when the shirt is buttoned up. It's positioned in such a way so that when you sit down and your untucked shirt flays out the phrase will be visible. So that when you look down at a time when you are doubting or questioning yourself you will see it and be reminded. This phrase has resonated with me for some time.

[mineralists]

Wulfenite on Barite

[dustlightandrain]

This is the first time I've thought a crystal looked delicious

[shermansgallifreyan]

Sorry for the long delay! I’m still making guides though—here’s the one to Equaantu. I’ll get around to all the asks that have built up, I promise.

[dustlightandrain]

After reading the guide I think I'm liking this one more. I want to write Equaantu in a spiral now. I think that idea merits some reflective thoughts though. I love how these languages are not just simple transliterations, there is room provided and expected for interpretations in each of them. Room for the mind to walk.

[shermansgallifreyan]

[dustlightandrain]

These look fascinating. I love how their complexities are hidden behind simple lines and dots. It gives them the appearance of symbols or glyphs. I'm glad there's an N on the end of each of your names. Equaantu looks deceptively simple and at quick glance could be missed as words. Sratei intrigues me the most though. It looks like the simplest to read but I can't seem to work out it's elements, maybe an L and an N here and there. This is inspiring. And I think I'm hurting myself trying to pick them apart.

[symphonyofawesomeness]

[dustlightandrain]

But when can I get doughnut peaches?

[dustlightandrain]

Apparently I'm going to the Ottawa Comiccon on Saturday. I think I should be more excited but I'm not. I must be missing something. That and I'm being dragged there. I don't like to leave the nest I built ok. I wonder if I can mosey into the Doctor Who Society of Canada. I'd love to cosplay but I don't have the skill, time, or things. I'll just wear my shirt

[dustlightandrain]

I think I have posting paralysis. I can't bring myself to post new things. I want to start something.

[dustlightandrain]

I got a new retainer because the old one wasn't made of razor sharp plastic and the doctor decided to fix that for me.

[dustlightandrain]

My favourite page of any book is that last blank page right after the last words. Because on that page, if you've completely engrosed yourself, in an instant you can see the future of each character and how their lives continue on where no words are left. Or how their lives end, depending on the book.

[dustlightandrain]

What program do you use to draw your circular gallifreyan?

WHEN DID I GET THIS ASK! WHY DIDNT THE BUBBLE WITH THE NUMBER SHOW UP ON THE LITTLE ENVOLPE AHHHHHHHHHHH!

 I like to use Adobe Flash CS6.  Its a nice piece of software that crashes only occasionaly, if you're gentle with it.  Although it is expensive, especially if you can't get the student discount that most secondary institutions offer.  For a cheaper alternative I've heard of people using paint.net or regular ms paint(if you don't mind a bit more pixelation).

The creator, Loren Sherman, is working on his own drawing program and a beta is availiable.  I do not envy him because this is something I have tried and it turned me into a giant squid of anger.  Currently the drawer program is not wonderful but can be used for short words(if you're careful).

[dustlightandrain]

So I was working on an animation, for kicks. I don't think I'll finish it but here it is. I was looking at it and I think it's too choppy. For the amount of work that was there's no salvaging it. However for the amount of learning it was it was worth it.

[elcilantroo]

[dustlightandrain]

I have a couple of these things but I have no idea what they're called.  I used to stare at them really closely like I was trying to see into a little tiny globule run factory.

[dustlightandrain]

I need to learn how to work.