EPTIf you're unsure of what this blog is about, it's just generally food for thought [of my day] so 1. ease back and get out your utensils, 2. don't fill up on bread and 3. tip your waiter with your own thoughts or sentiments.
Thanks
Winter Parmesan and Myself, Tortellini
Notating Nevrosity in Live-Narraton [tipsplz?]
On the contrary of what my replicated intro. says, I will not be writing about my day(s), but rather what is coming up! If you're unaware or rather just plainly don't give a shit (but somehow are reading my topic out of curiosity as to why someone would use three N's to attract your attention [and why did it work?]) then let me tell you anyways: LANETS. As we speak, I am currently the one and only on-the-scene english commentator for LANETS here in Montreal, Canada. This is not to boast, nor to point out the wrongful choice of LANETS, but rather to project the root or source of my nervousness. Previously, LANETS was the place for a WCG Anniversary:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2m_qbyiQ2q4&feature=player_embedded
So when I was given this opportunity with relatively or practically no qualms, I jumped for glee and slapped myself silly, potentially losing my ability to properly voice actual words for a good amount of minutes.
Then two rather touchy subjects occurred. One with GLHF.tv who apparently got in a bit trouble for poor casting/commentating (I was not present nor did I tune in, so unfortunately, I cannot grasp the full extent of it - you can read the extent of it here: Click me, I contain potentially good background information that may help you formulate a proper view/opinion of this topic!
and the second subject is recently the KellyMilkies incident found here: No, click me! I am vastly more interesting and resourceful with background information!
While both of them have their reasons, faults or predicaments completely contrasting and perhaps contrary or off-point to why I am nervous, it does show the length some criticisms and their father-critics will go to show how much they disprove of someone. Someone who is only putting in as much effort, sweat and interests into something they passionately love, enjoy and adore alongside the community, no matter how critical or harsh.
My fear is that of any 5th-grader doing a book report: messing up, fumbling on words or making it relatively boring. Luckily, ICCup.tv and Monx with SC2QC will be casting replays of the games of the same day and have been very cooperative in assuring me that not only will it not matter that I suck, but that Canada is an apologetic country and that does not look down on general innocent blunders. Nonetheless, casting games of professionals live such as Kiwikkaki, Desrow, Attero, AlexCMoi, Slush, and LeftNaij is a bit nerve-wrecking because of their high-caliber play will perhaps be beyond my knowledge, despite how exceeding it may or may not be, and thus I will end up dragging down the anticipation or excitement of the match by miscalls or misunderstanding of what's occurring or could be transpiring.
The issue is my relative low experience in comparison to SC2QC who have done this several times before (they are the french-casters who will be on-the-scene) and ICCup.tv who I don't really need to explain how much more properly set up they'll be.
What I'm hoping is that LANETS will give me the experience I need to get further opportunities in casting with many matches of many interesting people and players (not necessarily professionals). Not saying this is an egg in the basket for career choices (though a hint of such aspirations would give my parents the feeling that my high intellect/IQ and educational direction would feel less of a waste), but it is a strong ambition that allows me to enjoy the game of Starcraft 2, articulate and transmit such enjoyment to viewers and keep me in touch with the community.
Overall, what I'm hoping for is that I do this 3-day event, strut my stuff like a rooster at dawn and get a lot of feedback, constructive criticisms and white lies that are either between my butt looks fine and lean and my voice does not sound like a mentally-deficient dyslexic trying to read Shakespeare (no offense to dyslexics out there, my brother is one too).
To reiterate the overly-drawn out process of my sentimental disposition: Just nervous, was excited, read some blunders other people have made, understood that their situation would or can be different from mine, but it's put me off and dissolved my excitement into overall nerves.
Nonetheless, I'd be a fool to ignore this chance! I even bought a new headset, what do you guys think?
![[image loading]](http://www.xsreviews.co.uk/images/Steelseries-Siberia-V2/Steelseries-Siberia-V2.jpg)
Will be getting a haircut too, though due to my conventional insecurities of my looks, I won't be posting any images! How's that for being a typical guy with typical feelings who's writing them in a rather typical way!
My only pride right now is my ability to make absurd analogies that somehow make more sense than American politics. It's just the general process: I have a stream, I've casted before, but I don't have those interesting overlays, nor have I ever casted replays instead of live-shows (do I show the viewers where I'm getting the replays? How does a show manage to keep their stream on the battle.net page when they've alt-tabbed to something else?).
So has anyone got any tips for me? Ideas, suggestions? I was going to ask Day [9], but I realized that his tip would be something along the lines of good-will and charming frankness: "Be yourself, don't say what you don't know and portray the emotion you are generally feeling when watching this match".
I asked Attero and this was what he had to say:
Commentating try to use your normal voice as much as possible to explain what you think is going to happen and then simply talk about what the players are doing. Then once a battle goes on you can use a more excited voice. And using lines like WHAT A PLAY BY X and I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS THIS IS HUGE WHAT A TURN OF EVENTS - always good to have things like that.
Cheers
Cheers
Makes sense, but felt a bit... light? Lacking? You tell me!
I also need to learn how to make a splash-screen. Some kind of screen to show when I want to hide my stream or portray relative general information while I transition or something.
So much to do!
This ends the segment about what I need help with, the following is just a banter of wonders and adoration for music
As of late, I've been rather behind on my blog entries and to be honest, who gives a shit? Not even I care that much, I only care when I feel the need to get a 2nd opinion from more competent people!
Recently, it's been all about music for me. Some music, I don't know, invoke this surge of inspiration for me to write. Sometimes it's nonsensical, sometimes it's just a descriptive block of leftover vocabulary words I could find on a typical high-school spelling bee.
Let's look at some examples of music that cause me to regurgitate forms of possible literature:
+ Show Spoiler +
Just listen to this gorgeous song, you probably recognize it, listen to its sense of of whimsical drifting and feeling of an eternal travelling of the distant and insecure mind. It's this song that empowers vulnerability and loneliness, yet ironically accompanying with a melodious tune that soothes the fears of being forever and sadly, alone.
Everytime I hear this song, the window beside me just becomes highlighted with interest. The clouds beyond my window just become characters of this song. They come vessels of my imagination, my thoughts and tugged emotions. To get a bit emotional: It feels like just the gloom days of loneliness left to ponder my thoughts that are only self-analysis portraying my incertitude to socialize, to come out, to break a shell that I've caressed for years (maybe that's a bit too much, haha. Sheesh, what a baby).
![[image loading]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v713/Xeroxer/PB070008.jpg)
P.S: Spirited Away is a superb movie, to give it no justice and describe it a little: The movie is just heart-warming, innocent and pure. It plays with the imagination and revives the ideas of innocent and child-love in a world where maturity prospers in the oddest complex and fashion.
Another song? Oh sure!
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mavdv0VqOZQ
+ Show Spoiler +
This song is power. A rush of intense feeling, yet calm as it steps forward at the beginning. I absolutely adore the song. The tiptoe of the piano, how it waltzes on glass with each sequential note. The violins are dazzling too: subtle yet magnificent with their streamless hills of melody. The piano picks up, but not without the help of the flutes which chime in as our hero piano rests for but a brief moment.
Everytime I hear this song, it's like a pain of anticipation. I know what's coming, I know each instrument that's about to stroll through each of my ears, but when I listen, I squint, I tremble and just can't contain myself. Is this excessive? Too much? Am I fucking loving the beauty of these songs?
Last one, PROMISE!
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JD2MKiFjMfA
+ Show Spoiler +
The beginning is almost of a Christmas glee. So light, lifting before the violins bring us back to this earth of beauty and exceptional teasing of sound. It's almost like a tide, pitching only a little higher as it enters the next chapter with the bellows of the trumpets. The trumpets, equally, feel compelled to do their part as they progress the song even further with harsh and proud notes. When everything feels like it hits its peak, the true top of it all, the trumpets end, the violin quiet down like kids at a sleepover and we are in for another build-up of sweetness. Before the sun rises and before we are awakened by this sweet interval of hushed violins, the trumpets call for our attention as the young kids they are; energetic and full of glee as were the violins at the beginning, coy even. Everything mellows down and the sun lowers without one last glimmer of the trumpets brimming as the finale settles.
That's how I show my admiration for music, I feel the need to describe it. Form it into something I can grasp, retain and imagine. Yet, when I show others these songs, they give me relatively unjust compliments: "It's very pretty" or "This is nice, I like that loud instrument" and I can't help but feel like an elitist, someone who understands this music. Though, in reality, I don't know music, I just know my music. But I do love these songs and I love narrating a sort of analogical beauty to them. I love showing others a side of beauty the instruments can incorporate and conceptualize. People will say: "What a nice song" "I love this part", but in reality, there's so much more to these songs. So much overflowing from them, emotion, transitioning, hardships and physical strength from those who are playing. The mental ability to sometimes understand these songs, interpret beyond the will of the composer is a feat I can never achieve, but love striving as the pursuit itself, like happiness, is a beauty on its own. A beauty only matched by society's goals, function and irony that people can be so harsh, cruel and ugly, yet their creations, like these songs, are beyond the glory of mankind and its history.
That's really it in a nutshell. I hope to see you all again somewhere on the forums full of wonder and interest!
Would love, love, love to hear comments, tips, ideas or views!
