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So... Following the primrose path of "Recommended for you" videos can lead to some pretty interesting things.
The particular winding road I'm on now is paper folding and pop-up greeting cards and books (I can clearly see that I am gathering ideas for next year's NaArMaMo). Some of these are absolutely AMAZING, and worth the capslock (lovers that come together to kiss at the center of a Valentine's card, or pop-up tornadoes that actually spin when you turn the page). And some are so ... not.
The basic techology of a pop-up rests in the simple mechanics of creasing paper in opposing directions, and so tugging on one part causes a chain reaction that tugs on other parts. The whole point however, is to make something look more real and alive and surprising than the flat picture you expect... not to prompt the viewer / reader say to herself: "Oh, look -- he turned the crease inside out, there; I've never acutally seen a butterfly / house / teddy bear that looks like that."
So in the wee hours of a recent morning, when I should have been asleep, and seeing several of the latter type videos in a row, I caught myself saying: "How Lame!"
*headdesk*
But at least I caught myself, and got to actively thinking about what it was that triggered that reaction. What makes one awesomesauce, and another failtastic? "Lameness" has nothing to do with it, really.
Then a more appropriate put-down came to me: "That's so flat!
Think about all the possible connotations: Soda (or champagne) that has lost its fizz; flat tires that won't roll; Cardboard cutouts of movie stars in store displays; empty horizons with no landmarks to guide you...
Y/Y?
(Oh, also came up with a retort to the "PC-Gripers" that say: "What's your problem? 'Lame' has only ever been used to refer to horses; it was never meant to refer to humans, so don't take it personally."
"Oh. I see. So the story in the Bible about the lame leading the blind... that was refering the donkey, was it?"
The particular winding road I'm on now is paper folding and pop-up greeting cards and books (I can clearly see that I am gathering ideas for next year's NaArMaMo). Some of these are absolutely AMAZING, and worth the capslock (lovers that come together to kiss at the center of a Valentine's card, or pop-up tornadoes that actually spin when you turn the page). And some are so ... not.
The basic techology of a pop-up rests in the simple mechanics of creasing paper in opposing directions, and so tugging on one part causes a chain reaction that tugs on other parts. The whole point however, is to make something look more real and alive and surprising than the flat picture you expect... not to prompt the viewer / reader say to herself: "Oh, look -- he turned the crease inside out, there; I've never acutally seen a butterfly / house / teddy bear that looks like that."
So in the wee hours of a recent morning, when I should have been asleep, and seeing several of the latter type videos in a row, I caught myself saying: "How Lame!"
*headdesk*
But at least I caught myself, and got to actively thinking about what it was that triggered that reaction. What makes one awesomesauce, and another failtastic? "Lameness" has nothing to do with it, really.
Then a more appropriate put-down came to me: "That's so flat!
Think about all the possible connotations: Soda (or champagne) that has lost its fizz; flat tires that won't roll; Cardboard cutouts of movie stars in store displays; empty horizons with no landmarks to guide you...
Y/Y?
(Oh, also came up with a retort to the "PC-Gripers" that say: "What's your problem? 'Lame' has only ever been used to refer to horses; it was never meant to refer to humans, so don't take it personally."
"Oh. I see. So the story in the Bible about the lame leading the blind... that was refering the donkey, was it?"
