The Artist's RPG / Components: Light

LIGHT

FORCE

ABOVE - INTEGRITY - JUSTICE

Having the moral high ground and being the moral authority can surely be appealing. And often, it attracts those who are anything but ethical, wishing to enjoy its benefits, as they pretend to fit the role. But this isn’t about self-righteousness. Nor is it about vain indignation. Or merciless cruelty in the name of a ‘noble’ cause. This is about principles, values, and standards to uphold, with little to no room for hypocrisy.

“The way upward is not always blatant. Armed with resolve, you will push through.”

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When wickedness stands in front of you, surrounds you, or even encompasses you, how do you move? Do you join it, let it hold you, and become a part of it, or do you do something else? Do you absolutely eviscerate it? Or at least resist it? This is more than purity and more than innocence. This is a force that wraps around you, slips within you, and drives you to banish what is wrong, unfair, and corrupt.

Having the moral high ground and being the moral authority can surely be appealing. And often, it attracts those who are anything but ethical, wishing to enjoy its benefits, as they pretend to fit the role. But this isn’t about self-righteousness. Nor is it about vain indignation. Or merciless cruelty in the name of a ‘noble’ cause. This is about principles, values, and standards to uphold, with little to no room for hypocrisy.

Far from complacent, it seeks coherence and congruence in views, opinions, and beliefs. What is at your core and what emanates from it? Does it bring confusion, or does it bring clarity? Does it push against falsehoods and deceit, or does it conform to them? Can it hold what are merely apparent conflicts and cast out undeniable contradictions? Does it stand for truth? And ultimately, for what is good?

What is questionable cowers in the presence of this light. Perceived as a threat, accurately so, they will be guarded. Some only avoid it, some shun it, some attempt to dim it. Some would even desperately try to smear it, to strip its credibility and any power it may have to unveil them. To show them as they are and for what they owe. What a frightening existence to be forever on the run, knowing that lousy facades don’t stand a chance against it, and you can only pray to be spared.

As an Agent of Change & Progress...

You should take seriously what is serious. At one point or another, you become the adult. That is, the person who is responsible not only for yourself, but also for others. And it may be tempting to endlessly delegate this burden. But then you look around and realize that everything is going downhill because you haven’t stepped up as the grown-up.

Yes, it can be heavy, frightening even, and you may suffer from imposter syndrome, wondering about whether or not you are even capable of such a role, worrying you will make it worse rather than better. But this paralysis is not a valid excuse to forever put off what evolution itself is counting on you for. You are supposed to help carry things forward. Otherwise, what are you doing?

You are not alone in the fight and, even if you were, it can start with you. When it looks as though everyone is headed toward their own destruction, or the destruction of everything else that does not concern them, you must stand firm in being somebody who doesn’t just roll with it. Eventually spot or urge others to join you in it.

Then, if you have taken it upon yourself, against all 'convenience', how do you even go about it? How do you move toward better rather than worse?

• Work on yourself first and foremost. Not to get stuck there, solely invested in that, but as what’s by default. If you are in poor condition, there is only so much that you can successfully tend to. Check your ego, check your distortions, check your competence, improve yourself, and so on.

• Actively practice discernment with honesty. Truth hurts, and reality can be harsh, but you cannot make good decisions while operating upon illusions and lies. You might “get along” and “get ahead”, but you wouldn’t be working in alignment with what is. A lousy foundation to say the least. Take it in small doses if you ought to.

• Identify existing problem areas. Look around. What do you see? Search for problems that must be addressed and solved. How many of those are you equipped to handle or assist with? If there is nothing or little that you can do, you probably can bring attention to them for others more capable to take over. Prioritize as required.  

• Have a solutions-oriented mindset. Challenges and obstacles abound. And as if that’s not enough, likely sabotage too. You will be easily discouraged and even give up if you don’t constantly remind and ask yourself for what could be done about this and that. Instead of resorting to merely weighing how hard and difficult something is.

• Be resourceful and willing to get your hands dirty. You may have been taught or conditioned to seek perfection and set the perfect example, proving yourself and others how much you can properly accomplish, but this isn’t about you and your capabilities - this is about getting results towards what’s right.

Clearly, it all is infinitely more complex, but these are 5 points to carry with you, while under various sets of circumstances, and send you on your way.

Where'd It Go?

Spring cleaning? More like push everything into the closet and hope it doesn't somehow spill out. 😩

I set to Private the accounts I will no longer be using to post or repost. I also set to Private many posts and reposts on accounts I'm still using. Don't worry, nothing is deleted. It's just stored away for when I can take the time to truly dig into all of it and bring back what's for keeps.

Just one of numerous steps I'm taking this year to get to the next phase... ✌

Taking Nail Polish Meaningfully (Pt.2)

Well, this is embarrassingly untimely. It is no longer winter, and I no longer live there. But I must do it anyway. This is the continuation and culmination of my previous post, Taking Nail Polish Meaningfully. Something sort of silly that I came up with in the spur of the moment, but it makes sense if you’re the kind to see magic practically everywhere.

I am connecting meanings to nail polish combinations, letting them take me on a flight of imagination, seeing what thoughts and feelings they bring out of me. You could say this an exercise in being a bit ‘delulu’. In the past, I did Spring, Summer, and Autumn. Now, I am doing Winter plus an honorary mention for Love.

• The 4th. Winter.
You’d assume that I’d be taken to a winter wonderland, but it did the opposite. It’s wishes that weren’t coming true, but you held on to them anyway, naively hoping they would. It’s being left out in the cold, after being promised warmth, and shivering as you desperately search for a prettier, yet believable, lie. It’s being shown that even those you think the highest of, whom you’d defend against anyone and anything, can let you down, and your feelings be damned. It’s a cobblestone pathway to walk on forever, never to stray out of, lest you step out of line. It’s the ashes of a dream that didn’t stand a chance against a harsh reality. Poor you, waiting on a star.

• The Honors. Love.
Pink, especially light pink, has never been my color. But there’s always been something about it that I cherished and eventually was compelled to protect. Fairytale princesses (and princes, if you may), striving for happy endings, in a wicked world that sought to destroy them, bringing suffering and misery instead. How dare she be kind, gentle, and loving? How dare she be pure of heart? Not recognizing that in themselves, twisted creatures called it impossible. She must be faking! Maybe she was. But also, maybe, just maybe, she simply somehow managed to remain herself. Someone who would choose care over cruelty, over and over again. Not by letting herself be used and abused, but by forever believing there had to be more to life than what’s wretched.

And that’s a wrap on these. Stay beautifully magical, lovelies, in and out!

Glad to Meet You!

I already have an incredibly amazing life. It’s been… costly. Yet, undeniably rewarding. Though some things have taken longer than I expected, others have arrived sooner than I anticipated. Mostly in the form of unbelievable connections. And that continues to blow my mind. I haven’t been able to enjoy it, due to stress and overwhelm, as much as I would have otherwise, but it is indeed beyond anything I ever dreamed of. And still, it is only the beginning...

How's that saying?
The real treasure is the friends we make along the way?
Yeah, something like that.

The Artist's RPG / Components: Connector

CONNECTOR

INTEGRATORS

SOLITUDE - REACH - PATHWAYS

We are not alone and that, in itself, should be taken as a sign that we are not supposed to act as though we are. There is more to connect with. To get lost in and find ourselves in. To bring out our best and to be enhanced by theirs. To make more of what we already are.

“Why be isolated when you could, instead, join in delightful company?”

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There is only so much that can be done when you stand alone. Only so many thoughts and feelings to have. And in some cases, that is okay. Tolerable. Some would even say preferable. However, there are cases where, rather than having a sense of wholeness, there is a sense of lack. And that lack can be debilitating, crippling, and even unbearably painful.

We are not alone and that, in itself, should be taken as a sign that we are not supposed to act as though we are. There is more to connect with. To get lost in and find ourselves in. To bring out our best and to be enhanced by theirs. To make more of what we already are.

Recognizing this may be the first step, mustering courage the second. It is an undeniable risk to become vulnerable enough to let others into our space or to go into others’ spaces. Who knows what awaits! But it might be a risk worth taking after all.

Not just anything would do, however. Just as you can be charged, you can also be drained. Just as you can be enriched, you can also be exploited. And just as you can be completed, you can also be broken. And some things aren’t so easily reparable.

Nevertheless, how wondrous when those who are meant to be together have been bridged. And more than that, formed bonds. Ones that beat the odds, surpass distance, and cause you to believe in destiny.

It's Simple, Anywhere, with Simple Tools in Hand

Alright, there’s a whole bunch of stuff to take in, sort out, and ultimately solve. Whether that’s personal issues or work matters. These days, though, you can pretty much work from anywhere, with various tools accessible to you, so there’s no valid excuse to neglect your duties or make progress with your projects.

If you have a neat and comfortable spot at home, that’s fantastic. But if you move around frequently or could use a change of scenery, work can come with you. If you have a laptop or merely a tablet with additional accessories (keyboard, mouse, etc.), you can easily get plenty done while out and about (given that there aren't too many or grave distractions). However, beware of completely trading all of your opportunities for required rest and whatnot - those are essential!

For me, with how hectic everything is, how much is already on my plate, and how stressed and overwhelmed I can be, I prefer to keep my toolkit simple. Choosing applications with a simple interface that make their use simple. Yet, still efficient and effective for what I do. For example, there is…

For handling information:

Google Docs, Sheets, Slides.

For proofreading/writing revisions:

NaturalReaders.

For making quick pictures (and even videos):

Canva.

For making quick videos:

Capcut.

For generating AI images:

Leonardo.Ai

For generating AI BGM:

Suno.Ai

This is, like, the bare minimum. Like, if free time is nowhere to be found and you must make the most of what little you have, as someone who makes content, they are okay to start with. They’ll let you put together what you must without much hassle. How nice it ends up being is on you. And if you are serious about getting into art, being an artist and making artworks, you should strive to have space to instead handle and master tools that let you get more personal, particular, and peculiar with your craft. (These are user-friendly, some to a fault.)

For ideas:

Lastly, I prefer NOT to use AI tools, such as the (in)famous ChatGPT, for research, as I cannot trust them for that, nor for fabricating my own material, because of numerous reasons, but they are undeniably handy for wording and ‘brainstorming’ (ask for lists with many options to pick from and for suggestions to consider), as well as coding (if you ever have to do some of that too). Or just for those instances when you already know the answer, but cannot bring yourself to type it out, and it is not mandatory that you do. Get it to spell it out for you, check if it is correct, and make adjustments (if due) before passing it over.

Again, much more advanced and sophisticated tools exist if you’d rather get artsy, but if all you can afford is to make your work presentable, these will do. So they’re recommendable solutions. 

Even in unideal conditions, tempting as it may be, don't skip practicing critical and creative thinking, though! (People are increasingly becoming dumber, lacking appropriate brain exercise and allowing brain rust and rot. Let's not join in that!)

World, You Can Do Better...

Fundamentally, I want and need a world that is based on truth and structured toward legitimate progress for humanity and humankind. I cannot exist in a world that is held in place by ignorance and deceit while accommodating and enabling vices above virtues. That is a world that kills my spirit and I will not play a part in my own undoing.

The Artist's RPG / Components: Globe

GLOBE

INTEGRATORS

WORLD - SOCIETY - LIFESTYLE

There are structures, rules, norms, and more that make up what this place is made of. Perhaps exclusively so. Limits, too, that we may be tempted to cross and venture out of. That we could or could not get past, regardless of our wishes. You are seeing how it is all shaped and, whether you realize it or not, it is shaping you.

“Is all you have seen all there is? Aliens exist! And hopefully, heroes too.”

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We all start somewhere. We are born or come into a place we haven’t been in before, or do not have, for one reason or another, a recollection of. It is unfamiliar, so we look around and step forward, gradually familiarizing ourselves with it.

There are structures, rules, norms, and more that make up what this place is made of. Perhaps exclusively so. Limits, too, that we may be tempted to cross and venture out of. That we could or could not get past, regardless of our wishes. You are seeing how it is all shaped and, whether you realize it or not, it is shaping you.

As you move through, within, or around, meeting characters, making choices, facing challenges, and overcoming obstacles, you are a part of it and further become more of it. Ironically, even as you try to be anything but it, because even that differentiation is forged from that place. You still came from it. And possibly, if you decide, you could go elsewhere. And again, it could leave a lasting impression.

Traveling across the globe expands your horizons as you get to witness and experience different ways of existing and co-existing. Agreeable or not, questionable or not, recommendable or not. And let’s not forget the souvenirs you could collect. It is enriching.

Yet, as varied and complete a globe may be, there are more out there, far away. Their configuration could be similar, and allow life, or so beyond what we know that it is difficult to imagine, and still allow life. What is it like over there? 

Could it be conceived based on what is here? Maybe not, but we can wonder and wander.

What Even Is All This?

So you’ve stepped into a world that’s pretty much a mess. Even worse, you blinked and, suddenly, it became. It seems impossible to keep up, let alone begin to figure out what it is all about. Pick your battles, though, because you cannot possibly cover everything at once.

Technology keeps advancing, at a rate that seems to quicken exponentially. Or maybe merely the releases do. Whatever the case, the world is changing, and that can work in your favor or against you. And you must keep up at least to the extent that it won’t render you obsolete.

But wait! Where is your childlike eagerness to wander off? To be curious about all that the world has to offer? Well, it may still be there, somewhere within you, but with the amount of responsibilities that you currently have, you cannot simply yield to that yearning.

The good news is that, although there is indeed much to get into and grasp, there is also much available that is ready for you to try and utilize. Paths have been paved, mysteries have been solved, cures have been found, monsters have been defeated, and, overall, plenty has already been illuminated.

The problem now, however, is how much of that gets buried under the mess. Misinformation and disinformation run rampant, along with bots, and all the spammers and scammers around that couldn’t give less of a damn. You might have to dig, discern, and become a curator. If not, rely on a trustworthy curator who skillfully does this. But even then, get involved. It is important for you to learn to distinguish between what is true and what is false, what is valuable and what is worthless, and what you just cannot really tell.

 AI is practically everywhere, forcing you to recognize that, yes, you have already stepped into a ‘futuristic’ era, as if straight out of a science-fiction movie. And this can be terrifying, to say the least. Photos, sounds, videos, all can be fake, fabrications posing as real humans. Algorithms feeding you content are… questionable. Connected smart devices and robots, pretty much normalized. Money still rules the world and a dangerously high percentage of people are morally bankrupt. Not only that, many even seem to lack the foresight (or care) to see that they’re leading to their own destruction. In that sense, the future doesn’t look too bright.

It can be fun to play with all these modern tools, but at what cost? Many of them weren’t made ethically, disregarding the harm they caused while being built and the harm they can cause you and your surroundings while in use. Until it affects them. And that’s just something to keep in mind so you don’t naively believe that everyone and everything has your best interests at heart. In fact, only a few do.

That said, this is indeed an astonishing time to be alive. Perhaps you are old enough to remember life unplugged. So you get to see the before and after. Quite a significant transition in history, if you ask me. It could be worse; you could be in a period completely devoid of humanity and human progress. And we are not, not yet.