It’s been a fascinating year. This year I kept roaming the world, but for the first time in a long time, I did it solo. And I stumbled into a new mission: building weird temporary cities out of art, fire, and often too much sound.
Writing
Words put onto paper. Or fonts rendered on a page.
How high can you count on one hand?
It seems like a question with an obvious answer. You have five fingers after all. But there are ways to go beyond a simple counting of fingers. So, what is actually the highest number we can count using only one hand?
The Worst Social Media App?
Lots of people use WhatsApp. It seems to be the most popular way of communicating in the Western world. But I find it to be one of the most user unfriendly apps out there, so I wrote this short rant about all the things I don’t like about WhatsApp.
The Best Anti-Piracy Software
I watched as Windows shut down and the computer restarted. The familiar Windows didn’t appear once it booted up. Instead a black screen with some white text ending with C:>. My fingers tapped on the keyboard. A blue screen appeared asking for sound card settings.
A Year Without Cigarettes
The other day I was shaving and I noticed my teeth in the mirror. They were so white. I was used to them always having a slightly yellow tint, so I was surprised, especially as I hadn’t changed my brushing routine.
Don’t Order Pizza in Kyrgyzstan
I went to a nice restaurant in Bishkek. I’d eaten there before and enjoyed it, but this time I felt like trying something different. So I ordered a pepperoni pizza. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t what I expected, either.
The Anti-Woke are Snowflakes
The second someone uses the word “woke” unironically, I know exactly who they are. These are the people who call others snowflakes for being offended by bigotry. Yet they are the ones throwing tantrums over the tiniest things that offend their beliefs.
Korean Pride vs. Irish Pride
As far back as I can remember I’ve been an ally. I’ve been involved with Pride events in many countries, often through my involvement with Dragon Burn. A few years ago I attended Pride in Dublin, and was surprised to see how different it was to Pride in other countries.
Every Burn is a Do-ocracy
People often ask who runs Dragon Burn, and how they can get involved. Since the Burn is entirely volunteer-driven, the answer to both questions is simple: YOU. If you see a gap, you fill it. A Burn is a Do-ocracy.
AI Art has no place at a Burn
I’ve noticed a trend at a few Burns over the last year or so: more and more people are relying on AI to create art, among other things. This bugged me, as I’ve always thought of a Burn as a place where people can discover themselves as the artist.