open-ended

[freckles_and_doubt]

Henry Jenkins (who is fast becoming my cultural guru) has an interesting discussion here of video games, and particularly open-ended narrative, as art. I don't know about you, but I kept thinking of LARPing, the definitive theoretical analysis of which I will one day write.

Yesterday's minor depression has had the usual effect, viz. to make me suddenly loathe my hair and want to cut it all off. What do you think?

[Poll #763266]

In other news, I have now finished watching the first season of Alias, and am shocked and horrified to report how badly I'm hooked. It's a bizarre, cheesily fantastic, completely unrealistic series, but it's got me, mostly because (a) it has gadgets, unlikely disguises and lots of stunts, so it's pleasingly like Mission Impossible without Tom Cruise, and (b) Michael Vartan, who I like enough to hold out real hope that my Bad Boy impulses are finally crushed. Shall now hunt down H, from whom I borrowed the first season, to get the next few, since the Vaughan-is-dead cliffhanger finale is causing me to gnaw my own elbows.

Comments

[tngr-spacecadet.livejournal.com]

hi there

your hair is lovely and i think it suits you long.

however, wanting to cut hair when depressed is
(a) a metaphor for something or other; and
(b) a valid response to depression because it is good for you to be fussed over.

so run along to the salon and have fun! i'd recommend the chap who does mine because he keeps it long and respects the fact that i refuse to style it and i don't DO blow drying... but it is hard to get an appointment with him unless you can go on a week day.

Your poll is making me feel stupid

[(Anonymous)]

I can't seem to find anything to click. Huh. It's been a long day, okay?

Anyway I'm with spacecadet, because (a) it's a very valid (and fun) response to depression, and (b) I've never seen you with short hair and find the notion intriguing. We shall of course demand pictures. This will not get us anywhere, but we shall try.

scroob

[ex-wytchfyn.livejournal.com]

I think taking it up just above the shoulder might be an interesting experiment. Long enough to ponytail without being entirely irretrievable if you decide you want to grow it back out.

[origamitiger.livejournal.com]

I am with wytch on this one. Pampering is good but don't take so much off that you will regret it when not depressed.

[strawberryfrog.livejournal.com]

My post on slashdot, a while ago:

Ah, the good old "I played a 3-d shooter and it wasn't art, therefore all games ever cannot be art." bilge.

Eh, I read a paperback novel and it wasn't art, therefore books aren't art.
I saw "Home Alone 2" and it wasn't art, therefore films aren't art.
I watched "Extreme makeover home edition" and it wasn't art, therefore TV programs can't be art.

Slashdotters reply with variations on "what about the $EMOTION in $FAVOURITE_GAME". Correct but predictable.

[(Anonymous)]

yes, what they said. And have a lovely long, luxurious bath afterwards, to complete the pampering part. Preferably with chocolate. And maybe some gin (or two). And a good book (or two).

everymoment.

[bumpycat.livejournal.com]

I have evidence (ok, I don't really, I just remember) that you have previously cut your hair to about shoulder-length. It looked really good. Then again, long hair looks pretty good on you too :)

[bumpycat.livejournal.com]

Teehee, you voted in your own poll :D

[extemporanea.livejournal.com]

That would be because I was worried it wasn't working properly and felt the need to test it. Polls, hitherto a Big Unknown in my LJ life. Still trying to work out how to embed the poll stats in the actual post, though. Help, anybody?

[extemporanea.livejournal.com]

That would be by pressing the refresh button. My, do I feel silly now! Please ignore me. Wibbling.

Re: Your poll is making me feel stupid

[extemporanea.livejournal.com]

I fear LJ, in its usual bigoted fashion, only allows you to vote in a poll if you are a logged-in LJ user. Sorry!

IF I decide to hack it short I MAY post a photo of some sort. If. Currently you not are not really helping in the decision-making, the poll is exactly balanced (if you don't count my own experimental vote).

[wolverine-nun.livejournal.com]

All this "cut it shorter, but still long enough that it is 'long'" is missing a point. The whole idea is to make a Change, and if you simply trim it a bit, and don't really burn bridges in the process, then it's not really change, it's just a brief ripple in hair phase space. Or something. I'd be against the shaved to the scalp thing, but I say go for an authentically short style. No pony tail possible, not even bandeaux. Go on! Tell Shaun to have his way with you.

I like how no one has chosen the last option. We're all opinionated :)

[wolverine-nun.livejournal.com]

Of course, since I have recently cut my hair a lot shorter, but still long enough to go in a pony tail, I have few paws to stand on here...

[wolverine-nun.livejournal.com]

P does not have a blog, nor reads them, having, like, a real job. I detailed this poll to him, though, and he does have an opinion. He feels (2) is the correct response, but then you have to go blonde. The word "bombshell" was mentioned. He concedes, however, that to be a true Rapunzel look alike, you'd have to be dim as well as blonde.