Cloud Bites 2022-02-02

Hey all!

Quick update: I'm in Montreal! Some days it's pretty cold but mostly not too bad. It's fun to walk around a new city! Saw some people skiing in a park! It's late here, I really should be sleeping.

Any-way, let's see. We got some good stuff today!

First off, stenography.

A week or so ago I got an ecosteno, pictured above. It's wild! A totally different way of inputting text where writing 200+ words per minute is commonplace. Instead of spelling out words, you input phonetics using chords of 1-10+ characters at a time. It's really fun (and hard) to learn! Kind of like playing a video game.

Here's a video if you're curious!

Next up is Steven Universe! Steven Universe is a delightful (and queer!) children's cartoon that does an amazing job of mixing wholesome slice-of-life with an intensely gripping and unique sci-fi narrative. (If you end up watching it, be warned that the first season is lower budget and slower paced than the rest so you might want to skip like 3/4's of it or we can chat about which episodes are plot-relevant.)

So one of the many great things about Steven Universe is that there are excellent musical numbers sprinkled throughout. I'm rarely moved by music or musicals, but here are three songs that made me tear up this week (with some favorite lines transcribed):

• Comet

  • "Stars and stardust and infinite space is my only home."

  • "At the moment that I hit the stage, I hear the universe calling my name, and I know deep down in my heart I have nothing to fear."

  • "As the solar wind blows through my hair! ..."

  • Honestly just a fantastic song.

• It's Over Isn't It

  • "Bold. Precise. Experimental!"

  • "Who am I now in this world without her? Petty and dull with the nerve to doubt her. What does it matter? It's already done. Now I've got to be there for her son!"

  • "You won. And she chose you. And she loved you. And she's gone!!!"

  • Also fantastic.

• Peace and Love on the Planet Earth

  • "Interest without meaning? Solutions without problems??" I love this line so much.

The whole album is great, tbh.

Next one is Blueberry! It's a small piece of fiction I wrote while eating a radish. Here's another thing I made recently:

His name is Barry.

Okay! I'll leave you with a real life sea monster. Hope you all are having a great winter!

Here's to sharing snowy hot-chocolates soon!

Charles