What do you do?

[RedSavage]

So here's a question. What do you do?

But let me be specific.

When talking to people, this is a question I often bring up. Usually it's answered with, "Well I work at...." or "I'm studying for...."


But I always ask the question again, because that's not what I want to know, necessarily. I don't want to know where you work, or what you're doing in school, but rather what do you do? What's your passion? What's that thing that defines you?

Now, that's not to say that a job can't be a passion. So there are exceptions. I had one guy say he was a game warden, and when I pressed him, he revealed to me that it'd always been his dream. He loved wildlife, hated poachers, and dedicated himself as deeply to his job any artist would on a painting.

Oh, and on that note, it's a given that a lot of us can simply say art/writing as our calling. This is good--but elaborate! What's your artistic goal or otherwise? What's underneath it all that makes you do what you do? Or is it as simple "I like to draw cool shit and explosions".

Maybe I'm being to vague, but I figured this forum could use a new thread.

So, what do I do?

I tell stories of uncertainty and chaos.

Most of my works lean towards supernatural/surreal. The concept of a character possessing their own array of issues and thought, and then being thrown into something with no conceivable familiarity, is a theme that always gets me going. I attempt to use chaos in my works in an attempt to introduce fantastical elements without necessarily explaining them--a hard thing to do without coming off as confusing. Magical Realism in way.

I liken my literary goal with that of the distinction between American Horror and Japanese/Korean horror. Think of all the remakes (Grudge, The Ring, etc). It can be noted that the original versions focus on the random, violent tendencies of spirits, while the remakes are focused on the source and origin of the horror.

So I don't want to tell you the shadows are there because the sun set.
I want to show you what might be happening inside of them.

And that's what I do. :3

Oh---and I travel and try to listen to any other stories I can because people are freaking interesting, yo. For better or for worse.

[Ruggy]

I'm fascinated by the idea that nobody can ever truly know what it is to be anyone but themselves. So I like to think about experiences.

From an art/writing standpoint, this leads me to thinking about fictional people a lot. What experiences has some character had that makes them them? What neuroses and fears do they possess, and where did they come by them? What depths do they have that none of their friends could guess? What kind of cool shit do they reminisce about on a breezy evening while they sip on their beverage of choice?

From a life standpoint, that's led me to trying to go out and do as much stuff as I can. I got tired of letting fear of the future hold me back in the now. So I've been driving/flying around the country with friends, staying in weird places, hearing good music, going out to the middle of nowhere and getting far too drunk, stripping on stage, and anything else that seems fun. Anything that there's a little part of me that says, "I want to do that," I find a way to do. (Short of hardcore drugs. Even if those didn't end up killing me, I wouldn't want to make other life experiences seem dull in comparison.)

And nobody will know what it's like to have walked my path, as I'll never know what it's like to have walked theirs. But at least when I build stories of people who never were, the things they do may ring of what it's like to have done the things I've done. It's a bit like reminiscing, but building something new instead of just remembering the old.

If that makes sense.

[Recel]

Nothing. I "do" absolutely nothing.

Can't elaborate on that.

[RedSavage]

I'm fascinated by the idea that nobody can ever truly know what it is to be anyone but themselves. So I like to think about experiences. From an art/writing standpoint, this leads me to thinking about fictional people a lot. What experiences has some character had that makes them them? What neuroses and fears do they possess, and where did they come by them? What depths do they have that none of their friends could guess? What kind of cool shit do they reminisce about on a breezy evening while they sip on their beverage of choice? From a life standpoint, that's led me to trying to go out and do as much stuff as I can. I got tired of letting fear of the future hold me back in the now. So I've been driving/flying around the country with friends, staying in weird places, hearing good music, going out to the middle of nowhere and getting far too drunk, stripping on stage, and anything else that seems fun. Anything that there's a little part of me that says, "I want to do that," I find a way to do. (Short of hardcore drugs. Even if those didn't end up killing me, I wouldn't want to make other life experiences seem dull in comparison.) And nobody will know what it's like to have walked my path, as I'll never know what it's like to have walked theirs. But at least when I build stories of people who never were, the things they do may ring of what it's like to have done the things I've done. It's a bit like reminiscing, but building something new instead of just remembering the old.
If that makes sense.

We should start hanging out, cause I get this perfectly and it sounds like you live a pretty awesome life. I'm currently aiming to start some journeys here pretty soon, once I wrap my things up here in Lubbock.

As for your view---I think of it like this.

Think of yourself and all of your inner intricacies, as you stated about your own life path. All of your hates, loves, passions, things you think are important/aren't, earned experience, every memory you've ever had---Imagine it. Imagine how much of it there actually is.

And then imagine that a million times over, and you have humanity.

Nothing. I "do" absolutely nothing.

Can't elaborate on that.

I bet you could if you tried, but I won't make you. You doing alright Recel? Been a long time.

[Dreamline]

I loved video games when I was a kid and played them way too much, and I relied on escapism to handle the bullying/daddy issues/grades that was happening in my life. When you mix those together, you get a kid wishing he was Captain N or something silly like that. Being all awesome, pew-pewing stuff and having friends and feeling useful. Typical escapism stuff.

It didn't take until high school for me to realize that this was kind of a silly thing to do. But I couldn't stop. I loved daydreaming of being someone who was something important and useful. Escapism is one hell of a drug.

But one day, I stumbled on a thing called Tvtropes. I read it, I examined it, and, for a long time, I lived and breathed it. It made me think about what I could do with my fantasy, how I could shape it into something far more interesting and entertaining, and most importantly, it made me realize some things: I want to do something with my fantasies. I want something people can enjoy. I want something people can relate to and think about.

I want to understand what I'm truly made of as a person. I want those close to me to understand who I am.

So that's what I've been doing. I'm analyzing what my fantasy is and slowly making it into a story that hopefully people will enjoy. I've been studying art, music, video games, and literature to understand what would be the best way to express it, and I've been using all of my time thinking about what I can do with the story itself.

It'll be a long road, and honestly, there's a good chance that it won't get me very far, but hey, I believe I can do it; it'll just take time for me to find out how! My only concern is the whole self-insert main character thing, but I feel that if I stick to who I am, warts and all, I can accomplish a well-rounded and interesting character despite the origins. (and hopefully avoid the whole Mary-Sue thing)

So uh... yeah, that's what I do. I daydream like a boss and practice using media so I can express it one day.

[Recel]

I bet you could if you tried, but I won't make you. You doing alright Recel? Been a long time.

You would lose that bet. I couldn't readily say anything I'm passionate or interested by. Not even art anymore.

And I'm fine, I guess. But I feel coming back here will be a repeat of FAF eventually.

[Tiido]

[Dreaming]

I follow my curiosity. Y'know, something new and different everyday. Usually I'll study languages and cultures, cook and drink, work out, watch some movies and socialize with friends... well the list goes on and on. There's many things that I like to do during the day, but I mostly dream of a future that isn't gonna happen. Fight the demons of the past and unleash the demons of the future, or something like that.

[Hewge]

I just draw things. I'm in a small town, I'm still way young, and I'm lucky enough to have a lot of time to just do what I want. So I spend most of that time studying and learning what I can, since I can't really go to school to study or anything. Not that schools have ever done a whole lot for me in the past, anyways.

As to why I do what I do:

Art brought me out of a rather terrible depression, which actually wasn't long ago at all. It gave me some meaning in life. It finally gave me something to learn, something to love, and something to constantly strive towards.
I'm still sort of boggled at how different my life was only a year ago before I stumbled onto it, how much has changed, and at how much I've learned.
The enticing part about it all is how much else there is to learn about - and that things could only ever get better as long as I don't fade.

I don't really have goals for art. Ignoring the generic "I want to do it for a living!" - I'd simply like to not end up in a gutter. Although, I'd probably still try to draw even then anyways. xP

If we're talking whimsical goals, I'd like to do commissions and jazz. Really, that's my only dream/goal, haha. The idea of drawing things for people, and being paid for it sounds way too awesome.
The whole self-responsibility/discipline and sort of "reward for your effort" jive appeals to me a lot. But that probably won't happen for a while - just because!

I suppose some real non-whimsical goal though is to simply learn, improve, and maybe actually develop a smidge of self-confidence in what it is that I create. Actually, that last one would be pretty dang swell.

So, yeah. I draw because it gives me some meaning in life, because it's something I'll never stop striving for, and because it makes me remarkably happy.

I just draw things, yo!

[BlackElectric]

I do sound design for video games.

It's a job that's pretty much a perfect fit for me. I love being creative and creating new things (in this case sounds) and I love video games so put the two together and you've got something that I'm incredibly passionate about.

Before, I was a recording engineer for a studio, but that didn't give me enough creative output. Even though I LOVED recording bands that came in I realized that it wasn't quite what I wanted.