What's everyone up to right now?

[zwanzig]

On one of the weirdest Internet rabbit holes-cum-Shaggy Dog Story I can remember. I recently watched this video about CreepshowArt, specifically Emily Artful's two-hour expose of how some high school shit ended up in a stalking campaign from a much larger YouTuber and her boyfriend that lasted SEVEN FUCKING YEARS. One part was particularly memorable, especially since one incident started with the boyfriend claiming to be in her city and knowing where she lived and worked. Sounds pretty horrifying, right? Especially knowing that this boyfriend was an abusive ex who's now shacked up with a much more popular YouTuber who's fine with harassing a random girl for seven years. But things just get bizarre when this leads to an email exchange where the ex-boyfriend keeps comparing her work to something called "The Mind-Bending Thumb Bending Video." Naturally, there's only so many times you can keep saying that name without wondering "what the fuck is he talking about?" I eventually found it, but it wasn't easy.

It can't be found on YouTube anymore. And, before I found it, I found out that the boyfriend's obsession with the video went far beyond this bizarre exchange. He apparently DMed several people on YouTube (and possibly other sites)  mentioning it, talking about it like it's the most amazing thing ever, and not only that, but mentioning it in other random places, like the comments of random obscure YouTube videos, the lyrics for a Kesha song on a random obscure lyrics website, a review for a random orthodontist, and, most head-tiltingly, vandalising a page about the Trafalmadorians on The Ultimate Pop Culture Wikia by claiming that they're mentioned in Slaughterhouse-Five as liking it. And I say vandalising it because I actually checked my ebook copy of Slaughterhouse-Five and found no references to it, even just looking for words like "Thumb" and "Bending" and its various forms turned up nothing. And he's apparently a big fan of Vonnegut, to the point where the alias he had in the exchange was "Kilgore Trout."

So, what is it really? It turned out to be a video that was posted to R/Cringe where this kid who sounds like Sly Stallone bends his thumb back at an unnatural angle. And it can still be seen, but I can't embed it because it's been privated at some point, but it's on the Wayback machine here.

That dog's not so shaggy.

How bizarre.

I like Emily Artful. She's made a lot of videos talking about art that have been eye opening for me; her recent video on the "do art everyday" advice artists get for improving, and why it doesn't work for a lot of artists for example. It actually helped me articulate what exactly it is that I'm doing when I do nothing 6 months to a year between art projects, yet when I finally sit down to make a piece that I have in my head, it's like I'm possessed, it's not even me anymore, it just comes rushing out, this amazing shit. And I didn't need practice in all that time, if I'm inspired and caught by this thing, it doesn't matter how long it has been or what mediums I am using, new to me or old hat, I can sit at the easel and put something good on canvas. Spoiler: it has to do with intent. I could force myself to draw or paint every day but if my intent is not behind it, I will likely not be creating a bunch of masterpieces by mistake. And the "practice'" I'm getting from it might not be as useful as it is when I am motivated to problem solve for an idea that I feel compelled to capture. And those explosions of creativity, work that I am proud of, happens because I have this massive focus and an inspired idea behind it.

Anyway, I am sure that drama with Creepshow was really scary for her to go through and all but I skipped out on it after the first five minutes of one of the videos someone else made about it. I think I blew my load on keeping up with the Onision drama for years, so, now, I have trouble mustering any interest in learning the ins and outs of this or that toxic internet personality.

[Gwaithmir]

Taking meds and having morning coffee. It's a rainy, miserable day. I may go back to bed for a while. 

[brewer]

Just finished the fajita fixins and marinade. Catching up on the days news.

[brewer]

Shit, our local internet provider is doing an upgrade and will shut down service today for about 4 hours.

[Silver]

Shit, our local internet provider is doing an upgrade and will shut down service today for about 4 hours.

Four hours without access to porn. Oh, how will you survive?

[brewer]

Shit, our local internet provider is doing an upgrade and will shut down service today for about 4 hours.

Four hours without access to porn. Oh, how will you survive?

I have the ability to go old school.

[Fireball]

Four hours without access to porn. Oh, how will you survive?

I have the ability to go old school.

Wetware instead of software!

[arewethereyet]

Everyone from work went to the state fair today. I passed on that excursion. It helped me be excused since I have been sick lately. Work done for today and since my work depends on what gets done at the office, tomorrow will be a breeze.

[brewer]

Yesterday, completed Champion Tracking title. Can't go any higher.

[brewer]

The internet provider emailed us and said that service was back up (anyone see the absurd?). Anyway, out service was never down. I think the wife's refill of Xanax should be on them.