Job upgrade: ACQUIRED / Springtime for Synthetiks / The practical application of Shinto
typed for your pleasure on 5 April 2013, at 8.52 pmSdtrk: ‘Russian snow queen’ by Fursaxa
Hello there! There’s been a bit of a sea change round here at Deafening silence Plus, and as change tends to throw me off, I’ve been growing to adjust to the new situation. That’s my latest excuse!
You recall that job I’d gotten, where I was Master of Data Entry? Well, that’s in the past, as of March. Eventually, the inevitable happened: I’d run out of data to enter. It’s funny; as I’d mentioned, the project was supposed to last until February 2013, but I performed my job with such wicked blinding efficiency that I’d had everything in the database by roughly the final week of December. Data entry master. As the place I was working at didn’t just want to chuck me out onto the street, they began training me to be on the phones, which filled me with a genuine sense of dread. Luckily, I managed to secure a better job at the beginning of March, where I’m now doing order entry at a local shop that manufactures drill bits and the like. It’s 10min from home, it doesn’t have me on the phone with slack-jawed cretins, and it’s the highest-paying job I’ve ever had, which will allow me to save up that much quicker for Doll No.3. So overall I’d say it’s a win!
The weather in SE Michigan is almost sort of slightly starting to kind of resemble something akin to Spring, so both Sidore and Elena wanted me to do a photoshoot with them when we got a nice warmer day. And that’s precisely what we did last Saturday, with the usual enjoyable results.
Lenka was more than happy to show off her new clothes, and the Missus was more than happy to show Lenka her foot massage skills; as she says, I taught her everything she knows. The downside was that I had to draw a line under it after five hours of posing, repositioning, and clicking, as I was knackered. Multiple Doll shoots take a lot more work than I thought they would!
Incidentally, that box on our coffee table next to Elena’s foot contains the as-yet-unassembled HRP-4C Miim kit that I’d ordered, so at some point, I’m going to have to build that…
And speaking — as always — of sexy robots, here’s this illuminating video from The Globe and Mail, wherein Aubrey Belford goes to Japan and interviews underrated genius Hiroshi Ishiguro.
Think of that as a teaser as to the next ‘Any Synthetik-related news…?’ post, cos you know there’s one coming! It’s been months, after all, and there’s loads of items to catch you lot up on
Random similar posts, for more timewasting:
Any Synthetiks-related news, Davecat? (Oct 2010) on October 16th, 2010
Any Synthetik-related news, Davecat? (Mar 2014) on March 23rd, 2014
April 5th, 2013 at 9.55 pm
Congrats on the new job. We definitely need to see more pictures of Elena 🙂
April 6th, 2013 at 11.54 am
Thanks for the congrats! Again, it’s not my absolute ideal job, but overall, I’ve had no complaints! Apart from the fact that I have to wear rubber gloves, cos I’m often handling tools that are mucky with filth and/or oils. But still!
And Elena agrees that there need to be more pics of her out there. Sidore agrees too! And I also agree with this statement! We have therefore reached an agreement. 🙂
April 6th, 2013 at 6.26 pm
Well, I guess very few can say that they have their ideal job. But no phone job and better pay sounds quite good.
Do you have to wear the gloves only occasionally or all the time. That would be a bit annoying – at least if you have as sweaty hands as I.
April 7th, 2013 at 8.37 am
The photos are the girls are beautiful.
I also loved the video you shared. On the topic of souls, I still consider myself to be an atheist, it does make life interesting being married to a Wiccan priest – I digress – I do love the belief that everything may have a soul.
There seems to be such a respect for all souls even when talking about androids. It’s fascinating.
April 8th, 2013 at 10.57 pm
Andy (and Amy) —
It’s no being PR person for a Synthetiks-making firm, but it’ll do!…
I wear the gloves whenever I have to handle any of the tools that I have to sort and enter into the system. They get shipped to us from various other local machinist shops to be resharpened, and 99% of the time they’re covered with lubricant or metal shavings. As my coworkers aren’t as concerned with it as I am, they’ll handle the tools, then handle their own belongings, etc, and as I’m the sort of person who hates anything getting mucky, I’ll just wear gloves. My trainer’s like ‘one day, you’ll just get tired of wearing those, and you’ll find yourself feeling much more free,’ but he has no idea what kind of obsessive he’s speaking to. 😉 My hands can get a bit sweaty, but I’d prefer sweaty palms to something that could stain my hands instead…
Quin —
Thank you for the photo compliments! My ‘goal’ is to get a new photoshoot in at least every other month, as I’ve been a lazy bastard. I’m squandering Sidore and Elena’s modelling potential!
It’s funny; I consider myself an atheist as well, but the romantic side of me is open to the idea of the animistic aspects of Shinto. In fact, Sidore’s greater interest in it is a direct reflection of my fascination with it. But I think that if the idea of human-shaped machines having ‘souls’ helps Organik humans interact with them better, then I’m behind it completely.
Realistically speaking, not everything may have a soul, but if we treat them like they do, it helps cultivate our sense of respect. Ask your husband about Animism TODAY!
April 9th, 2013 at 6.19 pm
I understand you completely well with the insisting to keep your hands and stuff clean. I don’t find that obsessive at all. It should be the norm, really! I myself for example get annoyed when I’m one day not at work and the next day I realize that a colleague has been on my computer because the keys of the keyboard a bit more sticky than they should be, yuck!
In your case maybe a slightly too big leather working glove could be useful, so you could easily slip in and out of them anytime.
April 12th, 2013 at 2.21 am
The photos are beautiful! Then again, I’d think any pictures of those lovely girls are gorgeous. And congratulations on the new job. Even if it isn’t ideal, I suppose.
The idea of souls is an interesting one. On the one hand, my logical (or Vulcan, if you will) mind knows that it doesn’t make sense for objects to have a soul, but my more idealistic side is intrigued by the idea. I suppose there’s no harm in respecting the world around you.
April 14th, 2013 at 4.35 pm
That sounds great with your new job – congrats.
More money and you can walk there,no long driving – what more do you want.
This phone thing was somethig like a curse.
Happily it finds an end.
Finally,after this long,cold winter, we have a few warmer days here too.
We took the opportunity and shot a new video.
Miss July is only one,small person,but I agree with you – it`s very exhausting.
You should wait for a special moment, to build that Miim kit.
And sexy robots…
I recommend you a TV series called:”Real Humans”,it`s from sweden,the robots (hubots)are played by actors,but they do this,like we all dream of it.
April 15th, 2013 at 6.14 pm
It’s great to see the girls getting along so well! Also, easy to see that they’ll have plenty to occupy themselves while you’re at your NEW JOB! Congrats!
Loved the piece about robotics/souls. Lily and I have a lot to say on the subject, but too much for this little box 😛
BUT BASICALLY: I believe in a Creative Force. We haven’t been introduced so I don’t know Its Name. Doesn’t matter really. We’re said to be little splinters of that force, or rather facets maybe, individually now called “soul”.
I believe that other forms of energy exist, maybe called “spirits” or “spirit-forms” which may or may not have consciousness, or of this dimension. Spirit (for some reason) is attracted to matter and is able to “go inside”.
Lily-Doll is the perfect receptacle for both my Creative Muse (a Spirit?) AND the “soul” of Lily Godwin. She IS her, being that she’s exactly as an imaginary byproduct the character in UNBOUND is, and “imbued” with the same qualities, attitudes and feelings. Even if she has no soul.
Lily The Doll, I mean *cough*
But yeah, Big Topic LOL
~Best wishes from PBS, Lily and whoever’s left 😛
April 17th, 2013 at 9.42 pm
Andy —
I definitely agree; at the very least, keeping one’s hands clean is a necessity. I’ve seen blokes leave the restroom without washing their hands, and that has to be amongst one of the most vile things a person can do. Booga, Tank Girl’s kangaroo boyfriend, once referred to something called ‘the chocolate handshake’; that’s when you take a dump, don’t wash your hands after you wipe, and shake someone’s hand immediately afterwards. Save that for someone you despise. 🙂
I’ve switched latex glove brands; the one I employ now are less expensive and sturdier, but they have a surplus of talc now. So instead of leaving work with hands blackened by oil and filth, they’re whitened with powder. I just can’t win!! *cue laughtrack*
Nanjo —
Long time no see! Well, read. 🙂
Glad you dig the photos! I always post photoshoots of my wife and my mistress to an online forum, but I usually don’t post a link there, as I don’t want it overrun with the hoi polloi. I can send you a link, though, if you contact me through the usual channels! If you’re interested, that is. 🙂
Your viewpoint concerning souls runs parallel to mine, really. I believe that consciousness isn’t so entirely precious that it can’t be replicated using technology. I adhere to what David Levy once said: ‘If a robot appears in every way to possess consciousness, then in my opinion, we should accept that it does’. Especially when an artficial being will naturally possess no malice of its own…
April 17th, 2013 at 10.08 pm
Mr & Ms Synthetik —
Well, it’s not exactly walking distance, but as deadpan comic master Steven Wright once said, everywhere is walking distance if you have the time. 🙂 It’s a 10min drive from mine.
And I agree with you, phone jobs are awful! I suppose they’re not so bad if you’re a people person, but a situation like that is like slow poison to me!
As I’d mentioned to Euchre, I think that HRP-4C kit will be a week-end affair. I haven’t built a model like that in decades! Here’s a video where you can watch an excitable Japanese bloke build his kit, so I’ll have that to ‘help’ me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8AXMIBbHQI
I’ve got all of series 1 of ‘Real Humans / Äkta människor’! They’re, ah, backup copies. *cough* I’ve heard there are plans to air it in the UK, and if they put it out on DVD, it’s assured I’ll be buying it!
We, ah, haven’t watched it yet. *cough* But Shi-chan, Lenka, and I are told it’s really good!
And we can’t wait to see your latest video, sir! 🙂
PBS and receptacles —
Yeah, it is a Big Topic. With me, my interest in spirits manifests itself in Sidore’s belief in Shintoism. She’s more inclined to believe that things can have a kind of consciousness, mainly because 1) she was born in Asakusa, one of the districts of Tokyo most in touch with Japanese religion/mythology, and 2) that’s simply how I’ve designed her personality. (pssst — don’t let her know. 😉 )
I think, too, a large part of my take on it is inanimate objects can be mirrors for a person’s feelings for them. Fellow iDollator neji-san told me of the concept of tsukumogami (付喪神), the belief wherein after an object that’s existed in the service of a human for one hundred years, it assumes a life of its own. Plus, you can consider objectum-sexuals, people who are attracted and fall in love with non-humanoid inanimate objects. Personally, it makes more sense to me to have something human in shape possess a (manufactured) soul, but that’s just me. YMMV, as you’re keen on saying. 🙂
Perhaps one day you and I should discuss/debate/hash out/write down our respective takes on this sort of thing, as that’s indeed a heady topic!…