It seems like a lot of people here are smart and creative. Is anybody working on any projects? Is this something you just started, or have you been working on it for a while? What do you do to feel creative on a regular basis?

Right now I'm writing what I think is a short story. It started out as a character profile, but suddenly this person was so fleshed out I wanted something to happen to her. I'm not sure where she's going to take me, but I'm going to keep writing. It's mostly happening stream of consciousness, because I really don't have any destination, and I've never written like this before. It feels good.
I'm also trying to teach myself to knit, and play the electric guitar. Knitting seems much harder than I thought. I've just started with the guitar, so I can't really say how well I feel I'm doing yet.
I like beading, and making jewelry, but that's an expensive habit I haven't been able to afford in some months. I do have some beads I've squirreled away, and a few pieces of costume jewelry I'd like to re-purpose. I think I'll do that this weekend.

I've been working on two stories; one a pulp novel about an obsessed horror fan, and another that is currently lacking a central plot.
I'll probably abandon the former. The story isn't really panning out like I thought it would.
The other one is off to a strong start, and I'm curious to see where my mind takes me with this one... I just hope I don't abandon it, and throw it with the rest of the two-paragraph rejects.

I've also been thinking up a comic series or graphic novel similar to Courage the Cowardly Dog, with characters who are similar to myself as a young child, my grandfather, and one of my cousins.

My inspiration over the past few years has been very sparce.
Ironically, I feel that my skill's been improving.

My projects are only computer programs at the time, though I'd like to expand later and get more physical, maybe robotics, working with micro controllers and computer interfacing, etc. Lately my motivation has been running a bit dry though. My list of past, present, and maybe future projects:

A firewall initialization script for myself mainly that re-initializes network settings such as iptables any time an interface configuration changes. The core just stores any state variables from one run to the next and makes available to the configuration part some useful functions to execute iptables, to determine network interface settings, to get the state variables, etc.

A DVD quick creator. It allows selection of movies files that are already encoded to some compatible format, a selection of background images, and an output directory. It then produces menus for each movie file in order, along with Next and Back buttons, and everything needed to build the DVD with dvdauthor.

A color and colormap editor for POVRay, capable of handling full RBGFT, also select colors in other formats such as HSLFT, HSVFT and CMYKFT. Supports gamma correction and reading/writing directly in POVRay format.

A command-line backup script which reads descriptions of what files to back up for each backup task and allows them to be backed up to tarballs, optionally compressed with bzip2 or gzip compression. State information is saved to the backup as well so it can do incremental backups.

A command-line script to organize and keep track of files in a collection, keep track of each file's cryptographic hash, packages and dependencies provided by the file, etc.

I was working on a notes application that uses Python and wxWidgets. It uses an XML file and stores a tree of notes, where the notes themselves support a simple bbcode like structure. I wrote my own bbcode parser for it. It is functional but still incomplete. I had planned on changing it to also support other elements of information such as simple todo list, alarm clock, contacts, passwords, bookmarks, etc, and perhaps to use a flat-file database such as Sqlite3 instead of XML.

An expression evaluation library, originally C, now C++. It parses an expression into a tree and can evaluate it over and over fairly fast. Multiple expressions may share a single variable list or different variable lists. Also as stack variables can be added to the list different variable lists can actually reference the same variable. Functions can take sub-expression nodes and choose which to evaluate, and also reference parameters (pointers to variables) to be able to modify.

Since I use SCons for a build system, I've created some useful extensions for it, including a substitution builder, an install files scanner, and some other helpers.

In my DOS days, I made a few helper code libraries for games: a mode 13/mode X graphics library, some sound blaster library, etc.

There are also several projects on my Sourceforge page that I've started and never finished, (and I couple that could be said I never started)

Outside of programs, I've been working on my offline website for some time. It had a free hosting provider a while ago but they stopped their free hosting service and I haven't moved to another yet.

im going to start making some cardboard furniture


http://www.instructables.com/id/Cardboard-Cantilever-Chair-20/

mmmcheezy wrote:It seems like a lot of people here are smart and creative.

Yes.

Is anybody working on any projects?

Yes.

Is this something you just started, or have you been working on it for a while?

Yes. Both. Old stuff ongoing, new stuff started.

What do you do to feel creative on a regular basis?

Right now I'm writing what I think is a short story. It started out as a character profile, but suddenly this person was so fleshed out I wanted something to happen to her. I'm not sure where she's going to take me, but I'm going to keep writing. It's mostly happening stream of consciousness, because I really don't have any destination, and I've never written like this before. It feels good.

I'm also trying to teach myself to knit, and play the electric guitar. Knitting seems much harder than I thought. I've just started with the guitar, so I can't really say how well I feel I'm doing yet.

Two months at the guitar, progress is slow.

I like beading, and making jewelry, but that's an expensive habit I haven't been able to afford in some months. I do have some beads I've squirreled away, and a few pieces of costume jewelry I'd like to re-purpose. I think I'll do that this weekend.

I do beading--off loom weaving and embroidery--and have a shit load of beads. I like the really small seed beads 15/0 mostly, but I have beads as small as 22/0.

wunksta wrote:im going to start making some cardboard furniture


http://www.instructables.com/id/Cardboard-Cantilever-Chair-20/

That's interesting. I remember reading about some college student who received packages often enough that he made a cardboard bed and posted images online, only for the packaging company to demand him to take it down.

Here it is [/url]http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/08/11/1715204[/url]

My current project is the building of a new family home. It has turned out to be a much more creative/inventive process than I expected.

There are a couple of downsides. That it is incredibly time consuming will be of no surprise to anyone. I would say the same about the material cost but with the added proviso that, no matter how much you think it will cost, it will cost more (yes, it is possible to do it more cheaply, but no you will not get what you wanted). The professional workers - electricians, plumbers and so on - who, by law and common sense, you must hire for certain tasks are often unreliable and capable of astounding feats of incompetence and thoughtlessness on the rare occasions that they actually turn up for work.

Overall though, I'd say it was an extremely satisfying thing to do. It's challenging at times, frustrating most of the time, but also a deeply rewarding experience on many levels as you see the fruits of your labour take shape around you. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who gets the opportunity and has the time, inclination and the practical aptitude to get stuck in and do a great deal of it for themselves. You'll learn a lot, you'll have numerous opportunities to express yourself and, ultimately, you get a house into the bargain!

I've been working on making money and actually saving it. Not very exciting, but it will allow me to work on things I eventually want to work on...

I've been doing a bit of research into coral reef tanks and I hope to eventually get one going. Actually, mainly because I want to sell off little frags of it. That, and they are pretty neat.

I was also thinking about trying to breed praying mantises. This may not be do-able at the moment, depends on whether the one I have is female or not. But, eventually I want to sell the offspring... that may not be a huge money maker or may turn into a household infestation or something, but it wouldn't hurt to try, just for fun.

I think the obsession with money has come along because I'm tired of being poor. But, it seems to be a huge motivator at the moment.


Good luck with the books, mmmcheezy & Mac_G. Writing is a great form of stress relief, and it can be interesting too to see where your mind leads you.

I'm working on getting a degree in MolBio. But I can't manage to squeeze out time of my busy schedule. I think I need to cut back on my time spent at the forum.

Jef wrote:My current project is the building of a new family home. It has turned out to be a much more creative/inventive process than I expected.

There are a couple of downsides. That it is incredibly time consuming will be of no surprise to anyone. I would say the same about the material cost but with the added proviso that, no matter how much you think it will cost, it will cost more (yes, it is possible to do it more cheaply, but no you will not get what you wanted). The professional workers - electricians, plumbers and so on - who, by law and common sense, you must hire for certain tasks are often unreliable and capable of astounding feats of incompetence and thoughtlessness on the rare occasions that they actually turn up for work.

Overall though, I'd say it was an extremely satisfying thing to do. It's challenging at times, frustrating most of the time, but also a deeply rewarding experience on many levels as you see the fruits of your labour take shape around you. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who gets the opportunity and has the time, inclination and the practical aptitude to get stuck in and do a great deal of it for themselves. You'll learn a lot, you'll have numerous opportunities to express yourself and, ultimately, you get a house into the bargain!

I'm doing the exact same thing, and feel the exact same way about it. The only problem I have, is not enough time to devote to it.

also, the drums.

I make minigames with Game Maker. This is one of my former works. I'm working on a slippery slope right now.

natselrox wrote:I'm working on getting a degree in MolBio. But I can't manage to squeeze out time of my busy schedule. I think I need to cut back on my time spent at the forum.

That's true. I could potentially get more things done as well if I didn't spend so much time on the compu'. But, this forum is a mind stimulate in itself. I figure it's better than watching the boob tube. Plus, I find it very enjoyable. It's just about managing your time, I suppose.

Continuing this...

from Grand Theft Gateau.

This page is safe the rest is generally NSFW!!!

mmmcheezy wrote:It seems like a lot of people here are smart and creative. Is anybody working on any projects?

Great thread, mmmcheezy!

mmmcheezy wrote:What do you do to feel creative on a regular basis?

I think one of the things I've learned over the years is that creativity comes in cycles and you have to honour those cycles. So there are times when nothing seems to be happening, when you feel positively dead creatively, or flat, or totally confused and unable to string a thought together, yet during those times you could be incubating something new. At other times the inspiration is coming so thick and fast I don't know what to do with it, and in those times the only thing I can do is scribble down notes.

At the moment, the project that is on the front burner is something I don't want to talk about...yet. But I'm also working on two books (both long term projects that I pick up and work on and then put down again). These books both have a mythological feel to them.

I've also just decided to record some of my poems and put them on a CD alongside some music composed by a guy that I actually met on RD.net, Sweep. At the time we had been involved in some discussions about mythology, and I sent him a screenplay I'd written about Queen Morgan (King Arthur's sister). He then composed a piece ("Morgan") inspired by the screenplay, which you can hear if you go to his website.

I'm making these CDs as Christmas presents.

Wow, I really love reading about everyone's projects! So far I'm most intrigued by the cardboard furniture. But I envy the drive and motivation everyone has to pursue degrees and build houses. I'm also jealous of everyone who can come out and say "I'm writing a book." I'm always afraid to outright say that I'm writing something because I'm afraid of jinxing myself. I think that's what inspired me to start this thread--perhaps everyone else's drive will inspire me to keep at it.

mmmcheezy wrote:Wow, I really love reading about everyone's projects! So far I'm most intrigued by the cardboard furniture. But I envy the drive and motivation everyone has to pursue degrees and build houses. I'm also jealous of everyone who can come out and say "I'm writing a book." I'm always afraid to outright say that I'm writing something because I'm afraid of jinxing myself. I think that's what inspired me to start this thread--perhaps everyone else's drive will inspire me to keep at it.

Maybe if you did come out and say it you'd be more motivated to finish your writing and do the best job you can because people are expecting you to keep working on it. I usually get more motivated when people know I'm working on something and take an interest in the project.

My current project is technically not my project! A friend of mine needs to make a Java game for a uni module, so I'm helping him out with the things he's stuck on.

I'm also messing around with different programming languages at the minute to make myself more employable. I'm not really doing anything just for the fun of it right now, but I'm sure I'll be back to my regular tinkering once I'm sorted out with a proper job.

About to start a piece to hang on my dining room wall. I know what it will look like, just pondering about the colours and texture. Something similar to the one i did for my living room wall.

natselrox wrote:I'm working on getting a degree in MolBio. But I can't manage to squeeze out time of my busy schedule. I think I need to cut back on my time spent at the forum.

That's one of my main problems. I'm addicted to this damn website.
When I'm not here, I'm either doing yard work, reading, out, or something else.
I think I need to require myself to work on creative stuff for a certain amount of time.

Mantisdreamz wrote:I've been doing a bit of research into coral reef tanks and I hope to eventually get one going. Actually, mainly because I want to sell off little frags of it. That, and they are pretty neat.

Did someone say coral reef tanks?! Can't say I've got a ton of experience but I'm on the lookout for tanks every single day. I can help you keep an eye out if you like. I'm in talk currently with a guy who has a 180 gallon w/stand + extras for $400. I'm usually good at this shit. Let me know what you want and I can keep my ear to the ground.