User:Thijshijsijsjss/Human Parser/Amorphous Annotations Amassed

This page collects annotations that are small and don't warrant their own page. It is a drafting ground for in-progress writing, and some entries might migrate to a dedicated page as they grow. Also, as the manual grows, I expect more single line annotations to emerge, some entries to be broken up, and more fun to be had with the questionable linearity of the thesis!

About Thijs

Necessary. This annotation is about introducing Thijs (me), as an attempt to situate the thesis and to give context for the personal parts of writing. For now, I've tried to capture some necessary information. As the thesis grows, and I give more hints towards my person, I might add to / change the lists (e.g. how the library point connects to About Routines)

This is THIJS.

There are some things that are true about THIJS:

• THIJS is a student of experimental publishing, a MFA program in Rotterdam. (true)
• THIJS has a background in computer science and mathematics and game making. (true)
• THIJS is a frequent visitor of local libraries. (true)
• THIJS has been told to come with a manual. (true)

There are a lot of things that are false about THIJS:

• THIJS absolutely detests text-adventures. (false)
• THIJS is a confident navigator. (false)
• THIJS has experienced it all. (false)
• THIJS has never cried while writing THESIS. (false)

There are also things about THIJS that are neither true nor false:

• THIJS comes with a manual. (?)
• THIJS has a clear idea of who they are. (?)
• THIJS is in critical danger of becoming an obsolete medium. (?)
• THIJS is me, Thijs, 'I', the writing voice in this THESIS. (?)

About Disassociation

Necessary. This annotation is meant to give a (my) 'definition' of disassociation. Can be short. Need reference(s).

About Text-Adventures

Necessary. This annotation is about talking about text-adventures, accompanying another entry talking about interactive fiction. The latter makes a thematic connection to disassociation. This entry should be more explanatory of what TAs are. Can be shorter, and should annotate an 'early' part of the manual. Main references Get Lamp and Twisty Little Passages.

About Obsolete Media

Nice to have. Annotation acknolowedging the connection to obsolete media. It seems like this axis is not super present, which I'm okay with (there might still be some pen plotter action), but I think it's still nice to mention, and might connect to some other entries (like a potential FOMO entry). Need reference(s). Ask Joseph?

About Prophetic Diagnoses

Optional. About how a label / description of you might influence you, as a self-fulfilling prophecy. After the player's functionality score is exceeded, the 'day ends' and they are presented a report of their actions. Can be connected there (someone's narration of your life / person makes you that person).

About Routines

Optional. Might be a nice extension to About Parsing, and a more personal account (which I like and I think is welcome). Hope it can convey undertones of themes I'm not explicitly naming. And I hope / like to show some of my process and connect it themstically (similar to About Signalling). Don't know if 'routines' is the final name.

When I was in high school, I played the piano. I knew a few songs. One time, I played a song in front of friends, and overheard a negative comment. Every time I played that song after that, I heard that same comment at that position in the song. Soon, every song I knew triggered an associated memory.

I write this thesis in long library sessions. Sometimes I hear people talk about their dreams. Moving abroad, exploring the world. Traveling in a campervan, months on the road. These sound like wonderful dreams. But anytime I'm 5 hours deep into a library session, I can't help but think: this is all I want in life, this abstract monotonous familiar approximation of happiness. So I go to the library, and write. And then I walk home. I walk home listening to the same song every time. Islands, by King Crimson. Listening to Islands, I walk home thinking the same thoughts I thought the first time walking home listening to this song. It was November 14 2024, 102 days and many library sessions ago. I just happened to listen to Islands that day. I had just shared the song with a person very dear to me. In an attempt to express how I felt, or maybe in the hopes they would be able to tell me. I walk home and listen and think the thoughts I thought that day. 8:15 into the 11:56 minute song, I arrive home. Sometimes I silently cry in the hallway for the remaining 221 seconds before taking off my shoes and continuing my day. These days, I'm not able to share songs anymore with that person very dear to me. Sometimes it's difficult to interpret your thoughts and emotions.

After a while, I had to take a break from playing piano. Every note triggered a memory. This was too much. I tried it again recently, 2403 days since high school, but memories I hadn't thought about in years still came back, vividly. Songs I'm not able to share anymore, no one to tell me how I feel. The exercise of empathy and understanding extends to oneself, the imaginative parsing. Why do I keep listening to Islands?