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Let’s Make a JavaScript Poetry Assistant

May 6, 2024

Programming

creativity, javascript, poetry, programming

I’ll be honest with you: This JavaScript poetry assistant began as something meant entirely for my own use. I’m in the middle of a creative project (sneak preview: it’s relevant to Medēn), and I wanted something that would produce rhymes in real time. Indeed, the first name of this program was “Real Time Rhymer”.

Somewhere along the way, other things found their way into the program, all because I needed them. So eventually I realized, if I found this JavaScript poetry assistant useful, others might too.

Of course, the fact that it began as something I didn’t intend to share makes it a little bit Frankenstein-like. It works, but it’s a bit sloppily coded (for instance, some stuff work with jQuery, others with plain vanilla JavaScript). Its aesthetics are also a bit all over the place. And because I’m not going to spend more time working on the program itself, since I’ve got the functionality I wanted, I decided to simply share it. You can use it on this page, and the source code is also available if you want to play with it yourself.

javascript poetry assistant. Program screenshot
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The Importance of Enjoying Your Art

April 29, 2024

Experiencing

art, creativity, literature, music, writing

Have you ever noticed those ruthlessly competitive parents who live their own dreams through their children? Don’t you hate it when they approach 7-year-olds’ soccer practice like it’s the World Cup? It’s the same with art: Enjoying your art is the only way to truly become creatively good at it.

You might recall an old post of mine on whether writing skills can be taught. In it, I explained how hard work isn’t enough (and neither is talent, in case you’re wondering). What I didn’t say in that post (not explicitly, at least) was that enjoying your art is a crucial aspect of improving.

All those tiger moms who send their 3-year-olds to excruciating piano lessons or ballet – without even asking them if they like it – are a surefire way of creating technical gods and goddesses who have no goddamn clue what true art is.

Let’s see why enjoying your art is crucial – and how you can enjoy yours!

enjoying art, image of singer on stage
Enjoying your art is not just the best way of creating and performing it; it’s also the only way to improve where it matters
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Selfish Artists: Dynamics of A Peculiar Concept

April 15, 2024

Experiencing, Literature

art, creativity, literature, society

All people are selfish, artists or not. This might sound like a hot take, but it’s actually trite: When all are something, nobody is. In other words, all people are selfish because that’s human nature – we are the center of the universe because that’s how we perceive everything – but the fact that there are degrees is what allows us to call someone selfish and someone else not.

Linguistic and metaphysical trickery aside, selfish artists are a peculiar concept because the nature of art itself (especially in connection with authorship) is as peculiar. By its nature, art isn’t quantifiable, whereas artists are humans with intense desire to quantify everything.

Do artists have social responsibilities? That’s a question we’ve wondered about. Selfish artists, as a concept, is somewhat relevant to that question, but not entirely. The topic boils down to the degree an artist respects the art, their work, and ultimately themselves.

selfish artists. image of a person with colorful paint
Here’s a little meta- take on selfish artists: The original image (public domain) was much more colorful, with high saturation. I assume the photographer became a bit too enamored with the vivid colors and cranked up the saturation. Before posting it, I slightly lowered the saturation to let the image “breathe”. Who’s selfish? The photographer for going all out and “disrespecting” the art, or I for essentially imposing my artistic will on someone else’s work?
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