In the annals of time, history stands tall as an undying repository of deeds, triumphs, failures, and fables that have defined humanity’s trajectory. It is with a tinge of dismay, and a hint of alarming concern, that we discuss the burgeoning contempt for history against the people who dare not to know. We’re not just combating ignorance; we’re fighting an unfortunate relegation of the past to the inconsequential.
Reflecting on the tapestry of human history, it is impossible to overlook the paramount influence religion has wielded in the formation of societies, civilizations, and cultural dynamics. While I express this understanding as an atheist, it’s crucial to honor all perspectives’ authenticity, even when they diverge from one’s views. Different people draw different meanings from various life aspects, and for many, religion serves as an unwavering beacon guiding them through life’s daunting maze. In this context, I’m aiming to explore a widening path in contemporary society; empowering self-driven lives, where belief in oneself takes precedence. It’s about ensuring that one realizes, “Yourself is Enough.”
Clones are not coming, they’re already here — because,the Clone, is you! Yes, the call is coming from inside your head! I now have an AI Voice clone of my voice trained on over30 hours of my Human Meme podcast. I trained my AI voice on my Human Meme podcast so the source material was clean, and well-edited – and because of that early care in podcast recording, and production, my new AI voice is shockingly, and incredibly real and, frankly, Uncannily Fantastic! Plus, there is probably a little tinge of terror tossed in there too — because now my voice can live on without me. Let’s hope it behaves! From this moment on, I have touched true immortality. Would you ever want it any other way?
With our ASL Opera project picking up steam, I was curious to know just how the “High Art” of Opera has influenced mainstream American culture over the last 50 years or so, and I was surprised to learn, via ChatGPT-4 AI, just how deeply many of the most famous Opera melodies made their way into our shared childhoods and our culturally maintained totems of relevance!
For the past 60 days, I have been intensively studying the Italian language. I want to learn Italian in order to better serve our ASL Opera project since 50% of the most popular operas were written in Italian (25% were written in German, and 15% were written in French). I understand modern Italian isn’t the same as “original opera Italian” — but learning something new only helps deepen the appreciation of the comprehension of the context of the original aesthetic. In this article, I will share with you some of the treasures, and techniques, I have been using to apply a greater understanding to my Italian learning.
[UPDATE: September 12, 2023; our ASL Opera Project website is now live! Join us there for new videos, translation updates, and for consultation concerning the right interpretation of Opera in American Sign Language!]
[UPDATE: September 12, 2023; our ASL Opera Project website is now live! Join us there for new videos, translation updates, and for consultation concerning the right interpretation of Opera in American Sign Language!]
[UPDATE: July 11, 2023. Janna and I met with the Metropolitan Opera to discuss heightened ASL interpreting for their performances. The meeting was positive, forward-thinking, and hopeful! We will soon update with more information!Here’s the July 11 update!]
My delightful wife Janna Sweenie and I are big lovers of opera. Opera is the pinnacle of all the Performing Arts — Painting, Acting, Voice, Costumes, Lights and Sets — and when put together, in unison, in an exaggerated and elevated performance, the entire world glows and resonates! We have always been dismayed that opera is not often, if ever, interpreted in American Sign Language for the Deaf like all Broadway shows are interpreted. Janna and I are currently working on our “Opera Project” where she will present ASL renderings of famous opera arias. We will place those performances online as proof-of-concept. This is a challenging, but rewarding, and complex academic process of interpretation and adaptation, and implementation.
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