NotW #78 mikkowilson

[mikkowilson]

(before I begin; I will not apologize for anything. Especially AvatarMeet plugs.   )

Who are you?

Spoiler

Tell us about yourself! Where are you coming from, what languages do you speak, what do you do, how old are you, tell us a few words about your family, work etc. This is the job interview part.

Kaltxì ma frapo. o)
I'm Mikko Wilson; known around the web with the oh-so-creative nick of mikkowilson.
a/s/l huh? 29/male/Juneau, Alaska, USA, by way of Helsinki, Finland, and before that England. Born & raised in the latter, have family and got degree in Media Engineering in Finland; and currently happily married for 3 years to my high school girlfriend in the former.
Being half English, half Finnish; I speak both languages fluently. Though after living in the US on and off for 14 years, my English is questionable.

With the exception of being a huge Avatar fan, I'm actually a bit of a nerd in the real world. I work at a local NBC TV station as an Engineer and TV News Photog/Reporter. I also teach video production at a local high school. In my free time I try and spend time outside, with Disc Golf being my current preferred summertime activity, in the winter it's downhill skiing all the way. I also spend much too much time watching TV; current favorites include The Big Bang Theory, and of course always a classic Monty Python's Flying Circus.
Those who know me will be astounded by this information, as I'm neither geeky nor silly. <-- Sarcasm.

Why are you here?

Spoiler

What brought you here to the Learn Na'vi forum in the first place? Did you fall in love with the language? With Pandora? With a character? Did someone invite you? Or did you stumble upon this site? Once here, why did you decide to stay? How much time do you spend here every day?

I saw Avatar for the first time on Saturday December 19th, 2009.
Went in knowing next to nothing about it. I'd seen maybe one "tonight show" interview, or something. Hadn't seen the trailer, didn't know the plot.
I remember nothing at all about it. Nothing. I remember that afterwards one of my friends (who didn't go) asked me if it was fern gully in space. The entire rest of the night is gone in my memory.
The next day I couldn't shake it. The movie was still bugging me, occupying my mind.
3 days later, a co-worker was interested in seeing it. To me the concept of paying to see a movie a 2nd time in the theater was ridiculous. I mean, WHY would *anyone* spend good money to see a movie they'd already seen? Hell, I heard of some girl that once went to see Titanic 7 (SEVEN(!)) times in the theater. That was nuts.
- I'll interject now that the fact I'm here is a bit of a giveaway as to where this story goes... -
So I went a 2nd time.
And a 7th time.
My 8th and 9th times where the first in 3D while I was on a business trip to Vegas where it was still showing (we didn't have 3D theaters here in Juneau at the time). I paid a $40 cab fair to get across town for the 8th viewing. I walked 8 miles across Las Vegas in the middle of the night to see it the 9th time.
My 10th viewing was in (Fake) IMAX the next day. I ended up changing my plane tickets to see it on the way home.
Bought the sound track. Joined AF, then LN, ToS, and you all pretty much know the rest of how this story goes.

Why would anyone get up in the middle of the night to go to a store to buy a midnight release of something? Just buy it the next day. Oh, right...

..And learn a made up language? Why would you? I mean, Klingon? Or Elvish? That's just nuts. Who would spend time and energy on something like that? Well, as it turns out: Oe.

I haven't been very active on the LN forum. But typing in "v" in my location bar brings up the vocab list first. Met some members of LN at the June 2011 meetup, and have been actively working with them on the 2012 meetup for the past 4 months.

Where do your alias and profile pic come from?

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Do they have a special significance? Is you alias a translation of your real name, or just a bunch of random letters thrown together? Is that you on your profile pic?

My alias/nick/username is my real name, and I use it everywhere. Mikko is a very Finnish name, rare elsewhere. And Wilson is a very English name, particularly rare in Finland. The combination is unique enough that it was available when I signed up for [email protected] back in 1997. I've been using it as a nick everywhere since.

My profile pic/avatar is based originally on a joke from high school stage crew where I once used gaff tape to write out "Got Techie?" on the back of my crew shirt for a show. Like most of my jokes, I didn't let it die when it was no longer funny, and I've been using "Got Techie?" in white text on a black background as my avatar on forums for years. Some time in early 2010, as I was spinning into this rabbit-hole we all know, I changed the background as one of my less than subtle nods to Avatar across many forums.

Srak nga tsun nìna'vi pivlltxe?

Spoiler

How well? Why did you start to learn it? What is your ultimate goal with the language? Do you have specific methods/tools you use in learning the language? How did your friends, family, or colleagues react to your interest in learning Na'vi? Have you told them at all? Have you converted any of them?

Srane, oel plltxe kesìltsan leNa'vi.
For the better speakers on here, that statement says everything. Yes, but not very well.
I have no goal with the language. I don't even really know why I started learning it; when I did, I simply couldn't get enough of Avatar; and the language seemed like a natural thing to pursue. In my apparent pursuance of being as me as possible, with as much funny in the mix as I can; the ability to speak a made up language sounded like fun...

It was probably around February 2010 when there was a joke on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien where some guest just threw out a sentence of gibberish and then joked that it was Na'vi for "Look out, here comes the giant flying dragon thing!". I commented to no-one in particular, with only my wife with me in the room at the time, actually, that would be "Eltu sì! Toruk!". The exasperated response from my wife confirmed for me that this was a fun skill.
I find great personal entertainment, and find solace with all those "crazies" who learn other Con-Langs, whenever Na'vi comes up. I normally don't bring it up, but when someone else does, the ability to respond always yields a fun reaction.

Of course some of my Na'vi I use openly all the time. I am of course talking about hissing at things that surprise/hurt/annoy me. One of my students once commented "You hiss a lot".  I blame it on growing up with cats in the house. Of course I never hissed before Avatar.

I have noticed a very interesting side effect of learning Na'vi: Having gone to school in England, my formal English skills are basically non existent. I learned Finnish natively growing up, so it was automatic. But Learning Na'vi, I've actually learned a lot about how English works that I didn't know. And Finnish also. Despite the debatable "usefulness" of knowing Na'vi, learning it has substantially improved my "real" language skills.

I have also learned how to make custom keyboard layouts.

What's you favorite Na'vi word? Did you incorporate it (or others) into your everyday vocab?

I don't really have any one favorite.
Since the movie came out, I've been trying to convince my wife to let me get "Kameie" as a custom license plate for our car. It probably is one of my favorites due to it's meaning. It's a word I wish we had and needed in English (and every language), like the Na'vi do.

I use Kaltxì a lot of course. Probably more than any other.

I have on occasion, when my mind was elsewhere, without thinking responded "kehe" when asked a question by someone.

Srain is fun to say wrong like that just to bug Payoang.

And I regularly yell "Fnu!" or "Mawey" to a dog that is always barking in our neighborhood. To no effect normally.

In your opinion, what are the top three user-created content on the LN website?

Spoiler

Anything from the main site, the wiki, or the forum including language docs, threads, quotes, literary works, images, etc.

Top one is definitely the vocab list. I use it all the time. I know it's "published" by the site, but so much of the content is now user created, that it totally counts.

2nd is probably the Android App. I use it regularly to look up words.  Though it does appear to be somewhat out of date and in need of a word/list update.

And Na'vi in a Nutshell is certainly the handiest of the PDF's to understand the basic structure & syntax of the language.

Have you made any contributions to the LN community that you're particularly proud of?

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What made you make those? Do you plan on contributing (again) in the future? How?

Pretty much all I've done is my work on the Meetups. I've designed, coded, and host the website www.AvatarMeet.com - Which I'm trying to make as good as possible to facilitate an awesome(r) meetup.

I also regularly bug Payoang by intentionally saying "Srain".

What is it that you liked/hated the most about Avatar ?

Spoiler

How many times have you seen it? How big of an Avatard are you? Prove it!

The one problem I have with Avatar would be, to borrow a quote from Grace; "There are many dangers on Pandora, and one of the subtlest is that you may come to love it too much."

Being a TV / movie techie myself. I find immense interest in the tech side of the film also. The tools developed to create the movie are astounding. And having it impact on that emotional level at the same time makes for... (wait for it)   ...a potent mix.

I love it when people ask how many times I've seen Avatar; because that one I *always* respond in Na'vi - regardless of their knowledge of my fanship. Current count: Pxevohin

Prove how big an Avatar fan I am? I'll do this bit in the style of an old forum game over on AF.
You might be an Avatar fan if...
... You've grown your hair out and have it braided.
... You have glow-in-the-dark stars on you bedroom ceiling. That are astronomically correctly placed. As seen from Pandora.
... You have to suppress the urge to say "Kaltxì" when meeting someone.
... You've traveled with a Na'vi inspired tsko swizaw as checked luggage.
... You once paid $1000 to see Avatar in IMAX, including missing a week of work and flying 900 miles to do it.
... You are Na'vi of the Week on LearnNavi.org

Has Avatar  changed your life in any way?

Spoiler

Are you trying to become a Na'vi? How and to what extent? Do you live on a tree? Do you wear your hair in a long braid? Or are you just simply blue? Do you bond with animals? Is Gaia on your contact list? Did you have your photo 'shopped?

This is a silly question.
Srane! Of course Avatar has changed my life. While nothing has changed, everything has changed. I'm still pretty much who I used to be, still do the same things and live in the say way. But I also do and think everything differently.

And yes, as mentioned above, I'm growing my hair out, and have worn it braided every since December 19, 2010; when it was long enough to do so for the first time.

And yeah, I always greet and speak to animals in Na'vi. They seem to appreciate it more than most people I encounter.

If you could ask Frommer or Cameron three movie or language related questions what would they be?

Spoiler

You can make requests specific words/expressions too.

Jim: Do you need a PA?
Ok, no, seriously; I wouldn't even know where to start. Probably with "Irayo, oel ngati kameie ma tsmukan."...

Pawl: I'd love to have a word for Chocolate. I'd also like a word for Aurora Borealis, one of the physical phenomenons of Pandora that we actually have here to observe on earth.

I'd like to ask Jim if he was expecting this sort of emotional response from people. Did he know exactly what he was going to do to us?

What else do you do in you free time?

Oh man, I covered this at the top.
I IRC. A lot.

Name your top three favorite Earth animals from most favorite to least. Why those? What's the animal you're most terrified of?

Cats rock. They just do.

Humans. We have so much potential.

Tigers. Hobbes. 'nuff said.


Most terrified of: Humans. We can't control our potential. The terminators are right: The biggest threat to humans, is ourselves.

Pirate, ninja, zombie, or robot?

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Something else? Maybe a combo? Exactly what subtype? Why? (For those of you not so versed in trash tropes, this question basically amounts to asking "What superpowers would you like to have?")

Ninja.

If I told you why, you'd already be dead.

What three items would you take to a desert island and why?

Spoiler

Anything from books, movies, games, instruments, music, sporting equipment, etc. You'd be provided with means to fully utilize the chosen items – electricity, MP3 player, etc. –, but you couldn't use them for anything else. Escape is not possible.

Does a movie theater with a copy of Avatar count as one?

IRC would be nice. It's sad in a way. But yeah, my laptop would have to be one of those things that I just use a lot. And I need my XKCD.

A satellite phone would be nice; but you say that escape is not possible? Then scratch that.

An endless supply of Finnish (Fazer) chocolate. Those who have tasted it, know why.  Oh, in a fridge please. Also stocked with some milk.

If you could travel to anywhere in space and time (including fictional universes), where would you go and why?

Duh.

If you were granted one single wish what would it be?

See above.

Ok, fine.
Seriously: More wishes.

Or a fully operational Tswin. Yeah, that would probably be it.

What is a question you'd ask yourself? How would you answer it?

Why did you leave your NotW post to the last minute, and thus spent all of Monday morning at work doing it?

Because I was up late last night working on AvatarMeet.com, and completely forgot about getting this done for today.

True or false?

Spoiler

Write three statements about yourself, the more extravagant the better. At least one of them must be true. At the end of the week, you'll have to tell which ones were truthful and which made up.

1). I once got pulled over by a cop for speeding on roller blades.

2). I once got taken to the hospital with a concussion after falling off a tank while serving in the army.

3). My grandfather was a medal winning Olympic athlete.

What is the funniest, weirdest, or most embarrassing Na'vi or Avatar  related thing that has happened to you?

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Something along the lines of a MLIA short.

Oel kameie. It's weird. Really weird.

What was/is your favorite event/time/memory from 2011 meetup?

Spoiler

Asked by the previous NotW.

The whole thing was awesome.

I'd have to say the end, in a weird way. It's what sticks with me the most. The feeling of sadness as everyone was getting ready to leave, mixed with the thrill of how awesome the weekend had been. It felt like the end of the movie. Like it does in that shot as the camera sweeps down into the well of souls for the last time. You don't want it to end, but nothing matters and all is well in the world as you ride out that high. And you know there will be another time.

Though you can't express them externally, you are at one with your emotions. It was like that at the end. We where all communicating without speaking. No words, just feelings. seeing each other, we where Seeing each other.


Oel ayngati Kameie, ma eylan.

- Mikko

[archaic]

Congrats ma Mikkowilson.

Disc Golf?  

OK, so my T/F guesses .....
1. True, anythings possible in Alaska!
2. Pass.
3. False, because people from Finland tend to be race and rally drivers/navigators.

[Syulang]

Congrats. 

I will guess T/F/F

['Oma Tirea]

Seykxel nitramsì Fully operational tswin tìyora'fpi

'En seri: C/?/G

[Swoka Ikran]

Congratulations

I'm gonna guess Ts/Ng/Ts.

[Ekirä]

Congrats ma Mikko.

IRC would be nice. It's sad in a way.

Haha, indeed. Where would we be without IRC?

True, False, True. Enjoy your week!

[Txur’Itan]

Congratulations!


T/T/F

[Tsmuktengan]

Congratulations! (this seems to be a missing word in Na'vi).

Let me guess... hmm... Ng/Ts/Ts, although I'm sure I have it all wrong.

[AketuanNavi]

congratulations ma 'eylan!   

T/F/T

enjoy your week. 

[Human No More]

Congratulations
Brilliant one with the language, correcting him, hrh

Ng/Ng/Ts

[akiwiguy]

Congrats, ma Mikko!

Ng/Ts/Ts.

[Blue Elf]

Tse, ma Mikko, seykxel sì nitram! It's great to see such big Avatar fan.

and of course always a classic Monty Python's Flying Circus.

Wou, love that too!

My guesses:
1/ Ts - if it is true, what speed did you reach?
2/ Ng (?)
3/ Ng
Have a nice week (well, it ends early )

[Sarah Noel]

True, False, True?

[mikkowilson]

True or false?

Spoiler

Write three statements about yourself, the more extravagant the better. At least one of them must be true. At the end of the week, you'll have to tell which ones were truthful and which made up.

1). I once got pulled over by a cop for speeding on roller blades.

2). I once got taken to the hospital with a concussion after falling off a tank while serving in the army.

3). My grandfather was a medal winning Olympic athlete.

Well, you were all wrong!

1). It was on a fairly flat street on my way to High School back in 1997. I rollerbladed to and from school every day rain, shine or snow (hey, it's Alaska!). The speed limit was 20mph as it's a residential area. According to the officer, I was going "way over" the limit. Unfortunately I didn't get an exact speed, but got off with only a warning.
But I was wearing a helmet.

2). All male Finnish citizens between the age of 18 and 26 are required to perform national duty. That is either 6 to 12 months in the military, or 12 months of civil service. I served 6 months (shortened from 12 thanks to some tactical answers on a psych. eval. test.) in the Finnish Army, which is essentially a National Guard; activated only in a time of war to defend Finland. One night while setting up our communications relay station, I fell off the tank and woke up 11 hours later in a hospital. But with no lasting side effects. And woke up 11 hours later in a hospital. But with no lasting side effects.


3). My Grandfather on my Mother's side jumped 7 meters and 77 centimeters (25.5 feet!) in the long jump in the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games to bring home the Bronze medal for Finland. Unfortunately he died in a car accident before I was born and I never had the pleasure of meeting him. Always wear a seat-belt!


So all 3 statements are True.

Irayo frapo for your comments and guesses, and Irayo tsmukan Aketuan for nominating me this week.
I now pass the torch...

- Mikko