Frequently Asked Questions

I'm Lebenaut!

I make art of all shapes and sizes: music, novels, video games, clothing, websites... just about everyting I can, really. There's also a lot of random stuff on here, too, like book reviews, a blog, and whatever else I might be compelled to add.

Besides that, I'm just some internet person with whom you have no realtionship,₂ so that's where I'll leave that. Thanks for asking, though!

Yellow!

Ok, this one isn't frequently asked. Not sure why not, though.

It means "Life pilot."

That's how I like to think of myself: some kind of abstract consciousness that is "driving" through life. There are some 8 billion of us doing more or less the same thing, and I think each person's individuality can be defined as their chosen course through a shared experience.

On an etymological level, I built the word from the German "leben," meaning "life," and the Greek-derived "-naut," meaning "sailor." I took a long time coming up with a name that I liked both the roots and flow of, sifting through Google and old dictionaries I've got, but it was worth it in the end. I think John Koenig would be proud.

It also happens to look and sound a lot like "Lebanon," which is pretty fun.

Right off the bat, I use(d) Notepad₃ to make and update this website, which seems to be either sacreligious or apotheotic depending on who you ask. For me, it gets the job done, although I might splurge for Sublime Text someday. It is as advertised.

I use FL Studio for my music, everything from recording to mastering. It's not cheap, but there's really no substitute that I've found. I tried and failed to love Ableton, Reaper, Logic (ew), and even straight-up Audacity for a while. But hey, if FL doesn't treat you well, there's your list of plan-B's.

I use Obsidian for notetaking and worldbuilding, which I do in separate "vaults." I use the same vault for personal and academic stuff, though that may change in the future. Time will tell.

For writing, I use Obsidian (see above) for super early drafts and do the bulk of it in Google Docs. I'm not exactly fond of the latter, though, and I want to transition to Microsoft Word or some equivalent client-side service soon.

I am a Godot fanboy big time and use it for everything game design. Whole heartedly recommend it.

Other than that, it's all personal stuff: Brave, Tidal, Discord, and Steam.

I say /lebənɑt/, but I'm not your dad.

Never. At least, so long as I can help it.

One of my main motivations for starting work on this website was to create an exclusive, independent nexus for my art. I won't post it anywhere else. That would undermine this entire, beautiful thing I've been working on.

Also, particular to Spotify, I just don't like their service. Even beyond the various ethical and politcal controversies they've found themselves in, their stuff doesn't appeal to me on a design level. I have Tidal, which is better in every conceivable way, and I have a rational distaste for the color green. No thank you.

For a number of reasons:

Firstly, I just find that I'm happier without it. Simple as that.

Secondly, I'm disappointed with the lack of customization. On Instagram, for example, you get a bio,₄ name-pair, profile picture, and that's about it. Obviously there's your post history too, but you don't have any meaningful control over that. If I'm to call myself anything resembling an artist, I need more options that that.

Thirdly, I get an icky feeling from the superficiality it encourages. There's something really sad to me about having a high number of "followers" and not building any meaningful relationships with any of them. I much prefer talking to real friends over text, the phone, or a cup of coffee.₅

Fourthly, I'm not keen to give some random companies a ton of information about me. It's a cliche concern, but the fact that it's cliche should really be more of a concern.

And lastly, I want to keep my media intake limited and intentional. The time I've spent on social media has felt wholly useless, and I hate that feeling.₆ Without it, I'm able to have much more say in what I watch, hear, and read. What a novel idea! I even find that I'm more productive and creative as a result.

If you're on the fence, I would highly encourage you to go for it. You'll thank yourself later!

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I like doing things, and honestly, I'm content to just do that. This website is as much a convenient way for me to consolidate my stuff as anything else, maybe more.

Stick around if you end up having a good time here; I'll keep it updated for you. If not, thanks anyways for stopping by!

A lot of people ask this question, although not necessarily to me. I don't have the answer to it; I'm not that guy, but I do have an opinion.

I think the meaning of life is simply to experience it. The good, the bad... there's really nothing else like it.

Not a terribly nuanced nor original take, but hey, it's a frequently asked question, and that's my answer.

This one.