#HAS POSSIBLY MY PATREON SHOUTOUT

[nick-close]

I relisten to Fender Glennder a shocking amount. But like. It’s never for the Glenn stuff it’s for teaching the kids how to drive because that fills me with joy.

[acaplaya-musings]

Voiceplay-adjacent Visuals - I'm Dreaming Of A White Christmas

Geoff's cover of White Christmas was released on the 5th of December, 2022. As Geoff said in his Early Access post for this on Patreon, he has in fact already done this song before, all the way back in 2014 with VoicePlay (@jules-has-notes has a post about it, which you can find here), but he goes on to say that "after repeat listenings to that version, it seemed to me that it could use a bit of freshening up, and I'm always happy to oblige my own whims." And I'm certainly not complaining either! But anyway, we're not here to talk about the arrangement, we're here to talk about the video! So let's get into this!

This was filmed at PattyCake Studios, and this is the same set/backdrop that VoicePlay used in November last year for their Whiskey In The Jar video!

Geoff says in the video description "Special shout out to all of my my patrons who make these videos possible - If Daryl were here, he might be so grateful to you that he'd shed one single tear... but he's not. And he wouldn't because he's not a sentimental teddy bear like the rest of these softies." 😂 (So basically, it's Jeff, Goff, and Jeoph whom are in this video, along with "lead Geoff")

"Where the treetops glisten..."

"...and children listen"

The bit-by-bit addition of stuff into the scene is frankly an Inspired choice ngl, and I love the way the Clones react to things appearing behind them!

Fairly smooth transition with the outfit changes! If you go frame by frame, you can see a few differences in like the hand positionings and stuff, but it's barely noticeable otherwise!

(Also I wish that I could put up the Christmas tree, decorations and all, just by singing! Would make it so much easier!)

And of course I gotta shoutout to the way they all react to the outfit changes! Mostly with Lead Geoff being like :D and the Clones being like ???? 😆

To quote one of the comments: The second Geoff from the left at 0:55: 🎶"I'm dreaming of a white🎶. . . sweater?"

(Also Geoff really does like scarves huh. And plaid flannel shirts!)

"May your days, may your days, may your days be merry and bright!"

The way the scene additions sync up with the lyrics! The tree appears at the "treetops glisten" line, the gramophone for "children listen", and the lights on the tree for "merry and bright"!

There are decorations on the wall, gifts under the tree, and look! The postcard from Mele Kalikimaka in the background, below and to the right of the gramophone! (And I'm not sure if that's the same miniature tree from the Mele Kalikimaka video, but I'm 99% certain that it has the titular Christmas ornament on it that was shown at the start of that video!)

Lead Geoff got a gift, the two Clones on the left got cards, and the Clone on the right, uh, well... 😅

He got one too! It was in his coat 😄

(But also look at how festive the background is now! Apparently the creative/visuals concept stuff was a joint collaboration between Geoff and Kathy, but Geoff also gives thanks to Layne "for his help on set with filming, lighting and all of the things!")

And the stockings appearing one-by-one on the wall as a brief instrumental of Jingle Bells plays, how cute!

I didn't get around to watching this one till last year, but I immediately loved it. So happy, so wholesome, so Merry And Bright!

One more post to go in this miniseries! Until next time!

[disventure-rewrite-takes]

Ep 14 is out for patreons and from what I saw it's definitely gonna cause A LOT of salt in the fandom (I mean it already has for the people who've watched it).

as someone who has watched it (shoutout tiktok leakers), oh it will. keeping this as non-spoilery as i can... it would’ve been a wise choice to keep my expectations as low as possible for ONC.

it really is That Bad.

[afpwestcoast]

9:30 Club, Washington, DC, 6/15/24

At the pre-show Patreon meet-up I told Amanda about Melissa’s theory that if the crowd sings along to Weezer before the show it will be a good crowd. Amanda said they should do that on purpose and put good sing-along songs on the pre-show playlist. She crowd-sourced suggestions, and one of the first was ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ by Queen.

“Would people really sing along to that?” She asked. “YES!!!” was the incredulous response (I actually almost thought she was joking at first).

At the show the playlist proceeded as normal. Weezer came and went with nary a peep from the crowd. We were worried. And then it happened. ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ came on and the entire place erupted in song. It was so enthusiastic that the crowd actually applauded themselves at the end. This segued directly into The Doors’ cover of ‘Alabama Song’ — originally by the Dolls’ patron saints: Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill — which is the song they take the stage to. Needless to say, the crowd was pumped. This show was being livestreamed by a professional company, and the presence of multiple cameras added to the theatricality of both the band and the crowd. It was high energy, with plenty of extra flourishes, but with a few minor hiccups that allowed the band to showcase their adaptability. In my humble opinion this is the recipe for a perfect Dresden Dolls show!

Annotated Set List:

Good Day

Sex Changes

Gravity

My Alcoholic Friends

Amanda paused to explain the livestream, say hello to the folks watching online, and give a shoutout to Headcount, who were on site registering people to vote. “We’re really thinking about singing our lungs out this evening, whattaya say?” was Brian’s response. <cheers>

“This is a song about my ex-boyfriend!” Amanda exclaimed, by way of introduction. Backstabber Missed Me

Mrs. O

Astronaut (A Brief History of Nearly Nothing) (Amanda Palmer cover)

Brian: <texting … on a banana> Amanda: Brian are you texting? Don’t text at the show. Put that banana away. Brian: <turns back, continues texting … on a banana> Amanda: There’s no texting in Punk Cabaret. Brian: <skewers banana on the high hat, then spins it so it travels all the way down to the cymbal, leaving a trail of banana slime> Amanda: Ooooh! It’s a symbol! Crowd: <laughs> Brian: <ba-dum CHING!> Amanda: I’m serious. Put the banana away. Brian: <throws banana over shoulder> Amanda: Um … welcome to our show! So here’s the weird thing about the Dresden Dolls: We’re a very … silly band. Brian: Yeah we’re just getting to the weird part.

“We booked these shows for a purpose,” Amanda explained, “and then we decided to stream because this is the last show we’re playing this spring. We don’t have another show until late October, so we are going to completely fuck you up tonight.”

<cheers>

Welcome to the Internet (Bo Burnham cover)

Mister God

Houdini

“I wrote some really sad songs in New Zealand and I didn’t think that any of them would be Dresden Dolls songs cuz they were like … they were just fucking long, piano-y, cathartic ‘fuck my life’ songs. But this one made the cut.”

Whakenewha (pronounced Fuckin-A Fa)

Amsterdam (Jacques Brel cover) (Brian on guitar, Amanda in the balcony, with a fan)

“Is it possible that anyone was at our very first gig at IOTA in Washington, DC in like 2002, I think?”

It was, in fact, possible.

Pirate Jenny (Bertolt Brecht, lyrics; Kurt Weill music)

- Housekeeping -

They tried to start the next song, but the keyboard had lost power. While Jaron was fixing it Amanda told a story.

“I’ve had two or three people come up to me in the last few months at shows and tell me something with tears in their eyes that has brought tears to my eyes for real, which is like, someone would clasp my hands in their hands and say, ‘I just have to tell you I was raised in a punishing born-again Christian family and the Dresden Dolls were my first secular band.’ And I’m like, ‘EXCELLENT!’ What a good first secular band to have! And anyway, if you believe in Jesus kind of so do I; he was just like, ‘Be nice.’”

Mandy Goes to Med School (Brian on guitar and drums to start) There are three embellishments that occasionally get added to this song: a jazzy piano interlude, Brian leading the crowd in the ‘hi de ho’ chant from Cab Calloway’s ‘Minnie the Moocher,’ and an excerpt from ‘Careless Whisper’ by Wham! Often they just play it straight with none of these, but they occasionally add one or the other for a little spice. Tonight, after the abortive start, they did all three and it was sumptuous. Coin-Operated Boy Amanda riffed on the Jaws theme, then teased Girl A, before breaking into the song.

War Pigs (Black Sabbath cover)

Girl Anachronism As she had the first night in Philly, Amanda started with a little ‘Call to the Post’ before hitting the afterburners.

— —

As the band returned to the stage I said, “They’d better do ‘Sing’ because I’m not sure I can survive anything else.”

Sing (Brian on guitar to start) Thank god!

After the show Amanda came out for the traditional Patreon group photo. I was just coming up from the basement bar with a drink and didn’t really know what was going on. I was trying to make my way through the crowd when I looked up to see Amanda towering over me. And then she just start falling forward. I put one hand in the middle of her stomach, but I had a drink in my other hand. She did a sort of flip and landed with her head on my left shoulder, spilling my drink all over me in the process. “You’re an asshole,” I said.

“So are you,” she replied. “That’s why we get along so well!” I said.

Photo Gallery:

In My Mind at the Patreon meetup.

Pre-show front row selfie (by Scott Hanes)

The most expressive drummer in the world!

Brian lends a helping hand.

Just … don’t ask.

A silly band indeed.

Amsterdam

Amanda comes to the front of the stage to talk to a fan who was present at the first Dolls show in DC in 2002.

Brian channels his inner Vanna White.

That’s some serious side-eye!

Amanda has serious hattitude

The Dresden Dolls introduce their new drummer: Cousin It!

War Pigs!

That’s a wrap!

Betsy gives Amanda a shoulder massage after the show.

Post-show selfie with Amanda and Michael (by Scott Hanes)

After party! (by Betsy Cacchione)

I fuckin rock. Apparently. Thanks Kitty! (photos by Michael McComiskey)

[just-some-guy-joust]

Hello voters c: I hope you are enjoying round 2! (there is SO MUCH yelling in the tags for matchups I DID NOT expect)

If you liked the art for Xena and Cardamon from round one, good news! My Patreon has drawing requests open and I also have commissions. You could, I dunno, legally require me to draw you a silly guy you like. A tournament contestant I killed perhaps. Or maybe your own personal guy 👀 the possibilities are endless

(I am in fact only putting this here because I do genuinely need the support rn, feel free to ignore as well I won't blame you!)

((I'm also a day late but shoutout to aromantic visibility day! If you would like to help out a fellow aro then c: haha that's me))

[derrickluqinglee]

Can Crowdfunding Build a Community for Creatives?

Crowdfunding is a unique and effective way for people who are passionate about something to raise money for their initiatives and meet other like-minded people in the internet era. This kind of internet fundraising can help build lively, involved communities in addition to supporting artistic endeavours. In this blog, we'll examine how crowdfunding might help creatives create a community that supports them as they develop their ideas and engage with the public.

The Power of Crowdfunding

Raising money from a huge number of individuals is known as crowdfunding, and it usually happens through websites like Kickstarter, Indiegogo, and Patreon. By raising money from fans all across the world, it has enabled innumerable musicians, writers, filmmakers, artists, and other creatives to realise their goals.

URL Link : https://www.blog.impaac.org/the-power-of-crowdfunding-turning-dreams-into-reality/

Building a Community of Supporters

The ability of crowdfunding to foster personal connections between creators and their audience is one of its most amazing features. Through crowdfunding sites, creators may exhibit their work, tell their experiences, and establish direct connections with possible supporters, in contrast to traditional fundraising approaches.

Creatives build community by communicating with backers and sharing their artistic journeys. An increased sense of connection is felt by supporters with the project and its creators. Between creators and backers, this sensation of belonging has the power to truly transform and forge a link.

Transparency and Trust

One of the core principles of crowdfunding is transparency. Artists need to be open and honest about the status, difficulties, and deadlines of their work. In the community, trust is increased by this transparency. In addition to funding a project, backers are also investing in the creators. They wish to follow the project's development and participate in its creative process.

URL Link : https://www.btcpa.com/operational-transparency-key-effective-crowdfunding/

Rewards and Incentives

Creators frequently give backers incentives and rewards to boost support. These could be personalised shoutouts, limited-edition products, early access to the project, or even participation in the creative process. These benefits provide backers a sense of exclusivity and encourage contributions by making them feel like a valued member of the community.

Examples of Successful Crowdfunding Communities

Crowdfunding has been an effective tool for creating communities in a number of artistic endeavours. Here are a handful of noteworthy instances:

Patreon: A Platform for Independent Creators: Patreon is a way for writers, singers, artists, and other creatives to get continuous support from their followers. It creates a membership club where users may access creators' worlds and obtain exclusive content.Kickstarter Campaigns: Numerous imaginative initiatives have been started on Kickstarter. Regular updates, sharing of their work in progress, and communication with backers via messages and comments are all common practises among creators. The exchange fosters a feeling of community.

URL Link : https://www.shopify.com/my/blog/crowdfunding-sites

Writers' Communities: A lot of authors have published their novels using crowdsourcing. By asking for feedback on narrative development, names, and even covers, they include backers in the process. The reader-author relationship is strengthened by this active engagement.

Difficulties and Things to Consider

Although crowdsourcing has the potential to foster a creative community, there are several obstacles and factors to take into account.

Creators must be dedicated to supporting their community for the duration of the project and beyond.Managing Expectations: To preserve community trust, reasonable expectations must be set and project deadlines must be met.Fulfilment: Maintaining a good rapport with backers requires successfully meeting commitments and providing benefits.Competition: In order to draw backers, creators on crowdfunding sites must stand out due to the intense competition.

Crowdfunding Communities: A Look Ahead

The crowdfunding industry is still developing. The distinction between established business models and crowdfunding becomes more hazy as new platforms and models appear. Some producers have switched from one-time campaigns to recurring subscriptions, building long-lasting communities and steady revenue streams.

URL Link : https://fastercapital.com/content/The-Future-of-Equity-Crowdfunding--Why-it-s-Becoming-More-Popular-and-What-to-Expect.html

Growing communities around crowdfunding have the power to shape the course of artistic endeavours, spur creativity, and build a community of people who share a love for similar causes or forms of expression.

In summary, the goal of crowdsourcing is community building rather than just financial fundraising. It enables artists to realise their visions and establish connections with a devoted and interested audience. Crowdfunding may create thriving communities that will continue to influence the direction of creative endeavours in the future by offering rewards, transparency, trust, and continuous interaction.

Remember that crowdfunding is about more than just raising money for a project; it's about creating a community of like-minded people that value creativity as you set out on your own creative path or think about helping others. See where crowdsourcing can take you by participating in the discussion and taking part in the trip.

[helen--richardson]

ok so, some thoughts on the new magnus archives stuff

I really hope they don’t do a sequel. I think the ending they left it at, while emotionally devastating, is thematically appropriate and satisfying. Not that I haven’t written/am writing several fix-it fics, but that’s an activity I do as a fan and it isn’t something I’d want to do if I was telling my own story like this. I think giving any canon conclusion to the story would cheapen the ending.

I’d also like to think that Jonny is a better writer than that.

The “concerning” thing is that “Magnus Archives Two” has specifically been mentioned. I don’t like the vibes of that. Like, the direct connotation is a sequel, which I don’t like for aforementioned reasons. I don’t really know what else two could mean in this context. It could potentially mean another universe/reality or a remake. 

Now, thinking about things in the context of our reality, I don’t think that a project that big would actually happen. It’s a lot more likely that something smaller is happening. Some ideas I’ve seen/thought about are:

new/special merch drop

partial or complete adaptation into a book or something

special halloween episode (non canon canon or pre-ending)

other bonus content release, like previous patreon-exclusive things

live action adaptation (lol this one is definitley not happening)

something ARG-esque (the vibes are arguably already there with all the code-solving)

lore-wise, something spider related. maybe the web is sitll in the og universe, maybe it’s branched off into other unvierses and that’s what we’re hearing, maybe we get a snippit of a different martin/jon, etc.

a devastating idea would be hearing the beginning of the story again, in a different universe, confiming that the fears are spreading and the tragedy is going to replay itself (edit: the fact that we can even listen at all is confirmation that the tapes have spread lol)

Again, the problem is some of these wouldn’t make sense with “magnus archives two.” It’s completely possible that I’m just overanalyzing that one phrase, or it could have other connotations that I haven’t thought of but will make sense when what ever it is is revealed.

I don’t really have a conclusion to this, I am kind of just saying shit. I guess a nice thought to end this on is that I am slightly apprehensive but also very excited about what comes next.

(also shoutout to @martinswormjar they’ve talked w/ me a lot and influenced my thought processes and also they are sititng next to me in class as i type this)

[thejoyofviolentmovement]

News/Announcements: Shoutouts to Patreon Patrons, Creatives Rebuild New York and Asian Arts Initiative I’m currently in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec for the 22nd annual FME Festival. Y’all should expect photos and other coverage over the course of the upcoming days and weeks, along with my regular coverage here. But in the meantime, the show must continue as much as possible. So let’s get to it, right? Earlier this site, turned 14. 14 years of anything — especially a job — is an exceedingly long time. In the blogosphere, that’s roughly 22 lifetimes. Now, when I started JOVM, I was felt as though I had no real choice but to go out on my own. I didn’t feel — or believe — that I’d get a fair shot to do what this site has become with another outlet.  I’ve long felt a desire to create something similar to the wildly eclectic, dynamic, global sort of environment I grew up immersed in as a young, Black boy from Corona, Queens. And I didn’t regularly see the environment I grew up in represented in the music magazines and sites that I loved to read. To me, that’s a real weakness because — well, there’s amazing music out there that’s not getting the love that it should both nationally and internationally.  When I started JOVM, I couldn’t have imagined covering the things I’v covered, and the things I’ve experienced and seen to have ever happened.  I’ve covered roughly 1,100-1,200 shows in NYC, with a handful of shows in Chicago, Baltimore and Philadelphia I’ve covered about a dozen or more festivals, including traveling to Montreal for M for Montreal twice — in 2019 and 2022  I’ve been a panelist at Mondo.NYC Festival and at New Colossus Festival, speaking about PR, promotion and press for indie artists, giving my perspective as a indie blogger I made a cameo in a JOVM mainstay’s music video — and it’s a very noticeable spot towards the end of the video  I’ve photographed George Clinton, Patti LaBelle, Buddy Guy, Snoop Dogg, Blondie, Nile Rodgers, Roky Erickson, Philip Bailey, Blind Boys of Alabama, and a growing list of legendary and beloved artists, as well as this site’s growing list of mainstays Back in July, I was invited to be a panelist at the inaugural Elsewhere Music Festival and Conference in Wichita, KS speaking about creating a career in music Also back in July I moderated a panel presented by The New Colossus Festival and Groover on How to Promote Your Show featuring a group of super knowledgeable friends and colleagues  Covering FME in Rouyn-Noranda, Québec With this site, I’ve managed to carve out a unique path for myself — and in the blogosphere. Because music media — and generally the media world — is an incredibly homogeneous space, the coverage that you see as a consumer and fan tends to come from a similar perspective. If you don’t believe me, look at the editorial staff at your favorite music magazine or website. It explains why certain artists, genres and styles are covered over others. But it also explains why you see the exact same coverage of the same artists, genres and styles, too.  I’m looking forward to what year 14 holds for JOVM. And hopefully with your support, I can keep this thing going. Now, as you know, I’ve said this many times: All work — including creative work — is impossible without money. After all, time is money. Effort is money. Then add all the expenses it takes to actually work.  Unsurprisingly, this site and the work that makes it possible is impossible without money. It’s a simple — and often frustrating — fact of life. So, if you’ve been frequenting this site over the past handful of years, there are a handful of folks I want to thank once again for their support:   Sash Alice Northover Bella Fox Jenny MacRostie Janene Otten  All of those folks have been generous Patreon patrons. Every and any amount really helps keeps this sort of journalism and criticism alive and ongoing. So if you’re able and willing, please feel free to check out the P...

[fmlfpl]

Wildcard Musings - Day 4 - Post 5 - Friday, Dec. 29th at 5:53pm

did our weekly rate my team livestream earlier today (it’s a patreon tier called Weekly Livestream RMTs if you’re wondering) and now i start my musings. it was our longest ever livestream to date because of wildcard chat lol.. and if you’re a subscriber but missed the livestream here’s the recording of it: https://www.patreon.com/posts/95497780?pr=true

with robbo “not even close” maybe i should take a harder look at joemez. you’d think he’ll get a minimum of three starts (GW20, 21, and 22) with of course an upside of a lot more then that depending on robbo’s recovery.

must be said he’s not really in the tier of tsimikas as far as potential underpriced gems go. he doesn’t really get bones and he barely has any attacking threat so… a lot less upside and flash. probably a miss but just something that piqued my interest.

digne is only out “20-25 days” according to emery and that’s only 2-3 GWs so moreno is probably not in my plans anymore.

he’s “nailed” i would say for BUR, eve, NEW (maybe 1 clean sheet?) and then possibly away to SheffU in GW23 (that’s 5 weeks away for the record so it’d be quite a bit longer then Emery’s initial estimate). i really don’t like away everton or home newcastle for cleans so yeah, doesn’t seem like a pick to me even though i rate the player highly and he certainly has upside. i could go into moreno just planning to move him on (maybe tripps) but… tbd.

also talking about defenders.. porro man doing my head in.. i know the attacking stuff, i know the bones, i know more than you would believe (shoutout to pep) but also losing son, sarr, and bissouma to be replaced by… gil, glc, and hoj with 0 backups in any of those positions i mean it’s pretty fucking rough. or skipp is even worse and ange LOVES him… they’re already a bottom four defense by non-pen xG conceded (bottom three if you include pens after the brighton game), how low will they go?

in tottenham’s defense of their defense, if you sort the table to only include minutes that were played XI v XI (still looking at NPxG conceded per 90) it looks a lot better. spurs jump from the aforementioned 17th to smack dab in the middle tied for 10th with both villa and newcastle. it’s a big jump. here’s that table if you’re curious:

XI v XI, sorted by Non-Penalty xG conceded per 90 via https://macro-football.shinyapps.io/live_table/

last thing on porro, friend of the pod Baker from the Above Average FPL pod reminded me that first of all there are only two GWs in January and second of all the team is going to look different by the time those two GWs are done and dusted with spuds shopping for defensive depth and also possibly romero + VDV + maddo + others back by then. that makes a big difference!

i’m also still thinking about keeping son in what i expect to be a very ping pong match with tons of high pressures, high turnovers, counterattacks, and in a lot of space… seems tailormade for sonny boy, might even cap the fucking guy.

foden too… if i’m too assume that he starts at least let’s say the next three, i doubt kevin will be back and ready to actually start matches by then, haaland maybe starts 1.5 of them, think foden has just been unplayable… man city are SHU new BUR… as friend of the pod Andy A said, one of those is a 6-0. he might make my team.

my “nailed in my team” picks for now i think are: trent, ollie, dom, jalv, palmer, gusto, estupinan, saka, and i thiiiiiiiiink that might be it. if we ignore backup GK that means i still have to make 6 difficult calls. fuck.

in an ideal world tonight i will still:

consume some pods / videos including two new Double Pivot episodes on Newcastle and Bournemouth, a bunch of new The Anfield Wrap episodes on Brighton v Tottenham, Bournemouth, Everton, Wolves, and Palace, the newest The FPL Wire episode on GW20 (where I think they spend some time on Wildcard GW20), and maybe more after that if there’s time left.

make a little chart of who i project to be the best GK picks and picking one.. i think it’s relatively easy to weed out a lot of guys and make a pick i’ll share anything that i do on that front.

plan just a little bit ahead of time… look at ok maybe do i want tripps, what if son/mo get knocked out earlier than expected how am i getting them back in, yada yada.

captain matrix which may make a pick or two more solidified in my team.

current tinker:

that’s it for now, thanks everyone for reading and following and happy new year. i’ll try to get another musings posted but TBD. all of life is feeling TBD in this moment.

[kd8bxp]

Liked on YouTube: Can I Drive a Voice Controlled Car?

Can I Drive a Voice Controlled Car? Ad: Thanks for Deepgram for sponsoring this video. Try Deepgram for free and get $150 of credit: https://ift.tt/ISZLq3U Deepgram has a speech recognition API that lets developers get fast and accurate transcripts for both pre-recorded and live audio. Deepgram has a whole set of SDKs to make it even easier to get started in your language of choice. Features include profanity filtering, redaction, and individual speaker detection to make your transcripts as useful as possible. Deepgram can be run locally or using the Deepgram cloud service. I’m going to be using the cloud service with this Raspberry Pi computer to control some hardware. But first I need to build something! CAD & Code: https://ift.tt/vyGH2e4 You can support me on Patreon or buy my Merchandise: *************************** Patreon: https://ift.tt/3Er7iYZ Merchandise: https://ift.tt/oMXk0sh *************************** Affiliate links - I will get some money of you use them to sign up or buy something: *************************** Matterhackers 3D printing supplies: https://ift.tt/0ha1bFA Music for your YouTube videos: https://ift.tt/0fMyVnQ *************************** Other socials: *************************** Instagram: https://ift.tt/fFrgIU4 Facebook: https://ift.tt/CKiQh73 Twitter: https://twitter.com/xrobotsuk *************************** CAD and Code for my projects: https://ift.tt/R15LylN Huge thanks to my Patrons, without whom my standard of living would drastically decline. Like, inside out-Farm Foods bag decline. Plus a very special shoutout to Lulzbot, Inc who keep me in LulzBot 3D printers and support me via Patreon. HARDWARE/SOFTWARE Below you can also find a lot of the typical tools, equipment and supplies used in my projects: Filament from: https://www.3dfuel.com/ Lulzbot 3D Printers: http://bit.ly/2Sj6nil Bearings from: https://ift.tt/vnkgzp1 Lincoln Electric Welder: https://bit.ly/2Rqhqos CNC Router: https://bit.ly/2QdsNjt Ryobi Tools: http://bit.ly/2RhArcD Axminster Micro Lathe: http://bit.ly/2Sj6eeN 3D Printer Filament: http://bit.ly/2PdcdUu Soldering Iron: http://bit.ly/2DrNWDR Vectric CNC Software: http://bit.ly/2zxpZqv Why not join my community, who are mostly made up of actual geniuses. There’s a Facebook group and everything: https://ift.tt/xiXrKGk XROBOTS Former toy designer, current YouTube maker and general robotics, electrical and mechanical engineer, I’m a fan of doing it yourself and innovation by trial and error. My channel is where I share some of my useful and not-so-useful inventions, designs and maker advice. Iron Man is my go-to cosplay, and 3D printing can solve most issues - broken bolts, missing parts, world hunger, you name it. XRobots is the community around my content where you can get in touch, share tips and advice, and more build FAQs, schematics and designs are also available. via YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-0nsVijPaU

[stencilfox]

More about my YouTube - my goals and schedule as of 2023 are to continue posting one view every week! About my ocs and fanart of all kinds showing what a small content creator with big ambitious and little budget can do if you enjoy what I make even a little consider subscribing and check out my card for ways to support and get behind the scenes and exclusive patreon only content! Shoutouts and little animation below your name when I read them (please note this is for tier 2 and 3 foxes only tier 1 isn’t read just name on screen)

My commissions are always open unless an emergency pops up

I can make you an illustration/oc same day as long as it’s not too complex but I usually get work done within 2 to 4 days unless specified otherwise and I will always keep communication sending progress sketch and ask about any color or other changes before the final product , usually I’ll email it to you if that’s the best option - payments are PayPal only! The moment you pay I’ll start your commission please see the chart and I will send a terms and services for you to read over on what you can do once the art is yours and the progress I go through

- but if you have unreasonable expectations such as a style I can’t do like realism or copy someone else’s style or stop communicating and ghost/DONT pay me or ask me immediately refund or false reposts for forced charge back with fees - refund, you won’t get your Art, even if I’ve finished it. you wouldn’t demand a cake with hours of hard work put into it to just ask for it free or force a charge back after eating the cake or waste their time and if you would do this and think this is okay please don’t - I will have to black list you as I take these very serious and will always try to work with you to make changes along the way.

If the art is in my style I’ll be happy to make just about anything I have a list of nsfw and other things I won’t draw just because it’s not my style or makes me uncomfortable but I’m happy to draw : humans, animals , anthro , lgbtq , fantasy , monster, some mechanical bots and any hybrids, etc, if it’s my first time drawing a character or species please have patience and reference if possible to ensure you get what your looking for - if you have a closed species oc you want me to draw are for you please know I will need to know that you are the current owner and not stealing as closed species are a complex matter and Each one has rules.

Please note If you want stickers or twitch emotes or even simple looping gif animations I have price charts for them but please ask first as prices will vary depending on complexity and number of Art you want some like sets of stickers will cost less if you buy more like a set of 5 or 10 instead of just 2

I have tons of art examples and am always open to communicate just Dm me or email my business email : thestencilfox@gmail.com

My main goals are to improve my art style and techniques while having fun creating what I want

Completing my stories such as

The Dawn Of Gales - webtoons

Twilight of Serpents - webtoons

And many of my over 100+ ocs stories / animation memes and animatics for story times

Fanart of all kinds and sometimes reviews or sharing thoughts about games movies or other wonderful artists creations!

If you’d like to have your art featured in the subscribblers gallary tag me I’d love to see and share it on my channel!

I still have a rough idea of what I’m doing but always strive to keep improving and have fun stay pawsome Subscribblers and hope to see you again soon!

Also thank you for taking time to read and I hope this reaches the right audience ^^’

[wordsnstuff]

Guide to Writing An Unlikable Protagonist

Patreon || Ko-Fi || Masterlist || Work In Progress

–

What is an unlikable main character?

A character whose demeanor is not welcoming, or whose motivations are not sympathetic. However, their antics or perspective is interesting enough to make engaging with their narrative entertaining and worth investing in. They may not be the most pleasant character, or particularly easy to root for, but it remains enjoyable to watch the story unfold with them at the center. We may not like them, but we still care for them. This is the difference between an unlikable protagonist, and a protagonist that is simply bad. Even if we determine that they’re unworthy of sympathy, or that their actions are reprehensible, we remain compelled to empathize. 

Secondary Characters

When your protagonist is, by nature, difficult to root for or sympathize with, it’s important that the secondary character’s reasoning for remaining connected to them is clear. Perhaps one character witnessed their upbringing and clearly sees why they behave in particularly unsavory ways. Perhaps another friend is more interested in what the protagonist has to offer than in the protagonist themselves, so they put up with the negative aspects of their personality. One friend may just be extremely insecure in their own right, and has trouble setting boundaries, so the protagonist’s toxic behavior goes largely unchecked because the friend can’t or won’t stand up for themselves. This is an interesting way to explore the story through relationships between characters. Noble and relatable protagonists are easier to do this with, but unlikable protagonists can be very complex and intriguing to the reader when you explore their flaws through their relationships. 

Redeemable Qualities

Your protagonist doesn’t have to be likeable, but they have to have some role or characteristics that make it reasonable for a reader to be invested in their story anyway. Wanting a character to prevail is not the only effective means of engaging with a narrative. Even if your protagonist isn’t a delightful person, they can still be a three-dimensional character with better qualities that compete with their flaws. Real people are complex and real people have negative characteristics that can overshadow their positive ones. You have to make it clear to the reader where the protagonist is strong and where they are weak, and how that affects their behavior or mindset. If they’re unlikable for the sake of being a negative character, they’re uninteresting. 

Understandable Motivations

The biggest aspect you have to pay attention to, with any character, is demonstrating their motivations. What do they want, what do they think they need, and what do they actually need? What are they willing to do to get it? What are they not willing to sacrifice? Where did this motivation originate, and how does it affect their relationships? Even if a character is altogether unlikable, they can still be interesting and understandable. There are plenty of unpleasant people in the world, and they have a place, but if you’re going to write about one, make them interesting, and give them a reason to be unpleasant. 

Interesting, not Annoying

It’s very easy when you’re designing a character to mistake complexity for intrigue. Yes, you want to make your character as realistic as possible and as clear in the reader’s mind as you can, but if you shove a bunch of traits into the protagonist without any real consideration for their implications, you’re going to end up with a convoluted mess of contradiction and plot holes. Be incredibly clear and intentional when setting the tone for an unlikable protagonist. When you instill a new characteristic in the character that becomes visible to the reader, you must account for how that trait impacts the way they react and respond to the conflict. Keep the personal details relevant and clearly connected to the plot, and if you can, show them through relationships with other people rather than in personal monologue. If their mindset is displayed through their narrative action, rather than through their narration or point of view, the reader will register it more objectively, and it will inform their interpretation of the character’s future behavior more effectively.

Common Struggles

~ How do you keep readers invested if they don't like the character?... A protagonist doesn’t have to be pleasant to be interesting. You want your reader to engage with the story, and you’re attempting to depict it through a unique perspective. You want them to be invested out of interest in what’s going to happen in the plot, rather than the protagonist, and part of that is witnessing the protagonist’s arc. They stay to watch how the character evolves and what they learn. They may not be likable by the end, or even redeemed to any extent, but the arc should make sense and it should be interesting to watch. Even if it’s like watching a train wreck, they should be sucked in by the story, and that doesn’t have to solely rely on the protagonist. 

~ How do you make it clear that you are not condoning the unlikable character's actions?... Don’t make excuses for the character’s actions through text or subtext, and don’t give them an undeserved happy ending unless that in itself is apart of the overall message. Think about the story you’re trying to tell, and think about what you want the reader to take away from it. If you’re constantly using the narration to make unchallenged excuses and justify the protagonist’s actions, you’re neglecting to consider the reader’s interpretation, whether it’s conscious or subconscious. If they get a happy ending, despite morally reprehensible notable actions, and the intention behind that ending is unclear, you may be sending the wrong message. 

~ Should the character become likeable by the end of the story?... Not always. Sometimes the character’s arc is about the reader understanding and developing empathy for the protagonist as they learn more about them. Sometimes it’s focused on establishing that someone doesn’t have to be pleasant to be justified in their behavior or sympathetic when they’re struggling. The character doesn’t have to change their disposition by the end of the story to have undergone a full arc. It’s really about what you’re trying to convey to the reader through the story that should determine what happens to the protagonist by the end. 

~ What are the benefits of writing an unlikable main character?... It can depict the story through a unique perspective, and some stories are naturally suitable for a protagonist that is less than delightful. It can add interest and interpretive engagement to a story when you do it right, and unlikable characters can be just as satisfying to watch as they grow and learn. 

–

Masterlist | WIP Blog

If you enjoy my blog and wish for it to continue being updated frequently and for me to continue putting my energy toward answering your questions, please consider Buying Me A Coffee, or pledging your support on Patreon, where I offer early access and exclusive benefits for only $5/month.

Shoutout to my $15+ patron, Douglas S.!

[acaplaya-musings]

Voiceplay-adjacent Visuals: Folsom Prison Blues

Never have I been so much of a fan of a country song (or at least, a country song performed by a male singer) before!

Geoff's cover of Folsom Prison Blues was uploaded on the 6th of August, 2023, and it's another one of my 3 favourite videos on his channel. Emphasis on "video", because although the song is great and it's yet again a cool arrangement of his, the video is what really sells it for me. So without further ado, let's get into it!

If you've watched the video (of course you have) and watched at least the first bit of Geoff's outro at the end (I hope you have), then you'll know that Geoff legit rented out an actual legit prison for this video! No longer used of course, and I think this section was the only part of the prison that actually still looked like one, but still! (Shoutout to the Patrons who helped make it possible for Geoff to do this! I'm still considering joining Geoff's Patreon myself tbh.)

I didn't think it was possible for Geoff to look any more handsome than he already usually does, but Geoff in glasses? Whoo yes please! 👀👌 (Or should I say, "Jeff" in glasses? 😉)

Also check out the book he's reading! It's a Johnny Cash book! (A little nod to the original artist of the song, of course)

So what's up with the numbers on the uniforms, and how do I know that the one in the glasses is "Jeff"? Well they're connected! Each uniform has a different number on it, and each number connects to a letter, phone-keypad style:

So the one in the glasses (and now holding that book in a very questionable way) has the uniform number 05333, which can be translated as _-J-E-F-F. Then next to him we have uniform number 43633, which translates to G-E-O-F-F, aka "Lead Geoff" (also context clues can help you out here - he's the lead vocalist for this one, and therefore, it's Geoff 😁)

Walking up to the foreground we have uniform number 32795, which is Daryl! (Fun story: I've done a few Voiceplay/Geoff marathons with two of my best friends (always via video chat, because I like seeing their reactions but also there's no way I'm letting them listen without headphones), and when we were watching Folsom Prison Blues and we got to this bit, one of my friends exclaimed "holy crap he's jacked?!?!" 😂)

And I'll clarify now that the one leaning(?) on the cell door has the uniform number 53674, and it's Jeoph!

(Apparently Kathy told people in the live chat or something that Goff isn't in this one because he's a good boy who would never end up in jail, or something like that 😆)

I'm guessing you've noticed how very fluffy Geoff's hair is in this one? 😁 (And also the prominence of his white-grey streak, gotta point that out too <3). Apparently it was quite a warm day when this video was being filmed, and quite humid too, and the "set" was open-air with no air-conditioning or proper cooling system to speak of. And look, as someone who lives in Queensland, Australia (which is frequently Humidity Central during summers), I can certainly sympathise, but dang the humidity didn't do him any sort of disservice, that's for sure! 👀

Also, because there is plenty of natural light for the shots in this one, this is another good video for exhibiting Geoff's actual eye colour (hazel), because the tinges of green are decently noticeable in this one! <3

To quote one of the comments: "a Geoff being unimpressed with other Geoffs will never not be funny" 😂

(Also more appreciation for Jeff in glasses, while he's still wearing them, because he (sadly /hj) takes them off as the first verse starts getting repeated, and then doesn't put them back on till right at the end!)

How nice of you to decide to join in, Jeoph! 😆

Also notice that the "Geoffs"/"Quadruplets" here each have a slight difference to their outfits? (Until Jeff takes the glasses off, anyway). It's in the sleeve lengths! Well, if there are any sleeves at all of course. Daryl is wearing a sleeveless shirt (we always stan <3), Geoff has sleeves rolled down to his elbows, and both Jeff and Jeoph have sleeves rolled up higher than their elbows! (Took me freaking ages to notice that, ngl).

(Though note even when Jeff takes off his glasses, he still keeps them hanging off his shirt, so they're still kinda technically a point of difference)

(And is it just the lighting, or is it just me, but is Jeff's shirt slightly different in colour to Jeoph's? Or am I just losing it a little bit? 😅)

I'm not someone who usually cares much about how physically strong/muscled a person is, but boy, he really do be jacked!

(Also necklace pendant in full view!)

"Don't ever play with guns!"

(Sharing this image because I literally only just noticed Daryl's sort of "warning finger" gesture (and accompanying facial expression 😝), though it's literally right at the start of the shot and he pulls his hand back fairly quickly)

(Sidenote: I adore the way that Geoff gives his "Backup Geoffs/Clones" individual personalities/identities in some of his videos, I can't get enough of it, and as much as I love the "truly solo" stuff he's been doing since, I hope I get to see multiple "Geoff clones" in a video again sooner or later (NOTE: yes this was written very much before Unshaken was released))

What's that you're holding there, Jeff? 😉

Also shoutout for not only the acting work by Geoff in this (subtle but certainly valuable), but the editing too! We're getting multiple angles of Jeff, Geoff, Daryl, and Jeoph, who all start in different positions in the foreground/midground/background btw, and it looks clean as anything! Maybe it's not actually too hard to do, relatively speaking at least, but had you shown this to me in like 2018 or something, that alone would have blown my mind, let alone the rest!

Harmonica time! Truly a man of many skills and talents! (Apparently Geoff used to play harmonica for a Blues Brothers show he did at Universal Studios Orlando or something (knowing how to play it was fully required to perform in the show), and he brushed up on his skills/knowledge for this video!)

Also I know it's obviously much more common to know how to play guitar than harmonica, but I found it a little amusing at how literally not a single reactor batted an eyelid at Geoff "playing" guitar in Man Of Constant Sorrow (though he's overall better at playing it via piano plug-in than with the actual instrument), but at least one or two reactors on this video were like "is that really him playing it?"/"who's playing the harmonica on this cover?" It's all Geoff! 😁

Jeoph's face right after Daryl hits a very solid F#1 in chest, literally the epitome of "huh, not bad" 😆

Obligatory comment of "hhhhh he's so pretty"

(Also gotta love the fact that neither Geoff nor any of the Backup Geoffs have any fewer than 2-3 top buttons undone. Full respect 😝👌)

Another point of difference to look out for in this video: all four of them move their hands differently when singing/harmonising! Most noticeable between Geoff and Geoph. Daryl, meanwhile, keeps his hands pretty still in comparison, mostly either standing with his arms folded, or with his hands half in his pockets like in the shot above.

"If they free me from this prison..."

(Nobody points out/seems to notice Daryl in this bit, which imo is a darn shame, so I'm making up for it!)

Bonus Geoff Clones up top in the background! (They're multiplying!!!!)

Now come on, that's just showing off! 😂 (Also if go back and rewatch this and pay attention to the background, you'll see that the background Geoff Clone on the far left starts clapping! 😁)

Massive kudos to both Geoff and Kathy for this video - other than Ed Boyer (who does the audio mixing for both Voiceplay and Geoff's solo stuff), this cover and video was purely a Castellucci production! Kathy was production manager as always (and she is for Voiceplay as well), and she and Geoff collaborated on "creative/visuals" (quoting the credits in the description, and the rest was all Geoff! The arrangement, the producing, the filming, the performing, (the harmonica playing!), and the editing! All him! He does a lot of this stuff himself for his other solo videos too, but this one is very brilliant, even without knowing how much of an independent creation it was!

[starrysimsie]

Hey everyone! Today I'm so excited to share my collab with BreezeMotors! This mega-pose pack has 13 poses for a varying amount of sims! There are also some interchangeable poses, so you can really create your own story! (For more previews, check out my Patreon!)

I'm so happy I got to work with BreezeMotors on this as I found that I really needed some poses with a car with it's back passenger door open but couldn't find one anywhere! Huge shoutout to Breeze for making this possible!

Download the car free here!

✨

Please tag me on Instagram @starrysimsie if you use them! I love to read & share your posts on my story!

Keep reading for the download link:

✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨

You will need:

Pose Mod & Teleporter X

2018 Volvo V60 Wagon with HQ interior by BreezeMotors X 

TOU:

Do not reupload my content.

Do not modify my content.

Do not claim my content as your own.

Do not upload to S!msdom

✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨

Download Here (Patreon, early access, 05/31)

✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨

To the people who look up at the stars and wish.

@ts4-poses @maxismatchccworld  @softpinefinds @ts4-posess

[800milesisadrive]

The NSFW Platform Shuffle

A rant from my anemic Twitter...

Writing NSFW content has been a game of switching between platforms. Building up an audience then waiting for the TOS to slowly creep in to block horny creators. The cycle is the same: I build up a follower/member count slowly. Right about the time I claw back to an audience of 2K... the TOS is updated to hide/block/limit porn.

Tumblr was the big one for me, but Discord isn't far behind. But Reddit, Imgur, Patreon have all been chipping away at allowed content for years. It's fucking exhausting - and I don't even do this for a living.

I mean, even OnlyFans isn't immune to this.

I know people don't turn to erotica writers for hot takes on the tech world, but even my slight perspective into the backend makes it painfully apparent:

Unless something changes, this is a trend that will only get worse.

For anyone actually curious - I think there is one specific pressure that will keep this cycle repeating:

the clusterfuck of legal overhead

Running a social platform at scale is expensive. I don't think people appreciate how hard it is to monetize porn. Most banks and processing services won't touch you.

Not for any moral reason, but because it opens them up to a labyrinth of compliance with various regions (countries, states, trade agreements). Add in the potential for a PR black eye and there's no rational reason for them to not play it as safe as possible

Outside of these systems, you're at the mercy of whatever providers and vendors that will be willing to get "dirty" to work with NSFW content. Most tech startups in other legally grey areas (ex. cannabis) brute force this with VC funding.

(How sustainable these cannabis startups actually are, and the moral implications of VC funding is another messy issue I won't get into.)

End of the day, you're left with a case of huge demand (porn has a massive audience!) with an unsustainable supply. So a startup builds an audience by tolerating porn, and slowly succumbs to the pressure of $$ as they scale.

A new startup with lower overhead and less expectation to hit profit takes the refugees. Until they get too big, and... It's just an unending shuffle. And NSFW content creators get displaced, rebuild. Over and over and over

Even if your business model is porn - some day the legal overhead piper is going to come calling.

Shoutout to OTW_News - AO3 being a fantastically well run non-profit has shielded them from this issue.

But they're also lucky enough to just host text, which scales much easier than video or images.

In a likely futile plea, I hope the AO3 model can be learned from - maybe even in a way creators can earn stable compensation for their works...

But I'd settle for someone more skilled at investigating and communicating these issues. Maybe we just need someone like doctorow or samleecole to crystalize the issue - so we NSFW creators to find our own solution and escape the churn.

[nobody-knose--archive]

i’ve been aching to commentate spirit phone’s commentary for ages. glad i finally got around to it, this was an ejoyable experience. liveblog below the cut

-i'm like half certain i've heard this commentary before. maybe not the whole way through & it was probably actual years ago

-nice hearing stuff like this. in-depth personal view of the album-making process. makes it seem like more of a real thing i could do myself someday

-neil cicierega real person momence

-i could probably go real in depth about neil cicierega/tally hall parallels specifically concerning like. the arc of their musical careers. but i won't, here

-wild how i legitimately don't care much about micheal jackson

-didnt we get a bunch of spirit phone stems from the needlejuice release/his patreon? we could probably hear the funny track he speaks of here in that

-i love hearing musical artists, especially neil cicierega, talking about the meanings of their songs. like, not only has this song been claimed to hell & back by the tumblr gays, but with later ones i just can't see where he gets these ideas from. also, claiming there's any one meaning or plot to a song just seems silly to me

-shoutout to neil reusing a midi from like, 1998, that he made at 12 years old, whose entire melody was reused for the main verses of everybody loves raymond. loved finding that out on my own 2 years ago. now it's common trivia in this fandom. not bad times

-it'd be neat if neil did individual trans tracks here like he did with view monstel, those things are half of why i consider it my favorite album

-it's a lot easier to ignore the creator's intended meaning behind a song when he can't even remember it. thanks neil

-seesaw effect

-and there's my joke all but 1 of my followers wont get. moving on

-what kinds of movie theater lobbies has neil been to where there are arcade machines. i mean im not one to talk but that does sound rather strange

-why do songs' titles even need to be taken from the lyrics. ive never seen that as any sort of requisite. it's like titling any form of prose you can just give it whatever name ya like

-"this part sounds pretty cool right"

-is neil's vocal range only mildly better than mine? with training i could change that

-oh i haven't processed any of the last 25 seconds hold on

-god. a shit ton of vocal modification in this song. it's like neil returned to his roots but with quality this time

-i, as an ace/aro, have never related more to an allohet guy in my life. what is the point of eyes!

-professional humming/whistling takes skill. it's different from the recreational or casual stuff. i'd know

-there's a name for the way sound (especially music) gets distorted when moving past you and i can't remember it but it's probably what neil's referring to here in the way he recorded the intro

(- update: it's the doppler effect no need to tell me cas already did)

-as someone who hasnt seen the rugrats or take me there by blackstreet i'll just say it sounded like a bouncy music box melody. nice to hear a song that messes with the typical scales though. lydian & diatonic.

-that's a rather specific thing to be glad about, but given what he talked about in his last full audio commentary about the jew harp i suppose i'm not surprised

-i know that tmbg song now. listened to it & saw the music video too. yep they're different alright

-where the hell does neil get all these instrumence from anyway

-huh. hadnt heard this part of the commentary before making my oc concerning this song but i like to hear neil's approval concerning part of my interpretation

-i love how ive heard a billion different tellings of this mellified man story from lem dem fans talking about this song and neil's is by far the wildest

-good god that does only make it worse neil

-i love making liveblogs of lemon demon albums. with the fullerenes or tally hall i cant name a specific dude to take out my woes on generally but with lemon demon i can just say neil all the time. i like being on a casual first name basis with this dude ive never interacted with once ever

-is sweet bod the one other than cabinet man with a demo in the bonus tracks? i forget

-holy shit the boston molasses disaster someone call up soapy if it doesnt already know, it'd love this

-two thousand nine. god i miss the fiddle solo. the ver with it is truly the best one

-he pronounces it jeff? i've always read it as gef with a hard g. that's what i get for knowing words that are never spoken aloud

-that's a fun meta interpretation of this ghost story that's over a century old. i like that

-i've noticed neil generally does the same synths across a whole album. it's especially more clear in the earlier ones, and does mean i occasionally mix up songs between clown circus & live from the haunted candle shop

-ah! ancient aliens! my least favorite track on this album. i cant even claim to have the least interest in a popular one i've just generally not liked this one much from the beginning. so im curious to see what neil's got to say, i think ive been in ~new commentary zone for a while now

-anyway. newest update on the loolin not realizing a song's funky time signature front: i think this one's in 6/4. or at least switches a lot between time signatures. granted i dont listen to it very often for the reasons stated above

-see the way neil describes it. eldritch horror upon being visited by the unknown at a time when humanity'd hadn't even yet had a chance to imagine such a thing occurring. should be right up my alley. but the sound itself & many of the lyrics simply turn me away.

-must i specify i don't dislike it? spirit phone is neil's best album it not being my favorite doesn't mean i think it's bad yadda yadda nobody should be surprised by this it's not like anyone in these fandoms reads my liveblogs <3

-granted i think this is. the first bit of spirit phone content i've made on my blog ever. so who knows things can change <3

-the transitions in spirit phone are much less view-monster transition tracks & more extended outros. view-monster's were a bit more intro than outro sure but they also seemed directed upon making a 2-way rather than 1-way bridge between tracks. or something like that

-.............soft fuzzy man is an incredible nickname for a cat. i'd steal that if i werent afraid of introducing my relatives to lemon demon

-jirls

-an underlying metaphor is good enough. the literal side of the lyrics are fun. nothing but agreement here neil my good man

-the transition into as your father i expressly forbid it from soft fuzzy man is the best one in this album

-buddy you ask if a musical idea has been used before odds are the answer is yes in this day & age the question is has it been used in the way you're using it. like sure this soul jazz record from the 60s that was sold out in kansas stores for a week used this bassline that youve found yourself copying. but seeing as youre using it in some angsty garage rock ballad type tune does anybody actually care

-doesn't everybody like to say things in an unhinged manner from time to time

-imagine having a guitar dad, i say, with my dad being a folk accordion/fiddle dad, which is infinitely worse in every way

-i think he was in an actual folk band at some point. idk the 90s were weird

-iron my life?

-m-more intimate? there are a lot of ways i'd describe this song but intimate isn't one of them. granted as your father is negatively intimate so from there i guess you've got nowhere to go but up

-...still glad to see his interpretation kinda supports my oc at least

-the way he says characters in songs shouldn't worry about death really strongly makes me think this is some sort of. thematic continuation of stuck from dinosaurchestra, even if there's no real death in there. interesting. would also mean that the dad from these past 2 songs is named carlos betty (no last name)

-i literally never assumed this was a flute solo. piccolo at best. it's pretty clearly a recorder

-my mom plays the recorder. i wonder if she can play recorder better than neil cicierega

-we can throw a party in honor of the crushing weight of responsibility! i simply won't be the one throwing it because i have enough on my plate already <3

-what the hell does "a sense of intent" mean

-i've never heard rush before however i disagree with neil's understanding of 6/4. 6/4 is meant to have emphasis (onbeat or another term i can't remember) on the 1st & 4th beat of every measure, which is greatly different from a measure of 4/4 then a measure of 2/4. it's why his 5/4 always sounds weird, because while it's recognizable in sequences of 10/4, it's more 2 measures of 4/4 with one of 2/4 tacked on the end. that's also how it's different from 3/4. i don't know much music theory but what i do understand i will fight to the death about

-"canonized" that's. a very interesting term to use when referring to a former president

-from now on i will interpret every love song directed at some unseen "you" to be inviting me to marry them for tax purposes. thanks neil for being an aromantic icon

-ah hell yes hell yes man-made object is my favorite goddam song on this album

-short & sweet & good damn vibes. neil's thoughts on it all are only making it better

-wild how he uses very few vocal effects for a song that he clearly is straining his vocal range for. go off neil

-the qualifier of man-made is a wonderful thing. oldest or biggest thing? oldest or biggest man-made thing? what a incredibly important specification. a world of possibilities lie between the two. oh i love it

-just gets me thinking yknow! what we consider weird/impressive in another species, in our own species- what kind of equivalent to that would there be from an outsider looking in? are there alien versions of the significances we place upon things, that we could never imagine? the limits of the human imagination mean we could never conceive of something else in the world that isn't, in some way great or small, just like us- and are we wrong for thinking that? such a juicy topic i wish there were a name for it because it's kinda hard to explain concisely

-spiral of ants. my second favorite song from this album, in fact. a good one to experience

-the vocals are just another instrument. they really truly are. i wasn't going into this commentary expecting to feel solidarity for neil cicierega in this chili's tonight on more than one occasion but here i am.

-like, his whole stance on interpreting songs is something i agree with almost entirely. you can take it at face value, you can dig to their very depths, you can listen to songs without caring what the lyrics mean whatsoever, and those are all fun. & yeah while any of these people can be annoying as one of the types who enjoys gliding on the surface more than anything i find those who dedicate themselves to figuring out the whole meaning of a song over anything else to be both slightly scary & slightly annoying <3 keep up the good work

-i want to make songs for my siblings the way neil makes songs for his sibling(s)

-spinch

-neil really shouldn't be allowed to be this funny like this whole album youre thinking golly! he's just a normal man this neil cicierega! and then he starts listing the cat hacks jokes & you remember he's had ridiculously consistent viral success with all his humorous endeavors and holy shit it's neil cicierega in action talking about his music. god bless you neil

-you're welcome, no problem, my pleasure. good eveternoon, radio audience!