#blessed seed ep

[foggysirens]

i cant watch the ep and i dont care about spoilers PLS someone describe wanda childas execution what happened to my girl

okay so basically the the wanda childa fake assassination happens because the bad kids have cracked down on the ratgrinders and chaos mother emily axford decided to bless us with this new fantastic wanda childa idea where she’s gonna go into rubens dreams again, right? she wants to basically make him think that because the ratgrinders have this plan with the shatterstars and keeping ankarna as a rage god that it’s the reason why he and wands can’t be together and fig wants to see if ruben will flip causes EXCEPT because of the protection they have on their minds she can only be a voyeur in his dreams essentially, but in that the bad kids figure out that rubens house is the ratgrinders base and not one to be deterred, figs NEW plan is to rock up to rubens house, throw rocks at his window in the rain (provided graciously by adaine) and when the balcony opens to reveal no one but also maybe(?) ruben, she profess her love and desire to be together but oh what? what’s this? kipperlilly? no - not kipperlilly, but thats the code word for fabian and k2 (kristens straight, slightly british clone) to SHOOT HER with a fucking CROSS BOW where fig then rolls a 34 performance and has a full “mmm whatcha say” death scene where her emo so tiny and so small thumb-hoodie falls open to reveal the same death markings as lucy and yolands and she then proceeds to lay fake dead in the rain until adaine casts enlarge/reduce on gorgug, they throw a big cloak on him and he grabs “dead” wanda childa and runs away ALL OF THIS just to sow seeds of doubt in ruben about the ratgrinders and kipperlilly and torment him over the death of his emo girl crush. it’s amazing. doubly so when later in the episode fig decides to disguise self as wanda childa again at fabians birthday party cause our emo queen shall never die.

[k-martins]

Hey I was just wondering if you had any itafushi fic recs!! :)

Fanfic recommendations from your ITFS fairy godmother!

Separated according to classification! R.N = Reader's note (me)

G

Indelible by Lyrebirdswrites +4k words || Oneshot || AU Tattoo artist! Megumi and Florist! Yuji || Marriage proposal || Fluffy, love and peace || R.N: For more fanfics that use the language of flowers

The Seasons Of Our Life by auspicious_goblin +1k words || Oneshot || AU - No curses || ITFS will end like this If Gege is not a loser || Fluffy and slice to life || R.N: YES!!! ITFS ELDERLY YES!!!!

You’re The Only Good Thing In My Life by renarizaki +2k words || Oneshot || Canonical divergence || Megumi helps Yuji dye his hair || fluffy, slice to life andhumor || R.N: The Manga would be funnier if Yuji actually dyed his hair pink.

T

Nobody Saves Me The Way You Do by GallifreyanFairytale +3k words || Oneshot || Canon compatible || Yuji gives Megumi a bath || Anguish mainly || R.N: I love how this writer describes Megs' scenes and feelings <3

No One Gets it Right on the First (Or Second) Try by j_jabbers +12k words || Oneshot || AU - No curses || ITFS and its failed encounters || 5 + 1, humor, fluffy and slice to life || R.N: I really like Yuji's POV where he is a failure in love.

Plant Kisses Like Seeds by Miah_Kat +4k words || Oneshot || Canon compatible || Yuji has survivor's guilt, good thing Megumi is around || Anguish and fluffy || R.N: This fanfic hits my weak points very hard. I'm passionate about body worship scenes.

And I've Been Tryin' Not To Feel It by hijinks_n_lowjinks +37k words || In Progress || Au - No curses/College || ITFS slowly (or not if you're Megumi) falling in love || Humor, slice to life, fluffy || R. N: God bless jinks for always making my day better with an update to this fanfic.

M

Can't Have It Both Ways by vivevoce +4k words || Oneshot || Canonical divergence || The ITFS meeting takes Todo through all the stages of grief || Humor, nonsense and fluffy? I think it's cute || R.N: This fanfic made me wish for fillers with the people of Tokyo and Kyoto coming together in a common goal - to destroy Todo's lack of sanity

It's a Goddamn Blaze In The Dark by prosciutto +13k words || Oneshot || AU - No curses/college || roommates, stranger>friends>lovers what more do you want? || humor, angst, fluffy || R.N: I really like how Megumi and Yuji are portrayed here. I feel like if we got a glimpse of their dynamic outside of the manga this would be it.

All The Bad Dreams That You Hide by lexouran +5k words || Oneshot (my tears)) || Au - Spiderman || Megumi receives a visit from her neighborhood friend || anguish, fluffy slight smut(?) || R.N: CAN YOU HEAR MY TEARS FROM YOUR HOUSE??? BECAUSE I CRY EVERY TIME I THINK THIS FANFIC HAS NO CONTINUATION!!

E

The Rabbit In the Moon by zillala +266k words || In Progress || Canonical divergence || Megumi finally confesses after Shibuya || Friends to lovers, angst, slice to life, humor, fluffy || R.N: The first itfs fanfic I read and I will never regret it. God bless this author and her huge chapters that were my vitamin on dark nights without the manga.

Futile Devices by jellyjully +25k words || Oneshot || Post-canon || Yuji is exiled from Japan for years until Megumi finds him || Slice to life, humor, anguish, fluffy || R.N: This fanfic gave me vibes of a studio ghigle film. I think it's the ambiance.

To Have And To Hold by terriana +15k words || In progress || Post-canon and Dynamics a/b/o || Yuji tries to woo Megumi, but his lover's shikigami wouldn't approve of the idea || Humor, anguish, fluffy, slice to life || R.N: This fic gets funnier when I think about the kung fu bunny from eps 17. No wonder Yuji was so broken LMAO (Please terriana, if you see this tell me what you have planned for Nue, I'm very curious )

Hope this helps! (ɔ◔‿◔)ɔ ♥

[jujumin-translates]

Event | Act 3.5 Event - NEW ERA GARDEN | EP: New Era Seeds

*Contains spoilers for Act 12 - eternal moment*

Shift: Whoaaa, Reni-san was so cool!

Haruto: Don’t yell! Think about the neighbors! We’re going to get complaints!

Shift: Okay, but like, wasn’t he so cool!?

Madoka: …

Haruto: What’s with the daze? Did you watch it properly?

Madoka: Ah, sorry. I was just imagining the two of you standing on that unfinished stage someday.

Shift: With your script, of course… right, Madoka?

Madoka: Yeah!

Haruto: And I’ll be the lead, obviously.

Shift: No way, I’m not handing that role over to you.

Haruto: Hmph, then you better work even harder if you want to shoot for the top. Otherwise, there’s no way you’ll be standing on that stage.

Shift: Bet. Leave it to me.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Kabuto: …So this is Yukio Tachibana and the first-generation MANKAI Company, huh?

Aoshi: …That theater will be our new goal.

Kabuto: Yeah. We’re starting over from nothing. I don’t see how we couldn’t get fired up.

Aoshi: …By the way, I won’t be able to come and wake you up tomorrow. Please make sure you set four alarms.

Kabuto: Zznn--.

Aoshi: That didn’t take long…

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Fanboy: Uwhoooaaa! I didn’t really get some of the story, but that was so cool! It was sick as hell…!

Fanboy: (So this is the first generation of MANKAI Company… the ones who started it all…)

Fanboy: (If it weren’t for them, today’s MANKAI Company wouldn’t exist… I can’t thank them enough…)

Fanboy: (It was so worth skipping cram school to watch the stream.)

Fanboy: (I’d kill to go see a play live on Veludo Way… I wanna meet my oshi…)

Fanboy: Oh, right! I gotta make sure all the other guys have seen it too…

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

*Phone notification*

Boy Who Stands Out: Hmm? “Did you watch it?”. I mean, I did, but…

Boy Who Stands Out: I didn’t really get any of it. No way it’s gonna be a banger.

Boy Who Stands Out: I’ll just give a vague response, or whatever. More importantly…

Boy Who Stands Out: …Kyaha! This morning’s post is doing crazy numbers! Literally blessed.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Young Delinquent: I-I said I’m sorry… c’mon… gh.

Boy With Birthmark: …

*Smack*

Young Delinquent: Ughh--hg.

Boy With Birthmark: …

*Two smacks*

Young Delinquent: --Ghugh.

*Phone notification*

Boy With Birthmark: --.

Boy With Birthmark: …Give me a sec.

Young Delinquent: --Gh.

*Fabric rustling*

Boy With Birthmark: “Did you watch it?” …Mmhm, oopsie, I forgot. (1)

Boy With Birthmark: “I’ll just watch the VOD.” Anyway…

Young Delinquent: Haah, haaah… fuck…

Boy With Birthmark: …You’re a stubborn one, huh?

*Smack*

Young Delinquent: --Ghaugh.

*Fabric rustles*

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

*Phone notification*

Refined Boy: “I watched it.” …And, send.

Refined Boy: It was easy to understand with the Shinsengumi theme, and it was really profound and interesting, too.

Refined Boy: I’ll have to give Dad the link to the VOD later.

Refined Boy: --Right, but first I need to submit next month’s shift schedule to my manager.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Yukio: …So, congratulations on the great success of our first-day finale, cheers!

Hiro: Cheers!

Kasumi: Good work, everyone!

Zen: Good work.

Yuzo: The number of viewers of the stream seems to be goin’ strong.

Reni: Thanks to this, the number of subscribers for the New Fleur Award Channel increased, so it was a meaningful performance for the Award Committee.

Syu: Well then, how about we hear a few words from our director?

Yukio: Eh? Me?

Syu: Since you’ve made such a successful comeback, are there any ideas you have for the future?

Yukio: Ah, the future… umm…

Yukio: Actually, I have a favor to ask of you all!

Kasumi: ?

Hiro: Some kinda reform or something?

Yuzo: Are you gonna try and make us do somethin’ else?

Yukio: …Please do theater with me for the rest of our lives!

Hiro: Hah…?

Yuzo: The hell?

Zen: You make it sound like you’re proposin’.

Syu: Hah! So you finally said it. You finally said what you couldn’t say back then.

Yukio: H-Hehe…

Yukio: I was afraid to even think about it, and I didn’t want to say anything as to not interfere with anyone else’s plans. But I’ve been thinking about that ever since Reni and I had our fight and I just wanted to say that…

Yukio: Truly, I’ve always wanted to say that.

Zen: I getcha. Well, I’m livin’ in retirement with nothin’ else to do anyway. I’m with you.

Hiro: I’m also with you. I’ll stay this time until the end because I couldn’t protect what we had back then.

Syu: I suppose if everyone else is on board.

Yuzo: You’ve got my word. I’ll see this thing through.

Kasumi: You’re the one who said “I want to stay close to this troupe and love them forever”, aren’t you? There’s no going back on that now.

Kasumi: I’ll help in any way that I can!

Yukio: You guys… are you serious?

Reni: …I’m sure what you’ll do will continue to be utterly absurd. It’s irritating, but I’ll follow you.

Reni: You’ve been cleared of our long-standing grudge.

Syu: You’re sure piling it on, aren’t you?

Reni: There’s no denying it. I just thought differently then.

Yukio: HUH!? Scary…

Yukio: But are you really finally making peace with things?

Reni: I suppose so.

Yukio: …I’m glad. Because you’re the first person I ever wanted to spend the rest of my life making plays with, Reni.

Reni: --.

Reni: …Hmph, I’m probably the only person in the world who can go along with your recklessness.

Reni: There’s no avoiding it.

[ ⇠ Previous Part ]

• • •

T/N:

(1) Wasn’t sure if I was able to make it come through clearly enough, but he ends his sentence with “ッピ” which is like, a very cutesy way for a fictional character to end their sentences.

[nobodysdaydreams]

My Reaction to Episodes 7-10 of Wolf 359 (But first, an update on my reactions for those who are curious...)

Thank you to everyone for your enthusiasm. I wasn't expecting this much excitement for my reactions/liveblogs, but I love it! 🥰

Shoutout to @commsroom for sending me a list of episodes with post credit scenes which include ep 5 cigarette candy, ep 37 overture, and ep 43 persuasion. Thanks Comms Room!

I did go back and listen to the post credits scene for episode 5 and OH MY GOSH HILBERT. WHAT. What. Why. Why? like dude. You're in space! Of all the places to be conducting highly dangerous and deadly and unethical experiments on human test subjects. I've insulted Curtain (tmbs) and Uncle Andrew (narnia) a lot on this blog but I gotta give them credit: at least neither of them were stupid enough to do their experiments in space. Though in Andrew's case, I think that's mostly because he couldn't get to space in 1900s London even if he wanted to.

I currently have Wolf359 Tags blocked to avoid spoilers and will try my best to react blindly.

Tagging the mutuals who got me invested in this, and if you want to be tagged or untagged from these posts, lmk, or you can follow my blog or simply follow the tag "#bods wolf359 reactions". Anyone who has followed me for a while knows my updates are inconsistent, so I apologize in advance for that.

@sophieswundergarten @oflightningandstars @acollectionofcuriousreblogs

Anyway on to the actual reactions. I did not intend on feeling ill today, but while I take a late lunch break, perhaps I can give a few episodes a listen.

Episode 7:

Interesting that the AI has her own emotions and can fight with them. I wonder what information she's withholding from the captain?

Wow Hilbert should have been a professional chess player instead. I think that would have saved everyone a lot of trouble.

Oh hush up Hilbert I don't trust you. Um...why do I think that Specimen 34 might have indoctrinated Hilbert in his (her? its? their????) cult?

Eiffel. DO NOT TELL HIM WHERE THE FERTILIZER IS!

Hopefully that lie will buy a little time.

"Soon you will be allowed to surrender to the growth of your biological superior" ... you know, for a "biologically superior" plant, it might want to try being a tad less ominous.

Mincowski, I like you, and I agree thus far, but listen. Hilbert is worshiping a plant now. This is a huge crisis. What if he uses it to cheat at chess?

Hera and Mincowski. Please. I think this is important. I think Hera needs to be more honest, at least for my sake, because I want the tea.

...Seed of life? ...THE OPPRESSOR? What. who is the oppressor?

Eiffel. Please just get to the point. 👏 Hilbert. 👏 Is. 👏 Worshipping. 👏 A. 👏 Plant. 👏

✨Maybe you should do something✨

"Audrey 2 territory" THERE IS A LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS REFERENCE! I KNEW IT!

Oh they're calling him a plant worshipper now. Finally, acknowledging it for what it is.

Oh dear. He's back.

THE BLESSED ETERNAL?

Wait. That can't be the end. The crew was gonna watch Home Alone 2!

Episode 8:

Huh. This is a cool title. "Box953", which is 359 backwards. Hm. You also get 365 if you scramble the numbers and rotate the 9.

Okay. No more about Commander Mincowski. What happened to the plant, oh I'm sorry, "the blessed eternal". That's such a long name. Can I just call him Percival? Percival the plant. Percy for short.

Talent show???

I do not want to know what Dr. Hilbert's talent is. Creating plant monsters?

Yeah. It is scary that you agree with Hilbert. Again, did I skip an episode??? Where did the plant go??? Where is Percy?

How often has Hilbert been knocking people out? I don't like this.

AND WHERE DID PERCY GO?

I'm sorry. You have a room with HUNDREDS of crates that you've never been into? Oh. Godard Futuristics? Corporate sponsor? I sense some backstory.

...Russian dolls???

(wait...Garrison...???)

Oh no eyes, don't like that. That's weird.

Box 239...paper? Santa letters??

Box 56...canon? Yeah I agree what is all this random stuff for?

Oh that's faster. A log that will tell what's in the boxes. 217 has Lego blocks? 300 has pieces for 3 full suits of armor? Is this like an amazon delivery ship?

"Please handle with a vague feeling of existential dread" always a great thing to read.

Box 953- reserved for Douglas Eiffel. Don't open.

What does that mean?

Hilbert. You were worshipping a plant. The commander singing is not a crisis. Oh, pirate costumes! This is shaping up to be quite the performance!

Does everyone else get a box too? And how is a room with hundreds of boxes go unnoticed after a year and a half. Are the boxes not in order?

Hilbert. I would also fire a shot past your head. The captain needs her ice cream! This insubordination will not stand.

Hilbert doesn't scream for ice cream. Hilbert only screams for the blessed eternal.

Oh and apparently ice cream too. Prioritizes.

And where is Hera? Oh Hera is here? Proud of her for getting into theater.

1,000 and something crates?

Oh. The errors and access denies hurt Hera? That's awful.

Wow. That's a big box.

"Keep closed at all times". Very ominous. Don't like the cold.

HUMMING FROM INSIDE THE BOX? That sounds like a heartbeat? Don't like that. Don't like it at all.

Yeah Eiffel. You can go. You can go and figure out why nothing on the ship makes sense.

Okay. Box open. Don't like those noises.

...

...

Oh good he's back. ugh we still don't get to know about the box?

Box 56? OH THE CANON. OH BOY.

WAIT. NO. NO. PLEASE TELL ME WE DIDN'T LOSE THE BOXES. PLEASE. Wait. THEY DID? NOOOOOOOOOOOOO....

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.............................................................................................................................

Hilbert this was the ONE TIME you could have used your evil science talents for good you had ONE JOB.

There...there was a heartbeat in there. It scared me, and it could have been another evil plant, but...but what if it was a little friend? What if they killed him 🥺?

I wanted to know too Eiffel. I want to know too. This is so sad.

What were the boxes for? Why did Douglas have his own? Why couldn't Hera access it?

Well this was frustrating. I hope you all enjoyed it though.

Episode 9:

Yeah Eiffel. Space is dangerous. Maybe you should all just go home. After all, why do you have to stay here?

Yes please define safe. I don't think that's a simple question. I still wanna know about the blessed plant Percy. And the box.

Canaveral? Command? ...okay backstory the command center stopped giving them calls...I feel like they should have questioned that a bit more...

"The golden rose is ready for melting. Proceed with designation alpha. Beware 5: The empty man has awoken."

Nope. Turn around. Go home. Clearly something nefarious is a foot and WHO OR WHAT IS THE EMPTY MAN? Well, there are only two men on this ship that we know of, plus one woman and an AI. Oh, and about a thousand mysterious boxes which could contain alien life capable of surviving in space that just got launched into space, so I suppose one ought to account for that. Oh and the evil plant monster that seems to show up whenever the crew wants to avoid each other.

Godard futuristics again. Yeah they sure do have some explaining to do. TWO WEEKS TO GET A MESSAGE TO EARTH?

TWO WEEKS TO TELL PEOPLE YOU'RE IN DANGER?

Don't like that.

Don't like Hilbert's response either. He said "what? why?" not "no, why?". If the answer is no, just say no.

Oh more info!

"The andromedas are broken. The northern light should be reversed. Alert 4: The empty man approaches."

Um. What do the numbers mean? And are they telling 5 to beware of the empty man, or someone else to beware because 5 is the empty man?

"The frozen pages are blank. Decide what to do with the time that is given to you. Emergency 3: The empty man hungers."

...

Okay. So it looks like the numbers might be an extremely fast countdown.

...

Well at least there haven't been any more messages.

A lockdown is nice. Unless the monster is already inside.

Good idea: don't give Hilbert a gun.

Yep. there comes another message Eiffel. You had to tempt fate...oh shut up Hilbert I don't want to agree with you.

"The broken flower is in the vase. Don't listen to your eyes. Danger 2: The empty man sees you."

Maybe the empty man took the eyes from the Russian dolls.

OH MR. PRECIVAL PLANT AKA THE BLESSED ETERNAL IS STILL HERE????

Why. Why were they having a talent show? Should capturing and killing the plant not be priority one?

"There's no way out. There's no way out. But there is a way in. Danger 1: The empty man shall knock."

Okay so this is the second message with danger. It's an alert and level system. Beware, Alert, Emergency, Danger, with levels 1-5, with 1 being the worst. Okay.

...weird that they are warning them, and yet they seem to know exactly what the empty man is going to do. That doesn't really make sense.

Oh do NOT like that sound.

"0: The empty man is with you. Extreme Danger 0: The empty man is with you. Extreme Danger."

Is...are they the empty man? Or is the empty man...

"The proceeding six pulse beacon relays that you have received have been part of a psychological experiment. Please disregard the content of these messages and return to regular operational activities as soon as possible. Please report and clearly label any unusual crew behavior, deviation from protocol, or undue lack of decorum that resulted due to the transmission of these messages."

...

Sounds exactly like what the empty man would say.

Suspicious.

Also if the "empty man" was with them...and apparently they can't trust their eyes...then theoretically, the seventh message might not say what they think it says. (Conspiracy theory????)

But my wild theories aside, this was extremely unethical. And I think we ALL know who would call that an experiment. HILBERT.

Wait Douglas used to work at pizza hut? Now he works in space? Uh, congrats on the promotion I guess.

Episode 10:

Oh Nitrogen tanks. Eiffel...I think you might have messed up...

✨Yessssssssssss✨

And...boom goes the Nitrogen!

"One of these days I'll actually kill you" I hope you don't. You two need to team up against Hilbert and his crazy-crazy experiments.

Wait...did they just discover a secret room? ONE HERA CAN'T EVEN SEE?

...so they're all working with limited information...

How did they hide such a huge room? Wouldn't they need to account for that while flying through space.

Dark medical lab. Well. That could be where Percy is hiding out.

GENETIC EXPERIMENTS ON SPIDERS TO MAKE THEM BIGGER?

No. No. No. No. No. No. No. Don't like it. I agree. Why wall it up?

Elia Selburg? I can't spell but let's see. "mixed results...specimen growth and development promising but extremely high levels of toxicity unintended side effect. Contact with live specimens extremely dangerous as shown with recent exposure trial. Captain Lovelace has ordered termination..."

Hold on. Lovelace? I've heard that name, I've seen that name before I blocked the tags I think.

Why wall it up? PROBABLY FOR YOUR SAFETY.

Maybe it was walled up to keep something in!

Oh no. Looks like Hera agrees with me.

"What has it been eating?"

Probably the other spiders.

Well Eiffel's done for once again. He was a good character while he lasted. 🫡

Why would you not tell the crew about the secret lab with dangerous spiders? Tell them so they know to keep it walled up! WHO is keeping all these secrets and WHY are they keeping all the secrets?

The sneeze of death. Put your finger under your nose. That will do it.

Nice of him to leave Hera in his will.

Aw the spider is cuddling for warmth. Eiffel has a little friend. A poisonous, deadly friend who has killed and will kill again.

Oh no he snapped.

...but was that the only spider...????

At least Eiffel is okay. And it does look like it was just the one...

...I hope they're right. If they really wanted to be terrifying they could have had it be a pregnant spider. You kill one of those things and BAM! All the baby spiders, hundreds of thousands everywhere. Everywhere. Don't ask how I know this. You don't want to know.

Oh...archives and notebooks. Interesting. I hope we get a chance to look through those.

Well I have actual work I need to try to go but this has been fun. I hope I get some more answers soon, but I am enjoying the mysteries. Thanks everyone for reading, and have a great day!

[brookston]

Holidays 1.18

Holidays

Anniversary of the Founding of Lima (Peru)

Bobby Vinton Day (Chicago, Illinois)

Dia de la Divina Pastora Bank Holiday (Venezuela)

Field Hockey Day

Flag Day (Honduras)

Four an' Twenty Day (Scotland)

Hair Dryer Appreciation Day

Heroes’ Day (Congo)

International AHC Day

Internet Freedom Day

International Laughter Day (Portugal)

Jazz Day

Lay Awake and Whisper in the Dark Day

Maintenance Day

Mercury Day (French Republic)

Metric System Day

National Forest Day

National Michigan Day

National Sanctity of Human Life Day

Royal Thai Armed Forces Day (Thailand)

Sandwich Islands Day

Stalking Awareness Day of Action

Thaipoosam (a.k.a. Thaipusam or Thaipoosam Cavadee; India, Malaysia, Mauritius)

Thesaurus Day

UFO Day

Waking Day (Elder Scrolls)

Winnie the Pooh Day

World Day of the Snowman

World Religion Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

National Gourmet Coffee Day

National Peking Duck Day

Unsliced Bread Day

3rd Thursday in January

Day of the Wallet Holder (Panama) [3rd Thursday]

Get To Know Your Customers Day [3rd Thursday of each Quarter]

Guys Night Out [3rd Thursday]

Women’s Healthy Weight Day [3rd Thursday]

Independence & Related Days

Lima founded (Aniversario de Lima; Peru; 1535)

New Scireland (Declared; 2010) [unrecognized]

Revolution Day (Tunisia)

Festivals Beginning January 18, 2024

Celtic Conventions (Glasgow, Scotland) [thru 2.4]

Eataly Vino Festival (Munich, Germany)

FARE Idaho Field to Fork Festival (Boise, Idaho)

Fête du Vin (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)

Frog Leg Festival (Fellsmere, Florida) [thru 1.21]

Havasu Balloon Festival and Fair (Lake Havasu City, Arizona) [thru 1.21]

Illiana Watermelon Association Convention (French Lick, Indiana) [thru 1.21]

International Kolkata Book Fair (Kolkata, India) [thru 1.31]

Ozark Mountain Music Festival (Eureka Springs, Arkansas) [thru 1.21]

Seed Food & Wine Week (Miami, Florida) [thru 1.21]

Sundance Film Festival (Park City, Utah) [thru 1.28]

Virginia Farm Show (Fisherville, Virginia) [thru 1.20]

Feast Days

A.A. Milne (Humanism)

Amy Carmichael (Church of England)

Antoine Pevsner (Artology)

Athanasius of Alexandria (Eastern Orthodox Church)

Beatrix d’Este (Roman Catholic; Blessed)

Bruma IV (Pagan)

Chair of St. Peter (Roman Catholic)

Confession of Peter (Eastern Orthodox, some Anglican and Lutheran Churches)

Cyril of Alexandria (Christian; Saint)

Day of Danu (Celtic Goddess of the Earth, Moon, Fertility, Wisdom, Wealth, Abundance, Wind and Water)

Deicolus (Christian; Saint)

Egg Juggling Day (Pastafarian)

Feast of Neith (Goddess of War & Hunting; Ancient Egypt)

Feast of the Cross (Eastern Orthodox Church)

Feast of Women as Cultivators (Persian)

Festival of Neith (Ancient Egypt; Goddess of the Hunt and Warfare; Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Jacob Bronowski (Humanism)

Juggling Day (Pastafarian)

Kiki Smith (Artology)

Leobadus (Roman Catholic; Saint)

Mahayana New Year (Buddhism)

Margaret of Hungary (Christian; Saint)

Martin Luther (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Peter-Paul and Marilou (Muppetism)

Prisca (Christian; Saint)

Robert Anton Wilson (Humanism)

Theocrats of Tibet (Positivist; Saint)

36 Companions in Egypt (Christian; Sains)

Ulfrid (Christian; Saint)

Volusianus of Tours (Christian; Saint)

Lunar Calendar Holidays

Lunar Bodhi Day (Buddhism) [8th Day, 12th Moon] (also 12.8)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Sensho (先勝 Japan) [Good luck in the morning, bad luck in the afternoon.]

Premieres

Bend It Like Beckham (Film; 2002)

Blood Simple (Film; 1984)

The Bomb in the Cellar or Bullwinkle Lowers the Boom (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S6, Ep. 338; 1965)

The Cherry Orchard (Play; 1904)

Cloverfield (Film; 2008)

Doctor Bluebird (Color Rhapsody Cartoon; 1936)

Dumb Patrol (WB LT Cartoon; 1964)

A Fistful of Dollars (Film; 1967)

Fresh Air (NPR Radio Series; 1975)

Gigantosaurus (Animated TV Series; 2019)

Grandma’s Pet (Oswald the Luck Rabbit Cartoon; 1932)

Hard to Be a God, by Arkady Strugatsky (Novel; 1964)

How I Met Your Father (TV Series; 2022)

Jeepers Creepers, recorded by Louis Armstrong (Song; 1939)

The Jeffersons (TV Series; 1975)

Legends of the Superheroes: Part 1 (Hanna-Barbera Animated TV Movie; 1979)

The L Word (TV Series; 2004)

Mary and the Witch’s Flower (Animated Film; 2018)

The Nose, by Dmitri Shostakovich (Opera; 1928)

Once Around (Film; 1991)

Pumping Iron (Documentary Film; 1977)

27 Dresses (Film; 2008)

Six Millions Dollar Man (TV Series; 1974)

Socko in Morocco (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1954)

Star vs. the Forces of Evil (Animated TV Series; 2015)

Svengali’s Cat (Might Mouse Terrytoons Cartoon; 1946)

Tom and Jerry: Blast Off to Mars (Animated Film; 2005)

Tortilla Flaps (WB LT Cartoon; 1958)

United States of Tara (TV Series; 2009)

Up the River or Yangtze with the Laughing Face (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S6, Ep. 337; 1965)

The Vacuum Gun, Parts 1 & 2 (Underdog Cartoon, S3, Eps. 33 & 34; 1967)

Today’s Name Days

Margitta, Ulfried, Uwe (Austria)

Atanas, Atanaska (Bulgaria)

Biserka, Margareta, Priska (Croatia)

Vladislav (Czech Republic)

Prisca (Denmark)

Lauli, Laura (Estonia)

Laura (Finland)

Gwendal, Prisca (France)

Margitta, Prisca, Ulfried, Uwe (Germany)

Athanasios, Kyrillos, Thanasis (Greece)

Piroska (Hungary)

Beatrice, Leonardo, Liberata, Prisca, Priscilla (Italy)

Akselis, Antis, Antons (Latvia)

Gedgaudas, Jogailė, Jolita, Liberta (Lithuania)

Hild, Hildur (Norway)

Bogumił, Jaropełk, Krystyna, Liberata, Małgorzata, Piotr, Pryska (Poland)

Atanasie, Chiril (Romania)

Bohdana (Slovakia)

Faustina, Margarita, Prisca, Priscila (Spain)

Hilda, Hildur (Sweden)

Cyril (Ukraine)

Faustina, Faustine, Fraser, Frazer (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 18 of 2024; 348 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 4 of week 3 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Beth (Birch) [Day 24 of 28]

Chinese: Month 12 (Yi-Chou), Day 8 (Xin-Si)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 8 Shevat 5784

Islamic: 7 Rajab 1445

J Cal: 18 White; Foursday [18 of 30]

Julian: 5 January 2024

Moon: 56%: Waxing Gibbous

Positivist: 18 Moses (1st Month) [Theocrats of Tibet]

Runic Half Month: Peorth (Womb, Dice Cup) [Day 9 of 15]

Season: Winter (Day 29 of 89)

Zodiac: Capricorn (Day 28 of 31)

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 1.18

Holidays

Anniversary of the Founding of Lima (Peru)

Bobby Vinton Day (Chicago, Illinois)

Dia de la Divina Pastora Bank Holiday (Venezuela)

Field Hockey Day

Flag Day (Honduras)

Four an' Twenty Day (Scotland)

Hair Dryer Appreciation Day

Heroes’ Day (Congo)

International AHC Day

Internet Freedom Day

International Laughter Day (Portugal)

Jazz Day

Lay Awake and Whisper in the Dark Day

Maintenance Day

Mercury Day (French Republic)

Metric System Day

National Forest Day

National Michigan Day

National Sanctity of Human Life Day

Royal Thai Armed Forces Day (Thailand)

Sandwich Islands Day

Stalking Awareness Day of Action

Thaipoosam (a.k.a. Thaipusam or Thaipoosam Cavadee; India, Malaysia, Mauritius)

Thesaurus Day

UFO Day

Waking Day (Elder Scrolls)

Winnie the Pooh Day

World Day of the Snowman

World Religion Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

National Gourmet Coffee Day

National Peking Duck Day

Unsliced Bread Day

3rd Thursday in January

Day of the Wallet Holder (Panama) [3rd Thursday]

Get To Know Your Customers Day [3rd Thursday of each Quarter]

Guys Night Out [3rd Thursday]

Women’s Healthy Weight Day [3rd Thursday]

Independence & Related Days

Lima founded (Aniversario de Lima; Peru; 1535)

New Scireland (Declared; 2010) [unrecognized]

Revolution Day (Tunisia)

Festivals Beginning January 18, 2024

Celtic Conventions (Glasgow, Scotland) [thru 2.4]

Eataly Vino Festival (Munich, Germany)

FARE Idaho Field to Fork Festival (Boise, Idaho)

Fête du Vin (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)

Frog Leg Festival (Fellsmere, Florida) [thru 1.21]

Havasu Balloon Festival and Fair (Lake Havasu City, Arizona) [thru 1.21]

Illiana Watermelon Association Convention (French Lick, Indiana) [thru 1.21]

International Kolkata Book Fair (Kolkata, India) [thru 1.31]

Ozark Mountain Music Festival (Eureka Springs, Arkansas) [thru 1.21]

Seed Food & Wine Week (Miami, Florida) [thru 1.21]

Sundance Film Festival (Park City, Utah) [thru 1.28]

Virginia Farm Show (Fisherville, Virginia) [thru 1.20]

Feast Days

A.A. Milne (Humanism)

Amy Carmichael (Church of England)

Antoine Pevsner (Artology)

Athanasius of Alexandria (Eastern Orthodox Church)

Beatrix d’Este (Roman Catholic; Blessed)

Bruma IV (Pagan)

Chair of St. Peter (Roman Catholic)

Confession of Peter (Eastern Orthodox, some Anglican and Lutheran Churches)

Cyril of Alexandria (Christian; Saint)

Day of Danu (Celtic Goddess of the Earth, Moon, Fertility, Wisdom, Wealth, Abundance, Wind and Water)

Deicolus (Christian; Saint)

Egg Juggling Day (Pastafarian)

Feast of Neith (Goddess of War & Hunting; Ancient Egypt)

Feast of the Cross (Eastern Orthodox Church)

Feast of Women as Cultivators (Persian)

Festival of Neith (Ancient Egypt; Goddess of the Hunt and Warfare; Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Jacob Bronowski (Humanism)

Juggling Day (Pastafarian)

Kiki Smith (Artology)

Leobadus (Roman Catholic; Saint)

Mahayana New Year (Buddhism)

Margaret of Hungary (Christian; Saint)

Martin Luther (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Peter-Paul and Marilou (Muppetism)

Prisca (Christian; Saint)

Robert Anton Wilson (Humanism)

Theocrats of Tibet (Positivist; Saint)

36 Companions in Egypt (Christian; Sains)

Ulfrid (Christian; Saint)

Volusianus of Tours (Christian; Saint)

Lunar Calendar Holidays

Lunar Bodhi Day (Buddhism) [8th Day, 12th Moon] (also 12.8)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Sensho (先勝 Japan) [Good luck in the morning, bad luck in the afternoon.]

Premieres

Bend It Like Beckham (Film; 2002)

Blood Simple (Film; 1984)

The Bomb in the Cellar or Bullwinkle Lowers the Boom (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S6, Ep. 338; 1965)

The Cherry Orchard (Play; 1904)

Cloverfield (Film; 2008)

Doctor Bluebird (Color Rhapsody Cartoon; 1936)

Dumb Patrol (WB LT Cartoon; 1964)

A Fistful of Dollars (Film; 1967)

Fresh Air (NPR Radio Series; 1975)

Gigantosaurus (Animated TV Series; 2019)

Grandma’s Pet (Oswald the Luck Rabbit Cartoon; 1932)

Hard to Be a God, by Arkady Strugatsky (Novel; 1964)

How I Met Your Father (TV Series; 2022)

Jeepers Creepers, recorded by Louis Armstrong (Song; 1939)

The Jeffersons (TV Series; 1975)

Legends of the Superheroes: Part 1 (Hanna-Barbera Animated TV Movie; 1979)

The L Word (TV Series; 2004)

Mary and the Witch’s Flower (Animated Film; 2018)

The Nose, by Dmitri Shostakovich (Opera; 1928)

Once Around (Film; 1991)

Pumping Iron (Documentary Film; 1977)

27 Dresses (Film; 2008)

Six Millions Dollar Man (TV Series; 1974)

Socko in Morocco (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1954)

Star vs. the Forces of Evil (Animated TV Series; 2015)

Svengali’s Cat (Might Mouse Terrytoons Cartoon; 1946)

Tom and Jerry: Blast Off to Mars (Animated Film; 2005)

Tortilla Flaps (WB LT Cartoon; 1958)

United States of Tara (TV Series; 2009)

Up the River or Yangtze with the Laughing Face (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S6, Ep. 337; 1965)

The Vacuum Gun, Parts 1 & 2 (Underdog Cartoon, S3, Eps. 33 & 34; 1967)

Today’s Name Days

Margitta, Ulfried, Uwe (Austria)

Atanas, Atanaska (Bulgaria)

Biserka, Margareta, Priska (Croatia)

Vladislav (Czech Republic)

Prisca (Denmark)

Lauli, Laura (Estonia)

Laura (Finland)

Gwendal, Prisca (France)

Margitta, Prisca, Ulfried, Uwe (Germany)

Athanasios, Kyrillos, Thanasis (Greece)

Piroska (Hungary)

Beatrice, Leonardo, Liberata, Prisca, Priscilla (Italy)

Akselis, Antis, Antons (Latvia)

Gedgaudas, Jogailė, Jolita, Liberta (Lithuania)

Hild, Hildur (Norway)

Bogumił, Jaropełk, Krystyna, Liberata, Małgorzata, Piotr, Pryska (Poland)

Atanasie, Chiril (Romania)

Bohdana (Slovakia)

Faustina, Margarita, Prisca, Priscila (Spain)

Hilda, Hildur (Sweden)

Cyril (Ukraine)

Faustina, Faustine, Fraser, Frazer (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 18 of 2024; 348 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 4 of week 3 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Beth (Birch) [Day 24 of 28]

Chinese: Month 12 (Yi-Chou), Day 8 (Xin-Si)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 8 Shevat 5784

Islamic: 7 Rajab 1445

J Cal: 18 White; Foursday [18 of 30]

Julian: 5 January 2024

Moon: 56%: Waxing Gibbous

Positivist: 18 Moses (1st Month) [Theocrats of Tibet]

Runic Half Month: Peorth (Womb, Dice Cup) [Day 9 of 15]

Season: Winter (Day 29 of 89)

Zodiac: Capricorn (Day 28 of 31)

[moononmyfloor]

Hi Producer (正好遇见你) Infodump

Disclaimer: I have no idea about the accuracy of the information shared in the drama, I'm merely transcribing for future reference purposes. Proceed with caution!

.

Ep 34-35: New Year Customs

The Spring Festival has a history of over four thousand years and is the biggest traditional festival in China.

.

New Year Paintings

.

Ming and Qing Dynasty Customs of the New Year Eve

According to the "Essence of Life: Food and Drink" in the book "Zhuo Zhong Zhi" from the Ming dynasty, on the 30th day of the last month, people visited each other and exchanged blessings. It's known as bidding the year farewell.

Hanging a peach wood board/peach charms next to the door, written on them the names of two door gods, Shen Shu and Yu Lu to suppress evil spirits.

Ashes of premium charcoals used in the palace are moulded into a pair of general statues with black faces and hands to work as door gods. In addition to Shen Shu and Yu Lu, Qin Qiong and Yuchi Jingde, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei are all revered as door guardians by the folks.

Pictures of God of Happiness, the Ghost Judges, and Zhong Kui are also hung inside the house. People would hang gold and silver ornaments on the bed, as well as Xifan prayer wheels. They would also weave dragon figures with coins.

Eaves were hung with bundled sesame stalks. Children of common folks would step on the sesame stalks spread across the courtyard to crush them, symbolizing peace throughout the year.

Palace servants burned cypress branches in the courtyard to symbolize good things happen as wished, thus named "yusui."

Archaeological findings showed that delicacies resembling the shape of dumpling had appeared in China since the Spring and Autumn period, called the "laowan." The custom of eating dumplings during the Spring Festival in the northern region is said to commemorate Zhang Zhongjing, the Medical Saint of the Eastern Han dynasty, and has existed for over 1,800 years. On the first day of the lunar year, a type of boiled delicacy called "bian shi" enjoyed by emperors of the Ming dynasty and the "zhu bo bo" in the palace of the Qing dynasty are all dumplings.

Unlike the Ming dynasty, it is said that Emperor Taizu of Qing established a family rule that the emperor must eat vegetarian dumplings on the first day of the Lunar New Year to honour the innocent lives lost in wars. In the book "Celebrate the Spring Festival in the Forbidden City" it's said that vegetarian dumplings in the Qing palace were mainly filled with dried vegetables, including little hogweed, citron daylily, jelly ears, mushrooms, sliced bamboo shoots, and seitan. According to other research materials, dried tofu and eggs were also included. They had to be wrapped before midnight on New Year's Eve and boiled after midnight so they may be ready for the New Year.

Only in the 11th year of Emperor Guangxu's reign) did the book "Shan Shi Dang" mention pork and purslane were consumed on New Year's Day and that pork and spinach were used as dumpling filling.

Ceremony of Marking the Documents by the Emperor (writing New Year Blessings), Having spring rolls and hot porridge on the first day of New Year, Serving the Emperor Jiaobai wine and the Great Auspicious Box of various symbolical fruity and seed snacks, Custom of "Tossing a Thousand Gold".

.

The Lantern Carnival

An ancient traditional folk custom in China, legend has it that Zhang Daoling of the Eastern Han dynasty held a lamp-lighting ceremony in Sichuan 1,800 years ago from now, and it is the archetype of China's original lantern carnival. Of all lantern carnivals in China, the most grandiose is the one held at the Lantern Festival. In the records about the Sui dynasty in the "Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance", Emperor Yang of Sui set a place for around a hundred kinds of performance at Duanmen Street in a 5,000-step radius of the place, almost 18,000 musicians were playing instruments. The sound of music could be heard from dozens of Li away. The event lasted from dusk until dawn, with large amounts of candles and lights illuminating the night sky. The festival lasted for an entire month and cost a significant amount of money.

It can be said that the Lantern Festival has been a national celebration in China since ancient times. Not only were there colorful lights and lanterns on the streets and hills, but also brilliant performances with singing, dancing, and various shows and talents, bustling with crowds all night long until drawn.

Today, with the integration of local folk culture and customs, lantern carnivals have become even bigger in scale and more diverse in form.

.

Some more misc stuff:

Lantern riddles

Poems, puns, and acrostics with amusing gags, brain teasers are inserted in the silhouette of the silk lanterns.

Fried Lightly-Leavened Mantou

A traditional dish and a seasonal snack in Jiangsu, small in size.

Sugar painting

The art has over 400 years of history and is popular with children. The late Ming literary scholar Chu Renhuo's "Jianhu Supplementary Collection" records sugar paintings, or "Sugar Prime Minister", being made and used as offerings to the deities during the Ming dynasty.

See here:

.

Soup made of Prickly Water Lily, also known as Gorgon fruit

Chinese puppetry

Originated in the Qin and Han dynasties., it was a form of Han Chinese puppetry. Most of the string puppets in Quanzhou, Fujian are about 2.2 Chi in length. They are beautifully crafted and vividly made. They are pulled by 30 or more suspended strings or wires and require a high level of skill in handling. It is one of China's most difficult traditional puppet shows.

Paper cutting

One of the oldest folk arts of the Han Chinese. The art of paper-cutting was included on the first national list of intangible cultural heritage by the State Council in May 2006. In September 2009, it was listed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Shadow play

Chinese shadow play began in Han and flourished in Tang. Plain paper was used in the early Song dynasty, and later on, lustrous sheepskin was adopted. In the Yuan dynasty, shadow puppetry spread overseas. Later generations used animal skins and cardboard to make shadow puppets, which were manipulated behind a curtain with percussion and string instruments to perform a variety of shows based on legends and folklore.

Suzhou-style Wonton

Suzhou-style Pan Fried Buns are known for its thin skin that wouldn't break or burnt. Baked after lightly leavened, full of fresh and juicy filling and soup, soft on the top and crispy on the bottom.

.

Documentary Segment:

.

More Hi Producer posts

[dfroza]

maybe we could get back to growing grapes from seeds and sharing fruit?

our work in the Vineyard, upon the sacred garden (sacred ground of the heart & earth)

the beginning track of the 2023 EP Branches by Luke & Rosemary Skaggs

Slow Seasons

followed by the title track #3

Branches

[Anam Cara Ministries]

Scripture loves to use the metaphor of a vineyard to talk about God’s people. In various places throughout the Torah, the Psalms, and the Prophets, God is described as caring for his people as a gardener would:

You transplanted a vine from Egypt;

you drove out the nations and planted it.

You cleared the ground for it,

and it took root and filled the land.

The mountains were covered with its shade,

the mighty cedars with its branches.

Its branches reached as far as the Sea,

its shoots as far as the River.

(Ps 80:8-11)

God’s people use this imagery, too, speaking back to God their frustration with how the vineyard is being “cared for”, in lament.

Why have you broken down its walls

so that all who pass by pick its grapes?

Boars from the forest ravage it,

and insects from the fields feed on it.

Return to us, God Almighty!

Look down from heaven and see!

Watch over this vine,

the root your right hand has planted,

the son you have raised up for yourself.

(Ps 80:12-15)

Do you ever feel like this psalmist, with the things that are (or “should be”) green and growing in your life? Like maybe God isn’t doing the best job at “watching over” the thing God planted? Of course you *know* God knows what God’s doing, but something in you feels like its wilting at the lack of water, or being consumed by the lack of protection, or…?

It’s worth noticing these feelings, whatever we *know* to be true. It’s worth lamenting when vegetation that seemed so carefully planted is now languishing in some way. What are the situations that are coming to mind with this imagery, for you, today (vocation? relationship?)? Spend some time there today, telling God exactly what you are feeling about the state of the garden in you. Let your honest feelings come—because they are a piece of your reality, and it is only in reality that God can be with you (not some fantasy of how the garden WILL look, or how you pretend it looks now). Tell God your desires. Listen.

4.27.23 • Facebook

And a reflective post by John Parsons:

We “sanctify” our hearts whenever we consciously focus on what is sacred, awesome, wonderful, and glorious about Reality, and in particular, on the Living God, oseh shamayim va'aretz (עשֵׂה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ), the Maker of Heaven and Earth, and the great salvation we have in Yeshua. In our Torah portion this week (i.e., Acharei Mot) we read: “You shall not do as they do (לא תַעֲשׂוּ) in the land of Egypt, where you lived, and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you. You shall not walk in their statutes” (Lev. 18:3). In other words, we are not to follow the crowd, to appeal to the status quo, or to mimic the customs of the world because we are a visionary people who walk by faith in the Torah of the LORD (Psalm 119:1-3).

Being in a vital relationship with God means separating from the ordinary and mundane, leaving our “original homeland” behind us and crossing over to the realm of blessing. Abraham had to leave the land of his father before he could receive the promise; the Israelites had to trek far into the desert before they received the vision at Sinai, and we have to leave our old lives behind to partake of newness of life. There is a radical break from the past -- we are transformed, reborn, and made into new creations by the miracle of God (2 Cor. 5:17). “Being holy” therefore means coming alive and looking away from that which deadens our hearts (Col. 3:1-4). Behold, the LORD God of Israel makes all things new!

The call to be holy is radical and completely contrary to the world and its messages of conditional approval. Worldly culture flatters itself by making a pretense of true originality and genuine love. It imagines itself to be “cool,” unconventional, creative, sophisticated, artistic, and so on, but in truth it is trite, uninspired, and cloyingly tragic. To be truly original means encountering God in your daily experience, struggling through the day in faith, disregarding the clamor and demands of popular culture and its idolatry (i.e., fads, fashions, trends, etc.). God calls his people to come alive, to be new, and to experience abundant life; we are to treasure the unseen, the possible, and to keep faith in the healing good that will overwhelm all darkness. Now that’s radical; that’s original; that’s powerful.

Note the connection between worldliness and idolatry, since idolatry essentially involves trying to find your identity, your worth, your satisfaction, and your ultimate fulfillment in the realm of the transitory and the finite (i.e., the world) rather than in God.... We are (rightly) warned against the vices of "worldliness" and are admonished to abstain from popular culture and its spurious values, but note well that worldliness extends well beyond all this, since it concerns understanding the identity and nature of the person as a whole. The fruit of worldliness is the result of being rooted in this world rather than in God's kingdom. The various desires of the human heart - even the desire for "normal things" like personal happiness in this world - may be regarded as "worldly" if they are devoid of submission to God and His rule. Conversely, even Christian workers may be "worldly" if they base their identity in what they do rather than who they are in the Messiah...

We are “in” but not “of” the world; we are embedded within our culture to be salt and light, and that means we stay true to our vision and relationship with the LORD our God... We don't have to reinvent the wheel, however, since we learn from one another and especially from the testimony of our holy Scriptures, but nevertheless we must personally venture out and encounter God within our own hearts, trusting in his love for our everlasting healing. B'chol dor va'dor: in each generation an individual should look upon himself or herself as having been personally delivered from Egypt. To be efficacious, the message of the Passover Lamb must be personally received by the heart of faith.

Renew the affirmation of faith and know who you are: "If then you have been raised with Messiah, seek the things that are above (τὰ ἄνω ζητεῖτε), where the Messiah is seated at the right hand of God; focus your thoughts on the things above - not on things here on earth - for you have died, and your life has been hidden with Messiah in God. Then when the Messiah, who is your life, appears, you too will appear with him in glory" (Col. 3:1-4). Amen.

[ Hebrew for Christians ]

========

Lev. 20:7 reading (with comments); 2 mins:

hebrew4christians.com/Blessings/Blessing_Cards/lev20-7-jjp.mp3

Hebrew reading page:

https://hebrew4christians.com/Blessings/Blessing_Cards/lev20-7-lesson.pdf

4.27.23 • Facebook

A personal note:

in a world where many want to be their own ‘god’ the Body as the Temple of the Spirit is here in the conservation of spiritual truth

At some point Love is going to restore the absolute True nature of everything on earth

the eternal King will return to rule, putting an end to the governments of men.

the wisdom of God is actual wealth, worth more than gold.

although gold & silver is tangible money, ancient and True and an honest store of value, yet then came along centralized currencies and governmental control over the economies of the world that have become debt-based, eroding in value, with a current shift that points to a cashless society, a digital economy and more governmental control.

the fallen ‘god’ of this world seeks worship but people are being used to bring this about. we see many forms of Anti-Christ things taking shape, being against the genesis design of our Creator. people will either align themselves with the flow of the world, or stand in faith and hope in Love.

­

[moregomusic]

Morego - Blessed Seed [EP Preview] Soon on Bass Star Records www.morego.bandcamp.com | www.bass-star.com Produced by Morego Dimmer , DIM STUDIO, Tehran.

Morego invites you to this Middle-Eastern / Persian based gem, featured skilled guitarist Amir.HP (aka Ostanes, Raga). Blessed Seed is coming from the heart of the Ancient Persia, Visioning Hezar Afsan and One Thousand and One Nights stories. Mid-Eastern melodies and lovely intervals mixed with traditional rhythms beside modern and futuristic sound effects, You'll enjoy yourself with track one, chilling in space and time, travel back in time to visit exotic roots of the golden old era, then banging your head on the second song, a catharsis needed to return to your modern house. Heavy guitar melodies, and deep dub beats backed with folklore roots make your day more fantastic and magical. Let the ghoul take you away from you everyday route. MOREGO-Blessed Seed [EP Preview] Soon on @BasStarRecords #MoregoMusic #Morego #BassStarRecords #GeomagneticRecords #BlessedSeedEP #Ambient #Chillout #Psybient #Psychill #Dub #EDm #Perisan #Middleeastern #Soundtrack #ElectronicMusic #NewMusic #NewEP #MoregoDImmer #DIMstudiotehran #downtempo

[charlottesweetly]

https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkxu8WjXaO5AGlTK9NQq3Z52WHw7PGHLnok

Idk how to caption this but Nick semi answered my question abt Charlotte’s other affairs lol

[seanotturom]

me, well-rested and ready to party: all righty! time to dive into the tag to see what I missed on Talks yesterday—

[ID: A Kermit meme. A startled-looking Kermit puppet labeled, “Me,” is being seized by the throat by someone out of frame, whose arm is labeled, “The Disk Horse,” in all caps. The image is blurry, as if the moment it depicts happened at very high speed. /end ID]

[seedkeeping]

New episode of Seeds and Their People! EP. 12: MRS. PEARLIE MAE JACKSON TROTTER: A JEWEL OF THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA This interview overflows with deep wisdom, rough experience, and a heapin’ side of humor all in Ms. Pearl’s pecan smooth Mississippi cadence and style. It is uncharacteristically long for our conversations and we know you will be BLESSED by every minute! Ms. Pearl is a daughter of the delta and migrated north. She was born and raised in what would today be considered deep poverty in the then and now poorest state of the union in a time and place where slavery was dead in name only. White supremacy and deep oppression of the working class was and remains a very real and present danger to peace, health, economic and spiritual progress in our beloved Mississippi. There will be some parts of Ms. Pearl’s personal life story that might be hard for some listeners to hear. Also Ms. Pearl will be speaking from her deep life experiences, in her dialect and through her ways of knowing the world in which she matured. Please listen as always with a beginner's mind and an open heart to her intense sharing. Link in bio. Listen on any podcast apps. #seedsandtheirpeople (at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChalVWzunJa/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[evendumbo]

I saw the sambecca vs tedbecca debate on twitter and I was like, but really though? Is this a real debate because...

The pro-Sam/Rebecca argument has been that seeds about their romance were planted throughout seasons 1 and 2 before they get together. This is true and those seeds are helpful narratively-speaking so that this unlikely pairing isn’t a total random surprise. Sam and Rebecca end up dating for two weeks before she puts them on ice in episode 2x10, and he essentially ends the relationship in ep 12 after becoming alienated by her distance. (Blessings to Sam, hope things work out for him in life and love.)

However, the foundation that’s carefully being laid throughout the show, based on biscuits alone, is clearly Ted and Rebecca. Call it a sexy take on transubstantiation lol, call it a funny not so subtle metaphor, but Ted has been giving Rebecca his sugar since the get and she’s been relying on his sweet biscuits throughout the ongoing abuse by Rupert and the media, Ted becoming a person rather than a means to an end, being accountable for her choices, coming to terms with her desire for love, and her anxiety about her brief romance with Sam. For two years, at every turn, Ted just keeps feeding her pieces of himself (phallic, homemade, and heartfelt y’all), and Rebecca just keeps being nourished by him.

[alyblacklist]

I know you hate Redarina asks because it's ridiculous and trust me Im with you...but do you think tonights episode completely kills that theory? - maya

Hi Maya - the theory was never alive in the first place for me, so I'm definitely biased. But from the responses of the fandom at large, it definitely didn't kill anything and frankly, I'm not hopeful these next couple of eps will either, especially not after listening to Jon emphasize his love of dual meanings in his recent interview with The Blacklist Exposed and how much he enjoys listening to Troy and Aaron bicker. He is going to milk that theory as far as he can.

If I've learned anything over my years in this fandom it's that people don't give up their theories easily even when canon is clearly not going their way. There are people who still believe the bones in the bag belonged to someone other than the real Reddington and that Red is the real Reddington and Liz's father, that Tom and/or Kaplan are still alive, or that dead Carla is still alive as Katarina - I could go on.

I will say, however, that all of Red's dialogue at the end of 8.20 sounded to me like someone speaking of Katarina Rostova as a separate person from himself:

Elizabeth, listen to me. Katarina Rostova was never framed or killed. The Sikorsky Archive was a seed, the beginning of what would become one of the most sophisticated intelligence networks in existence. A network meticulously crafted, with her knowledge and blessing, to serve one guiding purpose: to give me the power to keep you safe and your mother hidden. This place is part of a machine that that vision manifested. A machine that is and has been my life's work for the past three decades.

"Her knowledge and blessing" is not the same as "to give me the power" here (who gives themselves a blessing??).

I'm positive people probably disagree. I'm just avoiding their posts because there's enough drama in this fandom without purposefully seeking out the stuff I know I don't agree with.

[caxsthetic]

When The Storm Passed

Kita Shinsuke x F!Reader

Unfurling: They said there will always a good thing that we could get after every storm—and he could only wish to see a rainbow when the hurricane stop.

Pt. 1 ⇚ Part 2 ⇛ Ep.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *. GRAND MASTERLIST .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Regret. A word that haunted him ever since one fateful night where he only looked forward from. He still remembered that night as if it just happened yesterday. His mind replayed to the memories like a broken record, one that no one could fix.

Hello, how are you? How is life?

It had been years since the last time he saw your face. But every little emotion that you once evoke, every single word that rolled down from your lips, everything about you still adheres to his mind. Even after the season changed, months after months, the storm still had the power to ravage his life.

If only he let you in, if only he turned his back and chased you like a madman, would the storm pass and turned into a rainbow instead? Would you be here? With him?

Sweat trickling down on his skin as the rays of sun hit him without mercy. But he was alright with it, bowing down to make sure each seedling was planted neatly. This was the time he could only find peace, taking care of the rice fields as if they were his children. Maybe because he thought they were indeed—his children.

Being here became the only way he could give out the love inside his heart. Through every good quality seed, every movement he made as he embedded the tiny beads into the soil, he gave the feelings that he should have poured towards another human being.

But he didn't trust his feelings anymore, not when it stayed and yet, he couldn't give it to her.

He couldn't give it to you, in consideration of how you never belonged to him.

Wasn't it what he wanted from the start? To never let you in? Despite the realisation that you already struck his heart, maybe it was for the best. He did not know much about love except the one that he got from his grandmother. And to have someone as perfect as you to be his cavy for love would be an embarrassment to the universe.

So he had to endure whatever pain that caused by the storm called you.

"Where is Osamu?" The setter had his phone on his ear, a frown emerged from his face as the only thing that he could hear was some beeps. "I wanted to borrow some money for shirts, yet he was nowhere to be seen somehow."

Atsumu kept grumbling under his breath, muttering curse after curse as his brother didn't once pick up the call. The entire team snickering from how pouty and childish the scary setter looked at the moment, stomping his foot and blowing some raspberry like a spoiled child.

"I think he went somewhere with (Y/n)," The libero just finished tying up his shoes, "Knowing them, probably making out somewhere on whatever quiet place they could find."

The others chuckled at the remark—ah, to be in love—was something that not everyone had the chance to feel, especially while they were all still hormonal teenagers. Yet you and the opposite wing spiker always clicked in one way or another.

While everyone laughed at this, teasing and gossiping about the couple, Ojiro couldn't help but spare some glance towards the captain that decided to keep silent. Even after days had passed, the sight of him with tears cascading down his cheeks still persisted.

It was the second time the wing spiker saw Kita Shinsuke cried. One time when he received the captain's jersey; which lasted for around five minutes, and the second time when he realised that he was falling for their manager. While this one—lasted for even minutes after he dropped the captain off.

"The bus is here." Shivers ran down everyone's spines as he spit the words, like every syllable that came out from his lips became venom, "They parked on the front of gate B, all of you go there now." The entire team nodded and grabbed their belongings, walking towards the exit in unison.

But not him. He walked to the opposite direction instead, leaving the others raising their eyebrows in wonder.

"Oi, Shinsuke, where are you going?" Akagi stopped in his tracks and turned his head. "Toilet or something?"

"No," Kita grabbed his phone, sending a text message to the grey haired underclassmen of his, "I am going to search for Osamu and (L/n)." This statement made Ojiro widened his eyes in a second,

"Wait, I am going with—"

"No need." It only needed those two words to make the tall wing spiker's move come to a halt, "Just tell me in case they were already on the bus. I think I know where they are, I wouldn't be long."

As much as Ojiro wanted to accompany his friend, to be there as a support system, he knew that once the captain made a statement, that means he wouldn't take no for an answer. So the only thing that he could do as a good friend, was following whatever the perfectionist friend of his told him to.

Kita could feel the lingering gaze of worry that was being thrown towards him, one which remained until he turned the corner. He was not that weak—at least that what he said to himself. He had seen you and the wing spiker sharing a passionate kiss after practice, holding hands subconsciously to feel a flicker of warmth from each other.

It hurt, at first. For the first few days he wanted to just run away. Run away from the storm that turned into a hurricane for every lingering gaze that you gave for the grey haired man instead of him. When he was still the receiver of such love, he blinded himself. Since the feelings were so foreign for him.

But now his mind clouded with regret—as every single breath that he took didn't feel like a blessing anymore.

"Hey, it's okay, Samu..."

He stopped when he could hear the familiar gentle voice, soothing someone that he knew so well whom. Kita just needed to take this one last turn to see your face and brought the two to the bus. But as he fixated there, listening to the tender tone of your words, he felt like he was the one who was with you.

And he didn't want to waste this one chance of reverie.

"It's alright to cry. I would never judge you, you know that right?" Yes. "Cry in my shoulder, it's okay, I don't care if you ruin my jacket." Alright.

He could feel it deep inside every fiber of his being. How you caressed his hair as he rested his forehead on your shoulders, tears making a mess on your clothes as you whispered sweet nothing in his ear to calm him down. He could feel your touch, getting lost on the strands of his hair while the other hand pulled him close to feel your affection.

No matter how real it felt, it all only twirled inside his mind. He was chasing a storm that already walked past him. But the aftermath was still visible, not lessening after days he realised you already torn his life.

"Thank you, (Y/n)," He unconsciously clenched his hand into a fist when he was back to reality, slapped by the hoarse voice of his underclassmen, "I didn't know how I would be if I didn't have you here." You wouldn't want to know that, Osamu.

"Oh, it was nothing. I am just doing my job as the best girlfriend that I could ever be." You always sell yourself too short, "What important now is that you feel better, right?"

"Of course," He could hear how the two lips collided, it didn't sound needy and fiery like how you always shared your kiss. This sounded gentle, like the first droplets of rain hitting the grass. "I love you,"

It was silent for a few seconds before you pulled your boyfriend to another kiss. Now it sounded fiery, a hurried kiss as if you didn't hear the three words that were given for you. As if you didn't want to answer that, "I love you, I really do." But those words wanted some answer, it didn't want to leave you alone.

"Samu, I-I love—"

"The bus is here."

Osamu immediately pulled himself away from you. Tinted pinkish hue adorned your boyfriend's cheeks when he saw his captain standing around five feet from the two of you with the expression that rarely changed, flustered to get caught in such a predicament with you, "I am sorry if I disturbed the moment."

"N-No, it's alright, Kita-san." You were the one who answered him, so quick as your eyes found him. There was a little bit of... gratitude that lingered on your mind. What was it? His eyebrows raised a little before coming back to normal in second, Why did you look so grateful by him interrupting the moment?

He didn't want to walk into any conclusion. Even though he was sure of the reason behind your meaningful gaze just now, he didn't want to believe it.

Kita Shinsuke didn't want to have any hope.

"Kita-san?"

Because he knew whose heart would break if it was not him.

"Y-You are Kita-san, right?"

He turned his head to the right, only to see you standing there in front of the fish vendor. Once his eyes locked with yours, a smile immediately shaped on your facade. The smile that you had looked so charming, didn't lose the same warmth even after times went by.

There was something delicate about how your face contorted. Gentler, matured, like you have lived such a rough yet beautiful life. And you survived, you survived whatever obstacles that universe hurled on your direction—shaping you into such a marvelous being.

"(Y/n)..." He didn't call out or anything, your name just slipped from his lips without a brake, "(Y/n)..."

You giggled a little from how dumbfounded he looked right now. His lips parted a little, pupils dilated as if he didn't believe that you were real. And he grimaced when he realised that he was making a fool of himself, "Where are my manners—yes, I am Kita, (Y/n). Your upperclassmen from Inarizaki High."

"Goodness, always so formal." A small chuckle rolled down from your lips, so angelic even if a snort slipped from his statement, "Of course I know who you are Kita-san. The captain of Inarizaki Volleyball Boys Club who loved all of the members so much." Yes, including the manager.

It was funny, how the storm that ripped his heart apart also became the source of his happiness. He didn't realise it by now, but this little smile appeared on his face every time he heard your voice as if he was listening to some of his favourite music.

"Ah, and you are the (L/n) (F/n), the manager of Inarizaki Volleyball Boys Club who admired all of the members so much." He wanted to say it playfully. But somehow it turned into a sarcastic one, making him cringed a little, "Sorry, I—"

"Always the same, huh, Kita-san?" You walked closer to him with hands full of grocery bags, "Always the same ol' Kita-san that I admire."

That was not a fair move. To say the same verb you used the night that he wanted to redo. But then again you were saying that not with any ill intention. You just laughed with an innocent resonance, didn't know what kind of impact that you had for his fragile heart.

"Yes, still the same old me indeed."

He gave out a sigh, so soft to make sure you couldn't catch it. You calmed down after seconds, the chuckle died down into the smile that you wore when he turned to look at you before, "Want to take a walk?"

Kita didn't know what struck him right now. He thought if the universe gave him a chance to meet you once again, he would just say hi and gave his back on you like he used to. But what he did right now was the opposite of it.

Maybe he had matured? Maybe after all this time he was ready to have whatever consequences that he would get. He used to be a coward when a storm like you appeared in his life. But not now. Now he wanted to make things right, as he was more prepared than his past self.

You agreed, with a simple nod and the smile which never left your face, you followed him as he brought you to a stroll. It was so peaceful—to walk with you side by side. The petals of cherry blossoms blown by the wind as small talks filled his eardrums.

He used to hate it. To walk with you alone, to have some small talks that he thought could be used to do something productive instead. But as he listened, to your soft voice as you told him where you have been after all this time, he felt like you sung him a lullaby; he felt at peace.

His eyes searching for yours, taking one step ahead since he wanted to catch your gaze. You halted when he stood right in front of you, confusion was written on your face. An odd move for him, but then again you did exactly what he wanted; meeting his eyes.

Just like that, the two of you shared some whirlwind of emotion as he gazed deep into your shining orbs—trying to find some remnants of warmth that he used to find from you on his high school days.

In hope that maybe, it was still there even after all this time.

He looked down to his hand where the scroll of graduation certificate rested gently. Three years had passed since he enrolled in this school. The place that taught him a lot of things in life. Friendship, pride, family, sportsmanship—and love. Something that he never thought he would experience in such an early phase of life.

Everyone was taking a picture with their friends, either from the same grade, or some of the underclassmen. He was just done talking to Atsumu, lecturing him a little and gave the setter some reassurance. Yes, Osamu wouldn't be there on the court anymore after graduation. But the golden yellow haired man had one more year, one more year to make memories together.

No matter how many times Atsumu said that memories weren't needed in his life, it was the only thing that he could cherish when someday he missed his brother to play with him on the same court.

Kita smiled softly as his friends were being dragged by a lot of people. Some girls timidly asked Ojiro to take a picture with them, Akagi was given some chocolate, Omimi in a deep conversation with some teachers.

And he just decided to stand there, sheltering under the trees that have aged for perhaps hundreds of years. His orbs observed the joyous atmosphere that spring gave. He was too focused on how the scenery unfolded in front of him, that he didn't even hear some footsteps coming from his side.

"That was a rare sight," You popped out, unnoticed, uninvited, "That smile of yours Kita-san, it was such a rare sight."

He was taken aback by your words, but then he composed himself in a matter of seconds, smiling softly by now, "See? That smile! Can I take a picture? For scientific purposes!"

"You know there was no such thing as a scientific purpose of taking a portrait of mine."

"A smiling portrait of yours," You corrected.

"Alright, a smiling portrait of mine. Still, there was nothing that you could get."

"I can get serotonin."

The statement that you blurted made his face adorned with some shades of red, didn't expect you to say it so smoothly as if he was your boyfriend. While he was in a pause, you successfully got a picture of him, your lips immediately shaped into a grin.

"Delete that."

"No!" You chuckled when he tried to grab the phone off from your hand, "I am going to print it and worship it. Bet if I gave it to Suna and Atsumu, they would pay lots of money." He wanted to feel annoyed, he was supposed to get annoyed by your childish act.

But what he felt right now was just the banter that made his heart flutter. The banter that he could feel every day if only he let you talk to him, the conversation that he could have for a year knowing you if only he didn't turn his back on you.

You, the storm that when he first saw you he didn't want anything with. Yet right now as you laughed in front of him, making fun of him, he wished that he wouldn't be a coward and let you in completely. You were a beautiful calamity, one that he never met for eighteen years he had breathed the fresh air in this world.

He used to be so afraid whenever you were near, always making sure that there was at least a three feet gap between your figure and his. He used to be afraid to talk to you, didn't want to make himself fall even deeper to this bottomless pit called love that you offer.

But with you looking so terrific with a sunny smile that was a total contrast to what you are—a storm—he was hitting himself mentally for even thinking that you were a storm that could stir his life. There was nothing from you that radiated chaos with how gentle you looked through his eyes.

Both of you were lost in each other's presence, didn't recognize how some pairs of orbs scrutinized the magical occurrence between you and the captain. It was as if there were some kind of bubble that separated the two of you from the rest of the world.

He didn't think much as his hand rested on top of your head, ruffling it gently as a soft smile adorned his face. You were stunned, jolting a little since never in your mind you thought that Kita would even touch you, let alone ruffling your hair as if you just won some extraordinary award. But indeed felt like that.

Your eyes met with his, the brown eyes gazed at yours, searching for the warmth look that you always had just for him. It was there. Flickering in between awe and wonder, you still had these feelings that you offered for him all those months ago. He was actually amazed by it, didn't expect that someone would admire him still even after all of those cold gestures that he showed.

In this moment, as your eyes locked with his captivating one, it felt just like the first time he saw you running through the schoolground. With your teeth clamped on a piece of bread, only for you to slip and eat the soil instead. Remembering all of those recollections, he realised that the storm called you was there inside him since that particular day.

"I lo-"

But before he could continue the words that have been stuck on his throat for months, his gaze met with a pair of dark grey orbs, filled with pain and fear. Your boyfriend was there, shoulder slumped as he saw how his captain looked at you. It was the same with the look that he had every time his eyes laid on you—from what his brother said.

Within instance, Kita pulled his hand away from your head. He could see the disappointment appearing from your eyes for a second. But at the same time it was like you realised that you were not his, it was as if you realised he never let you in and it was all too late for the two of you.

You were just a storm. He reminded himself as he almost hurt his underclassmen that he cared so much, just because he wanted you too. From the start he knew he was at fault here, but he needed to twist his mind for now. Hoping that the storm would go out from his life someday.

Or at least if the storm stayed, he didn't want it now. Not when he knew so well the storm didn't come just to him.

He panted hard; today's job felt so tiresome as he needed to make sure every rice packed neatly. With diligence and patience, he was satisfied that each ounce he produced could be spread all around Japan, tasted and enjoyed from any kind of place.

It has always become one of his dreams, to create something that was impactful to a lot of people. He imagined a scenario where a family gathered around, praying and thanked the deity from giving them such a wonderful life—grateful for everything that had been given to them.

A child, maybe one or two, listened in and followed every movement of their father as they circled around on the dining table. The time filled with love and appreciation, little family that he always wanted; one that he never had.

He thought that you would be a great wife, especially after a week ago where he crossed paths with you once again. With a gentle smile, groceries bag in hand, everyone who saw the two of them yesterday would think that they were some newlywed couple.

In the middle of work, this was the first time he was distracted and thought about anything else beside the rice fields and the numbers that may come. See? A storm. He chuckled under his breath, remembering how much you had changed, yet a perfect kind of change.

If before he always grimaced and frowned when his mind went back to you without him wanting to, now he seems like he enjoyed it. Maybe he finally embraced it, the fact that no matter how many times he tried to run away from you, a storm will always catch up with him.

Especially you; the one kind that swirled on his heart, the one that slipped without permission. Who stayed, and never left him—leading him to the conclusion that some storm would be there for the longest time.

"Shin," A gentle voice that belonged to his grandmother brought him back to reality, "You look happy there," She chuckled a little, walking closer towards her grandson that she was always proud of.

"I am always happy at work, granny." He emitted a smile that only showed when he put his walls down, "And well, you are here too, so it doubled up my happiness."

"Ah, always so charismatic." She shook her head in amusement and patted his back, "Are you going to send in the supply for Osamu-chan?" He almost snorted from the choice of nickname that his grandmother used for his old teammate, still not used to it even after years he had heard it.

"Yes, I will." He gave her a soft smile and put his record book inside his bag, "I am going there now, he needs it to cheer up someone tomorrow."

"Alright, stay safe and focus on the road, Shin."

Kita nodded and went towards the car, starting the engine with a light heart. With one last glance and a little wave towards his grandmother, his car started to roll down the road.

Hyogo was peaceful, especially around his neighbourhood. Acres of land that were still untouched, with big trees adorned the side of the road. He always had his car window down as he soaked the serene atmosphere.

And now his mind was running wild, imagining you to be there beside him. What would you do if you were in the passenger seat? Would you turn on the radio and sing along to whatever tunes that were being aired? Or maybe you would just hum and enjoy the scenery with him.

Whatever it was that you would do, anything that reminded him of you made his heart burst with joy. So he would be okay, he would be okay for any of your antics, he would be ready now when he faced you once again.

He thought about sending you a message since a week ago when he got your new number, wanting to maybe ask you out on a date. Date—does everyone still say that? He felt so old as he was not really good about this thing called love. But one thing that he knew, he felt like he never aged at all by keeping this storm in his life.

You used to love some peaceful cafe that looked aesthetically pleasing. With a wide variety of drinks so you would never get bored, ordering some different beverages until you found the right one. At least that was what he heard from Osamu before on the high school days.

His eyes fell to the familiar building, a traditional Japanese one which was full with wood and chocolate accent. Dark blue banner written with "宮" (read: Miya) could be seen even when he was still a little bit far from the place.

It felt like another home for him, obvious with how his lips shaped into a smile every time he was here. Proud. He was always proud with how everything turned out for all of his old teammates. It was such a hectic day that time when Osamu told his brother that he would no longer pursue his career in volleyball, resulting in them with faces full of band aid.

But looked at them now, all grown up chasing their own dreams with a smile on their faces.

Kita parked the car near the back door so it wouldn't prevent any pedestrians from seeing such a cozy place to stop by. As if the owner of the shop had a six sense, someone popped out from the back door with a glint of joy glimmering inside his dark grey orbs.

"Kita-san!" The rice farmer turned his head only to meet his old teammate, "Come on, let me help you." Both of them had the same soft smile since they knew that together, they felt like they were home. His old teammates were all considered as his family, the one who had been with him through ups and down.

"Don't you have workers who should unload the stock?"

"Yeah, but I like unloading the stock with you. We didn't hang much like we used to after all."

Even if they live in the same prefecture, the same city to be exact, they had their own schedule that needed to be fulfilled. They were not teenagers anymore who had more free time, doing some routine and hobbies. They were adults now, with different burdens on each of their shoulders.

The rice farmer nodded at this and opened up the baggage, dozens of rice sacks filled their vision. All of them were arranged in a neat row, making sure that not even one of them bounced while in the road.

With cheeky grins on their faces, they looked at each other. Within seconds, both of them immediately had sacks of rice on their shoulders. They had this kind of ritual and inner bet. For those who could load the most sacks inside the shops would treat the winner some drink for the next four times they hang out.

"Gah, you win this time, Kita-san." Osamu plopped himself on the pile of sacks while stretching his body, "I am drained mentally and physically after yesterday."

"Oh? What happened yesterday?" The light grey haired man leaned his body on the wall, looking down on his old teammate who looked so beaten up. "Did something happen to you?" Now his eyes lingered with worry, he never liked the idea of his friend getting into something bad.

"Ah... It was nothing bad." There was a tranquil smile that was visible on his underclassmen's face, "I just did something that I have been planning for a long time, that's all."

"So how did it go?" Now the rice farmer was curious. It's been maybe two months since the last time they had a casual conversation about life, "Just like the plan?"

"Even better, Kita-san, I—"

"Samu, did the rice arrive already?"

His breath hitch when a familiar figure suddenly appeared from the kitchen. Even with all of the hair being swept to the back, a simple black shirt that didn't really compliment your figure due to maybe the wrong size, the cap that covered your head and hooded your eyes.

He wouldn't mistake the only woman who ever had his heart since high school.

There was shock, written on both of your faces, once again feeling like the two of you were in some kind of bubble without anyone else. It felt like a lifetime ago when he saw the glimmer of old feelings from your eyes; that somehow still visible when he met you last week.

But now as you stood there with the same attire as his underclassmen—that he knew so well had its eyes on you even before he realised his own feelings—something clicked on his mind like a turmoil before the big storm came.

"I actually wanted to surprise you, knowing how much you used to admire Kita-san so much." Osamu stood up and walked towards you, wrapping one of his arms around your waist as his lips touched the side of your head, "Kita-san is the main supplier for Onigiri Miya, you know?"

"R-Really?" You sounded surprised, widening your eyes a little bit more than before. Your gaze never once left him, and right now he didn't know what to do with the fact he would never have the second chance, "Goodness, why didn't I know that?!"

Your fist hit your boyfriend's chest playfully, but it was more forceful than it supposed to be. The black haired man only cackled at this as he saw how embarrassed you looked right now.

This was the same banter, the same laugh and smile that you and your boyfriend always had since high school. The same one that he once felt. Yes, once. A long time ago where you took a picture of him on his graduation day. How is the photograph now? Do you still save it like what you said that day?

"Okay, okay, I will grab one sack. And you, Miya Osamu, go have some chit chat with Kita-san. You whined a lot when I was away saying that you rarely had time catching up with him." You pecked the black haired man on the cheek before slipping away to grab the rice sacks. Your feet brought you closer to the rice farmer, smiling softly as your gaze fell on his figure.

"Hey."

"Hey, Kita-san."

Your hand grabbed the handle of the sacks and straightened your posture as you stood right in front of him. At this rare time, he felt like you never became a storm. Even after every wrenched and disconsolate that you brought. You still looked so beautiful, and no way a calamity supposed to look like you. "I never said this, but, it's good to see you."

He chuckled a little, trying to calm himself down as his eyes fell towards the diamond ring that rested on your finger. Oh, it suited you, simple and yet sophisticated, So this was the plan.

And in the blink of an eye, he fixed his gaze on you once again. Swallowing down all of the immense pain that bubbling inside his heart.

"It's good to see you too, (Y/n)." Always.

You smiled at him, bowing a little. Just like that time you said that you admired him. You turned his back on him, walking towards the opposite direction. Just like that time when you ignited the foreign feelings inside his heart.

His eyes never left your facade as you put your hand on the shoulder of your fiancé. He could hear it, as the black haired man leaned to your ear and whispered the three beautiful words. He remembered how you were hesitate before, he remembered how you were so grateful that he came right at the time.

But it was a long time ago,

"I love you too, Samu."

There was no hesitation this time. The words rolling down from your lips that sounded so heavenly for his underclassmen. Yet for him, it felt like he was in the peak of the calamity, where everything wrecked until the roots.

He should have known that the admiration in your eyes from a week ago was platonic. He fell into an illusion of hope that his own mind created to save him from the heartbreak. The heartbreak that he was supposed to get when he looked at your glimmering orbs at that time.

The adoration that you had for him was not like what he saw on his graduation day. He could still see the remnants of your love that you offer when you teased him about his smile. He could still feel the warmth of longing as you stood still when his hand rested on top of your head, ruffling the strands of your hair as if you were his lover.

But it was not there anymore and he shouldn't have been so naive.

He thought that maybe, the storm that had been inside him for years could magically passed and produced a magnificent result.

Perhaps he would have his own rainbow, the beauty after the storm, just like what people said about what may come after the catastrophes. But as he stood here, at the back of the place that one day would be yours too with a forced smile on his face, he didn't believe in such a miracle anymore.

Because the only thing that left when the storm passed for him—was just a wreckage of an unfulfilled heart that wouldn't be intact evermore.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*     ༶• ┈┈ ⛧ ┈ ♛ ♛ ┈ ⛧ ┈┈ •༶     *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Tagged Lovelies:

@muffins-puffins​ @vlovers-world​ @blacckdiamondposts​ @for-ests​ @atsunflower​ @miyatsunami​ @iwaixiumi​ @hihiq​ @the-fandom-ness​ @quirksandbreaths​ @rintarhoe​ @verbluehte​ @simp4tsukkii​ @ladyalicevii​ @evermorehaikyuu​ @clowninfortodoroki​ @koutaroulovebot​ @fitriiaw​ @mistypoison​ @aquariarose​ @greenleaf-fantasy​ @t-amajiki​ @kuraomi​ @haikyuuwithadashofart​ @starbybokuto​ @shiningstar-byulxx​ @nerdyphantomlady​ @raequii​

[jgthirlwell]

2020 Year In Review

This year once again I invited some friends and colleagues to reflect on 2020

JG Thirlwell

Composer

Foetus Xordox Manorexia Steroid Maximus Venture Bros Archer

www.foetus.org

2020 was a troubling and disturbing year. I created a lot of music and experienced a lot of nights waking at 5am in a panic. I deeply missed the sacred experience of being able to see live music. In its absence of that I listened to a lot of music. It was difficult to whittle down this list but here are a lot of albums I enjoyed in 2020, in no particular order.

Le Grand Sbam Furvent (Dur Et Doux) John Elmquist’s HardArt Group I Own an Ion (900 Nurses) Roly Porter Kistvaen (Subtext) Liturgy Origin Of The Alimonies (YLYLCYN) Clark Kiri Variations (Throttle) Dai Kaht Dai Kaht I & II (Soleil Zeuhl) Chromb Le livre des merveilles (Dur Et Doux) Horse Lords The Common Task (Northern Spy) Ecker & Meultzer Carbon (Subtext) Insane Warrior Tendrils (RJ’s Electrical Connections) Jeff Parker Suite For Max Brown (International Anthem) Jacob Kirkegaard Opus Mors (Topos) Tristan Perich Drift Multiply (Nonesuch) Bec Plexus Sticklip (New Amsterdam) Vak Budo (Soleil Zeuhl) Merlin Nova BOO! (Bandcamp) The The Muscle OST (Cineola) Zombi 2020 (Relapse) Regis Hidden In This Is The Light That You Miss (Downwards) Rival Consoles Articulation (Erased Tapes) Sarah Davachi Cantus, Descant (L.A.T.E.) Sufjan Stevens The Ascension (Asthmatic Kitty) Idles Ultra Mono (Partisan) Daedelus The Bittereindeers (Brainfeeder) Boris No (Bandcamp) Aksak Maboul Figures / Un peu de l’ame des bandits / Onze Danses Pour Cobattre La Migraine (Crammed) Noveller Arrow (Ba Da Bing) Felicia Atkinson Everything Evaporate (Shelter Press) Ital Tek Dream Boundary (Planet Mu) Author and Punisher Beastland (Relapse) Sparks A Steady Drip Drip Drip (BMG) Corima Amatarasu (Soleil Zeuhl) Code Orange Underneath (Roadrunner) Deerhoof Future Teenage Cave Artists /Silly Symphonies / To Be Surrounded../ Love Lore(Joyful Noise) Sote Moscels (Opal Tapes) Run The Jewels RTJ4 (Jewel Runners) Oranssi Pazuzu Mestarin Kynsi (Nuclear Blast) Master Boot Record Floppy Disk Overdrive (Metal Blade) Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith The Mosaic Of Transformation (Ghostly International) / Ears (Western Vinyl) Michael Gordon Acquanetta (Cantelope) Neom Arkana Temporis (Soleil Zeuhl) Rian Treanor Ataxia / File Under UK Metaplasm (Planet Mu) Helm Saturnalia (Alter) Ivvvo doG (Halcyon Veil) Robert Normandeau Figures (Empreintes Digitales) Ben Vida Reducing The Tempo To Zero (Shelter Press) Beatrice Dillon Workaround (Pan) Dan Deacon Mystic Familiar (Domino) Sea Oleena Weaving A Basket (Higher Plain Music) Elysian Fields Transience Of Life (Ojet) Rhapsody Symphony Of Enchanted Lands II - The Dark Secret (Magic Circle) Duma Duma (Nyege Nyege) Ulla Strauss Tumbling Towards a Wall / Seed (Bandcamp)

Honorable mentions Carl Stone Stolen Car (Unseen Worlds)  Nazar Guerilla (Hyperdub) Iwo Zaluski with the Children of Park Lane Primary School, Wembley The Remarkable Earth Making Machine (Trunk) Nahash Flowers Of The Revolution (SVBKVLT) Cindy Lee Whats Tonight To Eternity (Bandcamp) Insect Ark The Vanishing (Profound Lore) 33EMYBW Arthropods (SVBKVLT) Declan McKenna Zeroes (Tomplicated) Layma Azur Zeii (Bandcamp)

FILM TV Succession ZeroZeroZero Escape at Dannemora 1917 Small Axe : Five films by Steve McQueen Pirhanas Monos The Hater Better Call Saul

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Drew Daniel

Matmos, The Soft Pink Truth

an alphabet of 2020 recordings

Arca “KiCk i” BFTT “Intrusive / Obtrusive” clipping. “Visions of Bodies Being Burned” Duma “Duma” Eilbacher, Max “Metabolist Meter (Foster, Cottin, Caetani and a Fly)” Forbidden Colors “La Yeguada” GILA “Energy Demonstration” HiedraH Club de Baile “Bichote-K Bailable Vol. 2” Ian Power “Maintenance Hums” Jeff Carey “Index[off]” Kassel Jaeger “Meith” Laurie Anderson “Songs From the Bardo” Mukqs “Water Levels” Negativland “The World Will Decide” O’Rourke, Jim “Shutting Down Here” Perlesvaus “These Things Below with Those Above” Quicksails “Blue Rise” Rian Treanor “File Under UK Metaplasm” Slikback “///” Terminal Nation “Holocene Extinction” Ulcerate “Stare Into Death and Be Still” Various Artists “HAUS of ALTR” William Tyler “New Vanitas” Xyla “Ways” Y A S H A “Summations” :zoviet-france: “Châsse 2ᵉ”

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Sarah Lipstate  (Noveller)

With all live performances canceled, this was truly the year of demo videos and home studio recording for me. These are 10 pieces of gear that came out in 2020 that helped keep me feeling creative and inspired during lockdown. In no particular order:

EHX Oceans 12 Dual Stereo Reverb - The Oceans 12 ticks all the boxes for what I’m looking for in a great soundscaping reverb. I used the Shimmer and Reverse algorithms in conjunction a lot when I was composing music for a film score.

Chase Bliss Audio Blooper - While I don’t actually own a Blooper, I had the pleasure of borrowing one from Mike of Baranik Guitars after NAMM this year. He made an incredible Blooper-inspired guitar and I was completely charmed by them both. Chase Bliss always delivers pedals that push me creatively and the Blooper truly hits the mark.

Cooper FX Arcades - I love everything Cooper FX has released to-date so the opportunity to access those sounds in one pedal via plug-in cartridges is just awesome.

SolidGoldFX NU-33 - I was asked to do a demo of this pedal for its release and ended up being really charmed by this box’s approach to lo-fi nostalgia. I’ve used it a lot for film scoring and highly recommend adding it to your collection.

Demedash Effects T-120 DLX V2 - I LOVE a good tape echo and the T-120 Deluxe V2 ranks up there with the best I’ve tried. This pedal made its way to me this Christmas and I look forward to making some beautiful sounds with it in the new year.

Hologram Electronics Microcosm - The Microcosm is one of those pedals where you should fully read the manual before diving in but once you put in that initial effort you’ve got a massively powerful tool on your hands. It does glitch like no other. Definitely worth the homework

Azzam Bells MP019 - I discovered this unique instrument through a post on Reverb’s IG page and immediately looked it up and ordered one. These experimental percussion instruments are hand-made in Italy and they’re as beautiful visually as they are sonically. I used it for bowed cymbal and daxophone sounds on a film score and it was absolutely haunting.

Echopark Dual Harmonic Boost 2 - I love the control you have over dialing in the perfect amount of grit with these dual boost circuits. I use it a lot as a textural tool when I’m laying down drones or bringing in big distorted swells. It’s one of the most versatile overdrives in my collection and I love that.

Fender Parallel Universe Series Volume II Maverick Dorado - I was smitten with the Maverick Dorado when I first saw it at NAMM. It has a lot of the specs that I look for in a guitar and the body shape with the Mystic Pine finish just blew me away. I hope that I get to use it live soon.

Polyeffects Beebo - The Beebo is one of those pedals that I genuinely feel is smarter than I am. It’s like an entire computer in one small touchscreen box. I can’t claim to have mastered using it yet but the sounds that I have managed to get out of it so far have been brilliant. I’m looking forward to spending more time with this box in 2021

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

HELM 2020 REVIEW

Let's get the bad stuff out the way first, 2020 was undoubtedly an awful year. I'm still not sure how to really respond to seeing a global pandemic bring the capital to its knees and everything I love and hold dear to a grinding halt. Our government fucked it's response, putting profit before people and killing tens of thousands. The Labour Party descended into farce with the newly elected leader Sir Keith revealing himself as a bland centrist with no opposition or ideas. On a personal level it sucked not being able to travel or see my friends in different parts of the world - or even the same country - who I am starting to miss a lot. However, I was fortunate enough to get through the year with my sanity intact. Music, art and culture once again being my main positive. I think I listened to more music than I have in any year ever. I read more books than I have done since I was a teenager probably. I also re-discovered the joys of walking long distances and am extremely thankful for living near a lot of incredible green spaces: Epping Forest, Walthamstow Wetlands, Walthamstow Marshes, Wanstead Park, Wanstead Flats...

Music. My favourite albums of the year.

Oranssi Pazuzu - Mestarin kynsi Wetware - Flail Raspberry Bulbs - Before The Age Of Mirrors Necrot - Mortal Rope Sect - The Great Flood Private World - Aleph Oneohtrix Point Never - Magic Oneohtrix Point Never Pyrrhon - Abcess Time CS+Kreme - Snoopy Speaker Music - Black Nationalist Sonic Weaponry Drew McDowall - Agalma Regis - Hidden In This Is The Light That You Miss Nazar - Guerilla Zoviet France - Russian Heterodoxical Songs (and all the ZF reissues!!) Triple Negative - God Bless the Death Drive Permission - Organised People Suffer Actress - Karma & Desire Acolytes - Stress II The Gerogerigegege - >(decrescendo) Chubby & The Gang - Speed Kills Flora Yin-Wong - Holy Palm Eiko Ishibashi - Hyakki Yagyo The The - See Without Being Seen Prurient - Casablanca Flamethrower Henning Christiansen - L’essere Umano Errabando La Voce Errabando Subdued - Over The Hills And Far Away Rian Treanor - File Under UK Metaplasm Komare - The Sense Of Hearing Shredded Nerve - Acts Of Betrayal Jesu - Terminus Autechre - SIGN Hey Colossus - Dances / Curses Sparkle Division - To Feel Embraced Mark Harwood - A Perfect Punctual Paradise Under My Own Name Still House Plants - Fast Edit The Bug & Dis Fig - In Blue Kommand - Terrorscape Haus Arafna - Asche Khthoniik Cerviiks - Æequiizoiikum Worm - Gloomlord Kraus - A Golden Brain Faceless Burial - Speciation

A shout-out to Jon Abby's AMPLIFY series on Bandcamp / Facebook, which I contributed a new piece of music to.

A shout out to the labels where most of the music I listened to seemed to come from:

The Trilogy Tapes Iron Bonehead Penultimate Press Dais La Vida Es Un Mus

Gigs. Despite live music being destroyed in 2020 I still saw a few unforgettable performances at the beginning of the year.

Graham Lambkin @ The ICA, London Puce Mary / JFK @ The Glove That Fits, London Demilich @ Finnfest, The Garage, London Container / PC World / National Unrest @ Venue MOT, London S.H.I.T / Asid / Chubby & The Gang @ Static Shock Festival, ExFed, London

Books I enjoyed. Most not published this year, but all read in 2020.

Joe Kennedy - Authentocrats David Balzer - Curationism Tom Mills - BBC: The Myth Of A Public Service Simon Morris - Consumer Guide: Special Edition Luke Turner - Out Of The Woods Various - Bad News For Labour Mike Wendling - Alt-Right Baited Area issues 1 & 2.

Film. Three good films I saw this year which I hadn't before.

Suspiria (Remake) Midsommar Cannibal Holocaust

Podcasts. I listened to a lot of these whilst walking.

We Don't Talk About The Weather Novara Media Tysky Sour & Novara FM Grounded with Louis Theroux System of Systems Red Scare loveline episodes Suite 212 NOISEXTRA Social Discipline CONTAIN

TV.

Didn't watch a huge amount and what I did was mostly trash. For some reason I rewatched both series' of This Life, a British drama from the late 90's about a group of young professionals house sharing and navigating their careers. Very cringey and has aged terribly, but it was perversely fascinating to revisit something from that time in the age of the pandemic. Following on from this I binge watched the entire series of Industry which was entertaining enough. A programme about a bunch of horny bankers with what felt like a confused ideology behind it. It seemed stuck between trying to criticise and glorify the culture around the industry, but also protect the industry itself from outside criticism by portraying anyone who may oppose as an insufferable wanker. Currently halfway through Succession which is OK. The Murdoch documentaries on the BBC were excellent and a rare respite from their descent into client journalism.

Thanks to anyone who listened to my music this year also. Best wishes to you all for 2021.

Luke Younger

http://hhelmm.com | http://alter.bandcamp.com

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Elliott Sharp

composer

1. My Nr. 1 lesson: patience. Whether it's bouncing through 30 seconds of severe turbulence at 39000 feet or slogging through 30 minutes of a interminable piece of concert music, one attribute I've tried to develop is the ability to see past the discrete and awaited ending, the exact framing of the immediate process, but put it into the context of a larger time frame. I've found that this year more than all others has demanded it. Breathing helps...

2. Books: revisiting old favorites from the realm of Thomas Pynchon and Philip K. Dick (both especially relevant), digging into John Lomax's portrait of Jelly Roll Morton, the works of Colson Whitehead, random things off of the shelf…

3. Composing: with touring off the table, I focused on that which needed to be written, some requested and commissioned, some spontaneously springing forth. Composing requires that one open the windows wide to the world, which at this moment brought in grief, terror, uncertainty, anxiety, visions of plague and pestilence and incipient fascism. Okay, now shut the window and get to work! How to process, translate, transform? The work can be a comfortable and obsessive cocoon once one learns to handle the radioactive materials and put them into the creativity reactor.

4. Beans! We have long been a fan in our house of the wide world of legumes but this year brought two stars to the front: the black bean and the red lentil. The black bean commands the lofty peaks but the seemingly infinite variations of dal surround it. Ginger, garlic, turmeric, smoked paprika, cayenne, onions, and olive oil form the basis then imagination builds.

5. Online teaching substituted for my canceled conduction of workshops in the Pyrenees Mountains of France. Between the participants and myself, we built a temporary but very congenial space online to share concepts and music. In addition, private lessons brought conversation and music with new friends in Germany, Italy, California, Australia, Illinois, Denmark, Pennsylvania, Spain, Florida, Brazil.

6. What started out as "stress baking" (before I even had heard of the term) soon became a frequent practice that yielded very edible results. The twins preferred the sweeter forays into banana bread and chocolate cake. I tried to find a balance between tried-and-true techniques and experiments in texture and taste with yeasted pumpernickels, multi-grains, and seed breads.

7. While not the same as performing 'live ', online gigs proved that it was possible to generate a surprising amount of adrenaline even without the pheromonal handshaking of a room filled with receptive ears. As a corollary, online recording collaborations with friends worldwide proved to be inspiring and a suitable substrate for sonic experimentation, exploration of new instruments, tunings, effects programming, structures. In these realms, shout-outs to Helene Breschand, Mike Cooper, Henry Kaiser, Tracie Morris, Mikel Banks, Dougie Bowne, Payton McDonald, Billy Martin, Colin Stetson, Jim O'Rourke, Scott Amendola, Roberto Zorzi, Jason Hoopes, Eric Mingus, Melanie Dyer, Dave Hofstra, Don McKenzie, Sergio Sorrentino, Veniero Rizzardi, Taylor Ho Bynum, Scott Fields, Bachir Attar, Karl Bruckmaier, Robbie Lee, Matthew Evan Taylor, Matteo Liberatore, Al Kaatz, David Barratt, Jessica Hallock, Kolin Zeinikov, Robbie Lee, Jeremy Nesse, James Ilgenfritz, Sergio Armaroli, Steve Piccolo, Sandy Ewen, David Weinstein, Jim Whittemore, Chris Vine, Werner Puntigam, William Schimmel.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Daniel O’Sullivan

(Grumbling Fur, Guapo, Miasma & the Carousel of Headless Horses, Ulver, Sunn O))), Æthenor, Laniakea, Miracle, Mothlite, and This Is Not This Heat.)

Music Richard Youngs - Ein Klein Nein Alabaster DePlume - Instrumentals Hildegard von Bingen - O Nobilissima Viriditas Francisco de Penalosa - Missa Ave Maria Peregrina Carlo Gesualdo - Responsoria 1611 Dirty Projectors - Five EPs Sonic Boom - All Things Being Equal Brother Peter Broderick - Blackberry Richard Horowitz - Eros Of Arabia Duncan Trussell Family Hour Cocteau Twins in the bath

Books/comics Alexander Tucker - Entity Reunion II Derek Jarman - Chroma Stephen Harrod Buhner - Plant Intelligence and the Imaginal Realm The Penguin Book Of Irish Poetry - edited by Patrick Crotty The Gospel Of Ramakrishna - translated by Swami Nikhilananda Lucretius - De Rerum Natura Plotinus - Enneads Ram Dass - Grist For The Mill Lisa Brown - Phantom Twin

Other Fasting / meditation / macrodosing Walks in freshly coppiced woodland (for the smell mainly). Plants / Foraging / Growing Traditional ferments Douglas Sirk movies Mandolorian Writing songs on the piano Rediscovery of Kenneth Graham via my kids

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Karl O’Connor (Regis)

01.Wolfgang Press - Unremembered, Remembered 02. Klara Lewis - Ingrid Live at Fylkingen 03. Jesu - Terminus 04. Dave Ball - Leeds Poly Demos 1979 05. Edwin Pouncey - Rated Sav X (the Savage Pencil Skratchbook) 06. The Bug - In Blue 07. New Order - Power,Corruption and Lies ( Writing Sessions  ) 08. JG Thirlwell and Simon Steensland - Oscillospira 09. FM Einheit and Andreas Ammer - Hammerschlag 10. Thurston Moore - By The Fire 11. Body Stuff - Body Stuff 3 12. Ann M Hogan - Honeysuckle Burials 13. Rob Halford - Confess (Autobiography)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Caleb Braaten (Sacred Bones Records)

Shirley Collins Hearts Ease Dehd Flowers Of Devotion Duma Duma Bob Dylan Rough and Rowdy Ways Green-House Six Songs for Invisible Gardens John Jeffery Passage Drew McDowall Agalma Sweeping Promises Hunger For a Way Out Colter Wall Western Swing & Waltzes and Other Punchy Songs Woods Strange to Explain

My Favorite 90’s Nostalgia Movie Rewatches

Colors Ghost Dog Menace II Society The Player Rounders Safe Starship Troopers Trees Lounge Vampires Waiting For Guffman

Most Culturally Bankrupt Year : 1997

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Charlie Looker

(composer, Psalm Zero, Extra Life, Seaven Teares)

Ten Things That Didn’t Happen in 2020

1.  I didn’t write a ton of new music. Don’t get me wrong, I wrote some. I always do. But mostly I focused on my new YouTube channel, essays, and on getting old recordings released. I haven’t even been working a day-job so I thought I was going to write my next Ring Cycle, but I really didn’t find Covid inspiring.

2.  Trump wasn’t re-elected. Cool.

3. I didn’t lose anyone to Covid. I am, of course, profoundly grateful for this. But I feel pretty embarrassed remembering group-texting ten friends in March, “We are all going to see a loved one die. Every single one of us. Don’t kid yourselves”. I can get hysterical, and that was somewhat irresponsible of me.

4.  No revolution happened. I don’t mean to be smug or cynical, or to belittle anyone’s participation in the protests. But, as far as I can tell, nothing happened in 2020 that promises to reduce police brutality or human suffering of any kind. We’ll see. That burning Minneapolis police station was exciting to watch at the time, if only on an aesthetic level.

5.  I have a stack of unread books I bought this year, just staring at me, with nary a crease among them. These include:

Adorno and Horkheimer, The Dialectic of Enlightenment (looks amazing, but I haven’t touched it) Marx, Grundrisse (it’s 1000 pages for fuck’s sake. Amazon also accidentally sent me two copies, and its double presence in the stack is just comical) Reza Negarestani, Intelligence and Spirit (the first 15 pages blew my mind, then my mind blew it off)

6.  I didn’t settle into living in LA. I moved here six months before Covid and I was just starting to cultivate some friendships and play shows. This was quashed and I still feel like I still live in New York. I still barely know the layout of the city here.

7.  No brand-new buzzy musical artists burst onto the scene, that I can recall. No new hyped micro-genre of the moment. There was just no way for there to be a hot new trend. I’d say that was refreshing, but it wasn’t.

8.  Tyson’s return was not awesome. Two minute rounds, ended in a draw. I’ve been getting way into boxing this past year. This fight was a bummer. I’m looking forward to Mayweather vs Logan Paul (LOL) because we know it’s comedy ahead of time.

9.  For three weeks in July, I didn’t do a single thing other than watch street fight compilations on YouTube and Worldstar. That’s just grim.

10.  There were no school shootings in March. Apparently, this was the first March with no school shootings since 2002. Not a single 7th grader got a hand job in March either. I cannot begin to imagine what it’s like to be a kid now.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Chuck Bettis

https://chuckbettis.com

Other People's Music released this year:

Coil "Musick to Play in the Dark" (Dais)

Duma "s/t" (Nyege Nyege Tapes) Twig Harper "External Boundless Prison/ in 4 parts EP" (self-release) I.P.Y. (Ikue Mori, Phew, YoshimiO) "I.P.Y." (Tzadik) Kill Alters "A2B2 Live Stream 11/13/2020" (self-release) Krallice "Mass Cathexis" (self-release) Lust$ickPuppy "Cosmic Brownie" (self-release) Doug McKechnie "San Francisco Moog: 1968-72" (VG+ Records) Merlin Nova "Boo!" (self-release) Omrb "Milandthriust, The Graths of Mersh" (self-release) Akio Suzuki & Aki Onda "gi n ga" (self-release) Yoth Iria "Under His Sway" (Repulsive Echo) Wetware "Flail" (Dais)

My own music released this year:

collaborations

Chatter Blip "Microcosmopolitan" (Contour Editions) Matmos "The Consuming Flame: Open Exercises in Group Form" (Thrill Jockey) Reverse Bullets  "Dreampop Dsyphoria" (self-release) Snake Union "live at Roulette" (self-release) Snake Union w/ Hisham Bharoocha, Bonnie Jones, Heejin Jang, Matthew Regula "Three Arrows" (Rat Route) Thomas Dimuzio "Balance" (Gench Music) YoshimiO & Chuck Bettis  "Live at the Stone" (Living Myth)

solo Chuck Bettis "Arc of Enlghtenment"  (Living Myth) Chuck Bettis "Motion Parallax"  (Living Myth)

compilation Various Artist "Polished Turds Vol.1" (Granpa)

Music Books read this year

"Intermediary Spaces" by Eliane Radigue/Julia Eckhardt (Umland) "Ennio Morricone In His Own Words" by Ennio Morricone/Alessandro De Rosa (Oxford University Press) "Free Jazz In Japan: A Personal History" by Soejima Teruto (Public Bath Press) "Rumors of Noizu: Hijokaidan and the Road to 2nd Damascus" by Kato David Hopkins (Public Bath Press)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Maya Hardinge

(musician / artist)

list of things i liked this year

first ever solo road trip through new mexico and Texas right before lockdown experiencing manhattan with no cars on the road . having a car to escape in to nature. (which i craved so much) walks and bike rides with friends… FRIENDS! The web site ‘workaway�� that helped me feel that there were options for escape. playing games weekly on zoom during lock down teaching yoga weekly on zoom. Witnessing and being part of the BLM protests. witnessing and being part of the demise of T sitting on my couch at 6am drinking a cup of tea, appreciating my apt. making time to meditate. halloween without tourists .

some music I’ve bought and/or enjoyed this year Elvis Perkins-Black Coat Daughter Patricia Kokett -Soi soi Henning Christiansen - OP201 Bryce Hackford- Safe Svitlana Nianio and Oleksander - Snayesh yak? rozkazhy Brannten schnure - Sommer im Pfirsichhain Killing Joke - Nighttime David Shea - Tower of mirrors Shakey - Shakey Woodford halse tapes Coil - Musick to play in the dark

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

BJ Nilsen

sound artist / composer

Work 2020

Despite Covid 19 lots of things actually did happen.

In Feburary I visited the only active nuclear plant in The Nederlands as part of my "Expanded Field Recording” project together with SML. In March revisited the Acousmonium at the Elevate Festival in Graz with an additional trip deep inside the Schlossberg recording old mining trains. In March and April I did two daily recording projects “Pending and Auditory Scenes” - both of Amsterdam during lockdown. In May did my first Zoom field recording workshop with the CAMP project. In June & July  two research trips in Waldviertel, Austria with Franz Pomassl. In August recorded bells and organs in 10 different churches around Amsterdam for Jacob Lekkerkerker. In September recorded Kali Malone at the Orgelpark in Amsterdam. Performed at Heart of Noise Festival in Innsbruck and A4 in Bratislava. Also went ice-skating for first time in 20? Years. In November and December I travelled to Jeju island to record field recordings for a project by Femke Herregraven for the Gwangju Biennale, commissioned for 2021. Did lots of gardening, released two tapes “Call it Philips, Eindoven” and “Zomer 2020” with Sigtryggur Berg Sigmarsson. NOW! Looking forward to 2021.

http://bjnilsen.info https://soundcloud.com/bjnilsen/sets/auditory-scenes-amsterdam

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Vicki Bennett

(People Like Us)

Negativland - True False https://negativland.com/products/truefalse-cd (this came out last year but is so THIS year) Bob Dylan - Rough and Rowdy Ways https://www.bobdylan.com/albums/rough-and-rowdy-ways/ The Soft Pink Truth - We from Shall We Go On Sinning So That Grace May Increase https://thesoftpinktruth.bandcamp.com/album/shall-we-go-on-sinning-so-that-grace-may-increase Carl Stone - Stolen Car https://unseenworlds.bandcamp.com/album/stolen-car Porest - Sedimental Gurney https://porest.bandcamp.com/album/sedimental-gurney Matmos - The Consuming Flame: Open Exercises in Group Form https://matmos.bandcamp.com/album/the-consuming-flame-open-exercises-in-group-form Domenique Dumont - Miniatures De Auto Rhythm https://antinoterecordings.bandcamp.com/album/atn044-domenique-dumont-miniatures-de-auto-rhythm The The - See Without Being Seen https://www.thethe.com/product/see-without-being-seen-cd/ Ciggy de la Noche - Hold Tight HMRC https://soundcloud.com/ciggydelanoche/hold-tight-hmrc Neil Cicierega - Mouth Dreams http://www.neilcic.com/mouthdreams/

and my details: http://peoplelikeus.org/ https://peoplelikeus-vickibennett.bandcamp.com/ pic: http://peoplelikeus.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Welcome-Abroad-promo3-2-scaled.jpg

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

DJ Food

Music - Type 303 - Sticky Disco / Analogue Acidbath 7" (45 Live) The British Space Group - The Ley of the Land CD (Wyrd Britain) Squarepusher - Be Up A Hello LP / Warp 10 NTS mix (Warp) dgoHn - Undesignated Proximate (Modern Love) LF58 - Alterazione LP (Astral Industries) Robert Fripp - Music For Quiet Moments series (DGM) Run The Jewels - RTJ4 (BMG) Simf Onyx - Magenta Skyline / The Unresolved 7" (Delights) Luke Vibert - Modern Rave LP (Hypercolour) JG Thirlwell & Simon Steensland - Oscillospira (Ipecac) Aural Design - Looking & Seeing 7" / DL (Russian Library) Luke Vibert - Rave Hop (Hypercolour) Clipping. with Christopher Fleeger - Double Live (Sub Pop) APAT - Terry Riley's 'In C' performed on Modular Synthesizer (YouTube) Field Lines Cartographer - The Spectral Isle LP (Castles In Space) Jane Weaver - The Revolution of Super Visions single (Fire Records) King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - K.G. LP (Flightless) Humanoid - Hed-Set - forthcoming on (De:tuned)

Film / TV - Inside No.9 (BBC) What We Do In The Shadows Season 2 (Netflix) Tales From The Loop (Amazon) Keith Haring - Street Art Boy (BBC) John Was Trying To Contact Aliens (Netflix) The Social Dilemma (Netflix) The Mandalorian (Season 2) (Disney+) Long Hot Summers - The Style Council documentary (Sky Arts) Zappa (Alex Winter)

Books / Comics / Magazines Confessions of a Bookseller - Shaun Bythell (Profile books) The Often Wrong - Farel Dalrymple (Image Comics) Edwin Pouncey - Rated SavX (Strange Attractor Press) Jeffrey Lewis - Fuff (all issues - really late to the party on this one) Rian Hughes - XX - A Novel, Graphic (Picador) Cosey Fanni Tutti - Art, Sex, Music (Faber) Caza - Kris Kool (Passenger Press) Dan Lish - Egostrip Vol.1 Electronic Sound magazine Decorum - Jonathan Hickman & Mike Huddleston (Image) John Higgs - Stranger Than We Can Imagine Simon Halfon - Cover To Cover (Nemperor)

Very few exhibitions or shows this year for obvious reasons

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++