#david with a metronome

[amberinn]

Did this though still

[portrait-paintings]

Ronald David Laing, 1927 - 1989. Psychiatrist

Artist: Victoria Crowe (Scottish, born 1945)

Date: 1984

Medium: Oil on hardboard over acrylic underpainting

Collection: National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburg, Scotland

Description

This man is deep in thought. A crystal, an icon, a metronome and a woman's picture sit on a shelf behind him. Laing was a psychiatrist, turned psychoanalyst, who wrote a study on sanity and madness in 1960 called The Divided Self. The book became cult reading, its author, a cult figure. Laing experimented with psychedelic drugs, spent a year in a Sri Lankan Buddhist monastery and campaigned to create compassionate environments for the mentally ill in the West.

[pinkmoondoll9shihtzu]

my discipline regimes have Been fruitful so far. It's a month since I started , well, 4.5 weeks, I wanted to start as soon as 2025 began but I had to wait til January 5th cus i was sick.

almost every day i have completed everything on my list Which is reading, meditating, yoga or walking (Sometimes both), guitar practice, and ableton Or drawing (Occasionally both but thats rare. Usually i choose ableton)

playing guitar every day for a month not missing a single day is helping a lot. Now i can do minor & major scales to the metronome pretty much perfect without even having to look at my hands Lol For me that's good OK!!!! Before I would have to watch what i'm doinf but my muscle memory is SM better

i made 4 songs so far 2 of them are more complete but none of them have vocals yet I want to work on that next.. I will probably just release singles beofre i try to release another EP again because i feel like people just want singles these days haha... They dont want to wait so long for new music

Meditating is going rly good Im so glad David Lynch Sama convinced me to go Deep with it for real for real Like this is what i've always wanted to do But i was scared. It's scary. To meditate. For some reason. Until it's not

I kinda miss weed although i dont actually miss weed but i miss having something to take the edge off Because i feel really crazy

Like i cant stop wishing i could die its really constant lately! IDK man

IDK why i do anything :) Why i do these things- Discipline and stuff. I genuinely do not know. It feels ultimately pointless. BUt like there's nothing else! There's nothing else.

I think i'm really losing it but i'm proud of myself I'm Proud for being regimented and committed and doing evverything I can to be responsible and stay grounded even though I have the seething urge to totally destroy myself 24/7. I Swear I am like the most "OK" version of Me i have ever been like i am the most high functioning SICKO i ever known I Guess my ego desires can live, with that

Just do tasks do tasks do tasks, Do your tasks, be a person, do your tasks, tasks tasks tasks, Maid, Robot, Tasks, Clear-head, head too clear, too much edge, do tasks, do tasks, do tasks, Yay

[soul-meister]

poly!lost boys x gn!marching band!reader : the lost boys : headcannons

note: i hope you enjoy these headcannons by a band nerd and i won't take any criticism if it includes marko

-let's start off with the bane of my existence, band camp:

-these boys--minus dwayne--don't understand that you're not going to leave your house, unless it's for dinner, after a day at band camp

-marko and paul want to drag you out to the boardwalk but that's a big no for you; one, you're really tired after being on you're feet for eight(8)+ hours, and two, you refuse to be around any loud noises after having a metronome and various instruments blasting in your ears for hours

-david does understand you're tired but doesn't understand that if you go to the cave with them and you will probably fall asleep there, meaning you'll be late the next day and that's just a really embarrassing situation to go through

-dwyane is the only one that's truly okay with staying in after band camp for about three weeks straight. like, y'all can read, cuddle, watch tv, listen to music. it's enough for him

-after the first week of staying in with you every night, marko and paul set up this every-other-day schedule where they'll stay in with you one night, and hang out around the boardwalk the next together as to not get bored

-if you like to get ready for band camp the night before--like packing your lunch or filling up your water bottle--david or dwyane will make sure it's done before leaving, and if it's not, they'll do it for you cause you're most likely asleep

-during marching season and the school year in general, the boys will wait for you to fall asleep before hunting

-there's a little something about marching band uniforms that really make a person's attractiveness go up another level and the boys see that

-after forcing you into the clothing the night you got it, they'll compliment you, call you beautiful/handsome, check out your ass

-guard uniforms are a different story, cause the uniform--not you--can either look beautiful or hideous, no inbetween

-if your uniform is just plain ugly, someone is laughing: david's smirking while trying to hold back an actual smile, there's definitely a look of amusement in dwyane's eyes as his lips quirk up at the corners, marko is at first trying to hide his smile behind his fist but quickly goes into critiquing it, paul is just out right laughing at you

-like with the marching band uniforms, they're checking you out, no matter how ugly it is; they got worried with how tight it is that you might flash someone so you had to explain you're wearing a unitard underneath

-if you're in guard, marko is helping out with your hair and makeup when possible and he probably gets it done faster than the other guard people

-marko also helps adjust your bibs if they're too long, maybe even zip you up or put on your gauntlets/shako for you. again, will help you put up your hair if it needs to go under your shako

-all in all, marko is a band mom that carries around safety pins for anyone that needs them... i could see dwyane, and maybe the other two, as prop dads

-the boys do get frustrated when it comes to after school practices because you have to stay late, and then when to do finish, you have to eat dinner, do your homework, take a shower/bath

-overall, you don't spend much time with them those days so if you have an off day from practice, forget spending time with your family or friends

-though, if you don't drive to school, they'll be glad to pick you up from practice, especially since that's not something they could do on a regular day... they also enjoy all the stares they get from your peers

-they'll also help you finish up your homework if it's due the next day and you're too tired to deal with it at the moment. and if david notices that your forcing yourself to stay awake to finish your assignments, david will use his mind manipulation to put you to sleepsounds like he's killing you

-during football games, the boys will at first be sat in your section with till they're kicked out by someone so they'll sit near you...then come back later in the game

-david and dwyane will definitely have to stop marko and paul from distracting you during stand tunes, especially if you're a drum major

-if you do front/back pit, there's not much to distract you from so paul and marko will talk your head off during the game

-if you're in color guard, it can go either of the two ways above: if you perform with the band during stand tunes, they're definitely watching and cheering you on from the side

-if there's anyone talking loudly during the band's on field performance, they might just become the boys' next meal

-also, they're not paying for those football tickets. you probably have to beg them to pay for tickets at band competitions cause that's where bands get most of their money

-and as much as i would love to say that the boys see all of your performances, they don't. they can't, especially if you're a smaller band or usually just perform during the day

-even if you did perform at night, probably a bigger band, they might not make it in time because competitions usually seem to happen at least an hour away from your school for some reason

-they'll still try to make it in time, even if it means breaking a fewmore than a few road laws...they probably enjoy terrorizing people to and from competitions

-if you have a solo, paul and marko will be the loudest to applaud once you finish, and sometimes they get carried away so david has to smack them upside the head to shut them up

-marko and paul have definitely tried to sneak on to the bus with you on the way back from a competition even though that means leaving their bikes behind? the band mom's obviously noticed, like with everything, and kicked the boys off

-they cannot stand those late night bus drives home because they just want you in their arms so they can congratulate you on your performance and if you got any trophies

-they'll be so proud for whatever trophies your band won, whether it be third place in a singular caption or grand champion overall

-you tell them all the band gossip, whether it be someone took a shit on the bus or two people were caught fucking in the band closet

-if your band does nationals, then how far it is from santa carla decides their mood when you tell them cause it could be a reasonable distance and you won't have to stay at a hotel or it could be a couple of hours away and you will have to stay at a hotel

-and if you do have to stay in a hotel, you'll have to deal with a few jealous vampires cause you'll be staying in a room with other people that's not them. so it's probably not the best idea to tell them who you're rooming with or you'll end up down a few band members

-if you have to take band class to do marching band--minus guard--then they're showing up to all of your concerts

-and if you show interest in joining winter percussion/guard, they're gonna definitely try to dissuade you from doing it because it'll again take your time after school away from them

extra : if they were humans/in high school (band) with you

-paul gives of alto sax vibes, and if your marching band has a guitar or drumset position, he's definitely trying out for that. would do winter percussion. did all-county freshmen year cause he didn't have to go to school those days, then realizes he has to play all day, doesn't continue

-david would probably start off as a baritone his first year then switch to drum line, going from bass(sophomore) to tenor(junior). senior year, he'd be drum major. might do winter percussion. does all-county and all-district, tries for all-state but doesn't make it, and this happens each year

-dwyane is definitely a tenor sax player who switches to bari sax his junior, maybe senior, year. is probably in jazz band. all-county and all-district for regular and jazz band

-marko totally starts out on clarinet in middle school and once he reaches high school, he starts branching off to try different woodwind instruments. he's probably taking multiple band classes his senior year so he can play various instruments(favorite is probably oboe). wouldn't be surprised if marko did winter guard. does all-county--because he gets out of school, but unlike paul, he actually enjoys it--all-district, and probably could do all-state if he practiced more

[rhianwen24601]

I like to pretend that I don't care what happens with Season 3 of Good Omens, but it's obviously been on my mind, because my brain has been spitting out absurd scenarios.

In a recent silly half awake speculation, David Tennant and Michael Sheen both noped out of season 3, so Aziraphale was recast as Jon Hamm in a white wig, and Crowley was recast as Jon Hamm in a red wig.

*White haired and redheaded Jon Hamms frantically making out*

Regular Gabriel Jon Hamm: Hey, guys, hope I'm not interrupting anything...?

Ginger Hamm: Nope, nothing at all!

White Haired Hamm: I have no idea what you're talking about! I don't even know this man!

*Beelzebub, also played by Jon Hamm, hurries in*

Beelzehamm: The Megatron is coming, we have to go!

White Haired Hamm: Oh no! Not the Metronome!

Metsy (also played by Jon Hamm): Hahahahaha, it is I, the Megaman! I hate love and happiness and it is my life's mission to make everyone addicted to coffee!

Ginger Hamm: Quick, everyone! To the Bentley!

*the Bentley - also played by Jon Hamm - rolls up, and Jon Hamm, Jon Hamm, Jon Hamm, and Jon Hamm ride Jon Hamm off into the night, pursued by Jon Hamm*

[tl-screenshots]

BFDI Characters

8-Ball 9-Ball A A duck Amber Amethyst Ammolite Anchor Announcer Anvil Apple Aquamarine Avocado Axinite Baby Balloony Bally Banana Apple Barf Bag Basketball Battery BBQ Sauce BeiBei Bell Benitoite Billy Bob Joe Birthday Cake Black Hole Blender Blocky Bomby Bone Book Boombox Boom Mic Bottle Bracelety Bubble Burrito Bugs Buttslide Man Cake Cake's Dad Camera Cave Drawing Naily Cereal Box Clapboard Carrot Cakes Check-It Eyebrows Cheeseburger Cheese Orb Cherry Jr. Chips Chompy Christmas Tree Chrysoberyl Clock Cloudy Coiny Conch Shell Coral Cord Clip Credit Card CRT Cube Polyhedron Cube Roller Cubey Cursed Announcer with Body David Davidworm Deadly Diamond Diamond (ABCDEFG) Dioptase Discy Divide Operator Dodecahedron Polyhedron Donut Dora Dragon Drear-Top Eggy Eight Eighth Note Electric Guitar Emerald Eraser Evidence Bag Evil Leafy Exploding David Fanny Fake Firey Feldspar Fifteen Firey Firey Jr. Fire Monster Firey Speaker Box Firey Speaker Box's Clone Fish Monster Five Flower Flower Speaker Box Fluorite Foldy Football Player Four Fourteen Fries Frog Frozen Yogurt Fry Garnet Gaty Gelatin Glass Glue Gold Golf Ball Gramophone Grandfather Clock Grassy Gratitude Hello Kevin Hematite Hexagon Speaker Box Hot Sauce Ice Cube Icosahedron Polyhedron Income Tax Return Document Infinity lolite Ivory Jade Jasper JingJing Juice Box Johnson Jordan Kabab Kitchen Sink Kornerupine Lapis Lazuill Leafy Leafy's Family Leek Lego Brick Lewis Lightbulb Lightning Lithium Liy Lollipop Loser Lottery Speaker Box Malachite Marble Marble Bottle Marker Match Member Metronome Milkshake Minus Operator Mocha Mouth Naily Needle Nickel Nickel (Inanimate Insanity) Nine Nonagon Polygon Nonexisty N Variable O Obsidian Octagon Polygon Octahedron Polyhedron One One-Half Fraction One-Quarter Fraction One-Third Fraction Onigiri Opal Pastel Feather PDA Pearl Pen Pencil Peridot Phi Irrational Pie Pi Irrational Pillow Pin Plus Operator Poo Popcorn Portable Music Player Popsicle Price Tag Profily Puffball Puffball Speaker Box Pumpkin Puppet Purple Face Purple Girl with Wind Hair and Angry Eyes Purple Round Speaker Pyrite Quadrilateral Polygon Quartz Radio Announcer Raisin Ramen Noodles Rectangle Polygon Remote Robot Butlers Robot Flower Roboty Rocky Rose Rubber Spatula Ruby Rusty Coin Salt Lamp Sam Sam (Salmon Fiveyears) Sapphire Saw Scared/Dumb Scissors Selfie Dog Seven Shampoo Shirty Shopping Cart Side-View X Six Skull Sling Shot Singing Narrator Slivery Snare Drum Snowball Spike Ball Speaker Box Spongy Spray Can Square Polygon Square Root Operator Stapy Steamy Strudel Super Fan Taco Tape Teabag Teardrop Ten Tent Tennis Ball Tennis Ball Speaker Box Tetrahedron Polyhedron Times Operator Thirteen Three Three-Quarters Fraction Topaz Touch-Tone Tree Triangle Polygon Triangle Speaker Box Tune Turquoise TV Two Undecagon Polygon USB Vacuum VHSy Variscite Vomit Waffle Water Bottle Winner Woody X Yellow Face Yellow Facey Yellow Watermelon Your Mom Your Name Y Variable Zero Z Variable

[mspigman]

Valle Lozano - Ghost on the Ceiling

I'm finally back with a new Valle Lozano story!

Ghost on the Ceiling

David Hughes could not believe he found himself outside the bounds of Valle Lozano. He always believed that it was impossible to escape. You were born there and you died there. His entire family going back generations had resided there, even after that goddamned insufferable blizzard that the town blamed everything on. It was one hundred years ago, why couldn’t anyone move on? It never made any sense to him. David lived his entire life with just one goal: getting the hell out. He hated Valle Lozano. Hated the run down stores, the withered, stranded houses, and he hated the little, insignificant people that walked through life as little more than the walking undead. There wasn’t a person in that town who wasn’t born with a sunken, wrinkled appearance etched onto their faces giving the illusion they had already given up on themselves.

Most of all, David hated the ghosts. When he was a young boy the stories of Valle Lozano’s ghosts terrified him. He felt he couldn’t pass any house without seeing the apparition of one of the town’s folklores. It didn’t help that every fall part of the season festivities was to go around with other local boys his age and sneak into the abandoned places and scare each other by pretending they were ghosts of the town’s past. As he got older, he ceased believing in the folklore or the spirits that were said to reside in Valle Lozano. As far as he was concerned, it was just another way the townspeople kept themselves miserable. That is until he saw one for himself - the apparition of his own ancestor.

He had been in high school, working at his family’s convenience store, counting down the time until he could go home. Time, he felt, that always seemed to move infinitely more slowly in this town. Sometimes, he even believed that in Valle Lozano time wasn’t just lethargic, but stopped altogether, until it even ended up going backward. When he finally was able to begin closing for the night he was struck by a peculiar notion that he was being watched. He looked up from the register, thinking that perhaps there was a last-minute customer. But he was all alone. He tried ignoring the feeling that someone was staring at him, but he recognized that his body was ready to bolt through the door. The air seemed to get significantly cooler, but he attributed that to his heightened anxiety and nervousness. When he finished counting the till, he closed it with a firm push. He realized then that while he was finishing up he never allowed himself to look up from his work. He had never been so engrossed in it before. 

With no other alternative, he looked up, and in the dim light, he saw a figure-like shadow on the ceiling. It seemed to be swinging from the high wood beams, almost like a dance - swaying back and forth, back and forth. He knew immediately what it was. It was the ghost of one of his generational grandmothers, Gemma Solaris. He had heard the story of her death, and how she had ended her life at a mature age right here in the store. He also knew of the rumors of her affair with the richest man in town, Martin Octavio, despite the fact they were both married. 

David remembered being frozen in place, almost hypnotized by the way the figure moved. It somehow reminded him of a metronome keeping rhythm. David would later swear on his life that as he stared, he began to hear clicking as it moved, paced like the beating of a heart, or the deliberate, sedate hands of a clock. But as quickly as it appeared it vanished. David’s heart rate slowly steadied, the clicking ended, and he left the store.

As he went home, he found that he did not feel fear, but dread. It was strange to him, but seeing the ghost of Gemma only affirmed one thing: He would leave this town forever. He did not want to end up like her. He did not want to live and end his life in that store, never leaving its walls even after so many generations had passed. Seeing her shadow felt as if she was telling him he was in the midst of a curse. Doomed to sway just like her across the ceiling, rocking back and forth, and hearing that clicking of the tempo until the end of time. 

From that moment on David never again set foot in that convenience store. He found other odd jobs in town without forming attachments to nothing and to no one. Except for Erica. When he met her it was the first time in his life that he felt a spark. It was as if he had finally discovered what it meant to be alive. And for three years, he believed he was happy and in love. But then on that late afternoon, as she was sitting beside him with a glass of wine, he looked over at her and was reminded of the Gemma’s ghost. And he heard it again. The metronome. Click. Click. Click. 

He realized then that in the time they had been together, he had become complacent. He continued to stare at her and realized that the time had come to leave for good. Or he’d spend his life in the same spot on the sofa, with the infernal clicking ringing in his ears.  

He broke up with her then and there and drove. He had no idea what else to do. He wanted to drive to the ends of the earth. Until he found a place where time didn’t loiter to the point that it seemed to go backward, everything frozen in the past, but where time ceased to exist altogether. Somewhere where he wouldn’t need to worry about hearing any sound ever again. But he knew that was an impossible task. Still, he continued driving. He did not know how long or how far he drove. Finally, one morning at dawn, he abruptly decided to pull over. He sat in his car and realized the farther he drove the more the sound in his mind increased. He looked out of the window and saw that the sun was beginning to set. David felt as if time, in order to catch up with him, had rushed towards him all at once, and now it was bursting through in an overwhelmingly fast pace.

 Not knowing what else to do, and with nowhere else to go, he drove and found himself back on Main Street. It was still early sunset, though if it was the same sunset or the beginning sunset of another day, he did not know. But it comforted him all the same. He was back in the place where time stood still. He knew how it worked here. It was strange, all he had ever wanted was to get away, but he never realized that life outside would bombard his senses. The noise dulled. It was then that David realized that it never fully ceased and what he was hearing was not like the clicking of a metronome at all but the anxious beating of his own heart. It dawned on him that this meant he would never escape the sound. And that what he believed when he the shadow dance across the ceiling was true: he was in the midst of a curse. 

With this revelation he walked into the library. He did not know what had led him to the place where Erica worked, except for that he felt he wanted to see her. He saw she was not at her desk. He believed that to be odd but it did not take long to spot her. She was at the newspaper archives, intently browsing various collections. David noticed that for the first time in a long time, his heart was still. It took him aback, as he remembered the clicking that occurred the afternoon he broke up with her. He wondered why everything was so quiet now. Perhaps it had never been her fault to begin with. He started walking over to her, but saw she was showing someone a collection. It was a tall, almost lanky man with dark curly hair. David thought he looked familiar but he had no idea why. The man looked up from the newspaper and caught his eye. And that’s when it struck David. 

Throughout his life, because of the affair Gemma Solis had had with Martin Octavio, he was aware of Octavio's past. He knew of their secret love letters, that Martin’s daughter fell in love with a farmer’s son. The whole story. There wasn’t a person in town in these one hundred years who wasn’t intimately aware of the details. But no family quite as intimately intertwined with the goings on as his. What people didn’t know was that aside from letters, they sent each other artifacts of their lives. She would send him sweets,  penny candy, he would send pressed flowers and cards. And during the time that he began searching for his daughter Ines he would send Gemma photographs. Heaven knows why he did. David had sometimes heard it was Martin being driven mad by guilt. He wanted to spread his daughter’s image any way he could. But the only person he had was Gemma. At a certain pont, he also began looking for her lover. His name was Fernando. 

David stared at the tall man, who stared back, and felt as if he was staring into one of those yellow photographs tucked away in his childhood home’s basement. He was the spitting image of Fernando. David could not help but feel incredibly bitter. The sounds were beginning to rise up again. It was like coming face to face with another ghost. Only this time, it was more than just an appariation on the ceiling. It was a moving entity. David was beginning to feel like no matter how hard he tried he would never escape the grating clicks of his nervous heart. Nor would he ever cease to see ghosts roaming about - whether their living or dead.

[sempiternal-peculiarity]

Soon enough they would all be forgotten and never spoken of or thought about again. This was the rhythm of the universe, as predictable as a metronome. Civilisations, great and small, come and go; some are remembered for a while, but all of them forgotten in time.

(Night of the Humans, by David Llewellyn)

[itsjustlux]

50% Crowley theory 50% Crowley Angst

Let's talk Crowley and religious trauma because I just got done rewatching s2, this time with the company of my mother (the absolute icon that she is).

Side note, this is 50% theory and 50% character speculation, so enjoy this behemoth of a post.

After we finished e6, my mom and I had a lovely little discussion about the roles of both the Metronome (yes, she actually called him this) and God. Much of the discussion revolved around wether or not God was a malicious/cruel force in the Good Omens universe. While my mom had made the argument that yes, God in this universe is not a sympathetic character, I ended up arguing the opposite.

And I can easily see how she would come to that conclusion. Heaven, after all, has been shown to be pretty morally dubious. But that's just the thing. Heaven and God are two completely separate entities. And that's a really, really, really important distinction (especially for Crowley's character). Crowley hates Heaven, yeah, but does he hate God? I would make the case that he doesn't. In fact, I think he might actually still love Her.

In s1 he literally talks to God about his fall. Obviously, he doesn't get any sort of reply, but he doesn't seem angry here in the slightest. He's just sad. Sad and literally begging God not to destroy humanity. That does not seem like hate to me. And if he resented God for his Fall, why would he still be talking with Her? Why would he be trying to reason with Her? But let's keep going. In season 2 when he sees God talking to Job, I don't get any anger here either. Unlike the scene in s1, I don't get sadness either. I get wonder, and just a hint of envy. He wants to be able to ask these big questions, to speak with God even if he doesn't get a proper answer. That means something to him.

But why would he still love God if She cast him out? Well, I actually don't think She was the one to do it. I think it was the Metronome (yes, I'm calling him that until the end of time). I mean, Crowley recognizes him immediately and Metronome over here recognizes him right back. And even more that that, the Metronome was the one at Gabriel's trial, not God herself. If the trial of the Supreme Archangel Gabriel doesn't warrant the appearance of God, why would Crowley's Fall? Crowley got in trouble for asking God too many questions. And what happened when Aziraphale tried asking questions in s1? He spoke with the Metronome. It's pretty reasonable to assume the same thing happened to Crowley.

So what does this do for his character? Well, it gives some additional context to his conversation with Aziraphale, especially that second "tell me you didn't". Because I get some genuine fear from David Tennant's performance in that moment, and this would definitely explain why. It also gives him some delicious internal conflict and adds to his whole wanting-to-be-a-good-person-but-that-puts-him-in-immortal-danger thing. Because loving God would be like, the ultimate demon no-no. Loving in general is pretty unacceptable, but loving God???? And that would just make his isolation among the demons that much more significant. Of course he became so set on helping Aziraphale. Aziraphale was (is?) all he had (has?) in so many ways, this is just another one of them. And adding onto all of that, knowing that a God, his God, would sit there and allow him to feel all these immensely painful feelings and then not even finding it in himself to be hateful or angry at Her...Just hateful of the systems build around Her 'ineffable plan'...There's something deeply compelling and deeply human about that, which I find very relatable.

[dustedmagazine]

Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band — Sing Dancing on the Edge (Sophomore Lounge)

Ryan Davis is an intricate wordsmith, backed by a crack band of country-fried weirdos who pull a second shift as the Krautish puzzle palace oddities of Equipment Pointed Ankh. Here on his first album under his own name (he recorded in the previous decade as the much beloved State Champion), Davis dives deep into rustic psychedelia, spinning out home-cooked surrealities to rickety Casio beats and stretching mournful twanging absurdist poetry to epic length. Lately named to Pitchfork’s 37 best rock albums, Sing Dancing is really a country album, though in the skewed, knotty way of David Berman.

In the live setting, Davis seems to be betting hard on his shorter, more conventionally shaped material, the yelping, gulping, yodeling, burnt romantic “Learn 2 Re-Luv” and the graceful reprise “Bluebirds Revisited,” and indeed both are startling, thought provoking pieces of work. But if you want to get right to the heart of what makes this album amazing, head for the ten-minute epic head-trip “Flashes of Orange.” Like the other cuts, it dredges the depths of emotional experience, the blackest, bleariest dead of night vision (“there’s a black space between the back of my head and the back of my face”). It’s so dark, indeed, that Davis hallucinates color in it, “knocks of red,” “flashes of orange.”  The cut seethes with emotive pedal steel, one of music’s most reliable indicators of angst, but it also rears up into something like rock triumph in the climactic chorus “I have these dreams we’re hitting the road again/But i always wake when the engine roars.”

That’s the song where Davis and his mates open up the throttle musically, but if I had to pick a favorite for lyrics, it would be “Junk Drawer Heart.” Here’s him catching the female protagonist in a life drawn sketch: “Her daddy was a hypnotist/Her mother was a metronome/Her mortal coil is not so much a curse/As it is a stepping stone.” The junk drawer becomes a capacious metaphor for memory and identity, with bits of treasure mixed in with useless junk. “She knows there’s something of use deep down/In a rare coin corner of her junk drawer heart,” sings Ryan nailing the mixed bag that human beings are in a couplet.

The band is excellent and even more so live where Davis trades in ricky-tick drum machines for a full kit, and the songs so rich with musical and lyrical ideas that it takes a while to bring them into focus. Spend the time, though, and this album is a universe, harsh and shadowy but shot through with beauty.

Jennifer Kelly

[cyberpunkonline]

Zipping Through Pixels: The Gameboy Shmup Scene

Picture this: the year is 1989, your screen is greener than a vegan smoothie, and the pixels are so chunky they could be in a 90s boy band. Enter the Gameboy, a glorious handheld beacon of gaming freedom, albeit not quite the haven for shoot 'em ups (or shmups, for those in the know). Yet, like a pixelated David against the Goliath of hardware limitations, a few brave shmups soared into this monochromatic fray. Let's lock, load, and have a cheeky gander at the shmups that dared to buzz the humble Gameboy.

1. "Solar Striker" - The Vanilla Ice Cream of Shmups

Imagine the basics: shoot, dodge, boss, repeat. That's "Solar Striker." It's your grandma's recipe of shmups—nothing fancy, but it hits the spot. It had a rhythm as predictable as a metronome in a sleep study, yet it was the comfort food for any Gameboy owner itching for a vertical scrolling shooter. True to the genre, you had to blast a conga line of foes, upgrade your pea shooter to a slightly heftier pea shooter, and face bosses that apparently never learned to move anywhere but down.

2. "Nemesis" - Not the Villain We Deserved, But The One We Got

When Konami shrunk "Gradius" down for the Gameboy, they called it "Nemesis" – because naming confusion is just what the '90s did best. This pocket-sized port packed everything a shmup aficionado could want: power-ups, enemies galore, and a difficulty curve steeper than your average learning curve. "Nemesis" was the go-to for any gamer who thought, "I wish I could squint at bullets on a tiny screen," and it delivered with more charm than a lo-fi beats playlist.

3. "R-Type" - A Love Letter to Masochists

"R-Type" on the Gameboy was akin to performing surgery with a sledgehammer – it was a meticulous ordeal, often ending in tears. You'd think translating one of the most punishing shmups onto a handheld console was a dare that went too far, yet there it was. This game made every pixel count, with monsters that seemed to have flunked out of charm school lunging at you with all the grace of a moose on roller skates.

4. "Operation C" - Contra with a Sprinkle of Bullet Hell

They took "Contra," added the shmup sprinkle, and out came "Operation C." This was not just a run-and-gun; it was a run-and-don't-you-dare-stop-or-you'll-eat-a-bullet sandwich. This game was the answer to the question nobody asked: "What if we mixed 'Contra' with a shmup and made it so hard it could scratch diamonds?" But, boy, did it scratch that itch for relentless challenge.

5. "Aerostar" - The Genre-Bender

Last on the list is the hidden gem, "Aerostar." It didn't just break the mold; it played frisbee with it. Part shmup, part action-adventure, it was like the genre's rebellious teen that listened to synthwave and wore neon sunglasses at night. Its unique selling point? A little button that swapped between flying and land modes, because why settle for just annoying the birds when you could irritate land creatures too?

In the grand tapestry of Gameboy titles, the shmup selection was like finding a needle in a haystack—a needle that occasionally exploded in a tiny, satisfying burst of pixels. These games didn't redefine the genre; they simply survived on a platform that treated color like a luxury and screen space like premium real estate.

In the end, the Gameboy's shmups are a testament to gaming's wild west era – a pixelated reminder that sometimes, it's not the size of the ship in the game, but the motion of the "B" button. So, here's to the Gameboy shmups – they aimed, they shot, they mostly missed, but when they hit, it was with the sweet satisfaction of an underdog's triumph.

- Raz

[pyth1a]

Loony Bin Basketball by Mary Karr

For Phil Jackson

The gym opened out

before us like a vast arena, the bleached floorboards

yawned toward a vanishing point, staggered seats high

as the Mayan temple I once saw devoured by vines.

Each of us was eaten up inside — all citizens of   lost

             and unmapped cities.

Frank hugged the pimply ball

over his belly like an unborn child. Claire

dressed for daycare in daffodil yellow and jelly shoes.

David’s gaze was an emperor’s surveying a desiccated

battlefield. Since he viewed everything that way, we all

            saw him the same.

The psych techs in Cloroxed white

were giant angels who set us running drills, at which

we sucked. The zones we set out to defend were watery

at every edge. We missed close chest passes, easy combos.

Our metronomes run different tempos,

            John proclaimed.

Then Claire started seeing

dashes stutter through the air behind the ball.

Then speed lines on our backs, and then her own head

went wobbly as a spinning egg. She’d once tracked

planetary orbits for NASA and now sat sidelined

            by her eyes’ projections.

Only Bill had game.

Catatonic Bill whose normal talent was to schlub

days in a tub chair — his pudding face scarred

with chicken pox — using his hand for an ashtray,

belly for an armrest. Now all that peeled away, and he

            emerged, clean as an egg.

He was a lithe

and licorice boy, eeling past all comers, each shot

sheer net. He faked both ways, went left. Beneath the orange

rim his midair pirouettes defied the gravity that I

could barely sludge through. He scored beyond what even

             Claire could count,

then he bent panting,

hands on knees as the orderlies held out water cups,

and the rest of us reached to pat his back or slap

his sweaty hand, no one minding about the stench or his

breath like old pennies. Then as quick as that

             he went.

Inside his head

some inner winch did reel him back from the front

of   his face bones where he’d been ablaze. He went back and

back into that shadowed stare. Lucky we were to breathe

his air. Breath is God’s intent to keep us living. He was

             the self   I’d come in

wanting to kill, and I left him there.

[possumcollege]

O, I love my stupid creatures the most!

Columbo, as a character AND a show metronomes back and forth between competent, engaging storytelling, touching moments of empathy, and literally taking 5min off for Columbo to do a tuba solo over footage of a dancing fountain for a group of schoolchildren. Are the cases legally realistic? Absolutely not. It's the show thick with padding and bizarre inclusions? Yesssss! Some episodes are bad enough to be unwatchable but I still LOVE it.

I liked A Life Less Ordinary for fuck's sake. A romantic comedy about angels trying to attempted-murder Ewan McGregor and Cameron Diaz into falling in love. I probably talk more shit about it than I praise it, but I can't stop liking it.

I re-watch Ravenous every year. It's more of a TV pilot that accidentally killed all of it's characters but I show it to everyone, like 'Yes, David Arquette is super annoying but he's not around much and they do kill the sex predator principal from Ferris Bueller."

If we don't try to castle our identities in media then we don't need to feel personally attacked or pretend the bullshit isn't bullshit when someone doesn't like it. More klunky, meandering repetitive Mass Effect Andromeda as a monster-dating-sim for you!

Let people attack it. They can't actually take it from you, and if you agree with like 10% of their points and still don't care, they're the ones trying to bite the wind.

This also means you don't need to waste your ammunition on people who are so dug in to their terrible, toxic fandom that they're happy to make it their tomb. Maginot Line 'em. Have fun pretending I'm crazy for finding everything about the Wizarding World incredibly racist. No point in stopping to fight when I could be watching The Magicians and processing my own trauma while hating on Penny's outfits right now.

If someone needs to get viscerally angry defending a bad show, it means they're probably projecting something of themselves into it, and aren't self-aware enough to notice or let it go. You usually don't need to fix or even acknowledge that mess.

Love your stupid babies. It's fine. If it's dumb and liking it makes you dumb too then fuck it be dumb while it's on and have a nice time.

i’ll never understand people who can’t make fun of their faves a little. like yes i love this character and would defend them to my grave but also they’re stupid sometimes and they do dumb things and imma make fun of them for it

[sammarketer]

The Fiercest Competitors in Cricket: Top 10 Most Aggressive Players

Cricket is a sport that has witnessed numerous players who bring not just talent but also a fiery passion to the field. These cricketers are renowned for their aggressive style, both in their play and their attitude, leaving an everlasting impression on the game. Below, we delve into the top 10 most aggressive cricketers in the world, highlighting who is the most aggressive player in cricket through their relentless spirit and sheer determination.

1. Virender Sehwag (India)

Virender Sehwag’s approach to cricket was nothing short of revolutionary. Known for his ability to attack from the very first ball, Sehwag’s aggression was not just physical but mental, as he consistently put pressure on the bowlers with his fearless stroke play. Whether it was a Test match or an ODI, Sehwag played with the same level of intensity, making him one of the most dangerous batsmen in the world.

Why He’s Aggressive:

His aggressive style of starting innings with boundaries set the tone for his team.

Scored two triple centuries in Test cricket with a level of ease that stunned opponents.

His mindset was to dominate, often turning the tide of the game in his favor within a few overs.

2. Shahid Afridi (Pakistan)

Shahid Afridi, also known as "Boom Boom," is one of the most iconic aggressive cricketers. Afridi was famous for his explosive batting, characterized by an extraordinary ability to hit sixes at will. His aggression wasn’t confined to his batting; he was an attacking leg-spinner who often broke crucial partnerships with his bowling.

Why He’s Aggressive:

Known for one of the fastest centuries in ODI cricket, achieved at a young age.

His six-hitting prowess made him a crowd favorite and a game-changer.

Afridi’s fearless attitude on the field often inspired his team and intimidated opponents.

3. Mitchell Johnson (Australia)

Mitchell Johnson’s aggression was best displayed through his blistering pace and the hostility with which he bowled. During the 2013-14 Ashes series, Johnson was a terror for English batsmen, his fast, short-pitched deliveries making him one of the most feared bowlers of his time. His aggressive nature was not just physical but psychological, as he often got into the minds of the opposition.

Why He’s Aggressive:

Consistently bowled at speeds above 150 km/h, making life difficult for batsmen.

Utilized aggressive tactics, including bouncers, to unsettle and intimidate his opponents.

His ability to maintain aggression over long spells made him a key weapon for Australia.

4. Glenn McGrath (Australia)

Glenn McGrath was not known for express pace but for his incredible accuracy and relentless pressure. His aggression was subtle yet potent, as he constantly attacked the batsman’s weaknesses. McGrath was a master of mind games, often engaging in verbal battles and using his metronomic precision to frustrate and dismiss top-order batsmen.

Why He’s Aggressive:

Had a unique ability to consistently bowl in the right areas, forcing mistakes from batsmen.

Known for his psychological warfare, often unsettling the opposition before they faced a ball.

His competitive spirit and unyielding accuracy made him one of the best fast bowlers in history.

5. David Warner (Australia)

David Warner is a modern-day cricketer known for his aggressive approach to batting and his fiery personality on the field. Warner’s strength lies in his ability to take the attack to the bowlers right from the start, often changing the course of a match in just a few overs. His aggression is not just limited to his batting; his on-field demeanor and willingness to engage in verbal exchanges make him a force to be reckoned with.

Why He’s Aggressive:

Frequently delivers explosive starts in both Test and limited-overs cricket.

Known for his confrontational style, both with the bat and in his interactions with opponents.

Plays with a fearless attitude that often disrupts the plans of the opposition.

6. Shoaib Akhtar (Pakistan)

Shoaib Akhtar, famously known as the "Rawalpindi Express," brought raw pace and aggression to the cricket field. Akhtar’s ability to bowl consistently at over 150 km/h made him one of the most feared fast bowlers in the world. His aggression wasn’t just about speed; it was about the psychological pressure he exerted on batsmen, often leaving them rattled.

Why He’s Aggressive:

Holds the record for the fastest ball ever bowled, clocking in at 161.3 km/h.

Utilized his pace to intimidate and dominate the best batsmen in the world.

His fiery temperament and aggressive nature made him a challenging opponent for any team.

7. Jacques Kallis (South Africa)

Jacques Kallis is widely regarded as one of the greatest all-rounders in cricket history. While known for his technical proficiency, Kallis had a fierce competitive edge that surfaced in critical moments. Whether with the bat or the ball, Kallis’s aggression was measured but deadly, often tilting the balance in favor of his team.

Why He’s Aggressive:

Blended technical excellence with a willingness to play aggressively when the situation demanded.

Delivered key spells with the ball, often taking crucial wickets through sheer determination.

His competitive nature made him a pivotal figure in South Africa’s cricketing success.

8. Ricky Ponting (Australia)

Ricky Ponting’s career is a testament to aggressive cricket, both in terms of batting and leadership. Ponting was known for his ability to dominate bowling attacks, particularly with his powerful pull shots. As captain, his aggressive tactics and uncompromising approach helped Australia become one of the most formidable teams in cricket history.

Why He’s Aggressive:

Played with an attacking mindset, regularly taking on the world’s best bowlers with confidence.

As captain, led his team with a fierce determination to win, often employing aggressive strategies.

His confrontational style on the field was matched by his ability to lead from the front.

9. Brett Lee (Australia)

Brett Lee was another Australian fast bowler who epitomized aggression. Lee’s speed and intensity made him a constant threat to batsmen around the world. His aggressive bowling style, coupled with his high-energy celebrations, showcased his passion and commitment to the game, making him one of the most exciting players to watch.

Why He’s Aggressive:

Maintained high speeds throughout his career, challenging even the best batsmen.

Used his pace to intimidate and dominate opposition batsmen.

Played with a contagious enthusiasm that energized his team and thrilled spectators.

10. Gautam Gambhir (India)

Gautam Gambhir was a cricketer who combined aggression with a deep sense of responsibility. Known for his intense focus and combative attitude, Gambhir played some of the most crucial innings for India in high-pressure situations. His aggressive nature was evident not just in his batting but also in his willingness to stand up to opponents, making him a key player in India’s success during his career.

Why He’s Aggressive:

Played pivotal aggressive innings in high-stakes matches, including World Cup finals.

Known for his confrontational attitude, often engaging in heated exchanges with opponents.

His determination and fighting spirit made him a respected and feared competitor.

READ ALSO:- W.G. Grace: The Father of Cricket and His Impact on the Game

Conclusion

The most aggressive cricketers in the world have left an indelible mark on the sport, bringing intensity and passion that have thrilled fans and terrified opponents. These players, through their aggressive batting, bowling, and leadership, have not only achieved great success but have also redefined the way cricket is played. Their legacy of fierce competition and unyielding determination continues to inspire future generations, showcasing who is the most aggressive player in cricket and what it takes to dominate the game at the highest level.

[zooterchet]

The Order of the Progress State (Trump)

During the Holocaust, a Jewish star was applied, with a metronome, for "chet". "J". If refusing to admit Jewish, and marry Wehrmacht, you were sent to the camps. Otherwise, admitting Jewish, you were admitted to the Schulzstaffel.

A government compliance code.

Out of New York, since the 1970s, Donald Trump has waged the same, for "cop".

I was a cop; but I killed anyone on, a forced badge demand.

These are the units I served.

NSA HUMINT: The interdiction of criminal forces under racketeered logic of Rabbinical German; the Cohens and Hitlers and Bulgers.

CIA Prosecutor's Agent: The legalization of marijuana under tree surgeons standards, and tax stamps according determining the transit of cannabis.

UMass-Amherst CI: The interdiction of peace activists, serving on demand of police drafts of any capable of serving as a CIA agent in overseas France, Eastern Europe, and Turkey.

Homeland Security: The interdiction of DC Comics and its cumulative relation to Bellevue hospitals for the removal of the academically competitive if practicing lotus position; in accordance with Cardinal Bernard Law, outside of lawsuits for admission of Lutherans.

Army Reserve: The informed civil prudence and jurisprudence on Unitarian spies inside companies of logic and scholarship, and resulting hunts of forces affiliated with international crime syndicates out of corrections staff.

Sinn Fein: The hunt for British psychologists on FetLife and related boards like Collar Space, Encyclopedia Dramatica, 4chan, 8chan, 420chan, Alt, and Tumblr; the removal of the German Nietzschean police of semen theft to write lyrics, through continuing CIA precognitive experiment; "David", "Artificial Intelligence", as printed by Stephen Spielberg.

[sarahtheflutist]

Has any one played Minor Alterations: Christmas Through the Looking Glass by David Lovrien?

I'm having technical issues from U to the end with the ridiculous fingering changes. I can play it slow, but at tempo, I slow down measure 321 and that gets out of sync to the end.

Just looking for tips on a different approach to it.

I've drilled with the metronome, isolated each fingering change, chunked it down to the smallest sections (which I can play) and then can not put together.