#harmonic drive system

[loaisacult]

LOA IS A CULT. Everyone Including myself and those who are familiar with it, know it’s a cult! I know everyone lies for attention or to live in the end because I used to be a big blogger myself. I won't reveal who I was, but I saw firsthand how these bloggers, claiming to be friends in real life, are actually deceiving everyone—they're all liars. Behind the scenes, they're working regular jobs while curating content from friends and family to share as their own as proof. Many of them have multiple accounts and blogs to give the illusion of authenticity. If you don't believe me, create a fake account and replicate the process—fabricate a success story, and watch as bloggers emerge from the shadows seeking help. Most of them have disappeared now... I wonder why that is, lol. It's time to open your eyes to the reality behind these façades and question the true motives driving this deceitful tumblr .

Despite the presence of manifestors, witches, and astrologists manifesting against Donald Trump in the world it's amusing to see that he still emerged victorious and by a whole lot!!!

It's worth noting that among the founders of the law of assumption and the void state on platforms like Tumblr, inconsistencies and inaccuracies have surfaced in their stories over time – there seems to be a trend of untruthfulness, among them (it might be interesting for you to verify this observation by checking out posts from your favorite bloggers, especially the newer ones; I've taken a look and it appears they're all just making their posts using GPT !

"Persist with belief"; A call to continue holding onto faith and dedication similar, to how spiritual groups encourage their followers to stay steadfast in their beliefs.

“Embrace the mysterious without needing evidence." This mindset echoes the inclination towards accepting the unknown and intangible elements of existence often upheld by certain groups that prioritize faith in the unseen, over concrete proof.

Echoing the cults claims of enlightenment or salvation, without tangible evidence but guaranteeing miraculous transformations assures me of its validity.

Despite the uncovering of deceit and dishonesty by individuals within a system built on mistruth; trust and belief persist unshaken. Mirroring the resilience shown by groups, in the face of revealed falsehood.

"When someone blindly follows something or someone else – it's, like trusting without proof of why or how things work out in the end."

“Discover the truth within yourself”. Encouraging the exploration of truths and insights through belief in something greater; a familiar motif, in spiritual practices.

Encouraging connection, with the energy of the universe is a spiritual idea that highlights the importance of harmonizing with greater forces beyond our sight.

"Fulfill your destiny"; The concept of shaping your own future through faith alone is frequently referenced in spiritual communities as a means to claim authority, over your own life path.

“Rise above the boundaries of the realm " suggesting the possibility of surpassing earthly restrictions through belief in something greater; mirroring stories of spiritual groups seeking elevated levels of existence.

Calling upon the power of the Encouraging believers to tap into mystical powers is a common theme, in teachings of spiritual groups that offer promises of special intervention or extraordinary abilities.

These instances provide insight into the use of language, with spiritual cult like tendencies that focus on faith and commitments that extend beyond tangible proof.

Please, there are bloggers out there sharing and telling us to save Palestine, claiming you can manifest a trillion dollars out of thin air, yet they can't manifest an end to war or even a simple solution. They say you can't control other people, yet they talk about manifesting specific people,, changing your family completely, or even your own race. You all were claiming you were manifesting Harris. I thought manifestation never fails, loool. "Oh, just persist, it will reflect like Neville leaving the war," they say, but all Neville managed could very well fall under the coincidence category, just like healing a burned hand, hahahahah. It's baffling that people are wasting their lives on something they know deep down is false. For the children in this community, just stick to a routine, focus on school and work, and foster your own life. While doing so, perhaps listen to subliminals, but don't rely on these vicious lies. Your time and energy are too precious to be spent on such unfounded claims.

Before you start getting defensive in my comments, take a moment to think and tell me how long you've been manifesting. How long have you been persisting in this process? Share in the comments first, and reflect on how little has actually changed. When you ask questions of these bloggers, why do they always seem to victim blame you instead of providing real answers? They claim to love and care about you so much, yet they charge for subliminals and can't manifest even simple things like you entering the void state. They won't manifest for your mental health desires, despite all the supposedly enlightening infographics they share. They talk about being able to shift reality and consciousness, yet they can't offer real help. Isn't this just typical cult behavior? It's time to question the authenticity of these practices and recognize the inconsistencies.

Some of these bloggers are in their 20s and live on disability, which gives them both the time and money to spread misinformation and false hopes. If you're young and still have potential, please make wise choices. Some aspects of spirituality are indeed real, and manifesting can be a genuine practice, but remember there's a reason why 99% of these bloggers are deceitful. They all eventually leave before their lies catch up with them. It's a disgrace that they pretend to help you in their DMs while knowing you're struggling with issues like poverty and abuse. I truly hope things improve for you, but don't rely on this cult-like mentality.

Critics might come into the comments and claim you just have doubts, but that's not the case. Once I left the Law of Assumption and started genuinely working, studying, and ensuring my grades were satisfactory, my life changed. I got a boyfriend, landed my dream job, and even took steps towards my desired appearance with a nose job. These achievements didn’t just materialize from thin air; they came from hard work. I accomplished more in three months after leaving the cult than some do in five years. I know people who've been in this community for a decade—when will they wake up to reality? That nagging feeling of doubt is actually common sense trying to prevent you from ruining your life.

How many times are you going to think, "I can't tolerate my life; I'm just going to shift," before it becomes unbearable and you realize you're stuck? How many liars need to be exposed? How many times do people have to be scammed before they see the truth? The so-called void masters aren’t helping; if they could truly access the void, they'd expose the liars. But then they’d have to admit they're lying too, and that no one has achieved these creative writing promises. It's all for attention and affirming to manifest is not a magic solution.

Let's be real here—your favorite bloggers allowed the Turing administration to achieve a landslide victory, with the court gone, the Senate gone, the House gone, and the residence done. Project 2025 is in motion, but sure, everyone’s supposed to be GOD, right? You people are worse than religious fanatics. I secured my visa because I knew otherwise, I'd be stuck here; you can't rely on the fake law of assumption. Go ask your bloggers why Trump won, and they'll just tell you to persist or claim it's all an illusion. Seriously? We'll see how much of an illusion it is once Palestine is wiped off the map, and all these so-called void masters can do is make a note to ignore the 3D world, loool. It's absurd that they think such real-world issues can simply be brushed aside with wishful thinking. Time to question these beliefs and face reality.

This message isn't directed at the older members of this cult because, at this point, only you can wake yourself up. But to the younger ones, please focus on building your life in the actual world. It's very real, and your suffering will only worsen if you keep clinging to false hopes.

To all the bloggers who know they're spreading lies, go ahead and manifest that my post gets deleted. I apologize for even considering that some of you revise events where people have literally died. Try revising this post or imagine me apologizing. It's time to stop spreading deceit and start facing the truth. Your actions have consequences, and it's crucial to start acknowledging the reality of the world we live in.

Even those who claim to manifest outside of time are no different—they're all selling courses for hundreds of dollars each month, with packages reaching into the thousands. It's ironic, isn't it? They preach about manifesting abundance yet charge exorbitant fees for their wisdom. Just think about it for a moment: if they could truly manifest unlimited wealth and success, why would they need to profit off of your hard-earned money? The truth is, their business model depends on your belief in their promises, and they capitalize on that by offering overpriced courses that are often filled with recycled content. This practice raises questions about the authenticity of their teachings and whether they genuinely have your best interests at heart.

The feeling you’re having is your body and mind trying to tell you there's truth in what I'm saying. It's like they're working to save you from falling into the trap of delusions. You are caught up in loa and you’re actually caught up in their own illusions. Many of these successful loa folks outside of tumblr grew up in wealthy families, living good lives, and got richer with a mix of luck and hard work. That's why so much of this community feels ridiculous; it's mostly made up of kids chasing dreams and adults spinning lies or looking for attention because they have too much free time.

Society keeps these cycles going, making it easy to fool ourselves. The temptation of quick success and promises of an easy life are hard to resist, especially for those always surrounded by comfort and now searching for something deeper than just money. For some, the LOA community seems like a beacon of hope and purpose. But it's important to see that while some find value, others get caught in a loop of broken promises, clinging to the idea that just thinking positively will bring success without real effort.

This way of thinking can will you ppl away from reality, you’re following and worshipping people seeking likes and attention takes the place of real achievements. LOA IS A CULT. Please wake up

[plutosunshine]

Planets in the 7th house

Where do you need to find balance?

Sun in the 7th house

You need to find a balance between your real self and what you want to show the world. You are a bit afraid that people won't see your talents and true self. That is why sometimes you are trying too hard to show your talents. Also, you need to find a balance between your identity and others. I mean that you have people-pleasing tendencies and it doesn’t allow your inner sun to shine at times. Also, you need to harmonize your level of energy. Sometimes you don’t focus on the right things and your energy just flows away. If you find ways to focus on important things, you may become extremely successful.

Moon in the 7th house

Of course, you saw it coming. Emotions. Feelings. Inner needs. It is where you need to find balance. Sometimes you rely too much on your emotional side and it doesn’t allow you to see the whole picture. Also, you may rely too much on your partner. Moon in the 7th house needs to find a way how to deal with feelings and subconscious needs. Harmonize your irrational side and allow yourself to be at peace with your inner world.

Mercury in the 7th house

You need to harmonize your busy and anxious sides. Let me explain. You have a lot of thoughts that sometimes lead to overthinking and anxiety. That is why you need to find ways to calm your mind down. Any calming and focusing technics may help. Also, when your mind is not busy, you are! You always find what to do even if it is something not so important. And this drains your energy and increases your level of anxiety.

Venus in the 7th house

Venus is all about balance itself. Your life needs to be peaceful and harmonized. Your love life and any one-to-one relationship need to be harmonious and balanced. Also, it is very important to work on your self-esteem because it tends to have its ups and downs. You need to harmonize your system of values so that you can move forward without any hesitation. You may be prone to overspending and this is also the area you need to balance out.

Mars in the 7th house

You need to find a balance between your passionate desire to achieve things and your lack of motivation. You may feel powerless at times and these swings don’t help you to progress. It is very important to find ways to keep your motivation and drive on one level. You may have an all-or-nothing attitude at times but it only leads to episodes of lack of energy and motivation. Also, the area you need to find balance in is your ambitions. You want to prove to others your worth and it is very good but it is important to find balance here so that you won't be disappointed in the future.

Jupiter in the 7th house

You need to harmonize your tendency to overdo things. Jupiter is the planet of expansion so sometimes you don’t even notice how you are doing too much. Too much food, too much work, too much anything! Because of overdoing things, you feel a lack of energy and motivation at times. That is why it is so important to find balance here! You need to find ways to stabilize this side of yourself.

Saturn in the 7th house

You need to balance out your perception of yourself. You are too critical of yourself at times and it doesn’t allow you to progress and live freely. You need to let go of extremely high expectations from yourself. You are already doing great and there is no need to push yourself too hard. Also, you need to harmonize your critical and at times pessimistic attitude to the obstacles you are going through. Trust the universe and try to balance intuition and logic so that they could work together for the best.

Neptune in the 7th house

You need to find a balance between reality and imagination. You can’t see the whole picture at times and you rely on your intuition too much. I know your intuition is strong and real but sometimes it needs to work with logic too. You need to distinguish what is real and what you want to be real. Also, don’t sacrifice too much for the good of your close ones. It is a good thing but you need to find balance in this area.

Uranus in the 7th house

You need to find a balance between spontaneity and inaction. Your desires appear as quickly as disappear and you need to find ways to catch the ideas and settle them down. It is not so easy for this placement because you want to just follow your sudden bursts of energy but if you find a way to focus on holding it, you can reach great success. I know it is hard and maybe you need to do it with breaks and stops to continue the idea. However, if you work with your idea till the end, you won't feel unworthy and useless.

Pluto in the 7th house

You need to harmonize your all-or-nothing attitude. If you like something, you tend to spend a lot of energy on it until it drains you. It is important to keep energy and passion on one level. This is difficult but worth trying. Also, you need to harmonize your emotional side which is so intense and passionate that you feel overwhelmed at times. In addition, your tendency not to trust your partner may be insane. You need to find ways to create a deeper bond without fear.

[power-chords]

The question that finally began to coalesce in my mind, and which finally took on a coherent form like a star igniting at the center of a long-contracting stellar nebula, was this: Are Drinky Bird's oscillations regular enough to allow you to use them as the basis for a clock?

[...]

The basic mechanism was invented in Germany in the mid-18th century but its incarnation as we know it comes later and such a toy seems to have been first described by the Soviet physicist Yakov Perelman, in the 1930s, who was also the author of the optimistically entitled Physics Can Be Fun and Mathematics Can Be Fun. He called the toy the "insatiable birdie" (and if anyone can tell me in the comments what Russian phrase can plausibly be translated as "insatiable birdie" I will die a happy man, or at least, less unhappy). Perelman said of the Insatiable Birdie, in Physics For Entertainment, "There is a Chinese toy which is a perpetual source of astonishment and delight. This is the 'insatiable birdie.' Put before a drinking bowl, the 'birdie' will dip its beak in the water and having 'drunk its fill,' swing back into its initial upright position."

[...]

The basic problem is that the period of Drinky Bird's oscillations is extremely sensitive to external conditions – the study cites ambient temperature and humidity (which affect the rate at which the head cools) the amount of water on the head (ditto) mechanical friction and even the force with which the Bird hits the lip of the bowl or cup containing water. The period of oscillations in general seems to stabilize, everything else being equal, to around 30-40 seconds but unlike a balance spring or pendulum, Drinky Bird is not a harmonic oscillator. The qualification for a harmonic oscillator is that when it is displaced from its neutral point, it experiences a restoring force proportional to the displacing force (the spring tension in a balance spring; gravity in a pendulum). 

Drinky Bird is, like the Atmos clock, a heat engine but in the Atmos clock the expansion and contraction of the gas-filled chamber that powers the clock is used to wind a mainspring, which drives the horizontal, very slow-beating balance (technically a torsion pendulum). You can use temperature changes to drive a wristwatch as well. In 2002 an American watchmaker and AHCI member named Stephen Phillips introduced his EWS – Eternal Winding System – in which temperature fluctuations affected a bimetallic strip, causing it to flex and keep the mainspring wound. Unfortunately the system has, so far, not found its way into a working watch.

However, what Drinky Bird lacks in natural frequency, it gains back in apparent longevity. Drinky Bird will not bob forever but it could do so for an almost absurdly long time under the right conditions. I should note here that Drinky Bird is not a perpetual motion machine – such devices are forbidden by the Second Law Of Thermodynamics. The ability of DB to bob is dependent on a temperature difference between the upper and lower part of the internal tubing and as long as there is an external temperature gradient that allows evaporation, and a supply of water, it will bob happily along.

One must imagine Drinky Bird happy.

[fuzzkaizer]

Systech - overdrive

"Have you ever played a pedal that stuck with you forever, even though you knew in your heart it was totally weird, and nobody famous ever used it? For me, yeah, tons of them. But if I had to pick one that best fit these criteria, this one would be it. This is the Systech Overdrive. Before we dive in, let’s talk a little about where it was made.

There was a time when, of all places, Kalamazoo Michigan was an epicenter for musically related things. Apart from being a city referenced by Looney Tunes and the hometown of Glen Miller’s gal, Kalamazoo had the Sound Factory, which was a collective of sorts that featured guitar luthiery, a recording studio and electronic gear manufacturing. The facility sat front and center on Kalamazoo Avenue, smack dab in the middle of the city, and attracted visitors from all over.

Of course, if it was some random outpost of nobodies, the name wouldn’t carry any weight. However, the Sound Factory was shored up by three relatively heavy hitters of the early ‘70s. One such was Greg Hochman, Keith Emerson’s Moog technician. He was joined by Bryce Roberson, otherwise known as Uncle Dirty of Chess Records fame and a relatively unknown person named Charlie Wicks. If you’ve been reading this column for a while, you’ll recognize him as the man behind ProCo—the Ratfather.

Together, these three developed Systech, which itself was short for “Systems & Technology in Music, Inc.” That mouthful of a company was responsible for the Harmonic Energizer, a little-known yet highly influential effect that provided a deep filtered sound in addition to some crunchy drive and sharp resonant peaks. You might know it as one of Frank Zappa’s signature pieces. And while this Overdrive effect wasn’t that, it was derived from the Harmonic Energizer and shares a handful of characteristics.

Basically, if dialed in just the right way, the Harmonic Energizer will make short work of an entire speaker cabinet and anyone in the audience. This is because it was designed to provide a staggering gain of 55dB, enough to cause serious damage to your gear or hearing. The Overdrive was created to get some of those tones at non speaker-shredding levels.

If you’re thinking this unit is some kind of proto-Tube Screamer, think again. Because this was the early ‘70s, nobody had really decided exactly what “overdrive” meant. And though Maestro (coincidentally, also in Kalamazoo) had created one of almost every effect under the sun, pedal fever wasn’t quite here just yet, so Systech was essentially “winging it.” With that said, the Overdrive is actually a pretty aggressive fuzz sound. And to that end, the fuzz circuit is pretty unique. The entire affair contains two transistors—one a JFET input buffer—and one dual op-amp with a handful of other components. Even the topology is relatively simple, but the simplicity ends with the schematic.

The EQ control works unlike pretty much any EQ control you’ve ever fiddled with; as much an EQ as the whole unit is an overdrive. Instead of a simple tonal adjustment, the EQ control is actually an active bandpass filter, in the same family as a wah circuit. With a simple twist of a knob, you can adjust this filter from 122Hz to 900Hz. As you might imagine, the EQ control sounds relatively cocked-wah-esque, but the sound is much more aggressive than any wah on the market before or since. The reason has to do with the Q factor, essentially a bandwidth control. A wah’s Q is set by its 33K resistor and is much wider than that of the Overdrive, so the tone is a little more rounded. While a wah’s filter is a rubber mallet, the Systech Overdrive’s is a tack hammer. While the sound is curious, the thing really comes to life when you crank the EQ control, as it gives you a nice punch in the mids. You lose a little definition when you get to the bottom third, but man is it fun to play with.

“Distortion” is just what it sounds like, but curiously enough, “Gain” is about as close to a volume knob as you’re going to get. Much like Distortion, if you turn it all the way down it kills the entire signal, but it sits behind a final gain stage. If you have the guts to crank both Distortion and Gain, you’re richly rewarded with gobs of gooey sustain, but the flipside is that your amp is likely screaming “uncle.” Worth it? Your call. I say go for it.

Many people say Zappa used a Systech Overdrive, but alas, he did not. However, when you play it, you can definitely see the similarities between this unit and the fabled Harmonic Energizer. But as far as I’m concerned, it’s close enough for rock and roll."

cred: catalinbread.com/blogs/kulas-cabinet/systech-overdrive

[davycoquette]

Questionnaire~

Thank you for the tag, @drchenquill!

1. Is writing a hobby or way of life?

I always call it a hobby, but almost always prefixed with some form of, "greatest," "most important," or "favorite." I think way of life fits a helluva lot better. I've been writing since I can remember.

2. A journal full of writing notes or a clean, completed manuscript?

The journal one. I have like 900 I'm actively writing in at this very moment.

3. Who (or what) is your writing inspiration?

Cormac McCarthy. The love I have for my shitty characters. The agonizing unignorable need to put words on paper or screen.

4.Which is worse: someone you "idolize" reading your first draft or listening to you sing?

The singing one. I am not ashamed of my writing, but I have been taught to be ashamed of my singing lmfao. Which is weird and dumb because singing isn't something I go around telling people I can do decently - I don't tell people, "Oh, I sing," or, "I'm a singer." So, I have nothing to prove on that front, yet... I don't think I could make a peep of noise if someone said, "Sing me a song." Meanwhile, even when my writing's not at it's best, I'm like, "Yeah, I'm a writer. Here's some shit I wrote that isn't good. Sometimes I write good stuff, though."

5. Has writing from someone else's POV ever changed your own perspective?

I mean... in the literal sense, sure. A story looks different from the eyes of a character. By the same token, it helps me "understand" when people make choices I've not personally made. I think, for this reason, it's important to write about characters with different belief systems than we have - to write about them as sympathetic people with complex emotions. Not just to villainize or cathartically punish them, but to explore why people do the things they do and what life events might drive them in that direction. But cathartic character murder has its time and place, and who am I suggest what others write? Y'all do y'all.

6. Tumblr, AO3, LiveJournal, or FFN?

I have not used LiveJournal since I was a teen - is it still a thing people use??? That sounds nostalgic and fun. Not sure what FFN is; something to do with fanfiction? I only write original fiction, so that rules it out if so. AO3 is very cool, but the interface isn't my favorite. Also fanfic-heavy, so I never know if I've got a place there. Tumblr always freaked me right the fuck out, but the Writeblr community has proven to be my favorite writing community I've discovered online. And in a very short timespan, I might add!

7. AO3 wordcount, and are you satisfied with it?

I do not use AO3 but wordcounts can never be high enough 😎

8. What movie/book/fic gripped you irrevocably?

Probably too many to count. Little House on the Prairie A Separate Peace The Road Fight Club (recently rewatching this was humbling because it showed me how much of my writerly personality seems to be inspired by the way it rearranged my brain chemicals) Bullet Train (I fucken love this movie) Lawn Dogs Box of Moonlight Harold and Maude (book & movie) Pride and Prejudice (book & movie)

9. What’s the highest compliment you’ve ever been given, and have you been given it?

I've received some absolute banger compliments, and I don't want to dismiss any in favor of others. My favorite compliments are often ...questions? Just things that let me know people really did read, absorb, and are interested in things I wrote. Also, my love language is when people think about me of their own volition. So, any time people come to me apropos of nothing or say "this reminds me of you/your characters/your writing, I giggle and kick my feet and do a lil' happy dance.

10. What defines your writing style?

Gritty, casual. If it was art, it'd be the kind with the sketchlines still visible. Deep, silly. Visceral, I hope.

Taglist and blank template under the cut!

@albatris

@capnmachete

@harmonic-melodii

@illarian-rambling

@michellekarnold

@nathaniel-zellos

@sableglass

@saturnine-saturneight

1. Is writing a hobby or way of life?

2. A journal full of writing notes or a clean, completed manuscript?

3. Who (or what) is your writing inspiration?

4.Which is worse: someone you "idolize" reading your first draft or listening to you sing?

5. Has writing from someone else's POV ever changed your own perspective?

6. Tumblr, AO3, LiveJournal, or FFN?

7. AO3 wordcount, and are you satisfied with it?

8. What movie/book/fic gripped you irrevocably?

9. What’s the highest compliment you’ve ever been given, and have you been given it?

10. What defines your writing style?

[honeybewrites]

Writerly Questionnaire

Thank you @paeliae-occasionally for the tag, @harmonic-melodii for the tag, @the-golden-comet for the tag, @sableglass for the tag, @the-letterbox-archives for the tag,

@ominous-feychild for the tag and @willtheweaver for the tag!! Also thanks to @davycoquette for creating the game!!

About You

When did you start writing?

Hmm, that shouldn't be a hard question and yet here we are. Honestly, I don't know. I have a really shitty memory, especially when it comes to my childhood. I think I might have been around ten when I first started?

Are the genres/themes you enjoy reading different from the ones you write?

No, I definitely like writing the same stuff I read. Fantasy and sci-fi is my jam! Throw in some massive world building, some angst and whump and you've got me hooked.

Is there an author (or just a fellow writer!) you want to emulate, or one to whom you’re often compared?

I definitely haven't been compared to anyone. I would like to emulate Brandon Sanderson in the sense of his massive world building and phenomenal magic systems.

Can you tell me a little about your writing space(s)? (Room, coffee shop, desk, etc.)

I don't really have a set space. I often write on the living room couch because it's the most comfortable. I do have a desk that I will occasionally write at, but it's pretty uncomfortable after a short while, and I mostly use it for other work instead.

What’s your most effective way to muster up some muse?

The car or the bathroom. I know it's sounds super strange, but driving without any music, or better yet riding with it, often gets my brain thinking. And wether I'm showering or just washing my face, a lot of my best ideas come to me in the bathroom.

Did the place(s) you grew up in influence the people and places you write about?

I really don't know, but I doubt it. Like I said, my memory is shitty. We had moved about five or six times by the time I graduated high school. It was all in the same city at least, but different parts of it. As for people, I was a hermit. I didn't have any friends or hardly ever talk to people my age.

Are there any recurring themes in your writing, and if so, do they surprise you at all?

Does whump count? On a more serious note, I haven't done what I call a deep edit in years. I think, just off the top of my head, trauma and abuse are pretty reoccurring, along with internal emotional issues like trust.

Your Characters

Would you please tell me about your current favorite character? (Current WIP, past WIP, never used, etc.)

That's a tough one! I love my babies! I think my current favorite would be 703. She's been around the longest and honestly, she'd helped me through some bad times and I'm not sure I would be here without her.

Which of your characters do you think you’d be friends with in real life?

As much as I love her, 703 and I would not get along. She's a little too trigger happy and I'm a little too non confrontational. I think Rage and I would hit it off pretty well though. Maybe Fres too if I could break through their barriers.

Which of your characters would you dislike the most if you met them?

I have said this before and I'll say it again, Master Gerd. That man is a straight up bastard and I would gladly choke the life out of him if ever given the chance. He just makes me so angry.

Tell me about the process of coming up with of one, all, or any of your characters.

It's pretty different for each one. Sometimes they start with a name, other times they don't. It is pretty consistent that I just start writing them into the story before coming up with all the details. If the character sticks around and starts to have a more predominant role, that's generally when I'll go into detail about their backstory and they get their own file in my doc. But this isn't always the case. Sometimes, I just already know all this information from the start and I can write it all down. 703 was like that. Sometimes things come up along the way slowly. But for the most part, I just start writing and everything else works out fine.

Do you notice any recurring themes/traits among your characters?

Trauma!! Gotta have the dark backstory haha! Most of my OCs have very unhappy and traumatic childhoods/young adult lives 😈. Protectiveness also comes up quite a lot along with being physically strong. I mean, most of my OCs are in a "cult" of some kind that generally goes around fighting things... okay maybe cult is a theme too now that I'm thinking about it. I've got the Mors (bad cult) Oraniz (morally gray cult) Ryuk's pack (wholesome cult) and mafia like organizations in Rune Storm (also bad/morally gray cults)... yeah I think that might be a theme.

How do you picture them? (As real people you imagined, as models/actors who exist in real life, as imaginary artwork, as artwork you made or commissioned, anime style, etc.)

Animation style. I've always wanted, especially when I was younger and life hadn't taught me anything yet, to have my work turned into an animated series. Even now, that little dream, that I realize is very unlikely, stays the same. I think you can do a lot more with animation than you can live action, and it's always how I've imagined my OCs. Albeit it is a little more "realistic" animation, like Dreamworks, Disney, those kinds of things.

Your Writing

What’s your reason for writing?

If I don't write down my OCs and world, I'm pretty sure I'll go mad. I love sharing my writing, but I write for myself first and foremost. And writing has gotten me through a lot of really hard times in my life. It's something I can always turn to and it helps me express and process things. I can't imagine my life without it. It's just a part of me.

Is there a specific comment or type of comment you find particularly motivating coming from your readers?

Honestly, just saying you enjoyed it is more than enough. I never thought I'd have anyone that would be interested in my writing enough to leave comments on it. Every time I get one on anything I post, it always makes me smile.

How do you want to be thought of by those who read your work? (For example: as a literary genius, or as a writer who “gets” the human condition; as a talented worldbuilder, as a role model, etc.)

I think I’d like to be seen as just a really good world builder and nice writer in general. I don’t really have any expectations 😂

What do you feel is your greatest strength as a writer?

Um world building maybe? I’m not really sure I’ve got any greatest strengths deal when it comes to writing. I don’t think I’m horrible, but I’m certainly not great or anything.

What have you been frequently told your greatest writing strength is by others?

Uh, no. This is the only place I’ve ever talked about my writing. Don’t exactly have any irl to discuss it with or anything I trust to read it. That would get me in a less than ideal situation pretty fast.

How do you feel about your own writing? (Answer in whatever way you interpret this question.)

I think it could use a lot of work if I ever want to publish it. I definitely enjoy doing it, but I don’t think it’s all that great.

If you were the last person on earth and knew your writing would never be read by another human, would you still write?

Yes. Honestly, I never thought anyone would be interested in my writing anyway. Plus, if I’m the last human, I need some form of entertainment haha

When you write, are you influenced by what others might enjoy reading, or do you write purely what you enjoy? If it’s a mix of the two, which holds the most influence?

I’d like to say it’s pretty much for my enjoyment, but I’m sure there’s some influence of what other people might like too. I’m a chronic people pleaser unfortunately

Tagging @yourpenpaldee @fractured-shield @anaisbebe @aalinaaaaaa @nczaversnick

@kaylinalexanderbooks @wyked-ao3 @diabolical-blue and anyone else who wants to hop on!! Seriously, everyone should do this tag game, it's super fun and insightful!

[tredderwrite]

Anywhere ~ Sapnap

Summary: late night drive w/ sap drabble :P

Word count: 800 ish

Pairing: Sapnap / gn!reader

Warnings: none

☆ �� ☆    ☆   ☆   ☆    ☆   ☆   ☆    ☆   ☆   ☆   ☆    ☆   ☆   ☆    ☆   ☆

“Hey” his voice rang through the room, hushed and hazy, harmonizing with the creak of your newly opened bedroom door. Your eyes immediately search for the clock, bright red digits flashing back at you, 2:37 AM. “Hi?” you retorted, voice still caught up in a dream state. Energy surged through the room with his upbeat tone, surprising for the very commonly known chill guy. “Wanna come with me for a drive?” he was hopeful, excited to even ask to have you with him, and even though you felt the warmth of the sheets beneath you tug at your tired mind, you couldn’t help but agree. “Sure, where?” “Anywhere, I don’t really have a plan…” Leaning forward you smiled at his antics, pushing your body fully off the bed in order to join him, jacket in hand.

He held the door, hand on the frame, guarding your head against any possible injuries from the hard metal, softly closing behind you. Circling the front bumper, he ran around the car to the driver's side, taking his seat before he turned to you, reaching right across your shoulders. A simple gest, really, but one that would solidify in your mind like a freshly scratched record, replaying the way his hand grazed against you as he pulled your seatbelt across your body, securing it gently. Your body blazing in a trail his knuckles softly passed. 

Quickly, he started up the car, not wasting time, though not much could be wasted at nearly three in the morning. And so it went, you watched the street lights flicker right above, casting shadows on your arms draped idly out the window, feeling the air weave through your fingers. Stopping at a red light he took the sensation away, pulling your body in now that it was gone, leaning back into your seat instead; automatically turning your head to look at him, maybe, more admire than look, yes, to admire him, unaware of how piercing your gaze had become. He felt your eyes on him, a familiar nervousness returning to his system as he turned to meet them, greeted by your smile which only seemed to worsen the color creeping up his face. 

“What?” he asked, almost choking on the cliche. You felt it too, a sudden urge to react at how laughable the situation truly was. But you had no better answer, so you let it play out.

“Nothing.” Upon your uttering, there was an immediate burst of laughter, both of you agreeing on the absurdity.

Whether it was the moment or the sleep deprivation, you found yourself speaking once again, “This is definitely your good side.” And though spoken through a quiet giggle, you hoped he knew you weren’t really kidding. Hard to tell when the boy beside you only shook his head, silently continuing your drive, the lights finally freeing you from their truth-serum prison. There was a change of pace this time, instead of his usual driving, you were met with a much stronger surge forth, your back pressed against the cushion of the passenger side, speeding down the highway unexpectedly. 

He didn’t exactly do it on purpose, barely even noticing the way his foot pressed down on the pedal, not paying much attention, over-focused on your words, and the heat burning up his cheeks; thankful for the dim lights. Allowing your head to fall to the side, you looked over at him once again, now through the big mess of hair flying all around your face, only catching whatever glimpse you could get before the air spun around you, covering your eyes. He kept the windows down, his hair flowing back, though unlike yours, his was fine-tuned, waving through slowly, every light passed sent rays down, illuminating the very outline of his hair, a golden halo forming with each. 

It wasn’t long before he stopped again, pulling in a lookout, right off the road. There was a thick silence wrapped around you both, dancing on the line between comforting and awkward, not the most desired of responses, but it put you at ease knowing he didn’t mind. A fact you’ve observed a while back, back when you started to develop your feelings for him, he was okay with almost anything you said, never once rejecting your praise. 

Your thoughts interrupted by the sudden flash of light right above you, signaling the door opened. He traced the confusion on your face for a split second, amused. 

“Come on!”  

Stepping out you watched him lean back on the hood, observing the stars above. Noticing your presence, he turned to face you instead, that same soft look he always gave you, just you. His arm stretched out, motioning you closer, and you fell right in, his shoulder right against your cheek. One look, not much, but it said enough.

☆   ☆    ☆   ☆   ☆    ☆   ☆   ☆    ☆   ☆   ☆   ☆    ☆   ☆   ☆    ☆   ☆

an: sorry this feels unfinished I've had this google doc open since july I had to get it out of my system

[crosstheveil]

Anthroposophy: Lucifer, Ahriman, Christ

"Lucifer" is a spiritualizing force of temptation and distraction that brings higher knowledge, freedom, unrestrained creative exploration, and the dissolution of structure. Following him is a path of depersonalization, foregoing personal history and possessions, spiritual bypassing, overindulging in fantasy and mythology, change for the sake of change, anarchy, delusion, false ideologies, seeing the world as an illusion with no real value, retreating from life, hedonistic confusion of what maximizes enjoyment and states of ecstasy or mania with what is divine; the desires, passions, and aspirations that lend to overreaching ambition or hubris. He motivates us to find bliss (lifted from the weight of physical existence) by chasing anything that excites or voices itself from spirit in spite of lacking the ability to discern (regressing into animal nature) where those impulses are coming from, leaving us in a perpetual state of wandering aimlessly with infinite potential.

"Ahriman" is a materializing force of deception and lies that reduces things into forms and processes of physics that can be preserved in one differentiated state. Following him is a path of developing an overly analytical and mechanistic worldview, scientism, dogma/orthodoxy, reluctance to change, not being able to see beyond genetics, consumerism and commodification, acquisition of wealth, rationalism, weaponized intellectualism, becoming cold and dehumanized with a lack of empathy and compassion or any emotional depth; the fear, doubt, and pessimism rooted in material concerns such as survival, loss, and limitation. He motivates us to keep our essence contained in the physical realm (immortalize the body) by making us more like a machine (transhuman), looking for the solution to every problem through more effective systems of technology and surveillance, developing algorithms to recognize patterns and make predictions on a massive scale (artificial intelligence), and determining your value based solely on social credit. 

"Christ" is the harmonizing solar force that balances the Luciferic and Ahrimanic impulse. Jesus himself was an advanced soul that carried the essence of Christ to perform a ritual that changed humanity by his sacrifice. When Christ incarnated to serve this purpose, it allowed for humanity to ascend out of matter into the kingdom of Heaven represented by the soul. Through the essence of Christ, we attain a natural sense of morality and we’re able to evolve by working from within ourselves to develop a conscience and see clearly. This Christ consciousness rests in the heart chakra, a center of truth. Unless we are centered in the heart, we’re not truly participating in life. We find balance by grounding spirituality, refining the knowledge received from spirit, aligning our ego with the truth of our soul and using that to serve others in a more meaningful way, realizing our physical body as a temple of the divine.

Without Christ consciousness, we fall under the influence of Lucifer or Ahriman and worship them as God. These forces then become parasitic and feed on our potential as individuals by draining and misdirecting our essence to serve them.

The names of these entities are ways of identifying forces at play that are higher cosmic impulses which drive and personify through us to greater or lesser extents at different phases of our evolution. Our consciousness is seen as a vessel which carries these impulses but the force itself transcends its personification. We may or may not be aware of the spiritual forces that are acting upon us but it’s only by learning what we can about their essence that we can start using them to transform ourselves.

[shallowseeker]

There is...one more Cas-adjacent car to discuss, but I don't quite have it all straight in my head.

LOOK! It's not the same tan sedan, but it IS interesting. (4x03 & 13x01) Isn't it? Let's ramble:

////

Look at this cute little tan sedan that Dean drives in 4x03 In the Beginning!

This is one of his very first interactions with Cas, and our first on-screen date car drive.

They've interacted very little at this point! Previous appearances with Cas n' Dean were 1) their first meeting in the barn and 2) the very tense middle-of-the-night meeting in the dream kitchen.

Anyway, this is the vehicle Dean drives throughout the episode. It's our first car ride with Earth and Heaven teaming up.

///

Dean is ghostly as he bears witness to the tragedy of Samuel Campbell's death (stabbed in the gut, just as Mary was before she burned), Deanna Campbell's death (broken neck), and John Winchester's death (broken neck).

Azazel is killing all of Mary's support system to better weaken her resolve and entrap her in a deal.

Young—afraid—alone—distressed. Mary would have taken any deal, surely.

(Mary's Fate is not unique, exactly, but it's definitely got its own signature. It's an off-rhyme parallel in Supernatural. She did not, in fact, barter her soul, or go to Hell, as John and Dean will eventually do. No, she unknowingly Rumpelstiltskin'd her second child.)

Mary looks sadly over her shoulder at Dean, who was unable to help her. Then, John breathes in air with a shuddering gasp—returns to life.

Dean gasps, too, and Cas returns to his side. They disappear together, leaving only mysterious tan sedan in their wake.

Mary turns to look one last time, and we now have the setup of the scene: John—Mary—tan Cas Car (lights on)—black Dean Car.

///

Mary’s voice was so small when she asked if Azazel would revive her parents, “M-my parents, too?”

(Of course Azazel said no. Mary has to take what she will get, and she may have made a terrible mistake, but she knew enough not to barter her soul.)

So, Mary gazes at her father—the protector—lost as he failed to protect her, just as she will fail to protect Sam. (Oh, and her mother? She's dead, too. Mary's world has shrunk. And the world is so, so much scarier after your father dies. He’s supposed to be invincible.)

This failing of his child will haunt Samuel Campbell beyond the grave and entangle him in a demonic deal of his own. (Just as Cas, too, will be drawn into an Empty deal for Jack, post-resurrection.)

///

"I'll tell you one person that you're not gonna save. Your Granpappy."

Deanna, very nearly victorious in her bid to go for the gun on the ground, gives herself away with a grief-stricken scream:

We've seen this ghost before. The demon comes through the door. It kills the protector. Then it seeks to kill the second line of defense, before moving onto the rest of the vulnerable family members.

///

Now, we come to 12x23 All Along the Watchtower and 13x01 Lost and Found. And well, it hurts.

Nothing is one-to-one in Supernatural. All parallels are based in the specter of missing bonds and of lost love—whether that's a child, a comrade, a sibling, a parent, or a lover. It's a symphony of harmonizing pain. :(

So, in 12x23/13x01, Cas dies. Dean and Sam are stunned speechless.

In 12x23, it's Mary who leaps into action, and Dean can only stand, a paralyzed witness to Jack's twin fate of The Lost Parents. (Jack's mom, Kelly? She dies. Dean can't save her. Jack's chosen father, Castiel? He dies, too. Dean can't save him either.)

(Both Deanna and Kelly die with their eyes open.)

But Mary is triumphant. She is a Doomed Child fighting back. She protects Jack from Lucifer, even though she could not protect Sam from Azazel. (Echoing this, Crowley serves as an inverse: he spurned his mother's protection from Lucifer and bit off more than he could chew to further the security of his career/position. His death, surprisingly, tears Rowena in two and unfreezes her heart.)

///

But thanks to Mary's heroic efforts here, her own kids are spared this time, and Jack, too. (From here, Mary will go into another world where she never made her deal, and she will make peace with her past.)

Of course, Dean bears witness to his own off-rhyme parallel fate to Mary, The Death of the Lover, at the hands of a Luciferian figure. Cas falls at his feet, and Dean falls to his knees.

Dean is also like John. He can only watch as his loved one's sacrificial debt comes due, with no hope in sight, like how Mary's sacrifice came due--those cosmic consequences.

(And later, Jack, in a painful echo of Azazel, will resurrect The Lover but become destined to kill Mary.)

Later, still in North Cove, Dean pleads with God on the landscape of his broken dreams—Washaway beach, (a cruel nod to the beach trip he will never take), a valley without people or friends in it, and a car.

Like Mary, he looks over his shoulder to find a mysterious tan sedan (but its lights are off & it's enshrouded in darkness).

And there's nothing for Dean here. No miraculous resurrection. No deals that can be made. Not for Dean. Dean's happiness, and the happiness of his loved ones isn’t important enough. The universe turns a blind eye. The father doesn't care if he lives or dies, and his happiness certainly never mattered to Him.

It isn't fair.

His voice shakes, and his lip trembles. "Please. Please, help us."

But God's not listening. "He doesn't give a damn."

///

And we're left with a similar setup to Mary's tragedy, another off-rhyme: we return to the lakehouse and we have...a black Dean car. A tan Cas truck, at cross positions to one another, as they were in 4x03.

But like John, Dean is now left with just Sam n' Jack, and he's ill-equipped for parentally supporting either of them.

///

But Dean just keeps looking and looking and looking. Hoping.

He looks like he's about to faint, actually.

(A kitchen. A dining table. An empty chair at its head.)

But this is how it goes with Cas. Dean tries to stop him from walking away, and in reality, he's powerless to stop him from going anywhere.

Having faith when miracles happen and when they don't? What good is it? It just hurts more.

[spinningbuster98]

Kraid's Lair can be a bit of a twisted joke

It's by far the easier to access between the 2 boss lairs but while it's technically the smallest it's insanely cramped and twisty by design making it really fucking easy to get lost and get killed by the atrocious enemy placement

You can actually find a Fake, blue Kraid here. I guess he's supposed to trick the player? But there's no way you'd find him without a guide honestly, finding the real Kraid is way easier by comparison

Kraid's fight is a mess, he constantly throws shit at you that you have no hope of dodging and those spikes of his often protect him from missiles and projectiles. The most surefire way of handling him is to just spam bombs on him, but that requires that you have the Varia Suit for extra defense and lots of Energy Tanks so that you can hope to kill him before he kills you

One thing I think Metroid 1 does actually really well despite its age is its general atmosphere: of course tha game doesn't have any explicitly scary moments like Fusion, and its character designs can be pretty fucking goofy (Ridley looks like Barney the Dinosaur, Kraid is like a fat, hairy mole and Samus looks like some dude in spandex wearing an oversized astronaut helmet), but the overall aesthetic of the game gives it a genuinely eerie feeling through the use of dark, "acid" colors, mostly mechanical and cold architecture and pitch black backgrounds which were most definitely to save memory space but genuinely sell the idea that the game takes place inside of a giant cave system

Then you add to this the music: yeah Brinstar's theme is catchy and heroic, but the themes of Norfair and Ridley's Lair sound genuinely dissonant and a bit disturbing. Kraid's Lair has my favorite track, being simultanously harmonic and unsettling.

I believe this game's composer, Hirokazu Tanaka, once stated that he purposefully made this soundtrack to be as unorthodox and "weird" as possible in order to drive home the game's unsettling feeling and well...mission accomplished! I still think that this game has some of the best ambience of the series, actually way better than its remake Zero Mission. In fact I think the original trilogy has geberally a much eerier atmosphere than all of the other games, Fusion included, but that's a topic for another day

So! Tourian!

Pro tip: don't bother killing the Metroids, just freeze them and let them go, 'cause you're gonna need all the missiles you have. Yeah it's a bit dumb that Samus' mission is to kill all the Metroids to prevent the Space Pirates from using them for galactic conquest....and yet it's better to leave them alone for ammo preservation. Well this place is gonna blow either way...

And then there's Mother Brain, who might as well have the power of Chaos Control because my God LOOK AT HOW MUCH SLOWDOWN THERE IS! Because of all the shit that those turrets fling at you every second the game just slows down to an absolute crawl and when you mix this with the cramped as fuck design of the room preventing you from dodging reliably and the fact that those zebetite pillars will start to regenerate almost immediately after you hit them, this fight sucks absolute ass and it's incredibly easy to just die over and over again!

I hope for your sake that you found the Varia Suit and the Screw Attack to deal with those Rinkas from Hell, and also that you don't screw up the final escape sequence with those tiny ass platforms!

I've always found it interesting how the game very nonchalantly told us that "space could be invaded by the other Metroid". Were they really so sure there was gonna be a sequel? This is one of my favorite aspects of the series: even though when you get down to it these games are basically written pretty episodically,much like other classic game series such as Zelda or Sonic, they almost always leave some general loose plot point that future games can exploit to make the series look like it has an overarching plot...evn though that's not really the case

Also yeah, Samus is a woman, what a surprise!

And before anyone says something: no. She wasn't made a woman in order to "challenge gender norms" or "for trans rep" or whatever. Those are very modern, 2010s/2020s views being applied to a videogame from the 1980s when games weren't exactly interested in politics or activism, let alone Nintendo games, and stuff like wanting to challenge gender norms were most likely not on most people's mind in the gaming business, or most contexts unfortunately.

I can't find the Interviews, but I believe this game's devs once stated that they can't even remember whose idea it was to make Samus a woman (most likely due to how chaotic the game's development was) but the general thought process seems to be that they wanted to give players a nice surprise for beating the game quickly enough and they also wanted to have an Ellen Ripley reference because Metroid borrows a lot from Alien.

I'm not saying that Samus holds no importance in the context of female heroines in gaming or feminism or whatever. I'm just saying that there's an important difference between saying that she BECAME an icon for female representation in games and saying that she was always MEANT to be one.

[talia-rumlow]

Home Sweet Home (AU Brock Rumlow/OFC) Chapter Five

WORD COUNT: 4655

TRIGGERS: Mentions of sex, emotions, age-gap

HAPPY READING!

CHAPTER FIVE - SOMETHING NEW!

Calleigh feels utterly drained as she pulls up outside her father's three-story business building. Why do weekends have to end so quickly? And why does she feel like she's running on fumes? During the fifteen-minute drive from home to downtown Mansfield, she's dangerously close to rear-ending the car ahead, nearly misses a stop sign, signals in the wrong direction twice, and almost misses her exit. Dallas rush hour traffic doesn't help matters.

She sinks back into her seat, closing her eyes. This morning started off great. Well, apart from the rude awakening by the alarm. Everything else was perfect. Brock had already finished his morning routine when the alarm jolted her awake. She recalls the moment vividly, though part of her mind struggles to believe it.

•─────────•°•❀•°•─────────•

The loud annoying beeping from the alarm wakes Calleigh up, "Mmm, shut up," she mumbles, reaching for her phone on the nightstand.

"Morning, Princess," Brock whispers in her ear, wrapping an arm around her. "Breakfast is ready downstairs," his voice, deep and raspy yet tender, soothes her.

•─────────•°•❀•°•─────────•

She really needs to stop dwelling on him. But oh, this morning. If only every day could start like that. Though she could definitely do without today's horrendous drive to work.

Opening her eyes, she gazes at the building before her. The place that will likely be her workplace for the foreseeable future. Safe, but lacking in real excitement. The company is national, with offices across the country, but everything is controlled from this office. Maybe one day she could take the business international. Spend some time in Europe or Asia. With their existing deals with airline companies, expanding to other continents isn't out of the question.

With a sigh, she grabs her purse and steps out of her car, casting another glance at the building. It's modest, nothing flashy or extravagant, except for the rooftop terrace. The ground floor houses storage areas for both the company and Jack's rental storage business. It's Jack's way of asserting his authority to his dad, demonstrating that he's also in charge. Since the ground floor is twice the size of the rest of the building, Jack decided to build the terrace. It's a space where employees can unwind, with company BBQs, birthday celebrations, and the option for staff to host private events.

The second and third floor held the offices and conference rooms, the archives, the common room, the kitchen and the changing rooms. The kitchen was rarely used other than to make coffee and chit-chatting, but the common room was usually always buzzing with laughter and work related banter.

•─────────•°•❀•°•─────────•

Calleigh steps into the storage area, where she's met by the presence of Aisha, the receptionist, behind the expansive desk. Aisha possesses olive skin and deep brown eyes accentuated by thick lashes. Her soft tan hijab elegantly drapes over her hair, cascading under her chin and resting on the shoulders of her pristine white blazer. The hijab harmonizes with her dark emerald slacks and casual tee, seamlessly melding with her professional attire.

"Morning, Aisha," Calleigh greets as she enters, accepting the papers handed to her. "How was your weekend?" she inquires, glancing over the documents.

Aisha has been a part of Jack's team for several years, their paths crossing at a company-hosted benefit for refugees. Fate intervened when the computer system crashed that very day. Upon hearing Jack's frustrations, Aisha volunteered to troubleshoot. In a matter of hours, she resolved the entire system glitch. Impressed, Jack promptly offered her a job, and she's excelled ever since, becoming the linchpin that holds everything together. Calleigh marvels at how Aisha manages it all.

"Oh, you know, the usual hustle and bustle. With four kids and a husband, boredom isn't on my agenda," Aisha replies with a bright white smile.

Calleigh sends her a smile in return as she glances over the papers in her hand once again. Narrowing her brows when she sees that Karen Jessop is on the list of today's pick ups.

Karen was, as her name gave away, the biggest "Karen" in the area. No matter what happened around her, she managed to find a way to complain about it. None of the delivery personnel liked her, and some of them were even afraid of her. This was just what Calleigh needed on top of everything else.

"Really," she sighs, pointing to Karen's name. "Who's on shift at that time?" She asks, her voice hopeful and on the verge of begging.

"One sec," Aisha lifts a finger up, as she checks her screen. "Peterson, Lopata and Rosenthal," she continues as her eyes move across the screen in front of her.

"Oh, Jimenez isn't in today?" Calleigh questions.

Aisha shakes her head. "I approved his day off last week," she replies.

"Perfect..." Calleigh sighs. "Call him," she continued. Yes, it's his day off, but she needs him. Jimenez was the only person that could handle Karen. And he was the only person Karen could handle. Hopefully she won't complain today.

Aisha flashes her a begging face. "It's his day off, Calleigh," she replies.

"Full overtime, tell him he'll get full overtime. I'll clear it with my dad," Calleigh insists.

"And if he can't?" Aisha asks, lifting up her tablet.

"Just try, please. Full overtime," Calleigh repeats. Hoping beyond hope that he's available. "And he can get any other day off," she continues as she approaches the elevator.

•─────────•°•❀•°•─────────•

Brock greeted his receptionist Sarah with a warm smile and handed her a cup of coffee. "Morning, Sarah," he said.

"Morning, Brock. You look exceptionally happy today," the petite brunette replied, her brown eyes studying his face.

Sarah has been Brock's receptionist for about 5 years. They met through his sister Samantha, who had befriended Sarah in their maternity group. When Samantha told Brock about the sweet, single mom in the group who struggled to make ends meet with several underpaid jobs, he instantly felt for her. The fact that Sarah was also a computer wiz made hiring her an easy decision. Brock paid her more than he would typically pay a receptionist. Given his own background growing up in a single-parent household, he never hesitated to ensure Sarah was fairly compensated.

Brock replied with a smile, "Eh, you know me. Every Monday is a fresh start - a chance to make it a great week." It was nearly impossible for him to conceal his elation. Whenever he thought of Calleigh, his lips involuntarily curled into a smile that he couldn't suppress. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop himself from constantly thinking about her. In fact, he couldn't recall the last time he had felt this way.

He had been so nervous for that kiss. Almost to the point where he nearly refrained from the attempt. But he couldn't help himself, her lips looked so soft and warm. How could he not kiss them? And then, when she welcomed his advance, opening her mouth for him. Sweet Lord in the heavens. He knew, he already knew that he loved her. He loved her more than he'd ever loved a woman in his entire life. If fate was willing, he'd marry her.

When Saturday came to an end, Calleigh never let go of his hand as they walked upstairs. At first, he didn't know how to react. To be honest, he was afraid - afraid of having a nightmare or a panic attack, which were often triggered by situations or feelings beyond his control.

This newfound closeness with Calleigh was something he definitely couldn't control. But as he crawled up behind her, feeling her skin against his, all the horrors of his past seemed to disappear. He felt at home, safe, more at ease than he had been since first deploying to Afghanistan twenty-two years ago.

Yet, if he forced himself to be truly honest, he didn't know how to process or react to this unfamiliar sense of comfort and security. It felt scary, and on some levels it was. Calleigh was Jack's daughter, his only child. No matter how much he wanted to, that fact was impossible to get rid of. 

•─────────•°•❀•°•─────────•

Calleigh leaned back against her office door, taking in her familiar surroundings. To her left, her desk stood with her computer, her name plaque, some picture frames to make her office seem more like home, and a stack of papers. Floor-to-ceiling bookcases lined the wall behind the desk, filled with binders, books, and various memorabilia. To her right, the couch, table, and two recliners where she, Molly, and Jess often had lunch. A large screen TV, installed by Jack when she was younger, adorned the adjacent wall.

Calleigh had spent countless hours in this office, both as a child, and now after she started to work here, she knew it inside out. Yet, something felt different today. The vibrant painting above the couch, which had always struck her as flashing, now made sense in a way it never had before. For the first time since starting this job, she felt a sense of belonging.

This newfound feeling, however, left her unsettled. She couldn't quite put her finger on it - was she growing up? Becoming a woman? The transition felt strange, as if she were caught between her now slightly more experienced self and the inexperienced girl she once was. Navigating this shift in her identity was uncharted territory, leaving her uncertain on how to proceed.

She makes a mental note to ask Jess about this particular question. Molly and Jess had always been her 'go-to' people about everything. She can't remember ever telling any of her parents if she was in love. Jack would've given her the third degree about who,what,how and when, and then he probably would have given the guy the same third degree, scaring him off. And Genevieve, her mother. She would have rambled on about how to be careful, how to not let him hurt her, how to not, not, not. She knew her parents loved her, and that they only wanted her to be safe, but still. She felt she never got any real support, and that a lot of things in her life were about keeping her good name or names clean. It was like expected of her to marry someone who came from money, same as her. Not that either one of her parents would ever dictate who she married, she knew they both had expectations.

 •─────────•°•❀•°•─────────•

Molly drummed her fingers impatiently on the rolling table they used for lunch deliveries. It was her turn to bring lunch today, but the delay was frustrating. Giving Jess a chance to sit down and assess Calleigh's facial expression before she arrived. Molly couldn't wait to find out what had happened after they left on Saturday. The group had exchanged messages on Sunday, but Calleigh had been brief, responding mostly with emojis and short phrases like "yes" or "you wish" to Jess' direct questions. Molly remembered how close Calleigh and Brock had been before Kilo interrupted them by the pool, so a kiss - or even several - didn't seem far-fetched. 

  •─────────•°•❀•°•─────────•

Calleigh puts the papers down on her desk with a sigh. She just can't seem to focus today. Mondays were always a drag, but today it is more difficult to get things done. It's like nothing is getting through her brain. Well, nothing except for Brock. She has no problem thinking about him. His hazel brown eyes, his soft lips, his warm tongue, his hands on her. All of that is getting through, without any kind of filtering. Is she in love? She can't find the right answer to that question. All she knows is that she can't seem to get him out of her head. Maybe she was reading too much into it. But it can't be that either. With everything he said to her, she can't be reading too much into it. He called her princess. Jesus, Calleigh. She tells herself. With an exasperated sigh she lets her forehead fall down on the desk.

"Lunch is on the way," Jess' voice sounds all the way from the outside of her office.

Calleigh slowly lifts her head up. Molly and Jess are going to ask questions, and she has no idea how to answer them. This is one of those times when she's beyond thankful for Jess' quick wit. A facial expression, and Jess can probably answer all of the questions herself. "Lunch," Calleigh replies, almost without realizing that she's even talking.

"What happened to you?" Jess asks as she waves her hands in front of her face.

Calleigh opens her eyes. Oh great. The paper she doesn't understand a shit of is now stuck to her forehead. "Oh, this? Nothing," she replies as she puts the paper down on her desk again. "Where's Molls?" She adds, after making sure Molly isn't in her office.

"Mondays are Molly days. Which means that I get the 4-1-1 beforehand," Jesse proudly exclaimed as she takes a seat on the couch in the opposite corner of the office, and casually put her feet up on the armrest.

Calleigh lets out another sigh. Mondays. Yeah. Mondays were Molly's days to bring lunch. They always ordered lunch in to work. But someone had to make sure all the food arrived, and that everyone got what they had ordered. "Oh, yeah.. It's Monday today...," she replies as she sinks down in a chair opposite Jess.

"Wow.. Who put their tongue down your throat?" Jess laughs. "No, no, wait, wait, let me guess. It's a certain handsome mechanic isn't it?" she continues. "Mr. Brock Rumlow," she adds with a dramatic arm movement.

"Shush," Calleigh desperately waves her hand to make Jess stop. "I know that my dad isn't here right now. But he does own the place, and everybody knows him," she continues. Her heart is beating rapidly, rationally people would probably not catch on just from Jess mentioning him. But it just felt so... she can't even find the right words.

"But you did kiss him, right?" Jess continues, as she sits up.

"WHAT??!!??" Molly's voice sounds from the door. "You kissed him?" She continues as she closes the door.

Calleigh jumps from the voice behind her. "Jesus, Molls. Are you trying to kill me?" She says, taking a good look at the door, as to make sure it's actually closed. "A bit higher, and the delivery guys outside would've heard you," she adds.

"Oh come on, Calleigh. Mrs. Kensington isn't here, so we can talk freely," Jess informs, as she takes the take out box Molly hands her.

"Since when did that stop you, Jess," Molly argues, as she takes a seat next to Calleigh.

"Ok, shush. Both of you. Yes, we kissed, and please, please don't scream it out. I kinda want to be able to keep kissing him. And I can't do that if he's dead," Calleigh tells them, as she looks between them.

"Yeah, because that's easy to do. YOU KISSED BROCK!" Jess almost yells. Then she gets her composure back "I mean, you kissed Brock," she whispers.

"Yeah, Jess. It doesn't help to whisper it after you yelled it," Molly laughs. "Do I have to put duct tape over your mouth again?" She continues.

"Mhmh," Jess replies, pressing her lips together. "Imma eat my bacon burger. She's gonna talk," she adds, pointing at Calleigh.

The duck tape memory almost makes Calleigh forget what she was going to say. Molly was fifteen, and hopelessly in love with a guy. Jess of course wouldn't shut up about it. And the whole thing ended up with Molly duct taping her mouth shut. To no avail, the guy found out anyway. Calleigh can't help but laugh. God how childish they were back then. It's weird to think that it was only five - six years ago. And Friday was only two - three days ago. Man, how life can change in the blink of an eye.

"So," Jess gestures towards Calleigh, to get her to start to talk. "Tell us," she adds.

"Well, he kissed me," Calleigh looks between her friends. What more can she say? Should she reveal all the details? How it felt, what she thought. Does she even know what she thought? It feels like her head is in a big pink cloud, and she can't tell the difference between what happened and what didn't happen. Maybe it all was a dream.

"Where?" Molly asks, lifting her cup to her mouth and wrapping her lips around the straw.

Calleigh looks at her. What? Where? "On the lips?" She answers, it's more a question than an actual answer. She knows that's probably not what Molly meant, but her brain isn't working properly.

"No, no. Where?" She replies, sending Calleigh a teasing smile.

"In the pool," Calleigh breathes out as she thinks back to that moment in the pool. How amazing it was. How soft his lips felt on hers. How his tongue swirled around hers, tasting her.

"How did you end up--," Molly starts. But Calleigh cuts her off.

"In the kitchen," she continues, looking out in the air with dreamy eyes. "And in my bed....," she adds.

"HE WAS IN YOUR BED!!" Jess can't hide her enthusiasm. "Sorry, sorry," she says, lowering her voice to a whisper. "He was in your bed?"

"Mmmhhmmm," Calleigh replies, totally lost in the memories from this weekend. It wasn't like they planned for him to sleep next to her, it just kinda happened. She had fallen asleep in his lap during the movie, and when he woke her up it just felt natural for her to keep holding his hand all the way into her bed. They both had their clothes on. Or well, she slept in her sleep shorts and t-shirt, and he slept in his boxer briefs. Nothing happened, other than a kiss goodnight, and him giving her a kiss on the forehead before he left for his morning run.

Sunday was amazing, with sweet and tender kisses, soft touches and him looking at her like she was one of the seven wonders of the earth. No one had ever looked at her like that before. And for it to be Brock. She still couldn't believe that. It made her feel special. With Brock she was something more than just the daughter of a Rollins and a Lewis. She was more than just a heiress. With Brock, she was Calleigh.

“Hey, earth to Calleigh,” Jess waves her hand in front of Calleigh’s face. “What happened in your bed?” She asks, when Calleigh looks up at her. 

“Jessica!” Molly almost gasps. “You don't have to answer that, Calleigh!” She continues with an understanding head tilt to Calleigh, followed by a stern look at Jess. 

“Hey!” Jess cuts her off before she can say anything else. “That's unfair,” she continues with a theatrical pout. “I told you guys about me and Ben,” she finishes her little speech by placing her half eaten burger back in the box, and folding her arms over her chest. 

“Errr,” Calleigh finally shoots in.  “Correction,” she says, sending Jess a friendly smile, and lifting her finger up in the air. “It was actually Ben, who told everyone about that,” she laughs. 

Ben fucking Caplan, the first guy Jess slept with. He was in Jess history class, and the two of them really hit it off. Or so Jess thought. Ben turned out to be the BIGGEST fuck-boy out there. As soon as he had spent a night in bed with Jess, he stopped talking to her. But he really didn't stop talking ABOUT her. He was so vocal about his adventures with Jess, that he might as well shared it over the school's intercom. And he straight out bragged about how he deflowered Jess. Now, that was something he shouldn't have done. Although Jess was hurt by his childish bragging, she did show him why you should never mess with Jess; Because she lashed back. “He just gave me all the power in the world,” she had said. And then, she kept going on about how tiny he was, and that he couldn't even get it up at first. Words like flaccid and magnifying glass were used, and Ben's reputation never recovered; not even to this day it had. Calleigh didn't even know if he got any girls after that. But she was on Jess’ side anyway, and Ben deserved it; he really did. 

“I told you about Ben,” Jess argues. Leaning back on the couch, arms still folded over her chest. 

“Yes, you did,” Molly chuckles. “But we already knew then,” she continues, before both her and Calleigh burst into laughter. 

It was good to be able to think back to the good old days. Jess was 16 back then, while Molly and Calleigh were both 14. Calleigh enjoyed those memories. Those memories she got before she was forced to relocate to New York. Even though she was back now, she couldn't shake off the fact that she missed so much time. Those four last years of school. Years she should've had with Jess and Molly. Important years. Instead she had four years in New York, without her two best friends. Four years collecting memories she desperately tried to hide from every single person she trusted. No one knew, except her. And she was determined to keep it that way. She didn't want the miscommunicated understanding or the ‘I'm sorry’ head tilts, and she really didn't want Jack's rage. It wasn't only that she didn't want to tell; She couldn't tell. 

“Okay, okay,” Jess tosses her hands up. “I know,” she continues with a smile. She couldn't help it, thinking back to the Ben thing was undeniably funny. “It's just that I don't think Brock will be as vocal about this,” she finishes, raising her eyebrows as she grabs her burger again. 

“No. No he won't,” Calleigh tries to stop laughing as she shakes her head at Jess. 

“Mmmhrrmm,” Jess chews as fast as she can, trying to deliver her next line. “I know,” she manages to push out as she chews. “That's why I have to hear it from yohuhu,” she finally finishes, almost jumping up and down on the couch from excitement. 

Molly's teasing remark breaks the silence. "It's been a while, huh?" She knows this isn't their usual conversation, but with her ecstatic friend, it's the only way she can avoid turning into a blushing mess.

When Molly reflects on how different the three of them are, it's almost unbelievable they've become so close. They grew up in similar circumstances - affluent families, private school, same neighborhood. Yet, they're like night and day. Molly is the shy, quiet one, sometimes apologizing for her own existence. Jessica is bluntly straightforward. And Calleigh is the proper one.

Molly remembers the afternoons spent at Calleigh's, where homework had to be completed the moment they arrived, and checked before any playtime. Molly's own mother, a busy trauma surgeon, couldn't be as strict after Molly's father passed away. Thankfully, Molly had Jack, a second father figure, to rely on. She didn't even care that he was so strict. 

Jess takes a deep breath. “Way too long, Molls,” she breathes out. “But that's beside the point. I want to know how long it's been for her,” she continues, pointing her burger at Calleigh. 

Calleigh looks from the burger to Jess, before sighing. “Since never,” she replies. “And when did you become so interested in my non-existent sex life?” She continues, tilting her head slightly. She couldn't help it, the look on Jess’ face was priceless; almost to the point where she's regretting not bringing a video camera to work. 

“Oh, no no,” Jess exclaimes, before taking another bite of her burger. “Brock's,” she continued through her mouthful. 

“You should ask him then,” Molly smiles as she puts the last piece of her chicken wrap into her mouth. She rarely entered conversations like this one. Usually she just listened and only answered if or when asked. But this was just too juicy and too big for her to shut up about.

“Are you crazy?” Jess almost screams the words out. And it looks like she just received news about little green men taking over congress or something. “He's a grown up!” She continues. “You don't ask grown ups about their sex life,” she finishes with a series of deep breaths, like she just ran a marathon. 

"Didn't you just ask Calleigh about Brock's sex life?” Molly chuckles. It's not often Jess is the one to blush, and she wants to make the best of this situation. 

“Nope,” Jess casually replies when she regains her composure. “I asked Calleigh about her sex life, which incidentally are intertwined with Brocks these days,” she continues, putting on a happy and satisfied look. 

Calleigh can't help but chuckle at the friendly banter. “Sorry to disappoint you Jess,” she tells her friend, shaking her head. “There's no sex life,” she continues with another chuckle. “He just slept next to me,” she finishes; throwing her take out box towards the trash can. She misses by a landslide. “Good thing I'm not a basketball player,” she breathes out, as she gets up to collect the box from the floor. 

“But, you were naked?” Jess continues with a friendly laugh, showing that the question wasn't all that serious. 

Calleigh takes a quick glance at the time confirming that lunchtime is over. Without exchanging any words, she looks at Jess and points to her wrist. 

“Shit!” Molly gasps, almost jumping up from the chair. “I have so much to do, and I have no idea how to do it, or where to start,” she sighs. 

“Didn't you just have a masterclass in Seattle?” Calleigh questions. Not realizing that Molly came back from Seattle two days before the class was over. 

“Where were you this weekend?” Molly replies, sending Calleigh a teasing look. “Because I'm pretty sure both me and Jess were having pizza at your place. And I think I remember you there as well,” she continues. 

“Oh, God. Molls I'm sorry. I.. I'm just not in my head these days,” Calleigh replies. Jesus, did the whole weekend pass by without her being aware of what was happening?

“You're forgiven. I'm just happy that I didn't have to spend my weekend with Mrs. Kensington as she was sharing her wisdom with the younger generation,” Molly delivers the Mrs. Kensington part in a condescending tone. 

Calleigh sends Molly an understanding nod. “You're really happy she's not here, aren't you?” She asks. 

“Extremely,” Molly replies, well aware that Mrs. Kensington would return in a couple of days, and that the office would go back to normal, with the senior manager and her nagging about every little detail. 

“I'm pretty sure they were naked,” Jess shoots in with another laugh as they exit the office.  

“Fine, we were naked,” Calleigh laughs back with a head tilt. “You're never gonna let this go are ya’?” She continues.

“Not until I get the information I want,” Jess replies as she walks down the hallway with Molly. “And I can hear that you're lying by the tone of your voice,” she continues. 

Calleigh leans against the doorframe. Naked Brock. Naked Brock in her bed. She can't help but wonder how that would feel like. Oh, God! It's Brock. Her heart starts to beat rapidly when she thinks about that. She would fall in love at one point in her life. She knew that. And her parents, though they probably prefer her to be single forever, obviously understood that too. But for her to fall in love with Brock, if that's what this was. That wasn't something any of them were prepared for. That wasn't even something that had crossed any of their minds, for even a second. Brock. Just why did it have to be Brock?

<------- Previous Chapter

Next Chapter -------->

@nekoannie-chan @saiyanprincessswanie @late-to-the-party-81 @rip1009 @the-ero-writer @there-goes-thefighter @ladysif8

[splattergai]

Hello! We'd like to make a request for a headmate template!

There's a species one of our headmates remembers from their timeline - it's called a starsinger, and it's an alien whose consciousness originates in outer space but is drawn towards planets that have music on them and takes a form based on a song. We'd like one of "Moonlight Drive" by the Doors! (Although if you know any other songs by the Doors, please feel free to incorporate inspirations from those too! As well as any knowledge or vibes you have about psychedelic rock.)

I imagine them as having had a timeline where they came to Earth (specifically California) in 1968 (the year after the song came out) and got involved with music, either playing in bands and/or as a music reviewer/journalist. We would also like if they'd had period-typical addictions but recovered from them and now has a system role that has to do with managing addiction recovery, since that applies to us in this life.

They'd be an age slider whose youngest age is 21 (the age that starsingers are when they take form on Earth) and whose oldest age is the age someone who was young in the 60s/70s would be now. Other roles we'd like them to have include interest holder (for classic rock/music in general - they like older music the best but want to learn about all music) and socializer (or at least have them be pretty social; we go to concerts and karaoke a lot and I think an alter like this would enjoy that).

Feel free to give them non-binary genders/neopronouns, interests/aesthetics that fit the time period, and some connection to space (including the moon, I'm sure they loved seeing the moon landing). For orientation, we'd like them to be asexual and not romantically interested in binary women, ideally some kind of aro-spec. Also objectum for musical instruments and/or music itself!

Thank you for your time!

Name(s): Apollo, Ranger

Age: Age Slider (21-55)

Species: Starsinger

Kin(s): Musickin (general)

Pronouns: they/them, ne/nymph, rock/rocks, stone/stones, dream/dreams, moon/moons, luna/lunas, star/stars

Gender(s): Bassguitagender, endversic, moonguardilyrical

Orientation: Asexual polyromantic aliquaromantic, soundrum, music box objectum, guitarum

Other: Harmonic Attraction, electric guitar soundstelic

Role(s): Interest Holder, Musicnaut, Addiction Manager

Likes: looking at NASA photos, stargazing, concerts, singing, karaoke, space

Dislikes: Complete silence (the kind where absolutely no noise is going on, including ambient noise)

Sign-Off: 🌓🎸

Description: Often will attend social music related events such as karaoke, open mic nights, and concerts and engage with the people there. Really enjoys talking to other people about their music tastes and learning about the history behind each genre. Has a very diverse music taste, but prefers classic rock and stuff from their time period. Their style often includes dark blues and purples, sometimes also using brighter colors as accessories in order to intimidate space. They're very kind and understanding to others. Uses their experience from their addiction recovery experience to help the rest of the system manage current addiction recovery. Rants to others regarding facts about space, and keeps up with astronomy news.

[heroofshield]

Whumpcember Day 15- Hallucinating (Mass Effect, Shakarian)

@whumpcember

The container exploded and the red gas burst out, spreading everywhere.

Looking back on it, Shepard realized that they should have followed protocol, especially since they knew that Minagen X3 was highly toxic, and used their hazmat helmets. But in the moment things were happening to quickly; if they didn't track down the Eclipse mercenaries in a timely manner then Samara would refuse to join the crew. And from what Shepard saw, they could use the Asari Justicar and the firepower she brought.

Exchanging fire with the mercenaries, Shepard tried not to breathe in the gas as it crept nearer but accidentally did so. Coughing as it made its way through the filers in her helmet, she pushed forwards to drive the mercenaries back.

"What the hell is that made of?" she asked herself, feeling her heart beat faster and starting to feel like she could do anything.

"You good Shepard?" Garrus asked, narrowing his eyes while looking at the Commander. EDI had told him that her vitals were starting to spike and there was a mysterious compound in her blood.

"Accidentally got a bit of the Minagen X3 in my system. I'll be good through." Shepard replied as they took advantage of the empty space for a brief rest before pressing on.

"If you're sure." Garrus said, his sub-harmonics relaying the doubt he felt.

"Yeah." Shepard slipped on her helmet again, making sure that it engaged the seals and was on tight. Friendly slapping Garrus on the shoulder she continued, "Thanks though."

--

Another container burst open next to Shepard and she couldn't move out of the way in time-the red gas enveloping her. Shepard rolled out of cover and dashed over towards a new spot that was Minagen X3 free, she focused on taking out the rest of the mercenaries. Halfway through. she felt the familiar rush but this time it was more intense.

"Shit." she thought, powering up her biotics and enjoying the feeling of how easily they responded and did more damage when she threw a nova and the group went flying. "Maybe I could try to Reave though."

"Shepard!" Garrus snapped, putting his sniper rifle away now that the mercenaries had been taken care of and standing up. "You good?"

"Hell yeah, lets go. Gotta keep them running." Shepard said quickly, scanning for any more Eclipse mercenaries that might suddenly appear.

"Shepard...they're gone, we took care of them all."

"No they're still there, don't you see them?"

"Well...shit." Garrus thought, realizing that Shepard must have gotten another dose of Minagen and it was affecting her more than the last time.

"EDI, get the shuttle ready and tell Chakwas that Shepard needs a detox. She must have gotten a heavier does of that Minagen." he said while striding over to where Shepard was and after some difficulty, got her into what the humans called a bear hug; wrapping both his arms around her so that she couldn't escape.

Straightening up, he was glad for the height difference between him and Shepard; that way it wouldn't be so difficult carrying her back to the shuttle and to the med-bay.

--

Shepard opened her eyes and squinted against the bright light. "Where am I?" she groaned, wishing the pounding in her head would go away.

"The Medbay. How are you?" Garrus said, glancing over the top of his datapad.

"Like I partied all night." Shepard buried her face in the pillow and just wanted to sleep the hangover away. "What happened?"

"The short story is that you got a face full of Minagen and started hallucinating. Had to carry out of there and onto the shuttle so Chakwas could start the detox."

As Garrus talked, Shepard realized that she hazily remembered the feeling like she could do anything with her biotics. "That could have ended badly." she thought, shifting so she could crack open an eye and look at Garrus.

"Guess I owe you one then."

"I'll put it on your tab."

"Sounds fair." Shepard licked her dry lips, wondering if the fluttering feeling in her stomach was Minagen related or if it was something else. "Thanks."

Garrus gave a short nod, "You're welcome."

[th3-0bjectivist]

Dear listener, I turned on my car radio for about five hours on a long drive this week and found myself suffering and appalled through the advert-heavy and song-lite nature of it all. Seriously, this is what passes for radio programming these days? The ninety-nine and one-half trillionth T-Swift breakup ballad? Pop-country tunes that manage to all sound the EXACT same as the previous pop-country tune?? Radio rock stations featuring tunes with less balls than a castrati troupe!? Modern hip-hop/rap music that all sounds roughly equivalent to setting up a lawncare sprinkler system in my car only without the water!!? Nine-to-ten agonizing commercials in a row before you get to the commercial-free hour, only to be then reminded between each individual song that it’s the commercial free music hour!!??!?!!?? I flipped from station to station hoping for some form of alleviation, for SOME hope that music is still alive and well on the radio in 2023. Y’know what I found out? The absolute BEST music programming on modern radio is based on tunes created around two to three centuries ago. That’s right folks! The best radio station I came across was a classical one. The classical radio deejay was informative, his voice was soft and pleasant, there were minimal commercials and the musical interludes lasted forty-five minutes at a stretch until the next commercial break. Inspired by this, until the end of 2023, I’ll be posting 3 classical tune sets (Bach, Vivaldi, and Brahms) starting with my personal favorite German musician of all-time, Johann Sebastian Bach.

Generally regarded as one of the greatest composers in the history of Western culture, this man was truly fit for the title ‘Master of Composition’. Starting off as a mega-talented organ player and violinist, Bach had a distinct flair for blending widely varying instruments and regional musical styles, regularly synthesizing multifarious sound techniques to make a noise ain’t nobody on Earth had heard before. Having been employed by local churches early on, Bach began composing his own ‘sacred music’ (see also ‘church music’) and being something of a musical jack-of-all-trades engaged in his own ‘non-secular’ works which did not jive with very simply defined and rigid church traditions. Having a penchant for engineering complex and experimental arrangements, Bach developed a special talent for weaving melodic lines and immensely complex interdependent harmonies together to provide compositional structures that were simply second to NONE in the early 1700’s and even up to this very day. His concertos for orchestras, sonatas, suites, cantatas, keyboard works, choral works and organ works really are the stuff of legend which is why they are hailed up to the current day! I could go on endlessly about his accolades, but instead I’ll just leave you with the following final thought. Some of Bach’s individual works are like observing an incredibly detailed drawing or painting, except with audio. If you concentrate enough on a single piece, you’ll very clearly hear the overlapping elements, the solid lines accompanied by the abstract rudiments floating softly in the background and be moved emotionally by the very physics of the harmonic motions. It’s not just the melodic nature of the man’s tunes, but also the harmony that accompanies them. Smash play and enjoy a variation of Cantata BWV 147: Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring and experience for yourself why people like Bach were truly the rock stars of their era. And if you want more, like way more, click just below for The Best of Bach and enjoy!

He also married his own cousin, had 20 children through separate wives, and died after eye surgery in 1750. I like to separate the art from the artist on my blog. Nobody’s perfect, it was different times back then with vastly inferior social and medical standards at play. I don’t judge too harshly. I mean, he was so talented that Duke Wilhelm had him imprisoned after Bach simply tried to leave the Duke’s royal court to find a better gig. He did something that the vast majority of modern musicians just can’t seem to be bothered to do… innovate (to simplify that word for modern musicians, it means creating brand NEW stuff that no one has heard of or tried before, you’re welcome…)! And for that reason, he has more than earned his placed in the annals of human history as one, if not the greatest composer, and my personal favorite classical composer of all time. Image source: https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/history-and-civilisation/2019/07/how-bachs-anatomy-may-have-handed-him-greatness

[sunburstsoundlab]

The Role of AI in Music Composition

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing numerous industries, and the music industry is no exception. At Sunburst SoundLab, we use different AI based tools to create music that unites creativity and innovation. But how exactly does AI compose music? Let's dive into the fascinating world of AI-driven music composition and explore the techniques used to craft melodies, rhythms, and harmonies.

How AI Algorithms Compose Music

AI music composition relies on advanced algorithms that mimic human creativity and musical knowledge. These algorithms are trained on vast datasets of existing music, learning patterns, structures and styles. By analyzing this data, AI can generate new compositions that reflect the characteristics of the input music while introducing unique elements.

Machine Learning Machine learning algorithms, particularly neural networks, are crucial in AI music composition. These networks are trained on extensive datasets of existing music, enabling them to learn complex patterns and relationships between different musical elements. Using techniques like supervised learning and reinforcement learning, AI systems can create original compositions that align with specific genres and styles.

Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) GANs consist of two neural networks – a generator and a discriminator. The generator creates new music pieces, while the discriminator evaluates them. Through this iterative process, the generator learns to produce music that is increasingly indistinguishable from human-composed pieces. GANs are especially effective in generating high-quality and innovative music.

Markov Chains Markov chains are statistical models used to predict the next note or chord in a sequence based on the probabilities of previous notes or chords. By analyzing these transition probabilities, AI can generate coherent musical structures. Markov chains are often combined with other techniques to enhance the musicality of AI-generated compositions.

Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) RNNs, and their advanced variant Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks, are designed to handle sequential data, making them ideal for music composition. These networks capture long-term dependencies in musical sequences, allowing them to generate melodies and rhythms that evolve naturally over time. RNNs are particularly adept at creating music that flows seamlessly from one section to another.

Techniques Used to Create Melodies, Rhythms, and Harmonies

Melodies AI can analyze pitch, duration and dynamics to create melodies that are both catchy and emotionally expressive. These melodies can be tailored to specific moods or styles, ensuring that each composition resonates with listeners. Rhythms AI algorithms generate complex rhythmic patterns by learning from existing music. Whether it’s a driving beat for a dance track or a subtle rhythm for a ballad, AI can create rhythms that enhance the overall musical experience. Harmonies Harmony generation involves creating chord progressions and harmonizing melodies in a musically pleasing way. AI analyzes the harmonic structure of a given dataset and generates harmonies that complement the melody, adding depth and richness to the composition. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The role of AI in music composition is a testament to the incredible potential of technology to enhance human creativity. As AI continues to evolve, the possibilities for creating innovative and emotive music are endless.

Explore our latest AI-generated tracks and experience the future of music. 🎶✨

[ocean-in-my-rebel-soul]

Inspired by @josilverdragon!

Here's the top five songs I've been listening to this week (I use Youtube Music) and a couple of sentences of what I think about them. I've added screenshots of what the song card is in YT Music with the link to the YT video, in case someone doesn't have YTM.

Tagging: @flashhwing @heart809 @dismalzelenka @luddlestons @barbex and anyone who wants to share! Tag me back, I wanna see what you're listening to!

1) "Blood // Water" by grandson

This has been my most repeated song this week. With everything going on in the world over the last, uh, forever, scream-singing it in my car has been rather therapeutic. I've even added it to my karaoke repertoire for when I'm in A Mood and feeling kinda crunchy about it all. I put it on when I'm angry with the world and daydreaming about a hypothetical world revolution.

2) "Feed The Machine" by Poor Man's Poison

More of the same. It's got very bourgeoisie vs. proletariat, anti-capitalist overlords, and anti-ologarchy vibes going on, and it speaks to my rage at the system I find myself living in. Plus, it's just a bop! It always gets stuck in my head, and it's just fun, kinda. I like the band's sound and overall vibe; everything I've listened to by them has been really great.

3) "Welcome to the Internet" by Bo Burnham

So I absolutely love this song. I absolutely love this whole special, both the film and the album. I wasn't a Burnham fan before this, though I was familiar with his music/comedy and was fond of a couple of songs, but INSIDE squished my brain inside out (ha) and turned me into jello. It's one of, if not THE best musicomedy or comedy specials in my heart. Plus, The Internet/the assembled websites as a villain/s is just such a fun thing to think about, and it's inspired me to work on crafting a drag number with an unfortunately elaborate costume with 3D printed custom retractable claws.

4) "Murder at the Bingo Hall" by Amigo the Devil [live video]

This absolutely fucks. The frenetic guitar, the kinda manic-touched quality of his voice as he's singing, the rather absurd and simple scene for such an energetic song to be written about - it all comes together into something insanely memorable. This video of his live performance really highlights all that for me, too. It's a super fun song, and it makes it very easy to get into his music. The drive of the guitar and his slapping accompaniment is pretty common throughout his music, and the imagery here is very descriptive without being overly heavy, which I feel is one of his great strengths throughout each song. Highly recommend!

5) "Primo Victoria" by Sabaton

This is just a big "fuck you" to Nazis everywhere. Written about Operation Overload and D-Day/the storming of the beaches in 1944, it's super metal and just gets my blood racing. My steering wheel and dashboard have each taken such beatings from my not-so-air drumming! It always makes me amped up whenever I have it on. This past week had it in especially heavy rotation. It's the first track on my "No Nazis in Valhalla" playlist. Fun fact: the a capella band Van Canto made a kickass drums-and-vocals (almost a capella) cover of this song, and the singer of Sabaton, Joakim Brodén, sang the lead on this! It's stripped down by nature of the musical approach but is no less awesome!

Honorary Mentions:

6) "Automatonic Electronic Harmonics" by Steam Powered Giraffe

Who doesn't love steam-punky bands? Who doesn't love androids and automatons? I love them so much! SPG is a fictional band of automatons built by a robotics engineer/scientist in attempt to win the heart of his love interest, a fellow scientist. He was unsuccessful, and he continued his research while feuding with a social and professional rival who had also been wooing his crush, and ultimately they went to war. After a long existence as weapons and soldiers, the band has since returned to their roots in entertainment as comedians, actors, and musicians.

IRL, SPG is known musically for their harmonies. A couple of their songs are less smooth in that regard but on the whole, their harmonies really show off how much of an influence and inspiration The Bee Gees have been to them as a band. Those harmonies get really elegant, emotional, and tight!

7) "The Fine Print | The Outer Worlds Song" by The Stupendium

I'm a sucker for a pop-culture song, and though I haven't played The Outer Worlds, this definitely scratches that itch and has put the game on my wish list for when I get rich. But like, it's directly attacking capitalism and its predatory exploitation of the working class and even poorer people in order to further capital gains. Again, I'm not familiar with the game, but as far as I understand it, its premise is built around a work colony that people go to and then are effectively indentured to the company. The song has made me really eager to see how it's viewed in-game and what the common views are of the power dynamics there.

Some banger lines:

* "You've been trapped in that ship for an awful long time, so perhaps you have simply forgot what you signed. Oh, honestly, did you not read the colony policy that defines you as company property? That waivers your say in autonomy? The conglomerate's got you in lock and key! We put the "dollar" back into "idolatry." If you're upset, you can rent an apology. We are a family forged in bureaucracy. No 'I' in 'team', but there's 'con' in 'economy.'"

* "We work to earn the right to work to earn the right to work to earn the right to work to earn the right to work to earn the right to give ourselves the right to buy ourselves the right to live, to earn the right to die"