#these feel shorter than usual but i'm getting back into the groove

[st-danger]

hey! i'm really not a writer but i have to take a class on it next year and i'm really scared by it, so i'm trying to get opinions and whatnot from people who do write. (that's why you might see this ask in a lot of authors' inboxes heh) i'm wondering if there's anything that helps you get in the mood to write, if there's anything that causes/makes worse a writer's block, if you find it easier to write when given a prompt or if you prefer to make things up completely, if you prefer writing a story or more of an essay, how long does it take you to finish something and how do you know it's finished? and i know a lot of these could be answered with "it depends" but please avoid saying that if you can! thank you for helping me!

MISSED THIS, TOO. I hope you see this, I'm so sorry I'm just only now responding. In order:

1.) Don't wait to get in the mood to write. The best thing you can do is avoid waiting until the mood strikes you, and just sit down and do it. If you can sit down and write a ton because you have a mighty need, fantastic. If you sit down and feel uninspired but find a groove, suddenly you'll hit your stride and be in the mood. This is fantastic. Or, you might sit down and write three sentences and close it up for the day. This is also fantastic. Writing is a muscle to be worked out, and the more you do, the better. Don't wait for inspiration to strike. Create your own.

2.) In my opinion, writer's block is caused by one of two things: getting burnt out by it, or getting in your head about it. If you're feeling burnt out on a particular project, start something new. If you're getting in your own way, remind yourself not to edit as you go. Write down whatever comes to you and don't worry about quality. Just get it out. I find that I do best when I push through, and I do my very best to sit down and write every day, even when I don't feel like it. Even when I write next to nothing. I think that doing this has improved my writing a lot. Of course, I'm just one guy, and this approach might be frustrating instead of helpful. Some people do best taking a break for a few days and coming back to things with fresh eyes. If you're stuck on a particular part, you're always allowed to skip to another scene you feel like writing. I tend to only write in order because that's what's comfortable for me, but skipping around can help you keep momentum.

3.) I don't know if I have much of a preference for prompted versus my own thoughts. Both allow for creativity, and if you ever find yourself in a rut, being handed an idea and asked to run with it can help you get out of said rut. If the prompt is open-ended, I have more than enough space to put my own spin on things. If it's very specific, then I have a very clear framework which often makes things easier. If it's my own, I get to play in my sandbox and fuck up the sand castles however I want. Benefits to all, and I would encourage you to do both.

4.) How long varies greatly, especially with fanfiction, especially as I write different characters and figure out how I want to write their voices. On average, if I'm in my groove, I can write between 1,500 to 2,000 words in an hour, though "Reap What You Sow" is about 3k and I got that out in slightly over an hour. Usually takes about 3 hours for me to write and revise something around 3k. Anything above 5k I usually have to do in multiple sittings, and I'll space it out over two days. My ADHD tends to make marathon writing sessions unhelpful, and I don't think I can maintain quality.

5.) I struggle writing longer pieces, I really do. I've played with shorter pieces for so long, and because I have more familiarity and confidence in those, I would say I prefer it. But I'm really, really trying to write longer things- more flexibility, more room to play with. But oh my fuckin' god, it's really difficult for me. As I push myself more in that direction, though, I can see myself being much happier working with it.

6.) This is a tough one to quantify. It's more clear-cut in fanfiction than it is my original writing. Sometimes it just feels right. Other times you'll nitpick for ages. Eventually, though, the story needs to be finished because...it needs to be finished. There's always more editing and revising you could be doing. Always. If you're unsure, leave it alone for a few days, come back, and read it out loud. If there's a good sense of satisfaction when you finish reading the last line, go for it. Be done and get it out to be shared so others can enjoy it. It's an intuitive thing that will be clearer and easier to decide upon the more you do it.

Don't be scared for your writing class!! Be stoked that you have a new muscle to train and a new hobby to dive into.

Again, sorry this took so long to get answered, and I hope there's something of value in here for you. My ask box is open if there's any follow up or anything else I can (hopefully HELPFULLY) answer.

<3

[theghostpinesmusic]

Okay, it's Sunday, I'm having fun, and I've had a lot of coffee, so I'm going to do one more of these. This one will be a little different than usual, and likely shorter, though, because I'm covering an Orebolo video for the first time!

For anyone not in the know, Orebolo is an acoustic side-project-y thing that features three of the members of Goose: Rick and Peter (who both sing and play guitar in Goose already) and Jeff (who plays percussion and occasionally sings in Goose, but plays the upright bass and sings in Orebolo). They play mostly Goose songs and cover a few of the songs Goose covers, but they also have a bit of their repertoire (both originals and covers). Long story short, though it's a little reductive, I like to think of them as acoustic Goose: a side project that provides a different take on the band's songbook that allows the lyrics, melodies, and harmonies of the songs to shine through more due to the acoustic instruments and (relative) lack of long-form jamming. As a good example of them Doing Their Thing, you can check out this take on Radiohead rarity "True Love Waits" from the 2/10/24 Capitol Theatre show.

Even Orebolo jams from time to time, though, and while those jams aren't the twenty-plus minute behemoths that are the tentpoles of most Goose shows these days, the more these three guys play together in this configuration, the more interesting their improvisation gets. Personally, I think some of the charm of an Orebolo show is that you get to hear a bunch of songs, and I certainly don't tune in hoping to hear a twenty-minute "Madhuvan" or anything like that; however, during their most recent three-show run this February, there were a few songs that featured some really compelling improvisation, and wouldn't you know it: one of them got posted to their YouTube channel!

This is Orebolo's take on "Thatch" from 2/10/24, a song that is so groove-based, and so funky when Goose plays it that I was surprised to hear Orebolo not only make it their own, but also create a jam out of it that is one of my favorites by anyone in 2024 so far.

Again, there just physically aren't as many instruments going here as you'd hear during a Goose (or Phish, etc.) show, and the jamming isn't quite as complex in a technical sense, so I'm not sure how much I'll have to say about it, but I wanted to share this in the spirit of thinking/writing about something a little different than the usual.

Before I get going, if you're interested in a comparison of "Thatch" as it's played by both bands, here's a video/write-up I did awhile back of the Amsterdam "Thatch" from Goose.

So, this Orebolo version might not have the full-rock-band groove of Goose's take, but Jeff's early hammering on the upright bass (and the crowd's appreciative reaction) are more than "good enough" as an alternative.

It's not part of the jam, per se, but the little instrumental break in the middle of the song proper is great, and a good example of the "usual" extent of an Orebolo jam.

Fortunately for us, they ultimately decide to take "Thatch" for a full-on (acoustic) ride, starting at 5:53 with a quiet breakdown. At first, Peter and Rick hold down the fort rhythmically as Jeff goes nuts on the bass, moving the melody forward. I like Rick's little nod here, as if to say "Yeah man, go for it."

Soon, Peter adds in a repeating little blues figure, and then he and Jeff are trading the melody back and forth while Rick plays some ridiculous rhythm guitar to keep things chugging along. There's a brief moment of tension and then a release at 6:48 that moves things along to the next portion of the jam, which features Peter playing rhythm while Jeff and Rick both improvise some melodic content.

I feel gross for having written "melodic content" as a way to describe music, but I'm leaving it in to self-flagellate publicly.

Jeff moves to the bow, which rules, and Rick responds by arpeggiating at a speed that frankly makes me jealous. If there can be such a thing as an ambient jam with only acoustic instruments, I think we're approaching that here.

Completely ignorant of context, I have no idea why Rick says "Yeah!" into his mic here, but I like to think he was just really into it.

This section of the jam builds until about 8:40, when the tension breaks, much to the joy of the audience. The jam actually continues in a similar vein after this, albeit with Rick and Peter playing interlocking melodies while Jeff takes a more traditional rhythm-bass role, but it feels like a sort of "outro" to the previous build, at least initially.

Around 9:30, the energy starts to build again, in large part thanks to Jeff just ripping the bass. Rick lays down some amazing melodic playing at 10:00, and that slowly brings the jam back down to a simmer...until Rick signals moving to the conclusion of "Thatch" proper at 11:00.

Again, maybe it's not the multi-stage intergalactic exploration that I usually cover here, but I like this jam a lot for the fact that it doesn't rely on straight-up shredding at really any point, there's a lot of wonderful interplay between all three players, and, frankly, these three Orebolo shows have been the main thing I've found myself going back and listening to a bunch over the last couple of months even with all the new Goose content that's come down the pipe lately. They're that good.

MAYBE I SHOULD JUST WRITE ABOUT OREBOLO ONLY FROM NOW ON IF I LOVE THEM SO MUCH

[lucienarcheron]

hi gigi! i hope that this question isn’t overwhelming but i love love love smtb and i think that you’re a great writer i would like to improve my writing/take writing more seriously and i’ve attempted to write fics in the past but i just don’t know where to take a simple idea so i never finish anything…. do you have any advice in planning a fic or writing in general? (e.g. how do i ensure that the dialogue is something the character im writing about would actually say?)

hello darling! first off, thanks so much for loving SMTB and my writing! It means so much and I'm so flattered you're asking me! Here are some of my thoughts :)

I think my biggest piece of advice for getting better at writing is to literally just keep writing. You only get better through practice. Editing my old stuff and looking at it now has been so interesting because I see how I would do it differently now vs then. I wouldn't know that if I hadn't let myself just write. Write whatever it is, even if you think it sucks. Just do it. You can always go back and edit it but you won't have anything to edit if you don't actually write it. Even if it's been done before. Even if you think someone does it better than you. Write it because no one could write it like you can.

I would describe my approach to writing as a "loose" planner lol. I usually have a beginning, a big event, and the ending then figure out everything that I want to happen in between as I go along. I've found that this helps me have something to follow while also allowing room for the characters/story to give me ideas. You can always start with these kinds of questions: what is the point of this piece? Why am I putting this character in this situation? What is the outcome I want? What is the tone that I'm trying to convey?

If it's easier, start with short prompts and drabbles to get you in the groove of your writing style before you move on to bigger one-shots or multi-chapters. If you feel like follow-through is something you struggle with, focus on shorter pieces so you can build up to stories you can follow through on.

As for dialogue and feeling like the way you write the character is true to how they would sound in canon, I always recommend rereading the scenes they're in. You can ask yourself, what do I know about this character? Based on what they've been through and how their dynamic is with others in the book, would they say this? Remember that fanfiction is also meant to be fun so you can strive away from canon. I personally always try to write characters the way I think they would actually be in canon and prefer to read fanfics that do the same but again, with how creative fanfiction allows people to be, you can find literally a n y t h i n g. It's pretty cool to see how people can interpret characters differently (unless it's something weird then I don't like it lmao). But don't stress yourself out too much about that. The important thing is a) write b) have fun and c) don't be so hard on yourself. Putting pressure on yourself makes it less fun lol.

I hope this helps somewhat! 😅♥️

[necessaryvent]

Remembering self compassion in December.

I have been struggling to feel the joy of summer and the excitement for Christmas this year, more than any other year. Which is really weird because we've had some really difficult years with family drama and marriage issues.

Then I think about how I feel ripped off because we had such a long winter that the weather hasn't been good enough for barbecues and pool swims and beach outings at sunset and all the other wonderful events that incidentally/organically happen in the summer. The end of the school year is stressful because the kids get exhausted. It's fairly standard stuff I can't control.

Yet, I've been feeling so flat and constantly out of time. I'm feeling resentful of how rushed around I am and how I can't find my feet when it comes to preparing for Christmas day etc.

I just want to remind myself of why this year feels different and validate myself.

I became a working mum this year. I have less time at home to keep my home tidy and to sort things out for the silly season.

I went through a big separation and then a reconciliation (this means I have moved house twice and dealt with the emotional aspect of this twice). It's been emotionally exhausting. Working through big issues and facing hard stuff. I lived in someone else's home and that's not the same as having your own space as an adult and parent (which is what I've been used to my whole adult life).

I had a child in part time school. It was worse than if she had been at day care. Less hours. No flexibility. Alternating weeks (2 days one week, 3 the next but the 3rd day had shorter hours than a normal school day). I had to work every time she was in school which meant that every single day I was off work she was with me. I never had any real days to myself. I got a Tuesday every fortnight (if I was lucky I could actually enjoy it but I usually had to use it to tick off admin jobs or keep up with appointments or run errands). Of course that's exhausting!!!

I also had to accept that this year was not what I had planned for myself. It was supposed to be a wonderful year filled with social engagements and opening my home to friends and having more finances for living a life that propelled us forwards after the sale of our rental (our former home). I was supposed to not be working until my daughter was in full time school. Of course I had to accept all of this and grieve that it wasn't going to happen. Of course I achieved self growth that was needed and I don't regret my husband's and my time apart but it was tiring. Because of this...

...I lived a quiet life. Of course it's a big adjustment coming back to all of the social norms of marriage again. Having to 'come out' as reconciled so to speak. Not that we've made a big deal out of it, but it's still something that maybe I am subconsciously aware of. That every outing together and every social media post about our family's activities etc will be observed by those who knew we were separated (or guessed or gossiped about it). I socialised quietly. I had every second weekend to gather myself and regroup. I don't even have that now. That's OK (better than the alternative) but it's still an adjustment.

The kids are adjusting. Not only do I try to remember my compassion for them, but I also have to have it for myself as a parent to them. They're exhausted too. The usual end of year stuff, but with an extra layer of moving back in with Dad.

I haven't lived a routine yet!!! I've been in the house maybe 3 weeks and I have not found my groove. That takes time and it's an exceptional time of year. I have to remind myself that it will all settle. It's OK to not have nailed it.

I guess I just want to remind myself that this year was not normal and I should be proud of myself for all I've been through and survived and grown from. It's a huge achievement so I shouldn't be mad at myself for not 'doing enough' or feeling the same as I would any other year. So I haven't baked as much or taken my kids to as many festive events. They'll live. We will be OK. We haven't done nothing.

I'm about to be on break. Today is my last day working on site at the office. On Wednesday I work from my parents' home office (meaning less work and less effort required on my appearance etc).

I don't have school runs breaking up my days as much. My husband is not working horror hours like he did all of last week (HELLO - add that to my list of why I should not feel bad about my struggle to feel festive). I hope the holiday cheer will take me over in a couple of days when I realise I'm off work and I've done all I can to prepare for Christmas.

I shouldn't pressure myself to make things super magical. I think everyone feels a bit the same coming out of the worst pandemic years. We really need to feel that cheer but we are also exhausted and keep forgetting why.

I just want to focus on the positives and be kind to myself.

[captainbaneberry]

If you're still taking requests: Could I please get some Perceptor/Brainstorm with Brainstorm getting a little happy emotional

Brainstorm vented, staring up at the ceiling. Just a dark, gray blur in his wet, hooded optics. He said nothing, moaning as Perceptor thrust inside of him. Body rocked automatically to each pump in and out.

“Brainstorm.”

Brainstorm grunted, a hand suddenly on his cheek. He snapped out of his daze, looked to Perceptor. The ‘bot had a concerned expression on his face.

“Where did you go?” Perceptor asked. He’d stopped moving, unit buried inside Brainstorm.

Brainstorm blinked, confused, before chuckling. “I’m sorry,” he confessed, smiling shamefully. “It’s just… I guess it’s been so long since… I’ve been with… And I know I agreed to this, and I don’t want to stop…”

“It’s a bit overwhelming, isn’t it?” Perceptor asked softly.

Brainstorm laughed, wiping his optics. “A bit, but not in a bad way,” he vented, “it’s… I guess I forgot I could… feel like this. Again.”

Perceptor gently kissed the tittering scientist between the optics. “I’m here,” he said, free hand taking Brainstorm’s, squeezing, “I’m not going anywhere. I’m here, and here I’ll stay.”

Brainstorm didn’t know what to say, but it hit him suddenly, and he couldn’t stop the tears. “Thanks, Percy,” he said, “I really needed that. And this.”

Perceptor kissed Brainstorm, and Brainstorm happily returned the kiss. Hands slid under the flier’s thighs, hiking up his legs. Perceptor resumed thrusting, and Brainstorm whimpered into his mouth, arms thrown around the red bot.

Brainstorm hooked his ankles around Perceptor’s waist. He broke the kiss, panting. “Yes,” he croaked, lips flushed and wet, optics rolling back into his head, “God, y-yes.”

Perceptor smiled. “I’m glad I could help.”

Brainstorm cried out as Perceptor picked up the speed. He dragged his fingers down Perceptor’s back. Kissing him, moaning and sighing as he took more and more of Perceptor. All eyes and attention only on him now.

[zartophski]

Hi Zee <3 1, 4, 7, 8, 20, 21 and 27 please :3 (feel free to discard any of these if it's too much I know I'm greedy xD)

hello hello!!

Describe your comfort zone - a typical you-fic

Found family my beloved <3 khjfsdk I love that genre of hurt/comfort, found family. I can’t exactly pin down the patterns of my writing, but I know I tend to write with worldbuilding or headcanons in mind. I think most of my fics have the goal of either strengthening the group, or showing off a specific character

4. How many fic ideas are you nurturing right now? Care to share one of them?

Too many hjgsdhk I say that as both a joke and the truth. I haven’t been able to finish my wips like I used to, part of it because I’ve just been busy, part of it because I have too many going on. For the count we’ll go with fifteen, though I have a lot more ideas that haven’t even gotten a doc yet. And one of them I’ll share is titled Unspoken, and will be the third post-lu fic I’ve written. This one focuses on Time and how he deals with the end of the LU journey.

7. Share a snippet from one of your favorite pieces of prose you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it

I’m just gonna link Visitor for this one hjgfhsdjh it’s a shorter piece, but the entire focus of it is prose. It was based off this piece by tenten, and when I was writing it, I wanted to focus more on the scenery and the feeling you get from it, rather than building up a plot and dialogue. And I’m pretty proud of it, actually. It was a different style, and I had fun trying it out.

8. Share a snippet from one of your favorite dialogue scenes you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it

Okay, again, can I just link R.I.P (Rest In Pancakes)? Hjgfhdfhjg Okay so, I mentioned it kind of recently, but I feel like every time I write dialogue, the characters will at some point have a snarky little banter or comeback or some sort of dramatics in the way they respond. This fic I just let myself go crazy with it. I wrote it all in one sitting kinda late at night, and the fic itself is taking place late night/early morning right before finals in an IHOP. It’s just very fun imo gsjdhk

20. Describe your perfect writing conditions

I am comfy somewhere with some sun with my earbuds in, listening to some game tracks. I usually use the Sprinto bot on Discord while I write, and the best is when I get in a groove of a lot of sprints back to back and seeing that word count start to rack up. 

21. How many times do you usually revise your fic/chapter before posting

I do a lot of my large revisions as I’m still writing the first draft. I write jumping around a bit with the scenes, so any big changes get made as I piece things together. But before I post I’ll usually do two final read throughs. First one in the doc I’ve been working in, second one in the ao3 preview.

27. How do you feel about collaboration

Love collaborations! I’ve done a couple low stakes ones, and had a great time with them. But I'm not sure how well I'd do in a longer project with collaborations, just because I'm honestly not that great at longfic hfgjsdhk

[punkscowardschampions]

Lux & Dash

Lux: Good pilgrim, praytell Lux: is your hair just like that or do you have a routine Lux: I must know Dash: what's yours naturally trying to hang like? I'll hit you with what's outta this world 🐤 Lux: full samara, senpai Lux: turn off the tube QUICK 🙄 Dash: 🤣 bummer Dash: 🥥 oil is far out on all hair types even 🔪🔪🔪 Dash: aloe vera will make her 💪 Dash: lemme 🤔🤔.... Dash: do you fuck with 🐣?? Lux 🙇 down at your feet, oh lord is the most high place! 🙌 Lux: the chooks here lay too many for us non-strict-vegans to get through Lux: save my hair AND cut down on our foodwaste? Lux: I will be ♕ and you will be ♚ Dash: 2 🥄 🥑 oil, same of 🥥 & aloe vera gel Dash: 2 raw 🥚 Dash: heat it & leave that baby on for time Dash: 30 mins ++++ Dash: 🚿 with whoever Lux: the CP of my hair is gonna rival Rapunzels Lux: 💃💃💃 Lux: I promise to never ever clock you with a 🍳 Dash: 💛👼👑 Dash: you'd be choice with her 🌺🌺🌺  look Lux: 😘 plant 🌱 for every 🌺 and compliment you gimme then we can talk about april showers coming earlier than anticipated☔️ Dash: right on Lux: Is your full name Dashiell/ can I call you that anyway Lux: because its really fitting and if you care to know I shall tell you for why Dash: it's not but if you're down I can be down too Lux: SO; here was my thought 🚄 climb aboard and ride the rails with me for a sec here Lux: Dash ➼ Dashiell ➼ meaning page boy ➼ page boy = ring bearer ➼ ring bearers of the One Ring ➼ Samwise Gamgee = you AM I RIGHT OR AM I RIGHT Dash: 🤯🤯👍 Lux: I know, allow me to scoop up the remainder your 🧠 from the ceiling and put it into a handwoven jute tote for you to take home Lux: I been knew you love food as much as him, its like 1845-49 up in here after you've come around 🥔💀 Dash: tight gestures like those 👐 gotta keep you in the groove here 🥰 Dash: trust you to pick up on a royal appetite Lux: I'm the holy daughter returned, boy Lux: only eating manna from heaven, though if anyone in this place could make a 😋 cake like back home, I'd let them eat it Dash: set to call you that when I fall in with my 🎺 but do you go by anything shorter on top? Lux: Hebrews 13:2!!! Lux: so that explains where you come from Lux: more in a cloud of smoke than holy light but they could only get so many details dead on in the good book Lux: I'm Lux, of course, X if the mood takes you but I can't make it any easier for you Dash: here to make us 👀 the light, yeah? righteous 👼 Lux: The mission of making my parents proud of me again is not one I am currently embarked upon but service to God and all his creations was always their jam Lux: supposedly Lux: but if you're here to get me to renounce my sex, along with the devil and all his works (duh), oh angelic messenger, I still have to decline Dash: aere perennius is the vibe I'm picking up from you, Lux Dash: it'd be a heavy mission Lux: You owe the world a forest for that one because words like that evoke so many cardinal sins within me Dash: do you know about 🎋? Lux: Tell me Dash: it's a tanabata tree, for wishes Dash: they set the bamboo afloat on the river or on 🔥 after the festival Lux: We must participate here Lux: and one day I will go to where the festival is meant to be and you must come because you introduced me to the magic Dash: we can go to Japan, Sao Paolo or LA, they all have 'em Lux: Of course Lux: I seem to have traveled in the wrong direction Lux: to the wrong coast and onwards Dash: at least you ain't separated from your lover by a 🌌 Dash: that's the legend that goes with the festival Lux: oh Lux: how heartbreakingly beautiful Dash: but they are allowed to meet once a year on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month Dash: it's not a total downer Lux: so young Dashiell believes it is better to taste heaven but the once than to never know it at all Lux: good Lux: I like you Dash: I try & get my kicks tasting as much as I can as often as I can Dash: though yeah, once over never Lux: can't take on the 🌌 Lux: though perhaps you can, with a name like a superhero Dash: no sweat 💪 Dash: if I don't ✂ my hair off 😏 Lux: 😱 Lux: I do have weak ankles! Lux: you avoid barbers and I'll avoid heels that are taller than... Lux: five Lux: no six inches Dash: 👌👌 Dash: if you avoid any heel I'll be able to reach you way out though Dash: no 🛹 jumps 💫 Lux: YET Lux: until you remember where you parked your chariot of fire, you give me reason to kick off my heels, and I'll happily do it Dash: 💃? Lux: Both in worn levis, both in torn T-shirts Lux: of course, that's the only way Dash: there's a tanabata song, I could sing it for you Dash: the translation at least Lux: 😻🙏 Dash: it'll be a blast Lux: 🚀🌠 Dash: have you 👀🎸? Dash: mine's MIA Lux: you can borrow my girl Lux: for one song Dash: I won't hog her like a flake, digging the trust too much Lux: you can abuse my trust just go easy on Dolores Lux: she's a folksy kinda gal, if you kick it punk rock she'll 😳😩 Dash: she'll stay 🍒💖 I'm about a gentle touch Dash: what kind are you? the words are the festival's but I don't know the 🎶 Dash: I'll make it yours, like Lux: as angelic as you look Lux: a sinner can only but hope not Lux: how about you sing it for me but play it like its yours Dash: cool with me Lux: then the song can be ours Dash: I think you're unreal Dash: the most Lux: Oh, because I am Lux: and you are perfect because you know that's a compliment Dash: this fly by of yours is gonna last some time, yeah? Lux: though not compelled by God or a power higher than my own Lux: this is where I'm meant to be Dash: me too Lux: I know Lux: I divined you out of 🌟✨☀️🌌 Dash: we planting that forest to grow together or on opposite sides? Lux: one 🌎 one 💓 Dash: roots are gonna get tangled if you keep laying down your 💓 next to mine Lux: I can grow anywhere Lux: you don't need to worry about me Dash: 🌻 Dash: you're gonna make this place better, I feel it Lux: you have family here? Lux: in the commune Dash: yeah Lux: do you like it here Dash: I love it Lux: I do too Lux: its Lux: loving Dash: when did you come through? have you met every 🐤 & 🐈? cos you should meet everyone Dash: feel all the love Lux: I've been in Dublin about... a month, two Lux: feels like forever Lux: but here I'm a total 🍒 Lux: I met Hazel completely by fate at a women's health drop-in she was running a few weeks ago, told her my story and here I am Dash: farm tour 1st 🍀 tour 2nd Lux: Coming Lux: 🎸 in tow Dash: safe Lux: and sound Lux: I'm just tryna catch a mirror moment Lux: not enough, if I had any complaints but 🤫 Dash: which room's yours? I'll make space to hang another one near Dash: then the 🌙 Lux: we'll end the tour there Lux: my contribution Dash: now that's sound Lux: Do you know about me? Dash: what about you? Lux: That I don't have girl parts Lux: I won't be accused of that kind of trickery Dash: I won't accuse you of any Lux: ☺ Dash: you set the pace, I'm in it Lux: You're keeping up spectacularly Lux: now, where does my tour start? Dash: orchard Lux: 🍏🍎🍐🍊🍋🍇🍈🍒🍑🥭 Dash: there's the best 🍏🍎 tree, easy to climb whatever shoes you're wearing Dash: you can see the whole farm from the top Lux: [Show up honey] Dash: [😍 at her we all know] Lux: [dressed hyper-femme as always and way more dressy than most here we know, doing a curtsey like 🤭] Dash: [holds out a 🍎 like he's the 🐍 & she's Eve, looking cute and tempting] Lux: [obviously taking it and taking a sassy bite] Dash: [into it obviously hand holding through this orchard tour for Winnie's sake] Lux: [gonna climb this tree] Dash: [do it kids] Lux: [gonna have to help her even though she's left the heels behind] Dash: [thankfully he's not that much of a dick that he won't, imagine just like byeeee] Lux: [😂 no one needs anyone falling out of a tree rn] Dash: [we aren't killing either of you off so just enjoy the view] Lux: ['it looks so big from up here, when you're in it, it feels...close'] Dash: ['it's big but the fam's bigger' gives her a look like you'll see, genuinely buzzing cos does love it here] Lux: [the biggest smile 'why don't you live here?'] Dash: ['my mum & dad don't, & that's their biggest drag, they ain't hip but they ain't real hassle' casually don't mention that Cosmo exists okay then] Lux: [nods 'everyone should get as much family as they can'] Dash: ['you can meet 'em too, it's cool'] Lux: [excited puppy look like really?!] Dash: ['my mum used to be a rad skater & now she sits around bench racing at her own bone yard, it's a good space to hang loose'] Lux: [just listening like no way! 'what about your dad?'] Dash: ['he's more easily bugged, we don't always vibe, but shit stays chill'] Lux: ['yeah but what did he used to be? before he got old and boring too'] Dash: ['he played football' with a shrug cos so uninterested we know] Lux: ['ooh, was he famous?'] Dash: ['not really'] Lux: ['bummer'] Dash: ['you wanna be famous?'] Lux: [is thinking like hmm 'I don't NOT want it but its not my number one all-time dream...not even top ten'] Dash: ['what is?'] Lux: [puts her index fingers to the corners of his mouth to make him smile] Dash: [laughs] Lux: ['you?'] Dash: ['I'm thinking we should start a band' shout out to Ali your lowkey grandma] Lux: [a look like um yes, how have you not and putting three fingers up to let him know its made the list] Dash: [starts to climb down like come on, so much to see] Lux: ['don't ditch me!' and running after him] Dash: [takes her all around the vegetable patches next, introducing her to any peeps they come across] Lux: [living laughing loving honestly we can skip] Dash: [imagine all the cute animals they would have, I hope none of them die in the fire I'll cry] Lux: [lmao animals usually bolt when fire so they should be fine, unless they then get hit by cars or some shit] Dash: [I'm saying they are all A okay bitch] Dash: [post tour skip] Dash: gotta hit home Dash: later? Lux: Undoubtedly 😊 Dash: we'll jam Dash: 🤔 band names Lux: I'll throw it out there Lux: I wonder if anyone can drum drum Lux: not just drum circle Lux: I'll ask that too Dash: I'm jazzed Lux: 🎺 Dash: you play the harp 👼? Lux: ☺😋💕 Lux: If only Lux: there are bass' and banjos and plenty of acoustics Lux: I'll go thrifting and see if I can find one Dash: wait for me Lux: we should see how many wild instruments we can find Lux: one for everyone Dash: your 🧠⚙️ is far out Lux: but not far enough you can't reach me Dash: 🌌 can't stop me, yeah? Lux: nope Lux: not as long as you got that hair Dash: [selfie like it's still there] Lux: Thank God Lux: don't need to 😢 today Dash: you don't need to cry any day baby Lux: Keep me smiling Dash: I've got you Dash: we all have Lux: 💕 Lux: I really thought I knew family and community before this, you know Lux: but I was wrong then and this is better Dash: right on Lux: You're adorable Dash: I've got 👀 for you too Lux: I know Lux: your 👀 are like Lux: coffee Dash: 🧠⚙💖 Dash: yours are like jumping into a river Dash: they get bluer the deeper you go Lux: oh Lux: I think I want you back here now Lux: where did you go again Dash: 🛹🗲 Dash: my parents place Dash: you wanna meet me there? Lux: I'm not in the mood to meet your parents right this second, forgive me Lux: but by the time I've finished dinner here and 🚲 over Lux: sounds good Dash: idk if they're there cos I'm not yet Lux: so we can be alone alone Lux: that'd be novel Dash: yeah Dash: it feels like so much empty space Dash: for the number of bodies who live in it Lux: do you feel lonely there Dash: nah, it's got a good feel Dash: I grew up in it Lux: That's a feel you can't buy Dash: I'll show you my 👶📸 Dash: they're wild Lux: you musta been so cute Lux: your face is still 👶 now Dash: no ✂ then either Lux: so mowgli Dash: oh no, is this a trippy topic for you? Dash: I didn't think Lux: it's okay, I like hearing about happy kids Lux: its a sin to be envious of or covet other people's happiness Dash: Lux Lux: 😊? Dash: I don't think I believe in sin Dash: so if you wanna harsh on my good vibes, you know, I won't be 😡 Lux: Oh, sin is very real, its just whether you believe you'll be punished for the sins that are written about Lux: I appreciate you but I've got nothing to be 😡 about either Lux: 🤞 Dash: you can hit me with a shut up any time Dash: I'll still dig you Lux: I enjoy our conversations Dash: yeah? Lux: absolutely Lux: you're a beautiful 🐺 boy Dash: you're the most beautiful 🦊 Lux: never stone cold Dash: nah, the hottest Lux: I feel it Dash: 👍 it's the mood you gotta stay in Lux: with you around, that shouldn't be a problem Dash: we'll keep vibing Lux: did you like it Dash: you want me to say what I know you could tell Dash: I'll write you a 🎶 Lux: First hit for the band? Lux: I'll be famous after-all Dash: I've been listening Dash: I understand what you want Lux: and you're gonna give it to me Dash: that's my action for sure Lux: roll 20 please Dash: come be alone with me Lux: dash dash dash Lux: you're so pretty and fun and cool and I want you again Dash: [sends her the deets to where his house is] Lux: so far Lux: I must like you huh 😏 Dash: yeah it's a drag where I live Dash: but it's new heights that you like me Dash: 🚀💕 Lux: why wouldn't I? Dash: idk Dash: do you know about me? Lux: I know enough to like you Lux: what do you think would make me unlike you Lux: let's compare Dash: it's not all laid back the shit that other girls say Lux: you're a 💔 Dash: I'm not out here making a game of it like that Dash: but it's happened for real Lux: Oh dear Dashiell Lux: my heart was broken long before I got here Lux: and I've had to severe and untangle roots so much deeper than yours could ever be Lux: I told you, there's no need to worry about me, you can't hurt me Dash: that's fucked up Lux: Perhaps Dash: can I make it any better? Lux: no Lux: but that's okay Lux: now is better, there's no need to fix what's been Dash: I wasn't being plastic before, you're home now Lux: I feel it Lux: I have no choice but to give up my old definition but I'm less scared and 😢 at the prospect of the redefinition now, forced though it was Dash: it'll be okay Dash: we'll make it happen that it's only that Dash: or like better Lux: you're not a bad person Lux: I can tell Dash: if I'm someone you like, I'm cool with it Lux: good Lux: I need people right now, you know Dash: everyone at the farm, they'll be what you need Dash: they are for me Lux: what do you need them for? Dash: a blast Dash: my other fam want me to change some shit I do Lux: 🚀👌 Lux: I get that Lux: is it stuff you can't change or don't wanna Dash: idk if I recognise the difference Lux: sounds like a can't, then Dash: stepping into new 👟 feels like a bad scene Dash: I fuck with the ones I've worn in Lux: That's up to you Lux: I like new shoes Lux: maybe they're just worried your feet are getting all scrunched outta place Dash: yours are groovy though Dash: not handed down Dash: they fit you Lux: I had to steal 'em though Lux: and when my dad found 'em they sent me away Dash: a 🦊 like I said Lux: have you seen the fox and the hound? Dash: nah Dash: it's disney yeah? Lux: Yep Lux: I'm gonna make you watch it Dash: I'm about netflix & chill Lux: We'll chill first Lux: its real sad Lux: 😭 Dash: I be trying to chill with you nonstop though Dash: how bad do you want me to 👀 at things other than you Lux: 🤭 Lux: maybe your cinematic education can wait Lux: if we're truly to make the most of alone alone time Dash: lay it on me that I'm an ugly crier another day Dash: we're making beautiful things happen Lux: you're Lux: just like Lux: seraphic Dash: around you, I gotta be Lux: nu-uh Lux: I can't tell Lux: I fell out of God's favour like a long time ago Dash: you can tell Dash: you're still 👼 Dash: the fallen ones were the most beautiful anyway, yeah? Dash: god's a jealous 🐈 Lux: All angels are beautifulc Lux: and genderless actually, like God Lux: beyond our limited understanding, better Dash: cool Lux: for them Lux: its self-idolatry if you want it for yourself Lux: 🚫 Dash: if I want you for myself, what sin is that? Lux: you actually wanna know? 'cos I've always thought this particular subset of sins sounds unintentionally hot Dash: I'm listening intently Lux: peccata clamantia Lux: The sins that cry to Heaven for Vengeance 🤤 Lux: they're the ones that God will deliver his justice upon, lots of people only know about the seven deadly Lux: but they're the least serious, actually Dash: shit Lux: guess that's why it feels so good Lux: shall we? Dash: 🌌 & god trying to stop us but I'm 💪 Lux: you want me Dash: yeah Lux: then you can have me Dash: show up Lux: I am Lux: ⏲ Dash: right now though Lux: if only my bike had wings Dash: that can be your festival wish Dash: mine too cos I've waited fucked up amounts of time for you Lux: 💡 Lux: your mind, boy Lux: though patience is evidently not your virtue, I'm not mad about it Lux: at all Dash: idc about virtues if you're a sin Lux: you're making me all pink Dash: it's a beautiful colour for you Lux: you're the loveliest 🐺 I've ever known Dash: I wanna be Lux: you are baby Dash: you're like a song I can't get out of my head Dash: & it's the most Dash: I'm so connected to every word Lux: You make me feel really...high but it that warm, soft focus way where there's no bad thoughts or feelings at all, no doubt or regret or shame creeping in, just the good washing over you again and again, like that split-second after you cum but Lux: prolonged Lux: its crazy, you're crazy Dash: we can live in it Lux: lets Dash: I'm in Lux: 🎡🎢🎠 Dash: 🎪🤹 Lux: 🤡 Dash: ���🐯 Lux: 🐘 Dash: 🍿 Lux: 🥜 Dash: 🐿️ Lux: 😱 Lux: how could you Mr Squirell Dash: he's gotta eat Lux: He could've just asked Dash: he don't know you like that Dash: thought you'd say nah Dash: I tried to persuade him he wasn't right on & you're 👍 but I must not 🗨🐿 Lux: 😂 Lux: he's more than likely from my homeland, I'll speak to him Lux: can't understand your accent Dash: gabh mo leithscéal Lux: 🤗 what did you say?! Dash: pardon me Dash: is 🗨🍀 on your list? Lux: I've always wanted to Lux: no one at my father's church really spoke it Lux: or would teach me if they did Lux: will you? Dash: my mum taught me Dash: hers never spoke it either Dash: your turn to bring me an 🍎 Dash: but yeah Lux: 😣 damn Lux: someone else here might, I've heard loads of languages flying about Dash: eu também sei português Dash: also from that side of the fam Lux: I 👀 that Dash: Arlo & his brother & sisters are my cousins Lux: Ahh Lux: that's cool Lux: they're so cute Dash: there's many more but they don't live at the farm Dash: you have to catch 'em when they fly by Lux: I'll be sure to do that Lux: do they all have lots of kids, how are there so many Lux: no offense Dash: started with 11 Dash: & most of 'em had 👶s Lux: ELEVEN Lux: 🤔💡 Lux: are you mormons? Dash: 🌼 children ☮ Dash: it was a big-ish fam before that though 👵 had 8 Dash: & she's no hippie Lux: why are you an only-child? Dash: I'm not Dash: I've got an older brother Lux: oh, me too! Lux: he's 13 years older Lux: I was a miracle mistake baby Lux: where's yours Dash: at ⚽ training I think Dash: that's his bag Lux: oh he's not 👴 Lux: you didn't mention him before Dash: he's 18 months + on me Dash: but we're in different 🌌 Lux: I feel you Lux: it musta been nice when you were kids though Lux: I loved when there were kids in the congregation but people always moved on, from God or physically Dash: nah, it's been hassle from the jump Dash: he's 🏆🥇💪 Dash: I'm 💫🚀👀 Lux: you don't like him huh Dash: he's a drag Dash: we're usually jiving 🥊 there's no ☮ & 💓 Dash: messes with my equilibrium Lux: You gotta protect yourself Lux: I get it Dash: I knew you would Lux: 'course Lux: its the same with my brother and my mom Lux: they still 💓 me but they can't see me Dash: do you 💓 'em? Lux: oh of course Lux: they're my family Dash: do you wish you could see 'em? Lux: I wish I still lived with them Lux: but I understand why I can't Dash: do you get to 🗨? Lux: no Dash: can't you? if your dad didn't find out? Lux: No Lux: not unless I'm going to make efforts, make changes Lux: and I can't and that's two eternal sins Lux: at least Lux: could make a case for 3 Lux: so they have to turn away, you see Lux: they all love me but there's nothing they can do until I do Dash: I'm sorry Dash: that everything's so heavy for you Lux: you don't need to be sorry Lux: not your transgressions Dash: but I don't want you to change Dash: & idc if it's a sin Lux: you're sweet Lux: they just want to save me from hell Dash: we're gonna have to live forever Dash: to save you Lux: We better find the philosopher's stone Lux: or the fountain of youth Dash: the 🐿 will help Dash: he digs you now Lux: he's a wizard Lux: knew it 😏 Dash: most animals have magic Lux: true facts Dash: 🦊s who are unreal 👼s especially Lux: you're such a flirt Lux: 😋 Dash: yeah 😏 Dash: that's my magic 😍💖 Lux: I can't disagree Dash: 💭😘 Lux: you can dream 'til I get there Dash: I'm 👀 for your 🚲 Lux: I'm meant to be up on the balcony, not you Lux: love some role reversal Dash: yo don't be on the rebound, Romeo 💔 Lux: awh you jealous Dash: 🤣 Dash: of someone you forget at the start of the play as soon as you 🕰 me? nah baby Dash: but it's salty to the other 💘 Lux: It saves her life Lux: she's fine, honestly, thriving Dash: okay then yeah, I am jealous Dash: of her thrive Lux: poor boy Dash: it's no bummer, like Dash: she ain't gonna be immortal, that's me & you Dash: our fam Lux: there's only so much magic to go around Dash: however much there is, we gotta use it right Lux: 🎺 that's holy decree Dash: & royal 👑 Lux: okay sweet prince Lux: 🤭 Dash: if I go solo from the band, there's an outta sight name Lux: you could do so many covers 💜 Dash: it'd be groovy Dash: but I ain't leaving the group Lux: not before its started Lux: have some loyalty, boy Dash: yo not ever Lux: we gonna do a blood oath Dash: use your hair as a 🔪 before the 🥑 & 🥥 hits Dash: or the ✂ I don't Lux: 😂 you're horrible Lux: and its far too limp for that Dash: nah your hair is 💣 Lux: ☺ Lux: really Dash: yeah Lux: it grew quite fast Dash: 🔮✨ Lux: I'm gonna grow it as long as I can Dash: there might be a better recipe Dash: I'll 🗨 to every 🐤 on the farm Lux: I wish I had curls like them too Lux: most of them Lux: alas Dash: you can borrow mine Lux: you're the bestest friend in the whole 🌌 Dash: 🤞🤝👐 Lux: let down your long hair then Lux: I think I've arrived Dash: [let her in and give her a house tour boy] Lux: [we clearly need Cosmo to come back like Dash did in that convo jussayin] Dash: [payback tbh so yeah we do] Lux: [she'd just be chatting up a storm, awks] Dash: [casually steer her to your room as fast as you can like] Lux: [just being like wanna come watch fox and the hound lmao] Dash: [she's so cute bye] Lux: [at least Cosmo won't be rude to you, even if he is like umm] Dash: [just thinks she's high probably] Lux: [most likely] Dash: [rude but fair] Lux: [when is your brother not as far as you're concerned] Dash: [exactly dr phil] Lux: [anything else we wanna though?] Dash: [we know what's up I think we can post it]

[r3tr0r0ck3r]

Controversial opinion... but very predictable to come from me, seeing as I'm a classic rock, pre-1990 music fanatic:

The advent of the CD was the beginning of the death of the quality album.

Why? It's just too much space, and now every album is expected to fill it. Look at the LP. You can fit 20-25 minutes on a single side of LP vinyl. Every LP has two sides, so we're talking 40 odd minutes of music (and obviously a single track is limited to 20 minutes maximum) Any more than that wasn't physically possible, because then the grooves would become fragile and break after a few listens. Shorter sides also meant that you could pack a better range of frequencies on there because the needle could move further without issue. (That's why modern vinyls are often advertised as being extra thick 180g, by the way. It means better sound and more plays before expiration. Up/down is amplitude, left/right is stereo. Vinyl is worn by the needle ever so slightly during every listen.)

A "double album" meant four sides of vinyl, i.e. 4x20=80 minutes. Theses weren't common, and back in the heyday of albums (i.e. the seventies), bands often had to put up with accusations of "filler" if a listener deemed any of the space to be wasted on material that was only put on there to get the album to reach the 'full length' or 'double album' status. (EPs... lets not talk about them. They weren't really standardized very much and could often be released on 12" records the same as LPs are. The only rule was "shorter than an LP"... This often was 4 songs) Just think about that for a second... Fast forward to many years later. The old time limit for an LP, of 40 minutes, which a band could knock out EVERY YEAR and this was thought to be NORMAL, is now HALF of what can be fit onto a single CD. For a "single" album! Not double album. Single. And currently artists & bands only release new albums... what? Every two years? Three? More?

Now, officially, the time minimum for an album (by the Grammy awards rules, yeah I know but stay with me) is still said to be 30 minutes. But because there's no longer any physical limit, artists are making the most of that space.... and usually for the worse. Whyyy?? Because we expect it. well, not me but you know.

Fast forward again. Everything is streamed and sales of physical media is way down. What's the time limit now? Is there one? But more pressingly, people are using streaming to listen to specific songs and pretty much ignore the album altogether. Does the album still carry that significance it used to? I wouldn't know I suppose...

Imagine if any famous classic album had been forcibly expanded to be twice as long.. that albums power and greatness would have been watered down extraordinarily.

And yes I'm a progressive rock fan and yes I do enjoy those longer 20 minute tracks and yes concept albums are essentially 40 minute long pieces, but you know what? There are very few people with the talent to do that. There are many bands that I've listened to that tried and failed. There are many bands who tried and failed to make a 40 minute album... how many of them would have fared far better and been given more of a better chance to succeed if they didn't feel like they had to pump out 80 minutes every time they did an album?

Anyway jesus fucking christ this is a rant....

[fadeintocase]

i'm not fucking around anymore 6-2-18

this is not gonna be an every day thing i imagine. that's fine. i'll let it find its rhythm.

i'm gonna talk more about about the wave and rhythm philosophy and how it lets you get a better grip on overall habits.

Basically this is going to be the start of a lot of whimsical musical analogies for self improvement.

so, personal upkeep. I’m back to eating one meal a day, though i cheat and have snacks a little to early or a little too late sometimes. Smoothing that wrinkle out. 

I’ve tried bulletproof coffee a few times, recently on a day I ate nothing else. I felt physically very good and energized, much lighter, but just a bit too caffienated for my liking. I might swap coffee out for black tea and see how that tastes with butter and coconut oil instead.

The short “Sun Salutations” yoga thing from that app Fabulous actually opens up more of what I need to in a much shorter amount of time, so I think i’m going to stick to that nightly, and do a longer class like once a week.

Same with their morning workout. It’s doing well for me so far. Lets hope I can keep this momentum up.

Of course dishes piled up a few times while i was working on a track for patreon, but I knocked those out on my first free day and that felt incredibly satisfying. There’s nothing that resets your head quite like a clean apartment.

Intervals and Harmony

This has to start with some music theory talk. These are bare basics, don't worry.

So. A sound is made up of waves. A Tone is a wave with a sustained frequency. Meaning, there's a relatively fixed number of waves per second for the duration of the tone.

an A in western music is turned to 440Hz. That's 440 waves a second.

Music is made by combining tones in a scale. Intervals in a scale, that is, amount of tones up the scale from the root, have different qualities and roles in the melody. They combine with the root in different ways to form chords.

They find their origin in overtones. When you play a note, there are implied tones that are generated with it. Think of a circle of people singing. A few people singing one note will produce the sound of other harmonic tones within the mix of their voices. Someone joining could easily find the tone of the harmonic and fill that gap with a voice. This is what happens mathematically.

The most absolute combination of intervals, the 2nd harmonic, is the octave. It's the same tone but with double the waves. A 2:1 ratio of wavelengths. Brighter.

The second, most perfect actual harmonic interval, the 3rd harmonic, is the perfect fifth. This is a ratio of 3:2. It sounds perfect. Solid. But also open. Clear. It's known as the "power chord" and for good reason. Amplifying a fifth gives a sense of authority, it draws a lower undertone an octave below the root tone as well. But that's getting into the weeds a little too much.

The 4th harmonic is another octave. The 5th harmonic is the major third, a 5:4 ratio.

A happy and pleasant interval. Balanced.

Combining a tone with the 3rd and 5th harmonics give you a major chord. And that's neat.

Polyrhythms

Lets zoom out a little more. So we measure oscillations in a second as waves. There's another kind of frequent oscillation in music. Rhythm. Rhythm is just a steady impulse with a fixed amount of time between repetitions over a duration of the rhythm.

When you combine different patterns of pulses over each other, you can get a groove going.

If the rhythm is relatively based on sets of regular pulses, this is called a polyrhythm.

So there's simple math behind what harmonies sound good to us. Is there also simple math for what polyrhythms sound good to us? Turns out. It's the same.

Oh. So what feels good to us as humans are pulses along these mathematical ratios, no matter how far the space is between them.

Of course, you can find a lot of this stuff in my music. Like Sleep's strumming pattern and the stacatto tail the violin does are based on a 5:4 polyrhythm. (Which fits along the theme of there being an inverted open G5 thru most of the chords, when the key is E minor, to create a hollow expectation of major that only resolves through the other chords moving through it. That and the polyrhythm are asking for a major chord which never lasts more than a bar.)

Now you may understand that harmony extends beyond just audible notes.

Cosmic Cycles

Lets zoom out a little more. Oscilations over a period of time is a wave. Mathematical interplay between these oscilations is an interval. You know, the solar system is all cycles and oscillations too.

This site here does a thing where they take the orbit or rotational periods of celestial bodies and double their frequencies over and over until they get an octave of the tone audible to humans. Keep in mind, same tone, just an octave of it.

I'm not really interested in using these for like meditative healing or whatever, but what i'm interested in is the interplay between some of these.

For instance, the Earth year and the Synodic moon form an interval just wider than a fifth. Moving the result they come up with down 2 whole hz gives you damn near a perfect fifth. An approximation of a 3rd harmonic. Since the perfect fifth's quality is that it's perfect, you can't expect nature to get all the way there.

Consider seasons. That's just 2 octaves up from the earth year. That's the 4th harmonic.

If you add in the platonic year, the procession of the equinox, which is the result of the push and pull of the sun and moon on the earth's tilt, you get a major third from the earth year. The 5th harmonic.

Well would you look at that. So it turns out, when these oscillations interplay around earth, the overtones they generate are the harmonic series. And guess what came out of that pleasant major chord? Us.

The first cycles life had to work with were the rising and setting of the sun, the tides, and the seasons.

Human Cyclical Examples

Since you're part of this cosmic song and anything you do expresses within the context of that cosmic song, you can zoom out and consider your physical presence to be an instrument. And instrument that you are playing, taking cues from the universe to make sure you're in tune.

So, if you ever do something once a week, you're approximating a 4th Harmonic from the lunar cycle. If you ever do something once a month, you're approximating a perfect fifth (12th harmonic) from the year.

There's about 3 months a season, too, giving us a 1:3 harmonic with the seasons, an octave-stretched perfect fifth.

We wound up with a 7 day week. A 7:4 ratio happens to be a harmonic 7th. A leading tone. This is the note that makes the dominant 7th chord. The Jazz/Blues chord. It makes sense to add to a major chord, but introduces a subtle tension that wants to pull it to something else. This is the eternal feeling of the day to day grind. It's there in the waves. As you grow up you can either feel lightly tense at things not being perfectly resolved all the time, or you can learn to like jazz. I'm not too into jazz yet.

Habits & Cycles

This is the philosophy i stick to when i want to build habits. It allows me to visualize my life in a way that takes the intricacies of day to day interaction and makes them a song you recite and perform. It allows you to live from your ideal self and to map your physical self's activity to try to reach it.

You do things weekly to keep yourself grounded. Usually rituals like church or shit you meet up with your friends and do.

Things you do daily keep yourself moving forward, it projects a leading tone for you.

At least that's what i've been working with. Remembering the simple beauty of the harmony of the universe is invigorating to me. It makes me want to sing along with the cosmos.

Anyway, sometimes you need that feeling of something higher and more pure to keep yourself driven. It's why AA meetings tell people to find a higher power. Most people envision their god as a benevelent creator. In the context of our physical universe, my god is a major chord.

Anyway, I’m off to the farmers market.

Keep Climbing!

bonus batshit video