#why are we reinventing the wheel folks

[unlikely-bloom]

stanky… carters… cartyle… what’s next? kenners? kenky? twaig???

[ave-aria]

#they're designed that way so you can wash your hair in the sink #without hitting your head on the faucet

Are people really bending so low to wash their hands? /gen I thought that was about public bathrooms, and people aren't usually expected to wash their faces in there...

Though even at home I have a tap that rotates for that reason, so I can put my face in the sink without bonking my head on it XD I hate the "very close to the edge" designs so much, ugh

Yeah, actually it's kind of fascinating how much like, R&D goes into even the simplest and most everyday things we use! if you can get your hands on it you should take a look at The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman, who talks extensively about just. Usual things we use every day and why they were designed the way they were.

But basically, the author goes into how a lot of "updates" to things like faucets to make them 'improved' often fall flat, because people's ideas of what "improved" means, is... very narrow compared to the broad needs of people who use those everyday items in a variety of different ways. You, for example, can only imagine washing your hair in the sink for emergencies maybe, but I bet my sink at work (public, retail) has been used that way by multiple homeless or traveling people nearly every day. I know this for a fact. I find hair in the drain.

It might not be its intended use as a public space, but it IS a common use for a sink (among other uses like washing plates, washing clothes, making a small basin, dumping liquids, etc.) that persists because people are in fact out there, every day, using them in unconventional ways. Our janitor fills her portable mop bucket in those sinks and dumps the used water in there, too. If the basin was any smaller the bucket wouldn't fit, or the dumped water would go everywhere, which doesn't help anybody at all. She's the only person I know of who uses the sink in that way, but she's also pretty important to keeping our bathroom functional! So if the sink didn't have those extra uses, it would be a worse bathroom experience over all.

The book actually talks about that - about people trying to "reinvent" simple things to be more sleek modern and convenient and somehow getting a worse product out of it in general. Because the person redesigning didn't understand the thought process behind the original design, so the *re*-design misses the mark.

Sinks might seem a bit uncomfortable to use, because the faucet is crammed closer to the back of the sink and leaves all that open room for the basin. But it DOES still work to wash your hands, even if the setup is a mite uncomfortable - AND it leaves room for the sink to be used in other, less conventional ways. I.E. washing hair. Certain "improvements" can be made, that are nice in theory but bad in practice. Like: A movable faucet for a sink is more convenient for home sinks, but is also more breakable, (yikes!) and thus unsuitable for public bathrooms, for example. People who try to implement this improvement end up with broken sinks that are no use to anybody. You ever walked into a restroom that's been completely trashed? Do the sinks usually survive the trashing? They do, actually, thanks to proper design.

And that's just one example! I'm sure there are things I don't even think of, like handicapped folks or new mothers or whoever who might use the sink in ways I'm not aware of, that might be impacted by the small change in design. It might make sense to redesign the sink to make it more convenient for hand washing - since that's its stated purpose and also what it's most used for - but those invisible forces are BIG. Those that try to reinvent the wheel often just get a crummier version of the wheel unless it can do all the things the previous wheel did and more. So instead of reinventing the sink, most people take the easy route - they just copy what came before, copy what works. And it keeps working.

I'm rambling augh

Basically what I'm saying is that sinks were originally designed to be good for washing hair and other big, clumsy actions, in addition to handwashing. And since it's easier to copy paste than it is to redesign the wheel, that's what we get. A sink that's a little bit uncomfortable to use for hand washing but one that WORKS, and also can do all these other little things if the need arises. And they didn't have to dump money into redesigning it, lol.

There are actually newer sinks starting to make an appearance that have the basin open but the faucet is pointed more towards the center of it, without being more breakable or in the way, etc. But adoption of the new sink archetype is slow going. Might not catch on, for a variety of reasons, social and political as well as functional. :( The one place in my town that I know has these new sinks also has a 'sharps box' (a place to dump used needles) and despite how objectively useful that feature is, like... The gas station had to FIGHT for that addition.

Again. Crazy how much forethought and consideration and debate goes into one bathroom. You could write BOOKS on the subject.

Anyway, sorry for the infodump! Apparently I think about these things way too much haha

Edit: WAIT I FOUND THE PDF if you're interested

[study-bug-inc]

Title: The Google Sheets Chronicles: Mastering Your Day, One Cell at a Time

Hey there, study bugs! 📚✨

Welcome to the latest installment of “The Google Sheets Chronicles,” where we dive into the magical world of spreadsheets to conquer our daily chaos. Today, we’re talking about how to use Google Sheets to plan your day and study schedule. Grab your favorite highlighter, and let’s get organized!

1. The Spreadsheet Setup Saga First things first, open up Google Sheets and create a new document. Name it something inspiring like “My Awesome Study Schedule” or “Conquering the Day, One Cell at a Time.” Now, let’s get those columns and rows ready for action! 🗂️

2. The Template Treasure Hunt Why reinvent the wheel when there are so many amazing templates out there? Here are a few gems to get you started:

Daily Schedule Template from Smartsheet

Weekly Planner Template from The Good Docs

Monthly Schedule Template from Spreadsheet Class

3. The Color-Coding Conundrum Now comes the fun part: color-coding! Assign different colors to various tasks like classes, study sessions, breaks, and personal time. Not only does it make your schedule look pretty, but it also helps you visualize your day at a glance. 🌈

4. The Formula Frenzy Google Sheets isn’t just for organizing; it’s also for calculating! Use simple formulas to track your study hours, calculate your grades, or even keep tabs on your snack consumption (because snacks are life). 🥨

5. The Sharing Shenanigans Got a study group? Share your Google Sheet with your friends so everyone stays on the same page. Collaboration has never been so easy—or so spreadsheet-y! 🤝

6. The Motivation Matrix Finally, add some motivational quotes or fun images to keep your spirits high. A little inspiration goes a long way when you’re knee-deep in assignments and exams. 💪

And there you have it, folks! With Google Sheets by your side, you’ll be a master of time management and productivity in no time. Happy planning, and may your cells always be perfectly aligned!

Until next time, stay organized and keep shining! 🌟

[literaticat]

Hi! Real question. Not being snarky. Why does it take MONTHS for editor/publishing contracts to be done? What are the agents and editors actually doing?

I mean we'd all love it to be faster. The bottleneck is not generally happening with agents and editors.

Here's how it goes. (Picking numbers absolutely out of thin air, I have no idea what the actual numbers would be and I imagine it varies!):

You have a publishing house, right? In the kids division, let's say there are six imprints, with six to ten editors each. There are new book acquisitions weekly for sure, probably multiple, at each imprint. Let's say 1-2 books gets through acquisitions at each imprint every week, so between 6-12 new books across the board. We'll aim high and assume 12 new books get offers, which some are accepted some are not, and say they end up moving forward with 8 new books per week across these 6 imprints.

First -- before accepting! -- the editor and agent negotiate a deal memo (this is the basic thing that says all the "big picture" terms such as advance, royalties, etc.). Sometimes things have to be approved by the financial folks, etc. Once the deal memo is complete and we have officially accepted the offer, the editor sends all the paperwork to the contracts department. It is now out of both of our hands.

The "contracts department" may consist of like... two people, and an utterly overwhelmed assistant. They are SWAMPED. They are DYING. They are, I have to assume, trapped in windowless cells doing a painstaking job that requires lots of attention to detail and is utterly thankless and probably getting yelled at by assholes all the time. (I'm so sorry, contracts people, I LOVE YOU, and I don't thank you ENOUGH! You should all get raises!)

So each contract takes time to draft. They can be 20, 25, 30 pages long (or longer!). Each agency does have their own "boilerplate" which at least gives them a place to start so they aren't reinventing the wheel every time, but each book deal does have its own terms (as outlined in the Deal Memo) and there are new terms and bits of wording being changed and asked for all the time -- for agencies like mine, with a lot of business at certain publishers, the contracts people and the agents are basically in a constant conversation, making sure that new terms are being carried over properly, etc etc. It's a nit-picky thing, they are comparing multiple contracts with one another at a granular level, it just takes a long time. No I don't know how long - but I know it takes ME hours to even read them, so I would imagine it's at least a solid half-day with no interruptions to draft them.

Once the contract is drafted, it gets sent to the agent, who carefully reads it and makes notes, those notes get sent back to the contracts person, who carefully reads them and responds, there may be a little more back and forth, finally we get a final contract that can be signed.

(This whole process might, in a fast world, take 1-2 weeks, because the agent ALSO has a queue of things and needs a solid half-a-day to do the notes, and when the notes get back to the contracts person, they go into the notes queue, then the agent needs to re-read the final version, etc. But it could for sure take longer than that. I would not be surprised if it took a month just for a normal contract with all the back-and-forth, and if there are significant changes being asked for, it might literally take months as each side has to get lawyers and such involved to make sure the wording makes sense, etc. This is pretty rare but it DOES happen.)

So back to our bottleneck. The big number of editors filter a ton of submissions into 8 books that are moving forward, those 8 books get filtered to 2 contracts people -- each of those contracts people might be able to realistically do, say, 2 draft contracts per week and 2 notes/final contracts per week. One of them went on vacation once, and both of them have had COVID this year, so unfortunately they are always backed up, and can never actually catch up, because there are more coming in every week than they can possibly do and there's already a queue.

So... That's why contracts take so long. Sorry. Everyone is doing their best, I promise.

[starseedfxofficial]

The Little-Known Secrets to Using EURUSD for Risk Management in Multi-Asset Portfolios If you think risk management is all about spreadsheets, stern-faced analysts, and a library of trading books, you might be missing out on the real magic. Imagine using EURUSD—the often underappreciated yet reliable currency pair—as a secret weapon for managing risk across your entire portfolio. Let me take you on a deep dive into the ins and outs of this little-known strategy. We’re not just going to scratch the surface; we’ll open the vault and let you in on secrets the big players use but don’t talk about. Spoiler alert: It’s not rocket science, but it’s sophisticated enough to impress your neighbors at that next barbecue. Why EURUSD Is the Hidden Gem You Didn’t Know You Needed Let’s start with why EURUSD is a sweet deal for risk management in multi-asset portfolios. First, its liquidity is off the charts. When liquidity is high, you’re dealing with tighter spreads and lower slippage—basically, fewer nasty surprises. And let’s be honest: who doesn’t like fewer surprises, except maybe for birthday parties? Moreover, the EURUSD has a well-documented correlation with other major asset classes. This makes it an ideal tool to hedge certain risks without completely reinventing the wheel. Imagine being able to balance your exposure to the S&P 500 by tweaking your EURUSD position—it's like fine-tuning your playlist until it’s just perfect. Unlocking the EURUSD-Correlation Hack A lot of folks overlook the correlation aspect of EURUSD when it comes to hedging. If you’re holding U.S. equities and you see those indexes going a bit too hyperactive, consider this: a strategic short on EURUSD can act as a sneaky hedge. It’s like being the only one at a party who knows there’s a hidden stash of snacks in the pantry—you just feel smarter than everyone else. Here’s the twist: while the EURUSD doesn’t move in perfect alignment with everything else, its relatively stable relationship with risk-on and risk-off sentiments can be your silent assistant. You could say it’s the introverted friend of your otherwise chaotic portfolio—quiet but reliable. Counterintuitive Tip: Don’t Always Go Big Most traders get this itch to go big or go home with their EURUSD positions. But here’s where we part ways from the usual advice. Small, calculated position sizes can actually provide a nimble risk management approach, especially when balancing against equities or commodities. Remember, it's all about risk exposure, not about making a splash in the market. A modest EURUSD short position can add just the right amount of anti-volatility vibes without wrecking the rest of your setup. It’s like seasoning a dish—you’re not throwing in entire jars of spice, right? You’re adding a pinch here and there to bring out the real flavor. The same idea works here; a small EURUSD position can bring harmony to your asset mix without stealing the show. Hedging the Hedge: Advanced Strategies for Advanced Traders Now, this is where we get into ninja territory. One less-talked-about strategy is to “hedge the hedge.” What do I mean by that? Say you’ve got an open EURUSD hedge against a volatile stock position. You notice that while it’s working well, the EURUSD itself is starting to show signals of imminent breakout moves. Rather than closing the hedge entirely, consider opening a short-term options position to cover potential risks in the EURUSD itself. This double-layered approach is what separates the amateurs from the pros. Picture a magician who not only knows how to pull a rabbit out of a hat but also manages to make the hat disappear. That’s the kind of finesse you’re aiming for. Diversification Without Overcomplication The biggest myth around using Forex pairs like EURUSD in portfolio risk management is that it’s overly complex. But let me bust that myth right here. If you can balance equities, bonds, and a few commodities, adding a currency pair isn’t much of a leap. Diversification is crucial, but so is simplicity. The key is to incorporate EURUSD without turning your portfolio into a Rubik’s cube—no one wants a headache from their own risk management. For instance, if you already hold European equities, tweaking your EURUSD exposure can act as a regional risk dampener. It’s like wearing both a seatbelt and a helmet—sure, one might be enough, but both give you that extra layer of protection, and who’s going to argue with safety? Using EURUSD to Play Both Sides Here’s another secret: EURUSD is ideal for playing both sides of a volatile market. When everyone’s either running for the hills or jumping in with both feet, EURUSD often becomes a proxy for broader risk sentiment. Take March 2020, for example. When the markets nosedived, EURUSD became an unexpected safe-haven for some traders. Smart traders knew that the Euro would hold a bit stronger due to the dollar’s wild ride—it wasn’t about picking a side; it was about picking both sides, strategically, and benefiting from the chaos. From Theory to Practice: Ninja-Level Tactics for You Let’s bring this down to a personal level. If you’re managing a multi-asset portfolio, think of EURUSD as your Swiss Army knife—versatile, effective, and low maintenance. You don’t need an entire toolkit when a simple knife will do the job. Instead of creating elaborate hedges across multiple Forex pairs, use EURUSD for a simple, effective solution. Consider using a long-term moving average strategy to time your EURUSD entries and exits for portfolio hedging. This isn’t about getting rich overnight; it’s about staying rich by avoiding costly mistakes. Using a 100-day moving average, for instance, could give you the signal to either add a small position to offset equity risks or step away when things look unstable. Remember, trading is a marathon, not a sprint—and those who survive the longest often do the best. Wrapping Up the Secrets There you have it—a deep dive into using EURUSD as your risk management ace in the hole. You don’t need to be the loudest or flashiest trader to succeed. Sometimes, the best strategies are the subtle ones, like the use of a well-positioned EURUSD hedge. Want to explore more exclusive trading strategies and join a community that gets it? Check out the following resources from StarseedFX to take your risk management game to the next level: - Latest Economic Indicators and Forex News: Stay informed with real-time updates - Forex Education: Expand your knowledge with little-known strategies - Community Membership: Join StarseedFX for live insights and elite tactics - Free Trading Plan: Get your free trading plan for rare strategic advantages - Smart Trading Tool: Optimize your trading with automated insights The EURUSD might just be the unexpected ally your portfolio needs—give it a try and see how this “little-known secret” can change the way you think about risk management. —————– Image Credits: Cover image at the top is AI-generated Read the full article

[511digital]

Unlocking the Power of Performance Max for Lead Generation : 5 Key Strategies

1. Key Summary

Performance Max can be challenging for lead generation compared to e-commerce

Integrate your CRM with Google Ads to focus on qualified leads

Use cross-campaign optimization and leverage successful keywords

Create a structured campaign approach with persona-based asset groups

Utilize first-party data to create targeted audience signals

Exclude poor-performing keywords and placements

Allow 2-4 weeks for optimization and make data-driven adjustments

PMax can be effective for both B2B and B2C lead generation when implemented correctly

The article provides practical tips for marketers struggling with Performance Max campaigns for lead generation, offering strategies to improve lead quality and campaign performance.

2. Blog Content

If you’ve been struggling to make Performance Max work for your lead generation campaigns, you’re not alone. While PMax has been a game-changer for many e-commerce businesses, lead-gen folks have found it to be a bit of a rollercoaster ride. One minute you’re drowning in leads, the next you’re left high and dry – and don’t even get me started on lead quality!

But fear not, because I’ve got some insider tips to help you tame the PMax beast and turn it into your lead generation superpower. Let’s dive in!

3. Why is PMax Trickier for Lead Gen?

Here’s the deal: PMax works like a charm for e-commerce because Google knows exactly what success looks like – ka-ching! But with lead gen, your initial conversion (like a form fill or phone call) is just the beginning of the journey. Google doesn’t know if that lead turned into a sales meeting or a big fat contract.

So, how do we clue Google in on what really matters? Here are five strategies to supercharge your PMax lead gen campaigns:

Get Your CRM and Google Ads Talking First things first, let’s make sure Google knows what a quality lead looks like. Connect your CRM (like Hubspot or Salesforce) to Google Ads and set those juicy qualified leads as your primary conversion point. This way, PMax will optimize for the leads that actually matter.

Borrow from Your Winners Why reinvent the wheel? Use the data from your successful campaigns to give PMax a head start. Import those high-performing keywords from your search campaigns as asset signals. And don’t forget to tap into the brains of your sales team – they know what makes your prospects tick!

Structure for Success One-size-fits-all rarely works in marketing, and PMax is no exception. Create separate campaigns for each product or service, and consider structuring your asset groups around customer personas. This allows for laser-focused messaging and better budget control.

Leverage Your First-Party Data Your existing customer and lead data is marketing gold. Use it! Create audience signals from your high-value customers, engaged email subscribers, and website visitors. This tells Google exactly who your ideal leads look like.

Show Google Where Not to Go While PMax doesn’t give you the same granular control as traditional campaigns, you can still guide it in the right direction. Use the insights reports to identify and exclude poor-performing keywords and placements at the account level.

Remember, optimizing PMax for lead gen is a journey, not a destination. Keep testing, refining, and most importantly, aligning your PMax strategy with your overall business goals.

4. FAQ: Performance Max for Lead Generation

Ready to take your lead generation to the next level?

At 511 Digital Marketing, we’re passionate about helping businesses like yours unlock the full potential of Performance Max and other cutting-edge digital marketing strategies. Our team of experts can help you implement these tactics and develop a customized approach that drives high-quality leads and measurable results.

Don’t let PMax confusion hold you back any longer. Schedule today for a free consultation – https://bit.ly/511-free-consultation and discover how we can transform your lead-generation efforts!

Q: How long does it take to see results with PMax for lead gen?

A: It varies, but typically you should allow 2-4 weeks for the algorithm to learn and optimize. Be patient and focus on providing quality signals and data during this time.

Q: Can I use PMax if I don’t have a lot of historical data?

A: Yes! While more data is always helpful, you can still use PMax effectively by leveraging cross-campaign optimization and first-party data as described in the article.

Q: How often should I adjust my PMax campaigns?

A: Avoid making frequent changes, as this can disrupt the learning process. Instead, make thoughtful, data-driven adjustments every 2-4 weeks based on performance.

Q: Is PMax suitable for B2B lead generation?

A: Absolutely! While it may require more strategic setup and optimization, PMax can be highly effective for B2B lead gen when implemented correctly.

Q: How do I balance lead quality and quantity with PMax?

A: Focus on setting up proper conversion tracking for qualified leads, use audience signals effectively, and continuously refine your targeting based on performance data.

Ready to take your lead generation to the next level?

At 511 Digital Marketing, we’re passionate about helping businesses like yours unlock the full potential of Performance Max and other cutting-edge digital marketing strategies. Our team of experts can help you implement these tactics and develop a customized approach that drives high-quality leads and measurable results.

Don’t let PMax confusion hold you back any longer. 

[newmusickarl]

5-9’s Album of the Month Podcast – Episode 7 Out Now, Episode 8 Coming Soon!

The August review episode of the 5-9 Album of the Month Podcast will be arriving shortly and as ever I will take a seat alongside 5-9 Editor Andrew Belt and Check This Out’s Kiley Larsen to review five high profile album releases from the past month in music, and ultimately name one as our Album of the Month at the end of the discussion.

For the upcoming August episode, the five albums we will be discussing are:

WEEDKILLER by Ashnikko

Death Is Nothing To Us by Fiddlehead

STRUGGLER by Genesis Owusu

The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons by The Hives

No Joy by Spanish Love Songs

If you want to listen to the July episode or any previous episodes simply click the link below, but also be sure to follow 5-9 Blog on Instagram and Twitter for more news and polls relating to the podcast, along with other great content like film reviews, sports articles and more.

Listen to the July 2023 episode here

Album & EP Recommendations

The Noble Art of Self Destruction by Holding Absence

Welsh post-hardcore outfit Holding Absence have been on an incredible run ever since their formation in 2015. Quickly garnering a legion of fans off the back of their epic self-titled debut and 2021’s bold, cinematic effort The Greatest Mistake of My Life, expectations were certainly high for this eagerly anticipated third outing. Simply building on what has come before rather than reinventing the wheel, The Noble Art of Self Destruction shows why Holding Absence have rapidly become one of the UK’s most heralded alt-rock bands.

Propelled by atmospheric sonic backdrops and Lucas Woodland’s passionate vocals, it’s a record simply packed wall-to-wall with the soaring anthems we’ve come to expect from Holding Absence. With each track seamlessly segueing into the next, it’s an expertly crafted rock record with highlights including recent single A Crooked Melody, heartfelt centrepiece Honey Moon and dramatic grand finale The Angel In The Marble.

Listen here

Still Love by Teenage Wrist

However, if you prefer your rock music rawer and scuzzier, then look no further than this third album from Californian duo, Teenage Wrist. Despite being around for almost 10 years, Still Love has been my first introduction to the band, leading to a thorough deep dive through their other two albums in early August. Whilst I’m not sure yet that this is their best record, I can say the pair of Anthony Salazar and Marshall Gallagher have certainly upped the scope of their sound on this latest effort.

Featuring a host of guest features from the likes of Softcult, Sister Void and Heavenward, the duo have stripped back the production and dived further into the grungier elements of their emotive sonic landscapes. It all makes for an enthralling listen, with the title track, Something Good, Cold Case and Sprawled just some of the highlights here.

Listen here

Hazeltons by Justin Vernon

When I first hit play on this project, I was pleasantly surprised with what was presented to me. It initially seemed like Vernon had finally come full circle, returning to the quiet ambient folk of his classic albums For Emma, Forever Ago and the self-titled Bon Iver record, after years of bold experimentation. However, what I soon found out was that Hazeltons is actually a project from way back in 2006, one that was originally granted a very limited release and is now being heard by the masses for the first time. So a new/old project if you will, with many Bon Iver fans only now discovering this batch of songs.

The chances are if you are a huge fan of those early Bon Iver projects, like me you’ll be blown away by this one. As Vernon’s inimitable vocals reverberate against the stripped-back acoustic arrangements, it offers moments of haunting beauty to the level few other artists can muster. Whilst early Holocene cut Hazelton offers a gift for fans and piano ballad Easy hits a hard emotional gut punch, the stunning, nearly 9-minute epic Song For a Lover (of long ago) is the undisputed star of the show.

Listen here

KEIR by Keir

From a timeless lost project to an outstanding debut now, and there were few more impressive first outings in August than this one from rising star, Keir. An artist I first discovered through Dot to Dot Nottingham several years ago off the back of his mammoth single Squeeze Me, the genre-defying singer-songwriter has only gone from strength-to-strength since then.

Now with this long-awaited debut finally out in the world, here’s hoping more people get to discover Keir’s unique ability to have you rocking out one minute then solemnly lamenting the next. This range of versatility is on full display across this impressive self-titled, from the dramatic opening crescendo of Lemonade to the seismic closing act of Shame. With the quirky, operatic Voices and heartfelt singles Time (is a healer), Say Love and Confession also standing out along the way, this is a huge pop debut that I just can’t stop spinning.

Listen here

UTOPIA by Travis Scott

Following the horrific Astroworld festival incident which saw 10 people die and hundreds more injured, rapper Travis Scott had rightfully been condemned for his crowd-antagonising antics that had played their part in causing this highly preventable tragedy. At this point I had assumed Travis’ career was over, but at the end of July he would release his fourth album and intrigue boosted by a wave of internet buzz simply got the better of me. Although UTOPIA is noticeably patchy and at times awkwardly feels like an attempt to reconnect with an audience that has rightfully left him behind, there are some fascinating moments to be found here too.

With a mountain of guest features including heavyweights like Beyoncé, Drake, Kanye West, Daft Punk, The Weeknd, SZA, James Blake, Kid Cudi, Pharrell Williams and many, many more, Travis pulls out all the stops here. With exquisite production and more than a few moments that channel Ye’s 2013 classic Yeezus, Travis doesn’t shy away on songs such as HYAENA, MODERN JAM and CIRCUS MAXIMUS. However, the album’s highlight for me is MY EYES, which is the rare moment in which Travis does openly address the Astroworld tragedy, with the song further elevated thanks to a couple of extraordinary features from both Justin Vernon and Sampha.

Listen here

Modern Day EP by Bloxx

And finally on the EPs front this month, London-based indie quartet Bloxx made their welcome return with their first new EP since 2021’s Pop Culture Radio. Much like their output till now, it is a collection of five songs that showcases the band’s talent for writing catchy hooks and memorable riffs, with the opening trio of Modern Day, Television Promises and Runaway particularly great.

Listen here

Also worth checking out: Sundial by Noname, Ooh Rap I Ya by George Clanton, Learning How To Live & Let Go by The Xcerts, Volcano by Jungle, Austin by Post Malone

Tracks of the Week

The Notion by Spector

A band that continue to do no wrong, 10s indie icons Spector recently released new single The Notion alongside a string of UK tour dates, possibly hinting that album No.4 is on the way. As ever it is Fred Macpherson’s poetically written lyrics that are the star of the show, with the poignant refrain of “There will be good days, but maybe not always” leaving a lasting impression. Also worth sticking around for a soaring guest guitar solo from friend of the band, Blood Orange’s Dev Hynes.

Listen here

Space Invader / Alphabet City by The National

The National’s ninth studio album First Two Pages of Frankenstein may remain one of this year’s biggest disappointments, but thankfully the band have shown signs of recovery with a pair of intriguing standalone singles. Alphabet City boasts some tender orchestration whilst Space Invader is for my money the best song the band have put out this year, a 7-minute tour de force led by some truly stirring instrumental passages.

Listen to Space Invader here

Deep In The Night by Future Islands

From the moment those opening synths chime in, it’s impossible not to get swept away by this dreamy new cut from Baltimore outfit Future Islands. Their last album, As Long As You Are, was one of my favourites of theirs to date and this latest single already has me anticipating their next record. Beautifully steeped in sentiment and carrying a natural timelessness, it’s an instant favourite in their catalogue for me.

Listen here

Punk’s Dead by SOFT PLAY

Five years since their last LP and one name change later, SOFT PLAY (formely known as SLAVES) finally returned this month and boy did they return in emphatic fashion. Propelled by surging riffs and frontman Isaac Holman’s anger-fuelled vocals taking aim at “PC babies”, the most pleasantly surprising moment comes when Robbie Williams turns up for a melodic cameo during the final bridge. Best experienced with this wonderfully OTT video!

Watch it here

Are You Awake? By Lauren Mayberry

Swapping pulsating electronics for a stripped-back piano ballad, CHVRCHES’ Lauren Mayberry recently released this stunning debut solo single. Subtly constructed yet still packing a powerful punch, it’s a noticeable direction change from her day job and an intriguing taster for her forthcoming first solo record.

Listen here

I Want To Be Your Only Pet by Bombay Bicycle Club

Due for release in October, the sixth album from Bombay Bicycle Club continues to be one of my most anticipated records for the final part of the year. This latest single has only heightened expectations further, thanks to some hypnotic vocal harmonies and some seriously addictive buzzy guitar riffs.

Listen here

Fire of Mercy by Hot Chip & yuné pinku

And finally this week, Electronic legends Hot Chip have recently teamed up with Malaysian-Irish producer yuné pinku for this blissful end of summer anthem. Typically excellent from Hot Chip, it’s a heartwarming track based on William Blake’s Songs of Experience.

Listen here

Also worth checking out: Ozone Scraper by DJ Shadow, iBD by Mac Wetha, Feels So Good by Haiku Hands, S’old by Taking Back Sunday, Headlights On by Wild Nothing featuring Hatchie

REMINDER: If you use Apple Music, you can also keep up-to-date with all my favourite 2023 tracks through my Best of 2023 playlist. Constantly updated throughout the year with songs I enjoy, it is then finalised into a Top 100 Songs of the Year in December.

Add the playlist to your library here

[ctrl-salt-delete]

Dial Up Directory by Frank 1. Derfler. Jr., from the April 1980 issue of Kilobaud Microcomputing Magazine

Microcomputing: Were you motivated by the mailbox services available on the ARPA net, PLATO or other commercial systems?

Ward: Honestly, I didn't know they existed at the time. I understand that we have reinvented the wheel by using some similar control codes, but I didn't know about them then. We started out with five functions. We made new version changes almost weekly in the beginning, but the system has stayed pretty simple.

Randy: We used our own equipment, too. Eventually though, we had to dedicate a system so that we could provide full-time service. Now several manufacturers have donated equipment for use and evaluation.

...

Microcomputing: Is your user population still growing?

Ward: We started out using a Teletype for logging, and Randy used to send me hundreds of feet of paper at a time. Now we log on a separate disk. We have had over 11,000 users and are getting ten to 15 new folks calling in a day.

Microcomputing: Well, I can testify that you have the busiest phone number of any system.

...

Microcomputing: What other CBBSs around the country now use your software?

Ward: Boston, Atlanta, Dallas, Pasadena and Beaverton are operating. We have sold other copies, too.

Microcomputing: Are you really in the sales business?

Ward: Absolutely not! We had thought about giving the software away free, and then we thought about selling it for $25. But either way, we were afraid people would not value it and we would have no control over our creation. We settled on $50 as a fair price.

Randy: We have thousands and thousands of our own dollars in it, and it would take a lot of 50-dollar checks to turn a profit.

...

Microcomputing: How about the future? Telenet has announced some super-low night rates for data transmission. Do you see any linking of systems for transfer of general-interest messages?

Randy: That would get us into long-distance calling. We deliberately use a dial-in-only line that costs three dollars a month. Message transfers would require a lot of time and software.

Ward: We intend that this system remain free of cost to the user. Nationwide netting might become complicated and expensive. Also, we find that individuals already transfer interesting information from system to system, or they may at least leave references to messages of interest on other systems. The same thing is true of becoming multi-user. We are frequently asked why we don't provide more lines and go multi-user. The best answer we can give is that we are only in this for the fun of it. Big changes will come slowly.

[notebooknebula]

Raising Private Money For Short-Term Rentals with Sief Khafagi|  Real Estate Investing Minus The Bank

https://www.jayconner.com/podcast/episode-53-raising-private-money-for-short-term-rentals-real-estate-investing-minus-the-bank-with-sief-khafagi/

Key Takeaways:

“Don’t reinvent the wheel, but drive differently.”

How to start conversations about raising private money

How to actually find private capital

How pivoting can help you in the long run

On finding a niche within a niche

How Techvestor’s technology can find the best possible deals

How to find a team that can actually help you see results

On how technology will transform the real estate space

On Raising Private Money we’ll speak with new and seasoned investors to dissect their deals and extract the best tips and strategies to help you get the money! 

Today we have Sief Khafagi! 

Sief Khafagi is an ex-techie turned real estate investor who has helped thousands diversify into real estate after spending nearly 5 years at Facebook where he built the 2nd largest engineering organization in the world. 1000+ hires later, it hit him: a company’s most important asset is its people. 

Today, he’s the founder of Techvestor, which helps real estate investors and busy professionals passively invest in the emerging asset class of short-term rentals (aka Airbnbs) and build for their lifestyle. 

All investors get to use the properties they invest in, further creating utility AND returns. Techvestor’s advisors include folks from AirDNA, Realtor.com, and Bigger Pockets. But this isn’t your average real estate investment company. 

Techvestor built its own proprietary sourcing technology where it can underwrite over 50,000 properties a month and acquire the best ones for its investors. It’s as if a real estate company and a tech company had a baby.

Timestamps:

0:01 – Raising Private Money with Jay Conner

1:05 – Today’s Guest: Sief Khafagi

3:19 – The Mindset To Raised Billions Of Dollars In Private Money

4:53 – Don’t Reinvent The Wheel But Drive Differently

7:07 – Effective Ways To Attract Private Money

8:37 – Jay’s Free Money Guide: https://www.JayConner.com/MoneyGuide

9:21 – The Discovery Of Techvestor

12:46 – How Do You Underwrite Over 50,000 Properties A Month?

15:48 – Why Invest Passively In Short-Term Rentals Through Techvestor

19:43 – Invest In https://www.TechVestor.com

20:34 – Does Techvestor Use AI To Predict Data?

22:16 – How To Grow Your Dream Team & Find Great Talent?

24:17 – Sief Khafagi’s Parting Comments: Go Out There And Raise Private Money It’s Out There. Go Do! You Will Never Know How Far You Can Get Without Doing!

Private Money Academy Conference:

https://www.JaysLiveEvent.com

Free Report:

https://www.jayconner.com/MoneyReport

Join the Private Money Academy:

https://www.JayConner.com/trial/

Have you read Jay’s new book: Where to Get The Money Now?

It is available FREE (all you pay is the shipping and handling) at

https://www.JayConner.com/Book

What is Private Money? Real Estate Investing with Jay Conner

https://www.JayConner.com/MoneyPodcast

Jay Conner is a proven real estate investment leader. He maximizes creative methods to buy and sell properties with profits averaging $67,000 per deal without using his own money or credit.

What is Real Estate Investing? Live Private Money Academy Conference

https://youtu.be/QyeBbDOF4wo

YouTube Channel

https://www.youtube.com/c/RealEstateInvestingWithJayConner

Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-money-academy-real-estate-investing-with-jay/id1377723034

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/jay.conner.marketing

Listen to our Podcast:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2025961/episodes/12662041

[what-even-is-thiss]

Why do people say folx anyways

Folks has been gender neutral this entire time

We don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time with this stuff

[jetspikepub]

Remember "Jet understood and loved Spike" passage from Extra Session book? This isn't the end of analysis of The Real Folk Blues arc. The next page contains more details about director's and writer's decisions on ending 😏😏😏

Watanabe's been keeping in mind an image of anime's ending since the team finished working on ep 1. He just liked the idea of Spike's badass assault and because of that he argued with Nobumoto a lot. The anime kicks off with Jet and Spike, their strong partnership vibes, and for Nobumoto it seemed logic to show's Jet overprotective dad behaviour in the end and, eventually, let him and maybe Faye to go with Spike, which means they all fucking die or get injured. Nobumoto likes those dark bittersweet dramatic tones for some reason, she nailed it in Wolf's Rain (I started watching Bebop right after Wolf's Rain and by ep. 25 was like "oh no you're not gonna feed me dat depressing shit again, if something happens to the Bebop crew I'll kill everyone in this room and then myself").

Anyway, here's a summary:

For the final episode, the main staff organised camping in Wado, Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture. Director Watanabe and screenwriter Nobumoto said that the atmosphere was tense when they tried to make a decision whether or not to send Jet to Red Dragon headquarters with Spike. In the end, Jet didn't go, and director won the argument.

- Did you have a happy end ver. where Julia didn't die and Spike came back? Or did it end with the two of them running away together?

Watanabe: But in this case the remaining members wouldn't be happy. Like, what the hell, they ran away, they left us behind. If I find them I'll kill them! (laughs).

- So, from the very beginning, this was a premise that the two would say goodbye, right?

Nobumoto: But you don't know whether Spike is dead or not.

W: It's possible he's just sleeping. Sleeping quetly.

N: It feels that way because of the spectacular events that took place. Why so unhappy?

Minami: Not that unhappy. But the star have disappeared (laughs).

W: As I mentioned earlier, I had decided to do this for the final episode from the beginning, so there was no hesitation on my part.

N: The taste of the work seems to be consistent, at the beginning and at the end.

M: But while we were working on the scenario, I think that the sence of danger still was there, even though we had some fun stories to tell.

N: I wonder if there's such a character like Spike.

W: It was a dangerous work, including the schedule (laughs).

As you can see, the creators made wise decision to give us a chance to feel comfortable about Bebop crew's fate.

I'm not reinventing the wheel, just sending a gentle kiss to those who like to downvote other's opinion))) I've got nothing to hide, I show the whole picture for everyone to analyse and make own decisions. Never let them mislead you or humiliate you just because you have different point of view.

[alphagodith]

probably reinventing the wheel here (as in there is already an explanation for this and i was just too lazy to look it up) but i came up with an explanation for why stakes used to kill vampires have to be made of wood.

i personally headcanon the vampires’ weak spot is their heart because that is where the spell that keeps them animated is centered. so, wooden stakes work to disrupt and break that spell... because they are corpses. the stakes, that is. wood is organic- previously alive, just like a vampire’s body. so throwing that in there is like throwing an extra period into a line of code... it just mucks it all up and breaks it.

the only ‘flaw’ with this theory tho is that things like bone would then also have to work for killing vampires. but i think that’s fine, and we can say nobody’s thought to include it in the ‘how to kill a vampire’ guides because folks just don’t tend to have weapons made of bone lying around. wood is more common and if it ain’t broke don’t fix it- they found one thing that worked and didn’t think to try every other possible material.

[tlbodine]

The Great Content Warning Debate

Horror Twitter has been aflame for a few days now with heated discourse about trigger/content warnings, and I keep seeing the same arguments and questions and points come up repeatedly so I wanted to collect all of it into one place because I feel like discourse can only get so far if people keep reinventing the wheel -- so perhaps having the full discussion laid out in one place could be helpful.

Of course, the folks arguing probably won’t see this post, but perhaps there can be some benefit from talking about it anyway. This is intended to be more of an overview of arguments and counter-arguments, collected and displayed as impartially as possible, but of course my own opinions are going to leak in and color some of this. 

NOTE: This is written specifically from the perspective of the horror book community, a genre that traditionally is associated with troubling, transgressive, risk-taking and shocking works. There are discussions to be had for content labels on other types of fiction, but as I’m unfamiliar with the norms and expectations of, say, romance, I’m not going to wade too deeply into that here. 

So without further ado, the arguments and counter-arguments and discussion points that I keep seeing hashed and rehashed and circled around when the issue of trigger warnings comes up! 

If you’re sensitive, you shouldn’t be reading horror 

“Horror is supposed to be horrifying! It’s not fluffy bunnies and kittens! You’re supposed to be made uncomfortable!” 

There are a few problems with this: 

“Uncomfortable” is not the same as “Sent into a panic attack/flashback/relapse” (ie, triggered) 

People with PTSD and other issues can and do engage with horror all the time and often love the genre for entertainment or therapeutic purposes

Many people are fine with some types of content but not others; blood and guts won’t affect them the same as rape, or they’re fine with adults dying but can’t handle child death, and so on and so forth 

Knowing what you’re getting into can help you prepare/brace yourself so you’re not taken unaware; people with the right warnings can mentally prepare themselves and enjoy a book that they would not have been able to read if they were confronted with it unexpectedly

Trigger warnings are censorship 

Some folks have an implicit/kneejerk reaction that “trigger = bad thing” and respond to the request to put warnings on a book as a moral value judgment on the book’s contents. I can see why they might fear that, especially because at a glance it’s easy to conflate the groups asking for warnings with the groups who say things like “if your characters have underage sex then you the writer are literally a pedophile.” But by and large the folks asking for warnings do not seem to be asking for folks to stop writing certain difficult themes, only to provide a heads up for readers about the type of experience those readers can expect from the book. 

There is an argument to be made that warnings could affect the sales of a book, in much the same way that an NC-17 film doesn’t get the same distribution opportunities as an R-rated or PG-13 film, and that authors/publishers will make marketing decisions to include or exclude certain types of content in order to avoid this. 

Trigger warnings will spoil the book 

While some readers will benefit from content warnings, others might have their reading experience ruined by knowing about major twists. This seems especially relevant with a warning like “child death.” It’s very important that people who have, for example, recently lost a child not be unexpectedly re-traumatized by reading about a child dying without warning. But it’s also important that people who want to enjoy the full, shocking impact of such a scene have the opportunity to do so without having it dulled by forewarning. 

Any kind of warning system needs to be opt-in for a reader. Some suggestions include: 

Placing warnings at the end of a book, where readers can flip to that page to look (not helpful if you’re ordering online) 

Placing warnings on the author’s website, where readers can search (not helpful if you’re buying in person)

Given the limitations, a combination of those strategies seems to make sense. It may also be unfortunately true that someone looking for one type of warning (ie, rape) will have their experience ruined if they spoiler themselves for another warning (child death). This may be unavoidable collateral damage. 

Authors/Publishers should be responsible for putting warnings in their books

There seems to be some debate over whether the onus of responsibility for providing warnings rests on the author or the publisher. It should be acknowledged that authors may not always have the power to make this choice -- and if the presence or absence of warnings becomes a factor for judging the quality/moral fiber of authors, those authors could be punished by the reader community for a choice that was largely out of their hands (although, there’s still nothing keeping the author from hosting those warnings externally - how successfully that is implemented is another matter). 

Additionally, the demand for warnings will be placed more consistently on small presses simply because those presses are more likely to heed the request. This could create a double standard where readers might be more forgiving of large pub works that forego warnings because there’s no expectation that they would have implemented them anyway. On the other hand, this could be a way for indie publishers to differentiate themselves on the market and appeal more to certain subsets of readers. 

External groups or communities should be responsible for warnings

There’s a line of reasoning that an author or publisher may not be sensitive to the potentially triggering/damaging things in their work, and some kind of external governing body should manage this work instead. This does sound a lot more like the censorship argument that people are worried about. 

Wiki-style sites and places where people can freely tag books (such as Storygraph) also fit this bill to an extent. They would presumably have less power over the market than a ratings board like the MPAA, but could still exert influence over how a book is received. 

Demanding warnings will negatively impact marginalized authors 

We’re already seeing some evidence that BIPOC and LGBTQ authors are affected more by user-generated trigger warnings on sites like Storygraph, and that these warnings can be weaponized against marginalized authors. Much like review-bombing a book before it comes out can affect its launch, labeling a book with inaccurate trigger warnings could damage its sales. 

Similarly, lists of “safe” and “unsafe” authors have already begun to circulate among some groups, and there seems to be a disproportionate number of marginalized creators on that “unsafe” list -- at least according to the anecdotal reports I’ve seen. 

Historically, it is true that any attempts at censorship or content moderation will be more harshly applied to marginalized groups (see: film ratings for gay sex vs straight sex). 

It’s impossible to warn for everything

One hesitancy that some authors have with tagging their work is they’re not sure what to tag for. Triggers are highly personal, and there’s no way you can possibly guess what might upset a reader. 

Here’s a list of commonly agreed-upon things that might make sense to tag for in a given work: 

Violence/gore 

Suicide/self-harm

Rape/sexual assault

Domestic violence

Child death/endangerment

Animal death/abuse

Drug use/substance abuse 

Racism/slurs 

That said, it’s still difficult to account for context. At what stage do you warn for something? If a character is drinking a beer, do you need to tag for that? Do you distinguish between the tone things are written in, such as being played for laughs vs seriously? If the rape scene is written artistically/metaphorically, does the same warning apply as if it were described act-by-act in a clinical sense? What if your blanket list of warnings gives readers a false sense of what the book will be like -- is it actually helpful at all, or is it just posturing/virtue signaling to include warnings that won’t actually be effective?  

Some would argue that this is dramatically overthinking it, but this does seem to cause a great deal of distress to authors who want to do the right thing but worry about getting it wrong. An argument could be made that trying and failing might be worse than doing nothing, especially if your attempts get you labeled as a “trustworthy” or “safe” author only for that trust to be “betrayed” by a warning you used incorrectly. 

On the other hand, many would argue that we all “pretty much know” what needs to be warned for, and that warnings are intuitive. These granular questions could be viewed as a distraction from more common sense issues. 

Readers are responsible for managing their own safety

Ultimately, because it’s impossible for every potential trigger to be identified and warned for, readers will need to remain vigilant. Of course, there are already ways to identify the content of a book without any kind of established warning system -- such as, for example, reading posted book reviews, asking a question on a book’s Goodreads page, reaching out to the author directly, asking about the book in a reading group online or having a friend/parent/spouse/trusted person read the book first and report back with their findings. 

This is the system we’ve pretty much used as readers for years, before “trigger warning” became part of the common vernacular, and it does have some distinct advantages just because you can get a lot more specific information this way. 

It is possible that if warnings become more commonplace for books that readers may become less vigilant about their own safety, which could paradoxically put them at greater risk of finding troubling content unexpectedly. 

There’s also the issue of “safe” and “unsafe” author lists. At the moment, while the discourse is hot, it’s perhaps more natural to pick sides and disregard some authors for reasons that may be unfair -- for example, marking an author as unsafe or boycotting her work because she doesn’t want to include warnings, but she wants to avoid warnings because she strongly believes they will be detrimental to a reader’s safety. A reader may or may not agree with that perspective, but it’s certainly not the same motive as an author who would do something actively malicious to a reader (like, idk, emailing a screamer to a reviewer or something. that’s a made up example.) 

In the end, trigger warnings are a good idea, but the issue is complex to implement and some people do still have reservations about their overall efficacy. 

We simply won’t know one way or another until we try to implement it. But in the meantime, I do think it’s valuable to continue talking about this, as long as everyone involved remains civil and engages in good faith. Once people’s perspectives start getting thrown out the window in the heat of the moment, or strawmen arguments are erected that don’t reflect what anyone involved actually believes, the discussion ceases to be helpful. 

[git-gud-mcgee]

thoughts on the new transmog system in destiny 2???

I think it’s a very, VERY stupid take on a system that, at it’s core, is simple. That’s the thing that baffles me most about the entire situation. Being able to change the appearance of your gear is SIMPLE. But Bungie took something SIMPLE and made it complicated. 

I get wanting player engagement! I get wanting players to feel like they’ve worked, at least a little bit, to earn something. And for the most part I agree! But when it comes to a system like this, I’m just...what????? Why reinvent the wheel?

The Division 2 did this flawlessly! The devs added a transmog system that retroactively had every piece of armor you’d dismantled up to that point. A few clicks and bam, there you go! SIMPLE. 

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey implemented a transmog system, as well, and it worked great! No fuss! SIMPLE. 

Diablo 3 has a transmog system! You spend the COPIOUS amount of gold you earn in-game to change your gear’s appearance. SIMPLE. 

Fucking TERRARIA has a simple transmog system! You got your gear slot, and your vanity slot! You equip your regular gear as normal, and you put your VANITY GEAR in the VANITY SLOTS, so you can look however you like!

SIMPLE. 

Let’s not beat around the bush; at it’s core, this system is meant to push people towards Eververse. To spend REAL fucking money on a system that, ultimately, is supposed to be a fun convenience. And for the majority of folks, they’ll probably only use this a couple of times to make the vanity sets they want, and then never touch it again! Hell that’s what I’ll do, I’m not a completionist! 

But that’s not the point. 

Listen, I’m so glad Bungie got out from under the yolk of Activision-Blizzard. They deserve to stand on their own merits as developers, and I think the past few seasons of Destiny have been phenomenal. I still love playing! 

But it’s very, very important to recognize that Bungie is still a COMPANY. There’s still a board of directors, there’s still shareholders and people who only care about milking microtransactions for all their worth. Those kinds of people are sharks, and they WILL use any tactic to push players towards spending MORE money in this game than they already do. 

And I feel bad for the devs that HAVE to implement these things, y’know? I’m sure folks on the ground level at Bungie know this is so terribly stupid and assbackwards, but what can they do? Shareholders, ultimately, get the final say. 

I’m sure Bungie, as they always do, will readjust the system after it launches because that’s what they love doing. Launch a new thing, listen to the backlash, say “WE HEAR YOU” and then tweak it. 

And goddamn it’s an exhausting cycle.

[wangxiandecoded]

Episode 7 (& Wangxian Meta)

Previous Episode | Next Episode

(Spoilers for the whole show ahead!)

The Chosen Ones

Lan Zhan, if this scene foreshadows anything, it’s that he’s certainly going to become a part of your domestic affair.

There is something powerful about the first and only female Lan clan leader giving them her blessing and saying it was destiny that they found their way to her just as she’s about to fade into oblivion. Wangxian are the archetypal Chosen Ones who have been entrusted with keeping the Yin Iron safe. And if this was yet another straight adventure story that delivers poetic justice, we would expect it to conclude with these two people ending up together - and that’s what The Untamed does in a roundabout way with our heroes.

Nothing to see here. Just two guys tripping over each other because the sacred string of fate pulled them towards each other.

Lan Zhan, I’ll Be Your Secret Keeper!

This episode is full of instances where Wei Ying refuses to tell other characters what really happened in the cave, then turns around to look at Lan Zhan with a proud look that screams, “I’m so good at keeping secrets, aren’t I? We are soulmates! Come on, validate me, Lan Zhan!”

The expression on Lan Qiren’s face when Wei Ying calls Lan Zhan his confidant/soulmate. No words are needed. 

The Yin Iron Secret™ is obviously bringing them closer and they begin to share loaded glances that convey everything they wish to say without actually having to. Thus begins the process of everyone third wheeling Wangxian.

Jiang Cheng thinks Wei Ying should move into the Cloud Recesses since he’s hanging out with Lan Zhan all the time. Lan Zhan hears that and appears to be a tad bit disappointed Wei Ying might never actually do that since their lifestyles are leagues apart. It’s tough being Wei Wuxian sometimes.

The Lantern That Started Everything

We are here, folks! The moment that started it all, the scene that defined Wangxian’s story. Once again, Wangxian are framed in contrast with the two straight couples. 

Lan Zhan and Wei Ying are standing together and look at each other while making their wish, just like Yanli x Jin Zixuan, and Jiang Cheng x Wen Qing.

Lan Zhan says he is used to doing it alone and Wei Ying comments old habits can be changed, which just points to the latter’s impact on the former’s life.

Wei Ying has another accomplishment to cross off his list : Finally made Lan Zhan smile today!

Mian Mian asks Yanli why she didn’t make the lantern together with Jin Zixuan, as praying together is a custom followed by couples that are to be married. And that tells you everything you need to know about Lan Zhan and Wei Ying’s relationship.   

The first of many times that Lan Zhan rushes in to hold Wei Ying back.

Lan Zhan for a second believed Wei Ying finally learnt his lessons and crossed over to the lawful good side.. but come on, you love him precisely because he would never do that. And those ants are cute.

Jiang Fengmian proposes to cancel the troth between the clans to marry Yanli and Jin Zixuan. It is worth mentioning that Jiang clan’s approach to marriage is to never force their kids into a lifelong relationship they are not sure they want as they believe in “following one’s nature”. When even straight relationships are progressive and value happiness above all else, what is to stop the show from selling us a central gay romance that ends happily? Absolutely nothing.

We’ve now seen both the protagonists reject the romantic idea of spending their life with a woman. 

Missing Lan Zhan Hours Now Open

Wei Ying pouting like.. What do you mean we have to leave already? Lan Zhan literally just started acknowledging me as his soulmate. 

Oh no, Lan Zhan.. Why aren’t you including your soulmate on the super secret plan™?!

Wei Ying’s reason for wanting to say goodbye to only Lan Zhan out of all the disciples is, “Why can’t I admire his talents? You’re all losers who can’t fight me and he is my Match (Made In Heaven), I desire for an equivalence (and a meaningful union between souls.)”

The camera moves from the Yunmeng siblings squabbling to Lan Zhan observing them from a distance. Zewu Jun joins him and comments that after Wei Ying’s departure, Yun Shen will be silent once more. Lan Zhan’s face falls a little, understandably because he was getting more than used to Wei Ying’s chaotic presence in his life.

Zewu Jun is worried if Lan Zhan will be alright on his journey alone and raises the idea if he should tell Wei Ying about his quest. But Lan Zhan, our beloved idiot, still needs that extra push to come to terms with his feelings and realize Wei Ying will instantly drop everything for a lifetime by his side if he were to only say the word.

Rabbits Symbolise The Chinese Gay God

Even before the fandom taught me that the Chinese god of homosexuality is literally The Rabbit God, so the inclusion of rabbits is gloriously queer subtext, I could gather that they symbolised Wangxian’s feelings for each other. They both talk to the rabbits when the other is not there, Wei Ying paints a rabbit lantern for them to wish together, Lan Zhan raised Ah Yuan among these rabbits because they reminded him of Wei Ying and after 16 years, Lan Zhan drunkenly admits he likes rabbits (the equivalent of saying he’s always liked Wei Ying), they buy the rabbit lantern together and finally come back to find these rabbits in Cloud Recesses. The rabbits are a part of the Wangxian family.

The reappearance of the rabbits when Lan Zhan and Wei Ying’s dynamics have changed 16 years later is very telling. Their relationship by then has survived death and the miraculous return from death; it’s gone through the whole cycle of the promise of love, the pain of loss, the joy of redemption. The rabbits bring their life full circle to denote the certainty and comfort in the fact that they have each other after the trials and tribulations their romance has withstood. Wei Ying even says he isn’t scared of what happens anymore in that scene. There is nothing that can separate our heroes after this, they just have to brave whatever comes together.

And then there’s this promo picture and scene from a later episode where two rabbits are kissing.

This is how The Untamed screamed gay rights : “We’re not saying the heroes are gay, but the Yunshen rabbits are definitely gay and no one can do anything about it!” Only, the rabbits are such a huge part of this love story. 

Wangxian’s Promise of Love and Honor

When they make the wish together, Lan Zhan looks at Wei Ying with a kind of awe and reverence like, how did I not recognize him from the moment we met? He eyes the pouch containing the Yin metal and realizes they are both more alike than he thought, that this guy is possibly and most definitely his soulmate. This is an important stage in their relationship.

When he hears Wei Ying wish that he wants to eliminate evil and protect the weak in exchange for a life without anything weighing down their hearts - I think it is at this point he begins to see him as more of a life partner with whom he can share everything, than just a friend. Because Wei Ying’s impact on Lan Zhan’s life is so profound it alters his being, tilts his axis and expands his perspective. Wei Ying brought with him a free-spirited, flexible measurement of morality and an ardent quest for truth that no 3000 rules of the Lan clan had ever laid down. He realizes the rules he grew up on are right but Wei Ying, with all his moral complexity, can also be right. Wei Ying’s companionship introduced Lan Zhan to a fluid perception of right and wrong that he found perfectly acceptable. This shows Lan Zhan and Wei Ying belong to the new generation that is here to reform the broken system built by their ancestors. In this moment, by choosing to view him as his unequivocal soulmate, by acknowledging their paths are to be forever intertwined, Lan Zhan liberates his mind from the monochromatic perception of life he was brought up on. By making this wish together, Lan Zhan trusts Wei Ying to always do the right thing from now on and trusts the both of them to lead a life that they are proud of.

He doesn’t know right now that staying committed to this wish is going to demand everything from them in the future, but he does know that Wei Ying is the greatest person he has ever met and the first one who is so compatible with him. And that is a revelation to Lan Zhan because there are easily a million things that set them apart. All the same, he sees his own core values reflected in his soulmate. He decides it couldn’t be the worst thing in this world to stand by Wei Ying’s side especially when he’s doing the most honorable thing they both know to be true. This common ground means something to Lan Zhan, even if we don’t hear him admit that. Because here is Wei Ying telling him he doesn’t need to be alone anymore even though he’s used to it. That he doesn’t have to go through any of it alone as long as he is there: fight for justice, vanquish evil, or even simply go through everyday life. Lan Zhan’s face in this scene is understandably the face of a man who is falling in love.

The promise they make to each other on this cliff was in a way, a promise to follow their own path that ended up operating above the constraints of and reinvented the cultivation world’s jurisdiction. There are going to be many forces trying to convince them it's not the right way, but the path they share, which is both the literal path of justice and their love for each other (they are synonymous, after all) is the one they courageously forge and painfully commit to when their world is unable to go on existing with the faulty principles it was founded on. That is why their romance survives every obstacle in the end. It is founded on a love that runs so deep it recognizes and respects the other in the many lifetimes spent serving their just cause. Their love, and the extents it goes to in order to thrive, is the answer to all the troubles that ail their world. And it all began with this lantern. 

This is why The Untamed is the gay drama and Wangxian are the gay warriors the universe has been waiting for. It staged gay romance in a realm ruled by gentry and the supernatural, giving us equal parts of gore as there is swashbuckling, gut-wrenching drama. Literally never been done before.

In conclusion, Episode 7 deepens the bond between our heroes and sets up the main struggle in their romance as we wait to see what will become of the wish they made together. But one thing is clear : They are bound together forever, not just by their love for each other but also by their common cause. That is why the road they walk on can never be different. It will forever be the single plank road they will always find their way back to.