Literature third grade personification
shookt moments sa college so far? đ
2024.05.19 17:35 kraziimari shookt moments sa college so far? đ
Freshman here, grabe ang shookt ko now sa college HAHAHAHAHA
I remember I was so worried before na baka they will find me immature since sa cof ko ako yung pinakamakulit and treated as a kid, pero grabe ang pagtaas ng maturity level ko when I entered college HAHAHA
. First and foremost, ang hindi mawawalaâbut I'm still shookt, mga proud cheaters. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying this because I want some "moral validation" (may nabasa kasi ako abt this here din), cheating is never a new thing for me, ang bago is LITERAL NA REVIEWER ANG KODIGO N'YA ANTE HAHAHAHA. I don't know if I should be pissed off or matawa sa ginawa n'ya but I was just dumbfounded nung paglingon ko hindi lang small piece of paper, literal na buong bondpaper naka stapler pa nasa lapag HAHAHAHAHA WTF KAKO. Then yung isa sabi pa "ginagawa nga namin yan before nung shs eh", and what's nakakahiya is Education ang program naminđ. Second is mga fresh graduate na instructors. Now this is never an issue for me since magagaling naman sila magturo, pero beh HAHAHA mababalitaan mo may ka-mu silang student first year pa HAHAHAHAHA WTF LANG TALAGA. I mean nababalitaan ko s'ya yes, but never in my life na maiisip kong makakakita ako non in real life!! Yung frenny kong baliko, tinatarget s'ya ng bakla naming instructor sinasakyan n'ya, sabi ko WHY!? ang sagot n'ya beh alang alang daw sa grade AHAHAHHAHA, that's so freakin' unfair pero dang things that they will do for grades nga naman. Third is yung mga nanggugulang na seniors. Now this is what pissed me off talaga, I'm a student leader and pinasok ko agad ang mundo ng organizations sa institution namin kahit 1st year palang. And girl I witnessed how these so called seniors tried to pass their works sa juniors, magchachat na gawin ito gawin iyan, manghihingi ng ganto ng ganyan, and may nagsusumbong talaga sa'kin. What's funny is that they think na walang papalag sa'min kasi juniors kami, little did they know na sinesend ko sa year advisor namin yung proofs HAHAHAHAHA. Lastly is plastikan. Never naging bago ang plastikan sa'kin, I came from private schools and private parin ngayong college, I know how social connections works sa gantong schools. Pero beh iba ang level ng plastikan, literal na don't let your guard down talaga kasi hindi mo alam kung sinong totoo, walang permanent na kaibigan, yung iba ginagawa pang laban ang acads imbis na just help each other out.
Yun lang nakakagulat, its seems so normal if titingnan, but iba parin ang culture shock kasi hanggang college ba naman ganto parin mga ugali? I feel like napaka mature ko tuloyâMATURE!?!?!? HALA HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
submitted by kraziimari to studentsph [link] [comments]
I remember I was so worried before na baka they will find me immature since sa cof ko ako yung pinakamakulit and treated as a kid, pero grabe ang pagtaas ng maturity level ko when I entered college HAHAHA
. First and foremost, ang hindi mawawalaâbut I'm still shookt, mga proud cheaters. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying this because I want some "moral validation" (may nabasa kasi ako abt this here din), cheating is never a new thing for me, ang bago is LITERAL NA REVIEWER ANG KODIGO N'YA ANTE HAHAHAHA. I don't know if I should be pissed off or matawa sa ginawa n'ya but I was just dumbfounded nung paglingon ko hindi lang small piece of paper, literal na buong bondpaper naka stapler pa nasa lapag HAHAHAHAHA WTF KAKO. Then yung isa sabi pa "ginagawa nga namin yan before nung shs eh", and what's nakakahiya is Education ang program naminđ. Second is mga fresh graduate na instructors. Now this is never an issue for me since magagaling naman sila magturo, pero beh HAHAHA mababalitaan mo may ka-mu silang student first year pa HAHAHAHAHA WTF LANG TALAGA. I mean nababalitaan ko s'ya yes, but never in my life na maiisip kong makakakita ako non in real life!! Yung frenny kong baliko, tinatarget s'ya ng bakla naming instructor sinasakyan n'ya, sabi ko WHY!? ang sagot n'ya beh alang alang daw sa grade AHAHAHHAHA, that's so freakin' unfair pero dang things that they will do for grades nga naman. Third is yung mga nanggugulang na seniors. Now this is what pissed me off talaga, I'm a student leader and pinasok ko agad ang mundo ng organizations sa institution namin kahit 1st year palang. And girl I witnessed how these so called seniors tried to pass their works sa juniors, magchachat na gawin ito gawin iyan, manghihingi ng ganto ng ganyan, and may nagsusumbong talaga sa'kin. What's funny is that they think na walang papalag sa'min kasi juniors kami, little did they know na sinesend ko sa year advisor namin yung proofs HAHAHAHAHA. Lastly is plastikan. Never naging bago ang plastikan sa'kin, I came from private schools and private parin ngayong college, I know how social connections works sa gantong schools. Pero beh iba ang level ng plastikan, literal na don't let your guard down talaga kasi hindi mo alam kung sinong totoo, walang permanent na kaibigan, yung iba ginagawa pang laban ang acads imbis na just help each other out.
Yun lang nakakagulat, its seems so normal if titingnan, but iba parin ang culture shock kasi hanggang college ba naman ganto parin mga ugali? I feel like napaka mature ko tuloyâMATURE!?!?!? HALA HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
2024.05.19 17:06 Hour-Pomegranate-975 Form Check Please
 | Apologies for cropping the video in an awkward way but hopefully you can still see my form. submitted by Hour-Pomegranate-975 to jumprope [link] [comments] Iâm an absolute newbie - havenât jumped rope since third grade PE but I really want to get into it. Some questions - Are elbows tucked in enough? Am I using enough wrist? Am I jumping too high? Do I look really stiff? I think thereâs also a bit of asymmetry. Maybe Iâm overthinking though. I tried getting a beaded rope bc I heard they are beginner friendly but I canât stand how slow they are. Should I keep trying to get used to them if I want to learn some tricks down the road? |
2024.05.19 16:54 Fastspacewriter Customized Help
 | submitted by Fastspacewriter to Essayprowriter [link] [comments] |
2024.05.19 16:37 Hey_86thatnow Story-what one dBPD father is like and how I survive
 | Thank goodness for this community. Reading such common experiences helps me immensely, so I wanted to share mine and see if it resonates with you all. submitted by Hey_86thatnow to raisedbyborderlines [link] [comments] Dad was diagnosed about 20 years ago by a marriage counselor. She then âfiredâ him from her practice, saying his marriage was beyond help because of it. Apparently, this rejection is common among BPD patientsâŠimplying it's unfixable, Since then, the ICD-11 has added a category called âdifficult personalities disorderâ probably to umbrella in the people who donât fit neatly into the â5 of 9 traitsâ required for complete BPD diagnosis. Interestingly, heâs not unfaithful or suicidal, he kept the same job for decades, he can be fun and loving. But he rants, he overeats, he splits and denies, he isolates, he ruminates and fears, he blames and attacks and projects his self-esteem issues onto others...mostly me. First, he was a very loving father when we were kids, attentive and supportive. And then a fantastic grandfather to my sons-loving, etc.. keeping his worst traits in check most of the time with all of us when we were young. (Not with Mom, however.) Itâs as if because his childhood was tough, he sees all children as underdogs who need special care. I will always be thankful for my childhood, for it laid the ground work for my self-esteem. However, he was rougher on my brother as a kid than on me, pushing, verbally abusing, etc.. This swapped as we both reached puberty. I realize this has something to do with his view of women, his wife and his own mother. As I became a woman, I became threatening, which appears common among BPD fathers. He then let my brother off the hook, where I got the laser focused judgment and anger. This is not to say he never loses his temper with my brother, he just tends to wait until the situation is severe (like brother getting arrested for DUI.) whereas I got attacked because I had 4 framed pictures of one son and 5 of our other son displayed in my den. Dad went on a level ten verbal attack. âWhat kind of a motherâŠrantrantrantâ jamming the extra picture in my face. Walking around counting them sounds irrational doesnât it? I met a visiting high school friend at Chiliâs for dinner, and asked Mom to babysit, and I hear, âWhat kind of a mother goes to a bar and leaves her kids, rantrantrant.â Chiliâs? Meanwhile, my brother can brag about sexual conquests, even when married. I have three college degreesâDad never says a word. My brother flunked out of college, but Dad lies to everyone bro won a free ride to a prestigious university in our state. He paints my brother with all the best traits of my mother, but projects all his worst traits onto me. The irony is, I am very like my mother; my brother is not. But I am the scapegoat now, and brother is the golden child. This behavior and thinking is called splitting, or black and white thinking. It is so bad, that my father bought my brother a house when bro struggled financially. He has not had rent or a mortgage or land tax for over ten years. Me? Different story; everything I have, I earned and paid for. Mom kept a list of money they gave my brother over the years for cars or lawyers, etc. Not counting the free house, his column equals $64k. My column? Zero. (And Iâm the âgoodâ kid, responsible, there for my parents.) Itâs taken a very long time for me to grasp that no matter how illogical or unfair it is, it wonât changeâit is part of the disorder. I tell myself to be proud that I can make my own way without help. Dadâs impulsive, hair trigger temper over things that wouldnât bother anyone else is profound. Iâm exhausted from walking on eggshells, though avoiding conflict is so much better than entering it. He never hit us, but throws things, breaks our valuables (like Momâs great-great grandmotherâs rocker), curses, yells, screams. As a kid, I watched him fracture his wrist punching the wall when angry at Mom. He has had security remove him 3 times from my hospital room (two surgeries, one illness.) once because I told my mother about Christmas present ideas for my brother (and apparently should have been discussing my niece instead.) Who cares I had just had an 8 level spinal surgery the day before; Dad jumped out of his chair, livid, âYou are forgetting someone arenât you! Arenât you.â He lost his cool the time Iâd had surgery after a bike wreck, screaming heâd never let me see my mother again, and heâd write me out of the will. All I had done was interrupt him while he was talking. Security escorted him out. It was so ugly, one son refused to talk to him for months, shocked after witnessing it. My father told him that it was no big dealâthat was just how he and I related, it was just our dynamic. My son said, "My mother never behaves that way and did nothing wrong," and hung up on him. Dad begged me to call my son and take some of the blame. IOW Dad cannot see his part in things. He sees reactions as proof that his anger is justified. Who cares how he causes these reactions. (Who cares that I was lying disabled in a hospital bed.) He is angered by the oddest things, the most innocuous things. He once followed a woman around at a party and purposefully interrupted her everytime she opened her mouth, then bragged later that he did this. He felt she was always cutting him off at past functions. Being interrupted is his hottest button. He wants everyone to listen to every last detail of whatever he has to say. And if you listen, but look like you arenât, thatâs as bad as interrupting him. But does he interrupt you? Of course he does, all the time, bored with what you want to say. He loves to get peopleâs goats, saying or doing very calculated things that he knows will annoy Mom or me or whomever. He has never physically hurt anyone, but mock something embarrassing from your past? Heâs all over that. You can watch his face when he says provocative things on purposeâheâs just hoping you will ignite. When I wrecked my bike, instead of helping me up, he literally took pictures of me on the ground. Then showed the pictures to my brother, saying âWhat kind of an idiot rides a bike when sheâs had spinal surgeryâ (8 years before). BPDs triangulate, and often lack compassion. When it comes to me and Mom, his favorite hostile line is âWhat kind of a___________does__________â When I went to take my mother to see my aunt and uncle, Dad tried to tag along, and my relatives said, "Please, if he wants to come, we'll have to disinvite you. We can't take anymore." he had been so hostile the last time they say him and made my aunt cry. He has no idea his behavior has this effect on people. He talks all about himself, and if he asks you a rare question about you, it is so he can then talk about himself. Itâs like he thinks the type of lunch the kid ate (whom he sat next to in the third grade) is talk-show-worthy chitchat. But will cut you off in a second if you have something more pressing or recent to discuss. Heâs very emotional and affectionate verbally and physically, but if you try to share your deeper thoughts or concerns, he gets very awkward and uncomfortable, and dismissive. BPDs struggle with intimacy and bonds. His narcissism is so bad, that when Mom died last year, he wrote her obituary, but 60% of it was about himself. When the newspaper edited out all the stuff about Dad, Dad called me fuming, accusing me of calling the paper to edit it. He still believes that. He also refused to let anyone have a memorial service/funeral-her ashes are still in the box from the crematory-- but later that summer, he started telling me what he wants me to do for his funeral. (We did a small family dinner in honor of Mom without him.) He is mistrustful and suspicious. He tends to take the other personâs side in regards to me, never trusting my perspective. If someone is offensive to me (like a boss who was angry when I refused to work from home while I was taking FMLA/disability pay after childbirth, or my ex who wasnât paying child support) Dad took their side. I had to be the problem. When my husband was sent to a job site out of town, Dad thinks he asked to be assigned there to get away from me. (But says, âI just worry, and want you to be happy.â) When I get a text sent by a male friend to both me and my hubbyâs phone inviting us both to dinner, he thinks thereâs something fishy going on there with me and the man (and funny enough, I am certain Dad never cheated on Mom.) He throws cash around as presents, especially to the grandchildren, but even to people the rest of us wouldnât include (ie. my husbandâs brother-in-lawâs niece-whom we barely know, my motherâs distant relatives whom no one has met, or my ex who hasnât talked to him in decades, etc) It seems like a way to get their admiration or attention. He is always writing me in and out of the will, as if heâs the czar of millions. People with personality disorders are very manipulative or odd with gifts. He has zero friends, but talks all the time about people he knew as a kid. Where are they now? Iâve never met anyone from his childhood other than family- no cards, no messages, nothing. And no one from his life as an adult is close to him. My parentsâ friendships came through Mom. I can sadly say, in a crisis, if Dad really needed to call someone and talk, only family is there (and that is only because we are compassionate, forgiving people). But funny enough, when he is in a social setting, he is not shy but wants to talk and entertain and be the center of the party. He loves to take people to task, often loudly and cruelly. Waitresses, nurses, cashiers all get dressed down and confronted for any perceived mistake. More than one doctor or service provider has hung up on him or yelled back at him. I witnessed this again in just the past two weeks, for Dad had a minor heart procedure. He wanted to tell each doctor and nurse the most irrelevant stuff, starting from the beginning of timeâŠand would get mad if they didnât let him. His cardiologist snapped at one point, âI need you to just give me quick answers!â so Dad yelled, and the guy walked out. Interestingly, I found an article, advice for doctors and nurses on how to handle illnesses when the patient also suffers from BPD. The descriptions were my father, to a T. One of piece of advice said something like beware of compliments and ignore criticism. Dad has been tossing the compliments around like confetti, âOH, Nurse, so and so, YOU are my number one.â But when his demands are not met immediately, he acts like a baby. And he keeps insulting me infront of doctors or nurses, applying his faults to me; âSheâs stubborn, she has nasty temper.â I can be just standing there silently, and he says this. He said, to one doctor, âDonât mind her, sheâs very overbearing and headstrongâŠbut in a good way.â Iâd had enough, so I said, âThereâs no reason to insult me, Dad.â He argued, âOh, you didnât hear my compliment. That was a compliment!â The doctor said, âIf that was a compliment, it was a backhanded compliment." I could have hugged her. The worst part of being raised by a BPD? If I report any of this back to him, he will swear none of it is true. Gaslighting is their favorite manipulation, suggesting my perceptions are wrong. Either that, or he is in some sort of fugue when he acts so badly. How do I deal with all this? Often I donât. Mom used to be a good buffer, til she developed ALZ and then Dad forced me to go through him, never allowing me to be alone with her. This hurt. Mom and I were very close, and before she lost her mind, we had many discussions about whether she should live with me instead. But BPD men get fixated on their mates, and he saw her as only his, not important to me or my brother or her grandchildren. (He even resented their dogs, because Mom "loved them more.") Even much younger, if I called to talk to Mom, Dad would rush the phone so I would have to talk to him first. So often Iâd wait til she called me first. And now that he is all alone and his son mostly ignores him, My husband and our sons are the only ones really watching out for him. I use as much compassionate thinking as I can and remember that he got this way because he had a rough childhood (and I think the disorder runs in familiesâI really do.) His father died when Dad was 7. His immigrant mother could not read or write and she was raising 4 young kids by herself. Neglect, food insecurity and possible social rejection made a deep scar. I know that at the bottom of all this, Dad cannot, because of BPS, really ever trust that anyone loves him. So I do what I can, take long breaks, bite my tongue as much as possible, set boundaries, and leave when need to. To help, I come here and read very similar experiences in order to remember, ITâs NOT ME. But still, with this hospitalizing where he's milking the attention for all it's worth, I want to explode. I'm going to have a stroke if I have to spend this much time with him for much longer. During his surgery I was totally torn, hoping he would die, but very sad that he might. Thatâs some sucky head space. It was easier when Mom was alive and sane... Right now, Iâm finding him assisted living, but he keeps threatening to rip out his IVs and go home. He canât. He used to say, whoever took him in when he was old, would get all the money, and Iâd say, âHave fun living with my brother.â But of course, none of that is true. Iâm so resentful that Iâm the one solving his health crisis. But also, in honor of Mom and my childhood, I love him and wonât dump him. I won't let him live with me, but I won't dump him. Thank you all, for totally understanding this dichotomy. Can you relate? What would you do? https://preview.redd.it/5b7pb27vbe1d1.jpg?width=4128&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=134bd4bbdf57fb8f83e139b42feb6459b3af79aa |
2024.05.19 15:59 Bored_SmartyPants08 Advice Needed Regarding DP Subject Combination
I know it is not the correct moment to ask since a lot of you have just completed your exams but I have to fill my DP subject choices by next week and would thus request for you to review my subject choices and tell you opinion about it.
For some background, I want to study in UK post DP. I am undecided about my university course but have shortlisted it to Engineering, Economics, Computer Science, Mathematics, and Law (with my preference in that order). My dream school is Cambridge and thus would be looking to maximise my points in each of my subjects (aiming for that perfect 45).
Chosen Subjects: 1. Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches HL 2. Economics HL 3. Physics HL 4. English: Language and Literature SL 5. Spanish AB Initio 6. Chemistry SL/ Design Technology SL/ Business Management SL
Questions:
submitted by Bored_SmartyPants08 to IBO [link] [comments]
For some background, I want to study in UK post DP. I am undecided about my university course but have shortlisted it to Engineering, Economics, Computer Science, Mathematics, and Law (with my preference in that order). My dream school is Cambridge and thus would be looking to maximise my points in each of my subjects (aiming for that perfect 45).
Chosen Subjects: 1. Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches HL 2. Economics HL 3. Physics HL 4. English: Language and Literature SL 5. Spanish AB Initio 6. Chemistry SL/ Design Technology SL/ Business Management SL
Questions:
- Do you think I should switch Spanish AB Initio for Hindi B SL. (I have studied Hindi till Grade 10 and have no history with Spanish. I really want to learn a new language in DP as I absolutely despise Hindi and find it extremely boring but I managed to score 90% in the subject in grade 10.)
- Which course (preferably of the 3) should I choose as my 6th subject. (I am most interested in Design Technology but am highly deterred by the admonishingly low % of students who got 7 in M23 (1.3%). I am considering Business Management as a way to get an easier 7.)
- Do you believe I should change my HL subjects (my school only allows 3 HLs)? (I have tried to choose my HL subjects such that they adhere to subject pre-requisites of top colleges for my preferred courses.)
2024.05.19 15:53 Gazooonga [Diary of a Press-Ganged Saurian] #1
Just another fun little story idea I had. I am still working on Humans are the violent ones but I like to bounce around and experiment with ideas to see what I really like. I also suck at writing more casual stories, as they give me severe writer's block as I try to map out how to make a scene feel genuine in my head, but I promise I'll update that soon. If you like this story and want to see more, then like and comment. I'll gladly continue this series as well.
Start of Personal Log
Humans don't like being told what to do. They don't like being commanded, put in their place, or snubbed. It was an inexorable, inalienable trait of humans, at least any noteable humans, to go against any authority that they believed was against their interests.
Humanity would not fit amongst the stars. Few ever did. It was a trait of most successful species to be willful, ambitious, and to desire more. But once they reached the stars the new (and simultaneously very old) pecking order either quashed any spirit such species had or simply eradicated them. Countless tomb worlds and diaspora served as painful reminders of what became of the nails that chose to stick out. The hammer of order would always strike. There could be no compromise, the very soul of the authority that held the Jurisdiction together relied on a show of unmatched power, or at least the illusion of item.
In reality, the Jurisdiction was an old, fat, and lazy beast. It filled its belly on the corpses of empires far and wide, and sated its bloodlust on the shattered dreams of hopeful cubs. It had every right to, for none could challenge it: there were no new frontiers to explore, nor were there any other enemies to conquer. The Milky Way, as humans had so strangely dubbed our cradle galaxy, as well as Andromeda, had long since been warred over and settled for millennia before humanity had arrived, bright-eyed and with familiar yet otherwise foolish dreams of cooperation and prosperity. The Jurisdiction did not cooperate, nor did it ensure prosperity. Oh, it claimed it did, but in reality it simply took. The rest was just the peace that came with not being the direct target of the biggest fish in the pond. The humans didn't like that, but they had no choice.
Slavery was a common tribute. The Jurisdiction had no use for other resources: it simply took. No, it wanted those who could facilitate that unequal exchange, those raised in a world where the only morality was the one set by your lord. The Jurisdiction was held together by expectations, obligations, and dury more than any kind of shared dream, so when you were ordered to take you did so without question. Humanity was new: they had no niche or value that set them apart, but they had a penchant for killing and taking, so the Jurisdiction gave them a taste of how the galaxy worked. They killed and they took. The humans didn't like that, but what choice did they have?
Humans were strange. They learned, but not in the way most species learned. Most species learned to adapt in a passive way, to adhere to the world around them. They flowed like water, moving past and around obstacles and confirming to the boxes they were assigned too. Humans didn't confirm, nor did they adapt: they made their circumstances fit their desires. They would not move around obstacles, but rather smash through them, and they refused to stay in one box for too long. The Jurisdiction merely saw them as a particularly loud nuisance, but those who faced their wrath knew better.
It is said that when a beast seeks to make an example, it shall humble its rival by killing it's cubs. Children were one of those universal constants that brought entire communities together: the Sokâklar saw their hatchlings as gifts, shaped by the fruitful currents of the universe in perfect harmony. The Yarrack saw each and every newborn whelp as an uncut gemstone, ready to be shaped into something magical. Humanity oftentimes referred to their offspring as angels, or spirits of unbridled good sent by the gods themselves. Children were seen by most of the galaxy as gifts.
The Jurisdiction saw them as a lever to inflict suffering. It had become quite effective at enacting psychological punishments on those that stood up and spoke out. You dare to disobey? You believe you can speak out? Your gifts shall be taken from you, and you shall be without joy.
Humans didn't like this, but the Jurisdiction would have their pound of flesh, and humankind would kneel. And they did. But humans were patient creatures: most species who retained that trait of willful spit also lacked patience.
I had long since become desensitized to the Jurisdictionâs actions: it was simply how the universe worked now, as if it were a constant akin to gravity. Cruelty was the unspoken rule of this seemingly unending age, where our lives never appeared to move forward or backwards, only lay dormant. The Jurisdiction had been the unyielding authority that ruled the galaxy for thousands of years, venerable yet feared all the same.
And for the longest time I was just another cog in its wheel. My name is Kalnuracht Sedjuur-Noumar VII, and was the scion of the noble house Sedjuur-Noumar. I was born into what most would describe as veiled apathy, living a life that could be attributed to the privileged class of feared scribes that enacted the will of those above. I was an administrator and nothing more. And now I am doomed to be far less than that in the eyes of my former constituents within the endless administration. I am the only scion, as is tradition, and without an heir I am the last of my house, our name to be scrubbed from the records, worthless, meaningless, and forgotten.
I am merely Kalnuracht, nothing else and nothing more. I have seen from their eyes, the eyes of the downtrodden, and it makes my crimes of association with the Jurisdiction feel all the more damning on my worthless soul. I am worthless to the world, and this is my story.
End Personal Log #1
Start of Neural Lace Narrative Log #1
They came from the black like carrion birds in the night, encircling our convoy as if it were a dying animal ready to be picked clean without remorse. There was no warning, no list of demands sent out as civilized peoples did, nor was there either any requirement for unconditional surrender nor chance to parlay, as was done so under letter of marque: this was an unmistakable call for violence and nothing else. They sought to reduce us to slag and scavenge the rest.
So, as one would expect, the entire bridge of the ship was nearing a panicked state. This was not the actions of those practicing civility, but rather the common behaviors of despoiling barbarians, the kind that tore their way through the dark reaches of the galaxy as if they owned it.
âWayfinder, what do your probes see?â Shouted the shipâs sovereign. He was an older KarâRowmach, an amphibious cephalopod species with a venerable history within the Jurisdiction going back thousands of years. Normally one such as him would be above me if it weren't for the fact that I was under the authority of the Jurisdictionâs seal of office. He didn't like me very much, but most of his kind shared the same sentiment.
âAll dark, honorable Sovereign: the sensor arrays are wailing but the feedback we're reviewing is beyond incomprehensible,â the wayfinder replied with a certain restrained temper in his voice. The Sok'klar wayfinder swayed gently, his tentacled limbs grasping different metallo-liquid braille output arrays, the liquid gallium flexing and reshaping unnaturally to allow him to to take in multiple different sources of sensory output at once, with the primary navigation computer plugged into the cybernetics surrounding his opaque, gelatinous head and plugging directly into his tube-shaped brain.
The Sovereign cursed in Loskat and pointed to his bridge crew while I simply sat in the back, near the Sovereignâs symbolic throne. âPrepare countermeasures and spool up the warp drive, we cannot allow the amanuensis to be taken! He carries sensitive information that only he can translate and transcribe!â
As the bridge crew nodded and began fiddling with their own systems, I preened my feathered hide anxiously. I wasn't a fighter: us nobles of the cloth were the educated minority above all else, not those who waged war or partook in hard labor. Special cybernetics in my brain allowed me to translate triple-encoded messages that usually took a ducal signet codekey or above to parse, but even without that I was a skilled mathematician and logician. I had terabytes worth of knowledge stored within the hardware installed in my head, all well protected of course, but if I were to die it would still be a waste. I could only imagine the damage any malcontenders could do with it if they were able to get their filthy hands on me.
Suddenly, the ship rocked, and the gallium overhead display began to form crescendos like I'd never seen before. âSovereign, decks A-3 through C-12 are venting atmosphere and our coolant systems have been obliterated,â the Wayfinder spoke in an almost serene voice, as if he was completely unconcerned by current events. I knew they were simply incapable of tonal displays, but it was unnerving nonetheless. âOnce we jump, we will not be able to risk another until the vacuum of the void can reduce temperatures to acceptable levels within the plasma capacitors.â
âDamn them,â the armored nautiloid hissed, his barbed feelers coiling in frustration, âMay the currents take them. What are our options? what can we see? This fleet cannot fall to the void today, not with such vital cargo.â My hackles rose lightly at the KarâRowmach referred to me as some object rather than an esteemed amanuensis of the Jurisdiction, but I bit my forked tongue. Now was not the time to squabble with the sovereign over who was what and what titles I deserved, not while he was so desperately attempting to keep what semblance of order within his fleet that he had left.
I could not blame the crew for being panicked either: wars were practically mythologized now, having been long since rendered obsolete with the rise of the Jurisdiction, and that felt like an eternity ago. Now, either being levied into or joining a ducal naval force was simply another career, more akin to serving as an officer of the law rather than a fully fledged soldier. Minimal training was required, most of it being the technicals of one's duty rather than any kind of combat conditioning, so expecting a fleet to actually be prepared for a combat scenario in a universe where peace was the norm was laughable.
âWe are practically blind, Sovereign,â stated the Sok'klar Wayfinder, âour probes are offline, and shipboard graviton displacement sensory arrays have been rendered unreliable at best.â
âWhat about the particle emission array? Has there been a spike in radioactivity where we were hit?â
The Wayfinder seemed to think for a second, his gelatinous form flexing and morphing a bit before answering. âAffirmative, a jump from negligible to forty billion becquerels along decks A through E-5 on our starboard side.â
âTorpedoesâŠâ the Sovereign hissed, stroking his barbed feelers, âHuman Torpedoes. Only those primitives would rely on crude nuclear warheads.â He then turned to his militant leaders on the ship. âNoddos, Relâads: organize your phalanxes and prepare to repel boarders. We are bound to be assailed by those rancorous primates, and I want their skulls piled at my feet if they dare set foot on our ship.â
âYour wish is our command, Sovereign,â the two militant commanders spoke as one. Noddos, a large bipedal with multiple sets of curved spines running down his back, a pair of graceful horns sprouting from his head, and multiple rows of sharp teeth in his snout, bowed first, followed by Relâads, a marsupial with long saberteeth and thick fur. They both must have been fierce warriors in their own right to each lead a phalanx. They wore thick, semi-powered armor and held dueling polearms alongside their usual plasma casters, and seemed completely unfazed by the situation we were in. As they stomped out of the brightly lit bridge, I let out a quiet squawk of discontentment. âSovereign, why haven't we jumped again? We are wasting precious time.â
âI am working on it, you spineless beaurocrat!â He warbled back, his feelers tensing in anger, âbesides, it's not as if you're the one who will be spilling blood today, amanuensis, so flatten your wretched beak or I shall weld it shut with a plasma torch.
I was about to reply with something indignant, but the ship rocked again, this time causing the lights to flicker and the air to become⊠thick. The skin under my feathers began to blister, and I became lightheaded and confused. âSeal the damnable vents, initiate radiation scrubbers, and activate secondary life support!â Shouted the Sovereign, âTheir nuclear weapons are rendering the ship inhospitable!â
I coughed up magenta blood accidentally, and I could feel more seeping from under my eyes. Some of the crew was in a similar position, but others were more resistant to radiation than I. The Sok'klar seemed completely at ease as he ran his tentacles across his morphic braille arrays before calmly announcing the shipâs status. âI've regained some control over our probes: ten, twelve, and seventeen are active and fully functional, the rest are either still malfunctioning or permanently inoperable. A rapid rise in localized radiation is also interfering with the detection of graviton displacement; we can't sense photon redirection, thus readings will remain inconclusive.
âWayfinder, damn you, get me some kind of out here! We're easy prey until we can respond in kind!â
âNegative, something has gone awry with our processing hub, I am attempting to troubleshoot-â
And with that, the Wayfinderâs bulbous head exploded in a cascade of opaque lavender blood, covering the front half of the deck crew like a morbid art piece. Some of the crew screamed and shouted in terror before removing their cranial adaptors and choosing to interact with their displays manually. Others died just as quickly, unable to unplug in time as their brain stems fried or their blood boiled. It was a horrible way to go, having your insides neutralized by your own cybernetics, so I was glad I wasn't connected to the system.
âCybernetic warfare! All systems are to be considered compromised, switch to manual settings or you'll be killed!â
The lights in the bridge flickered again, and the displays went haywire. The bridge crew, which obviously weren't acquainted with working without being hard-linked into the mainframe, moved at a much slower pace.
âLaunch missile pods A through F and set to self-target after five hundred kilometers, then rely on their ballistic coordinates to begin firing broadsides! If we can't see the humans due to their meddling, we'll just have to feel them.â Shouted the Sovereign, âand got me a detailed report on the shipâs diagnostics readings. I need to know if this flagship is still capable of escaping or if we'll have to scuttle it and retreat on another.â
âAcknowledged, Sovereign, launching now,â affirmed another deck officer as he swiped across his own gallium output array. I could hear the dull thunk, thunk, thunk of missiles pushing out of their pods before racing off to their intended targets, then the mechanical whirring as the pods rotated to be reloaded by slaves in the lower decks. I was regaining my bearings as the many horrible sensations of being overwhelmed by radiation poisoning were beginning to subside, but I still felt as if I had been microwaved. The air was stale, the crew was horribly sick as well, and even the sovereign himself seemed to be on his last leg. I was beginning to believe that I might die here.
âSovereign, a message from the lower decks,â shouted a communications officer, his chitin scraping against itself as he turned quickly, âthey're requesting reinforcements, something about being overrun.â
âImpossible,â the Sovereign hissed out in a vain attempt to exude confidence, âWe must outnumber the humans, they always go for bigger targets out of arrogance.â
âI've received reports that it's not just humans: the primates seem to make up only a third or so of the assailing force, along with some Phaeldaer and Vrex.â
The commander slammed his clawed hands down on his own output array in a fit of rage, obviously overwhelmed by the circumstances, âThen this wasn't just a typical assault, but something more sinister!â The nautiloid warbled, blood seeping from his shell as the full effects of the radiation took hold, âGet Relâads on the line, have him divert all spare lances to the lower decks or else we'll lose the only offensive capabilities we can use.â
âRel'ads has gone dark, Sovereign, his vitals are critical.â
âThen either get me Rel'ads tail-leader or get me Noddos!â He screamed in rage, âdon't give me this nonsense! If we don't pick it up we're all going to die, is that what you want?â
âNo, Sovereign, I'm simply overwhelmed-â
âWe're all overwhelmed! By the tides, I'm dying of radiation poisoning you nincompoop! Get me something I can work with!â
The officer didn't even acknowledge the Sovereign after that, simply turning back to his display. Eventually, the Sovereign was able to get Noddos on the line.
âSovereign, two thirds of my phalanxes have been decimated by combat with the primitives and the radiation, the rest are in shambles. We must retreat and fortify elsewhere!â
âThen the ship is compromised! Rel'ads is unresponsive and the lower decks are swarming with intruders. We must evacuate the amanuensis to another ship.â
Just as the Sovereign spoke, I heard several gentle thumps rattle against the bridgeâs door, and it made me uneasy. Some of the bridge crew seemed to feel the same, as they looked incredibly nervous and some even drew their sidearms. Just as the sovereign turned to give further orders, the door blew inward with a deafening explosion, followed by shouting and gunfire. Several of the bridge officers were dispatched quickly, brain matter and blood splattering against the delicate electronics. Others were shot in the legs, the torso, or in any other exotic yet non-vital body parts. The humans poured in, brandishing primitive ballistic firearms and jury-rigged energy weapons while wearing scavenged, legion-grade powered armor.
The Sovereign was the next to go, but he wasn't afforded an honorable death. He was shot along the arm with a particularly potent plasma caster, burning off his clawed hand and cauterizing the wound, the acrid smell of roasting chitin filling the already hot and cramped bridge. He fell back against his output array, the gallium reaching new highs and lows as more diagnostics and casualty reports were delivered, and he clutched his stump angrily. âI'll burn every last one of you in the foundries! I'll tie you to stakes, cover you in wax and set you alight! Your screams will be broadcasted all over the galaxy!â
One human warrior stomped up and slammed the butt of his rifle into the sovereignâs face, shattering his facial plates and causing blue blood to splatter across his section of the bridge. âShut the fuck up, you mutant lobster,â the human said before dragging him by both antennae towards the center of the bridge and receiving a stained breeching axe from one of his comrades. âEmmanuel, start recording. We need proof.â
The other human nodded and pressed a button on his armor before lifting up his gun again. The rest of the humans fanned out, holding everyone else at gunpoint. I tried to get up and sneak out, but a human grabbed me by my neck and nearly wrung it out as he forced me to my knees and pointed a sidearm to my skull. âGet down, you piece of shit, before I blow your brains out too.â
âDamnable primate,â I hissed, but he bashed me in my skull with the base of his sidearmâs grip and sent me sprawling, making my already pounding headache worse. Another human shouted at him in a language I didn't recognize, but he sounded furious. The first brought me back up to my knees again, and I complies with a hiss and a groan, blood still leaking from my eyes and mouth and my world was spinning.
The Sovereign struggled, but he was weak from the radiation poisoning and he couldn't exactly resist on account of his lost arm. The human with the breaching ax kicked the Sovereign down and forced him to kneel before lifting up the breeching ax and splitting his chitinous head down the middle with one powerful swing, sending more blood and brains across the floor. âExecution confirmed, take his antennae just in case and we've got ourselves a bounty. Now all we need is that ugly catâs teeth and the fat hedgehog-thingâs grimy spines and we'll be in business. Although, they do have skulls⊠we might as well just take their heads.â
The real horror of the situation dawned on me at that moment: they were going to kill us all, or maybe worse. They mentioned a bounty for the commanders, and multiple of the higher ranking ship officers were already dead, their brains splattered against the walls or their bodies torn apart by gunfire. I wasn't dead yet, but that didn't mean much since I wasn't an immediate threat.
âAlright, round them up and bring all the grunts to the hanger bay, then kill the rest,â the leader of the humans said in such a lackadaisical manner that his complete disregard for life almost made me sick⊠almost. I had seen worse from the Jurisdiction before, but usually that was from me delivering some kind of ordered judgment on a world that had sinned against order. I might have simply been the messenger, but I had seen many of the outcomes. âAnd make sure to collect whatever proof of bounties you can, we'll need to deliver them to the office to get cashed out. Don't let this be a repeat of last time where Juarez fucking forgot to take a few heads and it ended up cutting our profits in half, the fucking retard.â
Some of the humans chuckled at that as they dragged more of the senior officers away, out of the room and into the hall,where I heard gunshots. The rest of the bridge crew froze in place, different fear instincts kicking in. The remaining Sok'klar corralled together into what seemed to be a singular, semi-congealed mass as if to try and trick the humans into believing that they were much bigger and much more threatening than they actually were. The one Theiâchi on the bridge, an ensign who had clearly thought this would be a simple mission, bore her curved fangs at the humans and growled as they approached, her hackles completely vertical and her eyes dilated. They quickly muzzled and bound her before beating her over the head with a gun stock, sending her sprawling onto the ground. Many others simply cooperated, eyes wide and yet simultaneously empty, as if they couldn't quite process that the ship had been taken and the commanding officers were being executed as the rest were escorted to the hangar.
âGet the damn messenger down to the hanger as well, we need whatever data's in his ugly lizard head, then we can decide on what to do with him.â
I spat at him in spite, as if to try and seem brave, but it was clearly an empty gesture. âYou won't get anything, primate! You couldn't possibly crack the encryption!â
The human holding me seemed to wind up for another swing, but the commanding officer simply held up his hand to stop my tormentor before strolling over to me. He knelt down and removed his helmet, revealing a beige-colored face covered in scars, wiry black hair cut down to the scalp, and multiple tattoos. âYou're really fucking mouthy for a hostage,â he said before punching me across my beak faster than I could register. I heard a sharp crack as his fist connected, and my head spun again as the metallic taste of blood pooled into my mouth. âI'd advise you to shut up, but I'm sure you won't listen: you aristocratic types are so full of yourselves. Maybe I should have you flogged in the public square until your vocal chords give out once we rip those cybernetics from your head, huh? How's that sound?â
âIt won't matter⊠it won't change anything⊠the Jurisdiction will hunt you down.â
âMaybe, but I doubt it will happen for some time: they really suck at doing anything that requires effort, even when they're mad enough. They just keep sending their rabid lapdogs to try and smoke us out, and they always end up full of holes,â the human officer said with a smirk, his yellowish-white teeth and green eyes sending shivers down my spine as he drew his knife. âThey're just horrible at their job, you know? You've all gotten so lazy and incompetent after being able to just take what you want without resistance, and now that you've met people who are angry and crazy enough to fight back you act as if we're committing some grave injustice,â he placed the knife against my throat, the flat just underneath my now bent beak, âNo, we just took a few pages out of your book, âcept we've got standards. No kids, for oneâŠâ he seemed to look off into the distance as his sneer deepened, âbut it's more than that, we don't attack the defenseless in general and we still win against you all in fair fights.â
I went to say something else snarky, but he quickly grabbed my thin tongue with his fingers and yanked it out, blood from my mouth pulling to the floor as he held the blade of his knife against it. âNo no, none of that. Say one more thing and I'll cut that rancid little tongue of yours out of your mouth and feed it to you,â he hissed at me, pressing the blade down just hard enough to draw blood. âDo you know what it's like to see a planet turn into a tomb?" he asked me, gritting his teeth, âDo you know what it's like to see everything you've ever known crumble to ash and glass, all the life and the green stripped away leaving nothing but bones? I do. I've seen it happen to countless worlds, and my grandfather always told me stories of how you bastards did it to Earth. He still prays in its direction five times a day, to Mecca, but he knows the Kaaba is gone now, or maybe it's still there, buried in the bones of those who sought refuge there.â
I didn't care for the humanâs nonsensical beliefs, but I did care to correct him. âI've seen it before, and I'll see it again. And so will you, it's inevitable. The Jurisdiction will always have its judgment fulfilled, there is no alternative.â
âOne day, I hope we can rectify that,â he said, then he sheathed his knife and slammed my head against the metal floor with enough force to nearly knock me out. As I lost consciousness, I could hear him speak. âTake him to the Chop Doc, and make sure the cybernetics don't get damaged: they're supposedly more valuable than any bounty on this ship.â
Warning: Severe radiation poisoning detected. Flush system immediately.
Warning: Neural Lace removal detected, chance of neurological damage high. Proceeded with caution.
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Start of Personal Log
Humans don't like being told what to do. They don't like being commanded, put in their place, or snubbed. It was an inexorable, inalienable trait of humans, at least any noteable humans, to go against any authority that they believed was against their interests.
Humanity would not fit amongst the stars. Few ever did. It was a trait of most successful species to be willful, ambitious, and to desire more. But once they reached the stars the new (and simultaneously very old) pecking order either quashed any spirit such species had or simply eradicated them. Countless tomb worlds and diaspora served as painful reminders of what became of the nails that chose to stick out. The hammer of order would always strike. There could be no compromise, the very soul of the authority that held the Jurisdiction together relied on a show of unmatched power, or at least the illusion of item.
In reality, the Jurisdiction was an old, fat, and lazy beast. It filled its belly on the corpses of empires far and wide, and sated its bloodlust on the shattered dreams of hopeful cubs. It had every right to, for none could challenge it: there were no new frontiers to explore, nor were there any other enemies to conquer. The Milky Way, as humans had so strangely dubbed our cradle galaxy, as well as Andromeda, had long since been warred over and settled for millennia before humanity had arrived, bright-eyed and with familiar yet otherwise foolish dreams of cooperation and prosperity. The Jurisdiction did not cooperate, nor did it ensure prosperity. Oh, it claimed it did, but in reality it simply took. The rest was just the peace that came with not being the direct target of the biggest fish in the pond. The humans didn't like that, but they had no choice.
Slavery was a common tribute. The Jurisdiction had no use for other resources: it simply took. No, it wanted those who could facilitate that unequal exchange, those raised in a world where the only morality was the one set by your lord. The Jurisdiction was held together by expectations, obligations, and dury more than any kind of shared dream, so when you were ordered to take you did so without question. Humanity was new: they had no niche or value that set them apart, but they had a penchant for killing and taking, so the Jurisdiction gave them a taste of how the galaxy worked. They killed and they took. The humans didn't like that, but what choice did they have?
Humans were strange. They learned, but not in the way most species learned. Most species learned to adapt in a passive way, to adhere to the world around them. They flowed like water, moving past and around obstacles and confirming to the boxes they were assigned too. Humans didn't confirm, nor did they adapt: they made their circumstances fit their desires. They would not move around obstacles, but rather smash through them, and they refused to stay in one box for too long. The Jurisdiction merely saw them as a particularly loud nuisance, but those who faced their wrath knew better.
It is said that when a beast seeks to make an example, it shall humble its rival by killing it's cubs. Children were one of those universal constants that brought entire communities together: the Sokâklar saw their hatchlings as gifts, shaped by the fruitful currents of the universe in perfect harmony. The Yarrack saw each and every newborn whelp as an uncut gemstone, ready to be shaped into something magical. Humanity oftentimes referred to their offspring as angels, or spirits of unbridled good sent by the gods themselves. Children were seen by most of the galaxy as gifts.
The Jurisdiction saw them as a lever to inflict suffering. It had become quite effective at enacting psychological punishments on those that stood up and spoke out. You dare to disobey? You believe you can speak out? Your gifts shall be taken from you, and you shall be without joy.
Humans didn't like this, but the Jurisdiction would have their pound of flesh, and humankind would kneel. And they did. But humans were patient creatures: most species who retained that trait of willful spit also lacked patience.
I had long since become desensitized to the Jurisdictionâs actions: it was simply how the universe worked now, as if it were a constant akin to gravity. Cruelty was the unspoken rule of this seemingly unending age, where our lives never appeared to move forward or backwards, only lay dormant. The Jurisdiction had been the unyielding authority that ruled the galaxy for thousands of years, venerable yet feared all the same.
And for the longest time I was just another cog in its wheel. My name is Kalnuracht Sedjuur-Noumar VII, and was the scion of the noble house Sedjuur-Noumar. I was born into what most would describe as veiled apathy, living a life that could be attributed to the privileged class of feared scribes that enacted the will of those above. I was an administrator and nothing more. And now I am doomed to be far less than that in the eyes of my former constituents within the endless administration. I am the only scion, as is tradition, and without an heir I am the last of my house, our name to be scrubbed from the records, worthless, meaningless, and forgotten.
I am merely Kalnuracht, nothing else and nothing more. I have seen from their eyes, the eyes of the downtrodden, and it makes my crimes of association with the Jurisdiction feel all the more damning on my worthless soul. I am worthless to the world, and this is my story.
End Personal Log #1
Start of Neural Lace Narrative Log #1
They came from the black like carrion birds in the night, encircling our convoy as if it were a dying animal ready to be picked clean without remorse. There was no warning, no list of demands sent out as civilized peoples did, nor was there either any requirement for unconditional surrender nor chance to parlay, as was done so under letter of marque: this was an unmistakable call for violence and nothing else. They sought to reduce us to slag and scavenge the rest.
So, as one would expect, the entire bridge of the ship was nearing a panicked state. This was not the actions of those practicing civility, but rather the common behaviors of despoiling barbarians, the kind that tore their way through the dark reaches of the galaxy as if they owned it.
âWayfinder, what do your probes see?â Shouted the shipâs sovereign. He was an older KarâRowmach, an amphibious cephalopod species with a venerable history within the Jurisdiction going back thousands of years. Normally one such as him would be above me if it weren't for the fact that I was under the authority of the Jurisdictionâs seal of office. He didn't like me very much, but most of his kind shared the same sentiment.
âAll dark, honorable Sovereign: the sensor arrays are wailing but the feedback we're reviewing is beyond incomprehensible,â the wayfinder replied with a certain restrained temper in his voice. The Sok'klar wayfinder swayed gently, his tentacled limbs grasping different metallo-liquid braille output arrays, the liquid gallium flexing and reshaping unnaturally to allow him to to take in multiple different sources of sensory output at once, with the primary navigation computer plugged into the cybernetics surrounding his opaque, gelatinous head and plugging directly into his tube-shaped brain.
The Sovereign cursed in Loskat and pointed to his bridge crew while I simply sat in the back, near the Sovereignâs symbolic throne. âPrepare countermeasures and spool up the warp drive, we cannot allow the amanuensis to be taken! He carries sensitive information that only he can translate and transcribe!â
As the bridge crew nodded and began fiddling with their own systems, I preened my feathered hide anxiously. I wasn't a fighter: us nobles of the cloth were the educated minority above all else, not those who waged war or partook in hard labor. Special cybernetics in my brain allowed me to translate triple-encoded messages that usually took a ducal signet codekey or above to parse, but even without that I was a skilled mathematician and logician. I had terabytes worth of knowledge stored within the hardware installed in my head, all well protected of course, but if I were to die it would still be a waste. I could only imagine the damage any malcontenders could do with it if they were able to get their filthy hands on me.
Suddenly, the ship rocked, and the gallium overhead display began to form crescendos like I'd never seen before. âSovereign, decks A-3 through C-12 are venting atmosphere and our coolant systems have been obliterated,â the Wayfinder spoke in an almost serene voice, as if he was completely unconcerned by current events. I knew they were simply incapable of tonal displays, but it was unnerving nonetheless. âOnce we jump, we will not be able to risk another until the vacuum of the void can reduce temperatures to acceptable levels within the plasma capacitors.â
âDamn them,â the armored nautiloid hissed, his barbed feelers coiling in frustration, âMay the currents take them. What are our options? what can we see? This fleet cannot fall to the void today, not with such vital cargo.â My hackles rose lightly at the KarâRowmach referred to me as some object rather than an esteemed amanuensis of the Jurisdiction, but I bit my forked tongue. Now was not the time to squabble with the sovereign over who was what and what titles I deserved, not while he was so desperately attempting to keep what semblance of order within his fleet that he had left.
I could not blame the crew for being panicked either: wars were practically mythologized now, having been long since rendered obsolete with the rise of the Jurisdiction, and that felt like an eternity ago. Now, either being levied into or joining a ducal naval force was simply another career, more akin to serving as an officer of the law rather than a fully fledged soldier. Minimal training was required, most of it being the technicals of one's duty rather than any kind of combat conditioning, so expecting a fleet to actually be prepared for a combat scenario in a universe where peace was the norm was laughable.
âWe are practically blind, Sovereign,â stated the Sok'klar Wayfinder, âour probes are offline, and shipboard graviton displacement sensory arrays have been rendered unreliable at best.â
âWhat about the particle emission array? Has there been a spike in radioactivity where we were hit?â
The Wayfinder seemed to think for a second, his gelatinous form flexing and morphing a bit before answering. âAffirmative, a jump from negligible to forty billion becquerels along decks A through E-5 on our starboard side.â
âTorpedoesâŠâ the Sovereign hissed, stroking his barbed feelers, âHuman Torpedoes. Only those primitives would rely on crude nuclear warheads.â He then turned to his militant leaders on the ship. âNoddos, Relâads: organize your phalanxes and prepare to repel boarders. We are bound to be assailed by those rancorous primates, and I want their skulls piled at my feet if they dare set foot on our ship.â
âYour wish is our command, Sovereign,â the two militant commanders spoke as one. Noddos, a large bipedal with multiple sets of curved spines running down his back, a pair of graceful horns sprouting from his head, and multiple rows of sharp teeth in his snout, bowed first, followed by Relâads, a marsupial with long saberteeth and thick fur. They both must have been fierce warriors in their own right to each lead a phalanx. They wore thick, semi-powered armor and held dueling polearms alongside their usual plasma casters, and seemed completely unfazed by the situation we were in. As they stomped out of the brightly lit bridge, I let out a quiet squawk of discontentment. âSovereign, why haven't we jumped again? We are wasting precious time.â
âI am working on it, you spineless beaurocrat!â He warbled back, his feelers tensing in anger, âbesides, it's not as if you're the one who will be spilling blood today, amanuensis, so flatten your wretched beak or I shall weld it shut with a plasma torch.
I was about to reply with something indignant, but the ship rocked again, this time causing the lights to flicker and the air to become⊠thick. The skin under my feathers began to blister, and I became lightheaded and confused. âSeal the damnable vents, initiate radiation scrubbers, and activate secondary life support!â Shouted the Sovereign, âTheir nuclear weapons are rendering the ship inhospitable!â
I coughed up magenta blood accidentally, and I could feel more seeping from under my eyes. Some of the crew was in a similar position, but others were more resistant to radiation than I. The Sok'klar seemed completely at ease as he ran his tentacles across his morphic braille arrays before calmly announcing the shipâs status. âI've regained some control over our probes: ten, twelve, and seventeen are active and fully functional, the rest are either still malfunctioning or permanently inoperable. A rapid rise in localized radiation is also interfering with the detection of graviton displacement; we can't sense photon redirection, thus readings will remain inconclusive.
âWayfinder, damn you, get me some kind of out here! We're easy prey until we can respond in kind!â
âNegative, something has gone awry with our processing hub, I am attempting to troubleshoot-â
And with that, the Wayfinderâs bulbous head exploded in a cascade of opaque lavender blood, covering the front half of the deck crew like a morbid art piece. Some of the crew screamed and shouted in terror before removing their cranial adaptors and choosing to interact with their displays manually. Others died just as quickly, unable to unplug in time as their brain stems fried or their blood boiled. It was a horrible way to go, having your insides neutralized by your own cybernetics, so I was glad I wasn't connected to the system.
âCybernetic warfare! All systems are to be considered compromised, switch to manual settings or you'll be killed!â
The lights in the bridge flickered again, and the displays went haywire. The bridge crew, which obviously weren't acquainted with working without being hard-linked into the mainframe, moved at a much slower pace.
âLaunch missile pods A through F and set to self-target after five hundred kilometers, then rely on their ballistic coordinates to begin firing broadsides! If we can't see the humans due to their meddling, we'll just have to feel them.â Shouted the Sovereign, âand got me a detailed report on the shipâs diagnostics readings. I need to know if this flagship is still capable of escaping or if we'll have to scuttle it and retreat on another.â
âAcknowledged, Sovereign, launching now,â affirmed another deck officer as he swiped across his own gallium output array. I could hear the dull thunk, thunk, thunk of missiles pushing out of their pods before racing off to their intended targets, then the mechanical whirring as the pods rotated to be reloaded by slaves in the lower decks. I was regaining my bearings as the many horrible sensations of being overwhelmed by radiation poisoning were beginning to subside, but I still felt as if I had been microwaved. The air was stale, the crew was horribly sick as well, and even the sovereign himself seemed to be on his last leg. I was beginning to believe that I might die here.
âSovereign, a message from the lower decks,â shouted a communications officer, his chitin scraping against itself as he turned quickly, âthey're requesting reinforcements, something about being overrun.â
âImpossible,â the Sovereign hissed out in a vain attempt to exude confidence, âWe must outnumber the humans, they always go for bigger targets out of arrogance.â
âI've received reports that it's not just humans: the primates seem to make up only a third or so of the assailing force, along with some Phaeldaer and Vrex.â
The commander slammed his clawed hands down on his own output array in a fit of rage, obviously overwhelmed by the circumstances, âThen this wasn't just a typical assault, but something more sinister!â The nautiloid warbled, blood seeping from his shell as the full effects of the radiation took hold, âGet Relâads on the line, have him divert all spare lances to the lower decks or else we'll lose the only offensive capabilities we can use.â
âRel'ads has gone dark, Sovereign, his vitals are critical.â
âThen either get me Rel'ads tail-leader or get me Noddos!â He screamed in rage, âdon't give me this nonsense! If we don't pick it up we're all going to die, is that what you want?â
âNo, Sovereign, I'm simply overwhelmed-â
âWe're all overwhelmed! By the tides, I'm dying of radiation poisoning you nincompoop! Get me something I can work with!â
The officer didn't even acknowledge the Sovereign after that, simply turning back to his display. Eventually, the Sovereign was able to get Noddos on the line.
âSovereign, two thirds of my phalanxes have been decimated by combat with the primitives and the radiation, the rest are in shambles. We must retreat and fortify elsewhere!â
âThen the ship is compromised! Rel'ads is unresponsive and the lower decks are swarming with intruders. We must evacuate the amanuensis to another ship.â
Just as the Sovereign spoke, I heard several gentle thumps rattle against the bridgeâs door, and it made me uneasy. Some of the bridge crew seemed to feel the same, as they looked incredibly nervous and some even drew their sidearms. Just as the sovereign turned to give further orders, the door blew inward with a deafening explosion, followed by shouting and gunfire. Several of the bridge officers were dispatched quickly, brain matter and blood splattering against the delicate electronics. Others were shot in the legs, the torso, or in any other exotic yet non-vital body parts. The humans poured in, brandishing primitive ballistic firearms and jury-rigged energy weapons while wearing scavenged, legion-grade powered armor.
The Sovereign was the next to go, but he wasn't afforded an honorable death. He was shot along the arm with a particularly potent plasma caster, burning off his clawed hand and cauterizing the wound, the acrid smell of roasting chitin filling the already hot and cramped bridge. He fell back against his output array, the gallium reaching new highs and lows as more diagnostics and casualty reports were delivered, and he clutched his stump angrily. âI'll burn every last one of you in the foundries! I'll tie you to stakes, cover you in wax and set you alight! Your screams will be broadcasted all over the galaxy!â
One human warrior stomped up and slammed the butt of his rifle into the sovereignâs face, shattering his facial plates and causing blue blood to splatter across his section of the bridge. âShut the fuck up, you mutant lobster,â the human said before dragging him by both antennae towards the center of the bridge and receiving a stained breeching axe from one of his comrades. âEmmanuel, start recording. We need proof.â
The other human nodded and pressed a button on his armor before lifting up his gun again. The rest of the humans fanned out, holding everyone else at gunpoint. I tried to get up and sneak out, but a human grabbed me by my neck and nearly wrung it out as he forced me to my knees and pointed a sidearm to my skull. âGet down, you piece of shit, before I blow your brains out too.â
âDamnable primate,â I hissed, but he bashed me in my skull with the base of his sidearmâs grip and sent me sprawling, making my already pounding headache worse. Another human shouted at him in a language I didn't recognize, but he sounded furious. The first brought me back up to my knees again, and I complies with a hiss and a groan, blood still leaking from my eyes and mouth and my world was spinning.
The Sovereign struggled, but he was weak from the radiation poisoning and he couldn't exactly resist on account of his lost arm. The human with the breaching ax kicked the Sovereign down and forced him to kneel before lifting up the breeching ax and splitting his chitinous head down the middle with one powerful swing, sending more blood and brains across the floor. âExecution confirmed, take his antennae just in case and we've got ourselves a bounty. Now all we need is that ugly catâs teeth and the fat hedgehog-thingâs grimy spines and we'll be in business. Although, they do have skulls⊠we might as well just take their heads.â
The real horror of the situation dawned on me at that moment: they were going to kill us all, or maybe worse. They mentioned a bounty for the commanders, and multiple of the higher ranking ship officers were already dead, their brains splattered against the walls or their bodies torn apart by gunfire. I wasn't dead yet, but that didn't mean much since I wasn't an immediate threat.
âAlright, round them up and bring all the grunts to the hanger bay, then kill the rest,â the leader of the humans said in such a lackadaisical manner that his complete disregard for life almost made me sick⊠almost. I had seen worse from the Jurisdiction before, but usually that was from me delivering some kind of ordered judgment on a world that had sinned against order. I might have simply been the messenger, but I had seen many of the outcomes. âAnd make sure to collect whatever proof of bounties you can, we'll need to deliver them to the office to get cashed out. Don't let this be a repeat of last time where Juarez fucking forgot to take a few heads and it ended up cutting our profits in half, the fucking retard.â
Some of the humans chuckled at that as they dragged more of the senior officers away, out of the room and into the hall,where I heard gunshots. The rest of the bridge crew froze in place, different fear instincts kicking in. The remaining Sok'klar corralled together into what seemed to be a singular, semi-congealed mass as if to try and trick the humans into believing that they were much bigger and much more threatening than they actually were. The one Theiâchi on the bridge, an ensign who had clearly thought this would be a simple mission, bore her curved fangs at the humans and growled as they approached, her hackles completely vertical and her eyes dilated. They quickly muzzled and bound her before beating her over the head with a gun stock, sending her sprawling onto the ground. Many others simply cooperated, eyes wide and yet simultaneously empty, as if they couldn't quite process that the ship had been taken and the commanding officers were being executed as the rest were escorted to the hangar.
âGet the damn messenger down to the hanger as well, we need whatever data's in his ugly lizard head, then we can decide on what to do with him.â
I spat at him in spite, as if to try and seem brave, but it was clearly an empty gesture. âYou won't get anything, primate! You couldn't possibly crack the encryption!â
The human holding me seemed to wind up for another swing, but the commanding officer simply held up his hand to stop my tormentor before strolling over to me. He knelt down and removed his helmet, revealing a beige-colored face covered in scars, wiry black hair cut down to the scalp, and multiple tattoos. âYou're really fucking mouthy for a hostage,â he said before punching me across my beak faster than I could register. I heard a sharp crack as his fist connected, and my head spun again as the metallic taste of blood pooled into my mouth. âI'd advise you to shut up, but I'm sure you won't listen: you aristocratic types are so full of yourselves. Maybe I should have you flogged in the public square until your vocal chords give out once we rip those cybernetics from your head, huh? How's that sound?â
âIt won't matter⊠it won't change anything⊠the Jurisdiction will hunt you down.â
âMaybe, but I doubt it will happen for some time: they really suck at doing anything that requires effort, even when they're mad enough. They just keep sending their rabid lapdogs to try and smoke us out, and they always end up full of holes,â the human officer said with a smirk, his yellowish-white teeth and green eyes sending shivers down my spine as he drew his knife. âThey're just horrible at their job, you know? You've all gotten so lazy and incompetent after being able to just take what you want without resistance, and now that you've met people who are angry and crazy enough to fight back you act as if we're committing some grave injustice,â he placed the knife against my throat, the flat just underneath my now bent beak, âNo, we just took a few pages out of your book, âcept we've got standards. No kids, for oneâŠâ he seemed to look off into the distance as his sneer deepened, âbut it's more than that, we don't attack the defenseless in general and we still win against you all in fair fights.â
I went to say something else snarky, but he quickly grabbed my thin tongue with his fingers and yanked it out, blood from my mouth pulling to the floor as he held the blade of his knife against it. âNo no, none of that. Say one more thing and I'll cut that rancid little tongue of yours out of your mouth and feed it to you,â he hissed at me, pressing the blade down just hard enough to draw blood. âDo you know what it's like to see a planet turn into a tomb?" he asked me, gritting his teeth, âDo you know what it's like to see everything you've ever known crumble to ash and glass, all the life and the green stripped away leaving nothing but bones? I do. I've seen it happen to countless worlds, and my grandfather always told me stories of how you bastards did it to Earth. He still prays in its direction five times a day, to Mecca, but he knows the Kaaba is gone now, or maybe it's still there, buried in the bones of those who sought refuge there.â
I didn't care for the humanâs nonsensical beliefs, but I did care to correct him. âI've seen it before, and I'll see it again. And so will you, it's inevitable. The Jurisdiction will always have its judgment fulfilled, there is no alternative.â
âOne day, I hope we can rectify that,â he said, then he sheathed his knife and slammed my head against the metal floor with enough force to nearly knock me out. As I lost consciousness, I could hear him speak. âTake him to the Chop Doc, and make sure the cybernetics don't get damaged: they're supposedly more valuable than any bounty on this ship.â
Warning: Severe radiation poisoning detected. Flush system immediately.
Warning: Neural Lace removal detected, chance of neurological damage high. Proceeded with caution.
2024.05.19 15:52 Jillybughugs First time nanny, for my sister. What things should u be asking and what bonardies did you find helpful
My older sister (F32) and her husband need a nanny, and I volunteered.
My sister and her husband have a 18 month old child who has been in three day cares already.
This child has sever allergies. Dairy, peanut, cashews, sesame, and now possibly citrus. The first day care could not accommodate and it was when they were first learning about them so just a scary time in general. The second was a vegan place that worked out great but her husband got a new job and they moved. They recently pulled them from the third place because they kept feeding her allergens after countless talks and check ins about it.
So until she can verbalize what she can and can't have they want a nanny.
I (F27) have a middle education degree, my mother is an early education teacher. I taught 4th grade for two years. I left for mental health reason haveing to do with the 28 class size, and workload. and older teachers straight up bullying me.
I'm leaving two jobs I have had for the last two years. And theyâre matching that amount. I will also be moving 13 hrs away out of state to live with them. We talked about getting me insurance and how to set up irp for me. But I know working for family is tricky. So Iâm looking for advice to what more should I be asking for boundary wise and thing I should watch for working for family.
submitted by Jillybughugs to Nanny [link] [comments]
My sister and her husband have a 18 month old child who has been in three day cares already.
This child has sever allergies. Dairy, peanut, cashews, sesame, and now possibly citrus. The first day care could not accommodate and it was when they were first learning about them so just a scary time in general. The second was a vegan place that worked out great but her husband got a new job and they moved. They recently pulled them from the third place because they kept feeding her allergens after countless talks and check ins about it.
So until she can verbalize what she can and can't have they want a nanny.
I (F27) have a middle education degree, my mother is an early education teacher. I taught 4th grade for two years. I left for mental health reason haveing to do with the 28 class size, and workload. and older teachers straight up bullying me.
I'm leaving two jobs I have had for the last two years. And theyâre matching that amount. I will also be moving 13 hrs away out of state to live with them. We talked about getting me insurance and how to set up irp for me. But I know working for family is tricky. So Iâm looking for advice to what more should I be asking for boundary wise and thing I should watch for working for family.
2024.05.19 15:34 Zagaroth [No Need For A Core?] - CH 189: A Tuneful Trio
Cover Art <<Previous Start Next >>
GLOSSARY This links to a post on the free section of my Patreon. Note: "Book 1" is chapters 1-59, "Book 2" is chapters 60-133, "Book 3", is 134-193, "Book 4" is CH 194-(ongoing)
When the three teens got up the next morning, they ate quickly before turning their attention back to the instrument.
With the soundboard ready enough, Derek's next task was to collect the string posts and such from some of the scrapped stringed instruments, but to do no more than clean them up if needed and set them aside for later.
While he was doing that, Shizoku was using one of the better instruments in the shop to make sure that Fuyuko had a solid concept of scales and octaves. During this, the luponi couldn't help but ask "Ya should be able ta hear as well as me, why are ya tryin' ta have me figure this out?"
"Well," the kitsune replied, "there's a few things involved. First, I have paid a lot more attention to my magical senses than my physical ones, so while my ears might be able to physically hear as well as yours, my mind isn't as attuned to working with that information. You have been used to pushing yourself to make the most of every sound." She hesitated a moment before adding, "There's something else involved with that, but I think it's best if someone more experienced teaches you, which Mordecai is probably going to do, so I am not going to even tell you what it's about. I just don't want you to think I hid something from you later."
After Fuyuko gave a slightly confused nod, Shizoku continued. "I am also giving you just enough information for you to get certain key concepts down. Once I do that, we can hunt for a fresh set of notes without the bias of the rest of my training. You'll understand when we are done."
Once she was satisfied with the taller girl's understanding, Shizoku began the next stage of the process. "Okay, now this instrument over here has some adjustable positioning with its tuning knobs, and we have some other pieces that were also still being prototyped. Fuyuko, what I want you to do is find a new note. We have a bunch of strings of different types, so you can play with it with different sounds. So you hunt down a note that you like, no, love. Deep or high or somewhere in between, it doesn't matter. Once we have a single note to work with, we can scale up or down as needed to get the matching ones, the only limitation is that it has to be a note Derek can hear. The notes I showed you are the notes I know, but technically a scale can be based on the harmonies of any frequency. Since you don't know all the systems that already exist, and you have really good hearing, you should be able to pick out a clean frequency to start with."
After Fuyuko got a hang of tuning strings, Shizoku had Derek follow her out of the workroom. "I don't want to disturb her concentration, and I don't want our reactions to influence her. I'm sure she's heard plenty of music before, but I doubt she's heard as much well-performed music as you have, so she won't know what sounds are supposedly wrong."
While Fuyuko was occupied, the pair explored the witch's island more, poking their noses into any unlocked buildings other than the main house. Some of them were storage, and some were other types of workshops. Shizoku wasn't certain if the wreck of an alchemy lab was the result of visitors or of Carmilla's own experiments, and decided it was best to not ask. But there were a lot of notes and a few books, so she decided to start browsing them and copying any new information she found. She also wrote on a couple of them to correct anything she saw that was clearly wrong.
Once the fox girl got distracted by her studies, Derek decided to practice channeling his elemental abilities more. The swamp was a fascinating mix of different types of elements and different ways elements could be seen. The concept of 'mud' was complicated enough that he was beginning to see it as its own thing, distinct from earth and water.
And then there was the way in which 'air' could be trapped in the muck, and even the more liquid stuff could prove difficult for air bubbles to escape readily. None of that was good quality air, at least, not if you needed to breathe, but it was air. Sort of.
He walked along the wooden walkways that wound around the island, probing as far as he could with his senses. Holding on to this state was tiring, but it was easier to keep doing this exercise when there was something new and interesting to puzzle out. He wasn't trying to manipulate or adjust anything right now, that seemed like a bad idea to mess with Carmilla's island, but there was enough here that was simply different from what he'd seen before to keep him occupied for a while.
So when Fuyuko had found the note she wanted to work with, she had to spend more time fetching her friends before they could continue. "So, as I was playin' with the notes, I kinda remembered some old songs my ma used ta sing ta me. They didn't sound the same as the songs people liked, and they ain't in common, so I ain't sung them in a long time, but I tried ta remember them as best I can, and then I figured out some strings that sounded like I remembered. I think these can work as part of a scale."
Shizoku was satisfied with the results. "It's not on any of the scales I know. Very good Fuyuko. Um, and maybe when we are done here, we can hear those songs. Now for the hard part. We have to find the harmonies. More specifically, we have to find the harmonies and how to create them with the available strings. This is going to be a lot of work, and most of it is still going to be based on Fuyuko's hearing, so our part is to make sure she has as many available strings and ways of adjusting them as possible."
It took several days in fact, including marking sections on the strings that could be used to change to a different harmonic note. Part of this was to create a lot of options, which they were going to need. Shizoku took a lot of notes during this, and Derek eventually had to go back to town to barter for some more strings. They had a lot more than they were going to use in the final product, but there were so many more possible notes than Derek had realized. And the tiny fox organizing their efforts was being perfectionist about having every possible option available. She'd also added "precise distance measuring tools" to his shopping list.
In the end, Derek had what she wanted, but he was pretty certain that he'd overpaid in at least one barter. At least he'd been able to get some more food supplies. The meals Udup got for them were fine, but a little repetitive and boring, so it was nice to get a change of pace. He also made sure to collect the items they had been storing in their room so that they didn't have to lug them around the swamp, as they had a place to stay on the witch's island.
And during all this Bip was amusing itself by learning to vibrate in tune with the various notes, and even showed off by making waves on its surface that matched the sound. Shizoku looked a little confused when she passed on what her familiar said, but to Derek that felt like an insight he needed to work on with his air attunement.
When their taskmistress was satisfied with their options, it was time to create the layout for their instrument. "We need a piece of wood the same size and shape as our instrument. We're going to figure out the best string order for what we want. This is going to involve a lot of moving things around, so we want to do the work here, and then copy that to the actual instrument when we are done."
This part went a lot faster but it still took most of a day to design their layout, and the next morning was used for their final assembly.
The instrument had a total of twenty-six strings, two octaves of thirteen notes each, with more notes available based on which of the raised ridges one pressed down on while plucking the string. Even with the tools that Derek had bought, measuring with enough precision was hard, but thankfully the tuning posts were all made to be used in experimental instruments so were easy to adjust.
After they had lunch, they got Carmilla to examine their work. "Huh," she murmured as she plucked each string, "yeah, that is a new sound. And this thing is cool, I need to find a name for it. Alright, you guys pass this stage, and with flying colors." She giggled, "Miss Kazoo says you did that the way hard way. It was thorough, but you should have been able to do it with about a third the work or less."
Shizoku scowled and said, "Well, she may have had a lot of music training, but I have had only so much, so I wanted to be sure I didn't miss anything." And then she blinked, "Wait, 'Kazoo'?"
Carmilla coughed. "Oops. I'm getting a scolding now from Mordecai. Um, maybe don't use that? Anyway, you guys did a great job and put a lot of creative and physical effort into this. That adds up, you know? So with this and all the other stuff you guys did before coming here, I only get to ask you for one more task. I want you to put on a performance for me. And I want it to include that instrument. You can practice with this one, Kazue will make a copy that is a bit more stable for the performance and for me to keep."
That elicited groans from the entire group, but Shizoku rebounded quickly. "Wait, I have an idea. Um, I think we need a couple of days of practice, and we need a drum as well."
The plan was pretty straightforward. Fuyuko was going to sing the songs she could remember, and teach them to Shizoku and Derek while also doing her best to play the notes on their new instrument. She wasn't really going to be very proficient at it in only a couple of days, but they were able to work out the simplest arrangement that would go with her songs.
Derek's job was to maintain a steady beat on the drum and sing along with the chorus of the song. Not knowing the language that Fuyuko was singing in made this part harder.
Shizoku's job was to adjust one of the dances she knew to the timing of Fuyuko's song. She even dug into one of her expanded space bags to bring out a very fancy looking kimono and a pair of fans that could be used to create a sharp snapping sound, which could be used to contrast the low sound of the drum that Derek was playing.
The resulting performance was far from professional. Fuyuko only had a small pattern of notes she could reliably reproduce while singing, and they were somewhat spread out as she couldn't play fast at all. Shizoku's fan dance also didn't really match the feel of the song despite the adjustments she tried to make, and Derek's reproduction of the chorus was far from perfect.
But they put sincere effort into it, and Carmilla was satisfied. "Oh, that will be a great start, and I think I am going to like playing this. Thank you, I think you three have put more real effort into this than most of the adults have. Oh, they have a special gift for you Fuyuko, they say you should have it now." A small book appeared in her hands, which she handed over to Fuyuko. "Part of the dungeon magic means they learned that language when you sang it. This is a copy of every song you sang and a translation. The writing for the original is sounded out using the common alphabet, they don't have a writing sample to learn the original script from. Um, they also think you should wait to read it until you guys are settled in for the night. I'll let you three through the swamp tomorrow, and you can collect your big prizes when you get to the end."
The reason for waiting became clear to Fuyuko when she did start reading later that night, and she began crying. "I remembered the words and the sounds, but it's been so long that I didn't really remember the meaning. They were lullabies. They were my clan's lullabies."
Shizoku and Derek did their best to comfort their friend, but her tears were both of pain and of joy. She was very happy to have this small bit of her past restored to her, even if the translations showed she'd forgotten a verse or two. She was going to do her best to remember them all and make sure they were written down.
She was much calmer by morning, and the three collected themselves and set off to make their way to the briar wall that blocked off the exit to the level. The passage through went fine, but the corridor after was not the straight path Fuyuko had expected. It was blocked off, and there was a single stair way splitting off from the corridor. "Um, guys. That's supposed ta be the way we go, it goes ta a big room ta watch the arena from. That's, um, one of the stairs down to the arena."
They didn't know what to make of this and made their way down very cautiously.
Mordecai was waiting for them, along with several bunkins and kobolds. "So, who is up for an optional bonus challenge?" He asked them with a grin.
<<Previous Start Next >>
Also to be found on Royal Road.
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$3. : 10 Early chapters, lore excerpts $5. : 20 Early chapters, Short Stories $10 : 30+ Early chapters, New stories not published anywhere else (Until after I finish this story at least) . . . . . "A Girl and Her Dungeon", "The Celestine Fox", and AU Core 1: "Coreless"
submitted by Zagaroth to redditserials [link] [comments]
GLOSSARY This links to a post on the free section of my Patreon. Note: "Book 1" is chapters 1-59, "Book 2" is chapters 60-133, "Book 3", is 134-193, "Book 4" is CH 194-(ongoing)
With the soundboard ready enough, Derek's next task was to collect the string posts and such from some of the scrapped stringed instruments, but to do no more than clean them up if needed and set them aside for later.
While he was doing that, Shizoku was using one of the better instruments in the shop to make sure that Fuyuko had a solid concept of scales and octaves. During this, the luponi couldn't help but ask "Ya should be able ta hear as well as me, why are ya tryin' ta have me figure this out?"
"Well," the kitsune replied, "there's a few things involved. First, I have paid a lot more attention to my magical senses than my physical ones, so while my ears might be able to physically hear as well as yours, my mind isn't as attuned to working with that information. You have been used to pushing yourself to make the most of every sound." She hesitated a moment before adding, "There's something else involved with that, but I think it's best if someone more experienced teaches you, which Mordecai is probably going to do, so I am not going to even tell you what it's about. I just don't want you to think I hid something from you later."
After Fuyuko gave a slightly confused nod, Shizoku continued. "I am also giving you just enough information for you to get certain key concepts down. Once I do that, we can hunt for a fresh set of notes without the bias of the rest of my training. You'll understand when we are done."
Once she was satisfied with the taller girl's understanding, Shizoku began the next stage of the process. "Okay, now this instrument over here has some adjustable positioning with its tuning knobs, and we have some other pieces that were also still being prototyped. Fuyuko, what I want you to do is find a new note. We have a bunch of strings of different types, so you can play with it with different sounds. So you hunt down a note that you like, no, love. Deep or high or somewhere in between, it doesn't matter. Once we have a single note to work with, we can scale up or down as needed to get the matching ones, the only limitation is that it has to be a note Derek can hear. The notes I showed you are the notes I know, but technically a scale can be based on the harmonies of any frequency. Since you don't know all the systems that already exist, and you have really good hearing, you should be able to pick out a clean frequency to start with."
After Fuyuko got a hang of tuning strings, Shizoku had Derek follow her out of the workroom. "I don't want to disturb her concentration, and I don't want our reactions to influence her. I'm sure she's heard plenty of music before, but I doubt she's heard as much well-performed music as you have, so she won't know what sounds are supposedly wrong."
While Fuyuko was occupied, the pair explored the witch's island more, poking their noses into any unlocked buildings other than the main house. Some of them were storage, and some were other types of workshops. Shizoku wasn't certain if the wreck of an alchemy lab was the result of visitors or of Carmilla's own experiments, and decided it was best to not ask. But there were a lot of notes and a few books, so she decided to start browsing them and copying any new information she found. She also wrote on a couple of them to correct anything she saw that was clearly wrong.
Once the fox girl got distracted by her studies, Derek decided to practice channeling his elemental abilities more. The swamp was a fascinating mix of different types of elements and different ways elements could be seen. The concept of 'mud' was complicated enough that he was beginning to see it as its own thing, distinct from earth and water.
And then there was the way in which 'air' could be trapped in the muck, and even the more liquid stuff could prove difficult for air bubbles to escape readily. None of that was good quality air, at least, not if you needed to breathe, but it was air. Sort of.
He walked along the wooden walkways that wound around the island, probing as far as he could with his senses. Holding on to this state was tiring, but it was easier to keep doing this exercise when there was something new and interesting to puzzle out. He wasn't trying to manipulate or adjust anything right now, that seemed like a bad idea to mess with Carmilla's island, but there was enough here that was simply different from what he'd seen before to keep him occupied for a while.
So when Fuyuko had found the note she wanted to work with, she had to spend more time fetching her friends before they could continue. "So, as I was playin' with the notes, I kinda remembered some old songs my ma used ta sing ta me. They didn't sound the same as the songs people liked, and they ain't in common, so I ain't sung them in a long time, but I tried ta remember them as best I can, and then I figured out some strings that sounded like I remembered. I think these can work as part of a scale."
Shizoku was satisfied with the results. "It's not on any of the scales I know. Very good Fuyuko. Um, and maybe when we are done here, we can hear those songs. Now for the hard part. We have to find the harmonies. More specifically, we have to find the harmonies and how to create them with the available strings. This is going to be a lot of work, and most of it is still going to be based on Fuyuko's hearing, so our part is to make sure she has as many available strings and ways of adjusting them as possible."
It took several days in fact, including marking sections on the strings that could be used to change to a different harmonic note. Part of this was to create a lot of options, which they were going to need. Shizoku took a lot of notes during this, and Derek eventually had to go back to town to barter for some more strings. They had a lot more than they were going to use in the final product, but there were so many more possible notes than Derek had realized. And the tiny fox organizing their efforts was being perfectionist about having every possible option available. She'd also added "precise distance measuring tools" to his shopping list.
In the end, Derek had what she wanted, but he was pretty certain that he'd overpaid in at least one barter. At least he'd been able to get some more food supplies. The meals Udup got for them were fine, but a little repetitive and boring, so it was nice to get a change of pace. He also made sure to collect the items they had been storing in their room so that they didn't have to lug them around the swamp, as they had a place to stay on the witch's island.
And during all this Bip was amusing itself by learning to vibrate in tune with the various notes, and even showed off by making waves on its surface that matched the sound. Shizoku looked a little confused when she passed on what her familiar said, but to Derek that felt like an insight he needed to work on with his air attunement.
When their taskmistress was satisfied with their options, it was time to create the layout for their instrument. "We need a piece of wood the same size and shape as our instrument. We're going to figure out the best string order for what we want. This is going to involve a lot of moving things around, so we want to do the work here, and then copy that to the actual instrument when we are done."
This part went a lot faster but it still took most of a day to design their layout, and the next morning was used for their final assembly.
The instrument had a total of twenty-six strings, two octaves of thirteen notes each, with more notes available based on which of the raised ridges one pressed down on while plucking the string. Even with the tools that Derek had bought, measuring with enough precision was hard, but thankfully the tuning posts were all made to be used in experimental instruments so were easy to adjust.
After they had lunch, they got Carmilla to examine their work. "Huh," she murmured as she plucked each string, "yeah, that is a new sound. And this thing is cool, I need to find a name for it. Alright, you guys pass this stage, and with flying colors." She giggled, "Miss Kazoo says you did that the way hard way. It was thorough, but you should have been able to do it with about a third the work or less."
Shizoku scowled and said, "Well, she may have had a lot of music training, but I have had only so much, so I wanted to be sure I didn't miss anything." And then she blinked, "Wait, 'Kazoo'?"
Carmilla coughed. "Oops. I'm getting a scolding now from Mordecai. Um, maybe don't use that? Anyway, you guys did a great job and put a lot of creative and physical effort into this. That adds up, you know? So with this and all the other stuff you guys did before coming here, I only get to ask you for one more task. I want you to put on a performance for me. And I want it to include that instrument. You can practice with this one, Kazue will make a copy that is a bit more stable for the performance and for me to keep."
That elicited groans from the entire group, but Shizoku rebounded quickly. "Wait, I have an idea. Um, I think we need a couple of days of practice, and we need a drum as well."
The plan was pretty straightforward. Fuyuko was going to sing the songs she could remember, and teach them to Shizoku and Derek while also doing her best to play the notes on their new instrument. She wasn't really going to be very proficient at it in only a couple of days, but they were able to work out the simplest arrangement that would go with her songs.
Derek's job was to maintain a steady beat on the drum and sing along with the chorus of the song. Not knowing the language that Fuyuko was singing in made this part harder.
Shizoku's job was to adjust one of the dances she knew to the timing of Fuyuko's song. She even dug into one of her expanded space bags to bring out a very fancy looking kimono and a pair of fans that could be used to create a sharp snapping sound, which could be used to contrast the low sound of the drum that Derek was playing.
The resulting performance was far from professional. Fuyuko only had a small pattern of notes she could reliably reproduce while singing, and they were somewhat spread out as she couldn't play fast at all. Shizoku's fan dance also didn't really match the feel of the song despite the adjustments she tried to make, and Derek's reproduction of the chorus was far from perfect.
But they put sincere effort into it, and Carmilla was satisfied. "Oh, that will be a great start, and I think I am going to like playing this. Thank you, I think you three have put more real effort into this than most of the adults have. Oh, they have a special gift for you Fuyuko, they say you should have it now." A small book appeared in her hands, which she handed over to Fuyuko. "Part of the dungeon magic means they learned that language when you sang it. This is a copy of every song you sang and a translation. The writing for the original is sounded out using the common alphabet, they don't have a writing sample to learn the original script from. Um, they also think you should wait to read it until you guys are settled in for the night. I'll let you three through the swamp tomorrow, and you can collect your big prizes when you get to the end."
The reason for waiting became clear to Fuyuko when she did start reading later that night, and she began crying. "I remembered the words and the sounds, but it's been so long that I didn't really remember the meaning. They were lullabies. They were my clan's lullabies."
Shizoku and Derek did their best to comfort their friend, but her tears were both of pain and of joy. She was very happy to have this small bit of her past restored to her, even if the translations showed she'd forgotten a verse or two. She was going to do her best to remember them all and make sure they were written down.
She was much calmer by morning, and the three collected themselves and set off to make their way to the briar wall that blocked off the exit to the level. The passage through went fine, but the corridor after was not the straight path Fuyuko had expected. It was blocked off, and there was a single stair way splitting off from the corridor. "Um, guys. That's supposed ta be the way we go, it goes ta a big room ta watch the arena from. That's, um, one of the stairs down to the arena."
They didn't know what to make of this and made their way down very cautiously.
Mordecai was waiting for them, along with several bunkins and kobolds. "So, who is up for an optional bonus challenge?" He asked them with a grin.
My Patreon My Discord Top Web Novels - Romance.io - TVTropes
$3. : 10 Early chapters, lore excerpts $5. : 20 Early chapters, Short Stories $10 : 30+ Early chapters, New stories not published anywhere else (Until after I finish this story at least) . . . . . "A Girl and Her Dungeon", "The Celestine Fox", and AU Core 1: "Coreless"
2024.05.19 15:18 Prestigious-Fee-9563 Honours vs Major (polisci)
Iâm currently in honours polisci and just finished my third year (U2). My CGPA is sitting at a 3.4something right now and my program GPA is exactly a 3.3, but Iâm waiting on 2 more final grades to appear in Minerva. I doubt that they will be above a B+ tho.
More than half of my poli grades are B+ or higher, but if my program GPA falls below 3.3 and Iâm moved back to the regular polisci major, does it make sense to take more poli classes and improve my program GPA? An honours degree isnât a huge deal to me, I just have a bunch of credits (2 semesters, 5 classes each) left to take in my final year, and Iâm deciding between doing this or just picking up another minor.
Iâm talking to an advisor soon, just thought I would ask if anyone has been in a similar position & how it worked out.
submitted by Prestigious-Fee-9563 to mcgill [link] [comments]
More than half of my poli grades are B+ or higher, but if my program GPA falls below 3.3 and Iâm moved back to the regular polisci major, does it make sense to take more poli classes and improve my program GPA? An honours degree isnât a huge deal to me, I just have a bunch of credits (2 semesters, 5 classes each) left to take in my final year, and Iâm deciding between doing this or just picking up another minor.
Iâm talking to an advisor soon, just thought I would ask if anyone has been in a similar position & how it worked out.
2024.05.19 15:01 ibid-11962 Writing and Publishing Eragon [Post Murtagh Christopher Paolini Q&A Wrap Up #6]
As discussed in the first post, this is my ongoing compilation of the remaining questions Christopher has answered online between August 1st 2023 and April 30th 2024 which I've not already covered in other compilations.
As always, questions are sorted by topic, and each Q&A is annotated with a bracketed source number. Links to every source used and to the other parts of this compilation will be provided in a comment below.
The previous post focused on details about the writing of Murtagh. This installment will focus on The Writing and Publication of Eragon, including the early abandoned starts and drafts the preceded the self-published version and Christopher's journey towards getting traditionally published. In this post the topics are arranged in almost a chronological order. The next post will focus on the writing of the Fractalverse, and so will be posted on /Fractalverse.
submitted by ibid-11962 to Eragon [link] [comments]
As always, questions are sorted by topic, and each Q&A is annotated with a bracketed source number. Links to every source used and to the other parts of this compilation will be provided in a comment below.
The previous post focused on details about the writing of Murtagh. This installment will focus on The Writing and Publication of Eragon, including the early abandoned starts and drafts the preceded the self-published version and Christopher's journey towards getting traditionally published. In this post the topics are arranged in almost a chronological order. The next post will focus on the writing of the Fractalverse, and so will be posted on /Fractalverse.
Writing and Publishing Eragon
The Original Idea[When I start to write a new book] I have an image. Thereâs always a strong emotional component to the image, and itâs that emotion that I want to convey to readers. Everything I do after that, all of the worldbuilding, plotting, characterization, writing, and editingâall of itâis done with the goal of evoking the desired reaction from readers. In the case of the Inheritance Cycle, the image was that of a young man finding a dragon egg (and later having the dragon as a friend). [10]
Who's your favorite character to write? Well, for me, it's the dragon Saphira. She's the reason I got into writing a dragon. She came first? She came before Eragon? Like she was the catalyst? The relationship came first, her and Eragon. [33]
I was specifically inspired by a YA book called Jeremy Thatcher Dragon Hatcher by Bruce Coville, which is a delightful book. I just loved that idea so much of finding a dragon egg, I was like, "Well, what sort of a world would a dragon come from?" And I knew I wanted the sort of bond between rider and dragon that Anne McCaffrey had, but I wanted the intelligence of the dragons that you find elsewhere, and the language and the magic. And I wanted sparkly scales because it just seemed like dragons are fabulous creatures and they ought to have sparkly scales. That's the fun thing about writing your own books. You can make them exactly the way you want to make them, and hopefully then that appeals to the audience as well. [30]
All of that kind of was swirling around in my head, and I wanted to write about dragons in a way that kind of combined a lot of elements in a way that, "I like this", and "I like this piece", and "I like this piece", but I kind of wanted to have all these different pieces in one type of dragon, and no one had quite done it exactly the way I wanted. [30]
I live in Montana, and our library is an old Carnegie or Rockefeller library, and especially back in the 90s, it didn't have that many books. So once I read all the fantasy in the library, I thought I had read all the fantasy there was to read. Because I was not the smartest kid in the world sometimes. And I kind of thought, "Well, it's the library. They have all the books that exist, right? All the books that matter are in the library." And I really had no idea what to read after that. So I decided to start writing myself and to try and write the sort of story that I would enjoy reading. And of course, what I enjoyed reading was books about flying on dragons and fighting monsters and having adventures. [35]
Reading and literature was always important in our family. My father's mother was a professor of comparative literature and wrote books on Dante and all sorts of stuff like that. Was the myths and folklore part of your life at this time? Yes, but I should clarify that it wasn't formally introduced to me. It was in the house. People weren't wandering around talking about. It was just like the Aeneid is sitting on the shelf. I would go read things. I have a great uncle. He's 90 now, my mother's uncle. Guy is still sharp as a tack. It's amazing. But he gave me a set of cassette tapes of Joseph Campbell, who did Hero of a Thousand Faces. So that was my exposure to his theories of the monomyth and the eternal hero and all sorts of things like that. That got me very much interested in and thinking about the origins of the fantasy that I was reading because I was reading Tolkien and David Eddings and Anne McCaffrey and Raymond Feist and Jane Yolan and Andre Norton and Brian Jaques, and all of these you know authors who were popular at the time. I was very curious where does this come from. Tolkien, of course, felt like sort of the origin in a lot of cases but then I was discovering that, there are earlier stories that even Tolkien was drawing from. That was really a revelation to me. I really sort of got enamored with it. A lot of fantasy is nostalgic and that appealed to me because I was homeschooled and my family didn't really have a lot of relatives in the area, so I felt very unmoored from the rest of society. I think I was looking for a sense of tradition or continuity with the past and fantasy helped provide that. That's an incredibly articulate thought for a 15-year-old author. Or has that come with age? No, it was something I was feeling at the time. You were conscious of it at the time? Well, listening to the Joseph Campbell stuff, I was looking: Where are our coming of age traditions? Where is the great quest to go on to prove yourself as a young adult, as a man? Where's the great adventure? What do I do in life? Those are all things that are part of the adolescent experience and always have been which is why so many mythic stories about coming of age deal with those questions. I think it's a universal thing. That's why Harry Potter, Eragon, Twilight, all of these have appealed so much because they deal with adolescence. They deal with finding your place in the world as an adult when you're starting as a young adult or a child. [28]
What games have taught you to be a better writer either in creating characters or worldbuilding or plotting even? All of my gaming experience was computer games, video games. One that had a huge influence on me was the old Myst series. Personally I love solving puzzles, so that's the first thing. And also the concept of the series, especially with the second game, Riven, it's all based around people writing books that create new worlds. And you get to go in them and solve puzzles and understand how that world works. And that just tickled every single part of my brain back in the day. Now, I'm going to be slightly unkind here, and I apologize if the author [David Wingrove] is listening to this, but there were a couple of novels based off of Myst. And I was such a fan of the series that I got the books, and I started reading them. And my first thought was, "I could do better than this." And so I decided to rewrite the first Myst novel. And I created a document in MS Word, and I got exactly three sentences into my rewrite. And I thought to myself, "okay, I think I can do this, but I could never sell it. So I better go write something of my own." And the next thing I did was Eragon. So video games kind of had a direct influence on me writing. But actually reading something that I felt was not particularly successful was such an inspiration. Because it was like, "this got published, I know I can at least get to this level." And it was published. And then maybe I can shoot for a little bit higher. [pause] I think some people have had that experience with Eragon. [26]
Early Abandoned Starts
I had the original idea, the concept of boy finding dragon egg, and I tried writing a couple of very short versions of Eragon when I was fourteen, and none of them panned out so I stopped writing for a while. [28]Real World Version
What do you remember about the early days of writing âEragon?â Originally, Eragon was named Kevin and the story was set in the real world. But I only finished around 10 pages. [16]Arya Opening Fantasy Version
I wrote three versions of Eragon before I wrote the version that had the unicorn, which was the first major draft. The first version was set in the real world, and that's why he's named Kevin. And the reason it was set in the real world is I was inspired by Jeremy Thatcher Dragon Hatcher, which is set in the real world. [32]
I was specifically inspired by a book called Jeremy Thatcher Dragon Hatcher by Bruce Coville. By the way, Bruce knows this. If you haven't read it, it's a great book about this young man in the real world who, spoiler, goes into an antique shop and buys a stone that ends up turning out to be a dragon egg. And I really loved that idea of a stone that was actually a dragon egg and the young man becoming joined with the dragon. And so I tried writing the story. And I got exactly five pages or six pages into it and I ran into a brick wall, because a boy finding a dragon egg is a good event, but it is not a good story. And I needed to figure out what was going to happen after that. I didn't know that at first. [36]
But then I was going down the rabbit hole of, "Well, if there's a dragon, where did the dragon come from? What if it were an actual fantasy world where the dragons were native?" And then that led me to then write a second beginning--I didn't get very far with this--that was more of a traditional fantasy story, and it opened with Arya and a couple other elves escaping a dungeon with a big battle, and at the very end of the battle, they send the dragon egg away, and Kevin finds it. But I didn't have the rest of the story, so I stopped writing it in that format. [32]Research Break
So I tried writing a second version of the story. So the first version of that story I wrote was set in the real world. Second version was more of like a fantasy world. [36]
I had the original idea when I was fourteen. I even wrote an early version of the story where it was set in the real world. But I soon realized that it was a lot more interesting to have a dragon in a fantastical setting. [8]
I tried writing before and I always failed because I would only get like four to six pages into a story and then I didn't know what to do next. And that was because I didn't actually have my story. All I really had were the inciting incidents, like a boy finds a dragon egg in the middle of a forest. Great. But that's not a story, that's just one event. What happens as a result? So before starting Eragon, I was very methodical about this. I read a whole bunch of books on how to write, how to plot stories. [35]Unused Arya Outline
I realized I wasn't getting anywhere. And I didn't know how to do what I was trying to do. Now, fortunately for me, my parents had noticed that I was getting interested in writing. And all of a sudden, books appeared in the house. There was no comment, no one forced it, these just magically appeared, and I read them. Some of the books that were incredibly helpful to me were these books that were called The Writer's Handbook, which was a collection of essays published each year by The Writer's Digest magazine. I had one from 1998, and I had one from, I think, 1993, or something like that. And there were essays from Stephen King and John Grisham and I think Ursula Le Guin and all sorts of other authors about what it was like to be an author both professionally and creatively. And that was incredibly helpful to me because again, the internet was not a resource. But the book that really made the difference for me was a book called Story by Robert McKee. It's a book for screenwriters and it's all about the structure of story. And up until that moment, I had never really consciously thought about the fact that stories have structure and that you can control that structure for the effect on the readers. So I devoured that book and I said, okay, I'm going to try this again. [36]
Did you very much sit down and study structure and character development and etc? I did. It wasn't a formal course or anything, it's just that my parents started buying these books and they started showing up. In fact, I still have them here on my shelf. This bookcase to my right is full of research books, technical books, language books. I read a book called Story by Robert McKee, which is a screenwriting book, that was and often has been very popular in Hollywood. It's a fairly technical look at story structure. I would never say do everything he says because of course you shouldn't necessarily follow any one formula, but that book really got me thinking about the fact that stories do have structure, which I hadn't really thought about before that. And that one can control that structure, and that this gives you something to work with. Before Eragon, I tried writing a number of stories and I never got past the first four to six pages, ten pages, because I never had the plot. All I would ever have was the inciting incident which, in the case of Eragon, is a young man finds a dragon egg. Ok, fine, but that's not a story. So when I read that book, then I was like wow, so I can control the structure of this. [28]
The problem with all of my early writing was that Iâd get an idea and just start â I didnât actually have a plot. But I was a pretty methodical kid, so I started reading about how to write. Fortunately, my parents are observant, and these kinds of books magically began appearing in the house. And I read all of them. [16]
So at this point, I was 15, that's when I graduated from high school and I was very methodical about it because I hate failing. So I said, okay, I'm going to create a fantasy world. And I did that. And then I said, I'm gonna plot out an entire book in this fantasy world. And I did that too. And then I said, but I'm not gonna write this. This is just a thought exercise. I'm gonna do this and I'm gonna stick it in a drawer. And I still have that to this day, that world and that story, I still have it sitting in a drawer somewhere. [36]
Then I spent some time and I created an entire fantasy world and I plotted out an entire fantasy novel in that world and I did not write it. I just stuck it in a drawer and that's where it's been sitting for 25 years now. And then I just did that to prove to myself that I could plot out an entire book. [35]
Before writing Eragon, again I was very methodical even as a teenager, I created an entire fantasy world. Wrote pages and pages about the worldbuilding, and then I plotted out an entire story in that world just to prove to myself that I could plot a story, create a world, and then I didn't write it. I put it aside. I still have it all saved. Put it in a drawer. [28]
Kevin
Writing The First Full DraftAnd then I decided okay now I'm going to plot out a trilogy, because all great fantasy stories are trilogies. I'm going to do it as the heroic monomyth, because that is, at least my understanding back then, is this is one of the oldest forms of stories. I know it works on a general sense. It's going to give me a safety net, and then I'm going to write the first book as a practice book just to see if I'm capable of producing something that's three, four, five hundred pages long. And that's what I did. That was about two and a half months of worldbuilding, plotting, creating this. Then I wrote the first book and that was Eragon. That was my practice book. I never actually planned on publishing Eragon. It was only after I'd put so much work into it and my parents read it that then we proceeded with it. I was aware of story structure. I continue to read lots of books on it. [28]The First Draft
And then version three is the version that everyone generally knows. And that's where I spent the time to plot out the whole series before writing, because having a idea of where you're going seems to help with the writing, at least for me. Usually. [32]
I originally saw Eragon as a practice novel, which is part of why itâs a very typical heroâs story. I knew that structure worked and it gave me the safety net I needed. [16]
The first draft went super fast. It went really fast because I had no idea what I was doing. And I just wrote that sucker. I wrote the first 60 pages by hand with ballpoint pen, cause I didn't know how to type on a computer. And then by the time I typed all that into the computer, I knew how to type. I did the rest in the computer. But this was back in the day when computers were fairly new. We had a Mac classic, which only had two megabytes of RAM. And the problem is that the operating system chewed up some of that memory. And my book file was around two megabytes large. So I actually had to split the book into two because I couldn't open the whole file on the computer or the computer would crash. So I had to open half the book and then close that and then open the other half. [35]
Once I finished the first draft, I was super excited and I thought, "well all of these things on how to write say that you should read your own book and see if there's any tweaks you wanna make." But I was really excited because I was getting to read my own book for the first time, and I thought this is gonna be awesome. And it didn't take very long while reading it to realize that it was awful. It was horrible. And just to give you an idea of just how bad that first draft was, in the very first draft of Eragon, Eragon wasn't named Eragon, Eragon was named Kevin. And there was also a unicorn in that first draft at one point, so you know it wasn't very good. [35]Releasing the Kevin Cut
If I heard correctly as I was reading, Eragon wasn't originally called Eragon? No, in the first draft of the book he was called Kevin. There's a reason! Look I have an explanation for it, okay. The explanation is that my original inspiration was Jeremy Thatcher Dragon Hatcher which is set in the real world. The original version of Eragon that I was developing was set in the real world and when I decided that it would make more sense to have a world where the dragons were native to and switched it over to this fantasy world and began to develop that, I just kept the name that I'd been working with, which was Kevin. Naming a main character is hard, especially when you get used to a certain name. I don't want to say I was lazy. I want to focus on the world building and writing the first draft and I'll worry about the name later. [28]
There is an early version of Eragon that no one's seen, that even my editor at Random House never saw. And that was my first draft. And in that first draft, Eragon encountered a unicorn in the Beor Mountains on the way to the Varden. And the unicorn touches him and essentially affects the transformation that he goes under during the blood oath ceremony with the elves in the second book, in Eldest. And his whole storyline with the Varden once he gets to Farthen Dûr is completely different because now he has these abilities and he and a team of people ends up getting sent on a scouting mission in the dwarven tunnels to go find the Urgal army and then they have to flee back through the tunnels to warn everyone of this huge army and I had a underground cave full of lava, and multiple shades, and a huge Urgal army. There was there was a lot of dramatic stuff. Finding the Ra'zac in Dras-Leona was completely different. This is the draft where Eragon was named Kevin. [32]
I haven't thought about that version in ages. I think Arya was awake all the way from Gil'ead to Farthen Dûr in that version. That's right, I had to completely rewrite that. It's an unpleasant ride for her. No, no, no, she was awake and healed. She was awake. That's right, God, I had to rewrite most of the last chunk of the book now that I think back, it's been a long time. [32]
The worst thing is, I think Kevin would actually take a larger budget [to adapt to film]. No, stop. Why would Kevin take a larger budget? Because the battles were bigger, there was more stuff going on. Seriously, there were more creatures, more travel. Yeah, I think Kevin would actually take more money than Eragon. [32]
You said that Eragon's name was originally Kevin. Was Eragon's name originally Kevin? It was. And I really regret I didn't stick with it because I think that as many books as I've sold, the series would have been at least twice as successful if it had been about the adventures of the great dragon writer Kevin. Especially just seeing Kevin on the front cover. Imagine the appeal to the modern youth. Kevin the dragon writer. I mean Eragon, it's confusing with Aragorn. Oregano. Oregon. But Kevin, Kevin stands out, Kevin's original. That's why I had to move away from it. [31]
So do you wanna share some of those drafts with us, Christopher? Just kidding. Well, I actually had a fan reach out to me. He's one of the big members of the online fan community on Reddit and elsewhere. And he's kind of interested in some of these early versions from almost an archivist point of view, a scholarly point of view. Which is certainly an interesting idea. I mean, there is an early version of Eragon that no one's seen, that even my editor at Random House never saw. ... I cannot describe how much the Internet absolutely needs for you to put out an edition of Eragon that just says Kevin. Should this be like Mistborn or Way of Kings Prime? This is the Kevin edition of Eragon. The Kevin cut. Oh my god. It's "Eragon: Kevin's Version". ... We absolutely need Kevin's Version of Eragon. That's something we need. It's bad. It's bad. Look, there are certainly people who can look at Eragon, the version we have now, and say, "we can tell this was a younger writer." I look at it and I can tell. I could do so much more now with the material than I could then. But if you think that about the published version of Eragon, man, if you saw the unpublished version, the early version, it really is the raw writing of a homeschooled 15-year-old, who wrote a 500 page book about Kevin. I don't know, the internet is very unhinged these days. They would love this. It needs to exist somewhere on the internet. [32]
Publishing
EditingSo I wrote Eragon, and then I read the first draft and it wasn't particularly good, so I spent a good chunk of a year rewriting it as best as I could. I didn't know what I was doing but I was trying. I've heard it said that being displeased with your own work is actually a good thing because it means you know what is good work, and if you're not happy with your work because it's not good, it means you could at least have a goal to shoot for. If you read your work and you're like this is the best thing that's ever been written, you're never going to get any better. [28]Self-publishing
But I could see that the book needed work, so I decided to try to fix it as best I could, and I spent the better part of that year revising, rewriting, changing Kevin to Eragon. And then I gave the book to my parents and fortunately for me, they actually enjoyed what I had done. And they said, we think you have something, let's try to take it out into the world and see if anyone else wants to read it. [35]
[We] decided to self-publish the book as a joint venture since we didn't know anyone in the publishing world. That was again a good chunk of a year where we were editing the book as best the three of us could. Preparing it for publication, formatting, I drew the cover. [28]Promotion
Now you have to understand, my parents were always self-employed, have always been self-employed and we were always looking for things we could work on together as a family business. And Eragon was like the perfect opportunity for that. They'd had some experience self-publishing a couple of small educational books my mom had worked on. Because she was a trained Montessori teacher, and so she was trying to use that expertise to write some material herself. But I don't even think we sold 100 copies of those. So we spent another good chunk of a year preparing the book for publication with doing more editing, doing the layout, designing the cover. [35]
The first set of 50 books showed up while we were watching Roman Polanski's Macbeth, which seemed fitting because those first 50 books were all miscut from the printer. And as a result, we had to rip the covers off, send them back for credit from the printer, and then burn the insides of the books. So we had a proper book burning in our yard, and I actually saved some of those burnt pages just as a memory of that event. [35]
Self publishing wasnât as viable then as a pathway to a career as an author as it is today. Why did it work for you? Everything completely changed because of e-readers. If you wanted to read an e-book, you had to have a PDF on your computer. There were no distribution systems like Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Back then, the lowest amount you could print and not have the book be too expensive was probably about 10,000 copies. But we were fortunate because print-on-demand had just become a thing, so books were just printed as needed. Self publishing is a lot easier these days. Of course, todayâs marketplace is a lot more crowded as a result. [16]
My family and I were going around the western half of the United States with the self-published edition of Eragon. I was cold calling schools, libraries, and bookstores to set up events. I was doing two to three one-hour long presentations every single day for months on end at various times. You have to understand that because my parents were self-employed, the time they took to help prepare Eragon for publication was time they weren't working on other freelance projects that would have been bringing in money. So by the time we actually had Eragon printed and in hand, if it had taken another two to three months to start turning a profit, we were going to have to sell our house, move to a city, and get any jobs we could. Because of that financial pressure I was willing to do things I probably would have been too uncomfortable to do otherwise. Like doing all those presentations. [28]Getting traditionally published
We were doing a lot of self-promotion. I was cold calling schools and libraries and talking them into letting me do presentations. And that worked pretty well because the librarians could take pre-orders for us. If we went into a bookstore, by hand selling, I could maybe sell anywhere between 13 to 40 books in a day. 42 was like the best I ever did, but usually it was around 15 or so books, which just didn't cover printing costs and travel and food and all of that. But going into the schools, we were doing about 300 books a day, which was excellent. [34]
Can you tell me a little bit about how you and your family self-published the first Eragon book and what marketing strategies you did? Oh, it was all nepotism, you know. I wouldn't have gotten published without my parents. There's nothing as powerful as a publishing company that's four people sitting around a kitchen table in the middle of rural Montana. So yeah, without Nepotism, I wouldn't have gotten published. You have to embrace something like Nepotism if you really wanna succeed in today's world. In fact, people don't realize that you actually get a Nepotism card. There's a secret club. You go to New York and there's huge network opportunities. There's branches of the club everywhere, especially strong in Hollywood, of course, in music. Taylor Swift is an example. So if you can get into the nepotism club, I won't say you're guaranteed success, but you got about 80% chance of actually making it that you wouldn't have otherwise. Do you think your mom and dad would be willing to be my mom and dad? No, absolutely not. No, no. You don't have brown hair, so it doesn't work. You have to have brown hair to be a Paolini. Okay, I'll try to find a different way in, I guess. [31]
So you were very much looking for that partnership? Well we were wary. But the thing is is we were selling enough copies of Eragon that to scale it up we were going to have to start duplicating all the things that a regular publisher does. We were actually looking at partnering with a book packager or a book distributor just to get more copies out. To do everything a traditional publisher could do for me was a huge amount of work so it made sense to pair with Random House or someone else at that point. But it was still nerve-wracking because the book was being a success and then handing it off to another company, we didn't know if it was just going to end up in the remainder bin two weeks after it came out. [28]Gaining Confidence
People in the book world were starting to take notice because of course, if you've been to public school, you may remember the Scholastic Book Fairs and all of the Scholastic reps in the different schools were seeing me come to the schools and selling these books and hearing the kids talk about it. And it was getting attention. So we would have gotten a publisher, I would have gotten a publisher eventually. [34]
The book sold enough copies and bounced around enough that we'd heard that Scholasticâbecause Scholastic does all the Book Fairs in schools in the USâwas interested and that we might get an offer from them. Before that happened though... [34]
Eventually another author by the name of Carl Hiaasen ended up buying a copy of the self-published edition of Eragon in a local bookstore. Which now that I'm older, I'm rather shocked at because it takes a lot to get me to buy a self-published book. It's got to look really good. [35]
Carl Hiaasen wrote the young adult book Hoot as well as many adult books. He comes up to Montana, I think he's got a vacation home here in the valley, but he was up here fly fishing and he bought a copy of Eragon for his then 12 year old son, Ryan. And fortunately for me, Ryan liked the book and Carl recommended it to Random House and it sort of bounced around among the editors for a couple of months before my editor-to-be grabbed it and said, "Yes, we will. I want to take a chance on this teenage author and we're going to offer him money for a trilogy that only exists in his head and see what happens." [34]
How did you find an agent? We had the offer from Random House, and like two days later, we had the offer from Scholastic. And so we knew we didn't know what we didn't know. My dad participated in some online self-publishing forum sort of thing. So he posted up a question and said, look, this is the situation we're in. Does anyone have any advice? And another one of the members said, "well, I was just at this publishing writing conference and there was this young agent there and I was really impressed with his presentation, or him talking about the industry." So my dad got his information online and did what you're never supposed to do, which is he called the agent directly and left this long rambling voicemail message because it was lunchtime in New York and you take your lunch breaks in New York. And only at the end of the message did he say, "oh, yes, and by the way, we have two competing offers from two publishing houses." And when I asked him, I said, "why did you do that?" He said, "well, because if he's any good as an agent, he's going to listen to the whole message before he deletes it." And we found out later that he nearly deleted the message. Because my dad started off like, "I got this teenage son, and he's written this book", and yeah, that, OK. So it was like two hours later we got a call from Simon. And Simon said overnight me a copy of Eragon and if I like it I'll represent you. And Simon has been my agent for 21 years now. [34]
It was a big risk for Random House. And it was a big risk for me because the book was successful, self-published, and we knew that giving it to a publisher, you lose the rights to a degree, and most books don't turn a profit, and it could have just ended up in the remainder bin. So what really worked in my favor is that Random House, and specifically Random House Children's Books, and specifically the imprint of Knopf, which is where I'm at were looking for their own Harry Potter, essentially. Scholastic was publishing Harry Potter. And Scholastic also gave me an offer for Eragon, but I could tell that Random House was the one that really loved the book and Scholastic was doing it because they thought it was a good business opportunity. Scholastic actually offered more money than Random House. But I went with Random House and it was the right choice. And I found out after the fact that Chip Gibson who was the head of the children's department at the time basically chose to use Eragon as sort of something to rally the troops and put the entire children's division behind it, and I was the very fortunate recipient of that love and attention. Which of course would only get you so far if people didn't enjoy reading the book. But fortunately for me, they did a great job marketing it and then people actually enjoyed the book. Which is why when people ask me how to get published, it's like, what am I supposed to say? The answer ultimately is you write a book that people want to read, and that's a facile answer, but it is true. If people want to read it, it makes everything else easier. The agent wants you, the publishers want you, and ultimately the public wants you. [34]
And I didn't realize how much was behind that email, because large publishers do not just casually say, "hey, we want to publish your book". There was a whole plan there, and they had a plan. And so they did. Eragon came out and then I had to figure out how to write a book with everyone expecting the sequel. [36]
So you kind of went and peddled your books at schools, as I understand, right? It seems to have paid off though, because it eventually landed in the hands of bestselling author Carl Hiaasen, but not right away. First, your book got in the hands of his stepson, and the kid liked it so much that he told Hiaasen about it, who then got Eragon fast-tracked with Penguin Random House. I really admire the way that you went for the weakest links, manipulating the minds of our youth and using them to shill your book for you. It's a tried and true marketing strategy from Girl Scout Cookies to coupon books, and I applaud you for your ingenuity. My biggest question here is, do you pay Carl Hiaasen's stepson the agent royalties he so rightfully deserves? He tried to collect one time, but I had to hire a couple of guys to drive him off. But, no, you always go for the weakest link. Back when I was self-published and all that I even tried to get Eragon reviewed by Entertainment Weekly, so I called up the subscription number on the back of the magazine and told them I'd made a mistake and asked them to transfer me over to corporate, and managed to get right to their book reviewer and tried to talk him into reviewing Eragon. So you always go for, as you said, the weakest link. Which is corporate. Ryan, Carl's son, though, yeah, I probably owe him a ridiculous amount of royalties. I'd say so. He made you. Oh, he did, absolutely. Without him, I'd be nothing. I guess the lesson here for aspiring authors is that it's not really about finding your target audience, necessarily. You just have to find your target prolific author's stepson and let the kid take it from there. Yeah, absolutely. As I said, that's part of the nepotism package. The sort of networking inside the industry. This is the stuff that you can never access otherwise, and you'll never get published otherwise. So it's not like you can just grow up in the middle of nowhere in Montana, self-publish a book, and then just become a success, by promoting it. You have to have connections. That's genius. I think you could have had an incredible career in designing loot boxes for mobile games based on how good you are at manipulating the world. Absolutely, microtransactions are God's work. [31]
Was anxiety something you felt moving to this deal with Random House? Was that quite pressuring? Yes, it was a big change to go from writing for yourself as a teenager, homeschooled, living in the middle of nowhere, to knowing that there was a large audience for your next book and that they had expectations. I got criticized quite a bit, critiqued quite a bit when Eragon came out for, shall we say, my lack of experience on the technical side of things with the writing. I'd say some of those were certainly fair critiques. The great advantage of youth is that you don't know how difficult things are and you have a lot of energy. The great disadvantage of youth is you don't have experience, and there's no fixing that aside from time and effort. All of that was definitely in my head when I really started work on Eldest and it was pretty nerve-wracking quite honestly. [28]
When you finished the book, I mean your parents believed in it obviously. Did you too? Or were you like, "You know what, maybe the second book, maybe go all in on the second one?" I didn't feel like I was actually an author until my third book was published. Because the first one, well, that could be a fluke. Well, the second one, yeah, but you know. But once the third book came out, then I was like, okay, maybe I'm actually a writer. But even then, even after I finished the series, I still felt like, okay, now I have to write something that's not Eragon, just to prove that I can. So every book has been its own challenge and has been a way for me to keep feeling like I'm growing as an artist and learning to become a better and better writer. [2]
It took me, I wanna say almost 10 years to feel like I wasn't an imposter and that it wasn't just gonna get yanked away. You know what my dream was when Eragon was was going to get published by Random House? Like this was my pie in the sky because I didn't think it was going to happen. But this was my dream. I did all the math and I was like, man, if I could somehow someday sell 100,000 books, which is impossible. But man, if I could sell 100,000 books, that's a darn good living. Man, I could really make a living off that. I could support a family and 100,000 books. Man, that'd be amazing. And then it kind of took off from there. [33]
2024.05.19 14:38 qiumo_talk ăèŠéŸèŻç€ŸïŒç°ç2024è”ćŁæ»ç»ăGrizzlies 2023-24 Season Summary: The Tortured Poets Department
 | ććšæćïŒèżæŻæćš2024ćčŽ4æ19æ„ćçæç« ăéŁć€©ææç±çèșæŻćź¶ééćèĄšäșäžèŸTTPDïŒć
¶äžæèŻćäžșâèŠéŸèŻç€ŸâïŒæèź€äžșéćžžć„ćç°çæŹè”ćŁçäž»éąă submitted by qiumo_talk to memphisgrizzlies [link] [comments] Written first: This is an article I wrote on April 19, 2024. That day, my favorite artist Taylor Swift released the album TTPD. I think it fits the Grizzlies' theme of this season very well. èèć°ćæçŻćč èŸéżïŒæ仄æćȘäŒćšèżéććžè±æçăćŠæäœ æć Žè¶ŁïŒćŻä»„ć»æçćŸźćçäžæçïŒ Considering the length of the original article, I will only post the English version here. If you are interested, you can go to my Weibo to see the Chinese version. - Remember the names of these 33 warriors. https://preview.redd.it/05zsptapld1d1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=5c9193aa7b5e49cee95cd2727c30aa4a5b4f9b79 After three hard-fought quarters against the Nuggets, the Grizzlies eventually lost. Much like most of the seasonâs games, they displayed convincing moments. Whenever the opponent attempted to push the game into a decisive depth, TJ would call a timely timeout to catch a breath and then immediately launch a counterattack. If you were an unfamiliar fan tuning in during the final moments of many games, youâd be puzzled: who are these guys? How are they tying the score against Joker, JT, Bron, and AD? But most of the time, effort couldnât beat talent. No worries, I was just as surprised as you. But after watching the Grizzlies' final game of the season in the early morning, I took a deep breath as the fleeting memories of the past six months flashed before my eyes like a slideshow, and I understood them. This is the Grizzlies' second-lowest win rate season in the past 15 years. They had 33 players wear the jersey, missed 578 games due to injury, and used 51 different starting lineups (all NBA records). Even one of the leagueâs loudest home courts, FedEx Forum, often had many empty seats for most of the season. "For just $2, you can see Timmy Allen, Jack White, and Zavier Simpson play live!" This isnât a joke. On April 9, facing the Spurs at home, all three played at least 25 minutes. They limited Rookie of the Year Wemby to 18 points on 19 shots but were still dominated on the boards by Sandro Mamukelashvili and lost the game. Despite several key players coming and going, last season the Grizzlies boasted the league's best home record (35-6), but this season they only won nine games at home. After back-to-back home losses to the Blazers (who finished last in the West with 21 wins but beat the Grizzlies three times) on March 2, GG Jackson admitted postgame: "You see your fans leaving with like 8 minutes left in the game, that really sticks us as players. They want to come see us play. And that's kind of like them slapping us in our faces like, 'We don't want to see you play.' We've got to change that." I understand these people. This has been a season full of hardship for players, coaches, management, the team, fans, and the city. From before the season, we were devastated by unprecedented injuries. Anyone still paying attention to this team is a true Grizzlies fan. Special credit to the players and coaching staffâby January, the season had already lost its meaning. The basketball gods didnât favor them despite Jaâs season-ending injury but instead brought more injuries. Yet, even so, they fought on and never gave up. I donât recall any game being "surrendered"âno matter how few players were left, they gave it their all on the floor. https://preview.redd.it/godn2cysld1d1.png?width=1024&format=png&auto=webp&s=88a5a76c9627381d1ec46d31f5875dfa10b2957c My favorite artist Taylor Swift released her 11th album, "The Tortured Poets Department," today, and Iâm willing to call the 2024 Grizzlies "The Tortured Players Department"âinjured, pained, struggling, liberated, relieved, and then filled with hope. I donât know how fans will remember and evaluate this most painful season in NBA history ten years from nowâbut while the memories are still fresh, Iâll do it now. Two Black SwansIf we set the start of a season as the day after playoff elimination, then as early as last May, shadows had already enveloped the team. Like me, Morant wasnât good at live streaming, and for the second time, he brandished a gun in a car. When I got the news, I was packing for a trip to Guangzhou the next day and nearly tore a basketball sock in half. Opinions on the Smart trade were generally positive, and Raymon and I were full of praise for GG and Slaw Dawgâs Summer League performances on the Chinese Grizzlies podcast. Missing Morant for 25 games meant we couldnât secure home-court advantage like the past two years, but securing a play-in spot seemed reasonable. In an open Western Conference, all it took was a lucky playoff matchup, and a full-strength team could still achieve something. Then Stevo was out for the season. Unlike Morant's short-term impact on the record, this was a heavy blow to all remaining hope. I dejectedly said: "No matter what, they canât play like last year or even the year before, and they canât find another Adams through trade or signing. The Grizzliesâ new season hasnât even started, but it might already be over." At this point, it was just three days before the season opener. The appearance of two black swans cast a shadow over the season before it even began. Finding Joy in SufferingThe Grizzlies' first 25 games were like me trying to stand on a balance ball in the gym for the first timeâstanding seemed not too difficult, but whenever I tried to squat, my legs started shaking uncontrollably, and most of the time, I fell off. After five straight losses, the Grizzlies quickly signed the overlooked Biyombo and then played some decent games, but the injury wave followed one after another. At the most extreme, the Grizzlies had to use their paper-thin fourth point guardâJacob Gilyard, who should have shined in the G Leagueâa player about my height and weight because Ja, Smart, and Rose were all injured. https://preview.redd.it/zmk62bq3md1d1.png?width=1600&format=png&auto=webp&s=4ee1bbd1eda0ba13c4715fcf15391b5fdc67de32 To be fair, the Grizzlies showed resilience at that time. Facing the "BIG4 Clippers," the Grizzlies won their second game of the season on the road. Gilyard (6+5+3+3) held his own against Harden (11+4+3); against a full-strength Celtics, Aldama put up 28+12+6 and almost pulled off an upset; Bane dropped 49 points to lead a comeback win over the Pistons, scoring in the fourth quarter as much as Cunningham, Bojan, Duren, and Ivey combined. The Grizzlies could keep up with most paper-strong teams and even come back from 15-20 points down but usually lost in the final moments. Bane took on an overwhelming offensive load, being the only consistent scorer, three-point shooter, and transition player, but he mostly held up; JJJ was often forced to play the five, which he disliked, making both offense and defense awkward and inefficient. As for the untested young players, they rarely held the ball securely in the fourth quarter. With a 6-19 record, second-to-last in the West, trailing the play-in zone by more than five games; Baneâs performance was the teamâs lone standout, determining both the floor and ceiling; aside from JJJ, Aldama, and Roddy, almost no one was healthy. The Grizzliesâ net rating still ranked higher than their record, their defensive efficiency remained in the top ten, but they couldnât score. A Brief SpringDecember 20âjust an ordinary game day, but Grizzlies fans had been waiting almost four months. The Pelicans, with their formidable build, werenât an ideal opponent after a long layoff, but Morant loved such games. He probed in the first two quarters and then started showcasing his signature gliding layups and near-basket floaters in the third. He almost blew past every defender, gesturing "too small" to Alvarado, laying it up over defensive player Herbert Jones. On the final play, he drove from the backcourt, bypassed the screen, and floated a shot over Jones, Murphy, and Danielsâoff the backboard, into the basket, buzzer beater. This was Morantâs first career buzzer-beater. Interestingly, after the shot, even the Grizzlies players on the court paused for a second before realizing they had won, with Bane even freezing at the three-point line. I understand Bane. In the first 25 games, the Grizzlies didnât have such clutch play; this was a moment where a superstar wielded his superpower. https://preview.redd.it/ivoxez05md1d1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=88313b44ea6967be3578b9d99f8eadcbd450a207 Morant posted the highest points for a player returning after missing more than 25 games in history, but more thrilling for fans was that the Grizzlies truly became competitive. They quickly won four in a row, beating the hot Haliburton, Trae, and Wemby, and winning twice against the Pelicans on the road. Bane and JJJ were in great form, and Smartâs fourth-quarter lockdown on Ingram was impressive. With the return of injured players, we began to calculate and discuss the Grizzlies' playoff prospects. Morant caught the flu and missed one game, played poorly in the next twoânothing to say as I was also down with the fluârecovered, and then convincingly defeated Bron and ADâs Lakers on the road. Smart scored 29 points (including a ton of threes), Morantâs scattered scoring and assists, JJJ turned into Curry, and Bane turned the arena into a library with a series of off-the-dribble threes in the fourth quarter. After the game, Nemo and JJJ sat on the scorerâs table for an ESPN interview: "Youâre making a playoff push, whatâs your plan?" https://preview.redd.it/mddc8fv8md1d1.png?width=2182&format=png&auto=webp&s=865924dab3881c277783c53a5f40acf1a53504b3 Jaren smiled lightly, and Nemo said, "Keep playing like this, 48 minutes of relentless effort every night, execute our signature defense, move the ball, and everyone being on point. Tonight, we had many guys scoring 20+, like Z. Keep this up, and weâll be dangerous." We didnât see Nemo play again; a few days later, he was diagnosed with a torn labrum and was out for the season; two games later, Smart dislocated his finger and was out for the season; another two games, Bane went down, and the season was over. The DawnJust two weeks after hope reignited, it was extinguished. What was left to see this season? I believe every Grizzlies fan asked themselves this question. At this point, you have to appreciate the basketball gods; when they close one door, they really do open another. ââBack on December 1, with no one available, TJ put Vince Williams into the rotation. As last yearâs 47th pick, his rookie year saw no meaningful time, mainly playing in the G League. In the limited effective game sample, we considered him a wing âshooterâ who couldnât handle the ball or defend wellâhe hadnât even shot well in Summer League. In his first effective NBA game, Vince scored 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting, adding nine rebounds. He stayed on in the fourth quarter, impressively defending Irving. The Grizzlies secured their fifth win of the season. Ten days later, facing the Mavericks again, this time he had to guard Luka, averaging 34 points. No one expected him to complete the task, nor should he, but he did greatâthe Grizzlies almost erased a 17-point deficit, forcing Luka to 4-of-12 shooting in the second half. They even exchanged trash talk during the game, but after the game, Luka said: "I think heâs a great defender." When Luka Doncic calls you a "great" defender, you must be a "very, very, very great" defender. https://preview.redd.it/6jn2grnbmd1d1.png?width=1919&format=png&auto=webp&s=566c59c5549e34a61c450230a88500215b38de49 Vince started the next game. Although he had some ups and downs briefly after Morantâs return, he quickly adjusted. He scored 19+9 against the Sunsâ big three, limiting Durant; next time facing Luka, he won again (Luka 9-of-21); he scored 24+7 against the Warriors, winning, and in the win over the Heat, he outperformed Butler (25 points, JB 15 points). Just as we were marveling at his offensive and defensive performances, his pre-All-Star break streak showed us even more potential. Starting from February 8 against the Bulls, he averaged 14+7+8+2 steals over five consecutive games, including an 18+12+7 performance against Lillard/Giannisâ Bucks. He limited Lillard to 7-of-21 shooting and helped disrupt Lillardâs three-point attempt in the final moments. What, Vince can also moonlight as a point guard? The Grizzlies converted his contract in January to a three-year, $7.9 million deal with an option. Considering his versatility and level of play, this contract is so low itâs almost insulting. But if you think thatâs exaggerated, wait, thereâs more. https://preview.redd.it/wjpaxgqcmd1d1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=0352543f4be22abad934a7d796e6968d91e40156 ââWhen GG Jackson was drafted, few Grizzlies fans who knew about him were optimistic. Their reasons were solid: GG wasnât even 19 when drafted, too young; he skipped a grade to play a dismal season at South Carolina, shooting 38%, looking like a chucker; he had publicly criticized teammates, posing a locker room cancer risk. These might be true, but I only learned about him after he was draftedâwatching him tearfully talk to ZK on a call, watching his college highlight reels showcasing his versatile offensive skills and confidence, his enviable physique, these on-court aspects captivated me. I followed his performance throughout Summer League, and his smooth catch-and-shoot and diligent defensive footwork made me even more optimistic about his future. At the time, I was probably the only one publicly praising him. I voiced my support in every platform I hadâpodcasts, Weibo, even the comment section of the pay raise public account: Check out GG! He has a chance to enter the rotation! For the first half of the season, he barely played, putting up numbers in the G League. On January 13, 2024, with Nemo, Bane, and Smart all out, TJ had no choice but to put GG into the rotation, giving him 27 minutes. In his first effective NBA game, GG scored 20 points on 9-of-14 shooting; the next game against the Warriors, 23 points. He became the second-youngest in history to score 20+ in consecutive games, only behind BronâTNTâs crew warmly greeted him on national television: Shaq: "I have nothing to say; I just want to congratulate you: now people know who you are." https://preview.redd.it/a22gjp4emd1d1.png?width=2248&format=png&auto=webp&s=1a59bc946a230ddb2108716ff9253ecc05c6592f GG looked both excited and nervous, reminding me of my freshman year. This is the genuine reaction of a kid this age when theyâve done something remarkable and are publicly praised for it. This wasnât the last time. With Vince injured, GG became my sole motivation to watch the last third of the season. In 42 effective games, he averaged 16.4 points and 4.5 rebounds, hitting 36% of his shots, averaging 2.4 three-pointers per game. He scored 20+ in 12 games, 30+ in three, and posted 44+12 against a full-strength Nuggets in the final game. If GG had entered the rotation earlier, could he have made the All-Rookie First Team? Quite possibly, as heâs a natural scorer who excels in big moments and national broadcasts (how rare is this for the youngest player in the league?). His other contributions in games were limited, but considering the Grizzliesâ environment, their league-worst offense, the pressure he faced, and the difficulty of his scoring might have been greatly underestimated. GG dropped 31 points against a full-strength Lakers, almost the only player able to initiate scoring, making a top-five play dunk over Rui Hachimura. How many All-Rookie votes will he get? https://preview.redd.it/7obss9rfmd1d1.png?width=1600&format=png&auto=webp&s=dbe5d862cf5b5ca1ace44b70eabd533933563b5d Two experts stood with me: ESPNâs Bobby Marks placed GG in his All-Rookie Second Team a week ago, and The Ringerâs Bill Simmons said he would vote GG for Rookie of the Year in a podcast two days ago. Regardless, GG has earned respect. And for Grizzlies fans, even better news is that the team converted his contract to a four-year, $8.5 million deal with a fourth-year team option in February. As a Reddit Grizzlies fan put it, "This is Pippen contract level theft." Vince and GG, two second-round picks, played convincingly in ways no one expected. The Grizzlies have locked them in on affordable long-term contracts for at least three years, and they will undoubtedly be key rotation or even starting players for the Grizzlies next seasonâwhat did the Grizzlies trade to acquire them? Zero. Praying to the Basketball GodsThough Grizzlies fans' moods might be 1,000 times better than three months ago, this remains a completely wasted season. For a young team that matched up against the champions two years ago, this isnât good. The Grizzlies still have plenty of draft picks, but their salary cap is tight. Their core 3 is still young and talented, but two other young core teamsâat least the Timberwolves and Thunderâare ready. The Grizzlies are nowhere near their position two years ago. But this "wasted" season allowed them to eliminate many wrong options and secure several key players. Even if the offseason only brings an average starting center, their roster strength is very, very solid (I donât think any current team could consistently beat a healthy 2024 Grizzlies). They maintained high defensive levels, forced turnovers, and blocks with many non-NBA players, and they possess better three-point shooting than the past two years. They can replicate the 2022 season's performance, and thatâs a conservative estimate. https://preview.redd.it/xxiop63hmd1d1.png?width=1440&format=png&auto=webp&s=951528875c8ab351023e1f588ad3837f4c0d6661 But can they stay healthy? In 2022, Dillon played only 32 games and was out of sorts in the playoffs, with Morant also injured midway; in 2023, key players were in and out, losing inside reserves to the Lakers in a seven-game upset; this year, the entire team suffered the worst injury wave in NBA history. Like the Clippers in recent years, injuries are the easiest topic to discuss without being wrong because no one can control them, and they always happen. So, I can only pray to the basketball gods: it canât get worse than this. I desperately want to see a fully healthy Morant-Bane-Jaren Grizzlies team play a playoff series, even if they are easily beaten by a better team. I donât want to look back years later and be left with a pile of "what ifs." |
2024.05.19 14:18 Human_Marketing_2441 Was my teacher being creepy or is it in my head?
Hey Reddit, so I (14f) had a pretty weird teacher (42f) a few years ago that I would really like some advice about. So at the start of 6th grade, I was really depressed, and decided to tell my teacher at the time since I hadnât told anyone else. She started talking to me almost every lunch break about the stuff I was going through. I ended up telling her I was questioning my sexuality, (Iâm a christian and have now realized that Iâm straight). Anyways she started to over validate that, telling me all her political and religious views. She would almost act as my therapist, and Iâd also act like hers, as sheâd always tell me about her messy divorce that happened about 10 years prior, and also told me advice that her own therapist gave her. I feel like she got creepily close with me and crossed some boundaries that she wasnât supposed to. There was one time she hugged me without asking after I gave her a Christmas gift, which I found kind of strange, because I never initiated it. At the end of the year she gave me a rock and gave me some sappy words and told me to keep going and stuff. She said I could put it in my pocket or something, and then she said she has a rock that she puts in her bra, which I was pretty weirded out by. She also would tell me during our talks at lunch break how to do chores and stuff, and was acting like she was my mom. She taught me how to make spaghetti and do laundry, which I found pretty strange because she knew I had a really good mom that was highly involved in my life. I also had her in third grade, and she used to always trash talk her boyfriend's daughter and vent to us about random things, and again tell us all her political views. She would trash talk her hockey billets and was crying one time and asked us our advice on which school her hockey billet should go to, as he got expelled. There was one time in 6th grade, where there was this kid with some mental issues that was acting out. She made us third graders all form a circle around her going around and saying things we didnât like that she was doing while everyone was crying and freaking out. At the end of 6th grade, she left and went to teach at another school. This literally broke me and led me to a really depressive state, as I basically idolized her. Iâd fantasize about her adopting me or me getting abused and going to live with her. Sheâd go on to send me quite a few emails into the next school year, asking how Iâm doing and things. Eventually when I came to my senses, I sent her an angry email expressing how I felt like she crossed a lot of boundaries with me. She just responded saying to contact kids' help phone, and weâve never spoken since. I went to the principal about it when I was still at that school, and she just brushed it off, saying sheâd talk to the teachers at the next teacher meeting to be more careful. She didnât at all validate my feelings, and itâs not like she does with anyones, and thereâs been fist fights at that school where no parents were called. Anyways I'm just wondering if Iâm crazy and this is all in my head, or if thereâs anything I can do. Because I almost k*led myself because of her, and now she just makes my blood boil. I apologize if this is really stupid. Iâve told my mom about it but she doesnât take it that seriously either. Oh and the teacher also would call me âmiss (my first name)â, when sheâd never cal any other student any pet names, and also would always talk to me with the door locked and would trash talk her colleagues and the school.
submitted by Human_Marketing_2441 to teenagers [link] [comments]
2024.05.19 13:25 QuestionRelevant5756 What class am I? (Idea by another post)
Hello there! Iâll give you all the gist of my situation. So Iâm currently a grade 10 student attending a Christian private school in Australia. All my life before hand I have attended a state school and benefitted off our countryâs national disability scheme as I couldnât speak nor write. Before my mother and my siblings lived on government support in a townhouse. I currently live in a 6 bedroom house as my mother has found a well off partner, he himself is a tale are worker who owns a few properties. I myself have gauged in socialist literature particularly in Juche and Socialism with Chinese Characteristics. I plan to go to university once I exit school and join the public service. So am I simply a reformed Proletariat with class conscious?
submitted by QuestionRelevant5756 to Socialism_101 [link] [comments]
2024.05.19 13:18 pillowcase-of-eels [Music] Emilie Autumn's Asylum, pt. 6 â High-concept musician responds to online criticism by waging successful attrition war against her own fanbase
đȘ
Welcome back to the Asylum write-up, where we explore the decade-long slow-motion car crash that is the Emilie Autumn fandom.
Sorry this installment took so long to upload! Just a heads-up, I may take some time to deliver the last one too â these posts take forever to format on Reddit's finicky-ass editor, and my dumb real life is currently keeping me from precious Internet time. Thank you for your patience! You have my word that everyone who pre-ordered the final installment will receive a PERSONAL, HANDWRITTEN letter autographed and illustrated by me, a list of the snacks I consumed while composing this write-up, some exclusive behind-the-scenes secrets, and a pony.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4.1 â Part 4.2 Part 5
This created a sort of primordial rift within the fanbase, between those who supported EA's right to speak her mind and regulate her own fan spaces however she pleased â and those who thought that her reactions were rude and inappropriate (at best), and that even fan spaces should allow for reasonable, non-abusive criticism of the artist.
Between a poorly-handled book release (see Part 3), the controversial (Part 2) or dubiously true (Part 4) contents of said book, and serious shade from various former collaborators (Part 5), more and more fans had pressing thoughts about EA's work ethic and choices. EA attempted damage control through drastic forum rules that made it virtually impossible to voice any âseriousâ critical opinion. It didn't work, of course: instead of squashing the mutiny, she created a schism.
Critical fans and active haters started congregating on unofficial platforms.
Either way, through these blogs, a number of potential drama bombs that had mostly flown under the radar were dredged up from over the years â some of which were hard to ignore, even for supportive fans. Where to begin?
There was that nonsense in-joke song, captured twice on camera during the 2009 tour (to very little outrage, at the time), crassly called âManatee Retardâđș. Or EA's scathing response, in print, to a wheelchair user who found it insensitive that she used a bedazzled wheelchair as a prop to do sexy acrobatics on stage. (âYour offence taken at my hard-won self-acceptance proves that I indeed have something to fight againstâ, she wrote). Spoken word tracks where she made trivializing knock-knock jokes about serious mental illnesses she didn't have, like schizophrenia and OCD. Multiple instances of calling Britney Spears a âbimboâ and a âHollywood fucked-upâ, resentfully claiming that she only shaved her head because she was âhopped up on drugsâ and certainly not because she was âbipolarâ, a word the press liked to wield as an insult anyway. (âThat's almost like calling someone a retard!â Yeah, heaven forbid.) The meanest, most distasteful paragraphs in the book. Basically everything problematic EA had ever said or written.đ In retrospect, it had been a long time coming, but it was a lot to take in â and certainly more off-putting, even to less emotionally invested fans, than silly lies about her age and last name.
In another wing of Asylum Tumblr, some fans had had it up to here and just wanted to have fun. đ” If Plague Rats had learned one valuable lesson from EA, it was how to crack a joke in the face of absurd tragedy â and the general state of the EA fandom certainly warranted a few.
In 2012, Fight Like a Girl was released. After six long years, three of which had been peaceful, the Opheliac era was officially over. The new album and ensuing tour confirmed that the Asylum had entered a process of glamorous Broadway-style militarization. đ”đș
The mood board was âRoman general meets Vegas showgirl meets Victorian street urchinâ.đȘ The color palette was, to naysayers, âmusty pink and rotten, stale piss yellowâ. đ The keyword was âREVENGEâ (through the power of... self-expression! sorority! brutal assault with rusty medical implements!). The chorus of the title song had an intriguing run-on line about getting ârevenge on the world, or at least 49% of the people in itâ đ” â which seemed like an awful lot, and was widely interpreted (to cheers, boos, or uncomfortable sighs) as a misandrist jab at literally all men on Earth.
The show was essentially a demo version of the musical, in that the setlist vaguely reflected the order of events in the story â but prior reading was essential in order to get what the hell was going on on stage. This one Broadway reviewer had not perused the literature before seeing the show đ, and hated: the set, the choreography, the skits, the plot, the lyrics, the music, the concept. (Seriously, you should read the review. It's not even my show and I feel like quitting show business.)
Pre-show VIP encounters, now violin-free, were lorded over by EA's new managerđ, whose official title was âAsylum Headmistressâ. (Interesting choice â she sounds fun!) The swag bags were less substantial than before, and the âgreetâ part of the meet-and-greet was rarely more than a quick hug and photo op.
On Twitter, EA continued to embrace her âI am very badassâ fronting attitude...
Spurred on by EA's rallying cries and âus vs themâ mentality, loyalists turned the white-knighting up to 11. On Twitter, some Plague Rats got into cat fights with Lady Gaga's Little Monsters (what a time to be alive). Others tried to balance out the Tumblr negativity with initiatives like âSpreading a Plague of Loveâ â a âpositive-onlyâ confession blog, whose extreme fangirling, comically drastic rules and hyper-defensive toneđ did not debunk the increasingly popular notion that âtrue Plague Ratsâ were a bunch of authoritarian and hopelessly brainwashed fanatics.
EA truthers and other anti-fans started lashing out at anyone who dared express any positive opinion of EA, solidifying claims that the backlash against EA was just a conspiracy of bitter, hysterical bullies.
All this to say: every passing day brought new reasons for fans to get mad at EA and each other, and everyone in the Asylum was in need of a laugh. It's not easy having a good time.đŠ
Leading up to Fight Like a Girl and in the years that followed, user-submission-based meme blogs took off, most notably âSpreading a Plague of Lulz / Troll Like a Girlâ. A lot of the early submissions were absurdist humor and toothless, cheezburger-Impact memes (a style that was, oddly, already dated at the time). Those often originated in good fun, and from loyal fans, on the official forum. But there was also true snark, satirizing EA's questionable ethics, outrageous claims, and easily spoofed artistic gimmicks. A new slang of Asylumspeak emerged: Glittertits (slight NSFW), GAGA!!, EA Gusta and all its memeface variants, Get outta mah house!, Are You Suffering?, Fight Like A Goat, [Random celebrity] copied EA (a subgenre in its own right), ...
Most of the âtrollingâ was directed at unrepentant bootlickers and, to a lesser extent, red-in-the-face haters and creeps. Meme blogs would post joke comments under âseriousâ or gushing submissions on Wayward Victorian Confessions, and taunt loyalist accounts by tagging them in their posts. When a few people complained on WVC that almost all of the Bloody Crumpets to date had been thin white able-bodied women, and a few fans responded by sharing their dream-casts for a more diverse line-up, the blog was flooded for days with confessions that âX should be a Crumpetâ (candidates included RuPaul, Mitt Romney, Nicki Minaj, EA's therapist, and the WVC admins). Farcical shenanigans like that.
Ah, but some people will always cross the line, won't they. EA threads popped up on merciless, bully-friendly snark platforms like Lolcow, Pretty Ugly Little Liar, and Encyclopedia Dramatica. Snarkers with a mean streak and obsessive haters mingled in some of the more aggressive, 4-chan-spirited retaliation against EA â which would be called âbrigadingâ in modern parlance. This included flooding EA's Goodreads page with one-star reviews (see part 4), repeatedly editing her Wikipedia page to include her legal name and birth year, and ensuring that Googling said name would bring up current pictures of her.
All of this compounded agitation fragmented the once-united fandom beyond recognition.đŠ Through substantial disagreements among fans, personal bickerings, layers upon layers of inscrutable in-jokes, and cross-platform telephone games, the Asylum morphed into a booby-trapped Escher room.
Satire blogs were taken in earnest. Earnest fan blogs scanned as satire. Memes would get called out as abuse. Appreciation without attached criticism would get mocked as bootlicking. Obvious jokes made by EA would be taken at face value. One divisive confession could trigger days and days of debate, to the point that WVC eventually banned confessions in response to other confessions. New waves of infighting created a confusing web of rival sub-factionsđ, each accusing the others of being toxic, cliquish, and delusional.
The shared fantasy was broken, the collective vision had crumbled, no onez was speaking the same language anymore. Fans would jump down the throat of other fans who held almost identical views about EA, except for that one thing she said or did that one time. Everyone had differing thoughts on what should or shouldn't acceptable to discuss, question, excuse, make fun of.
War is hell.
That's not entirely fair: unlike EA, the czar only did it that once.
By early 2013, as EA was gearing up for her third Fight Like a Girl tour at the end of the year, the official forum was... not as lively as it once had been. Not just because of the stifling rules and disgruntlement towards EA, or because EA herself hadn't really posted anything on there in years; the Internet was also changing, and forums in general were fast becoming passé.
This made it difficult for EA to create a safe space where she could talk to fans, and fans could talk to and about her, in a way she deemed suitable (ie, a space she could gate-keep and regulate enough to keep it completely free from negative criticism). Social media was a minefield; she still posted regularly, but didn't interact very much. So EA and the Headmistress came up with a way to filter out the unbelievers: an official fan clubđ, aptly called the âAsylum Armyâ, with a $100 entry price.
Joining the AA came with a dog tag, a sew-on patch, and a lifetime membership certificate signed by EA and â for some reason â the Headmistress. (Unlike EA's best friend and sound engineer back in the forum's heyday, I don't think fans ever really embraced the FLAG-era manager as part of the Asylum in-group. She came across more as a coordinator / businessperson / adult chaperone, at best.đ) So, slightly better goodies than you'd get by joining the other AA đ ... but not by much. The main appeal was that members would have access to exclusive content, special merch, giveaways, early bird tickets for future shows, and regular video chats with EA.
The concept itself drew a fair amount of criticism, as you can imagine. Between the nameđ, the price, and the inherent gatekeeping of a pay-to-join fanclub, many balked at the monetizing of a concept that had once (like, three years back) been significantly more DIY, grassroots, and inclusive. đđ
Then again, many also longed for a positive, drama-free space where fans could just be fans. And while the creation of the AA was generally recognized as a quick cashgrab, a lot of people were surprisingly cool with it. EA was trying to finance her dream musical, after all â although a number of fans wished she had gone about raising funds in a less sketchy way.
So around 400 fans shelled out (which, according to the Headmistressđ, âbasically cover[ed] the cost of running the fanclub itself â keeping the database up, website, etc.â). Enough for a close-knit, but sizable community. But already, there was a conflict of interest: a high fanclub entry fee essentially demands that you pledge loyalty to the artist over loyalty to your fellow fans, who wish to join but can't afford to. Sharing, caring, and ensuring no one felt left out were some of the more positive values cultivated in the fandom... but leaking exclusive content would surely piss off other paying membersđ, and make EA feel betrayed all over again. (And she had barely just started to mellow out on social media!)
...But then again, this is the internet. After the first month of secret AA drops (lyric sheets, some photoshoot outtakes â nothing too juicy, really), there were, yes, some leaks. EA was predictably miffed, and retaliated by... ghosting the fanclub for weeks at a time in its first few months of existence (great look!). She eventually found the âsolutionâ to her problem, by providing something you couldn't right-click-save (and which had been part of the promised perks to begin with): live interaction.
Over webcam, she was her usual in-person bubbly, charming, funny self. Everyone seemingly had a good time during the fanclub video chat, and this gave people faith and hope.
There were a few more events, giveaways, etc. As promised, ahead of the fall 2013 tour (the last one to date, it would turn out), AA members got priority access to show tickets and VIP bundles. The latter were much pricier than before, and only included soundcheck, a photo-op, and three goodies: a tin of loose-leaf tea, a signed printer-paper setlist, and a small flag that said âF.L.A.G.â.đ Some stuff continued to leak â but, as some of the outlaws pointed out (scroll down to the Disqus comments), they were mostly relaying information that was relevant to the entire fanbase, such as updates about ongoing projects (the dragged-out recording of the audiobook, for one).
In early 2014, lifetime memberships were closed, and replaced with monthly, quarterly and yearly subscription tiers. Bizarrely, you ended up paying $3 more per month if you bought a $99 yearly subscriptionđ â but it did include the patch, dog tag, and piece of paper!
For the still-too-poor or still-undecided, there was always the forum! It wasn't as active as it used to be, but a few die-hards still managed to keep the lights on... until, inevitably, Someone Did Something and Ruined Everything. (Once again: EA's wrath is spectacular, but rarely completely unprovoked.) The incident features one notable figure in the Asylum community. Let's call him the Collector.
OK, so maybe you remember the meme I linked to in Part 4, with Christian Grey and the ginormous EA hoard. Well, that's the Collector's collection. The âViolinâ promo that I called the "Holy Grail of the fandom" in the same paragraph? Also his. The handwritten lyrics that went for $940? Guess who won that auction. Over the years, the Collector had probably spent five figures on EA merch and shows, and although that fact was a little unsettling, he was a very active, easy-going, and generally well-liked fixture of the fandom.
One day in 2012, shortly after the Headmistress had replaced EA's old Chicago BFF as main forum admin, the Collector's account got banned or restricted over something dumb. When the ban wasn't lifted as quickly as he hoped, he took it... the way one takes things when one is unhealthily invested: he started spamming Headmistress and the mod team with increasingly rambling and abusive emails (lost to time, probably for the best). When that didn't work quickly enough, he tried a different route.
One of the many auctions that the Collector had won, some years prior, was EA's old iPod Touchđ â which contained all of her favorite tunes and, buried somewhere in the data cache... a phone number. Which the Collector tried calling. And wouldn't you know it: EA picked up. She congratulated him on his sleuthing skills, listened patiently as he made his case, apologized for any distress caused by the unfair account restriction, and then they got married.
Kidding! She freaked the fuck out, hung up, and banned him for life from the forum and all EA shows and events.
After his ban, the Collector allegedly still tried to attend at least one VIP pre-show (one source in the comments says he was allowed to buy some merch, refunded for his ticket, and escorted out). He joined the Reform forum to bitch about EA and try to rally people to his cause, possibly made revenge posts about her on darker snark forums, and continued to hound the Asylum mod team. So in June 2014, EA came up with a radical and unexpected fix to the Collector problem.
The obliteration of the forum took everyone by surprise...
...Well, no point in living in the past. For those who could afford it, and still wanted to talk to/about EA after that (not everyone did đ), there was always the Asylum Army fanclub!
Over the summer of 2014, EA held regular live chats and Q&A's, and... many attendees really enjoyed them, and thought the AA was well worth the money after all. She also quietly parted ways with the much poo-pooed Headmistress around that time.
Turns out the fanclub had been the Headmistress' idea all along. EA had been reluctant from the start, and although she really enjoyed the live chats with a safe community of people âwho are there for the right reasonsâ, she couldn't overcome her fundamental discomfort with the concept. Lifetime and regular members would receive a bunch of digital downloads and a -35% coupon on the Asylum Emporium for their troubles. EA said she would definitely pop back once in a while for live chats, for free, just for fun, but to my knowledge, she never did.
And so the most devoted fans were left standing in the rain...
But there were no chats or live shows anymore. There was only social media, where she ignored questions and vague-posted about overdue projects â and the newsletterđ, which was all saccharine love-bombing to promote bland dropshipped trinkets. For fans who remembered the handcrafted merch (and two-way communication) of the early years, it was a bitter pill to swallow.
submitted by pillowcase-of-eels to HobbyDrama [link] [comments]
Welcome back to the Asylum write-up, where we explore the decade-long slow-motion car crash that is the Emilie Autumn fandom.
Sorry this installment took so long to upload! Just a heads-up, I may take some time to deliver the last one too â these posts take forever to format on Reddit's finicky-ass editor, and my dumb real life is currently keeping me from precious Internet time. Thank you for your patience! You have my word that everyone who pre-ordered the final installment will receive a PERSONAL, HANDWRITTEN letter autographed and illustrated by me, a list of the snacks I consumed while composing this write-up, some exclusive behind-the-scenes secrets, and a pony.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4.1 â Part 4.2 Part 5
Places, everyone This is a test Throw your stones Do your damage Your worst, and your best (...) And if I had a dollar For every time I repented the sin And commit the same crime I'd be sitting on top of the world today (âGod Help Meâ, 2006đ”)Quick recap of where we left off. First, there were five to ten halcyon years of pleasant and meaningful interactions between EA and her blossoming fanbase, prominently by way of her official forum. Then, circa 2009-2010, EA's online presence shifted towards sudden anger outbursts, ban-hammering, and an increasingly top-down communication style.
This created a sort of primordial rift within the fanbase, between those who supported EA's right to speak her mind and regulate her own fan spaces however she pleased â and those who thought that her reactions were rude and inappropriate (at best), and that even fan spaces should allow for reasonable, non-abusive criticism of the artist.
Between a poorly-handled book release (see Part 3), the controversial (Part 2) or dubiously true (Part 4) contents of said book, and serious shade from various former collaborators (Part 5), more and more fans had pressing thoughts about EA's work ethic and choices. EA attempted damage control through drastic forum rules that made it virtually impossible to voice any âseriousâ critical opinion. It didn't work, of course: instead of squashing the mutiny, she created a schism.
Critical fans and active haters started congregating on unofficial platforms.
âWITH MUFFINS LIKE THIS, WHO NEEDS ENEMIES?â: TROLL LIKE A GIRL
So here we were, the early 2010s. The official forum (which had about 700 members in 2006, if you recall) was now thousands-strong, reaching just over 12,000 registered users in 2012 â not all of them active, but still. In terms of sheer numbers and content creation, the party was POPPIN'... but increasingly in parts of the Asylum that escaped EA's jurisdiction, such as Tumblr, where they could speak their mind freely.You play the victim very well You've built your self-indulgent hell You wanted someone to understand you Well, be careful what you wish for, because I do (âI Know Where You Sleepâ, 2006đ”)In one wing of Asylum Tumblr, a smattering of call-out blogs emerged, which laid out EA's various lies, faux pas, shitty takes, and general deep-seated terribleness in detailed timelines and screenshots (or, short of that, long-winded bullet points). While many such blogs framed it as âseriousâ whistleblowing and did their best to remain as fact-based and neutral as they could, there was some genuine disgust, animosity and creepiness towards EA on that side of Tumblr; for some ex-fans, âexposing the truthâ was mostly justify obsessive hatred, prying and verbal abuse. Some, for instance, felt the bizarre need to side with EA's mother in their estrangement. (One user, with the URL âemilyautumnfischkopfâ, argued in a serious and down-to-earth tone - but with zero sources - that EA's upbringing had been nothing but peaceful and supportive until she ungratefully kicked her loving family to the curb for no reason at all. They were later revealed đ to have an alternate handle as âeaisalyingcuntâ.)
Either way, through these blogs, a number of potential drama bombs that had mostly flown under the radar were dredged up from over the years â some of which were hard to ignore, even for supportive fans. Where to begin?
There was that nonsense in-joke song, captured twice on camera during the 2009 tour (to very little outrage, at the time), crassly called âManatee Retardâđș. Or EA's scathing response, in print, to a wheelchair user who found it insensitive that she used a bedazzled wheelchair as a prop to do sexy acrobatics on stage. (âYour offence taken at my hard-won self-acceptance proves that I indeed have something to fight againstâ, she wrote). Spoken word tracks where she made trivializing knock-knock jokes about serious mental illnesses she didn't have, like schizophrenia and OCD. Multiple instances of calling Britney Spears a âbimboâ and a âHollywood fucked-upâ, resentfully claiming that she only shaved her head because she was âhopped up on drugsâ and certainly not because she was âbipolarâ, a word the press liked to wield as an insult anyway. (âThat's almost like calling someone a retard!â Yeah, heaven forbid.) The meanest, most distasteful paragraphs in the book. Basically everything problematic EA had ever said or written.đ In retrospect, it had been a long time coming, but it was a lot to take in â and certainly more off-putting, even to less emotionally invested fans, than silly lies about her age and last name.
In another wing of Asylum Tumblr, some fans had had it up to here and just wanted to have fun. đ” If Plague Rats had learned one valuable lesson from EA, it was how to crack a joke in the face of absurd tragedy â and the general state of the EA fandom certainly warranted a few.
In 2012, Fight Like a Girl was released. After six long years, three of which had been peaceful, the Opheliac era was officially over. The new album and ensuing tour confirmed that the Asylum had entered a process of glamorous Broadway-style militarization. đ”đș
The mood board was âRoman general meets Vegas showgirl meets Victorian street urchinâ.đȘ The color palette was, to naysayers, âmusty pink and rotten, stale piss yellowâ. đ The keyword was âREVENGEâ (through the power of... self-expression! sorority! brutal assault with rusty medical implements!). The chorus of the title song had an intriguing run-on line about getting ârevenge on the world, or at least 49% of the people in itâ đ” â which seemed like an awful lot, and was widely interpreted (to cheers, boos, or uncomfortable sighs) as a misandrist jab at literally all men on Earth.
The show was essentially a demo version of the musical, in that the setlist vaguely reflected the order of events in the story â but prior reading was essential in order to get what the hell was going on on stage. This one Broadway reviewer had not perused the literature before seeing the show đ, and hated: the set, the choreography, the skits, the plot, the lyrics, the music, the concept. (Seriously, you should read the review. It's not even my show and I feel like quitting show business.)
Pre-show VIP encounters, now violin-free, were lorded over by EA's new managerđ, whose official title was âAsylum Headmistressâ. (Interesting choice â she sounds fun!) The swag bags were less substantial than before, and the âgreetâ part of the meet-and-greet was rarely more than a quick hug and photo op.
On Twitter, EA continued to embrace her âI am very badassâ fronting attitude...
Often wonder if cyberbullies r aware theyâre fucking w/ a girl whoâs BFs w/ maker of the SAW films & is marrying a knife-throwing scorpion. (đđ)...and her taste for needlessly inflammatory statements. About an aisle sign in a supermarket:
If this does not infuriate you, then you're a fucking potato.(Again with the confounding crypto-ableism, EA! đ) She also went through a phase of raging against Lady Gaga đ, who had stolen her idea of using a wheelchair on stage as an able-bodied woman. đ That failed to convince anyone that she wasn't the histrionic diva that haters made her out to be.
Spurred on by EA's rallying cries and âus vs themâ mentality, loyalists turned the white-knighting up to 11. On Twitter, some Plague Rats got into cat fights with Lady Gaga's Little Monsters (what a time to be alive). Others tried to balance out the Tumblr negativity with initiatives like âSpreading a Plague of Loveâ â a âpositive-onlyâ confession blog, whose extreme fangirling, comically drastic rules and hyper-defensive toneđ did not debunk the increasingly popular notion that âtrue Plague Ratsâ were a bunch of authoritarian and hopelessly brainwashed fanatics.
EA truthers and other anti-fans started lashing out at anyone who dared express any positive opinion of EA, solidifying claims that the backlash against EA was just a conspiracy of bitter, hysterical bullies.
All this to say: every passing day brought new reasons for fans to get mad at EA and each other, and everyone in the Asylum was in need of a laugh. It's not easy having a good time.đŠ
Leading up to Fight Like a Girl and in the years that followed, user-submission-based meme blogs took off, most notably âSpreading a Plague of Lulz / Troll Like a Girlâ. A lot of the early submissions were absurdist humor and toothless, cheezburger-Impact memes (a style that was, oddly, already dated at the time). Those often originated in good fun, and from loyal fans, on the official forum. But there was also true snark, satirizing EA's questionable ethics, outrageous claims, and easily spoofed artistic gimmicks. A new slang of Asylumspeak emerged: Glittertits (slight NSFW), GAGA!!, EA Gusta and all its memeface variants, Get outta mah house!, Are You Suffering?, Fight Like A Goat, [Random celebrity] copied EA (a subgenre in its own right), ...
Most of the âtrollingâ was directed at unrepentant bootlickers and, to a lesser extent, red-in-the-face haters and creeps. Meme blogs would post joke comments under âseriousâ or gushing submissions on Wayward Victorian Confessions, and taunt loyalist accounts by tagging them in their posts. When a few people complained on WVC that almost all of the Bloody Crumpets to date had been thin white able-bodied women, and a few fans responded by sharing their dream-casts for a more diverse line-up, the blog was flooded for days with confessions that âX should be a Crumpetâ (candidates included RuPaul, Mitt Romney, Nicki Minaj, EA's therapist, and the WVC admins). Farcical shenanigans like that.
Ah, but some people will always cross the line, won't they. EA threads popped up on merciless, bully-friendly snark platforms like Lolcow, Pretty Ugly Little Liar, and Encyclopedia Dramatica. Snarkers with a mean streak and obsessive haters mingled in some of the more aggressive, 4-chan-spirited retaliation against EA â which would be called âbrigadingâ in modern parlance. This included flooding EA's Goodreads page with one-star reviews (see part 4), repeatedly editing her Wikipedia page to include her legal name and birth year, and ensuring that Googling said name would bring up current pictures of her.
All of this compounded agitation fragmented the once-united fandom beyond recognition.đŠ Through substantial disagreements among fans, personal bickerings, layers upon layers of inscrutable in-jokes, and cross-platform telephone games, the Asylum morphed into a booby-trapped Escher room.
Satire blogs were taken in earnest. Earnest fan blogs scanned as satire. Memes would get called out as abuse. Appreciation without attached criticism would get mocked as bootlicking. Obvious jokes made by EA would be taken at face value. One divisive confession could trigger days and days of debate, to the point that WVC eventually banned confessions in response to other confessions. New waves of infighting created a confusing web of rival sub-factionsđ, each accusing the others of being toxic, cliquish, and delusional.
The shared fantasy was broken, the collective vision had crumbled, no onez was speaking the same language anymore. Fans would jump down the throat of other fans who held almost identical views about EA, except for that one thing she said or did that one time. Everyone had differing thoughts on what should or shouldn't acceptable to discuss, question, excuse, make fun of.
War is hell.
SCORCHED EARTH SHENANIGANS: HONEY, I SHRUNK THE ASYLUM
Would you tear my castle down Stone by stone And let the wind run through my windows Till there was nothing left But a battered rose? (âCastle Downâ, 2003đ”)Haters vs sycophants is not really the kind of conflict where one side can come out on top (if you're participating, you've already lost). But in the long tug-of-war between âgrassrootsâ and âEA-sponsoredâ fan spaces, the ultimate winner is obvious â in that the former is gasping in agony, a shriveled husk of its former glory, while the latter... is non-existent. This is due in no small part to EA's tendency, like the Czars of old, to settle conflicts by setting Moscow on fire.đ)
That's not entirely fair: unlike EA, the czar only did it that once.
By early 2013, as EA was gearing up for her third Fight Like a Girl tour at the end of the year, the official forum was... not as lively as it once had been. Not just because of the stifling rules and disgruntlement towards EA, or because EA herself hadn't really posted anything on there in years; the Internet was also changing, and forums in general were fast becoming passé.
This made it difficult for EA to create a safe space where she could talk to fans, and fans could talk to and about her, in a way she deemed suitable (ie, a space she could gate-keep and regulate enough to keep it completely free from negative criticism). Social media was a minefield; she still posted regularly, but didn't interact very much. So EA and the Headmistress came up with a way to filter out the unbelievers: an official fan clubđ, aptly called the âAsylum Armyâ, with a $100 entry price.
Joining the AA came with a dog tag, a sew-on patch, and a lifetime membership certificate signed by EA and â for some reason â the Headmistress. (Unlike EA's best friend and sound engineer back in the forum's heyday, I don't think fans ever really embraced the FLAG-era manager as part of the Asylum in-group. She came across more as a coordinator / businessperson / adult chaperone, at best.đ) So, slightly better goodies than you'd get by joining the other AA đ ... but not by much. The main appeal was that members would have access to exclusive content, special merch, giveaways, early bird tickets for future shows, and regular video chats with EA.
The concept itself drew a fair amount of criticism, as you can imagine. Between the nameđ, the price, and the inherent gatekeeping of a pay-to-join fanclub, many balked at the monetizing of a concept that had once (like, three years back) been significantly more DIY, grassroots, and inclusive. đđ
Then again, many also longed for a positive, drama-free space where fans could just be fans. And while the creation of the AA was generally recognized as a quick cashgrab, a lot of people were surprisingly cool with it. EA was trying to finance her dream musical, after all â although a number of fans wished she had gone about raising funds in a less sketchy way.
So around 400 fans shelled out (which, according to the Headmistressđ, âbasically cover[ed] the cost of running the fanclub itself â keeping the database up, website, etc.â). Enough for a close-knit, but sizable community. But already, there was a conflict of interest: a high fanclub entry fee essentially demands that you pledge loyalty to the artist over loyalty to your fellow fans, who wish to join but can't afford to. Sharing, caring, and ensuring no one felt left out were some of the more positive values cultivated in the fandom... but leaking exclusive content would surely piss off other paying membersđ, and make EA feel betrayed all over again. (And she had barely just started to mellow out on social media!)
...But then again, this is the internet. After the first month of secret AA drops (lyric sheets, some photoshoot outtakes â nothing too juicy, really), there were, yes, some leaks. EA was predictably miffed, and retaliated by... ghosting the fanclub for weeks at a time in its first few months of existence (great look!). She eventually found the âsolutionâ to her problem, by providing something you couldn't right-click-save (and which had been part of the promised perks to begin with): live interaction.
Over webcam, she was her usual in-person bubbly, charming, funny self. Everyone seemingly had a good time during the fanclub video chat, and this gave people faith and hope.
There were a few more events, giveaways, etc. As promised, ahead of the fall 2013 tour (the last one to date, it would turn out), AA members got priority access to show tickets and VIP bundles. The latter were much pricier than before, and only included soundcheck, a photo-op, and three goodies: a tin of loose-leaf tea, a signed printer-paper setlist, and a small flag that said âF.L.A.G.â.đ Some stuff continued to leak â but, as some of the outlaws pointed out (scroll down to the Disqus comments), they were mostly relaying information that was relevant to the entire fanbase, such as updates about ongoing projects (the dragged-out recording of the audiobook, for one).
In early 2014, lifetime memberships were closed, and replaced with monthly, quarterly and yearly subscription tiers. Bizarrely, you ended up paying $3 more per month if you bought a $99 yearly subscriptionđ â but it did include the patch, dog tag, and piece of paper!
Sometimes I kind of want to be part of the cool kids and register to the Asylum Army. Then I remember how it came about, what you could get for the same price a couple years ago, how the whole thing was and is handled, and that I wonât support any of this bullshit. (And then I roll around naked in all the money Iâm saving.) (đ)Still, a number of fans rejoiced at the affordable monthly option, and joined â if not for the exclusive content and merch (which were... okay, but not much to write home about), then for the friendly, drama-free exchanges with an artist they actually did love, in spite of all the frustration.
For the still-too-poor or still-undecided, there was always the forum! It wasn't as active as it used to be, but a few die-hards still managed to keep the lights on... until, inevitably, Someone Did Something and Ruined Everything. (Once again: EA's wrath is spectacular, but rarely completely unprovoked.) The incident features one notable figure in the Asylum community. Let's call him the Collector.
OK, so maybe you remember the meme I linked to in Part 4, with Christian Grey and the ginormous EA hoard. Well, that's the Collector's collection. The âViolinâ promo that I called the "Holy Grail of the fandom" in the same paragraph? Also his. The handwritten lyrics that went for $940? Guess who won that auction. Over the years, the Collector had probably spent five figures on EA merch and shows, and although that fact was a little unsettling, he was a very active, easy-going, and generally well-liked fixture of the fandom.
One day in 2012, shortly after the Headmistress had replaced EA's old Chicago BFF as main forum admin, the Collector's account got banned or restricted over something dumb. When the ban wasn't lifted as quickly as he hoped, he took it... the way one takes things when one is unhealthily invested: he started spamming Headmistress and the mod team with increasingly rambling and abusive emails (lost to time, probably for the best). When that didn't work quickly enough, he tried a different route.
One of the many auctions that the Collector had won, some years prior, was EA's old iPod Touchđ â which contained all of her favorite tunes and, buried somewhere in the data cache... a phone number. Which the Collector tried calling. And wouldn't you know it: EA picked up. She congratulated him on his sleuthing skills, listened patiently as he made his case, apologized for any distress caused by the unfair account restriction, and then they got married.
Kidding! She freaked the fuck out, hung up, and banned him for life from the forum and all EA shows and events.
After his ban, the Collector allegedly still tried to attend at least one VIP pre-show (one source in the comments says he was allowed to buy some merch, refunded for his ticket, and escorted out). He joined the Reform forum to bitch about EA and try to rally people to his cause, possibly made revenge posts about her on darker snark forums, and continued to hound the Asylum mod team. So in June 2014, EA came up with a radical and unexpected fix to the Collector problem.
The official Asylum Fan Forum has been shut down permanently. I have personally paid thousands of dollars each year to keep the forum safe and secure for you ... Unfortunately, the forum has not been kept safe and secure for me, a truth which disappoints me greatly, instead becoming a place where people who have physically threatened myself and my staff prey upon forum members, pressuring them to contact me and my staff on their behalf. If the gullible wish to humor my stalkers (who live in their parentâs basement at age 30 something) and thus put me in danger, they may do it on their own dime. They may also fuck off, because stupidity can kill, and I wonât be your victim. To those who enjoyed the forum, you know who to thank for its closure. (âOn the closing of the Asylum Forumâ)VoilĂ ! This is how a decade-long archive of shared history ends: not with a bang, but with a dirty delete and a sod-off communiquĂ©.
The obliteration of the forum took everyone by surprise...
I was actually on the forum when it was taken down. I was navigating between posts and when I went to click on a different board, an error message came up. I honestly cried a little, I'm not ashamed to say. (WVC admin on Reddit, 2024)...and I do mean everyone:
Chicago BFF / ex-admin, the next morning: Whoa, EA forum shut down? Ex-mod: It turns out that if someone spends enough years actively âwaging warâ to destroy what they canât have, eventually theyâll be successful. * eye roll * Not even mods got prior warning. Just all the sudden, poof, gone. BFF: Really? She did not let the moderators know?! This is sounding worse and worse. Uggh. Iâm so sorry. Such a loss. (...) Ok, threats are serious, but why not just put it in archive mode so no one can post? (...) Sad. I shall light a candle in the forum's honor. (Facebook posts; scroll down for screenshots)It was a gut punch, especially for people who had poured countless hours into the community, or could have used some prior warning to save years of their own writing from the role-playing threads. One last chance to take a look around the place that had meant so much to so many.
From the wording of the announcement of closing the forum and a number of other things, it sometimes seems like EA doesn't like her fans much. :/ (đ)Three months after the forum was nuked, Battered Rose (a venerable EA fansite, which had been around since the Enchant era and had one of the most complete EA galleries online) announced that it was shutting down too.đ The admin, who had also been a long-time forum mod, cited a lack of âtime, energy, passion, or moneyâ to keep the website going... and being upset at the sudden disappearance of the forum. It was, truly, the end of an era for the Asylum.
...Well, no point in living in the past. For those who could afford it, and still wanted to talk to/about EA after that (not everyone did đ), there was always the Asylum Army fanclub!
Over the summer of 2014, EA held regular live chats and Q&A's, and... many attendees really enjoyed them, and thought the AA was well worth the money after all. She also quietly parted ways with the much poo-pooed Headmistress around that time.
Just spent over 4 hours giggling, drinking tea and playing guessing games in chat with EA and other Asylum Army members ... No griping, no downers, just lots of fun. I think I like the way the ânew fandomâ is going and now Iâm really glad I finally decided to join the Army. (September 4, 2014đ; Battered Rose had closed the day before)The forum was lost forever, but perhaps that was a chance for a fresh start. Could this fanclub thing really be the Asylum Renaissance that fans had been longing for?
...I have come today to a very difficult but necessary decision, and that is to discontinue the Emilie Autumn Official Fanclub. The site itself, and the community chatroom, will remain open to you indefinitely, but I will no longer be making updates to the site. (Newsletter, September 8, 2014đ)...Never mind, then.
Turns out the fanclub had been the Headmistress' idea all along. EA had been reluctant from the start, and although she really enjoyed the live chats with a safe community of people âwho are there for the right reasonsâ, she couldn't overcome her fundamental discomfort with the concept. Lifetime and regular members would receive a bunch of digital downloads and a -35% coupon on the Asylum Emporium for their troubles. EA said she would definitely pop back once in a while for live chats, for free, just for fun, but to my knowledge, she never did.
And so the most devoted fans were left standing in the rain...
She is happy, she made it. She is fulfilling her dreams, found love and happiness after all the pain. I understand that she now doesnât need âusâ anymore ... That doesnât change the fact she broke my heart with taking the Asylum Army and the forum from me. Yet, I am happy for her. (đ)...while naysayers pointed and laughed, Nelson-style.đŠ
I donât feel sorry at all for the people that paid for the Asylum Army fan club. Most of them knew that EA is an atrocious business woman and has broken many promises before. In fact, I laugh at them. They seriously thought that EA would actually stay consistent with this? (đ)
EVERYTHING MUST GO: THE ASYLUM WHOLESALE
EA fans were left without an âofficialâ home for about three years. This gave them plenty of time to be annoyed at EA for: not releasing the audiobook on time, not materializing any new project for a while... and the new sin of peddling random, ridiculously marked-up AliBaba jewelry as âmerchâ on her official store. Think faux-antique cameo pendants and $30 Big Ben rings (...because the Asylum story is set in London, get it?).The whole accessories section looks like a tacky overpriced English souvenir shop. (đ)The fanbase lost a lost of steam in those in-between years, because there wasn't much to stick around for. As evidenced by the positive reception of the AA live chats, even in the midst of unresolved drama, out-loud interactions in a friendly environment have always been EA's saving grace. Considering the amount of online hate, there are shockingly few accounts of bad IRL encounters with EA: most people say that in live conversation, she comes across as a fun, warm, and genuinely sweet person. Some report that their negative opinion shifted after meeting her.
But there were no chats or live shows anymore. There was only social media, where she ignored questions and vague-posted about overdue projects â and the newsletterđ, which was all saccharine love-bombing to promote bland dropshipped trinkets. For fans who remembered the handcrafted merch (and two-way communication) of the early years, it was a bitter pill to swallow.
CONTINUED IN COMMENTS
2024.05.19 12:53 TheFreemasonForum Here's Something to Think About!?
Albert Mackey back in 1875 was a bit worried about Freemasons who didn't put in any time to learn a bit more than they are told but instead seek higher "grades". In his article "Reading Masons and Masons Who Do Not Read" he says:
It is astonishing with what avidity some Masons who do not understand the simplest rudiments of their art, and who have utterly failed to comprehend the scope and meaning of primary, symbolic Masonry, grasp at the empty honors of the high degrees. The Master Mason who knows very little, if anything, of the Apprentice's degree longs to be a Knight Templar. He knows nothing, and never expects to know anything, of the history of Templarism, or how and why these old crusaders became incorporated with the Masonic brotherhood. The height of his ambition is to wear the Templar cross upon his breast. If he has entered the Scottish Rite, the Lodge of Perfection will not content him, although it supplies material for months of study. He would fain rise higher in the scale of rank, and if by persevering efforts he can attain the summit of the Rite and be invested with the Thirty-third degree, little cares he for any knowledge of the organization of the Rite or the sublime lessons that it teaches. He has reached the height of his ambition and is permitted to wear the double-headed eagle.
submitted by TheFreemasonForum to freemasonry [link] [comments]
It is astonishing with what avidity some Masons who do not understand the simplest rudiments of their art, and who have utterly failed to comprehend the scope and meaning of primary, symbolic Masonry, grasp at the empty honors of the high degrees. The Master Mason who knows very little, if anything, of the Apprentice's degree longs to be a Knight Templar. He knows nothing, and never expects to know anything, of the history of Templarism, or how and why these old crusaders became incorporated with the Masonic brotherhood. The height of his ambition is to wear the Templar cross upon his breast. If he has entered the Scottish Rite, the Lodge of Perfection will not content him, although it supplies material for months of study. He would fain rise higher in the scale of rank, and if by persevering efforts he can attain the summit of the Rite and be invested with the Thirty-third degree, little cares he for any knowledge of the organization of the Rite or the sublime lessons that it teaches. He has reached the height of his ambition and is permitted to wear the double-headed eagle.
2024.05.19 12:45 hilotron URGENT - Flight / Ticket Reservation Question
I work for an international literature festival and we fly authors in from around the world. My colleague has booked a flight for a Korean author and the name on the reservation is in the reverse order as the name on the author's passport.
We've been desperately trying to get in touch with the third party service that the tickets were booked through -- they've been no help. And we're trying to get in touch with the airlines directly but haven't been able to make contact yet.The flight is tomorrow (Monday 20th May).
Are we screwed? Is the author going to be denied access to her flight?
Any and all advice much appreciated!
submitted by hilotron to AsianaAirlines [link] [comments]
We've been desperately trying to get in touch with the third party service that the tickets were booked through -- they've been no help. And we're trying to get in touch with the airlines directly but haven't been able to make contact yet.The flight is tomorrow (Monday 20th May).
Are we screwed? Is the author going to be denied access to her flight?
Any and all advice much appreciated!
2024.05.19 12:28 GhoulGriin Best Car Microphones
 | submitted by GhoulGriin to u/GhoulGriin [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/rvp5j9we1d1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=befb5dd46f68562b9494f42379687fbca049da5c Are you tired of straining your voice to be heard over the radio in your car? Look no further! Our roundup of the latest and greatest car microphones will help you find the perfect device to enhance your in-car audio experience. Featuring a variety of models with different features, this article will help you choose the best microphone to satisfy your needs and ensure that your voice is always crystal clear. Keep reading to discover the top car microphones on the market and improve your in-car communication today! Get ready to amplify your ride with our comprehensive selection of car microphones. From hands-free Bluetooth integration to noise cancellation technology, these devices are designed to make your driving experience more enjoyable and efficient. Whether you're looking for an affordable option or a premium device with advanced features, you'll find it in our roundup. So buckle up and get ready to upgrade your ride with the perfect car microphone! The Top 5 Best Car Microphones
ReviewsđFLTP External Microphone for Pioneer Car Stereoshttps://preview.redd.it/ovx6ssgf1d1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b9b48dc191af18e06405b5366e99096382cdfda7 I recently tried out the FLTP Microphone for my car's stereo system, and I have to say, it's been a game-changer. The sleek black design blends seamlessly with my vehicle's interior, while its advanced technology ensures top-notch voice clarity during phone calls. One thing that truly stands out is its adaptability - this microphone works perfectly with most Pioneer car radios equipped with a 2.5mm input. Its rapid and accurate data transmission guarantees a clear, stable connection even when driving in noisy environments, making hands-free calling a breeze. The included dash mount and visor clip make it incredibly easy to install this bad boy wherever you like, adding a touch of convenience to your daily drive. Oh, and did I mention the wire length? 3 meters (or 9 feet) gives me plenty of room to maneuver without feeling restricted. On the downside, some users might find the installation process a bit tricky, especially if they're not familiar with car stereo systems. Additionally, while it pairs seamlessly with my Pioneer radio, compatibility with other brands may vary. Overall, the FLTP Microphone has been a worthy addition to my car's audio setup. Its sharp design, noise-cancelling capabilities, and user-friendly features make it worth considering for anyone looking to upgrade their hands-free calling experience. đCarpool Karaoke Microphone 2.0 from Singing Machinehttps://preview.redd.it/u3hrl80g1d1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=aeca87007e5f842b83e9dfe8a7b4e18633ba405f I recently got my hands on the Singing Machine Carpool Karaoke Mic 2.0 in black and gold, a stylish addition to my karaoke setup. You know what they say, good things come in small packages, and this machine definitely fits that bill. It comes with a sleek microphone, perfect for belting out those tunes during karaoke nights with friends. One of the standout features for me was its ability to stream music via Bluetooth, which meant I could effortlessly connect it to my phone and play all my favorite songs. Another highlight was the option to connect it to my TV screen through the included RCA cables, making following the karaoke lyrics a breeze. However, there was a minor hiccup. The package didn't include a charging cable or an auxiliary cord. Also, the customer service I encountered at Target wasn't the most helpful, making my experience a bit underwhelming. But hey, nobody's perfect! Overall, the Singing Machine Carpool Karaoke Mic 2.0 is a fun gadget that definitely makes karaoke nights more lively. It's compact, stylish, and easy to use, but just remember to keep those essential cords handy! đCarpool Karaoke Wireless Bluetooth Mic for In-Car Singinghttps://preview.redd.it/dofugadg1d1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0caa0f23088564334371bb1e35dfd33e8c952b19 I had the pleasure of trying out "Carpool Karaoke: The Mic Singing Machine" during a road trip with friends. I'm a karaoke enthusiast, so I was excited to see how this device would transform our car ride. The setup was slightly tricky, but once everything was connected, we were ready to rock! The highlight of this product is its ability to bring the fun of carpool karaoke right into your vehicle. With Bluetooth connectivity and an AUX option, you can sing along to your favorite tunes using your phone's music library or streaming apps. Even though it's primarily designed for car use, I found it enjoyable at home with a Bluetooth speaker too! However, there were some downsides. The build quality seemed a bit flimsy, and I noticed a significant lag when using the Bluetooth function. Additionally, some users experienced compatibility issues with specific car models. In summary, "Carpool Karaoke: The Mic Singing Machine" provides a unique and entertaining experience for those who love to sing on the go. While not perfect, its charming concept and ease of use make it a worthy addition to your collection of vehicle entertainment options. đUniden Bearcat Wireless CB Microphone for Clear and Secure Communicationhttps://preview.redd.it/tbq28lpg1d1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fb397577185537d6e4d9fdfe107ace63d69e5a03 I recently got my hands on Uniden's BC906W wireless CB microphone, and I must say, it's been an game-changer for my communication needs while out and about. This nifty device gives me the freedom and mobility to connect wirelessly with my Bearcat CB radio from up to 100 meters away. One of my favorite features is the noise-cancellation technology which helps reduce background sound for clear, quality audio. No more struggling to decipher muffled or distorted voices - now each transmission comes through as crisp and clean as if you were standing right next to the speaker. The microphone charges conveniently in a cradle that also functions as a sync point, so once you've paired it once, it'll automatically reconnect each time you place it back in the cradle. And let me tell you, this battery lasts a surprisingly long time! Even though I use it daily for extended periods during my job, I only need to charge it about once a week. There are some minor drawbacks, though. For instance, there isn't any power-saving feature or built-in charging port in the microphone itself, making it reliant on the charging cradle. Additionally, if there's a sudden power interruption, the microphone will automatically unpair from the radio, causing a small inconvenience. Overall, considering all its pros and cons, Uniden's BC906W wireless CB microphone has made communication away from my truck much easier and more efficient. Its range, noise cancellation, and ease of use make it worth the investment for anyone looking for similar capabilities. đRoadKing 4-Pin Noise-Cancelling CB Microphonehttps://preview.redd.it/he10gzeh1d1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6979ebc67553ae69772086c7d3284fbc6abcf4dc Oh boy, I've been using this Roadking RK56B Black 4-Pin Dynamic Noise Canceling Microphone in my car, and I must say, it's been a game-changer! The moment I received it, I was impressed with the sleek black design. Not only is it super cool looking, but it's also incredibly easy to use. The push-to-talk feature is a particular highlight for me because it ensures that I only transmit when I need to. One of the best things about this microphone, in fact, is its noise-cancellation feature. I've had it in my car during some noisy drives, and it's like I'm in a silent movie. The sound quality is top-notch, making it much easier for me to communicate clearly over the radio. In addition to its superior performance, the Roadking RK56B is also built like a tank. It's made with high-grade materials, which not only ensures durability but also gives it a premium feel. And despite its robust construction, the microphone is surprisingly light, making it easy for me to install and adjust. Perhaps one minor issue I had was with the wiring. It's not exactly a deal-breaker, but managing it can be a bit of a hassle, especially when I'm on the go. That said, this is a microphone that I would recommend to anyone in a heartbeat. Its unique combination of style, functionality, and quality makes it a must-have for any driver. Buyer's GuideImportant Featureshttps://preview.redd.it/l6y8bnph1d1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0719708ee361970a6e16bb1d75c900a2ba502bc6 When considering a car microphone, there are several key features to look for:
Considerations Before BuyingBefore making your purchase, consider the following:
General AdviceTo ensure you are choosing the right car microphone for your needs, take the following steps:
https://preview.redd.it/opg6m2ii1d1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3006fa3d3945f92518b4812919f1cb1a69be37cf FAQWhat is a car microphone?A car microphone is a specialized microphone designed for use in vehicles. It typically features noise cancellation technology and is often used in cars for clear hands-free phone conversations or in-car dictation.Why should I use a car microphone?https://preview.redd.it/m8av77pi1d1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=50813952d0385dc2ff40f6a90b9eae3378a66d71 Car microphones offer several benefits. Firstly, they can drastically improve the sound quality of phone calls and in-car dictations. Secondly, they often have noise cancellation capabilities, reducing background noise and ensuring your voice can be clearly heard. Thirdly, using a car microphone keeps your hands free, allowing you to maintain control of the vehicle while engaging in a call or dictation. How do I install a car microphone?The installation process varies by model and vehicle. In general, a car microphone is either mounted or clipped onto the sun visor or dashboard. If you're having difficulties, consider consulting your vehicle's manual or consulting customer service for detailed installation instructions.Can a car microphone record audio?While many car microphones can record audio, not all do. Check the product specifications or customer reviews for information about the specific model you're considering. https://preview.redd.it/idi6wt7j1d1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cbeaed14e591d32cb4ef79cbdacd78049d8cf907 How do I know if a car microphone is compatible with my phone?Check the product specifications or consult customer reviews to confirm compatibility with your specific phone model. The majority of modern car microphones are compatible with most smartphones, but it's always best to confirm before purchasing.How do I connect my car microphone to my phone?Many car microphones connect to your phone via Bluetooth. To pair them, turn on the Bluetooth function on both your phone and the microphone, then follow the device-specific pairing instructions in your phone's settings menu. Some car microphones may require a physical connection via a 3.5mm audio jack or a USB port. Always refer to your device's instructions for the correct method.Do I need to replace the batteries in a car microphone?Some car microphones are rechargeable and require charging, while others may need battery replacements. Check the product specifications or user manual for detailed instructions on battery maintenance.What are some popular brands for car microphones?Some popular brands for car microphones include Jabra, BlueParrot, and iVoice.How much does a car microphone cost?The cost of a car microphone can vary depending on the brand, features, and quality. Prices can range anywhere from $20 to $100 or more.Why is my car microphone not working?There could be several reasons why your car microphone isn't working. It could be due to improper installation, lack of power, poor connectivity, or a malfunctioning device. If you've ensured the microphone is properly installed, powered, and connected, and is still malfunctioning, consult the device manufacturer for troubleshooting advice.As an Amazonâą Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. |
2024.05.19 11:54 brian_sue Understanding diff eq
Help! Diff eq makes my brain melt.
I returned to school as an adult to pursue a BS in Mathematics. (My first undergrad degree was Political Science with a minor in Classical Literature, which makes me fun at cocktail parties but isn't super useful otherwise.)
Mathematical fluency isn't something that comes to me naturally. I was motivated by a desire to work hard at something difficult, and I found the increased understanding and competency that I developed to be very rewarding. I also wanted my young children to see me continue to work on something that was challenging and frustrating because I believe that persistence is an important characteristic to model and develop (particularly for "gifted" kids for whom most academic pursuits provide minimal challenge).
I enjoyed calc, absolutely loved linear algebra, and adored combinatorics. My grades in the stats series were fine, and I really liked both discrete and linear optimization. Proof Writing was manageable; Real Analysis was an unpleasant slog.
In general, I struggle with symbolic reasoning. My mathematical learning has always been conceptual first, and then translation of that concept to a symbolic representation. (Meaning that an explanation like "rise over run" makes more intuitive sense to me than "y= mx+b")
Diff eq was... incomprehensible. Some part of my difficulty I can write off as student/professor incompatibility - my prof was new, not an experienced instructor, and he also had an extremely heavy accent which I found challenging to decipher. I squeaked though his class with a 2.3 that, in all honesty, I didn't deserve.
It's now a decade later and I really don't like my lack of understanding in this area. I don't have plans to return to grad school for math, and I am not pursuing employment requiring fluency in diff eq. Nevertheless, the fact that I don't understand it eats at me. I feel like a fraud.
The easiest way to overcome my knowledge deficit would probably be auditing a diff eq class at a local university. However, in the decade since my degree was conferred, my family has moved from the US to Germany. I live in Munich, where there are a number of universities. The math classes are all taught in German, though, and my German is absolutely not sufficient to understand an easy undergrad level mathematics lecture, much less one on a topic with which I struggle.
What resources do you recommend for understanding differential equations for someone with moderate mathematical competency?
submitted by brian_sue to learnmath [link] [comments]
I returned to school as an adult to pursue a BS in Mathematics. (My first undergrad degree was Political Science with a minor in Classical Literature, which makes me fun at cocktail parties but isn't super useful otherwise.)
Mathematical fluency isn't something that comes to me naturally. I was motivated by a desire to work hard at something difficult, and I found the increased understanding and competency that I developed to be very rewarding. I also wanted my young children to see me continue to work on something that was challenging and frustrating because I believe that persistence is an important characteristic to model and develop (particularly for "gifted" kids for whom most academic pursuits provide minimal challenge).
I enjoyed calc, absolutely loved linear algebra, and adored combinatorics. My grades in the stats series were fine, and I really liked both discrete and linear optimization. Proof Writing was manageable; Real Analysis was an unpleasant slog.
In general, I struggle with symbolic reasoning. My mathematical learning has always been conceptual first, and then translation of that concept to a symbolic representation. (Meaning that an explanation like "rise over run" makes more intuitive sense to me than "y= mx+b")
Diff eq was... incomprehensible. Some part of my difficulty I can write off as student/professor incompatibility - my prof was new, not an experienced instructor, and he also had an extremely heavy accent which I found challenging to decipher. I squeaked though his class with a 2.3 that, in all honesty, I didn't deserve.
It's now a decade later and I really don't like my lack of understanding in this area. I don't have plans to return to grad school for math, and I am not pursuing employment requiring fluency in diff eq. Nevertheless, the fact that I don't understand it eats at me. I feel like a fraud.
The easiest way to overcome my knowledge deficit would probably be auditing a diff eq class at a local university. However, in the decade since my degree was conferred, my family has moved from the US to Germany. I live in Munich, where there are a number of universities. The math classes are all taught in German, though, and my German is absolutely not sufficient to understand an easy undergrad level mathematics lecture, much less one on a topic with which I struggle.
What resources do you recommend for understanding differential equations for someone with moderate mathematical competency?
2024.05.19 11:37 Cosnapewno5 Takaba have more cursed energy than Sukuna
Yeah, that is right. We know that creation uses big amount of cursed energy. We know that limitless technique is so expensive that you need Six eyes to even use it, possibly because it makes non existent exist. And then we have the comedian, basically hybrid beetwen these two. It can create truck with AP that can destroy special grade cursed spirit. It can turn third strongest sorcerer into a cat. It can create buildings, creatures, from nothing. You can't convince me that it doesn't require very good CE pool and very good efficency.
But the thing is, Takaba doesn't even realise what his technique is, so I guess that he can't be efficent with it, so he probably wastes large pool of CE. Takaba used many crazy techniques against Kenjaku, and he doesn't seem to be drained or exhausted, but how?
There is only one possible answer: Takaba have gigantic CE reserves, probably much larger than Sukuna, second only to CS Rika(and Jackpot Hakari)
Give him efficency training and he would have better stamina that Sukuna and Gojo
submitted by Cosnapewno5 to JujutsuPowerScaling [link] [comments]
But the thing is, Takaba doesn't even realise what his technique is, so I guess that he can't be efficent with it, so he probably wastes large pool of CE. Takaba used many crazy techniques against Kenjaku, and he doesn't seem to be drained or exhausted, but how?
There is only one possible answer: Takaba have gigantic CE reserves, probably much larger than Sukuna, second only to CS Rika(and Jackpot Hakari)
Give him efficency training and he would have better stamina that Sukuna and Gojo
2024.05.19 10:49 No-Fondant3534 I miss that third tier class system
My only problem with engage was the fact that you JUST have basic or advanced classesâŠ. Quick backstory, I started with the series with Sacred Stones when I was in 6th grade and I borrowed it from a friend. For some reason I was super excited about the âpupilâ and âtraineeâ classes, just because of the fact that they could technically promote themselves more than the rest of the characters. Then in Radiant Dawn, since it was a continuation of an already established game, they brought all the old characters back and made a THIRD actually badass third class!!! It literally blew my mind, and unfortunately I didnât get to play the DS/3DS gamesâŠ. But that is my ONLY problem with Engage :/ I weirdly feel more accomplished when I have someone go from a myrmidon to a sword master and THEN TO TRUE BLADE?!?âŠ. And Iâm kind of upset that they just made the thief class a âspecialâ class and gave it a lvl 40 capâŠ. WHEREâs MY ROUGE/WHISPER đ
PS. I also miss story based level promotion for the special characters đŹ
edited: for spelling errors lol
submitted by No-Fondant3534 to fireemblem [link] [comments]
PS. I also miss story based level promotion for the special characters đŹ
edited: for spelling errors lol
2024.05.19 10:23 Comfortable-Table-57 Some things I should've been aware of before I started going to my college.
I should've been warned about some of the issues that can happen within the college, especially in this generation. Such as, how students would behave in the campus. I should've been aware that many students can tend to behave like Y7 and Y9 kids, of course, as its a standalone college, most likely alot of students got into alot of trouble back at school so they had to leave. Also, being aware that it won't be 100% quick that I will reach out and make new mates as some students may already have large group of friends from the same secondary school and may refuse to reach out to others. Not saying that due to having bad social skills; I do have good social skills although I wait for others to reach out because I had been back stabbed a few times by my best friends during the holidays.
If I was aware about some of the cons, like how college students can have this bad behaviour like also bad manners to members of the public or even the staff in the campus, I could adjust my plans slightly and go to the sixth form of my high school. Which means that, I should take some of the subjects that I hate seriously, such as GCSE English Literature and Combined Science (Though I passed in that subject); my sixth form needs 6 GCSEs at grades 5 and above, including Maths, English Language, English Literature. Sixth form students are the ones who would actually grow up and be like minded, because a sixth form is owned (predominantly) by the school, so the staff do still give the same consequences.
Why they behave like this? Well, colleges usually give freedom and have less rules. Many students take it the wrong way and think freedom means they can do all the bad things they couldn't do in school; I've witnessed stuff such as drug uses, condoms everywhere etc.
With the betrayal being happened, if I was at my sixth form, I would move on effortlessly as I will be with others that were familiar from the get go and my self esteem and trust will come back immediately or may never even go. My school did got worse, but I'd rather suffer from biased policies instead of wasting time having to interfere with hundreds of strangers in the college who aren't so like minded.
Anyways, I just wanted to get this out of my chest.
What about you all? What stuff you should've known before college?
submitted by Comfortable-Table-57 to college [link] [comments]
If I was aware about some of the cons, like how college students can have this bad behaviour like also bad manners to members of the public or even the staff in the campus, I could adjust my plans slightly and go to the sixth form of my high school. Which means that, I should take some of the subjects that I hate seriously, such as GCSE English Literature and Combined Science (Though I passed in that subject); my sixth form needs 6 GCSEs at grades 5 and above, including Maths, English Language, English Literature. Sixth form students are the ones who would actually grow up and be like minded, because a sixth form is owned (predominantly) by the school, so the staff do still give the same consequences.
Why they behave like this? Well, colleges usually give freedom and have less rules. Many students take it the wrong way and think freedom means they can do all the bad things they couldn't do in school; I've witnessed stuff such as drug uses, condoms everywhere etc.
With the betrayal being happened, if I was at my sixth form, I would move on effortlessly as I will be with others that were familiar from the get go and my self esteem and trust will come back immediately or may never even go. My school did got worse, but I'd rather suffer from biased policies instead of wasting time having to interfere with hundreds of strangers in the college who aren't so like minded.
Anyways, I just wanted to get this out of my chest.
What about you all? What stuff you should've known before college?
2024.05.19 09:31 Careful-Librarian145 [Hire Me] Have your academic writing needs taken care of remarkably by a top tutor. Hire me for your online classes, dissertations, research papers, blog entries, admission essays, Lab reports, exams and quizzes.
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submitted by Careful-Librarian145 to HomeworkExcellence [link] [comments]
My prices are a fair $15 per page, which includes editing or any revisions necessary. You only pay after seeing the work and it's up to your standards and anticipation. Kindly reach out to me or send your assignment details to; adeptlibrari869@gmail.com, so that we can discuss further and make a deal. Thank you and welcome as you hire the best.