This post is the first of (at least) 3. I’ve been writing it for a few days now, so it’s pretty long. Some parts are a little repetitive, but this stuff is complicated (for a reason) and I really want people to understand how it works. Clarity is important to me because 1) I want to know when I’m wrong, and 2) obscurity and complexity are pretty much the only things supporting the House of Cards.
Oh and I hate to ask but - even if you just read the TLDR (or can’t read all) but think the post is at least worth looking at, please upvote. I’ve seen the power of the bots and all the words are scary to begin with. Save the award money for more GME 🚀🚀
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TLDR:

APs, like Citadel, use ETFs to provide liquidity. When there are lots of buyers (GME in January), it’s their job to make sure those buyers have sellers to reduce volatility. Yes, stopping squeezes is a large part of their job. They do this by buying ETF shares and selling the GME inside. BUT the SEC has made a series of exemptions for APs that allows them to sell ETF shares up to 6 days before depositing the securities needed for creation. It’s selling before buying, and not locating shares to borrow. That’s naked shorting, up to 50,000 shares at a time. And the securities needed for deposit within 6 days, the ones naked shorted? They go unreported as part of bona fide market making. That’s where (some of) the shares are. In this post, I go looking for them.
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ELIA:

ETFs trade on the market like stocks, but they actually represent some proportion of underlying securities. Authorized Participants (APs are big banks and Citadel) trade ETFs in groups of 50,000 shares called “creation baskets” - and these creation baskets can be exchanged with the underlying securities in the ETFs proportions. (lol it’s actually anyproportion, but more on that later)
For an AP: 50,000 shares of ETF = “creation basket” = 50,000 shares of underlying securities.
They’re interchangeable, for a small fee.
This process allows APs to profit from arbitrage: the process of creating or redeeming creation baskets to profit from differences in an ETF’s market price and the Net-Asset-Value (NAV) of the securities underlying it. A presentation given at Wharton (linked below) showed that APs can make higher and more “predictable” returns by exploiting an exemption that allows them to sell ETF shares that they do not own up to 6 days before purchasing the securities needed to create them.
This is effectively short selling via ETF, and they are legally exempt from locating a valid share to borrow. So it’s naked short selling via ETF.
Also, the shares deposited (short, naked, or otherwise) for ETF creation are not recorded on the APs books, so any short interest involved in arbitrage will not show up in FINRA numbers. Per the Securities Act of 1933.
However, as the presentation explains, evidence of this activity would include creation of ETF shares without redemption, particularly in ETFs that are more liquid than their underlying securities. cough, GME, cough
This would result in consistently increased ownership in the ETF, so evidence of this process can be found in ETF ownership anomalies.
I discuss this data and more, which ultimately suggest, in my opinion, overwhelming evidence of heinous levels of naked short selling across multiple securities, systemically linked through these ETFs and hidden by bona fide market making arbitrage provisions. Due to liquidity, or lack thereof, and GME’s 60+ ETFs, it was the perfect target for this activity. This is why GME is the black hole.
Whoopsie
I argue that Citadel and friends tried bankrupting GME with this system by hiding naked shorts and FTDs across these ETFs, hoping to dilute share price all the way to bankruptcy. I discuss mechanism behind this, HFT’s role, how BoA, GS, and JP got involved, how RC pretty much handed Citadel’s balls over to BlackRock, and what all the footprints left behind might reveal about the scope of this whole thing.
Spoiler, they’re fucked^fucked
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Preface

(( I’m skeptical by nature. Like any tool, skepticism isn’t inherently good or bad - it’s just useful. In some cases more than others. ))
As a disclaimer, not only am I not a financial advisor. 6 months ago I had virtually no financial background whatsoever. The entirety of my relevant knowledge has come from months of independent research and personal interviews. I believe it’s fair to say I have a proficiency for puzzles and a nose for bullshit - and the dynamic between the two has served me well in the past.
I attempt to discuss an incredibly complex system here, the depth of which I’m certainly ignorant to. I decided the “Great Wall of Text” approach just was too much. Plus, I’ve been so close to putting things together for such a long time, I’m eager to have it reviewed. So I’d like present the story as soon as possible it to encourage more apes to dig deeper into this stuff.
I’m sure many of you have years of experience beyond me, but I’ve gone to great lengths in trying to understand the mechanics and regulations at a granular level - as well as their context in the events we’ve hodled through - so I hope you’ll at least give me a chance. I really hope you can correct me where I’m mistaken. I’ll try to answer all questions I can in the comments. I just like to figure stuff out.
It took months of notes and connecting dots to put this together, and I’ll eventually discuss mechanics and examples of arbitrage, creation/redemption, liquidity provisions, ex-clearing, synthetic options positions, gamma-delta hedging, disclosure laws, exemptions, Repos, RRPs, APs/MMs/BDs, FTDs, ETFs, ETNs, and all the regulations supposedly governing this whole fiasco. I try to stick to the official facts and documents, and I hope you glance at the sources I linked.
I’ll try keeping it to 3 chapters, though. This post will be the first - on ETF Arbitrage and it’s importance to GME.

Introduction

The true beginning of this story has been diligently and beautifully covered in the last few weeks by , , Dr. T, Wes Christian, and more. It starts with greedy and malicious short sellers making fortunes at the expense of companies, their employees, and their shareholders. This problem has existed for decades but was able to scale around 1990 - with the emergence of High Frequency Trading (HFT), Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) and Options trading. Together, they allowed shares sold short and FTDs to essentially be scattered in various places, as this 2019 video and this 2013 SEC risk alert explain.
I urge you, at some point, to look closely at both of those. Based on everything we’ve seen, I believe they are very pertinent and I’ll be leaning heavily on them to explain my reasoning.
ETFs and options trading allow short positions in many individual securities to aggregate, roll forward, and be dispersed (and hidden) in index funds and derivatives. This is, effectively, refurbishing FTDs to manipulate the supply and drive price down. The potential consequences of this scheme was forewarned in 2006 by Patrick Byrne when his company, Overstock, was victimized by this process. Byrne worked with Wes Christian in 2006 to bring attention to the issue, but traction was soon lost in 2008 when a… more immediate disaster… popped up.
In the 2000’s, High-Frequency-Trading (HFT) began dominating the markets. Citadel, possibly the world’s largest HFT trading firm, AND FRIENDS got involved when realized that “predictable” returns can be made through ETF arbitrage.
Index funds like ETFs hold securities in certain proportions to track some index. To an Authorized Participant (AP) like Citadel, ETF shares are traded in baskets of 50,000, and they’re exchangeable with securities in the proportions of the ETFs holdings. This is called creation (buying shares and creating ETF) and redemption (redeeming ETF for shares inside).
If there are differences in an ETFs trading price and it’s Net-Asset-Value (NAV), even for a fraction of a second, this is a profitable opportunity for an AP. If NAV > ETF price, then the 50,000 underlying securities are worth more individually than as an ETF. APs can buy ETF, redeem ETF shares for its underlying shares, then sell for a profit. If NAV < ETF price, APs can create ETF shares by depositing the underlying securities into the ETF fund, which provides the AP with ETF shares to sell for profit.
APs are also allowed to sell ETF shares up to 6 days before creating them, as explained in the linked video. This is effectively a short position, and *because there is no supply limit for ETFs (and ETF creation/redemption has less regulation than in short selling equities) this can theoretically be repeated and hidden in perpetuity.
And they don’t even need a locate. This is essentially legal naked shorting renamed providing liquidity.
So, for example, if the AP has reason the believe the NAV will decrease within 6 days, they can redeem ETF shares and delay creation, hoping to profit from the decreased NAV. The video calls this “directional short selling” - basically a euphemism for legal naked short selling.
In most cases, this process is effective in reducing volatility by moving the “noise trading” into various ETFs. GME, clearly, is not most cases. I don’t think the system considered what happens when there are more shares owed than should be owned.
But does this really even happen? Or to a significant degree? From the Wharton presentation:
“ Directional short selling is the strongest indicator of both short interest percentage and FTDs in ETFs. “
This was likely practiced in a number of stocks. Or entire ETFs, such as XRT, which the presentation shows as having 77 million 13F (institutional) owners in 2017, despite only 11 million shares outstanding…
I argue that GameStop was the crux of Wall Street’s arrogance. I argue that existing data indicates naked short selling attempts to send GME into a death spiral by rolling at least double the number of outstanding shares in derivative short positions and FTDs, effectively diluting share price by inflating supply.
This would’ve been high-risk/high-reward with GME, because it’s 70 million shares outstanding is so small compared to other targeted companies. Blockbuster had 220 million. AMC has 450 million.
With such limited supply, these “refurbished” (rehypothecated, rolling) FTDs can be more effective in driving price down. However, if the “bankruptcy death spiral” fails, covering years worth of these positions gets very violent.
Why? Well the supply is comparatively low to begin with, and the creation/redemption process during the death spiralactually syphons real shares from GMEs float (I’ll explain how that works below). So the arbitrage process has moved a portion of the (already small) float into ETFs, and each share covered simultaneously increases demand and reduces supply. At some point, GME’s liquidity becomes bone dry because so many of it’s actual shares were converted into ETF shares.
Demand for GME keeps rising, but supply is already zero. Demand drives the price up, lack of liquidity drives the price up, APs scramble to find ETF shares, further increasing demand and decreasing ETF supply. However, this time, providing the GME to cover shorts adds no extra supply, so the price for anything containing GME goes vertical. The whole process starts feeding on itself in reverse, and I argue that this has already begun.

Chapter 1: ETF ARBITRAGE

The Game

Blackrock’s explanation
I’m the context of ETFs, arbitrage is simply profiting from the price difference of a security and an ETF containing that security. ETF shares trade on the market at market price, like an equity stock, but an ETF share actually represents an aggregate total of many stocks in a set proportion. The aggregate value of these equities in that proportion is called the Net-Asset-Value (NAV).
ETF shares don’t always trade at their NAV. When this happens, there is a potential for profit because 50,000 shares of the ETF == 50,000 shares of the underlying securities in price, but Authorized Participants (APs) can exchange them nonetheless for a small fee. APs are usually big Banks and Market Makers (MMs): JP, Goldman, BoA, oh and Citadel.
This “exchange” is done through a process called creation and redemption. APs, exclusively, are allowed to do this, and APs are usually big Banks and Market Makers (MMs): JP, Goldman, BoA, oh and Citadel. For example:
Blackrock’s ETFs (iShares) are generally rebalanced 4 times per year: at the end of February, May, August, and November. So if GameStop goes to $350 in January after being balanced around $16 in November, the list I mentioned above (and more) can buy IWM, IJR, IWN, IJT, and all the other ETFs that GME is a portion of, break them open into their individual shares (this is done in 50,000 share baskets called Creation Units) and sell the GME inside. Because the ETFs proportioned GME at a $16 dollar price, the ETFs trading price didn’t go up as much it would if GME were proportioned in real time. NAV =/= ETF trading price, so while GME is rising, 50,000 ETF shares are cheaper than the 50,000 shares they’re redeemed for, because of the GME inside.
Why are they allowed to do this?? According to the SEC, the answer is… Liquidity Oh, and somehow also efficiency and transparency.
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Let’s take a step back for a second. So some portion of GME’s 70 million shares are purchased by ETF funds, like BlackRock’s iShares, in order to issue the first ETF shares. Then, APs come in and either 1) put some of those GME shares back or 2) take more out, based on the NAV of the ETF. Now, and this this important, because APs PROFIT from volatility through arbitrage, they have an incentive to favor creation over redemption.
If, as an AP, you buy the shares from the market (or just naked short them), and have them trade as ETF instead, you decrease supply of the security. This increases volatility, which creates more opportunity for arbitrage - i.e. more opportunity for profit. AND if you have more shares for creation/redemption, you have better control over the prices of both the ETF and it’s securities.
Did I mention that Citadel is the world’s largest HFT firm?
Anyway, there is a very strong incentive to take shares from securities and have them trade as ETF instead. And I’d argue that at some point, the “providing liquidity” excuse becomes void, because the AP was the one who diminished the liquidity in the first place.
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Well what happens when an 7% of an ETF contains shares of a company you intend to bankrupt?
This 2019 Presentation at Wharton, as linked above, briefly talks about XRT. I’ve linked it a few times now, pleasewatch or save that video.
The presenter notes that the example is extreme, and I’d say it’s borderline heinous. The SPDR fund had issued ~11 million shares of XRT in 2017, but the 13F filings added up to 77 million shares. There had been 66 million shares created, but not redeemed. AP’s have the exclusive ability to create shares, and in 2017 the settlement period was 2 days instead of 6…
The presentation also discusses an AP’s exemption allowing them to sell ETF shares up to 6 days before depositing the required securities into the ETF fund to create the basket. The presenter discusses certain cases where ETFs are more liquid than their underlying securities, like GME, and the ETF shares seem to be continually created without ever being redeemed. This led to XRT.
So of those 77 million XRT shares, say 6 % were GME (not sure exactly what it was at the time but it’s 6.75% now). That represents 4.62 million shares of GME trading in XRT baskets. That represents almost 10% of GME’s reported float, from this one ETF alone.
And where are these shares reported, exactly? I’ll let BlackRock tell you:
** “any securities accepted for deposit and any securities used to satisfy redemption requests will be sold in transactions that would be exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”).” **
As I’m sure you guessed, they’re off the books.
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To recap:
When institutional investors and retail investors place bids for ETF shares, APs (banks and citadel) can sell ETF shares that they don’t have to “provide liquidity”. Then, within 6 days, the AP must deposit the sold securities into the ETF Fund.
BUT!
APs can (and have been known to) profit from expected decreases in the NAV of the ETF by waiting up to 6 days to deliver the shares. Until settled, this is a naked short position, and it’s not reported in the short interest. Oh and one more thing,
GME is in over 60 ETFs. Go to “Top ETF” under “Ownership”. 68 listed ETFs right now. An AP can short XRT today, and settle by shorting IWM next week, then GAMR, then XRT again, then IJR…. you get the picture.
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And it keeps getting worse.
How exactly do you think this creation/redemption process is carried out in, say, Citadel? Is there a creation/redemption department with a few dozen people monitoring all these ETFs, the underlying securities, the NAV, and the incoming orders - looking for price discrepancies? A few hundred people? Just Ken-bo? Is Kenny G the Michael Jordan of arbitrage?
Nope. Citadel is all about HFT. It’s algos.
From Investopedia in 2020 -
“Another way these [HFT] firms make money is by looking for price discrepancies between securities on different exchanges or asset classes. This strategy is called statistical arbitrage, wherein a proprietary trader is on the lookout for temporary inconsistencies in prices across different exchanges. With the help of ultra fast transactions, they capitalize on these minor fluctuations which many don’t even get to notice.”
So, to be clear, Citadel, the world’s largest HFT firm by ~20x the AUM of second place - the very same firm that clears over 50% of RH’s trades and gets almost as much total trading volume as the entire NYSE, does the vast majority of that volume with lines of code, stuffed into thousands of black boxes in some fortress in the middle of nowhere… They buy yachts with this creation/redemption system. Do you think these lines of code secure a locate when they short shares to “provide liquidity”?
(( Side note on another gem from that link:
“HFT firms also make money by indulging in momentum ignition. The firm might aim to cause a spike in the price of a stock by using a series of trades with the motive of attracting other algorithm traders to also trade that stock. The instigator of the whole process knows that after the somewhat “artificially created” rapid price movement, the price reverts to normal and thus the trader profits by taking a position early on and eventually trading out before it fizzles out.”
So yeah, no wonder we’ve had dozens of days with insane swings that ended up within 2 percent of open. Those RH orders pile up on Ken’s computers and he can basically execute them however and whenever he’d like. I digress. ))
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GameStop

Back to GME in January. Ryan Cohen stepped in and at one point, GME did almost 200 million volume in a day. As buy orders come in, market makers like Citadel had to add liquidity from somewhere. After all, GME’s 70m shares outstanding pales in comparison to most other stocks in XRT, and just in general. AMC has 450m. NOK has 4.7 billion.
So in a perfect world, these HFT algos buy ETF shares from the market, redeem them (often from BlackRock, who owns iShares, or StateStreet who distributes SPDR ETFs), and sell the GME. Remember - the number of ETF shares outstanding can fluctuate, but not GME (without shorts or moves from GameStop), so this would reduce the total number of shares of the ETF and restore the shares of GME that the process had originally depleted.
So unless I’m mistaken here, keeping in mind Citadel itself clears almost the same volume as the entire NYSE - to provide liquidity and decrease volatility as buying pressure go up (aka delay the MOASS), should be buying ETF shares to put the GME back. So ETF ownership should decrease as they’re bought up and broken apart. If the ETF ownership stays the same, the extra liquidity is more likely to be short positions, naked or otherwise (to be covered the next day or who knows when).
Well, somehow, from January 15-March 31, ETF institutional ownership went up.
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Here they are

I did some math.
I used FINRA numbers and the official ETF issuer’s websites (SEC requires them to provide this) to find 1) total shares outstanding today in May (from issuer), 2) institutional ownership from Jan and March (FINRA), 3) the percent GME (issued), and 4) who bought shares (and who did NOT buy shares).
I looked at about 30 of GME biggest ETFs are picked out the ETFs with the most shares floating around. These account for the majority of total volume. Here are some of the standouts, as of, May 31:
IWM - (0.44% GME) - 300m shares outstanding and 345m institutional ownership.
345m IWM shares represents 1.5m GME shares.
IJR - (1.15% GME) - 629.7m shares outstanding and 444m institutional ownership.
1.15% of 629.7m shares is 7.24 million shares of GME.
FNDX - (1.01% GME) - 128.55m shares outstanding and 100.4m institutional ownership.
Another 1.3 million GME.
last but not least
Wedbush back at it again with GAMR - (1.42% GME) - 70.77m shares outstanding and 190,000 institutional ownership.
Another million.
Honorable mention goes to XRT, with 15 million institutional owners holding a total 1 million GameStop shares, though XRT has only 9m shares outstanding.
Adding up just the ETFs I looked at, there are over 20 million claimed owners GME via ETF
That 20m number doesn’t even include retail ownership in ETF, short interest, “family offices” (like Archegos) that don’t have to report their positions to the SEC, any shares from ivestco ETFs (they have many shares outstanding but no reported GME weight despite owning GME, per fintel), or any trades settled in ex-clearing.
It also excludes short positions extended by options and other derivative instruments, which I’ll talk about in the next post.
This is just the tip of the Glacier.
Even the at 20 million at face value means that, as of May, there is a float sized chunk of GME trading as ETF shares.
I’d estimate, just through the ways around regulation that an ape can find on the internet, the number is at least twice that. Byrne mentioned that it could be closer to 5x the reported numbers.
When Ryan Cohen simultaneously mapped GameStop’s future and gobbled up 9 million shares, I think shorts piled into ETFs, particularly BlackRock’s iShares. They got a glimpse. In light of this, I think it’s very telling that they hodled. Hodled Citadel, by the balls, that is.
Oh, and somehow, almost every ETF I looked at miraculously increased in shares outstanding and institutional ownership 2020-2021, even from Jan to March. Despite the fact that the NAV was consistently higher during those periods…
Among the buyers were Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, Goldman Sachs…
So who were the sellers?

it was a children’s game, meant to make learning maths more enjoyable from—i’d say 2008-2009 maybe? and it was set on a tropical island with loads of different mythological beasts as characters, and to progress in the game you had to answer simple equations. the ‘boss’ character that you had to defeat at the end was a minotaur i think, with red eyes. and i SWEAR it was called lagoona or something similar to that but i have scoured the internet trying to find something under that name and nothing has ever come up. interestingly enough though, i remember a few years later getting a puzzle book that was also about solving mathematical problems but this time through fish? for some reason? and at the end of the book there was a bunch of stickers with the characters from the ‘lagoona’ game. this all sounds so cryptic i know but if anyone remembers anything similar it would be greatly appreciated! even if you don’t know what it’s called but just remember something similar it would be great to know i’m not going crazy lol
EDIT: i forgot to add that i think the company that made the game also made the book.

Hey everyone! This is technically Part 2 of Part 3 of this series! I accidentally wrote WAY too much for this part so I had to split it up. If you'd like to read the previous entries in the series, they'll be linked below. I will also continue using the 🎩 and 💎 to rate albums as either top-tier amongst the wave or hidden gems, respectively.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 1
Perhaps controversially, I’ve decided to cover Emo-Pop in this section. After all, much of the Emo-Pop movement is uniquely Third Wave, and many artists stayed relatively obscure. Besides, there’s no other part in the series that could reasonably contain this information, and Emo-Pop deserves its fair share of attention. Many artists on this list have incorporated elements of other genres into their music, including Pop Punk, Alternative, Indie Rock and Post-Hardcore, which speaks to the genre-invading nature of Third Wave Emo.
The very essence of this particular section may betray everything else I’m trying to do here, but I wanted to be comprehensive in my coverage of the genre. Besides, more Emo has never really been a bad thing, has it?

The Explosion of Emo-Pop

Northstar - Is This Thing Loaded? (2002)

Northstar - Is This Thing Loaded? (10/22/2002) Is This Thing Loaded? invokes that special early Vans Warped era, the time of Taking Back Sunday and Brand New starting to take over the industry. The youthful energy is captured in the rough production values with the guitar being a particular highlight. The very first song on the album is an instant classic, so even though the rest of the album fails to live up to those expectations, it’s still a super solid Emo-Pop album.
As a side note - Rigged and Ready supposedly really influenced TBS’s Cute Without the E, so perhaps we can at least partially attribute the immediate growth of Emo in the Third Wave to this band.

Newfound Interest in Connecticut - Less Is More or Less (2002)

Before compelling the world with their frigid take on the Post-Rock / Emo formula, Newfound Interest in Connecticut released a four-song EP in 2002. Unlike the brilliant soundscapes found on their LP, Less Is More or Less utilizies the Midwest Emo formula to craft Emo-Pop music. The vocals are more restrained and attempt poppier melodies, though the guitarwork and masterful drumming that the band would be known for is previewed on this EP quite nicely. If you’re looking for a Second Wave-esque Emo-Pop record or are just curious as to what the band used to sound like, look no further.

Moneen - Are We Really Happy With Who We Are Right Now? (2003) 💎

An adopter of the early Emo-Pop sound, Moneen as a band has a fascinating history as it relates to Third Wave Emo. The band came together in 1999, released a demo EP in 2000 and released their first full-length album in 2001. Perhaps this would mean they should be in the Second Wave section, but their forward-thinking Emo formula sounds fresh and “2000s,” for lack of a better term.
Emo-Pop influences on this album are subtle and mostly for the catchy verses and choruses. The production is reminiscent of a 90s Second Wave Emo record, giving Moneen a raw vibe on this album. Still, dynamic and time signature shifts occur regularly, showcasing the band’s penchant for writing a good Emo song. If you want to hear one of Canada’s very best Emo bands, please give this a listen.

The Movielife - Forty Hour Train Back to Penn (2003)

A fairly standard Pop-Punk / Emo-Pop combo from the fabled Long Island / New Jersey scene, The Movielife released music sparingly throughout the years but had only one release in the Third Wave officially. In the same vein as early Second Wave Emo artists, The Movielife consists of Hardcore kids who are trying to make non-Hardcore music but simply can’t escape their roots. This, of course, is only a huge positive as the spirit of Hardcore ensures this doesn’t become generic dreck. It’s a good album, but the bigger, faster songs tend to be the best on this record.

Breaking Pangaea - Phoenix (2003)

Breaking Pangaea is a little-known Emo band from Philly that came together at the turn of the century. After releasing their first LP in 2001, a traditional Midwest Emo affair, Phoenix would be the band’s final release. On this EP, Breaking Pangaea infused their sound with equal parts Emo-Pop, particularly in the guitar tone's crispness and the vocal melodies' poppiness. The results are infectious and feel distinctly 2000s.

Fresno - Quarto dos Libros (2003)

Simply put, Fresno is the biggest artist to come out of Brazil’s Emo scene. They’ve amassed 10 studio albums, numerous EPs, several live albums and tons of other recorded material. They are undoubtedly in that Jimmy Eat World position of playing Alternative after getting famous with Emo-Pop. Perhaps a band THIS BIG shouldn’t get coverage on this list, but even I’d never heard of Fresno before researching for this list, so I’d wager a lot of others need to know, too.
Their debut LP features a much rawer production sound than anything that came afterward, pairing their infectious Emo-Pop with Midwest Emo and Post-Hardcore elements. Notably, there was a dearth of Emo in Brazil when they formed and released this record, so it was groundbreaking in some ways. This is a rather auspicious start to a prolific career.

Hey Mercedes - Lose Control (2003)

From the ashes of legendary Midwest Emo band Braid comes Hey Mercedes, an Emo-Pop band that flirts with Power Pop. If you’re expecting Braid with catchier choruses, I’m sorry to disappoint. However, the melodic vocals will worm their way into your ears. Hey Mercedes’ second and final full-length album is a testament to the tortuous path Emo bands partake in; even with everything going for them, the band just never reached the heights they deserved.

Park - It Won't Snow Where you're Going (2003) 💎

Listening to Park in the context of Third Wave Emo is bittersweet; with their radio-ready melodies, combination of popular genres and high average song quality, they could have and should have reached mainstream popularity in the US. Fortunately, that doesn’t stop their existing music from kicking ass, and very few songs in their discography kick as much ass as the opening track to this LP.
This album takes the raw instrumental tones of Post-Hardcore and wraps them around a Pop-Punk skeleton with Emo as the connective tissue. Is that too artsy of a description? Maybe, but once you hear this album, you’ll understand where I’m coming from.

Halfway to Holland - Halfway to Holland (2003)

Peter Helmis and, to a slightly lesser extent, Joe Reinhart are absolute legends in Emo, not only for the sheer massive quantity of bands they’ve been a part of but for the consistently good quality each of their releases possesses. The two are primarily known for Algernon Cadwallader, The Cap’n Jazz of the Emo Revival, but have participated in numerous other excellent acts. The first of which, however, was Halfway to Holland, started all the way back in 2001!
After a demo LP, they came out with their self-titled album in 2003, mixing the youthful energy of Pop-Punk, the catchiness and structure of Emo-Pop and the rawness of Midwest Emo into a fairly straightforward package. Vocalist Peter Helmis sounds exactly as you’d think, though the guitarwork is more focused on quick chord progressions and easy leads rather than anything twinkly or mathy.

Northstar - Pollyanna (2004) 💎

After their heralded debut album, Northstar would release their second and final album in 2004 - Pollyanna. This album is likely legendary among Emo fans of this era, truly in a tier only below albums like Tell All Your Friends, Deja Entendu and …Is a Real Boy. Northstar took everything that worked on their first outing and made the entire album a consistently good journey. The Pop-Punk is balanced very well on this album, taking a backseat at times for softer songs.
Sadly, the band broke up after this album was released, depriving the world of more good jams.

Slingshot Dakota - Keener Sighs (2004)

Slingshot Dakota was founded by Carly Comando and two members of Emo-leaning Punkers Latterman in 2003 before releasing their debut album a year later. Keener Signs is heavily influenced by Rainer Maria’s take on the Indie and Emo combo, especially in the dual masculine/feminine vocals, though Emo-Pop is the dominant force on this record. Gorgeous piano riffing is accompanied by admirable drumming and a dynamic guitar that goes from chord progressions to Emo twinkles.
Following this album, the two former Latterman members left the band, leading to a fundamental change in the band’s sound. Their next album wouldn’t be released until 2008, though the Emo influence would diminish exponentially across each subsequent release.

The Kidcrash - New Ruins (2004)

New Ruins sees THE Kidcrash in an unrecognizable light compared to their other legendary LPs Jokes and Snacks. Prior to becoming a legend in the Screamo genre for their complex and technical music, The Kidcrash was another Emo-Pop hopeful reminiscent of bands like Underoath, but with a critical ear, you can suss out the subtle intricacy of the layered guitars and the mathy syncopation of the rhythm section. The vocals are admittedly underwhelming, especially when you know what the singer is capable of later in his career. Besides, these vocals were in vogue around the mid 00s, so it isn’t too unexpected.
If you want to hear the humble beginnings of a band that would go on to be legends in the scene, check out this artifact of Emo history.

Fresno - O rio, a cidade, a árvore (2004)

Brazil’s biggest Emo band continues their search for a core identity on this album, featuring significantly better production values and the slow shedding of their Midwest Emo and Post-Hardcore influences. While this is a fine album and the volume dynamics make this a great roadmap for Emo-Pop, it’s lacking that little something; their first album took advantage of the raw recordings and infused them with youthful energy. Their next album…well, let’s wait to talk about that one.

Fightstar - They Liked You Better When You Were Dead (2005)

Whilst Charlie Simpson was performing as one of the poster children for UK boy band Busted, he began to write some Post-Hardcore music to scratch his rock itch. However, he got REALLY involved and would leave Busted in 2005, a month before this debut EP was released. Prominently showcased is Simpson’s strong voice, showcasing an entirely different side than what fans of his were used to. Moody Post-Hardcore is the basis of the music, but most melodic elements are derived from Emo-Pop. If for nothing else than novelty, I’d suggest checking out this stellar debut EP and the LPs that would follow.

Gatsbys American Dream - Volcano (2005)

With more than their fair share of Pop Punk seeping from the album, Volcano is one of the slickest Emo-Pop albums around. Gatsbys American Dream has reached their final form on their third LP, eschewing the more frenzied Pop Punk concoction to forge the perfect Pop Punk / Emo-Pop mixture. The production values, particularly in the sleek guitar tones, are quite polished and allow for both distorted and clean moments to shine. With several other albums that all came out during this time period, I’d recommend you check these Seattle natives out, though be aware this is probably their truest Emo-Pop effort.

Fresno - Ciano (2006) 🎩

Fresno has never sounded so confident, so sure of themselves as songwriters and performers than on this third full-length album. Traces of Midwest Emo and Post-Hardcore remain, but only as over-the-shoulder guides that ensure Fresno doesn’t stray too far from the very ethos of the genre. The melodies on offer here will get stuck in anyone’s head, regardless of what language you speak. Each note of the singer’s voice seems meticulously crafted around the enormous anthemic music, yet confusion, loneliness and anger seep through the euphony.
Simply put, this is what Emo-Pop is all about: taking the emotional catharsis of Emo and blending it into a palatable product. Indeed, this album launched Fresno into Brazil’s stratosphere. Fresno would start incorporating more and more elements of Alternative Rock into their music, effectively making this their last pure Emo-Pop album. It sure is one Hell of a way to go out, though.

Park - Building A Better _____ (2006)

Park gives it one more go on their final studio album, flirting with experimentation along the way. This is perhaps their most varied album as a result, but also one that lacks the strength in identity as their other releases. Still, Park produces some of their very best songs on here.
Building a Better is a monument to the wonder of Emo, showcasing a band with all the talent, songwriting and opportunity to jump into superstardom, only for obscurity to be their fate ultimately. Bands like this are why I write about this amazing music scene.

Moneen - The Red Tree (2006)

Following up on two acclaimed LPs, an EP and a Split with Alexisonfire was never going to be an easy task for Moneen, but after signing with Vagrant Records, Moneen released a cohesive album that’s at least as good as their previous stuff. The beautiful combination of Emo, Emo-Pop and 90s-era Post-Hardcore remains a winner for Moneen, but the lack of a true standout track amongst a sea of really good ones does mean this album isn’t quite as memorable as it should be. Regardless, this is Canada’s best Emo band for a reason.

The Graduate - Anhedonia (2007)

When The Graduate was around, there were comparisons made to Jimmy Eat World - and rightfully so! The band oozes melody and catchiness like no other, especially in the earworm choruses. Their second and final LP, Only Every Time, was analogous to Bleed American, so does that make Anhedonia this band’s Clarity? Not quite, failing to capture the magic of Only Every Time, but as a debut album goes, The Graduate really swung for the fences. If you enjoy extraordinarily captivating vocal performances or Emo-Pop with Alternative and Pop Rock influences, check this one out! Be warned that there’s very little edge to be found on this record.

Counterfit - Super Amusement Machine for Your Exciting Heart (2007)

Early Emo-Pop from Connecticut, Counterfit only released one full-length album in 2002 after a few EPs before calling it quits in 2004. However, we should all be so grateful that they released anything at all! Simple and dirty Emo-Pop / Midwest Emo with just enough edge to capture the hearts of those fans of the early 00s era of Emo. There isn’t anything you haven’t heard before on here, but worthy of a listen nonetheless.

Johnny Foreigner - Waited Up ‘Til It Was Light (2008) 🎩

Exuberant, youthful, manic and catchy are just a few of the many descriptors that can be said about Johnny Foreigner’s exemplary debut LP. Three years after their first demo showcased the band’s Post-Rock writing chops, this release illustrates the band’s evolution into a premier Emo-Pop band. The dual male-female vocals greatly add to the diversity on display here with strong hints of Indie Rock, Pop Punk and even Math Rock. No two songs are alike, proving the songwriting in this band is exceptional.
Johnny Foreigner would go on to be one of the most prolific Emo / Indie artists in the UK, having released four more studio albums, numerous EPs and lots of other material. However, despite this legendary Emo-Pop output, the band would never quite reach the lofty heights of this debut LP. If you’re going to check out any Emo-Pop on this list, you should let it be this one.
Finally, I’ve reached the point where I’m all out of clever sections and cute titles. These last few releases are all Emo releases that defy categorization based on what I’ve already written about. Simply put, this final section of Part Three is entitled:

Other Uncategorized Emo

Desaparecidos - Read Music/Speak Spanish (2002) 💎

Many probably know the story of Bright Eyes’ frontman Conor Oberst’s OTHER band, but I’ll give you the quick and dirty if you don’t; Conor intended Desaparecidos to be his secondary band before Bright Eyes unexpectedly took off like crazy, dashing those plans. And it’s a shame since Read Music/Speak Spanish is cooler and more Emo than any of Conor’s other music. Emo with strong Punk leanings, Desaparacidos plays with anger pumping through their veins, to a level just below that of someone like Cursive.
Oberst’s vocal delivery carries strength and rage, highlighted by the frantic guitar riffs and active rhythm section. This doesn’t sound like a lot of other Emo music that came before it, even if it doesn’t do anything particularly innovative. If political-leaning Emo is your thing or you’re just pissed off about the United States, give this a listen.

Kickball - Huckleberry Eater (2003)

Kickball, a trio of Olympia natives, released their eclectic first album in 2003, combining docile Indie Rock with very subtle elements of Math Rock. The Emo influence on this one isn’t as pronounced as it is in future releases, but Huckleberry Eater radiates with awkwardness and depression from every corner. If you enjoy offbeat, slightly downer Emo with very little in the way of hard structure, check this out!

Bear vs Shark – Right Now, You’re in the Best of Hands. And If Something Isn’t Quite Right, Your Doctor Will Know in a Hurry (2003)

I know what you’re thinking: Bear vs. Shark isn’t an Emo band, they’re Post-Hardcore! Well, they are Post-HXC, but they infuse it with a generous heaping of Emo, reminiscent of 90s At the Drive-In. The messy, noisy Post-Hardcore moments are perfectly juxtaposed next to the cleaner, more melodic Emo-leaning sections.
Although Emo and Post-Hardcore was a popular combination during the Second Wave, this band eschewed tradition with this release and crafted something far more modern and 2000s-sounding, for lack of a better term. From the production to the songwriting choices, this album represents a tiny window in 2000s history.

Desert City Soundtrack - Funeral Car (2003) 💎

From the first few seconds of this album, you could be forgiven for thinking this was some generic piano-driven Indie Rock, but you’ll reward yourself for continuing to listen as Funeral Car is an unexpectedly unique slice of Emo history. The piano lulls the listener into a false state of peace, but the piano doesn’t define the music found here, it’s the other way around; the piano is merely a tool to emphasize the tone, tempo and volume dynamics at play in this eclectic combination of songs.
The softer, Indie-leaning sections often give way to frenetic Post-Hardcore sections comprised of screaming and total instrumental upheaval. Following this up may be a serene trumpet melody or subdued vocal passage. If you like this, they also have an EP from 2002 that is a tad heavier overall.

Purplene - Purplene (2004) 💎

Purplene’s self-titled LP is also their final one, but they prove themselves to be quintessential OzzEmo (I hope the Australians don’t kill me for that…). Somewhat reminiscent of The Jim Yoshii Pile-Up due to their combination of melancholy Midwest Emo and smooth Slowcore, Purplene also adds in elements of Math Rock with shifting time signatures and Post-Rock with extended instrumental passages. What’s left in the rubble is a uniquely-crafted work of Emo history.
If you like your Emo to be more on the bummer side of the spectrum and love really polished guitarwork, this is definitely one that you can’t miss.

Colossal - Welcome the Problems (2004) 🎩

To Chicago-area Midwest Emo fans, Colossal is the faint but familiar name of a legendary band that came and went during Midwest Emo’s lowest period. Comprised of Chicago Punk royalty, Colossal’s debut LP is an experience unlike any other. Some of the most virtuosic guitar playing in the entire genre of Emo can be found on this album, enough to make any Kinsella brother blush.
Speaking of Kinsella, Colossal sounds like American Football if they actually rocked out instead of sticking to the softer Indie Rock-influenced stuff. Pat’s singing voice is also quite distinct among Emo, showcasing a lower register than average. If you enjoy Midwest Emo, proficient instrumentals and incredible songwriting, this is a must-listen.

The Progress - Golden State (2004)

The original band for Chicago-based Emo legend Evan Weiss (of Into It. Over It., Their / They’re / There and Pet Symmetry fame), The Progress released one fairly rough s/t EP in 2001 before coming out with Golden State in 2004. Traditional Midwest Emo with noticeable Pop Punk influences, this EP is the evolution of Second Wave Emo, especially in the vein of bands like The Get Up Kids. Though it isn’t anything wholly original or an essential release, the volume dynamics and amazingly catchy vocal performances will ensure this stays with you for a while.

Shinobu - Herostratus vs Time (2004)

Shinobu is an interesting artifact of time; One of the founders, Matt Keegan, is a frequent friend and collaborator with Jeff Rosenstock, even having him on a Shinobu album at some point. They are also seen as a very influential band to artists like Joyce Manor and PUP, in no small part due to their debut album’s eclectic and somewhat depressing combination of Slacker Rock and Midwest Emo.
This LP never quite takes off to the races, but the constant bummer tempo, combined with the sunny facade that fails to convince the listener that anyone in this band is a happy person, ensures their place in Indie Punk history. Though Shinobu would release a fair few more albums, including another wonderful LP in 2006, the Emo influences would be hit or miss from that point onward.

Slingshot Around the Moon - This Is Who We Are (2004)

The importance of music preservation is often diminished, especially when it comes to niche, local or otherwise unknown stuff. However, I think that’s what’s so beautiful about it; take Slingshot Around the Moon as a prime example. For a long time, most of the very few listeners of this band assumed they’d only released five songs total. However, including demos, remixes and live performances, the band has over three hours of stuff!
This Is Who We Are is the cleanest, most complete release of everything discovered so far. Taking Midwest Emo and adding in bleak elements of Post-Hardcore, this album is as jumpy as it is brooding. If you prefer faster-paced chord-heavy Emo with a 2000s feel, check this EP out, as well as this band’s other material.

Eniac - All That's Left of Us (2005)

To most Emo fans, Eniac is an unknown, a band name in a nebulous sea of band names. To Emos of the early 2000s in Denton, Texas, Eniac are local legends. Though their first and only LP was released in 2005, they’d long been disbanded by then and the record had already been recorded years prior. The style and production owe quite a bit to Second Wave Emo, but there’s something a little more “modern” about them, for lack of a better term.
The lyrics might be a bit shallow, the instrumentation slightly simple. However, like any good Emo, you can always feel the passion emanating from their music. To those with special memories of Eniac playing under a starry Texas night, these songs will always hold a special place in their heart.

Meneguar - I Was Born AT Night (2005)

Formerly named Sheryl’s Magnetic Aura, a pretty standard Midwest Emo band, they changed their name in 2004 to Meneguar and never looked back. After a demo that same year, they released their first full-length LP - I Was Born At Night. Cohesively fusing mid-00s Indie Rock with twinkly Midwest Emo like the genres were long lost brothers, Meneguar perfect this combination. Dancey songs with beautiful Emo riffs and volume dynamics populate this 30-minute release.
Sadly for us, their Emo influence would fade significantly on subsequent releases, making this their best. However, I’d still highly recommend giving at least this album a listen and their future works if you’re into Indie Rock.

Million Dead - Harmony No Harmony (2005)

Before becoming a certified Folk legend, Frank Turner found himself in a UK-based Post-Hardcore band named Million Dead. After a noisy and chaotic first album that saw them dip their toes into Emo waters, Million Dead returned in 2005 with their second LP with significantly more Emo influence, I’d say 50/50 with Post-Hardcore. The boisterousness found on A Song to Ruin remains a fixture on this album, but the Emo influence allows for more contrast with moments of clean serenity.
Frank Turner does belt out some gnarly screams on this album, but his use of melody and bombast has significantly improved, previewing why he’s attained such a large cult following over the years. Check out both of these albums - they’re both worth it, even if their first is only questionably Emo.

The Progress - Merit (2005)

If you enjoyed Golden State by Chicago’s own The Progress, you’ll enjoy this one. The traditional Midwest Emo elements - mixed in excellently with Pop-Punk influence - are all written and performed beautifully. What Merit does as an album is showcase how you can have memorable melodies in a radio-friendly framework without dipping into the increasingly popular Emo-Pop well. If you’re looking for some really solid Emo to add to your collection, check this one out.

Desert City Soundtrack - Perfect Addiction (2005)

Perfect Addiction is a perfect example of what many in the Indie Rock scene would call “maturity.” The songwriting is generally softer and more focused, though at the loss of some truly unhinged musical moments. The piano is more prominent as ever, flaunting the Indie influences highly on this album. The batshit crazy stuff found on Desert City Soundtrack’s debut LP is mostly lost in translation, though some heaviness still remains. Overall, I’d say this isn’t as good as their first album, but more of something this unique is always a good thing.

Kickball - ABCDEFGHIJKickball (2005) 💎

After releasing their mellowed-out debut LP with questionable amounts of Emo influence, Kickball followed up with a Midwest Emo album that’s simultaneously more experimental and more straightforward than Huckleberry Eater. This album features more fun Emo riffs, intricate drum patterns and overall a more dynamic song structure. If you weren’t a fan of the more subdued first album, this one utilizes a more traditional approach to Emo songwriting.

The Vermicious Knid - Smalltown Devotion/Hometown Compulsion (2005)

Smalltown Devotion is the sole full-length album from The Vermicious Knid, offbeat Emos from Ontario, Canada. The band is named after an obscure species in the works of Roald Dahl, so you can expect that sort of wackiness in the music as well. With dual-male vocalists, relatively raw production and a dancey backbone, this album really has to be heard to be believed. The band also has an EP they released in 2002 that previews the weirdness to come.

8-Bit Revival - Under the Fairweather (2006)

Four years after their debut EP Up & Atom, which we covered in the first part of the series, 8-Bit Revival returns with their first full-length Under the Fairweather. While perhaps this could also have belonged in the same section, I found this to be a bit more unique and “2000s” so I’m putting it here. The dingy Post-Hardcore vibes remain but are accompanied by fresher songwriting and a generous use of synths.

Owen - At Home With Owen (2006) 🎩

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention one of the most important figures in Emo history in this section: Mike Kinsella. For those who don’t know, Mike Kinsella’s legacy is crucial to the development of the genre; he was the drummer for Cap’n Jazz, the lead singer and guitarist of American Football and is a featured member in bands like Joan of Arc and Their / They’re / There. However, his most prolific series of work is as a solo artist under the name Owen.
Now people can argue all they want about whether or not this music is truly Emo, Indie Rock, Indie Folk or anything else, but I’m an AcousticEmo believer and this release is its quintessential album. Mike’s jazzy approach to instrumentation creates interesting and dynamic interactions between multiple instruments. At Home With Owen is perhaps his best and most memorable work, but he’s also released countless other LPs, EPs, splits and compilations over the years, including in the Third Wave.

Dear and the Headlights - Small Steps Heavy Hooves (2007) 💎

Perhaps Equal Vision Records doesn’t count as “Underground,” but Dear and the Headlights might just be the biggest and best band that no one has heard of. Combining Midwest Emo with Indie Rock and Folkish elements proves to be a refreshing, original and poignant take on the Emo formula; the usual loud-quiet dynamics that characterize Emo are here with a vocalist that scales with them. Ian Metzger serenades the listener with soft vocals during the cleaner, lighter parts of the album while the crescendos showcase how powerful his voice can get.
The warm, bittersweet tones create a sense of longing, accompanied by lyrical content revolving around heartbreak. While not groundbreaking, it’s done with earnestness and passion, not to mention some quality melodies. If you wanna sing your post-breakup feelings with all of your heart, learning these songs is a must.

Dartz! - This Is My Ship (2007)

One thing before I start - has anyone seen Dartz! and Bloc Party in the same room? Or do all British Indie-Adjacent bands sound like “that?” Either way, Dartz! takes that British Indie Rock formula, mixes it with a healthy dose of Math Rock and produces unique Emo goodness. The Mathy riffs almost make this one feel like Proto-Revival stuff, but the Indie Rock structure and tone keep this from sounding too similar to other such UK acts. Much like Bloc Party, vocalist William Anderson injects his lyrics with tons of melody and catchiness. Overall, this is an interesting take on the Emo formula and is worth your time if you think it sounds good.

Kickball - Everything is a Miracle Nothing is a Miracle Everything Is (2007)

Is there a more idiosyncratic Third Wave Emo band than Kickball? Huckleberry Eater in 2003 was a soft-Indie Midwest Emo project and ABCD was a slightly off-kilter Emo release, so where does that leave this, their final album? Believe it or not, Everything is a Miracle balances the two dominant sounds quite well while radiating with more emotion than on either of their previous records. The eccentricity reaches new heights with experimental production techniques, oddball instrumental sections and an admirable carelessness that allows the songs to flow naturally together.
Kickball would cease releasing new music after this, right before the Emo Revival rolled around. The band existed entirely in Emo’s Third Wave, embracing the kind of sounds that would characterize some Fourth Wave bands. They missed their chance to be a hidden gem of the Emo Revival, but I hope that you listen to at least one of their albums.

Dear and the Headlights - Drunk Like Bible Times (2008)

Following up on Small Steps Heavy Hooves was never going to be easy - Emo bands LOVE coming out with an amazing first album before either dropping off the face of the Earth or create a poor, unmemorable follow-up album. Dear and the Headlights, however, does an admirable job staving away this stereotype with Drunk Like Bible Times, releasing only a year after their debut. Is it as Emo as their previous LP? Not quite for the album leans slightly more into its Indie Rock influences this time around. However, the passion and the emotion is present in spades on this record and that alone is worth a listen.
Unfortunately, the group would disband some time after this album, never releasing another record aside from their two legendary outings.

Kumarenino - Tren camino a casa, mis errores y el numero 7 (2008)

Hailing from Mexico, Kumarenino is an obscure Emo band that came about during Emo's rise to prominence in the 2000s. They play traditional Midwest Emo with generous infusions of Indietronica. Their experimentation with electronic elements could be tied to the Emo-Pop explosion in Emo's mainstream period, but they are played in a way that reminds me of Fifth Wave Emo or Brave Little Abacus. Give these experimental Emos a listen!
That's it for this one! It took me such a long time to finish this one because it was a double part. As always, please let me know if I missed anyone on this list. On the next and final installment, we'll see the transition from Third to Fourth Wave Emo.

Third Wave Emo can be a difficult thing to categorize as the most successful movement within the wave was the increasingly mainstreamed Emo-Pop, much of which is still not considered “real Emo” by those in the scene. So outside of the popular side of Emo / Emo Adjacent music, there weren’t many definitive “movements” going on in the underground. However, there were some trends in Third Wave Emo, usually from Emo artists incorporating elements of different genres into their music.
Though disconnected by time, geography and varying rates of internet access, Emo artists from around the world managed to keep the DIY and Basement scenes alive, even if on life support, paving the way for The Revival to occur. As a result, this will likely be the largest part, combining disparate Emo subgenres into several distinct sections.
Note: I will be trying something new today. 💎 next to a name means it's a hidden gem. 🎩 next to a name means it's one of the top releases of the entire wave.
Today, we’re starting part three with one of the most distinct and influential movements in Emo. The Appleseed Cast is likely the godfather of the Post-Rock / Emo hybrid, and they released several albums to explore that combination in various ways. Rolling into the 2000s, underground and basement Emo seemed to love this powerful fusion of genres as well, prompting artists from around the world to put their own spin on that sound.
Primarily, Screamo was the beneficiary of this movement worldwide. European bands like Daitro, Japanese bands like envy and American bands like City of Caterpillar forged legendary careers through the aggression of Screamo and the atmosphere of Post-Rock. Undoubtedly, this would trickle down into the non-Screamo Emo scenes as well. Some of the greatest releases of Third Wave Emo, and perhaps the genre as a whole, can be found in this section:

Beauty in Tragedy: The Marriage of Emo and Post-Rock

Eyes of Autumn - Hello (2002)

Hello is the sole release from Eyes of Autumn, Emos out of Washington. Influence from bands like The Appleseed Cast are immediately evident with the airy Post-Rock instrumentation, the floaty, fleeting vocals and the syncopated rhythm section. However, Eyes of Autumn often visit the jazzier side of Math Rock, which is evident in the masterful drumming performance and the soft guitar tone. The singer’s voice is on the lower end, bucking Emo’s penchant for high-pitched whiny vocals. This band may not have been treading completely original ground, but they were an early innovator in what would become a legendary pairing of genres.

Pinebender - The High Price of Living Too Long With a Single Dream (2003)

Pinebender released their debut LP in 1999, an interesting combination of Midwest Emo, Post-Rock, Slowcore and Indie Rock. Although none of those combinations were truly groundbreaking at that time, they had their unique twist on the formula. The High Price of Living compounds upon their first outing, focusing primarily on the Post-Rock atmosphere this time around. Huge, droning walls of sound meet the listener head-on while the vocalist’s soft singing voice serenades you with depressive lyrics. You’ll hear that Shoegaze influence if you listen to it long enough.
Simple acts of repetition give the songs here some sonic depth, somewhat making Post-Rock music with Slowcore as a guide, all while sticking to those beautiful Midwest Emo principles.

Statistics - Leave Your Name (2004)

Denver Dalley, best known for his stint as lead guitarist for Desaparecidos (who we will get to later), created his solo project Statistics after they disbanded. These two bands are extremely different, but Emo DNA is still found in both. Dalley utilizes Indietronica techniques to create a Post-Rock atmosphere while the meat and potatoes is just Midwest Emo goodness with a soft voice.
Mixing Emo with electronic elements, especially as a solo act, seems to be quite in vogue now, so it’s pretty neat that this exact experiment was done about two decades prior. If you enjoy the electronic components and the Post-Rock soundscapes, be sure to check out Statistics’ s/t EP, which contains a fair bit less Emo.

K.C. Milian - K.C. Milian (2004)

Italian Post-Rockers K.C. Milian could be considered silent legends in their scene, having come out with two mostly instrumental Emo-infused Post-Rock albums and a split with Italian Skramz legends La Quiete. The songs themselves are composed like Post-Rock songs with an emphasis on grandiosity, structurelessness and long instrumental passages; the actual timbre and style is Midwest Emo, including noodling riffs, trumpet and cathartic sections of vocals. This album is an interesting peek into what could have been if “Instrumental Emo” ever took off.

The Jesus Years - Are Matthew, Mark, Luke and John (2004)

You know exactly what you’re getting yourself into as you listen to the opening salvo, a 30-second superfluous drum solo that leads into some wonderful twinkles. The Jesus Years’ sole release as a band came out mere months after fellow European K.C. Milian released their nearly completely instrumental Emo album, although the core of the band had already debuted in the Emo scene a year prior as part of The Little Explorer, who I talked about in the Midwest Screamo section.
The actual music on offer is fantastic, a combination of Post-Rock and blistering Math Rock, all while low-key defining the Emo Revival sound. Perhaps they could be considered a Proto-Revival band, but this being instrumental gives the band a huge Post-Rock feel, so that’s why they’re here.

Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson - Unnoticeable in a Tiny Town, Invisible in the City (2005)

Youth Pictures is one of the most beloved and recognized acts in the How is Annie catalog of artists. Perhaps their best one. Unnoticeable in a Tiny Town is much more of a Post-Rock record than an Emo one, but the twinkling with which they play, as well as the more traditional moments with vocals, so the Emo influence stands out. The album is a scenic road trip in 45 minutes, showing the listener many beautiful sounds along the way. Post-Rock fans cannot miss out on this one.

Inválido - Regreso a Córdoba (2005)

One of the premier Mexican Emo artists of this time, Inválido did something that a lot in this section haven’t done: they created a Midwest Emo / Post-Rock fusion that features very little in the way of extra instruments or ambient tones. Rather, Inválido is a Midwest Emo band that plays Post-Rock. Regreso is a monstrous album at over one hour in length, each song averaging almost seven minutes!
Subdued but yearning vocals add ambiance to the Midwest Emo instrumentation, often rocking out in long vocal-less sections. Inválido managed to craft something that could fit in with American Emo and something unique to their country. If this description sounds good to you, do not miss out on this one!

Turpentine - Our Way Back To Chaos (2005)

A short-lived Emo / Post-Rock outfit out of Argentina, Turpentine lay the Post-Rock instrumentation on thick, but not without passing through some Emo corridors on the way there. The band’s feminine vocals are delivered in a rather restrained capacity but occasionally enter a different stratosphere together. There aren’t a ton of ambient tones in this one, but rather a collection of Emo songs that comprise a Post-Rock album.
The band would release two more EPs in as many years before calling it quits in 2007. The Post-Rock influence only grows from their first release, so if you enjoyed this one, be sure to check out their other material.

Johnny Foreigner - We Left You Sleeping and Gone Now (2005) 💎

A unique, eclectic and highly personal collection of songs, this is the one and only time the world would ever hear Johnny Foreigner this way. The UK Emo-Pop legends released this full-length demo several years before their official debut LP, and the differences in sound are stark. Noticeably, the production is more lofi and basement than their future work, which would come to sound very polished.
Catchy vocal melodies were also less of a priority, instead making way for the anxiety-inducing Post-Rock atmosphere and twinkly Math Rock noodling that permeate this release. If you are looking for an album that encapsulates the subdued dread of early Spring, please give this one a listen. Their next demo would come out two years later and feature a sound much closer to their Emo-Pop greatness.

The Newfound Interest in Connecticut - Tell Me About the Long Dark Path Home (2005) 🎩

Cold, urgent, anxious and cryptic are how I’d describe the atmosphere of a typical song on this album, which doesn’t even describe the actual music in the songs! Newfound Interest in Connecticut is one of the most legendary bands on this list, having only released one LP that has since garnered an insane cult following. The songs are about a 50/50 Post-Rock / Midwest Emo split in terms of genre dynamics.
You will be lost in the seemingly endless sonic corridors, allowing your mind to race frantically in anticipation of the busy, mathy Emo sections. The drummer is the star of the show here, constantly performing complex and spazzy beats. The bassist does their best to keep up with the insane rhythms while at times being a lead instrument. The guitar tones are impeccable and give the band a signature sound. If that all doesn’t sound like a panic-inducing nightmare, the vocalist’s stressed-out singing style certainly will. Overall, this is one of the best albums in this entire project, a must-listen for Emo fans.

T-Tauri - Infinite Motion (2006)

T-Tauri was an obscure Emo band from Colorado who formed at the forefront of the Second Wave in 1993! After releasing an album in 1997, they recorded their final work, Infinite Motion, in 1999 before disbanding. In 2006, it finally surfaced. Taking cues from early Post-Rock / Screamo combinations and utilizing some truly basement-sounding production values, they create a dark and dingy atmosphere. The vocalist belts out mysterious, longing melodies that add cryptic elements to the music. The band never quite pushes into the next gear like other Screamo contemporaries, including in the scream-less vocal performance. Overall, if you enjoy mid-tempo chaos, long, repetitive instrumental passages and lofi production, you owe it to yourself to listen to this intriguing relic of Emo and Post-Rock history.

A Bunny’s Caravan - Draining Puddles, Retrieving Treasures (2006) 💎

Possibly the best and most well-known release from the How is Annie catalog, Draining Puddles, Retrieving Treasures is the band’s sole release and is legendary in the Norwegian Emo scene. And yet, it was as renowned as it was enigmatic; the band was only made up of two members who recorded this album and dropped off the face of the Earth without so much as rehearsing for a show.
“Epic” might undersell the grandiosity that A Bunny’s Caravan aimed for on this LP, and they hit the bullseye. When the band turns up the atmosphere, you can feel yourself completely engulfed in a wall of sound. They’ll then switch into a quiet, melodic passage that feels so intimate that it’s wrong to listen to. If you ever wanted a peek into the Norwegian Emo scene, this is probably the best place to start.

The December Drive - Arrivals/Departures (2006)

Although The December Drive have crafted lush musical atmospheres since their inception as a band, Post-Rock was more window dressing than a truly substantive part of their sound. However, on their first and only EP Arrivals/Departures, Post-Rock influence is far more prominent. In particular, the spacey guitar tone does a lot of the heavy lifting. The music itself is a nice combo of Emo and Post-Hardcore, though I’d be hard-pressed to say anything measures up to the immense heights of their debut LP. Regardless, this is still a worthy release deserving of your time.

Moving Mountains - Demo (2006)

Before Gregory Dunn’s voice would deepen for Moving Mountains’ debut LP (and subsequently deepen again by the time they released their next EP), a young high school Greg almost singlehandedly created the prelude to the genre-defining Pnuema. Some tracks are demo versions of future songs with a select few basically being alternate versions of the main tracks, while some are exclusive to this release. If you can stomach the higher-pitched voice and the poor production quality, this is an interesting preview into what would become a legendary band.

Rika - Rika (2006)

This self-titled album is the debut LP for Rika, Austrian Emos partial to Post-Rock. Rather than employing synthesized ambient tones to artificially create a musical atmosphere, Rika utilizes time-tested Emo tropes - twinkly riffs, quiet-loud dynamics, raw production - and incorporates elongated instrumental passages, lengthy, dreamy song structures and the occasional horn section, to concoct a nearly-one hour aural experience.
Rika would go on to have a few more releases, notably a split with fellow Austrians in Everton. If you enjoy a naturally rich sonic environment filled with sadness, Rika’s s/t might be the album for you.

Make Amends - Because Nobody's Real (2007)

With their sole release, Make Amends unleashes a forward-thinking piece of Emo. Generous usage of dreamy synths and guitar tricks makes this an airy listen but don’t confuse that with complacency. Make Amends spearheads their music with plenty of experimentation, from Indietronica influence to Chiptunes, Dream-Pop to Post-Hardcore. At times, this may feel like more of a Post-Rock album, but you’re quickly reminded that this is Emo when the depressive vocals kick in with cathartic choruses over a masterful demonstration of quiet / loud dynamics. Beware the massive 1+ hour length.

Moving Mountains - Pnuema (2007) 🎩

In truth, I’ve been somewhat dreading getting to this part of the series. Moving Mountain’s seminal 2007 debut LP Pnuema is special to me and has been in my rotation for almost half of my life. This album almost singlehandedly got me into Emo and Post-Rock, even if my insane affection for Emo bloomed some years later. It melts my brain that Gregory Dunn, while in high school, wrote the entirety of this album sans the drums.
From start to finish, the music captures that fleeting feeling of grief on a late night in early autumn, largely through the nature-laden allegories of the lyrics and brilliant atmosphere. In true Emo fashion, the music constantly builds to varying crescendos, only to level out in equal measure during the quiet sections. The guitar tone is perfect for the brisk yet melancholy riffs and the singer’s incredible passion seeps from every note he hits.
Pneuma is a diary, each song a painful entry that ends with catharsis. This LP is the perfect way to experience the alluring genre combo of Post-Rock and Emo.

Rest of My Life - All Pretty People Live in Airports (2007)

Rest of My Life makes another appearance in this project, five years after their debut s/t LP. In that time, Rest of My Life began to shed their Second Wave shell to reveal more modern production, more pronounced Post-Rock influences and some Indie Rock tropes thrown in for good measure. Whether you prefer their first album or this one is irrelevant as both are pretty awesome for different reasons. The band would pretty much run out of steam following this up, though, as their next album would be their final - and it’s generally not received too well.

City Breathing - Look How It’s Snowing Upwards, Look How They Move Towards Heaven (2008)

City Breathing falls much closer to the Post-Rock side of the spectrum, but their Midwest Emo influences - such as in the vocals and guitar riffs - are prominent enough for me to put them on this list. If you enjoy lengthy songs with ethereal atmospheres sung with a soothing yet solemn voice, City Breathing has you covered with this debut LP. This release is hypnotizing but is bereft of that edge that good Emo tends to have. Regardless, if you enjoyed this, check out their other recorded material.

Charge Group - Escaping Mankind (2008)

Rising from the ashes of obscure Sydney Post-Rock outfit The Instant (which in and of itself rose from the ashes of Purplene, who we will see a bit later on in this list), this is heavily Post-Rock-infused Emo is about as chill as it gets, many thanks to the Slowcore influence that’s been present in these musicians since the late 90s. In addition to clean, sly guitar riffs, there is an abundance of string sections in most of the songs that create a dynamic sense of ambiance. The constant crescendoing and mellowing out of the music shows the range of volumes these Aussies can play. Matt Blackman, Adam Jesson and Matt Rossetti should be proud of themselves for carrying the underground Sydney music scene for so many years, especially with their sadboi vibes. Charge Group would release one more album in 2012 before calling it quits.
The international Emo scene during the 2000s kept the ethos of the genre alive and well through its Mainstream period in the Third Wave, but perhaps no country has done more for Emo’s preservation than Japan. Everyone knows what envy did for Screamo and the variety of Japanese Math Rock bands out there, but some Emo goes a step further with their Japanese influence. J-Rock was a popular mixer, but other genres such as Math Rock, Post-Hardcore and even Post-Rock were integrated with the traditional Emo sound to astonishing results. This next section features Emo songs that are most likely to be used in an anime intro.

Eclectic, Electric and Alive: Japan’s Take on Emo

ART-SCHOOL - Requiem for Innocence (2002)

ART-SCHOOL are Alternative Rock legends in Japan with deep roots playing Midwest Emo. On their first album, Requiem for Innocence, you’d be hard-pressed to find any obvious Alternative influence. If anything, this is a Noise-Pop-esque approach to Japanese Emo, carrying the flag for bands like Eastern Youth.
On this album, the production is dirty, the riffs are simple and the vocals are brimming with youthful passion. ART-SCHOOL would metamorphose, incorporating Shoegaze and Dream Pop into future releases. By 2007, Emo was in the rearview mirror for this act as they transitioned into more Alternative and later Indie Rock.

Burger Nuds - Symphony (2003)

Extremely upbeat and J-Rock-influenced, Burger Nuds debut LP Symphony is about as warm as you can get for an Emo album. The Indie Rock and Alternative appreciation is notable, but Emo seems to be among their biggest influences. Burger Nuds doesn’t do anything extraordinary here, but the tenderness with which they play is admirable.
The band would stop releasing music for over a decade until their second LP released in 2017!

Balloons - 9:40 p.m. (2003)

Allegedly, Balloons formed as a band in 1996, but 9:40 P.M. is actually their debut album. During all that time, the band must have been hard at work refining their sound as they’re one of the smoothest Japanese Emo bands I’ve heard so far. In large part, this is due to the Indie Rock influence, the timbre of which is reminiscent of British Indie artists of the time, as well as the proficient twinkly Math Rock riffs. The vocalist is more than serviceable but often withholds his voice for the pure melancholy of the instrumentals.
Balloons would release two more full-length albums and an EP, though the Emo influence on these releases is a lot less prominent if it exists at all.

Kiwiroll - その青写真 (2003)

Taking influence equally from Japanese bands like Number Girl and American bands like Fugazi, Kiwiroll plays messy, noisy and disorienting Emo fused with Post-Hardcore on this record. The brooding, heavy guitar tones balance perfectly with the clean Emo passages, setting up perfect loud / quiet interplay. The vocalist belts out the lyrics with passion and carelessness, perfectly encapsulating the feeling of desperate loneliness.
The band had steadily been releasing music since 1998, but this album, translated to English as “The Blueprint,” is perhaps their best. They would come out with one other Third Wave release, and it would be the last original material the band would ever release.

Blgtz - Blueprint for Unmanned TV (2004)

This record could likely have belonged in the Post-Rock section; there are only seven songs, but they each average over six minutes in length and feature plenty of instrumental atmosphere. That said, there also appears to be this enigmatic force of something else, especially in the off-kilter vocal delivery that sort of just screams “Japan.”
Between melancholic sections of spacey guitar playing are fits of Midwest Emo fury, accented by noisy chord progressions and an unhinged singing voice. If you want to listen to Japanese Emo for what makes it “different” than Western Emo, this is a great example.

Veltpunch - Question No. 13 (2004)

After releasing their first album in 2000 with significantly less Emo influence, Veltpunch returned in 2004 with quite possibly the creepiest album cover in Emo history. On Question No. 13, Veltpunch provides supercharged Emo music with some fun J-Rock on the side, as a treat. The result is catchy and crude full-length that isn’t afraid to be as noisy as it is memorable. The band would still utilize Emo in their music, but would sway much closer to Alternative and Power-Pop following this release. Simply put, this rocks.

He - Further Shore (2005)

Japanese Math rockers He released their very first EP in 2005 with copious amounts of Post-Hardcore and Emo influence. The production is fairly raw, but the musical ideas on offer are nuanced and well-executed, especially regarding the raucous guitar playing, switching often from heavy, syncopated chord progressions to slidey, bendy and otherwise playful riffs. For Math Rock fans, this one should feel right at home.
He would go on to release several albums and a split with susquatch. Although good, I’d have to do some real hair-splitting to put the rest under the Emo umbrella.

Toe - The Book About My Idle Plot on a Vague Anxiety (2005)

First of all, what kind of name is toe?! Second of all, are they even Emo? I mean, they’re a combination of Math Rock and Post-Rock, which winds up radiating Midwest Emo vibes. This sort of reminds me of The Jesus Years in that way. Maybe we should just make Instrumental Emo an official genre, but I digress. Third of all, how in the WORLD did this band get SO popular? Like, ridiculously popular, one of the biggest bands in this entire project. Nonetheless, I think everyone needs to hear these guys at least once.
With an absence of vocals, the drummer actually takes center stage, demonstrating his otherworldly ability. However, the guitarists also get to show off with nonstop riffs and picturesque twinkles. If this isn’t Emo, it will absolutely still hit the same spot, especially if you like instrumental music. The band has several other LPs and EPs if this sound works for you.

Blgtz - Document of the Moment by Minus Generation (2005)

A year after their debut LP, Blgtz would release their second LP, roughly translated as Document of the Moment by Minus Generation. The eccentric Post-Rock / Emo fusion that Blgtz played with on their first album is expounded upon; the band crafts ethereal soundscapes, encapsulating formlessness and wistfulness in the open air. The band still turns it up for those pensive moments of aggression, especially with the singer going balls-to-the-wall with his voice.
The band would only release one more studio album but would have several more EPs recorded.

Ling Tosite Sigure - #4 (2005)

Ling Tosite Sigure makes music for Post-Apocalyptic-themed Anime Intros, and I cannot stress how much of a compliment that is. Emo, Post-Hardcore and J-Rock come together for this eclectic AnimEmo, featuring noisy instruments, blistering mathy passages, explosive youthful vocals and a wall of emotion coming at you at all times.
Behind the music is a trio of musicians, two of whom switch off between masculine and feminine vocals. Though they released three demos prior, #4 is their debut LP and they absolutely knocked it out of the park with this one. They’d go on to have a prolific career, some of which might be covered a bit further down…

Malegoat - Plan Infiltration (2005) 💎

Beloved in the Emo community due to its remastered rerelease in 2011, Plan Infiltration was originally released as a six-song EP all the way back in 2005! With strong Japanese Math Rock roots, this Emo album was forward-thinking and is among the greatest Proto-Revival releases of all time.
Combining proficient guitar twinkling with exploding passion results in some of the best songs to come out of the Japanese Emo scene. The band would go on to have splits with artists like Empire! Empire! and Into It. Over It., the latter of which was released in 2022.

Akutagawa - Akutagawa (2006) 💎

On their debut LP, Yamagata natives Akutagawa unleashed unto the world a minor Emo masterpiece. The little-known self-titled album greatly diversifies its sound by integrating multiple genres: the dark, heavy Post-Hardcore guitar tones, the near-Screamo bouts of insanity, the grandiose Post-Rock soundscapes, the mindbending time signature shenanigans of Math Rock, all of these combined with the very best of Emo songwriting to craft nearly an hour of unique music.
Not one song on this album sounds alike, each taking cues from different genres while maintaining that air of catharsis that only Emo can provide. There’s a lot of instrumental-only time on this one, but the vocalist is more than capable of keeping up with the ever-shifting dynamics.

Ling Tosite Sigure - Feeling your UFO (2006)

Feeling your UFO showcases a top-notch band evolving and maturing in real time; although cut from a similar cloth to their acclaimed debut LP, this EP replaces some of that youthful energy from #4 with world-weariness and a better-developed sense of songwriting. The five-song record is still quite boisterous, but the noisiness is cut down slightly in favor of melodic interplay, though the vocal performance is perhaps more unhinged than ever.
The overt J-Rock influences are less severe on this album, allowing the raw Emo and Post-Hardcore to flourish with little distraction.

Pegmap - Have a Nice Day (2006)

On their debut LP, Pegmap delivers scathing Emo goodness with noisy, dissonant guitars, pounding drums and passionate vocals. All of the Midwest Emo tropes that we love are present here, so when the band quiets down for a softer song or section, it stands out particularly nicely against the noisier dynamic. Elements of J-Rock pepper this release, giving some parts a certain anime intro vibe.
Even though the first couple of tracks are the main attraction here, this album is filled with really good Emo from top to bottom.

susquatch - Water Plant (2007) 💎

With four years between this EP and their first demo, susquatch has shifted direction quite drastically on Water Plant. The distorted guitar tones of their demo, which borrowed heavily from that Second Wave sound, return, juxtaposed by twinkly guitar tones that would go on to define the Emo Revival just years later. Heavyhanded elements of Japanese Math Rock make their way onto this EP, showcasing the band’s playful side quite often. The vocalist’s passion is evident, even in all of the lyrics, which, if you’re having trouble discerning what they say, are actually in some broken English/Japanese fusion.
The group would find their biggest success right at the forefront of the Emo Revival with their 2009 debut LP In This World. The LP would ditch the rawer, distorted guitar tones for cleaner, more Indie-leaning ones, so if you like your Emo to have some crunch behind it, check this one out!

Pegmap - See You (2007)

Pegmap returned after their debut LP one year later with another stellar full-length outing. All of the scintillating musical elements from Have a Nice Day return with a renewed sense of balance. The cacophony of distorted guitars, powerful drumming and fiery vocals are juxtaposed next to twinkly riffs, a restrained rhythm section and quiet, somber singing. Midwest Emo tropes? Yes, but that’s really why we’re all here, right?
The album as a whole is more refined than their original: whereas Have a Nice Day opened up with the two very best tracks on the album, See You is a far more even sonic journey through waves of crescendos and comedown. The band would release another album and an EP in 2012 before calling it quits.

Ling Tosite Sigure - Inspiration is DEAD (2007) 🎩

After seemingly capturing lightning in a bottle with their explosive debut EP and refining their Emo songwriting abilities on Feeling your UFO, Ling Tosite Sigure returns with an absolute banger of an album. Taking even more cues from Post-Hardcore, Inspiration is DEAD cranks the mania of their first album up to the stratosphere. If it were not for the prominent J-Rock elements keeping the general tone of the music upbeat, this would be quite the dark album, somewhat reminiscent of the Progressive Post-Hardcore bands of yore like Fall of Troy. Hell, some tracks would have what I dare would call a “dancey” rhythm section!
This band’s monumental popularity during this time was warranted as they were the crown royalty of J-Rock / Emo. Fans still debate which album of theirs is best, and that includes pretty much every future release from this band. I highly recommend checking out at least one album from this band.

Bronbaba - Kinder Book (2007)

Bronbaba play depressing bummer Emo with heaping spoonfuls of Indie Rock and Slowcore influence, somewhat in the same vein as bands like The Jim Yoshii Pile-Up. The leisurely tempo, lower-register vocal performance and the overall depressive nature of the songs belie how beautiful and evocative the tracks are. Nothing on this album will set the world on fire, and that’s okay - Bronbaba is perfectly content to sit on the ashes and share their story.

Sora - Miminari to Sono Wake (2008)

Beginning life as a Screamo band in 2003, Sora would drop pretty much all screaming in favor of melodic vocals on this debut LP, roughly translated to Tinnitus and Its Reasons. Though Sora lost some of their edge in the transition, they retained the melancholy, the aggression and the dynamism, pushing these in even further directions at times. I get reminded of Empire! Empire! while listening to this: the grandiosity, the range, the technicality, all of it falls into place exactly as it’s supposed to.
Sora would come out with another marvelous album in 2012 before calling it quits. Bands this good are only meant to last so long…

Folio - The Curve Causes a Shiver (2008)

This album arrived right at the forefront of the Emo Revival in late 2008, and it was released at the perfect time. The Curve Causes a Shiver is a very familiar album to Emo Revival fans, featuring glorious guitar twinkles, syncopated Math Rock drumming and somewhat whiny vocals. If you’re tired of hearing all of this Third Wave stuff and really can’t wait for the Fourth Wave, give this a listen.
I actually wrote TOO MUCH in this part! I have two more sections that I'll be posting soon. I hope you all enjoy this and get some good recs out of it.

Introduction
Hello Urbanism! I’m TransChiberianBus, an enthusiast of urbanism and a resident of Chicago. Like so many others, I was introduced to urbanism during the pandemic by way of the Not Just Bikes YouTube channel. This of course led me deep into the urbanist YouTube rabbit hole (shout out to City Nerd) and other urbanist media like Strong Towns and Jane Jacobs books. I'm as stereotypical as I can be, I know. Gotta start with the classics though!
Chicago’s urbanism is a major part of my love for this city and it’s one of the main reasons I wouldn’t live anywhere else in the US. Aside from my desire to live in an urbanist utopia like all good walkability degenerates, I believe Chicago is poised for an extremely prosperous future due to climate change fueled migration. While other parts of the country look to experience increasing heat, water scarcity and extreme weather events, Chicago enjoys an abundance of fresh water, low natural disaster risk and is North enough to remain relatively temperate. Of course, nowhere will be completely immune to climate change and the entire Great lakes region enjoys the same benefits as Chicago. But nowhere else in the US Great Lakes region can you find a city as large, world class and globally connected as Chicago. Given our existing infrastructure is built for a million more people than our current population, we have an incredible foundation for widespread infill development. All of these factors combined show the amazing potential for the future of Chicago, but it isn’t guaranteed. Without further reducing our car dependency, we will struggle to scale with an influx of population and could squander the full extent of the opportunity.
I’ve greatly enjoyed learning about and dwelling on urbanism in a general sense and have recently begun to ponder how it all applies to Chicago specifically. We’re incredibly lucky to inherit an almost entirely grade-separated heavy rail system and an extensive bus network which urbanists in most cities would be ecstatic to accomplish in their lifetime. But it doesn’t take an urbanist nerd to see that there’s still ample opportunity for improvement and that the existing system could be a trap in some ways.
In part one of this paper, I will analyze the current state of Chicago’s transit system and make recommendations to improve scalability and resilience.
DISCLAIMER
I am not an urban planner. I have no real world experience with urban/transit/zoning planning. I’m simply passionate about seeing a positive change in the world and would like to do my part to combat climate change. There may be ideas in here that aren’t actually feasible or politically popular presently. That’s OK and I’d love to hear your feedback.
Also note that my focus is on Chicago city proper, the area with the most potential to absorb a population influx.
Transit Observations
Chicago’s mass transit system is managed by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) which operates a network of buses and heavy rail.
The bus network has great coverage as it follows most arterial streets and it features higher ridership than the heavy rail network. However, it lacks the crucial features necessary for truly frequent and reliable service such as dedicated Right of Ways (ROWs) and signal priority. For that reason, Chicago’s buses get stuck in slow mixed traffic and tend to bunch. These are the primary factors that limit the bus system’s ability to scale, but it remains the quiet workhorse for transit in Chicago.
The heavy rail metro system, called the “L”, is globally renowned for its gritty aesthetics and the downtown elevated rail loop. It boasts 145 stations and 118 miles of nearly entirely grade separated tracks. The system features a hub-and-spoke layout meaning most lines radiate out from downtown and connect the central business district (CBD) to many city neighborhoods and both major airports. Like the bus network, the L is plagued by issues that will affect its ability to expand and scale but to an even greater extent.
To start, the existing footprint of the L has several deficiencies. Its coverage is limited leading to extensive sections of the city having no rapid transit access to the CBD. The hub-and-spoke model, while perfectly suited to serve the weekday commuter crowd, leaves the system underutilized on evenings and weekends. Rides across town are unnecessarily long due to all lines routing through downtown.
There are a substantial number of slow zones across the system that limit the L’s ability to be truly rapid. Some of the slow zones can and are being corrected, such as the underpowered blue line North branch. Others would be extremely financially and politically costly to fix, if they’re practically possible to fix at all, such as sharp turns and downtown loop congestion.
The L’s infrastructure is old with substantial sections needing replacement in the coming decades, which will be extremely expensive to complete system-wide and the process of which is just beginning on the North branch of the red line.
Both branches of the blue line and the south branch of the red line run predominantly in highway medians, leaving the ROI on those transit investments considerably lacking. The highway median stations generally have the lowest ridership on their respective lines and the immediate areas around them have failed to develop any density or economic vibrancy.
Aside from the bus and L specific issues, CTA leadership is problematic. Of the seven board members, not one appointee has transit experience in their resume, and only one has urban planning experience. Only one is known to regularly ride the buses and trains. Despite promises to the contrary from CTA president Dorval Carter, frequency and reliability have been declining system-wide which has slowly eroded public confidence in the system.
So where do we go from here?
Transit Plan
First and foremost, we need to restore public confidence in the existing system by addressing the reliability issues associated with declining frequency. Simply put, the CTA needs to hire more bus and train operators. Other peer US transit systems have properly restored or even exceeded their pre-pandemic operations staff, so there is little reason the CTA could not as well. All options have to be on the table, including but not limited to replacing CTA leadership, raising wages and adjusting training programs. Low confidence and therefore ridership will critically undercut any effort to improve the system going forward. The regularly occurring unplanned 20+ minute headways of today are completely unacceptable.
We should also require the CTA board and executives to take transit on a consistent basis to stay in tune with the rider experience. My suggestion is 5 rides/week, 20 rides/month or 260 rides/year.
Next, we can look at ways to grow and improve the system with an emphasis on scalability and cost effectiveness. The already expansive coverage of the bus system means adding new bus lines would net marginal benefits. It’s tempting to add new L lines and extend the existing lines, but I believe this to be folly. In addition to the issues discussed above that will hinder the L’s ability to scale, heavy rail projects are outrageously expensive when compared to bus projects.
The only L expansion currently in the works by the CTA is the Red Ahead, or Red Line Extension, project (https://www.transitchicago.com/rle/) which looks to extend the South branch of the red line by 5.6 miles and add four new stations. The new rail will run along US 57 and then turn south along existing Union Pacific rail ROW. The total construction cost is estimated to be $3.6 billion.
$3.6 billion. For four new stations.
Is that really the most responsible and impactful use of those funds? Let’s put it into context.
In 2013, the CTA released a report on possible Western Ave and Ashland Ave BRT projects, which you can find here.
Here are the important figures to consider from the report, converted into 2023 dollars and rounded:

	Est. Cost Per Mile	Est. Total Project Cost	Total Miles	Operational Cost Savings
Ashland	$12.9M	$211M	16.3	36%
Western	$12.8M	$203M	15.8	43%

That Western BRT project, a project of arguably greater value than the red line extension, which would create a true North/South rapid transit corridor and an effective loop line over the L system, is estimated to cost 5.8% as much.
Aside from the capital expenditure viewpoint, the added infrastructure of the red line extension creates new maintenance liabilities and the CTA will incur higher operational costs linked to staffing more stations and running more trains (if the existing frequencies are to be maintained).
In contrast, the Western BRT project creates relatively little new maintenance liabilities since it runs on existing surface streets. Operational costs would decrease because fewer buses/operators would be needed to maintain the same frequencies.
Stated more simply, L expansion means spending large sums of money up front and increased operational spending. BRT conversion means spending a relatively small sum up front and substantially reduced operational spending.
To do some quick napkin math, if we conservatively round up to $13 million per mile, the $3.6 billion being spent on the red line extension could buy us 277 miles of BRT. For reference, that would be 12% of all existing bus coverage and more than double the 118 miles of the existing L system.
The financial component is crucial and cannot be ignored. Chicago is not in a financially strong position. Illinois isn’t either, though it is improving. The city has a paradoxical need to expand service and lower costs simultaneously.
As much as it cuts deep down to the very center of my urbanist Chicagoan soul, the bus is the future of transit in Chicago. The L’s systemic issues and high cost of expansion render it an unrealistic future as the centerpiece of Chicago’s transit system. That isn’t to say we should do away with it entirely though and I’ll return to this later in the paper.
In the near term, I would strongly advocate for the red line extension project to be canceled with the funds instead allocated to bus-to-BRT conversions starting with Western Ave. I understand that there’s a strong equity component in the justification for the red line extension project, so I would strongly advocate for Halstead and/or MLK/Cermak as a priority for BRT conversion as well. However, I also understand that it’s not as simple as transferring the money for one project, including $1.6B in federal grants, to another. And given construction is scheduled to start in 2025, the red line extension is likely to happen.
That doesn’t mean we should give up on the cost effective nature of improved bus service. There is already a Western BRT effort underway by Aldermen Matt Martin (47th ward) and Andre Vasquez (40th ward) that we’d do well to rally behind. BRT expansion needs to be the priority for transit investments for the foreseeable future. See here regarding the ongoing Western BRT effort.
We should prioritize bus routes for BRT conversion in two ways. Particularly in the near term, ridership should be the determining factor. Long term, as frequent and reliable BRT service fills the L’s coverage deficiencies, most L lines should be deprecated as their infrastructure reaches end-of-life and bus routes along those lines should be prioritized as those deprecations approach.
The only L lines that should be spared deprecation are the orange line and the north branch of the blue line. Both lines should have most of their stations removed, with the exception of a few that sit along the highest ridership bus lines. In effect, these lines should become airport express trains. I also think the North branch of the red line is a likely exception, given the currently ongoing track/station rebuilds on the North branch and likely extension of the South branch.
Another major benefit of buses over heavy rail is the ability to incrementally improve service and capacity. BRT conversion doesn’t necessarily have to be completed as part of big bang projects. BRT features like dedicated ROWs and signal priority can be rolled out over time. The purchase of higher capacity buses could be justified if frequency and ridership improve to the point of consistently crowded buses. Alternatively, crowded BRT lines could be considered for light rail conversion and Chicago could reintroduce the streetcalight rail/tram.
Even though my incremental, financially smart approach to rapid transit coverage expansion should be the most viable approach in my amateur opinion, I want to quickly touch on a couple of the counter arguments that are likely to arise. First, implementing a dedicated ROW in place of a mixed traffic lane was the most prominent reason the Western/Ashland BRT project I referenced above failed to garner approval. That’s the most politically challenging aspect of my plan and it needs to be emphasized that bus-to-BRT conversion, while removing a lane of traffic in each direction reduces the throughput of vehicles, it substantially increases the throughput of people.
The other counter argument likely to arise is the infamous parking meter deal. In 2008, Mayor Richard M. Daley sold the city’s parking spots and meters for 75 years and $1.15 billion. The deal places several onerous restrictions on Chicago’s ability to develop and change its own streets; it will drag on the city’s efforts to respond to climate change for decades. Most relevant to my plan, the deal requires the city to pay a lump sum of cash for each parking spot it wishes to remove. The parking spots in question primarily line the city’s arterial streets and their removal would be commonly required for BRT conversion. This is a real hitch in the incremental approach and for that reason, I’m putting forth a brief alternative approach.
Western BRT should still be our initial focus and is practically unaffected by the parking meter deal due to the wide ROW that leaves room for a lane of BRT, mixed traffic and parking in each direction. I would prefer to have a bike lane instead of a parking lane in each direction, but this may be a needed compromise. Ideally this project will show the city how valuable BRT can be and lower the political barrier to further projects. Past that, instead of incremental BRT roll out, perhaps we should consider a wide-scale roll out plan that would include parking spot removal costs in the Capex and we could seek a single, large federal grant for. I’m merely throwing ideas out and would love to hear how others think we can best politically maneuver.
In Conclusion
In my opinion, buses present the most viable opportunity for incrementally improved frequency, reliability, coverage expansion and scale Chicago.
If you’re still reading at this point, I want to thank you for taking the time and consideration to give my ideas a chance. I look forward to hearing any thoughts you have and delving further into this space!
In part 2, I will take a similar look at Chicago’s land use and zoning.

So, a bit of a pity post. A long one at that.
The TLDR is 'I am in a hole, my life is too complicated to steer anymore, and my brain doesn't want to cooperate with any ideas to dig out of it.'
The longer version, is 37m (British), with a bachelors in sort of STEM (Biology), which I graduated in 2008. And then a math-based masters (Ag. Economics) which I graduated in 2020. Yes, I have all the luck.
Clearly I am not neurotypical, with ADHD obvious from a young age, but increasingly hints of other complications (bipolar, schizo, autism, whatever, to add to GAD and depression) that have made holding jobs and staying in one direction long-term all but impossible. [Many have disputed this, and say I am neurotypical enough, so I am obviously high functioning at least]. - Since I turned 18 the longest I have stayed in one country, let alone job, has been 3 years. My longest time with a single employer is probably 2 years, mostly I drive myself out of them within 6 months... despite showing promise, it starts to literally hurt my brain to remain in them.
I have been suicidal many times in my life, and have always just taken the 'well, make a radical change then... what do you have to lose?' philosophy, and that has injected novelty at the expense of building career capital.
Last year it was more acute than normal, getting to the full planning and resourcing stage. I made big changes again. The business plan I wanted to do with a friend got cancelled due to political changes in that country, so I crashlanded in my last possible refuge... teaching TEFL in Asia. Something I pissed away my 20s doing, and spent the last 10 years trying to escape. Also, the last bastion of 'contact someone, show CV, get job, do simple paperwork, become a legal and functional member of said country'... exactly how it doesn't work anymore in OPEC countries (I spent 2 years trying to find work in Europe related to my field of study, no dice. Best described as kafkaesque).
But, one year further, and the complexity is increasing even more. I have restarted my life multiple times, and had to make decisions between which thing to pursue. Slipping down the trousers of time, I successfully avoided going into plumbing in the UK in 2015, or events there in 2017... in favour of this pointless degree.
I am now even older. My focus on academia has given me nothing but a 'fiduciary responsibility to the truth', which in the current age feels like a liability more than anything. Returning to the UK now feels completely untenable for a vast swathe of reasons; partly due to the last sentence, and partly due to the clear economic and political distress it is under.
I still have rights to live and work in a poor EU country, but cannot find work there. I can just sit there and burn through my savings whilst getting internet addicted. Albeit with a dog.
The country I am in now is wonderful, albeit sanitised and overly controlled, but they are very clear that I am only useful as an English teachemath tutor, and the way they do it here is closer to management than teaching. It is horrendous. I have taught in a dozen countries, and this is by far the worst (as I had been warned 10 years ago, which is why I never came back then), and adding the electronic addiction that all kids have now to an exclusively elementary market... it's not viable even medium term. I have topped up my finances, and feel healthier, but I need to move on.
I have looked into many careers to try and pivot into. With my age and eclectic work history, I really do not look attractive. I would suit risk management, for instance, but gone are the days of just doing a course and getting an entry-level job to work up from.
Add to that the obvious wrecking ball of AI to the job market in the coming years, and almost anything whitecollar is looking risky. If you already have experience in it it might be ok, but starting out fresh now when the job cuts start to come? Seems a good way to piss away another 3 years and end up even worse off. I've done enough of that, thanks.
So now I am mulling over opening up an education business in Thailand, or going self-employed in events in Germany/England. It's clear that I need to be more in charge to have the motivation to make it work, and that both of these avenues would interest me. They will require some capital, which I have been saving, but they are on the surface good ideas that I could execute well.
The issue, of course, is the endless burocracy. All 3 ideas require almost constant fighting with immigration rules, and that would be the key risk of the idea failing. Getting slapped by the invisible mallet. Hell, even doing it in my home country requires paying punitive fees for domestic insurances that make the whole thing untenable.
I'm still trying. Get knocked down 87 times, get up 88. I'm still here. My work ethic is still good. I am a talented generalist, but I am just so. fucking. tired. It's like this Chinese 'lay down' movement. Just surrendering to fate. Enough attempts, thank you.
I once heard that the root cause of most suicides is life complexity; that at some point, enough mistakes and bad decisions have added up to make continuation either untenable or deeply unpleasant.
But where are the fresh start options of last resort even?
- Can't run off and join the circus. No more circuses. - Can't run off and join temples/monastery. They are now run as experiences for profit. - Can't run off and join the foreign legion. They are now HIGHLY selective.
It's a whinge/rant/pity post I know, but one I think a lot of people my age/generation can relate to. And maybe it's just the stress that is making my brain so mushy that I can't think my way out of it either, not because I am a mental.
ps. I have also tried getting medical help for the issues. You'd be amazed how fruitless the multiple painful and expensive attempts have been, especially when what I basically need is to go somewhere with lower life stress/complexity and a healthier community/lifestyle. Chicken and egg...
pps. congratulations for making it to the end of my Ted talk. I appreciate your time.
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Hey Everyone,
My local bar, that I frequently go to and know the owner, is deciding to sell the business. I had a meeting with her yesterday and it seems like a pretty decent enough deal. Here's the details:
She is selling it for family reasons. The bar has consumed her life and she is ready to get out to spend more time with her family. She isn't going to sell it unless she get's what she wants for it ($450,000) because in her words "this business has no problem making money." And honestly, I believe her. I got her to sign IRS form 4506-T which authorized her tax transcripts over to me. From 2020-2023 the bar averaged $400,000/year gross. She also showed me her books and it's adding up and the math is right. No backed up taxes, no outstanding balances to vendors, etc. Please keep in mind "making money" is subjective. This is a very small town, rural bar and $400K/year gross is solid for the area. Good location too.
Building was remodeled 2 years ago. Electrical, plumbing, etc. all up to code. Health inspection every 6 months and she is currently at a 98. No past, pending, or future lawsuits or liabilities. All equipment (coolers, bar guns, grills, fryers, dishwasher, etc.) is all less than 3 years old. Two new AC/Heating units that are 2 years old. No big upcoming expenses as far as equipment or the building goes.
I would get the building and the property. No landlord or lease. She'll sign an NDA, a non-compete, and is willing to stay for a specified amount of time and help the new owner transition. Current employee's will be a game time decision. Whenever she has a buyer she'll sit down with her employee's and let me know who wants to stay and who wants to leave.
Bar is a solidified business and has been through the 2008 financial crisis as well as COVID and survived. Has constant regulars that are older. Doesn't really attract the younger crowd but that is fine with me. Older customers have more money, are regulars, tip more, and usually don't cause as much trouble as younger people. I've been there probably 100 times in my life and it's never been empty. There's always people there. I met with the owner yesterday, on a Thursday at 4:30pm and the bar was already full and 3-4 tables were full of people. I'm sure more people come in between 6-10pm as well. I know for a fact, through looking at the books and personal experience with my own eyes, that the place is pretty packed on Friday's and Saturday's too.
She is willing to finance the inventory separate from the buying price. The food, beer, and liquor she is willing to personally finance so I don't have to buy it all at once and one big lump sum payment.
I am also not an alcoholic so I think that will help me major. I drink maybe once a week so no worries or problems on me drinking my own inventory. All my friends moved so no giving out free drinks to friends either.
I feel like it's a decent enough deal. I know the owner and she's been nothing but nice to me. She's been extremely transparent and helpful. What do you guys think?
Edit: Just to add, I'm young 24M, and am willing to put in the work. I don't have a family of my own, just a girlfriend who has 4 years experience as a bartender and she would help with the business. I know I'm going to basically live there and put in 100+ hours a week. It is what it is. All my friends have moved away so I don't have anything to do on the weekends anymore anyways. Might as well make some money the way I look at it.

Hello, I'm trying to write a library for vector and matrix operations in VHDL (2008). However the simulation stops without a real error. I'm new to FPGAs and VHDL so I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask or if I'm missing something obvious.
I defined a vector type and overloaded the "+" operator:
``` library IEEE; use IEEE.STD_LOGIC_1164.ALL; use IEEE.numeric_std.all; use IEEE.fixed_pkg.all;
package math_generic_mtx is generic ( type DataType; function addition (l,r: DataType) return DataType );

type vec is array (natural range <>) of DataType; function "+" parameter (l, r : vec) return vec; 

end package math_generic_mtx;
package body math_generic_mtx is
function "+" parameter (l, r : vec) return vec is variable result: vec(l'range); begin assert l'high = r'high and l'low = r'low report "unequal vector bounds" severity error; for idx in l'high downto l'low loop result(idx) := addition(l(idx), r(idx)); end loop; return result; end function "+";
end package body math_generic_mtx; ```
As I want to use the library for different datatypes I made the underlying type generic. Simulation with scalar datatypes like real and integer did already work.
However changing to an array-based type like sfixed or unsigned shows weird behavior.
I use following code to test the addition:
``` library IEEE; use IEEE.STD_LOGIC_1164.ALL; use IEEE.numeric_std.all; use IEEE.fixed_pkg.all;
library othr; package fixed_mtx is new othr.math_generic_mtx generic map( DataType => unsigned(2 downto 0), addition => "+" ); use work.fixed_mtx.all;
library IEEE; use IEEE.STD_LOGIC_1164.ALL; use IEEE.numeric_std.all; use IEEE.fixed_pkg.all;
entity main_tb is end main_tb;
architecture Behavioral of main_tb is signal in1 : vec(1 downto 0) := ("000","000"); signal in2 : vec(1 downto 0) := ("000","000"); signal out1 : vec(1 downto 0) := ("000","000"); begin out1 <= in1 + in2;

process begin in1 <= ("001","001"); wait for 100 ns; in2 <= ("001","001"); wait; end process; 

end Behavioral; ```
I'm using Vivado 2023.2.1. for simulation and it doesn't show me any errors or warnings in the messages. However the tcl console shows the following:
``` Time resolution is 1 ps source main_tb.tcl

set curr_wave [current_wave_config]

if { [string length $curr_wave] == 0 } {

if { [llength [get_objects]] > 0} {

add_wave /

set_property needs_save false [current_wave_config]

} else {

send_msg_id Add_Wave-1 WARNING "No top level signals found. Simulator will start without a wave window. If you want to open a wave window go to 'File->New Waveform Configuration' or type 'create_wave_config' in the TCL console."

}

}

run 1000ns

ERROR: Array sizes do not match, left array has 2147483648 elements, right array has 3 elements Time: 0 ps Iteration: 0 Process: /maintb/line95 File: D:/OneDrive/Dokumente/_MasteVivado/rfsoc_blink/main.vhd
HDL Line: D:/OneDrive/Dokumente/__MasteVivado/rfsoc_blink/main.vhd:95 INFO: [USF-XSim-96] XSim completed. Design snapshot 'main_tb_behav' loaded. INFO: [USF-XSim-97] XSim simulation ran for 1000ns ```
Line 95 is: out1 <= in1 + in2;
Decreasing the width of the unsigned from 3 to 2 also decreases the number of elements of the "right array" to 2.
I don't understand where the left array size comes from. Please help me understand what I'm doing wrong.

This is either gonna be really stupid or already brought up, but I was thinking and I found out a cool way of telling when idol generations start and begin. I’ve been thinking about this for a while and finally decided to write it down and post it somewhere. I’m not sure if anyone else has thought of this. Please don’t take this too seriously, nothing I’m saying I’m trying to pass off as fact, just some cool connections I made.
You can tell generation shifts by the members' ages. It seems obvious that idols will naturally get younger and younger, but if you do a little math you can see there’s a pretty cool pattern. The idea is that if you take the very youngest years that the idols debut in a generation (unfortunately they all tend to be from the ages of 14-16) and you wait about 5 or 6 years when they turn around 20, a new generation is likely starting. There are obviously outliers and exceptions, but I’ve noticed that it works pretty well.
Take the youngest years of 2nd generation idols which debuted about 1992-1994, you add 20 and BOOM 3rd generation just started. Now these 1992-1994 idols (once again with exceptions) will GENERALLY be the oldest idols of 3rd gen to debut. Now the average age gap between the oldest and youngest members is 4-6 years. You add that to the oldest members age and now the new youngest years of 3rd gen idol is 1997-1999.
…and 20 years to 1997-1999 is around 2017-2019 and BOOM 4th generation is beginning to start. (The generation tends to officially start in the middle year of the three year range I give) This cycle repeats itself. Now the average oldest years a 4th idol will debut is 1997-1999. Add 4-6 years to this and the youngest idols to debut in 4th gen are 2002-2004. Once again the years 2022-2024 you begin to see a shift in generations. More specifically people agree that 2023 was the start of 5th gen. IT ALSO corroborates with the recent trend of idol generations since 3rd gen lasting only 5-6 years!!! (ex: 2012-2017 was period of the last of 3rd gen, 2018-2023 was the last of 4th gen also)
Now the youngest idols within 4th gen become the oldest in 5th generation. This is where my calculations get muddy since there’s really not that many 5th gen groups for me to work with right now to actually get a decent average. But ILLIT is actually a pretty good example of this.
Now using my highly scientific calculations, when 2028 rolls around there might be a shift when 2008 idols become 20. Since 5th gen very recently started I still need more data. They might start debuting 2009-10 idols idk.
I’m sorry if this was the legit dumbest thing you’ve ever heard, I just thought it was cool to see connections other than the obvious ones (and probably more correct ones).
Let me know your thoughts on this though!!

Ticker: KUT (or OTC Markets: RDCPF).
As of this writing, the author does not own shares in the mentioned company. The author's stock may change in the future. It is not a purchase recommendation. The calculations made and the opinions expressed throughout the writing should not be taken as resolved. As always, do your own due diligence.
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Redishred Capital Corporation provides secure data destruction services throughout the United States. The company's primary operations are conducted in 42 U.S. metropolitan markets and the company is headquartered in Canada. Redishred Capital Corporation is currently trading on the Toronto Venture Exchange (or via OTC markets in the United States) at C$2.70 per share, equivalent to a market capitalization of approximately C$49 million. I think the stock should trade about 60% higher than its current price, close to a market cap of C$80 million (or C$5.25 per share). The market appears to be underestimating the value of the company's Proshred franchised locations and its future M&A strategy. I suspect the company will be able to expand its destruction services through integrated acquisitions and organic growth, while also generating material cost leverage. Route density is a critical component of the paper destruction business and I believe Redishred has the playbook to generate lucrative returns on investment. Admittedly, this thesis depends on management execution, although it seems to me that Redishred has a strong management team to drive growth and solid shareholder returns.
Redishred owns three brands: Proshred, Proscan and Secure e-cycle. The Proshred brand provides paper shredding services to small and medium-sized businesses in the US and generates the majority of Redishred's revenue and profits (~90% including recycled paper revenue). The majority of this article will focus on assessing the future earnings potential of Proshred's business.
Proscan is a document imaging company that efficiently stores and indexes corporate documents in a digital, cloud-based environment. The business is quite nascent and is designed to complement the company's core paper shredding business. Finally, Secure e-cycle destroys and reconditions hardware such as phones, computers, servers, and monitors. Secure e-cycle and Proscan remain negligible in size, with combined revenues of $5 million, or about 8% of Redishred's total revenues in 2022.
In total, Redishred operates more than 200 shredder trucks in 42 metropolitan markets across the U.S. The company's existing markets are concentrated along the East Coast, although Redishred also has some centers in the Midwest and on the coast. west.
**Note: From now on, all numerical data will be mentioned in Canadian dollars unless otherwise indicated.
Redishred Capital’s main asset is its paper shredding business. Proshred is the third largest shredding brand in the United States (behind Iron Mountain and Shred-It) with nearly $70 million in annual revenue across all 30 of its locations. I estimate the secure shredding market in the United States is worth roughly $2 billion in aggregate with about 60% of the market dominated by the top 2 players, about 3% owned by Redishred, and the remaining 35% held by a fragmented assortment of independent operators.
While Redishred was founded in 2006, the Proshred brand has been in existence since the 1980’s. Redishred acquired the Proshred brand in 2008 and inherited several corporately owned operations and franchises.
Today, the Proshred brand has 30 total system locations, evenly split between corporately owned and franchise assets. For corporately owned locations (or hubs), Redishred records all revenue and profits generated from owned trucks on its financial statements. In 2022, Proshred earned $42 million in revenue and I estimate around $12-$13 million in operating profit (before G&A expenses) from corporately owned shredding routes. Again, being corporately owned simply means that Redishred owns the routes in a particular market. A list of Redishred’s 15 corporate locations is provided below.
In contrast, Redishred earns royalty income from the remaining 15 franchised locations. Redishred still provides most of the back-end technology and general corporate expenses to its franchisees, so the franchisees are pretty well integrated into Redishred’s business. In 2022, Redishred’s 15 franchised Proshred locations earned $30 million in revenue. Management noted that its franchisees typically earn between 30%-40% EBITDA margins, meaning franchisees probably generated around $10 million in EBITDA. However, since Redishred does not own these routes/trucks/locations outright, the company only recorded $1.9 million in royalty income. A list of Redishred’s 15 franchised locations is below.
So what is Redishred’s strategy and why am I interested in a boring paper shredding business? Most of Redishred’s franchisees have operated Proshred locations for 10+ years. Many of its franchise owners are nearing retirement age and therefore looking to sell their business. Given Redishred owns the Proshred brand and already has solid relationships with its franchisees, the company’s growth strategy is predicated on buying out existing franchisees and making them corporately owned. I mentioned before that in 2022 Redishred generated $1.9 million in royalty income from its 15 franchisees whereas franchisees likely earned close to $10 million in combined EBITDA. That’s a lot of profit that can eventually be absorbed by Redishred.
So step one is to purchase franchisees. Step two is to further grow its routes via organic growth and small tuck-in acquisitions of independent shredders in existing markets. Independent shredding businesses typically earn anywhere between $100,000 - $1,000,000 in revenue and operate only a few trucks. The beauty of tuck-in acquisitions comes from the ability to eliminate back-end corporate costs and manage the independent operator’s current customer base via existing truck routes to drive route density.
For instance, Redishred operates a corporately owned shredding hub in Chicago. Maybe there are 5 Proshred trucks that drive around Chicago to shred paper for small businesses and each truck manages customer locations within a 5 block radius. If a small independent paper shredding business earns $500,000 in annual sales from customers that land in the same vicinity of Proshred’s routes, Proshred can simply acquire the independent and add its customers to its existing truck routes (for example there is no reason to send two separate trucks to the Willis Tower to shred paper). The cost of operating a shredding vehicle (maintenance, gasoline, etc.) and wages for truck drivers comprise around 75% of total operating costs for a paper shredding business. As such, route density can allow Redishred to eliminate a significant chunk of operational costs from independent operators. In other words, the incremental EBITDA margin of adding revenue to an existing corporately owned trucking route is very high. It’s probably not 100% flow through, but incremental margins are certainly well above the 30% EBITDA margins that most paper shredders earn. The other benefit comes from leveraging back-end general and administrative costs. Over the past decade we can see G&A expenses as a percentage of Redishred’s corporately owned sales has continued to decline as Redishred has made acquisitions – evidence of the material back-end cost leverage available. Because synergies are easily determinable, M&A can be a very lucrative use of capital for Redishred assuming the company pays reasonable prices for its acquisitions.
Over the past 5 years, Redishred has completed over $80 million in M&A deals. The company typically funds its franchisee acquisitions via a combination of debt and equity and funds small tuck-in deals with operating cash flow. Any company can grow its revenue and profits by simply acquiring businesses, but acquisitions alone do not necessarily result in growth in intrinsic value. However, based on the price that Redishred typically pays for its acquisitions and the synergies that come from route density, I think Redishred can earn an attractive ROI on its acquisitions.
Value of Acquisitions
I previously mentioned that the Proshred brand operates 30 locations (or hubs/routes) across the U.S. with 15 being corporately owned by Redishred and 15 being owned by franchisees. Redishred’s goal is to acquire the remaining 15 franchisees while organically growing its corporately owned locations. As such, I think it is appropriate to value Redishred’s corporately owned routes and franchisees separately.
In other words, lets figure out the future cash flows that should expectedly come from Redishred’s franchised routes and the price that Redishred will need to pay to acquire them. Then figure out the normalized level of profit assigned to Redishred’s already owned routes and determine a price I would be willing to be pay for the future cash flows.
First, I will start by assessing the future profitability of franchised locations. When valuing a M&A-driven company such as Redishred, there are three main questions that need to be asked and subsequently answered:

1.  How much pre-acquisition profit is being acquired and are there reasonable synergies that would make post-acquisition profit higher? 

2.  After the acquisition, how much \[profitable\] organic growth can the business generate? 

3.  What price is being paid for the acquisition? 

Management mentioned that its 15 franchisees earn around $33 million in run rate revenue and $11 million in EBITDA. When acquiring franchisees, management noted that Redishred typically pays around 5.0-6.5x EBITDA – the multiple is determined by the quality of revenue (customer attrition), market competition, condition of the shredding trucks at time of purchase, and other factors – but they have not paid over 6.5 times. In essence, Redishred is acquiring 15 franchisees that earn an average of $2.2 million in revenue and about $725,000 in EBITDA per franchisee. And if we assume Redishred pays the high end of its multiple range (6.5x EBITDA) for each franchisee, then the company would be paying roughly $4.7 million per franchisee.
But Redishred doesn’t pay cash for the acquisition of franchisees. The company typically uses both debt and equity. The funding mix will depend on the state of the capital markets, but we’ll assume for simplicity that Redishred funds its acquisitions via an even split of debt and equity. So about $2.36 million in debt financing and $2.36 million in equity raised.
Neither form of financing is cheap today. I estimate Redishred’s average cost of debt in 2022 was around 6.5% (pre-tax) but I’ll assume the cost of debt financing is 7.0% moving forward. Meanwhile, with a market capitalization of $49 million, raising $2.36 million in equity would equate to about 4.8% equity dilution (I will adjust my DCF-like calculations for equity dilution at the end).
We’ve established that Redishred will likely be paying close to $4.7 million in aggregate to acquire a franchisee, assuming the company pays 6.5x EBITDA (the top end of its range). This will be financed with equity and debt at an assumed 7.0% interest rate.
This next question we need to answer regards maintenance capex. What is the normal level? Most of Redishred’s capex is “maintenance” because it involves replacing Redishred’s current shredding trucks, though some is “growth” oriented as the firm purchases additional trucks. Depreciation typically lands around 16% of average gross PP&E – meaning the company depreciates its fixed assets (about 75% comprised of shredding vehicles/other shredding and baling equipment) over an average life of about 6.25 years. The idea that Redishred needs to replace 16% of its current trucking fleet each year (probably around 30-40 trucks per year out of roughly 200 total trucks) seems fair. It’s not like Redishred’s trucks are sitting on the balance sheet at prices from 2000. The depreciable useful life is pretty short, and I suspect maintenance costs of a vehicle shouldn’t increase at a rate that materially exceeds inflation, so I think depreciation and the cost to replace a truck should probably be pretty similar. As such, I will include depreciation expense in my calculation – this more accurately resembles free cash flow anyways since there isn’t much “growth capex” or working capital required to operate a paper shredding business. Redishred made two acquisitions of franchisees in 2022.
Proshred as a whole has 30 hub locations and over 200 trucks – we’ll call it 225 trucks as an estimate – which equates to around 7.5 trucks per hub. Using Redishred’s balance sheet, its tangible capital at cost related to shredding vehicles is roughly $29 million. Total corporately owned trucks as of June 30, 2023 was 149. This implies about a $195,000 cost per truck. Assuming its useful life is about 6.25 years, this gets you to about $31,000 ($195,000/6.25 years) in “real” maintenance capex. If there’s roughly 225 trucks throughout Proshred’s 30 hubs and Redishred corporately owns 149, then 76 trucks are implied to be owned by the 15 franchisees (about 5 trucks per franchisee). At a cost of $195,000 per vehicle, this would put tangible assets acquired at about $1.0 million per franchisee. With replacement every 6.25 years, each franchisee needs to theoretically spend $160,000 in “real” maintenance capex per year to cover replacement of its fleet. Under these assumptions, the post-acquisition earnings of one of Redishred’s franchisees would be near $290,000.
Now we have an understanding of what each franchisee can earn. But the purpose of purchasing a franchisee in the first place is to make subsequent tuck-in acquisitions of small independent operators to drive route density. This is where most of the M&A value is created.
I mentioned earlier that independent operators typically earn around $100,000-$1,000,000 in revenue and operate only a few trucks. Redishred typically pays around 4x EBITDA for an independent operator. During an online interview/fireside chat in which Jeffrey Hasham (CEO) discussed Redishred’s business model and M&A strategy with a wealth manager, Hasham talked through an example of an independent shredder with $400,000 in annual revenue. If that independent earns around $100,000 in EBITDA, Redishred will typically pay close to $400,000 for the acquisition (4.0x EBITDA).
The question is, how well can Redishred leverage its existing shredding routes to drive a higher incremental EBITDA margin? Under the aforementioned scenario, Hasham mentioned that Redishred can typically save about $100,000 in cost – likely due to a combination of route optimization, leveraging back-end G&A expenses, etc. In other words, Redishred is likely acquiring independent operators for about 2x post-acquisition EBITDA and the incremental EBITDA margin on acquired revenue would land around 50%.
Admittedly, I tend to be very skeptical of M&A for most companies and I think “synergies” are more difficult to manifest than management teams initially portray. In this case however, I think synergies from route optimization and back-end G&A costs are pretty straightforward. About three-quarters of a paper shredders’ cost structure is comprised of wages and costs to operate a truck – both of which I think can be more efficiently deployed by absorbing the independent’s customers into Proshred’s existing routes.
We still need to factor maintenance capex into our calculation though. Just because an independent shredder serves multiple customers in the same vicinity as Redishred’s existing fleet doesn’t mean Redishred will just get rid of the independent’s trucks. The idea is to use the trucks more efficiently and drive a higher revenue and profit per truck. So perhaps Redishred acquires an independent that operates 2 trucks in Chicago and earns $400,000 in revenue. Redishred already has several Proshred routes in the city so perhaps Redishred only really needs one of the independent’s two trucks in Chicago to serve the $400,000 in acquired revenue. The other acquired truck can be reallocated to a different city to drive route density and organic growth in another market where Proshred has a presence. So while Proshred may be acquiring two trucks for each independent acquisition, the company probably only really needs one truck to serve all of the acquired revenue in a given area since it can leverage existing routes to serve customers as well. If one truck costs $195,000 and has a useful life of 6.25 years, then annual maintenance capex in “real” terms would be around $31,000 per tuck-in acquisition.
The math is displayed below under a 50% post-acquisition EBITDA margin assumption (remember management pays for these deals using cash so there is no debt/equity issuance involved). That equates to about $146,000 in estimated after-tax earnings – or a 37% ROI.
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So now we have an idea of what Redishred is paying for its franchisee acquisitions and subsequent tuck-ins. Now what is the value of the franchisee routes as a whole? Let’s assume each acquired franchisee route makes 4 subsequent tuck-in acquisitions over a 4 year span (1 per year) and then continues to grow organically into perpetuity. Of course, this poses an important question: what rate can a paper shredding business grow at?
I think Redishred can organically grow at 2% per year for the next 20 years and then stop growing thereafter. I view this as a reasonable assumption. Yes, I understand we are increasingly entering a digital world and paper is becoming obsolete. But just because office paper volumes are expected to decline by 1-2% per year doesn’t necessarily mean that paper shredding volumes of secure documents needs to show a commensurate decline. Also, secure paper shredding is a negligible cost for businesses. If Redishred’s customers pay around $100 for monthly secure shredding services from Proshred, I doubt customers are going to balk too much if their service fee increases from $100 to $105. Negotiating over $60 per year is probably a waste of time for most businesses but it is meaningful for Redishred. So even if secure shredding volumes decline by 1% per year , why can’t Redishred raise prices by a few percentage points to yield low single digit organic growth? I think they probably can. I also feel comfortable giving Redishred an organic growth rate of about 2% because they only hold about 3% of the paper shredding market in the U.S. This gives Redishred a runway for organic market share gains and therefore an opportunity to both add new customers and drive further route density. If Redishred grows its market share (organically) from 3% today to 4% 10 years from now, that would imply about 30% organic growth in system sales (roughly 3% per year). I would note that Redishred has already picked up a great deal of organic market share over the past 6 years. Same location shredding system sales growth – which includes all franchised and corporately owned routes – has averaged 12% since 2017 and management’s long-term organic growth target is 8%. As such, I don’t think 2% organic growth is a crazy assumption – though I still acknowledge the unfavorable long-term trend in broad paper volumes. I do see a threat that lower paper shredding volumes and less shredding demand could reduce the frequency of stops per customer. This would drive the opposite of route density (call it “route deleverage” if you will) and could make it more difficult to leverage operating expenses.
If we pull together a franchisee acquisition at 6.5x EBITDA (debt gets paid back after 7 years), 4 tuck-in deals at 4x pre-acquisition EBITDA, 2% organic growth for 20 years, 0% terminal growth, and a 10% hurdle rate, the math looks as follows:
The present value of each franchisee would equate to roughly $7.2 million. That’s a 14.7% equity yield on a $49 million market cap before considering the effects of equity dilution. Remember Redishred needed to dilute their equity holders by about 4.8% to acquire a franchisee. All in all, I estimate the value of each franchisee would equate to nearly 10% of the value of Redishred’s stock. There are 15 franchisees left to be acquired, so I think the value of Redishred’s 15 franchisees is probably worth just under 150% of Redishred’s current market capitalization if all franchisees could be acquired today.
But all 15 franchisees can’t be acquired today. Redishred isn’t going to issue over $30 million in debt and $30 million in equity all at once. I think Redishred will more realistically look to add 2 franchisees per year. Therefore, we need to discount the per franchisee equity yield due to the timing delay. Discounted for timing sake, I think the market is valuing the 15 franchisees fully. So investors are getting the remaining 15 corporately owned shredding locations for free.
I find the equity yield very interesting because M&A deals of franchisees get more lucrative as Redishred’s stock price increases since the company issues equity capital to finance the M&A. The “equity yield per franchisee” will decline due to a higher market cap, but the higher market cap would also lead to less equity dilution. Therefore, the cash-on-cash ROI of acquiring a franchisee will go up if Redishred’s market value improves. Either way, at a current $49 million valuation, I think acquiring one franchisee today could generate value equal to about 10% of the current market cap. I think the 15 franchisees are worth around 100% of the current market cap when discounting for the timing delay of acquisitions. Now what are the 15 corporately owned locations worth?
Value of Corporately Owned Routes
In fiscal 2022, Redishred earned $55 million in revenue from its corporately owned locations. The company earned about $20 million in EBITDA before general and administrative costs. About $40 million in sales came from shredding services, $1 million from electronic waste services, $2 million from document scanning services, and $12 million from the sale of recycled paper. However, SOP paper prices have been very high in recent years, reaching around $265 per ton last year. I estimate a normal SOP paper pricing level to be around $140-$150 per ton. After adjusting for elevated recycled paper prices, I think normalized fiscal 2022 sales from corporate locations should be around $50 million (~$6 million in recycling sales vs. the $11.6 million recorded).
Redishred’s EBITDA margin from corporate locations (excluding G&A expenses) has averaged about 35% over the last 6 years (Redishred posted a 31% margin in fiscal 2020).
$50 million * 35% = $17.5 million EBITDA ex-G&A
General and administrative expenses as a percentage of corporate system sales was 13% in 2022. If we extract the excess recycling revenue then G&A would have been 14% of sales. G&A as a percent of sales trends down every year because Redishred acquires franchisees and leverages back-end expenses. I think G&A as a percent of sales will stay roughly the same or slightly decline over time, staying consistent with current trends.
$17.5 million in EBITDA ex-G&A minus $7 million in G&A = $10.5 million in corporate EBITDA.
Now to interest. Redishred currently holds $30 million in debt. I mentioned before that I think its cost of debt was around 6.5%. It may be closer to 7.0-7.5% now with interest rates having moved higher. Assuming a 7.0% interest rate, interest expense would be around $2.1 million.
$10.5 million in EBITDA minus $2.1 million interest expense = $8.4 million in earnings before tax.
$8.4 million * (1-27% tax rate) = $6.1 million in earnings after tax.
Now I want to determine maintenance capex. If we assume each of Redishred’s trucks costs about $195,000 to replace and gets replaced every 6.25 years, then “real” maintenance capex per truck would be about $31,200. Redishred owned 149 corporate trucks as of June 30, 2023. This means real maintenance capex would be about $4.6 million per year.
So I estimate cash earnings from Redishred’s 15 corporately owned locations to be around $1.5 million. I think Redishred can conservatively grow its cash earnings organically by about 2% per year by taking market share and modestly raising prices for its shredding services over time. Redishred’s corporately owned routes can also make small tuck-in acquisitions which are highly accretive and generate close to a 30% after-tax ROI in the first year (my estimate). From the tuck-in acquisition math that I performed earlier, I thought Redishred could pay around $400,000 (hypothetical example) and earn around $125,000 in after-tax cash profit. In this scenario, Redishred could make 3 tuck-in acquisitions and grow its cash profits from $1.5 million to nearly $1.9 million. Reinvesting all cash profits into tuck-in acquisitions for just 3 years could bring cash profits from $1.5 million to $3.0 million without considering organic growth. Reinvesting at 30%+ ROI’s is something very few companies are able to do.
“The best business to own is one that over an extended period can employ large amounts of incremental capital at very high rates of return.” – Berkshire Hathaway’s 1992 shareholder letter
Therefore, while I don’t think most people would probably think of paying a market multiple for a paper shredding business, given the high potential ROI behind its reinvestment opportunities, I think Redishred’s corporately owned locations should trade at least around a market multiple of 14-15x cash earnings and probably closer to 20 times or higher with favorable M&A execution and a long runway of independent operators to acquire. At 20 times cash earnings I estimate Redishred would be worth about $80 million in market capitalization – equivalent to about a 60% return from today’s $48.6 million market cap.
The last point that I will briefly address relates to the management team. Since Redishred’s business model is M&A driven, there is significant importance placed on management’s ability to execute and create value. It also poses the question of management’s incentives. I am encouraged by Jeffrey Hasham’s involvement with Redishred since its inception in 2005 when the company purchased the Proshred brand. He has served as CEO since 2008 and helped launch several franchisees that he is looking to now acquire. In other words, I have confidence that Hasham understands the business well. I personally do not see any significant issues with management’s compensation. Stock-based comp appears rather small and the executives do not appear to be receiving inordinate salaries. It is also encouraging to me that Hasham owns over 200,000 shares of stock and the board members collectively own around 3 million shares of stock (about 16% of shares outstanding). I personally appreciate when executives and directors are paid mostly in cash but also own a sizable chunk of the business. Still, it will be important to watch for any hints of misaligned incentives or poor capital stewardship moving forward.
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The market for juniors is risk off where there has been no bid for years. If you look at Agnico Eagle looking to test 52 week high up over 25% in last 6 weeks, it is hitting high's because the value of gold in ground is exponential.
In mid tier's Revival Gold is at 4.6M ounces or +10 trillion in situ value (value of godl in ground before expense to extract at ~$2200) . The reality is if RVG does nothing that value is even higher based on uneconomic ounces coming into play at higher gold prices. There resource was caluclate at $1850 gold, if they used. today's gold price it would add ounces at much higher values. What the market is ignoring is that the mid tiers are next as NY guys have. steopped in and they usually go downstream. when the Majors top so downside is very limited. I suspect it all goes nuts when they quantative ease and dollar comes off. While buying bullion is safe the chance of double form here is tough. When the junior space catches a bid (risk on) everything will rise. Effectively the tide has lifted seniors where the mid tiers will really flaot then junior explorers after that. I would shy away from bullion here. More importantly the movie model is in play where , whne the dollar comes off and Canadian dollar goes up, the midtiers will get much better value on exploration dollars. Just the forex will retunr a 25% return on the 300% plus bump. Do the math it is crazy how cheap it all is. Just like real estate in 2008..look where it is today
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Is there a better way using Havok engine?

scene.onAfterPhysicsObservable.add( // triggers every numcalls calls when still function(){if(checkStill()) {console.log("STOPPED")}} ); // derived from http://chamnapchhorn.blogspot.com/2008/07/trick-to-use-static-variables-in.html // checkStill() checks if all PhysicsAggregate in aggs[] have minimal velocities after numcalls calls var checkStill = (function() { const numcalls = 60; var steps = 0; // persistent value return function() { if (++steps == numcalls) {steps=0; return aggs.every(agg => isBodyStill(agg.body));} return false}; })(); // floating point f1 within epsilon of 0 function fpzero(fp,epsilon) { return Math.abs(fp) < epsilon } // each component of vector3 is within eplsilon of zero function v3zero(v,epsilon) { // check default direction of gravity first return fpzero(v.y,epsilon) && fpzero(v.x,epsilon) && fpzero(v.z,epsilon) } // Each LinearVelocity component is less than maxLinear AND each AngularVelocity component is less than maxAngular function isBodyStill(body,maxLinear=0.001,maxAngular=0.002) { // check linear velocity first return v3zero(body.getLinearVelocity(),maxLinear) && v3zero(body.getAngularVelocity(),maxAngular) } 

She is a well acclaimed photographer, though she is also a housewife. She has three daughters, who all went to my elementary school. I recall that she volunteered as an art docent when we were in elementary school. I also remember that her youngest daughter (xNFP, members here guessed INFP) struck me as being quite bratty and spoiled when I had an afterschool STEM program (seemed like she was quite comfortable with whining to her mother about different things. I remember getting the impression that her mother wasn’t good, at least back then, at correcting this sort of behavior - however, I have the impression that her youngest daughter “calmed down” over the years, so it is possible the mother eventually started making an effort to correct this.) I have also always thought that her youngest daughter is her favorite child, although I don’t have the impression that there is ongoing blatant favoritism. Her pictures have been featured in American Photo and Nikon World. She was born in 1970, and is what I regard as average looking (has not aged terribly/awfully well in my opinion, although she is thin and since she has three daughters, I feel that it is admirable that she is still at a healthy weight. She does tend to sometimes post sweets she’s baked.)
I suspect that her husband is an ISTP, although I’m not sure. He could really be anything, likely an xSTx type, but idk. He does look cold to me, and it does seem that the family is well off (she has an Instagram account called “bored housewife” where she posts pictures of the vacations they’ll sometimes take, of fancy places they go out to eat at, etc.) She is apparently a self taught photographer (learned her craft when she and her husband were traveling cross country before having children.) Her middle daughter (ENFP) has a Tik Tok wherein she complains about how her father says Native Americans are “lazy” and need to “work hard like everyone else” (the ENFP middle child suggests in the video that the mom claims they are “on her side” when discourse breaks out.)
These are captions from her Flickr account, in 2007 and 2008:
“this is what you get when you hand your camera over to the drunk co-worker.
Who, btw, I shouldn't have been allowed to talk to... She went on and on about how wonderful and great their trip to Syndey/Singapore/Tokyo was ~ how great the 5 star hotels were, how awesome it was to fly business class, how great the sushi was and the saki.... Mike came home from the trip and said, "yeah, it was okay (though he was really impressed with the toilets in Japan)"... (I stayed home with the three kids, alone, for 3 weeks... I'm thinking I need to reassess the payback...)”
“I tried to re-create a look for something posted in the photoshop support group. Nowhere near the look, but I liked the result. Steps I took:
1) created a duplicate layer and set it to overlay. ran a high pass filter around 4 2) merged the layers 3) created a duplicate layer and ran a paint daubs filter (brush 2, sharp 0) 4) merged the layers 5) created a duplicate layer and set it to multiply ~ opacity at 57% (my snarky old school math genius friend would like me to point out that instead of duplicating the layer you can add an adjustment layer (such as levels), do nothing to it, but set it to multiply and reduce its opacity to 57% ~ same effect but creates a smaller file size if that's an issue for you) 6) added a gradient map adjustment layer, black to white, and set the opacity to 30% 7) added a solid color adjustment layer with the color set to ac8600, set the layer to color and the opacity to 20%”
“1) I've been to 48 states. I'm missing Kentucky and Tennessee.
2) I can write backwards, so that you can hold it up to a mirror and it looks right (I discovered this talent while home from school with mono, when I was in 7th grade)
3) I sometimes put vinegar on my scrambled eggs. I love vinegar. I used to drink it straight when I was young
4) "A Prayer for Owen Meany" by John Irving used to be my favorite book. I'm not sure anymore, because I haven't read it in a long time, and when I did read it it was at a point in my life where I wanted a reason for all that was happening. (It's really hard to get past the first 50 or so pages, but once you do it's good).
5) Scoutj and I have the exact same birthday (like the year and everything!)
6) I love lip gloss. Chapstick, Burt's Bees, random tins of flavored stuff, whatever. I love it.
7) My family didn't have a car until I turned 17
8) I don't like even numbers. I like odd numbers.
9) The hardest class I took in school was a human paleontology class, with Dr. Tim White. I'm a total geek when it comes to ancient human skull discoveries, and stuff like that; it fascinates me
10) I go through periods in my life where I give up sugar. I LOVE sugar more than most anything. But occasionally I like to see if I can do it. It's extremely hard. Everything has sugar in it.
11) I believe in karma.”
“For Christmas Cate decided to write a letter to Santa, which she wouldn't let us read. So the husband told her he'd mail it from work for her... in the letter she said all she wanted for Christmas was a beautiful picture of her family, in a pretty frame.
So before we left for vacation I told her we were going to take a fancy picture and she could pick the outfits we wore. We then had it printed, bought a frame and took the whole thing with us to the Bahamas.
She was so, so, so happy when she opened it :)”
Caption: “For the husband’s Xmas party… sometimes he gets things right… like throwing the J crew catalogue at me… and telling me to go get a dress now… And not stressing about it at the last minute… like i always do… now i just need shoes… Oh, and a jacket or sweater, or some sort of wrap thing… And isn’t this a really good reason to buy some nice diamond earrings? Definitely a good reason to buy some nice diamond earrings :)”
“99/365 The night after drinking many caipirinhas, tequila and getting home at 2am because the bus I was taking home got in an accident and I was stuck on the Bay Bridge for an extra hour and a half” Caption: “There is a reason I no longer go out drinking” “Husband also slightly annoyed” “So, while he did let me sleep in” “He also let Anne run into the room 5 times, so that she could climb into the bed with me and shout MAMA”
“114/365 And thus with the husband in bed and near death (having caught the same cold she had last week), she hoped he was at least feeling like a jackass for not doing more than coming home at 6:15pm (that's early) when she called and begged for help…” (Caption: “just a wee bit irked” “that i don’t get to take sick days”)
“I tried to do someone's request and failed. I'll try again tomorrow hopefully.
The husband walked by and said "What the hell kind of picture is that?". LOL.
This is sitting in my nearly dark living room. With a super slow SS, because I was too lazy to change my settings.
And it's what we now call... blartsy :)”
View Poll

Nikko, the city that had been my home since the day I drew my first breath, the city I’ve known my entire life, the city where the first rays of sunlight kissed my cheeks, the city where I found my truest friends, friends I would cross the Styx with. And now, at the tender age of 16, on this day of March 9th 2008, it is the city I must say goodbye to. It’s the city which I am moving out of, probably forever.
Memories of my childhood flooded my mind with a warmth I cannot shake. I recall the grand walnut tree, its crown sheltering me, Zak and Asuna for endless hours as we whiled away lazy afternoons beneath its boughs, lulled to sleep by the gentle whispers of the wind and the scent of salt in the air, then we woke up at sunset and we leisurely went home. How I will miss that tree! And our school... The empty halls where we three would linger after classes had ended, chasing imaginary ghosts 'til our laughter echoed off the walls, then we would scatter like startled birds when a teacher chanced upon us.
I have many pleasant memories and my heart aches at the thought of leaving it all behind. Saying goodbye to my best friends was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Zak... Asuna... I will never forget you. I never liked partings. Partings have always left a bitter taste in my mouth... quite literally. I'll be far, too far... Another city, a different part of the country. The branch of the company my father works for is about to close, but my father is an indispensable and reliable person. So, my father's work has whisked us away to the bustling city of Osaka, where opportunity beckons amidst the towering skyscrapers. Dad accepted this opportunity, he really likes his job. My father's hasty voice called to me:
”Sara? Are you ready? The airplane waits for no one...”
Sometimes he gives the impression that he is a severe person. On the surface, he wants to be seen as a pillar of strength, despite the turmoil that has marked our lives since my mother's passing. But I know him, I know that inside he is very calm... and he has this strange sense of humor sometimes. His occasional severity caused by my mother's death and the suffering he went through changed him, metamorphosed him. Although we still miss her, we have learned to hide this. Life goes on.
”I'll be there in a moment! I just want to make sure I haven't forgotten anything.”
Everything I needed was neatly packed: all my clothes and shoes, my only framed picture of mom, a few mementos from Zak and Asuna and other essentials. And so, with one last glance at the city that holds my heart, I gathered my courage and stepped into the unknown, trusting that wherever life may lead, the memories of Nikko will always remain etched in my soul.
After hours of travelling by taxi, then by plane, we’ve finally arrived in Osaka. The journey had been quite long and exhausting. I've never been fond of flying. I was slightly dizzy from the flight, so when my feet touched the solid ground again, I couldn't help but feel a wave of relief washing over me. I tried to find a place to breathe in... the Osaka air. I walked through the urban crowd and the constant noise made by cars. I looked around curiously in every direction. I found myself drawn to a bridge overlooking a stream of water. A cool breeze was caressing my face and blowing through my hair. Memories of my childhood beneath the walnut tree flooded back to me. I breathed, feeling a sense of contentment. Perhaps, I thought, this city, this whole new world wouldn't be so bad after all. Maybe, in due time, I could learn to like it here.
”The Yodo River! Do you like it?” dad said, resting his right hand gently on my shoulder and interrupting my reverie.
”How do you know this?”
”I read the mind of a passing human.” he grinned.
Dad was trying to be funny again. He knew I miss home and he was trying to take my mind off of it.
”I studied a map on the plane.”
”I like... its smell.”
”Hmm... I don't smell anything.”
”As usual...” I sighed, rolling my eyes playfully.
”What does it smell like?”
”Like... home.”
”And it is also written on that sign. Yodo! Time to go!” dad continued.
A taxi drove us to an address indicated by my father on a letter. Soon enough, we found ourselves standing before a new house. It looked... monumental!
”We’re finally here, the Bakken residence.” my father announced proudly.
”Bakken?” I said, a sense of wonder building within me.
”Sara, I give you the honor!” he said, with a flourish, handing me a key and gesturing toward the house.
The Bakken residence... A name that sounded important, imposing. Dad said that this house hosted many families for many generations since 1880. The last family that lived here left about 10 years ago. This house was located on the outskirts, pretty far from the loud city. Dad let me take the first step in this new home. Was it out of kindness or... maybe out of cowardice?! I slowly climbed the steps to the front door, I inserted the key in the lock, I turned it twice with a little effort, then I turned the doorknob. It sounded as if it had not been turned for centuries. I felt like this house has been waiting for me to unlock the mysteries within. The door swung open with a creak, revealing a long narrow hallway, untouched by sunlight. The dim light cast eerie shapes along the walls, it was pretty hard to see all the way to the further end. As I took my first step, the same cool breeze as the one on the bridge blew through my hair. I felt shivers. A loud noise suddenly started, there were repeated bangs coming from all directions. A quick and chaotic wind started blowing all over the hallway, wishing to push me out of the house. But the door suddenly closed behind me, trapping me inside.
”Father!” I cried out, my voice echoing against the walls.
I frantically tugged at the doorknob, but to no avail. Panic surged within me. My heart started pounding against my chest as I pounded against the door in a desperate bid for escape. The deafening noises around me were getting louder and louder. I started spinning around and all my senses were going crazy. Through all this madness, I could still hear dad tackling the door from the outside. The door finally opened and dad reached in, pulling me outside, into his arms.
”Sara! Sara? Look at me! Are you alright? What happened in there?”
”Father!” I gasped, my breath coming in ragged gasps as he guided me through calming breaths.
”Inhale deeply, exhale!”
Dad always knew how to calm me down. I never liked tight dark spaces. Add the deafening noises altogether and it can bring despair to anyone.
”How do you feel?” he asked, concern etched all over his face.
”I'm alright now.” I managed, my voice trembling but steadying under his reassuring gaze.
After investigating around, dad found the source of the mysterious chaotic noises. It was just nature, a chaotic wind seemed to toy with the doors and the windows, opening and closing them with reckless abandon before abruptly ceasing its tumultuous dance. It was a mystery for both of us, nature can be so random and unpredictable. Dad came to me, got down on his knees and gently held me in his arms.
”You have nothing to fear while I’m around!”
I hesitated for a moment, then I slowly spread my arms and hugged him, finding solace in the warmth of his presence.
”Dad...”
”I'm here...” he whispered.
Drawing strength from his unwavering gaze, I sighed in relief. Dad looked me in the eyes, a silent exchange of understanding and gratitude passed between us. He kissed me on the forehead, he got up and left to bring the rest of the luggage, leaving me to collect my thoughts on the stairs of our new home. It was a long day, this day had taken its toll on me. After finding my courage to go inside again, I started wandering throughout the house. Upstairs, I found a room to my liking, a room that kind of felt like home. The bed was nothing special, but the wardrobe had this antique feeling about it. The room was pretty plain, but it had this big window I could see the sunset through, like I used to do at home, in Nikko.
I decided to arrange this room to resemble my room from Nikko as much as possible. Hours went by quickly. After helping my father settling in, we had dinner and we were both completely exhausted. I rushed back to my room, I grabbed an old wooden chair and sat on it, so I can gaze out the window and watch my first sunset in Osaka. I remember the sunset in Nikko was of a bright red, but here... here it looks kind of gray. A whirlwind of emotions ran through my mind. Tomorrow would mark the beginning of a new chapter, a new school, new friendships, a new world to navigate. How will I handle it?! I knew I couldn’t control everything, I had to embrace the unknown.
As the night drew near, I felt this strong need to sleep deep, to rest. I lay down on the bed and I started gazing at the ceiling. It was something I used to do at home, it was the simplest way I knew to quickly make me fall asleep. Slowly, the weight of the day lifted and my eyelids grew heavy with the promise of a peaceful slumber. In the depths of slumber, I dreamed I was wandering alone in the narrow, dark hallway. The front door opened in front of me and my dad was patiently waiting for me outside. He was ready to take me to the new school. I was so nervous. While running down the alley towards dad, I realized I forgot my backpack. The air around me suddenly turned gray. The rustling trees were bending in the wind, echoing the tumult of my racing thoughts. With a resounding thud, the door of the hallway slammed shut and an ominous shroud of darkness began to envelop the house.
Everything around me was getting darker. The wind started blowing into my face, pushing me away from the house, towards my dad. Desperation lent wings to my feet as I sprinted towards my father, a beacon of solace in the distance. But with each stride, he seemed to recede further and further into the darkness, a silent witness to the chaos unfolding around. I watched him in the distance. He didn't say anything, he was just waiting for me with open arms, but I could never reach him. A disembodied voice, an echo, started speaking to me from the darkness. It was surrounding me, I could it hear from everywhere.
”Leave this house! Leave! Leave...”
Hearing those words, I was ripped from the clutches of dreaming. As my eyes opened, in a blink of an eye, I saw something black above me vanishing like smoke, like lingering tendrils of darkness. Was it just my imagination? The air around me cooled down. I started shaking. I looked around, scanning the darkness, scared, but also cautious. I was looking for any trace that could confirm what I saw was real. But there was nothing, just the heavy silence of the night. It was dark, too dark... I leaned back. Tremors shook my body as I sought comfort and protection under the safety of my blanket. I didn't want to see anything and be seen by anyone. I tried to get some sleep. All night long, until the first ray of sunshine, I tried to convince myself that what I saw was just a hallucination, a vivid nightmare, a remnant of my dream that was ingrained in my eyes, a phantasm born of sleep and shadows. This new day was going to bring me a fragment of reality. My first day of school was starting... again! My dad was in the kitchen. He was cooking something... It smelled good, as usual.
”Good morning, dad.”
”Good morning, Sara! Are you hungry? Breakfast will be ready in no time. In the meantime, please enjoy a cup of peppermint tea.”
”I'm not really hungry. I would have preferred a large cup of coffee right now... but a cup of tea sounds lovely too.” I said grinning.
”Why? How did you sleep?” dad said, his brow furrowed with concern.
"Barely." I admitted, the weight of the previous night's dream still heavy upon my mind.
”It’s expected. It's hard to find comfort in a new bed.”
”I don't think the bed is to blame.” I murmured. ”This house... it's weird! It gave me the weirdest nightmare.”
”What kind of nightmare? What was it about?”
”Ironically, my first day of school.” I said, without going into detail.
”Unfortunately, I didn’t really have much of a choice. This house came as a perk of keeping my job. They’re letting us staying here for free. At least I got to choose the school I thought would be the best fit for you.”
”Maybe we'll move into a brighter house one day...” I mused.
”I don’t know, Sara. This house is really growing on me.” dad said with a huge grin on his face.
”Your way of being funny is otherworldly.”
”Breakfast is ready!”
The Bakken residence was an impressive house. It was roomy and pleasing to the eye, hinting at a life of luxury in the past. I think this house could accommodate at least 10 people. It was a house that not everybody could afford. This made it even stranger. How had dad managed to find himself holding the keys to this house? Does the company he works for care so much about him? Something doesn’t add up. I decided to use my phone to do a background check on the Internet before leaving for school. The only information I found was that the previous family left abruptly 10 years ago, after a member of their family, their daughter, died under mysterious circumstances. The article didn’t go into much detail, it didn’t mention if the death happened outside or inside the house. This could be a valid reason why dad got this house for free. Nobody wanted to live here anymore!
Dad offered to walk me to the new school. This brought back memories of the nightmare I had. There was a lot of hesitation and worry hovering above my head. My father’s sense of orientation was well developed, better than mine. He always remembered how to get places with just one look at a map. The school wasn’t that far away anyway, walking by foot was a delight for both of us. Fortunately, our walk to school was quiet and peaceful, devoid of dream-related events. As we neared the school, I stopped and hid behind a tree, pulling dad next to me. A weird feeling of embarrassment washed over me. I pulled him closer and I made sure no one sees us.
”So...”
”So...”
”This is it...” I said, looking into my father’s eyes.
Dad had a wondering smile, like he felt something disturbs me. Luckily, he didn't insist. I wouldn't have told him about last night. It was just a dream. He wouldn't have believed me anyway.
”Look, I bought you something.”
”A diary?”
”I hope it will be of help to you, to unload your soul, to be like your first friend here.”
I looked at the diary with reluctance, the idea of confiding my innermost thoughts on a piece of paper seemed foreign and daunting to me.
”I think I’d like to make some human friends at first.”
”All in good time, of course. Shall I come and walk you home after school?”
”I don't think it's necessary. You're busy at work and I have already memorized the way home.”
”Very well then...” dad sighed.
He handed me the diary. I looked at him with sulky eyes. I never needed a diary, but I accepted it anyway.
”Goodbye, dad! Have a nice day at work.”
”Goodbye, Sara!”
This grandiose school was lay out in front of me. As I crossed the threshold of the front gate, I felt like stepping into another world, another realm waiting to be explored. I started walking on the sidewalk, slowly, spinning around little by little. It was a huge yard, but there were barely any people around. I guess most students were already inside. This yard was full of trees, old and new buildings, benches and meandering alleys. There were even walnuts! Lost in this spectacle, I began to walk backwards and, by mistake, I bumped into someone... or something. When I turned around, the Sun blinded me. I couldn't see who I bumped into, all I managed to say was:
”Sorry, I wasn't...”
”Don’t worry, it happens.”
These words came from a thick voice. His figure drew closer, completely blocking the Sun. At first I thought I bumped into the Moon, then I thought he was a teacher, but, as his figure became clearer, he turned out to be a random boy. He smiled and looked at me gently. I replied with a forced smile, but my gaze was rather curious. His brown eyes met my green eyes with a gentle intensity. He was a tall boy, about 10 centimeters above my head. He looked Japanese, but he had some foreign features too. His hair was goofy and brown, about the same color as mine. His gaze was giving a sense of confidence and familiarity, but also a hint of mischief. After a few seconds of silence and curious looks, his voice startled me:
”Hey! Is anyone there? I'm Josh.” he said, reaching his right hand out, showing that he wanted to meet me.
Josh? His name didn’t sound very Japanese to me, further confirming he’s not entirely from around here.
”I am Sara. Nice to meet you.” I replied, shaking his hand.
”You're not from around here, are you? Are you our new classmate?”
For a boy I’ve just met, his confidence was a bit of a surprise to me. He seemed comfortable and open, as if he already knew me. I had to try to be as open.
”Your new classmate? How would you know that?”
”Our math teacher mentioned yesterday that a new classmate from outside of Osaka will join us today. And I pretty much know everyone around here.”
”I see. I do stand out in this huge crowd of people.” I smiled.
”What brings you to Osaka?”
”Nothing brings me here. It wasn't really my decision. My dad and I moved here from Nikko yesterday, for business reasons.”
”Did you move to the Bakken residence, by any chance?”
”You seem to know plenty of stuff about me.” I said, smiling in confusion.”
”I live in the... area. And yesterday I saw a man and a young girl moving into the residence. So, I put two and two together.”
”Now I'm beginning to think everyone knows where I live.”
”You said you’ve moved in with your father. What about your mother?”
Josh's question, though well-intentioned, cut through the facade of politeness, leaving me momentarily stunned.
”M-mom? My mom... she's not with us anymore.”
”Where is she?”
”My mom passed away. I was young, only 6 years old. I barely remember her. All I have left is one picture keeping her memory alive.”
”I am sorry to hear that, Sara. It must be hard to lose a parent, a loved one.”
”Thank you! It is hard, time heals inner wounds, but she will always be a part of me. But enough about me. What about...”
”Sara! Do you need someone to show you around the school and its surroundings?” Josh said, changing the subject.
”I should.” I admitted. ”I need to get familiar with the campus as soon as possible.”
”There’s plenty of time for a complete tour. The first class starts in 15 minutes.”
I ran my hand through my hair and nodded in approval. It was logical that I wanted to know more about this place and Josh seemed very nice and friendly. I was still a little shy, so I let Josh do the talking. During the tour, Josh started naming people and places.
”That one is Mrs. Nakamura, Sports teacher. I think you two will get along, if you’re any good at handball. The gym is right through that door. There is Mr. Takahashi, History teacher. That girl carrying those books is Sakura, our class leader...”
As Josh guided me through the school hallways, I couldn't help but notice that many students glanced at me, sometimes curious, sometimes puzzled. It was obvious why, I was the new student, the new face around here. After the tour concluded, Josh offered to help me with anything school related. I was grateful for his support. Josh showed me to the classroom. The door was wide open, welcoming all of us. As I stepped through, dozens of wondering faces turned around, looking at me in unison. Their collective gaze bore into me, igniting a flush of embarrassment that crept up my neck.
”Good morning.” I said, my voice trembling nervously.
The teacher rose from his chair, extending his arms in a welcoming way.
”Good morning and welcome to our school. You must be Sara Gin. I am Mr. Kenshi Takahashi, your History teacher.”
"It's nice to meet you." I replied, returning his gesture with a respectful bow.
The teacher bowed his head briefly. The other classmates rose to their feet and bowed their heads towards me, offering their own greetings. Instinctively, I did another bow, mirroring their actions. The teacher continued:
"I'm glad you found the classroom." Mr. Takahashi remarked, his tone warm and encouraging.
"I had some help." I added, offering a grateful nod to Josh.
”Please, have a seat.” Mr. Takahashi said, gesturing towards a couple of empty desks in the back, next to the windows. ”It’s time to start the class.”
”Thank you.” I sighed in relief.
All the students sat down. There were 3 empty desks, I sat on the first one, behind a classmate. Josh sat behind me, I felt a little safer having a somewhat familiar face around. As the classroom fell into a hushed silence, Mr. Takahashi started teaching. Each class, no teacher would check if students are missing. Josh told me that it rarely happens that someone would be absent without motive. Students here were very conscious and punctual. The first day of school was quite enjoyable and in no way what I expected. I was grateful that the teachers did not dwell too much on my status as the new student. All they asked of me was to introduce myself, no personal stuff needed. They treated me like any other student. Josh’s guidance throughout the day was really helpful too. I hope I will be able to return his favor in time, his kindness won’t go unnoticed.
As the final bell rang and classes concluded, everyone gathered in the school yard, formed small groups, chatting, then headed home. As Josh said he lives in my area, I thought I'd wait for him by the front door. I didn't catch the moment he left the classroom, I don't know how I missed him. Under a walnut tree, on a bench, a boy caught my attention. He kind of reminded me of myself, maybe I wasn’t the only new student here. He sat there alone, a few meters away from the other students. With his legs tightly close and his arms resting on his knees, he suddenly looked up at me. I looked behind me, nobody was there. I was pretty sure he was staring at me. He had a piercing odd look, slightly menacing. A chill crept up my spine as our eyes met. For a few long seconds, my gaze was stuck on him. I felt an odd cold in the palm of my hands.
”Sara!” Josh said, startling me. ”May I accompany you on our way home?”
”Gladly. Where have you been? You must’ve slipped by me.” I said, grateful for the chance to escape the gaze of the mysterious boy.
Josh grinned at me, offering no reply. I was glad he offered to accompany me. I felt a tad safer in his presence. That boy on the bench, who could he be? His image imprinted on my mind, I thought about him constantly. I was obsessed because I didn't understand who he was and why he was staring at me that way. The walk home was short and Josh's company ended quickly.
”See you tomorrow, Sara!”, Josh said, walking further down the street.
”Definitely, Josh! Goodbye!”
Thus ended the first day of school. I realized that I worried in vain. Everything went pretty well, except for the staring contest with the boy on the bench. He was still lingering on my mind. On the bright side, I made a friend. The Bakken residence was waiting for me. I still didn't feel at home when I was crossing the threshold into this house. I was alone, my dad was still at work. I decided to make myself busy, to get to know this house better. Yesterday, I didn’t really have the time or the mood to explore. I thought I'd start downstairs, with the living room. It was the most spacious and most illuminated room in the entire residence.
As I entered the living room, I noticed a series of markings etched into the door frame, accompanied by numbers. These numbers seem to have marked the height of a child. Many families had probably lived in this house. In the further corner, a black musty desk caught my attention. It had 7 drawers, each of a different color, like the rainbow. The drawers were empty, but the purple one was different. It had this big symbol drawn inside. I couldn’t read it clearly, so I pulled harder. The drawer came out of the desk, dropped on the floor and fell apart, revealing a framed black and white photograph. The symbol looked like a sigil, it said curse. What curse? Who believes in curses anymore? Three figures stared back at me from within the faded frame: a young man who was definitely from Japan, a woman of foreign origins and, cradled in their arms, a boy only a few months old.
Turning the photograph over, I found three letters inscribed in ink: YMJ. There was something else written under those 3 letters, but the ink was all faded. I managed to decipher a few words, I think it was something about family and death, an odd combination of words. I managed to put the drawer back together and inside the desk, but I kept the framed photo. As I inspected more rooms looking for more framed photos, I found none. The one from the living room was the only photograph left behind, perhaps forgotten. I would’ve loved to know more about the family in the photo. I took the photo upstairs, in my room and I searched the Internet for those three initials, YMJ. Nothing concludent came up, nothing about a family that might have lived in this house.

guymn999
34 years old (M)
Denver, Colorado
Hi! I started watching in the summer of last year. I had just gotten a new job (with a nice pay increase), and I wanted to clean up my finances. I appreciate the transparency to finances this show has given me, so I hope that sharing mine is helpful to others. Prior to Caleb’s show I would use /personalfinance as a guide, and more specifically their “Prime Directive Flow Chart”

Job:

I work in IT. IT Specialist is my title, I fill a Jr Network/Sys Admin role at a construction company of about 350-450 people depending on what jobs are taking place. I do everything from Frontline support to implementation and administration of server infrastructure and cloud services (also a professional password reset-er =)). In 2017-2022, I worked for another small company where I started as with 0 experience, just a computer nerd born from pirating video games because I had no money. Over 6 years I learned a ton, but it was not a company that could support upward growth, so I had to look elsewhere (also hated my boss). in the summer of 2022, I was making 25/hr, around Nov of 2022 I got a pay raise to 30/hr (this was a “pay me more or I quit” moment) and after some more stressful months I found my current job that pays 38/hr in June 2023. This was a position that fit very well for my experience and career goals and what their company needed. I do not have a degree for this job (but there are student loans), just a hobbyist computer nerd with good customer support skills (prior to this I worked as server in fine dining, and call center frontline phone support). I do have some college experience; I went to a well known college (at least locally) that specialized in engineering. Having that on my resume has at least gotten some attention. I love my job and the opportunities it provides. But in a years’ time I went from $25-$38 per hour, and still felt "stuck". Which led me to re-assess my financial situation via Caleb’s method.
I do not think I was ever terrible with my finances, but over the last almost year I have certainly gotten better. Basically, learn to be your own accountant and be able to track every single dollar, then actually do it! One thing I learned from the show is that I (and I suspect most people both on the show and in real life) didn't/do not actually budget. What we do is fool ourselves into thinking we are budgeting by having a vague idea of what is coming and going in our accounts. But rarely do people limit their spending in any way, or even make spending categories for that matter(something I did do prior to the show). So, this show not only teaches how to sit down and move things into a need and a want category, but it also helps us call BS on what we convince ourselves is a need when it is a want. I would apply Caleb’s BS spending logic to things I had previously convinced myself were necessary expenses. Things like food spending, money spent on activities with friends, and just general everyday purchases. I did not have terrible lifestyle creep, but I did have some. New car in Feb of 2023 would be the big one.
One thing I can’t help but bring up, when I was at my previous job, I don’t see how I could have possibly saved enough or made any meaningful dent in my debt (student loans were my only debt, did not have a car payment). In 2017(27 years old), I made $21.50, it only grew to $25 by 2022. I likely was not pushing for the raises I needed, but also, I never had the degree to back up that demand, and I certainly undervalued my experience until recently. However, at that pay rate with similar cost of living, I very much felt stuck and even in retrospect don’t see how I could have moved forward. I think many people making less than $60k per year need to just look for way to increase income. Obviously do not neglect your dues, but a savings rate of 25% is just not possible in my experience, even a savings rate of 10% can be tough if you have some big loans hanging out there.

Emergency Fund:

I have about a 3-month emergency fund saved up (8.2k in a HYSA). I feel comfortable keeping it at 3 months as I do not own a home and I only have one debt left. I am dedicating 100 each week to automatically transfer to this account, as well as remaining unspent money. I plan to always float one month of expenses plus my credit card bill (I pay on the last day of each month the current balance of the card, takes a few days to process) towards the next month. Personally, I count that money towards my emergency fund, so whatever is in my saving, plus the 1 month I keep in my checking. The hope is to grow it into a 6 month over time and from there into a down payment on a home (not counting emergency savings).

Debts:

I knew somethings from watching my parents (NOT financially literate) get into big trouble with Credit Cards. Never in my life have I held a balance on a credit card. Never even got a credit card until 2017 (27 years old) because I feared them TBH. Fearing something like this is not what I would recommend or even consider healthy, but it worked in my situation because I did not touch them in my early twenties. Now I enjoy benefits from good credit score and rewards (I get to go to Kuai later this year pretty much all on points, will just need to pay for activities and food).
In Feb 2023 I bought a new car, Toyota Rav4 LE. I had owned my previous car for about 5 years before this, so having to get a payment really sucked. While I did not know of the 20-8-3 rule at the time, I still kept things reasonable, I think. After tax it came to 36k, I put 14k down (it was what I had saved up to buy something used, but at the time there was NOTHING used) so I financed just over 22k, 5 year @ 4.95%. the min monthly payment was $439, but after being inspired by Caleb's videos, I chose to throw everything I had at it and just paid it off this month. so finished in just over a year. It is still like new and I see similar things on Facebook market going for $28k or so and KBB is at $26k My takeaway from buying a car in this time is not that buying a new car is necessarily as bad as the show sometimes makes it out to be(used is far more achievable today as compared to when I bought). But you need to really reconsider your priorities if you are considering any sort of luxury model or luxury trim on an economy car. get the base model and base trim. it is plenty, there is one safety feature that is not included in the base models for many cars and that is blind spot detection for lane changes. it is surprising, but also, I guarantee most people get on fine without it.
My final debt is my student loans. I went into college aimless. Not knowing what I wanted to do really. I paid and continue to pay dearly for it as a result. Went to school in 2008 and since I went to a private college, I got only a bit paid for by federal loans and got the rest on private. I did not come from a family that could support me in any way if shit hit the fan on these loans. It was an extremely challenging time to deal with these loans and I had to utilize deferments and stuff over the years. the loans had some insane variable rates on them (the worst was 13% on a 22k) I do not know what portion federal vs were private. In 2017 I refinanced and consolidated everything (did it a couple times actually, any time I could knock another point or so off). End of 2016 the balance was around 83k with payments of like 850 per month, and I had stretched the payoff date to like 20 years(sorry don’t know the specifics anymore it was like 7 years ago now!) by the end of 2018 I had refinanced it down to 3% with a 10 year pay off payment is $657 per month. This also did things like get my grandma off as a cosigner. Current balance is about 52k. There is a light at the end of the tunnel for these now, but prior to 2017 I was ready to kill myself over these loans, unfortunately literally. Today they are still my biggest financial stress, but far more manageable and like a said, I can see hope.

Retirement:

Not the greatest, I have been getting employer match since 2017, but prior to 2017, I had nothing. When I started my current job, I took advantage of my employer HSA (maxed it out last year and will continue each following year) and this month I opened my Roth IRA. I am not certain I will be able to match it before the end of the, but it is the goal to do so. It’s certainly within my income to do so.
My total assets as of this month are about 55k.
$1600 in my current employer 401k I am in 75% VITAX and 25% "Aggressive Portfolio". Just started contributing in December (soonest I was allowed to)
$4700 in my HSA all S&P 500 (FXAIX)
$49k in a rollover IRA from my previous job also all in FXAIX
Starting the first Friday in April, My Roth IRA will be getting weekly transfers of $134.62 and automatically investing it into FXIAX. Depending on what the end of the year looks like and my cash reserves, I will make up the difference to max out the year then.
I know many would not consider this well diversified, and I am willing to be convinced to change it, but for now, I do not see a reason to use other funds. 90% of investors do not beat the S&P so I figure it would make sense to at least match it. I do not plan to retire until 65, sooner if I can hit “my number”. I probably need to talk to someone to make these better diversified. I am open to feedback.

Budget:

This is very high-level view of my budget. It is worth anyone's time to track every dollar they make in a year. In this I’m assuming $82k which is about 52 hours of overtime, I expect to beat that amount by 3-4k this year, but this is a conservative guess to work off. Calculating things like overtime and the tazes taken can be tedious, but again, worth doing. At the end of the day it is just a math problem that you need to fill in your values (plenty of paycheck tax calculators out there)
https://i.imgur.com/AXQch41.png
I didn’t do anything fancy with the chart, if you want to use mine as a template: here is the link
This chart does not mimic real life though. 7 months out of the year I get four paychecks (paid weekly) and an excess of taxes is taken out as I claim zero deductions from my paycheck, so I get about $1000-$2.5k back each year. But that graph is calculated to my effective tax rate of 22%. I do not have an extra $1088 per month in practice, that is just what it averages out to.
Since I want to always plan for the worst case scenario, I spreadsheet it out as if I'm only getting 4 paychecks each month. Here is a copy of the budgeting spread sheet I use, if you want to use it just go to file>make a copy to save it to your google drive. Do not request editor please :).
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1UBMO-RKGPS8VHdZwddiSKEVWmhh0X5UsRKXeT4xxhd4/edit?usp=sharing
I do not really use the debt payoff tab since paying off my car, but I loved to be able to see how my extra money affected the avalanche method for my car. I did not make that tab, someone (forgot the user :() in this subreddit made it, and I just edited it to fit my style.
Despite being overweight, I have been healthy otherwise, so I have not worried about medical costs up to this point. But I have had health insurance for the last 7 years and never used it... so I plan to address my mental and physical health so it is likely I will take on some expenses there (for weight and ADD).
I use the Empower app to track everything in one place. RIP Mint, but Empower does what I want. I only spend on 1 credit card, so it is easy to go through the expenses there as well.

Goals:

I rent but want to own. It does not feel like it will be possible for a single income in Denver to ever own. But I am going to save up a down payment (on top of my emergency fund) and hope for the best. It feels bad at my age to be rooming with people. This goal is what really makes me feel “stuck” financially. Anything I do towards it feels in vain. I do get a killer deal on rent, but I want more than anything to have complete control over my own living space. Until then, I will appreciate the good fortune I do have in my living situation. This is my main goal I would say, just feels unobtainable which is bad for goal setting. This aspect of finances still has me feeling “stuck”. It is hard to not get discouraged when it comes to buying a house, or even aspiring to it.
Despite the stress my student loans put on me I do not actually plan to pay them off early, they should be finished in about 6 years. I will put all my left-over money into my HYSA (currently 5% interest) for the house down payment, but if I get to a point and decide owning is not possible for me, I can kill the loans off completely. I get more interest in my HYSA than I do paying off the debt.
It is minor (but still a financial goal I suppose), but I want to get a new rewards card (and retire this one), I am thinking the capital one Venture X, $400 fee but it basically pays itself off with travel credits. I have an 804 credit score, I should have most options available to me. If you know a good one to look at let me know!
Even though I am a bit behind in retirement, if I can max my HSA and ROTH for the next 25-30 years. I should still have plenty to live off on those two alone as well as my rollover IRA and current 401k on top of that. Hoping to hit $2-2.5 mill for retirement across all accounts and then retiring. We will see how long that number takes to achieve. I would love to retire before 60, but that seems like a stretch. I think that the "who know were social security will be in the future" is a bit of a meme to drive urgency to save(which is very important). Social security is one the the greatest things this country has achieved, and has lifted so many out of poverty. I would agree we should not rely on it as a sole income source. But to pretend it wont be there in 30 years is silly, and not backed with facts.

If you read all this, thanks! I am certainly open to any feedback. I do feel that I finally made it to the “other side” financially (50-30-20) and have never felt this free of stress about my finances. I don’t think I am done because I want to fit my goals into my life, who knows what else life throws my way. Also, if you think I’m deluding myself somewhere, let me know!
I’m thankful for what this channel has brought to light for me and inspired me to work towards, but also don’t really care for the “financial horror stories” route it has gone down, so I don’t watch too much anymore. I much preferred content from last year and prior to that where it was just a breakdown of real people and real dollar amounts to what they spend. that transparency into reality is so much more interesting to me. Though I accept I am not the typical viewer and there are employees to pay.

I took the Hammer financial score, and it seems a bit harsh still lol, but this is what I get. I suspect it hates the fact that my student loans are private, or maybe just the dollar amount. Also, the complimentary real-estate goose egg most people get. sobs
Your Hammer Financial Score: 4
(Your Total Points: 23.22 out of 50)
Category Score:
Spending: 7.5
Debt: 3.72
Retirement: 6
Emergency Fund: 6
Real Estate: 0

Profile - 9/8/8
Grad - Mechanical Engineering
Workex - 1.5 years Banking Softwares
Two Male Panelists
M1 - 30s
M2 - 40s
AWT Topic - GIFT city is being established in Gujarat, although it is a dry state but alcohol sale and consumption is being allowed in the GIFT City. A resident X says for development purpose why are we taking such steps, Gujarat is anyways more developed than majority of the states and also doing this will be against the ethics and nature of the state.
PS (Related to AWT)- I had mentioned some terms like correlation, the great American depression of 1929 (In some articles it is mentioned satirely that after alcohol was banned in America in 1920s the will to work reduced and then the depression happened ).
Had also mentioned terms like partial capital account convertibility and the 5 trillion gdp target.
I enter, share greetings
M1 - Ok Mr X, tell me something about you which is not present in this form.
Ans - I am Ambidextrous, which means i don’t have one prominent hand, i write with my left hand but i play sports like TT, Badminton, pool with my right hand. So if i am picking up a new sport i have to figure out which hand to use.
(Both interviewers kept a blank face )
I moved to the college clubs i was part of and the PORs, the internship, research project.
M1 - tell us something which reflects you as a person, tells about your personality
Ans - I would say i am a calm person and I believe in not being wrong to anyone, I don’t like being in the bad books of people.
M1 - ok so in WAT you mentioned great depression and alcohol ban what is that
Ans - told how there was a market crash and huge unemployment in America and how the banning of alcohol was stated as one of the reasons although it was satire and the reasons were different like stock market crash but it showcases the mindset of the western companies and media.
M1 - you mentioned correlation in here, can you explain how correlation is not the causation, which parameters would you choose for alcohol consumption correlation relating to economic downturn
Ans - told what correlation displays and it does not suggest causation there can be a third party involved. Took two variables like amount of alcohol being sold and increase of unemployment. There might be a correlation of this but the causation could be different for example if the government has cut down all the tax on alcohol it is very cheap now and at the same time the economy is in a turmoil.
M2 - ok so you are a mechanical engineer where are you using this in your current job
Ans - i am obviously not using the concepts and the coursework related knowledge from my mechanical engineering degree but I believe the analytical thinking and work ethic which those four years have developed are definitely useful.
M2 - For that you could have done a degree in history, it would have been the same
Ans - Sir I don’t think a degree in history would have any analytical influence
M2 - Do you know who is the RBI Governor
Told
M2 - He is a history major and he is heading RBI
I had no response for this, this just passed in laughter
M2 - So take us through your work
Told - explained client based banking software customisation related stuff
M2 - what are the different types of accounts that can be opened
Ans - there is a savings account, current account explained the difference
M2 - Are there only these 2
Ans - There are others as well like salary account, term deposits account
M2 - Can anyone open a current Account
Ans - I hesitantly said yes, the interviewer said are you sure with a smirk, i said I believe so but i might be wrong
M2 - What is overdraft limit
Ans - told
M2 - On which type of account it is given
Ans - Current
M2 - Why not on savings
Ans - Didn’t have an ans for this, later i said maybe because current account is for those customers who do a lot of transactions and for those transactions bank can earn a fee so in case of overdraft they would be able to earn extra fee money.
(Looked justified with a head nod, not sure)
M1 - As a mechanical engineer how would you solve the traffic issue in Bangalore.
Ans - By making good electric hybrid buses accommodating a lot of passengers.
M1 - But that is a choice issue, you will have to make changes in the mindset of people buses and all is fine but this is a government related approach tell something else.
Ans - While Trying to think i said Traffic congestions are mainly civil engineering related issues, but one thing we can add in the equation is better metro connectivity like delhi that can solve some of the issue. Metros are build by mechanical engineers
M1 - This is again the same mentality and government approach tell something else.
Ans - Nothing was coming to mind so i said, So traffic happens because of the congestion that is created by vehicles coming from everywhere and trying to fit in, as a mechanical engineer one thing we can do is try to create that congestion in a uniform shaped entity like an hexagon how all the pieces fit together and everyone can move in a uniform manner.
M1 - So will a hexagon shaped car work
Ans - well the aerodynamics would be terrible but since we only want to travel in the city (10-15 km) it might work
M1 - Will a hexagon car even turn
Ans - That we will have to check, by analysis, improve, control (It was more like a joke at this point).
M2 - Do you remember any maths related things some basics like probability
Ans - yeah I remember it
M2 - Can you tell what is Bayes Theorem
Ans - (Trying to hide the feelings on my face that i knew the formula and everything as soon as he mentioned it)
Started by trying to memorise and then blurted everything out, asked if i can write the formula on the work pad in front of me. Then followed it by explaining a conditional probability problem of Monty Hall
M1 - Can you take some less difficult example
Ans - Laughed and took an example of a rigged coin and a normal coin how the chances of future probability changes knowing the past results and the patterns.
—> Can’t remember but i brought the word Subprime crisis of 2008 in the conversation somewhere so he told me to explain it
Ans - Explained in detail but fumbled in the part where i had to explain what caused the initial economic slowdown which caused
people to default on their loans.
I just remembered that there was some economic slow down which usually happens in all the economies but M2 was asking for the reason i told I don’t know
M1 - So do you follow any world news
Ans - Yeah i like to be aware of the geopolitical situations happening in the world like Russia - ukraine, israel - palestine
M2 - Russia Ukraine war happened two years ago
Me - Yeah but it is still going on without any resolution
M2 - So what will be the solution
Ans - The resolution of this will come after either change in power in either us or ukraine (told how US is at forefront of all this and the election situation in US, trumps nationalist viewpoint, us supplying arms) or else a change in mindset of either NATO nations or russia.
M1 - What was the effect of russia ukraine war in india
Ans - Mistakingly said increase in the price of oil, later remembered price has not increased after covid
M2 - How did Oil prices increase we are getting cheaper oil from russia now
Ans - Realised i fucked up and said i did a mistake there, actually it didn’t have any detrimental effect on india as we were getting cheap oil and then refining it and selling it back to Saudi, European nations
M1 - What was the effect of the war on you as a person or an Indian citizen
Ans - In this period there was no negative effect as such in india due to russia ukraine war, we are getting cheap oil, our economy is growing(8.4 % last quarter)
M1 - But is that because of the war, come back to the question
Ans - Can’t really attach the economic growth with war (Couldn’t really think of anything specific so i told) I can’t recall of any change which affected me or any citizen of India as such.
M1 - Ok do you have any questions for us
Ans - Nothing as of now
M1 - Ok take a toffee and and you can go
Seemed pretty chill, was expecting a lot more maths and a lot more acads but nothing as such most of the interview just felt like a conversation
Edit: Verdict - Converted :)

For more context, the game involved the player going through some kind of maze that reasembled a dungeon, it was 2d, pixel art and tile based movement where you could go up down left and right. There were 2 maps that the player could choose from (maybe there were more, however I do not remember the exact number) one that was a castle and the other was like a forest/overworld.
The game was fantasy themed, and whenever you moved through the tiles different monsters would spawn or move, and when you touched one a different screen would appear in which you had to solve basic math problems, from additions, substractions, multiplications and divisions (I think you could choose a difficulty level and it would add the last two type of problems to the question pool) If you got it wrong you lost life and could eventually lose the game and start over.
The monsters ranged from mummies to haunted knight armor (those two are the ones I most remember). In the castle themed map you played as a knight and I think in the forest one you play a wizard.
For more context of where I played it, we would play it during computer class between 1st and 2rd grade (this would be beetween 2008-2011). The teacher would give us access through the game in her computer. The game I think was in english, however I do not think that i had a lot of text, as we played it in a Mexican School (I am from Mexico).
I think that is all that I can remember, I do not think that it is a 90's game, more around the early or mid 2000s.
​
Thanks for any suggestions in advance, and have a great day!
​

One massive issue with Third Wave Emo is that a lot of it seemed to have lost its hardcore roots; this point is constantly blasted at us by Emo purists. “True” Emo from that time period, if it did include some hardcore influence, was often cleanly produced and crisp, diametrically opposing the very ethos of Hardcore. Fortunately, heavy Emo music was still very prolific during the 2000s, and I wanted to talk about two particularly palatable Emo subgenres during that span.
I’d like to clarify one thing before I get started: I will not be comprehensively covering Screamo in this series. Even though Screamo was having a major boon during the 2000s and kept the spirit of Emo alive, that genre deserves its very own series and is so comprehensive that I just don’t have the time to do that right now. That said, a few movements were taking place during Emo’s Third Wave on a DIY level and both were very important to the genre.
In this first section, I will be covering a genre I admittedly don’t have the most prior knowledge on: Emocore. The original Emo, Emocore (short for Emotional Hardcore) was the predominant sound of the First Wave and kickstarted the genre we all love and listen to today. Splitting the hairs between Post-Hardcore and Emocore is even more difficult than with Emo, but I’ll attempt to only include well-defined Emocore on this list. Hell, no matter what I do, some will insist Emocore is only from the Revolution Summer Washington DC scene in the 80s. I’ll do my best to push through that.
Now to say there was an “Emocore Revival” might be a bit of a misnomer since the genre never truly died, but there was a definite uptick in interest during the late 90s and early 2000s, likely due to the spread of internet access. Some truly legendary post-80s Emocore bands arose from this particular crop and I’d love to share some of these underappreciated releases between 2002-2008.
Please note there’s a dearth of knowledge on Emocore, especially after the mid-90s, so please excuse me if I slip up a bit in this section. Without further adieu,

Re: Emocore Reemergence

Twelve Hour Turn - Perfect Progress, Perfect Destruction (2002)

Despite releasing only two full-length albums and two extended plays, Twelve Hour Turn has quite the prolific discography for a band that only lived five years, having performed in numerous splits and compilations. They rode the Emocore wave that started in the late 90s and are one of the most well-known non-80s bands in the genre. This would be their final full-length album and, to my knowledge, their last release as a band until an archival live album came out in 2016.
Featuring tons of mid-tempo Hardcore, dynamic volume switches and signature solitary somber guitar riffs. If you enjoy your Emocore to be on the Punkier side, this is absolutely one to check out!

Cavalry - Outnumbered is Outflanked (2002)

Cavalry combined that classic Emocore sound - the mid-tempo Hardcore with melody and catharsis - with elements of Post-Punk, from the vocal delivery to the bouncy basslines to the atmosphere. The elements are woven together so well that even Emocore purists will find something to like on here.

Aghast - Polaroid (2002)

Emocore from France, Aghast takes the traditional Emocore formula and fuses it with early 00s Screamo production elements and creates a relatively fresh record that, while not breaking any crazy ground, is quite solid and stands out a bit from the pack.

End on End - Why Evolve When We Can Go Sideways (2002)

Some good Rites of Spring worship, evident by their band name. If you like the transition from traditional, slower Hardcore and Post-Hardcoreish sections of quiet, brooding riffage, this is worth a listen.
The band has a fair amount of splits, as well as a few other EPs and albums that are worth a listen.

The Pine - Level Blocks for Feet (2002)

One of the most celebrated Emocore artists during the 2000s, The Pine creates authentic music like we’re still living the Revolution Summer: extremely rough, analog recordings with old-school Hardcore writing in mind, a singer who’s doing his damnedest Evergreen impression and music that sounds like a long-lost The Hated demo. The mixing on this is truly woeful, and I mean that in the best way possible. The cacophony surpasses the wall-of-noise state that Shoegaze loves to produce and few, if any, recognizable melody comes through. For discerning ears, you’re welcomed to frequent high-range basslines that complement the simple, driving guitar, all overpowered by the ludicrous crash cymbal.
From the description, this sounds like an uncontainable mess, and it is. However, the passion behind this album is unmistakable. If you’ve yet to dip your toes into the Emocore pond, I’d highly suggest giving these guys a go.

The Shivering - To the Ground (2003)

Fairly typical mid-tempo Emocore stuff from The Shivering. If you like Punky chord progressions, the odd twinkle and stuff that doesn’t veer too far from tradition, this one is worth a listen. The Shivering also released two small EPs before and after this album.

Sinaloa - Fathers and Sons (2003)

The debut LP from criminally underrated Sinaloa, Fathers and Sons is classic Emocore with more modern Screamo sensibilities. I wouldn’t go as far as to say the band plays Screamo, but their revered split with Ampere should give some insight as to the cred this band has. A heavy focus on melodic lead guitar lines is underscored by the desperate, shouted vocals and a very active drummer who drives the music forward. Breaking up this band’s incredible dedication to melody is the harmony’s often-grizzly sense of dissonance. With 15 songs and only 36 minutes of runtime, the album’s surprising creativity will keep you hooked.

93 Million Miles - 93 Million Miles (2003)

With more than half of the band’s discography fitting into this five-track EP, this 90s Emocore project released some songs they’d recorded in the late 90s in 2003, and the world of Emo is forever thankful! 93 Million Miles is bona fide classic Emocore paced moderately and played passionately. The band is keen on their Hardcore roots, especially in the latter half of the EP, but loves exploring multiple volume dynamics throughout the songs.

1000 Travels of Jawaharlal - Owari Wa Konai (2003)

You only need one word to describe Owari Wa Konai: relentless. The heavily distorted guitar plays nonstop Emocore riffage with the occasional angular, twinkly melody to break apart the unrelenting tedium. The drummer absolutely refuses to be quiet and subdued, instead expressing their emotions by banging the Hell out of their kit. Tying this all together immaculately is the brutal vocalist, screaming his voice raw with passion and angst.
Owari wa Konai is almost prototypical Emocore, though advanced into a new age with tiny elements of Screamo and Post-Hardcore. Cold Like December - Oh My God, It’s Full of Stars (2003) This release is an interesting footnote in history, being the Emocore band of Kevin DeFranoco, guitarist for legendary bands like Harrison Burgeron, Street Smart Cyclist and Boy Problems. The guitarwork on this release doesn’t exactly live up to those artists, but Cold Like December plays a vigorous Emocore style that shares some similarities with early 00s Metalcore. Check this out if you like Emocore to be on the more aggressive side.

Dance of Days - A valsa de águas vivas (2004)

Perhaps the most important Emocore band to come out of Brazil, Dance of Days began their career in the late 90s and is still kicking, having just released an album in 2023! Their discography is plethoric with no fewer than 10 full-length albums and several EPs, many of which came out during this Third Wave Emo time period.
Punky Emocore with very melodic guitar riffs, Dance of Days employs a healthy dose of Melodic Hardcore to keep the somewhat stale nature of Emocore very fresh. The vocals stand out as particularly palatable for those who don’t enjoy screaming or shouting and are filled with tons of emotion.

Life At These Speeds - Life At These Speeds (2004)

Perhaps one of the most underappreciated Emocore releases of all time, Life at These Speeds could be talked about in the same breath as Lyburnum Wits and Indian Summer. At its very core, the band members are true Punkers, but they definitely understand how to make an incredible Emo album. A perfect guitar tone throughout sets the mood and allows the crescendos to really hit hard.
The vocalist is introspective and aggressive, relaying the emotional gravity of the music. This album sounds as if Emocore continued as a strong movement through the 90s into the 00s, bringing over a decade of influence with it.

The Pine - Days Slipping By (2004)

Following up on their self-titled compilation album, which included the entirety of their first album plus more tracks, The Pine released their next full-length album in 2004. The first note I have is that the recording and production quality has improved marginally, though still not enough to sound like anything other than “Basement Emo.” Regardless, what you hear is what you get with this band, so even though the songs do come off as sort of similar to each other, Roger King’s immense ardor is present in every note his voice hits, and his voice is clearer than ever. This one invokes a feeling of isolation that Level Blocks for Feet didn’t quite do. Another amazing entry in their legendary discography.

End of a Year - Disappear Here (2004)

End of a Year’s debut LP is Emocore distilled into its purist form with only small hints of Post-Hardcore to offer a counterbalance. Rites of Spring worship? Absolutely. That doesn’t make this unappealing to listen to, however. The band’s commitment to the mid-tempo Hardcore of the Revolution Summer is admirable, as is their focus on incredibly powerful guitar melodies.
Believe it or not, this band would go on to release an abundance of music between 2004 and 2011, including a couple more albums, several EPs and countless splits with other bands. After 2011, they would reform under their far more popular moniker - Self Defense Family.

Metamorphosis - Solo en mí (2004)

Metamorphosis was an Emocore band out of Lima, Peru, not to be confused with the likely many bands with the same or a similar name. The first thing you’re going to notice is that this album takes its traditional Hardcore seriously, indulging in a Punkish Hardcore that defined the earliest of Emocore bands. Their standout feature is the vocalist - the dude is insane, switching flawlessly between growly screaming and eclectic singing.

The Pine - Don’t Need Regret (2005)

The Pine’s final formal release, Don’t Need Regret might just be the band’s most dynamic work yet. The bookends to this album are quite possibly The Pine’s best songs ever, though the overall quality of the LP is quite good. This is also the Punkiest The Pine has ever been, indulging in those strong Punk drum beats.
The Pine would release an acoustic album in 2005 before disbanding, randomly releasing Some Unreleased Stuff in 2011. Just last year, they remastered a couple of their albums, so fortunately for us, the band seems keen on preserving their legacy.

Sinaloa - Footprints on Floorboards (2005)

Despite the urgency that Sinaloa exudes with their music, caused by the dissonant chord progressions, desperate vocals and syncopated drums, Footprints on Floorboards is somewhat of a subdued album. Perhaps the lack of a bassist holds the punchiness back, or maybe it’s the unwavering tempo that doesn’t shift into truly depressive territory, nor does it reach blistering speeds. These may sound like criticisms, but they’re actually the album’s biggest strengths—a worthy follow-up to Fathers and Sons with less attention paid to sweeping guitar melodies.
Sinaloa would carry the grand Emo tradition of having legendary splits, recording with bands like Ampere and Life at These Speeds. They would also release two more full-length albums and an EP before calling it quits in the 10s.

End of a Year - Sincerely (2006)

End of a Year evolved on this album, employing some new songwriting tricks in the last two years. Fortunately, they continue to play that good old Emocore straight out of the mid-80s. The dynamic shifts are executed well and give the album a really nice overall flow.

Life At These Speeds - To Your Health (2006)

Life at These Speeds proves once again why they are one of the premier Emocore bands of this period with this incredible follow-up album. More modern Post-Hardcore influences are showing up on this album, once again showcasing the genre’s ability to transcend the rigidity of 80s DC Emocore. The lauded dynamic volume interplay from their first album is perfected on this release, ensuring the album never succumbs to the “samey” complaint some have of Emocore albums.
If you liked the first album, you’ll like this one. If you enjoyed their work, be sure to check out their splits with End on End, Sinaloa and Science of Yarba.

Aghast - Consumer (2006)

Seasoned after splits with 100 Travels of Jawaharlal and Sed Non Satiata, Aghast returned with their sole LP Consumer in 2006, and it’s quite the accomplishment. Aghast once again zig-zag the border between Emocore and European Screamo, though they’re heavier than ever on this record. Taking the straightforwardness and quiet-loud dynamics of Emocore and imbuing them with the aggression and melodic beauty of French Skramz creates a real winner with Consumer.

Fine Before You Came - Fine Before You Came (2006)

Fine Before You Came is one of the most important Italian Emocore bands of all time, having gained complete underground cred when they unleashed Sfortuna upon the world in 2009. However, this self-titled album is actually sung in English, as opposed to Sfortuna. The album features Emocore with a fair bit of Post-Hardcore influence, but the masterful dynamic switches are telling of which genre this is in.
The somewhat subdued nature of the tracks belies their tension, though it could be argued that the band never goes into that next gear with their crescendos. However, Jacopo’s powerful vocals make up for any of the music’s shortcomings. This album is a glimpse into one of Italy’s premier Emocore bands.
Next, I’d like to cover another relatively niche but nonetheless very influential aspect of Emo: Midwest Screamo. Unlike most other Screamo, Midwest Screamo will be the most familiar for non-Screamo listeners, all while providing a direction for Emo’s trajectory during this time period. Saetia laid the footprints for pretty much all of Screamo in the third wave, but Sidekick Kato is also a particularly noteworthy influence on bands in this section. Some releases would feel at home to Second Wave Midwest Emo enjoyers while others embraced a mathy proto-revival outlook.
Midwest Screamo takes elements of the beloved Midwest Emo genre, aspects of Screamo and puts them in a blender to unpredictable results; clean guitars, raspy screams, quiet-loud dynamics, mathy riffs and who knows what else might be in a given song. With this subgenre being extremely small, there aren’t tons of hard defining factors, so the hair-splitting between this and other genres like Post-Hardcore will be outlandish, but I’ll persist nonetheless.
Onto the next section,

The Midwest Screamo Matriculation

And None of Them Knew They Were Robots - And None of Them Knew They Were Robots (2002)

In 2002, Midwest Screamo was technically around but was extremely niche and underdeveloped. ANOTKTWR aren’t some godfather of the genre or anything, but their blend of Midwest Emo and Post-Hardcore, along with bits of Math Rock and Screamo, ensure this release stands out from the pack. They’re somewhat reminiscent of On the Might of Princes, and that’s not a bad thing. When those clean dynamics kick in, whew boy is this one a beaut.

The Little Explorer - The Little Explorer (2003)

The Little Explorer’s self-titled debut LP is an anomaly, a release that sounds like it could have been released 10 years later and it’d feel at home. Somehow coming out in the year 2003, this album is one of the best Emo releases of that year - a true testament to its greatness. The English Emo trio manages to craft surprisingly uplifting songs with tons of complexity, time-signature bending and twinkly guitar riffs with unexpectedly good production values. These disparate elements are weaved together with gorgeous Post-Rock, making this a remarkable outing vastly ahead of its time.
The Little Explorer would release their second LP in 2013, though it was actually recorded in 2006. It’s definitely worth checking out. This band would go on to become Crash of Rhinos, an amazing Emo Revival band. With all of this Emo cred, you have no choice but to check this out.

Five Fingers Half a Hand - Exotic Dances for Wives and Lovers (2003)

Released in 2003, this album was supposedly recorded a few years earlier, which makes the forward-thinking nature of this full-length all the more impressive. This fits in quite well with Second Wave Midwest Emo with some gnarly screaming in place of clean vocals in a lot of spots. The oft-found serene moments of this album are cut down by raw, emotional Screamo. This is an early example of the genre done right.

Make Me - Make Me (2004)

Hailing from New Jersey, Make Me plays traditional late-90s Screamo with a mathy, almost jazzy approach. Between abrasive, straightforward bouts of Hardcore fury are serene moments of quiet, usually accompanied by Kinsella-esque riffing. The committee of clean and screamed vocals adds to the insanity while the dynamic song structures keep this four-track demo lively and original. Simply put, stuff like this wasn’t really coming out at this time, so Make Me is an innovator in the scene.

Tamiroff - Demo (2004)

Featuring bandmates that would eventually form Post-Hardcore standouts Polar Bear Club, Tamiroff’s demo is a unique twinkly romp through screamed Midwest Emo. Tamiroff showed off a sound similar to that of Make Me on this release, but they tend to prefer the softer end of the spectrum, in particular with the Kinsella-inspired guitar. There’s less than 12 minutes of music, but it’s an integral look at the development of the Kinsella-inspired sound that would start with a few Proto-Revival artists in the mid-2000s before it became the dominant sound of the Emo Revival.

Full Surrender - The Distance Between (2005)

Acoustic guitar in Emo is somewhat of an anomaly, especially in Screamo from this era. Even in the Second Wave, Midwest Emo would often be bereft of acoustic guitars, even from more indie-leaning Emo acts. This might have something to do with Emo’s history being deeply rooted in Hardcore, but in 2004, Full Surrender combined Screamo, Midwest Emo and the acoustic guitar to craft a one-of-a-kind aural experience.
Full Surrender plays to the quiet-loud nature of traditional Midwest Emo and has many clean vocal sections with incredible harmony, but adding in screamed vocals and the odd spastic drum moment give this EP exceptional contrast. With relatively clean production and a forward-thinking genre-bending combination of sounds, this sounds like it came from the Fifth Wave.

The Last Will Be the First - The Last Will Be the First (2005)

Admittedly, this one is mostly traditional American Screamo with Midwest Emo influences rather than a truly cohesive combined sound. That said, the slower, cleaner Emo sections break up the cacophony that’s usually going about. Still worth a listen for those curious.

Kidcrash - Demo 06 (2006)

Before removing the definite article “The” from the front of their name, Kidcrash released their debut LP in 2004, playing more of an Emo-Pop / Midwest Emo fusion with no screaming. Following this up was a three-song EP in 2005 that upped the ante in terms of heaviness, sort of bridging the gap between their Emo-Pop sound and what they produced on this demo.
Although this isn’t strictly Midwest Screamo, more akin to a lighter Hot Cross, the elements are all there. The vocalist has finally started to tear it up with screamed vocals while the aggression pushes further. There aren’t a ton of twinkles here, but the mathy rhythms more than make up for it. Kidcrash was just about ready to evolve into their final form, and this demo gives a clear picture of where they’re about to go.

Ladders - Ladders (2006)

Perhaps one of the most obscure releases I’ve been able to review, this mid-aughts Screamo project produced only one EP, but damn does it kick ass. Ladders plays a more traditional style of Screamo, but elements of Midwest Emo, particularly in the guitar and the volume dynamics, tend to creep in. This is one of the rawest and most Hardcore of the releases on this list, but with just enough Midwest Emo influence, this makes the cut!

With Horses in Her Eyes - Prologue (2006)

A prologue that serves as the band’s only release (under this name), With Horses in Her Eyes combines traditional Screamo with Post-Rock, but not in the same way as many European bands of the day; With Horses utilized Midwest Emo tropes to tie the disparate genres together. If you like heavy sections of unhinged Screamo juxtaposed with beautiful sections of clean music (you know, Emo), then you’ll like this release.
The band would rename themselves to Histories after this EP, releasing three more songs. Those tracks have less Midwest Emo influence but are great Screamo songs nonetheless.

We Are the Colossus - Demo (2006?)

Jack Senff’s very first Midwest Screamo project, We Are The Colossus only released two songs on their demo but it sort of unintentionally serves as a blueprint for future Senff projects. Combining the insanity of Merchant Ships, the rawness of Midwest Pen Pals and the heaviness of William Bonney, this feels like a Senff project through and through. If you like any of his other bands, do yourself a favor and scope this demo.

Kidcrash - Jokes (2007)

Channeling the best Screamo artists of the 2000s, adding copious elements of Math Rock and pouring their entire soul into the project, Kidcrash evolves into their final form on Jokes. Time signature and volume dynamics are at play throughout the album’s runtime. If you like riffs, this release has them in spades. Like their demo, this isn’t strictly Midwest Screamo, but I believe this to be about as close as you can get the genre.

Lion of the North - The Compass Calls (2007)

Lion of the North was a short-lived band steeped in Emo history, with connections to bands like Grown Ups and La Dispute. They made splits with bands like Lautrec and MANS., but first came out with an EP of their own. The Compass Calls showcases the band at their best: brutal, punishing sections of Screamo with blistering Math Rock riffs, organized loosely by Midwest Emo principles. For fans of Screamo, this one delivers and keeps you on your toes.

What Price, Wonderland? - Thirty With a Wink (2007)

This is more Post-Hardcore / Screamo, but it’s played in such a unique way, it can easily be lumped into this genre. The unpredictable and fun nature of Cap’n Jazz’s music is a huge influence on this band, meaning their songwriting is actually top-notch. Expect a heavy Post-Hardcore bass tone to accompany a varied and frenzied drumming while the guitarist is losing his mind. The vocalist enjoys shouting out the lyrics with all of his might. This is an underrated release in the legacy of UK Emo.

Fiction Like Non-Fiction - Fiction Like Non-Fiction (2007)

The enigmatic sound of Bay Area Screamo cannot be accurately defined by mere words alone. Despite the monumental task, I’ll take a crack at it with this amazing self-titled release. Rough, lofi production techniques give this one a unique atmosphere while the switches between madman Hardcore and slower, Midwest Emo give the EP an identity. This can’t be strictly considered Midwest Screamo, but it’s damn sure a fine album for fans of the subgenre.

James Dean - James Dean (2007)

One of the least Googlable band / album name combinations of all time, James Dean was a short-lived Australian Midwest Screamo band, plaything the genre perfectly as intended. The band very much plays into the soft, noodly guitar-driven Proto-Revival sound, infusing it with some screaming and impressively noisy drums. They would release another EP the next year with arguably an even worse name combination.

Paris Hilton on Fire - Sacrificing Small Animals to Please the Prince of Darkness (2007)

Paris Hilton on Fire flirts with the more extreme side of Midwest Screamo in this 2007 EP. With clear Emoviolence influence, particularly in the frantic drumming found throughout the album, Sacrificing Small Animals is four songs of melodic destruction that will stay with you for quite some time, though I’d be hard-pressed to call it as ludicrous as Father Figure. The Math Rock guitar riffs add to the discord while the vocalist is content to scream his head off for the record’s duration. This band would release another EP 12 years later, but these were the band’s only outings.

Boy Problems - Summer Tour Songs (2008)

Boy Problems only released a handful of songs, but their legacy is forever enshrined in the mythos of this subgenre; hailing for Philly they featured former bandmates from groups like Make Me, Harrison Bergeron and Street Smart Cyclist. Summer Tour Songs opens with a sample from Superbad, speaking volumes to their intention to make a true Emo classic. From there, we find five rough recordings that contain the perfect blend of Screamo and twinkly Midwest Emo.
Many Emo Revival bands would take cues from Midwest Screamo artists, but Boy Problems seems to be an especially prominent influence on the movement, especially as it came out right at the forefront. With noodling riffs, shifting dynamics and an overall “warm” feeling, this is an essential demo to listen to if you’re into the Emo Revival sound.

Merchant Ships - The LOL Cats Demo (2008)

At only seven minutes in length, Merchant Ships makes an immediate impression, showcasing to the world why they were about to become one of the most beloved bands of the Emo Revival. Jack Senff’s passionate, raw shouted vocals are the highlight of these tracks, serenading the listener with unfiltered poetic lyrics. The first two tracks are originals only found on this demo, but the third track is a demo version of one of their most famous songs. The pulse-pounding percussion is complemented well by the noodling, active guitar.

1994! - Thank You Arms and Fingers (2008)

Some may claim this is more of a Punk-oriented Post-Hardcore / Math Rock fusion, but with slightly less hair-splitting, this fits alright in the Midwest Screamo category! The band would go on to be a not-insignificant part of the Emo Revival, but they released their first album in 2008. Filled with highly energetic drumming and blistering guitar riffs, the Punky nature of the songs just gives the chaos a little bit of structure. This is some truly heralding stuff for a two-person band!

Jupiter Lander - Jupiter Lander (2008)

Named after an obscure Commodore 64 title and with only a few songs to their name, Jupiter Lander touched down in 2008 and left the world as quickly as they came. However, this self-titled gem, consisting only of three songs, is a testament to their skill and cements their legacy. With a more traditional Midwest Emo approach, combined with raw, longing Screamo elements, Jupiter Lander is a lofi Midwest Screamo experience worth listening to.
Also released later that year was their Final Recordings EP, which I’m not sure was ever an official release. Regardless, four more excellent songs are on that release and I’d suggest listening to it if you liked their s/t.

The Reptillian - We Have Become (2008)

The Reptilian would go on to become one of the premier Midwest Screamo artists of the Emo Revival, but they made their relatively small-time debut in 2008 by participating in a split with Lautrec, Boy Problems and Osceola and releasing their debut EP, We Have Become. The four tracks on display here offer a preview into the future of the niche subgenre at the time, including the Mathy, Kinsella-esque guitar riffs that are heard throughout. Compared to some of the other Midwest Screamo releases on this list, The Reptilian doesn’t play particularly heavy music, perhaps more on the level of 1994! Regardless, the band showcases on this EP why their reputation precedes them.

James Dean - James Deen (2008)

Another short release from obscure Australian Screamo Twinklers James Dean, another Proto-Revival release with screamed vocals and the occasional harsh instrumental section. This band was at the right place at the right time, but they didn’t stick around long enough for their work to reach the Revival.

Age Sixteen - Spring 2008 Demo (2008)

Heavily inspired by Suis La Lune, particularly in the melodic, active guitar riffs, Age Sixteen debuts with just three songs, but they show a clear trajectory to where the band was headed. Unlike their influence, however, Age Sixteen knows exactly when to get a little crazier, a trait their European counterparts don’t typically indulge in. If you like passionate shouted vocals, unforgettable guitarwork and epic, dynamic switches, do not ignore this demo!

Tiny Moving Parts - Waves Rise, Waves Recede, The OceanI s Full of Waves (2008)

What’s Tiny Moving Parts doing here in the Midwest Screamo zone? Well, their very first album features the band experimenting with many different genres, including Midwest Emo, Math Rock, Post-Hardcore and even Screamo. On this album, clean vocals are the exception, not the rule, and Dylan’s voice has never been so consistently insane, sort of like a more hoarse Jack Senff. The instrumental sections transition haphazardly between beautiful Emo twinkles, brooding Post-Hardcore and chaotic snippets of Screamo.
Although the band wouldn’t continue with this exact trajectory, this album lays the blueprint for what the band would become in the near future.
That's it for Part 2! Part 3 is going to be a doozy but it's also my favorite set of releases, so I hope to get that to you all soon.

I saw the syllabus and I was shock cuz How tf do u guys learn a lot of topics in each semester😭😭???!!!
Background: -Aku ambik addmaths dan setiap kali ujian aku selalu fail😭(walaupun markah meningkat dan hampir lulus)
-Banyak topik addmaths yg aku boleh jawab(kecuali soalan kbat tahap dewa)
-topic yg slow dan lemah bagi aku: Vectors,Permutation,combination, trigonometry(lukis graf dan cari nilai teta sampai jawapan lebih dari 1),Kinematics Motion,
Questions:
1.Adakah proses nak faham Maths M akan jadi lagi senang dgn background addmath aku?
2.Possible tak nak dapat A or B utk Maths Moden ?
-----Question out of topic------ 3.Boleh ke drop subject dan ganti dgn Maths Modern? Etc:Sekolah tawarkan ICT,Ekonomi,Akaun,PA dan aku nak drop Akaun dan ganti dgn Maths modern
Q4:is it possible to get A/B by self taught/tuition maths m ?