#love and be loved but i must reinvent i must evolve into a new self

[asgardian--angels]

what are some of your favorite rammstein songs? what album would you choose to recommend to others? if you're able to choose (i know it can be difficult to do with favorite bands, lol) i grew up only hearing one of their songs and your reblogs make me curious to branch out!

Hi there!! I'm always happy to talk about bands I love haha right now since I've yet to really become a part of the fandom and I only know one or two people irl that like the same music as me I feel like I've been shouting into the void lately so like, I am gratified to know someone's listening XD

I'm by no means a Rammstein expert as I'm fairly new to the fandom and the band overall (been listening for about a year), that's my disclaimer. But I've furiously been trying to catch up with their 30-odd years of history!

I'm guessing the song you know is probably Du Hast? That is the song that I grew up knowing as well and for a very long time was the only song I heard from them. It's a very... mainstream? song, I suppose, for their standards; catchy, simple lyrics that non-German speaking audiences can sing along to, pounding repetitive militaristic beat, great to introduce international audiences to this Neue Deutsche Härte genre that was quite distinct from American metal at the time (I moved over to European metal genres about five years ago after exhausting my interest in American metal, there really just seems to be a lot more creativity going on there). While it's a good song it's by no means my favorite nor representative of their level of technical skill nor lyrical poetry. Plus it was a fairly early song in their discography, and their sound has evolved multiple times since then, as all bands do.

It's definitely hard to choose favorites as I really love all of their albums and all of the various sounds the band has gone through. They continually reinvent themselves and remain relevant and fresh, and that sustained passion always comes through in their art. There's also like, songs-that-are-my-favorite and songs-I'd-recommend-to-new-listeners which aren't always the same. I have bolded my recommendations here so you don't need to sift through all this haha.

In my opinion, their overall best album is Liebe Ist Für Alle Da (2009). It is incredibly solid as a total package; their musically heaviest era I'd say, high production quality, long tracklist and they're all jams. Rammstein doesn't half-ass anything, but LIFAD is like a self-contained universe and the concerts that go along with that era had some of the coolest stage productions & costumes. 'Rammlied' and 'Ich Tu Dir Weh' are two iconic, classic songs from this album that I couldn't recommend enough. The latter is imo one of the best songs they've ever done and the music video is killer, and is an excellent representation of the sort of enchanting darkness mixed with beauty that characterizes so much of their appeal. It was the first song of theirs I learned all the words to, and the song that made me want to listen to more Rammstein. If anything, listen to that song first out of all of these recommendations! I hope it can do that for you too. It remains an absolutely mesmerizing song for me to this day. Rammlied is one of a number of songs they have about the relationship between band and fans, great for live performances but also just a fun heavy metal song to headbang to. The chant in the beginning is so good, I’ve got it on a t-shirt haha.

While I think that's the *best* album, my personal favorite is Mutter (2001). A solid collection of impactful songs that flow in tone very well. It just has a special place in my heart! 'Sonne' is a must-listen, also I think one of the most iconic songs they've ever done. You'll never be able to get it out of your head, and pretty easy to memorize lyrics too - it was the second full song I learned. 'Mein Herz Brennt' is a dark, intense, heavy-hitting ballad with a spine-tingling music video, a great example of one of their 'dark fairytale' type songs that are common in their work. Till Lindemann specializes in these sort of speak-singing melodies that weave a twisted children's bedtime story (others like this are Wiener Blut, Spieluhr, and Puppe, I highly recommend the latter). My personal favorite from that album besides Sonne is Adios.

Literally tho all their albums are great, and I don't know your personal preferences for rock genres so you may like their earlier or later work better;

Their 90s work is more raw, less polished, as I think I could say for most bands that began in the 90s when these genres were fresh and members were young with a lot of angst and energy! Those albums, Herzeleid (1995) and Sehnsucht (1997), are absolutely worth listening to. I would recommend the songs 'Engel', 'Sehnsucht', and 'Du Riechst So Gut', to get a sense for how that era sounded. (Hardcore fans don't get on me here, I love all the songs from then, 'Laichzeit' and 'Eifersucht' are among my personal favs).

Then there are the two mid-2000s albums Reise, Reise (2004) and Rosenrot (2005), which again are just, high quality, solid pieces of work. You notice I say solid a lot here, and that's because everything that Rammstein produces is of high quality; they're true professionals who strive to perfection and I think they really put out their best in everything they do. Three classic songs from these albums are 'Mein Teil' (dark and intense, about a real life cannibalism case, music video does not mess around lmao), 'Rosenrot', and for funsies, 'Benzin' (one of their classic blow-shit-up songs you can't help but love). I think some of their deepest, most poetic songs are from these two albums. personal favs include Dalai Lama, Hilf Mir, and Ein Lied (the latter is probably my favorite song they've ever done, but it's by no means a hit or anything, just one of those quiet little 'when you're lonely we're here for you' melodies)

Their two new albums, Untitled (2019) and Zeit (2022) definitely move into a new musical era for them, and again demonstrate their dedication to consistent high production quality. I cannot recommend the song and video 'Deutschland' high enough - you absolutely must watch the video, preferably as your first listen of the song. It's more of a short film, and I think it changed me on a genetic level lmao. Deals with the conflicted feelings and politics of national pride in a country with blood on its hands, and the video is one of the most aesthetically stunning things I've ever seen. 'Zeit' is of a similar vein in terms of being the powerful ballad on the latest album, also with a great video, a very moving, sad song about the inevitability of loss and the passage of time. (again, I love everything on these albums too, I already mentioned Puppe, which is A++. Schwarz and Lügen have risen to the top on Zeit tbh, but that's between you and me).

I'm going to stop myself there, as I could just keep telling you to listen to everything they've ever done, but hopefully you will take that upon yourself at some point ;D Till has an incredible baritone voice with a fantastic range of styles that he knows how to use to full effect to weave moving tales that will stick with you. It got me off my ass to learn how to pronounce German! I hope you enjoy the recommendations, they're very much classic singles but still decent examples of their various eras.

#rammstein #it only took me two hours to write this LOL #do i ramble? yes. but im also just desperate to talk to people about my latest obsessions and i got no one here bruh #how long before the fandom absorbs me pls #i really can't say i like one era over another tbh they're all worthwhile in their own right #but fuck i do love mutter

[sinceileftyoublog]

Florist (self-titled) Album Review

(Double Double Whammy)

BY JORDAN MAINZER

The idea of a person who has faced heartbreak or grief retreating to solitude to create art is oft-romanticized, perhaps to a fault. Emily Sprague has certainly created masterful albums by herself, whether the ambient music released under her own name or Emily Alone, a solo album released under the Florist moniker following her mother’s death and a move out west. But in June 2019, Sprague moved back to New York and rented a house in the Hudson Valley with the band’s original lineup: Jonnie Baker, Rick Spataro, and Felix Walworth. They’d spontaneously record their instruments beside their surrounding natural woods during a hot and rainy summer, the first time they’d ever recorded this way, for this long. The result is Florist’s latest self-titled record, a reinvention of sorts, and one that perhaps shows Sprague and the music listening public that great art can come out of reflecting on troubling times with a loving community by your side, too.

Florist is a stunning capture of Sprague processing weighty concepts in real-time, undoubtedly affected by her mother’s passing, but within the existential crises any of us have, from growing older or even awestruck at the wonder of the natural world. The songs generally alternate between instrumental and lyrical; they’re diaristic in nature, sporting titles like “June 9th Nighttime”, “Red Bird Pt 2 (Morning”), and “Jonnie on the Porch”. Fleeting moments feel like the cosmos, 2-minute interludes like they last a lifetime. 6-minute stories fly by. Sprague’s gentle voice blends with layers of acoustic guitar, muffled horns, pattering drums, sprinkling electronics, and samples of nature. Proof of life is musical, like the pulsating of chirping crickets on “June 9th Nighttime” that’s naturally rhythmic. Attempting to identify the source of different sounds, as a listener, directly mirrors the experience of being in nature, seeing if you can spot a rare bird or hear the sound of a wolf or something that could kill you.

As much as Florist has a clear beginning and end in terms of Sprague’s evolving attitude towards the journey of life and what we know about it, it’s by no means a linear record. Even the instrumentals, whether sampled or played, often loop before they go in one way or another, like the repeated guitar plucking of “Red Bird Pt 2 (Morning)”, one of a few songs to explicitly mention Sprague’s mother. “There is a winter morning you didn’t know me yet,” she sings, mixing up tenses, perfectly and plainspokenly capturing the feeling of thinking about a loved one and what their life was like before you entered it. She ends the song with an audio capture of speaking to her bandmates, speaking, “That’s it.” The take is over, but the song, immaculately written and played, feels like a disordered outpour of emotions and thoughts. Many of the album’s ambient motifs, like all three harmonic, crackling parts of “Bells”, seem like they were taken from the same recording when you listen to them from above, but they’re chopped and spliced throughout the album like a fractal, messing with your own perception.

Throughout the album, Sprague disconnects from herself, imagining her own death, or aliens examining her body, and it’s powerful in context of looking back at times with her mother. On the casually jaunty “Spring in Hours”, she sings, “I think it's the long walk to the next part of your life / Will you hold me until no more?” Her past self is unable to see a future without her mother; as such, she asks for “more” before reflecting on what she already has. “River’s Bed” is a devastating folk strummer--“It’s always the darkest things I keep inside my thoughts,” Sprague sings, continuing, “You must be a lucky one to fall into stars, after all.” Toms and bass enter in conjunction with the final line of the chorus, the lowest register sounding like the literal weight of a thudding, lifeless body.

Ultimately, Sprague finds peace in documenting what she can and can’t control, contrasting “Home is a garden that I can keep alive” with “Home is a garden that can’t keep me alive” on “Dandelion”, repeating, “You’re not what I have but what I love” on “Sci-fi Silence”. But it’s “Feathers” that’s the album’s climax. If on “Dandelion” Sprague asks why she can’t see abstract concepts like life and death in the physical realm, on “Feathers”, she plainly states concepts acting as if they’re tangible beings, bordering on a surreal perception of the world--“The mystery of dreams and existence floating in the cross breeze,” or “Love and friendship running through the garden”--and they come across as more truthful than any platitudes or aphorisms she could have included. A line like, “Sometimes I think I have too many pasts” is not an admittance in the belief of multiverses, but a reminder to--dare I say it--live in the moment. Florist closes with the instrumental “Jonnie on the Porch”, presumably Baker, not Sprague, combining saxophone and samples. You can imagine him there, surrounded by living things, practicing the band’s newfound mantra: “Listening to the sounds of life around us pass / Careful not to tread on anything needing rest.”

#album review #florist #double double whammy #rick spataro #emily alone #emily sprague #jonnie baker #felix walworth

[pathologising]

i want to reinvent myself tbh...the move to nyc is literally going to be a new era...

#like i want to be . new #because on here i think ive overshared so much of my life because i did not have a true family to spend many of my moments with #because of the abuse so i am thankful for the many years on here where i learned what friendship meant and i am learning what it means to #love and be loved but i must reinvent i must evolve into a new self #and i mean like growth and change takes time its not instant but the way i wore my heart on my sleeve because this was all i had #was a little. embarrassing to say the least #but such is life. baby steps and tumbles and embarrassing 3am vent posts #IM NOT LEACIVING TUMBLR by the way i just mean i would like to not overshare or impulse post my every thought or turn to here to spew my #emotions i would like to learn self control i think is what iwould like and it is what im learning slowly #i aspire to be a certain way and i think its impossible to be one way #when youre a million different fractured identities because i dont ever want to be whole. i love myself as i am. wholeness #psychologically and clinically at least is something i do not need for healing i am content with these selves #but wanting to exist as several different things and holding these ideals and opinions and traits is difficult anyway #what im tryign to say is i forsee a new era.......and im moving towards that era and im excited for who #i am to become because life truly does begin for me in august like living as a person with agency not in fear it begins soon #and im excited anyway im rambling i want to live a life akin to what it feels like #to bask in the sun. or a fruit platter. or the twinkling of crystals in the sun #if that means anything to you #like thats what i want and i cant sit around and wait for it to happen i must make it for myself #i dont know...i dont know...im just. excited to be someone new and to build a life where i can live as me #like. angel live as angel ophelia. and distant from my abusers. finally

[adventure-hearts]

LAST EVOLUTION: Kizuna — Thoughts and first impression.

So, I watched the thing and wrote down some quick thoughts.

OBVIOUSLY, MASSIVE SPOILERS BELOW.

So..........

I'm glad to say I liked it very much and it's a lot better than the novel! 

(In fact, there were a few lines I thought were slightly different.)

Overall this is a very well-made movie, and a great addition to the Adventure canon. The animation, the music, and the voice acting were great. This must look fantastic on the big screen (Thanks TOEI, for making me watch it first via a crap version, and for forcing me to read the novelization in advance).

Story-wise, the first half is amazing. I loved the procedural / thriller aspect of it (“Is this a spy movie?” I WISH. Yamato is by far the best character in it, once again. The 02 kids were on point and USEFUL! The battle scenes were spectacularl-looking but, in my view, maybe a little excessive? The last big battle in particular seemed to drag a little, and the second half of the movie suffers a little because of that. But it’s an entertaining film throughout.

The implications of the "new twist" about the broken bonds are super interesting, and I can think of a million plot ideas and analyses this could inspire. I can understand why the idea didn’t please Kakudou, but I think it’s a cool addition to the mythos. 

I haven’t had time to think about “Plot holes” or “inconsistencies” at this point, but I thought Kizuna was pretty respectful of previous canon. I’m going to have a fun time overanalyzing every frame of this eventually (International Chosen Cameos!!!)

Now for the not-so-good parts. Honestly, when I read the novel I was a bit disappointed for three main reasons, which the film kinda cemented:

1) The plot is unimaginative and even repetitive. It felt like threading old ground, most of the time. Sure, they’re not trying to reinvent the wheel here and, in some ways, this film seems like a course correction — a film that is meant to be as uncontroversial and safe as possible. In fact, in some parts Kizuna feels very warm and cuddly, and I can see this becoming a comfort film in the future.

Not getting into the discussion about who did it better, but the profile of the antagonist, the theme/emotional conflict of the film, and even the “loosing the digimon, possibly permanently” scenario were extremely reminiscing of the most recent installment. There’s a few too many references to the Hosoda films. This isn’t a bad thing, necessarily, and in getting a more conventional / familiar plot IS FINE, but I do think some new-ish elements could have made it a tiny bit fresher.

2) The majority of the characters are treated very poorly. Mimi, Jou, and especially Sora are completely pushed aside and ignored in a way that is almost infuriating. And yes, even the 02 kids felt like "not enough", precisely because they were so good and what we get is little and a bit superficial. Iori and Ken in particular also barely had lines! 

Also — you drop a bomb like “the Digimon will essentially die on the kids” and yet, except for Menoa (who reacts badly) Taichi and Yamato (who react healthily), you don’t really show how it happens, how the other characters react, or even what they feel about it?

This universe has a “12 protagonists" issue, and absolutely no sequel so far has been able to address satisfactorily. But I can't help but to feel that the first short film, and possibly subsequent ones, should have fitted in the movie (it wasn’t even 90 minutes long!) and made it more balanced. Hopefully these next short films will mitigate this complaint to some extent.

3) The ending of the movie ends up feeling emotionally unsatisfying. Yeah, I understood what they were trying to do ("We gotta keep moving forward!" "Let the past die, kill it if you have to!” “isn't exactly subtle). But even the emotional punch of the final scenes doesn't land that well because we already know it's not definitive. Toy Story 3 this isn't! At the end of the film, more than commiserate with Taichi and Yamato (that scene was heartbreaking), I really wanted to know how they’re going to turn this around.

I'm just saying you can't finish a story on such an obvious cliffhanger and then not follow up on that. Hopefully, the message of the movie is also subliminally telling us "yeah, it's the end... for now. Don't lose hope, because we'll be back sometime before 2028". Kizuna doesn't really feel like a self-contained story: it feels like the first part of something, and it’s unsatisfying because it leaves a question that might never get answered. It begs for resolution — for a sequel! 

These last few paragraphs run a risk of making this review sound negative, but trust me: I REALLY enjoyed this movie a lot. It's got everything you expect from an Adventure story: fun gags, throwbacks to the past, mythological/philosophical references, high stake fights and a very strong emotional core. It was a wonderful gift at this moment in time.

I'm going to enjoy rewatching it, and I would like nothing more than a sequel produced by the same team — if not LAST EVOLUTION 2, then maybe just tiny stories/shorts/drama CDs. Narrator!Takeru was right — this could be the story evolving in a new, fantastic direction. The people who made this movie had their heart in the right place.

But unlike most fans' expectations, this film is definitely not portrayed as THE END. That may be the worst, and simultaneously the best part of it.

PS: WHY IS YAMATO’S DIGIVICE PURPLE???

#digimon #DALEK #kizunaspoilers #kizuna spoilers

[bobdylanrevisited]

John Wesley Harding

Released: 27 December 1967

Rating: 9/10

Following a very severe motorcycle accident in 1966, Dylan disappeared for the public eye and settled down with his new family in Woodstock. By vanishing at the height of his fame, some newspapers even questioned if he had died. Whilst in his self-imposed exile, he once again reinvented himself into a much more mellow and americana artist, recording basement tapes with The Band (not to be released for 8 more years) and this strange, stripped down album that comes completely out of left field and had very little fanfare surrounding it’s release. His voice has once again transformed, no longer is it the nasal, youthful angst of the previous records, but a combination of touring fatigue and quitting smoking meant it was turning into a much more countrified crooner style. His writing also evolved yet again, he was now focused on saying less and meaning more, each lyric steeped in mythology and, as a theme for the whole album, the presence and influence of scripture.

1) John Wesley Harding - Unfortunately, the title track is not only a misspelling of the outlaws name, it is the worst song on the album and even Dylan acknowledged that it isn’t very good. That being said, it is a nice introduction to how his style and voice have changed, gone are the electric guitar solos and loud drum kits which caused such controversy, this is a return to his roots with all the musicians being much more restrained and ‘folky’. However, it is still a simple throwaway song that I usually skip when I often revisit the album. 

2) As I Went Out One Morning - The bass on this song is brilliant, as are the haunting lyrics, which talk of Tom Paine, saving a damsel, and heading south. It is a difficult song to make sense of, some have suggested it is referring to the history of America, but to be honest I don’t care what the meaning is, I’m happy to just get swept up in the track. The vocals are very understated and effortless, and the music creates an atmosphere of uncertainty that is very different from anything that Dylan has done before. 

3) I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine - From the titles it’s obvious this is full of religious imagery, and putting the saint to death with whom Bob now identifies. Augustine was killed when Rome was overrun and Bob imagines himself both listening and learning from him, but also joining in with the mob as they execute him. Although the song has much fewer words than anything on Blonde On Blonde, it is full of incredibly provocative and intelligent language, showing just how much his penmanship had altered to be more concise. Every live version of this song is brilliant also, as it gives Dylan a chance to show off his incredible pipes. 

4) All Along The Watchtower - I may be alone in this, and even Dylan disagrees with me, but I prefer this version to Hendrix’s. Don’t get me wrong, Jimi’s version is fantastic, but I think the original is more fitting with the subject matter. Another biblically influenced song, the harmonica and wistful singing are perfect, and it’s no wonder this track garnered so much attention upon the albums release. This is, unsurprisingly, one of Bob’s best songs, and is also the one he has played live the most, although he does play Jimi’s version which is fair enough for the stadiums. The album version is very intimate, and feels as though he is sat next to you telling you a story, and the whole arrangement provokes a reaction within you of wonder, and it’s just Dylan doing what he does best.  

5) The Ballad Of Frankie Lee & Judas Priest - The only other song I don’t like, a 5:35 fable about morals. It feels a bit preachy, and although it may be tongue in cheek, the track is actually fairly boring with the words being spoken rather than sung. Whilst there are some brilliantly written lyrics within, this is another song I skip as it feels like a complete misstep compared to the 3 songs proceeding it. 

6) Drifter’s Escape - Following the last track’s slowing down of the album, this brilliant tune helps you quickly forget it, as Bob weaves another fascinating story about a drifter in court for charges he does not understand, and being freed by a lightning bolt hitting the court house and those inside praying as he slips out. The drifter may have been saved by god or the devil, but it makes much more sense that the drifter is actually Dylan. He was on trial for going electric, and his saved by his motorcycle accident allowing him to disappear. Regardless of the protagonists identity, this is a great song which again has much more stripped back instrumentation and some fantastic singing. 

7) Dear Landlord - The main thing about this track is the haunting piano, and Bob pleading for equal rights. It may be that this track is about Bob’s manager Albert Grossman, the two had fallen out and there were arguments surrounding money. It could also be once again about god and religion, though this would make the song much less interesting. I feel like a broken record saying this again, but how anyone can say that Bob can’t sing only need listen to this track to be proven very wrong. 

8) I Am A Lonesome Hobo - Another song regarding morals, though this one is more gripping, as the hobo advises the listener to live by their own code and not make the same mistakes he has. A big part of this album is the high pitched harmonica, which can be grating to begin with, but I found that it really adds to the overall feel of the record and the best example of that is on this song. The mellow instruments are punctuated by Bob’s mouth organ, creating a unique sound that is both exciting and alerts you to the importance of the words. 

9) I Pity The Poor Immigrant - In all honesty, I have no idea what this song is about. I doubt the literal interpretation of Bob hating on immigrants is correct, considering his political views and his protest years, so there must be a deeper layer I’m missing. However, this is a slow number, which is relaxing and almost dreamlike. I like the song, and the Isle of Wight 1969 live version is very good, but I’ll just assume that the immigrant in question is a metaphor for something I don’t believe in, luckily it doesn’t change my enjoyment of the song. 

10) The Wicked Messenger - It’s clear that Bob was obsessed with scripture during this period, though he would not be ‘born again’ for another 12 years, as this is another biblical tale told in Bob’s unique style. I think his interest in the bible comes from seeing himself in many of the stories, this being a key one where he views himself as a ‘wicked messenger’, someone who speaks the truth and is chastised for it. Once again, the bass, vocals, harmonica, and storytelling ability are perfect here, and it’s a quicker number which is wholly enjoyable even if, like me, you don’t understand all the bible references.

11) Down Along The Cove - This is a very minimalist love song, with some lovely piano, and some brilliant singing. No hidden meaning, just a lovely little track that’s sure to put a smile on your face. 

12) I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight - The closing track is a huge clue as to what Dylan’s next venture would sound like. This country tune seems almost out of place compared to the rest of the album, but it is a great song, with Dylan’s Nashville-style crooning in full force. Again, the Isle of Wight 1969 live version is fantastic, and it is a nice closing number which is more uplifting and fun than many of the more ‘spiritual’ tracks. 

Verdict: I really wish I could give this album a 10, it pains me that I can’t, but with two songs I actively dislike and some difficult themes for my atheist brain to respond to, I have to knock a point off the score. That being said, this is one of my most listened to Dylan albums, it’s so relaxing and interesting as a body of work, and I thoroughly recommend it to anyone with working ears. The ability to reinvent himself is once again astonishing, this sounds like a completely different human following on from three intense electric albums, and this was only released the following year. Leaving the sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll behind was good for Dylan, family life suited him and he was already sounding a little less jaded. He seemed to be able to deal with the anger that plagued his last few albums in a more spiritual and emotional manner. His next record would show his maturity and, oddly enough, that he was capable of genuine happiness, as his voice, guitar, and songwriting would delve even deeper into the country style. 

#bob dylan #john wesley harding

[content-to-convert]

VIDEO DIDN’T KILL THE RADIO STAR...

VIDEO DIDN’T KILL THE RADIO STAR it just made him dress nicer 

By Pat Mellon 

Speaking of your brand evolving, PODCASTS are now a wise bullet to have in the arsenal of promotional weapons. In the early 2000's, for instance, you didn't have the option to record and distribute a PODCAST. The technology didn't exist to even IDENTIFY, much less create one- if you typed PODCAST into an email in 2002, it would have been flagged as a misspelling. 

But now, thanks to Audioblogging, re-branded as PODCASTING thanks to the iPOD, you can reach a targeted captive audience in a car on a long commute, with content that they've actually sought out. It's essentially a radio infomercial for the lifestyle of your product, without the PAID-PROGRAMMING aftertaste. Plenty of people have been slow to warm to the idea of such self-promotion and have waited to see if the technology and its effectiveness sustained or if it waned, the way QR codes did, or video discs did until the invention of the DVD. It can be an amazingly powerful part of your brand. 

Many rejected podcasting, as I did initially, as a waste of energy. In fairness, early on when there were no networks for podcasting and its business model was less focused than now, it smacked of self-congratulatory volunteer work. I saw it as an infringement on my profession. I have 15 years of radio hosting experience. I saw podcasts as competition. In my short-sighted view then, I didn't see the full potential of a podcast. I just saw it as people wanting my job. But as time went on, I began to see the ways, at least in terms of in-car entertainment, that podcasting was the future. And like the cryptic fortune cookie says, "Kill Your Darlings". Or maybe go with the less-confusing, "Reinvent Your Business Constantly. The End Goal May Be The Same But The Tools and Methods Evolve Constantly" which is a Ken Tucker quote I saw on a Snapple Cap. Or even the more direct, "You Have To Reinvent To Stay Fresh and In The Game" which Madonna said once. 

But early on, I saw it as the enemy - the way news journalists must have felt when FREELANCERS started getting a lot of the work in the late 90's. I thought, "If all you need to broadcast is a computer and an opinion, why the hell did I major in Broadcasting? It's like everyone becoming a Youtuber or a Social Media Influencer (seriously, that is NOT a good name. It's just saying what you're doing. It lacks creativity, like naming the glass thing you drink out of a "glass". Or the room with the bed a "bedroom". Or the thing you swing on a "swing". Or the... Sorry-I'll move on.) Anybody can become a Social Media Influencer these days, (and if they're under 14 and haven't been trying for half their lives then you might want to make sure they're breathing) and that means fame, sometimes money, but more important: LIKES. I overheard my 8 year-old playing with her friends and they were pretending there was a genie or something granting wishes and one girl asked for a pony, and another asked for a house of chocolate, and my daughter asked for a million LIKES on her video. LIKES are currency for pre-teen popularity. And LIKES or even merely PAGE VIEWS can be currency in the grown-up world of business. My point is that anyone with a computer and a camera can make money on Youtube if they hustle. It's simply the new normal. It's great, if not dangerous. We've yet to see the fallout of a generation raised on Youtubing, unless, of course, you count cautionary tales like Logan Paul or Jo Jo Siwa, both of whom are rich. It's simply another entertainment option for kids. I kinda thought podcasting was that, but for adults who only wanted quasi-fame; to show-off. But it's bigger than that.

If you're a plumber, for instance, and you want to maximize business, you probably want a decent social media footprint, some solid YELP reviews, and maybe even a podcast. Toilet clogged? Click here for an interview with master plumbers from all over. It's not the ONLY thing you should do. It's ONE of the things you should do.

On the consumer side, you have to realize that traffic, especially the bumper-to-bumper kind, is GOLD to a radio talk show host. People listen the most in their cars, so DJ's in New York and Los Angeles, the #1 and #2 radio markets depending on who you ask*, for instance, who entertain on the radio, are always on their toes to stay funny and relevant because it's so easy to push a button and change the station.

Then suddenly there was a new game in town. People were bypassing the radio altogether and plugging external sources into car sound systems, removing the commercials and unwanted Morning Zoo shenanigans, and rendering my entire college education and training void. My only hope was wishing death to the podcast movement, which I think I did a couple of times on the radio accompanied by a sound effect of a toilet flushing (Take THAT, Podcasting!). It didn't work. I kept hearing the word. Podcast. (eerie voice) PODD CAAAST! My head was in the sand. People would say to me, "you should do a podcast" and I'd cringe and wildly swing fists at imaginary ghosts who were accusing me of "Resting on your laurels" and "Holding on too tight.”

It took a while, but I get the appeal and, more importantly, the power of the Podcast. It's like a book-on-tape for the 21st century- 10 times as cool, though, because it's technologically relevant, and can be different every time you listen. So we agree that podcasts are real. And we acknowledge that there is room for many things on the dashboard of a car, be them outlets, or additional buttons. And we agree that the the way we do business is always changing and we have to adapt to some degree. So why all the hub bub? Because we can't have an intelligent conversation about the delicate existence of Podcasts without talking about Shane Gillis, the comedian who was hired and fired by Saturday Night Live in the same week last year. We need to understand the power of what it was that torpedoed his streetcar (tune into Mixed Metaphors with Pat Mellon Tuesdays on The Podd Couple, right after Poddamnit at 8, and Pod of Thunder with Gene Simmons at 8:17) He and a buddy do this show, this podcast, it's like a radio show but you don't listen to it on your grandpa's Victrola, you tether your MP3 player to the radio inside grandpa's Camry, and there's bad language, which there never is on traditional, boring old dumb talk radio, so right away, it's awesome (honestly, the only difference between Howard Stern on radio and Howard Stern on satellite is the F word) and the internet allows curses and take that, Mr. Suit and Tie, and this is going to be amazing. And on one particular show from 2018, Gillis said "chink" when describing someone in Chinatown. Not a huge scandal, but I guess you'd have to ask Roseanne Barr if the internet can get you into to any kind of trouble. She was exiled from the the entire US for a social media post that mentioned race and monkeys. And the same new normal that allows John Q. Anybody to do a podcast ALSO watches everything you do online and will sink you if it sees something it does not like. America can be confusing that way. Freedom of speech and freedom of complaining about freedom of speech are always at each other's throats, it seems. And you can't have it both ways. The guy who alerted the world to Bill Cosby's dating rituals online is loved by many but is also shunned by others, but that guy knows what he did and he knows not to complain about the ones who, well, complain. It's the price you pay.

The point is, you need to constantly be hustling and using all of technology’s modern tools to get your product out (they’re not burning DVD’s anymore) and maybe one of those avenues is a podcast with salty language, and maybe that podcast exists among your body of work that clients can enjoy whenever they want.

But we live in a new age of retroactive outrage. Eddie Murphy was on SNL and is arguably the most talented person the show has produced. He did a stand-up special in which he explores “What if Mr. T were a Faggot?” It was inflammatory and it was insensitive and it was homophobic (though that buzzword was still a decade from conception) because the premise of the joke- the attribution of homosexual behavior to a big, strong, black man being marginalized as solely predatory sodomy - crossed the line. When I spell it out like that it looks horrible. But it’s a simple comedic device: assigning unlikely behavior to someone for comedic purposes. It’s the fish-out-of-water gag. It’s why we had Mork, and Alf, and Balkie from Perfect Strangers. It’s Freaky Friday. It’s why The Rock playing a babysitter or a tooth fairy is funny. Murphy did this AFTER he was on SNL. But if has been released before he auditioned, do you think he’d have been hired? 

  Of course he would have. Because the Mr. T thing was a small part of that special (though, I recall, an extremely quotable part) and the people who didn’t like or appreciate the language didn’t have the bionic megaphone of the internet so they could get their outrage all over your conscience. The point is that your podcast is a reflection of your brand. You have to weigh your desire to speak freely and loosely with your desire to keep the Cancel Culture at bay. At a MINIMUM, though, you should keep things clean for your clients, listeners, and most importantly, your potential customers. Shane Gillis missed out of being on SNL and fame, instead on infamy because he broke one of society's biggest rules:he said something controversial out loud. Granted, it was in bad taste, but if that were a crime half of us would be in jail. It's just important to remember that your language on a work-based podcast should be professional, which I realize cannot be defined easily, but maybe stay away from slang and cursing. Just because you CAN doesn't mean you SHOULD.

#podcast comedy hilarious

[circe-poetica]

36.Spirit Dancer

 from The Faeries’ Oracle, by Brian Froud and Jessica MacBeth

Spirit Dancer: “Self-Expression, Freedom, Exploration”

“The Spirit Dancer understands both sides of self-expression. In the first stage we get our inner vision, feelings, and creative impulse out into the world through our art, whatever that is. Then our expressions are reflected back to us from the mirror of other people’s perceptions, and we discover what our art awakens in them.

First and most important for many of us, we learn, grow, and lead more satisfying lives if we have ways of expressing our inner world. Such expressions can be a way of helping ourselves better understand our feelings and experiences. Or they can be a way of getting pain out where we can look at it and let it begin to heal. Creative expression is a method of exploring our own truth, bringing it into the light so we can see it more clearly , and maintaining sanity. The key words here are explore, experiment, and express. As this faery cryptically remarked to one Oracle reader, “The Death of Spirit Dancer is Perfection.”

Second, creative expression is a way of sharing and letting others see more of our true selves. It is a way that we can reach out from this illusion of separation and reaffirm our essential connections with one another. When we share a dance, a painting, or a poem with others, we do so with the hope that they will see something of what we have put into it and that their experience will echo ours in some way. But if we have done well, we will be able to add something to their experience. At the same time, we understand that their slant on things is a bit different and that what they reflect back to us by their response will perhaps contain something we have not seen about our own experience – a new insight, a different view, an expansion of our picture of reality. So this side of creative expression, the sharing part, enriches us in a different way than the actual creation. I have never written a poem or sculpted something without the experience changing me – and then changing me again when I shared it with others. This is something I have heard many others say, including many who do not consider themselves “real artists” or “real writers.”

Spirit Dancer encourages us to take creative action from our place of personal power, the inner core of true feelings and understanding within us. She wants us to clarify our vision, find the creative potential that lies hidden in paradox, confusion, and chaos, and turn these into a free-flowing, finely balanced, evolving order. She wants to aid us in making our best fantasies real.

She also is very enthusiastic about helping us to learn to dance well with the faeries, if we do not already know how. And if we do know how, she would still be delighted to dance with us just for the fun of it.  Step out boldly!”

Starter Reading: “Now is the time to focus and really concentrate on a project or process, especially one involving the creative arts. Spontaneity balanced by self-discipline will  help us to achieve our goals. Strive for elegance and simplicity. This is a time to bring out and share qualities that we have nurtured in private.”

If This Card Comes To You As Challenger: “Self-absorbed and obsessed, the reversed Spirit Dancer has become entangled in her own unexpressed and perhaps inexpressible fantasies. She feels angry and driven, and may be unable to express her feelings in any way except through destruction. Alternatively, this card may speak of the artist’s block. The cure for that is to just create. Even if the creation falls far short of our goals, even if it is trite, just do it. It is a matter of priming the pump until the waters of creativity, emotion, and inspiration flow freely.”*

~ By Jessica MacBeth

With freedom comes a lightness of being, if you allow it. If you allow yourself to fully embrace the freedom that is offered to you now. Can you receive this precious gift? Can you see how things have shifted and changed? Can you feel how you are now fully in control, fully responsible for creating your new reality? You have the gift of renewal, rebirth and re-creation of yourself. Where will you start? Ten days left until Venus turns direct. We are setting the stage for our creations. We have been moving over these last few days out of the darkness and into the light. It is like the dawn coming after a cold dark night.

What can you change today to let yourself know that this new phase of your life is real and that this new way of being is permanent? Can you declutter, clean and clear your home and office clearing the air and making space? Can you let your creative juices flow and make something wonderfully artistic? Can you get out of your comfort one and wear something bold? Change your appearance up?

Artistic self expression is a wonderful way to let those around you see the true you.  Whatever you choose, do what feels right for you; your true authentic self. Show everyone how you want to present yourself to the world.

We cannot experience true joy when we are living by old belief systems, worrying what others will think, or trying to please people. We must step out and put ourselves first. With big open hearts, and open minds. Love all those unique aspects of you, and share them with the world. Doing so will inspire others to join you.

Find your grace, your harmony, your inner peace… and balance it with deep passion, vitality and zest for life. This is the recipe for reinventing yourself and your world. And you have everything you need to get to work and do it!

Dance out of the darkness and into the Light.

Namaste

Dee

~Archangel Oracle

#22 march 20 #spirit dancer #the fairies oracle #brian froud

[zebukafm7-blog]

Reasons why taking that long vacation to a new city is the perfect-fix

There’s no better feeling than setting a courageous goal for yourself and defying the odds to achieve it; jumping headfirst into the unknown with an open heart and an open mind. While you may be comfortable living in your hometown or your cozy college city, sometimes you need to ask yourself if you’re truly taking advantage of the world’s opportunities — especially while you’re in your 20s.

Your 20s are your years of freedom, before mortgages, kids and general grown-up responsibilities kick in. Too many people let fear of the unknown stop them from taking chances and forget that only with great risk comes great reward. Moving alone to a new place (whether it’s the other side of the country or the other side of the world) is an experience like no other: part terrifying, part exhilarating.

If you decide to take the plunge and move to a new city where you don’t know a soul, here are some of the wonderful things you’ll discover along the way:

You’ll make new friends who are refreshingly different from your old friends

A foreign city opens up a diverse mix of people and cultures, including locals who have vastly different perspectives and experiences to yours, and will enrich and widen your outlook on life.

There’s no cast of “Mean Girls” telling you whom you can and can’t be friends with. Make connections with anyone and everyone you want. Plus, the new people you meet will have no prior knowledge or expectations of you; it’s a totally clean slate.

You’ll be introduced to new and exciting ways to have fun

You likely have a social pattern with your old circle of friends back home: Friday dinners in a certain suburb, ladies drinks at your favorite wine bar, weekend trips to the markets, etc. Sure, these cozy routines can be enjoyable and nostalgic, but are they really stretching and exciting you?

Your friends in a new city will introduce you to diverse local customs, adventures off the beaten path and fresh perspectives on how to have fun.

Instead of your regular pizza and movie night, you could go warehouse party, learn ballroom dancing or cook gnocchi with an Italian Nonna.

You’ll feel an overwhelming sense of freedom

You need to leave your hometown to realize how big the world is and how many different ways of life are out there. People have probably told you, “The world is your oyster.”

Well, it really is. Once you open your mind to the possibilities of moving and traveling, you can go wherever you want. Move like the wind.

Welcome change with open arms and live in whatever country, city, town or neighborhood that suits your rhythm and desires.

You’ll develop the social ease to walk into a party on your own and not even bat an eyelid

With the exception of the highly extroverted people among us, most people feel a certain sense of dread when they’re invited to attend a social occasion solo.

You worry you won’t know anyone and that you’ll feel uncomfortable, stuck talking to some weirdo. You’ll end up getting way too drunk to compensate for all of the awkwardness.

Well, fear not. When you move to a new city, you end up going to so many parties alone that it will stop phasing you at all and you’ll become a pro at social interactions.

Before you know it, you’ll be able to initiate small talk, get a laugh, ask the right questions and politely excuse yourself from conversations with ease. Social anxiety will be a thing of the past.

You’ll have the chance to reinvent yourself

The great thing about starting afresh is that it allows you to leave your tired, cranky self behind and present the world with a whole new you. It presents you with time to rid yourself of bad habits and say goodbye to friends or lovers who no longer serve you.

Explore the hidden parts of your character, figure out how your ideal self would respond to each scenario and become the person you desire to be.

You’ll be able to do something crazy with your appearance without having any shocked reactions

Ever wanted a tattoo? Piercing? Drastic hair cut? When you move to a city where you don’t know a soul, you have the chance to make a new impression on each person you meet.

If you’ve always wanted to do something ballsy with your appearance, now’s the time. Change your look and create the style you want, without any disapproving glares from your parents.

You’ll be empowered to realize you only need to rely on yourself

During a solo relocation, you’re left to sort things out for yourself, like find an apartment, get a job and negotiate your way around. You’ll be thrown into independence and forced to make it work; you’ll become a more resourceful, liberated person because of it.

Once you jump in and face your fears, you’ll realize everything is possible with a bit of hard work. After conquering a new city, you’ll feel a sense of empowerment to tackle everything else in life you’ve been too afraid to try.

You’ll feel your comfort zone widen drastically

We get it; your comfort zone is, well, comfortable, but when you move cities, things will be different.

You’ll have to re-learn your way around, figure out the public transit system and find a place to get a decent coffee. But, believe me when I say that even though things can be overwhelming in the beginning, you will acclimatize. Guaranteed.

Suddenly, what was once scary and unusual is now easy and stress-free, meaning more of the world is now within your comfort zone — win!

You’ll learn to enjoy your own company

If you’re someone who generally surrounds him or herself with friends and family, you may be surprised to learn that spending time alone can actually be pretty enjoyable.

“Alone” does not necessarily mean “lonely” and with your own company, you can do exactly what you want, on your own timeline and budget. A solo move can be an important period of introspection that may allow you to reconnect with your individual thoughts, dreams and desires.

You’ll realize you have the ability to conquer your fears

Making a move to a new city challenges your fears and anxieties and gives life to that little voice inside your head that says, “What if I get lost? What if I get into trouble? What if I don’t make any friends?” Being afraid of the unknown is perfectly normal, but we shouldn’t let fear control our lives.

If you start to surrender to your fear of change, you’ll never push through the wall and discover that daring, courageous side of yourself. You must feed your adventurous spirit to survive.

You’ll find absence makes the heart grow fonder

Many people feel the impetus to move cities after some sort of negative experience (like losing a job or an awful breakup) to create a fresh start.

As clichéd as it is, absence really does make the heart grow fonder. No doubt, after a few months away, you’ll find yourself missing your friends and family back home.

Not only will this help you to appreciate your loved ones more, but you may also feel much more secure and content to settle down somewhere after a prolonged trip away to experience what the world has to offer.

You’ll grow and develop as a person

Perhaps one of the best takeaways from moving cities is the self-discovery you’ll have. The more you travel and live abroad, the more your priorities will shift and you won’t be able to help but learn about yourself along the way.

The choice to go out on a limb and take responsibility for your own life is an incredibly powerful experience. Taking your destiny into your own hands allows you to rediscover your dreams, desires and to shape the path in front of you. Learn a different culture today, re invent your lifestyle evolving around creativity and essence

Get involved in an adventure in one of Africa’s largest wild-life cities. Connect and enjoy an amazing offer from Timbu.com, when you Visit SouthAfrica today.

#visitsouthafrica

[celestial-gold]

Day 19

What are your core values?  Challenge yourself to list them and explain your choices. 

Freedom of choice-  I have the freedom to choose both my religious path and the direction it goes in- satan has always given me a choice to follow him, to stay with him, to listen to what he says. I also have an obligation to protect freedom of choice for others, and not to judge anyone based on their harmless choices. This is sort of philosophy on the one hand about protecting rights, and on the other about minding my own business. It’s about not judging or condemning people or practices that aren’t hurting others. It’s a combination of a ‘stay in your own lane’ mentality and the first amendment.

Justice- Wherever bigotry or injustice appear, whatever form they take- racism, queerphobia, ableism, financial exploitation- it’s my job to oppose it in the hopes of eradicating it. This is my end goal as a satanist- creating a new and more equal, accepting, kinder world for the generations after me. I believe satan wants humanity to succeed in passing his tests, to evolve to greater and greater heights, and that comes through the pursuit of justice.

Defiance- This is the method by which tenant 2 is accomplished. I consider it part of my lord’s office to push humanity to greatness by challenging them, by confronting them, by being the adversary, and thus that’s a part of my obligation as a satanist. I know a lot of people push for justice gradually, peacefully, patiently, and those people are saints, but I am not and do not want to be one of them. They may be more suited to working as God does, with forgiveness and understanding love, but I chose to follow satan in the opposite direction. Same goal, different methods. That’s not how I choose to fulfill my role. I’m following my god’s example, and changing things through radical opposition. His is a fierce, sometimes turbulent love for humanity and humane ideals. I try to emulate that.

Acceptance of change- Something I grew to appreciate in my days as a Lokean, and have kept with me. I value evolution, societal and personal, and have come to see change as an opportunity to reinvent, to grow, to create a better world. Change scares me, but I believe ultimately things that are cruel and outdated must be destroyed, and what rises from the ashes has to be, somehow, better. In order to usher in that new system, or person, or invention, or whatever it may be, I am obligated to burn away the detritus from the old version.

Sacrifice- I believe that those I am loyal to deserve every piece of me, and that my loyalty and love demand willing sacrifice. Whether that’s easily given through a compromise, or painfully given at my own expense. However, I’m not saying it’s good to be a doormat. The give and take has to go both ways. I’ve had a lot of experience cutting people out of my life- abusers, friends, family, lovers- who took more from me mentally, financially, emotionally, than I was willing to give. I became their sacrifice, to further their own ends. I was used. That’s not the kind of sacrifice I’m talking about- I mean one where what I give is appreciated. I owe my time, loyalty, affection, knowledge, and help to no one. When I give it, I hope it’s appreciated, and when someone I love sacrifices something for me, I treat it as a sacred gift. I believe in sacrificing for the relationships I choose to keep, and consider the bonds I cut loose sacrifices for myself and a better tomorrow.

Pursuit of the truth- I have no problem with lying. When I know I’m doing it. This tenant is about stripping away not only other people’s lies or falsehoods they perpetuate- intentional or unintentional- like in the Justice tenant, but also about stripping away my own falsehoods. It’s about self reflection, confronting my own biases and privileges, questioning my beliefs, constantly assessing my behavior. I find what works, what doesn’t, what has to change and what has to die. What I know, and what I need to know, and how to learn it. I also encourage others to do the same. I confront bullshit from other people by poking at the heart of the matter- I try not to let the details of discourse dissuade me from the core issue. This is painful, ugly, dirty work. Making others see the truth about themselves, and seeing the truth about myself, can be enlightening or it can be miserable. Either way, it has to be done. I owe it to satan and I owe it to humanity as a whole. How can I worship a god who pushes us higher, how can I expect to push the world higher, if I won’t push myself? I have to put myself through the same obstacles I’d expect others to endure.

#31 days of spiritual journaling #theistic satanism #satanism #traditional satanism #og #trad satanism

[veronicasflow]

APPLY THE LAW OF FLOW

We are changing as a collective, and you are changing as an individual.

The collective chaos that we are experiencing is a reflection of the chaos within you. You may be thinking “Wait, what do you mean by that? I don’t have such chaos in my life. My life is not as chaotic as this collective situation.” 

Isn’t it though? The virus, the revolution, the politics, the economy and the lockdown, are a collective chaos. Now let’s bring this down to your own personal life. What’s happening in your job situation? What’s happening in your personal relationships, your close relationships, your relationships with co-workers, friends, neighbors? Do you get along or just cross paths with them sometimes? The lessons are not in avoiding the bad situations at work,or with each other, but interacting and learning/teaching from one other. Am I running away from my lessons within relationships or am I staying around those challenges until there is no longer growth or lessons within it?

In the last decade, self help strategies have been helping us to see that we need to let go of what is no longer serving us. But we need to learn the lesson first… before we let go. We need to make sure we understood the reasons within the lessons, in order to evolve from them. 

The other part of the personal reflection, is around the most important one “The relationship with ourself.” We expect others to do, or act in certain ways to be able to be around us, to be part of our group, tribe, or just our life. However, do we have the same expectations when it comes to what we do for ourself? Do we go and buy flowers, or chocolates for ourself, because it’s a special day, or we succeeded in a project? Do we take the time every week, to take a long shower or bath with bubbles, maybe self massage with some special oils? Or, do we give ourself that thing we wanted for so long, because it will cheer us up? We do these things for others.  When they succeed or when they performed something special, we reward, we give and we show our appreciation. So, do we do the same for and to ourselves? If your answer is yes? Then 100% love and applause to you.  If your answer is “kinda.” Good for you for trying to give yourself the space and importance to receive from yourself. If your answer was, damn it, “I don’t give myself nothing at all.” I think about everybody’s priorities before mine. You are not alone. Here is your time to learn those lessons.  Let’s compare the time you give yourself, verses the time you give to others. 

The world has not changed if you ask me. The morning and night comes every 12 hours. Earth keeps spinning.  The rivers flow. The oceans still have the same currents going. Nature’s patterns are still flowing, and so is our life. What is happening is an opportunity to revisit the narrative we are creating in our life. Chaos is whatever you want to make it. The revolving energies around us are whatever we want to make them. 

Not long ago, I had a very interesting question. It was more like a statement from one of my followers on instagram. He said, that my happiness was not real. He stressed that I was “pretending” to have all that positivity. He feels it is impossible from someone to live is a half full state all the time. And that he hates people that are always positive. 

My answer to his questions/statement/letting go of his own frustration comment, was simple. He wants to connect to the positivity and possibilities that people like me share on Instagram or Social media. That is his goal, that is his dream. HE wants to change his narrative, his story line, the way he has design his life. It’s just hard and instead, it’s easier to send me and some of the people he follows a message letting us know, how hard is it for him to connect to that. It wasn’t always rainbows and unicorns for me. I not always was positive and still not. I have hormonal days where body chemistry is stronger than my mental capacity to keep myself aligned and balanced. “ TOO POSITIVE PEOPLE” I guess I’m flattered by the fact that today someone is able to see me, like a positive person, when not long ago I was always half empty. The state of mine changes it all. How we perceive this situation will change your whole life when this is all over and we go back to the NEW NORMAL. 

What’s the new normal? What do you want to make it? Do you LOVE your job? Or you are just passing by to get a paycheck every two weeks or a month. Do you LOVE where you live? Or are you just there because… So many questions, you should be thinking and trying to answer right now and not worry about being locked down, or feeling fear, worry, stress, anger, anxiety. So again, let me ask you: What is the reality you want to live and you would like to live in? The Law of Attraction works by creating a visual and verbal  narrative around the life you would LOVE to have. Then, DO IT? Maybe? (Passive aggressively) or JUST DO IT the nike way. You have created this, as a soul and as a soul collective, because you know you must change, we all do. We ALL NEED THIS CHANGE, as an individual and as a collective. You can go through your Facebook cleaning those friends that no longer are adding up to your story, make  sure you have them all, and start your NEW JOURNEY with those that resonate and vibrate with you. Those that brings the best of you, those that you help to bring the best of them.

 Right now, some of you are experiencing your own reality, and some of you are experiencing the reality created by the collective, and some of you are experiencing both of these together. This is also how things will unfold: some of you living in one dimension, some of you continuing in the dimension created by the collective, and some of you existing in both dimensions at the same time. Ok, what? What mushroom did you take Veronica? Let me explain. Don’t you have that friend, that posts on Facebook and you think… In what reality do you live? We definitely live in different universes. Well, I think it’s now easier for you to undertsand, that parallel realities may be a possibility. And that he/she live in another one different than yours. His/her reality is different in every single way, and it seems like you guys are no longer clicking anymore. Different paths, different views, journeys whatever you want to call it. 

But wait Veronica… We are in the same reality, I can touch her/him, she/he can touch me, that means we are both here in the same reality. Yeah, sure… but think about it in an energetic level. You no longer are in the same energy level that your “friend” . Example, you always get the promotion, or your boss always pays more attention to what you have to say, or maybe he/she is the one getting all the attention. So the person who is getting things done, getting the attention from the boss is definitely in a vibration of creation-connection and is higher than the other person that for some reason can not connect to it… Why is that, The same thing we are talking about, it just take the intention of changing, shifting your narrative and reality and making it whatever you want to make it. Level up your vibe.

Well, let’s bring that into a more basic concept. Again, going back to what we just visit around the reality you want to live in. The collective being, the one feeding you fear, creating more uncertainty and anxiety for your future. Or the one dimension, where you are able to see possibilities within your situation. The dimension where obstacles are just situations to solve and not to fear. A dimension where you are able to connect to possibilities, those possibilities that comes from being free in a mind-body & soul level (You don’t need to be yogi for this). We all are in a similar situation, some of us completely lost our job/path/carrier or whatever that means for you. Then let me enlighten you, you can change your job completely, start over again, reinvent yourself and create a new self that you LOVE to be with.  

It is difficult to realize you have created this chaos, isn’t it? And yet this is so. You create your reality, collective soul creates collective reality and depending on where you are in your understanding, you experience one or the other of these or both. 

 As you and we become more aware, your life become more clear. This is why you can see clearly that all of the things you believed would make you happy, like: social media, general distractions, addictions, busyness, over consumption, over-entertainment and more…   All these things now show themselves as false comforts, disconnectors, things that are no longer making your reality REAL. In the past, you turned to these patterns over and over again, to escape, to find disconnection, little did you know, that you just needed it or you just wanted to disconnect from the reality you were creating. You were trying so hard to connect to other peoples reality to find a way to change yours. And yet you easily see now that none of those distractions can provide you with the sustained feeling of connection to YOURSELF, to peace and joy that you truly seek. None of them, not one, has ever provided you with the sense of meaning that you truly desire. But hey, now you can. You just need to sit down and have a serious conversation with yourself, STOP B-ting yourself and be truthful, real, raw. That will show you your real NORTH.

 You know this now, and you also know why. It is impossible to manifest higher gifts from lower sources or vibrations. Like attracts like. What is creates what is. At last, you are understanding this, not in an intellectual way, but as a knowing(you kinda know, the info was within you and you just reconnected to it). It has taken some time for you to become aware at this level. Many of you still don’t understand, and this is why the collective struggles. But we can do it, you are reading or hearing this because you are part of the solution, you are part of the change, you are becoming and reconnecting to your highest self.

 You Can Move Forward

Your soul knows what is true. Your soul continues to lead you to LOVE, peace, joy and deeper meaning that you came into this lifetime to experience. Your soul continues to observe you knocking, knocking and knocking a little more at all the wrong doors. Your soul is patient, and your soul continues invite you to live in an easier and more delightful way. By soul, we mean your soul and your soul and your soul, and we also mean the Collective Soul that is all consciousness and is One/All/God/Divine/Source. 

 Your BODY-MIND-SOUL knows that you cannot walk your dream path is you have one foot on one path and the other foot on another. You MUST be certain, in order for movement to happen. It’s simple physics, moving in one direction and creating movement in the opposite direction at that same time results in not moving, movement cancells. If we bring this concept to our life, you have come to a complete stop. You have become stuck. Your desire or are call to go in one direction that is mindless, is what has been told to you to do, t’s what’s normal and your desire, your dream is to go in another direction that is whole and mindful, but crazy, not accepted by those around you. Our Collective Soul in the human realm has reached an impasse, a point of no return, and now you are stopped and stuck until you decide which way you will go. STUCK or FLOW. Dark or Light. Pain or Joy. Chaos or Meaning. Destruction or Creation. You understand this. Weigh your options, be open to change, to flow in new waters, waters that even knowing are unknown to you, feel like the option you should of taken long time ago. Options that will get you closer to live a meaningful happy life. Be open to dream a new dream, walk a new path, YOUR PATH and not anybody else’s.

 We have been stopped so that we may once again see clearly as a collective. Again, let’s go to questions. Where do you want to go? Which direction do you want to take? How do you want to live? You are being given this short time, this blink of an eye in all your lifetimes on this earth to decide your reality. 

  This is an invitation to dream a new dream. To create or re-create your own narrative. Even now, as you place your attention on your Highest Potentiality for this lifetime, which is most certainly not how you have been thinking and not how you have been living, you see that there are new possibilities you have never considered. So consider this - You have stopped yourself so you can see, so you can open your eyes to the priceless time you have, to be you in this lifetime - We only have THIS MOMENT once.

 Nothing is as it Seems - What do you mean by that? The news, the rumor, the influence all of this is false. Mmm not really, there is a problem in the world, there is people dying, there is a huge problem with people not having a job. Yes all that is part of the reality, but who’s reality? what is real is your reality, and your reality does not unfold in a news stream, in social media, in politics. What is real is how you experience one moment, then the next. Check your Nowness now, be present, sense your reality. Are you breathing? Take a deep breath now. Are you alive? Of course you are. Is there any joy within you? There absolutely is so. This is what is true. This is the reality and dimension that you have created. Enjoy it, and if you are in a dimension or reality that you dislike, here is your opportunity to shift it, to re-connect to a reality that you LOVE.

 What is valuable to you now is the support of two things: 

First, the gifts of Mother Earth, panache mama, Gaia, which will instantly ground you, welcome you, calm and soothe you. One leaf, one breath of wind, one river flowing, one soaring bird, all this is healing. And so I invite you to connect to earth, to the elements, to seek peace with the mother, Gaia, panache mama, our home, the only one we have.  

 Second is with your own soul, Connect with god, angels, Jesus, Buda or whatever you wish and believe you need to reconnect to in meditation, in prayer, in dreaming, and begin to see that what is possible is so much more than what you have imagined. Connect to faith, believe, hope vibrations that will reconnect you to the energy of LOVE. Begin to see that your new dream is being dreamt even now, and the more you dream how you would like things to be: beautiful, loving, natural, enjoyable, meaningful. This is what you are creating for your own reality, and this is what you are creating together for the collective. 

 Change is HERE, change is within you, change is NOW.

Much love, 

#lawofflow #flow #surrender

[italkstuff]

BEDS Day 14: The Problem with Christianity

Christianity is broken. Perhaps religion as a whole is broken too, but I’m going to speak specifically about Christianity’s brokenness because it’s what I have the most experience with. A few days ago, spartanite67 made a video about four problems he feels the modern church has. It’s an excellent video, and I highly recommend you watch it if you haven’t already. I agree with all his points, but I feel that there is one deep, fundamental problem with Christianity that all of these points stems from.

The problem is really two problems, but it’s two sides of the same coin. The first is a problem we see in a lot of religions, especially Western religions. I just watched a TED Talk from a rabbi named Sharon Brous who talked, among other things, about what she called religious routine-ism, which is when we get so caught up in the weekly ritual of going to church and going through the motions that we forget why we’re there, that the rituals lose meaning and life and just become compulsory. Christianity is remarkably good at this, because the fact is that Christianity asks very, very little of its followers. It’s laughably easy to be a Christian. It basically requires two steps. 1: be baptized, which many Christians already are at infancy anyway, and just requires, at its most extreme, being dunked in a tub of water and reciting some words. And 2: join a church, which sometimes requires a series of classes, but inevitably is another ceremony, and more words. And that’s it. Congratulations, you’re a Christian, and you basically never have to do anything about it again. You don’t have to give money to the church, you don’t have to pray, hell, you don’t even have to go to church every week, or at all! Why? Because the Christian belief is that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Basically, it’s believed that Jesus’ death made us all square with God. It doesn’t matter what horrible things we’ve done, what kind of person we are, how we treat others, or even whether we follow the teachings of the gospel. Sure, we SHOULD do all those things, but we don’t HAVE to . . . because Jesus died on the cross for our sins. As long as we do the things listed above, we’re welcomed into the fold. We’re good.

Now for those of you Christians who are getting all hot and bothered by this, I know that this isn’t true for everyone. I’m not going to get into a “not all Christians” debate with you about this. I know that there are plenty of Christians who do practice the teachings of the gospel. But you can’t deny that at the heart of Christianity is this belief that forgiveness is utterly simple, laughably simple, and requires next to no commitment, especially when you look at what’s at the heart of many other religious practices. The heart of Jewish teachings--the Torah--is essentially a list of how the Israelite people are supposed to behave. Islam has the Five Pillars, which include COMPULSORY giving, five times daily prayers, and a pilgrimage to Mecca. Eastern religions like Buddhism don’t even make a distinction between religious and secular life. The religion IS the way of living. These religions, therefore, ask a lot of their followers. To truly be a part of this way of living, you have to make sacrifices, show a great deal of self-discipline, and do way more than just take a few classes and say a few words. And though many Christians will argue that the same is true of Christianity, many more seem to view Jesus’ teachings less as ways to live and more as suggestions. I mean think about it, Jesus was even asked the Greatest Commandments, and they were Love God and Love Each Other. Unfortunately, that’s pretty vague, and it’s really easy for people to say they love God and others--and even to believe it themselves--without actually showing any evidence of it.

That’s the first side of the coin. The second side of the coin is that, while Christians play it pretty fast and loose with the actual practices of Christianity, they are remarkably rigid when it comes to the beliefs of Christianity. You MUST believe in God the Literal Being, preferably old, white, and male. You MUST believe in the deification of Jesus. You MUST believe in a literal Heaven and a literal Hell, and a literal system of punishment and reward that will end up sending you to one or the other when you die . . . based purely on the things you believe, and not the things you do. This is utterly backwards from many of the religions that I’ve been reading about. For them, there is a certain rigidity and expectation for the practices of the religion, but the individual beliefs are left to . . . the individual. Belief is a personal thing to each person. Extremists and fundamentalists have a rigid belief system which they use to maintain power over others, but that’s usually not the case with mainstream religion itself. The way of life is more the focus, and the beliefs are more along the lines of whatever will bring the believer spiritual enlightenment.

But Christianity is one of the few, a possibly one of the only religions where the MAINSTREAM practice is dictating everyone’s belief. Christianity seeks to convert people. Not on the extreme end, but mainstream Christianity. Christianity interprets Jesus’ words of being “the way, the truth, and the light,” as the ONLY way, truth, or light, and therefore that anyone who doesn’t accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior is destined for Hell, no matter how they live their life. And again, yes, yes, not all Christians, whatever, but if you think for one minute that this rigid belief system is not a fundamental part of mainstream Christianity, you are absolutely lying to yourself. It’s why Christians are so self-righteous all the damn time . . . they think they’ve got it right and everyone else has got it wrong. They think they’ve got God and the mysteries of the universe all figured out . . . which gives them license to go out be assholes to the world, because goddamnit, they’ve been SAVED!

And listen, I know this is nothing new. I know that this is basically the same rhetoric that’s come from everyone who’s ever left the church. But I think there’s a reason for that. Think of it this way. If tomorrow morning, definitive proof came out that Jesus Christ hadn’t risen from the dead or that he never even existed in the first place, or something fundamental to the faith of many Christians was disproved, the faith of many Christians would be irrevocably shaken. Not all of them, not the ones who believe in the substance of the message rather than the magic of the story . . . but many of them, because Christianity draws its inspiration from the superfluous aspects of the story. Christianity--and quite possibly Western religion as a whole--has basically become a bubble. It’s no longer a means to an end, with a series of practices meant to achieve spiritual enlightenment, but a means unto itself, something that we do because . . . we’ve always done it, and spiritual enlightenment is just assumed.

Christianity is broken . . . but not irrevocably. Christianity can redeem itself, but not without a lot of sacrifice. Christianity can be a way of living. Many practice it, and it’s right there in the gospels. Christians need to put their focus not in the literal beliefs of each person, but in the practices of Christianity. Christians need to remember why Christianity even exists, why they follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, which are relevant regardless of whether Jesus was literally God on Earth or whether he was just an exceptional philosopher. And for the Christians who are already there . . . you need to speak up. You need to be the ones to help Christianity evolve into something better. In that same TED Talk I mentioned earlier, Sharon Brous found a way to reinvent religion, to go to the very heart of why religion exists and what it can do . . . without ever once mentioning the specific practices of any one religion, or even for that matter, mentioning God. It can be done. At one time, perhaps we needed these supernatural elements to convince us to follow this path . . . but I think we’re smarter than that now. I think we crave spiritual fulfillment, and I think we can find it without having to resort to a rigid and literal belief in the supernatural which asks for virtually nothing in return. We can do better than that.

See you tomorrow.

#blog every day in september #BEDS #veds #christianity #religion #agnosticism

[hereticaloracles]

New Moon in Libra: The Breath of Life

“Once you realize you deserve a bright future, letting go of your dark past is the best choice you will ever make.”― Roy T. Bennett

Effective Date: September 28th, 2019

Helios’ Astrological Angle on the New Moon in Libra: Okay, here’s the deal Heretics- this is not going to be a normal one, I have a lot to get through and the muses are shouting at me to get it all down. We’re glossing over the normal Libra crap about balance and relationships and we’re going to explore the process that led us to where we are right now instead, what is actually going on in your internal landscape, what it means, and where we’re going.

The Summer Eclipses forced us into our own darkness and made us become empty so that we could enter the void. They forced us to scoop out our bullshit like a melon baller to the soul. There was no arguing, no whinging, no negotiating- It simply was what needed to be done. Leo season was like a power-washer shoved down your throat to make sure all the muck and merde was pushed out for good. The mission was brought back to us, and we were inspired yet again. Then in Virgo, we started to rebuild- a new and upgraded version of the Self, built from the ground up, and we became ready to give Love to our Self for a damn change. So this process is ongoing and we don’t fully know where it will lead us (none of these have been normal seasons thus far, so seeing the final destination is a challenge) what does that mean for Libra? Well, now you have to breathe a new life into your self-creation and get ready for a serious re-invention of your life. Everything about this New Moon will be about furthering this goal.

The Sun, Moon, Chiron, and Uranus– So it’s one thing to say all of that, but how do you go about actually doing it? Well, it turns out that it’s simpler than you might think…. then again what is simple is rarely easy, and this time it’s no exception. What this lunation demands is that you MUST make a clean break with your pain and your past. Now, I know this will bring me hate but think about it for a damn minute- You cannot make any forward progress while you are hiding in the shadows from yourself and lugging around your pain like an anchor around your neck. Holding onto your pain is holding on to your past and you need to let it go. You need to move on. A clean break- take a day, clean your living space, smudge the crap out of everything, and then just decide to not be hurt anymore. And yes, it truly can be that easy IF YOU MANIFEST IT TO BE. The whole point of this is to reinvent and upgrade your Self, allowing your reality to change. YOU CANNOT CHANGE YOUR LIFE WITHOUT CHANGING YOURSELF FIRST.

You must begin telling a new story for yourself- one where you are not the victim, one where you have made peace with your past. This is a reboot and it is time to go in a new direction. You will need to let go, and this will be excruciatingly painful for most because you don’t feel ready to move on- You’re ready, you have no choice but to be anymore. Anyone who doesn’t like that, too bad- ya’ll had time to choose it for yourself, now time is running out and the choice is being made for you. Evolve or die, there is no third option. The area you DO have agency and choice in is what the story you tell yourself entails. Hell, sit down and write it out if it helps- at least an outline. Cast yourself as the hero you needed before you were hurt, and change the narrative. Give your pain a purpose, but now it’s truly time to leave it the fuck behind. Move on. Let go. It’s time.

I need to make it clear that your mission is not to heal your pain, no we’re not doing that anymore. It doesn’t work anyway. Now you need to concentrate all your bullshit, compress it, and break it off of you for good so that you can yeet it into the Sun. Don’t worry about losing your pain- you don’t cry when you take out the rotting garbage and trash every week, do you? No, you need to consciously break it off. There is no compromising with it, stalling, or delaying anymore. What has holding on to your pain brought you anyway? Has it improved your life in any way? No? Get rid of it.

Minor Planets used: Makemake, Logos, Varuna, Salacia, Eros, Circe, Isis, Eurydike, Iris, Hidalgo, Phaethon

Mercury, Mars, and Pluto– Here’s the deal, you need to stop trying to reclaim who you were before you became who you are. Going back, regressing… that is not the way life works. Your mission is to move on. I want you to imagine yourself without the emotional pain or trauma you carry- not who you were before it, you now and everything you face. How would you face your present challenges in this moment if you weren’t weighed down with what happened to you? How would you act if you didn’t expect to fail? What choices would you make? Pretend you were a new version of yourself. Let the old one die. Let go of who you think you are so you can become who you were meant to be. Listen, the old you no longer serves you and is ill-prepared for this time. Remake yourself anew so you can thrive instead of suffering. The cosmos does not want you to suffer, and the only way that you will is by holding on to what is already gone. Quit crying over spilled milk and pour yourself a new goddamn glass.

Minor Planets used: Eris, Sila-Nunam, Chaos, Manwë, Asbolus, Chariklo, Osiris, Damocles, Heracles, Orpheus

Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune– So what form should the new story of this stage of your life take? Well, the details of that are up to you, to be sure, but let’s talk central themes- first of all, we’re chucking the painful backstory and tortured hero trope, save that for Batman to brood over. Start from what you want to accomplish, the things you want to do and the person you desire to become and work backward. Create your future by story-boarding it and aligning yourself to your dreams. Stay in character, but remember you’re working with a new script- one with no tragedy to overcome. You’re focusing on achieving future success through present action, not tormented by past trauma. Make no mistake, this is going to be some dark and intense shadow work, but you get the benefit of it being an abstraction for now. You get the gift of getting to go deep within yourself and make the changes you need to, without the emotional merde. You are building the mental framework of your new self right now. Focus on your new self’s ambitions, desires, and reject anything that comes from a place of your old pain. You can have everything you want. Have the courage to change your story; leave your pain behind, step into self-love and watch the magic happen.

Minor Planets used: Lempo, Dziewanna, Rhiphonos, Elatus, Pelion, Astraea, Diana, Terpsichore, Atropos, Toro, Hebe

New Moon in Libra: The Breath of Life was originally published on Heretical Oracles

#ideal self #love yourself #new moon #new moon libra #new moon magic #reinvention #self transformation #astrology #tarot #asteroid astrology #fuckstrology #bruja #brujeria

[owl-eyed-woman]

Attack on Titan Season 2 Episode Analysis - Episode 7 (Episode 32)

After last week’s thrilling cliff-hanger, it’s finally time for some ‘close combat’. Yes, this episode knows what it’s about, and that is action, action, action. To be honest, when I realised that this was going to be an action-heavy episode, I feared that there wouldn’t be much for me to analyse here – I mean, it’s thrilling action done well, what more is there to say? On rewatch though, it’s clear that there’s a lot going on beneath the surface, particularly in regards to who Eren is and how his style of fighting reflects his psychology. It’s been a while since we’ve had an Eren-focused episode, hasn’t it?

The episode starts with a brief flashback all the way back to episode 3 – those were the days! Usually, I wouldn’t deign to comment on an episode recap, but this recap isn’t just reminding us of a previous event. Instead, the audience is forced to re-contextualise this moment and actively reframe it within the context of Reiner and Bertholdt’s betrayal. This was once a beautiful scene about the formation of an unexpected bond and growing mutual respect between four people who had experienced the horrors of the titans firsthand. Tragically, this once genuine moment is now tainted by deceit and betrayal. Still, we absolutely can’t forget that Eren is fighting one of his closest comrades, someone he trusted with his life for 5 long years! And, to put it bluntly, Eren is pissed.

In the last episode, we experienced the immediate emotional fallout from Reiner’s duplicity, as Eren shifted from paralysed shock to grief. Now, as he begins comprehend the depth of Reiner’s betrayal, Eren is consumed by bitterness and rage. Everything he thought Reiner was - strong, loyal, steadfast, reliable - has been comprehensively and cruelly demolished.

This is so devastating for Eren not just because he loved Reiner dearly, but because Eren wanted to be Reiner. For Eren, Reiner was the perfect model of a soldier and everything Eren aspired to. In this way, Reiner’s betrayal, unlike Bertholdt’s, is a personal affront to Eren; he hasn’t just lost a friend, he’s lost his ideal. Poor Eren just can’t catch a break.

Reiner as the Armoured Titan is a striking, intimidating opponent, to say the least. It’s strange to think that even though we’re over 30 episodes in, this is only the third ‘Titan Eren vs Titan’ battle we’ve seen (and only the second ‘Titan Eren vs. Titan-shifter’ battle). So though the novelty definitely hasn’t worn off, AOT still makes sure that each iteration is compelling and fresh by introducing new challenges to overcome and seemingly unbeatable abilities. AOT knows that you don’t need to reinvent the proverbial wheel every time, but you do need to tweak it just a bit to keep the audience invested.

Thus, a pattern of escalation and complication is evident in every titan battle we’ve encountered so far. We can basically view Eren’s first transformation in Trost as a kind of tutorial level in titan shifting. Tasks like defeating normal titans or successfully moving the boulder all function to demonstrate Eren getting a handle on his powers and establishing the basic rules of this ability. So in the scheme of things, the challenges here are comparatively simple (OK, it wasn’t simple at the time).

With Annie as the Female Titan, the show started to add new obstacles to complicate this formula. Against the Female Titan, Eren had to contend with mental and emotional challenges in addition to a physical one. Annie was a formidable opponent combat-wise, but she was also highly intelligent and, even more importantly, a friend. Thus, the main conflict for Eren against Annie was learning how to overcome the emotionally devastating challenge of fighting someone you’ve trusted for years and psychologically move past this.

Now with Reiner, we see AOT continue to evolve Eren’s titan-shifter battles by further centring the main conflict in Eren’s psychology and emotional perspective (we’ll get to that in a bit).

But on a more basic level, he is quite simply the most intimidating enemy physically that Eren has ever encountered– I mean, he’s a Titan with armour for god’s sake! Reiner’s ridiculous strength is made abundantly clear from the beginning with our first establishing shot of the fight showing Reiner’s punch literally sending Eren flying through the air. It’s practically comical! In addition to this, it’s quickly established that Reiner’s armour is impervious to Mikasa’s blades. For both titans and humans, Reiner is set up as a nigh invincible enemy and the greatest challenge combat-wise that Eren has ever encountered.

So with Eren as the clear underdog in this fight, the fun is in seeing how he can possibly even the odds. One thing is clear: this isn’t a fight Eren can punch his way through. He’s going to have to use more than brute strength to possibly stand a chance.

Facing this seemingly insurmountable challenge, something starts to shift within Eren. Fuelled by the memory of the destruction of Wall Maria and the death of his mother along with countless innocents, any regret, sadness, or confusion dissipates and is replaced by white hot rage. Only one things remains startlingly clear; Reiner is a monster and he must be destroyed.  As Eren rises up from the ground, the camera sweeps over his weird, bumpy abs before showing Eren standing proudly, ready to fight. This shot communicates one idea; Eren is powerful enough to defeat Reiner.  

And then he gets punched again, twirling through the air! It’s important to note that Eren’s impotence is purposefully comedic, with the sudden cut to the eyecatch heightening the absurdity of this moment. This entire scene then, with its powerful angles, empowering music and inspiring sentiments, functions as purposeful misdirection.

But we still need to ask, why doesn’t Eren succeed in this moment? Why isn’t his willpower, resolve and rage, which were so essential to defeating Annie, effective against Reiner?

On a basic level, we could say it’s just because Reiner is physically stronger than Annie. But I believe the reason for Eren’s failure goes much deeper than this. Ultimately, Eren’s success or failure in this fights comes down to his morality, his psychology and how he perceives his opponents. This came up in my analysis for last week’s episode, but essentially, this conflict with Reiner relates to Eren’s strict adherence to an extremely black and white view of morality and his almost compulsive need to clearly place people into this stark dichotomy of good or evil.

Eren’s done this exact thing several times throughout the show. It happened with Annie and, even more notably, when he first met Mikasa. It’s (surprisingly) easy to overlook, but Eren basically murdered two men when he was just a child. I’m not saying his actions weren’t justified, but realistically, any other child would have been traumatised by this experience, or simply unable to commit such an act in the first place. Eren, however, was able to remain completely unfazed precisely because, in his mind, they weren’t truly human. They were animals and thus he faced no ethical dilemma when killing them. It’s almost disturbing how easily Eren is able to compartmentalise complex moral situations and even people by reducing them to completely inhuman or monstrous forms.  

As Eren prepares to fight, he starts to fall into this familiar pattern. He calls them ‘pests’, and declares that he’s going to ‘exterminate’ them, already starting to conceive of Reiner and Bertholdt in inhuman terms, as insects, animals or monsters. By doing this, Eren forces himself to repress his emotional turmoil and erase any feelings of friendship by reducing them to mindless monsters to be destroyed.

In the past, Eren’s ability to apply this dehumanising morality to the situation at hand has been essential for his survival and success. Quite simply, he wouldn’t have been able to defeat Annie if he hadn’t been able to conceive of her as a monster, not a human being who was once his friend.

Crucially though, the fact that Eren dehumanises his enemies so frequently and comprehensively has serious ramifications for his mental wellbeing. You see, in order to effectively utilise this ability, Eren has to rely on the worst parts of himself (his rage and his hate) and repress the best parts of himself (his compassion, his idealism and his loyalty). In the process of harnessing this monstrous side of himself, Eren literally loses his own humanity that he treasures so, so much. Ultimately, by dehumanising others so thoroughly, Eren essentially participates in his own dehumanisation as well.

So when he starts to dehumanise Reiner, Eren is essentially reverting to an emotionally unhealthy and psychologically damaging pattern. Fundamentally, on an emotional level, Eren can’t keep this up without self-destructing. But on a simple tactical level, the benefits of this method, specifically the monstrous determination and strength boost, aren’t enough to defeat the pure might of Reiner.

Faced with this conundrum, Eren suddenly recalls his cadet combat training with Annie. It’s an innocent, tranquil time, even though Annie is absolutely destroying Eren. Eren’s impulsive and angry fighting style is simply no match for the cold calculation and skilful timing of Annie. But more importantly, during this training match, Annie teaches Eren how to use opponent’s force against them, along with specific wrestling holds to incapacitate and defeat a much stronger opponent.

Then, Mikasa comes over and requests Annie try her technique out on her. Crucially, Annie admits that she is unsure if it will work, as her combat style was made to be used on humans, not beasts like Mikasa. Though Annie’s intention was to insult Mikasa, this point is absolutely crucial and will ultimately enable Eren to gain the upper hand against Reiner.

This flashback gives Eren a genuine breakthrough. Tactically, Eren learns to harness a new technique that is tailor-made for defeating brutish fighters like Reiner. But more importantly, this style is specifically intended to be used against ‘humans’, not ‘beasts’. Until now, Eren has been fighting ‘beasts’ like a beast himself. But he can’t do this with Reiner. This time, he has to fight Reiner on equal footing as a human. Basically, in order to use this technique effectively, he has to acknowledge Reiner’s inherent humanity.

This shift in perspective is immediately apparent as Eren battles Reiner. He no longer conceives of Reiner as a pest or vows to destroy or exterminate him. Instead, he gloats over the fact that because he fought with him as a cadet, he knows their weaknesses and how he can defeat them.

Before this moment, Eren has always needed to dehumanise his enemies, reducing them to inhuman monsters and repressing any emotional connection. But in this one episode, his friendship with Reiner and understanding of him as a human being is no longer an emotional hindrance for Eren. In fact, if he can remain conscious of Reiner as a human, he can use this knowledge to his advantage. Now, by no longer relying on dehumanisation and rage to win his battles, Eren must instead utilise planning, strategy and composure – essentially, he must retain his own humanity and rational control over the situation. This a huge breakthrough for Eren, both emotionally and mentally.

It’s also a huge step forward for Eren morally and ethically. What Reiner and Bertholdt did was despicable, monstrous even!  But this is not necessarily at odds with their humanity. If there is one truth in AOT it’s this: humans have the potential to do monstrous, despicable things, but we still need to acknowledge this as a part of our humanity, rather than consigning this to the realm of monsters and beasts. Only then can we truly grow as people.

By acknowledging Reiner as a human during this battle, Eren is slowly incorporating moral nuance and understanding into his worldview. No, he’s probably not ready to see the virtues of his enemies or the vices of his friends. But still, it’s an important step towards recognising the monstrosity in humans and the humanity in monsters.

So with all this in mind, Eren is finally able to gain the upper hand against Reiner, incapacitating Reiner completely before TEARING ONE OF HIS ARMS OFF! I’ve rambled on far too long about the character implications, so let me just say that action-wise, it’s awesome seeing the addition of martial arts and dynamic strategies in a titan battle!

Additionally, while Armin, Mikasa and Hanji worry that Eren has lost control, Eren remains entirely lucid and rational throughout this entire episode. So here is yet another benefit to viewing one’s enemies as humans rather than monsters – Eren can retain his own humanity and control.

In this one episode, Eren has made so much progress with his titan powers, as well as substantial progress as a character! So, of course it’s disheartening when he is so soundly defeated at the hands of Reiner and Bertholdt.

I guess everything was going a bit too well for Eren, as everyone seems to forget their initial plan to escape in their desperation for just one success. Basically, they got cocky.

So while in the end, Eren failed abysmally, we mustn’t forget the significant breakthrough he’s had morally, emotionally and mentally. Let’s just hope it sticks!

#attack on titan #shingeki no kyojin #shingeki no kyoujin #snk #aot #Eren Jaeger #eren yeager #Eren #reiner braun #Bertholdt #bertholdt hoover #reiner #armored titan #anime #reviews #anime analysis #aot episode 32 #snk episode 32 #snk ep 32 #aot ep 32 #anime criticism #attack on titan season 2 #aot season 2 #shingeki no kyoujin season 2 #shingeki no kyojin season 2 #snk season 2

[chorusfm]

Back on AbsolutePunk.net we would run a feature each year called the “Absolute 100.” The basic idea was to put together a list of bands and artists that we thought needed to get a little more attention. This would range from unsigned, to under-the-radar, to underrated acts that we wanted to highlight. Over the years it ended up being one of my favorite features we compiled (I personally discovered quite a few new bands from it). And, I’ve heard from a lot for readers that you loved it as well.

Today I’m excited to bring this feature back under a new name. We’re calling it “In the Spotlight” and we’ve got the same goal: highlight a bunch of artists we think you should check out. This year we’ve got 50 for you. Over the past month our contributors have been putting together blurbs and pulling out song recommendations, and today we’ve got the first group of 25. We’ll be releasing the next set tomorrow.

The Wild Reeds

by Craig Manning

The Wild Reeds make music that isn’t quite rock, isn’t quite country, isn’t quite folk, and isn’t quite pop, but that has clear traces of all of them. That’s the charm of the trio’s sophomore LP, The World We Built, which dropped at the beginning of March. Tight three-part female harmonies, a crackling rhythm section, and big shout-to-the-rafters choruses are the ingredients that make up the songs on World—particularly “Only Songs,” the set’s opening track and lead single. On that song, a distorted electric guitar swings through the proceedings like a wrecking ball, the three band members bellowing their vocal parts like their lives depend on it. And they just might: “Cause the only thing that saves me/Are the songs I sing, baby/You can’t save me from anything,” goes the infectious chorus. The rest of the record hums with a similar life-or-death energy—a thrilling quality that makes it one of the year’s surest breakout LPs.

Recommended Track: “Only Songs”

RIYL: First Aid Kit, Haim, The Staves

Culprit

by Deanna Chapman

Despite being in the Southern California area, I’m probably not as familiar with the local scene as I should be. However, in the abundance of bands, I was introduced to Culprit. Even with some minor line up changes over the years, they keep things moving forward. Sonder is their latest release and it’s a solid rock album. They have their sound down and Travis’ vocals are constantly great. The songwriting is a huge plus, too. They still blow me away with their big sound and emotion inducing lyrics.

Recommended Track: “Anything”

RIYL: From Indian Lakes, Thrice, Emarosa

Animal Flag

by Aj LaGambina

MA-based band, Animal Flag, released their debut LP last year, the aptly named LP. The record is actually a remaster and resequenced version of the two EP’s the band released before it, and boy does it sound great. These guys write loud, distinctive alternative rock that draws equal influence from Brand New’s midtempo songs, the Run For Cover records catalog, and “emo revival” bands, though their ability to write a hook coupled with a mastery of dynamic songwriting is what really sets them apart. The best example of their sound is the song “Sensation,” who’s layered instrumental and massive chorus gives a decent idea of what the band is capable of.

Recommended Track: “Sensation”

RIYL: Turnover, Brand New, Manchester Orchestra

Allie X

by Jason Tate

Alexandra Ashley Hughes, under the moniker Allie X, mixes a cocktail of quirky, catchy, and heartfelt into her music. While the music usually winds between upbeat and frenetic, there’s an undeniable darkness to much of the lyrical content. With an EP of music already under her belt, this June will see the release of her debut full-length. If the first few songs released are any indication, we have another round of perfectly produced pop-goodness coming our way.

Recommended Track: “That’s So Us”

RIYL: Charli XCX, Foxes, Betty Who

Susto

by Greg Robson

Let this be known: Charleston, SC quintet Susto are on the precipice of breaking out. Their latest album & I’m Fine Today blends hazy folk-pop meanderings with sublime and near-perfect alt-country. Drawing on the likes of Wilco and Neil Young and drawing on the age-old themes of love lost, love won, late-night partying and indifference, the band’s expansive sound reinvents Southern rock in a way that needs to be heard to be realized. Contemplative, self-assured and deeply rewarding, & I’m Fine Today is a monster of a record from a band that’s well on their way to breaking out. With a summer full of festivals and a bookshelf full of critical praise, 2017 might just be the year SUSTO becomes a household name.

Recommended Track: “Waves”

RIYL: Wilco, The Head and the Heart, The Lumineers, Shovels and Rope

Muncie Girls

by Zac Djamoos

On the first song on Muncie Girls’ From Caplan to Belsize, frontwoman Lande Hekt implores the listener to “try and leave your own little mark on this earth.” It seems like she’s taking her own advice – her band’s debut is ten tracks of the most energetic powerpop I’ve heard in a long time. The lyrics might be the biggest draw here, as Hekt delivers wise-beyond-her-years musings on misogyny, family, and developing radical politics, while never sounding like a textbook. From Caplan to Belsize would be legacy enough for most bands – I can’t wait to see where Muncie Girls want to take us next.

Recommended Track: “Balloon”

RIYL: Cartel, Moose Blood, Fall Out Boy

The Magic Gang

by Kyle Huntington

Brighton, England based The Magic Gang have been going from strength-to-strength for the past few years, releasing a total of three EPs to date. Each EP documents the band’s considered progression but also highlights the excitement that the jangly indie-pop group can evoke in listeners. From the more recent and angular single “How Can I Compete?” which recalls The Strokes in their early days or “Only Waiting” which is a must for any Mac DeMarco fans – The Magic Gang create the infectious, melodic and enriching breed of indie music that is near enough impossible to dislike.

Recommended Track: “How Can I Compete”

RIYL: Mac DeMarco, Weezer, The Strokes

Gold Steps

by Becky Kovach

Gold Steps has only been around about a year, but with an EP and performances at SXSW and So What?! Music Festival under their belt, the band is already making waves in the local Austin scene. But it shouldn’t be long before the buzz starts to spread. With bold choruses and explosive energy that demands attention, I think they’re exactly what the pop punk world needs right now. There’s also the added bonus of a kick ass female vocalist who, with a little time and practice, could be the next powerhouse of the genre.

Recommended Track: “Louder Than Words”

RIYL: Nominee, Sleep On It, We Are The In Crowd

Lindi Ortega

by Eric Wilson

Hailing from Toronto, Ontario, and currently residing in Nashville, Lindi Ortega is a country singer/songwriter with amazing talent and a soulful voice. She has released several albums and EPs since 2001, and her latest EP ’Til the Goin’ Gets Gone continues to showcase her depth and talent when it comes to music and songwriting. Whether you’re in the mood for some mellow folk music, or something a bit more on the country side, Ortega’s discography will give you plenty of options to choose from. I’m excited to hear how her style will continue to evolve over time.

Recommended Track: “Til the Goin’ Gets Gone”

RIYL: Kacey Musgraves, Sarah Jarosz

Natalie Hemby

by Craig Manning

You might not know Natalie Hemby’s name, but if you’ve ever listened to country radio, you’ve probably heard one of her songs. An ultra-prolific gun-for-hire, Hemby has credits on records by everyone from Miranda Lambert to Maren Morris to Nelly Furtado. In her “day job,” Hemby knows how to spin a turn of phrase or a catchy chorus to build a surefire radio earworm. On her debut record, though, Hemby dials back her own mainstream country leanings for something far more personal and understated. The record in question, this year’s splendid Puxico, is an album about home, family, youth, young love, summer, and life itself. Remarkably, given Hemby’s resume, there isn’t an obvious single. Instead, Puxico is a capital-A Album, built around concept (Hemby wrote it about her grandfather’s hometown) and sturdy, mood-setting tracks (swoon-worthy summer night gems like “Lovers on Display” and “Worn”). The resulting record is destined to land plenty of “Best of the Year” notices come to December—and perhaps maybe even a Grammy nod or two.

Recommended Track: “Lovers on Display”

RIYL: Kacey Musgraves, Brandy Clark, Miranda Lambert

Feeny

by Craig Ismaili

After years of grinding out explosive live sets in support of their first EP Winter Of Our Disconnect, Feeny found themselves at a crossroads in late 2015, as they went into the studio to record with Jesse Cannon. Would they continue to hone the pop-punk sound of their early material, despite the growing sense within the band that pop-punk was not what interested them most musically anymore? Or would they take a leap forward sonically, potentially distancing themselves from their peers and bands they had played with in the past. The New Jersey quartet Feeny chose correctly, reinventing their sound for their 2016 EP No Beauty In Routine. While there are still moments where Feeny break into the bar chord blitzkrieg of pop-punk, they let songs breathe so much more on the EP than they ever have in the past, breaking into moments that border on post-rock. The results show in moments like the end of the featured song, “Patience in Paranoia” where, after vocalist Matthew Koerner howls the song’s final line, “These memories are never enough,” the music breaks down to a softly strummed guitar, and the sounds of a wistful chord progression, as if the song is flicking through the carousel of memories. No Beauty in Routine is a moody, introspective record, with songs like the brooding “Spoliation (Uncomfortable),” exploring insecurities and irreconcilable differences which can tear relationships apart. It’s honest, heartfelt music from a band that trades on this sort of heart-on-sleeve troubadorism.

Recommended Track: “Patience and Paranoia”

RIYL: Microwave, Saves The Day, Taking Back Sunday

Super American

by Deanna Chapman

Take This To Heart Records continues to impress with the band’s they sign. Super American polished up their sound and recently released Disposable. The album is solid top to bottom. The album mixes upbeat songs with a couple that slow things down and give you time to realize just how good the band is. Their personality shines with their songs and they’re a band you’ll want to check out. It would be a shame to miss out on their recent release. It’s a stand out for me in 2017 so far.

Recommended Track: “Sloppy Jazz”

RIYL: Weezer, Superdrag, State Champs

Rosie Carney

by Greg Robson

Irish singer-songwriter Rosie Carney sings her songs with such conviction and sincerity you’ll find it near impossible to turn away. The thought-provoking and melancholic ballad “Awake Me” recounts her battles with both anorexia and depression and calls to mind both Joni Mitchell and Bon Iver. At only 19, Carney possesses a triple threat: deft piano playing, poetic verses and soaring melodies. Her songs are meticulously crafted, achingly tender, wise beyond their years and utterly timeless. A veteran of SXSW, Carney is poised for a big 2017 and should make waves on American soil in the very near future.

Recommended Track: “Awake Me”

RIYL: Joni Mitchell, Bon Iver, Joanna Newsom, Carole King

Daydream

by Aj LaGambina

California’s Daydream just released their debut full length Enjoy Nothing on April 4th, a more-than-worthy follow-up to their two 2016 EP’s. The entire record is stacked with hooks, big guitars, and the kind of instantly relatable lyrics found on some of the best emo/pop/rock records of the early 2000’s. Slow opener “Seeking Human Kindness” marks a strong start for the record and it keeps getting better from there. Though closer “Goodbye in Downtown” and second track “Bored” are the best examples of Daydream’s overall sound. The whole LP begs to be played while speeding down the highway, and that’s exactly how I’ll listen to it.

Recommended Track: “Bored”

RIYL: Jimmy Eat World, The Menzingers

Rick Brantley

by Craig Manning

Rick Brantley wrote the best song I heard in 2016. The tune in question, an understated ballad called “Hurt People,” doesn’t sound like much when you first hit play: just a simple piano line and Brantley’s spoken-word delivery. But focus on the lyrics, and “Hurt People” will crack your heart in half like a walnut, seal it back together, and give you the inspiration to be better. I won’t spoil too much: the song deserves to stand on its own, and reading about it can’t possibly compare to hearing it. But suffice to say that Brantley’s tales—about an abused kid who bullies his classmates, about a girl who has never felt love in her life, and about the scars we all have that we can never erase—carry lessons that everyone needs to learn right now. The rest of Brantley’s output—including two recent EPs, the largely acoustic Lo-Fi and the more rock-oriented Hi-Fi—display his dynamic songwriting talents, his big voice, and his Springsteen-circa-Lucky Town sound. But “Hurt People” alone would merit Brantley a spot on this list, if only because it’s one of those rare songs that I think every person in the world should hear.

Recommended Track: “Hurt People”

RIYL: Bruce Springsteen, John Moreland, Butch Walker

Pale Waves

by Jason Tate

Dirty Hit Records have been on a roll with their signings and the latest, Pale Waves, is no exception. Breathy pop-music with a groove, helped by Matt and George of The 1975’s unmistakable crystalline production, propels the lead single “There’s a Honey” to ear-candy status. Hopefully we’ll be getting more music from this group in the near future, yet one song’s enough to have turned my head and put this band smack dab in the middle of my radar.

Recommended Track: “There’s A Honey”

RIYL: The Japanese House, The 1975

Save Ends

by Zac Djamoos

Black Numbers has been one of the best and most under-appreciated labels around for a few years now, and last year they signed one of the best and most under-appreciated bands around. Save Ends’ effortlessly catchy brand of emo-influenced pop-punk feels like the kind of stuff that could’ve come out on Vagrant Records in ’01 just as easily as on Black Numbers in ’16. With the weather getting warmer and the band in the studio, there’s no better time than now to check out (or revisit) their full-length debut Warm Hearts, Cold Hands.

Recommended Track: “I Fell Asleep”

RIYL: Saves the Day, Tigers Jaw, Turnover

Many Rooms

by Craig Ismaili

Many Rooms is the brainchild of Brianna Hunt, and thus far they have released just six songs with the project. Those six came in the form of an EP called Hollow Body which was released back at the end of 2015. The first time I heard “Hollow Body” it shook me down to my very core. If you, like I did, fell in love with the stark intimacy of Julien Baker’s “Sprained Ankle,” I full-heartedly believe you will fall in love with Many Rooms. You see, “Sprained Ankle” feels like you are in the room with Baker as she pours her heart out on the track. Many Rooms feels like you are in the room with Hunt, except it’s pitch black and she is singing off into the void of the darkness. There is such a soul-bearing honesty to the songs on Hollow Body. Hunt’s lyrics, ethereal though her voice may be, seem to cut down to the very core of humanity. “Promises”, the second track on Hollow Body, has some of my favorite lyrics of the decade: “oh, how beautiful a lie / when it makes you feel like you can fly / and your wings are made of paper dreams and paper futures.” I can’t wait until Hunt releases more music with this project.

Recommended Track: Promises

RIYL: Julien Baker, Conor Oberst, Elliot Smith

Sainte

by Anna Acosta

Sainte is the long-anticipated solo project of former We Are the In Crowd vocalist Tay Jardine, and it delivers in spades. Although the project has only released two singles to date, the tracks are explosive, dance-y pop numbers that bode incredibly well for what’s to come. Jardine’s expressive songwriting and vocals are finally the focal point of the music she’s making, and the result is a refreshingly authentic sound that manages to feel both joyful and completely authentic. Jardine is all grown up, and she’s not pulling any punches.

Recommended Track: “With Or Without Me”

RIYL: We Are The In Crowd, Tonight Alive, The Gospel Youth

Mom Jeans.

by Becky Kovach

I went into my first Mom Jeans. show having never seen them before and with very little knowledge of their music. I was sold the minute their guitarist took a between-song break as an opportunity to showcase his repertoire of dad jokes. It also helps that the band’s lyrics are endearing in a pour-out-your-heart kind of way, and their music blends emo, punk, and acoustic into a cathartic rush of passion. Oh and did I mention that their single “edward 40hands” samples Bob’s Burgers? Yeah.

Recommended Track: “Edward 40hands”

RIYL: Sorority Noise, Oso Oso, The Front Bottoms

Oso Oso

by Jason Tate

There’s something perfectly nostalgic about Oso Oso’s The Yunahon Mixtape. It’s a little like opening a time capsule from the early 00’s and finding an album inside from a band you’ve never heard but could almost swear you used to love. I’m pulled back to my early college days filled with sharing mixtapes with dorm room friends, laying in the sun with one album on repeat, and getting wrapped in every note. This gem of an album was released in January. If you’re looking for something that sounds a little like yesteryear while being a welcome jolt during a time that seems too fucked-up to be real, you should make this the next album you spin.

Recommended Track: “The Cool”

RIYL: State Lines, Sorority Noise, You Blew It!

Striking Matches

by Craig Manning

Striking Matches is a band with one of the all-time great origin stories. A duo featuring singer/songwriter/guitarists Sarah Zimmerman and Justin Davis, the band got its start in the classroom ten years ago, when the two freshman guitar majors got paired up by a professor. As you could probably already gather from the band name, there was a spark. Since then, Striking Matches have opened for everyone from Train to Ashley Monroe to Vince Gill, written songs for the country music soap opera Nashville, and made their debut album under the tutelage of none other than T Bone Burnett. That’s quite the whirlwind start for any act, but one gets the sense that Zimmerman and Davis can handle it. On their debut album, 2015’s Nothing but the Silence, Zimmerman and Davis forged a true two-person identity. They both sang, they both wrote songs, and they both had plenty of room to show off their shit-kicking guitar skills. The songs themselves were incredibly refined, from the tender Civil Wars-esque ballads (“Nothing but the Silence,” “When the Right One Comes Along”) to the livewire rockers (turbulent opener “Trouble Is as Trouble Does”). And then there’s the outro to “Make a Liar Out of Me,” where Zimmerman shreds one of the most badass guitar solos of the 21st century.

Recommended Track: “Make a Liar Out of Me”

RIYL: The Civil Wars, melody-driven country-folk songs with incredible guitarwork

Crows

by Kyle Huntington

If there was ever a new band to ignite the primal connection to music – it’s Crows from London, England. Drawing influence in sound from the any of the post-punk greats with a splattering of shoegaze elements, garage rawness and hardcore tendencies – they’re a band who create the sense of walking a tightrope, a balancing act between unsettling chaos and energised melody – undeniable in its intense excitement. Whether on record with buzzsaw guitars and sweet darkness or in a live setting where they thrive and are one of the most captivating bands performing today – to the point where frontman James Cox commands, antagonises, includes and hypnotises the crowd in only the best ways – Crows are the exhilarating new punk band people have been waiting for. Check out “The Itch” and its explosion for an insight as well as “Whisper”.

Recommended Track: “Whisper”

RIYL: Joy Division, Fugazi, METZ

Donna Missal

by Craig Ismaili

You know a song is special when Zane Lowe uses his massive platform on Beats Radio 1 to premiere the debut single from an unsigned artist. That single was the sultry, incendiary “Keep Lying” from Donna Missal. The song has echoes of Nina Simone all over it, plus more than a bit of resemblance to Amy Winehouse’s “Back To Black.” To put it more simply, “Keep Lying” has some heeeaaat. But the New Jersey singer didn’t stop there. She has since released a string of singles over the past few years, including, most recently, the spacious, breathy “Holiday.” She has a chance to be a special musician in an era with a distinct lack of voices like her. In times where people with voices like hers are often pushed to alternative rock (Elle King), Donna Missal has a chance to lead the charge for the return of the seductress to pop radio. She’s finishing up her debut full-length album now, and I have hope it will be released later this year.

Recommended Track: “Keep Lying”

RIYL: Elle King, Nina Simone, Amy Winehouse

Cold Climb It

by Becky Kovach

If the vocalist of Cold Climb It sounds familiar, maybe take a closer listen to the backing vocals in some of your favorite The Wonder Years tracks. Yup, that’s Matt Brasch. Cold Climb It is an additional endeavor of Brasch’s, started a little less than a year ago. Since then the band has played a smattering of shows in the Philly area and released their debut EP Fade. Brasch steps into the spotlight on these songs, and seems at home in the position; he tackles the role of lead singer/songwriter with grace and ease. His voice has long reminded me of Smoking Popes’ Josh Caterer – melancholy in a soothing way – and the band’s brooding tones darker lyrics are a perfect fit. While The Wonder Years will always have my heart, Cold Climb It has become a new favorite for me and I look forward to seeing what Brasch does with the band in the future.

Recommended Track: “Looking Hard For Inspiration”

RIYL: Smoking Popes, Microwave, Alkaline Trio

Check back tomorrow for our second round of 25.

Please consider supporting us so we can keep bringing you stories like this one.

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Why entrepreneurs should be the geeks of personal development?

Some years ago, I discovered personal development as a critical focus to look after my best self as a result of an emotional breakup. I started to attend events, meetups, read lots of self-help books, and surprisingly the personal development forums were mostly about entrepreneurship.

As a corporate person, I fell in love with this environment: the thrive, the hunger, and the willingness to become a better person.

I found myself thinking, how do I become an entrepreneur? Perhaps I can transform my blog into a business? But then the idea of putting myself out there, exposing myself to random critiques, and the uncertainty held me back.

The feeling of I am not enough; the fear of not being accepted was more significant than me!

Therefore, I decided to listen to the entrepreneur's stories and analyze them. I noticed a pattern regarding the challenges. Most importantly, I learned to become a successful and happy entrepreneur we need to invest in ourselves and being intentional about personal growth. Entrepreneurs should be the geeks of personal development.

Some examples of challenges within the world of entrepreneurship:

How to brand yourself?

How to show up consistently?

How to keep the discipline?

How to make sales?

How to deal with NO?

How to deal with failure?

How to make decisions?

How to manage your time?

How to keep motivated?

How do you manage your work-life balance?

How to learn a new skill?

I had to stop myself here because there are too many personal growth areas to face when we are an entrepreneur!

These challenges are for everyone, but there is no backup with the entrepreneur's life. It depends mostly on us to keep on.

Recognizing that to be a leader of your business, first, you must lead yourself. 

Personal development should be a constant focus area, learning new tools and strategies to control our emotions, adapt, react, and evolve in different situations. We must show up every day without excuses, no matter what happens. Although the COVID-19 economic crisis impacted so many entrepreneurs, the best entrepreneurs dared to figure it out, reinventing themselves and their businesses. 

4 Critical Areas of Personal Development

According to John Maxwell, these are fours areas to create strong leaders:

Awareness

Action

Accountability

Attraction

AWARENESS – You need to know yourself and understand where you are to move in the direction you want. Be honest with yourself. This step is not always easy; it is smart to dedicate some time on the journey of self- awareness.

ACTION – As Zig Ziglar says, "You don't need to be great to start, but you need to start to be great." The journey to get started is an act of courage; remember you don't know what you don't know. An action plan doesn't look the same over time; it evolves, adapts, and gets better.

ACCOUNTABILITY – as a business owner, you are working for yourself, so you need to keep track of your performance and be ready to adapt and cope with change. The best way to follow through is to make public your goals, so you feel you are committed to others, not only to yourself!

ATTRACTION – Jim Rohn said, "We are the average of the five people we spend the most time with." Find your tribe! Build a community of like-minded people who can help one another to succeed!

It is essential to keep investing in yourself so that you would be at your best for your customers, teams, and family.

Remember, you have to put in the work to grow yourself and your business.

      The post Why entrepreneurs should be the geeks of personal development? appeared first on SmartHustle.com.

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[veronicamayor]

APPLY THE LAW OF FLOW

We are changing as a collective, and you are changing as an individual.

The collective chaos that we are experiencing is a reflection of the chaos within you. You may be thinking “Wait, what do you mean by that? I don’t have such chaos in my life. My life is not as chaotic as this collective situation.” 

Isn’t it though? The virus, the politics, the economy and the lockdown, are a collective chaos. Now let’s bring this down to your own personal life. What’s happening in your job situation? What’s happening in your personal relationships, your close relationships, your relationships with co-workers, friends, neighbors? Do you get along or just cross paths with them sometimes? The lessons are not in avoiding the bad situations at work,or with each other, but interacting and learning/teaching from one other. Am I running away from my lessons within relationships or am I staying around those challenges until there is no longer growth or lessons within it?

In the last decade, self help strategies have been helping us to see that we need to let go of what is no longer serving us. But we need to learn the lesson first… before we let go. We need to make sure we understood the reasons within the lessons, in order to evolve from them. 

The other part of the personal reflection, is around the most important one “The relationship with ourself.” We expect others to do, or act in certain ways to be able to be around us, to be part of our group, tribe, or just our life. However, do we have the same expectations when it comes to what we do for ourself? Do we go and buy flowers, or chocolates for ourself, because it’s a special day, or we succeeded in a project? Do we take the time every week, to take a long shower or bath with bubbles, maybe self massage with some special oils? Or, do we give ourself that thing we wanted for so long, because it will cheer us up? We do these things for others.  When they succeed or when they performed something special, we reward, we give and we show our appreciation. So, do we do the same for and to ourselves? If your answer is yes? Then 100% love and applause to you.  If your answer is “kinda.” Good for you for trying to give yourself the space and importance to receive from yourself. If your answer was, damn it, “I don’t give myself nothing at all.” I think about everybody’s priorities before mine. You are not alone. Here is your time to learn those lessons.  Let’s compare the time you give yourself, verses the time you give to others. 

The world has not changed if you ask me. The morning and night comes every 12 hours. Earth keeps spinning.  The rivers flow. The oceans still have the same currents going. Nature’s patterns are still flowing, and so is our life. What is happening is an opportunity to revisit the narrative we are creating in our life. Chaos is whatever you want to make it. The revolving energies around us are whatever we want to make them. 

Not long ago, I had a very interesting question. It was more like a statement from one of my followers on instagram. He said, that my happiness was not real. He stressed that I was “pretending” to have all that positivity. He feels it is impossible from someone to live is a half full state all the time. And that he hates people that are always positive. 

My answer to his questions/statement/letting go of his own frustration comment, was simple. He wants to connect to the positivity and possibilities that people like me share on Instagram or Social media. That is his goal, that is his dream. HE wants to change his narrative, his story line, the way he has design his life. It’s just hard and instead, it’s easier to send me and some of the people he follows a message letting us know, how hard is it for him to connect to that. It wasn’t always rainbows and unicorns for me. I not always was positive and still not. I have hormonal days where body chemistry is stronger than my mental capacity to keep myself aligned and balanced. “ TOO POSITIVE PEOPLE” I guess I’m flattered by the fact that today someone is able to see me, like a positive person, when not long ago I was always half empty. The state of mine changes it all. How we perceive this situation will change your whole life when this is all over and we go back to the NEW NORMAL. 

What’s the new normal? What do you want to make it? Do you LOVE your job? Or you are just passing by to get a paycheck every two weeks or a month. Do you LOVE where you live? Or are you just there because… So many questions, you should be thinking and trying to answer right now and not worry about being locked down, or feeling fear, worry, stress, anger, anxiety. So again, let me ask you: What is the reality you want to live and you would like to live in? The Law of Attraction works by creating a visual and verbal  narrative around the life you would LOVE to have. Then, DO IT? Maybe? (Passive aggressively) or JUST DO IT the nike way. You have created this, as a soul and as a soul collective, because you know you must change, we all do. We ALL NEED THIS CHANGE, as an individual and as a collective. You can go through your Facebook cleaning those friends that no longer are adding up to your story, make  sure you have them all, and start your NEW JOURNEY with those that resonate and vibrate with you. Those that brings the best of you, those that you help to bring the best of them.

 Right now, some of you are experiencing your own reality, and some of you are experiencing the reality created by the collective, and some of you are experiencing both of these together. This is also how things will unfold: some of you living in one dimension, some of you continuing in the dimension created by the collective, and some of you existing in both dimensions at the same time. Ok, what? What mushroom did you take Veronica? Let me explain. Don’t you have that friend, that posts on Facebook and you think… In what reality do you live? We definitely live in different universes. Well, I think it’s now easier for you to undertsand, that parallel realities may be a possibility. And that he/she live in another one different than yours. His/her reality is different in every single way, and it seems like you guys are no longer clicking anymore. Different paths, different views, journeys whatever you want to call it. 

But wait Veronica… We are in the same reality, I can touch her/him, she/he can touch me, that means we are both here in the same reality. Yeah, sure… but think about it in an energetic level. You no longer are in the same energy level that your “friend” . Example, you always get the promotion, or your boss always pays more attention to what you have to say, or maybe he/she is the one getting all the attention. So the person who is getting things done, getting the attention from the boss is definitely in a vibration of creation-connection and is higher than the other person that for some reason can not connect to it… Why is that, The same thing we are talking about, it just take the intention of changing, shifting your narrative and reality and making it whatever you want to make it. Level up your vibe.

Well, let’s bring that into a more basic concept. Again, going back to what we just visit around the reality you want to live in. The collective being, the one feeding you fear, creating more uncertainty and anxiety for your future. Or the one dimension, where you are able to see possibilities within your situation. The dimension where obstacles are just situations to solve and not to fear. A dimension where you are able to connect to possibilities, those possibilities that comes from being free in a mind-body & soul level (You don’t need to be yogi for this). We all are in a similar situation, some of us completely lost our job/path/carrier or whatever that means for you. Then let me enlighten you, you can change your job completely, start over again, reinvent yourself and create a new self that you LOVE to be with.  

It is difficult to realize you have created this chaos, isn’t it? And yet this is so. You create your reality, collective soul creates collective reality and depending on where you are in your understanding, you experience one or the other of these or both. 

 As you and we become more aware, your life become more clear. This is why you can see clearly that all of the things you believed would make you happy, like: social media, general distractions, addictions, busyness, over consumption, over-entertainment and more…   All these things now show themselves as false comforts, disconnectors, things that are no longer making your reality REAL. In the past, you turned to these patterns over and over again, to escape, to find disconnection, little did you know, that you just needed it or you just wanted to disconnect from the reality you were creating. You were trying so hard to connect to other peoples reality to find a way to change yours. And yet you easily see now that none of those distractions can provide you with the sustained feeling of connection to YOURSELF, to peace and joy that you truly seek. None of them, not one, has ever provided you with the sense of meaning that you truly desire. But hey, now you can. You just need to sit down and have a serious conversation with yourself, STOP B-ting yourself and be truthful, real, raw. That will show you your real NORTH.

 You know this now, and you also know why. It is impossible to manifest higher gifts from lower sources or vibrations. Like attracts like. What is creates what is. At last, you are understanding this, not in an intellectual way, but as a knowing(you kinda know, the info was within you and you just reconnected to it). It has taken some time for you to become aware at this level. Many of you still don’t understand, and this is why the collective struggles. But we can do it, you are reading or hearing this because you are part of the solution, you are part of the change, you are becoming and reconnecting to your highest self.

 You Can Move Forward

Your soul knows what is true. Your soul continues to lead you to LOVE, peace, joy and deeper meaning that you came into this lifetime to experience. Your soul continues to observe you knocking, knocking and knocking a little more at all the wrong doors. Your soul is patient, and your soul continues invite you to live in an easier and more delightful way. By soul, we mean your soul and your soul and your soul, and we also mean the Collective Soul that is all consciousness and is One/All/God/Divine/Source. 

 Your BODY-MIND-SOUL knows that you cannot walk your dream path is you have one foot on one path and the other foot on another. You MUST be certain, in order for movement to happen. It’s simple physics, moving in one direction and creating movement in the opposite direction at that same time results in not moving, movement cancells. If we bring this concept to our life, you have come to a complete stop. You have become stuck. Your desire or are call to go in one direction that is mindless, is what has been told to you to do, t’s what’s normal and your desire, your dream is to go in another direction that is whole and mindful, but crazy, not accepted by those around you. Our Collective Soul in the human realm has reached an impasse, a point of no return, and now you are stopped and stuck until you decide which way you will go. STUCK or FLOW. Dark or Light. Pain or Joy. Chaos or Meaning. Destruction or Creation. You understand this. Weigh your options, be open to change, to flow in new waters, waters that even knowing are unknown to you, feel like the option you should of taken long time ago. Options that will get you closer to live a meaningful happy life. Be open to dream a new dream, walk a new path, YOUR PATH and not anybody else’s.

 We have been stopped so that we may once again see clearly as a collective. Again, let’s go to questions. Where do you want to go? Which direction do you want to take? How do you want to live? You are being given this short time, this blink of an eye in all your lifetimes on this earth to decide your reality. 

  This is an invitation to dream a new dream. To create or re-create your own narrative. Even now, as you place your attention on your Highest Potentiality for this lifetime, which is most certainly not how you have been thinking and not how you have been living, you see that there are new possibilities you have never considered. So consider this - You have stopped yourself so you can see, so you can open your eyes to the priceless time you have, to be you in this lifetime - We only have THIS MOMENT once.

 Nothing is as it Seems - What do you mean by that? The news, the rumor, the influence all of this is false. Mmm not really, there is a problem in the world, there is people dying, there is a huge problem with people not having a job. Yes all that is part of the reality, but who’s reality? what is real is your reality, and your reality does not unfold in a news stream, in social media, in politics. What is real is how you experience one moment, then the next. Check your Nowness now, be present, sense your reality. Are you breathing? Take a deep breath now. Are you alive? Of course you are. Is there any joy within you? There absolutely is so. This is what is true. This is the reality and dimension that you have created. Enjoy it, and if you are in a dimension or reality that you dislike, here is your opportunity to shift it, to re-connect to a reality that you LOVE.

 What is valuable to you now is the support of two things: 

First, the gifts of Mother Earth, panache mama, Gaia, which will instantly ground you, welcome you, calm and soothe you. One leaf, one breath of wind, one river flowing, one soaring bird, all this is healing. And so I invite you to connect to earth, to the elements, to seek peace with the mother, Gaia, panache mama, our home, the only one we have.  

  Second is with your own soul, Connect with god, angels, Jesus, Buda or whatever you wish and believe you need to reconnect to in meditation, in prayer, in dreaming, and begin to see that what is possible is so much more than what you have imagined. Connect to faith, believe, hope vibrations that will reconnect you to the energy of LOVE. Begin to see that your new dream is being dreamt even now, and the more you dream how you would like things to be: beautiful, loving, natural, enjoyable, meaningful. This is what you are creating for your own reality, and this is what you are creating together for the collective. 

 Change is HERE, change is within you, change is NOW.

Much love, 

#change #changeiswithin #flow #lawofflow