Despite how it may seem, the title is not intended as a dig or criticism of efforts in this direction. Personally, they continue to accomplish far more than I anticipated but as anyone will surely tell you who's intimately involved in such actions, it isn't even close to enough.
Samuel Huntington writing in a policy planning paper for the Trilateral Commission in the 1960s, exclaims in an essay unironically titled 'The Crisis of Democracy' that the threats originate from an 'excess of democracy' [sic].

For 20 years after WWII presidents operated with the cooperation of a series of informal governing coalitions. Truman made a point of bringing a substantial number of nonpartisan soldiers, Republican bankers, and Wall Street lawyers into his administration. He went to the existing sources of power in the country to get the help he needed in ruling the country. Eisenhower in part inherited this coalition and was in part almost its creation. He also mobilized a substantial number of midwestern businessmen into his administration and established close and effective working relationships with the Democratic Leadership of congress. …Truman had been able to govern the country with the cooperation of a relatively small number of Wall Street lawyers and bankers. By the mid-1960s, the sources of power in society have diversified tremendously and this was no longer possible.
The media are not in as great a crisis as education...Television, particularly...has made it impossible to maintain the cultural fragmentation and hierarchy that was necessary to enforce traditional forms of social control. …In the past, those institutions which have played the major role in the indoctrination of the young in their rights and obligations as members of society have been the family, the church, the school, and the army. The effectiveness of all these institutions as a means of socialization has declined severely. The stress has been increasingly on individuals and their rights, interests, and needs…these attitudes have been particularly prevalent in the young.
The problems of governance in the US today stem from an excess of democracy..the effective operation of a democratic political system usually requires some measure of apathy and noninvolvement on the part of the some individuals and groups....Black political participation, in short, was the product primarily not of increased individual status but rather of increased group consciousness. That political participation will remain high as long as their group consciousness does. A decline in the saliency of school integration, welfare programs, law enforcement, and other issues of special concert to blacks will at some point presumably be accompanied by a decline in their group consciousness and hence their political participation. Marginal social groups in the case of the blacks, are now becoming full participants in the political system...the danger of overloading the political system with demands...The vulnerability of democratic government in the US thus comes not primarily from external threats…but rather from the internal dynamics of democracy itself in a highly educated, mobilized, and participant society. …We have come to recognize that there are potentially desirable limits to economic growth. There are also potentially desirable limits to the indefinite extension of political democracy.

And a counter to the claims of implicit racism:

In my work with Google search data, the single most telling fact I have found regarding hate on the internet is the popularity of the word “nigger.” Either singular or in its plural form, the word “nigger” is included in seven million American searches every year. (Again, the word used in rap songs is almost always “nigga,” not “nigger,” so there’s no significant impact from hip hop lyrics to account for.) Searches for “nigger jokes” are seventeen times more common than searches for “kike jokes,” “gook jokes,” “spic jokes,” “chink jokes,” and “fag jokes” combined.
When are searches for “nigger(s)”—or “nigger jokes”—most common? Whenever African-Americans are in the news. Among the periods when such searches were highest was the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, when television and newspapers showed images of desperate black people in New Orleans struggling for their survival. They also shot up during Obama’s first election. And searches for “nigger jokes” rise on average about 30 percent on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The frightening ubiquity of this racial slur throws into doubt some current understandings of racism.
Any theory of racism has to explain a big puzzle in America. On the one hand, the overwhelming majority of black Americans think they suffer from prejudice—and they have ample evidence of discrimination in police stops, job interviews, and jury decisions. On the other hand, very few white Americans will admit to being racist.
The dominant explanation among political scientists recently has been that this is due, in large part, to widespread implicit prejudice. White Americans may mean well, this theory goes, but they have a subconscious bias, which influences their treatment of black Americans. Academics invented an ingenious way to test for such a bias. It is called the implicit-association test.
The tests have consistently shown that it takes most people milliseconds longer to associate black faces with positive words, such as “good,” than with negative words, such as “awful.” For white faces, the pattern is reversed. The extra time it takes is evidence of someone’s implicit prejudice—a prejudice the person may not even be aware of. There is, though, an alternative explanation for the discrimination that African-Americans feel and whites deny: hidden explicit racism. Suppose there is a reasonably widespread conscious racism of which people are very much aware but to which they won’t confess—certainly not in a survey. That’s what the search data seems to be saying. There is nothing implicit about searching for “nigger jokes.” And it’s hard to imagine that Americans are Googling the word “nigger” with the same frequency as “migraine” and “economist” without explicit racism having a major impact on African-Americans. Prior to the Google data, we didn’t have a convincing measure of this virulent animus. Now we do. We are, therefore, in a position to see what it explains.
It explains, as discussed earlier, why Obama’s vote totals in 2008 and 2012 were depressed in many regions. It also correlates with the black-white wage gap, as a team of economists recently reported. The areas that I had found make the most racist searches, in other words, underpay black people. And then there is the phenomenon of Donald Trump’s candidacy. As noted in the introduction, when Nate Silver, the polling guru, looked for the geographic variable that correlated most strongly with support in the 2016 Republican primary for Trump, he found it in the map of racism I had developed. That variable was searches for “nigger(s).”
Scholars have recently put together a state-by-state measure of implicit prejudice against black people, which has enabled me to compare the effects of explicit racism, as measured by Google searches, and implicit bias. For example, I tested how much each worked against Obama in both of his presidential elections. Using regression analysis, I found that, to predict where Obama underperformed, an area’s racist Google searches explained a lot. An area’s performance on implicit-association tests added little.
To be provocative and to encourage more research in this area, let me put forth the following conjecture, ready to be tested by scholars across a range of fields. The primary explanation for discrimination against African Americans today is not the fact that the people who agree to participate in lab experiments make subconscious associations between negative words and black people; it is the fact that millions of white Americans continue to do things like search for “nigger jokes.”

Steph Delz is bringing an exciting new album, Sonic Variance, which offers an experimental blend of rap with psychedelics to create a wholly new style. Sonic Variance is an album with a lot to offer and with a deep meaning to the lyrics, unexpected twists, and sounds that capture the attention and the imagination. Steph Delz’s latest single “Lockjaw” from his tracklist ‘CollidaScope’ showcases experimental hip-hop genius’. Lockjaw is the newest release from Steph Delz, produced by the artist himself.
Read more at https://betterauds.com/featured/steph-delzs-upcoming-album-sonic-variance-chronicles-20-years-of-musical-brilliance/

As a parent, you want your child to succeed in school and in life. While teachers play a vital role in your child's academic journey, research shows that parental involvement in a child's education is just as crucial. Parental involvement positively impacts a child's academic achievement, cognitive development, and social skills. Therefore, it's essential to engage in your child's primary school experience actively. But, how can you enhance your child's primary school experience? In this article, we'll explore the power of parental involvement and provide practical tips on how you can support your child's learning journey. From attending parent-teacher conferences to volunteering in the classroom, there are many ways you can make a positive impact on your child's education. So, let's dive in and discover how you can become an active participant in your child's primary school experience.

Why Parental Involvement is Important in Primary School

Research shows that parental involvement in primary school has numerous benefits for children. It positively impacts their academic achievement, cognitive development, and social skills. Children whose parents are involved in their education are more likely to have higher grades, better attendance, and improved behavior in school. They are also more likely to continue their education beyond high school.
Parental involvement also has a positive impact on a child's cognitive development. It helps children develop critical thinking skills and problem-solving skills, and improves their ability to communicate effectively. Children whose parents are involved in their education are also more likely to have a positive attitude towards learning.
In addition to these benefits, parental involvement in primary school in Chennai positively impacts a child's social skills. It helps children develop better relationships with their peers and teachers, and it increases their self-esteem and confidence. Children whose parents are involved in their education are also more likely to have better mental health outcomes.

Ways to Get Involved in Your Child's School

There are several ways you can get involved in your child's primary school experience. Here are some practical ways you can support your child's learning journey:
Attend Parent-Teacher Conferences
One of the essential ways you can get involved in your child's education is by attending parent-teacher conferences. These conferences provide an opportunity for you to meet with your child's teacher, discuss your child's progress, and get feedback on how you can support your child's learning at home.
During the conference, ask your child's teacher about their strengths and weaknesses, and what you can do to help your child improve in areas where they may be struggling. Also, ask about the curriculum and any upcoming projects or assignments that your child will be working on. This information will help you stay informed and involved in your child's learning journey.
Volunteer in the Classroom
Volunteering in the classroom is another great way to get involved in your child's education. It provides an opportunity for you to see firsthand what your child is learning and how they are interacting with their peers and teacher.
Volunteering can also help you develop a relationship with your child's teacher, which can be beneficial in supporting your child's learning journey. Talk to your child's teacher about ways you can volunteer in the classroom, such as helping with arts and crafts, reading to the class, or assisting with field trips.
Participate in School Events
Participating in school events is another way to get involved in your child's education. Attend school plays, concerts, and other events to show your child that you support their interests and are invested in their education.
Participating in school events also provides an opportunity for you to meet other parents and develop relationships within your school community. These relationships can be beneficial in supporting your child's learning journey.

How to Communicate Effectively with Your Child's Teacher

Effective communication with your child's teacher is critical in supporting your child's learning journey. Here are some tips to help you communicate effectively with your child's teacher:
Develop a Positive Relationship
Developing a positive relationship with your child's teacher is essential in effective communication. Be respectful, polite, and approachable when communicating with your child's teacher.
Also, express your appreciation for what the teacher does for your child. Teachers often work long hours and go above and beyond to support their students, so expressing your gratitude can go a long way in building a positive relationship.
Be Proactive
Be proactive when communicating with your child's teacher. If you have concerns about your child's progress, address them early on. Waiting until a problem becomes severe can make it harder to resolve.
Also, be willing to work with the teacher to find solutions. Teachers are often willing to work with parents to find ways to support their child's learning journey.
Use Multiple Communication Channels
Use multiple communication channels to stay in touch with your child's teacher. Email, phone calls, and face-to-face meetings are all effective ways to communicate.
Also, make sure you are aware of the teacher's preferred communication method. Some teachers prefer email, while others prefer phone calls or face-to-face meetings. Knowing the teacher's preference can make communication more effective.

Best Practices for Parental Involvement in Primary Schools

Here are some best practices for parental involvement in international primary school:
Stay Informed
Stay informed about what your child is learning in school. Review their homework and assignments, and ask them about what they are learning.
Also, make sure you are aware of any upcoming projects or assignments. Staying informed will help you support your child's learning journey.
Be Supportive
Be supportive of your child's education. Encourage them to do their best, and provide them with the resources they need to succeed.
Also, be patient with your child. Learning can be challenging, and it's essential to provide emotional support to your child during the learning process.
Set Realistic Expectations
Set realistic expectations for your child's academic achievement. Every child learns at their own pace, and it's essential to recognize and celebrate their individual strengths and weaknesses.
Also, avoid pressuring your child to achieve unrealistic goals. This can lead to stress and anxiety and can negatively impact their learning journey.

Conclusion

Parental involvement in primary school is crucial to a child's academic achievement, cognitive development, and social skills. By attending parent-teacher conferences, volunteering in the classroom, and participating in school events, you can make a positive impact on your child's education. Effective communication with your child's teacher is also essential in supporting your child's learning journey. By developing a positive relationship with your child's teacher, being proactive, and using multiple communication channels, you can ensure that you are informed and involved in your child's primary school experience. Finally, by staying informed, being supportive, and setting realistic expectations, you can help your child succeed in the best international schools in Chennai school and in life.

Demographic:
Canadian, asian, 2nd generation
international private school, test optional, need aid
Hooks: lgbt
Stats:
IB Diploma
Predicted 7s: Math AA HL, Physics HL, Chemistry HL, Econ SLPredicts 6s: English A SL, French B SL
40-41/42
Test optional (i guess i could do the SAT in aug but idk if ill apply to america)
Major Applying For:
computer science, software engineering, mech engineering
ECs:

• Student council co-president
  • planned a lot of different events managed around ~40 people
• Planned school fundraiser raising $15k+ for Kids with Cancer society
• Executive in some other clubs including computers club, key club, and mental health club getting certificate in suicide training and crisis support
  • key club partnering with schools in underprivileged communities to provide supports and weekly activities
  • partnered underpriveleged kids with volunteer tutors
• Piano
  • original composition featured in local festival promoting musical literacy for kids
  • original composition featured in local short film
  • original composition played at school concert
• Cyberpatriots team leader (national semifinalist)
• Developed app for school where club execs can post upcoming news and events so everyone is kept up to date
  • Programmed new voting system and counting program (alternative vote) to replace bad google forms voting system (First Past the Post) for our schools elections
• Manager of student store (profits of more than $10k) that sells snacks n shit
  • used to fund students on volunteer trip in developing nation for summer
• (this one is dumb i know lol) Creator of minecraft server with more than 15k unique joins and profiting $800+ (middle school)
  • programmed custom mods with minigames and custom economies
  • managed 50+ staff
  • also 4th place team in north american minecraft building competition lol (won $200)
• assisted comp sci teacher teach small rural class computer science in the summer
• science museum and food bank volunteering

Awards

• programmed a game winning 3rd place in national competition (winning $2500)
• original composition winning 2nd place in international composition competition (not competitive but admissions doesnt have to know that)
• cyber patriots team was national semifinalist
• short story featured in national anthology
• a bunch of school awards
  • highest average (grade 9)
  • citizenship and leadership awards
  • computer science and science awards
• regional robotics and science competition awards (not competitive lol)

Work

• tutored teacher's son and small class
• tutored for a local company (middle school math and science)

Essays:

• essay probably about tutoring and about how silly little kids are and how theyve taught me so much (like how to make $100 from selling koolaid during lunch) and how thats shaped my perspective on shit

canada (im more so asking if these stats can get me scholarhips):

• waterloo, ubc, u of t, mcgill

do i have a chance if i apply to us (T25, UCs)?

Last March, TOKYO TEFUTEFU continued their activities as a five-piece, and after a tour consisting of joint concerts with other artists, the girls have further developed their sense of unity as a group and now they are about to release their fourth single, “LYCORisALIVE”. TOKYO TEFUTEFU is a group that has been appealing with the fleeting, shimmering tenderness that lurks in the gap between days, expressed through their delicate voices and the body language of their dancing, but this time they have put strength and determination into their songs to reach out and take their fans with them so that together they can break through the harsh realities of life. This is the anthem that TOKYO TEFUTEFU are only able to perform now, after strengthening themselves through many live performances. The spirit of this song is so strong. After their first solo concert of the year in April, they’ll be going on a solo tour across the country, but in the meantime, we asked them to tell us about their new songs and their mood for the future.
– On April 8th, you had your solo concert at Ebisu LIQUIDROOM and it was your first solo concert in a long time. Tell us how it went.
Yuzuriha Ouhi: We’ve been completely focused on our joint concert tour and this was our first solo concert in a year. Also, we hadn’t performed with the band in a long time, so it felt like everyone was having a lot of fun.
Chimura Shifumi: It was a lot of fun. We haven’t performed in such a big venue since our LIQUIDROOM show last year, so it was pretty epic (laughs). We rehearsed thoroughly and the people came out many times more than before, so it felt like we were able to reach our potential.
– The situation at the concerts has changed from a year ago because now it is possible to place more people in the venues and the fans are allowed to sing along. Since TOKYO TEFUTEFU started during the pandemic, you didn’t have many shows where you could get a lot of audience response, right?
Kagari Kohaku Sekai: During our tour last year, the restrictions were gradually lifted, and when I heard so many people shouting at our solo concert, I was very impressed.
Chimura Shifumi: From the stage, I saw everyone jumping up and down with excitement, shouting “Lust!”, “Nonno!” and so on. And I realized that this is how concerts should be.
Yuzuriha Ouhi: Last year there were still some tight restrictions, but this year there was an area where fans could move around a lot, and seeing all those frolicking people made me realize that it’s very different from a year ago.
Kagari Kohaku Sekai: We debuted in the middle of a pandemic, and there were partitions between us and the audience all the time…
Chimura Shifumi: It was like being trapped (laughs).
Kagari Kohaku Sekai: So when the various restrictions were lifted, we changed our approach to performances from having the audience mostly watch to having fun with them.
Chimura Shifumi: It felt like the audience was becoming more and more involved in our performances.
Kagari Kohaku Sekai: I think at the April performance at LIQUIDROOM we were able to show everything we had been able to achieve through trial and error over the past two years.
– During the tour and the solo concerts, were there any songs that you thought were even better at the concerts, or ones that gradually changed?
Chimura Shifumi: There were many such songs.
Kagari Kohaku Sekai: And with the release of our second album “Hyperphantasia”, we also had new songs that we didn’t have last year.
Yuzuriha Ouhi: At the end of our LIQUIDROOM show last year, on the second encore, we had our first performance as a five-piece with the song “ash.”. But then the audience heard that song for the first time, and it was impossible to sing along, but this time we performed “ash.” as the first song, and everyone immediately raised their fists and started singing along, and it touched me a lot.
– The first song at your April solo concert at LIQUIDROOM was “ash.”?
Chimura Shifumi: Yes. At our LIQUIDROOM show last year, we performed it last, so you could say it’s a continuation of the story. But unlike last year, we’ve definitely grown, and I think it was interesting to watch us perform looking back at what we did a year ago.
– And yet, is there a reason why you refrained from solo concerts for such a long time?
Yuzuriha Ouhi: We debuted during the pandemic, so we had few opportunities to show ourselves to people, and so both to show ourselves to others and for our own growth, we felt that we needed to absorb many different things. We ourselves suggested to the director and the staff, “We want to see things we haven’t seen before. By performing with different artists, we want to absorb different things”.
Kagari Kohaku Sekai: And, like, since we’re doing joint concerts, it’s better to hold off on the solo concerts.
Chimura Shifumi: Before that, we hadn’t performed with anyone outside of our agency. Having seen a lot of artists perform, there were many who actively involved the audience in their performances, as well as those who, on the contrary, skillfully got the audience involved themselves, as if saying, “Let’s follow me!”. “This is amazing!” – I thought, and at the same time I didn’t want to lose, and I think I learned a lot.
Mary Lust: I learned a lot.
Tokanai Nonno: I’m in charge of choreography, so I watched a lot of artists perform, and I was able to learn a lot from them. I was able to absorb a lot of things that will be reflected in the future of TOKYO TEFUTEFU, and it was a time when I went through a lot of trial and error, such as changing the choreography of our songs. And I think our solo concert in April was a natural continuation of all that.
– Because the choreography was the only thing you could do together with the audience and achieve a sense of unity with them in the period when shouting was not yet allowed.
Tokanai Nonno: Yes. When the audience repeats the choreography and dances with us, it’s wonderful, and a sense of unity is born. I realized that during this tour. And I started trying to make my choreography simpler, so to speak, so that it would be easier for the audience to repeat and memorize.
Mary Lust: And there were more free sections without choreography.
Tokanai Nonno: I added more free sections. With strict choreography, there are times when you don’t have time to look at the audience, but I wanted there to be more moments where we meet with our eyes. Before, I was always working on the choreography to impress the audience, but now that has changed.
Kagari Kohaku Sekai: Adapted to the current times (laughs).
Chimura Shifumi: By adding moments like this to “daybreak” and other songs with intense dancing, it’s quite the opposite, they’ve become even more charming. Before, the emphasis on dancing was natural for TOKYO TEFUTEFU, but I think we were able to get people even more drawn into the choreography created by Nonno.
Tokanai Nonno: I’m glad~ (laughs).
– It was obviously a great tour that you had a lot of fun on. Listening to you now, I thought that this experience of yours was also reflected in your new single “LYCORisALIVE”. It’s a song in which you clearly look at your audience and listeners, and even more clearly proclaim that you intend to move forward with them and take them with you.
Kagari Kohaku Sekai: Yes. I think that before TOKYO TEFUTEFU’s songs were interpreted and perceived differently depending on the listener, but now it feels like this song is a message from TOKYO TEFUTEFU to our fans (“Mirages”).
Chimura Shifumi: It feels like a kaleidoscope, so to speak…
All together: Kaleidoscope (laughing)?
Chimura Shifumi: When I sing this song, I think of everything that has happened to us in the past two years. Like, a lot has happened, but let’s hold hands and keep going! And the moment when Nonno reads the poetry really touches me.
Mary Lust: It’s a beautiful moment. It’s incredibly moving.
Yuzuriha Ouhi: When we recorded it, Nonno was even asked to perform it in a more restrained way.
Tokanai Nonno: I put too much emotion into it. And syva-san, who was recording it, said to me, “Let’s have a little more restraint” (laughs). So that is the restrained version.
Kagari Kohaku Sekai: But it’s really good.
Tokanai Nonno: It’s just an explosion of emotions.
Chimura Shifumi: I’ve never heard that trembling in her voice, or rather such an explosion of emotions in Nonno’s voice before. I was astonished.
Tokanai Nonno: I’ve never wanted to cry during recording sessions, but this time I cried a little.
– It’s probably not the kaleidoscope that was mentioned earlier (laughs), but you had a lot of feelings inside, didn’t you?
Tokanai Nonno: Yeah. It’s exactly the memories of the past that came back to me.
Yuzuriha Ouhi: But I think it’s a song that really proclaims that we want to take everyone with us. It’s a song about grabbing the hands of our “mirages” and taking them with us, and I’m glad we have a song like that now.
Chimura Shifumi: There’s the line “Kawari wa Inai” (“No one can replace us”) in the lyrics, and I heard that GESSHIRUI-san had never dared to say that in his lyrics before. But after receiving those lyrics, I felt determined to be the one who could fulfill them – I felt responsible, so to speak.
Kagari Kohaku Sekai: It was the same with “ash.” – I call it “entrusting a commitment” (laughs).
Chimura Shifumi: That’s exactly how I feel (laughs).
Kagari Kohaku Sekai: We felt that we had to become people worthy of singing such things. And even if it takes time, I think we have to prove it.

“All the unnecessary things went away. I really felt that I wanted to continue being with all of them”

– There’s obviously a special meaning to the fact that this is the time when you received such a lyric. It’s like a proclamation of what kind of group they want you to be, that you’re really becoming that kind of group. I think it’s because your listeners feel that kind of reliability that it’s all been able to come to life in the form of this song.
Mary Lust: It’s been two years, we’ve done a lot of concerts together and performed at LIQUIDROOM – I think that’s why we can release this song now.
Yuzuriha Ouhi: You could say it’s a song about the five of us deciding to move on after the solo concert at LIQUIDROOM.
Chimura Shifumi: It wasn’t all smooth – we didn’t talk about it, but there were hard times, but I’m happy that the five of us could sing this song, and it motivates me to try even harder from now on. I’m determined to live up to those expectations.
Mary Lust: Kawaguchi Junta-san, the author of this song, is the one who wrote “ao,” and “LYCORisALIVE” also has a youthful feel to it, and it has a lot of sudden transitions. I feel that this music is also a continuation of TOKYO TEFUTEFU’s past and creates a kind of story.
– It has a fast rock tempo, it’s melodic, but it also has poetry reading and rapping, so it has a lot of interesting elements.
Tokanai Nonno: It’s really fun to listen to.
Chimura Shifumi: There’s a moment in the last chorus when the music is muted and Kagari is the only one singing. In the beginning, Kagari wasn’t that emotional – she seemed so carefree, and even on stage she was cute and fluffy, but during our solo concert at LIQUIDROOM, at that moment the spotlight shone on Kagari, and when I saw how passionately she sang from her heart and soul, I was ready to cry. Or rather, I cried. It was so intense.
Yuzuriha Ouhi: At that moment, Kagari came to the front of the stage. And the four of us were watching behind her back, but it was so cool that it really made me want to cry.
Chimura Shifumi: She grew up so much.
Kagari Kohaku Sekai: “LYCORisALIVE” is just a song about us. When we sing something else – we have a lot of cool songs, so we try to sing them cool, and sometimes we show off, but this song I sang without trying to show off – I sang it the way I am.
Chimura Shifumi: It felt really good, and I think the mirages felt it too.
– We touched a little bit on how Nonno-san was recorded, but how did the rest of you handle the recording? Was there anything you paid special attention to?
Kagari Kohaku Sekai: “Tada, Junsui de Irarenai Machi de” (“In this city where you just can’t stay pure”) – I sang that line from the last chorus while imagining myself on a huge stage singing in front of our “mirages”.
Yuzuriha Ouhi: There’s a moment when I sing along with Nonno: “Kiseki wo Tomo ni Ayumu Imi wo, Kimi to” (“So the meaning of our path cannot be wrong”). And Nonno and I are the leader and the subleader, and so by singing this line together… How can I put it…
Tokanai Nonno: Yes, I understand. When Ouhi is around, I feel so relaxed.
Mary Lust: It suits both of you to sing together.
Yuzuriha Ouhi: It’s hard to put into words – there’s a feeling of supporting each other, and I like that a lot.
Tokanai Nonno: I’m glad.
Yuzuriha Ouhi: And also, that rapping moment is something that ‘Tefutefu’ almost never has, so I was looking forward to it.
Mary Lust: Probably the only time we’ve had rap parts in a song is in “siscatharsis”. Before you go on stage together at a concert, you want to show the full power of TOKYO TEFUTEFU, don’t you? That’s how I felt when I sang that moment. Like “Look!”
Chimura Shifumi: In the last chorus, after the English phrase, there’s the line “Omoi wa Boku ni Butsukete? (“So pour out all your feelings to me”), but I don’t think I’ve ever had a moment in my parts where I address the audience like that. I feel like I’m better at expressing my feelings to the audience now, and every time I sing this part, I get tearful and warm in my heart. I sing because I want to save all the people in the world, so I really want people to pour out all their feelings to me.
– The fact that you feel this warmth is probably a result of actually seeing the scene that unfolds in the song?
Chimura Shifumi: Yes, I saw that scene.
Mary Lust: I was the last one to record, so I think I got to enjoy the process a little bit more than the others. It’s a song that brings back a lot of memories, but at the same time it’s a song that looks into our future, so it’s a lot of fun to sing. I sang it thinking about different things: the future of TOKYO TEFUTEFU, what stages I want to perform on, what interesting things I want to do. And my last line was “Boku to, Ikite?” (“Let’s live, together with me”) – that’s also the kind of thing you don’t normally just say. But I was entrusted with that part of the song, so I took everyone else’s feelings on my shoulders and sang “Boku to, Ikite?” (“Let’s live, together with me”).
– That phrase – “Boku to, Ikite?” (“Let’s live, together with me”) – also reminds me of your agency sempai, Zenbu Kimi no Sei da, and it’s also very touching. It feels like TOKYO TEFUTEFU are, if not inheriting the will of the “Zenkimi”, at least going to put those feelings into their songs in the future.
Chimura Shifumi: Yes, that’s true. “Zenkimi” is on an indefinite hiatus right now, so we are filled with a strong spirit to take it all on our shoulders.
– So it’s taken you a whole year to be able to sing this song. Of course you grow a lot at concerts, but by getting new songs and recording them, you can feel your own growth, can’t you?
Yuzuriha Ouhi: Yes, I think it allows you to feel that growth that you can’t feel at the shows. I feel my own growth, but at the same time I feel the growth of the other members very much.
Mary Lust: I get that. Like, wow, she can sing like that!
Yuzuriha Ouhi: I listen to the recording and I notice more and more new things in it and I’m like, “Oh, this is cool!”
Chimura Shifumi: At the very beginning of TOKYO TEFUTEFU, the director told me, “You’re the one who will lead the TOKYO TEFUTEFU songs!” I agreed and never forgot it, but lately the others have become so good at singing, and they’ve also become so good at putting emotion into their singing. So I’ve been hustling (laughs), but I’m trying my best not to lose.
– So you stimulate each other. I felt that before, most of TOKYO TEFUTEFU’s songs and melodic lines were very technical, but “LYCORisALIVE”, like you said, just portrays you as you are, and it has an incredibly emotional side to it. There’s a good energy in it, like “they can sing like this”, “it turns out they were such a group”.
Tokanai Nonno: The days when we were just trying to sing well are gone (laughs). The same goes for the performances: we used to try to impress everyone with our dancing, but now our performances are softer and I guess you could say we’ve come out of our shells?
Yuzuriha Ouhi: That’s what we are.
Tokanai Nonno: I used to show off a lot. But after I sang “LYCORisALIVE,” all that weird pride and other unnecessary things went away. I really felt that I wanted to continue being with all of them. I took over the choreography for that song on a whim. And in the second half of the part we sang with Ouhi, I unconsciously counted to five on my fingers.
All together: Wow, really?
– Speaking of which, what do you think of the choreography for “LYCORisALIVE”?
Tokanai Nonno: I wanted it to have a fun beginning – so that the audience could have fun with us, too, so in the beginning we’re running from one corner of the stage to the other. And also in the verse it’s more like no choreography, we just clap our hands freely and so on, and in the chorus we don’t do anything technical either, we just spread our hands out. “There’s no need for all that!” – I thought. I came up with the choreography for “ash.” based on the image of broken wings. But in this song you could say I’m exposing myself. Also, a very important point is that the song starts with the scene where we open the book and turn the pages, and ends with the scene where we close the book and look into the future.
Yuzuriha Ouhi: Like this is where our story begins.
Tokanai Nonno: The song ends with the proclamation, “Let’s join us in the world of TOKYO TEFUTEFU – let’s go into its future!”
– What was the audience’s reaction when you performed this song for the first time?
Yuzuriha Ouhi: Even though we sang it for the first time, it felt like we had sung it many times before.
Chimura Shifumi: It felt like we’ve known the song for a long time.
Tokanai Nonno: And the audience started running and dancing with us in the chorus from the very beginning.
Mary Lust: That’s probably because it’s a song that represents the past and future of the TOKYO TEFUTEFU’s story, so everyone understood it right away and started having fun with us.
Kagari Kohaku Sekai: It’s so exciting to see what happens next, isn’t it? I feel like this song is getting better and better every time we perform it.
– I think this song will become the new anthem of TOKYO TEFUTEFU, proclaiming that you are gaining momentum and moving forward. The second song on the single, “houyou”, is also emotional, but in a different way.
Chimura Shifumi: It has a kind of nostalgic melody in a visual-kei style, a kind of melancholy, so to speak. There’s a lot of Ouhi-san in the chorus, and I think her voice fits it very well.
Yuzuriha Ouhi: I’m glad.
– Yeah, she gives off a bit of a dark flavor.
Yuzuriha Ouhi: During the recording, on the phrase of the second chorus – “Mune ni Sumu, Batsu wo Negau” (“Dwelling in my chest, begging for punishment”) – syva-san said to me, “Let a parasite dwell in your chest!” And I was like, “A parasite? What?” And so I sang, imagining the image of a parasite consuming me.
Chimura Shifumi: The phrase that comes next, “Subete Yogoshiteshimae” (“Now cover everything with filth”) is really good, isn’t it? That parasite is there.
Yuzuriha Ouhi: I felt like I’d become an incredibly bad girl (laughs).
Mary Lust: “LYCORisALIVE” is a song that says “Let’s live, together with me,” and “houyou” is also a song that says “Let’s live, together with me,” but in a different sense.
Chimura Shifumi: This song is more like a cry from deep inside. Surely everyone feels things in it that they never show to anyone. For example, the feeling of possessiveness that lurks in the deepest parts of your heart – for me, this song is about those feelings that no one usually shows.
Tokanai Nonno: I understand. Both “houyou” and “LYCORisALIVE” talk that “one shines because there is another”. Somewhere in “houyou” I felt an atmosphere similar to “Zenkimi”, so I tried to use their choreography as an example (during one of the livestreams Nonno said that it was the choreography of “Infantry dystopia”, “AntiIyours” and “Natural Born Independent”) and combine it with the choreography of TOKYO TEFUTEFU to create something of the best of both worlds. I wanted to pay my respects to the sempais, but at the same time I wanted to surpass them.
– Both songs came out very rich with different nuances.
Chimura Shifumi: I realized how good everyone had become at expressing their emotions. But don’t think it’s a kind of looking down. When we first started, I couldn’t imagine that we would one day be able to sing in such a tear-jerking way – myself included. And I feel like there’s probably no one who doesn’t like TOKYO TEFUTEFU after listening to this release.
Mary Lust: I tried, but it was hard for me to put my feelings into my singing, but now I think there’s more conviction in my singing.
Yuzuriha Ouhi: And at the concerts, that conviction comes out even more – there’s something you can see with your own eyes, so I want you to see how we perform.
– And besides expressing your feelings, is there anything else you would like to improve or change?
Chimura Shifumi: I think that even though I wanted to change something before, I couldn’t do it. I thought that impressing the audience with our dancing and singing in beautiful formations was a characteristic of TOKYO TEFUTEFU, so I had a lot of ideas, but I was satisfied with what I had. But lately Nonno’s choreography has changed and I think I am doing more of what I want to do (laughs).
Tokanai Nonno: When I do choreography, I always draw and send everyone their positions, but lately there have been more moments where I have said, “Do whatever you want!”
Kagari Kohaku Sekai: Like, show something cool (laughs).
Tokanai Nonno: There were more moments where I started to trust them.
Mary Lust: In the beginning we just tried our best to sing and dance. And I think as we performed, we developed an idea of what we wanted to be on stage and what we wanted our concerts to be like. And I think we finally got our hands on what we needed to do to make it happen.
– Looking back now, was there a concert that you think was a turning point for TOKYO TEFUTEFU?
Chimura Shifumi: Probably last year’s Christmas show in Nagoya on December 25th.
Yuzuriha Ouhi: It’s an annual free codomomental event held in Nagoya.
Chimura Shifumi: It was a joint concert with other groups from our agency, but we performed twice that time. And those concerts were so good that we were satisfied with them ourselves.
Kagari Kohaku Sekai: At first we were only supposed to do one perfomance, but on the day of the show we were suddenly asked to perform again, and we immediately agreed. We didn’t want to waste the chance we were given, and I think that’s why everyone was determined to make a really cool show.
Yuzuriha Ouhi: This was the second time we performed at this event, but the first time not as many people came to see us as we wanted, and it was very annoying: “Why don’t you want to see us?” Both the first time and the second time, that event left a very strong impression on me.
Chimura Shifumi: I can confidently say that TOKYO TEFUTEFU, which some people mocked in the past, has become incredibly cool now, so I really want people to come and see us perform.
Tokanai Nonno: Because we have a tour coming up as well.
– You have a new tour starting in May. It will take different forms including in-store events and solo concerts.
Tokanai Nonno: This time we’re going to take the chance we’ve been given and get more companions. This is a tour that burns with our feelings to make TOKYO TEFUTEFU the best in the world!
Kagari Kohaku Sekai: (laughs). The main purpose of this tour is to make more companions and strengthen our bonds, so I hope we can bring more people into the world of TOKYO TEFUTEFU.
Yuzuriha Ouhi: This is a tour that connects us to the future, so we’re really counting on it.
– A solo concert at LIQUIDROOM, the release of the new single “LYCORisALIVE”, and now you’re getting ready to go on a tour across the country – it looks like this year won’t be the same for you as the previous ones.
Chimura Shifumi: Actually, we were taken to training camp before our LIQUIDROOM show.
Yuzuriha Ouhi: It was so sudden that you could tell we were being dragged there (laughs).
Chimura Shifumi: And before the camp, we had a nabe party together. And it started with the director asking us, “What do you want to be?” We had a serious talk with each other about what we wanted to be and what we wanted to improve, and when we shared those feelings with the director and said that we would try hard for TOKYO TEFUTEFU, he said: “Well, then let’s go to camp.”
Kagari Kohaku Sekai: It seems to me that after the nabe party, there was a kind of change in everyone’s minds. You can feel that our will has become stronger.
Yuzuriha Ouhi: Our current goal is to perform with a fire at Makuhari Messe (laughs).
Chimura Shifumi: I want to do that. And I want to do this trick with the descent to the stage on a rope.
– So your horizons have expanded to such an extent.
Yuzuriha Ouhi: Yes. We’ve already had a meeting to move forward towards that goal.
Mary Lust: I want to have more “mirages” on this tour that will move with us towards that dream.
– And that is another story that is reflected in “LYCORisALIVE”.
Yuzuriha Ouhi: So when I saw those lyrics, I thought, “Really?” This is really our story as it is.
Kagari Kohaku Sekai: That means that when we talk about “LYCORisALIVE”, we are also talking about TOKYO TEFUTEFU. It expresses our story so much that when we read the lyrics, we can literally say, “That was then, this is now”.
Source – https://skream.jp/interview/2023/05/tokyotftf.php

I've lived in a small town in Western Massachusetts for 20+ years. Last Summer(ish), a well known brewery moved into and renovated an existing commercial space. Cut to this last night and I learned the hard way that they opened their Summer Stage and it was almost like I had a concert in my house when I was trying to sleep. Looked into their upcoming events and they have quite a few events this Summer that are scheduled to go till 11PM on a week night.
Called the police and town to file a noise complaint and was told they had a permit. Never had activity like this in my town in the previous 20 years. Anything I can do to challenge / get the town to revoke the permit? I will be losing the quiet enjoyment of my home periodically this Summer where any other resident would get shut down at 8pm. Looking for advice...

my friend and i are making tshirts for the upcoming concert but need ideas on what to put on them. ideas so far are one of us wearing black and one wearing white and we have the black and white face logo on it, or one of us having a shirt that says “half doomed” and the other “semi sweet”. any other ideas would be appreciated!

Here's a mod idea I had about 10 years ago. It's still pending on my projects list, maybe one day I'll do it.
​

• Porta-potty (Toi-Toi) by the entrance to Xardas tower
• Dark Mushrooms model replaced with lightbulb
• Digger's Meat mushroom (the large one) replaced with night lamp
• Sheep model replaced with giant bee
• Heavy Branch (weapon) replaced with large pink dildo
• Gold coin model replaced with roll of toilet paper
• Healing plant model replaced with... turd. Tasty!
• Seekers are male characters wearing women skirts.
• Innos shrines replaced with Robert Kubica monuments
• Apple model replaced with 8th ball
• Khorinis should look more dystopian, with modern trash cans, graffiti, here and there a wrecked FSO Polonez or Fiat 126p
• On the walls, instead of shields there are toilet seats.
• Harad's workshop:
  • Instead of anvil there's a beehive, preferably with bee sounds
  • Harad walks around with toilet brush instead of steel bars
  • Harad keeps smashing the beehive with a toilet brush
  • Instead of water bucket there's a toilet
• Thorben's wardrobe is replaced with a fridge
• Constantino has Denaturat bottles everywhere around his roomContext: denaturat, aka (non-)methylated spirits is a cheap substitute for vodka in eastern EU
• In homes, instead of paintings there are 50" LCD TVs. Fits perfectly to Gothic's medieval atmosphere.
• Instead of beds there are sheets of styrofoam
• Farm peasants should carry ping-pong paddles instead of sickles
• Instead of rakes or hoes, peasants should use brooms to brush the fields
• Raven's head should be replaced with an electric engine
• NPC in Khorinis market should sometimes walk in front of their stalls and take a pee on displayed products, Sara too!
• Militia should wear different uniform
• Some of the swords could be replaced with models of amputated hand or a leg.Beating scavenger with fire mage's leg sounds fun!
• Rat is improved into a "racing rat" by adding two Ford Mustang-like white stripes
• Rune Table model is changed into huge NPC's head with mouth wide open, this is where rune goes.
• On fireplace roasting stick, instead of a scavenger there's an old CRT TV
• Beliar shrines are replaced with Pope John Paul II monuments
• Spoon used for cooking soup is replaced with a flyswatter
• There's a speed camera on the road to Onar's Farm
• Cheese model (food) replaced with a worn boot
• Fish model (food) replaced with a brick
• Microphone stand and large speakers at Vatras
• Trash cans standing around Khorinis can be "used". Book reading animation is played.
• Ability to sleep on benches around the city. Let some NPCs become homeless.
• Some random posters placed around the Khorinis. For example announcing rap concert.
• Paladins in the Upper City sometimes take a piss into a fountain (the one with paladin monument)
• Fish arrow rune. Simply shoots a fish model and deals some stink damage.

Hi all,me and my friend are from Newbridge way (valleys)and we’re looking to start going to some live music concerts/festivals because we’ve done so much together but despite both loving music we haven’t gone to any thing like this together. As far as genres,we both like indie rock and rap/hip hop/indie sorta music, whether that helps or not im not sure. I’m 18 and he’s 17 (he’s 18 in 2 months) but we do want to start going as soon as possible,does anyone have any recommendations on this in the Cardiff central area?( wed train down and back) thank you

Hi all,me and my friend are from Newbridge way (valleys)and we’re looking to start going to some live music concerts/festivals because we’ve done so much together but despite both loving music we haven’t gone to any thing like this together. As far as genres,we both like indie rock and rap/hip hop/indie sorta music, whether that helps or not im not sure. I’m 18 and he’s 17 (he’s 18 in 2 months) but we do want to start going as soon as possible,does anyone have any recommendations on this in the Cardiff central area?( wed train down and back) thank you

Was the “Big Hands” benefit show at club Nokia (now The Novo). I think it was 2010. Queens were absolutely impeccable. It was my first time seeing them. They opened with misfit love. Such an intense amazing show. Brought out Lanegan for sftd, hangin tree, in the fade and others. There was so much that happened at that show with eodm opening, Alain johannes playing a few songs on cigar box guitar, and a surprise last shadow puppets set as they had been MIA for some time. I was in high school and it all just blew my mind. Got really stoned in line, shook hands with Alex turner (who’s quite a tiny fella btw) and met some cool people. Amazing show.
I reminisce about this often. Was amazing and probably the best concert I’ve ever been to. I’ve seen them a bunch over the years but this show was just special. And I felt like sharing my love for that experience.
I say this to say, if you are seeing queens for the first time this upcoming tour, you are in for a real treat and I hope you have the time of your life as I did. For my money, best live band in the world next to the hives and Jack white.

My girlfriend [29F] and I [34M] recently made a significant commitment: we bought a house together just last week. Now, this week happens to be my birthday. Over time, I've been grappling with feelings of resentment, stemming from the belief that I've been investing more effort into our relationship than she has (Yea I know wouldn't should had bought a house but an opportunity we couldn't pass came up).
A case in point is our upcoming trip. We're flying out this week - on my birthday, no less - so that she can coach a softball game. Our arrival is set early to accommodate some of the kids and parents involved in the game. However, I am not participating; I am just there to watch and provide moral support.
On her birthday, I put a lot of thought and care into the celebration. I organized a surprise concert, one that she had been longing to attend, and of course, there was a gift and card to commemorate the occasion. I wanted her to feel loved and appreciated.
Now, with my birthday coinciding with this trip, I can't help but feel overshadowed. If she doesn't acknowledge my birthday or at least make an effort to do something I'd enjoy, I'm seriously considering breaking up with her and suggesting we stay as roommates. It's a drastic thought, I know, but it feels like it might be the only way for me to communicate the depth of my feelings.
So, Reddit, would I be the asshole if I went ahead with this plan? Or are there better ways to approach this situation that I'm overlooking? Am I blowing this out of proportion? I appreciate your thoughts.

Recently, I've been expanding my horizons and trying to get acquainted with other idol groups. I can somewhat understand the hype there is with other more popular groups and that it can really be difficult NOT to be a multistan, but really, it's kinda sad to see the difference in views, followers, promotions, activities, etc., that WayV has when they're equally or more talented than other groups out there. The boys can only do so much, what with the minimal promotions and attention they get from the company. (Then we even get toxic solo stans who pit members against each other, smh).
Okay, well since I've seen a lot more performance from other groups, I can confidently say that WayV really delivers high quality performance. From vocals, dancing, down to their stage presence, I get chills every time I think about how good they are LIVE. To be fair, SM talents are not to be trifled with. I mean, SMtown's KWANGYA? I don't know most artists who performed obviously but they were all so good, and even the ones considered falling behind individually are actually not that bad.
But I want to talk about WayV and how they've been delivering their performances lately and I'm in awe. Let's talk about their dancing. I understand we have biases and prefer different dancing styles (so that rating their dancing actually boils down to a person's preference, I've come to a point where I understand this on a spiritual level, LOL, even professionals will have different ratings JUST BECAUSE some prefer power over control, or control over power etc.), but with WayV recently, I can't not already say that one is better than the other when they dance because no one is lagging behind in the choreography and song interpretation. Sure, Ten could be the best dancer among them but everyone keeps up with him, right? You can just watch them individually dance and already see how they own the song as a separate performer AND as part of the group. I've seen other groups who may be able to memorize a choreography (as is a requirement for being an idol) but their dance doesn't look like art to me, at least not everyone. Top tier groups really have a way about them when they perform but that's why it's frustrating because WayV are like them too (or more) except with less followers T_T but can we all just agree that they have no easy choreography? :D [If you disagree and think there are members who cannot keep up, can you debunk this by sending a link of from their RECENT performances where they actually messed up? I might need a bit of humbling down, who knows LOL.]
Then there's their live vocals. XJ has the highest range and the main vocal so he obviously will get the killer parts of any song, duh, so I don't get how some would pit the vocalists against each other when they have roles to play here. (Remember this, friends, insecure people tend to attack others to put themselves above and feel secure. I hope you are not and find peace with the things you value within and without. LOL. Excuse the segue :D) When it comes to vocals my preference will still be Kun's minty voice, but this is exactly why his voice may lack power, though has anyone else noticed how his voice layers so beautifully with the group that it sounds like a cushion against the sharper tones of XJ and Ten? I love that dynamic. I also love that it is not XJ alone who carries the group's vocal but just as their dance, their singing also has become more stable. The many fancams from their recent fanmeetings is really satisfying to listen to. I realized this when I rewatched their concert just after watching a bunch of artists from a kpop awards show. Just try it, if you're not tone deaf and you know to listen when a voice is not matching a key, just compare WayV's recent live performances. Sometimes you can't even tell the backing track apart. Sometimes. They will definitely live up to the hype if one day they perform on AMA's or maybe, Coachella (I'm dreaming T_T).
This fancam from their Manila FM tour (shoutout to all Filipino Wayzennies who resonated our excitement for WayV woohoooo) was a really loud concert. I imagine it was fun but if you do not know this, that kind of loudness puts artists in a difficult hearing position. Even with in-ears plugged in, it will be difficult for them to hear themselves during a performance. It can naturally lead to singing off key, and that should be okay but have you heard any significant off-key moment? Have you? I've heard minor ones, but that's mainly because live singing is not mixed the same with a recording, just adding a high and a treble actually makes a difference in mixing microphones. I say they are singing live here because of the constant fixing of the mic, you can hear their breathing, and the P/B's and the S's are also heard, the facial expressions too when our vocalists go to a high note. Not convinced? How about this Diamonds Only performance? You can hear the voices better (and the things I mentioned above.) The rap part is even spot on (OMG T_T) YY and Dery definitely kept up with the vocal quality, though it's easy not to be off key for the both of them since they mostly sing at their comfortable range but I've heard artists sing at their comfortable range and still come out flat/sharp. I also would like to add that the adlibs of XJ, Kun, and Ten are immensely satisfying. Their adlibs here: 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 were artistically inserted to add momentum to the song and yet they didn't take attention away from the other members. It instead gave good layering. Crazy because they're not at their peak yet. I do hope they get the big break they need to a recognition they deserve one day.
Their stage performance is so overwhelming, it's honestly not surprising that tomorrow you're bias wrecked five times (six maybe?) It will be very narrow minded of anyone to think less of any member of WayV just because we're playing favorites. No member of WayV is average. Okay? Just think about their individual skills behind the camera.
Lastly, I can say a lot about their dynamic and personalities but am sure we all have noticed lately that they are more cohesive, more open, and I am almost convinced they hold no secrets! LOL. But that's impossible, let's be realistic and think of them as any ordinary guy walking down the street, with vulnerabilities and passion for other things other than being an idol. What have you grown to love about them recently? I sure can write more about changes I've seen about them recently but this has become a long post (and a defensive post about why WayV is good, LOL). Seriously though, the boys deserve more attention! T_T
PS: kindly agree to disagree. I'm not here to argue :D

I am The Bard, who taught men their first magics, which to this day endure when all others have. It is written into the blood and bones of all you have built, and so I shall never die.
I did not teach you how to dream. I only taught how to tell a dream to another who you would never know.
The phone rang. Karna didn’t bother to pick it up. The message machine clicked for a moment, tape starting to turn backwards as new words were written onto it. It clicked again, stopping dead. Karna didn’t look up from his meal of leftover takeout. He finished his noodles, checked again to see if there was any shrimp left, and sighed as he threw the box at the bin. It bounced off the others already filling it up.
He sighed, rubbing his head and eyes. Healing magic could cure a hangover. It couldn’t do anything about dehydration. He needed to get up and get a drink. He went over to his cabinet and looked around for a glass. When he didn’t find a clean one, he grabbed a coffee mug instead. It was the last one. He was also out of coffee. Irritating. No matter how much of it he drank, he was still tired. It just meant he couldn’t sleep.
Sex helped, a bit, but when it didn’t, things were worse. Lying alone in his own bed, at least he could toss and turn and work his sheets into tangles trying to find some position that would let him finally fall asleep. He could slip out of bed for a nightcap, a strong one, to try and help. With another, there was nothing to do but lie there, still and silent, trying not to wake the man or woman next to him.
Trying not to think.
Impossible to sleep, then suddenly too much sleep. Blink and it was three-thirty in the afternoon. He stood at the sink, filling up the mug and draining it repeatedly. The call was probably from work. Worse, it might be his mother.
”Karna, what the fuck are you doing with your life you useless bastard. You’re not immortal, it’s all slipping away, one day, one minute at a time, and here you are doing nothing with it.” He said to himself. “Because you’re too tired to anything and still can’t sleep.” Of course, he knew why. His mind, treacherous as a serpent, betrayed him then, in the dark, in the solitude. Every wound he had suffered, every scar erased by healing magic, those were nothing. He was a paladin, the training had gotten him used to the sight of his own blood a long time ago.
”Practice for healing magic. Isn’t that what the old sister called it?” He wondered aloud. “Tch. She was kind of a bitch. Still is. I wonder if she’s calling me to yell at me too? Of course, I suppose I deserve it. I-“Then he stopped himself, and slammed the mug down, forcefully. It hit one of the plates in the sink, and it cracked. Karna swore and picked up the mess, picking the shards of metal out of his sink and throwing them in the boxes in the bin.
He sat back down in the one seat he used at his four-person table. It was covered in books, loose change, an unopened letter from some survey, a candle, a mug, miscellaneous bits of stationary, a comically large six sided die with red and black patterns, and off directly to his left a stick of deodorant and bottle of cologne. Those last two were the only things he’d used on this table in a while.
He sat back in his chair and sighed. “Yeah, you know exactly what you’re doing with your life. Nothing of any use to anyone. Well. Useless is better than detrimental, so hey, at least there’s that improvement.”
He hit the button to play back the latest message from his telephone, and picked it up, placing the receiver to his ear. At least he could listen to his messages. That would be something for the day.
”Hey, Karna. It’s Bas.” Karna’s head slumped forwards. He hadn’t expected him to be calling to call him an idiot. “I’ve tried coming by your place a couple of times to visit, seem to have missed you both times.” Or he was asleep, or drunk, or otherwise being a bad cousin. “So, I figured I’d give you a call and leave you a message. Just checking in to see how you’re doing. I know… things have been rough, for all of us, and I know you were taking things hard.” I know you’re weak. “I hope you’re doing well, and hope you understand, if you’re not, then, well, you’ve got my number, and you know where I live. Even though my apartment’s not exactly stellar.” I know you could reach out. But you won’t. You’ve been given everything, inherited power, your house, your money, and you still do nothing with it. I have nothing our society considers important, but I am still a better man than you. “Hope to talk to you soon. Adonai watch over you.”
That last bit was a bit odd. Adonai. The old invisible god, or God, as those that believed in such a thing insisted. Karna wasn’t entirely certain that this wasn’t just a clever way of disguising atheism, given that philosophy’s associations. Why in the world would Basil mention it now? As far as he knew… well he really actually didn’t know anything about Basil’s beliefs. He presumed, given his training, he was a follower of the western philosophies, which were philosophies more so than religions. They were fairly popular these days, a sort of secular spirituality, a substitute for the holes growing in Ordani religious life.
When you’ve fought and killed a god in living memory, it becomes harder to worship them. Beyond that, the old rites simply that, old rites. A series of rituals nobody really believed in anymore. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen a cleric. He paused. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen a cleric he hadn’t been fighting to the death with. The gods really didn’t seem to have much of a place in a modern society. It was probably arrogant, but part of the point of the gods was meant to be that they were something so much bigger than oneself, that there was nothing that could compare. They were monumental figures, but when the monuments can be torn down by mere men, was it a monument worth believing in?
It was that way then. Some people turned to the western philosophies, realizing that their religious needs, the desire for mystery, for reverence, for prayer, meditation, moral laws and sacred communities were met there, without gods. Some, Basil included, turned their gaze towards an invisible, supposedly omnipotent, God. Well, the gods were supposed to be omnipotent, but if nobody could even prove your God existed, well, then there wasn’t any fear that anyone could kill Him. And then, there was the other kind. The kind which were kind of a bad joke.
He remembered his days in the warm sun, under the abbot’s orchard in Hearthfire Abbey, amid the warm red walls, the golden light of the day filtering through the green leaves, the bright red apples highlighted against a blue sky. Quite literally simpler times. He remembered the grave beneath the tree. Senket Zarathustra. Of course, that wasn’t really where she was. She was a few miles up the road, in a chapel nobody paid any mind to, next to six other graves, two empty. How much a contrast that was, compared with what was in the abbey. Her image, glaring down from tapestry, immortalized in statuary, and everywhere revered. Saint, they called her, but what was the difference between a saint and a god, when you treated one like the other.
They had made gods for themselves, gods born of and midwives to, their own people. A god that was distant enough to be worshipped, but near enough to be known. Something understood, something relatable, and something that had bested other gods before. Gods borne of the people of godslayers, for what else could they be? Of course, every pantheon needed its devil, its fallen angel. And now here he stood, a useless bastard, but also the same kind of thing as their gods and their devil. What a bad joke.
But at the same time, a joke they had believed in. A joke he felt the obligation to make a truth. A joke he had failed to make true. Up on a pedestal, and down in the dirt. That was what paladin of Order Undivided meant now. A hero, until people had no more need of them. Good, he wasn’t even a hero in the first place.
He shook his head. It was going to be a few hours before any clubs opened. He was going back to bed until then. It didn’t do him any good to sit awake stewing.
Basil was getting worried. He’d tried paying visits and making calls, but there was no contact. He quietly sat through office hours, grading the first assignments of the year. He was starting to regret assigning an essay, particularly to his 101 class. Fortunately, it was early in the year, so he was able to work through his office hours without being further disturbed. He finished his last paper, capped the red pen, and stood up. It wasn’t that far out of his way to visit Karna again, and this time he wouldn’t be ignored.
He made his way through the city, until he came to the Red Street. It had another name, but people remembered not what was given, but what was done. Fifty years ago, the blood of black and red lions flowed, as Elsior faced down her old mentor during the height of the black rebellion. The street’s architecture was eclectic, a mix of the old buildings which had survived the battle, and newer designs built up out of the ruins left from a clash of titans.
There were alleys off the street where you could still see the gashes left in the ground by arcane blades. It was a street where history lay heavy in the mortar and the air. It was also a decently affordable neighborhood, as the old houses, while historical, were also old, small, and lacked modern amenities. He was still never going to afford any of them on a teacher’s salary, even with his stipend as a paladin. Of course, Karna would have had a bitch of a time paying for his house as well, but he had simply inherited it.
Basil shook his head, as if to throw the jealous thought out of his mind. “You’re a grey-eyed monster already. Let’s not add green to the mix.” He growled at himself, as he kept walking up to Karna’s door and knocked. No response. He sighed, looking through the door. Only two of his eyes saw the normal spectrum of light. The others varied from arcane, ultraviolet, infrared, and a curious ability to see electrical signals. The end result was an overlapping view of information, an in-depth view of the world that saw the surface and the depths of everything. It had been a bit of a rude surprise for his parents to find out their son saw their brains at the same time he saw their faces. The practical upshot of this at the moment was that he saw Karna was clearly not at home, and had left a trail of lingering celestial energy behind him.
Well, Karna or another aasimar, but they were fairly rare. Even with the increasing numbers of extraplanar citizens in the union, there weren’t many descended from angels. Basil wryly considered that it might be the former keeping out the later. Baatorites weren’t strictly speaking enemies with most angels, but the distaste between the two species was deep, ancient, and mutual. As such, there was only one trail to follow.
Basil sighed when he found the end of the trail. It was a club, and of a particular sort. He didn’t need his enhanced vision to tell that. Technically speaking, strip clubs and even prostitution were legal. Practically speaking, everyone in any of them used pseudonyms. He sighed and headed for the entrance. The bouncer at the door, a towering ogre, raised a hand. “If you’re carrying, head around to the side entrance. They’ll check your swords there. No weapons in the club.”
”Not planning on starting a fight. Just looking to meet someone.”
”Yeah, well check em anyway. We’ve had boyfriends throwing hands with one another because they were looking at the guy on stage a little too hard, we don’t want em doing it with swords. That’s the kind of domestic dispute that doesn’t just get the cops involved, it’s also a bitch to get out of the floors.”
”Well, I’ll keep that in mind.” Basil replied, and headed around the side. He stepped in, greeted by another bouncer, a dragonborn. He always found it amusing how it was always one of the larger races as a bouncer. Given their job, it made a certain degree of sense, but it occurred to him he’d never seen a gnome as a bouncer. Then again, he didn’t go to many clubs. He checked his sword in, and left a pseudonym.
The dragonborn looked down at the paper, and narrowed his eyes slightly. “What’s the T.D. stand for, Mr. Law?” He asked curiously.
Basil shrugged. “Hells if I know, it’s an alias, same as everyone else is using here. I mean, look at the guy above me on that list, when was the last time you ever met somebody actually named Flamingo?”
”The guy kinda looked like a flamingo. Aasimar type, maybe his wings are pink.” The bouncer replied.
”If he’s the person I’m thinking of, no. Let’s hope they don’t start changing.” Basil replied.
”Ah, ex-boyfriend?”
”Cousin, and why’d you assume ex?”
”The only people I’ve seen who’ve been drinking that much and going home with that many different blokes are the ones going through breakups, and you’re the only person I’ve seen go looking for him, so I know he’s not a whore.”
”Nah, just a dumbass. Thanks for the info. Here’s hoping you have a quiet night.”
”Yeah, try to keep it that way for me.”
”I’ll do my best. Believe it or not, I hate fighting.” Basil replied, and headed past the dragonborn into the club proper.
To give the club some credit, they had a pretty decent band going. A small number, playing as much with style as they did skill. That was to say, a decent if unspectacular amount. The rolling tones of the lead singer washed over an atmosphere of casual conversation and lewd humor. Basil cocked an ear at the sound. He would have sworn he’d heard the woman on the radio at least once. He watched her closely for a moment, along with the rest of the band, but didn’t recognize them. Then again, he didn’t go to many concerts.
As the double bass thrummed, the piano crooned, and the saxophone danced center stage, he made his way through smoke and other scents towards the bar. A teifling danced a lurid show in the center of the building, sweat glistening on blue skin from the lights. One of Basil’s eyes kept a lock on the man, tracing the electrical signals running under his skin to enact their sensual motions. It wasn’t exactly something he was looking to copy, but it was an interesting interplay to watch. Dancing wasn’t something often done alone, done for the show. It was interesting to compare the flow of signals of this to more traditional forms.
He kept most of his eyes forwards through. He had a job to do, and he preferred white to blue anyways. A brief thought entertained his mind of what Zeal might look like in such an outfit. He snapped it off immediately, jaw snapping shut in anger at himself. That was wrong, and a bad place to go. He couldn’t allow himself to think of her, think of anyone, that way, but especially her.
He focused himself. He had a job to do, and he was going to die alone. The only thing anyone would ever love of him would be an illusion. Any intimacy would have to be built on lies. Throw those thoughts out of his mind. They would only bring distraction, and disappointment.
He centered himself, and took a seat next to Karna, as the aasimar knocked back what was looking like probably the sixth shot tonight. How the hell was he even paying for all this? He rapped the bar twice with his knuckles. “First time here, got mezcal?” He asked.
”Mezcal coming up, though I can’t say it’s gonna be quite as good as home’s.” The barkeep replied.
”I am home, just grew up away from it.” Basil replied. For all his illusions, he always forgot to cover his chultan accent. Then again, recognizing his voice was part of the point for the man next to him.
”Basil?” Karna asked, turning slightly. “You’re straight, well, nearest to it, the fuck are you doing here?”
”Checking on you, and about to drink a theoretically decent mezcal.” Basil replied. “I’m worried about you.”
”Well fuck off, you don’t need to be.” Karna replied. “Another.” He requested. Another shot of strong absinthe filled his cup.
”Might want to slow down there hoss.” The barkeep warned. “The kind you’ve been having is a hundred thirty proof.”
”That so? Huh. Would have thought it was about a hundred twenty. Guess I’m getting better at drinking. Stands to reason, it’s all I’m good at or good for.” Karna replied, clearly about as drunk as someone on their seventh shot of one hundred thirty proof absinthe should be.
”Politely, bullshit.” Basil replied. “Though you are going to manage to be the first paladin to ever give yourself liver cirrhosis at the rate you’re going.”
”Paladin. What a bad joke.” Karna spat. “Paladins are heroes, we, we’re not fucking heroes. You got closer, and you’re, well, you. Me. I’m just a fool. So what if I ruin my liver. I’ve ruined everything else.”
Karna went for his glass, but Basil put his hand over it, stopping him. He looked his cousin in the eye, gentle, pitying, but firm. “Karna, we should go. Let’s find somewhere, a park or something, and talk.”
”We should, as in you should get your hand off my drink, and then pull that pole out of your ass. Dancer might need a spare.” Karna spat back. “I don’t need to talk, I need a damn drink.”
Basil didn’t move. “Cut the crap and calm down. You’re drunk already, and clearly not in a good place. If you’re going to be this way, at least we can do it at a safe distance from anyone else.”
”Oh fuck right off.” Karna replied. “What, am I embarrassing you? More so that I already have? I know I’m a fucking disgrace okay. I saw it with my own two eyes and can’t stop seeing it. The least you could let me do is drink myself to death in peace so I stop being a bother for all of you.”
The bartender was steadily shifting away, looking towards the bouncer who sighed and began to approach. He briefly made eye contact with Basil, who tried to give him an apologetic smile and flicked his eyes back towards Karna. The bouncer nodded. This wasn’t the first time he’d seen this.
Karna continued. “But no, you can’t do that. Can’t just let me be a failure in peace. You’re not content just being the better man than me, being better in every way but looks than me. You have to prove it, have to rub it in. I already you’re better, okay, don’t need to slam my nose in it with this stupid pity schtick.”
”When did I say anything about that? I’m the weakest member of our party!” Basil protested. “And what the hells does that have to do with any of that. You’re my cousin, my family, and beyond that my friend. You clearly need help, so of course I’m going to try and help you.”
”I don’t need help.” Karna snarled back, green eyes glinting red with a dangerous, gleaming light. “LEAST OF ALL FROM YOU!” He roared. The red light flared. Basil flinched, covering his eyes as the roar slammed into his mind and ears at the same time. He focused, piercing through the growing crimson fog.
The music kept playing, a hidden tape rolling, but the band pretending to sing had stopped. The club had gone silent, save for that. The patron’s idle gossip and chatter was muted. The bar was silent, patrons slumped over on their chairs, the bartender and bouncer were on the ground, foaming at the mouth. Karna and Basil were the only two people conscious in that building.
Karna stared in stunned silence, quiet horror at the scene. Some part of him processed exactly what he had just done, rationality quietly ticking away behind a fog of alcohol and badly managed emotional issues. It only intensified the later, a combination of terror and guilt forming into a blossoming rage. Then he saw Basil’s face, saw realization peeling back and something shifting in how he looked at him, saw a cold fury, a hatred, spreading across his face.
Basil looked himself, horrified at what had just occurred, and mind flashing to the street in front of Zeal’s home. This was the exact same scene. The same power as Alexander, but now being used instinctually. He had no idea what had actually happened to these people, if Karna had meant it or not. One thing he did know for certain. He had to stop this. If Karna was out of control there was no telling how many people could be hurt so he had to end this now.
Karna opened his mouth, but it was too late. Basil whirled, placing a palm on the bar to leverage himself from a sitting position into a whirling kick. His heel hit Karna squarely in the face, with every ounce of strength he could muster. A sucker punch, meant to be a knockout blow so he could take the aasimar down, end this spell, and get him out of here before anything else went wrong.
Karna snapped back out of his chair, it tumbled to the ground, and the back of his head hit the floor hard. His headache roared, but he rolled over coming back up to his feet, coming to a ready stance. He might have been depressed and drunk, but he was still a paladin, better trained than most and tougher than pretty much everybody. It was going to take more than that to knock him out.
Basil kicked him squarely in the nuts.
Karna doubled over in pain, and Basil kicked him in the face again. Basil had trained under paladins and monks alike. His skill with his own limbs was on par with his swordsmanship. His training under the paladins in the tradition of Jort made him an expert at sneak attacks, sucker punches, and practical, dirty fighting. In other words, he was effectively an expert at kicking people in the nuts. He went for a chop to the throat, trying to finish the fight right then and there.
Karna caught his hand, and broke it by squeezing his fingers. He looked up, bloody eyed and berserk. “Ah. Fuck.” Basil swore. Then Karna threw him. Basil went flying, arm broken, and hit the wall shelves, covered in a hundred forms of expensive booze. The impact shattered his collar bone, and he kept going until he hit the solid wall on the other side of the bar. He landed hard on his face, shirt torn to ribbons and bleeding freely.
His hand and shoulder reset themselves, and shirt tore entirely as he burst his extra limbs out of it, and slammed them down to pick himself up. He drew in a breath, and Karna threw a chair at him. Basil dodged upwards, onto the ceiling as the chair smashed a hole in the wall behind him. He rushed his cousin, gathering shards of broken glass with his spare limbs and a bottle into either hand. He flung the glass before him, forcing Karna to cover his face. Then he hit him on top of the head with both bottles, dropped them, and hit him on both sides of the throat with a chop.
Karna struggled to breathe, nearly blacking out from the impact, and but threw a wild, blind punch. Basil evaded most of hit, but even a glancing hit was enough to send him flying. He caught his momentum on a support pillar, swinging around it with his tendrils. His ankle hit the side of a table and shattered. He wheezed in pain, falling to a knee on top of the table to mend it.
Karna roared and charged like a bull, giving Basil scant time. He palmed a lighter from one of the unconscious men lying next to him, and jumped clear. Karna smashed the table into splinters beneath his fists, tearing skin and breaking bone, but healing them just as quickly as he damaged them. Basil flicked the lighter open, and threw it. The expensive alcohol covering Karna caught light, stunning and blinding him as Basil set him ablaze!
He hit the flaming angel with everything he had before the fire burned away. Fists, feet, elbows, knees, tendrils. A devastating combination of every move he knew to put a man on the ground flew out of him. He hadn’t really trained to get into a bar fight, but damn if it wasn’t coming in handy. He finished with a powerful drop kick in the aasimar’s solar plexus, sending him staggering back against the bar, breath torn from his lungs.
Basil breathed heavily, as his cousin slumped, then swore as Karna got his feet under him, and pulled his head up still more than ready to go. He swore louder as Karna gripped the sides of the bar, and tore the granite countertop off of it, swinging it at Basil like an improvised weapon.
Basil leapt, running along the side of the countertop as it smashed through everything it came across. Fortunately, it was swung high, missing the unconscious clubgoers, and shattered when it hit a load bearing column, though that cracked ominously. Basil landed on his cousin, spines biting into him and wrapping around bones to anchor the assassin. He’d seen a similar technique used by velociraptors when they hunted, using their massive claws to hook onto larger dinosaurs. Once attached, the smaller reptiles would begin to eat their prey alive. He wasn’t planning on biting Karna though, instead he raised up his boot and began to stomp his cousin’s face, over and over and over again, desperately trying to bring the berserk paladin down before he brought down the building!
Karna flared his wings and soared upwards, slamming both himself and Basil into the ceiling. Basil fell off, and Karna grabbed him by the face. He slammed them both down into the floor, smashing Basil’s head into the ground once, twice, three times, then threw him with enough force to scatter blood across the entire club and snap the assassin’s neck. He watched as Basil hit the pole the dancer had been, ahem, performing with, and his illusion vanished.
Horror overtook him as he saw Basil’s true form break in two, snaped apart by the force of the impact, and fall like so much meat onto the stage. He rushed forwards, hands shaking as he realized what he’d just done. He reached for Basil’s head, bloodied and broken. But his hands went through him. His emotional pain was then matched by physical pain, as he felt a steel stripper pole strike him directly between the legs.
Basil didn’t let up, as he dropped the illusion and his invisibility, and beat his cousin into the ground with the broken pole. He went for joints, broke ribs, hit below the belt with every opportunity and he did not stop. He didn’t know what it was going to take to put Karna down but he did know that if Karna got back up, he was actually going to die. It was nothing but the good fortune of his unusual anatomy that had kept him breathing with a broken neck, and his healing magic to allow him to ever get up again. He wasn’t going to get another chance, and so he beat down his cousin until the pole was bent beyond all recognition and the stage was slick with golden blood.
When he finally stopped, Karna was finally, mercifully, down. Basil knelt by his side, mending him enough to make sure he could be moved safely, though not enough to bring him back into consciousness. The patrons were beginning to stir to consciousness. With a grunt, he picked up his friend, hoisting him over his shoulder, and covered both of them with a spell of invisibility.
Slowly, shakily, he retrieved his and Karna’s weapons, erased both their names from the registry, and slipped away as people began to regain consciousness and the police arrived. Then, he began the slow, tired business of carrying Karna back to his house. He grumbled as he went. “You are far too skinny to be this heavy, and put up way too much of a fight for me to need the extra weight of lugging your ass out of here. You stupid overpowered twink.”
Karna woke up with a splitting headache, and a slightly less splitting everything-else-ache. Paladin healing factors worked wonders, but if you took a beating that was going to make you ache for a week, you were going to ache for a week. He remembered what happened, and started to wish he didn’t. “Oh fuck. I nearly killed Bas. And… yeah, the rest of the club. I’m not going to be allowed back there.”
He rolled off his couch and got a drink, of water this time. He looked at his liquor cabinet, walked over, opened it, and grabbed a bottle. He emptied it into the sink. Then he emptied the rest. He looked down at the drain, drew in a deep breath, and focused himself. “I need to apologize. I need to talk. I need help. And I need to get my life back on track.” He resolved. “I can’t let that happen again.”
He clenched his fists, and opened them again, hands still shaking. There was a knock at the door. His first thought was that it might be Basil checking on him. The next though was that it was the police. His third thought was that it was Basil, and the police. Well, either way. Apologies would be made, he might just also need to call a really, really good lawyer, and probably a bank to take out a loan to pay all that property damage.
He opened it, and saw another aasimar looking back at him.
”Hello Karna.” Alexander replied. “I heard you had something of a rough night, powers going out of control, a rather ugly bar fight, that sort of thing?”
”Yes. How long am I going to be in jail for?” Karna asked.
”Not at all, I’ve covered the damages and fortunately, nobody has any memory of last evening. Dominion Flare has that useful side effect.”
”Dominion Flare? What I did has a name?”
”Of course. It is your inheritance after all.” Alexander mused. “Though, you might be the first one to awaken it while drunk, though you’re not the first to cause some degree of damage with it. These things happen, it simply requires training.” He looked Karna squarely in the eye. “And beyond that, I strongly suspect you may be looking for some help getting yourself back on track.”

It's been a while since I've been in a relationship. I've since grown as a person and taken the time to work on myself. My goal in life is to take it day by day and not compare myself to others, but instead become better than I was yesterday.
I'm looking for someone I can create beautiful memories together with, someone I can laugh with, be myself with, and enjoy every minute of my day with... someone I think about before falling asleep and rushing to my phone/PC to check for new messages from her in the morning. We could even watch paint dry and it would be fun! I want to create a life together with you, so naturally, I would want to spend a lot of time together with my SO.
Looks-wise I'm 185cm, slim (about 72 kg), with short and dark blonde/brunette hair, and blue eyes. Your picture gets mine!
Here are some facts I find important about myself:
I love music! I'm classicly trained (school, not Uni, even though I took Uni classes for a year) and have been playing electric guitar for over 16 years now. If you enjoy musicals or concerts I'd love to take you to some! My taste ranges from classical music and rock/metal all the way to pop or rap (the ones with meaningful texts, not just slurs)
Speaking of texts: I write for a living. It's contract work, so I can't be as creative as I'd like to be. However, my dream is to one day write my own fantasy novel or craft my own Pen&Paper story. I work my own schedule to some extent and can work remotely.
I'm probably one of the most curious people you'll ever meet. I enjoy knowing more things, understanding the world around me and finding out about all those fascinating things from our past, present and future. Anything can catch my interest really, but my favourite topics by far are Ancient History, Astronomy and Psychology. Are you down for checking out some history museums?
I spend most of my free time playing video games, listening to music, doing music myself, and reading or watching movies/series/anime/documentaries or something along those lines. Ideally, you're interested in those as well so you can be my player #2 and watch stuff with me!
I'd like to be more active in life though. I love to travel and with the right partner, I'd wanna see the world. Sports are also fun, so let's stay fit together!
I enjoy both, talking and listening! Tell me about the things that make you laugh, cry or teach me something new! Random facts all the way!
Absolutely adore animals! My dream is to one day own a house in the countryside with lots of animals and a big garden! I have two kittens who are quite some work sometimes but I love them regardless! On top of that, I enjoy nature a lot.
You're an ideal fit if you:
- are curious. You want to learn new things and get fascinated by them easily. You also value intelligence and expect more from life.
- want to constantly grow as a person. To me, in an ideal relationship, both partners push each other (in a good way) to be a better version of themselves.
- are non-religious.
- preferably live in Europe. However, if everything else in this post really calls out to you, please message me regardless! We can make it work if we both put in the effort!
- are younger than I am. I'm just not ready to start a family yet. I want to see the world with you first and live life to the fullest!
- have at least some of the same interests I do.
If this sounds like you and you're looking for the same, someone who's always there to support you, someone you can create beautiful memories with, someone you can spend all your time and be genuinely happy with, then hit me up! Let's make the best out of this one life that we have together! Be best friends, partners in crime, lovers and soul mates!
Please message me with some information about yourself and the things you enjoy in life, goals, hobbies, etc. What made you reach out to me? If you include a picture I'll send one right back! My main app for communication is Discord.
I can't wait to hear from you!

It's been a while since I've been in a relationship. I've since grown as a person and taken the time to work on myself. My goal in life is to take it day by day and not compare myself to others, but instead become better than I was yesterday.
I'm looking for someone I can create beautiful memories together with, someone I can laugh with, be myself with, and enjoy every minute of my day with... someone I think about before falling asleep and rushing to my phone/PC to check for new messages from her in the morning. We could even watch paint dry and it would be fun! I want to create a life together with you, so naturally, I would want to spend a lot of time together with my SO.
Looks-wise I'm 185cm, slim (about 72 kg), with short and dark blonde/brunette hair, and blue eyes. Your picture gets mine!
Here are some facts I find important about myself:
I love music! I'm classicly trained (school, not Uni, even though I took Uni classes for a year) and have been playing electric guitar for over 16 years now. If you enjoy musicals or concerts I'd love to take you to some! My taste ranges from classical music and rock/metal all the way to pop or rap (the ones with meaningful texts, not just slurs)
Speaking of texts: I write for a living. It's contract work, so I can't be as creative as I'd like to be. However, my dream is to one day write my own fantasy novel or craft my own Pen&Paper story. I work my own schedule to some extent and can work remotely.
I'm probably one of the most curious people you'll ever meet. I enjoy knowing more things, understanding the world around me and finding out about all those fascinating things from our past, present and future. Anything can catch my interest really, but my favourite topics by far are Ancient History, Astronomy and Psychology. Are you down for checking out some history museums?
I spend most of my free time playing video games, listening to music, doing music myself, and reading or watching movies/series/anime/documentaries or something along those lines. Ideally, you're interested in those as well so you can be my player #2 and watch stuff with me!
I'd like to be more active in life though. I love to travel and with the right partner, I'd wanna see the world. Sports are also fun, so let's stay fit together!
I enjoy both, talking and listening! Tell me about the things that make you laugh, cry or teach me something new! Random facts all the way!
Absolutely adore animals! My dream is to one day own a house in the countryside with lots of animals and a big garden! I have two kittens who are quite some work sometimes but I love them regardless! On top of that, I enjoy nature a lot.
You're an ideal fit if you:
- are curious. You want to learn new things and get fascinated by them easily. You also value intelligence and expect more from life.
- want to constantly grow as a person. To me, in an ideal relationship, both partners push each other (in a good way) to be a better version of themselves.
- are non-religious.
- preferably live in Europe. However, if everything else in this post really calls out to you, please message me regardless! We can make it work if we both put in the effort!
- are younger than I am. I'm just not ready to start a family yet. I want to see the world with you first and live life to the fullest!
- have at least some of the same interests I do.
If this sounds like you and you're looking for the same, someone who's always there to support you, someone you can create beautiful memories with, someone you can spend all your time and be genuinely happy with, then hit me up! Let's make the best out of this one life that we have together! Be best friends, partners in crime, lovers and soul mates!
Please message me with some information about yourself and the things you enjoy in life, goals, hobbies, etc. What made you reach out to me? If you include a picture I'll send one right back! My main app for communication is Discord.
I can't wait to hear from you!

Good morning and a happy Tuesday, welcome back to another selection for our sub's weekly listening club. Each week, we'll listen to a piece recommended by the community, discuss it, learn about it, and hopefully introduce us to music we wouldn't hear otherwise :)
Last week, we listened to Gernsheim’s Symphony no.1. You can go back to listen, read up, and discuss the work if you want to.
Our next Piece of the Week is Franz Schreker’s Prelude to a Drama (1914)
…
Score from IMSLP
...
Some listening notes from Paul Conway and Cris Posslac for Naxos records:

Schreker wrote the text of his opera Die Gezeichneten (‘The Marked Ones’) in 1911, at the request of Alexander Zemlinsky, who asked for a libretto about the tragedy of an ugly man along the lines of the Wilde novella Schreker had already treated in his pantomime. In the event, Schreker set his own libretto, completing the score in 1914. His use of highly chromatic musical language in the context of a lurid Italian Renaissance drama involving murder and madness established his credentials as an exponent of Expressionism. The premiere in Frankfurt am Main in 1918 won critical acclaim and made him one of the leading opera composers of his generation. The Overture is a distillation of the opera. The coruscating opening bars adumbrate the score’s rich sonorities and harmonic ambiguity and the ensuing material introduces themes associated with the three main protagonists: a sinuous melody depicting the hunchback Alvino Salvago who, with his longing for beauty and love, has created an Elysium on an island near Genoa; the swaggering, Italianate signature tune of Count Tamare who has been using the island as a place for rape, orgies and even murder; and the veiled chords representing the elusive quality of Carlotta, the recent target of Tamare’s affections. A concert version of the Overture, featured on this recording, appeared as Vorspiel zu einem Drama (‘Prelude to a Drama’). Commissioned by Felix Weingartner in 1913, it was premiered in Vienna on 8 February 1914. For the concert version, Schreker created a comprehensive and condensed symphonic drama which contains the most important elements of the plot. It does not follow exactly the emotional trajectory of the opera but uses a sonata form structure, with a recapitulation of the main ideas following a volatile central development section.
The oscillating mixture of B flat minor and D major in the opening should sound (as Schreker instructs) like ‘an indistinct, blurred buzzing, whirring and glitter’—it is soon joined by a long, chromatic, sinuous melody representing Alviano’s longing. After the first climaxes the music switches to the third act ([1] 2:05) where a Bacchanal is taking place with, among others, strange mythical creatures—fauns and naiads, etc. During this procession Tamare appears (3:42) with his almost Puccini-like signature tune (to be played ‘with savage passion’), taking Carlotta and fervently holding her in his arms. The flute recalls the first dispute between Carlotta and Tamare (4:40), and her own motif is heard (7:10) in a sequence of frail, tender chords, mixed with Alviano’s characteristic minor seventh. The Overture to Die Gezeichneten ends a few bars later with a recap of the B flat minor–D major sequence. In the concert version, Schreker leads to a middle section in E major which is a musical depiction of the island and the grotto (8:10), which despite all its alluring and seductive beauty (‘in soft and dance-like movement’) is time and again undermined by the ongoing crimes on the island and the threat of discovery by the Genoese police. Then Schreker leaps into the Bacchanale again (11:33) followed by a literal repeat of the first part until he moves to the end of the Overture (17:20) taking up the delicate, glittering ‘distant sound’ of B minor and D major, thus creating a musical circle with an island as its centre.

…
Ways to Listen

• Michael Gielen and the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra: YouTube Score Video, Spotify
  
• JoAnn Falletta and the Berlin Radio Orchestra: Spotify
  
• Carlos Izcaray with the American Youth Symphony: YouTube
  
• Josep Pons and la Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia: YouTube
  
• Vassily Sinaisky and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra: Spotify
  
• Christopher Ward and the Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pflaz: Spotify
  

Discussion Prompts

• What are your favorite parts or moments in this work? What do you like about it, or what stood out to you?
  
• Do you think you need to know the “story” of the drama in the title, or does this piece work better as an abstract evocation of an opera? And why?
  
• Have you ever performed this before? If so, when and where? What instrument do you play? And what insights do you have from learning it?
  

...
What should our club listen to next? Use the link below to find the submission form and let us know what piece of music we should feature in an upcoming week. Note: for variety's sake, please avoid choosing music by a composer who has already been featured, otherwise your choice will be given the lowest priority in the schedule
PotW Archive & Submission Link

I went to their concert in Cologne last year, but did not get the official t-shirt, as it was too expensive.
Well, now I've started working and would really like one! They sell the tshirts on their website, but they charge 40€ for shipping and taxes.
So, can anyone get me a t-shirt from the upcoming European concerts? I'd pay for the item and shipping, of course.

I woke up and struggling to fall asleep. It has been very difficult for me. I don't really have anyone to consistently talk with and I've been feeling more lonely as of late as I deal with my thoughts alone. I hope to find someone gentle and eventually fall back to sleep. I'm vegan, so I would rather any talk of "food" be left out as a topic. Also, no politics. I just want to feel safe. I crochet, so I could share pictures with you if you'd like. I exercise...Health is important to me. Oh, I'm going to Dragon Ball Symphonic Adventure on Friday...Plus other upcoming concerts in a couple of months. That would be fun to talk about as well! I view myself as a kind, open, affectionate, and gentle person. Anyways, you'll possibly find out more. I look forward to meeting you! Thanks for your time.

I woke up and struggling to fall asleep. It has been very difficult for me. I don't really have anyone to consistently talk with and I've been feeling more lonely as of late as I deal with my thoughts alone. I hope to find someone gentle and eventually fall back to sleep. I'm vegan, so I would rather any talk of "food" be left out as a topic. Also, no politics. I just want to feel safe. I crochet, so I could share pictures with you if you'd like. I exercise...Health is important to me. Oh, I'm going to Dragon Ball Symphonic Adventure on Friday...Plus other upcoming concerts in a couple of months. That would be fun to talk about as well! I view myself as a kind, open, affectionate, and gentle person. Anyways, you'll possibly find out more. I look forward to meeting you! Thanks for your time.