Technically, that does work...it's just that we all have personal standards regarding the QUALITY of that fictional substance output...
And now I've outed myself as an engineer...
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Technically, that does work...it's just that we all have personal standards regarding the QUALITY of that fictional substance output...
And now I've outed myself as an engineer...
LD appears from the backrooms pulling a dolly stacked with multiple cases of spirits, a myriad selection guaranteed to satisfy the most discernible palette. "Did I hear the shelves were bare? Who's been drinking all the booze? Guess I'll have to put a 'We're Hiring' sign in the window. Empty shelves, that won't do." As LD cracked open cases and set about the tedious job of restocking, he said, "Sorry I haven't been more visible of late. Stuff's been happening. Kind of busy. Anyway, I hear congrats are in order for @Wraith11B. An MS. How cool is that? And books? Interesting premise, @jak7139. I'll read. Just DM me. The same goes for you, @Cora Giantkiller." Pausing in his work, LD checks the fridge. "Ah, cold beers. That'll do. Now, a glass..."
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Jak had stepped out of the bAAR for a moment for some springtime air, the conversation buzzing away. Rejoining the scene, he smiled at the Prince.
"Thank you Rensslaer. I'll be sure to message those of you interested in beta-reading soon, but the rest of today has got away from me."
Seeing Cora's intense study of her open palm, Jak wonders aloud, "I did light the fireplace once without hands. Perhaps the magic of this place comes and goes in stages? Or perhaps the remodel after the destructive flooding has changed how things work?"
He sees his can is empty and sets it down. "That's enough to drink for today. I do agree with Cora and Chac, finding readers is always the hard part. And the wider world of publishing is not as easy as this space in that regard. How to spread the word is another something I'll have to think on."
"But can we not imagine a product of high quality, @TheExecuter? Just a thought."
"Thank you Rensslaer. I'll be sure to message those of you interested in beta-reading soon, but the rest of today has got away from me."
Seeing Cora's intense study of her open palm, Jak wonders aloud, "I did light the fireplace once without hands. Perhaps the magic of this place comes and goes in stages? Or perhaps the remodel after the destructive flooding has changed how things work?"
He sees his can is empty and sets it down. "That's enough to drink for today. I do agree with Cora and Chac, finding readers is always the hard part. And the wider world of publishing is not as easy as this space in that regard. How to spread the word is another something I'll have to think on."
"But can we not imagine a product of high quality, @TheExecuter? Just a thought."
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At that moment, the backrooms open, revealing the face of LD. Jak thinks of taking one of the cold beers, were it not for his vow from a moment ago.
"Thanks for the restock, LD!" Jak cheers. "And I'll be glad to have your input as well."
"Thanks for the restock, LD!" Jak cheers. "And I'll be glad to have your input as well."
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We can indeed...my point is that every thought of our imagination is not of the same quality...
...and so we often devalue some of our imagination because it doesn't meet our personal standard to allow ourselves to explore it fully and / or share it.
You and Cora are right, in that we can just create out of our imagination, and that all it requires is some thought.
My point is that often we don't see that imagination as meaningful output, because we have an arbitrary expectation that only work of a certain quality level has a right to exist and be seen...
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Let D be a multidigraph. Prove that the strong components of D are...
Cora was distracted from her reading by the sound of an earnest discussion. It took her a second to realize that they were responding to her. She listened for a moment, pondering whether she should mention that she had only been joking. Probably not, they seemed to be enjoying themselves. With a shrug, she returned to her graph theory homework.
Cora was distracted from her reading by the sound of an earnest discussion. It took her a second to realize that they were responding to her. She listened for a moment, pondering whether she should mention that she had only been joking. Probably not, they seemed to be enjoying themselves. With a shrug, she returned to her graph theory homework.
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Exactly my point. Quality is in the eye of the beholder. Both jak and I seem to have thought your comment was pretty interesting / insightful...at least to me it sparked some thought.
While to you, it seemed less valuable.
Graph theory homework is important though...
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"I too would love to help read something now that I'm free from reading the academic journals... I actually just got going in a book club with my mates from my fantasy football crew, and have this shiney Kindle Scribe to keep using, courtesy of my inlaws."
The investigator looks around him. "Probably time to get back to packing up to head up to the inlaws, actually... Mother's Day and a birthday combined!"
The investigator looks around him. "Probably time to get back to packing up to head up to the inlaws, actually... Mother's Day and a birthday combined!"
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coz1 assists LD in unpacking the fresh booze and stocking the bAAR, "I suppose we should look like a packed house even if these youngins should know there's always the special stash in times of need. The stores are never empty."
He hears the announcement and raises a freshly poured glass, "And cheers to you jak! Quite an accomplishment. Well done!"
He hears the announcement and raises a freshly poured glass, "And cheers to you jak! Quite an accomplishment. Well done!"
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The first draft of anything is shit, all good writers start out as bad writers, and posting your attempts at improvement are a learning multiplier.
Besides, who does not marvel at an exhibit of a famous artist's early efforts at learning a technique?
*TBC poofs a fresh tea set into existence*
We all started somewhere. I've won awards for comedy on this site, and you can literally go and read me learning how to write comedy, because it happened during the disastrously chaotic and broken Lancaster AAR, that nonetheless birthed Secret, the Great Bear Spy.
*scone prepped, TBC pauses to let the tea settle*
Also, well done Jak. The first draft of anything may be shit (according to Hemmingway) but often it's still brilliant, and of course, better than non-existence!
*TBC snaps his fingers to properly kindle, stoke and fettle the fire*
I wouldn't be too concerned about magic in this place, BTW. I'm already borderline demonic, and everyone else has their share of the eldritch about them, in this place anyway.
*TBC checks their pocket watch*
It occurs to me I have or am about to pass my 10th anniversary on the forum soon. One moment please...
Ah, I appear to have characteristicly blown past the milestone. Well, as I said at the end of my first post:
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Jak accepts the well-wishes of @coz1, @Wraith11B, and @TheButterflyComposer. Upon seeing TBC's ease of use of magic Jak's eyes go wide.
"Such skill! Practice makes perfect, as they say. AAR writing has been great practice for my book, and of course I've met all the helpful, talented people here."
"Such skill! Practice makes perfect, as they say. AAR writing has been great practice for my book, and of course I've met all the helpful, talented people here."
"But your profile says 2016?" Jak questions, furrowing his brow. "Not 2015."
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I and some other members once managed to get Japan, Turkey and the Soviet Union to get along long enough to negotiate the partition of most of Europe, and also stole India from the UK...
Bullfilter really needs to write another mega AAR.
9 years posting. 10 years reading. Didn't have an account for the first year.
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"Congratulations @TheButterflyComposer! On your anniversary."
"And if course congratulations to @jak7139 on your first draft, if I did not explicitly state that beforehand, which I probably did not."
"And if course congratulations to @jak7139 on your first draft, if I did not explicitly state that beforehand, which I probably did not."
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Indeed, mine says 2002. I was here before that.
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DB charges his glass and joins in the double toast.
– Llongyfarchiadau on your first draft, @jak7139, and a very happy anniversary to you, @TheButterflyComposer. What a fun filled ten years they have been. Here’s to much more to come.
– Llongyfarchiadau on your first draft, @jak7139, and a very happy anniversary to you, @TheButterflyComposer. What a fun filled ten years they have been. Here’s to much more to come.
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LD and coz1 complete the restocking. Give nod to each other for a job well done. Glancing over at a comatose @Chac1, LD chuckles. "Sleeping again. Any volunteers to wipe the drool off his chin? Anyone? No? Oh well. Maybe someone can take a picture. By the way, congrats on your ten years, @TheButterflyComposer. That's a laudable milestone."
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"I am always here chac, albeit have not been posting that frequent."
The light on the table back at the dark corner of the baar turns on, however dim, fighting for its own existence, barely able in shining on your face.
As your mind starts hearing your music [*], you realise you are replying to a dialogue that had happened long ago in the past, and you missed. Every moment, every word, every post you missed, they stare at you, and as you happen in that moment, you drop the pen, leave the keyboard, empty the mind. You lean back on your chair, as your activity is also exposed, searching of old posts, hunting for previous thoughts, seeking the past words, of yours, only to... delete.
"Yeah, I am not able to shake off my delirious craving for... deleting. All are unnecessary."
You begin to check what you did miss.
"Missed to say proper farewell to macavity. Oh well." You clear off the table, rather cursorily. "Hmm. A fellow master of science, that is good wraith, splendid," then you briefly pause, "oh that was weeks ago as well," and you sigh.
Further into the posts hanging over the air of infinity of the hall, you see another news, "Completing a first draft, very good jak, wonderful. Congratulations, farewells, I missed apparently, pity," and giving a quick look at the notifications, about the baar lacking the services, "huh, mine was a breakfast-run, but had I known the baar was dry, all I would have brought more vodka," you pause again, "...and rakı, yeah."
You see some of your old posts in the meantime, while still speaking of drinks, "...also wine. Wine is important. Yeah. The life-bringer, the light-source, the beauty-definition -" but your focus is on your old posts, and you mumble actually. Your hands become a bit frenetic, your eyes move a bit hasty, your breath accelerates a bit rapid, you realise your words try the limits of the grammar, your mind tests the flow of the phonetics, your brows knit into anger.
You grab the mouse, select the posts, hit the delete, but the prompt is forwarded to the screen, asking before proceeding the command.
You... hesitate.
"Naah. I will check it again later."
Your gaze dissipates into nothingness, and you look at the others, smiling.
Anticipating the baffled looks, you smile more and continue: "Yeah, the trick to disperse the darkness within into the bliss is - wait," you stop abruptly, while checking some other older posts of yours, "hmmm, I had used Hit the Road Jack already, and actually for jak, lol," then you look at another screen, "huh, I had already done a farewell once for mac too, oh," you hum, "though those were for completely different occasions. Err... a-ha!"
You smile, rather cheekily.
"Well, but this one was long waited for. Others will have to do with it, sorry, just assume it is for all, will ya? Errr..." and you give a quick look at the dreadful-machine you brought, long, very long time ago.
"Yeah, congrats to all accomplishments, milestones, achievements, and farewells to those taking a sabbatical," and you turn to wraith, "and yes, this was way overdue mate. Congrats," and you find the one in the machine, and it is on.
[**]
[*] Seamless Days of the album One with Dawn by Fractal Gates (2024)
[**] Lol. Danger Zone from the soundtrack of... yeah... by Kenny Loggins (1986); minor appropriation on lyrics.
The light on the table back at the dark corner of the baar turns on, however dim, fighting for its own existence, barely able in shining on your face.
As your mind starts hearing your music [*], you realise you are replying to a dialogue that had happened long ago in the past, and you missed. Every moment, every word, every post you missed, they stare at you, and as you happen in that moment, you drop the pen, leave the keyboard, empty the mind. You lean back on your chair, as your activity is also exposed, searching of old posts, hunting for previous thoughts, seeking the past words, of yours, only to... delete.
"Yeah, I am not able to shake off my delirious craving for... deleting. All are unnecessary."
You begin to check what you did miss.
"Missed to say proper farewell to macavity. Oh well." You clear off the table, rather cursorily. "Hmm. A fellow master of science, that is good wraith, splendid," then you briefly pause, "oh that was weeks ago as well," and you sigh.
Further into the posts hanging over the air of infinity of the hall, you see another news, "Completing a first draft, very good jak, wonderful. Congratulations, farewells, I missed apparently, pity," and giving a quick look at the notifications, about the baar lacking the services, "huh, mine was a breakfast-run, but had I known the baar was dry, all I would have brought more vodka," you pause again, "...and rakı, yeah."
You see some of your old posts in the meantime, while still speaking of drinks, "...also wine. Wine is important. Yeah. The life-bringer, the light-source, the beauty-definition -" but your focus is on your old posts, and you mumble actually. Your hands become a bit frenetic, your eyes move a bit hasty, your breath accelerates a bit rapid, you realise your words try the limits of the grammar, your mind tests the flow of the phonetics, your brows knit into anger.
You grab the mouse, select the posts, hit the delete, but the prompt is forwarded to the screen, asking before proceeding the command.
You... hesitate.
"Naah. I will check it again later."
Your gaze dissipates into nothingness, and you look at the others, smiling.
Anticipating the baffled looks, you smile more and continue: "Yeah, the trick to disperse the darkness within into the bliss is - wait," you stop abruptly, while checking some other older posts of yours, "hmmm, I had used Hit the Road Jack already, and actually for jak, lol," then you look at another screen, "huh, I had already done a farewell once for mac too, oh," you hum, "though those were for completely different occasions. Err... a-ha!"
You smile, rather cheekily.
"Well, but this one was long waited for. Others will have to do with it, sorry, just assume it is for all, will ya? Errr..." and you give a quick look at the dreadful-machine you brought, long, very long time ago.
"Yeah, congrats to all accomplishments, milestones, achievements, and farewells to those taking a sabbatical," and you turn to wraith, "and yes, this was way overdue mate. Congrats," and you find the one in the machine, and it is on.
Revvin' up your brain
Listen to her howlin' roar
Neurons under tension
Beggin' you to study and go
Highway to the danger zone
Ride into the danger zone
Headin' into twilight
Spreadin' out her signals tonight
She got you gettin' the knowledge
And shovin' into overdrive
Highway to the danger zone
I'll take you right into the danger zone
You'll never say hello to you
Until you get it on the red line overload
You'll never know what you can do
Until you get it up as high as you can go
Out along the edges
Always where I search to be
The further on the edge
The greater the proficiency
Highway to the danger zone
Gonna take it right into the danger zone
Highway to the danger zone
Ride into the danger zone
Listen to her howlin' roar
Neurons under tension
Beggin' you to study and go
Highway to the danger zone
Ride into the danger zone
Headin' into twilight
Spreadin' out her signals tonight
She got you gettin' the knowledge
And shovin' into overdrive
Highway to the danger zone
I'll take you right into the danger zone
You'll never say hello to you
Until you get it on the red line overload
You'll never know what you can do
Until you get it up as high as you can go
Out along the edges
Always where I search to be
The further on the edge
The greater the proficiency
Highway to the danger zone
Gonna take it right into the danger zone
Highway to the danger zone
Ride into the danger zone
[*] Seamless Days of the album One with Dawn by Fractal Gates (2024)
[**] Lol. Danger Zone from the soundtrack of... yeah... by Kenny Loggins (1986); minor appropriation on lyrics.
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The ancient one sputtered awake in the comfy leather wingback chair again.
"Damn narcolepsy," he cursed. "What a condition. Of course, that could be considered strategic sleeping. Got me out of the heavy lifting of the restocking done by @coz1 and @Lord Durham . I need all the excuses I can get these days. All my joints ache. Comes with the territory when you get to a certain age no doubt. But if I try to lift, it just makes it worse. So maybe that was not only strategic sleeping but for good medical reasons."
He reached in his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief and then wiped his face.
"Damned drool," Chac cursed again. "I do hope everyone was polite and didn't snap any photos. Such embarrassments live forever these days on the internet."
He situated himself in his chair. The tome of CK2 AARs was still at his side and the large CK3 book was open to a chapter of The Sword of Virtanen from April.
He noticed his glass was still half full and he took a gulp of mezcal. "The mezcal is part of my self-medicating regimen. Helps with the aches. Another medical remedy. A self-prescription if you will."
"I must also say it was good to have that dream because it nudged me to notice TBC's big anniversay," he added. "Congratulations to @TheButterflyComposer !"
"Damn narcolepsy," he cursed. "What a condition. Of course, that could be considered strategic sleeping. Got me out of the heavy lifting of the restocking done by @coz1 and @Lord Durham . I need all the excuses I can get these days. All my joints ache. Comes with the territory when you get to a certain age no doubt. But if I try to lift, it just makes it worse. So maybe that was not only strategic sleeping but for good medical reasons."
He reached in his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief and then wiped his face.
"Damned drool," Chac cursed again. "I do hope everyone was polite and didn't snap any photos. Such embarrassments live forever these days on the internet."
He situated himself in his chair. The tome of CK2 AARs was still at his side and the large CK3 book was open to a chapter of The Sword of Virtanen from April.
He noticed his glass was still half full and he took a gulp of mezcal. "The mezcal is part of my self-medicating regimen. Helps with the aches. Another medical remedy. A self-prescription if you will."
"Perhaps I self-medicated a bit too much before dropping off because I must report I had this strange fever dream and @filcat was the star and focus of that dream. All very other worldly, I must say," Chac noted as he shook his head to clear it.
"I must also say it was good to have that dream because it nudged me to notice TBC's big anniversay," he added. "Congratulations to @TheButterflyComposer !"
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LD settled back in his Comfy Chair™. Now that things were easing a bit, he had time to catch up on some AARs. Just got up to date on @Chac1's Lost Seasons and currently working on @Cora Giantkiller's The Sword of Virtanen. Others to follow. An item on one of the TV screens caught his eye. Pete Rose and the Black Sox were no longer permanently banned from Baseball Hall of Fame voting. "What do you think of that, @coz1? Personally, I think it's overdue. Enough time has passed. Pete Rose definitely deserves to be in there, as well as Shoeless Joe. It's nice to see Buck Weaver vindicated. He never took a bribe." Time for a refill...
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While I think both Rose and Jackson should be in the Hall, they were both rightly punished. It states on every clubhouse wall not to gamble and they violated it. A lifetime ban was too extreme, IMO. The Hall did not have to join in with the Commissioner's office to keep them out, or more exactly Rose out. Jackson could have been voted in many times over the years prior to the Hall stating that anyone on the permanently banned list was ineligible. He wasn't so I suspect he will not be now. I'm not sure Rose will get by whatever Veterans Committee sits in 2027 or after either. The folks in MLB, as much as I love it, have a purest mindset and they don't like to admit when they are wrong. See Bonds and Clemens and how they too will suffer the same fate even though Bud Selig is in (may he rot in Hell.)
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