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Thirdly

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  1. Thirdly
    So, I think more of us grew up with Umberto Tozzi's music in different languages. He wrote the original songs covered by the 80's hits Gloria (Laura Branigan) and Claridad (Menudo). A few months ago, I bought a few of his albums and came across a song I grew up with in Spanish that was ALSO originally penned and sung in Italian: De Que Me Sirven Estas Manos (A Cosa Servono le Mani)
    Tozzi's quite the poet, bending both Italian and Spanish to his will in his lyrics, and this song is one of his best. When I tried to find an English translation that made sense (for both the Spanish and Italian variations), I was *highly disappointed* to find rough google translations in the place of a more hefty English version. So, I attempted to fuse both the Spanish and Italian lyrics into my own version. I used creative license, as both versions are slightly different. But, if there is a diehard Tozzi Italian fan out there that wants to do a better job, by all means do so!
    In the meantime, here is my very pale in comparison English version, whose syllables I matched to the original Italian version:
    What Use are These Hands (A Cosa Servono le Mani)
    Hands, remind us life is brief
    And time is but a thief
    We begin with nothing, lifting from the bottom…
    Hands; I’ll have to use them once again
    Here on either side of your grave
    Must I see them empty? So suddenly empty…
    Hands that numb in rainfall, they then become the
    Hands that lost the joy…of moving, and 
    Hands wait in desperation 
    For the hands that they once deemed their salvation
    Of what use are these hands of mine? I am unsure.
    Over her skin and body they had toured.
    No sculptor could have made her kind and fair.
    What do I do with my hands if she’s not there?
    Not there, not there…tell me
    Of what use are these hands of mine?
    I find myself grasping them spitefully in my fists
    Wish they’d disappear like the mist,
    Or like butterflies rise
    And remember how to love.
    Won’t you refill my glass? My hands, they…
    Still seek the warmth of the sunlight
    And lost within hallucinations
    Yes, an antivenom 
    To all of my humiliations…
    Vibrant nail polish, or your dresses
    The bread and wine that made me Blessed
    The blood in my veins, you were one and the same…
    Four hands down to two
    Wounds from the broken mirror in the loo
    Hidden in pockets and dying of shame
    Rejected and forgotten, even blamed
    Hey! Why can’t the ground just open up and swallow me?
    Why do I long for war along with peace?
    Robbed of my valor, couldn’t be more crushed
    When it’s only your hands I want to touch
    And it’s…useless to call me
    Of what use are these hands of mine?
    I find myself grasping them spitefully in my fists
    Wish they’d disappear like the mist,
    Or like butterflies rise
    And remember how to love.
    Won’t you play any song with feeling, friend of mine? Ah ah
    I will support your violin with mine
    The orchestra now knows about your tumor
    Go, direct it with your last breath of humor
    For what, for whom, what are they for?
    These hands, they do not know
    To feel the cold of grief and empty loss, oh
    Or to conserve your memory within them
    Rather than tremble in fear of losing you
    For what, for whom, oh, won’t you say what they are for?
    If you cannot
    Join them in prayer or try reaching out
    Intertwine all your fingers as you count
    Or dig them into clay with a great shout?
    For what, for whom, tell me what use are these hands of mine, my dear child? 
    Listen carefully to what I have spoken
    Hands make the world, hands make the universe
    They show the days of past, and time dispersed
    Ah ah of what use are these hands…
    -----
    Below are my notes of the fusion of both:
    MANI belle MANI addio        (Hands, beautiful hands, goodbye)
    Adagio un po' con brio        (Adagio a bit 'with panache/vivacity)
    La vita riprende dal fondo e con DO    (Life starts from the bottom and with...)
    MANI le mani dovrò usarle anch'io    (Hands; I'll have to use them)
    Su questa roccia che è il tuo addio    (On this rock that is your goodbye) - A TOMB????
    E in uno scaffale del tempo cercare    (And on a time-shelf look for) - Timeshelf=photo album!?!?!
    Manos, suaves manos mías        (Hands, these soft hands of mine)
    Les digo adiós y el día        (I say goodbye and the day)
    Parece notarlo                (appears to take note of it)
    Se funde tristemente            (and it melts in a sad way)
    Mi mente debe ser más fuerte    (my mind should be stronger/more resilient)
    Tendré que usarlos nuevamente    (I’ll have to use them once again)
    Volver a no verlas            (in order to stop looking at them)
    De pronto vacías            (so suddenly empty)
    MANI per la noia di quando piove    (Hands for the boredom of when it rains)
    MANI per la gioia che si rimuove    (hands for the joy that is removed)
    MANI per la naja di attendere     (hands for the naja to wait)
    che un'altra mano appaia        (for another hand to appear)
    Manos aburridas que no se sienten        (bored hands that don’t feel)
    Manos de alegría cuando se mueven    (happy when they move)
    Manos extendidas que esperan que         (hands extended that wait for)
    otra mano les dé vida.            (another hand to give them life)
    A cosa servono le MANI non saprei            (What hands are for, I don't know) 
    MANI non saprei suonando il pianoforte su di lei    (I played the piano on her)
    Credevo fosse un'arte e adesso che            (I thought it was an art and now 
    Ne faccio delle MANI se lei non c'è            (what do I do with them if she is not there?)
    De qué me sirven estas manos?        (What use are these hands of mine?)
    No los sé                    (I’m unsure)
    Paseaban por su cuerpo            (They cruised over her body)
    Por su piel                    (and her skin)
    Igual que si moldeara una escultura        (The same as if I were molding a sculpture)
    Sin ella que otra cosa    podría hacer        (Without her, what else would I do?)
    Non c'è non c'è ecco                 (No, I don’t know)
    a cosa servono le MANI            (what is the use of these hands?)
    Per caso le ho sgranchite            (By chance I stretched them)
    e già le rimuovo un po'            (and removed them a little)
    E il primo graffio di un altro bambino         (and another baby’s first scratch)
    Voglio uscire stasera                 (I want to go out tonight)
    che sia primavera o no            (Whether it’s Spring or not)
    E voglio averne a piene            (And I want to have it full) - The shot glass?
    No sé no sé dime,             (Don’t know don’t know, say)
    de qué me sirven estas manos?    (What are these hands worth?)
    Aprieto fuertemente            (I hold them tightly)
    Ya se quieren mover            (They already want to move)
    Mariposas de nuevo son        (They’ve become butterflies once more)
    Quiero hacerlas que vuelen        (I want to force them to fly)
    Y así aprender amor            (and in that way learn to love)
    MANI di noci da schiacciar così        (HANDS of nuts to crush like this)
    Di luce da inondare qui il contro veleno    (Of light to flood here the counter-poison)
    Dei funghi dell'umiliazione            (Of the mushrooms of humiliation)
    Dell'unghie nelle tue sottane            (Some nails in your petticoats)
    Per me tu eri l'acqua il pane            (For me you were water, bread)
    Il sangue le vene mi servono buone        (The blood and veins, my good serving)
    Debo sentir que tengo manos        (I should feel like I have hands)
    Que salgan a buscar el sol            (May they leave to seek the sun)
    Que vuelvan a sentir calor            (So they may once again feel warmth)
    En contra veneno                (In contrast to the poison)    
    Del mal de tus humillaciones            (of your awful humiliations)
    De la erupción de tus vestidos        (of the fluttering of your dresses)
    Fuiste pan y fuiste vino            (you were bread and you were wine)
    Mi sangre en mis venas            (you were the blood in my veins)
    MANI non le tue da quattro sono diventate due    (HANDS not yours from four became two)
    E stanno sempre in tasca chiuse a pugno    (And they're always in your pocket closed in a fist)
    Ferite dallo specchio del mio bagno        (Wounds from my bathroom mirror) violence, grief
    Eh vorrei strappare marijuana dalla terra    (Eh I would like to tear marijuana from the earth)
    Vorrei la pace e poi vorrei la guerra        (I would like peace and then I would like war)
    Ma è vero non possiamo star lontani        (But it's true we can't stay away)
    In fondo voglio ancora le tue MANI        (Deep down I still want your HANDS)
    No puedo perderlas                (I can’t lose them)
    Manos no las tuyas                (Hands that aren’t yours)
    De cuatro solo quedan dos desnudas    (Four once, now only two are left naked)
    Muriéndose de pena en los bolsillos        (Dying of pity within pockets)
    Heridas por el asco y el olvido        (Feeling hurt by disgust and neglect)
    Quiero meterme en lo más hondo        (I want to be swallowed up by the ground)
    De la tierra
    Quiero la paz después            (I want peace afterward)
    Quiero la guerra                (I want war)
    Me siento sin valor paralizado        (I feel robbed of valor and paralyzed)
    Tan solo quiero acariciar tus manos        (I merely want to caress your hands)
    È inu...tile che chiami                (It’s use…less for you to call)
    A cosa servono le mani            (What are hands for?)
    Per caso le ho sgranchite             (By chance I stretched them)
    e già le rimuovono un po'            (and removed them a bit)
    Due farfalle di nuovo ho            (Two butterflies again I have)
    Voglio uscire stasera                 (I want to go out)    
    che sia primavera o no            (Whether or not it’s Spring)
    Y no..y si te llamo                (And no…and if I call)
    De qué me sirven estas manos?        (What use are these hands?)
    Aprieto fuertemente                (I grip them firmly)
    Ya se quieren mover                (They already want to move)
    Mariposas de nuevo son            (Once again, they’re butterflies)
    Quiero hacerlas que vuelen            (I want to force them to fly)
    A así aprender amor                (And, that way, learn of love)
    E vai col tango delle MANI amico mio ah ah    (And go with the HANDS tango my friend ah ah)
    Appoggia il tuo violino sul leggio        (Place your violin on the music stand)
    Del tuo tumore sa tutta l'orchestra        (The whole orchestra knows about your tumor)
    Dirigi per il tempo che ti resta            (Direct for whatever time you have left) TUMOR??    
    Y toca fuerte cualquier cosa amigo mío    (And play strongly any song, my friend)
    Apoya tu violín al hombro mío        (Support your violin with my shoulder)
    De tu agonía sabe ya la orquesta        (Of your agony, the orchestra already knows)
    Dirige por el tiempo que te resta        (Direct it for what time you have left)
    A che A chi A cosa servono            (For what, For whom, What are they for?)
    Le mani adesso so                (The hands now know)
    A far le corna dire si o no oh            (To make the horns say yes or no oh)
    A pizzicare un dolce un culo pieno        (To pinch a sweet, full ass) -LMAO! 70s Italians were lady killers, weren't they?
    A dare un fiore a dire io ti amo        (To give a flower to say I love you)
    De qué por qué me sirven estas manos?    (Of what, what use are these hands? I don’t know)
    Ya lo sé
    Para sentir el frío aprender            (To feel the coldness and to learn)
    A conservar en ellas tu recuerdo        (To conserve your memories in them)
    Para temblar de miedo si te pierdo        (To tremble from fear if I lose you)
    A che A chi A cosa servono le mani         (For what, For whom, What are hands for)
    se non puoi                    (If you cannot)
    Congiungerle e pregare senza un Dio    (Join them and pray without a God)
    Ci puoi contare quattro cinque sei        (You can count on it four five six)
    E modellare un'altra uguale a lei        (And model another equal to her)
    De qué para qué sirven ya mis manos    (Of what, what is the use of my hands?)
    Si no atino a entrelazarlas y            (If I don't manage to intertwine them and)
    Soñar contigo                    (dream with you)
    Contar del uno al diez                (To count from one to ten)
    Del diez al cero                (From ten to zero)
    O modelar en barro con los dedos        (Or modeling in clay with your fingers)
    A che A chi A cosa servono            (For what, For whom, just what are)
    le mani bimbo mio                 (hands for, my child?)
    Ti spiego anche se son            (I'll explain even if they are)
    bambino anch'io                (Childlike, too)
    Le MANI sono il mondo l' universo        (HANDS are the world, the universe)
    Il tempo ritrovato il tempo perso        (Time regained, and time lost)
     
    Ah ah cosa servono le mani....        (Ah ah what are the hands for…)
    A qué de qué me sirven estas manos    (To what, what use are these hands)
    Hijo mío                    ( my son?)
    Escúchame despacio lo que digo        (Listen carefully to what I’m saying)
    Las manos son el mundo el universo        (The hands are the world, the universe)
    El tiempo del amor, el tiempo muerto…    (The time of love, the time of death…)
    Aaaaaa de que me sirven estas manos…    (Ah what are these hands for…)
    --
    So, basically, I perceive this song to be about a single dad mourning the loss of his wife and trying to explain his grief to his son. 
  2. Thirdly
    It's been a while since my last blog about my special interest Pokémon games. In my last Pokémon-related post I said I'd talk about Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, so I will briefly go over that one before moving on to Pokémon Z-A.
    Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are "ADVENTURES WITH A SANDWICH-LOVING DRAGON MOUNT/BUDDY!"

    This game was also meant for the release of the Switch 2, so the graphic quality had to be reduced. Players complained about the quality of the graphics, brilliant glitches reminiscent of games from much older consoles (which I thought were hilarious and part of the charm until the glitches were patched), and the fact that the red dragon buddy (Koraidon) had a set of wheels he didn't even use, choosing instead to gallop and doggie paddle into the sunset. 

    I had the time of my life playing that game. The game was more open-world than previous Pokémon games, allowing you the freedom to tackle any mission you wanted first (though unlocking the flying ability of the dragon helped expand the freedom even more). The characters they introduced, along with the chosen story arc was decent, for once. Highly entertaining. The whole game was steeped in Spanish hues, and I will never forget to praise the person who decided to name this Pokémon LECHONK:

    Lechonk is, indeed, a chonky (chunky) lechon (lechon meaning "pig" in Spanish). Well, well done, team!
    So, the only personally negative thing I had to say about the Scarlet/Violet games was the lack of enough customizable clothing for the player character. But that's not nearly enough of a reason to not recommend this game to everyone WHOLEHEARTEDLY. 
    That being said, I have ALSO had the time of my life playing Pokémon Z-A. 

    EVERYONE, the FEDORAS are BACK!
    ...along with nigh full customization, and some incredibly stylish clothing, shoes, and accessories!!
    Pokémon Z-A is unique in the series. They shook everything up from combat to controls and general gameplay. In a full-circle moment Pokémon stole a couple of similar mechanics from PalWorld, a game that was heavily inspired by Pokémon Arceus to begin with. But both games are still quite different and entertaining.

    While there are characters I absolutely adore in Pokémon Z-A. *cough* Like my beau, Corbeau. *cough*

    And the absolutely precious Gwynn.
    =
    I felt that the bond of the camaraderie between the main player and key characters felt less "natural" and plot-centered in Z-A than it did in Scarlet/Violet. They made the player feel like they were really in it together emotionally in Scarlet/Violet, where-as in Z-A, it feels less like everyone is on even ground with the main player. They put the player on a pedestal, which wasn't the worst as far games go, but it made me miss how more emotionally valued the main player felt to the NPCs in Scarlet/Violet. The player is still highly valued in Z-A but not as emotionally charged. 
    All of that aside, Pokémon Z-A exceeded my expectations, which were low due to my sheer enjoyment of Scarlet/Violet.
    Both games are equally entertaining and delight your inner child (or inner teen/young adult in the case of Z-A?).
  3. Thirdly

    The Hunt for the Missing Pokemon

    By Thirdly,


    Pokemon
    Room Excavation: The Hunt for the Missing Pokemon
    So, this all began when the new downloadable content/extension pack for Pokemon Scarlet/Violet was about to release. I thought to myself "My Pokemon Home (the app that holds all the Pokemon I've collected for at least a decade) is not up to date and organized. I can bide my time organizing it."

    The "organizing/clean-up" that I thought would span only about 2 hours at the most ended up taking days. The more I dug into each pokemon entry, the more I realized oddities...fake generated pokemon that were traded to me were the biggest concern. But, I even learned that Pokerus (a virus) was a real thing and some of my boxes were infected with it (but I left those pokemon alone, as they all still had me listed as their Original Trainer). After a "purge" of sorts, I came to realize that I was missing pokemon I knew I had in other games. In particular, a shiny Petilil:

    This Petilil was one that I had randomly bred in the games Pokemon X/Y while seeking a specific Petilil Nature and it hatched with blue eyes instead of the customary red. When it comes to my Pokemon game cartridges, I've collected so many of them that I stored them in their own separate case. But, that case was nowhere to be found. I did find the original game that once held it, though, but the Petilil was not physically there. All that the Pokedex entry could provide me with was proof that the little thing really existed.
    After some deliberation, I figured that perhaps I had transferred the Petilil to the games that followed...either in the hopes of using her on my team or to just ensure that she could be transferable to future game entries. But, which games would those be? There was but one answer: Pokemon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire!
    Looking at my Pokemon Home app, I realized that i had the main legendary, but none of the post-game ones. This led me to believe that I was in the middle of post-game shenanigans, but I hadn't completed it. The entries after the segment were stuffed full of Ultra Sun/Moon pokemon, instead.  Could I have been so distracted by the release of Pokemon Sun/Moon that I had forgotten to complete Omega Ruby? 

    OF COURSE I BECAME DISTRACTED! 
    A second inspection of the Pokemon Home Pokedex revealed that there was no trace of the shiny Petilil ever existing...that means that the shiny Petilil, along with several other Omega Ruby post-game Pokemon must still be trapped in the cartridge! 

    That was when I began excavating my room from one corner to the next trying to find that old Omega Ruby cartridge that held the game file for these missing Pokemon. I'm at 75% and still no luck. I checked with friends and family to see if I had loaned them my game case, but they do not have it. This week I'll attempt to search the last 25%. 
    Wish me luck.

     
  4. Thirdly

    Work Rant

    By Thirdly,


    Ranting
    This is less a blog than a straight up rant.
    As many here on GA, I've been struggling finding my place in the world while trying not to be a complete asshole to everyone around me. 
    I've heard about a few methods of madness from life coaches, inspirational speakers, and psychologists about the importance of gratitude...of being grateful for what you currently have. I've also noticed that the more upset I am, the less I focus on feeling grateful. For example:
    Yesterday, I was called out and shamed in front of my boss by a frazzled co-worker overwhelmed with work after having returned from vacation for a week (which I helped cover for her). My embarrassment was greater than indignant anger all day long. I thought "Why would she think I have not been trying to help her? Am I not doing enough?" So, I did my best to "fix" her concerns and tried to mitigate things that way. 
    Girl was still stewing in anger hours later. I don't know if she was listening to my suggestions on how to try to get ahead of the work or if she was too busy wallowing in "I'm the only person that does any work around here." 
    And then our boss, which was right there, didn't even bother to pacify her or defend me, having seen me covering for that coworker all week on top of my own duties. It was just the definition of toxic, and wholly unnecessary. All of it could have been resolved with one follow up email asking for an update on the tasks (which I could prove I had done twice over). Considering it was also during the week that we lost 3 staff members (not just one), I prioritized more important things. 
    I did feel some anger long after the fact, on my commute back home. I understood where all the stress was coming from and how overwhelmed both my coworker and boss are and have been. But they are not the only members of the department. Antagonizing me is not to their benefit whatsoever, they will be down yet another team member. Then, she had the audacity to say the words "stay until five to get the work done" when she shows up 2 hours late in the day most days?  I get a good chunk of my work done before 9am when I can start making some calls (most places aren't even open until 9am).  
    I've been trying to teach myself how to feel and let go things in the moment rather than let them continue to roll out of hand or to bottle them up. I think I've been doing relatively okay with feelings like despair and sadness. I am still working on figuring out how to manage anger. But to know that embarrassment and shame are stronger than anger or sadness for me is shocking.  
    And then I behaved like my people pleasing self, stopping whatever tasks I was working on to "fix" whatever loose ends they were talking about. Despite knowing that the tasks I was working on were more important. It's like I betrayed myself? 
    But then I think, even if I was prepared with a way to defend myself and showed all of the paper receipts I had (because I did do what was asked, twice), it would not have been enough. The results would have still been the same. I'd have been gaslighted, manipulated, and ignored just the same. 
    I keep forgetting it's not your skills and expertise that promote you in the US, it's who you know and who has your back. Corporate games are always rigged against the low income, non-white. How you present yourself is always more important than your education and talent. 
    There isn't a day I didn't wish I had a best friend or family member in Canada I could move in with. 
     
     
  5. Thirdly
    Pokemon: Into the Woods…I mean, Pokemon Legends: Arceus

     
    I am a moderate gamer. Not a closeted one, I’ve nothing to hide…but a moderate one. Why? Because after the age of 25, my time has been sucked up by either full-time work, college, or both. So, you are forced to be picky and to choose where you want to spend those gaming hours on.
    I am quite grateful to youtube gamers for providing their own fun clips and enjoyment of just about every game you can think of, because on the days that you really don’t have the time or skills to get past rough game patches, you can at least see them play it out. Or, if you’re tired of the game altogether, spoil yourself by skipping about to see what happens with someone else’s gameplay videos.
    I am also lucky to have friends and family with different tastes in games. Some who prefer the laid back Animal Crossing type games, others that are all about action and adventure…rarely do all five of us agree on truly enjoying the same game on the same level…until now.

    Yes, 15 year old girl, ride like the wind on that wyrdeer!
    Now, I am an old-as-dirt pokemon gamer. I played the original red/blue games on a Nintendo gameboy after my cousins were through with them. I then went into a long lull of not playing any pokemon games until my nephew forced me to play Pokemon X/Y…the gameplay and graphics had changed to the point of being able to customize your character to your liking. My girl had a fedora and suit…as if she had come off the set from Michael Jackson’s Smooth Criminal music video. (I actually own a blue fedora because of that outfit)

    Having once again found the joy of pokemon games, I went back and played them all…Platinum, Black/White, the revamped Sapphire and Ruby…all of the remakes…and I learned the region I loved the most (Sinnoh, ironically the one we’re in right now in Arceus, only it’s 3D and glorious now instead of pixelated and overpopulated with modern day buildings and structures).

    My ultimate favorites, even up to the Sword/Shield age, were the Hawaiian themed Pokemon Sun/Moon…mostly because we could do this:

    However, despite how they changed things up from game to game, the gameplay was still mostly the same:
    You, a 10 year old child, obtain an uncommon pokemon and leave the comfort of your home and your mother to become the Pokemon Champion, having defeated other pokemon trainers, professionals, and the extreme elite for the title.

    Gamefreak and the team behind Pokemon Arceus have finally raised the stakes…and the AGE. Thus far (I refuse to watch gameplays to not be spoiled on this one), this game seems more like:
    You, a 15 year old teenager glued to your cellphone, encounter GOD (I am so not joking…and, ok, it’s the God Pokemon not the human God…), who FORCES you into another world where you are completely cut off from your home and loved ones and have to FIGHT EVERYTHING THAT COMES AT YOU TO SURVIVE. Good luck trying to get back home, you little loser, cause Arceus isn’t letting you go back until you have fulfilled the mission it has for you.
    I love this game, and I’ve only played it for some 8 hours. I’ve never been scared of Pokemon before. But, in Pokemon Legends: Arceus…

    The speed of that enraged Snorlax can never be unseen.

     
    MichiTheThird
    January 31st, 2022
     
    Edit: I had written this around this time last year and figured that before I write one on Scarlet and Violet Shennanigans, I'd share my thoughts on Arceus fist. 
  6. Thirdly
    Now, I generally highly avoid talk of politics, racism, or religion...
     
    HOWEVER...
     
    Let's be real here. China and India have MORE than 1 billion people each in their respective countries, dwarfing just about all other countries.
     
    English is third,  Spanish is second in languages spoken worldwide, and Chinese is FIRST. 
     
    In the US, Caucasians are becoming the minority. They are being vastly outnumbered by those of Hispanic and African lineage. 
     
    WHY is that such a scary thing when most of the children are mixed anyway? When we ALL are technically mixed down the line, anyway???
     
    If we weren't, we would all have quite the medical and mental conditions, wouldn't we? I mean, inbreeding's always been a great risk.
     
    I just feel so disheartened having worked in this kind of environment for so long. 
     
    God doesn't see race, politics, or wealth. 
     
    I grow weary of hypocrites that preach unity when they're the ones in perpetual fear.
     
    Yes, the church provides great help to the community.
     
    They reach out to the poor, they feed the hungry.
     
    But, those in charge are also great cowards.
     
    I will do my best for my community for this, my final year here.
     
    After that, I seriously have to consider if my Faith and core beliefs are worth putting on a facade of support. 
     
    ...and find out just how jaded I am at this point. 
     
     
  7. Thirdly
    Felipe Neto and His Sage Advice
     
    In the midst of some stressful situations, I came across a stand up comedy by a Brazilian Youtuber, Felipe Neto (though it was thankfully subtitled in English). I sometimes watch stand up comedians because their anecdotes remind me that we all go through some crazy shit in life regardless of our backgrounds. 
     
    Now, Neto is a goof. Some of jokes were more easily grasped culturally by his fellow Brazilians than others, but I chuckled at most of his deliveries. Then, he veered off into different subjects that he was passionate about and delivered his anecdotes in a TED-talk fashion. 
     
    I wanted to share some of what he spoke about:
     
    There is only one real self-help advice that really changes your life...
     
    Uncover what your fears are.
    Face your damn fears.
     
    The fear I'm talking about is the following: 
     
    Think about who you would like to be... 
    Where you would like to get... 
    Your goal, your dream. 
    That dream that is so deep inside of you that you even avoid commenting about it with others because, only speaking of it, it seems like you are trying to accomplish it and you don't want to fail.
    THAT dream.
     
    Why are the vast majority of people not on the path that leads them to that dream?
    I guarantee that there was a fear in their path which the person decided not to face and, instead, chose an easier route. 
     
    Find out what that fear is.
    Face it.
    Give your best attempt!
     
    Life gives us a way out.
    Inside each of us is a big red button that only we can press.
    That's the "Fuck it!" button. 
     
    And the moment that you face that fear and are defeated by it...press the red "Fuck it" button and try again!
     
    If there's one thing I want you to leave with, and take with you for the rest of your lives, it's a question.
    A question I want you to ask yourself forever.
    When you lay your head on your pillow, remember me, and this question:
     
    "What am I doing to conquer my fears?"
     
    -Felipe Neto, from My Life Makes No Sense
     
     
     
  8. Thirdly

    Gratitude

    By Thirdly,

    I was invited to this site by @Rambling Robin a few years ago. I didn't even know that such a forum existed and the rich diversity of authors it contained. Though we are not on the same page for everything in life (as few people are, regardless), both Robin and I realized that we wrote as therapy and as a means to entertain ourselves and to take breaks between our hectic work, university, and home lives. I am grateful that though we butted heads on many occasions, especially in our early beginnings,  Robin never cast aside our friendship and we were able to compromise until the point we've reached today. We are now inseparable sisters-in-arms and I look forward to not only our own future collaborations, but also her other collaborations (Maddam Redder also writes amazing work) and her own personal works (Prophylaxis, Catching Tavo, Saving Ezra, Feeling Lucky, and all the ones that she's been itching to write but hasn't had the time to yet). 
     
    I am also grateful to each and every author/member on this site...those that have steered us in the right directions in regards to the website and postings, those that have enjoyed our silly collaborations and my own silly tales, those that post regularly in the different forums (including games!), and last but certainly not least, those that have shared their own amazing stories and written work. I know that I haven't even begun to scratch the surface of all the amazing stories that are on this site. But, I am eager to read more (especially when my life settles back down to one job, that will be amazing)! I'm not going to name any names, because it would quite literally take up this entire blog post. But, I refer to every person I've ever interacted with. 
     
    I sincerely thank everyone for the warm welcoming, the patience, and thoughts...which are as richly diverse as we all are. 💜
     
    - Thirdly
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