My Chemical Romance's Prelude to The End

Go Down.

This takes me back. And comes full circle. The highlight on how few rules there are is interesting. And the emphasis on not hurting(/harming) yourself is important. This somber realm will always be a cherished part of me. And it's like someone dear said: don't forget who actually got you (and would have).

Note: This type of art was a peculiar treat.

What Is Sitting On Your Shoulder?

Do not panic, do not even worry, just reflect. You are not your thoughts, you are not your feelings, you are not even your actions. Things are more complicated than they are simple. And that may be somebody or something else.

There are countless ways in which you may be ‘taken over’ and made to behave ‘out of character’. Typically, when it is too off to ignore, you will recognize that, whatever that was, it was not you. However, it can still occur in much, much, much more subtle ways that elude your radar and blend within your notion of who you are in being and doing.

If you pay close attention, you can begin to identify when something comes from something that can be separated from you.

Cognitively, it is merely how you roll. When it comes from early and/or ongoing programming, from coping and/or defense mechanisms, from malfunctions due to wounds and/or illnesses. When it comes from the ego, or when it comes from the soul.

Optimally, it may be a feature. Perhaps you are extremely empathetic and intuitive, could be called ‘Psychic’, and automatically get in other people’s shoes, able to perceive and interpret matters and issues from their points of view and through the lens of their limitations and distortions (or freedom and clarity). So you have more states, perspectives, and opinions to weigh in.

Concerningly, it might also be creepier than that. Maybe you are ‘hearing the voices’ of people who significantly impacted you and/or have a hold on you, whether still alive or already “dead”, whether these are individuals or a collective. As we say, they got ‘under your skin’. For better or for worse.

Furthermore, possibly out of this world. It can be argued that ghosts roam around and that those who have passed can still watch over you. It can also be argued that angels and demons exist, along with gods and devils. It can, as well, be argued that aliens are already here and we’re their playthings. And all of these beings can whisper, nudge, and possess us at will. And we make it easier for them via what we humor and entertain. That is only fiction, though, right?

Nevertheless, it would seem that it is true, in a sense, that we, too, have free will. So while we aren’t always able to escape this or even realize it is happening, we can still often note when something is passing through that is not necessarily us. Potentially pause or stop before it sways or carries us too far, if not course-correct after the fact.

We are most vulnerable when our self-awareness and self-governance are lacking. When we ‘go through the motions’ without question or direction, but it can happen to anyone at any point. You may assume that you are proceeding as usual or as intended, yet something else snuck in. Next thing you know, you were an instrument for good or for bad, to your benefit or to your detriment, in assistance or in sabotage. And it is SO ODD because it was all SO NATURAL. That is exactly how it gets you: adhering to the illusion of realism.

Scary stuff. Especially if you are somehow a person of power, wealth, and influence. Your relevance is likely to make you more of either or both a target and a threat (or it is the other way around - it is how you became relevant).

In any case, watch out some?

Threads, It Is The Best We Currently Have.

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: Get. On. Threads.

Look, I don’t like Mark Zuckerberg or Meta either, but if you’re already on Instagram, what’s the excuse to not switch to, or also post on, Threads? And what are you doing only on X still? Help your audience be able to hear you!

Threads may be phony because of its owners but, at least at the moment, it is the place that is most suited to us readers who mainly wish to keep up with what is happening. For me, personally, it is as if it is especially tailored and adjusted to suit my particular preferences (if you know what I mean).

I mean, you can have:
- Numerous panels visible at once.
- Those panels as feeds you curate.
- A customizable ‘For You’ algorithmic panel.
- Straightforward, little-to-no-fluff type of posts.
- Articulate, dive-deeper type of posts.

- Chronological order.
And so on.

This sort of interface is less likely to worsen your brain if you use it in your favor. The rest are akin to sugary candy overloads that mess with your energy and attention significantly more.

If you will not make posts specifically for it, at least get into the habit of duplicating your posts to drop them there too. Or shamelessly and without guilt share links, added context optional. There are vanishing posts there as well, if you'd rather they don't linger forever, so that's another feature to use. Otherwise, a lot of us will miss you.

I’m not leading by example in this case, because of reasons, but this is me speaking as a follower!
And until a better platform comes along, Threads is the one.

My Setup, in case you're looking for ideas:
For You / What's Up? / Artists / Politicians / Journalists / Positivity

Miley's Used To Be Young

I have played and replayed this an embarrassing number of times and I’m still not tired of it! I love it so much. It is so soothing and refreshing. And it heals parts of me I didn’t even realize were wounded or ill.

I especially love how “minimalist” it is. You’d assume that you’d be bored by a lack of stimulation, but everything in it comes together in such a peculiar way that you’d want to stop and marvel at the matches and “mismatches” it brings with it. And how very human this angle and focus result in.

Miley is outstanding at portraying what I’ve yet to find a suitable name for. But within her wide range of works, I can for sure say that many of her pieces are ‘lifelong’ favorites!

The Artist's RPG / Characters (Valkyries)

Y’all, this is something that came to me a few days ago. I went from wanting to post it that same day, to choosing to postpone it to the end of the year, to deciding it should be brought up today. I previously hadn’t added the gray one, but now it’s on!

These are the Valkyries. Within The Artist’s RPG, they inhabit and rule over different continents outside of the world where souls go to incarnate and reincarnate for spiritual awakening, revelation, and transformation. A.R.T. They govern sections of the so-called Paradise, where many of these souls get to go for an undetermined amount of time. Yet, they are also on duty to interfere and help out when things get too rough or dire, between what may be SolarPunk vs. CyberPunk battles. Or simply any other day.

These Characters… let’s just say they came to and from me. Two of them come across to me as a Higher Self and an Inner Child, while the other two come across as Adaptive and Aspirational (if you know what I mean). Then, the remaining one, well, you can tell who/what it is. Extensive lore to be made scripture…

First and foremost, it is of extreme importance and an absolute requirement for them all to have ‘Wings’. And not just any lousy kind. How else would they be able to handle the responsibilities bestowed upon them? This is not up for debate. That much power cannot go to individuals who are not even capable of devoting themselves to growing wings. This is a standard that applies to Valkyries as to others awaiting or moving toward positions of extraordinary power. (I will elaborate more in the future on what each wing represents, though some of you already have some idea.)

Secondly, are they compatible with what they are there to do? I’m not in the business of trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. What is the point of putting all this together if it all breaks apart? Be for real. So, besides the qualities and traits that their jobs demand, can they be counted on and relied on to properly deliver? The answer should be a firm Yes.

Certainly, they won’t be working alone. And Eternity seems too long a period. However, this is what we’re starting with.

I Still Miss You

 

I don’t know what to say on such a day, in a life like this, with the way everything goes. So I’ll just be candid rather than attempt any kind of inspirational speech.

I have not ceased to cherish my time, brief as it may have been, with my family. Those I’ve called my main caregivers. They were gone too soon and calling what resulted from that ‘ironic’ would be the understatement of the millennium. I pondered for years and years why it had to be so. And the answers I’ve come to find are far from pleasant. Yet, that is what I was dealt. And I can only try to accept it.

If they could really watch over me right now, I bet they would be unspeakably angry and sad. I’d rather they wouldn't. I’ll keep deriving strength and more from my moments with them, as I continue to be grateful that, in the chaos of all cause and consequence, mine was a blip in history that allowed me to have that much. To grow up surrounded by such unbelievably loving people. And I wish that, if I eventually make it to heaven, I’ll get to see them again and catch up over tea or coffee. Maybe even their friends will join us. That would be nice.

I still hit lows in which the only consolation I have that works is recalling their existence. But I’d be lying if I said I am alone. Yes, I can still miss them terribly. They are irreplaceable. However, this orphan was, nonetheless, given a remarkable family down the line. And amidst all the injustice we face, I can hold on to and treasure that.

Grandmother Herminia, Uncle Alejandro, and Uncle Rafael, as well as the unforgettable Altagracia (a.k.a. Taty). That dear friend we'd often visit and spend hours with, talking about everything, who was also trusted and relied on as our family's lawyer, and fondly remembered as someone who always looked out for our best interests. May you rest in Peace. Undisturbed. How I’ve come to know you.

I will recreate our #30 home.

Thanksgiving Month

November, be cozy…
You’re rich when you’re blessed.

Tape: 13 Radio Ghosts

I put together a tape named 13 Radio Ghosts! It’s a playlist containing a kinda spooky mix of popular melodies that linger. I went and added a variety of pieces from some of my favorite artists that have that ‘haunting’ quality. If you’d like to tune into music that is not absolutely horrifying but still suspenseful (and maybe magical too), this is for you.

I couldn’t include everyone and everything I wanted to; there are certainly many more hits that fit the theme. But it’s a start. And, parting from this, you can probably recall what and who else is missing!

This almost didn’t happen.

An Ed Sheeran song came up,

and the rest is and will be history…

▶ 13 Radio Ghosts

Ke$ha's Backstabber

Who enjoys having a backstabber in their circle? Certainly not me! And that’s only one of the many reasons why I could absolutely roll with this banger.

To me, personally, it was as if this song and its music video were an answered prayer. I’d been enjoying Ke$ha’s work since way back and was quite dejected when I was left hanging for a sequel to Jem & The Holograms, where she’d play as one of The Misfits. So seeing her now, full of glitter and glamour, rocking out to badass lyrics, being sensationally edgy, is a wish come true.

These 80’s moods and vibes do something to me that I cannot explain. And I just love it so freaking much. The hairstyling, the makeup, the outfits, and the whole scene...

Did You Take a Look at That?

One of my favorite aspects of having the capacity to engage in reflection any other day is finding out that there is more in you than you knew. Maybe you were given valuable experiences or enough proximity to witness and/or study them. And while they may have affected and moved you in the moment, you haven't quite yet internalized them and made them a part of YOU. So you can examine them now. You get a say in what stays and what goes. Alternatively, perhaps they were already made a part of you, yet disintegrated and faded over time, too. So you get to decide again whether or not they will join you again. It is ownership over what makes up your life.

And speaking of what makes up your life, you could also regularly set aside time to take a look at it. The whole of it. Acknowledge it for what it is. And be at greater ease moving forward...