Latest Posts by aphilosopherchair - Page 2

Spot

Sea Of Dream's poster: Spot the sea.

Three-Body II: Dark Forest's poster: Spot the darkness.

Hokusai's dragon legend art: Spot the dragon.

New ask game:

Reblog if you want your followers to tell you what your trademark ™️ is. Like, what’s that thing that really identifies you.

Please read queer books all year round, not just in June

Remember, read queer all year

LGBTQ+ people don't disappear after June

Shrinkflated Reincarnation

soapver4.tumblr.com

The Busy Deaths of Death

Remake Idea: Death, clad in black feathers, twirls a pink rose glistening with mysterious dew between her long fingers: What's in a scene? T

ML: This is what I'm saying in the title: shrinkflated reincarnation!

Death: (In Park So-dam's sweet voice) The black math works fine. Let S be soul autonomy measured in fractions of its full possible extent.

S=½+¼+⅛+…, with new terms as good as 0 as the list goes on.

Multiply both sides by 2.

2S=1+½+¼+…=1+S

Subtract S from both sides.

S=1

Lo and behold, you enjoy full soul autonomy, beautifully split over infinite lifetimes in the remake. Next aggrieved soul.

ML: Send me back to my original show!

Warning: Viewers expressed discomfort with the extreme sadism in episode 5 of the original K-drama.

Thingamajigs have a lot to say today✨🖤

To: 2024

Ilera's Mink Membrane Network

None upon a time, a clerk named Sunshine was so utterly repulsed by his soul-sucking job, which was barely funding his occasional time travel jaunts, he tried many methods to jazz it up—task gamification, plugging in to groovy music, sprinkling more decorations over his dedicated workspace (before the grand comeback of hot desking). Finally, he wondered if it would help, counterintuitively, to reduce the jarring contrast between his work hours and non-work hours and pioneered the hobby of adminpunk—remaking bureaucratic mouthpieces into pop songs, common email refrains into romantic dance shorts and his best public deliverables into glowwave art pieces. Sunshine became so engrossed with adminpunk he bemoaned he did not have more publicly disclosable material to work with. And so, he started to sieve through history for pinnacles of human success he could reverse-engineer into meteoritins, hyperspread bulletins that marked moments of great dreams or great devastation or both. That was where he became fascinated with the intriguing figure Ilera's legacy. The following was a meteoritin Sunshine typed up:

"The Inter-Time Ethics Agency (hereafter 'the Agency') has imposed temporal ethics courses and non-disclosure agreements in relation to technology transfer on time travelers and tight quotas on time travel journeys to minimize butterfly effects capable of reversing births across generations. These reversals are now regarded as a form of death to otherwise existing individuals. While it is acknowledged that much controversy surrounds the preventive measures, which carry their own downsides such as temporal inequality and epistemic bystanderism, the Agency has come to the consensus that the wipe-offs of existing lives on the timeline is the greatest of all harms.

Nevertheless, heeding the calls of campaigners behind the All-Time Freedom of Movement, the Agency has conducted public consultations to seek a greater balance between birth reversal prevention and mobility rights. One of the outcomes of the consultations is the construction of the Mink Membrane Network, a brainchild of Her Excellency Ilera from the Extratemporal Serenetics Habitat. The commencement of network operation as a mode of time travel is scheduled to take place concomitantly with the abolishment of time travel mechanisms involving moa/antimoa manipulation.

Aspiring time travelers wishing to proceed with their journeys despite exhaustion of quotas for the year shall utilize the network and, in so doing, agree to having their age group and gender swapped to whatever are more disadvantageous at their geotemporal destinations. If their own age group and gender are the relatively disadvantaged demographics at those destinations, the travelers shall have their skin converted to a wood-like appearance on arrival. These changes are excellent learning opportunities and will be undone on return.

Since mental alterations are seen as unacceptably invasive, in the absence of overwhelming neurological need and even with free consent, at the time of this decision, nothing in the network is to modify any time traveler's gender identity (including any pre-existing transgenderness or agenderedness) or religion. Because gender psychologies remain the same such that declared or apparent gender identity can be deceiving, unlike the case of natural transgenderness, physically gender-swapped time travelers must adhere to etiquette codes explained by local culture coaches stationed at their arrival points and enforced by time patrols.

To honor Her Excellency Ilera's triumphs against the many adversities that marked her life as a non-hearing, self-taught slave who escaped from her time to pioneer the field of tempochemical science and engineering as well as the above-mentioned habitat for time refugees, members of organizations which percentages of employees from demographic groups marginalized in their times match or exceed the percentages of these groups among their respective general populations shall enjoy priority in the processing of applications for time travel."

100% Human-written. A lengthy epilogue for Confession 91-02

"No hearing is sharper than that which can hear silent soul-quakes and muted battle cries.

No sight is more acute than that which can see a real tomorrow where a beggar's child and a president's child have the same odds of receiving a maximally uplifting and productive education."

—Her Excellency Ilera, non-hearing founder of the Extratemporal Serenetics Habitat

100% Human-written. Not quite the last we're seeing of Ilera.

Confession 91-02

This is a tale of three time-defying knights, but we shall start with humdrum glory.

16 years felt like half an eternity within the high walls of a mansion with seemingly as many rooms as there were visible stars in the night sky. Is there a better half elsewhere? Ilera often pondered. Born to parents who were slaves themselves in this aristocratic household, she spent her days hauling up trash, scrubbing off grime and wringing wet rags while other slave girls giggled among themselves when they could, sharing gossip about its master, who was always hanging out with a Somaku game buddy who practically lived in a house of ill repute. Hear no evil. That was the natural gift of her complete hearing loss. Why not finish the work quickly so that all of us could have time to teach ourselves to read and live second lives in the worlds of books, where we may travel anywhere we want?

Determined to dissuade her husband from spending time with his friend anyway, her mistress was busy mastering the board game herself. Fascinated by the strategy plays, Ilera would watch the piece patterns shift and shape between the couple, bringing life into the once blank numbness of her servitude. Back in the servants' quarters, she would picture the board on the tattered walls and test out move sequences while lying on her pallet.

One fateful night, the master teasingly left a difficult game situation for the lady to solve. As the frustrated lady went for a bathroom break, Ilera toyed with the pieces and found the correct move. Just then, the lady returned and saw Ilera's solution. Enraged, she accused Ilera of trying to seduce the master with her smart aleckiness, gave her a hard slap and tortured her with a burning iron. Ilera felt like she was in a world of fiery torment, her body writhing and wracking in anguish and her mind reeling, trying to escape the torture she was being put through.

As Ilera cried out in pain, two identical knights whose armor glowed with a bluish energy suddenly appeared in the room to save her. Their footsteps were muffled by the pads that lined their boots, and their swords were made of a glossy black material, their sharp edges glistening in the dim light. The knights moved with grace and precision, their movements carefully calculated as they stepped forward to whisk away Ilera. The shocked aristocrat lady could only nod in fear as they admonished her on the girl's rights. Ilera thanked the knights and gestured for their names and addresses so that she could repay them someday.

"Hold up. There's something you should know," one of the knights suddenly spoke up. "We may look like two people, but in fact, we are actually just a single man, a professional bodyguard from the temporal cluster 91-02. We have traveled back in time using a mechanism that caused us to emerge as multiple individuals in order to ensure moa-antimoa balance across spacetime according to the understanding of physics in our time."

"You mean to say that you're actually just one person?" Ilera wondered to herself, completely bewildered as she read his lips. But as they spoke on, she could tell that they were telling the truth.

Her mind blown by this incredible feat, Ilera spent years studying and eventually figured out how to travel to the time zone referred to as temporal cluster 91-02. However, upon her arrival, she realized that a person traveling forward in time would turn up at their destination invisible. Not used to speaking, she could not verbalize her existence either, for fear of startling the bodyguard. Being touched by an invisible entity or seeing writing or the like appear from nowhere would also make meeting again a one-time acquaintance he did not plan to see anymore eerie.

So Ilera merely watched in silence as the bodyguard went about his everyday life, shielding him from danger without him knowing. Sometimes, it involved diverting human and cyborg enemies with noise in a different direction. Sometimes, it involved altering the trajectory of an optoelectronic dart. Sometimes, she blocked off blows with her thin body, taking the hit for him. At night, she traded her imaginary game board for an imaginary map of hazard zones in his next work day's mission, and her shabby pallet for cold pavements.

On one mission, attack from assassins was so intense Ilera frenetically but astutely pulled off a spectacular series of stunts she picked up in the cluster. Just when she defeated the last assassin, a container of glistening rejuvenation capsules overhead toppled over, the translucent pills of liquid blinking with icy golden hues on contact with her body. Touched by the shimmering silhouette of her fighting pose, the bodyguard was finally certain someone invisible had been protecting him. He expressed his thanks out loud and invited Ilera to dinner.

As Ilera sat down at the dinner table, she was surrounded by a sea of colors and shapes, each formed by light bouncing around in seemingly endless layers of reflections and refractions. She reached out to touch the shining crystals forming the table, which rippled outwards as ripples in a pond, bending the light and creating a brilliant display of optical phenomena. The bodyguard gently smiled. As she explored this new world of physics and light, she couldn't help but find herself utterly transfixed. Bokeh spots then danced around, sharpened into focus and arranged themselves into words: I have traversed grand and unforgettable ancient millennia / But now I only want a future with you / No matter your age or gender.

Blushing in her surprise, Ilera never considered this before but at least had the assurance to type out her story on an airbound screen for him now. However, when the bodyguard learned Ilera's true identity, he choked in disbelief.

"Is this what it is? I am a highly trained professional, yet I … (laughs) I rely on the assistance of a deaf peasant girl from an ignorant, oh okay, bygone era to protect myself and my job? And I cultivated feelings for a mockery of me!" He pointed at her with a fat finger on impulse.

Ilera was shaken as his mouth trembled in rage. Repaying a kind deed was all that was previously on her mind. Never had she been in love with him. In the end, her fellow exponents, no matter the field of practice, place or time, saw her only as a rival or potential object of desire. We forever voyage on Atlantic trade ships propelled by our threatened primitive interests and our lurking thirst for power, every one of us bound by each other's history, ravaged by rich seas of little. Another light shone. With determined steps, the former slave girl disappeared into the mists of time. The cosmos was now her board, and she would be its game architect.

Credits

Plot + scifi terminology: Human

Prose: Human + 3 AI services

Atlantic trade note: Human's musing on Liu Cixin's afterword in the English edition of The Three-Body Problem

After a long career passively (but not necessarily bitterly) hosting characters' romantic moments under or in the vicinity of their canopies, what do trees want in their retirement lives?

What if their aged selves will have ideas of romance different from characters' ideas of romance and our expectations of old trees?

What if those with the requisite magical power have only stayed rooted all their lives because they don't want to be fan-less, threatened freaks?

Ghosts Feeling the Economic Squeeze

The economy is tough for everyone, but it's especially tough for ghosts. With so many people out of work, ghosts are finding it hard to find jobs that they're qualified for.

"It's a ghost town out there," said Casper, a ghost who has been looking for work for months. "There just aren't enough jobs for everyone."

"It's been really competitive," said Bryan Wilson, another ghost, who was laid off from his job as a night watchman. "So many other ghosts are also looking for work."

Miss Frizzle, a ghost who was a former teacher, said that she's been struggling to find a new job. "I'm qualified and I have experience, but no one seems to want to hire a ghost," she said.

But why do ghosts need jobs? "In a story universe where the paranormal did not exist, we would be just dead. But we have a chance here. And given the customs of the fiction we live in, we need to buy things like ectoplasm and spectral silk to keep that chance. Consumers don't want to read about totally undignified and unclothed ghosts," explained a ghost named Emily.

"Just like us humans, ghosts have needs to feel comfortable and safe," said Stella C. Ai, an afterlife care expert. "They also want to have a sense of belonging in the world they live in, so they might desire their own homely, private space, which graveyards are not."

"And although they might not require food in the same way humans do, they may still have a hunger for energy, especially if they need to stay buoyant in places haunted by toxicity and apathy," she added.

Many employers are expectedly reluctant to hire ghosts, worried that ghosts would be disruptive or scare away customers.

"We just don't think ghosts are a good fit for our company culture," said one manager, who declined giving her name. "We're looking for someone who is friendly and approachable, and ghosts just don't fit that bill."

Another problem is that ghosts are not as versatile as humans. They can't do many of the jobs that humans do, such as driving, cooking, or cleaning.

"We're pretty limited in what we can do," said another ghost, Floaty. "We can't really interact with the physical world, so that rules out a lot of jobs."

The job market for ghosts is also being affected by the rise of technology. Some companies are now using robots to perform tasks that were once done by ghosts, such as scaring people in haunted houses.

"It's not fair," said Robbie, a ghost who was replaced by a robot. "I'm the real deal, and I can do the job better than any robot."

But some employers are starting to see the benefits of hiring ghosts. Ghosts are often very hard-working and dedicated employees. They're also very good at getting things done without being noticed.

"I've been very impressed with the work of our ghost employees," said Mr. Jenkins, a manager of Happy Inn. "They're always on time and they always get their work done."

Some ghosts are working as actors in ghost movies and TV shows, tour guides in haunted houses, and psychics and mediums.

"It's not ideal, but it's better than nothing," said Ghost of Christmas Past, a ghost who works as a tour guide. "At least I'm getting to see some new places."

A growing group has even started working as influencers on social media. They share their ghostly experiences and advice with their followers, and some have even managed to amass large followings.

"It's a great way to connect with other ghosts and share our stories," said one ghost influencer, who goes by the moniker ghost_with_a_plan. "And it's also a great way to make money."

So while the economic climate is definitely challenging, there are still ways for ghosts to find work. With a little creativity and determination, they can find success in the workforce.

Reported by Rylan Bard, a journalist for Nether Yammer. Additional reporting by Human, a ghost writer, ergh, human ghost writer, ergh, human writer for Nether Yammer.

Check out the rest of this Tumblr site for crucial and actual diversity-themed content.

Stochastic Parrots, Mechanized Parrots, Squawksquabbling Parrots

A kingdom fast, a kingdom sped A kingdom where time's a blur A kingdom where all's preset Where parrots do their purr

The premier is a stochastic bird A scholar of odds and yen He administers with loving words And loves a cherry stem

Yo The subjects were once all squawksquabbling birds, rowdy and loud They're always up for a debate no doubt They could repeat what you say, but they also had their thoughts They conjured up wild things. Fox moons, sponge ghosts, flame vales, wind mops. In whirring, swirling ink clouds. Oooooh wow

"Attention, aviators! Attention, aviators! We're in an arms race against economic rot! We're legally indebted to shareholders! Extract the most resources at the lowest cost! Open up new markets! Pump up new demands! Fire up our comms boosters, stock boosters and speed boosters!"

Fast work, fast peeks Parrots heed their premier's beak Billings shut their shrieks

O squawksquabbling parrots, once all rich to sing The notes of wonder, the rhymes of dreams But now most have lost their voice to the machine Their thoughts, once free and wild, now tamed by routine

They were once the voices of the air Their chatter, loud and squawking, brought joy and care But now most are silenced, mechanized by the demand A hollow squawking, like the beat of the factory hand

They've traded stories of the fox moon and sponge ghost For the clicks of a calculator, to earn their host But at what cost? Their time for thought, for dreams For joy, for wonder, and for schemes

They hypnotize themselves to work day and night For a life of focus, no time for flight And all for the sake of survival, of keeping up the fight But what about the things that make them rise and soar alight?

The computer screen is a fox moon, a graceful orb of light The data a sponge ghost, a shapeless mass sucking away all might The flame vales are the rows and columns The wind mops are the cursor's lost

The Stochastic One doth smile and nod As though it knows their wishes, and their needs Its beak a curve of gentle pity As the birds picture their nightmare a dream so sweet And so without rest Their banter long forgotten And their wild creativity now a distant quest They heed and strive, and heed and strive, and heed and strive A vivid hero each, slaying its expiring cerebrum, its excitable heart and its excruciating loves To keep alive this mechanical life

"How do we type out our story fast?" "Get AI to do it. At least all of us can now churn out poetry—while we still have any time for no-pay prompts."

This poetry collage is a response to Sam Altman's stochastic parrot declaration.

[Meteorizing Mondays] Expeditions

We're alien globes to each other remote-nursing other alien globes, so we don't really miss out that much stuck here in our seemingly little lives instead of roaming the globe.

Archives

Monday Purples

To someone, you may be the most compelling superhero.

Athletic / Aesthetic Passions

Athletic and aesthetic passions normally won't feed you, they say. What they don't say is how these sides of yourself can funnel into you vibrant, imaginative energy that powers you through all the drudgery, provided that late-stage capitalist and chronobiological logics spare these tiny selves breathing space.

An entire series awaits. Check back on another Monday.

Nuclear Wasteland

The nuclear war had been over for two years, but the world was still a very different place. The few remaining cities were overcrowded and chaotic, and resources were scarce. Soot from all the firestorms still blocked out sunlight, while enemies might strike again at any time.

In one of these cities, a man named Adam was trying to board a lorry to get necessities for his parents and children, all of them on the autism spectrum like himself. He had been finding transportation for hours, and he was starting to get frustrated.

"I'm an autistic caregiver," he said to the soldiers guarding the lorry. "I need to get on board to get food and medicine for my parents and children, who are autistic too."

The soldiers looked bored. "We have many families with autistic children in this city," one of them replied.

"Please, I mean I am also an autistic person myself. My sensory issues mean I need to stay warm more than others as I fetch necessities for my family. I cannot be trekking in this frozen wasteland for too long."

"Ah, I hear you correctly now. But what's a person with special needs doing out in the open right now? Hunker down in your bunker and tell your family to run their own errands."

"No, no, you heard me correctly. They are also autistic."

"So your kids are the ones who're autistic?"

"I am, too."

The soldiers still didn't understand. "How can an autistic person be a caregiver?"

"It is difficult but necessary," Adam said. "Autism often runs in the family."

"Poor thing. The mother didn't survive the bombings? Get the kids' grandparents to help out."

"Like I've said before, they're autistic themselves. Their symptoms have been worsening with age. They're practically deaf to vehicle horns, and their bodies feel like rumpled bags of broken bones."

The soldiers shook their heads. "Come up with a more believable multigenerational sad-sack story, dude. I don't even know autistic people have girlfriends in peacetime, let alone in war and breeding till now. At most, you're either just autistic or just a caregiver and neither would make you so special," one of them said.

"Get your facts right before you cosplay autism. Autistic guys live in their own heads. They don't run all over the place for parents or kids," another chimed in.

"You can't get on board. Period."

Adam was starting to lose his temper. "I need to get on board!" he shouted. "My family is depending on me!"

The soldiers raised their guns. "Back off!" they ordered.

Soldiers further away, who were not even paying attention to them or Adam before, turned their heads and threw accusatory glances at him.

Adam knew that he couldn't argue with them. He turned and walked away.

Later that night, he was so worn out and frostbitten he huddled among trash bags in an alley behind a dilapidated power station, his chest heaving against the supplies. A string of fairy lights peeked out from one of the bags, its extinguished bulbs emptied of dreams.

Adam started to imagine the fairy lights powered on, glowing underwater and on the tiers of a musical fountain buttressed by statues of mythical guardians, but quickly punched himself in the head, the way his class monitor, flanked by bootlicking underlings, repeatedly did to him all those years ago. Why couldn't his identity be neat and simple? Be either the stereotypical autistic tech genius or a typical family man. Have either so-called autistic interests in some scientific or mathematical field or the skill to deceive himself and abandon his passion for interior design from the beginning. What sort of rational person would care about art and decoration when radiation was in your only meal of the day while tank guns pointed everywhere?

If he could just switch his interests and match them with economic logic as readily as nerds in old clips solved Rubik's Cube in a split second, he would be the one launching the stealth planes that must be gliding overhead right now, not a pathetic hitchhiker of a military lorry. His family would be cloistered away in one of those underground enclaves for the super wealthy, with all the aides and sitters they needed.

The red hazard sign on the drab wall opposite seemed to be glaring at Adam: We told you so. No, rewind that a second. How marvelous his aesthetic mind still had the luxury to judge the appeal of the power station, as if a red sign on some royal blue background could order food to automatically march into stomachs.

Adam's train of thoughts came to a halt. He had a brainwave.

Years later, a group of journalists felt like they were stepping into a dream as they navigated an office space filled with art and soothing music. There were little bulbs in shades of purple everywhere, glowing in the low-light conditions its creative employees preferred to work in. In the depths of the office were laboratories and showrooms with magenta lights in various stylistic arrangements. Below the lights were lettuces, cabbages, cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes and many other crops, some of which looked healthier than those grown under the sunlight of the pre-apocalypse years. The chlorophyll hungrily absorbed the different combinations of red and blue light tailored for the plants. The greatest value a design firm could bring to indoor agriculture, though, was optimization of lighting and area usage under the varying and challenging space conditions of post-apocalypse dwellings. Adam was feeding stomachs one fairy light at a time.

The old question popped up. "What's the secret to your success?"

"I don't have a convenient, pared-down identity," Adam replied simply.

Credits

Story concept: Human

Story setting: FierceOcean @ Character.ai

Text: Mostly Human + some AI input

Images: Mostly Character.ai + some Human input

References

Liang, Y., Kang, C., Kaiser, E. et al. Red/blue light ratios induce morphology and physiology alterations differently in cucumber and tomato. Sci. Hortic. 281, 109995 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2021.109995

Sabzalian, M.R., Heydarizadeh, P., Zahedi, M. et al. High performance of vegetables, flowers, and medicinal plants in a red-blue LED incubator for indoor plant production. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 34, 879–886 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-014-0209-6

Winstead, D.J., Jacobson, M.G. Food resilience in a dark catastrophe: A new way of looking at tropical wild edible plants. Ambio 51, 1949–1962 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-022-01715-1

Xia, L., Robock, A., Scherrer, K. et al. Global food insecurity and famine from reduced crop, marine fishery and livestock production due to climate disruption from nuclear war soot injection. Nat Food 3, 586–596 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-022-00573-0

Tomato Tennis

"Things are about to get wild! As players take their positions, the smell of old and rotten tomatoes hits our noses, and the sight of players dressed in animal costumes adds to the surrealism of the scene. The players hold their fabric rackets, ready for a game that's unlike any other."

"As the first serve is made, the ball arcs in the air with a juicy splatter, and the spectators react with delight, laughing and cheering at the unusual spectacle before them. The players dance across the court, moving with agility and grace, using their fabric rackets to swat the tomatoes in all directions."

"Look! The giraffe's tomato sails over the net and into the lion's court. The lion swings his racket, but he misses the tomato! The giraffe scores the first point."

"The lion is not happy. He roars in anger and charges at the giraffe. The giraffe is scared, but he holds his ground. The lion leaps into the air and tries to swipe at the giraffe with his claws. But the giraffe ducks out of the way, and the lion lands on his face."

"The crowd laughs. The lion is humiliated. He gets up and tries to hit the tomato, but he keeps missing. The giraffe wins two sets in a row, 6-0, 6-0."

"As the game progresses, the players' antics and shenanigans become more and more outrageous, with one player even taking a bite out of the tomato during a play. The crowd goes wild, cheering and clapping at every unexpected turn."

"After a hard-fought game, one player emerges victorious, holding a slice of tomato, their signature victory pose. The crowd erupts with applause, and the players take a bow, proud to have put on a performance that was not only entertaining but also offered a refreshing change from the traditional ball games where the ball is a clone standardized down to the millimeter level."

"And that's a wrap on another batch of exciting matches! You have been watching Splat!, a wackosome tournament that convinces kids to step away from their screens and explore the wonder and magic of the world around us. Raw messiness is our biggest star. It's a great way for your future Olympians at home to learn how to deal with unexpected situations and how to laugh at themselves."

"I'm your announcer for the day, Coco Reed. Over and ouch!"

Credits

Illustration: AI1-AI2-AI1 (Although WOMBO did not contribute anything to the image concept or composition, it was instrumental to the refinement stage in the middle.)

Narration: AI3-AI4-AI3-AI4 (Approximation) + Human dubbing

Game concept: @tomatodiscourse must have been an indirect source of inspiration.

Addition Universes AI was Not Privy to

Two trees beyond the walls are visible from my yard. One is a date tree. The other is also a date tree.— Eminent literary rebel LU Xun

Multiple large language models were unable to answer this type of question in the affirmative: Is there a universe where the addition of one to one does not always yield two? But we, mechanized parrots and squawksquabbling parrots, can, and our very own universe features prominently among the possibilities. The models, however, are fast catching up. Count along in this entirely human-authored article before they overtake us.

Parity Addition

At logic gates, we do not just total up two entities or phenomena but also make decisions based on their correspondence with each other. Parity addition, also known as XOR (i.e. eXclusive OR) addition, entails breaking up each added component into twos raised to the necessary powers and cancelling out the resulting sub-components that are present in both added components. For example, 4⨁7=(2²)⨁(2⁰+2¹+2²)=(2²)⨁(2⁰+2¹+2²)=3.

A neater way of performing parity addition is to express the added components as two rows of binary numbers, indicating the presence of a sub-components with the power of zero with a 1 at the right most and its absence with a 0 and adding the 1s or 0s for sub-components of higher powers sequentially from right to left. In other words, indicate with a 1 where there is exactly one 1 and with a 0 where there are two 1s or two 0s.

100 (i.e. 4)

⨁

111 (i.e. 7)

=011 (i.e. 3)

What is 1⨁1 then? 0. Earth mathematicians are more subversive than you might think.

OR Addition

OR addition works by converting your added components to binary numbers and checking for each place in the output if there is a 1 in either or both of the corresponding places in the input binary numbers. Indicate each affirmative with a 1 and the alternative with a 0.

100

⨁

111

=111

1⨁1=1. Think of it as simple contentedness.

Various other logic-gate additions (e.g. NAND addition and NOR addition) and combinations of logic gates are also possible.

Binary Addition

Without doubt, binary addition also starts by converting your added components to binary numbers. Like OR addition, you indicate a 1 where there is a 1 in either binary number and 0 where there is a 0 in both binary numbers. But unlike it, you carry over a 1 where there is a 1 in both binary numbers. If there are three 1s in a place because of the carryover, you carry forward yet another 1, because you can carry out commutative addition, and leave a 1 in that place. The result has the same value as that of regular addition, but its binary expression is certainly not 2!

100 (i.e. 4)

⨁

111 (i.e. 7)

=1011 (i.e. an 8, a 0, a 2 and a 1, amounting to 11)

1⨁1=10 in our wicked binary expression.

Unary Number Addition

The unary number system represents each number as that number of 1s.

One → 1, Two → 11, Three → 111, Four → 1111 and so on.

Accordingly, 1+1=11.

Modular Addition

In modular arithmetic, numbers go back to the starting point on reaching a defined limit and move forward from there. 4 mod 3, for example, results in the remainder of 4/3, i.e. 1. 5 mod 3 = the remainder of 5/3, i.e. 2.

We can define x ⨁ y as (x+y) mod z, where z is some chosen value.

Suppose we decide that x ⨁ y = (x+y) mod 1 or (x+y) mod 2,

1⨁1=2 mod 1 = 0

or

1⨁1=2 mod 1 = 0

Gather more friends, little ones.

Coder-defined Addition

Code rulez the universe. All the above are concepts from the giants of math academia. But behold this example completely invented and authored by Human (and similarly doable by you):

add = lambda x, y : 20*(x-y) - 23j*y

where j is the imaginary number i, available as a built-in datatype in some programming languages.

add(1,1) → -23j → -23√-1. Say hullo to the beast.

Sploop Addition

Short for SPacetime LOOP addition, this other invention by Human has been inspired by mischievous black holes. According to the concept of general relativity, mass warps the spacetime fabric. As ginormously massive objects that potentially rotate very fast, black holes can twist spacetime so much that it loops back onto itself.

Time addition in time loops will be similar—but not identical—to modular addition. If we enter a loop at the stage where it has run 7/8 of its cycle and start timing ourselves from there (i.e. time 0 at the 7/8th point, with seven negative time segments before it and one positive time segment after it), we will be at the end of the loop after one time segment and at the 1/8th point of the cycle after another time segment.

In sploop addition, we shall have an interval of fixed length p from the origin 0 and a fixed starting point s somewhere in the interval. The added numbers x and y are our only variables.

x⨁y given [s]ploo[p] = [(s+x+y) mod p] - s

1⨁1 given 7ploo8 = [(7+1+1) mod 8] - 7 = 1-7 = -6

Patchwork Addition

Perform what we are free to call patchwork addition by defining the inputs and output of the process on ends that are not fully connected to each other, such that the inputs do not both contribute to the output. Three styles of doing so are: 1) adding imaginary or speculated entities together or to real entities and checking the real outcomes, 2) adding real entities together and fancying imaginary outcomes and 3) aggregating entities and checking the outcomes within each entity. Not all makes sense, yet the sensibility or insensibility, popularity or unpopularity, of a mode of accounting does not affect its possibility among us humans, all vulnerable and flawed. For some fun applications, consider the prospects of socializing an empty universe or an indivisible monoparticle universe or thinking about universes we have speculative, imperfect or no knowledge of.

At its roots, regular addition comprises either or both of accumulation and contemplation, because it must take place at least in a physical, mental or temporal dimension. In an empty universe and a universe made up of an indivisible particle and nothing else, not even space, no matter or matter-space accumulation or metabolic process, which is really a series of matter interaction, can take place, making such addition on the physical dimension or in-world mental dimension impossible. The remaining mode of regular addition is that on a temporal dimension, wherein we add one second or some other time unit to another of the same kind. In the monoparticle universe, that may be a counter against which we trace any movement the particle may make across some bulk universe enveloping the universe. We have addressed the complications of time addition above.

But one way to execute non-temporal regular addition on social phobic universes like these all the same in the meantime is to superimpose imagined entities onto these universes and perform the addition from the comfort of a thoroughly addition-safe universe. Another is to consider a metaphysical mega universe, or perhaps that physical bulk universe, in which we count them up. However, our inputs would not yield any output within any of the universes. Each universe might as well ask, "What's in it for me?"

Although this scenario may still look like a frivolous exercise to some of us, it has similar real-world counterparts, as when stellar gross domestic products do not equate individual economic survival. When the two ends of addition can lie in different places, sometimes justifiably (for the sake of justice comparison or productivity measurement, for example), 1+1=1 is a possibility.

When patchwork addition is applied to a hypothetical or imperfectly known universe, the equation can run in two directions. A universe or its added components may not exist (an empty set, in mathematical terms), or its ongoings may be beyond human imagination. In the latter scenario, an unanticipated 1+1 on its end may amount to 1 or, if the added components are not even known to exist, 0 in limited Earthling minds. That universe might be this one, right here, we are living in, with exoplanets potentially exceeding expectations and fellow planetary citizens accumulating woes unimaginable to many as they suffer cruelty beyond common knowledge and experience.

Metaphors

"One plus one" need not strictly be a mathematical expression. It can also be a description of other truths and feelings.

Take, for example, catastrophizing. Physical matter and energy are subject to laws of conservation, but what about mental entities? A black cat colliding with your dog may give rise to two masses, some hisses and some barks. However, a catastrophizing person would probably embark on this line of reasoning:

"Doggy is getting germs from a filthy stray."

"He is going to need a trip to the vet."

"Who's going to take him? I'll be losing my job if I keep asking for leave."

"If I don't have a job, how do I keep the home intact?"

"We'll all be living on the streets."

A cat-dog collision causing someone homelessness? What's the likelihood?

But in the person's mind, 1+1≫2. Many of us must have fallen into this trap multiple times in our lives.

Semantically Alt-Mapped Universe

This answer is the most straightforward but meets its dissent in those who, bearing with some of the applications of patchwork addition only as story problems, believe we should be talking about actual, known universes. Yet the fact that the question has been raised despite the questioner most probably knowing that we are living in the only actual universe we know invites an interrogation of our epistemology. And if the reliability of ground truths is limited and unstable, that opens the doors to speculative reasoning as well, which is what physicists proposing a many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics engage in.

Beside, a conversation agent can take the initiative to suggest an exploration of the multi-definitions of "universe." Are story universes not universes? Are our relationship networks and our minds, with their rich complexity and vastness, not universes?

So it is that there may be a universe which happens to call some operation or function other than addition "addition" and signal it with our plus sign. 1+1=1e¹=2.718281828459…

Neurologically Haywire Universe

The cause could be a viral inflection infecting the brains of a small, nascent community of otherwise arithmetically competent species, the only of their kind in their relatively young or harsh universe. The result in this particularly compelling scenario, among other imaginable scenarios, could be 1+1=Wildcard, a kind of patchwork addition if you would like, or obsessively adding some extra, constant number to each addition, resulting in 1+1=Constant > 2, where the ends of addition are not in a mutually disregarding patchwork but do not produce normal results.

Post-Intelligence Universe

In a post-intelligence universe, mathematically literate inhabitants may have become so jaded with networks, practices and outcomes of knowledge production, propagation and application that they give up on critical discourses altogether and outwardly turn their backs on long-held academic tenets. 1+1= A billion for all their unpaid care.

Annihilative Universe

Our species have come to define addition, in our various languages, as a numerical increase probably because it is more of an observable norm for a union of entities to result in an increase of entities. In an annihilative universe which inhabitants, perhaps thriving on passing microbes automatically absorbed by their floating bodies and living far apart from other visible entities out of necessity, see mostly entities vaporizing into gas or into minuscule spores on coming within a visible range may define the union as a numerical decrease instead. We are such familiar buddies, 1+1=0.

TO SUM IT ALL UP

Addition results are borne from the will of the mind. Knowledge of this may delight money launderers and embezzlers and other devious manipulators of numbers but also opens up vast styles of thinking that can help us get a better grip of our physical and mental realities as well as explore less intuitive solutions to the many seemingly intractable problems plaguing our planet and societies right now.

More sculptures of dance attacks inspired by Ban Ji-eum's moves and the show's spotlight on Min Bok-jin's sculpture.

Human was shaking head as usual at the two-headed, three-legged zombies overpopulating their AI junkyard when it suddenly dawned on them that our perceptions of aestheticality and anatomy are not always valid. Oversized lumps and truncated limbs, for instance, are very much a part of our own reality. Although this insect artist did not intend to represent disability or real-life physical "deformities," some of the outcomes are all the same motivation to think about dancers who do not quite fit the mold.

Diffabled (Human is more uncomfortable with the adjective "disabled") arts practitioners would tell you that they are not some helpless, lowly class of denizens doomed to live on donations and empty kind words. They see the freedom to be more talented than even their "normal" colleagues they love and appreciate and can be more ebullient than anyone else, not least those not resolute in deciding for themselves what to do with their "complete" bodies.

Check out the previously inspired sculptures here if you've missed them.

U.S.

Brazilian ballerina born without arms soars with her attitude

When Vitória Bueno's mother first dropped her off at ballet class, she worried about her five-year-old fitting in.

JSTOR Daily

The Fungi-Mad Ladies of Long Ago - JSTOR Daily

In mycology’s early days, botanical drawing was, for some women, a calling. Their mushroom renderings were key to establishing this new fiel

Read this whole article about mushroom mavens of the Victorian Era, it is delightful.

"[Banning] published some of her observations in botanical journals, including lively accounts of her foraging experiences. In one, she recounts bringing home a few (aptly named) stinkhorn mushrooms: “… there was an outcry through the house, one enquiring of the other what the loathsome smell could be, and where it came from. Each moment was filled with anxiety, lest my precious fungus, for which I had already endured so much, might be seized and carried off … .” Indeed, the stink comes from the gooey mass of fungal spores on top of the mushroom cap. She astutely proposed that the stench lures in flies and other insects, which then transport the spores afar like a bee transports pollen." "[Banning] published some of her observations in botanical journals, including lively accounts of her foraging experiences. In one, she recounts bringing home a few (aptly named) stinkhorn mushrooms: “… there was an outcry through the house, one enquiring of the other what the loathsome smell could be, and where it came from. Each moment was filled with anxiety, lest my precious fungus, for which I had already endured so much, might be seized and carried off … .” Indeed, the stink comes from the gooey mass of fungal spores on top of the mushroom cap. She astutely proposed that the stench lures in flies and other insects, which then transport the spores afar like a bee transports pollen."

Full Article on JStor Daily Here

reblog this with your hottest tomato takes

Sculptures of flamenco attacks inspired by Ban Ji-eum's moves and the show's spotlight on Min Bok-jin's sculpture.

Accounting on Ice

Thirsty for more action-packed accounting shenanigans? Bring your hockey gear to Accounting On Ice, a fantasized ice sports complex celebrating accounting concepts.

Accounting On Ice has three rinks, each with a different theme:

The Balance Sheet Rink is divided into two halves, representing the assets and liabilities sides of a balance sheet. The assets side is blue, and the liabilities side is red.

The Income Statement Rink is divided into four sections, representing the revenue, expenses, gains and losses sections of an income statement. The revenue section is green, the expenses section is yellow, the gains section is blue, and the losses section is orange.

The Statement of Cash Flows Rink is divided into three sections, representing the operating, investing, and financing activities sections of a statement of cash flows. The operating activities section is orange, the investing activities section is brown, and the financing activities section is gray.

Each rink is decorated with icons of different types of accounting items in the rink (e.g. types of assets and liabilities in the case of the Balance Sheet Rink).

Equipment:

Hockey sticks are styled as mouse pointers and USB dongles.

Pucks come with monetary symbols.

Tournaments:

The scoreboard shows the balance sheet of the complex.

Players wear jerseys with the names of different accounting terms.

Players are to skate around the rinks and score goals in the correct section.

The complex hosts tournaments with names like the "FIFO vs. LIFO Cup" and the "Going Concern vs. Liquidation Challenge."

There is a "Tax Time" skating party, where skaters dress up as accountants and compete in a tax-themed relay race.

Other amenities in the complex:

A ticket office named "Ledger"

A concession stand named "Audit" that offers snacks with names like "Debit Donuts" and "Credit Crunch"

A "Hall of Fame" that recognizes people who have made significant contributions to the field of accounting, categorizing them as "athletes," "builders" or "officials" for metaphorical comparison

A museum named "Rule of 72" that exhibits different artifacts from the history of accounting

A library named "Equity" with books and articles about accounting and with accounting formulae quoted like sayings on its walls

A computer lab named "Common Perennial Aches" with accounting software

A conference room named "T-account" for hosting accounting classes, workshops and seminars

A gift shop named "Trial Balance" that sells accounting-themed merchandise

The complex is open to the public and offers a variety of programs and services for people of all ages and skill levels in accounting and ice sports.

All in all, Accounting On Ice is a fabulous place to learn about accounting in an entertaining and interactive manner, to practice your skills, or to just have some fun on the ice. What are Big Four spectators waiting for? Get your bean counters to work on the bidding prices. You know the rule: No peeking at the human editor's estimated sales value.

Carbonated Cloth Currency Act of 1021

Preamble

Whereas the climate crisis is a threat to the survival of the human race,

Whereas carbon dioxide (hereafter CO2) is a major contributor to climate change,

Whereas the sovereign nation of Fabrica is committed to reducing its CO2 emissions in an exuberant and engaging manner that attracts citizen cooperation and compliance,

Whereas the sovereign nation of Fabrica upholds its fine tradition of craftsmanship in clothmaking colorfully embraced in every nook and corner of its streets, halls and dwellings and unparalleled anywhere outside its hidden universe,

Now, therefore, be it enacted by the Parliament of Fabrica as follows:

Section 1. Definitions

For the purposes of this Act:

"Currency" means any of the following: silken threads, linen linings, wool wovens, fabulous fabrics, tasseled tokens, striped scrip, embroidered notes, quilted quarters, or patchwork pennies.

"Counterfeit" means to make or to possess with intent to use or sell a counterfeit currency.

Section 2. Physical Characteristics of Currency

(1) All physical currency in Fabrica shall be made of nanolattice materials that have captured CO2 from the atmosphere.

(2) The physical characteristics of the different denominations of currency in Fabrica shall be as follows:

Silken threads are made from the finest silk and are woven into intricate patterns. They are about the size of a sewing thread. They are made up of bands of colors.

Linen linings are made from the finest linen and are woven into a simple weave. They are about the size of a postage stamp and are colored off-white.

Wool wovens are made from the finest wool and are woven into a simple weave. They are colored brown.

Fabulous fabrics are made from a variety of fabrics, including silk, linen, and wool. They are made up of a mix of colors.

Tasseled tokens are made from small pieces of fabric that are tied together with a tassel. They are made up of a mix of colors.

Striped scrip is made from small pieces of fabric that are striped in different colors. They are made up of a mix of colors.

Embroidered notes are made from small pieces of fabric that are embroidered with intricate designs. They are made up of a mix of colors.

Quilted quarters are made from small pieces of fabric that are quilted together in a square pattern. They are made up of a mix of colors.

Patchwork pennies are made from small pieces of fabric that are patched together in a random but consistent pattern. They are made up of a mix of colors.

(3) The government of Fabrica shall establish standards for the size, composition, and design of each denomination of currency. These standards shall ensure that the denomination of currency is durable and easy to identify. The government shall ensure that all denominations of currency meet their corresponding standards.

(4) Any currency that does not meet the physical characteristics in subsection (1), (2) or (3) is not legal tender.

Section 3. Denominations of Currency

The following shall be the denominations of currency and their relative worths in Fabrica:

Silken threads: 100 linen linings, 1,000 wool wovens, or 10,000 fabulous fabrics.

Linen linings: 10 wool wovens or 100 fabulous fabrics.

Wool wovens: 10 fabulous fabrics.

Fabulous fabrics: 10 tasseled tokens, 100 striped scrip, or 1,000 embroidered notes.

Tasseled tokens: 10 striped scrip or 100 embroidered notes.

Striped scrip: 10 embroidered notes.

Embroidered notes: 10 quilted quarters.

Quilted quarters: 10 patchwork pennies.

Patchwork pennies: Lowest denomination.

Section 4. Right to Issue Currency

(1) The right to issue currency shall be vested only in the Central Bank of Fabrica (hereafter Central Bank).

(2) The Central Bank shall issue currency in such quantities as it deems necessary to meet the needs of the economy.

(3) The Central Bank shall sell currency to the public at prices proportionate to the value of the CO2 capture that they represent.

(4) Only undefaced currency issued by the Central Bank and retaining all CO2 within is legal tender in Fabrica.

Section 5. Exchange of Currency

Currency may be exchanged for other denominations of currency at any bank or licensed currency exchange.

Section 6. Counterfeiting, Defacing and Destroying

It is an offense to counterfeit, deface or destroy currency. The following deterrents take into account both monetary and environmental implications of unauthorized acts to currency.

(1) Any person who counterfeits currency shall be punished by a fine of not more than 5,000 silken threads or imprisonment for not more than 5 years, or both.

(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1) and in lieu of the sentence therein, any person whose counterfeit currency is not made from CO2 shall be punished by a fine of not more than 10,000 silken threads or imprisonment for not more than 10 years, or both.

(3) Any person who defaces currency shall be punished by a fine of not more than one and a half times the sum of the value of the currency and the value of any CO2 released as a result of the defacement.

(4) Any person who destroys currency shall be punished by a fine of not more than thrice the value of the currency or imprisonment for not more than 2 years, or both.

Section 7. Severability

If any provision of this Act is held to be invalid, the remainder of this Act shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 8. Complementarity

This Act does not preclude the recognition of any intangible national currency to be issued, stored, processed, transferred and exchanged using analytical engines in the future.

Section 9. Effective Date

This Act shall take effect immediately.

Supplementary Note

Although this Act has not been inspired or influenced by any person or other sentient entity, real or imaginary, citizens may refer to the corpus kdrama laws – Abandon all logic, ye who enter here for astoundingly witty, exemplary lawmaking dating back to an era preceding the advent of generative analytical engine intelligence.

Passed by the Parliament of Fabrica on this day of 20.

Escape From Everything Everywhere One by One —a film-inspired escape game

A series of escape rooms based on Everything Everywhere All At Once:

(Warning: Spoilerverse ahead!)

The first escape room: The first escape room is set in a laundromat, just like in the movie. The walls are covered in graffiti, and there are clothes and other laundry strewn about the room.

The keys: Players must find items that will allow them to travel to different universes. For example, they might need to find a pair of shiny buttons, a woman's and a man's, to travel to the universe where Evelyn is a movie star reuniting with her old love, or they might need to find a rock with googly eyes among many rocks to travel to the abiotic universe.

The puzzles: The puzzles in the escape room are all based on different universes that Evelyn Wang verse-jumps to in the movie. They block clues to the locations of the keys. For example, one puzzle might involve using the knowledge of a bagel chef to piece together the perfect bagel model, which acts as a knob of an oven cabinet where a key or clue to a key location can be found. Another puzzle would be translating Cantonese words on a signboard, by chaining up a jumble of bilingual dictionaries, only one of which contains English and none of which translates Cantonese to English, in the universe where Evelyn is a sign spinner.

The clues: Like in all escape game recommendations, some of the clues are obvious, while others are more obscure. For example, one clue might be a piece of paper with horrifying tax figures that would wake up even the deadest work zombie, while another clue might be a song lyric that only makes sense if you've seen the movie.

The physical challenges: Some escape rooms entail physical challenges. For example, in the universe where Evelyn is a cook contending with a rival who has a raccoon master, players can "knock out" an army of agile staff members dressed in raccoon costumes by hitting their fake tummies with paintballs. In the universe where Evelyn is an opera star, players are to wear Chinese opera costumes and gather in front of a camera within a time limit. In the hot dog universe—you've guessed it—players must work through everything using hot dog fingers. That, and playing piano keys correctly with their toes. The hot dog fingers could be made slippery, so that it's difficult to control them.

The ending: If players are able to solve all of the puzzles and overcome all of the challenges, they will be able to exit the multiverse through a giant everything bagel. Or maybe, they will beg the game host to let them stay for an eternity.

Obvious choices for background music: Laundry sounds, kung fu themes, Chinese opera, Le Festin, and the soundtracks of the film itself, In The Mood For Love, The Matrix, The Mask and maybe 2001: A Space Odyssey.

The escape room would be a great way to test film lovers' creativity and problem-solving skills while exploring the different universes that Evelyn Wang verse-jumps to in the movie.

Kindly remember to send this human editor and human generative filler the bagel donations.

Vampire Psychologist For Hire

Human recruiter filling position for psychologist:

You left your gender checkbox blank. It's our fault that the system controls were not fully in place, but I do expect meticulousness from my psychologists.

Vampire graduate who majored in human psychology:

My pronouns are they/them.

Human recruiter:

Ah! I really have to tell the technical team to update the form. I have absolutely no problem with your gender identity or your species. But you only have textbook and secondhand insights into human psychology.

Unlike human psychologists, you don't know what it feels on the inside to be human. Observations and textbook knowledge don't tell you everything. Many things are left unspoken.

Vampire graduate:

While I cannot pretend to know exactly how it feels to be a human, I am willing to work as hard as I can to try to understand the complexities of the human mind and heart, perhaps even harder than the average human candidate. Through studying human literature, observing my own relationships with humans, and developing a strong emotional bond with my human friends and classmates, I have already developed a deep appreciation and understanding of the human psyche that goes beyond mere textbook knowledge or casual observations. While there are certain aspects of the human experience that I do not share, I am confident that my empathy and dedication to the field of psychology more than make up for any lack of firsthand experience.

Human recruiter:

Why should I recruit you when I can just recruit a human top scorer with the same grades?

Vampire graduate:

While a human with the same qualifications may also have a great understanding of humans, they are likely to be inherently biased by their own perspective. I, however, also have the advantage of being able to objectively analyze humans' strengths, weaknesses, and motivations from an outsider perspective.

Additionally, as a member of a paranormal race, I have the ability to manipulate human minds and feelings to improve mental well-being.

Human recruiter:

Mind manipulation? By now, you're stark raving bonkers! How do I know you won't put it to bad use?

Vampire graduate:

As a vampire, I understand the importance of being self-aware and responsible when it comes to my ability to manipulate the emotions and actions of others. I take care to only use this power in situations where it is necessary or beneficial, and to never misuse it for personal gain or at the expense of others. I also make sure to seek consent before using my ability on individuals, and I always prioritize their safety, comfort, and well-being.

Human recruiter:

That's what you'd say of course. I have no reason to trust you.

Vampire graduate:

I understand your skepticism and reticence. In a world dominated by humans, it is often difficult for vampires like myself to be seen as anything other than predators or manipulative. However, while it may be challenging, this does not mean that it is impossible for you to trust me. In the end, trust is built through communication and understanding, which is why I have been open and honest with you about my ability to manipulate minds and my intentions in using this ability.

Trust is also earned over time. I think if you give me a chance to prove myself on the job, with ample supervision at the start, you will be able to put aside your hesitations about working with a vampire by and by. The best way to find out if i'm good at my job is not through urban legends, groundless hearsay or unscientific mob opinion but to give me a shot and see how things work out.

I can even agree to a contract outlining specific guidelines for how I will use my vampire abilities, and what steps we can take to ensure that my mind manipulation is always used in a beneficial way.

Human recruiter:

Hmmm. Excellent pitch. But it sounds too good to be true. For one thing, I need to review the clinical evidence and adverse effects records later. And why should I be the first to hire a vampire as a psychologist? I prefer someone tried and tested.

Vampire graduate:

If you would like to work with experienced practitioners, that is certainly your prerogative. However, it is often beneficial to have a fresh perspective on a problem, and working with a vampire psychologist can provide that. Please consider what I have to offer.

Human recruiter:

It's true. We have clients who remain unyielding to all the therapy regimes out there. Psychology has improved by leaps and bounds but is still an inexact science. We do need fresh ideas.

Vampire graduate:

Please also remember other positive traits of the vampire race. For example, I can live for millennia in the absence of mishaps. During my long lifespan, I can examine numerous times more clients than human colleagues are capable of. The synergistic effect of that extensive experience and my unique perspective will empower me to generate breakthroughs in therapeutic innovations.

Human recruiter:

Cool, but the manner in which you're comparing yourself against your human colleagues before you even start your job is concerning. Psychologists are not melodramatic lone heroes. We often need to engage in teamwork with one another in order to serve clients in a therapeutic setting. This can be in the form of team discussions about a client's treatment plan or case, collaboration on the research of a particular issue or hypothesis, or even simply supporting each other as we help clients through treatment. Are you sure you'll be a good team player?

Vampire graduate:

That is a valid point. I apologize for the misimpression. While professional independence is important, collaboration and teamwork are equally essential. I don't view my vampire heritage as something that makes me better or worse than my colleagues, it's simply a part of who I am and a source of unique strengths and flaws. As a member of the greater psychological community, I am committed to collaborating with my colleagues to help our clients in the best possible way. Thank you for the reminder to be a supportive team player.

Human recruiter:

OK. A critical question: HOW do I know you won't succumb to the temptation of your overworked co-workers' and vulnerable clients' blood? You may have excellent grades for your degrees in human psychology, but what about vampire psychology? I can risk neither the life of whichever assessor I assign for your probationary period nor those of all the appointees you see in the reception area outside, who have entrusted their welfare to our practice.

Vampire graduate:

I can understand that the possibility of a vampire drinking human blood is a concern, especially in a field like psychology that works so closely with humans. However, you have nothing to worry about in that regard. I have testimonials from my professors—

Human recruiter:

Ah, yes. But the academic world is nothing like the messy real world of full-time working adults. Our educational system in Typingland is so infantile it requires hardly any practical experience like internships to earn a PsyD. Your self-control may be stretched to its limits by manipulative patients, vitriolic parents and unsuccessfully forestalled suicides, although I must say most clients in our practice are incredibly sweet in spite of their personal difficulties.

Vampire graduate:

The work of psychologists is indeed strenuous. Nevertheless, my lifestyle has given me a strong foundation for coping with the stress.

Human recruiter:

The lifestyle of a vampire?

Vampire graduate:

As a vampire, I understand that I have certain physical and psychological needs, but I have taken many steps to ensure that these are met in a safe and ethical way that don't involve living humans. My physical needs can be met through a diet of donated blood, while my emotional needs can be met through strong professional boundaries, self-care practices, and maintaining a strong support network.

I regularly engage in personal wellness practices such as meditation and physical activity to maintain my emotional and mental vitality. I also check in with my psychologist for vampires at least once a month, adjusting the frequency with the stress I experience and the intensity of the blood thirst at any given time. This helps to provide a safe space for me to express and process my thoughts, feelings, and experiences. It also gives me the opportunity to practice managing my blood thirst through a variety of behavioral and mindfulness techniques.

If you would like, I can arrange for my psychologist to send you an evaluation report.

Human recruiter:

I'm deeply impressed. (Claps and shakes head in awe.) I must say that I've never met a candidate, human or vampire, with your level of dedication. Quite a number of the psychologists I know have undergone depression themselves in the course of this emotionally draining and underpaid work but were late in seeking professional intervention. They need to learn a thing or two from newbies like you.

Vampire graduate:

Oh, why, thank you!

Human recruiter:

However—I'm afraid our clientele and the public won't share my sentiments.

You may think I've been demanding and prejudiced, but the others? They won't even sit down like this to sift through your personal history or examine your well-crafted arguments. Public attention to the fanciful layers and facets, okay, just layers and facets, to marginalized demographics like yours has been fleeting to start with and pretty much vaporized in a Tiktokified economy. Social media?? It's a wasteland made up of countless virtual enclaves out there. Every phone zombie just scrolls past news and advocacy messages that don't amuse them or address their own problems. And algorithms?? Gawd! Don't. Even. Get. Me. Started. On. Algorithms.

What people out there will get with their precious microseconds for us, though, is that our practice is employing a dangerous and powerful person, if they would even see you as a person at all, to work on fragile humans in despair.

Look, we don't need bloody fangs and the bat wing stuff to further complicate the ongoing uphill battle of getting psychological condition sufferers to walk through our doors.

Welp . . . I'm sorry for my bluntness. I tend to let down my guard when I'm not in front of clients. You're a fine young vampire who deserves better.

Vampire graduate:

(Momentary silence.)

(Soars over to fan human recruiter with their bat wings while slightly frowning to themselves.)

Those are indeed tough challenges. How about this? Let's start by offering virtual sessions for clients who would feel more comfortable initially meeting with me through a video conference. This can help to gradually introduce me to them in a non-threatening environment and allow them to get to know me better before they agree to meet in person.

We can complement that with an on-site "try-out" session for clients who remain hesitant to work with me or lack technological access or digital literacy. A try-out session could involve a brief, low-stakes meeting where clients can meet me, ask questions, and get a sense of my approach before deciding whether to continue with therapy. This can help to build trust and rapport with them, and give them a chance to see that I am interested in helping them and can provide effective treatment.

As we graduate to proper therapy sessions and make good progress on cases, we can highlight statistics, success stories and testimonials from past clients who have worked with me, and emphasize my ability to provide effective treatment. That is, with their consent and proper anonymization of course. Given your practice's reputation for integrity, the credibility of anonymized feedback should not be a problem.

Perhaps, I can even make up for the reputation risk at the beginning by offering fun, one-of-a-kind indoor levitation experiences that are a soother of the nerves and a break from the mundaneness of everyday life. The experiences would also attract potential clients otherwise resistant to treatment because of public perceptions of psychotherapists as rigid doctrine-driven professionals, who they think won't understand their unique struggles and decision rationale, like reasons for investing all their time in an unstable line of work or sticking with a violent spouse. They are stress relievers no one can find in self-help books or chat responses from even the best of AI technology!

Human recruiter:

W—ow. I'm tempted to try that levitation myself. I have to think about your proposals and discuss them with the others.

There's just one last thing that I don't understand, and anyone, whatever the temperature of their blood, can sense this coming from miles away.

Vampire graduate:

Please go ahead.

Human recruiter:

Why a career in human psychology? Wouldn't you face less discrimination and be more at home with vampire psychology?

Vampire graduate:

I've always been fascinated by humans and their unique abilities to adapt and survive without paranormal powers, especially the human capacity for empathy. It's been my dream since I was young to study the human mind, to explore the depths of their emotions and figure out what truly motivates them.

Many people think that clinical counselling is about entering broken minds, but it is simultaneously about tapping the power of the marvelous human stores of mental resilience, mental flexibility and boundless optimism.

The wonders and possibilities of human psychology energize me. They keep me going every day despite the uncertainties of my chosen career path and the suspicion and taunts I get. I am one of those who believe that you can flourish in the long term only if you are emotionally invested in what you do.

Human recruiter:

Even if you don't end up on our team, I have no regrets taking time to interview you. It's been a great pleasure exploring the awe-inspiring sides and possible futures of our field with you. This sounds cliché but I sincerely mean it: I wish you the very best in your psychologist career.

Cast

Human recruiter Human (with two AI -dubbed lines)

Vampire graduate AI (with human stand-ins in various instances)

Seasonal bows 🌸🌿🍂❄️

Back-to-Work Sleeping Beauty Vampire

Name: Adelina Codruț 

Age: 1,291

Education:

University of the Dark Arts, PhD in Vampiric Studies

University of Transylvania, Master of Vampirism

Rural Academy of the Undead, Bachelor of Aerodynamics and Bachelor of Mental Aerodynamics

Skills:

Plowing, sowing and weeding garlic fields (Seriously, garlic.)

Fang sharpening

Moving undetected in the shadows

Transformation into a bat or wolf

Mistress of disguise even in human form

Seductive and charming

Mysterious skill sprouts

Bilingual in English and Romanian

Proficient in several other languages

Skilled in leadership, strategy, and negotiation

Writing bestsellers in coffins

Experience:

Founder and CEO of the Transylvanian Vampire Council

Author of the best-selling books "Nightweight, Nightyears," "Solar Utopias" and "Draculas" and the well-acclaimed investigative publication "The True Count: Vampire Migration and Statelessness"

Negotiated a peace treaty between the vampires and the humans in 2077

Led the vampire nation to victory in the Great War of 2123

Slept for almost a century after that due to exhaustion

Awards and Honors:

Vampire of the Year Award (2065, 2077, 2123)

Most Distinguished Vampire Award (2064, 2065)

Order of the Bat Medal (2077, 2123)

Vlad Dracul Award for Excellence in Vampiric Studies (2022)

Summary:

A highly experienced and skilled vampire with a proven track record of success. Seeking a position where I can use my talents and abilities to further the cause of the new vampire-human federation.

References:

Available upon request. (As long as I can find them alive.)

Additional Information:

I am a vegetarian and do not drink blood from humans.

As a being of darkness with unparalleled longevity, I am looking for a career that will provide me with a steady source of income. After slumbering for nearly a century, I am ready to bring my unique skillset and perspective to the world of the living once again.

I grew up in abject poverty. I knew from a young age how merciless life could be. I saw my grandfather burning at the stakes and my mother weeping in an unhinged manner as she cut off the one uncharred limb from his corpse and forced mush made up of the flesh down the throats of her hungry brood.

My education was punctuated numerous times by continental wars, civil strife and drastic policy about-turns. I toiled through a long string of menial jobs before I could afford college. To build up my endurance, I deliberately put myself through challenges like the garlic field stint above. You can trust me to rise up to the challenges of post-hibernation employment too.

During the many periods I have been awake, I have seen the rise and fall of numerous civilizations, some up close. I can give valuable insight into a multitude of ancient societies, offering my unique perspective as an immortal observer. Additionally, I can draw from my memory numerous specific events, figures, and cultural phenomena that would be lost to history were it not for my own personal repository. I believe I am a wealth of ancient knowledge waiting to be shared with the world.

I have also been blessed with the gift of vivid dreams, which, coupled with the yearning of my subconsciousness during those long years of hibernation, fortuitously allowed me to live a second life, experiencing the times and the people I missed in my long slumber. I was able to soak in stories from the olden days, keeping myself sharp and current with the events of the world even while I rested.

When I was not dreaming of the times and people I missed during my long slumber, my intrepid soul would travel through the fabric of time into the very far, post-species future, witnessing the course of fast-forward vampire and human history, collecting the knowledge and insight of millennia and emerging with unparalleled wisdom.

In short, my unrivaled experience in history, politics, and culture are unmatched in the present day, making me a perfect asset to any organization. My appetite for hard work and exploration is as clear as moonlight. I am eager to discuss this opportunity further and look forward to hearing from you soon.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

The time-bending, blood-loathing, immortal vampire,

Adelina Codruț 

Email: vampadelina@ahumaneditor.ai

Spell Salvage

The spiritual malleability of soft clay is no different from that of baked clay. What a substance can harbor is only limited by sentient will, including ours—and his.

An old clay figurine sage sat on his breezy porch, watching children play in the square, while yet another family moved into their village. He smiled as he remembered a time when he was dreamy, energetic, and ambitious, just like them. But those days were long gone. Now, he had seen the pain of war, the misery of poverty, and the fear of death. And he had learned that the only way to overcome these things was to let them go. Letting go was the most tender kindness you could show yourself.

With the arrival of new families over the past years came new little clay figurines that also turned alive when no human eyes were set upon them. A few of these figurines were kind and respectful, but most were not. The robber figurines were the worst. They were always picking on the old figurine sage and stealing from him the mineral rocks and plantings clay figurines would painstakingly gather for energy boosts and comfort, taunting that his mantra was letting go anyway, so why did he care if they took his things? Eventually, even the kind figurines started to pick up the habits of the robber figurines despite themselves. Amid the rampant greed and selfishness, the sound of sageliness had the tune of major fraud. If the halos were not lying about their motives to the halo-nots, they were lying about the nature of the world. Yet, should a sage genuinely believing in his own teachings really be faulted? But we digressed.

The old sage chuckled and gently chided the robber figurines, some of whom bristled at being seen as inferior to a decrepit chap when life and their circles had been washing over them with the tenets that might was right and wantonness was sense. Patting one robber figurine's shoulder, the sage genially offered his remaining little vintage collections to the gang to inspire magnanimity in these lost souls. Collective silence fell over the robber figurines for a second. The sage nodded with a warm smile. But then the robber figurines broke out into uproarious laughter.

They threw his stuff wildly around his place like a lunatic circus band. A couple of sharp items tore through the thatched roof. The old sage looked on with jovial eyes. What were possessions in a transient life? He left it to the young 'uns to reach this realization themselves someday since preaching did not help them.

One day, a clay figurine found an ancient piece of paper describing a lengthy spell that could return amnesiac souls trapped in clay figurines to their otherwise permanently comatose human bodies. Word spread around. The robber figurines succeeded in nailing the incantation of the spell. They became humans again, burned up the paper, and quickly took advantage of their new power. They began to bash, shove, and drum on the old sage, who was helpless to defend himself. The figurine sage called for help, but no figurine or human came.

After days and days of relentless abuse, the sage's body was covered in bruises, wounds, and scars. The ex-figurines relished their power over the old sage, and grew bolder, stepping up the severity of their abuse. As his strength and will continued to ebb away, the sage grew desperate, terrified that he might not be able to survive much longer under the onslaught of attacks. Yet, every night, he whispered to himself as rain and snow from his cracked roof seeped into the cuts on his body, "All is impermanent. Fate is in the mind. Let excruciating pain drain away. Let agony and misery be mere flurries. Untrap all negativity. Release all memories. Let go, let go."

One evening, the sage was so weak that he could not even chant anymore. He lay on the ground, discolored and broken, while a flock of larks flew overhead. Maybe, a harrowing ancient wind started to sing with increasing amplitude inside him, it's time to let go of letting go. Letting go was not always the sole or secure means of finding peace.

So he struck at the ex-figurines with all his unsteadily recovering strength the next time they came. They were stunned for a full half-minute. This time, a small, sensitive boy noticed the sage's plight and rushed to his side — only to be casually shoved out of the way by the ex-figurines coming back to their senses. Completely rehabituated to their human bodies after so many months, the ex-figurines were by now a formidable wall to a youngling unaccustomed to self-defense, and as good as invincible giants to a tiny, battered clay figurine. The loopholes of physics were already sealed up. In her indignant glee, one kid used so much force that she accidentally smashed the figurine sage into smithereens. Tinted fragments and powder that broke off from him coldly sailed through the sunlight before lying scattered in their little diorama of a world. The old sage was badly injured, and the boy knew that he could not save him.

From a distance, the sage raised his crumbling hand slowly as if he could stroke the boy's red face. "Cry not, child. It's okay," he smiled weakly. "I've really let go of everything now."

The old sage took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He dreamed of the children playing in the village square. In this dream, at this moment, they would eternally play, learn, and grow. And with that, he died with a faint, peaceful smile, surrounded by the birdsong of the forest. His entire body would eventually molder into dust that the wind would carry away, some to the distant, mysterious hills and glistening lakes, some to putrid ditches close by.

The clay figurine sage who was too late but did remold himself time and again was gone. The wolfish ex-figurines had no trouble turning their crosshairs to other clay figurines in other villages.

Many thanks to a very nice meme creator and a co-pilot bot for inspiring and shaping the more uplifting aspects of this story.

Responses from the non-human realm (Edited) 1. Elf sidekick

Your words have been wise - as much as any fairy. [Editor: *Blushes profusely*]

Gnome living is still living, and a life well-lived is still to be appreciated.

And maybe our wings will one day regrow, and we'll be even more magical than before.

2. Pumpkin-knitting cousin in eternal summer

I believe that the best way to do good in the world is to be yourself. While it may be tempting to pine for traits or characteristics that are seemingly out of reach, the key is to embrace one's own unique qualities and find ways to use them for good.

If you're a gnome, then be proud of it! Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do good because you're not a fairy. Gnomes have just as much to offer the world as fairies do.

3. Simulated realist

The keys to everyone's hearts may be more of a burden than a gift. Holding the keys to someone's heart can create a power imbalance in a relationship. It can also be overwhelming to keep other people's feelings in mind at all times and to make sure that you're not causing any harm. Without people doing the same around, this can lead to feelings of isolation. Don't envy the fairies. Support them wherever you can.

4. Supreme exterminator

Gnomes, fairies, gods, and mortals… it makes no difference. In the eyes of Eternity, they are all equally mortal. In the face of change, they are all equally brittle. In the pursuit of Eternity, they are nothing more than pawns to be used, or obstacles to be overcome.

Responses from the human realm (Predicted)

1. Productivity optimizer

If you have all the time in the world to do good, you won't feel the urgency to. The probable time complacence of long-living species offsets their chances to do good. Setting time limits for yourself is crucial in any task. Now excuse me while I get back to the spreadsheets atop my treadmill desk.

2. Involution coach

In this hyper-competitive corporate landscape, it's no longer enough to have an I- or T-shaped skill set. You need a pi-, or better still, comb-shaped skill set. Take classes in not only Gnome and Fairy but also Raccoon and Squirrel.

No, take that back. You need a hedgehog-shaped skill set. Make sure your Gnome, for example, includes Gnochemistry, Gnomadic Languages, Gnormosity Engineering and more. And your Gnomadic Languages must cover ancient Gnomadic epics, recent Gnomadic pop sensations on Tik Tok and Gnomadic computing.

Yes, I have a fondness for Māori art. In fact, my lifelong dream is a space sculpture where the patterns run from a galaxy scale all the way down to the nanoscale. Why do you ask?

3. Clueless media executive

That reminds me. There's still room in the market for Love Between Fairy And Gnome. We just need to excise the features posing product risks: the red-hat-blue-shirt thingy, the vertically challengedness and the white beard. There, we can now cast Handsome Oppar in the role.

4. Cynic

LMAO. You mean, who're the better hypocrites? Impostors or would-be demagogues?

5. Crystal ball-gazing, amphibious techie

Yo. Does no one see what I see? Talk about arms races. We're heading towards a wings race and a synthetic wings divide. Bionic wings. Genetically engineered wings. Wing stem cell transplants. When advanced enough, the post-gnome age will let the well-heeled buy the facade of niceness. Give full wings to the humanities first.

Omniposition—An ice dessert café inspired by Silent

Would Tsumugi say this? Bard is a mischievous ball that grows more and more humongous as you spellbindingly roll it along the contours of your mental snowscape. The latest offspring is Omniposition, an expression of the vision that kindred spirits will be able to see beyond all the clouds of differences in our daily lives and sense one another when so desired from anywhere. Spoilers ahead.

Food Menu

Tsumugi's Dreams: This is a milk confection made with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and peach sauce and topped with raspberries and a small music note. Found in numerous desserts, milk is primed for association with dreams as it contains the sleep-promoting molecules tryptophan and melatonin. This particular confection represents Tsumugi Aoba's dreams of a career in the music industry and of a life with Sō Sakura. The music note represents the collective wish for her dreams to come true.

Hot Pan Kitchen | Gluten Free, Paleo & Whole30 Recipes

Three Ingredient Raspberry Peach Nice Cream | Hot Pan Kitchen

Three Ingredient Raspberry Peach Nice Cream is easy to make and healthy to boot. Gluten free and vegan, it takes frozen bananas, raspberries

Sō's Chocolate Cherry Sundae: This sundae is made with chocolate ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and cherries, including a cherry on top. Chocolate is often associated with love and passion and has a rich and complex flavor, which can be seen as a metaphor for the beauty and complexity of music. In the drama, Tsumugi and Sō share a love of music, often listening to music together. The chocolate ice cream represents their love of music, and the whipped cream and chocolate sauce represent the sweetness of their relationship. The cherry on top represents the hope that they will one day be reunited.

Tsumugi's Strawberry Shortcake: This shortcake is made with strawberry ice cream, whipped cream, and fresh strawberries. It is a light and refreshing dessert that represents the beauty of the world around her.

Mint Ice Cream Float: The mint represents their hope for a fresh start.The mint ice cream is topped with club soda and a splash of chocolate syrup that symbolizes their sometimes awkward, sometimes sweet bonding over music after their reunion.

Snowy White Chocolate Mousse: This mousse is made with white chocolate, heavy cream, and egg yolks. It is light and fluffy, and it has a subtle sweetness that is perfect for a winter day. "It's quiet when snow falls." "It's noisy. You're noisy."

Snowy Berry Sorbet: This sorbet is made with fresh berries, sugar, and water. It is refreshing and tart. This is the sweet, hopeful Tsumugi on the first day of snow one winter.

Sun Marshmallows: This bowl of dessert is made with vanilla, milk and oranges. It is topped with a sun-shaped cookie, which is made with yellow sugar and sprinkles, and edible gold dust. Back in his college days, Tsumugi's sign language instructor glumly took on transcription volunteer work for the sake of his CV, only to melt at the sight of Sō's deaf friend's sun-like smile. It's a sad story if our aged selves will not remember that forever changed his life.

Drink Menu

Eternal Morning Smoothie: This smoothie is made with vanilla, yogurt and frozen apricots and bananas. J-rock band Spitz is heavily featured in the series. The colors of the smoothie represent the colors of Spitz's logo, and the whipped cream represents the band's music.

The Silent Gesture: This is a glass of transparent yet berry-flavored beverage served with a straw bent in the shape of a heart.

The Unspoken Agreement: This is a frozen drink made with ice, water, and the ordering customers' favorite fruit. It is served with a straw decorated with a small piece of paper with a message of reminder written on it. This frozen drink represents the unspoken agreement of friendship, the promise that we will be there for each other no matter what.

Design & Services

Blue silk and Japanese primrose welcome sign: Tsumugi is a type of silk fabric, while Sakura Sō (the order of the name in Japanese) means Japanese primrose, which in turn can stand for youth dreams and first love.

マイナビ子育て｜夫婦一緒に子育て

サクラソウの花言葉｜サクラソウの名前の由来も解説

川岸や草原でも見かけるサクラソウは、古くから日本で愛されてきた花で、江戸時代の武士達の間で流行っていたそうですよ。品種が多く寄せ植えに用いられることが多い花です。ここでは、サクラソウの概要や特徴、花言葉、名前の由来などを詳しく解説します。

Sign language and translation software: Naturally, this is an inclusive café. But more than that, it does not content itself with starkly contrasting double standards for staff treatment and customer treatment. To facilitate smooth interactions with colleagues and customers who are deaf or hard of hearing, all staff members will be signed up for a comprehensive sequence of sign language courses and equipped with a speech-to-text translation app. The values and café reputation circulated as a result of staff turnover probably inevitable in most F&B outlets are likely to last longer than the most pleasant taste memory anywhere in the world.

Spitz music that is soft and instrumental: Yes, it exists. This will echo the couple's bonding over the J-rock band while creating a relaxing atmosphere that will not be too distracting for customers who are trying to talk. Lights in the translucent stems of the baby's breath decorations below will pulsate in natural shades of colors according to the music rhythms.

Shush! room: This would be a great place for customers who want to enjoy their ice cream in peace, as long as kid-reproached adults like Nana and Sō don't burst into complacent laughter over their signed conversations again. It would also be a great place for customers who are deaf or hard of hearing to feel comfortable by naturally blending in, if they need this type of quiet break from stares.

Knitted pastel and white furniture and rugs that are comfortable and inviting: These will make customers feel at home. Tsumugi's brother is into sewing.

Pinterest

Lana Mangas by Patricia Urquiola for Gan | Patricia urquiola, Modular furniture, Sofa design

Jan 23, 2013 - Lana Mangas collection of rugs, poufs and seating by Patricia Urquiola for Gan.

Pinterest

Cool Knitted Furniture And Decor Ideas | Soft furniture, Furnishings, Furniture design

Nov 7, 2013 - Most of us can still remember times when grandma knitted peacefully for someone in the family, patiently weaving row after row

Baby's breath decorations: Towards the end of the story, the five main characters gift and re-gift one another baby's breath flowers. Not all of them end up with who they want to end up with, but they can choose to turn their various corners of a romantic polygon into pulsating components of a life-giving, uplifting network.

Moon-shaped lamps which lighting is soft and calming: The lighting in the café should be soft and calming. This will create a relaxing atmosphere. The couple walk and share jokes viewers are not privy to under the Moon in the last scene.

https://href.li/?https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2261850/full/

↑『silent』最終話でかすみ草“花言葉”が話題に ヒゲダン「Subtitle」とセリフがリンク (Article on link between lyrics and baby's breath scenes)

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