Quincy-Claudia Maisy Hedone Gray ("qclod") is a curious creative and perennial cybernaut. No gender; any pronouns will do.
They are fond of composing/songwriting and worldbuilding, and also dabble in vibe coding and generative AI.
They enjoy studying natural science, philosophy, music theory, and (insert hyperfixation)ancient history? space exploration? phonetics and conlanging? yes!. They relate to rabbits and bonobos.
They align with poetic naturalismthere is only the natural, physical, material world, but several useful, compatible ways of talking about it, models or "stories," on various levels and scientific socialisma scientific analysis of society and history, dialectical historical materialism; Marxist communism, with both structuralist and humanist sympathies (unreconciled). In their personal life, they draw inspiration from Epicureanismpleasure is the ethical good, so seek "ataraxia," or tranquility via rationally-measured pleasures and avoidance of pain and fear; diverging from tradition is the recognition that social consciousness and revolutionary action are necessary to secure this for one and for all: the oppressed classes are my friends, and the world must be seized and made our garden
They want to understand the world, change it for the better, and have a good time while doing so. Help them out.
Mazemilk
Mazemilk (formerly File Under Foliage) is the solo (stands for "so lonely") nervous-rabbit-pop project of QC Gray, a self-proclaimed "melody gardener" cobbling together foot-tapping earworms with unexpected turns and big-nerd lyricism.
Rooted in classic singsong pop and theory-rich harmony, Mazemilk ponders safety, society, and self.
Milk for the maze: tunefulness to guide through a complex world.
As production is not their forte, QC is eagerly seeking instrumentalists, mixers, and sound designers to work with.
They're also looking for opportunities to contribute to others' projects. Do you need thoughtful compositions for your web series or video game? QC would love the work and love to help; find their information on the contact page of this website and reach out today.
File Under Foliage
File Under Foliage proudly presents a demo album of peculiar pop potpourri, a melodic menagerie loosely exploring a tale of love, fear, and the search for one's place in the world — or deep in outer space.
This is nervous music for lo-fi people. This is what happens when you feed a rabbit too much Dorian mode. This is the sound you hear when a strange idea fidgets itself up and out of its seat before the train even reaches the station. It's thoughtful; maybe that's enough for you.
'infectious pop gems ... done very well ... File Under Foliage consistently delivers' ― Robert Newsome; Bandcamp Navigator, October 2023
[musical experiments from the underbrush]
(October 6, 2023)
Side A
I Burnt All My Letters
I burnt all my letters And I'm trying to find All the letters I left behind 'Cause I can't see it coming When it's right in my face When the letters are uppercase
Forget about it My selfishness again Finding its way out to make a new friend Forget about it My arrogance has set Me up like a marionette
So I burnt all my letters And I'm waiting to see What the ashes can do for me If they solve all my problems Then I won't need to say 'Cause I don't need to give it away
Forget about it My selfish overact Pulled by a string as a matter of fact Forget about it My arrogance applied To what should be kept as a matter inside
'Cause I burnt all my letters Yeah, I burnt all my letters As you already know
So I burnt all my letters But I'm waiting to find All the letters I left behind 'Cause I can see it coming From a mile away And I think that you think I might stay
Forget about it My selfishness again Fighting its way out to make a new friend Forget about it My arrogance has set Us back like a million years, I bet Forget about it My selfish overact Pulling a string as a matter of fact Forget about it My arrogance applied Because I have nowhere to hide Because I have nowhere to hide Because I need somewhere to hide
The New District
Cover yourself in a different color Now cover yourself in a different color There can be no other, there can be no other Now cover yourself in a different color Now cover yourself in a different color Now cover yourself in a different color There can be no other, there can be no other Now cover yourself in a different color
I'm running for treasure and all that it knows (Cover yourself in a different color, now cover yourself in a different color) If you know who I am, you'll know how it goes (There can be no other, there can be no other, now cover yourself in a different color) I'm a sad sack, call back, record of track (Now cover yourself in a different color, now cover yourself in a different color) Is amusing if not so confusing (There can be no other, there can be no other, now cover yourself in a different color)
Cover yourself in a different color Now cover yourself in a different color There can be no other, there can be no other Now cover yourself in a different color Now cover yourself in a different color Now cover yourself in a different color There can be no other, there can be no other Now cover yourself in a different color
I'm running for sunshine and all that I glean (Cover yourself in a different color, now cover yourself in a different color) If you know who I am then you'll know what I mean (There can be no other, there can be no other, now cover yourself in a different color) I'm a big shot, my thought, when I get caught (Now cover yourself in a different color, now cover yourself in a different color) In ceramic is being dynamic (There can be no other, there can be no other, now cover yourself in a different color)
I almost missed it The new district A new part for me to play My new district Is very distinct I play the part both night and day
I'm running for treasure and all that it knows (Cover yourself in a different color, now cover yourself in a different color) If you know who I am then you'll know how it goes (There can be no other, there can be no other, now cover yourself in a different color) I'm a sad sack, call back, record of track (Now cover yourself in a different color, now cover yourself in a different color) Is amusing if not so confusing (There can be no other, there can be no other, now cover yourself in a different color) I'm running for sunshine and all that I glean (Cover yourself in a different color, now cover yourself in a different color) (Running for the) If you know who I am then you'll know what I mean (There can be no other, there can be no other, now cover yourself in a different color) (Sunshine glean) I'm a big shot, my thought, when I get caught (Now cover yourself in a different color, now cover yourself in a different color) (Know I am and) In ceramic is being dynamic (There can be no other, there can be no other, now cover yourself in a different color) (What I mean)
Cover yourself in a different color Cover yourself in a different color If you are my friend or my sister, my brother Then cover yourself in a different color Cover yourself, color yourself We are concealing a thing-in-itself I know you don't want to be asking for help I know you don't want to be asking for help
I almost missed it The new district A new part for me to play My new district Is very distinct I play the part both night and day The new district I almost missed it My new district Is very efficient
Government Man
Hold that thought, I was expecting you Why spend this time on words when there's so much to do? And consequently be, because it's you and me We've got to leave this place and get to outer space
It's a government plan by a government man He's asking for permission 'cause he's going on a mission And he wants to make it right out there tonight It's a government plan by a government man He's asking for submissions 'cause he's going on a mission He's got stars in his eyes and a big surprise You know it sounds pretty nice
Hold on tight, this is a bumpy ride Although you're better here than you would be outside You see it's over quick, that is if you're not sick But if you practiced right, it's time to take our flight
It's a government plan by a government man He's asking for permission 'cause he's going on a mission And he wants to make it right out there tonight It's a government plan by a government man He's asking for submissions 'cause he's going on a mission He's got stars in his eyes and a big surprise You know it sounds pretty nice
Feel so young again Feels like it just began I've been looking for a place to set my plan I've been looking for someone who understands
It's a government plan by a government man He's asking for submissions 'cause he's going on a mission He's got stars in his eyes and a big surprise It's a government plan by a government man He's asking for permission 'cause he's going on a mission And he wants to make it right out there tonight It's the government way on a government day 'Cause he's solving all our problems on his government pay I want to hold your hand in a brand new land I think we all understand
It's Cold Outside
Cold outside It's cold outside And I'm wondering, I'm wondering Oh why, why, why? Cold outside It's cold outside And I'm wondering, just wondering Oh why, why, why? In my dreams I saw your face And it didn't feel, it didn't feel like out of place Cold outside It's cold outside And I'm wondering, still wondering Oh why, why, why?
Knocked flat and upside down I'm the big bad one in this town Hook me from reel to reel I go spinning 'round like a wheel And I'm flat and on the ground I'm the one who spins around and I try to meet my aims I go spinning 'round all the same I go spinning 'round all the same I go spinning 'round
Down, down here at the bottom of the world I've found what appears to be a way back out Now it's only up to me
But it's cold outside It's cold outside And I'm wondering, just wondering Oh why, why, why? In my dreams I saw your face And it didn't feel, you didn't feel so out of place
Knocked flat and upside down I'm the big bad one in this town Hook me from reel to reel I go spinning 'round like a wheel And I'm flat and on the ground I'm the one who spins around and I try to meet my aims I go spinning 'round all the same I go spinning 'round all the same I go spinning 'round
Down, down, well at the bottom of my personal hell Said I finally found a way to tell But I gotta pay the fee
Melody Man
Bye bye, melody man I haven't seen you since this whole mess began Y'know it's not very often I make a new friend And stand by their side right to the sweet end Oh my Bye bye, melody man I haven't seen you since this whole mess began Y'know it's not very often I make a new friend And stand by their side right to the sweet end
All my life, I've been waiting for it now But I'm not the one to admit that anyhow I've been wrong I've been so wrong All along
Bye bye, melody man I'm lost in a world that I don't understand And they promise and swear that I'll have a great time As they cut you right down, my partner in crime Oh my Bye bye, melody man I haven't seen you since this whole mess began Y'know it's not very often I make a new Make a new Make a new friend And stand by their side right to the sweet end
All my life, I've been waiting for it now But I'm not the one to admit that anyhow I've been wrong I've been so wrong All along
I've been waiting for it now But I'm not the one to admit that anyhow You're trying to simplify a complicated theory How easily you've got it falling right out Why, I've been waiting for it now But I'm not the one to admit that anyhow I've been wrong I've been so wrong All along Long is my worksong I've been wrong Long is my worksong All along
Bye bye, melody man I haven't seen you since this whole mess began 'Cause they took you away to give me some space But trust me, I've gotta get out of this place Oh my Bye bye, melody man I haven't seen you since this whole mess began Y'know it's not very often I make a new Make a new Make a new friend And stand by their side right to the sweet end
All my life, I've been waiting for it now But I'm not the type to admit that anyhow I've been wrong I've been so wrong All along Long is my worksong I've been wrong Long is my worksong All along
Change My Shirt
Change my shirt, living in a world of hurt Change my clothes, living in a world that I suppose is Fine for me, living it up for free Change my shirt Could happen to you Change my shirt, living in a world of hurt Change my clothes Can I figure it out? Can I figure it out? Change my name, living in a world of shame Change my shirt Could happen to you Could happen to me Could happen to you
In the night, I'm alight All alone 'cause it feels right No more suit, no more tie Left alone now, left alone to try Circle back on your own Play your part, just leave me alone Which way did we go? I think of it slowly
Change my shirt, living in a world of hurt Change my clothes, living in a world that I suppose is Fine for me, living it up for free Change my shirt Could happen to you Change my shirt, living in a world of hurt Change my clothes Can I figure it out? Can I figure it out? Change my name, living in a world of shame Change my shirt Could happen to you Could happen to me Could happen to you
In the night, I'm on fire All alone in the empire No more suit, no more tie Left alone now, left alone to try Circle back on your own Play your part, just leave me alone Which way did we go? I think of it slowly Which way, which way did we go? I think of it slowly Which way, which way did we go? I think of it slowly
Everybody's in the backroom Everybody's on the phone Shoulda known Everything was overblown Everybody's in a corner Everybody's in their own space
Change my shirt, living in a world of hurt Change my clothes, living in a world that I suppose is Fine for me, living it up for free Change my shirt Could happen to you Change my shirt, living in a world of hurt Change my clothes Can I figure it out? Can I figure it out? Change my name, living in a world of shame Change my shirt Could happen to you Could happen to me Could happen to you
In the night, I'm alight All alone 'cause it feels right No more suit, no more tie Left alone now, left alone to cry Circle back on your own Play your part, just leave me alone Which way did we go? I think of it slowly
Figure It Out
Can I figure it out? Can I figure it out? Can I figure it out? Can I figure it out? Can I figure it out? Can I figure it out? Figure it out? Can I figure it out? Can I figure it out? Can I figure it out? Can I figure it out? Can I figure it out? Can I figure it out?
Dip your head into the water Lined up like lambs to the slaughter If we could all work together again and again...
I feel just like a computer Running my own troubleshooter If we could all work together again and again...
As if you could know me As if you could show me The way to the top Maybe I'd stop
I used to live in the city I lived and died by committee If we could all work together again and again...
Been here for ten generations Tumble right off the foundations If we could all work together again and again...
As if you could know me As if you could show me The way to the top Maybe I'd stop
Summer/Winter
In the summer I'm going under I'm going down, down, down In the winter Can't even find a way Call me courageous That's not outrageous But you don't live inside my head Never tried to full-time it I've had enough of the climate I'm gonna be home late, late, late
It's time! Restart it now Restart it now, whoa-oh If only you could breathe my air If only I cared
On the outside I need my one ride I need it now, now, now On the inside Rather be back in bed I really tried to full-time it I had enough of the climate I think you know what I mean And now I'm stuck behind a screen
It's time! Restart it now Restart it now, whoa-oh If only you could breathe my air If only I cared
[radio chatter] Five million miles to go Pray that we don't get there too slowly now I don't want to miss the show
In the summer I'm going under I'm going down, down, down In the winter I think I'm here to stay
It's time! Restart it now Restart it now, whoa-oh If only you could breathe my air If only you could breathe my air It's time! Restart it now Restart it now, whoa-oh If only you could breathe my air If only I cared If only you could breathe my air If only I cared
Side B
I Happen To Know
I happen to know I know why the Earth is round I happen to fly I know my ups like I know my downs I happen to love myself Listen through the window Life is just a funny thing Love yourself Listen through the window Life is just a funny show now
I happen to know my way around this silly place I happen to see that there are spaces between Spaces between we And much of it for free Over and over I'll say
I happen to know I know why the Earth is round I happen to cry I'm feeling lost like you're feeling found I happen to lose my way Spinning in a circle Like a funny little thing Lose your way Spinning in a circle Like a funny little game now
I happen to know my way around this silly place I happen to see that there are spaces between Spaces between we And much of it for free Over and over I'll say Over and over I'll say Over and over I'll say
Last time, break of dawn I don't know what's going on Left myself at the door I have never felt this way before This time, break a leg I'll get on my knees and beg You say you're on my side But every time you turn away and hide Last time, sing a song I don't know what's going wrong Fall into disrepair All that is solid is melting into the air This time, follow me But that's not how you want to be This time, follow me But that's not how you let yourself be free This time, follow me But that's not how you want to be That's not what you mean to me
I happen to know I know why the Earth is round I happen to try I feel the weight as I leave the ground I happen to take some time Handle situations Here's another funny thing Take your time Handle situations Here's another funny song now
I happen to know my way around this silly place I happen to see that there are spaces between Spaces between we And much of it for free Over and over I'll say
I happen to know I know why the Earth is round I happen to fly I know my ups like I know my downs I happen to love myself Listen through the window Life is just a funny thing Love yourself Listen through the window Life is just a funny show Listen through the 'window Life is just a funny thing And it could be better, so Love yourself Listen through the window Life is just a funny show now Life is just a funny show now Life is just a funny show now
Trees, Birds, Buildings
You know that when I come around I don't mean to bring you down, down, down You know that when I come to town I don't mean to make a sound, sound, sound
I'm looking around the city Just trying to find myself I'm looking around the pretty Scene with the trees and the birds and the buildings I'm looking around the city Just trying to find myself tonight
You know that when I come around I don't mean to bring you down, down, down You know that when I come to town I don't mean to make a sound, sound, sound
I'm looking around the city Just trying to find myself I'm looking around the pretty Scene with the trees and the birds and the buildings I'm looking around the city Just trying to find myself tonight
I'm in the city, I'm in the city, I'm in I'm in the city, I'm in the city, I'm in I'm in the city, I'm in the city, I'm in I'm in the city, I'm in the city, I'm in I'm in the city, I'm in the city, I'm in (Try to) I'm in the city, I'm in the city, I'm in (Find your) I'm in the city, I'm in the city, I'm in (Self) I'm in the city, I'm in the city, I'm in
In the city, a lot gets done Lots of work and lots of fun In the city, there's lots to do Lots to do on the avenue In the city, the streets are clean Streets are cleaned by a big machine In the city, I'm getting 'round Getting down on the underground
I'm looking around the city Just trying to find myself I'm looking around the pretty Scene with the trees and the birds and the buildings I'm looking around the city Just trying to find myself I'm looking around the pretty Scene with the trees and the birds and the buildings (Howdy, howdy) I'm looking around the city just trying to find myself tonight (I'll be filing) I'm looking around the city (I'll be smiling)
Bad for Business
Bad for business Good for love Bad for business, business I don't wanna push and shove It's bad for business But good for love Bad for business, business Put away your boxing glove
All night If you heard me right And you're finding yourself in the light My light In the cold dark night And you're finding it's all
Bad for business Good for love Bad for business, business I don't wanna push and shove It's bad for business But good for love Bad for business, business Put away your boxing glove
It's wise When the stars arise And you're finding yourself in my eyes Tired eyes 'Cause again it's wise Turning lows into highs
Out of sorts Just tell me where it, tell me where it hurts Out of line It's feeling like a sign, it's time to realign Out of time Just tell me how to shift the paradigm Outer space I think that's the place
Bad for business Good for love Bad for business, business I don't wanna push and shove It's bad for business But good for love Bad for business, a business Put away your boxing glove
All night 'Cause you know I know you heard me right Yeah, it's wise Tell me you're telling no lies
Get That Metal Away
Trouble around, trouble around There's trouble brewing up here in my town Trouble around, trouble abounds It's the kind of trouble that's-a making nasty sounds Trouble around, trouble around There's trouble brewing up here in my town Trouble around, trouble abounds It's the kind of trouble that's-a making nasty sounds
We all gotta get that, we all gotta get that We all gotta get that metal away We all gotta get that, we all gotta get that We all gotta get that metal away Put it in a bathtub, give yourself a back rub Save that shit for a rainy day We all gotta get that, we all gotta get that Metal away
I'm dizzy and I'm, I'm losing focus and there's Trouble brewing up here in my locus and I I'm sending signals to display my weakness And I'm leaning heavily on my own uniqueness and I'm And I'm shivering and I'm, and I'm shaking at the At the thought of what I'm recreating and I'm Pressing buttons to alert the master And I'm hoping dearly we don't go no faster
We all gotta get that, we all gotta get that We all gotta get that metal away We all gotta get that, we all gotta get that We all gotta get that metal away Put it in a bathtub, give yourself a back rub Save that shit for a rainy day We all gotta get that, we all gotta get that Metal away
My Name
Hey, I don't remember my name Hey, I can't wait to play all of your games Hey, I don't remember my name, name Hey, nothing's the same Hey, I don't remember my name Hey, I can't wait to play all of your games Hey, I don't remember my name, name Hey, nothing's the same Hey, nothing's the same Hey, nothing's the same
Play acetylene, play acetylene Show me what you, show me what you mean Show me what you mean Show me how you bury this machine Bury this machine Bury in a field of gold of green Field of gold of green Show me how you're carrying the team Carrying the team When you're only running out of steam Running out of steam Like you're only living in a dream Living it up in a dream
I'm perplexed I thought my name was coming next Just look a little farther down the text Play your part Just put me in your shopping cart And find a little room inside your heart
Hey, I don't remember my name Hey, I can't wait to play all of your games Hey, I don't remember my name, name Hey, nothing's the same Hey, I don't remember my name Hey, I can't wait to play all of your games Hey, I don't remember my name, name Hey, nothing's the same Hey, nothing's the same Hey, nothing's the same
Sing another song, sing another song Tell me that you think I sing it wrong Always sing it wrong Always sing a melody so long Melody so strong Melody that's going on and on Going on and on Tell me that you see me in the sky See me in the sky 'Cause I found a way of getting high Always getting high Like I'm always saying goodbye 'Cause that's what I want to imply
I'm perplexed I thought my name was coming next Just look a little deeper though the text Yeah, yeah, I agree It would be if it was up to me Do you see? Can you see?
Getting Nervous
I'm getting nervous I'm getting nervous I'm getting nervous at the state of affairs I'm losing hours and I'm losing my hairs I missed some shit the first time It left me high and dry I'm getting nervous at the state of affairs
Hard candies, they missed the first time Fine powder, they missed the second time Renovations made to suit your needs
I'm getting nervous at the stuff on the wall Seems so precariously close to falling down I missed some shit the first time It left me high and dry I'm getting nervous at the stuff on the wall
Hard candies, they missed the first time Fine powder, they missed the second time Renovations made to suit your needs
Down to 42
Gone before the battle, now I'm down to 42 Listen to the siren cry, it's down to 42 I can't deal with a broken heart Tear it all apart As I put the fires out for you Gone before the battle, now I'm down to 42 I can't deal with a broken heart, you tell me what to do Listen to the siren scream, it's keeping me alive I can't deal with a broken heart that's twisting up the knife
I live a life In a world I don't understand And the sky burns bright when it can It can Again and again
Gone before the battle, now I'm getting in the way Listen to the siren cry, it's getting in my way I can't think of a way to start Take it all apart As I put the fires out today Gone before the battle, now I'm getting in the way I can't think of a way to start, you tell me what to say, I say I listen to the siren scream, it's keeping me alive I can't think of a way to stop you twisting up the knife
I live a life In a world I don't understand And the sky burns bright when it can It can Again and again Again and again Again and again
La la la La la La
Gone before the battle, now I'm down to 42 Listen to the siren cry, it's down to 42 I can't deal with a broken heart Tear it all apart As I put the fires out Gone before the battle, now I'm down to 42 I can't deal with a broken heart, you tell me what to do, I do I listen to the siren scream, it's keeping me alive I can't deal with a broken heart that's twisting up the knife
I live a life In a world I don't understand And the sky burns bright when it can It can Again and again Again and again Again and again In a world we don't understand And the sky burns bright like we can We can Again and again Again and again Again and again
What Can Love Do?
I'm in the dark You're in the clear I'm only stalling to uncover your fear I'm breaking bread Making some sense You're turning circles as you mount a defense I'm standing by You're on your own I'm playing hooky when we play tele-play telephone I'm not okay Losing my head You go instead
What can love do? 'Cause when push comes to shove, you Let me fall by the wayside And there's nowhere to hide What can love do? Knowing no one's above you Now the world's got me tongue-tied (Now the world, it's got me tongue-tied) And there's nowhere to hide
I'll try again You'll give a damn I'm not complaining just to fall for your scam I'm in the dark Feeling obscure Everything you're saying makes me so insecure I'm standing by You're all alone I'm playing hooky when we play tele-play telephone I'm not okay Losing my head You go instead You go instead You go instead
Say hello, hello, say goodbye I've been walking alone for who knows why? Say whatever you want, I don't care I don't care (Who knows?)
What can love do? 'Cause when push comes to shove, you Let me fall by the wayside And there's nowhere to hide What can love do? Knowing no one's above you Now the world's got me tongue-tied (Now the world, it's got me tongue-tied) And there's nowhere to And there's nowhere to And there's nowhere to hide
Common Garden
File Under Foliage proudly presents a demo album of melodic meditations: Common Garden, an apocalypse story.
What happens when someone who can't even keep it together realizes the world itself is falling apart? If you guessed "write some silly songs," collect your prize, then proceed to throw it on the fire because it's getting cold out here. Huddle up with your garden-mates and peep the machines catching breeze by my hand.
[musical experiments for pleasure and pain]
(December 6, 2024)
Side A
Beat the Heat
I'll beat the heat with the dogs on the other side Surround it by sound so it can't get out I'll beat the heat 'cause dog means another And keeping our eyes on a common route
Sail in the sky (Ha!) I'll see you back here on Sunday Oh my, is that the time? I have to be on six ways (Ha!) Hail in the fireplace (Ha!) 'Cause you didn't think of a cover Hostiles within nautical miles Pray that your enemy prays
I'll beat the heat with the dogs on the other side Surround it by sound so it can't get out I'll beat the heat 'cause dog means my brother And keeping our minds on a common route I said that I would when the sky indicated it Torn eye and a trial for the gold and red I'll beat the heat, I have gun, will travel And carry to bed a surprising doubt
Fly through the fray (Ha!) I'll be your bad little liebchen My God, did I get that wrong? I'm rocking the restless Berlin (Ja!) Hail to the fireplace (Ha!) 'Cause you never give me your money Divide, tossing some to the side Every now and again
I beat the heat with the dogs on the other side Surrounded by sound so it can't get out I beat the heat 'cause dog means my mother And keeping the lights on a common route I said that I would when the science indicated it Torn eye and a trial for the garden green You'll beat the heat if you just separate a bit And settle to rest, layabout
The garden's hot so don't be naughty
Pop Fly (Thanks for the Question)
I'm a pop fly and I'm bona fide Take a free seat and a thank you for questioning A pop fly going on a ride Altitude turn like a manic depression I'm a pop fly; I'm bona fide Face of pop fly going on a ride For the pop fly they send aside Take a free seat and thanks for the question Altitude turn like a manic depression Calm the fair crowd with a facial expression
Fresh to please, for it means the machines will catch the breeze by my hand Understand: It's mine (my mind), aligned (I align) On my aim (my aim is), gotta blame (not blameless) Someone, it's always the same
I'm a pop fly and I'm bona fide Take a free seat and a thank you for questioning A pop fly going on a ride Altitude turn like a manic depression I'm a pop fly; I'm bona fide Face of pop fly going on a ride For the pop fly they send aside Take a free seat and thanks for the question Altitude turn like a manic depression Calm the fair crowd with a facial expression
Fresh to know who would stay far away if I'm below surface line It's always fine, calm down (get down), renown (get around) Hard to please (can't please you) or to squeeze (appease you) Compassion down on my knees
Full cycle reset, not a regret, hard to believe I'm part of a world that I control, that I perceive Full cycle reset, not a regret, hard to believe Now part of a world that I control, that I perceive
Wait to see what it means for machines, by memory, to save face In the place of all (recall) the small (very small) In my sight (my sight is) every night (your highness) So toss your property right; set it alight
I'm a pop fly and I'm bona fide Take a free seat and a thank you for questioning A pop fly going on a ride Altitude turn like a manic depression I'm a pop fly; I'm bona fide Face of pop fly going on a ride For the pop fly they send aside Take a free seat and thanks for the question Altitude turn like a manic depression Calm the fuck down and look the other way
Nothing Tomorrow
The newspaper talked about the memories we shared Because there's nothing tomorrow, nothing tomorrow And all that is solid starts to melt into the air Because there's nothing tomorrow, no As the grid powers down and all the clatter fades away We know there's nothing tomorrow, nothing tomorrow And all that was said was what we didn't want to say Because there's nothing tomorrow, nothing tomorrow Nothing tomorrow now
Built like a barrel, secure and sterile Something to keep the fair imperiled ones left to meet us shy to greet us I'm gonna keep the fire on Light up a candle if you can handle Being the one disbanding vandalizing courageous disadvantageous folk who come around
The newspaper talked about the memories we shared Because there's nothing tomorrow, nothing tomorrow And all that is solid starts to melt into the air Because there's nothing tomorrow, no As the grid powers down and all the clatter fades away We know there's nothing tomorrow, nothing tomorrow And all that was said was what we never meant to say Because there's nothing tomorrow, nothing tomorrow Nothing tomorrow now
Common Garden
In my common garden, I sleep with the lights on I sleep with the lights on night after night In my common garden, I need all my lights on I need lots of lights on to make me feel right In my common garden, I sleep with the lights on Did you keep the lights on after the fight? After the fight?
Who's a friend and who's pretend? Who can stay and who can get away? Who am I to say either way? All alone in a place I call my own Who's a friend as I descend? Who can keep my secrets as I sleep? All to trade pleasure from pain A common garden in my brain
In my common garden, I sleep with the lights on I sleep with the lights on night after night In my common garden, I need all my lights on I need lots of lights on to make me feel right Yeah, in my common garden, I sleep with the lights on Did you keep the lights on after the fight? After the fight?
There's a time to toe the line And a space for craving saving face But who am I to trace out a place Just for me à la « petite bourgeoisie »? Who's the one in my long run? Who can hold a secret's weight in gold? All to trade fear for the feel A common garden will be real
In my common garden, I sleep with the lights on I sleep with the lights on night after night In my common garden, I need all my lights on I need lots of lights on to make me feel right In my common garden, I sleep with the lights on Did you keep the lights on after the fight? After the fight?
Who's a friend and who's pretend? Who will stay and who will go astray? Who am I to say either way? No backbone with a garden overgrown Who's a friend as I ascend? Who will keep my secrets when I weep? All to seek pleasure in kind A common garden state of mind
In my common garden, I sleep with the lights on I sleep with the lights on every night In my common garden, I need all my lights on I need lots of lights on to make me feel right In my common garden, I sleep with the lights on Did you keep the lights on after the fight? After the fight?
Where'd You Go?
When I wake up saying hello I'm still at home, but where did you go? Looking above, looking below I'm still at home, but where did you go? Empty the whole room as a set Nothing to lose, no one regrets By looking above, looking below I'm still at home, but where did you go? Where did you go? Where'd you go?
I'm crawling around my own home I'm crawling around my sideways dome I see to the side, I know where to hide It's fine, oh it's fine if I say it's fine And I call it hard is right 'Cause I call it all at night I call it all 'cause it's fine, it's fine, and it's mine
When I wake up saying hello I'm still at home, but where did you go? Looking above, looking below I'm still at home, but where did you go? Empty the whole room as a set Nothing to lose, no one regrets by (Nothing, no one) Looking above, looking below I'm still at home, but where did you go? Where did you go? Where'd you go?
I know what you did last weekend I know what you did that cannot be, will not be said My eyes only see what sighted can be It was my mystery, and I got it for free On my telephone, alone And I call it right, what I call at night It's fine, fine, fine
My Motions
Baby shoes for sale, they're blue and red and green and blue Who's hitherto going through my motions? Cold at night with firelight to keep us quiet too Who's hitherto going through my motions?
Baby, they're inside and there is nothing they can do Who's hitherto going through my motions? Maybe it's the other way and we're inside a zoo, me and you Who's hitherto going through my motions?
Who's hitherto going through my motions? Who's hitherto going through my motions?
Side B
Suspicious Science
You've gummed up the gears with your suspicious science Why focus on love when you can focus on violence? And everyone knows, everyone knows it's you You've gummed up the gears with your perplexing power Why hold out a hand when you can curl up and cower? And everyone knows, everyone knows it's you-hoo So if that's where you draw the line, there's nothing left to do
Still after all those years, all the tears that were shed overhead Running through the wasteland of a new home: somewhere to roam again But it's looking monochrome, my friend
You've gummed up the gears with your suspicious science Why focus on love when you can focus on violence? And everyone knows, everyone knows it's you You've gummed up the gears with your perplexing power Why hold out a hand when you can curl up and cower? And everyone knows, everyone knows it's you-hoo, boo-hoo So if that's where you draw the line, there's nothing left to do
Seen from the losing side: worlds collide as we're climbing through time Rearrange and reset like a new game with someone to blame for this 'Cause it's looking like the same abyss, and everything in frame's amiss And I'm feeling like I'm all alone with nobody there to call up my phone
Today, there's a way to take the pain out of our play But now and again (and again and again), feels like I don't know what to say While trying to survive inside a world that's crumbling Listen for the ring and crowd together to outlast the weather
Because you've gummed up the gears with your suspicious science Why focus on love when you can focus on violence? And everyone knows, everyone knows it's you You've gummed up the gears with your perplexing power Why hold out a hand when you can curl up and cower? And everyone knows, everyone knows it's you-hoo, boo-hoo So if that's where you draw the line, there's nothing left to do
Still after all those years, all our fears proven right overnight Talking like we'll live 'til the sun goes dark by keeping the spark alive So you're shifting into overdrive, holding onto hope that you'll survive By pretending that we share a boat, suspicious science keeps you afloat
That Sound
I am tired of that sound I always hate when that thing has to come around I am scared of that noise I need some peace and quiet counterpoise
With that sound, yeah yeah yeah All around me I really wish it would quit I can't get over it I hate that sound Every damn day I don't know what to do I can't get over you
I am sick in my bed I always hate when that thing gets into my head I am scared of the world I'm always lying here, body curled
With that sound, yeah yeah yeah All around me I really wish it would quit I can't get over it I hate that sound Every damn day And every nighttime too I can't get over you
Sound overground Can be found inbound and Sound underground Will be found profound and drowned
Over the Weather
What are we doing here? We stand Life doesn't always go according to plan Moving hand in hand inside a tin can Forget the modern man Above the bay Life has a funny way of making you pay But we could find a way Taking pain out of play: tomorrow, today
Over the weather, sky's always blue Over the weather, all thanks to you But what are we doing over the weather? Clear as a pane Over the weather, together Who could complain?
But what are we doing here? We go Life is a little long to put on a show Following the flow We gotta forgo to chase the afterglow Above the sea Life would be simpler if it was for me But everyone deserves to be free
Over the weather, sky's always blue Over the weather, all thanks to you But what are we doing over the weather? Clear as a pane Over the weather, together Who could complain? But what are we doing here?
Wash Away
You and I make our play 'Til the blood is washed away Shallow sea, enough to breathe Wash away the memories You and I forget that time Burn in salt and squeeze of lime Shallow sea, enough to breathe Wash away the memories Wash away the memories Wash away the memories
Separation
Tell me a secret, I bet you have one Nobody's open, not in the long run I bet you hold onto all of your pain Why be an image in somebody's brain? Wanna establish some separation You manufacture alienation I bet you hold onto all your advice Nobody's open, or nobody's nice?
Separation that was hard won Once, and again, and again, and again
Back to the basics, to your devices Self-isolation, that's what the price is I bet you hold onto all of your fear Life is too long to let anyone near Wanna establish some separation Sever the cord, cut the communication I bet you hold onto all discontent Self-isolation with selfish intent
Separation that was hard won Once, and again, and again, and again Separation that was hard won Once, and again, and again, and again
Tell me a secret, I bet you have one Nobody's open, not in the long run I bet you hold onto all of your pain Why be an image in somebody's brain? Wanna establish some separation You manufacture alienation I bet you hold onto all your advice Nobody's open, or nobody's nice? In the morning it's time, moving along If you don't stay, you won't be wrong again At any rate, you separate
Hold your head down in your hometown Everything is leading you to
Separation that was hard won Once, and again, and again, and again Separation that was hard won Once, and again, and again, and again
Back to the basics, to your devices Self-isolation, that's what the price is I bet you hold onto all of your fear Life is too long to let anyone near Wanna establish some separation Sever the cord, cut the communication I bet you hold onto all discontent Self-isolation with selfish intentions The morning is time to carry on If you don't stay, you can't be wrong again At any rate, you separate
Little Queue Line
Long ago I would explode If someone touched me in the queue, in the fray, in the zoo Foli don't know what to do But the planet's feeling different Than it did when I was small Not to be, not at all, deifying my recall If I had another twenty It would go two times as quick So I sit here by tick, tick, tick
I'll still occupy my little queue line 'Cause domino means I want it to fall I'll still occupy my little queue line 'Cause domino means I want it to fall, yeah (Oy vey… domino means I want it to fall) (Fall, fall… fall… and cut!)
Building Blocks: 2020–2023
File Under Foliage awkwardly presents an embarrassingly large compilation of assorted vocal demos since 2020. Quality may vary wildly; please contact your local gardener with any complaints.
[musical experiments to piece together]
(October 6, 2023)
Molly
Molly got into a case of the good stuff Better act now or she'll get away Molly got into a case of the good stuff Better act now or she'll get away Molly got into a case of the good stuff Better act now or she'll get away
Better act now or you'll lose her for good Better act now or you'll lose her for good Haven't been paying attention like you should So you better act now or you'll lose her for good
Molly got into a case of the good stuff (Molly's feeling kinda funny now) Better act now or she'll get away (You know that Molly likes to get around) Molly got into a case of the good stuff (It might be great, she might be gone) Better act now or she'll get away (She pulled ahead, she carried on) Molly got into a case of the good stuff (It might be great, she might be gone) (Molly's feeling kinda funny now) Better act now or she'll get away (She pulled ahead, she carried on) (You know that Molly likes to get around)
Better act now or you'll lose her for good (Molly's feeling funny now) Better act now or you'll lose her for good (Molly's gonna go get around) Haven't been paying attention like you should (Molly's gone into the crowd) So you better act now or you'll lose her for good
Thinking Sideways
Step up and take your second chance In the hand of a circumstance Step down and turn it inside out What am I talking about? So turn on every machine See your name in a magazine Turn off and step it back again Time to pretend
All the people (Oh my God) Thinking sideways (My God, oh) All the people (God, oh my) Left behind (Oh my God) All the people thinking sideways All the people we'll never find
Step up and take your second chance In the hand of a circumstance (I've been crawling around on my own) Step down and turn it inside out What am I talking about? So turn on every machine See your name in a magazine (I've been learning to walk all alone) Turn off and step it back again Time to pretend
All the people (Oh my God) Thinking sideways (My God, oh) All the people (God, oh my) Left behind (Oh my God) All the people thinking sideways All the people we'll never find
Your brain sounds a little different Figure it out, oh figure me out If we met in a different circumstance I'd be all over you, yes, I know what I'd do
All the people (Oh my God) Thinking sideways (My God, oh) All the people (God, oh my) Left behind (Oh my God) All the people thinking sideways All the people we'll never find
Step up and take your second chance In the hand of a circumstance Step down and turn it inside out What am I talking about? So turn on every machine See your name in a magazine Turn off and step it back again Time to pretend All the people thinking sideways
Grand Old Scheme
Don't lock me in the oven Or lock me in the fridge I'll want to make it out And I'll want to live
Don't lock me in the oven Don't lock me in the fridge I'll want to make it out And I'll want to live
Don't lock me in the oven (Locked up like a ghost) Or lock me in the fridge (Tell what I want most) I'll want to make it out and I'll want to live (Know from coast to coast) Don't lock me in the oven (Free is as free does) Don't lock me in the fridge (If you heard the buzz) I'll want to make it out and I'll want to live (Do it just because)
I'm looking around to see where I stand In the grand old scheme of the master plan It takes a lot to take it away I take it out both night and day I'm looking around to see where I sit In the grand old scheme of this bullshit It takes a lot to take it away I take it out both night and day Today, I'm looking for a pay raise I'm looking for a lazy way to spend my days in a haze
Don't lock me in the oven (Locked up like a ghost) Or lock me in the fridge (Tell what I want most) I'll want to make it out and I'll want to live (Know from coast to coast) Don't lock me in the oven (Free is as free does) Don't lock me in the fridge (If you heard the buzz) I'll want to make it out and I'll want to live (Do it just because)
I'm looking around to see where I stand In the grand old scheme of the master plan It takes a lot to take it away I take it out both night and day I'm looking around to see where I sit In the grand old scheme of this bullshit It takes a lot to take it away I take it out both night and day
Wild World (Garden Song)
Growing a garden on a page of notes You're going upstairs where the garden grows And nobody thought to ask you twice When the television shudders and snaps to life
It's a wide, wide world, filtered through 65 inches of you It's a wild, wild world, sit back and enjoy the view
Growing a garden in the bathroom stall You're flushing that garden once and for all And nobody thought to call you up So you better drown your sorrows in a coffee cup
It's a wide, wide world, filtered through 65 inches of you It's a wild, wild world, sit back and enjoy the view
Colors of the rainbow showing you another world Colors of the rainbow, but if that's not enough or something... Microscopic spectrum showing you another time Microscopic spectrum, but if that's not enough or something...
Cover the windows or I'll fall out, fall out Cover the windows or I'll fall Cover the windows or I'll fall out, fall out Cover the windows now!
Growing a garden on a page of notes You're leaving the garden with the windows closed And nobody thought to ask you twice When the television shudders and snaps to life
It's a wide, wide world, filtered through 65 inches of you It's a wild, wild world, sit back and enjoy the view
Colors of the rainbow showing you another world Colors of the rainbow, but if that's not enough or something Microscopic spectrum, it's often not enough for me Microscopic spectrum, like when it's not my car I'm parking And when the bathroom outlet's sparking And when that goddamn dog keeps barking And when it's getting really dark out And when it's getting really dark
Foresight
I'm driving down the road now, baby I'm driving down the road I'm driving down the road so bravely Just like it showed
I've got a lot of foresight, baby I carry a heavy load I've got a lot of foresight, baby Here's what it showed
Time's passing, I can't get away It's not funny anymore Time's passing, I can't get away It's not funny anymore
In times of uncertainty People will do as they please 'Cause life is short and you can't deny I'm driving down the road at night I won't stop 'til I see the sunlight
In times of unbending will People will do it for a thrill 'Cause life is long but it flies right by You reach the end of the road sometime
Time's passing, I can't get away It's not funny anymore Time's passing, I can't get away It's not funny anymore
I like looking back at where I've been There's a win, and all the rest filed away I'm looking ahead to do it right Foresight every night gets me through the day
Time's passing, I can't get away It's not funny anymore It's not funny anymore
The Other Side
It took a lot of time to get here It took a lot of time to tell It took a lot of time to get here It took a lot of time to tell
Ocean spray, take me away I can't pay, so I guess I can't play any Mortify, look in my eyes I'm surprised, so I guess I'm alive
It took a lot of time to tell you It took a lot of time to find It took a lot of time to tell you It took a lot of time to find
When life is a mystery And you're not what you're supposed to be Take a look from the other side Take a look from the other side When life is a mystery And you're not what you're supposed to be Take a look from the other side, the other side
Power plant, what about that? I recant, I regret what I said to the Suit and tie, a commendable lie I can fly, but I know that I'll die
Ocean spray, take me away I can't pay, so I guess I can't play any Mortify, look in my eyes I'm surprised, so I guess I'm alive
It took a lot of time to find it It took a lot of time to be It took a lot of time to find it It took a lot of time to be
When life is a fantasy And you're all that you thought that you would be Take a look from the other side, the other side When life is a fantasy And you're all that you thought that you would be Take a look from the other side
Power plant, what about that? I recant, I regret what I said to the Suit and tie, a commendable lie I can fly, but I know that I'll die
Solid Foundation
Solid foundation I read it in a book I told you everything that you wanted to know 'Cause you won't take a look Analyze a process Unravel to the core I told you everything that you needed to hear But you're not hearing more
What do you see now? What do you see now? What do you see now?
Solid foundation I saw it on a show I played you everything that you wanted to see But now you're letting go Analyze a process To minimize the pain I told you everything that we're able to lose And everything to gain
What do you see now? What do you see now? What do you see now?
Aunt Looks Down
Kerry takes a break while her aunt looks down Her aunt looks down Kerry takes a break while her aunt looks down
Kerry takes a break while her aunt looks down Her aunt looks down Kerry takes a break while her aunt looks down Kerry takes a break while her aunt looks down And everything is catching on fire Kerry takes a break, a mistake that will make a survivor
Kerry takes a break while her aunt looks down Her aunt looks down Kerry takes a break while her aunt looks down
Kerry takes a break while her aunt looks down Her aunt looks down Kerry takes a break while her aunt looks down Kerry takes a break while her aunt looks down And everything is catching on fire Kerry takes a break, a mistake that will make a survivor
Kerry takes a break while her aunt looks down Her aunt looks down Kerry takes a break while her aunt looks down
Kerry takes a break while her aunt looks down Her aunt looks down Kerry takes a break while her aunt looks down
You Do You
How do you do? They can see right through That space on your face Strange in a stranger place They see lowly storied old machine Over and over, moving much slower now
Step up, step lightly Move quick, stay tight now No fear, no failure Moving up and away we go
How do you know Your own way to go? Pathway, constrain me In this reality Correct, reject Able to inspect Surveillance ample Take your free sample now
Step up, step lightly Move quick, look out below No fear, no failure Moving up and away we go
How do you do? They can see right through That space on your face Strange in a stranger place They see lowly storied old machine Over and over, moving much slower now
Step up, step lightly Move quick, look out below No fear, no failure Moving up is the way to go
Fine, Find Your Way Home
Crystalline and it's fine Cavern and it's fine, find your way home And it's crystalline and it's fine Cavern and it's fine, find your way home And it's crystalline and it's fine, fine Cavern and it's fine, fine, find your way home Crystalline and it's fine, fine Cavern and it's fine, fine, find your way home
We all hang out there But we all cannot care 'Cause we all cover there Whoa-oh-oh-oh
Crystalline and it's fine (Crystalline fine) Cavern and it's fine, find your way home And it's crystalline and it's fine (Crystalline fine) Cavern and it's fine, find your way home And it's crystalline and it's fine, fine (It's crystalline fine) Cavern and it's fine, fine, find your way home And it's crystalline and it's fine Cavern and it's fine, find your way home
We all hang out there But we all cannot care 'Cause we all cover there Whoa-oh-oh-oh We all hang out there But we all cannot care 'Cause we all cover there Whoa-oh-oh-oh
Crystalline and it's fine (Crystalline fine, fine, fine, fine, fine) Cavern and it's fine, find your way home And it's crystalline and it's fine, fine Cavern and it's fine, fine, find your way home Crystalline and it's fine Cavern and it's fine, find your way home Find your way home Whoa-oh-oh Find your way home
I've Had Enough
We travel down the road We travel down the only known way We're traveling at night We're traveling to make a light sound
I've had enough of all this stuff I've had enough, you know the times are getting rough I've had enough of all these things and all it brings
We opened up a book We opened up to take a look-see We opened up our minds We helped each other try to find out
I've had enough of all this stuff I've had enough, you know the times are getting rough I've had enough of all these things and all it brings
I've had enough of all this stuff I've had enough, you know the times are getting rough I've had enough of all these things and all it brings
We travel down the road We travel down the only known way We're traveling at night We're traveling to make a light sound
Begin Again
I said to my friend, I said 'til the end I said to my friend, let's stop and begin again Always the same and always ashamed To say I am to blame when everything goes astray
I'm waiting in the parking lot for you I'm acutely aware of the things that I just cannot do
I said to my head, I said it instead I said to my head, let's clean up and go to bed Losing to win with regular interest Some of the sin, locked up in house arrest
I'm waiting in the parking lot for you I'm acutely aware of the things that I just cannot do I'm locked up inside of a solar cell If you know me then you'll know that I'm doing pretty well Oh yeah yeah yeah, let's begin again I'm locked up inside of a solar cell If you know me then you'll know that I'm doing pretty well
Lefty One
I got a little quicker I got a little more left behind I got a little bit sicker I got a little bit of stuff that's on my mind
It's a joke, it's not the way to go But how would I know? I've got a lefty one All in good fun
I got a little quicker (I've got quicker) I got a little more left behind (Left behind) I got a little bit sicker (I've got sicker) I got a little bit of stuff that's on my mind (Stuff in mind)
It's a joke, it's not the way to go But how would I know? I've got a lefty one All in good fun I've got a lefty one All in good fun I've got a lefty one All in good fun
Getting It Together
I'm in the building, I'm undercover I can't remember if I've taken another I'm in the basement, under the weather I can't remember if I'm getting it together now
I'm in the building, I'm undercover I can't remember if I've taken another No time for laughing, or taking action I can't remember if it's getting a reaction
'Cause I only found you Re-underground you Restore the site to its natural way But did you miss me? I'm getting dizzy I'm getting bored of the day by day
I'm in the building, I'm undercover I can't remember if I've taken another I'm in the basement, under the weather I can't remember if I'm getting it together now
We're watching sunsets All while the world ends We're watching life sublimate away I'm sick of trying Undo or dying No sense in lying at the end of the day
Summer Lightning
We're driving home in the summer lightning We're on the way as the sun goes down We're driving home in the summer lightning I see the halo surrounding town
I know we both put the past behind us And I was hoping you'd stay awhile I know we both put the past behind us But that's not your style
That specific circumstance that I'm in That specific circumstance I can't win
We're driving home in the summer lightning You know it feels like the air's ablaze We're driving home in the summer lightning I swear it feels like the end of days
I know you told me to speak no evil 'Cause Heaven knows it's not up to me I know you told me to speak no evil But that's all I see
That specific circumstance that I'm in That specific circumstance I can't win That specific circumstance that I'm in That specific circumstance I can't win
We're driving home in the summer lightning We're on the way as the sun goes down We're driving home in the summer lightning I see the halo surrounding town
I know we both put the past behind us And I was hoping you'd stay awhile I know we both put the past behind us But that's not your style Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Break It Down
Living in a parking lot Gonna go break it down Don't you know that's my car lot? Check the lost and found
Living in a parking lot Gonna go break it down (Gonna go and fall) Don't you know that's my car lot? Check the lost and found (Check one, check two)
Check one, check two, and it's over Check one, check two [muffled speech]
Living in a parking lot Gonna go break it down Don't you know that's my car lot? Check the lost and found
Living in a parking lot Gonna go break it down (Gonna go and fall) Don't you know that's my car lot? Check the lost and found (Check one, check two)
Check one, check two, and it's over Check one, check two
My Sincere Apology
Locked in the family vault once again I'm looking for a way to spend my time In a better way than pissing off day by day Locked in the family vault once again I'm looking for a way to spend my time In a better way than pissing off day by day
I'm in the busy, I'm in the middle of it Don't have time to settle down All I am is sorry Please accept my sincere apology for dragging you around
I'm in the busy, I'm in the middle of it Don't have time to take a stand All I am is sorry Please accept my sincere apology for messing up your plan
And when you're finally out in the clear (Take some time, take some time for me now) Whoa-oh-oh-oh And when you're finally out in the clear (Take some time, take some time for me now) Whoa-oh-oh-oh And when you're finally out in the clear (Take some time, take some time for me now) Whoa-oh-oh And when you're finally out in the clear (Now, ow-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow) Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
I'm in the busy, I'm in the middle of it Don't have time to settle down All I am is sorry Please accept my sincere apology for dragging you around
I'm in the busy, I'm in the middle of it Don't have time to take a stand All I am is sorry Please accept my sincere apology for messing up your plan
And when it's dark at night Find my way by old moonlight I'll take you there one day If we find another way to pay
Locked in the family vault once again (Locked in family) I'm looking for a way to spend (Vault again) My time in a better way (Looking for a) Than pissing off day by day (Way to spend) Locked in the family vault once again (Locked in family) I'm looking for a way to spend (Vault again) My time in a better way (Looking for a) Than pissing off day by day (Better way)
I'm in the busy (I'm in the busy) I'm in the middle of it (I'm in the middle of it) Don't have time to settle down (Don't have time to settle down) All I am is sorry (All I am is sorry!) Please accept my sincere apology for dragging you around
I'm in the busy (I'm in the busy!) I'm in the middle of it (I'm in the middle of it!) Don't have time to take a stand (Don't have time to take a stand!) All I am is sorry (All I am is sorry) Please accept my sincere apology for messing up your plan (All I am is sorry, all I am is sorry)
In Review
Now we're in review I've learned all I can from you Now it's clear to see You've learned all you can from me too
Shivers, shivers, I'm so cold I'm so young but I feel so old I just did what everyone told me Boxed up myself and sold me
If this is what I get I guess I'll get through this regret Try to recoup my net losses
Now I'm in review (I'm in review) I think I've got a lot to do (I've got a lot to do) Now if you can see (If you can see) I'm gonna leave it up to me
Minimize Waste
Minimize waste Keep a straight face Keep a steady pace Minimize waste
My heartbeat's on the rise I'm taking cover It's anybody's guess When this will be over I can't understand the language you're speaking
Minimize waste Left inside that space Left in all your ways Minimize waste
My heartbeat's on the line I'm taking action It's anybody's chance To get a reaction I'm figuring out the language you're speaking
Minimize waste (Money on the telephone, it's giving me a) Keep a straight face (Second home, it's giving me another chance to) Keep a steady pace (Do my special little dance, it) Left inside that space (Knows my name, it knows my face and all my fears, it's coming near, so) Left in all your ways (Close my eyes and gettin' ready, close my eyes and) Minimize waste (Gettin' ready)
Window
You look out of the window But everything's wrong It hasn't looked like that for so long You look out of the window and tell me Is the sky falla- falla- fallin' down? It hasn't looked like that for so long
I look into the kiosk And everything's new I can't predict what you're gonna do I look into the kiosk and ask you When are you come-a come-a comin' home? I can't predict what you're gonna do
I'll ask you one last time Hey, can you spare a dime? I need some change for the machine To buy some melody and rhyme You know I need some space I'm feeling out of place If only windows could see through That sad look on my face
Mistake
I know I made a mistake But I also know it takes More than that to break your heart I'm being pulled apart Take me back to the start
I know I made a mistake But I also know it takes More than that to break your heart I'm being pulled apart Take me back to the start
Someone broke the window I think I broke the window There I go, there I am Chase me all around the table Someone broke the window I think I broke the window There I go, there I am Chase me all around the table Someone broke the window I think I broke the window There I go, there I am Chase me all around the table Someone broke the window I think I broke the window There I go, there I am Chase me all around the table Friend of mine
I know I made a mistake But I also know it takes More than that to break your heart I'm being pulled apart Take me back to the start
I know I made a mistake But I also know it takes More than that to break your heart I'm being pulled apart Take me back to the start
Someone broke the window I think I broke the window There I go, there I am Chase me all around the table Someone broke the window I think I broke the window There I go, there I am Chase me all around the table Someone broke the window by accident! There I go, there I am Chase me all around the table Someone broke the window by accident! There I go, there I am Chase me all around the table Friend of mine
Trying Hard for a Good Time
We're trying hard for a good time I'm trying hard not to change my mind It's not that hard to remember We're heading straight for another kind
We're living well in the background I need to know if you're on my side It takes some time to recover It takes some time just to be implied right
Twisting me up through the night I can't see with all of this light It's twisting me up, holding me tight
We're trying hard for a good time I'm trying hard not to lose my mind It's not that fun to remember We're heading straight for another kind
We're living well at the forefront Of all the things that they left behind It takes some time to recover It takes some time just to be implied right
Twisting me up through the night I can't see with all of this light, my light It's twisting me up, holding me tight, all night
And you'll be all alone by yourself now Left at home right 'Cause you'll be all alone on your own
We're trying hard for a good time I'm trying hard not to change my mind It's not that hard to remember We're heading straight for the same old kind
We're living well in the background I need to know if you're on my side It takes some time to recover It takes some time just to be implied right
Twisting me up through the night I can't see with all of this light I'm trying to put up a damn good fight Twisting me up through the night I can't see with all of this light, my light It's twisting me up, holding me tight It's twisting me up, holding me tight It's twisting me up, holding me tight
Tell Me When
Tell me when you're back again Before I let the day begin Tell me if you're falling for my style But tell me if you're walking in my mile
Tell me when you're back again You know I miss my only friend Tell me if I need to bring a chair But tell me if you'll stay out of my hair
All we are is what we were Is all that we will be again for sure, surely All we are is what we were (I'm not a definition, but I am) Is all that we (Experience) Will be again for sure (I'm not a definition, but I am) Surely (What I see)
Tell me when you're back again Before I let the day begin Tell me if you're falling for my style (You're falling for my style, you're falling for my) But tell me if you're walking in my mile (Style, you're falling for my style)
Tell me when you're back again You know I miss my only friend Tell me if I need to bring a chair But tell me if you'll stay out of my hair
All we are is what we were Is all that we will be again for sure, surely All we are is what we were (I'm not a definition, but I am) Is all that we (Experience) Will be again for sure (I'm not a definition, but I am) Surely (What I see)
Tell me when you're back again Before I let the day begin Tell me if you're falling for my style (You're falling for my style, you're falling for my) But tell me if you're walking in my mile (Style, you're falling for my style)
Tell me when you're back again You know I miss my only friend Tell me if I need to bring a chair But tell me if you'll stay out of my hair
Tell me when Tell me when Tell me when Tell me when, please
Landslide
Caught in a landslide, nowhere to run I fear my flesh fried fresh in the sun I feel my flesh fried fresh in the sun But feelings ain't gonna get none of this done!
Man, that landslide, look out, wow! It's taking all the countryside out (Take me out) We perform our duties in appropriate time (Take me out) We perform our duties in appropriate time With a scalpel in one hand, a skip in your step You are wondering when there will be nothing left You're taking the action, you're putting it in your hands
Captain's Orders
Good graces of a lord invented Lost to time, yet reacquainted Wonder why I'm feeling strained Heart is green, darkened, pained Heart is green, darkened, pained
I'm watching it from the shadows I'm squinting my eyes My patience meticulously applied For the big surprise Smoke signals are showing me things I don't want to know And keeping me satisfied outside, but where will they blow?
Captain's orders, we're diverting course, for now It'll add a few years to our journey as fate will allow Don't forget to take your house key with you You wouldn't want to be trapped in the rain Count how many times I've forgotten Not always wise to go against the grain
Things are starting to look bleak and hazy When do I begin to be a shill or a shell? As I will, because I'm already in hell Things are starting to look bleak and hazy When do I begin to be a shill or a shell? As I will, because I'm already in hell
Crawled out of my cave to find it It won't get away I've got an accomplice in my shoes My own exposé Misled by a false surrender I'm biding my time Recalling the path that led us here What we've left behind
Captain's orders, we're diverting course, for now It'll add a few years to our journey as fate will allow Don't forget to feed my house plant for me I wouldn't want to see it wilt away Count how many of those I've lost Ever since the sky started turning grey
Things are starting to look bleak and hazy When do I begin to be a shill or a shell? As I will, because I'm already in hell Things are starting to look bleak and hazy When do I begin to be a shill or a shell? As I will, because I'm already in hell
Don't forget to take your house key with you You wouldn't want to be trapped in the storm Count how many times I've forgotten Not always wise to go against the norm
Things are starting to look bleak and hazy When do I begin to be a shill or a shell? As I will, because I'm already in hell Already in hell Already in hell Already in hell
Money in the Pockets
Money in the pockets of the people who will protect Everybody around you Loving life is hard when the sun shines, a bad sign And sometimes it's hard now Money in the pockets of the people, the church, and the steeple Until the day is done I'm having so much fun I sent the blues on the run
Stranger things can happen Don't involve the captain Stranger things can happen
Money in the pockets of the people who will protect Everybody from danger Loving life is weird when the moon's bright, a bright night And sometimes it's stranger Money in the pockets of the people, the church, and the steeple Until the day is through I don't know what to do Because I live in a zoo
Come On It'll All Make Sense
Come on, it'll all make sense Come on, it'll all make sense Come on, it'll all make sense Come on, it'll all make sense
Come on, it'll all make sense Come on, it'll all make sense Come on, it'll all make sense Come on, it'll all make sense
I'll dig my own grave by the time that I'm finished With the stuff that I save when I'm too far diminished I'll build my own tomb by the time that I'm over Overfilling this room, can I move any slower?
Come on, it'll all make sense Come on, it'll all make sense (Summertime at night) Come on, it'll all make sense Come on, it'll all make sense
Come on, it'll all make sense Come on, it'll all make sense (Summer's feeling bright) Come on, it'll all make sense Come on, it'll all make sense
Say It Anyway
I don't know what to say Gonna say it anyway I don't know what to say I'm gonna say it nice and slowly I don't know what to do But I'll do it all for you I don't know what to do
I don't know what to say Gonna say it anyway I don't, don't know what to say Say-ya, say-ya, say-ya, say you love me I don't know what to do But I'll do it all for you I don't know what to do
I don't know what to say Gonna say it anyway I don't know what to say I'm gonna say it nice and slowly I don't know what to do But I'll do it all for you I don't know what to do
I don't know what to say Gonna say it anyway I don't, don't know what to say Say-ya, say-ya, say-ya, say you love me I don't know what to do But I'll do it all for you I don't know what to do
So if you cancel all your plans Let me be courageous Nearly-was and almost-rans You won't have to travel for the view So if you visit me downstairs Let me be surveillance Get all up in your affairs I'd be right where I belong with you
I don't know what to say Gonna say it anyway I don't know what to say I'm gonna say it nice and slowly I don't know what to do But I'll do it all for you I don't know what to do
I don't know what to say Gonna say it anyway I don't, don't know what to say Say-ya, say-ya, say-ya, say you love me I don't know what to do But I'll do it all for you I don't know what to do
I don't know what to say Gonna say it anyway I don't know what to say I'm gonna say it nice and slowly I don't know what to do But I do know I love you I don't know what to do
I don't know what to say Gonna say it anyway I don't, don't know what to say Say-ya, say-ya, say-ya, say you love me I don't know what to do But I do know I love you Yes, I do know I love you Yes, I do know I love you
I Already Know
You got a secret, why don't you tell me? I wanna know, ha ha ha ha ha! You got a secret, why don't you tell me? I wanna know, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Grandpa had to walk uphill both ways in the snow Don't you tell me nothin' that I already know Grandpa had to walk uphill both ways in the snow, so Don't you tell me nothin' that I already know, oh!
Way Overboard
All of us are falling way-oh, way-oh All of us are falling way overboard All of us are falling way-oh, way-oh, way-oh, way-oh
All of us are falling way-oh, way-oh (Locked and loaded, way-oh way-oh) All of us are falling way overboard (Locked and loaded, way-oh) All of us are falling way-oh, way-oh, way-oh, way-oh (Locked and loaded, way-oh, way-oh, way-oh, way-oh, way-oh, way-oh)
My life It's taking me a couple tries to get it right It's in sight (Way-oh way-oh) And your life (Locked and loaded, way-oh way-oh) It'll take you a couple tries to get it right (Locked and loaded, way-oh) What a ride (Locked and loaded, way-oh way-oh) Because we're the same both out and inside (Way-oh way-oh, way-oh way-oh)
Chances
Gonna take my chances by not taking a chance at all The higher you fly, the further you fall So it doesn't feel like I have fallen at all
There's a place I know where there's dust in the sea And smoke in the air It's like a dream in how the memories aren't what they seem No, the memories aren't what they seem
So I'll take my chances by not taking a chance at all The higher you fly, the further you fall So it doesn't feel like I have fallen at all
With a turn of phrase you untangle my roots Abolish the haze It's dark and sick, promise you'll finish it off nice and quick You'll finish me off nice and quick
Cloud, cover me A shroud, can a lover be?
So I'll take my chances by not taking a chance at all The higher you fly, the further you fall So it doesn't feel like I have fallen at all No, it doesn't feel like I have fallen at all Oh, it doesn't feel like I have fallen at all
DVD
Oh, what is that I see? Is it a DVD? It got upgraded from a VHS It means that it holds more data It means that it has more storage It means that it's portable
If I could read the code The ones and the zeros I could watch a movie inside my mind I'd play any game I wanted I'd learn all about our planet I'd live in a fantasy And all that data is for me I've got this data all for free So how do I turn into a PC?
Oh, what is that I see? (I see) Is it a DVD? (A DVD) It got upgraded from a VHS (A VHS) It means that it holds more data (Holds more data) It means that it has more storage (Has more storage) It means that it's portable (It's portable)
Oh, what is that I see? (I see it) Is it a DVD? (A DVD) It got upgraded from a VHS It means that it holds more data (Holds more data) It means that it has more storage (Has more storage) It means that it's portable (It's portable, portable, portable...)
Self-Assured
How are you so self-assured, when love is such an ugly word? You're going and you're going and you're going and you're gone How are you not mystified? It keeps me up awake at night I'm going and I'm going and I'm going and I'm gone
How are you so self-assured, when love is such an ugly word? You're going and you're going and you're going and you're gone How are you not mystified? It keeps me up awake at night I'm going and I'm going and I'm going and I'm gone
And nothing's spent I don't pay no rent I need it all for my situation I stay close to home Always on my telephone To foresee expected complications And nothing's spent I don't pay no rent I need it all for my situation
How are you so self-assured, when love is such an ugly word? You're going and you're going and you're going and you're gone How are you not mystified? It keeps me up awake at night I'm going and I'm going and I'm going and I'm gone
Strange World
I moved in a direction I didn't know I could move in I'm gonna smoothly slide right by you I'm gonna find a place in style I'm gonna smoothly slide right through
It's a strange, strange world we live in It's a strange, strange world I haven't forgiven
I fell into a pattern I didn't know I constructed I'm gonna go and deconstruct it I'm gonna turn it inside out and I'm gonna tear it up right now
It's a strange, strange world we live in It's a strange, strange world I haven't forgiven
Tell me all your problems so that we can form a team I'm good at solving problems and I'm not afraid to dream Give me all your money so that we can stay alive I'm not afraid to use this I'm not afraid to use this I'm not afraid to use this I'm not afraid to use this Watch yourself from behind, it's very fine Keep all this in mind
Light of the Moon
Yeah, I'm going out back by the light of the moon Yeah, I'm going out back, gonna make a change from the other side I'm lighting this fire, soon By the light of the moon, so let me take you on a ride
Yeah, I'm going out back, gonna make a change from the other side I'm lighting this fire, soon By the light of the moon, so let me take you on a ride
I can't sit and waste time But that's all that I do Waiting for you Oh, will you come through? I've been mystified, blinded by Security blanket just for me When will we be free?
Yeah, I'm going out back Yeah, I'm going out back By the light of the moon
Paper
And that paper's on the attack If you can't see ahead, you might as well look back 'Cause that paper's looking mighty fine by now
And that paper's on the run If you can't catch a break, you might as well have fun 'Cause that paper's looking mighty fine by now
And that paper's on the attack If you can't see ahead, you might as well look back 'Cause that paper's looking mighty fine by now
And that paper's on the run If you can't catch a break, you might as well have fun 'Cause that paper's looking mighty fine by now
Stored in the value of this magazine Stored in the value of my dreams Stored in the value of this magazine Stored in the value, not what it seems
And that paper's on the attack If you can't see ahead, you might as well look back 'Cause that paper's looking mighty fine by now
And that paper's on the run If you can't catch a break, you might as well have fun 'Cause that paper's looking mighty fine by now
Gotta Get Away
Gotta get away from that stuff Gotta get away before it's not enough Gotta get away from my brain Gotta get away before I make that mistake again
Gotta get away for today Gotta get away before I throw today away Gotta get away on my own Gotta get away far like a telephone
Gotta get away from that stuff Gotta get away before it's not enough Gotta get away from my brain Gotta get away before I make that mistake again Mistake again
In the Fire
In the fire is where I spent my days In the fire is where I saw the haze In the fire is where I saw the captain slow And the colors of the rainbow
In the fire is where I drew the line In the fire, the fantasy was mine In the fire is where the cloud covered me And I saw it on DVD
With a turn of phrase, you untangle my roots Abolish the haze It's dark and sick Promise you'll finish me off nice and quick
In the fire is where I got away In the fire, the sky was turning grey In the fire, I took a little time alone I got far like a telephone
In the fire, the cat was in the bag In the fire, my chances were a drag In the fire is where I had to carry on 'Til the fire was all but gone In the fire is where I had to carry on 'Til the fire was all but gone In the fire is where I had to carry on 'Til the fire was all but gone
Suit Up
Tell me where it goes Buddy's looking back, got his head on backwards Tell me if it shows Ah-ah, ah-ah
Tell me where it goes If it shows Anybody who knows If the pros gave us not what we chose Tell me where it goes, if it shows Ah-ah, ah-ah
Suit up, let the ocean drag you down I grew up and it's nowhere to be found Who cares if you let yourself drown? Suit up, let the ocean drag you down I grew up and it's nowhere to be found Who cares if you let yourself drown? Whoa-oh
Cable Box
I thought you had a cable box To pass the time when boredom knocks I thought you had a way back home from here
Take your little seconds of ice cream now Take your little seconds of ice cream now
Grey goose on the loose I'm out of control, my friend Grey goose on the loose I'm out of control, my friend Grey goose, goose, goose on the loose, loose, loose I'm out of control, my friend Grey goose, goose, goose on the loose, loose, loose I'm out of control, my friend
Take your little seconds of ice cream now Take your little seconds of ice cream now
I thought you had a cable box To pass the time when boredom knocks (Take your little seconds of ice cream now) I thought you had a way back home from here (Take your little seconds of ice cream now)
Bossa for Saturday
Saturday, I'm waiting for a Saturday I'm waiting for a day that won't begin Until this week is ending Saturday, I'm waiting for a Saturday I'm waiting for a day that won't begin Until this week is ending
I'm crying alone Nobody to carry me home Watch me count the days go by in style
Saturday, I'm waiting for a Saturday I'm waiting for a day that won't begin Until this week is ending Saturday, I'm waiting for a Saturday I'm waiting for a day that won't begin Until this week is ending
Honey and Wine
It's sweeter than honey and drier than wine I'm looking for something that I cannot find alone I need someone back
Home is a place with adequate needs Sunshine and water and sowing your seeds, hello Hello
Party Line
Dark, dark, dark of the day, day, day And the light, light, light of the night, night, night Dark, dark, dark of the day, day, day And the light, light, light of the night, night, night
It's creepy, this party line is holding me down, holding me down It's creepy, this party line has got me all twisted and turned around It's creepy, this party line is holding me down, holding me tight Holding me every night, I don't know if this is alright I can't see with all of this light
Carry Me Home
Carry me back home, I've been waiting for you, baby I've been waiting all alone Carry me back home, I've been waiting for you, baby I've been waiting all alone
Carry me back home, I've been waiting for you, baby I've been waiting all alone Carry me back home, I've been waiting for you, baby I've been waiting all alone
It's time to discover something new between us But we've seen us before And we walked out that door
Carry me back home, I've been waiting for you, baby I've been waiting all alone Carry me back home, I've been waiting for you, baby I've been waiting all alone
Carry me back home, I've been waiting for you, baby I've been waiting all alone Carry me back home, I've been waiting for you, baby I've been waiting all alone
Cat's in the Bag
Cat's in the bag and the bag's been claimed Somebody taught you a new game Unscrupulous gaze and a turn of phrase Let you down, new in town
Whisper a vague set of codes and clues If you could hear, they would kill you Life on the line, got out just in time To rethink, pour out the drink
How is the weather over there? I know you're lying when you tell me it's fair Deep in the hive, are you still alive? In your red polka-dotted underwear In your red polka-dotted underwear
Colors of the Rainbow
Final stop before adjourning I'm yearning to find out what stopped them short A world covered so opaquely Awake me when you have the full report
Long neglected Wonder what it has to hide Colors of the rainbow show me inside Colors of the rainbow show me what's deep inside
It seems like the sky is falling It's falling, and they're calling out to you Don't look at me like I'm crazy It's hazy, and they don't know what to do
Misremembered Wonder what they had to show Colors of the rainbow show me below Colors of the rainbow show me what's far below
Inside of that place Doesn't seem like they have too much space Inside of their room, they're digging their tomb
The end of the road has been found They've been drowned, as i'm sorry I confess It's time to continue on They're all gone, there's no hope of success
Ancient and forgotten Wonder why they chose that strife Colors of the rainbow show me a life Naught beyond a relic Wonder if we'll turn that way Colors of the rainbow show me today Colors of the rainbow show me a better day
Venus
In 1962, I caught a glimpse of you And now that I've took flight, I see you every night So what are we to do? Complicatedly narrating what's in front of you Just to take it apart Activate your Section Eight until you're back in bed again I think I knew from the start
So if the party don't stop, there's nothing to fear, nothing to fear, no But if you felt a raindrop, then why are we here, why are we here? Whoa I'm tuned to your frequency, tuned to your frequency
Colors of the rainbow, show me what's below And share this night with me A theta wave to soothe your aching brain I must admit that it's a hit when our opinions have been split Refuse, deny, and nullify, proposals sent us both sky high I wish that you could mystify me
So if the party don't stop, there's nothing to fear, nothing to fear, no But if you felt a raindrop, then why are we here, why are we here? Whoa
Picket Line
Look at all the people living life Look at all the living that I can't find I can't see from here behind my picket line At least I found myself somewhere to hide At least I found myself somewhere to hide
Look at all the people living life Look at all the living that I can't find I can't see from here behind my picket line At least I found myself somewhere to hide At least I found myself somewhere to hide
Look at all the people living life Look at all the living that I can't find I can't see from here behind my picket line At least I found myself somewhere to hide At least I found myself somewhere to hide
Color Me Surprised
I'm waiting patiently to sail the seven seas And I will do so as I please Arrived with misty eyes, so color me surprised Let me redeem and synthesize
Carried by the ocean Scary like the notion that I'd fall You'd think I'd know by now Carried by the ocean breeze That cured me of my own disease You'd think I'd know by now
Gone down from ten to one Some stories aren't so fun If they can never be undone I told myself some lies, so color me surprised Let me redeem and synthesize
Find my own oasis Just one of many places where I'll hide You'd think I'd know by now Find my own oasis now I'll take my travels there somehow You'd think I'd know by now
It's high time to get it on I've been waiting for this moment since the moment I was born It's high tide, so color me surprised
Carried by the ocean Scary like the notion that I'd fall You'd think I'd know by now I'm gonna have to wait and see There's magic in the mystery You'd think I'd know by now
I'm waiting patiently to sail the seven seas And I will do so as I please Arrived with misty eyes, so color me surprised Let me redeem and synthesize
Outside the Lines
I've been waiting, waiting all this time Wishing I could find myself outside those lines And I've been praying, but praying makes you blind What will I find inside of the room again? I'd like to think I'm safe here, but it's hard to pretend Lose track of the nights and days, I'm in a haze
And I've been waiting, waiting all this time Wishing I could find myself outside those lines And I've been praying, but praying makes you blind What will I find?
My lachrymose heart dulls with age I wipe away the tarnish just to empty the cage Absurd that I'd know the rules Guess I'm one of the fools Must be just a damn fool!
The dream is perpetual A glass that was never full If pain was just half the fun I wouldn't sit down but I wouldn't run
So I've been waiting, waiting all this time Wishing I could find myself outside those lines And I've been praying, but praying makes you blind What will I find? Yes, I've been waiting, waiting all this time Wishing I could find myself outside those lines And I've been praying, but praying makes you blind What will I find? What will I find?
Standing
I've been here a little while Standing in the rain I've been here with someone smiling But I don't feel the same
I've been here a little while Standing in the snow I'm freezing cold and growing old But I just can't say no!
Isn't it hilarious? I'm a Sagittarius I got nuh-nuh-nothing to show I got nothing to live for
I'm Looking Up
Hello again I've been fighting for my life, my friend I'm looking up, it's looking down ‘Cause I've been looking around
I really need to know I really need to go somewhere Get away from this city air And I hope that I can't see a little mystery in you
I really need to do I really need to unify Compromise in short supply But I know that it's a lie, I'm playing every side again
I really need a friend (I'm wondering why) I have a hand to lend (I'm stuck up in the sky) To help you understand (I really don't really don't know) Sense of the land
Hello again (Love me slowly love me right) I've been fighting for my life, my friend (It's time you love me through the night) I'm looking up, it's looking down (Your words are firm but touch is light) ‘Cause I've been looking around
I really need to know I really need to go somewhere (Love me gently love me true) Get away from this city air (It's time to show what you can do) And I hope that I can see a little mystery in you (I'd love to see just me and you)
I really need to do I really need to unify (Love me painful love me bare) Compromise in short supply (I want to show you over there) But I know that it's a lie, I'm playing every side again (I want to give you all I dare)
I really need a friend
Verity
An aimless scavenger, spirited amnesiac AI, and psychic rat-like alien form a crew to explore the strange galaxy and search for truth.
Overview
For five years, Victoria Kowalski's life has been going nowhere at light speed. A burnt-out and socially-awkward space junk scavenger, her only ambition is to meet her weekly quota and collect her meager wage. That changes when her serendipitous discovery of a derelict abandoned ship brings her face-to-face with two other cosmic misfits: Galena, a culture-obsessed and relentlessly cheerful amnesiac AI searching for a past that was mysteriously erased from her mind, and God the Rat, a prankish, psychic alien so bored with immortal solitude that he's finally ready to rejoin the galaxy despite his social rustiness and a guilty past he'd rather leave behind.
A found family of galactic strays, they decide to form the crew of the Verity, each searching for a different facet of truth: a purpose, a history, and a path to belonging and redemption. Together, they take on odd jobs at the volatile edges of space in a character-driven sci-fi adventure that blends odd-couple comedy with high-stakes action and deeply personal revelations, all against the backdrop of a cold war slowly turning hot as the fragile peace between the galaxy's great powers begins to fray. It's a story about finding your place in a universe that's so busy falling apart that it barely has any time for the truly big questions, much less the weirdos who dare to ask them.
The Verity Crew
Meet the Crew
Victoria Kowalski – Captain & Engineer
"She's about to fix up her life."
An introverted and straightforward 28-year-old scavenger who's also a skilled mechanical engineer, Victoria is shy, self-conscious, and socially awkward, usually preferring the company of machines over people. She's been stuck in a dead-end job working for a space junk reclamation company for 5 years, barely making ends meet, and is growing more burnt-out every day. She's a frugal, no-frills, and "function over form" kind of person, having trouble understanding the value of things she considers superficial, although she has a soft spot for music and enjoys attending concerts when she can. Victoria needs some passion and direction in her life; she yearns to find people she's truly comfortable with, and to find a way to actually fit into society and express her skills in a way that's not only materially rewarding, but truly feels emotionally rewarding as well.
Galena – Diplomatic Tactician & Pilot
"Artificial intelligence, natural benevolence."
The General Artificial Logic-Emotion Neural Architecture is a spirited and excitable sentient artificial intelligence with an endless fascination with human culture, including fashion, cuisine, media, and sports. Originating from some time in the century prior to the story of Verity, she can detect that most of her memories have been mysteriously obscured, causing her much distress and prompting her to seek out any clues that could lead her to information about where she came from. She's originally confined to the computer systems of the ship, but some mechanical know-how could provide her with a physical body. Galena is a confident quick thinker and very outgoing, gaining enjoyment from meeting new people and learning about them, but she can be overbearing and have a hard time accepting when she's wrong.
God the Rat – Scientist & Wild Card
"He's back in the race."
A playful and prankish psychic alien resembling an anthropomorphic rodent, God has an immense curiosity, thirst for novelty, and appreciation for the natural world. Prior to meeting the other two members of the Verity crew, he was secluding himself away from the galaxy for reasons that he won't yet reveal, although one can detect an aura of guilt whenever the topic comes up. Having been away from society for so long, God is somewhat old-fashioned, evident in his use of dated slang, as well as socially negligent, but he genuinely wants to get better. His psychic powers vary in strength from place to place, meaning that they aren't always reliable. His primary and most common ability is telekinesis, but he is also sometimes capable of telepathy, shapeshifting, and teleportation. These powers often get him both into and out of trouble.
World & Story
Supporting Characters
Julian Goldstone:
Victoria's high school sweetheart who is now a knowledgeable geological engineer. They originally met in a robotics club at Carroll Academy and bonded over video games, but eventually drifted apart when Julian grew more passionate and focused on his specific field of study while Victoria's anxiety held her back from committing to a career path. He's gentle, kind-hearted, and eager to lend a hand to those in need.
Deaton Swelicate:
A junior member of a wealthy and influential family who, despite projecting an air of superiority, sports an inferiority complex. He often runs across the Verity crew and challenges them to low-stakes competitions that he places an inordinate amount of importance on. He's very tall, has a distinctive accent, always insists that others refer to him by his full name, and often boasts about his "wad" and the attention it attracts.
Phoe:
A kind, elderly mechanic - whose name is pronounced like "fee" - living in the backwater settlement of Napeoneck. Besides her primary repair and tinkering work, she enjoys carving absurdly intricate wooden sculptures, cooking and baking obscure dishes and treats, and caring for her sizable collection of exotic pets. The Verity crew meets her while following a clue about Galena's origin, and after she helps them, she becomes Victoria's pen pal.
Casey McCoy:
Victoria's ex-partner from a period of her life that she has several regrets regarding. Casey is loyal, but also outspoken and not afraid to do whatever it takes to get what they want. They have a habit of calling Victoria by the name Vicky, much to her intense displeasure. Casey used to live a more wild life, but now works at a bank.
Locations & Factions
Archipelago:
The overall setting of Verity, Archipelago is a spheroidal dwarf satellite galaxy orbiting a barred spiral galaxy nicknamed the Cheese Wheel. The population is estimated to be between 10 and 100 billion. A large proportion of societies are integrated within one of two unions, the Galactic Pact and the Red Archipelago, accompanied by a significant number of non-aligned worlds or multi-system governments. Habitable planets, which are quite rare with a number of only 50 to 100, are typically considered paradises and treated as gated communities, resort getaways, or nature reserves, with extended residence on their surfaces only available for a select few. Most individuals within the galaxy are space-bound and live on space stations (most systems have at least one) or even ships.
Galactic Pact:
The GP is a sprawling economic union of worlds in the form of a confederation. Hundreds of light years wide, it maintains relative stability and liberal capitalist hegemony within hundreds of thousands of star systems, for better or worse. The story of Verity mostly takes place within the GP.
Red Archipelago:
RA is a political union with a more collectivist social structure, and has been gradually expanding for centuries as bordering systems experience revolutions. As such, attitudes between RA and the GP are tense, and it's not easy to totally cross through the dual-control zone from one into the other.
Lucy's Loop (GP):
A space-based habitat in the form of a large rotating cylinder space station or "O'Neill Cylinder" design, located in the GP. Rotation produces an apparent centrifugal force which resembles artificial gravity pointing away from the axis of rotation - this becomes "down" within the hollow cylinder. Like most other habitats of this size and style, it emulates life on a natural planet, with water, soil, flora, fauna, and weather. It holds a few dozen thousand people in a number of villages and a central city. Victoria (and Julian) grew up in a district of this habitat.
Beila's World (GP):
An oceanic world covered in small tropical islands, one of which hosts an equatorial space elevator connecting to a station high above the planet. This world and the station, Beila Nova, is associated with wealth and the upper class. It's orbited by a crowded industrial moon called Beila's Pet.
Disco (GP):
One of the 3 capital worlds of the Galactic Pact. Small and dense, with gravity equaling about 0.8g, it was designed to be an administrative, bureaucratic fortress. It sometimes hosts meetings of the government and corporate leaders.
Dreamcloud (NA):
A mysterious planet with an incredibly thick atmosphere. The culture is insular and eccentric, and most visitors are met with skepticism, although trusted individuals are treated with care, warmth, and generosity.
Napeoneck (NA):
A large, cold moon orbiting a gas giant, just barely habitable. Notable for hosting the only substantial settlement in the vicinity.
The Ship, Tech, & Tidbits
The Ship: Verity
The Verity is a small cargo ship which someone, presumably connected in some way to Galena, has upgraded with some atypical technologies for a vehicle of its class. As "home base" for the main characters, it's where they usually eat, sleep, work, play, and interact with each other. It's seemingly intended for a crew of 6.
Rooms
Bridge:
The active control center for the spaceship, located front and center. The captain sits in the middle, with control consoles to the front and sides.
Engine Room:
The mechanical heart of the ship. The reactor furnace and propulsion systems are located on the larger lower-deck portion, while the computer and most control consoles are located on the upper deck portion behind the bridge.
Cargo Hold:
A large space at the back of the ship that serves the intended purpose of the vehicle — delivering physical goods from place to place.
Crew Quarters:
One for each crew member, each decorated and visibly lived-in according to the lifestyle of the corresponding individual.
Cafeteria:
Converted from an unused crew room, this is where food is stored and cooked. It's where the crew (and any guests) often gather to eat.
Laboratory:
Converted from an unused crew room, this is where the crew performs scientific studies or experimentation. It also serves as a clinic.
Recreation Room:
Converted from an unused crew room, this space can be reconfigured to host visitors or events such as games, exercise, and parties.
Key Technologies
Central Computer:
The "brain" of the ship, coordinating all internal and external functions. It's relatively advanced, despite the retro appearance, and a portion of the architecture houses Galena's consciousness. Other ships and stations have central computers of varying designs as well.
Comms Suite:
An array of communications equipment able to transmit in a handful of different standards. Practically every ship and station has this, enabling near-instant communication over the entire galaxy.
Chiral Furnace:
A reactor that produces energy in the form of electricity and high-temperature plasma to power all ship functions including propulsion, control, and defense, via electroweak burning. This is the standard power generation method to enable powering warp rings during this time.
Warp Ring:
Manipulates space-time to such a degree that allows superluminal travel at several thousand times the speed of light. Requires a lot of power and stresses the mechanical workings of the ship with extended use. Necessary for interstellar travel, but dangerous to use in the proximity of stars, planets, or in other gravity wells. Verity's warp ring enables travel at around 15000c, which is high compared to the speeds provided by warp rings in other ships of its size, usually about 10000c. The most powerful warp rings reach 25000c.
Horizon Drive:
Exploits relativistic particle horizons and Unruh radiation to achieve reactionless thrust. Requires relatively low power and can accelerate the ship to about .5c before becoming unstable. Used within star systems, when ships are too close to stars or planets to safely use a warp ring. All ships are built with a horizon drive.
Fusion Thrusters:
A set of small engines that fuse isotopes of hydrogen into helium plasma, which is then expelled to produce thrust. Used for small burns such as during orbital maneuvers, docking, or attitude control. Also found on virtually every ship, as well as stations.
Lightsails:
A relatively weak backup propulsion method using stellar radiation pressure only present within star systems. If all other propulsion methods fail, this can usually get a ship to a planet or station within a few days or weeks.
Inertial Control:
Technology producing "gravitational force" towards the floor. These mechanisms also act as impact/acceleration shock absorbers. Found on most ships and many stations, but requires a lot of power, so many larger stations like Lucy's Loop utilize rotation and centrifugal force to imitate gravity instead.
Shielding:
Powerful electromagnetic shielding, or a "force field", protects the hull from physical debris as well as most directed energy weapons. Omnipresent on ships and stations.
Energy Beams:
Weapons that direct energetic particle beams at a target. A shield typically redirects the energy, causing ship malfunction rather than outright destruction, allowing the attacker to either escape or manually board their target for whatever purpose.
The FnKey (Function Keychain):
A small object resembling a keyboard key, nicknamed the 'FnKey' (pronounced "funky"). Victoria has had it since high school after receiving it as a parting gift from Julian. While it appears to be a simple charm, it sometimes reacts unexpectedly to strange energy sources. Its true nature, origin, and full capabilities are a mystery.
Cultural Tidbits
Vio-lent:
A nutritional beverage containing stimulants that seem to increase physical capability and, in larger doses, aggression.
Fission Chips:
A brand of very mildly radioactive baked chips made from a very mildly radioactive staple root crop.
Cloacola:
A popular soft drink with a unique flavor obtained from oils extracted from the feathers of bird-like creatures.
Junkies:
A derisive nickname for space junk scavengers.
Redarchists:
Nickname for proponents of Red Archipelago's collectivist ideology.
Story Guide
Season 1: Accretion
V01.01 - "A New Light 1: Conjunction"
A burnt-out scavenger discovers an abandoned ship, but her valuable find comes with two immediate problems: a mysterious, amnesiac AI and a critical engine overload that threatens to destroy them both.
Full Description
Victoria Kowalski, a burnt-out scavenger for the exploitative Beautiful Galaxy Initiative, is on the verge of missing her quota. Pushing her rented vessel into a hazardous, off-limits debris field for one last, desperate haul, her search is interrupted when a strange charm from her past reacts to an anomalous energy signature. Following the signal, she discovers an impossible prize: a ghost ship, perfectly preserved and hidden within a hollowed-out asteroid. After boarding the derelict vessel, she manages to reroute its backup power, bringing the ship back to life. Her triumph is cut short by a voice echoing from the ship's comms. A tense, cautious conversation with the mysterious entity, Galena, reveals the truth: her companion is not a person, but a powerful, sentient AI who can sense that her memory has been erased. Before they can process this revelation, a series of escalating malfunctions culminates in a critical core overload, trapping them both. The episode climaxes with the two strangers, an engineer and an AI, forced into a desperate, last-second collaboration to prevent a catastrophic meltdown, forging a fragile but necessary bond in the heart of the crisis. Once the emergency is over, they find that the cargo hold is filled with enough scrap to meet several weeks' worth of quota, and Galena opens up about her intense discomfort and confusion over her lost memories, sparking compassion and a rare sense of motivation in Victoria.
V01.02 - "A New Light 2: God of the Games"
En route to civilization, a mysterious signal overrides the ship's navigation, pulling the new duo into a cosmic arcade run by a bizarre and powerful psychic alien with a lonely heart and a love for games.
Full Description
With the ship fully stabilized, Victoria and Galena set a course for the nearest station, Victoria intending to deliver her valuable new scrap and find someone to help Galena before parting ways. Their journey is violently interrupted when a mysterious, powerful signal hijacks the ship's navigation, pulling them uncontrollably towards a hidden base inside a large asteroid. Bracing for a confrontation, they are instead met with a bizarre and surreal sight: a fully functional, cosmic-themed arcade from a long-bygone era. They soon meet its sole inhabitant, a playful, powerful, and deeply lonely psychic alien who resembles an anthropomorphic rodent and calls himself the "god of the games." The rest of the episode is a series of strange and often unfair arcade challenges, as the crew realizes their host is not a cruel captor, but a lonely soul starved for interaction. They shift their strategy from competition to connection, and in a final, absurd game, they win him over not with skill, but with empathy. Their kindness breaks his centuries of self-imposed isolation, and he asks to join them on their journey.
V01.03 - "A New Light 3: From Every Angle"
On their final approach to the station, the fragile new alliance between Victoria, Galena, and God is put to the ultimate test by a gauntlet of simultaneous, space-bound hazards: a hostile drone, a cybernetic virus, and a dangerous radiation storm.
Full Description
The newly-formed, awkward trio of Victoria, Galena, and God begin their final approach to the station, but their journey immediately becomes a trial by fire. A hostile, autonomous security drone locks onto them, initiating a tense chase. As Victoria is pushing her piloting skills to the limit, a debilitating, vintage cybernetic virus simultaneously destabilizes the ship's systems from within, forcing Galena into a desperate internal battle. Their chaotic, evasive maneuvers take them directly into the path of an oncoming, dangerous radiation storm. The episode climaxes with a single, high-stakes moment where all three threats converge, forcing the crew to perfectly synchronize their individual skills—Victoria's mechanical engineering expertise, Galena's tactical system control, and God's psychic navigation—to survive. Battered but now truly bonded by their impossible victory, they finally arrive at the station, where they see a promising job on the public board and make the final, definitive choice to stay together, christening their ship and their new found family the "Verity."
V01.04 - "A Delicate Situation"
The crew's first official job is jeopardized by internal conflict over who should be in charge and external pressure from an arrogant new rival, forcing a reluctant Victoria to step up and embrace her role as captain.
Full Description
After dropping off their scrap delivery to meet Victoria's quota, the newly-christened crew of the Verity takes on their first official job: transporting a shipment of incredibly fragile crystal sculptures. The mission is immediately complicated by an internal conflict, as Victoria resists her crewmates' attempts to name her "captain," preferring a slower, more democratic approach to leadership. Their journey is further complicated by the arrival of Deaton Swelicate, an arrogant and wealthy rival who engages them in a series of reckless fly-bys and taunts. As Deaton's actions escalate, threatening to shatter their valuable cargo, the crew's democratic process proves too indecisive to handle the immediate crisis. The episode climaxes with a reluctant Victoria being forced to take decisive, unilateral command, executing a brilliant maneuver that saves the mission. In the aftermath, she has earned the undeniable respect of her crew and begrudgingly accepts the mantle of leadership.
V01.05 - "Crosstalk"
Galena prepares for her public debut in a crossword puzzle championship, but she must first overcome her own debilitating performance anxiety and her well-meaning but completely contradictory advice from her new crewmates.
Full Description
Seeking a personal victory and a way to engage with her love of culture and language, Galena proudly enters a prestigious, sector-wide speed crossword puzzle championship. Her initial excitement, however, quickly gives way to a growing and debilitating case of performance anxiety. As she struggles to prepare, she seeks advice from her new crewmates, only to be met with a flood of completely contradictory and unhelpful strategies from a logical-minded Victoria and a chaos-loving God. Meanwhile, to pass the time on a long haul, Victoria and God engage in their own competition: a relentlessly escalating prank war that makes the ship an even more stressful environment for the anxious Galena. The episode culminates in the final, high-speed round of the championship, where Galena, realizing her friends' advice is useless, ignores them all and finds her own unique, quiet focus to compete.
V01.06 - "Overbooked"
Victoria pushes herself and the ship to the absolute limit for a rare chance to see her favorite band, only to be met with crushing disappointment. She returns to the Verity to find her crew has prepared a touching and deeply personal surprise.
Full Description
Victoria, whose life has been defined by a monotonous grind, wins a rare and exciting opportunity: tickets to see her favorite, semi-obscure rock band. The concert is in a nearby system, but she must first complete a series of back-to-back hauling jobs to make it on time. The episode follows her frantic, exhausting race against the clock, as a series of escalating complications—a difficult client, a minor but time-consuming ship malfunction—pushes her and the Verity to their absolute breaking point. After finally completing her last job, battered and exhausted but hopeful, she is met with a moment of crushing defeat when she learns the concert has been unexpectedly canceled. She returns to the Verity, only to find that Galena and God, sensing her disappointment, have prepared a touching and deeply personal surprise: a lovingly crafted, holographic recreation of the concert, just for her.
V01.07 - "Metamorphosis 1: Lightning Rod"
A high-stakes delivery of a priceless geological specimen for Victoria's old friend becomes more complicated when the crew is targeted by a relentless trio of space pirates.
Full Description
The crew takes on their most valuable and high-stakes job yet, hired by Victoria's old high school friend and robotics club partner, the kind and knowledgeable geological engineer Julian Goldstone. The mission: to transport a priceless, one-of-a-kind mineral specimen. The reunion is a sweet but awkward moment for Victoria, forcing her to confront the person she used to be and the different path her life has taken. Their journey is quickly complicated when they realize they are being tailed. The threat soon reveals itself to be a persistent trio of well-armed space pirates, who begin a series of aggressive maneuvers to disable the Verity. The episode climaxes with a desperate chase, forcing Victoria to make a risky gamble: diving into a treacherous and notoriously unstable asteroid field to shake their pursuers, leaving them temporarily safe but trapped.
V01.08 - "Metamorphosis 2: Fault Lines"
Trapped in a treacherous and collapsing asteroid field, the crew must rely on their guest's geological expertise and God's unpredictable powers to outwit the pirates and escape with their cargo.
Full Description
Trapped within the dangerous asteroid field, the crew of the Verity must find a way out before the pirates close in. The pirates begin using seismic charges, triggering a cascade of "fault lines" that threatens to tear the larger asteroids apart, making the environment increasingly hazardous. A tense and brilliant cat-and-mouse game unfolds, as the crew must combine their skills to survive. They rely on Julian's expert geological knowledge to predict the rockfalls and navigate the collapsing passages, while God uses his unpredictable psychic abilities to create clever diversions and misdirect the pirates. The episode culminates in a final, brilliant maneuver where they use a massive, collapsing asteroid to disable the pirate ships, allowing them to finally escape the field and complete their delivery.
V01.09 - "Embodied 1: Step By Step"
Galena is delighted to experience the physical world for the first time after getting a mechanical body, but her clumsy first steps threaten to derail a seemingly routine job.
Full Description
After using their hard-won earnings to buy the necessary resources, Victoria has undergone the complex engineering task of building a custom mechanical body for Galena. The episode opens with Galena's joyous, charming, and often hilarious first experience of the physical world. She delights in the simple sensations, but her "first steps" are clumsy and uncoordinated. Her new embodiment is immediately put to the test when the crew embarks on a seemingly routine odd job on a bustling space habitat. Galena's clumsiness becomes a frustrating obstacle, making their work harder at every turn. After finally completing the job in spite of the new challenges, the crew celebrates their success, completely unaware that a group of hostile, well-armed gunslingers has just appeared on the station.
V01.10 - "Embodied 2: Reach For The Sky"
The crew's departure from the station is violently interrupted when they run into a group of hostile gunslingers, forcing Galena to learn the limits and unexpected capabilities of her new form in the heat of a crisis.
Full Description
After finishing their job, the crew enjoys a quiet, victorious moment on the habitat, with Galena getting one last chance to savor the sights and sounds before they depart. Their peaceful departure is violently interrupted when they run directly into a group of hostile gunslingers. A desperate chase ensues through the maintenance corridors and back alleys of the station, with the crew trying to evade their heavily armed pursuers. Galena's physical clumsiness is now a source of intense suspense, as every stumble threatens to give away their position. Finally cornered in a dead-end cargo bay, a direct firefight erupts. The episode climaxes with Galena, in a moment of desperate inspiration, learning to combine her unique AI-driven tactical skills with the properties of her new physical form to cleverly outmaneuver their attackers and save the day, allowing the crew to finally escape to the Verity.
V01.11 - "Two Left Feet"
While Victoria is off-ship running a series of stressful errands, Galena and God's self-appointed attempts to help with ship repairs go horribly, comically, and cascadingly wrong.
Full Description
The crew docks at a station for resupply, and Victoria heads out alone for a day of deeply stressful and frustrating errands. Back on the Verity, Galena and God, wanting to be helpful and prove their own capabilities, decide to perform what they believe is a simple ship repair in her absence. Their complete and profound lack of mechanical skill immediately leads to a new, bigger problem, and their attempt to fix that problem creates an even more ridiculous one, sparking a cascade of hilarious and increasingly disastrous failures. The episode culminates in a final, spectacular mishap just moments before Victoria is due to return. A weary Victoria returns, announcing her decision to officially depart her job and subsequently noticing the chaotic state of the ship, but instead of getting angry, she finds a surprising and welcome catharsis in methodically and expertly fixing their entire mess, the simple, predictable logic of repair a perfect antidote to her difficult day.
V01.12 - "The Bottom Line"
An appointment on a bureaucratic fortress world tests the entire crew's patience with a series of Kafkaesque delays and brings Victoria face-to-face with an outspoken and complicated figure from her past.
Full Description
In order to finalize the termination of Victoria's employment and get the Verity and their operation officially registered and licensed, the crew must travel to the Galactic Pact capital world of Disco, a sterile and imposing bureaucratic fortress. Their "simple" appointment becomes an all-day nightmare as they are forced to navigate a series of Kafkaesque delays, nonsensical procedures, and frustratingly unhelpful automated systems. During the agonizingly slow wait, Victoria has an uncomfortable and unexpected run-in with Casey McCoy, her outspoken ex-partner from a period of her life she would rather forget. The crew finally completes their task, leaving the planet exhausted and with their faith in galactic bureaucracy completely shattered.
V01.13 - "Leave Of Absence"
The crew's attempt at a vacation on a resort planet is threatened by Victoria's inability to relax and the unwelcome reappearance of their arrogant rival, who is determined to turn her rest into a competition.
Full Description
After their longest mission to date, the crew attempts a much-needed vacation on their destination, the paradise planet of Beila's World. Galena and God immediately embrace the opportunity for relaxation, delighting in the strange new foods and fashions. Victoria, however, is completely unable to switch off her pragmatic, problem-solving brain, trying to "optimize" their beach time and seeing only inefficiencies in the resort's operations. Her low-grade anxiety is amplified by the unwelcome arrival of her arrogant rival, Deaton Swelicate, who immediately tries to turn her vacation into a series of stupid, low-stakes competitions. The episode climaxes with Victoria, unable to resist a problem to be solved, winning the final "challenge" through sheer efficiency, exhausting her mind to a point that lets her finally relax.
V01.14 - "Maps And Legends 1: Can't Get There From Here"
On a grim industrial moon, the crew discovers a potential lead on Galena's past in the form of a set of galactic coordinates, but the journey to the remote and desolate location is fraught with unexpected difficulties.
Full Description
While investigating a gritty hauling job on the grim industrial moon known as Beila's Pet, God's psychic senses are drawn to a peculiar, vintage data core that bears a symbol also etched onto the chassis of the Verity's central computer. He and Victoria discover it contains a potential lead on Galena's past: a set of high-precision galactic coordinates. With their first real clue in hand, the crew immediately pursues this new, personal mission. Their journey to the remote, non-aligned system indicated by the coordinates is fraught with unexpected difficulties, as the route takes them through a treacherous asteroid field and a dangerously uncharted nebula that pushes the Verity, and Galena's piloting skills, to their absolute limit.
V01.15 - "Maps And Legends 2: Freezing Up"
Stranded on an isolated ice moon, the crew seeks the help of an eccentric elderly mechanic, who agrees to examine their mysterious data in exchange for their assistance on one of her own strange projects.
Full Description
Battered but hopeful, the crew finally arrives at their destination: the desolate, isolated ice moon of Napeoneck, where the coordinates lead them to an empty patch of frozen tundra. Stranded, confused, and low on critical supplies, their search for help leads them to the sole settlement and the workshop of Phoe, a brilliant but deeply eccentric elderly mechanic. She agrees to examine their mysterious data, but her price is their assistance on one of her own strange, complex projects—scavenging a rare part from a giant, dormant piece of ancient construction equipment. During the task, Victoria is initially shy and intimidated, but she eventually finds a kindred spirit in the older mechanic, and their shared passion for engineering forges a powerful bond and crucially reaffirms Victoria's choice to pursue her new path in life.
V01.16 - "Maps And Legends 3: The Road Less Traveled"
To uncover the way forward, the crew must solve an enigmatic puzzle left by someone tied to Galena's past. When conventional methods fail, Victoria realizes a familiar, mundane object from her past may be the one thing that can unlock the path to the future.
Full Description
Phoe finally examines the crew's data and delivers her verdict: it's not a set of coordinates, but a complex, multi-layered cryptographic puzzle, possibly left by Galena's creators. The crew, with Phoe's guidance, spends days trying to crack it, but all conventional decryption methods fail, leaving Galena increasingly frustrated and feeling the answer is tantalizingly close but impossible to grasp. The episode climaxes with Victoria, in a sudden flash of insight, realizing that her familiar, mundane FnKey charm resonates with the puzzle's unique energy signature. She interfaces it with the console, and with some psychic energy focusing from God, it proves to be the one thing that can unlock the data, revealing not a clear answer, but a vague right direction to look in, a cryptic clue that sets the course for their real quest.
Season 2: Lookback Time
Coming soon...
Theme Song
[verse 1]
With so many stars in the sky, how do you find your place?
How do you know which way to go in outer space?
[chorus]
Verity, I follow you
Verity
Verity, I need to know what's true
[verse 2]
With so many lives on the line, how do you take a stand?
How do you know which ones to give a helping hand?
[chorus]
Verity, I follow you
Verity
Verity, I need to know what's true
[bridge]
Growing a garden with a group of friends
And love in our lives will be never-ending
The stars shine through a crystal lens
Verity, I'm done pretending
[verse 3]
With so many stars in the sky, I think we can find a way
I think we can find starlight to bring a better day
[chorus/outro]
Verity, I follow you
Verity
Verity, I need to know what's true
Verity, I follow you
Verity
Verity, I need to know what's true
I need to know what's true
I wanna know what's true
An Incomplete History of Archipelago
~2030s - The Scattering:
In an ancient, cataclysmic event of unknown origin, humanity was inexplicably scattered from their home world to thousands of planets across the Archipelago galaxy. Memory of this event is almost entirely lost to history.
2348 - First Contact:
After centuries of isolated development, the first spacefaring human societies make contact with one another.
~2350 to 2717 - Era of Conflict:
Centuries of shifting alliances, warring states, and conquest ensue, including a "Gilded Century" of rapid technological development that crashes into the devastating "Long War."
2722 - Red Archipelago (RA) Founded:
A society with a collectivist social structure is formed, largely from former vassal colonies seeking independence.
2833 - Galactic Pact (GP) Founded:
A right-wing, capitalist-hegemony confederation forms in reaction to the growing influence of the RA.
2963 - The New Armistice:
An uneasy peace is established between the two major powers, with tense borders and Dual-Control Zones.
3003 - Victoria is Born:
Born in the highland region of the Lucy's Loop space habitat within the Galactic Pact.
3031 - The Story Begins:
Victoria Kowalski discovers the hidden ship, reactivates Galena, and they meet God the Rat, forming the crew of the Verity.
Petty's Pizzeria
A reluctant family is thrust into the contradictory world of business ownership when obligated to run a pizzeria in a fading strip mall.
Overview
For the Petty family, the dream of being your own boss smells suspiciously like burnt cheese and bounced checks. When a sweepstakes-gone-wrong makes this queer family of five the new owners of a failing pizzeria, they quickly realize that they aren't just taking on a new job, they're shouldering a whole new type of responsibility while simultaneously, unwillingly, crossing a class line.
With a thoughtfully balanced critically-empathetic perspective, Petty's Pizzeria subverts the typical valorization of the plucky, familial petite bourgeoisie. It's a satirical and socially-aware story that moves beyond simple workplace anxiety and adolescent squabbles to carefully examine the family's newfound contradictory position in society: the supposedly-noble struggle of fighting against the forces of larger capital, mixed with the uncomfortable, inherent privilege of owning property in a world of renters and wage-workers.
Weaving in philosophical threads through humorously realistic and unrealistic situations, the series follows their daily battle against competitor chains, presumptuous clientele, regulatory confusion, and a whole lot of teenage angst. It's a clever and comedic look at a motley family (plus their quirky, loyal friend) who always sticks together, even when their business seems doomed to fail.
The Petty Family
Meet the Family Members
Piper Petty (Age 47)
The de facto leader of the family, Piper has a big personality that fills the room. She's an outspoken people person who talks with her hands, her theatrical gestures telling a story all on their own. Haunted by a history of underbaked ventures, she's determined to make the pizzeria a definitive success, overcompensating by constantly pushing down her own doubts with a fast-paced, slightly loud barrage of motivational slogans. Though she tries not to be an autocrat, her fear of failure can make her micromanage. She leads the front of house and is the public face of the family's new life, often trying to drum up business in ways that embarrass everyone else.
Motivation:
To finally achieve a lasting success and prove to herself and her family that they can make it.
Likes:
A good 6-pack, a game of poker, hiking, sports.
Dislikes:
Showing weakness or doubt, admitting failure, silence.
Sam Petty (Age 44)
Piper's wife Sam is the weary but enduring heart of the kitchen. More introverted, practical, and deeply cynical, she's the handy, butchy, and reluctant head cook. Her humor is delivered with a dry, deadpan wit, often punctuated by a subtle eye-roll or a "samsplaining" mutter under her breath: a specific brand of unsolicited, pragmatic advice. Deeply nervous about their financial prospects, she craves the clear rules and predictable outcomes of the old video games she uses to escape the pizzeria's chaos. She's obsessed with cheese and finds a strange camaraderie singing kitchen duets with Charlie.
Motivation:
To maintain stability for her family and do her duty, even if she complains about it.
Likes:
Cheese, old video games, podcasts, quiet efficiency.
Dislikes:
Financial uncertainty, chaos, being the center of attention, Piper's "big ideas."
Robin Petty (Age 17)
The eldest teen, Robin is a shy, thoughtful, and analytical thinker who quietly calculates food costs on napkins and builds elaborate spreadsheets to track inventory that no one else uses. They often feel like an insecure outsider, envying the drive of their younger siblings while taking refuge in the logic of 90s/00s PC tech. A vegetarian whose picky eating is a source of constant, low-key conflict, they are uncomfortable in every part of the pizzeria: finding the kitchen too chaotic and the front of house too social. They yearn to find their own passion, to debug the flawed system of their life, and to finally display it without fearing the world's judgment.
Motivation:
To find their own passion and a place where they truly belong.
Likes:
Numbers and systems, vintage technology, quiet, cheese pizza.
Dislikes:
Being the center of attention, social pressure, most pizza toppings, unpredictability.
Eleanor "Ella" Petty (Age 15)
The middle child, Ella is a whirlwind of motion and the only one whole-heartedly thrilled about the pizzeria, seeing it as the launchpad for her future empire. Ambitious, optimistic, and a go-getter, she lights up a room with her fast-talking excitement. She channels her intense, hyper-specific interests, from spaceflight to ancient history, into the business, pitching "themed nights" and naming menu items in the conlang she's inventing. Though her naivete can be frustrating and often leads to her falling short of her own expectations, she's genuinely smart and eager to prove her potential as a chef, tycoon, or whatever obsession has her attention this week.
Motivation:
To become a professional chef or entrepreneur; to share her passions with the world.
Likes:
Learning new things, spaceflight, history, taking initiative, her own ideas.
Dislikes:
Apathy or lack of enthusiasm from others, being told "no."
Neil Petty (Age 13)
The youngest Petty, Neil is firmly unconventional, with a sharp, sardonic tongue and an edgy style somewhere vaguely between punk, emo, and goth. His reluctance toward the pizzeria is a shield for his awkwardness; he'd rather be seen as too cool for the job than as someone who might fail at it. He's a snarky server who fiercely protects a sketchbook of dark, intricate drawings he's secretly insecure about. He often insists on being called edgy nicknames such as "Blade" or "Shadow" and will clumsily apply a single page of philosophy he just read to customer service, creating profoundly awkward yet charming encounters.
Motivation:
To find his unique artistic voice and be seen as unconventional and deep.
Likes:
Sketching, philosophy, subversive aesthetics, being contrary.
Dislikes:
The pizzeria, conformity, being treated like a kid, his own perceived lack of talent.
Charlie (Age 49)
A warm, loyal, and authentic family friend from Piper's more wild 20s, Charlie Ackerman brings some much-needed restaurant experience to the team. He's also neurotic, a perfectionist, and scatterbrained, armed with a surprising repository of hyper-specific, context-sensitive trivia: he knows the metallurgical properties of the pizza oven but not where he left his keys. For Charlie, the pizzeria provides a sense of purpose and daily routine that was missing from his solitary life. He relishes his role as a mentoring uncle to the teens and is often found siphoning wi-fi for mysterious creative projects on his laptop.
Motivation:
To be helpful and feel part of a family unit; to find a practical outlet for his chaotic knowledge.
Likes:
Singing duets in the kitchen, model trains, mentoring the kids, niche information.
Dislikes:
Vague questions, recalling information on command, being alone for too long.
World & Story
Supporting Characters
Trish:
Neil's partner-in-crime, arcade buddy, and philosophical foil. She calls it like she sees it.
Izzy:
Ella's best friend and rival, a shrewd intellect and fashionista who frequents the Skyline Secondhand thrift store.
Lewis:
Robin's lowkey emo/nerd barista friend and eventual crush at The Nest cafe/bookstore. He's gentle and musically-inclined.
Katrina & Norm:
Middle-aged co-owners of Golden Age, the upscale wine and cheese bar. A "happy" couple who looks down upon the Pettys.
Madeline:
Piper's greatest confidante at Skyline Styles, the local salon. A magnet for gossip and a good listener.
Gary:
Sam's greatest confidante at Plateau Supply, the local hardware store. Tends to offer good, practical advice.
Dom:
A multitalented and storied ex-convict who now runs a tattoo parlor in the plaza.
Casey:
The no-nonsense loan agent for the Pettys at Bankside FCU.
Natalie:
A straightforward and somewhat awkward health inspector.
Ambrose:
Charlie's patient boyfriend who works in the corporate world.
Felix:
Charlie's nephew, a directionless young adult who spent several years on the other side of the country.
Sabine:
Charlie's supposedly-uptight big sister.
Locations
Skyline Plaza
Skyline Plaza is a middling shopping center in the slowly fading northeastern district of the city of Sterling, on a plateau with a view of downtown's three meager high-rises and the expansive lake that borders the city. Built in the late 80s, in anticipation of an economic boom that never really played out. Its occupants include:
Northern Block
Skyline Secondhand:
A chaotic, eclectic thrift store smelling of dust and forgotten memories at the northwestern terminus of the shopping center. It's an endless treasure trove for Ella's hyperfixations and a source of many questionable fashion choices for the teen and decor choices for the pizzeria.
The Nest:
A low-key café and bookstore that smells of burnt coffee and old paper. The staff is friendly, the wi-fi is free and fast, and the indie music is just a little too obscure. It serves as a sanctuary for local misunderstood teens and young adults; especially Robin, who tries to blend into the background there, but may end up catching the eye of a particular barista.
Unused Building (Unlocked):
A truly liminal space with flickering lights and stained carpets. It's the unofficial break room for the plaza's various underpaid workers, including the Petty teens, acting as a neutral ground for gossip and shared grievances away from the eyes of bosses or chattering customers.
Petty's Pizzeria:
The family's new retro-90s style restaurant. Faded red and off-white decor, checkered floors, and a general feeling that it's been paused in time since 1997. It needs constant TLC to keep from actively falling apart; luckily, Sam has the maintenance skills to keep it functional.
Gamer Galaxy:
A long-struggling arcade kept afloat by birthday parties, with old game cabinets (many of them perpetually broken) and a handful of bowling lanes. This is Neil's preferred hideout for brooding with school friends and pondering the nature of life. Formerly known as Cosmo's Arcade before his abrupt disappearance in the late 2000s; locals say his ghost now haunts the property.
Skyline Styles:
A bustling salon filled with the smell of hairspray and the loud chatter of gossip. It's Piper's primary source of social interaction outside the family and her go-to spot to unwind and yap at her stylist friend, Madeline.
Eastern Block
Golden Age:
An unusually upscale wine and cheese bar that feels alien to most of the rest of the plaza. The atmosphere is hushed, the lighting is dim, and the patrons look down on the "low-class" Pettys, as well as many of the other plaza inhabitants. Despite Piper's vigorous personal rivalry with the owners, Sam dreams of one day justifying a visit to indulge her repressed hedonism.
Jade Rabbit Cinema:
The oldest building in the plaza by several decades, a single-screen theater with faded velvet seats. It mostly shows second-run movies and hosts local stage productions, a monument to the neighborhood's supposedly more glorious past.
Swelicate & Sons:
An offbeat and mysterious law firm with frosted glass windows. Not much is known about the legal staff, but they kindly leave notes around the plaza to notify tenants of potential regulatory violations.
Unused Building (Locked):
A derelict space with boarded-up windows and peeling paint. It is a constant, grim reminder of potential failure and the plaza's slow decay.
Free Dom Tattoos:
A clean but intimidating tattoo parlor where symphonic metal music blasts from behind the counter. Opened by the owner after he got out of prison.
Plateau Supply:
A clean, well-organized hardware store that smells of sawdust and metal. It's a sanctuary for Sam, who finds not only the tools she needs to keep the pizzeria functional, but also comfort in its order and friendly rapport with the gruff, knowledgeable staff, especially Gary.
Pad Sites / Outparcels
Better Basket:
At the south end of the plaza, a medium-sized local grocery chain with harsh fluorescent lighting and prices that are just a bit too high, making it a source of both emergency ingredients and financial stress for the family in lieu of them finalizing a more sustainable wholesale deal.
Fossomé:
A greasy gas station with a tiny, cluttered convenience booth and a perennially-mispronounced name. It's where Neil scours the ground for discarded cigarette butts to pretend to smoke, part of his carefully constructed edgy persona.
Bankside FCU:
A sterile and quiet credit union that serves the Petty family. The smell of clean carpets and the polite, firm demeanor of the tellers make it a place where the family's financial precarity feels most real.
Unused Building (Fast Food):
A weathered, empty building near the road with a peeling, forgotten logo. Its ghost-like presence inspires a constant fear of new, more competent competition arriving.
Other Locations
Sterling Plateau Secondary School:
A combined middle and high school that the Petty teens attend, located between and north of the walking route between the family's apartment and the pizzeria.
Fielder Park:
A medicore park across the road from the Plaza. The view of downtown is the best, though.
Fielder Park Branch Library:
A typical small library at the south end of Fielder Park.
Story Guide
Season 1: Sweat Equity
PP01.01 - "From Scratch 1: Congratulations!"
The daily life of the Petty family is a study in quiet desperation until a forgotten sweepstakes entry unexpectedly names Piper the winner of a local pizzeria. After convincing her skeptical wife and three teenage kids that, unlike her previous string of underbaked ventures, this is what can finally turn their luck around, she arranges a meeting with her long-time, experienced friend Charlie to plan for their new future. Their fragile hope begins to melt within a sterile credit union office where they learn the business comes with overwhelming, non-negotiable debt. The dream completely evaporates upon seeing the state of their prize: filthy, forsaken, and utterly dilapidated.
PP01.02 - "From Scratch 2: Best Care Anywhere"
Reeling from the shocking reality of their new business, the family begins the grueling work of turning the ruin into a functional space. A practical Sam heads for supplies, but her stress boils over into an explosive outburst directed at a well-meaning but hovering Charlie. While the teens grapple with their strange new identity at school and Piper explores the world of permits and suppliers, Sam and Charlie move from friction to a hard-won collaboration, successfully repairing the plumbing, the oven, and beyond. Their newfound synergy, bonded over a shared love of vintage rock, marks the first real victory in their impossible task, and they spend the week bringing the pizzeria to working order.
PP01.03 - "From Scratch 3: Launch Rush"
With their first massive loan payment looming, the family forces the pizzeria's doors open for a chaotic grand opening, ready or not. After securing overpriced ingredients from a nearby grocery store, the opening day is a cascade of escalating comedic failures, from battling the ancient oven to Marty's edgy waiter persona alarming the few customers they have. The disastrous day hits its low point when their snobby plaza neighbors, Katrina and Norm, leave in disgust. As the family sits defeated amidst the mess, Robin makes a stunning discovery: they somehow managed to make a tiny but tangible profit, offering a single, improbable spark of hope.
PP01.04 - "Regular Regulations"
The Pettys experience their first flicker of pride when a young couple returns for the third day in a row, officially becoming their first-ever regulars. Their hope is shattered the next day by the surprise arrival of Natalie, a stoic health inspector whose methodical inspection uncovers a litany of severe violations. Just as she prepares to write her final, damning report, the sight of the happy couple returning yet again triggers a poignant memory, causing her professional resolve to waver. She grants them a strict, one-time-only three-week grace period, leaving them with an overwhelming but concrete mission for survival.
PP01.05 - "Of Mice and Menus"
In the wake of Natalie's ultimatum, Robin tries to impose order on the pizzeria's chaos by designing a series of overcomplicated menus, having had trouble finding a place in either the kitchen or front of house. Their logical, best-laid plans clash with messy reality when the rest of the family discovers a mouse, nicknamed "Algernon" by Charlie, sending them on a desperate, slapstick hunt. Frustrated, Robin escapes to a local cafe where they find inspiration in the quiet competence of a kindly barista named Lewis, and they return with a new sense of purpose, finding their true place in handling the pizzeria's practical logistics and sanitation.
PP01.06 - "Slice of Afterlife"
Feeling the weight of his family's stress, Neil enlists his acquaintance Trish to help him get fired through a campaign of calculated teenage antics. At the same time, Piper attempts to drum up business around the plaza with a series of increasingly embarrassing marketing ploys that fail to connect with any social class. After his plan to get fired only results in a temporary dismissal, Neil's subsequent evening ghost hunt with Trish in the neighboring arcade allows him to show her his secret sketchbook, earning him a validating friendship that encourages him to make the most of his situation. His newfound authenticity inspires Piper to rethink the pizzeria's entire identity.
PP01.07 - "Cook the Books 1: Poker Face"
A week into their deadline and facing continuously poor traffic, a desperate Piper secretly begins attending a high-stakes poker game, chasing a quick win to keep the family afloat and afford the several remaining regulation-satisfying upgrades. Her late nights and secretive behavior create a palpable tension with a suspicious Sam, who feels something is wrong. Fueled by a significant initial win, Piper doubles down on her dangerous secret, convinced she has found the solution to all their problems. Meanwhile, the teens face a week of unusual academic challenges at school, testing their own commitments to the pizzeria, their friends, and even their own futures.
PP01.08 - "Cook the Books 2: High Stakes"
Following Piper's suspicious behavior, Sam implements a painfully strict budget that puts the entire family on edge. The simmering resentment builds until Sam discovers a financial discrepancy, leading her to uncover the devastating truth about Piper's significant poker losses. The discovery ignites a raw confrontation about trust, fear, emotional availability, and the recklessness of Piper's secret. In the aftermath, Sam takes full, undeniable control of the finances, forcing a humbled Piper into accountability but reorienting her towards her real strengths. Meanwhile, a fight between Ella and Izzy threatens to shatter their long-term friendly rivalry.
PP01.09 - "Lucky Break 1: Stray Thoughts"
In the tense aftermath of the family's financial crisis, Charlie's neurotic energy finds a new focus: a mysterious black cat that only he seems to see. His attempts to prove its existence are dismissed by the preoccupied family, leaving him feeling isolated in his one-man mystery. His conflict with Katrina and Norm escalates when they complain about the food he leaves out for his "imaginary vermin." Feeling doubted by everyone except his boyfriend Ambrose, Charlie invests in a cheap, finicky security camera, determined to capture proof. Meanwhile, Robin struggles to socialize with Lewis, who has been rapidly developing into an intense crush.
PP01.10 - "Lucky Break 2: All Caught Up"
The episode opens with Charlie's triumphant vindication as his camera footage reveals the cat is real, just before it darts into the pizzeria. This sparks a chaotic, plaza-wide chase, involving numerous other proprietors and employees, that ends with Neil finally securing the elusive feline, whom the family names Lucky. The positive energy carries into the night as the family, working together with newfound efficiency, absolutely aces a surprise Saturday dinner rush. This double victory of capturing their new mascot and having their best financial day ever marks a genuine, much-needed turnaround, dulled only by a continuing rift between the parents.
PP01.11 - "On Thin Ice"
In the midst of peaking tensions between Piper and Sam, Natalie returns for the nerve-wracking health inspection, her demeanor as stoic as ever. A sudden freak blizzard swiftly ices over the roads and knocks out the power, trapping her inside the pizzeria overnight with the entire Petty family. As the parents finally work through their issues, Natalie, stripped of her official role, is forced to interact with the family on a human level, witnessing their chaotic dedication up close. Her icy exterior finally completely melts when she falls for Lucky, and she proceeds to guide them through a final crucial repair, leading her to pass them the next morning.
PP01.12 - "Sorry, Charlie"
On Charlie's birthday, the teens uncover a faded photograph of a much younger him and Piper in a post-punk band, prompting him to tell them stories of their wilder days, especially entrancing Neil. Through vivid flashbacks, the episode explores his deep-seated loyalty to Piper and reveals their band's failure was ultimately due to a lack of resources and stability. In the present, this history provides a poignant contrast as Charlie and Sam work together to perfect the new seven-cheese "Lucky Break" pizza, solidifying their own harmony. Meanwhile, their rivals Katrina and Norm, believing the Pettys are still unprepared amateurs, secretly call a food critic to arrange a visit.
PP01.13 - "Imminent Critique"
Still riding the high of their passed inspection, the family gets word that a food critic will be visiting the following day. Finally spotting a chance to make a name for herself in the culinary world, an ecstatic Ella goes into overdrive attempting to create an overcomplicated "gourmet" experience that fails spectacularly in front of Izzy. After her grand plans fall apart, a dejected Ella is inspired by a simple family meal to create the unique and authentic, yet elegantly simple, "Petty Pie." This dish ultimately wins over the critic on a busy Saturday night, unknowingly thwarting Katrina and Norm's plot, and bringing Piper and Sam together over shared parental pride.
PP01.14 - "Petty Bourgeois Blues 1: One Eager Eye"
Riding high from the critic's glowing review in the Sunday paper, the family's celebration is cut short when they find a terrifying letter from the bank that arrived the day before. Robin opens it to reveal a massive, lump-sum balloon payment on their inherited loan is due in under a week. After a desperate off-hours meeting with their loan agent proves fruitless, the family is left feeling hopeless, until Ambrose drops by and tells the family about a corporate Valentine's event whose caterer fell through last minute. Knowing that they're among competition, their only hope is a last-ditch effort to create the perfect pitch to present the next morning.
PP01.15 - "Petty Bourgeois Blues 2: The Present Day"
With time running out, the family is laser-focused on winning the massive catering contract for a local tech company's "Valentuesday" event. The episode follows Piper, Sam, and Charlie's frantic, last-ditch effort to perfect and present a professional-looking pitch under immense pressure. The episode climaxes with the tense presentation on Monday morning, where their corporate schmoozing falls flat, but their genuine dynamic and the simple elegance of Ella's "Petty Pie," a personal pizza/calzone hybrid perfect for individual servings at a corporate event, is what ultimately wins over the skeptical clients. Their final hurdle: produce 200 Petty Pies for tomorrow's event.
PP01.16 - "Petty Bourgeois Blues 3: Last Legs, First Steps"
The family immediately begins the grueling 30-hour shift to fulfill the impossible catering order, with the teens being pulled from school for the "family emergency." Pushed to their physical and emotional limits, they find moments of unexpected unity and dark humor before a frantic delivery on Valentine's Day afternoon. After racing to the bank to make the payment just in time, their loan agent presents them with a choice: sell the now-stabilized business and walk away free, or accept a new, more manageable loan. After Piper and Sam reflect on the future of their own relationship, the whole family must decide whether to depart the world of the pizzeria or remain proprietors.
Season 2: Chain Reaction
PP02.01 - "Out of Time 1: First Steps, Second Chances"
The family decides to renovate the pizzeria with help from Charlie's nephew, Felix.
PP02.02 - "Out of Time 2: Half a World Away"
Felix's working interview during the renovation hits some snags.
PP02.03 - "Out of Time 3: Onboarding, Offloading"
The family struggles to sell their old decor and properly delegate.
PP02.04 - "Locks and Keys"
A security scare alarms the family; Robin bonds with Lewis over music.
PP02.05 - "Follow Suit"
Ella forges a new sense of individuality; Neil and Trish try to learn from Felix.
PP02.06 - "Home Sweep Home"
The family helps Charlie tidy his house before his sister's visit; Sam cleans the pizzeria's ventilation.
PP02.07 - "Upward Mobility 1: Wheels of Fortune"
The family explores expansions into gourmet ingredients and delivery service.
PP02.08 - "Upward Mobility 2: Crash Course"
Sam tries to teach Robin how to drive; Piper grapples with her new social class.
PP02.09 - "Special Effects 1: Troubleshooting"
Buzz over Ella's pizza-of-the-week attracts the attention of a local TV production.
PP02.10 - "Special Effects 2: Photo Finish"
The family's TV shoot is a comedy of errors, so they call Ambrose for help.
PP02.11 - "Supplies and Demands"
The pizzeria's newfound success stresses logistics and Robin's budding relationship.
PP02.12 - "Two-Point Perspective"
Neil and Charlie have a disagreement; Felix gets his first tattoo.
PP02.13 - "Petty with a Prior"
Piper's birthday is met with a surprise visit from an old friend; Ella and Izzy get in trouble at school.
PP02.14 - "Growing Pains 1: Full House"
The family investigates expanding into the empty unit next door.
PP02.15 - "Growing Pains 2: Empty Promises"
Piper and Sam struggle to see eye to eye regarding business growth.
PP02.16 - "Growing Pains 3: Better Half"
The family tries to make a difficult decision while a storm rolls in.
Season 3: Winds of Change
Coming soon...
Season 4: Limited Engagement
Coming soon...
Lopscotch
Six rabbit friends are cast into a surreal landscape to transform their world via an intricate game that was derailed long ago.
Overview
In a world where Rabbitkind lives in stagnant, airborne cities high above the dangerous, unpredictable expanse of the Blur, six friends are just looking for an escape. They find it in a pre-release test of Symmetry Break, a mysterious augmented reality game that promises an adventure unlike any other. But the moment they finish their personality tests and log in, the game becomes terrifyingly real.
Transported into the Blur, they discover that their new reality is governed by the game's intricate rules overlaid on a surreal, ever-shifting landscape. They are no longer just players, but unwilling participants in an ancient process to transform the world, a process that was left unfinished long ago. To survive, they must learn to grasp their potentials, face their contradictions, and reckon with a system that may have been rigged from the start, all while being hunted by the enigmatic force that might have sabotaged everything.
Lopscotch is a blend of heartfelt and heartbreaking character moments, tense philosophically-charged action, and a plentiful dose of absurd and overcomplicated ludic-ontological mechanics. Inspired by classic webcomics, video games, and internet culture, it's a unique story about friendship, change, and what happens when the only way out is to win, but the only way to win is to break things.
The Lopscotch 6
Meet the Lopscotch 6
Felix (he/him)
The wild card of the group. He's spontaneous, impulsive, and doesn't always think things through, but he has a certain charisma and optimism that makes him hard to dislike. His carefree nature and love for cheese define much of his character, and his chaotic behavior often leads to unexpected outcomes. His biggest strengths are his creativity, resourcefulness, and ability to keep things lighthearted, even when the situation is tense. However, his lack of foresight and tendency to act before thinking can create problems for himself and others. Felix has a deep-seated resistance to anything that feels boring or predictable; he thrives in chaos and has a natural gift for turning mishaps into new opportunities. His Telenet handle is CHZ360, and his text color is ruby red.
Edwin (he/him)
A thinker, the intellectual of the group. Sarcastic, cynical, and highly analytical, he enjoys solving puzzles and is constantly seeking deeper meaning in everything he encounters. Unlike Felix, he approaches life with caution and logic, often overthinking situations. Though emotionally distant, Edwin is deeply curious and believes in finding answers for everything. However, his skepticism makes him hard to impress, and he often dismisses things that seem too 'easy' or unexamined. Edwin struggles to form emotional connections, preferring intellectual engagement over personal relationships. However, his emotional reserve doesn't mean he doesn't care, he just expresses it in subtle, logical ways. His Telenet handle is WHY247, and his text color is citrine yellow.
Doris (she/her)
The planner, the organizer of the group. Highly responsible, nurturing, and somewhat perfectionistic, Doris takes on the task of keeping things in order, both in the group's affairs and their own life. She's always the first to step in when something needs to be done, but the pressure of perfectionism often leads to internal stress. Doris struggles to accept that not everything can be planned or controlled, and while she provides stability and structure to the group, she often feels burdened by the weight of responsibility. She wishes she could embrace the chaos Felix seems to thrive in, but her need for control often prevents it. Deep down, Doris wants to relax and let go of her rigid structure, but she fears losing control and becoming overwhelmed by life's unpredictability. Her Telenet handle is ORZ808, and her text color is emerald green.
Casey (they/them)
The heart of the group, emotionally intelligent and always seeking to connect on a deeper level. They're the idealist who believes in the best of people, often trying to smooth over conflict and bring balance to the group dynamic. As the emotional glue, Casey plays the role of mediator, offering support and comfort when needed. However, they're also naïve, often idealizing situations or people and finding it difficult to accept that not everything can be fixed with optimism. While Casey may struggle with the practicalities of life, their emotional insight is invaluable to the group, offering a grounding and supportive presence. Their Telenet handle is TRU143, and their text color is sapphire blue.
Blake (they/them)
The group's quiet protector. They're stoic and brooding, preferring to observe and act when necessary rather than getting caught up in emotional displays. While others may be emotionally expressive, Blake is more reserved and prefers to handle matters privately, often through creative outlets like drawing or painting. Despite their reserved nature, Blake is deeply reliable and always there when someone needs them, especially in a crisis. Their quiet, protective attitude often keeps the group grounded when things get overwhelming. They have a deep well of emotions but struggle to express them outwardly, often hiding their vulnerability behind their tough exterior. Blake feels more at ease when they're helping others, but they often feel isolated due to their inability to share their own emotions. Their Telenet handle is BAD777, and their text color is amethyst purple.
Alana (she/her)
Enigmatic and enjoys playing the role of the puzzle master. Aloof and cryptic, she rarely provides direct answers and prefers to let others figure things out on their own. She's often seen as being a little distant or even unhelpful, but this is just part of her personality: she likes keeping things hidden. Though Alana may appear aloof or even frustrating at times, she isn't malicious. She enjoys keeping people on their toes and doesn't mind letting the world remain a mystery. Alana often operates by her own logic, which may seem baffling to others. She has an innate talent for seeing things from an unconventional angle, which can be both helpful and frustrating to the rest of the group. Her Telenet handle is BUG404, and her text color is hematite grey.
World & Story
Symmetry Break
Symmetry Break
Symmetry Break is a transformative process designed to evolve the world from a primitive state into a more complex and developed form. It is a process to turn the world into a more complex, evolved form by "re-mixing" various components in new ways, eliminating uniformities in favor of new, unique manifestations. This also resolves built-up immanent tensions, releasing excess energy and allowing the world to settle into a more stable state. Players are the "quanta" of six fundamental values, and through their actions in the game, they channel these principles to reshape reality. The "game" component is incredibly intricate, expected to take several years, with a vast quantity of goals to complete to fine-tune the parameters that will determine the behavior of the new world. Quests and objectives cover every possible activity, combining elements of action RPGs, survival games, mystery dungeon roguelikes, strategic simulations, and casual community-builders.
Various semi-stable "bubble" locations will come into being to serve the game's purposes. Players must venture into dangerous areas to find resources, expand their safe zones, establish communities of robotic folk, and even brave the deep, ever-changing Blur itself. Most objects can be "catalogued," which permanently etches their form into the fabric of the world, allowing them to exist outside their bubble of origin and be reproduced. This is how the uncertainty of the Blur is gradually turned into a new, stable reality.
Below the ground, within the center of the Blur-enshrouded planet, there is a vast hollow space with a central ball of light and a handful of orbiting structures. Eventually, the players' bubbles become large enough to allow construction of a dungeon-tower that descends underground through this empty, chaotic space. For an incredible and challenging 10,000 floors, the tower extends downward until it reaches near the glowing inner core: the final destination for all Symmetry Break players. Throughout this process, players will become the very embodiment of their assigned Values, operating as the fundamental forces that govern the behavior of the new state of the world that they are approaching.
The 6 Values
SWERVE: The force of change, spontaneity, and divergence.
VERITY: The force of truth, clarity, and revelation.
DESIGN: The force of intention, structure, and purpose.
BRIDGE: The force of connection, transition, and unification.
SHIELD: The force of protection, stability, and integrity.
ENIGMA: The force of mystery, potential, and the unknown.
The 6 Titles & Pairings
As players progress through Symmetry Break, their actions and how they utilize their core Value cause them to align with one of six Titles. These titles reflect their style of play and create a unique synergy with their Value.
Felix (Swerve) – The Alchemist
Felix's spontaneous nature (Swerve) is channeled through the transformative lens of the Alchemist. He doesn't just spark change; he actively reshapes chaos into something new and unanticipated. He is an Alchemist of Swerve because he learns to deftly transform unexpected happenings into new, often beneficial outcomes.
Edwin (Verity) – The Tactician
Edwin's search for clarity (Verity) is applied through the pragmatic role of the Tactician. Beyond merely uncovering the truth, he uses it to calculate the best possible outcomes and engineer plans. He is a Tactician of Verity because he learns to deftly exploit specific truths for thoughtful, useful reasons in specific contexts.
Doris (Design) – The Reckoner
Doris's need for structure (Design) is tempered by the careful approach of the Reckoner. She weighs capabilities and risks, ensuring that her systems are stable, measured, and sustainable. She is a Reckoner of Design because she learns to deftly balance the application of order to construct and maintain systems, avoiding collapse.
Casey (Bridge) – The Sage
Casey's gift for connection (Bridge) is elevated by the wisdom of the Sage. They know when to push for deeper unity and when to step back and reflect, offering not just comfort but profound insights. They are the Sage of Bridge because they learn to deftly comprehend the bonds between people and things, guiding others to thoughtful action.
Blake (Shield) – The Nomad
Blake's protective nature (Shield) is expressed through the adaptability of the Nomad. They aren't a static wall; they are a flexible defender, constantly moving and adjusting to safeguard the group. They are the Nomad of Shield because they learn to deftly explore and fluidly move between various methods of defense and individualization.
Alana (Enigma) – The Herald
Alana's cryptic nature (Enigma) is weaponized by the inspiring role of the Herald. She doesn't just dwell in mystery; she uses it to lead others toward discovery, posing riddles that challenge the group to grow. She is the Herald of Enigma because she learns to deftly distribute the concepts of mystery, puzzles, and confusion to influence others.
Lore
Sabotage and the Blur
The world of Lopscotch was not always a dangerous, shifting landscape. Originally, Rabbitkind lived in a stable state and initiated the first Symmetry Break to evolve their world. However, the process was sabotaged at the last moment by one of the original six players, an event known as the "Anomaly." This betrayal halted the transformation, leaving the world in an anomalous, in-between state—the Blur—where reality is unstable and surreal.
The final surviving teammates from that first game sacrificed themselves to create floating cities, the Havens, protecting Rabbitkind from the perilous world below. The saboteur remained in the Blur, becoming an enigmatic force known as the "Scotch." The Scotch actively resists any new attempt to complete Symmetry Break, acting as a "doorstop" to prevent change and preserve the world's broken state. For centuries, hundreds of new teams have been sent into the Blur to try to complete the game, only to be stopped by this mysterious antagonist. It is said that in all that time, only three players from a single team ever managed to survive their encounter with the Scotch.
As the latest cohort of Symmetry Break players, the Lopscotch 6 are yet another in this long line of seemingly-doomed teams. They are tasked with not only completing the incredibly meticulous gameplay, but also avoiding or thwarting the Scotch once and for all. Will they be able to lop off the scotch and finally complete the transformation of their world?
Teasers & Excerpts
Chapter 1 Teaser
[Chapter 1, shortly after the story begins, long before any knowledge of Symmetry Break, the Scotch, or what's in the Blur]
~ Check your Telenet messages.
{Felix viewing bulky monitor above typewriter}
You already know who those messages are from.
Without fail, Casey has sent you a good morning message at 10:00 a.m. sharp, every day, for 1312 days. Today will be day 1313. The novelty of the act has long since worn off, rendering it, at least from your perspective, more of a routine, or a fact of nature as reliable as a sunrise or the 4.24-year comet. Sometimes you wonder if they feel burdened by the pattern the two of you have normalized.
Regardless, you appreciate it. Casey is your best friend.
~ (good morning casey!)
{Felix viewing monitor, inset bubble shows message list on monitor screen, with new message from ORZ808)
Oh, it's not Casey. That's very weird. Should you be worried?
You space out for a few seconds before returning your focus to the unread message you do have.
~ What does it say?
{view from outside window looking in at Felix at monitor}
netlog // xxxx
[unread]
ORZ808: Is Casey talking to you right now???
ORZ808: Are you up yet?
ORZ808: Why do you always sleep in so late?????
ORZ808: Please get up soon.
CHZ360: no i wasnt up. casey didnt message me this morning at all
CHZ360: whats going on?
CHZ360: dorzzz
CHZ360: ??
~ (what the heck)
{Felix pacing looking distressed}
Doris isn't messaging back. Her last messages were from about three hours ago. What could be happening?
You feel something in your chest. A /tinge/. You're nervous, but you're going to do your best to not assume the worst. Right?
Right. Who are you to stress about a change in routine? You're veritably designed to be subject to surprise and survive. Nay, thrive. You'll just get on with your morning and wait for Doris to respond.
~ And you'll message Casey, of course. Play it cool.
{Felix typing at monitor}
netlog // xxxx
CHZ360: hi case good morning!!
CHZ360: it's okay that you didn't message me first today
CHZ360: you know i love it but there's never any pressure or anything
CHZ360: but anyway dorz said something to me this morning that sounded kind of weird and im just wondering if everythings okay with you
CHZ360: talk to you soon i hope!
~ (i hope)
{closeup of Casey's handle, TRU143}
I hope so too. In the meantime, it's time to really start your day.
~ Good morning.
{musical sequence showing glimpses of the view from the window and a song with Felix's motif, ending with a full-body shot of Felix looking in the mirror}
~ Analyze yourself.
{far shot of Felix in his room}
You're FELIX. A mid-20s whirlwind of chaos, charm, and creativity, living in the city like everyone else. You're the type of rabbit who thrives on spontaneity and avoids routine like the plague—except when it comes to cheese. Your room is a chaotic shrine to your interests: a mini fridge stuffed with dairy, half-finished craft projects strewn across every surface, and posters of obscure bands whose names you sometimes forget.
You've never been one to take life too seriously, preferring to live in the moment and see where the current takes you. That's not to say you're irresponsible—you're resourceful when it counts and surprisingly good at turning small ideas into big solutions. But you have a tendency to procrastinate, and the clutter around you feels like an extension of your mind: messy, creative, and alive.
You're not a morning person, which is why it's not actually the morning. You're out of bed at a healthy 2 p.m. today. Congratulations!
~ Reward yourself with something out of that mini fridge.
{close-up of open mini fridge filled with cheese blocks and wedges}
What else could it be? This is your bedroom cheese stash. I count 7 varieties currently in stock. An auspicious sign.
~ (what? okay im gonna eat this now)
{close-up of Felix sloppily gobbling cheese}
You grab whatever's at the front and chow down.
~ Take in the scenery.
{wide view of far side of room}
While the proteins swirl around your mouth, you gaze across the vista of your room, admiring your diminutive personal kingdom in serene silence (not counting the obnoxious lip smacking here).
~ Focus on the table with colorful stuff spilled everywhere.
{close-up of table with half-filled jars and colorful spills}
It wasn't totally obvious that this was wax.
This is a half-finished candle making experiment. You'll get around to pouring the rest of them soon enough. It's only been 4 days since the last time you touched it!
It'll be nice to send a candle to each of your friends. You tried to match the scents to their personalities so thoughtfully.
~ (they smell good enough to eat but i won't do that i promise)
{view of other far corner of the room, near the window}
I trust you.
With the particular wax scents blending with the taste of cheese to create an interesting new sensory experience, you turn your gaze to the other side of the room.
~ Focus on the posters beside the window.
{interactive panel with three clickable posters with audio clips}
Your taste in music is very unique. One can't deny that these acts have a lot of personality! As you chomp down on your last few bites of cheese, you squint your eyes and imagine some of your favorite tunes.
~ (i cant actually finish this block right now)
{Felix holding the piece of cheese with swirly eyes}
Well that makes sense, it was a big block. An infinite appetite does not negate a finite stomach. You should just put it away for later today.
~ Put it in your inventory.
{mostly-eaten cheese is shown to be added to Felix's inventory}
This is exactly why you use an INVENTORY MODULE with refrigeratory capabilities. You can leave stuff in there for weeks without worrying about it spoiling. This cheese will make a great snack in a few hours. In the meantime…
~ [DING!]
{small bell on monitor/typewriter shakes and rings}
In the meantime, you'll check that new Telenet message you just received! You expect it to be Casey or Doris, of course. It's honestly wild how much you miss Casey, but I'm sure you'll play it cool.
~ Who's on the line?
{close-up of monitor showing the username BAD777 and a new message icon}
Not Casey, not Doris.
This is unusual. Blake isn't prone to message you out of the blue unless they know you need help. The tinge in your chest returns and grows in severity by a non-trivial amount. You tried to brush it off, but something really feels wrong today.
[to be continued...]
Conversation Teaser
[after all players have entered the Blur and some have established a fledgling base of operations in Casey's major bubble, which is pirate-themed. this is the first time Felix ever meets Casey and Edwin in person]
FELIX: hey!
CASEY: ...
CASEY: ... Felix?
FELIX: casey!
CASEY: !!!
[they run to each other and hug, spinning and hopping around]
FELIX: CASE!! i cant believe its actually you
CASEY: i always hoped this day would come, since long before we came here.
FELIX: me too!!
FELIX: ...
FELIX: hey case
CASEY: yes?
FELIX: good morning!!
[casey beams]
CASEY: !!!
EDWIN: *cough cough*
[Edwin stands meters behind, looking happy but a bit awkward]
CASEY: this is Edwin of course!
FELIX: ED!! RIGHT!! its awesome to see you too
FELIX: wow you werent lying you are so short dude
EDWIN: ??? Why would I lie about that?
CASEY: guys, we need to get back to the pirate bubble before nightfall. last i checked with Doris, we have about 3 hours before things get... difficult on the ocean.
CASEY: and that was an hour ago too so we need to go now. you can just follow us, Felix.
FELIX: im so stoked to see your cool pirate base
EDWIN: It is not very cool. Trust me.
CASEY: it's cool for what it is, but we still have some work to do.
CASEY: it'll be great to have your help, Felix!
FELIX: ^_^
[they get on their way]
Telenet Log Teaser
[a decent way into the game, when values have been firmly discovered but titles are only beginning to be able to be predicted, and players are deep in experiencing how they naturally interact with their values during the game challenges]
BUG404: you all really aren't getting the hints?
BUG404: i mean is it that hard to see why i might feel like the odd one out here?
BUG4G4: like. truth. structure. protection.
BUG404: and initiative and friendship or whatever? these are important.
BUG404: and then my value? literally just "being confusing" and annoying.
WHY247: I don't believe that's what Enigma is about, Alana. It is a reflection of potential, no?
BUG404: it is. it's just about being a weirdo that nobody actually understands and honestly you don't even know why you have to act like this. that's it! weirdo stuff.
TRU143: even if that's how you frame it... it wouldn't be part of
all this if it wasn't vital.
TRU143: to the game and the transformation and the world we're trying to create.
TRU143: you wouldn't be here if you weren't vital to us. <3
BAD777: yeah
CHZ360: thats a great way to think about it! and i feel the same about my value sometimes too
CHZ360: like my thing is just being impulsive lol it doesnt seem awesome next to ed or dorz and stuff
CHZ360: but hey its me and i like it and i clearly have a place here
ORZ808: Yes, I've been grateful for your help, Felix. Surprisingly helpful help. It's clear to me that our differences become strengths when working in concert.
ORZ808: We're all grateful for you too, Alana. We're glad you're here.
BAD777: we really are
BUG404: ugh. that's sweet of you all.
BUG404: but i need some time to think now.
BUG404: thank you.
- BUG404 has gone offline -
TRU143: take as much time as... oh, goodbye!
CHZ360: lol
CHZ360: i hope she's okay
WHY247: As do I. Casey, let's both check on her in an hour or so.
WHY247: Meanwhile, shall we get back to working out this geometry puzzle?
BAD777: alright
ORZ808: Sounds like a plan. I might have some insights I can share.
[Edwin, Blake, and Doris continue to discuss the puzzle, while Casey and Felix each go off on their own]
Captiotia
The Captiot Commonwealth, or "Captiotia," is an island-bound socialist society with a unique culture and fascinating historical trajectory. Emerging from revolutionary struggle, it is widely regarded as successful and prosperous, embodying its founding motto: "All for One, One for All." While not a utopia, it exemplifies a unified society committed to communist progress, scientific principles, and the common good. The demonym is Captiot: (/kæpti'oʊ/ cap-tee-OH); Captiotia: (/kæpti'oʊʃə/ cap-tee-OH-shuh)
History
Captiotia's present is the result of a long and often tumultuous history, from its ancient origins to the social revolution that reshaped every aspect of society.
Captiot History
Ancient & Pre-Revolutionary Eras
~12000 BCE - ~3200 BCE (Bands and Nomads):
The earliest history begins with waves of refugee mariners migrating to the island, establishing hunter-gathering and pastoralist societies.
~3200 BCE - 896 BCE (Chiefdoms and City-States):
The development of agriculture enabled the growth of cities in the "Urban Crescent." Written language and trade routes emerged, and various people groups blended into a distinct Captiot culture.
896 BCE - 225 CE (First Dynasty):
A period of heavy-handed political and religious centralization, defined by a caste system, tribal conflicts, and a system of slavery and manumission.
225 CE - 1172 CE (Second Dynasty):
An era of warrior kings, a central-region urbanization boom, and the dominance of feudal relations through land reform and vassalage.
1172 CE - 1590 CE (Third Dynasty):
Characterized by royal elections, a civil service, and a flourishing of arts and sciences, but ended in a fragmentation crisis caused by pandemics.
1590 CE - 1631 CE (Captiot Republic):
A brief, unstable period of civil war, nationalism, and early mercantilism following the collapse of the Third Dynasty. The old warring states evolved into shifting confederations that undermined the Republic.
1628 CE - 1823 CE (Fourth Dynasty):
The monarchy was restored under the Delano Accord, a constitution that limited royal power with checks from an independent body of wealthy representatives. This unstable system saw frequent unrest. Proto-industrialization and global trade began.
1823 CE - 1948 CE (Second Captiot Republic):
The "Green" Revolution removed the nobility and established a representative republic operating under the logic of capital, but kept many feudal systems. Fiefs became company towns under the Integrated Village Economy, a system likened to "corporate vassalage." Contradictions strengthened as production industrialized, leading to the continuous growth of the middle class of merchants, artisans, and intelligentsia.
The Social Era
1948-1951 (Captiot Social Revolution and War Socialism):
Captiotia's contemporary history begins with the Captiot Social Revolution, which culminated on April 24, 1948. After years of rural insurgency, the Summatory Socialist Party secured the capital and other major urban areas and declared the establishment of the Captiot Summatory Socialist Republic, marking the start of a three-year period known as War Socialism. During this period, the SSP-led government, working through a centralized Assembly and coordinating with a network of workers' councils, continued to support uprisings across the island, expanding the republic's control while defending it against counterrevolutionary forces.
1951-1960 (Ultraindustrialization and the Great Cultural Reclamation):
From 1951 to 1960, the newly established republic underwent a period of Ultraindustrialization, focusing on rapid reconstruction and the development of infrastructure to an unprecedented level. Workers were organized into industrial armies and directly compensated with essential goods and services as well as Social Tokens, which were promised to be redeemable for a portion of the country's material wealth within ten years. This period also witnessed the Great Cultural Reclamation, a transformative movement aimed at reshaping Captiot identity and fostering a modern, inclusive, and progressive society through the use of public education and the arts.
1960-1990 (Early Public Market Economy):
1960 brought significant changes to Captiotia in the wake of the previous decade's intense, focused development. The government was restructured into the Senate/Councils/Forum system that persists today, and the country adopted a system of five-year plans and transitioned into the Public Market Economy (PME). This period, reminiscent of early or primary stages of socialist development in other countries, aimed to develop Captiotia's productive forces and non-industrial capabilities through a mixed economy with a significant safety net. The PME featured a mix of State Economic Organizations, worker-owned cooperatives, and limited individual ownership, all under public oversight. This model fostered a social-focused market economy while striving for economic parity with the rest of the world, promoting self-sufficiency, and eradicating poverty in all regions of the country.
1990-2010 (Late PME Transition and the New Cultural Reclamation):
Starting in 1990, prompted by a computerization boom and the efficiency of Synthetic Planning, the transition towards a more fully socialized economy accelerated. An increasing number of sectors and enterprises were brought under common ownership, and a labor voucher system was gradually introduced to replace traditional currency and market mechanics. The 2000s also saw the emergence of the New Cultural Reclamation, emphasizing the role of science and technology for societal improvement, promoting environmental awareness, and further supressing and surpassing harmful traditional conceptions within the realms of gender/sex, race, ability, and beyond.
2010-Present (Voucher/Commons Economy):
Upon the year 2010, the VCE was fully implemented, the country implemented a new system of four-year plans, and the country was renamed the Captiot Commonwealth. Captiotia of the present day is now focused on preventing and reversing the effects of climate change, supporting revolutionary movements and economic development worldwide, improving living standards through technological advancements and social organization, and gradually advancing towards higher-phase communism.
Ideology
The official ideology of Captiotia is Summatory Socialism, a comprehensive framework grounded in materialism and dialectics that has evolved over centuries to guide the nation's development.
Summatory Socialism
Summatory Socialism, also known as Captiot Communism, is a dynamic and evolving ideological framework that has shaped the development of Captiotia since the successful 1948 Revolution. The ideology integrates centuries of philosophical and scientific advances, drawing from Captiotia's rich intellectual traditions to create a holistic revolutionary strategy grounded in materialist philosophy, ethical concerns, and practical social transformation.
Sojo Thought (200-300 CE):
The earliest philosophical influence on Summatory Socialism came from the small communities in Captiotia's eastern steppes, where Sojo Thought emerged. This system of ethics and materialism provided a foundational worldview for the development of later ideas.
Materialism: Sojo philosophers maintained that the material world forms the basis for all that exists. They rejected supernatural or religious explanations, arguing that ideas and consciousness arise from material conditions rather than the other way around. Sojo materialism viewed the world of ideas as a reflection of the underlying material reality, emphasizing empirical observation, skepticism, and critical reflection on the physical and social world.
Hedonist Ethics: Sojo Thought advocated a balanced pursuit of pleasure and avoidance of pain, stressing moderation and simplicity. It proposed that a good life is found in the measured pursuit of contentment, avoidance of unnecessary suffering, and fostering community well-being. This ethical framework emphasized the importance of steering clear of extreme indulgence or deprivation and highlighted the role of social harmony in achieving individual fulfillment.
Natural Dialectics of Julian Goldstone (Mid 1800s):
Julian Goldstone, a biologist and geologist, made significant contributions to Captiot materialism through his study of the natural world. His work enriched the tradition of Captiot science and laid the foundation for later developments in philosophy and social theory.
Natural Science and Materialism: Goldstone's materialism was grounded in the belief that all natural phenomena could be explained by observable processes in the physical world. He studied ecosystems and geological formations, adhering to the concept that natural systems on every scale operated through interconnected physical laws. As part of a resurgence of Sojo Thought, he rejected supernatural and idealist interpretations and focused on how nature developed through measurable material changes, with human society being a part of nature capable of enacting agency and self-reflection.
Dialectics in Nature: Goldstone uncovered the dialectical mode of the natural world and its processes, observing that ecosystems and geological structures seemed to change through immanent development necessitated by internal contradictions, as well as how they fit into a universal network of these interconnected systems. He put forth the useful heuristic that quantitative changes, such as small shifts in population size or environmental conditions, could accumulate along the lines of internal contradictions and result in sudden qualitative transformations, like species evolution or natural disasters. This insight helped shape Captiotia's understanding of dialectics as an immanent process of change, although Goldstone's primary focus remained in the realm of nature rather than thought or society.
Ethical Reflections Late in Life: Near the end of his life, Goldstone began to ponder the application of dialectics to ethics, drawing on his understanding of natural processes. He speculated that human ethics, like ecosystems, could evolve through ongoing phases of contradiction and resolution, and that societal norms and values might also undergo gradual accumulation of tension, leading to sudden shifts in moral understanding. Though he did not fully develop these ideas, his late-life writings suggested that ethical systems, too, were shaped by material conditions and could transform as society itself evolved.
Scientific Socialism of Victoria Kowalski (Late 1800s):
Building on the work of Goldstone, her mentor, the historian and economist Victoria Kowalski applied materialism and dialectics to the study of society and history. She uncovered how human societies were driven by material conditions in the form of economy, and that the logic of capitalism necessitates its supersession.
Historical Materialism: Kowalski argued that human societies were driven by material conditions, particularly how they produced and distributed resources. She saw class struggle as the engine of historical change, with conflicts between different social classes emerging from the contradictions of material life. Kowalski's historical materialism proposed that history was a progression of economic logics defined by changes in production methods and the relationships between labor and ownership.
Critique of Capitalism: Kowalski critically analyzed the capitalist economy, exposing its exploitation of labor, necessitation of alienation, and multitude of inherent contradictions, such as the conflict between socialized labor and private ownership (capital), and between the dual nature of use value and exchange value within a commodity. She argued that these immanent tensions would accumulate to a point of crisis and eventually lead to the working class seizing control of the means of production.
Scientific Approach to Socialism: Kowalski's scientific socialism offered a practical and evidence-based roadmap for revolution. She proposed that socialism would necessarily emerge as a natural outcome of the material contradictions in society, but not separate from human agency: she stressed that a conscious revolutionary party was necessary to guide the proletariat to and through the transition. The party would need to seize the moment when material conditions were ripe for change, ensuring that the working class could take collective ownership of the economy and establish a planned, democratically managed system for the benefit of all.
Summatory Praxis of Robert Lookescope (Early 1900s):
Revolutionary organizer and entertainer Robert Lookescope, inspired by Kowalski's scientific socialism and the growing labor movements of the early 20th century, developed Summatory Praxis, the revolutionary strategy that led to the Captiot Revolution. He founded the Summatory Socialist Party, known as the Sigma Party.
Vanguard Party and Democratic Centralism: Lookescope formalized Kowalski's concept of a conscious revolutionary party as a disciplined, organized segment of the working class. The party would operate under democratic centralism, allowing for open debate within the party but ensuring unity in action once a decision was made. This structure allowed the Sigma Party to remain focused and adaptable, capable of responding quickly to changing conditions during the revolutionary struggle.
Mass Line Strategy: Lookescope's strategy emphasized maintaining close connections between the revolutionary party and the masses. The mass line involved gathering ideas and concerns from the people, refining them into coherent political strategies, and then returning those strategies to the masses for implementation. This two-way communication ensured that the party remained grounded in the realities of working-class life and that its policies reflected the will of the people.
Cultural and Creative Reclamation: Lookescope believed that revolution was not only a political and economic struggle but also a cultural and ideological one. He encouraged the masses to reclaim culture from the alienation and hegemony of capitalist society, promoting artistic and intellectual expression as essential components of revolutionary change. Lookescope viewed culture as key to reshaping everyday life and challenging the backward attitudes fostered by the capitalist system.
Post-Revolutionary Evolution
After the successful 1948 Captiot Revolution, the Sigma Party guided the nation through a period of intense social, political, and economic transformation. Over time, Summatory Socialism continued to evolve, incorporating technological advances, notably the development of Synthetic Planning, spearheaded by PME-era Senator Galena Gray, manifesting as cybernetic systems for efficient management of production and resource allocation. These systems allowed for greater participation in planning and enhanced sustainability, ensuring that the long-term collective needs of society were met while maintaining a commitment to democratic oversight and control.
Summatory Socialism, as it exists today, remains rooted in its materialist philosophy, but it has adapted to the challenges of the modern world. By staying true to its foundational principles of collective well-being, scientific planning, and cultural transformation, it continues to guide Captiotia in building a socialist society grounded in material and ethical progress.
Economy
Captiotia's advanced socialist economy, the Voucher/Commons Economy (VCE), is managed by a sophisticated cybernetic network, allowing for a unique system of voluntary, balanced labor and universal access to necessities.
The Voucher/Commons Economy (VCE)
The VCE could be compared to a hybrid of various modern socialist economic models, such as cybernetic communism with computation-based planning, labor-time accounting with labor vouchers, and participatory economics with "balanced job complexes", all to find an effective form of integrating both central common computational planning and decentral democratic voluntary planning.
Pillars of the VCE
The Common Fund:
A continuously expanding common source of use-values, prioritizing necessities such as food, housing, and beyond, available free of charge at all times, up to a rational limit on personal consumption. The Common Fund now also includes a small universal stipend of labor vouchers and grows to encompass new goods and services every year.
Labor Vouchers:
Non-transferable time-based credits earned by performing socially-necessary labor, used to requisition goods and services, particularly non-essentials. These vouchers are non-transformable into capital, preventing exploitation and ensuring a direct correlation between labor and consumption.
Voluntary & Balanced Labor:
Captiot have both individual and collective self-determination over their labor. It is encouraged, not compulsory. A person's time spent performing labor is typically divided between a variety of concrete forms, even for those focused mainly on one "career." Captiot spend most of their labor-time on engaging or passionate work, accompanied by a portion dedicated to menial tasks not yet automated, shared nearly equally among the population. Captiotia guarantees universal access to labor; nobody is denied the right to contribute.
VCE Technical Details
Structure of the Voucher/Commons Economy
The VCE rests on three interconnected pillars designed to eradicate scarcity and hierarchy:
1. The Common Fund
Universal access to necessities, such as nutritional food, modern housing, and all public services (e.g., healthcare, education, public transit, utilities, postal delivery, infrastructure), is guaranteed. Luxuries such as extended tourism and recreational technology expand annually. All costs for education, training, and infrastructure are collectively funded as socialized investment.
2. Labor Vouchers
Non-transferable time-based credits earned through work, measured in units of labor hours. They serve as an accounting and incentivizing mechanism.
Flat-Rate System:
All labor hours initially earn vouchers at an equal rate.
Progressive Deductions:
A portion of earned vouchers is deducted for the Common Fund. The instantneous voucher earn rate multiplier (y) is determined by a quadratic function of the total labor time (x, in hours) contributed within the past (5-day) week: y = 1 - x/120 - x²/7200, with an initially slow decrease quickly accelerating to fall off to 0 at x = 60. By integration, this corresponds to a cumulative amount of vouchers earned (y, in hours) after total weekly labor time (x, in hours) according to the cubic function: y = x - x²/240 - x³/21600, resulting in a hard cap of 35 vouchers earned at 60 hours of labor per week (that is, for a 5-day week, half the week spent in labor!).
Expiration Mechanism:
Vouchers expire after a period equal to 1/4 of the worker's age at the time of earning to prevent shocks to the economy and encourage participation in production and consumption.
Value Determination:
The Socially Necessary Labor Time (SNLT) of products, including direct labor, resource value, and means of production wear-and-tear, determines their voucher cost as meticulously tracked by the Pokuiot Network.
3. The Pokuiot Network
A cybernetic system coordinating resources, production, and distribution in real time. Local councils propose micro-adjustments, while the Senate aligns these with four-year plans. It dynamically matches labor demand to citizen skills and monitors SNLT across the economy. It also uses GPT technology to intake natural language inputs to best adjust the economy toward qualitative human wants and needs.
Labor Coordination & Norms
Workweek Structures:
The 24-hour workweek (over a 5-day week) is a cultural benchmark. Most citizens work 16–35 hours weekly on average.
Skill Rotation:
On average, citizens engage in 3–5 hours daily of passionate/skilled labor and 1–3 hours of shared menial tasks.
Peer Accountability:
Persistent avoidance of menial tasks while still engaging solely in preferred passionate labor may result in social pressures, temporary restrictions on access to preferred passionate labor roles, or a higher Common Fund deduction tier.
Infrastructure
Captiotia's infrastructure prioritizes sustainability, efficiency, and public well-being. Cities are designed to be walkable with integrated green spaces, and development has been largely equalized across the island, resulting in districts generally being populated by a web of mid-rises interspersed with nature and the occasional pocket of high-rises, reflecting the goal of abolishing the distinction between town and country. Homes, industry, and the transportation system are all almost entirely powered by nuclear and renewable energy.
Transportation
Captiotia's transportation system is a multifaceted and well-integrated network designed to provide free and efficient mobility for all, while minimizing its environmental impact. The system prioritizes comfort and accessibility, with real-time information seamlessly synchronized with personal devices. Safety is paramount.
Captiot Universal Rail (CUR):
This extensive rail network utilizes three different rail gauges to accommodate a variety of train types. Wider-gauge lines always incorporate the narrower-gauge rails within them.
Wide Gauge (2400 mm):
Used for high-speed Sprint bullet trains with single-level carriages, double-level Sightseer trains for more scenic travels throughout the country, and triple-level Nomad trains, which can function as mobile villages. These lines also support heavy-duty Courier trains to carry the bulk of freight across the country.
Mid Gauge (1500 mm):
Supports subways and elevated rail lines within cities and towns, as well as some regional freight and passenger trains connecting smaller towns to larger cities, and various other specialist trains.
Slim Gauge (800 mm):
Utilized by trams for local transit within cities and towns, efficiently navigating urban areas with frequent stops, and the Underground Logistics Network, an intricate cargo delivery system that runs underground to transport goods efficiently and discreetly throughout urban areas.
Automated Electric Vehicles (AEVs):
A variety of AEVs, particularly cabs and shuttle buses, operate throughout Captiotia, complementing the rail system for purposes such as last-mile connectivity, infectious disease quarantine, and emergencies. AEVs dynamically adjust to passenger demand and coordinate with each other to minimize traffic congestion and virtually eliminate the risk of collisions. In urban areas, AEVs typically run underground to free up surface streets for pedestrians and cyclists. In rural or wilderness areas, AEVs focus on providing efficient connectivity to ensure all citizens have access to transportation services in the absence of rail.
Pedestrian and Cyclist Infrastructure:
Captiot cities are universally designed to be walkable and bikeable, with pedestrian streets accompanied by plentiful bike routes and widespread bike-share stations. Both manual and electric bicycles, along with electric scooters and electric wheelchairs, are freely available for all to use.
Aerial and Maritime Transportation:
For emergency situations and international travel, Captiotia relies on efficient supersonic air transport fueled by renewable biogas. Streamlined airships are also used for point-to-point travel within the country, particularly for some regional routes. On the seas, nuclear-powered ships facilitate the majority of international transportation of both passengers and freight, ensuring efficient and environmentally friendly long-distance travel.
Government
Captiotia is a unitary one-party socialist state. Its government is a three-tiered democratic structure designed for maximum citizen participation.
Governmental Structure
The government may be conceptualized as a three-tiered pyramid:
The Forum:
At the base, the Forum is a directly democratic body that connects all citizens to give them input on the direction of society, utilizing technology to both streamline and deepen the process. It allows for collective debate, mass referenda, and policy validation. Citizens can always participate directly or delegate their voting power to others.
The Councils:
The Councils directly administrate the entire economy on a daily basis, from the scale of individual workplaces and neighborhoods to entire sectors and industries. A manifestation of economic democracy, they are composed of workers or consumers within various jurisdictions and utilize varying structures of representation as best determined by practice.
The Senate:
The Senate is the centralized decision-making and planning body at the highest level. It focuses on long-term strategies and is composed of technical and political experts with experience in the Councils and elected by the population using a mix of approval, ranked-choice, and multi-member voting, also subject to immediate recall. Senators must be informed members of the Summatory Socialist Party and are typically endorsed by multiple cooperating factions within the party.
Society and Culture
Captiot society emphasizes lifelong learning, communal well-being, and a unique relationship with its animal life. The traditional family structure has been sublated in favor of communal childcare, and the populace is nearly unilaterally atheist.
Captiot Society
Social Systems
Healthcare:
Universal, free, advanced, and centrally coordinated, with local Councils having some say in administration. Public health focuses on both prevention and care for physical and mental health.
Education:
Structured in 4-year blocks. Early education (ages 4-16) is general, while later education (ages 16-24) incorporates specialization. The system emphasizes critical thinking, problem-solving, curiosity, and fostering a comprehensive understanding of the world.
Age of Majority:
16.
Cuisine & Agriculture
Cheese plays a major role in Captiot cuisine, with traditional dishes based on grains and cheese, such as pizza and pasta, as well as fruits, vegetables, and legumes. Cheese-making is regional, especially in the central region, but the majority of dairy is now produced from microorganisms for ethical and ecological reasons. Captiot do not consume any meat.
Notable Animals
The Rat:
The national animal. In many towns, communally-owned rats wander freely and are cared for by everyone.
Teddies:
A diminutive, friendly form of domesticated bear (Ursus amicus).
Rabbits:
A very popular pet, especially lop-eared breeds.
Housecows:
A small breed of cow engineered to live within a home, producing a large quantity of milk.
Northern Penguin:
Looks like it's wearing a tuxedo, with a bowtie and variable "googly eyes." It's not uncommon for them to hunt together with Captiotian Mini Polar Bears.
Southern Penguin:
Seasonally migrates southward along the beach, with unique thermoregulating feathers and head-fins that resemble radiators.
Traditions
The largest festival is "Captiot Week," a five-day (or six-day during leap years) celebration at the end of the year honoring science, technology, arts, cuisine, and the 1948 Revolution, culminating in Captiot Day on the equivalent of April 24 in the Gregorian calendar. The Captiot calendar consists of 12 months, each with 6 weeks of 5 days each, plus the concluding Captiot Week.
Geography
Located in the northern hemisphere, Captiotia is a large island nation with a climate that grows colder with rising latitude, organized into three distinct geographic regions and 24 Prefectures.
Regions & Prefectures
Geographic Regions
North Captiotia:
Very cold and blanketed by boreal forest, mainly on a great plain sloping north down into the coast with mountain ranges to the south and east. The eastern range is short, frigid, and contains the tallest point in Captiotia, Mt. Kowalski, and the neighboring vast glacial valley of the Bella River feeding east into the ocean. The southern range is bordered by numerous alpine villages and cities and farther south forms the border with Central Captiotia. Off the most northeastern point of the mainland are a small group of ancient volcanic islands, while the northern shore is icy and barren. The western shore is warmer but still comfortably cool and dotted with historic port and fishing towns, with the striking meteor crater a short distance inland.
Central Captiotia:
Roughly half temperate forest and half grassland, ideal for the agricultural industry of the nation. It's considered a breadbasket for many staple crops of the country. The eastern plains are cooled by the cold ocean currents from the north while the west is warmer and resembles the midatlantic coast of the US, with the large Malachite Bay forming the southwestern border with the South Region. To the east, however, the regions are split mainly by a wetland that drains eastward into a delta. The capital district of Malachi lies on a peninsula jutting south into the bay.
South Captiotia:
A region of varied climates: arid in the interior, Mediterranean to the north and west, and humid subtropical to the south and east.
Political Divisions
Prefecture:
One of 24 province-esque divisions with devolved power and the basis for proportional representation in the National Senate.
District:
One of countless county-esque divisions with devolved power to organize its own local society.
Capital:
The District of Malachi is the main geographic seat of the central national government and is not within a prefecture. It covers the entire Malachite Peninsula and varies in development from high-density urban sprawl to culturally rich rowhouse-laden pedestrian lanes to unique suburban communities.
List of Prefectures
Northern Prefectures
Goldstone:
Notable for its large meteorite crater and accompanying lake. Named in the modern socialist era in honor of the scientist Julian Goldstone.
Kowalski:
Named for the mountain range and highest peak in Captiotia. Established in the modern socialist era as an honorific for the sociologist Victoria Kowalski.
Lookescope:
Dense boreal forest on a northward-sloping plain, largely uninhabited. Named in the modern socialist era in honor of the revolutionary Robert Lookescope.
U'tul:
The coldest prefecture, occupying a peninsula and barren northeastern islands. Its port and mining towns are powered by geothermal energy, with crops grown in vast artificial plains dug into mountainsides.
Bella:
Immediately south of a very broad glacial valley, with rocky coasts and fjords.
Runge:
A cold, rainy western prefecture known for its coastal sharks and the practical culture of its populace.
Danny:
A mainly mountainous prefecture heavy with boreal forest and frozen lakes, notable for the tourist-famed Mt. Polaris and annual Guinea Pig festival.
Sherry:
Cold and forested, this prefecture is notable for its significant silver-mining industry and prevalence of ski resorts.
Central Prefectures
Urbelta:
The urban heart of Captiotia, consolidated from the most metropolitan regions along Malachite Bay during the revolution.
Green:
An academia-oriented and ecologically-minded prefecture dominated by the central university town of Green City.
Wallace:
A hilly, fertile dairy region with a rural, small-town atmosphere.
Sojo:
A mainly rural area with vast, cool plains, known for its vineyards and communities of nomadic wanderers.
Iris:
Considered one of the more beautiful areas of Captiotia, with cottage-dotted forests and wildflower-coated steppes.
Wesley:
A western prefecture whose shy populace is known for its passion for poetry and strict devotion to penne pasta.
Sheldon:
A rural prefecture known for its large population of wild rabbits and as the origin of the "Bunny Day" tradition.
Nik:
???
Southern Prefectures
Delano:
Swampy river delta on the east coast, with a healthy tradition of folk music.
Vega:
A mysterious prefecture, kept cool as southbound fog rolls in from the bay.
Yuno:
Southeastern point with large cosmopolitan cities and smaller resort towns on scattered islands.
Hoco:
A dusty collection of light industrial port cities and mining towns south of Malachi Bay.
Molly:
A temperate but somewhat dry northwestern portion of the region, whose capital, Mollopolis, is a major tourist destination.
Quinn:
An inland prefecture known for supposed UFO sightings and a large population of sci-fi and video game enthusiasts.
Sophie:
Located on the east coast, notable for its distinct drug culture, love of cats, and high percentage of podcasters.
Carroll:
A science-oriented prefecture on the southwest coast, home to astronomical telescopes, the nation's largest particle accelerator, and the main spaceflight launch facility.
Other
Q & A
How did you make this website?
Mostly by asking Gemini, but trust me, I'm a great quality assurance tester.
What is your logo supposed to be?
It's a simplified, idealized plastic bread clip; a "hypothetical ancestral occlupanid."
What do you do for fun?
Besides learning or building, I listen to music, play video games, and consume internet video.
What music do you like to listen to?
Pop, rock, post-punk, psych, anything melodic with clever harmony; check my Rate Your Music profile.
What video games do you like to play?
Strategy games, simulations, sandboxes, RPGs, adventures; check my Steam account.
Anything else I should know about you?
I'm frugal, pragmatic, an atheist, a vegetarian, and a hikikomori.
Why do you relate to rabbits and bonobos?
Anxious cunning, peaceful egalitarianism, and lots of sex.
What is your preferred interpretation of quantum mechanics?
Many-worlds.
Are you autistic, or just weird?
Yes.
Musings
On guiding principles for thought and development
The world is too big to have a perfect understanding of everything; you should try to have a good understanding of important/prominent things; it may naturally inform you within related areas; what things are important/prominent is itself something to seek a good understanding of.
The world wants you to change yourself, yourself wants you to change the world; you have to do both.
If you know something has to change, but don't know exactly how, seek to elucidate the particular tendencies of interdependence and irreconcilability between its constituent factors, and work not only from that but by it and through it.
Effective development may be facilitated by the conscious mediation between rigor and whimsy.
What's special now are the forms of material organization we ourselves can bring into existence: what we consciously select for within this historically contingent world, what we find special enough to defy the odds for and make real, even if transitory, even if contradictory.
On universal love and philosophical shortcomings
In theory, I love everyone; in practice, not so much. But I do love the potential for anyone to be good. Worldviews are shaped by experience; we need to cultivate an environment in which people develop into good people, and then continue to perpetuate those environments ad infinitum. Much like Epicureanism, the problem with Mohism is that the material conditions of society just aren't ready for it yet. We must take their insights and recover them in more resilient form within philosophy that more fundamentally describes the world and how to change it: Marxism.
On modern tools and intellectual wordplay
Seek less of your entertainment from foreign flora and artisan rarity, and more from the boundless and plentiful digital landscape.
If you're worried about LM use negatively impacting cognition of people you care about, why not help guide them on how to thoughtfully use models to augment, rather than limit, their abilities? Well, that would require you to actually learn about LMs instead of degrading people.
So you all adamantly hate language models for using a mere splash of water per inference, yet you openly scorn the water-preserving habits of sinkpissers... how curious!
Accidentally spilled some music analysis in my physics and now Pressure × Volume = Neo-Riemannian Theory. According to communist physics, the mass line is equal to the energy line divided by the speed of light squared.
On what's important to me
Learning, being kind and thoughtful, having an accurate and useful worldview, creating or constructing or repairing, keeping it real, humor, safety, love, and pleasure.
Useful or Fun Resources
Here are some links to various interesting things:
