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From the Hills Of Colombia?

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A Cup Of blackened Blood.
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Guatemala Blend,
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[Solo]

Duncan Hills,
Duncan Hills,
Duncan Hills Coffee.

Sleepers are awaking.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ep2wA9KpiXE

Ok, I'll play.

I have two boys, 19 months and three years old. I'm in my late thirties, wife in mid thirties. We waited until we were in a decent position financially before having kids. I saw my brother bring up my nephew who is now six so I knew what babies are like and toddlers are like before we had kids ourselves. I took a year and a half off to be a stay at home dad for our first child.

But there's this massive taboo in the UK, and I'm going to guess in America too. Having kids is good, and you're not allowed to say otherwise. I knew that there would be sleepless nights, that on occasion I'd be covered in vomit, or poo, or both. I knew that kids could be annoying.

But I didn't really understand what all that meant. To hear anyone talk about having kids it makes it seem like these things are just background noise for all the wonderful, giggly happy times.

No one told me how relentless it would be. While you can know that you'll be tired if you have a kid that wakes at night you don't really understand it until you haven't had a full night's sleep for three years. Not a single one.

Yes, somehow I should have fully understood everything before actually experiencing it. And of course I shouldn't say anything bad about it, it's all good.

But that's bullshit.

Having kids can be amazing, and getting to know my children's personalities as they've grown has been one of the most incredible experiences of my life. If I had my time again I would do it again.

But seeing some sanctimonious arse bitching about other people's experiences, which could be very different to their own, just makes my skin crawl. You're saying that because you made a decision you're not ever allowed to moan about it? Even if your whole life leading up to it was full of misleading misinformation? Even if the experience you chose turned out to not be typical through no fault of your own?

Pretty much any path a person takes in life can be framed as a result of a decision somewhere along the line. It's like saying that no one can complain about anything, anytime.

Despite what you say having kids is different to what just about anyone expects. If it wasn't for you then well done, you're in the tiny minority. You probably deserve some kind of prize for being so amazing. Here, I've got a little cup around here somewhere. Wait, I'll find it. Here it is. It's engraved. It reads 'Fuck you, you sanctimonious prick'.

Life is full of ups and downs. For me having kids has made the highs higher and the lows lower. I've never felt as amazing as I have when my kids do something brilliant. But I've never felt as down as I did about three months into my second child who was very colicky and just cried almost constantly and at night slept for an hour or so then was awake and screaming for an hour then slept and so on. For three months solid.

No one told me about that. No one made it clear that this was to be expected. My first was a reasonable, average baby. He had his moments but we thought we really understood what we were getting into.

But there's the rub. All kids are different. Even two boys, close in age to the same parents are like chalk ad cheese. To think you understand someone else's situation enough to bitch about them like you have is just stupid. So your child is good and you've enjoyed being a dad? Good for you. You were lucky. Others aren't so lucky and arses like you bitching about them doesn't help. Stop patting yourself on the back and realise that a large part of you having a good experience is nothing more than luck.

So, there you go. I'm sure I fit into your bad parent category. But at least I don't belittle the experiences of others and don't assume that I fully understand their experience.

Yes, some parents can be annoying, but the vast majority who are moaning are genuinely stressed and down. A little empathy can go a long way. Or you could just be an arse hole and bitch about them.

Your video, "Awake Ye Scary Great Olde Ones" Lovecraft Solstice carol, has made it into the Top 15 New Videos listing. Congratulations on your achievement. For your contribution you have been awarded 1 Power Point.

It's like reshooting the Magneto awaking scene like for first class.

When do they know the Matrix ... Two Towers effect of shooting the movies too close together?

You truly are the Avatar of Payback, Bringer of Justice. Forever alone to heighten the feeling of pure vengeance that will ring through the air of every nightly encounter with your foes. Who has done thee wrong to create such a revenant of fear? Did thou awake during the age of man or long before? Be thee angel, count, or man of bat? Or perhaps Darkwing Duck?

*kids

I misread this as singing. I am not fully awake.

Everything's all fun and plasma until someone jokingly speaks in tongues during the high energy stress test which opens a portal and awakes an Elder God...

*promote

It's only 45 minutes until we're back in the future! I wish I could have taken a time machine instead of doing it the Bender way.

(See Futurama/Simpsons episode where Bender shuts himself off in the Simpson's basement so that he can awake in the future.)

It's 4am, a baby will scream me awake in a couple of hours, and
it's taking all my willpower not to put on my Aliens dvd.

I hold you, Ant, personally responsible for the inevitable reduced parental care tomorrow.

Great stuff.

Cracked ribs and a punctured lung, but awake and alert at the hospital.

newtboy, death has long not been considered snuff if it newsworthy, historic or artful. Or haven't you seen the millions of fucking police and troops killing people on the sift? They are allowed because they are "unexpected" and newsworthy. In fact that is exactly what @lucky760 told me back then. Guess he was wrong back then eh?

Or how about when I posted the video of mother nature being a powerful, awe inspiring motherfucker? There was definitely death in this vein there. I was told it was fine, because it showed the artistic power of mother-nature. That came from the mods and nearly everyone else. A few did argue their point, "But, but...it shows someone dying..."

Or how about the world's ten greatest tragedies that showed a fighter pilot drown with his jet? Oh the video was historically based, but that particular pilot's death was in no way historical at all. Yet it was defended and remained.

Honestly, if you have no clue what you are talking about, then shut up. You can argue the homeless saving people does not matter (not newsworthy,) you could argue that I could have edited it, but don't pull that bullshit "just because both die from gunshots."

In my opinion this is the definition of newsworthy. More of this needs shown to the world so they fucking have to eat the truth--that heroes can be poor street men. This is art in a very sad way. Like a fucking painting of a great man standing, defending a wall against a force much larger than his own. This is fucking news because no one expects it and it stuns people awake.

I read that as Yogi Bear. I'm not fully awake.

Keeping the Oh Snap alive! Just waiting for the Snap Son to make it's come back. I like both of these so much.

Personally, I'm rather fond of a singular Snap or SNAP. Maybe some Shnap or Shizz-nap -- put that one together with some dee oh double gee!

I just really like the word "snap", especially in this particular emotional context. It's so positive and upbeat; I feel awake. And it's not at all contradictory or assuming like Bad, Cool or Radical; and, not nearly as aggrandizing as Awesome.

It's also not emotionally inappropriate like Sick, Rude or Bomb. Nor strange and alienating like Gnarly, Gnar, Gnar Gnar, and Sicky Gnar Gnar. Or as fluffy and clueless as Bodacious and Tubular; you can't Shwing everything; and, calling your mom's apple pie Tight or Fit is just... not right. (And what's Book?)

Snap. It's the musical sound of your fingers. Addam's Family says what? Snap Snap.

Still... NOT excited enough to go out and pick up some onyx yeast and put it on my toast. But, if I see it laying around on... someone's floor(?...?) I'll give it a go.

((?...?) = the questioning look of mild disgust on my face, best represented colloquially as a deadpan "wut.")

/off-topic & longish

I'm not trying to belittle you or anything, so please don't misinterpret the things I'm about to talk about. Regarding your supernatural experiences (which to be perfectly honest IF they do exist, and that is a big if) there are a few problems with them or rather that type of "belief". If it really did happen to you, then it wouldn't be very hard to see why you would believe in religion or be spiritual in a very strong sense of the word (though it depends I suppose on just what you experienced, or what "they" experience).

But, if your faith can be helped along by these type of events, then it would be the type of thing that science should be exploring. I know people will clearly state that you just "can't catch these events", but to be honest, if your body is able to see, hear, smell, or sense it...any number of scientific tests could as well. But, the problem is: when do they happen, how do they happen (by what mechanism, i.e. sound, smell, sight, etc...), and to whom will it occur (and even where will it occur might be a justified question too).

Eventually this should become something, even if on the "fringe" of science or rational belief, should become a real talking point...recognized by all. Simply because, eventually scientists must experience them too, or those with no faith or belief at all...

But, this is why I ask what kind of "event" did you experience?

I suffer from Narcolepsy. With this, I suffer nightly from huge attacks (around 3-15) sleep paralysis events. These events come in ALL sorts of flavors, and since it is from Narcolepsy it doesn't necessarily have to happen at night--like ghosts, or alien abductions (I mean, is it not a good question to wonder why these things almost always happen at night--oh, and the animals don't seem to be involved too much in this stuff for some reason as well). I also (and this is the real winner right here) suffer from, more or less, permanent bouts of hypnagogic hallucinations (typically they happen just as you are about to fall asleep or as you are waking up--with me, they can occur as soon as I'm getting tired). I also have severe Sleep Apnea, just to make all of this more "grandiose"...

Sleep Paralysis is something that was reported constantly even in the Middle Ages; a great painting named "The Nightmare" depicts someone that is actually going through one of these events. This is the actual foundation for succubi, demons, and even angels that visit people in their sleep--these people will feel unbelievable things, things you simply do NOT feel in normal day life...thus many believe a supernatural event has just occurred. The first one I had was when I was just waking up, for some reason I was petrified, couldn't move (and barely breath). Then I looked around my room. It was early morning so I could see in my room, in the corner of my room sat a dark humanoid "solid" shadow. From it emanated a feeling of pure, utter evil (which is were you get a supernatural feeling to this; because for one you do not see "humanoid shadows", nor is it possible to "feel" evil). Eventually I snapped myself out of it and later woke up. It left a stark impression upon me. Later my mind figured out somehow that if I relaxed in these moments, it ended immediately--meaning that I started o become somewhat lucid during the majority of these. I remember my friends and family always saying I was weird or that I scared them sometimes, because I would sleep with my eyes opened--well, this is part of that problem (like I said, I could see my room...everything seemed for the most part, real; it's like being awake and partially asleep--in a dream--at the same time).

Onto my real problem: Hypnagogic Hallucinations. I have no doubt whatsoever that EVERYONE that believes or rather has experienced ghosts/haunting(s), alien abductions, angels, demons, people yelling outside, dogs barking, your phone ringing when it hasn't, and "you name it, because EVERYTHING can happen in this category"... I suffer from this so much that the things I experience now are just a joke to me. Things grabbing me, my body changing shape (and YES you do "feel" the change), all manner of sounds (which is the most annoying; sometimes it sounds like someone has called my name...so I have to go check, it's very frustrating). Then combine this WITH a Sleep Paralysis event (and trust me, it does happen, but it it rare), you get an epic "light show".

So, this is why I asked you what type of supernatural event did you experience. Because, you may want to remember (this is JUST some things Narcolepsy can cause; other medical issues, medications, etc... can cause the same issues if not worse, more pronounced in certain ways and even causing certain changes in behavior, sensations, and feelings) that just with Narcolepsy I run into these issues--sleeping disorders are possibly responsible for a LARGE assortment of the "supernatural" issues you see out there. Then add in the countless number of other things that also affect our bodies and it isn't far fetched to soon realize that you just may have to hold onto what science has proven--only--or you may get lost.

I cannot say that this is you. I will not either. I don't pretend to know your experiences. But, I can share mine... The first Sleep Paralysis and or Hypnagogic Hallucination (as I have been able to move in a few Sleep Paralysis events...but very rarely; if I can though I move slowly) event I had, believe it or not, was when I was around 8 or 9. I imagined that I woke up in the night, turned and looked under my bed (it was a sleepover, so I was on the floor that night) and I saw a pair of red glowing lights, shaped vaguely like eyes looking at me. I kept looking at it, trying to figure out what it was, but very quickly it "blinked" and I knew it was alive. I was scared enough that I simply turned my back from it and tried to go back to sleep. The fact that I simply just turned my back to it and went back to sleep...is proof that it simply wasn't even real.

Had that BEEN real, I would've jumped up, flipped the light on; told everyone in the room and gotten my parents in the next room... But, it felt extremely real. Even to this day, the only thing that makes me realize it was fake was HOW I handled the situation...that is it. In fact that is usually the best way to tell reality apart from a dream (or hallucinations caused by enhanced REM cycles--REM cycles that start even while you are awake). You simply do not act like yourself in a dream, period.

I'll agree with you otherwise. I was definitely smothered by religion and it "stunted" me. It didn't cause me to hate it as much as many might think, but I became extremely wary of anything to do with it.