Hello, I need legitimate experience based help! have a 2002 Nissan Maxima with a OEM Bose system and I really would like to install one or two of my subwoofers and aftermarket amplifer. ….believe it or not I’m fairly good at installs, wiring , tuning , even building custom enclosures. (Decently experienced )…..yet I’ve never done a Bose install. Almost positive I’m just really psyching myself out and over thinking the whole concept but I don’t do a preventable slip up and have to troubleshoot shoot for (x) amount of time to just be back to my baseline without progression . The reason I state all this is due to all the different advice I’ve come across in my Bose install research. ….
Simply, put I confused on how too and where too install what is needed to by pass the OEM amplifer and sub of the Bose system. I don’t want to just start cutting wires and making my own rigged up harness to bypass if I don’t have too(which was 60%of advice I’ve found so far) and I don’t want to make a small yet critical mistake with placement of converter (if needed) and wiring that of all are mismatched colors as it is . ……. I need some guidance from experienced or expert that’s reliable. (BEYOND the EXTREMES OF HELP ) if someone had pics and/or diagrams of this conjecture that I could relate to) ideally if possible!
Now, where I’m at ….i have a touch screen that I was going to install, I bought the OEM harness adapter for doing so (easy straight forward) …yet simply reading it over I see that they want you to buy a hyped up 4 channel output converter. My understanding is due to the way the Bose systems designed to send a very low output signal until received by the (input) amplifier, the amplifer then enhances that signal then (output) said signal back to the head unit (input). …do I need this over glorifies 4 channel meta output converter with the replacement of head unit ? Or is that only if I keep the OEM head unit ?
If I keep the OEM head unit, would I be able to get away with just installing a 2 channel out put converter ? Or would I need a 4 channel ? .. simply put I confused on how too and where too install what is needed to by pass the OEM amplifer to successfully install aftermarket amp and subs
I greatfully and gratefully appreciate any help and advice that one can convey ! Hope to get some kind of direction of help soon!
Thank you again !

Recently bought a 2002 MR2 and the exhaust is ticking, the previous owner installed an aftermarket header, any advice?

Hello all. The youtube channel, Kiyoko&Kanade are currently hosting a 3 part ASMR competition, with one of the divisions being for script writers (deadline June 21 [see their youtube channel community tab for more details]).
Because of this, I plan to write a lot more. And as a consequence of that, I plan to share my script entries here, because why not? I hope you enjoy it!
Side note - this script is okay for monetization.
Synopsis It's your first day at a magical university, and before you can get started attending classes and making friends, you have to take a special course in "Vampire History and Ethics." That's right, your a "vampire," the only human one in your class-- but what that word (vampire) means, and what you actually are, are two entirely different things. That is why this class exists, it's meant to teach you the truth about vampires, and make you aware of all the resources the university has prepared for you.
[Sound of general chatter]
[Sound of heeled footsteps as chatter continues]
Instructor: (Clap of hands) Attention, please. May I have your attention?
[General chatter quiets down] [Brief Pause]
Professor E: Excellent. It would seem that I am rather fortunate this year, to receive a group of well mannered students such as yourselves. I half expected you to try talking over me just now. Shame on me for my school-fostered pessimism (said cheerfully). Now then, onto introductions... My name, is Elaina Andrei Cojocaru, and as you may have guessed, I have the unique privelage of being your "Vampiric History and Protozeal Ethics" Professor, this year. It is a pleasure to meet you all.
[Applause]
Professor E: Oh goodness, all of you really are well mannered. Please stop, I know I gave a little half bow just now, but that's no cause for such a warm reception. Oh, curse my formalities, and these cherry cheeks.
[Soft laughter.]
Professor E: (Clearing her throat) Right then, as I've said, I'll be one of your primary Professors for the entirety of this year. And I'll be checking in with you all, regularly, for any additional years you choose to spend at Amortis University. Now, can anyone tell me why that is...?
[Brief pause]
Professor E: Yes; you there, in the back!
[Brief pause]
Professor E: (Sighing) No, young man, it is not because you're all "freaks." And for the record, please know that I am no different from any of you. Why, I still remember the days I spent, sitting where you are now; listening to my own Vampire instructor as he gave this exact same orientation. But I'll save that story for another time. So please, anyone? Can anyone tell me why you're all here?
[Brief pause]
Professor E: That's right, miss. The reason why you're all here, is because you have all been afflicted with the genetic disease most know today as "Vampirism." And as such, you all require additonal tutelage before you're allowed to go out and socialize with your fellow classmates.
[Brief Pause]
Professor E: Yes, dear, that is why none of you were permitted to attend the official orientation in the Campus Square. And for what it's worth, I'm sorry you were denied that. I know how frustrating it can be, to be told that you're no different from anyone else, only to be treated like a leper at every opportunity. That used to drive me up the wall. But-- that's why I studied to become a teacher, and why I volunteered to teach this class, it's because I wanted to be there for those who would experience the same things that I did. I wanted to be there for them, in the ways I wished someone was there for me. And speaking of...
[A few heeled footsteps sound] [Sound of a drawer being pulled out] [Sound of jingling keys]
Professor E: I knew that none of us would be attending the formal get together in the Campus Square. So I took the liberty of... procuring one of the Headmaster's vehicles, along with one of the company credit cards.
[Brief Pause]
Professor E: Why did I do that? Well, so we could throw our own party, of course! There's a demi-human diner only a few blocks away, and the sweets they serve are out of this world! It's normally quiet later in the evening, especially on weekdays, so nothing is stopping us from showing up in full force; and downing enough deserts to put us all in a sugary coma!
[Hoots and hollers]
Proffessor E: Shush, evryone! Shush! Please keep it down. You're going to get us caught-- and me fired! (Said with glee)
[Quiet giggling]
Professor E: Alrighty then, since it seems like we're all in agreement for later tonight, and since the spirits of those in the room have been largely lifted, I think it's about time we delve into our first lesson. Lights, please!
[Light switch being flipped] [Heeled footsteps] [Projector being turned on and running]
Professor E: (Clearing throat) To begin our lesson, I would like to take a closer look at the official name of this class. And that is...?
[Brief Pause]
Professor E: Correct, Mr. Brutus; "Vampiric History and Protozeal Ethics." Now, what do you all think these words mean...? Anyone...? Besides Mr. Brutus.
[Brief Pause]
Professor E: That's right, Miss Nadia, this class is meant to teach you the history of Vampires; and how we, their offpsring, are to conduct ourselves in a civilized society. So to start our trek into the past, why don't we begin with the world's very first recorded "Vampire." Lord Dracula himself!
[Clicker clicking] [Concerned whispers]
Professor E: Oh my, all of you seem so utterly bewildered. What ever is the matter? (Said sarcastically)
[Brief Pause]
Professor E: That's right, Mr. Ryuji, the picture on the screen isn't that of a distinguished, elderly man, but that of a petite young woman; whose beauty I would liken to a porcelan doll's. What of it? (Sarcastic and sassy)
[Brief Pause]
Professor E: (Chuckling) As fate would have it, Mr. Ryuji, this is Count Dracula; or rather, Countess. Allow me to introduce you all to our true progenitor. The singular human being from which all Vampire kind is derived... Lady Valentina Matei Parvu... the first being in recorded history to have ever suffered from "The Curse of Parvu," a.k.a. "The Vampar Curse," a.k.a. "Vampirism."
[Brief Pause]
Professor E: I see that we're all more than a little smitten with our Lady. Does anyone have anything they'd like to say?
[Brief Pause]
Professor E: Other than the fact that our Countess was very pretty, Miss Selica (small giggle)
[Brief Pause]
Professor E: Ah, That is a very good question, Mr. Tempus! How did the world confuse the image of this dainty little thing, with that of the imposing, amorous, and chiseled figure that is Count Dracula-- an image which the world of fiction deeply reveres? Well... the answer to that, lies with the failings of recorded history. As stories are chronicled and passed down, first hand accounts often yield to modern superstitions and hearsay, and this in turn-- makes recountings of historic events about as credible as modern tabloids. Very few ancient historians are actually worth their renown, and even then, these same historians largely concerned themselves with events that happened locally; meaning the stories of the rest of the world quietly passed them by, more often than not. Luckily for us, Lady Parvu was a countess of a noble house, so her story and her struggles managed to find their way to us; by way of her family albums and her own personal diary.
[Sound of a clicker clicking] [Sound of the projector moving to the next slide]
Professor E: As far as her family albums are concerned... here we can see Lady Valentina Parvu being held by her mother, Lady Ileana Parvu, after just being born in a mountainside manor, on the eve of May 26, 1897. Lord Caius Parvu, Valentina's father-- whom we can see on the right, was the head of the Parvu clan; making Valentina, his first and only child, his sole successor.
[Sound of a clicker clicking] [Sound of the projector moving to the next slide]
Professor E: The Parvu's were an ancient magus family, and as one of the biggest magical clans known to history, Lady Valentina should have inherited a life of wealth, decadence, and leisure.
[Sound of a clicker clicking] [Sound of the projector moving to the next slide]
Professor E: Sadly, as we can see in this slide here, Lady Valentina was born with a sickly and frail body, leaving her bedridden most of the time; and hobbling around on a cane every other waking moment. Lady Ileana and Lord Caius chocked all of this up to general misfortune at first. They just saw it as "one of those things" that was outside of their control, and that Valentina would just have to learn to live with. However, all of this changed when Valentina turned 18. And her condition took an unexpected turn for the worse.
[Sound of a clicker clicking] [Sound of the projector moving to the next slide]
Professor E: The man in the cloak that we see standing over Valentina here, is the Arch Mage: Augustus Von Draconis; he was a sage with wisdom beyond his many years, and he was a personal friend of Lord Caius. So when Valentina collapsed from a fever during her birthday dinner, Augustus was summoned to help her. After launching a series of investigative spells, Augustus learned what we all recognize today as common knowledge; that those who suffer from "Vampirism" have bodies that are incapable of properly harnessing mana. And this in turn, can lead to a myriad of chronic physical ailments, as mana is integral to proper bodily function.
[Sound of a clicker clicking] [Sound of the projector moving to the next slide]
Professor E: In Valentina's case, "Vampirism" left her with an incredibly frail body, a ghostly pale complection, and horrendus eyesight. Fun fact-- Most of the tropes we have today regarding "Vampire weaknesses," are actually derived from misconceptions stemming from Lady Valentina's behavior. For example: Most people think that Vampires will die if exposed to sunlight, and thus, they have to avoid it. But as I've just said, "Vampirism" gave Valentina a ghostly pale complection-- along with terrible vision, meaning prolonged exposure to the sun would make her eyes hurt; and her skin, burn.
[Brief Pause]
Professor E: Hm? Oh, yes; that is why all of us are either wearing glasses, or very unique contacts. The bodily ailments that come with "Vamprisim" are usually passed down from parent to child; so chances are... if Lady Valentina had it, so will all of us. And as an added note, after reading Lady Valentina's diary in depth, I discovered that she had a very fierce loathing for her appearance; a kind of pre-historic body dysmorphia, if you will. She disliked her looks so much, she actively removed all mirrors from her room. So... if you ever wondered where the concept "Vampires don't show up in mirrors" came from... or if you ever wondered why you find it hard to appreciate your own reflection-- well, Lady Valentina is probably responsible for that, too. But we should finish going through all of Valentina's family albums before we get to her diary.
[Sound of a clicker clicking] [Sound of the projector moving to the next slide]
Professor E: Getting back to Valentina's birthday disaster, Augustus tried all types of healing magic and anti-curse magic to help Valentina, as he believed an outside source was impairing her ability to absorb magic. He only realized that her affliction was genetic, and not heretic, after giving her an elixir that was meant to replenish one's mana. Funnily enough, Lady Valentina nearly ripped Augusts' arm off, in an attempt to snatch the bottle out of his hand, after taking a mere sip of its contents. Her sudden burst of strength, and ravenous consumption of the magical brew, prompted more and more elixir to be brought in for her. And after the span of an hour, Lady Valentina had consumed more than a gallons worth of potion, before finally passing out due to exhaustion.
[Sound of a clicker clicking] [Sound of the projector moving to the next slide]
Professor E: This might have caused some of us to panic; but Augustus, ever the sage and alchemist, was able to think through the chaos, enough to see that Valentina was finally breathing normally and that her fever had broken. The picture we see here is Augustus comforting Valentina's startled parents, as several maids settle Valentina back into bed.
[Sound of a clicker clicking] [Sound of the projector moving to the next slide]
Professor E: Armed with this new knowledge of Valentina's condition, Augustus worked with her, day and night, in order to help her manage her symptoms-- while he secretly looked for a cure. Unfortunately, none of the magic in the world, nor a philosopher's stone, could reverse what fate had done to Valentina. But even so, Valentina did not lose heart, and neither did her parents. And as we see here, not only were Valentina's parents ready to do anything and everything to help her, they were even the very first people that Valentina fed on. Which is why we see Valentina noming on her father's arm in this picture, and her mother's neck in this picture. Now, for those of you wondering why Valentina would even resort to feeding...
[Sound of a clicker clicking] [Sound of the projector moving to the next slide]
Professor E: As we can see in this diagram here, a Mana Elixir actually contains little to no mana in and of itself. It's primary purpose is to help the consumer's body absorb external mana, with the little mana it does contain only serving as a means to "kickstart" that process. In contrast, when a Vampire feeds off of another living being, the fluid that enters into their mouths is 100% pure liquid mana, or Aetheron, for those Alchemy Majors amongst us. This is why Valentina consumed large volumes of the Mana Elixir on her 18th birthday, and it's why Vampires feed off of other beings to this day. It is simply more efficient. And speaking of feeding, I think it's time we get on to the Protozeal Ethics portion of our discussion today.
[Sound of a clicker clicking] [Sound of the projector moving to the next slide]
Professor E: Society has many different opinions regarding the act of Feeding, but thankfully for us, the information contained on these slides is irrefutable fact. So if you didn't already know... Vampires don't actually drink blood, as we so often see in books or television. What actually happens is an extremely complicated, bio-magical transmutation process, that Alchemists the world over are still trying to replicate. But to put it as simply as I can, the abnormally elongated canines of a Vampire, or their quote/unqote "fangs," if your a normie-- act as polaric constructs that draw mana to them. When a "Vampire" bites down on a person, their fangs draw magic particles out of their prey's body, and then force those particles to condensate inside the Vampires mouth; creating a liquid the Vampire can then drink. And because all liquids containing mana have a propensity to turn red; it is easy to see how, from a distance, people may be lead to believe that "Vampires" consume blood. Which is a totally disgusting notion, by the way.
[Sound of a clicker clicking] [Sound of the projector moving to the next slide]
Professor E: In feeding off of living beings, Vampires are given a kind of repreive from their bodily ailments. I'm sure all of you have experienced this yourselves, at one time or another, so I won't go into too much detail; but for the sake of the curriculum, allow me to just say that feeding makes a Vampire stronger, faster, more resilient, and just healthier overall. Though we still suffer from things like poor eyesight and/or easily damaged skin, no matter how much we feed. Remeber, "Vampirism" is a chronic, genetic condition; not an illness that can be cured.
[Sound of a clicker clicking] [Sound of the projector moving to the next slide]
Professor E: And speaking of "Incurables" (sigh) I now have the distinct displeasure of telling you all how others might pervert the feeding process.
[Sound of a clicker clicking] [Sound of the projector moving to the next slide]
Professor E: As most of you can imagine, it would be incredibly problematic if a Vampire's prey ran away from them before a feeding, or if they fought back as a Vampire was consuming their mana... And as if in response to this dilemma, the bodies of Vampires naturally adapted themselves, in order to provide a solution... Put succintly, a Vampire's bite is known to generate intense waves of Euphoria, and other such emotions, in the person being bitten. Leaving little motivation for anyone to resist having their mana taken.
[Sound of a clicker clicking] [Sound of the projector moving to the next slide]
Professor E: On the surface, this seems like a good thing. The Vampire gets to feed, and provide essential nutrients to their ailing body; while their prey gets to feel good whilst donating some of their excess mana. Everyone wins. Or at least, that's what you would expect... (Deep sigh)... But unfortunately, there are many individuals out there who would take advantage of the effects of a Vampire bite. Using it to block out the pain of their lives, or introduce a new kind of stimulus to it. This is part of the reason why Vampires aren't allowed to attend the formal Freshman Orientation. It isn't only because we all need to learn when and where to feed, but rather, it's because we need to learn that others may entice us to feed of off them, in accordance with their own selfish desires... Please, don't let anyone make a tool out of you. Especially those who claim to be your friends. I know it might be hard to hear that, and even harder to follow through on, so please know that my door is always open; If you ever need to talk. The scheduled office hours on my door be damned. If you need me, I'll be there. I Promise.
[Sound of a clicker clicking] [Sound of the projector moving to the next slide]
Professor E: (Sigh of relief) And, that should about do it for our first lecture. Thank you all so much for your patience and attention. I'd like to open the floor now for any questions that you may have.
[Brief Pause]
Professor E: Yes; you, near the window.
[Brief Pause]
Professor E: Ah, an astute question. For those of you who didn't hear, Miss Seren asked why demi-humans of all kinds can end up as Vampires. If you take a look around the room yourselves, you can see that we actually have demis of all kinds in attendance here today. Mr Brutus is a Minotaur. Miss Nadia is a Scylla. Mr. Ryuji is a Dragonborn, Mr. Tempus is a Shifter. Miss Selica is a Harpy. And Miss Seren herself is a Gorgon. We all come from different magical lineages, and this in turn, might cause an uninformed person to think that Vampirism is transferrable. But as we have already discussed, Vampirism stems from genetics, so any species that has a history of reproducing with humans, has a chance of siring Vampire children. Hmm... now that I've mentioned humans, I have to ask, do we... have any in this class? Cause I don't think I we do.
[Chairs shuffling]
Professor E: Oh, I see a hand! There you are, you sneaky little thing, hiding behind Mr. Brutus like that. No, no-- don't be shy. I know that, as an Arachnid, my form may be a bit imposing; but I promise, the yellow stripes on my body are meant to scare away predators, not you-- precious. In fact, since you're the only human here, why don't you come up to the front and introduce yourself?
[Brief Pause]
Professor E: Oh, there's no need to be nervous. I'll have everyone introduce themselves at some point today, but since you're a human, and can weave through the various desks with ease, I think it makes sense to have you come to the front to make your introduction. That way, everyone can see you clearly, without having to try and peer behind Mr. Brutus.
[soft chuckling]
Professor E: You don't think you're that insteresting? Nonsense! As the only human vampire here, you must have a strong connection to Lady Valentina's bloodline. Why, I would wager that you have direct ties to one or more of the ancient magus families, making you arcanic nobility.
[Brief Pause]
Professor E: You're not sure? Well, how about this; you come up to the front and introduce yourself, and I promise to figure out the rest. Deal?
[Brief Pause]
Professor E: Yes, sweet thing; this is me volen-telling you to get up here, in the nicest way I know how (cheerful giggle).
[Brief Pause]
Professor E: That's the spirit! Let's get a big round of applause for our brave new freshman!
[Round of applause]
Professor E: (Whispering in Listener's ear) Sorry not sorry for the round of applause. When I saw how red you were getting up, I couldn't help myself, I had to tease you; even if only a little. Forgive me later... (Audibly, for the class) Now then, sweetpea, why don't you tell us what your name is, and what noble house of mages you belong to?
[END]

It’s gonna be a fun summer!

Hi everyone. I've never posted in this subreddit, but check it out every once in a while. I am 40 and have been on dialysis for a little over 10 years. At the beginning of the year I was rejected from the last hospital within my state and the joining states around me from their transplant program because of my heart. My kidneys started to fail when I was 18 around 2002, caused by other health problems.
I've always knew i wouldn't have as long as most people have, so have always tried to enjoy life as much as possible and keep a positive attitude for my family. I'm starting to really slow down mentally and physically so I told my family in would try for 5 more years of dialysis. So I started to sell off most of my larger belongings and sold my house and moved to a quieter, cheaper part off the state to "retire". I feel very fortunate that I'm able to do this. I had been preparing for it my whole life.
My question is, what are some things I could do with a relatively small amount of money and low energy to take advantage of these last few years? I usually only have energy for a few hours every other day on my off days from dialysis. I have a little money saved up from the sale of my old house, but I am also living off that money and can only use a couple hundred a month if I want it to last me 4 years. I used to have a long list of things I would want to do, but now they are either too expensive or seem too exhausting to do so that's why I kind of wanted some input. I don't want to waste my final years just playing video games and going to dialysis.
I'm not trying to bring down the mood or make anyone feel bad for me. I'm sorry if I did. I don't feel sad and most of my family have accepted my decision, so we are all in pretty good spirits. Thanks for any ideas you ask might have.

Synopsis:
An engineer from earth blends science and magic to achieve greatness in another world where skills and levels reign supreme.
—
Ethan was just a plain old engineer, but everything changed when he was reborn into a world of skills, levels, and magic. With his advanced knowledge far ahead of the time period he finds himself in, this new reincarnated life will be much different than his last, especially because he can construct, deconstruct, and reconstruct runes—something no one else can do.
But with royal politics, looming tax collectors, a mountain of debt, dungeon incursions, cults, and hostile fantasy races mixing together into a cocktail of bullshit that threatens to bury his dreams; Ethan must bridge the gap between steel and sorcery to grow stronger. — What to Expect:
- Weak to very strong progression with a Sword & Magic MC that kicks a whole lotta ass. - Fast pacing. A balance of action galore, politics, kingdom building, and slow-burn runecrafting. - Fun, satisfying moments. An extra shot of happiness when reading. Hardcore wish fulfillment. Hyper competent MC. - MC will trigger an industrial revolution, revolutionize magic, modernize agriculture, communication, commerce, textile production, education, transportation, sanitation, weapons manufacturing, leisure & entertainment, and medicine. - Dark truths of a medieval-esque society going under change.
First < Previous Next > (Patreon)
Author's Note: Hello there! I hope y'all are doing great!
First off, this novel will be updating again soon. The update schedule will be 1 chapter every 2 days once I have dealt with RR.
Second, I've finally launched on Royal Road! I'm so excited; thrilled. I would love to have a shot at Rising Star—so that I can continue writing without financial concerns. Thus, I am going to need your help! IF you have been enjoying the novel here, I would be grateful if you could drop a follow on Royal Road, I'd be even happier if you could drop a rating (or a review) on Royal Road if you have enjoyed reading it here on Reddit. Anyway, that's all!
Link: Industrial Mage: Modernizing a Magical World [Kingdom Building LitRPG] Royal Road

Chapter 08

Ethan took the book from Roland’s hand.
“My lord, this is what I’ve managed to get. Though, a man named Derrick was also interested in meeting you, so you can likely get more detailed books later.”
“Sure, thank you.”
Bowing, Roland left Ethan’s room. Ethan sifted through the book he’d secured about magic. It was written in a tongue that he somehow understood through [Myriad Tongue]. The magic in this world was rather simple. It’s a damn RPG-lite... At age twelve, people would awaken their system—a ceremony called System Day was held every year. Everyone of age twelve would be in this ceremony. If you got bound by the system you’d be able to gain a Class, if nothing happened, you’d be branded with a marker indicating you lacked magic—somewhat looked down upon, especially among nobles.
Theodore had essentially failed to awaken, thus the interest in him from his father had practically vanished, and due to this, the old man had slowly pushed him out of the family. And now, Theodore ruled Holden—a Barony in name only. It was only because Ethan transmigrated that the system awakened and he could choose a class.
Ethan read through the long and boring description inside the book, and by the end of reading it, he understood more about how things functioned around here.
Most importantly, he knew now that [Basic Rune Creation] could get him in trouble if used irresponsibly. It wasn’t possible to “create” runes...
Runes formed when magic in a certain area exceeded a threshold of sorts. If enough mana was circulated in one area for a long period, it could eventually form runes; however, runes were rare and elusive. To “create” a rune, the area needed had to be capable of holding enough mana. Thus, mostly, runes were formed inside the Great Dungeon. Great Dungeon—a dungeon sprawled beneath the earth. There were countless “entrances”. Regardless, you couldn’t simply “create” a rune yourself. Countless experiments had been carried out to understand runes and how to manipulate them, but none of it had ever amounted to anything.
So, all in all, Ethan would be playing with fire. If his skill was to be revealed... he’d undoubtedly be used as a lab rat, or worse, used as a rune generator.
Hmm... It’s dangerous... but, if I could create tiny—very tiny—runes, or more like, rune motes, it wouldn’t be a problem. Rune Motes were the middle ground between mana and fully made runes. And, there were a shit ton of them in the world. No one would suspect a thing. All he needed was for the Rune Motes to suck mana from their surroundings to survive. If he could get that working, Ethan’s mind would be flooded with possibilities.
What can’t runes do? Ethan grinned. Mana-compatible runes could manipulate and change the world itself...
“Okay, it’s decided then,” Ethan mumbled.
He slammed the book shut. Ethan rose, tensing his jaw, and sat cross-legged on his bed. He closed his eyes, focusing on the meager mana swirling inside him as a Level 01 [Mage]. Activating his skill, a mental image formed—a wisp of pure energy. A very small wisp. A mote. One that could be turned into a full rune if combined. But he would create them in such a way that they couldn’t be combined—every set would be lacking a crucial piece.
[Basic Rune Creation] – Lvl 1 -> Lvl 2!
The image flickered, unstable. Sweat beaded on Ethan’s brow. He pushed harder, picturing the mote condensing, solidifying. Why’s it harder to create rune motes compared to runes?
A spark erupted in his mind, sharp and unexpected. His vision swam momentarily as the nascent rune mote flickered into existence before dissipating with a faint pop.
He gritted his teeth. That was close. Ethan refused to give up. He experimented, adjusting his focus, visualizing the mote drawing in the sparse mana like a tiny, hungry vortex.
[Basic Rune Creation] – Lvl 2 -> Lvl 3!
Another attempt. This time, the mote flickered for a heartbeat longer before dissolving. Tiny beads of success. One more time—this time, the vortex pulsed into existence, a dozen motes swirling within, each flickering with a faint, hungry glow. Success! A laugh escaped his lips as he spent the next few hours diligently creating more motes.
[Basic Rune Creation] – Lvl 3 -> Lvl 4!
The night went on. Ethan was exhausted but exhilarated, but felt a surge of satisfaction when he looked around at the increasing number of rune motes.
His level got stuck there, b as he spent the next two days refining the process, he learned to create multiple motes at once. That elicited another level up.
[Basic Rune Creation] – Lvl 4 -> Lvl 5!
***
A satisfied grin stretched across Jack’s face. He tapped a finger against the hefty tome, its pages now filled not just with Blight patterns but with intricate diagrams—the base spell was complete, and it would do everything they wanted it to do. Lord Theodore had given him an excellent solution after reading through the convoluted idea he’d planned. Due to Lord Theodore’s contribution, the solution had solidified into a plan, a beautiful monstrosity of a plan, but a plan nonetheless. Excitement bubbled in his chest as he stared at Lord Theodore—he had bags under his eye; no doubt he’d been working tirelessly on this issue!
“Are you sure, my lord?” Jack asked, barely containing himself. “Using rune motes would be expensive. I’m sure you’ve had to spend a hefty sum to get these...” Jack gestured at the bag full of rune motes. They shimmered faintly in his gaze, barely noticeable, but the effect was truly beautiful when hundreds or more were gathered.
“Do not worry about the prices.” Lord Theodore said. “Also, this matter must remain between us at all costs. Now,” Theodore waved his finger. “Go, get it done. Before that, however, I need an [Oath].”
Jack’s smile froze, eyes turning serious. “An [Oath]?”
“You must realize the impact your earlier plan would’ve had—your ideas cannot be allowed to fall into the wrong hands, or this situation could become even more dire.”
“Ideas?”
“Your convoluted plan to imbue mana into soap...” Lord Theodore gave him a dry stare.
Jack coughed, and gave a stiff nod. He hadn’t realized, in his excitement, the impact of what he’d made. The impact it could have on the world. After Lord Theodore’s explanation, however, it hadn’t been hard to connect the dots.
“Lastly, I want you to take an [Oath] of exclusivity. I’m planning on employing you permanently.” Theodore smiled, clasping his hands on his lap. “How does that sound?”
Jack froze.
Lord Theodore grinned slyly. “Let us negotiate, eh?”
...
He’d done it.
He’d completed it!
Granted, his initial ideas had been a tad too ambitious and convoluted, the answer was rather simple... mana gathering rune motes. Each soap needed to have a mana-gathering rune inside it. Even if low-grade, it would suffice. He’d had to swear an [Oath], the contents of which made him grimace at times, believing he’d somehow been ripped off. But he was over the moon, as his future had been solidified.
Before he could begin production, Lord Theodore wanted some samples, and he’d just done that!
Now, as Jack stared at the soap, a sense of dread swelled inside him. Would the idea pan out? What if the motes would suddenly eat too much mana and cause some issues?
Jack knelt beside the soap bar, and poked it with a finger. After some tests, he relaxed and exhaled a sigh of relief. “Success,” he whispered, smiling, then grinning. His project had succeeded—
—but there were hundreds of soaps he needed to imbue yet, and not to mention he still had the whole nexus to build. He gulped as the daunting task loomed ahead.
***
The morning chill clung to Gilbert’s worn cloak as he tightened the cinch. Beside him, Edgar adjusted the pack slung across his broad back, the weight of the ledgers settling a groan from his lips. Holden. The very name brought a grimace to Gilbert’s weathered face.
“Still can’t believe Theodore inherited the Barony,” Edgar grumbled, his voice rough with morning grog. “A wastrel like him, fit only for chasing skirts and gambling away his inheritance.”
Gilbert grunted in agreement. “Lord Baelgard wouldn’t have stood for such nonsense. Used to say a full treasury is mightier than any castle wall.” Lord Baelgard, the previous Baron of Holden, was a legend in their corner of the kingdom. A stern but just man, he’d kept his coffers overflowing and his people secure. Theodore, however, was rumored to be the opposite—a spendthrift with a penchant for lavish parties and losing bets.
“Just wait till we reach Holden and see the state of his coffers. Empty as a troll’s skull, I tell you.”
They had left the bustling Capital weeks ago, tasked with collecting the annual taxes from the far-flung reaches of the kingdom. They’d sifted through cities and towns and now would soon be reaching Holden, one of the bordertowns—they still had more towns to go through after all. Their last visit, three years prior, had been a near-riot. Theodore, having spent the kingdom’s allotment on lavish galas and exotic beasts (a snow leopard, Gilbert remembered, the creature looking as miserable as a fish out of water in the Holden kennels), had refused to pay a single copper. It had taken the arrival of a contingent of royal guards, led by the stern Lord Commander himself, to shake loose a pittance—a fraction of what Holden truly owed. They’d taken the exotic beasts and more, and Theodore had begged, saying he’d pay back in full next time around.
Let’s see if you can. Gilbert chuckled. “Bet he’s already holed himself up in that drafty castle of his,” Gilbert said, “pretending he’s ill or some such nonsense. I pity the peasants, to be honest.” he muttered, kicking at a pebble as they made way to their horses.
The peasants of Holden were some of the most stoic he had encountered in his years as a tax collector. Yet, even their hardy spirit could be broken. The last time, their faces had been gaunt, eyes dull with resignation.
“Aye,” Edgar agreed, his voice gruff but laced with a surprising amount of something he could only assume to be sympathy. “But you know the king’s orders—all the taxes, every last copper.” His voice was cold—a rumbling sound that seemed to rattle the stones beneath their feet; it might just have; the man was a strong [Mage] from the Red Tower of Magic.
Gilbert knew. This wasn’t just about collecting money—it was about asserting the king’s authority in every corner of the realm.
...
On their journey, as they huddled around a sputtering fire, a raven landed on a nearby branch. Its Obsidian eyes glinted in the firelight. Edgar shooed it away.
“Not a good omen,” he muttered, tossing another log onto the fire.
Gilbert scoffed. “Superstition, Edgar. It’s just a bird.”
Their journey took an unexpected turn a few days later. A swollen river, churned brown by recent rains, barred their path. The rickety bridge that usually spanned the gap was missing, swept away by the angry current. They were forced to take a detour, adding precious days to their already long journey. Food supplies dwindled, forcing them to rely on foraging and the meager generosity of passing traders.
Thus, they decided to remain longer in a town called Siez to resupply.
Then, they would need to sift through five more cities before they could head for the Bordertowns.
Regardless, Gilbert looked forward to their meeting with Theodore.
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Author's Note: Hello there! I hope y'all are doing great!
First off, this novel will be updating again soon. The update schedule will be 1 chapter every 2 days once I have dealt with RR.
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I own a 2002 mk4 jetta and lately when i come to a full stop and from neutral try to put it into first gear it just wont go in and i usually have to put it into second gear and then push it into first, and then it goes in normally. but since im a new driver until i do all that everyone starts honking at me to start going.
What could be the problem cause this wasnt happening before?

This post will consist of me reviewing all 9 of their main studio albums. These were all originally written for an app/website I’m on called Musicboard, but I’m posting them in one big cluster here so that I can start a discussion! I’d love to hear everyone’s thoughts on my thoughts, as well as the fandom’s thoughts on these albums in general. I hope y’all enjoy reading!
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Leisure

I’ve already heard literally everything else that Damon Albarn has ever been involved in, so I figured I might as well give his original band a try after all these years.
I’m not joking when I say that Blur is the LAST Damon Albarn project that I have yet to listen to. Gorillaz are my 3rd favourite band of all time, I’ve listened to both of his main solo albums, I’ve listened to both “Good Bad Queen” albums, I’ve listened to all the various collab albums he’s done with african musicians, and I’ve even heard the REALLY obscure stuff like “Rocket Juice & The Moon”, “Dr. Dee” and his score for the stage play “Journey to The West”. EVERYTHING… except for Blur.
I think my progression through Damon’s work ended up this way because those other projects all felt way less daunting than Blur. With the exception of Gorillaz whom I have loved for many many years, these were mostly just one-and-done projects that I could check out whenever I felt like it, but listening to Blur meant making the commitment to a truly robust DISCOGRAPHY. And so I put them off… until now.
This album wasn’t quite what I was expecting it to be. Given the things I’ve heard about it over the years, I thought my reaction was going to be fairly lukewarm. This record’s low lights are pretty much what I expected the whole thing to sound like, but the highlights definitely caught me a little off guard.
These greatest moments include the opening “She’s So High” which made for an very engaging & atmospheric tone setter, “There’s No Other Way” which had a super catchy chorus & some really fun guitarwork, and then my favourite on the whole record, “Bang”. It’s quick pace is consistently a blast, the chorus goes incredibly hard, and the slight synth details all throughout were an excellent touch. Genuinely wasn’t expecting to hear any synths on this album AT ALL.
There were a few more pretty good tracks beyond just the record’s highest highs. “Slow Down” had a gratifyingly heavy sound to it, “Repetition” was somewhat hypnotic in it’s overall presentation, and “High Cool” was definitely a good time even if it kinda feels like a repeat of “There’s No Other Way. Beyond those however, the rest of the project is pretty samey & unremarkable with particular lowlights including “Come Together” with it’s surprisingly poor vocal performance, “Birthday” who’s decent climax doesn’t quite make up for it’s extremely slow start, and weakest of all there’s “Sing” which was simply way too long & kinda grating.
So yeah, Blur’s “Leisure” definitely didn’t blow me away or anything, but I still think it’s a pretty solid debut all things considered. Nothing here is ever truly BAD & I got some surprisingly great songs out of it. I’m very excited to continue forward in this discography binge because I know that the best is very much yet to come for this band.
Also, I took the time to listen to all THIRTEEN of this album’s unique bonus tracks, and they lowkey might actually be better than the main album. At the very least, the bonus track “I Know” FAR exceeds any of the original 12 songs. It was such a banger.
Best Songs: Bang, There’s No Other Way, & She’s So High. (+ I Know)
Weakest Songs: Sing, Birthday, & Come Together.
This album gets a decent to strong 7/10 from me.
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Modern Life is Rubbish

This is already quite a big improvement over their debut.
I had a lot of fun with this, Blur’s sophomore release. It’s still no masterpiece, but the production is way better than last time, the performances are a whole lot sharper, and the highlights here are SO MUCH higher than they were on that previous record.
Some of my favourite tracks include “Advert” & “Colin Zeal” which both have some wonderfully heavy guitarwork all throughout, “Blue Jeans” which has a far tenderer sensibility to it when compared to the rest of the album, and then we have the curious case of “Chemical World”. The main song is pretty good as well, but then there’s it’s hidden instrumental track titled “Intermission” which is such an invigoratingly energetic piece of sheer musical lunacy as well as one of the album’s very best moments. I really wish it had been separated into it’s own individual track cuz it’s SO MUCH more interesting then the song it’s been randomly stapled to.
It’s right after this intermission where we get what is easily the project’s strongest run of tracks. Three to be exact. “Sunday Sunday” has a sound that I’d almost describe as “British Weezer” along with some really nice touches of brass, the sheer loudness & grandeur of “Oily Water” is extremely riveting & atmospheric, and “Miss America” is by far the most sonically unique track on record. Rather paradoxically, it’s soundscape is both invasively intimate & yet incredibly spacious. Equal parts tender & dark. It’s also the most “2D-ish” that Damon has sounded on a Blur song thus far. I also got slight Gorillaz vibes from the track “Coping”. Good track, that one.
So yeah. I found a lot to like on “Modern Life is Rubbish. It’s definitely a little too long, a lot of it’s material feels pretty samey, and there are even straight up duds like “Pressure On Julian”, but it’s still a pretty significant improvement over their debut in every single way. I’m now even more excited to see what future Blur albums will contain. Let’s hope the quality keeps increasing at this same rate!
As for some highlights from the album’s SEVENTEEN unique bonus tracks. “Popscene” has some really fun trumpets, “Mace” has some blisteringly badass guitars, “Garden Central” was a super vibey instrumental track, “When The Cows Come Home” sounded like straight carnival music & it was genuinely a blast, “Daisy Bell” is clearly trying to emulate an old drinking song or sea shanty or something, and “Let's All Go Down The Strand” is literally a just a super fun marching band tune. TONS of hidden gems on this deluxe edition.
Also I really love this album cover.
Best Songs: Oily Water, Miss America, & Advert. (+ When The Cows Come Home)
Weakest Songs: Pressure On Julian, Resigned, & Villa Rosie.
This album gets a light 8/10 from me.
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Parklife

There’s still a lot to like here, but it’s a whole lot messier than their first two records.
First thing’s first, “Girls and Boys” is my new favourite Blur song and it’s not even close. I love it so much more than anything else from this initial trio of albums, and not to give too much away cuz that review hasn’t been written yet, but I like it more than anything “The Great Escape” as well. The synths sound excellent, the melody is unbelievably catchy, and the guitars have been incredibly well implemented into the track’s funkiesynthier sound. It’s only AFTER this absolute blast of an opener where the album starts to become messy.
“Parklife” is very much one of those “throw shit at the wall & see what sticks” type albums. The project has a ton of stylistic variation & experimentation, and while I appreciate that in concept & love the fact that it led to such a masterpiece of an opener, it doesn’t make for a particularly satisfying or cohesive listening experience. Plastic Beach / Demon Days… this is not. Now THOSE are records that know how to be all over the place while still being miraculously cohesive. Nice to see that Damon got the hang of it eventually.
Back to the album at hand though, there are still some pretty great highlights in the midst of the mess. “Bank Holiday” is a perfectly brief & super fun rager, “Badhead” has a fair amount of beauty to it, and while The Title Track that precedes those 2 is more than a little odd, I definitely appreciate how completely distinct it is… as well as the fact that it kinda feels like british Weezer again. But even this very solid three track run feels like 3 totally different albums fighting for the spotlight, and the mess only gets worse nearer the record’s center.
You have really short & underdeveloped tracks like “The Debt Collector” & “Far Out” which definitely don’t foster any sort of project wide unity, decently solid songs with the string backed passion of “To The End” & the funky fun of “London Loves” which, in spite of their marked quality, still end up juxtaposing each other in a pretty awkward way, and we also have a fair number of tracks here that just feel incredibly forgettable & fillery when all is said & done.
Speaking of done, the project thankfully does close out with a pretty solid batch of tracks. “Jubilee” is a wonderful blast of energy with it’s heavy guitars, crisp horns & goofy synths, “This is a Low” serves as an incredibly solid climax for the album, and “Lot 105” makes for a very cute epilogue of sorts. Things are definitely felt on a high note here.
“Parklife” has more than it’s fair share of issues, but I definitely still liked it overall. Even though a majority of this album’s material doesn’t feel meaningfully connected as a cohesive experience, it’s all still very competently made & I’ll always respect when a band experiments… even if it’s to mixed results. I also still prefer this to their debut on account of it having far stronger production in addition to my appreciation of it’s sonically adventurous nature. I’ll always take an album that slightly underwhelms with VARIETY rather than one which slightly underwhelms entirely due to a lack thereof.
As for the album’s numerous bonus tracks, there are definitely a few noteworthy pieces. “Magpie” has an enjoyably heavy sound to it, “People In Europe” is the closest thing that we’re given to another “Girls And Boys”, and then we have the final 2 songs on this deluxe edition which are literally just… Ween. “Rednecks” & “Alex’s Song” are bizarre & off putting in a way that feels so specifically BROWN to me. I feel like I’m noticing brown all over the place now that I’ve heard all the words of The Boognish’s duo of earthly vessels.
Best Songs: Girls And Boys, Jubilee, & This is a Low. (+ People In Europe)
Weakest Songs: Magic America, Clover Over Dover, & End of a Century.
This album gets a strong 7/10 from me.
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The Great Escape

Definitely my favourite Blur album so far. Very sonically focused & consistently enjoyable.
While not nearly as much as “Parklife”, this album does have a decent amount of variety to it, but the key difference here that makes me like “The Great Escape” a whole lot more is the fact that it all feels so much more rooted in an identifiable core sound. Everything on this record feels like it belongs here while still allowing for songs that feel different from one another. And even though we’ve got less variation on this project than last time, these songs all feel a whole lot more memorable to me.
One of my favourite aspects of this album is just how prominent the brass is. Trumpets & various other horns popped up all over their first 3 records as well, but they’re given so much more attention here than they ever were before. They add a lot of climatic energy to “Country House”, they sound super crisp & fun on “Mr. Robinson’s Quango”, and I love most of all how the brass is used on “Fade Away”. The trumpets here feel so potently dazed & exhausted (complement), and they fit the song’s atmosphere flawlessly. They pretty much ARE the song’s atmosphere.
It’s easily one of the record’s best tracks, but the 2 right after it are even better. There’s so much to love about “Top Man”. The odd whistles & backing vocals which carry a unique atmosphere, the catchiest chorus on the album BY FAR, those wonderfully heavy guitars that come in during the finale. It’s all incredibly well done, but my favourite song here has gotta be “The Universal”. The strings sound truly lovely, Damon’s giving the best vocal performance that I’ve heard on a Blur song thus far, and the whole thing just feels so wonderfully grand & lavish. It’s like an upgraded version of “To The End” from the previous album.
A few more noteworthy highlights include “Stereotypes” which made for a very engaging opener, “Entertain Me” which was super repetitive but in a way that actually worked, as well as “Globe Alone” which I loved for it’s infectiously frantic energy, delightfully goofy synths, and powerfully heavy guitars. “Yuko & Hiro” was also a very solid closer. I enjoyed it’s generally lowkey vibes, and the japanese vocals were a really nice addition as well. Don’t know what the purpose of that hidden track was though. Hillbilly Chiptune lookin’ ass-
As I said in the title, “The Great Escape” is very much my favorite Blur album thus far. One of the best parts that I’ve neglected to mention before now is that it’s lowlights aren’t even that low. The weakest track here, “Ernold Same”, is still a piece that I kinda enjoy the strangeness of. We’ve got some excellent highlights & some very well aged production, but most importantly, we’ve got a solid balance between variety & cohesion. It’s a great record, but even then, I’m definitely expecting the next one to top it.
Noteworthy bonus tracks include “One Born Every Minute” which has kazoos (13/10 best blur song), “No Monsters In Me” & “The Man Who Left Himself” which are both solid to the point where they 100% should have been on the main album, “Tame” which has some of the coolest synths I’ve yet to hear on a Blur song, “Ludwig” which is supremely goofy & fun all throughout, and “The Horrors” which was a very vibey & unique instrumental piece. Overall, a much better deluxe collection than what “Parklife” had to offer. Although not quite as many hidden gems as the “Modern Life Is Rubbish” deluxe.
Best Songs: The Universal, Top Man, & Globe Alone.
Weakest Songs: Ernold Same, Dan Abnormal, & Best Days.
This album gets a decent 8/10 from me.
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Blur

I can definitely understand why people LOVE this one, and I did quite like it myself, but it’s also got some issues that very much keep it from TRUE greatness for me.
Given all the hype I’ve heard around this project over the years, I was fully expecting it to be my new favourite Blur album up to this point. I said as much at the end of my review for “The Great Escape”, but after 3 full listens to this self-titled reinvention of theirs… I gotta be perfectly honest… I liked that previous record more than this one. To put it simply, this album is very unevenly balanced in terms of where it’s best & worst moments are. If the whole project was as good as tracks 1-8, then yeah, this would EASILY be my new favourite Blur record… but tracks 9-14 just don’t live up to that level of quality at all.
Let’s talk about all those highlights to begin with though, cuz they are pretty fantastic. Firstly, there’s the legendary “Song 2”. The one & only Blur song that I was somewhat familiar with before entering this deep-discog-dive. It’s an extremely catchy track containing some wonderfully gritty guitars & an excellent sense of energy with it’s only real shortcoming being the fact that it comes in so dang short! They definitely could’ve done a lot more with this piece. It absolutely had the potential to be the album’s best song if it had been developed into something double the length.
A few other decent highlights include “Country Sad Ballad Man” which has an awesome climax, “Theme From Retro” which has an appreciably weird sense of atmosphere to it, as well as “You’re So Great” which combines lo-fi vocals & acoustic guitars in a surprisingly effective way, but while those are all good, none of them have a place among my TOP favourites. Those would be the following.
“Beetlebum” is an amazing tone setter with an extremely satisfying instrumental palette, “Death of The Party” serves as a wonderfully lowkey change of pace with it’s mysterious atmosphere & unique aesthetics, and then there’s “On Your Own” which has this… wait… IS THAT A MOTHERFUCKING GORILLAZ REFERENCE!?!?!? Bro, hearing Damon shout the word “gorilla” on a pre-2D-album definitely got me a little too excited. For real though, this is the best song on the record. The slightly glitchy guitars sound awesome, all the different synth details sound equally awesome, and the funky energy of it all is absolutely infectious.
But yeah… that 2nd half just isn’t as good. Still decent, but far from great. “Look Inside America” & “Movin’ On” are both kinda forgettable, “Chinese Bombs” isn’t long enough to ever become truly interesting, and “I’m Just A Killer for Your Love” falls into the realm of being way too lo-fi for it’s own good, but most disappointing of all is the project’s closer, “Essex Dogs”. Again, this song is far from being actually BAD, but it is… frustrating. There are tons of genuinely cool ideas to be found over the course of it’s 8 minute runtime, but I just don’t feel like any of them belong together. They don’t mesh well at all. The track does have an air of conclusiveness to it, like any good closer should, but it’s still such a mess in my opinion.
The only REALLY good song from the album’s final leg is “Strange News From Another Star”. It’s an incredibly unique track on the record with it’s pretty acoustics & heavy space-rock vibes, and none of the other songs immediately surrounding it can compare. Not a diamond in the “rough” exactly, but definitely a diamond in the dull(ish). Again, this 2nd half is all still decent enough, but DECENT is pretty disappointing after you’ve been given a ton of genuine greatness.
So yeah, while it coulda been much better, Blur’s Self-Titled is undoubtedly a good album. Regardless of it’s imbalanced quality from track to track, it’s an overall very convincingly executed aesthetic shift for the band while bolstering an adept balance of variety & cohesion as well as some of their best songs to date. It may falter significantly in the 2nd half, but I love the risk that they took with this album’s grittier sound & find it to be a very aesthetically holistic experience.
We’ve also gots LOTS of great bonus tracks on the deluxe edition here. “Dancehall” has some badass harmonica playing, “Get Out of Cities” has a wonderful sense of intensity, “Cowboy Song” has some extremely cool synth effects, and “Bustin’ & Dronin” was super aesthetically rich & would’ve made for a much better long winded closer than the one we actually got.
Best Songs: On Your Own, Beetlebum, & Strange News From Another Star. (+ Cowboy Song)
Weakest Songs: Essex Dogs, M.O.R, & Movin’ On.
This album gets a light to decent 8/10 from me.
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13

This album is extremely mood dependent & definitely not a masterpiece, but it’s probably still my favourite Blur record thus far.
Yeah you REALLY need to be in the right mood to enjoy Blur’s “13”. I listened to the project 4 times before writing this review, and despite enjoying it quite a bit those first 2 times, I actually kinda hated it the 3rd time around. I was really tired & sick that evening, and it just wasn’t hitting AT ALL. That’s why this review is coming TODAY instead of yesterday. I knew I needed to give it one more listen in order to really do it justice. So here I am talking about how (mostly) great this album is.
The record starts out strong with 2 of it’s best tracks BY FAR. “Tender” is a strong con-TENDER for being my number one favourite Blur song up to this point. Those choirs sound amazing alongside Damon, the guitar melodies are particularly wonderful, and those “Oh Why Oh My” are so inexplicably beautiful. They’re easily the most emotionally striking piece of the entire album. This is an incredible opener &, at the very least, ONE of Blur’s best songs ever.
“Bugman” is also fantastic, but for completely different reasons. Those ultra distorted guitars sound consistently awesome, the song’s various synth details are incredibly evocative, and that aggressive tempo change at the end was quite well executed. It is after this beautifully abrasive banger though where the album unfortunately enters it’s only at all significant lull in quality. A stretch of tracks that kinda start to loose me after such a strong opening
For the most part, “Coffee & TV” is still a very solid, “relatively normal” Blur song, but it also introduces what is far & away my biggest problem with this album. Genuinely what the hell is up with all these “micro-songs” that have been awkwardly stapled to the ends of various tracks here? These “interludes” (i suppose you could call them) do nothing but hurt the project’s pacing & make me feel cheated out of getting longer songs. This record would be significantly improved by removing these parts. It just feels plain sloppy & I don’t get why they’re here.
But yeah, the tracks immediately following “Coffee & TV” really aren’t anything to write home about either. “Swamp Song” only becomes truly interesting at the VERY end, “1992” has a cool sense of atmosphere that’s brought down by boring songwriting, and “BLUREMI” is just a total mess honestly. It’s got a lot of cool ideas, but they just don’t coalesce in a satisfying way. Especially not with another totally fucking useless interlude frankensteined to it’s would be conclusion.
Thankfully though, tracks 7-11 bring the album firmly back on track. Other than the bitchass interlude that’s been unnaturally taped to it, “Battle” is an extremely compelling song. It has some of the coolest synths I’ve yet to hear from Blur track, a grippingly dire sense of atmosphere to it, and overall, it’s easily one of the most wholly unique things they’ve ever made. We also have “Trailer Park” which is this super engaging sort of “loungey” track, as well as “Trimm Trabb” which only gets cooler & cooler as it goes along, but my favourite song on this record outside of it’s opener is very much “Caramel”.
It’s probably the single most unnerving thing I’ve heard from this band so far, and that’s precisely what I love so much about it. It’s an incredible example of how to effectively pull off slow burn pacing, it’s SOOOO atmospherically & aesthetically rich, and for once, I don’t even mind those stupid micro songs at the end. They still bring absolutely nothing of value to the main song, but at least the TWO (yes plural) that are here sound like “Everywhere at the End of Time” & a cool 90’s house beat. Y’know… actually interesting shit!
The album’s ending is nothing spectacular, but it’s still a more than satisfying way to wrap everything up. “No Distance Left To Run” is a great penultimate track with pleasant instrumentation & an overall very conclusive feeling to it, and even though “Optigan I” is pretty much by default one of the album’s weakest songs, it’s still a very effective instrumental epilogue in the context of the album. Just not particularly interesting on it’s own.
So that’s Blur’s 13th record! The tumorous interludes piss me off & the project definitely would have benefitted from cutting 3 or 4 of it’s least interesting tracks, but this was still a very cool album experience overall. It’s incredibly ambitious in most every way, extremely unique among their discography in both sound & tone, and it contains several of their best songs to date. I’m still not BLOWN AWAY by it, but it’s definitely my favourite Blur record so far.
Best Songs: Tender, Caramel, & Bugman.
Weakest Songs: 1992, BLUREMI, & Optigan I.
This album gets a decent to strong 8/10 from me.
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Think Tank

“Call me the spiritual successor to Parklife the way I’m throwing shit at the wall & seeing what sticks”... So said The Think Tank.
Much like “Parklife”, this project has very little cohesion when it comes to being a consistently sonically unified album experience, but unlike that record, the distinct lack of unity here doesn’t bother me nearly as much. For whatever reason, the messiness of “Think Tank” feels a whole lot less jarring. It’s a much easier album to just “vibe with” if that makes any sense.
I will say this though… “Think Tank” has BY FAR the “lowest highs” of any Blur album. I may like this thing more than “Parklife” overall, but there’s nothing here that can even remotely hold a candle to the excellence of “Girls & Boys”. Even “Leisure” had higher highs. However, in spite of all that, we’ve still got various tracks I’d like to point out for various reasons because this record is nothing if not varied!
I really enjoyed all of the project’s most lowkey moments. “Sweet Song” is one that comes to mind, but I also quite liked the clear oriental & african influences on “Out of Time” & “Good Song” respectively. It’s very interesting to hear elements of Damon’s side projects bleed over into Blur songs like these. I was expecting to get some Gorillaz vibes with this project given that it’s the first Blur record post the infernal creation of Murdoc Niccals, but I definitely wasn’t expecting to far more prominently be reminded of 2002’s “Mali Music”.
There are also quite a few tracks here that I’d place under the hyper specific category of “not a particularly engaging SONG, but I still love the soundscape”. Namely “Ambulance”, “On The Way to The Club”, & “Caravan”. That last one especially has this very unique sonic quality to it that I can only describe as “singed”. It’s not a riveting track by any means, but in another way, it’s extremely interesting to listen to.
While this album is mostly very unenergetic, I do quite like both of the times where it actually tries to make a “banger”. There’s a lot about “Crazy Beat” that makes it feel like some truly WEEN ASS SHIT, but there’s more than enough to still make it feel very distinctly Blur at the end of the day. Speaking of other artists though, the percussion on “Gene By Gene” reminds me a whole lot of something that Radiohead would do. That, in combination with the various other fun elements of it’s soundscape, make it pretty easily my favourite track here.
I believe I've finally figured out why I prefer the messiness of “Think Tank” over the messiness of “Parklife”. Where much of Parklife existed in a state of trying & failing to ENGAGE me, this album doesn’t really sound like it’s trying to truly ENGAGE me. The generally lowkey & uncoordinated nature of the project makes it seem as though it’s perfectly content to just present me with a bunch of random yet interesting sounds that aren't particularly concerned with being super attention grabbing or memorable.
I guess another way of putting it would be calling this album “Deluxe Background Music”. There’s still a fair amount of musical substance there when you’re listening closely, but you can also very easily put this album on in the background & it’s rarely if ever gonna distract you from the task at hand. I know that’s far from a glowing endorsement, but it still means that I had a pretty good time with this one. Even the weakest tracks such as the overly long instrumental track “Jets” still work well within this album “vibe-y-ness”. It’s a nice album.
The only truly notable bonus track here is “Don’t Be”. I love the brass elements there. I’m also really thankful for the “alternative version” of “Me, White Noise”. Hidden tracks have always seriously pissed me off, and this album’s inauthentically 11 minute closer “Battery In Your Leg / Me, White Noise” is no exception. But I’m glad they at least had the courtesy to separate the 2nd half onto it’s own TRACK for the deluxe. Cuz that’s what this is. The exact same song just without “Battery In Your Leg” attached to the beginning. Nothing alternate about it. More deluxe’s should do this. DEATH TO HIDDEN TRACKS.
Best Songs: Gene By Gene, Good Song, & Crazy Beat.
Weakest Songs: Jets, Brothers And Sisters, & Moroccan People’s Revolutionary Bowls Club.
This album gets a very light 8/10 from me.
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The Magic Whip

It’s not like I ever had to wait for it personally, but this has gotta be one of the best comeback albums ever made. It’s so much fun.
This is my new favourite Blur project by a pretty wide margin. I get the feeling that it may be kind of a hot take to say such a thing, but I’m honestly not at all surprised by how much favour this album. Most of my favourite music of all time comes from the 2010’s, and I’ve really enjoyed Blur’s chosen style up to this point, so is it really a shock to anyone that the record with 2010’s level production is my favourite? Also I really love that cover. That alone gave me the feeling that I was probably gonna love this thing.
This definitely isn’t a perfect record. It’s still got a couple tracks that I was pretty unenthused by, but they’re completely made up for by just how consistently cool the rest of it is. “Lonesome Street” is a fantastic opener that throws back to their early 90’s sound in a very tasteful way, “My Terracotta Heart” has some excellent percussion to go along with it’s potently somber atmosphere, and “I Broadcast” is just an absolute banger with some extremely fun synths & guitars. If we’re gonna talk about the cream of the crop though, then we gotta look at the songs that start with the letter “T”.
“Thought I Was A Spaceman” & “There Are Too Many of Us” were my favourite tracks here by a pretty wide margin & undoubtedly some of my favourite Blur songs PERIOD. The latter has some wonderfully dramatic strings, a distinctly ominous sense of urgency to it, and a very 2D-esque vocal performance on account of that radio-filter, but my favourite element of the track is that subtle synth which comes in during the final third. It’s so evocatively atmospheric & a really nice cherry on top of an already awesome song.
But “Thought I Was A Spaceman” is somehow even cooler! Right off the bat, I ADORE the space age vibe that they’re going for here. The quaint drum machines, heavily reverbed guitars, and ambient synths all make for excellent contributions to the song’s richly detailed soundscape, and the track also has an incredibly satisfying sense of progression over the course of it’s 6 minute runtime. Those drums & chimes that eventually join the mix really amp up the song’s energy, but it’s those glisteningly gorgeous synths that pop up about halfway through that truly made me fall in love with this thing. I can’t say for certain given how many amazing tracks I’ve discovered in their catalog, but this just might be my NUMBER ONE favourite Blur song. It’s so stunningly immersive & staggeringly beautiful.
The final leg of the project contains some excellent tracks as well! “Ghost Ship” is a wonderfully lowkey moment that once again gives me some strong Gorillaz vibes with it’s groovy bassline & crisp horns, “Pyongyang” has a very melodically distinct chorus & serves as an excellent example of how to pull of slow pacing, and I LOVE the almost spaghetti western aesthetic that they’re going for with the closer, “Mirrorball”. The hazy guitars are absolutely riveting, the light percussion fits in perfectly, and those strings that enter the fold later on are truly stunning.
As I said before, “The Magic Whip” definitely isn’t a perfect record. It’s got a couple mild duds like the somewhat tedious “Go Out” or the distinctly bland “Ong Ong”, but moments like those are quite rare. The album overall has good pacing, excellent production, a perfect balance of variety & cohesion, and several spectacular highlights. A wonderful record to be sure!
Also the first & only Blur album where I don’t need to talk about the bonus tracks! There aren’t any! Thank The Lord!
Best Songs: Thought I Was a Spaceman, There Are Too Many of Us, & I Broadcast.
Weakest Songs: Go Out, Ong Ong, & New World Towers.
This album gets a very strong 8/10 from me. Very real possibility of it growing into a 9 one day.
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The Ballad of Darren

Getting almost an entire album of “Lowkey Blur” is actually really nice.
This record reminded me a lot of “The Car” by Arctic Monkeys & that is NOT a bad thing. Both are very atmospheric & lush projects that’re generally quite low energy. Both coming bands who are mostly known for their older, much more high energy stuff. They’re also similar in that I think I like them ALOT more than most people. The reception to this record is decidedly “lukewarm” from what I can tell, and while this definitely isn’t my FAVOURITE Blur album like “The Car” is for me & Arctic Monkeys, it does make the top half of my Blur rankings.
“The Ballad” is a very engaging opener with some wonderful string sections, “Goodbye Albert” is very chill piece with some lovely synths, and I quite liked the slightly country-ish vibes of “Far Away Island”, but none of those are my actual favourites on the record. Those would be “The Narcissist” which is a super fun & uplifting single, as well as “The Heights” which closes out the project with it’s best vocal performance, some excellent drum & bass, and some sick distortion, but my #1 favourite here has gotta be “Barbaric”. It strikes a PERFECT balance between “lushly beautiful” & “super catchy/fun”. Absolutely one of my new favourite Blur Songs
“The Ballad Of Darren” may not reach the same incredible highs as many of their past projects, and it does contain a handful of rather drab tracks, but it’s probably the most consistent record they’ve ever put out in terms of song to song quality. There are no huge drop offs or sudden improvements to be found. Throughout it’s various highlights & lowlights, these tracks all still exist at a relatively consistent level of quality. We’ve also got frequently amazing production, incredibly immersive atmosphere, and an appreciably brief tracklist. It’s a very good time. A nice place to finally conclude my deep discog dive for Blur.
My ranking of the bonus tracks would be The Swan < The Rabbi < Sticks & Stones. It was very interesting on that last one to hear someone other than Damon take lead vocals for a change. Has that happened before somewhere else in the Blur discography? Cuz I COMPLETELY missed it if so.
Best Songs: Barbaric, The Narcissist, & The Heights. (+Sticks & Stones)
Weakest Songs: The Everglades, Russian Strings, & St. Charles Square.
This album gets a decent 8/10 from me.
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My final album ranking is as follows:

1. The Magic Whip
2. 13
3. The Great Escape
4. The Ballad of Darren
5. Blur
6. Modern Life is Rubbish
7. Think Tank
8. Parklife
9. Leisure

And my top 50 Blur songs are:

1. Tender
2. Girls And Boys
3. There Are Too Many of Us
4. Thought I Was a Spaceman
5. Caramel
6. Oily Water
7. Bugman
8. Top Man
9. On Your Own
10. Barbaric
11. Battle
12. Cowboy Song
13. The Universal
14. The Narcissist
15. The Puritan
16. Country House
17. Trimm Trabb
18. I Know
19. The Ballad
20. Gene By Gene
21. The Heights
22. Fade Away
23. Trailer Park
24. Globe Alone
25. People In Europe
26. Sticks And Stones
27. Magpie
28. Lonesome Street
29. Stereotypes
30. Jubilee
31. I Broadcast
32. Song 2
33. Ghost Ship
34. Yuko And Hiro
35. Pyongyang
36. Miss America
37. Mirrorball
38. Good Song
39. Popscene
40. Beetlebum
41. Colin Zeal
42. Strange News From Another Star
43. Advert
44. Bang
45. Get Out of Cities
46. Crazy Beat
47. There’s No Other Way
48. When The Cows Come Home
49. Tame
50. Death of a Party

Yes, this list doesn’t match up perfectly with what I said in my “Best & Worst Songs” sections, but it’s only natural that some of my opinions changed as I went back through all my favourites when making this list.
Thanks for reading! I’d love to hear everyone’s thoughts!

So I am on the hunt for new set of wheels. I've narrowed it down to two vehicles. I'll list both out, pros and cons. And I'd love to get everyones opinions on which one i should pursue as there are some factors.
1.) 2002 AUiii V8 Ford Fairmont Ghia 4spd auto
Description on the advert:
Fairmont Ghia V8, auto, leather seats, factory tickford suspension and sunroof, vented and slotted rotors all round with bendix HD pads, herrod headers and big bore exhaust, 18" wheels with half worn Michelin pilot sport 5 tyres, recent Hoodlining, 215,000km, I've Owned this 11 years, is great car, sounds, stops and goes awesome. Is tidy but used condition, few small dents, scratches around it and clear peel on one door. Current WOF and reg.
Pros: Guy is looking for a quick sale.
Cons: a.) High kms (but not bad for its age), at about 215,000 kms.
b.) Clear coat peeling.
2.) 2008 Ford Falcon FG G6
Description on the advert:
Tidy fg g6 falcon 179kms .wof / rego .new rotors / front/ rear break pads . front window screen .drive shaft hanger / universal replace .runs good .no problems.
Pros: a.) Asking for about several hundred dollars less than the AUiii.. Tidy, no clear coat peeling.
Cons: Guy is selling it on behalf of his daughter. But he is proving hard to get hold of and settle with. There is finance involved
Advised both owners of this fact. Ghia owner is ready to fill in forms... G6 owner or seller is proving hard to get hold of and confirm details to send to the finance company to process the money deposit.
So really my question is. Do i sit on this G6 and wait for the guy to respond. Or go after the V8 AUiii Fairmont Ghia?
Appreciate all of your input...

Just bought my first diesel 6.6 2002 and it came with a bully dog tune and I want to put a 5in exhaust on it, I was wondering if I have to get a new tune on it when I do get the 5 in exhaust

im working on some improvements for my bedrrom and i plan to replace the old window ac for a never wall mounted unit, but i was wondering if i could install an exhaust fan on the hole where the window unit used to be to cool the room when the ac is not neccesary.
in my mind it should work since the window and the exhaust would be in opposite sides, and with a strong enough fan the windflow should be nice and breezy, but i dont have any training in hvac or any kind of constrution/design, so i would appreciate if you could guide me on this,
heres a little diagram to help visualite it better, https://imgur.com/a/fgeHPgI

Hey Everyone,
I am in a situation and I was curious what others think. I am wondering if it is worth pursuing small claims court.
I purchased a 2002 Ford Ranger for around $4,999, $500 under fair market value according to Kelly Blue Book. I was told by the dealership it was due to surface rust under the truck and on the side. I was told that I would need to take it to an autobody shop for an undercoating to stop surface rust from getting worse. It was worse than the dealership said it was. The repairs I am having to spend on fixing this truck I purchased is more than I paid for the truck in the first place. I am spending around $7,000 on repairs for the truck. I am spending over $12,000 for a truck after fixed will only really be worth $6,500.
The truck was unsafe to drive. If I continued driving it and hadn't taken it to the auto body shop when I did, I could have died because the brakes were replaced, but so poorly installed it was just laying on the exhaust pipe. The front gas strap was rusted off, and the back frame was incapable of pulling a trailer, the only reason I purchased the truck in the first place. I could have literally lost my trailer one day while driving. The pig mouth that connects the truck and trailer's electrical was shot so I couldn't plug my truck into my trailer, and there is more to explain but I won't go on.
I want to take them to small claims court. I want them to pay for all the repairs besides $500 which was what we agreed on at the auto dealership.
The auto body shop wrote me a witness statement saying that I showed up looking for an undercoating of around $500 and they had to explain to me it was literally unsafe to drive until they fixed the rust, and this was fraud from the dealership. I have witness statements from coworkers saying that I told them when I purchased it I was going to get an undercoating to stop the surface rust from getting worse because that was what the dealership told me. I also have written evidence on Snapchat that I was chatting with friends while I was buying it and that the dealership recommended I get an undercoating done.
I am going to hire a law firm to write up all small claims court files to make sure everything is done right so all I have to do is show up to small claims court.
So I have evidence and witness statements, but is it worth it? Do I have enough evidence to prove that this was fraud?
I'm already spending over $6,000 on repairing the truck, and now I have to spend $100's of dollars on getting all paperwork for the small claims court done right. Also, I am concerned that after I win the small claims court, the dealership won't pay and I will have to hire collections to get the money from the dealership, which will cost even more money with no guarantee I will get money back.
What is everyone else's opinion on this matter? Is it worth my time and effort even if I have to get collections involved? Or should I just simply take the $6,000 loss?