xlalitax

[xlalitax]

“ yeah I don’t think I could throw them away “ Lalita admitted much to her own surprise. She wondered if this was just her way of going a bit soft over time. The abrasive nature she had used a a way to keep people away was slowing changing and allowing her be more open. She wasn’t sure if she liked that but she still couldn’t trash someone’s work. Not when they were genuinely optimistic. “ yeah which I think ink I could leave them at Tidal Wave. I think they have all the players including old Walkman’s and stuff “ @jordanmitchell

"I mean you've got to appreciate the dedication. You'll have to return to sender or put them out in the front for free and hope that someone who makes music listens to it and thinks they're the next best thing if your conscience can't take tossing all of them out." At this point, it sounded like they weren't going to stop until they made it big or it got to someone who could make some of their dreams come true. So, until then, Lalita was stuck with all the mixtapes. "I'd still toss them in the bin but that's only because I'm not that big on music. I like music, don't get me wrong, but not enough to find a mixtape player. Where would you even get one of those these days?"

[xlalitax]

“ is that so. Got any other good ideas up there “ she teased as she pointed to his head. “ but uh thanks for that one. It was good “ she admitted which was rare for her to do. She never liked saying someone else was right. “ yeah I mean usually they send stuff in our emails but sometimes you get someone who loves hard copies. I think it makes them feel more legit, like they're an undiscovered band of the 70s“ @castellcnos

"I'm full of good ideas." He replied, as he shrugged his shoulders. He didn't really buy into that idea, but he could offer a suggestion every now and then that seemed plausible to go through with. "I guess you get a lot of these then?"

@xlalitax

[xlalitax]

Do you ever feel like an imposter?

" No. I know exactly who I am and the life I'm living. I know you could make an argument about what I'm doing with Sebi, but we know what were getting into. The only person were trying to fool is my family. Beyond that there isn't any pretending and I certainly don't feel like I have imposter syndrome either"

[xlalitax]

“ valid point but I have a feeling my limits on too much would be any more than one “ Lalita admitted as she still held the box in her arms. This was certainly more than one and way over the threshold of what she felt she could handle. But she also just didn’t have it in her to throw everything away. We didn’t need the stuff to end up in a landfill. Even something with outdated tech had its place. She’s half tempted to drop them off at Tidal Wave.

“ don’t even get me started on A.I. it’s the worst thing to happen to art. “ plus being terrible to the environment among other things. As someone who wanted to help put music together and produce she loved things like recontextualizing music and sampling but it was nowhere near what other people use A.I. for and just ruin all art.

“I didn’t even know what a micro trend was until some intern brought it up. Trends are becoming so fast that they have a name for that shit?�� She added shaking her head. “ honestly it’s really wasteful too. They chase whatever trend and then they throw it out the minute it’s not cool. Just wasting more things that eventually end up in a landfill. its ridiculous" @finn-brooks

"Any bit more than what you want is technically too much, isn't it?" Finn takes a cassette tape and flips it over, finding nothing notable written there. No notes on side A or side B, which has what song, if it's just one song on each side, or if it is just a long recording of several songs that will roll one into the next.

His old car had a cassette player. Old Red, who got him to California now has her bones in a junkyard. Finn should have salvaged that before he scrapped her.

"You know what, I can appreciate that. A.I. is a scourge to the effort put out by creatives. Musicians like them, photographers like myself, so on and so forth." Finn wouldn't want his work mistake for generated images.

He doesn't mind aging so much as he does the push behind labeling things as 'old' when they aren't. By his standards, anyway. "I do think the younger kids are pushing time faster. Not literally, but in the sense they run through trends and styles before you can blink, it is almost like they don't ever take a moment to breathe and enjoy something for what it is while they have it. They would rather label it and move onto the next thing."

@xlalitax

[xlalitax]

Lalita: starring to think this might be beneficial other than the whole saving my ass with my family thing Lalita: well now you know. It’s not that niche, I heard about it cause of Post Malone. And it’s not like he’s someone people don’t know about. It’s why people think he had a bunch of bad luck a few years ago. Lalita: I am also counting that as his bad luck Lalita: set the date my friend @sebitorres

Sebi: Par for the course, Lal. Sebi: This sounds a hundred percent like something very niche to a small community that most of the people in the country don't know about until conversations like this are had. Sebi: I haven't heard any good tracks from Malone lately, so. Sebi: Fantastic.

— @xlalitax

[xlalitax]

“ what’s the worst one you’ve got? Not like the usual complaints about something or something one of us DJs have said. I mean like something we literally have no control over. Like I once got call about trying to get the original line up of Pink Floyd back together. Like I can’t do that in general but the original line up? I can’t do that without a Oujia Board “ she replied shaking her head. She just ran a music time slot not made bands get back together. “ please. I haven’t had one of them in a very long time” usually because drunk her did impulsive things @bradleycanter

"Ninety percent of those calls are what I have to take, and, believe me, I've heard some shit. And then I tell them to go fuck themselves. I mean, as nicely as I can. Politeness has never been my forte." Oh, well. Bradley was still adept at her job and she knew almost no one else could do it like she could. At least she had that going for her. "On that note, then, let's go be cursed together. Feeling like some jager? Four Leaf has some great jager-bombs."

@xlalitax

[xlalitax]

“ not really. I mean I’ve tried to sort of sell my own work before but never have I been left a box of demos that were not made by me and followed me around like some sort of haunted relic “ Lalita noted as she stared down at the box. She admitted this situation was very new to her. She loved music and still wanted her little piece of that world when it came to producing but she knew she had other things to deal with first. “ thank you for doing your part to make sure we had the best cookies. “ she noted at the mention of Girl Scouts. Lalita had never been one but she probably would have been the kid who got mad when she was told no. “ you help me with this and the foods on me “ @itsvivkeaton

"Have you had to do something like this before?" Vivian knew their career paths were on opposite ends of the spectrum. Everyone had to network and fight for their positioning in the world, but it was a little bit different when the net for retaining good talent in such a competitive industry as music was so limited. Thousands of people sought fame for entirely wrong reasons. All the more, many untalented individuals were propped up by these firms for their monetary gain on this endless hamster wheel of production and consumption. "I think the most I've ever had to do canvassing like this was for the freaking Girl Scouts." Vivian was determined to have her vest covered in badges. "Please tell me we're getting food when this is all said and done," she said, picking up a mixtape, and she started to walk towards the parked cars to place it on their front mirrors.

[xlalitax]

“ one very dedicated and possibly stubborn person” Lalita replied as she glanced back down at the box. She didn’t know what possessed them to send that many copies especially since she only needed one but Lalita never knew what went on in people’s heads.

“ I love the idea of just going in there and doing it themselves but this is a lot. “ she admitted. “ I don’t have the space for all their stuff anymore. Wait did you say a sock puppet?” She asked as soon s the words hit her. Did she hear correctly? “What the hell was the sock puppets act? “

“ literally nothing bad would happen. It isn’t like the tape is cursed or anything. I don’t need anything you’re doing me a solid by taking it off my hands” she noted before glancing back. “ that would be actually pretty clever. “ @lauraine-cortes

“That’s all one guy?” Lauraine arched an eyebrow. “That’s… dedication? Maybe bordering on harassment?”

“I’m all for people taking a chance — this industry is practically built on people having the guts to fight for something — but like… that’s a lot.”

She gave a small shrug. “I mean, I’ve done a lot of open mics and shitty gigs in my time before getting my residency at Golden Hour Lounge. I think the lowest for me was auditioning for an entertainer role and being beaten by a sock puppet.” She gave a shiver at the memory. “But I don’t think I’ve ever done that much. Surely after the tenth tape you’d take the hint?”

With an awkward smile, she reached towards the box and took out a tape. “I’ll give it a go. What’s the worst that can happen, right? You want anything for this?”

A small chuckled and then, “Maybe this was their plan all along — give you so many you have to give them out to others, and then he’ll increase his exposure that way!”

[xlalitax]

Lalita glanced over to the other woman as she gave her answer but paused as soon as committed a crime came up. Lalita wasn’t like some criminal genius by any means but she had been arrested. Sometimes trespassing was a lot more serious than it seemed at first and so the DJ took a shot. “ I feel like I need to add context to admitting to this “ she admitted before glancing back over “ never have I ever broke anyone’s heart “ @minxnari

“I understand that.” Nari could’ve taken a shot then at just the mere thought of Ford Tamblyn. Not that he was a bad guy or even her actual ex, it was more so out of sheer embarrassment for how she grossly misunderstood their entire situation. Maybe people of the opposite sex really couldn’t just be friends… especially not when they had to hold hands and kiss and flirt on television for the whole world to see.

“Well shit.” At least she got to take her shot anyway. “Alright, uh… never have I ever committed a crime.”

@xlalitax

[xlalitax]

This wasn’t the end goal for Lalita professionally but she definitely still loved the job. She understood where Bradley was coming from though when it came to loving and hating something all at once. “ oh my favorite is those call in we get complaining about things we can’t change “ she noted before letting out a small laugh “ I can always use a drink. I'm already screwed if it’s actually cursed is been in my booth for months. Doomed for mediocrity if we stand here for too long “ @bradleycanter

"Not to say I don't love this job...Hell, I'll probably die at it. It's what I worked towards. That's still not to say it doesn't come with its headaches." Sighing with a heavy weariness, Bradley said, "Well, sounds like you could use a drink. First round on you? Alright, fine, I'll buy. Anything to get away from that box. It feels cursed. I should also probably get to know my co-workers better, too. For work purposes only, of course."

[xlalitax]

“ yeah but it’s all like building slash repairing things right?” She asked really not caring if either of those related. Lalita was a bit fixated on her new goal of the goat. “ hey I have a whole backyard that has nothing in it. I wouldn't go overboard and adopt a whole bunch of them. Just one. One goat might love that “ Lalita noted as if she was sold on the idea @sebitorres

"I'm more of a maintenance guy, but I can give it a go." Sebi had never built a pen, or anything close to it in his life. "—Actually, I build retaining walls once. Guess that's close enough. You're retaining animals inside the pen." He should probably stop assuming and actually look up how to build structures that hold animals if he was going to make this promise. "A lot. You gotta give these guys space to run and graze, y'know? Otherwise it's cruel keeping them in such tight spaces."

— @xlalitax

[xlalitax]

🍵 + sebi

" What an annoying shit he is. But he's my annoying shit. I will push and pull and give him shit for every single thing, but I cant pretend like he doesnt matter to me. He matters a lot to me to the point where when I needed help out of a family issue, he was the only one I trusted to talk to about that. Don't tell him I said any of this" @sebitorres

[xlalitax]

“ I don’t think it’s on the application but it really seems like that is important. Like I love a good fight myself and I’m not sure I’d make it working there “ Lalita admitted as she thought about the idea of working at a wafffle house.

“Literally do not worry about any of that “ Lalita admitted when it came to her family. It wasn’t the other woman’s fault she didn’t get along with her family. Her family was just tricky. “ you too and I don’t say that sort of thing often “ @roxdelrosario

"It totally is! And you're probably right, the employees probably have to learn martial arts or something to even work there. "That would actually be so awesome. A whole training center for working at a Waffle House."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Roxy frowned. She couldn't imagine not getting along with her family.

"Well it's nice to meet you, Lalita."

@xlalitax

[xlalitax]

Lalita looked down as soon as the other woman mentioned dumpster diving and she looked somewhat confused. Especially since she wasn’t standing or leaning anywhere. “ I would be doing it completely wrong if it was “ she noted with a small nod. Her usual abrasive nature wasn’t really anywhere to be seen in her response. “ trust me I’ve tried, they sent another five copies. Apparently thirty was more important than twenty five” Lalita explained as she looked back at the stuff in front of her. She appreciated effort but this was a whole new level of effort. “ we all have dreams but at which point does this person wake up?” @jordanmitchell

Jordan paused mid-step when she noticed someone throwing out some kind of frames or books, not tapes? "Is this the whole dumpster diving thing?" Well, not so much dumpster diving but more so what stores did to merchandise before they tossed it in the trash. They destroyed items so other people couldn't have them which was stupid, but she was still addicted to the tik tok videos she watched. "Oh, desperate much? You need to take a picture of that and send it to him. It's a waste." She stepped closer and took one of the demos that wasn't in the trash to look it over. "It's plain. " She shook her head and then put it in the trash. "I wouldn't get over the despair clinging to it to enjoy the music." Not that she was judging cause she'd done just as much, if not worse, to get things to happen.

[xlalitax]

Lalita: does that come with the marriage package? Lalita: I thought it was! Lalita: he’s the ghost adventures guy. He owns a museum in Vegas that has a bunch of scary collectibles. Including this haunted box that was opened in front of Post Malone and ‘allegedly’ it’s Zaks fault anything Post Malone has bad luck Lalita: I accept your emoji offer @sebitorres

Sebi: Both. It comes with the package of marrying me. Sebi: You sat this like it's common knowledge the man is haunted. Sebi: Who is Zac Bagan anyway? Sebi: 💍

— @xlalitax

[xlalitax]

Lalita did actually feel a bit bad throwing everything away. She had a policy of wanting to give everyone a chance but this person was trying to make every single moment their chance with the rate they sent in items. It seemed a bit too much but the man in front of her didn’t have a bad idea. It gave them a shot and got rid of the copies. “ hmm” she replied as she thought it over. “ that isnt terrible. It doesn’t waste materials either. People love shit on hard copy “ @castellcnos

Ricardo could understand her predicament - but there must have been something better than chucking away all of these demos. If he was the owner of those discs, he wouldn't have exactly liked to find his work in the trash. "I think you should give them a chance, play them... maybe advertise on the radio that they can come down to the station if your listeners want a free hard copy of their work. Might get them started on their dream?"

@xlalitax

[xlalitax]

“ it’s very devoted “ Lalita noted as she glanced back to the contents of the box. Dozens of things labeled from one band and all dropped off to her. It was impressive if it wasn’t so overwhelming and a bit desperate. “ I don’t blame you. “ she admitted looking from the box over to her. “ it’s way too many copies. “ she added with a shrug. “ that does get rid of them while giving a fighting chance to actually be played. I better not get caught putting these on cars. They’re all gonna think it’s my band or something “ @vivkeaton

"Wow," she said, holding back a burst of laughter as she rifled her hands through the box. "This is something…" Now, Vivian was highly aware of the privilege and luxury that the cards life had dealt her. However, it did not negate her work ethic and personal strife to succeed out of her own merits above all else. She gave props to anyone who did push against the grain. However, this example reeked of desperation. When it came to the music industry, everyone wanted their five minutes of fame and would go to any lengths to attain it. "No, thank you," she said, tossing one of them back in the box before looking around. "Maybe we can put one on each car or mailbox. Free promotion for them on our behalf."