#way better than the free YouTube audiobooks

[smallpapers]

everlark brainrot.. help

Edit: please send me pre-reapinhg fics I beg of you weeps on the floor

[katiekatdragon27]

To my other followers: I am so sorry.

To my two new followers: *comes out with silver platter* Here! Eat uuuuupppp~~~~

This! *slams fists on table then slams face on table* This GODFORSAKEN MOVIE HAS ALTERED MY BRAIN CHEMISTRY I'M NOT JOKING.

I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT KIND OF "RECLAIMING MY CHILDHOOD TRAUMA" MINDEST MY BRAIN WAS ON BUT THE OBSESSION WITH THIS PIECE IF MEDIA IS ACTUALLY SCARING ME-

Most stuff below. Lots of rambling.

So. Flatland. It's a good book, and an amazing f*cking movie. I love this goddamned movie so much bro. It's not even like a "good" good movie I just really like it for no reason.

Some lore I have with this book, since I want to talk about it.

I watched this movie the first time when I was in 6th grade. It scared me so bad that I had nightmares about it for a week. I hated the style of the 2D world and was so scared about the amount of murder that I psychologically blocked it all out.

Now in the present (as an adult in college), my friend brought up the movie for us to watch during a movie night. I was way more excited to watch it than I thought I would be (cuz of my previous encounter with it and wanting to "reclaim" the movie), but we only got 4 minutes in before my other friends got bored and decided to watch something else. I sorta dropped it for a bit after that before @/goosesartblog posted their ONE - Flatland crossover and 10000 emotions flew over me. I then proceeded to watch it with my siblings, who also did not care about the movie.

Now, it has become a lifestyle of watching it every single day. Every. Single. Day. It's bad. I can't stop.

And it's on YouTube for free.

AND the book is on YouTube as an audiobook AND the actual PDF book is just there to read.

PLEASE. I NEED PEOPLE TO NOT BE NORMAL WITH ME.

Anyways, actual relevant doodles. These characters are A. Sphere (the objectively best character idgaf) and Carlton Cube(?). I saw something about them being John-locked and thought it was really funny. Also, I saw a meme about the two getting Starbucks or smth during the week I lingered, so here lol.

Some more doodles of concept stuff. Actual A. Square art and some style testing, Hex doodle, and more A. Sphere bc I love him so much. His ass is gay idk if you think I'm wrong just look at him.

Silly little idea I had about if Spherious *(the sphere from the other Flatland movie) and A. Sphere were in the same universe. It's unlikely, but I think Spherious would be the Messiah of 2000 and A. Sphere is the Messiah of 3000. They met at some point where their lives overlapped, and Spherious tried to give A. Sphere advice, to which he was completely ignored. A. Sphere's a bratty teen here and Spherious is a grandpa. They treat their apostles very differently.

Another silly idea I had was that when A. Sphere "died", he was actually picked up by a 4D being named A. Tesseract. He stays with her until the war is over in his dimension, and he is able to see A. Square one last time during his hallucination (that's why A. Sphere's innards are seen). Also also, A. Sphere learns how to treat people better b/c of A. Tesseract and the 4th dimensions' more liberal views on expression and gender. Development for the stupid shiny solid.

Thank you for looking at this mindless rambling. If anyone knows of more Flatland media, please send it to me I'm starving. Expect more, and have a great day :)

[blissfullyecho]

do you have any advice for women on the autism spectrum? im fairly conventionally attractive but a complete and utter wreck in the social aspect, i genuinely cannot read other people at all or be convincing and alluring, to the point i was single up to my twenties when i met my partner is also neurodivergent, it's a bit bleak and depressing trying to navigate the world like this

i have no idea what i’m talking about when it comes to mental health, but you’re no different than me at the end of the day so i’ll tell you what i’d tell anyone, no matter what they struggle with.

what helps is reading psychology books (or listening.. whatever is better for you— a lot of books have audiobooks as well). i’ve improved so much on my social skills because i learned basic and more advanced human psychology. knowing more about psychology also helps in the self-improvement field which i assume that’s what you’re into since you follow me hehe. for free resources, go on youtube. you can find anything and everything on youtube and learn about psychology that way.

learn about human behaviors and you’ll feel less socially awkward when you interact.

another thing, learn more about public speaking, communication styles, persuasion, first impressions, small talk, negotiations, seduction, etc. anything having to do with interacting with people, really learn about.

again, i have no idea whatsoever about mental health, and those are the only tips i have. i really hope they helped. also remember that some people have to learn how to be alluring and more chill in social settings… i was one of them lol. if you weren’t born with it, you can learn it.

[baylardo]

Which Star Trek books would you recommend out of the ones you’ve read? Specifically voyager ones?

I meant to respond to this earlier lol WHOOPSIES MY B MY B.

I should firstly disclaim that I read these books from a content-creating standpoint and as such, would say that I have found merit to reading as many Voyager books as possible, regardless of what my personal opinions are on them. :) I think there's so much to gain from acquiring other people's takes on canon and semi-canon and you get to walk away with an opinion on it after having digested it haha. All of that to say I'm sorry if I'm a little GRAY on what I'd recommend.

Like honestly, The Autobiography of Kathryn Janeway gets A LOT of flack (Rightfully so... U___U). But I still managed to find and take away a lot from that book that I wouldn't have without having at least INDULGED it with an open mind haha. You get a lot of little details about Janeway's life pre-Starfleet and as a cadet to a captain, good, pandery, and bad. I won't get into too many details but I'd honestly say that the portion of time in the book about her life at Starfleet Academy when she meets and works closely with Boothby is VERY INDULGENT for my taste on Janeway content, and I wouldn't put it past me to go back one day and reread it because I REALLY loved the UNINTENDED PARALLELS it reflected in Resolutions for me. And obviously establishes her fondness for Bootby. I say "unintended' because this book does not wrap its themes neatly AT ALL it feels very freestyle and improvised and I found myself wishing the author had written Janeway to have reflected on things that got established earlier in the novel when she's talking about her time on Voyager. It is also VERY plat. But on top of that too like, just the ideas it has about the Voyager crew post-Endgame are interesting as well, some are a little eyerolly to me, but I actually found myself FAVORING what this book decided to do with Tom and B'Elanna as opposed to the Beyer books! A LOT.

Mosaic and Pathways are both wonderful and light reads. (You can find free audiobooks for these on Youtube WINK WINK) Mosaic is very Janeway-centric with a B-plot that's a little honkshoomimimi and they try to tie it up with the Janeway stuff but it flops for me ngl. But if you look past that, I'd consider Mosaic to be the SUPERIOR Janeway backstory canon in a lot of ways. Which is sad for how short it is. But it's kinda admirable in achieving what it does. Pathways is about some of the crew members reflecting on their time pre-Delta Quadrant, some of the stories are better than others. I particularly loved the Chakotay one. Cutely a lot of them end with "And THAT'S how I met Captain Janeway," but it isn't consistent I WISH IT WAS HAHA. The Tom Paris one is BOTTOM TIER I HATE THAT I KNOW ABOUT IT IT HORRIBLE LOL. The B'Elanna one was cute in that it had her meeting Tom in the Maquis which is SADLY something that never got elaborated on in the show! Very squandered imo. Oh also hated the Neelix one, keep that boy vague I DON'T WANNA SEE IT. These book are also what the Kirsten Beyer book series draws on for reference which is great and easter egg-y and I LOVE IT.

Caretaker was pretty bottom tier for me lol. It's just the first two episodes in book form. (But it was a free audiobook on Youtube so I indulged) As someone who has trouble grasping what the EFF is going on in the first two eps, it was useful for me in that lens. But it's just mad boring and I'd hoped the book would milk internal dialogue of the characters a bit more and it DIDN'T.

The Voyager - Beyer book series I'd say have been funnnnn for the most part. (I'm like, around halfway through the series I think) There's a lot to be desired but I'd give them the benefit of the doubt of likely having to appeal to a Star Trek audience where more character-driven storytelling becomes more of a backburner priority RIP. What she DOES manage to achieve in the brief and spaced out increments of CHARACTER INTIMACY are pretty DELICIOUS. Not super important but the way she writes Miral in particular is SOOOOO SOFT AND CUTE. I know it ends the way I'd hoped the TV series would end so I'm really excited for that. :) And they're definitely worth the read. You're just having to juggle like what feels like way too large of an ensemble cast with characters you're simply NOT gonna care about and have a hard time remembering for a while. I'm not a big Trek fan so whenever it gets super lore dumpy or brings in things from other spinoffs I'm a little "Zzzzzzzzz I don't careeeeeee." Children of the Storm and Unworthy are both VERY HARD READS at least for me because MFW NO JANEWAY U___U </3 but shawty it makes her return that much more rewarding to suffer through Janeway-less Voyager material.

Other than that ummggggg I know I wanna read the Chakotay-centric books at some point. And there's also apparently a book where Phoebe's aboard Voyager to do a special painting and she ends up being a doppleganger Caretaker disguised as her and I REALLY wanna read that one. :)

HOPE THAT HELPS LOL <3333333333

[fox-under-the-willow-tree]

Brave New World - Book Review

Summary:

Brave New World is a dystopian novel by English author Aldous Huxley, written in 1931 and published in 1932. Largely set in a futuristic World State, inhabited by genetically modified citizens and an intelligence-based social hierarchy, the novel anticipates huge scientific advancements in reproductive technology, sleep-learning, psychological manipulation and classical conditioning that are combined to make a dystopian society which is challenged by only a single individual: the story's protagonist.

Review:

It seems that those books I am in need of the most, present themselves in those times that I feel most desperate. I was mindlessly scrolling Youtube in search of an audiobook to listen to while I crocheted some baby clothes. Lo and behold! Brave New World - A Dramatized Reading. How could I refuse? I had read this book before in my third year as a university student. I was baffled, in awe, convinced of one single truth: It is always better to suffer like a bohemian à la Hamlet than to be a mindless cog in the system who operates according to the rules of conformity and happiness.

This I thought naively before violently being injected into the society with my fragile mindset, my weak physique, my sensitive nature, my strange ways of wanting to please and be liked. How naive....

I could waste many words, but at the end of the day it's nothing more than that terrible Either/Or Kierkegaard mentions. It is to either be a savage like John: a lover of all things irrational, art, poetry, God, beauty and angelic insight, which comes at a horrible Faustian price: the fear of seeing loved ones die, loneliness, wrinkles in a once soft face, attachment and inevitably death.

Or is it better to see that Brave New World of happiness and stability?

That world in which life is predetermined and social Darwinism reigns? In which classes are created and your existential justification for life lies in the class you're born into: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and at the bottom Epsilon.

These are humans who are carefully crafted to fit within a certain mold. From birth some classes are given better nutrients than others, some are socially conditioned to love factory work, while others thrive in their individuality. For what? Of course to create stability in that chaos named life.

Sartre once said: ''L'existence précède l'essence.' We are born into this world without any essence; in other words without any purpose. It is up to us to create meaning within our seemingly endless options and to bear responsability to our choices. This train of thought reminds me of a quote uttered by the fox in The Little Prince:

“You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.”

How to live life in such a ray of endless possibility? How to find the 'right' path and depending on which standards you use, what even is the 'right path'? Few (including me) can handle the strength it takes to embrace life as it comes. So, what if those existential dilemma's are taken away and your essence is completely determined at birth? It's per chance whether you're born an Alpha or an Epsilon, but once you've become one, life becomes smooth sailing. How to resist that devilish whisper in the back of your head, which tells you to give up against the hardships of life?

The character Mustapha Mond is the driving force in the story. John and others may be the protagonist, but the story is truly about the fact that Mustapha is the only person who had the chance to make his choice and is aware of the world before the ideology he opted for. The others however, dwell in a maze of hazy confusion, unsure of what truth, beauty, happiness and art even mean. John's intuitive nature to choose freedom fits within our current ideology, yet how can we ignore the tempting arguments Mustapha presents in response to that passionate desire to be free. And yet... the question remains: who is truly free and who is the caged one in this story?

Life as we know it, has passion, desire, tragedy and loss and happiness, although the latter comes in small doses. Those fortunate enough to feel continous happiness, know that happiness in a stable stream presents itself not as euphoria, but as tranquility:

“Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the overcompensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn't nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand.”

Indeed, it is never grand, but within the system, it is safe, secure and stable.

Jung has written about the duality of man: every act of happiness carries its evil within itself, every act of passion and hatred may produce benefit side effects. Every human has its Shadow Side. Reading the novel from a Jungian perspective shows that John and Mustapha present the two sides of the human psyche, although it is unclear who of the two is 'evil'. (Huxely cleverly left that ambiguous and it is leaves a lot of room for the reader to interpret.) The remaining characters seem to oscillate between the two extremes. We read this in the conversations they have:

“But, Bernard, you're saying the most awful things.'

'Don't you wish you were free, Lenina?'

'I don't know what you mean. I am free. Free to have the most wonderful time. Everybody's happy nowadays.'

He laughed, 'Yes, "Everybody's happy nowadays." We begin giving children that at five. But wouldn't you like to be free to be happy in some other way, Lenina? In your own way, for example; not in everybody else's way.”

It's not for nothing that this is one of the greatest works of science fiction ever written. However, I claim that the science fiction is merely a backtrop to the existential questions that arose in the 20th century when people were left unsure what to do with the misery shoved into their lives.

Some claim that this novel is a reflection or perhaps even a prediction of our current society, but the reality seems ever more tragic. Though it does bear ressemblance to us through the fact that there is such a thing as class division, consumption society and the need for escapism, the world of Huxely, despite being depicted as a dystopian prison to some, feels like a paradise for those who are lost in modern society. Although I am not aware what the intentions of the author were while writing the novel (and I will certainly do research to find out), what touched me is that this novel, which is considered so grim and dark in themes, presents a world I would prefer to live in than our current one. The class division is accounted for and people are put where they belong, without the gnawing awareness that they are wasting potential or overworking themselves.

Is that to say modern Western society is bad? Certainly not; free press, right to education, work, freedom to love are important indeed. Yet, there is this itching feeling I can't explain...

Helmholtz said it perfectly:

“Did you ever feel, as though you had something inside you that was only waiting for you to give it a chance to come out? Some sort of extra power that you aren't using - you know, like all the water that goes down the falls instead of through the turbines?”

At the end of the day, the novel leaves you wondering: is it better to be free and possibly unhappy, or to be unfree and always happy?

Recommendation:

Read it if you want to fall into a gray pit of thoughts about life, science, love and the meaning of true happiness.

[rigelmejo]

some little things on the topic of learning chinese:

feel free to start trying to watch shows early, especially if the genre is romance/slice of life (easiest vocabulary as it will match HSK more), or if its a genre of cdrama you’ve already watched a lot of before learning (I always watched case-solving supernatural/crime dramas so I knew a lot more words from those types of shows already, same will apply to whatever genres you watch more). Another easy genre is action heavy, not because you’ll know the words necessarily (i certainly didnt in Xin Xiao Shi Yi Lang or Handsome Siblings lol) but because context in action dramas is way more obvious. If someone shouts something its often a verb (kick him/kill her/he has the X!/he ran!) which makes learning new verbs or items from context easier since people usually DO the action or pick up the object in these kinds of shows. By early, i mean like month 3, month 5, month 10 early. And if you already are watching with english subs, at first you can just try spotting chinese words in the dual subtitles (since most cdramas are hard subbed) and looking up new words as you’re curious (you’ll learn “xiao xin, meiguanshi, meishi, zou le!, ta si le!” pretty fast if you watch a case show/action) and/or trying to guess which chinese words correspond to the english subs sometimes. Then as you do that a bit, trying out only chinese subs once in a while. (I could watch shows and follow the main plot way earlier than I expected to, the hardest part was just building up the stamina to tolerate the ambiguous parts, I remember watching Granting You A Dreamlike Life about 6 months into studying and watching 14 eps then finally I just ‘had’ stamina and watching stuff in chinese only got dramatically easier). 

feel free to practice reading with songs at first! lots of chinese lyric videos with hanzi and pinyin on youtube, and with just hanzi, all good chances to practice reading while listening to stuff you like and maybe picking up lyrics you wanted to sing along to anyway. The bonus of singing is not worrying about tones as much, and if you get the ‘tone police’ thoughts in your head when recognizing hanzi they might go off a little less with songs ToT. I used to do this with Guardian for fun, and when I got The Untamed and The Lost Tomb Reboot osts I’d read along to the hanzi lyrics in their booklets as I listened. I found lyric to text just a bit less daunting than audiobooks to text lol. 

there’s a lot of animated manhua nowadays on bilibili, feel free to check those out early on. They have the benefit of being a bit easier to read like manhua, along with having audio to help you sometimes if you know some words better by sound than writing. Or if vice versa you recognize some hanzi but can’t remember their pronunciation.

feel free to watch dramas from various areas early on, if you want to be somewhat familiar with different pronunciations. in particular, watching some taiwan dramas and some chinese dramas, if you want to get used to the different pronunciations early on (and if you want to eventually be familiar with traditional and simplified hanzi its a good way to see some common words in both forms in hard subs in shows). Watching some dramas that do the -er change to words more often also helps with getting familiar with how words sound when that’s done a lot versus less, like Detective L does it a lot and The Heiress does too. 

[entertainmentpdf]

hi! this is your secret santa from @ithinkheknowss Swiftie Secret Santa 2023!! i hope you are having a great day!! as for yesterday, YES I love good omens, I started the book last week but the audiobook on YouTube that I found wasn't finished so I'm only half way through! I'm excited for s3 too, and considering I'm going to college next fall, it will most definitely not be out till college lmao.

I love hunger games so much, I read them for the first time in like seventh grade and I've reread them twice in the last like 5 years since, the books are so much better than the movies, although I do love the movies.

I like sending them everyday, as long as that okay with you? I've never participated in anything like this is I've had a lot of fun!

Those are good picks, I've been rly wanting to watch dr who and Scott Pilgrim too! TBOSAS is SO GOOD, genuinely, like it's amazing, have you read the book? I watched free reign years ago when it first came out and now I see so many people watching it cause of Freddy and I'm like....

ANYWAY, as for today, I was wondering who are your favorite singers or bands? and what is one singer you hate?

✨❤️🎄

xoxo,

your secret santa

hiii sorry for the late reply today has just been kinda shitty (had a breakdown to wcs but hey) but thankfully it's pretty much over for me lmao. if you have spotify they have a full audiobook of good omens on there, it's where I listened to it!! it's even narrated by the cast of the show so that's even better

of course you can send them everyday, I loveee getting asks!! just don't feel overly pressured to, I don't want you to feel bad if you miss a day <3

I LOVED the tbosas book, I got it a few months after it first came out in 2020 and reread it a while ago, it really shows just how complex snow's character and inner monologue is and I find that sooooooo interesting, also yes I want to watch free rein just for the bit LMAO

hmmm other than taylor I also largely listen to gracie abrams, maisie peters, halsey, boygenius + their solo releases, fall out boy, olivia rodrigo, paramore, lorde and mcr, and as for an artist I hate the first name that comes to mind is k*nye west (for obvious reasons), what about you?

[ixirian-archive]

its clear from looking at your profile that you like the character of charlie emily in the fnaf books a lot, why is that? i hear people complaining about these books, i would be interested in hearing a positive perspective on an aspect like this.

This turned out to be a longer answer than I thought, sorry about that! Wasn't sure if you were asking about the novel trilogy or books as a whole, so I answered both

Tldr at the end

There are 3 fnaf book series out there, and the novel trilogy is generally considered to be one of the better ones (at least the first book the silver eyes, is). Imo it's pretty solid for the most part (though the 2nd book suffers from what i call the "middle child curse" of falling a little flat and being less liked than the others) and the twist at the end with Charlie is better if youve read it yourself and got to watch all the minor odd details about her and the things around her build up to that point. As for why I like her specifically, I couldn't really give you a solid answer? She's relatable to me in some ways, and honestly sometimes I just like a character a lot more than others for no real reason other than I just do-this happens a lot lol

only thing I dislike is how her existence as a robot is misunderstood by half the "so and so is actually a robot" theories, because like the whole thing about her was that she wasn't actually possessed by the Charlie who died, but was a doll given life by Henry's painful emotions (think of those kids stories about toys who were loved so much that they became alive, but in a sad and negative way)

In general, when it comes to people complaining about the books, there are fair criticisms of them, but a lot of them I've noticed are from people who clearly haven't read them or even looked at a proper summary (some people even take shitposts at face value and its very strange to me)

I totally get some things like them starting to complicate things or important stuff being put there other than the games, but other things, like decrying a whole novella series because of like 2 or 3 weird individual stories, are just kinda....eh

When it comes to the books themselves as, well, books, imo the novel trilogy and Tales From The Pizzaplex have the strongest writing as a whole, while Fazbear Frights was fun but also just kinda felt like they kept throwing shit at the wall to see what stuck. TFTPP has a lot of interconnecting details between stories making it feel more grounded in its own world, while the novel trilogy is more fleshed out and gives you more time to get attached to every character involved + exploring the characters of Henry and William more

the best way I see it is to look at the books yourself and just judge that way, because you can't experience them 2nd hand like you could by watching a YouTube let's play of a game-most libraries should have the books for free and I believe the youtuber Ozone does audiobooks of them? So you still don't really have to buy them to experience them (though buying 3 of those novella books is cheaper than buying security breach once)

Tldr; a lot of the time I see people who havent read the books at all complaining about them, + a lot of people like to treat every single one as all bad because of like 3 weird stories out of....a lot, which imo isn't quite fair? Best to experience them yourself, which you can do for free with the power of libraries! Anyways that should be it for what I have to say, once again I'm sorry for being so wordy it just has a tendency to happen with things I like

[bookwyrminspiration]

Hmm, if you want some good audiobooks to listen to, May I suggest some of my personal favorites? Please not that these are much shorter and more childish than what I think you usually read, since I don’t read a lot of ‘adult’ books. But I like them and I want to make people read them too.

(Also, not sure if you are aware or no, but I know that a lot of audiobooks are on YouTube for free, specifically the Sherlock Holmes and Rick Riordan books. If you want.)

-⚙️

I’m totally open to suggestions! From you and anyone else, at all points in time. In all genres—though I do generally prefer fantasy/sci-fi, but I also branch out from that.

Also, I do know that YouTube has some audiobooks; I’ve listened to a couple myself. The reason I’m doing things the way I am, using the Libby app (which is also free), is that in the process I get to support my local library, and I can download the audiobooks much easier. Which is important because I’m listening to these while driving when I don’t have WiFi. Just better aligns with my goals in a simpler way, but I appreciate you making sure I know!

But! My point is that yes, I’m open to book suggestions regardless of whether they’re adult or not. I’m just looking to fill driving time with something more personally entertaining :)

[solatgif]

TGIF: Roundup for June 17, 2022

Hanley Liu and P. J. Tibayan were featured speakers at the 2022 SBC Pastors’ Conference! Preaching from Colossians, Hanley proclaimed The Supremacy of Christ Over All Things and P. J. exhorted us to Discern and Deny Christ-marginalizing Ideas.

Our Asian American Leadership Conference recap video is now on YouTube! Photos can be found on Instagram, and you can find more on the conference website. Videos of our main sessions and special interviews are coming soon.

Our monthly newsletter features our most popular resources. Read it now and join for free. Check out my Asian American Worship Leaders Facebook group and TGIF Playlist on Spotify. You can reach me on Twitter and Instagram.

We thank God for TGC, SOLA, KALI, and the inaugural Asian American Leadership Conference! Watch our recap video on YouTube.

Articles From Around The Web

Deborah Netburn: Q&A: Talking about the Southern Baptist sex abuse scandal with Pastor P.J. Tibayan

P. J. Tibayan was interviewed by the LA Times and linked to his SOLA article: An SBC Pastor’s Response to the SBC’s Sexual Abuse Task Force Report.

Faith Chang: Come, He Needs Nothing From You

“This is a tender, holy, freeing truth. That he who made all things, owns all things, and doesn’t use his creation to supply his needs. Rather, he is ever the gracious Giver, ever the joyful Benefactor in our relationship, the Source of life itself.”

Daniel K. Eng: Why and How I Preach Without Notes

“Remember, it’s not the lack of notes that counts. For sermon effectiveness, it’s the principles behind this practice that make a difference. Fellow preachers, let’s work at our craft so that God can change the lives of our hearers.”

Follow us on YouTube to stay connected with us! Interviews, podcasts, conference messages, and more. You can also find us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Books, Podcasts, Music, And More

9Marks: On the History and Usefulness of Puritan Paperbacks

The Puritan Paperback books from Banner of Truth are timeless classics. Listen to this new 9Marks Pastors Talk episode featuring Jonathan Leeman, Patrick Daly, Ligon Duncan, and Nick Roark.

Crossway: Full Audiobook: ‘Why Should We Love the Local Church?’ by Dustin Benge

Dustin Benge—an associate professor of biblical spirituality and historical theology at SBTS—urges Christians to embrace the church—the holy assembly of God’s redeemed people—exploring the many things that make the church “lovely” in God’s sight, despite its shortcomings.

Aaron Lee: Related Works

Book Reviews: The Air We Breathe by Glen Scrivener, 12 Things God Can’t Do by Nick Tucker, He Will Be Enough by Katie Faris. Listen to our TGIF playlist on Spotify. Join my Asian American Worship Leaders Facebook group.

Check out our Family and Relationships collection, featuring 9 of our most recent articles. Thank you for supporting our work at SOLA Network!

Featured This Week On SOLA Network

Daniel K. Eng: Choose For Yourself: Joshua’s Message for Dads

“God is calling those who influence their homes to lead with conviction and courage. The Heavenly Father, from whom every family derives its name (Ephesians 3:14), deserves all loyalty and worship.”

Tom Sugimura: Fathers, Lead the Way: Reflections Before Father’s Day

“Fathers, you will have no greater joy than leading your children to Jesus and bringing them up as his disciples. This is successful parenting: To dedicate your children to the Lord, then teaching, training, and guiding them on the path that they must walk.”

Karisa You: A New Year’s Love Story: Sharing Christ’s Love with International Students

“God calls us to play a beautiful role—teaching others about Christ and being His hands and feet to a world where He seems invisible. We share about Jesus and love people through generosity and sacrifice, but God alone has the power to change hearts.”

Hannah Chao: Addressing the Southern Baptist Sexual Abuse Scandal

“We encourage you to read both articles to get a better sense of what is happening in the SBC and how we can pray for our brothers and sisters in the faith.”

TGIF: Roundup for June 10, 2022

Like & Subscribe for a Chance at Eternal Life / Fighting Evil with Evil in the Multiverse of Madness / Letters from Lockdown: A Shanghai Pastor on Pandemics and Persecutions

General disclaimer: Our link roundups are not endorsements of the positions or lives of the authors.

[empressofdiamonds]

How do you fix your bad spleeping schedule?

Three reasons you probably have a shit schedule, if you're a normal girl:

You likely have shit electronics hygiene. You look at screens way too late into the evening, likely till 5 min before bedtime. Or you go beyond your scheduled bedtime watching tiktok videos or YouTube stuff.

You likely have shitty sleeping habits. Bedtime changing everyday, waking up at noon because you went to bed at 6am, and so on.

You're drinking cafein drinks in the afternoon and/or the evening. I don't care if you say you can't survive without your study coffee, this is lame and not "quirky".

There's no magic recipe, you have to accept that your habits are mediocre and need to be changed to finally see some actual healthy changes. Those habits are actively hurting you and setting you back on your ultimate goals, directly or indirectly. Admit that you have a shitty electronic device hygiene. Admit that you sleep at wack hours. You have to do a complete overhaul of those three habits:

No screens till 1 hour before bedtime. Anything at all. Nothing at all. Don't fucking lie to me and yourself that you'll "just check the time" buy a goddamn clock or a watch. This rule should be applied completely and without any kind of exceptions. If you want that healthy glow, perfect focus, good mood, you know you have to do this. No amount of tea or coffee is gonna fix a shitty sleep schedule. Get it together, girl.

Same bedtime, same wakeup time, every SINGLE day. Even on weekends. If you have a outing/party/gala/whatever special, try to respect that bedtime, and if you can't, not more than a few hours beyond your bedtime.

Switch over to decaf or herbal drinks in the afternoon and evening. If you drink cafein in the afternoon, there's still some cafein in your body by bedtime, even if it's a small amount, it is going to disturb your sleeping habits. Cafein is antithetical to sleep, dot final. I don't care if you NEED cafein to fuel your study sessions, you gotta get that under control because SLEEP is essential to your STUDIES too!

Fix these three things, keep at it for 2-3 weeks, and if it still doesn't works (I would be surprised to be honest), come back.

A supplemental video if you want to understand better the third point:

[blindbeta]

I have a question! Thank you for existing I deeply appreciate it. I was wondering if it is possible for a blind person to be able to read by learning the shape of raised letters, rather than braille. I ask because I have a situation in which it is reasonable that the blind character would know this, if possible, and the person they are travelling with is completely illiterate.I thought it might be interesting if the seeing character could describe the letters, or find a way to texture them so the blind character could tell them what something says. I have done a great deal of research for this character, but this is the one part I can't find a clear answer for. Thank you very much.

Good question, nonnie.

The short answer is, maybe? It would depend on the time period and location of your characters.

Since you want both characters to read, I’ll assume this culture has a formal writing system in place and values written communication.

A Brief History

In order to address this, allow me to offer a brief history of Braille. Because what you’re describing is exactly what happened in France before Braille was invented. This informative video summarizes it pretty well. Here is the text version of the video. The video mentions the embossed letter or raised type method of reading that was used at the time. It was difficult to read and the letters had to be very large in order to be understood, making it harder to read words and sentences. Reading must have been very slow.

According to this page on the National Braille Press website, reading this way required slowly tracing raised print letters. To write, one had to memorize the shapes and try to create them on paper, although they could not read the results.

Creating books was even more difficult. According to this page, [quote] “teacher Valentin Haüy made books with raised letters by soaking paper in water, pressing it into a form and allowing it to dry. Books made using this method were enormous and heavy, and the process was so time-consuming that l'Institution Royale des Jeunes Aveugles, or the Royal Institution for Blind Youth, had fewer than 100 of them when Louis Braille was a student there.” [End quote]

Braille books are already notorious for taking up several volumes. Large print books are only a little better. Textbooks used in schools take up several shelves to translate one print textbook.

Individual use and traveling with these things must have been impossible for the everyday person, even if you were a student.

Also, in this video by blind YouTuber Molly Burke, at the 9:05 time-stamp she answers the question: why don’t we raise print letters for blind people? She explains that it took too long to read and is not as efficient as Braille.

In the interest of time, I’ll try to keep this brief. The transition from the raised print letters to Braille was not a smooth one.

In 1826, first embossed letters published in English was James Gall’s triangular alphabet. Read about it and other systems here.

Another source says Gall’s writing system was introduced in 1831. The system did not gain much popularity outside of Endinburgh.

According to this page: [quote] “In 1832 The Society of Arts for Scotland held a competition for the best embossed type. There were 15 entries but Edmund Fry’s alphabetical system of roman capitals triumphed. Shortly afterwards John Alston began printing at the Glasgow Asylum for the Blind using a slightly modified version of Fry’s design. “Alston type” proved popular and inspired similar forms across Europe and North America.” [end quote]

None of these really caught on outside of certain areas.

In 1821, Charles Barbier was invited to the Royal National Institute For Blind Youth in Paris to demonstrate his Night Writing invention, which was developed for soldiers to read in the dark. It was too difficult to read and so was not used by soldiers, nor did it end up being used by the blind schools. However, a young Louis Braille was in the audience and was inspired.

In 1825, Braille thought he had figured out a good system of writing.

In 1829, he published the first Braille alphabet.

1834 - Braille is invited to Exposition of Industry in Paris, which extended the popularity of the Braille system.

1846- a school for the blind in Amsterdam starts using Braille’s system.

In 1852, Louis Braille dies.

1854- Royal National Institute For Blind Youth officially adopt Braille as official system after fighting it for years.

Because Braille didn’t take hold as quickly in Britain, the British and Foreign Blind Association, all of whom were blind, voted in 1870. They decided Braille was the best system. Braille quickly fell into use all over the world with the exception of the United States. By 1882, the embossed letter system was over.

In the U.S, from 1868-1918, the New York Point system was used. American Braille (developed by a blind teacher named Joel W. Smith) was also used from 1878 to 1918, when the U.S switched the standardized English Braille.

Would Your Character Know Raised Type?

Remember how I said you might be able to do this depending on the time period and place?

If you have French characters, you can used the raised type method as you described in your ask if the story takes place before, probably, 1825. It would be reasonable for your character to know the raised type method if they had attended a blind school before the Braille method was adopted in 1854. Between roughly 1829 and 1854, the French blind character attending school would know about the Braille system and probably complain about their school not teaching it despite Braille himself teaching there.

Similarly, they could used raised type depending on where the story is set, when the character attended school, and what system was in place at the time. If the story is a fantasy, you could make up a history similar to what I described above, although it would be important to have schools for the blind and have Braille or the equivalent be created by a blind character.

Remember that your blind character needs to learn the raised type method if you want them to use it.

If Braille would be available in real life (such as a more modern setting), I would prefer a blind character use Braille instead. Which is why I tried to offer alternatives that were historically justified.

I don’t feel very comfortable with a blind character having to use a raised type method rather than another system, because Braille literacy is declining nowadays and something about learning a raised type method over Braille (or other system, depending on where you set the story and what they were using at the time) doesn’t sit right with me. Your character doesn’t have to use Braille specifically, but I would rather they use the system that is available to blind people at that time. For example, if your story is set in the United States, it would be fine to use American Braille or the New York Point, depending on the time period.

If your story is modern, blind people can usually read raised print letters on signs, such as for the bathroom. In fact, a lot of people who can’t read Braille get by this way. However, keep in mind that we have screen-readers and audiobooks now. People aren’t reading entire texts or even many words with this method.

As for other countries, I tried my best to research what places, such as Japan, used before Braille. For several reasons, including the European-centric search results that keep coming up over and over again, finding the correct information is proving difficult. In some cases, previous methods may have unfortunately been lost due to colonization. It is important that we acknowledge that.

I feel that it would be easier to leave the research up to you since you know where you want to set your story and your own personal background, historical knowledge, etc.

Keep in mind that not all blind people in the world had access to formal education, depending on the place, time, their social class, etc. If you want your blind character to know how to read, you’ll need to find or create a setting that allows for it.

Generally, I would prefer blind characters use methods designed for blind people, whatever that happens to be in that time or culture. Prioritizing the other characters’ needs and having a blind character learn raised type over Braille when Braille actually exists in the story doesn’t work for me.

Like always, I suggest having more than one blind character in the story to avoid tokenism. Also, since your character is going to teach another character, be sure to show your blind character’s needs and goals as well.

I hope this helps. Feel free to message me or send another ask. I am not a historian and so if anyone wants to correct anything, such as dates, or provide any relevant knowledge, please feel free. I tried my best with this question. I would be grateful for help if anyone has more information!

-BlindBeta

[the-dragongirl]

Hello tumblr. I have returned from a long period of inactivity, because I must bring the good word to the corner of the Star Wars fandom that used to be my main fannish home: there is a new era of Star Wars canon that was made just for our taste. It is called the High Republic.

WHAT IS THE HIGH REPUBLIC?

The High Republic is an giant multi-media project being carried out by the Lucasfilm story group to create a brand new era of Star Wars canon. It is set a few hundred years before the prequel era (so, a long time after the Old Republic era), in a period of peace and stability within the Republic. It currently includes several English language adult novels, a YA novel, two serialized comics, a manga, some short stories, and some short video blurbs published on facebook and youtube. A TV show for Disney+ has also been announced, but is a few years off. This project is unique in Star Wars, in that all of the different parts are being written together by one writing team, and are coordinated to tell a cohesive story. Also, what has been announced is just the beginning – they have stated that there will be three different sections of the High Republic, and everything we have had announced so far is just part one. As a note: this is an era for which there was NO pre-existing canon in Legends, so it is totally new territory.

OKAY, THAT’S NICE, BUT WHY SHOULD I BOTHER TO CHECK IT OUT?

There are SO many reasons why the High Republic is worth your time to explore. I will try to outline some of them here below the cut (without any significant spoilers).

IT IS A LOVE LETTER TO THE JEDI

This is the era for everyone who loves the Jedi and wants to understand how they got to the point they did in the prequel era. It shows Jedi at their best: saving people, working together, being completely in tune with the Force (in so many beautiful and original ways), demonstrating creativity and flexibility and being rewarded for it, actually thinking through the ethics of things like the mind trick, and DEALING with their emotions rather than repressing them. It shows us how the rigid Jedi culture was saw in the prequels was a corruption of something that was originally healthy and uplifting. Jedi in this era are allowed to be flawed, and to grow, and have a community that supports them in doing so. This is the Jedi culture so many of us created as fix it fic for the prequel era, but made canon.

IT IS AN ERA OF HOPE

There are some serious problems in the High Republic Era. Without spoilers, the era opens with a terrible humanitarian crisis, laid over the Republic equivalent of the New Deal from US history.  We see a lot of examples of people doing their best to be good to each other, and working for a more just and kind galaxy. They acknowledge that things are not perfect, but people from many different backgrounds (Jedi, politicians, farmers, pilots, business people) work together to try and make things better. I don’t know about you all, but with the darkness we see in the world today, I NEED some of that optimism in my escapist media. The High Republic provides that.

IT WILL GIVE YOU FEELINGS

The existing material so far is structured to really let you emotionally invest in the characters and their struggles. Unlike with many eras of Star Wars canon, characterization is not sacrificed for the sake of plot (though never fear, there is PLENTY of plot). That means there is huge scope for empathy. I’m not going to lie; I cried within the first three chapters of Light of the Jedi, as did several other people I know. It is POIGNANT in a way that feels truly genuine.

IT IS FUN

The writing team understands that, in the end, Star Wars is space fantasy. If your space fantasy is nothing but serious, gritty grimdark, it becomes pretentious and unbearable. So, for all that there is some heavy content in the High Republic (VERY heavy content – the Nihil should really have their own content warning), it has many moments of levity that keep it from taking itself too seriously. For example, the High Republic made Jedi bodice rippers canon. Also, characters like Geode exist (yes, that rock there is a CHARACTER). The result is something which honors the spirit of Star Wars, and keeps you engaged without being tedious or ridiculously depressing.

THE WRITING TEAM HAS DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES

The main writing team consists of five people: Justina Ireland, Claudia Gray, Charles Soule, Daniel José Older, and Cavan Scott. You will note that includes two people of color, two women, and one out Queer person (in fact, one of the writers is all three of those things). This is a far cry from the white-cis-straight-man-dominated writing teams we have seen in the past. And when they bring in other people to the project, they make a point of looking for perspectives that aren’t represented on their team – for example, the manga is being co-written between Justina Ireland and Japanese writer Shima Shinya, and Ireland has stated in interviews that Shinya is taking the lead on the writing.

IT VALUES MEANINGFUL REPRESENTATION

That diverse writing team means a cast that looks WAY more like the real world than any other era of Star Wars we’ve seen, in terms of representation. There are multiple characters of color, who are both heroes and central to the story. There are at least five canonical queer characters to date (a MLM couple, an Ace character, and two NB character).  [EDIT: Thank you @legok9​ for letting me know about the NB characters]. Among binary gendered characters, there is a very even balance of men and women. The writing team has also stated that they will be incorporating more representation of disability in the works to come. And the story is so much better for it – representation is included here BECAUSE it makes for more creative, believable, and original storytelling.

IT IS ACCESSIBLE

Because of the multiple formats, and the fact that it doesn’t rely on you knowing any prior lore, the High Republic offers many avenues to engage for people with all kinds of needs. Know nothing about Star Wars canon and feel intimidated about catching up? The canon is all new in this era anyway, so you’re fine. Can’t handle flashing lights? No problem – the little bit of video content that exists is totally free from the strobing effects that caused seizure and sensory issues. Need purely audio content? You can still have a full experience of the High Republic with the gorgeously sound-scaped audiobooks. Don’t have the attention span for books or long movies? Then the comics are your friend.

THERE IS SOMETHING FOR ALL

Between the books aimed towards adults and teens (and their respective audiobooks), the kids books, the comics, the manga, the short stories, AND the eventual TV show on Disney+, there is going to be content in the High Republic that suits most audiences. And that is just what has been announced so far – there is still more to come for phases II and III. This isn’t Star Wars written towards one group or demographic – it is Star Wars for everyone.

DID I MENTION THE FANCY JEDI UNIFORMS?

Because cosplayers and fanartists? This is the era for you. We are getting Jedi in silks with elaborate gold embroidery. Jedi with jewelry other decorative elements. Even the practical field uniforms have tooled and embossed leather. If you want to draw or make Jedi that have some of that that sweet LoTR-esque high fantasy aesthetic, the High Republic has your back. (Not going to lie – I am ALREADY imagining the time travel AUs. Put Obi-Wan in fancy clothes!)

OKAY, YOU’VE SOLD ME. WHERE SHOULD I START?

I strongly recommend everyone looking to get into the High Republic (who is old enough to be on Tumblr) start with Light of the Jedi by Charles Soule. I alternated between the physical book and the audio book, and found it delightful in both formats. After that, you have a lot of options. You can read or listen to the audio book of the YA novel A Test of Courage by Justina Ireland. You can check out the currently running Star Wars: The High Republic comic from Marvel, or the Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures comic from IDW. Or you can skip straight to Into the Dark by Claudia Gray. Honestly, there is no wrong order to try out most of the High Republic.

IN CONLUSION

The High Republic is Star Wars written for people who DON’T want Star Wars to be a good ‘ol boys club for salty white dudes who don’t want to see anything but more of Luke Skywalker. It offers broad representation, and optimistic narrative, and whole bunch of awesome Jedi content. If you are someone who fell in love with Jedi in the prequel era, the High Republic will give you more of what you loved. And if you are totally new to Star Wars? The High Republic is here for you too.

So, go check it. And then go write fic for it (please, there are only, like, 14 fics on AO3, I am dying).

[bestmobileapps]

Top 10 Popular Android Music Player Apps (Streaming & Offline) that every Android user must-have on their Phone

Top 10 Popular Android Music Player Apps (Streaming & Offline) that every Android user must-have on their Phone

We seem to have been able to listen to music using pocketable devices for ages.

It wasn't always from our smartphones, and we used to have dedicated MP3 players, Ipods, and Walkmans for on-the-go music listening.

But it was something that people did, and it has been since Walkmans were popular in the 1980s.

However, almost any phone nowadays allows you to install your favorite music streaming service and even save some tracks on its internal storage.

But if you're looking for something a little more powerful and advanced than just what comes with your modern smartphone. Then this article is a must-read for you.

I'm here with another curated selection of the popular Android apps to provide you with something that focuses entirely on music playback and streaming. Here are some of our top selections for the popular Android music player apps 2022. This is going to be an excellent one, with anything from simple music player apps or music streaming services that allow you to play your locally downloaded music and even apps that do both.

"I noticed many users comment, ‘I don't enjoy streaming my music over the internet, and I don't want any fancy features that will slow down my phone, take up valuable space or resources, or consume my valuable internet data extremely quickly." "All I need is something to play my Music  files.’ that is why I also add offline or local music player apps as well in the list”

 #1 Spotify  

Spotify is continuously at the top of our popular music player app list, and for a valid reason: it is one of the best music streaming apps available right now.

I have so many good reviews about Spotify that it's difficult to keep them all straight. It's my favorite streaming service for a reason.

You can use the app to play locally stored music as well as stream music from the web, making it the only app most users would need on their phones.

Spotify is available in both free and paid versions and includes a bunch of features as well as simple but effective features such as an incredibly large library, amazing suggestions based on what you listen to and what's popular in your area, and support for podcasts, which very few music streaming apps include.

Google Play Store Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.spotify.music

#2 Muzio | Music Player - MP3 Player 

If Spotify isn't your thing, one of the most well-known alternatives to other branded apps like Apple Music and YouTube Music is "Music Player - MP3 Player" which might be a better fit.

Music Player - MP3 Player has undoubtedly more beautiful and modern UI and way more unique, powerful and advanced features than Spotify, YouTube Music, or any other music app. 

This app exceptionally enhances your music listening experience by multiple times. It allows users to listen to PODCASTS and AUDIOBOOKS as well.

Advance Equalizer and Sound Booster, Reverb Effect, CrossFade Support, and Music Virtualization, Themes, Screens, and Skins customization, Smart Music Cutter and Ringtone Maker, Intelligent Drive Mode, Smart Sleep Timer, Advanced Audio & Video Codec Supports (Play any audio or video file on the go), Smart Live Lyrics and Lyrics Auto Synchronization, LAST.FM Scrobber, Integrated YouTube Player, InBuilt Powerful Video Player (perfect MX player alternative), High-Resolution music playback and sound output,Missing Album Arts Download and many more useful features and tools are available for free in this app.

The only drawdown of this app is that it can only play music or video files that you already stored or downloaded on your android smartphone's local/internal storage. but still one of the most perfect music player alternatives for your default player or any other music player or media player apps. It offers both free and paid versions.

Google Play Store Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.shaiban.audioplayer.mplayer

#3 Deezer 

Another option is Deezer, which has a feature set extremely identical to Spotify, down to the number of features available in the Premium version, and it also has an ad-supported free version.

Both are relatively decent, with features such as downloads, suggestions, and a great collection of music and podcasts to choose from.

If you're looking for one of the best music player apps available, this could be a contender to Spotify and Muzio.

Google Play Store Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=deezer.android.app 

#4 Tidal Music

Tidal Music has an advantage that only a few other streaming services have: it offers lossless audio. It will face competition from none other than Spotify, which just announced the launch of Spotify HiFi.

Tidal Music pioneered the concept of streaming lossless music, and getting CD-quality music without owning CDs or downloading FLAC files is quite awesome.

Once we get passed the lossless element of things, Tidal Music remains a tempting package with access to a supposedly 70 million music collection.

We believe it is one of the biggest music player apps on the market due to the lossless quality, which is ideal for audiophiles.

Google Play Store Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aspiro.tidal 

#5 YouTube Music

YouTube, the digital video network, is regarded as "the king of free apps" since it provides access to a massive library of media, including music.

However, YouTube Music, while employing the same platform like YouTube, is entirely different.

The biggest part of the YouTube name is that all of your favourite music from the past is carried over, so you can easily indulge in nostalgia. 

The premium tier nullifies advertisements and grants access to features such as background playback. 

The free version, however, leaves a few items to be desired, so if you aren't ready to pay, you should choose a different alternative from this list.

Google Play Store Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.youtube.music

#6 Musixmatch

Musixmatch has long been a well-known app, not just because it functions as a standalone music  player for playing back locally downloaded tracks, but also because it provides additional functionality to other apps.

It focuses on live lyrics and does an excellent job of it. It allows you to play locally downloaded music and displays the lyrics to whatever you're listening prominently.

Don't you have any locally downloaded or stored music? Then, using something called FloatingLyrics, you can use it to display live lyrics on apps like Spotify. It's one of the most versatile and excellent music player apps on the market.

Google Play Store Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.musixmatch.android.lyrify

#7 Apple Music 

We're still amazed Apple made Apple Music available on Android after all these years. It's unquestionably among the best music player apps for Android. 

To gain access to this service, you must pay a monthly membership of $10 for an individual package, $5 for students, or $15 for a family plan, which allows you to share your subscription and Apple's massive music collection with up to six people.

It even has Apple's new lossless audio function, so with the correct hardware, you can enjoy high-quality audio with Apple Music on your Android phone.

Many people blindly promote Spotify to everyone else, but I tried Apple Music for a few months and found it to be a really attractive bundle as well.

Google Play Store Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apple.android.music 

#8 iHeartRadio

iHeartRadio is not your typical streaming app; instead, it focuses on streaming something a little different - radio stations!

In this regard, it is more akin to listening to AM or FM radio than to streaming music. So, if you prefer doing things the old-fashioned way, this is it. 

It is, as the name implies, a radio streaming app where users may listen to a variety of stations based on their unique preferences. It features radio shows, podcasts, news, and sporting events. AM and FM radio stations are also included.

The best part is that it is completely free!

Google Play Store Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.clearchannel.iheartradio.controller

#9 Shuttle Music Player 

I have another alternative option for users who do not wish to listen to music online.

Shuttle Music Player is a good alternative to your default music player if you have locally downloaded music.

It doesn't get much easier (or, thankfully, any more complicated) than that. It has folder browsing, tag editing (for altering MP3 tags), and, most notably, Modern Design. 

It keeps things simple and precise, which is why it's on this list of the popular music player apps for Android.

Google Play Store Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=another.music.player

#10 PowerAMP 

Last but not least PowerAMP. We couldn't do a music app roundup without mentioning Poweramp.

Poweramp is, well, an ugly duck when compared to the other apps on this list. But appearance isn't the point. The whole purpose of this app is to perform above its design.

It supports a variety of codecs, high-resolution audio when the device supports it, and inbuilt 64-bit processing, and that's only a sampling of the things Poweramp offers. It truly is that good.

If you can look past the app's basic UI and pay a one-time fee for the full version.

Google Play Store Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.maxmpz.audioplayer

Conclusion

If you're into streaming, you can't go wrong with any of the big names.

Spotify and Apple Music provide a relatively similar list of features as well as costs.

Deezer and Tidal are also decent alternatives in this category, while iHeartRadio keeps things old school by letting you listen to actual radio stations.

Don't want to listen to your music online?

Then Muzio | Music Player - MP3 Player is a better choice compared to Musixmatch and Shuttle Music Player but they both are also excellent choices.

Check them all out and let me and others know which one is your favourite in the reply and comment section below.

[unravelingthepages]

Do You Follow?- Book Review

Hi! Do You Follow? by J.C. Bidonde is a psychological thriller that captures mental illness. It’s a relatively short read and one I really enjoyed. This was the first book I have listened to as an audiobook and the narrator did an amazing job of portraying the different characters and emotions. I definitely think I’ll be listening to more audiobooks in the future!

The Plot/Summary

Alexa lives a sheltered life with her widowed father, feeling stifled by his helicopter parenting. When she secures a marketing job and apartment in New York City, much to her father’s and therapist’s concern, Alexa has high hopes of finally sneaking her way into adulthood. But her newfound freedom is cut short when her estranged twin sister Beth, after a long stint in a psychiatric setting, unexpectedly shows up at the doorstep of her tiny apartment.

Alexa too has spent time at the Weinstein Center. But she’s determined to lead a normal life now and soon begins to date a YouTuber client. According to Beth, something isn’t quite right with Curt, but Alexa shrugs her clingy sister’s warnings off. It’s Beth who’s crazy, after all… As the sister bond grows strained over Alexa’s relationship and career success, questions mount and secrets unfold, revealing the wickedly dark shared history of the twin siblings. What exactly happened when the twins were only nine that set this vile trajectory in motion?

Things only get more complicated and one treacherous act threatens everything Alexa has been working toward. It will be on her- and Beth- to claw the way out of this situation.

Book Review-

This book gets a solid 4 stars from me and I definitely recommend it! Starting the book, it was a bit too ‘normal’ I guess you can say. We kept getting hints as to a huge secret throughout the first half which let me to feel like the secret was going to be a letdown. But what I got was amazing and so unexpected. I got literal chills up my arm hearing it (at which point I realized it is probably not the best idea to listen to a thriller at 2 a.m. in the dark). The writing style was really great and I loved that you get both Alexa and Beth’s perspectives. I especially liked Alexa’s therapist- he was such a great character! It would have been an easy 5 stars had I not found the first half a bit mundane and unthriller-like? but that is easily overlookable considering the book itself is pretty short (less than 250 pages).

All-in-all, a great read set in today’s world. I have a few questions but then again, some things are better left to speculation. It’s easy to follow and one with a great twist. It’s one I would recommend to you!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley was the free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

“A room without books is like a body without a soul.”

[rigelmejo]

Dude I was on the language learning forms as I do sometimes, and someone was lamenting the lack of Chinese content to immerse in (watch, read etc). And how it was hard to find and they didn’t have this problem with Japanese what should they do?

Well. 1. I get their frustration on one level, as I do think Japanese content is so much more mainstream to watch in English speaking countries (at least anime and Japanese video games), that trying to find content in a language where it’s harder to just find content right on Netflix or from a friends recommendation does bring up a new challenge. Whereas with Japanese, probably you could accidentally stumble onto it or have a friend recommend you something, then at least explore deeper with some idea of what you liked/where to start finding it.

However. The person also sort of thought the lack of content was due to Chinese just not having as much content or as interesting content. Again I’m going to assume their key issue was just - it can be a new challenge finding media if you have a harder time just starting.

Because lol?? Chinese has SO much content. Like as far as language content on the internet alone??? Chinese has been eons easier to find than Japanese for me, and in terms of sites I actually use regularly is much closer to my experience of English online (there’s so much Chinese content online... so much... an incredible amount... like in chinese I’ve even found free movie watching sites FOR shows in English - like the way I find sites in English to watch Chinese shows IN chinese lol! Like you can use English to search for Chinese stuff, and literally do the reverse to find English stuff, there is so much Chinese stuff... I found more stuff in Japanese using bilibili in chinese than I could find of Japanese using YouTube In English). And Chinese drama land is HUGE it feels as active as American television, so you have endless genres to dive into and companies and actors and writers etc (there is a distinct lack of sci fi though as far as I’ve seen, but to be fair america isn’t making a Ton of sci fi compared to like Detective shows either - it’s just English speaking sci fi has had some more good ones in recent years). There is no lack of Chinese content out there. There’s audiobooks, dramas, audio dramas, talk shows, radio, fanfiction, novels, fanart, manhua, sites to find other stuff, forums, weibo, search sites, just a lot?? Like, if you think Japanese has enough internet content then there is an adequate amount of Chinese content on the internet too lol. You just may have to do a touch more initial exploration.

I just. Thought the assumption “can’t find media means their media sucks” was funny. Because also? I have not found that to be true. I know very little about Thai media. I just happened upon SOTUS cause of a friend talking about it. So like someone watching anime conveniently - I got into it. It was good, so I dug, and found a lot of amazing Thai shows (and some I didn’t love cause lol genres all have a mix of quality depending on show etc). There IS a ton of amazing Thai shows that exist right now. But if all you ever found was SOTUS? While it was great when I saw it to me, once I found more I realized there was a LOT better stuff. So like if you see one cdrama on Netflix (if that’s how you first easily find the media), that does not mean all shows will be that quality or anything like them! And just cause it’s the first one you found doesn’t mean they’re all like that ones quality.

Like I had a similar experience with jdramas growing up, so I get it. I was into anime, saw some (trainwreck) live action adaptations. And as a teenage just blanket assumed all Japanese live action media was gonna be around that quality. And then in recent years, I checked out some Japanese live action media - to see if new stuff was better. YEAH IT SURE IS (and I would imagine some old stuff was great I just gave up after one not-wonderful one lol). SO MANY AMAZING jdramas exist now! Even the ones I most feared would not be great - live action adaptations of anime’s? They’re so much better now, some of them are genuinely loved in their own right as standalone live actions. So like. One not-great show experience is NOT representative of the entire plethora of shows available and their quality. Now that I’ve realized how MANY good jdramas I missed out on? I have so much catching up to do ToT

2. If you’re in this boat of “content seems hard to find, so I feel like there’s none or no good stuff” what to do?

First ask some friends for recommendations?

Check Netflix, Amazon, YouTube (YouTube has a ton of cdramas), Viki, iQiyi app. Like how some people get into anime, maybe you just need an easy conviennent show in your recommended to get into more content.

Check out rec channels on YouTube like Donghua Reviews and Avenue X to hear about some shows and figure out the kinds of ones you’d even want to check out (I imagine other languages also have review channels like for kdramas).

Go to MyDramaList.com. Search genres you like, read recommendation list posts. if you’ve seen a show at this point already you can look it up and see in the “Recommended” section what other dramas are like it, you can see it’s genre tags to see WHAT genres you even seem to like. Use this to start DIGGING and finding stuff you might really like. Since like with anime, you’re only going to find the most popular stuff at first just based on Netflix or friends (which might not match up to your personal tastes as well as finding stuff that Is more your favorite genres).

Try out new stuff. And if it sucks, you don’t like it? Drop it, learn that about yourself, start another new thing. You’ll figure out what you like and dislike pretty fast (like I personally hate bad pacing or bad writing specifically characterization, and I can notice when the specific things I love are gonna be in a show pretty fast).

Check out genres specific to that language’s media. Because if it’s new to you, you might not know if you even like it or not, and if you like it then which things you personally prefer in it (since even within a genre there will be wildly different content and feels). For Chinese this might be wuxia, xianxia, palace dramas, costume dramas, republican era dramas, tomb raiding dramas etc.

*That’s how it worked for me, SOTUS led me to the bl drama fans, eventually they recommended Guardian so bam I guess I was learning chinese, YouTube recced me more cdramas from there to continue with, and mydramalist.com helped me find other shows with actors I liked from guardian (and other bl related shows which led me to Go Princess Go of all things for the bi lead), and that site helped me find more genres and shows I’d like, as well as friends continuing to rec things. Didn’t take long to figure out what I liked, didn’t, and to start noticing what upcoming stuff I’d probably be excited for. And now there’s so much good stuff found I don’t have enough time lol.

As for non show media: use shows as the jump off point. Just like using “easy to find shows” can be used to break into finding more shows. Once you have a show you liked a lot - look up it it’s based on a book, if it has an audiobook, an audio drama, a manhua, a donghua. Chances are it DOES have some of this stuff, because cdramas do a PRETTY regular amount of the time. Often cdramas have all or nearly all of these other story types. So jump into those, then find more novels or audio drama or manhua etc by branching off from the one you liked to others like it. Novelupdates.com is good for doing this with novels (it has a recommendations section), I imagine manhua sites have rec lists too, ximalaya starts recommending stuff once you’ve listened to a few audio on it, etc. And if you get into fandoms of those x media types, those fans will start recommending more too. And again, even if you just stick to media related to shows you liked - so often shows have so MUCH related media that would definitely keep you busy. (Like I didnt wade into non-show connected novels until I looked up more novels as recommendations afte show-related novels, like MDZS and Guardian leading me to SVSSS and 2ha and Can Ci Pin which at the time had no show adaptations, and then eventually found just-novel rec lists - which is still the main way I find fanfic).