The Raven Colony: Voran's diary

[Voran]

I figured since Ripock likes to keep one, why not join in? Probably better than posting umpteen new threads every time I have one of my creativity binges.

Today I retuned my baritone back to normal tuning. The D string didn't like being cranked up high, and the other three strings didn't like being dropped too low.

Sometime when I don't need to save money for other things, I'll get a second baritone and put a modified string set on it. I would like to keep the octaved-down 'Voran tuning'.

Right now, I'm not bothered that it doesn't work with this set of strings. I rather enjoy having something new to explore and learn.

 

[uketorik]

Looking forward!

 

[Voran]

Must admit my poor baritone has come back to life. I had fun this morning just strumming some songs and yelling my face off.

Someday I think Imma get the bari version of my luxury Snail tenor, and put specialized strings on it. I DO want to keep my old repertoire.

 

[Tin Ear]

How about adding meal / cooking commentary like Ripock.

 

[Voran]

How about adding meal / cooking commentary like Ripock.

It's not really my thing but if people WANT to know...Hey, why not.

Today my lunch was quiche that my mom brought me, and a can of Red Bull.

 

[Voran]

In other news we have tons of thunderstorms lately, which I love. I know it's childish but I looooove storms. Lightning makes me giggle like a silly toddler.

 

[Blank Williams]

In other news we have tons of thunderstorms lately, which I love. I know it's childish but I looooove storms. Lightning makes me giggle like a silly toddler.

I’m 34 and I still find thunderstorms exciting. I even get excited at the extremely slim chance of seeing a tornado (a strange fascination of mine).

 

[Voran]

Eyeing up a 8-stringed ukulele. As soon as I can move some money Imma get one, I think.

 

[ripock]

Storms are cool, but people make too much of them. people use them too much as a metaphor. A lot of the conspiratorial elements in the U.S.A. have slogans like "the storm is coming" and my response is "oh my! I suppose I better stay in this evening and play cribbage with my woman and let the storm pass." I don't think that's the response that the stormy revolutionary conspiratorial elements of society had in mind.

And my hopes for this thread is an insight into the creative process. I try to do that in my parallel thread and give a birds-eye view of my methodology on music. I would love a Raven's point of view of Voran's creative process. As a bonus I would like some food entries because Voran isn't going to be young beautiful and broad shouldered forever; she'll need to start taking care of herself and fueling herself eventually and I am avid to learn how that is done. Okay, the last thing isn't really essential but I think we all want to know how the songs are created, from what depths does Poseidon emerge. Sometimes that's too personal and too intimate and not ready for public disclosure, but anything will help us.

 

[Voran]

Okay okay, I'll post my supper! Stir fried vegetables with sea salt and olive oil this evening. I have also ordered myself some blueberry flavored protein powder because I'd like to gain a bit more muscle. My lower back is doing better but the ol' quadratus lumborum could use a bit more building up.

I don't really have methodology. Songs either turn up in my head or they don't. I think some form of mania plays a part too. I can't write music when calm. I'm annoying as hell when on a creativity binge. Loud, hyper, a giant bouncy overgrown child. I even overheat a little.

Sometimes my songs show up during REM sleep. I heard a really cool folk song in my dreams once and I'm still annoyed I can't retrieve it. I remember the chorus went 'And I shall ride the towering Percheron far away over the moor'; the verses are gone.

 

[ripock]

Have you ever tried pea protein? It has that 'green' flavor that chlorophyllic flavor. If you can accept that flavor it is really easy on the innards unlike some of the whey-based products. And for added cheap protein, I have been coating my vegetables with egg before throwing it in the wok.

 

[Voran]

The one I got is indeed pea protein!

 

[Voran]

Since people explicitly asked to know what I have for dinner...

Today I'm having leeks, peppers and mushrooms stir fried and coated in scrambled egg. Going rucking later so threw in 2 eggs even though I wasn't that hungry. I dread the hill lol. I haven't exercised in 2 weeks due to a lower back injury...I'm ok now but probably unfit as hell.

 

[Voran]

Went rucking with my 75lb pack today. My lower back held up. Some tension and knots, but my injury is better.

 

[Renaissance-Man]

Hi Voran,
I'm here to help commence your diary. I was wondering if Voran is your given name, or just your forum name.

A 75 lb rucksack is hard-core!

 

[Voran]

Hi Voran,
I'm here to help commence your diary. I was wondering if Voran is your given name, or just your forum name.

A 75 lb rucksack is hard-core!

It's my forum name, but I do prefer to go by Voran.

Yeah I'm trying to regain fitness after turning into an utter couch potato in my late 20s.

 

[Voran]

Might go back to a series of novels I was working on soon.

I had the first draft of a whole trilogy done in late 2021...

And then the Russian invasion of Ukraine happened, and it just...hit too close to home and I didn't want to go near my writing after that.

Seemed selfish and wrong to write about a 6ft 8in female mountain warrior running about laying waste to her enemies...I'm neither tall, strong nor have any military skills, I can't go get rid of the Russians in real life.

There was a scene in particular where my fictional warrior queen carried out a raid on the underworld and let out the young conscripts killed in a recent war. She did it partly because she genuinely cared, and partly because she wanted to piss off other members of her parliament who she felt were overly privileged and out of touch with reality. And that scene just feels like a giant mockery now because I can't actually do that. I can't actually go get into a fight with an eight-headed dragon and retrieve all the Ukrainians killed in the last year.

 

[Voran]

Went rucking today. I get smiles and waves from the workmen at a nearby construction site now. I appreciate the positivity, but it makes me sad how grateful they are to see someone who isn't rude to them/doesn't launch complaints about nothing.

Yup. It is that bad.

I was on a hike past that site recently and one of them came out looking oddly anxious, asking if there was a problem. I said no, I was out hiking to get fit and I'd just stopped to sip a can of Red Bull. He immediately relaxed and explained to me that people often turn up at the construction site to launch complaints.

I don't know why. These guys are building a sewerage plant to keep human poop out of the bay, ffs.

Yall wanted to know about my meals, so: Today was a cheese bake with olives and onions that mom made for me.

Also Red Bull. Of course. I do not simply have adrenal glands, like a normal person. I have winged creatures with talons, fangs and a life of their own.

 

[Voran]

I bought a self defense device. Basically a small handheld LRAD. Not the best idea for someone still getting over lingering damage from an inner ear infection, I admit. A siren that is loud enough to give a serial killer or rapist vertigo is also loud enough to give yourself vertigo, but the idea is you yank the cable out and then run. It's one of the few things you can legally have in Ireland.

It has...changed my psychology in a weird way. I feel a bit arrogant and stupid but also I'm oddly being kinder and more smiley.

I'm being nice to people just to be nice, not because it's after dark and I'm out on a walk far from home and they're bigger than me. I'm having a respectful conversation with a man just because, not because he weighs 200 lbs and might thing I'm being sexual if I'm too friendly.

 

[ripock]

I live in a less than savory area and I carry a tactical whip. It is a piece a metal cable about as long as your arm with a handle. The cable has the diameter of about a finger but it hurts like hell without killing the assailant...unless of course you focus on delicate parts like the head. I always wear a sportscoat so I just slide it up my left arm and conceal it and if confronted I just pull out a cubit long piece of metal rope and it is game on.