Scalyfreak loses herself in the music, the moment

[Scaly Freak]

Just in case this thread is visited by anyone who is not in the habit of frequenting the Warrior guild:

 

Hi. I'm the scaly freak. SF or Scaly, if you want to shorten it. Nice to meet you.

 

I have recurring boss fights with demons who insist on following me around, mainly Procrastination, Stress Hydra, and Self Sabotage, right now. Self-Indulgence has been tentatively domesticated, which basically means we have reached a truce and agreed that we both are more likely to get what we want if we work together. I usually write little story wannabe segments in my challenges, because I like writing.

 

All that said, I'm taking a break from the story and the boss fights for this short and special little challenge. I need to reevaluate whether the work-related stress in my life actually is stress, or if I just believe it is, because it used to be, and my brain is stuck in pseudo-panic mode and can't grasp the possibility that things change. So for these three weeks, I'm going to stop trying so hard, relax and enjoy the little things in life and live in the moment. I will look to the three Sidekicks for inspiration, since pets are naturally geniuses at living in the moment and enjoying it.

 

And there will be music, because it feeds the soul and makes for more happiness just by existing. There will probably be daily themes, since I stream music everywhere I go all the time. 

 

We'll start with the thread title track, and follow it with a couple of other masterpieces by the same writer. And these are the uncensored versions, so considering this your NSFW warning. (It's Eminem. There is cussing, and it's there for a purpose. Removing it dilutes the lyrics, and the message, and takes away from the art of it.)

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Harriet]

8 hours ago, scalyfreak said:

All that said, I'm taking a break from the story and the boss fights for this short and special little challenge. I need to reevaluate whether the work-related stress in my life actually is stress, or if I just believe it is, because it used to be, and my brain is stuck in pseudo-panic mode and can't grasp the possibility that things change. 

 

Yay, maybe it's time to downgrade the stress reaction. All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well. I think so, anyway.

[fitnessgurl]

[WolfDreamer]

Thanks @scalyfreak. I totally read your challenge heading in Eminem's voice. 

 

I'm here to support you and cheer you on in whatever way I can.

[TGP]

hey Scaly

 

nice to bump into you! I think we joined NF at just about the same time and its been a fun ride.

 

Demons are such a familiar way to describe what goes wrong for me.  they ruin everything!

so sometimes, NOt having a plan is a real sneaky way to defeat them.

 

just creep by them and head towards the goal.  no stress, just "be" in the moment...

 

 

[Stronkey Kong]

Yeah. I'll be around.

 

Umm... we're gonna listen to more than just Eminem... right?

[Scaly Freak]

38 minutes ago, Chris Tarly said:

Yeah. I'll be around.

 

Umm... we're gonna listen to more than just Eminem... right?

 

Are you trying to imply you are not enjoying my choice of music?

 

And yes, we are, but what exactly that means, you'll have to wait and see.

[Stronkey Kong]

12 minutes ago, scalyfreak said:

 

Are you trying to imply you are not enjoying my choice of music?

 

 

I'm on the fence with Eminem. Not sure if I could handle wall to wall Eminem, my sister did that during highschool... plus I know we have a bit more common ground in musical tastes.

[Jean]

You had me at Eminem.

 

I'm here for the empowering songs, the relaxing and the enjoyment. It's too cold for the Hydra to show its heads, let it hibernate and us have fun.

[h3r0]

Live your flow. I'm loving it. 

[Aquarii]

Here for the music!

 

16 hours ago, scalyfreak said:

All that said, I'm taking a break from the story and the boss fights for this short and special little challenge. I need to reevaluate whether the work-related stress in my life actually is stress, or if I just believe it is, because it used to be, and my brain is stuck in pseudo-panic mode and can't grasp the possibility that things change. So for these three weeks, I'm going to stop trying so hard, relax and enjoy the little things in life and live in the moment. I will look to the three Sidekicks for inspiration, since pets are naturally geniuses at living in the moment and enjoying it.

 

I struggle with identifying when something is causing stress and when it is my mind creating stress because it is use to it, so I particularly like this part of your challenge.

[Harriet]

35 minutes ago, Aquarii said:

Here for the music!

 

 

I struggle with identifying when something is causing stress and when it is my mind creating stress because it is use to it, so I particularly like this part of your challenge.

 

I'm not usually confused about this because it's always my mind creating stress. With the exception of that one time with the actual real lion. 

[Aquarii]

1 hour ago, Harriet said:

 

I'm not usually confused about this because it's always my mind creating stress. With the exception of that one time with the actual real lion. 

 

This sounds like an opening to a good story...

[Scaly Freak]

2 hours ago, Aquarii said:

I struggle with identifying when something is causing stress and when it is my mind creating stress because it is use to it, so I particularly like this part of your challenge.

 

I made a comment in my previous challenge thread, that I feel like I have reached the stage of the Game of Life where the monsters who were boss fights at earlier levels now are regular dungeon mobs. Unfortunately my brains hasn't caught onto this change in difficulty levels and reacts to every single encounter as if it's a boss fight. My brain needs to be re-calibrated to the new reality that I have leveled up, and I am now mightier and more powerful, and I can farm these suckers for experience and gold if I want to.

 

While I do that, it's time for music. In honor of the music discussion in @Harriet 's thread the other day, today's theme is old school power metal. (See, @Chris Tarly? Nothing to worry about.) I'm also going to tag @Tanktimus the Encourager because he likes Sabaton.

 

Badass guitar riffs and heavy drums behind the spoiler tag.

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

I do like them indeed. 

[Harriet]

1 hour ago, scalyfreak said:

 

Badass guitar riffs and heavy drums behind the spoiler tag.

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yassss. I have now saved several playlists onto my phone and will be able to listen during the week.

[Aquarii]

8 hours ago, scalyfreak said:

 

I made a comment in my previous challenge thread, that I feel like I have reached the stage of the Game of Life where the monsters who were boss fights at earlier levels now are regular dungeon mobs. Unfortunately my brains hasn't caught onto this change in difficulty levels and reacts to every single encounter as if it's a boss fight. My brain needs to be re-calibrated to the new reality that I have leveled up, and I am now mightier and more powerful, and I can farm these suckers for experience and gold if I want to.

 

I love that you are addressing that. I feel like outside of discussions on trauma, people really don't focus much on, or talk about, behavioral/habitual/remembered emotions. It is amazing how easy it is to feel stress (or any other emotion) about something, simply because we always have, and not because the thing is actually still stress-inducing. 

[Scaly Freak]

17 hours ago, Aquarii said:

It is amazing how easy it is to feel stress (or any other emotion) about something, simply because we always have, and not because the thing is actually still stress-inducing. 

 

I am gradually discovering how much of my stress was caused by my own brain, out of sheer habit, and it is both eyeopening and disturbing. 

 

So I am distracting myself with symphonic metal, as opposed to power metal, tonight. And tonight tagging @Harriet, @Whisper , and @Tanktimus the Encourager . 

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

And I had to add this because this is one of the best live performances of all time, any genre, by everyone on stage: 

 

 

 

[Defining]

I dunno if you've ever encountered this before, but:

 

 

Which effectively suggests that how we view stress can actually change how our bodies react to it.

 

 

On 12/4/2019 at 1:02 AM, scalyfreak said:

I need to reevaluate whether the work-related stress in my life actually is stress, or if I just believe it is, because it used to be, and my brain is stuck in pseudo-panic mode and can't grasp the possibility that things change. 

This is an awesome example of self-awareness; understanding that what you're perceiving may not quite be reality anymore. Kudos, that stuff is tough to spot!

[h3r0]

I was jamming out to Alien by Airways today and thought of you. Ha! 

[Red1263]

I'm here to follow the Scales...

 

... did, did you catch that? Scales? As in music?

 

🤣... ok I'll see myself out. 

[Scaly Freak]

12 hours ago, Defining said:

I dunno if you've ever encountered this before, but:

 

Which effectively suggests that how we view stress can actually change how our bodies react to it.

 

I haven't encountered that particular concept before, but several challenges ago (around Easter, I think?), a talk I listened to in my meditation app introduced me to the novel idea that my anxiety is not my enemy. It's just a sign that a part of the instinctive portion of my brain is severely confused.

 

Essentially how anxiety works for me, is that my brain perceives something very stressful, like a new big project at work, and my flight-or-fight response immediately kicks into extreme overdrive and reacts as if the t-Rex from Jurassic Park just kicked in the door in search of a snack. The fact that I'm not actually in danger makes no difference to my anxiety, and since there is no big hungry carnivorous dinosaur to run from, all that adrenaline and subconscious terror turns inwards and gives me severe digestive problems, insomnia, lacking attention spans and failing short-term memory, and an irrational rage at everything that is annoying, which is everything and everyone. The secret to living a relaxed and happy life that is not controlled by all this anxiety, is to learn how to live with it without being controlled by it. To accept it as just another part of me, like my blue eyes or broad shoulders, and to figure out how to use all that adrenaline and sharp energy for something productive.

 

In one of video game franchises that is providing a lot of the music for today's post, this is how pyromancy works. It is a flame that you internalize, and it can consume you if you lose control over it. If you embrace the flame on the other hand, and nurture it as the precious treasure it is, the flame becomes a great ally that aids you in battle for the rest of your life. I liked this imagery so much I adopted it for my anxiety., and then I did challenge themes around studying pyromancy to harness the flame.

 

It works for me. I have a better handle on my relationship with The Flame. I am gradually lessening the seething internal damage it causes when life does something that triggers an anxiety event, and since it works, I'm cheerfully going to continue on this path. I have noticed what the video talks about... when my mind handles stress with more calm, all the symptom I listed above are lessened.

 

6 hours ago, h3r0 said:

I was jamming out to Alien by Airways today and thought of you. Ha! 

 

Of course I had to go find that and listen to it after you said that. It's oddly appropriate, all things considered.

 

5 hours ago, Red1263 said:

I'm here to follow the Scales...

 

... did, did you catch that? Scales? As in music?

 

🤣... ok I'll see myself out. 

 

If you ever want to switch allegiances, the Warrior Guild will welcome you warmly. We value pun skills far more than we care about lifting abilities.  

 

Now... to the music! 

 

Video games themes. Initially inspired by the Final Fantasy talks with @Red1263in the Festivus thread,  and further validated by the video @Defining posted about anxiety.  Since a couple of these games are new enough statute of limitations on on spoilers might still apply, there will be no boss themes or Final Battle themes. Instead we're going for opening themes, closing credit themes, or just the main theme if that was a good one.

 

I'm posting the above disclaimer because the best music in the FROM Software games is by far in the boss themes, so if you were hoping for one of those,now you know why they're all missing. 

 

And since one of the games was a trilogy, we have six videos today.  

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Harriet]

48 minutes ago, scalyfreak said:

In one of video game franchises that is providing a lot of the music for today's post, this is how pyromancy works. It is a flame that you internalize, and it can consume you if you lose control over it. If you embrace the flame on the other hand, and nurture it as the precious treasure it is, the flame becomes a great ally that aids you in battle for the rest of your life. I liked this imagery so much I adopted it for my anxiety., and then I did challenge themes around studying pyromancy to harness the flame.

 

It works for me. I have a better handle on my relationship with The Flame. I am gradually lessening the seething internal damage it causes when life does something that triggers an anxiety event, and since it works, I'm cheerfully going to continue on this path. I have noticed what the video talks about... when my mind handles stress with more calm, all the symptom I listed above are lessened.

 

I adore this metaphor. It also reminds me of Quake aka Sky aka Daisy, who first does herself harm by trying to suppress her powers, before learning to set them freeee (and smash things).

[Red1263]

First of all, I'm glad I put video game music in your head

 

Secondly, I'm very happy that you have found a metaphor to help not only face your anxiety, but to utilize it in a way that benefits you. 

 

And third, although I do plan on lifting weights in the future when things settle, I've always been a mixture of a monk and an assassin. Do body weight exercises will be my main focus. But you've found yourself another loyal follower, scales! My puns are at your service

[Broba Fett]

On 12/4/2019 at 9:23 PM, scalyfreak said:

My brain needs to be re-calibrated to the new reality that I have leveled up, and I am now mightier and more powerful, and I can farm these suckers for experience and gold if I want to.

Preach.  I love that outlook.