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Hello! I do not really know if I am an audiophile or not, but one thing to be certain about is that I always want the best quality I can get. Exploring headphones and the concept of audio itself is more than enough to make me happy for hours. I have used the Philips SHP9500 and the DAC X6 MKII since 2020 and I feel that I need to make an upgrade, which leads to why I have questions about some popular options.
I am the type of person that is more inclined to soundstage, imaging, separation, clarity, and immersion.
Not a basshead, but I do appreciate albeit of bass for fullness.
I really love it when mids are present and whole, but I do not not like it when vocals or instruments are too close or intimate and I actually prefer them to sound farther away from me but not too far away to the point they sound weird or really unnatural.
I do adore the crispiness, detail, and airiness of the treble; however, I absolutely do not like it to be too sibilant and harsh as it makes the listening experience really fatiguing.
I do not like it when the sound gets really messy and confusing, that is why I prefer a really wide soundstage, good imaging, good separation, and detailed audio but with the factor of immersion so that it does not feel completely boring or dull.
I have also tried the HD560S with the Fiio K5 Pro and the Apple Dongle DAC; I used M4As, some FLACs, and YouTube (I know, YT may not be the best, but even with it, it sounded awesome). Not that hard to drive and pretty sensitive; really immersive on some tracks and treble (for me) is finally enjoyable.
I played some electronic, synthwave, and other songs as well.
Songs:
Emotion - Pastel Ghost
Prism - Pastel Ghost
Shadows - Pastel Ghost
Possession - Pastel Ghost
Faded - Alan Walker
Faded (Interlude) - Alan Walker
After Dark - Mr Kitty
Thinking About You - R3HAB and Winona Oak
Midnight City - M83
Sun Goes Down - Robin Schulz and Jasmine Thompson
I am also aware that the AKG K702 requires a powerful amp to bring out its fullest potential. I will use the cans for basically anything that requires audio (music, gaming, films, mixing, etc.).
I cannot also test the AKG K702 given that demo units and even main units are extremely rare to find in my country.

All that aside, these are my questions. Thanks for reading as well!

What are the other Sennheiser headphones that have a wide and immersive soundstage? (except for the HD800)
Is the entire Sennheiser 6xx line intimate-sounding?
Is the HD560S mid-fi or hi-fi?
Is the HD560S a big or great upgrade over the SHP9500? What are the most notable and biggest differences and improvements?
Is the HD560S worth it? Is it a long-term investment? (not related to price) (in terms of sound quality and other competitors)
I actually wanted the AKG K702, but it is just so rare in my country to purchase. So, is the K702 similar sounding to the HD560S or are there notable and bigger differences and improvements that I do not know?
Am I missing out if I pick the HD560S over the K702?
How immersive is the K702 compared to the HD560S? Can the HD560S be on par with it?
Which is more durable, the K702 or the HD560S?
Are there any analogies to compare the K702 and the HD560S?
Is the K702 massively better in each regard compared to the HD560S?
Are there any other good alternatives in the AKG line? (K612 Pro, etc.)
In terms of price, is upgrading from the 9500 to HD560S worth it?
Are the 9500 and the HD560S very similar in every aspect?
I know it is too much of a question, but based on the given info, which do you think I'll enjoy more, the K702 or the HD560S?
Maybe a dumb question, but will the HD560S sound like the 9500 after prolonged use?
Should I go for the Fiio BTR5 or the Topping NX4? (applies to all pairs of mentioned headphones)

Sorry if I have too many questions!

Thanks very much! Deeply appreciate it!

I posted this as a comment in another recent post but I figured I'd throw it in here in case there was interest. If you study this PLEASE feel free to add on and correct me, I just spent a few hours on this topic so I am nowhere near an expert and it was a STRUGGLE to find good sources.
Hello! I'm here to cobble together a messy answer to the question of crate popularity in the US because I like research but hot DAMN there are just no good histories of dog training not hidden behind a paywall or buried somewhere DEEP on the internet! So here goes my mix of evidence and speculation:
Dog training as a concept really took off in the US in the 1900s starting first with the military it seems because of course it did. Now bear in mind that it seems that the crate and transport methods for dogs had been around generally in the world for a decent chunk of time. The Victorians were breeding for aesthetics and the first dog show was in 1859. The crate was officially patented in the US in 1902 which lines up with victorian breeding and showing trends and also the use of dogs later in the war efforts. The first dog training manual published (according to the main source I'm using which is the most comprehensive I've found though I cannot fully vouch for the efficacy of) was by Conrad Most in 1910.
Conrad's book was a manual for training military and police dogs, you can still purchase it I believe though I do not intend to. To my knowledge, I am uncertain whether or not a crate was mentioned though my guess would be that travel would be an essential part of training for military and police canines so it's not out of the question. Two things to keep in mind here at the shift into the next phase of this history: one is that Pavlov conducted his famous experiment in 1897 but he was Russian and I have no timeline as to when his theory reached the US, B. F. Skinner wouldn't run his experiment at Harvard with the box until the 1930s and he did it with I believe pigeons and rats. The other is that the Alpha Wolf theory was published and became popularized in 1947.
Dog training for dogs as companions started to take off after the wars which, in my mind, fits with the sort of wholesome "white picket fence" image of the 2.5 kids and a dog that the US was adopting around that time. The dog migrated to being more indoors and a pet as the workforce started moving away from the purely agricultural use of dogs. I'm not sure if this is precisely the period where dogs shifted to being pets in the US but it's my own approximation and my brain is a little spent from the couple of hours I just spent researching. The first dog training manual for dog trainers in the US was by Blanche Saunders in 1954. I don't have the book but I don't think her training necessarily involved a crate.
The first definitive mention of "crate training" that I managed to find after clawing through all the research was Milo Pearsall's book from 1958. I don't have the book but of all the trainers it seems that he was the one who actually mentioned it in his manual. Now, he sucks IMHO, his methods were focused on punishment for bad behavior as were Saunders and other trainers before them. It seems like a lot of the training that really clicked in the US was centered around positive punishment (the addition of a bad thing to stop a dog from doing something). So with the rise of dog training for companion dogs piggy-backing off of military training my guess is that crate training had been a regimen used for military dogs in some way and then was adopted with a broadened scope in the later years.
So now here is pure speculation and informed guesswork. With the piggy-backing off of military training and the harsh punishment focussed training of the 40s and 50s, the crate probably developed into a regulation and punishment tool. Plus with house training now beginning to be needed the crate probably became a good way to stop your brand new puppy from peeing and pooping all over the floor. Dog training in the US seemed to "discover" classical conditioning in the 80s where I would guess the crate became a more "benign" tool for regulating dog behavior. Additionally, I would also imagine the framing of a crate as a "den" would encourage people more to utilize it. Since dogs do display "denning" behaviors when left to roam freely it would make sense that people would compare the two. To be clear, I don't really think of a crate as a "den" if the dog is not choosing it. Plus it could be argued the house is the true "den" but that's semantics.
I can't say precisely why crate training was so popular in the US but I'm certain it has to do with the way the crate as a tool can seamlessly transition from a negative approach to a positive one. I think it also has a lot to do with cultural approach to the home and how it is managed. Personally, I "crate trained" my dogs to not panic in a crate as it's important for travel and medical visits. But during the day they have the whole downstairs of the house to themselves. I know many people find it incredibly helpful for house training. There are a lot of people who push back on negative perceptions which is completely valid, it's a tool for training. But I do cringe when I hear people talking about crating their adult house-trained dog for 8 hours a day 5 days a week. Not every dog has to have full run of the house to be happy but personally, it's difficult for me to believe any creature would be happy for that long in a really confined space.
Anyway, if you made it this far, thank you for validating this brief and intense hyper fixation.
Main Source: https://naiaonline.org/articles/article/the-evolution-of-modern-day-dog-training#sthash.ayKc1fw2.FIlHa0VN.dpbs

Ember played with the boys on the floor, their hands reaching for him. Pouring over the files of the latest security breach on our magical borders, my eyes fell on Alex playing with his new friends outside. Waving at me, Jack embraced me from behind. Kissing the top of my head, it felt as if something big was going to happen today. A tender blush rose to my cheeks, my hand cupping his face.
“We need to raid an outpost today. Hopefully we can get information on the main headquarters.” He informed me warmly, biting my neck. Drinking his fill, my crippling anxiety stole any joy it normally would have given me. Missions like these frightened me, every cell in me wanted to turn into a raven and fly away for the day. Finishing up his breakfast, he set down an armored filled dress with leggings. Salford whispered something in his ear, sliding him a pair of car keys. Rising to my feet, I took my new outfit to our bedroom. Changing quickly, the dress felt heavy on my frame, the leggings seemed to be lined with chain mail. Pulling my hair into a ponytail, I ran into Jack on the way out. Embracing me lovingly, the keys dangled off of his fingers. Feeling his simple black suit, a light armor lined it. Chewing on my lips, our friends waited for us in matching black armor.
“We are ready to go.” Raven announced proudly, my eyes falling on Salford. “Salford said that he was going to watch the boys.” Adjusting their backpacks, weapons clanged in their bags. Guilt gnawed at me, the concept of putting them in danger sickening. My lips parted in protest, Raven raising her finger.
“We are coming. Those bastards killed my family and they are going to pay.” She asserted firmly, pulling her hair into a ponytail. “Besides, I want to back my friend up.” A deep sadness haunted her eyes, my hands cupping hers. A gentle but broken smile dimmed her features, silent tears staining her cheeks.
“I appreciate it and I apologize for not being there to stop it. I ruined everyone’s life by not being there.” I choked out shamefully, bowing my head. “I failed you and everyone else. I will make it up to you guys, I fucking promise you that.” Grabbing my shoulder, her other hand lifted up my chin.
“You were busy doing your own shit. I heard you showed up, girl!” She chatted pleasantly, my shaking fingers wiping away her tears. “You have a place where humans and monsters get along with ease. Have you been sleeping? You look like hell.” A deadpan expression appeared on my face, her last comment ticking me off slightly. Brushing it off, Jack cleared his throat. Placing me on his back, he carried me to a delivery van. Hopping off of his back, I let myself in. The Tainsworth twins sat in the front with their armor on, Raven climbing in with Ruby. Messing with her curls, Raven basically sat on top of her. Adjusting my bell sleeves, the leather hugged my slender arms. Oppressive silence hung between us, Ruby refusing to look at me. Folding her arms across her chest, something needed to be said. Choosing not to say it, the time passed horribly slow. The van screeched to a halt, Jack pulling me into a hidden compartment. The door squeaked open, heavy footfalls echoed in the back.
“Who are you?” A gruff voice demanded, Ruby speaking up. Clearing her throat, her voice tone seemed rather bitter.
“We wish to join your ranks. I can’t stand vampires, especially their fucking queen. She could die for all I care.” She snapped hotly, truth oozing from her words. “She is hiding somewhere in this van.” Horror rounded our eyes, her betrayal striking us in the heart.” Opening the compartment hiding us, she took a step back. The hunters slapped handcuffs on us all, Ruby grinning evilly ear to ear. Wicked laughter rumbled in her throat, her head cocking back.
“I have been working with them the entire time. There is no information, just the home of your executions.” She gloated sensually, the twins cursing in her direction. “I am not even a teenager. I am a witch who has been alive for centuries. Can I tell you a secret? I am the leader of the hunters. Everyone else was just a puppet.” Sighing with satisfaction, she circled us. Tears welled up in my eyes, Raven sobbed softly next to me. Pulling a gun from her pocket, Ruby shot her in the head. Time slowed, the twins crying out. Emptying her gun into them, a broken wail burst from my lips. Their bodies dropped forward, ruby dripping from the holes in the middle of their foreheads. Jack twitched darkly next to me, my mind officially broken. His bangs hid his eyes, his claws extended from his fingernails. Unlocking his handcuffs, he pretended to get madder as he worked on mine. The metal clanged to the ground, Ruby’s eyes widening with terror. Tears blurred my vision, my scythe sliding into my eager palms.
“You fucking bitch!” I screamed vehemently, pacing back and forth. Reapers held their souls in their palms, all hope of saving them was gone. “You are going to pay.” Shrugging her shoulders, she leaned forward.
“How pathetic for the queen to lose her cool so quickly?” She taunted cruelly, Jack fumed dangerously next to me. “You can’t damage me. You can kill this body and all I have to do is find another one. Angel of darkness! Kill all of my hunters and give me their lives.” The hunters holding us hostage dropped to the ground, thousands of white glowing balls flowing into her. Panic gripped my face, reapers burst from the ground surrounding her. Death himself popped up next to me, one raise of his hand stopping them.
“I am going to bring these souls to Heaven. Take her out.” He commanded urgently, the balls floating into a worn leather sack hanging off of his wrists. “They are all dead. You did all that you could. Good luck.” The last ball of light floated into the sack, a snap of his finger signaling his disappearance. The three of us remained, a ball of shadowy energy building in her palm. A low hissing noise echoed around us, the delivery truck fading to the base of a dead twisted tree. Violet grass danced around me, a chill running up my spine. Gripping my scythe tightly, rage mixed with depression. Sauntering out from behind the tree, a single wave of her hand sent us a couple of yards away. Gone was the armor she wore, a tight leather number hugging her body. Violet needles rested in between her fingers, dead man’s blood dripped onto the grass.
“I suppose you want to hear about my tale and why I am doing this?” She mused with a wicked chuckle, licking the blood off her hand. “I have a bomb ticking away. The lovely thing will release a virus that will kill all of the monsters in the world. Humans will be infected with a magical mind control. Don’t worry about your friends. I killed them because they were annoying me. Do you know how hard it was to pretend to be friends with you and arrange your fucking role? I made a deal with your father to kill you. How did you like the little bonfire?” Wanting to charge at her, Jack held me back. Raising my scythe into the attack position, the corner of my lips curled into a snarl.
“You freaking bitch.” I growled through gritted teeth, leaping into the air. Raising her hands in the air, thousands of needles floated behind her. Flicking her wrists, the rain of needles tore through my body. Jack would die, my boots pushing off the branch. Covering Jack with my body, the needles struck me instead. A burning sensation coursed through my veins, inky sludge pouring from my eyes. Cracks lined her face as needles struck the tree, an idea coming to mind. Jack trembled underneath me, his eyes falling on the blackened veins coursing lining my porcelain skin.
“Shoot her in the hands. She can’t throw her needles if her wrists can’t move.” I wheezed, coughing up blood. Dragging him behind the tree, my chains blocked the needles heading towards Jack. His hand quaked, his bullets hitting everywhere but the target. Lining my free arm up with his, my hand steadied his.
“I can’t!” He protested with wet eyes, his mental state beyond repair. “My friends are dead. My friends are dead! She used to be my friend!” Shimmering teardrops crashed to the grass, the grass darkening to an inky black. Confusion dawned on his face the moment I held his gun underneath his eyes. Teardrops flooded the chamber, my hand guiding his hand to the level of his eyes. Getting behind him, I clicked the safety. Aiming for her palm, a quick yank sent a blackening bullet up her arm. A wave of relief washed over me the moment her needles glitched, the muzzle of his gun aimed for her other palm. Pulling the trigger, the bullet shattered her other arm. Dropping to her side, cracks echoed in the air. The cracks on her face had deepened, my attention turning towards her tree. Swinging my scythe into the tree, her shrill shrieks filled the air as flames raced into the center of the tree. Water snaked around their branches, my chains clinking their way around the thick trunk. Mouthing a silent spell, the needles floated out of me.
“Water from my heart! Flames of the Dead! Chains from my master! I call upon thee to burn the tree down, drown it from the inside. Choke the shit out of it.” I ordered sharply, each word hurting. “Final spell, turn my blood into venom for a witch.” Raising my right hand, a bell rang the moment the tip of my scythe made contact. Closing my fist, the needles dug themselves into the tree. Flames devoured her skin, cold water filled her lungs. Chains snaked up her body, a sea of fiery orange coloring her skin. My vision blurred, Jack snapping out of his paralyzed state. Raising his gun, a bullet whistled into the tree. The bullet being the last thing we needed, the tree decayed to dust along with her. The dimension crumbled away, my legs giving out. Leaning against the destroyed van, fresh tears flowed freely at the sight of our dead friends. Jack picked up one of their backpacks, his tears soaking the top of the bag. Pulling out a medical bag, he ripped out a needle filled with milky liquid. Jamming the needle into my leg, the effects of the venom dying down. Pressing my ear to the ground, an ominous ticking echoed in my ear. Tick, tick, tick! Feeling around the dirt, a metal door clanged underneath my hand. One look in Jack’s direction, he understood. Spinning the rusty handle, he lifted up the door. Gathering the rest of my strength, I popped in. Shutting the door behind me, the lock sealed my fate. Jack protested outside, the top refusing to budge, my heart sinking at the only option. The only way to stop the bomb was to set it off in a dome, the spell caster having to be in the center of it. Praying that my reaper side would keep me alive even Jack had to know that he didn’t stand a chance. Using my scythe as a walking stick, my feet moved with adrenaline. Sniffing the air, the sweet smell told me where to go. Limping through the twisted concrete halls, my breath hitched at the orange angry metal ball. Taking a deep breath, the image of my dead friends and that town I called home flashed in my mind. Pushing through, I sank to my knees. The last of my power built around my hands, a sad smile haunting my face the moment I placed my palms on the surface. A water dome glittered over me, reaper’s flames reinforcing it. Channeling the rest of my flames into core, the metal rattled violently. Preparing for the worst, a giant raven folded its wings around me.
“I will protect you no matter what.” Dr. Death promised warmly, his energy providing me safety as the chemical blasted everywhere but us. “Dissolve the poison.” The colorful particles lightened to a snow white, everything hitting me at once. Ruffling my hair, he disappeared back into my mind. Jack sprinted in, his shattered expression speaking volumes.
“I am so sorry I couldn’t save them.” I blubbered uncontrollably, falling to the floor. “I don’t deserve you. You should just k-” Rushing over to me, he clutched me desperately to his chest. Tears flowed freely, neither of us able to move. Laying back, the clarified chemicals reminding me of snow. A tortured wail burst from my lips, my quaking fingers clinging to his jacket. Saphiro and Hazard skidded to a stop, their faces dropping at the sight of us. Shaking our shoulders to see if we were alive, gracious grins brightened their features at us breathing. Their words faded in and out, a rough darkness enveloping me in it’s sea of madness.
Jerking awake, an eager Alex and Hazel hovered by the white hospital bed. Covering my eyes from the blinding lights, their arms embraced me from either side. Eloise smothered Jack in love, his numb expression matching mine. Bursting into tears, their smiling faces taunted me. Holding me tighter, his words faded in and out. Jack screamed for everyone to leave him alone. Kissing Hazel on the head, Alex dragged her out. Walking over to my bed, his little sister sulked out. Crawling in next to me, his head rested on my chest. Wail after wail burst from his lips, my slender hands being the only thing comforting him. These were his friends and now they were gone. The fault was all mine, guilt eating me raw from the inside. Hours passed like this, him going numb then screaming with raw emotional agony. Swinging his feet over the edge of the bed, he tugged on his boots.
“Are you coming?” He asked hoarsely, offering me his hand. “We need to go home and raise our family.” Accepting his hand cautiously, he yanked me to feet. Placing me on his back, the look in his eyes begged for me to rest my head on his back. Walking into the hall, he ignored the pleading nurses. Saphiro blocked his path, his depressed smile not helping the situation. Tugging anxiously on his navy vest, my mind chose to focus on the midnight black blouse underneath his vest. Clearing his throat, clammy sweat drenched his skin.
“Come with me.” He begged kindly, Jack seconds from saying no. “Please. I have a couple of things to show you.” Caving to his request, we walked for a solid ten minutes to the cemetery. Three caskets waited to be lowered to the ground, Jack dropping me. Struggling to my feet, my heart shattered at him draping his arms over the coffin. Whispering a prayer to them, he took a step back. Pulling me close to his waist, his sobs grew louder as they lowered the caskets into the ground. Death popped up behind us with three letters in his hands, his head bowed in respect to the dead bodies.
“These are from your friends. Call it one final letter.” He informed Jack sullenly, turning towards me. “Thank you for your services. Unfortunately, I can’t remove the curse.” Offering me his hand, my fingers curled around his hand. Shaking it once, he bowed in my direction. Pressing his palms together, a twinkle glinted in his eyes.
“Once everything settles down, we should get together to have tea. I am sorry for your loss.” He expressed serenely, understanding death but not the grief part. Snapping his fingers he was gone, an eager Jack reading the letters. Curiosity burned a bit but my inside voice told me to leave it alone. Tucking them into his pocket, he placed me on his back. Following Saphiro back into town, his crooked grin lit up his face for a quick second.
“They said not to lose you.” He chuckled softly, a bit of hope glinting in his eyes. “Time will heal my wounds.” Hundreds of eyes watched us enter back into town, my jaw dropping at the statue of the five of us. The plaque read the heroes of the dawn, the two of us unsure of what to feel. Jack thanked him profusely, Saphiro pointing to the Victorian mansion at the top of the nearby hill.
“That mansion is yours to conduct your business as well as living in it.” He promised earnestly, fresh tears flooding from my eyes. “We hope you choose this town as your home.” Jumping down, I cupped his hands. A tender blush rose to his cheeks, my real smile illuminating my features for the first time since yesterday.
“Only if you'll have me, good sir.” I returned politely, his brow cocking at my response. Alex ran up to me with the boys in his arms. Accepting them, life was okay. Please karma, grant me peace for the rest of my life.
Epilogue:
Alex had his head buried in his work, the twins ran around the yard. Elise read in the tree, the two kiddos looking so grown up. The morning sun bathed the idyllic scene, a good five years had passed. Holding my swollen bump, two wails snapped me out of my trance. Jack stepped out with our white haired twins Sammy and Raven, the one year old girls reaching for me. Their fiery orange and red eyes glittered with love, my arms scooping them up. Wrapping his arms around my bump, Mark was due in a couple of months.
“Alex, Elise!” He barked with his trademark grin as they rushed up to him. Elise smoothed out her white summer dress, Alex adjusting his glasses in a brisk manner. An irked look greeted him, his stern gaze shutting down any protest.
“Watch the boys for us.” He ordered lightly, passing them wrapped boxes. “I need to take your sister somewhere. Boys, go in and watch a show with your uncle and aunt.” Sprinting into the house, Alex shot him a thumbs up as he followed them inside. Guiding me down the hill and through the town, his beard kept capturing my attention. Grabbing three bouquets on the way, he dragged me to the cemetery. Stopping in front of our friends' graves, he laid a bouquet on each tombstone. Dusting off his navy designer suit, my simple orange summer dress felt like a sad attempt to match him. Rubbing my back, he kissed my bump.
“We came by to tell you how things are going. Alex and Elise are learning how to drive. Yeah, that is as scary as it sounds. Sammy and Raven’s birthday happened a couple of weeks ago. They are both one year old. Crazy, isn’t it?” He chatted pleasantly, happy tears welling up in his eyes. “We have one more on the way. It’s another boy. We are going to name him Mark. I miss you dummies every fucking day. I wouldn’t have survived if you gave me that letter. Thank you.” Wiping away his tears, Sammy and Raven cooed in my arms. Kissing the top of my head, Jack guided me to the square. Sitting me down at the fountain, he took the girls in his arms. Passing me a bundle of envelopes, they were all from the townsfolk and monsters all over the world.
“Word got out about where you live and they all wanted to write their thanks.” He explained jovially, sitting down next to me. “Read them tonight and write back. They would love to hear from you.” Flicking through the pile, this was going to take a while. Popping to my feet, I could sense that Alex was getting frustrated. Walking back home, the fact that people wanted to thank me touched my heart. Opening the door, my boys bounced towards me. Dragging me to the couch, one of Alex’s shows was playing. Climbing onto the couch next to me, Jack took the other seat next to me. Hazel skipped in, her long hair grazing the worn wooden floor. Sitting down by my feet, Elvira laid on her lap. Basking in the moment, this was how life was supposed to be. Thank you for the gift of a good life. All the tragedy led to this moment. All of the scars told the tale of my twisted journey here. Jack leaned his head on my shoulder, the boys laying on my lap. Playing with their hair, I hoped sincerely that this would never end.

The Usual: US Shipping starts at 5.25$ for a bottle or up to a handful of samples/decants, 25 cents additional per bottle. PM me to get an international estimate. I ship within a week, depending on my work schedule. I extensively reuse packing materials. I have a couple flair threads floating around if you'd like some added assurance. Happy to do bundles. Also feel free to ask if I have more unlisted - I only list so much at a time to keep it manageable. Help me thin out the hoard!
Nocturne Alchemy

Noir Bunny (full 5ml), swap preferred but would let go for 27$ - Hot Apple Pie accord (Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Apple), Tobacco Accord, Pistachio accord, Vanilla Pudding accord, Black Vanilla Bean, Rosewood Oil, Crystalline Absolute and Black Cedar Wood
Carnation Santalum Gold, 2ml direct sample - still sealed, 8$: White Carnation of Cairo, Gold Santalum of India, a drop of Egyptian Temple Oudh, French Vanilla Beans whole, Vanilla-Sugar, White Sugar and Pink Cotton Candy
Egyptian Jasmine Crystal Musk, 2ml direct sample - still sealed, 8$: Egyptian Blue Jasmine, Crystal Vanilla Musk and Eternal Ankh Vanilla (concentrated from the PC Eternal Ankh)
Cherry Musk sniffie slink - FWP

BPAL - priced as marked, but a deal of 6$ for the remaining 4 GC slinks (7$ if you want all five).

Balancing the Sake Cup (a little below TOL), 23$: Candied ginger, orange blossom, benzoin, and clove.
Crib Girls (half bottle), 18$: Seven honeys under one unkempt roof, with fiery-tart cubeb and dusty cardamom
Bullfinch & Weeping Cherry (Uso, Shidarezakura), half bottle, 14$: Weeping cherry blossoms, pink musk, woad, black plum, benzoin, tuberose, and incense smoke.
Caressing the Wild Rabbit, decant, 5$: White tea, honeycomb, vanilla orchid, and a drop of soft sandalwood.
Dracul, direct GC imp/slink, 2$: Black musk, tobacco, fir, balsam of peru, cumin, bitter clove, crushed mint, and orange blossom.
Belle Epoque, direct GC imp/slink, 2$: Sweet opium, Lily of the Valley, vanilla, mandarin and red sandalwood.
Black Tower, direct imp/slink, 2$: white sandalwood, ambergris, wet ozone, galbanum and leather with ebony, teak, burnt grasses, English ivy and a hint of red wine.
Zombi, direct imp/slink (I have two available), 2$: Dried roses, rose leaf, Spanish moss, oakmoss and deep brown earth.

Whisper Sisters - take all four 5ml rollerballs for 36$ shipped

Pomona, 10$: apple blossom, orange blossom, frankincense
Flora, 10$: orange blossom, iris, honeysuckle, galbanum, apple blossom, black currant, vetiver, lavender, blue Egyptian musk, red Egyptian musk
Witches Breath, 10$: an ever changing blend that will never smell the same twice.
Devana, 10$: magnolia, angel's trumpet, tuberose, narcissus, blue Egyptian musk, Arabian musk, orange blossom, orchid, hints of damp earth and peach

Alkemia - take both for 25$

Haiku, 5ml rollerball ultime oil (at least 4ml left), 18$: A delicate meditation of jasmine pearl tea, white sandalwood, bamboo, and green tea buds illuminated by teaflower aldehydes.
Sadzi, a little over half left of 5ml rollerball ultime oil, smudged label (arrived to me like such), 10$: Mandarin orange, Tangelo, Key lime, Calamondin, Pommello, Bergamot, Fig tea, Sparkling lemongrass musk

Stereoplasm - take both samples for 6$

Frog Dew, 0.5 ml sample, 2.50$: A dewy coat scented by notes of swamp azalea, wild basil, bergamot, luminescent marsh gas and devil fruit
Jasmine Green Milk Tea, 1.8ml mini bottle (no rollerball), 5$: Loose green tea leaves and jasmine flowers steeped in lightly sweetened milk and whisked with a teaspoon of finely ground matcha

Bath Sabbath sample 1ml vials, 2$ each or pick one as FWP

Cursed be Iron: A blend of smoke, charcoal, and Frankincense with aquatic undertones. Smells like an anvil.
None More Black Licorice: A pure, true black licorice scent. A natural blend of Anise essential oil and Vanilla infused oil.

Sucreabeille Cream Tea 1ml sample, 2$: A blend of chai tea, burnt sugar, white musk, warm milk, and hot scones slathered with raspberry jam and honey.
Astrid ajevie slonk, 3.25$ - Lunar Dust: Vanilla, white patchouli, soft wood notes, cream, orchid, and spun sugar.
CocoaPink 2.5oz linen spray (will require additional 1$ for shipping), 5.50$ - Castle Underground: Black wood, dark earth, patchouli, forest's breath, woodsmoke, incense, sweet blood orange, little cakes, wormwood, and brown sugar.
LalaLandScents (etsy) 1.5 ml sample - Bananas Foster: A mouthwatering blend of bananas, caramel, amaretto, and ice cream.
about-face paint-it lip color in Slumber (matte rosy beige), 14$ shipped - BNNU but it is out of its foil packet that it came in. My brain is dumb and needed to physically see what the color was because sometimes I can't trust what I see on a screen.
mystery polymer clay earrings for pierced ears, 10$/pair (or 8$ with FS perfume/lipstick purchase) - I bought a mystery box from this etsy shop, which consists of some prototypes and/or single run designs from her early days. I'm only reaching for 2-3 of these in my weekly rotation, so hoping to rehome the remaining pairs. Feel free to reach out for photos! Just can't get them uploaded at the moment but wanted to include them here before I forget again.

Wednesday, May 31 - Tuesday, June 06

Top Local

score	comments	title & link
14	0 comments	[Local/own band] recent crowd shots of the scene in bellingham WA
2	0 comments	[Local/own band] just a promotion but I am working on my debut album. (read below)
2	3 comments	[Local/own band] So me and my band released our debut single, what do you think about it?

Top Performance

score	comments	title & link
14	12 comments	[Performance] Twin songs. Wich one is your favorite and why?
10	4 comments	[Performance] If Audioslave wrote 'All Star'
7	7 comments	[Performance] if Soundgarden wrote Would
5	11 comments	[Performance] Who is your favorite soloist and your favorite solo? [grunge related only]
5	8 comments	[Performance] Opeth's cover of Would?

Top Media

score	comments	title & link
155	19 comments	[Meme] Happy Hump Day!
79	14 comments	[Misc.] my cover of "Dumb" by Nirvana.
16	2 comments	[Recommendation] Cracker - Low
10	2 comments	[SoundGarden] Happy Friday, bitches!
8	26 comments	[Recommendation] Decided to give Black Sabbath a listen for once and gawd damn this riff seems grunge af!

Top Remaining

score	comments	title & link
718	53 comments	[Misc.] Meme my friends sent me today
400	80 comments	[Misc.] Can we please ban these low effort ,,best [Something] starting with each letter" lists please?
362	469 comments	[Misc.] Favorite 90s band that wasn't grunge??
300	20 comments	[Misc.] Oh my days...
255	201 comments	[Misc.] The favourite albums list is fucking stupid

Top 5 Most Commented

score	comments	title & link
201	273 comments	[Misc.] Favorite Album by Letter (S)
35	218 comments	[Poll] What's your favorite non-grunge artist?
157	197 comments	[Misc.] Favorite Album by Letter (W)
102	169 comments	[Misc.] Favorite Album by Letter (M)
163	166 comments	[Misc.] Favorite Album by Letter (U)

First post- https://www.reddit.com/nosleep/comments/13wy7qb/i_was_a_lab_assistant_of_sorts/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3
Hey guys, I’m back again with an update.
It’s been a couple of days and the food is just about gone. Luckily, there’s a sink in the corner so I don’t have to worry about water. It tastes a little metaly but it hasn’t made me puke so I guess it’s fine. For some reason, there’s a bag of cat food in the corner so I guess if it comes down to it I can eat that.
Okay, now onto what you’re all really interested in.
The little potato dude is okay. He’s still a weird little guy, but I haven’t had to smash him yet. I know what he eats now, but that's getting ahead of myself a bit. We’ve come to an understanding but it definitely took us some time to get there.
The first day was the worst.
As I tried to find ways out of the little room, the little guy just kept screaming to be let out. The longer he screamed, the more he started to sound like a baby crying for food. I swear I could hear him through my headphones, and after they died, I was stuck with just the sound of him crying. I alternated between charging my phone and charging my earbud case, but sometimes I was still left listening to the little guy scream.
He cried till about midnight, and that's when I almost snapped.
I picked up the tank, now more like a fish tank and less like a jar, and stared through the glass at him. I must have been pretty scary because he stopped yelling and just stared back at me with his multiple eyes. He had so many, they were all over his body, and we had a little staring contest before I finally told him to shut up.
“Or else I will smash your little tank and squish you like a bug.”
He seemed to think about that, and when he nodded it was like his whole body nodding.
We had some silence after that as the two of us sat and made our little plans. I thought about calling campus security, but when I tried, they just thought I was goofing. I tried to explain to them where I was and what was going on, but they just told me not to play games and hung up on me. I tried 911 again, but they said the same thing. Heck, the lady on the 911 call threatened to call the police if I kept calling, and I told her to go right ahead. Maybe the police could find me better than campus security, but since they haven’t broken down the door yet, I guess not.
It was about three am when I finally thought to look at the tank and found him watching me.
“Well?” I asked, making the little guy jump, “Have you got any ideas?”
He seemed to think about it, but before he could say it, I cut him off.
“And don’t say let you out of the tank.”
“Fair enough,” he said, “In that case, I have nothing to add yet.”
“Terrific!” I said, putting my head in my hands and staring at the floor.
“Have you, perhaps, thought about vents or drains?”
I had, but they were all too small for me to climb into. There was a drain in the floor but I couldn’t even get a foot in there. The ventilation shafts were an idea, but most of them would be too snug for me. I’m a beefy guy, not muscular but kinda fat, and getting stuck in the vents sounded like a terrible way to die without anyone realizing it.
“Yeah, obviously. I’m too big to fit through those.”
“A problem I do not have.” the creature reminded me, more than a little smugly too.
“Back to that again,” I growled, “And what's to stop you from just leaving me hanging once you get out?”
The little dude didn’t say anything for a few minutes, contemplating his next move as I Googled like a madman. I was looking for blueprints for the college online since a place like this would have to have them filed. See, I’m not super smart when it comes to math and science, but I know a little bit about building permits and filing your blueprints with the city. If this place was built by the college, then it had to exist in the public sphere.
After an hour of looking with no results, I was ready to throw my phone down. I went and grabbed some kale chips out of the little fridge, munching them sullenly as I tried to come up with a plan. The little guy was back to looking at me again, and I couldn’t help but notice that something had changed. All the eyes on his body opened and closed but they were never all open at once. He also looked tired, maybe even a little pale. I looked down at the bag of chips and thought again about how I might have to feed this little guy at some point.
“Do you need to eat? It’s been about twenty-four hours since Doc was here, and I don’t think I’ve ever been here when he feeds you.”
The little creature pulled its lips up into a sad smile, “You couldn’t feed me what I want. I don’t eat normal food and you aren’t equipped to give me what I need.”
I started to get a little offended, “What's that supposed to mean?”
It looked at me, and I felt a little shudder ripple over my skin as it did.
“I feed on brain waves. Creative brain waves, to be precise. The Doctor feeds me by just being around me like his lab assistants did. You, however, don’t seem to create the same way he did. You look at your little device all the time and it makes your brain waves taste bland and unappetizing. That's why The Doctor’s Assistants kept getting headaches. The more they created, the more I fed. The Doctor doesn’t get them because his mind is like a wellspring. You, on the other hand, are incapable of nourishing me. You simply don’t think the same.”
I sat back, not sure whether to be happy that I couldn’t feed him or offended that he was sayin I was too dumb?
In the end, I guess I just decided to roll with it.
“Well, I guess we’re both stuck then. You need to eat brainwaves and I need to eat food. We can’t get either here, so what do we do about it?”
“Is there anything in here we could use to break open the door?” the creature asked hopefully.
“Checked already. There’s some lab equipment and the fridge, the table you're on, and the chair I’m sitting in. Other than that, not much. There are books, but none of them are gonna get us out of here.”
I kept searching on my phone for something that looked familiar in the blueprints, but it was getting frustrating.
“Ugh, if only I knew where we were. If I knew the name of the building I could find the right map or tell security where to find us!”
“Wait, is that all you need to get us out of here?” it asked, floating close to the side of the tank so it could look at me.
“Well yeah. If I knew where we were then I could tell security where we were stuck.”
“I know where we are,” it said, and it sounded less smug and more sinister when it said it.
I stared back at it for a few seconds, waiting for it to fill me in.
It sat there for a few seconds, waiting for me to ask the question.
“Well? Are you gonna tell me or what?”
“Why should I?” it said, “If I tell you, then you’ll just leave and I’ll be stuck here. What guarantee do I have that you won’t just leave me once you’ve gained your freedom.”
The little son of a bitch had me there. There would be nothing to stop me from just leaving him here to die in that tank. Without any brain wave to gobble, he’d shrivel up and die. Maybe that's what he deserved, but I just couldn’t bring myself to hate him like that. The little dude had never done me wrong, and I couldn’t mess up my karma by shafting him like that.
“I promise that if we get that door open, I’ll take you with me.”
“And release me?” he asked, hedging.
“Dude, if you get us out of here, I’ll take you to SeaWorld and release you, if that's what you want. The kale chips are going to run out soon, and if I starve, you are SOL little bud. You might not be able to eat my brain waves, but you can’t open your tank or dial my cell phone with those baby fingers either. Whether we like it or not, we kinda need each other right now.”
The creature nodded, bumping its little head against the side of the glass.
“Agreed. I will have to trust in your honor, I suppose.”
“Brah, I am chocked full of honor. I've never welched on a promise and I’m not gonna start now.”
“Very well then,” it said with a little smile, “The building is called Rashley Laboratories. At least that's what the assistants always thought of when they thought about it at all. One of them thought it was spooky when they walked through it to get here, and the images led me to believe that it might be abandoned.”
I already had the cell phone out and Googling as he finished. There was no Rashley Laboratories, but there was an R. Ashley Science Hall. It had been abandoned in the nineties after an explosion in the science wing, but the campus had never torn it down for some reason. It had been named a historic building in two thousand nine and while they had renovated the outside to make it prettier, the inside was pretty much untouched. Sounded like a great place for a secret lab and a covert experiment.
Campus security picked up on the second ring, and I sighed when I realized it was the same guy I had dealt with the night before.
“Campus security, Officer Rob speaking, how may I help you?”
“Hey, yeah, we talked last night before you hung up on me. I still,”
“Hey, I remember you. Are you still playing this game? This has got to be getting old by now.”
“Look, just listen. We’re…I’m stuck in the R. Ashley Science Hall and I need help.”
There was silence as he digested this.
“Okay, nice try, but that building has been closed for years. I’m pretty sure the doors never open. How exactly did you get in there, if you are actually stuck in there?”
“It’s hard to explain,” I said, looking at the little potato dude as I thought about how to start.
“I’ve got time, let's hear the whole story,” he said, pretending to be interested. To hell with it, I decided, might as well lay it all on the line.
“I’m sitting down here with Doctor Crandler’s experiment, the one who got arrested for buying stuff to make. He pays me to sit down here and watch it at night, but the door is locked and I need someone to let me out.”
The line was quiet for a few seconds, and then Officer Rob started laughing.
“Wow, great story. I love the little name drop, but I’m kind of busy to be going down to an abandoned building and tromping through dust right now, why don’t you call back when,”
“Fine,” I said, deciding to take another direction, “maybe I’ll just call the Feds and let them know that I have a highly illegal experiment that Doctor Crandler was working on and that the college was probably helping to fund. Then, when they ask why campus security didn’t take the call, you can tell them how you thought it was a big joke and didn’t look into it. That's probably going to make you look really great.”
There was silence for a minute, then a big sigh from Rob.
“Okay, kid. It’s at least worth a look, I guess. Give me your cell phone number so I can call you from my security phone when I get there. You can help me find you since you’re so lost.”
I looked back at the potato dude, putting my hand over the phone as I whispered, “Got any other ideas about how to find us?”
He looked like he was thinking, before nodding and saying he could probably guide him to us.
So that's where we’re at now. Help seems to be on the way, and I’m updating you guys as I wait for the security dude to call back. I’ll post again when I have an update so stay tuned for more news. Wish me luck, hopefully, we make it out of here pretty soon cause one more kale chip and I might need a barf bucket.

Tw gore I guess but I don't go into details.
Before, seeing blood or deaths would make me feel dissociative but nostalgic, like I was back at home. Although it's not that I ever wanted to go back. I used to watch things related to that, always with respect to the dead, but that wasn't doing good to my mental health, it made me go into bad loops, so I don't do it anymore.
Instead, I notice that stuff makes me kind of uncomfortable now. I was talking about this with a friend; that maybe I'm in the path of healing. I am happy I don't need to see those things, but I worried I was becoming weak and vulnerable. If I had to see a big open wound or something, would I be shocked now? I don't know.
I feel being ok with these things such as seeing wounds is a good thing because I never know when I'll have to deal with it. But my friend said it's ok to have boundaries too. Is this a boundary? I don't understand what a boundary is.
My parent said my body will move/react on its own if it's something important because its ingrained inside us, and certainly so far that's how my body acted in the past... So... I'm better now, maybe? I'm just confused I guess.
But there's something that is specially messing me up now, that is I used to have a problem where everything, the pain, the smells and images from back then would get together in my head and I would lose control and become a danger to myself and others.
Now I can't explode. I guess I'm becoming sane? Maybe it's the new meds? I think I should be happy, but it makes me angry. I don't know why. It hurts. I don't want to die, I don't want to hurt, I just want the pain, things that don't have a word, that can't be drawn, or written down, to be expressed, and it can't come outside anymore.

First post- https://www.reddit.com/nosleep/comments/13wy7qb/i_was_a_lab_assistant_of_sorts/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3
Hey guys, I’m back again with an update.
It’s been a couple of days and the food is just about gone. Luckily, there’s a sink in the corner so I don’t have to worry about water. It tastes a little metaly but it hasn’t made me puke so I guess it’s fine. For some reason, there’s a bag of cat food in the corner so I guess if it comes down to it I can eat that.
Okay, now onto what you’re all really interested in.
The little potato dude is okay. He’s still a weird little guy, but I haven’t had to smash him yet. I know what he eats now, but that's getting ahead of myself a bit. We’ve come to an understanding but it definitely took us some time to get there.
The first day was the worst.
As I tried to find ways out of the little room, the little guy just kept screaming to be let out. The longer he screamed, the more he started to sound like a baby crying for food. I swear I could hear him through my headphones, and after they died, I was stuck with just the sound of him crying. I alternated between charging my phone and charging my earbud case, but sometimes I was still left listening to the little guy scream.
He cried till about midnight, and that's when I almost snapped.
I picked up the tank, now more like a fish tank and less like a jar, and stared through the glass at him. I must have been pretty scary because he stopped yelling and just stared back at me with his multiple eyes. He had so many, they were all over his body, and we had a little staring contest before I finally told him to shut up.
“Or else I will smash your little tank and squish you like a bug.”
He seemed to think about that, and when he nodded it was like his whole body nodding.
We had some silence after that as the two of us sat and made our little plans. I thought about calling campus security, but when I tried, they just thought I was goofing. I tried to explain to them where I was and what was going on, but they just told me not to play games and hung up on me. I tried 911 again, but they said the same thing. Heck, the lady on the 911 call threatened to call the police if I kept calling, and I told her to go right ahead. Maybe the police could find me better than campus security, but since they haven’t broken down the door yet, I guess not.
It was about three am when I finally thought to look at the tank and found him watching me.
“Well?” I asked, making the little guy jump, “Have you got any ideas?”
He seemed to think about it, but before he could say it, I cut him off.
“And don’t say let you out of the tank.”
“Fair enough,” he said, “In that case, I have nothing to add yet.”
“Terrific!” I said, putting my head in my hands and staring at the floor.
“Have you, perhaps, thought about vents or drains?”
I had, but they were all too small for me to climb into. There was a drain in the floor but I couldn’t even get a foot in there. The ventilation shafts were an idea, but most of them would be too snug for me. I’m a beefy guy, not muscular but kinda fat, and getting stuck in the vents sounded like a terrible way to die without anyone realizing it.
“Yeah, obviously. I’m too big to fit through those.”
“A problem I do not have.” the creature reminded me, more than a little smugly too.
“Back to that again,” I growled, “And what's to stop you from just leaving me hanging once you get out?”
The little dude didn’t say anything for a few minutes, contemplating his next move as I Googled like a madman. I was looking for blueprints for the college online since a place like this would have to have them filed. See, I’m not super smart when it comes to math and science, but I know a little bit about building permits and filing your blueprints with the city. If this place was built by the college, then it had to exist in the public sphere.
After an hour of looking with no results, I was ready to throw my phone down. I went and grabbed some kale chips out of the little fridge, munching them sullenly as I tried to come up with a plan. The little guy was back to looking at me again, and I couldn’t help but notice that something had changed. All the eyes on his body opened and closed but they were never all open at once. He also looked tired, maybe even a little pale. I looked down at the bag of chips and thought again about how I might have to feed this little guy at some point.
“Do you need to eat? It’s been about twenty-four hours since Doc was here, and I don’t think I’ve ever been here when he feeds you.”
The little creature pulled its lips up into a sad smile, “You couldn’t feed me what I want. I don’t eat normal food and you aren’t equipped to give me what I need.”
I started to get a little offended, “What's that supposed to mean?”
It looked at me, and I felt a little shudder ripple over my skin as it did.
“I feed on brain waves. Creative brain waves, to be precise. The Doctor feeds me by just being around me like his lab assistants did. You, however, don’t seem to create the same way he did. You look at your little device all the time and it makes your brain waves taste bland and unappetizing. That's why The Doctor’s Assistants kept getting headaches. The more they created, the more I fed. The Doctor doesn’t get them because his mind is like a wellspring. You, on the other hand, are incapable of nourishing me. You simply don’t think the same.”
I sat back, not sure whether to be happy that I couldn’t feed him or offended that he was sayin I was too dumb?
In the end, I guess I just decided to roll with it.
“Well, I guess we’re both stuck then. You need to eat brainwaves and I need to eat food. We can’t get either here, so what do we do about it?”
“Is there anything in here we could use to break open the door?” the creature asked hopefully.
“Checked already. There’s some lab equipment and the fridge, the table you're on, and the chair I’m sitting in. Other than that, not much. There are books, but none of them are gonna get us out of here.”
I kept searching on my phone for something that looked familiar in the blueprints, but it was getting frustrating.
“Ugh, if only I knew where we were. If I knew the name of the building I could find the right map or tell security where to find us!”
“Wait, is that all you need to get us out of here?” it asked, floating close to the side of the tank so it could look at me.
“Well yeah. If I knew where we were then I could tell security where we were stuck.”
“I know where we are,” it said, and it sounded less smug and more sinister when it said it.
I stared back at it for a few seconds, waiting for it to fill me in.
It sat there for a few seconds, waiting for me to ask the question.
“Well? Are you gonna tell me or what?”
“Why should I?” it said, “If I tell you, then you’ll just leave and I’ll be stuck here. What guarantee do I have that you won’t just leave me once you’ve gained your freedom.”
The little son of a bitch had me there. There would be nothing to stop me from just leaving him here to die in that tank. Without any brain wave to gobble, he’d shrivel up and die. Maybe that's what he deserved, but I just couldn’t bring myself to hate him like that. The little dude had never done me wrong, and I couldn’t mess up my karma by shafting him like that.
“I promise that if we get that door open, I’ll take you with me.”
“And release me?” he asked, hedging.
“Dude, if you get us out of here, I’ll take you to SeaWorld and release you, if that's what you want. The kale chips are going to run out soon, and if I starve, you are SOL little bud. You might not be able to eat my brain waves, but you can’t open your tank or dial my cell phone with those baby fingers either. Whether we like it or not, we kinda need each other right now.”
The creature nodded, bumping its little head against the side of the glass.
“Agreed. I will have to trust in your honor, I suppose.”
“Brah, I am chocked full of honor. I've never welched on a promise and I’m not gonna start now.”
“Very well then,” it said with a little smile, “The building is called Rashley Laboratories. At least that's what the assistants always thought of when they thought about it at all. One of them thought it was spooky when they walked through it to get here, and the images led me to believe that it might be abandoned.”
I already had the cell phone out and Googling as he finished. There was no Rashley Laboratories, but there was an R. Ashley Science Hall. It had been abandoned in the nineties after an explosion in the science wing, but the campus had never torn it down for some reason. It had been named a historic building in two thousand nine and while they had renovated the outside to make it prettier, the inside was pretty much untouched. Sounded like a great place for a secret lab and a covert experiment.
Campus security picked up on the second ring, and I sighed when I realized it was the same guy I had dealt with the night before.
“Campus security, Officer Rob speaking, how may I help you?”
“Hey, yeah, we talked last night before you hung up on me. I still,”
“Hey, I remember you. Are you still playing this game? This has got to be getting old by now.”
“Look, just listen. We’re…I’m stuck in the R. Ashley Science Hall and I need help.”
There was silence as he digested this.
“Okay, nice try, but that building has been closed for years. I’m pretty sure the doors never open. How exactly did you get in there, if you are actually stuck in there?”
“It’s hard to explain,” I said, looking at the little potato dude as I thought about how to start.
“I’ve got time, let's hear the whole story,” he said, pretending to be interested. To hell with it, I decided, might as well lay it all on the line.
“I’m sitting down here with Doctor Crandler’s experiment, the one who got arrested for buying stuff to make. He pays me to sit down here and watch it at night, but the door is locked and I need someone to let me out.”
The line was quiet for a few seconds, and then Officer Rob started laughing.
“Wow, great story. I love the little name drop, but I’m kind of busy to be going down to an abandoned building and tromping through dust right now, why don’t you call back when,”
“Fine,” I said, deciding to take another direction, “maybe I’ll just call the Feds and let them know that I have a highly illegal experiment that Doctor Crandler was working on and that the college was probably helping to fund. Then, when they ask why campus security didn’t take the call, you can tell them how you thought it was a big joke and didn’t look into it. That's probably going to make you look really great.”
There was silence for a minute, then a big sigh from Rob.
“Okay, kid. It’s at least worth a look, I guess. Give me your cell phone number so I can call you from my security phone when I get there. You can help me find you since you’re so lost.”
I looked back at the potato dude, putting my hand over the phone as I whispered, “Got any other ideas about how to find us?”
He looked like he was thinking, before nodding and saying he could probably guide him to us.
So that's where we’re at now. Help seems to be on the way, and I’m updating you guys as I wait for the security dude to call back. I’ll post again when I have an update so stay tuned for more news. Wish me luck, hopefully, we make it out of here pretty soon cause one more kale chip and I might need a barf bucket.

I spend my days mated to a laptop in my unchanging living room.
My wife is glued to her personal screens, fingers flying like dainty flesh insects. I don’t really care who she’s always talking to. My children come in and out of the house seemingly only to eat, sulk, and maybe sleep. I try to conjure up the images of their smiling, young faces of years passed between meetings.
They come to me in the night. Walk through my walls, seep through the windows. There is no fear where terror should sprout. If anything, it’s the familiarity that brings a tinge of cold fear deep down inside me, that somehow I recognize them, that their porcelain faces represent something deeper than the alien.
Of my own volition, I follow them out into the backyard. It’s untamed grass is long and wild and cool beneath my feet, like all the greenery of some ancient ruin. Light overhead throbs in welcome. We go up.
The fog is omnipresent, time slips into obscurity. How long ago was that? When time didn’t mean anything? How many hours did we spend together, happy, quiet? How many days did I imagine with a family that I could recognize, my home filled with voices and light? Time means nothing to me now. Time is pointless.
In a pale room, suspended in amber, I look back at my own face, and I barrage it with questions. When did those lines come in, how did that grey get there? Are my eyes really so tired? The face behind the glass doesn’t answer, bobbing serenely in his liquid silence.
An unspoken voice tells me something, a single word, planted in the place between my human thoughts.
Trade, it says.
I look back at the face, at the topography of lines I don’t recognize.
And for the first time in so long, I smile.

First post- https://www.reddit.com/nosleep/comments/13wy7qb/i_was_a_lab_assistant_of_sorts/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3
Hey guys, I’m back again with an update.
It’s been a couple of days and the food is just about gone. Luckily, there’s a sink in the corner so I don’t have to worry about water. It tastes a little metaly but it hasn’t made me puke so I guess it’s fine. For some reason, there’s a bag of cat food in the corner so I guess if it comes down to it I can eat that.
Okay, now onto what you’re all really interested in.
The little potato dude is okay. He’s still a weird little guy, but I haven’t had to smash him yet. I know what he eats now, but that's getting ahead of myself a bit. We’ve come to an understanding but it definitely took us some time to get there.
The first day was the worst.
As I tried to find ways out of the little room, the little guy just kept screaming to be let out. The longer he screamed, the more he started to sound like a baby crying for food. I swear I could hear him through my headphones, and after they died, I was stuck with just the sound of him crying. I alternated between charging my phone and charging my earbud case, but sometimes I was still left listening to the little guy scream.
He cried till about midnight, and that's when I almost snapped.
I picked up the tank, now more like a fish tank and less like a jar, and stared through the glass at him. I must have been pretty scary because he stopped yelling and just stared back at me with his multiple eyes. He had so many, they were all over his body, and we had a little staring contest before I finally told him to shut up.
“Or else I will smash your little tank and squish you like a bug.”
He seemed to think about that, and when he nodded it was like his whole body nodding.
We had some silence after that as the two of us sat and made our little plans. I thought about calling campus security, but when I tried, they just thought I was goofing. I tried to explain to them where I was and what was going on, but they just told me not to play games and hung up on me. I tried 911 again, but they said the same thing. Heck, the lady on the 911 call threatened to call the police if I kept calling, and I told her to go right ahead. Maybe the police could find me better than campus security, but since they haven’t broken down the door yet, I guess not.
It was about three am when I finally thought to look at the tank and found him watching me.
“Well?” I asked, making the little guy jump, “Have you got any ideas?”
He seemed to think about it, but before he could say it, I cut him off.
“And don’t say let you out of the tank.”
“Fair enough,” he said, “In that case, I have nothing to add yet.”
“Terrific!” I said, putting my head in my hands and staring at the floor.
“Have you, perhaps, thought about vents or drains?”
I had, but they were all too small for me to climb into. There was a drain in the floor but I couldn’t even get a foot in there. The ventilation shafts were an idea, but most of them would be too snug for me. I’m a beefy guy, not muscular but kinda fat, and getting stuck in the vents sounded like a terrible way to die without anyone realizing it.
“Yeah, obviously. I’m too big to fit through those.”
“A problem I do not have.” the creature reminded me, more than a little smugly too.
“Back to that again,” I growled, “And what's to stop you from just leaving me hanging once you get out?”
The little dude didn’t say anything for a few minutes, contemplating his next move as I Googled like a madman. I was looking for blueprints for the college online since a place like this would have to have them filed. See, I’m not super smart when it comes to math and science, but I know a little bit about building permits and filing your blueprints with the city. If this place was built by the college, then it had to exist in the public sphere.
After an hour of looking with no results, I was ready to throw my phone down. I went and grabbed some kale chips out of the little fridge, munching them sullenly as I tried to come up with a plan. The little guy was back to looking at me again, and I couldn’t help but notice that something had changed. All the eyes on his body opened and closed but they were never all open at once. He also looked tired, maybe even a little pale. I looked down at the bag of chips and thought again about how I might have to feed this little guy at some point.
“Do you need to eat? It’s been about twenty-four hours since Doc was here, and I don’t think I’ve ever been here when he feeds you.”
The little creature pulled its lips up into a sad smile, “You couldn’t feed me what I want. I don’t eat normal food and you aren’t equipped to give me what I need.”
I started to get a little offended, “What's that supposed to mean?”
It looked at me, and I felt a little shudder ripple over my skin as it did.
“I feed on brain waves. Creative brain waves, to be precise. The Doctor feeds me by just being around me like his lab assistants did. You, however, don’t seem to create the same way he did. You look at your little device all the time and it makes your brain waves taste bland and unappetizing. That's why The Doctor’s Assistants kept getting headaches. The more they created, the more I fed. The Doctor doesn’t get them because his mind is like a wellspring. You, on the other hand, are incapable of nourishing me. You simply don’t think the same.”
I sat back, not sure whether to be happy that I couldn’t feed him or offended that he was sayin I was too dumb?
In the end, I guess I just decided to roll with it.
“Well, I guess we’re both stuck then. You need to eat brainwaves and I need to eat food. We can’t get either here, so what do we do about it?”
“Is there anything in here we could use to break open the door?” the creature asked hopefully.
“Checked already. There’s some lab equipment and the fridge, the table you're on, and the chair I’m sitting in. Other than that, not much. There are books, but none of them are gonna get us out of here.”
I kept searching on my phone for something that looked familiar in the blueprints, but it was getting frustrating.
“Ugh, if only I knew where we were. If I knew the name of the building I could find the right map or tell security where to find us!”
“Wait, is that all you need to get us out of here?” it asked, floating close to the side of the tank so it could look at me.
“Well yeah. If I knew where we were then I could tell security where we were stuck.”
“I know where we are,” it said, and it sounded less smug and more sinister when it said it.
I stared back at it for a few seconds, waiting for it to fill me in.
It sat there for a few seconds, waiting for me to ask the question.
“Well? Are you gonna tell me or what?”
“Why should I?” it said, “If I tell you, then you’ll just leave and I’ll be stuck here. What guarantee do I have that you won’t just leave me once you’ve gained your freedom.”
The little son of a bitch had me there. There would be nothing to stop me from just leaving him here to die in that tank. Without any brain wave to gobble, he’d shrivel up and die. Maybe that's what he deserved, but I just couldn’t bring myself to hate him like that. The little dude had never done me wrong, and I couldn’t mess up my karma by shafting him like that.
“I promise that if we get that door open, I’ll take you with me.”
“And release me?” he asked, hedging.
“Dude, if you get us out of here, I’ll take you to SeaWorld and release you, if that's what you want. The kale chips are going to run out soon, and if I starve, you are SOL little bud. You might not be able to eat my brain waves, but you can’t open your tank or dial my cell phone with those baby fingers either. Whether we like it or not, we kinda need each other right now.”
The creature nodded, bumping its little head against the side of the glass.
“Agreed. I will have to trust in your honor, I suppose.”
“Brah, I am chocked full of honor. I've never welched on a promise and I’m not gonna start now.”
“Very well then,” it said with a little smile, “The building is called Rashley Laboratories. At least that's what the assistants always thought of when they thought about it at all. One of them thought it was spooky when they walked through it to get here, and the images led me to believe that it might be abandoned.”
I already had the cell phone out and Googling as he finished. There was no Rashley Laboratories, but there was an R. Ashley Science Hall. It had been abandoned in the nineties after an explosion in the science wing, but the campus had never torn it down for some reason. It had been named a historic building in two thousand nine and while they had renovated the outside to make it prettier, the inside was pretty much untouched.
Sounded like a great place for a secret lab and a covert experiment.
Campus security picked up on the second ring, and I sighed when I realized it was the same guy I had dealt with the night before.
“Campus security, Officer Rob speaking, how may I help you?”
“Hey, yeah, we talked last night before you hung up on me. I still,”
“Hey, I remember you. Are you still playing this game? This has got to be getting old by now.”
“Look, just listen. We’re…I’m stuck in the R. Ashley Science Hall and I need help.”
There was silence as he digested this.
“Okay, nice try, but that building has been closed for years. I’m pretty sure the doors never open.
How exactly did you get in there, if you are actually stuck in there?”
“It’s hard to explain,” I said, looking at the little potato dude as I thought about how to start.
“I’ve got time, let's hear the whole story,” he said, pretending to be interested.
To hell with it, I decided, might as well lay it all on the line.
“I’m sitting down here with Doctor Crandler’s experiment, the one who got arrested for buying stuff to make. He pays me to sit down here and watch it at night, but the door is locked and I need someone to let me out.”
The line was quiet for a few seconds, and then Officer Rob started laughing.
“Wow, great story. I love the little name drop, but I’m kind of busy to be going down to an abandoned building and tromping through dust right now, why don’t you call back when,”
“Fine,” I said, deciding to take another direction, “maybe I’ll just call the Feds and let them know that I have a highly illegal experiment that Doctor Crandler was working on and that the college was probably helping to fund. Then, when they ask why campus security didn’t take the call, you can tell them how you thought it was a big joke and didn’t look into it. That's probably going to make you look really great.”
There was silence for a minute, then a big sigh from Rob.
“Okay, kid. It’s at least worth a look, I guess. Give me your cell phone number so I can call you from my security phone when I get there. You can help me find you since you’re so lost.”
I looked back at the potato dude, putting my hand over the phone as I whispered, “Got any other ideas about how to find us?”
He looked like he was thinking, before nodding and saying he could probably guide him to us.
So that's where we’re at now. Help seems to be on the way, and I’m updating you guys as I wait for the security dude to call back. I’ll post again when I have an update so stay tuned for more news. Wish me luck, hopefully, we make it out of here pretty soon cause one more kale chip and I might need a barf bucket.

TL;DR: I sometimes hate on my school. For the wishlist, I got a mug image with a red circle and a slash on it, like the no smoking sign. Received a mug of the school on the exchange day.
My friends and I would talk shit about school sometimes as a way to relieve stress about it. How there was so much work to do, how inconsistent they were, how counter intuitive. I also had this one classmate I guess I have some beef with that we never really talk about. He stressed me out so much I came to our adviser for a concern about him and he knew.
Fast forward to picking exchange gift partners, I got one of my closest friends. I was happy and celebrating only for someone to fuck up and apparently our teacher decided to redo it. "Damn I hope he takes it back I'm not giving back my paper.". Everyone returned theirs and I was the only one left. Defeat.
Repicked the paper, got the mentioned classmate. Cursing the world fuck this shit take me out somber music. I go home in misery.
Days later, texting my friend, we got into talking about gifts and later exchanged partners. She got a teacher. Now apparently she didn't pick that herself. Our adviser did. And before she could check the name on the paper, adviser asked to exchange. Later got a message on the group chat about the teacher saying he lost the paper and he doesn't know who he got.
We had a wish list. However, I didn't know what to ask for, but I did know I didn't want a mug, so I found a mug image and put a red circle with a slash on it, like the no smoking sign and put just that as my wish.
Fast forward to the actual exchange gift, got a mug of the school.
Honestly though, it's funny given the context. 10/10 would do it again.

Happy sabbath images

/r/Zoomies

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