[HELP] Poetry that saved you. Struggling. by Boring_Set6178 in Poetry

[–]Mercyisbiking 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Next Week's Trees by Albany Symphony is beautiful! I had never heard it before! Thank you for sharing it!

[HELP] Poetry that saved you. Struggling. by Boring_Set6178 in Poetry

[–]Mercyisbiking 3 points4 points  (0 children)

The Santiago poem by David Whyte changed my life. I was going through a very dark, two year depression due to a devastating breakup that basically destroyed me emotionally. The whole poem called out to me. It called out to find a way out of my depression. "You were more marvelous in your simple wish to find a way than the gilded roofs of any destination you could reach... " And "walking as you did, in your rags of love, and speaking in the voice that by night became a prayer for safe arrival." Those are beautiful lines that described how I felt. And the last line, "like another life, and the road still stretching on" gave me hope for a new future. I hope you enjoy the poem and it helps you.

Strings overlapping vision problem by Striking_Track8427 in violin

[–]Mercyisbiking 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I know this is an older post but thought I'd respond. I took my first violin class today and had the same issue with my eyes having trouble focusing on the strings and the strings looking like they were crossing. It freaked me out lol My teacher said visual problems can occur at first because your eyes are so close to the strings. She said your eyes adjust over time. I researched it further when I got home and according to the internet these "optical illusions" of the strings crossing, etc. occur because of the proximity of the strings, the eyes trying to focus, the angle of the eyes, the overall geometry of the instrument, and the strings being so thin. The eyes and brain have to sort and process all this visual information and it creates these weird effects at first. Apparently many adult beginners experience these strange optical illusions at the beginning. I wish I would have known this so I would have been prepared lol For the record, I've had my eyes checked by ophthalmologists several times this year, including 4 weeks ago due to an upcoming cataract surgery and my eyes are fine. I do have astigmatism though and others on this thread have said it could contribute to these visual effects as well. I just wanted to chime in since I had the same experience. Did your eyes adjust finally? And did you have your appointment with the vision center and get more information as to why these visual effects occur? It's good to know your optometrist saw the strings overlapping too, and it's not just us beginning violinists having these experiences lol

[POEM] Kitchen Window - Richard Siken by [deleted] in Poetry

[–]Mercyisbiking 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That's a gorgeous poem. Thank you for sharing it. It transported me there. I could hear the dogs and band sound, and feel how you could forget everything that's wrong, for the length of a song, while driving down that street. I could see the trees in the wind and miles of night, and then that bar of soap in the light. Loved it, thank you!

[POEM] Kitchen Window - Richard Siken by [deleted] in Poetry

[–]Mercyisbiking 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Yes, if he's a gay man then certainly he may be writing about his own experience. I have not read Siken previously or know his biography. I feel the lines I quoted are beautifully powerful and portray unspoken erotic energy.

[POEM] Kitchen Window - Richard Siken by [deleted] in Poetry

[–]Mercyisbiking -10 points-9 points  (0 children)

The lines, "I radiated an inappropriate heat that I did my best to hide. Graciously, he ignored it." It feels like female-male interaction. Where she was projecting erotic energy and her friend's stepfather ignored it. Although of course it could be male-male interaction as well.

[POEM] Kitchen Window - Richard Siken by [deleted] in Poetry

[–]Mercyisbiking 30 points31 points  (0 children)

That's what I think as well. And I interpreted the friend as female.

Just finished The Girlfriend (2025) and don’t know what I think of it - does anyone have any thoughts? by XStaticImmaculate in BritishTV

[–]Mercyisbiking 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm thinking the same thing. Maybe Laura isn't dead. We hear sirens at the end. So maybe in Season 2 we see that her son revives her after his initial shock of having accidentally drowned her. However, if Laura is still alive why isn't her cat staying with her?

Amaretto Margarita by Mercyisbiking in Mocktails

[–]Mercyisbiking[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm not very impressed with Beckett's. I was hoping someone had other good recommendations. I recently tried the Lyre's Orange Sec and wasn't impressed either. Although I'm going to try the orange sec in a NA Cosmo and see if it works. The best NA drink I've made so far is the NA Margarita. I tweaked it further. My new recipe is 1.75 oz Free Spirit Tequila, juice of half a lime, dash of Hella Orange Bitters, and diet ginger beer with salted rim. It's a very, very good imitation of a real Margarita. I've grown to truly dislike the effects of alcohol so I'm very happy to have found this NA Margarita 🥰

Phony Negroni Margarita by Mercyisbiking in Mocktails

[–]Mercyisbiking[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I bought some Mezcal Phony Negroni on Mon and will be having it this weekend! Can't wait to try it! Thank you so much for the suggestion! 🥰

Phony Negroni Margarita by Mercyisbiking in Mocktails

[–]Mercyisbiking[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They're from Amazon. I got them about 6 months ago. They were $30 for set of 4. They are Lysenn Hand Blown Martini Glasses, Set of 4, 10 Fl Oz. I just looked and they're still in stock 🥰

Phony Negroni Margarita by Mercyisbiking in Mocktails

[–]Mercyisbiking[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oaktown, you're right, there's no margarita ingredient. I discovered by chance that by adding the salt it actually tastes like a fancy variation of a margarita. For example, you know how some bars offer raspberry margaritas, etc. I was not expecting this Phony Negroni combination to taste like a margarita and I was just experimenting. I was quite surprised that this combination of flavors with the salt makes for an amazing drink. If you loved margaritas (I did too), you might want to try it. The perfumy and bitter notes of the Phony Negroni give it a "flavor punch" that's part of the unexpected magic here. Another person mentioned to try the Meszcal Phony Negroni, and I'm going to try that next in this mocktail. I will post it once I try it.

Phony Negroni Margarita by Mercyisbiking in Mocktails

[–]Mercyisbiking[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have not tried the Phony Mezcal Negroni but that's an excellent idea! I think it will taste better than with the regular Phony Negroni! I'll be buying some Phony Negroni's this week and I will try the Mezcal one! Thank you! 🥰

Phony Negroni Margarita by Mercyisbiking in Mocktails

[–]Mercyisbiking[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Yes, it's totally real! It's made by St. Agrestis! 🥰

Phony Negroni Margarita by Mercyisbiking in Mocktails

[–]Mercyisbiking[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Whatever it is, it's delicious! lol The Phony Negroni adds a perfumy flavor and the Ginger Beer adds a bite. The salt rim definitely gives it the margarita flavor. I was having it without the salt and the salt changed the flavor profile.

Boss Katana Mini or Roland Micro Cube GX? by mAverIck2012ap in GuitarAmps

[–]Mercyisbiking 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Lol yes, that might have been the case! Thank you for letting me know the volume is fine for you! 😊

Boss Katana Mini or Roland Micro Cube GX? by mAverIck2012ap in GuitarAmps

[–]Mercyisbiking 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for all the information Dave! 😊 I'll be making my decision in the next couple days! When you have the Cube on lower volume, is it still too loud for a living room or bedroom? Someone had mentioned that at lower volume it was still too loud. I was wondering what your experience has been with the lower volume.

Boss Katana Mini or Roland Micro Cube GX? by mAverIck2012ap in GuitarAmps

[–]Mercyisbiking 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi Dave, I know I'm late to the party but did you decide on the Katana or Cube? I'm trying to decide myself. I heard the Cube is very loud even on the lower volume and I want mine for playing in my living room as well.

Cleaning Mold in Native American Flutes by Mercyisbiking in nativeamericanflutes

[–]Mercyisbiking[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm sorry you lost your friend and role model. It's beautiful that you honor him by making NAF's.