Altar of Devotion

Evangeline Chavez

In the carved hollow of a tree is a religious altar devoted to Santo Nino de Atocha.

]]> http://headtalk.wordpress.com/2010/02/05/hollow-poem/ Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:26:42 +0000 floatingHead. http://headtalk.wordpress.com/2010/02/05/hollow-poem/

What makes it hollow
Makes it hard to swallow
I turn away from You again
And burn the knife into my skin
Fallen and forgotten
Heavy, under an empty coffin
Take me away from this place
And make me numb to the taste
What makes it hollow
Makes it hard to swallow

[circa June 2002]

I don’t know who Jimi Hendrix is. Just the fundamentals of him, that too from a cursory glance of his page in the Wikipedia. It has become customary to speak about something that is irrelevant to the maximum yet duck the public criticism and flak. Readers encourage this practice only to be found later that their once praised favourite authors have gone presumptuous. There is no way to find these fart putters in the first instance. Like how you were deceived by reading the title of this post. Absolute misnomer creates interest among the people but what is bad is not the hype that it generates but the disgrace following the same. One would certainly doesn’t like to be blacklisted. So keep your pride at bay, and start straight talk. I’ll also stick to my word from now on, and till the next post, it’s back to exploring wordpress!

Man, now I’m catching a cold and my nose is running. 30 minutes left until I can go home and I will take a long rest. Not sure if I will go to the office tomorrow, let’s hope my illness will get better. Anyway, here’s this week’s wallpaper, another Saber which I think of this picture as one of the epic pictures I’ve ever seen. Enjoy.

I used to feel awkward during the part of a Christian service where we “turn and greet another person”.  This surprised me, as I love people and am an extrovert, but it often felt so shallow.

I recently came across some writings by St. Benedict and his 4th century Rule for laymen.  It seems remarkably relevant as he compels them to freely forgive, love from the heart and not offer hollow greetings.  I now realize that even in the smallest connection, we can offer a warm greeting and a genuine welcome.  I am at once chastised and encouraged!

These are not just behavioral accessories to adorn our Sunday clothes, but a fresh chance to let the life of God love through us. Take a minute and let his words wash over you.  Anything come to mind that you need to address?  Do it and find peace …and hope enough to pass on. (Even on Sunday mornings.)

In this industry there are just so many choices. You want a body kit? You better shop around because there are tons of them around to suit your ride. Same goes for wheels. There is just such a selection out there. How can we chose which ones we’ll go with? Well we don’t really have a solution for you, actually we’re about to make your decision making process even harder by adding another two wheels to the already infinite amount!

We must say, these better be at the top of your list because they are stunning! To achieve this level of attractiveness, Enkei employs a number of techniques. One of these techniques would be using a ‘MAT Forming’ process that aids them in creating light alloy wheels in larger sizes by first spinning the rim to alter the micro structure of the aluminum to resemble that of a forged wheel, the wheel is then shaved of its materials to save about 10-15% of its weight. Yes, they’re still cast wheels but much lighter and stronger. These wheels feature a unique ‘roulette pattern’ to help stop slippage between the tire and rim. Alright, we’ve got all the information, now let’s take a look!

First up would be the Enkei PF01:

Classic spilt-5 spoke design and comes in 15×5J – 18×9J sizes with offsets from +35 to +53 and also come in PCD 4×100 and 5×114.3

Next up, the Enkei PF02:

Hollowed out 5 spoke design with spokes that go to the edge of the rim giving the illusion that is is larger than it actually is. Sizes range from 15×5J to 18×8J with offsets from +38 to +53 and also come in PCD 4×100 and 5×114.3.

So there you have it. What do you think? We’d love to know, just leave your comments in the comment link below! Our take? We think Enkei has made two very bad ass wheels, perhaps their best yet!

Stay tuned for a big sale on DSG Performance!

So yeah. I got this ichigo hollow mask for 6 bucks.

Dear J-

Monday’s actually pretty wonderful this week, at least Monday night (I didn’t have much of a Sunday to speak of; we won’t speak of the evil known as weekend and night shifts). The simplest things — coming home, dinner, bath, and reading books — the easiest routines, the very act of getting back down to normal is a revelation. It’s only two nights, I tell myself, two nights that I got to spend alone and live in the dark, but it’s two nights way over the line after all the hours and days sunk into work, the cold embrace of work and empty promises set adrift.

We’re all ready for a change; all ready for the hours to shrink down again into the normal hub-bub. I remember a friend telling me that his son was acting up at home, trying to get attention while his dad was working long hours with the new system we’d just rolled out; shades of Worldcom rolling back into my life.ten years later, and this terrible wheel keeps spinning, cycles keep coming back up. Ding-dong, it’s the past at the door; could you get that, please? We had to leave the Zoo early yesterday because figgy wouldn’t cooperate with our plan (can we head over here, or are we going to just stay in the photo booth?) and I can’t help but think that it’s somehow my fault.

Part of me wants to believe that there’s something better for all of us, where I don’t have to work as far or as long. It’s not to the point where we can’t survive the remaining years; we could keep going on as we are, but it’s a kind of stasis, no time left over in this particular budget, this pie’s been sliced up and spoken for long ago. And not knowing the answers — it’s my job to know answers, or at least to know how to find them — is immensely, unendingly frustrating. I suppose it could be a learning experience if I chose to see it that way, but mind stays dull with fatigue, caged in the trap of hours stretching across days and months.

Mike

New image in the bw tree trunks photography contest

…
Hollow photography picture

On the night preceding his seventeenth birthday, Ethan Kairos’ peaceful slumber is interrupted
by a fiery nightmare. He sees his father and mother struggling to escape a raging inferno. The
next morning, he bolts awake into a reality where that dream appears to be truth. Now, he
possesses foreign memories of his parents disappearing twelve years ago, along with ones of
growing up in the care of his secretive, hotheaded uncle. Yet, the remnants of his original life
clearly remain in his consciousness. Time Hollow, styled like a visual novel, assigns you to help
repair the fabric of time and return Ethan’s life to normal.

The tool needed to accomplish that goal immediately falls into the lap of young Kairos. The
Hollow Pen allows him to manipulate past events, even to push and pull objects through the
space/time continuum. But the very existence of this power illuminates a distinct possibility:
there must be someone else out there with a similar ability targeting the Kairos family. That
becomes a certainty as misfortune follows Ethan’s every move. One of his friends mysteriously
disappears. When he fixes that, acquaintances start to die in suspicious accidents. Murders
begin to occur as soon as those tragedies are undone. Everyone Ethan knows turns up dead at
some point in the story. Eventually, the logic spirals into some irreconcilable paradoxes and
twisted logic, but the urgent motivation increases at a perfect pace. Ethan can’t remain in a
world where anyone close to him will suffer or perish.

Gameplay – 7/10: It is a ‘digital novel,’ which means that you will not be doing the usual goomba
curb stomping or questing for epic swords of uberness. Using the stylus, you will be opening
holes into the past, in order to change the present. Sometimes you will not get it right the first
time. Sometimes the game makes it fail, and you must go all around to find more clues. There
will be a lot of wandering in the game, as you go from location to location and talk with npcs, in
the hopes of finding that which will advance the plot, as well as collecting items. All in all, not
bad, however it did not feel perfectly intuitive at times. One could conceivably get stuck, if you
do not search every nook and cranny.

Story – 8/10: With a great many plot twists and paradoxical weirdness that only a time travel
story can provide, the game does rather well in this area. It plays like a mystery, and if that is
your sort of thing, then you will be right at home. The story is put into chapters, and every
chapter meshes well with each other. However, the story can get rather sad at times, and if time
travel stuff gives you a headache, this one will likely be no exception. Playing it all one go might
not be the best suggestion, in such a case.

Characters – 7/10: Mostly unique, however I felt that some of the descriptions did not mesh with
their appearance or mannerisms. For the most part, the characters were not too stereotypical,
and the few who fell short do not detract too much from the story.

Graphics – 9/10: Nice, anime style graphics, almost like playing an anime.

Music- 9/10
Music composed by Konami?! I think I like that! The music for this game is rather creepy most
of the time and suspenseful at certain points. It kinda reminds you of the music from Resident
Evil or even Silent Hill

Triforce-News Final Score 90.0%

A small community in a hollow on the boarder of the Shenandoah National Park.

© 2009 D L Ennis, All rights reserved.

NOTE: Permission for the use of my images is granted for personal websites and blogs but is to include a link back to this site and proper credit given to me, D L Ennis. Link to be used…(Visual Thoughts http://dlennis.wordpress.com/)

NOTE: Commercial use, and the creation of prints, must be purchased! For more information you can contact me here.

The Meet
I attended the Winter Animadness Pullip meet today. First let me explain the madness involved with going to this meet, due to my insanely tight schedule this week I had basically packed all the dolls except the bjds this past Monday and then last night something came up and I thought I wouldn’t be able to attend the meet which of course meant I spent all last night unpacking the dolls, then this morning the situation changed and I could attend again so I had to repack everything in about a two hour time frame and I brought approximately 30 dolls with me. I brought a pretty good selection of dolls including pullips, dals, a couple of taeyangs, dollfie dreams, super dollfie, blythes and a little fee while it is primarily a pullip meet,  there is always someone curious about the other types of dolls and it is a good chance to see one in person if you are kind on the fence about trying a different type of doll especially with the more expensive dolls as that is a lot of money to spend just to find out you don’t like the doll.

In this picture all of the dolls on the lowest shelf and all of the ones sitting/standing on the ground with the exception of Big Pullip (who belongs to requiemart) are mine. There were about twenty collectors at the meet today and well over a 100 dolls there. The official picture of the day is one of most of the dolls lined up on the dvd shelves, there were other dolls at the meet but this was taken pretty early on before everyone arrived and a few dolls like my Jouet and Requiemart’s Joel were off getting their pictures taken when I took this picture.

The meet there was still a bit chaotic, but it was better planned than last time and there was a bit more room this time too.

There was eventually a swap, I managed to swap for a Mini Pullip Berry and sell a few items. Speaking of selling a few items, my money situation was kind of hilarious today I have a separate bank account for my fun money and I won’t let myself spend any of my other money on fun stuff. I had pretty steadily been splurging this month and I had literally just splurged on a Volks Yo-SD in the last few days and just paid her off and had just enough leftover to pay off a custom doll I had on layaway. When I heard I wasn’t going to be able to go to the meet it was like okay because I don’t really have funds to buy another doll right now anyway and I know I would want one if I went. Then I was told I could go again, I was basically on a mission to find funding. I dug around in my different hoody pockets, purses etc and managed to scrape together $60 further scraping once I got in the car got me up to around $75 made enough from sales to get me up to $86 and due to their sales special with 10% off I was just able to buy the doll I wanted (I did have to borrow a quarter from a friend >_< ).  Never let it be said I give up easily.

Of course that brings up the question of what I did buy as I did not buy a pullip, a dal or even a taeyang. I actually bought a Hestia, Hestia was a line of dolls put out by Jun Planning that was later discontinued they were seemingly replaced by J-doll. Hestia’s entire thing was that two dolls were released concurrently and the dolls were a set of twins Rib(b)on and Isora. Both dolls would have a similiar theme but the dolls themselves would kind of be opposites of each for example one month the releases were priestess outfits one appeared to be holy priestess dressed in white while the other appeared to be a priestess of the dark arts and was dressed all in black. I bought the first release of Rib(b)on, I didn’t take any pictures of her yet but I will tomorrow. I also got two nude hestias from requiemart as she bought them to harvest their clothes from.

And the photo ops

My Jouet, Gelato is a bit of a brat apparently and would not stop harassing her brother Joel. Joel is a requiemart custom taeyang made to resemble the dal Jouet, she also made a pullip Jouet named Joyette whom I own. Joyette was supposed to come to the meet today unfortunately while she was packed up on Monday, in all the rush today of trying to get all the other dolls together I was unable to locate her in time to bring her along.

I couldn’t resist taking a picture of my Paja, Raja and Requiemart’s custom Paja dal Pajelle. I do hope she eventually decides to rehome her..

There was actually a byul at this meet :O It was my first time seeing one in person, I have to say they are still not really for me. I did decide to take a picture of Tigerlily with my Happy Birthday Pullip 2 Kaya though.

Catcraig also brought along her along Little Fee Ante so we decided to snap a picture of the two of them together, mine is the one with the acid green fur wig.

While I do like seeing everyone’s dolls at meets some of the mystique is kind of hampered by my having all the dolls for the most part ^^; Of course, I was super excited to see zombuki Cheshire’s new look (or as she is now known unzombuki) but more on that later..

A hollow book is basically a book with a hole in it for stuff you want to hide.

And yes, Cylentshadow loved his gift.

Here’s a link to the directions!http://how2dostuff.blogspot.com/2006/…

More Stocking Stuffers to come!

Happy Holidays =P

This is a true story that happened in Japan. In order to renovate the house, someone in Japan tear open the wall.

Japanese houses normally have a hollow space between the wooden walls.

When tearing down the walls, he found that there was a lizard stucked there because a nail from outside hammered into one of its feet.

He sees this, feels pity and at the same time curious, as when he checked the nail, it was nailed 10 years ago when the house was first built.

What happened? The lizard has survived in such position for 10 years!?!! In a dark wall partition for 10 years without moving,it is impossible and mind boggling.

Then he wondered, how this lizard survived for 10 years without moving a single step – since its feet was nailed!

So, he stopped his work and observed the lizard,what has it been doing and what has it been eating? Later, don’t know from where appears another lizard,with food in its mouth… AHHH!

He was stunned and touched deeply. For the lizard that was stucked by nail, another lizard has been feeding it for the past 10 years…

Such a love, such a beautiful love!! Such love happened even on this tiny creature. What can love do? It can do wonders!! Love can do miracles!!

Imagine it has been doing it for a tiredsome 10 yrs, without giving up hope on its partner. Imagine what a small creature can do that a creature blessed with the brilliant mind can’t.

I am touched when I heard this story. And started wondering the relationship between them: family, friends, lovers, brothers, sisters…… As the technology advances, our access to information become faster and faster. But the distance between human beings, was it getting closer as well? NEVER ABANDON YOUR LOVED ONES.

Said that “there is another side” is unscientific, but use such words to describe the hollow wrist watch, it seems quite appropriate. Because it originally was sealed in the beauty of movement under the dial fully revealed, we are really difficult to use language to describe the kind of “small” brings shock: a movement will be more than 100 dense components, hold the watch craftsmen and crystallization of the hard work – keep swinging movement will be smooth flowing of time is divided into many small units, we can clearly see the rotation of gear to send to the balance of power from the winding gear of the process, as we All of a sudden saw the other side of time.

Vacheron Constantin Maitres Cabinotiers Platinum hollow three repeater

Vacheron Constantin watch for the highly complex technology is a torrent of storytelling, from simple to complex, with a total tabulation process should combine in one of several criteria for compliance with the requirements of VC family. The world’s limited-edition 15 of the thin platinum hollow three asked the table, so that collectors are flocking.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso double ball shape Tourbillon watch II

Following the successful launch of 2004, the first spherical tourbillon watch, Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso series also used to build a second-generation spherical tourbillon watch. This table can be designed in three-dimensional space, high-speed rotation of the spherical tourbillon, double tourbillon frame was 90-degree angle around the 2 axis rotation, combined with the end of a cylindrical winding curves of the design, so that movement can be all-round get rid of the interference of gravity, meaning that whatever towards the wrist to swing, it would not affect the watch’s precision timing.

Richard mille RM009

The RM009 is named after F1 driver Felipe Massa, and it is the first time, making the movement of Al-Li alloy chassis, as well as the watch industry’s first application of aluminum AS7G-silicon – carbon compounds, such a material combination of not only reduced mechanical watch can withstand the weight of the racing sport shocks, acceleration, deceleration and impact.

Patek 5180/1

180 / 1 Patek Philippe has always been the family’s representative, 5-prefix number enough to call the first three characters of the antique tables have lamented the timing was bad, this 5180 / 1 is also destined to become the classic symbol of a generation. Watch selected ultra-thin self-winding calibre 240 movement, and movement on the floor inlaid with a 22k gold pearl swing Tuo.

Athens Ulysse-Nardin Maxi Skeleton Limit hollow watch

This style watch with 44.5 mm hollow limit large cap design, the Roman numeral 12 structured neatly arranged on metal gossamer-like dial on the design bold and innovative watches Lou completely “empty”, and we look through the dial to the surface of the table behind the scenery, hollow skeleton as a whole feels tight but firm, no excess of metal lines, nor overly assertive decoration patterns, prudent and yet luxurious.

Edition Zeitzeichen Pierced carving dragon face plate

The watch dial using all open to 44mm rose gold or platinum case with oversized crown rainbow symbol, the outside part of the skeleton movement are all drawn out, the Chinese dragon patterns carved with plywood block from the Even under the faucet to tail through the whole movement.

Articles related to brand watch, some can see in Ebuy4cheaps

The original set: idolreplicas

Copyright: Reprinted with link to the form must indicate the author and the original source, and this statement.

]]> http://reign20767.wordpress.com/2010/01/18/prince-ichigo/ Mon, 18 Jan 2010 18:36:38 +0000 reign20767 http://reign20767.wordpress.com/2010/01/18/prince-ichigo/

Ok not that i am a die-hard fan but im able to read story lines like a book.  And that being said do you think ichigo is a hollow with death god powers or a death god with hollow abilities.  It would seem that ichigo’s father is a death god meaning that his mother rest her soul had to know.  And with this in mind what was she?                                                                                      

    My opinion and this is just a shot in the dark since ichigo has a hollow which he can not suppress, then maybe she was a hollow.  And not just any hollow like the espada self-proclaimed king number 2.  With all do respect to you die-hard fans I think that ichigo’s mother was a hollow royalty.  Maybe huh. think about it.  Look remember when his mom died it was by a hollow and not just any a super hollow.  Maybe ichigo’s father and ichigo’s mother knowing all to well what would happen if a hollow and death god fell in love would be slaughtered.  Look at the rules of the soul society.  I mean they tried to murder people just for know they exist.  And check this out

    Ok I know you doubt this fact but look at it like this.  When the series started you believed all hollows were retarded vamp like creatures looking for a big breasted cutie to make one of them.  But as it progressed and definitely now it seems that hollows aren’t idiots like the beginning of the series lead to believe.  Now you see the arrancar and espada wills and even in the case of Ulquiorra and his fascination with orithima, a heart.  And ichi’s dad surprised everyone with his enormous strength and spiritual pressure with his one strike kill of a quite fearsome hollow. 

    Now getting back to ichi’s mom.  If she was indeed a hollow if any sort, but in this case royalty (only because it makes my theory plausible) would the hollows get as angry for her betrayal as well.   Sending an underling to massacre her when she has been long away from the spirit world.  Making her weak and fragile to the spirit entities.  Only because spirits needs reiatsu for power.  Hmmmmmm.  Also probably this place karakura town had enough spiritual ominous that it could support her and ichi’s dads power. 

   Ok thats my theory, also my first blog so a little sloppy sorry comment back plz and tell me what you think or just agree or disagree

My profession and travels have taken me to several temples, churches, mutts, monasteries, etc and I have quite often enjoyed sitting by and watching the people and activities – priests, care-takers, devotees, monks/nuns, cleaning, prayers and rituals, veneration and devotion, etc. But the subjects of my interest have always been the monks/nuns! Their attires, lives, attitudes and mannerisms, etc have intrigued me, always… From the little ones of the Buddhist order who chatter, hop and trot around with much verve to the elderly who seem to be lost in a far-away world of their own, stooping with the burden of age!

Often these scenes have reiterated my thoughts about ‘Sanyas’… A monk in a Tibetan cinema asked his mentor: “If Sanyas means to renounce, what am I renouncing for I have been a monk most of my childhood and all of my adulthood till date and have known no other so-called ‘pleasures’ of life?” and the character of Carnatic music legend, Tyagaraja Swamy, said in a novel about his life: “Sanyas is a stage of life where one dedicates oneself to just one cause that he forgets everything including his worldly existence, and for me that one cause is my devotion through music”. Yes, that set me thinking too!

I heard about the four ‘ashramas’ of life from the moral instruction classes that we had at school and then read about the same for more knowledge later. Vedas have prescribed four ‘ashramas’ for man’s life based on the duties or responsibilities that one need to perform at different stages of one’s life – for a perfect life that could be claimed as ‘completely lived’.  ‘Brahmacharya’ – where one needs to be a student with his focus only on the skill that would sustain him and his dependents the rest of their lives, ‘Garhastya’ – where one needs to have a family and pro-create, provide for them, with his focus on moulding a new generation and acknowledging the good deeds of the previous, ‘Vanaprastha’ – where one needs to mentor the new generation and practice the law of ‘detachment’ with his focus on guiding the dependents to follow the right path and moving on in life; finally, ‘Sanyas’ – where one needs to free oneself from the dependents with his focus on knowledge and good deeds. The first three stages have pauses with expectations of good results whereas the fourth has no such pauses (‘Karmayoga’ in one sense)!

Does ‘Sanyas’ talk about renouncing or is it just a logical phase of life that readies one to die peacefully? If either holds true, then what about the little children who don the prescribed garbs at an age where they neither have anything of their past to renounce nor a near-future of after-life to worry about? …And, what about the ‘saint-gods’ who amass wealth?  …And those who treat it as an easy way out, to shrug off the many responsibilities of life? (A middle-aged relative of mine left home to attain enlightenment through ‘Sanyas’ only to be back with guilt to attend his heart-broken wife’s funeral!)

The robes and colours, to me, hold no more importance than those of school students – representations of uniformity in thoughts and of community-living. It is the cause and the deeds that finally matter! Robes without cause are as dead and hollow as a rot-ridden tree – a spirit-less, name-sake existence.

I would like to believe the words from the earlier-mentioned novel as it says about a religious zeal, may that be for devoting oneself to the service of God or of humanity, or to a skill or profession, or to rebellions against decline of righteousness or justice.

…Or maybe that it motivates me to up-hold my passions and the values that I always had faith in…

Image courtesy: Google

Damned recrimination, crushing revelation;

crumple to the foreground while the background closes in.

Betrayal walls collide against the faith you had inside, squeezing

The door marked trust opened for you and feet feet feet walked on through

 the din

of cackling hags, and sordid lies

as the door banged shut

light went out, legs went broke

and laying on the ground, the walls came down

and then I was alone

I began blogging in March, 2009 in response to an e-mail from one of my daughters. I ended that first posting with a question for my viewers, and ten months later I have yet to receive any answers to that question. This is a repeat of that first posting. Since the question remains unanswered I’ll ask it again, just as it appeared in the initial posting—the question will appear again at the conclusion of “THE TOMATO TEMPEST.”

Please feel free to voice your thoughts. I assure you that your comments will not be edited for content, whether negative or positive. However, I must state that any errors in spelling and punctuation will be corrected—I can’t resist that—it’s in my nature!

Note for readers of this posting (if any):

I’ll leave it up to you, the viewers who blindly stumble onto my blog—should I write my memoirs, with the purpose of publishing a book? Should I consolidate and cement those memories for others to enjoy, or should I be selfish and keep them all to myself?

If you respond, I have only one request:

Be honest, but be gentle!

The tomato tempest

Recently one of my three princesses (daughters) e-mailed me excerpts from a diary she kept early in her working career as a graphic designer. Her incredibly detailed (and lengthy) notes prompted an incredibly detailed (and lengthy) answer. To read those excerpts, check out that posting on her blog at http://cindydyer.wordpress.com/2009/03/28/the-year-of-living-detailed-ly/

Summary:

Ichigo and the Gang has finally finished defeating the 2 Guards and little did they know that the Hall there fighting on Collapses once the Guards die so Ichigo and the gang had to Dive through the sand to escape Luckily they made it out and Reached Heuco mondo the Land of the Hollows and Could see the Los Noches were the Espada are at to Save orihime and They ran for hours But noticed it was Not getting anywhere then they got Trapped in a Sand Storm,Later it showed ALL OF THE ESPADA for there first appearance in the Anime and showed Aizen telling them that there are Intruders,Grimmjow noticed It was Ichigo and ran quickly to Kill them for revenge on his Arm but Aizen Used some sort of Power and controlled Grimmjow not to Disobey his orders… Anyway Ichiha,Sado and Oreo are still Walking to Los Noches but got Tired,then Noticed a little Human formed girl running away from 3 Hollows and they quickly Decide to save her.

Review:

Not a bad Episode i throughly enjoyed it,It was nice to see the Espada and it was Really funny when Ichigo and Oreo Uruhara were fighting.

Trvia:

1)It was said that There is no Water or Liquid in The hollow land “Heuco Mondo” but When the espada were at there Meeting they were drinking Tea.

New image in the experiments photoshop contest

…
Hollow Man photoshop picture

Did you notice that in Bleach most tragic characters are people with an obsession?
They are invariably powerful, but unhappy, and they invariably lose.
And they are generally negative characters.

The powerful positive characters on the other hand, Ichigo, his friends, the featured Shinigami, have ideals or abstract set of rules, but not obsessions.

What is the difference between what I call ‘obsessions’ and ‘ideals’?
Well, not the psychic intensity, but the nature of the object. The degree of abstraction of that which makes the object of one’s obsession / ideal.
Tragic / negative characters’ obsession is always about something concrete, e.g. they want to be on top the power pyramid, they seek a certain revenge, or they they follow a certain person. Most recent example: Muramasa’s obsession to come together with Kouga again.

By contrast, positive characters’ drive is more generally formulated, more abstract, e.g. help their friends, defend the family’s honor, enjoy strength, fighting, defend a certain abstract order.
These people generally do not lose. And are generally happier, or at least less despondent.

The explanation lies in that they can “let go” of any concrete element when letting it go seems the reasonable thing to do.

Hanging on to a more abstract purpose in life is an advantage from an evolutionary perspective. While the obsessive characters tie their lives to a concrete element, their lives shatter with the destruction of that element. Most recent example: Kouga unequivocally rejects Muramasa. Then Muramasa painfully loses his identity and sanity, and becomes a hollow. Next thing we’ll know, he dies. People with more abstract ideals can carry on more easily, because concrete elements are more perishable than more abstract elements. Ideas, types, theories, abstract things, are more resilient than tokens. People with abstract ideals only  hook provisionally to concrete elements. So the meaning of their lives is not utterly ruined with their destruction.

The same motif is exploited in certain chapters from the lives of otherwise positive characters. Recall Byakyua’s determination (obsession) over the concrete event of Rukia’s execution? That made him a negative character at that point. But then he let go. Or recall Renji’s obsession with defeating his master? That made him tragic then. He was simply lucky to survive the fight, and then he had enough of what it takes to let go.

The Catholic conception of wedding comes to mind as a possible objection, i.e the norm of forever tying oneself to a concrete element. But that’s not a problem: in that conception the spouses are not supposed to make ‘ their purpose in life’ out of each other.

I’m a customer of First Direct and on the whole I like their brand (even after they buggered me about really badly last month). Last night I was on their site to empty my bank account a little more when I spotted a button for First Direct Live which apparently “Streams live what is being said about us online”.

I thought “Ooh! That’s brave for any brand to do. I’ve got to see this.”

What I encountered was an amazing stab at what I’ll refer to as ‘cloaked transparency’. It was like social media but without any content. It sounded like it was talking but was really just going “mwah mwah mwah mwah” like Charlie Brown’s teacher.

It feels to me like someone sold in a social media strategy based on transparency and then the client got the jitters at the last minute. The quotes that they’ve got up there feel like self-congratulatory corporate tosh. Shame. It was probably a better idea not to have done this at all than do something this hollow.

Do you think it’s OK to just dip your toe in the water when it comes to social media? Tell me your thoughts.