Quote of the Week
“Hope is like a path in the countryside. Originally there is nothing–but as people walk this way again and again, a path appears.”
-Lu Xun
Fun Fact
-by Ellen Sovryn
The “Wickedest Man In The World”, Aleister Crowley, though spending the majority of his life in Europe, lived for 4 months in a small house in Hebron, NH by Newfound Lake during the year 1916 in a period known as his “magick retirement”. Far from retiring, he used this time to partake in drugs and rituals, after which he proclaimed himself “Master Therion”. The mystical system of Thelema is where Therion was first identified as a deity by Crowley himself, upon writing The Book of the Law. Therion is derived from The Beast as described in the book of Revelations, and is another of his favorite nicknames.
Inspiration
-by Ellen Sovryn
This week I began the journey of learning how to play the keyboard! I have always loved music intensely as a uniquely personal form of emotional expression, but for many reasons my musical talents were never invested in. The extent of my musical practice is a few choir classes and some dabbling on pianos as a child. Now I’ve decided to change that! I picked up a Yamaha PSR-F51 online and have already learned a few basic chords from watching the YouTube channel MangoldProject. Though my fingers are a little clumsy and the chords are basic, the sweet sounds coming from that keyboard the first time I played it brought me to tears. I wish I had taken this dive years ago! Though there is a sense of loss of years gone by, there is also great joy in this new artistic expression that I’ll only get better at with time. It’s never too late to pick up new talents, my friends. Give your soul the chance to sing.
Health and Wellness
-by Ellen Sovryn
Looking for tips on how to live longer and healthier? You may have heard Dr. Michael Gregor mentioned on a few episodes of Sovryn Tech. This man has forever earned our respect, having written stupendous books overflowing with citations for research about health, nutrition and diet. He also has a website, nutritionfacts.org, where his recommendations and associated research are posted regularly. This makes his content easy to share, which is important because nearly everyone could benefit immediately from implementing even just a few of his recommendations about plant-based diets. Having him explain it in short videos makes this bite-sized content easy to chew on. This week features an oldie-but-goodie. Written in 2011, this article titled, “How to Live Longer in Four Easy Steps” tells us about the basic criteria for a healthy life as outlined by the CDC, then goes further into one of the most important qualities of diet: phytonutrients. How does the Standard American Diet stack up, minus the potato chips? Watch the video of the day to find out!
Spirituality
-by Dr. Brian Sovryn
On my show Sovryn Tech, I've made it abundantly clear many times that I am not a fan of the term "spirituality". In my experience it's a term that gets used for dismissive and throw-away explanations for matters and phenomena of, and gets too readily interchanged and lumped in with, the supernatural and supernaturalism. Worse, it gets used as a descriptor for existential and experiential concepts around a capital "G" god of the sky-daddy variety — a concept that I am more than happy to continue to disprove and denounce. I'll make it clear here, too: there is no sky-daddy.
So why am I writing a column titled "Spirituality" then?
Let's clarify some terms quick:
Mysticism. If there's any term more misunderstood than "spirituality", it's "mysticism". While in the modern "Western (whatever that word means)" mind, mysticism equates to the paranormal or anything that can't be scientifically proven. That's a complete misnomer. By definition, mysticism is simply actions or aspects that bring the individual closer to the divine.
What is the divine, then? The divine, in my definition, is no sky-daddy or omnipotent being. Rather, the divine are the elements that make up the cosmos which a sapient being has the ability to naturally and organically (as in, without mechanical or electronic-based technology) impress their intention upon and alter/affect the universe at large.
So if mysticism is simply the processes, rituals, and actions based on the components of a sapient being allowed through biology or through interactions with elements of the universe, then it is something that has zero conflict with the scientific method. That means, mysticism and science are not inherently incompatible. I know that's a bold claim, but it's a major part of what we will be discussing in this column going forward.
Where does this leave the term spirituality? Spirituality encompasses the elements of consciousness and biology of a sapient being that allows one to engage in mysticism, and ultimately engage the divine parts of the objective cosmos we objectively exist within (albeit through a somewhat subjective experience).
Take meditation for example. Meditation, through various methods, is a process that allows one to access the divine. That means these methods of meditation are "mysticism". And the parts of your consciousness and biology that allows you to meditate is "spirituality". Spirituality then is the beginning of this entire aspect of existence for the individual. Because of that, the term itself encompasses all three parts as it is the beginning.
So you see, while spirituality is a horrible and misused term for many reasons, it's also one that in English has no real synonym that doesn't get even worse (and more in line with supernaturalism). It's also a term that is readily understood by the English-speaking world as pertaining to mysticism and the divine.
Understand I am not one to bother taking the time to reclaim terms (for example: "anarchists" are anarchists, regardless of flavor, so go ahead and throw a hyphen on it if you feel like you need to be specific). Yet this is a case where it's necessary to be specific, even if the definitions here are over-simplified for the purposes of this writing. That's at the very heart of this column's purpose, to explore and expand on all three:
What is the divine?
What are mystical practices that are helpful to the individual?
What is the individual's spirituality?
All of this means that for the sake of brevity, simplicity, and a modicum of understanding by those unfamiliar with the bulk of my work, I have now learned to become begrudgingly comfortable with the term "spirituality".
Spirituality — while only one part of existence — is a part of existence that is not to be ignored if an individual is to be truly happy and experience love (in all of its forms) in our travels through life and the cosmos. Arguably, it's the most important aspect of our existence, but keep in mind that it is only one aspect, and the other aspects of our existence should be fostered alongside it.
But I'm excited to explore the divine, mystical, and spiritual with you in this column. Power on!
Articles of the Week
Science
-by Ellen Sovryn
In times of energy crisis, thinking about the future can be a little scary. If you lead a self-sustainable lifestyle however, it doesn’t have to be! This article titled “Make Your Own Fuel! Alcohol Fuel Basics” gives a basic rundown of knowledge and insights needed to start building your own sustainable fuel rig. Ethanol is an alcohol produced from food fermentation, which can be accomplished easily with a basic fermentation tank, food source, and distillation column. The size of the initial investment is based on the amount of fuel you are hoping to produce, and whether you plan on growing the fuel crops yourself or buying them. As someone who loves gardening and knows a few engineering principles, this seems like a highly desirable project for our next home in the woods! Ethanol is a great fuel due to high heat of combustion, as well as the efficiency of burning this oxygenated molecule. While it is slightly less energy dense than gasoline, it burns much cleaner, and the production process is far simpler. The possibilities are numerous for what this fuel can be used for, including as a heat source or running vehicles with ethanol (with a few minor modifications). Have any of you had experience with ethanol fuel production? Share your story with us!
Psychology
-by Ellen Sovryn
We all know that working too much will kill us, as the title of this article “We’re Killing Ourselves with Work” states. The question it attempts to address is this: what causes us to want to work so much in the first place? Personally, over the last year I have spent half of those weeks working 60 hours or more, and it made me miserable. Not just because of the lack of adequate sleep or time with my loved ones, but because I felt that I was losing my identity to the corporation I served. All the things that I loved about life had to be done quickly and with some small sense of stress and urgency, otherwise put off for a later date. Who do we become then, if we cannot make time for our personal aspirations, but sacrifice all to pursue greater income? This drive for more wealth has so overtaken first-world countries that we have a hard time imagining life any other way, and yet there are still a few tribes of people untouched by modern rapacity that may reveal some information on what pre-industrial lives really looked like. Less time working means more leisure time, but it also means changing our hearts and minds when it comes to possessions and greed. Caring less about the welfare of those around us and more about how full our houses are with creature comforts may be the culprit in developed countries’ decreasing happiness levels.
Space
-by Ellen Sovryn
The sun is our home star, the source of all heat and light that allows us to exist here on earth. It is also a fantastic and beautiful object of study. Many things about stars are unknown to us, yet this close to home we have great opportunities to learn more as better technology becomes available. Of great interest to scientists, solar storms caused by coronal mass ejections or solar flares can create trouble for electrical devices here on Earth. In some cases such as the March 1989 geomagnetic storm, they can even shut down whole power grids.
The charged particle stream known as the heliosphere constantly pours out from the sun, and reaches approximately one million miles an hour as it flows out in a bubble around our solar system. This creates weather events as it collides with and streams around the atmosphere of planets. We visualize this process as auroras in the magnetosphere. When solar storms are strong enough, such as in the Carrington Event of 1859, auroras are able to be seen as far south as tropical regions, like Hawaii.
While the auroras may be breathtaking, the electrical grid outages are a rather unpleasant side effect of solar activity. Scientists would love to gain a better understanding of how the sun’s weather patterns operate so that events like blackouts can be predicted. Using updated technology, the Solar Orbiter launched by the European Space Agency is continuing this investigative story by attempting to get closer to the sun to image the star in unprecedented detail.
Due to strong magnetic fields and extreme levels of heat, the sun is understandably difficult to approach. Yet in new images captured by the ESA’s Solar Orbiter, the sun is able to be viewed in the highest resolution ever. This article titled, “New Image of the Sun Is Unlike Anything Seen Before” explains more of how this 83 million pixel achievement took place, allowing us to see coronal gas erupting from the surface of the sun in more detail than ever. Another instrument discussed in the article, Spectral Imaging of the Coronal Environment (SPICE), images the sun at different wavelengths in order to gain a better understanding of how deeper layers affect the surface, and why the corona of the sun is hotter than the surface.
Nature
-by Ellen Sovryn
The fine structure constant is a seemingly simple constant of the universe, like the speed of light, except this one is mysteriously not actually constant. A dimensionless value like the Reynold’s number, but instead of relating fluid properties to flow, the fine structure constant applies to the strength of interactions between the electromagnetic force and charged particles. Just like other universal constants, the value of the fine structure constant determines the nature of reality of our universe.
What does it mean for our universe then, if this value is not truly constant, but shifts depending on the situation? If you love learning mind-expanding physics, give this article titled, “Life As We Know It Would Not Exist Without This Highly Unusual Number” a read and don’t miss the featured video explanation as well! What fascinates me about this slippery constant is that something related was hinted at in this article titled, “The Universe Is a Machine That Keeps Learning, Scientists Say” from Popular Mechanics, where a research paper is discussed that suggests the universe evolves over time. What we know as the laws of the universe have changed over time, and there is some reason to suspect they still may be doing so.
Is the fine structure constant evidence of the universe adapting itself to new situations, or something else? Let us know what you think! If you are looking for a more technical definition of the fine structure constant, as well as a little history, here is a write-up titled, “Current advances: The fine-structure constant and quantum Hall effect” from the National Institute of Standards and Technology that provides more context.
Resources
-by Ellen Sovryn
Did you know that Harvard University offers free online courses? I began my experience with their free courses in April of 2021 by signing up for the course Food Fermentation: The Science of Cooking with Microbes which I completed while working full time. Initially as a lurker, I was able to have free access to most class content. While they do cut off your free content before completing the first half of the course, signing up to be a verified student is not expensive. When the time comes to make the commitment or drop the class, you will have had enough experience to make an informed decision. Most of the courses price around $100-$150, though price varies by topic.
If you become a verified student in a chosen course, you will have access to group discussions as well as the complete catalogue of content, including homework assignments and quizzes. The best part about these courses is that they are all self-paced and self-led, so you can go as quickly or slowly as your schedule allows. Upon passing the course you will receive a certificate from HarvardX, which can be useful if you are trying to build up your resume or just want to expand your expertise with quality information. I love the variety of knowledge that is offered from this prestigious university to the public for little to no cost, and have my eye on a few other courses at the moment. The beautiful thing this website shows us is that no one is ever too old or busy to continue their education!
Entertainment Club
Books
-by Ellen Sovryn
I started listening to the audio version of Dr. Carl Jung’s essay, “The Undiscovered Self” on audible this week. Running only two and a half hours, it is a small but dense presentation. The narration by David Rintoul is engaging, which helped me to maintain interest and focus through this thoughtful writing. Jung is brilliant and revered by psychology fanatics around the world, though I find it interesting that in this short piece he speaks against many of the frameworks which humans exist within daily and consider essential for a “normal” life.
What had me fascinated immediately was Jung’s critique on leaders, or a societal system in which leaders are created. In his eloquent way, Jung described the detrimental psychological effects of such a system. If people crowd together in fear of the unknown, out of that formless chaos of the masses a leader is chosen to attempt unification. Any crowd however is composed of many individuals, all with individual experiences, desires and characteristics. In a mathematically accurate description of statistics, Jung dispels the idea of an ”average man” belonging to the masses, proving that there is no such thing.
“The distinctive thing about real facts, however, is their individuality. Not to put too fine a point on it, one could say that the real picture consists of nothing but exceptions to the rule, and that, in consequence, absolute reality has predominantly the character of irregularity.” (1)
Having a social order led by a single person or group of people naturally subjugates individuality and individual will. Soon no one will need to decide for themselves as their lives will largely be predetermined by the will of the leader and their ability to enforce it.
“The goal and meaning of individual life (which is the only real life) no longer lie in individual development but in the policy of the State, which is thrust upon the individual from the outside and consists in the execution of an abstract idea which ultimately tends to attract all life to itself. The individual is increasingly deprived of the moral decision as to how he should live his own life, and instead is ruled, fed, clothed, and educated as a social unit, accommodated in the appropriate housing unit, and amused in accordance with the standards that give pleasure and satisfaction to the masses.” (1)
While Jung acknowledges the tremendous power that people can have in large numbers, the importance of the individual cannot be stated strongly enough. His belief was that if a human could fully integrate all aspects of the mind, conscious and unconscious, that eventually this would lead to a new kind of human that is not only fully realized and self-aware, but free of any form of psychosis. Notice how he identifies the villains of society as “ruthless individualists”, yet they are only able to have power in a system where humans have abandoned their individuality.
“Naturally, society has an indisputable right to protect itself against arrant subjectivisms, but, in so far as society is itself composed of de-individualized human beings, it is completely at the mercy of ruthless individualists. Let it band together into groups and organizations as much as it likes – it is just this banding together and the resultant extinction of the individual personality that makes it succumb so readily to a dictator. A million zeros joined together do not, unfortunately, add up to one. Ultimately everything depends on the quality of the individual, but our fatally short-sighted age thinks only in terms of large numbers and mass organizations, though one would think that the world had seen more than enough of what a well-disciplined mob can do in the hand of a single madman.” (1)
He even offers his own answer to the timeless question of why it is that social orders at the height of their glory have self-destructive tendencies. The unconscious mind contains far more information about our selves than the conscious mind, though the conscious is all that we have direct access to. Conflicting aspects of self within the subconscious compete and struggle with each other for attention in a person who has not fully integrated their fears, desires and instincts, and manifest in the real world as manic decisions or psychotic episodes. Perhaps the largest struggle comes from society itself, wherein the state attempts to destroy instincts completely by repeating “you must” and “you should”. The obsessive factors mentioned which the state supports as part of their web of influence, such as money and work, are described as distractions from the ultimate goal of total psychic integration.
“The leaders of the mass State cannot avoid being deified, and wherever crudities of this kind have not yet been put over by force, obsessive factors arise in their stead, charged with demonic energy – for instance, money, work, political influence, and so forth. When any natural human function gets lost, i.e., is denied conscious and intentional expression, a general disturbance results. Hence, it is quite natural that with the triumph of the Goddess of Reason a general neuroticizing of modern man should set in, a dissociation of personality analogous to the splitting of the world today by the Iron Curtain. This boundary line bristling with barbed wire runs through the psyche of modern man, no matter on which side he lives. And just as the typical neurotic is unconscious of his shadow side, so the normal individual, like the neurotic, sees his shadow in his neighbor or in the man beyond the great divide.” (1)
His views on government reflect nearly perfectly onto religious institutions, though he thought that government has a somewhat adversarial relationship with religion. Jung believed that there was a distinct difference between a creed and religion. Creeds have followers which obey edicts passed down from religious leaders. They are practiced simply because that is what one has always done, and their families before them. Religion is something deeply personal, experienced as a true belief which is followed even in the absence of other’s shared belief. Religious experiences, Jung argued, are one of the few things that give a person individuality, as they are internal and cannot be fully communicated to others.
“It is not ethical principles, however lofty, or creeds, however orthodox, that lay the foundations for the freedom and autonomy of the individual, but simply and solely the empirical awareness, the incontrovertible experience of an intensely personal, reciprocal relationship between man and an extramundane authority which acts as a counterpoise to the “world” and its “reason”… the individual who is not anchored in God can offer no resistance on his own resources to the physical and moral blandishments of the world. For this he needs the evidence of inner, transcendent experience which alone can protect him from the otherwise inevitable submersion in the mass.” (1)
I suspect that Jung may have been speaking more to the credit of spiritual revelations and experiences which may at times come from other influences. The idea of naming the creative forces of the universe anything besides God probably would not have gone over too well at the time of writing in 1956. Perhaps he wanted to focus more specifically on Christianity due to its dominant position in Western civilization. While seeing potential in this religion and hoping for a reevaluation of its principles, Jung was not afraid to make inflammatory and immodest statements about the power of each individual, which might have displeased those of the Christian creed.
“Christianity holds up before us a symbol whose content is the individual way of life of a man [Jesus], the son of Man, and that it even regards this individuation process as the incarnation and revelation of God himself. Hence, the development of man into a self acquires a significance whose full implications have hardly begun to be appreciated, because too much attention to externals blocks the way to immediate inner experience. Were not the autonomy of the individual the secret longing of many people it would scarcely be able to survive the collective suppression either morally or spiritually.” (1)
Insightful and inspiring, Jung not only expressed a desire to see individuals seize control of their fates back from systems of power, but also had hope that in the future humanity would find a more fully integrated consciousness that would allow us to live free from psychosis and in touch with the eternal. As always, he underscores the importance of self knowledge.
“Most people confuse “self-knowledge” with knowledge of their conscious ego personalities. Anyone who has any ego-consciousness at all takes it for granted that he knows himself. But the ego knows only its own contents, not the unconscious plight of the individual in modern society and its contents.” (1)
There is far more to each individual than their usefulness to society, service to religious institutions, or even the conscious mind. There are hints of great power hidden within the subconscious mind, which may be our connection with “God”. If you wish to hear more about the importance of symbolism to the subconscious and its connection with the eternal, I highly recommend you listen to or read this essay. The full online text may be accessed here.
Reference:
1. Jung, C. G. (1958). The Undiscovered Self: Translated from the German by R.F.C. hull. New American Library.
Music
-by Dr. Brian Sovryn
While some people argue that 2010's decades-in-the-making sequel -- "Tron: Legacy" -- was a pale shadow of its predecessor (an opinion that I think is mind-splittingly asinine, "Tron: Legacy" is one of the greatest and most faithful sequels ever made), no one really argues that it's soundtrack was an instant classic. Daft Punk's soundtrack (the only one I think they've ever done) was, and still is, a mind-blowing experience of orchestra and electronics that knows few peers. I could probably tally it up on the various software I use to listen to music, but it has to be one of the most listened-to albums in my collection, and it has been for over a decade now. Seriously, I hum it on a daily basis (just ask Ellen).
While there have been multiple re-releases of the "Tron: Legacy" soundtrack (including a very well done remix album), if you wanted new, original music of its ilk, I have great a pick for you in this newsletter: the "Tron RUN/r" game soundtrack.
While I wouldn't recommend the actual 2016 Disney-made game, "Tron RUN/r" kept all of the stylings of "Tron: Legacy" intact visually and sonically. With Giorgio Moroder and Raney Shockne bringing in an excellent soundtrack (along with remixes by the phenomenal Autechre -- and more from Plaid, Rusko, Bibio, Darkstar, Patten, and the talented Christopher Nicholls). Again, don't bother with the game, but if you want more of that Daft Punk-styled Tron musical action, the "Tron RUN/r" game soundtrack has your hookup.
Video Games
-by Dr. Brian Sovryn
What if I told you there was a game for the original NES very much like the system's classic "The Legend of Zelda", but wasn't part of the Zelda franchise (let's not talk about Zelda II, either), but was just as enjoyable and solid as that ground-breaking game?
It's true, there is, and it was made by Nintendo themselves in 1986: "The Mysterious Murasame Castle".
While not released outside of Japan and translated into English until 2014, this game has everything you (should) love about the original "The Legend of Zelda". It is (believe it or not) more challenging, surprisingly fast-paced, and impressively rich with content. Think of it as "The Legend of Zelda" on cocaine.
To officially hit a line of "The Mysterious Murasame Castle", in which the game puts you in a supernatural-filled Edo-period Japan, you're going to have to pick it up for the Nintendo 3DS via the eShop's Virtual Console service. Yep, even today with an official release, it's still rather difficult to get your hands on, especially considering the king's ransom 3DS consoles are selling for today. Maybe soon it will come out for Nintendo's Switch Online service, but at the rate that Nintendo is releasing classic games for that system, you probably don't want to hold your breath.
But you DO want to play "The Mysterious Murasame Castle". Absolute masterwork.
Expedition: Travel Locations and Review
-by Ellen Sovryn
Since January of 2013, New Hampshire has been my home. As a Midwesterner who grew up mostly in flatlands and cornfields, the steep slopes of the Appalachians with their myriad rivulets and majestic profiles has taken some getting used to. I’ll never feel complacent about the natural beauty abounding here, quite the opposite, but so many outdoor activities take on a new character over the mountains and through the woods. Take for instance, skiing and snowboarding, two activities you simply can’t do when the biggest hill in a 100 mile radius is at best a bunny slope. Going for a swim takes the action to a whole new level in the cold and salty ocean when the tide is rolling in.
To it’s credit, Michigan has the Great Lakes, while New Hampshire has its own Lakes Region. The area surrounding Lake Winnipesaukee is, to me, the most beautiful of all that NH has to offer. There are gorgeous tidepools and beaches along the seacoast, and the Appalachian Trail crossing over massive mountains to the north. Yet if I were going to choose a place to spend a beautiful summer day, it would likely be in the town of Barrington. It’s a quiet place, about 40 minutes south of Lake Winnipesaukee, but the natural landscape has been preserved so well in part because of the lack of human activities in the area. Stone House Pond is tucked away in the Stonehouse Forest. You will have to drive down a dirt road, and once you park there is a little walk to the pond.
To me, the little word “pond” was deceptive. This lake has everything you need for a good time in the sunshine. The swimming area mainly sits atop a rock with a short but steep drop into the water that is perfect for jumping off of again and again. The ground around the area is soft and loamy, though firm with tree roots, which makes it comfortable enough for an afternoon read. Plenty of people enjoy the fresh water fishing or kayaking over the glassy water. The crowning jewel of this place is the unmistakable mountain with a sheer cliff face directly across the pristine pond.
If you can, take on the challenge and hike to the top. There is a 1 mile trail encircling the whole pond, which takes you up 160 feet of elevation directly to the top, where you can look across the green mountains into the hazy distance for miles and miles. This is actually much easier than it sounds. Not that I would recommend this, but I once made the climb in a full length skirt and open-toe sandals. Birdwatching from this height is amazing, as there are many species of song birds, raptors and waterfowl that call this place home. If you are interested in climbing the cliff there are others who have left pitons in place for that purpose.
If you ever visit NH, I hope you will take time to go off the main roads and see some of the quiet and beautiful places that the locals enjoy. There are many other towns surrounding the lakes region that offer peaceful water and a woodland atmosphere. Stone House Pond will always have a special place in my heart for all the fun summer days we had there with family and friends. It may not be advertised, but if you are a nature-lover, the offerings are greater than you’ll find almost anywhere else.
Insights from Our Life on the Road
Coming soon!
Featured Artwork
Wild Geese by Mary Oliver
You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting --
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.
Send your contributions to sovrynnews@protonmail.com.
Fiction Stories
Do Androids Dream of Secret Agents?
-by Dr. Brian Sovryn
The orb of energy dissipated as quickly as it appeared under the night sky of Upstate New York. It’s bright flash of white and blue, not unlike a burst of lightning, was seen by no one in the empty field, with the full moon hiding some of the orb’s initial brilliance.
A figure in the shape of a human woman now stood where the energy orb had been. The figure was completely nude, its pallor as white as a sheet. Though the the shadow it cast looked female, that was only due to its inherent curves that set it apart from the look of a human male. It was also completely hairless from head to toe. It did have toes and a head, but as its two eyes opened, they were completely black and shiny, reflecting the light of the moon. Its lips were non-existent. The figure had ears, but it had no mouth. It silently looked at its surroundings with its onyx eyes.
The world, as it saw it, was a shade of green with varying data running across its field of vision, describing the trees and other flora around it, along with information as to where the nearest city was. The nearest city was now highlighted to the right of its vision, a map showing directions, and a schematic of the city from an aerial view. The completely green color of the figure’s vision now had a blinking red spot that became its sole mental focus, with words above the dot also in red that said, “PRIORITY ONE”.
Behind the gaze of the all-black eyes, a video recording began playing, and the otherwise now motionless body watched and listened to it intently. It was of a woman wearing glasses and a lab coat. She had brown hair and well-defined cheekbones. In what equated to its mind’s eye, the figure studied the woman the video, noting her larger-than-average cleavage under the lab coat, and the much longer-than-average legs that were barely covered by the hem of the lab coat and the even shorter skirt the woman was wearing.
The woman in the video began talking, “Greetings, Hadaly. Due to the dimensional travel, I’m sure you must be feeling a little disoriented. Go to your hyperblock memory and select ‘recalibrate’.” As the woman spoke, descriptions of what was being discussed along with menu selections appeared before the figure’s sight, and it did as it was instructed.
Hadaly, it thought. My name is Hadaly. Hadaly selected “recalibrate” under a menu called “hyperblock memory”. Briefly, Hadaly’s vision was scrambled and filled with static, but was then filled with massive chunks of code, all of which Hadaly integrated, the code causing her to remember entire lives. Her — and she now knew she identified as a her — own lives. Mission after mission, reprogramming after reprogramming.
The woman continued, “You should be back to normal now, but just in case it’s taking longer for your hyperblock memory to stabilize and reintegrate: you are Hadaly, and I am your creator, Dr. Miriam Goldblossom.”
Hadaly wanted to audibly say my creator with a tone of reverence, but her present lack of a mouth didn’t allow it. Instead she continued to listen to her creator.
“I designed you to be an assistant for me, and as a protector for the love of my life: Agent Brian Sovryn, who you are now seeing listed in your ocular readout as ‘Priority One’.”
Hadaly could remember being created and activated for the first time, but her creator may have been right. Her hyperblock memory was not yet fully integrated, as she recognized the timestamp of the video she was watching: the year 2199 CE. But her memory made it clear that she was activated in 1280 CE.
Dr. Goldblossom’s recording went on unabated, oblivious to Hadaly’s confusing thoughts, “You’re an android, Hadaly, but you are one with all of the feelings and capabilities of a human woman, along with so much more. And I’ve sent you back to 2022 CE because we’re going to need your more…special talents.”
Hadaly saw an odd look in the Doctor’s face at that point — a look of concern mixed with a devilish, joyful grin. She didn’t understand the Doctor’s expression, but it didn’t stop her from listening intently.
“However, you won’t look very much like a woman right now. While on some missions I’ve programmed your appearance, for this you are welcome to take on the appearance of your choosing. Your body will morph into whatever look and shape you decide to take, but you are required to have the physiology of a woman for your present task.”
The android, formless by comparison to the humans she would encounter in 2022, considered briefly what form she would like to take, but without even hearing what her present mission was, she had already decided to take on the only form she knew in the moment.
The form of Dr. Miriam Goldblossom.
With the sound of the decompression of air and a stretching that almost sounded like rubber inside of her, Hadaly’s “skin” began to tighten around her waist, but expand at other areas. Breasts and buttocks took voluptuous shape, and long, dark, straight hair that went down to those buttocks grew from her head. Well-defined eyebrows formed, and Hadaly’s eyes went from all-black to whites, with dark irises. Her lips then took shape, and a playful smile with teeth showing — emblematic of Dr. Goldblossom — came across her face.
Hadaly then attempted to speak, and only one word came out, “Better”. It came out with a French accent, with a similar tone to the Doctor, however. This also confused Hadaly.
Dr. Goldblossom went on, unable to know that Hadaly had chosen the appearance of the android’s own creator: “I’m sure you’ve chosen something already, and I’m sure you’re as beautiful as ever, Hadaly.” Hadaly wondered what the Doctor would think of her choice, and she wondered if it wasn’t the first time that she had decided to mimic her creator.
“Now, to your mission, Hadaly…”
Suddenly, Dr. visage was replaced with the headshot of a bald man with a goatee. The sight of the man sent an odd sensation throughout Hadaly’s android body, as if she unconsciously recognized him out of a sense of déjà vu, all while feeling extreme excitement. The name under the headshot read “Agent Brian Sovryn”.
In the nanoseconds between hearing the android’s name, reading the name of the subject of her mission, and the next words to be uttered from the Doctor, Hadaly’s hyperblock memory kicked in with a deluge of imagery and experiences.
The memories — Hadaly at least thought they must have been memories — felt intense. She saw this Agent Sovryn and Dr. Goldblossom on a table in a lab before her. The two were having sex in front of her, and she was watching, studying them. Dr. Goldblossom was riding Agent Sovryn with only her lab coat on, the Doctor’s breasts heaving as she went up and down on his — to Hadaly’s comparative memory — very large penis. Dr. Goldblossom looked up at Hadaly and grinned…
The memories then flashed to Hadaly being on her knees, and she could see her creator to her right on her knees, as well. The two women were surrounded by large green humanoid males standing beside Agent Sovryn. All of the males, the green ones and Agent Sovryn, were naked with large, defined musculatures, but the green humanoids made Agent Sovryn look slightly smaller by comparison. She didn’t know what species they were, but she remembered the pleasure in that moment, with herself and her creator sucking and stroking all of the males’ large members. The room they were in was not well-lit, and the walls had an odd glow to them. Was it a starship she was on?
Before she could remember, her memories took her to another place. It was cramped, and she could see mountains. Hadaly realized she was now seeing the inside of a helicopter cockpit, and in the reflection of the side window, she saw the visage of Dr. Goldblossom sucking on Agent Sovryn’s manhood as he piloted the craft.
But why was she seeing the Doctor in her reflection? Had she taken the shape of her creator before, or was this a memory her creator had implanted in her? Hadaly wondered if any of these memories were of herself, or if they were the memories of Dr. Goldblossom, or both.
The Doctor’s voice broke Hadaly out of her reverie: “First, find Agent Sovryn. He won’t be expecting you, and as strange as this will sound to you right now until all of your memories have finished reintegrating, he’ll think that you’ve died.”
Hadaly gasped audibly through her newly formed mouth. “Sacré bleu,” she stated, shocked at the revelation, and quickly tried to find the memory of her being destroyed. She couldn’t find anything readily.
Dr. Goldblossom was once again the center of the video, and her face and voice took on air of extreme concern: “He’s in great danger, Hadaly. And I’m afraid I’m putting you perhaps in even greater danger. In the next 24 hours, Brian is going to be murdered. And you have to find a way of stopping that from happening. I think you’re the only one that can.”
TO BE CONTINUED…
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Featured Charity
Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
-by Ellen Sovryn
https://greatbay.org/
https://greatbaystewards.org/
The Great Bay of New Hampshire is a stunning natural habitat with a wide variety of flora and fauna, such as the horseshoe crab, Blanding’s turtle, osprey, and saltmarsh sparrow. If you have ever visited the area you will know what a treasure it truly is. The open water, marshes, forests, and fields are a home to migratory birds as well as a coastal habitat that reaches inland to freshwater areas supporting hundreds of species. As all natural habitats are nowadays, this preciously diverse area is under risk of deterioration from human activity. It is a natural wonder that deserves to be protected for the sake of the biodiversity that it supports. Please consider donating to this local charity to help aid their conservation and education efforts, and become a member of the Great Bay Stewards. The Stewards are, “A New Hampshire non-profit whose mission is the long-term protection and conservation of the Great Bay estuarine system by supporting education, land protection, research and stewardship of Great Bay.”
In addition to maintaining trails throughout the area which can be hiked from dawn to dusk, this organization also offers a community wildlife garden, Great Bay Discovery Campus, wildlife watching, and hunting and fishing areas. As stated in their mission, “The Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve provides place-based science, data, education programs, workshops, and technical assistance to help understand and protect the lands and waters that are the cultural and economic heart of communities in New Hampshire’s Great Bay watershed. We are a resource for anyone who wants to connect with others to protect the Great Bay.” You can also subscribe to the Great Bay Matters publication, which provides more insight into the research and stewardship efforts happening in the local area.
For people to thrive on this planet, we need to be responsible and ensure the survival of all the creatures and plants which we depend on for clean air, water, food, and other natural resources. Make a positive difference by contributing to the effort of preservation. By ensuring the existence of organizations like this, who do essential work with the ecosystem so that we may continue to enjoy it in the years to come, you are helping to make the world a greener place.
Please note: any charity mentioned in this section is not affiliated with our organization; we do not receive any money from your donations to them. The charities featured here exist at the local level only so that you get the greatest value out of your donations.
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Meet Our Writers
Ellen Sovryn
Ellen has always been creatively inclined, and was editor for the first round of Sovryn Tech newsletters back in 2015, as well as the The Sovryn Universe, Vol. 1. She holds an associate’s degree in bioengineering and bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from GBCC and UNH. A lifetime explorer, her many hobbies include gardening, painting, food science, staying fit, taking things apart, hiking and gaming.
Brian Sovryn
Brian has always been an avid writer, and in the last few years has authored The Sovryn Universe, Vol. 1 as well as Dark Android: 2017 Edition: The No-Nonsense Guide to Securing Your Smartphone & Taking Back Your Privacy all while hosting the Sovryn Tech podcast. He has an extensive background in IT and cyber security, as well as an honorary Doctor of Divinity from ULC. When not writing, he is busy weight lifting, reading comics, recording revolutionary podcasts, or building up his music and film collection.
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