I was thinking about some unusual resolutions I heard in a song and they weren't really going to the dominant or subdominant. They felt like they shifted to a related but different key almost.
I finally decided to get back into shape. My old gym closed last year and I hadn't found a replacement. So I signed up for this new place called "The Ascendant Institute." It sounded a bit dramatic for a gym but it was close to my apartment and had good reviews online. Their website boasted about personalized training and a holistic approach to wellness. Sounded fancy enough for me.
My first day was last Monday. August 17th. I walked in and it was sleek all dark wood and stainless steel. Very modern. A man with an unsettlingly calm smile greeted me. He introduced himself as Marcus my assigned trainer. He was tall incredibly muscular but moved with a strange almost liquid grace. His eyes were the most striking feature they were a pale piercing blue that seemed to look right through me.
He started by taking me through a series of assessments. Not just the usual weight and measurements. He had me do these bizarre flexibility tests twisting my body into positions I didn't think were possible. He observed everything with intense focus. He barely spoke but his gaze was constant. It made my skin crawl a little.
"Your body has potential" he said his voice a low monotone. "We will unlock it." It wasn't encouraging it felt more like a promise or even a threat. He then handed me a small sleek device. "This will track your progress. Wear it at all times." I asked if it was waterproof he just nodded. No further explanation.
Over the next few days my workouts were intense. Marcus was always there silent watchful. He never pushed me verbally but his presence was enough. He’d demonstrate exercises with perfect form and somehow I’d find myself mimicking him even when I felt like giving up. The other trainers were similar. They all had that same unnerving calm. That same piercing gaze. They moved like dancers and spoke like robots.
One evening I was leaving the gym when I saw Marcus talking to another member. Their conversation was hushed but I caught a few words. "...assimilation phase complete..." and "...next cycle begins at dawn..." It made no sense. I shrugged it off as gym jargon.
Yesterday I was at home showering after a particularly grueling session. I took off the tracking device and placed it on the counter. As I dried off I noticed a faint humming coming from it. I picked it up and held it to my ear. It wasn't a hum. It was a faint voice. It was Marcus's voice. He was talking about me. Detailing my heart rate my stress levels my "adaptability score."
I dropped the device. It landed with a soft thud. I stared at it. It was still silently humming. How could it be talking? And why was it tracking me outside the gym?
I went back to the gym today to confront Marcus. The place was almost empty. I found him in the main workout area. He was doing some sort of stretching routine. His body was contorted in a way that looked impossible for a human.
"Marcus" I said my voice trembling slightly. "What is this device? What are you doing?" He slowly uncoiled himself turning to face me. His smile was wider than usual. It didn't reach his eyes.
"The device is merely assisting you in reaching your peak potential" he said his voice still that unsettling monotone. "As for what I am doing... I am observing. I am guiding. We all are."
He gestured around the empty gym. "We are preparing you for the next phase." My blood ran cold. The way he said "we" and "next phase" sent a shiver down my spine. It wasn't just him. It was all of them.
I decided right then I was done. "I'm canceling my membership" I stated firmly. He tilted his head slightly. His smile didn't waver.
"That will not be possible" he replied. "Once you begin the ascension there is no withdrawal." My heart pounded in my chest. "What are you talking about?" I demanded. He took a step closer. His eyes seemed to glow faintly.
"Your body is adapting" he said softly. "Your mind is opening. You are becoming one of us." He reached out a hand and touched my arm. His skin was cold surprisingly smooth.
I pulled away instantly. I turned and ran. I didn't stop until I was out of the gym and sprinting down the street. I haven't been back. I threw the tracking device into a dumpster a few blocks away. I'm scared.
I keep looking over my shoulder. I keep thinking I see those pale blue eyes. I keep hearing his voice in my head. Telling me I can't withdraw. Telling me I'm becoming one of them. What did I sign up for?
I'm 28 and have been in my field for about five years. It's a pretty standard office job and pays the bills. My coworkers are fine. The work itself is fine.
But I feel zero excitement when I think about my future in this career. Every next step just looks like more of the same. More meetings, more spreadsheets, slightly higher title. It's not bad but it's not good either. It just is.
I see so many people here talking about passion projects or finding their dream job. I don't even know what that would look like for me. Nothing really sparks joy career-wise. I have hobbies outside of work that I love but turning them into a job feels like it would ruin them.
Am I alone in this? Is it normal to just feel... lukewarm about your professional life? Or should I be actively searching for something that excites me even if I have no idea what that is?
This is something I've been thinking about a lot lately. When I was younger and just starting out all I cared about was making more money. Every extra dollar felt like a huge win. Now that my wife and I are comfortably in the 7 figures it feels different. We still work hard but now we're constantly looking for ways to buy back our time. It's like the scarcity of time has become more apparent than the scarcity of money. We're considering things like hiring more help or even taking a pay cut for a less demanding role just to have more free hours. Is this a common feeling once you hit a certain level of wealth
Ok so I was just thinking about all the weird stuff we do to keep things under wraps. It's not just the big stuff like deleting texts. It's the small almost ridiculous things. I had a coffee cup with a specific AP's lip gloss stain on it. I totally scrubbed that thing like it was evidence at a crime scene. My spouse just thought I was being extra clean for once.
Another time I bought a specific brand of fancy chocolate my AP loves. I had to eat half of it in my car before going home so it didn't look like I was bringing home too much special candy for no reason. Or heaven forbid my spouse asked if I got them some too.
Then there's the 'accidental' shirt change. My AP spilled a little drink on me once. I immediately went to a public bathroom and changed into a spare shirt I keep in my car. My spouse thought I was just clumsy. They had no idea I was hiding a tiny stain from a secret rendezvous.
What are some of the strangest or most mundane things you've had to hide or explain away to maintain OPSEC. The little absurd details are always the funniest to me.
Seriously where do they all go. Every single wash cycle I lose at least one sock. It's never a pair just one. The other one just sits there in the drawer mocking me. Is there a black hole in my washing machine or something. Are they off having some wild sock party in another dimension. I just want my socks back.