u/suprasternaincognito

I've been contracted to design sound for an exhibit at a children's museum about "being inside a thunderstorm and rainbow."

It’s a pretty small exhibit area with an open-floor plan, targeted to toddler age, and with a live foley component (thundertubes, rainsticks, etc). I am deeply concerned about sound bleed so I'm researching directional speakers. (Which will be supplemented by subwoofers and some practicals.)

I'm looking at Dakota Audio (FA-501), Brown Innovations (CT24-24 or Wide Dispersion Localizer Sound Dome), Focusonics (Model A) and Soundtube (FP6020-II).

What I’d like is for visitors (say, a small family) to be able to go to each area (maybe 7’x7’?), stand there and be immersed in the storm for a few minutes while looking at whatever it is they’re looking at, and then move on to the next area and listen to that storm phase, but without having to hear too much of the other areas. In other words, sort of a curtain of sound blended around the room but specific details as you move around each "area" and explore the storm.

I have no idea what the museum’s budget is. They told me to do the research and they’ll let me know!

Thoughts on the above brands? Or others? Or best practices? I have never done this before and neither has the museum.

49F here. My nieces are 16 and 20. They are smart cookies with a lot of insight, and I've tried to instill in them - bit by bit - all my liberal, give-em-hell sensibilities! I'm very proud of them.

My eldest niece took a History of Genocide class in college last spring and she and her sister and I had an engaging conversation about the Holocaust back in March. (Which was also around the time I discovered relatives who died in it.) I realized they'd never seen Schindler's List. (I've since realized most people younger than 40 have never seen it. Sigh.) So this weekend I drove down and we had a movie night. I warned them about the subject matter and asked if they wanted to watch it. I also asked permission from their parents and received it. We took breaks and clarified stuff when needed. (The youngest HAS seen Zone of Interest and, in 2028, will be taking a school trip to Eastern Europe to visit historical sites, including a concentration camp.) I was legitimately curious their opinion on the film and how it relates to today.

It was a really great evening. They asked reasonable questions, gave insightful observations and we had a great discussion about 1) ICE, 2) the banality of evil and the frog-boiling-in-water analogy, and 3) why it's important to have these difficult conversations instead of shying away from them or pretending like bad things aren't happening. They picked up on all of it.

And then we switched over to what's goin' on in high school and stupid boys/girls and what silly movie they'll make ME watch next time and IpromiseIwillloveit!

Here's my issue: Though I ultimately feel like I did the right thing in showing them this difficult movie and having the conversation, I still feel embarrassed about being THAT person. You know, THAT person who's always talking about abortion or immigration or gay rights or whatever. I'm actually not that person but, to this somewhat apolitical midwestern family, I am. I feel like I have to apologize for me. But I'd thought about this for a while and felt it was extremely important to have them see the movie and have the conversation. As survivors die and the Holocaust is further and further in time, it has receded from our collective memory. And now history is being repeated.

I also have zero issue having difficult discussions about controversial topics. 1) I find it stimulating, and 2) I think part of the reason the US is in the state it's in is because we keep refusing to talk about hard stuff. We keep sticking our heads in the sand and pretending it's okay and, often times, at the expense of other people's suffering.

I'm just venting my insecurities to what I hope is a group of like-minded GenXWomen. Gloria Steinem is dead, tradwives are trending, and people are still in detention centers. So I'm gonna do my best to fight against this shit one person at a time, delicate sensibilities be damned. But am I going to be made fun of for it? Am I too intense?

I think I just need validation. I keep saying perimenopause has made me not give a shit about what people think but that's not entirely true...

EDIT: Okay, I feel a little better. You guys are mensches. Thank you.

I'm taking the Critical Listening 1 course through Berklee College of Music (cannot recommend enough) and we're at the compression lesson. I know what compression does, I've tried using it, etc but I am still not good at hearing it (or using it effectively). We have a listening analysis lesson this week and I'd like to try two different songs: one with bad compression and one with good.

(Yes, I am currently listening to Californication and wincing. Even *I* can hear this. Oof.)

What would be a good example of great compression? Or other examples of bad vs good? I really need to train my ears better but I think I need to start back at the beginner-intermediate level.

I perused a few previous posts on here and read someone saying something about how, if the kick squishes the cymbals, that's a good example of bad compression.

I just spent four nights in Québec City and fell in love. I'd been reading Willa Cather's "Shadows on the Rock" and geeked out over all the historical sites mentioned in the book. Got 20,000 steps in going from the far side of the Plains of Abraham to Lower Old Town. Saw Les Miz in French at the Grand Théatre. Saw the fireworks. Spent all the money. (I'd have done more but I was traveling with my elderly father who can't move terribly fast or far.)

You guys have a good thing going on in your town. And since I'm from Minnesota - where winters are only a tad better - I suspect it's still delightful even when it's cold.

Also - I apologize for our painfully stupid "president" throwing more tariffs at you. If you want to phone up Manitoba and ask them to absorb MN, or just add us as an 11th province, we'd welcome you with hot dishes (including our version of poutine).

Les bisous,

A Minnesotan

I’ve just begun entering the caregiving phase and am not near to where some of you are. But it’s still sort of new to me, driving me bonkers, I know it’s going to get worse, and I’m an only child. And he lives five hours away.

He has balance issues and walks VERY slowly with a walking stick. It’s a struggle. He used to jog eight miles everyday and go hiking.

We’re on vacation in Quebec and the man climbed 360 steps yesterday to Mt Royal. We passed by a ton of people with impressed looks on their faces, some of whom showered him with compliments. “Well done sir! (How old is he?)” I climbed behind him just in case he lost his balance. He did not.

The man is driving me crazy these days (he’s turning into a curmudgeon, everything is stupid) but f#%% me if that wasn’t impressive! (We got an uber back down. Ain’t no way.)

I also think that’s the last time that’s going to happen. A few trips ago we discovered his inability to hike anymore or walk swiftly. This trip we’ve discovered his lack of energy and leg fatigue.

Okay maybe you can no longer hear it but can’t you feel it still? Why is it just a non-stop no-shame fart party after around 80?

EDIT: I am saddened that so many people in this sub are so over-burdened and frustrated by their aging parents that they are unable to pick up on a dark-humored (but genuinely asking) fart question. I hope you’re able to eventually find levity in your life.

I’m coming up on one year sober next week 🥳 but my god are these drinking dreams intense. Wtf you guys. I’m talking Inception-level intense.

It’s not that it’s tempting me, it’s that it’s giving me anxiety because - in that moment - I am convinced I gave in. I mean, yeah, the relief upon waking, but still…

I seem to have no self-control in my sub-conscious. Odd.

It’s one of the only things I can think of that is a reason for this itchy flare up on my upper lip. I thought perhaps it was strawberries but 1) I haven’t eaten any strawberries in over a month, but 2) I HAVE applied retinol the last few nights.

Itchy, prickly, red, swollen. Only thing that relieves it is lip balm.

Anyone else deal with this?

EDIT to add: Neutrogena brand.

My husband (50) has an autoimmune condition and landed in the hospital for four non-consecutive weeks. MIL (~75) drove up for a day to see him (at our request. She's a former OR nurse.). She and i (49) hopped down to the cafeteria to have lunch and I mentioned to her how I was concerned about his nutrition. I know that's not THE only reason for his situation (I'm not MAHA) but when I see gas station cheeseburgers and Doritos in the fridge, I wince.

I cook quite a bit. My mom taught me and I enjoy it. I do the grocery shopping and most of it is on the healthy side. However, my career is freelance and in the arts, which means I'm not always home in the evenings, sometimes for several days or a couple weeks at a time.

After I mentioned my concerns about his nutrition, she said, "Well, are you cooking enough for him? You know how men don't know how to take care of themselves!" I stared at her in disbelief. I took a breath and tried to let it go. I mentioned how I cook when I can but I'm not always home. She recommended meal delivery. I said, "Yes, we do that, too." I also mentioned how - now that I'm entering perimenopause - i need more protein and want to be better at incorporating that into our meals. She poo-poo'd the chicken and fish I prepare and said we should be eating more red meat.

I should point out: my husband enthusiastically eats whatever I make but, when left to his own devices, reverts to bachelorhood. But I am not my husband's mother. He is an adult. At a certain point, his health is up to him.

Fast forward to the day of his release from the hospital. We're on speaker phone with her. She mentions the thing about needing more protein. I piped in and said, "oh! Well, remember how I said that since I'm in perime-"

"WE DON'T CARE ABOUT THAT RIGHT NOW!"

🫤

This woman doesn't give a shit about me in so far as what I can provide for her perfect son who is "just a man". For her, I should have a predictable (and understandable) 9-5 job that allows me to be home at night to be his second mommy (as she is to her husband, who is essentially a big man-baby). This is particularly true since we do not have children (and thus I have failed my duties as a wife and woman).

I am so fucking done with this woman.

Apologies to anyone on the road with me this morning. Kickstart My Heart came on my Spotify and it was exactly what I needed.

It was me. I'm the problem.