beach-philosophies

you walk along a beach, you (cycling-link: "w alk", "wa lk", "wal k", "walk "), and [[you walk]]  (set: $timer to 10) (set: $timerText to 3) (set: $mood to "moody") (set: $treasure to "shell") (set: $characteristic to "imperfections") (set: $bgColor to "black") (set: $shellCounter to 0) (set: $shellsInPocket to (a:) ) (set: $shapesShell to (a: "beautifully shaped shell", "shell with a striking shape", "strangely shaped shell", "shell with a perfect shape", "teeny tiny shell", "huge shell", "heart shaped shell", "shell that looks like a moon", "shell shaped like a stone") ) (set: $colorsShell to (a: "shell with vivid colors", "shell with colors you have never seen before", "fascinating, dark shell", "beautiful multicolored shell", "blueish shell", "reddish, striped shell", "very white shell", "black shell", "shellish shell") ) (set: $imperfectionsShell to (a: "imperfect, yet perfect shell", "broken shell", "fragment of a shell", "shell in three parts", "shell with an intriguing hole", "shell fused onto another shell", "broken shell", "very strange shell", "shell with strange things growing on it") ) (set: $shapesStone to (a: "piece of somebody's wall", "giant stone", "teeny, tiny round pebble", "perfectly flat, round stone", "heart-shaped stone", "stone that looks like a sheep's head", "face-shaped stone", "perfectly spherical stone") ) (set: $colorsStone to (a: "stone with a striking white stripe", "very black stone", "perfectly white stone", "reddish rock", "blue-hued stone", "light orange stone", "multicolored rock", "pinkish pebble", "white stone with reddish lines") ) (set: $imperfectionsStone to (a: "round rock with a bit chipped off", "ragged rock", "imperfect, square of a stone", "elongated, odd rock", "lumpy stone", "stone with too much going on", "curious stone with a tiny round hole", "rock, disintegrating") ) (set: $shapesDebris to (a: "mysterious bone", "odd assemblage of I don't know what", "bunch of seaweed", "bit of plastic", "cigarette stub", "striking piece of driftwood", "beautiful, round drop of amber", "odd, round thing with a tail") ) (set: $colorsDebris to (a: "red plastic bottle cap", "green plastic net", "red and white fishing float", "disintegrated, whitish former plastic bag", "black, squishy ball", "piece of blue string", "shrivelled green plastic bag", "beautiful, green algae") ) (set: $imperfectionsDebris to (a: "broken plastic shovel", "fragment of a toy", "weathered bottle cap", "some body's left claw", "some body's right claw", "partially disintegrated plastic bag", "worn cloth", "plastic lollypop stick entwined in seaweed") )

and you [[walk]]

[[and]] you keep walking (set: $walkCounter to it + 1)

after all[[,|sea]] that is what [[you]] came [[here]] to do (set: $walkCounter to it + 1)

you are (text-colour:magenta)[(cycling-link: bind $mood, "gloomy", "bored", "present")] you [[keep walking|here]]

a [[long stretch]] of [[sandy beach]] (if: $walkCounter > 2)[enough walking, [[leave the beach]] ] (track: 'beachphilosophies', 'play')

and you [[keep walking]]

the scene echoes [[your|you]] $mood mood, you [[pause]]

you take a moment to [[listen]]

to the [[sound]] of the [[sea]]

sea shells [[scattered]] at your [[feet]]

sometimes [[everything]] is so scattered

you pick up a (text-colour:magenta)[(cycling-link: bind $treasure, "shell", "stone", "debris")] you [[examine it|a shell]]

you don't even [[remember]]

what you were [[supposed to]] be [[doing|feet]]

you observe its (text-colour:magenta)[(cycling-link: bind $characteristic, "shape", "color", "imperfections")] then you (text-colour:magenta)[(cycling-link: bind $shellDestiny, "place it in your pocket", "throw it in the water", "drop it on the sand")] then you [[daydream]]

(if: $shellDestiny contains "water")[$treasure breaks the surface of [[water]]](else-if: $shellDestiny contains "sand")[$treasure is lost among its kind on the [[sand]]](else-if: $shellDestiny contains "pocket")[$treasure snuggles into the [[pocket]](if: $characteristic contains "shape")[(if: $treasure is "shell")[(set: $randomItem to ($shapesShell's random))](else-if: $treasure is "stone")[(set: $randomItem to ($shapesStone's random))](else-if: $treasure is "debris")[(set: $randomItem to ($shapesDebris's random))]](else-if: $characteristic is "color")[(if: $treasure is "shell")[(set: $randomItem to ($colorsShell's random))](else-if: $treasure is "stone")[(set: $randomItem to ($colorsStone's random))](else-if: $treasure is "debris")[(set: $randomItem to ($colorsDebris's random))]](else-if: $characteristic is "imperfections")[(if: $treasure is "shell")[(set: $randomItem to ($imperfectionsShell's random))](else-if: $treasure is "stone")[(set: $randomItem to ($imperfectionsStone's random))](else-if: $treasure is "debris")[(set: $randomItem to ($imperfectionsDebris's random))]](set: $shellsInPocket to it + (a: $randomItem) )(set: $shellCounter to it + 1)(if: $shellCounter > 1)[ ... but the pocket now feels [[heavy]], with (text-style:"outline")[$shellCounter] treasures]]

(if: $treasure is "debris")[ debris [[negotiates water]] ](else:)[(if: $characteristic is "color")[color is soon invisible as it floats [[deeper]] ](else-if: $characteristic is "shape")[shape dictates the way it swims towards [[the bottom|deeper]] ](else-if: $characteristic is "imperfections")[the sea grinds away [[imperfections]] ] ]

(if: $characteristic contains "color")[color soon becomes [[invisible]] ](if: $characteristic contains "shape")[shape forms pocket, [[hand embraces]] ](if: $characteristic contains "imperfections")[ [[cherished]], it ponders existence] (if: $shellCounter>2)[ // you now hold (text-style:"outline")[$shellCounter] treasures in your pocket//]

(if: $characteristic contains "color")[color [[blends into]] surroundings ](else-if: $characteristic contains "shape")[shape breaks [[empty space]] of sand](else-if: $characteristic contains "imperfections")[neglected, [[ponders]] existence] [[...regret]]

in the [[dark of]] the pocket

(if: $treasure is "stone")[perhaps [[chipped off]] ](else: )[ [[cherished]], ponders about ]

where will life [[take me next]]

(if: $treasure contains "shell")[minerals, [[over time]] ](else-if: $treasure contains "stone")[where this matter [[came from]]](else-if: $treasure contains "debris")[ multicolored [[curiosities]], ]

digested by [[somebody]]

after all, what does it [[matter]]

that once [[needed a shell]]

[[me|shell-me]]

bouncing in a pocket, [[walking|walk]]

(if: $mood contains "present")[$mood, grounded, glad to [[be alone|waiting]]](else-if: $mood contains "bored")[$mood, wishing for an [[adventure]] ](else-if: $mood contains "gloomy")[ $mood, [[alone|ponders]] ](else-if: $mood contains "moody")[$mood, back at [[zero|and becomes]] ]

[[trying]] very hard

to [[attract]] someone else

like [[a shell|shell-screaming]]

in silence, on [[the sand]]

looking up to [[all that pass]] or [[waiting]]

hoping someone will help me [[walk]]

[[screaming]]

$treasure [[becomes|and becomes]]

one [[of many]] again

the sound of [[the ocean]]

time[[,]] stretching

[[waiting]]

listening, in [[silence]]

to time[[,|stretching]]

stretching beyond [[the horizon]]

knowing the sun will [[bring in]]

the tide [[that takes me]]

back [[into the ocean]] or [[perhaps]]

finally, [[the water]]

someone will [[notice me|screaming]]

[[pulls me|water]] back

it wasn't [[the one]]

who would [[see me|and becomes]]

nestled amongst [[the others]]

once again, [[the sea]]

I am back [[where I]]

began[[...]]

the [[sound|seasounds]], the sound [[of the]] sea

so many [[of us]]

whirling in [[the waters]]

tide[[,|high tide]] high

up, [[fast|sea]]

a [[multitude]]

of shells and stones [[and ]]

pebbles and [[sand and|of the]] debris

beachphilosophies: beach-philosophies.mp3

[[stuff,]]

cluttering up [[the to-do list]]

[[let go of one treasure]] [[let go of all treasures]] [[not ready to let go]]

but which [[one?]]

the lightness of [[letting treasures go]]

(transition:"fade")[You bring out (text-style:"outline")[$shellCounter] treasures in total:] (for: each _item, ...$shellsInPocket)[* //_item// ] they are [[all]] so [[special]]

how on earth [[to decide?|one?]]

so special[[?]]

my treasures: (for: each _item, ...$shellsInPocket)[* //_item// ] [[goodbye]] you [[hesitate|not ready to let go]]

you (text-colour:magenta)[(cycling-link: bind $shellDestiny, "throw them in the water", "drop them on the sand")] [[goodbye|daydream]] (set: $shellsInPocket to (a:) ) (set: $shellCounter to 0) (set: $characteristic to "shell")

(text-style: 'blur')[beyond the beach, your life awaits] [[go back to the beach|here]] (track: 'beachphilosophies', 'pause') (set: $walkCounter to 0)

[[beach philosophies|start]] { (track: 'beachphilosophies', 'loop', true) (track: 'beachphilosophies', 'playwhenpossible') } (set: $walkCounter to 0)

letting go can be [[difficult]]

perceived [[value|sea]]

or maybe [[not?]]

you (text-colour:magenta)[(cycling-link: bind $shellDestiny, "throw it in the water", "drop it on the sand")] [[goodbye|daydream]] (set: $shellCounter to it - 1) (set: $randomShell to ($shellsInPocket's random)) (set: $shellsInPocket to $shellsInPocket - (a: $randomShell)) (set: $characteristic to "shape")

you [[pick one|byebye]] you [[hesitate|not ready to let go]]

➫ listen to the sea for (text-colour:magenta)[(cycling-link: bind $timerText, "3", "7", "11", "17", "23")] seconds, [[listen|sea counter]]

[[you close your eyes]]

[[for a moment]]

and [[you notice]]

[[how you notice]]

the sounds you [[hear|o]]

(css: "font-size: 5em")+(align: "==>")[[[☉|1]]]

(css: "font-size: 5em")+(align: "==><=")[[[☉|2]]]

(css: "font-size: 5em")+(align: "<==")[[[☉|3]]]

(css: "font-size: 5em")+(align: "==><=")[[[☉|4]]]

(css: "font-size: 5em")+(align: "==>")[[[☉|5]]]

(css: "font-size: 5em")+(align: "==><==")[[[☉|6]]]

(css: "font-size: 5em")+(align: "<==")[[[☉|sea]]]

(if: $timerText is "3")[(set: $timer to 3)](else-if: $timerText is "7")[(set: $timer to 7)](else-if: $timerText is "11")[(set: $timer to 11)](else-if: $timerText is "17")[(set: $timer to 17)](else-if: $timerText is "23")[(set: $timer to 23)] {(live: 1s)[ (text-style:"outline")[$timer] (set: $timer to it - 1) (if: $timer <= -1)[(goto: "sea")] ]} [[stop listening|sea]]

[[treasures|trash]] of the sea

trash [[for some|sea]]

minerals, chemicals, [[entities]]

that [[paint]] my body

in colorful [[ways|shell-me]]

clouds [[in the sky]]

[[wind]]

carries [[clouds]]

to [[other places|sea]] and [[worlds]]

water [[pouring down|here]]

the [[fragments of]] a building

bombed close to [[the shore|here]]

a pocket[[, walking]]

[[walking|keep walking]], away from the shore, [[away]]

into [[a car]], perhaps

some[[where]]

[[out of]] pocket

placed on [[a shelf]], perhaps

a memory of [[a shore|sea]]

(if: $treasure is "debris")[ $treasure [[floating upwards]] ](else:)[[underwater]]

[[carried by the tides]]

everything [[sounds different]]

rhythmic ebb [[of movement]]

waters and treasures [[leading thoughts]]

into [[other places|the waters]]

along [[infite beach]]

who knows [[how far|the waters]]

bobs, [[swirls|floating upwards]]

oh [[no!]]

where [[is it?]]

why did I [[let it go?|sea]]