I told myself in when it was time to renew the galactic dust domain for 2021 that I needed to use it more so that I could justify the cost. So far its working out how I hoped. I don't like to post too often but definitely more than once or twice a year. I've posted 5 new tracks to Bandcamp this year for OverDue Save Points. Made to Shatter, For a Reason, Treasure Map, Groove Beams and Chompin Pellets.

Made to Shatter: when COVID started I played video games for the first few weeks and quickly got back into music. I was playing a gameboy classic that I never beat as a kid. I needed to learn one of the songs on guitar. So I started playing guitar very seriously again. After some amount of time I started trying to write on guitar again. Not a whole ton really struck me until this. I did start a song last year on guitar for my daughter. More to come on that later though. I wrote some lyrics a few days before the riffage and this is some of it. "Made to shatter hopes and dreams
I've gotta throw, away everything I know, everything I think it should be
Gotta let the past die even if it's part of me

For a Reason: I started this back when I was doing shows still for Self-Made Loner. It came together pretty quickly and I love the guitar in the 3rd verse.

Treasure Map, Groove Beams and Chompin Pellets: In 2012 I was trying to do 1 song a day based on a story that Nikola shared with me from when he met one of the Final Fantasy composers (I think?). It was about writing a song per week, then a song per day, then a song per hour. I did these over a few day span along with another one called Kessel Running. I'll post that one eventually. When I named Treasure Map it was shortly after I re-connected with a childhood friend of mine. He moved from the Detroit area to British Columbia when I was maybe 12? We used to write each other letters. One time I sent him a treasure map with something that I burried in the large yard that connected to my backyard.

In addition to that I've been posting a countdown to Riot Fest with my favorite hand pick bands and a short review. I've put these on the StM facebook page and Twitter.

I'm hoping to get the Golden Stickers printed soon. Possibly Shirts and Posters for Self-Destruct Code.

For the first time since 2012. I feel like I'm back in the cut. Thank you very much for your patience and support.

For a Reason

"Dreams and signs - - that push and guide our lives
Forces and vibes that glide when no one drives
Sometimes we fall hard - - to sweeten the surprise
Sometimes we die a little - - to know that we're alive"

For a Reason <-- Click the link for the new song!!!
Maybe I should say tap?

I could write a LOT if information but . . . I don't know that people read all the details. Maybe only one person who reads it all is enough? (Its never enough) It took me a while to figure out what Sample the Martian's new direction would be. It isn't one vector exactly but - but the bulk of what I'm pursuing now musically follows my guitars. I have released a new demo for "Overdue Save Points" on Bandcamp. What that means is you should go listen to all of it. (Again possibly) and report back to me what you like most. I need to get these 27 demos up there and let you guys pick which ones I should give the final touch treatement to. There is a good chance that I have more than 27.

The other thing that is very important for me to say. Every now and again something cool happens to me in terms of music and Sample the Martian. The week after I released Self-Made Loner - abc aired an episode that had my sticker nice and huge in one of the scenes. Maybe that was chance. Maybe someone threw me a bone. I'll never know. When the OA came out - their production company hit me up for art and stuff to use in the show. . . and my sticker made an appearance. When I watched the OA - I was very honored. To me - artistic integrity is very important. Being brave and doing something unique is very important to me. (Or at least trying) and Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij fully embody that. Anonymous Content - as well as Brit and Zal - make some some of the most interesting and fulfilling television that I've ever seen. From Philip K Dick, to The OA, to Counterpart to Mr. Robot.

I don't know why or how these things happen sometimes. They always seem random. The stuff that I push for seems like pushing a rock up hill. Then out of nowhere something awesome happens that I wasn't even thinking of.

~eMpyre ramireX

PS4 to PS5 data transfer rates

PS4 to PS5 data tranfer over Wi-Fi was about 2 MB per second. Yes. That slow. PS4 to PS5 data tranfer over LAN is about 100 MB per second. 188 GB in like thirty something minutes. That's MBps not Mbps. I connected my PS4 to PS5 with an a Ethernet (Cat-5) cable. No additional configuration was needed. Plug and go. Now to figure out how to upgrade my storage oh my PS5. 1TB is nowhere near enough. If anyone knows what the SSD TBW specs are for the PS5 shoot me a line. Please. I'm posting this both for myself to have as future reference and for anyone else who might search for this.