Velvet Melody, Musician for Hire

Home of the (sometimes) musical mare of mystery known as Velvet Melody. She'll play what you want if you've got the bits and the right attitude. (This is a story/music askblog with most of the music still a work in progress, icon drawn by the superawesomeazing red-loser)

[velvet-melody]

A long time ago (almost six years), when I still posted on this website, I spent a lot of time talking about just how much this man's words meant to me. Since then, I've read all of his books, and even wrote a paper about him when I was getting my MA. He was the most important person in my life that never actually met. So, I want to finish this with one of his best quotes (it's a long one btw):

"The theme i was grappling with was nothing less than the Meaning of Life, and I was pretty sure i had defined it: love and respect.

Love and respect, love and respect- I have been carrying those words around with me for two years, daring to consider that perhaps they convey the real meaning of life. beyond basic survival needs, everybody wants to be loved and respected. Neither is any good without the other. Love without respect can be as cold as pity; respect without love can be as grim as fear.

Love and respect are the values in life that most contribute to "the pursuit of happiness"-and after, they are the greatest legacy we can leave behind. It's an elegy you'd like to hear with your own ears: "you were loved and respected."

If even one person can say that about you, it's a worthy achievement, and if you can multiply that many times-well, that is true success.

Among materialists, a certain bumper sticker is emblematic: "he who dies with the most toys wins!" Well, no-he or she who dies with the most love and respect wins...

Then there's love and respect for oneself-equally hard to achieve and maintain. Most of us, deep down, are not as proud of ourselves as we might pretend, and the goal of bettering ourselves-at least partly by earning the love and respect of others-is a lifelong struggle.

Philo of Alexandria gave us that generous principle that we have somehow succeeded in mostly ignoring for 2,000 years: 'Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.'"

Rest easy, Ghost Rider. You were loved and respected. Your words saved my life, and the reason I became a writer. Every book, from the one I just sent to my agent, until my last, will be dedicated to you. Thank you, Neal. The world is a little brighter because of you, and a little darker now that you've gone.

[catchymemes]

[zensparkle]

Weddings can be affordable! We just need to break from the outdated ideas and traditions. I ended up having mine in Halloween and we turned it into a costume party. Easily one of the best days of my life and we budgeted to what we could afford.

[velvet-melody]

You can also get married and then have a "wedding" later if you can't afford what you want. I got married in a courthouse in Hong Kong with two witnesses and no family because all mine were in the states and all of hers were up in Nanjing. That was two years ago, and now that we're in a much better financial position, we're going to have our actual ceremony with family some time this year.

[velvet-melody]

It can't just be me.... right?

[velvet-melody]

So bored that I made a fake synthwave band and three album covers with titles. Now I just need to make the music….

[kadesdb]

The hair is green

[velvet-melody]

Crazy timing. I just did mine like 3 days ago (my pic is bad but I think we've got about the same color.

[very-territorial-oak-deactivate]

Visit Original Link

[seinanigans]

SPOOKY STREAM

In honor of spooky season, I wanted to play one of my favorite horror games of this generation: Dying Light. 

Come hang out

https://go.twitch.tv/shaneghai1108

-Velvet

[seinanigans]

Twitch is the world's leading video platform and community for gamers.

Come watch me play the new South Park Game

(or maybe some GTA later if one of my friends gets on)

-Velvet

[ask-pon3]

hey fam if ur all still here im pretty sure i dont even have to say that this blogs p dead and im sorry ive been avoiding saying anything about it all this time things got p busy w school and with life in general and i was too much of a coward to end things and contact anyone. that was a really dick move of me and im sorry for that. i also feel like you guys at least deserve to know what kind of ending this blog was supposed to get and its time i be mature enough to give it to you so a lot more under the cut:

Keep reading

[velvet-melody]

Lexi-

Sorry it took me so long to see this. Tumblr got blocked in china sometime back in 2015 so I wasn't able to get on until now. You don't have anything to apologize for, and doing all this stuff with you was great. You were one of the only friends I had when I first moved to China. I was alone and didn't have anyone to talk to and you were an awesome friend and helped me get through it all. Our talks and movie streams kept me going, and creating Hitmares with you is what got me back into writing and helped me find my calling. In a way, I wouldn't be able to get into this program and get my masters without any of the stuff we did together, and I'm so glad I got the chance to be your friend, even if we haven't talked in years. Don't feel bad, and if you're feeling up to it, I'm alone in a new country again, and could really use a friend. Hit me up on Facebook or Skype some time. It'll be good to catch up. I hope you are doing well.

(ps. I would have loved to see people's reaction to LP's death. I bet they would have flipped out as much as we thought.)

-Shane

Also, fun fact for anyone reading this: If the blog had kept going it would be revealed that Velvet Melody was LP's ex and his son's mom. It was going to be the debut of her actual character. She was, by this point, a successful studio musician in Canterlot, and I wrote a short story about her coming back to ponyville after his death. If anyone cares I think I still have it and could post it one day if people are interested.

[velvet-melody]

ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: SURVIVE ANOTHER YEAR

So I’m officially a quarter of a century old today. The wife and I went to Chimelong amusement park in Panyu. It was a lot of fun, despite the fact that she’s terrified of roller coasters. Sorry I’ve been gone so long, I’ve been busy with IRL things to the max. Someday I’ll have time to come back though, probably at the end of this year. Thanks everyone for sticking around for this long.

[velvet-melody]

ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: SURVIVE ANOTHER YEAR

So I’m officially a quarter of a century old today. The wife and I went to Chimelong amusement park in Panyu. It was a lot of fun, despite the fact that she’s terrified of roller coasters. Sorry I’ve been gone so long, I’ve been busy with IRL things to the max. Someday I’ll have time to come back though, probably at the end of this year. Thanks everyone for sticking around for this long.

[velvet-melody]

Hey there! I do hope that things are going okay with you these days! Having recently heard word of developing programs in Asian territories meant to better monitor their citizens, I couldn't help but think of you and worry. Hopefully, I have nothing to truly worry about! Anyways, I do hope that you have a good day, and may peace be with you as December passes the halfway point, people talk of holidays, and we edge even closer towards a brand new year.

Things are actually going really well. I’ve just started the process of moving out of teaching and into managing teachers which came with a pretty decent raise. The winter here is in full effect (basically it bottoms out at about 11C and rains a lot) which is a nice change of pace from the far below zero and full of snow winters of North Idaho that I grew up in. I just started working on a full book on how to teach English as a foreign language in China which should hopefully turn out well. I haven’t been on Tumblr much. I’ve been working a lot and trying to write Hitmares (I picked it up after about a year and wrote like 8 more chapters in the last couple of months). As far as any monitoring goes, I can’t speak to hat but I can assure you I’ve been very well and you have nothing to worry about. Happy holidays to you and if we don’t speak again before 2016 a happy new year as well. 

[hitmares]

Chapter Eleven: Il Sono Eterno

Read it here.

A lot of information is revealed at the funeral. Vinyl spreads good news and bad news and the gang catch up with White Lightning.

Only one chapter left until the big act one finale. Stay tuned for “To Live and Die in Canterlot” coming as soon as possible.

Thank you all for reading and again if there are any artists or editors that would like to help out with the project we are always looking for more people.

[velvet-melody]

Another chapter of the epic pony saga. Thanks for reading everyone!

[hitmares]

Chapter Ten: Vital Signs

Read it here. In the wake of the shooting emotions run high and retribution is planned and set in motion. Bullets fly, blood is spilled and ponies die. Just another day in the life though, right?  If only it didn’t have to be this way…

Thanks again everyone for reading. We are now only two chapters away from the big Season 1 finale. It’s going to be an intense ride from here to the shocking finish. Also again if anyone of our fans out there happens to be an artist we always love seeing our twisted version of the underworld in Canterlot and how you all picture it. Until next time

[velvet-melody]

Another chapter in the saga of my epic pony world of crime, corruption, love, drugs and murder that is Hitmares. Thanks for reading, everyone!

[lemonfont]

Fallout 4

So I’m gonna try and dodge spoilers here.

But does anyone know if there is an ‘evil’ companion in the game?

Someone who wont mind me shooting up a diner family, take their stuff and posing the corpses in hilarious manners.

[pathwaysintoinsanity]

I just want to know if females can romance Piper.

[velvet-melody]

I'm pretty sure you can. I've been with her for about 5 hours and had many conversations with her and always choose the flirt option. As long as your charisma is high enough she will respond positively but I'm not sure if it will actually end up going anywhere yet.

[velvet-melody]

arcticirridescence asked:Wat u be drinkn

Hella beer. Now heading to bed because I’ve got work in the morning. Nothing like teaching the future generation of Chinese kids while hungover, right?

[seinanigans]

STREAMING YO!

come watch spooky movies with me.

-Velvet