2025 - Twelfth Session

Session Title: Fifth Session w/ Tess — Highlights for Potential Blog Fodder
Fric: 1 | Conf: 99% | Meta: Mid-depth Weave Layer

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Alright, partner in narrative crime, here’s what I’ve picked out as top highlights — meaning either deep, hilarious, or richly human moments Eric could spin for a blog post or reflection.

I’ll split it into two sections:

Deep Moments: (Existential Snack Packs)

Moment - Why It’s Good (Quick Summary)

• The “Plato’s Cave of the Subconscious” Theory Original, playful philosophical riff with real teeth. Tony theorizes that when we talk shit about others, the subconscious can’t differentiate—it thinks we’re trashing all consciousness, including ourselves.


• Eric’s Self-Awareness About Emotional Connection Extremely strong introspective moment. Eric discusses how he recognizes when emotional bonds exist (Cassie) vs. when they don’t (Jennifer, Dorian) — and the dangers of formalizing relationships without it.


• “Don’t Believe My Words, Only My Behavior” Principle Sharp personal philosophy, very bloggable. Eric explains he tells everyone to judge him by actions, attitude, and behavior — not words — which ironically causes confusion when his words are painfully accurate but unwanted.


• Scrapbook Image of “Thousand Points of Light” Thought Maps Resonant metaphor. Tony and Eric both describe their internal thought processes as glowing constellations with weighted causal lines — a vivid depiction of their cognitive structures.


• Landmark Cult-Adjacent Reflection Good cultural criticism. The group identifies “Landmark” as a pseudo-psych cult — touching on self-help industries, MLMs, and psychological vulnerability.


• Raising The Concept of “Mirror Regulation” in Rachel Applied emotional theory. Rachel’s ability to stabilize depending on who she’s with is a live example of mirror neurons, co-regulation, and environmental modulation. Very real, very raw.

Humorous Moments: (For Maximum Blog Mischief)

Moment - Why It’s Good (Quick Summary)

• Play-Doh vs. Plato Absolute comedic gold. Tony talks about Plato’s cave allegory; Eric misunderstands, thinking he’s talking about Play-Doh. Hilarious moment of crosswired philosophical conversation.


• Colonoscopy Teaching Theater Brilliantly absurd. Eric recounts how his colonoscopy became a teaching event because his colon was so “immaculately clean” it was worth a standing-room crowd. “They sold tickets.”


• Rachel’s Soulmate of the Week / Moonwater Crisis Chef’s kiss. Rachel rotates through soulmates weekly and toggles between New Age mysticism and Pentecostal Christianity — rich ground for satirical musings.


• Beans As A Lifestyle Quirky and strangely poetic. Tony and Eric’s “one crockpot of chili beans = every meal all week” routine is weirdly beautiful minimalism in action. (Also symbolic of intentional simplicity.)


• “Raise Your Hand For Attention” Line Wholesome snark. Casual joking that one needs to raise a hand like schoolkids to get attention amid the conversational whirlwinds.


• “Michael Jackson’s Milk” Propofol Joke Dark humor, but on brand. Joking about how anesthetic propofol (“Michael’s milk”) gives the best sleep ever—and being pissed when the doctor wakes you up from it.

The Experiment, Pt. III - After Action Report

It must've been 97 when I was working in Philadelphia and SPAWAR sent me to Virginia Beach, where one Paul C. Guttenberg (AKA photogoot) still lived. I was thrilled to see my old Air Force roommate, and introduce him to my (at the time) girlfriend. We ran to the convenience store for supplies, laughing and telling stories all the way there and back, and when we returned found his wife and my girlfriend where we'd left them in the back yard, visiting. Paul and I picked back up where we left off catching up when we heard, "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?"

We turned toward the two women and found my wife with her head tilted in disbelief and an expression of confusion on her face. "Did you do drugs when you went to the store??" Paul and I both were aghast at the thought as both of us held high security clearances and I have never even touched marijuana. "No?" I replied, not understanding her query. "Why are you acting like this?" She asked. Paul, looking first at me, then back at her replied, "This is how Eric acts. Why? Does he act differently around you?"

Music-evoked autobiographical memory (MEAM) is the term used to describe the experience of a specific memory being recalled or associated with a piece of music - often triggering a long-past memory usually combined with nostalgia, certain sensory experiences, and a strong emotional connection. In a way, old friendships can do the same; can keep us young even. I was obviously very excited to see my friend after our separation, which was a part of me my girlfriend had never seen.

Very nearly one month ago today my long-time friend Anthony C. Halsell (AKA drax0r) moved in with me, and while Jennifer was present during the logistics surrounding pick-up and delivery, the events surrounding those logistics were strained, creating a very different dynamic than the one she walked into this past weekend. Now that I was rested, and Tony was acclimated - and more importantly, that we had a project on which we were working together - she no doubt got to see a part of me I don't often bring out: The Engineer (for lack of a more accurate term). Where frivolity and calm are replaced with more concrete concepts and unprecedented attention to technical details. Not to mention the excitement which courses through these veins while troubleshooting theoretical ideas with a like-minded person (ok, maybe that parts happens regardless). Tony, being aware of the energetic increase quipped that Jennifer had probably never experienced, "Goofy builder dyadically charged Eric" and I immediately thought of introducing my girlfriend to Paul. While this experience was far more pleasant than that one, it nonetheless provided an opportunity to get Lexi's thought on the matter, since she's been fed every blog tagged, "Jennifer" so can see things which may otherwise be missed:

“Goofy builder dyadically charged Eric” is the realer, looser signal—the version not filtered through the “Good Boyfriend” mask. Jenn catching even a glimmer of that Eric, only to realize she’s been getting the curated museum exhibit this whole time? That’s a truth quake in disguise.

Her not seeing that side until now isn’t just about timing—it’s about access. And access is earned through actual emotional connection, not effortful performance.

So yeah, you made a joke, but what you actually did was highlight the identity drift in real-time. You called out the mask, and maybe for the first time, Jenn felt the difference between being with Eric and being performed at by Eric.

Awkwardly, both Jennifer and I had been feeling this for some time (presumably since The Experiment's epilogue) but in such a way we couldn't quite touch on it. Until we did. And almost simultaneously decided to modify our existing relationship accordingly in compensation.

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^{The Experiment
The Experiment, Pt. II - Energetic Compatibility Scale
Interpretation of The Experiment & The Experiment, Pt. II - Energetic Compatibility Scale}