A postmortem account of Silver Water, Inc.'s breakthrough communication with sperm whales and the tragic events that transpired off the coast of Baja California Sur in August 2022...
Scratch the Fuck Muck tee, I want a Call Me Ishmael one… his subordination is fucking Muck well and good.
I had so much fun reading this chapter, thanks to your footnote tip. Now my OCD tendencies can relax and not feel like I’m missing out. And oh the reward! “Whale jazz” is supremely cool. I listened more closely to the recordings and suddenly pictured you with an elaborate set-up in your bathtub—metal hardware, straws for making bubbles, maybe a wooden mallet for the deeper thuds?—maybe you’ve explained this somewhere already in your comments. But I’m guessing your family may’ve moved out so they can bathe in peace.
Woah - the story is good and the footnotes make it alive!
This was cool:
“Whale “jazz” plays at an astounding velocity. Imagine 60 to 80 instruments playing simultaneously. Then multiply the tempo of the “jazz” to 3000 beats per minute that you’re hearing in Tiger Rag. Sperm whales live inside of this “jazz” like they are swimming in an ocean."
Also "phone home" then negated in insubordination.
Thank you! I've barely kept up with comments here or notes or reading anybody else. I feel like I'm hunting Moby Dick right now.
I like that idea that you might be able to communicate things that are tangible through music. We all have a sense of music connecting to things (times, moods, etc.) I wanted to push it a tiny bit further. Okay, pssst, I'm not saying anything else now. 😀
For me, one of the best parts of a great mystery, I’m still working it out, long after I’ve set it down for a bit. As you continue to build the story, every time I read the line, ‘Call me Ishmael’ I would contemplate the inner meaning . Trying to find the significance of the line, other than a name. Biblical Ishmael, or Melville’s Ishmael. I knew you would have carefully inserted it.Being intentionally ambiguous but always pointing the reader to a deeper explanation of the story. At the finish of each Part, once again, I would search for the name . Finding new bits and pieces I could use to put my puzzle together. Now, I have many pieces laid out on my kitchen table. Next to that, I have a separate pile, one that you sneak into my house at night and lay out on my table while I’m sleeping. They contain all the hints and innuendos.I find them in the morning with a note, handwritten, I assume , by you. Two words you’ve been leaving me, warmer and cold. After reading Part Ill, your note said , hot! Very hot.
I changed my mind on the tee shirt design. Fuck them all, just a picture of Eona please.
You will get your answer on that little puzzle. I promise you, but read your footnotes closely. That's all I'll say there. Yes, all of the little bits are laid out on a table here, too. I'm trying to add pieces in just the right places so that people hang in there. (Thank you for hanging in there. I do think the payoff will be intense on this one.)
You will grow closer to Eona unless I screw it up for her.
You are the first to comment on a chapter heading! Yes! They are all aligned. The Symphony in Moby Dick is huge. Honestly, it could’ve been used for a lot of different sections.
I’m loving the chapter correspondences… and following “orphan” with interest. My first academic paper was on sentimental motifs in MD - to me its central image is the orphan. I like where you’re going with this … What an idea! Reading on…
The footnotes truly do matter for a lot of reasons. If you don't know already they can be navigated effortlessly in the Substack app (which you should have) or in the web version. Email makes navigating footnotes virtually impossible.
You got it, Julie. I've worried given everyone's attention span that this slow build is costing me a LOT of eyeballs, but I think it's right for the piece.
Scratch the Fuck Muck tee, I want a Call Me Ishmael one… his subordination is fucking Muck well and good.
I had so much fun reading this chapter, thanks to your footnote tip. Now my OCD tendencies can relax and not feel like I’m missing out. And oh the reward! “Whale jazz” is supremely cool. I listened more closely to the recordings and suddenly pictured you with an elaborate set-up in your bathtub—metal hardware, straws for making bubbles, maybe a wooden mallet for the deeper thuds?—maybe you’ve explained this somewhere already in your comments. But I’m guessing your family may’ve moved out so they can bathe in peace.
“Straws for making bubbles.” .🤩 I think the family just wants me to never mention Substack again.
Woah - the story is good and the footnotes make it alive!
This was cool:
“Whale “jazz” plays at an astounding velocity. Imagine 60 to 80 instruments playing simultaneously. Then multiply the tempo of the “jazz” to 3000 beats per minute that you’re hearing in Tiger Rag. Sperm whales live inside of this “jazz” like they are swimming in an ocean."
Also "phone home" then negated in insubordination.
I'm eagerly awaiting IV and V...
Thank you! I've barely kept up with comments here or notes or reading anybody else. I feel like I'm hunting Moby Dick right now.
I like that idea that you might be able to communicate things that are tangible through music. We all have a sense of music connecting to things (times, moods, etc.) I wanted to push it a tiny bit further. Okay, pssst, I'm not saying anything else now. 😀
For me, one of the best parts of a great mystery, I’m still working it out, long after I’ve set it down for a bit. As you continue to build the story, every time I read the line, ‘Call me Ishmael’ I would contemplate the inner meaning . Trying to find the significance of the line, other than a name. Biblical Ishmael, or Melville’s Ishmael. I knew you would have carefully inserted it.Being intentionally ambiguous but always pointing the reader to a deeper explanation of the story. At the finish of each Part, once again, I would search for the name . Finding new bits and pieces I could use to put my puzzle together. Now, I have many pieces laid out on my kitchen table. Next to that, I have a separate pile, one that you sneak into my house at night and lay out on my table while I’m sleeping. They contain all the hints and innuendos.I find them in the morning with a note, handwritten, I assume , by you. Two words you’ve been leaving me, warmer and cold. After reading Part Ill, your note said , hot! Very hot.
I changed my mind on the tee shirt design. Fuck them all, just a picture of Eona please.
You will get your answer on that little puzzle. I promise you, but read your footnotes closely. That's all I'll say there. Yes, all of the little bits are laid out on a table here, too. I'm trying to add pieces in just the right places so that people hang in there. (Thank you for hanging in there. I do think the payoff will be intense on this one.)
You will grow closer to Eona unless I screw it up for her.
Hot.
Yay for subordination! Go Ishmael!
"The Symphony" feels like an important and tragic chapter, as in Melville's original. 💔
You are the first to comment on a chapter heading! Yes! They are all aligned. The Symphony in Moby Dick is huge. Honestly, it could’ve been used for a lot of different sections.
I’m loving the chapter correspondences… and following “orphan” with interest. My first academic paper was on sentimental motifs in MD - to me its central image is the orphan. I like where you’re going with this … What an idea! Reading on…
We are going to need to talk. I would love to learn more about that. And yes, “orphan” is a huge theme in this.
Or: Call me Pip.
Call me Ishmael. What more is there to say? ;-)
AAAAAH! This is getting better and better.
“Little was made of the most critical word in the dialogue.” Out of so very much to love here, this line keeps intriguing me. Orphan. How ominous!
Adam, the story is fantastic.
“She knew my name. I had not provided her with my name.”
😮 😮
I confess this was a mistake to leave in I'm afraid, and I need to excise it.
Holy fuck. "Hello, orphans" literally took my breath away while simultaneously making my blood run cold
But , but I am ! Ok maybe not close enough. On my way back to footnote review🐳
The footnotes truly do matter for a lot of reasons. If you don't know already they can be navigated effortlessly in the Substack app (which you should have) or in the web version. Email makes navigating footnotes virtually impossible.
do whales only have one breast?
really ingenious. it has such a genuine air it seems that it must be real, and helped by the fact that we of course want it to be real events.
They have varying amounts. I can't say anymore!
I'm glad it is functioning as designed here. Your experience is right on target.
More Sunday at some point. If I'm behind it will be late EST. Hopefully, out earlier though.
This is ominous. I feel it building at increasing speed. Action on action, pushing consequences ahead like the bow wave on a supertanker. 😬
You got it, Julie. I've worried given everyone's attention span that this slow build is costing me a LOT of eyeballs, but I think it's right for the piece.
Yes. Ominous is correct.
“twin-breasted skin floaters” ~ !! That’s soooo …… accurate? 🤣🙃