Monthly Archives: September 2021

The original and fast becoming an international phenomenon of trance, house, breakbeat and new age music is Paul Elstaks worldwide chart topping album Trance. It is widely hailed as the best and most downloaded album in history and has achieved a fan base all over the world. Over the years, the popularity of Paul Elstaks music has grown and taken fans from across the globe to his musics dance floor, club and record label appearances. This article will discuss his rise to fame and the success of his worldwide fan club, including a brief biography of the man himself.

The term Trance was coined by British DJ and producer John Caffe (with whom Elstak worked for over 15 years). Trance is usually characterized by a heavy, dark and mysterious atmosphere usually characterized by deep vocals and instrumentation. Most producers from the rave and hardstyle music genres are known to have produced a good amount of trance tracks and are usually characterized by a dark & sinister sound, although there is often an underlying feeling of humor amongst the critics. Trance music usually has an impressive range of high frequencies, with high frequency ranges usually consisting of ultra-deep bass sounds that are usually characterized with pounding drums. A good amount of trance songs have been produced using such musical styles, most notably Michael Jacksons XT and Korns I Remember You. There are also countless other artists that have made trance music tracks, most notably buried in the digital underground where they have been continually released through illegal downloading and sharing.

I Remember You is one of many examples of a great example of a track that many people consider to be among the best trance songs ever made. Produced by DJ Chronic, I Remember You uses some of the new elements of breakbeat and tribal style vocals which are very much present in many of the leading breakcore albums of the moment, but which typically wouldnt feature in such a highly popular track. One reason why I Remember You stands out is simply down to the incredible level of production that has gone into producing this track. Other producers who have worked on similar albums have only managed to match or even surpassed the quality of production that is characteristic of Chronics work. This is down to his experience and because he knows what it takes to make a hit album, which is something a lot of modern producers dont seem to have.

Another track that many people will consider to be in the same genre as I Remember You, Karaoke 4ever by Lee Sharp is another example of a fast electronic dance music song which features a wide variety of high-pitched vocals. Although the vocals are relatively similar between songs, the production is not. One reason why this can be an issue is because it makes it seem like the vocals are being recorded at the same volume as the beat. In many cases, especially on Karaoke versions of this track, the vocalist may be trying to reach a pitch that is higher than her own, something that causes a distortion due to hitting the top of the head. In many cases, this version is probably not even close to being a happy hardcore song.

One other track which is often lumped together with the likes of Karaoke 4ever and I Remember You is none other than Bouncy Techno. This is another track from Lee Sharps acclaimed Bouncy techno series and is also from the Bouncy techno series. The production on this track is a real spectacle, featuring an abundance of keyboards and effects. Unfortunately, this version of the track does not have the same production values as the others in the series and is probably not as enjoyable for those looking for some fast electronic dance music. Its a shame that this track didnt make the cut though, as it is just another example of a fairly similar sound that is unfortunately missed by most producers.

One other track which should feature more prominence when discussing early 90s rave is I Remember You by Novelty and his mates. This track is a classic rave hit, featuring early 90s rave legend Michael Jackson (of Thriller fame). For those looking for that familiar Michael Jackson vibe, this track is a great place to look as it has a distorted and almost dubby sample that is incredibly hard to identify on its own.

Now lets discuss some tracks which arent from the early 1990s but which still sound popular today. One of these is Electronic Guitar Starring feat. Antony, Jon Bell & Alex Grey (The Who) from the album Reality. What makes this track standout from the others that came before it is the use of a distorted bass drum sound. This sound was used extensively in early 90s rave music and continues to be used to this day. A lot of producers consider this style of drum sample as over processed and unnecessary, but many people feel that it adds a unique aspect to the sound which isnt commonly found in many other songs from the early 1990s.

Finally I want to touch on the less popular and lesser-known style of electronic dance music from the early 1990s. This is techno, which can loosely be described as raveting techno. There are a lot of artists that have released some excellent genre defining techno tracks throughout the years, but none more so than Canadian group Astral Travel. Their song Waking Light is an excellent example of this style and comes from their classic album Astral. This track is worth a listen to by any fan of rave.

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Fast Electronic Dance Music From The Early 1990s - One EDM

SHENGJIN, Albania The medical student, in a trauma-induced trance after a week under Taliban rule and three days of terror waiting for a flight out of Kabuls airport, looked out the window on her first day at her new home and saw the Statue of Liberty.

I thought for a moment that perhaps I was in New York, said Tahera, a 21-year-old student. But the statue, made of plaster instead of copper and located in northern Albania, a fiercely pro-American country, was much shorter than the real one, she added, summoning up a wry sense of humor despite her harrowing ordeal.

The statue was an unintentionally taunting decoration, a kitschy flourish on the grounds of an Albanian beach resort housing more than 440 Afghans who fled Kabul after the city fell to the Taliban on Aug. 15.

Before being flown last week to Albania, a country she had never heard of, Tahera had hoped to escape to the United States or Britain, where she has an uncle. (The New York Times is using only Taheras first name to protect her family still in Afghanistan.) But with those countries and other wealthy nations wary of taking in refugees, she has found shelter in what is perhaps the worlds strangest and most luxurious refugee camp.

Albania, one of Europes poorest nations, has committed to taking in up to 4,000 refugees from Afghanistan, more than any other country. The 677 who have arrived, including about 250 children, are being housed in resorts along the Adriatic coast, a practice based on an emergency-response approach that Albania developed after a devastating earthquake in 2019, when people left homeless were put up in beach hotels.

Although the Afghans are grateful for the accommodations, the touch of luxury rings somewhat hollow for many.

Parwarish, an Afghan womens activist who worked on projects funded by the United States Agency for International Development, said that she was touched by the Albanians kindness but that she nonetheless was sleeping fitfully and having nightmares.

I see my family dying in my dreams, she said. All this luxury is great if you have peace of mind. I dont.

The decision to welcome the Afghans appears to be popular in Albania, a country with a long history of its people taking flight. Providing for the refugees is the right and natural thing to do, Prime Minister Edi Rama said in an interview in Tirana, the capital.

While opposition politicians in France, Germany and other European nations regularly stoke fear of refugees and migrants to put pressure on government leaders, Mr. Ramas opponents have mostly stayed quiet or supported his welcoming of Afghans.

We dont put people in camps. They are dehumanizing and where all the problems start psychologically, the prime minister said. We have been like them many times in our own history. They are just trying to escape from hell.

Tahera, the medical student, shares a room with an Afghan woman who lost both of her hands in a bomb attack in Afghanistan. Now at a resort with three swimming pools and a long sandy beach, Tahera wants to learn to swim, keen to take her mind off the traumas. She also looks forward to learning to ride a bicycle, a form of exercise that Afghanistans conservative, patriarchal society frowns on for women.

Determined to keep her planned medical career on track, she is taking a first-aid course offered at the resort by an Afghan doctor from London.

Albania, a NATO member that sent troops to Afghanistan to join the U.S.-led effort to hold the Taliban at bay, has long helped people the United States doesnt want or doesnt know what to do with.

When the American military decided in 2006 that a group of Chinese Uyghurs it had held captive for four years at Guantnamo Bay, Cuba, were not dangerous terrorists as China had maintained, Albania agreed to give them a place to live.

But Mr. Rama said of taking in the Afghans, We are not doing this because the Americans asked us.

Sensing that the American-backed government in Kabul would not last long as U.S. troops completed their withdrawal from Afghanistan, Mr. Rama first offered at a NATO summit in June to help with what he feared would be a flood of Afghan refugees. He urged other leaders to do the same. (A senior American diplomat in Tirana confirmed Mr. Ramas account.)

But NATO leaders saw little reason for immediate worry. They stuck to Washingtons optimistic view that the Taliban were months or even years away from victory.

Two months later, Afghanistan fell to the Taliban, setting off an exodus of womens activists, civil society workers, journalists and other Afghans who fear the Taliban.

In Albania, at the Rafaelo Resort, a cluster of four- and five-star hotels near the town of Lezhe, evacuees from Afghanistan eat in a separate restaurant that serves halal meals, but mingle by the pool with tourists, mostly ethnic Albanians from neighboring Kosovo.

The Afghans room and board are covered by foreign organizations like the National Endowment for Democracy and the Yalda Hakim Foundation, which was set up by a BBC journalist of Afghan origin. George Soros Open Society Foundations are paying for 135 Afghans who worked with the organization in Afghanistan to stay at a high-end hotel and spa down the coast. (The organization negotiated a steep discount.)

The presence of veiled Afghan women on poolside lounger chairs at the Rafaelo Resort has come as a surprise to the paying guests, but none seemed to mind.

Who are the Taliban? The Taliban arose in 1994 amid the turmoil that came after the withdrawal of Soviet forces from Afghanistan in 1989. They used brutal public punishments, including floggings, amputations and mass executions, to enforce their rules. Heres more on their origin story and their record as rulers.

Who are the Taliban leaders? These arethe top leaders of the Taliban, men who have spent years on the run, in hiding, in jail and dodging American drones. Little is known about them or how they plan to govern, including whether they will be as tolerant as they claim to be. One spokesman told The Timesthat the group wanted to forget its past, but that there would be some restrictions.

I had no idea there were so many Afghans living here, but they dont bother me, said Besnik Zeqiri, a Kosovo Albanian migr to the United States. They are all humans and need to be protected.

Liri Gezon, another tourist, said he had seen terrified Afghans at Kabuls airport on television and was happy to see them safe in Albania. They are not creating any problems for us and deserve to live like we do, he said, recalling how hundreds of thousands of ethnic Albanians had fled Kosovo to escape marauding Serbian forces in the late 1990s and knew the trauma of flight.

Albanias foreign minister, Olta Xhacka, said in an interview that the Afghan evacuees were originally expected to stay a couple of months while their visas for the United States were being processed. But we are now working on the premise that they will stay in Albania for at least one year, maybe longer, she said, adding that those unable to secure visas to move elsewhere would be welcome to stay in Albania.

Wahab, a journalist who helped run a U.S.-funded news agency covering womens issues in the western Afghan city of Herat, said he had never expected such deluxe facilities. He fled Afghanistan with his wife and three children, with help from the National Endowment for Democracy.

We are luxury refugees, he joked. We go to the beach and see half-naked women. We sleep, eat and go to the beach. For most people this would seem like paradise.

But Afghanistan keeps intruding. He cant stop thinking about the eight Taliban checkpoints that stopped the bus he was traveling on with his family from Herat to Kabul, or seeing the Afghan capital for perhaps the last time as his evacuation flight took off. Kabul, which the Taliban had taken over a few days earlier, looked very, very dark, he said.

An editor, who asked not to be named because her family has received threats from the Taliban, said she had lost all hope in Afghanistan and believed that the United States was in a way right to leave our country, because nothing was really changing.

As a fiercely independent journalist who grew up in a family of Pashtun, Afghanistans most conservative and numerous ethnic group, she was herself evidence that some things could change. But the lightning-swift return of the Pashtun-dominated Taliban sounded the death knell for her media outfit.

Any change we achieved has now been multiplied by zero, she said. We are back at naught.

Tahera, the medical student, avoids discussions about why her world imploded so quickly.

She had never planned to leave Afghanistan, but as a woman and a member of the often persecuted Hazara minority, she decided that there was no future for her in a Taliban-ruled nation.

I always told my family and friends, I will never leave my country, she said. Yet her father urged her to go when the Yalda Hakim Foundation offered her a chance to get out, even though it meant leaving behind her parents, five sisters and an infant brother.

I miss my family, she said. I miss my university. I miss Afghanistan. I worry all the time. There are just too many questions I dont know the answer to.

See more here:

In Albania, Afghan Refugees Live in Luxury and Trauma - The New York Times

September 14, 2021September 14, 2021

4.7/5by Daily Music Roll

review

ArtistJahi Israelrecently came out with the single Oppression that defines the best streaks of reggae music along with reformative and inspiring themes.

Music artistJahi Israelrecreates the essence of life with his own interpretations and melodic streaming. He is a reggae artist who is bringing back consciousness into music with his captivating productions. He recently came out with the track, Oppression which is a beautiful track depicting the virtues of life with a renewed perspective. What sets the song apart from the rest lies in its purpose to inspire and motivate the audiences. He is a poet who puts together a compelling thematic trance through his soundscape paving the way for new ideas and lyrical verses. Speaking of truth and rights, the artist sets a motion that makes each listener extract a sense of inspiration. From the start to the end, the track keeps the audience hooked to its musical glory.

ArtistJahi Israelis making reggae music reach the highest point of global appreciation. The track, Oppression presents his own perspectives aligned with that of lifes true colors. The song is not just for recreation but to enable people to live their life on their own terms. His other song, Give Praises is another successful attempt at delivering the best creative inspiration. His music is for the global audience looking for closure. Reggae music goes back in history for its opinions and individualism. The artist also exemplifies the same in his art and melodies alongside a beautiful lyrical trance. For anyone looking for inspiration, his soundscape is the best dose to elevate the mood in an instant. Listen to his songs on Apple Music and get immersed into an endless stream of melodic and lyrical consciousness.

Check out the song on Apple Music:

Charles Edward is a writer and musician from New York City. He publishes various poems and writes songs for his band.He is one of the leading members of a New based Rock band. He also does reviews in Daily Music Roll and writes music blog posts.

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Music Artist Jahi Israel's Recently Released Song 'Oppression' is a Creative Plunge into Reggae Streams - Daily Music Roll

Beloved trance legends Nic Chagall and Bossi AKA Cosmic Gate just dropped a bomb on us with the first stage of their hotly anticipated new artist album MOSAIIK. Trailed throughout the early parts of 2021 by vanguard single releases and stunning livestreams, MOSAIIK contains nine sensational cuts from the GRAMMY-nominated duo.

They say that music is a reflection of the times it is written in, mostly a sonic snapshot of the mood of a society and a window into the soul of the enduring human spirit. When enthusiasm is high, anthemic powerhouses tend to arise, urging listeners to have fun, worry less, and party more. And when morale slips, the tones are somber and lyrics turn towards self-reflection. Arguably, humankind is currently experiencing the latter, and musicians are listening. As producers emerge from the progressive tones of the 2010s, electronic artists have taken a liking towards deeper, techno-driven sounds. The minimalistic approach practically mirrors societys angst amidst a global pandemic, something Cosmic Gate picked up on and created yet another shift in their musical catalogue.

With MOSAIIK they will be mirroring the same delivery system they adopted by their 2017 Materia albums. Most seasoned Cosmic Gate fans will already be familiar with MOSAIIK release dynamic. Shared across two Chapters MOSAIIKs II styled title is a direct nod to the groups eleventh artist long-player. In chapter one we find Nic and Bossi embracing the dark corners of the dance floor in a bass-driven techno affair. We were delighted to have a chat with them about their new album and what else inspires them.

The Nocturnal Times: Thank you both for taking the time for this interview. Big congrats on your new album release. You must be pretty excited to finally release this beast to your fans. What does this album mean to you? And what can fans expect from this album? What would you like to tell readers about the entire MOSAIIK project that they may not already know?

Cosmic Gate: Hey, thanks a lot for having us, we appreciate your time! What can we say, indeed we are so excited MOSAIIK is finally released now, even after so many years and album releases ( The II-styled title a nod to our eleventh longplayer, in case you wonder!), its always a special moment when an album sees the day of light.

About the story behind it, somehow after our anniversary album Forward Ever Backward Never, it did not just feel like just a new LP, but more like the start in a new era. There were some signs that our fans were as ready as we were. I mean accepting of a deeper, more progressed sound and production direction. No one told us we needed to do this change. We very naturally felt this from within, as weve always followed our intuitions over the years.

When the clubbing world was pretty much severed from dancefloors last March, that circumstance gave us even more artistic latitude. Thus MOSAIIKs music making became less symmetric and floor-focused, and all the more enriching for it. It as weird as it sounds, we somehow became even freer in our work, while life outside was actually the opposite. We tried to take the worst of possible circumstances and turn it into more of a chance and less of an obstacle.

After a fair while, we laid out all of MOSAIIKs ideas, drafts and demos, and quickly realised that there was so much material, we needed to split it into two again, (as we did before with the Materia series).

The Nocturnal Times: This album is jam packed with nine amazing tracks. One might wonder what your personal favorite track is? And is there a story you want to tell us with this track selection?

Cosmic Gate: To be quite honest, we tend to never answer this question, simply, as were not able. Its like asking parents to point out one of their kids is above the others. Its impossible to choose. All the tracks are our creations and mean a lot. All that matters to us in the end, is that our fans, or new listeners that have not heard of us before, hopefully find some tracks they like, or maybe even love. They put them in their favourite playlist or introduce them to their friends. Then our time in the studio was wells spend and we could not be any happier.

The Nocturnal Times: With this album it feels like you keep re-inventing yourself. Tell us some behind the scenes of producing this album? What techniques do you use to remain original yet so innovative?

Cosmic Gate: Well, we feel its less about the production techniques, and more about the mindset and personal current taste in music when it comes to writing something new. But reinventing, this sounds great to us we take it anytime as a big compliment. To us that means we sound fresh and not like a copy of what we did before. Sure our tastes change over time, and are always already influenced from club music of the 90s, as trance, techno, progressive, etc, have developed and changed.

The Nocturnal Times: You both have been living abroad for some years now. Do you guys miss the good old Germany? And how did moving to the States affect your career? Is it difficult at times to collaborate while living far apart from each other?

Cosmic Gate: Indeed we do both live in the US for round about 10 or more years now. It means we were on the forefront of this EDM movement coming from Europe somehow. We played a lot of great shows, and sure do love living in the US guess we are fully domesticated!

Still during all this time we traveled abroad for shows a lot. Europe, Asia, Australia, and we will be in Germany at least a few times a year, so we see our families and dont miss our favourite foods either. That is one of the big perks of the job fortunately. On top to come to the last part of your question, we can work together on music in those times on the road. Living apart or not.

The Nocturnal Times: Throughout the pandemic, you performed some amazing live stream shows. What was your most favorite live stream show? And how excited are you now to be playing in front of live crowds again?

Cosmic Gate: We enjoyed all of these streams and their individuality enormously, but one we like to point to most maybe was the one in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Its just a spectacular charming and gorgeous little city with a lot of surprising cool venues, good food and friendly people. Do check it out if you have the chance and think about us when you do. We had great times doing these streams, we always have fun DJing together. To be very honest though, the energy to play for a crowd is so much better. The chemistry between a DJ and their audience cant be replaced by anything! So yes, we loved playing these locations and play these streams for you guys, but to be in one room together with a big crowd nothing can beat that. We are very social creatures and thrive from the energy around us. We hope to see you all on one of our future club or festival shows very soon.

The Nocturnal Times: Do we dare ask when may fans get a glimpse of MOSAIIK chapter two?

Cosmic Gate: We do love to test new tunes out, so our tip would be to come to some of our shows in the coming fall and winter. We cant promise, but wont deny to catch some glimpses of MOSAIIK part 2 during some of those sets either

The Nocturnal Times: We appreciate taking time for this interview and we know you are busy! Lets wrap this up with a question. Who is one artist you havent worked with yet that you would like to and why?

Cosmic Gate: We were lucky enough to work with some of the most outstanding talents in our scene in the one or other way during the years, no-one in particular we have on a list ready to present now be very honest though. Things will happen. Whats meant to be is meant to be. We will keep Nocturnal Times posted in this regard first. Thanks again for having us, a pleasure as always!

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Get the Latest on all Things Cosmic Gate [Interview] - The Nocturnal Times

The old rabbis say we must put salt on our challah before we say the blessing on Shabbat, to remind us that the world is built on longing. When Hashem created the earth, they say, they split the heavenly waters and the earthly waters. Before that, all was just an endless lake above and below and within. But bringing things into being required a separation.

Shira had been texting her best friend for a long time. Maybe this will be forever, she thought. This imperfect, one-sided conversation. The world is built on longing, she remembered as she pulled one end of the gum out of her mouth, stretched it out, and stuck the end back in and pulled to make a loop. It snapped and again she chewed, and pulled, and waited for the screen to light up with the little Virgo emoji and ladybug next to her best friends name.

Shira had for a few weeks been putting all her friends zodiac signs and personality animals next to their names in her phone. She told herself that it was so that she wouldnt miss anyones birthday or forget the creatures that delighted them. Perhaps it was also so she could have an excuse to speak to those whose signs she needed, but this did not feel like a worthy problem to examine. She tasted salt and copper in her mouth where the inside of her lip was raw from the little bites her teeth took out of her flesh when she wasnt focusing hard enough on stopping them.

The heavenly and earthly waters grieved at their breaking. They asked Hashem, how am I to exist without a half of myself? And Hashem, the all-knowing, had no perfect answer for them. This must be done. They were rent one from the other, and they grieved the absence like a lover, like a mother, like a friend, like a limb torn off.

Josey and Shira, once long ago, had pressed their faces together and tried to synchronize their breath. Shira felt her best friends eyelashes flutter against her cheek. They pressed the palms of their sweaty August hands to each other and breathed in, out, in, out, though Josey wasnt able to slow their breathing down enough no matter how much they tried. And when Shira giggled, she felt the shaking reverberate through Joseys whole body. It was a trick theyd seen in a movie once: if two people were able to line up perfectly, to breathe as one, they would enter a trance state. Then, Shira thought, she and Josey would be able to see the whole universe. In the movie, the characters lift up and float through a void, and part of Shira was at this time still young enough to believe that if she and Josey put their minds to it soon theyd be floating away too. As long as they didnt let go of each others hands.

Shira remembered how Josey, after their first year in college, had come back home with short hair. Their face seemed naked and fragile without the dark, precise eyeliner they used to paint on each morning before they left the house. They would even sleep in it, sometimes, and wake up with smudgy pits around their eyes like they were collecting the ash from back when the fires were burning down California. Joseys eyes were little memorials those mornings to places that they remembered but no one else did.

When they came back that first year, those memories were all gone, replaced by shiny soft skin and cleanliness. Shira still worked at the Starbucks, and couldnt get the smell of coffee and the stains out of her clothes no matter how much she scrubbed.

I feel like Lady Macbeth, you know? she told Josey. They sat down for a conversation at a different Starbucks, the one that Shira didnt work at, after weeks of unanswered texts and one half-hearted sure. when r u free?

Its like, will these hands neer be clean? But I didnt even get to kill anyone! All I get is the cleanup! Shira wished she could make Josey laugh, but Josey just picked at their cuticles and focused on the difficult business of drinking their cardamom iced coffee without a straw.

The earthly waters cried out in pain as the heavenly waters were lifted away and they felt themselves sinking. For the first time, they felt the constant pains of gravity and knew that this holding-down was part of them now, and they screamed with the hurt of it. They witnessed half of their self and all of their love disappear into the sky into a place where they could never reach now, though moments ago they were close as breathing.

Shira stared out the window as Josey told her about the Saudi Arabian princess. She said that this girl Noora, in her freshman class, was able to live off campus first year, which was unusual, because no one has the money for that. Shira wasnt sure what that meant about Noora, but Josey said it made them curious enough to google her. She showed Shira pictures: Noora laughing, with a mane of dark and curly hair, Noora at fashion week, Noora on an island somewhere. Turns out Noora was a Saudi Arabian princess, daughter of some guy who liked to post polemics about homosexuality online. Josey said they matched with Noora on Tinder but never did anything about it. Shira said, if it had been her, shed have a princess girlfriend by now.

And a death warrant from a foreign country, Josey said. You know this is serious, right?

Shira wasnt sure what serious meant in this context, but her friend was looking in her eyes again, and the light through the Starbucks window was soft and forgiving, and maybe the rhythm of their breathing even matched.

The bottom of the ocean is the darkest place on Earth, but outer space is darker. Yes, there are stars everywhere, but there is so little light compared to the vastness. So, Hashem asked the earthly waters, why complain? Its darkness, either way. But the earthly waters sobbed. The heavenly waters, they said, at least got Hashems company. They were allowed to fly. And what consolation prize did the earthly waters have? Bound down in darkness, they were forced to support all the life and all the death on Earth. All the refuse, all the bodies, all the sunken ships. The earthly waters cried and felt themselves becoming little more than a graveyard.

I got my first tattoo, Shira blurted out to Josey. It was kind of fucked up the first time around, because its a stick and poke. But Im going to get someone to touch it up someday. I mean, its fine, its just kind of, uh, pointillist, you know?

Josey didnt ask what it was a tattoo of. They sat in sticky silence. They said, I cant wait for this summer to be over. Shira had forgotten that it was summer.

Hashem offered a consolation prize: each time their people burned a sacrifice in tribute perhaps a plump goat or a lamb or a cow the priests of the Temple were to place salt on the animals bleeding body. Not just because Hashem has a taste for salt. The all-knowing, after all, tastes all things at once. This was for the sake of the earthly waters. All salt, after all, is the product of the earthly waters grief at separation from their love. But sacrifices are to be burned. So, each time the temple grounds fill with sweet smoke, some of that salt goes up to be reunited with the heavenly waters, and they cry out and embrace and dance in circles out of joy that some part of themself long lost has come home.

Later, Shira asked Josey if they remembered Aaron. There had been a third member of their group before, but no one had heard from him in years. The rumor was that Aarons father, a metrolink security guard, got shot in the head. Shira knew these things happened, but figured that Josey didnt want to think about that kind of thing anymore.

Aaron had the softest hands in the world. He was probably still alive, Shira figured, but he didnt talk to her anymore. Shira knew that sometimes people needed to cut off their old selves and the people that those selves were attached to, which meant maybe that Shira and Josey were Aarons sacrifices. Shira imagined herself as a limb gnawed off by an animal in a trap. There had been a couple of boys who lived in Aarons neighborhood who he was friends with, a long time ago. They played Overwatch and things. Shira hoped they still did.

Remember how hed put on his headphones, and suddenly hes talking to his gamer buddies, and we had to wave our hands in front of his face to get his attention? Shira asked.

Yeah, and that one time I did tip his chair over, didnt I? said Josey. They were starting to lose that composed east-coast voice that they put on these days. The chair had tumbled down, and caught a cord, and taken Aarons well-loved light-up keyboard with it, his headset lost in the carnage.

Josey laughed, then Shira lost them again. Hey, do you want to hear about my internship? I saved money all last semester because I didnt spend any dining dollars, I just used my fastbucks, plus I caught rides on the campus shuttle for free because I knew the driver, because my friend got a job at campus po

Shira imagined her best friend in a castle in the woods, zooming around in a big shuttle bus from one end of the castle to the other, and maybe thats why they were always rescheduling their video calls. Shiras vanilla latte was cold. She wanted to rip that whole castle down, but her hands were tired and her mind was tired and all the exhaustion was somehow Joseys fault. Josey was the one who made it out of town, not because they deserved it but because Shira didnt know why. Something about money, something about Joseys staring eyes too close together, something about their quick hands and their speech that never tripped over itself these days. Something about college counseling and the ACT test and being just poor enough for the fee waivers but not so poor that they didnt know to ask for them like Shira.

And Shiras anger started to fall on her like the first few raindrops of a storm.

Perhaps weve forgotten the art of burning sacrifices. But the rabbis remind us that we must taste salt even in our joy. We bless the challah, and toss salt on it as we pass it around to our families. The world is built on longing, and without the yearning of the waters for its own completeness, we would drown.

Hey, do you know where I could get a job around here? Josey asked Shira, laughing as if getting a job or not getting a job was just a game, just a test, just something to get a score on, just someone to be charmed. I mean, like, I dont really know how it works back home, Ive never worked heremaybe I could, I dont know, just kinda ask the baristas if I could join them for the summer? Or write freelance, or bake bread and sell it online.

Uh huh, Shira said. And she wanted nothing more than to leave. Starbucks requires a lot of training, not that you would know. I mean. You know. Its a real job.

Yeah, sure, of course. Josey fidgeted, unpeeling one sweaty leg then the other off the chair.

Ive gotta go. Shira suddenly stood up. Work to do. This wasnt her best friend anymore. Maybe Josey wasnt even a person anymore.

See you later? Josey asked. Shira couldnt imagine anything she wanted less. She wanted her best friend back, but she didnt want Josey. Shira got into her car, and skidded out of the parking lot. Once she got onto the road, she looked around for cars. Then, without taking her foot off the gas, she closed her eyes just for a moment and screamed. She opened her eyes and swerved out of the path of the pickup in the lane next to her. Shira bit the inside of her cheek, and the whole world tasted like salt.

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Waters Of Heaven, Waters Of Earth - New Voices

I treat them the way I want to be treated. Its as simple as practicing the golden rule.

I was preparing to keynote for a chain of quick-service restaurants and I asked one of their franchisees what he does to provide good customer service. He shared the same belief Ive heard a thousand times. Imagine youre them and ask what would make you happy.

This is a terrible approach to customer service. The intention is noble, but it often doesnt yield the experience your customers are seeking.

You and I are different. We may not share the same desires, preferences, or values. We may not have the same needs. We might be in different moods. If you serve me according to your requirements, you may not meet mine.

I once went to a pizza restaurant to get food for my sons birthday party. I still had to get the cake and was in a hurry. But the gentleman taking my order fancied himself a comedian and kept cracking jokes. They werent funny and I wasnt in the mood. Instead of serving me, he kept trying to entertain me. It dragged out the transaction. He valued humor and believed ordering pizza should be fun. I valued efficiency and needed to get out of there. He treated me the way he wanted to be treated and created the experience he desired. After several failed attempts to make me laugh he said, Wow, youre really serious.

I came in to buy food and now Im getting feedback? That certainly didnt help my mood. Instead of judging me, he should accommodate me. If he observes that Im serious, he should become serious. Make the experience about me.

Empathy is defined as the ability to understand and share others feelings. It means shifting your emotions to align with someone elses. People like that. It builds connection. When you practice the golden rule, however, your behavior is rooted in your feelings. It creates experiences based on your perceptions and standards, not the other persons.

Restaurants should practice empathy and treat people the way they want to be treated. That requires paying attention. It means focusing and noticing, one customer at a time. Look at their body language. Listen to what they say and to how they say it. Are they playful? Rushed? Are they worried about food quality? Order accuracy? Price? If you look for the emotional need on top of the food need, youll pick up on cues that can guide you in providing the best customized experience for that guest.

In an environment built on speed and efficiency, it may be difficult to wrap your brain around personalizing the experience for each customer. Too many restaurants (especially QSRs) think in terms of quick transactions, not memorable experiences. They dont want to slow the sale.

But personalizing experiences doesnt take more time; it takes more focus. More presence. It means snapping out of the typical robotic trance weve come to expect from most QSR employees. This is absolutely possible and its as good for your team as it is for customers. Itll engage them in their work at a deeper level.

My team members found the process fun. They came to understand their job was not only to assess the specific food customers wanted, but also the experience they wanted, even though customers dont directly articulate it. Taking an order was like solving a puzzle. That required them to pay more attention, to look for the humanity in each customer. When they saw them as unique human beings and not just as the next customer in line, they treated them better. It made their job less monotonous and their service more impactful.

I recently took my teenage daughter to a chicken restaurant and when she placed her order, she asked for confirmation shed get a biscuit. My meal comes with a biscuit, right? Ive been dreaming about it all day!

Oh yeah, she was told by the young woman taking our order. I love them, too. Arent they the best?! For just the shortest moment, my daughter and the employee shared a connection over the love of the same product. It didnt slow down the order, but it made it a little nicer, more human.

We stepped aside and I observed the next transaction. Id like a No. 5 and a bottle of water, said a middle-aged man.

Sounds good, replied the employee. Hows your day going?

Fine, he replied curtly. He obviously wasnt in the mood for chit chat.

The employee noticed and dialed back the affability. Thatll be $12.45. Well get that right out.

If she was practicing the golden rule, she might have continued her attempts to engage him in friendly banter. But she could tell he didnt want that, so she quickly shifted her service approach. Her shift wasnt a major change in personality, but a subtle change in interaction.

Five minutes later, when she called our number and handed us our bag, she returned to being the friendly biscuit-lover with whom my daughter briefly connected. Then she elevated the experience even more. I threw an extra biscuit in there for you. Enjoy!

A shortsighted owner would see this as giving away free food. A smart one would look at the free biscuit as incredible marketing, an investment of a few cents that virtually guarantees my daughter will come back, and most likely bring others. My daughter revealed her customer service tell, and, picking up on it, the employee knew how to make her a little happier. If she does that consistently, itll make the owner a little wealthier.

The golden rule does force us to reflect on the human experience, and thats better than mindlessly facilitating cold transactions. But you and your employees can do even better. Focus less on how you want to be treated and more on what each customer wants. Thats the rule that wins the gold.

AUTHOR BIO

Scott Greenbergis a speaker, writer and business coach and the author ofThe WealthyFranchisee: Game-Changing Steps to Becoming a Thriving Franchise Superstar.Find more information atwww.scottgreenberg.com.

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The Wealthy Franchisee: Why you should ditch the golden rule - Nation's Restaurant News