The software developer seemed eager to help me adjust the headset. Clearly he wanted coverage for his new VR app for Android. He smiled, seemed polite but nervous. I guess the ‘PRESS’ lanyard indicating that I wrote for TechBlog™ was making him a bit anxious. An article from me could make or break an application’s chances.
Yes, I have that kind of power thanks to the reach of the site. But with great power comes great responsibility. So I rarely wrote overwhelmingly positive articles. I liked being skeptical, reserved especially with something like VR which had yet to break through to a wide market.
At first the setup was cumbersome and uncomfortable. He apologized for it, explaining that they’d spent most of their marketing budget on just booking the booth. More comfortable units were in the works, but they needed to get installs for that. He also pointed out that it worked fine without the VR component, but that the full experience was this way.
“What’s it do?” I asked as a swirl of colors spread out in front of my eyes on the phone’s screen. They seemed to move in some kind of unidentifiable pattern, swirling in and out almost but not quite like a spiral. Like a wave. I thought I heard the sound of waves in the headset.
I couldn’t quite hear him through the sound of waves and some kind of new age music. He said something about a relaxation or focusing program. Something about subliminal training of the mind. I wanted to take a note to ask a follow-up question, but I couldn’t see my notebook.
The colors kept swirling. Blue washing into yellow, fading into a deep purple, and then through to green. I thought the software engineer was saying something to me, but the voice was different. Lower, mixed in with the music. Then also a female voice, sounded like my own.
I strained to hear.
Relax and sink, the male voice said.
Relax and sink, my own voice seemed to say.
I didn’t find that confusing, only natural. The colors swirled. The music changed, slowing or maybe it was my thoughts slowing. Maybe I just needed to stop thinking, to stop thinking to stop thinking.
Stop thinking. Stop thinking. Stop thinking. Stop thinking. Stop thinking. Stop thinking. Stop thinking. Stop thinking. Stop thinking. Stop thinking. Stop thinking. Stop thinking. Stop thinking. Stop thinking. Stop thinking. Stop thinking. Stop thinking. Stop thinking. Stop thinking. Stop thinking.
As the colors faded I looked up at the software engineer and smiled. I would write him a glowing review. I would do anything for him. I just needed to stop thinking. Stop thinking.
This is fantastic.