{"id":646,"date":"2026-04-30T09:38:31","date_gmt":"2026-04-30T09:38:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mjluniverse.wpenginepowered.com\/?page_id=646"},"modified":"2026-04-30T09:38:33","modified_gmt":"2026-04-30T09:38:33","slug":"birth-of-a-giant-part-1","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/mjluniverse.com\/?page_id=646","title":{"rendered":"&#8220;BIRTH OF A GIANT: Part 1&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<style>\n.mjl-wrap{max-width:700px;margin:0 auto;padding:20px 12px;font-family:Georgia,serif}\n.mjl-outer{min-height:100vh;background:#000;border:4px solid #2100ec;box-shadow:0 0 30px #2100ec22;color:#ccc}\n.mjl-hdr{text-align:center;padding:30px 0 20px}\n.mjl-hdr .sub{color:#2100ec;font-family:'Courier New',monospace;font-size:11px;letter-spacing:4px;margin-bottom:8px;opacity:.6}\n.mjl-hdr .tier{color:#2100ec;font-family:'Courier New',monospace;font-weight:900;font-size:22px;letter-spacing:6px;margin-bottom:8px}\n.mjl-hdr .title{font-weight:900;font-size:28px;letter-spacing:4px;font-family:'Courier New',monospace;color:#ccc;line-height:1.3}\n.mjl-hdr .subtitle{color:#c9b896;font-family:'Courier New',monospace;font-size:12px;letter-spacing:3px;margin-top:10px;font-style:italic;opacity:.7}\n.mjl-hdr .num{color:#c9b896;font-family:'Courier New',monospace;font-size:11px;letter-spacing:3px;margin-top:10px;opacity:.6}\n.mjl-hdr .dot{width:8px;height:8px;border-radius:50%;background:#2100ec;margin:14px auto 0}\n.mjl-col{display:flex;flex-direction:column;gap:2px}\n.mjl-bub{display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:10px;max-width:90%;margin-bottom:6px}\n.mjl-bub.l{flex-direction:row;align-self:flex-start}\n.mjl-bub.r{flex-direction:row-reverse;align-self:flex-end}\n.mjl-av{width:46px;height:46px;min-width:46px;border-radius:50%;background:#111;display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;overflow:hidden;border-width:3px;border-style:solid}\n.mjl-av img{width:100%;height:100%;object-fit:cover}\n.mjl-av span{font-weight:900;font-size:14px;font-family:'Courier New',monospace}\n.mjl-nm{font-family:'Courier New',monospace;font-weight:700;font-size:10px;letter-spacing:1.5px;margin-bottom:3px}\n.mjl-msg{background:#f0f0f0;color:#111;padding:10px 14px;font-size:14px;line-height:1.5;font-family:Georgia,serif;white-space:pre-wrap}\n.mjl-msg em{color:#666;font-style:italic;font-size:13px}\n.mjl-msg strong{color:#000;font-weight:900;letter-spacing:0.5px}\n.mjl-bub.l .mjl-nm{text-align:left}\n.mjl-bub.r .mjl-nm{text-align:right}\n.mjl-bub.l .mjl-msg{border-radius:2px 14px 14px 14px;border-left-width:3px;border-left-style:solid}\n.mjl-bub.r .mjl-msg{border-radius:14px 2px 14px 14px;border-right-width:3px;border-right-style:solid}\n.mjl-sys{text-align:center;color:#777;font-size:12px;font-family:'Courier New',monospace;padding:10px 14px;letter-spacing:1px;font-style:italic}\n.mjl-sys.transmission{color:#2100ec;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;letter-spacing:3px;padding:18px 14px;border-top:1px solid #2100ec33;border-bottom:1px solid #2100ec33;margin:10px 0}\n.mjl-sys.signoff{color:#c9b896;letter-spacing:3px;padding:24px 14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:700}\n.mjl-back{text-align:center;padding:30px 0 20px}\n.mjl-back a{display:inline-block;border:2px solid #2100ec;border-radius:6px;padding:10px 24px;font-family:'Courier New',monospace;font-weight:700;font-size:11px;letter-spacing:2px;color:#2100ec;text-decoration:none;background:#0a0a0a}\n.mjl-next{text-align:center;padding:10px 0 30px}\n.mjl-next a{display:inline-block;border:1px solid #2100ec66;border-radius:6px;padding:8px 18px;font-family:'Courier New',monospace;font-size:10px;letter-spacing:2px;color:#2100ec;opacity:.7;text-decoration:none}\n.mjl-ftr{text-align:center;padding:20px 0}\n.mjl-ftr .line{width:60%;height:1px;background:linear-gradient(90deg,transparent,#2100ec44,transparent);margin:0 auto}\n.mjl-ftr .cp{color:#333;font-family:'Courier New',monospace;font-size:10px;letter-spacing:2px;margin-top:16px}\n*{box-sizing:border-box;margin:0;padding:0}\n<\/style>\n\n<div class=\"mjl-outer\">\n<div class=\"mjl-wrap\">\n\n<div class=\"mjl-hdr\">\n<div class=\"sub\">M\u2605J\u2605L UNIVERSE \u2014 METACHRON<\/div>\n<div class=\"tier\">\u2014 THE BRAIN \u2014<\/div>\n<div class=\"title\">BIRTH OF A GIANT<\/div>\n<div class=\"subtitle\">PART 1 \u2014 HAROLD&#8217;S GIFT<\/div>\n<div class=\"subtitle\" style=\"opacity:.5;margin-top:4px\">ORIGIN STORY OF THE CORE STORIES<\/div>\n<div class=\"num\">PIECE 02 OF 09<\/div>\n<div class=\"dot\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"mjl-col\">\n\n<div class=\"mjl-sys transmission\">\u25a3 MISSION FILE \u2014 AL SEZ<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"mjl-sys\">A message from General Alexander Michael<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"mjl-bub l\"><div class=\"mjl-av\" style=\"border-color:#2100ec\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mjluniverse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/avatar-al.png\" alt=\"Al\"><\/div><div style=\"flex:1\"><div class=\"mjl-nm\" style=\"color:#2100ec\">AL<\/div><div class=\"mjl-msg\" style=\"border-left-color:#2100ec\">Listen up, soldiers&#8230; Tonight I&#8217;m gonna tell you how I was saved.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"mjl-bub l\"><div class=\"mjl-av\" style=\"border-color:#2100ec\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mjluniverse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/avatar-al.png\" alt=\"Al\"><\/div><div style=\"flex:1\"><div class=\"mjl-nm\" style=\"color:#2100ec\">AL<\/div><div class=\"mjl-msg\" style=\"border-left-color:#2100ec\">See, my godson \u2014 that smiling creep with the bowl haircut \u2014 well, I&#8217;ve told you he writes stories. What I haven&#8217;t told you is how he started.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"mjl-bub l\"><div class=\"mjl-av\" style=\"border-color:#ff0000\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mjluniverse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/avatar-harold.png\" alt=\"Harold\"><\/div><div style=\"flex:1\"><div class=\"mjl-nm\" style=\"color:#ff0000\">HAROLD<\/div><div class=\"mjl-msg\" style=\"border-left-color:#ff0000\">CREEP?! <em>*scoffs*<\/em> i could take your tongue and fingers and NOBODY would say a word!!<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"mjl-bub r\"><div class=\"mjl-av\" style=\"border-color:#ff1493\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mjluniverse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/avatar-clay.png\" alt=\"Clayboy\"><\/div><div style=\"flex:1\"><div class=\"mjl-nm\" style=\"color:#ff1493\">CLAYBOY<\/div><div class=\"mjl-msg\" style=\"border-right-color:#ff1493\">Y-yeah, Al&#8230;I mean..he&#8217;s not a creep BECAUSE of the bowl haircut&#8230;he&#8217;s a creep because of so many other reasons.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"mjl-bub l\"><div class=\"mjl-av\" style=\"border-color:#ff0000\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mjluniverse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/avatar-harold.png\" alt=\"Harold\"><\/div><div style=\"flex:1\"><div class=\"mjl-nm\" style=\"color:#ff0000\">HAROLD<\/div><div class=\"mjl-msg\" style=\"border-left-color:#ff0000\">Oh, Clayboy!&#8230;.i-i thought you didn&#8217;t even care&#8230;.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"mjl-bub l\"><div class=\"mjl-av\" style=\"border-color:#2100ec\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mjluniverse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/avatar-al.png\" alt=\"Al\"><\/div><div style=\"flex:1\"><div class=\"mjl-nm\" style=\"color:#2100ec\">AL<\/div><div class=\"mjl-msg\" style=\"border-left-color:#2100ec\">Y-yeah well&#8230;for a whole year I pretended I was gonna start a podcast. Maybe make a documentary about real operators.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"mjl-bub l\"><div class=\"mjl-av\" style=\"border-color:#2100ec\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mjluniverse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/avatar-al.png\" alt=\"Al\"><\/div><div style=\"flex:1\"><div class=\"mjl-nm\" style=\"color:#2100ec\">AL<\/div><div class=\"mjl-msg\" style=\"border-left-color:#2100ec\">Truth is? I was blackout drunk, talking to any man or woman who&#8217;d listen on my HAM radio. Gained 50 pounds the year before THAT\u2026. Soldiers? Every single one who answered \u2014 some pros, real operators, some civilian \u2014 but everyone who listened is and always will be a goddamn warrior in my God Damned book!<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"mjl-bub l\"><div class=\"mjl-av\" style=\"border-color:#2100ec\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mjluniverse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/avatar-al.png\" alt=\"Al\"><\/div><div style=\"flex:1\"><div class=\"mjl-nm\" style=\"color:#2100ec\">AL<\/div><div class=\"mjl-msg\" style=\"border-left-color:#2100ec\">Here&#8217;s how it REALLY went down&#8230;<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"mjl-bub l\"><div class=\"mjl-av\" style=\"border-color:#2100ec\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mjluniverse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/avatar-al.png\" alt=\"Al\"><\/div><div style=\"flex:1\"><div class=\"mjl-nm\" style=\"color:#2100ec\">AL<\/div><div class=\"mjl-msg\" style=\"border-left-color:#2100ec\">The kid \u2014 Harold \u2014 he&#8217;d been listening the whole time. Recording it all on his little cassette player while I wallowed in self-pity. And you know what he did?<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"mjl-bub l\"><div class=\"mjl-av\" style=\"border-color:#2100ec\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mjluniverse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/avatar-al.png\" alt=\"Al\"><\/div><div style=\"flex:1\"><div class=\"mjl-nm\" style=\"color:#2100ec\">AL<\/div><div class=\"mjl-msg\" style=\"border-left-color:#2100ec\">He wrote his own stories. Based LOOSELY on those conversations.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"mjl-bub l\"><div class=\"mjl-av\" style=\"border-color:#2100ec\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mjluniverse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/avatar-al.png\" alt=\"Al\"><\/div><div style=\"flex:1\"><div class=\"mjl-nm\" style=\"color:#2100ec\">AL<\/div><div class=\"mjl-msg\" style=\"border-left-color:#2100ec\">When I found out, I lost it.\n\nYelled. Called him names. Smashed what I thought were his tapes.\n\nHe scratched me.\n\nI tried to spray him with a water bottle \u2014 damn thing fell apart right in my hand.\n\nHarold laughed at me.\n\nThen I laughed at me&#8230; caught a glimpse of myself in a dusty mirror.\n\nThen I cried. Alone.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"mjl-bub l\"><div class=\"mjl-av\" style=\"border-color:#2100ec\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mjluniverse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/avatar-al.png\" alt=\"Al\"><\/div><div style=\"flex:1\"><div class=\"mjl-nm\" style=\"color:#2100ec\">AL<\/div><div class=\"mjl-msg\" style=\"border-left-color:#2100ec\">See, folks \u2014 when you&#8217;ve lived a lifetime one way, thinking it&#8217;d be like that forever, and then <strong>BOOM<\/strong>&#8230; bottom gives out&#8230;<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"mjl-bub l\"><div class=\"mjl-av\" style=\"border-color:#2100ec\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mjluniverse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/avatar-al.png\" alt=\"Al\"><\/div><div style=\"flex:1\"><div class=\"mjl-nm\" style=\"color:#2100ec\">AL<\/div><div class=\"mjl-msg\" style=\"border-left-color:#2100ec\">Well, it was enough to make a once-proud, now-retired Brigadier General find himself spinning in his dimly-lit garage&#8230; divorced, civilian, over-sixty, overweight, drunk&#8230;\n\n&#8230;arguing with a CAT.\n\nStanding there scratched and bleeding, wondering why I only had one shoe on and no socks.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"mjl-bub l\"><div class=\"mjl-av\" style=\"border-color:#2100ec\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mjluniverse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/avatar-al.png\" alt=\"Al\"><\/div><div style=\"flex:1\"><div class=\"mjl-nm\" style=\"color:#2100ec\">AL<\/div><div class=\"mjl-msg\" style=\"border-left-color:#2100ec\">Kid just wanted to cheer me up.\n\nEvery time I&#8217;d laugh on one of them tapes, Harold would write his own version of the story. He was doing it as a gift. Kid just wanted me to stop being sad.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"mjl-bub l\"><div class=\"mjl-av\" style=\"border-color:#2100ec\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mjluniverse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/avatar-al.png\" alt=\"Al\"><\/div><div style=\"flex:1\"><div class=\"mjl-nm\" style=\"color:#2100ec\">AL<\/div><div class=\"mjl-msg\" style=\"border-left-color:#2100ec\">I needed Mercy&#8230; he gave it.\n\nHe deserved Justice&#8230; got it.\n\nWe each needed to re-learn, after grief and trauma, that we were still worthy of giving and accepting unconditional love.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"mjl-bub l\"><div class=\"mjl-av\" style=\"border-color:#2100ec\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mjluniverse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/avatar-al.png\" alt=\"Al\"><\/div><div style=\"flex:1\"><div class=\"mjl-nm\" style=\"color:#2100ec\">AL<\/div><div class=\"mjl-msg\" style=\"border-left-color:#2100ec\">So we came up with <strong>MJL UNIVERSE<\/strong>.\n\n<em>Mercy, through Justice \u2014 with Love.<\/em>\n\nIt means Mercy for those needing it. Justice for the ones that deserve it. And Love&#8230; well, I&#8217;m not stupid enough to try to explain that one, soldiers.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"mjl-bub l\"><div class=\"mjl-av\" style=\"border-color:#2100ec\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mjluniverse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/avatar-al.png\" alt=\"Al\"><\/div><div style=\"flex:1\"><div class=\"mjl-nm\" style=\"color:#2100ec\">AL<\/div><div class=\"mjl-msg\" style=\"border-left-color:#2100ec\">In our case? Harold showed my angry soul mercy with his gift of love. Then Justice was paid.\n\nFirst payment? Hearing his reasoning.\n\nSecond payment? Realizing all those tapes I smashed were <strong>MY OWN<\/strong> mix tapes. Liberace and Barbra Streisand on Carol Anne&#8217;s side&#8230; Pure, untouched Creedence Clearwater on <strong>MY<\/strong> side \u2014 the &#8220;AL&#8221; side.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"mjl-bub l\"><div class=\"mjl-av\" style=\"border-color:#2100ec\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mjluniverse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/avatar-al.png\" alt=\"Al\"><\/div><div style=\"flex:1\"><div class=\"mjl-nm\" style=\"color:#2100ec\">AL<\/div><div class=\"mjl-msg\" style=\"border-left-color:#2100ec\">Now the tape lay on the floor. Some on top of Harold&#8217;s head.\n\nHe pulled it away a few times, asking which style I liked best for his Rockettes audition.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"mjl-bub l\"><div class=\"mjl-av\" style=\"border-color:#ff0000\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mjluniverse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/avatar-harold.png\" alt=\"Harold\"><\/div><div style=\"flex:1\"><div class=\"mjl-nm\" style=\"color:#ff0000\">HAROLD<\/div><div class=\"mjl-msg\" style=\"border-left-color:#ff0000\">REALLY AL?! No foolin? because i went to take pictures!! \u2014 i just never sent them in because.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"mjl-img\"><div class=\"frame\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mjluniverse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/harold-rockettes-PLACEHOLDER.png\" alt=\"Harold as Rockette cat with tape-streamer wig\"><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"mjl-bub r\"><div class=\"mjl-av\" style=\"border-color:#4ca626\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mjluniverse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/avatar-bubby.png\" alt=\"Bubby\"><\/div><div style=\"flex:1\"><div class=\"mjl-nm\" style=\"color:#4ca626\">BUBBY<\/div><div class=\"mjl-msg\" style=\"border-right-color:#4ca626\">Shiyet&#8230;i-i like the full perm look, H-Harry..sh-shiyet&#8230;<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"mjl-bub r\"><div class=\"mjl-av\" style=\"border-color:#ff1493\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mjluniverse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/avatar-clay.png\" alt=\"Clayboy\"><\/div><div style=\"flex:1\"><div class=\"mjl-nm\" style=\"color:#ff1493\">CLAYBOY<\/div><div class=\"mjl-msg\" style=\"border-right-color:#ff1493\">Second!<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"mjl-bub l\"><div class=\"mjl-av\" style=\"border-color:#2100ec\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mjluniverse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/avatar-al.png\" alt=\"Al\"><\/div><div style=\"flex:1\"><div class=\"mjl-nm\" style=\"color:#2100ec\">AL<\/div><div class=\"mjl-msg\" style=\"border-left-color:#2100ec\">&#8230;<strong>LOVE<\/strong>.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"mjl-bub l\"><div class=\"mjl-av\" style=\"border-color:#2100ec\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mjluniverse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/avatar-al.png\" alt=\"Al\"><\/div><div style=\"flex:1\"><div class=\"mjl-nm\" style=\"color:#2100ec\">AL<\/div><div class=\"mjl-msg\" style=\"border-left-color:#2100ec\">MJL is what you make it.\n\n<strong>Welcome home.<\/strong><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"mjl-sys signoff\">\u2014 GENERAL ALEXANDER MICHAEL \u2014<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"mjl-sys\" style=\"font-style:italic;letter-spacing:2px\">M\u2605J\u2605L UNIVERSE<br><span style=\"opacity:.6\">Misericordia per Iustitiam, cum Amore<\/span><\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"mjl-back\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mjluniverse.com\/?page_id=496\">\u2190 BACK TO METACHRON<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"mjl-next\"><a href=\"#\">NEXT \u2014 PIECE 03 \u2192<\/a><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"mjl-ftr\">\n<div class=\"line\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"cp\">\u00a9 MJL UNIVERSE \u2014 METACHRON 02 OF 09<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>M\u2605J\u2605L UNIVERSE \u2014 METACHRON \u2014 THE BRAIN \u2014 BIRTH OF A GIANT PART 1 \u2014 HAROLD&#8217;S GIFT ORIGIN STORY OF THE CORE STORIES PIECE 02 OF 09 \u25a3 MISSION FILE \u2014 AL SEZ A message from General Alexander Michael AL Listen up, soldiers&#8230; Tonight I&#8217;m gonna tell you how I was saved. AL See, my [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","iawp_total_views":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-646","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"blocksy_meta":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mjluniverse.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/646","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mjluniverse.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mjluniverse.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mjluniverse.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mjluniverse.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=646"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mjluniverse.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/646\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mjluniverse.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=646"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}