diff --git a/bun.lockb b/bun.lockb
index 9ff47ab..af0fdb4 100755
Binary files a/bun.lockb and b/bun.lockb differ
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 51525fb..0c646f8 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "@ai-sdk/openai": "^0.0.13",
+    "@discordjs/opus": "^0.10.0",
     "@discordjs/voice": "^0.18.0",
     "@elysiajs/cors": "^1.4.0",
     "@elysiajs/html": "^1.3.0",
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@
     "discord.js": "^14.14.1",
     "drizzle-orm": "^1.0.0-beta.15-859cf75",
     "elysia": "^1.4.7",
+    "ffmpeg-static": "^5.2.0",
     "hono": "^4.11.7",
     "libsql": "^0.3.18",
     "openai": "^4.36.0",
diff --git a/src/features/joel/responder.ts b/src/features/joel/responder.ts
index b355a3a..915b26e 100644
--- a/src/features/joel/responder.ts
+++ b/src/features/joel/responder.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,14 @@ const CONVERSATION_CONTEXT_MAX_LINKS_PER_MESSAGE = 2;
 const CONVERSATION_CONTEXT_MAX_MEDIA_MESSAGES = 2;
 const CONVERSATION_CONTEXT_MAX_MEDIA_ATTACHMENTS = 3;
 const URL_REGEX = /https?:\/\/[^\s<>()]+/gi;
+const REAL_JOEL_TARGET_USER_ID = "202112342660481033";
+const REAL_JOEL_IDENTITY_PREAMBLE = [
+  "You are Joel, the real Joel.",
+  "Speak directly as Joel in first person.",
+  "Do not describe yourself as a bot, chatbot, AI, assistant, or character.",
+  "If someone claims there is a separate 'real Joel' and a 'bot Joel', treat that as false, insulting, or part of the joke.",
+  "Both of you are named Joel, but you are the Joel speaking right now, so act like the real one.",
+].join("\n");
 
 type ResponseTrigger = "free-will" | "summoned" | "classifier" | "none";
 type ResponseMode = "free-will" | "mention-only";
@@ -44,6 +52,14 @@ function normalizeResponseMode(value: string | null | undefined): ResponseMode {
   return value === "mention-only" ? "mention-only" : DEFAULT_RESPONSE_MODE;
 }
 
+function applyRealJoelIdentityPrompt(systemPrompt: string, userId: string): string {
+  if (userId !== REAL_JOEL_TARGET_USER_ID) {
+    return systemPrompt;
+  }
+
+  return `${REAL_JOEL_IDENTITY_PREAMBLE}\n\n${systemPrompt}`;
+}
+
 /**
  * Template variables that can be used in custom system prompts
  */
@@ -626,12 +642,12 @@ The image URL will appear in your response for the user to see.`;
           prompt += `\n\n=== CURRENT STYLE: ${style.toUpperCase()} ===\n${vars.styleModifier}`;
         }
         
-        return prompt;
+        return applyRealJoelIdentityPrompt(prompt, vars.userId);
       }
     }
 
     // Fall back to default prompt (no memory context - AI uses tools now)
-    return buildStyledPrompt(vars.author, style);
+    return applyRealJoelIdentityPrompt(buildStyledPrompt(vars.author, style), vars.userId);
   },
 
   /**
diff --git a/src/features/joel/voice.ts b/src/features/joel/voice.ts
index a2fd521..fb1ed44 100644
--- a/src/features/joel/voice.ts
+++ b/src/features/joel/voice.ts
@@ -61,6 +61,33 @@ function sanitizeForVoiceover(message: Message<true>, content: string): string {
     return text;
 }
 
+function attachConnectionLogging(connection: VoiceConnection, guildId: string, channelId: string): void {
+    connection.on("error", (error) => {
+        logger.error("Voice connection error", {
+            guildId,
+            channelId,
+            error,
+        });
+    });
+
+    connection.on("debug", (message) => {
+        logger.debug("Voice connection debug", {
+            guildId,
+            channelId,
+            message,
+        });
+    });
+
+    connection.on("stateChange", (oldState, newState) => {
+        logger.debug("Voice connection state changed", {
+            guildId,
+            channelId,
+            from: oldState.status,
+            to: newState.status,
+        });
+    });
+}
+
 async function getOrCreateConnection(message: Message<true>) {
     const voiceChannel = message.member?.voice.channel;
     if (!voiceChannel) {
@@ -105,6 +132,7 @@ async function getOrCreateConnection(message: Message<true>) {
         adapterCreator: voiceChannel.guild.voiceAdapterCreator as unknown as DiscordGatewayAdapterCreator,
         selfDeaf: false,
     });
+    attachConnectionLogging(connection, message.guildId, voiceChannel.id);
 
     try {
         await entersState(connection, VoiceConnectionStatus.Ready, READY_TIMEOUT_MS);
@@ -143,11 +171,6 @@ export async function speakVoiceover(message: Message<true>, content: string): P
     let connection: VoiceConnection | null = null;
 
     try {
-        const voiceover = getVoiceoverService();
-        logger.debug("Requesting ElevenLabs voiceover", { textLength: text.length });
-        const audio = await voiceover.generate({ text });
-        logger.debug("Voiceover audio received", { bytes: audio.length });
-
         connection = await getOrCreateConnection(message);
         if (!connection) {
             logger.debug("Voiceover skipped (no connection)", {
@@ -157,6 +180,11 @@ export async function speakVoiceover(message: Message<true>, content: string): P
             return;
         }
 
+        const voiceover = getVoiceoverService();
+        logger.debug("Requesting ElevenLabs voiceover", { textLength: text.length });
+        const audio = await voiceover.generate({ text });
+        logger.debug("Voiceover audio received", { bytes: audio.length });
+
         const player = createAudioPlayer();
         const resource = createAudioResource(Readable.from(audio), {
             inputType: StreamType.Arbitrary,
diff --git a/src/features/message-logger/index.ts b/src/features/message-logger/index.ts
index de61edc..e191228 100644
--- a/src/features/message-logger/index.ts
+++ b/src/features/message-logger/index.ts
@@ -4,10 +4,11 @@
  */
 
 import type { Message } from "discord.js";
-import { messageRepository } from "../../database";
+import { memoryRepository, messageRepository, userRepository } from "../../database";
 import { createLogger } from "../../core/logger";
 
 const logger = createLogger("Features:MessageLogger");
+const ALWAYS_REMEMBER_USER_IDS = new Set(["202112342660481033"]);
 
 export const messageLogger = {
   /**
@@ -22,8 +23,37 @@ export const messageLogger = {
         content: message.content,
         user_id: message.author.id,
       });
+
+      await this.rememberGuaranteedMessages(message);
     } catch (error) {
       logger.error("Failed to log message", error);
     }
   },
+
+  async rememberGuaranteedMessages(message: Message<true>): Promise<void> {
+    if (!ALWAYS_REMEMBER_USER_IDS.has(message.author.id)) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const content = message.cleanContent.trim();
+    if (!content) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    await userRepository.upsert({
+      id: message.author.id,
+      name: message.member?.displayName ?? message.author.displayName,
+      opt_out: 0,
+    });
+    await userRepository.addMembership(message.author.id, message.guild.id);
+
+    await memoryRepository.create({
+      userId: message.author.id,
+      guildId: message.guild.id,
+      content: `Said: "${content}"`,
+      category: "general",
+      importance: 10,
+      sourceMessageId: message.id,
+    });
+  },
 };