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user-inactivated  ·  43 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: What are you Reading?

Maybe Andy Weir is the ultimate litmus test, to sort out cheerful idiots like myself, who can't analyse a thing particularly deeply?

user-inactivated  ·  43 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: What are you Reading?

Huh. I haven't encountered people who didn't like it.

I mean I know they're out there, but I'd only heard good things in my circles.

user-inactivated  ·  43 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: What are you Reading?

I really enjoyed The Martian, I loooved Project Hail Mary but Artemis was lower down the rung for me. I think just because of Jazz. I couldn't gel with her, and maybe I'm being cynical but her character felt very 'male author struggles to write a woman'.

Still, I love what he does with his books. The nerd stuff is the action and it's a delight to follow along.

The moon jellyfish one is fucking amazing too.

user-inactivated  ·  51 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: 563rd Weekly "Share Some Music You've Been Into Lately"

Ooooh thank you for the recommendation. Going through the album now and enjoying it.

user-inactivated  ·  52 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: 563rd Weekly "Share Some Music You've Been Into Lately"

Inspired a whole ass chapter in a writing project, just by listening to it last week.

user-inactivated  ·  62 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Pubski: January 24, 2024

Very silly things so far. A janky password generator, a guessing game. Stuff to teach some basics really.

The software I use/support at work uses it and currently anything require coding or messing with a script we go to a vendor for, but they've also been teaching me bits and pieces so I don't have to bother them with small things.

I don't need to learn it but my employer is happy for me to fuck around with it on work time if it means I can fix problems myself down the track!

user-inactivated  ·  63 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Pubski: January 24, 2024

Slowly trying to learn Python. It's fun when I get to implement things in little beginner projects, but the content is pretty dry.

Tomatoes are going red, very exciting. Two plants are still going hard, the other two are consistently producing messy/split tomatoes, so I'm considering just cutting my losses and focusing on the two that are succeeding and chalking this up as a lesson in trying too many different kinds at once. Tuh'may'ters.

Next up on my piano-relearning-adventure, Sea Power's ZA/UM. My most played song from 2023.

Hope you're all doing well.

user-inactivated  ·  64 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Nightshade, the free tool that ‘poisons’ AI models, is now available for artists to use

Shit you not, in my previous job I heard this was happening (via a colleague who uses TikTok) and in the next recruitment run I checked some of the documents loaded up in applications, to see if anyone had snuck white font text in.

Of 30 applications, 3 had. Using words that could be found in our job descriptions. Just tucked away in between paragraphs and in page breaks.

We don't use AI in our recruitment so it may as well not have been there but, interesting to spot once you start to look for it. We knew people were using AI to write cover letters, and it was fairly obvious when the letter was a little too immaculate and had absolutely zero personality. White font though, that was a new one.

user-inactivated  ·  69 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: 561st Weekly "Share Some Music You've Been Into Lately"

I clicked on KILLCAM, and skipped to random section. Just to get the full absurd blast.

I was greeted with autotuned Squidward yelling "That's my dick in your main bitch", then Spongebob hit a 720 quick-scope.

Consider me blasted.

user-inactivated  ·  69 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: 561st Weekly "Share Some Music You've Been Into Lately"

and

user-inactivated  ·  70 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Pubski: January 17, 2024

Gardening!

Tomatoes! (growing very nicely)

Cucumbers (they snuck up, I didn't see these until yesterday, very well hidden)

Chillies! (this is very new, still got the flower at the end but I was excited)

So I will have a bountiful harvest, and likely more than I will be able to eat, so friends and family will have impromptu salads and veggies forced upon them.

user-inactivated  ·  71 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: How a $300 Million Flop Turned Into an Improbable Hit

The Discord server where most of my 'gaming' takes place is a good example of how easily someone can be swayed. We all bought Elden Ring, those who were Souls players knew they'd get it anyway, so no harm done. But there were plenty of the group who'd never played those games before and wanted to 'join in' on the fun while it was fresh. Most of them hated it initially, some never completed it. And it wasn't cheap.

Granted Elden Ring didn't need much tweaking outside of a few horrific bosses that had to be nerfed, but the desire to experience it alongside everyone else even though they normally wouldn't care about a game like that, was present. Hype can be so insidious.

user-inactivated  ·  71 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: How a $300 Million Flop Turned Into an Improbable Hit

So far the three big boppers of my own personal game-release-shitstorm have managed to turn things around, surprising me each time.

No Man's Sky

Cyberpunk 2077

Battlefield 2042 (it's vastly improved, and fun, but my tongue was severely burnt by this particular number.)

One particular developer I'm always happy to throw money at is Supergiant Games. Bastion, Transistor, Pyre, Hades and upcoming Hades II. Loved em all. They know what they do well and I am comfortable expecting quality out of Hades II.

As I say this, I realise that I will also be throwing money at SquareEnix with the upcoming FF7: Rebirth. But I have to get that or my childhood self will travel into the future and kick me in the head.

user-inactivated  ·  78 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Pubski: January 3, 2024

Tacking a reply on to say I read this Bake-Off/Reality show information, and your other linked discussion, to my partner - who is a dual citizen (NZ and UK passport, most of her family are in Cambridge). It went:

--

Partner:... Hmm...

Me: Hmm?

Partner: Yeah all of that tracks. Plus, you should see the average Brit on a snowday. Crumpling under every individual flake. And why the fuck do they have to manufacture all this difficulty? I mean I know why but why? Baking shit like that should be an art, not something you barely limp over the line for. Give them all the resources, all the time, and let them loose on a project. You'd see some bangers. Ughh! You know how you used to joke you wanted to see a non-tested Olympics? All the athletes drugged to the gills and seeing who's really the fastest person alive? That, but in a baking context. No steroids. Well maybe some. No, no steroids. Time and resources, that's the steroids of Bake Off.

Me: Another episode?

Partner: Yes please.

I do love seeing her demure personality flicker when she gets really wound up about something.

user-inactivated  ·  83 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Pubski: January 3, 2024

Yeah we both know it's kinda hot trash, but I do appreciate how there's less "aggression" on the show. Yeah they've got to compete against each other, but so many other shows would really ramp up the tension and have contestants slagging each other off over pastries. In this aspect, the show seems more wholesome in their approach. Still, it's reality TV. Can only polish that turd so much.

Blood feud has begun - we're up 3 matches to 0. 1 very close match, then 2 steamrolled matches as we got into the groove. Hackusations, shit talking, mini-feuds with players who keep killing each other. I missed the banter. Amazing what muscle memory can retain. Though I'm rusty enough that my aim will vary from nailing every shot for 10 minutes straight, to missing an entire clip on someone who is literally stationary. I can't go back to Destiny, it begun to feel like a second job and whatever story they were trying to tell, fell over a while back IMO. Still, best gunplay I've ever had in a game, BF V and Titanfall 2 coming in close 2nd and 3rd. I have also started a Cyberpunk run, I got the DLC so heading into that. Similar feelings though, just not quite invested.

Ah the Shield, tis good! It's one of those "pro" ones, I got it in 2019 I think, and before then I was also using a Firestick. Agreed on it's wretchedness. The Shield hasn't let me down, but it's been for pretty basic use. I've got the usual streaming suspects, Netflix, YouTube, Plex etc. Lets me chuck a VPN in there, lets me cast to it. Everything runs through it. It does have an annoying, dedicated, Netflix button on the remote. I could probably unbind it somehow, but eh. It's almost worth it for the laugh we get when the cat steps on it and whatever we were watching is suddenly interrupted by the Netflix "DUH DUHN" start up sound.

user-inactivated  ·  84 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Pubski: January 3, 2024

Christmas was a quiet one. Usually, about 40 of my extended family descend on one person's home for the day. This time our family was fractured across a couple of countries, so I spent it with my brother and Boxing Day with my partner's family.

Felt weird not being surrounded by the cacophony that is my family, but I did crush some excellent naps over the break.

I have four tomato plants growing in my greenhouse, combined with the cucumbers and the mystery plant that turned out to be pumpkin, it's a mini rainforest. However, one tomato plant has blossom end rot, apparently a problem caused by a calcium issue, but the true catalyst is infrequent/too frequent watering. The other plants are producing like mad, and they all get watered at the same time, so unsure what my approach is here. They're fussy plants these. Good lessons for the future though, this is the first of many attempts.

Strange update. Once upon a time I played a lot of Battlefield V, across two accounts, probably about 1000 hours in it. Enough to be a menace. Back in the day I was in a 'clan' and we'd typically just have a bit of fun in a server, if we ever started to dominate a match we'd split ourselves up to make things even. Since Battlefield 2042 came out, most of us have stopped playing, because it was hot trash and it burned our love of the game. Now we hear that the BF V servers are popular again, and there's a new clan running the roost. Allegedly they're talking shit about us and other old clans, so we've been summoned, to come back for a shitfight.

Is it stupidly childish? Yes. Could we ignore it? Entirely. Am I reinstalled and testing my aim? You bet.

This weekend the battle begins, the glorious old guard BDSL (Basement Dwelling Sweat Lords) vs the whiny upstarts EZPZ.

Oh! So turns out my partner loves, and I mean fuckin' looooves, The Great British Bake Off. It's surprisingly hard to track down, legally or not. Most streaming services don't have it in NZ, and those that do, have like a season at best.

I didn't know she adored this show, and apparently she had been trying her best to solve this access issue, on and off, for the better part of two years (we have been together for almost seven..). She finally told me this week, about her deepest desire. I checked which Netflix region had the show (USA does!), flicked my VPN on in our NVidia Shield, changed to USA, and restarted Netflix. Great British Baking Show was the first thing that appeared as a suggestion and my partner lost. Her. Shit. She was wriggling, actually wriggling. I asked, once she had stopped writhing on the couch, why she never told me about this before? Took all of five minutes to rectify. She didn't want to bother me with it, apparently. Which sucks, cause she can bother me with anything and I'll take it off her plate. The new job environment is still paying dividends it seems, my partner feels comfortable coming to me with things she thinks are inane.

Reading a book next to her on the couch, cat in her lap, as she critically judges ganache application on the screen filled me with an awful lot of joy.

user-inactivated  ·  100 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: What are you Reading?

Reading Iron Gold I found myself struggling to get through it. There was a timeskip and a sudden shift to multiple POVs. Both aspects surprised me and I found myself trudging through it a little bit. It was hard to suddenly care about these strangers after having one POV the entire time. However about 1/3 of the way through it clicked and I was on board again, as things began to coalesce. The next two books I didn't have any issues with and devoured them greedily. Especially as later on you get the POV of a character whose head I always wanted to get inside of.

I also felt Morningstar finished in such a way that had nothing else been written after, I'd have been happy. That said I'm very glad I got past my initial reluctance in fourth book, it was well worth it and I'm hanging out for the final book now!

user-inactivated  ·  101 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: What are you Reading?

That would make sense. I don't recall a resounding "Ugh" when finishing that particular book, but I must not have been as invested as I was at the start.

user-inactivated  ·  101 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: What are you Reading?

My partner and I polished off the Red Rising series (Book #7 still to come). They're not literary masterpieces but it was a very entertaining time, they're accessible page turners. My partner is more discerning than I am, about what she reads, so I wasn't expecting her to give it a go. However one day she began the series herself, while I was reading book #4. Then, because she reads so much faster than I do, she read the first three before I finished #4, then stole book #4 from my bedside table. She read it, returned it, and carried on with the series.

I've just started House of Leaves which is uhhh a tonal shift.

user-inactivated  ·  101 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: What are you Reading?

I got through to book #4 and stopped, I'm not entirely sure why. I was enjoying the story! Maybe I'll revisit soon..

I really enjoyed the show, which hopefully doesn't skew the rest of the books for me, if I do return.

user-inactivated  ·  112 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Pubski: December 6, 2023

TOMATOES ARE GROWING.

Little green fellas just hanging out.

Am proud.

Joining my 3rd DnD campaign this Sunday. A friend had been running a small group through over the course of the year. It was strictly in person, and they're all in Australia. But with the DM moving cities, they opted to go online. Once online, the DM invited me to join. I get to dust off an old character, very excited.

user-inactivated  ·  119 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Pubski: November 29, 2023

Oh awesome!! I haven't seen them live but I have no doubt they'd be fantastic. Love me some homegrown music.

user-inactivated  ·  119 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Pubski: November 29, 2023

My top artists on Spotify for 2023.

1: Hozier

2: Sea Power

3: Lorn

4: The Beths

5: Aesop Rock

Sounds about right.

user-inactivated  ·  129 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Pubski: November 15, 2023

The joys of enjoying my job and leaving a shitty environment are still being realised. This weekend just past I did so much yardwork. Hedges trimmed, weeds whacked, lawns mowed, veggies maintained. Then my partner and I went out on a wee date to an art exhibition at Tūhura, our local museum. My partner is a big fan of this artist's work. I didn't know much about them but said artist's Instagram handle is 'Flesh_Dozer' so.. I was curious at the very least.

Anyway it was good fun, and even on Sunday night after the yardwork and the date and the socialising, I found myself still with energy to burn. I don't recall ever feeling this full of life. I hope it continues for a while yet.

user-inactivated  ·  132 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: 555th Weekly "Share Some Music You've Been Into Lately"

Whoever mentioned 100 Gecs on here at some point, I must thank you. Going through a small binge on their work atm.

Quatrarius? Maybe?

user-inactivated  ·  140 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Pubski: November 8, 2023

Oh those are great names. Being next to each other I'm surprised you didn't launch into fisticuffs to determine the real winner.

user-inactivated  ·  140 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Pubski: November 8, 2023

I came across this article yesterday after hearing that the CEO mentioned has officially resigned. I don't know any of the people, but the words "toxic culture" will always have me interested.

Reading through it I had to stop, send it to my colleague and ask "Is this what we dealt with?" regarding our former manager. Examples:

    "One senior leader described having a meeting with George, where they made crucial decisions about an upcoming project, only to be sent an email summary 30 minutes later that wasn’t representative of the things the pair had agreed upon.

    “That’s a typical example of behaviours of, say one thing, formally write down another,” he said.

Yep.

    Another person said they experienced similar confusing behaviour.

    “She’d say, ‘I want you to do A, B and C, please’. And so you do it, then the next week she’d go, ‘No, no, no. I ask for D, E and F’.”

Oh yep.

    Another person spoke about having “meetings before meetings” to figure out “how to not get attacked” or to get something over the line.

It's like I was there.

In my previous role, we had to manage up to such an extent we'd convince our manager that any idea was hers. We'd plant the right seeds at the right time so she'd come to the same conclusion we came to months earlier, and only then she'd allow something to happen. Fuck, we became some manipulative people. Turning up 20 minutes early to meetings, to plan how to approach the entire conversation - and it was just a weekly check-in!

She finished up last week, I got invited to the leaving drinks and it'd be weirder to not turn up. So I was there with my former colleagues and I could see the tension start to ease as she made her farewell speech; knowing she'd not be back in the office the next day.

Anyway they're picking up the pieces and seeing if people are willing to return. People like myself. But I can't. I enjoy my new job too much and also fuck that noise - not even for the money they'd offer. Eyes forward and all that.

I finally got a copy of House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. Looking forward to tucking into it.

user-inactivated  ·  141 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: New Post About Historic Meeting with kleinbl00

I love these posts Lil! I'll answer them all because they're good questions and I'm greedy.

    1. Think of something about (the place where you grew up; your family; your school) that gave you your sense of the world and your place in it?

My parents treatment of my brother. He has a bleeding disorder that should probably have claimed his life over the years. A combination of the NZ healthcare system and my parents ensured he's still here today, 35 years young. I grew up the middle child, and with my older brother constantly hospitalised, my sister and I were effectively raised by nannies/carers, I'm not going to claim there wasn't any childhood resentment, but I learned quickly that this was an example I could aspire to. To just look after people. The healthcare system never charged us much, for any of the visits, surgeries, medication (maybe a $5 co-payment for prescriptions?). It was covered by the tax payer, and so I'm happy seeing my tax going towards people who need it. My parents did all they could, and they told me years down the line they felt more comfortable than they expected, focusing on their oldest child - because for whatever reason my sister and I accepted the need for this hierarchy of attention. The odd fight and tantrum, but for the most part we knew he needed more than we did.

I like to think that's carried on. I'm doing well, comparatively, so when other people need and get something I don't, I'd rather give than take.

    2. Are you an open book? If so who’s your best reader. If there’s 100 pages, what page are they on?

Now more than ever. My partner reads me the best - I couldn't tell you what page she's on but I can tell you she's writing the rest of the story with me.

    3. What have you learned recently about your family that wasn’t the story you told yourself?

That we are as dysfunctional as any other.

    4. What important lesson did an earlier romantic relationship teach you that helps you in your current marriage?

To enjoy the little things. A previous relationship had me seeking every major thing in life, she wanted to chase big things and I had to want them as well. It burnt us both out, and my current relationship we call a solid afternoon of gardening together a good outing.

    5. What is one thing you remember from all your changes in the last 10 years that made you feel vulnerable (beyond your comfort zone) or felt a little challenging.

This one is hard. I need to consider it more!

    6. Are you carrying any resentment that you could let go of if you thought about it. Would it be a benefit?

Absolutely. Tiny things people have done that irked me over the years. Sometimes at night when I struggle to sleep, my brain helpfully cycles through these small encounters until I'm angry again. I will be working on letting go of things. Clinging to them does me a disservice and grants them too much time in my head. I doubt they've ever thought of me again!

    7. What are some questions you have about your life now that you’d like answered in the next year.

Can I develop the courage to send any of my writing pieces off to an agent? Will my current vegetables be a bumper crop? Equal importance, now that I have them side by side..

    8. What is an experience of success that you still feel good about?

Leaving my depressing and stressful office management job, to enter an IT realm where I feel 100x better about myself and my work.

    9. What is your road not taken?

Oooh too many. I don't focus on it though. They're just different iterations of me. But I'm the one that's here and now, and I like it.

    10. What idea or attitude did you once believe that you later discovered was false?

I once held quite nasty thoughts about the queer community in general. I've long since changed from that, but I don't forget that I was once an absolute shithead for zero reason. I consider myself a staunch ally, and thanks to the behaviour of the past I know what crap to call out when I see it.

    11. When you realize that everything is made up -all religions, nations, patriarchy, democracy, etc are ideas made up by people, what then do you believe?

Just here for the ride. To enjoy what I can, with whoever I can, and hopefully leave a small segment of the world better for having me in it.

    12. What does an equal relationship mean to you?

When we add to each other. I don't think a relationship will ever be equal in a percentage sense, because we're never at exactly the same levels. But her success is my success, and vice versa.

user-inactivated  ·  147 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Pubski: November 1, 2023

Welp NZ lost the Rugby World Cup final to South Africa. 12-11, what a match. The poor South African fans have won the last three matches by 1 point and I suspect their hearts can't take anymore. There are plenty of bitter pundits taking to online forums to discuss referee decisions but to me the simple fact is, New Zealand left points on the field. You can't do that in finals footy. A better team will make you pay, and South Africa were the better team.

I think I've hit a new era of my life. Normally I attend the annual Beer Festival in Dunedin. I've attended pretty much each one since 2015 - but this year.. I just sold my ticket. I couldn't be bothered navigating through hordes of increasingly drunk people. I'd much rather tinker in the garden or spend time with a closer-knit group of friends. I think I've just begun leaning towards more intimate settings over a stadium full of booze.

Only took me like 15 years to properly ignore the allure of many, many beers, but here we are!