Recent posts

#1

Off Topic / Re: YET *EVEN* MORE things tha...

Last post by Xenos - Yesterday at 11:15:58 PM

So. I mentioned a bit ago I wrote a novella, clocked in at 36k words.

It's in editing, but I don't like editing. So I started writing another story to keep my mind from going, ya know... BLIP.

I figured "oh, it'll be another short little novella, but I'll take it slower, not gonna crank it out in 10 days like last time." And I'm sticking with that "writing slower" mantra.

I'm currently at 10k words, and uh... The main character hasn't even got out of the starting location, and has only met with two of the other prominent planned characters.

Folks, lemme tell ya...

This'n's gonna be a long one.

(Do not think that means it's slow! During those 10k words, you're introduced to some of the world's gods, find out they're living and active, and can even be killed. You're introduced to some of the world's organizations, and find out that there's heavy prejudice. Also there's someone that gets murderized to death by killing! Whacky fun! /Wash from Firefly voice)

#2

Off Topic / Re: GAAAAAHHHHHH Mk.VI: The Re...

Last post by Xenos - Yesterday at 09:29:06 AM

Snip

First off, thank you for the kind words. I... Really need them. Won't lie. It's uh... Anyway, yeah.

Second off...

YEGADS MATE, BE BLOODY CAREFUL!

Also best wishes for a speedy recovery on that because YIKES ON BLOODY BIKES!

#3

Architecture / Re: The 'big project' that I h...

Last post by Sir Henry - Yesterday at 07:34:12 AM

One of the first things that I realised when we thought of returning the attic to its former glory was that the opened-up stairwell would need bannisters around it. We did consider solid sides, maybe book shelves or similar, but quickly realised that the stairs needed more light than that would allow.

So I kept an eye out and after a few months came across a place that was selling spindles and handrails cheap. They were 'seconds' so needed sanding and there were a few rather prominent knots and so on. But they were delightfully cheap so we got a load.

In order to hide the more egregious flaws I decided to stain them, but what colour. As you may remember, I have a large selection of wood dyes to choose from. Darker would hide the flaws better but lighter would be better for the room. Then I thought of all those Natural History museums from the 19th century with pillars of different types of stone and the decision was made.

Much later, when it came to doing up the stairs themselves I found that the original stairs were such a mess that covering them was the only sensible option. As I had a few laminate stair steps left over from downstairs I didn't need to buy a complete set, just another 7 steps. And as they were being bought individually they may as well also range in colour, going from dark on the half-landing to light at the top ("Go towards the light!"  ;-)  )

And I think it turned out rather well:

Spoiler: ShowHide

#4

Off Topic / Re: GAAAAAHHHHHH Mk.VI: The Re...

Last post by Sir Henry - Yesterday at 06:43:56 AM

Unmasking yourself here should not be a problem - we seem to be mostly in a similar, leaky boat. And, to a much lesser degree than for yourself, I have found that tightening the mask has been needed in the last few months.
My working assumption is that as life gets harder for everyone, people start punching down, taking it out on people lower down the power ladder than themselves. If our leaders can do it, why shouldn't we?

Anyway, stay strong (you must be to have got this far), pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again.
We're rooting for you.



oh yes, my gaaah...

Spoiler: ShowHide

"A big thumb's up for Stanley knives!"
said the nurse
"At least until the bleeding stops.
Or until you see the surgeon on Thursday, whichever is sooner."

At least I only nicked the tendon and can still move and feel it.


The nurse asked how I did it. "I was putting some brass inlays in some shelves."
"You must be good at DIY to be doing inlays!"
Holds up bleeding mess of a thumb... 

[JOHNNY...]

#5

Off Topic / Re: GAAAAAHHHHHH Mk.VI: The Re...

Last post by Xenos - April 22, 2025, 10:04:43 PM

So. I was part of a writer's group.

Was actually in for being published in an upcoming anthology.

CW: Lot of uh... People being not nice about neurodivergent people, and then those same people wanting to play the Trauma Olympics: ShowHide

Today, I find out that writer's group is... Not so friendly for neurodivergents, AND if that's not enough, they're planning on using AI in the anthology for generating art before each submission.

The admin, when I messaged them about the way they exploded on me in chat, basically told me "yeah so what I've got a billion different traumas and I don't act like a whiney little bitch about it, put on your big girl pants, do you want to compare trauma and see who has it worse, 'sperg?"

*Best Stephen K. Amos Impression* Now. Now.

First off, trauma isn't the Olympics, suffering isn't a contest. I think we can all agree on that. What I've been through doesn't negate what you've been through, and what you've been through doesn't negate what I've been through. But JOHNNY...

I may have went on a bit of a tear. Just a teensy weensy itty bitty tiny lil' bit. I'm not going to list out my $#*7 here, cause you lot don't deserve that, but I will say this: You lot can see my nation's flag is set to Sudan. I didn't pick that to be cheeky. Or silly. Or because "Oh, the Queen's Sudan." I picked that because I grew up in Darfur. Yes, that Darfur (no joke, the one time I opened up to a trained professional, and actually went into detail, my next few sessions were canceled as they tried to find me a new therapist, because that one literally walked out and quit the next day--I wish to the gods I were joking).

And that was my opening salvo. I was not kind. I was not gentle. I  was not friendly in any way. I'm not the least bit sorry, she came at me over my autism. I had already planned on leaving because of the AI, but "'sperg?"

N-n-n-n-nah, you're catchin' these hands.

Needless to say, I have left the group and pulled my submission.

So hey, yeah. Go me.

Anyway, that's been my day. Getting to relive trauma IN FULL (sure, I didn't HAVE to, so I guess that's technically on me?), getting talked down to because I'm neurodivergent, getting treat like sh*t, and in general, finding out that I should never, ever, ever let my mask down again.

Oh, wait, I may be fucking up by letting it down here. But if after nearly 15 years you lot haven't figured out I'm on the spectrum, then I guess I'm far better at masking than I thought. So that's a YOU thing! (I kid, I kid, I love you lot, and trust you not to ya know... treat me like dirt because I'm ND)

EDIT:

YEAH WOW: okay admin wrote me at 6:18 basically saying

Extremely disturbing: ShowHide

"Hey yeah talked it over with the rest of the group, Trump's right people like you are unproductive and should be MADE productive."

So uh... Send me to a "Focus Camp" I guess?

I'm just gonna go get plastered now.

#6

Metaphysical / Re: Resurfacing from the Depth...

Last post by von Corax - April 22, 2025, 01:39:40 AM

Egad, everybody's coming out of the woodwork! Welcome back, dman! (Also you, savage — forgive me for not saying so sooner!)

#7

Metaphysical / Re: Resurfacing from the Depth...

Last post by dman762000 - April 22, 2025, 01:35:08 AM

I returned after a long absence a short time ago. May I say welcome back and thank you for your return. It is good to see people migrating back to these sunny shores.

#8

Off Topic / Re: GAAAAAHHHHHH Mk.VI: The Re...

Last post by von Corax - April 21, 2025, 10:31:32 PM

Its snowing......

Gaah!

#9

Off Topic / Re: GAAAAAHHHHHH Mk.VI: The Re...

Last post by HAC - April 21, 2025, 04:05:28 PM

Its snowing......

#10

Off Topic / Re: GAAAAAHHHHHH Mk.VI: The Re...

Last post by J. Wilhelm - April 21, 2025, 02:11:51 AM

This gets political, and touches on the HP franchise, and I apologize, but I'm a trans woman, living in today's world. That being said, I will spoiler tag it for those who'd rather not read such things:SNIP

Absolutely power corrupts absolutely.

When we get severe blowback from giving gigantic amounts of money to people who had a single or two brilliant ideas, but were intrinsically deeply flawed human beings, with the IQ of a potted plant.

I see it everywhere now, and it may finish us altogether as a species.

NGL, I for one am ready for the giant meteor/supervolcano/whatever other instant, absolute 100% extinction level event is. Humanity had a good run, but we're too cruel and stupid. /shrug

Maybe I'm just too old and jaded, Iunno. 

No, I feel the same way.  We're not worthy of another 2 million years of evolution.  Better to give it to the cetaceans, or octopi or crows.

But being in this situation wasn't in my cards at my age. If you had told me how the 2010s/20s turned out around the year 2k , I would have told you to stop smoking whatever and get some help. I feel I'm living in a bad Sci-Fi movie like the ones that make you want to walk out of the theater.