Random Stuff X: Something Weird

[Sunbird]

A few miscellaneous photos from this week

Itty-bitty moth I found in my kitchen (3 photos):

Spoiler

First, a photo of it sitting on my thumb, for scale:

Photographing such a tiny critter without any sunlight (only incandescent light bulbs for lighting) was NOT easy, LOL.

Spider hanging in a web (2 photos):

Spoiler

This guy had spun his web in some bushes by the sidewalk. He was just barely more than half an inch long, not including his legs.

If you look closely, you can see that his body is very bristly.

Harvest Moon on Thursday night (1 photo):

Spoiler

 

[Ammanas]

For those curious of where the ARC's of Oathbringer are going I found one reviewer that received one. I sometimes disagree with this particular site, but its a good one to help keep your finger on the pulse of SFF community. I didn't know where to put this so I decided on this page. Here is the link:

https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/10/07/mogsys-bookshelf-roundup-stacking-the-shelves-recent-reads-46/

[+Wax]

On 04/10/2017 at 0:39 PM, Draginon said:

Welp, one of my mom's brothers died. I don't really know any of them so I don't feel that sad about it. What makes it bad is how my mom is taking it. She purposely cut ties with her brothers after my grandma died and continually talks about how 'twisted' they are, especially for not letting her know when her father died and she found out a month later from a cousin via email. This time she's blaming email completely since that was how she found out this time as well and got mad when my sister didn't pick up the phone to see if she knew.

I will never understand my mom's feelings towards her family.

Edit: My sister called after I submitted this. She hadn't heard but she doesn't keep in touch with them after they refused to tell her where grandpa was buried. My mom vented to her about finding this stuff out through email and my sister gave her the cold hard truth, "Who would call you?" since she cut all ties to that side of the family almost 20 years ago so no one will ever call her on this stuff since she doesn't care enough about them to begin with. Pretty much if you cut yourself off you probably don't deserve to know anything about them if you get upset about not being the first one notified about anything.

rust like this happens.  My parents cut ties  with my oldest sister and her in laws because the in laws were a lot of trouble.  Then we moved far away as well.

Sadly, we only re-established ties with my sister 20 years later as we found out her husband had died in his 40s.

It took a lot of time and mea culpa , but now, we are back on good terms with everyone.  So, after not talking to my sister for 20 years, I talk to her on the phone every fortnight.  (Her in laws have warned us that they will not come to their grandkids weddings if we are invited... thankfully that day is a bit far away)

Edited October 7, 2017 by axcellence

[Steeldancer]

On 10/5/2017 at 3:09 PM, Delightful said:

That creeps me out. Why does some digital something something need my fingerprints?

 

Question for everyone:

The more we as humans develop tech to do boring things like farm and carry water, the more time and energy we can spend on more complex thought and inventions. So what would a post-scarcity world look like? When we dont need to work to provide for or heal ourselves, what do we focus on, what do we create? I have no idea, but I'm really fascinated by the question. 

We'll finally achieve Star Trek. 

[Draginon]

@axcellence But you had no choice in the matter when it came to cutting ties right?

I was a teen when I met that side of the family and they were so horrible and rude that I have no desire to meet them. I have no problem with other sides of the family, family that have the same great + grandparents as me, but my mom's immediate family is horrid. My sister was the only one near enough to have contact and they're horrid to her so they haven't changed at all.

 

In other news: My mom must think I'm as pervy as her because at a store we went to she had asked me later if I noticed the worker was rearranging his package. I told her I wasn't paying attention to his pants, she's all 'I'm not talking about his pants' so I rephrased it to 'I wasn't paying attention to anything below the waist' and she gave me the same response so I just told her everything below the waist that I was not looking at and she said something about me acing a problem! I mean who goes to a store and all they think about is a worker rearranging his junk and that everyone else with you is noticing it?!

[Calderis]

On 10/5/2017 at 0:09 PM, Delightful said:

The more we as humans develop tech to do boring things like farm and carry water, the more time and energy we can spend on more complex thought and inventions. So what would a post-scarcity world look like? When we dont need to work to provide for or heal ourselves, what do we focus on, what do we create? I have no idea, but I'm really fascinated by the question. 

People in power work to retain power. The problem with a post-scarcity society is its ability to develop in the first place. 

Technology can be developed to achieve it, but if it's counter to the interests of those in power it can be regulated against. 

I'm a cynic, but in order for this question to be addressed, the playing field has to be leveled and rebuilt equally. As it is, the working class will never be allowed to be anything other than wage slaves for those who control the markets. 

[+Wax]

2 hours ago, Draginon said:

@axcellence But you had no choice in the matter when it came to cutting ties right?

I was a teen when I met that side of the family and they were so horrible and rude that I have no desire to meet them. I have no problem with other sides of the family, family that have the same great + grandparents as me, but my mom's immediate family is horrid. My sister was the only one near enough to have contact and they're horrid to her so they haven't changed at all.

 

In other news: My mom must think I'm as pervy as her because at a store we went to she had asked me later if I noticed the worker was rearranging his package. I told her I wasn't paying attention to his pants, she's all 'I'm not talking about his pants' so I rephrased it to 'I wasn't paying attention to anything below the waist' and she gave me the same response so I just told her everything below the waist that I was not looking at and she said something about me acing a problem! I mean who goes to a store and all they think about is a worker rearranging his junk and that everyone else with you is noticing it?!

Yeah, I was maybe 10 when the ties were cut (lived in different cities anyway) and I moved VERY far away when I was 19.  My sister’s in laws are horrible to this day and very disparaging towards my dad even though he didn’t do anything wrong (asian culture ).  My dad had to cut the ties as their behaviour had started affecting his mental health.  He’s now ok with my sister now and talks to her when she visits.

Thankfully, my sister and her kids are OK and we now have regular dialogue.

Yeah, the whole pervy thing is silly.  Just roll eyes and move on.

 

 

[Sunbird]

The leaves in Utah are starting to turn fiery colors, and I love it. Photos taken today. (5 under the spoiler)

Spoiler

 

[Shqueeves]

8 hours ago, Sunchicken said:

The leaves in Utah are starting to turn fiery colors, and I love it. Photos taken today. (5 under the spoiler)

  Reveal hidden contents

 

I beg to differ on one point. They started a while ago, at least in some parts of Davis county. This was taken with a phone, so the quality isn't the best. 

EDIT: I don't know why it's sideways

Edited October 8, 2017 by Shqueeves

[Draginon]

10 hours ago, axcellence said:

Yeah, I was maybe 10 when the ties were cut (lived in different cities anyway) and I moved VERY far away when I was 19.  My sister’s in laws are horrible to this day and very disparaging towards my dad even though he didn’t do anything wrong (asian culture ).  My dad had to cut the ties as their behaviour had started affecting his mental health.  He’s now ok with my sister now and talks to her when she visits.

Thankfully, my sister and her kids are OK and we now have regular dialogue.

Yeah, the whole pervy thing is silly.  Just roll eyes and move on.

 

 

The way my mom keeps acting both me and my sister are practically on the way to cutting ties from her because both of us are at the ends of our ropes and patience with her. A couple years back my mom almost put me into depression the way she kept going on during Christmas and it nearly killed me. I didn't have anyone else in my life then so it was hard to get through that period. Shortly after that I met my girlfriend online for the first time and she makes me happier just messaging her more than my real life does. I keep hoping to meet up with her someday but it's hard when we live on different continents and I don't have a passport at all. I am thinking of doing a sabbatical in a couple years to have an excuse to meet her in person, and since she wants to do a sabbatical as well it would be perfect to do that together. The only real problem would be how my mom would treat her. While I would love her to be fine with my gf, I just know my mom's discrimination quirks would get the better of her (my sisters boyfriend is Hispanic and my mom didn't even want to spend time with his family, instead spending all of Christmas Day at the cemetery) so if she does any of that I just might cut ties completely.

The pervy thing is just a minor stupid thing she does that makes me question how she thinks. Someone could be talking and acting perfectly nice to her but if they omit one word like thanks she makes them out as rude and no personality to everyone else she talks to. You could follow her instructions to the letter and she'll find fault with it (something could be flush against the wall and it's somehow not close enough to the wall) and she'll fly off the handle if she thinks you're slacking (if something at work normally takes a couple hours but the Internet acts up it could take twice as long or if other people keep interrupting with their own things that need to be done then that takes time away as well). She thinks with me that it's because I'm 'autistic' but everyone else has the same response about her, they don't say it to her face but have told me, so is everyone 'autistic' around her?

Sorry about the spiel, my mom is just that bad about everything.

[Sunbird]

@Shqueeves I'm kinda jealous of your tree's beautiful fall colors! Most trees I've seen in Utah County so far are just yellow.

EDIT: More pictures from Saturday!

Jumping spider close-ups. Not for arachnophobes! (5 photos)

Spoiler

"To jump or not to jump... That is the question."

This one kinda looked like a miniature tarantula with those red spots on its legs.

The green fangs on this last one were really pretty.

 

Edited October 8, 2017 by Sunchicken

[Silverblade5]

So, my teacher called me the reincarnation of Socrates in front of my mom, and that was kinda weird but awesome. 

[Draginon]

@Silverblade5 Now that's a pretty good compliment to get.

Went to a Doctor Who fan event today up in Grapevine. They had a professor talk about time and a fan audio that was pretty fun to hear. Also stopped at Barnes&Noble afterwards and got more than I planned.

Spoiler

The new Magnus Chase came out and they were doing a promotion where if you bought it then you'd get another Riordan book at half price.

This was the one I had planned to get. Pretty much it's 40 stories retelling the events of A New Hope from the POV of other characters like Stormtroopers, Aunt Beru, Grand Moff Tarkin and, I kid you not, the trash compactor monster!

 

 

Also expanded my leatherbound collection. They also had a promotion where it was bogo 50% one. The price on the Christie surprised me since classics are $20 while modern classics are $25 and she was $25. She isn't a modern writer like Dan Brown or Crichton so why is she $25? Dune at least makes sense to be $25 since that was 60's/70's. What exactly is the line between classics and modern classics anyway?

Edited October 10, 2017 by Kaymyth
Spoiler cuts are our friends. :)

[+Slowswift]

1 minute ago, Draginon said:

@Silverblade5 Now that's a pretty good compliment to get.

 

Went to a Doctor Who fan event today up in Grapevine. They had a professor talk about time and a fan audio that was pretty fun to hear. Also stopped at Barnes&Noble afterwards and got more than I planned.

The new Magnus Chase came out and they were doing a promotion where if you bought it then you'd get another Riordan book at half price.

This was the one I had planned to get. Pretty much it's 40 stories retelling the events of A New Hope from the POV of other characters like Stormtroopers, Aunt Beru, Grand Moff Tarkin and, I kid you not, the trash compactor monster!

Also expanded my leatherbound collection. They also had a promotion where it was bogo 50% one. The price on the Christie surprised me since classics are $20 while modern classics are $25 and she was $25. She isn't a modern writer like Dan Brown or Crichton so why is she $25? Dune at least makes sense to be $25 since that was 60's/70's. What exactly is the line between classics and modern classics anyway?

!!! I love B&N's leatherbounds! I've been looking for Dune for the last while and they haven't had it. Then again, it has been a while since I've been...

[Draginon]

1 hour ago, Slowswift said:

!!! I love B&N's leatherbounds! I've been looking for Dune for the last while and they haven't had it. Then again, it has been a while since I've been...

I love them as well. The endpapers are great and love the collections ones, like Alice in Wonderland having everything Carroll wrote. They sell them on their website as well if you can't find it. I've practically got a rainbow from the ones I have currently and am thinking of arranging them by color in the future. There's some I wish they'd do an additional volume for like Fairy Tales Around the World Part 2 since the first is exactly half of the tales from Andrew Lang's Fairy Books and a second volume for John Carter since the one out is the front half. There's one that I question because it's purely a fan related one, Star Trek the scripts, but if you're that big a fan then you've already got the DVDs so there's not much reason to grab it unless you're hardcore Trekkie.

[soyperson]

13 hours ago, Silverblade5 said:

So, my teacher called me the reincarnation of Socrates in front of my mom, and that was kinda weird but awesome. 

I got called the reincarnation of Roy Orbison by two separate people the other night, so that's my alternative to that, weird but awesome.

[Draginon]

Trying 1893 Pepsi for the first time. It actually tastes better than regular Pepsi!

[Mestiv]

1 hour ago, Draginon said:

Trying 1893 Pepsi for the first time. It actually tastes better than regular Pepsi!

That's some old Pepsi. You sure it's still drinkable? 

[Steeldancer]

23 hours ago, Draginon said:

@Silverblade5 Now that's a pretty good compliment to get.

 

Went to a Doctor Who fan event today up in Grapevine. They had a professor talk about time and a fan audio that was pretty fun to hear. Also stopped at Barnes&Noble afterwards and got more than I planned.

The new Magnus Chase came out and they were doing a promotion where if you bought it then you'd get another Riordan book at half price.

This was the one I had planned to get. Pretty much it's 40 stories retelling the events of A New Hope from the POV of other characters like Stormtroopers, Aunt Beru, Grand Moff Tarkin and, I kid you not, the trash compactor monster!

Also expanded my leatherbound collection. They also had a promotion where it was bogo 50% one. The price on the Christie surprised me since classics are $20 while modern classics are $25 and she was $25. She isn't a modern writer like Dan Brown or Crichton so why is she $25? Dune at least makes sense to be $25 since that was 60's/70's. What exactly is the line between classics and modern classics anyway?

I'm meeting Rick Riordan Wednesday 

[Ammanas]

Came across the expression "loaded for bear" while reading today. I think I have only heard that used maybe two times in my entire life. I like the expression and will try to use it more.

[Draginon]

51 minutes ago, Mestiv said:

That's some old Pepsi. You sure it's still drinkable? 

It's more drinkable than Coke is

24 minutes ago, Steeldancer said:

I'm meeting Rick Riordan Wednesday 

Nice.

[Orlion Blight]

54 minutes ago, Ammanas said:

Came across the expression "loaded for bear" while reading today. I think I have only heard that used maybe two times in my entire life. I like the expression and will try to use it more.

I prefer "loaded with bear"

[Ammanas]

3 minutes ago, TheOrlionThatComesBefore said:

I prefer "loaded with bear"

Made me think of this:

[Delightful]

12 hours ago, Ammanas said:

Came across the expression "loaded for bear" while reading today. I think I have only heard that used maybe two times in my entire life. I like the expression and will try to use it more.

 

11 hours ago, TheOrlionThatComesBefore said:

I prefer "loaded with bear"

What do they even mean?

[Orlion Blight]

50 minutes ago, Delightful said:

 

What do they even mean?

Loaded for bear can mean two things:

1) You are ready to take on big conflicts/situation (since you would need a lot of ammunition or the right kind to take down a bear)

2) You are in a pissy mood and are ready to react dis-proportionally with irritants. 

 

Loaded with bear is somewhat silly. Like using bears as weapons, or having a stomach full of bear meat stew.