I friended Stephen Gordon some years ago and never bothered to unfriend him (but I must have blocked his stuff from showing up in my feed). More surprising, is that the likes of Jacob Sullum and Nick Gillespie don't have 5,000 other people they'd rather be friends with. And I while I am loath to drop names, I'm one of Radley Balko's close personal friends.D.A. Ridgely wrote: ↑21 May 2020, 18:26The maximum number of 'friends' allowed on Facebook is 5,000.Number 6 wrote: ↑21 May 2020, 18:09I'm sure many do. OTOH, I friended a novelist (Mary Doria Russell) I like quite a bit, and ended up having a personal exchange with her via messenger.Warren wrote: ↑02 May 2020, 09:53I think journalists, writers, and such, accept all friend invites.D.A. Ridgely wrote: ↑01 May 2020, 14:03 Ellie's post reminded me this thread existed. I meant to find a thread to post a small random good thing last week. As Facebook will do, it suggested a few people whom I might be interested in 'friending' and up popped the author George Pelecanos. For those who've never heard about him, he's a D.C. based author, mostly detective genre, and worked with David Simon on "The Wire," "Treme," etc. I had nothing to lose so I pushed the invite friend button and he accepted. Not a big deal and I've yet to see him post anything, but I thought it was kind of neat.
Small joys and random good things
Re: Small joys and random good things
THIS SPACE FOR RENT
Re: Small joys and random good things
Finally got my new washing machine today. No more trips to the laundromat!! Yay!
If Trump supporters wanted a tough guy, why did they elect such a whiny bitch? - Mo
Those who know history are doomed to deja vu. - the innominate one
Never bring a knife to a joke fight" - dhex
Those who know history are doomed to deja vu. - the innominate one
Never bring a knife to a joke fight" - dhex
Re: Small joys and random good things
I just got a message on 23andme from someone who's a distant genetic relative, mentioning her grandmother's name, and wondering how we might be related. I went to pull some family records out of my bookshelf, and damned if the grandmother's name wasn't on the cover of the first book I pulled down.
I sort of feel like a sucker about aspiring to be intellectually rigorous when I could just go on twitter and say capitalism causes space herpes and no one will challenge me on it. - Hugh Akston
Re: Small joys and random good things
I turned 30 lbs of raspberries into 30 jars of raspberry jam this afternoon.
If Trump supporters wanted a tough guy, why did they elect such a whiny bitch? - Mo
Those who know history are doomed to deja vu. - the innominate one
Never bring a knife to a joke fight" - dhex
Those who know history are doomed to deja vu. - the innominate one
Never bring a knife to a joke fight" - dhex
- Eric the .5b
- Posts: 15698
- Joined: 26 Apr 2010, 16:29
Re: Small joys and random good things
Nice!
"Better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer."
Cet animal est très méchant / Quand on l'attaque il se défend.
Cet animal est très méchant / Quand on l'attaque il se défend.
- Eric the .5b
- Posts: 15698
- Joined: 26 Apr 2010, 16:29
Re: Small joys and random good things
I got 2000 words of melodrama written today. Would have been better if I hadn't been aiming for under 1500, but whatever.
"Better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer."
Cet animal est très méchant / Quand on l'attaque il se défend.
Cet animal est très méchant / Quand on l'attaque il se défend.
Re: Small joys and random good things
I almost forgot! After all the headache with the building where my wife has her shop (new, invasive tenants with poorly-thought-out business plan), she found a new space and the old landlord agreed to let her out of the lease! And the new space is bigger, cheaper, in a better neighborhood, and closer to home!
I sort of feel like a sucker about aspiring to be intellectually rigorous when I could just go on twitter and say capitalism causes space herpes and no one will challenge me on it. - Hugh Akston
Re: Small joys and random good things
Woo! Terrific! It's always great when it can work out like that.JD wrote: ↑06 Aug 2020, 15:08 I almost forgot! After all the headache with the building where my wife has her shop (new, invasive tenants with poorly-thought-out business plan), she found a new space and the old landlord agreed to let her out of the lease! And the new space is bigger, cheaper, in a better neighborhood, and closer to home!
"Sharks do not go around challenging people to games of chance like dojo breakers."
Re: Small joys and random good things
I bought an electronic drum kit! The same model that my band's drummer has, and speaks well of, came up for sale near me for a good price, so I jumped on it, because hey, why not learn all the things during COVID times? First discovery: playing drums is actually really hard. I may have to stop making fun of drummers.
I sort of feel like a sucker about aspiring to be intellectually rigorous when I could just go on twitter and say capitalism causes space herpes and no one will challenge me on it. - Hugh Akston
Re: Small joys and random good things
Playing drums is hard, but can be a lot of fun. Just take it a little slow so you don't injure your wrists / hands / elbows with RSI.
"Sharks do not go around challenging people to games of chance like dojo breakers."
- lunchstealer
- Posts: 19548
- Joined: 26 Apr 2010, 17:25
- Location: The Local Fluff in the Local Bubble
Re: Small joys and random good things
Yes playing drums is hard. Playing bass is hard if you've never done it. That doesn't mean that we give respect to either drummers or bassists. Or guitarists. Or singers.JD wrote: ↑07 Sep 2020, 18:57 I bought an electronic drum kit! The same model that my band's drummer has, and speaks well of, came up for sale near me for a good price, so I jumped on it, because hey, why not learn all the things during COVID times? First discovery: playing drums is actually really hard. I may have to stop making fun of drummers.
The only rockers to take seriously are...

"Dude she's the Purdue Pharma of the black pill." - JasonL
"This thread is like a dog park where everyone lets their preconceptions and biases run around and sniff each others butts." - Hugh Akston
"That's just tokenism with extra steps." - Jake
"This thread is like a dog park where everyone lets their preconceptions and biases run around and sniff each others butts." - Hugh Akston
"That's just tokenism with extra steps." - Jake
Re: Small joys and random good things
I went out for lunch today, and I was sort of debating getting tacos, or pizza, or going to the supermarket to get something packaged, but I eventually decided to go to the pizza place, and they were giving away free zeppole!
I sort of feel like a sucker about aspiring to be intellectually rigorous when I could just go on twitter and say capitalism causes space herpes and no one will challenge me on it. - Hugh Akston
Re: Small joys and random good things
I have this old brass floor lamp that I found on the street back when I was in college; I think it dates to the first decade of the 1900s. I fixed it up and I've been using it since then, but of course the original shade was long gone, so I've just been using whatever shade seemed decent at the time. The other day I was out in my neighborhood, and somebody was throwing away a lamp which was not as nice as the one I have, but there was a really nice glass shade on it, and - the really significant part - the glass was slightly purple, which is a good sign that it may actually be period, too. So now my old lamp finally has a period-correct shade on it.
I sort of feel like a sucker about aspiring to be intellectually rigorous when I could just go on twitter and say capitalism causes space herpes and no one will challenge me on it. - Hugh Akston
Re: Small joys and random good things
Oooh, sounds pretty! Can you post a photo of it? When I can't go secondhand-treasure hunting myself, I still get a vicarious thrill from seeing other peoples' scores.
"Myself, despite what they say about libertarians, I think we're actually allowed to pursue options beyond futility or sucking the dicks of the powerful." -- Eric the .5b
Re: Small joys and random good things
This is not a great photo, and a lot of the purple in it comes from light reflecting off a purple curtain, but it gives you some idea.
I sort of feel like a sucker about aspiring to be intellectually rigorous when I could just go on twitter and say capitalism causes space herpes and no one will challenge me on it. - Hugh Akston
- Eric the .5b
- Posts: 15698
- Joined: 26 Apr 2010, 16:29
Re: Small joys and random good things
Oh, very nice.
"Better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer."
Cet animal est très méchant / Quand on l'attaque il se défend.
Cet animal est très méchant / Quand on l'attaque il se défend.
Re: Small joys and random good things
I got a new nakiri, because I had store credit and really didn't need anything else, and it's like...


I sort of feel like a sucker about aspiring to be intellectually rigorous when I could just go on twitter and say capitalism causes space herpes and no one will challenge me on it. - Hugh Akston
- Eric the .5b
- Posts: 15698
- Joined: 26 Apr 2010, 16:29
Re: Small joys and random good things
Had solid food for the first time in a couple of weeks. Shrimp, clams, and mussels in a very light marinara sauce on spaghetti. A couple rolls that I dipped in the sauce. Salad.
Carb-heavy, and I had to chew carefully on one side of my mouth, but just lovely after a diet of Ensure, Boost, and cups of chicken broth.
Carb-heavy, and I had to chew carefully on one side of my mouth, but just lovely after a diet of Ensure, Boost, and cups of chicken broth.
"Better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer."
Cet animal est très méchant / Quand on l'attaque il se défend.
Cet animal est très méchant / Quand on l'attaque il se défend.
Re: Small joys and random good things
Kickass, Eric! And how's your mouth and jaw feeling otherwise?
"Myself, despite what they say about libertarians, I think we're actually allowed to pursue options beyond futility or sucking the dicks of the powerful." -- Eric the .5b
- Eric the .5b
- Posts: 15698
- Joined: 26 Apr 2010, 16:29
Re: Small joys and random good things
A little achey, but not bad.
"Better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer."
Cet animal est très méchant / Quand on l'attaque il se défend.
Cet animal est très méchant / Quand on l'attaque il se défend.
Re: Small joys and random good things
My workplace strongly encouraged us to take a public speaking course, so I finally sighed and rolled my eyes and said, fine, I'll do it. And it has actually been fascinating. So far it's been mostly about speaking with intention, and avoiding the sense of urgency and the verbal tics that we all tend to have by nature. The exercises have ranged from "talk for one minute on a random assigned topic" to "list seven items from an assigned category without breaking eye contact, using filler words, making facial expressions, or using uptalk" to "say five planned sentences on an assigned topic, but every time you would say 'the', you have to say 'oink' instead", and it's amazing how much you learn from being pushed outside your natural comfort zone.
I sort of feel like a sucker about aspiring to be intellectually rigorous when I could just go on twitter and say capitalism causes space herpes and no one will challenge me on it. - Hugh Akston
- lunchstealer
- Posts: 19548
- Joined: 26 Apr 2010, 17:25
- Location: The Local Fluff in the Local Bubble
Re: Small joys and random good things
I had to take one in grad school, and I wish I'd put more effort into digging those skills back out and actually applying them in a couple of different situations.JD wrote: ↑24 Nov 2020, 13:48 My workplace strongly encouraged us to take a public speaking course, so I finally sighed and rolled my eyes and said, fine, I'll do it. And it has actually been fascinating. So far it's been mostly about speaking with intention, and avoiding the sense of urgency and the verbal tics that we all tend to have by nature. The exercises have ranged from "talk for one minute on a random assigned topic" to "list seven items from an assigned category without breaking eye contact, using filler words, making facial expressions, or using uptalk" to "say five planned sentences on an assigned topic, but every time you would say 'the', you have to say 'oink' instead", and it's amazing how much you learn from being pushed outside your natural comfort zone.
"Dude she's the Purdue Pharma of the black pill." - JasonL
"This thread is like a dog park where everyone lets their preconceptions and biases run around and sniff each others butts." - Hugh Akston
"That's just tokenism with extra steps." - Jake
"This thread is like a dog park where everyone lets their preconceptions and biases run around and sniff each others butts." - Hugh Akston
"That's just tokenism with extra steps." - Jake
- Hugh Akston
- Posts: 20302
- Joined: 05 May 2010, 15:51
- Location: Elev. 5280 ft
Re: Small joys and random good things
Couple more tips: Use plenty of lip and tongue action, and make the knee test.
"Is a Lulztopia the best we can hope for?!?" ~Taktix®
"Well if they're blaming libertarians again then things must be going back to normal." ~dbcooper
"Well if they're blaming libertarians again then things must be going back to normal." ~dbcooper