SZbNAhL's Similarly Sibilant (if unpronouncable) Random Banter #223

[AMFV]

It's easy to say be optimistic, not easy to be it. Still, I guess this is a time where I'm going to feel glum and pessimistic some days, and I'm going to get better anyway probably isn't a good attitude.

I don't know that it's necessarily a bad attitude. The point of the comic involves the person choosing to make an effort to get better though. At least that was my reading. Think of being depressed like a fever, it's your mind's way of telling you that something isn't working or is dangerous and you need to make a change. Of course, your subconscious isn't the best judge of anything so there are problems with that.

It just continually feels like I'm sitting down to play Martian Chess, and half my friends are saying it's impossible to work out on your own but I can't give you any advice, and the other half are insisting it's Draughts (assume for the purposes of this exercise that all bar one of my friends are into Martian Chess). Like, normal social interaction is like chess, I know how to play it but end up in a bad position because I'm overly defensive and can't react to aggressive openings, but when it comes to dating it's like a game that I've heard about and never played, while I get told that it's intuitive and that nobody can give me any help and then I'm told off for feeling bad about it (no fingers being pointed at you, I've had advice that boils down to 'don't feel bad at all' rather than 'don't stew in loneliness').

I wouldn't say that dating is intuitive. What I would say is that dating any individual person is like playing a completely different game. So while you might have a run of dates that are like "Martian Chess", the person you click with might be like a theoretical game you enjoy more. In a sense it's quite similar, some people are very good at "Martian Chess" so dating the equivalent is perfect for them, some people are good at poker. About the time I met my wife, I decided that I was going to completely change who I was as a person.

I was an unhappy pseudointellectual nerdy guy who spent most of my time at the gym or doing nerdy hobbies. And I wasn't happy with who I was. I realized that while I liked nerdy persuits and what-not, I didn't really "fit in" with people around me, so I jumped ship and reinvented myself. I changed my name (not my actual name, just which variation I used), I got into a blue collar job, I eventually moved out to the country. I changed my political views, my social views, but my essence remained, and I found it a home it fit into better. I think that the point here is that you might be trying to play the wrong game, so maybe find a game that you can enjoy more.

I've been suffering from semi-permanent writer's block for nearly two years, it annoys me. I want to get a piece to a point where I feel like publically sharing it, but as it is most of my work would just get trashed (and is pulpy as **** anyway*).

* The bits that aren't are intentionally aping Asimov, so I'm not sure that counts as 'my style'.

Aping Asimov is a fine style

Spoiler: Brother

Show

Oh, life is going to hit him like a sack of bricks once he finishes university and his smoking catches up with him (although considering my weight problems maybe I'm not one to talk). The brother who is actually something and really successful is much nicer when we're not playing board games together, but we were never that close because he is great at making friends and I'm a nerdy nerd (although we do occasionally have the odd conversation on gaming or literature, they're our two shared hobbies).

Honestly, my brother stopped bothering me once I realised he had decided that spending all his free time at the gym, 'parties', and lying on the sofa watching the same handful of comedy programmes which think 'people being nasty' counts as humour. I susoect that while he's at the time of his life where everything's easiest, if I can just sort out a job for myself then in a year or five I'll be in the best part of my life and will have things to actually talk about (heck, the closest I got to a date in the last year game from talking about my writing). It's annoying and a horrible move for him to be talking about this stuff so much when I've had one relationship in my life that lasted two weeks, but once I've left the room and/ordug out the cricket bat it doesn't bother me anymore.

I think that your brother might be that way, but don't be surprised if he isn't. Sometimes people who are crappy when they're young mature and wind up just okay.

But it's the implication that I'm moaning about nothing. Because being unable to get a date and not having seen your friends in almost a month is just peachy, I feel so loved right now that rainbows are coming out of my mouth as is the fact that I can't find a single job that I'm qualified for that'll take me and is better than the one I'm doing right now.

Well I would recommend trying something completely different then. Change your approach up as far as jobs completely. Find a different set of friends. It's easier I think, to reinvent than it is to fix where you are now, sometimes.

[Tvtyrant]

Another thing to remember is that life is innately unfair. People who are predisposed to depression have to work harder to stabilize their moods, and people with social anxiety have a harder time being social.

The unfairness isn't going to change, people who are disadvantaged need to try harder if they want the same results. People who learn slower have to study harder to keep up, people who have weight problems have to diet more carefully, and less attractive people have to exercise more and have better humor.

I have had a lot of problems with accepting this myself, but this is a fundamental part of the world and you will get further accepting it and bettering yourself then fighting it.

[Insane Jeenyus]

I'd imagine raising pigs would be way harder, if the farmer is the sentimental type (and had a small farm enough to interact with them decently enough).

Actually raising pigs was pretty easy. I carried out 10 gallons of water twice per day [once in AM before school, once after] and 200 lbs of feed when the feeder was empty, a 100 lb Bag on each shoulder.

Actually rabbits are about the most efficient animal in terms of feed-to-protein ratio, they're just hard to raise and people don't like them because of the sentimental value.

They will eat their young while you have your back turned. I let them stay with the mother to nurse and they would be gone when I got back from school.

Pigs can be rough that way, but by the time you butcher them they're a several hundred pound animal and are very much not babe.

Just monsters in general by the time you eat them.

250 to 300 lbs was a delicious weight. And mine were like digs, always wanting ttheir heads scratched.

I'm not so sure a pseudodragon can eat a whole goat.

Sure they can .. .. .. one bite at a time.

Aren't you supposed to DM?

• Gold to Lead

that is a great way to hide your riches. then reverse it when you need some gold.

I don't think that's a good hiding place. People only build tanks to put liquid in them, and that's only going to be clear water if you're lucky!

acid, petroleum in various stages [LPG on your worse day], sewage if near a modern pork farm .. .. ..

Don't worry, long pigs are weird too.

I hear it tastes like soylant green.

ION:
Something has happened to my immune system and I'm not happy with it. In the past, anything except for the absolutely most severe colds would last three days, you could almost set a clock.

I pretty much never get sick myself, but occasionally that new strain of the flu that I have no antibodies for [like November 2018] or a non flu flu-like virus will sneak up and bite my arse.

Clerks Uncensored. Which, of course, was massively censored. .. .. .. .. ..
It's a great show, I cannot recommend it enough, despite the fact that it makes Firefly look like a long-running series that was treated well by its network.

ouch - too soon

[Comrade]

Startin' to look like my laptop is well and truly on its last leg. About a week ago I was afraid it would be completely nonfunctional, and fortunately it managed to make its way back from the brink, but it's definitely not firing on all cylinders. It crashed three times yesterday, takes forever to restart (and sometimes I have to hit the power button mid-restart because it seems to freeze), and when it isn't crashing, it's pretty slow and programs stop responding all the time.

Hopefully it can get fixed, because aside from the inconvenience of having to move all my files to a new computer, I can't even begin to afford a new laptop.

[LaZodiac]

I was a hero today!
all because I wanted free food

Spoiler: Zodi's Mildly Silly Adventure

Show

so I was going to go to the store downstairs to get some stuff
since I wanted some stuff
but on tthe way I noticed there was a small fair of sorts by the school board
I went over and talked to a person there and it's a back to school fair
free food and drinks!
So I took some, re-met some of my old teachers
bragged about how I'm in a law office now and writing a novel
had some fun time
as I'm leaving I overhear that someone lost their keys
I don't think much of it, I'm sure they'll find it
but the person help look for the keys is at the door to my building, in case they were dropped there
I think nothing of it again, but, with my bag of stuff I bought from the store heavy in my arm
I go
wait
what if it was lost
on the inside of the building
and I ask the security guard if there's a lost pair of keys
there are
I rush out to the lady
give it to her
she gives it to the person who lost their key
victory all around

[Insane Jeenyus]

I was a hero today!
all because I wanted free food

Spoiler: Zodi's Mildly Silly Adventure

Show

so I was going to go to the store downstairs to get some stuff
since I wanted some stuff
but on tthe way I noticed there was a small fair of sorts by the school board
I went over and talked to a person there and it's a back to school fair
free food and drinks!
So I took some, re-met some of my old teachers
bragged about how I'm in a law office now and writing a novel
had some fun time
as I'm leaving I overhear that someone lost their keys
I don't think much of it, I'm sure they'll find it
but the person help look for the keys is at the door to my building, in case they were dropped there
I think nothing of it again, but, with my bag of stuff I bought from the store heavy in my arm
I go
wait
what if it was lost
on the inside of the building
and I ask the security guard if there's a lost pair of keys
there are
I rush out to the lady
give it to her
she gives it to the person who lost their key
victory all around

Spoiler: Zodi's Mildly Silly Adventure - edited version

Show

so I was going to go to the store downstairs to get some stuff
since I wanted some stuff
but on the way I noticed there was a small fair and stuff of sorts by the school board
I went over and talked to a person there and it's a back to school fair and stuff
free food and drinks and stuff!
So I took some stuff, re-met some of my old teachers
bragged about how I'm in a law office now and writing a novel and stuff
had some fun time
as I'm leaving I overhear that someone lost their keys and stuff
I don't think much of it, I'm sure they'll find the stuff
but the person needing help looking for the keys and stuff is at the door to my building, in case they were dropped there
I think nothing of it again, but, with my bag of stuff I bought from the store heavy in my arm
I go
wait
what if it was lost
on the inside of the building
and I ask the security guard if there's a lost pair of keys and stuff
there are
I rush out to the lady
give it to her
she gives it to the person who lost their keys and stuff
victory all around

editing complete

[Anonymouswizard]

WRT useful advice: will reply when I'm at an actual computer, possibly tomorrow.

I have a far less cheery story. I was on the Northern Line going to my friend's birthday do when somebody fell in front of the train. This would be bad enough, but I didn't notice until the driver began talking due to how smoothly it happened.

Thankfully I was in the front carriage so I was able to get away fairly quickly,and last thing I know they were speaking despite being in the gap between the train and the platform, and both the paramedics and police arrived promptly, but still.

A horrific accident happened less than two metres from me and I didn't notice

[LaZodiac]

Spoiler: Zodi's Mildly Silly Adventure - edited version

Show

so I was going to go to the store downstairs to get some stuff
since I wanted some stuff
but on the way I noticed there was a small fair and stuff of sorts by the school board
I went over and talked to a person there and it's a back to school fair and stuff
free food and drinks and stuff!
So I took some stuff, re-met some of my old teachers
bragged about how I'm in a law office now and writing a novel and stuff
had some fun time
as I'm leaving I overhear that someone lost their keys and stuff
I don't think much of it, I'm sure they'll find the stuff
but the person needing help looking for the keys and stuff is at the door to my building, in case they were dropped there
I think nothing of it again, but, with my bag of stuff I bought from the store heavy in my arm
I go
wait
what if it was lost
on the inside of the building
and I ask the security guard if there's a lost pair of keys and stuff
there are
I rush out to the lady
give it to her
she gives it to the person who lost their keys and stuff
victory all around

editing complete

... what did you do, and why did you do that instead of literally anything else?

EDIT: Holy jesus **** **** Anonwizard. I hope you're okay! And truth be told it's probably better you DIDN'T notice... you don't need the added stress of "has seen someone die" on you. Good lord.

[HalfTangible]

WRT useful advice: will reply when I'm at an actual computer, possibly tomorrow.

I have a far less cheery story. I was on the Northern Line going to my friend's birthday do when somebody fell in front of the train. This would be bad enough, but I didn't notice until the driver began talking due to how smoothly it happened.

Thankfully I was in the front carriage so I was able to get away fairly quickly,and last thing I know they were speaking despite being in the gap between the train and the platform, and both the paramedics and police arrived promptly, but still.

A horrific accident happened less than two metres from me and I didn't notice

Holy...

[Bartmanhomer]

{scrubbed}

[Peelee]

{scrub the post, scrub the quote}

Are you sure the criticism was constructive?

[Bartmanhomer]

Are you sure the criticism was constructive?

Uh....more like brutal honesty.

[DataNinja]

Uh....more like brutal honesty.

Be careful with that, because often "I'm just being brutally honest" translates to (and/or is interpreted as) "I don't actually care about the other person's feelings," which is what tends to cause people to start to disassociate with the 'brutally honest' person.

[Tvtyrant]

{scrub the post, scrub the quote}

You do have a tendency to insist that things you don't like are bad and should not exist. That doesn't leave a lot of room for discussion and tends to cause people who like those things to tune you out.

[Bartmanhomer]

Be careful with that, because often "I'm just being brutally honest" translates to (and/or is interpreted as) "I don't actually care about the other person's feelings," which is what tends to cause people to start to disassociate with the 'brutally honest' person.

You do have a tendency to insist that things you don't like are bad and should not exist. That doesn't leave a lot of room for discussion and tends to cause people who like those things to tune you out.

Yes which I was very sensitive about certain things. I have to stop really doing that.

[LaZodiac]

I got a ruined part of shorts into a skirt today.

Feels good *swish swish*

[Bartmanhomer]

Well if people don't want to hear the brutally honest truth about something then what's the point then?

[Tvtyrant]

Well if people don't want to hear the brutally honest truth about something then what's the point then?

"Brutally honest truth" usually means "my very negative opinion." Refraining the discussion so it is about opinions and not attacking things other people like makes everyone get along a lot better.

[Bartmanhomer]

"Brutally honest truth" usually means "my very negative opinion." Refraining the discussion so it is about opinions and not attacking things other people like makes everyone get along a lot better.

You're definitely not wrong on this one.

[HalfTangible]

Well if people don't want to hear the brutally honest truth about something then what's the point then?

You could try removing the "brutal" part

I got a ruined part of shorts into a skirt today.

Feels good *swish swish*

Nani?

[DataNinja]

I got a ruined part of shorts into a skirt today.

Feels good *swish swish*

Nice. I do very much like the swishy-swish. I got a very nice, bright, light one recently. Goes nice with my hair, which I like. But, always approve of more skirts in the world.

(I've admittedly never really been a shorts person, though. So, turning them into a skirt, I doubly approve of. )

[LaZodiac]

You could try removing the "brutal" part

Nani?

I have a really nice pair of shorts that should really be thrown out, due to a tear in the seam of the crotch.

I have taken a pair of scissors to say seam to finish the tear, leaving me with what is effectively a skirt, that I ca now turn 90 degrees to the left so I've got this cute little, slit legged skirt thing going on. It's cute.

Or, for short: swish swish.

Nice. I do very much like the swishy-swish. I got a very nice, bright, light one recently. Goes nice with my hair, which I like. But, always approve of more skirts in the world.

(I've admittedly never really been a shorts person, though. So, turning them into a skirt, I doubly approve of. )

Oh man that sounds great.

I love shorts myself, they're good clothing. But skirts are amazing. Swish swish.

[DataNinja]

I have a really nice pair of shorts that should really be thrown out, due to a tear in the seam of the crotch.

I have taken a pair of scissors to say seam to finish the tear, leaving me with what is effectively a skirt, that I ca now turn 90 degrees to the left so I've got this cute little, slit legged skirt thing going on. It's cute.

Or, for short: swish swish.

Nice. Ingenuity for the win. Cute is a nice bonus, too.

Oh man that sounds great.

I love shorts myself, they're good clothing. But skirts are amazing. Swish swish.

Yeah, it's really light, and cute, and flow-y. Was a little more expensive than I'd like, but, man, worth it.

The closest that I have to shorts, probably, is this one little thick-fabric'd skirt that I have that has, for some reason, belt loops on the side. Which puzzles me. But I don't actually care, because it also has something far, far more important: real pockets.

[LaZodiac]

Nice. Ingenuity for the win. Cute is a nice bonus, too.



Yeah, it's really light, and cute, and flow-y. Was a little more expensive than I'd like, but, man, worth it.

The closest that I have to shorts, probably, is this one little thick-fabric'd skirt that I have that has, for some reason, belt loops on the side. Which puzzles me. But I don't actually care, because it also has something far, far more important: real pockets.

An unfortunate aspect of female fashion is that often times, design trumps function. Someone decided those belt loops looked cool. They were probably right at the time.

Huzzah pockets though!

[DataNinja]

An unfortunate aspect of female fashion is that often times, design trumps function. Someone decided those belt loops looked cool. They were probably right at the time.

Indeed, alas. And while I understand it, it doesn't mean that I can't complain.

[Anonymouswizard]

... what did you do, and why did you do that instead of literally anything else?

EDIT: Holy jesus **** **** Anonwizard. I hope you're okay! And truth be told it's probably better you DIDN'T notice... you don't need the added stress of "has seen someone die" on you. Good lord.

Holy...

Thanks guys, looks like it hasn't hit the news so I'm guessing he was alright in the end. Still, spent most of last night in a state of shock.

I have a really nice pair of shorts that should really be thrown out, due to a tear in the seam of the crotch.

I have taken a pair of scissors to say seam to finish the tear, leaving me with what is effectively a skirt, that I ca now turn 90 degrees to the left so I've got this cute little, slit legged skirt thing going on. It's cute.

Or, for short: swish swish.

Uhh....

Sorry, despite having the barest idea of what you look like my first thought was 'Zodi must look really good in that'

[DataNinja]

Uhh....

Sorry, despite having the barest idea of what you look like my first thought was 'Zodi must look really good in that'

Well, duh. Obviously you'd think that. Anyone looks good in a skirt.

[LaZodiac]

Thanks guys, looks like it hasn't hit the news so I'm guessing he was alright in the end. Still, spent most of last night in a state of shock.

Uhh....

Sorry, despite having the barest idea of what you look like my first thought was 'Zodi must look really good in that'

My man, you don't... survive, being struck by a train. The reason why they're likely not talking about it yet is because they need to handle that carefully.

And thanks, it's appreciated. My avatar/personal image is what I look like, if curious. It's the me on my video's and stuff. Can repost the art if curious.

[DataNinja]

My avatar/personal image is what I look like, if curious.

Avatar resemblance club represent.

[enderlord99]

There is a character in Terry Pratchett's Discworld named "Magrat" who has a daughter named something along the lines of "Margaret-and-be-sure-to-spell-it-correctly-unlike-the-midwife-my-mother-hired"