Amelia Bellamy-Royds :progress:

Music (roots, blues, folk, soul), gardening (weather-permitting), and everyday life with some science, politics, and public health, from a chronically exhausted, 40-something homebody nerd.

Also at @AmeliaBR for web-dev nerdery, although I haven't actually been working for years.

All currently rooted in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (#YEG), a settlement built at amiskwacîwâskahikan, a traditional gathering place of Cree and other indigenous peoples.

😷➕💉 > 🤧➕🤒 !

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npub14wdkr2n4nlye5hjdy6szugm8j2d6s8fccwvewxs86x0a0s5c7qlq33jjjq

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AmeliasBrain@mstdn-ca.mostr.pub

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nprofile1qqs2hxmp4f6eljv6texjdgpwydne9xagr5uv8xvhrgrar87hc2v0q0spz4mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerfw36x7tnsw43qzrthwden5te0dehhxtnvdakqv05l76

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relay.ditto.pub

nos.lol

nostr.wine

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npub14wdkr2n4nlye5hjdy6szugm8j2d6s8fccwvewxs86x0a0s5c7qlq33jjjq

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Last Notes

2026-11-02 18:02:44 UTC

I hate, hate, hate the idea of anyone in Canada crowd-funding in order to queue jump for a medical service with huge waitlists.
But I hate, hate, hate even more that the government of Alberta is strongly encouraging this by letting waitlists for diagnostic scans grow, with their only solution being to make it easier for Albertans to pay-out-of-pocket for diagnostic tests.
Their press releases keep claiming that publicly-funded doctor-referred tests will be prioritized, even at private clinics, but the reality is that paying out of pocket means fast care, versus long painful waits in the public system.
If you can help Britt through direct aid, please let her know, along with any suggestions for how best to organize it.
But if you know of any non-profit or legal advocacy group that can shame or sue the Alberta government into covering all doctor-requisitioned diagnostic tests performed at private facilities in the province, that would be even better, long term.
#ABPoli
#nevent1q…war7

2026-10-29 16:08:14 UTC

The Beaverton: it's like the news, but the quotations are true facts, instead of being truly what a person said.
https://www.thebeaverton.com/2026/10/majority-of-albertans-vote-to-be-canadian-racist/
“Albertans have clearly said: We are Canadian. We are Albertan. And a limited number of foreigners can come here to work and pay taxes, but you can’t access the services you are funding because you are not European settlers who arrived in the last 100 years!”

2026-10-25 16:27:27 UTC

It's -7°C in the sunshine this morning, and the elm trees across the street have had enough. They had barely even started to turn yellow in the big wind storm last weekend, but now they are shedding their leaves & packing up for winter.
https://cdn.mstdn.ca/media_attachments/files/117/502/475/362/624/424/original/b670dc77ca7c58c5.mp4

2026-10-19 18:10:12 UTC

❎ Did a democracy (×10)
#StupidFuckingReferendum
💉 Did a public health (×2)
#COVIDisNotOver #NoSuchThingAsJustTheFlu
No line-ups for either at my local poll and pharmacy. #Alberta, get out & do the same!
https://cdn.mstdn.ca/media_attachments/files/117/468/910/326/785/897/original/b9fb78211125b18e.jpg

2026-08-23 16:27:08 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps I'm reading this as being directed at the cat for whom you are second-best human.

2026-08-21 16:23:12 UTC

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@nprofile…6jyx Well, I'm glad you're feeling more optimistic about your current program than you were 10 months ago!
A little bit of frustration all round, but as you say: at least you know you could be accepted in the future.

2026-08-21 15:20:34 UTC

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@nprofile…6jyx Any chance of a deferral to a future term? Making sure to mention that the late timing is the reason!
I assume this is a case of someone else changing their mind & you being on a waiting list. But I thought they used to at least tell you if you were wait-listed.

2026-08-12 22:28:21 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps I agree with most of what @nprofile…txsa, my main concern is for your own mental health & ability to move forward.
But there's an extra caveat in that "if you don't make it their problem" is hard to guarantee if you're still interacting with this person in any capacity (e.g., at work). Your fantasy-nostalgia thoughts are likely to leak out in the way you treat them, the same as it does with a crush — but with the difference that they're more likely to recognize it & it may aggravate their own effort to move on.
If you really don't interact with them at all, though, and are able to resist any temptation to do so, there's no more harm done (to them, anyway) than indulging in fantasies about a celebrity or some former fling from a hot tropical vacation.
But, you know, still work on it for your own sake. You deserve to love someone who loves you back. At least start imagining what that might look like. Think about the missing parts of the failed relationship, don't just skip over them.

2026-08-09 00:13:57 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps That was colour for both the wood lily & the lilies of the valley?
They are both gorgeous, but yeah, maybe shorter sessions. And in the meantime, so cold wet towels or something like that.

2026-08-06 21:56:31 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps I would usually be totally against drastic lasting choices when in a state of emotional frustration, but there is an objective professional involved in this situation. They can probably help pick a decent style if you just say "I want to grow out the undercut, but it looks awful right now, can you help?"
The real question is will a drastic change upset you more over the next few weeks than the current shaggy look?
The one thing you really don't want is to end up in a bad emotional state, frustrated with your hair, hacking it off yourself because you're too impatient to wait for another appointment.

2026-08-04 04:27:45 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps That is a beautiful metaphor, exquisitely expressed.

2026-08-03 15:51:20 UTC

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@nprofile…6jyx I can't tell... is the jaw articulated, too? Can you make him go "oh, nom, nom" ?

2026-07-31 15:52:26 UTC

Edmonton! It is almost August! Here's a few things happening over the long weekend & first week to keep you busy until I can compile the rest of the calendar:
#YEG #YEGmusic #YEGarts #YEGtheatreFestivals:
Aug 1-3 (Sat-Mon): Edmonton Heritage Festival returns to Hawrelak Park, with all the tasty food & colourful performances that local international cultural heritage groups can offer. Free admission, reasonably priced food, various vendors.
Aug 1 (Sat): Swahili Fest celebration of East African culture at ArtSphere gallery (97 St N of Jasper). 4-8pm family activities, 9-2am concerts & party, $17.
Aug 6-9 (Thu-Sun): Edmonton Folk Music Festival in Gallagher Park. Only Thursday tix remain ($117/adult; main stage only, headlined by Corb Lund), although there is an official ticket exchange service.

2026-07-30 22:27:41 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps I suppose it's a standard artificial sweet flavour that was used in a country (Aus/NZ, probably) where fairy floss is the default name? Different companies running the distribution, different flavours might have become standard?
But I can't find any sources in the slop of web content that describe what flavour "fairy floss" is supposed to be. The default "cotton candy" flavouring that became dominant in North America is allegedly blue raspberry.

2026-07-24 22:58:40 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps Makes me think of all the opinions polls that came out in the first few years after pandemic-related public health restrictions were removed, where something like 70% of people said that of course they would go back to wearing masks if it was mandated again. But from observation, most of them don't wear them even during early-winter massive flu outbreaks when the news is full of stories about overflowing hospitals. (And more than half of them don't bother with flu shots, either.)
Instead of educating people about disease transmission & persuading them to do their part, public health relied on regulations. And now people act as if there's no sensible reason to do those things if they're not legally required.

2026-07-22 16:04:59 UTC

A reminder that buying Canadian right now is about more than just boycotting the US to send a message.
Especially for mail-order businesses that usually deliver direct to customers in the US, the tariffs & the uncertainty are having an impact on sales.
(PS: Britt sells cute little 3D-printed clicky, slippy, & foldy fidget toys for people whose fingers always need to be moving. If you're in Canada or the US & that's your thing, check out her Etsy shop.)
#nevent1q…smdt

2026-07-21 03:35:22 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps ! How much of a zoom did you have on your camera for this one? AKA, how far away from the elk were you really?

2026-07-18 14:26:54 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps That last sentence sounds like a good answer.

2026-07-17 00:22:29 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps Cutting off all oil & gas shipments to the US is one thing we could do to prevent climate-change exacerbated wildfires.
Bet there are a couple rivers we could cut off at the border to redirect water north.
Oooh... Maybe some cloud seeding to change rainfall patterns. They don't need rain in the US midwest, right? We can send that all to northern Ontario so the folks in Detroit don't have to cough through the smoke & smog.

2026-07-13 14:06:52 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps It's absolutely something. What, I guess depends on what changes were made. Are they sick of hearing certain songs & deleted them, hoping you wouldn't notice it? Or were they just fussing around re-ordering things while they looked at them, maybe not thinking about the fact it would be a permanent change for you???

2026-07-11 17:17:21 UTC

I still kind of boggles my mind that we just accept earthquakes that can be felt for 100s of km as an outcome of oil & gas extraction.
And then I remember that we just accept climate change affecting the whole damn planet as an outcome of oil & gas extraction & combustion.
“Yes, it’s not ideal. Yes, it's likely to continue.”
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/earthquake-grande-prairie-9.7266606

2026-07-11 00:21:32 UTC

Edmonton! July is just getting started(-ish) and there's lots to do! Festival & patio season are in full swing, and the weather is almost behaving. Just remember to come armed for the vampires (🦟) that will come out once the sun goes down.
There are lots of weekly outdoor concert series in July & August, at patios & in parks. I've added an extra section specifically for those, arranged by day of the week. (I'll still highlight some of my top picks in the music calendar.)
#YEG #YEGarts #YEGmusic
1/20Edmonton (rest of) July Festivals & Events
until July 12: Doors Open Edmonton & Historic Festival (free & paid tours of various interesting places around town).
until July 12: Grindstone Comedy Festival (at/outside the Grindstone theatre, plus other venues, various prices).
until July 12: International Street Performers Festival in Churchill Square. Pay via busker contributions to each performer (budget $2-10 per hour).

2026-07-03 22:02:45 UTC

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@nprofile…6jyx Sounds like it's definitely time to look at easel options for making this work a little eas-ier on your neck!
Maybe you can find some 3D print models for little stands (like phone stands or picture frame stands) that can hold up a stiff board at various angles, try to find an option that works for your hands and your neck?

2026-06-24 03:32:00 UTC

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@nprofile…6jyx The sky may not have been what you were going for, but it is an interesting effect! And I love the tone & texture on the mountains & trees.
You may be new at watercolour, but your graphic design background shows through in your sense for colour & shading, in all of the samples you've posted.

2026-06-22 16:48:43 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps Also, I get very twitchy if information is just attributed to "scientists" without further citation.

2026-06-17 00:14:30 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps Given that you are recreating the experience of being a teenage boy, um, maybe?

2026-06-15 23:35:44 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps 😜

2026-06-15 21:25:42 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps So, what you're saying is that Jasper needs a Costco and/or IKEA, so they can have affordable hot dogs, yes? 🤔

2026-06-13 17:12:39 UTC

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@nprofile…6jyx That looks fabulous! So cheery, with just enough subtlety in the colour shading.
I hope you have a frame for it. That one should go on the wall.

2026-06-12 03:14:48 UTC

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@nprofile…6jyx @nprofile…npdr Oh, interesting. I was surprised a 3D printer could get the level of fine ridge detail needed to create holographic effects, but using a laser-etched object as a mould is a neat way to get around that!
I'd love to see a video of the motion whenever you have the time/energy to do that.

2026-06-09 01:58:40 UTC

A cool thing at the Edmonton IKEA: The first model apartment you see is themed around the cultural traditions of a local Cree family. A real family, who have loaned their personal items. Museum-style descriptions are included with some brief context. (Apologies for not capturing the sign that had the name of the painter!)
I'm not sure how long the exhibit will be up. Maybe just for Indigenous History Month?
#YEG
(Edit: Alt-text correction. Note to self, look at images full-size when writing alt text. That basket-box really looked like a drum in the tiny preview!)
https://cdn.mstdn.ca/media_attachments/files/116/717/579/530/380/255/original/954520313012a95e.jpg
https://cdn.mstdn.ca/media_attachments/files/116/717/579/832/275/917/original/d41893da9bebf912.jpg
https://cdn.mstdn.ca/media_attachments/files/116/717/580/227/146/127/original/3d534e45abe4ae86.jpg

2026-06-05 20:45:02 UTC

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@nprofile…6jyx ...and you were worried you couldn't use up a kilogram. 😋

2026-06-03 04:57:27 UTC

The rain has finally stopped. Probably close to 75mm (3in) over 3 days.
And while it's good for the garden overall, the lilacs are soooo droopy. (They still smell nice, though.)
Sunny photos are from Saturday evening. Droopy photos are from this afternoon & yesterday evening.
#YEGwx #YEGgarden
https://cdn.mstdn.ca/media_attachments/files/116/684/353/365/379/019/original/99180ba54612e99b.jpg
https://cdn.mstdn.ca/media_attachments/files/116/684/353/721/606/269/original/1bbe0a4ab7a09844.jpg
https://cdn.mstdn.ca/media_attachments/files/116/684/354/841/043/123/original/c6dc6d4f9c7c4775.jpg
https://cdn.mstdn.ca/media_attachments/files/116/684/356/094/227/426/original/1711cf04b6a4da14.jpg

2026-06-02 21:26:55 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps The only part that feels wrong to me is that it usually isn't just one person who has decided that they want to hate on / scapegoat a particular group. It's usually quite a few, and often the primary thing uniting them.
Which feels even more pessimistic.

2026-06-02 21:21:16 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps The Expo Centre has a large parking lot with very few light standards, that is often empty. You'd need to check the Expo/Commonwealth schedules ahead of time to avoid big events (& maybe also check for festivals in Borden Park).
If you want to try actual streets, I'd bet the Edmonton Research & Development Park (next non-neighbourhood over from South Edmonton Commons) is pretty quiet on weekends.
When someone was trying to teach me to drive, they took me to a subdivision under construction (on a non-work day), which went OK. Then we tried quiet rural range roads, which wasn't too bad. Then one of those range roads intersected a busy highway at an uncontrolled intersection where I was stopped on a hill & I kept on stalling the manual transmission trying to get moving in time to get out in a gap in traffic & we ended up having to switch drivers as someone behind us honked & swerved past. 😬 So, uh, maybe don't do that part.

2026-05-28 03:25:22 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps Yeah, for the premade meal-replacement drinks, you'd probably have to just experiment to find ones that hit the right balance.
I know you went through a similar process to this when you were dealing with a tumour-obstructed gut, so you probably have more experience than I. And there are probably lots of things that evoke an ugghhh response based on your experience then. But the circumstances are different so maybe you could convince your brain that they're worth trying again?
Milk or substitutes would be a start, if there are any you find appetizing. You can probably use a higher fat % than usual, but watch out for the sugar in some substitutes (or in those meal replacement drinks).
Then balance out your diet with veggie juice or thick pureed veggie soups, maybe? Keep an eye on total salt, depending on whether you need more or less based on the hormone meds you're taking.

2026-05-28 02:36:37 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps ...and this is how senanthic ended up slurping back protein shakes like a gym bro while puttering around their garden.
Seriously, though, high-nutrition liquids are probably a good balance between the slowed-down GI and the high-energy food cravings. (But you can make your own smoothies with peanut butter or yogurt or something similar to your taste, you don't need to get the massive tub of whey powder.)

2026-05-26 19:14:02 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps I'm sorry you don't have more support from your in-person circle.
But if you wanted, I'm sure that Fedi could help you find some new friends who happen to be doing a similar transition.

2026-05-20 03:34:50 UTC

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@nprofile…6jyx I had a moment of wondering if I was being an arse to answer a request for recommendations with "here let me duck-duck-google that for you" links.
And then I remembered that sometimes just going through search results can be exhausting, and anyway I might as well get the conversation started & maybe someone else would jump in with personal experience.

2026-05-20 03:22:09 UTC

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@nprofile…6jyx There are paved, low-grade paths in the river valley close to the Kinsmen Sports Centre (south side of Walterdale bridge), which has a convenient parking lot. It isn't really "nature" area there, but you're still near the water.
Beyond that, I don't have any personal recommendations, but you got me looking to see what info is available.
The City of Edmonton has PDF/print maps of trails that show info on slope (if it's steeper than a "well-built wheelchair ramp") & paving. In addition to the River Valley, the central one shows the Mill Creek ravine near you (including paved shared-use paths with only a few significant slopes noted).
I also found these guides from the Edmonton Nature Centres Foundation, with a search tool to filter for "easy" walks or even wheelchair accessible.
Here's one for Mill Creek South.

2026-05-19 18:29:13 UTC

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@nprofile…6jyx There's also nothing wrong with a business model of "I own & maintain & know how to get the most out of this expensive, complicated machine, & you can pay me to do a job on it for you"!
But still. I know you go beyond that, too. Your work may not be hand-crafted, but you're not a 3D equivalent of a drug store photo printing machine, either. You've curated a selection of designs with a clear theme & purpose, and you clearly have a commitment to getting the best out of the materials.

2026-05-13 18:51:16 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps One thing I noticed when I first started seeing requests to reduce casual use of "crazy" and the like is how non-specific they are. "Last night was crazy" might mean "was a great party" or might mean "turned into a terrifying and unpredictable crisis".
So, finding more specific words to use might also avoid people thinking that "that noise drives me insane" is just you saying you're slightly bothered. "That noise makes me irrationally irritated & I literally cannot focus on anything else."
Unfortunately, that advice doesn't help if that noise (or whatever) is affecting your mental state such that you can't find precise terms for the way you feel.
At the same time, I feel universally avoiding words for impaired mental states is not helpful. When a word is mostly used as an insult, that's different. But acknowledging that we all go a little crazy (/irrational/unstable) sometimes doesn't seem so bad?
I didn't grow up getting called (or having a family member called) crazy as an insult, though.

2026-05-13 18:27:06 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps On Android, I can create a dot folder (a folder whose name starts with a . character) and that usually works to keep the photos inside it out of slideshows & other default views in the photos app. But when I want to access them, I can find the folder in the file manager (so long as you have a setting ticked somewhere to show dot folders), organized wherever it makes sense for me.
Maybe try to see if that works on iPhone?
One global "Hidden" folder doesn't really seem useful. But then, I'm someone who grew up in the age of organizing all your computer files in directories. Lots of people now are used to search-only access to a giant heap of files. 🤷🏻‍♀️

2026-05-13 14:19:25 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps Oh, that's rather different. And not so easy to nope out of. But maybe you'll have a better chance of changing the cameras-on policy?

2026-05-12 23:45:30 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps OK, but what if: Cameras on, but cute animal filters allowed? 🐱🐰🐶
Oh what, you're saying that bursting out laughing because a horrific story is being told by a cartoon bunny would also not be appropriate? Hmmm, difficulty.
Seriously, though: I can see how for some people, it would be very stressful to know that people they can't see are listening while they're being very vulnerable. And yet, I also very much relate to your feeling that you wouldn't be able to be truly honest & vulnerable with all those little faces nodding along.
An ideal set-up might be different classes with different options (in addition to the in-person option). But to a certain degree, you either have to accept that the "anonymous" nature of these groups is a social contract you trust others to respect — or accept that support groups are not for you.

2026-05-12 21:33:03 UTC

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@nprofile…6jyx Another option, if it's possible to modify the design, is to get rid of the "glints" altogether. It's a common aesthetic in cartoon drawings, but it doesn't really translate well to 3D when you have natural lighting that won't necessarily align with the highlights. And yeah, it's definitely not quite right on the light-coloured eye, where you'd normally see some of the natural colour coming through the reflected glare.
But I think it works to replace the larger one with a dark pupil, even if that's not what the designer intended.

2026-05-12 21:08:59 UTC

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@nprofile…a7q9 @nprofile…6jyx @nprofile…ua24 The mockups are very helpful (and faster & cheaper than new 3D prints). I think it's really the dark pupils that make the difference; the brown is fine with that adjustment. The big white highlights on a light-coloured eye are just a little too ghostly. They don't even look like natural cataracts!
The lighter colours also make the printing texture more obvious, which is probably a factor in the "fly eyes" effect noted by @nprofile…m983

2026-05-10 01:47:49 UTC

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@nprofile…6jyx Oooh, new project idea: Foot fidgets! Or... nibble fidgets? Or...
I don't know, what part of your body is always fidgety even when your hands are too sore to move?

2026-04-30 22:30:54 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps I'm kind of glad he's being a dick about it; less likely he'll get off with just a warning.
But, yeah. Not the same. People have always (or for my lifetime, anyway) had the option of excluding their address or first name from a phone book listing, or having a completely unlisted number. That's pretty important for anyone dealing with a stalker or abusive ex, or for public figures or those whose jobs make them a target of harassment or threats. I've heard of people in the US who don't vote because they're afraid of their contact information reaching a stalker via voters' lists.
And these days the majority of people don't have a listed number at all. Just because it used to be normal doesn't mean it should be accepted today. As technology has enabled mass fraud & spam, mass distribution of contact information has become a problem for everyone.

2026-04-30 19:49:33 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps Oh, OK. I was reading it backwards. 🤦🏻‍♀️
Not "I've changed my real name to match my display name (on here)" but "I've changed my display name (at work) to match my real name."
That is less surprising. But also: Yay! Congratulations!

2026-04-30 19:42:43 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps Wait, for real? You're getting your name legally changed to Senanthic?
Or did you just mean that so many people now know you by this name it has become your "real name" in certain friend groups?

2026-04-29 00:26:01 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps Forget "gender fluid", time for "gender ether".
"gender neutron plasma" would probably be pretty cool, too.

2026-04-28 18:38:05 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps @nprofile…s9yf If the bad behavior is related to bad websites/apps sucking up your attention & cranking up the stress-rage, maybe something like explore.org (animal live feed videos) would be a good replacement?
It's got that squee-thrill, opening up & you don't know what the cuties will be doing today, so that will maybe ping the "Oooh, I know what I want right now" feeling, but it's usually pretty low key & calming actually watching them? And maybe even boring enough that you'll switch back to doing something more productive & just have the critters in the background?

2026-04-25 17:20:01 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps Tulips seem to tolerate frozen leaves alright, although I've had early varieties that didn't do well because the actual flower buds would get caught by late frosts & then fall off.

2026-04-25 00:29:10 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps The updates from Saskatchewan are reminding me not to complain too loudly. At least our snow is already starting to melt away.
I was talking with a friend on the phone and realized I hadn't gone out Tuesday to see if any of the veggie seeds I'd planted last week (two snowstorms ago) had actually come up & were now getting frost-bit. They're all things that can handle a little snow or overnight freeze (spinach, radish, peas) but multiple days below freezing might be a bit much.
I don't have any flowers yet, but there is a house down the street with a big patch of striped squill all in bloom, and another with the blue squill that was just starting to open yesterday. Not sure how all of that will look after this weekend, either.

2026-04-24 14:58:53 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps At one point I looked up places in the US named Edmonton so that I could get a zip code that would scan as matching the actual address I had to put in.
I had already tried using the credit card validation method of taking the numbers out of a Canadian postal code & padding with 0, and that wasn't passing the web form validation, but the other Edmonton's code was accepted.
Not sure what would have happened if I actually tried to charge a credit card payment on their web service, though. I was just trying to get a receipt for transit card payments from a card that I'd bought at a kiosk, but apparently folks working for the transit company in the San Francisco area couldn't imagine anyone from outside the US ever wanting to use transit while visiting.

2026-04-22 16:26:32 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps Next you're going to need a tiny table to hold a tiny tea set for your tiny teddy & his friend. And then a no-quite-so-tiny house to put the tiny chairs & tables in. And the house will probably have other rooms that need other tiny furniture...

2026-04-22 14:59:09 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps So smol. So sweet. And the fact he's survived some major surgery makes him seem like quite a good mascot for you. Definitely a friend to tuck into a pocket for comforting squeezes when headed to your next stressful medical appointment.

2026-04-21 15:31:48 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps OK, but if you could get your top surgery done at the same place you get your tattoos & piercings, would you?
They would probably design it so that you'd get much cooler scars!
🙃

2026-04-16 22:35:57 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps Not being an expert in migraine meds myself, I wasn't sure if that was an actual name of a drug or just a keyboard smash, or some combination of the two. Pretty impressed with the DDG spellcheck algos for being able to extract rimegepant from all the extra letters. And their next best guess was a similar migraine med, ubrogepant. After that, though, the search results are "cargo pants for men", and "The English Alphabet". 🙃
Whatever it's called, I hope it helps.
But might be worth getting your ER to-go bag of huddle-comfort necessities ready. With your history, there also could be something else going on.

2026-04-15 00:20:56 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps I mean, it's trying? Certainly better than trying to convince someone to adopt an anglicized nickname to make it "easier" for other people.
But something like giving a mnemonic is really something that the person themself should offer. Or at least, it's something you say in private to someone who has messed up the pronunciation. Giving pronunciation help in advance definitely conveys an assumption about who has a "weird" name that the person speaking expects others to have a problem with.

2026-04-03 16:48:11 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps I can just imagine an extended, back-and-forth conversation between members of the marketing team about this. But somehow the nerdy pedant repeating "they're an alien, not an animal" actually won.

2026-04-02 22:01:52 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps @nprofile…7t92 I don't thing there's been any evidence of financial malfeasance here, just of interpersonal issues — trying to do everything himself and then either getting very nasty in comments to people (e.g., former moderators) who criticized his processes or shutting down all communication. He's also been very inconsistent about posting financial statements & other updates. To the extent that there have been financial crises, it's explained by losing donors (sometimes because of those interpersonal issues) & rising costs.
I suspect similar things happened at the community league & that's what turned an "oh fuck, I accidentally deleted our invoice history in the account software" moment into a lawsuit.
But if that is what happened (missing receipts & an uncommunicative former treasurer not doing enough to help set the books straight), then the way the rest of the league has presented this — as missing money that suddenly puts them in a bad financial shape — is definitely problematic too.

2026-03-24 21:45:10 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps web search for "aquarium dining table", "aquarium bed", etc.

2026-03-09 21:09:07 UTC

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@nprofile…6jyx @nprofile…4xgg Time & again, governments promise they'll save money by only cutting administrative jobs. not front-line health workers. Which just guarantees that all the front-line workers get swamped with administrative work and hampered by administrative mix-ups. 😖

2026-02-20 16:35:50 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps Hmm, yeah. "live as" is an awkward way of saying "present to other people", which is I assume what they really mean. It suggests that your true life is defined by outward appearances as opposed to your thoughts & feelings. It also suggests that there is a clearly defined way to live as a woman vs live as a man.
Was this part of intake at for gender-transition medical care, or an application for change of gender marker on ID, or a research survey? (I can't imagine anyone else getting this specific.) If it's related to ID, they may be trying to match wording in the regulations re someone needing to "live as" the specified gender or lack thereof before applying for a change. If it's medical, I'd bring it up with the care provider as something they should consider changing.

2026-02-13 19:52:08 UTC

Last week was the start of gardening season here in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (sort of)
I filled up a bunch of trays (mostly old clear plastic egg cartons) with potting soil last Wednesday, when the outdoor temperatures were close to 10°C. Didn't actually get the seeds into the trays until last Friday. They're now on the shelf in front of the big south-facing window, except for a couple that I've left on the porch to experience a week of day-night thaw-freeze cycles (which help trigger germination in some plants that are native to places with cold winters).
The chrysanthemums were the first seedlings up & at 'em, 4 days after planting. But a week in there are now lots of little growing green things heralding spring.
Outdoors, real winter temperatures are due to return next week (highs in the minus teens, lows in the minus 20s). We're still nearly 2 months from any outdoor gardening — I usually get peas, spinach, and radish seeds into the sunniest garden in late March or early April.
#garden #YEGgarden
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2026-02-09 14:16:23 UTC

44.
And looking pretty good, if I do say so myself, on just 2 hours of sleep + 2 hours of trying to get back to sleep, after staying late at the Sunday jam. I'm definitely going to crash this afternoon though. Probably be useless tomorrow, too. 🤷🏻‍♀️
I tell you, I've suffered from bouts of extreme fatigue since I was 14 (next month that'll be 30 fucking years of undiagnosed chronic disability that I'm now thinking might actually be atypical migraines… !?!) but I used to be able to sleep at night. Now even my good energy weeks end up tired from the insomnia.
And that's even before I start complaining about all these middle-aged injuries that show up without clear cause. If I'd messed up my knee when I fell on an icy sidewalk last night, I'd at least have someone to swear at. But no, I messed it up by, I don't know, standing funny on Saturday while breaking up the last packed-snow-turned-ice on my own walk? Probably because I was trying not to aggravate my messed up shoulder. Still don't know how I did that… 👵🏻
https://cdn.mstdn.ca/media_attachments/files/116/041/050/717/653/008/original/3c8177072f8c1711.jpg

2026-02-08 22:59:13 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps I'm starting to understand why they're call ball pythons and not, you know, stick pythons.

2026-01-28 21:39:31 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps 😿
Good roommates, can stay:
✅ dog
✅ cats
✅ snakes
✅ tarantulas
Bad roommates, please vacate the premises immediately:
❌ panic

2026-01-28 17:27:19 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps when facing their own major medical challenges: Oh well, I wasn't too fond of that particular major organ anyway, and what's the point of having a heart if it doesn't skip a few beats now & then.
@nprofile…4nps when facing obstacles and frustrating people at work: This job is important and I am good at it and I will persevere.
@nprofile…4nps when a family member is having major medical challenges and they're facing obstacles and frustrating people in their personal life: PANIC! self-doubt retreats from social interaction
Just a few more months until spring, S, then you can go romp in the woods again whenever things get tough.

2026-01-09 16:39:24 UTC

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@nprofile…4nps For a week! Lows above freezing! Like, yes, I will do my best to go out & enjoy it, but also: fuck. It's going to be a mess.

2025-12-31 17:33:00 UTC

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@nprofile…vs9y Those cookies look so realistic I think it's a mean trick that they're just plastic! (But I like the slogan on the tin.)

2025-12-25 16:46:28 UTC

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@nprofile…dpyx That's a lovely sentiment.
Have yourself a merry little day, full of peace & joy — whatever that looks like for you.

2025-12-22 23:32:29 UTC

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@nprofile…vs9y Oh, that's disappointing to hear. Given that flexibility in lesson delivery is kind of their whole thing, I would have expected that to include disability accommodation.

2025-12-22 22:49:59 UTC

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@nprofile…vs9y Have you discussed the possibility of adding transfer credits to your degree? There are a few universities in Canada that really focus on distance learning. Athabasca U here in Alberta is one.
This sounds like the closest to the course you mentioned (not sure if it's the same grade level):
https://www.athabascau.ca/syllabi/soci/soci381.html
You'd have to talk with your program advisor about how it would intersect with both program requirements & any funding you're getting, but it would also help with your uncertainty about work load: Since Athabasca's individualized study courses are learn-at-your-own-pace, you could start a course in winter term & stretch it into summer as needed (I think there's usually a 1-year time limit).
And to your main point: Ugh! Group projects should never be the majority of evaluation. Even separate from the exclusion of people who can't fit that type of interaction in their lives, there's the classic issue of how to ensure equal contribution.

2025-12-15 23:50:12 UTC

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@nprofile…dpyx 😬 Your colleagues are really going to want that vengeful telekinesis power if the high-level review results in a bunch of fixes that need to be made just as everyone was switching to lazy holiday mode.
And yet, I suspect they won't even notice when any such fixes prevent a major incident from even happening later!

2025-12-11 16:29:05 UTC

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@nprofile…dpyx But, but, but... seed catalogue 😍🌱🪴🌺

2025-12-10 16:40:01 UTC

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@nprofile…dpyx But of course, it's hard to imagine anyone in a caring profession deciding it's a good idea to make a fuss about that with a stranger as a way to make conversation in a stressful situation. 🙄

2025-12-10 16:39:00 UTC

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@nprofile…dpyx And I can understand how family who think they know everything about you might just assume, oh that's S being political again.
But it's hard to imagine how blindered someone has to be to comment on the gender implications of a stranger's watch colour choice and not notice the rainbow Pride watch band.

2025-12-10 16:33:32 UTC

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@nprofile…dpyx Don't you have a rainbow wristband for that watch? That didn't clue them in at all that you might not be big on girl colour vs boy colour binaries???

2025-12-09 17:40:08 UTC

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@nprofile…dpyx Did you do your nails specifically for this photo? Because they are a perfect match for that snake! 💅🏻💛🐍

2025-12-08 18:43:47 UTC

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@nprofile…dpyx When they do this in TV series I usually assume it's male writers/showrunners who identify with a particular character making sure that person gets the girl instead of the much better partner they temporarily had her with.
But we can't blame that here. But the author had probably pre-decided the outcome and didn't think about how interesting she was making the new fling & maybe that should change the story (or at least require stronger reasons for the planned choice by the character). And probably romantic tropes about going with the old reliable partner being better than the new & shiny. Or your perspective on what makes a good partner could just be different from hers.
(But again, I don't remember the books enough to have any opinion myself.)

2025-12-08 18:24:53 UTC

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@nprofile…dpyx The LM Montgomery ones?
I remember I liked the Emily series, but it's so long ago I cannot remember any details of characters. Or plot for that matter. What part really grates you so?

2025-12-03 18:06:08 UTC

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@nprofile…dpyx Give it a few years, and maybe Hudson's Bay as a whole will join Zellers in the category of "Beloved because it cannot disappoint us anymore".

2025-11-29 19:36:48 UTC

Do I know anyone whose employer would be interested in sponsoring a high school robotics team in Toronto?
My nephew's current fundraising strategy seems to be to ask family members for money, and as someone without a lot of money who also doesn't think that school extracurriculars should be restricted to students with well-off families, I was trying to think of what else I could do to help.
I personally think they should build robots that will fundraise for them. Maybe a lemonade-making robot that could staff a lemonade stand? But I guess they first need enough funding to get to the point of being able to design & build such a thing!

2025-11-29 17:52:09 UTC

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@nprofile…dpyx Could be. They have rounded leaves in rosette stage, so maybe there are species that stay small with isolated flowers instead of spikes.
If it was at the conservatory, it could be from anywhere so much harder to narrow it down. Nothing like it in my western north America wildflowers guide, anyway.

2025-11-29 17:07:02 UTC

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@nprofile…dpyx Do you know the name of the flowers? The plants look kind of like violets, but the flower shape is very different.

2025-11-23 03:38:38 UTC

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@nprofile…dpyx It makes me happy that you are enjoying showing off your tattoos to the extent that it makes you more comfortable showing your body. I hope that means you are starting to feel more comfortable in & in control of your body, as you adapt it to better fit your self.

2025-11-15 22:16:26 UTC

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@nprofile…dpyx I did watch at least some of it at the time & still remember it as both extremely sexy and kick-ass. Glad to know it holds up. If it's on YouTube as legit purchases maybe it'll eventually end up on CBC or Crave?

2025-11-15 22:10:26 UTC

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@nprofile…dpyx Is this the 90s Nikita or the remake? And is it on any streaming channel or do you have old DVDs / surreptitious downloads?

2025-11-15 19:10:49 UTC

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@nprofile…dpyx awww, sorry you're still feeling sick but glad you've got double snuggles!
Also: I love the bright green walls!

2025-11-15 02:26:07 UTC

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@nprofile…dpyx "I'd take back all the words that hurt you" is a start.
But possibly a "oops, shouldn't have said that out loud" thing.

2025-11-15 02:13:26 UTC

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@nprofile…vs9y For just feeling the vibe of the city being alive, I do like walking down Whyte Ave on a Friday night. And the smaller free festivals with their often chaotic mix of family fun & food trucks & music & more. I often end up watching the crowd as much as the performers.
But you might enjoy more something quiet, like a arts & craft market. There are lots going on this month (although note many of the winter indoor markets have a small entrance fee).
And hopefully you can find some sort of community-scale regular event or place where you can drop in & get to know people (without committing to a specific schedule). For me, that's dancing at The Commercial & other blues shows, and now playing at open stage music nights. For the first few years here, my ex & I were regulars at the Monday night improvized soap opera Die-Nasty.
It sure would be nice if there was more overlap between that & the more progressive, public health-aware crowd on here, but its good to see beyond my bubble & maybe pop others.

2025-11-13 17:13:48 UTC

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@nprofile…dpyx I know you have lots of reasons for this choice of hairstyle, but I can't help looking at that & thinking undercuts are really more of a summertime thing. I hope you have a warm cozy headband to protect all that newly bare skin from winter winds!

2025-11-13 16:18:03 UTC

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@nprofile…dpyx Ah, glad you were able to get out there to capture it!
I was too tired on Tuesday night to go searching for darker skies than my neighbourhood provides, and then it was too cloudy in the city on Wednesday (when I was going out anyway).

2025-11-10 02:58:41 UTC

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@nprofile…dpyx Ah, the fiddlehead heart is such a nice touch!
And were the acorns placed specifically because brown would work better than green for covering up the red+black existing tattoo, or was that just fortuitous?

2025-11-08 16:13:38 UTC

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@nprofile…np0x @nprofile…dpyx I would also be happy for a personal allocation of tired/untired-ness that I could add to & draw from as necessary, so I could reliably sleep at night & be fully awake during the day.

2025-11-07 23:37:37 UTC

First snow means last garden flower photos of the season! Pink yarrow, orange calendula, and red snapdragons.
#YEGwx #YEGgarden
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2025-11-07 01:12:57 UTC

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@nprofile…dpyx Seems a very appropriate rose for someone who collects all things dragons. 🐲