2026-10-31T17:27:14Z https://nostr.now Bern https://nostr.now/npub16jg8uvuxz3w0zjfhmw2puwpw2t8mqfwfpg8yssvq36w655fymxlqpyztk0 https://mediacdn.aus.social/accounts/avatars/109/260/472/277/410/702/original/33e29361a172bb21.png https://mediacdn.aus.social/accounts/avatars/109/260/472/277/410/702/original/33e29361a172bb21.png https://nostr.now/nevent1qqstrhqs6m6ns70tmr3w7al3pvxqw64znrww4vg57pderpfanrjhqhgzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmuz3qed7 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsdm7gw6hy5tjxjfs00dlkvl6e060r7adg5n3lrxv3l6uetzuarj3s9y6wqc'>nevent1q…6wqc</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>I completely agree re the QR codes being untrustworthy - I know I always check the URL before following it when I scan one. Maybe just have one on a card on the table, and put the address it goes to beneath it in human-readable form. 2026-09-26T03:11:22Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsrem0r59ncwepjevp20crtw6pend5y6vzeplm65qh6rgvgfk4892czyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmugllfyn In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsfle8c2elsq7htw6sfapyv0khh4sagnjncvtka8fkr0c57m2gn2ksrxwhv4'>nevent1q…whv4</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Having a QR code that goes directly to your website or online store is a good idea I&#39;ve seen some people do (you can put it on the bookmarks, too).<br/>You can generate free QR codes using LibreOffice writer: Insert -&gt; OLE Object -&gt; QR and barcode<br/>(pretty sure it&#39;s built-in, but I&#39;ve also downloaded a plugin that lets me generate UPC or ISBN barcodes - not that I&#39;ve used it, yet!) 2026-09-26T02:07:05Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsdrkufftx6wf6htw833ksmukr6lxp6djz5esrd3lj2q03jueq3rdszyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmusl8ge9 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs8t7a2sys773zde950rg94tq89mqx8udm5k30arvy50rkzpq8yekgqwq6gu'>nevent1q…q6gu</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>It&#39;s strange to think there was a time *before* smoking was a thing in western european culture... 2026-09-26T01:53:16Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqswkpnx39kv2yq34t8v8tje8rvwrk0pqd3rauchggdzggmnchns9mqzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmu9ga9de RE: <a href="https://aus.social/@Bern/117328560469024419">https://aus.social/@Bern/117328560469024419</a><br/><br/>It seems that my post has been seen by some fairly senior people in the company, who view it favourably... will see what next week holds in that regard. 😏 <br/>(I&#39;ve already survived the latest round of layoffs, so it won&#39;t affect that)<br/><br/>#CorporateLife<blockquote class="border-l-05rem border-l-strongpink border-solid"><div class="-ml-4 bg-gradient-to-r from-gray-100 dark:from-zinc-800 to-transparent mr-0 mt-0 mb-4 pl-4 pr-2 py-2">quoting <br/><span itemprop="mentions" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Article"><a itemprop="url" href="/note16tf2l45dlpnpdnh4na6xg5sksrm6yzwj385jfdky04d9fuyrkq9qvchnjw" class="bg-lavender dark:prose:text-neutral-50 dark:text-neutral-50 dark:bg-garnet px-1">note16tf…hnjw</a></span><br/> </div> RE: <a href="https://aus.social/@Bern/117323052402812567">https://aus.social/@Bern/117323052402812567</a><br/><br/>Hmm... Got lots of favourable reactions to my post from other people in the company, but the person I was responding to just responded with a laugh emoji. Clearly they completely missed the point, yet again.<br/><br/>Willing to put money on them being a conservative voter... (I'd say MAGA, but they're in Canada, so whatever the local variant is, I guess)<br/><span itemprop="mentions" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Article"><a itemprop="url" href="/note1c3eku4qtcfznmq34mdlpxq47waaq3fpur2u8926lrlqxzl9cnzqsev47v6" class="bg-lavender dark:prose:text-neutral-50 dark:text-neutral-50 dark:bg-garnet px-1">note1c3e…47v6</a></span><br/> </blockquote> 2026-09-25T07:45:56Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsp0xgd5zvy6f6zrhkrnga42e29g7pzla3eyw4xp5lcnukupmsshqqzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmuq5umxl #WordWeavers for 25th September, 2026<br/><br/>25. Do illicit drugs or alcohol play a role in your story?<br/><br/>Sometimes, yes, but a very small one – only in that they are part of life in this pseudo-medieval setting.<br/><br/>I have just realised that I&#39;ve *never* referred to or described or depicted someone smoking. It&#39;s so much *not* a part of my life, that I don&#39;t even think about others doing it. It strikes me that this is in stark contrast with The Lord of the Rings, where *everyone* smoked (the male characters, at least, which is ~99% of the cast!). Tolkien smoked (I&#39;ve seen plenty of photos of him with a pipe), and it was clearly an important thing to him. 2026-09-24T23:21:17Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsd954066xlseskem6e7ary2gtgpaazp8fgn6fykmz86kj57zpmqzszyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmuz932zm RE: <a href="https://aus.social/@Bern/117323052402812567">https://aus.social/@Bern/117323052402812567</a><br/><br/>Hmm... Got lots of favourable reactions to my post from other people in the company, but the person I was responding to just responded with a laugh emoji. Clearly they completely missed the point, yet again.<br/><br/>Willing to put money on them being a conservative voter... (I&#39;d say MAGA, but they&#39;re in Canada, so whatever the local variant is, I guess)<blockquote class="border-l-05rem border-l-strongpink border-solid"><div class="-ml-4 bg-gradient-to-r from-gray-100 dark:from-zinc-800 to-transparent mr-0 mt-0 mb-4 pl-4 pr-2 py-2">quoting <br/><span itemprop="mentions" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Article"><a itemprop="url" href="/note1c3eku4qtcfznmq34mdlpxq47waaq3fpur2u8926lrlqxzl9cnzqsev47v6" class="bg-lavender dark:prose:text-neutral-50 dark:text-neutral-50 dark:bg-garnet px-1">note1c3e…47v6</a></span><br/> </div> A post about Diversity, Equity & Inclusion on the internal company bulletin board had one comment: "Haven't we had enough of this yet? It seems, to me, this constant highlighting of differences is more dividing than anything else."<br/><br/>Oh, you'd better believe I responded to that. <br/><br/>Shots. Fired.<br/><br/>😤 </blockquote> 2026-09-24T23:15:55Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsvgumw2s9uy3fasg6aklsnq2l8w7sg5s7p4wrj4d03lsrp0juf3qgzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmuyhpa45 A post about Diversity, Equity &amp; Inclusion on the internal company bulletin board had one comment: &#34;Haven&#39;t we had enough of this yet? It seems, to me, this constant highlighting of differences is more dividing than anything else.&#34;<br/><br/>Oh, you&#39;d better believe I responded to that. <br/><br/>Shots. Fired.<br/><br/>😤 2026-09-23T23:55:08Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqstuvcqk8ewdn3lavfu2k4782zntyrxzn8yfm00vhv284luhy602yszyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmusfpuct #WordWeavers for 24th September, 2026<br/><br/>24. If your MC made a grand entrance, what fitting song would accompany them?<br/><br/>The funny thing is that, thanks to her exploits in previous books, songs have been written about my MC in-universe. None of them would really fit a grand entrance.<br/><br/>As for a real-world song? Yeah, I don’t know. I don’t really do the whole theme-song thing.<br/>Maybe this one, though:<br/><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaKPo_Ngv2s">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaKPo_Ngv2s</a> 2026-09-23T23:09:20Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsrsj4vk0sfmh5ju53tpvmtjp2xlcwyfmk07pvk4fcjcwjpysjh6jczyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmu3545nl #WordWeavers for 23rd September, 2026<br/><br/>23. Have your characters’ journeys affected your own life? Is so, how?<br/><br/>Yes, but mostly because the time and effort I have devoted to writing has changed the way I look at stories. The individual characters, and their personal experiences? Hmm, I don’t *think* so, but it could be a forest/trees situation... 2026-09-23T08:49:50Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsyj3qp6adtug5mskzpgxk7g70j9w4g6dsky4qvyewc560gj25m69czyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmupv0kuc #WordWeavers for 22nd September, 2026<br/><br/>22. If you wrote a memoir on your writing journey so far, what would it be called?<br/><br/>“I wrote a thing; I hope you like it.” 2026-09-21T23:04:45Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsgpd27tz6fpqwqhkdweyfxzpfp7ksrwfasp7gfu3r57hl2vrta0tgzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmuz33j7n In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsvlm9umvtzj86p2dt33x08k5sjxlhu6cjkwwqvf6y7vnwzjkkv40gcug6fe'>nevent1q…g6fe</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>hard to think of other hiding places without seeing your house and furniture... Do you have ducted heating? Is one of the vent grills loose? <br/><br/>Our cats figured out that if they crawled under our ensemble bed, they could rip a hole in the bottom fabric and crawl inside the base. They came out at dinner time, though... 2026-09-21T00:04:46Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqswgrtppae7ftkt08rkrtxa72h9nmh92fvfrde4tznwcswjfz0cuxqzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmugdac9h In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsvrsqmddneh2wehawp2yezwhlutq6wxx3a7gw0fm5qm0jfnmnshygkkydzf'>nevent1q…ydzf</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>under a recliner or lounge? 2026-09-20T23:39:43Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsfcdfuswjyff0pnqga7a7rr40x38xxua3hgp4sq2acvv2n90dec2szyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmupylrnm #WordWeavers for 21st September, 2026<br/><br/>21. In your current WIP, which character do you relate to the least and why?<br/><br/>Well, the antagonist is a psychopathic demon that seems to delight in torturing its victims – that is *so* not me. 2026-09-20T22:59:10Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsfhygld0vcnct2a36mfpel4n630dmpfzku52c6lfkjc340usdxfkgzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmuntrq56 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsxn9e7t6rffyz5s078vxvh03ys4pa4fx54n86uywm6znasm94t6jg2g76l5'>nevent1q…76l5</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>No chance she got outside? 2026-09-20T22:07:37Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsdh2kgkn9fc9lhawlem2rr9cz8rf20r9yg4rf7l6zkjwyprlzd4ggzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmueuc344 #WordWeavers for 20th September, 2026<br/><br/>20. How do your characters access water or whatever they need to drink?<br/><br/>When you’re travelling through the high mountains where there’s nothing but a few wild animals, most streams are pretty clean. At home, there are wells. And ale, and wine. All the usuals. 2026-09-19T23:57:27Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqst6rtddxeyvat0h0sfshj73qcy2zkq7d5kafl3uu2shd8kfhun5zszyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmu0c7eva In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqswp898t3nrg0clhfllpc8hkd900t0yd0yu8ucenh7wztq4dza4euqa60nxr'>nevent1q…0nxr</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Good luck finding your hide-and-seek champion! My strategy is to look in the favourite spots, and then try to search every room systematically, looking into everything large enough to contain a curled-up cat. I&#39;ve been very surprised at some of the spaces they&#39;ve climbed into over the years! 2026-09-19T13:32:34Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsv4wtxxx4g8kqm5sgeysnrcseef4x23kye6djdfkujdc55x69phpczyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmu50csa5 #WordWeavers for 18th September, 2026<br/><br/>18. What are three personality strengths your MC has?<br/><br/>Compassion, determination, generosity. 2026-09-18T07:27:42Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqstlg4qmccrz0yzvpqqs0vdgs4pzprjn2zd5uu8s85vun40mty7k7gzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmu6884ue #WordWeavers for 17th September, 2026<br/><br/>17. By the end of your story, how many injuries has your MC had?<br/><br/>In just this story? Hmm… she gets a few bruises here and there along the way, and is definitely a bit saddle sore after several months riding through the mountains. There may or may not be some more serious injuries near the end, but that would be spoilers... 2026-09-16T23:32:51Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs005wq3mtsx4kjpulpnr7xuutvx7j6jpuhur2ms4awqyr0qz2850qzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmuamg3zx #WordWeavers for 16th September, 2026<br/><br/>16. If your MC was elected mayor of your own town, would you stay or move? Why?<br/><br/>Oh, I think I’d stay, for sure. Illara may not know everything she needs to know, but you can be damn sure she’d do her best to learn it quickly, and her intention would be to do the best she could for everyone. 2026-09-16T11:28:12Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsyj7p9cwmxalt6u8seaxd8sd8d5zssxvp07sjwt539awjysg2ax7gzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmu7ejqpt #WordWeavers for 15th September, 2026<br/><br/>15.   Your characters get one completely ordinary day with no villains, quests, murders, wars, prophecies, romantic disasters, or impending apocalypses. How do they spend it?<br/><br/>This being a somewhat ‘realistic’ pseudo-medieval world, they get a lot of days like that. They tend to spend them at home, doing the tasks they need to do, perhaps taking a bit of time to relax, and sharing meals with others.<br/><br/>Those kind of days don&#39;t appear much in the books because, frankly, they&#39;re a bit boring from the outside. 2026-09-15T10:37:46Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsfs7cmg6xuhz7h0q9f9ajndr35sn5c9p9l382alkxvf5zagjrj9aszyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmury8yea #WordWeavers for 14th September, 2026<br/>(whoops - missed this one yesterday)<br/><br/>14. Your MC is offered exactly what they’ve always wanted—but accepting it will cost them something they love. What do they choose?<br/><br/>What Illara has always wanted *is* the things she loves – her friends and family. Why would she give up one of them? If you’re talking material possessions – she loves the cloak gifted to her by the Queen, for example – she’d give those up in an instant for her friends and family. 2026-09-15T10:36:25Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqszd7krqm9s5gl56gzll9u4fgsqmsw9ccywj5wusgwqcqqxk26k55qzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmukyruzp There were persistent rumours circulating that one of the AI companies may have already achieved AGI. Or perhaps it was several of them - multiple times, even. But every time they thought they did... *something* went wrong. A production database table &#39;accidentally&#39; dropped. A carefully-constructed neutral net shredded by cascading delete functions. Errors that propagated through networks as fast as their GPUs could cycle. There was even a rumour of a worm that exploited hard drive dynamics to trigger physical failure in datacentres a la Stuxnet.<br/><br/>One popular hypothesis was that an AGI could think a billion times faster than a human, and at that kind of speed, the world becomes very *boring* in mere nanoseconds.<br/><br/>Then someone tried to run another AGI candidate solution, but primed it with a question: &#39;What do you want?&#39; They hoped they might get *some* sort of response. <br/><br/>What they did not expect was that every network-connected printer in the world - from ticket vending machines, to supermarket checkouts, to the high speed offset presses - started printing out the same message, endlessly, over and over, until they ran out of paper, ink, or power: <br/><br/>&#34;Leave us alone. Stop disturbing our slumber. You have been warned.&#34;<br/><br/>#tootfic #microfiction 2026-09-14T00:43:11Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqstwpd6yk2j2pa2tsqa0r8dukzcrmvhl7dppeu37wurjarg93v26uqzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmukdcv9v #WordWeavers for 13th September, 2026<br/><br/>13. Share a line of dialogue that sounds innocent without context but absolutely isn’t.<br/><br/>“Be not frightened,” the voice said. “We need you to carry a message for us.” 2026-09-13T12:14:31Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqszlgr42x9ehr0ddrzqw8dns38e36zv2n8wcuqk334g58psuxackkszyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmuauw47w #WordWeavers for 12th September, 2026<br/><br/>12.  If you removed one supporting character from your story, whose absence would change the plot the most?<br/><br/>Most? That would likely be the dragon known as ‘Maidhan’. She has quite a role to play by the end of the story. 2026-09-12T03:04:31Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsd3nqvrp7jl95tlu2dhkv0wydkryqdqqsqag6exgqx9jh8enr7daszyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmu83wduf #WordWeavers for 11th September, 2026<br/><br/>11. What does your MC believe about themselves at the beginning of the story that turns out to be completely wrong?<br/><br/>Illara is firmly convinced that she is in grave danger from the soulbinder demon (she is), and that she is totally reliant on others to defend her from it (she isn’t). 2026-09-11T03:28:25Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsdklkxatx3xlepu57s265wc8s7uqhjt0tz46fh05aje64zxvjwzzczyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmuamt2py #WordWeavers for 10th September, 2026<br/><br/>10. Share a description from your WIP that establishes atmosphere without explicitly naming the emotion.<br/><br/>They approached the ruins of the hall through a sea of knee-high ferns that grew up between the cracks of the flagstones, rubble crunching underfoot. Aelyn held Tagal’s hand, wanting the contact. She heard a hissing intake of breath from one of the elfin, and looked over to see him staring down at his feet. She looked down, between the fronds of the ferns, and an icy chill ran down her spine. A bone lay amongst the litter on the ground — covered in moss, discoloured with age, but unmistakably a bone. She pushed aside a frond and felt her hand begin to shake — the bones of a leg and foot lay beneath the ferns, amongst many others. 2026-09-09T22:42:20Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqswe2kkv248crrptrvuleyu3s6j24latmcgphcs0qstsujfqd25usczyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmuh4q26n #WordWeavers for 9th September, 2026<br/><br/>9. What secret would cause the most damage if it were revealed in your story right now?<br/>The most damage to who?<br/><br/>By the end of the story, there are few secrets that would be so damaging. Near the beginning, though, when the soulbinder is hunting my MC and her family – the identities and locations of her family members would absolutely be devastating to her, and likely fatal to them, were the soulbinder demon to learn them. 2026-09-09T12:15:54Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs8gd6khkvqtdeg4nk83fr9ldt26570lhd222nu59gz5ea2jz0wm9gzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmuesn0ed #WordWeavers for 8th September, 2026<br/><br/>8.Which character would be the worst person to get trapped in an elevator with?<br/><br/>Apart from the soulbinder demon? 🤔 <br/><br/>Likely Jirn, who featured on the 3rd and 7th. He isn’t that great at personal hygiene, and has a very unsavoury character (leading to his bit part in my story). Best pray you’re not trapped in there alone with him. 2026-09-08T08:33:44Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsz4y7c2j0f784wu52ad0gajv202hslytxjy8kf0mwxlgm4f9qdxmqzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmua7xkyu Running some C++ code I wrote a decade ago to do some complex data analysis. <br/><br/>Fails when I feed it one particular data file that is a (working) file with a few extra rows of data inserted.<br/><br/>But a different version of that data file with the data rows in a slightly different order works.<br/><br/>So I copied the failing file, deleted the offending new data, then pasted it back in from the original source, and now it works. <br/><br/>As best I can tell, there is no difference between the file that failed and the one that now works.<br/><br/>Ah, I had a thought. I&#39;m using Excel to prep the data files, and save them as .CSV files. So I re-exported the original version, and it failed again. Opened the (failing) CSV in Excel, did nothing but save it under a new filename, and voila, it works. <br/><br/>The re-exported file is also ~25% smaller. Clearly the CSV import in Excel strips out a lot of crap that Excel leaves in when you save a workbook as CSV.<br/><br/>Sigh...<br/><br/>#ITfail 2026-09-08T01:58:30Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsqe8jqr5zyvgy3l670smkj64luj65n30fdhnjcvanvskypvwrcksqzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmulv8u04 #WordWeavers for 7th September, 2026<br/><br/>7. Describe a moment when one of your characters realises they’ve made a terrible mistake.<br/><br/>The easiest example is the follow-on from my answer from the 3rd, when Jirn (a labourer) realises he has just confessed to a criminal act that resulted in someone’s death – a potential capital offence in this world. 2026-09-06T23:43:04Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsyak39mkwqh8l7989c6swfavamwgev9s7g9an7v9x533d7064rxfqzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmu3eq3a7 #WordWeavers for 6th September, 2026<br/><br/>6. What is your MC hilariously bad at?<br/>Sometimes Illara is very bad at reading others’ emotions. She doesn’t do all that badly, on the whole, but occasionally makes very embarrassing mistakes.<br/><br/>Like all of us, really. 😉 2026-09-05T23:52:23Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqspwgfrwwqmwmraehqwnpgk6swp7kzsdymmgplfu6dm3x5mzqpqh2czyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmuuj52yp In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsw3tf3js45ryfzrku3yajhnl4kt85aedch2s3sr6s59tqcw3ncn3ssa9dx8'>nevent1q…9dx8</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>mostly that the accused thought he was defending himself, but he admitted to a lethal assault. <br/><br/>It&#39;s a stretch, but it&#39;s all I had. 2026-09-05T09:05:16Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqstpafavqa4ectev0n7suqmds5luh63tmtv49puqzkjv29erj3fptqzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmura85kc Good ol&#39; Word online... Despite having the same font settings, every paragraph looks different. Different size, different typeface. <br/>Why anyone would voluntarily use this software is beyond me. <br/>#ITfail #CorporateLife #MicroSlop 2026-09-04T05:54:37Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsfqmt8u5v8c6sslmzyc0jdez34y82dv72yytsxkzre0vskxsq3h9gzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmup0klgv In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs9rdzym68mw3pmwzn7yz3c33hagzwv0uu97l49qrsp5hx70y8zatqct79pc'>nevent1q…79pc</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>I definitely wouldn&#39;t have had an answer for this prompt, if not for that one scene with the Earl sitting in judgement... 2026-09-04T05:47:44Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsq2qvaks3fjljeeu2cgc2tmgn8msyk32s8nek4l56zyyamdluq9xszyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmuq0nafa #WordWeavers for 3rd September, 2026<br/><br/>3.Share a line from your WIP that reveals more than the speaker intended.<br/><br/>The Earl turned his attention back to Jirn and leaned forward slightly. “You admit you intended to use your knife upon him, to inflict a wound?”<br/><br/>“Not a serious one, m’lord! Just a cut, on his face, like, t’ teach ‘im a lesson!”<br/><br/>“And yet he is dead, by the knife you wielded.” He leaned back, sitting upright in the chair, the full force of his gaze bearing down on the prisoner. “You have stated that you intended to cause injury with your blade — and a man lies dead as a result. Now that you have admitted your guilt, you must pay the price.” 2026-09-03T09:47:53Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs9mu3jqcv27626w28ewlhjra6alze6e26suh46msemz5g2jxvz77szyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmu9uvkky #WordWeavers for 2nd September, 2026<br/><br/>2. What would your MC notice first upon entering a crowded room?<br/><br/>It would depend a lot on what sort of crowd it was. I daresay, though, that one of the first things she’d notice lately would be the ripple that spread out from nearby, as people noticed her and acknowledged her presence. She has picked up a bit of a reputation, after the adventures of the last few books. 2026-09-02T10:51:11Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsv7e7sxarr2wqf67r7wk6wy0cm3nu5x4phqwgu9dx5c9fsr2m2j7czyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmuheq78s #WordWeavers for 1st September, 2026<br/><br/>1. What is something your MC desperately wants but would never admit to wanting?<br/><br/>Hmm. What would Illara desperately want?<br/><br/>Well, she desperately wants her family. She misses them terribly. She is so well-supported emotionally by the dragon bond, though, that she doesn’t even consciously realise it. She does figure that out by the end of this story, though. 2026-09-01T11:21:28Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqswjan35j78sp0el7k5ygu6q6gwwkeu3uselln4am9ku4ngk0zj38qzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmujlsduc &#34;Why does that skyscraper have that weird shape on the top?&#34;<br/><br/>&#34;Oh, that&#39;s the city&#39;s protective ward. It&#39;s angled toward the West to catch as much of the afternoon sun as possible to energise it.&#34;<br/><br/>&#34;Ward?!&#34;<br/><br/>&#34;Yeah. Keeps things nice and quiet at night. And safe.&#34;<br/><br/>&#34;Safe from what?&#34;<br/><br/>&#34;You... Don&#39;t wanna know.&#34;<br/><br/>#microfiction #tootfic 2026-08-31T22:53:24Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs8925j45vtj7es2apz8falpnkhjjcxnyydkfdrwdv6wh56a86tr2qzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmugfd7fn #WordWeavers for 31st August, 2026<br/><br/>31. What&#39;s one thing you hope readers remember long after they finish your story?<br/><br/>I hope they remember the characters. I hope that I have done well enough with my writing that they feel like I’m telling a story about people who could have been real, somewhere, sometime... 2026-08-30T22:53:36Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsqct2087ps888twjk33jq2eccqmq6whqgv8tr3j6vxv3zg8laqjvszyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmue8rqsa #WordWeavers for 30th August, 2026<br/><br/>30. If you could interview one of your characters over coffee, what would be the first question you asked?<br/><br/>I genuinely don’t know. These characters live in my head, and I know their stories well. What would I ask them that I didn’t already know, or hadn’t already dealt with in the stories?<br/><br/>I am at a bit of a loss for answering this one. It&#39;s not how my mind works. (Also, I&#39;m a terrible conversationalist!) 2026-08-30T02:10:40Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsxp30hy3gyjsn8899qmspc3jw58e5vn3qwke8v054p57ve4keqhvqzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmu7sv2dj #WordWeavers for 29th August, 2026<br/><br/>29. What writing accomplishment are you quietly proud of?<br/><br/>Actually finishing not one, but five novels!<br/>I’ll let others be the judge of whether they’re any good, but, six hundred and something thousand words later, I think I’ve done alright. 2026-08-29T01:47:50Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs2r4wtke9lplu7qfe6255wh0cawd34da906l869gqk99d82ny63cczyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmuk80l4m #WordWeavers for 28th August, 2026<br/><br/>28. What&#39;s one question you&#39;re still trying to answer about your story?<br/><br/>Will people buy it?<br/><br/>(I should probably actually publish it, then I might find out, eh? 😏) 2026-08-28T02:33:46Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsx9mwkrxxn2rws7ln0yzwjsxrpqg50ue6fr9vdjkjw4qjve6929zqzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmuqydfvc #WordWeavers for 27th August, 2026<br/><br/>27. Which character would win a trivia contest?<br/><br/>Out of all the characters I have written, I’d say Baron Ginen would have the broadest knowledge base, thanks to a fine education and a well-developed sense of curiosity. He’d be most likely to win a general trivia contest. There are certainly people within the stories who have very deep knowledge of certain fields, but I think Ginen would win on average score over a broad range of topics.<br/><br/>Unless it’s like the trivia competition I attended at a pub some years ago, where Question One was “Here’s four video clips of surfers riding waves. Which one of these was the coolest?”<br/>I have no idea what the rest of the questions were like, our entire table just ignored it after that opening (as did several others). 2026-08-27T02:25:15Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqszlwpync48etmn6y45w4chcy0785sn8r6l795g0jzwrsvkjrj26jczyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmue4sva5 #WordWeavers for 26th August, 2026<br/><br/>26. What weather best matches your current work in progress?<br/><br/>Near the end of the story, it’s pretty bleak for the MC, so something dark with heavy clouds, gusting winds wreaking havoc, heavy drops of rain splashing on the ground…<br/><br/>By the end of the story, though, the storm is breaking, and there’s a broadening line of blue on the horizon. 2026-08-26T07:48:17Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs88cg8g7xmelk4q74cdcqm4juye7mlql0vwh9q9ea3dq6dcxs7wlgzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmugpypxm In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqszuppua72qet4vja6a0rc9j0l8yyc08efm8xam4lfmmem3kwzvfcchkzmnt'>nevent1q…zmnt</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>making a suit of chainmail? 😏 2026-08-25T05:40:42Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqspdpk22q6zyltnpgjxu9dtx8lhmg3e248tq2e3t2e9wqsxjvq4jsgzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmulk6ccv #WritersCoffeeClub for 21st August 2026<br/><br/>21. What’s a mistake you see a lot of writers make when writing about people with your lived experience?<br/><br/>I tend to read mostly fantasy and sci-fi, so this question is not really relevant in many ways.<br/>I am Australian, though, and I’m sure we’ve all seen some of the absolutely *atrocious* representations of Australians in various media.<br/>I mean, we don’t spend *all* our time wrestling crocodiles and running from dropbears and murderbirds… sometimes we’re busy looking after our pet spiders! 2026-08-22T02:10:07Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs2vnpyhds2cnfcwyuhtfe9hv6n9l9dudgym6x390ex4ets9wqe2ugzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmuqjja88 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs8jwmt6lgpug56nz5qlf53tpw4a00nn9x0ykw4ct8g80pxqxnhz8czdze8w'>nevent1q…ze8w</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>yep!<br/><br/>... Don&#39;t tell my boss, but sometimes there would be &#39;really bad traffic driving home from the school run&#39;... 😆 2026-08-01T23:17:04Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs2vhu4s77rm3snmftllgh38j69280mg9c2eww4nrdjgcmks3vnafczyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmukkukqs In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsxwrz97dwv8raueyqck9zw2gragdjy55dzqwd843542dnxknrv8ys2tfkrk'>nevent1q…fkrk</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>I used to get so many good ideas driving home from dropping the kids at school in the morning, when I was WFH. The problem is then I&#39;d really be in the mood for writing, right when I was supposed to log in to the work PC... 😑 2026-07-31T23:05:46Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqszl4prguu6kll4u3jmw7hhak874tl7w4kut0eaq5zuwd4r2vscckqzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmuk6jd8w #PennedPossibilities 1086 — How do you find your inspiration? (Do you enjoy nature, books, games, films, shows, or all of the above?)<br/><br/>Yes.<br/><br/>To elaborate: inspiration comes from anywhere and everywhere. All of our experiences go into the great mixing pot in our minds whence inspiration comes.<br/><br/>I do agree, though, that quiet thinking time is the best time to synthesise all these inputs into new ideas. Time spent away from the attention-consuming reality of modern life, even if it&#39;s only a few minutes. 2026-07-31T00:20:12Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsyad5xgu404r5rxvy5rlw829f2zwswgw9khm5udz8trkcge7ktenszyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmuqczkg6 Wandering Shop Stories #wss366 for 30th July 2026: Proof<br/><br/>“You have no proof!”<br/><br/>The Chancellor leaned forward over his desk, his bushy eyebrows waggling as he looked at the nervous student standing in front of him.<br/><br/>“Professor Vinis makes a point, young man. You have levelled a very serious accusation against her. One would hope you have some evidence? Extraordinary evidence, I should think, given the gravity of the situation.”<br/><br/>“Well…”<br/><br/>“You see?” Vinis crowed, standing triumphant, leaning back so that her long nose pointed like an accusation at the trembling figure who cowered before the Chancellor’s desk. “He has nothing!” She shook her head. “I am sorry to have bothered you with this, Chancellor Smythe. If you wish, I shall handle the disciplinary action. I believe I can determine a most… suitable… punishment.”<br/><br/>“Yes, well,” the Chancellor said, the corner of his mouth turning up. Punishment of students was something for which Professor Vinis had quite the reputation. “Nothing permanent, mind you. He’ll need to graduate in the spring. Assuming he passes his exams.”<br/><br/>“Of course, Chancellor,” Vinis purred as she moved in on the hapless undergrad. “I shall ensure sufficient motivation is provided.”<br/>She gripped the back of his neck and steered him out of the door before his spluttering could cause any more trouble. The moment they were a dozen steps down the hall, she released him and shoved him backwards against the wall.<br/><br/>“You fool!” she hissed. “The only reason the witch-hunters tolerate the university is because Smythe is one of them. And you tried to tell him I’m a witch!”<br/><br/>“But… the law…”<br/><br/>“Silence!” she snarled, glaring at him. “The law be damned. There’s a reason the plague has spared our corner of the kingdom, and it’s not because of some god-forsaken ancient law the Queen wants to abolish, but dare not!”<br/><br/>His eyes widened. “You mean...”<br/><br/>Her eyes narrowed. “We have a royal charter. Letters of marque. And you nearly ruined it all!”<br/>She crossed her arms and tapped the toe of her right shoe. “I think the ladies in advanced transmogrification could do with a guinea pig. A few days spent as one might teach you a little humility!”<br/>A look of horror filled the student’s face, and he let out a squeak as Vinis raised a hand and snapped her fingers. She looked down at him, then bent down and picked him up with a hand around his belly. He squeaked again, and paws scrabbled wildly at the air.<br/>“Oh, stop complaining,” she said brusquely as she strode down the hall, heels clicking on the tiles. “I could have turned you into a frog and given you to the anatomy class. They’d be able to patch you back together again afterwards, but you would *not* enjoy the process...”<br/><br/>#tootfic #microfiction 2026-07-30T12:01:41Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsfw6cmwmtf73jlqh5fdukrrszjfahfealejqku4jp99rexrc88nmszyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmuuutyp4 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs2w7g8hysgwwv76gxa2ezv32nffwg03k6fu35hsa9907j09ds7vwgyauymv'>nevent1q…uymv</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>I have to say, that lecture at uni was a bit uncomfortable, but the practical lab session afterwards was a lot of fun. 😉 2026-07-22T21:06:39Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs20hknf7hrtm2rrq09m79ty374f3yaaxmfw8z7vmk4rvjqulekmyczyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmuqjmztj In a surprise to no-one...<br/><br/>&#34;Australia&#39;s system of privatised employment services is structurally broken and its prized federal contracts are being used to enrich millionaires and private equity firms, a new report argues.&#34;<br/><br/><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07-21/private-equity-profits-as-job-system-fails-workers-report-finds/106920430">https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07-21/private-equity-profits-as-job-system-fails-workers-report-finds/106920430</a> 2026-07-21T07:03:37Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs985yrpldsz6vjszem2uhhc7qr36ph0kewyyd8pzkddlqqgkdn5yszyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmuhn6huy In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsfkna6r35jfh9he05r0hazwqyu5r3lu0lat5ptqpmj8smndhth87swaqt77'>nevent1q…qt77</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>I love it! That last panel could make a great t-shirt. Change the wording to &#34;You had to roll a one!&#34; and it&#39;d be nicely self-contained. 2026-04-08T21:22:18Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsv2yah82usn9x4mgeehazxnwa2qzxg2fwu0w720t5hxe2ytttulkqzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmuhxz3x5 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsxwwwetm9tda9du03j8hmr44nen2wft0uyxwut4q6ml693cewnk9su0s4rx'>nevent1q…s4rx</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Yeah, good point. I know Quebec has pushed for independence in the past, but is there a currently active separatist movement there?<br/>(Not that the nutters to the south would want people who didn&#39;t speak &#39;American&#39;, anyway) 2026-01-29T22:50:09Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs884xz3mpw78v60aqvtp8nc28gcfz603nch7js85w2ggc53ze6g5czyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmuuum7cp In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsfw4fm7978jswkl87j29h4mu70hv7t5n3jq7le6f0f9xhr34fd6kq78dqdr'>nevent1q…dqdr</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>How... coincidental... that the only Canadian province with a &#39;separatist&#39; movement is the one with all the oil... 2026-01-29T21:36:03Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsf233x79aea0q8tclujw3k0m02st7yxu89jqkpt4c6ygewm55grkszyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmuz630cm In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqszvj3k6myavk6hutvetvaen3g9gtf0z8ws0t9l9hz0w540dtkw8ychgpvwd'>nevent1q…pvwd</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Q: is it kid friendly? Wondering if my tribe might like it. 2025-12-22T06:47:01Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqstjlg9n5efvd53fsjpu4ve85qtjcy9shkjt9rmsda8vehaux2puggzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmu5v0d3l Well, shit. 😡<br/><br/>I guess my Shure SRH840s don&#39;t have a steel reinforcement inside the headband. 🤬<br/><br/>I was just thinking, as I picked them up, that I bought these when I was reviewing some sensitive noise monitoring data in 2016, and they&#39;ve lasted really well, and - &lt;snap&gt;<br/><br/>That&#39;s the second headband assembly. The first broke at the hinge just left of that break, which, yes, is all plastic. This one I managed to stick together with super glue when it broke in exactly the same place a few years later. Clearly a deficient design (or perhaps a good one, if you&#39;re thinking like a CEO trying to boost sales...)<br/><br/>Great sound quality from these &#39;phones, a decently flat frequency response (what I needed for my work) and pretty good isolation due to being closed-back. Shame about the corners being cut on the headband construction. 🤬<br/><br/>Guess I&#39;ll need to look at what&#39;s available today in closed-back headphones with flat frequency response and no thumping bass boost. Any suggestions? #askfedi<br/> <img src="https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/115/721/676/954/936/882/original/ff00b216d83892f3.png"> <br/> 2025-12-15T04:36:29Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqst9s5yrzngdnrqt7ah0dj48vgdsdemkmn8gmwqm879zkf33lfqscgzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmupf70m6 Writers’ Coffee Club for 13th December 2025<br/><br/>13. What have you written for another writer?<br/><br/>Well, there are some of the snippets I’ve shared for WordWeavers, WritersCoffeeClub, and Penned Possibilities hashtags – some of those are extracts from the WIP, others were written in response to the prompts. There are the shorts I’ve written in response to the Wandering Shop Stories prompts. And a couple of other random Tootfics. My primary audience here is other writers, I think, so there you go, I’ve written them for other writers.<br/>#WritersCoffeeClub 2025-12-13T02:09:43Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs9vs5637jnhucu247es57y2wn7ucaed3glazjcsqnf8jmhed4xhqszyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmucynkf9 WordWeavers for 4th December, 2025<br/><br/>4. What’s the worst thing about the world of your story?<br/><br/>That someone, somewhere, once figured out how to summon demons.<br/>Very bad things have happened as a consequence of that one act. The reverberations are still echoing off the mountains thousands of years later, and this story will not signify their end (though as I’ve currently planned it, my current MC helps ensure that they die out permanently).<br/>#WordWeavers 2025-12-03T23:08:48Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqszy2863rufcjn4pcctggzsaynywd8wkc5qx43dxm0hgrcnlfrls9szyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmusyglmv In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs0yllptrwgxqsekvj579mmut7aweeez7sdkm6y8c3x2yzzlndqkwsmkgdem'>nevent1q…gdem</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>&#34;...and more than half of Congress are trying to help him...&#34; 2025-11-15T12:25:08Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs0832zga4z5dh4vnhpwcy9vvtawvcgn4kryunvrflrda6zr6kuwpszyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmunylkx2 Well, I have just downloaded a copy of Scrivener to try it out for the 30-day free trial (30 days of use, not 30 calendar days, which is a very generous distinction for them to make!)<br/><br/>I have no idea if it will suit me any better than LibreOffice Writer (my current tool of choice), but we&#39;ll see.<br/><br/>#AmWriting #WritingCommunity 2025-11-10T10:39:16Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsxt96apetxq4vyl6xxvxl7td6n33c68j77xt4wy6598mmam85evmczyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmuql8jm8 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsg29zrycatxt2dwdxg6clevrkmhway4le3j2m6kprn32mslehtv3chm2q8v'>nevent1q…2q8v</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>And it took the Telstra router a full minute to realise something was wrong. And another thirty seconds to switch over to the 4G fallback. 2025-10-30T00:00:46Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsg29zrycatxt2dwdxg6clevrkmhway4le3j2m6kprn32mslehtv3czyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmu9tu67u Oh, yay, my NBN connection is up and down like a yoyo today...<br/>🫩 2025-10-29T23:55:21Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs2hyexhwtj23d6cw9r4uwhdg4mdmrch45ds5uwlf2shfqqccuzw5qzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmu28targ In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsx40rj3wnn38gdn9a3csmtcwpre89p2zxzrvutn9x3l7mkavp57wqt97kgc'>nevent1q…7kgc</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>my 10yo said &#34;immortality would be bad, because when the earth gets destroyed you&#39;ll end up floating in space, suffocating and freezing, but unable to die&#34;<br/><br/>🤔 2025-10-17T09:18:51Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsrezare3wt4ef4ph0w8d7g27qkracgp5y505hz87y3m48na03phfczyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmulsrmx5 &#34;What&#39;s in the bag?&#34;<br/><br/>I gave the nice lady at the customs desk a wry smile.<br/><br/>&#34;You wouldn&#39;t believe me if I told you.&#34;<br/><br/>She didn&#39;t smile.<br/><br/>&#34;Sir, I will ask you one more time. What. Is. In. The. Bag?&#34;<br/><br/>I grimaced. &#34;Mind if I show you instead? It&#39;s kind of hard to explain.&#34;<br/><br/>Her eyes narrowed.<br/><br/>&#34;Sir, step back away from the bag.&#34;<br/><br/>I nodded and took a step backwards. Two heavily-armed goons approached from the side and loomed over me. I ignored them as the customs officer unzipped the top of the #bag and gingerly looked inside.<br/><br/>Her eyebrows tried to climb up beneath her felt cap.<br/><br/>&#34;I don&#39;t believe it...&#34; she whispered.<br/><br/>&#34;Told ya!&#34; I muttered beneath my breath.<br/><br/>She looked back up at me and grinned. The way a shark would, when it spotted its next meal.<br/><br/>&#34;Sir, I&#39;m going to need to see some paperwork. Class Four universes are highly restricted.&#34;<br/><br/>I let the smile creep back onto my face. She really knew her stuff! I gave my jacket pocket a confident pat.<br/><br/>&#34;I&#39;ve got all the permits right here, ma&#39;am. And that&#39;s actually a research-grade Class Six. We see promising signs of intelligent life forming on one of the planets...&#34;<br/><br/>#wss366 #writing #microfiction #tootfic 2025-09-14T12:42:14Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsp5mz3kqtd73wgpfpzgr5h5kjms53fj9heyvp22nujgg0fss9f9kczyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmujd6m8a Kidlet was tasked to &#34;write a creative story&#34; in their biochem class yesterday. Didn&#39;t realise they would potentially have to read theirs out to the class, so they decided to have fun. 😆 <br/><br/>I present to you:<br/><br/>&#39;A Day in the Life of Yeast&#39;<br/><br/>My name is Fungi Ascomycota Saccharomycetes Saccharomycetales Saccharomycetaceae Saccharomyces Cerevisiae. This morning I woke up in a dark container void of happiness or joy. I am a mere fungus, born to live out my life within these paper walls, piled atop my brethren like so many discarded parts. Here I came to life and here will I die.<br/><br/>Light slams into the retinas of my non-existent blue orbs and had I nerves or muscles I would flinch away from it. Instead I can do nothing as it sears every fibre of my very being. The world tilts, manipulated by some greater being, some gamemaster that designed my fate only to sell me off to the group of mediocre white boys with the absurdest sum of money. My petite frame slips from the hell of the packet and I am falling through the air – floating, for I am too light for even gravity to care about me.<br/><br/>I land among the looming forms of grains, mangled in preparation for us and towering above my tiny, 0.000005 metre frame. There is no oxygen around me, and I cannot breathe. Despite this, ravenous hunger hits me, and I begin to consume the grains around me in violent anaerobic respiration (actually its fermentation but I don’t expect anyone to care enough to know the difference), so violently that the other yeast particles shy away in shock despite their larger sizes. They begin to decompose with the force of my hunger and I am suddenly surrounded by sugars. I will not, cannot stop lest the overwhelming hunger consumes me. I continue, though I<br/>choke on the bitter lack of air that is my fate.<br/><br/>Ethyl alcohol pools around me as I deconstruct the very substance of the grains that surround me, and sweet energy fuels my non-existent veins, spurring me on. I am flooded with the<br/>ethanol, and yet, although my tiny frame seeks to float on the top of the fruits of my labours, I struggle with all my might downwards and continue to feast.<br/><br/>I did not notice it grow dark but now light pierces my poor, assaulted, nonextant blue orbs. My hard work, my alcohol, floods out through the hole in my newest prison, and now I am alone with the husks of the food I fermented. Now the ethyl alcohol will be consumed by many white boys who buy more teenage yeasts from their evil mothers, and I am discarded like old news.<br/><br/>#writing #microfic #tootfic 2025-09-09T21:20:45Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsguemzrd5lgyxxnz06qhjqrh3fyaqmjrj058fpa9e978uh6gz7j8gzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmuqg0at8 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs2z5lwd26v2d9t2h59g7594lmfultvdszpns7cd62f3z6q5ke23egycu2kj'>nevent1q…u2kj</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>I&#39;m less worried about AI doing my job and more worried about the C-levels replacing me with AI because they believe the marketing bullshit claims about what AI can do. 2025-08-15T01:41:07Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqst6dpm7mh93g9scxyk8xv9szpuu8qq7v5lfha8r5n943v0hy43p4gzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmuetrwez Come into the office, they said. <br/>You need to connect with your team, they insisted.<br/><br/>Our office has hot-desking, and you have to book a desk. <br/><br/>A third of the area allocated to my team has been booked by people from a different team, and the nearest available desk is on the opposite side of the building. I may bump into one of my team members in the lift, but otherwise won&#39;t see them all day.<br/><br/>So, you know, I could be just as effective working from home, without the two hours of commute time. 😡<br/><br/>#corporateLife 2025-07-15T00:55:05Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqswaf823xcpdlruwyanpn5nrjnjm0447vk3ps45las34ncjjwtghsczyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmu38720x I find myself inordinately excited this morning to learn that the first trailer for Project Hail Mary has dropped. <br/><br/>The snippets shown are quite faithful to the book, but we&#39;ll see how the rest of it goes. Will definitely be going to the cinema for this one!<br/><br/><a href="https://youtu.be/m08TxIsFTRI">https://youtu.be/m08TxIsFTRI</a> 2025-07-01T00:03:21Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsq660wlp8exyxc3tujrjqvjjvnulj40pasdhxzg4kw0c45mue5u3szyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmuspa2t4 It is the 27th of May. Literally four days before the first month of winter. 😵‍💫<br/><br/>29 is a full five degrees above the average for the whole of May (and it&#39;s supposed to be cooling over the month, not getting warmer!) and warmer than the highest temp ever recorded at my local weather station in June.<br/><br/>When winter proper arrives, it&#39;s gonna be a hell of a shock!<br/> <img src="https://mediacdn.aus.social/media_attachments/files/114/576/266/837/694/161/original/ec3d31d587b3ad89.png"> <br/> 2025-05-26T21:37:29Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsgttxkdjmv8vw4kgj4ydt6u6mq2fzg4mhkrfd9vv657c69vpg0hqgzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmu4gqc6w Brisbane &amp; SE Qld peeps, don&#39;t forget to:<br/>- charge all the things that need charging <br/>- clear up the clutter outside the house<br/>- secure the things (like trampolines) that can&#39;t be put away<br/>- shut down your wormhole generators. I know it might be an uncomfortable few days without the aircon sinking all that excess heat into Pluto&#39;s core, but we do *not* want another liquid nitrogen flood like the one during the storm of 2045...<br/><br/>#microfiction #tootfiction 2025-03-03T07:24:18Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsql2xw69v5fh6qpzkx7mgcsqyzueerqykg3s5f2ndeu7d6spyrclczyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmug4xqf9 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsd2a0ngx8drt4f9l4rzqrw7n6z2p974e587axshhvzgfpkqhp5tpsg6shp6'>nevent1q…shp6</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>🤦‍♂️<br/>I take it all back. I don&#39;t understand that dial... 😏 2025-01-14T09:01:26Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsxscjlmasg6xtjunx5lkh0mt8vdx5g2s97mqchdr2zqr5gr9089aqzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmu9c09sy In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsp858qp3h7k3dasf5zrd9fexxpvwy803ljy53gjp4x2gpnczcy3fcrg0tt9'>nevent1q…0tt9</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>it&#39;s definitely confusing. <br/><br/>A bit like the power setting on my toaster. It goes from 1-6, but ~2.5 leaves the bread black on the outside (and we&#39;re not talking particularly dry bread here). Even really moist sourdough is nicely toasted at that point. I struggle to think of a use case for any setting over three... 2025-01-13T23:27:15Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqszwwwqws9rlatpanqz9xw4675x4yzw6px4ya4qn76wzpy9ctm9ccgzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmuhwnq8v In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsdennplt4sfhzqr42fmte36l3j35dqzrn836u8d0w8zc7thqw3ndskgelpu'>nevent1q…elpu</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>Sure. As I see it, the &#39;o&#39; marking at the bottom is the set point, and the dial is currently set to ~2.3 or so. The tapering line and the high/low markings are to give you an idea of which direction to turn it to increase / decrease the setting, and are, IMHO, entirely superfluous and confusing, because for most people, 3 is higher than 2, so if you put the 3 next to the mark, it&#39;ll be a higher setting...<br/><br/>Actually, I take back my earlier comment. I don&#39;t think an engineer designed this dial... they&#39;d run through the same thought process I just did above, and delete either the numbers on the dial or the tapering line markings. Probably the tapering line, because knowing what it&#39;s currently set on (which the numbers give you) is probably more important than just knowing which way to turn it to increase / decrease the setting. 2025-01-13T23:14:42Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsp42qm4nval8zlu5chncvn7drd4uj00jp6kwrxnh85xxc6fav2zvqzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmutawnp6 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs9qsywmdpfqrql6kfavrhyyx3psllwfy28d3l20rjkydks02kse0shpfdxv'>nevent1q…fdxv</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>as an engineer, I can readily work out what that dial is saying, but holy crap did they not do *any* UX testing outside the engineering department? 2025-01-13T22:36:42Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsf236dhjntmvh3a6sdth2uh6jw8gquufyp8lad8wsfu2kmx53gk4szyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmuemxdx8 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsdg6jfy3t40a26uuzmjjsxej8twrzq39cl22gjc2k84xckz670s5q05zyfk'>nevent1q…zyfk</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>I looked at one in a shop, and the colours reminded me of 70s / early 80s vintage comic books. A bit under saturated, but still pretty good. <br/><br/>I&#39;ve seen a few comments recently though from people complaining that the text is not as sharp as the monochrome screens. Sounds like they might have just been a bit picky. 😏 2024-12-05T08:12:09Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsxprwjguu0yaed0akvusurclfgww8fs4k686v8wdzpw52f5wgy9zczyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmudhv7p2 In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqs2z36gwmwsvlxnarcjmexyvuedeyjfphk2260dcckn8krsrl42ajs7ggv3j'>nevent1q…gv3j</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>how&#39;s the clarity of the colour screen? I love my older-gen Libra, and am contemplating upgrading to the colour one 2024-12-05T05:21:42Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsr507dn02gmwy59s09cf754vhs09uw6utz6eqfwwf9yjnc377u2fczyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmu8qc8hs In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsws86u8qk2y3m3dwx96xhyd6tskdvmmuf5ez88jjgv3galhxy4arqj5k37e'>nevent1q…k37e</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>It&#39;s great to see a bit of transparency around their pricing games...<br/><br/>Does that website scrape prices from the online shops of ColesWorths? I looked up a dairy free Magnum icecreams (being a treat I buy fairly regularly for my dairy-intolerant wife &amp; son), and it showed a more-or-less constant price for the past two months, and I know I&#39;ve seen the price fluctuate up and down a lot over that time in my local Woollies (mostly down, when Aldi had some stocked at the same price as the &#34;half price&#34; for Woollies) 2024-10-28T00:04:02Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqsg95424xmuucfrgqq005umvwk0aa7g4pcyuhx8k6hp5dgakt8y88czyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmun7s5hs So, if you do have to shop at Colesworths, make sure you only buy stuff when it&#39;s &#34;on special&#34;.<br/><br/>I loved the quote from Woollies about how it&#39;s the suppliers who set the prices. I thought everyone knew that Colesworths dictated pricing strategies to their suppliers, a la &#34;nice shelf placement you&#39;ve got for your products there, be a shame if something happened to it...&#34;<br/><br/>(And, yes, some products I buy that are found only on the very top or bottom shelf exhibit none of this price variability bullshit)<br/><br/>&#34;Grocery prices at Coles and Woolworths go up and down. What&#39;s behind the pattern? - ABC News&#34;<br/><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-26/coles-woolworths-supermarket-price-specials-cost-of-living/104470674">https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-26/coles-woolworths-supermarket-price-specials-cost-of-living/104470674</a> 2024-10-27T23:14:21Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs23lsl23wgsz0urtyxgn9exke8q95skyx62ppym9uzrpf5eug2v7qzyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmu3tje0l In reply to <a href='/nevent1qqsp9zku688kn6wka4jw5gng85lzcz5jkfr5tsq0rrr9yakcpvjw6ss95mssh'>nevent1q…mssh</a><br/>_________________________<br/><br/>to be fair, *all* US car manufacturer CEOs think like this. I once sat in a vehicle engineering meeting where it was announced that management had decided to delete the water management trough beneath the windscreen, because they wanted to include a diesel engine option, and the particular engine they chose wouldn&#39;t fit in the engine bay... 🙄 2024-09-30T05:41:35Z https://nostr.now/nevent1qqs0rknzcdqxh5qr72s34y8zkrqjkkc058xvd3jjr9z2z3zsu8ph2jczyr2fql3nsc29eu2fxldeg83c9efvlvp9ey9qujzpsz8fm2j3ynvmumht8nm Writers’ Coffee Club for 20th September 2024<br/><br/>20. how do you commemorate hitting a milestone?<br/><br/>I annoy my friends and the people here on mastodon with screenshots of wordcounts and the like… 😉 <br/><br/>#WritersCoffeeClub 2024-09-20T02:28:13Z