Nostr notes by Dilman Dila

Nice list. Seeing films I should look into, especially Silent ...

2026-10-30T13:35:26Z

In reply to nevent1q…x52a
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Nice list. Seeing films I should look into, especially Silent Running,

Thanks! Getting into it now 😊

2026-10-29T16:49:10Z

In reply to nevent1q…2jw0
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Thanks! Getting into it now 😊

My new short story where I explore the relationship between ...

2026-10-28T10:15:50Z

My new short story where I explore the relationship between Chinese and East Africans in the 14th-15th century, and my latest obsession: space travel in a culture that doesn't have our kind of technology, no human-generated electricity, and perhaps no wheel. Anyway, enjoy it. It is free to read in this website. (After writing The Blossoming of the Big Tree I think I'm getting bolder in exploring MCs who are anti-social)
https://www.theelephant.info/analysis/2026/09/23/the-song-in-a-teacup/

#writing #writingcommunity #sff #scifi

Thanks for the kind words! I read the translation of the review, ...

2026-10-28T05:00:51Z

In reply to nevent1q…nu8v
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Thanks for the kind words! I read the translation of the review, it's useful feedback. Sorry about it being short, I think I thrive best with shorter works but now getting into novels so future works will be fleshier.

The ousting is for the unrepentant, repeat offenders, or those who refuse mediation, I guess more text could make that clearer.

Kolo has three meanings, a mat, anger, a troublesome person, so not really a dirty word, just a way to say I'm angry or you trouble me.

I was talking to someone today about technology and jobs, and it ...

2026-10-27T17:08:32Z

I was talking to someone today about technology and jobs, and it struck us that in the 1920s there must have been a lot of opportunities for musicians, since movies didn't have sound and every cinema needed a live orchestra or something like that. This is sadly not a subject I've heard about much. Then when the talkies came all these musicians lost their jobs? Or is it that they just moved on the playing at the jazz pub around the corner from the cinema? Or did move on to film soundtracks?

This month I've not done much of my own personal work as I ...

2026-10-27T06:06:35Z

This month I've not done much of my own personal work as I was helping some people get started on their filmmaking careers. I do it through a collective I helped found [@SisiFilmCollective](https://sunny.garden/@SisiFilmCollective ) and it is always exciting to show someone the ropes. In this article you can meet the 13 folk, some of them were already established artists, others are just getting into things and learning every basic idea in art.

https://sisifilmcollective.org/sisi-film-lab-kampala-participants/

#fedifilm #fedifilmmakers #filmmaking

oh thanks for those warm words! Always good to wake up to such ...

2026-10-27T04:58:29Z

In reply to nevent1q…t04t
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oh thanks for those warm words! Always good to wake up to such toots.

And this reminds me to update my website, I started doing it a while back then got distracted.😊

I could watch an hour of this video, such fun 😊

2026-10-26T06:00:52Z

In reply to nevent1q…ydwj
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I could watch an hour of this video, such fun 😊

Wait. So there is another book club reading my book? This is a ...

2026-10-25T10:08:44Z

In reply to nevent1q…3jvp
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Wait. So there is another book club reading my book? This is a good day. 😁

That makes it three clubs that I know of, one of them being in Kampala.

Yay! This #SolarPunkSunday I just learned that my novella, The ...

2026-10-25T05:41:08Z

Yay! This #SolarPunkSunday I just learned that my novella, The Blossoming of the Big Tree, is the #SFFBookClub pick for November, so I'm excitedly waiting to see what discussions come up. It's the story of an old woman who coordinates the defense of her decentralized nation, which thrives in a post capitalist world.

Read a sample and get it here, or in major stores.
https://www.ododopress.com/novellas/the-blossoming-of-the-big-tree/

Here is the original announcement.
https://weirder.earth/@picklish/117480960032544259

#book #bookstodon #book #solarpunk #sff

Star Peace #OppositesAMovie #HashtagGames

2026-10-25T04:57:51Z

Star Peace

#OppositesAMovie
#HashtagGames

I'm reading this whole #php thing with a bit of cynicism, ...

2026-10-22T16:16:31Z

I'm reading this whole #php thing with a bit of cynicism, thinking it might be a marketing thing by big tech guys.

An interesting read! Thanks for the share. It reminds me of the ...

2026-10-22T13:11:29Z

In reply to nevent1q…j95k
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An interesting read! Thanks for the share.

It reminds me of the places in towns along the coast of East Africa and also Arabian/South Asian, where people meet to drink tea and socialize, notably Jaws Corner in Stone Town, Zanzibar; a lot of political talks happen in these places, though it is by ordinary folk drinking tea rather than elites drinking coffee.

Perhaps then it would be called a Soft Guy Book Club ...

2026-10-22T09:11:37Z

In reply to nevent1q…sg7v
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Perhaps then it would be called a Soft Guy Book Club ('_')

I contributed to this anthology, which is free to read and ...

2026-10-22T09:09:10Z

I contributed to this anthology, which is free to read and brought by a project called Applied African Science Fiction, where some academics in the UK use sci-fi in schools. My story in the collection is The Leafy Man, which tackles corporate greed - a biotech company releases a genetically modified mosquito to eradicate malaria, but the result is an apocalyptic horror show.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/16gddFf7AppNm-Q6Mxydg_B3MO1z4CYdL/view

#book #books #bookstodon

Spammers targeting writers are bringing to my attention stuff ...

2026-10-22T09:03:19Z

Spammers targeting writers are bringing to my attention stuff that I would not have known about, like the Tough Guy Book Club. Quiet a great idea and if I was a beer person I would perhaps start a chapter near me.

https://www.toughguybookclub.com

#writingcommunity

These days, the moment I get into an online meeting, I check if ...

2026-10-22T08:42:38Z

These days, the moment I get into an online meeting, I check if readai is part of the participants, and insist it gets booted off before the meeting can go on. I'm glad that almost always I get unanimous support from other attendees. Always check and boot out invasive bots.

Thanks, will look into it. I can always make time for a worthy ...

2026-10-21T01:33:08Z

In reply to nevent1q…0uf3
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Thanks, will look into it. I can always make time for a worthy cause 😊

I think this film is cursed. Every time we screen it to a live ...

2026-10-20T05:31:54Z

I think this film is cursed. Every time we screen it to a live audience in Kampala there is a glitch that happens. First, during a film festival in a proper cinema, well, everything went dark for a few seconds, interrupting the film. Now on Sunday at an informal screening, a black out happened, yet other houses in the neighbourhood were unaffected.

I made a cursed film 😭 (I should try screening it to a dead audience)

Watch it here https://tv.dilstories.com/w/pvjR9o3oNJMBLHHUm9kpqW
#halloween #horror #film

The good news I got this #SolarPunkSunday is that all the copies ...

2026-10-18T21:12:15Z

The good news I got this #SolarPunkSunday is that all the copies of my novella that I sent to PictCon sold out in two hours! I still have copies for you, and I think you'll enjoy this story set in a near future without capitalism, about a grumpy grandma who has to coordinate the defense of her decentralized nation against a colonizer, yet they have no army or weapons.

Read a sample and buy here: https://www.ododopress.com/novellas/the-blossoming-of-the-big-tree/

#solarpunk #books #bookstodon #sff #scifi

#silentsunday #sunset #nature ...

2026-10-18T06:39:37Z

#silentsunday #sunset #nature

I will test this tomorrow... but I can't get a timeline ...

2026-10-16T18:56:18Z

In reply to nevent1q…5ycg
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I will test this tomorrow... but I can't get a timeline exported as .otio to open in Davinci Resolve. It causes Resolve to crash, hope that can be worked on sometime.

gimp + krita encouraged me to ditch photoshop. Nowadays there is ...

2026-10-15T03:56:56Z

In reply to nevent1q…0trl
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gimp + krita encouraged me to ditch photoshop. Nowadays there is a Affinity and Davinci Resolve 21, these are not foss but still free with pro-level features abd functions.

This is a sweet song, thanks for it 😊

2026-10-13T18:10:22Z

In reply to nevent1q…p7wl
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This is a sweet song, thanks for it 😊

What song do you think this choir loves to sing? ...

2026-10-13T14:35:07Z

What song do you think this choir loves to sing?

This is depressing. Perfectly good alternatives to all Adobe have ...

2026-10-13T06:00:19Z

This is depressing. Perfectly good alternatives to all Adobe have existed for many years and are used at pro level, but someone hallucinates some code with claude (which I hear was trained on code of programs like gimp and inkscape) and suddenly everyone is raving about it being the end of Adobe, though the thing they praise is at best entry level stuff. But like other snake oil sellers, they claim it will get there, though their "in one month" is now "many months" #artcraft #foss

It is #halloween month and on 1st Nov I will re-release my first ...

2026-10-12T16:38:02Z

It is #halloween month and on 1st Nov I will re-release my first collection of stories, A Killing in the Sun. It has enough horror stories to keep you up and frightened all night, with monster mosquitoes, aliens, serial killers, zombies, and your favourite ghosts. The book is now on pre-order in all stores, but you can read a sample story here:
https://www.ododopress.com/short-story-collection/a-killing-in-the-sun/

#books #bookstodon #horror #sff #writing #writingcommunity #amreading

That article looks like an advert for Pangram, and now it starts ...

2026-10-12T06:08:57Z

In reply to nevent1q…x8ex
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That article looks like an advert for Pangram, and now it starts to feel more like a witch hunt against writers of colour.

One Cut For The Dead is a great one, one of my all time favourite ...

2026-10-11T00:38:27Z

In reply to nevent1q…vgwa
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One Cut For The Dead is a great one, one of my all time favourite films, but I think it is more comedy than horror. Perhaps a horromedy. 😊

Great on coming up with your own folk tales! I do that all the ...

2026-10-11T00:27:13Z

In reply to nevent1q…azh6
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Great on coming up with your own folk tales! I do that all the time though my culture has thousands of stories to borrow from. Folk tales were not meant to be static, but to be retold and adapted to different situations and peoples. IMHO It is not cultural appropriation if you get inspiration off a Native American (or other culture) folk tale to build your own. Using their clothings, hairstyles, etc, is the problem. But I think folk tales are in essence universal human stories.

Hare and the Hornbill is mostly folk tales by one of Uganda's ...

2026-10-08T20:26:08Z

In reply to nevent1q…t73z
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Hare and the Hornbill is mostly folk tales by one of Uganda's most famous writers, Okot p'Bitek https://archive.org/details/harehornbill0000pbit/page/82/mode/2up

I intend to sometime read The African and Baganda Oral Traditions: An Introduction, by Immaculate N Kizza, got it a while back but haven't sat down to it, but looks like it fits what you are looking for.

Also Keep My Words (not sure you can get it in Europe, though https://textbookcentre.com/shop/keep-my-words-eaep/ ) one of my best entertainments growing up

A couple other books you might enjoy, Twilight Tales of the Black ...

2026-10-08T20:08:07Z

In reply to nevent1q…wzxp
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A couple other books you might enjoy, Twilight Tales of the Black Baganda (very misleading title) was written by two Ugandans, but the translator, white woman, claimed ownership, though in her introduction she acknowledged their writing. Skip chapter 1-5 for racist texts!
https://archive.org/details/twilighttalesofb00fishrich/page/n11/mode/2up

The other book by a Ugandan in the 1900s and translated by another in the 1930s is Customs of the Baganda, has little of folk lore https://archive.org/details/customsofbaganda0022sira/page/n7/mode/2up (I can email pdf)

I should go see a shrink to understand why I like taking pictures ...

2026-10-08T09:08:16Z

I should go see a shrink to understand why I like taking pictures of the sky.

Why is there always a big cloud at sunset? ...

2026-10-07T15:53:23Z

Why is there always a big cloud at sunset?

I remember being whooped with a hockey stick for yawning in ...

2026-10-05T17:34:36Z

In reply to nevent1q…w70y
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I remember being whooped with a hockey stick for yawning in class. It was a math lesson and the teacher was the headmaster's wife, so he perhaps wasn't amused that I thought her class was so dreary

Nostr event nevent1qqstzlkv3aldyfqz9h6wgefcy4n3vy9n4rt4xygrp78ax8dtqca95lczyp85tsu6pth0vxvv7hjvr3z7adp770wuum53vmskclcw4ml6canv2pak7vs

2026-10-04T06:21:13Z

#silentsunday

( '_' ) (Ah, just seeing if I can recreate that)

2026-10-03T17:38:55Z

In reply to nevent1q…e72f
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( '_' )

(Ah, just seeing if I can recreate that)

Off season fruits are so annoying. Either bland or sour. All the ...

2026-10-02T16:16:02Z

Off season fruits are so annoying. Either bland or sour. All the fruits I bought this week, mangoes, pawpaw, pineapple, taste like their creator forgot about sugar. So I'm turning them into juice, at least that is drinkable.

And the pawpaw, I haven't met this species before, I'm used to all the seeds being stuffed together in one pouch in the middle, not in a ring of holes around a middle part that is hard...wtf did this come from?

Lack of sleep is making me grumpy and ranting about fruits.

Yesterday I gifted wallpapers to my patrons. I made them from the ...

2026-10-02T04:54:30Z

Yesterday I gifted wallpapers to my patrons. I made them from the cover of my new collection of short stories. These are some of the thank-you artworks I make for those who support me. Others include a new short story every month, an ebook regularly (at least once a quarter) and a print book once every six months. Yes, and a short film every so often (once a year at least).

https://www.patreon.com/dilstories/posts/rewards-eater-of-171150251

#patreon #crowdfunding #kickstarter #art #artist #fedigiftshop #writing #writingcommunity

You can cut a wine bottle )or any other bottle) and use the lower ...

2026-09-28T10:33:34Z

In reply to nevent1q…0hmj
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You can cut a wine bottle )or any other bottle) and use the lower half as a kind of lampshade when you put a candle in it, that will offer some protection to your papers (at least there is less risk of the candle falling and starting a fire) while also adding to the aesthetics to your desk. I did this for a film I once shot with only candlelight and it was cute. Rather than a bottle you can also use a tall glass.

Life hack. Sprinking salt on a candle increases its lifespan. It ...

2026-09-27T18:42:25Z

Life hack. Sprinking salt on a candle increases its lifespan. It but slower, and longer. I learned this as a kid, growing up with constant loadshedding and candles being a bit too pricey. These days candles are rare as people prefer eletric lights, the harsh blue of phone screens or flat brightness of torches, but there is a charm that candles give, making you think of warmth and solitude.

#lifehack #life #lifestyle

Had a good evening in a cramped artist studio for our monthly ...

2026-09-26T21:16:27Z

Had a good evening in a cramped artist studio for our monthly movie night, and the films were exciting. "It Was Just An Accident", a political thriller many people here thought was relatable, though in Iran, with security agents kidnapping and torturing innocent people. "Sister Midnight" started as a story about a boring and sexless arranged marriage, but became an artsy horror film (mild spoiler, sorry).

Always good to share great movies with others.

#WritersCoffeeClub 26 Sept: How does your faith feature in your ...

2026-09-26T09:23:20Z

#WritersCoffeeClub 26 Sept: How does your faith feature in your works?

Faith to mean what religious stuff you believe in? I think I believe in supernatural stuff, not religious; certain entities exist beyond this plane and they can influence our lives, but we don't worship them! We just acknowledge their existence and maybe bribe them with small gifts like grains or crumbs of bread or millet brew for blessings.

That stuff is in a lot of my work as such entities are used in computer code.

So I stumbled upon localwp as I searched for alternatives to ...

2026-09-26T07:59:04Z

So I stumbled upon localwp as I searched for alternatives to wordpress, and it seemed like a great option for an offline dashboard. But there was a software license, and I don't remember the last time I installed a software and had to agree to some license. Uninstalled soon afterwords, felt like a corporate free-for-now trap.

Now exploring publii to see if it can work for my blogging and other website needs, though I'm concerned that most features/themes are paywalled.

#wordpress #publii

#blender addons are a hit or miss. You buy one and it is a ...

2026-09-25T05:15:48Z

#blender addons are a hit or miss. You buy one and it is a lifesaver, you buy another and it feels like a scam for you could have easily used the functions that come with the software. A good thing blendermarket (I can't get used to superhive) has an easy way to ask for refunds.

RE: https://bookstodon.com/@ododopress/117324471061537506 So here ...

2026-09-24T19:30:13Z

RE: https://bookstodon.com/@ododopress/117324471061537506

So here is my third collection, and unlike the first two where the publishers largely picked the stories, I selected these, opting for a horror theme as I have a large stockpile of stories in that genre waiting to see the light of day. A lot are my earliest works so it will be exciting to revisit those ideas.

There is a sample story that will open the book, on this page, where you can also pre-order.

https://www.ododopress.com/short-story-collection/eater-of-happiness/

#amwriting #AmWritingSFF #books #bookstodon #sff #horror #art

quoting
note1w0k…tyyk

Cover reveal! I'm working on a new collection of short stories, which is on pre-order and will release on 1st January 27. They are mostly horror stories, some with familiar creatures like vampires and zombies, others with stuff you will perhaps be reading about for the first time. Most of the stories will be published for the very first time.

https://www.ododopress.com/blog/cover-reveal-the-eater-of-happiness/

#book #books #bookstodon #sff #Horror #writing #writingcommunity #blog #art

Fixed it. Turned out that the Really Simple Security plugin was ...

2026-09-24T11:11:53Z

In reply to nevent1q…rd5p
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Fixed it. Turned out that the Really Simple Security plugin was the cause, as they had added a new feature to enforce 2FA, so turning it off solved the problem

That is what I'm trying to figure out next, but will perhaps ...

2026-09-24T05:38:39Z

In reply to nevent1q…kpz3
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That is what I'm trying to figure out next, but will perhaps require support from bluehost agents as it is out of my knowledge base

I'm locked out of my own website. I set up 2FA but when I hit ...

2026-09-23T17:41:00Z

I'm locked out of my own website. I set up 2FA but when I hit send verification code to my email, the email never comes through so I can't log in....

There should be a less frustrating way to do websites other than #wordpress

:-((

Not sure what is happening, but wordpress dashboard is unbearably ...

2026-09-22T18:32:28Z

Not sure what is happening, but wordpress dashboard is unbearably slow. It takes me an hour or more to post a blog that should have taken 15 minutes or less. Most of the time I'm staring at the whitescreen of blankness. Tried talking to BlueHost but they say they can't find any issues. Now installing a caching plugin and see if it improves.

#wordpress

In some ways I can related. I watched Black Panther perhaps five ...

2026-09-22T08:28:02Z

In reply to nevent1q…g8mv
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In some ways I can related. I watched Black Panther perhaps five years after it was released, but mostly because I tend to ignore over-hyped stuff especially from Hollywood, knowing I will be disappointed as it is all marketing. But Jaws, yo, that's the thing they teach in film school, especially for anyone who wants to do visual effects or to show creatures in their films.

I wonder what people who receive my emails think, since I sign ...

2026-09-22T08:24:48Z

I wonder what people who receive my emails think, since I sign all with an emoticon :-)) sometimes instead of regards, or thanks... and even in professional emails. But I guess it's better than the reaction emojis I get from gmail people!

No way!

2026-09-21T20:14:22Z

In reply to nevent1q…ff8u
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No way!

Yay. I got paperback copies of my novella, The Blossoming of the ...

2026-09-20T08:15:35Z

Yay. I got paperback copies of my novella, The Blossoming of the Big Tree, in the UK, after another author offered to help sell indie books at cons around that country. So the first stop is PictCon in Scotland, 17th Oct, but if you won't attend and are in the UK and want a copy, email Kate via peachfieldpress(at)proton.me

If you are an indie author and want to consider their services, check them out https://peachfieldpress.uk/selling-your-self-published-books/

#solarpunk #books #bookstodon #writingcommunity #writing #sff

This Nigerian author used AI to research his book, but claims he ...

2026-09-19T15:53:56Z

This Nigerian author used AI to research his book, but claims he did not use it to write the book. Then the book gets flagged for AI writing and a $2m book advance deal gets cancelled. I keep telling authors don't use AI, even for research, but they don't listen. If you used it for research, chances are that it assisted you to write it.

https://kathleenschmidt.substack.com/p/exclusive-author-jerry-falade-reflects

Is this the look cat's give you when they are begging? ...

2026-09-19T13:49:04Z

Is this the look cat's give you when they are begging?

#caturday

Is there a fediverse equivalent to Twitter Spaces? Someone posted ...

2026-09-19T10:54:36Z

Is there a fediverse equivalent to Twitter Spaces? Someone posted in a chat I'm in about missing it, and I was wondering if there is something that can enable a hangout with voice calls, and doesn't require sign in? Lile anyone with the link can simply join in on the conversation. That would be something.

#fediverse #fedi

I envy you. That is a festival I always want to visit

2026-09-18T18:27:04Z

In reply to nevent1q…dx8x
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I envy you. That is a festival I always want to visit

I keep reading that it is now possible to indent the first line ...

2026-09-18T14:21:33Z

I keep reading that it is now possible to indent the first line of a paragraph in wordpress using the paragraph block but I failed to do it. Would love to use it on articles longer than 1k words as it looks smarter.

#wordpress

A few days ago I rewarded my patrons with this #wip short story, ...

2026-09-18T05:36:44Z

A few days ago I rewarded my patrons with this #wip short story, which I had a bit of fun writing. It is a romance, sort of, but also a whodunit where the two lovers going through a break up find an excuse to work together to solve a murder. Set in the same #solarpunk world as my novella, The Blossoming of the Big Tree.

If you support me on #patreon you get a short story every month, among other perks.
https://www.patreon.com/dilstories/posts/rewards-short-169510745

#patreon #crowdfunding #sff #writingcommunity #writing #blog

RE: https://bookstodon.com/@ododopress/117287368419221764 This is ...

2026-09-18T05:27:20Z

RE: https://bookstodon.com/@ododopress/117287368419221764

This is a folk tale I immediately fell in love with, though the original ended in marriages, but I liked the concept. I think it was about greed, a father denying his children food in a time of famine, and attempting to murder them when they discover his secrets... Story telling back then was really dark.

Enjoy this rewrite! :-))

#folktale #shortstories #mythology #fantasy

quoting
note1twf…dnpm

New #folktale after a hiatus, and this one is from the Xhosa people in South Africa, and it has all the goodies of folk lore. A haunted ground. A spirit bird that makes milk. Children outwitting their greedy parents who would rather see them starve than share the milk from the bird. It's dark, but has a happy ending, sort of.

See more like this #OdodoStories

https://www.ododopress.com/african-folk-tales/the-bird-that-made-milk/

#fantasy #ttrpg #shortstory #folklore #folk #blog

Ha! I wish there was a store near me, I would try to give them ...

2026-09-16T08:37:51Z

In reply to nevent1q…r3ec
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Ha! I wish there was a store near me, I would try to give them this sweater for repairs 😊

But that is a rare kind of company and I hope they don't enshittify and start making clothes that need replacement every few years. I don't even remember this being expensive since I bought three at once. Kudos to them.

This sweater too, bought around the same time. It still keeps me ...

2026-09-16T06:36:32Z

In reply to nevent1q…sad4
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This sweater too, bought around the same time. It still keeps me warm on chilly nights and this I can wear it outside of home. It is a Northface product. I had three of them, but the others got lost (one I forgot in a taxi).

Not sure why I'm thinking of these clothes, but they have lasted this long so they deserve a moment of recognition.

I bought this trouser in 2010 when I was in Nepal, and I still ...

2026-09-16T06:32:16Z

I bought this trouser in 2010 when I was in Nepal, and I still wear it. Fits nicely, though feels a little tite. It is still strong, not sure of the material, but its is stretchy, feels like silk, and hasn't faded since. Some of the seams are coming apart now, but it is still wearable. I wear it indoors now, when I'm at home and need something to throw on.

I should do this as well, did it for us politics, but I wonder ...

2026-09-15T10:17:01Z

In reply to nevent1q…ydzn
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I should do this as well, did it for us politics, but I wonder what terms you use, if you don't mind sharing. AI would filter out a lot of non-AI stuff, I suppose.

wait till you see a karoli (the marabout stork). It is bigger ...

2026-09-15T07:13:25Z

In reply to nevent1q…63z5
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wait till you see a karoli (the marabout stork). It is bigger than a small child and it can fly. Huge birds that fly givd me nightmares.

This bird makes the ugliest sound, and so, so loud. The first ...

2026-09-14T17:29:07Z

This bird makes the ugliest sound, and so, so loud. The first time I heard it I got nigthmares, of birds with big beaks coming at me. I think I saw a hornbill that same day (they too make terrifying sounds) but their names are cute. Ibis. Hornbill. You'd think it is something regal, or maybe even a deity.

I found it, but I'll save this for future use. I remembered ...

2026-09-14T09:37:00Z

In reply to nevent1q…ycwj
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I found it, but I'll save this for future use. I remembered the extension but on Nemo for some reason I couldn't search for only .odt files

Thanks, let me try this out

2026-09-14T09:28:27Z

In reply to nevent1q…r9l9
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Thanks, let me try this out

yikes. on the terminal? I could give it a try, but not sure what ...

2026-09-14T09:24:12Z

In reply to nevent1q…hh8j
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yikes. on the terminal? I could give it a try, but not sure what the different words in the command mean, like how do I specify early July?

I wrote a short story early in July, but I've forgotten what ...

2026-09-14T09:07:17Z

I wrote a short story early in July, but I've forgotten what file name I used and I can't find it in the usual folder where I save my drafts. Apparently on #LinuxMint you can't search for files by date.... yeah?

It would be nice if I could pull up all files created or accessed at a certain time. #Linux

Breakfast today. I cut this open and likes the way the light fell ...

2026-09-14T07:57:11Z

Breakfast today. I cut this open and likes the way the light fell on the seeds. It was nicer before I scooped out a lot of the seeds but well, I think this is cute too. It's a pawpaw, for those wondering.

you can follow these, mostly film stuff @npub1yk0…jf37 (which ...

2026-09-10T07:26:34Z

In reply to nevent1q…ldvl
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you can follow these, mostly film stuff Dilman Dila (npub1yk0…jf37) (which is mine) and this [@sisi_collective](https://tv.dilstories.com/a/sisi_collective/video-channels ) which is for a collective in Kampala and shares short documentaries or talks about filmmakers.

So here is a sneak into my (backbreaking) process of building a ...

2026-09-06T19:44:34Z

So here is a sneak into my (backbreaking) process of building a #solarpunk village, which will be the backdrop for my next film, #windshortFilm https://tv.dilstories.com/w/9KBGpnoJkRNpCi6iepg3BM

And over on patreon I've shared some few images of what the streets of this village will look like, and an aerial view of the place. It's been two months of gnashing my teeth and I'm at that point where I want to get this film done with so I can get my life back!
https://www.patreon.com/dilstories/posts/wip-building-168794765

#wip #film #art #patreon

Looking for a #solarpunk book? Here's a review of The ...

2026-09-06T07:05:09Z

Looking for a #solarpunk book? Here's a review of The Blossoming of the Big Tree, the story of a grandma who coordinates the defense of her decentralized country when a colonizer invades.

“This was a very interesting novella. Science fiction that presents a new world always is… All in all: If Dilman Dila’s goal was to create an interesting and engaging world, then he definitely succeeded.” Limfic review.

Read sample chapter https://www.ododopress.com/novellas/the-blossoming-of-the-big-tree/

#books #bookstodon #sff #scifi #amreading

This scammer almost got me. I was looking at another invite when ...

2026-09-02T07:39:42Z

This scammer almost got me. I was looking at another invite when their email came, and I thought this was genuine since they normally bait us with publishing or promotions offers, not festival invites. What made me frown was the "tell me about your book" and then the give away was that, "all I need from you is a one line response" . Ha! Then I checked the email, and its a gmail address, and I beat myself for almost responding.

#writingcommunity #writing

Not sure this fits the hashtag but I was on a boda yesterday and ...

2026-09-01T05:52:12Z

Not sure this fits the hashtag but I was on a boda yesterday and saw this tree right in the middle of the street and I was impressed that it was allowed to grow even as the city closes in around it. Such tall trees (I think this is a young mahogany tree) only grow in rural areas where concrete and cars can't confine them. #thicktrunktuesday

Have you heard of this website? https://artresidencyafrica.com/ ...

2026-09-01T05:43:03Z

In reply to nevent1q…v0fn
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Have you heard of this website? https://artresidencyafrica.com/ They have a list of residencies across the continent, and some are fully funded.

Also, there is a call from Goethe for a mobility grant, so if you get into any of these residencies and it requires paying you apply to Goethe but their deadline is in two weeks (if you don't mind coming to Kampala I can furnish you with an invite, works best with film stuff, or find someone/org to invite you) https://www.goethe.de/prj/aep/en/cal/ssa/mobility-grants-for-artists-an.html

Ah nice! Hope you enjoy the read! You got a king and so many ...

2026-08-29T18:59:36Z

In reply to nevent1q…2ty0
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Ah nice! Hope you enjoy the read!

You got a king and so many snakes for the stamps!

This weekend is full of literary activities for me. I'll be ...

2026-08-26T10:22:58Z

This weekend is full of literary activities for me. I'll be attending LAcon V (npub1ysv…ep2z) virtually, and have a session where Arturo Serrano (npub16r7…nnu8) interviews me about my films. If you are attending, do tune in for a live video interview.

#worldcon #worldcon2026

I buy them from Kampala, they are not expensive. I get 10 for ...

2026-08-26T07:23:01Z

In reply to nevent1q…xe29
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I buy them from Kampala, they are not expensive. I get 10 for about $40, but they say it is advisable to have a different one for ebooks, so that I get from D2D or from Kobo.

So I rewarded my patrons with this artwork, so they can use it as ...

2026-08-25T10:19:26Z

So I rewarded my patrons with this artwork, so they can use it as wallpapers for their devices. If you support me on patreon you can get such gifts every month, along with unpublished short stories, sneak peaks into coming books and early access to rough cuts of my films.

www.patreon.com/dilstories/posts/rewards-from-167531758

#patreon #crowdfunding #kickstarter #art #artist #digitalart

yiii sorry. Hope others didn't get confused as well. Let me ...

2026-08-25T10:11:14Z

In reply to nevent1q…3ejf
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yiii sorry. Hope others didn't get confused as well. Let me fix it 😊

Quick question, for writers/artists of speculative fiction based ...

2026-08-24T12:40:43Z

Quick question, for writers/artists of speculative fiction based in the EU. We are organizing the first edition of a specfic festival sometime next year, perhaps in May, in Kampala. It's still very early stages of planning, but there's a grant by Goethe to facilitate travel of artists based in the EU, and deadline is in September. So I'm wondering, if you are eligible to apply and want to visit our festival as a guest, well, send a DM....

https://www.goethe.de/prj/aep/en/cal/ssa/mobility-grants-for-artists-an.html

#writingcommunity #writing

Like, instead of seeds it sprouts from a leaf? That is wild!

2026-08-23T19:31:47Z

In reply to nevent1q…kvy5
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Like, instead of seeds it sprouts from a leaf? That is wild!

I got this plant as a gift, not sure what it is (someone tell ...

2026-08-23T10:59:46Z

I got this plant as a gift, not sure what it is (someone tell me!) and I hope it is easy to look after.

#Bloomscrolling

There's something exciting about watching a film in the same ...

2026-08-23T08:05:28Z

There's something exciting about watching a film in the same space where it was made, and the audience, who are not filmmakers, being awed that the sets they are seeing on the screen happened in the very room they are in. This was at a movie night I hosted yesterday in my studio (not big like the hollywood types) and we watched some Ugandan films made by [@SisiFilmCollective](https://sunny.garden/@SisiFilmCollective ) and also the Egyptian classic, The Night of Counting Years (1969), which some people liked, but others didn't get it.

I once travelled for a few weeks and returned to find a rat had ...

2026-08-23T07:55:59Z

In reply to nevent1q…u6j9
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I once travelled for a few weeks and returned to find a rat had messed up my sofa. I killed it, and then told a friend about it. But she was a rat person, and even at one time kept them as pets. She was not amused. I found 10 deleted messages from her on whatsapp, and I can only imagine they were very angry and emotional. Perhaps she figured out that not everyone is a fan of Ratatouille, and seeing I had to buy a new sofa.... We remain friends.

“In an era where AI is so popular, did the creative team choose ...

2026-08-22T06:38:02Z

“In an era where AI is so popular, did the creative team choose a handcrafted, somewhat crude visual style to convey a sense of ‘returning to one’s true self?’”

‘Bad in every aspect’: derided low-tech animation Niu Lai rivals blockbusters at Chinese box office https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/17/niu-lai-derided-animated-film-challenges-blockbusters-at-chinese-box-office

I overheard two people arguing over which one is a better pest to ...

2026-08-22T06:29:23Z

I overheard two people arguing over which one is a better pest to infest your home. Rats, or cockroaches.

Person 1) rats are better, they don't look disgusting.

Person 2) cockroaches are better, they are not destructive. With rats you can discover all your clothes and important papers have been eaten up. And when a rat dies, your whole house stinks. But cockroaches die and feed the ants, or maybe they just dry up.

I'm in the process of re-publishing that book, hence the ...

2026-08-20T11:09:04Z

In reply to nevent1q…s8gy
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I'm in the process of re-publishing that book, hence the question. But it is also what got me thinking a lot because even a glossary might not help some people. Winnower is an English word, but it is not an object many people, even here in Africa, are familiar with, so I had difficulty describing it.

But yes, that is the thing I was writing about. Kobi is the word for it in one of our languages.

Thanks, will look them up and see how they did it. I once ...

2026-08-20T10:52:28Z

In reply to nevent1q…9svt
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Thanks, will look them up and see how they did it. I once provided an introduction in place of a dictionary, hoping it would help people ease into the story, but some reviewers complained that they didn't like the book because they didn't have a cultural context, since the intro sort of told them the story based on certain cultures. Maybe next time I should say it is all fantasy worlds, totally made up.

Ah thanks for this. I had not thought of catering for people like ...

2026-08-20T10:48:31Z

In reply to nevent1q…q09m
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Ah thanks for this. I had not thought of catering for people like your son, but that alone is a very strong reason to do a glossary.

Question. When I read books with non-English words, I have no ...

2026-08-20T04:09:23Z

Question. When I read books with non-English words, I have no problem provided I get meaning from context. I write with a lot of non-English words but give meaning within context, since some have no English equivalent or are not easy to translate, but mainly for decolonization reasons.

But some reviews complain of not enjoying because of it, and I always want to scream back "lazy reader!" Or, you don't complain when its French words...

So should I add a glossary?

#writing #writingcommunity

I figured it out. This setting, Add shortcuts to home screen, was ...

2026-08-18T23:40:37Z

In reply to nevent1q…p63m
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I figured it out. This setting, Add shortcuts to home screen, was disabled. I turned it on and now it works.

perhaps its a setting on my phone I'm yet to figure out. I ...

2026-08-18T15:08:27Z

In reply to nevent1q…p63m
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perhaps its a setting on my phone I'm yet to figure out. I have tried enabling Vivaldi and Phanpy to install unknown apps but no luck as yet.

Thanks! Will look them up :-))

2026-08-18T15:05:57Z

In reply to nevent1q…75xf
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Thanks! Will look them up :-))

Thanks! Will investigate them and see, though would prefer ...

2026-08-18T07:54:04Z

In reply to nevent1q…lt0r
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Thanks! Will investigate them and see, though would prefer something that can handle wordpress so I don't have to build everything from scratch.

BlueHost is so annoying. I just created a new website, and ...

2026-08-18T07:49:24Z

BlueHost is so annoying. I just created a new website, and there's nothing on it other than two pages, with mostly short texts, and no plugins other than the theme (GeneratePress + Generate Blocks), yet it takes forever to load? I need to move, but I have about ten websites, and not seeing a good alternative host. Siteground seems to be ideal but it takes customers only from certain countries, excluding mine. Tried Hostinger, but failed to get past the chatbots with my inquiries, so it's a no.

Started working on my next #book, a collection of short stories, ...

2026-08-18T05:50:20Z

Started working on my next #book, a collection of short stories, first published in 2014. At that time one scholar said it was the first single author collection of specfic stories from Africa (perhaps by an author based on the continent, as someone pointed out that Nnedi had published hers the year before). Anyway, this book put me up on the specfic map.

Read a sample story, The Leafy Man, here.
www.ododopress.com/short-story-collection/a-killing-in-the-sun/
#writing #books #sff #bookstodon