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    1. Midweek Movie Free Talk

      Have you watched any movies recently you want to discuss? Any films you want to recommend or are hyped about? Feel free to discuss anything here. Please just try to provide fair warning of...

      Have you watched any movies recently you want to discuss? Any films you want to recommend or are hyped about? Feel free to discuss anything here.

      Please just try to provide fair warning of spoilers if you can.

      7 votes
    2. Fitness Weekly Discussion

      What have you been doing lately for your own fitness? Try out any new programs or exercises? Have any questions for others about your training? Want to vent about poor behavior in the gym? Started...

      What have you been doing lately for your own fitness? Try out any new programs or exercises? Have any questions for others about your training? Want to vent about poor behavior in the gym? Started a new diet or have a new recipe you want to share? Anything else health and wellness related?

      10 votes
    3. What did you do this week (and weekend)?

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do...

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do nothing at all? Tell us about it!

      12 votes
    4. Fresh Album Fridays: Kevin Abstract, Tkay Maidza, Jung Kook and more

      Good morning ~ This is a thread to discuss new album releases that have arrived on our doorstep this week. Feel free to share albums and EPs that have caught your eye and interest. Discussion...

      Good morning ~ This is a thread to discuss new album releases that have arrived on our doorstep this week. Feel free to share albums and EPs that have caught your eye and interest.

      Discussion Points

      What are you looking forward to listen to?
      Have you listened to any of these releases?
      What are your thoughts?
      What have you enjoyed from these artists in the past?

      Why Friday?

      Most (but not all) new LPs release on a Friday, as labels want to give the release a full week of sales before entering the charts.

      ~~ Feedback on the format welcome

      8 votes
    5. Offbeat Fridays – The thread where offbeat headlines become front page news

      Tildes is a very serious site, where we discuss very serious matters like careers, ad blocking and subaru. Tags culled from the highest voted topics from the last seven days, if anyone was...

      Tildes is a very serious site, where we discuss very serious matters like careers, ad blocking and subaru. Tags culled from the highest voted topics from the last seven days, if anyone was fascinated.

      But one of my favourite tags happens to be offbeat! Taking its original inspiration from Sir Nils Olav III, this thread is looking for any far-fetched offbeat stories lurking in the newspapers. It may not deserve its own post, but it deserves a wider audience!

      22 votes
    6. Love songs about established, long term relationships

      So, I used to think I hated all love songs. I disliked them because, in the ones that id heard were the type that found on the FM radio stations, and those tend to fall into a couple broad...

      So, I used to think I hated all love songs.
      I disliked them because, in the ones that id heard were the type that found on the FM radio stations, and those tend to fall into a couple broad categories:

      • I just met you, and I want to marry/stalk you
      • You broke up with me, and I will do anything to get you back
      • Your with someone else, and Im trying to win you over

      My view on them changed when I found I'll Take Lonely Tonight, A song about the temptation of cheating in an established relationship.
      While not a song I can exactly relate to, it still struck me, because its, well, respectful.
      Its respectful towards the woman offering the one night stand, but still describes a deep, enduring love between Tim and his wife,
      that he would rather spend the night on his own then break their trust.
      (I guess it probably helps that I already like tim minchin, especially his newer, more subdued works.)

      Since then, Ive only discovered one other song that scratches that same itch: Like my Father, a song about how the artist's parents relationship set the standard she strives for in her own relationship (My parents relationship was very much a role model for my marriage today, so this one hits me in the feels)

      Im actively looking for other similar songs, and would appreciate any other suggestions.

      33 votes
    7. Multi-source journalism subscriptions? Also, seeking recommendations for sources.

      Every few months I get the itch to support journalism and expand my news from the low quality high fluff news sources that tend to be free and subscribe to some long-form sources of news, opinion,...

      Every few months I get the itch to support journalism and expand my news from the low quality high fluff news sources that tend to be free and subscribe to some long-form sources of news, opinion, and investigative journalism, but every time I go through the same process of pricing subscriptions, struggling to decide which one, and then finally just giving up and not subscribing to any of them.

      If money was no object I'd probably subscribe right now to:

      • The Atlantic
      • The New Yorker
      • Harpers
      • The Economist
      • National Review
      • WSJ
      • NYT

      (trying to focus on a variety of political leanings, but mostly from generally high-factuality sources)

      I like Apple News+ in concept, and the price is decent, but after a trial subscription I felt like the UI was difficult to navigate, difficult to search and filter, and the news sources were still a subset of the entire publications. I also have to wonder whether the journalists are sufficiently compensated by Apple or whether they get pennies compared to a direct subscription.

      So, I come here seeking recommendations -- perhaps somebody here has found a good solution to this problem?

      20 votes
    8. What have you been listening to this week?

      What have you been listening to this week? You don't need to do a 6000 word review if you don't want to, but please write something! If you've just picked up some music, please update on that as...

      What have you been listening to this week? You don't need to do a 6000 word review if you don't want to, but please write something! If you've just picked up some music, please update on that as well, we'd love to see your hauls :)

      Feel free to give recs or discuss anything about each others' listening habits.

      You can make a chart if you use last.fm:

      http://www.tapmusic.net/lastfm/

      Remember that linking directly to your image will update with your future listening, make sure to reupload to somewhere like imgur if you'd like it to remain what you have at the time of posting.

      12 votes
    9. Should I switch to Apple Music or stick with Spotify?

      Spotify recently increased their price, making it the same price as Apple's service. I've had Spotify since 2016 (started with the free version), and got premium in 2018 when they had the college...

      Spotify recently increased their price, making it the same price as Apple's service. I've had Spotify since 2016 (started with the free version), and got premium in 2018 when they had the college student deal where you would get that and Hulu for only five bucks a month. I've been an off and on Premium subscriber since 2019. Only re-subscribing to it when Spotify would send me offers to sign up for three months for the price of one. This is actually the first year that I've consistently had Spotify all year since I was in college.

      But now that they're the same price I was wondering if I should switch over. I don't want to get into the whole quality thing and lossless (I don't even know what that is) but I haven't been happy with Spotify's algorithm for a while. Streaming services have always been how I discovered new music, going back to me using Pandora while I was in high school. But now Spotify keeps suggesting the same songs whenever it's on smart shuffle. For example, if I play a song from the late 60s or early 70s, I know the next song Spotify plays is going to be Ain't No Mountain High Enough by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. Whenever I play an indie pop song, like a Lana Del Rey song or something, I know that the next song is going to be Borderline by Tame Impala.

      I'm kind of sick of it at this point, and I feel like it's limiting the scope of what I'm listening to. I'm not sure what Apple Music's algorithm is like, I've heard mixed things with some saying it's better than Spotify and others saying it's worse.

      I'm also happy taking recommendations on other things to do or try with Spotify to correct this.

      27 votes
    10. MangaLove, a series sharing thread: November 2023

      Choose one series that you love that you think deserves more love Tell us what it is, and why. Previous posts in the series Additional Details Why MangaLove? Finding new series is hard! The medium...

      Choose one series
      that you love
      that you think deserves more love

      Tell us what it is, and why.


      Previous posts in the series


      Additional Details

      Why MangaLove?

      Finding new series is hard! The medium continues to become more mainstream and accessible, but that hasn't changed the fact that there's a lot of stuff to consume and few ways to find something you may like.

      MangaLove offers an opportunity to sift through series loved by others, including those who might have divergent tastes from you. Think of this as an opportunity to venture outside of your comfort zone, with a series that you know someone else adores, from a small pool of thoughtful hand-selected options.

      Is this just for Manga? Can I share Anime, or Manhwa, or...

      Feel free to share any Anime, Manga, Manhwa, or Manhua that you love!

      What do I post?

      Any series that you love and that you feel deserves more appreciation. There are no restrictions on genre, year, or anything else, and nothing is “too popular” or “too niche”. If you think it needs more love — for whatever reason — then it’s welcome in MangaLove.

      Please make sure to include:

      • The series name
      • The author
      • A short description of the premise
      • What you love about the series. It could be the story, the art, but it could also be your associations with it -- maybe the series reminds you of someone you love, or the period in your life when you first consume it.

      Also, commenting on others' recommendations is encouraged! If you love something that someone else shared, let them know!

      Do I have to watch/read to what everyone else posts?

      Nope. You don't have to consume anything you don't want to. This is about creating a menu of options that people can explore as they wish.

      Can I post more than one series in a month?

      Nope. Limit one! This helps us be more selective about what we choose, as well as preventing the threads from getting flooded with too many contributions to keep track of.

      10 votes
    11. Any VR enthusiasts? I'm looking for a high level comparison of the overall VR rigs, and what is on the near horizon.

      For the first time in my adult life I actually have some real discretionary money, and the one personal purchase I've wanted to make for a long time is a VR rig. I was hoping for input I can be...

      For the first time in my adult life I actually have some real discretionary money, and the one personal purchase I've wanted to make for a long time is a VR rig. I was hoping for input I can be pretty sure isn't tainted by capitalism/ads.

      Cost-vs-value will matter a lot, but the actual cost isn't too big a concern anymore. Budget up to maybe $3-4K if it's really worth the money.

      And to note, I already have a pretty gnarly personal computer that is more than capable of running VR games (Ryzen 9 3900X 12-Core / RTX 3090 / 32GB DDR4) -- I just need the rig.

      28 votes
    12. MLB World Series 2023 - Texas Rangers vs. Arizona Diamondbacks

      Rangers and Diamonbacks fans may be few and far between on Tildes, but I figured it's worth a shot! Let's use this post to discuss the battle of the underdogs. As for myself, I'm a lifelong...

      Rangers and Diamonbacks fans may be few and far between on Tildes, but I figured it's worth a shot!

      Let's use this post to discuss the battle of the underdogs.

      As for myself, I'm a lifelong Rangers fan, which is to say I'm used to misery. It's a bit surreal to be back in the WS after such a crazy end to the regular season AND postseason.

      16 votes
    13. So, any good horror flicks lately?

      Just saw this other thread about the FNaF movie actually doing quite well at the box office, which apperently is much newsworthy and something I should care about. This here thing is popular, this...

      Just saw this other thread about the FNaF movie actually doing quite well at the box office, which apperently is much newsworthy and something I should care about. This here thing is popular, this and that is trending, read all about it. Yay. Well sure, it's quite nice they made their money back, but I felt it looked a bit overproduced and cookie-cutter like. Okay, haven't actually seen the blessed movie, but I've decided to hate it, so there!

      I know about David Lynch, I know about Cronenberg, I know about J-horror, all that old stuff, but are there any contemporary horror movies which will screw me over? Something a bit more art-house and crazy? I've been a bit away from movie for the last decades, but I'm unsure if I'm out of the loop, or if there is anything to be out of the loop about.

      31 votes
    14. Can someone recommend me a great bluetooth keyboard for my home office?

      Looking for a good wireless (probably bluetooth, but happy to hear if something other than bluetooth is recommended for a good reason) keyboard to use with my home laptop/dock setup. I've ben...

      Looking for a good wireless (probably bluetooth, but happy to hear if something other than bluetooth is recommended for a good reason) keyboard to use with my home laptop/dock setup.

      I've ben using my laptop's keyboard while plugged into my dock which is probably less than ideal ergonomic-wise and am looking to improve things.

      I don't need to be a fullsize or compact keyboard - I think my sweet spot would be middle size with a number pad. I'm somewhat aware of mechanical keyboards but will admit my complete ignorance as to their benefits (other than sounding nice when you type?) and so am open to those if there are more tangible benefits that I'm just totally ignorant about. Battery life would be important as charging it constantly could get a bit annoying.

      Appreciate any input you all have!

      25 votes
    15. Thoughts on the Meta Quest 3?

      The release of the Meta Quest 3 seems to have been slowplayed but my take is that Zuckerberg is still going full force ahead with MR but doesn't want to have a fiasco like the last round of...

      The release of the Meta Quest 3 seems to have been slowplayed but my take is that Zuckerberg is still going full force ahead with MR but doesn't want to have a fiasco like the last round of publicity about "the metaverse” when people were mentioning it in the same sentence as blockchains and NFTs.

      I read a lot of very positive reviews about the hardware

      https://www.theverge.com/23906313/meta-quest-3-review-vr-mixed-reality-headset

      https://www.reddit.com/r/QuestPro/comments/17631ja/24_hours_in_my_quest_3_review/

      https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/meta-quest-3

      so I got one and I am really impressed. It comes with a very convincing demo where cracks appear in the ceiling and walls of your room opening views onto another planet and then aliens come into your room that you have to shoot with the controllers to stuff them into a tube. I am showing this demo to people on the hopes I can sell some kind of MR exhibit to a local museum.

      Karl Guttag could show that the MR quality is "awful" from an eye chart perspective but the motion-to-photon is really excellent, you can throw and catch a ball just fine wearing it, and it is totally practical to walk around the house, interact with people, read (large) text to copy, use a touchscreen, etc.

      I get the feeling too that they are doing many of the right things to market it, for instance, it comes with a license for a major game that comes out in two months which will might give people who don't click with it right away a chance to re-engage. There is intensive notification based marketing with discounts and stuff which is totally textbook for a new app store and that I like at the moment but it is possible it just won't connect if the product isn't up to snuff.

      I tried Horizon Worlds and ran into the problem of not being able to succeed at the fishing minigame (in real life I've only been able to catch sunfish and smelt, but you really can fill up your freezer with zero skill with the later) and also the way it is weirdly empty. I have some content that I think could be put in there which I think is often a good idea on a new platform that is heavily promoted (e.g. easy to get free publicity and other benefits from the platform) but that emptiness might mean they don't feel pressure to get content. VRChat was more fun but showed me the challenge of onboarding people to that sort of thing, I got into an entrance room where I met one person who was actually attentive and trying to communicate and I think a lot of kids who were "doing their own thing", I figured out some of how to interact in that space but the problem of "getting gud" while sharing the space with other people who might be annoyed seems tough.

      My take is that the software is not up to the hardware right now but as a software developer I think that’s a great problem to have.

      If you're excited about Apple Vision I think you should be excited by this. Any thoughts? Anyone tried the MQ3? Anyone developing content for it?

      19 votes
    16. For those who have tried YubiKey for personal use, is it worth it?

      I saw people talking about YubiKey here a few weeks ago so I got curious. Unfortunately, I’m not seeing a lot of helpful reviews for it. I’m personally getting tired of having to take my phone...

      I saw people talking about YubiKey here a few weeks ago so I got curious. Unfortunately, I’m not seeing a lot of helpful reviews for it.

      I’m personally getting tired of having to take my phone anytime I need 2FA for Okta but I don’t have a lot of super important accounts to secure so I’m going back and forth in deciding whether the 100+ euro investment (to get two so that there’s a duplicate) would be worth it.

      How do you use your YubiKey in your personal life and do you think it’s worth your use case ?

      35 votes
    17. What are you favourite grim, dark, atmospheric films?

      I've just come from my latest rewatch of Blade Runner and its sequel. Two of my favourite films ever. I always find myself totally engrossed in the atmosphere of the films, and I often crave more...

      I've just come from my latest rewatch of Blade Runner and its sequel. Two of my favourite films ever. I always find myself totally engrossed in the atmosphere of the films, and I often crave more of it.

      56 votes
    18. Headphone recommends that actually block out voices

      I'm on the search for a good, over-the-ear headphones that actually blocks out background voices (not just noise). My wife and I share a home office and she is on a lot of calls. I'm looking for...

      I'm on the search for a good, over-the-ear headphones that actually blocks out background voices (not just noise). My wife and I share a home office and she is on a lot of calls. I'm looking for headphones that are comfortable to listen to for long periods of time and really muffle the outside world. I have two headphones I've been using, Sony MDR-7506 and Bose QC45. The Bose does great with blocking out ambient background noise like fan hum. However this has the effect of accentuating my wife's voice. Her voice is tinny but more clear even when listening to music. The Sony does a better job of blocking all noise and attenuating her voice, but I can still hear it.

      Wired is better since I run multiple computer through a mixer so I can hear all the computers at once when I have the headphones on.

      25 votes
    19. What programming/technical projects have you been working on?

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's...

      This is a recurring post to discuss programming or other technical projects that we've been working on. Tell us about one of your recent projects, either at work or personal projects. What's interesting about it? Are you having trouble with anything?

      11 votes
    20. Let's discuss poorly-crafted or niche magic items

      Artificer school is rough. You have to learn so many ways to manipulate magic forces and try to shove it all into small items. Sometimes it doesn't work as well as hoped. Even if every student...

      Artificer school is rough. You have to learn so many ways to manipulate magic forces and try to shove it all into small items. Sometimes it doesn't work as well as hoped. Even if every student gives it their best effort, someone has to be the worst passing student in the class.

      In my campaigns, I try to explore this concept by adding niche items or items of student project quality. Often times these items end up adding quite a bit of fun to the lower levels before access to "real" magic items is available.

      I would love to throw this idea out to the world and maybe get a bigger collection of these items for all of the Tildes DMs to use in their campaigns if they fit in the setting.

      27 votes
    21. Movie of the Week #1 - Day for Night (1973)

      This is the first movie we discuss of Academy Award Winners. Day for Night won for Best Foreign Language Film IMDb Letterboxd Wikipedia I found this little intro from TCM by Steven Spielberg Is it...

      This is the first movie we discuss of Academy Award Winners. Day for Night won for Best Foreign Language Film

      IMDb
      Letterboxd
      Wikipedia

      I found this little intro from TCM by Steven Spielberg

      Is it a worthy award winner? Have you seen other films by Truffaut? How does it compare to other films about filmmaking?

      Feel free to add any thoughts, opinions, reflections, analysis or whatever comments related to this film.


      The rest of the schedule is:

      • 6th of November: Drive My Car
      • 13th of November: L.A. Confidential
      • 20th of November: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
      • 27th of November: West Side Story
      11 votes
    22. Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix 2023 - Results

      I can't get enough of that mariachi F1 theme, no joke. Next weekend (Nov. 3-5), we head to the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace PACE in Sao Paulo, Brazil to finish up the triple header. Only 3 more...

      I can't get enough of that mariachi F1 theme, no joke.

      Next weekend (Nov. 3-5), we head to the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace PACE in Sao Paulo, Brazil to finish up the triple header. Only 3 more grands prix left!

      EDIT: Results updated to account for BOT post-race penalty.

      Results -- SPOILER
      POS NO DRIVER CAR LAPS TIME/RETIRED PTS
      1 1 Max Verstappen RED BULL RACING HONDA RBPT 71 2:02:30.814 25
      2 44 Lewis Hamilton MERCEDES 71 +13.875s 19
      3 16 Charles Leclerc FERRARI 71 +23.124s 15
      4 55 Carlos Sainz FERRARI 71 +27.154s 12
      5 4 Lando Norris MCLAREN MERCEDES 71 +33.266s 10
      6 63 George Russell MERCEDES 71 +41.020s 8
      7 3 Daniel Ricciardo ALPHATAURI HONDA RBPT 71 +41.570s 6
      8 81 Oscar Piastri MCLAREN MERCEDES 71 +43.104s 4
      9 23 Alexander Albon WILLIAMS MERCEDES 71 +48.573s 2
      10 31 Esteban Ocon ALPINE RENAULT 71 +62.879s 1
      11 10 Pierre Gasly ALPINE RENAULT 71 +66.208s 0
      12 22 Yuki Tsunoda ALPHATAURI HONDA RBPT 71 +78.982s 0
      13 27 Nico Hulkenberg HAAS FERRARI 71 +80.309s 0
      14 24 Zhou Guanyu ALFA ROMEO FERRARI 71 +81.676s 0
      15 77 Valtteri Bottas ALFA ROMEO FERRARI 71 +85.597s 0
      16 2 Logan Sargeant WILLIAMS MERCEDES 70 DNF 0
      17 18 Lance Stroll ASTON MARTIN ARAMCO MERCEDES 66 DNF 0
      NC 14 Fernando Alonso ASTON MARTIN ARAMCO MERCEDES 47 DNF 0
      NC 20 Kevin Magnussen HAAS FERRARI 31 DNF 0
      NC 11 Sergio Perez RED BULL RACING HONDA RBPT 1 DNF 0

      Fastest Lap: Lewis Hamilton

      Source: F1.com

      19 votes
    23. Would anyone be interested on a reading/reviewing exchange recurring thread?

      For anyone who is writing fiction, it can be difficult to find suitable readers who are willing to provide extensive notes on their work, especially when writing anything over 300 words. Generally...

      For anyone who is writing fiction, it can be difficult to find suitable readers who are willing to provide extensive notes on their work, especially when writing anything over 300 words. Generally speaking, the longer the story, the harder it is to get notes on it.

      One of the most successful subreddits for fiction criticism is /r/DestructiveReaders/. That sub has a series of rules and recommendations for its functioning, but, to summarize, you are only allowed to request feedback on a story if you have previously provided quality feedback to a story of equal or larger length than yours.

      Each critique you make gives one "credit" that you use to receive a critique on something of your own.

      It's a great idea and, by and large, it works.

      The issues of /r/DestructiveReaders/ are, essentially, the issues of Reddit as a whole, as a consequence of the existence of downvotes. Members can take the notion of "quality critique" to an extreme, going way above what the rules actually require. They may require something overly lengthy, or something that appeases a subjective criteria. Some may even downvote the "competition" so their own posts stand out.

      That can lead to some unfair, frustrating experiences the mods can do little to prevent.


      In this post, I am proposing that we create a series of recurring posts that function in many ways similarly to /r/DestructiveReaders/, but in a way that is more flexible and adapted to the needs and peculiarities of the Tildes community.

      The posts could be either monthly or created when the previous got too long.

      I would maintain the "credit" system, but I would use a notion of "effort" which takes everything into account, including the length of the review, but other criteria we can come up with as a group. We could possibly have a scheme in which the authors themselves would say how useful that review was. Sometimes, three paragraphs can be useful, and I would like us to have a way to ascertain this.

      I wouldn't have any powers to remove anything, so the whole thing would be in the honor system. Essentially, I would be merely suggesting behavior, and, if someone decides to simply not follow the rules, I won't even try to admonish or shame anyone.

      I would track credits and submissions on the body of the post itself. At least in the beginning, I could serve as the sole organizer, but anyone else who wishes to contribute will be welcome.

      And, oh: we could be open for non-fiction as well. That could mean biography, history, or even technical writing. But I'm not sure how to incorporate everything into that idea.

      What does everyone think?

      37 votes
    24. What’s a good place to see and share photography?

      I miss photography subreddits. I don’t miss Reddit as a whole at all though, and I think smaller forums like Tildes and a couple Discord servers have helped bridge the gap in a lot of other areas....

      I miss photography subreddits. I don’t miss Reddit as a whole at all though, and I think smaller forums like Tildes and a couple Discord servers have helped bridge the gap in a lot of other areas. But I just have not found a good replacement for r/analog in seeing other hobbyists’ film photography and share my own. Where should I be looking?

      19 votes
    25. Just passed my PhD defense :)

      Yo everyone, I'm fresh from the first good night's sleep I've gotten in awhile. I'm ecstatic to finally be finished (I took a longer road than most) and just felt like chatting with you fine...

      Yo everyone, I'm fresh from the first good night's sleep I've gotten in awhile. I'm ecstatic to finally be finished (I took a longer road than most) and just felt like chatting with you fine folks.

      Getting that dissertation done was a real challenge and while I'm happy I finished before George R. R. Martin finished the next ASOIAF book, I have a lot more sympathy now for him or anyone who has to write something lengthy.

      Anyone else in a graduate program or recently finished? To those who have gone through the process, what'd you do immediately afterwards? I'm in the middle of a job interview process so I can't quite take a vacation, but I am planning to stick at least a full week somewhere where I travel and do nothing.

      Tonight, I'm going to relax and watch The Magic Flute opera with friends which I've not done before.

      142 votes
    26. Looking for chiptune album recommendations

      Albums specifically, please! Not individual songs. I’m wanting something meant to be listened to from back to front. I thought about listing some of the favorites I already have, but I don’t want...

      Albums specifically, please! Not individual songs. I’m wanting something meant to be listened to from back to front.

      I thought about listing some of the favorites I already have, but I don’t want to prime the recommendations. I might jump in with some in a comment later if other people are wanting to enjoy the recommendations too.

      Anyway, give me any chiptune album favorites you have. If the music sounds like a game console is having a good, meaningful, moody, or interesting time, then that’s exactly what I’m looking for!

      Also, game soundtracks are fine as long as they work as an album.

      21 votes
    27. Heading to Korea for New Years - Anything I shouldn't miss?

      Hi y'all! I posted a couple of months ago about heading to Japan for a solo trip, and I got some good recommendations (including a great bar crawl that I loved). And now I'm heading to Korea for...

      Hi y'all!

      I posted a couple of months ago about heading to Japan for a solo trip, and I got some good recommendations (including a great bar crawl that I loved). And now I'm heading to Korea for New Years!

      I'll probably be doing a bunch of clothes shopping, anywhere I should head to? Especially for street/tech wear if possible, but I'm open go all fashion styles atm, getting tired of my closet!

      I have a couple of the big spots, a palace and a temple for sure. I'll be in Seoul for 3 days, and Busan for 3 days (including New Years!)

      Bonus question, if you know any tattoo artists around the area that you trust, I'm open to getting a new tattoo too!

      Edit: I have a ton of Korean friends and one thing they mentioned was that Gangnam is overrated, I'll probably only go there for a couple of hours at most, unless there's something crazy that I'm missing.

      14 votes
    28. DM/GMs, what map making tools do you use?

      What tools do you use to make maps for your table? I've tried looking and I have found a few decent generators, but I'm really looking for a making tool I already have a general layout in my head...

      What tools do you use to make maps for your table?

      I've tried looking and I have found a few decent generators, but I'm really looking for a making tool I already have a general layout in my head of what the city/region/continent but I can't draw for shit, and I want to find a tool that makes this easy? Makes it look nice, makes it easy to add points of interest and features, etc.

      What do you use?

      Edit: for clarification, this is for city/region maps, not battlemaps.

      23 votes
    29. Album of the Week #7: Cloud Nothings - Here and Nowhere Else

      This is Album of the Week #7 ~ This week's album is Cloud Nothings - Here and Nowhere Else Year of Release: 2014 Genre(s): Post-Hardcore, Indie Rock Country: United States Length: 31 minutes...

      This is Album of the Week #7 ~ This week's album is Cloud Nothings - Here and Nowhere Else

      Year of Release: 2014
      Genre(s): Post-Hardcore, Indie Rock
      Country: United States
      Length: 31 minutes
      Listen! (Album.Link)

      Excerpt from The Quietus:

      And damn, the boy Baldi can write a hook. While Here And Nowhere Else is a noisy onslaught that rattles along at a cracking pace, there's a real sense of fun and catchy melodies that Billie Joe Armstrong would be proud of (especially album closer 'I'm Not Part Of Me'), which will probably see the album appropriated by beer-guzzling frat boys, despite lyrically being about life on the fringes – alienation, despair, heartache. More parallels with Cobain there, perhaps. Baldi told the A. V. Club around the release of Attack On Memory that he hadn't really listened to Nirvana, pinning any similarity in their sound to a mutual love of The Wipers. However, fans of Bleach and In Utero (and anyone yearning for what might have been as the circumstances surrounding Cobain's suicide are picked apart in ghoulish detail) should lap this shit up like milk-starved pussy cats.

      Discussion points:
      Have you heard this artist/album before? Is this your first time hearing?
      Do you enjoy this genre? Is this an album you would have chosen?
      Does this album remind you of something you've heard before?
      What were the album's strengths or weaknesses?
      Was there a standout track for you?
      How did you hear the album? Where were you? What was your setup?

      --

      Album of the week is currently chosen randomly (via random.org) from the top 5000 albums from a custom all-time RYM chart, with a 4/5 popularity weighting. The chart is recalculated weekly.
      Missed last week? It can be found here.
      Any feedback on the format is welcome ~~
      10 votes
    30. Vote for "Movie of the Week" in November - Academy Award Winners

      Edit: Voting closed My initial post didn't get a lot of answers, but I am taking a gamble that maybe it will gain some traction if I just start it. Every Monday I will post a topic for the movie...

      Edit: Voting closed

      My initial post didn't get a lot of answers, but I am taking a gamble that maybe it will gain some traction if I just start it.

      Every Monday I will post a topic for the movie of the week based on the voting results. We need 5 titles for each Monday - including October 30 this time around.

      Going for a voting system in the hope that people will have a little more motivation to participate than if it was just pure random. To keep it manageable I propose we vote for the next month in advance - also to keep the number of voting posts to a minimum.

      It will not be free for all, but will allow votes within a very broad category.

      For November it will be Academy Award Winners (in any category). Can be sound, costumes, best supporting actress, foreign language, best picture or any of them - excluding shorts and documentaries for now (we could do that as a theme later).

      Rules

      • Must be a winner of at least one Academy Award (Oscar) in any category
      • Feature film only (no shorts or documentaries)
      • Only one nomination per user
      • Please only nominate if you intent to participate

      Use this list as inspiration.

      Five most voted nominations will be done in random order on a Monday starting from the 30th of October.

      If this goes well, I will post a new voting post in the end of November.

      16 votes
    31. Album of the Week #6: Moby - Play

      This is Album of the Week #6 ~ This week's album is Moby - Play Year of Release: 1999 Genre(s): Downtempo Country: United States Length: 63 minutes Album.Link Excerpt from The Quietus: Abandoned...

      This is Album of the Week #6 ~ This week's album is Moby - Play

      Year of Release: 1999
      Genre(s): Downtempo
      Country: United States
      Length: 63 minutes
      Album.Link

      Excerpt from The Quietus:

      Abandoned by a fickle and uncaring industry, Play was conceived as Moby’s swansong, a final gesture of creative surrender before sinking back into obscurity. And yet it’s precisely that sense of abandon which helped it eventually shift 12 million copies. Listening to the album through that personal lens, it becomes clear that this is not mere chill-out fodder, but a wistful and valedictory piece of work, a eulogy to opportunities squandered and a life (or one chapter of it) about to end.

      Discussion points:
      Have you heard this artist/album before? Is this your first time hearing?
      Do you enjoy this genre? Is this an album you would have chosen?
      Does this album remind you of something you've heard before?
      What were the album's strengths or weaknesses?
      Was there a standout track for you?
      How did you hear the album? Where were you? What was your setup?

      --

      Album of the week is currently chosen randomly (via random.org) from the top 5000 albums from a custom all-time RYM chart, with a 4/5 popularity weighting. The chart is recalculated weekly.
      Missed last week? It can be found here.
      Any feedback on the format is welcome ~~
      16 votes
    32. Accuracy and academic credibility of Dr Geoff Lindsey, and his proposal to change IPA?

      Hi, all. I'm (sadly) not a linguist and I have 0 exposure to academic circles of linguistics. However, I'm enthusiastic about learning, especially phonetics and etymology. Recently I've stumbled...

      Hi, all. I'm (sadly) not a linguist and I have 0 exposure to academic circles of linguistics. However, I'm enthusiastic about learning, especially phonetics and etymology.

      Recently I've stumbled across the YouTube channel of Dr Geoff Lindsey. He predominantly calls for a change in the way we represent phonemes in IPA, and his videos are compelling and well-argued. However, as with all YouTube content, it's done in a vacuum, with only references to and from his teacher and colleagues within the videos themselves.

      So far, I'm convinced of the arguments he presents throughout his videos, but I'd be keen to hear what other academics or full-time students/scholars of linguistics think about them and whether there are any weaknesses (e.g. it appears to be centred around British English). I'm also curious how well-known and/or well-respected his views are, if only for my own peace of mind. That's not to say that one needs respect to be correct, but if they have a lot of support from peers then that's good to know.

      I'm not looking to stir anything up, here, but I trust that my fellow Tildelings know that already. I'd love to see discussion if possible.

      Many thanks in advance.

      Edit: Here is one of the key videos in which he talks about the issues with some IPA symbols.

      12 votes
    33. Pets and public transportation – what’s your experience?

      I’m curious what your experience with taking pets like dogs on public transport is. Tildes has a diverse community from many different countries and I wonder how the process can differ! I don’t...

      I’m curious what your experience with taking pets like dogs on public transport is. Tildes has a diverse community from many different countries and I wonder how the process can differ!

      I don’t own any pets right now, but I think that if I owned a dog my life would become a lot harder. I have no interest in owning a car at this point, but in my city and country, it would be hard or impossible to travel with my pet on public transit. The limit seems to be about 20 pounds for dogs on Amtrak—but I think small dogs are ridiculous creatures, so I’d already be blocked—and apparently no non-service animals on SEPTA.

      Should we make public transit more accessible to animals? How do we do that? What are the challenges for transit agencies/other passengers and what are the benefits?

      11 votes
    34. What are your "must-read" books?

      As someone who hasn't always been good about reading consistently, it can be tricky to know what to read next. There's so many books out there, it can be daunting to just pick one. Recently, I've...

      As someone who hasn't always been good about reading consistently, it can be tricky to know what to read next. There's so many books out there, it can be daunting to just pick one.

      Recently, I've gone through Goodreads' yearly award winners (two of 2023's so far: The Maid and The Guest List), but they've been a bit underwhelming in my opinion. So, I thought I'd turn to Tildes!

      Regardless of genre, what are the books you would absolutely recommend that people read?

      49 votes
    35. What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga)

      What have you been watching and reading this week? You don't need to give us a whole essay if you don't want to, but please write something! Feel free to talk about something you saw that was...

      What have you been watching and reading this week? You don't need to give us a whole essay if you don't want to, but please write something! Feel free to talk about something you saw that was cool, something that was bad, ask for recommendations, or anything else you can think of.

      If you want to, feel free to find the thing you're talking about and link to its pages on Anilist, MAL, or any other database you use!

      10 votes
    36. Morning routines and getting ready for the day

      Users of Tildes, what are your morning routines like? What do you do when you first open your eyes and get out of bed? What things do you think are beneficial and help you start your day? What...

      Users of Tildes, what are your morning routines like? What do you do when you first open your eyes and get out of bed? What things do you think are beneficial and help you start your day? What improvements do you think you could make?

      I initially tried to find an existing thread, but my Google Fu was not up to the task. My apologies if this has been asked before.

      For me, my usual morning goes like this:

      • Get woken up before the alarm by my dog
      • Take her out while doing the daily Wordle
      • Feed my dog while drinking my morning coffee and reading a chapter from one of the books I’m currently reading
      • Get dressed and tidied up
      • (If it’s a work day) I prep my things/lunch
      • (if it’s the weekend) I’ll typically read a couple more chapters or go directly to the next step
      • I’ll catch up on news/Tildes/Instagram
      • And then I continue my day (either by going to work or planning out what needs done around the house)

      I think the only improvements I could really think of is possibly adding a block of 10-15 minutes to journal. I think a bit of self reflection would be beneficial. I usually do some journaling in the evening, but having both my pre and post day thoughts catalogued could be beneficial.

      What about you guys? What do your mornings look like?

      25 votes
    37. Software development jobs for people that want to have a life outside of work

      Hey there! Back when the pandemic was in full swing, I stumbled upon a comment that shared a link to a website with a title quite like this post. I can't quite recall if I saw the comment on...

      Hey there! Back when the pandemic was in full swing, I stumbled upon a comment that shared a link to a website with a title quite like this post. I can't quite recall if I saw the comment on Reddit, the orange site, or even here. The site was quite basic, and claimed to have a list of jobs from companies that understood that its workers would like to have a life outside of work

      The job market has changed a lot since the pandemic, but if any of you awesome folks happen to know where I can find a good part-time software development job, I'd be seriously grateful.

      38 votes
    38. Looking for music with creative or interesting or skilled violin or fiddle that are not the classics (cello or viola also)

      Can be any style, just something you like and think is interesting or fun or moving. Edit, classical music is fine if it is relatively unfamiliar. I recently went to a random benefit concert and...

      Can be any style, just something you like and think is interesting or fun or moving. Edit, classical music is fine if it is relatively unfamiliar.

      I recently went to a random benefit concert and found Kendall Dean, who started with classical violin, added fiddle skills, vocals, guitar, modern tech.

      Here is an instrumental track, but other songs are in a variety of styles and some are covers.
      The Woods

      23 votes
    39. What did you do this week (and weekend)?

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do...

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do nothing at all? Tell us about it!

      8 votes
    40. What home network equipment do you use?

      Hey all, I'm interested in going down the rabbit hole with Ubiquiti equipment or other manufacturers, more specifically with access points, routers, and a switch. I want to ween off my...

      Hey all, I'm interested in going down the rabbit hole with Ubiquiti equipment or other manufacturers, more specifically with access points, routers, and a switch. I want to ween off my ISP-supplied all-in-one equipment as their newer hardware limits basic features such as port forwarding, and I'm interested in re-enabling my self-hosted software. Wi-Fi standards have been moving pretty quickly, as have hardware. What setups do you have established in your homes?

      I don't really have a budget in mind, and have a 2.5GbE port I'd like to utilize for media consumption over LAN.

      29 votes
    41. TV Tuesdays Free Talk

      Have you watched any TV shows recently you want to discuss? Any shows you want to recommend or are hyped about? Feel free to discuss anything here. Please just try to provide fair warning of...

      Have you watched any TV shows recently you want to discuss? Any shows you want to recommend or are hyped about? Feel free to discuss anything here.

      Please just try to provide fair warning of spoilers if you can.

      11 votes
    42. What rooms would you deem necessary for a house, and how necessary are they?

      I know for basic living for one single person and no pets, a bathroom, and kitchen+living room+bedroom are the bare essentials. So basically a studio. What I'm looking for is some opinions on what...

      I know for basic living for one single person and no pets, a bathroom, and kitchen+living room+bedroom are the bare essentials. So basically a studio.

      What I'm looking for is some opinions on what separated rooms are needed/wanted for a house, and also how needed/wanted are they? I'd say the bathroom and "studio" room would rank as #1 and #2, unless you plan on having the "studio" area separate. In that case, these are ranked as:
      Bathroom -1
      Kitchen - 2
      Bedroom - 3
      Living room - 4

      Maybe add in closets here and there, and a laundry room?

      Bthrm closet - 5
      Laundry - 6
      Bdr closet - 7
      Pantry - 8
      Lvgrm closet - 9

      But I know nothing of what rooms are necessary (or lesser known possible rooms/areas) for living, or even how big they should be. I know in my state, NC, the bare minimum is 720 sq ft, so shooting for slightly over that would be ideal for me. I don't want to have a huge house to clean, and I love cozy, small spaces. If I want to see some larger space, I'll look out a window or go outside.

      So what would be your numbered list for priority rooms in a house?

      19 votes
    43. What creative projects have you been working on?

      This topic is part of a series. It is meant to be a place for users to discuss creative projects they have been working on. Projects can be personal, professional, physical, digital, or even just...

      This topic is part of a series. It is meant to be a place for users to discuss creative projects they have been working on.

      Projects can be personal, professional, physical, digital, or even just ideas.

      If you have any creative projects that you have been working on or want to eventually work on, this is a place for discussing those.

      4 votes
    44. Fresh Album Fridays: Taylor Swift, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, The Mountain Goats, and more

      Good morning ~ This is a thread to discuss new album releases that have arrived on our doorstep this week. Feel free to share albums and EPs that have caught your eye and interest. Discussion...

      Good morning ~ This is a thread to discuss new album releases that have arrived on our doorstep this week. Feel free to share albums and EPs that have caught your eye and interest.

      Discussion Points

      What are you looking forward to listen to?
      Have you listened to any of these releases?
      What are your thoughts?
      What have you enjoyed from these artists in the past?

      Why Friday?

      Most (but not all) new LPs release on a Friday, as labels want to give the release a full week of sales before entering the charts.

      ~~ Feedback on the format welcome

      12 votes
    45. What else is going on?

      With all the noise being generated by everything that's happening in Israel & Palestine, I'm starting to feel like governments and large corporations are going to take advantage of this to push...

      With all the noise being generated by everything that's happening in Israel & Palestine, I'm starting to feel like governments and large corporations are going to take advantage of this to push something under the radar that would normally be objected to.

      For the sake of staying informed - is there anything going on that seems like it's not being given adequate attention? What's going on in Gaza is horrible and I have no capacity to affect change in that situation, all I can do is focus on things that I have some degree of influence over.

      43 votes