Bluefly's recent activity

  1. Comment on What have you been eating, drinking, and cooking? in ~food

    Bluefly
    Link
    Was really craving currywurst the other day, so recently made that for dinner. Decided to make german potato salad to go with it, also have a family carrot salad recipe that I thought would pair...

    Was really craving currywurst the other day, so recently made that for dinner. Decided to make german potato salad to go with it, also have a family carrot salad recipe that I thought would pair quite nicely. Ended up using this recipe: https://thesausagehaus.co.uk/currywurst-germanys-street-food-legend/

    Was quite happy with it. I kinda forgot the curry sauce on the stovetop for like, 30 minutes. Wasn't a bad thing though, thought it added a kinda dark complexity to the sauce. Figure that the currywurst stands in Berlin are probably leaving their sauces on the heat all day anyways.

  2. Comment on Why am I left-handed? in ~science

    Bluefly
    Link
    Interesting article. I do wish it had gone a bit more into the science side of things, would have been interested to hear about more studies than it talked about. I'm also always a little wary of...

    Interesting article. I do wish it had gone a bit more into the science side of things, would have been interested to hear about more studies than it talked about. I'm also always a little wary of evolutionary biology, it's been misused so much over the years. I'm also not sure I agree so much with this statement:

    A coin flip during fetal development lands on one side 90% of the time. This suggests that right-handedness is advantageous for some reason, but if so — and here I feel a slight sense of defensiveness kicking in — why are the left-leaning tubulin gene variants still around? Chris Venditti (opens a new tab), an evolutionary biologist at the University of Reading, isn’t a lefty, but he points out that the proportion of left-handers has been consistent across time and continents. “Usually in evolution when that happens there’s a reason for it,” he told me.

    Does it have to be that it is advantageous? My understanding was that it's not really survival of the fittest, just simply survival of the good enough. I don't see why it couldn't have developed this way simply by accident. Of course there could be a reason too, but I don't see that it has to be the case.

    Did lead me into a rabbit hole on looking up handedness preferences though, and found this other recent science article about it (https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/people-arent-born-with-as-righties-or-lefties-they-develop-hand-dominance-with-practice-a-new-study-suggests-180989168/). Fits in fairly well I think with the original article, as an attempt to explain how handedness develops: that the brain is biased towards preferring a certain side and then develops handedness for that out of practice and repetition. I've certainly experienced that myself, I am right side dominant, but left handed for specific things because I learned them left handed first.

  3. Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games

    Bluefly
    Link
    Kind of between games at the moment. Was playing Palworld up until a few weeks ago. It's the third time I've played it, and was excited for the new content with 1.0. Started a new save file and...

    Kind of between games at the moment. Was playing Palworld up until a few weeks ago. It's the third time I've played it, and was excited for the new content with 1.0. Started a new save file and quickly got Chillet, my beloved. Played up until about the World Tree and then just fell off it. I'm not really surprised, that happens to me with this game. I always have a great time and am obsessed with it until I'm just done. I'm sure I'll come back in about a year or so when I get the itch again. Will finish the story then, and if I'm lucky maybe there will be some new updates.

    I'm really waiting for the release of Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave next month, but until that point I'm in a deck building roguelike kind of mood. Tried playing a new one, Star Renegades and am sad to have bounced off of it. There's a lot about it to like: the battle system is interesting, the opening animation is intriguing, the pixel art is gorgeous, and the class system seems fun. The runs take too long, however (3-4 hours), which really feels like it slows down the pace of learning and finding new things. The map can also be difficult to read, and the writing immediately pivoted to comedy despite the more serious opening. I actually do wish it had stuck with the more serious tone. So I'm back to playing Monster Train 2, as I slowly continue my quest to beat all clan combinations on covenant 10.

    I really do want to pickup a new game, I'm feeling the itch. But not really sure what to play before the new fire emblem next month. I have a ridiculously huge backlog, so it's not like I don't have options.

    1 vote

  4. Comment on Webcomic of the author's experience in an abusive school that was a part of the Troubled Teens Industry in ~life

    Bluefly
    Link
    Thank you very much for posting. I'd read the beginning before, but not any of the sections once he got out of Elan. Really appreciated those sections, thought it fairly accurately represented how...

    Thank you very much for posting. I'd read the beginning before, but not any of the sections once he got out of Elan. Really appreciated those sections, thought it fairly accurately represented how dealing with trauma works, and is often something you deal with for the rest of your life. I'm sure I will go back to read this again in the future.

    4 votes

  5. Comment on Sleep struggles: how do I get better sleep quality? in ~life

    Bluefly
    Link Parent
    Ooh, yeah. I also got diagnosed with sleep apnea, but after my ADHD diagnosis. My GP said she wished she had considered recommending I go to a sleep doctor with my ADHD diagnosis, it's so common.

    Ooh, yeah. I also got diagnosed with sleep apnea, but after my ADHD diagnosis. My GP said she wished she had considered recommending I go to a sleep doctor with my ADHD diagnosis, it's so common.

    2 votes

  6. Comment on Sleep struggles: how do I get better sleep quality? in ~life

    Bluefly
    Link
    My partner has the exact same problems with sleep as you, right down to the ADHD. Hoping some of the solutions you get here work for you, as he hasn't found a long-term answer yet either. I've...

    My partner has the exact same problems with sleep as you, right down to the ADHD. Hoping some of the solutions you get here work for you, as he hasn't found a long-term answer yet either. I've also had my own sleep problems, enough that I saw a sleep doctor for it for a while. I think everyone here has given some really good advice, here are some additional things I do when I have difficulty sleeping due to anxiety:

    • If I wake up and can't fall back asleep within fifteen minutes, I get up and do something else. I try to keep light levels low, and do something that's not too mentally stimulating. I'll try doing it for 30-60 minutes, then try going back to sleep again. This was advice from my sleep doctor.
    • If I really can't sleep due to anxiety, I'll go to the couch and put on a tv show from my childhood. Something simple without a deep plot, and that I know fairly well. I'll turn the brightness all the way down, and put the volume down to a level I can just about hear. Then I'll lay down on the couch and watch the show until I drift off. Something about it just works for me, helps take my brain away from worrying about current stuff. Currently using dragon ball for this, but I've used pokemon and gundam wing in the past.
    • I also have ADHD, and sometimes I know I can fall asleep if I can get my brain to stop thinking on overdrive. I tried variations on counting games to quiet my brain, but it was never quite interesting enough. So instead I try this thing where I'll pick a word, something that doesn't bring to mind strong emotions and that's no longer than 5 letters. Say for example the word SKIP. Then, I'll take each letter in the word, and come up with a new word that starts with that letter, and then the second letter in the word descends alphabetically. So, using the S from SKIP, I might go SALT, SBARRO, SCISSORS... etc. If, I can't find a word for each letter, I skip it until I get to the end of the alphabet. I then start with the next letter in the original word. This sounds complicated, but it manages to be both interesting and mindless for me. The key is to pick words that don't have a lot of emotional meaning for you, and to try and visualize each one. I don't think I've ever gotten past the 3rd letter of the original word when I play this game.
    • Was recommended these guided meditations once from UCLA (https://www.uclahealth.org/uclamindful/guided-meditations). They have one for sleep that I've sometimes found helpful.
    • And this last one is a recommendation from my therapist. Sometimes, I just can't sleep or fall back to sleep. In that case, I just accept that it's the way it's gonna be. It still can be valuable to lay in the dark and just rest. If I can't sleep, resting is still good. I'll try to direct my brain a little bit, if I'm gonna rest I want to think about things I like, so I'll try to do so. Maybe a video game I like, or a tv show I'm watching. Sometimes, I still fall asleep in the end this way.
    2 votes

  7. Comment on These twenty-five artifacts explain America (gifted link) in ~life

    Bluefly
    Link Parent
    Had so much fun coming up with my list of items for the states, decided I also want to come up with a list for my current home, England. This list is made with affection (and some criticism), and...

    Had so much fun coming up with my list of items for the states, decided I also want to come up with a list for my current home, England. This list is made with affection (and some criticism), and from the outside perspective of an American who only moved here as an adult. In no particular order, but numbered so that I can keep track of 25 items:

    1. A ploughman sandwich. A simple sandwich consisting of cheese and pickles on bread. Sometimes adds ham if you're getting fancy. This is actually a really old lunch, going back centuries, and was the lunch of farm workers. England has an interesting history in that before the industrial revolution, they were invaded and conquered often enough that much of the food they are famous for today was from the invading cultures. And once they became a large empire, taken from other cultures. Even the famous fish and chips are from Jewish immigrants. But this one is 100% original to the isles. It reminds me of a good PB&J in it's simplicity but brilliance. A nice salty, sharp cheddar matches with sweet, tangy, and sour pickles. Putting in the effort to find good ingredients for the sandwich results in one of my favorite sandwiches I've ever had.
    2. Cake. If cookies make me think of America, cake makes me think of England. Very common and popular, often seen in cafes as something to get as a quick afternoon treat.
    3. Electric kettles. There are coffee countries and tea countries, and England is famously a tea country. When I moved here, I expected tea rooms to be a more popular thing then they are, but they seem to be more of a tourist activity. Instead, tea seems to primarily be a drink that's taken at home, or perhaps in the office as a pick-me up. If you're grabbing a non-alcoholic drink in public with friends, coffee shops and cafes are still more popular. So everyone needs an electric kettle! Tea time at home or in the office is a much more low-key affair then I imagined, but still quite pleasant. Make yourself a cuppa, and have it with a biscuit.
    4. Double-decker buses. Much like a yellow school bus, I had to put this one. Was so excited to ride them when I moved here. If you're visiting any UK city and are trying to learn the sights, I highly recommend looking up a bus route that loops through the city center, and just sitting on the upper level of one. It's a low cost way to see things, the view is fantastic, and it's a good way to rest your feet.
    5. Tunnock's tea cakes. I suspect this may be a controversial choice for any UK readers, but let me explain. These sweets have the reputation in the UK of being a sweet your grandmother keeps in the house. But for everyone else from other countries I've introduced these cakes to, they go wild for them (including myself). For those unfamiliar, they are a large mound of marshmallow fluff on top of a shortbread biscuit and encased in chocolate. I'm also somewhat cheating because this is a Scottish brand, but it is an English tradition to claim it as their own. But to my overall point, in general the sweets me and my international friends tend to enjoy the most and find interesting are usually older, more traditional ones. I think in an age of globalization, these sweets are unique and have not typically been encountered previously. Kit kats and skittles are available globally and tailored to local tastes, but Tunnock's tea cakes, or flying saucers (another favorite of mine) are not. I even got to experience the same thing in reverse, when a friend returned from a visit to the US. He had brought back a large bag of tootsie rolls, a candy there that I associate with my Grandpa and find kind of old fashioned. Everyone from the UK he gave them too absolutely loved them, which surprised me, but at this point probably shouldn't.
    6. Fox poo shampoo. Foxes are everywhere in the UK, including the cities. They basically play a similar role to raccoons in the US, often scavenging from rubbish bins and getting into cute/frustrating shenanigans. They are also, similar to raccoons, in the early stages of domestication. Their shit must smell absolutely amazing to my dog, because she insists on rolling in it every time she finds a fresh one. Was amused to find out that it's apparently a common enough problem for dog owners, that specific shampoo exists for it. I also like this as a representation of UK dog culture in general. This country is a leader in dog behavioral research, and dogs are very popular pets here. A great place to have a dog, aside from the shit rolling.
    7. Shredded, stale bread. The UK, like many Western countries, has a mixed record on environmentalism. I've thought they were doing well at switching over to green energy sources even before the Ukraine war, and many people here do try very hard to conserve electricity and water. But when it comes to nature conservation, I feel there is a blind spot. It is not uncommon for people to walk their dogs off leash in their national parks, with no thoughts about the dogs disrupting the wild animals living there. Cats famously spend most of their days outdoors here and are actively hunting a native bird population that is already impacted by habitat reduction and other invasive species. Most of the trees that were once on the island have been cut down, a real shame because many of the forests that used to exist here would qualify as the rare, temperate rainforest. Grazing livestock are allowed free roam, unfortunately making it difficult for the forests to recover, as many of them like to eat young saplings. Where does the stale bread come in? It is very common to see people leave it on the ground to feed birds in parks. Some of these people likely mean well, but bread is notoriously unhealthy for wild birds as a diet, and again disrupts the local wildlife. I do think it is rare here to find places that are untouched by humans, and perhaps because of that people have a hard time in seeing how their actions impacts the nature around them. What I find frustrating when I ask people here about this, is that they just seem to shrug their shoulders and say it's always been this way, the wildlife is used to it. No, I say it hasn't (most of the tree reduction in the UK happened in the 20th century), and also, it can change.
    8. Cask ales. A style of beer that is completely unique to the UK. It's unique in that it continues to ferment after the primary fermentation at the brewery, up until the moment it is hand-pulled into the pint. It's unfortunately a style of brewing that might be in trouble. IPAs have taken over as the most popular beer at the moment, and the unique properties of cask ales make them unattractive to pub and bar owners when compared to beers kept in kegs. Cask ales must be consumed quickly once tapped, as they will go bad within days (a hard sell if the place isn't moving high volumes of them), compared to the weeks shelf-life of kegs. They require unique infrastructure to hand pull them. And the beer is served warmer than kegged beer, which can make it unattractive to customers. They are delightful though, and I recommend them to anyone who's curious to try them.
    9. Model trains. Trains are to English history, what the plane is to US history. The invention of them was a significant factor in the development of the British Empire, and they still see high use today. People who are really into trains here are, really into them. Model trains are often popular among train fans, and I've seen some really elaborate displays. The National Rail Museum in York has an extensive model train setup, as well as a very cool collection of train engines and anything relating to trains. As a side note, a lot of the older train stations here are gorgeous, with really beautiful iron work. Worth visiting some of them even if you don't ride a train.
    10. Artificial turf. England loves gardening, and has a style of doing so that is very, orderly? People seem to love lawns, and people will often criticize gardens that they think look disorganized (including ones that are purposely being left to meadow). Artificial turf seems oddly attractive to people for this reason. It always looks green, requires no maintenance or sunlight, and looks kinda like a lawn (from a distance). A real one is better of course, if you can afford it.

    Wow, this grew much longer than I anticipated. Gonna take a break for a bit, then come back to do the next round.

  8. Comment on Any significant changes to Tildes are extremely unlikely in ~tildes.official

    Bluefly
    Link Parent
    Wow, how could you describe it so well? I remember the first time as a teen I was shocked when I realized being a minority didn't mean that you automatically empathized with other minorities. I...

    Wow, how could you describe it so well? I remember the first time as a teen I was shocked when I realized being a minority didn't mean that you automatically empathized with other minorities. I was like, how can you not understand? You already know what it's like to experience discrimination.

    6 votes

  9. Comment on Any significant changes to Tildes are extremely unlikely in ~tildes.official

    Bluefly
    Link Parent
    Glad to meet you as well!

    Glad to meet you as well!

    2 votes

  10. Comment on These twenty-five artifacts explain America (gifted link) in ~life

  11. Comment on These twenty-five artifacts explain America (gifted link) in ~life

    Bluefly
    Link Parent
    Lol, also considered including a medical bill in the list, but that one seemed a little too depressing.

    Lol, also considered including a medical bill in the list, but that one seemed a little too depressing.

    1 vote

  12. Comment on Any significant changes to Tildes are extremely unlikely in ~tildes.official

    Bluefly
    Link Parent
    Can't speak for 0o0, but it's how I joined fairly recently. I do hope people will stick around a little longer. I'm enjoying it here too.

    Can't speak for 0o0, but it's how I joined fairly recently. I do hope people will stick around a little longer. I'm enjoying it here too.

    4 votes

  13. Comment on These twenty-five artifacts explain America (gifted link) in ~life

    Bluefly
    Link Parent
    Very interesting, thanks for the share. I have some things to add, just from my time living abroad. Some of them are things people pointed out to me, some of them are things I noticed myself. Most...

    Very interesting, thanks for the share. I have some things to add, just from my time living abroad. Some of them are things people pointed out to me, some of them are things I noticed myself. Most of them feel food related.

    • PB&J sandwiches. Sandwiches are ubiquitous worldwide, everyone has one. But I think the PB&J sandwich is uniquely American. Almost all of us (without nut allergies) have had one growing up at some point. And as an adult, they still hit the spot.
    • Cheese wiz. This is what many Europeans think of when they think of artificial cheese food products. Some of them have told me they think this is the only cheese Americans eat. I would also say it is a great example of our long experiment in the industrialization and creation of food in a lab.
    • Chocolate Chip Cookies. A classic. Most countries have a sweet of choice when they're out at a cafe, or getting a sweet treat, and in the US it's often a cookie. Had to go with chocolate chip, both because it was invented in the US, and is a common favorite.
    • Yellow school busses. I don't know why, but for some reason this is one of the things I get asked about most. Have I ridden one? Are they really that common? (Yes and yes). School busses exist in many countries, but few of them look like ours.
    • A gun. I feel like this one really doesn't need explanation.
    • Branded sports team athletic wear. I hadn't really thought of this as American until I moved abroad, but we apparently have a unique way of designing and branding our sports teams. A lot of people outside the US think it looks really cool, and I commonly see non-Americans wearing clothing and hats for teams they don't even know the name of, they just like the outfit.
    • Diner napkin dispensers. This one is multilayered for me. For one, diners don't really seem to exist outside the states, at least in Europe. I've been to diner-themed restaurants run by Europeans, but there's always something about them that still makes them feel like a restaurant with diner theming, not an actual diner. Two, in the US, napkins are usually placed somewhere easily accessible by visitors, who are encouraged to take as much as they want. Kind of an example of how customer service works there. In Europe, napkins are usually kept with the cashier or somewhere in the back of house, and are distributed to customers in small amounts. They will of course give you more if you ask, but you must ask. Just a difference in philosophies I've noticed, perhaps an example of American excess.
    • Interstate signs. Another uniquely American design (how it looks, that is), and an example of our car culture. Really common to see pictures of random interstate signs in American-themed restaurants. It always makes me laugh, as it feels so random to me.
    • An American football helmet. Representative of the sport, the violence common in our media, how we try to market ourselves internationally (and how sometimes it doesn't work the way we think), and our bandaid attempts to help the people impacted by the violence.
    • Garlic powder. An ingredient that doesn't seem to be very common in European recipes that I've found, but an integral part of many American regional cuisines, including BBQ, cajun, Italian-American, and many others. Some of the Europeans I've talked to think that we use it instead of garlic, and while I'm sure there are people who use it that way, it is more a separate spice that is meant to provide flavor in addition to or separately. Most commonly used in rubs, marinades, soups, stews, and sauces.
    • Thanksgiving hand turkey drawings. Another thing most of us did as kids. Don't know of anyplace else that does them. Maybe in Canada for their Thanksgiving?
    • Green-dyed beer. American St. Patrick's Day celebrations are slowly being exported back to the UK. A bit awkwardly, actually, as the English totally don't really consider how the Irish might feel about their shared past and just enjoy the fun American-style drinking. But yes, this is an American style of celebration, St. Patrick's Day isn't really a big thing in Ireland, and Corned Beef is also only an Irish American tradition.
    • Jack-o-lanterns. Halloween comes from a Celtic tradition, and was probably started in Canada, but internationally is seen as an American holiday. They don't seem to do a lot of trick or treating (though I hear some neighborhoods do), but costume parties are fairly popular. I've not really seen a lot of jack-o-lanterns here, and still feel like that's only really common in the US/Canada.

    To be honest I'll probably think of more. It's a fun question, and there are many things I've noticed over the years.

  14. Comment on These twenty-five artifacts explain America (gifted link) in ~life

    Bluefly
    Link
    Oh, I really agree with the basket of chips and salsa for other reasons. I miss them so much, why is it so hard to find salsa outside of the Americas? I make it myself, but it's not the same. I...

    Oh, I really agree with the basket of chips and salsa for other reasons. I miss them so much, why is it so hard to find salsa outside of the Americas? I make it myself, but it's not the same. I desperately miss just being able to buy decent salsa in the grocery store. Never truly appreciated what I had.

    1 vote

  15. Comment on These twenty-five artifacts explain America (gifted link) in ~life

    Bluefly
    Link Parent
    I think an interesting thing about identity is that you can't entirely choose all aspects of it. And sometimes, you're so used to aspects of it, you wouldn't even consider it noticeable. I don't...

    I think an interesting thing about identity is that you can't entirely choose all aspects of it. And sometimes, you're so used to aspects of it, you wouldn't even consider it noticeable. I don't know that I think red solo cups say much about myself as an American, but I know from my European friends that it's one of the first things they think of, simply because those don't really exist here in Europe (well, they sort of do now, in American themed stores and sections).

    1 vote

  16. Comment on What is your Mandela effect moment? in ~movies

    Bluefly
    Link Parent
    Oh, had a very similar childhood experience with movies though. The first time I saw Star Wars A New Hope, was the 90s re-release in theaters. That one that George Lucas tinkered with, and it...

    Oh, had a very similar childhood experience with movies though. The first time I saw Star Wars A New Hope, was the 90s re-release in theaters. That one that George Lucas tinkered with, and it included a scene with Han Solo talking to Jaba the Hutt in the beginning. I loved it, and couldn't wait to watch it at home. The ones we had at home were the original releases on VHS. I was very confused where that scene with Jaba the Hutt was.

    Later, I asked my Mom about this. But she hadn't gone to the movies for the release and had no idea what I was talking about. Thought I was confused and talking about Return of the Jedi, which was originally the first appearance of Jaba the Hutt. For some reason, I never decided to have this conversation with my dad, who had been the one to take me to the rerelease. And so for years, every time I watched the VHS at home, and Jaba the Hutt didn't show up, it confirmed my mom's memory (which in fairness, was accurate for her). I didn't get to see the updated rerelease again for years later, when the updated editions released on DVD when I was a teen. Up to that point, I literally thought I had imagined it. Can't even blame my mom for her original response.

    6 votes

  17. Comment on Share your favourite dal recipe! in ~food

    Bluefly
    Link Parent
    Seconding this recipe, it's one of my favorite daals I've ever had.

    Seconding this recipe, it's one of my favorite daals I've ever had.

    1 vote

  18. Comment on Reddit will require you to be logged in to use old.reddit.com in ~tech

    Bluefly
    Link Parent
    Hey, thanks so much for sharing this. Got the message today when I tried to go on old reddit that I needed to sign in, and this totally still works.

    Hey, thanks so much for sharing this. Got the message today when I tried to go on old reddit that I needed to sign in, and this totally still works.

    3 votes

  19. Comment on Incentives are for losers in ~society

    Bluefly
    Link Parent
    Oof, dealing with parents sounds so grating. I can't blame you about not being optimistic. I have several friends who left education because of parents. I mean, it's disappointing that he's 34 and...

    Oof, dealing with parents sounds so grating. I can't blame you about not being optimistic. I have several friends who left education because of parents. I mean, it's disappointing that he's 34 and still immature, but not frankly uncommon, sadly.

    3 votes

  20. Comment on Incentives are for losers in ~society

    Bluefly
    Link Parent
    Haha, don't get me wrong, I noticed the same thing about him not demonstrating doing any of the work. And that style of atheist definitely is grating. He does come off as immature, hopefully he'll...

    Haha, don't get me wrong, I noticed the same thing about him not demonstrating doing any of the work. And that style of atheist definitely is grating. He does come off as immature, hopefully he'll grow past that at some point.

    4 votes