DesertGeo's recent activity
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Comment on What's the next big fantasy series? in ~books
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Comment on What's the next big fantasy series? in ~books
DesertGeo Link ParentIf I really didn't like Mistborn the book, would I like Stormlight? I thought Mistborn was poor writing and horrible characters. There wasn't any deeper meaning that I could see. I didn't...If I really didn't like Mistborn the book, would I like Stormlight? I thought Mistborn was poor writing and horrible characters. There wasn't any deeper meaning that I could see. I didn't understand why Sanderson decided to write the book besides that he came up with an interesting magic system and wanted to tell a fun story. I know Mistborn was one of his earlier works and a lot of great authors have those problems early in their career. Did anyone here really not like Mistborn but loved Stormlight?
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Comment on Battles - Ddiamondd (2007) in ~music
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Comment on Tomahawk - God Hates A Coward (2001) in ~music
DesertGeo Link ParentHaha yeah it took a bit to grow on me. Generalized songs would get stuck in my head but I couldn't remember how they actually went, so I'd just keep listening to it. Each CD is a bit different....Haha yeah it took a bit to grow on me. Generalized songs would get stuck in my head but I couldn't remember how they actually went, so I'd just keep listening to it. Each CD is a bit different. The second CD is more vocals and not as crazy. Their most recent one has a much more trance feel and really good to work/workout to. All great but Mirrored is my favorite by far.
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Comment on Tomahawk - God Hates A Coward (2001) in ~music
DesertGeo Link ParentThe drummer is in Battles, BTW. Really fun techno/math rock/experimental band. If you give them a shot, give an entire album a listen from front to back before forming a solid judgement.The drummer is in Battles, BTW. Really fun techno/math rock/experimental band. If you give them a shot, give an entire album a listen from front to back before forming a solid judgement.
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Comment on What books are best experienced through a physical copy? in ~books
DesertGeo LinkFahrenheit 451 is symbolically better to read the physical book given the subject matter of the novel. Also that book by JJ Abrams, S., that has a bunch of loose notes and written conversations in...Fahrenheit 451 is symbolically better to read the physical book given the subject matter of the novel. Also that book by JJ Abrams, S., that has a bunch of loose notes and written conversations in the margins between the "previous readers" of the book.
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Comment on The Best Time I Pretended I Hadn’t Heard of Slavoj Žižek in ~misc
DesertGeo Link ParentOf course there's a polite way to say that and you just did. There's no need to irritate people who socialize differently than you. Being able to irritate people or make them feel uneasy is very...Of course there's a polite way to say that and you just did. There's no need to irritate people who socialize differently than you. Being able to irritate people or make them feel uneasy is very easy. Like another "game" I read about where you look at people's hair or shoulder or something while taking to them to make them feel uneasy. It's just a lame way of feeling like you have some superiority or power over someone since you're in the know and they aren't. It's all good if it's in jest and you laugh about it afterwards, but the article made it seem like she just sat there all smug after.
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Comment on The Best Time I Pretended I Hadn’t Heard of Slavoj Žižek in ~misc
DesertGeo LinkI don't understand the point of this. Just to annoy strangers? Sounds like this is advice on how to be anti-social in a social situation. It's fine to do it in to friends or for a little flirting...I don't understand the point of this. Just to annoy strangers? Sounds like this is advice on how to be anti-social in a social situation. It's fine to do it in to friends or for a little flirting to break the ice or something, but the author makes it seem like she does it to strangers to make them upset and doesn't follow up just to feel smug.
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Comment on White girls in cars drinking coffee in ~talk
DesertGeo LinkWhile you have some valid concerns and points about society as a whole, I think getting worked up about hypothetical thoughts and motives someone else has is never a good idea. You either end up...While you have some valid concerns and points about society as a whole, I think getting worked up about hypothetical thoughts and motives someone else has is never a good idea. You either end up taking into an echo chamber or looking like a fool to people who don't see the injustice as you do. I mean if he said "oh, sorry mam, I thought you were black" that'd be different entirely. There's no evidence one way or the other if he was looking to taze a black guy. Cops just go and check out weird stuff when they're not on a call. Maybe making sure you weren't teenage lovers about to bang. Maybe he was making sure you didn't look like a stoner or smoking pot.
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Comment on What are you reading this week? #1 in ~books
DesertGeo Link ParentThat sounds like a fun read! I'm gonna add that to my list.That sounds like a fun read! I'm gonna add that to my list.
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Comment on What are you reading this week? #1 in ~books
DesertGeo LinkWorking on getting through the first half of The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe. I'm in love with this book so far despite needing to be constantly looking up archaic and esoteric words....Working on getting through the first half of The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe. I'm in love with this book so far despite needing to be constantly looking up archaic and esoteric words. Personally, I think it adds to the beauty and realism to the book. Anyways, the series is set during the end of our Sun's life in the ludacrisly far future (Dying Earth genre) where science has advanced so far that it's indistinguishable from magic. The science aspect of this series is much more apparent than that of the original Jack Vance series of Dying Earth. There's rocket ships, mentions of aliens and warp drives, a museum going between different dimensions, but it all has a gritty fantasy feel. There's witches, magic, river god (or something?), a long quest, Kings, peasants, etc.
The story follows and is narrated by a torturer named Severain who was banished from the guild for showing mercy (side note, their torture chamber is in the fucking engine room of a space ship). So he's banished to a small town to the North and he has a bunch of bizzare and fun adventures along the way. I know it gets more complicated than that further into the series, but that's where I'm at not.
I'd recommend this book to anyone that finds this all interesting and doesn't mind slow reading due to odd words and minimalistic prose. The story moves quickly in comparison to the slow reading. I dunno, maybe I'm just bad at vocab. Maybe that's why I'm a geologist. I'd also recommend this to anyone that likes reading very well written books in general, even if you don't like the story. Gene Wolfe (and the Book of the New Sun) has been thrown up there in lists of the best English writers of the century, regardless of genre.
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Comment on Chill early morning albums? in ~music
DesertGeo Link ParentDon't have time to listen through the whole album, but I listened to some snippets and they sound right up my alley. I really need to start listening to more stuff coming out of Japan. They're...Don't have time to listen through the whole album, but I listened to some snippets and they sound right up my alley. I really need to start listening to more stuff coming out of Japan. They're doing some great stuff over there. Thanks!
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Comment on Tildes user profiles in ~talk
DesertGeo Link ParentOh gotcha, I should have just tried that to begin with haha. Thanks!Oh gotcha, I should have just tried that to begin with haha. Thanks!
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Comment on Tildes user profiles in ~talk
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Comment on Chill early morning albums? in ~music
DesertGeo LinkMy go-to morning music is John Zorn's The Dreamers band (Ipos, v. 14 of the Book of Angels is my favorite). Some of the chillest "avant garde" dream-like jazz he has ever made. Allah Las is...My go-to morning music is John Zorn's The Dreamers band (Ipos, v. 14 of the Book of Angels is my favorite). Some of the chillest "avant garde" dream-like jazz he has ever made.
Allah Las is another favorite for the morning. They are great lazy morning surf rock.
Also, Salad Days is an awesome pick!
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Comment on What's your favorite hard science fiction novel? in ~books
DesertGeo Link ParentI love the Expanse, but you're totally right. You feel like you're reading a movie or TV show. It's a fantastic page turner and a blast to read, but yeah, it's not top quality writing. It reminds...I love the Expanse, but you're totally right. You feel like you're reading a movie or TV show. It's a fantastic page turner and a blast to read, but yeah, it's not top quality writing. It reminds me of Michael Crichton to be honest. Excellent writing if you just want to escape into a book and have fun. The book shouldn't be considered hard sci-fi though, I mean they have orbital mechanics down and possibly habitat science as well, but it isn't focused too much on the science aspect of it.
Right on, you and @dubteedub convinced me to give it a shot. But if you're wrong, oh boy there will be hell to pay in 6 months! Haha you weren't lying how long those books are.