Kerry56's recent activity
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Comment on I am kinda curious about the demographics of Tildes in ~talk
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Comment on I am kinda curious about the demographics of Tildes in ~talk
Kerry56 Link ParentI still have a complete woodworking shop, and I try to stay in practice with projects for myself, my family and a few friends. I'm going to make a new chest of drawers for myself, to match a...I still have a complete woodworking shop, and I try to stay in practice with projects for myself, my family and a few friends. I'm going to make a new chest of drawers for myself, to match a cherry armoire that I made years ago, and a new headboard is in the planning stage as well. A longer term project is replacing the two sofas in my front room. I've only got a vague notion of the design I want, so I suspect it will stay on the back burner for a bit.
Woodworking in an apartment can be done on a small scale. Are you interested in carving? That can be done with just a few tools and a small workspace. I tried chipcarving for a while, but never got proficient.
As for my writing, I've finished eight Sci-Fi novels. I'm working on another right now, though progress is similar to walking through mid-calf cement. This current work is a slight deviation into fantasy, rather than Sci-Fi. I'd characterize all my works as adventure tales, so nothing in the hard science fiction sub-genre.
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Comment on I am kinda curious about the demographics of Tildes in ~talk
Kerry56 LinkI seem to be the oldest to post in this topic so far. I'm 69, which is not as fun as it sounds. Male, single and straight. A lifelong woodworker, furniture maker and antique restorer, I shifted...I seem to be the oldest to post in this topic so far. I'm 69, which is not as fun as it sounds. Male, single and straight. A lifelong woodworker, furniture maker and antique restorer, I shifted gears late in life and started writing novels.
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Comment on What video games would you say have the best stories? Feel free to suggest more than one. in ~games
Kerry56 LinkAnachronox was always a favorite of mine. One of the wittiest games I've played. It is ancient now, but available on GOG, I believe. Yep, just checked and it's on sale for less than a dollar...97...Anachronox was always a favorite of mine. One of the wittiest games I've played. It is ancient now, but available on GOG, I believe. Yep, just checked and it's on sale for less than a dollar...97 cents for the next day and a half.
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Comment on Movies: Your personal year in review for 2025 in ~movies
Kerry56 Link ParentSince this thread has been revived, I'll add a couple of movies that I've watched in the mean time. Marty Supreme is a difficult one for me to rate. Overall, a good movie, but I dislike the main...Since this thread has been revived, I'll add a couple of movies that I've watched in the mean time.
Marty Supreme is a difficult one for me to rate. Overall, a good movie, but I dislike the main character so much, I don't think I'll ever watch it again, and I rewatch movies quite often. A one and done deal for me.
It was Just an Accident is a much better film that hits with more authenticity. I'd say this is easily the best movie I watched in 2025.
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Comment on Not-so-humble brag: What are you proud of that you don't normally get to talk about? in ~talk
Kerry56 LinkI finished writing the last book in a sci-fi trilogy, and published it on Amazon in March of 2025. It was the shortest, and yet the most difficult one to complete. Bursts of inspiration, followed...I finished writing the last book in a sci-fi trilogy, and published it on Amazon in March of 2025. It was the shortest, and yet the most difficult one to complete. Bursts of inspiration, followed by weeks of frustration characterized the writing process with that one. On the plus side, I spent a lot of time researching technical problems, and learned a lot, especially about flying and entering an atmosphere in an unpowered space plane, like the space shuttle.
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Comment on Are you still using social media? in ~tech
Kerry56 LinkI'm not active on many sites. I come to Tildes to get snippets of information that might otherwise pass by unnoticed, and I watch Youtube videos with very few interactions on that platform. In...I'm not active on many sites. I come to Tildes to get snippets of information that might otherwise pass by unnoticed, and I watch Youtube videos with very few interactions on that platform. In fact, I'm almost never signed in when I'm at Youtube, and only do so to like a video, or on rare occasions, leave a comment.
There is one small community on Discord where I read and leave comments. It's usually about Mamamoo, so that's a very niche subject.
And I have a tiny group of friends on a private server. We've known each other for more than twenty years.
And that's it. Definite no's to X and Reddit.
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Comment on TV: Your personal year in review for 2025 in ~tv
Kerry56 LinkI've enjoyed many different TV series this year, some new to me and some re-watches. Department Q was a surprise. I'd never heard of it, but it turned out to be very good. I think I liked it...I've enjoyed many different TV series this year, some new to me and some re-watches.
Department Q was a surprise. I'd never heard of it, but it turned out to be very good. I think I liked it better than the fifth season of Slow Horses, which itself wasn't terrible, just not up to the level of the previous seasons.
Squid Game Season 3 was predictibly sad, and not as shocking as the earlier seasons. Not bad.
Landman Season 2 is still ongoing, and is maintaining its quality so far.
I rewatched Silo season one and continued to the second season. Really quite good.
Murderbot was quirky and a little disappointing. It just fell flat for me.
Stranger Things season 5 isn't finished, but the first four episodes were better than I expected. We'll see how they end everything soon enough, and I have more hope for that than I thought I might.
Wednesday Season 2 lost most of its charm.
A Korean series, called Weak Hero was interesting. I watched both seasons.
The Pitt was outstanding.
Pluribus has been better than expected. Not finished yet, of course.
And I tried to watch Severance. I went back to the first season and got through the first two episodes before giving up. It was both boring and weird. -
Comment on Movies: Your personal year in review for 2025 in ~movies
Kerry56 Link2025 was a poor year for new movies, at least for me. I tried to watch One Battle after Another. I dislike DiCaprio so much that I have a hard time even starting a movie with him in it, but I gave...2025 was a poor year for new movies, at least for me.
I tried to watch One Battle after Another. I dislike DiCaprio so much that I have a hard time even starting a movie with him in it, but I gave it a shot. I made it through ten minutes before I had to turn it off and do something else, anything else.
The Lost Bus was ok, Dead of Winter was fine, just not outstanding in any way. Warfare seemed like an earnest attempt by people who knew the subject well, but it didn't really work as a movie. K-Pop Demon Hunters was mediocre at best.
F1 the Movie was disappointing. I kept comparing it to Ford vs Ferrari in my mind and F1 came up very short.
I did watch Prey for the first time this year, and I'm not sure how I missed it when it came out. One of the better Predator movies, I think.
One of the best surprises for me was a B grade movie that I had little expectations from. You know, one of those low budget, shoot-em up popcorn movies. It is called Osiris, and I was far more entertained than I expected to be.
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Comment on Amazon to allow EPUB and PDF downloads of DRM-free Kindle titles in ~books
Kerry56 LinkMy ebooks didn't have DRM to begin with, but I went through the process outlined in this article and confirmed that they can be downloaded in different formats.My ebooks didn't have DRM to begin with, but I went through the process outlined in this article and confirmed that they can be downloaded in different formats.
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Comment on Modern Christmas carol renditions that aren't mediocre CCM? in ~music
Kerry56 LinkThis reply will not address your request very well. I'm just putting it out for anyone looking for something different in Christmas songs. People are still writing and producing new songs for the...This reply will not address your request very well. I'm just putting it out for anyone looking for something different in Christmas songs.
People are still writing and producing new songs for the Christmas season, and my favorite group, Mamamoo, has one they made back in 2016.It is called Memory.
One of the members, Hwasa, also has a song called Grey Christmas.
Both of these are mostly in Korean, so I just lean back and enjoy their voices.
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Comment on Advice/Suggestions on headphones or earbuds while listening to voices in the same room in ~tech
Kerry56 LinkI'm not sure what your budget is, but I'd recommend the Philips Fidelio X2 open back headphones. (NOT the X3 version) Amazon has them on sale right now for $124.19. They are over-the-ear...I'm not sure what your budget is, but I'd recommend the Philips Fidelio X2 open back headphones. (NOT the X3 version) Amazon has them on sale right now for $124.19. They are over-the-ear headphones, but with their suspension headband and soft velour pads, I always found them comfortable while wearing glasses. A suspension headband puts less pressure on the sides of your head and sits more over the top of the skull. This set will have excellent sound for the money, and a good deal of bass for an open back, which is a little unusual.
If you don't want to chance an over-the-ear headphone, or that is too expensive, then I'll second the Koss Porta Pros that have already been mentioned. They also have decent bass, but will be a little muddier than the Philips set. The cord is 4ft, so be sure that is enough room for you. Easy to get an extension cord if not.
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Comment on Is trying to become an author insane in times of LLMs? in ~tech
Kerry56 (edited )LinkI'm already an author, though not one of the lucky few who actually make money from their books. What are your objectives? If you want to make a living through writing, that is a rough road to...I'm already an author, though not one of the lucky few who actually make money from their books. What are your objectives? If you want to make a living through writing, that is a rough road to travel, and I wish you luck. You'll need luck, as well as skill, and most of all, never giving up, no matter how long it takes. The existence of LLM's doesn't change that, nor do I believe they will be a major source of literature in the future.
My objective was a little different. If I make money, great. That's all to the good. But I mostly wanted my stories to actually exist in the world. I wanted to let others see and experience what I saw in my mind. And having a physical object that came only from me... that was most satisfying. One of the best memories I have from my writing process was showing the rough draft of my first novel to my mother before she died. She was ill, but courageously read the whole thing, even though it wasn't a genre she read on a regular basis.
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Comment on Shrinking number of free news outlets in ~talk
Kerry56 Link ParentI was a member at Ars for over twenty years. Their reporting has gone downhill ever since they were bought out. I find two of their regular writers to be complete pricks, and had a public spat...I was a member at Ars for over twenty years. Their reporting has gone downhill ever since they were bought out. I find two of their regular writers to be complete pricks, and had a public spat with one of them. He is arrogant and quite abusive in his replies, and the editorial staff does nothing about this. I had enough and left. I won't go back and every time a story from Ars comes up on Tildes, I block it. So, not for me.
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Comment on Shrinking number of free news outlets in ~talk
Kerry56 Link ParentThanks for mentioning them. I'll take a look.Thanks for mentioning them. I'll take a look.
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Comment on Shrinking number of free news outlets in ~talk
Kerry56 Link ParentIt is entirely possible that I could hit a limit on articles at Reuters, since I've just started with them today. There is no indication that there is any limit for me at this point. Two buttons...It is entirely possible that I could hit a limit on articles at Reuters, since I've just started with them today. There is no indication that there is any limit for me at this point. Two buttons at the top right of the site, for Signing in and Registering, support your statement however, and I'll soon know if they put a limit on my access. If so, I'll drop them like a hot rock too.
I'll take a look at CBC.ca and ABC.net.au. Thanks for those suggestions.
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Shrinking number of free news outlets
We've had discussions around here before about where we get our news, and one of mine has been The BBC. I've used them as an occasional source for several years now. It seems that today (Nov 15th)...
We've had discussions around here before about where we get our news, and one of mine has been The BBC. I've used them as an occasional source for several years now. It seems that today (Nov 15th) marks a shift in their policy regarding access to their online site. BBC.com is no longer readable for free. I can look at their headlines, but as soon as I try to read an article, a subscribe pop-up appears, and there is no way around it. Archive sites will still have the articles, yes, but that is a different subject entirely.
As far as I'm concerned, that drops them from my list of news sources. I have tentatively replaced them with Reuters, which is visually clunky, but still free. The AP site, PBS and National Public Radio are other sites I frequent. For a British viewpoint, I'm also trying out The Guardian, which bombards me with SUBSCRIBE notices, but those can still be zapped out of sight.
Are there any other obvious sites I haven't mentioned? Not interested in right-wing propaganda by the way and I find most of the major American networks intolerable.
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Comment on How has AI positively impacted your life? in ~tech
Kerry56 Link ParentDoes it remind you to use the new cover sheets for your TPS reports?Does it remind you to use the new cover sheets for your TPS reports?
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Comment on Automotive repair costs on modern vehicles. Any horror stories? in ~transport
Kerry56 (edited )LinkBy coincidence, my brother just called and told me about the amount the repair shop wanted, just to change the thermostat and two radiator hoses on his Ram truck. $400 to replace the thermostat...By coincidence, my brother just called and told me about the amount the repair shop wanted, just to change the thermostat and two radiator hoses on his Ram truck. $400 to replace the thermostat and $900 to replace the hoses, plus tax. Needless to say, he took his truck back home without having this done.
Looks like I'll be making a trip his way to do these simple chores.
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Comment on Automotive repair costs on modern vehicles. Any horror stories? in ~transport
Kerry56 Link ParentThat doesn't surprise me. Plugs can be a huge pain in the butt, even with older generations. I had a friend with an old Ford F150, and the particular engine he had was prone to blowing out one of...That doesn't surprise me. Plugs can be a huge pain in the butt, even with older generations. I had a friend with an old Ford F150, and the particular engine he had was prone to blowing out one of the back spark plugs. It happened to him on a trip and he was lucky enough to find a mechanic who had made his own tools that allowed him to reach that plug hole, drill it out and put in a threaded insert without the usual step of pulling the engine.
I will say, I have sympathy for mechanics trying to work in the confined spaces of the modern vehicles. I don't know how they manage to reach anything.
Sorry to hear about your father. Instrument makers are awesome, with amazing skills. It's good you have many of his pieces. They'll be heirlooms to pass down and remember him by.