lou's recent activity
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Comment on Midweek Movie Free Talk in ~movies
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Comment on TV Tuesdays Free Talk in ~tv
lou (edited )LinkUnless someone is very close and present in my life, I don't usually care about deaths. But James Van Der Beek's death hit hard and I'm still trying to understand why. I am not grieving as if he...Unless someone is very close and present in my life, I don't usually care about deaths. But James Van Der Beek's death hit hard and I'm still trying to understand why. I am not grieving as if he was a close friend, but I am definitely experiencing this way more intensely than any other celebrity.
Maybe Dawson (his most famous character) had an influence on me that I never realized.
Like me, he was a movie buff who loved Spielberg and went to film school. Like me, he was oblivous of his surroundings, socially incompetent and a cronic overthinker. He spent his teenage years in an intermittent relationship with Joey (Katie Holmes), and, to my dismay, that is when the similarities end.
I did not watch Dawson's Creek in full in the 1990s, but the little I watched made a huge impact on me. I wrote about it before, and going back to it now is both comforting and unsettling. The shots of the lake, the bucolic atmosphere. The constant references to films from the 1980s and before. It's a powerful nostalgia bomb I can't resist right now.
Thank you for that, James.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
lou Link ParentThat is great. My only worry is not having the mental capacity for convoluted exposition. I'm sure it's a great book ;)That is great.
My only worry is not having the mental capacity for convoluted exposition. I'm sure it's a great book ;)
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
lou LinkI was discouraged by the amount of names and unexplained concepts in the beginning of Hyperion. I understand that is a writing technique, but I am worried by the amount of obscurity I may...I was discouraged by the amount of names and unexplained concepts in the beginning of Hyperion. I understand that is a writing technique, but I am worried by the amount of obscurity I may routinely face in that book. I assume that the goal is to increase immersion, but I cannot help feeling extremely anxious and insecure as a reader.
If that only happens in the beginning, I'm okay with it. But I don't have the mental capacity for a book that keeps doing that. If something is name-dropped and only explained after 200 pages, the odds of me remembering when that one tiny detail was introduced are slim. Fans of that book: does this get better?
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Comment on James Van Der Beek, the ‘Dawson’s Creek’ star who later mocked his own hunky persona, has died at 48 in ~tv
lou LinkI had a Dawson's Creek moment in 2022 that was very nostalgic. This is so sad. That dude is part of my history and was not that much older than me. Also, it's fucked that someone would have to...I had a Dawson's Creek moment in 2022 that was very nostalgic.
This is so sad. That dude is part of my history and was not that much older than me. Also, it's fucked that someone would have to incur debt because they lost the genetic lottery.
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Comment on Cassini, a spiritual successor to Microsoft Paint for the iPad in ~creative
lou Link ParentI don't know when that became a feature on Paint, but you can change the size of your drawing by dragging the tiny square in the corner. I do know that feature has existed for a very long time,...For example, every Cassini canvas is 1000x500. That's it. No other resolutions exist,
I don't know when that became a feature on Paint, but you can change the size of your drawing by dragging the tiny square in the corner. I do know that feature has existed for a very long time, but I don't know if it was there when Paintbrush was created.
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Comment on Babylon 5 is now free to watch on YouTube in ~tv
lou LinkI really tried that show. I couldn't get into the theatre-like feel. Maybe I'll give it another shot.I really tried that show. I couldn't get into the theatre-like feel. Maybe I'll give it another shot.
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Comment on What are you working through? in ~life
lou (edited )LinkI am working through my dissatisfaction with people on chat groups -- WhatsApp and Discord. I realized that they cause me way too much stress without many positives. Most people in these groups...I am working through my dissatisfaction with people on chat groups -- WhatsApp and Discord. I realized that they cause me way too much stress without many positives. Most people in these groups are under 25 years old, and, respectfully, I'm tired of dealing with young people who barely read what I write and aggressively respond to imaginary versions of my beliefs and statements. Leaving some of these groups already lowered my anxiety. I intend to leave all of them soon. But it's really something I am working through, as these groups provided an important social environment for me in the past year. But those connections are elusive and incredibly shallow. The next step is finding a real-life social environment for me. It won't be easy.
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Comment on Discord will require a face scan or ID for full access next month in ~tech
lou (edited )Link ParentI am a progressive leftist and also a father, but my child is too young for that to be a concern. In the past I helped a (now) former partner who had a 12-year-old daughter. Her daughter was...I am a progressive leftist and also a father, but my child is too young for that to be a concern.
In the past I helped a (now) former partner who had a 12-year-old daughter. Her daughter was seduced by a man in his 40s from another state via Facebook. She sent him naked pictures. Probably videos as well.
When we discovered what was happening, her daughter was about to go to a bus terminal to get on an interstate bus and meet the man almost 1200 kilometers (or 746 miles) away. A 16 hour trip. We're in Brazil, so our police forces are much smaller and less efficient than in the US. At that point, she would be out of our reach and completely at the mercy of her abuser.
That is, of course, just one case. But it left a lasting impression on me. Enough to not be so critical of attempts to protect minors from online exposure. Even if a policy like that is only effective 5% of the time, 5% is probably a lot already.
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Comment on Discord will require a face scan or ID for full access next month in ~tech
lou Link ParentI don't believe the main issue is pornography. Since Discord is a chat program, I would be way more concerned with grooming and sex crimes targeting minors.I don't believe the main issue is pornography. Since Discord is a chat program, I would be way more concerned with grooming and sex crimes targeting minors.
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Comment on What are your food aversions? in ~food
lou Link ParentI don't believe I dislike acidic foods. For example, I don't put sugar on tomato sauce precisely because I don't mind and even enjoy the acidity. Up to a level. Tropical fruit, which are plentiful...I don't believe I dislike acidic foods. For example, I don't put sugar on tomato sauce precisely because I don't mind and even enjoy the acidity. Up to a level. Tropical fruit, which are plentiful here, are usually vibrant and exuberant. It is too much for me.
I do believe my taste in food may be a reflection of autism, which I was recently diagnosed with.
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Comment on What are your food aversions? in ~food
lou Link ParentThere's no need to say you are sorry. I do not like fruit, but I have no issue with other people enjoying it :P I'm glad you ate some fruit you love. It is unfortunate that you became allergic to...There's no need to say you are sorry. I do not like fruit, but I have no issue with other people enjoying it :P
I'm glad you ate some fruit you love. It is unfortunate that you became allergic to some fruit, but aren't some allergies curable?
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Comment on What are your food aversions? in ~food
lou Link ParentYears ago we got visitors from Argentina all they did was to eat fruit. Fruits are here are cheap too.Years ago we got visitors from Argentina all they did was to eat fruit. Fruits are here are cheap too.
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Comment on TV Tuesdays Free Talk in ~tv
lou (edited )Link ParentAs I keep watching SFA (because why not, it's just five episodes...), I have another comment: what is so woke about this show? If SFA is "woke", it must be safest, mildest, most apologetic "woke"...As I keep watching SFA (because why not, it's just five episodes...), I have another comment: what is so woke about this show? If SFA is "woke", it must be safest, mildest, most apologetic "woke" I have ever seen. I'm pretty sure most nu-trek and a significant portion of the TNG era are more woke than SFA.
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Comment on What are your food aversions? in ~food
lou Link ParentYeah. And I'm pretty sure the versions of non-tropical fruits we get are more "vibrant" as well. Which is great for fruit-lovers but not so much for me.Yeah. And I'm pretty sure the versions of non-tropical fruits we get are more "vibrant" as well. Which is great for fruit-lovers but not so much for me.
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Comment on What are your food aversions? in ~food
lou Link ParentI do like conocuts specially coconut water (which is not the same as coconut milk that we only use for cooking). I'm okay with peas, don't love them. I don't eat squash. I also like tomatoes,...I do like conocuts specially coconut water (which is not the same as coconut milk that we only use for cooking). I'm okay with peas, don't love them. I don't eat squash. I also like tomatoes, which are technically fruit. But only on tomato sauce.
I find most fruit to have a horrible taste and texture. Tropical fruit are specially pungent.
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Comment on What are your food aversions? in ~food
lou LinkI don't eat any fruit. Since I'm in the tropics, that means I detest all tropical fruits.I don't eat any fruit. Since I'm in the tropics, that means I detest all tropical fruits.
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Comment on TV Tuesdays Free Talk in ~tv
lou (edited )LinkAn extremely negative and impolite take on Starfleet Academy I watched two episodes of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. I'm sorry, I don't have any diplomatic words to share. Is this what a bad young...An extremely negative and impolite take on Starfleet Academy
I watched two episodes of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. I'm sorry, I don't have any diplomatic words to share. Is this what a bad young adult novel feels like? What is it that I'm watching? How many times do I need to gratuitously see the protagonist's biceps and abs? Yes, he's attractive. I get it. Move the fuck on. And an entire diplomatic conundrum is resolved through the force of cheap romanticism? What do they even say to each other? What kind of inane, generic, worse-than-soap-opera dialogue for 14-year-olds is this? Dear God, I am not the target audience for this at all. Which begs the question, who is the target audience for this? How many teenagers are begging for Star Trek themed romantasy?
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Comment on The best films made by directors over 80 — and the myth of creative decline in ~movies
lou (edited )LinkI would venture a guess that most of these films are not huge productions. An 85-year-old can 100% direct a great movie, but they're unlikely to do something like Aliens (James Cameron, 1986) or...I would venture a guess that most of these films are not huge productions. An 85-year-old can 100% direct a great movie, but they're unlikely to do something like Aliens (James Cameron, 1986) or Matrix (1999). Or whatever Peter Jackson did to manage filming three LOTR films at once. So if a director spent their life doing smaller productions, then yes, there is no decline. If they're the kind of person who has to go big, then they have a problem.
In most cases, I don't think there is a decline in creativity, but rather a decline in the ability to work for very long hours on large, complicated sets, while maintaining the same standards they had before.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
lou (edited )Link ParentI also managed to get back to reading despite my ADHD. It helped to go back to print books, and to have a specific room in the house where I go to read. The other thing was figuring out what I...I also managed to get back to reading despite my ADHD. It helped to go back to print books, and to have a specific room in the house where I go to read. The other thing was figuring out what I really wanted to read. Even if I have a list of books to read, following it too closely can be demotivating. Learning what I actually wanted to read was harder than I thought. Ursula Le Guin is on my list mostly because I feel that I must read at least some science fiction written by women. So it feels like an obligation right now. I expect to learn more about her so I feel compelled to read it, and not just obligated. Right now I'm into some tech-oriented sci-fi, but I expect that to change in a little while. I like Greg Egan too but I'm trying to read things that are older (classics) and also easier right now, since I'm reestablishing my reading habit. Although I love the thoughts Egan makes me think, actually reading him can be difficult. Even more so for me because English is not my first language.
Wagner Moura is from my hometown and studied journalism at the same university my parents did. I know many people who know him and I even saw him at the local airport once. So I 100% should have watched it already. I'm a bad Brazilian. I'll get back to this comment when I watch it.