Shevanel's recent activity
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Comment on You get to choose your favorite director's next project. What is it, and why? in ~movies
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Comment on Tildes Book Club - March 2025 - Hyperion by Dan Simmons in ~books
Shevanel Link ParentIn my mind, the second book almost reads like poetry fanfiction. It feels like such a dumb phrase to use to describe it, but it also feels right?In my mind, the second book almost reads like poetry fanfiction. It feels like such a dumb phrase to use to describe it, but it also feels right?
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Comment on Tildes Book Club - March 2025 - Hyperion by Dan Simmons in ~books
Shevanel Link ParentThanks for humoring me with an incredible response! Lynch for Lamia’s story and Chan-wook for the consul are particularly inspired IMO. My one (sub-par) addition is that I could also see Kassad’s...Thanks for humoring me with an incredible response! Lynch for Lamia’s story and Chan-wook for the consul are particularly inspired IMO. My one (sub-par) addition is that I could also see Kassad’s story as one of the few that would be very fun for an over-the-top animated feature, perhaps in the style of a western anime like Edgerunners, though per your point, his is the most straightforward of the bunch and would not be too tough to do justice in several different flavors.
The real bonus from your reply is that now I have several directors (nearly everyone else you mentioned outside of Bigelow and Roth) whose work I clearly need to check out more!
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Comment on Tildes Book Club - March 2025 - Hyperion by Dan Simmons in ~books
Shevanel Link ParentThe Scholar’s Tale is one of the few examples of written word that has brought me to tears. I’m sure a lot of it has to do with me recently having a child, but it was utterly heartbreaking.The Scholar’s Tale is one of the few examples of written word that has brought me to tears. I’m sure a lot of it has to do with me recently having a child, but it was utterly heartbreaking.
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Comment on Tildes Book Club - March 2025 - Hyperion by Dan Simmons in ~books
Shevanel Link ParentYou could argue that her client’s already dead, so she’s failed from the beginning to give him any sort of closure. It’s a little reductive and strips all nuance from it, but that’s all that comes...You could argue that her client’s already dead, so she’s failed from the beginning to give him any sort of closure. It’s a little reductive and strips all nuance from it, but that’s all that comes to mind. Her narrative thread plays an especially large part in the sequel (they all do, but especially hers) so maybe there’s something there and I’m not putting the pieces together quite yet. It’s been a little bit since I’ve read the second book.
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Comment on Tildes Book Club - March 2025 - Hyperion by Dan Simmons in ~books
Shevanel Link ParentIn general, I’m opposed to film/TV adaptations because they tend to be a letdown. That said, this book is begging for a limited Netflix series IMO, with a different director for each pilgrim, and...In general, I’m opposed to film/TV adaptations because they tend to be a letdown. That said, this book is begging for a limited Netflix series IMO, with a different director for each pilgrim, and a different style of film direction for each story (think Love, Death & Robots but not necessarily fully animated). So, with that context in mind, two potential questions (answer either or both):
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how would my fellow book club members choose to approach the film style or direction of each pilgrim’s story?
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(less important but still fun) who would you cast in any given role in this limited series? Or whose voice would you use for any non-live action episodes?
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Shevanel (edited )Link ParentCongrats on Proverbs! I know you mentioned you picked up the dev’s other games, but if you haven’t started it yet, his first mural game, Mega Mosaic, is considerably harder. I think it might also...Congrats on Proverbs! I know you mentioned you picked up the dev’s other games, but if you haven’t started it yet, his first mural game, Mega Mosaic, is considerably harder. I think it might also be bigger (haven’t actually checked but it definitely feels bigger), and the lines that delineate the different mural areas are actually part of the game board, i.e. the separate sections are not contained, so it technically plays like one gigantic board. It makes for a lot slower and more challenging of an experience. Maybe I’m just bad at these types of games, but I’m over
5025 hours in and only have about 25% of the board done. I might have left it open a few times during the day as well, but it’s still been slower going either way.I enjoy the game a little less due to the increased difficulty, but it still makes for a great podcast/audiobook game all the same!
Edit: I’m 25 hours into Mega Mosaic, not 50. Still, I’ll be pushing 100 before all is said and done, so definitely a longer game!
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Comment on Post something from your notes app in ~talk
Shevanel Link ParentCongrats on the purchase and the new journey! If you need a second set of eyes on the setup (and you feel comfortable sharing photos), I’m always happy to help a new drummer get themselves...Congrats on the purchase and the new journey!
If you need a second set of eyes on the setup (and you feel comfortable sharing photos), I’m always happy to help a new drummer get themselves established. It’s certainly not the most intuitive instrument to assemble!
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Comment on Post something from your notes app in ~talk
Shevanel Link ParentThai fusion or jazz fusion? YOU DECIDE! Nice to see some more drummer representation on the site, or perhaps you’re just a very friendly guitarist / roadie friend. Just kidding, of course;...Thai fusion or jazz fusion? YOU DECIDE!
Nice to see some more drummer representation on the site, or perhaps you’re just a very friendly guitarist / roadie friend.
Just kidding, of course; guitarists would never lower themselves to helping a drummer pack their car up ;)
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Comment on Steam Spring Sale suggestions in ~games
Shevanel Link ParentI have to come back several days later to thank you for this. I had never heard of this game (or developer) and I’ve now purchased their entire library. Proverbs is the best of the bunch, but the...I have to come back several days later to thank you for this. I had never heard of this game (or developer) and I’ve now purchased their entire library. Proverbs is the best of the bunch, but the first “mega mural” game is almost as solid. It does lack the sheer vibes of Proverbs, though both are fantastic audiobook / podcast games and I’m really enjoying them as an after-work unwinding routine. Really appreciate the recommendation!
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Comment on Looking for an electronic components store in ~hobbies
Shevanel LinkThis is technically even more wild-west than Greg’s answer, but have you ever checked out eBay? I’ve been retrofitting and upgrading some old laptops recently and I realized that many eBay sellers...This is technically even more wild-west than Greg’s answer, but have you ever checked out eBay? I’ve been retrofitting and upgrading some old laptops recently and I realized that many eBay sellers are actually small electronics vendors that operate out of a brick and mortar shop in the US, but also have a presence on eBay. Might be worth seeing if any parts you’re looking for are on eBay as listings under well-established sellers with lots of reviews and sales, and then beyond that, you could always narrow down your search to sellers based in the US.
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Comment on Help me find the perfect sandals? in ~life.style
Shevanel Link ParentI guess I’m confused now that you mention that you have 10.5 Bedrocks. The main reason I was asking is that I don’t see any x.5 sizes on the link you shared. Am I totally overlooking something...I guess I’m confused now that you mention that you have 10.5 Bedrocks. The main reason I was asking is that I don’t see any x.5 sizes on the link you shared. Am I totally overlooking something obvious here?
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Comment on Help me find the perfect sandals? in ~life.style
Shevanel Link ParentIn your experience, would you suggest sizing up or down if one typically wears a half-size? No matter the style of shoe, I almost always wear Men’s 10.5s. My gut says to size up because I could...In your experience, would you suggest sizing up or down if one typically wears a half-size? No matter the style of shoe, I almost always wear Men’s 10.5s. My gut says to size up because I could just tighten the straps more, but I figured I’d ask someone with clearly more experience in this department!
For reference, I do have a pair of Arizonas that are size 10, but the back of the sole is worn out, and I fear that it might be because the slight downsize caused my heel to put more pressure on the back of the sole than it otherwise should.
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Comment on What have you been eating, drinking, and cooking? in ~food
Shevanel LinkIt’s finally warm enough in my part of the Midwest to brave an evening at the grill, so we made a modified version of Brian Lagerstrom’s chicken souvlaki. We opted for store-bought pita; his...It’s finally warm enough in my part of the Midwest to brave an evening at the grill, so we made a modified version of Brian Lagerstrom’s chicken souvlaki. We opted for store-bought pita; his recipe pita is good but I couldn’t be bothered to dirty more dishes in the process.
It’s a delicious and stupid-easy recipe. I modified the “relish” to feel more like a proper side dish, dressing it up with cucumbers and a simple lemon/EVOO vinaigrette.
Brian’s one of the few YouTube food content creators whose recipes I will actively try, given his really consistent flavor/quality to effort ratio. Like all creators shackled to the algorithm, he sometimes hyperbolizes in his titles or claims, but his approach is nowhere near as egregious as, say, Joshua Weissman if you’re familiar with his videos as well.
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Comment on I used to teach students. Now I catch ChatGPT cheats. in ~tech
Shevanel Link Parentlol, just trying to feed the flames with the “two months off” comment, I see! No sweat; I’ve discussed it before on Tildes, and given the musical side of my prior life, I already have a decent...lol, just trying to feed the flames with the “two months off” comment, I see!
No sweat; I’ve discussed it before on Tildes, and given the musical side of my prior life, I already have a decent presence on the Internet, whether I like it or not. I’m now a software engineer. A pretty far cry from teaching, but I feel like both jobs engage the problem-solving part of my brain (in very different ways), so I enjoy(ed) them both in their own ways. I also lead a small team now, so that coaching / human side of the role is still intact, which is very important to me.
You may have mentioned it previously on Tildes, but mind sharing what subject you teach? I’ll break the ice; I was a high school band director.
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Comment on I used to teach students. Now I catch ChatGPT cheats. in ~tech
Shevanel Link ParentYou are a saint among saints, @kfwyre! Thank you for doing what you do. I happened to leave education in 2020 (just very coincidental timing, my departure had been planned since pre-COVID), and I...You are a saint among saints, @kfwyre! Thank you for doing what you do.
I happened to leave education in 2020 (just very coincidental timing, my departure had been planned since pre-COVID), and I can't imagine what it must be like now. I hate that conversations around tech in teaching, especially pushback against AI, always ends up painting the classroom teacher like a fuddy-duddy who hates tech and refuses to adjust. In my experience, teachers want what's best for students. Full stop. If that means that, in the long run, curriculum is slowly adapted to embrace this new path of learning, and it's demonstrable that this is what's best for kids, I guarantee that the majority of teachers will be behind it (even if the older generation of them drags their heels a bit!). Y'know, if it wasn't for the insurmountable budgetary/political/cultural issues holding us back from doing much of anything. Too many teachers need to literally justify their very jobs year after year to be able to teach their current curriculum effectively, let alone make advancements in it.
To bring to mind the average "tsk tsk"-stuck-in-their-ways old teacher as some sort of obstinate obstacle to the evolution of learning in these conversations is counterproductive. If everyone needs a scapegoat so badly, let's look at who's funding (or more appropriately, not funding) education departments. And if we really need to drive it home to one individual, it would be tough to find a better one than George W. Bush. No Child Left Behind was a well-intentioned effort that has done more damage to the educational environment than any other "advancement" in education since, well, probably the advent of factory-model schools that we've used for the last 100 years, but that ship has long sailed unless we burn the whole thing to the ground.
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Comment on I used to teach students. Now I catch ChatGPT cheats. in ~tech
Shevanel Link ParentI don’t disagree with what you’re saying, but as a former teacher, I feel comfortable saying that, at least in the US, everyone in education is stretched so incredibly thinly as it is, that to get...I don’t disagree with what you’re saying, but as a former teacher, I feel comfortable saying that, at least in the US, everyone in education is stretched so incredibly thinly as it is, that to get buy-in on a revamped curriculum that involves embracing an incredibly quickly-shifting technological advancement (especially compared to the glacial pace of academia) is a lost cause. Most teachers don’t have the time or the funding they need to effectively teach the subjects they know like the back of their hand—it’s not feasible to skill up the entire workforce on what is essentially (at least in the eyes of academia) entirely greenfield tech.
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Comment on Ghost – Satanized (2025) in ~music
Shevanel Link ParentHaha that’s a great callout though! You’d never expect that voice out of that man.Haha that’s a great callout though! You’d never expect that voice out of that man.
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Comment on Ghost – Satanized (2025) in ~music
Shevanel Link ParentThis comment brings to mind my favorite Jared Dines video, If bands sounded how they looked, featuring Ghost among many others. Always get a big kick out of it, especially if you’re familiar with...This comment brings to mind my favorite Jared Dines video, If bands sounded how they looked, featuring Ghost among many others. Always get a big kick out of it, especially if you’re familiar with how many of these bands actually sound vs. their look. It’s almost like an inverse relationship of nerdy look to extreme sound.
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Comment on Are most jobs not what you thought they would be? Expectations vs. reality. in ~talk
Shevanel LinkAre you willing to share what you do at the moment, or even the general sector? Perhaps other folks have similar roles and you could compare. I say this as a career transplant. My first career...Are you willing to share what you do at the moment, or even the general sector? Perhaps other folks have similar roles and you could compare.
I say this as a career transplant. My first career (teacher) was not what I expected, but in a bad way. My current career (software engineer) was a lot closer to what I had expected, and if anything, it’s exceeded my expectations. All this to say, it might depend on the role itself if you’re willing to share that.
In case you missed it, I asked a question in a really similar vein in the Tildes Book Club, which is covering the first Hyperion book, a few days back. I think Denis would be a very cool choice, but also wanted to call out that @carsonc gave an incredible answer that spanned multiple directors and I think that'd be an absolute treat to see as well!