Shevanel's recent activity
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Comment on What is your strangely specific phobia? in ~talk
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Comment on Audio enthusiasts share your audio setups in ~hobbies
Shevanel Overnight Sensations! Thank you, I remembered they had a longer name. Yours look incredible. We have a very mid-century space so we leaned into the mixed-wood sort of vibe. Not to mention it was a...Overnight Sensations! Thank you, I remembered they had a longer name. Yours look incredible. We have a very mid-century space so we leaned into the mixed-wood sort of vibe. Not to mention it was a hell of a lot easier that way.
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Comment on Audio enthusiasts share your audio setups in ~hobbies
Shevanel Photo Orbit Basic Turntable with a built-in preamp. About as barebones as you can get here, with the caveat that I wanted the preamp built in to reduce clutter. Yamaha R-S202 receiver. Again,...- Orbit Basic Turntable with a built-in preamp. About as barebones as you can get here, with the caveat that I wanted the preamp built in to reduce clutter.
- Yamaha R-S202 receiver. Again, simple but allows for vinyl, radio, or Bluetooth streaming to the speakers with zero fuss.
- For the life of me, I can’t find the exact specs at this point, but the speakers are a DIY kit originally sold by TNT Audio. I’m a terrible DIYer but it was a fun project and they don’t sound half bad.
- It’s probably obvious, but the stands themselves were also a DIY build with the design from that same site (think they were called “TNT Flexy stands”). They’re a little goofy looking, but they isolate the sound really well and reduce sympathetic resonance (the poles are PVC pipes and they’re filled with sand).
- if I’m not sitting in this room and listening (or if the little one is sleeping), I keep a pair of Audio Technica M50x headphones around. Again, nothing mind blowing compared to some audiophile setups, but they’re cheap and rugged enough that I don’t feel bad taking them out of the house to use when I play any gigs that require headphones.
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Comment on Global Capslock key in ~comp
Shevanel Can’t RTFA at the moment, so I apologize if it touches on this, but Nolen mentioned that he discovered a group of teens was found to be using bots to build messages out of the binary that the...Can’t RTFA at the moment, so I apologize if it touches on this, but Nolen mentioned that he discovered a group of teens was found to be using bots to build messages out of the binary that the checkboxes were stored in to invite others who found their message to their Discord. It was a very wholesome but also fascinating thing!
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Comment on What game intended for multiplayer did you enjoy playing solo? in ~games
Shevanel I have >800 hours in Deep Rock Galactic, and ~790 of them are solo. It’s firmly in the realm of “podcast game” for me at this point, though I’ll admit it’s because I almost exclusively play on...I have >800 hours in Deep Rock Galactic, and ~790 of them are solo. It’s firmly in the realm of “podcast game” for me at this point, though I’ll admit it’s because I almost exclusively play on Hazard 3 or 4. I’m sure I’d have to focus up a lot more if I spent a significant amount of time in Haz 5.
We have a special needs dog who needs to be let out frequently, so I find it really hard to ever try multiplayer in a fast-paced real-time game, especially one where going AFK would hurt other’s chances (as opposed to just myself). Plus, when playing single player DRG, it actually pauses the game itself when pausing, which is a great QoL feature for solo players.
And plus, I main Engineer, so my “multiplayer” experience comes from hanging out with Bosco, my turrets, and my swarm grenades. :’)
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Comment on Italian parmesan producers fight fakes with microtransponders in ~food
Shevanel This is cool tech, and I acknowledge that it says “food safe” right there in your blurb, but man, this is still a really big turn-off from ever using parm rinds again in my stocks and sauces.This is cool tech, and I acknowledge that it says “food safe” right there in your blurb, but man, this is still a really big turn-off from ever using parm rinds again in my stocks and sauces.
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Comment on AI is creating a generation of illiterate programmers in ~tech
Shevanel Agreed; that’s a good callout. One of my favorite classes in HS (AP writing & composition) was one where the teacher weighted homework extremely low - it was still graded, but it was something...Agreed; that’s a good callout. One of my favorite classes in HS (AP writing & composition) was one where the teacher weighted homework extremely low - it was still graded, but it was something like 10% of the final semester grade. The in-class discussions and final projects were worth a lot more. But our teacher’s logic was that if we knew the material, she’d rather we didn’t spend a ton of time drilling something arbitrarily and should instead focus on other classes, or specific areas of weakness. The low weighting meant that kids could skip it without fear of their grade absolutely tanking, but if they didn’t understand the material (or needed a small grade boost), they could do the homework.
The approach paid off, IMO. I only ever did homework in that class that I felt would truly help me, and finished that class with a C+, but I got a 5 on the AP exam and it saved me the cost of that college enrollment. Plus, it meant much more time for classes that DID put a lot of weight on homework (and/or classes that I simply needed to spend more time drilling).
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Comment on ”Whiplash” gets jazz all wrong in ~music
Shevanel There’s certainly a level of intensity that needs to be reached in order to excel to a level like we see in the movie, but to believe, or be led to believe, that the path we see in Whiplash is the...There’s certainly a level of intensity that needs to be reached in order to excel to a level like we see in the movie, but to believe, or be led to believe, that the path we see in Whiplash is the only way to do it, or that it’s the healthy / correct way, is definitely a fraught takeaway from the film.
I have friends and peers who are currently “making it” in the jazz scene as composers, educators, and musicians. Some cut their teeth in New York, some worked their way up in and around the Midwest, and some did so outside of the US entirely. But one thing I can say with certainty that the ones who really rose to the top were indeed persistent, but were also some of the friendliest and most well-balanced. I know plenty of intense musicians (read: assholes) who also found success in the industry, but they are fewer and far between, and they almost always burn themselves out or burn enough bridges that folks don’t want them around.
I guess if I had to sum it up in sentence:
I think the intent of the movie is to show that it’s wrong (or at least not totally right or healthy), but I wish they had shown just how wrong by way of a foil in another successful musician or ensemble.
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Comment on What are some passages or quotes that inspire your creativity or encourage your creative process? in ~creative
Shevanel This reminds me of one of my favorite Kurt Vonnegut quotes that's somewhat relevant here: Your process, and this quote, resonate with me very strongly!This reminds me of one of my favorite Kurt Vonnegut quotes that's somewhat relevant here:
"[The arts] are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven's sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something.”
Your process, and this quote, resonate with me very strongly!
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Comment on A beskirted trip to Ikea in ~life.men
Shevanel I respect the points you're making. That said, you're making some assumptions about what folks should and shouldn't wear in a given climate in order to be comfortable at work. If I could get away...I respect the points you're making. That said, you're making some assumptions about what folks should and shouldn't wear in a given climate in order to be comfortable at work. If I could get away with it at work, I'd wear a tank top and athletic shorts every day, and I don't care if it's 100F or -10F outside :)
I concede that some of my points are also clearly based in a lack of familiarity with all of the men's clothing options out there, several of which you have brought up to me, which I appreciate and will be sure to do further digging on the subject in hopes of finding some more comfort down the road.
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Comment on A beskirted trip to Ikea in ~life.men
Shevanel I think therein lies the issue with what you’re saying though - all these concessions to make it work, specifically ones which would involve buying and replacing large parts of one’s wardrobe to...I think therein lies the issue with what you’re saying though - all these concessions to make it work, specifically ones which would involve buying and replacing large parts of one’s wardrobe to make it feasible, and then it’s still this really specific outfit (or set of outfits) that makes things more tolerable, whereas there are plenty of formal choices for women that, simply due to the makeup of the clothing type, require fewer and lighter layers of clothing than the majority of male equivalents.
Please, please don’t think I’m trying to say women have it easier in the workplace or are not subjected to any sort of judgment based on their dress or appearance; I’m not THAT dense lol. I just mean that strictly speaking, there is no male equivalent of a skirt that provides nearly full freedom from the waist down, outside of a kilt, which, then you’re “the guy who wears a kilt.” (Edit: I’m very obviously not Scottish, FWIW. I think there’s a cultural element here which does make a difference and I wanted to make that clear so you didn’t take this remark as judgmental) Which brings me back to the crux of my original point: there’s no immediate go-to male outfit that fits in a standard conservative business formal dress code that is an (easy, globalized) equivalency to a skirt and a light blouse. There are concessions that get us close if materials are considered, but it’s not the same IMO. And of course to tie this all back, good on the author, but due to the nature of the places at which I’ve been employed, I wouldn’t ever consider a skirt myself, as freeing as it would be from a comfort perspective.
All of that word vomit aside, I do appreciate the advice and will have to look into some linen choices to see how they’d sit with me. A little relief is certainly better than nothing.
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Comment on ”Whiplash” gets jazz all wrong in ~music
Shevanel Nah it made good enough sense; just a hasty first read on my part. And I’m with you there too, but I do fear it’s not the default for many, especially when the all-too-alluring biases we hold...Nah it made good enough sense; just a hasty first read on my part. And I’m with you there too, but I do fear it’s not the default for many, especially when the all-too-alluring biases we hold would be neatly confirmed by said media.
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Comment on A beskirted trip to Ikea in ~life.men
Shevanel I’ll have to try out the combo. I’d still argue that there are many situations where the attire you described wouldn’t be suitable for a given dress code where a skirt and blouse would still be...I’ll have to try out the combo. I’d still argue that there are many situations where the attire you described wouldn’t be suitable for a given dress code where a skirt and blouse would still be appropriate.
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Comment on A beskirted trip to Ikea in ~life.men
Shevanel I’m not necessarily interested in wearing female clothing (strictly from a stylistic perspective), but I am often frustrated, especially during the summer, at how acceptable business / formal wear...I’m not necessarily interested in wearing female clothing (strictly from a stylistic perspective), but I am often frustrated, especially during the summer, at how acceptable business / formal wear is so much lighter and involves so many fewer layers in women’s clothing than men’s. I run really hot, and during the worst parts of the summer, I’d give anything to wear some sort of equivalent to a light short-sleeve blouse and a skirt to work instead of (even on the most casual of days) a long pair of pants and a button-up shirt.
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Comment on ”Whiplash” gets jazz all wrong in ~music
Shevanel (edited )Link ParentAgreed! Though I fear this is all too prevalent these days. And additionally, it feels like the less you know or understand about something, the more likely you are to base your understanding of...Agreed! Though I fear this is all too prevalent these days. And additionally, it feels like the less you know or understand about something, the more likely you are to base your understanding of it on its portrayal in media.
Maybe this is a sort of way to feed our own confirmation biases? i.e. somebody thinks jazz is an overly intellectual and out-of-touch art form, they see a movie like Whiplash, and they go “yup, I figured it was like that.” Not saying that’s right to do, of course, just wouldn’t be surprised if that was what lured people into that line of thinking.
Edit: I misread @nic’s comment at first and adjusted a few sentences
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Comment on ”Whiplash” gets jazz all wrong in ~music
Shevanel Appreciate the callout, and yeah, hopefully others did the same as you. As someone whose job it was to get kids excited about jazz, I just felt very defeated after the movie came out. I got...Appreciate the callout, and yeah, hopefully others did the same as you. As someone whose job it was to get kids excited about jazz, I just felt very defeated after the movie came out. I got excited for months leading up to it knowing that jazz band was going to be in the spotlight for once (I taught at a very show-choir-centric high school), and then come to realize it’s almost like a psychological horror movie based around a jazz band. Not a fun realization. Also got tired very quickly of students (and their parents) asking me how many chairs I had thrown in rehearsal that week.
Per your last thought, I’ve taken to calling it the “Stuff You Should Know Experience.” I enjoyed listening to that podcast for several years before they did an episode on music (or something music-adjacent) and they started spouting off a bunch of stuff that sounded accurate coming off the tongue, but none of it was quite right. And then I took a step back and thought, “well, damn, if that’s how I felt after the one episode on a topic with which I’m more familiar, how often is this happening with every other episode?” I mentioned this in another thread on this post, but I can’t imagine how doctors must feel having to watch inaccurate depictions of their jobs all over the place.
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Comment on ”Whiplash” gets jazz all wrong in ~music
Shevanel I appreciate this perspective, but I think the issue is that jazz is removed enough from the purview of modern culture that the layperson may well assume that this is how a typical jazz program is...I appreciate this perspective, but I think the issue is that jazz is removed enough from the purview of modern culture that the layperson may well assume that this is how a typical jazz program is really run. Most folks don’t have the context to be able to view it in the lens that you or I would.
I don’t disagree with the points you’re bringing up - I wonder if that message might have gotten across better if there had been a foil to Fletcher’s ensemble to ground the viewers as to what a “real life” healthy ensemble looks like.
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Comment on ”Whiplash” gets jazz all wrong in ~music
Shevanel Hello, fellow jazz drummer! I came here to post Iverson’s article as well; appreciate you doing so. I permit myself to believe that my feelings about Whiplash are likely how doctors feel about...Hello, fellow jazz drummer! I came here to post Iverson’s article as well; appreciate you doing so.
I permit myself to believe that my feelings about Whiplash are likely how doctors feel about (insert any show about hospitals/doctors here), so I try not to let it get to me too much, but yeah, I was definitely yelling into the cosmos after my viewing too. Especially with jazz being so far removed from pop culture at this point, I feel like a movie like this can almost damage the reputation and scare off kids who would otherwise have wanted to get involved. I was teaching high school band (including jazz band) when the movie released, so I was pretty upset by that whole aspect of it.
Also on a technical level, I hate that it showed somebody practicing till their hands bled. If your hands bleed when you practice drumming, irrespective of the amount of practice you’re doing, you probably shouldn’t be doing this at the collegiate level because your technique is clearly garbage.
Also arbitrarily calling an uptempo piece “double time swing” like that means anything by itself.
Also the director “conducting” the drum solo at the end like that makes any sense.
Haha and now I’m all riled up again!
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
Shevanel Nice; I had managed to miss RecipeSage as I researched apps like this. If it’s free I’ll definitely have to give it a try and see how it compares with Paprika from a UX standpoint. It’d be worth...Nice; I had managed to miss RecipeSage as I researched apps like this. If it’s free I’ll definitely have to give it a try and see how it compares with Paprika from a UX standpoint. It’d be worth it if it came even close with the added image capturing capability. Thanks for sharing!
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
Shevanel I feel like we’re in pretty similar boats from an AI perspective, but I think the use case you’ve found here makes good sense. Am I reading your initial post correctly that the image-capturing is...I feel like we’re in pretty similar boats from an AI perspective, but I think the use case you’ve found here makes good sense. Am I reading your initial post correctly that the image-capturing is all done, and you’re onto the filing / retrieval system at this point? That’s exciting!
This is only tangentially related, but it’s such a specific anecdote that I rarely have the opportunity to share it:
My wife (gf at the time) was visiting me while she had a three-day weekend off from grad school. She stayed at my apartment that day while I was at work. My PC was on, but asleep, and I had forgotten to turn off the portable Bluetooth speaker that I used for its sound - it was connected via aux to the tower, but was on battery life, and it started to emit its low battery warning, which is a woman’s voice loudly stating “Recharge battery now.”
My wife is not a computer person, and has never owned a full PC, so she panicked, thinking that my PC was somehow battery powered and was going to die, so she unplugged the entire power strip from the wall and every device plugged into the strip too. I’m still not sure why she thought unplugging everything would help charge a battery, but eventually the speaker died so she got her wish (make the computer lady stop yelling at me) either way.