cheep_cheep's recent activity
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Comment on ‘The Pitt’ wins Drama, ‘The Studio’ wins Comedy, and ‘Adolescence’ wins Limited Series at the 2025 Emmy’s in ~tv
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Comment on Half of people on weight loss drugs quit within one year, Danish study finds – more likely to stop taking the drugs if they were younger, lived in poorer areas, or were men in ~health
cheep_cheep Link ParentThanks for saying this. I grew up with an insanely high metabolism and was probably underweight through my teens, and I didn't understand until my 30s how difficult modern food culture can be to...Thanks for saying this. I grew up with an insanely high metabolism and was probably underweight through my teens, and I didn't understand until my 30s how difficult modern food culture can be to navigate if you have a less ridiculous metabolism.
Thought experiment: consider the state of the junk food industry. Companies make billions of dollars in profit to make foods that are addictive, with food chemists on staff who can mimic the flavours of fruits so they can use various cheaper and shelf-stable chemicals, with marketers who will bombard you with images of these delicious things no matter where you are - TV, internet, or just out for a drive or on the bus. People spend their entire careers learning the best ways into tricking us into buying stuff we don't need. If you go out to a sporting event or movie, they're not selling you whole grains and vegetables - they're selling you delicious crap. The deck is really stacked against the average human, especially if you live in the States. So, I try to consider all of these things when thinking about weight and weight loss - when should we be doing more to limit advertising and the components of these foods, vs. blaming people for being physically and mentally manipulated by these ridiculous industries?
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Comment on The sunscreen scandal shocking Australia in ~health
cheep_cheep Link ParentTotally anecdotal, but I burn easily and the products in NA that I've been buying from Costco and the local grocery store do work - I still get blotchy burns that reflect where I inadequately...Totally anecdotal, but I burn easily and the products in NA that I've been buying from Costco and the local grocery store do work - I still get blotchy burns that reflect where I inadequately applied sunscreen, and I'm fine where I got good coverage. I have noticed that my lips have been burning more as I get older and I keep forgetting about sunscreen lip balms...so that's been my major issue. Still, scary to think that products are being sold that don't work.
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Comment on Hi, how are you? Mental health support and discussion thread (September 2025) in ~health.mental
cheep_cheep Link ParentI didn't know either until now, and I didn't think it was possible to feel so many things about what I would previously have considered "the potential to be a person." But it is very, very...I didn't know either until now, and I didn't think it was possible to feel so many things about what I would previously have considered "the potential to be a person." But it is very, very different when that potential is growing in you, and is so entirely dependent on your body and choices to bring that life into being. And similarly, it feels like an equal magnitude of failure when that potential doesn't turn out, even when I did everything "right". Miscarriages happen, and especially around that point, but it doesn't make it any less devastating when you happen to be on that side of probability.
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Comment on Hi, how are you? Mental health support and discussion thread (September 2025) in ~health.mental
cheep_cheep LinkI had a miscarriage last week. We had nearly made it out of the first trimester...but not quite. Every day is a new flavour of awful, and the thought of having to be kind and conscientious to...I had a miscarriage last week. We had nearly made it out of the first trimester...but not quite. Every day is a new flavour of awful, and the thought of having to be kind and conscientious to people outside is still utterly exhausting. I'm heartbroken and most people don't know and won't understand.
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Comment on Which directors have a flawless filmography? in ~movies
cheep_cheep Link ParentWe'll just have to agree to disagree, I guess!We'll just have to agree to disagree, I guess!
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Comment on Which directors have a flawless filmography? in ~movies
cheep_cheep Link Parent...did you watch Tenet?...did you watch Tenet?
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Comment on Which directors have a flawless filmography? in ~movies
cheep_cheep Link ParentAgreed on all points - I have felt like I am totally out of step with pop culture because I hated this film. It felt like it had all the elements on paper of a Miyazaki film...but they didn't fit...Agreed on all points - I have felt like I am totally out of step with pop culture because I hated this film. It felt like it had all the elements on paper of a Miyazaki film...but they didn't fit together particularly well, there were parts that were bizarre and off-putting (what was up with the spirits???), and I found the protagonist really unlikable. I felt like if this didn't have Miyazaki's name on it, no one would care, and considering it might be his last film, a lot of people treated it with extra respect based on context on not on content.
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Comment on Which directors have a flawless filmography? in ~movies
cheep_cheep Link ParentMy biggest issues with both Scorsese and Nolan is that they primarily write "man movies" - women are either entirely non-existent, or are so paper-thin as to be primarily just window-dressing (and...My biggest issues with both Scorsese and Nolan is that they primarily write "man movies" - women are either entirely non-existent, or are so paper-thin as to be primarily just window-dressing (and good luck ever passing the Bechdel test). It's really annoying after awhile. I am intrigued by Killers of the Flower Moon, and I was surprised to remember that Interstellar is a Nolan creation (and Murph is easily the most nuanced of the female characters I've seen in his films), but generally, I just don't want to watch their films anymore. Tenet is terrible for this and it's generally a hot mess.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
cheep_cheep Link ParentCool, glad you were able to play it! I watched an LP of the game ages and ages ago, and while I thought the story was interesting, the gameplay looked so frustrating and difficult that I didn't...Cool, glad you were able to play it! I watched an LP of the game ages and ages ago, and while I thought the story was interesting, the gameplay looked so frustrating and difficult that I didn't think I would have the patience to get anywhere near the end. I believe there are a few different endings, so I'm curious to see where you end up!
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Comment on What are the standards for a good father/husband? in ~life.men
cheep_cheep Link ParentIt may feel to you like you're doing the bare minimum, but I think for a lot of parents, they may feel so tired and generally harassed that they don't necessarily have the frame of mind to use...It may feel to you like you're doing the bare minimum, but I think for a lot of parents, they may feel so tired and generally harassed that they don't necessarily have the frame of mind to use things like gas stations and shopping trips as "teachable moments", and so that is pretty cool! (And good parenting advice.)
Re Joann's: I do a lot of crafting and so I'm in craft stores frequently, and it's my personal hobby to count how many boyfriends/spouses are either hiding in the parking lot with the truck or following sadly in their partner's footsteps as she joyfully goes craft shopping. (My spouse falls in the latter category :) ). I don't know if it's a temporary reversion to childhood and being dragged along with Mom on errands, or just a screaming internal voice that tells them not to go into the "girl store", but I can tell you that men seem to just really try to avoid going into or acting normally in a craft store (and I have seen this happen in multiple countries, so it's not just a local thing). So yes, that is genuinely unusual, and yes, the bar is terribly low for reasons that I don't fully understand but frequently experience myself! Just out of curiosity, did you amuse yourself in craft stores before becoming a parent, or did the addition of a kid change your outlook at all?
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Comment on ‘Being short is a curse’: the men paying thousands to get their legs broken – and lengthened in ~life.men
cheep_cheep Link ParentPerhaps another dimension to think about, though, is that to many people, if a heterosexual woman is ugly, she has no chance of getting herself a man (like your alopecia example - she really is...Perhaps another dimension to think about, though, is that to many people, if a heterosexual woman is ugly, she has no chance of getting herself a man (like your alopecia example - she really is screwed to a lot of people!), whereas for a man, he has other assets that might attract someone, like his money, or his career, or his muscles. It may be equally superficial, but there is an absolute plethora of examples of unattractive men picking up all kinds of attractive women, and the reverse just isn't really true. You're allowed to get old and saggy as a man, and baldness and beer guts are commonplace after a certain age, but God help you if you're an old saggy woman going out without a full face on and hair dye!
I think traditionally there has also been much more severe criticisms via entire industries policing women's looks, often enforced by women's culture. Early American dieting fads are linked back to imperious Protestant magazines, extolling the virtues of pale, thin women who are dutiful to their husbands, whereas there isn't really that same level of toxic policing of men's bodies (also linking back to their virtuousness). I think there's certainly growing industries and manosphere articles talking about the importance of men's bodies and status, but I think it still has a long way to go to catch up with the sheer hatred that many women are taught to feel about their bodies - too thin, too fat, too booby, too flat, too hairy, too dark, too light, too muscular...and on and on and on. All enforced by the beauty industry. When men can't buy pants without also thinking about the right accompanying accessories to store their keys and wallets, I'll know we're in the same ballpark!
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Comment on ‘Being short is a curse’: the men paying thousands to get their legs broken – and lengthened in ~life.men
cheep_cheep Link ParentI think you're exactly right. My experience being around chronically online people who are obsessed with "cosmopolitan" culture makes them feel like they need to adhere to global popular beauty...I think you're exactly right. My experience being around chronically online people who are obsessed with "cosmopolitan" culture makes them feel like they need to adhere to global popular beauty standards. Living in a relatively small city with very small town vibes in Canada, all of that goes away - your choices just aren't that variable and unless you plan to move somewhere else, you need to pick from what you have available. I think it's yet another example of online-specific or big-city-culture overshadowing the lives of most "regular" folks.
I have met (and dated) a couple of people who were excessively fixated on looks, and it was annoying and exhausting dealing with them. One guy didn't believe me when I said I was attracted to him and that I liked his height of 5'10" (making him much closer to a comfortable smooching height), or saying I was weird and a real "high-value" woman wanted to be with someone 6' or taller. Barf. For me, at least, someone's attractiveness is reflective of them as a whole person - if you like someone and they are tall, you'll find things to like about their tallness, and if you like someone and they're short, you'll find things to like about their smallness. But if you're in it for the long haul your looks and body are going to change a lot, so becoming fixated on one physical feature seems like a recipe for disaster.
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Comment on I am still awake after feeding my newborn in ~talk
cheep_cheep LinkOne distinction I would make is whether you're actually tired, and if stress is keeping you from falling asleep specifically. During grad school I started getting panic attacks and negative...One distinction I would make is whether you're actually tired, and if stress is keeping you from falling asleep specifically. During grad school I started getting panic attacks and negative "thought-loops" in the middle of the night, which really stressed me out. I was genuinely tired, but too frantic to settle down. I think other people have come up with good suggestions for when you're just not tired; my trick when I've got a racing brain (and I notice it) is to do a mindfulness exercise. Specifically, since I'm trying to sleep, I keep my eyes closed and try to find five things I can hear, four things I can feel, three things I can smell (eww), taking a breath between each thing I notice. Usually by then I've calmed down enough that I can try and sleep. The goal for me is to break the panic, and so focusing my attention on things like sounds around me or sensations can be really helpful to break the cycle. It works really well for me (as soon as I notice that I'm doing it, which can take awhile sometimes).
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Comment on ‘Sex reversal’ is surprisingly common in birds, new study suggests in ~science
cheep_cheep Link ParentNot sure at all about how sex reversal plays a role, but birds definitely have dialects (some species more than others), so while there may be a genetic component, a huge part for many is...Not sure at all about how sex reversal plays a role, but birds definitely have dialects (some species more than others), so while there may be a genetic component, a huge part for many is environmental and where you recruit. If you ever hear White-throated Sparrows migrating in the spring, you can hear the young males practicing and the sound is not good!
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Comment on What are your favorite and least favorite airports? in ~transport
cheep_cheep Link ParentWhile I don't particularly like Pearson, something bad always seems to happen when I'm in Montreal - flight delays, cancellations, and more often than not, when flying internationally I can count...While I don't particularly like Pearson, something bad always seems to happen when I'm in Montreal - flight delays, cancellations, and more often than not, when flying internationally I can count on them to lose my bag. The food in Montreal is amazing though, especially in the international terminal!
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Comment on How many remakes have ever actually lived up to or surpassed the original? in ~movies
cheep_cheep Link ParentThanks for the summary! It's for those reasons that I think my Blade Runner ship has sailed, unfortunately - while I can appreciate intellectually that it was the progenitor of a lot of great art...Thanks for the summary! It's for those reasons that I think my Blade Runner ship has sailed, unfortunately - while I can appreciate intellectually that it was the progenitor of a lot of great art later on, I've already consumed a lot of that art, and I'm not a big enough movie nerd (or fan) to slog through it repeatedly to feel something. I probably appreciate sci fi writing a bit more, and because I read the book first, to me it's the "definitive" telling of that story. (Meanwhile, I watched Total Recall first and think it's a more enjoyable story compared to the short story - I guess I'm just a delightful and inconsistent curmudgeon...)
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Comment on How many remakes have ever actually lived up to or surpassed the original? in ~movies
cheep_cheep Link ParentTotally agreed - I just can't be bothered to watch another all-dude cast of despicable criminals.Totally agreed - I just can't be bothered to watch another all-dude cast of despicable criminals.
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Comment on How many remakes have ever actually lived up to or surpassed the original? in ~movies
cheep_cheep Link ParentI first read the source book ("Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?") as an adult, then watched some version of the original film and 2049. I therefore have zero nostalgia blinders, but I did like...I first read the source book ("Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?") as an adult, then watched some version of the original film and 2049. I therefore have zero nostalgia blinders, but I did like the book and 2049. The first film is really hammy and I'm not a huge fan of Harrison Ford, and I thought his character in the film was a way bigger douche than his equivalent in the book, who was much more circumspect. (I imagine the film was really incredible when it came out, though, and probably explains at least some of my disconnect with it.)
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Comment on The troubling decline in conscientiousness [especially in younger Americans] in ~life
cheep_cheep Link ParentAnd that's not what I think it's saying. It appears to say, mathematically, that the effect size per decade - the amount of change measured via tests - was a tenth of a standard deviation, meaning...And that's not what I think it's saying. It appears to say, mathematically, that the effect size per decade - the amount of change measured via tests - was a tenth of a standard deviation, meaning a tenth of normal observed variation within a population of adults. Per decade. It's not that it's a decade worth of change, is that's the level of change is only a tenth of what is normally expected between individuals. In other words, the variation between individuals is greater than what's within them, making it very hard to say that any definitive change has occurred at all.
To me, this is not a difference in understanding across disciplines, it's interpreting statistics-speak.
Agreed, I really appreciated Tramell Tillman especially in season 2, and he did a marvelous job in a multifaceted role. Britt Lower was also so deserving, and I'm delighted that she won - while all of the actors playing severed employees needed to act for two, she was precise to the point where Helly and Helena even walked noticeably differently. Amazing!
I was also so happy to see Jeff Hiller win - Joel was the soul of Somebody Somewhere for me, and I'm delighted to see him (and the show) get some acknowledgement.