clem's recent activity

  1. Comment on Matt Damon says Netflix wants movies to restate the 'plot three or four times in the dialogue' because viewers are on 'their phones while they're watching' in ~movies

    clem
    Link Parent
    There were lots of reasons why I left Netflix--primarily that the market expanded and the stuff I wanted to watch moved to other platforms--but this was a big part of it. It became so difficult to...

    There were lots of reasons why I left Netflix--primarily that the market expanded and the stuff I wanted to watch moved to other platforms--but this was a big part of it. It became so difficult to actually find anything I cared about. They pushed all sorts of random genres on me, trying to get me to watch things I didn't know about. And if I remember right, if I hovered on something for too long (perhaps reading the summary), the show just started. Maybe this is what some people wanted, but I've always been more focused than that. I can't deny that sometimes I pause to look at Wikipedia and maybe figure out where I recognize an actor from or something, but I generally know what I want to watch, and I watch it. Netflix used to be great. Even better when it was DVD-only. But corporations all turn to shit eventually.

    Edit: I guess this is noise, just me on a soap box, maybe partially the result of Facebook trying harder and harder to make me angry (and maybe help fuel a civil war?). I suppose it's better to release that valve at Netflix than people I know who voted for insanity.

    7 votes

  2. Comment on Hooters | Bankrupt in ~food

    clem
    Link Parent
    The part of me that hates typing on my phone is sympathetic, but the part of me that mostly types on my computer as a result is in charge of my opinion about it. We hates it, hates it forever!

    The part of me that hates typing on my phone is sympathetic, but the part of me that mostly types on my computer as a result is in charge of my opinion about it. We hates it, hates it forever!

    1 vote

  3. Comment on Hooters | Bankrupt in ~food

    clem
    Link Parent
    I think this is exactly the point I'm missing. People who went to Hooters didn't go to stare at women's tits, they went to socialize with attractive women. Whenever I thought about going to...

    People like to socialize with people they find attractive

    I think this is exactly the point I'm missing. People who went to Hooters didn't go to stare at women's tits, they went to socialize with attractive women. Whenever I thought about going to Hooters (and honestly it's probably been 20 years since the thought has crossed my mind), my thought process was: people will think I want to go there just to look at women's tits > people will know that I'm a perv.

    But I've never enjoyed the tip-compelled socialization with servers. I certainly like it when they're friendly, but mostly I want them to do their food-serving job well and leave me alone to talk to whomever I'm there with. So it makes sense that I never would've gotten this.

    4 votes

  4. Comment on Hooters | Bankrupt in ~food

    clem
    Link Parent
    Sorry for making you all click--I linked to the explanation and thought that was fine, but I should've copied that text, too! I shouldn't get started on abbreviations, but I'll just say that the...

    Sorry for making you all click--I linked to the explanation and thought that was fine, but I should've copied that text, too!

    I shouldn't get started on abbreviations, but I'll just say that the way they're used today drives me nuts. There's a whole glossary of lingo you have to learn before you can get interested in a topic, and it makes me grouchy. It's not that hard to spell most things out. Changing an already established abbreviation... I just can't go there.

    1 vote

  5. Comment on Hooters | Bankrupt in ~food

    clem
    Link Parent
    As someone who thinks ETA meant "estimated time of arrival," thanks, /r/OutOfTheLoop. I'll save my "old man yelling at clouds" for another time. Also, thanks for the info, though it still doesn't...

    As someone who thinks ETA meant "estimated time of arrival," thanks, /r/OutOfTheLoop. I'll save my "old man yelling at clouds" for another time.

    Also, thanks for the info, though it still doesn't make me understand a place caught in the middle between strip clubs and regular restaurants. But I've certainly been following this thread out of curiosity.

    14 votes

  6. Comment on Lord of the Rings Extended Editions returning to theaters with a 4D twist in ~movies

    clem
    Link Parent
    Thanks for the info--I didn't realize there was an intermission! A 15 minute break in the middle might make it doable if I can figure out the timing.

    Thanks for the info--I didn't realize there was an intermission! A 15 minute break in the middle might make it doable if I can figure out the timing.

    1 vote

  7. Comment on Lord of the Rings Extended Editions returning to theaters with a 4D twist in ~movies

    clem
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    I really wish I was excited about this considering what a pleasure it was to watch the standard editions in the theaters when they first came out. I saw them each a few times and had little...

    I really wish I was excited about this considering what a pleasure it was to watch the standard editions in the theaters when they first came out. I saw them each a few times and had little trouble with it (aside from falling asleep during Return of the King once--it was a late showing and I was tired, I'm not saying I was bored). I'm not sure if the irony was intended here, but this suggests my current attitude:

    Just imagine being thrown around like an oliphaunt rider for four-plus hours while you soak in Return of the King in 4DX.

    I guess I'm old, because I don't think I could handle a 4 hour movie in the theater. I also wish I was excited about Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair, but to me, 4 hour movies are strictly at-home affairs. Alas.

    10 votes

  8. Comment on Skate Story | Official launch trailer in ~games

    clem
    Link Parent
    Oh my, just played the demo for about an hour, and what a joy it is to play! So smooth and fun. I'll probably wait to pick it up eventually on the Switch 2, as it seems more like a living room...

    Oh my, just played the demo for about an hour, and what a joy it is to play! So smooth and fun. I'll probably wait to pick it up eventually on the Switch 2, as it seems more like a living room game, but I'm looking forward to learning more tricks on it then. The writing is super silly and engaging, the music is excellent, and the graphics are intense and lovely. I love that unique little gems like this exist.

    4 votes

  9. Comment on A rare “Polar Express” winter pattern is forecast over the United States and Canada, following a Polar Vortex split in ~enviro

    clem
    Link Parent
    It has been nice, but it sure caught me off guard. I had quite a bit to finish up before winter, but I was busy with Thanksgiving, and then--bam, everything was covered in snow. I'll catch up, but...

    It has been nice, but it sure caught me off guard. I had quite a bit to finish up before winter, but I was busy with Thanksgiving, and then--bam, everything was covered in snow. I'll catch up, but a lot of stuff is much slower when it's cold and snowy. And some of the stuff I've left outside will suffer a bit more sitting out all winter. But so it goes! I'm enjoying it anyway, and have mostly gotten used to the cold.

    4 votes

  10. Comment on A rare “Polar Express” winter pattern is forecast over the United States and Canada, following a Polar Vortex split in ~enviro

    clem
    Link Parent
    Thanks for sharing (and for your comment explaining why it's interesting). It's refreshing to read a detailed article about the weather explained thoroughly so a regular person like me can...

    Thanks for sharing (and for your comment explaining why it's interesting). It's refreshing to read a detailed article about the weather explained thoroughly so a regular person like me can understand it. Also very nice to see a website designed for readability rather than optimizing ads and collecting my data!

    6 votes

  11. Comment on ‘Wicked: For Good’ opening to $150m; records broken for Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jon M. Chu, Broadway musical feature take and more in ~movies

    clem
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    lol, I've been wondering if Wicked: For Good was a movie title or some sort of advertising campaign tied to a charitable cause. I guess I'm glad to know, now. Maybe it's a fine title, but whatever...

    lol, I've been wondering if Wicked: For Good was a movie title or some sort of advertising campaign tied to a charitable cause. I guess I'm glad to know, now. Maybe it's a fine title, but whatever advertising I've seen sure wasn't doing its job.

    Sorry for the noise-y comment, but sometimes I can't help but think out loud.

    1 vote

  12. Comment on Post breakup ramblings in ~life

    clem
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    I don't have a lot to add, but one thing that helped me when I was going through something similar many years ago was to "leave her in the woods." Simply: I walked out to a remote place in the...

    I don't have a lot to add, but one thing that helped me when I was going through something similar many years ago was to "leave her in the woods." Simply: I walked out to a remote place in the woods and left all my pain in that spot. I think maybe I buried a piece of paper with her name on it, but you could do other symbolic gestures: carve her name into a dead tree, bury a memento, (safely!) burn a piece of paper with her name on it, etc.

    I also screamed at the top of my lungs and wept. It felt great. And by "great," I guess I mean horrible, but it was cathartic.

    It wasn't, like, a full recovery or anything, but it certainly helped. I think at this stage it's all about getting that pain out of your heart, and any way you can do that is good.

    Sorry for not having anything to say about your explanations; all of that is kind of between you and her, and I'm afraid that your "Pause" moment of "she doesn’t need a reason at all to end things" might sum it all up. I know all about all of those kind of explanations, but at the end of the day, she wouldn't have ended it if it wasn't what she wanted. I could be wrong, of course, but that's what I take from your post. Sorry to say it so frankly. I hope you can start to feel better soon.

    8 votes

  13. Comment on Tildes Demographics Survey, year… uh, it’s 2024? in ~tildes

    clem
    Link Parent
    I vaguely remember TheMeerkat mentioning that there was trouble completing the charts or other visualizations, and see now from their post history that they have not been here since April, so...I...

    I vaguely remember TheMeerkat mentioning that there was trouble completing the charts or other visualizations, and see now from their post history that they have not been here since April, so...I wouldn't get my hopes up.

    3 votes

  14. Comment on What are some of your favorite stews/soups? in ~food

    clem
    Link Parent
    I at least got away with adding extra garlic. My wife is not that into garlic, but I used a whole head of the stuff in this to help make up for the lack of spiciness. I can't believe the recipe...

    I at least got away with adding extra garlic. My wife is not that into garlic, but I used a whole head of the stuff in this to help make up for the lack of spiciness. I can't believe the recipe only calls for two cloves...c'mon.

    Now I remembered that I actually do have a favorite soup, it's just been a long time since I've had it: avgolemono! It's pretty simple Greek soup with rice, but the broth is thick and lemony. Back when I was a young church-goer, they would always serve it after the midnight service on Good Friday. And my Mom's version was even better. It's so thick and rich and delicious.

    2 votes

  15. Comment on What are some of your favorite stews/soups? in ~food

    clem
    (edited )
    Link
    I made this white chicken chili last night to eat tonight (it took me until 8:30 to finish it last night, plus chili always tastes better the next day, so it made sense to do it this way):...

    I made this white chicken chili last night to eat tonight (it took me until 8:30 to finish it last night, plus chili always tastes better the next day, so it made sense to do it this way): https://www.cookingclassy.com/white-chicken-chili/#jump-to-recipe. I sort of followed the recipe except:

    • I doubled it, since I'm not going to do all that work for a small batch
    • I used chickpeas and black beans instead of cannellini beans
    • I used bell peppers instead of green chilies, since my family can't handle spice (I added plenty of cayenne and crushed red pepper to mine)
    • The broth was made from the leftovers of a chicken cooked in barbecue sauce, so it had a lot of that flavor
    • I added a can of crushed tomatoes, since to me, it doesn't seem like chili without any tomatoes
    • I fried the peppers with the onions and garlic, and all for way longer, before adding the other stuff
    • I added the spices to cook before deglazing with the broth
    • I left out the cilantro, since my wife is a "cilantro tastes like soap" person
    • There wasn't a ton of chicken left; maybe just 1 cup

    So...it was really more like my recipe than that one, but it's the first time in a while I've followed a recipe for chili rather than just winging it, so I figured I should listen a little to someone who knew something about chili. It turned out good. Not the best thing ever, but I'll make it again.

    I'm honestly not sure I have a favorite soup; or maybe it's just that none of the soups I make turn out amazing. I made a version of this one years ago and it actually was quite excellent, but it's been many years, and I don't think my family would like it. I frequently make chicken soup, and while I used to be pretty good at it, the past several times I've made it it's just been meh. It's always nice and hearty, but I'd like some nice complex savory flavors to go along with that heartiness. So I'm looking forward to exploring some of these suggestions.

    3 votes

  16. Comment on Is 67 just brain rot? in ~humanities.languages

    clem
    Link Parent
    My 8 year-old also learned it recently. It sounds like it's constant at his school and my wife's school (she teaches at the middle school). This is one meme that I sort of enjoy, though; it seems...

    My 8 year-old also learned it recently. It sounds like it's constant at his school and my wife's school (she teaches at the middle school). This is one meme that I sort of enjoy, though; it seems generally meaningless and totally harmless. My response is usually "8-9." And I figure my enjoyment of it will actually probably make it go away faster (also, on Halloween I saw one adult walking around with a 6 and 7 balloon).

    6 votes

  17. Comment on Looking for movies that combine religion mythology and supernatural elements in ~movies

    clem
    (edited )
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    The Devil's Advocate fits that description well. It's a weird movie, pretty uncomfortable in some parts, but I like it overall. I'll see if I can think of any others. Edit: Not a movie, but I...

    The Devil's Advocate fits that description well. It's a weird movie, pretty uncomfortable in some parts, but I like it overall. I'll see if I can think of any others.

    Edit: Not a movie, but I liked the TV series Roar when it came out. This was back when I was 15, mind you. The religious aspect is that the main antagonist is Longinus, who pierced Jesus Christ with a spear and has been cursed with eternal life as a result. I'm starting to realize that this show might actually be why I find this trope so appealing. I think it made a significant impression on me as a teenager.

    9 votes

  18. Comment on The same-name club made up entirely of Shirleys is dying out in ~life

    clem
    Link Parent
    Kinda random, but when I was little, my aunt's boyfriend called me Shirley (my name is Charlie), I think just to get me to say, "Don't call me Shirley!"

    Kinda random, but when I was little, my aunt's boyfriend called me Shirley (my name is Charlie), I think just to get me to say, "Don't call me Shirley!"

    4 votes

  19. Comment on Microsoft warns that Windows 10 reaches end of support today in ~tech

    clem
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    Thanks for the update. It's weird that Windows didn't inform me about this. Signing up was super easy, though I'm annoyed that I had to finally sign in. I figure they were probably tracking me...

    Thanks for the update. It's weird that Windows didn't inform me about this. Signing up was super easy, though I'm annoyed that I had to finally sign in. I figure they were probably tracking me anyway, though.

    7 votes

  20. Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games

    clem
    Link Parent
    Thanks for the hype! I've chosen Silksong over Hades 2 for now, but I need comments like these to convince me to get to Hades 2 afterward. Hades 1 was so good, so it's crazy to hear that the...

    Thanks for the hype! I've chosen Silksong over Hades 2 for now, but I need comments like these to convince me to get to Hades 2 afterward. Hades 1 was so good, so it's crazy to hear that the sequel is just as good if not better.

    3 votes