dirthawker's recent activity
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Comment on Megathread: April Fools' Day 2026 on the internet in ~talk
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Comment on Megathread: April Fools' Day 2026 on the internet in ~talk
dirthawker Link ParentI'm definitely adding this one to my regular games. Thanks!I'm definitely adding this one to my regular games. Thanks!
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Comment on Tildes Gardening Group: Week 30/3/26 in ~hobbies
dirthawker Link ParentI've had a lot of luck with beer traps for slugs. Admittedly the resulting slug soup is nasty but yeah, they really like beer.I've had a lot of luck with beer traps for slugs. Admittedly the resulting slug soup is nasty but yeah, they really like beer.
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Comment on Tildes Gardening Group: Week 30/3/26 in ~hobbies
dirthawker (edited )LinkI moved into a new house late last year and am slowly bending the garden into what I want. The previous owners were, I think, people who liked plants well enough, but not actual gardening. The...I moved into a new house late last year and am slowly bending the garden into what I want. The previous owners were, I think, people who liked plants well enough, but not actual gardening. The front is all succulents surrounded by an ocean of volcanic rock and 1" pebble "mulch" holding down thick layers of weed barrier. I guess for what it is, it looks tidy and decent, just personally not my taste. Also trying to figure out how to weed this rock stuff; fortunately weeds don't root well but they definitely do find enough purchase to sprout. For my part I planted a very tiny Ceanothus (I'm trying to grow more native plants) which is now looking happy and growing rapidly. Also brought over from the old place a tiny succulent that is non-native but endemic in the area of California I grew up -- Drosanthemum floribundum. It does well with little water and lots of sun.
In the backyard is one section that was entirely 2-4" white smooth rocks over more barrier and more succulents (both planted and in pots), one section that is proper dirt and no weed barrier with a bunch of pretty flowering shrubs and a bougainvillea, and in a planter by itself a wildly overgrown fig tree. Oh, and one small section that was nothing but 5" of rubber mulch. I took out that out right away, and put in a long-suffering Ceanothus from my old place.
Took out a couple of the succulents and planted a Meyer lemon, an Italian bay (Laurus nobilis) and a rosemary; the latter two I'd started at the old place. Installed 2 3x3' raised beds and put in them garlic, chives, green onions, thyme, lemongrass, and turmeric from the old place. Recently transplanted in my tomato starts. I need all my culinaries :) For all this had to move a lot of the white rocks around, but just don't really know what to do with them. I don't like them much, but taking them out is going to mean a lot of additional work, so for the moment they're staying.
Raised bed dirt is freakin' expensive, but I must say when I popped those garlic plants in they went from spindly to Schwarzenegger-buff in a matter of weeks. The thyme, which was always struggling, also expanded and is currently flowering, which it had never done in the 3 years I've had it.
The flower bed (the one without the barrier) spontaneously sprouted a California poppy, which delights me. The bougainvillea's trellis had collapsed, and I replaced it; now it's starting to flower.
The fig I pruned hard, taking it from about 7 trunks down to 3 and topping them at a mostly-harvestable height. In a very short time (about
57 weeks?) it has about 15-20 figs started and is leafing out nicely.I took a bunch of the potted succulents and one flowering shrub back to the old place as garden decor for the eventual sale. It was a perfect way to get rid of plants I don't want. Honestly I am very averse throwing plants away even when I don't like them.
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Comment on Commonly misspelled words quiz in ~humanities.languages
dirthawker Link20/20 and 7220/8300. I'm pretty decent at spelling but I know there's a few that will always trip me up. Privilege always seems wrong without the ledge, but I know it's right.20/20 and 7220/8300. I'm pretty decent at spelling but I know there's a few that will always trip me up. Privilege always seems wrong without the ledge, but I know it's right.
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Comment on Commonly misspelled words quiz in ~humanities.languages
dirthawker Link ParentAs a kid I pronounced it whores devores.As a kid I pronounced it whores devores.
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Comment on Are you a morning person or a night owl? in ~talk
dirthawker Link ParentI think nothing shouts "you're old" quite as loudly as going to bed with the chickens. I wake up fairly often in the middle too, and sometimes can't go back to sleep. I got a smartwatch about a...I think nothing shouts "you're old" quite as loudly as going to bed with the chickens. I wake up fairly often in the middle too, and sometimes can't go back to sleep. I got a smartwatch about a year ago and have learned I usually get about 5.5 - 6.5 hours sleep per night. But schedule-wise, it's all right. What kept me up before was drawing, and I pretty much don't do that anymore.
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Comment on How to not snap at someone who is unintentionally annoying in ~life
dirthawker Link ParentThanks. I think talking about it here and talking with DH has been a huge help. Not just the good ideas and approaches but also the sense of being supported.Thanks. I think talking about it here and talking with DH has been a huge help. Not just the good ideas and approaches but also the sense of being supported.
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Comment on Are you a morning person or a night owl? in ~talk
dirthawker LinkI used to be a night owl, often staying up till 3 am on weekends. Then I got a certain animal in my life that required I get up early and exercise it before the weather got hot, meaning about 10...I used to be a night owl, often staying up till 3 am on weekends. Then I got a certain animal in my life that required I get up early and exercise it before the weather got hot, meaning about 10 am. This also required about an hour's drive to get there so I was up around 6:30 to get out and rolling by 8. And even though this only went on for a couple years I never really went back. Now age has me going to bed around 10:30-11 and I wake anywhere between 6 and 7:45.
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Comment on How to not snap at someone who is unintentionally annoying in ~life
dirthawker Link ParentI'll ask. They didn't seem too big on reading before their memory problems became noticeable, but audio books seem like a good way around that. ThanksI'll ask. They didn't seem too big on reading before their memory problems became noticeable, but audio books seem like a good way around that. Thanks
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Comment on How to not snap at someone who is unintentionally annoying in ~life
dirthawker (edited )Link ParentI like that. Great idea. It has happened twice that I'm ready to drain my pasta and am loudly saying "Hot pot coming through" and they are standing in front of the sink and apparently not...I like that. Great idea.
It has happened twice that I'm ready to drain my pasta and am loudly saying "Hot pot coming through" and they are standing in front of the sink and apparently not understanding that one should pay attention to yelling...
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Comment on How to not snap at someone who is unintentionally annoying in ~life
dirthawker Link ParentNo, they tend to pass their time with fairly easy online puzzles. They don't remember things well and I don't think they know how to knit (somewhat shaky hands anyway) or have any hobbies. It's a...No, they tend to pass their time with fairly easy online puzzles. They don't remember things well and I don't think they know how to knit (somewhat shaky hands anyway) or have any hobbies. It's a good idea, though, and something DH and I should discuss.
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Comment on How to not snap at someone who is unintentionally annoying in ~life
dirthawker Link ParentThey've been here 6 weeks and are staying 2 more. This has been a test -- at some time in the unknown future their memory issues may become enough of a problem that they have to permanently live...They've been here 6 weeks and are staying 2 more. This has been a test -- at some time in the unknown future their memory issues may become enough of a problem that they have to permanently live with us, or the other sibling (not likely).
I'd say I'm very definitely not like you at all :) I'm used to working solo, and part of my enjoyment of cooking is being fully focused on task. Distraction is annoying.
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Comment on How to not snap at someone who is unintentionally annoying in ~life
dirthawker Link ParentThey're important, but I think it's very difficult to anger them. They're definitely more likely to think they're at fault. Part of the problem is that they do have some memory issues so they'll...They're important, but I think it's very difficult to anger them. They're definitely more likely to think they're at fault. Part of the problem is that they do have some memory issues so they'll forget what I asked them to do.
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Comment on How to not snap at someone who is unintentionally annoying in ~life
dirthawker Link ParentYes. DH and I talked it out this evening and came up with some polite ways of explaining how I'm used to cooking by myself and would like it if they could save their non-urgent questions for a...Yes. DH and I talked it out this evening and came up with some polite ways of explaining how I'm used to cooking by myself and would like it if they could save their non-urgent questions for a time when I'm not focused on a task.
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Comment on How to not snap at someone who is unintentionally annoying in ~life
dirthawker Link ParentWell, we do give them tasks, but often those don't take much time - there just isn't that much for them to do. I think they are somewhat bored and the dishwashing offers are part of that. I'm very...Well, we do give them tasks, but often those don't take much time - there just isn't that much for them to do. I think they are somewhat bored and the dishwashing offers are part of that. I'm very bad at delegating and I should try to do it more and get better at it.
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How to not snap at someone who is unintentionally annoying
They are old. They are a guest here and want to be helpful, but it ends up being annoying because every time you set down a used pan or cooking utensil, they want to wash it for you. (They know...
They are old. They are a guest here and want to be helpful, but it ends up being annoying because every time you set down a used pan or cooking utensil, they want to wash it for you. (They know perfectly well we have a dishwasher and that we use it.) They hover while you're working in the kitchen and always seem to be in the way.
It's like they're hijacking my attention span all the time to make decisions. It also feels like (again definitely unintentionally) they're telling you to hurry up and do this thing they want you to do.
I have just come withing a microsecond of biting off their head. I'm baking a pastry, and came to check on it to see where it was at and make sure it wasn't browning too much. I checked internal temperature, noted browning, and the moment I closed the door, before I could turn around to get the foil, they asked me if I knew it was getting brown (that's the way they worded it, "do I know". Fortunately, "YES NO EFFING KIDDING I WAS HERE TO CHECK ON EXACTLY THAT" came out as "Yes."
I don't want to react like this. Please give me pointers.
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Comment on Proton Mail helped US FBI unmask anonymous ‘Stop Cop City’ protester in ~tech
dirthawker Link ParentIt's an odd reversal of expectations. But we have people in the highest political positions who write like third graders (and think like toddlers, but that's a different story). These people also...It's an odd reversal of expectations. But we have people in the highest political positions who write like third graders (and think like toddlers, but that's a different story). These people also despise education, science, and all higher forms of learning. To accuse a human's writing as sounding like an AI should not be a terrible thing, since clearly written articles are part of AIs' training.
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Comment on Where do you go for "easy" meme content? in ~tech
dirthawker Link ParentThat's me, except I follow only game developers, mostly Japanese. After unfollowing everyone/thing political, my feed is very pleasant. I moved the political stuff to bsky, but now it's depressing...That's me, except I follow only game developers, mostly Japanese. After unfollowing everyone/thing political, my feed is very pleasant. I moved the political stuff to bsky, but now it's depressing to go there, so I may have to do a similar purge.
My twitter For You became terrible in recent years. I'm pretty sure they now select things that will make me angry and thus, they hope, engaged. So I only view the "Following" feed. Even after dropping all the politics, my For You is still a wasteland.
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Comment on How do you remember? in ~tech
dirthawker LinkFor the most part Google Keep and saving drafts in Gmail. And a lot of browser bookmarks.For the most part Google Keep and saving drafts in Gmail. And a lot of browser bookmarks.
That's the only one I'm not understanding -- am I supposed to wait for it to age or something?
Oh, nvm, I did have to wait.