georgeboff's recent activity
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Comment on The search for the ultimate home/apartment spring cleaning guide in ~life.home_improvement
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Comment on I am moving to New Jersey! Anything I should know? in ~life
georgeboff Link ParentCertainly - a variety of things depending on what you want. The university itself has all sorts of nature areas (a lot on Cook/Douglass but a few on my old side of the river near Busch campus)...Certainly - a variety of things depending on what you want. The university itself has all sorts of nature areas (a lot on Cook/Douglass but a few on my old side of the river near Busch campus) which do a decent job if you just need a moment away. A nice local park-type park is Colonial Park which is just maybe 15 minutes to the west driving, that's in Franklin. If you head to the east for a half an hour or so you can go to Cheesequake park which is wetlands and the like, and a little further east and you'll start to see some beaches. But if you want proper woods and (east coast) mountains you can head about an hour and a half to two hours north and north west and get some good quiet spaces - I was always partial to Stokes state forest, but the Delaware Water Gap is just a little bit further and has lovely mountain valley and forest hikes. If you head north in the other direction you can make your way up to the lower part of upstate NY and into the Catskills which are also full of nice places to hike.
I see other folks are mentioning all the food, which is the only thing I really miss about living in the area. It is beautiful and quiet up here but I have many fewer food options if I want to go out and get different kinds of food made by all sorts of people from all sorts of places. NJ also has a long tradition of 24 hour diners, where you could have breakfast, lunch, or dinner any time of day - the closest one to New Brunswick would probably be the Somerset diner like 10 minutes drive west up Easton Ave.
Rutgers is also my alma mater (at least for the master's degree) and it is a big school - both in size and area. I'm glad I had a bit of a smaller state school for my undergrad work because the university can be a lot sometimes if you grew up next to it.
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Comment on I am moving to New Jersey! Anything I should know? in ~life
georgeboff LinkGood luck on your move! I spent most of the first 18 years of my life in Piscataway just across the river from New Brunswick and although I moved to Maine 6 years ago I still find myself down in...Good luck on your move! I spent most of the first 18 years of my life in Piscataway just across the river from New Brunswick and although I moved to Maine 6 years ago I still find myself down in the area 5 or 6 times a year.
There are lots of towns around like my hometown, Highland Park, Franklin, and Edison. Some of those are not super navigable without a car. There are NJ Transit bus services and the university bus system for Rutgers. You can walk a lot in New Brunswick itself (and in a denser place like Highland Park) but Edison and Piscataway are a little more spread out.
As far as things to do it depends on what you like - there's always stuff going on at the university and New Brunswick is full of music and art ranging from underground basement shows to the NJ symphony orchestra. The Zimmerli art museum is nice if you like that, or if you just want to get out there are parks and the university nature preserves on either side of the river.
There's also plenty of food around, particularly good Hispanic foods in New Brunswick proper (away from downtown where all the college kids geared bars and fast food type places). Plus you can always take the NE corridor trains down towards Trenton or up towards NYC if you're looking for something in particular.
Happy to help answer any questions if I can, although to be fair I very consciously moved away from NJ and up here to the woods so take that as you will :)
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Comment on Eclipse plans in ~talk
georgeboff LinkI live and work about 45 minutes south of totality so my fiance and I took a half day off work and drove and hour north to the mountains in western Maine - it's as clear a day as we could ask for...I live and work about 45 minutes south of totality so my fiance and I took a half day off work and drove and hour north to the mountains in western Maine - it's as clear a day as we could ask for and we're due to get a couple of minutes of totality in about 40 minutes 😎
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Comment on Book recommendations, specifically in ~books
georgeboff Link ParentI enjoyed (a while ago so I'm not sure if they still hold up as well as I recall) the Caine series by author Charles E Gannon. Very hard Sci fi which had the focus on the physics of space travels...I enjoyed (a while ago so I'm not sure if they still hold up as well as I recall) the Caine series by author Charles E Gannon. Very hard Sci fi which had the focus on the physics of space travels and battles that I think you're looking for. I gave it extra points for detailed technical schematics for the space craft in the books.
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Comment on Weekly thread for casual chat and photos of pets in ~life.pets
georgeboff LinkA rare moment of camaraderie - they get along well enough but it's pretty rare to see them sit together :)A rare moment of camaraderie - they get along well enough but it's pretty rare to see them sit together :)
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Comment on Game recommendations, specifically (round 2) in ~games
georgeboff Link ParentI recommend Suzerain Suzerain on Steam - it's a take as much time as you like political game where you're the elected leader of a small country surrounded by powerful neighbors in a Cold War esque...I recommend Suzerain Suzerain on Steam - it's a take as much time as you like political game where you're the elected leader of a small country surrounded by powerful neighbors in a Cold War esque geopolitical environment. You can get a few good playthroughs out of it depending on your choices. Each "turn" is a period of time where you make a big policy decision or two, and you get a chance to read little news blurbs from your own country and around the world. I greatly enjoyed it as a politics and history kind of nerd myself.
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Comment on New Music Fridays: Everything Everything, Charli XCX, ScHoolboy Q and more in ~music
georgeboff LinkOne of my favorite artists came out with their newest album STRFKR - Parallel Realms Indie synth pop with fuzzy ambient tracks in between, well worth a listen if you've never heard them beforeOne of my favorite artists came out with their newest album STRFKR - Parallel Realms
Indie synth pop with fuzzy ambient tracks in between, well worth a listen if you've never heard them before
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Comment on Tildes Book Club - How is it going? Discussion of Cloud Atlas will begin the second full week in March in ~books
georgeboff LinkI just finished Cloud Atlas up last night and am looking forwards to the discussion in a week or two. For those folks who are struggling to get through the first chapter or two, the language and...I just finished Cloud Atlas up last night and am looking forwards to the discussion in a week or two. For those folks who are struggling to get through the first chapter or two, the language and tone do change quite a bit as you move into the next few. I think the payoff was overall worth it but will wait to share more detailed and spoilery thoughts until the full discussion.
But I enjoyed it and thanks goes to those who voted the book in and to @boxer_dogs_dance for the book club generally :)
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Comment on What watch do you wear daily? in ~hobbies
georgeboff LinkI have a Timex Easy Reader watch. It is not fancy in any way. It tells me the time and it's easy to read. It is a clock and doesn't really have any other features besides a button to make it glow...I have a Timex Easy Reader watch. It is not fancy in any way. It tells me the time and it's easy to read. It is a clock and doesn't really have any other features besides a button to make it glow in the dark. The one I have is about 8 years old and it cost me 20 bucks back then so I'd say I've gotten a good value out of it.
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Comment on Tildes Book Club check in Feb 8 2024 - How are things going? in ~books
georgeboff LinkI also have not started yet, but I've got all of the books downloaded and ready to go once I wrap up my current reads this weekend :)I also have not started yet, but I've got all of the books downloaded and ready to go once I wrap up my current reads this weekend :)
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Comment on Tildes Book Club spring schedule (Updated Feb 2, 2:19 UTC) in ~books
georgeboff Link ParentGood morning, I didn't comment on the original thread but I am looking forwards to participating in the book club. I appreciate you putting it together (also commenting to hopefully help others...Good morning, I didn't comment on the original thread but I am looking forwards to participating in the book club. I appreciate you putting it together (also commenting to hopefully help others who might not have seen the initial thread see this one)
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Comment on Album of the Week #15: Mew - Frengers in ~music
georgeboff LinkI really enjoyed this one - it helps that I broadly enjoy the genre, but this was good. The guitar and drum work were fantastic, I love the spacy but sometimes heavy instrumentation underneath the...I really enjoyed this one - it helps that I broadly enjoy the genre, but this was good. The guitar and drum work were fantastic, I love the spacy but sometimes heavy instrumentation underneath the vocals.
I like the comparison with Asobi Seksu, I was also reminded of the Depreciation Guild in parts (minus the chiptune kind of influence that band had) whereas the lyrics and vocals reminded me of something like the Radio Dept.
I am also a sucker for the soft to loud to soft to loud again song structure you get in a song like She Came Home For Christmas which is something you get a lot in post-rock but it's a little different in pop songs. It hits me right.
Thanks for the album of the week post - I'm glad the posts are back and I had missed having some new albums to listen to. I hope everyone reading has a nice day :)
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Comment on Three Cheers for Tildes: App updates and feedback (January 2024) in ~tildes
georgeboff Link ParentI agree having the option to choose would be the best of both worlds Thank you :)I agree having the option to choose would be the best of both worlds
Thank you :)
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Comment on Three Cheers for Tildes: App updates and feedback (January 2024) in ~tildes
georgeboff Link ParentAs a counter to this, I vastly prefer youtube links opening in the app using my web browser. In my case that's mobile Firefox with healthy adblocking that the youtube app would only let me have if...As a counter to this, I vastly prefer youtube links opening in the app using my web browser. In my case that's mobile Firefox with healthy adblocking that the youtube app would only let me have if I paid for premium services.
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Comment on Album of the Week #14: Love - Forever Changes in ~music
georgeboff LinkI mostly enjoyed this although it really seems like a product of its time for me. I appreciate how there were some tongue in cheek lyrics for this one, because otherwise the overall cheesy late...I mostly enjoyed this although it really seems like a product of its time for me. I appreciate how there were some tongue in cheek lyrics for this one, because otherwise the overall cheesy late 60s vibe would have been a bit overwhelming. Some songs were good - the trumpet in the opening track and Maybe the People was fun, and I enjoyed the lyrics on a song like The Daily Planet as being representative of the times. A lot of the guitar was also nice if not particularly outstanding.But other songs (Old Man, the Good Humor Man) are just cheesy 60s songs through and through.
I am reminded of Donovan and early Doors. I am glad I'm listening to the remastered version because I have to think the 60s era production would have done this album no favors for me. So I'd recommend it if you're interested in the era or if you can abide by some of the late 60s vibes, but I think this album was enough for me.
I hope everyone reading has a nice day, thanks for the posts as always :)
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Comment on Short stories compilations in ~books
georgeboff LinkIf you like science fiction, I always used to enjoy the anthologies of short stories edited by Gardner Dozois: The Year's Best Science Fiction The stories are optimistic, pessimistic, crude or...If you like science fiction, I always used to enjoy the anthologies of short stories edited by Gardner Dozois:
The Year's Best Science Fiction
The stories are optimistic, pessimistic, crude or detailed, but you'll always get a good mix and I enjoyed them a lot when I was younger. Gardner passed in 2018 so there haven't been any for the last few years but it had a good run.
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Comment on Album of the Week #13: Don Cherry - Don Cherry/Brown Rice in ~music
georgeboff LinkI'm not really much of a jazz fellow besides appreciating some of the classics - if I am going to listen to some jazz it'll be earlier than this. Think Duke Ellington or Count Basie. But I enjoyed...I'm not really much of a jazz fellow besides appreciating some of the classics - if I am going to listen to some jazz it'll be earlier than this. Think Duke Ellington or Count Basie.
But I enjoyed this album well enough - it's weird, and I'm not sure I enjoyed the whispered lyrics, but the instrumentation was fun and very world music sounding while still being recognizably jazz. But there's some good playing here, whether that be on the piano or the trumpet, and I can appreciate the technical and improvisational skill that goes into making a record like this.
Will I listen to it again? Probably not, but I had a fine time listening today. I appreciate the threads as always, and I hope everyone reading has a nice day :)
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Comment on What is a classical music piece you like? And why? in ~music
georgeboff LinkRimsky-Korsakov - Scherezade Link to one of my favorite performances of it I think it's a masterful piece of storytelling in symphony form, plus the bombast and power of the horns in the sultan's...Rimsky-Korsakov - Scherezade
Link to one of my favorite performances of it
I think it's a masterful piece of storytelling in symphony form, plus the bombast and power of the horns in the sultan's theme get me every time.
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Comment on Album of the Week #12: Ka - Honor Killed the Samurai in ~music
georgeboff LinkI enjoyed this one a lot - as you mentioned in your comment, the production, samples, and beats all lead to that cool feeling, even while the lyrics and wordplay called back to a life growing up...I enjoyed this one a lot - as you mentioned in your comment, the production, samples, and beats all lead to that cool feeling, even while the lyrics and wordplay called back to a life growing up on the streets. The thing that stuck out to me the most was a contrast to some of the other hip hop we've had so far was that there was anger in the words, but it was anger trying to be directed in a positive direction. I also thought the samurai theme and samples that led from one song to the next really lead to this album feeling like a cohesive album which is always something that will give an album a positive mark in my book.
I think it also helped to listen to this at home on my nice headphones and it helped that it came in at a not-too-long 36 minutes or so, so I probably will check out one or two of the other albums you mentioned when I have a chance.
Thanks for the posts as always, I hope everyone reading has a nice day :)
I liked Home Comforts by Cheryl Mendelson - it's definitely not just about cleaning as there's stuff in there about cooking, hosting, and maintenance but I found it an overall engaging read, even if it is focused on a particular kind of lifestyle and I don't use half of the information.