greyfire's recent activity
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
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Comment on Why Koreans ask what year you were born in ~life
greyfire Link ParentAnd I'm glad you commented because it caught my attention enough that I stopped to read it. That was interesting! Stuff I did not know about Korean culture (which to be fair includes most things).And I'm glad you commented because it caught my attention enough that I stopped to read it. That was interesting! Stuff I did not know about Korean culture (which to be fair includes most things).
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Comment on Do our dogs have something to tell the world? in ~life.pets
greyfire Link ParentSpeaking as a person with a cat who actively uses a soundboard, she 100% knows what she's doing. When she pushes Treat, she sits up and waits for me to toss one. When she pushes Chase, she runs...Speaking as a person with a cat who actively uses a soundboard, she 100% knows what she's doing. When she pushes Treat, she sits up and waits for me to toss one. When she pushes Chase, she runs for the hallway because I'm going to throw one for her. When she pushes Puzzle, she walks over to sit by the kibble puzzle to wait for me to refill it. It's not a response to me - it's a request, and her own action after pushing the button demonstrates it.
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Comment on What short book series is worth more than its page count? in ~books
greyfire Link ParentBest punster gets their tab covered. And by best, I mean by pun standards, obviously.There's Sunday, see, and then there's Monday, and then there's Punday.
Best punster gets their tab covered. And by best, I mean by pun standards, obviously.
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Comment on What short book series is worth more than its page count? in ~books
greyfire LinkSpider Robinson's Callahan's Crosstime Saloon and its sequels. Page counts range 160-maaaaybe 200ish, but they are absolutely full of hope, joy, and optimism towards humanity (loose definition,...Spider Robinson's Callahan's Crosstime Saloon and its sequels. Page counts range 160-maaaaybe 200ish, but they are absolutely full of hope, joy, and optimism towards humanity (loose definition, aliens and robots and werewolves totally count).
Also puns. Lots of puns.
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Comment on Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield reverses US policy that would have limited anesthesia periods in ~health
greyfire Link ParentI did this job for a while. Hours every single day of nothing but going through denials, finding them in the filing cabinets, printing rebills, addressing, packing, stamping, and re-sending...I did this job for a while. Hours every single day of nothing but going through denials, finding them in the filing cabinets, printing rebills, addressing, packing, stamping, and re-sending paperwork. All because, as the doctor I was working for said, they virtually always deny just because a significant portion of denials never bother to try again.
It was soul-crushing. The evils of a for-profit medical system cannot be overstated.
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Comment on Favorite "A Christmas Carol" adaptation? in ~movies
greyfire Link ParentSpeaking of BBC versions, while it's not my favorite favorite, I do love Blackadder's Christmas Carol. Rowan Atkinson playing the most generous man in Victorian England.Speaking of BBC versions, while it's not my favorite favorite, I do love Blackadder's Christmas Carol. Rowan Atkinson playing the most generous man in Victorian England.
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Comment on Someone made a dataset of one million Bluesky posts for 'machine learning research' in ~tech
greyfire Link ParentYep! Quite a few. The first one I was recommended is @skywatch.blue - you'll see Lists in the middle of the page, and from there you can select any list you want to block. There'll be a Subscribe...Yep! Quite a few. The first one I was recommended is @skywatch.blue - you'll see Lists in the middle of the page, and from there you can select any list you want to block. There'll be a Subscribe button at the top right, and when you select that, it offers you the option to mute or block the entire list (which will apply to all new entries to the list as well).
Some bad actors have created misleading lists, so you do have to make sure you choose ones that seem solid and come well-recommended.
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Comment on What are your favorite “chore” games? in ~games
greyfire Link ParentAnd for a visual demonstration.... The Saga of Bronzemurder. I think just about every DF player who gets very far gets deja vu from this. Smells like Dwarf Fortress.And for a visual demonstration.... The Saga of Bronzemurder. I think just about every DF player who gets very far gets deja vu from this.
Smells like Dwarf Fortress.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
greyfire Link ParentHah, I hear that. I made a pretty good start on Everybody Loves Big Chests (protagonist is a mimic), which miiiight count as dungeoncore?, but lost interest and wandered off after a little too...Hah, I hear that. I made a pretty good start on Everybody Loves Big Chests (protagonist is a mimic), which miiiight count as dungeoncore?, but lost interest and wandered off after a little too much succubus screen time. I'll probably get back to it - it's not badly written and I'm told the smut level tapers off and is mostly ignorable.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
greyfire Link ParentI keep meaning to get around to Beards and Brews, it looks like fun. And I've already ripped through the Heretical Fishing stub available on RR, dangit. This stuff is worse than popcorn.I keep meaning to get around to Beards and Brews, it looks like fun. And I've already ripped through the Heretical Fishing stub available on RR, dangit. This stuff is worse than popcorn.
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Comment on Any recommendations for books, novellas and short story collections? in ~books
greyfire Link ParentDickson's Dragon books are some of my all-time favorites, thanks for mentioning them and reminding me. I need to do a re-read. Did you know there's a cartoon movie of the first book, A Flight of...Dickson's Dragon books are some of my all-time favorites, thanks for mentioning them and reminding me. I need to do a re-read. Did you know there's a cartoon movie of the first book, A Flight of Dragons? Pretty true to the plot and great fun.
Currently reading Pratchett's Guards! Guards!, with Small Gods next up. So good.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
greyfire Link ParentI've heard of Merchant Crab, the other two are new to me. I'll have to give 'em a whirl. And yeah, HWFWM is one of my favorite takes on LitRPG.I've heard of Merchant Crab, the other two are new to me. I'll have to give 'em a whirl. And yeah, HWFWM is one of my favorite takes on LitRPG.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
greyfire Link ParentLate to the party, but if you haven't read He Who Fights with Monsters on Royal Road I've got to give it a shout-out. Eleven (almost twelve) enormous books, and while the protagonist's a bit of a...Late to the party, but if you haven't read He Who Fights with Monsters on Royal Road I've got to give it a shout-out. Eleven (almost twelve) enormous books, and while the protagonist's a bit of a wanker at first he really grows into the multi-universal mess he gets dumped into. Isekai and heavy on gamerspeak if you are/aren't into that. The audiobook narrator (Heath Miller) does a fantastic job too if you prefer your fiction that way.
Wandering Inn's another good (and free) web serial, not on Royal Road. Also isekai and gamery (I have a type), female protagonist I sometimes want to shake, but I like her and the rest of the cast quite a bit.
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Comment on How chain restaurants use smells to entice us in ~food
greyfire Link ParentNo, it was breathtakingly awful, and unidentifiable. Chemical. I like @tanglisha's description - it was just aversive, sick-making.No, it was breathtakingly awful, and unidentifiable. Chemical. I like @tanglisha's description - it was just aversive, sick-making.
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Comment on How chain restaurants use smells to entice us in ~food
greyfire Link ParentRed Triaminic, for me. The orange was okay. The yellow-- I don't know what that flavor that was supposed to be but it was an effort not to throw that up every time.Red Triaminic, for me. The orange was okay. The yellow-- I don't know what that flavor that was supposed to be but it was an effort not to throw that up every time.
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Comment on How chain restaurants use smells to entice us in ~food
greyfire Link ParentActive gag response, here.aversive memories (the smell of cherry cough syrup is not friendly, as far as I'm concerned)
Active gag response, here.
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Comment on What programming/technical projects have you been working on? in ~comp
greyfire LinkI'm trying to get back into Drupal, after ten years of mostly WordPress with my current shop. I want to love it. I used to love it. I recognize that it's got a lot of improved qualities with the...I'm trying to get back into Drupal, after ten years of mostly WordPress with my current shop.
I want to love it. I used to love it. I recognize that it's got a lot of improved qualities with the changes made since 7. But I just keep on slamming into problems that tell me exactly why people keep just giving up and going with WordPress, despite Drupal's vastly superior toolset. Why does it all have to be so hard? I'm not new to any of this - I'm a full-stack dev, I've written modules, my entire schtick with my current contractor is fixing whatever nobody else in the shop can figure out. And even I want to give up at this point. It's horribly frustrating.
I'm reading my way through a couple recommended books by devs with cred, but oh god they're Packt and the misprints, missing information, and general poor organization are making me crazy.
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Comment on How an apple from a rejected tree became the Honeycrisp in ~food
greyfire LinkWe occasionally get a cultivar here that they're calling Evercrisp, and at least at the height of the season they're the best apples I've ever had. Honeycrisp are good, but these were...We occasionally get a cultivar here that they're calling Evercrisp, and at least at the height of the season they're the best apples I've ever had. Honeycrisp are good, but these were better--apparently a cross with Fuji. So crispy and delicate they practically evaporate, with a sweet-tart that was just right. Should be back in season soon....
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Comment on How an apple from a rejected tree became the Honeycrisp in ~food
greyfire Link ParentI miss good Granny Smiths. The last few times I've gotten them here, in season, instead of tart and crisp they've been mealy, thick-skinned, and barely tart at all. I don't know if the growers...I miss good Granny Smiths. The last few times I've gotten them here, in season, instead of tart and crisp they've been mealy, thick-skinned, and barely tart at all. I don't know if the growers we're getting them from are having issues with climate change or have decided people don't actually want the old kind anymore, but I've given up on them entirely.
I've been thoroughly wrapped up in Enshrouded for weeks now. It's still in Early Access and that definitely shows in places, but I'm really enjoying it.
It's hard, though some of that is probably that I'm impatient and gleefully throw myself into the abyss (literally) and wind up in places with enemies way too tough for me. The towers give me delightfully old-school Prince of Persia vibes (traps and platforming galore).
Movement is pretty darn smooth - I adore the glider, and fast travel is, while tightly limited, still convenient enough. I appreciate enormously that it allows fast travel back to base at almost any time, and saving is easy and automatic, not time- or location-gated.
The building mechanics are the really big draw for me. They're enormous fun and rather Lego in style (both premade parts and teeny-tiny voxels, like building with single-dot Lego bits). I haven't gotten crazy with it yet, but it's clear that you can do almost anything you want. Picking random ruins and restoring them is probably going to become one of my hobbies.
It's also beautiful, gorgeous landscapes and stunning views (especially from the tops of the towers), and downright creepy in the fungal areas. (Caveat: This makes it a VERY HEAVY game - it heats up my rig more than anything else I play, so I have to take the Hot Game precautions. (Open case, extra fan.) Probably would be much better with the settings turned down, but it's so pretty....)
Cute collectible critters. NPCs that'll wander if you let them but can be locked into place (no bodily autonomy for you, silly craftsman!).
And while it is Early Access, I haven't personally run into anything I'd call a bug, it just has bits that are decidedly less-polished than I hope they'll be in the final game. Normally I skip EA until they're ready, but I was gifted this one by a friend, and until it stops feeling completely playable I expect I'll keep at it.
Definitely recommended.