longwave's recent activity
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Comment on Tildes Book Club - Have you started A Psalm for the Wild Built by Becky Chambers? in ~books
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Comment on Of course viewers are giving up on Netflix shows in ~tv
longwave Link ParentI’ve been sharing your book reccs with my partner this evening and WOW you’ve got some great picks! I can second most of these, and the rest are now at the top of my TBR. I recently read Fifth...I’ve been sharing your book reccs with my partner this evening and WOW you’ve got some great picks! I can second most of these, and the rest are now at the top of my TBR.
I recently read Fifth Season on her recommendation and adored it (I think we chatted about this in a different thread?) I also enjoyed the first couple Wayfarers books. I wasn’t in the right headspace for these when I tried reading them the first time but I might be now. (My current read is Monk and Robot and it’s just hitting right.) I can’t say enough good things about the Locked Tomb books! I grabbed the first one in an airport bookstore because the review on the front was funny and intriguing. I read the first book in practically one sitting, and then literally read Harrow and Nona in one sitting back to back as I smoked a brisket.
Someone dropped off Ancillary Justice in our Little Free Library the other day. My partner already grabbed it, so I think that’s next.
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Comment on How do I keep my dog from fearing water sprinklers? in ~life.pets
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Comment on How do I keep my dog from fearing water sprinklers? in ~life.pets
longwave Link ParentYeah, it's mostly the guilt thing. I don't want to drug him until I've exhausted everything else if I can help it. Framing it as a temporary thing to help with training makes sense, though. Seeing...Yeah, it's mostly the guilt thing. I don't want to drug him until I've exhausted everything else if I can help it. Framing it as a temporary thing to help with training makes sense, though.
Seeing how he would react to the sprinkler heads being removed isn't really practical, but I do have two similar comparisons. He really doesn't like water hoses, and he doesn't like splash pads. Basically, anything involving flowing, clean water is a no-go. Stagnant ditch water is fine, and good for drinking and playing.
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Comment on How do I keep my dog from fearing water sprinklers? in ~life.pets
longwave Link ParentOne of the problems is that the trigger is genuinely so quiet that I can't even notice it. The sound of water moving through the house is audible to me when the washing machine solenoid clicks on...One of the problems is that the trigger is genuinely so quiet that I can't even notice it. The sound of water moving through the house is audible to me when the washing machine solenoid clicks on and off, but I can't hear the valves out in the yard activate. I don't know how he does.
I might try shutting the water off and working the valves while giving him treats. That's a great idea!
I'm really hoping we don't need to resort to medications, but he's responded well to them in the past. We did get some calming diffusers the vet suggested, but it's still a little early to know how well they're working.
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Comment on How do I keep my dog from fearing water sprinklers? in ~life.pets
longwave Link ParentWe're also trying to keep him from barking at the door given the newborn in the house. This looks like a great channel for videos like that too; thanks for linking!We're also trying to keep him from barking at the door given the newborn in the house. This looks like a great channel for videos like that too; thanks for linking!
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Comment on How do I keep my dog from fearing water sprinklers? in ~life.pets
longwave Link ParentI've tried his usual and his high-value treats. He'll eat them, but it doesn't seem like a slam dunk. He loves pup cups though. Maybe I can buy a bunch of those and try that? Thanks for the ideas!I've tried his usual and his high-value treats. He'll eat them, but it doesn't seem like a slam dunk.
He loves pup cups though. Maybe I can buy a bunch of those and try that? Thanks for the ideas!
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Comment on How do I keep my dog from fearing water sprinklers? in ~life.pets
longwave Link ParentOriginally the sprinklers did go off at night. We ran them around 4-5am before sunrise. They're quiet enough that we didn't here them ourselves, but it would wake up our dog and he'd start pacing...Originally the sprinklers did go off at night. We ran them around 4-5am before sunrise. They're quiet enough that we didn't here them ourselves, but it would wake up our dog and he'd start pacing around the bedroom.
Watering during walks doesn't work great because it's so hot out that we have to keep walks short and because the watering time is so long relatively.
Thanks for reminding me about the ThunderShirt! I looked into this a while back but forgot about it. I'll give that a shot and see how he does!
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How do I keep my dog from fearing water sprinklers?
My 55lb German Shepherd / Husky mutt is an absolutely wonderful dog with one fatal flaw: he is deathly afraid of my irrigation system. From inside the house, he can sense when the valves open and...
My 55lb German Shepherd / Husky mutt is an absolutely wonderful dog with one fatal flaw: he is deathly afraid of my irrigation system.
From inside the house, he can sense when the valves open and starts panicking before water even starts spraying. He starts running, pacing, hyperventilating, and generally won’t settle. I sit with him and pet him and try to calm him but he won’t relax until the cycle is done.
This is so much of a problem that I simply didn’t run irrigation last year or the year before.
I’ve tried desensitizing him by sitting outside with him and running one of the zones, sitting inside and running a zone, or walking him around the block while I run the sprinklers so that it’s not a surprise when they turn on. I’ve tried showering him with treats, letting him go hide wherever he wants, working on his tricks, and singing to him. Nothing seems to work.
He never chews up the system or shows aggression to it. He knows where the heads are and avoids them in the yard.
More broadly, he doesn’t like being in or around water. He’s good at taking baths. He will get up on the tub and stand there quietly, but he will be shaking and stressed. If we take him to the lake or pool, he will get in the water after a ton of encouragement (and then he proceeds to love the water).
Does anyone have advice for dealing with this kind of behavior?
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
longwave Link ParentMy brain wanders too much when I listen to audiobooks, so I usually avoid them. I think, though, for a re-read, I’ll give these a shot. Bet that it would be a good experience indeed! (It’s hard to...My brain wanders too much when I listen to audiobooks, so I usually avoid them. I think, though, for a re-read, I’ll give these a shot. Bet that it would be a good experience indeed!
(It’s hard to stay focused on printed books too, but at least it’s easier to jump back to where I drifted away.)
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
longwave LinkI just finished reading N. K. Jemisin's The Fifth Season, The Obelisk Gate, and The Stone Sky on my partner's recommendation. The first book took a bit to get me hooked, but wow, what a series....I just finished reading N. K. Jemisin's The Fifth Season, The Obelisk Gate, and The Stone Sky on my partner's recommendation. The first book took a bit to get me hooked, but wow, what a series. The story and world are really interesting but I especially appreciated the characters themselves. There's themes around parenting that resonate with me right now, and also a lot of positive queer representation that is just nice to see.
I've just started reading Maintenance: Of Everything. So far, I'm enjoying it. Something I've definitely appreciated is how first section of the book deals with three approaches to maintenance and how preventative maintenance relates to anxiety. As someone who is dealing with a newborn and with some cascading household maintenance issues, this feels timely!
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
longwave Link ParentI really like the way you described this! And you're right, this does feel like more of a game. Building is easier in Factorio, but you feel punished for anything less than perfection. Maybe...I really like the way you described this! And you're right, this does feel like more of a game. Building is easier in Factorio, but you feel punished for anything less than perfection. Maybe because you can see belt capacity instantly, for a large part of the factory?
Meanwhile, in Satisfactory, it's hard for me to know if the factory is at peak efficiency. It's harder to navigate the factory. My priorities are instead building something that just feels good. I like it.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
longwave LinkI've been struggling to find my footing lately with any kind of gaming. But now, with the arrival of our newborn, I suddenly have this nice, long block at night while I'm watching the kid so my...I've been struggling to find my footing lately with any kind of gaming. But now, with the arrival of our newborn, I suddenly have this nice, long block at night while I'm watching the kid so my partner can get better sleep.
I decided to finally give Satisfactory a shot. My goodness, it's hooked me. I've never gotten past midgame in other factory games like Factorio before, but I think I'm going to be going far in Satisfactory.
What feels great is that this game is forcing me to be less orderly. With games like Rimworld or Factorio, I always feel tied to highly rigid designs and it's hard for me to be creative or let things flow naturally. Satisfactory is making me get over that. I still have to keep things organized, but I'm not burdened with "EVERYTHING MUST BE PERFECT".
In my life, I've been trying to embrace my more creative, expressive, and emotional side. I've been trying to enjoy and respect imperfection. It sounds weird, but the game is helping me realize that.
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Comment on To all the dads celebrating it today -- Happy father's day! in ~life.men
longwave Link ParentThis is both my first Father’s Day, and my first Father’s Day without my dad. He would have been a wonderful grandpa. Mixed feelings indeed. Happy Father’s Day, friend.This is both my first Father’s Day, and my first Father’s Day without my dad. He would have been a wonderful grandpa.
Mixed feelings indeed. Happy Father’s Day, friend.
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Comment on What is your eleventh favorite video game? in ~games
longwave LinkSteam says H1Z1, apparently, though it looks like it’s been renamed since I played it. Right next to that though is Rimworld, which really tracks. As much as I want to love it, I’ve never made it...Steam says H1Z1, apparently, though it looks like it’s been renamed since I played it. Right next to that though is Rimworld, which really tracks. As much as I want to love it, I’ve never made it past mid-game. Maybe I should give it another shot!
If I had to guess what my eleventh favorite game is without looking at playtime, I’d say Creeper World III. It was a lot of fun, and I’d play it again, but it’s not top ten.
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Comment on The "go fix a minor annoyance" togetherness topic in ~life
longwave LinkI removed the shower door so I could take it outside and strip the water spots off of the glass. This turned in to me wondering why the shower door frame was loose, which turned into me finding...I removed the shower door so I could take it outside and strip the water spots off of the glass. This turned in to me wondering why the shower door frame was loose, which turned into me finding out that water was getting into the wood framing around the shower.
Fixing a minor inconvenience turned in to probably needing some bathroom renovation. Oh well.
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Comment on Not alive, but not dead: disembodied human brains used for drug testing in ~health
longwave Link ParentSorry, but a tangent: is this not how sleep is for everyone? I rarely dream. I go to sleep and suddenly it’s morning. That’s never felt weird or different to me.Sorry, but a tangent: is this not how sleep is for everyone? I rarely dream. I go to sleep and suddenly it’s morning. That’s never felt weird or different to me.
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Comment on What did you do this week (and weekend)? in ~talk
longwave LinkWe had our first kid! She came a month early which was definitely a surprise. I am learning a lot and making mistakes. It’s immensely stressful but we’re figuring it out!We had our first kid! She came a month early which was definitely a surprise. I am learning a lot and making mistakes. It’s immensely stressful but we’re figuring it out!
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
longwave Link ParentI've put a few hours into it. I get the sense that there's more to the story than just the Match 3 thing, but that's the only real gameplay I've experienced so far, and I'm not a Match 3 kind of...I've put a few hours into it. I get the sense that there's more to the story than just the Match 3 thing, but that's the only real gameplay I've experienced so far, and I'm not a Match 3 kind of person. I'm hoping it starts to open up for me
I had similar issues with Inscryption. I never really got past the first act card game, and wasn't enough of a fan of that card game to push through.
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Comment on As Deep As The Grave | Official trailer (AI Val Kilmer movie) in ~movies
longwave LinkWow, there's a hard, unsynced audio cut at 0:41. What slop.Wow, there's a hard, unsynced audio cut at 0:41. What slop.
I started reading this before I realized it was a Book Club book! I enjoyed the book by itself, but I'd be a bit sad if it just ended without A Prayer for the Crown-Shy coming immediately after. Towards the end of the first book things get real heavy, in a good way, but in a way that feels like it needs resolution.
I really like the world in the book. "Hopepunk" is a good descriptor for it. I'm excited to explore more of the world and to touch on the themes from the end of the first book in the sequel!