monarda's recent activity
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Comment on Hi, how are you? Mental health support and discussion thread (August 2026) in ~health.mental
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Comment on The Gateless Gate 3D: Forty-nine Zen Buddhist koans, each with its own interactive scene in ~humanities
monarda LinkThis is beautiful. I’ve only spent a brief time looking at it, but intend to spend more. I especially like the sit button.This is beautiful. I’ve only spent a brief time looking at it, but intend to spend more. I especially like the sit button.
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Comment on Tildes Gardening Group: Week 3/8/26 in ~hobbies
monarda Link ParentOh my gosh, thank you for the videos! I’m going out with a needle later today to check my figs. I’d pretty much given up on ever understanding when they are ripe.Oh my gosh, thank you for the videos! I’m going out with a needle later today to check my figs. I’d pretty much given up on ever understanding when they are ripe.
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Comment on Tildes Gardening Group: Week 3/8/26 in ~hobbies
monarda Link ParentI have a fig tree and never know when to pick them. It seems like I always choose overripe or underripe. Any pointers?I have a fig tree and never know when to pick them. It seems like I always choose overripe or underripe. Any pointers?
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Comment on Ray Bradbury's "There Will Come Soft Rains" as read by actor Burgess Meredith (1962) in ~books
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Comment on People who have run events on Tildes or maintaining long running series of posts, any lessons or advices? in ~tildes
monarda Link ParentI was about to ask you for another screenless day. I think I participated in the first one, and it was sort of terrifying as well as illuminating. Would totally participate if you did it again.I was about to ask you for another screenless day. I think I participated in the first one, and it was sort of terrifying as well as illuminating. Would totally participate if you did it again.
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Comment on MapTap: Daily challenges to test your geographical knowledge in ~games
monarda LinkI liked playing the game, but I really liked reading about the different people associated with those places. I had never heard of Charles Feeney. What a man! 942 100, 95, 99, 99 and oops 88I liked playing the game, but I really liked reading about the different people associated with those places. I had never heard of Charles Feeney. What a man!
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Comment on Tildes Gardening Group: Week 13/7/26 in ~hobbies
monarda LinkI haven’t done anything really new in my garden this year. But there has been some interesting things going on. Last year I had planted some calendula seeds in my perennial bed. They did okay, but...I haven’t done anything really new in my garden this year. But there has been some interesting things going on. Last year I had planted some calendula seeds in my perennial bed. They did okay, but didn’t really produce enough for harvest. Oddly, even though they are annuals, three of them overwintered! Didn’t even lose their lower leaves. This spring I cut them down to their green bits to see what would happen, and they are producing like mad! I go out everyday and harvest a ton of flowers. I find this super exciting :)
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Comment on Tildes Book Club discussion - June 2026 - How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler in ~books
monarda Link ParentI’m not part of the book club either! I was wondering if anyone else thought the same way. I too can enjoy some crass humor, and again like you, with a very limited number of people, most notably...I’m not part of the book club either!
I was wondering if anyone else thought the same way. I too can enjoy some crass humor, and again like you, with a very limited number of people, most notably my husband. But not all time. It grows old and weary when overused, and that’s how I think this book used it. -
Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
monarda Link ParentI can’t believe I missed this. I read it after reading your post, and I agree with everything you wrote.The Ship Who Sang by Anne McCaffrey
I can’t believe I missed this. I read it after reading your post, and I agree with everything you wrote.
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Comment on What creative projects have you been working on? in ~creative
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Comment on Tildes Book Club discussion - June 2026 - How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler in ~books
monarda Link ParentI’m usually adverse to violence and do skim a lot of it. With that said, I felt that a lot of the violence in this books drives home how utterly horrific this has been for Davi and gives credence...I’m usually adverse to violence and do skim a lot of it. With that said, I felt that a lot of the violence in this books drives home how utterly horrific this has been for Davi and gives credence to her don’t give a shit attitude. It also helped me feel invested in Davi, like I really want her to succeed this time. It also made me more willing to go along into the moral gray areas of the character because of a “would I be any different?”
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Comment on Tildes Book Club discussion - June 2026 - How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler in ~books
monarda Link ParentThe way the author used thaumite for magic gave the story as a whole some freshness.The way the author used thaumite for magic gave the story as a whole some freshness.
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Comment on Tildes Book Club discussion - June 2026 - How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler in ~books
monarda Link ParentThe pacing of the book reminded me of the Murder Bot series which I also have tagged as a “good romp.” They both have a generic world with main characters who don’t particularly enjoy having to...The pacing of the book reminded me of the Murder Bot series which I also have tagged as a “good romp.” They both have a generic world with main characters who don’t particularly enjoy having to navigating it. They both use dark humor as a coping mechanism and manage to quickly pull the reader through to the end.
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Comment on Tildes Book Club discussion - June 2026 - How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler in ~books
monarda Link ParentDavi’s snark and humor (in part) made for a good romp of a read. I did enjoy it, but there was a crassness to it that got old after a while, and that I felt was unnecessary. At some point the...Davi’s snark and humor (in part) made for a good romp of a read. I did enjoy it, but there was a crassness to it that got old after a while, and that I felt was unnecessary. At some point the crassness felt like it was coming out the mind of a teenage boy for teenage boys. Ultimately, I started quickly skimming the crass to get to back to the story. It’s too bad because though I otherwise enjoyed the book, there isn’t anyone I would recommend it to because of it.
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Comment on Jumping spiders shouldn’t be this smart in ~science
monarda LinkThank you for this. It’s the kind of video that is awesome to not only watch by myself, but to also watch with my grandchild. They were enthralled through the entire thing!Thank you for this. It’s the kind of video that is awesome to not only watch by myself, but to also watch with my grandchild. They were enthralled through the entire thing!
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Comment on Not alive, but not dead: disembodied human brains used for drug testing in ~health
monarda Link ParentI think that’s better than what I put in there. I’m going to use yours.I think that’s better than what I put in there. I’m going to use yours.
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Comment on Not alive, but not dead: disembodied human brains used for drug testing in ~health
monarda (edited )Link ParentI had the same question. It looks like you can manage your donation preferences at registerme.org which I’m about to do now. Edit: the information above is for the US. I updated my donor...I had the same question. It looks like you can manage your donation preferences at registerme.org which I’m about to do now.
Edit: the information above is for the US.
I updated my donor registration. It wasn’t as straight forward as I would have liked, and I’m not sure if it means anything, but registerme.org is used by my state’s DMV where I originally registered. -
Comment on Summer blanket recommendations? in ~life.style
monarda (edited )LinkI find down to be good for both winter and summer. I use a light weight down for summer (opposed to a heavy weight for winter) with a light cotton duvet cover and cotton percale sheets. If it’s...I find down to be good for both winter and summer. I use a light weight down for summer (opposed to a heavy weight for winter) with a light cotton duvet cover and cotton percale sheets. If it’s exceptionally warm I’ll just use the sheet and a fan. I find crisp cotton, like percale, to always be cool to the touch when I get under them in the summer and the fan keeps me cool if I begin to sweat.
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Comment on What's your dream job? in ~life
monarda Link ParentMe too! I imagine starting the trek up a mountain in the late spring with a small pack of livestock guardian dogs, a few horses, a couple of chickens, and supplies. And just slowly moving up till...Me too!
I imagine starting the trek up a mountain in the late spring with a small pack of livestock guardian dogs, a few horses, a couple of chickens, and supplies. And just slowly moving up till it’s time to slowly move back down. Sitting in camp, checking on the flock, moving with the flow of resources, foraging, making things to barter or sell when back, recording what I see (animals, insects, plants). I could be satisfied with this sort of life.
Hi fnulare. You’re a more active user than I am, but often when I’m lurking and there’s a post I like, I’ll see your name attached to it. You help make this little part of the internet a place I come to. Thank you for that.
In these threads specifically, I hear your honesty and the way you’re trying to figure things out or come to terms with things. So often I relate. To hear another human give voice to the struggles, the triumphs, and the failures makes me feel a bit more connected to the larger world. I liked hearing about your experiment, how it turned out, and what you think of it, like now you have more information about what doesn’t work for you.
As far as I know I’m not on the spectrum, but I too have grief related to my life, specifically how I was or wasn’t parented and how that affected the rest of my life. Or rather I grieve over a life I never had but long for, or something like that. I actually had a cry over it this morning. A lot of the time I can live in a state of acceptance - it was what it was and I can’t change it, but sometimes it just makes me sad. For me, I think it’s okay to be sad about it, as long as I don’t live in that space too long.
Anyway, just mostly wanted to say hello.