monarda's recent activity
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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
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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.
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Comment on Tildes Survey #5: Pineapple on pizza? (Results) in ~talk
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Comment on Hi, how are you? Mental health support and discussion thread (May 2026) in ~health.mental
monarda Link ParentI read something written by Larissa Pham in 2021 When I say I have a crush on you, what I’m saying is that I’m in love with the distance between us. I’m not in love with you: I don’t even know...if anyone has any advice on how to change away from this and any kind of "automatic" sexist thoughts and behaviour (does obviously apply for other oppressive behaviour like racism, etc) I'm all ears. I'll take any resources on it as I would love to be able to not be sexist, etc
I read something written by Larissa Pham in 2021
When I say I have a crush on you, what I’m saying is that I’m in love with the distance between us. I’m not in love with you: I don’t even know you. I’m in love with the escape that fantasizing about you promises.
I think it’s natural to fantasize about people. I spent a portion of my life fantasizing and/or crushing on just about anyone who gave me attention. The problem was that it often left me feeling a bit ashamed, more lonely, and more dissatisfied with my life. When I read that bit that Larissa wrote, I had this aha moment. For me it felt like the truth of it all. My fantasies and crushes had this idealized perfection to them - perfect sex, perfect relationship, perfect life. Now when I find myself starting to fantasize about someone or starting to crush on someone I insert that truth into it and make a decision on how much time I want to spend in that place if any. I tend not to want to spend the time anymore.
I’d like to add that I didn’t get from where I was to where I am in an instant. It was a gradual process, like most change.
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Comment on Anyone else a bit unnerved by the number of visible satellites? in ~space
monarda Link ParentIf you want to see the international space station pass over, NASA has an app that will alert you and tell you what direction to look and when it will pass. It looks like a star moving through the...If you want to see the international space station pass over, NASA has an app that will alert you and tell you what direction to look and when it will pass. It looks like a star moving through the night sky. Other apps can show you when satellites are going by too.
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Comment on Tildes Survey #3: What country were you born in? (Results) in ~talk
monarda Link ParentI copied the link and opened in safari. That seemed to have done the trick. I’m on mobile and generally use brave. Thank you for looking into it :)I copied the link and opened in safari. That seemed to have done the trick. I’m on mobile and generally use brave. Thank you for looking into it :)
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Comment on Tildes Survey #3: What country were you born in? (Results) in ~talk
monarda Link ParentI was able to do the the language survey, just not the two prior (countries). I was able to do age survey. I was not able to submit survey questions (the very first one). The test text input is...I was able to do the the language survey, just not the two prior (countries). I was able to do age survey. I was not able to submit survey questions (the very first one).
The test text input is stuck on submit.
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Comment on Tildes Survey #3: What country were you born in? (Results) in ~talk
monarda Link ParentI’ve not been able to participate either. Could not participate in the first one where you were lookingfor survey questions we would like to see. I could participate in the age one, but not in the...I’ve not been able to participate either. Could not participate in the first one where you were lookingfor survey questions we would like to see. I could participate in the age one, but not in the last two.
Edit: I could participate in the current survey on languages. It’s the submit button that would hang up on me.
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Comment on What did you do this week (and weekend)? in ~talk
monarda Link ParentThe good thing is that you know it’s there if you ever decide to go. It’s probably easier for me to go to the double winners meeting because I’ll probably see at least a familiar face or two, and...The good thing is that you know it’s there if you ever decide to go. It’s probably easier for me to go to the double winners meeting because I’ll probably see at least a familiar face or two, and I’ll be able to check Al-Anon out in that context instead of going to a straight Al-Anon meeting. I’ll let you know if I make that meeting. I’m sitting here seriously considering it as I plan my week. Here’s to progress!
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Comment on What did you do this week (and weekend)? in ~talk
monarda Link ParentI’m a double winner who has been trying to get up the courage to go to Al-Anon. There’s a double winner meeting about 40 minutes from where I live, but I haven’t made it there either. I do go to a...I’m a double winner who has been trying to get up the courage to go to Al-Anon. There’s a double winner meeting about 40 minutes from where I live, but I haven’t made it there either. I do go to a lot of AA meetings, which has been incredibly helpful to me beyond just the drinking problem.
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.