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  • Showing only topics in ~talk with the tag "ask". Back to normal view / Search all groups
    1. What did you do this week (and weekend)?

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do...

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do nothing at all? Tell us about it!

      6 votes
    2. The Tiny Soapbox: a platform for small, low-stakes rants

      I've set up a very small soapbox here. It's cute. You can step up on it to rant, but it only supports small rants. Tiny ones. Cute ones. Rants about low-stakes, inconsequential stuff. It can hold...

      I've set up a very small soapbox here. It's cute.

      You can step up on it to rant, but it only supports small rants. Tiny ones. Cute ones. Rants about low-stakes, inconsequential stuff.

      It can hold up the weight of approximately one oxford comma, so please don't get too heavy and crush it.

      Anyone want to step on it and give us your 0.02 cents?

      52 votes
    3. What did you do this week (and weekend)?

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do...

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do nothing at all? Tell us about it!

      12 votes
    4. What lesser-known alternative would you recommend as a substitute for something more popular?

      Anything goes: foods, software, products, bands, websites, appliances, movies, programming languages, travel destinations, etc. The point of this topic is twofold: To surface some interesting...

      Anything goes: foods, software, products, bands, websites, appliances, movies, programming languages, travel destinations, etc.

      The point of this topic is twofold:

      1. To surface some interesting alternatives that could use more exposure.
      2. To highlight some of the issues with the currently popular option(s).

      Let us know your best “more people should know about this!” swaps, and sell us on why they’re better than the well-known option.

      79 votes
    5. Recommended podcasts by experts in their fields?

      I have been listening to the PreHistory Podcast, written and produced by an actual academic archaeologist. I enjoy the rigor and specificity but i’m having trouble finding similar content I like,...

      I have been listening to the PreHistory Podcast, written and produced by an actual academic archaeologist. I enjoy the rigor and specificity but i’m having trouble finding similar content I like, especially without the promotions and ads and fan service. I know that in the age of social media personalities such dry content is hard to come by.

      I particularly enjoy ancient history, but feel free to offer other podcasts that feature people who have mastered their discipline and have found clear, effective, and even entertaining ways of sharing it. Thanks!

      25 votes
    6. What's an atypical thing you do that you'd recommend to others?

      You do it, and it's against the grain -- outside the norm. But you like it, or think it's worthwhile. In fact, you'd recommend that more people do it, so that it can shift the grain or become the...

      You do it, and it's against the grain -- outside the norm.

      But you like it, or think it's worthwhile.

      In fact, you'd recommend that more people do it, so that it can shift the grain or become the norm.

      What is it, and why do you recommend it?

      65 votes
    7. Introductions | March 2025

      The previous introductions thread was waaaaay back in June of 2023, figured it might be time for a new one, eh? This is a place for new and existing users to post an introduction with a few fun...

      The previous introductions thread was waaaaay back in June of 2023, figured it might be time for a new one, eh?

      This is a place for new and existing users to post an introduction with a few fun facts about themselves. You will find the post box at the bottom the page. Maybe say "Hi!" to someone else you see while scrolling down?

      If you like, you can also write something about yourself in your profile. See "Edit your user bio" on the settings page. Anyone who clicks on your username will see it in your profile. (It appears on the right side of the page.)

      You can find out more about how to use Tildes in this topic: "New users: Ask your questions about Tildes here!.

      Some sample questions you *could* answer (but not required!)
      • How long have you been on Tildes? How did you find out about us?
      • How did you choose your username?
      • What are your interests? (This could be music, tech, art, video games, board games, books, anything!)
      • A/S/L (the standard old school intro for an old school kind of forum, but not required!, we value our pseudonymity around here!)
        • for those born post 1998: age/(sex|gender|identifier|pronouns)/location
          • Example: 27/nb trans woman (she/her)/USA or 54/M/USA or 907/Timelord/Gallifrey
        • You don't have to follow the structure, or include it at all!
      • What do you do? This could be in your spare time, for work, your passions.
      • Do you want other users to PM you from this thread?
      • Give us a fun fact or link, if there is anything to know about tilderinos, we value knowledge sharing!
      Here is a template if you need something to kickstart your intro
      **How long have you been on Tildes? How did you find out about us?**
      
      **How did you choose your username?** 
      
      **What are your interests?** 
      
      **A/S/L (age/(gender|pronouns|identifier)/location)**
      
      **What do you do? This could be in your spare time, for work, your passions.**
      
      **Do you want other users to PM/DM you from this thread?**
      
      **Give us a fun fact (or a link!)! If there is anything to know about tilderinos, it's that we value knowledge sharing!**
      
      
      51 votes
    8. Megathread: April Fools' Day 2025 on the internet

      Over the next day or so, the internet will be filled with jokes, pranks, fake "announcements" from companies, fun interactive activities, games, and so on. A lot of these can be quite clever and...

      Over the next day or so, the internet will be filled with jokes, pranks, fake "announcements" from companies, fun interactive activities, games, and so on. A lot of these can be quite clever and interesting so I think posting about them in general is fine, but in the interest of preventing them from completely taking over Tildes, let's try to keep as many of them restricted to this thread as possible. Ideally, a separate top-level comment for each individual item would be good.

      If something particularly discussion-worthy comes up (like an ARG or activity that a lot of people want to talk about), a separate thread is reasonable, but please make sure it has the "april fools day" tag. That way, if anyone wants to avoid seeing the April Fools' Day threads, they can use the topic tag filters and filter that tag out.

      I'm going to use the "official" styling for this topic (that's usually only for ~tildes.official topics) to make it stand out more to try to encourage people to notice it. If you notice people making individual topics for April Fools' Day things that don't really warrant their own topic, please (nicely) encourage them to delete and post in here instead.

      110 votes
    9. What keeps you up at night?

      Anxieties, fears, bad habits, childcare, etc. What keeps you up? This is a place where you can get those thoughts out of your head and into words instead. For those reading the responses here,...

      Anxieties, fears, bad habits, childcare, etc.

      What keeps you up? This is a place where you can get those thoughts out of your head and into words instead.

      For those reading the responses here, please practice empathetic listening — especially for those sharing difficult thoughts or feelings. It is much more important that someone feel heard and understood than it is to try to solve their situation.

      35 votes
    10. What quotes inspire you?

      I loved the notes app post (h/t @kwfyre) and that led me to think about the motivational or inspiring quotes that mean something to you whether they're well known or more obscure, whether said IRL...

      I loved the notes app post (h/t @kwfyre) and that led me to think about the motivational or inspiring quotes that mean something to you whether they're well known or more obscure, whether said IRL or in fiction!

      26 votes
    11. What did you do this week (and weekend)?

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do...

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do nothing at all? Tell us about it!

      7 votes
    12. Post something from your notes app

      Post something from your notes app that you think might be a good conversation starter. Including but not limited to: An idea you jotted down to remember for later A meaningful quote that...

      Post something from your notes app that you think might be a good conversation starter.

      Including but not limited to:

      • An idea you jotted down to remember for later
      • A meaningful quote that resonated with you
      • A reminder
      • A to-do list
      • Those books you’ve been wanting to read
      • A message you saved
      • Those questions for your doctor
      • That creative writing you were working on
      • etc.

      You can post the quote just on its own, or you can post it and add some context/questions to it as well. Anything you think might spark some good discussion or thought in others.

      44 votes
    13. Perhaps I should write worse?

      I am Brazilian and I have used software to assist me in writing both English and Portuguese since I the 1990s. That was a great boost to my learning process, as I could see the corrections made to...

      I am Brazilian and I have used software to assist me in writing both English and Portuguese since I the 1990s. That was a great boost to my learning process, as I could see the corrections made to my writing and incorporate them in my writing. I also enjoy concoting sentences that feel correct and proper.

      However, writing this way has disavantages.

      First, when I write correct English, readers will assume that I am a native English speakers, generally American. This comes with a lot of baggage and expectations for the interpretion of sophisticated context which I lack. When I fail to conform to those expectations I am met with hostility. At that point it is useless to disclose my nationality, since the bad vibes are already set.

      Second, formal and properly written paragraphs give the impression that I think too highly of myself, that I wish to give more weight to my ideas than they really have (someone was aggressive to me because I used the word "ontological" once...). Much of the world prefers the informal mode of communication which I personally find unpleasant. But bad interactions are way more unpleasant. So perhaps I shoud change the way I write to be intentionally informal and a little improper. That way everyone will understand that I am not a native English speaker and also that I do not believe that my ideas are inherently superior to everyone else's. Also, a little bit of error prevents people from thinking I am an AI.

      I did not proofread this post and I feel ashamed. Maybe it is for the best.

      32 votes
    14. What did you do this week (and weekend)?

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do...

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do nothing at all? Tell us about it!

      6 votes
    15. If you could go into hibernation and wake up in the future, would you?

      Premise: Pretend that human hibernation/cryostasis is a real technology that's both mature and affordable. You can choose to go into hibernation and wake up at some point in the future to resume...

      Premise: Pretend that human hibernation/cryostasis is a real technology that's both mature and affordable. You can choose to go into hibernation and wake up at some point in the future to resume your life. It's a safe and reliable process.

      You choose when to enter hibernation (could be now, could be 50 years from now or more), and you set your exit either for a certain date or on some condition(s) that you dictate in advance.

      You can expect that you'll be taken care of during that time and your rules for being awakened will be followed.


      What I'm interested in hearing about:

      1. Would you choose to do it? Why or why not?

      If you would decide to do it, some follow-ups:

      1. How would you decide when to enter hibernation? Would you base it on your age? On specific events in the world?
      2. How would you decide when to exit? Would you base it on time, or on certain conditions? Why?
      3. What preparations would you take? How would you help your family and friends understand this decision?
      4. What would you hope to see or experience once you awaken?
      5. How would you plan on adapting to a world that might be completely different from ours on many different fronts (e.g. technology, language, culture, identity, etc.)?

      Even though the situation is hypothetical, I want you to base your answers on your actual experiences and life. So, the question is about whether you, as you are living right now, would choose hibernation (either now or in the future).

      34 votes
    16. An appeal to the community for non-algorithmic recommendations

      TLDR/BLUF: Kindly share your niche, off-the-beaten-path, quality blogs/articles/informational resources, books, quotes, etc. in any niche you are fanatical about. Okay, here goes… Hello...

      TLDR/BLUF: Kindly share your niche, off-the-beaten-path, quality blogs/articles/informational resources, books, quotes, etc. in any niche you are fanatical about.

      Okay, here goes…
      Hello Tildonians, Tildites, etc.

      I have created this post in the hopes that, like me, a lot of you are tired of being thrashed about intellectually by the whims of an engagement-driven, algorithm-based feed. One that, may I add, is actively being wielded to dumb us down into herds of cattle so we may be more susceptible to influence (this is real, by the way)

      I would like to propose a shared exchange of information that each of us has found that we feel is incredibly valuable (and perhaps a small explanation behind why we find it valuable). This may not be helpful to anyone else here (unless they are eager to share some new resource they have found, or they operate like I do and live in a constant state of near-fervent hunger for information), but I'd like to at least make an attempt.

      So what am I looking for here?


      Blogs

      The Niche-r the content, the better. Do I really need to know about the eating habits of past queens? no, but I am an information-glutton and I will have my fill by life's-end.

      Non-Prioritized content. Not everyone has a want or need to engage SEO keywords, or get their website put on google. I know that I don't. I want an unobstructed peak behind the curtain into someone mastering their craft, or annotating their life's experiences; without the metaphorical clanging of pots, "here I am here I am!" that comes with someone living for the clicks.

      Kindly, No Self-Promotion. I am sure that your blog is good, just as I'm sure my own blog is good. /fib (after the comma). I just get enough of an indivual's own self in the comments here. I don't want it. I treasure your thoughts as they exist here, in this space.

      (I have no qualms with Web 2.0 designs or content/navigation, as long as it doesn't fry my optical nerves upon loading)

      Books

      I want the most intimate of book recommendations. I want the books you are scared of recommending to your friends because if they insult them or don't like them, you will be personally upset.

      Additionally, I want the crème de la crème of books for each genre, and even some staples. (Genre is loose, category would be better, but you get it. If you want to share exclusively Russian Classic authors like Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Pushkin, and Chekov, please be my guest.)

      -Don't give me a recommendation you heard from a friend who heard about a book from Booktok, especially if you haven't read it. I have a lifetime of problematic relationship and age-gap books that will not leave my gray matter no matter how much Steinbeck or Wegner I try to push it out with. I also don't want a book that someone pulls up a "Top 100 books to read" list just to find, and pick arbitrarily.

      Articles/Quotes/Shower Thoughts/Etc.

      I want something that has been personally digested by the recommender for some time. Like, don't give me an apocryphal Ghandi quote and some ChatGPT thoughts on it. Maybe you watched Pirates of the Caribbean with your Dad or your first girlfriend, and some quote stuck woth you and crystallized that moment forever, maybe you watched a lot of westerns recently and the bad guy said something that still relates to modern conversation. I want the good-good.

      As always: delete if not allowed, move me wherever, lots of love, etc.

      (I'll comment my own examples as well so I can be critiqued as well)

      66 votes
    17. Why is it so hard engage people about indirect effects?

      Why is it so hard get most people to care or even get them to engage in actual discussion about indirect effects of their actions? I'm mainly going to be talking in the context of tech and privacy...

      Why is it so hard get most people to care or even get them to engage in actual discussion about indirect effects of their actions?

      I'm mainly going to be talking in the context of tech and privacy since that is my main sphere of concern but it applies to a lot more things.

      I am not dismissing the effects of systemic incentives but there are trivial actions that anyone could do to lessen the likely negative effects that almost no one does.

      The current climate makes it incredibly hard to actually eliminate personal impact but it still easy to minimize it with negligible impact on one's own life. Like in sw development the first 90% take 90% of the time and the other ten procent take the other half of the time.

      Getting a minimal computer literacy of being able to navigate an unfamiliar GUI, explore and understand the settings and be able, read the messahes they are getting on the screen and willing to search their problems would make anyone much more resistant to any number of dark patterns, yet there is a tendency to defend tech illiteracy.

      Personally I don't really do that much and I make compromises easily but sadly I get the impression that I am still in the small minority.

      34 votes
    18. What's a feeling you sometimes experience that you don't have a name for?

      Sometimes, after I get home from work, I have a surprisingly strong urge to not be wearing socks. Like, my feet themselves YEARN to be free of their cotton confines! I have no idea how or why this...

      Sometimes, after I get home from work, I have a surprisingly strong urge to not be wearing socks. Like, my feet themselves YEARN to be free of their cotton confines!

      I have no idea how or why this happens, only that it does sometimes. I also don't really have a name for it -- or even an easy way to put it into words. It feels similar to how restless leg syndrome manifests for me, only instead of the compulsion to move my feet, it's a compulsion to not be stuck in socks.

      What feelings do you have that aren't really nameable/describable? Do your best to put them into words in whatever way you can!

      "Feelings" can be anything -- physical or emotional.

      53 votes
    19. What did you do this week (and weekend)?

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do...

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do nothing at all? Tell us about it!

      6 votes
    20. What do you like about your job?

      I'm currently in the process of job shopping and, while it feels like all my friends are happy to tell me why I shouldn't work where they do, I do enjoy hearing from people that are satisfied with...

      I'm currently in the process of job shopping and, while it feels like all my friends are happy to tell me why I shouldn't work where they do, I do enjoy hearing from people that are satisfied with their line of work.

      I personally like that my current work gives me free reign of the warehouse we operate in, if we met our metrics we could hold a game of poker in the back without too much fuss. What are some qualities in your work that make you a happier employee?

      30 votes
    21. What did you do this week (and weekend)?

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do...

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do nothing at all? Tell us about it!

      10 votes
    22. What did you do this week (and weekend)?

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do...

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do nothing at all? Tell us about it!

      9 votes
    23. What's a charity/organization that you donate to regularly?

      I recently just restarted my monthly donation to the ACLU because.... well... ya know. I was wondering what other people donate to regularly and why! I hope this isn't a contentious topic or...

      I recently just restarted my monthly donation to the ACLU because.... well... ya know. I was wondering what other people donate to regularly and why! I hope this isn't a contentious topic or anything, I do think that what you decide to donate to does really show what you care about in this capitalistic society.

      Other organizations I've donated to within the last year (not regularly though sadly) include Planned Parenthood, Doctors Without Borders, and the Signal Foundation, and I also donate to the Boston Greater Food Bank.

      37 votes
    24. What low-stakes drama is going on in your circles right now?

      Specifically low-stakes. I’m sure many of us have been having more than our our fill of high-stakes stuff recently. Think: minor, inconsequential, petty, mundane, etc. Your “circles” can be home,...

      Specifically low-stakes.

      I’m sure many of us have been having more than our our fill of high-stakes stuff recently.

      Think: minor, inconsequential, petty, mundane, etc.

      Your “circles” can be home, work, school, friends, gym, library, grocery store, Discord server — anything really.

      62 votes
    25. Are most jobs not what you thought they would be? Expectations vs. reality.

      I am trying to figure out and process my aversion to pursuing a career change. What I have surmised is that I come to the conclusion, "well, in your past, most of the jobs you have studied or...

      I am trying to figure out and process my aversion to pursuing a career change.

      What I have surmised is that I come to the conclusion, "well, in your past, most of the jobs you have studied or trained for, were not, in fact, what you thought they would be like in practice, so how do you know this is not the case with your new interest in career?"

      What I'm looking for is people to challenge or confirm my assumptions: Example: "No, actually, your perception is distorted, most jobs are what people expect them to be."

      I'm also looking for, validation or commiseration, "yeah, I feel that way too, it sucks" and am open to some problem solving, "I was once in your position and I did X,Y,Z and here were my results, YMMV"

      Thank you for reading!

      UPDATE

      Thank you everyone, I understand now why people do those almost, "acceptance speeches" prominent on Reddit, it does feel like an outpouring of support/acknowledgement worthy of gratitude! So thank you all. If I haven't responded to you directly it's not personal, it could be non engagement response, or I just haven't gotten to it! But I appreciate your participation, regardless.

      What I have realized is that maintaining my integrity is very high on my list of priorities, and what I consider integrity and its wholeness may not align with what is common. I realize that many people have to compromise their integrity day to day or year to year, and that almost no job will allow you to maintain full autonomy and integrity.

      It seems that most people find a better balance of maintaining their values by being their own bosses, which makes sense, many neurodivergent people end up being self-employed. But, I also realize, even that will not allow me to escape a lot of my other feelings of discomfort, so I still want to continue to work on being more compatible with that.

      I also realize my risk aversion to trying out working for myself is a huge obstacle in pursuing it, and am thinking about how to reduce the steps towards that to make it easier for me to try out. I will still say the other component of avoiding that is the USA healthcare system, I'm not sure if anyone has really addressed that (for those of you not familiar, the USA basically does not want anyone on subsidized healthcare to make over a certain amount of money, otherwise they take the healthcare away, and the privatized options are not worth the monetary trade off for many - I won't get into the details of that in this post). So that is a real obstacle I would have to overcome, that I still have no answer for.

      Again, thank you everyone, for your time and effort.

      50 votes
    26. I want to hear about good relationships

      Conversations about finding and losing love are everywhere. Which is no suprise, when people are swimming in new love drugs they want to talk about it. Likewise when they're drowning in loss or...

      Conversations about finding and losing love are everywhere. Which is no suprise, when people are swimming in new love drugs they want to talk about it. Likewise when they're drowning in loss or trying to navigate relationship troubles. And they're interesting conversations to have because almost everyone can relate. Love and relationships are at the core of the human experience.

      But so are relationships that last. Love that keeps working in spite of the constant drag of, sometimes mundane, everyday life. High functioning love.

      It's quieter, less interesting for uninvested parties and more difficult to articulate in a simple, accessible way without sounding boring or cliche. Which is maybe why it gets talked about less. It's not that it doesn't have all the hallmarks of a good adventure. There are highs and lows, challenges that seem impossible in the darkest moments, unexpected redemption, soaring elation. It's often exciting when you're in it. But more often by volume, if somewhat less in memory, are small moments of shared joy, companionable silences, ambivalence, soft landings on hard days and endless personal growth to support the happiness of another human. Or maybe more accurately to support the health of this third space you've created together.

      There's also shared identity, which amounts to the expansion of your idea of self. There are the sorts of moments in life which no one can really understand if they weren't there without the help of especially inspired poetry. And, most of the time, there's this other person who was, in fact, there. No explanations needed. More than that, they bring different context and add different perspectives to the experience that become a part of your own.

      There are the moments when you face the reality of impermanence, mortality and futility and the way that somehow having this warm, breathing second witness takes the edge off the howling chaos at the edges of civilized existence. It makes it easier to accept the process of life and death in ways that are difficult to articulate. It's sort of a non sequitur but something that comes to mind is the way that curling up by a fire on a stormy night is somehow more cozy than if it was tropical out and you didn't need a blanket at all.

      I could go on, but my goal wasn't really to talk about my ideas about love. I'm hoping other tildinians will be excited to talk about their experiences with, and thoughts about, love that lasts. That could mean your own relationship(s) or it could mean general musings. Whatever comes to mind.

      Equal space for the parts that are good and bad. There are usually two people involved but there's nothing binary about it. It's all nuance.

      62 votes
    27. Gift ideas for online friends

      Hello there! A friend of mine has their birthday coming up, me being me, I actually don't care for birthdays much (especially mine) and gifts, in fact, I don't remember the last time I bought...

      Hello there!

      A friend of mine has their birthday coming up, me being me, I actually don't care for birthdays much (especially mine) and gifts, in fact, I don't remember the last time I bought anything for anyone, myself included.

      But lately, I have the desire to change that. I made a friend through a game and we're really close. I'd like to do something for them. Although my choices are limited and I want it to be a surprise, meaning, I don't want to give them hints that I'm doing anything, like asking for their address. This got me thinking of creating this thread here, if that's alright.

      So far, here's what I have in mind:

      • Hiring a digital artist to create an artwork about them
      • Naming a star after them
      • Curating a playlist for them
      • Coding a temporary celebratory website they can visit with cheesy stuff that reminds me of them

      With that said... Have you ever done this type of thing before? What would you do for a friend you've met online, knowing your choices are virtual and limited? Have you ever received gifts from online friends? What were they?

      18 votes
    28. What is your strangely specific phobia?

      For as long as I can remember, I've been unnerved by passive infrared motion detectors. You know the ones, those that have a milky-white lens and on occasion blink red when they detect motion....

      For as long as I can remember, I've been unnerved by passive infrared motion detectors. You know the ones, those that have a milky-white lens and on occasion blink red when they detect motion. They're absolutely terrifying to me and I don't know why.

      I got a few other strangely specific phobias as well - I hate bathroom extractor fans, specifically in bathrooms with high ceilings (which are very common here in Europe), I can't bear to be near industrial light signals even if they're off, and when I recently went to the US, the absolute ubiquity of emergency battery backup light fixtures paralysed me in more than one building. My worst irrational fear is that of horn-style speakers, especially in public spaces or industrial settings, and in those, especially those that fire downwards. (Incidentally, sirens on emergency vehicles, even when they suddenly go off, never triggered this phobia)

      So apart from my weird damage, I have to wonder - what are some of your weird uncommon phobias? I don't mean stuff like a fear of needles or spiders, those are quite common and well documented, but something truly odd you can't make sense of and you kind of know should not be able to scare or disgust you.

      38 votes
    29. What did you do this week (and weekend)?

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do...

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do nothing at all? Tell us about it!

      12 votes
    30. What did you do this week (and weekend)?

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do...

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do nothing at all? Tell us about it!

      13 votes
    31. If you sharpened a particularly stiff carrot, could you kill a vampire with it?

      In a meeting this morning, someone said, "Vampires don't tend to live in castles. Count Dracula lived in a castle because he was a count, not because he was a vampire." Then things got silly, but...

      In a meeting this morning, someone said, "Vampires don't tend to live in castles. Count Dracula lived in a castle because he was a count, not because he was a vampire." Then things got silly, but I got to ask one of my favourite unknowable questions.

      Can you kill a vampire with a sharp carrot?

      Additional questions:

      • what about a bamboo stake?
      • a stake made of palm tree?
      • other flora?
      50 votes
    32. I just turned 29 last month, what are some things I should be thinking about before my 30s?

      A preface, I'm a cisgender male so I don't really have a "biological clock" so to speak but I'm curious on what people have regretted not getting to, or regret not starting at an earlier age. A...

      A preface, I'm a cisgender male so I don't really have a "biological clock" so to speak but I'm curious on what people have regretted not getting to, or regret not starting at an earlier age.

      A couple of things to kick off discussion, I started saving for retirement early, and assuming that there's still some normalcy in the next 4 years (which... Is not looking great) is on of the things I really feel great about.

      I also prioritized my health last year, and in 2023-2024 probably lost around 30 pounds which I consider an investment for my future as well.

      46 votes
    33. What are your favourite time-loop based books, movies and video games?

      Warning: this post may contain spoilers

      I absolutely love the premise of a time-loop. I find them fascinating, and there are so many variations to explore. Inevitably, I find myself fantasizing about waking up in my own younger body and the shenanigans I would get up to with so much future knowledge (before existential dread of meeting the same people and creating the same family kick in).

      • Short time-loops where someone relives the same day, or an even shorter period.
      • Medium time-loops where someone can live days, weeks, months or even years before resetting - often when they die.
      • Longer time-loops where someone effectively relives an entire human lifespan on repeat.
      • Shared time-loops where other people are independently looping - a great source of conflict.

      And plenty more besides.

      I'll share some of my favourite examples in a comment, but please share your favourites and tell us why you love them.

      43 votes
    34. What did you do this week (and weekend)?

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do...

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do nothing at all? Tell us about it!

      7 votes
    35. At what age do you consider someone to be an adult?

      I've been rereading The Fellowship of the Ring and saw the mention of Hobbits having their coming of age at 33. "At that time Frodo was still in his tweens, as the hobbits called the irresponsible...

      I've been rereading The Fellowship of the Ring and saw the mention of Hobbits having their coming of age at 33.
      "At that time Frodo was still in his tweens, as the hobbits called the irresponsible twenties between childhood and coming of age at thirty-three."

      It made me wonder what all of your opinions are on adulthood/coming of age. Some questions I thought might be interesting around this topic include:

      • Are there any coming of age ceremonies where you live or that you partook in?
      • Are there any coming of age ceremonies you've heard of that you think would have been cool to participate in or think should be more widely adopted?
      • When did you feel like you were an adult?
      • Do you think the legal age that someone is considered an adult in your country should be changed?
      • Do you think there are some things that should be age gated beyond the age of legal adult good? (I.e.: in the US alcohol being restricted to those who are 21+ years of age while someone is a legal adult at 18.)

      Curious to see your thoughts on this!

      36 votes
    36. What are some accidental life hacks you've stumbled into?

      Recently my wife was complaining how her phone has been getting overzealous when flagging incoming phone spam, and as a result she's missed some important calls. It made me think about how easy it...

      Recently my wife was complaining how her phone has been getting overzealous when flagging incoming phone spam, and as a result she's missed some important calls. It made me think about how easy it is for me to avoid spam calls, despite using a 3rd party dialer on my phone without any kind of spam ID features.

      It's because around 15 years ago when Google started letting you pick your own phone number through Google Voice, I (for various reasons) needed to change my phone number. I ended up choosing one with what I thought was a really cool area code, and I've ported that number to every new provider I've swapped to so it's stuck with me since then. It turns out that all the spam callers, bless their hearts, like to spoof incoming phone numbers with the same area code as the number they're dialing. It means whenever I see a call coming from the same area code as my number it's ~100% guaranteed to be spam, and if I see a call coming from the same area code that I actually live in it's ~100% guaranteed to be something actually important (doctor, pharmacy, kids' school, something like that). It wasn't my intent when picking the number (I just wanted the cool area code), but it turned out to also be the perfect spam call ID system. (At least so long as I never move to the place that matches my area code.)

      So I'm curious if anyone else has similar stories, where you did something for one reason but it turned out to actually be awesome for an entirely different, unexpected reason?

      69 votes
    37. What possession(s) do you have that continue to delight you every time?

      I was talking to the other guitarist in one of my bands about the hedonic treadmill the other day. And he said to me that despite owning his swanky Range Rover for over 4 years, every time he gets...

      I was talking to the other guitarist in one of my bands about the hedonic treadmill the other day. And he said to me that despite owning his swanky Range Rover for over 4 years, every time he gets in it he feels like a kid and is excited by it.

      I think continued delight in the things that we already have is a really important attitude to take in life, and so I wondered what things my fellow Tilderen (yes, I'm refusing to budge on the nomenclature until I see at least one other person use it) have which they still feel the magic of owning, even after a long time.

      76 votes
    38. What did you do this week (and weekend)?

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do...

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do nothing at all? Tell us about it!

      7 votes
    39. What did you do this week (and weekend)?

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do...

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do nothing at all? Tell us about it!

      11 votes
    40. A shower thought on cameras

      I was looking through some pictures and realized that, starting from pictures taken a few years ago, you won't be able to tell how old a picture is based only on picture quality, even though...

      I was looking through some pictures and realized that, starting from pictures taken a few years ago, you won't be able to tell how old a picture is based only on picture quality, even though that's been the case pretty much since the invention of photography.

      28 votes
    41. What did you do this week (and weekend)?

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do...

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do nothing at all? Tell us about it!

      6 votes
    42. Rant: Problems with UPS delivery going on for weeks now

      This is going to be a rant with a question at the end, asking how to end this infinite loop of nondelivery? So my friend bought a new laptop from Lenovo back in December. It was supposed to be...

      This is going to be a rant with a question at the end, asking how to end this infinite loop of nondelivery?

      So my friend bought a new laptop from Lenovo back in December. It was supposed to be delivered by UPS but of course they were going to attempt to deliver it while my friend is at work.

      He attempted to have it delivered to a relay point and the website agreed to this. The relay point never received it. When we called customer support, they said they can’t deliver it to a relay point. Despite the site letting us reprogram it to one.

      Next, I chatted with Lenovo and they were like the agent cannot talk to UPS directly. There is an internal department that handles this, according to them. It will take three to five days for the investigation. No news after five days.

      We called UPS again and they said they would deliver it on Monday. And then eventually on Wednesday before 1PM. My friend took half day off in the morning for this. The delivery guy called my friend at 3PM to deliver it. He asked to reprogram it to Friday. The deliveryman agreed. And now we are waiting.

      If this package still doesn’t arrive, two weeks later, I am going to lose my mind!

      This is even the abridged version. There was one point where the customer service person told us to go get it at the relay point when the website clearly said it wasn’t there.

      I don’t understand how delivery companies like UPS fuck this up and insist on delivering during the workday.

      What or how do you manage this endless circus of customer service representatives not being accountable for contradictions? Has someone cracked the code and figured out how to get it delivered at a proper time?

      14 votes
    43. Where do you find inspiration?

      I've been working on a few artistic endeavors recently, and have found myself grasping for inspiration. Tildes has such a lively group of creators, as we see many put on display every year in...

      I've been working on a few artistic endeavors recently, and have found myself grasping for inspiration. Tildes has such a lively group of creators, as we see many put on display every year in November, and I'd love to know where you all draw your inspiration from! I'm leaving this purposely vague, anything is on the table: people, places, objects, ideas, music, whatever!

      14 votes
    44. What did you do this week (and weekend)?

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do...

      As part of a weekly series, these topics are a place for users to casually discuss the things they did — or didn't do — during their week. Did you accomplish any goals? Suffer a failure? Do nothing at all? Tell us about it!

      7 votes
    45. Tildes End-of-Year 'Awards' 2024

      Happy end of year, everyone! I saw a comment today on Tildes that reminded me of a type of thread that I really enjoyed back on Reddit: end-of-year awards. Those were typically in individual...

      Happy end of year, everyone!

      I saw a comment today on Tildes that reminded me of a type of thread that I really enjoyed back on Reddit: end-of-year awards. Those were typically in individual subreddits and involved a lot of specifics and inside jokes related to that community, but I think Tildes is a small enough place where we could do one site-wide. (Full disclosure, I am not sure if this is a great idea and am open to any and all suggestions.)

      Brief explanation:

      • For starters, there are no actual awards to give out, sorry. Just some pats on the back and maybe some street cred to go with it.

      • The purpose of the thread is mostly to highlight cool, helpful, and interesting things or users you've seen here on Tildes in the last year. This thread is hopefully a gateway to those interesting posts/comments/discussions that you might have missed.

      • Top-level comments should be an award category (for example: Most Interesting Thread, Best Discussion, Most Helpful Comment, Funniest Joke, Most Helpful User, Best Prediction, Favorite Recurring Thread, etc.) Note that none of these examples are negative because again the goal of this thread is to highlight awesome stuff that others might have missed over the last 12 months.

      • Responses to those top-level comments should be the actual nominations, preferably with a link to said comment/thread, and a quick explanation as to why you think it deserves recognition.

      • Upvotes serve as the votes for each category, though I encourage you to vote for as many nominees as you'd like since the awards aren't real and the points don't matter.

      That's pretty much it. I'll post a few comments as examples, but hopefully it should be pretty straight-forward. Feel free to add your own award categories, and please nominate as many users/comments/threads as you'd like!

      If this thread helps at least one person discover a helpful thread from 6 months ago that they might have missed, then I'll consider it a success.

      49 votes
    46. Is anyone else kind of scared by the internet?

      I don't mean that I'm scared by some terrible content on the internet, or that I'm actually afraid of using it. What I mean is the same feeling I often get from open-world games: FOMO, a sense of...

      I don't mean that I'm scared by some terrible content on the internet, or that I'm actually afraid of using it. What I mean is the same feeling I often get from open-world games: FOMO, a sense of chaos, being lost and lacking direction.

      Internet is inherently like an open-world game. There's so much content available. In your entire life, you won't see even 0.001% of it. This very post will probably be seen by like 100 people at most, which is such a tiny share of all internet users.

      I get very anxious thinking about this. People often talk about how they miss "the old internet", which consisted of small websites and had to be explored. To me, that sounds like hell. I don't want to explore internet. I want to know where something is and how to find it. Information is on Wikipedia. Opinions are on Reddit. Et cetera. But the internet doesn't work like that - there's so much stuff that I don't even know how to grasp it.

      I recently discovered https://are.na because someone mentioned it here on Tildes. I signed up, and immediately got that feeling. There's a huge amount of content, and I'm supposed to just explore in until I stumble upon something?

      Tildes is one of the few websites where I don't feel that, because the amount of content is relatively small so I have a feeling of keeping it under control. But it also makes me think about how there are countless other small communities like Tildes, and ones that I'll never be aware of - and that's also pretty scary.

      Does anyone else feel something similar? I've seen many people talk about similar feelings regarding keeping up with social media, but that doesn't actually bother me, but the amount of communities that can be explored does

      35 votes