Open thread! As always: No trolls, no MRAs.
This is a general open thread; for more personal stuff, go here.
Oh,and the pic above is from a hilarious new website called Manfeels Park, which mashes up whiny MRA complaints with … Jane Austen.
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On a completely unrelated note – I am about to move to a new area. I didn’t make any friends where I live now, but I’m hoping things will be better in the new area. I’m wondering if having a housewarming and inviting my new neighbours has any chance of success. Has anyone tried this or know someone who did? Did it work? Was it a disaster? I have no idea what the existing culture of the place is, other than being a new housing development so probably mostly young families.
Kim, I’d check out community events boards and see if there are any societies or clubs that you’re interested in. I know arts organizations, and organizations that are volunteer-intensive, are always looking for new members. Especially if they’re willing to work, but absolutely don’t feel obliged. Just show up at public meetings and suss things out. (Not really a party kind of girl, sorry.)
@katz
Really? I wasn’t aware that you could play KQVII on ScummVM, because the compatibility list didn’t have it. Did you go the normal route of installing (Add Game, Choose Game Folder, Start Game) or did you have to modify something?
Hang on, sorry, I used ScummVM for the others but KQ7 I used Dosbox for. I downloaded a nice bundle that includes Dosbox and a batch file launcher. I don’t recall where I got it from originally, but I could upload it for you if you like.
The development we’re moving to doesn’t have any organisations or anything. It’s literally the first stage. They have plans for shops and schools and loads more houses, but atm it’s houses and parks. Pretty awesome parks though. 🙂 Kids these days are so spoilt. 🙂
There is a neighbouring town where we’ll be going for groceries etc, but it’s a decent drive away with no pub trans. Which is fine for most things, but having drinks while socialising is nice, and impossible when we have to drive to get there. Cabs might be affordable though. I hadn’t thought of that til now.
On the plus side, it’ll have NBN (broadband that is actually fast and plentiful) so all our internetting will be easier at least.
I did think of something fun and mammoth inspired to do if I do have a party though. Play cute/funny animal videos on a big screen/projector during the party. How could anyone not like that? 🙂
I think a housewarming is a good idea if you’re into that sort of thing. The worst thing people can do is not come and so the worst thing that can happen is you get everything ready and nobody shows up, which is a bummer but far from the end of the world.
LBT: Sneak will probably like Thomas Was Alone but you should play it too because you’d be interested in the plot. It’s about accidentally-created AIs trying to escape the mainframe they are on and get into the outer world.
I fucking LOVE tree kangaroos. When the joeys hop into their momma’s pouches head-first, then flip around to pop their heads out but their big back feet are still hanging out, I squeeeeeeal. Also, when they stretch their little heads up to munch on whatever Mom has in her front paws – so cute!
I had a…. weird experience tonight.
A dude and I started exchanging e-mails and texts a few days ago. We’re both kind of alone in the city, looking to develop social circles. He’s a few months ahead of me following a big heartbreak and has been a great shoulder and voice of reason to me so far. We’re also both interested in outdoorsy stuff and road tripping. Our interactions have been entirely platonic which is great because that’s what I’ve been looking for.
We met up tonight for a bite and a walk. There was some anxiety on my part. We’re very different. He’s very laid back, gruff. nerdy, pothead. I’m anxious, animated, glamourous, prudish (not really but it’s how I present when I’m nervous, meeting a new person after work.) He is so kind though. I loved his company. He’s someone I found very easy to talk to and was happy to listen to despite how different we are. I’ll never be as technologically inclined as him and he’ll always be grossed out watching surgeries. That’s OK.
The goodbye got weird. I’m not good at those. He says he isn’t either. He says he’s glad we did it and if I want to again I can call or text or e-mail him. I had no idea what that meant. It sounded kind of like “I will not be contacting you again”. We had a weird forced hug, then jumped in our cars. Before driving off, I texted him, asking whether he’d just let me down easy or be interested in doing it again. He responded saying he thinks he would but feels like he wasn’t what I’d expected. I hadn’t had any expectations so I was a bit weirded out by that and asked if I’d disappointed. He texts me back saying he’s not sure we’d click as close friends. Ouch.
I sent him the night’s final text, saying I’d love to give it another shot but would wait for him to initiate.
I am super bummed. I hope he gives me another shot. I’d love his friendship. If he’s not benefiting from our interactions though, I gotta let him go.
This:
isn’t gelling with this:
None of the kind people I know, of any gender, would say something like that, let alone text it. I’m old-fashioned, I find texting that type of comment to be a particularly cowardly, emotionally cold thing to do.
@katz
Please do. I’ve always wanted to give KQVII a shot.
@marinerachel
I second pallygirl on this one. He could have told you directly.
I really don’t know how to advise you on this, without sounding like a patronizing prick. Nevertheless, I’ll try.
Are you having fun with this guy? Do you share any interests that you can talk and bond about? Most importantly are you sure you can trust him?
He is not wearing a fedora, by any chance, is he?
@everyone
I know there are lots of cat lovers here, so I’ll just ask:
How do you get rid of Kitty lice?
See, a pregnant street-cat recently barged in my parent’s village home and gave birth to kitties. Apparently, when a cat gives birth, lice also come out to absorb excess fluids and now the whole house is infested (I am not sure if the lice-when-breeding thing is true, perhaps you will correct me on this one).
There aren’t any good fumigation companies nearby. Anybody knows what to do?
KQ7, for anyone interested. Let me know if it doesn’t work and I’ll…sympathize, I guess, since there isn’t really much I can do except say “It worked for me.”
So, fellow USicans, how ’bout that buffer zone decision?
FUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCKKKKKKKKK
*rolls around on the floor in a fit of rage*
I’m on my fifth beer, and I ordered a stuffed crust pizza with extra cheese just to cope. I’m thinking about volunteering as an escort now, they’re gonna need it even more -_-;
I don’t have the patience to work as a clinic escort. I always end up screaming at those idiots.
Lensman, I wish I had advice for getting rid of cat lice! I can only suggest googling it. 🙁
RE: Kim
I’m wondering if having a housewarming and inviting my new neighbours has any chance of success.
When I lived in Boston (an infamously unfriendly city) my French neighbors threw a housewarming. I was unable to go due to prior committments, but other people I know did and it definitely meant I remembered them. There were also some dudes who threw a block party once and I wandered by, and they were like, “JOIN OUR PARTY!” I did, ate some food, had some fun playing a yard game, and generally had a good time. I say, go for it!
RE: katz
Sneak will probably like Thomas Was Alone but you should play it too because you’d be interested in the plot. It’s about accidentally-created AIs trying to escape the mainframe they are on and get into the outer world.
From Sneak: “AUGH I TRIED TO DOWNLOAD IT BUT OUR COMPUTER IS OLD AND CAN’T DOWNLOAD ZIPS WITHOUT CORRUPTING THEM ANYMORE I AM THE SADDEST. T_T I really want to play this game, but I just can’t do it auuuuugh.”
Sneak uses a lot of capslock.
Hmph. U NO have Steam?
Because if you did we could send you a copy.
Sorry, no Steam. Nine-year-old laptop, and the hard drive is getting really full; it badly needs a replacement. 🙁 It’s on my to-do list directly after getting my emergency funds set up.
Hey Fibinachi, if you’re around, I’m still really intrigued by the ideas in this comment. Want to collab on an interactive fiction, maybe? I can do the programming.
This is interesting, about how little mental illness has to do with violent crime after all: http://news360.com/article/245780604# I just post it here, since I think many of you would find it interesting.
Hey Katz!
I’d love to! That’d be interesting and great. Sort of a pick your own path, adventure text thing? That’d be interesting. Plus I’m on vacation for the next month, so I’ve got some time to burn on interesting projects (That don’t involve trying to make up some sort of kinda-sorta France post revolution for a game of D&D and kludging in the ten-thousand rules suppements to the d20 system I’ve managed to find).
( ( Ideas for fun things to chuck at players and people always welcome ) )
—
ON notes of fun, I just finished Thomas Was Alone and…
and…
Wow.
Got nothing but that. If anyone’s interesting messing about with a actuall relatively simple (But fun! Fun fun fun!) platformer with a really, really interesting and lovely story, go for Thomas Was Alone.
I’m also a fan of Gish, in which you control a ball of tar.
I should point out I like Gish for the platforming and the physics, there’s absolutely no story or anything of that kind.
That’s the kind of thing. I’ve written a couple, including The House of Fear, which is based on the life and art of (who else?) Leonora Carrington. (You can play in browser for free; the link is on the top right.)
Want to get on email and swap some ideas? I was thinking instead of a health meter, maybe a mood meter. Or better yet, two mood meters: Yours and theirs. You’ve got to keep both from hitting zero, but things that boost one meter may deplete the other. (Calm did something a bit like this.)
Everyone else: Feel free to chip in.