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Lucky number 13 in the Close Encounters Collection is my painting, "Little Mlem." I wanted to experiment with unusual colors, and I really like how the green turned out!
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#WIPWednesday, and all I have to show for it is a new splodge of mostly dark blue along the bottom here. Haven't had a single second to do any knitting or any other crafts this week so far, ack!
Today marks the third Wednesday in a row of failing to put a video out, despite staying up until half two in the morning to try and finish it. So this week I put my task list into one of those auto scheduling apps hoping it might have some answers...
...it turns out I have like 20 hours more work to do in my week than there is literal time, so...er...no wonder I'm stressed. Whoops. Time for a rethink ๐
#CrossStitch #ThreeToedSloth #The100DayProject #Productivity
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Life ainโt about stuff.
But hereโs the thingโstuff can be pretty foundational to a life experience. Itโs not about materialism; itโs about meaning. The objects we surround ourselves withโmusic, movies, photography, books, video gamesโthey reflect who we are. You walk into my house, see what Iโve collected, and you donโt just see things. You see me.
Let me tell you about one of the โstuffโ.
In 2015, things were getting very difficult for me. I had just dealt with a family death. My job was becoming more and more dicey. And things were about to get a whole lot worse. But before things got worse, my birthday arrived. And my wife got me something for my birthday. She wanted to get me a gaming PC. What she specifically got me was an HP Stream laptop.
It was blue. It had an 11-inch screen. It was definitely not a powerhouse. It ran onโฆ some basic Intel chip, probably a Celeron. It had two gigabytes of RAM. 64 gigabytes of storage. And whatโs more, the display maxed out at 720p.
You may be thinking, โThatโs not a gaming PC.โ And certainly, itโs not what most people imagine a gaming PC to be. But Iโm telling you right now: this was a gaming PC. Because I gamed on it. And had a hell of a time. An amazing time.
Because the advantage of this laptop wasnโt just that it was cheapโthough yeah, it was. It was light. It was small. The keyboard was tactile. It could take a beating. And the battery life was just amazing. I think the thing ran for about 12 hours without needing a charge. I could take that thing to a coffee shop, game for an hour or two, leave, hang out on a park bench, do some more gaming, then take the bus home, and while on the busโdo even more gaming.
The thing felt a lot like a Steam Deck before the Steam Deck existed. Now obviously it wasnโt, because form factors being what they are, a laptop is less playable on the go than a Steam Deck. But as far as laptops go, this was as convenient as they come. Though I acknowledge that triple-A gaming was simply not an option.
But what was an optionโand a great oneโwere indie titles. And indies were exploding. Not only were they exploding, they were cheap. They were super cheap. And some of them were even free. No strings attached. Steam keys were being given away. And a few days after I got that HP Stream laptop, I discoveredโon a website I forgetโwhich particular indie game was being given away for free.
That game was called Enemy Mind.
I knew nothing about this game when it came out. I got it because it was free. And Iโm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. If something is free, Iโm taking it. What I didnโt know was that this particular gameโEnemy Mindโwas going to be one of the greatest horizontal shoot-โem-ups I had ever played.
Iโm not saying this lightly. Iโve played a lot of great shoot-โem-ups. Itโs one of my favourite genres, actually. I must have spent hundreds of dollars, if not thousands, in arcades playing shoot-โem-ups. And whatโs more, when I was a DOS and Genesis gamer, thatโs the genre I often played. I could not get enough of shoot-โem-ups.
But this game, Enemy Mind, had one of the most compelling game mechanics I had ever encountered. Because the thing with shoot-โem-ups is: youโre almost always going to die, right? Like, okay, if youโre super skilled and you practice a lot, maybe you can be untouched and maybe you can finish the game. Personally, Iโve never finished a shoot-โem-up on one quarter. Iโve tried. But it ainโt happening. These games are designed for you to die.
But Enemy Mind took that whole premise and turned it on its head. Because in this game, youโre not playing a ship. Youโre a being of pure psychic energy, okay? And what you do isโyou take over ships. You take over enemy ships. When you see an enemy ship coming at you, you shoot it. Fine. But what you can also do is transfer your psychic energy to another ship. So if it looks like youโre doomed, if it looks like you are on the precipice of death, as a Hail Mary, you can shoot another ship with your psychic energy and take it over.
Which gives you survivability. And you can just keep going. And going. And going.
You will die in Enemy Mind. But almost always itโs your fault, because itโs on you to transfer that psychic energy before your ship diesโand therefore you die.
The mechanics of thisโthe mechanics of psychic energy transfer as a device for survivabilityโI have never seen that before in a shoot-โem-up. And Iโve never seen it since. And itโs a rare thing in any game genre. Although I do remember a game in the early 2000s called Geist, which was a Nintendo game that kind of had the same idea. But that was a first-person shooterโnot a horizontal shoot-โem-up. So very different.
But what made Enemy Mind so compelling wasnโt just the game mechanic. It was the story. At first youโre being pursued by a bunch of pesky humans trying to do you inโbecause youโre a threat, and they need to neutralize you. While youโre just trying to survive.
But then, as the game goes on, you encounter a war between humans and aliens. And you realize thereโs a greater war happening. The humans are battling the aliens. And now, you can also take control of the aliens. So it becomes this kind of three-part tug-of-warโa Mexican standoff, if you willโbetween humans, aliens, and you, the psychic being.
And in terms of story? Thatโs just absolutely amazing. The story is a compelling reason in and of itself to play this game.
Now, seeing how this was very much an indie game of the 2010sโit was released in 2014โit has a very neo-retro feel about it. Actually, by conventional standards, weโd just call this a retro game. Because what retro means is: something new that feels old.
See, people call NES or Genesis games โretro.โ But thatโs not right. Those games werenโt trying to look oldโthey were trying to look futuristic. Theyโre vintage now, sure. But Enemy Mind? Thatโs retro. Because retro means new media made to feel old. Itโs aesthetic intent, not historical accident. And this game nails it. Itโs what we remember DOS or Genesis games feeling likeโeven if those systems couldnโt quite do what this game does.
It feels like either a DOS game or a Genesis gameโbut not quite. Especially with the pixel art. Enemy Mind does things a lot of those platforms wouldโve struggled with. Especially in terms of lighting. But if somebody was super skilled? If somebody was really skilled and working on a Pentium around 1995? Absolutely. They couldโve made it happen but it would have taken lots of effort.
Iโve seen older games with a similar art style. You get the sense playing this that it was designed to make you feel like you were back in the โ90s. But it also gives you this kind of โwhat if?โ Because in the โ90s, there was no game with these mechanics. Nothing. These gameplay mechanics in Enemy Mindโtheyโre new. Theyโre novel. And I still havenโt seen very many games do what it doesโwhere you take control of enemy ships and just cascade your way through.
Getting back to 2015โwhen I played Enemy Mindโitโs interesting. Because again, I played this on a cheap laptop. At bus stations. At coffee shops. Sometimes Iโd be at a convention, carrying this thing around, playing it. And it was the perfect game for that laptop.
You could play it with a gamepad. Absolutely. But my god, it was also amazing on a laptop keyboard.
And though this game was designed to make me feel like I couldโve been playing it in the โ90s, when I think back on it, I think mid-2010s. And despite the fact I was going through a rough timeโthings were about to get rougherโwhen I had time for myself, when I had to emotionally decompress, cut out all distractions and just chillโEnemy Mind was there for me.
And the beautiful thing about PC gaming? I want you to think about this for a second. Iโve played this game on all kinds of hardware. All kinds of displays. Iโve played it on a TV. On a monitor. On a big desktop. On my Steam Deck.
Hell, I remember going to a cyber cafรฉ in Richmond, BC. It was right after a night of karaoke with friends. Iโd been belting out tunes for three hours and I was exhausted. I left the karaoke joint, walked into that cyber cafรฉ, ordered a bowl of instant noodles and a Coke, logged into my Steam account, started up Enemy Mindโand I just let go.
Enemy Mind is a great game. Just absolutely phenomenal. One of my favourite shoot-โem-ups of all time.
But I also feel like this: itโs not about the game anymore. Because stuff is about life.
Enemy Mind is not just about the game. Though Iโve played the game, I love the game. Itโs about my experience with the game. It happened because my wife wanted to get me a gaming PC. It wasnโt the perfect gaming PC. But goddamn, was it a gaming PC. And it came from her heart.
Then I got this game for free, on a lark, on a websiteโand that game ended up accompanying me everywhere.
And yeah, a whole lot of junk happened during that time. But I got some rest. I got some respite.
When I think about that game, I donโt just think about the mechanics. Or the graphics. Or the feel. I think about the moments.
Itโs 9 PM. Iโm sitting down for a break. At a local coffee shop. Exhausted. And for a few minutes, I launch Enemy Mind.
And for a momentโฆ things feel like theyโre going to be okay.
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Ello sweet and lovely Friendos 
Guess who's back? My alarm wasn't set to go off yet, but my brain was like "you've had enough sleep, let's be active again".
The scale was unkind, but I knew this would be the case, as I'd exercised less. And I did snack some, as I needed some comfort... ๐ I haven't gotten my steps in yet for today, so after this Toot, I'll hit the treadmill first before it's midnight.. ๐ Don't need many steps ๐ so should be do-able.
Yesterday was a mixed day. I worked on the garden for an hour. I was dead, but looking at it, I felt like I had barely begun... ๐ Weeding is hard work, especially with a bad body... But, I will take some extra pain meds this morning, and then get some more weeding done, before it gets too warm!
There was a lot of noise throughout the day from the construction work begind the house. And they're not done for a while... I was glad to have special NC plugs (without music), as they blocked out some of the noise, and I was able to read a bit in the garden. The morning sun was lovely on my sore muscles... ๐
I will have to work on the garden some more today. I wanna finish the corner for Arwen... I need some more anti weeds cloth for that area, and I want to put down an outdoor carpet, so she can have a decent spot in the shade to relax.
Germany is "closed" today, as May 1st is a holiday there. So I'll take mum to Germany on Friday, hope it won't be too busy if we go early... And I hope that mum will be able to go back to the garden center with me, for the cloth and carpet. The funds are low, but I have a wee bit left, so I'll gladly spend that on Arwen. I don't know how long she'll be with me, so if I can give her a nice spot I the garden when the weather is nice... I'll make sure to do that! ๐
Hopefully the noises will be less today, so that it will be easier to relax in the garden, as the weather should be warm! So when it's light out, I'll work on the weeds. And then I'll relax with reading after that. My right hand and elbow are hating me already, so that should be fun. Yay for extra physio these days... ๐
Guess I'd better get to that treadmill. It's still a bit busy, so I'll need the headphones and phone to distract me. But I need less than ten minutes before midnight, so I should be able to do that! 
Hope you're all having a good time! May is getting closer, although it's there for some of you already! 
which means my bday is getting closer... And the surgery as well... ๐ซฃ Whoops...
Catch you all later folks!
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#Journal of a slightly sore Dutch Pixy (Wednesday, 30/04/2025)
I woke before the alarm, but only about half an hour or so, so it wasn't too bad. I started my night by hitting the scale. No worries, it hit me back! ๐ I gave Arwen her meds and then I got dressed. Let Arwen out to do her thing, then got my own meds done. Waited for a while, before I could give Arwen her food. She was happily eating when I got my bag and headed to Skoosh.
I checked my social media bits while I enjoyed my protein shake. Then I got to the seated bike and rode for half an hour. Followed by the massage chair for ten minutes. I headed back home again, where I washed up and changed clothes.
After I enjoyed my brekky, Arwen and I got ready for walkies. The weather was nice enough, and we had a good walk. Arwen wanted the short round, so I followed her. Didn't get to work on my blog a lot, as I had less time... But it was a nice walk nevertheless. ๐
I changed clothes and headed upstairs to ride the home trainer for a while. When I got back down, I relaxed on the couch for a while with Arwen. I felt rather tired, and I knew I wanted to work in the garden some, so I needed a bit of energy for that...
After a short walk with Arwen, I got to the back garden. I worked for an hour, which felt like longer... But when I saw the work I'd done, it felt like I barely done a thing! I knew that there were many weeds and that I worked hard! But still, I felt like I should have worked harder, longer, and more. Stupid past trauma still kicking my ass... ๐
When my body had enough, I relaxed for a bit, until Arwen wanted walkies again. It was already getting warmer. We had a nice walk, and then I got my things to sit in the garden. I did need my NC plugs, as the sounds from the construction work behind the house were awful! Fortunately, I was re-reading a book that I love, so it was easier to focus on that, while trying to block out the noise... ๐ My muscles did like the warmth of the sun though...
After a while, I couldn't handle the noise anymore, so I went inside and shut the doot. Relaxed a bit with some telly, till it was time to walk the dog with the neighbor. As it was rather warm, we walked a shorter walk, with as much shade as we could get.
I relaxed a bit on the couch after that, till it was time to let Arwen our for a wee and for me to head to bed.
I quickly dozed off and when I woke, it was about 70 minutes till the alarm. I tried to sleep some more, but after five minutes of being wide awake, I just got up and started my day/night.
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I recently wrote the post Doing it wrong here. It had not been shared yet, as it was scheduled behind several other posts that Iโve already written before. So the text had not been shared yet, when I got to Mastodon one day, and someone bluntly told me that I was doing it wrong. It sounded very accusing, and it triggered all the old trauma bits with meโฆ I ended up just blocking them, as I donโt need that kind of abuse.
Fortunately, some very sweet friends sent me very nice and supportive messages. But still, the one nasty remark triggered loads in me, and I had a rubbish night with bad nightmares. ๐ข I donโt understand why strangers have this much power over me. Even when I know I was trying to do the right thingโฆ
This is the Toot that threw me off. Some background, I was very tired when I read it and I had a huge headache. I just wanted to relax a bit with Masto and this Toot just ruined it for me.
I kept the info of the person anonymous, as I am not the bad person they want me to believe that I amโฆ While I would love to shame them publicly for the way they behaved, I believe to be the better person hereโฆ Or at least I try to beโฆ
Since Iโve learned how important alt text is, Iโve been trying to use it more and more. But I quickly realized that describing an image was not my strong point. So when I learned that AI could help me with this I started using it for that. I usually try to read the text the AI made and Iโll edit it for the best results.
When I wrote the original Toot, I wanted to see if alt bot ๐ค could work with animated images. I was walking with two dogs at that moment, so using the phone was a bit harder. When the bot gave me a description, it was a long one! I struggled with reading it, so I was unable to check and edit at that moment. For with I apologized. And that was what triggered the unkind response. The one time I didnโt edit it, and even apologized for that! ๐
The media post shows that itโs been edited. Thatโs only when I added the alt text from the bot, and my apologies about not being able to edit it. I didnโt change anything after Iโve received the nasty comment, so there is nothing that has been changed to โsuit the story betterโ, as so often happens these daysโฆ
I know people are against AI for many reasons. And I can understand it! But I have limited spoons. I struggle with my attention/concentration. I can hyperfocus too much, and then I lose the perspective on the rest thatโs in plain view.
I also know AI makes mistakes! Some are rather funnyโฆ One time Arwen for mistaken for a boar ๐ in a nightly shot I made of her, strolling through a field. That gave me a giggle! Butโฆ When AI made me an alt text, Iโll always try to read it and then edit it before sharing it with the image.
I could not do so with this one image. I felt bad about it. So I apologized. And then I got roasted because I wasnโt being supportive and taking it seriously, because I was using AI to help me.
I try to add proper alt texts to all my images! How is that not inclusive? How of that not trying to make my images accessible to all? I have my own challenges, but I still try to do my best. And I get roasted for needing help with something that would make my images more inclusive to everyone.
It made me wonder if that person checks all the alt texts, and dismisses all the โbad ones they donโt likeโ. I mean, many people donโt even use alt texts! Is this person Tooting them all for not being inclusive? Some people have alt texts that just say โcartoon imageโ or โblack catโ. Does this person Toot them for not really explaining what is visible in the image? ๐ค Probably notโฆ
They were annoyed with AI, and they happened to find my Toot, and even my sorry didnโt mean sh*t to them. They wanted to nitpick and as bullies do, they knew I was the right one to pick onโฆ
Because this was just typical bully behavior! I try to accommodate to people with their disability the best I can. And they respond with me not doing it well enough for their liking. Doesnโt matter if I have a disability as well, nopeโฆ I should cater to their needs in a way they seem fit. And they donโt care about my struggles and my reasons for using AI. They donโt care for me feeling bad for not being able to check and adjust it this time. Nope! Itโs bad that I use AI to begin with, because it means I donโt take it seriouslyโฆ
Why would I take the effort to use alt bot ๐ค, why would I read and exit their replies, and then edit into my original Toot, if I didnโt take it seriously?
And the worst of this bully hit me where I am mksy vulnerableโฆ It made me question myself, as you can see in this post. And it triggered last trauma, even giving me nightmares that following night! ๐ข
To them, it was just another bullying remark. To me, it was painful, making me doubt, and opening old woundsโฆ So you see, even if you try to do your best, even if you want to do the best that your circumstances allow you, thereโs always someone to make you feel horribleโฆ ๐
And I was just trying to add more alt texts to my images, both here on the blog, and with my images on Flickrโฆ Iโll keep doing that, and Iโll keep using AI to help me to write the best texts. Because I just know that there are folks out there that do appreciate the efforts! ๐
Ah wellโฆ I wanted so send a big thank you to all the folks that sent me kind and supportive messages after I felt so bad with that unkind oneโฆ ๐น ๐ผ ๐
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Fankoos ๐ซถ๐ป for your support!
Thank you for your interest in my blog. I really appreciate your visit. If you like my posts and you want to share them on your social media, please, feel free to do so! Iโd be honored. If you donโt want to miss a thing, press the follow button (youโll need to be a signed in WP user) or you can follow me though the FediVerse with the link below, or scroll down and leave your email below this post. If you are a WP user and you would like me to know you liked my post, press the star/like button please. You can also comment when you see this post as a Toot on the Fediverse, and Iโll be notified of that as well. Thanks ever so much! Of course comments are welcome, but spam wonโt get shared, so donโt bother with thatโฆ
Please be wise and stay safe! I hope to see you back real soon again, feel free to drop in anytime! Wishing you all the best. With love, Cynni ๐น
I am living on a disability income and donโt generate an income with my blog. If you would like to support me and my work, Iโd greatly appreciate it. Every bit helps me tremendously. For more information and a donation link, please check out ko-fi.com/PlaystationPixy
If you prefer to use PayPal, thatโs also a possibility: PayPal.me/CynniPixy
Thanks ever so much ๐
Alt Text by Bing: The image is a screenshot of a social media post from Mastodon, featuring a conversation about accessibility and the use of alt text for images.Flickr
Doing it wrongโฆ
โฆbecause I donโt know how to do it rightโฆ
Well, itโs not really wrong, but according to a growing group of people, it is. So I feel some pressure because I feel that โI need to do it rightโ, but I donโt really know how. Or, I kinda know, but I donโt have the spoons, expertise, or concentration, to change thingsโฆI wanna do things good, I donโt want to get people mad at me because I โmess it upโ, but there is no one I know that could help me with the things that I โshouldโ make changes with. Some people make these changes sound so simple, but I am sure that I am not equipped to โeasilyโ do it as wellโฆ If onlyโฆ ๐
But what? What am talking (well, writing actually) about? Well, the entshittification of things, and how to quit the โbad thingsโ.
The most difficult thing is, I get huge anxiety issues with changes! My autism doesnโt do those things properly. And dealing with that anxiety also means I make mistakes. And with important things, you just canโt afford to make these mistakes. So knowing that makes it even harder to think about actually doing itโฆ If that makes senseโฆ ๐ค
I quit Facebook years ago! So thatโs one thing I ditched before the mess got worse. I joined Mastodon in November โ22, and shortly after that, I left Twitter (Iโve never been on โXโ. So thatโs another thing Iโm โfreeโ of. I left Instagram a few months ago, so another yay for me.
But if I did all this, whatโs do bad then? Wellโฆ
I use Google products, mostly Gmail, Maps, and Drive. Ow and translate. I use hotmail. I have Amazon prime and sometimes I order there (when I canโt get it cheap enough any place elseโฆ). And, I use AI to make images and to create alt texts.
I try to be economical with everything, so me using AI is contradicting the economical bits. But my reasoning (however wrong it can be) is that, because I live so economically with my energy and water usage, I can use the occasional AI and still be less damaging than many other folksโฆ ๐ค
I did install โOSMโ (Open Street Map), but I need go figure out how it works, as Iโm so used to Maps. So I decided that Iโll try the app the next time I need to drive a route that I know, just to see how it will guide me and all that. Maybe I will be able to make that switch, at leastโฆ
But the idea of needing to find a new email provider and getting new accountsโฆ And then, one needs to change all the logins that are done with the old emails to the new ones. Which means dealing with a lot of changes and passwords. I have no idea what would be a good substitute for my Gmail and Hotmail accounts, and I wouldnโt know where to begin to change all the logins that I have with those โoldโ emails thenโฆ. Butโฆ If there would be someone near me that would have the patience, knowledge, and time, to help me through it all, I would definitely want to make the change.
I used to upload to YouTube, but Iโve switched to PeerTube. Unfortunately, I sometimes still need to use YouTube, as many things still get shared thereโฆ
I wish I was smart enough to host my own cloud service for things I wanna save besides having a copy on my phone. I had dropbox bit that became too expensive for me. I now use free versions of Drive and OneDrive, but I would love it if there was a good service out there that would give me some space and a good app to upload/download from phone/laptop/tablet. Andโฆ If it were safe and affordable!
Before Arwen needed the more expensive meds every four weeks, I could have afforded some services that would have been better than the Microsoft and Google options. But I just donโt have the funds to pay for any services yet. I already feel bad that I canโt contribute to my Mastodon and PeerTube as much as I would likeโฆ ๐
And yeah, I use AI. I use it for images, which many frown uponโฆ And I use it for alt texts (image descriptions for people using screen readers). I donโt use it to find things, I donโt use it to write things (besides the alt texts). But I know AI uses loads of resources. ๐ And I know that AI can steal from artists.
And I wish I were a natural when it comes to writing alt textsโฆ Cause it can be a bit of a hassle to use an app and then copy and paste and edit and all thatโฆ
I wish I were talented! That I could โjustโ use a special drawing board (or beautiful tablet), and that I could draw all the silly ideas I often have for things that I wanna use for my blogs. I always try to share the images, so that more people can use it and the recourses wonโt be too wasted. And I only make images when I โneedโ them for blogs or friends. Sure, Iโve dabbled with it in the beginningโฆ But knowing how much it uses, and knowing I wanna be economical when it comes to power and waterโฆ. I try not to wasteโฆ Which sounds silly, as every time I use AI, I wasteโฆ ๐
Ughโฆ I wanna do good. I wanna be good. I want to do things properly and all that. Butโฆ I admit! I enjoy making images with AI. I love that AI can make me some decent enough alt texts, that I just need to edit a wee bit, and then theyโre better than what I could have writtenโฆ
Iโve tried Open Street Map, and itโs definitely something I need to learn how to use. ๐ค I may look in to the paid options, as I am used to Maps providing me loads, and it seems OSM is a bit more limited in the free version. I donโt mind paying a small fee to support an app that can help me with things. Sure, free things are fun! But nothing is free, really, so I rather pay a small fee to a deserving developer/small company, than to support the big ones that donโt play by any decent and fair rulesโฆ
I try. Iโm definitely not brave enough to โjustโ ditch my email bits. Iโd need to be sure of a good and simple provider. And I need to be in a better headspace then, as Iโm already scared Iโll mess things up too badly.
Some people just make it sound so simple to โjustโ do the right things. And, maybe theyโre smarter than me, more confident than me, maybe they have more knowledge of the things at handโฆ But me and changes is very hard, especially when so much can go wrong. ๐
Iโll just keep trying, and I hope that no one will hate me for not going all the way, and being able to ditch all the โbad thingsโ. I try to live as economically as I can, I try not to waste stuff, I drive a hybrid car so I use less gasoline (unfortunately I do need the car more these days, but Iโd love a good ebike so I could use that more when possible). I donโt use that much electricity (I think?). My house doesnโt have any gas connected, itโs all electric, with some solar panels, a heat pump and heat ventilation systemโฆ I donโt waste any food. Some of my clothes are older than Arwen! ๐ I tryโฆ
And yeah, sometimes I use the dark side of the forceโฆ ๐
Thank you for your interest in my blog. I really appreciate your visit. If you like my posts and you want to share them on your social media, please, feel free to do so! Iโd be honored. If you donโt want to miss a thing, press the follow button (youโll need to be a signed in WP user) or you can follow me though the FediVerse with the link below, or scroll down and leave your email below this post. If you are a WP user and you would like me to know you liked my post, press the star/like button please. You can also comment when you see this post as a Toot on the Fediverse, and Iโll be notified of that as well. Thanks ever so much! Of course comments are welcome, but spam wonโt get shared, so donโt bother with thatโฆ
Please be wise and stay safe! I hope to see you back real soon again, feel free to drop in anytime! Wishing you all the best. With love, Cynni ๐น
I am living on a disability income and donโt generate an income with my blog. If you would like to support me and my work, Iโd greatly appreciate it. Every bit helps me tremendously. For more information and a donation link, please check out ko-fi.com/PlaystationPixy
If you prefer to use PayPal, thatโs also a possibility: https://PayPal.me/CynniPixy
Thanks ever so much ๐
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The image features a person and a chocolate Labrador Retriever. The dog is positioned on the left side of the image, with its mouth open and tongue out, appearing happy and relaxed.Flickr
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That's the Mastodon Home Owners' Association in full effect.
They have their rules. They enforce their rules. But they don't lay their rules open, often not even in front of each other, so that everyone has their own set of rules while claiming that these rules are universal for the whole Fediverse. Oh, and these rules are geared towards Mastodon, only Mastodon and nothing but Mastodon, but they're enforced upon everything in the Fediverse, no matter how different from Mastodon it may be, because the Mastodon HOA can't see where something was posted from. And honestly, they don't care. If it can post to Mastodon, it counts as Mastodon to them, and it has to behave exactly like Mastodon, full stop.
Their standards and requirements for alt-texts and image descriptions are high, way higher than actually blind users' requirements. They don't know what blind users want. Or if they do, they don't care because blind users allegedly have too low standards. For at least some of them, image descriptions must be outright scientifically accurate and highly detailed, I guess, even to the point where nobody who comes across an image will ever have to look up any additional information.
They demand over 1,000 characters of accurate details when what blind users want is 200 characters of whimsy.
And, of course, they demand that everyone write such accurate and detailed descriptions themselves. By hand. Always. No matter if you're out and about with only a phone as your device and little to no time to compose and edit a lengthy image description. No matter how few spoons you have. No matter if you're actually sighted or not. The concept of blind or visually-impaired people posting images is non-existent and unimaginable to them.
Oh, and every image in the Fediverse must absolutely always have an actual alt-text. An image description in the post doesn't count, even if it's much longer and more detailed than an alt-text could ever be, like whenever I post an original image. That's why I always describe my original images twice, and my alt-texts always indicate that there is also a longer and more detailed description in the post itself.
As I constantly try to stay way ahead of the Mastodon HOA's requirements while they seem to be constantly ramped up in turn, the effort to post one measly image has grown so titanic for me that months can pass without me posting any images, just trying to keep as many Fediverse users satisfied as possible.
Some say I overthink image descriptions. But unfortunately, if you have to describe images to satisfy the Mastodon HOA, you can't possibly overthink it.
Food for thought: The Mastodon HOA has never accused me of overthinking my image descriptions and/or announced to sanction me for overdescribing my images. And I don't think it's because none of them is within my reach.
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Spent an hour in the garden. Worked as hard as my hands and all would allow. Worked up quite a sweat... Unfortunately, I could not get the corner all done in one go. It's so much work, and my body is so bad... ๐ I do want to get this corner done first, as this was the spot that Arwen picked last year to relax. I got her a bed, but she doesn't dare to use it. ๐
So hopefully, I can get this corner done, and then make it perfect for Arwen... The time she has left, she should enjoy when the weather is lovely...
Edit: saw a silly typo!
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She's such a cutie... ๐ฅฐ
๐ธ 30/04/2025
#Labrador #DogsOfMastodon #Dog #DogsOfPixelfed #Labradorable #Dogs #PixelfedDogs #Selfie #EyeContact
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Very early #OnThisDay, 30 April 1944, New Zealander Nancy Wake parachutes into occupied France to be a courier for the Special Operations Executive. The British SOE supported French Resistance to Nazi occupation.
Nick-named 'the white mouse' by the Gestapo, she is never captured. She died in 2011.
#WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #WorldWar2 #Histodons
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Lisa Melton, Scott Grimmett, Ben Royce VอOอTอEอ แถสธโฟโฑแถโฑหขแต โผ แตแถแถแตแตแตแตโฟแถแต, Bob Greene, GeraintLlanfrancheta, The Lady (La Donna), Cainmark Does Not Comply ๐ฒ, Outi ๐ฆ๐ฑ๐๐, wsm, ๐ Cynni ๐, victorvonvortex, The Febrile Muse, Pixy's Journey, Jeffandthekid, Paul Wiebe ๐๐ญ๐จ๐ฆ๐ณ๏ธ๐, Ricardo Harvin, Eugene McParland ๐บ๐ฆ, GeePawHill, gwendolenau, Gurre Vildskägg, Ralf Stubner, Cruiser ๐ช๐บ๐บ๐ฆ๐ฌ๐ฑ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฝ, RalphStark ๐ค, Janeishly, Sordid Amok!, @martlund ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ธ๐ช๐จ๐ฑ๐, Dr. Sobek, Linda Sgoluppi Artist, selje ๐บ๐ธ ๐บ๐ฆ ๐ณ๐ด ๐ฎ๐ช, CourtCantrell will not comply, Mim54, xs4me2, Urban Hermit, Errol Cavit, skry, skribe ๐บ๐ฆ, Thomas Decker, Zalka Csenge Virág, PhD, IainMac9 ๐ฆ๐บ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ๐ธ๐ฉ, Ally Miller, Merry Christmas, CarveHerName, Jayne ๐ช๐บ๐ณ๏ธ๐, kim_harding โ , ๐ณ๐ฟ ๐*10 Roger, Pearl22 - never give up!, Mysturji, Bob LeFridge, Rhinos Worry Me, Ally, Jeremy List, Olga Matná-Schrödingerová, eabolden, โผ Frank van den Heuvel โผ, StoneBear, DiegoAraozZ and Carrie๐จ๐ฆ reshared this.
In the early 1930s, Nancy Wake was a young woman enjoying a bohemian life in Paris. By the end of the Second World War, she was the Gestapo's most wanted person.Australian War Memorial
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If you like this kind of thing, we post about women who made - or make - history every day.
โ Follow to discover many more women in history.
๐ Repost to spread the word.
โ๏ธ Pop a tip in the kofi jar if you can afford it (link in bio).
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A simple edit I tried to make for an Autienby flag...
I saw the original, but wanted a it a bit more colorful and less "tight".
It's a simple edit of two images that I got from the web, and I put together. So it's not an official Autienby flag... It's just something I made... Maybe some other folks will like it too...
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I had a silly idea, and I needed a fun image for the group chat with my parents... So, as it was lovely weather, I got inspired by a holiday theme. Arwen and Bas, enjoying some beach time together.
Made with Bing, and edited some with Pixlr...
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For autism awareness, or I should say my autism and awareness.
Today I went out and did a couple of necessary tasks, tasks I had been aiming to do for a while now. I got around to booking an appointment with my optician, which meant that I had to go to their office, as phone calls of this nature are, if not beyond me, far more uncertain in terms of being sure I can wind myself up enough to actually make them and costly, in terms of the effort of not only speaking on the phone, but actually trying to make that conversation work and make sense enough that I don't end up feeling like smashing my phone into a million pieces halfway through it. So, the easier thing has always been to drive to the high street, find somewhere to park and then walk through the crowds and noise and overwhelming peopling, to eventually stand before a receptionist and hope like hell I can make enough sense to get what I need there, before I lose it completely from the overwhelm of it all. Which, actually, should pretty much tell you what I think about making phone calls.
Then, after that, I got to go to the post office to pay some money in. Thanks to the banks abandoning towns left right and centre here in the UK, this is the only way left now to deal with the tricky issue that some of us still get paid in and deal with cash. But, it also means that there is always a queue, there is always some old couple at the front of it, making a grand day and adventure out of what should have been a two-second job and waffling, gossiping and muttering their way into a state of ever-increasing and self-inflicted confusion over their task, just to further muddy the waters and make the whole thing last past the endurance of a saint. That there is always someone in the queue who is not only wearing a scent that is a sensory nightmare, but also seems to have bathed in it. That everyone in the queue needs to have their "little" chat with the women behind the counter and everything takes at least twice as long as it should and that during all this and by the looks I'm getting, that my ever-increasing frustration and discomfort and actual physical pain at having to stand in the queue, is not only being noticed by those ladies, but that as usual it's not necessarily in any good way.
And then after all that and I get home, after this simple, quick, trip out to do just a couple of things, I get to wonder why I'm suddenly so tired and why I feel as if that's pretty much it now for the day. Of course, I know that I am still in burnout. That I've always struggled, but didn't use to acknowledge it. That the ease I can remember in dealing with things like this in the past, isn't entirely the truth of how it used to be and that being 60 and a spoonie for other reasons doesn't exactly help. But, realising now that it's never been easy, doesn't make it any less frustrating. Or ease the dark thoughts gathering, that after a lifetime of this, of the exhaustion of masking and hyper-awareness, of rarely truly relaxing or being able to trust anyone. Of being alone and struggling, of PTDS and RSD and PDA and all the other things that make each day a struggle, that it will never get any better and only, in fact, worse. That this is the true price of getting older as an autistic, and that I'm only just beginning to pay it.
And then I hear a bird sing and see the sunlight dancing in the leaves of a tree. I remember something that makes me smile every time and find myself stimming in joy and alone in my world, I remember the truth of being autistic and the happiness it brings.
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Morning Kevin ๐๐
I hate using the phone - so why I spent something like 4/5 of my working career on one is a mystery really!
I struggle to initiate any form of spoken communication & then bizarrely, having started a conversation & find it really hard to disengage.
Thankfully Iโm fine with most sounds & smells but peopling is hard going!
Iโve come to realise, since my Dx that a key part of why I am so tired much of the time is the effort I have to put into masking & stamping down on my reactions to triggers.
Days like today where Iโm on my own in the house are perfect because I can just be. Most triggers I encounter are ones I place in front of me (like doom scrolling) but Iโm learning to cap these off when it started to affect my day.
Just been for a walk & yes, being out in an open space with birds singing & nature having a ball, is indeed the bit that makes the rest worth fighting thru!
Have a great day my friend ๐๐ซถ
๐
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I spent a goodly part of my life doing remote support of one for or another - 1st line is scripted everything else is seat of your pants. Iโm not to bad at it TBF to myself it just makes me very uncomfortable to be on the phone initially, but once I get into the nitty gritty of the problem I have to resolve then that takes my mind off it to a large extent.
Iโm not sorry that I can go whole days without having to answer the phone now though!
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SniffiVerseโข walkies Toot 
Ello frens and fans of Arwen 
Da Pixy and da lovely Arwen are back for walkies again! 
there are many sniffs, so Arwen is not too fast... The weather is warm, with 13ยฐC at the moment.
Let's see how far Arwen will want to walk today...
I rode the seated bike for 22 minutes and then I did 8 minutes on the cross-trainer. Not too long, I know, but my muscles are still very tense, so doing those 8 minutes felt way longer. But... It also felt good to do. ๐
One of my muscles between my neck and shoulder just cramped up... 
which is still painful now, and I don't really know how to get it "back to normal", so I'll keep tyring to stretch in different ways, hoping that this will help.
As I mentioned in my gym Toot, I hope to get some work in the garden done today. I know my muscles will hate me for it, so I'll only be able to do short bits every day. But hey, small bits still count up to some progress? ๐
Hopefully I can game a bit after the hard work then...
Let's see if I can write a bit for my blog now. And wait and see which route Arwen will want to walk tonight.
Catch you all later folks! 
๐ ๐ ๐พ
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Ello sweet gaming Friendos
A sweet friend gave me some money for my birthday already... 
She knew I wanted to by some vinyl records to support some artists that I really enjoy... ๐
So I just ordered vinyls by Amaranthe and Dynazty.
They should be delivered at the end of this week... So still a bit early for my bday... But... I'll spin them with love! 
I usually stream music, but when I can, I support the artists by buying their albums. And, when I can, I prefer to get them on vinyl these days... I have a very small collection, but it's slowly growing. And... It's my way to support the artists better!
A sweet friend pointed out that I can buy the official digital songs as well, and support artists that way. I know Skoosh should support my old iPod with the USB connector... ๐ค I've never tried it... Maybe I should do that some day... ๐ Before my PC died, I was working on getting my iPod sorted again...
Anywhoo.... Pretty soon, I should be able to spin two new vinyls! Yay!
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The UK's only ever judge to publicly say they are transgender is planning to take the government to the European Court of Human Rights over the Supreme Court's ground-breaking ruling on biological sex.
Dr Victoria McCloud, who stepped down from court last year, said the judgement and equality watchdog's new guidance violated her human rights and she felt "contained and segregated".
She said the court had failed to consider human rights arguments that would have been put by trans people and the judgement had left her with the legal "nonsense" of being "two sexes at once".
#news #TransrightsAreHumanRights
bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9qw21โฆ
Victoria McCloud, who stepped down last year, said the judgement had violated her human rights.Dominic Casciani (BBC News)
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"We are the result of many fights, we carry in our blood the inheritance of our grandmothers, our roots make demands of us and our daughters are rebelling."
#OnThisDay, 29 April 2010, Alberta "Bety" Cariรฑo Trujillo is killed whilst taking provisions to besieged indigenous communities in Mexico.
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29 April 1913 | A Polish man, Stanisลaw Szot, was born in Grabnowola. A bricklayer.
In #Auschwitz from 30 June 1941
No. 17523
He perished in the camp on 31 October 1941.
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Follow:
Aragorn: [to Ben] If by my life or death I can protect you, I will. You have my fave...
Legolas: And you have my boost.
Gimli: And *my* follow.
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I'm an old grannie and I am very confused at the fave/boost ratio here.
Never, ever wanted to be prissy miss yellow.
#MorningAll & #TZAG Gโday Squirrel Fans, hope I find you bright eyed & bushy tailed!
Bit late here due to cracking on with my chores, which thankfully are now mostly done.
Really bright, warm & sunny here in deepest, darkest Yorkshire, the cats have retired after a hard morningโs lounging & breakfasting & Mrs S is off to the office today so peace reigns supreme.
Seems my MiL has made a full recovery from whatever it was on Friday & the hospital are talking about discharging her today or tomorrow.
Cashew later Peeps, have a fabulously nutty day #Today ! ๐๐ซถ๐
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Spring has definitely sprung, and we're all hoping that it stays sunny until the public holiday on Thursday ๐
Good morning and enjoy your day ๐ โ
Good morning after getting up at 10 pm a very long nap ... finally had supper after midnight and watched shows till now 5am and time to catch more zzzzzzzzz for a few hrs ...
Apparently our election had great results last night ... and time will tell if all works well ...
Good night again ๐ด๐ด๐ด๐ด๐ด
Monday was the second day of Easter. ๐ฃ As I had a very short night due to visiting my parents on Sunday, I had a very relaxed day that day. Tuesday was PT day and I needed some groceries. On Wednesday, I was so tiredโฆ I didnโt really do much, not even the gaming that I was hoping to do. Although Arwen and I did visit the Herperduin for a bit. Thursday was groceries day with mum. We headed to Germany againโฆ Friday, Arwen went to the vet again for her new shot. The weekend, we spent relaxing, with two early morning visits to the Herperduin.
Quick links to the days of the week: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday.
It was a very short night for me. I had to get up in time to take care of Arwenโs meds. But we were home later, which meant less time to snooze. I had a good sleep, it was just a tad too short to be really refreshingโฆ But, I got up and gave Arwen the meds and I started my day.
open.spotify.com/track/1OtLNenโฆ
The scale was not too bad, although Iโd still like to see a lower weight. But, as long as itโs stable, it should be OK enough, I guess. Considering the circumstancesโฆ I took my meds and let Arwen out. Played a bit on my phone till the half hour was up, and I was able to give Arwen her food. After that, I headed to the gym.
I saw that they are going to close up another street that I usually take, so from next week, Iโll have to remind myself to take the other route! As I have no idea of the way through the area there to bypass the closed off streetโฆ
I caught up with the notifications and enjoyed the protein shake. I wanted to ride the seated bike for half an hour, but after twenty minutes, my body was throwing up a big nope and I had to quit. I enjoyed the massage chair for ten minutes and then I got ready to head back home again.
I washed up, changed clothes, put my rain pants out, as it was pouring loadsโฆ Had brekky, and then prepped to hit the rain with Arwen. I got my rain pants, coat, and umbrella. Arwenโs towel was ready and her bathrobe too. As sheโd probably be a very wet dog when weโd get backโฆ She was a bit reluctant to head out, but after some bits, she got in the mood a bit more, and we had a lovely walk. Well, it was good at least, but just with a lot of rain!
I toweled off Arwen and put on the bathrobe. I peeled off the rain pants and I got to the couch for a bit. I wanted to relax with some telly, as I was feeling rather tired. But my brain was busy enough, so I got my old tablet, and I started a new blog post. When that was done, I watched some telly, till it was time to head out with Arwen again.
At least it was dry nowโฆ When we got back, I got to the hometrainer and I managed to ride half an hour. I headed back downstairs, and I watched some telly.
Arwen wanted another walkies, and we saw the neighbor, so she was a happy gall againโฆ After that, I settled down on the couch and I enjoyed the Hogwarts game some. Itโs too bad that there is such a bad person behind the world of Wizardry, at least behind this oneโฆ ๐ But I kept to my word and I didnโt pay anything to play this. Itโs not the best game Iโve ever played, but itโs definitely entertaining enough to me to keep going further.
Arwen got a meal. And we went out for a wee. Then, more gamingโฆ I was just so tiredโฆ Then, I shut down the game, and I prepped my supplements for the next two weeks. I prepped some snacks for Arwen as well (theyโre strips that need to be torn from strips, and my hands donโt always like that ๐). It was time for walkies with N&B, so Arwen and I got ready.
The weather was warm, with some sun, but there were also some darker clouds forming. When we got back, I prepped for bed and watched some telly. Then a last short walk, before heading to bed. I was very tired and I hoped for a good night.
I woke once due to a weird dream and the need for the loo. Then, I woke up half because I heard Arwen walk in front of the bedroom door. She just lay down there, but I was awake and thought she might need to head out. So, it was another shorter night. But hey ho, the things we do for loveโฆ
I gave Arwen the meds, took her out, and started my day/night.
I woke before the alarm. I thought Iโd heard Arwen, so yeah, that woke me good. Turned out she just moved to lay in front of the open bedroom door, and I heard that. So that was a relief.
open.spotify.com/track/0QtYu8Fโฆ
I gave her the meds and then I got to the scale and dressed. Took Arwen out for a wee and all that, and then I took my meds while I was waiting to give Arwen her meal. She and I both still arenโt used to waiting that half hourโฆ Itโs weird! ๐ But I spent some time on my phone, and then it was time to feed my gall and head to the gym.
I caught up with the rest of social media and then I hit the seated bike. I didnโt manage the half hour, my body wasnโt having it. So I enjoyed a massage in the chair, and I wished I wasnโt so soreโฆ ๐ Switched shoes and then headed back home again.
Washed up, changed clothes, and enjoyed my brekky. Arwen and I headed out for walkies. It was a tad cloudy, but it was dry and not too cold. We had a nice walk, and when we got back home, I got my laptop and worked on my blog. After that, I relaxed a bit on the couch. But I felt I needed to be doing something more, so I changed my clothes and I walked on the treadmill for half an hour. Just a slow pace with a slight slopeโฆ ๐
After that, Arwen wanted a short walkies. So we headed out. I relaxed on the couch some more. Arwen was a bit annoyed that we didnโt head to the Herperduin, so I felt a bit bad about that. ๐ Hopefully I can take her again tomorrow morningโฆ
I watched some telly till it was time to get ready for another walkies. Arwen was fortunate, as we saw the neighbor again. We had a nice walk, which was good. When we got back, we relaxed a bit. Then I fixed Arwenโs food, and we had another short walk. I had to head to Cuijk for my physical therapy.
I was a bit early, but thatโs OK. The session was painful, but good. Apparently, my body is tense, probably due to stress. Which didnโt really surprise me, nor my PTโฆ He did what he could, and then I headed back home. A stop at Lidl Grave for some groceries.
I relaxed for a short while and then Arwen let me know that it was time for walkies alreadyโฆ So I texted N and we got ready for a walk. We had to adjust the route, as they started construction work in our neighborhood, and itโs one big mess at the moment! Really, itโs hard to find a way to safely take the dogsโฆ ๐
We got back, I prepped things for bedtime. We relaxed a bit in the couch, then a short walk, followed by bed time. It didnโt take too long for me to fall asleep. I was so tiredโฆ I woke twice, had some weird dreams, some night sweats and colds, and then the alarm woke me. Soโฆ I started my day/nightโฆ
I woke when the alarm told me it was time. Which doesnโt happen too often, so it startled me a bit. I gave Arwen her meds, and then started my usual routine. The scale wasnโt too nice, so that was a bummer. I got dressed, let Arwen out, took my meds, and then we waited until I could give Arwen her meal. When she was happily eating, I got my bag and headed to the gym.
open.spotify.com/track/0mJlv5Aโฆ
I checked my social media, and had some very nice messages from some sweet friends. So I replied to several, enjoyed my protein shake, and then I got to the seated bike. My leg didnโt allow for half an hour, unfortunately. I had a massage in the chair and then I got ready to head back home again.
A happy tail wag when I entered the room warmed my heartโฆ I washed up, had brekky, and then Arwen and I went out for a walkies. The weather wasnโt too bad and we had a nice walk.
When we got back, I relaxed on the couch a little, as I was rather tired. Then, after working on my blog a bit, I changed clothes and rode the hometrainer for a bit. I even managed a few exercises with my dumbbells before I went back down again.
Relaxed some more with some telly and then we got ready for the walkies at the Herperduin. Arwen was very excited when she saw me get the towel, so she happily went to Skoosh.
makertube.net/w/oTPDyDNN6GMgnAโฆ
We had a nice walk at the woods. And Arwen retrieved the ball a few times, having a blast. We then slowly headed back to Skoosh again. When we got home, Arwen got some snoozing in! I relaxed a bit, till it was time to walk to the supermarket.
I got a few groceries and walked back home. Some relaxing happened, and around 9, Arwen wanted her usual walkies again. She was very happy, as she saw the neighbor coming up as well. So, yay for the extra cuddles and nomnoms.
We got back, and I got to the couch and watched some telly. I was getting a headache and I felt blรคhโฆ Around 11, Arwen wanted walkies. I gave her food after that, and then I dozed off on the couch for a bit. I was so tiredโฆ
We got ready in time to go for the last long walkies. The dogs had a nice time, and so did we. The weather wasnโt too bad, so that was a plus too.
I relaxed a bit more and then we went for the last short walkies. I saw that the parking that I usually call โmineโ had become available, so I quickly got Skoosh there when we got back. I cuddled Arwen and gave her the snacks. Bed time for meโฆ
I woke once for the loo, and then about an hour before my alarm was set to go off. I was still a bit tired, but I didnโt feel like sleeping again for less than an hour. So I got up and I started my day/night.
I woke before the alarm went off. Gave Arwen her meds, got to the scale, got dressedโฆ The usual routine, as I do. ๐ There was a notification that my USB had been delivered. But, when I checked the mailbox, it was all emptyโฆ That brought some stress! ๐ณArwen had to wait a bit before I could get her a meal. And then, when she was happily eating, I got my bag and headed to Skoosh.
open.spotify.com/track/5MVVd3oโฆ
I enjoyed my protein shake while I caught up with the social media bits. Then I got to the seated bike and tried to ride a bit. I didnโt manage the half hour as my leg was being annoying. I got to the massage chair, and then I got ready to head back home again.
Washed up and had brekky. There was rain in the forecast, so I brought the umbrella and Arwen and I went on our way. While I miss the longer walks, Iโm grateful that weโre still able to do these. As Iโm fully aware that, when the time comes, even these walks will need to be shortenedโฆ ๐ When we were on the way back, it started raining. The start of a long and very wet dayโฆ โ
When we got back, I changed clothes and I headed upstairs. Rode the bike for half an hour, and I managed to get some exercises in. I folded the washed curtains and took them downstairs with me.
I switched clothes and then relaxed on the couch with Arwen. When it was time, I got the things to Skoosh. Arwen and I had a short walk, and we headed to Nijmegen. I filled up Skoosh, and then we got to my parentโs place. I helped mum with her compression stockings, I checked them this time. ๐ When mum was ready, we took Smurf and headed to Germany.
It was raining a lot there too, bummerโฆ But we got most of the groceries, so thatโs a plus. We headed to Nijmegen, where we got some more of our groceries. I had brought the recycling โป๏ธ away in Germany, and I cashed the digital saving coupons, so I had some money for Arwenโs shot tomorrow. Every bit helps!
When mum was done with the groceries, she was worn out. So, it was up to me to take the dogs to the small woods. And, with the umbrella in hand, they made it quite a challenge for me. Every time I had the leashes untangled, they just had to sniff on that other side! ๐ Bloody idiots! ๐ Itโs hard enough without an umbrella, but the weather didnโt allow me to put it down. It was just very, very, wetโฆ
When we got back, I tried to dry the dogs. Then I got my things and Arwen and I headed to Herpen again. Of course, there was no available good parking in front of my house. It was always a mess, but with the construction ๐ง, itโs even messier and all! Ughโฆ And itโs said to last the rest of the yearโฆ So yeah, weโve been dealing with muddy mess for a loooong time before it should finally get betterโฆ ๐
I unpacked most of the groceries and fixed some food for Arwen and myself. Andโฆ The USB stick that was said to be delivered the previous day, it finally arrived! Why they scanned it a day before the actual delivery? I have no idea! But it was bloody annoying and frustrating, as I believed it was lostโฆ
When I finally sat down for a bit, I started to transfer the files from my phone to the USB. Itโs a lot to copy, but getting to it bit by bitโฆ Itโs good to have a backup!
Then it was time to walk with N&B. We had a nice walk, but it was a wet oneโฆ When we got back, I prepared things for bedtime. Then, a last walk with Arwen. I saw a parking in front of my house become available, so I quickly got Skoosh and got her in that spot. Arwen was so baffled, as sheโd been sniffing, and she saw me driving off without herโฆ Poor gall! I told her to just sniff and Iโd be back in a jiffy, but of course that didnโt make sense to her. ๐ We finished the walk, and I got ready to head to bedโฆ
I had a decent sleep, till I woke up for the loo. I saw I still had over an hour, so I got back to sleep. And got rewarded with a bad half-hour nightmare! ๐ข Ughโฆ So when I woke again, I didnโt really feel any better at allโฆ
So yeah, I got up and started my day/nightโฆ
I woke up early. I had about 90 more minutes till the alarm, so I decided to give sleep another go. It resulted in me having a horrible nightmare! Woke up again half an hour later and I was just feeling so tired! That extra sleep didnโt work out for meโฆ ๐
open.spotify.com/track/314wHzWโฆ
Got up, gave Arwen her meds, and then I got dressed. Took Arwen out for a wee, and then we waited a bit before I could give Arwen her meal. When she was happily eating, I got my bag and headed to the gym.
I caught up with social media and when my protein shake had been enjoyed, and the meds had kicked in, I got to the seated bike. After about half an hour, my leg was giving up on me. So I got to the massage chair and enjoyed a massage there. Then I got ready to head back home again.
Washed up, had brekky, and then got ready to walk with Arwen. I do miss walking the longer walkies with her, but I am grateful for the shorter ones that were still able to do. We had a nice walk together.
When we got back, I got my laptop. Worked on my blog, and I copied files to the USB I got. First I copied the last ones from the phone, and then I backed up some bits from the laptop. Then, I got the USB in the TV. I selected the Arwen videos and watched some. But, in some of the videos, Iโm asking Arwen if she wants walkies. So, she woke up and was all confused! Poor gall! ๐
I watched some telly after that. I had to prepare some veggies for the pasta sauce I wanted to make. Butโฆ I realized we didnโt have the minced meatโฆ ๐ค And I also saw that mum had the wrong muesli for meโฆ So that meant that I had to visit the supermarket that morningโฆ
Had a short walk with Arwen after that, and then I did the laundry. When I hung the laundry, it was time to walk to the supermarket. I got what I needed. When I got back, Arwen and I got ready to head to the vet. She got her injection again, and then we headed back home againโฆ
I was hoping to relax a bit, but Arwen wanted to go out for walkies. So we were a bit early, and she missed the neighbor, which bummed her out a bitโฆ
I relaxed a bit with the telly. When a sweet friend texted me that they were ready to game, I got the purple beast started and we joined a chat. We both played our own games, but we had a nice chat as we were playing. ๐
Then it was time to walk Arwen againโฆ The weather was dry but a tad chilly. We had a good walk with N&B. Some relaxing after that. Then a last short walk andโฆ Time for bed!
It didnโt take too long to fall asleep. I slept almost 6 hours in one go. But when I woke up, I just got up. Didnโt want to repeat what happened the last time I tried to sleep some moreโฆ So my day/night was beginningโฆ
I woke up early again. Somehow, my brain and body are in agreement that getting about 6 hours of sleep should be my new norm. And while itโs good to get a good 6-hour sleep, it would be even nicer to get a good 7-hour sleep ๐. Ah well, I tried to sleep again a few times in the past, and I always got rewarded with bad nightmares. So Iโll just get up thenโฆ Went to the loo and scale. Got the meds for Arwen. Dressed and let Arwen out. Then, a short wait before Arwen was allowed her meal. We both seem to be getting used to this, so thatโs a good thing. ๐ When Arwen was happily eating, I got my bag and headed to Skoosh.
open.spotify.com/track/7wBKXblโฆ
I got to the gym, realizing that one street is open again, after it had been closed for over a month! So, of course, next week theyโll close off the street leading to that for almost two weeks. So then I really need to take a different route to the gymโฆ Ah wellโฆ I checked my social media, caught up with my chats, and then I got to the seated bike. Rode for half an hour. Followed by the massage chair. Switched my shoes again and headed back to Skoosh.
Washed up and had brekky. Then, Arwen and I headed out for SniffiVerseโข walkies. When we got to the spot to head back home, Arwen was very adamant that she wanted a bigger walk! I double checked and then followed herโฆ Guess the shot and the meds together were doing something good for herโฆ ๐ So we walked the โin-betweenโ route and both enjoyed it.
When we got back home, I got to the couch a bit. I was writing for my blog on my tablet, and I was chatting to some awesome folks on Mastodon. Watched some telly as wellโฆ Then I cut the leek and prepared everything to make the pasta sauce later today.
makertube.net/w/ajwEN6Krkk58qpโฆ
When it was getting light out, Arwen got all excited, as she knew what the plan was. So, we headed to Skoosh and drove to the Herperduin. Arwen got all the sniffs and some splashes too. ๐ Then we slowly headed back to Skoosh againโฆ
When we got back, I started to make the pasta. I made several tubs of sauce for me and my parents. And I had a good meal. I started the dishwasher and swept the floors. I should hoover, but I was just feeling too tiredโฆ Then I relaxed a bit, until it was time to walk again.
We saw the neighbor, so Arwen was all happy again. We had a nice walk. I watched some telly and then my controller was charged, and I started up the purple beast. I was joined by a sweet friend on the chat. We both played our own games while we chatted together. ๐
Then, it was time again to get ready for walkies. To my friend and I said goodbye, logged off, and we went out. The weather was lovely and we had a nice walk. When we got back, I prepped everything for the bedtime routine. Watched some telly. Had a short walk. And thenโฆ Snoozing time!
It didnโt take too long to fall asleep. I slept about 6 hours in one go, and then I was wide awake again. So, I got up and started my day/night againโฆ
I woke up early again. Somehow, my brain still believes that getting up with less than 6 hours of sleep should be enough. Well, itโs not, not reallyโฆ I got to the scale. Then I gave Arwen her meds. Got dressed, took Arwen outside, and took my own meds. Waited a while before I could give Arwen her meal. Watched a video I made of Arwen last year, and the song made me tear up a bit. Even with Arwen lying next to meโฆ Silly emotionsโฆ When I was allowed to feed my gall, I got ready for the gym. Onwards!
open.spotify.com/track/4Fl3ibvโฆ
I enjoyed my protein shake as I explored the social media bits. Rode the bike for half an hour, and then enjoyed the massage chair for ten minutes. Got ready to head back home againโฆ
Washed up, changed clothes, and had brekky. Got ready to walk with Arwen. It wasnโt too cold, with about 10ยฐC, and it was dry, though a tad humid. We had a good walk. Arwen didnโt want the short walk. Arwen didnโt want the โin-betweenโ walk. Heck, she even wanted to go beyond the roundabout! But as I wanted to take her to the Herperduin later, I didnโt go any further than the roundabout. We had a very nice walk. And Arwen enjoyed all the sniffs.
When we got back, I felt so tired. I almost fell asleep on the couchโฆ And then, I remembered that I โneededโ to do something first. When that was done, my brain didnโt allow me to fall asleep anymore. ๐ Ughโฆ But I did stay on the couch some more, allowing my body some rest at leastโฆ
makertube.net/w/tBsu5u5WBjBs34โฆ
I unloaded the dishwasher. And when it was getting light out, Arwen was getting very excited. She was ready to head to the Herperduin! So, of course, I got the towel, and we left with Skoosh.
We had a nice walk. But, there were folks at the waterside with a campfire (which is very much prohibited!). So I decided to go around then. But they also had a big dog with a big bork! Arwen doesnโt like either of those things, so I hoped that we could steer clear of the dog. Arwen did love the time at the waterside, but she was a bit distracted by the barks neverthelessโฆ We walked a different, new route for a bit, and she did enjoy all the new sniffs. ๐
pixelfed.social/p/PixysSnaps/8โฆ
We got to Skoosh and headed home. I fixed some food, and then I was able to relax a bit. Around 9, Arwen wanted walkies again. We saw her friend, so she was very excited, especially with the nomnoms ๐!
I watched some telly, but I wasnโt in the mood to game. The weather was lovely, so I got my chair and eReader, and I finished the book Iโd been reading. It was a very good book for sure! I was able to relax a bit, even though the weeds in the garden annoyed me big time.
Then we got ready for walkies again. We had a nice walk, and the dogs had some fun. A wee bit of relaxing before we walked the last round. Arwen wanted a short one, so we did that. Then I headed to bedโฆ I listened to Arwenโs breathing for a while, while reading a bit. Then I fell asleep, and didnโt wake till about half an hour before the alarm was set to go off.
It had been a decent night, and I was ready to start my new day/night.
Thank you for your interest in my blog. I really appreciate your visit. If you like my posts and you want to share them on your social media, please, feel free to do so! Iโd be honored. If you donโt want to miss a thing, press the follow button (youโll need to be a signed in WP user) or you can follow me though the FediVerse with the link below, or scroll down and leave your email below this post. If you are a WP user and you would like me to know you liked my post, press the star/like button please. You can also comment when you see this post as a Toot on the Fediverse, and Iโll be notified of that as well. Thanks ever so much! Of course comments are welcome, but spam wonโt get shared, so donโt bother with thatโฆ
Please be wise and stay safe! I hope to see you back real soon again, feel free to drop in anytime! Wishing you all the best. With love, Cynni ๐น
I am living on a disability income and donโt generate an income with my blog. If you would like to support me and my work, Iโd greatly appreciate it. Every bit helps me tremendously. For more information and a donation link, please check out https://www.ko-fi.com/PlaystationPixyIf you prefer to use PayPal, thatโs also a possibility: https://PayPal.me/CynniPixy
Thanks ever so much โฅ
Alt text by Bing; A screenshot from the Samsung Health app displaying a weekly summary for a user named Cynni, covering the period from April 21 to April 27.Flickr
Herperduin ๐ฆ 23/04/2025 ๐พ
A simple edited video of a senior choccy Labrador, heading to the waterside, getting ready for some simple play of fetch. She's slower, she's tired quicker, but the joy that radiates from her... Makes it all worth it!๐ฅ 23/04/2025
๐ Herperduin, the Netherlands ๐ณ๐ฑ
Slightly edited with YouCut.
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I am seeking general recommendations for my next opera. I have seen Don Pasquale (1932), L'Elisir d'Amore (1949), Lucia Di Lamermoor (1939), Il Barbiere Di Siviglia (1929/30), and La Sonambula (1952). I'm thinking of Le Nozze di Figaro (1944 or 1949), but I'm not sure. I saw it, (via another video) but it was in English and a modern, amateur production. I was not impressed,but I am willing to give it a chance with a professional production. I like light-hearted operas, comedy (particularly wit and wordplay), relationships, the upperclass, the supernatural, etc. I don't mind some realism, but I'm not one for extreme violence, serious depictions of poverty, loud, dramatic singing, discordant melodies, and so on. I might try La Boheme (1917 or 1948)) or Rigoletto (1915-18 or 1927-30), , since they are mostly just sad from what I know. But I would love to find more works by Donizetti, Rossini, Bellini, and some by Pacini, Paisiello, Cimarosa, and other similar composers. I'm also interested in those performed in English, whether translations or written that way. I know Purcell wrote some but am not very familiar with English opera as a whole. The problem with all of the above is that I don't know how many of these were recorded in full prior to the 1960's. I will definitely watch Massenet's Werther and Manon, but I want to hold off on them a little longer, since Werther (1948) is the only other full opera with Schipa in it, (Don Pasquale is the first) and Manon (1939) is the last big fragment of an opera with him in it (Act II/I will need to supplement with either 1929 or 1954, if I can find the latter). Can anyone suggest anything that might be of interest?
#Bellini #Cimarosa #Donizetti #Massenet #opera #Pacini #Paisiello #Purcell #Rossini
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Good morning everyone from your friendly Upstairs Ninja ๐ Grant kindly got up for the parrots again today as I was really pooped after all the stress of work yesterday. It also allowed me to play a bit of BG3 last night and work out some frustrations ๐ All quiet on the feathered front at the moment after some pretty indignant screeching by her Zigginess earlier when Grant was just that wee bit too slow with her breakfast ๐ She went into roost last night without a fight, but she was extremely cuddly again, just wanting to sit tucked up on my chest for ages and chasing Toby when he got too close for her liking. Poor Toby gets chased by both the girls, despite him being so much larger than they are. He just takes it all in his stride, and nothing stops him from just trying again. See also: Trying to get behind the telly ๐
Work today. The less said about it the better!
Have a lovely day, whatever you get up to ๐ค
#Parrots #PetsOfMastodon #BirdsOfMastodon #BirdsOfFediverse #GoodMorning
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Good morning fellow Mastos and hello Tuesday. A good morning to Canada who managed to not elect a right wing Trumpist as their new leader. Well done Canada.
Today looks like being a hot & sunny one, even up here in the North, so if you are anything like me, stay inside, or get the SPF 50 slapped on, all over. I burn *very* easily.
Have a great day, take care out there.
Today's photo was taken on the slip at Burghead Harbour a couple of days ago. It's called "Cthulhu Emerges From the Sea"! ๐
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Good morning MrD!
Yes, at least the Canadians are showing a high degree of intelligence. Well done to them๐
I'm assuming Wesley is still doing well.
It continues to be sunny here too so I will be remaining covered up. I may put on my ankle length shorts this weekend ๐. MrsSP is constantly using factor 50 now, as she has a drug induced sensitivity to sunlight.
Loved the photo reference MrC is popular with myself and my eldest.
Have a good day, try and avoid the sun!
A message from me this morning to Canada...Elbows up Canada ๐จ๐ฆ
Congratulations on your election victory! Mark Carney prevented the aftermath of Brexit from being an absolute disaster. I expect he will be able to deal with your next door neighbour!
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Rachel Carson Raised the Alarm About Pesticides in Silent Spring, Changing Environmental History
The influential biologist's work helped launch the modern environmental movement.
By Lloyd Black
teenvogue.com/story/rachel-carโฆ
Rachel Carsonโs Silent Spring criticized the widespread use of artificial pesticides and helped launch the modern environmental movement.Lloyd Black (Teen Vogue)
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Priscilla Haring-Kuipers, Femme Malheureuse, The Boxing Kangaroo, โ Antoine Chambert-Loir, ๐ Cynni ๐, David Chavalarias - FR, MariJeanGordon, ๐ณ๐ฟ ๐*10 Roger, Carol Hughes, Witch Of Scots, sb the chippy-choppy, Gerrit ๐ช๐บ๐๐๐ป, Jon Sullivan, manisha, Trendy Toots, Ko van Huissteden, Bill Minarik, Bob Jamieson, LillyLyle/Count Melancholia, Miranda, annekekassteele ๐ฅ, Lord Caramac the Clueless, KSC, Totts, Toni, Sarah W, UkeleleEric, Kancept, Peter Valkema, Cainmark Does Not Comply ๐ฒ, aprilfollies, Wizards Anonymous, Max Xaine, Lazarou Monkey Terror ๐๐๐, Rita, Wen, Rich Stein (he/him), Willard Goosey, Richard Rollinson and Steffi Jên ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ๐ณ๏ธโง reshared this.
A global perspective on environmental issues. Our mission is to inform, educate, enable and create a platform for global environmental action.www.enn.com
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The holiday park is ideal for families. And even in April (admittedly mild) the water park has been busy & family groups have been tubing on the river.
Good morning. ๐ป๐ป๐ป
26 April 2025
Do you remember traveling with a paper map in hand? It feels like such a relic of the 20th century now. I still have a stack of those tucked away in a cabinet above my deskโjust in case I ever need them again. Do gas stations along the road even sell those anymore? Back then, you had to study the map carefully before starting a trip and pull it out at every stop to stay on track. It wasnโt too challenging, but missing a turn could cause real headaches. Nowadays, cars come equipped with built-in navigation systems that guide you seamlessly from start to finish. And if your car doesnโt have one, your phone can easily step in and do the job. Oh, and letโs not forget my old Garmin GPSโit's been collecting dust on top of my desk cabinet for years now.
"Maps encourage boldness. Theyโre like cryptic love letters. They make anything seem possible." โ Rebecca Solnit
#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #nature # morning #flower #maps #gps
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Yes, I recall seeing a maps section at Books-a-Million.
I love maps
Not even needed the need to get to where, just looking at them, where there is and there I know and here I don't but would like to go
And the system of it, the keys, the information of it
Globes, the same
I have a bedside lamp that is a globe
Don't really like that the oceans are white but as a light, it makes sense
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Maps still come in handy. But for research nowadays, I usually pullup a map on-the-line.
There are lots of uses for paper maps. I looked at one today to try to work out a particular cycling route.
The various online maps are inconclusive. Google doesn't show, at all, many possible routes. Open Street Map shows all sorts of routes which you find don't exist for one reason or another when you get there on the ground.
A paper map can sometimes give more of a clue. If a byway or bridleway is marked then it's *legal* to take a bike, though it may not quite always be physically possible in real life. But a footpath, who knows? There's no legal right to cycle on a footpath, and round here the footpaths range from major cycle commuter routes through tolerable routes when it's not been raining too much to nasty "cyclists keep out" notices and routes that are physically impassable.
So, nothing gives a complete picture. But the paper maps have their part to play.
That is true, paper maps are still valid.
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I get that. When traveling I usually listen to audio books, it is incredibly annoying the narrator gets to a good part and the navigation lady starts talking.
I haven't use an actual paper road map while traveling for over a decade, possibly two. The last time was just after the turn of the century. Hmmm ... I can't believe I said that - "after the turn of the century."
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That can be fun, land navigation is a critical skill in the military. Maps and compasses are a norm. Though, the military also uses GPS now days, so I'm making an assumption that they still teach the basics.
Handwritten maps can be a bit sketchy. ๐
Makes sense, going cross country, you would wand to know the details of the terrain.
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@Zero2beach
๐ You made me remember that the Yellow Pages in the US would often have a map for the town the phone book was made for. On many of my business trips I'd be in a town that my Atlas didn't have too much detail for I'd then look for the phone book to figure out where I needed to go. I tore out some of those map pages to take with me too.
If you were ever in a motel and the phone book was missing its map, then it was me.
It is much harder to find a phone book nowadays. You can't just stop at a phonebooth. ๐
Yep. I haven't seen a phone book since 2010?
There was this weird moment in the 90s when they tried putting out a small phone book for the car for those with the new mobile phones. ๐ It was short lived and ill conceived.
Weโve received a phonebook every year since living here. Itโs pretty thinโsmall town life. It only lists analog landline phone numbers, though, and most people have already disconnected and switched entirely to cellular. We recently joined the trend and disconnected ourselves when AT&T announced they were discontinuing the service we usedโa story for another time.
Yep. I have heard from a few who still have a landline that they get thin, enemic phone books delivered to them.
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That makes sense. I still have all my old maps. Just not where I might need them.
Oh yea! ๐
I've noticed that about rest stops.
I think many other states to the same.
Yea, I get it, road trips are when you noticed those things.
More importantly... for all the rest stops I stopped at in California, Oregon, and Washington, I only saw the maps at Washington.
Mind you, I wasn't looking for maps in any of the three states as I knew where I was going. Washington just made their location OBVIOUS.
Weโre taking a trip this summer, Iโll be sure to try and notice such things as well.
@Coho
Yes, you have to be careful. detours in in areas where things can go really bad aren't recommended. Right, GPS is technology and technology can go wrong. GPS is a tool as is a paper map, but the decision maker is behind the wheel. Myself, I usually stay in the backed-up traffic and deal with it, but if the area feels safe and we feel adventurous, we'll get off and see what happens. I'm usually skeptical about whether or not we actually saved any time.
That's a great ideaโI really should start doing that. I took my maps out when I sold a car years ago, and somehow, they never made their way back.
Old-school habits are hard to shakeโand often, theyโre best left unbroken.
Haven't seen a paper map @ a gas station in the US in a decade at least. Truck stops still have the big bound ones for Truck drivers I believe.
Oh yes! The paper map. There's no better way to take in a whole state, view the entirety of it, and understand the placement of things.
Best way to plan in the day was to write down all of the turns and exits, and compass directions on a small spiral notepad before the trip. Whoever rode shotgun was your navigator too.
Where to start with: Terry Pratchett
With more than 75m copies of his books sold around the world, Terry Pratchett is one of the most loved British writers, best known for his comic fantasy novels set on a fictional planet, #Discworld. Ten years on from the authorโs death, and just before what would have been his 77th birthday, Pratchettโs biographer Marc Burrows has put together a guide to his heroโs work
dumptheguardian.com/books/2025โฆ
Ten years on from his death and just before what would have been his 77th birthday, take a deep dive into the funny, fantasy works of one of the most loved British writersMarc Burrows (The Guardian)
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Good morning everyone โ๏ธ Long lie for me today, and boy did I need it after my trip out yesterday. I zonked out as soon as my head hit the pillow and only woke up about half an hour ago! I'm sitting with the parrots now, and Grant, who is still snoozing. We have Classic FM Calm on and the only other sounds are those of the air filter and Toby munching - little moments of peace like these are the best ๐
I plan to finish the competition toy today and then maybe do some gaming. I was all fired up yesterday to start cleaning out the "junk room", but I just don't have the spoons now so it will have to wait a bit longer.
Have a lovely day, whatever you get up to ๐ค
#Parrots #PetsOfMastodon #BirdsOfMastodon #BirdsOfFediverse #GoodMorning #Crochet
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Quickly edited a video ๐น that's uploading to PeerTube now. Arwen was busy with all the sniffs, so I had some time to play on my phone... ๐
She had a nice time. And we're slowly heading to Skoosh... At one point, I wondered if she wasn't going to get the ball... We do have plenty of spares, but her not getting it isn't a good thing... ๐
I did my best with the alt text again... Hope you'll like it!
catch you later! ๐พ ๐
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Well, itโs not really wrong, but according to a growing group of people, it is. So I feel some pressure because I feel that โI need to do it rightโ, but I donโt really know how. Or, I kinda know, but I donโt have the spoons, expertise, or concentration, to change thingsโฆ
I wanna do things good, I donโt want to get people mad at me because I โmess it upโ, but there is no one I know that could help me with the things that I โshouldโ make changes with. Some people make these changes sound so simple, but I am sure that I am not equipped to โeasilyโ do it as wellโฆ If onlyโฆ ๐
But what? What am talking (well, writing actually) about? Well, the entshittification of things, and how to quit the โbad thingsโ.
The most difficult thing is, I get huge anxiety issues with changes! My autism doesnโt do those things properly. And dealing with that anxiety also means I make mistakes. And with important things, you just canโt afford to make these mistakes. So knowing that makes it even harder to think about actually doing itโฆ If that makes senseโฆ ๐ค
I quit Facebook years ago! So thatโs one thing I ditched before the mess got worse. I joined Mastodon in November โ22, and shortly after that, I left Twitter (Iโve never been on โXโ. So thatโs another thing Iโm โfreeโ of. I left Instagram a few months ago, so another yay for me.
But if I did all this, whatโs do bad then? Wellโฆ
I use Google products, mostly Gmail, Maps, and Drive. Ow and translate. I use hotmail. I have Amazon prime and sometimes I order there (when I canโt get it cheap enough any place elseโฆ). And, I use AI to make images and to create alt texts.
I try to be economical with everything, so me using AI is contradicting the economical bits. But my reasoning (however wrong it can be) is that, because I live so economically with my energy and water usage, I can use the occasional AI and still be less damaging than many other folksโฆ ๐ค
I did install โOSMโ (Open Street Map), but I need go figure out how it works, as Iโm so used to Maps. So I decided that Iโll try the app the next time I need to drive a route that I know, just to see how it will guide me and all that. Maybe I will be able to make that switch, at leastโฆ
But the idea of needing to find a new email provider and getting new accountsโฆ And then, one needs to change all the logins that are done with the old emails to the new ones. Which means dealing with a lot of changes and passwords. I have no idea what would be a good substitute for my Gmail and Hotmail accounts, and I wouldnโt know where to begin to change all the logins that I have with those โoldโ emails thenโฆ. Butโฆ If there would be someone near me that would have the patience, knowledge, and time, to help me through it all, I would definitely want to make the change.
I used to upload to YouTube, but Iโve switched to PeerTube. Unfortunately, I sometimes still need to use YouTube, as many things still get shared thereโฆ
I wish I was smart enough to host my own cloud service for things I wanna save besides having a copy on my phone. I had dropbox bit that became too expensive for me. I now use free versions of Drive and OneDrive, but I would love it if there was a good service out there that would give me some space and a good app to upload/download from phone/laptop/tablet. Andโฆ If it were safe and affordable!
Before Arwen needed the more expensive meds every four weeks, I could have afforded some services that would have been better than the Microsoft and Google options. But I just donโt have the funds to pay for any services yet. I already feel bad that I canโt contribute to my Mastodon and PeerTube as much as I would likeโฆ ๐
And yeah, I use AI. I use it for images, which many frown uponโฆ And I use it for alt texts (image descriptions for people using screen readers). I donโt use it to find things, I donโt use it to write things (besides the alt texts). But I know AI uses loads of resources. ๐ And I know that AI can steal from artists.
And I wish I were a natural when it comes to writing alt textsโฆ Cause it can be a bit of a hassle to use an app and then copy and paste and edit and all thatโฆ
I wish I were talented! That I could โjustโ use a special drawing board (or beautiful tablet), and that I could draw all the silly ideas I often have for things that I wanna use for my blogs. I always try to share the images, so that more people can use it and the recourses wonโt be too wasted. And I only make images when I โneedโ them for blogs or friends. Sure, Iโve dabbled with it in the beginningโฆ But knowing how much it uses, and knowing I wanna be economical when it comes to power and waterโฆ. I try not to wasteโฆ Which sounds silly, as every time I use AI, I wasteโฆ ๐
Ughโฆ I wanna do good. I wanna be good. I want to do things properly and all that. Butโฆ I admit! I enjoy making images with AI. I love that AI can make me some decent enough alt texts, that I just need to edit a wee bit, and then theyโre better than what I could have writtenโฆ
Iโve tried Open Street Map, and itโs definitely something I need to learn how to use. ๐ค I may look in to the paid options, as I am used to Maps providing me loads, and it seems OSM is a bit more limited in the free version. I donโt mind paying a small fee to support an app that can help me with things. Sure, free things are fun! But nothing is free, really, so I rather pay a small fee to a deserving developer/small company, than to support the big ones that donโt play by any decent and fair rulesโฆ
I try. Iโm definitely not brave enough to โjustโ ditch my email bits. Iโd need to be sure of a good and simple provider. And I need to be in a better headspace then, as Iโm already scared Iโll mess things up too badly.
Some people just make it sound so simple to โjustโ do the right things. And, maybe theyโre smarter than me, more confident than me, maybe they have more knowledge of the things at handโฆ But me and changes is very hard, especially when so much can go wrong. ๐
Iโll just keep trying, and I hope that no one will hate me for not going all the way, and being able to ditch all the โbad thingsโ. I try to live as economically as I can, I try not to waste stuff, I drive a hybrid car so I use less gasoline (unfortunately I do need the car more these days, but Iโd love a good ebike so I could use that more when possible). I donโt use that much electricity (I think?). My house doesnโt have any gas connected, itโs all electric, with some solar panels, a heat pump and heat ventilation systemโฆ I donโt waste any food. Some of my clothes are older than Arwen! ๐ I tryโฆ
And yeah, sometimes I use the dark side of the forceโฆ ๐
Thank you for your interest in my blog. I really appreciate your visit. If you like my posts and you want to share them on your social media, please, feel free to do so! Iโd be honored. If you donโt want to miss a thing, press the follow button (youโll need to be a signed in WP user) or you can follow me though the FediVerse with the link below, or scroll down and leave your email below this post. If you are a WP user and you would like me to know you liked my post, press the star/like button please. You can also comment when you see this post as a Toot on the Fediverse, and Iโll be notified of that as well. Thanks ever so much! Of course comments are welcome, but spam wonโt get shared, so donโt bother with thatโฆ
Please be wise and stay safe! I hope to see you back real soon again, feel free to drop in anytime! Wishing you all the best. With love, Cynni ๐น
I am living on a disability income and donโt generate an income with my blog. If you would like to support me and my work, Iโd greatly appreciate it. Every bit helps me tremendously. For more information and a donation link, please check out ko-fi.com/PlaystationPixy
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Thanks ever so much ๐
The image features a person and a chocolate Labrador Retriever. The dog is positioned on the left side of the image, with its mouth open and tongue out, appearing happy and relaxed.Flickr
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Compilation of 4 short vids with some music added to it.
They show an aging chocolate brown Labrador with greying snout, walking through the woods and playing at the waterside.
๐ฅ 26/04/2025
Edited with YouCut
Music by Aberrant Realities from Pixabay
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Good morning fellow Mastos and hello to the weekend. Wesley got the all clear from the vet yesterday, but he's got to take things easy for another 5 days. Might be difficult!
MrsD is off to see a friend today, so I'm on dog walking and book writing duties. Should be fun, it's blowing a gale outside and Wesley hates wind.
Have a great Saturday, whatever you are doing today. Have fun and lots of laughs. Take care.
Today's photo is yet another Buckie sunset, from a couple of nights ago.
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Good morning to you too MrD ๐
Yay for Wesley! Won't be long before he is racing around again. Weather permitting of course ๐
It's cloudy with a chance of rain, so whilst MrsSP is out with a friend for breakfast, I am doing the laundry and mowing the lawns. Then a bit of weeding as the beds have not been touched for a while.
Have fun with the dog walking and booking, keep those pages flowing!
A lovely view in the picture!
Have a good day, doing whatever you end up doing.
Martin
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