So I’m going to preface with the fact that I don’t hate Christmas. I thought I did for a long time but forced to actually stop and consider it, that’s not an accurate statement.

However, I do object to a lot of how Christmas is portrayed and celebrated now (UK if that make a difference)

• it’s a family affair: every TV program, every billboard, every commercial on the radio is telling you that this is a family occasion, a coming together. For those of us that are divorced or otherwise alone, it’s a really fucking lonely time of year precisely because you’re effectively being told from all angles that if you’re not at the centre of a massive family celebration, you’re a sad loser

• too long: it’s one day, maybe one week if you can extend it all. For this we have to have 3 months of build up? It’s too much, builds all the stress and makes the actual day unlikely to live up to the hype

• Music: saccharine Christmas music from November onwards. I have a playlist of music that I can stand and I listen to it occasionally (I’m listening to it now). So sorry to anyone working in retail who has to listen to it on repeat

• competitive: did you have the most lights? Most people round? Fanciest meal? Tell us all about it. Please, call in to the radio because we really care

• unchanging tradition: people who have to have it exactly as it was when they were young and force everyone else to conform to that singular vision

So over the last couple of years I’ve had time and space to focus on what do I want it to be and I’ve decided that for me Christmas is about: light and warmth and love.

I don’t need anything else but pretty lights to look at, a warm house and the love of my family and friends. I now see Christmas cards as a little present, a bundle of love. I send them with a message because I’m saying that I love you with each one.

I’ve told my boys they don’t need to buy me anything, just their presence is all I need to make me happy.

I make sure to focus on seeing my friends and making sure they know that I appreciate them.

This has all helped massively. I still get the lonely feeling - tonight I’ll be by myself on Christmas Eve and that’s hard, but I can concentrate on what it means to me and that helps loads.

Hans, are we the baddies?

I’ve just started into a pixel art journey for a game I’m making, currently using LibreSprite. This looks like it’s going to be that on steroids, am I right? I’m guessing that what I lose in simplicity I gain in toolset power?

Got to rule 14 but Malaysia as the country made it impossible to get the Roman numerals to multiply to 35

Wasn’t this called black ice in Neuromancer? Security systems that actively tried to harm the hacker?

I see a lot of your comments about F being objectively same or better compared to G. The only thing I’d throw into the mix is the socket switch feels so logical, I’m really surprised it’s not more standard.

High frequency use case: I don’t need my microwave on all the time showing me the time, so I switch it off at the socket unless I’m using it

Low frequency use case: before going on holiday I switch all the electrics off at the sockets

Por que no los dos?

The best implementation of LLM-AI for me is self hosted but accessible on my phone so it’s mine and under my control with my data scoping.

Thinking like Immich, for LLM-AI.

Sounds like this steps us closer which is great.

I use fancy zones, and also the one that finds your mouse cursor as I’m always losing it, and the always on top mode for when I don’t want a teams call to vanish while I do something else

I finally found some similar examples in the forums at board game geek and they had done just as you suggest. If I can closely match the thickness of the table with the battens, I could then use some twirly catch thingies (technical term) to make sure it doesn’t tip if someone leans on it.

Good idea about the waterproofing on the felt

I’m on a pixel 8 with 256 similar to your other reply. Graphene is supporting back to early pixels and has weekly updates so I don’t think phone age makes a support difference, I just went with the newest reconditioned one I could afford.

I use signal, Lemmy (Thunder), NewPipe (for YouTube), Aegis auth, banking apps (but check forums on specific banks).

Losing Google Pay made me feel like a peasant for a while, I now have a case that carries cards and feel fine.

I switched from Vanadium to Iron Fox because I like the extensions, uBlock and Consent-O-Matic.

I used to enjoy the divorced birds sub over in the other place that this tweet spawned

Why is the third panel a different species?!

Thirded.

Also, is your username a cosmere reference?

Such a good series, I could watch it for hours

A drone drone?

Just wait 'til i fight back with my drone drone drone

I use Ironfox and have never found cause for complaint. I’m on GrapheneOS which shipped with vanadium but I wanted the adblock and consent-o-matic addins so switched.

Third line could be “the dreams that I get rekt in”

AI enabled Elmo? Helping your cave dwelling children develop their creativity?

A fucking depraved dirty sex act, you’d feel shame even googling

Only if you’re doing it right!