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Posts from 2021
0001-01-01 :
🍱 Link:
“Translating cooking terms between US / UK / AU / CA / NZ” 2021-01-01 : 🐶 Photo post:
The consummate NYE guest, and the cat who was very unhappy to see him back again after a six month absence 😾 2021-01-03 : 🎮 Micro post:
Considering I’m notoriously bad at platformers and I died on the tutorial like 10 times, I feel proud that on my … 2021-01-03 : 📚 Book review:
The Orchard of Lost Souls by Nadifa Mohamed (★★★½)2021-01-04 : 🖥 Micro post:
Found out that The StoryGraph (external link) has undergone a revamp (and officially launched) and got a lot of … 2021-01-04 : 🐱 Photo post:
Here’s one of Viv’s and my friends in the neighbourhood. His name is Timmka and he often waits in his front … 2021-01-05 : 🐱 Photo post:
This accursed cat decided to stay out very late last night – something she never really does. We went out calling and … 2021-01-05 : 🐱 Photo post:
Trying to avoid a repeat of last night’s antics, I brought Gidget in at 7:30 seeing as I knew where she was then. … 2021-01-06 : 🎮 Micro post:
Yesterday I discovered this amazing free(mium) browser game, AI Dungeon (external link). If you haven’t … 2021-01-07 : 🇺🇸 Stray Thoughts on the Storming of the US Capitol :
It seemed like it would be remiss of me to post today without mentioning the day’s biggest news: the storming of … 2021-01-08 : 🗒 Micro post:
When people say they’re “useless until I’ve had my morning coffee”, they’re referring to … 2021-01-08 : 🖥 Experimenting with Gemini :
Gemini (external link) is a relatively new internet protocol, aiming to offer a much lighter-weight, … 2021-01-09 : 👩🏻 Photo post:
Since Melbourne’s first lockdown I’ve been growing out my hair (not just because hairdressers were closed, I’d also been … 2021-01-10 : 🖥 Tracking My Reading :
One of my major hobbies is reading. I was a fanatical reader as a kid, and while I’ve definitely gone through … 2021-01-11 : 🏏 Micro post:
Interesting article here by Usman Khawaja (external link) on the hostility of Australian cricket to aspiring … 2021-01-11 : 💬 Micro post:
A linguistic pet peeve of mine: people saying “all X are not Y” when what they mean is “not all X are … 2021-01-11 : 📚 Book review:
The Burning God by R.F. Kuang (★★★)2021-01-12 : 🐱 Micro post:
So, Gidget loves hot weather. Give her a heatwave and she has the time of her life, snoozing outside in temperatures of … 2021-01-13 : 🐱 On Gidget Not Wanting to See Guests :
Gidget is an indoor-outdoor cat, but we (try to) keep her in between dusk and dawn (which is even the local bylaw, … 2021-01-14 : 🐶 Photo post:
I realised I’ve been slacking on the photo posts lately, so here’s Gizmo a couple of weekends ago. It was … 2021-01-14 : 🖥 Owning My Content :
One of the reasons I started this blog is that I’d come across the concept of the IndieWeb and really liked it. I … 2021-01-14 : 📚 Book review:
All Systems Red by Martha Wells (★★★★)2021-01-16 : 🐶 Photo post:
We paid a visit to this little guy (and his humans) yesterday. Although he was excited when we got there, he later … 2021-01-16 : 💻 Site update:
It’s actually ridiculous how much time I’ve put into this, but after posting the other day about wanting to … 2021-01-17 : 💵 Micro post:
For anyone curious about COL in different cities – I found this neat tool (external link) that compares it in … 2021-01-18 : 🐶 Photo post:
The dog beach was the place to be yesterday! Beautiful weather, and many many dogs. Gizmo certainly enjoyed himself 🐶 2021-01-19 : 🏏 Micro post:
Sometimes I almost wonder why they even have reviews of LBW decisions… the bar to overturn a decision is ludicrously … 2021-01-19 : 🐱 Photo post:
Gidget likes to shepherd us humans off to bed when it gets to 10 or 11, then watches us like a hawk to make sure we go … 2021-01-20 : 📚 Book review:
Amnesty by Lara Elena Donnelly (★★★★)2021-01-20 : 📛 Political Labels on the Left :
If I ever asked you to describe your politics, the exact word you’d label those politics with is a lot less … 2021-01-21 : 🍺 Photo post:
It was a warm day today, so Viv and I took a late afternoon walk to our local beach.
On our way home, we ducked into a … 2021-01-23 : 🍃 Photo post:
Today Viv and I drove out to the Dandenong Ranges on Wurundjeri land to do the Eastern Sherbrooke Forest Walk. We went a … 2021-01-25 : 🇦🇺 Micro post:
Tomorrow (26 January) is a public holiday in Australia, marking the day white colonists arrived at what’s now … 2021-01-26 : 🐱 Photo post:
When the cool change came through yesterday, my heat-loving cat was not impressed. She was immediately demanding that I … 2021-01-28 : 💬 Dabbling in Language-Learning :
In recent times, I’ve been tossing up whether I should try to learn some basic German. The thing that’s … 2021-01-29 : 🐱 Photo post:
Fun fact: while Gidget loves arid heat, she ALSO loves heavy rain. She likes to sit under cover and just watch it fall. … 2021-01-29 : 📰 Micro post:
Here’s an important article on how the Left must get ready to deal with deplatforming by Big Tech (external … 2021-01-29 : 🎮 Micro post:
So here’s a neat online game: The Royal Game of Ur (external link) is a FOSS implementation of a game first … 2021-01-30 : 📚 Micro post:
A couple of days ago I read Vylar Kaftan’s short story, The Weight of the Sunrise (external link) (read it … 2021-01-31 : 🥥 Recipe:
Lemongrass and Coconut Soup :
A sweet, sour and spicy soup drawing on Thai-style flavours, packed with fish, fresh vegetables and rice noodles. 2021-01-31 : 🫑 Recipe:
Chicken Jambalaya :
A delicious smoky and slightly spicy dish inspired by the flavours of Louisiana. 2021-01-31 : 🍗 Recipe:
Chicken Stew :
Made in a pressure cooker, this is a traditional rustic stew full of poultry and veggie goodness. Pears, herbs and a … 2021-01-31 : 🍱 Photo post:
Just sharing a photo of the chicken tacos I made the other night, cos they came out very photogenic 😅 (and delicious! 😋) … 2021-01-31 : 🌶 Recipe:
Chilli Con Carne :
A delicious, hearty stew of minced meat, tomatoes and peppers. Served here with rice. 2021-02-01 : 🍃 Photo post:
I’m not sure how I’ll do, but I thought it’d be fun to participate in Micro.blog’s Feb 2021 … 2021-02-01 : 🍝 Recipe:
Spaghetti Bolognese :
My spin on this famed Italian classic. 2021-02-01 : 🍛 Recipe:
Japanese-Style Stir Fry :
Packed full of sweet and salty flavours, this finely balanced East Asian-inspired dish is as quick to prepare as it is … 2021-02-01 : 🐱 Photo post:
A neighbour’s cat, Ben, came to the front window to ask whether Gidget was home. I had to tell him she … 2021-02-02 : ☕️ Photo post:
Day 2 of the photoblogging challenge (external link)! Today’s prompt is morning beverage. Last year I … 2021-02-02 : 💻 Improving Load Times by Fixing My Images :
As I mentioned in my post about Gemini, mine is a lightweight website for the most part; it’s built with a static … 2021-02-03 : 🐱 Photo post:
Day 3 of Micro.blog’s photoblogging challenge (external link)! Today’s prompt is comfort. For this, I … 2021-02-03 : 📰 Online Anonymity is a Right, Not a Privilege :
Here’s a great TechDirt article on the importance of online anonymity (external link). As it points out, … 2021-02-04 : 👩🏻 Photo post:
Day 4 (external link)’s prompt is layers, which I found a tricky one 🤔 Melburnians are known for our … 2021-02-05 : 🐱 Photo post:
Day 5 of the photoblogging challenge (external link) has the easiest prompt… pets! 🤣 For this one, have an old … 2021-02-05 : 💬 Mental Models of Languages :
So as we know, children acquire their native language by being exposed to lots and lots of input in that language, … 2021-02-06 : 👩🏻 Photo post:
For today’s photoblogging challenge (external link), the day 6 prompt is sport. Viv and I go for different … 2021-02-06 : 📚 Micro post:
It’s been so long since I’ve actually read a whole book at this point, I think because I started one I’m not really … 2021-02-07 : 🍱 Photo post:
As I’ve mentioned before I no longer eat mammal meat, which is mostly easy peasy but just occasionally I get the … 2021-02-08 : 💻 My first blog entry on Hugo :
Hello world! For a little while now I’ve been working on adding a blog to my Hugo-generated static site, and I … 2021-02-08 : 🏝 Photo post:
It’s day 8 of Micro.blog’s photoblogging challenge (external link), which means today’s prompt … 2021-02-09 : 🐶 Photo post:
For day 9 of Micro.blog’s photoblogging challenge (external link), the prompt is muddy. It’s not … 2021-02-09 : 💻 Site update:
It’s been a busy day of barely doing anything but website work, but I’m making good progress getting the … 2021-02-10 : 🐱 Photo post:
Oh, to have the energy of a kitten who’s just realised she’s made a terrible mistake 😂 For today, I thought … 2021-02-11 : 📚 Micro post:
Next month it’s my dad’s birthday, and given his strong interest in mathematics and the fact he’s been … 2021-02-11 : 🦠 Micro post:
So Melbourne had like two local Covid-19 transmissions yesterday meaning that obviously South Australia felt obliged to … 2021-02-11 : 🖥 Photo post:
Lately I’ve been spending a lot of time peering at this machine, setting my blog up how I want it. MacBook Airs … 2021-02-12 : 👩🏻 Photo post:
My face when I saw that today’s #mbfeb (external link) challenge prompt is sporg… 2021-02-12 : 🦠 Micro post:
Apparently all signs are pointing to a lockdown being about to be declared (external link) because we had 13 new … 2021-02-12 : 🐱 Photo post:
My neighbour’s cat, Gracie, has made herself a lovely bed out of a flowerpot 😸 2021-02-12 : 🦠 Victoria Back in Lockdown :
After 13 new Covid cases in the last week, all associated with a specific hotel and a family quarantined there (the … 2021-02-13 : 📰 A (Largely Political) Linkpost :
In the near future, I’d like to have templates in place on my blog, so I can post proper bookmarks (and replies … 2021-02-13 : 🗣 Reply to:
“My war on doomscrolling” by Toby Kurien 2021-02-13 : 🍱 Photo post:
Tonight I decided to make gnocchi with chicken sausages in a butternut squash sauce 😋 If you’re interested in … 2021-02-14 : 🖥 Micro post:
Opened up Firefox today and it’s reset my entire profile 😒 Can’t wait to reinstall all my extensions, reset … 2021-02-14 : ❤️ Like of:
“Sex-Positivity Means Unlearning Shame” by Tim Smith 2021-02-14 : 💻 Site update:
So I think I’ve now got interactions set up and displaying properly!
I’m relying on … 2021-02-14 : 🐱 Photo post:
Gidget says, “Mum… tell those mice to have some compassion and come out to be eaten!” 😼 #mbfeb 2021-02-14 : ❤️ Like of:
“Obi looking extra cute during his Saturday afternoon nap” by Tim Smith 2021-02-14 : ❤️ Like of:
“Do Adults Really Not Remember School Sucked?” by Ian Welsh 2021-02-14 : 📚 Book review:
A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers (★★★★★)2021-02-14 :
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“Fury at ‘do not resuscitate’ notices given to Covid patients with learning disabilities” 2021-02-15 : 🐝 Photo post:
This week in “Yikes!"… we have a wasp infestation affecting our flat 😳 A few days ago (just before the … 2021-02-15 :
📰 Link:
“Senator Jordon Steele-John shares his personal story of growing up disabled in Australia” 2021-02-15 : 🐱 Photo post:
Today I have another photo from when Gidget was a kitten. She’s always found comfort hiding behind the couch, and … 2021-02-16 : 🐝 Micro post:
After quite a process, the wasps should be about to meet their doom – the wasp control people have said they’ll be … 2021-02-16 : 🖥 You Already Don't Need Google Search :
Even though a compromise seems to be emerging, Australian media is still abuzz with the possibility (or threat) that … 2021-02-16 : 💷 Micro post:
Random fact: the reason an Australian dollar has long been worth approx. half a British pound is decimalisation. In both … 2021-02-16 : 🗣 Reply to:
“Let's Imagine a Better World” by Tim Smith 2021-02-16 : 🐱 Photo post:
Ever the erudite cat, this one was transfixed by the quoll documentary that was on the other night. At least, I’m … 2021-02-17 : 🍃 Photo post:
Today Victoria is still in lockdown, although the good news is that’ll end at midnight tonight, on schedule. … 2021-02-17 :
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“Massive Texas gas failure during climate extremes gets blamed on wind power” by Ketan Joshi 2021-02-17 : 📚 Micro post:
Yesterday I started reading N.K. Jemisin’s The Fifth Season, and apparently I had such an expression on my face … 2021-02-17 : 🍱 Photo post:
Inspired by this blog post yesterday (external link), I had a go of my own making cheese buldak (aka Korean fire … 2021-02-18 : 🇦🇺 Micro post:
Wow, they’ve gone and done it. While Google has tried to reach a compromise with commercial news outlets, Facebook … 2021-02-18 : 🇦🇺 On the AusGov vs Google/FB Stoush :
So, the House of Representatives has passed a bill (external link) requiring Google and Facebook to pay money to … 2021-02-18 :
🇦🇺 Link:
“The Government Just Got Rid Of The Family Court With The Help Of One Nation & Crossbenchers” 2021-02-18 :
🇦🇺 Link:
“A new online safety bill could allow censorship of anyone who engages with sexual content on the internet” by Zahra Zsuzsanna Stardust 2021-02-18 : 📷 Photo post:
For day 18 of Micro.blog’s photoblogging challenge (external link), the prompt is “at home”. A … 2021-02-19 : 📚 Book review:
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin (★★★★★)2021-02-19 : 🍃 Photo post:
A few years ago, my grandma came and helped me plant some things in the flowerbed at the front of my flat. Some of them … 2021-02-19 : 🐱 Photo post:
So it’s 28°C outside and this cat is begging me to turn the heater on… 🤨 2021-02-20 :
🎬 Link:
“Judas and the Black Messiah Actually Does Fred Hampton Justice” 2021-02-20 : 🏏 Micro post:
The ABC has published an article wondering if the death of test cricket is nigh (external link). Honestly, I … 2021-02-20 :
🏟 Link:
“Former Collingwood player Leon Davis: 'We don't want our kids to have to go through the bullshit'” by Amy McQuire 2021-02-20 : 📷 Photo post:
After a few hot days (and nights) in a row, the cool change came earlier than expected this afternoon, resulting in … 2021-02-21 : ❤️ Like of:
“42 admissions” by Ben Werdmüller 2021-02-21 : 🖥 How I Integrated Webmentions Into My Hugo Static Site :
Since I moved my blog over to Hugo, I’ve been wanting to do a little series of posts about various aspects of my … 2021-02-21 :
🇺🇸 Link:
“Griddy customers face $5,000 electric bills for 5 freezing days in Texas” 2021-02-21 : 🍱 Photo post:
Why does food look more appealing when it’s colourful? Is it some kind of evolutionary adaption because in nature, … 2021-02-22 :
👮 Link:
“It’s the anniversary of Malcolm X’s assassination.…” by Hari Kunzru 2021-02-22 : 🐱 Photo post:
🐈 For today’s #mbfeb challenge post, I thought I’d share another photo of Gidget during the spell of hot … 2021-02-22 : ❤️ Like of:
“Life Happens: Towards Community Support For Prioritizing Life Events And Mutual Care, Starting With The #IndieWeb” by Tantek Çelik 2021-02-22 :
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“Teachers and Their Unions Are Demanding Truly Safe Schools Reopening — Not “Ignoring Science”” 2021-02-22 :
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“Workers Should Take Back Control of Their Pension Funds” 2021-02-22 : 🐶 Photo post:
Yesterday we got to bring Gizmo to the beach for the first time in a few weeks! Gizmo was loving it, charging around … 2021-02-23 : 🍌 Photo post:
Today’s #mbfeb prompt is banana, so I’m sharing my favourite way to eat banana: mashed into baked oatmeal! … 2021-02-24 : 🇦🇺 Micro post:
For anyone out there who was following the saga: the Australian government has indeed backed down (external link) … 2021-02-24 :
💵 Link:
“The Fake Debate Over a Minimum Wage” 2021-02-24 :
🇦🇺 Link:
“Queensland's Public Trustee accused of profiting off people who lack capacity to manage own affairs” 2021-02-24 :
👮 Link:
“Britain’s Government Has Decided No One Should Police the Police” 2021-02-24 : 🐱 Photo post:
Gidget’s now five and a half, but the tidying I did yesterday uncovered a purple hair tie that she used to play … 2021-02-24 : 🖨 Micro post:
One thing I did not expect when Viv and I went to pick up our new printer from Officeworks was the guy working at … 2021-02-24 : ❤️ Like of:
“WhatsApp and the domestication of users” by Rohan Kumar 2021-02-25 :
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“Ask a policy expert: why is it so hard to get on the disability support pension?” 2021-02-25 : 💬 Micro post:
My honest opinion that I absolutely will not stand by if challenged by someone with coercive power over me is that … 2021-02-25 :
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“Economics professor Ross Garnaut says Australia voluntarily keeps hundreds of thousands unemployed” 2021-02-25 :
🇦🇺 Link:
“‘Destruction by a thousand cuts’: the relentless threat mining poses to the Pilbara cultural landscape” 2021-02-25 :
🇦🇺 Link:
“Sky News Australia is tapping into the global conspiracy set – and it’s paying off” 2021-02-25 : 🖥 Photo post:
Today’s #mbfeb (external link) prompt is “code”, so I took a photo of where I do my coding 😜 It … 2021-02-25 : 📚 Book review:
Break the Dark by Cheryl Lawson (★★)2021-02-26 : 🖥 The Online Firehose :
FYI: This post is a rewritten and expanded version of this post that I published on Dreamwidth (external link) … 2021-02-26 : 🐶 Photo post:
Some of my favourite recent photos that I haven’t already posted are these: Gizmo munching on his dentastick! … 2021-02-27 : 🎬 Promising Young Woman at the Astor :
Last night Viv and I went to the Astor to see Promising Young Woman, starring Carey Mulligan (actually it was a … 2021-02-27 :
📰 Link:
“The trouble with boys: what lies behind the flood of teenage sexual assault stories?” 2021-02-27 : ❤️ Like of:
“Google Analytics: Stop feeding the beast” by Caspar Wrede 2021-02-27 : 🐱 Photo post:
Today’s #mbfeb prompt is “pompasetting”, which apparently is a Caribbean word meaning “showing … 2021-02-27 :
🇺🇸 Link:
“How Korea Became a Forgotten War” 2021-02-27 : 👩🏻🏫 On Teacher Workloads :
Just read this article on teacher workloads (external link), and I had some things to say about it. While … 2021-02-28 :
📰 Link:
“Denmark’s “Zero Asylum” Plan Means Psychological Torture for Refugees” 2021-02-28 : 🗣 Reply to:
“On writing in public” by Ben Werdmüller 2021-02-28 : 🥑 Photo post:
The other day when I was walking along the driveway, I looked up and noticed these avocados growing in the tree outside … 2021-02-28 :
📰 Link:
“Myanmar’s spring revolution” 2021-02-28 : 🚗 Micro post:
Just read this article (external link), proposing the closed Holden factory in Adelaide be repurposed to build … 2021-02-28 : 🖨 Photo post:
Not a moment too soon, our new printer has been set up! We opted to buy a Brother one, because their Mac/Linux support … 2021-03-01 : 🐱 Photo post:
🐈 My parents and sister paid me their usual Sunday visit yesterday, and for once, Gidget came out and accepted pets from … 2021-03-01 :
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“To expand women's prisons is idiotic and inhumane. We should phase them out” by Sonia Sodha 2021-03-01 :
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“Education Should Be About Building Democratic Citizens, Not Compliant Workers” 2021-03-01 :
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“Finland Had a Patent-Free COVID-19 Vaccine Nine Months Ago — But Still Went With Big Pharma” 2021-03-01 :
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“Roughly 3,000 Words on Yes Minister Pilot Edits” by John Hoare 2021-03-01 :
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“The invention of ‘heterosexuality’” by Brandon Ambrosino 2021-03-01 : 🐱 Photo post:
The #mbfeb (external link) challenge continues for an extra few days! Here’s a selfie I took with the one I … 2021-03-02 :
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“The Utopian Promise of Self-Checkout Machines” 2021-03-02 :
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“Ten years since the great Arab revolutions” 2021-03-02 : 🐱 Photo post:
A demolition is taking place nearby, loud enough to completely dominate the ambient noise here for three business days. … 2021-03-02 :
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“The Anti-Colonial Revolt Was Key to Lenin’s Vision of Revolution” 2021-03-02 : 🇦🇺 Micro post:
Ahh, can you tell WA is holding an election in 11 days? Their premier is now talking about keeping up border … 2021-03-02 :
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“The road to electric is filled with tiny cars” 2021-03-02 : 📚 Book review:
Cloudstreet by Tim Winton (★½)2021-03-03 : 🇦🇺 Micro post:
So a Rio Tinto chairman and a board director are to resign after the company willfully destroyed 46,000-year-old … 2021-03-03 : 🍾 Photo post:
Last night we went to my parents' place to celebrate a big occasion with them: their thirtieth wedding anniversary! 🥳 A … 2021-03-03 : 💬 Micro post:
Have you ever wondered where the English word “net” came from, and how it expanded to uses in … 2021-03-04 :
🇨🇦 Link:
“Placing the Proud Boys on Canada’s Terrorism List Is a Threat to the Left” 2021-03-05 : ✍🏻 Micro post:
So for the first time in maybe six weeks, I cracked open Scrivener and made some great progress rewriting my novel 😅 … 2021-03-05 :
🇵🇸 Link:
“The JNF is no innocent charity” 2021-03-05 : 📺 Micro post:
Sometimes I feel like the only millennial who hasn’t just mainlined every episode of The Simpsons. I mean, sure … 2021-03-05 :
🇺🇸 Link:
“Liberals Should Stop Trying to Save the GOP. Republicans Don’t Want to Be Saved.” 2021-03-05 : 🐶 Photo post:
My folks and sister are going away for the long weekend, so they’ve dropped Gizmo off to have his own little … 2021-03-06 : 🐶 Photo post:
Gizmo has seemed a bit subdued today, especially after Gidget hissed at him when he just wanted to play (twice), but he … 2021-03-06 :
🖥 Link:
“HERE IS THE ARTICLE YOU CAN SEND TO PEOPLE WHEN THEY SAY “BUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES WITH CRYPTOART WILL BE SOLVED SOON, RIGHT?”” by everest pipkin 2021-03-06 :
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“Why jobseeker is stuck ‘in the early 90s’ and leaving Australians behind” 2021-03-07 :
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“Cracks emerged in digital contact tracing system days before five-day lockdown” 2021-03-07 : 📚 Book review:
The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin (★★★)2021-03-07 : 🐱 Photo post:
Gizmo has met the third cat in his life who didn’t immediately hate him! Timmka here was full of curiosity, … 2021-03-09 :
💵 Link:
“The Fight for Free Time Is a Feminist Issue” 2021-03-10 : 🗒 Micro post:
I’ve been posting a lot less the last few days, and honestly I’ve just been so tired. I had a single day of … 2021-03-11 : 📰 On Women's Work Under Capitalism :
The thing that’s prompted me to write this post is the interesting Jacobin article, Second-Wave Feminism’s … 2021-03-11 : ❤️ Like of:
“What matters” by Ben Werdmüller 2021-03-11 : 🚀 Micro post:
Here’s a neat article on the predictions science fiction makes about technology (external link). I remember … 2021-03-11 :
💬 Link:
“Why I built LibreLingo” by Daniel Kantor 2021-03-11 : 🌶 Micro post:
In honour of a batch of dhal I made tonight and accidentally made spicier than I intended (but still just within my … 2021-03-12 : 📚 Book review:
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch (★★)2021-03-12 :
🇦🇺 Link:
“SDA Facts - Retail and Fast Food Workers Union” 2021-03-12 : 🇦🇺 Micro post:
So it’s 9:45 on a Friday night… my partner gets a call from an unknown number… it’s a recording urging him … 2021-03-13 : 🏘 Micro post:
It is truly awful that a town can have a homelessness crisis while 30% of properties there lie vacant (external … 2021-03-13 : 🐱 Photo post:
Gidget is loving her $350 new box! The printer that came in it was just a little freebie for the humans; we all know the … 2021-03-13 : 📚 Book review:
La pasión según Carmela by Marcos Aguinis (★★★★)2021-03-13 :
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“The children of gods: how power works in Australia” 2021-03-13 : 🗣 Bookmark of:
“LeftValues Results” 2021-03-14 : 🧙🏻♀️ Micro post:
For any other Harry Potter fans, I thought I’d share the best Hogwarts Sorting Hat quiz (external link) … 2021-03-15 :
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“How Facebook got addicted to spreading misinformation” 2021-03-15 :
🏳️🌈 Link:
“Phyllis Papps and Francesca Curtis came out on national TV in 1970. Their actions changed Australia forever” 2021-03-16 : 💬 Micro post:
I came across this interesting video on YouTube, WIKITONGUES: Jack speaking Ladino (external link). If … 2021-03-16 :
🇦🇺 Link:
“If Australia’s Unions Don’t Organize Unemployed Workers, They’re Digging Their Own Graves” 2021-03-17 : 🖥 Linux on M1 Macs :
So, when the first M1 Macs were released last year they were quickly recognised as some seriously impressive computers, … 2021-03-18 : 🐱 Photo post:
It’s turning out to be a busy week with lots of work, which is good in one way ($$$) but is keeping me away from … 2021-03-18 : 📚 Book review:
The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin (★★★★)2021-03-20 : 🗒 Micro post:
It’s Saturday at last (and my dad’s birthday, in fact – we’re going over later to celebrate with him) … 2021-03-20 :
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“Basics: Access, or the Wall Around Your Life” by Jarrett Walker 2021-03-21 : 🐶 Photo post:
Got to catch up with this little guy last night. While Gizmo was excited to see us, he was also very concerned about the … 2021-03-21 : 🖥 Micro post:
Today I found out that if you use the “Responsive Design” mode in your web browser’s developer tools, … 2021-03-22 :
💵 Link:
“The Myth of the Barter Economy” 2021-03-22 : 🦠 Why I'm Anxious to Get My Covid Vaccine :
Here in Australia we’re very behind the target our own government set for vaccinating the whole population, so I … 2021-03-22 :
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“The Australian-born children the government wants to deport because they have a disability” 2021-03-23 : 🇫🇷 Micro post:
Thinking back to my 12-year-old self today, and how I didn’t understand why we needed to spend like 10 weeks in a … 2021-03-24 :
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“Australian politics should be as diverse as its people” 2021-03-24 :
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“Amazon is a disaster for workers. Nomadland glosses over that” 2021-03-24 : 💻 Site update:
Years ago I used to be active on Q&A site Quora (external link). These days I can’t really be bothered … 2021-03-24 : 💬 Why aren't words pronounced the way they're spelt? :
Some time ago on Q&A website Quora, I answered a question about why English words aren’t pronounced the way … 2021-03-24 :
📰 Link:
“The rising threat of eco-fascism: Far right co-opting environmentalism to justify anti-immigration and anti-Semitic views” 2021-03-25 : 🏝 Photo post:
Here we’re only at the very tail end of the weather system that’s brought floods to the eastern seaboard, … 2021-03-26 : 🐱 Photo post:
Gidget was very unimpressed to see me packing my things to head out this morning… very much like, “What do you … 2021-03-27 : 🦠 Micro post:
Reading up on the Melbourne Comedy Festival’s COVID-Safe plan (external link) because Viv, Emma and I are … 2021-03-27 : 🩲 Period Panties :
If you, like me, are cursed with a monthly cycle, you might well have heard of period panties. The principle behind them … 2021-03-27 : 🚋 Micro post:
I kinda thought trams had to stop at the CBD stops but the one we were trying to catch sailed right on through without … 2021-03-28 : 👩🏻 Photo post:
Viv and I really enjoyed seeing “For a Good Time Call (external link)” at the MICF yesterday! (My … 2021-03-30 : 🐱 Photo post:
It’s starting to feel like working is all I ever do… and Gidget’s also seemed pretty miffed at not having … 2021-03-31 : 🚌 Micro post:
This morning I found PTV’s bus live tracking seemed to be based on the bus timetable instead of its actual location?! … 2021-03-31 : 🎬 On the 1979 Sydney Luna Park Fire :
Over the past couple of weeks I’ve appreciated the ABC’s Exposed documentary series on the 1979 Luna Park … 2021-03-31 : 📚 Book review:
The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri (★★★★)2021-04-01 : ❤️ Like of:
“Guilt-Tripped by a Chalkboard Sign” by Cheri 2021-04-01 :
🇺🇸 Link:
“The Three Factions of the American Left” by Ross Barkan 2021-04-01 : 💬 The Evolution of Canadian, Australian and NZ Englishes :
On Quora, I once answered a question about why Australian and NZ English sound more like “British English” … 2021-04-02 : 🗒 Micro post:
Good Friday today – start of a long weekend for Viv, and the school holidays for me! We’ve been blessed with … 2021-04-02 : 🏝 Photo post:
Today Viv and I went on an extended beach walk to soak up this late summery spell. And the beach was definitely the … 2021-04-02 : 🖥 Using Taxonomies to Create Monthly Archives in Hugo :
By default, Hugo doesn’t create date-based archive pages for you. And while it’s relatively straightforward … 2021-04-03 : 🏟 Micro post:
Whoo, just got home from a walk and saw that the Swans have unexpectedly beaten the reigning premiers … 2021-04-03 : 🍃 Photo post:
To further enjoy the perfect weather this weekend, Viv and I made it out to Sherbrooke Forest and did a 2¼ hour walk … 2021-04-03 : ⏰ Melbourne Time :
Tonight we set our clocks back to return to standard time, and as such here’s a discovery I made through Twitter: … 2021-04-03 :
🔍 Link:
“Why Easter is called Easter, and other little-known facts about the holiday” 2021-04-04 : 🍱 Photo post:
Today for lunch I cooked something new: dal makhani, based on this recipe (external link) with some cheeky … 2021-04-05 : 💻 Category-Specific RSS Feeds :
Tonight I did something I’ve been meaning to do for a while – created a page outlining the RSS feeds for this site … 2021-04-06 :
📰 Link:
“How cultural comedy is making us laugh louder” 2021-04-06 : ❤️ Like of:
“On the eve of immunity, 10 reflections” by Ben Werdmüller 2021-04-07 : 💬 Why I Still Find Spanish Imperatives Hard :
I started learning Spanish over 11 years ago and I’m not too bad at it now, but I have to admit but one of the … 2021-04-07 : 🐶 Photo post:
We got to see this little guy a couple of times over the Easter long weekend! Despite Gizmo’s best efforts, he … 2021-04-07 : 📚 Book review:
Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (★★½)2021-04-07 :
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“‘Just a simple fact’: Australia raises stake in vaccine war with Europe” 2021-04-07 :
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“How Facebook will benefit from its massive breach” by Cory Doctorow 2021-04-08 : 🐱 Micro post:
Had to run out a couple of hours ago when I heard a cat fight happening outside. Not sure who she was fighting, but I … 2021-04-09 : 🐱 Micro post:
Thanks for all the sympathy re: Gidget yesterday! Today she’s still limping when she walks, and mostly just … 2021-04-09 : ❤️ Like of:
“The real cancel culture” by Cory Doctorow 2021-04-09 : ❤️ Like of:
“How Working From Home Saved Me” by Alan Marsden 2021-04-09 : 🐱 Micro post:
We’ve been to the vet!
The good news is that there’s been no really bad news, although the vet wasn’t … 2021-04-09 : 🦠 AstraZeneca, blood clots and Australia :
Australia has followed the lead of a few European countries in curtailing the rollout of AstraZeneca vaccines, due to … 2021-04-10 : 🐱 Photo post:
Some even better news from yesterday: Gidget is back to walking around normally and insisting on going on her regular … 2021-04-10 :
🇺🇸 Link:
“MLK Was a Radical Who Hated Not Only Racial Subordination But Class Exploitation” 2021-04-10 :
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“Text Adventures: How Twine remade gaming” 2021-04-10 : ❄️ Micro post:
The first wintry blast of the year has well and truly hit Melbourne. Today and tomorrow have maxima of around 15°C, but … 2021-04-11 :
💵 Link:
“If Australia was more democratic, would its economic policies be better?” 2021-04-13 : 🧅 Caramelised Onions :
Last night I made caramelised onions for the first time ever, prompted I guess by this article about how time-consuming … 2021-04-13 : 🌦 Photo post:
A couple of days ago now, but our regular Sunday walk on the beach took place in the vicious cold and got hit by icy … 2021-04-14 : 📚 Book review:
The Sleep Room by F.R. Tallis (★★★★)2021-04-15 : 🎮 Micro post:
Recently I found, and started playing, Melvor Idle (external link). I’d been looking for a game I could … 2021-04-15 : 🏙 Melbourne's Property Development Crisis :
Like many people, I think, I have an instinctive contempt for property developers.
It’s not that I object to new … 2021-04-15 : 🏟 Micro post:
Can I be real, it’s really confusing that the Swans and GWS are apparently facing off in the VFL (external … 2021-04-16 : 🎮 Micro post:
Hello all, I have made an incredible discovery! Someone has ported the game of my childhood, Extreme Tux Racer, to … 2021-04-17 : ❤️ Like of:
“Ethical anti-design, or designing products that people can't get addicted to.” 2021-04-18 : ❤️ Like of:
“The Affordable Game” by Patrick Rhone 2021-04-19 : 🎬 Judas and the Black Messiah :
Yesterday Viv and I went and saw Judas and the Black Messiah, at long last. It’s about the Black Panthers’ Fred … 2021-04-19 :
🏟 Link:
“Is Aussie rules booming at rugby’s expense?” 2021-04-19 : ❤️ Like of:
“Heading back to Australia in times of Coronavirus” by Ash Kyd 2021-04-19 :
⭐️ Link:
“How to Self-Publish a Book in 10 Steps” by David Gaughran 2021-04-19 : 🖥 Micro post:
Had a weird experience today. I had to call Medicare to check on the progress of something that really should’ve … 2021-04-20 : 🐱 Photo post:
Holidays are over, so time to psych myself up for early starts again (yuck). Waking up before dawn is always tough, and … 2021-04-20 :
🏟 Link:
“The European Super League Is the Inevitable Conclusion of Football Capitalism” 2021-04-22 : 👮 Micro post:
This (external link) is an important article for Australians who are outraged by US police murders of Black … 2021-04-22 : ❤️ Like of:
“Marginalia 19: Four day weekend” by Hugh Rundle 2021-04-22 : ❤️ Like of:
““Modern” web design antipatterns” by fluffy 2021-04-23 :
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“More than 5,500 people get NSW police record after strip searches which found nothing illegal” 2021-04-23 : 🗒 Micro post:
It’s not the vaccine on everyone’s mind (cos I’m still not eligible for that one 😠) but I did have a … 2021-04-25 : 🎉 Reviewing Victoria's Public Holidays :
For those who are unaware, today (Sunday, 25 April) is the public holiday of Anzac Day, which commemorates a campaign … 2021-04-26 : 🖥 Micro post:
For a while I’ve been itching to try the Glitch-Soc (external link) variant of Mastodon, which has some … 2021-04-26 : 🐱 Photo post:
I realised it had been a few days since Gidget had last made use of her $350 box, so I figured she didn’t want it … 2021-04-27 : 🗒 Micro post:
Had a routine blood test this morning that I had to fast for… let me tell you, I’m enjoying my coffee now … 2021-04-27 : ❤️ Like of:
“Our Politics at Work” by Jason Becker 2021-04-27 : 📱 Updating My Hugo Blog From My Phone :
It is a truth universally acknowledged that an individual in possession of a Hugo blog must feel compelled to make loads … 2021-04-27 :
🇵🇸 Link:
“Israel is committing the crime of apartheid, rights watchdog says” 2021-04-27 :
🦠 Link:
“India needs our vaccines” 2021-04-29 :
🖥 Link:
“136 facts every web dev should know before they burn out and turn to landscape painting or nude modelling” by Baldur Bjarnason 2021-04-29 :
🏘 Link:
“Just 1.2 per cent of rental properties in Australia are affordable for minimum wage earners, analysis finds” 2021-04-29 : 🐱 Photo post:
Now this has been a common sight on recent mornings! You couldn’t ask for a sweeter or cuter cuddlebug ❤️ Maybe … 2021-04-30 : 🏝 Photo post:
It’s been many weeks since we’ve had a day as warm as 24°, but today Melbourne finally delivered! I had a … 2021-05-02 : 💻 Site update:
So, I’m taking the teensiest little baby steps towards creating a Micropub endpoint (external link) for my … 2021-05-02 :
🖥 Link:
“We spent six years scouring billions of links, and found the web is both expanding and shrinking” 2021-05-03 : 🏝 Photo post:
Some very dramatic skies about for our regular Sunday beach walk. 2021-05-04 : 🖥 Micro post:
Last night I got started setting up NextDNS (external link). I run µBlock Origin pretty religiously on all my … 2021-05-04 : 📷 Photo post:
Poor Viv has come down with a severe case of manflu. For 32 hours now he’s been languishing in bed, emerging only … 2021-05-05 :
🖥 Link:
“The Instagram Ads Facebook Won't Show You” 2021-05-05 : 📰 Micro post:
Trump self-hosting his own microblog (external link) may not be the endorsement of the concept I would prefer, … 2021-05-06 :
🇵🇸 Link:
“In Sheikh Jarrah, Palestinian youth are leading the struggle to defend their homes” 2021-05-06 :
💬 Link:
“Is your kid studying a second language at school? How much they learn will depend on where you live” 2021-05-07 : 🌏 Antipodes of the World :
When I was a kid, I was somewhat obsessed with this question of, “If you tunnelled straight down into the Earth … 2021-05-10 : 💻 Site update:
It’s been outwardly really quiet on this blog in the last few days, and that’s because I’ve been hard … 2021-05-10 : 🐱 Photo post:
Gidget had to go to the vet again today. She needed a vaccination booster shot, but we also wanted her leg checked over … 2021-05-11 : 📚 Micro post:
Arkady Martine’s new book, A Desolation Called Peace (the follow-up to A Memory Called Empire) has finally come … 2021-05-11 :
🇦🇺 Link:
“How the Myths of “Progressive Neoliberalism” Hollowed Out Australia’s Left” 2021-05-11 :
🖥 Link:
“Messaging and Chat Control” by Patrick Breyer 2021-05-11 : 💻 Site update:
I’ve run into more obstacles than I thought I would, but not only do I have an Indiekit Micropub endpoint up and … 2021-05-12 :
🐱 Link:
“What cats’ love of boxes and squares can tell us about their visual perception” 2021-05-12 :
🇵🇸 Link:
“Twitter Said It Restricted Palestinian Writer's Account by Accident” 2021-05-13 :
🇵🇸 Link:
“What We Did: How the Jewish Communist Left Failed the Palestinian Cause” 2021-05-13 :
🇵🇸 Link:
“On Palestine, the Media Is Allergic to the Truth” 2021-05-13 : 💻 Site update:
I think the DNS has all updated now, so that’s that: I’m now serving my site through … 2021-05-14 : 🐱 Micro post:
We’ve dropped Gidget off for the x-rays she needs (external link). To say she was unhappy would be a gross … 2021-05-14 : 🏝 Photo post:
I took this photo last weekend when we went on our regular beach walk. It’s only when I looked back on it that I … 2021-05-14 : 🖥 Micro post:
After many days in a row of somehow building up dozens of open tabs, I’ve caved in and installed the Tree Style … 2021-05-14 : 🐱 Photo post:
We’ve brought Gidget home after her x-rays. The news is pretty bad, but not catastrophic. She doesn’t only … 2021-05-14 :
🇦🇺 Link:
“New law allows Australian government to indefinitely detain refugees” 2021-05-15 : 🐱 Photo post:
Gidget’s new meds are for sure making her really sleepy. Today we walked down to a pet supplies store to buy her … 2021-05-16 : 🐱 Photo post:
Gidget is a lot more wakeful today, thank goodness. She does like her purple spinning toy (apparently called a … 2021-05-17 : 🧣 Face Coverings in Winter :
I feel like I should make some kind of face covering part of my standard winter outerwear, because wow is that so much … 2021-05-18 :
🔍 Link:
“From Its Myriad Tips” 2021-05-19 :
🖥 Link:
“The Right to Link: A History of Hyperlink Legal Battles” 2021-05-19 :
🇮🇳 Link:
“Indian mosque bulldozed in defiance of high court order” 2021-05-20 :
👮 Link:
“Rosie told police she was a victim of domestic violence. She was the one arrested” 2021-05-21 :
📰 Link:
“Is Colombia’s Military Displacing Peasants to Protect the Environment or Sell Off Natural Resources?” 2021-05-21 : 🐱 Photo post:
Still trying to find as many variety-filled ways as possible to keep Gidget stimulated indoors. Turns out she likes cat … 2021-05-21 :
💬 Link:
“The academic story of African American English has been wrong all along.” 2021-05-21 :
🏙 Link:
“The Cuyahoga River Caught Fire at Least a Dozen Times, but No One Cared Until 1969” 2021-05-22 : 👩🏻🦱 Forays Into the “Curly Girl Method” :
A bit over a week ago, I stumbled across the concept of the “Curly Girl Method”, a hair care routine which … 2021-05-23 :
🇦🇺 Link:
“‘Inconceivable’: why has Australia’s history been left to rot?” 2021-05-23 : 🗒 Micro post:
Today we have probably some of the last good weather we’re going to have for four months, and… I can’t enjoy … 2021-05-24 : 🦠 More Covid-19 in Melbourne :
Apparently there have been four new Covid-19 cases in Melbourne today – local cases, not cases in hotel quarantine. The … 2021-05-26 :
🇦🇺 Link:
“Carceral feminism and coercive control: when Indigenous women aren't seen as ideal victims, witnesses or women” 2021-05-26 :
🏳️🌈 Link:
“Michelle Telfer has been a lifesaving advocate for hundreds of trans children. But her work doesn't come without controversy” 2021-05-26 :
🇦🇺 Link:
“A new flagship coal plant failed spectacularly - but it won't be the last time” 2021-05-27 : 🐱 Micro post:
We’ve dropped Gidget off for the surgery she needs. She was really distressed and even peed herself in the carry … 2021-05-27 : 🦠 Back Into Lockdown (Again) :
As of 11:59pm tonight, Victoria will be heading back into lockdown (again). What was an outbreak of four cases three … 2021-05-27 :
🇺🇸 Link:
“Emily Wilder’s Firing Is No Surprise: AP Has Always Been Right-Wing” 2021-05-27 : 🐱 Photo post:
Gidget is home from her surgery! She’s frustrated, in some pain I think, and struggling to get around (she’s … 2021-05-28 : 🐱 Micro post:
Camping out in the living room with Gidget last night didn’t go so well (turns out she has plenty of ways to get … 2021-05-31 : 🐱 Photo post:
It’s been a rough few days for Gidget and I. It’s taken a lot of active intervention on my part to keep her … 2021-06-01 :
🏟 Link:
“We’re not the good guys: Osaka shows up problems of press conferences” 2021-06-02 : 🦠 Micro post:
In case you were wondering after my post the other day, I got my test results back and I do not have Covid-19, as I … 2021-06-03 : 🖥 Initial Thoughts on Firefox Proton :
Firefox auto-updated to the new Proton UI for me yesterday. My first impressions are that I’m fine with the … 2021-06-03 : 🐱 Photo post:
Gidget went to the vet this afternoon, and they took the bandage off her hind leg. They said it’s healing well, … 2021-06-04 :
👮 Link:
“NSW Police pushed for Black Lives Matter mural on private property in Redfern to be removed, recordings reveal” 2021-06-04 : 🖥 Micro post:
Ugh, the import-export headache gets me again. Goodlinks (external link) only exports in JSON format, while … 2021-06-04 : 🗒 Micro post:
Called my dad to check in on him, and found him a bit out of sorts. His manager died suddenly over the weekend during a … 2021-06-05 : 🗣 Reply to:
“Damn! Would you believe we have a friend who’s dad also died after a climb?…” by @maique 2021-06-05 :
🇨🇳 Link:
“Tiananmen Square Tank Man vanishes from Microsoft Bing, DuckDuckGo, other search engines – even in America” 2021-06-05 : 🎬 Micro post:
Found out that Master of None, whose first two seasons I adored, came out with a season three on May 23 – but it sounds … 2021-06-07 : 💻 Managing Categories on a Personal Blog :
A few months ago I read this thought-provoking blog post (external link) on taxonomies – categories, … 2021-06-07 :
🇦🇺 Link:
“‘Devil devil’: The sickness that changed Australia” 2021-06-07 :
🇦🇺 Link:
“Biloela family asylum-seeker girl evacuated from Christmas Island with suspected septicaemia” 2021-06-07 :
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“AFL expansion debate for Northern Territory, Tasmania not strictly business” 2021-06-08 : 📱 Micro post:
Was pleased to see it emerge from WWDC that iOS 15 will support all the same phones that iOS 14 did (external … 2021-06-09 :
💵 Link:
“Other Australians earn nothing like what you think. If you're on $59,538, you're typical” 2021-06-09 : 🦠 Micro post:
So schools are set to reopen on Friday, even though teachers under the age of 40 are still not eligible for Covid-19 … 2021-06-10 : 🐱 Photo post:
Took Gidget to the vet today – they removed her stitches and she’s officially free of her cone! She was so excited … 2021-06-11 :
🇬🇧 Link:
“DFAT urged to retract 'inaccurate' report saying Sri Lankans face low torture risk, following UK court finding” 2021-06-11 : 🗒 Micro post:
The key to me getting anything done is 100% that it has to be either something that can be finished in one sitting, or … 2021-06-12 :
💬 Link:
“What is something Spanish speaking children commonly get wrong? /r/learnspanish” 2021-06-13 : 🗣 Reply to:
“/ Luna drops something” by @Gaby 2021-06-13 : 💻 Beginning a Digital Garden :
I’ve decided to create a new top-level section of this site, and called it my personal wiki, although it’s … 2021-06-15 : 🚌 Micro post:
The Victorian DoT is starting to review (external link) Melbourne’s bus network, which I hope will result in … 2021-06-15 : 📚 On Book Localisations for the US Market :
Earlier today I read a Reddit thread about book localisations for the US market (external link), and while … 2021-06-16 :
🏘 Link:
“Canada’s Housing Market Is Out of Control” 2021-06-16 : 💵 Micro post:
If you’re going to make a website where you sell stuff, it really, really helps to make clear what currency … 2021-06-16 : 🐱 Photo post:
Gidget seems to have adjusted surprisingly well to the “indoor cat” lifestyle. She spends a lot of time … 2021-06-17 : 🇦🇺 Micro post:
Vivian’s got a job interview in Canberra late next week, so he wants us to travel up there together (driving, in … 2021-06-18 :
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“Schism fears for Gaeilgeoirí” 2021-06-19 :
🚊 Link:
“Data is Overrated” 2021-06-20 : 🐱 Photo post:
Seems that Gidget doesn’t only enjoy cat TV, but also MochaMilk (external link) 😅 2021-06-20 : 🧺 Laundry in Winter :
A couple of years ago, I think, I put out a tweet that went along the lines of, “So sick of hanging out the same … 2021-06-21 : 🐶 Photo post:
Gizmo got very anxious when Dad went into the bottle shop without him! Thankfully it has all these windows, so he can … 2021-06-23 : 🇦🇺 Micro post:
Viv and I have arrived in Canberra, after a very lengthy drive! Shout out to the ACT and NSW who are still letting … 2021-06-24 : 🏛 Photo post:
Our first stop today was Old Parliament House, now hosting the Museum of Australian Democracy. For a building that was … 2021-06-24 : 🪦 Photo post:
The government wants to redevelop the Australian War Memorial (external link) for some reason (ahem, they want to … 2021-06-25 : 🚊 Micro post:
I feel like it is a bit of a flaw that to catch a bus in Canberra I first have to walk 45 minutes to a newsagents that … 2021-06-25 : 🌈 Photo post:
We had dry weather this morning, but rain set in again over the afternoon. I went to the National Museum, we both … 2021-06-26 : 🇦🇺 Photo post:
We’ve arrived back home unscathed, although Viv copped a warning from NSW Police for speeding on the Hume 🤦🏻♀️ … 2021-06-27 :
📺 Link:
“The real reason Doctor Who makes fans want to hide behind the sofa” 2021-06-28 : 🐱 Photo post:
I went to the pet supplies shop today and bought this nifty harness for Gidget, so we can take her outside in a … 2021-06-29 : 🎮 Micro post:
I started playing Cozy Grove today (through Apple Arcade, although for non-Mac platforms it’s on Steam) and I … 2021-07-01 :
🖥 Link:
“The Rotting Internet Is a Collective Hallucination” 2021-07-02 :
💬 Link:
“scolding water – John Wells’s phonetic blog” 2021-07-02 : 🗒 Micro post:
Somehow I blinked today and 9 hours passed, and all I have to show for it is new personal wiki pages on Australian … 2021-07-02 : 🔍 Micro post:
In other news, apparently there’s a malady called Christmas eye (external link) that occurs near … 2021-07-03 : 🐱 Micro post:
I don’t think Gidget understands that me putting her on a leash and going out with her are actually preconditions … 2021-07-04 : 📺 Rake and Its Depiction of Women :
The other night, Viv and I finished watching Rake (IMDB link (external link)). If you’re not familiar, … 2021-07-06 :
🖥 Link:
“Twitter considers letting you limit tweets to ‘trusted friends’” 2021-07-06 : 🖥 Micro post:
For the past few days, I’ve been taking a break from Twitter. In recent weeks it had been irritating me more than … 2021-07-07 :
✍🏻 Link:
“Self-publishing” by Cory Doctorow 2021-07-07 :
☎️ Link:
“Psychologists Explain Your Phone Anxiety (and How to Get Over It)” 2021-07-09 : 😩 Micro post:
I’ve felt pretty stressed the last couple of days. I got results back from a follow-up blood test, which I had to … 2021-07-10 : 📷 Photo post:
Went on a pretty long afternoon walk today, just laps of a nearby park, soaking up that rare winter sun. The playground … 2021-07-12 : 📚 Do Men Avoid Books by Women? :
I read an interesting discussion on Reddit (external link) yesterday morning. It started with an … 2021-07-13 : 🇿🇦 Micro post:
The riots in South Africa (external link) are coming pretty close to where some of Vivian’s family live … 2021-07-14 : 🪶 Micro post:
Wow, who’d ever need to clean their own gutters when you have currawongs around to do the job? I just saw a group … 2021-07-14 : ❤️ Like of:
“New suburbs, poor service” by Daniel Bowen 2021-07-14 : 🦠 Micro post:
This (external link) makes me think that Victoria is shortly to go back into lockdown… again. Eight new cases and … 2021-07-15 : 🦠 Micro post:
For some reason they had Jeroen Weimar give a whole press conference where he didn’t announce any lockdowns, and … 2021-07-16 : ❤️ Like of:
“Monsal trail.” by Paul Robert Lloyd 2021-07-18 :
🇮🇳 Link:
“What My DNA Says About India’s History – The Diplomat” 2021-07-20 : 🏥 Micro post:
So I had one ultrasound today, the other to do tomorrow. The hospital was pretty efficient and the technician was nice … 2021-07-21 : 🦠 Micro post:
According to the ABC, some guy in Perth tied sheets together and threw them out the window to escape from his hotel … 2021-07-21 :
👮 Link:
“Police in Latin America are turning activists’ phones against them” 2021-07-22 : 🗣 Reply: @lmika (external link) I can completely relate to this. I think there are numerous issues that I’d like to … 2021-07-22 : 🐱 Photo post:
It’s like The Birds around my place today. Currawongs everywhere, digging through our gutters for soft weeds to … 2021-07-23 :
🔍 Link:
“Cockatoos in Sydney learning from each other to bin-dive for food, study finds” 2021-07-23 :
📺 Link:
“Dirty Feed – Northern Star” by John Hoare 2021-07-23 :
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“Nobody Wants to Be a Serf Anymore” 2021-07-24 : 🏟 The Tokyo Olympics Begin :
I stayed up ‘til 1am last night watching the Olympics Opening Ceremony in Tokyo. I don’t think I’ve … 2021-07-25 :
🖥 Link:
“Why self hosting is important” by Solène 2021-07-25 :
📰 Link:
“Hall of infamy: Alexander Lukashenko | New Internationalist” 2021-07-25 :
🚊 Link:
“A bunch of mayors wanted better trains, so they won Brisbane the 2032 Olympics” 2021-07-26 :
🇺🇸 Link:
“Six Months After the Capitol Riots, We Still Won’t Admit Why So Many People Believe the Big Lie” 2021-07-26 :
🖥 Link:
“The Day the Good Internet Died” 2021-07-26 :
🌏 Link:
“Plans of four G20 states are threat to global climate pledge, warn scientists” 2021-07-26 :
🪖 Link:
“Right-Wing Operation Condor Murderers Should Be in Jail” 2021-07-26 :
🇵🇸 Link:
“The colonial idea that built the Palestinian Authority” 2021-07-26 : 🇦🇺 Privacy and the 2021 Census :
In just over two weeks, it’ll be Census night in Australia – that time every five years when every household is … 2021-07-26 :
🦠 Link:
“Trust and Terror” by Omar Sakr 2021-07-26 :
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“The Jessica Simulation: Love and loss in the age of A.I.” 2021-07-27 :
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“The dark side of TikTok's algorithm” 2021-07-27 :
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“Finland ends homelessness and provides shelter for all in need” 2021-07-27 : 🗒 Micro post:
Had a telephone appointment with my GP this morning to discuss the results of last week’s ultrasounds. Each of … 2021-07-28 :
🇺🇸 Link:
“The Many Faces of Regime Change in Cuba” 2021-07-28 :
🔍 Link:
“Paradox of Choice” by Pete Moore 2021-07-28 :
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“Australia makes world-class mess of its vaccine rollout” 2021-07-28 : 🏟 My Preferred Olympic Winner Order :
Watching the Olympics this morning, I think I’ve decided the order in which I like to see countries win events. … 2021-07-28 :
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“This is no ordinary spying. Our most intimate selves are now exposed” 2021-07-29 : 🐱 Photo post:
Chillin’ with Gidget this afternoon. A new pair of runners I’d ordered arrived in the mail (see top left of … 2021-07-30 : 🖥 Micro post:
OK, I have to share this because it makes me crack up every time I go back to it. You might remember a while back that … 2021-07-31 :
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“Climate change: What we can learn from our reaction to AstraZeneca” 2021-07-31 :
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“What should socialists say about China?” 2021-07-31 :
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“On resisting surveillance capitalism and why it's important” by Mike Harley 2021-07-31 :
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“Juanita Nielsen's suspected murder brought Arthur King back to Kings Cross after his terrifying ordeal” 2021-07-31 : 🏝 Photo post:
Today we walked all the way from our local beach to Red Bluff. To actually get across to the south side of the cliff, … 2021-08-01 : ❤️ Like of:
“Writing’s Common Thread” by Jake LaCaze 2021-08-01 :
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“Who Actually Gets to Create Black Pop Culture?” 2021-08-01 : 🐱 Photo post:
This morning, Gidget actually led us to her harness and started prodding it and indicating—she’s coming to accept … 2021-08-02 : 🖥 Micro post:
Love to be doing some mandatory training module for work and then at slide 59 of 69 my internet temporarily goes down … 2021-08-04 : 📝 Git for Writing :
In recent days, I’ve been making good progress on the novel I’ve been working on, off and on, for years. … 2021-08-05 : ❤️ Like of:
“It’s All Just Water” by Cheri Baker 2021-08-05 :
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“Pandemic Shoppers Are a Nightmare to Service Workers” 2021-08-05 :
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“British diver Tom Daley knits dog jumper and cosy for Olympic Games gold medal” 2021-08-05 :
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“Laying the foundations for our Jewish liberation” 2021-08-05 : 🦠 Micro post:
Whaaaat. I feel like going from “zero cases” to “week-long lockdown” in under 24 hours has to be … 2021-08-06 :
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“Australians who live overseas now unable to leave country if they return for visit” 2021-08-07 :
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“Ethel Rosenberg was convicted of espionage and executed in 1953. But did she really deserve to die?” 2021-08-07 :
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“A world without mining” 2021-08-08 :
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“Afghan refugee may lose permanent residency in Australia – for supplying identity document” 2021-08-08 : 💉 Micro post:
I read on Twitter that HotDoc (external link) now lets you search specifically for clinics that are willing to … 2021-08-09 :
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“Olympic cities can become multi-billion-dollar graveyards for white elephants after the Games” 2021-08-09 :
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“Apple is trying to redefine what it means to violate your privacy. We must not let it.” by Aral Balkan 2021-08-10 :
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“I’m a Luddite. You should be one too” 2021-08-10 : 💻 Site update:
On the off-chance you noticed a couple of hours’ downtime earlier today, that’ll be because I moved this site’s hosting … 2021-08-11 : 💻 Site update:
Uhh, well here’s a little Vercel quirk to be aware of: its default build command for Hugo repositories builds all … 2021-08-11 : 🐱 Photo post:
Gidget’s trying to show me she’s super trustworthy and won’t jump any fences by going out on her leash … 2021-08-11 :
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“A terrifying vision of South Africa’s future” 2021-08-12 : 🖥 Some Thoughts on Dark Mode :
As different platforms have implemented built-in “dark mode” functionality over recent years, it’s … 2021-08-14 : 💻 A Quick Tour of My New Theme :
So, this is not the ground-up overhaul I mentioned wanting to do in yesterday’s entry. (If it was, there … 2021-08-14 : 🐱 Photo post:
Vivian passed some sad news on to me this morning. He crossed paths with the owner of this sweet boy Timmka, who we used … 2021-08-15 : ❤️ Like of:
“I had quite the hills are alive vibe even while shooting this picture.” by Pratik 2021-08-15 :
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“Building Melbourne's Useful Network Part 101: Suburban connection points - the secret to useful & versatile trains?” by Peter Parker 2021-08-16 :
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“New Study Finds We Probably Can’t Take Credit For The Diversity of Dogs’ Coats” 2021-08-16 : 🇦🇫 Micro post:
There’s a lot that could be said about the fall of Kabul to the Taliban, but one that gets me is just how many … 2021-08-16 :
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“At the brink of a new world system: imperialism, race and caste” 2021-08-16 :
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“Censorship, Surveillance and Profits: A Hard Bargain for Apple in China” 2021-08-16 : 💉 Micro post:
Back home again after officially receiving my first Covid-19 vaccine dose! I was pleasantly surprised when I got there … 2021-08-17 : 💉 Micro post:
About 20 hours on from my first dose, and so far the only side effects I’ve had have been a) I felt tired last … 2021-08-17 : 💻 Nord Dark Syntax Highlighting for Hugo :
I said the other day that I would figure out how to customise the syntax highlighting for the Nord … 2021-08-17 :
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“Juanita Nielsen’s suspected killer Eddie Trigg confessed the murder to an undercover agent inside jail” 2021-08-18 : 🖥 CSS Hyphenation :
Since I made the switch to a narrower main column and larger text, I’d been feeling like the “jagged right … 2021-08-18 : 🐱 Photo post:
Busted this ruthless carnivore chomping away at a helpless feathery creature earlier today… 🐈 2021-08-19 :
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“The media frames the climate crisis as hopeless – but that’s because they’re hiding the solutions” 2021-08-20 :
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“How South African apartheid was ended” 2021-08-21 :
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“Recently Discovered Dinosaur ‘Mummy’ Is So Well-Preserved It Even Has The Skin And Guts Intact” 2021-08-21 : 🖥 Micro post:
Thanks to the great influence of the Micro.blog community, I’ve now installed and am playing around with … 2021-08-22 : 🏝 Photo post:
It’s still technically 10 days until spring but you wouldn’t know it from today’s weather: radiant … 2021-08-22 :
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“Cold war breaks out between soup kitchen communists and department chief over ‘conflict of interest’ claim” 2021-08-22 :
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“The Debris Shovellers” by Ben Jenkins 2021-08-22 : 🐱 Photo post:
Poor Gidget got her head stuck in this bag when she was trying to investigate Vivian’s new glasses 🤣 Viv took a … 2021-08-23 : 💻 Site update:
It’s been bugging me for a while that Vercel is generating incorrect “last modified” datetimes for my … 2021-08-23 : 🖥 Automatically Mark External Links in Hugo :
Here’s something I have achieved today: I got my site to display an “external link” SVG icon at the … 2021-08-24 : 🖥 My First Few Days With Obsidian :
I’ve only barely scratched the surface of what it can be made to do with plug-in extensions, but so far I’m … 2021-08-25 : 🛬 Micro post:
The furthest I’ve travelled north, south, east and west from where I live in Melbourne:
North: Edinburgh, … 2021-08-26 :
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“How I Experience Web Today” 2021-08-26 : 🎹 The Dvorak Left-Hand Keyboard Layout :
As you may or may not know, I was born with a disability that gives me only limited use of my right hand. As such, I do … 2021-08-27 : 🎹 Using the Dvorak LH Keyboard on iOS :
Remember a couple of weeks ago, when I said sometimes I get an idea in my head and just cannot let it go? Well, my post … 2021-08-27 : 🐱 Photo post:
Gidget seemed to approve of my selection of Cat TV video for her today… there were lots of squirrels (and birds) eating … 2021-08-29 : 🐱 Photo post:
Gidget was concerned last night that I might’ve forgotten where the cat food was kept… it was surely this, and not … 2021-08-29 :
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“Vacant Nuance in the Vacant Housing Debate” by Darrell Owens 2021-08-30 :
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“‘I was on a list to be terminated’ – Sue Dobson, the spy who helped to end apartheid” 2021-09-01 :
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“Australia: Unprecedented surveillance bill rushed through parliament in 24 hours.” 2021-09-01 : 👯 Thoughts on Socialising, Online and Off :
Today I read a couple of blog posts that got me thinking about this question: How do the ways we “socialise” … 2021-09-02 :
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“What If People Don’t Want ‘A Career’?” by Charlie Warzel 2021-09-02 :
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“Covid-19 Long-Haulers Are Fighting for Their Future” 2021-09-03 : 🍃 Photo post:
I got the chance to try out the “Merlin Bird ID” app that Miraz mentioned yesterday (external link) … 2021-09-04 : 📚 Book review:
A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine (★★★★)2021-09-05 : 🗣 Reply to:
“Indieweb as state of mind” by Leon Paternoster 2021-09-05 : 🐱 Photo post:
Gidget’s ayah (that’s Vivian’s mum) sent her this great new box, a worthy successor to her last box … 2021-09-06 :
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“The Cure to Climate Anxiety? Smashing Capitalism” 2021-09-07 : 🍱 Is It a Wrap or a Flour Tortilla? :
The other day I caught myself wondering what is actually the difference between a wrap and a flour tortilla (you know, … 2021-09-08 :
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“Judith Butler: ‘We need to rethink the category of woman’” 2021-09-08 : 💉 Micro post:
Viv went and got his first dose of Covid-19 vaccine today! He had been somewhat “vaccine-hesitant”, but the … 2021-09-08 :
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“Solarpunk Is Not About Pretty Aesthetics. It’s About the End of Capitalism” 2021-09-10 : 🇦🇺 Micro post:
Vivian told me he bet 50¢ on WA seceding from Australia… 🤦🏻♀️ What gets me, though, is that the amount he’d get … 2021-09-10 : 🎹 Progress Update: Switching Back to Dvorak LH :
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about how I used Keybuild to set my phone’s keyboard layout to Dvorak left-hand. I … 2021-09-11 : 🖥 Bringing Back App Indicators on elementary OS :
For some reason, a few years ago elementary OS (external link) decided to remove support for app indicators (or … 2021-09-11 : 🐱 Photo post:
Gidget doesn’t seem to remember the time she was almost devoured whole by our old printer, so she decided that on … 2021-09-11 :
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“Afghanistan Cricket Board accuses Australia of ‘knee jerk’ reaction over threat to cancel Hobart Test, makes no mention of fate of female players” 2021-09-11 :
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“Declassified documents show Australia assisted CIA in coup against Chile’s Salvador Allende” 2021-09-12 : 🇺🇸 Twenty Years Since 9/11 :
I’m writing this post on September 12, but that’s accurate actually, because by the time the 9/11 attacks … 2021-09-12 :
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“Gladys Daily Presser Cancelled After Poorly Received First Season” 2021-09-13 : 🐱 Micro post:
Tonight I found Gidget rifling through the crap on my bedside table because she realised I keep hair ties there. She … 2021-09-15 : 🗒 Micro post:
Viv got an exciting phone call today – a job offer for an ongoing full-time position that he applied for, and … 2021-09-16 : 🦠 Micro post:
Victoria’s lockdown restrictions will be easing slightly from this weekend (external link) as we hit 70% of … 2021-09-19 : 🐶 Photo post:
Thanks to the easing of restrictions a few days ago, I was able to see this scruffball (and my dad) and go on a walk to … 2021-09-20 :
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“Larrikins, bogans and bullshit artists: is Australia ripe for a blue-collar revolution?” 2021-09-22 : 🗒 Micro post:
Just a few minutes ago we had a minor earthquake! Gidget was freaking out, while the neighbour’s dog was just … 2021-09-23 :
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“File Not Found” 2021-09-23 : 🎹 Photo post:
A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that I was waiting on new keycaps that would align properly even when I arranged them … 2021-09-24 :
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“2003: The Kingdom of Loathing” by Aaron A. Reed 2021-09-25 :
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“Public Housing For All” 2021-09-25 :
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“Women Casual Sex Studies” 2021-09-25 : 🏟 Micro post:
Currently watching the AFL Grand Final (or the half-time entertainment) with Viv – the second year in a row that … 2021-09-26 : 🐱 Photo post:
Gidget’s box was sagging where she’s been sitting on it every day, so it was time to tell it goodbye. She … 2021-09-27 : 💉 Photo post:
Currently waiting in Prahran to get my second vaccine dose. I guess the outbreak has worsened since my first dose … 2021-09-28 : 🌶 Micro post:
Today I learned that in the US, “chilli powder” usually means a mild spice blend intended for use in the … 2021-09-29 :
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“On the Internet, We’re Always Famous” 2021-09-29 : 🍃 Photo post:
Recently I’ve taken to throwing some walnut pieces out towards the local magpies when they stop by my house (which … 2021-10-01 :
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“Was Julie Amero wrongly convicted?” 2021-10-02 : 🎮 Thoughts on Turn-Based RPGs :
Without question, one of my favourite genres of game is the humble turn-based RPG. In the main, it’s not a very … 2021-10-04 :
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““Los insultos y las conversaciones en catalán nos suenan a broma”” 2021-10-04 :
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“How Arabs Have Failed Their Language” 2021-10-06 : 🐱 Photo post:
Gidget was very intrigued when she noticed a cawing crow perched in a branch near our living room window 😼 2021-10-07 : 🐱 Photo post:
Vivian bought himself a new second-hand Nintendo Wii. While Gidget here has kept him under strict supervision, … 2021-10-08 : 🍃 Micro post:
The magpies have come to appreciate our small walnut treats so much that early in the mornings, they’re gathering … 2021-10-11 :
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“Robert Menzies wouldn’t recognise the Liberal Party's employment policies today” 2021-10-11 :
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“A Prayer for Our Next COVID Era” 2021-10-11 :
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“Say it with us: #NoNeoNFTs” 2021-10-13 : 🐱 Photo post:
Sharing a couple of recent photos of the pet animals in my life 😄 On the left, a shot of Gizmo on our weekly Sunday … 2021-10-14 : ⏰ Micro post:
I’ve been feeling so tired in recent days 🥱 Somehow it took me way longer to adjust to DST than usual, so I kept … 2021-10-14 : 🍱 Ras El-Hanout :
For a few months now I haven’t felt able to replenish my supplies of “boutique” or … 2021-10-15 : 🗒 Micro post:
I swear I’m not usually one of those “Teenagers having fun IN PUBLIC?! Disgusting! 😡” kinds of people … 2021-10-15 :
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“The world’s ‘most liveable city’ title isn’t a measure of the things most of us actually care about”
Jessica Smith is a left-wing feminist who loves animals, books, gaming, and cooking; she’s also very interested in linguistics, history, technology and society.
Jessica Smith is a left-wing feminist who loves animals, books, gaming, and cooking; she’s also very interested in linguistics, history, technology and society.