Vampire Harpy @thindol@octodon.social

@jordyd Hmm, in that case, would you like some specific recs to make it easier? Don't want to offer help if you're just looking to vent. :)

@jordyd Yeah I know what you mean. I think it started in his early 50s, but I know a major component was he started going on Those Internet "Far-Right" websites - partly because of the online friends he was making. It wasn't sudden, it just got progressively worse over time. (He was a big Reagan fan, esp. the "welfare queens" myths.)

When I was younger (and he in his early 40s) he once told me at length how he "translated the Bible and knew the truth."

@jordyd Can you outsource it to a friend or a service? A friend of mine has major can't-even-consider-it anxiety about applications, so he pays me to do it with tacos.

@jordyd Mine was an engineer and only lazy religious, never used to believe in conspiracy theories (aside from generic racism.)

I have no idea what happened. I think mine got too far into Fox News/Breitbart nonsense.

@jordyd My dad once went on a long rant about how Obama was (literally) the Antichrist, and that the apocalypse was coming (circa 2010/11 I think?) When it happened, he would become one of God's avenging angels in the war. (????)

Genetics/dna testing is part of a liberal plot to steal people's identities and figure out how to reprogram them. (??????)

Jews and Christians worship the same god, they (Jewish folk) are just "wrong." (????)

Some weeks you really can't force out creative/productive work. That's why, when I'm feeling good and inspired, I try to churn out as much prep as possible for my #DnD game prep.

Some days you'll just be more productive than others, and that's okay. Don't force yourself to be creative - just go work on something else. Follow your muse and do those "unproductive" side notes, sketches, headcanon blurbs, whatever you need.

bi-yearly resolution:
be less angry and don't assume the worst of others

Been plateaued halfway to my goal, so I'm fasting this morning to try and get a metabolism boost. It's hard, because it reminds me of when I involuntarily "fasted" because I had nothing to eat, and I'm trying not to think about that and play video games instead.

Isn't it interesting how associative memories are?

I spent most of today on fanfic, reading author answers on drabble, and spending time with my partner. Overall, a well spent Saturday.

@rixx 1) that isn't actually the point, this is noting that true criticism requires also proposing solutions not just tearing shit down, otherwise you're just complaining and 2) Your Experiences Are Not Everyone Else's And No One Cares That You Were Lucky/Privileged To Learn The Right Shit.

@craigmaloney Thanks for reminding me to save some for my gopher swiss cheese lawn. :P

I've got a pile of books to read, but haven't been in the mood to read - 50% because I first want to finish N.K. Jemisin's The Stone Sky but I know it's going to be an emotional rollercoaster of The Angst Feels and I don't know if I can handle that.

But 50% because I'm just being "mehhhhh" about reading, even though the moment I start I'll be chain reading all day every day.

So of course I went and bought The Essex Serpent to add to my massive bedside pile.

@Blackknight For a more genuine answer, this means things like education on how to build/repair credit, explicit money donations including housing assistance, health care, and food, online privacy tools like Privacy Badger that help people protect their information from unregulated hoovering by capitalist companies, etc.

Basically, if we all have to live under a system that prioritizes profit over people, then we need to help people live in it while also building an alternative.

@Blackknight Stupid questions get low effort answers. https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/996510342652968961.html

Something occurred to me today.

There's a lot of (valid) criticism of capitalism. But not a lot of advice on how to survive in capitalism, especially lower class survival techniques.

You have to give people the tools to deal with the oppressive systems they live in until alternatives are in place, not just yell at them to delete FB or that credit ratings are evil.

@jordyd Bottom right is Palmer, and her sister Dora is sort of center-bottom in black. Flighty is the golden bottom-center with a fluffy tail.

@jordyd Here's one of the whole flock from just a moment ago (I bribed them with some treats to get in the picture.) Clockwise, it's Flighty's Sister, Cocoa, Clever Chicken, Gelato, Palmer, Dora, Flighty, Greedy Eater.

Flighty and her sister look the same, but Flighty has stood out personality-wise more. Flighty has some scar tissue at the base of her back, so the feathers grow oddly there, from when she went on an adventure in the neighbor's yard.

https://puu.sh/AnV7X/43b75c3a02.jpg

@jordyd That's Cocoa, and this is Cocoa with Flighty. The Easter Eggers all have really lovely coloration.