Stuff That Really 'Grinds My Gears...'

[Daveb]

designer’s ideal proportions (which for some reason seems to involve having an enormous belly, narrow shoulders, and short arms and legs).

Well I think I found the designers model.

[KeisterButton]

Nocturnal dreams wherein I’m doing something physical and my body is “playing along at home” so my foot or toes cramp and make me wake up.

This morning’s dream I was one of three people coaxed on by someone to throw a light hand-sized object like a grenade across a field. “This is too light, I won’t get the distance the other two had.”

I am told: “It helps if you run back, like a football player, before you launch.”

I do so and my toes cramp ow ow ow

[KeisterButton]

Two more irritations:

I couldn’t sleep much this morning because my body refused to be comfortable. I’d get in one position and my leg would throb, so I’d change position only to overheat. This went on for over three hours, despite my swallowing an alarming number of sleep aids. I didn’t take anything for my leg throbbing because it wasn’t an ache or pain, just the throb that comes from spreading my legs out too widely.

Irritation number two is having enough of a thought to open a reply window for a topic, typing five words in, and then realizing I don’t even know how the sentence or paragraph will end as I’ve forgotten the point I was trying to make. I did okay in this post, because the discomfort’s messed up my alertness and sleep rhythm to the point where the irritations I have are my only complete thoughts this morning.

[enceladus]

I saw a performance of Holst’s “The Planets” Friday night. It was pretty good – they also displayed a video feed of photos of the planets, synced to the music. But they only showed one Saturnian moon and it was Titan. Gosh people the whole Saturn system is so interesting. It’s not just rings and a couple lakes. Geez.

[teknocholer]

…they only showed one Saturnian moon and it was Titan

Now be fair.Titan is the largest Saturnian moon, and the second-largest in the solar system. What else would they show, the sixth-largest or something, for Pete’s sake? I mean, other moons might emit jets of gas, but so do I, and I don’t expect them to play video of me at concerts.

[LearnedCoward]

I mean, other moons might emit jets of gas, but so do I, and I don’t expect them to play video of me at concerts.

So what video did they show for Uranus The Magician?

[KeisterButton]

Vexations de jour:

Frustration:
When something excellent happens, only apparently I’m the only one who thinks it’s excellent as the other person who’d think it’s cool isn’t around to enjoy it. Stephen Fry’s Personal Assistant wrote me back regarding a request I made on someone’s behalf. Is it quite interesting? Perhaps if someone other than I mentioned it.

Knowing that people with very busy lives will respond to a polite, brief inquiry or note but lesser lights with ample free time are willing to double-down on their obstinacy and refusal to see reason when presented with an appeal to their better natures. Some website publisher ignored my letter regarding a request I made on someone’s behalf.

[LearnedCoward]

I think it’s cool that Stephen Fry’s assistant responded to your letter. I don’ t know the backstory, but still think it’s cool!

I don’t know who this stupid asshole is that ignored your request though. Probably someone not worth any of our time, amirite?

[KeisterButton]

[quote=“LearnedCoward, post:191, topic:170”]
I don’t know who this stupid asshole is that ignored your request though. Probably someone not worth any of our time, amirite?
[/quote] Right. He couldn’t give a hoot, so let’s not extend a privilege he won’t give us.

I think it’s cool that Stephen Fry’s assistant responded to your letter. I don’ t know the backstory, but still think it’s cool!

Someone wanted Stephen Fry to appear on a vodcast, and asked who had an address for him. I didn’t have one, but I knew how to get it and I volunteered to write a letter. The letter IS cool to me, because he definitely read my letter and cared to send a response the best way he could. Thanks for validating the coolness.

[LearnedCoward]

He couldn’t give a hoot,

I see what you did there…

[KeisterButton]

I can’t seem to do much about this, but my phone number is attached to my spouse’s voter record, so I’m getting messaged by candidates’ campaigns. I want to tell them to fuck off, regardless of their party affiliation or platform, as I’m not a voter.

[DaakSyde]

Cellphones usually have a block function, although I’ve never really used the one on mine, I just ignore and delete anything from randos (I don’t get many of those, but it has been increasing recently). Still, it’s annoying if they come in while you’re expecting an important message/call.

[MalevolentPixy]

Depends on the cell. Mine doesn’t (as I was rather perturbed to learn).

[KeisterButton]

I don’t answer my phone unless I’m expecting a call or someone’s “AREN’T YOU GOING TO ANSWER?!” right in front of me. It saps my will to live, not even exaggerating here, when a scammer calls. My phone is an instrument for my convenience, not a jackpot for scammers nor for campaigners and push-poll firms.

[gadgetgirl]

A few years ago there was a by-election one riding over from where I live. Someone didn’t read the map, and I started getting robo-calls – LOTS of them.

I finally called the offending riding office in frustration and had to deal with a condescending dolt, who finally acknowledged I did seem to know west from east after all and that my home address was not in the riding. It took a lot of arguing.

[LearnedCoward]

I want to tell them to fuck off, and I am a voter. The junk mail, the ads, the phone calls, it’s all too much. I think being an unaffiliated voter has something to do with it.

[CleverEmi]

We live in a rural area, and the nearest neighbors are about half a mile away.

One neighbor likes to shoot guns at targets. They do it far away from the road and from any buildings. It’s a safe location, and they practice regularly. It’s close enough to hear, maybe 3/4 of a mile from our house. No worries, really.

Except today, I am jumpy, having been thinking about nuclear annihilation at the hands of an unhinged asshole. And, they have been at it for about three hours. They must have been thinking about the destruction of civilization also, I guess. If that is the case, though, maybe they should hang on to some of that ammo?

[KeisterButton]

A combination of OverDrive, Adobe EPUB, DRM, and Linux.

I don’t like reading long books online, and the above is why. However, the wait for popular eBooks is shorter than it is for physical books.

Search: “linux” “EPUB” “reader”

Result: Calibre.

Read reviews for Calibre. Check compatible formats, see EPUB listed as one. Download and install.

Read FAQ or TFM for Calibre. “Most EPUBs have DRM, so Calibre cannot read them.”

[DaakSyde]

See also “Calibre cannot, on its own, remove DRM from ebooks. However, it is possible to added third-party software (‘plugins’) to enhance calibre.” There’s a very popular plugin for that.

[KeisterButton]

The following real-life interaction bugged me so much I haven’t recovered:

The Post Office!

KB: “Two stamps please.” Brings out coins from pocket, begins sorting them by pennies, nickels, dimes and quarter for easy calculation.

Postal Worker: “You don’t have enough money for two stamps.”

KB: “I have not finished laying out the coins. Can you wait until we see all the coins before you tell me I don’t have enough money?”

PW counts out money. “Ninety-eight cents.”

KB: “Enough for two stamps. Don’t tell me I’m wrong when you don’t have enough information to make that declaration.”

Hey let’s beat up on Keister because she’s a dumb female she’s not even American who the hell brings in change and makes us do math at the counter we have to finish her sentences for her and tell her she’s wrong.