[A Pleasurable Headache] Catching a meteor with your bare hands as therapy
Another two weeks and some great progress on Project Greenfingers. I finally cracked the spine of the thing, introducing some conflict that was just not present in previous iterations. I'm getting closer to the finish line with this one now.
Elsewhere, Everfrost #2 is out in the world and received a pretty great review here. Ryan, Sami, Lauren and Jim all continue to excel here.
Additionally, Everfrost #4 is now in preview and will be in all good comic shops come October 6th.
Links
Learning Linux and Minimal Computing
https://write.as/what-comes-to-mind/learning-linux-and-minimal-computing
In something fast approaching a common theme recently, here is another short blog post on minimal computing and interfaces, with a focus on the Linux ecosystem.
In the spirit of that and a journey to a less bloated web, please enjoy this list.
# The Other Windows
https://tedium.co/2019/06/20/geoworks-geos-history Speaking of lower power...
This piece looks at GeoWorks, an old OS that was outshone by Microsoft. However, GeoWorks worked on lower end hardware, something that endeared it to many users. It also had a mode that modern OS's could maybe ape. Depending on the expertise or knowledge level of the user its UI would change, reducing complexity and friction.
Folks Think The Sims 2 On Nintendo DS Is Haunted
https://kotaku.com/folks-think-the-sims-2-on-nintendo-ds-is-haunted-1847324114
What an odd and strange game. It's amazing the dev team were able to get away with some of the things listed here, especially in a sequel in a mainstream EA franchise.
"While you do go through the motions of checking in guests and taking care of your needs in the typical Sims way, things get weird fast in the game. As in, within the first five minutes of gameplay your loyal companion Tristan starts moaning about his girlfriend being carried away by a pack of scorpions, and how he caught a meteor in his bare hands to get over the pain."
# All The Right Words On Climate Have Already Been Said
https://therealsarahmiller.substack.com/p/all-the-right-words-on-climate-have
This has done the rounds in a few places, but I only just read it myself. I can see why it resonated with so many people as it accurately sums up the anxiety, frustration and anger we all feel about climate change. There isn't really anything left to say on it. Only action.
"Let’s give the article she was starting to maybe think about asking me to write that I was wondering if I could write the absolute biggest benefit of the doubt and imagine that people read it and said, “Wow this is exactly how I feel, thanks for putting it into words.” What then? What would happen then? Would people be “more aware” about climate change? It’s 109 degrees in Portland right now. It’s been over 130 degrees in Baghdad several times. What kind of awareness quotient are we looking for? What more about climate change does anyone need to know? What else is there to say?"
The Collective Suicide Machine
https://www.mintpressnews.com/chris-hedges-collective-suicide-american-empire/278058/
Chris Hedges on the failed invasions of the modern American Empire, summed up perhaps by this piece of hubristic folly
"In April 2017, in a classic example of this kind of absurd blowback, the United States dropped the “mother of all bombs” — the most powerful conventional bomb in the American arsenal — on an Islamic State cave complex in Afghanistan that the CIA had invested millions in building and fortifying."
Advice on building creative stamina
https://subtlemaneuvers.substack.com/p/advice-on-building-creative-stamina
For those interested in the process side of writing, I highly recommend Mason Currey's newsletter. Mason has written two books on the writing routines of famous writers and his newsletter is like a micro-version of those works. This entry on building creative stamina is a good sampler of what to expect.
In defence of email, the tech marvel we couldn’t do without
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jul/06/email-inbox-anxiety-work
Joanne McNeil, author of the excellent Lurking, writes in defence of email, the much maligned (at least lately) technology. Email is the best. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. It's only our attitudes and the concept of 24/7 "availability" that have changed.
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I'm off to remember to hydrate. See you in two !