On occasion, we here do a thread of random positivity, where we start with a thematic prompt and talk about things that are enjoyable just for the fun of it. Past examples:

We have also had a couple threads of educational-resource recommendations. These are marginally more serious, since they’re about gathering actually good explanations of things that sneerable people like to pontificate ignorantly on. But I’ll list them here because learning is fun:

Feel free to comment in the old threads and/or suggest new ones in the comments here.

  • saucerwizard@awful.systems
    5·
    1 day ago

    I drove up into the boreal forest as far as the paved road goes! My brother got sent to Uranium City for work, and I’m really jealous (airfare is like 2000 dollar one way range yeeesh).

    • saucerwizard@awful.systems
      3·
      1 day ago

      Thats the store. I suspect the hardening is for bears - they are a very serious hazard up there. When I was doing my work placement at a uranium mill (about like 600km north of where I was today) I was told of repeat incidents were bears breached the dormitories. In at least one case they had to construct barricades out of sofas.

      (I can actually elaborate on my time up there if anyone is interested. Theres even a infosec angle.)

      • rook@awful.systems
        3·
        1 day ago

        I can actually elaborate on my time up there if anyone is interested. Theres even a infosec angle.

        I don’t understand why this is a question. Why would you not elaborate?

        I have a weird urge to do those sorts of road trips, probably because I’ve seen a lot of video that only shows the most interesting bits and it’s not something I can easily do here… the northernmost roads of the uk are decidedly not very remote, and tend to be choked with campervans.

  • swlabr@awful.systemsEnglish
    3·
    4 days ago

    Some things that I consumed recently:

    • I watched Kiki’s delivery service for the first time. Very good, 10/10
    • I read/listened to “London Falling” by Patrick Radden Keefe, which I also enjoyed. I’d say an 8/10
    • I watched Project Hail Mary which was nice, like a 7/10.
  • diz@awful.systemsEnglish
    22·
    3 months ago

    A guy I know because he invented a mechanism and I built an alternative implementation of the same behavior out of Lego and put on youtube, cited my thing in his doctoral thesis and will be defending on Monday, and I can watch that online. Can’t wait.

  • YourNetworkIsHaunted@awful.systems
    11·
    13 days ago

    …almost two years to the day after getting laid off I have received and accepted an offer for a new IT job making more than I ever have and working with a client that I’m actually excited to help support.

    I’m somewhat in shock since the last two years have been so incredibly hard. Like, I might have to indulge in some public therapy and put together a more in-depth reflection on this experience for MoreWrite at some point to give me a chance to organize my thoughts and feelings properly. But for now: holy fucking shit we got there.

  • o7___o7@awful.systems
    10·
    3 months ago

    Many thanks for starting the thread!

    My kids discovered Homestar Runner over the weekend and my eldest demanded that we write an email to Strong Bad right now. We asked the most natural question: “What’s your favorite pokemon?”

    The email address is still alive!

    Also finished Robert Brockway’s new novel “I Will Kill Your Imaginary Friend for $200.” 5/5 stars. Hug your kids and brace yourself for some real emotional extremes. Probably should do those things separately, because while the book is about lonely kids coping with the horrors, it’s not really for them. Also, you might cry. Served with good politics and graphic puppet murder.

  • saucerwizard@awful.systems
    9·
    2 months ago

    Tires are actually more interesting than you would expect. I really love hearing customer opinions on how they perform in actual use.

    Also we get a real mix of vehicles at the shop. I’ve seen multiple Mercedes and even a Rivian!

    (I’m also the last seasonal employee left standing/got a month long extension as apparently I’m good at this?!?! I’m going to have like a year of unemployment to draw on for RMT school when this ends so I’m pretty happy. Not going to lie, its kinda stressful but I’m actually enjoying being challenged for once).

  • nfultz@awful.systems
    8·
    18 days ago

    As of July 1, 2026, the new minimum wage is $18.47 per hour. Take a moment to check your paycheck and make sure you’re being paid the right amount. This increase applies to all workers in unincorporated LA County, regardless of immigration status, the size of the employer, your employment status, or where you live. If you work outside of an unincorporated area of LA County, you must be paid either the California minimum wage or the minimum wage of the city you work in.

    automatically adjusted to inflation every fiscal, like it should be.

  • CinnasVerses@awful.systems
    8·
    3 months ago

    in April I got to visit one group of friends trading thoughts on things we make with our hands, then another group to talk about the profession I trained for but can’t practice. The wannabe Malcolm Gladwells and David Brookses on Twitter and Substack and YouTube will never have either experience, because they don’t have any hard-acquired skill and knowledge that a community with the same hard-won skill and knowledge will respect them for. Communities that do things in the material world which visibly succeed or fail also have less drama than social media and communities where everything is subjective

    Some of my berries and herbs are starting to sprout.

  • CinnasVerses@awful.systems
    7·
    3 months ago

    I’m grateful for all the queer people, kinky people, and women who taught me things about intimacy that the tech bro on Twitter never seems to have learned. OJST webcomic is still around too.