SaddusChaddus
No bio...
User ID: 2135
SaddusChaddus
1mo ago
I enjoyed Metro 2033, the sequel less so but still enjoyable. The translation did seem to add a bit of clunkiness to the story, I found conversations between characters to be a bit weird. But thankfully not as many problems with the Russian naming conventions than with older stuff like Brothers Karamazov haha.
I'm not much of a gamer, but I did try out the 2033 game right after finishing the book. Sometimes books should just be books...
SaddusChaddus
1mo ago
Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land, almost finished and I've enjoyed it.
Earlier sci fi is a funny thing. What draws me to sci-fi usually is that it can have this amazing techno-optimism about the future (near or far), usually involving a very creative author to build these worlds/galaxies/universes. I think it actually might be healthy for a person to look past current culture wars and look to a not-so-distant future with hyperdrives and lasers hehe.
But reading more classic sci fi has got me realising that the authors can easily imagine far flung space epics, bizarre aliens, crazy technologies and terrifying transhumanist style body modifications, but their views of what a society looks like in these worlds is basically copy and paste of 1950s-60s America haha. Female characters generally seem to be silly damsels that listen to the wise and often overly verbose men, long descriptions of how sexually exciting they are but barely have any agency. Just rambling here, not sure if this has piqued anyone else's interest.
I've only read Yellowface by Kuang. It was entertaining and enjoyable for the most part, but the main character, a white woman who steals an Asian American woman's manuscript (a historical fiction novel based on Chinese workers in the European theatre during WW1) after her sudden death seems to evolve into this unhinged and insane representation of what the author must see all white women to be under the surface. Interesting in the sense that I got an insight into what the author thinks of white people, which is that she does not like them one bit lol.
SaddusChaddus
5mo ago
Maybe I'm not a 'substantial person' but 5k would be a pretty painful loss for me. That said: I don't gamble, it's a mug's game.
Thinking about this has made me curious to what percentage of this forum isn't working in a high paying job/career path. I don't think of myself as stupid or even average intelligence but I've geared my life towards what I find rewarding and until I start my own business in this industry I most likely won't be hitting the big time anyone soon.
SaddusChaddus
5mo ago
On to a sequel of a sci-fi novel I really enjoyed. 1st book was Children of Time, sequel is Children of Ruin. Lots of terra forming and the ethical questions that arise from such actions. First book was a wild ride through hundreds (maybe thousands, it's been a while between reads) of years of civilizational change in a beyond lightspeed setting with some lovely post-collapse background setting.
SaddusChaddus
7mo ago
Agreed.
"Here is a list of exactly what needs to happen for my government to stop defending Taiwan".
Highly recommend the Suneater Sequence by Christopher Ruocchio, fantastic sci fi epic. Not going to pretend that it doesn't borrow a LOT from Dune but I do love me some far reaching future Space Feudalism struggles!
I'm halfway through the series now and it's getting better with every book!
SaddusChaddus
10mo ago
I just finished the Southern Reach trilogy, I had seen the movie adaptation of the first novel when it came out on Netflix but the books are really something. Spooky, ominous and mysterious. Anyone else read these?
SaddusChaddus
1yr ago
Shrimp Sessions on YouTube are fantastic
SaddusChaddus
1yr ago
Thank you!
SaddusChaddus
1yr ago
Thank you! I work nights so crowded gyms aren't really an issue for me thankfully haha.
SaddusChaddus
1yr ago
I'm about to enter the world of lifting, as it is about damn time I got around to it. I've got a personal trainer who is going to run me through techniques and build a program but I'm a bit lost when it comes to the nutrition side of it - any tips out there for a 30 year old male in reasonable condition looking to get stronger and not wear himself down?
SaddusChaddus
1yr ago
I don't have much productive to say except that really going for it and projecting your voice in whatever context (apart from actually intimate conversations with friends) feels weird but ends up being somewhat normal. Public speaking training years ago helped me understand this, unless you are unnaturally loud it will simply sound like you are speaking confidently, then it becomes natural. I was guilty of mumbling and speaking very softly until I addressed this.
Labor (centre left) are in power now after a long time of apathetic (in regards to Assange) Liberal (centre right) governments.
More options
Context Copy link