[-] fireweed@lemmy.world 4 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

I run outdoors year-round in weather down to 20°F in a climate with high humidity. Above 40°F I wear old beat-up tshirts, a thick hoodie, and leggings-style running pants. Below 40°F I replace the T-shirt with an REI house-brand light- or mid-weight base layer, and I toss a pair of cotton exercise pants over the running pants (I bought those years ago for less than $15) and wear a cheap woven hat and my junkiest gloves. If it's raining I'll replace the heavy hoodie with a water-repellant windbreaker + light weight hoodie.

In other words my running wardrobe is comprised almost entirely of my oldest, most beat-up clothes, most of which were originally just cotton or other cheap non-technical materials purchased years ago at a fast-fashion store at the mall or used from a sporting goods store. I do invest in decent socks (I highly recommend darn tough for their durability), but unless you're braving truly cold temps, very long workouts, or cannot return indoors shortly after working out,* you really don't need anything fancy for year-round exercise. For what it's worth I'm also a woman and I get cold very easily.

*The main problem with cotton is that it will not keep you warm when wet, so if you like to take a long cool down walk or hang out on a park bench for thirty minutes post-workout you should go with wool or synthetic material so you don't freeze in your sweat-soaked clothes. But as long as you're returning to a warm indoor space before your exercise warmth dissipates, this shouldn't be an issue.

[-] fireweed@lemmy.world 2 points 6 days ago

Obligatory: I am not a doctor, I don't know your life.

Jumping off the other comment suggesting a low-fodmap diet, do you have other health problems? What sounds like an extremely unbalanced diet (possibility in combination with a round of antibiotics or an episode of food poisoning) may have resulted in a condition called SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth), specifically an overgrowth of methane-producing bacteria. I'd recommend getting tested.

[-] fireweed@lemmy.world 85 points 2 months ago

Hard disagree. I am not a linguist, but did study language acquisition a bit in the context of childhood development and unless the science on the topic has changed dramatically in the last decade, it seems pretty clear that there are physiological differences between child and adult brains that dramatically impacts language learning.

For example, there is a critical age period for being able to distinguish different sounds, something that if not learned during this period may be impossible to ever pick up. This age period is shockingly young; I don't remember exactly but iirc it's less than one year old.

The most well-known example is that in Japanese, R and L are the same letter (their R/L letter sounds like a cross between the two, with a bit of D thrown in). Thus Japanese people have difficulty distinguishing between R and L in English; I personally verified this with a bunch of my Japanese friends (including a number who spoke English very well) and they could not distinguish between "election" and "erection," no matter how clearly I enunciated. However this is far from the only example out there; native English speakers similarly struggle differentiating various sounds in languages from countries like India and China that are clear as day to those speakers. This is not a matter of will or attention or even practice, it's a brain issue.

Given this, I find it highly unlikely that there aren't other elements of language learning that are harder (or even impossible) to properly learn outside the critical window.

[-] fireweed@lemmy.world 80 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Sooo are centipedes like fruit flies and not engage in any real form of sexual selection, or is the female going around judging the fuck out of every jizz pile she encounters?

"Mmm-mm, look at that poor viscosity, obviously from a low-quality male. This one on the other hand: deep color, firm texture, nice and sticky... clearly produced by a male with the superior genes I want to pass along to my offspring."

[-] fireweed@lemmy.world 82 points 3 months ago

The episode predicted the situation down to her needing to pull the country out of the mess left by former President Trump

[-] fireweed@lemmy.world 81 points 4 months ago

Perpetual growth in a finite system is impossible, and anything that relies on perpetual growth to function is doomed to eventually fail.

For instance: social services that rely on perpetual population growth (especially youth population; e.g. Japan/South Korea), companies that rely on perpetual increase in users (most publicly-owned companies; e g. basically every social media company ATM), industries that rely on perpetual advancements in technology (e.g. industrialized agriculture, which constantly needs new ways to fight self-induced problems like soil depletion and erosion), housing as wealth generation (to be a wealth generator it has to outpace inflation, but at a certain point no one will be able to afford to purchase houses at their inflated prices no matter how over-leveraged they get; e.g. Canada). [Note that these are merely examples where these issues are currently coming to a head; they are by no means special cases, they're just in a more advanced state of "finding out."]

In other words, a lot of the modern world, in both public and private sectors, is built around a series of ponzi schemes.

260
submitted 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) by fireweed@lemmy.world to c/newcommunities@lemmy.world

For fans of '80s-inspired contemporary beats. Share artists, albums, compilations, -wave channels, and vibe art.

!wavemusic@lemmy.world

12
submitted 6 months ago by fireweed@lemmy.world to c/manga@lemmy.ml

Cross-posted from !animationafter30@lemmy.world

Original thread here: https://lemmy.world/post/12816521


Japanese title*: Shimanami Tasogare (しまなみ誰そ彼)

English title: Our Dreams at Dusk

Type: Manga

Year: 2015-2018

Country: Japan

Genre: Drama

Status: Completed (four volumes)

Platform: Seven Seas Entertainment published the series in English; old scanlations can also be easily found online

Appropriate for 30+?: Resounding yes

My rating: 5/5 stars

(Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity)

*the title in Japanese has a double meaning, with "Shimanami" being a place name, and "tasogare" meaning "twilight" but it's spelled to loosely translate instead to "who is he?"


To preface: I almost never give out perfect 5/5 ratings, but Shimanami Tasogare is just that solid. It's a series I've read several times and adore for both general and personal reasons. I've written an unusually long review because there's just so much to unpack here. While there are no major spoilers ahead, if you trust my judgement stop reading this review and go read the series instead: I don't want to unnecessarily color your experience.


Shimanami Tasogare is a series of understated brilliance that does so many things well that it's difficult to know where to start dissecting it. I'll start with the subtlely beautiful art, which features just enough detail to be realistic yet a touch dream-like, and it confidently dips into the surreal to introduce brief, almost flow-of-consciousness moments for the purpose of conveying the characters' emotions in the moment (this is only one of many ways that the series excels at "show don't tell"). The setting is itself an integral part of the story, and is portrayed in a level of detail and specificity rarely seen in manga. Then there's the tone: while the series deals with serious topics and sad moments, it handles them with grace and skillfully maintains an overall uplifting and joyous vibe (which I really appreciated, as I rather dislike "I smiled through the tears!" or "orphan-crushing machine" stories that are billed as "bittersweet" or "heartwarming," although be forewarned some characters' plotlines are more tragic than others, and the emotional impact of each plotline will almost certainly differ from reader to reader depending on whether it hits close to home or not).

One of the series' greatest strengths is in the characters, every one of which is complex, imperfect, sympathetic, interesting, and above all human. While the protagonist is a high school boy, the supporting cast range from approximately age 11 to 60, with most in their 20s/30s, and about an even gender split. You could argue this is a coming of age story, however the high school plotline is portrayed with maturity, and the older characters all get their own fully-fleshed-out plotlines too, so I think the more generic "character drama" label is much more appropriate. Characters' reactions are not always immediately understood by the audience, but they never feel arbitrary, like they came out of nowhere, or merely happened for the sake of plot development. The characters always drive the plot, never the other way around. 

Speaking of the plot, while far from an "edge-of-your-seat" series, the plot is quite engaging, and barreling through the entire four-volume series in one sitting is far from unthinkable. The pacing is fantastic, much of which is thanks to the series' excellence in "show don't tell": the dialogue never feels excessive nor insufficient, and the author conveys characters' thoughts and emotions via art, expression, and action as much as via dialogue. This leads to scenes that squeeze a lot of development into just a few panels, but it never feels rushed or confusing.

Two details that made me personally love the manga even more are: (1) the series is set along the "Shimanami Kaido," which as mentioned in the manga is a historic area of central Japan made up of a series of islands connected by a long highway that also features a fantastic cycling route that I've ridden myself (if you ever visit Japan and are capable of riding a bike, rent yourself a cheap mama-chari and ride as much of the route as you physically can). (2) The characters are involved with a non-profit that renovates old abandoned houses ("akiya") and repurposes them; I love old stuff and there's something so romantic and enticing about both the slow-decline vibe of abandoned houses in depopulated areas and the magic of "restoring something old to its former glory" renovation projects. While neither the Shimanami area nor the akiya restoration project are the focus of the series, they are explored in a good amount of detail and the reader should walk away from the series having learned something about both.

Now that I've sufficiently buried the lede, it's time to discuss probably the most noteworthy elements of Shimanami Tasogare, which is that it's possibly one of the best LGBTQ+ manga ever written; it certainly was groundbreaking in the mid-2010s when it was released for its realistic depiction of LGBTQ+ issues in Japan. However! Much like how the series feels relevant and highly accessible even to readers much older than the adolescent protagonist, Shimanami Tasogare is far from a manga only for LGBTQ readers. In fact, I'd strongly argue that everyone regardless of sexual/gender orientation should read this manga, not only for all the series' fantastic qualities I listed above, but also for its poignant messaging about intentional and unintentional homo/transphobia and what it means to be a supportive ally. I would go so far as to wish it were required reading in every middle school in the US, up there with other cultural touchstones like To Kill a Mockingbird, because it covers a lot of "culture war" issues (both in relation to LGBTQ+ issues and otherwise) in a compassionate, clear, and concise way while somehow never feeling preachy. Full disclaimer: I do not consider myself a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and thus this review is from the perspective of an ally. However my understanding is that the manga received rave reviews from LGBTQ+ communities in Japan and abroad, so I feel confident in my positive assessment of the series.

As just one example of effective messaging, the series clearly demonstrates the value and importance of "safe spaces" (both IRL and digital) for marginalized populations, and what can happen when they're invaded, even if it's with good intentions. One of the supporting characters is a pushy and opinionated straight/cis woman who takes it upon herself to white knight for her trans friend and repeatedly oversteps her bounds until she's finally told off and sheepishly retreats to the literal background for the remainder of the series. No one ever comes out and explains that "a true ally is someone who knows when to step up and when to step back," but anyone with a touch of reading comprehension will hear this message loud and clear.

This is how almost all messaging in the series is: rarely stated directly, but portrayed so clearly that anyone with a shred of compassion or sympathy will understand them. I've considered myself an ally of the LGBTQ+ community for over twenty years, and have read many explanations on microaggressions, safe spaces, the importance of allyship, "the queer experience," etc. (in addition to similar pieces related to other marginalized groups, such as racial/ethnic/religious minorities). Rarely have I read a more clear, convincing, and more importantly precise and concise argument for so many concepts often dismissed as "libtard bullshit." I think this is a case of using a medium to its full potential: the graphic novel format allows the author to portray a lot of concepts non-verbally, which better allows the reader to feel like they've been able to observe the situation for themselves and thus draw their own conclusions, while simultaneously avoiding the inherent "preachiness" of verbal communication. The author never needs to state "don't do X, because it will make people feel bad," because the reader can instead watch X unfold, then infer for themselves that it made a character feel bad based on their expression and body language. This technique only works because every character and every situation feels so realistic, especially in relation to each other, which is why it's critical that so many other elements of the manga are as solid as they are.

Another testament to how successful the author is at conveying difficult messages in a positive and effective way is in how the manga has aged: usually with quickly-evolving cultural topics (such as LGBTQ+ issues) there's almost always something that even expert creators get wrong, that feels outdated even only a few years later, that comes off as misguided, divisive, controversial, or offensive. The stronger the messaging the more likely these blunders are to occur, and Shimanami Tasogare definitely has some strong messaging. Now perhaps there's something that I overlooked or missed that someone from the LGBTQ+ community would identify as a misstep on the part of the author. However I think the author did a brilliant thing to avoid this when crafting their messaging: they portray imperfect characters that are often conflicted and uncertain of what they should do, characters that cause hurt and feel hurt even when no ill will was intended. Further, and as outlined above, the author avoids preachy dialogue that declares absolute truths by instead utilizing "show don't tell." After all images are inherently more nuanced messengers than words (there are a few moments where characters do have to spell things out for each other, but the messaging is usually either extremely general or portrayed as just their opinion, and is always plot-relevant and never feels ham-fisted or forced). One of the central themes of the series is the difficulties people inevitably have understanding each other, often even themselves, and how this unfortunately leads to people hurting one another even when they're trying to help or do the right thing. Yet the series is generally positive about society and humanity as a whole, and would fit right in with the "it gets better" campaign. This all further helps the series feel nuanced, as if to assure the reader, "no one can always get it right (not even me the author) and that's okay."

In summary: Shimanami Tasogare is a story about people (LGBTQ+ or otherwise) and their relationships with themselves, other individuals, and society as a whole. It is brilliantly composed, with exemplary art, pacing, plot, dialogue, setting, and characters. It is smart but accessible, with timeless themes about human relationships that are also painfully relevant to contemporary issues, and it conveys poignant messaging without soapboxing. A core theme of Shimanami Tasogare is that your sexual/gender identity is part of you not all of you, and the same should be said for this manga: while it is a story that covers LGBTQ+ issues, it is far from being just an LGBTQ+ work. I highly recommend this series to everyone, regardless of age,* nationality, or gender/sexual identity.

*Given the nuanced and sometimes difficult content discussed, some discretion is advised. I'd give it a 12+ age rating, although it may resonate better with audiences 14+.

10
submitted 6 months ago by fireweed@lemmy.world to c/manga@lemmy.ml

Cross-posted from !animationafter30@lemmy.world

Original thread here: https://lemmy.world/post/14998497


Title: One Room of Happiness (Original Title: 幸色のワンルーム)

Type: Manga

Year: 2017-2022

Country: Japan

Genre: Drama/Psychological

Status: Completed

Platform: Licensed by Crunchyroll (license discontinued?)

Appropriate for 30+?: Yes

My rating: 4/5 stars

(Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity)


Warning: One Room of Happiness contains difficult subject matter such as suicide, abuse, and rape. Many of the characters are or have been victims of abuse, and as such this series has multiple scenes and chapters that can only be described as "emotionally unpleasant." However the series also has many "warm and fuzzy" moments, and while there is tension that things could suddenly go horribly wrong underlying much of the series, this is balanced with joy and hope. In this way the series shares a lot of thematic and tone overlap with Oyasumi Punpun.

Given that Oyasumi Punpun is an infamous emotional trainwreck of a series, and given that the premise and initial chapters of One Room of Happiness send off super-skeevy vibes, here's a mild spoiler about just how bad One Room of Happiness gets:

spoilerThe ending of One Room of Happiness is bittersweet: nowhere near as devastating as Oyasumi Punpun, but certainly not a fully happy ending either. The "kidnapper" does not attempt anything untoward toward the "kidnapped;" their relationship is generally wholesome, albeit in a fucked-up way. However rape-attempt scenes involving other characters do occur on two occasions in the series.

The core of the series is in its character study of abused individuals dealing with trauma, and the character development that comes with working through it and connecting with others also scarred by abuse. The plot is fairly engaging, and there's some cat-and-mouse as the "kidnapper and kidnapped" try to evade the police. The art, pacing, and dialogue are all quite good. Because one of the core themes of the series is recovering from trauma, the series is overall more wholesome, heartwarming, and uplifting than most "psychological" series, which depending on the series can border on torture porn. IANAP (I am not a psychologist), however I left One Room of Happiness feeling like the difficult subjects handled in this series were done respectfully, gracefully, and at least somewhat realistically.

The two main characters are on the younger side (14 and early/mid-twenties), however the subject matter is mature and, likely due to their trauma, the characters act mature for their age. The series's overall quality is high, and the "turn-offs for older audiences" that I try to watch for with these reviews are basically absent. As long as you are prepared for the heavy subject matter and can get through some of the more questionable content/vibes of the early chapters (including one chapter with non-sexualized 14yo nudity), I think this series is both appropriate and enjoyable for older audiences.


As always, this review is nothing more than my personal opinion. Anyone familiar with this work is encouraged to express their own in the comment section. Or submit your own review… it’s a free ~~country~~ fediverse.

[-] fireweed@lemmy.world 87 points 6 months ago

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a Republican seen as a potential running mate for Donald Trump, tells a story in her new book about shooting and killing her young dog and a goat

Noem, who became governor in 2019, likened murdering her canine to having the ability and willingness in politics to do anything “difficult, messy, and ugly.”

I remember when presidential candidate Mitt Romney sunk his political career by telling what he thought was a humorous tale of creative problem solving that involved strapping the family dog to the roof of an overloaded car. This is like that, but horrifyingly worse.

10
submitted 7 months ago by fireweed@lemmy.world to c/gardening@lemmy.world

I've frequently read that a good rule of thumb for many vegetables is that plant starts are ready for transplanting into the ground once they've "developed their second set of true leaves." However I'm unclear as to whether this means "once the second set of true leaves begin to emerge" or "once the second set of true leaves have grown to full size" or something in between.

I usually let the weather dictate when I plant out, but this spring has been mild enough that I've found myself with a huge window of opportunity. When do you all know your starts are ready to go in the ground?

57
submitted 7 months ago by fireweed@lemmy.world to c/gardening@lemmy.world

"Dragon tongue" mustard with four cotyledons (seed leaves)

Germinated outdoors so pardon the slug damage

[-] fireweed@lemmy.world 117 points 8 months ago

I'd be furious too, having such incompetent, out-of-touch advisors. This article alludes to it but others have gone more in-depth: Biden's advisors keep telling him the economy is great, the problem is messaging: the American people just haven't heard how great it is. Telling people struggling to pay their bills every month that they're better off than they were four years ago isn't messaging, it's gaslighting. His advisors should be telling him the truth, that the economy is only good on paper, that while the "haves" are living large the "have nots" are not only struggling, their ranks are quickly growing. Don't get me wrong, anyone who votes for Trump because they think he'll do better at economic issues is a moron, but history shows that a lot of people are going to go this route come November at the current pace of things. And Biden's advisors are just as moronic if they don't understand this.

[-] fireweed@lemmy.world 125 points 8 months ago

The article: "a bunch of us are worried about the potential rise of fascism in the United States, so we're moving to Italy"

Tell me that you are oblivious to international politics without literally telling me that you are oblivious to international politics.

More to the point, if Americans were the type to "flee in droves," left-wingers would have left states like Texas and Florida en-masse for bluer pastures. Moving within the United States is a million times easier than moving overseas, and if they're not doing the former in the face of fascism/degradation of human rights in red states, why on earth would they engage in the much more difficult latter? Definitely sounds like a case of taking anecdote and non-committal musings online too seriously.

45
submitted 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) by fireweed@lemmy.world to c/newcommunities@lemmy.world

https://lemmy.world/c/animationafter30

A place for reviews, rants, recommendation requests, and memes for the older (30-year-old and up) crowd, because it can be difficult to keep the passion for animation and comics going after you've aged out of the medium's key demographic.

Whether you're curious whether Netflix's newest adult animation series is any good, are seeking recommendations for romance manhwa with middle-aged protagonists, have a "Millennial humor" webcomic to recommend, want to discuss the latest developments in your favorite "salaryman" manga, or simply want to wax poetic (or mournfully cringe) about how your favorite animated movie as a kid holds up decades later, this is the place for you!

No hate or gatekeeping of younger fans and newer series intended, however interests and tastes inevitably change over time and it's helpful to know whether that anonymous online user emphatically urging you to check out their favorite series is 14 or 40. (Or maybe you are one of those younger fans and are looking for an older adult's suggestions for animated films you can watch on family movie night that your parents won't immediately veto.)

[-] fireweed@lemmy.world 115 points 8 months ago

This is in Missouri, for anyone wondering.

[-] fireweed@lemmy.world 89 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

Millennials grew up in the 90s, possibly one of the "best" decades in modern history: good economy, closest we've gotten to "world peace," comparative political stability and "quiet" (the biggest scandal in US politics was Monica Lewinsky), and problems existed but generally seemed to be getting better with time not worse. The 90s were an optimistic time, especially considering the snowballing disaster of a 21st century that followed.

Edit: also advancements in science and technology were bright and exciting, without the constant existential dread of "what calamity have we unleashed this time?" The biggest tech/science-advancement ethical debate I remember was about cloning people, which is a genuine sci-fi-esque moral quandary but ended up being generally moot in reality.

[-] fireweed@lemmy.world 159 points 11 months ago

In a statement, the consul general of Israel to the southeast US, Anata Sultan-Dadon, said that the diplomatic mission is "saddened to learn of the self-immolation at the entrance to the office building". "It is tragic to see the hate and incitement toward Israel expressed in such a horrific way"

Anyone else caught off guard by this utterly tone deaf statement?

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fireweed

joined 1 year ago