Spacebar 3.0 >.<

[starrynightin64]

I'm a tendon snapper so I'm used to what you described. I expected to be farther along on this. This is my first time dealing with torn muscles, bone anything... grinding from a broken collar bone... which was a surprise to me how painful it was/ is. I'm pretty good on high pain tolerance but I think we're close to the camels back this summer. It hard not being able to just park my shoulder and keep working.

I've been spacing everything out and still pushing to keep moving. Today I've only managed to get recycling out to the alley trash area, then shredded 3 bags of old tax and personal papers and got them out there. Got thing reset to do that again tomorrow sorting and shredding. The hard part this week is between now and really early Saturday I need to get an old single mattress down from the loft, 2 old TVs and a couple other items ready for junk in the trunk. That's a mix of free trash day and swap meet at the community center done quarterly. One of my local Cops is stopping to help me load it in my truck on his way to the event. I'm following so the city worker guys can unload it for me. My support team sponsored the coffee for Coffee with a Cop that event. I'm going to make a couple coffee cakes for with the coffee.

 

[Chris_Michael]

Azul's Question of the day
Have you ever had a time when you stripped down in a figurative sense and what happened?

What does that even mean?

 

[Paul_Chance]

Hi Chris - in the metaphorical sense, where an action (in this case stripping) symbolizes another action. Like shedding my anger like a dog. Simply letting the anger fall away.

Starry - I tend to stay away from the community events like that, because I always end up with other peoples old stuff because it's cool. I am sucker for strange and unique finds like that. One persons junk is another persons treasure. LOL - or it stays junk and just changes houses.

 

[Azuldrgon]

Azul's Question of the day
Have you ever had a time when you stripped down in a figurative sense and what happened?
I can't think of anything in the figurative sense, but maybe in the literal sense!

I asked for that one.

Figuratively stripping down - for me it's kind of a continual process both physically and psychologically. Find the core of what matters to you and strip your life down to that core. I don't know about all of you but I am conscious of the amount of time and energy I waste on things that have no particular value to me. The negative side of the power habit. I try to live in a continual cycle of self-awareness (and I'm borderline OCD so I count and analysis all kinds of stuff as I go through a day). Then, I strip things down. I live a very physically minimalist life style and am slowly becoming even more minimalist. The things you own also own you in return. Freedom in this life is not just a mental state, but it's a physical state as well. In the words of that great philosopher Kris Kristofferson "Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose...".

Well said.

What does that even mean?

I think Paul answered that question well enough.


In my life, I have always been the kind of guy to self-assess and shed things that can hamper me. Whether it was the few extra pounds in my rucksack back in my Army days or my Scout days or whether it was which friends to keep on my Facebook page. I try my best not to be a hoarder.
Probably the best example was last September when we discovered our landlord would not allow us to stay in our apartment two months after the lease was done while getting our house. We had to strip our lives down to the bare essentials to get through two months while staying in a hotel while waiting for the paperwork. It made me appreciate the fact that we didn't need a ton of stuff to survive.


Just downloaded Pokemon Sun and Moon demo.

Starry....

 

[Paul_Chance]

As far as stripping down a life traveling extensively for work has taught me it is entirely possible to live in such a way that all your possessions can fit in a single bag - and that most of the stuff I own, though I enjoy it, is just stuff. The important things we carry are in our minds and our hearts. Those are our true treasures.

(Semi-off topic - "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien is a great book.)

 

[tnman03]

Hi Spacers. Tiamo you can rock any costume you choose to wear, just go with the flow, be spontaneous and don't over achieve. It's the little glitches that humanize and allow humor to shine through.
Starry, your going to have to learn when to say no on volunteer stuff more often and pace yourself.
Azul & Paul. Our lives revolve around far to much physical clutter and emotional baggage. Divesting ourselves of the clutter allows more freedom of movement and less to take care of. Closing the door on emotional baggage and being done with it offers peace of mind and emotional stability. Lady G's recent video is pared down to the fundamentals of stage music and in may ways retro. She comes across as more talented and genuine w/o the garish costumes and special effects. Are you seeing a correlation there to life?
Hotcpu, I worked in grocery stores in my teens and had a part time gig in an outdoor equipment store some years back. Doing some retail work makes you appreciate not having to do it anymore.

 

[Chris_Michael]

Sorry, I just woke up. Thanks for the answers, Paul and Azul. And what up, tnman?

My brain is not functioning appropriately yet. I can't do coffee like you guys, but I can do Xanax, and I think I'll have it decaf.

 

[Tiamo15]

Hello Chris! Welcome back to the Spacebar. And hello tnman, Paul, Azul and Starry, as well as hotcpu and dumpling from the morning. How's everyone's day going?

Oh I can strip down physically! I'm not a hoarder. When I moved from my mountain house, I rented a 10 yard dumpster and filled it up three times. I am quick to dispose/sell/donate any outdated computer books, games, clothes, etc... Am quick to throw away fridge food and makeup when expired. I am happy with how simple and clean house organization has become. However, I do tend to go pretty gung ho when I get into a new hobby, so I can amass quite a collection of things.

And not overachieve? Good thing you don't listen to my thoughts as I am working on my current project. It's the little details that matter!

So... Did I tell anybody I'm recreating Jurassic World? I'll share screenshots soon. I just got my Mosasaur in the bay and there's just enough water for him to swim, yet for people to be able to view him easily. He has a large aggro range and he chomps down any unlucky fish that spawns in his territory. Last night I got eaten 3x by Indominus Rex, but I finally tamed a good one. Today he is gone from his cage, he escaped! So I'll have to get a new one. And then an Alpha Raptor spawned inside my "zoo" and killed my guard dog Carnotaurus. So I tamed him and now he's doing a good job. Now to throw in a new mod to disable spawns inside my Jurassic Park zoo.

 

[Paul_Chance]

Hi Tiamo, Welcome back to the waking world Chris.

I had a good day - got my arms around a project that had spiraled badly out of control for the customer. LOL - it's not fixed yet, but I get see where they went awry.

Can I borrow the Alpha Raptor to send to their directors meeting tomorrow? That would make things a lot easier!

 

[Azuldrgon]

and after catching up, I am worn out.....good night all.

 

[Azuldrgon]

*starts coffee*

Good morning everyone.

There have been many threads on the PG. Some have lived long lives and regenerated many times while others have been dead in the water. Some started out great, then fizzled. What do you think makes a good thread?

Kind of a different question, but I'm half asleep.

 

[Dumpling]

Came for my extra Morning Coffee
Waves Hi to Everyone and wishing you all a wonderful and exciting Hump Day

 

[hotcpu]

Breezing by ...

Hey Guys and I agree with Azul after catching up I'm spent!!

Tiamo - You'll be Hott no doubt so the jacket will come off to everyone's pleasure I'm sure!! Watch out for those sharp beady eyes and sharp teeth and claws that will want to rip your clothes off. Oh and the watch out for the Dinos as well ....

Stary - Continuing to hope the needle Doc can help you with some relief!!

Tnman - You are so correct about working in retail to make you appreciate not having to work there!!

Questions:
I've moved several times in the last 10 years and it always amazes me how much stuff gets accumulated in a short time, so Every Fall and Spring I go through closets and clothes, furniture whatever is not being used gets hauled to the Goodwill Store!!

Good thread:
It has to do with the posters that want to spend a few moments of their lives reaching out to others. Just the conversations that show us all how connected we are even though we may never see each other in person, but knowing that you are thought of far away from your physical environment. You get a group of folks that enjoy the nerdiness or whatever our likes and dislikes and the thread kinda takes a live of it's own. Just my opinion ...

 

[SoulAssasin247]

*starts coffee*

Good morning everyone.

There have been many threads on the PG. Some have lived long lives and regenerated many times while others have been dead in the water. Some started out great, then fizzled. What do you think makes a good thread?

Kind of a different question, but I'm half asleep.

Popularity is all that matters. If the person who started the thread and the people who post in the thread are popular, then it doesn't matter if they're talking about hot garbage it will last.

 

[Paul_Chance]

Good morning Spacelings

A bit of a chaotic day work day here. Still wanting that alpha raptor to straighten these Yahoo's out. It's a regular ego orgy today.

I'll draw from years of experience in building engagement type programs and projects. Here is what makes a thread live or die (an engaged virtual community).

1. A defined purpose to create user attraction (e.g. If I go here, I will get X)
2. A core group/individual who continually generates new and interesting content
3. A wider interactive group who are responding to content and interacting with the originators and each other frequently
4. Casual group members who interact on a lesser frequency
5. Core group members who engage with the casual group members and convert them to core members, both to replace normal attrition and grow the group

Whether it's a Lit thread, a FB group, a blog, or a commercial brand those factors determine life or death. From what I see on Lit in order to thrive any thread only needs a originator of one or two and a core of five or six. A high frequency thread generally has a core of 10 or 12 who interact daily.

LOL anyone want to guess one of things corporations pay me to consult on? (Soul is also correct for personality centered brands of which there are a few here. But, popularity of both persons and threads is a measurement of success - it's not enough to keep a thread alive, but rather an outcome of a living thread.)

That will be a minimum of 8 billable hours at $350 an hour.

 

[Tiamo15]

Paul always puts me to shame with his well-thought out responses. He nailed it! I'll lend him my Alpha Raptor if he can give me an hour of his thoughts one day.

And thank you to SoulAssassin and Hotcpu for their responses as well! Love hearing how you all think.

I've only really joined one thread on Playground Lit that I've considered to be my "home". It's the people, getting to know them on the forums, interacting with them, getting excited for their ups and commiserating with their downs. Feeling a part of their life. I used to be surrounded by friends, but as I get older, I embrace my introvertedness, so I am grateful to get to know each and every one of you. This thread has evolved and lost and gained some wonderful members along the way, but the core has remained. The core are people that always offer stimulating conversation, just the right amount of flirtations but not too much, and most of all, keeping the atmosphere positive and supportive.

 

[Tiamo15]

This song has been in my head nonstop! I sing it all day long, luckily none of you have had to hear me sing the chorus. Yet.

So baby pull me closer in the backseat of your Rover
That I know you can't afford
Bite that tattoo on your shoulder
Pull the sheets right off the corner
Of the mattress that you stole
From your roommate back in Boulder
We ain't ever getting older​

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT2_F-1esPk

 

[Paul_Chance]

Thanks Tiamo - my mind is yours. LOL - but I must forewarn you that there are some strange things down in there!

That's a great song - never heard it before. One of the things I like about online communities is they often expose you to music and books you've never heard of before, and it amazes me that sometimes they are artists who have extensive catalogues or authors with dozens of books in print and I've simply never run across them before.

I woke up this morning with Annie Lennox echoing in my head and so I've been going through the day humming and singing it.

"Some of them want to use you
Some of them want to get used by you..."

Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This

 

[tnman03]

Good morning Spacelings

A bit of a chaotic day work day here. Still wanting that alpha raptor to straighten these Yahoo's out. It's a regular ego orgy today.

I'll draw from years of experience in building engagement type programs and projects. Here is what makes a thread live or die (an engaged virtual community).

1. A defined purpose to create user attraction (e.g. If I go here, I will get X)
2. A core group/individual who continually generates new and interesting content
3. A wider interactive group who are responding to content and interacting with the originators and each other frequently
4. Casual group members who interact on a lesser frequency
5. Core group members who engage with the casual group members and convert them to core members, both to replace normal attrition and grow the group

Whether it's a Lit thread, a FB group, a blog, or a commercial brand those factors determine life or death. From what I see on Lit in order to thrive any thread only needs a originator of one or two and a core of five or six. A high frequency thread generally has a core of 10 or 12 who interact daily.

LOL anyone want to guess one of things corporations pay me to consult on? (Soul is also correct for personality centered brands of which there are a few here. But, popularity of both persons and threads is a measurement of success - it's not enough to keep a thread alive, but rather an outcome of a living thread.)

That will be a minimum of 8 billable hours at $350 an hour.

Paul always puts me to shame with his well-thought out responses. He nailed it! I'll lend him my Alpha Raptor if he can give me an hour of his thoughts one day.

And thank you to SoulAssassin and Hotcpu for their responses as well! Love hearing how you all think.

I've only really joined one thread on Playground Lit that I've considered to be my "home". It's the people, getting to know them on the forums, interacting with them, getting excited for their ups and commiserating with their downs. Feeling a part of their life. I used to be surrounded by friends, but as I get older, I embrace my introvertedness, so I am grateful to get to know each and every one of you. This thread has evolved and lost and gained some wonderful members along the way, but the core has remained. The core are people that always offer stimulating conversation, just the right amount of flirtations but not too much, and most of all, keeping the atmosphere positive and supportive.

Paul and Tiamo are on the mark here and SA gave a good response about popularity. Good threads engage the viewer and draw them into an interactive dialog where playful socialization and sharing percolate. They have the right balance for the targeted viewer as Paul so accurately stated. I lean towards the phrase "likeability" it has nothing to do with popularity or cliques instead its simply about being agreeable towards others and not being negative. Positive threads last, negative or spiteful ones fail.

 

[Tiamo15]

Thanks Tiamo - my mind is yours. LOL - but I must forewarn you that there are some strange things down in there!

That's a great song - never heard it before. One of the things I like about online communities is they often expose you to music and books you've never heard of before, and it amazes me that sometimes they are artists who have extensive catalogues or authors with dozens of books in print and I've simply never run across them before.

I woke up this morning with Annie Lennox echoing in my head and so I've been going through the day humming and singing it.

"Some of them want to use you
Some of them want to get used by you..."

Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This

Yeah, that's an awesome song! I actually used it in one of my last Lit cosplays this spring, Sweet Dreams was used in the movie Sucker Punch (was Sweet Pea).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvhDHJAbPg4

I love a wide range of music. I usually don't listen to pop that much, but I listen to music while I walk a lot and check out the chart toppers now and then.

 

[tnman03]

Oh yeah. Meant to mention I've been researching solar ovens recently, specifically the solar box ovens. I played around with a homemade parabolic oven knocked together from a satellite TV antenna years ago. The darn thing was blazingly hot at its focal point. It was like cooking over a stove burner on a white hot setting.
'The box cookers are more like cooking in a crock pot which is more my speed so I've trying to decide between building a sturdier one or just buying one. Anyway, its been something interesting to play around with and the cardboard box ones are fun to play with.

 

[Tiamo15]

So... I just invited the plumber to my party.

I was explaining things around the house, that I was preparing for a huge costume party, and we got to know each other and had so many similarities. No, it isn't a sexual thing, his wife is into IT and knows Japanese, so I'm not looking to get laid, lol. He sounded super super excited and just moved into the area and lives three blocks from me that I had to invite them.

I was taking pictures of the Lord of the Rings that I ordered a few weeks ago. They finally arrived from China! I ordered 50 of them, in various sizes from 6 to 13. Lemme tell you, it was super hard to find Lord of the Ring rings in bulk.

 

[SoulAssasin247]

Paul, Azul and Tiamo I enjoy well thought out questions. If you all continue this practice, I will be eager to shed light on any issue from my perspective

 

[Paul_Chance]

Soul - dive right in!

Tiamo - I have a secret squirrel silver ring I wear that is handy to identify deeply closeted geeks and fanboys/fangirls in the business world. It's a sterling silver LOTR ring I picked up at Wondercon in LA earlier this year. People notice it and ask "what language is that and what does it say"? When I tell them "it says "One Ring To Rule Them All..." in Elvish you know you've met a fellow traveler when their eyes light up.

TN - yeah, I think on Lit a good part of success if likeability of the group on a specific thread, how much a person feels welcomed and valued in the group. Of course there are threads that are overwhelmingly negative - but they're filled with people who like that negativity as it feeds their world view, so it is their own mirror world where unlikability translates to likability. More power to them. It is always good to find your tribe, whatever your tribe is.

Those solar ovens are cool. A friend of mine has one in his backyard (a commercial brand). It's kind of fascinating and I tell him I always want to take it apart and figure out how to make it a death ray.

 

[Tiamo15]

And in lieu of recent events, I must disclose that my current avatar (10/19/2016 @ 1:52 MST) is not me. It is Skye, an assassin from a game I play. I wish I could play her better but that would take practice. I play with another Litster, but he is a pro at this kind of game, I am not. Lol.

I am more better playing this character.
https://hydra-media.cursecdn.com/paladins.gamepedia.com/thumb/9/92/Ying_render.png/325px-Ying_render.png

And... before I scare everyone off the thread, I will get some stuff done for the day.