Lateral Hobby-Holeception

[thepnutgallery]

Like pretty much always, once removed from the bait situation, it had no power over me. Comparatively. I was pretty happy to wake up sober, tbh. I thought about the co-evolution of Tag Groups, where I think they started out as a social bonding over a witty reply, branched out into social enforcement of our mores, and now there are what must be Lure Groups, who exist to provoke a specific demographic and when they mobilize via a Tag Group or similar, ambush them. I spent far too long trying to find the words for it, then deleted the draft anyway.

Tim called to commiserate on politics. Something about the potential for abuse of process with witnesses or something, but I prefer text-based communication for almost any genre of discussion or communication, and I told him this. Somehow we moved to the topic of internet societies and how we can try to effectively police our mores. We both recognized the danger in just shouting them down because then you end up with Karen in HR & the Disappearing "Ethnic" Resumes. Kismet or something, he wanted to dissect the question of mob violence vs accountability. But I prefer text-based communication for almost any genre of discussion or communication, and I told him this. He mentioned that Debbie had advised his dad to talk to him after he came out because there was a lot of malicious propaganda at the time. It made me think of that special I saw about LGBT history and some woman remembering that her dad asked if she slept with little boys. She, being a lesbian, didn't even sleep with big boys. But I prefer text-based communication for almost any genre of discussion or communication, and I told him this. And that ignored the question of intent, anyway. So while I'll grant there are militants who will tell you to go get a Sociology Ph.D. and write at least 2 books because it's "not their job to teach you," but overall, even if you do make a smug false equivalency and people react, some of those reactions are going to be people explaining it to you, so tone policing takes on shades of victim-blaming. He brought up trans rights and noted Christian's more fluid gender but attempts to use surgery and hormones to cram their body into one of the recognized boxes. But I prefer text-based communication for almost any genre of discussion or communication, and I told him this. And Christian suffers from severe mental health and addiction issues, so trying to hold up where those issues bleed into his gender identity is several Fallacies rolled into one. He Goal Shifted to Trans Athletes, since it's not fair to have AMAB folk compete with AFAB folk, and maybe we should just get rid of Gendering our sports. But I prefer text-based communication for almost any genre of discussion or communication, and I told him this. And studies show that trans athlete's bone density and muscle mass are equivalent ranges to their cis counterparts. He pulled up a study saying transwomen retained an advantage even after transitioning. Here my fangs slipped out. Some of it was even self-critical because if I'd just been more assertive before, I could have ended the call but I prefer text-based communication for almost any genre of discussion or communication, and I just told him this instead.

We did finally end the phone call, he sent the study he'd found, and I very diplomatically destroyed it. At some point I'll have to look into the Devil's Advocate Card, what prompts it, and the most thorough analysis to decide the best way to deal with it. He wanted me to visit, but I'd shifted completely over from Team Free Labor to Team Just A Little More. Not a really surprising league, come to think of it. I wanted to do some work on Symbism or any of the many projects I want to take on, but then Dakota happened.

Dakota posted a selfie with song lyrics, so I looked them up and listened to several of the artist's tracks. The lyrics he'd posted were from "Spotless Mind" by Jhené Aiko. It was possibly the most gentle take on the "I'm Like A Bird" theme I'd ever seen. And bonus, the song name reminded me of both "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," a film I've never seen but is reportedly stellar, and the Elvis track "Suspicious Minds," which features that kind of key change high note I live for thanks to the chorus. Then I found websites that might help me learn music theory (I think that's what it's called). Then I learned Elvis's version was a cover, but the OG version doesn't have the high note. I subscribed to the Music Trivia page anyway. And then thinking of suspicious minds in general reminded me of the underrated Dave Armstrong & Redroche track "Love is Gone" which I haven't listened to in years. I really appreciate tracks about relationships ending that examine it multifacetedly. Not that "Love is Gone" offers any sage, poetic wisdom, but it at least acknowledges additional emotions at play, much like "We Don't Need a Man" does through humor.

All of these rabbit tracks had their own rabbit tracks, and as excited as I was about my visit to a world of pure information, I recognized I was becoming manic. I deleted the map summary I'd written and just thanked him for the post and rabbit tracks.

But then he asked what rabbit tracks were, so I went on an expedition to find the origin and best way to explain them. I couldn't find any additional references to the phrase so I guess it was just my dad's personal idiom? But I was intent on explaining the concept. Then I remembered that Dakota raises spiders and possibly also insects, so I used spiders as an example. He'd made a post recently about his spider Manu saying hi. So on a post about his carapace kids, I might note that if spiders weren't limited by their respiratory biology, they'd be gargantuan and eat everything on earth. Then we might talk about Eight Legged Freaks, and how sort of meta it is that the film tried to align itself with everyone else with an attitude of knowing self-deprecation, then that attempt itself became part of the rationale for disdain. Then he might ask if there was any news on Scarlett Johansson and whitewashing media roles..... All of this from him saying Manu did not walk him by without bothering to say hello.

Due to both my more recent history and life experiences, Squeakistan is now determining their policy on communication, a telephonic invasion. Cadillac problem, especially as compared to 2019 et al, but I have so many projects I want to work on, I really need to set a time limit or other guidelines for all "calls to chat." I put my phone on Airplane mode, and aside from calling me Shirley when it should have been Ms. Owens, it was magic. I thought about that post noting that capitalism has done its best to annihilate hobbies. Everything you do is supposed to be aimed at making you money at some point, and therefore if you're not going to make money from something it's a waste of time. Money is the only ROI that matters. I spent the whole afternoon just frolicking in various professional and personal rabbit holes, updated my journal, listened to music, discovered new music, and caught myself every time I started clucking over my productivity.

I was tired enough by the time I finally gave in and crashed that I declined my Seroquel. Figured my body could use the break from it, and if I woke in the middle of the night I could still take one then.