![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
Messing with about:config
Aug. 22nd, 2025 08:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
writerkitI am always excessively pleased with myself when I successfully go beyond the instructions while messing with computers. It's just something about the fact that I figured a thing out by myself, even if it's a small thing. I messed with my settings and it worked! (This is how I justify my use of Linux. I don't do a lot of messing around with its scripts--but I have the option, when something annoys me enough.)
In this case, the problem was actually my browser, not my operating system. I updated Firefox and disabling the AI chatbot was no longer sufficient; I had to disable a new integrated AI summary pop-up. (A profoundly annoying one. I am very disappointed in you, Firefox.)
Now, the thing I originally set to false was browser.ml.chat.enabled. This disabled the AI chatbot.
New update added the AI summary pop-up every time I clicked on a link. The internet suggested that the thing I needed to disable to deactivate the entire integrated AI was browser.ml.enable, so I set that to false.
This did not get rid of the AI summary pop-up.
Rather than go hunting for more precise instructions, I went "hey, browser.ml seems to be common thread here; I wonder what else is under browser.ml?" As it turns out, a lot of things, some of which are bolded and all of which are named descriptively enough that you can tell what their deal is. One of these things is browser.ml.linkPreview.enabled, which seemed like it might be thing I was trying to get rid of. So I set that to false and went back to click on some links.
No pop-up.
I am cautiously optimistic that this has fixed the problem.
(Yes, this is extremely basic problem-solving. But it's unusual for me to actively problem-solve my computer rather than go find a ready-made solution on Reddit.)
In this case, the problem was actually my browser, not my operating system. I updated Firefox and disabling the AI chatbot was no longer sufficient; I had to disable a new integrated AI summary pop-up. (A profoundly annoying one. I am very disappointed in you, Firefox.)
Now, the thing I originally set to false was browser.ml.chat.enabled. This disabled the AI chatbot.
New update added the AI summary pop-up every time I clicked on a link. The internet suggested that the thing I needed to disable to deactivate the entire integrated AI was browser.ml.enable, so I set that to false.
This did not get rid of the AI summary pop-up.
Rather than go hunting for more precise instructions, I went "hey, browser.ml seems to be common thread here; I wonder what else is under browser.ml?" As it turns out, a lot of things, some of which are bolded and all of which are named descriptively enough that you can tell what their deal is. One of these things is browser.ml.linkPreview.enabled, which seemed like it might be thing I was trying to get rid of. So I set that to false and went back to click on some links.
No pop-up.
I am cautiously optimistic that this has fixed the problem.
(Yes, this is extremely basic problem-solving. But it's unusual for me to actively problem-solve my computer rather than go find a ready-made solution on Reddit.)
Birdfeeding
Aug. 22nd, 2025 03:34 pmysabetwordsmithToday is mostly cloudy and warm.
I fed the birds. I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 8/22/26 -- I did some work around the patio.
EDIT 8/22/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
I am done for the night.
I fed the birds. I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 8/22/26 -- I did some work around the patio.
EDIT 8/22/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
I am done for the night.
[food] misc veg salad
Aug. 22nd, 2025 10:59 pmkaberettThe nature of veg box is that Vegetables for which I have no Plan... accumulate. Today's dinner took a bunch of said accumulated veg and made them salad-shaped, and it worked out well enough that I want a record as a reminder for future self that one can just Do This.
( Read more... )
2025 52 Card Project: Week 33: Camel Ride
Aug. 22nd, 2025 01:13 pmpegkerrI went to Open Streets Minneapolis at Cedar Avenue this past Sunday.
When I was at the Powderhorn Art Fair several weeks ago, I saw a booth selling Haitian oil drum metal artwork. I knew I wanted to buy one of their Trees of Life, but they didn't have one that was quite right that day. The people at the booth told me that they would also be at the next Open Streets event, and so I decided to stop by to see if they would have another Tree at that event that I would like.
I had picked out the one that I wanted online, but alas, they didn't have one that I wanted in stock. Still, I was glad that I had come. It was fun to wander down the street, looking at the art cars and examining the items for sale at the various booths.
As I walked past the Somali mall, I saw another item being offered: free camel rides. A saddled camel stood in the weedy lot beside the mall, standing next to a mounting block and calmly chewing its cud. A line of eager children had lined up waiting to take their turn.
I walked by, not really thinking about it. And after I got home later that afternoon, I thought, belatedly, of that missed opportunity.
Why on earth didn't I take a camel ride? Why?
This is supposed to be my Year of Adventure, and I have done some fun things. But I realized that night that moments of adventure can be missed if you aren't paying attention.
Next time, I will take the camel ride. I promise.
I have ordered the Tree of Life online, and it should be arriving Monday. I'm really looking forward to mounting it on the wall.
Image description: Foreground: three art cars. Behind: A cut metal tree of life painted in hues of blue and green with yellow tips. A saddled camel overlays the tree. Top: "Open Streets Minneapolis: Cedar Riverside."
Camel Ride
Click on the links to see the 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022 and 2021 52 Card Project galleries.
When I was at the Powderhorn Art Fair several weeks ago, I saw a booth selling Haitian oil drum metal artwork. I knew I wanted to buy one of their Trees of Life, but they didn't have one that was quite right that day. The people at the booth told me that they would also be at the next Open Streets event, and so I decided to stop by to see if they would have another Tree at that event that I would like.
I had picked out the one that I wanted online, but alas, they didn't have one that I wanted in stock. Still, I was glad that I had come. It was fun to wander down the street, looking at the art cars and examining the items for sale at the various booths.
As I walked past the Somali mall, I saw another item being offered: free camel rides. A saddled camel stood in the weedy lot beside the mall, standing next to a mounting block and calmly chewing its cud. A line of eager children had lined up waiting to take their turn.
I walked by, not really thinking about it. And after I got home later that afternoon, I thought, belatedly, of that missed opportunity.
Why on earth didn't I take a camel ride? Why?
This is supposed to be my Year of Adventure, and I have done some fun things. But I realized that night that moments of adventure can be missed if you aren't paying attention.
Next time, I will take the camel ride. I promise.
I have ordered the Tree of Life online, and it should be arriving Monday. I'm really looking forward to mounting it on the wall.
Image description: Foreground: three art cars. Behind: A cut metal tree of life painted in hues of blue and green with yellow tips. A saddled camel overlays the tree. Top: "Open Streets Minneapolis: Cedar Riverside."
Click on the links to see the 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022 and 2021 52 Card Project galleries.
Maybe the universe is sending me a message....
Aug. 22nd, 2025 03:36 pmoursinOr maybe not.
Only over the past day or two there have been various things on listservs and social media relating to research I have done and published (and not just my research, much lamented Canadian historian in the same area's work) and I realise that this was Back in the Day and maybe it has fallen off the radar.
But how is this thing that this thing is that - I suppose this comes with working in a particularly niche area - that people are not aware of the Horrible Hystorie of the Heinous Synne of Onan?
I am almost tempted to go forth and offer a conference paper WOT.
I'm not sure I have anything in the way of startling new research to offer but a lot of the same anxieties have been popping up again around Precious Bodily Fluids etc.
On another paw somebody was advance-mentioning a book they have coming out and that made me think, though it's not directly related, that there's a piece of research I keep meaning to get back to that's a similar sort of story.
Meanwhile there is something a bit weird going on, I fear, with conference I have been invited to speak at next month, having had rather cryptic message from person who was liaising with me. Shall get on with book reviewing before investing any more energy in paper-prep.
Editing for pace, and storyboarding
Aug. 22nd, 2025 08:41 amvriddyThis is mostly silly. A problem with one of the early chapters is that nearly everyone noted it "feels" long even though it's not that much longer than the others. There are a number of issues: the sentences are too long for what should be a quick and fast-paced scene (bandits attack the village!), the descriptions feel quite remote as if the main character was only observing instead of being part of the action. It's vague in too many places instead of zooming on specific, vivid events and characters.
I've been editing this story for a lifetime (untrue) (but apparently still 179h41 over 141 days in the last 18 months, so CLOSE ENOUGH! XD), and because this is an early chapter it's one of those I've reread the most. So to shake things up a bit and try to experience it and its outline differently, I decided to storyboard it. It turned out surprisingly effective! It helped me narrow down on the key moments, and also give more agency to the bandits. Also it was fun.
At first, I drew two sides: one for the bandits, and one for the village, to show the preparations/lack thereof.
Then once the two collide, I started narrowing down on the key battle moments. By the 4th moment, I realised this was already a lot and stopped there. I removed a couple of unnecessary minor plot threads, like worries about a spell failing, and more magic stuff that's interesting but not particularly relevant to the scene or story. And I buffed up the 4 selected moments to make them more vivid.
( You don't need to be good at drawing. Are the bandits bringing torches to burn down the houses, or flower bouquets to secretly woo the villagers? Who knows! 😂 )
I think it was good just to help me think about the scene differently. My usual outlines sure look nothing like this!! I was also hoping to reduce the chapter's word count to make the prose tighter, but it ended up bubbling up because making things more specific required fleshing out background characters and actions. I think I'm okay with it, but I'll have to see how it flows when I do a full reread later, after I'm done and have taken a break from the story.
I've been editing this story for a lifetime (untrue) (but apparently still 179h41 over 141 days in the last 18 months, so CLOSE ENOUGH! XD), and because this is an early chapter it's one of those I've reread the most. So to shake things up a bit and try to experience it and its outline differently, I decided to storyboard it. It turned out surprisingly effective! It helped me narrow down on the key moments, and also give more agency to the bandits. Also it was fun.
At first, I drew two sides: one for the bandits, and one for the village, to show the preparations/lack thereof.
Then once the two collide, I started narrowing down on the key battle moments. By the 4th moment, I realised this was already a lot and stopped there. I removed a couple of unnecessary minor plot threads, like worries about a spell failing, and more magic stuff that's interesting but not particularly relevant to the scene or story. And I buffed up the 4 selected moments to make them more vivid.
( You don't need to be good at drawing. Are the bandits bringing torches to burn down the houses, or flower bouquets to secretly woo the villagers? Who knows! 😂 )
I think it was good just to help me think about the scene differently. My usual outlines sure look nothing like this!! I was also hoping to reduce the chapter's word count to make the prose tighter, but it ended up bubbling up because making things more specific required fleshing out background characters and actions. I think I'm okay with it, but I'll have to see how it flows when I do a full reread later, after I'm done and have taken a break from the story.
Follow Friday 8-22-25: Active Communities on Dreamwidth Summer 2025 A-I
Aug. 22nd, 2025 01:24 amysabetwordsmithThese are active communities in Dreamwidth from Summer 2025. They include things I've posted, but only the active ones; the thematic posts also list dormant communities of interest. This list includes some communities that I've found and saved but haven't made it into thematic posts yet. This post covers A-I.
See my Follow Friday Master Post for more topics.
Highly active with multiple posts per day, daily posts, or too many to count easily
Active with (one, multiple, many) posts in (current or recent month)
Somewhat active (latest post within current year, not in last month or few)
Low traffic (latest post in previous year)
Dormant (latest post before previous year, but could be revived because membership is open and posting is open to all members or anyone)
Dead (not listed because there are no recent posts, plus membership and/or posting are moderated)
Note that some communities are only active during a limited time, or only have gather posts on a certain schedule.
Follow Friday 6-6-25: Active Communities on Dreamwidth Spring 2025 J-Z
Follow Friday 6-13-24: Hetalia
Follow Friday 6-20-25: Highlander
Follow Friday 6-27-25: Hiking
Follow Friday 7-4-25: Historical Fiction
Follow Friday 7-11-25: History
Follow Friday 7-18-25: Homestuck
Follow Friday 7-25-25: Horror
Follow Friday 8-1-25: House
Follow Friday 8-8-25: Icons
Follow Friday 8-15-25: Indie
( Read more... )
See my Follow Friday Master Post for more topics.
Highly active with multiple posts per day, daily posts, or too many to count easily
Active with (one, multiple, many) posts in (current or recent month)
Somewhat active (latest post within current year, not in last month or few)
Low traffic (latest post in previous year)
Dormant (latest post before previous year, but could be revived because membership is open and posting is open to all members or anyone)
Dead (not listed because there are no recent posts, plus membership and/or posting are moderated)
Note that some communities are only active during a limited time, or only have gather posts on a certain schedule.
Follow Friday 6-6-25: Active Communities on Dreamwidth Spring 2025 J-Z
Follow Friday 6-13-24: Hetalia
Follow Friday 6-20-25: Highlander
Follow Friday 6-27-25: Hiking
Follow Friday 7-4-25: Historical Fiction
Follow Friday 7-11-25: History
Follow Friday 7-18-25: Homestuck
Follow Friday 7-25-25: Horror
Follow Friday 8-1-25: House
Follow Friday 8-8-25: Icons
Follow Friday 8-15-25: Indie
( Read more... )
BL trip a success
Aug. 21st, 2025 11:42 pmkaberettIn brief: book is the least I've been annoyed by any such book I have yet read, which is fairly impressive going, especially since the copy in the BL's collection is the first edition originally published in 2003 rather than the second edition updated in 2013; more notes possibly to follow (subject to reaching a decision about whether I want to hold out for getting my hands on a copy of the second edition before talking about it in public).
Entertainment: shortly after I finally settled myself down in my nice corner desk against a window with my back to the wall and a whole enclosed-in-glass booth between me and Any Other Readers... my watch buzzed to let me know that I'd just finished a Period Of High Stress. The high stress was, obviously, sitting quietly wedged into a corner on public transport while reading a relaxing book. I did know public transport was exhausting! I have been saying! I'm still kind of impressed at the watch Earnestly Informing Me, In Case I Didn't? Know? and mildly regretting that I'm planning to do the same-ish again tomorrow, and also also I am reassessing A Lot of my wheelchair use in light of this...
Related entertainment: how much my hypervigilance kicked up when I returned from lunch to discover that neatly leaving my notebook and reading-book in a stack on my desk had not had sufficient inhibitory effect, and a Noisy Person had decided to sit diagonally across from me, in my Space, being Noisy. The amount I relaxed when they (temporarily) fucked off is another one for the "yep I can see how not leaving the house for over a year and then staying Hyper Local has added up to me looking much more functional" files...
Lots of memories...
Aug. 21st, 2025 12:56 pmchicatingwhen I chose my wheelchairs as an Object to write about.(There was a time when I'd never do that, btw.)( Read more... )
it's a nuisance, but what can you expect from reptiles?
Aug. 21st, 2025 08:54 pmwychwoodThe weather has abruptly decided that it's autumn. It's still August! It's too early! But schools go back next week, and it's getting dark earlier, and I'm getting up for the office before sunrise now, and while I don't quite believe the person who mentioned that late October is only two months away, we're definitely at the end of the summer now. I very nearly wore a jacket for choir yesterday, and am looking forward to temperatures where I will want it and therefore have access to my many pockets on a regular basis.
For some reason I'm having a bit of a decluttering moment. I was discussing it with some friends this evening, and the other day found myself making a list of things that need decluttering in the longer run so that I stop thinking about them. My space isn't bad, there's not really anything urgent that needs doing, but periodically I remember e.g. the box of random electrical cables under the spare bed and decide yet again that I really ought to do something with them. Maybe it's the change of seasons; I know it's supposed to be a spring thing, but perhaps I'm getting ready to nest for the winter!
And next week I'm on leave again, so perhaps I will do all sorts of exciting domestic things! Or then again, perhaps not. Although I am going to visittoft for an afternoon, which is pretty exciting if not very domestic. Plus the new mattress arrives next Friday. St Augustine's Day on Thursday, Miss H's birthday brunch, a visit to the dental hygienist, choir and SF Readers' Group and singing at St N, it's all go around here.
For some reason I'm having a bit of a decluttering moment. I was discussing it with some friends this evening, and the other day found myself making a list of things that need decluttering in the longer run so that I stop thinking about them. My space isn't bad, there's not really anything urgent that needs doing, but periodically I remember e.g. the box of random electrical cables under the spare bed and decide yet again that I really ought to do something with them. Maybe it's the change of seasons; I know it's supposed to be a spring thing, but perhaps I'm getting ready to nest for the winter!
And next week I'm on leave again, so perhaps I will do all sorts of exciting domestic things! Or then again, perhaps not. Although I am going to visit
toft for an afternoon, which is pretty exciting if not very domestic. Plus the new mattress arrives next Friday. St Augustine's Day on Thursday, Miss H's birthday brunch, a visit to the dental hygienist, choir and SF Readers' Group and singing at St N, it's all go around here.
Not quite the same thing? but in the general ball-park I think
Aug. 21st, 2025 07:29 pmoursinA few days ago Ask A Manager posted stories of co-workers overstepping their expertise.
And I guess this is not quite the same thing but I had a massive flashback to That Morning of Hours I Will Never Get Back when the whole library staff had a session with an outside consultant.
I am honestly not sure what the rationale was for having us give up an entire morning of our precious closed period - during which we did all - well, seldom actually all, but as many as we could manage - of those essential backroom housekeeping tasks which cannot be undertaken when the place has actual readers coming in and USING THE COLLECTIONS dammit.
Possibly we had either just undergone, or were just about to undergo, one of the restructurings of which I saw many during my years there, distinct from the physical relocation upheavals.
But anyway, consultant.
Had consultant been briefed? Had consultant done any due diligence about what sort of institution this was?
Okay, did know it was a LIBRARY.
Had not the slightest apprehension that this was a world-renowned RESEARCH collection and that, you know, we were not lending out books and stamping them with return dates (I am not sure that this practice, by the date in question, even pertained in public libraries).
We were sitting there cringeing and wincing, wondering when it would all be over.
Were we not very restrained by not going, in huge chorus, in the manner he would doubtless have anticipated we learnt as part of our professional training, SSSSSHHHHHHHHHUUUUUUSSSSHHHHHH!!!!?
Birdfeeding
Aug. 21st, 2025 01:33 pmysabetwordsmithToday is cloudy and mild. :D
I fed the birds. I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 8/22/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 8/22/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
I am done for the night.
I fed the birds. I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 8/22/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 8/22/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
I am done for the night.
