What’s on your mind?

[boswald]

Another idea ... hiking poles? Takes some weight off your knees and ankles, and gives a slight upper-body workout.

That's a really good idea. I'll look into that.

 

[Apple fanboy]

That's a really good idea. I'll look into that.

As a former obese person who uses exercise to reduce my weight I’d recommend going for a variety of exercise options. Helps with the boredom factor.
I have a cross trainer, rowing machine in the garage. I also walk or jog every day.

Swimming is a great one if you are local to a pool. In the country here so a non starter for me.

 

[boswald]

As a former obese person who uses exercise to reduce my weight I’d recommend going for a variety of exercise options. Helps with the boredom factor.
I have a cross trainer, rowing machine in the garage. I also walk or jog every day.

Swimming is a great one if you are local to a pool. In the country here so a non starter for me.

I've heard a lot of good things about swimming, and fortunately, where I live, about 8 months out of the year are perfect for it. I think I need lessons though because I don't do it correctly. No big deal, though. I would love to continue walking if I can help it (in addition to swimming).

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Blood oranges are becoming difficult to obtain, but I am still overjoyed by the welcome appearance of daffodils.

 

[adrianlondon]

Blood oranges are becoming difficult to obtain, but I am still overjoyed by the welcome appearance of daffodils.

They've just gone on offer here in Switzerland; maybe being a bit further south changes their season slightly. In contrast, our daffodils haven't opened yet.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

They've just gone on offer here in Switzerland; maybe being a bit further south changes their season slightly. In contrast, our daffodils haven't opened yet.

They have a short enough season - usually, it seems to run from the very end of December/early January to late February, early to mid March, as different varieties become available.

If memory serves, the blood orange festival in Sicily usually takes place around the middle of February.

Last year was unusual in that the blood orange season seemed to extend to very early April; however, if it ends by mid February, this season will have come to an end exceptionally early.

 

[ClaraStahlbaum]

Really feel like I was born in the wrong time. Old enough to know what the old internet was like, but young enough to see it all fade away and get replaced by AI slop content. It's become really bad in the past year or so, and I am feeling like a fish out of water everywhere I go.

Instant gratification and short form content are two of the worst things to happen to society in my opinion in recent years.

 

[M4th]

Some people still believe in this, and it goes back centuries.

So, to the "fire horses" out there, a belated happy new year.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Really feel like I was born in the wrong time. Old enough to know what the old internet was like, but young enough to see it all fade away and get replaced by AI slop content. It's become really bad in the past year or so, and I am feeling like a fish out of water everywhere I go.

Instant gratification and short form content are two of the worst things to happen to society in my opinion in recent years.

Well I’m old enough to remember before the internet existed. Simpler times.

 

[mtbdudex]

Well I’m old enough to remember before the internet existed. Simpler times.

Me too!
Around 1972, we rode banana bikes everywhere, no devices to zombie stare into. I was 10 in this picture.

There’s a 4-letter word we all need to revisit, play.

Pure , free mindless physical play.

Not gaming, the real deal stuff.

This clip from ST:TOS explains it

Who here “plays”?
What is it that you do?

I play by riding my bike, little things, like in parking lot seeing how I can balance my bike and barely move it while on it.
Yea, I’m 63 and doing that, of course all the little things on a bike ride.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

My local store (they delivered organic milk, grapefruit, and lemons to me yesterday) apologetically explained that they could no longer obtain blood oranges, which they have been delivering, weekly, to me, since mid to late January.

Candidly, I have been expecting this, as, last week, they had only been able to obtain eight blood oranges for me; thus, last night, I texted one of the organic fruit and vegetable stalls (who have just recently re-appeared, for the first time since before Christmas) to ask whether they still stocked blood oranges - or, were able to source - blood oranges, and, if so, to reserve ten to twelve for me, tomorrow.

To my delight, they responded this morning in the affirmative.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Me too!
Around 1972, we rode banana bikes everywhere, no devices to zombie stare into. I was 10 in this picture.

There’s a 4-letter word we all need to revisit, play.

Pure , free mindless physical play.

Not gaming, the real deal stuff.

This clip from ST:TOS explains it

Who here “plays”?
What is it that you do?

I play by riding my bike, little things, like in parking lot seeing how I can balance my bike and barely move it while on it.
Yea, I’m 63 and doing that, of course all the little things on a bike ride.

Yes but did you wedge a playing card in your spokes so it sounded like a motorbike engine as you rode? Well at least that’s what we thought/did!

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Me too!
Around 1972, we rode banana bikes everywhere, no devices to zombie stare into. I was 10 in this picture.

There’s a 4-letter word we all need to revisit, play.

Proper, spontaneous, unstructured, play, rather than the formal, structured stuff that seems to be the case, nowadays.

Pure , free mindless physical play.

Exactly.

Not gaming, the real deal stuff.

Completely agree.

..........

I play by riding my bike, little things, like in parking lot seeing how I can balance my bike and barely move it while on it.
Yea, I’m 63 and doing that, of course all the little things on a bike ride.

That brings back childhood (and teenage) memories.

 

[mtbdudex]

Yes but did you wedge a playing card in your spokes so it sounded like a motorbike engine as you rode? Well at least that’s what we thought/did!

Yes we did, among other stuff …

Proper, spontaneous, unstructured, play, rather than the formal, structured stuff that seems to be the case, nowadays.

Exactly.

Completely agree.

That brings back childhood (and teenage) memories.

This was Dec-6-2025 global fatbike day, about 100-ish showed up here.

I’m 63, blue jacket, next to me is Bernie, he’s 77!! No, it’s not an e-bike, he pedals.
Next to Bernie is Pete, he’s “young” at 57.

Whenever I start to say or think “I’m old”, Bernie will straighten my mindset out. There’s others in their mid-70’s riding also.

We chat while riding when it’s appropriate, we let the ride “sink in” at other times.

We play.

 

[ClaraStahlbaum]

Well I’m old enough to remember before the internet existed. Simpler times.

When I was younger, I didn't use the internet. The internet existed, I just didn't use at the time. I grew up without it to some extent. I didn't have any video games, etc, mainly because I wasn't into that stuff. Still am not. Never got into gaming.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Other than blood oranges, frightful, frigid, freezing (February) weather, and daffodils (saw some today; bliss), the other thing on my mind are the bills that tend to fall due at this time of year.

In any case, earlier today, I paid the house insurance for the coming year, which, needless to say, has put a decent sized hole in my bank account.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Other than blood oranges, frightful, frigid, freezing (February) weather, and daffodils (saw some today; bliss), the other thing on my mind are the bills that tend to fall due at this time of year.

Today, I paid the house insurance for the coming year, which, needless to say, put a decent sized hole in my bank account.

Here the wind and lashing rain have just started up. Perfect for someone just about to start a 4 hour drive in a small car! Oh well. It will be nice to see my Dad eventually!

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Here the wind and lashing rain have just started up.

Ugh.

Had some of that earlier, (and more is due later), dark, threatening, lowering charcoal skies, dismal and dreary, horrid winds, and lashing rain.

Perfect for someone just about to start a 4 hour drive in a small car! Oh well. It will be nice to see my Dad eventually!

Safe travels, and enjoy meeting up with your dad.

 

[someoldguy]

Yes but did you wedge a playing card in your spokes so it sounded like a motorbike engine as you rode? Well at least that’s what we thought/did!

We used to use balloons in the spokes in addition to cards ( we used baseball cards ) . Had to be careful taping the balloons to the frame so they wouldn't pop when you rode .

 

[Scepticalscribe]

On the topic of playing, - natural, spontaneous and non-structured playing - and related matters:

Yesterday, while walking down a footpath on my own road, I passed three youngsters - around six, seven, eight years of age - attached to - having climbed on - the railings outside their newly built house (the lovely, early twentieth century bungalow that used to stand there was demolished two years ago and replaced with the modern dwelling).

All three boys brandished rather impressive water pistols. While, initially, I had feared an assault - or soaking, or momentary deluge - of the liquid variety, to their credit, they held their pistols clearly aloft, arms bent at the elbow, water pistols pointing skyward, studying me, as I strolled past them.

I retraced my steps and - nodding at their watery weapons - asked if they knew of an even better weapon, informing them that, in my opinion, a large (empty, obviously) plastic bottle of washing up liquid was even better in a water pistol fight (vividly recalling childhood memories of exactly such an arms race) than standard water pistols.

They grinned at me, and told me that someone else had also mentioned this to them, but then, in that earnest yet engaging way of children, explained that their water pistols (which they showed me) had - or held - a large reserve of water, and were, in their considered view, the equal of an empty plastic washing up liquid bottle for such purposes.

 

[decafjava]

Why does? Every. Fandom. Without. Fail. End up so toxic?

 

[rm5]

When I was younger, I didn't use the internet. The internet existed, I just didn't use at the time. I grew up without it to some extent. I didn't have any video games, etc, mainly because I wasn't into that stuff. Still am not. Never got into gaming.

I'm just about to turn 21 years old. We had no internet in our house until I was 10 years old and we moved houses - and my mom subsequently went back to work. Partly because my family did not have a lot of money back then, with only one parent working. But also I think because my parents wanted my brother and I to not grow up with the internet. We did a lot of stuff outside - which, growing up in the Southwest, there's a lot of beautiful nature to be around.

No video games, either. That was a hard and fast rule by my parents. We also didn't have a TV in the house until 2024 - which I find television to be an incredible waste of time and truly not enjoyable. The rest of my family has fallen for it.

I unfortunately had a lot of health issues as a kid (some of which still to this day), which was really rough - but thankfully I don't remember that inhibiting my ability to be outside and enjoy things. It's interesting though, because when one thing improves the other goes down the drain. In recent years, I've spent very little time outdoors compared to back then. I don't know, you win some, you lose some...

 

[ClaraStahlbaum]

I'm just about to turn 21 years old. We had no internet in our house until I was 10 years old and we moved houses - and my mom subsequently went back to work. Partly because my family did not have a lot of money back then, with only one parent working. But also I think because my parents wanted my brother and I to not grow up with the internet. We did a lot of stuff outside - which, growing up in the Southwest, there's a lot of beautiful nature to be around.

No video games, either. That was a hard and fast rule by my parents. We also didn't have a TV in the house until 2024 - which I find television to be an incredible waste of time and truly not enjoyable. The rest of my family has fallen for it.

I unfortunately had a lot of health issues as a kid (some of which still to this day), which was really rough - but thankfully I don't remember that inhibiting my ability to be outside and enjoy things. It's interesting though, because when one thing improves the other goes down the drain. In recent years, I've spent very little time outdoors compared to back then. I don't know, you win some, you lose some...

There were a few select shows I liked as a kid, and those were old shows - Star Trek and Lost in Space. There were other shows I watched such as Transformers, but I didn't develop much of an interest in TV beyond that. I never really understood the fascination people have with TV.

I do/did watch some other shows over time of course, but not from in front of the television itself. I will never get cable though, I don't understand why some people even still have cable these days. It is very rare for a new TV show to catch my attention, let alone a high level of interest to continue watching it.

Some did over time though. A lot of people around me as I grew up always bragged how they had TV in my room, and I found it incredibly silly of a thing to brag about.

 

[BotchQue]

On January 31st of this year, my internet provider went bankrupt (Tango-Uniform, in military parlance). I was not able to get another provider in until two days ago, and it’s still not 100% reliable. During that 3 weeks my phone could still receive email, and Messages (exactly three in three weeks, guess I’m not much of a messager.). But, for whatever reason, I couldn’t make phone calls, or send out emails, even via cellular (I still don’t understand why).

What a wake-up! Losing most TV, all internet, and phone calls for 3 weeks really isolates you, and makes you realize just how much we depend on the ‘net in our “modern” lives. I was soon overdue on three monthly bills (couldn’t pay by mail as I didn’t have their addresses, couldn’t look those addresses up because, well, no internet). My credit card expires at the end of Feb, received the replacement in the mail but I couldn’t activate it (because, well, no internet nor phone), that one had me sweating a bit. Some friends I have on special-interest forums were worried about me, sent me emails “Hey, you okay?” but I couldn’t respond to them (no internet nor phone). Lost music streaming (something that’s fairly new to me) but started digging back into my CD/DVD/Bluray collection, and having a major re-connect!

I also had a couple stacks of paper magazines that I hadn’t read, got thru them. Started walking more, and realized how much my physique has decayed since COVID. Got a LOT of neglected housecleaning done. And I’m very thankful that my OTA antenna still (mostly) worked, and I was able to fill some time with watching the NBC Winter Olympics (and reminded how much I HATE commercials that I can’t skip thru). Reminded me of how life was 7 or 8 years ago.

In the last day and a half it’s been great to catch up with forums, friends, and YT channels, but I’ve realized I’ve been missing something else these last few years, and I need to change my time allotments. So, I’ve had quite a bit on my mind this past month…

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Ventured into the farmers' market (in horrid weather, wet, windy, cold, dismal, dreary) for blood oranges (which had been reserved for me, and were already bagged when I arrived).....

My (freshly squeezed, by me) breakfast citrus juice comprised one lemon, one standard orange and two blood oranges this morning - sunshine in a glass.