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solitaryagent.bsky.social
Artist, writer, activist. Not well versed in anything straight or neurotypical. Library Science & English Lit. Creator of an alarming number of OCs. Unofficial IT guy. No genAI here. Antifascist forever.
338 posts 170 followers 137 following
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Honestly, even before that I met my queer elders, including trans anarchist punks and queer commies, online in the early oughts. We've been out here and it's not stopping!
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That is something I am *always* willing to do. 🫣😂 My first novel grew out of a game character's backstory and it's only part one of two!
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I've even heard that the translation to Québécois French is quite difficult for AI to handle without highly specific prompting, and: GOOD
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Yeah, sure, you've gotta take it off for customs, but... you're allowed to put it back on, folks. You can choose to put it back on at any time. Spring 2025 is a fine time to make that choice.
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It was honestly quite jarring to be in a place where MANY people were operating on the same principles I do (masking in crowded places, then taking the mask off outdoors a block or two from the station once the crowds thinned) and then flying home and seeing so many folks mask-off at Pearson.
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Maybe it's just the autism talking, but the orderly traffic flow and the socially distanced way of relating to one another has made sense to me since my first visit in 2011. Not to mention masking being a common polite practice, especially if you're sick, but also proactively.
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I think some people get more nervous about language barriers than necessary, but others make zero effort and that's no good either. Learn a few polite phrases, use gestures, use translation apps if needed. A little effort goes a long way. In Japan, following polite rituals goes a long way too.
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I sometimes use it casually as an apology as well, which is probably not the best. I tried to remember to use "gomen nasai" if I actually did something rude. But when I accidentally spilled a drink in a theatre and used it to apologise, they brought me a new drink even though it was my fault. 😅
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I always recommend learning "sumimasen" before anything else for tourists, because you're going to need to be excused, and often. And it's so multi-purpose! Need help with something and want to catch someone's attention? Bumped into someone? Need to get past someone in a cramped aisle? Sumimasen!
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It is no trouble at all, I hope you and your loved ones can stay safe. 🙏
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But the cruel part of this is that while many folks using this app don't want or require a massive audience... WHAT'S HAPPENING TO PALESTINE DESERVES ONE! 🍉🍉🍉
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We either gotta switch to private communities, get off social media altogether, or expose ourselves to this sort of heavy-handed moderation while calling it out whenever possible. There are no "easy" solutions where you can get the feeling of Old Internet along with a big audience.
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So many bots too, yet the priority seems to be the mass reporting and deletion of accounts run by Palestinians seeking aid
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Yes, feel free! I plan to put a little travel blog together with recommendations for travel procedures and such, since there are lots of recent updates to app-based booking systems. But for basic polite interactions I can definitely help practice in person sometime.
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I can't change anyone else's habits, but I can recommend a change in viewpoint that's worked for me. Instead of thinking "what can I have," ask "what can I learn?" (Also, it's fine to buy things! I still shop! I just do it thoughtfully and support local artists when possible, or buy secondhand.)
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I try to be a curious and low-impact traveler these days. Less luggage, more hiking, doing my own laundry, visiting parks and museums more often than shopping, wearing a mask in crowded places and on transit. It's made a big difference in how I feel. Loving a place should mean respecting it.
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I initially read "party pooper attack" which, honestly, is how I feel when I say I need to step outside after half an hour at a party
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You do not have to keep getting sick, and you definitely cannot keep being a vector that sickens, disables, and kills others. It is anti-progressive, anti-humanist behavior to keep ignoring a disease that, as you all say, isn’t going anywhere. It’s time to adapt. Or…well, you know the rest.
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Quotes are from the English language museum guide. This is a beautiful, accessible, and inclusive space. I adore it and am very glad I visited!
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"The museum is housed in the Showa era building of the former Tatsuike Elementary School, preserving its historical appearance, and thus representing the role that the school has played as a longtime symbol of the region." Yes!! More of this, fewer vacant and neglected buildings, please.