starless @starless@pixie.town

@eris@ni.hil.ist @sparky aaah, that makes more sense. Thank you!

@sparky thank you!

@sparky this doesn't make any sense to me. I'm not an expert, but I've taken a handful of years of mandarin language classes, and it's just.. It really doesn't check out, IMO.

First, it's impossible to pronounce an ideogram.

You can pronounce the word an ideogram represents, based on your dialect... But even then, that's still not right, there's more than one way to pronounce most ideograms because Chinese has many spoken dialects.

And even then, the translated joke isn't good. In mandarin Chinese, 'moo' is usually translated as 'móu' or 'mōu' (pronounced kind of like "mouh?" or "mouh" but like in a high-pitched cat meow voice). That's a fine inaccuracy. But! The real kicker here?

Móu's closest "philosophy" homonym is 牟 (móu), roughly translated as "to seek" or "try to gain", at least in standard mandarin. This is basically a canonical pun baked into the language (at least in mandarin).

The closest to your joke I was able to find is 莫 "mò" (pronounced like "mow", except you say it like a firm command, with a fairly short 'o'). From what I can find in the translation notes, this really isn't used in spoken Chinese much.

Anyways, "nobody there spoke Chinese" is a lame punchline, IMO. But, you know, like a student, I just had to 'go seek' if you would. As is, though, it reads like.. Kinda racist? Because it's not really funny to anyone who's kinda familiar with any of the subject matter, so it's like you're laughing at some other group in a way that doesn't really let people laugh together, if that makes sense.

I'm definitely not a fluent speaker, though, so I could be misunderstanding something. Am I missing some context here? Anyways, lame joke, maybe take it down, but I hope you enjoyed the translation notes!

For reference, I used Pleco's dictionary app to help with most of my translations.

@anotherperson@tech.lgbt hey there! I'm not deaf, but I am hard of hearing. I sometimes make hearing aids using the #tympan project stuff (www.tympan.org).

Nice to meet you!

@trixter agreed, and tbh, I think it's kind of a shame. Especially if the kid is queer and doesn't really have any other tools for social interaction outside of that context, I dunno, it just seems sad. They flail a lot, are rude to people, and are just miserable themselves, too.

Have you found any strategies/resources that help? I haven't really found much.

I don't want someone constantly picking fights and triggering folks in rooms, but I'd also like to be able to refer them to resources other than just my own emotional labor for becoming better-socialized.

@reese

I keep wanting to make

First the psychologist
Then the endocrinologist
Said "I've got the thing,
You'll be yourself in time."

As a lyric work, but I'm just not sure it will.

@feesable my joints trouble me when I have too much bulk around them, so I try to go for really light but effective stuff. I live in Minnesota and like to go on dates, so with covid and the winter, I've needed to up my game. It's work to be warm while sitting down and eating dinner outside when it's around freezing.

Most of this will be for warm and not dry. Here, so long as you have good boots, you won't get wet in the winter, there just isn't the (liquid) water for it.

My favorite is layering thermasilk as an underlayer. Tractor Supply Co has the best prices on it, but it is still a little expensive, about $35 usd per top or bottom. They do seem to last well (I got my first top about ten years ago). I recommend sizing up on the bottom half/halves. These also look pretty nice under a skirt or similar, IMO. In practice, I usually wear a pair of leggings under normal pants, and then a shirt under a normal long sleeved cotton shirt, and then layer a top or two over that.

My other super secret weapon is using a stomach warmer. I prefer ones that wrap with velcro rather than elastic. I got mine here (https://mongolianstore.com/product/brown-camel-belt/) for $25 usd + shipping. I did need to add a small panel so that the velcro wouldn't rip the wool (I am smaller than the person it was designed for). I really like mine, though. That site also has nice socks and yak leg warmers.

I will also buy more inexpensive long underwear (bottoms, a size up) and cut them off at the knee as to retain mobility a bit better. I usually buy these at fleet farm or whatever farming shop is nearby. They're more expensive at outdoors stores.

Occasionally, an outdoors store near me redesigns their socks. I try to stock up then. REI has good merino hiking socks, I would recommend sizing up due to shrinkage while washing.

If Wales is damp (it is, isn't it?) wool is quite good, even when wet. I just don't tend to deal with a damp cold as often.

Don't be afraid to pick up/use some hand warmers. You can get re-usable ones, disposable ones, and zippo ones. I usually just use the disposable ones.

There also now exists outerwear with batteries and heaters built into it (coats and boots I think?). I haven't used these and can't speak to them, but you might enjoy their warmth.

Good luck!

@shardsofblue that sounds both creepy and exhausting.

If you have the energy, do you have thoughts as to what heuristic trap is driving this behavior? Or does it just seem kinda random?

@mekkaokereke That sounds like an exhausting thing to push against. Sending nice thoughts. 💙​