#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 1: Intro: Shameless Self Promotion.
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#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 1: Intro: Shameless Self Promotion. Tell us about yourself, your published work or WIP.
I'm Kagan, a web developer from San Francisco living in Brooklyn, working on my first novel. Totally unpublished author, but going for it anyway.
My WIP is an #UrbanFantasy set in #SanFrancisco, about people who can hear the voice of the City, and do magic based on that.
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#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 1: Intro: Shameless Self Promotion. Tell us about yourself, your published work or WIP.
I'm Kagan, a web developer from San Francisco living in Brooklyn, working on my first novel. Totally unpublished author, but going for it anyway.
My WIP is an #UrbanFantasy set in #SanFrancisco, about people who can hear the voice of the City, and do magic based on that.
#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 2: On a scale of pantser to plotter, what are you? Are you flexible?
Still finding out. For my initial WIP, I'm developing my characters' backgrounds with as much detail as I can, and doing likewise for the setting, society, and magic system. Then I'm plotting the heck out of the first 5 chapters or so... and after that? I have fairly little idea of where it's going to go. I want a firm foundation to jump off of.
So, plotting *so that I can pants it*?
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#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 2: On a scale of pantser to plotter, what are you? Are you flexible?
Still finding out. For my initial WIP, I'm developing my characters' backgrounds with as much detail as I can, and doing likewise for the setting, society, and magic system. Then I'm plotting the heck out of the first 5 chapters or so... and after that? I have fairly little idea of where it's going to go. I want a firm foundation to jump off of.
So, plotting *so that I can pants it*?
#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 4: What's your beverage and snack of choice when writing?
Whiskey-based, spirit-forward cocktails like Manhattans or Vieux Carrés, or straight Irish whiskey.
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#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 4: What's your beverage and snack of choice when writing?
Whiskey-based, spirit-forward cocktails like Manhattans or Vieux Carrés, or straight Irish whiskey.
#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 5: Do you have an intended audience for your writing?
I guess vaguely urban fantasy fans? People who love cities in general, and San Francisco in particular.
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#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 5: Do you have an intended audience for your writing?
I guess vaguely urban fantasy fans? People who love cities in general, and San Francisco in particular.
#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 6: Do you hide Easter eggs in your work? Give some examples?
There will definitely be lots of details that San Franciscans will recognize. But if I'm hiding them for people to find, I'm not going to spill the beans here!
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#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 6: Do you hide Easter eggs in your work? Give some examples?
There will definitely be lots of details that San Franciscans will recognize. But if I'm hiding them for people to find, I'm not going to spill the beans here!
#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 7: Share an image of a favourite book cover design. Not your own.
The Integral Trees, by Larry Niven. Part of what I like about this cover for is that Niven says he was once in a bookstore and overheard someone looking at the cover and saying, "Oh, a fantasy novel." And he thought, Nope! Hard SF... just in a *very strange* place. (Check out the notes on the setting: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Integral_Trees. It's a very strange place, indeed!)
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#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 7: Share an image of a favourite book cover design. Not your own.
The Integral Trees, by Larry Niven. Part of what I like about this cover for is that Niven says he was once in a bookstore and overheard someone looking at the cover and saying, "Oh, a fantasy novel." And he thought, Nope! Hard SF... just in a *very strange* place. (Check out the notes on the setting: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Integral_Trees. It's a very strange place, indeed!)
#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 8: Did you like to read as a child? Which books did you read?
I was a *voracious* reader as a kid! The kind who frequently had a book hidden under his desk in class and was reading it instead of paying attention.
I couldn't possibly remember all the things I read, but one item that sticks out in my mind right now was the Danny Dunn series: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_Dunn
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#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 8: Did you like to read as a child? Which books did you read?
I was a *voracious* reader as a kid! The kind who frequently had a book hidden under his desk in class and was reading it instead of paying attention.
I couldn't possibly remember all the things I read, but one item that sticks out in my mind right now was the Danny Dunn series: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_Dunn
#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 10: What are your thoughts on em dashes?
I love 'em! And I maintain that they should be typeset with a non-breaking space before, and a standard space after. The spaces give them visual separation from the surrounding characters, and the non-breaking one on the front means the dash will never be the first thing on the line; that's awkward and impedes reading.
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#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 10: What are your thoughts on em dashes?
I love 'em! And I maintain that they should be typeset with a non-breaking space before, and a standard space after. The spaces give them visual separation from the surrounding characters, and the non-breaking one on the front means the dash will never be the first thing on the line; that's awkward and impedes reading.
#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 12: If you write novels, would you consider a short story, and vice versa?
Whenever I contemplate trying to get stuff accomplished in the confines of a short story, my brain locks up and it just looks like way too little room.
Back in my teens, when I previously was an aspiring writer, I actually intended to write short stories. My attempts ballooned into novellas.
Maybe I'll try the "short story challenge" again someday. Not now.
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#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 12: If you write novels, would you consider a short story, and vice versa?
Whenever I contemplate trying to get stuff accomplished in the confines of a short story, my brain locks up and it just looks like way too little room.
Back in my teens, when I previously was an aspiring writer, I actually intended to write short stories. My attempts ballooned into novellas.
Maybe I'll try the "short story challenge" again someday. Not now.
#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 13: Do you derive joy from writing? In what way?
If it weren't bringing me some kind of joy, I'd stop. Even when I'm running into difficulties or being frustrated by obstacles, I'm still, fundamentally, doing the thing I wanted to do.
I've been living with "what if I were to write a book about...?" in my head for so many years. It feels good to finally be making it happen.
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#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 13: Do you derive joy from writing? In what way?
If it weren't bringing me some kind of joy, I'd stop. Even when I'm running into difficulties or being frustrated by obstacles, I'm still, fundamentally, doing the thing I wanted to do.
I've been living with "what if I were to write a book about...?" in my head for so many years. It feels good to finally be making it happen.
#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 14: Have you ever written about an ex-partner and changed their name in your story?
No, and I don't plan to.
They're exes for reasons. I don't need to be hauling them around anymore. Not in my brain or my heart, and certainly not in my writing!
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#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 14: Have you ever written about an ex-partner and changed their name in your story?
No, and I don't plan to.
They're exes for reasons. I don't need to be hauling them around anymore. Not in my brain or my heart, and certainly not in my writing!
#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 15: Which conjunctions do you use the most? Does it matter?
I can't imagine that it matters. If I really want to know someday, I guess I'll drop my writing into some kind of thing that generates statistics. But I doubt it.
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#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 15: Which conjunctions do you use the most? Does it matter?
I can't imagine that it matters. If I really want to know someday, I guess I'll drop my writing into some kind of thing that generates statistics. But I doubt it.
#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 17: How do you promote your writing?
I'm going to wait until I have anything to promote before I get into that.
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#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 17: How do you promote your writing?
I'm going to wait until I have anything to promote before I get into that.
#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 18: What genres might you try if you wrote outside your chosen genres?
I might give mysteries, and particularly cozy mysteries, a try. Also, I occasionally wonder what it would be like to write a romance or two.
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#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 18: What genres might you try if you wrote outside your chosen genres?
I might give mysteries, and particularly cozy mysteries, a try. Also, I occasionally wonder what it would be like to write a romance or two.
#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 21: Have you practised your autograph and your selfie pose for your best seller?
I'm deliberately holding off on that kind of thing until the book hits the shelves. I feel like it would be too easy for me to get more into the "fantasizing about having finished the book" stuff than the "actually writing the thing" part. I'm trying to maintain some discipline there.
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#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 21: Have you practised your autograph and your selfie pose for your best seller?
I'm deliberately holding off on that kind of thing until the book hits the shelves. I feel like it would be too easy for me to get more into the "fantasizing about having finished the book" stuff than the "actually writing the thing" part. I'm trying to maintain some discipline there.
#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 22: Would you ever consider collaborating on a book?
I'd consider it. Not sure what book or with whom, but willing to entertain the idea.
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#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 22: Would you ever consider collaborating on a book?
I'd consider it. Not sure what book or with whom, but willing to entertain the idea.
#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 23: Do you read your drafts aloud? How does this help?
I pretty much always read things at least "aloud inside my head"; I'm always trying to find the right inflection, rhythm, and tone of anything I read. So "just reading" my drafts is practically reading them aloud.
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#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 23: Do you read your drafts aloud? How does this help?
I pretty much always read things at least "aloud inside my head"; I'm always trying to find the right inflection, rhythm, and tone of anything I read. So "just reading" my drafts is practically reading them aloud.
#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 25: What keeps you striving concerning your writing goals?
I have a story that I want to tell. I want to get it out there where people can read it, and I have hopes that they'll like it, and like the characters, and it will touch people.
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#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 25: What keeps you striving concerning your writing goals?
I have a story that I want to tell. I want to get it out there where people can read it, and I have hopes that they'll like it, and like the characters, and it will touch people.
#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 26: Have you used a MacGuffin in your writing? Be honest.
I have a couple of plot devices in my WIP, in the sense of "things that people want to acquire for Reasons, but those Reasons affect the plot", but no MacGuffins (in the sense of "thing that people want, but exactly what it is has no effect on the plot"). My plot devices have specific attributes and uses. 1/2
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#WritersCoffeeClub (Sep) 26: Have you used a MacGuffin in your writing? Be honest.
I have a couple of plot devices in my WIP, in the sense of "things that people want to acquire for Reasons, but those Reasons affect the plot", but no MacGuffins (in the sense of "thing that people want, but exactly what it is has no effect on the plot"). My plot devices have specific attributes and uses. 1/2
To clarify, my plot devices are like the Death Star plans in Star Wars IV: A New Hope, not like Marsellus Wallace's briefcase in Pulp Fiction — or the iconic Maltese Falcon, one of the greatest MacGuffins ever, and a good example of the fact that MacGuffins aren't necessarily bad. 2/2
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@TOrynski @getajobmike not learning new things is different from forgetting them tho, and LLM usage can vary a lot in the range from looking at a map to sleeping while the robot drives.
I am convinced coding skills can atrophize but I'm not sure it's a fast process. I haven't driven a bike in a year, but I still know how.
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@cwebber it's really good
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@paco@infosec.exchange why Discourse?
Use NodeBB. We keep our shit in one folder.
You can put that folder anywhere 🫠
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@paco this is also important to me. 👊
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But no. The discourse "easy installer" sprays shit all over /var. I'm gonna get some database down in /var/lib/docker/something and I'm going to get assets living in /var/discourse, and umpteen gajillion container images in /var/lib/docker.
But I also have fucking /var/log for OS logs, and /var/run for runtime information like PIDs, and /var/lock and /var/tmp. I think /var/most-important-app-on-the-system is NOT where you put application software. So my volume/filesystem to encapsulate discourse? Is that a big ass /var?
I love #FreeBSD because it is so well organized. They even go to trouble to make packages like postfix or apache fit the idiom, rather than let it install in /var/lib/opt/sbin/etc or some shit.
This public service announcement sponsored by Old Man Yells at Cloud, Inc.
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More moaning about #linux. I'm trying to get a discourse server off the ground. Why the fuck do they insist on installing non-OS stuff in the middle of all the OS stuff.
/var/discourse is not a good default. And then fucking docker wants to be /var/lib/docker. Never mind how /var/lib doesn't make any goddamn sense.
Related to my earlier discussion of hard drive partitioning. What I would like to do is have a volume that is not the operating system, but is instead all the application data. The discourse data, database, assets people upload, etc. That way I can have this nice virtual disk that encapsulates it. I could theoretically build a new node, attach this drive to the new node, and migrate the site. I can snapshot that drive more frequently than, say, the OS drive. Lots of benefits to encapsulating it.
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@getajobmike It's interesting to see it grep in parallel for a dozen likely things in a codebase, like when an error string is constructed from variables and static strings or passed through a couple layers, and you have no stacktrace. But it will also get inverted about what's a diff vs code and point out some non-issue that wastes your time. If you work in a language with a lot of boilerplate like java, I can see it being too handy of a shovel.
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Operazioni aritmetiche e scorciatoie
@matematica - Pare che i maschi siano più portati a usarle rispetto alle femmine.
