ride_4ever | Network

I like how I put that into Google and the soulless machine summary immediately popped up with a helpful definition and usage as though this is some common phrase that we all know from our school days.

Having finally beaten Wall World and done some catch-up on Final Fantasy XIV, I've been thinking about what I want to play next. I want to play through Actraiser, which I've played but never beaten in the past, but after that I think it's time to finally play through Final Fantasy III. So I scrolled through my Steam game list to find it, since I know I booted it up not that long ago to make sure the Japanese language option works, and I find it and it says:

Last Played: April 24, 2024

2024?

But no, it wasn't that long ago, was it? It can't be, I clearly remember doing it. How can it be two years ago?

I do think a lot about how the Plague Years really feel like they threw the world out of balance.

sashagee and I have been together for six years but it feels much longer than that, and it felt much longer than that even a couple years ago. On the other hand, my life where I was going out most nights, back in 2018-2020, wasn't that long ago but it feels like an entirely different lifetime. This is also the weird part about being older is that my memories feel unstuck in time--things that happened ten years ago (like my last trip to Japan) are clear in my mind and don't feel any older than the Hawai'i trip I took recently. Intellectually I know it's because memories have no time sense, their vividness is based on the emotional impression they leave on you, and I also know that your sense of time changes when you get older because a year is an increasingly-smaller fraction of your life, but it's still weird to have all these events I know took place at quite-different times seem like they might have happened recently.

Still going to play Final Fantasy III this year. I wonder if that'll be fresh in my mind in a decade?

Current Mood: pensive
Current Music: Retronauts podcast

thedarlingone

iv port did become infected. pcp's office called this morning like "uhhh we got a notice you were released from hospital? do you want a followup visit" and i was like "hell yeah that'll save me a trip to urgent care" and now i have antibiotics

there's a Difficulty with my test strips prescription but i don't have enough brain to explain it

my blood sugar has been over 250 since breakfast despite me being very careful to follow all my insulin instructions to the letter. i am somewhat distressed and have not yet eaten lunch because getting a bad grade in blood sugar always triggers my anorexia, but a friend bought me a doordash gift card as congratulations for not dying so i have wendy's on the way. i am pleased that my diabetic diet not only allows but *instructs* me to eat 45g-60g of carbs per meal, not more but also not less, and therefore i can have a baconator and a ten-piece of chicken nuggets and still have room for dipping sauce.

(this is probably not helping my cholesterol. right now however i simply do not have the bandwidth to give a flying fuck about my cholesterol. i'm on two meds for it and either those will suffice or they won't. acquiring food i will eat takes precedence)

tomorrow i must depart the house yet again and try to see, optimally, an orthopedist and then a cardiologist. i am doubtful i can manage both but i will try. i cannot do the cardiologist first because he wants to put a metal sticker on my chest to track my tachycardia and i suspect the ortho will want an mri of my back, which is contraindicated if i have a metal heart monitor sticker on. (my cgm thankfully is reported to be mri safe.)

i also can't take painkillers right now, or i feel it would be unwise, because the hospital had me on blood thinners as is standard procedure when you're immobile in a bed so you don't get the leg blood clots and catch a stroke, and i'm massively bruised up and want my blood to stop being thin as soon as possible. so i am feeling rather like somebody put me through a spin cycle with dryer balls

icanhascheezburger_feed

Posted by Celeste Mello

https://cheezburger.com/45326853/22-purrfectly-romantic-cat-memes-to-send-your-sweetheart

These days, we find romance in the tiniest online gestures. The sweetest way to say "I'm thinking of you" doesn't always involve a passionate handwritten love letter. Sometimes, a simple and wholesome cat meme delivers the message.

Little moments of connection can brighten our days and give us the energy to keep going. We could be really busy at work, dealing with something at home, or caught up in the routine of everyday life, but the moment you receive a meme… your mood lifts a bit. That's why sending a perfectly timed cute cat meme can do wonders. It is surprisingly effective to show love. They are subtle, playful, and committed to bringing smiles, and it's 100% guaranteed that they nail it.

So what are you waiting for? Brighten your special someone's day with a cute cat meme.

https://cheezburger.com/45326853/22-purrfectly-romantic-cat-memes-to-send-your-sweetheart

rachelmanija

I have been offline more than usual lately because the internet is off at my house and I've been unable to reach anyone who is not an AI, which went about as well and efficiently as you can imagine. The AI has decided that I need a new router and is mailing it to me with instructions for how to install it myself, because God forbid a human be involved. If that doesn't work, who knows what the next step is. I am beginning to suspect the only humans at the company are the CEOs and shareholders.

Meanwhile, I decided that I am spending way too much time doomscrolling, both intentionally and non-consensually. Not only is everything horrible right now, but the minute you get online you're personally informed of every horrible thing that happened anywhere, big or small or in between. Did some random dude murder his entire family anywhere in the world? You'll be informed of it, complete with heartbreaking photos of the dead kids. Did a child commit suicide anywhere in the world? You'll hear about that too, also complete with the awful story and heartbreaking photos! And that's not even getting into politics and the upcoming end of the world. I don't think humans are mentally equipped to live like that.

So I installed ScreenZen on my phone. It's one of many apps that will block both apps and entire websites. (Sadly it does not have the ability to block words.) I blocked everything I doomscroll on. I highly recommend this! I still get the news, as 1) I get a news digest emailed to me daily, 2) people will tell me the news in person whether I consent or not, but at least I'm not constantly marinating in global misery that I can't do anything about. Also, I now have more time to be useful in ways that are actually possible.

The result is that I have read so many more books than usual. I am completely behind on reviewing, also as usual, but with more books involved now. Perhaps I will post a poll.

icanhascheezburger_feed

Posted by Elna McHilderson

https://cheezburger.com/45323781/curiosity-made-the-cat-knock-a-cup-off-the-table-21-curious-cat-memes-for-friends-of-felines

Is your cat running the household?

That's a funny question to ask a cat parent, because of COURSE their cat is running the show around there. When you become a cat parent, that's what you sign up for. And you wouldn't have it any other way! They are furry and ferocious…ly adorable, they can have whatever they want. I'm not arguing with you. Okay, Bastet, ancient Egyptian goddess of cats. You can have whatever you want! And what do we want? More cats and cat memes.

https://cheezburger.com/45323781/curiosity-made-the-cat-knock-a-cup-off-the-table-21-curious-cat-memes-for-friends-of-felines

sweetsorcery

( You're about to view content that the journal owner has marked as possibly inappropriate for anyone under the age of 18. )

shipperslist

( You're about to view content that the journal owner has marked as possibly inappropriate for anyone under the age of 18. )

watersword

Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), previously named polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), affects one in eight women. However, the term PCOS is inaccurate, implying pathological ovarian cysts, obscuring diverse endocrine and metabolic features, and contributing to delayed diagnosis, fragmented care, and stigma, while curtailing research and policy framing. Building on an international mandate for change, we outline an unprecedented, rigorous, multistep global consensus process for the name change. Funding and governance were established with engagement of 56 leading academic, clinical, and patient organisations. Using iterative global surveys (with responses from 14 360 people with PCOS and multidisciplinary health professionals from all world regions), modified Delphi methods, nominal group technique workshops, and marketing and implementation analyses, we identified principles prioritising scientific accuracy, clarity, stigma avoidance, cultural appropriateness, and implementation feasibility. An accurate new name was prioritised over retaining the PCOS acronym or a generic name. Implementation approaches prioritised evolution rather than transformation. Preferred terms were polyendocrine, metabolic, and ovarian, reflecting the condition's multisystem pathophysiology, and polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome was the consensus new name. Accuracy was improved by omitting cysts and by capturing endocrine, metabolic, and ovarian dysfunction. A co-designed global implementation strategy, including a transition period, education, and alignment with health systems and disease classification, is under way.

Teede, H. J., Khomami, M. B., Morman, R., Laven, J. S. E., Joham, A. E., Costello, M. F., … Piltonen, T. (n.d.). Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, the new name for polycystic ovary syndrome: a multistep global consensus process. The Lancet. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(26)00717-8

pj1228

fkficfest is currently accepting prompts. Instead of voting prompts from a common pool, every one who's interested may submit one prompt and that will be the pool to choose from when writing begins. So, if there's a prompt you always wanted to have a story developped from, consider submitting it. Prompt submission is not a commitment to write, but you have to be a member of

fkficfest. Of course there's also no guarantee that your prompt will be turned into a story in the end.

Here's where to submit your prompt.
Prompt submission will close on May 16.
The deadline for writing a story is July 18.

icanhascheezburger_feed

Posted by Blake Seidel

https://cheezburger.com/45308933/from-feral-to-fabulous-broccoli-found-the-purrfect-home-skinny-stray-goes-from-angry-bathroom-menace

We could all use a little more Broccoli in our lives.

Not every stray cat has an easy journey into being an indoor cat. You have no idea what they dealt with while living on the streets, and we all know how many bad things can happen to stray cats. After living meal to meal, hiding under porches or shop awnings during rainstorms, and never being able to sleep with the feeling of safety, can make a cat distrust anyone and anything. It's not anger - it's survival.

Broccoli was this cat. He found his future hooman as a skinny, feral-looking cat, hardened by the outdoors. After getting rescued, it took Broccoli a long time to trust his pawrent. But the one thing that helped him? His pawrent read him poetry every night, specifically Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, by T. S. Eliot. Slowly, Broccoli started to open up, and as he learned to trust again, his body began to heal as well as his soul.

Now, Broccoli is a "fluffy, chunky snuggle muffin", who looks like a different cat completely from before. Gone are the days of hissing at his hooman because he learned that not everyone is out to get him. In fact, he's learned that most people love him, and the best part is that he's ready to give back some of that love to us.

https://cheezburger.com/45308933/from-feral-to-fabulous-broccoli-found-the-purrfect-home-skinny-stray-goes-from-angry-bathroom-menace

icanhascheezburger_feed

Posted by Sarah Brown

https://cheezburger.com/45314821/25-pictures-of-purrfectly-dramatic-cats-with-airplane-ears-ready-for-takeoff

The ears go back and suddenly the cat becomes a tiny furry fighter jet.

Cats with airplane ears always look ready for immediate takeoff. The ears flatten out and suddenly the cat transforms into a tiny fuzzy aircraft fueled entirely by drama and bad decisions. Everybody knows the look too. Something has clearly gone wrong in the cat's world. Maybe dinner arrived two minutes late. Maybe another cat walked by. Maybe someone dared to pet one time too many.

Airplane ears usually mean chaos is coming fast. The cat starts sprinting through the house at full speed, sliding around corners and bouncing off furniture like a tiny furry pinball. Full meowch speed. Zero traction. Zero planning. One second the cat is sitting calmly, the next it's launching itself across the couch for absolutely no reason.

Some cats get airplane ears and just glare at people from across the room. Tiny face, giant cattitude. Looking deeply offended while doing absolutely nothing. It always feels like they're silently judging everyone in the house at once.

Then there's the sneak attack version. Ears back. Wiggle activated. Little paws creeping across the floor like the cat is preparing for the most important mission of its life. Meanwhile the target is usually something completely ridiculous, like a sock, a hoodie string, or somebody's ankle walking past at the wrong moment. One pounce later and the cat sprints away like it just completed a successful operation.

https://cheezburger.com/45314821/25-pictures-of-purrfectly-dramatic-cats-with-airplane-ears-ready-for-takeoff

olivermoss

PWHL Detroit is confirmed. PWHL Vegas has gone from well sourced rumors to leaked. PWHL Hamilton is teetering on the edge between rumored and leaked. All the sourcing being accurate so far means that San Jose being the 12th and final team is very likely.

One reason this is interesting is that it points to a division/conference system and reduced travel being what's guiding this expansion. Well, that and which arena controllers will play ball. Most arenas are paid for and technically owned by the city, but a lot of control/profit goes to team ownership. (Here in Portland we have the Gold Standard of bad deals where if you buy a soda at a rock concert at Moda, profit even from that goes to the Blazers ownership. The Blazers! The only thing surprising about the Blazer's coach recently getting arrested is that I thought they all had infinite legal protection! I didn't think we could arrest any of them!) Edmonton, Dallas, and probably Denver and a few other cities, fell through because the main team's ownership can rent space to the PWHL but can't own the teams outright at this time. (Ten bucks says that both the Red Wings and the Kraken ownership have rights of first refusal on the PWHL teams they share space with)

Arenas paid for by tax payers can't be used for optimal returns for the cities because billionaires can only make some money out of the deals, not all of the money. And people are mad at the PWHL about it, saying they need to change their ownership model, rather than than being mad at the bad deals their city approved. (Again, I live in the city with the worst arena deals, a Live Nation venue being built against the clear wishes of the citizens, but I am angry at the right people... and also if the current Moda remodel funding bill gets cut to necessary HVAC and structural work only I will take a victory lap because I *have* been engaging people one on one to explain how fucked the deal is and comparing it to the actually decent deal Seattle has for CPA)

Anyway, not to defend a guy who is so rich that he committed to funding the PWHL for ten years whether or not it made any money because the entire cost of the league, salaries to travel to space rental, is a rounding error in his bank account, but changing the ownership model at this point would be bad for the league.

Also, at a point it looked like a done deal that we were going to let the Blazers take $600mill from Portland's climate fund to remodel Moda to increase the amount of box seats and high end experiences, reducing overall capacity. We were poised to pour hundreds of millions of dollars into them reducing the amount of seats and making tickets less financially accessible to Portlanders. Fortunately, enough people have screamed about it that it's looking less certain. Now the Blazers are threatening to leave Portland. And I'm like... promise? Pretty please? I will help you pack! I never want to hear/see the words RIP CITY again as long as I fucking live. (The NBA is currently also expanding, Seattle is making a new team... so... move to where? Fuckers ain't got nowhere but here and they need to start acting like it.)

tldr: One reason the PWHL is hype is that they create additional revenue and economic activity for existing city investments. With the ten-year funding commitment it's a negligible risk - very solid reward proposition, if the people who control city assets are willing to play nice

oursin

(Mix and shake that metaphor and pour it over ice and serve it up with a wee paper umbrella!)

Somebody today on Another Site was mourning the Old Days on LJ which made me think of:

All the various Old Days in my life on and offline which were by their nature transient -

- but that transient didn't mean that they didn't have lasting effects/influence.

(I will spare dr rdrz accounts of various short-lived initiatives I encountered among the archives and in the course of Mi Researchez which nonetheless echoed down the years.)

Also that even had things not fallen out the way things did with LJ (hiss, boo, etc) by now it would almost certainly not be the same experience as it was in the 00s - people would have come, people would have gone, our interests and energies would have changed....

So we would probably be nostalgically regetting the glory days before [whenever].

Watch on YouTube

lumiosecity posting in

smallbatchicons

askamanager_feed

Posted by Ask a Manager

https://www.askamanager.org/2026/05/im-too-disabled-for-my-companys-retreat.html

https://www.askamanager.org/?p=38029

A reader writes:

I just started working for an all-remote company who announced an in-person retreat not long after I was hired. (And after I specifically asked during the hiring process if any travel was required and was assured it was not, but anyway…) I am disabled (albeit not visibly), so travel is a struggle but usually doable, and the vibes I got from leadership were “you better have a really good reason for not attending.” I was still early in my probation period, wanted to make a good impression, so I sucked it up and agreed to attend.

The retreat is coming up, and leadership has been infuriatingly coy about details, but the more they share, the more I realize this is going to be a nightmare and I physically cannot do most if any of the “fun” team-building activities. In another situation, I would pull out at this point, but my plane ticket was nonrefundable and my reputation is still on the line. I am anxious, frustrated, and just generally upset about the whole thing.

I’m meeting with my manager this week to basically disclose my disability and explain I will be sitting a lot of stuff out.

Any advice you could provide, about this conversation with my manager, how to survive the trip, how to handle questions about why I am not participating, how to professionally communicate to leadership that accessibility extends far beyond just booking accessible hotel rooms, anything would be so helpful.

This sucks, I’m sorry.

I would start with this: “As more info has been shared about activities at the retreat, I’m realizing I won’t be able to participate in most of it, and possibly none of it, because of a disability. Having to field lots of questions about why I’m not able to participate obviously isn’t a comfortable situation to be in. Would it make sense for me to skip this one and attend in the future if they’re more accessible?”

Or if you’d prefer to attend at this point, despite the situation they’ve created: “As more info has been shared about activities at the retreat, I’m realizing I won’t be able to participate in most of it, and possibly none of it, because of a disability. Can we talk about what the logistics will be since I won’t be able to do X, Y, and Z?” They may be caught off-guard and not have a good answer on the spot, so if there’s a way you’d prefer to handle it, offer that up (like “I’d be happy to attend the potato sack race and cheer from the sidelines, but for the afternoon of zip-lining, I think it would make sense for me to stay back at the hotel” or whatever you’d ideally want to do).

If you go and get questions from coworkers about why you’re not participating, it depends on how much you’re comfortable sharing. Anything like the following would work:
* “Bad back, can’t!”
* “Medical stuff, I hope you have fun though!”
* “My doctor would kill me.”
* “Medical restrictions, but it looks fun!”

If you’re breezy and matter-of-fact about it, most other people will be too. But if you encounter anyone who’s determined to “fix” the problem and find a way for you to participate (which can be well-intentioned or can just be someone who’s a busybody), you can shut that down: “Oh, I appreciate it, but this is the safest option for me so no thank you.” … “I don’t want to get into medical stuff at work, but there isn’t actually a way to make it safe for me. Go have fun, I’m fine!” … and if necessary: “Truly, no.”

I’d also recommend talking with HR to explain the situation and ask that they ensure accessibility is given more consideration in the future. It sounds like this possibility wasn’t on anyone’s radar at all, and it needs to be. Sometimes that happens when a company has never done a retreat before, or with a new and growing company that is brand new to having to consider the diverse health needs of a workforce. If they’re large and have been around a long time and have done in-person retreats before, this is a lot more startling. But either way, they need to get it on their radar now, and I’m sorry you have to be the messenger.

The post I’m too disabled for my company’s retreat appeared first on Ask a Manager.

https://www.askamanager.org/2026/05/im-too-disabled-for-my-companys-retreat.html

https://www.askamanager.org/?p=38029

rachelmanija

This novel has one of the most off-the-wall premises I've come across. In a near-future world much like our own, women who get pregnant also conceive a "fetal mother." When they give birth to their baby, they also deliver the fetal mother, then fall into a coma-like sleep. The fetal mother rapidly grows into an identical clone of the original mother, then EATS HER. This process is called rebirth. The new mother has the original mother's memories and personality, but is also endowed with superpowers for the first five years of her child's life: she needs almost no sleep, has super strength and fast reflexes, is filled with energy, and finds all child care and domestic tasks endlessly fascinating and enjoyable. In short, the new mother is the woman that mothers are supposed to be.

The main character, Vivi, is terrified of rebirth, and sees it as death. This view is very stigmatized, but might be more widespread than society lets on. She's reluctant to get pregnant because of it. When she finally does, something goes wrong with her rebirth. She didn't get new mother powers. Instead she slogs along, depressed and alienated, trying to care for her infant while she's still physically impaired from the pregnancy and actually needs sleep. She and her husband end up breaking up over this, and Vivi moves to Australia to live with her uncle, who runs a hobbling business.

Remember I mentioned this is near-future? The world has actually decided to do something about climate change, and so drastically regulated energy consumption. Hobbling is altering old machines to make them low emitters. The low-emissions world is less lavish: planes are rarely used, long-distance calls are brief, and only the very rich have unlimited internet. It's an interesting take on a world whose future seems much brighter than ours, but whose present is more similar to our recent past.

Vivi and her family are Indonesian-Chinese, and their cultures (including Australian) play into the book much as the near-future setting does: it's pervasive and interesting and very specific, which makes a nice grounded base for the incredibly weird rebirth stuff.

But Won't I Miss Me is a weird, fascinating, ambitious book with a weird, fascinating, ambitious premise. Great social commentary and issues of identity. I didn't quite love the ending - it felt like it needed either more setup or more payoff - but the book is still excellent and very original.

theskyisnew posting in

capseroo

RYAN GOSLING AS DR. RYLAND GRACE IN PROJECT HAIL MARY

1,514 CAPS, PART 1 (568), PART 2 (482), AND PART 3 (464)

This movie is VERY important to me. I'm so glad it's out!

( More pics )

badly_knitted posting in

drabble_zone

Title: Way Too Bright
Fandom: FAKE
Author:

badly_knitted
Characters: Dee, Ryo.
Rating: PG
Written For: Challenge 500: Amnesty 50, using Challenge 434: Bright.
Setting: After Like Like Love.
Summary: The sun this morning is too bright for comfort.
Disclaimer: I don’t own FAKE, or the characters. They belong to the wonderful Sanami Matoh.
A/N: Double drabble.

Way Too Bright

Current Mood: tired
Current Location: my desk

icanhascheezburger_feed

Posted by Sarah Brown

https://cheezburger.com/45312261/i-didnt-realize-how-much-a-tiny-cat-could-change-my-days-after-a-college-neighbor-could-no-longer

A tiny fluffball moved in and brought chaos with her.

Cookie showed up at the right time. This perons's neighbor had just moved into a college apartment where pets weren't allowed, so suddenly this tiny fluffball needed somewhere to go. Adoption got mentioned, but before that could happen, Cookie ended up going home with this pawrent who already cared about her. That probably made the whole adjustment easier for everyone involved, especially for such a tiny kitten.

Now she's fully settled in and causing chaos everywhere.

Laundry piles are apparently one of her favorite places to hide. Every table, shelf, and random object in the house seems climbable. She sounds like one of those kittens with nonstop energy that somehow always knows when people are paying attention to something else and chooses that exact moment to start doing something ridiculous.

Small kittens really take over fast. One minute the house is quiet and normal, then suddenly there's a tiny cat sprinting through rooms, climbing furniture, knocking things around, and demanding attention all day long. Cookie sounds completely committed to being involved in everything happening around her.

Despite all the chaos, it's obvious she became part of the home almost immediately. What started as helping out because someone couldn't keep her anymore turned into getting attached to this loud little fluffball surprisingly fast. Now Cookie's settled in, getting spoiled, and acting like she's owned the place from day one.

https://cheezburger.com/45312261/i-didnt-realize-how-much-a-tiny-cat-could-change-my-days-after-a-college-neighbor-could-no-longer

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ride_4ever

April 2026

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Page Summary

dorchadas - My sinews have withered grievously
thedarlingone - (no subject)
icanhascheezburger_feed - 22 Purrfectly Romantic Cat Memes to Send Your Sweetheart
rachelmanija - Consensual and non-consensual internet cutoffs
icanhascheezburger_feed - ‘Curiosity made the cat knock a cup off the table’: 21 Curious cat memes for friends of felines
sweetsorcery - Mojo wanted.
shipperslist - !!!
watersword - /stares into the camera like i'm on the office
pj1228 - FKFicFest - Searching for the perfect prompt
icanhascheezburger_feed - 'From feral to fabulous, Broccoli found the purrfect home': Skinny stray goes from angry bathroom me
icanhascheezburger_feed - 25 Pictures of Purrfectly Dramatic Cats With Airplane Ears Ready for Takeoff
olivermoss - In which I try to talk PWHL logistics but keep going on tangents about Portland's Moda Center
oursin - But the neiges d'antan melt and stir dull roots with spring rain
lumiosecity in smallbatchicons - Gerard Way
askamanager_feed - I’m too disabled for my company’s retreat
rachelmanija - But Won't I Miss Me, by Tiffany Tsao
theskyisnew in capseroo - ryan gosling; project hail mary (+1,514)
badly_knitted in drabble_zone - FAKE: Way Too Bright [Amnesty 50, using Challenge 434: Bright]
cyberghostface in scans_daily - Absolute Batman #19
icanhascheezburger_feed - 'I didn’t realize how much a tiny cat could change my days': After a college neighbor could no longe

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