Kiltedkeefe - Cultist At Large

Just a bit of realism for you: at certain times of the year, Hobbiton would absolutely reek of poo when they were fertilizing the fields. Like, a smell so thick it would inundate everything. A poo smell.

You know, for a service that basically napalmed the adult themes naked stuff, there sure are a lot of porn bots.

Reading through "manliness" discourse and websites, and I'm wound up dumbstruck.

So the takeaway from more left leaning wisdom givers seems to be the Alan Alda style of manhood, and is definitely geared towards the mythical Millennial tech worker. Bits of advice like "don't learn to fix things, learn to code" or "don't learn to defend yourself, learn to meditate" along with the assumption that you can always hire someone with these "outmoded" skills to do stuff for you. Not only is that classist as fuck, but why would you want to purposefully helpless in a good portion of your life? Sure, cars are getting more complicated all the time. Doesn't mean that you couldn't do basic repairs and maintenance with a basic tool set and some five minutes of YouTube. I personally saved us around $5k in repairs on the Vic with basic tools and videos. I changed out the whole cooling system-new radiator, new water pump, new hoses, new serpentine belt, even changed out the oil cooler with aftermarket because it was leaking into the coolant. I certainly couldn't have afforded that paying someone to do it for me. But I've got a running car that I only paid for parts on.

The flip side of this is the right leaning adviser that basically want to turn you into Heinlein. "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects". I'm perversely proud that I can do almost all of that, but I've led a weird life and I'm almost 50. Mix that mentality with the prevailing streak of neo-Victorian thought, toss in a soupçon of anti-intellectualism, and yearn for the magical time of the imaginary 50s that has no basis in reality.

I'm kind of the mind that all knowledge is good, and you never stop learning. Over the years, I've taught myself stuff that runs the gamut from picking locks to sewing, to formal table manners. Because I found them useful and interesting, not because of what manly men do.

One interesting detail I've noticed up in them thar hills is there's a surprising number of dudes that casually walk around with knives on their belt. Well, surprising in relation to an urban area. Dudes that have open carry knives in urban areas have multitools and are geardos. Here, it's because it goes on with the pants. And I'm all for this. I get to have my knife on me and not feel like I have to keep it secret.

Sharpfingers, Buck 110s, Schrade Old Timers, and Walmart knockoffs seem to be the most popular. Multitools like a Leatherman or Gerber seem popular with the fishermen and actual farmers.

Wind is fierce tonight. Expecting more heavy winds and torrential rains tomorrow. Hopefully no tornado this time, as the county is still cleaning up after the last one.

Though I cannot fathom as to why there's still no designated storm shelters? Gonna be messy, I guess.

A couple of days ago, I got some rather devastating news, set me all a jumble. Sitting out on the back porch, trying to put my head back together, and the forest decided to send some companions. I haven't seen so many butterflies at once since we moved here, and all the local species were represented. And since then, I've always had at least a couple to keep me company

I'm fascinated by the history of the Grand Guignol. Even read the collection of translated plays, and properly done with modern practical effects, they could still hold up today. If anything, it's deserving of a revival, possibly in concert with some dark burlesque and apropos musical acts.

Ch😁