arduinna | Network

Posted by Meredith Dietz

https://lifehacker.com/tech/ozlo-sleepbuds-review?utm_medium=RSS

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As a chronically light sleeper, I've tried everything from white noise machines to sleeping on the couch. It doesn't help that I 1) live above a noisy Brooklyn bar and 2) share a bed with someone who snores and grinds his teeth. My go-to solution had been wearing my Anker Soundcore headphones with some sort of "deep sleep" playlist, but to be honest, sleeping with over-ear headphones is like trying to nap while wearing a helmet. Uncomfortable, potentially unsafe, and a surefire way to destroy my expensive electronics.

That's what led me to the Ozlo Sleepbuds, currently available for $299. Unlike my AirPod Pros, which are great for daily use but pierce my eardrums when I lie on my side, the Ozlo sleepbuds have a remarkably low profile. The pre-installed ear tips fit perfectly, creating a secure seal without the pressure points that make traditional earbuds a nightmare for side sleepers. Despite their mixed online reviews, I've found that these smart earplugs really do help me sleep deeper (and possibly saved my relationship).

The app experience

Here's where the Ozlo sleepbuds diverge from typical wireless earbuds, and honestly, it's a double-edged sword. Unlike AirPods that connect automatically via Bluetooth, these require opening the Ozlo app like a control center. You'll need to select your soundscape, adjust volume, and set your alarm through the app interface.

Setting up my Ozlo sleepbuds. Credit: Meredith Dietz

Initially, this felt clunky compared to the seamless connectivity we're all used to. But after a few nights, I found myself positively reframing this friction as more of a "ritual." Opening the app, placing the buds in my ears, and selecting a soundscape became a bedtime ritual that signaled to my brain it was time to wind down.

Wearing my sleepbuds through the night

The moment of truth came on my first night testing them against my boyfriend's powerful snoring. I opted for the "ocean tide" sound to lull me to sleep. The audio quality is solid, especially knowing these were created by former Bose engineers.

So: Did these earbuds completely eliminate my partner's snoring? Not entirely—his snores are truly in a league of their own. But the combination of noise blocking and the ocean tide sound significantly reduced my nightly interruptions from constant to few and far between. Most importantly, when I did hear him, it didn't immediately snap me awake. The soundscapes seemed to cushion the noise, making it less startling.

But the street noise from the bar below? Completely gone. The upstairs neighbors walking around? Barely noticeable. These Sleepbuds excel at blocking consistent ambient noise while taking the edge off sudden, disruptive sounds.

Another feature I love is the in-ear personal alarm. Instead of a jarring phone alarm that jolts both you and your partner awake, the Sleepbuds gently vibrate and play a soft tone directly into your ears. My boyfriend has never been woken up by my alarm since I started using them.

Tips and tricks for sleeping with earbuds in

After a few weeks of use, I've discovered several ways to optimize the Sleepbuds experience:

Find your perfect soundscape: Don't settle for the first one you try. I cycled through several before discovering that rain sounds work better for me than ocean waves or white noise.
Create a charging routine: Keep the charging case on your nightstand and make putting the buds back a part of your morning routine.
Experiment with volume levels: I really recommend starting lower than you think you need. Your ears adjust to the soundscape within minutes, and too-loud audio can actually be stimulating rather than relaxing.
Use the app's sleep timer: If you don't want soundscapes playing all night, set a timer. You might only need the audio to fall asleep, not maintain it.
Try different sleeping positions: The low profile means you can experiment with side sleeping even if you've never been able to before.

The bottom line

Are the Ozlo Sleepbuds perfect? No. The app dependency isn't ideal, and they won't completely eliminate every noise (I'm looking at you, Greg's snores). But compared to my previous solutions—uncomfortable headphones, potentially unsafe sleeping positions, or relegating myself to the couch—these Sleepbuds rock.

If I'm choosing between traditional foam earplugs, regular earbuds, or these specialized sleep buds, I'd pick the Ozlo Sleepbuds every time. My only concern? I'm becoming so dependent that I'll have trouble sleeping without them. But honestly, if that's the price for consistently good sleep in a noisy city apartment with a snoring partner, I'll take it.

https://lifehacker.com/tech/ozlo-sleepbuds-review?utm_medium=RSS

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Posted by Daniel Oropeza

https://lifehacker.com/money/target-circle-week-october-2025?utm_medium=RSS

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Target is no stranger to competition with Amazon sales. They've overlapped their Circle Week sales with Prime Day many times before. Since October Prime Day is around the corner, Target has just announced its own sale for October. Here are all the details you need to know.

What is Target's Circle Week?

Circle Week is Target’s name for its biggest sale. As the name suggests, it lasts a whole week, and while it used to happen just once a year but, it now occurs multiple times a year. The most recent sale was this summer, and before that, in the spring, overlapping with Amazon's Prime Day and Big Spring Sale, respectively.

When is Circle Week?

The next Circle Week will take place from Oct. 5 to Oct. 11. That means it begins two days before October Prime Day, which runs from Oct. 7 through Oct. 8.

Do you need to be a member to shop the sales during Target Circle Week?

Like Amazon's Prime Day sale, you will need to be a Circle member to take part in the sale, but unlike a Prime membership, Target Circle is free. You can sign up for an account on the Target app or Target.com.

You can also pay for a Target Circle 360 membership, which grants you early access to the sale as well as other perks, like same-day delivery. If you're a teacher or student, you can save 50% on the one-year Circle 360 subscription through Sept. 13; otherwise, it starts at $10.99 per month. But again, a paid membership isn't necessary to get all the best Circle Week deals.

What deals can I find during Target Circle Week?

Circle week will focus on apparel; home products like kitchen appliances, storage, floor care, and bedding; fun and entertainment; and Halloween costumes and treats. You'll also find tech products on sale, which we'll be covering as usual. You can shop in person or online, and there will be a "Deal of the Day" for every day of the event that will start at 40% off.

While Target hasn't released a list of deals you can expect, you can get a pretty good idea from past Circle Week sales. Here are some of the deals they had at the tail end of the Circle Week last fall.

What competitors are also offering sales?

Amazon’s October Prime Day will take place from Oct. 7 through Oct. 8, so all the other sales tend to revolve around these dates. Walmart will likely have its Walmart Deals sale, like they've done in the past, and Best Buy will likely have its own sale as well. I'll cover the details of those sales as they are released.

https://lifehacker.com/money/target-circle-week-october-2025?utm_medium=RSS

cyberghostface posting in

scans_daily

From 'Dork' by Evan Dorkin.

fail_feed

Posted by Ben Weiss

https://cheezburger.com/42496261/29-year-old-refuses-to-introduce-estranged-mother-to-her-kid-sparking-more-family-drama-after-20

It's funny how parents change the minute they become grandparents.

Sure, everyone talks about baby fever when you're developing a desire to start a family, and that's a legitimate feeling many people have. However, not enough people talk about the intense feelings and even more intense pressure future grandparents develop when they feel it's time for their kids to have children of their own.

This is not to say that grandparents aren't incredibly useful during those early years of parenting. So many young parents these days are heavily reliant on that support, especially due to challenging financial constraints. However, the ability for grandparents to be present and to become extra caretakers does not give them the ability to assert demands on their children, especially when it comes to whether or not they elect to start families and when.

In this case, the grandparent in question was way worse than your average one. She was estranged from her daughter for over two decades, yet as soon as she heard that there was a grandchild in the picture, she felt entitled to step in and get involved. Of course, this was emotionally overwhelming for her daughter, who literally had not seen her mother in 20 years. Now, all of a sudden, she wants to be a present grandparent after not being a present parent?! We cannot help but empathize with the author's decision-making here, even though numerous other family members have started to pressure her to reconsider.

Several members of this online community weighed in with tips and reactions to the author's predicament. We think she should confront her other family members and let it be known that she does not want their unsolicited advice on the matter. In fact, their inability to understand the author's perspective on the matter just goes to show that they have a confused idea of support and mutual respect. If the author does not want her mother to re-enter her life after all the hurt she had inflicted from years prior, that's her right, and the other family members should know to respect her decision without judgment and without any "ifs, ands, or buts." After all, it's not their relationship, and it's not their newborn daughter either!

https://cheezburger.com/42496261/29-year-old-refuses-to-introduce-estranged-mother-to-her-kid-sparking-more-family-drama-after-20

fail_feed

Posted by Jesse Kessenheimer

https://cheezburger.com/42471941/he-taped-a-5-bill-to-my-front-door-southwestern-homeowner-refuses-to-rent-out-the-shade-spot-on-his

A homeowner does whatever they please with their land, and that might bother some entitled neighbors who want a piece of their pie, but that's too dang bad!

This guy's neighbor envies the shady spot he has on his lawn and feels like he deserves to park there. Destroying the man's lawn and undermining his authority over his own land, the neighbor continued to push for the shadow parking spot, even attempting bribery. But that wasn't going to work with this homeowner.

https://cheezburger.com/42471941/he-taped-a-5-bill-to-my-front-door-southwestern-homeowner-refuses-to-rent-out-the-shade-spot-on-his

sovay

The status of the yontif this year is that my mother and I made honeycakes, but it is autumn and the head of the year and we are still here, the important thing. A sweet year, a safe. L'shanah tovah, all.

Current Music: Bok, Muir & Trickett, "Changing Times"

shadowhive

Yesterday I started watching season 2 of Wednesday with the first ep. It’s obviously a lot of setup, with Wednesday’s first day back at Never ore, dealing with hero worship and, of course, being annoyed by it. There’s also two mysteries already: an investigator that got pecked to death by ravens and Wednesday has a stalker. Are they connected? I guess we’ll see.

Xavier has been put on a bus which is a shame but at least had an in universe explanation that makes sense. Pugley is also joining Nevermore this year and already he has what might be a sub plot of his own. I already don’t like or trust the new head and it feels I’m right not too. Also it looks like Morticia is gonna have a bigger roll to play this year (which explains the Lego set!). It remains to be seen if that’s good or not. (Personally I wasn’t sold on Catherine Zeta Jones as her in season 1.)

Then there was dnd which went well, though I had to be muted at the start cause Leia was jumping everywhere and I was worried she’d knock things over. But it was also a mix of sad, sweet and ominous.

I started Borderlands 4 and did the opening quest though ran into trouble cause of a glitch. Thankfully exiting and restarting solved it though I am so pissed how it ended. (Why'd the hot guy have to die😭)

Then last night there was a nature documentary. I love nature stuff, even though Naryu tends to bark at the animals and get worked up, but I especially love stuff to do with the sea. This one was about a deep sea expedition to find coelacanth.

Now the coelacanth is famously known as a living fossil. It was around when the dinosaurs were and was believed extinct long ago… until one was found fished up. (Though if I remember right indigenous people already were aware of them.) Ones have been found fished up and washed ashore since but until now they weren’t seen. Luckily the expedition was successful! It found one hiding between rocks and they watched her for 30+ hours to see what she’d do.

And she spent that time just staying in the same spot, which is relatable. Eventually she went for a swim and joined a bunch of other coelacanth just chilling out in a lil cave. It was honestly so incredible to see them and you can even tell them apart by their markings. There really is something so strangely endearing about them too.

In the night I watched Alien Earth. I’m an ep behind so this one was The Fly. There was A Lot of poor communication going on throughout the whole thing (as well as bad decisions!), though I can’t help but wonder if at least some was intentional. Also Boy Kavalier shown off his feet again(If the alien universe has a wiki feet his must go crazy) and he proved that, while he appears dismissive he isn’t an idiot. (Though it does seem his head of security might be undermining him as well as Yutani plotting)

Today’s been an ok day, though tiring cause of taking Naryu for a longer walk. But! There’s finally a trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu! There’s also a description, but it’s so vague it could mean anything. It’s so cool seeing a u-wing and lil Grogu being cute and Sigourney Weaver.

There’s also more MCR dates been announced, though there’s not one in Birmingham (there’s more for London, plus Liverpool and Glasgow). I’m kinda glad for that though, it’ll be a feeding frenzy and I’m not prepared for that at all. But good luck if you’re gonna try!

Current Mood: geeky
Current Music: Tv

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https://ao3org.tumblr.com/post/795411786907238401

ao3org:

Wrangling Update: Critical Role and the Upcoming Campaign 4
Hello critters!
As many of you will know by now, Critical Role announced that the upcoming Campaign 4 will not take place in Exandria, but a brand new world: Aramán! In light of this news, the Critical Role wrangling team has decided to update the existing fandom canonical tag in order to help both critter veterans and newcomers alike in finding and filtering for the works they want to see.
Therefore, the existing fandom tag, Critical Role (Web Series), has been renamed to Critical Role: Exandria (Web Series) in order to distinguish the campaigns, one-shots and mini-series set in Exandria. A new fandom, Critical Role: Aramán (Web Series) has been canonised separately to better help keep the works for this brand new world separate from the existing Exandria fandom and lore.
In summary, these are the new fandom tags going forward:
Critical Role: Exandria (Web Series) will refer to any actual play content set in Exandria, such as Campaigns 1, 2, and 3, as well as miniseries like Exandria Unlimited and Wildemount Wildlings and one-shots like The Screw Job, The Mighty Nein Reunited, Tag Team at the Teeth, etc.
Critical Role: Aramán (Web Series) will refer to the upcoming Campaign 4 and any related one-shots or miniseries aired in conjunction with the new campaign.
We hope this update will be helpful for filterability going forward. If you’d like more information about this update and our reasoning behind it, read on after the cut! We wish you all happy browsing and… is it Thursday yet?
Keep reading

Addendum:

What about other one-shots and miniseries set outside of Exandria or Aramán? Where can I find works about those?

For many years now, one-shots and miniseries unrelated to Exandria have been given their own separate fandom canonicals whenever tagged for! For ease of reference, these are all the Critical Role productions that currently have their own fandom canonical tags on AO3:

Exandria-related:

Aramán-related:

Critical Role: Aramán (Web Series)

One-shots and miniseries set outside of Exandria or Aramán:

We highly encourage you to use these fandom tags to help you browse or filter works about Critical Role’s various self-contained productions. We will continue to canonise non-Exandria/non-Aramán productions as separate fandoms—you just need to keep tagging for them in the Fandom field if you post works about any of them!

https://ao3org.tumblr.com/post/795411786907238401

iamrman posting in

scans_daily

( You're about to view content that the poster has advised should be viewed with discretion. )

mishaday

I had absolutely the most fabulous adventure today.

I had to hie on up to Friday Harbor Labs for work. This meant getting up and out the door by 7 to make the 9am ferry from Anacortes to Friday Harbor, but I was on the road by 6:40, and not fighting commute traffic (that's all going the other way) made for a nice relaxing drive up. While I did have a deadline, I wasn't in a rush. I took some mental notes of other things along the way for when I do this without work as an excuse.

I chose to walk-on the ferry rather than drive on. Much less expensive. This late in the summer season there's lots of room at the parking lots right by the ferry terminal, so I absolutely could have parked closer, it was fine to have a little bit of an amble down to the waiting room. Got myself some more hot water for tea, and bought a cookie to feel less of a mooch. I had just enough time to wander around a bit, but not quite enough to wander off to explore the cove near the ferry.

The ferry was a little delayed in loading since someone's car stalled, and they had to push it off. There was an entire pack of bike riders all lined up, and another crowd of walk-ons, but the ferry wasn't full at all, and I happily took over an entire tabletop right near the side concession stand (not the one with food) and did a quick catch up on email before opening my reading and passed the time reading and eavesdropping on the concession stand. The clerk was on his last day - the stand would close for the winter (and end of tourist season) tomorrow, and he'd be on another route. The weather was breezy and cool in the morning - the distant mountains were a little smoky/hazy, but the sun was shining and I had some great views along the ride.

I didn't have time to do more than glance around at the town as we offloaded - my ride was ready for me to whisk me the whole mile and a bit to the FHL campus. I am glad for the ride - the devices and laptop I needed to carry were heavy, and a return personal trip will have me packing much lighter.

I installed the device I needed to, and while I was doing that, the team that would be using it wandered in to be introduced, and one of them brough a large ceramic fish platter filled with snacks. We joked a little about the salami that was meant to be roses but ended up looking a little more like sombreros. (They were still tasty) The session I led was part training, part setup, getting them geared up to use ecommerce instead of just the in-person device that I'd just replaced. With the group in the room and the questions I was fielding, it would have taken twice as long over multiple zoom sessions, so I felt like the time we'd just spent was well worth it. Plus, you can't get snacks like that over Zoom!

Then I got to have a tour! The campus is a fairly sprawled set of buildings a little ways of a side road, well treed and right by the water: the entire focus/feature of the labs is freshly pumped sea water for the tanks and aquariums. The lobby of the main admin building has a 'tide pool' with some absolutely huge anemones, urchins and sea cucumbers. There were some smaller sea stars in that area, but the highlight of the lab space was a large set of tanks with sunflower sea stars. These are the starfish that have been hit with a wasting disease, and are the major predators of sea urchins, which themselves will absolutely mow down swathes of kelp, leaving undersea deserts in the absence of the sea stars. They've figured out the cause of the disease this year! At this lab!

I had also recently read an article about smashing urchins to restore the kelp forests, so I got to enthuse at the researchers there (the PI and one of the assistants, a recent grad) and they got to enthuse right back at me, and show me the dinner-plate sized three year old stars and the one single four-year old who'd been held back from the release the week before. 'Charlotte' had actually shrunk from not eating for some six months or so, but had started consuming cut up squid (while still turning up it's tentacles at the usual mussel-fare), so they were happy it was improving again and they'd also learned more about the star's physiology! Then we proceeded down the line of the tanks looking at all the other stars at different ages; the one glormped over a mussel it was eating, it's central body puffed like ball; the little bitty stars smaller than a dime with only 5 arms (sunflower stars just keep growing more arms!); and all the way to the free floating juveniles that had not yet settled onto a surface, but were just little specky things I absolutely needed my glasses to see. Absolutely delightful.

We didn't go out on the dock where the motored research vessels or leisure rowboats were, but it's a lovely little cove that the offices overlook. I topped up my water in the old dining hall - the oldest building dating back to the 20s or so, with a huge vaulted ceiling with thick beams of wood from the local forests. There's dorms and small living spaces tucked up from the water (and all the pumped sea water) and into the trees. I didn't ask to look into people's living spaces, but I did poke my nose at the window of the little building labeled Art Studio which was just a one-room structure with a wood stove and a south wall that was all glass. Serendipity smiled on me: the Artist had just pulled up, and she was delighted to show off what she'd been working on (lots of mixed media, sea wrack and cyanotypes)

I had missed the 2pm ferry to get my tour, and time was ticking for the 3:50 ferry. I could easily have caught the ride into town and poked around for dinner and a later ferry, but decided to try for the ferry, and made it with a few minutes to spare. There was a redhead who looked passingly like my Cousin Whitney there with two corgi puppies - I didn't run up to pet them, but watching their antics while waiting to board was fun.

I did get to sea a dolphin or two alongside the ferry - a brief glimpse only, but a happy chance. On the return ferry, I noticed quite a few more puzzles on the tables, but they all had other people in those booths. Maybe next time I'll bring my own.

Once we'd disembarked, I decided to skip the rush out of the parking lot and explore the cove. There's a little boardwalk over the marsh down the hill from the parking lot, but it's closed, so I stuck to the shore for a little amble and then back. I took a different route out that avoided Anacortes proper, and got on the road back towards I-5 just in time to start thinking that I was getting hungry.

Just then I came across the Irish Pub I'd made one of those mental notes about on the way in. It's a huge building surrounded by open fields so it really stands out. Inside, there was live music that had just started up and I was informed it was half St. Patrick's Day: they had a nice prix fixe menu for the 6 months from the Day. Well, that's me sold! The salad and fish&chips were decent, but desert was the most delightful bread pudding. Absolutely delicious. I was tucked nicely into a little booth with live music that wasn't so loud I couldn't hear myself think (my usual complaint with music like that, but it was just a large booth with many musicians, and no amplification, just good acoustics) I lingered for a while before I noticed the light outside dimming and the desire to be home with my cats welling up.

None of the other places I noted on the way up were open anymore, and I was tired, so I queued up the Kpop Demon Hunters soundtrack and attempted to sing along all the way home. It had just rolled onto the instrumental songs at the end when I hit my neighborhood: perfect timing.

I think I'll be smiling about this trip for a solid week, but also. Tired now.

Current Mood: happy

oursin

Though probably African frogs do not say that (the chorus from Aristophanes' The Frogs).

Anyway, this was of considerable interest to me having had to do with archives relating to these here amphibians (in which they were described as 'toads'):

Escapee pregnancy test frogs colonised Wales for 50 years

and also read the ms of a work by A Friend on the history of pregnancy testing in which they played a significant role.

They replaced the rabbit test ('did the rabbit die' - the rabbit had to die, actually, in order to examine its ovaries) as this was a non-lethal test and kept producing yet more frogs.

And there was quite an issue of what to do with the little blighters once chemical testing became the norm - as I recall attempts to dispose of them as pets.

Also

The frog is genetically surprisingly similar to humans, which means that scientists can model human disease in this amphibian and replace the use of higher sentient species.

Do we not feel that this is the beginning of some Golden Age sf/horror work? FROGMAN.

glitteryv

Re-Reads. HUH.

None for now.

I DNF'd

I actually finished everything I started. O__O

Had an awesome time at first (but it all went downhill from there)

* Away Games by Misha Horne (M/M Romance) - A 35k novella that takes place a few months after the ending of Book 2. It has too much football (including an excess of practice and game scenes). The last chapter is a ridic (yet sweet) long porny scene between Caleb and Logan that segues into them talking abt their futures post-high school.

To me, the whole thing read like an epilogue draft since it didn't add anything new to Logan and Caleb's story and it wasn't far enough in the future (say, during their second year of university) to make any kind of impact. I gave this a 2 out of 5.

* She Didn't See It Coming by Shari LaPena (Mystery) - Bryden is happily married to Sam. They have pretty good careers, are the parents of a sweet 3-y.o., and seem to have a fab life. That is, until Bryden disappears...

Extremely readable novel. Good writing (no typos or weird turn of phrases.) Having read most of this author's books, I knew that I was in for domestic suspense, a whole lotta POVs (10 different characters in this novel), and some O___o kind of drama.

I wasn't AS taken with the mystery as I was with the MESSINESS of everything else.

Starting with 2 super chaotic evil characters who were fun to read abt. Even though they gave me the impression to have come in from a totally different book. There's also a 3rd character whose life went off the rails at some point...and that whole thing was never resolved?

Finally, a fourth character had a v. late in the book turn that made me ?????. And, to explain why, I gotta

dive into FULL SPOILERS

This fourth character is not only an abuser, but also a functional drug addict (Oxycontin). This is revealed in the next-to-last chapter and grants that character a full alibi (?!). This character--who has their own POV chapters--is never shown to be thinking abt drugs and/or getting high nor experience any type of physical withdraw from, again, their everyday usage.

It was v. odd that there were no hints abt this from the fourth character or anyone else who also had POVs. This was so UNBELIEVABLE that I 🙄 as the book came to a close.

Had I not been familiar with this author's usual style and that I had borrowed this from the library, I'd have probably DNF'd this book. Although I'm not quite putting this author on 'reader probation' yet, I will reconsider after reading whatever she publishes next. I gave this a 2.3 out of 5.

* Those We Run From by Fiona Zedde (F/F Romantic Suspense) - After finding out that Tilly, her ex-girlfriend from 20 or years ago, is on a hit list, almost-retired assassin Sterling heads to Miami to protect her and find out who wants her ex dead...

OTOH, this book had a v. diverse (in terms of race, sexuality, and gender) cast. I also really liked that the majority of the characters were 39+ years old. Oh, and the author can write actions scenes (including gunfights, knife fights, etc.) really well. She's got a knack for timing and describing the goings on.

OTOH, I had three issues with this 120-page novella.

1. The worldbuilding was incomplete. This story takes place in Miami (FL), the Bahamas, and southern Georgia. But there was no actual sense of place. Like, whenever the story moved to Miami, characters would inevitably think or say "wow, it's so hot/humid." And that was abt it. Same with the Bahamas.

2. Given the premise, i was ready for some goofiness plotwise. But then, a little near the halfway point, when the reason why Tilly has been targeted is revealed, the book moves on permanently to DEEPLY UNSERIOUS LAND. I mentally threw my hands in the air and said "I guess?!", NGL.

3. This last thing is the main reason why I gave it such a low ranking. This involves a mild spoiler w/r/t one of the MCs, but I don't consider it worthy of hiding behind a spoiler tag. Though, again, this is gonna be a MILD SPOILER.

So it turns out that Tilly has a twin sister named Nora. They've never gotten along and it's been a while since they've spoken with each other.

The book never uses words like autistic, autism, etc. However, it's clear that Nora is neurodivergent. The issue is the extremely negative way autism is shown. Especially when the chapter is from Tilly's POV.

Examples from Chapter 21 after Nora shows up. This is 100% from Tilly's POV (Emphasis mine):

It was bizarre seeing her sister again. Hearing her talk. They were identical in looks, but in temperament, in the way they processed things, were as different as dawn and midday. No doctor had been able to explain why. Nora was the analytical and brilliant one their parents never stopped praising. The one who was an ice cube but excelled at everything academic from her very first exam.

They start talking:

Tilly swallowed a few times. "What exactly do you mean by showing up here?"

"I made a gamble I shouldn't have and didn't factor in that I might have been gambling with your life, too." Nora faintly grimaced.

The scream crawled higher in Tilly's throat. "you talking to me like a robot isn't making the situation clearer."

"This is how i talk. There is no other way I can express myself."

That much was true. Tilly let out another sigh. [...]"

And the conversation continues with Nora talking and Tilly being judgy and on the defensive for no reason at all. The book does show Nora interacting with other characters just fine? There's one specific (but v., v. spoilery) convo Nora has with another character in which the other character never remarks on how 'odd' or 'robot-like' Nora is talking to them. So it's basically a Tilly-only issue, IMO.

At best, the way this book approaches a neurodivergent character is quite off-putting and, at worst, is truly worrisome and weird.

On top of that, it simply does not make any sense that Tilly, a 39-y.o. character who works with a variety of clients (she's a boudoir photographer) AND who has a really colorful group of friends AND gives the impression of being quite a worldly character wouldn't know or even consider the existence of autism. Especially in relation to her twin sister. Keep in mind that the story takes place in our world in contemporary times. That's all I'm saying.

ETA: I think I wouldn't have had as much of a problem if one of two things had happened:

1. If Tilly and Nora had been raised in an ultraconservative and super religious community. Since those types of groups tend to avoid/disregard anything that wouldn't be considered "normal".

OR

2. If the story has been set anywhere in the 1970s to 1980s. At those times, the general population's awareness of ADHD, dislexia, autism, etc was v. limited and prejudiced.

But that's not what happened here.

FTR, I was super grossed out by this part of the story, but it was such a short novella that I ended up. No idea if I'll read anything else by this author. I gave this a 1 out of 5.

Good vibes all around

* Comfort Me, Daddy by Misha Horne (M/M Romance) - the 444-age sequel to Hurt Me, Daddy. Logan has moved in with Caleb. There's a big chemistry test he HAS to pass if he wants his scholarship to continue AND some v. important football games he's gotta train for...

The writing continued to be good (no typos, no weird turn of phrase, etc.). There was enough space in the book for Logan to get some more character development. Which isn't to say that he became suddenly mature, but that he had changed (for the better) when it came to his self-esteem and relation to the world. Another thing that was v. clear was how much care this author had in creating all of the characters. Logan, Caleb, Walker, Ellis, and the rest of the guys had distinct personalities and behaviors and that made all of their interactions pretty interesting to follow along.

Most of the Logan/Caleb scenes (both in and out of bed) were fun and/or spicy.

OTOH, the author could've deleted 100-150 pages. Like, the author could've gotten rid of 8 or so chapters (out of 40) and tightened the story a lot.

Then there's a late-in-the-book dramarama involving Logan's mother. It felt kinda spliced into the book because there hadn't been anything working up to it. That said, I figured the author felt it necessary to give Logan some kind of closure regarding that aspect of his life? IDK.

Finally, I finished the book feeling quite dissatisfied with Caleb as an MC. There was so happening (and a lot of it being terrible) to Logan in the first book, that Caleb's steady and focused presence was v. welcomed. However, this book really showed that Caleb (both as a Daddy and as himself) had an infinite amount of patience (as well as all of the answers, I guess.) It flattened him as a character. I wish there had been at least one scene, moment, chapter in which Caleb had an off/bad day. If only to balance out all of the scenes of him being the perfect boyfriend.

Because, even though his care, love, and support of Logan made him a likable character, he didn't have anything else to him as a person. YMMV. I gave this book a 3.5 out of 5.

Current fic tally

Have picked up 160 fics, DNF'd 78

Some Thoughts

Not much in terms of satisfying reads, but I'm not actively regretting picking up most of the books (I still 😒 at Those We Run From, tho.) Thankfully, i have avoided falling into a reading slump, so I'm calling this a win (of sorts, LOL.)

Up Next...

Last time: "I'm now halfway thru the second book of the "The Brat and The Beast" duology, a mystery/thriller, a queer femdom (?) M/F set in space, and a historical paranormal that is NOT cozy."

Finished the first two books, am halfway thru the third one (which is NOT set in space)--though IDK if I'll finish it, and ended up renewing the fourth book before it was due back to the library. I'm also in the middle of another book which is the last one in a series. 🤞🏾 for good reading ahead!

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Posted by Meredith Dietz

https://lifehacker.com/health/i-replaced-my-massage-gun-with-this-orbital-massager?utm_medium=RSS

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After years of wincing through aggressive massage gun sessions, I just assumed muscle relief required enduring a little bit of pain. There's a reason for the saying, "hurts so good," right? But it turns out you don't need to suffer to see results: The Rally orbital massager, which I have previously reviewed, has completely changed my hard-ass approach to recovery.

Don't get me wrong—percussive massage guns have their place. They're powerful and effective at working out the deepest knots. But after months of inconsistent use, I realized something: I was avoiding my own recovery tool. The aggressive pounding felt like punishment rather than self-care, turning what should've been a daily wellness ritual into something I'd postpone until I was in serious pain.

I'd skip sessions when I needed them most, only reaching for my massage gun when my muscles were screaming for attention. By then, I'd need that aggressive percussion just to make a dent in the tension I'd allowed to build up. During marathon training especially, I simply can't let this happen. That's where orbital massages come in.

Rally Orbital Massager

$499.00 at Rally

Why Rally's gentler recovery changes everything

The Rally's orbital massage technology works differently than traditional percussive guns—instead of hammering muscles with rapid-fire pulses, picture the circular motion of a car buffer. Luckily, the motion is gentle enough that it feels more like a human touch, as opposed to turning me into a car getting buffed.

The Rally has taught me something crucial about sustainable self-care: I'm infinitely more likely to reach for a device that feels good to use, rather than one that hurts. It's a game-changer for consistency. With my old massage gun, I'd psyche myself out before sessions: "Do I really need this? Can I handle the intensity right now?" With the Rally, there's no mental barrier. I can use it while watching TV, during work breaks, or as part of my bedtime routine, without dreading the experience.

Building up when you need to

Here's the best thing about the Rally: It can double as a percussive massager when you need more intensity. But now, instead of starting with the nuclear option, I work my way up to it. It's more comfortable and, I find, more effective: My muscles respond better to massage when they're already relaxed and have good blood flow.

I'll begin with the gentle orbital motion to warm up tissues and increase circulation, then switch to percussion mode if I encounter stubborn knots. I am far from anti-percussion massage—there are times when you need that deeper, more aggressive treatment, like after a particularly intense workout, when dealing with chronic knots, or for trigger point therapy. But now, those hurt-so-good instances are the exception, rather than the rule.

The Rally's ability to switch between modes means I'm not locked into one approach. I have the gentleness for daily maintenance and the power for when things get serious.

The best recovery tool is the one you actually use

By embracing the gentler, orbital massage as my daily default, I've created a sustainable self-care routine that prevents problems rather than just treating them. Proactive care beats reactive treatment every time.

Maybe my muscles are thanking me not because I'm punishing them less, but because I'm caring for them more consistently. Sometimes the revolutionary approach is simply being kinder to yourself, and having the tools that make that kindness effective.

If you've been avoiding your massage gun or find yourself using it only when you're already in pain, consider making the switch to orbital massage as your primary recovery method. Your future self (and your muscles) will thank you for choosing consistency over intensity.

https://lifehacker.com/health/i-replaced-my-massage-gun-with-this-orbital-massager?utm_medium=RSS

watersword

Block party yesterday extremely good: I met someone who keeps bees on his garage roof, and may have acquired volunteers for the pollinator garden, and talked about needlework with someone, and ate delicious fried chicken and upside-down peach cake. A+ community experience.

Today the cleaner is taking a crack at my dishwasher filter because I could not face a further attempt, and I am doing the interesting parts of my job (discussing copyright in archives! writing semantic HTML in preparation for writing modern CSS! prepping for a teaching commitment later this week!), and tomorrow I will go to the river for Tashlich first thing, and then have a co-writing sesh with H., and then the apple tasting flight with local honey (not from the garage bees) with friends in the park.

There is a constituent meeting with my state senator I am planning to go to later this week, he seems mostly useless but not actively evil, wish me luck.

fadedwings

New to me TV:

Bob's Burgers 15x09 & 15x10
High Potential 2x01
Only Murders in the Building 5x04

Re-watched TV:

Community (continuing with season 1)

Movies:

Thunderbolts* (again)

Current Mood: tired

fail_feed

Posted by Brad Dickson

https://cheezburger.com/42500357/mom-blames-17-year-old-daughter-for-her-divorce-from-teens-stepfather-when-the-teen-rejects-her

It really is a terrible feeling to want something so badly, but for it to always be out of reach for reasons outside of your control. Still, there is a cost to everything, and sometimes even when we have the ability to decide things ourselves, we still must make a choice. So, there will inevitably be sacrifices, since often two things are mutually exclusive and can't be had or achieved at the same time. Failing to commit to anything, stopping short of reaching out to pluck that fig off the vine, may leave you with nothing at all, and years down the road, you'll be staring at a bunch of withered fruit, wondering just what the heck happened.

The opportunity to have kids is important to a lot of people, and can be a dealbreaker in any relationship. It's understandable that, at some point in their relationship, the opportunity to have children of their own, or the loss of that chance, might be considered to be a breaking point. But that point should probably come before you make lifelong commitments to each other, and if you truly love someone, you won't regard them as simple opportunities or consolation prizes.

When this now teen's mother married her new husband, he seemingly had accepted the fact that his new wife was unable to have any more children, meaning that he would have no biological children of his own. He had taken consolation in the fact that she had a 10-year-old daughter and that she might one day come to see him as her father, except that day never came.

Despite no troubling grievances or incidents of note, the feelings that the teen felt needed to come along with the title of "father" never developed, as the teen felt that she had had, and lost, one father already. So, despite her stepfather's efforts and attempts to grant himself that place in her life, the "fatherhood" remained a river without a bridge to be crossed.

Seemingly, though, the entire issue here may have been the approach of both parties from the outset. Desiring to be a father in name, the stepfather might have sought to be one in name only, not putting in the intangible extra efforts that foster the unconditional love of parenthood. Similarly, it doesn't seem that the teen ever made an effort to reciprocate or include him in her life.

But the stepfather was singularly focused on achieving the role of father, and the teen was concerned about whether or not he deserved to "replace" her biological father, and this was a lose-lose game for both of them. There is no replacing a previous relationship of any kind, especially when it's replacing someone dear to you who has been lost. Seeking to do so will only leave you disappointed and upset. You need to approach the issue in a different way, seeking to add something new to each other's lives.

Still, claiming that his stepdaughter's refusal to accept him as a father is reasonable grounds for divorce is a measly attempt at an excuse, and there were likely other issues, acknowledged or not, in the parents' relationship. All said and done, it's hard to say whether there is any fault or not in this divorce, but it certainly isn't the fault of the child, and it never is.

https://cheezburger.com/42500357/mom-blames-17-year-old-daughter-for-her-divorce-from-teens-stepfather-when-the-teen-rejects-her

minoanmiss

( You're about to view content that the journal owner has advised should be viewed with discretion. )

Current Mood: hopeful
Current Music: when fall comes to New England

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Posted by Michelle Ehrhardt

https://lifehacker.com/tech/iphone-17-camera-has-important-design-flaw?utm_medium=RSS

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

Folks are finally starting to get their iPhone 17s, and now that the new phones are in the hands of people who don’t work for Apple, flaws are starting to come to light. Specifically, durability testers are saying that you might want to slap a case on your new phone.

Most notably, it turns out that the iPhone 17 Pro has a major flaw with its camera bump. While the lenses themselves are fine, the edges on the raised camera “plateau” (as Apple is calling it) can apparently get scuffed just by hanging out in the same bag or pocket as household items like coins or keys. That’s according to testing by reliable YouTube reviewer Zack Nelson, or JerryRigEverything, who bemoaned Apple’s decision to avoid adding a chamfer or other protective barrier around the camera bump.

“I think it was intentional,” the YouTuber says in his video. “So it looks cooler.”

According to Nelson, the scratches probably have to do with Apple’s decision to move back to anodized aluminum for this model, as opposed to the titanium the company started using with the iPhone 15 Pro. Aluminum provides better cooling, and strong scratch resistance anywhere that the anodizing process adheres to, but the catch is that without chamfers, those corners tend to get missed during the anodizing bath.

For instance, when Nelson tried to scratch the flat parts of the plateau (as well as the rest of the back of the phone), it only produced dust that could be easily wiped off, good as new. But those camera plateau corners remained permanently chipped, even after wiping.

This follows a similar report from Bloomberg, which noted that display models of both the blue iPhone 17 Pro and black iPhone Air seemed especially prone to scratches, as well as posts from users, pointing out scratches across all colors and multiple models of the new iPhones, especially after being attached to MagSafe accessories. While it’s possible that some of these scratches could be wiped away, as shown in Nelson’s video, those around the corners look particularly nasty, and I’m not just talking about the camera plateau.

How to stop scratches on your iPhone 17

While it’s certainly not ideal that your bare iPhone could be susceptible to scratches, there is a simple solution—slap a case on it. That’ll hide your fancy Apple branding, sure, but it will also ensure your phone doesn’t take the brunt of your keys or loose quarters, and add a barrier around those camera plateau edges.

This year, Apple has three case options, including a clear plastic, silicone, and a new fabric style case called TechWoven. In testing by YouTuber Arun Maini, or Mrwhosetheboss, the clear case was easily susceptible to scratches by simple household objects, but all other options held up well. That’s a relief for anyone who was burned by Apple’s previous fabric case, FineWoven, which also had its own scratch-related drama when it debuted alongside the iPhone 15 line.

Alternatively, you could go third-party. In that case, you’ve got plenty of options. Lifehacker sister publication CNET has praised Otterbox in the past, which I can also attest to by personal experience. For a more premium look, you could also go for Nomad’s leather cases, which I can also give a personal recommendation to.

https://lifehacker.com/tech/iphone-17-camera-has-important-design-flaw?utm_medium=RSS

anneapocalypse

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aurumcalendula

The Maiden and Her Monster by Maddie Martinez:

( Read more... )

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Posted by Daniel Oropeza

https://lifehacker.com/tech/tcl-65-inch-qled-qm7k-amazon-deal?utm_medium=RSS

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

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It's impressive how far TCL has been pushing the limits of QLED technology. The QM7K is its latest mid-tier QD-Mini LED smart TV and it offers great value for your money. Right now, the 65-inch QM7K is marked down 41%, bringing its price down to $877.99 (originally $1,499.99), the second lowest price it has ever been, according to price-tracking tools. The 85-inch QM6K, which is the more affordable version, is 37% off right now.

The QM7K is better in every way than the QM6K except for color accuracy. It has better contrast, brightness, gaming specs, black levels, processing, and other specs, but the QM6K is still a great option for those on a tighter budget.

TCL 65-Inch Class QM7K Series

QLED, 144hz, 288hz Gaming Rate, Anti-Reflective Screen, Bang & Olufsen Audio, Atmos (85QM7K, 2025)

$877.99 at Amazon

$1,499.99 Save $622.00

$877.99 at Amazon

$1,499.99 Save $622.00

I personally tested the QM7, which is a slightly older model of this TV, as well as the more budget QM6K, and I can tell you TCL is not skimping out on these TVs. They feel and look truly premium. This QM7K is no different. Its highlights are a bright panel, making it great for sunlit rooms. It has deep blacks and almost no light bloom, giving it that premium picture quality. Gamers will appreciate the 144 Hz native refresh rate and 288 Hz support panel with VRR and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, making it a smooth experience. Since it's a Google TV, it has hands-free Google Assistant and Google Cast, which makes streaming almost anything from your phone or computer a breeze. It can also do the same for iPhones with AirPlay.

If you're a color stickler, you might notice that the colors run a little warmer out of the box, according to PCMag's "excellent" review, but that's something you can edit easily in the picture settings. If you want a massive, bright, colorful smart TV with that "wow" factor, get the 65-inch QM7K, but if brightness is not as important to you, consider the 85-inch QM6K. Either option is a great TV for a killer price.

Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now

Apple AirPods Pro 2 Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $199.00 (List Price $249.00)

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge 256GB Unlocked AI Phone (Titanium JetBlack) — $699.99 (List Price $1,099.99)

Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00)

Roku Streaming Stick Plus — $29.00 (List Price $39.99)

Deals are selected by our commerce team

https://lifehacker.com/tech/tcl-65-inch-qled-qm7k-amazon-deal?utm_medium=RSS

ao3newstumblr_feed

https://ao3org.tumblr.com/post/795393532990996480

Hello critters!

As many of you will know by now, Critical Role announced that the upcoming Campaign 4 will not take place in Exandria, but a brand new world: Aramán! In light of this news, the Critical Role wrangling team has decided to update the existing fandom canonical tag in order to help both critter veterans and newcomers alike in finding and filtering for the works they want to see.

Therefore, the existing fandom tag, Critical Role (Web Series), has been renamed to Critical Role: Exandria (Web Series) in order to distinguish the campaigns, one-shots and mini-series set in Exandria. A new fandom, Critical Role: Aramán (Web Series) has been canonised separately to better help keep the works for this brand new world separate from the existing Exandria fandom and lore.

In summary, these are the new fandom tags going forward:

Critical Role: Exandria (Web Series) will refer to any actual play content set in Exandria, such as Campaigns 1, 2, and 3, as well as miniseries like Exandria Unlimited and Wildemount Wildlings and one-shots like The Screw Job, The Mighty Nein Reunited, Tag Team at the Teeth, etc.
Critical Role: Aramán (Web Series) will refer to the upcoming Campaign 4 and any related one-shots or miniseries aired in conjunction with the new campaign.

We hope this update will be helpful for filterability going forward. If you’d like more information about this update and our reasoning behind it, read on after the cut! We wish you all happy browsing and… is it Thursday yet?

Why make this change?

The first three main campaigns of Critical Role all take place in Exandria, following one continuous timeline and including character crossovers between campaigns. Therefore, it makes sense that these campaigns (and related one-shots and miniseries) are contained within one fandom canonical.

Since Campaign 4 will take place in the brand new setting of Aramán, it doesn’t make sense for it to be included with all the Exandria-related content. Additionally, since the new campaign will be DM’ed by Brennan Lee Mulligan rather than Matt Mercer and includes a large expansion to the main cast, there’s also a good chance that we will see a lot of incoming new fans who have no knowledge or interest in the previous campaigns or Exandria as a whole. We’ve decided to make this change in order to make it easier for users to find works only related to the Exandria canon and exclude anything related to the upcoming campaign, and vice versa.

I’ve posted works in the Critical Role (Web Series) tag, do I need to re-tag my works?

No, that won’t be necessary! Any works currently tagged with Critical Role (Web Series) will automatically show up in the updated Critical Role: Exandria (Web Series) tag.

Why differentiate the fandom canonicals by the name of the setting rather than campaign numbers?

We felt that “Exandria” and “Aramán” would be a lot more useful as modifiers, since we’re not only dealing with the four main campaigns of Critical Role but also a plethora of one-shots, miniseries and other tie-in material related to the world of Exandria. Knowing Critical Role as a company, it is very likely that Campaign 4 will not be the only place we will get to experience Aramán, so naming Campaign 4’s fandom canonical after the world in which it is set will help future-proof it for new content down the line!

Why not make separate fandoms for the other campaigns as well?

At the moment, the urgency of Campaign 4 premiering so soon is what has sparked this change, but we may split out the individual campaigns in the future!

While all fandom tags used to refer to anything set within Exandria are currently merged within one filterable fandom tag (with the exception of The Legend of Vox Machina and the upcoming The Mighty Nein animated adaptation), you are more than welcome to tag your works more granularly if your work concerns a specific campaign or adventure party. In fact, this may help us gauge the fandom interest for potentially splitting out the separate campaigns into their own fandom tags.

I want to find works about either Exandria or Aramán and I don’t care which, how do I search for both?

Since Critical Role: Exandria (Web Series) and Critical Role: Aramán (Web Series) won’t be connected via a fandom metatag, finding works that are tagged with either fandom (but not necessarily both) is a little tricky.

Each tag has a specific filter_ids number, and this is what you’ll need. This number can be found either by clicking on the “RSS Feed” button on the /works page for the tag in question (the number in the resulting URL) or by using this handy userscript which will display the filter_ids next to the tag name at the top of the /works page. The filter_ids for Critical Role: Exandria (Web Series) and Critical Role: Aramán (Web Series) are 140823101 and 140822966, respectively.

For a simple search for works tagged with either fandom, go to the search box at the top of any AO3 page and type in “filter_ids:140823101 OR filter_ids:140822966”. This will bring up all relevant results, but, unfortunately, there is no filter sidebar to help refine your search.

If you want a filter sidebar, you can follow this link. This will bring up all works tagged with either fandom in English and give you a filter sidebar. For works in any other language, change the language_id code (in this case, “en”) at the end of the URL to the relevant code from the Work Languages page.

If you need more help, you can contact Support, who will be happy to offer any necessary guidance.

(From time to time, ao3org posts announcements of recent or upcoming wrangling changes on behalf of the Tag Wrangling Committee.)

https://ao3org.tumblr.com/post/795393532990996480

drabblewriter posting in

100words

Title: Turned Arouns
Fandom: The Iliad
Characters/Ship: Hector & Andromache
Rating: G
Note: also for “plead my belly” on my

allbingo Piracy Bingo card

( Read more... )

profiterole_reads

Rebel Blade by Davinia Evans was great. It's the third and final book of The Burnished City, an alchemy story taking place in a Byzantine-inspired world.

The plot now focuses on setting up a democracy and I'm always here for this.

There's m/m (to be honest, I've been excitedly waiting for Siyon and Izmirlian to reunite since Book 1, so it's a disappointment that it only happens in the last two pages) and f/f.

quillpunk posting in

booknook

We're getting very close! XD

Sign-ups are still open; they are, in fact, open until Oct 30 :D We have 11 unclaimed days (though of course, you can claim already claimed days, too, if that's what works best for you) and it'd be super cool to fill up some more!

You can review anything from cookbooks to short stories to novels or comics AND MORE: if you think it counts, it counts. There's zero (0) consequences for missing a claimed day <3 Let's have fun together! XD

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