Notices by David Beazley (dabeaz@mastodon.social)

@cnx Maybe. I dunno though. I just don't see them all secretly huddled around a copy of Our Bodies Ourselves though.

@shapr Won't lie, I think shame, ignorance, and fear about these often uncomfortable topics is a serious problem.

Nor do they realize that *ALL* of the books listed in the extensive bibliography of their mom's sexuality book have been sitting out in multiple bookcases of the living room in full view this entire time (like the last 16 years). So yeah.... better fasten your seatbelts boys.

Well, it seems that we may have arrived at that moment in time when the teenage boys are going to get THE TALK. I've already given them a bit of warning.

Little do they know that mom wrote serious journalistic books on feminism, female sexuality, and women's health. And that I have read every word in all of those--and more.

And if they knew anything at all about the level of detail in my coding tutorials, they should be thinking "this is probably going to be lit." They're not wrong.

Wife: "What were you guys talking about for so long with the door closed?"

Me: "THE TALK about girlfriends and stuff. Also, the nature of relationships and how to keep one."

Wife: "You talked about the clitoris?!?"

Me: "Uh..... well, we didn't start with THAT!"

Full disclosure: I did talk about THAT at one point--look, I've read the aforementioned books.

Kid comes up me late last night to tell me he thought he was going to die in 6th period pre-calculus.

"Oh?!?"

Apparently a morning coffee followed by some kind of large ice-coffee thing at lunch pushed him over the caffeine edge. Even his girlfriend showed some concern and vowed to head off future mid-day purchases of this nature.

"Anyways kid, decaf. Black. Look into it."

Today might need to be a two-decaf day...

Do I dare look at that HN thread? Eh, probably best not.

@kevinbowen Hmmm. I usually try to stay out of SICP discussions because there is usually too much pedantry and I don't really have too many strongly-held opinions about it. I just find the book fun to explore.

Honestly, I think a bigger thing with college is the whole competitive nature of it with AP classes, extracurriculars, and all of the other HS crap and anxiety surrounding it. I was never into any of that and my attitude tends to be "shrug, do whatever kid." I'm not sure this is a very productive attitude, but it is what it is.

Admitted to the kid that thinking about college is actually freaking me out a bit.

"Why's that dad?"

"Because I'm still trying to figure out what *I* want to do."

Took kid to an official Big State University tour yesterday.

Them: "Our rec center even has a waterslide!"

(later...)

Me: "Uh, so, how big is this class?"

Them: "700 students, 1 prof, 13 TAs"

Kid: "This place is amazing."

Me: Quietly thinking to myself... "I wonder where one descends faster?"

Welp, a third time replacing yet another bad capacitor in the TV. Now awaiting kids' report to see if it actually fixed the problem again. The TV powered back on and is showing a picture after my repair so that's better than nothing.

For anyone wondering how one actually knows to replace a bad cap, the TV would predictably power-cycle and reboot itself whenever a video went to an all-white screen.

Open it up, look closely, and you'll see a tented cap.

Kid semi-annoyed that I won't buy a new TV.

"Look kid, if I can't even keep the TV alive for 17 years, how would I be expected to keep you alive?"

Opened it back up to check solder joints. Replaced another only slightly bulging capacitor. Now seems to be working properly again. Keeping fingers crossed. The TV is about 17 years old so if not, it's not the end of the world (but keeping it alive is still worth trying on principle ;-).

Hmm. Initial reports are negative. Still a problem. Maybe a bad soldering job so I'll need to double check. Not giving up that easy.

Fleeting idea: A website popup that simply says "you're getting some fucking cookies. [ ok ]"

@mistersql I don't know about that, but maybe I could sneak some kind of category theory thing in under the radar. Hmmm.

Pondering if PyCon 2025 might be in the cards. Maybe. Calendar looks pretty clear. No kid band concerts. No adult band concerts. No graduations.

Perhaps I should submit something.

Of course, I suppose this would depend on whether they'd ever have me back after unleashing that lambda calculus tutorial on people in 2019. 🤔