Notices by Orjan (cunobaros@mendeddrum.org)

I've been trying to think of an uplifting, encouraging, or comforting story to write. I've written many in the past, but today the tank seems to be empty.

I'm out of words and ideas.

That doesn't mean I will stop trying, though, and I'm sure I will do it again.

(This post might just be a comforting story I'm telling myself, but I do believe in it.)

Going on a stupid run for my stupid mental health and stupid heart and lungs.

...

Feels quite nice, 5k later.

Got involved in a discussion about female knights in the new version of Pendragon, and I averred that in my 20+ years of sword/axe/spear combat, gender has made little difference for the outcome of a fight.

The weapons do the work, and the weapons do not come in pink and blue.

There followed a lot of goal post shifting.

"Muscles and weight matter in MMA!"
Which is unarmed.

"HEMA isn't with lethal intent!"
Neither is any other modern martial art, including MMA.

"It's ahistorical!"
So's magic

HEMA competitions do not generally have weight classes, and in many cases are not segregated by gender, because weapons are an equaliser.

You don't need massive muscles to swing a sword, not even a great big two-hander. Trust me, I've tried it, and when you get the techniques right it just flies.

In an armed fight, muscle mass and weight is much less relevant than skill, agility, and creativity.

Last year, I went on a road trip of over 900km, going through Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, and ending in Sweden.
Now I'm planning another one, more than 1100km long, going through... around half of Sweden.

@nwhyte I have read all of O'Donnell's Modesty Blaise stories - prose and comics - and found them to be reliably entertaining, if occasionally ludicrous in their premises. He had a knack for writing engaging characters, and while they are of their time, they were generally more ahead of their time than many of their contemporaries.
I've been curious about his romances, but didn't think they were still in print.

@cammerman It's also worth underlining "one person". In most teams I've been in the last thirty years, no more than a third, and often less, are interested in infrastructure work.

Still up packing everything into boxes. The movers are coming in, I think, six hours. We shouldn't need more than three to finish packing.

Well that was optimistic. I forget that you are a lot slower when you haven't slept. I packed the last box twenty minutes ago.

The movers arrived at 8, and have been incredibly efficient and polite and strong. Almost all 130 boxes have been carried our to the lorry, and they've dismantled the corner sofa and the frame for our double bed.

Thankfully, we don't need to be there to receive them and direct where to put stuff. The offspring was installed in the house last night, with the cats, and will do the honours.

@bellinghman We have bought a house in Skurup, a small town 30 minutes from Malmö by car or train.

"We built an A.I. and asked it to identify the greatest threat to human life and happiness."
"Did it answer A.I.?"
"No, it said 'venture capitalism'."
"Oh my god! Shut it down!"
"Why? That's not an unreasonable-"
"Exactly! That's an intelligent answer!"
"But what about-"
"That A.I. is alive!'
"But-"
#Fiction #MightBeTrue #MicroFiction