Looks like Araneus diadematus to me. They have a white cross on their abdomen like the one on your photo. Cool spiders (they’re all cool :)

I love this! Not sure what you mean by “ends”, though. Are you referring to the whimsical fringe in the armpit of my sweater? That is a design element!

I think we might be kindred spirits. The stuff I own because suddenly Hobby X was the most critical thing in my life… There is a recorder (the instrument) sitting on my desk right now because I decided a couple of months ago at 2AM that it was high-time I learned to read music. Thank goodness I didn’t buy a violin.

I took a couple photos mid-molt today, but they are so stinking blurry. It’s a mix of low-skill, low-light, a phone camera, and trying to photograph through reflective enclosures, I think. I have thought about looking into better equipment before, but having read your story I don’t think that’s a good idea!

I have (so far) been mercifully spared by the photography bug, so I’m not sure where it falls in terms of cost, but keeping inverts can actually be done really cheaply while still providing very good care. Now that I’ve said that…run for your life, lol.

I can’t really speak to insects, but I do keep tarantulas and have really had to set firm bounds on myself. Not just money-wise (because oh, the beautiful terrariums you can build), but also in terms of what I can reasonably care for, what I reasonably have space for, etc. That said, this is probably the most fun I’ve ever had with a hobby. I have two prepping to molt as I type this and I feel like it’s Christmas morning.

This is a little off-topic, but if you are okay with spiders, you might enjoy this video from Dave’s Little Beasties that shows the development of a tarantula (Theraphosa stirmi) from an egg. This is an very large species with very large eggs, so you can really get a good look. I believe Dave does touch on bad eggs briefly here as well.

Video link

Battlestar Galactica is the one I just can’t do. I didn’t watch it when it aired, but I borrowed the box set from someone around the time it wrapped up. I think I watched 3 very tense episodes, looked at how many remained, and bailed. If I ever try again I’ll pretend I’m watching them being broadcast and stick to one episode a week. I’m probably a wuss, but that show left me exhausted.

I quite like Dana K. White’s system for this. When putting something away she asks “if I were looking for this item where would I look for it first?” And wherever that place is is where the item goes. Now I keep all my Sharpie markers in the silverware drawer and I can always find one.

Dana White doesn’t write specifically for the adhd crowd, but I swear she’s the first organizer that has ever made sense to me. There’s more to her system than this, obviously, but not much, and it almost never involves buying more bins.

Thank you, this is the closest I’ve seen to something comprehensive.

Sweet, I guess I’m going to have to get a PC at some point. I actually played Riven for iPadOS recently and it was still fun, but the point and click is pretty tedious.

I’m not sure a remake willl ever match the magic of when I originally played in 1998, though. My laptop was so junky I played most of the game under a blanket because the screen was so dark, haha.

Ad Riven. I read all the novels, too!

It’s been a while, but I wanted to come back and thank you for this rec, because I really like the blue lizard sunscreen. I got the stick for my face and tube stuff for the rest of my body and I’m really pleased with them. These actually rub in very well and I’m not leaving white streaks on everything I touch.

The Count of Monte Cristo is what immediately came to my mind also. He is absolutely thorough in his revenge.

Priorities!

Very excited to have the compact comments and swipe down on the image previews!

I love his work!

I have been to a couple community days in the park and both times someone had already added lures to many of the pokestops - probably because there is medal for players catching pokemon from your lure.

I would just go somewhere that has a lot of gyms/stops clustered closely together if you have something like that. At the park I go to there are spots where you can barely see the ground because there are so many pokemon. Even stops without lures have a lot, so finding pokemon on community day has never been an issue and I can finish the research pretty quickly.

Tips? Sunscreen and water, even if it’s not hot where you are.

Haha, I guess I must have missed it in my pre-guest “hide everything that might horrify someone” routine.

I can see how this would be one of those projects that’s never quite finished. The fox, maybe Bill the pony…

As someone who really loves spiders, I am pretty tickled to see Shelob as a jumping spider, just sitting in her lair while all the action happens around her.

I pulled out my atlas again last night since it’s been a while and I’ve got to say, I think your video version was a lot more helpful to me in making connections between the various parties. The books and movies are always focused on one party at a time, so I have always tended to think of them that way. I have a very distinct memory of being 11 or 12, getting to the end of the The Two Towers where Shelob has Frodo, jumping right into The Return of the King, and nearly launching the book across the room when I found the story had gone back to Pippin and Gandalf.

Hyperion is my favorite of the two, but I don’t think you could go wrong with either. If you are interested in audiobooks there is one for Dune that is very good.

This is amazing! I believe I have the atlas you’re referring to (I keep meaning to put together my own “walk to Mordor” goal). I love seeing the movements like this.