Just made a lot of small corrections and updates, including adding alt text to my current Field Notes images.

Late to your original question, but how about using labels to be as a safe space? For instance, I have my pronouns in my site even though it doesn't make a difference to me. I'm a cis woman, so the default she/her works. And even if someone misgenders me, I wouldn't care because I have never suffered from it.

So in that case, rather than being a defensive thing, it's just to tell others that I'll respect their pronouns if they ever interacted with me. To try to make it safer for those who might be dealing with discrimination in other places. I rarely interact with others, but if there's a chance to make things a bit less hostile then it's worth it.

Bonus reason: some blinkies and stuff are just cute ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Agreed with Koala. Before I came out as trans, I didn't self-identify very much as anything online, in fact I preferred to hide it. But even coming against prejudice about being trans from even my own family and facing random abuse in public and online, self-identifying works as both indicating to others that I'm "in the know (e.g. about pronouns, etc)"/ am safe, and also practically works as a filter.

Also, I've poked around on the old web on archives of geocities and others, there was quite a lot of self-identification especially in the LGBTQ community, much as there still is today. I haven't looked at other communities but I suspect your observation on race, nationality, etc, are the same. When there's so much information online, choosing who to follow or spend time with is important, labels help with that

i think my thoughts are not comment-sized but: this topic is super interesting, your thoughts reflect a lot of my own feelings, and also the current comments are spot-on too. how I've felt about online labels over the years has maaassively changed and part of that is to do with the kind of privileges I have changing

@kolala Thanks for the perspective. Yeah, I think that different sites with different purposes use labels differently. For myself, I've had experiences where I thought I was a good ally and ended up causing harm, so I don't see myself as an expert on whether or not I'm a "safe" person. If someone is wondering if I am safe to approach, I would recommend that they read around my site a bit and decide for themselves.

@pixelglade Several years ago, I got harrassed on the bus by someone claiming that they "couldn't tell" "what" I am. Shortly afterwards, I got some pride pins to put on my bag so nobody could claim to be confused about it and to take up space as a queer person. So I get that as a reason to self-label online. But to me there's a thin line between creating a community and creating an echo chamber in online spaces...

...and that's the part that I'm still trying to figure out. I was not connected to the LGBTQ+ community in my early internet days, so I did not see the self-labeling happening there. My guess is that the practice started in small communities connecting around their identities and get got more mainstreamed over the years.

I added some extracts from my journals. I don't know how you'll feel about it, but this is my favorite page that I've uploaded in a long time.

I love this, thank you for sharing your thoughts!

this is like a cheat code to skip out on my own notebook practice and just get all the good stuff from yours

Wrote a silly little essay about owning a typewriter.

You ought to have written it on a typewriter and posted pictures of the pages. And then typed it all out again on the computer for the alt text.

@Skep you act as if this idea had not crossed my mind. But I don't hate myself quiiiiite that much.

thanks for this essay, i know you said you don’t romanticise the typewriter yet it’s still so cozy to think about drafting at that pace. bouncing ball imagery makes me think of pianists, i’m sure an obvious comparison — they way they strike the keys so purposefully and precisely

ooh I've been pondering getting a typewriter recently, a decent one has popped up for sale near me. this isn't helping dissaude me 👀

@sorbier I was thinking about including the piano as a comparison because I imagine the mechanics are very similar to a typewriter. But I've never played piano so I didn't know if the feel would be similar.

@ghostscape I feel like I have been forthcoming as possible about how much of a pain in the butt typewriters are, so if this didn't dissuade you, nothing will.

i am really curious about it as a physical experience (among other things). i used to play piano and i assume i'll be needing to rebuild those finger muscles

You'll probably have a head start because you used to play piano, but yes, finger strength is definitely necessary!

This was fascinating. I understand to some extent the forearm pain. Using braille input on a normal qwerty keyboard involves pushing multiple keys down at the same time in a sort of rhythm and I get pain after doing it for awhile. A Perkins brailler is much like a typewriter in design - I've never used one but it's a fascinating piece of machinery if you want to look up about it.

I really enjoyed reading this one, thanks!

@pixelglade Wow, that's so interesting. My workplace has a braille printer, but I had no idea that a typewriter for braille existed!

New /now

I've always wanted to take a dance class! but I have such poor brain body coordination, like I know what I'm supposed to do and I know when the rhythm happens but my body just is not doing what I want it to do 🥲 I feel like dance class might help but also be very embarrassing at first! still. would be fun.

I also recommend On Being podcast if you can find episodes. it's not running anymore but the archives are incredibly beautiful. each episode goes over a topic and the host discusses with various folks their views on life and philosophy.

I am the same re: brain/body coordination. I don't have a strong sense of left or right. I'm not ambidextrous, but I'm neither truly left nor right-handed. I would not do well with partner or performance dance, but here I am not worried about doing steps a correct way, but exploring movement with my body as a whole. There's also a lot of value in learning things that we are not naturally talented at.

Yes, I love On Being. I haven't listened to it recently but have enjoyed many episodes.

I briefly mentioned last time I wrote you that I started taking a dance class. Still doing it! I still have no sense of rhythm but everybody has been very welcoming. Like it's just an excuse to get moving and laugh at ourselves.

@Skep Ooh yeah, I forgot to ask how the dance class was going. I'm glad it's working out. Laughing at oneself is key, I think.