I finally got around to watching Bodies on Netflix (2023), and it was excellent — brilliantly done and perfectly entertaining sci-fi nonsense.

Peanut M&Ms maybe the greatest thing ever created.

I recently stumbled across an interview with David Mitchell which opens with him declaring that the internet is as harmful to humans as nuclear weapons. Two things to note: first, this is a five-year-old video; second, he’s a comedian who often uses hyperbole to sharpen his point. But in this case, there was a sincerity to his tone that I found haunting. We all know that at least some people want a change in the way the internet is presented and used — this is most evident in the emergence of the fediverse but the meteoric rise and sudden fall of the Gemini protocol a few years ago also exemplified the widespread desire for countercultural change. Continue reading →

I watched WarGames again today with some friends. It’s aged surprisingly well, and John Wood’s performance is absolutely spot-on.

I just watched Electric State on Netflix and really enjoyed it. It was delightfully silly, visually striking, and fully embraced its simple story.

I haven’t been able to have a fulfilling writing session in a few weeks now, and I feel like my characters might be frustrated with me. When I’m finally ready to dive back into the depths of my writing, I know I’ll probably spend the first day editing. That’s just how it goes after taking a break.

As I get deeper into chess, I can’t shake the annoyance at my current skill level. There’s always the hope, that everything will click into place soon. Though In hindsight, learning chess seriously at 44 might not have been the most practical decision, but I’m determined to keep going.

For many years, particularly during my teenage years, I secretly aspired to be like David Lightman. However, considering the pickle he found himself in, I can’t help but feel relieved that my efforts fell short. Besides, Cheyenne Mountain is quite far away. I suspect that WOPR has been replaced by a big ring now, which means I probably never stood a chance anyway. This focus on grand aspirations led me to believe that WordPress would serve as the permanent home for Dandelion-Utilitarian. Continue reading →

After some consideration, tinkering, and general messing about, I’m pleased to confirm that Niceferatu.net is real! It’s just a place for my comic posts. It’s not a very good comic—but hey, at least I’m trying. This project is mainly to help me improve my drawing skills, with the hope of one day creating something more longform (like The Denouement novel, but as a comic). Anyway, this should keep dandelion-utilitarian.com safe from being overrun by badly drawn and very dry vampire comics. Continue reading →

I’m now pretty deep in the weeds of micro.blog customisation. Having a good time. ☺️