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<p>Another possible discussion inoculant:</p>
<p>I just did my first read (listen through of Audiobook) of Neal
Stephenson's latest: Polostan</p>
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href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polostan">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polosta</a>n</p>
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<p>as the first in another Epic series it promises to match his <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Baroque_Cycle">System of
the World </a>historical fiction series... in this case
explicating a different era of science, technology and culture.</p>
<p>Juxtaposed with a more proper *alternate* history via the <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Difference_Engine">Difference
Engine</a>, it is in it's own way much more fascinating for it's
clever framing as a fully plausible (yet dramatized) description
of real-world events of an acutely pivotal time in our
(semi-recent) history (1930s). I look forward to the
continuation of the "Bomb Light" series it apparently kicks off.</p>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 2/3/26 6:54 pm, Steve Smith wrote:<br>
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cite="mid:4721cabc-e5ee-4dd9-a751-a1da35d7964e@swcp.com">
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<p>JZ -</p>
<p>I'm glad you asked, though I doubt I can do much to relight the
flame myself... </p>
<p>I've been noticing this as well. I happen to (also) be in the
midst of doing lots of Springtime refresh (cleaning chimney,
blacking stove, restarting Kombucha jar, re-starting a
yogurt-batch method, pruning fruit trees, pre-preparing garden
beds, etc. This is not (just) virtue signalling for all my
DIY projects, it is also to reflect the tone of engaging in lots
of things as "re-inoculating/culturing of living batches"...
and FriAM (+ the constellation) does feel like a living batch
that has weakened and drifted (as did my Kombucha and Yogurt
cultures). </p>
<p>I will admit to preferring (not exclusively) the company of
LLMs over various social engagements, and especially those with
more technical spine than not. FriAM has been from time to time
such for me. I still appreciate the meso-tech discussions that
arise here from time to time... the roots of the weeds are a
bit much, but I suppose that is all relative? </p>
<p>I assume some of our more active posters/innoculators here
(yourself included) DO have greener forums for many/some
purposes. I do not. I do *read* a lot to feed some of the same
thirst. I also dream vividly.</p>
<p>I'm definitely distracted by "current events" and/but avoid
thrashing those dead horses here very often.</p>
<p>I've never been an active in-person member of FriAM proper
(though I made an effort 20 years ago to attend every month or
three) nor of the vFriAM version... really not my mode. I am
sad if/that there is not still a core in-person group, I have
been assuming (e.g. my recent introduction of a new potential
participant). I've moslty been more available for WedTech or
SimTable-adjacent activities or as you know Salon's at Jenny's
when she is in town.</p>
<p>I don't find myself particularly adept at seeding interesting
conversations here. I think Glen has been the most effective
at this. I'm assuming he is suffering/enjoying his own weighted
vector in your 1-N basis space of possible reasons for
suppressed/depressed activity. </p>
<p>I've been feeling a general sense of decoherence across many
aspects of my life which I will blame on A) MAGA 2.0; B) AI
tech-topic acceleration; C) my own aging brain and body (69 next
week).</p>
<p>I've pinged a couple of (semi)regulars here offList "recently"
and got no response, so maybe that is another data point? </p>
<p><br>
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<p><br>
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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 2/3/26 5:45 pm, Jon Zingale wrote:<br>
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cite="mid:CAH5Jek2LMAd5u0BpJ8MMEyzDJineoOhJsVMGeev0rxLWcyQBQA@mail.gmail.com">
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<div class="gmail_default"
style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#333333">I
know I came to this group in what appears to be its
twilight. The in-person meetups are weirdly sad. I feel
pressed to ask if it is the case that everyone is either:</div>
<div class="gmail_default"
style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#333333"><br>
</div>
<div class="gmail_default"
style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#333333">1.
on vacation/ too busy</div>
<div class="gmail_default"
style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#333333">2.
too depressed / failing to find inspiration</div>
<div class="gmail_default"
style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#333333">3.
moved on to greener forums</div>
<div class="gmail_default"
style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#333333">4.
preferring the company of LLMs</div>
<div class="gmail_default"
style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#333333">...</div>
<div class="gmail_default"
style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#333333">N.
waiting for someone frail to post</div>
<div class="gmail_default"
style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#333333"><br>
</div>
<div class="gmail_default"
style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#333333">Sometimes
I trawl reddit or whatever discord, but I cannot help but
feel like beacons of inspiration are becoming fewer and
further between. This group has managed to inspire me, keep
my interest, for over a decade. In that time, I pushed
myself to understand perspectives that I would never have
dreamed existed. I hope there is still something to talk
about.</div>
<div class="gmail_default"
style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#333333"><br>
</div>
<div class="gmail_default"
style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#333333"><br>
</div>
<div class="gmail_default"
style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#333333"><br>
</div>
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style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#333333"><br>
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