My friend (let's call him Liam) doesn't want to hear about people being hurt or murdered. I'm trying to figure out why being told about this boundary hurts. I see my therapist on Monday, for my regularly scheduled session. So, this is me thinking out loud and trying to process my feelings. It's 2 am here on the East Coast, please pardon my insomniac rambling.

My friend now lives outside the US, but grew up here. We were college roommates.

• Maybe I'm jealous that he is comfortable enough that he doesn't have to work, can travel, and has socialized medicine. He hasn't fought with his health insurance to pay for needed procedures.

• Maybe I'm upset that his boundary means I can't share large swatches of my life with him. I can't talk with Liam about my health insurance issues because that's too close to violence for me to feel confident I'm not overstepping. I can't talk about my dad because my dad died through my mom's actions. I can't talk about politics because American politics today seems to be about hurting people you don't like. I can't talk about my worries for the future.

• Maybe I'm upset because his boundary is so broad and vague but also clear enough that I can't ask him for clarification about it without violating it. Is social murder murder to him? I dunno!

• Maybe I'm upset because it's almost the 4-year anniversary of my dad's death and it's easier to be upset at my friend's confusing boundary than it is to confront the fact my dad's still dead. TBH, this feels pretty solid, based on the amount of tears I'm producing. Circling back, I sure would like to be able to talk with Liam about this, but nope.

I am notoriously bad at posting. No, really. Like Really, REALLY bad I mean! :-P

So I try to help the Fediverse grow by commenting. Probably WAY too much. Like not every hour, but definitely multiple times a day.

How about you - what do you feel is appropriate for your situation? Would you like to see more content, or less, or is this just the right amount?

For me, it's equivalent to a statement that "I would like to see more of something like this". That sometimes means upvoting things that I don't agree with, yet very often I'll pass over things that I do (such as "^This" - I agree, but don't want to see more of it:-). Often I'll upvote nearly every comment in a thread, to signal hopes for increased participation. To me it's a signal for health and vibrancy of a community to see such.

But other people I guess use it as an "I agree" or "like" button? If that's you, do you use it sparingly? What's the rationale there - that when it is delivered, it means more? But with Lemmy so small, why not deliver it more often to help it grow? I mean you feel free to do you, I'm just curious. Maybe you feel it could encourage "karma farming"?

I'd even like to ask lurkers what they think, although I suppose that literally by definition I cannot:-). Then again, I recently became a lurker myself by watching the embedded Loops videos at https://tesseract.dubvee.org/c/[email protected], and I really miss being able to comment or vote on videos to help guide others to which ones I feel are most/least worthwhile to watch. It feels like a finger is missing - I reach out to do my normal activity and it's gone.:-) So perhaps if someone was recently a lurker, what are your thoughts too?

If you have kids or want to, what is the plan for them?

Including if you don't celebrate. Just a normal day for you then?

If you do celebrate, was it a good time, or did something ruin it?

I arrive on time, as that's just the polite thing to do and I'm not fashionable enough for fashionably late. I also like hanging out with people before things get crowded and/or loud, though I enjoy that too.

This seems a helluva week!

We someone narrowly averted a government shutdown, so there's that.

The rise of extremist content I see on Lemmy makes me wonder how safe it is to be here - am I going to go onto some kind of list even if I participate merely by arguing against it? It's making me seriously nervous.

Oh yeah, and it's Christmas!⛄

It's a cliche, but I guess it's mostly region dependent

Asking as I don't know which counterpowers could prevent this at state level for instance

https://www.yahoo.com/news/everything-know-floridas-social-media-164123022.html

For me (as a programmer) it really varies a ton. I used to put in insane stretches, due to the medication I needed to take in the past and that is how I got used to things in college.

Now I work more regularly, but still can put in a solid 6+ hr day most of the time, and yet some days... yeesh I'm lucky if I can get a third of that. So I work more on other days to compensate.

I am not in a comfortable situation in mine. It is a bit toxic tbh. The rest of it seems normal - so many meetings, everyone fumbling around trying to meet the goals that shift around. I do like the parts where I get to write code though:-).

Nobody enjoys 100% of every day and every activity. But do you enjoy your job... mostly?

In addition to coffee daily, I also drink an Irish Breakfast tea and usually 1-2 cups of various others later in the day as well (this winter season I'll do mint, chamomile, probably Rooibos or Oolong, whatever I happen to find for cheap).

An electric water kettle was given to me as a gift (but they are cheap anyway I thought?) and it's so super fast and easy. I don't really know what I'm doing - just pour, steep for ~1 min, then drink, repeat:-). For breakfast tea I add creamer, for the rest nothing. I'm sure I could do more like put those large packs in something airtight.

What do you rock, in terms of tea🍵?

Inspired by @[email protected]'s post over here:

https://feddit.org/post/5821462

I was about to post about a BIFL item that I'm happy with, and then realized it was made in Germany. Then I realized that I don't know where most of the stuff in my house is manufactured.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/23282836

Summary

The CDC confirmed the first severe U.S. case of H5N1 bird flu in Louisiana, linked to exposure to sick and dead birds in a backyard flock.

This marks the first backyard flock-related case in the U.S., though 61 human cases of H5 bird flu have been reported since April 2024.

The virus belongs to the D1.1 genotype, found in wild birds and recent cases in Canada and the U.S.

There is no evidence of person-to-person spread, and public health risk remains low. The CDC advises precautions for those exposed to infected animals.

Personally I'm looking forward to a sober holiday season. I'm white knuckling it. But already leagues above where I'd be if I were still in it. So I'm grateful and looking forward to a happy season. What about you