Patricia Arquette in Severance led me to Patricia Arquette in High Desert (also on Apple). It's quirky & amusing.
Upcoming songs (maybe) on my current scribbling stream at https://humanissome.org
I'm on Linux! Persistence pays. As well as pausing. Huh?
At first I failed to get into my Kubuntu trial, with tired eyes & brain. I'm sure others can relate to working on an external schedule. After waiting for a big file copy, as soon as it was ready I wanted to try my new toy. But that wasn't the right time for me, it just happened to be the right to for the USB stick & Internet download.
Now I was able to turn on tap to click by calling up terminal on the graphical startup splash screen.
I'm in no rush to get into Linux, other than my excitement pushing me. I remind myself it's just an OS. What do I want to do with Linux? A bunch of stuff that I have yet to learn. One, I'd like to use codeberg to maintain my websites. But my sites are consternations. I wrote a bit about it at https://gotosocial.social/@rartsy/statuses/01KHA7BCWXEDWWS19TZV3N4GR0. Until I know what I want my sites to change into they may as well stay the same. I also want Linux because my mac & its OS are dated. I think things may work better with linux.
I made a kubuntu start up USB stick but I haven't been able to enjoy it yet because of a physical issue with my MacBook Air. The trackpad no longer clicks. I'm able to use it fine because of a software fix. When I tap the trackpad it accepts that as a click. But when I load from the USB that software fix isn't in effect. I'm met with the pictured screen and I was stuck being unable to click. I imagine there are less GUI Linux boots that I'd only need a working keyboard to start.
currently streaming coloring and music at https://humanissome.org
Why is right wing BS the default setting of US tech culture?
I'm not sure why I keep getting signed out of YouTube on my phone. It's ok because I'm always opting out of cookies; I use Vivaldi with maximum blocking; & I don't ever have to see any ads. Perhaps getting signed out is related. Although it has happened in 2026 10x more than ever before. Regardless, what happens is that I go on YouTube & the videos I'm shown are all so right wing that it dawns on me I must be logged out.
I've added so much music lately I mostly listen to New Emph, a playlist name taken from when I dj'ed at WPRB Princeton. My new emph(asis) is a smart playlist that includes the 900 most recent rated songs. Currently that includes classical, jazz, new wave, pop, reggaeton, whatever. I like the unexpected mix.
I'm always looking for new #music. I'm often replacing lost work from my collection. My favorites are Talking Heads, Bowie, Prince, They Might Be Giants. Adding mostly foreign music lately.
Why would I make 4 Stars = avoid? One of them has to be. I can't rely on 0 stars as avoid because all tracks start off with zero and so that means unprocessed or undecided. They are really called:
5, Play Now
4, Play Then
3, Poolside
2, Sing
1, Relax.
You could call 4 "deep cuts" only to be played rarely. If I hated them I'd delete them. "Poolside" was for when I was with others & desired pleasant pop & classic rock. It’s evolving as my life changes.
Combinations work well. 3+5 is fun.
4/5
I use Star ⭐️ ratings to maintain playlists. Been doing this since iPods. Personally, rating music for quality is not of interest. I suppose it's true for many because Apple now prefers hearts—binary like/don't like; play more/play less. I have to force it to show star ratings. Another reason I won't update, I don't want to give up my system. I can assign stars on the fly with one click:
1, relaxing;
2, sing alongs (crooners, standards, divas—I'm gay);
3, background pop;
4, avoid;
5, favorites.
I need to be on Linux. I'm working on that. I'm not prepared to erase macOS from my old Air laptop & I'm not prepared to buy an old heavy PC laptop, especially in my new traveling life. (Tho if a free one came along I'd use it I'm sure.) In my searches re: music management, I've found those who choose VLC & never touch iTunes or Music. I can understand that but I tweak the Music app & it works for me. I turn off its online dimensions. I dunno if that's still possible, it is on my old OSes.
2/
While convalescing I have been devoting time to music file management. It's so satisfying! I've always had my own digital music, from burned CDs to iPods to iPhone. I still use iTunes that became Music, with a couple caveats: I don't update my operating systems. ;p I know, it's probably unwise. But I hold onto tech until it stops working & that means that I often can't update to what Apple wants. Plus when they remove features that I depend on I stop updating. I now take these as signs that
1/
When I first posted the toot referenced above I made the mistake of hashtagging capitalism. Never hashtag lol. I'm not sure about it really. I still retain corpo media neediness of wanting more reach, but tags simply mean that people I don't know might respond. I prefer talking to the people whom I know, right? Anyway there's a dude on dot-social who apparently just trolls the capitalism tag all day spewing obvious defenses of our one true social order centered around money. Sigh I asked for it.
2 minds | I feel bad when I compare myself to others. I feel bad about myself when I compare myself to others. OR I feel ok, good, respectful about myself when I see myself as convalescent; when I see myself as on my own path; when I see myself as engaging at all times in my own idiomatic curriculum. I make accomplishments every day that I can recognize & honor or that I can choose to discount. Unhealthy attitudes are deeply ingrained by a dysfunctional society. https://mastodon.art/@RMiddleton/116051700038484718
Zzz...
Doing a little doodling in bed. I removed the molded plastic tray in order to fit a few more pencils in the metal case. Underneath Faber-Castell it says "since 1761" & my weird brain imagined a reality in which "until N." is printed on things. Not as an expiration date for foods, but for enterprises, organizations, universities, nations. I think my thoughts are getting soft & mushy before bed, as they should.
Until 2615
Good night!
Latest link from boyfriend:
https://youtu.be/tOROMl8Z0Jg
?si=z2AIGXjMufG7q82u
💜
During the above video I express a thought that feels like a new angle, though maybe it simply boils down to #capitalism bad. Governments fiat money & regulate complex systems concerning the flow of money. A nation's economic wellbeing is the uppermost priority. None of these systems reward moral or healthy behaviors. We get what our system encourages. It's a poor system that cannot find a way to value clean air, a livable climate, caring for children, walks in nature, artists making art, etc.
During streaming art therapy tonight I made this that I'll mail to a friend tomorrow.
video archived @ https://www.twitch.tv/videos/2694808910