Random Dalliances and Nerdism

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Viola flower.

“What is the old Dalish curse? May the Dread Wolf take you?”

Legends tell of a Dalish elf that met the Dread Wolf while traversing the Frostback Mountains. He stalked her and sought to take her life, but when he approached, it was she who took his heart.

Finished this study of lovely Harding 💜

(id in ALT text)

alright I finally got around to watching netflix's "The Dinosaurs"

(Don't become a paleontologist kids, it turns watching dinosaur related things from "fun" into "work")

THINGS DONE WELL

Birds are treated as full dinosaurs throughout

Emphasizing that dinosaurs had complex behaviors and social structures

Plenty of fluffy dinosaurs present

Most of the reconstructions are fantastic

KPg presented as tragedy and not inevitable

The ending showing all the different dinosaur behavior juxtaposed with modern dinosaurs doing that behavior is glorious, ESPECIALLY because it wasn't just theropods

THINGS DONE... NOT AS I WOULD DO THEM

the only named titanosaur is the smallest one??? what are we doing

For that matter, please just name the dinosaurs. I promise, audiences aren't allergic to names. I promise.

stop acting like the Jurassic was the time of giant dinosaurs when EVERY "BIGGEST" DINOSAUR WE KNOW IS FROM THE CRETACEOUS

I'd make more of the mid-sized theropods fluffy or at least have some decorative floof

I'd have more of the stepwise process of the evolution of birds as we go straight from early Jurassic dinos to Anchiornis, including showing how complex feathers evolved for display and communication before flight

can we PLEASE stop using the Kpg for TraumaPorn, I'm not kidding, I'm sick of watching dinosaurs die horrible horrible agonizing deaths for twenty minutes at a time

WE KNOW BIRDS ARE DINOSAURS. they were PRESENTED as dinosaurs THROUGHOUT. the "Gotcha! they didn't all go extinct!" thing at the end doesn't MAKE ANY SENSE when we ALREADY KNOW

also acting like its a Tuatara situation - implying just a small remnant is holding out - when birds cover the entire planet and outnumber mammals a significant amount is... a Choice. (It's a bad choice)

STOP ENDING DINOSAUR DOCUMENTARIES AT THE KPG WHEN WE KNOW THAT ISN"T THE END OF THE STORY

THINGS THAT ARE JUST PLAIN WRONG WTF

what the actual eff was the Spinosaurus sequence

MOST carnivores engage in opportunistic cannibalism. that doesn't make them "a cannibal" and it doesn't make them special, either, because most do it.

I did see quite a few somewhat pronated hands

Dinosaurs were either straight up endothermic or gigantothermic. they could handle snow. they DID handle snow. why do we keep acting like they died the minute cold water touches their skin. we don't have a lot of evidence of titanosaur migration because cold. what is this.

Why is Alamosaurus with Edmontosaurus. If they aren't Alamosaurus, why are we just making up titanosaurs for fun. Like I know they almost overlap but the emphasis is decidedly on ALMOST

hateg island in the non-latest cretaceous segment because...????

anchiornis could probably fly. the gliding stuff is almost certainly dead in the water.

In short, I liked it a lot, but I did yell at the screen frequently too, so what can you do

I just want a "story of the dinosaurs" docuseries that COVERS THE CENOZOIC. I think we've gotten enough out of the "violent end" narrative and we have plenty of documentaries that just cover the mesozoic. make the madness stop. no, we don't have to ignore the extinction, but that doesn't mean we can't do "There was a tragedy... nonetheless dinosaurs rose from the ashes..."

like yes, it's a surprise to HUMANS that dinosaurs are still around. you know who isn't surprised?

THE TWENTY THOUSAND (probable) SPECIES OF DINOSAURS THAT COVER EVERY CORNER OF THE PLANET

THEY KNOW. ITS NOT A SHOCK. WE WERE JUST STUPID.

anthropocentrism will actually be the death of me

Not every white person dating a POC is fetishizing. White people can be respectful and responsible when it comes to culture and relationships and not everyone has bad intentions.

Asian people can date Black people without you saying shit like “your kids will be so pretty” they’re not dating for pretty kids. They’re dating bc they like each other.

Someone can dress their partner in clothing from their culture if they want. Someone can take their partner to cultural events if they want.

People in relationships can share cultures, experiences and love without it being toxic or skin deep.

Their partner isn’t culturally appropriating. Their partner is being shown the ultimate form of love, bc their partner trusts them and loves them enough to share their history and heritage.

Yeah, dating someone from your culture is nice bc you automatically have similar experiences. But you’re not limited to dating people with the same experiences. Loving someone is sharing and growing and being together.

alright I finally got around to watching netflix's "The Dinosaurs"

(Don't become a paleontologist kids, it turns watching dinosaur related things from "fun" into "work")

THINGS DONE WELL

Birds are treated as full dinosaurs throughout

Emphasizing that dinosaurs had complex behaviors and social structures

Plenty of fluffy dinosaurs present

Most of the reconstructions are fantastic

KPg presented as tragedy and not inevitable

The ending showing all the different dinosaur behavior juxtaposed with modern dinosaurs doing that behavior is glorious, ESPECIALLY because it wasn't just theropods

THINGS DONE... NOT AS I WOULD DO THEM

the only named titanosaur is the smallest one??? what are we doing

For that matter, please just name the dinosaurs. I promise, audiences aren't allergic to names. I promise.

stop acting like the Jurassic was the time of giant dinosaurs when EVERY "BIGGEST" DINOSAUR WE KNOW IS FROM THE CRETACEOUS

I'd make more of the mid-sized theropods fluffy or at least have some decorative floof

I'd have more of the stepwise process of the evolution of birds as we go straight from early Jurassic dinos to Anchiornis, including showing how complex feathers evolved for display and communication before flight

can we PLEASE stop using the Kpg for TraumaPorn, I'm not kidding, I'm sick of watching dinosaurs die horrible horrible agonizing deaths for twenty minutes at a time

WE KNOW BIRDS ARE DINOSAURS. they were PRESENTED as dinosaurs THROUGHOUT. the "Gotcha! they didn't all go extinct!" thing at the end doesn't MAKE ANY SENSE when we ALREADY KNOW

also acting like its a Tuatara situation - implying just a small remnant is holding out - when birds cover the entire planet and outnumber mammals a significant amount is... a Choice. (It's a bad choice)

STOP ENDING DINOSAUR DOCUMENTARIES AT THE KPG WHEN WE KNOW THAT ISN"T THE END OF THE STORY

THINGS THAT ARE JUST PLAIN WRONG WTF

what the actual eff was the Spinosaurus sequence

MOST carnivores engage in opportunistic cannibalism. that doesn't make them "a cannibal" and it doesn't make them special, either, because most do it.

I did see quite a few somewhat pronated hands

Dinosaurs were either straight up endothermic or gigantothermic. they could handle snow. they DID handle snow. why do we keep acting like they died the minute cold water touches their skin. we don't have a lot of evidence of titanosaur migration because cold. what is this.

Why is Alamosaurus with Edmontosaurus. If they aren't Alamosaurus, why are we just making up titanosaurs for fun. Like I know they almost overlap but the emphasis is decidedly on ALMOST

hateg island in the non-latest cretaceous segment because...????

anchiornis could probably fly. the gliding stuff is almost certainly dead in the water.

In short, I liked it a lot, but I did yell at the screen frequently too, so what can you do

I just want a "story of the dinosaurs" docuseries that COVERS THE CENOZOIC. I think we've gotten enough out of the "violent end" narrative and we have plenty of documentaries that just cover the mesozoic. make the madness stop. no, we don't have to ignore the extinction, but that doesn't mean we can't do "There was a tragedy... nonetheless dinosaurs rose from the ashes..."

like yes, it's a surprise to HUMANS that dinosaurs are still around. you know who isn't surprised?

THE TWENTY THOUSAND (probable) SPECIES OF DINOSAURS THAT COVER EVERY CORNER OF THE PLANET

THEY KNOW. ITS NOT A SHOCK. WE WERE JUST STUPID.

anthropocentrism will actually be the death of me

then I looked in the notes and y’know.

some people seems confused.

Why a shopping cart with stained glass? 

or This would be cool to shop with

or something about religion and NO

NO

THIS. Is about HOMES.

That style stained glass? Those diamonds? They speak to me, and they say “Townhouse”. and FANCY townhouse, at that. They say “City home, old home, a home that is RICH, a shelter from the storm and a safe place for a family”.

But on! a! shopping cart!

That evokes - to me - Homelessness.

The person on the street who had no other choice but to steal the best cart they could from a store’s corral just to have a way to transport the meager belongings that are all they fucking have in this world. And it’s NOT a home or a safe place or a shelter but it’s all you fucking have!

And this piece goes and puts them fucking together! AND NAMES IT.

…and the vet was like, “You know the thing with geriatric cats is—” and I was like, “What do you mean, geriatric?! It’s a little baby, look at her!" Kumail Nanjiani: Night Thoughts (2025)