The thing I hated most with social media is that no one really wanted to email anymore.
I used to have several pen pals around the world. We would exchange long mails every couple of days telling each other about our lives. But the moment social media popped up, the one-on-one conversations started to shift to posts with something everybody got to comment on. And on top of that, they didn’t seem very personal anymore. Not like the friends I used to know.
Didn’t take long for those friendships to fizzle out. I’m still quite sad about it.

had to be removed due to his personal discomfort...

Waiting for the next politician to feel personal discomfort with one of the other letters. Is the bar really that low?

It's pretty much a given if you want to even get through the automatic HR software many companies use. They don't care about your experience or how it could translate to a new situation, all they want is a match on a list of keywords.

Our team consists of a few internal employees like myself and a larger group of individual contractors hired for a year or two at a time. Due to procurement laws, we have to start a new tender when one of the contracts end, we can't extend a contract indefinitely. Which sucks because the contractors really are part of our team and have built up a wealth of domain knowledge. So we formulate the tender to make sure our current contractor is a perfect match and gets a chance at an interview (our work is specialized enough that it would require a miracle if a second candidate is just as knowledgeable and available).
Anyway, we had a situation wherein our own contractor did not get through the HR selection process for a resume that was specifically written for him. Turns out he used a slightly different description than what HR was looking for and got denied even though he was a literal perfect match.

HR and similar organizations don't look beyond the limited list of keywords they know. If being less than perfectly honest on your resume gets you through the first round of selections, then I'd say go for it. There's always more nuance to a resume than just the list of skills you can tick off.

edit
Oh and before I forget, recruitment agencies do this all the time but for exactly the wrong reasons. The amount of lousy resumes I've seen come by where they try to squeeze in an applicant who's clearly unsuitable for the position but who happens to have the right keywords is depressing. I hate having to tell a hopeful applicant that they're not suitable, my time is hugely wasted going through all these resumes and a possibly suitable applicant is ignored because they don't play the game as well.
Sorry, I had to add this little rant. The hiring process is one of those moments I really dread and I wish it could go smoother.

Can they invent a few more of these kinds of Tik Tok trends?
The kind where they’re tricked into doing something healthy and harmless? I imagine an army of troll nutritionists thinking up new challenges :)

edited because Thelsim doesn’t proofread

This is so depressing...
I knew it would be bad, but not this bad. Only comfort I can take is in the fact that they'll have to form a coalition with other major parties. Most of them already flat-out denied working together with the PVV (Partij Voor de Vrijheid - Party For Freedom) but we'll see how much of that will remain true.
Hopefully the coalition will break and we'll have new elections in a year or so.

Not a resident but my partner is from SG. One of the reasons I often hear is that families(mom, dad, kids, grandparents) like to travel together, and the elderly are not always mobile enough for public transport. Public transport is really fantastic, but it doesn’t cover every single need.
And of course it’s a status symbol, some feel the need to show they’ve got the wealth to own a car.
Again, I hear these things second hand and am colored by my partner’s beliefs :) Maybe a SG resident has a better (or different) explanation.
edit:
In my eagerness to share, I realize this doesn’t really answer your question. Sorry about that :)

This is just disgraceful. I understand times are tough, but to basically ruin an event just for your own personal gains. It's just not right.
Is there any way this can be prevented in the future?

Last week I mentioned I was busy with some identity issues... Well.. turns out I'm a girl. Or.. at least part of me is. I have no idea anymore and I'm currently too burned out to explore this any further.
I suppose it's not really a big surprise, considering my online activity here on Lemmy. But still, accepting a truth like this is still.. Let's just say I'm seeing a lot of my 40+ years alive through a new lens and a lot of things fall in place and with it some sad realizations of how I wish I knew these things then.
Oh and you guys are the first to know, so.. yay? :)
Sorry if I'm unloading like this, it's going to be the only coming out I will be doing for a long while. I just felt the urge to say/write it out loud once.

My week is ok. We celebrated our 14th anniversary last weekend, which was nice. The kids got to stay with grandma and we had a whole weekend to go out and enjoy ourselves. I love my kids but it's really nice to get away from being a parent once in a while and just enjoy an extended period of couple time.

Those who choose the bike path must adhere to a speed limit of 20 kilometers per hour.

Thank goodness. Some of those e-bikes are becoming a serious menace on the bicycle paths these days. There's a growing trend where especially fat bikes get modified to go faster than their original speed and without having to actually pedal. I wonder how they're going to enforce this though.

Wait, do you go over or under the freeway ramps? The map makes me think it’s under, but from your description it sounds like you’re going over?
Either way it looks like a very dangerous walk.

Yesterday was my birthday!
It was a nice and easy going day spend with my family. Topped it off with going out for a nice dinner.
I enjoyed it, nothing fancy but just the way I like it :)

Bad, the PVVV, a far-right party, won the elections here in Netherlands. I woke up to the news that they won 37 out of 150 seats (2nd largest has 25 seats). Geert Wilders is such a... nationalistic, short-sighted, opportunistic, loud-mouthed, Putin loving.. asshole! Sorry, I really need to get this out of my system.
Thankfully they'll still have to form a coalition with other parties and I really hope they'll fail. Either that, or they spend a few months in government and show how ridiculously inept they are and let the cabinet fall.

Is it necessary?

That last question has kept me from participating in discussions (on- and offline) for most of my life. Low self-esteem would always make me ask myself if what I wanted to say was necessary, if it added value, etc. And always I'd end up not saying anything at all because it probably wasn't worth it for others to read or hear. Which sucks because participation is half the fun.
So yea, I try to follow the first two but have given up on letting that last question guide my online behavior.
Hopefully the first two will balance out the last :)

Not exactly soup, but congee (rice porridge) is great for filling your belly and it's very easy to make.
I guess you could make it watery enough to pour it out of a thermos if necessary.

From a completely selfish standpoint, I hope they’ll do something with the neglected IP. Would love to see a new Sierra game, though that might just be the nostalgia speaking :)

Other than that, I recall Microsoft not going to interfere with any unionization attempts due to a neutrality agreement?

Just started a two week family visit to Singapore. The twelve hour flight was exhausting and everyone was struggling with the jet lag. My kids fell asleep at the dinner table, which was both adorable to see and sad because they were clearly at their limits.
We just had a 12 hour sleep, so hopefully we can start the second day with renewed energy :)
We’re going to need it, there’s a ton of social obligations to keep. It’s been 7 years since our last visit.

Oh yes, that's how I got my current job. I used to be an external contractor myself, said I was interested at working full-time for my employer (it's a very stable and fun job) and had to go through an entire circus. It was guaranteed I would get the job but I still had to:

1. Write a resume (with cover letter!?)
2. Wait for the job to open up on their recruitment website (only for 15 minutes so I would be the only one who could apply)
3. Have several interviews
4. etc.

All because their HR software requires certain steps to be followed or it'll refuse to process the application.

For our last contractor recruitment (new position, not a rehire) we got rid of our external selection agency (responsible for the first stage of resume scanning) and decided to do it ourselves, specifically for the reason in my last little rant. We didn't trust them to select the right candidates because they had no experience with our line of work and just blindly searched for keywords.
It was nice to get to see all incoming resumes but I had to pick through 40+ of them manually. And because of procurement laws, I had to grade all of them on a 20 point list of criteria we got to decide. On top of that, an applicant (or their recruitment agency) can challenge the fairness of the process if they feel we rated them unfairly on a specific criteria. So it was important to have a proper substantiation for every single judged criteria. That was over 800 times I had to check for proof if what a applicant claimed lined up with what their resume said.
And again, it was the recruitment agencies that really ruined my days (yes, plural). You could see that the recruiter altered resumes, wrote nonsense cover letters and did whatever they could to get past the criteria. At least half of the people who applied were clearly not suitable, but I still had to explicitly say why they weren't suitable for every single criteria.

Sorry, this is really something I can go on and on about.
It's definitely a nightmare, but that's what you get when you work in the public sector I guess.

Like many, I’ve been playing a lot of Baldur’s Gate 3. I love the game, but part of me is already longingly looking at the Pillar of Eternity or Pathfinder games for a bit less complicated level design.
The 3d worlds are nice, but I always have the feeling like I’m a little lost.

It's cold and wet here in NL, but so far it hasn't bothered me that much. It's always cold and wet around here and I kind of like it. But that's just me.
Our house uses district heating which basically places us under a government controlled monopoly. Prices are not locked into gas prizes. On top of that the government mandated a price ceiling for energy costs. The price of electricity can not be more expensive than €0,40 kw/h for 2023. Not sure how things will turn out when 2024 comes around though.
Best thing for staying warm are warm clothes, of course. A thick cozy sweater is great, maybe together with some fingerless gloves if you get cold hands easily. Oh, and during dark days taking extra vitamin D might help as well. And of course, make your living space as cozy as possible: warm blankets, nice music, maybe some flowers to brighten the place a bit.
Oh and a personal favorite of mine when things get cold, Korean Citrus and Honey tea (Yuja Cha). I buy it premade in a jar. It's basically a thick marmalade you mix with boiled water. It's sweet but tastes so nice and warms me up when I'm feeling cold.

"Must not look suspicious, don't do anything suspicious, you're not suspicious."
Proceed to give the fakest and most strained smile in history to airport security and get pulled aside..... again.

Took part in a work provided health check, and was pleasantly surprised. My cholesterol levels need to be better, but other than that I'm actually in pretty good shape! It's nice to get some good news once in a while.
Other than that, I'm in a general good mood. Feel like I'm a bit more in sync between my internal and external self, if that makes any sense :)

I haven't been sleeping well at all. Keep waking up at around 4, unable to fall back asleep again. Because of this there are times where become very nasty and hateful for no reason at all, and I really hate it. It's not who I usually am, and not who I want to be.
I guess I just have a lot on my mind and it's just not possible to shut down the endless grinding of these thoughts going through my head.
Taking a sick day today to catch up on my sleep and rest, hopefully things will look a little brighter tomorrow.

My week has been going ok, though I’ve been dealing with some identity issues. Nothing I really want to go in to except that I’m reevaluating who I think I am and want to be.
On a lighter note, summer is finally over and the cooler weather has been wonderful. It’s so nice to dress a bit warmer and not having to worry about getting sun burned.
Oh, and I’ve started doing pilates again and my muscles are aching. Hope I’ll stick with it this time :)

Thank you for sharing. It is indeed an interesting read.
It’s always saddening to read about what a country’s future could have been, if it weren’t for foreign meddling.

Those are some great accomplishments!
Are there any points on which they had to concede or compromise?

Sounds great!
Does it have to be a physical thing, or can it be digital too?
I want to get into voxel 3d modelling and a monthly goal is just what I need to keep myself motivated. Though.. I guess I could send it to the 3d printer if I manage to get it done in time.

I’m just glad Daggerfall got some appreciation. It is horribly outdated now, but back then it was the first game that really let me explore an open world and role-play as whoever I wanted to be (within the limitation of the game of course). I could do anything I wanted, go anywhere I pleased.
I don’t think I ever got far in the plot, but I spend months exploring every other nook and cranny. I still remember the vibrant online community it created in the form of webrings where people shared tips or showed off their screenshots in self-made geocities websites.

Thanks for your kind words, and best of luck to you in your journey. I can definitely relate to feeling a little lost in the whole process. It's gender related but more contained and not as massive as what you're dealing with.

Autumn is my favorite time of year, hope you'll enjoy the season :)

I feel for you. This is something I always dread, big decisions that can have a huge impact on your life. All kinds of obstacles seem to pop up, things that could go wrong. I tend to agonize over them, letting those obstacles grow bigger with every thought. But, looking back, I don’t think I’ve ever regretted one of those decisions in the end.
Anyway, in the end I take a devil-may-care attitude (something very unlike me) and just go for the choice that put me in those crossroads in the first place. I tell myself that I’ll deal with the consequences when they get there.
Thankfully, it turns out I’m much harder on myself than reality really is :)

Quite an uneventful week for a change. Got painfully reminded that I've got a lactose intolerance last weekend, but thankfully that has cleared up.
On the plus side, I got a little basket for all my tea things at work so I can easily carry everything to my desk. I'm disproportionately happy about it for some reason, I guess it's because everything just fits so perfectly :)
So yes, it's a week of small pleasures (and one painful torture).

So sorry to hear you have to go through this. It's OK to complain and vent, it doesn't solve your problems but I feel it definitely helps to get it off your chest.
I wish I'd knew how to help you. But unless you live in my home country, I'm afraid I have no real knowledge about any financial assistance plans or anything like that. All I can do is offer you my sympathies and the advice to kick your mother's son of his butt and put him to work.
But I'm sure you would've done that already if it were that easy :)

Started playing Space Wreck which has been fun so far. It's like playing the old Fallout and Arcanum games, or at least as how I remember them. The first act I basically talked my way through without fighting a single fight or passing any other skill checks. I really love these kinds of role-playing games so I'm a happy.. err.. person :)
I'm already thinking about how to replay this for my second and third run (it's supposed to be a short game)

I love your optimism, thanks :)
edit
Just to make sure, I mean this sincerely. I appreciate the positive vibes :)

Hi everyone! My name is Thelsim.
I used to be a habitual lurker at Reddit and, like a lot of others, decided to be a bit more outgoing from now on. I really want Lemmy in general to succeed and feel that this only works if we actually reply with more than just an upvote.
I enjoy a lot of different activities from gaming to drawing (really badly) to anything else that catches my really short attention span :)
Looking forward to contribute here!

Reading some of the replies here makes me wish we didn't use flex work spaces. I have to keep my personal belongings in a locker whenever I go home. I'd love to have a desk I can decorate :)
Anyway, I keep Lapsang Souchong tea in my locker and like to brew a strong mug before I start my day. Then I just sit on the couch in the lounge area and stare outside for a while and enjoy my tea. The tea stinks of smoke, so early morning is the only time of the day I can enjoy it without people complaining.

That I have absolutely nothing that seriously worries me.
Of course there's the usual annoyances and minor road bumps in my life. But I have no major family problems (outside of some squabbles, but who doesn't have those?), I'm healthy (enough), I earn enough to get by without having to live from paycheck to paycheck, etc.
When I hear or read about other people's problems, both on large and small scale, it makes me appreciate that my life is just.. boring.
I appreciate it a lot and really hope it will continue this way for both me and my loved ones.

I hope this doesn't sound too selfish. I do feel for those of you who are not as lucky and hope things will get better, whatever your troubles may be.

Baldur's Gate 3 - It's my second run. Part of what I love about these games is that you'll find new things and different approaches with every play-through. And with every run you get a little more daring and in-character with how you react to situations.
First time round I can't help but play little miss goody two-shoes, just staying true to my own nature. Second time I feel a bit more daring and actually try to act like the self-centered anti-hero I had in mind for this character. Who knows, maybe some day I'll even dare to play a villain :)

So.. first things first. I'm a happy Midjourney user and post quite a bit of stuff over at one of the other Lemmy communities (same name, different account). But, I only use the AI for fun and never for profit. I can give tons of justifications but in the end it comes down to this: I'm a crappy artist and I have a vivid imagination. AI gives me an outlet to visualize the things in my head and the rush of seeing them in real is really nice.

That being said. One of the things I don't do, is write prompts like "in the style of ....". Specifically because I don't want it to be a copy of someone's work, even if it is for personal use. It feels (and obviously is) wrong.
Maybe not a perfect solution, but they should remove all the artist names (those alive or less than 50(?) years dead) from the current models. If your name isn't in it, then it'll be a lot harder to recreate your style.
In the longer run, a register of what prompt and which model were used for AI generated images might help with copyright claims? The EU is already busy with legislation for registering AI models. This might be a logical follow-up?

I'm just throwing out ideas at this point. I'm not an expert in any of these fields (AI, legal, copyright, etc.) All I know is that it would definitely be a net loss for society if small artists are no longer able to make a living practicing their profession.

I'm going to make a voxel 3d model of... something, first week is partly about picking my subject :)
I'm not skilled enough for 3d modelling tools like blender, but the more simple Minecraft like system of adding and removing blocks seems doable for someone like me.