Making an update to touch base, but also doing an entry just to drop some ideas by and see if it sticks with future me in the off chance that my less stressed future self will have the capacity to see further ahead about an idea's outlook. For the moment, I have been trying to wind down for a bit to give myself some leeway time. Most of it is just due to what's going on in the world. I had spent a good portion of my time online either being active in keeping up in lobbying via sending emails which doesn't do much when your state reps' are just as interested as a vulture looking at a healthy rabbit. I understand phone calls do much better but again, these state reps are going to ignore that as well. Already have heard about some of the times where they end up getting hung up on when they attempt to call... Pathetic. Considering I already slung mud onto one via FB and got the torches and pitchforks of the usual "conservatives" on my bum. I didn't care much for them since that's just a bad sign of folks that I would clash with on a daily basis. It's even worse when you're a blue person in a red state politically... Only time of talking about US politics in the post. Most of the rest is just me yakking and talking about general stuff.

AI Stances and Changes for Future Uploads

Most of this break I'm trying to implement is due to the constant push of being against AI and the scrapers and those that lean towards that over human creatives. Long story short: I'm siding with creatives over "prompters", we're not gatekeeping but instead just offering alternatives that allow you more flexibility. I had always been against the idea of using AI and stand by that. I do not deny the fact that it does indeed have a place in the modern world when it comes to detecting health complications early or just sorting things out in a timely manner. I'm still questioning the authenticity of how it helps artists without a more thorough explanation. I still don't feel like it checks out with me, especially when it involves ethics and the amount of energy it takes for a machine to generate using other folks' works. Not sure where that falls on the AI feeling spectrum: anti or pro-ethical AI... It's easy to say it's complicated on how to explain it. Probably anti-generative AI. For future uploads, I had considered just downsizing the images more since it's just photographs slimmed down. I had been doing it for a while but I am in the process of tinkering with the options for the output. I had considered doing a post here or on Tumblr/Pillowfort in regards to Glazing artworks for the future. There's not a 100% guarantee it's going to deter AI scrapers, but it does try to discourage them. If nothing else, the effort to help human artists to fight back is enough to consider continuing. My biggest drawback - and I think a lot of others do this too - is that I get focused on being active I end up forgetting about my own mental health and end up being overwhelmed. I care too much and forget about myself so to speak... For the moment, I will be trying to focus on getting caught up on Artfight works from last year (and this year's depending on when I finally get this posted). After that is done and/or scheduled for the other socials minus Sheezy, I'll be giving myself some well needed time away from those. Sheezy would get posts first followed by PostyBirb getting them scheduled for a later point in time.

Cleaning up DreamWidth and Refreshing the Content

Heading this section is difficult, but the best way to explain this one is that I want to repurpose this for just general entries and a few game reviews. I had done some for demos in the past but I felt like it takes up space in a place it doesn't fit in with. I did consider Backloggd for that and just have them in the notes section of the journal, leaving the visibility open to public. I have considered doing all reviews there but if a game warrants a longer in depth look, I'll consider an entry here and link it to the review on Backloggd. Site updates were going to be here but I've considered just having a dedicated page for that on the site itself instead. Mainly because it's not going to be often I would think for a major update to drop there when I get to that point. I would still use email to DW for entries regardless, but I still want to have some form of longer reviews for games I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend. It's not as much of refreshing the content here so much as just policing myself and making it stick to the topic of personal journaling.

Personal List of Projects

Part of this might leak into the next header. I have been needing to get some personal things done - as I spot the judging stack of library books in the corner... Site work is also needing to be done but I had been wanting to find a more comfortable spot to work on that. Mainly I just have a bit too much stuff taking space with me and I have got to go through all of it. Books is on top of that list while the games are a shocking low priority since those take less room than the rest. I had considered selling this stuff I contemplated on getting rid of, but aside from a few places - I feel like I hardly get much for selling them. eBay was indeed an option as I have had an account but would of course improve whatever security is needed to strengthen up. Of course, I have no clue what I would do there either. I even considered eBay as well for Pokemon cards that I don't want to hold on to. I would probably go overboard with the thank you notes and/or doodles to add into the package. Not so much as the leave a review in positive manner because I rather folks be honest with the services than rub up to me. I value the chance to improve for future customers than being inflated by empty positivity. Already have ideas on the quote-unquote storefront name and image to display. Not wanting to be overextravagant, but just upfront. If nothing else, that would allow me to get some extra pocket change while getting stuff out of here. I rather deal with that over Facebook Marketplace to be fair. Mainly due to the nature of the sudden uptick in recent bannings of accounts and I have little trust in Meta getting that fixed up anytime quick. It still feels icky still using the service nonetheless but I kept it up to keep in touch with family... The uprising in AI content doesn't help either I suppose. Even with the hearing of some folks having their loved ones' account taken over by bots after their passing is just not the type of thing I want to hear in this day and age. It feels rather dystopian to me. Some of the other things to consider working on is a bit of fixing up and modifying older consoles I had found in my care. I am thinking about keeping the older GBA but not too sure on the older GameBoy console. While it was indeed my childhood console that I used to play Pokemon Yellow as well as Tetris and a rather hard Ren & Stimpy game on that, the need for more space for better things is there and takes more priority to me at least. At the moment, I'm more concerned about restoring it with a better power light and buttons before finding it a new home. I had also considered looking into Everdrive carts for GBA and NDS. New 2DS XL is going to be looked at by one that is more experienced with the console than myself. The D-Pad is a bit finicky with the right presses and only reads them when it feels like it. I understand the reasoning behind not fixing the little stuff but at the same time, I use the darned things enough to where it hinders the comfort of playing the consoles.

Contemplating on Tips and Wishlists for Guests to Look Through...

I really REALLY don't know why I continue to let this idea simmer but I had wanted to try both Throne and Ko-fi full time as a tip system and/or wishlisting for those that want to support and show thanks. The reason for not doing this: I already feel like I know the same issues with it, being a lot of financial issues that is shared with the rest of the states and the world. I understand some folks take up an app that rewards users for playing a game for so long on their phone - but I've tried those... They do work but they either feel so stingy with the way the games are installed (e.g. Mistplay) or have thresholds that feel like you would have to play for hours to achieve (e.g. Kashkick or Benjamin), and it sours the whole payoff. I had considered taking up art as a side hustle by offering commissions, but I'm so inexperienced it feels daunting. I am familiar with things like trades and Artfight, but that's a complete 180 compared to commissioned works. The idea of how hostile the online world is already is enough for me to never consider it for years... Especially since I don't want to repeat the cycle of having to rely on folks "reacting" to posts over likes just for social media algorithms to boost me. I feel like it would be all for naught since it would eventually backfire and won't pay off any of the cut reach just because the higher ups believe I shouldn't have rights because I'm not a guy, straight, and/or mentally typical. But I had yakked off the subject. I had taken a look at what Throne is and like the concept as mentioned earlier, but the idea of letting folks know what I've been keeping my eyes on feels a bit awkward. Its nice to know that there are some folks willing to help others out online, but I've also seen some that take advantage of it for their nefarious deeds. I'm not saying I don't trust myself in being honest, I'm more concerned about whether or not folks that do the donating and tipping to be honest and without some form of strings attached - aka donations/gifts while expecting something in return from my end.

Personal Updates + Stuff That Didn't Fit Into The Previous Paragraphs...

Needless to say, I still have a bit more to say - albeit a bit mixed in terms of subject... Recently been trying to do better with my own health and wellbeing. Some of it is already described in the gaming paragraph, but most of it is just getting stuff I don't need out of the house. Switch is in need of a looking at because the right joycon is having issues staying in the side. The latch has had enough (so do I dude) and is needing a replacement... It would require a trip to the library and some knowhow about getting into the said joycon, but I figured it would be an easy fix to do myself over sending it in. HDMI cable is in need of a replacement as well since that turned out to be the culprit of my Switch disconnecting from the TV. The 3DS stuff is rather minor, although I have gotten into the Sudomemo scene and would need to figure out how to install the DSi Photo app so I can take pictures inside the Flipnote Studio app. Definitely a different animal compared to its successor - Flipnote Studio 3D, but a welcoming one nonetheless. I did end up having to get the program that allows me to connect to the service since I have a router that is stingy about DNS changes... Phone has been getting cleaned out before the app installing and deleting fest ensues. I had been trying to consider Pokemon TCG Live as Pocket is becoming very toxic in the gacha department... I want to like it, but it feels like a departure from the TCG overall it feels watered down. I don't have access to my Trainer Club account anymore so that's what is currently stopping me from doing so. Website work has mostly been offline. I had gotten the PC to help with better ergonomics, but I have been bad about utilizing it. Maybe I need to start putting that into my habits for a while until it gets to the point of a decent website that I can safely leave alone for a while.

Edited due to human error... Still learning the email functionality.

Like most folks, I don't agree with the way of how social media is going in terms of trying to appeal to a specific official. For me, that effort seems very futile and not worth all that work. I'm not a stranger to other socials, but the more I see folks using Bluesky because it's more like Twitter and is better - the more inclined I am to say no. And sometimes, not in a politely fashion. It has lately become more annoying than anything when I see folks with a Bluesky link but the thing I come back to is that they have openly made that decision and regardless of what others would say, they can still remain active as a user there.

I have given the space a try and I was able to get in during the invite only portion. Back then, it felt like a tame Twitter minus the trolls and the crybaby CEO. It was fairly straightforward and had no algorithm much like most of the other social alternatives I've tried. Both Pillowfort and Mastodon had no algorithm to limit posts. Heck, even the now defunct CoHost had no algorithm and worked wonderfully. The problem is more within algorithms and the concept of shadowbans. Most of that is probably best for another entry on its own.
Going back on topic: Bluesky can be a decent alternative to messy bird site, but it still has the setback of character limit. Not a huge deal except for the few that tend to post a ton of novel length status posts a majority of the time. The lists are closest thing to having am algorithm but it's also not restrictive. Handles and hashtags are part of the meta in the site so it's a decent replacement there too. But just like Twitter, I really don't think it's my cup of tea. And it's not just because of the character limitations.
While the lists can be helpful, there are some that can be used to mass block. On one hand, it's pretty fine if you just want to keep certain folks out. But then the other issue is that some use it in a malicious manner. I don't mean spreading viruses, but just adding folks to block because they are against use of artificial intelligence (like myself) or have a strong stance against NFT/Bitcoin (again, like myself). Most add them in the normal fashion of seeing their profile and blocking them the old fashion way.
Third party sites are where my next issue lies: blocked users are publicized. I'm not all for the idea of publicly saying folks are blocked by little Johnny or that Susan is blocked by the NFT herd. Both are quick thought examples, but the point of them is that I don't believe in the idea of sharing such information without consequences. If I block someone, I don't notify anyone close to them nor do I publicly say who and why. I admit to being terrible about saying vaguely I had to block someone but doxxing them is not exactly my intention. Most of it is bad venting habits...
To give credit where credit is due though, not everything about lists is bad, but the idea of blocks being publicly available if the person knows where to look feels pretty invasive to me. The only person that needs to know is the blocked and blockee.

My other issue came from the idea of a board member being involved with NFTs. I already vocalized my stance on the matter and I still do not believe that such a thing is going to help for the better. Even if it is, I know it's more than likely going to be temporary. Both NFTs and AI use a lot of energy and that's not something that needs to be done considering just how messed up the world is right now.
Regardless of that possibility of being spoofed by one with malicious intent is already the l wracking havoc on Bluesky, I still don't consider the option to create another account that is going to sit there and block one person from using it as their own. And like most other sites, there's a probability that BS mods might end up implementing some form of purging of inactive accounts because I had seen several other sites do so. Neopets and Subeta being two that come to mind pretty quick.
I say that because while I'm not a site hosting person, I've seen second hand that website hosting can be pretty pricey if you have a lot of active users. Even the ones that are on the site but aren't active surely take up some space in some aspect. So in a way, I'm saving myself the trouble of messing around with setting up another account and the mods of having to worry about yet another fodder account sitting idly.

To those with accounts already, I won't stop you considering you have the option to do that. Part of me hopes that some slip up would occur to where you find out the issues with an opened garden wall. Other part just wants you to enjoy what the heck ever you want. For me, I've already been burnt out and done with jumping from one social media to another trying to comprehend each one's issues. If in the end, I end up giving up on every single one aside from a select few like Backlogged and/or last.fm - that's perfectly okay.