World’s Comfiest Mouse looks legitimately ugly… but it somehow works
Nov. 8th, 2025 01:30 am![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png){kind=small}
yankodesign_feed
I remember being in the third year of design college when I was introduced to this massive book titled “Indian Anthropometric Dimensions.” For the uninitiated, this book contained practically all the dimensions of the average (and non-average) Indian person, male and female, old and young. The purpose of such a book was to understand ergonomics numerically, rather than visually. And for designers, this meant adding the ultimate constraint to our wild designs… so humans could actually use them.
This YouTuber’s take on an ergonomic mouse is the antithesis of everything I was taught. The problem is, however, it works! See, designers have to balance this ergonomic approach with actual aesthetics. That’s why ergonomic mice actually look stylish, rather than being shaped exactly like the inverse of your hand. It’s why gun grips look the way they do; why bike seats, or car seats have an abstract-ness to them, and don’t actually have your individual buttocks molded into their designs. The world’s comfiest mouse works, but at a rather painful aesthetic cost!
Designer: Play Conveyor
Play Conveyor’s design process ignites a pretty strong debate between aesthetics and comfort. The Apple Magic Mouse, for example, is a prime example of the former completely ignoring the latter… and almost every mouse (even the ergonomic ones) aim at trying to achieve a balance between the two. Play Conveyor’s experiment swings the pendulum the absolute opposite way – what if a mouse was hideous as sin, but legitimately comfortable?
The process starts fairly simply. Play Context first ripped apart a wired mouse to see what the inner components looked like. He then 3D printed a plastic chassis on which he added play dough, filling in all the negative space created by his hand. This basically turned the mouse into a direct inversion of his hand, creating something that quite literally fit like a glove. After the play dough model was made, he scanned it, refined it, and printed it. What we see here is pure anthropometrics at work – no design, no aesthetic study, nothing.
What’s interesting is how accessible the whole process has become. A decade ago, this would’ve required industrial equipment, professional 3D scanners, and a hefty budget. Now it’s an iPhone, a 3D printer that costs less than a decent laptop, and some squishy molding compound. The democratization of manufacturing tools means anyone can now ask the question: what if products were designed for me, specifically me, and nobody else? It’s selfish design in the best possible way.
The first iteration (top left) was way too sharp, with jagged edges left behind either during the molding process or the scanning process. Play Context merely softened the edges down to create something that looks like, well, the Millennium Falcon covered in goo. Cutouts was added for left and right clicks, but soon ditched for actual hinged buttons, along with a central groove for the scroll wheel.
The final result is, well, a mouse that’s too ugly to be seen in the outdoors. It’s also a mouse that uniquely ONLY fits the ergonomic grip of one user. The justification for this can be two-fold: First, just accepting that there’s no way a company would be able to mass-produce this. People have different grips, different hand sizes, and even usage frequencies. That’s why companies like Logitech or Razer make mice the way they do, blending ergonomics with a healthy dose of aesthetics to have peripherals that actually look good while functioning flawlessly. The second justification, however, is for more edge-cases. Maybe a mouse designed for someone with Parkinsons, or with a genuine handicap or special need. We’ve seen special-needs gaming controllers from Sony for the PlayStation and Microsoft for the Xbox, but they’re mass-produced too. What if we could somehow build outer bodies of gadgets to suit our anthropometric needs? As Play Context demonstrates, the process is fairly easy, requiring only a 3D printer as a specialized equipment. All you need is a fair bit of free will, determination, and play dough!
The post World’s Comfiest Mouse looks legitimately ugly… but it somehow works first appeared on Yanko Design.
Fandom Fifty: #36
Nov. 7th, 2025 08:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
senmut2011 - I don't remember much of this year. It's the last year at the Evol Empire, first year at the lab... so a lot of change.
Thor - Do I have issues with the myth breaking? Yes. But as a superhero movie goes, it was a fun romp. (Personal opinion, the Thor franchise is a bit weaker overall than some of the others).
Captain America: The First Avenger - I loved this one. It's the only one of the CA movies I unilaterally love.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes - OH HELL YEAH. Even having a bunch of actors that I don't usually care for in it could not kill my love of this! And yes, I did watch the originals, but still love this modern take on it.
War Horse - Still uncertain why I chose to watch this, but wound up enjoying the wandering tale greatly.
Green Lantern - On the list because, much as I love Hal, I despised this movie so much in the first 15 minutes I stopped watching it.
Transformers: Dark of the Moon - The novelization was better, and it spawned epic AUs from me and my co-writer at the time.
Thor - Do I have issues with the myth breaking? Yes. But as a superhero movie goes, it was a fun romp. (Personal opinion, the Thor franchise is a bit weaker overall than some of the others).
Captain America: The First Avenger - I loved this one. It's the only one of the CA movies I unilaterally love.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes - OH HELL YEAH. Even having a bunch of actors that I don't usually care for in it could not kill my love of this! And yes, I did watch the originals, but still love this modern take on it.
War Horse - Still uncertain why I chose to watch this, but wound up enjoying the wandering tale greatly.
Green Lantern - On the list because, much as I love Hal, I despised this movie so much in the first 15 minutes I stopped watching it.
Transformers: Dark of the Moon - The novelization was better, and it spawned epic AUs from me and my co-writer at the time.
RISD’s $100K Loop Lab Creates Art Supplies From Campus Waste
Nov. 8th, 2025 12:30 amyankodesign_feed
The Rhode Island School of Design has discovered something remarkable hiding in plain sight: their trash bins contain tomorrow’s art supplies. Through the newly launched Loop Lab initiative, what once headed to landfills now becomes raw material for the next generation of designers and artists. The Edna W. Lawrence Nature Lab spearheaded this ambitious pilot project with backing from a substantial $100,000 grant from the Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation. The concept appears deceptively simple yet revolutionary in practice. Rather than purchasing new materials while simultaneously discarding potentially useful waste, RISD has created a closed-loop system that transforms campus refuse into studio-ready resources.
Walking through the Loop Lab reveals an almost alchemical process. Blotter paper that once absorbed spilled paint finds new life as a substrate for experimental work. Cotton muslin scraps, previously destined for disposal, emerge as carefully prepared materials ready for student projects. The transformation extends beyond mere recycling, representing a fundamental shift in how educational institutions can approach resource management. Students participate directly in this material resurrection, learning firsthand about circularity principles while solving practical design challenges. The hands-on approach ensures that sustainability becomes integral to creative education rather than an abstract concept discussed in theory classes.
Designer: Rhode Island School of Design
Each transformed material carries embedded stories about waste reduction, resourcefulness, and environmental responsibility. Recent media attention from design publication Dezeen highlights the broader implications of RISD’s approach. The coverage emphasizes how the initiative addresses what project leaders call “the lowest hanging fruit” in institutional sustainability efforts. By focusing on internal waste streams, the school creates immediate impact while developing scalable solutions for other educational institutions. The timing proves particularly significant as design schools worldwide grapple with sustainability mandates and environmental consciousness among students.
Loop Lab offers a practical framework that other institutions can adapt, creating measurable change without requiring massive infrastructure investments or complete curriculum overhauls. Material circularity research forms the theoretical backbone of the project, but practical applications drive daily operations. The lab expands understanding of how discarded matter can inform regenerative design practices, presenting students with materials that carry environmental narratives alongside creative possibilities. Each project becomes an exploration of both aesthetic potential and ecological responsibility.
The Nature Lab’s documentation through social media platforms reveals ongoing discoveries and successes. Students share their experiences working with transformed materials, creating a growing archive of circular design practices that extends the project’s influence beyond campus boundaries. Loop Lab represents more than waste reduction or cost savings. The initiative fundamentally questions traditional material sourcing while providing tangible alternatives. Students graduate with direct experience in circular design principles, carrying these approaches into professional practice where sustainable material choices increasingly influence client decisions and project outcomes.
As design education evolves to meet environmental challenges, RISD’s Loop Lab demonstrates how institutions can transform operational necessities into educational opportunities. The pilot project’s success suggests a future where campus waste streams become integral components of creative curricula, turning every scrap into a story worth telling. This innovative approach positions RISD at the forefront of sustainable design education, creating a model that combines environmental stewardship with creative excellence while preparing students for a future where circular design principles define industry standards.
The post RISD’s $100K Loop Lab Creates Art Supplies From Campus Waste first appeared on Yanko Design.
Beekeeb Toucan: The Split Ergonomic Keyboard Built for Travelers
Nov. 7th, 2025 11:30 pmyankodesign_feed
The Beekeeb Toucan asks a question that ergonomic keyboard enthusiasts have been wrestling with for years: why should comfort stay home? Split keyboards and columnar layouts have long belonged to desk-bound workers, their benefits tethered to permanent workstations and cable management systems. This 42-key wireless design challenges that assumption.
Designer: Beekeeb
Two halves sit independently, angled outward to match natural shoulder width. Keys follow a columnar stagger rather than traditional row offset. Each key positions directly beneath a finger’s natural arc of movement. These principles are well-established in ergonomic design, but the Toucan’s interpretation focuses on what most split keyboards treat as secondary: portability without compromise.
Engineering Movement Into Ergonomics
Material choices reveal priorities. An anodized aluminum top plate provides structural rigidity and premium typing surface, while 3D-printed construction sheds weight from the bottom case. This hybrid approach answers the specific demands of travel: constant packing, unpacking, shifting between surfaces that may or may not be level. The result weighs significantly less than comparable mechanical keyboards yet maintains the solid feel necessary for confident typing. Low-profile Kailh Choc V1 switches keep everything close to the desk surface, reducing wrist extension while preserving tactile feedback.
The columnar stagger deserves particular attention. Traditional keyboards offset keys horizontally because that layout accommodated typewriter mechanisms, not human anatomy. But fingers move more naturally up and down than side to side. Aligning keys in vertical columns adjusted for each finger’s length reduces lateral reaching and finger curling. Small reductions compound significantly over hours of use.
Placing a 40mm circular touchpad on the right keyboard half solves a familiar problem for anyone who has tried maintaining ergonomics while traveling. Laptop trackpads force users to center their body with the screen, pushing the keyboard into asymmetric position. External mice require desk space and introduce reaching movements that negate split layout benefits. The Toucan’s integrated trackpad keeps both hands on home position. Cursor control becomes thumb movement rather than arm extension, maintaining portability while eliminating separate pointing devices through the Cirque GlidePoint sensor’s precision tracking in a compact footprint.
This integration matters particularly for mobile work environments where desk space is limited or nonexistent. Coffee shop tables. Airplane tray tables. Hotel desks. These spaces punish conventional ergonomic setups that sprawl across multiple square feet, but the Toucan consolidates typing and pointing into two connected halves that adapt ergonomic principles to constrained real estate.
Efficiency Through Component Selection
The memory-in-pixel display on the left half exemplifies the keyboard’s efficiency-focused design. This technology, borrowed from smartwatch engineering, updates only changed pixels rather than refreshing the entire screen, dramatically reducing power consumption compared to conventional displays. Battery life can extend to 4,000 hours on a modest 1,500 mAh cell when paired with ZMK firmware. That figure is not theoretical. ZMK optimizes wireless efficiency through aggressive power management, putting the keyboard into deep sleep between keystrokes and waking instantly when needed.
The open-source nature allows users to customize power profiles, though even default settings deliver weeks or months between charges depending on usage patterns. Beyond efficiency metrics, the display serves practical ergonomic purposes: current layer information, battery status, and connectivity indicators appear without requiring users to memorize LED blink patterns or consult software. This immediate feedback reduces cognitive load and maintains workflow continuity, particularly valuable when switching between devices or adjusting layouts on the fly.
ZMK firmware provides more than power efficiency. Open-source programmability allows users to adapt the keyboard to their specific ergonomic needs rather than conforming to preset layouts. Key positions can be remapped to reduce finger stretching. Frequently used combinations consolidate to single keys. Custom layers accommodate different tasks without abandoning muscle memory. This flexibility becomes particularly valuable for users with specific ergonomic requirements. Someone with limited finger mobility can consolidate modifier keys to thumb clusters, while a user prone to repetitive strain can spread common key combinations across multiple fingers. The ability to experiment with different configurations without hardware limitations transforms the keyboard from static tool into adaptive interface.
The open-source heritage traces back through the Piantor to the Cantor design, demonstrating how community-driven development can accelerate ergonomic innovation. Each iteration addresses real-world feedback from actual users, refining dimensions, switch positions, and feature integration based on practical experience rather than marketing assumptions.
Compromises and Considerations
Split keyboards traditionally require users to choose between portability and features. Compact designs sacrifice programmability or build quality, while feature-rich options become too bulky for travel. The Toucan attempts to resolve this through modular availability options: DIY kits at $189 appeal to enthusiasts comfortable with soldering and assembly, offering the lowest entry price while maintaining complete control over switch selection and build quality. Pre-soldered options at $298 eliminate assembly complexity but still require sourcing keycaps and switches separately. Fully assembled units with switches and keycaps push toward $352, competing directly with established options like the ZSA Voyager at $365.
That pricing positions the Toucan as a considered purchase rather than impulse buy. However, the Voyager lacks wireless connectivity and integrated pointing, requiring additional purchases for equivalent functionality. The Keychron Q13 Max, while more affordable at $250, weighs substantially more and uses wired connection that limits portability. The optional carrying bag reflects practical travel considerations. Split keyboards create packing challenges with two separate pieces, exposed switches, and electronics. A purpose-designed case protects components while keeping both halves together during transit.
The Toucan does not eliminate all compromises inherent to portable ergonomics. The 42-key layout requires layers for numbers, function keys, and special characters, creating a learning curve for users accustomed to dedicated keys for every function. This cognitive overhead can temporarily reduce productivity during the transition period. The Choc V1 switch ecosystem offers fewer options than standard MX switches. While tactile, linear, and clicky variants exist, enthusiasts seeking specific force curves or exotic switch types will find selection limited. Keycap availability similarly constrains customization, with Choc spacing requiring dedicated sets that cost more and offer fewer aesthetic options than MX keycaps.
Battery procurement adds friction to the purchase process, as shipping regulations prevent Beekeeb from including batteries. Users must source compatible cells separately. While standard hobby batteries work, this extra step complicates what should be straightforward unboxing. These limitations reflect genuine constraints rather than oversights. Compact layouts inherently sacrifice dedicated keys for portability, niche switch formats will always offer less variety than dominant standards, and battery shipping restrictions affect all manufacturers equally. Understanding these trade-offs helps potential users evaluate whether the Toucan’s strengths align with their specific needs.
Portable Ergonomics as Design Goal
The fundamental proposition the Toucan advances: ergonomic benefits should not require permanent workstation installations. Coffee shop workers, digital nomads, frequent travelers, and anyone who splits time between multiple locations have historically chosen between comfort and mobility. Heavy split keyboards stay home. Laptop keyboards cause strain but pack easily.
By packaging columnar layout, split design, integrated pointing, and extended battery life into travel-friendly form factor, the Toucan suggests a third option. Ergonomics become portable. The setup that reduces wrist strain at a home desk can accompany users to temporary workspaces without requiring compromises in either direction.
Whether this approach succeeds depends on individual priorities. Users who value maximum key count, premium switch feel, or comprehensive keycap selection will find the Toucan’s compromises too limiting. Those who prioritize portability above all else might find even this compact design too complex compared to minimalist 40% layouts. But for workers who move between locations while maintaining significant typing demands, the Toucan addresses a genuine gap. It proposes that ergonomic design can serve movement rather than constraining it, that comfort can travel alongside laptops and cables rather than waiting at dedicated desks.
The question is not whether everyone needs this approach. It is whether enough people recognize they have been making unnecessary compromises.
The Beekeeb Toucan is available for pre-order starting at $189 for DIY kits, with shipments beginning in December. Pre-assembled options with switches and keycaps reach approximately $352.
The post Beekeeb Toucan: The Split Ergonomic Keyboard Built for Travelers first appeared on Yanko Design.
This Bridge-Shaped House Hangs Weightlessly Between Two Forested Hillsides
Nov. 7th, 2025 10:30 pmyankodesign_feed
Amid the dense, monsoon-fed vegetation of Karjat, India, The Bridge House by Wallmakers, under the direction of architect Vinu Daniel, appears as if it were woven into the landscape itself. A natural stream has carved a seven-meter-deep gorge through the terrain, splitting the land into two disconnected parcels. What could have been a limitation became the defining opportunity to create a dwelling that does not conquer the landscape but hovers above it, merging architecture with the act of crossing.
Rather than filling the void, Wallmakers chose to span it, crafting an occupiable bridge that physically and symbolically unites the site. Since no foundations could be placed within the 100-foot spillway, the design evolved into a suspended home anchored delicately by only four footings on either side of the gorge. The result is a structure that appears to levitate, a line of lightness drawn between two fragments of land.
Designer: Wallmakers
Necessity became invention. The form of The Bridge House emerged from the challenge of building across a natural divide without disturbing it. Conceived as a 100-foot-long suspension bridge, the home is composed of four hyperbolic parabolas, mathematical forms that achieve strength through geometric efficiency. Steel tendons and pipes provide tensile stability, while a thatch-and-mud composite forms the compressive shell.
This combination, simultaneously ancient and modern, generates a dialogue between tension and compression, precision and softness. The house becomes both structure and skin, taut like a bowstring yet flexible enough to adapt to the living landscape.
True to Wallmakers’ ethos of contextual minimalism, the house sits lightly upon its site. The thatched surface, arranged in overlapping scales reminiscent of a pangolin’s skin, blends seamlessly with the forest canopy. Beyond aesthetics, this cladding provides thermal insulation, maintaining cool interiors amid Karjat’s humid climate.
The decision to use only four anchoring points ensures that the gorge and its contours remain untouched. The house becomes a visitor, not an intruder, in the ecosystem it occupies.
Every material used in The Bridge House carries intention. The mud plaster coating that envelops the thatch serves as both armor and adhesive: it prevents pests from entering, enhances compressive strength, and eliminates the need for vertical pillars. In doing so, it underscores the project’s central belief that material intelligence can achieve structural innovation without technological excess.
Inside, the design continues its conversation with nature. At the core of the house lies an oculus, an open circle framing the sky. During rainfall, water filters through this void into a central courtyard, transforming the climate into a sensory event. The interplay of light, water, and air activates the interior, making the house respond to every passing hour.
The interiors are minimal yet warm, defined by reclaimed ship-deck wood, jute, and woven mesh screens that modulate light and airflow. Four bedrooms open outward, some toward the treetops, others overlooking the stream, creating a rhythmic dialogue between enclosure and exposure. The transitions are seamless: the line between “inside” and “outside” dissolves into filtered light and moving shadows.
In The Bridge House, Wallmakers once again demonstrate their mastery of building with the land, not on it. The project stands as an exploration of local materials, structural logic, and ecological sensitivity, a philosophy that defines Vinu Daniel’s work across India.
Suspended above the gorge yet rooted in its context, The Bridge House does more than connect two parcels of land. It connects technology with tactility, structure with story, and human presence with the pulse of nature. In doing so, it reimagines architecture not as a static object, but as a living, breathing bridge between worlds.
The post This Bridge-Shaped House Hangs Weightlessly Between Two Forested Hillsides first appeared on Yanko Design.
30 in 30: Forever Knight
Nov. 7th, 2025 06:16 pmsenmutAO3 Link | Lessons In Living and Death (100 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Forever Knight
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Janette DuCharme
Additional Tags: Drabble, Introspection, Canonical Character Death
Summary:
There had been a time when Janette had been certain she knew just what life, and death, were all about. She could have all of the pretty things she wished, craft games to entertain her, and enjoy Nick's company.
Then he arrived in her city after a long absence, and things began falling apart. From his near-killing of their creator to his wanton embroilment in human policies and lives, Nick was upending every rule of her existence. His partner and his love interest alike added to the chaos.
Meeting Robert changed everything.
Losing him was a bitter lesson of loss.
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Forever Knight
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Janette DuCharme
Additional Tags: Drabble, Introspection, Canonical Character Death
Summary:
Janette, reflecting over lessons
Lessons in Living and Death
There had been a time when Janette had been certain she knew just what life, and death, were all about. She could have all of the pretty things she wished, craft games to entertain her, and enjoy Nick's company.
Then he arrived in her city after a long absence, and things began falling apart. From his near-killing of their creator to his wanton embroilment in human policies and lives, Nick was upending every rule of her existence. His partner and his love interest alike added to the chaos.
Meeting Robert changed everything.
Losing him was a bitter lesson of loss.
[ SECRET POST #6881 ]
Nov. 7th, 2025 06:53 pmcase posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
fandomsecrets⌈ Secret Post #6881 ⌋
Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.
01.
( More! )
Notes:
Secrets Left to Post: 00 pages, 00 secrets from Secret Submission Post #982.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.
The Glyphs Of Dover
Nov. 7th, 2025 09:36 pmpennyarcade_feedI know that there are spelunkers reclaiming FMV, but the strip concept was too silly to resist.
Stanley’s Pour Over Kit Might Be the Last Coffee Brewer You’ll Ever Need to Buy
Nov. 7th, 2025 09:30 pmyankodesign_feedThe brand famous for its tumblers (and how incredibly durable they are) is looking to upend the coffee industry too. Stanley’s ‘Perfect Pour Over Brew Set’ is the company’s take on pour-overs, redesigning them in a way that’s simple, robust, and reusable. The set features a pour-over top (with a metal filter) and and a Stanley cup for its base. No coffee filters, no disposable liners. Every inch of this brew set is designed for travel, durability, and sustainability.
The Perfect Pour Over Brew Set’s design feels unmistakably ‘Stanley’. The simple metal outer construction, with powder-coated color-ways. The Stanley logo front and center, and a 2-part design that’s simple yet ruthlessly effective, whether you’re brewing a cuppa in your kitchen or the great outdoors. I guess the Perfect moniker suits it, no?
Designer: Stanley
The pour-over set is capable of brewing anywhere from your standard 8oz cup, to a whopping 1.4 quart (44.8 oz) bottle. Its wide top holds enough grounds to make a large batch for an entire family or your average caffeine-addict. You don’t need anything more than what the Perfect presents you with. No scales, no fancy kettle to pour water, not even a coffee filter. The Perfect’s upper element features a 2-part design, with a lower half that unscrews to reveal a fine perforated mesh filter. This reduces waste but also ensures cleaning remains a breeze… but as far as pouring goes, all you do is load the top over your Stanley mug (it even fits the larger Stanley bottles), add the grounds, and pour hot water up until the line marked on the inside.
Once you’ve poured out the hot water, the process takes anywhere in the 5-10 minute range depending on how much coffee you’re making. A single cup doesn’t take long, and once the water’s percolated, your cup of coffee is ready to enjoy – either immediately, or on the go, thanks to a sipper lid that comes with the brew set, designed for the mug. Cleaning the upper portion out is simple. Just suspend it over a waste bin and tap vigorously against the sides to make the grounds fall out. Then, just rinse with water and your brew set is ready for round 2.
Just like their tumblers, this one is built to survive pretty much anything. Whether it’s your standard LA girlie brewing coffee in her boutique apartment’s kitchen, or the average outdoor lover taking this to the campsite for a cup of joe, the Perfect Pour Over Brew Set travels really well, and its color palette lends itself perfectly to the outdoor landscape, your tailgating setup, or even that KitchenAid mixer or Smeg fridge adding vibrant life to your kitchen!
The post Stanley’s Pour Over Kit Might Be the Last Coffee Brewer You’ll Ever Need to Buy first appeared on Yanko Design.
Midwinter - Mature Dark Shadows (1966) Alternate Universe Tale
Nov. 7th, 2025 02:58 pmearthspirits posting in historiumFandom: Dark Shadows (1966)
Main Characters: Dr. Julia Hoffman, Gerard Stiles, Daphne Harridge, Barnabas Collins, Eliot Stokes. Other DS characters also feature in this story + an original character.
Relationships: Gerard / Daphne and Julia / Barnabas
Eras: 19th Century, 20th Century + Parallel Timeline
Title: Midwinter
Rating: Mature
Word Count thus far: 1,923
Note: This story features some spoilers for DS 1970 / 1971 storylines.
Trigger Warnings for Chapter 1: Angst, danger and suspense, reference to past grieving, brief references to past deaths, violence, blood, gore.
Summary: In 1971, Dr. Julia Hoffman stumbles across a portal while walking in the woods. Swept into a future parallel world, she finds sanctuary at Collinwood. To her dismay, she soon learns that the Collins family of this reality is under siege. An ancient enemy seeks to destroy them, and it's up to Julia to help defeat it.
Main Characters: Dr. Julia Hoffman, Gerard Stiles, Daphne Harridge, Barnabas Collins, Eliot Stokes. Other DS characters also feature in this story + an original character.
Relationships: Gerard / Daphne and Julia / Barnabas
Eras: 19th Century, 20th Century + Parallel Timeline
Title: Midwinter
Rating: Mature
Word Count thus far: 1,923
Note: This story features some spoilers for DS 1970 / 1971 storylines.
Trigger Warnings for Chapter 1: Angst, danger and suspense, reference to past grieving, brief references to past deaths, violence, blood, gore.
Summary: In 1971, Dr. Julia Hoffman stumbles across a portal while walking in the woods. Swept into a future parallel world, she finds sanctuary at Collinwood. To her dismay, she soon learns that the Collins family of this reality is under siege. An ancient enemy seeks to destroy them, and it's up to Julia to help defeat it.
Link: archiveofourown.org/works/73731971/chapters/192254016
[embodiment] notes various
Nov. 7th, 2025 09:35 pmkaberett( mild anaemia )
The other topic is Physio, and specifically a bunch of the stuff I've been doing courtesy of the (NHS) Lower Limbs Class I've been intermittently going to since the summer; I am finally managing to add Doing This Stuff Once A Week (Not At Class) into my routine, and in addition to just getting better at the exercises themselves I have noticed repeatedly this week that I'm finding getting up from e.g. being sat on the beanbag much easier.
Cat dream
Nov. 7th, 2025 12:17 pmysobelThe first cat in the dream was a shorthair tortie -- mottled black and orange. Jumped onto my lap and then right shoulder, and demanded scritches. A kid nearby asked if it was a boy cat or a girl cat. My first reaction was "I don't know" but then I realized I did know because torties are 99% female. (The way I explained it in the dream was "orange boy cats can be all orange or orange-and-white, but not orange-and-black", which happens to be largely true IRL too. (Technically a boy cat that's XXY and heterozygous for this trait could be orange/black, but XXY is rare and only about half of them have a mix. But I didn't go into that.)
Then a big fluffy black cat jumped onto my left leg and swatted at the first cat, as if to say "my turn now". He was wearing little black "saddlebags" containing little foil bags, plus a note saying "feed me", so I opened one of the packets for him. It had a moist puck of wet food, and he chowed down quite happily.
There was an orange girl that, even in the dream, looked a lot like my former girl Monkey. She was lounging in an open drawer, and next to her was a skein of yarn the same color as her, which I snagged to bring home.
There was a sleek black cat lounging on the top level of a cat tree, well out of reach for pets but supervising. Not sure if boy or girl; somehow I knew that the fluffy black was a boy and the orange was a girl, but this one had no vibes.
And lastly there was a calico, white with patches of black and reddish orange and also yellowish orange; the oranges were slightly metallic looking. She reminded me of koi fish. Very pretty, but I didn't get a chance to pet her.
(This was an excellent dream and I'm glad I remembered so many details 💜)
Then a big fluffy black cat jumped onto my left leg and swatted at the first cat, as if to say "my turn now". He was wearing little black "saddlebags" containing little foil bags, plus a note saying "feed me", so I opened one of the packets for him. It had a moist puck of wet food, and he chowed down quite happily.
There was an orange girl that, even in the dream, looked a lot like my former girl Monkey. She was lounging in an open drawer, and next to her was a skein of yarn the same color as her, which I snagged to bring home.
There was a sleek black cat lounging on the top level of a cat tree, well out of reach for pets but supervising. Not sure if boy or girl; somehow I knew that the fluffy black was a boy and the orange was a girl, but this one had no vibes.
And lastly there was a calico, white with patches of black and reddish orange and also yellowish orange; the oranges were slightly metallic looking. She reminded me of koi fish. Very pretty, but I didn't get a chance to pet her.
(This was an excellent dream and I'm glad I remembered so many details 💜)
Finally, You Can 3D-Print Real Silicone Molds and Gaskets on Your Prusa 3D Printer
Nov. 7th, 2025 08:15 pmyankodesign_feedAnyone who’s worked with flexible 3D printing filaments knows their limitations; TPU and TPE only go so far, and nothing on the desktop market has matched the heat resistance and elasticity of real silicone. We’ve been stuck making parts that feel rubbery but fail the moment they get too warm or need to seal properly. That’s all changed with the arrival of Prusa’s new XL printhead, developed in collaboration with Filament2. This toolhead uses a pioneering dual-filament system to produce actual, industrial-grade silicone prints, a feat that moves desktop printing into a whole new category of material science.
Instead of extruding a simple thermoplastic, this system feeds two liquid-core filaments into the nozzle, where their outer sheaths are stripped away. The liquid silicone components are then mixed and cured in real time as they are deposited. This is not some rubber-like substitute; it is genuine silicone with all its useful properties, created right on the print bed of a standard Prusa XL. The elegance of containing the entire two-part mixing process within a clean, self-contained filament and toolhead system is a massive engineering win, solving the mess and complexity that has kept liquid printing out of reach for most people until now.
Designer: Prusa
This method completely sidesteps the need for the clumsy pumps and reservoirs seen in previous experimental liquid printers. The genius is in the filament itself. By encasing the two liquid parts in a stable sheath, Filament2 has created something that handles just like a standard spool of PLA. The printhead does the heavy lifting, performing a micro-scale version of what you would do with a two-part epoxy, but with incredible precision. You get the benefits of a reactive polymer without the hazardous mess, which opens up a world of possibilities for creating functional, end-use parts, not just look-alike prototypes.
Think about the immediate applications for this technology. In the automotive world, the ability to print custom, one-off silicone gaskets, seals, and vibration dampeners is a game changer for restoration and prototyping. No more waiting weeks for a custom mold or settling for a close-enough part. For product designers, this means creating truly functional prototypes with soft-touch grips, flexible waterproof seals, and even custom ergonomic components for wearables. Because silicone is skin-safe and can be sterilized, it also opens up possibilities for custom medical models and assistive devices. We are talking about end-use parts, not just look-alike models.
The choice to launch this on the Prusa XL platform is also incredibly clever. The XL’s main selling point is its automatic tool-changing capability, which suddenly makes it the perfect machine for true multi-material fabrication. You could print a rigid nylon housing with one toolhead, then have the printer automatically swap to the silicone head to print integrated waterproof seals and vibration-dampening feet onto the same part in a single, uninterrupted job. This elevates the machine from a multi-color printer to a genuine multi-property manufacturing station. It’s a level of automation and material integration that was previously reserved for machines costing tens of thousands of dollars.
Now, it’s important to keep expectations grounded. This will not be as simple or cheap as printing with standard PLA. The specialized filament from Filament2 will undoubtedly carry a premium price, and I anticipate a learning curve. The process requires incredible precision; any imbalance in the mixing ratio or inconsistency in the liquid cores could lead to failed prints where the silicone doesn’t cure properly. We still need to see long-term reliability data and learn about the maintenance requirements for a printhead that handles what are essentially reactive adhesives. Still, even as a niche application, it pushes the entire industry forward by showing what’s possible when you rethink the entire printing process, from the filament spool to the nozzle tip.
The post Finally, You Can 3D-Print Real Silicone Molds and Gaskets on Your Prusa 3D Printer first appeared on Yanko Design.
I think a little rejoicing is in order?
Nov. 7th, 2025 07:38 pmoursinI.e. after all the faff and fuss and distraction
I GOT THE REVIEW DONE!!!
And then spent a fair amount of time fiddling around with it and niggling at it and trimming it and so on -
- but then I managed to upload it to the journal site, via a link from the Reviews Editor which may not have required me to either remember a password I created in the dim mists of past time or create a new one, but still involved the inordinate amount of annoying these journal sites are.
And lo and behold, this very morning after, it has been accepted, no corrections, no revisions, now in the editing process, copyright form forthcoming.
Phew.
One last book to review on the pile, should I put myself forward to review v interesting work just out from old mate? Have other stuff to be thinking of....
As previously mentioned, also managed to get the downstairs backroom communicating with the world again. Though getting the unwanted TP-Link returned looks a bit more arduous.
Plus, have had a haircut.
very odd
Nov. 7th, 2025 02:36 pmtwistedchickYesterday I was coming home from Laurel along Rt. 29 -- what you need to know is that I was moving toward the southwest -- and the sky was very clear but looked ... odd.
When I looked up at it, I could see five white slashes in the sky, what looked like contrails from jets -- but they didn't budge, and there were no planes on the front of them to make the slashes longer. The slashes curved downward, not what you expect with an airplane trail. The longest one was closer to me, and they got smaller moving away.
All perfectly parallel, all curving downward. All unmoving. They looked like claw marks on the sky from an enormous bear.
Those were on the left. On the right, a regular contrail indicated a plane heading toward one of the local airports, probably Dulles. I could see that trail growing longer, while the others didn't move.
After I got home, I checked the 'net to see if something up above the atmosphere had broken, like a satellite, and was falling down, but didn't find anything.
It was still so weird.
And this was on my mother's birthday. She would have been 111 this year if she were still alive. I miss her every day, though as I get older I get a longer view of her life, seeing how one thing and another influenced her, and how she managed.
But still. Bear claws.
When I looked up at it, I could see five white slashes in the sky, what looked like contrails from jets -- but they didn't budge, and there were no planes on the front of them to make the slashes longer. The slashes curved downward, not what you expect with an airplane trail. The longest one was closer to me, and they got smaller moving away.
All perfectly parallel, all curving downward. All unmoving. They looked like claw marks on the sky from an enormous bear.
Those were on the left. On the right, a regular contrail indicated a plane heading toward one of the local airports, probably Dulles. I could see that trail growing longer, while the others didn't move.
After I got home, I checked the 'net to see if something up above the atmosphere had broken, like a satellite, and was falling down, but didn't find anything.
It was still so weird.
And this was on my mother's birthday. She would have been 111 this year if she were still alive. I miss her every day, though as I get older I get a longer view of her life, seeing how one thing and another influenced her, and how she managed.
But still. Bear claws.
Late but still trying.
Nov. 7th, 2025 02:29 pmtwistedchickThis is a prayer for Samhain; this is a prayer for Resistance.
This is the cry that rends the Veils; this is a prayer for Resistance.
Samhain is a dark festival, the feast of the dead, a crone’s picnic. Samhain is a Sabbat of Resistance.
The bones beneath the Earth cry out, and, more than that, the colonizers fear that they will. The hungry crowd the dumb supper table and, more than that, the greedy fear that they will. The chains of slaves clank in the graveyard and, more than that, the slavers fear that they will.
This is the cry that rends the veils; this is a prayer for Resistance.
Samhain is a dark festival, the feast of the dead, a crone’s picnic. Samhain is a Sabbat of Resistance.
The ancestors throb in our blood and the merchants of Lethe try to distract. Our raped grandmothers drag ragged nails across their cheeks and the armies wish that they wouldn’t. Under the earth, dead children scream for their fathers and Wall Street distracts us with sex and beer.
This is a prayer for Samhain; this is a prayer for Resistance.
This is the cry that rends the Veils; this is a prayer for Resistance.
Samhain is a dark festival, the feast of the dead, a crone’s picnic. Samhain is a Sabbat of Resistance.
Owls hoot in the darkness and the guilty fear that wisdom. Bats flap against a dark Moon sky and the predators quiver in fear. The innocent of Salem jerk at the end of the rope and the church collects the money.
This is a prayer for Samhain; this is a prayer for Resistance.
This is the cry that rends the Veils; this is a prayer for Resistance.
Samhain is a dark festival, the feast of the dead, a crone’s picnic. Samhain is a Sabbat of Resistance.
Samhain is how our ancestors paid for the right to be part of the cycle. Samhain is how they remembered the mighty dead, the miscarried child, the beloved ancestors. Samhain is how they built a bridge to the Isle of Apples, how they ate both the flower and the seed, how they saw a Spring at the end of Winter. May we have their courage.
Samhain is a dark festival, the feast of the dead, a crone’s picnic. Samhain is a Sabbat of Resistance.
This is a prayer for Samhain; this is a prayer for Resistance.
This is the cry that rends the Veils; this is a prayer for Resistance.
The cells of our bodies are a prayer for Resistance.
This is a prayer for Samhain; this is a prayer for Resistance.
This is the cry that rends the Veils; this is a prayer for Resistance.
Samhain is a dark festival, the feast of the dead, a crone’s picnic. Samhain is a Sabbat of Resistance.
May it be so for you.
-- by Hecate Demeter
This is the cry that rends the Veils; this is a prayer for Resistance.
Samhain is a dark festival, the feast of the dead, a crone’s picnic. Samhain is a Sabbat of Resistance.
The bones beneath the Earth cry out, and, more than that, the colonizers fear that they will. The hungry crowd the dumb supper table and, more than that, the greedy fear that they will. The chains of slaves clank in the graveyard and, more than that, the slavers fear that they will.
This is the cry that rends the veils; this is a prayer for Resistance.
Samhain is a dark festival, the feast of the dead, a crone’s picnic. Samhain is a Sabbat of Resistance.
The ancestors throb in our blood and the merchants of Lethe try to distract. Our raped grandmothers drag ragged nails across their cheeks and the armies wish that they wouldn’t. Under the earth, dead children scream for their fathers and Wall Street distracts us with sex and beer.
This is a prayer for Samhain; this is a prayer for Resistance.
This is the cry that rends the Veils; this is a prayer for Resistance.
Samhain is a dark festival, the feast of the dead, a crone’s picnic. Samhain is a Sabbat of Resistance.
Owls hoot in the darkness and the guilty fear that wisdom. Bats flap against a dark Moon sky and the predators quiver in fear. The innocent of Salem jerk at the end of the rope and the church collects the money.
This is a prayer for Samhain; this is a prayer for Resistance.
This is the cry that rends the Veils; this is a prayer for Resistance.
Samhain is a dark festival, the feast of the dead, a crone’s picnic. Samhain is a Sabbat of Resistance.
Samhain is how our ancestors paid for the right to be part of the cycle. Samhain is how they remembered the mighty dead, the miscarried child, the beloved ancestors. Samhain is how they built a bridge to the Isle of Apples, how they ate both the flower and the seed, how they saw a Spring at the end of Winter. May we have their courage.
Samhain is a dark festival, the feast of the dead, a crone’s picnic. Samhain is a Sabbat of Resistance.
This is a prayer for Samhain; this is a prayer for Resistance.
This is the cry that rends the Veils; this is a prayer for Resistance.
The cells of our bodies are a prayer for Resistance.
This is a prayer for Samhain; this is a prayer for Resistance.
This is the cry that rends the Veils; this is a prayer for Resistance.
Samhain is a dark festival, the feast of the dead, a crone’s picnic. Samhain is a Sabbat of Resistance.
May it be so for you.
-- by Hecate Demeter
if the Mississippi should wash me away
Nov. 7th, 2025 02:26 pmmusesfoolImagine my excitement at reading this interview with Bob Mould this morning: How Bob Mould rediscovered the great, lost live Husker Du record not because of Hüsker Dü, whom I liked but didn't love, but because he mentions that Sugar reunited. I LOVED SUGAR!!! If I Can't Change Your Mind is 3 minutes of PURE POP PERFECTION and one of my top 5 songs of ALL TIME. Back in the 90s, I saw Bob live solo at least twice (once pressed right up to the stage beneath him and his guitar at...Irving Plaza? I think?), and saw Sugar in concert at least once (maybe twice?). Copper Blue is full of great songs, as is Bob's first solo album, Workbook. (Black Sheets of Rain was also good but less accessible, imo.)
If Sugar actually tours, I might leave the house to see them!
I have other, less fun, work news, but I should probably save it for a locked post sometime later. Sigh.
*
If Sugar actually tours, I might leave the house to see them!
I have other, less fun, work news, but I should probably save it for a locked post sometime later. Sigh.
*
