@astronomerritt@hachyderm.io
@astronomerritt@hachyderm.io avatar

astronomerritt

@astronomerritt@hachyderm.io

ADHD astronomer doing postdoc things at Queen's University Belfast. Interested in exoplanet atmospheres and distant solar system bodies, but mostly I write open-source research software and do very little science. Good at Python for an astronomer (bad at Python).

Outside of work: part-time k-pop stan, full-time queer nuisance. Also reading good novels, writing bad novels, gaming, cross-stitching, and accumulating new hobbies.

Opinions mine, not my employer's. I'm much cooler.

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astronomerritt, to random
@astronomerritt@hachyderm.io avatar

I know meal-kit subscription boxes are probably ethically terrible in many ways but can we acknowledge that if you're disabled but still enjoy cooking they are a bloody lifesaver?

My partner and I were against the idea for the longest time but we gave them a whirl and it's SO MUCH EASIER. Less struggling through the sensory nightmare of Tesco. No missing out on groceries entirely because we're too unwell to go one week and living on sandwiches. No decision-making! Just dinners!

astronomerritt,
@astronomerritt@hachyderm.io avatar

The fucking meal-kit boxes even got us cooking together again. I'd forgotten how much fun we have doing that.

We're saving the recipe cards for anything we especially like and when we stop getting discounted boxes we'll probably return to bloody Tesco. But this has been NICE.

astronomerritt,
@astronomerritt@hachyderm.io avatar

Also yes, sometimes the produce is not of high quality, but back when I was supporting myself and my partner on my PhD stipend we lived on tins and clearance veg, I'm not going to be upset by a floppy pak choi.

astronomerritt, to ADHD
@astronomerritt@hachyderm.io avatar

MY PHARMACY HAS MY MEDS

MY PHARMACY HAS MY MEDS

I CALLED THEM AND THEY CONFIRMED

IT HAS BEEN OVER SIX MONTHS OF SHORTAGES AND FUCKERY BUT THEY HAVE MY MEEEEEEEEDS

...what are the odds I get hit by freak lightning on my way to pick them up

astronomerritt, to random
@astronomerritt@hachyderm.io avatar

Actually managed to have a successful pair-coding session today with a grad student.

I find pair-coding really difficult because I don't process linearly. My thought process sees a problem as a big tree: I hop about from branch to branch very quickly and get a good understanding of the whole tree that way. I can't stand back from the tree and see it all at once, then take it branch-by-branch sequentially.

This makes me very annoying to pair code with. But I managed to restrain myself today.

astronomerritt,
@astronomerritt@hachyderm.io avatar

If I'm asked to write new functionality, I'm making a Jupyter notebook and testing tiny little bits of what I think might work, with seventeen Firefox tabs open, jumping from cell to cell as I have new ideas, building the whole thing up from the bottom.

I can't just, like... open a file and type into it, taking it line-by-line. That feels really weird and unstable. I don't know what I'm DOING yet.

I'm really quick at doing it my way, though.

astronomerritt,
@astronomerritt@hachyderm.io avatar

I find that neurotypical people find my way of coding and problem solving to be alien and confusing; they assume it can't possibly be productive because I'm not looking at the "big picture" and coming up with a plan first.

I had the same issue with essays in school. I didn't see the point of an essay plan, yet teachers told me I HAD to have one to write a good essay because they couldn't comprehend how I could manage without. (I have an A* in my English Lit A-level. I managed.)

astronomerritt,
@astronomerritt@hachyderm.io avatar

Anyway I am not (as far as I know) autistic but this article really struck a chord with me:

https://autisticphd.com/theblog/what-is-bottom-up-thinking-in-autism/

astronomerritt, to random
@astronomerritt@hachyderm.io avatar

Does anyone cook with lard any more? Lard was sort of ever-present when I was a kid, but I was raised by my grandparents so I don't know what aspects were really out-of-date, which were normal, and which were just, well, poverty.

I can tell you that my grandmother's idea of a curry would have most folk recoiling...

astronomerritt,
@astronomerritt@hachyderm.io avatar

@michael_w_busch Yeah, it seems like suddenly everything is cooked in duck fat these days. Which is fine, nothing wrong with duck fat, but it seems weird for it to be so... advertised? I usually only cook with it when I am roasting a duck, because damn there's a lot of fat in a duck.

I've never cooked with tallow! What is it good for?

astronomerritt,
@astronomerritt@hachyderm.io avatar

@michael_w_busch Interesting, thank you! Beef drippings were a staple of my childhood. I kind of want to roast some beef just for dripping. The nostalgia would be insane.

astronomerritt,
@astronomerritt@hachyderm.io avatar

@nyrath @michael_w_busch This is one of the many, many reasons I adore Terry Pratchett. He gets it.

astronomerritt, to random
@astronomerritt@hachyderm.io avatar

woke up and messaged my brother coming out as non-binary, not sure when he'll see it but hey, I did it...

astronomerritt,
@astronomerritt@hachyderm.io avatar

For new friends: I'm out as non-binary socially and professionally, just not to my family. My parents are very unlikely to be hateful (they know I'm bi and mostly ignore it) but my mum is very likely to not understand and say something like "you'll always be my little girl", and I would find that very hard.

My brother, however, is pansexual and generally trans-positive. So coming out to him SHOULD be okay?

He's also as bad as me at checking his messages so I might be in suspense for a bit.

astronomerritt,
@astronomerritt@hachyderm.io avatar

@thomas thank you! I think I need more courage right now waiting for a response than I did for sending it 😅

astronomerritt, to Eurovision
@astronomerritt@hachyderm.io avatar

Well, I did promise I'd come out to my brother if a non-binary performer won so I guess I'd better do it now. Just give me until tomorrow, I want to enjoy tonight without wanting to stress-vomit 😅

astronomerritt, to Eurovision
@astronomerritt@hachyderm.io avatar

I burst into tears.

I full on ugly-cried into my partner's chest. I'm still crying now.

I can't believe I've just seen a non-binary performer win the Song Contest. I can't believe it.

This means so fucking much to me.

astronomerritt, to Eurovision
@astronomerritt@hachyderm.io avatar

Every time the camera cuts to Nemo waving the non-binary flag I want to cry all over again.

astronomerritt, to Eurovision
@astronomerritt@hachyderm.io avatar

As hilarious as Finland's denim egg and Sacred Jorts and near-nudity are... I do also really like the song. I LOVE terrible cheesy dance songs. It is a character flaw I do not plan to work on at all ever.

astronomerritt, to Eurovision
@astronomerritt@hachyderm.io avatar

Honestly, I think the EBU deserve to have a shitshow on their hands. Maybe they're beginning to understand that claiming you're not political IS a political stance.

astronomerritt, to Eurovision
@astronomerritt@hachyderm.io avatar

I don't think I'm live-posting tonight. Mental health reasons.

I respect those boycotting the contest. I've been actively pro-Palestine for years. But being repeatedly informed that I'm awful for enjoying one of the few events in this shitty world that brings me joy is hitting me in a very sensitive place, mentally, and it's not worth it.

I beat myself up enough for not being morally perfect. I'm not letting other people do it too.

astronomerritt, to Eurovision
@astronomerritt@hachyderm.io avatar

What's really blowing my mind is that Bambie isn't even the only non-binary rep we're getting at

Olly Alexander identifies as non-binary so BOTH my home countries sent non-binary performers

and we still have Nemo from Switzerland to come

I don't know how to explain to people what this means to me really

astronomerritt, to Eurovision
@astronomerritt@hachyderm.io avatar

oh my GOD the world just divided into people who got that notification sound joke and those who didn't

astronomerritt,
@astronomerritt@hachyderm.io avatar

@chrisjrn ...how??? I would have thought 90% of people watching would know that sound 😅

astronomerritt, to Eurovision
@astronomerritt@hachyderm.io avatar

I feel like Poland's song probably sounds a lot better when it's actually mixed properly, the vocals are getting absolutely drowned here :/

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