astronomerritt

astronomerritt, 11 days ago to random

Giving a seminar at Armagh Observatory tomorrow! It's genuinely a bit silly that I've never been there before, after twenty years in Northern Ireland and twelve years at QUB.

I did not really practice my seminar. I threw forty slides together from a couple of other presentations. I know what I am talking about and I know not to run over time and that will do.

This is not quite Professional Academic levels though. For that I'd have to be throwing the slides together on the bus down there.

astronomerritt, 12 days ago to random

patiently explaining to my shamefaced dad that the reason I can rattle off the offside rule verbatim is because he isn't the first bloke in the world to attempt to challenge my football knowledge and he won't be the last

astronomerritt, 13 days ago to random

Impulse-booked myself and the partner a holiday in Crete next May.

They're fully on board but slightly bewildered at the speed with which I arranged everything.

astronomerritt, 16 days ago to random

Found out today that in the UK, cat owners are not liable if their cat bites someone the way they might be if it were their dog. Because, to paraphrase, "it's a CAT, good luck expecting anyone to control its behaviour".

Love that for cats.

astronomerritt, 25 days ago to random

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, 27 days ago to random

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, 27 days ago to ADHD

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

#ADHD

astronomerritt, 28 days ago to random

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, 29 days ago to random

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

astronomerritt, 29 days ago to Eurovision

Well, I did promise I'd come out to my brother if a non-binary performer won #Eurovision 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, 29 days ago to Eurovision

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 #Eurovision Song Contest. I can't believe it.

This means so fucking much to me.

astronomerritt, 29 days ago to Eurovision

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

astronomerritt, 29 days ago to Eurovision

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. #Eurovision

astronomerritt, 29 days ago to Eurovision

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. #Eurovision

astronomerritt, 1 month ago to Eurovision

I don't think I'm live-posting #Eurovision 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, 1 month ago to Eurovision

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

astronomerritt, 1 month ago to Eurovision

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

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, 1 month ago to Eurovision

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

astronomerritt, 1 month ago to random

We watched Event Horizon last night. I'm very fond of that film. It's flawed in an endearing way where you KNOW it's being a bit silly but you don't mind because it's also being interesting.

I probably quote "where we're going, we won't need eyes to see" more than I should. What does that line even mean?

astronomerritt, 1 month ago to random

...I just got a notification from my pharmacy saying they have my prescription ready.

I didn't request a prescription. I was going to check tomorrow to see if I could.

Is this my ADHD meds? Did a miracle occur? Did the psychiatrist I saw on Monday pull some strings out of sheer concern for my ordeal? IS THERE HOPE FOR HUMANITY YET

I don't know. I'm gonna go... find out?

astronomerritt, 1 month ago to random

Another day where I thank god for unit tests. Present me might make some very silly mistakes in their code, but past me prepared for this!

astronomerritt, 2 months ago to random

I am an astronomer and my partner is an ethical hacker so between us we are doing pretty well on the "cool job" front. I write novels and my partner composes music, so we also have "cool creative hobby" on lock. We're both anarchists, obviously the cool political philosophy. So on paper we are very cool.

In reality we've been wearing pyjamas for five days straight and we just spent ten minutes chanting "hot cross buns!" at each other in differing silly voices.

astronomerritt, 2 months ago to random

Glad to not see any April Fool's "jokes" here today. (edit: so far anyway, fedi don't let me down)

I've always been really gullible. I have ADHD, I tend to take people literally, and my mind is generally thinking of too many things at once to notice what others might think is "obviously" a joke. I'm not saying I'm traumatised by it (as some folk genuinely are) but it's bloody tiresome to constantly be caught out and laughed at.

astronomerritt, 2 months ago to random

ANYWAY. Today I am going for my Mystery Hair Appointment. My hairdresser (a man I believe to be a genius) has been given free rein to dye my hair whatever colours he wants. I have no idea what he's going to do! 😊

He HAS told my mum what he's planning to do, but he then swore her to secrecy, so she has been smugly holding that over my head.

If anyone would like to guess what colour(s) it's going to be, feel free 😆

astronomerritt, 2 months ago to random

Well, we had some good news. We do not, in fact, need our entire kitchen torn up to fix the Cursed Pipes. The landlord brought round a different plumber for a second opinion and that plumber says he's perfectly capable of performing the necessary pipe exorcism without removing any flooring or cabinets.

(I actually believe him because he showed me the pipes. The problem is simple and obvious and it's apparent even to me that solving it won't require tearing my kitchen up.)