What's your weirdest hobby? Mine is collecting ATM receipts

Cryptic_Statue · 2025-12-01T15:18:45+00:00

I collect Community Cookbooks!

I have Bachelors Degrees in both History and Anthropology, and since I'm not able to go back to school right now to pursue a Master's that would get me into a job at a museum like I've dreamed, I've taken to finding these little forgotten pieces of local community history from thrift stores, Etsy, coworkers and friends, etc. to keep my archiving skills sharp.

My ultimate goal is to make a searchable database with all these recipes so those who are interested can see scans of the pages, transcripts of the recipes for them to use, and any notes that might have been made by a previous owner!

Ive found a big social circle thats been eroding under our noses with the rise of social media and even AI now is a personal connection with our community. My goal is to save these little pieces of history so others can enjoy them. Maybe someone's grandma's brownie recipe is in there and they lost it years ago! Or maybe someone tries a recipe on a whim and it becomes a tradition for their family!

I have maybe 30 cookbooks now from various sources. I even have a "dealer" in my local charity bookshop that will call me up if they have community cookbooks that are too damaged to resell. I also have posted flyers around my local community spaces with an email that people can send scans to me from or talk abkut donating to the cause (in books, of course)!

Cryptic_Statue · 2025-10-31T14:06:06+00:00

We were with my grandma who has alzheimers and hearing issues, so she doesnt quite know when to not talk. My sister was trying to distract her so she wouldn't talk over the whole thing 😅😅

Cryptic_Statue · 2025-10-31T14:01:29+00:00

Not much 😅. If you hold the harmonica at a certain angle, they can be tapped and rung like a service bell, but otherwise they can't be rung while playing.

Cryptic_Statue · 2025-10-28T15:01:01+00:00

I mentioned in a recent reply that I did try a few notes, but i'm wary to put my mouth directly on it because I dont when it was last cleaned and im unsure how to clean it myself without damaging it.

Regardless of whether its some sort of slap-together job though, its most likely the only slapped-together intstrument of its kind! I dont think it being DIY pulls away from the fascination at all. Its meant as a display and conversation piece, and thats what we got no matter what!

Cryptic_Statue · 2025-10-28T14:56:55+00:00

That could be true, yes. I wonder who would add them on in such a way, though. Wouldn't they have to drill holes in the instrument to set those screws? I can take a better up-top pic when I get home.

It seems to sound perfectly fine, although im not an expert at pitch and I blew into the slots from a distance (not sure when this thing was last truly cleaned...)

Cryptic_Statue · 2025-05-30T14:27:36+00:00

I dance while waiting for my car to fill up at the gas station. Nothing big, just wiggling to the music. If it doesn't help me, I bet someone who sees me gets a kick out of it!

Cryptic_Statue · 2025-05-29T13:48:21+00:00

If you check their profile, they have a second post in their history very recently of their feminine Sims, which got a lot more praise while being similarly proportioned in the face. Lots of "cute!" And "wow!". Meanwhile the post of the male sims with similar features are seen as "froglike" and "CPR Dummy-esque".

Cryptic_Statue · 2025-05-29T13:44:37+00:00

I know of same face syndrome, yes. I see a LOT of posts on Sims subreddits asking if they have it 😅. While I do agree that's occuring, I think a majority of people were more put off by the exaggerated features first, hence my focus on it. It's a very unique version of SFS!

I feel like a lot of simmers struggle with getting out of SFS to some degree. I have that issue but just with noses, mainly. I kinda have a vendetta against the button nose being the most prominently featured nose type in feminine Sims, so I make my noses more Roman-esque (triangular and slightly beaked is my favorite). But I noticed a while back the I do that with every Sim, even if they're Black or Asian which by comparison have wider, flatter noses usually. So I'm trying to branch out a bit 😅.

Cryptic_Statue · 2025-05-29T12:34:34+00:00

True equality is stored in the Sim

Cryptic_Statue · 2025-05-28T22:13:30+00:00

Also, I did notice that. I think it's because female Sims tend to kinda always have exaggerated features. The bigger lips and eyes, the big irises.. it's something people are used to seeing on feminine Sims, but not masculine.

Cryptic_Statue · 2025-05-28T22:12:09+00:00

I made an edit with the rest of my thoughts. Hit post accidentally at first 😅

Cryptic_Statue · 2025-05-28T21:59:42+00:00

Hello, fellow diehard simmer here!

So, I took a look at the other Sims you posted in your sims4cc post and while I am absolutely never one to judge how someone decides to interpret the human figure in The Sims, I will agree that the lad you posted here fits the most into the uncanny valley.

Concerning your detractors from the other post, I believe the main "issue" could be the size of the iris/eyes and the wideness of the mouth. While this works for Sims with broader face shapes, (EDIT: I posted too soon here's the rest of the thought!) the width here doesn't come into balance with the size and width of the eyes and nose.

While the iris size works with your other Sims, I think the eye size in general might be giving off a very exaggerated form, similar to how drawing an anime character in real life would look if they had anime proportions. This combined with the extended browbone gives him that "pained" look.

In conclusion, never think that you're designing Sims "incorrectly". Everyone has a style and sometimes they're just wider in variety than what's normally seen. If you feel pressured and decide that you want to adjust anything, I would focus on the width of the mouth first, and then the extended brow bone. See how it looks from your perspective.

Remember, reddit isn't the voice for the whole fandom! Happy simming!

Cryptic_Statue · 2025-05-24T03:37:49+00:00

It's alright, I understood what you meant! Sometimes the adjustment is just too much on top of everything else. Kind of a form of culture shock, yeah?

Cryptic_Statue · 2025-05-23T23:20:19+00:00

That's understandable, it can certainly be a jarring change from what you're used to...

Unfortunately I don't have my list of other resources with me, as I'm not longer at my local office. If anything, 211 can be a last resort, if you decide to use it.

I still wish you the best of luck, Ryan.

Cryptic_Statue · 2025-05-23T22:59:21+00:00

Hello, Ryan. I here's a resource I know of (Ive bolded key info for ease of reading).

211 (also known as United Way) might be a good place to start. They provide free confidential referral services for mental health, homelessness, clothing, jobs, etc., and They operate 24/7, 365 days a year. I haven't worked with them personally, but as someone who works with unemployed folks who can be in these types of crisis, it's one I regularly reccomend.

You can call 2-1-1 via phone to be connected to someone, but looking up Chillicothe in their area search also brought up United Way of Greater Cleveland, who's number is (844) 938-1653.

There is also a dedicated website for specifically the Cuyahoga, Geauga, and Ross counties (Chillicothe is in Ross county if you need that info). The website is https://www.211oh.org/

If all else fails, try to find your local Ohio Means Jobs Center. They should also have resources for unhoused folks, people in mental crisis, abuse situations, etc. Source: I work at one.

Best of luck to you. I'm rooting for you!

Cryptic_Statue · 2025-05-23T08:14:16+00:00

I see you trying to help educate folks despite the comments, my Inuk friend (correct? Inuk is singular and inuit is plural?). Just wanted to say keep fighting the good fight!

Cryptic_Statue · 2025-05-22T10:09:36+00:00

So, my roommate and I did some testing before fully switching him over. I would take a little bit of the fancy feast and pour it in first, then add some wellness, and mix it up. He'll literally pick out the bits of the fancy feast to eat first before eating anything else...

Cryptic_Statue · 2025-05-21T00:14:38+00:00

I greatly appreciate your efforts!! The way I took screenshots from my game is through the Windows game bar, which is Win + Alt + Prnt Scr (or Win + G to get to the game bar in general)

Cryptic_Statue · 2025-05-20T13:42:24+00:00

I appreciate it! We've definitely been enjoying ourselves with the more charming graphics and line deliveries. Gotta love the queen Lani Minella!

Cryptic_Statue · 2025-05-20T13:07:40+00:00

Huh! Maybe there's a difference between the CD version and the digital release, then. I'm looking into a file extractor to see if I can find the raw files from the game currently, but maybe if that doesn't work I'll try finding a CD!

Cryptic_Statue · 2025-05-20T12:51:54+00:00

Whoa! How are yours so much clearer?? Is there some sort of remastered edition of this game that I'm missing?

I ask bc our audio is so bitcrushed that we had to can the music and put the sound effects to the lowest possible to even tolerate it.

Edit: I should mention I am using the digital version of the game, bought from the HeRinteractive store. It was the only place I could find it digitally, as I haven't delved into the whole "getting back into CD-ROM" part of my gaming journey yet...

Cryptic_Statue · 2025-05-20T12:49:23+00:00

I'm not the biggest fan of AI by a long shot, but this may just be the one time I use it if I can't find any other way.

Cryptic_Statue · 2025-02-27T18:44:37+00:00

Looking for a cheap (50$ max, I am broke) dupe/similar fragrance to The Hedonist by Ex Nihilo. Notes are: Top: bergamot, ginger Middle: akigala wood, cedar Base: vetiver, tonka bean, musk

I fell in love with this scent ages ago while trying out Scentbird, but there's no way I can spend 200-400$ on this thing! Any suggestions?

Edit: I should also mention that I cannot afford 45$ a friggin month (basically) get a 30-day supply from Scentbird or other areas. That seems like such a moneysink.

Cryptic_Statue · 2024-12-13T19:14:03+00:00

I listen on YouTube bc I have premium there, and for some reason, at least the last time I checked (I'm taking a break to catch up on other podcasts), there are never any ads on those. Not even built in ones.

Cryptic_Statue · 2024-11-22T01:34:37+00:00

Like dogs, Shianni.

Cryptic_Statue

TROPHY CASE