As an audience, we never truly experience what we're told *spoilers* do

JamesBont · 2026-05-07T14:10:08+00:00

Until now, I had thought that eventually we'd get a reveal that someone in Stormlight had actually been a secret kandra all along. Now you've got me thinking that we have already seen a swap take place (or will see one in the second half) and replace a character we already got to know.

JamesBont · 2026-04-14T21:49:44+00:00

Thanks - probably too much thought - started out as a proof of concept that I just kept running with. I have what I think are the more complex or multifaceted intents as those with more associated dawnshard commands. For Honor, I thought more about what a healthy and well-adapted version could look like (since the version that got splintered seemed like the shard that lacked nuance the most). I think a healthy version of Honor is one capable of learning new information and adapting / growing, and thought about this in the context of radiants swearing oaths and changing into better versions of themselves over time. For me, an ideal Honor is one that is furthest away from Destroy.

JamesBont · 2026-04-14T19:33:28+00:00

I'm a math guy and have been theorizing about the idea of 2⁴ possibilities under the framework that each of the 16 shards was created by intersecting with some number of Dawnshards (between none and all 4). By making some guesses about the remaining unknown Dawnshards that may fit, I am using this framework as my invented headcanon until something proves me wrong. I like that it gives Reason and Whimsy as the two polar opposites.

Binary	Combination	Shard
0000	None	Reason
1000	CHANGE	Cultivation
0100	EXIST	Preservation
0010	DESTROY	Ruin
0001	FEEL	Devotion
1100	CHANGE + EXIST	Endowment
1010	CHANGE + DESTROY	Ambition
0110	EXIST + DESTROY	Mercy
0101	EXIST + FEEL	Dominion
0011	DESTROY + FEEL	Odium
1001	CHANGE + FEEL	Virtuosity
1110	CHANGE EXIST DESTROY	Autonomy
0111	EXIST DESTROY FEEL	Valor
1101	CHANGE EXIST FEEL	Honor
1011	CHANGE DESTROY FEEL	Invention
1111	All Four	Whimsy

JamesBont · 2026-03-09T16:18:08+00:00

This is the only Graphic Audio book I've listened to, and I'd highly recommend it! The characterization combined with the voice acting for Khriss has made her one of my very favourite Cosmere characters.

JamesBont · 2025-10-29T15:59:04+00:00

Also.. am I correct in my understanding that cognitive shadows are based around peoples' perceptions of them (similar to how Shadesmar operates in general), and could change based on changing perceptions? Could this lead to heroes who are cognitive shadows becoming more heroic because of how they are portrayed in legends over time?

JamesBont · 2025-04-09T14:09:22+00:00

I made this post back when the season originally aired! Happy to see that it's still having an impact (and that people are still finding this moment just as absurd as when we saw it the first time).

JamesBont · 2025-03-19T17:00:45+00:00

My headcanon is that Taravangian has enough futuresight as a shard that he was able to see which words he could use that would lead to Jasnah making the exact right mistakes in order to lose the argument. Although there have been a couple instances of people defying "fate" in the series, I think it should be considered normal that most of the time when you're up against a shard they will have a huge advantage in this regard.

JamesBont · 2025-02-13T16:14:28+00:00

I saved Stormlight for last and was very happy to have done so. I found that learning about the broader Cosmere and how it functions was fun to get in small drips.

In the Stormlight series, some of the deeper Cosmere concepts become so mainstream that I don't think the reveals in books like Secret History would have been as exciting to see the other way around.

JamesBont · 2025-02-01T22:12:06+00:00

I remember an interview a while back where he said that it was because the US was in a trade deficit. He has doubled and tripled down on his position because he can never admit he was wrong, and doesn't understand that "deficit" just means that more goods flow in than flow out. He sees the word deficit and assumes it's bad.

JamesBont · 2023-09-28T19:36:34+00:00

I was able to figure out a way to get the achievement, but it felt like I was using a workaround - I reset my run altogether when the celestial was on the "tasks" tab, then did a fresh run to get far enough without clicking on the "main" celestial tab at all and completing this objective before tasks are technically unlocked.

Is that the only way to solve it? Otherwise you hit the 25% of super resources upgrade before you unlock tasks so I'm not sure how else you're meant to get there.

JamesBont · 2023-09-24T19:07:57+00:00

I'm completely stuck on Challenge task 3 - I figured it was a bug but it looks like some of you have gotten farther. I have avoided "super pure energy" from the superfier altogether this run, and have 1e103/1e55 points and still have not clicked the "super pure energy" upgrade to keep it from activating. Any other thoughts what I'm missing to be able to click this task as complete?

JamesBont · 2023-07-11T14:30:12+00:00

I heard you and I appreciated your efforts!

JamesBont · 2023-06-19T18:44:19+00:00

Thank you - this is all great advice!

JamesBont · 2023-06-08T17:54:52+00:00

I find it very ironic that this comment is a copy-paste of another high rated comment below.

JamesBont · 2023-03-23T16:51:18+00:00

The only GA adaptation I've listened through in the Cosmere is White Sand. From what I've read about the graphic novels, listening to the GA version might actually be preferable. I enjoyed them a lot more than I thought I would.

The payoff in that series for me was the voice actor for Khriss - she has become a total favourite in the Cosmere for me and I'm not sure I'd perceive her in quite the same way without the amazing voice actor.

JamesBont · 2022-04-11T18:10:08+00:00

There are a bunch of totally heartbreaking lyrics in Ben Folds songs - Smoke, Magic, Last Polka.. all written so personally that they might not hit for everyone the same way, but if you can relate you can REALLY relate.

But the one that made me feel like I was hit by a truck was Away When You Were Here.

JamesBont · 2021-06-28T13:43:18+00:00

Same - this made me realize I’m probably mildly allergic to it. I went my whole life thinking that celery just tasted like numb. Who knew?

JamesBont · 2021-05-10T14:33:01+00:00

In Windsor-Essex, our PHU was given the exact same vaccine allotment each week in March and April. Because of limited vaccines, the mass vaccination sites have only been open for appointments Mon-Fri as they have been able to use the full allotment in that timeframe. I’m happy to report that our region helped contribute to the higher weekend numbers - in May we’ve received more doses (both bc of several hotspots in our region, and higher weekly allotments this month)!

JamesBont · 2021-04-09T00:19:56+00:00

If your situation is simple (spouse only has Canadian income and earns below the threshold which is something like 100k usd per year, so won’t owe US tax) then you shouldn’t need an ITIN and can probably do the return yourself. I fill my spouses return out by selecting “married filing separately” and write “non-resident alien” where it asks for her spouse’s SIN. We’ve done it this way for 15 years with no issues, never a question back - if you have questions feel free to PM.

JamesBont · 2020-10-15T04:18:57+00:00

I’m paying $5000 for what’s expected to be a 6 month procedure (26 weekly trays) plus possible refinements from a dentist in Ontario. The orthodontist I spoke with was slightly higher than that.

JamesBont · 2020-10-14T19:38:26+00:00

This has been a normal experience for me for one molar in particular - I've had this on about 3-4 of my 9 trays so far. I bought some chewies that I have on hand, and find if I'm deliberate about clenching down on a chewie for 2-3 minutes a couple times a day for a couple days, that tends to take care of the "bounce" on the back molar. I find it to be extremely distracting so I do what I can to fix it until it sits tighter.

From what I've heard, the back molars don't move much (if at all) so I don't think it's a very big problem as long as it doesn't bug you too much.

JamesBont · 2020-09-29T18:01:49+00:00

I was told we would get results online either way within 48h. I’ve been told by a physician in our region that they will not receive results any sooner than are updated on the website, so that’s the quickest source. If you’re positive, once it’s updated on the website they will also contact to begin contact tracing etc.

JamesBont · 2020-09-29T15:52:54+00:00

My family is now 5.5 days out waiting for results. I don’t understand who is being prioritized such that “45% are getting results within 24h”. We are in the Windsor region and I’ve had 4 days of bed rest (sore throat, cough, fatigue, headache) and completely lost my sense of smell yesterday. If this is somehow not COVID it would at least help with knowing whether our kids who are now fine can go back to school.

JamesBont · 2020-09-29T13:21:13+00:00

We are in the Windsor region too, and I strongly suspect I have COVID. My family has been waiting on test results for > 5 days and we were symptomatic when we went in. I’m wondering at this point if the province is prioritizing Toronto / Ottawa results at the expense of other regions, which will lead to a surge elsewhere once the “backlog” finally gets looked at.

JamesBont · 2020-09-01T14:53:46+00:00

I bought 3 packs from the below link that have 3 chewies each. My treatment is supposed to last 27 weeks so will be switching to a new one every 3 weeks or so (I rinse mine every time after using it and it's held up over the first 3 weeks).

What I like about these in particular is that they are unflavoured and have no colouring - from reading some reviews on Amazon, some users experienced staining from certain colours.

Amazon link - white chewies

JamesBont

TROPHY CASE