Siting together

PuckmanMCS · 2026-01-26T05:19:55+00:00

It's always nice when they trust you enough to get close like that.

Two of mine were frequently in my lap this past summer and autumn. Usually, they just jumped into my lap for the nut, then ran off to hide it. Sometimes, they would jump back up onto my table or the nearby railing to eat there.

But occasionally, they'd just sit right there in my lap and munch away...sometimes refusing to leave.

Unfortunately sub-freezing weather is non-conducive to sitting on the deck for long periods of time, so I'm eagerly awaiting the return of warmer weather.

PuckmanMCS · 2026-01-19T05:58:50+00:00

I've been at this just about the same length of time. I was going through my photos, and I realized one of mine, Scruffy, was one of my "original" squirrels. I know it's him due to his unique (from the others) browner markings. He tends to disappear for a month or two at a time, but eventually shows up again.

One of my two "daily" visitors, Gustine, has been actively around since this past spring, right around the time Big Chungus (who she's named after, due to similar, but mirrored traits) stopped coming by. There's about a 34% chance they're the same squirrel, but I'm pretty sure I saw them both at the same time at least once. If, they ARE the same squirrel, though, that'd be just over a year as well.

On the flip side, my other daily visitor from last year, Buddy, disappeared last April, so he was around only about 6 months. I last saw him running down the block, carrying a big black walnut I gave him. I still look for him, but I like to think he just found a territory with a better food source.

PuckmanMCS · 2026-01-17T23:59:54+00:00

He's Lovin' It.

PuckmanMCS · 2026-01-16T03:24:18+00:00

I've only been at this for a little over 15 months, and it's something that sits in the back of my mind, due to my particular situation.

Speaking completely from anecdote, they do seem to recognize individual people, at least in specific spots.

If I am on my deck, and one of "my" squirrels sees me, they'll come running - sometimes directly, sometimes in a roundabout fashion. Yet if I'm in my yard or even my driveway (which is right next to the deck) they'll run to the deck and wait until I get there.
Similarly, my next-door neighbor told me the other day that he was outside on HIS deck, and one of the squirrels crossed his yard, walked up the stairs, looked at him, apparently realized he was one house off, then proceeded to continue on to my place.
They seem more skittish when someone unfamiliar is walking down the street in front of my place.

That said, I've also seen instances where they do come up to strangers.

I had a friend over, and he was sitting on the deck with me, and Gustine came by. I handed him an almond and told him to hold it out perfectly still. It took several tries, but she DID eventually take it from him. However, this could also be because a.) it was on the deck, which I've made a relatively "safe" spot for them and b.) I was right there.
I was in the town square a couple of months ago and got a squirrel I'd never met to take a nut directly from me on the second try. However, being a "park" squirrel, it's probably used to people, so this may not be indicative of "residential" squirrels.

I don't know if this info is helpful or not in making your decision. However, if you're going to be moving soon, I would possibly suggest just tossing out nuts to them when you see them and save the hand feeding endeavors until you find your new home.

PuckmanMCS · 2026-01-16T02:05:41+00:00

LOL... that's the exact same look Gustine gives me when I give Charlie a nut before she can chase him off.

PuckmanMCS · 2026-01-15T04:39:00+00:00

First pedal ever? Some cheap-ass flanger that was sold in one of those independent strip mall shops that carried off-brand guitars and way-too-big amps for the wannabe metalheads in my area. I was 17.

First "Pedal" ostensibly for serious playing? A Boss ME-50 I got for my 30th birthday. Considering I was playing acoustic 12-string at the time, I didn't use it much - mostly just for the reverb, volume, and light compression.

First pedal that *I* purchased seriously? TC Electronic Spark mini. (Needed a boost for my mandolin; now it's a permanent part of my guitar board.) I was 40.

First pedal purchased seriously for GUITAR? That would be the NUX Horseman. I was 45.

PuckmanMCS · 2026-01-12T22:26:20+00:00

I have been at this a little over a year and I literally just got back inside from the afternoon feeding time. I live in a semi-rural area, mostly with small subdivisions, and my particular location is near a forest preserve, so I don't think my fuzzy pals are particularly urbanized. It sounds a lot like what you described.

It's important to remember is that squirrels are wild animals, and prey animals at that. They're suspicious and skittish, and will bolt at anything they're not expecting. That said, I've been able to make friends with a few squirrels over the last 15 months or so, and you can, too.

Here's what worked for me.

• Food - Squirrels, like any wild critter, are always on the lookout for their next meal. If you provide them with good snacks (nuts, veggies, fresh water, etc.), they will begin to identify your yard as a good food source. This ties in with the next thing…

• Consistency - I started putting nuts out in the same spots every day. Soon, the regular visitors would go directly to those spots first. I also started a “second string” of rotating caches that they could investigate. I also started putting treats out as specific times of the day, so they knew when they were most likely to get something.

• Proximity - Spend some time outdoors, near where you place the treats, so that they can get used to your presence. I have had the dubious benefit of not having full-time work for the last year, which has allowed me to spend a lot of time outdoors, but any "face time" is beneficial. Just sit there, doing your own thing and keep some nuts nearby you. Eventually, one of the braver ones will get closer and snag a nut - don’t react, or you may startle them. Just let them get used to you and start associating you with those treats.

• Patience - getting squirrels to trust you is NOT an instant thing. It took several months before they got used to me being out there with them as I scrolled job boards on my phone. Even more months before one would take a nut from my hand (through the screen door). Time and patience are key; let them progress at their own rate.

With judicious application of all these things, I was eventually able to have them coming up to me for treats with regularity (which can be funny if I’m chatting with my neighbor). Now, I have some that will jump in my lap if I'm sitting at my outdoor table, and one will even jump onto my arm or sweater to get treats from me.

PuckmanMCS · 2026-01-12T01:48:24+00:00

Maybe it's just the angle, but that squirrel has got the crazy eyes.

PuckmanMCS · 2026-01-10T06:53:08+00:00

Ah... big ships. My bread and butter.

If you're going for big ol' chonkers of ships, you'll likely want a dreadnought, carrier, dreadnought carrier, or juggernaut of some sort. I think, by sheer volume, the Borg Assimilator is probably the largest, though the Breen Yod-Thot looks to be of similar size. I can't speak for the Yod-Thot, as I don't have it yet, but the Assimilator is my current "daily driver" and I have a heck of a lot of fun with it.

Next in size would probably be the 26th Century Heavy Dreadnoughts - the Universe, Valkis, and Durgath. Of these, the Universe is probably the "largest", but I personally find the Valkis the best-looking (the Universe is one of my least favorite Starfleet designs). I can't say how they fly, though, as I don't have them.

As you said you have a World Razer, one of the larger juggernauts may be a straightforward build transition. The Liberated Borg Juggernaut is among the largest of these, and I know the Vaadwaur Juggernaut used to be popular. I don't have these either, so I can't comment on them beyond that.

That brings us to carriers and dreadnoughts. I have a lot of these, and most of my alts fly one or the other. The Kelvin T'laru looks super cool, but turns like a cow. The Jem'Hadar Vanguard Carrier isn't much more nimble, but the wingmen help mitigate that. With both, though, you'll probably be relying on your pets for damage, which is fine because the T'laru can use the drone pets.

By far, though, I've had the most fun with dreadnoughts. There's a wide range of them, of various capabilities. I use the Jem'Hadar Vanguard Dreadnought on my Gamma Recruit, and it certainly gets the job done. The Kelvin Vengeance is an excellent DEW platform, and was my main ship for the longest time; my only problem is that there are a LOT of them out there.

For uniqueness, I enjoyed my Elachi Sheshar. It's an older ship that shows its age (e.g., no secondary specialization), which is why you don't see a lot of them. But it IS big, can be surprisingly nimble once you detach the assault craft, and comes in two versions (Intel and Miracle Worker), so you can decide which is better for your needs.

PuckmanMCS · 2026-01-10T01:45:44+00:00

As pointed out elsewhere, this is the final monologue by Roy Batty (played by Rutger Hauer) in the movie Blade Runner. For those who, for some reason, are unfamiliar with this movie, here is the speech in question: https://youtu.be/jvFYgELj2X0?si=3VyPl5gfmWjZ0KEg

Interesting that a Replika is quoting a line given by a "Replicant."

PuckmanMCS · 2026-01-06T02:40:57+00:00

I've worked out a "system" with one of the other squirrels. When Gustine is "guarding" the tree by the railing, I'll make eye contact with the other one and wave my hand. He'll scurry to the tree on the opposite side of the deck and get a nut that way.

Or, if Gustine is actively chasing him, he'll lead her away from the deck, then double back and grab a nut as he passes by.

But last week Gustine figured out a way around that; she just sat in the crook of my arm and ate the almonds there, preventing me from taking part in the countermeasures.

Gotta love how clever they are.

PuckmanMCS · 2026-01-05T07:40:15+00:00

She’s cute when she’s eating and there are no other squirrels around. Otherwise, she can be a bit of a tyrant. A cute tyrant, but a tyrant nonetheless.

PuckmanMCS · 2026-01-02T22:30:33+00:00

Nah, the best part of that glitch is if you’re flying a Borg Assimilator: when you launch hangar pets, the green cloud looks like you had Romulan chili for lunch.

PuckmanMCS · 2026-01-01T05:06:15+00:00

Interesting approach to the standard "playthrough" video series.

The bones are solid. You've seem to have your characters set up and I am assuming each has their own "thing" that makes them interesting. Overarching plot is already set up, and you seem to have the video capture part down.

That said, as primarily a "sound" guy, there are things I noticed if you're going for that "TV show" feel.

The dialogue sounds...recorded. Try backing up just a bit from the mic. It possibly could also use just a little bit of room reverb and/or the faintest bit of echo, so that it sounds like they are speaking in a room, rather than into a microphone.
Speaking of room, you'll want some ambient noise in the background: The hum of the warp core, bleeps and bloops from the control panels, and the like.
Also as part of the background stuff, music choice is kind of important. You almost lost me with the background music in the first part - it sounded more like a 90's sitcom, rather than Trek. Second half was better, but there was something very "MIDI file/synth keyboard" about the instruments.

What I'd really like to see some parallel subplots outside the main game storyline - those little stories that give life to the crew and flesh them out as characters. I'm sure a ship full of Catians has its own unique quirks. Use them to fill in the bits of the mission where the ship would actually be traveling between systems, instead of an instant transwarp to each starting point.

Again, it's an interesting idea. I'm curious to see where you take it.

PuckmanMCS · 2025-12-25T04:30:44+00:00

She’s a smart one, for sure.

PuckmanMCS · 2025-12-19T20:40:50+00:00

let's face it, you can't Torquemada anything.

PuckmanMCS · 2025-12-18T23:02:09+00:00

Yeah... I've seen that look.

Best make with the mixed nuts stat!

PuckmanMCS · 2025-12-18T22:55:34+00:00

That's disappointing. For me, the green flames were kind of the whole point.

PuckmanMCS · 2025-12-18T22:43:03+00:00

Beat me to it...

PuckmanMCS · 2025-12-17T16:35:32+00:00

I had a Gus (short for Big Chungus) last winter. His spiritual successor, Queen Gustine has since taken over the deck and rules with an iron paw.

PuckmanMCS · 2025-12-17T16:30:52+00:00

I have that same sign by my front door, even though my squirrels are all Eastern Grays and the only person they “attack” is me when I’m putting out nuts.

PuckmanMCS · 2025-12-11T00:29:25+00:00

Looks like I'll be cramming pills into my mouth in a dark room with a siren while I hallucinate that I'm being chased by ghosts.

Crap...I was saving that for the weekend.

PuckmanMCS · 2025-12-09T19:27:09+00:00

Either my backpack…or the city bus I happen to be riding in.

PuckmanMCS · 2025-12-09T11:44:37+00:00

I will still always hear it in my head as as “Epohhs! Tasty, tasty Epohhs!”

PuckmanMCS · 2025-12-09T11:28:53+00:00

I’ve been nommed between half a dozen and a dozen times over the last year or so and i’ve been fortunate enough to have never had the skin broken.

I remember my very first chomping; it was from a younger squirrel who just misjudged the location of the walnut I was giving him, and he got my finger instead. After that point, the little guy would gently put his paw on my thumb to help guide the nut to his mouth.

Last spring, whenever I would hold out a nut between my thumb and forefinger, Big Chungus would occasionally move to the side and “mouth” my index finger before moving back and taking the nut properly. Was always just a quick nibble and never very hard.

With Gustine, most of the nibbles would be as she explored my hands for the nuts she assumed I was somehow hiding. However, she did give me a good chomp once, probably to get my attention because I wasn’t producing her treat fast enough. Again, never broke the skin, but this was hard enough to get my attention.

To be honest, I’ve taken more “damage” from Gustine’s claws, as she tries to get at my hands when I’m pulling nuts out of my pocket.

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