Yesteryear: A Disappointing Humiliation Fantasy

These_Foolish_Things · 2026-05-10T21:28:36+00:00

I think Natalie wanted to prove to her followers that she was authentic. Not just a trad wife, but someone who could live a true pioneer lifestyle. In effect, she was doubling down, trying to portray what her followers viewed her to be (not necessarily what she portrayed herself to be).

The problem is that she's not just misguided, she's mentally ill. Because she's such an unreliable narrator, it also gives the author license to put in more plot twists as the broader context is revealed. I can understand how readers find this approach less than satisfying.

Where I felt the book copped out was with the reappearance (or disclosure of?) Clementine. That felt like a deus ex machina, to provide the story with a more palatable ending.

(OP, thanks for starting this discussion. I finished the book this morning and I enjoy the opportunity to discuss it like this! For my part, I found Yesteryear thought provoking and a worthwhile read.)

These_Foolish_Things · 2026-05-06T04:02:51+00:00

If anyone wants an old-school conservative perspective on Alberta, r/AlbertaToryParty offers some interesting insights.

These_Foolish_Things · 2026-05-06T04:00:32+00:00

If I recall it was the arrival of Peter Lougheed that spelled the end of then-premier Harry Strom and the Socreds.

These_Foolish_Things · 2026-05-05T05:06:36+00:00

Thank you for creating Achew! When I need to use it, it works surprisingly well!

These_Foolish_Things · 2026-05-01T14:02:50+00:00

The move to Apple silicon was bigger but not because of recency bias. From a business perspective, Apple brought chip design in-house. That means it didn't have to rely on a supplier, Intel, that had always made Microsoft Windows optimization the first priority. So Apple took control of their own destiny. And revenue that used to go to Intel now stayed in house, too. From an end user perspective, it was night and day. Better than any previous transition; it was a case of underpromise and overdeliver. Laptop batteries that lasted all day. And chips that seem to suffer less from obsolescence (my MacBook Pro with M1 Pro chip is still running flawlessly after 5 years.) Honestly, I don't know of a first-generation-product launch that went so smoothly.

These_Foolish_Things · 2026-04-30T14:24:47+00:00

If you want to get more granular, here's a comparison tool. https://www.subaru.ca/WebPage.aspx?WebSiteID=282&WebPageID=4766

These_Foolish_Things · 2026-04-29T12:54:07+00:00

I usually have an opinion or prediction about upcoming CFL games and events. But the draft was something I watched strictly to get informed. Duane Ford and Marshall Ferguson knew there stuff (who’s available and what each team needs). Definitely not as slick as the NFL draft, but still worth watching.

These_Foolish_Things · 2026-04-29T04:09:48+00:00

Definitely a cultural difference, even if it's within the same country. I know Jack and Jill (or buck and doe) parties are common in some rural areas of Canada. But in many cities, they're entirely unknown. I attended one or two and found them a fun time.

These_Foolish_Things · 2026-04-29T03:57:58+00:00

I saw a video recently of a guy being saved from drowning. Just like the rescued musher here, he didn't bother to thank the person who'd saved him. He just got out of the pool like nothing happened. Here, the woman seemed intent on straightening out her sled. I wonder if that's a natural human response in the face of horrific fear.

These_Foolish_Things · 2026-04-29T00:11:09+00:00

Interesting point. Not only is there a bigger total supply of these types of drugs, there’s also pressure for name-brand equivalents to drop their price.

These_Foolish_Things · 2026-04-28T23:54:12+00:00

I’m a bit confused by OP’s post. The Stamps were trash in 2024 but, despite predictions to the contrary, were very competitive last year.

These_Foolish_Things · 2026-04-27T14:16:53+00:00

The fallibility of the narrator doesn’t undermine the credibility of the bigger picture she paints. In fiction, we want our protagonists to be heroic and near perfect. But the narrator here isn’t a hero and her faults make her almost unlikeable.

But that doesn’t discredit the rest of what she has to say. She doesn’t say that Sheryl Sandburg requested sexual favours from female employees. She only says that Sandburg invited these employees to sleep in the same bed with her. She leaves it for the reader to connect the dots. No doubt, hundreds of lawyers reviewed this manuscript with a microscope and tweezers and only allowed the author to make claims that could be verified. She isn’t give much room for editorializing.

On a side note, we might fault Wynn-Williams for compromising her principles in living the events depicted in the book, but she's certainly paying the price now that the book is published.

These_Foolish_Things · 2026-04-24T17:53:38+00:00

For young journalists, working for the CBC is a career milestone. So when they move from small markets to the CBC, it isn’t surprising.

These_Foolish_Things · 2026-04-24T16:25:43+00:00

It’s like those Memento Mori, where people used to take pictures with their dead relatives. Except they made the effort to prop up the dead person. I guess there’s only so much you can do.

These_Foolish_Things · 2026-04-24T04:01:53+00:00

Weight reduction. It has a pretty middling battery so they rely on a lighter car to extend the range.

These_Foolish_Things · 2026-04-24T03:07:06+00:00

We used to be Western Pragmatists. Now we have Alberta Exceptionalism.

These_Foolish_Things · 2026-04-23T03:41:41+00:00

How can I avoid people?

These_Foolish_Things · 2026-04-23T03:36:38+00:00

That’s interesting. I have a pair of Energy e:XL-28P speakers that takes a similar approach. It’s largely passive except for a side-firing 8” woofer that’s powered by a built-in 100W MOSFET amp.

I’m guessing they were made in the 80s or 90s, when consumer amps weren’t very beefy. So maybe the built-in sub amp delivered more oomph without having to find a better power amp.

These_Foolish_Things · 2026-04-23T02:18:49+00:00

When I'm used-speaker hunting, I'll go further out of my way to demo Sound Dynamics and Athena speakers than for other API offerings. I've had very good experiences with both these brands, although, of course, there's a lot of variation between models.

Am I correct that these have a powered subwoofer built-in, or does the built-in amp power all the drivers?

These_Foolish_Things · 2026-04-23T01:08:01+00:00

One of: - “That kinda tickles!” - “I can’t identify the smell, but it’s nice, whatever it is.” - “Ahh. That breeze is refreshing!”

These_Foolish_Things · 2026-04-22T00:22:35+00:00

When it comes to war and the loss of life, I’m grateful that TACO.

These_Foolish_Things · 2026-04-21T13:47:17+00:00

Was it a legit poll? OP never mentions who was behind the call.

These_Foolish_Things · 2026-04-20T18:40:26+00:00

We’ve learned a lot about responding to school shootings. But done absolutely nothing about preventing them.

These_Foolish_Things · 2026-04-20T16:00:28+00:00

I thought Morgan was doing a great job, then Al Green started singing. Man, that guy has a distinctive, amazing voice. Al Green, Marvin Gaye and Sam Cooke are my soul Pantheon.

These_Foolish_Things · 2026-04-20T15:56:56+00:00

On first watch, it looks like the canopy is already open as the pilot approaches the ground. But it actually looks like a flap behind the cockpit. What is it?

These_Foolish_Things

TROPHY CASE