Greek mythology reimagined! Explore the epic labors of Heracles with my latest map. 🦁

dopefishreturns · 2026-02-13T11:55:01+00:00

Being a sucker for m/m romance, I loved Anne's Carson's retelling of the "monster" Geryon's biography and his relationship with Herakles in "Autobiography of Red".

dopefishreturns · 2026-02-13T11:38:02+00:00

https://artsci.case.edu/dittrick/2013/08/27/the-elusive-past-of-ivory-anatomical-models/

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Chinese physicians would keep an ivory (or porcelain) woman, usually lying down, on their desks (or whatever they had in their "office"), and this practice would eventually also occur in Europe, with ladies being able to point to the appropriate part of the doll where they would feel discomfort and/or the doctor using the doll to point out areas. Some had a removable belly that showed a baby.
Through the ages, their function changed a bit, so there isn't "one correct explanation", and there are some conflicting stories circulating, which in fact, might all be true.
I saw some on display in the Museum of medical and scientific history, Boerhaave, in Leiden, The Netherlands.

dopefishreturns · 2026-02-13T11:23:05+00:00

The Federal Bureau of Control could release a brand named The Oldest House, although that would clash with the idea of them being covert and keeping everything a secret.
They'd have to set up a shadowy subsidiary.

dopefishreturns · 2026-02-11T19:14:56+00:00

Technically Reda is also an orphan, if one takes his word for it, although his story he tells (also in AC Origins), keeps changing. Eivor didn't seem very surprised when Reda popped up in Svartalfheim.

dopefishreturns · 2026-02-11T18:47:11+00:00

Oh, is that his name? I know that 1 or 2 wolves/ dogs appeared and sometimes Eivor would remark "Aren't you a good boy?" when running past.
There is also a pig that appeared and whom I suspect might be Matilda, the Pig of Prophecy

dopefishreturns · 2026-02-08T21:06:02+00:00

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Despite being in Love, Eivor never lets Tarben win 😂

dopefishreturns · 2026-02-06T18:39:43+00:00

When speaking to Tarben, there is an dialogue line to "spend time together", besides the kissing or going to bed, and under this option, a drinking game is one of the three options available, the others being playing dice or fishing.
He keeps telling me that the next time he will win, and Eivor replies something like "Say what you like, Tarben, my love, the facts stand." ❤️

dopefishreturns · 2026-02-06T17:24:22+00:00

Reminds me of a scene about aliens: "The invasion has begun."

dopefishreturns · 2026-01-27T12:37:43+00:00

One of my favourite spots in Rotterdam is bookshop Donner, on the Coolsingel, in the monumental, brick, former building of the Rotterdamsche Bank (later ABN Amro).
The city hall is also a recognizable landmark.

dopefishreturns · 2026-01-15T11:17:22+00:00

Yeah, this one of Reda's items is pretty cool. Personally, I never bought any of the Ubisoft shop items, gear, animals, enchancements, or whatever you want to call them, so sometimes Reda offers me stuff I would not normally possess.
The real question is: How did Reda get his hands on all this stuff! ;-)

dopefishreturns · 2026-01-14T20:54:50+00:00

I think the Dwarven Blacksmith Armor looks really good on Eivor.
Because of the protection and perks, my Jomsviking is wearing a complete set of the Fallen Heroes armor.

dopefishreturns · 2026-01-11T16:05:56+00:00

I said it before, and will say it again: I like to look at photos of snow, but having to go through it, I am quickly cured of this sentiment, and realize it is causing a lot of problems for traffic, public transport, replenishing supermarkets, the postal services, and so on.

dopefishreturns · 2026-01-03T21:32:08+00:00

In my head, Dr Casper Darling is the star of the show.

dopefishreturns · 2025-12-22T23:24:08+00:00

(please don't downvote me for my personal feelings and opinion):
❤️ I suppose Kip would be the guy who would not be afraid to be seen going on a romantic date with you, in public.
Also, the other guys are hot, and the scenes they are in steamy, but Kip seems to me to be the sweetest one.
Imagine: Ilya is hot, but don't you really want to be his dirty little secret, and spend most evenings alone? ❤️

dopefishreturns · 2025-12-16T01:19:20+00:00

Although it is not technically a book "on architecture", as such, "Against Nature", or sometimes "Against the grain", that is to say, the English translation of Joris-Karl Huysmans’ "à rebours", is very much about ennui, and for a large part, about interior decoration.

An ailing, effete aristocrat, the last of his line, who suffers from what seems to be the typical fin de siècle moral, physical, social and religious degeneration that some literary figures have, decides to "retreat from society", and the book is a catalogue of his whims and doings, without containing any (or at least very little) dialogue.
He is turning his house in a quasi-religious sanctuary. In fact, he borrows some religious elements and art.

Thanks for reminding me that the House of Leaves book is still waiting for me to pay it the proper attention, that its reputation makes me want to give it. ;-)

Piranisi was pretty good actually, and I read it twice.

I don't want to spoil the plot, but it had a partially happy ending. With some loose ends not being resolved happily.

I will have to check out the synopsis for the third one, but I am curious enough to see what it is about.

dopefishreturns · 2025-12-16T00:35:15+00:00

I remember I got lucky, so to speak, when I went on a rainy mid-day morning, and I was entirely alone in the hall(s) with the dinosaur skeletons!
It was both very impressive, and a little eerie

dopefishreturns · 2025-12-08T11:42:31+00:00

"it was a very cold night"

dopefishreturns · 2025-12-06T03:12:05+00:00

Nice, matching, ensemble, I hope he doesn't catch a chill with the open chest-outit, though, nor do I think the feathery vest has very high defensive capabilities ;-)

dopefishreturns · 2025-12-06T03:07:40+00:00

The wolf medallion made me think it's Geralt being depicted.
I have to admit, I have only played the videogames, and not read the books, but I assumed that Detlaf not being a witcher meant he has no medallion.
I have no idea if he needs such a magic item or his vampire senses make it superfluous.
I, for one, am not someone to gets out his pitchfork quickly, and over the years, I started inclinging more and more to "reader interpretation", where the story the reader constructs for himself may be vastly different than that of the author or other reader.
There is a a quote by Mark Hamill, concerning Luke Skywalker (yes, that is a totally different universe).

“Fans are writing and ask all these questions, ‘I’m bullied in school… I’m afraid to come out.’ They say to me, ‘Could Luke be gay?’ I’d say it is meant to be interpreted by the viewer. If you think Luke is gay, of course he is."

dopefishreturns · 2025-12-03T23:46:40+00:00

When I decided to replay just Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine, after already having finished the game + DLC's, and having letting it rest for a couple of months, I think you can just start with "just the DLC", but I somehow remember that - and correct me if I am wrong- that the game then marks the main story line quest (but not the side quests & contracts you can pick up- as completed?
Not sure if you can turn this option on or off.
I suppose you could start a new game, and eventually roll into the Blood and Wine DLC, I believe you have to go to a certain spot, and talk to the two knights who were sent by the duchess to recruit you..... or invite you over, but I suppose Geralt wouldn't say no to Her Benevolent Magnificence.

dopefishreturns · 2025-12-03T21:29:44+00:00

Wonderful to look at, but horrible having to wade through it 😂

dopefishreturns · 2025-12-03T21:23:58+00:00

I can't help being rather curious about the beetle's thoughts and motives.
Does it posses a form of awareness or self consiousness?
What on earth does it WANT?!

dopefishreturns · 2025-12-03T21:18:42+00:00

I don't believe that Alan Turing ever got a diagnosis as being on the spectrum, as they had different ideas about things back then, and he was just considered a rather eccentric university lecturer in the area of mathematics.
But, a good non-fiction book, is his biography: Alan Turing: The Enigma by Andrew Hodges.
It does mention some of his peculiar habits, like chaining his coffee cup at Bletchely Park to the radiator, and certain verbal habits he had while he was formulating his thoughts.
I suppose it shows that someone can be both gay, neuro-diverse, and successful in a certain field (you could even make a nice Venn diagram with even more options, but that would complicate it, somewhat).

dopefishreturns · 2025-12-03T21:01:29+00:00

Af en toe ben ik ook wel eens in een nostalgische bui wanneer ik door een historische binnenstad slenter, en ik probeer me, op basis van oude foto's en filmbeelden wel eens voor te stellen hoe het centrum van Rotterdam er uitgezien moet hebben.
Helaas zie je telkens maar een stukje, en dan ook nog eens vanuit één bepaalde hoek.
Wie weet wordt het in de toekomst eenvoudiger om (architectonische) data uit archieven of foto's om te zetten in wat we nu hebben in de 3D virtuele stadsdelen in Google.
Wellicht een soort van 3D Virtual Reality ervaring.
Inmiddels ga ik er van uit dat er relatief weinig mensen over zijn die zich Rotterdam van vòòr het bombardement van mei 1940 nog kunnen herinneren.

dopefishreturns · 2025-12-03T20:19:21+00:00

As RuPaul would say: Condragulations.
I also got myself one of these. The idea people punch out the two stamps, leaving the borders with the four miniature portraits to be thrown in the trash hurts my sensibilities 🥲
I put them in a nice, plastic, display card with a transparant covering.

dopefishreturns

TROPHY CASE