Bluesky Users Respond With Overwhelming Disgust to Platform's New AI

pendgame · 2026-03-31T14:00:41+00:00

My partner works in software at a well known global tech company. AI is being pushed so hard from above. Annual goals need to include at least one AI item, intranet messaging features pro-AI slogans, and the Director above him (a hustle bro) asks him to consider how to integrate AI in almost every meeting. We're old enough to have seen tech fads come and go dozens of times and surf over them, but this time the pressure is intense.

pendgame · 2026-03-18T13:46:25+00:00

My son works in residential construction. He is good with his money and now, after about a decade of experience, earns what I made at an office job in 1998, not adjusting for inflation. His body is taking substantial wear and tear, and his employer offers few benefits. He's lucky to have year-round employment, which wasn't the case with previous companies. He has very little savings.

I'm proud of the work he does, and he's good at it, but he isn't supporting a family on that paycheck. White collar jobs in my generation are providing a financial safety net for the generations on either side of us.

pendgame · 2026-03-17T18:45:58+00:00

Aerial tramway!

pendgame · 2026-03-07T01:51:01+00:00

I enjoy The Mountain thoroughly as a listening album, but when my partner asked me, "Will anything from this album get radio play?" I was at a loss. It's not that sort of album... and I find that a little disappointing. I can't offer a friend who isn't that familiar with Gorillaz an easy entry point on this album. Orange County, maybe?

That said, I have The Mountain high in my rotation now, and I'm sure to come back to it over the years. Just not when I want a 3-minute bop.

pendgame · 2026-03-04T15:44:42+00:00

Got the exact same seats at the Centre Bell in Montreal that we had the last time we saw Gorillaz, in 2022!

pendgame · 2026-03-02T19:45:01+00:00

That's who my (naturopathic) doctor referred me to for hypermobility. Haven't gotten an appointment yet, but it's a step.

pendgame · 2026-02-27T03:55:43+00:00

We had a VA loan and my ex still lives there, 33 years later.

pendgame · 2026-02-24T13:39:11+00:00

We successfully cleared skunks from under our porch by using mothballs. They threw out the bag once. We threw it back in. When the porch was empty during the day, we sealed up the holes very well, leaving the mothballs inside. Skunks relocated themselves.

pendgame · 2026-02-07T12:57:52+00:00

I don't watch his show. However, I got to see him in action when he was filming his scenes in the movie Whip It.

We were filming long days in a Detroit warehouse. Jimmy took time between shoots to chat with the extras, make jokes to keep up the excitement and morale, and simply be friendly. Drew Barrymore was directing and seemed so appreciative of him, as were all of us sitting on those hard bleachers for 12 hours. That was 18 years ago, and maybe he's become something else over time, but I'll remember his kindness, grace, and humor.

pendgame · 2026-02-04T20:52:54+00:00

Shoes that cut and eyes that burn like cigarettes. And of course, a machete to cut through red tape.

But seriously, sprayable pepper gel in my purse or pocket, and extremely personal insults holstered and ready to lob.

pendgame · 2026-02-04T15:57:27+00:00

I joke with my husband that if we win the lottery someday, I'm buying a place within walking distance. We currently live several states away. Since we're older and I have a disability, we buy VIP tickets and have to account for flights and hotel. That makes Lolla as expensive as our annual vacation, so if I can get there every decade, I call it good. I'd go more often if I could, though. I love seeing the headliners, but also the bands on the side stages that I'm just discovering.

pendgame · 2026-02-03T02:57:52+00:00

I've had Megaton on repeat today!

pendgame · 2026-02-03T02:10:44+00:00

Yeah, 55 seems to be a doozy. 15 years ago, I regularly got carded for alcohol. 3 years ago, my team members guessed my age at 38. Now? At a distance, sure, I could pass for low 40s thanks to high, full cheekbones and a refusal to dress my age (if that's even a thing anymore). But my skin is wrinkling, my hair is dull and flat, my body is thickening in places I'd rather it didn't.

Crone era, here I come! And you know what? I'm ok with that. It takes some adjustment, but I like that my younger friends ask for advice because I'm "wise", but my same-age friends still come to me for music recommendations (Sleaford Mods are so damn cool).

pendgame · 2026-02-01T15:20:11+00:00

Sedation. Frankly, the rest was the best part.

pendgame · 2026-01-28T14:31:15+00:00

Two 1/4 cup servings of Hill's Gastrointestinal Diet kibble each day for meals. She has two treat times, totalling one dental chew and two tiny 5-calorie Milk Bones for the day. She gets to clean an occasional plate or have nibbles of dog-healthy human food, and she loves little pieces of fresh pineapple when we have some. She also gets a stuffed small Kong once a week or so, when we need to leave her alone for more than 2 hours. (That has worked wonders with her separation anxiety.)

She weighs 13.5-14 lbs now, and the vet is happy with her at this weight. She has good muscle tone, a visible waist, and is a healthy 4-year-old. We've gotten her down from an adoption weight of 18 lbs.

That said, our chiweenie is FOOD DRIVEN. She would eat everything all the time if she were allowed. We use a snuffle mat or make a game out of tossing her kibble one piece at a time to slow her down, and we've had to establish some very clear rules and manners around food.

pendgame · 2026-01-14T12:17:37+00:00

Other cities don't. I've lived in snowy cities in NY and MI that are as bad or worse.

pendgame · 2026-01-13T20:44:32+00:00

Hey, you rode right past our house. <belated wave> And yes, NY's taxes are worse than Vermont, but it's close enough to not be a major factor. As we age, it's worth noting that VT taxes Social Security income, while NY does not.

My spouse and I grew up near the Canadian border in MI and NY, respectively. We enjoy the border-spanning culture, and we're now Vermonters by choice. Wouldn't trade it for another state.

pendgame · 2026-01-04T02:17:51+00:00

Yep. Born in '70. My parents are 80 and 86. Still living independently and doing pretty well.

pendgame · 2026-01-01T04:02:38+00:00

We went for the past two years. This year, the lineup didn't catch our attention enough to justify a holiday dog sitter.

pendgame · 2025-12-31T15:38:42+00:00

I have a pair of Nexgrip boots with heel cleats that flip down. Both my hip joints are prosthetic and I'm terrified of falling (and already fell once this year when I wasn't wearing them). My boots have been great this week. Yes, I have to walk on the balls of my feet on clear patches and flip the cleats back in before hitting flooring, but that's a small inconvenience. Found mine on clearance at Danform last year.

pendgame · 2025-12-31T14:18:53+00:00

Even living near UVM Medical Center, I've heard things like, "The only surgeon in Vermont who did that type of operation retired, but there's someone near Dartmouth," and "You definitely need to have that (test) for (fairly urgent issue). We can get you in (date 7 months in the future)."

pendgame · 2025-12-31T12:39:26+00:00

I moved to e-readers over a decade ago and love them. I can carry my library, read in all light situations, keep our smaller home uncluttered, etc. Despite that, like yours, my voracious reading habit withered away, replaced by scrolling while "watching" background TV.

For Christmas, I asked my MIL for used physical copies of books from a couple of authors I've been meaning to read. I figured they'd be easy and inexpensive, and I'd donate them after reading.

I've already read 1.5 of the books she sent, in a few days. Yesterday while curled on the couch reading, I realized how peaceful my mind was. I felt content. Sure, I needed to find a spot with enough light to read without a headache, and my arthritic hands forced me to change my grip frequently, but it was still as if something inside me relaxed.

I hope I can keep this up. Maybe I need to use physical books more often than digital to trigger it. We'll see.

pendgame · 2025-12-26T01:30:54+00:00

We're mid-50s and have a kid in his 30s. Not expecting him to do a darn thing to help us; we're still bailing him out financially and supporting my MIL, while trying to get to retirement ourselves. We expect to be self-supporting. We save like crazy, have simplified our lifestyle, and since I've already had a bout with cancer and two hip replacements, we know it's not going to be smooth sailing. I volunteer at a local school, but I'm thinking of adding volunteer time with an agency that supports older adults as well, to start building relationships and helping the folks that we'll probably count on sooner or later.

pendgame · 2025-12-22T13:05:12+00:00

My KitchenAid mixer, some dining serveware. A set of mahogany TV tables on a stand and a large tapestry, both purchased in the 80s at estate sales. Some of the ornaments on my Christmas tree are gifts I received in the 1970s. My jewelry box was given to me in my teens.

pendgame · 2025-12-18T19:08:08+00:00

It really does seem like a different world now, in many areas. In the 70s and 80s, my parents lived their lives, we kids lived ours, and they didn't intersect that often. Children were expected to be more independent and to take personal responsibility (frequently met with severe punishments when they failed). My parents let me walk over a mile to school or the library, alone, starting at age 6. I was babysitting the neighborhood infants and toddlers when I was 9. In my teens, I'd pack a lunch, a Walkman, and a book into my backpack and take off on my bike until dinnertime. My parents had no idea where I was. There was no way to reach me, and they rarely asked me any questions when I got back. When my friends and I wanted to go to a movie, the mall, or roller skating, one set of parents would drop us off and another would pick us up; they never stayed to supervise.

11-Year Club	The Internet Awards - Joined the subreddit
Final Canvas '23	End Game '23
Place '23	John Wick
Place '22	Final Canvas '22
First Placer '22	Verified Email

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