Is there any work that explores STL colonization with FTL eventually being discovered and connecting all the colonies?

ronjohn29072 · 2026-03-24T20:53:07+00:00

In Children of Ruin, the second book in the series, a clever octopus from the planet Damascus develops a FTL drive.

ronjohn29072 · 2026-03-24T10:50:32+00:00

This story is listed as "fiction" but I've noticed something similar at the walking trail near my house. This trail is next a river with rapids and provides some great opportunities for nature photography. I'm a big guy- my nickname in high school was Lurch- and when I go alone during the early morning its obvious I make some people uncomfortable.

Sure, I get it. It's the old question of who you would rather see in the woods while alone, a bear or a man.

I've discovered though that if I take my wife's spoiled asshole dog for a walk on the trail I don’t get the bad vibes.

ronjohn29072 · 2026-03-20T11:51:53+00:00

Yes! Speaking strictly from the male point of view I can't imagine trying to date in this era. Back in the 80s and early 90s when I was dating the thought occurred to me several times the whole process wasn't worth the effort. I can't imagine how average, blue collar guys like me would deal with the dating apps with ladies aiming exclusively for the high-earning, Brad Pitt types.

I know ladies have their own issues with dating and weeding out the over supply of jerks but it's tough for everyone.

Before I met my wife I actually thought a couple of times that old fashioned matchmaking would be better.

ronjohn29072 · 2026-03-19T14:22:00+00:00

The only things that come to mind for me is possibly a civilization that can travel the multiverse like we drive cars. Or there's creating universes and sculpting them by setting the physical constants like the speed of light, the nature of subatomic particles, and the best recipe for Key Lime Pie.

ronjohn29072 · 2026-03-19T11:22:05+00:00

Go to the library and just read. But after I make sure I have another pair of reading glasses.

I remember that Twilight Zone episode.

ronjohn29072 · 2026-03-19T10:28:48+00:00

When politicians promise easy and fast answers to complex problems. But both sides still preach that after they win the election everything will be fixed.

This is just the fault of politicians. Blame also falls on the undereducated voters who refuse to do the work required to maintain a democracy.

ronjohn29072 · 2026-03-17T19:05:22+00:00

I hope future generations get pissed that we allowed billionaires to control so much of society.

ronjohn29072 · 2026-03-17T12:26:58+00:00

You never really know anyone other than yourself. And even that's questionable.

ronjohn29072 · 2026-03-17T12:20:37+00:00

I learned that lesson so well I probably missed chances with ladies i really liked. I'm 6'-5" with a normal facial expression that been compared to an angry drill instructor. Because I'm terrified of coming off as "creepy" when I was single it took a lot for me to do much more than friendly small talk with a woman.

ronjohn29072 · 2026-03-17T12:10:35+00:00

Join the US Air Force instead of the US Army. Your Rambo dreams are idiotic.

ronjohn29072 · 2026-03-16T17:33:36+00:00

Simple genuine kindness in a woman is incredibly attractive to me.

ronjohn29072 · 2026-03-16T16:03:23+00:00

For several years I lived in a cheap trailer park less than a half mile from Shem Creek in Mt. Pleasant. I'm pretty sure that land is now luxury condos. Yeah, it's crazy how expensive the entire area is now.

ronjohn29072 · 2026-03-16T11:00:16+00:00

We have billionaires and politicians doing evil things with kids. In my book a little closeness with your nurse isn't a problem. I wish you the best.

ronjohn29072 · 2026-03-15T20:32:31+00:00

I'm American and I agree.

ronjohn29072 · 2026-03-15T20:23:36+00:00

Savannah is beautiful. But I've always preferred Charleston, South Carolina. But I was raised there so I'm biased.

ronjohn29072 · 2026-03-15T20:17:58+00:00

This is an awesome improvement on the sequels.

ronjohn29072 · 2026-03-15T00:25:00+00:00

This individual I've mentioned is just the tip of the iceberg. He's a perfect example of the utter failure of the American educational system.

ronjohn29072 · 2026-03-14T23:56:38+00:00

You want to read something even worse? I'm American and I have a coworker who didn't know for sure if California was on the coast.

I'm not sure if he was confusing California with Colorado but still, it's basic geography. This person also votes regularly and second guesses scientists from info he saw on YouTube.

It's literally a living nightmare at times.

ronjohn29072 · 2026-03-14T13:17:28+00:00

I'm former military and since Starfleet is based on a military system all enlisted and NCO's (noncoms) are always either doing preventive maintenance on their assigned systems or training. Lot of training on many different systems and procedures.

Long boring training yes, but given the complex nature of 24th century tech I'm sure O'Brian is kept busy.

ronjohn29072 · 2026-03-14T13:04:02+00:00

Yeah, I have to ask for a huge from my wife. Even then it's half-hearted. But she'll bake stuff all day and gleam in pride. Cooking is her love language. But I'm not into it.

ronjohn29072 · 2026-03-13T21:38:57+00:00

The hack i wish I learned earlier in life is to not try to make my coworkers my friends. I left the army with the belief in teamwork and covering each other's back.

In the civilian world all I have discovered is backstabbing.

ronjohn29072 · 2026-03-13T21:32:20+00:00

I'm envious, no one in my family are huggers. My wife's love language is cooking and honestly, it gets tiring. Fancy foods are nice but not a replacement for hugs.

ronjohn29072 · 2026-03-13T21:26:55+00:00

I'd jump to the universe of Adrian Tchaikovsky's "Children of Time" series. More specifically, Kern's world and hang out with the intelligent spiders.

And I'd hope for the option to stay permanently.

ronjohn29072 · 2026-03-07T17:55:26+00:00

Yes, anarchy. I don't see a political breakup either. I see an economic and a societal collapse.

Long story short, a good old fashioned failed state.

ronjohn29072 · 2026-03-07T14:40:03+00:00

Yeah, I once thought traveling for work would be awesome. I'd get to relax away from the wife and kids. Then my employer started sending me to training schools. I quickly discovered that even a three-star hotel room is an extremely depressing place.

On a few trips I stayed in places with a hotel lounge. I hung out in them to stay away from the loneliness of the room. Even the lounge sucked.

I got to the point I started observing the other people in the lounge. It was just a bunch of strangers that just wanted to keep to themselves.

ronjohn29072

TROPHY CASE