Helixx

@helixandra

Interested in stuff; no time for bigots. Fond of nature and science, the differences between cultures, board gaming. I like to learn about things I didn't know I didn't know. ALT: Profile picture is two eyeballs on stalks, photo is inside Froghall tunnel.

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Bluesky

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Helixx@helixandra· 14d

Now I am assuming that you sleep in your kitchen! Frogs are such sweet visitors. Every night I check the back door of the house to see if our friend is there. If I'm early to bed, it's usually at knee height but if it's late, it looks down from the top.

Evening frog. I think it's a gray tree frog. It has pale, slightly bumpy skin and dark eyes. It is on the outside of the door, feet splayed, sitting on the vertical glass surface like gravity is an optional extra. It seems to be peering in and judging me to be too big of a bug to be eaten and too entranced to be a threat.

Helixx@helixandra· Jul 10

Even at these prices, I don't have the gas tank capacity for $86.47, but I do this: $25.47 #resist

Gas pump readout:
Puchase $25.47
Gallons 6.532
25.47 Signifying that the 25th Amendment (section 4) should be employed to remove president 47 because he is mentally/physically unable to discharge the duties of his office.

Helixx@helixandra· Jan 16

A dull fail today, rather than a spectacular one, for #PhotoFailFriday Here is Spud, the boiled-potato of a bird who I will, one day, get in focus. But not today. #WorstBirdPic

Spud, our local leucistic goldfinch. They are not albino but they don't have the darker pigment, so they are essentially the same colour as a boiled potato.
Spud is looking slightly to the left of camera as if to say: "Even when I sit still you can't take a decent photo of me!"

Helixx@helixandra· Jan 2

Yes! Let’s definitely start off the new year with some photo fails for #PhotoFailFriday This is a leucistic American goldfinch and not a boiled potato falling off the bird feeder, honest! #WorstBirdPic

A bird feeder hosting three out of focus American goldfinches in their winter plumage. One sits on a perch, one stands on the edge of the tray and the third is an indistict pale blob on the left. The pale one is leucistic: it lacks the black pigment, so the normally dark feathers are creamy.

Helixx@helixandra· Dec 20

We're not a household that does xmas, but a friend (and evil genius) has made us the Best Decoration Ever and it may stay up all year. Introducing the googly-eyed snowflake!

A machine-embroidered snowflake in white, with blue edging and a white ribbon tied in a bow. It has six little googly eyes around the central pattern. It's perfect!

Helixx@helixandra· Nov 21

I love my bone-conduction headphones. They don't occlude the ears at all: they sit in front of the ear, on the cheekbone. They don't interfere with glasses. I listen to so many audio books!

An left ear with bone-conduction headphones which sit in front of the ear. Glasses are also being worn.

Helixx@helixandra· Nov 15

I have a whole file of these for when I need a giggle. I think this was a cardinal. Or a house finch. Anyway, it had perfect timing. (Toes are top right). #PhotoFailFriday #birds #WorstBirdPic

A wooden railing which is perfectly in focus, a nicely blurry background and, top right, the rapidly disappearing feet of a bird which has been the intended subject of a fantastic photo.

Helixx@helixandra· Oct 10

The Nobel Peace Prize 2025 goes to Maria Corina Machado for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy. And it comes with a reminder for us all.

"When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognise courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist. Democracy depends on people who refuse to stay silent, who dare to step forward despite grave risk, and who remind us that freedom must never be taken for granted, but must always be defended – with words, with courage and with determination."

From the press release of the Nobel Peace Prize 2025 awarded to Maria Corina Machado.
https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/2025/press-release/

Helixx@helixandra· Sep 27

I love these! It does bug me that the sizes aren't shown as a pic amongst the designs, and there's no actual link to the website/item where the size chart lives; it would be great if you could add it. In the meantime here's the info I found. Your designs are so cool.

Next Level Apparel style #3600 cotton t-shirt size chart
Link to item: https://www.nextlevelapparel.com/products/unisex-cotton-t-shirt-blue-jean
Size chart is linked from that page

Helixx@helixandra· Aug 10

Thank you to @iododds.bsky.social and to @werkoderko.bsky.social (and happy birthday). Thanks for my favourite juxtaposition of the day. You made my doomscrolling much brighter.

Two coincidentally adjacent posts on Bluesky.
Io Dodds says: "if one were to become enlightened, and attain Buddahood, one would no longer need material possessions
and yet, if one truly had achieved this goal... might one not also deserve a little treat?"
Sophia Jetta says, as if in accidental answer: "Birthday titimasu, bitches!". The post is accompanied by a photo of what I now also want for breakfast (tirimasu) despite it not being my birthday.

Helixx@helixandra· Jun 3

I found this dog-with-cone-hat in Co. Dublin, Ireland. Google were kind enough to blur their face to avoid embarrassment. It may be the same dog!

Streetview from Google Maps showing a person walking their dog. The dog is in front of an orange traffic cone, such that the latter appears to be a tall, pointy hat. The faces of human and dog are both blurred for privacy.
It may be that the hat is shooting out wiggly yellow lasers, or it may just be that the cone is at the end of double yellow lines on the road.

Helixx@helixandra· Apr 21

My toast tongs make me happy

Duck-head shaped toast tongs. The head part is white plastic. The beak part is yellow and grippy. Good for grabbing toast or for sneaking up on spouse while making "quack quack" noises.

Helixx@helixandra· Apr 7

Protest sign.
Compare:
1 million seconds = 12 days
1 billion seconds = 31.6 years
TAX THE RICH

Helixx@helixandra· Apr 1

I'm a bit late but it's a fantastic idea. I love the goofy pics. Here's a psycho swan that when I wouldn't share my veggies had a serious think about whether it could use scissors!

Psycho swan! A mute swan leaning in through the galley hatch (i.e. the kitchen window) of my narrowboat and eyeing the scissors.
The water outside is rust colour because of iron ore leaching into the water of the Trent and Mersey Canal, UK.

Helixx@helixandra· Mar 11

In terms of game text being funny, rather than situational humour or player reaction, I'd add Braggart. It's consistently amusing.

Braggart card game by Kyle Daniel, published by Spiral Galaxy Games & 8th Summit. Plays 2-6, 30-45 mins, age 10+. Four cards are laid out to make a story (scoring 18 points)-

Scene: While possessed by the spirit of a long-dead warlord...
Deed: I accidentally summoned...
Foe: ...a coven of pompous cultists
Result: ...and I am probably a better person for it!

Helixx@helixandra· Feb 27

Boril made an inspired and inspiring demonstration of how to resist! Your article was only made better by the position of the banner part way down the page. 🤣

Article excerpt including a banner part way down the page:

Boril started her testimony by referring to French as "Madame Chairman":
"Hello, thank you Madam Chairman. As the senate overwhelmingly voted yes-"
French cut her off, saying:
[Banner] OH MYYY
"You can call me Mr. Chairman if you want."

Helixx@helixandra· Jan 16

A badly and indistinctly (but happily) drawn bobtail-like squid-ish creature in pencil and red pen, waving a "happy birthday human" flag. The squid faces left.

Helixx@helixandra· Jan 14

Cover of Factfulness by Hans Rosling, with Ola Rosling and Anna Rosling Rönnlund
"Ten reasons we're wrong about the world - and why things are better than you think"

Helixx@helixandra· Nov 26

Expect Delays is a nice example: the box is the playing surface, designed to make the game playable in while travelling.