seanbala

seanbala, 5 months ago (edited 5 months ago) to books

Looking to start new series for the coming year (second poll). Can you help me out #Bookstodon? Because you can only have for poll topics on Mastodon, this is the second poll asking for recommendations. I'll take the top two from both polls and do a final four poll. Go to the comments for a link to the first poll.

Feel free to comment on your choice below.

Thanks - happy reading in 2024!

#Books @bookstodon #SciFi #SpeculativeFiction #TheExpanse #Foundation #IsaacAsimov #Poll

seanbala, 11 months ago (edited 11 months ago) to mastodon

#Poll Question: If #Mastodon or the wider #Fediverse decided tomorrow that all instances had to be only one of these three choices, which kind would you choose to join? Feel free to comment why you made your choice.

And feel free to boost widely - quite curious about everyone's view!

#AskMastodon #AskFedi #Tech #Technology

seanbala, 9 months ago (edited 9 months ago) to solarpunk

Just finished "A Psalm for the Wild Built" by Becky Chambers. What a lovely book! Unique premise, beautiful writing, and an inspiring vision of a #Solarpunk world. It poses deep question that will sit with you long after you read it. I can't recommend it highly enough.

On a personal level, I've been working through questions about my vocation, and this book really went deeply to that place I've been at for the past few years.

#SciFi #SFF #books #bookstodon @bookstodon

seanbala, 10 months ago to fediverse

Just tried #Flipboard integration with Mastodon. I feel like it has a lot of potential! For me, it is actually a very easy way of looking through bookmarks.

What would really, really make it a fantastic experience is the ability to follow lists from Mastodon that we have created or even individual accounts (for example, some news sites or even things like @NewsDesk) - is that something in the cards for the future @Flipboard and @mike?

#ActivityPub #Mastodon #Fediverse

seanbala, 11 months ago (edited 11 months ago) to Christianity

Preparing the intercessions / prayers tomorrow for Church. It seems to me that when the #Episcopal Church updates the Book of Common Prayer, there is a real need to expand the prayers and meditations to reflect our grief and our calls around #ClimateChange. #Environmental breakdown stresses not only the physical or geological but also the mental, psychological, and spiritual. Religions have a vital role to play going forward.

#ClimateEmergency #Episcopalian #Anglican #Christianity

seanbala, 7 months ago to random

On Sunday, I received the news that my younger brother James Gurney passed away unexpectedly at the age of 27. James was immensely fun. The consummate performer - he loved people and he loved life. He also struggled with addiction and I am immensely proud of the fact that he had been in recovery and had made peace with himself and those around him. I wish I could have told him that before. Seems appropriate that today is All Souls when we remember those who have departed. Rest in Peace, Brother.

seanbala, 5 months ago (edited 5 months ago) to books

Looking start a new series in the coming year. Can you help me out #Bookstodon? Because you can only have four poll topics on Mastodon, I'll be posting a second polls with a few more options below. I'll take the top two from both rounds and make final four poll! Go to the comments for a link to the second poll.

Feel free to comment on your choice below.

Thanks - happy reading in 2024!

#Books @bookstodon #scifi #UrsulaKLeGuin #OctaviaEButler #MargaretAtwood #SpeculativeFiction #Poll

seanbala, 9 months ago to buddhism

Some pages for #FollowFriday - on #Buddhism

@BuddhismNow - online magazine

@ReadingFaithfully_org - online posts from #Theravada tradition

@obu - AMAZING comprehensive FREE online courses on a variety of topics. I'm doing one on the words of the #Buddha and I am loving it. #Education #OnlineLearning

@zenartcenter - #Zen #Art and #Poetry

@dharma - #Tibetan Buddhist Resources

And some groups:

@dhamma

@buddhism

Please share any groups or people to follow in the comments!

seanbala, 6 months ago to solarpunk

Finished "Station Eleven" yesterday - what a wonderful, life-affirming show! No exaggeration to say it is one of most beautiful and thought-provoking works of art I've encountered. Such a breath of fresh air to see an apocalyptic narrative where people come together rather than fight each other. It really captures what is best about humanity. And I think its focus on community makes it an excellent example of #Hopepunk or #Solarpunk. MUST WATCH!

#Television #StationEleven #SciFi #ScienceFiction

seanbala, 5 months ago to fediverse

Wow #Fediverse, thanks for the help! I am genuinely surprised at how close the results were. It looks like the recommendation is to try out the #Threadiverse (#Kbin and / or #Lemmy) first - but only by 1.8% over #Peertube! Y'all must know that I've been getting frustrated with #Reddit lately. I also appreciate the recommendations for other things to explore.

Now the question is Kbin or Lemmy? Or both? (any thoughts?)

https://mas.to/@seanbala/111541402571836032

#AskFedi #RedditMigration #Polls #Technology

seanbala, 11 months ago (edited 11 months ago) to delhi

Another day when it feels like #Delhi in #Chicago.

The most striking thing is that the air SMELLS like Delhi today.

Spouse and I spoke this morning about purchasing a supply of masks because this sort of thing is not really going away.

Be careful of the air - limit your time outside and wear a mask (N99 ideally, N95 if you've got it). You may not feel poorly right away it now but you will feel it later.

#ClimateDiary #ClimateChange #ClimateEmergency #wildfires #Pollution #ClimateChange

seanbala, 5 months ago to mastodon

Help! My main Mastodon page only loads the Home Feed. I can't access any of the menus on the top or the side. I am on Vivaldi. I can load my page through Elk and through the Side Panel just fine. But for the life of me, I cannot figure out what is going on. Any insights? I've attached a screenshot here.

@Vivaldi

#Mastodon #Vivaldi #Fediverse #Tech #Technology #FediHelp

seanbala, 3 months ago to india

It has been a while since I did a #FollowFriday post. I've been a bit nostalgic about #India lately -

@altlife - inspiring posts from #Pondicherry #Pondi

@Delhi - delightfully random #Delhi #Reddit posts #NewDelhi

@Deus - admin of Charcha.cc

@gernalist - #environmental #journalist in #Goa

@medievalindianhistory - #history

@OSMIndia - #openstreetmap #tech

@ssharadmohhan - #Art #MastoArt

@mizoraman - #Scientist #Nature #Wildlife

Do you have any other recommendations?

#mastindia

seanbala, 10 months ago (edited 10 months ago) to portland

I am in #Portland and went to Village Merchants, a local thrift store. In every thrift shop, I usually go straight for the books. At this shop next to the shelves were a stack of wrapped packages with "A Blind Date with a Book" written on the front. There are clues on the front and the back of the package.

Can #Bookstodon guess which one I got? (See Comments for Answer)

@bookstodon #books #reading #readingcommunity #travel #oregon #PNW #thrifting

seanbala, 3 months ago (edited 3 months ago) to art

Some new bookmaking projects! Got to try out some of the new books that I learned in my class on my own. More details in the thread below!

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#Bookmaking #Bookbinding #Craft #Crafts #Handmade #Handicraft #Art #MastoArt #Books #Bookstodon #Recycle #Reuse

seanbala, 10 months ago to portland

At Washington Park in Portland, Oregon.

#SilentSunday #Portland #Nature #Trees #TreesofMastodon #Oregon #PNW #Travel #TravelPhotography

seanbala, 10 months ago to books

Currently reading "The Simple Path to Wealth" and I was wondering if anyone has any recommendationa for similar book(s) about health, nutrition, diet, and / or exercise? Basically looking for resources with good, basic information with no tricks, gimmicks, or pseudoscience. The kind of stuff everyone should know. Thanks!

@bookstodon #bookstodon #books #health #nutrition #science #exercise #diet #healthy

seanbala, 9 months ago (edited 9 months ago) to books

Hey #Bookstodon - a question for you! Currently in India and purchasing #books to bring home. Planning on buying "The Priory of the Orange Tree" by Samantha Shannon. I've been wanting to read it but the library waiting list is 1,000 miles long.

Is it worth also buying its sequel "A Day of Fallen Night" as well?

Both are CRAZY cheap but quite thick. I also don't usually purchase both books in a series before reading the first. Thanks!

@bookstodon

#sff #fantasy #reading #readingcommunity

seanbala, 11 months ago to twitter

I've been thinking about the difference between the #Twitter and #Reddit implosions. I was not very invested in Twitter, so I did not feel like I have been missing much. But Reddit is a different story. I went through a bad period a few years ago and, far from being a cesspool, Reddit actually helped me pull myself out of my slump. Sharing with others on things I care about was a godsend. I don't care about Twitter - but I am sad about the stuff with Reddit and the loss of communities. 1/2

seanbala, 6 months ago (edited 5 months ago) to fediverse

I've been thinking about exploring another corner of the #Fediverse. I'm on #Mastodon and also #Pixelfed and #Bookwyrm.

Which should I explore next? Feel free to your experience or reasoning in the comments.

(REALLY wish Mastodon allowed for more than four poll answers!)

Please boost - thanks!

#AskFedi #Poll #Polls #Lemmy #Kbin #Funkwhale #Castopod #Peertube #Technology #Fedi

seanbala, 5 months ago to Youtube

Just tried #Piped for #Youtube and I found it slower than molasses. Tried creating my account and uploading my subscriptions. Worked for about 10 minutes and then wouldn't load anything.

Am I doing something wrong or am I getting a front-row seat for the deadly dance between YouTube and other front-ends?

@kavin

#Technology #Privacy #Tech #YT

seanbala, 5 months ago (edited 5 months ago) to books

Finally got around to some more bookmaking projects! This was my first attempt at doing cloth covers, and I tried making an accordion book with thicker paper and a Coptic stich sketchbook. I'm really proud of them and feel like each time they become a bit easier.

A few fun stories about some of them below.

#books #bookstodon #art #crafts #handmade #creativity #chicago #creative #bookbinding #crafting #bookmaking #bookbinding #mastoart

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seanbala, 11 months ago (edited 10 months ago) to chicago

Decided to make a simplified #Introduction post -

I'm Sean and I'm an American in #Chicago originally from the Adirondacks in Upstate New York. First-gen college grad with two degrees in comparative religions. Lived in #Delhi #India for 5 years and I currently work in #HigherEd.

I am interested in #ecology and #environment, #philosophy, and #ethics, and #religion. This interest came from my experience living outside #Delhi, one of the world's most polluted cities.

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seanbala, 6 months ago (edited 6 months ago) to fediverse

Listened to the "Dot Social" podcast from @Flipboard with @mike and @mmasnick. I enjoyed getting a view of the #Fediverse from the outside, and to be introduced to the philosophy around decentralized #technology.

https://about.flipboard.com/inside-flipboard/dot-social-mike-mccue-hosts-podcast-about-the-future-of-social-media/

1/4

#Podcast #Mastodon

seanbala, 8 months ago to mastodon

Heading back to the US and I've observed how differently my #Mastodon experience has been being in a new timezone. It has been so great to see new voices in my timeline (many whom I follow but did not hear much from). I heard some welcomed non-North American conversations. I go back a little more confident in the promise of the #Fediverse. Be sure to follow a range of voices around here. There are many cool corners of the Fediverse and it only takes a little effort to find new people.
#feditips