digitalfox @digitalfox@vulpine.club

This #introduction dossier details a classified Blappeture Mesa research project. The Enrichment Center would like to remind you of these mandatory safety and happiness guidelines:

1. Petting and patient discussion are encouraged. ⚠️​ Device size may vary.

2. The device will never threaten to bite you and, in fact, may hug you. Repeatedly. (With permission.)

3. The device is slow to respond. Your request will be processed.

#Art details/full resolution/extra story: https://www.furaffinity.net/view/27507881/

I've said I'm not sexually interested in the big and small, #macro / #micro, #size play, etc. The opposite, I find sex off-putting (but others are free to enjoy what they want).

So.. what about size *does* appeal to this #asexual, #autistic fox?

If you're familiar with The Magic School Bus and Clifford the Big Red Dog, combine those.

To me, with great size comes great responsibility.. and inversely, with small size comes reduced responsibility. When I'm large, I lean into my protectiveness for others, e.g. scooping someone up to guard them from the world outside, to lift some of the weight that's on their shoulders.

That said, I do like to non-harmfully tease, affectionately roughhousing, focusing the tiny critter's attention on the moment, distracting from the concerns of the world beyond. I won't talk down to them, but I will press down on them and show them I've got them.

Inversely, when I'm small, I appreciate having a place where it's okay to be overwhelmed, where failure to take charge is expected and without bad consequence. Take what I said before and flip the roles around.

I'm also fascinated by the science of size, of a tiny in a gigantic world (e.g. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs) or a giant navigating a normal world.

@Azure @Vyzie Big soft fox!
https://www.deviantart.com/gaudibuendia/art/Winter-fox-459709687

Shared with me by Christy. deviantArt later added logins to download, so I've reshared it here: https://vulpine.engineer/sync/bf/art/others/gaudibuendia/winter_fox_by_gaudibuendia_d7lp69j.jpg?fed
If you share, please give credit to the original artist.

#PSA: #Dropbox won't sync folders & files with 4-byte #Unicode names, e.g. modern #emoji:
https://www.dropboxforum.com/t5/Dropbox-files-folders/Dropbox-not-syncing-files-with-emojis-in-the-filename/m-p/420277/highlight/true#M155507

Even worse, the only indication is if you browse to the file to check the sync indicator - Dropbox's status icon won't show an error.

Quickly check on Linux with…
find "$HOME/Dropbox" -regex $'.*[\U10000-\U10FFFF].*'

website: Enable two-factor auth for better security!

me: Sure, do you support one-time passwords via app? SMS is prone to SIM hijacking.

website: Sure do, set up your app here! We'll even suggest you disable SMS auth!

me: Well, no need, I never gave you my number. *sets up andOTP app*

website: Success! But also you must enable two-factor auth for better security!

me: What‽ …fine, I'll do SMS as well, then remove it afterwards.

me: *adds SMS two-factor auth which ALSO requires typing in a one-time password from andOTP*

website: You're all good!

me: *aggressively removes SMS two-factor auth*

website: Enable two-factor auth for better security!

me: *angry noises 💢💢💢*

Looks like this might be a case of "increasing" security by making my account more vulnerable to SIM hijacking, doing things, then removing my phone number to "decrease" security and force app-based one-time passwords when I don't need to use the website.

(Maybe after they finish identity verification they'll let me keep SMS two-factor auth removed? Perhaps they didn't expect someone to try their hardest to skip SMS straight to app-based OTP.)

My patience for this financial website is very limited.

As an autistic person aiming to brave the workplace soon, I'm excited to see there's a dedicated tag for this:
https://workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/autism-spectrum

I can't attest to the accuracy or usefulness of the answers, and it also includes neurotypical folks asking about interacting with autistic folks, so browse with some caution.

That said, I've at least found this question/answer helpful:
https://workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/147844/responding-to-social-invitations-with-autism

#Autism #Autistic #Workplace #Mental_Health #MentalHealth

I'm feeling inspired after watching…
https://youtube.com/watch?v=Zk2xso7HZIs "A Mostly Thorough Guide to Learning Electronic Music Production", by Red Means Recording, 29m:47s

Though it covers electronic music production, various aspects are about music in general, too. The suggested interactive guides look nice to try.

And the end emphasizes how #music #production is a broad subject, so you shouldn't get discouraged by earlier efforts not working out the way you want.

I've said this before, but.. vulpine.club calling favorites "licks" certainly, uh, encourages flustering thoughts of a particular nature when someone I feel shy looking up to helpfully acknowledges my posts by licking them.

(And I do genuinely appreciate clear acknowledgment of receipt. Thank you.)

@Azure Have you heard of The Sound Traveler?
https://youtube.com/c/TheSoundTraveler

Binaural audio recordings of visiting various places, intended for listening with headphones. Exploration that focuses more on sound over sight!

Watching this video by Destin brought something to mind…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVaUoyabjAg "YouTube is Changing - Smarter Every Day 266", 23m:58s
(Lots of talking to the camera/eye contact)

I'm very quick to try to change what I do or say - I mimic others. It seems to be a masking strategy for #autism to better fit into a situation.

Sometimes I don't even know what I want. Other times I get upset about feeling ignored when the other side doesn't even realize I wanted something different. And while I feel we should adapt in some ways (e.g. examining cultural biases), it shouldn't mean trying to make oneself the most appealing to any given crowd.

I don't fully know what to do yet, just that I'm thinking about this.

"It needs to be rugged. It needs to be something people are able to step on a lot without worrying […]"
(Excerpt from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Av7eKzRve8&t=306 "i restored some arcade dance pads to their former glory", 5m:06s into 14m:10s total, by kkclue)

Hash tag micro fox life goal - firmly stepping on me as much as one wishes without any concern, please >.>';

(Why yes, I have been recently appreciating my weighted blankets when sleeping. Good anti-anxiety helper. Might be time to get the spare mattress to plop atop myself too.)

I sometimes hesitate when posting, concerned that someone will see me being active here, then assume I'm ignoring their private messages.

But.. that's not really my responsibility, maybe?

While I sometimes miss messages (especially things like Discord where my IRC bridge gets randomly interrupted), I'm usually pretty good at noticing.

Right now, I'm just.. caught between being too tired out by family stuff to really exist (no real time chat) but also wanting social interaction (hence sporadic posting here). Still adapting to what's going on.

While I'm annoyed with clickbait, I hadn't considered careful, truthful use of it as a way to get more folks interested in science, nature, technology, etc:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2xHZPH5Sng "Clickbait is Unreasonably Effective", 19m25s, by Veritasium

So-called "anti-clickbait" was also mentioned, where one e.g. asks a question in the title and answers it in the video thumbnail, removing the need to watch (it's something I've found nice).

I'm still annoyed from the perspective of not knowing when folks are being misleading, but I'm at least a bit less annoyed now at folks engaging in a bit of marketing with good intention.

There can be a remarkable difference between "wanting to do [blank]" and "having the energy for doing [blank]."

(I've achieved a tiny start to some of my blankness at least.)

I saw this commercial for a comfortable seat cushion and was reminded of @owashii and @artemis for some reason…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FP_akuE2CnM
"Egg Sitter from JML", 2m46s

(Found via https://www.reddit.com/r/wheredidthesodago/comments/k35em2/robin_laid_an_egg_it_was_delicious/ )

…supposedly one can sit on an egg without breaking it. Might be a useful addition to anyone with tiny critters around?

Curious about the Flipper Zero development ( https://flipperzero.one/ ), only to find this unsettling pixel art tucked away among lots of other cute and useful animations:
https://github.com/flipperdevices/flipperzero-firmware/blob/9b8a139e2b026d373166ab89b865f83003afc03b/assets/icons/Animations/KnifeActive_128x51/frame_02.png
(CW: a cartoon 128×51 pixel dolphin excessively smiling at you while holding a knife, from https://github.com/flipperdevices/flipperzero-firmware/pull/835 )

I have.. questions about what I might do that would have Flipper act this way.

I do appreciate that they're giving this device personality and having fun with it instead of it being purely utilitarian. In theory, someone could make a fox-themed version (Xenia perhaps?).

Dune is a good movie.

(I don't have any insightful commentary, too tired for that. I just enjoyed it.)

(Also amused that the weird flashlight briefly shown is something you can buy: https://www.reddit.com/r/flashlight/comments/qkqkud/dune_flashlight_is_a_modded_nightcore_lr12/ )

The only downside to a nice dream of a friend affectionately pressing/stepping on me is waking up and realizing how much I actually long for tangible, firm hug.

There's nothing wrong with online interaction, it's not lesser in terms of emotional connection. I just wish physical touch was easier to send and receive when not face to face.

(One of these years I'll make that digitally-controlled hug machine that I talked about previously: https://vulpine.club/@digitalfox/105984166475980068 Until then, I appreciate having a friend who both introduced me to weighted blankets and sent me their prior shoe inserts as a simple but effective reminder of their willingness to press on me even when I'm too worn out to respond.)

Nearing 2 consecutive weeks of absence from online real-time conversation, up to 4 weeks if overlooking two six hour moments of poking in. I previously checked in every few days. And, sadly, I don't see myself returning this weekend, either.

I am emotionally exhausted by other matters in life.

I keep thinking a family health situation I'm concerned about (but can't really do much about) is going to resolve, but it keeps stretching on… I usually am good at not worrying about things I can't help; I guess I might be wishing I could do something.

(And other stuff going on too.)

I'm not giving up. Just.. sorting things out.