Le grand nord

After seeing a post on Mastodon, I decided to start a new blog here. I liked the idea of an old-fashioned interface, but the clincher was the lack of algorithmic optimisation on the platform. I miss the idea of short to mid-form snippets, and of connecting with communities built through interest and cooperation rather than desire and competition.

Christmas here was calm and sober-ish. Today, I opted out of the post-Christmas chaos in town to continue work on a small project I am developing, a decision architecture that bakes in refusal instead of pushing optimisation or smoothness.

I took a short walk around the neighbourhood and was nearly blinded by the winter sun after being holed up in my cosy chrimbo warren. I had to run a few errands, contact lens solution, fruit, etc., and I have noticed that I have hit a plateau with my French learning. I am a solid B1, which is enough to survive comfortably, but not enough to express myself with fluidity and ease.

The words come out easily enough now, but like a fatigued and inexperienced gymnast, they often land in a kerfuffle or contortion, or just plonk. So, grammar books dusted off, Duolingo back in the core rotation.