Tags: #fantasy #shortstory

Deep in the ancient woods, where sunlight struggled to pierce through the dense canopy of gnarled branches, there lived a girl named Lila. Her father called her “wild-hearted,” for no threat of wolves or whispers of spirits could keep her from wandering the forest paths. The village elders said she was reckless, but she thought them cowards who saw shadows where there were none. Lila trusted her instincts, and they had never led her astray—until that night.

The day had begun like any other. Lila set out at dawn with her woven basket, eager to gather mushrooms and berries. She knew every path, every clearing, and every tree older than her father. Yet, by the time the golden hour bathed the forest in an amber haze, Lila realized she had wandered too far.

The trees here stood unnaturally still. Their trunks twisted like the spines of ancient beasts, and their leaves whispered secrets in a language she could not understand. A shiver ran down her spine as she noticed something peculiar—there was no sound. No birds sang, no squirrels chittered, not even the wind dared to disturb this place.

“Just a little farther,” Lila murmured to herself, clutching her basket tightly. She thought she saw the glint of a stream ahead, its silvery promise of fresh water pulling her forward.

The stream was there, but so was something else.

It stood on the opposite bank, motionless, a silhouette against the twilight gloom. At first, Lila thought it was a person tall, gaunt figure draped in what looked like a cloak made of shadows. But then she noticed the gaps. Its form wasn’t solid but riddled with empty spaces, as if pieces of it had been carved away.

Its face—or what should have been its face—was worse. It was smooth, featureless, and pale, like bone polished by years of wind and rain. Yet, Lila could feel its gaze upon her, heavier than any pair of eyes.

“Hello?” she called, her voice trembling.

The entity tilted its head. The movement was unnaturally slow, deliberate, like a marionette being guided by invisible strings. She had heard of these in stories around the campfire. Hollow Walkers.

Lila stepped back, her boots sinking into the damp moss. Every instinct screamed at her to run, but something rooted her in place. The figure raised one hand, its long fingers ending in sharp points, and pointed toward the dark woods behind it.

“Follow.”

The voice wasn’t spoken aloud. It echoed inside her head, cold and hollow, like wind whistling through a broken flute.

Lila’s heart hammered in her chest, yet her feet moved unbidden. She crossed the stream, the icy water soaking her boots, and stood before the Hollow Walker. Up close, the air around it felt wrong, too cold for the summer evening.

“Why?” she managed to whisper.

It did not answer. Instead, it turned and began moving through the forest, its movements eerily silent. Lila hesitated only a moment before following, her curiosity warring with her fear.

The path it led her down was one she had never seen before, though it seemed impossibly ancient. The trees arched overhead, their gnarled branches forming a tunnel that blocked out the sky. Strange fungi glowed faintly along the roots, casting the ground in a sickly green light.

“Where are you taking me?” Lila asked.

It did not answer.

The Hollow Walker glided ahead, its form an unsettling shadow among the glowing fungi and ancient trees. Lila followed hesitantly, her every instinct urging her to turn back. But a deeper curiosity compelled her forward, mingling with a strange sense of trust she couldn't explain.

The unnatural tunnel seemed endless, yet the eerie green light of the fungi provided just enough illumination to keep her from stumbling. As she walked, her thoughts strayed to the stories she had heard as a child—whispers of ancient guardians and places lost to time.

“Why me?” she asked aloud, her voice trembling but steady enough to carry.

“You are wild-hearted,” It finally said, the voice echoed in her mind, resonant and cold. “You see where others fear to look. You hear where others refuse to listen.” The compliment, if it was one, sent a chill down her spine. She tightened her grip on her basket, the rough weave grounding her.

Finally, the tunnel widened into a vast clearing. At its center stood a great stone altar, overgrown with glowing moss and vines. Around it, the air shimmered with faint, golden light. It was beautiful, yet there was a sadness to it, as though the place had been waiting too long for someone to come.

The Hollow Walker stopped before the altar and turned to face her. Up close, its form was even stranger. The gaps in its body seemed to shift and swirl, revealing glimpses of distant stars and endless voids.

“Restore the light,” it said, raising its long, pointed fingers toward the altar. “The forest suffers. The balance falters.”

Lila hesitated, her gaze flickering to the altar. “How?” she asked. “What can I do?”

The Hollow Walker extended its hand, palm upward. Resting there was a small, glowing seed, pulsing faintly like a heartbeat. It was warm, a stark contrast to the icy presence of the Walker.

“Plant it,” the voice said.

Taking a deep breath, Lila stepped forward. Her fear melted into determination as she knelt before the altar. She brushed aside the glowing moss, revealing rich, dark soil beneath. Carefully, she pressed the seed into the ground and covered it. For a moment, nothing happened.

Then, a soft hum filled the air. The ground beneath her hands warmed, and a golden light began to spread from the spot where the seed was buried. Tiny shoots emerged, growing impossibly fast, twisting upward into a radiant tree. Its branches sparkled with crystalline leaves, and its trunk shimmered with veins of gold. The light it cast was warm and soothing, chasing away the cold, eerie atmosphere of the forest.

Lila stood, brushing dirt from her hands. “What happens now?” she asked, her voice steadier than she expected.

“The forest will heal. And so will you.”

Before she could ask what it meant, the Hollow Walker began to dissolve. Its shadowy form scattered like smoke in the wind, leaving only a faint shimmer where it had stood. For a moment, she thought she felt its gratitude, a quiet warmth that settled in her chest.

The forest around her transformed. The twisted trees straightened, their leaves regaining vibrant greens. Birds began to sing, and the air filled with the sound of rustling leaves and babbling streams. It was as though life had returned in an instant.

Lila smiled, her fear replaced by awe. She turned to leave, her heart lighter than it had been in years. As she retraced her steps, the glowing fungi dimmed, their purpose fulfilled. When she emerged back into the familiar parts of the forest, the golden hour sunlight warmed her face.

“Fantasy Forest” by sebilden is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

tags: #uspol #musing #essay

When I booted up my laptop, opened the drafting page to my #writefreely blog, I did not know what i would write. What you are reading is a flow of consciousness I am making while I try to process my feelings, thoughts, and opinions around the events the world has been going through.

When humanity came out of the COVID pandemic, many thought (including myself) that hope and reason were back on the horizon. President Biden, though not a really good choice, had done a lot to try and improve the damage done by Donald Trump, the vaccine was going quickly, the economy was rebuilding, and we were improving faster than many countries around the world. The United States was back on track to become a trusted ally again with the rest of the world. Then 2024 happened.

We have now dealing with: + The election of a convicted felon to the office of the presidency. + The attempted overthrow of the South Korean government. + The assassination of the CEO of United Healthcare. + The current president Biden considering preemptive pardons to stop the inevitable revenge from the adjudicated rapist.

What the fuck is going on?

There is so much hate.

It's unfortunate but I have a sneaky suspicion that we have reached a point in our modern civilization where the cracks that we have been pretending don't exist are no so exposed that there is no way to continue hiding it. There is only one collective emotion left. Hate.

MAGA supporters voted in a criminal because they hate the liberals. The assassin who killed the United Healthcare CEO appears to have done it out of hate for insurance(This is based on reporting at the time of this article about the writing on the bullets that mock the tactics of insurance companies to not pay out claims), and the hate of people against others.

I am not a soothsayer nor a political analyst but the writing on the wall seems the point of changing our course towards the violence that is coming was back in 2015. The hate is not going to go away until it burns itself out and it's going to be destructive.

The Next Four Years

I am an optimist. I want to believe the best of people but I have also studied enough history to know when people get this angry, there is very little that can be done to stop it. Under Trump (I refuse to call a convicted criminal President), we are going to see the christo-fascist Nazis exact revenge for the perceived slights of 2020 to 2024. We're going to see worse than children in cages if the Republicans in Congress don't wake up.

I don't have a lot of hope but I do know that I haven't given up. I plan to continue to help my fellow humans, but I have reached the point that I think people are done talking because nobody was listening.

Violence is never the answer until you make it the only answer left.

A Quiet Place on the Fediverse

tags: #infosec #fediverse

It would be an understatement to say that the recent U.S. #elections didn’t exactly go smoothly, and it’s left a lot of people feeling uneasy about the next few years. Whether it’s the chaos of the results or the ongoing fallout, many are already looking for safer spaces to weather the storm. For those of us on the #fediverse, the pressure’s on to find places where we can just exist without the constant noise and toxicity that’s been so hard to avoid. As things continue to unfold, it’s likely we’ll see more people flocking to smaller, tighter-knit communities—places where moderation is strong, and the focus is on creating a space for real conversation, away from the chaos of the wider internet.

The ION Network

Right now, social media networks like #Mastodon rely on an open federation model, where servers can connect with just about anyone, and that creates some serious moderation challenges. Harmful users or groups can easily slip through the cracks by joining open-registration servers, and even if you block them, they can just pop up again on a different server. The idea behind this proposal is to switch things up with an allowlist-only system, where servers only federate with others they’ve specifically approved. This way, we create smaller, more manageable communities that are easier to keep safe and moderate. It’s all about limiting federation to trusted servers, making the whole network a lot more secure.

In this system, servers would need to mutually agree to connect, which means the network is built on trust. There’d be a published allowlist to show which servers are part of the network, and new servers could join after a provisional period. Sure, it’s still a work in progress and comes with some challenges—like how to keep the allowlist updated and how to make sure it scales—but the idea is really about giving users a safer, more controlled space. With smaller, curated communities, moderation could be more proactive, and users would have a better sense of security knowing they’re not likely to run into abusive or harmful content.

Oliphant does a good explanation with his blog on the subject

Places to Sign up as a User

If you are a user that is looking for a place to sign up for the ION network, there are already a few choices made available. There are some instances that are open to sign ups here:

• Island Uno
• Island Dos
  
• Island Tres
• Canary Island
• Epic Worlds

Places to Join as an Instance

If you own an instance or are looking to setup an instance yourself, you can find the instructions to do so at the repo setup to help!

It is important to have tools like this available especially with the direction this might go.

Tags: #uspol #politics

Even when I wrote the title for this post, I could feel how much that the sentence failed to capture the feeling everyone who wasn't a fascist was feeling. The 2024 #election did not go the direction that a lot of people thought. I mean, look at how much the #gop was fighting to change laws, to purge voter rolls, and all the other nefarious plans to steal the election. They thought they were going to lose as much as the #Democrats thought they were going to win. Everyone was caught off guard.

Since then, I have watched the hastags on the #fediverse, followed some of the content of YouTubers that I trust and caught up on a lot of the talk on corpo social media. There is a few things I found that surprised me.

Everyone is Standing Together

I think the thing that surprised me the most is that across the internet among the communities I follow, there have been an outpouring of support for the vulnerable groups that are going to be targeted by thew new regime coming in. Support links, advice, mentions of communities they can hide in. I did not see anything like this in the 2016 election.

I'm confident it is because we know what we're getting into but instead of just fury, there is also the helping of one another. That brought me to tears more than the loss of the election.

In a country that I had thought had lost this, I was happy to see that I was wrong. I'm doing better today because of the kindness and camaraderie that I have seen.

All is Not Lost

I know I say this and it has been only three days since the election loss. But I think it is something that needs to be said. We all had a lot of hope that the healing that President Biden had been bringing to this country after the damage Trump inflicted would continue under Vice President Harris. No, she was not the best choice but she was the only choice we had in time and I think the best chance of trying to win. She ran a good campaign and I'm proud of have had a sign for her and voted for her.

The reason I say there is hope in these coming times is because of the following things:

• Even if the GOP have a trifecta (control of the House, Senate, and White House), the cowardly Republicans are going to still play it safe when it comes to their own seats. They are still at the whim of their voters and things like Project 2025 have been detested by Americans on both sides of the line. I'm thinking that they may start small to see how much they can get away with and we have the ACLU to fight them tooth and claw. (The ACLU is always looking for donations to help the good fight).
• We only have to wait two years before we can vote again to remove the assholes from power. The House of Representatives come up once every two years and if you remember, the Trump Economy and situation was so bad, that the GOP lost so many seats. Also in the 2026 mid terms, not only are the 435 House seats not back open, 35 Senate seats will also and more than half of them held by Republicans.
• You are still here. I don't want this to sound hokey but you are still here. We were beaten, we are angry and disgusted at what our fellow citizens chose. But we are still here to fight for the rights of people to be safe, to be themselves, and for women to have full autonomy of their bodies. Right now there is nothing we can do but the time is coming to fight back again.

It will be dark Before it Becomes light

I won't lie to you or ramp my optimism up to 1000%. What is coming is dark and we are about to go through some bad times again. Unlike 2016, we know how bad of a leader Trump and his sycophants are but this time, we're dealing with someone who looks as if they are in the throes of dementia, who cares nothing for anyone but himself, and ready to appoint Nazis to positions of power.

Don't give up! We have been lucky that many of the fascists in Trump's circle are stupid. I mean, they wrote their entire plan out in a manifesto and published it for the world to see. They gave us the blueprint on how to block them.

But even stupid fascists are dangerous. We will need to keep putting pressure on our representatives and senators to make sure they don't stray (or give into their worst impulses if you live in a red state) and continue to point out that we are up against actual Nazis and that we will not accept a Christo-fascist theocracy. I believe in separation of Church and State and it is our right to speak, believe, and live the way we want to.

Hang in there! We'll get through this together.

I had some spare cores on my proxmox server and I decided that I wanted to self host my own matrix server again. When I had gone to the official matrix-synapse page, I found that a lot had changed and, unfortunately, there install instructions are quite complicated unless you have a deep understanding of their system.

So! I decided to put together my own, little tutorial and some of the hurdles that I ran into and what wasn't clear to me.

Installing was the easy part. You can easily follow the tutorial that conduit has right here. Here are some of the hurdles I ran into

Reverse Proxy is a Little Finicky

I am using a reverse proxy where I have one machine taking all the connections and sending the traffic to a cluster of machines that I have in the backend. The Reverse proxy was not as easy as I thought it would be. I had decided to set mine up on port 8448 to receive the federated traffic while conduit itself ran on port 6167. When I initially setup my server config (I am using NGINX) I had the first server config grab the traffic and send it directly to 6167. It did NOT like that.

Let's say the internal IP address of my DMZ server is 192.168.10.1 and the machine that conduit is running on is 192.168.10.2. What I had to do was send the traffic from 192.168.10.1:8448 to 192.168.10.2:8448 and then the server config on 10.2 then had to be sent to 6167. I tried a few different ways and this was the only one I got to work. Maybe it's my lack of experience?

Also! One of the other quirks of this program is that it doesn't like http in any part of the flow. If you have your SSL certificates on the DMZ machine for 8448 and you're sending traffic to the internal 8448, conduit expects there to be certificates there too, even if the traffic is already being encrypted as the DMZ and the internal server is not at risk. It can even be different certificates. They just have to be there. If you don't do this you'll get a message along the lines of “Received an HTTP request when it should have been HTTPS” even though the entry server is SSL secured.

Here are the nginx config examples:

DMZ Server (192.168.10.1)

server {
        listen 8448;
        server_name WEBSITE.NAME;

        ssl_certificate /path/to/ssl/certificates/fullchain.pem;
        ssl_certificate_key /path/to/ssl/certificates/privkey.pem;

        ssl_protocols TLSv1.2 TLSv1.3;  # Ensure these protocols are enabled
        ssl_ciphers 'HIGH:!aNULL:!MD5';  # Use strong cipher

        location / {
                proxy_pass http://192.168.10.2:8448; #Not real. Just used for example.
                proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $remote_addr;
        }

Conduit Server (192.168.10.2)

server {
    listen 8448 ssl;
    listen [::]:8448 ssl;

    server_name WEBSITE.NAME
    merge_slashes off;

    # Nginx defaults to only allow 1MB uploads
    # Increase this to allow posting large files such as videos
    client_max_body_size 20M;

        ssl_certificate /path/to/ssl/certificates/fullchain.pem;
        ssl_certificate_key /path/to/ssl/certificates/privkey.pem;

    location /_matrix/ {
        proxy_pass http://192.168.10.2:6167$request_uri;
        proxy_set_header Host $http_host;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
        proxy_buffering off;
        proxy_read_timeout 5m;

    }

}

Getting Admin Privileges for your new Server

If you have used Matrix Synapse in the past, you are probably used to being able to generate an admin user right up front with the CLI. This is not possible with conduit and it took me awhile (plus with some help from the users over at # conduit:fachschaften.org to get me on the right direction.

Once you are certain your server is up and running and the federation is working on 8448, you'll need to register an account with your new server first. This means going to a place that you can sign up for a server and go through the registration steps. I went to element.io, selected register, entered my own server's domain name, and then went through the registration process. You will need to give the registration code that you setup in conduit-example.toml and once it's done registering, you will then need to login with the said username and password. Again, I used Element. Once you do that, the very first account that logs in will be granted admin rights and it will generate a room named @conduit: and there you will be able to issue admin commands.

And that's it!

I hope this helps anyone else who was stumbling over Conduit and if this was obvious, well...I then have a lot more to learn.

If you've spent any time with Japanese media, you've likely encountered the story of a character being pursued by multiple members of the opposite gender. This is the hallmark of the harem genre, which has become both popular and somewhat controversial over the years (Ayers). While the concept may seem familiar, especially with its historical roots, the harem genre in Japanese media is quite different from its Western associations.

In the West, the term “harem” typically suggests the image of a group of women collected for the pleasure of nobility, sometimes linked with the idea of a brothel (“Harem”). However, in Japanese culture, the meaning is less about possession or sexual fantasy and more aligned with feelings of affection and romantic interest. The harem genre is considered a form of moé (萌え), a term used to describe the strong emotional attachment or affection felt towards characters in anime, manga, video games, and other media directed at the otaku community. Moé can refer to affection for any subject, but in the context of the harem genre, it captures the romantic attention the protagonist receives (“Moe (slang)”).

In the Japanese context, a harem typically involves three or more characters of the opposite gender who are romantically or affectionately interested in the protagonist. While most harem stories feature a male protagonist surrounded by female pursuers, there are also examples where the roles are reversed or where the characters are of the same gender (“Tropes”). This emotional and romantic dynamic, rather than a purely sexual one, is what defines the harem genre in Japan, making it distinct from the traditional Western view.

Classical Literature and Early Influences and Early influence on the Genre

The idea of romantic entanglements and relationships involving multiple love interests isn't new to Japanese storytelling. Long before the modern harem genre became popular in anime and manga, these themes were explored in classical Japanese literature. One of the best-known examples is The Tale of Genji, written by Murasaki Shikibu in the 11th century. Often called the world’s first novel, The Tale of Genji revolves around the life of Hikaru Genji, a nobleman known for his numerous romantic relationships. Genji’s love life is complex, as he juggles affection for several women, each with her own distinct role in his story. While the tone is serious and deeply emotional, these entangled relationships are early examples of the kind of romantic complexity we now see in the harem genre.(“The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica”)

The Tale of Genji digs deep into the emotions and societal rules surrounding love and desire. Genji’s relationships aren’t just casual affairs, they involve a lot of emotional and social intricacies. For example, his secret love for his stepmother and his encounters with women from various social classes bring out themes of jealousy, obligation, and heartache. These themes where the protagonist is surrounded by multiple romantic interests, leading to complicated situations—are very similar to what we see in modern harem stories. Even though The Tale of Genji doesn’t have the lighthearted or comedic tone typical of today’s harem genre, it laid some of the groundwork for exploring relationships in this way. Besides The Tale of Genji, other early Japanese works also played with the idea of love triangles or multiple lovers. For instance, stories like the Ise Monogatari and Tosa Nikki tell tales of protagonists caught up in romantic relationships with more than one partner. These stories, like Genji’s, dealt with the emotional complexity and social consequences of such relationships, something that’s still present in modern harem narratives, though often with a more humorous or exaggerated twist.

When we compare these classical works to today’s harem genre, we can see a big difference in tone. The older stories were more about emotional depth and navigating social expectations, while modern harem anime and manga tend to lean more into comedy, fantasy, or even fanservice. Still, the basic concept of a central character being pursued by multiple romantic interests has remained a constant theme throughout the ages.

Post-War Era and the Rise of Manga/Anime

The modern harem genre really began to take shape in post-war Japan, especially through manga and anime. After World War II, Japan underwent a lot of cultural shifts, including changes in how stories were told in popular media. Manga and anime became huge platforms for exploring all kinds of new themes, including romance. As Japanese society began to rebuild, there was a shift in cultural norms and expectations when it came to pursuit of a marriage partner. (von Feigenblatt 643) Japanese culture at the time focused on stability with family building instead of any love or attraction between the partners but with the introduction of western ideals, young men and women who survived the war began to prioritize compatibility over what was previously expected. (von Feigenblatt 644)

One of the most influential early examples of the harem genre in manga and anime is Urusei Yatsura (1978-1987) by Rumiko Takahashi. The story follows a young man, Ataru Moroboshi, who finds himself caught in a chaotic love triangle with an alien princess, Lum, and several other women. What makes Urusei Yatsura so important is how it introduced comedy and the unexpected circumstance into the genre. Ataru’s constant misunderstandings and the attention he receives from multiple women—each with unique quirks—became a blueprint for future harem stories. The combination of humor, romantic tension, and a bit of chaos made the series wildly popular and set the tone for how the harem genre would evolve.

As we moved into the 1990s, interactive media like visual novels and dating sims became a big part of the harem genre’s development. These games allowed players to step into the role of a central character who could interact with multiple love interests, choosing different paths and outcomes. Dating sims let players experience the fantasy of being pursued by various romantic partners, each with their own storyline. This interactive element deepened audience engagement, as fans could shape the romantic narrative themselves. These types of games made the harem dynamic even more popular, and they helped solidify the genre’s place in Japanese pop culture.

The Modern Harem Genre and Its Popularization

By the 1990s and early 2000s, the harem genre experienced a major boom, solidifying its place in Japanese pop culture. During this period, key works like Love Hina (1998-2001) and Tenchi Muyo! (1992) set the foundation for what would become the standard tropes of the genre. Love Hina is often credited with popularizing the idea of a male protagonist surrounded by several female love interests, each with distinct personalities and backgrounds. The story follows Keitaro, a clumsy, well-meaning guy who becomes the manager of an all-girls dormitory. As expected, romantic tension, misunderstandings, and comedic situations arise as the female characters develop feelings for him. Similarly, Tenchi Muyo! follows Tenchi Masaki, who finds himself in a similar situation when a group of alien women move into his home, creating chaos and romantic tension.

Both series helped to cement the harem genre’s defining characteristics. At the heart of these stories is the dynamic between a central, often average male protagonist and multiple women who are romantically interested in him. The genre typically blends romantic tension with lighthearted comedy, often through misunderstandings, awkward situations, and, at times, suggestive or ecchi elements. This combination of humor and romance is key to the genre's appeal, allowing it to reach a broad audience. The formula often creates a sense of escapism, where viewers can enjoy the fantasy of being the center of attention in an otherwise impossible romantic situation.

As the genre grew in popularity, subgenres and variations began to emerge. One of the most notable offshoots is the reverse harem, where the roles are flipped, and a female protagonist is surrounded by multiple male love interests. Examples like Fushigi Yûgi, Fruits Basket and Ouran High School Host Club brought the genre to women. In these stories, the female protagonist faces a similar dynamic—navigating romantic attention from multiple male characters while dealing with comedic and dramatic situations.

It did not take long for authors and mangaka to begin blending this moe with other popular styles like taking the seinen action stories and blending them to create action harem. This is where the romantic plot is interwoven with high-stakes battles and supernatural elements. High School DxD light novels and following anime are a prominent example of this subgenre as is believed to be one that popularized this type.

Conclusion

The harem genre has evolved significantly from its early roots in classical Japanese literature to become a defining element of modern manga, anime, and visual media. What began with stories like The Tale of Genji, which explored complex romantic entanglements, has transformed into a genre that offers both humor and escapism, reflecting deeper cultural ideals about love, relationships, and societal roles. From the post-war emergence of manga and anime, with pioneering works like Urusei Yatsura, to the rise of interactive visual novels in the 1990s, the genre has continually adapted to meet the changing tastes of its audience.

Harem stories have left a lasting impact on contemporary media, not just in Japan but worldwide. The genre’s appeal, particularly in the way it creates fantasies of choice and agency in relationships, has resonated across cultural boundaries. It has also inspired variations like the reverse harem and action-oriented harems, ensuring its broad reach and lasting popularity.

References

• Ayers, Nelson. “Demystifying the Enduring Popularity of the Harem Genre.” 33rd Square, Urban Walkabout Ltd, 4 Nov. 2023, www.33rdsquare.com/demystifying-the-enduring-popularity-of-the-harem-genre/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2024.
• The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “The Tale of Genji | History, Summary, and Importance.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Aug. 2024, www.britannica.com/topic/The-Tale-of-Genji
• Tropes, Contributors to Tv. “Harem Genre.” TV Tropes, 30 Sept. 2024, tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HaremGenre. Accessed 22 Oct. 2024
• von Feigenblatt, Otto Federico. “A socio-cultural analysis of romantic love in Japanese harem animation: A Buddhist monk, a Japanese knight, and a samurai.” Journal of Asia Pacific Studies 1.3 (2010): 636-646.
• Wikipedia contributors. “Harem.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 22 Oct. 2024. Web. 24 Oct. 2024.
• Wikipedia contributors. “Moe (slang).” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 10 Oct. 2024. Web. Accessed 24 Oct. 2024

Episode 3: The Basement

Tags: #pemberton #comedy #shortstory

The Pembrooke Mall was an odd place. Its reputation, nestled in the middle of nowhere and shaped like a double H, had become legendary among the few who dared to enter. It was home to a motley crew of store owners, each weirder than the last. And, as the new manager, Alex Taylor’s days were a peculiar blend of bureaucracy and bizarre encounters. Today, his mission was to locate the elusive supply closet in the basement, as dictated by the faded notes left by his predecessor. It was supposed to be a well-lit room stocked with the mall’s most expensive supplies, a sanctuary of sorts for the beleaguered manager. The problem was the notes also mentioned the basement was a labyrinthine maze that he never really explored.

It was one of the few things that he had not had a chance to do yet. The old manager had told him that this mall had been built on a failed project. An underground parking garage of all things and that the first two basement floors were used by the mall. The manager was also clear that they were only to use the first-floor basement and avoid the second floor as much as possible. She never did explain why.

Alex, armed with his flashlight, descended the cement stairs to the first-floor basement. The air was cool and a lot nicer than he had anticipated. The floors were cement, but they were well kept and clean. It almost felt like an office space with the rooms down each corridor. One would have thought he was in a skyscraper if it hadn’t been descending into the bowels of the Earth. The fluorescent lights flickered intermittently though, casting eerie shadows that danced along the walls.

‘I don’t want to spend too much time here,’ Alex thought to himself as he pocketed his flashlight. There was enough light down here.

As Alex reached the bottom of the stairs, he sighed and chose a hallway to go down. There were a lot of rooms and there weren’t any instructions on which held the expensive fluorescent lights he needed. He fumbled with his keys, trying each one, and was met with varying degrees of success. Some doors opened to reveal nothing more than forgotten inventory – old boxes of vinyl records, discarded mannequins, and a collection of broken shopping carts. Others, however, yielded more peculiar sights: a room full of vintage bowling trophies, another with a collection of porcelain cats, and one particularly unsettling space filled with nothing but taxidermied animals dressed in tiny, ill-fitting clothing.

“Why does this place have so many weird rooms?” Alex muttered to himself, his eyes skimming over a particular rabbit in a bowler hat. The silence was deafening, broken only by the distant hum of the basement lights. Every step he took seemed to echo through the hollow basement. It was just plain weird down here.

A flicker of movement caught Alex's eye. He froze, his heart pounding. Why had the basement gone to feeling creepy and that someone was out to get him? It was bright down here but the entire place had taken on an eerie feeling.

‘Why did I ever agree to this job? I should have taken that desk job at the insurance company.’ He thought to himself.

It was at the end of the corridor Alex noticed that the lights were not working and out of it a figure emerged. Alex squinted, his breath catching in his throat. The figure stepped into the light; its identity became clear. Relief washed over Alex, but it was quickly replaced by bewilderment. What on earth is Jean-Luc doing down here?

Jean-Luc Dubois was known for his outlandish taste in fashion – the kind that made him look like he had raided a circus wardrobe and then vomited on a thrift store. Today was no exception. Neon green blazer, check. Polka dot trousers, check. Mismatched socks – one orange, the other purple – double check. His ensemble was a visual assault that made Alex's eyes hurt just to look at.

‘Seriously, does he dress in the dark?’

“Jean-Luc?” Alex managed to get out. “What are you doing down here?”

Jean-Luc smiled at Alex, his face breaking into a wide grin. “Ah, mon cher Alex! What a delightful surprise to see you down here in the bowels of Pembrooke Mall!”

‘Great, even in the basement, he can't dial down the drama.’

“I... I could ask you the same thing,” Alex replied, trying to steady his voice and regain some semblance of composure. “Why are you here?”

Jean-Luc chuckled, a high-pitched sound that echoed eerily off the basement walls. Of course he laughs like a supervillain. If anyone else didn’t know who he was, they would have thought he was an escaped serial killer. Jean-Luc was the sweetest man anyone could have met in this life.

“Ah, my dear Alex, the basement is a treasure trove of forgotten wonders! I come here to seek out the peculiar and the bizarre, the things that others have abandoned but which still hold a certain... charm.”

Alex's mind was still reeling from the sight of Jean-Luc's outfit, but he couldn't deny a growing curiosity about what other oddities this basement might hold. “I see. Well, I'm looking for the supply closet. The one with the expensive stuff. Have you seen it?”

Jean-Luc’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Ah, the elusive supply closet! But, my dear Alex, you must tread carefully down here. There are rules, you know. Very important rules.”

Alex raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. “Rules? What kind of rules?”

Jean-Luc leaned in, lowering his voice to a dramatic whisper. The neon green of his blazer still blinding. “First, always bring a flashlight. The darkness down there can be quite deceptive.”

“Down there. You mean the second-floor basement,” Alex asked. “The one the previous manager told me to avoid at all costs?”

“Oh! You heard of it! Excellent!”

That was not comforting.

“Second,” Jean-Luc continued, his eyes wide with exaggerated seriousness, “never speak above a whisper. The echoes down here have a way of attracting... unwanted attention.”

“What are you—-” Alex replied with a raised eyebrow. For the first time, Alex was reconsidering Jean-Luc of being harmless. Maybe it was good he had the flashlight.

“And finally,” Jean-Luc’s voice dropped to a conspiratorial murmur, “ignore the female voice asking you questions.”

Who knew what this guy was smoking in his store that was only open Tuesday and Thursday at weird times.

“Just trust me, Alex. It’s best not to engage. The basement has its quirks, and some are best left undisturbed.”

“Right. I guess I’ll take your word for it.”

Yeah. Jean-Luc also missed the sarcasm.

“Good, good!” Jean-Luc said, clapping his hands together. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some fashion reconstructions to complete.”

With that, Jean-Luc strutted off down a corridor, his mismatched outfit a beacon of bizarre fashion. Alex watched him go, still trying to process the surreal encounter. Alex watched him go and make the turn for the stairs and then glanced back down at the paper in his hand.

He did need these expensive neon bulbs to fix up one of the arcade store lights the blew up. He wouldn’t have done it, if Hana Mizuki and Aiko Tanaka, the local magical girl cosplayers, hadn’t batted their pretty eyes at him.

‘You’re a sucker for a pretty face, Alex Taylor.’

He decided to explore the second level, despite the warnings. With a final glance down the hallway to make sure Jean-Luc wasn’t sneaking up on him for a prank, Alex searched for the door to the second level basement.

The building manager found it and it was not welcoming. It was an old, rusted steel door that looked like it had been installed haphazardly and there was a large padlock on it. It took him a few minutes to find which key opened it on the keyring.

Descending to the second basement, the air grew noticeably colder as he went further into the depths of the mall basement.

The second basement was a different beast altogether. The lights here were dimmer, casting long shadows that seemed to move of their own accord. Alex’s flashlight flickered, and he tightened his grip, feeling the weight of the darkness pressing in on him. The first thing he noticed was a door, its frame adorned with cobwebs and dust. It was slightly ajar, and a faint light spilled from within, a tantalizing glimpse of what lay beyond.

Swallowing his fear, Alex pushed the door open and stepped inside. The room was small, with a single light bulb swinging from the ceiling. Shelves lined the walls, stacked with supplies – expensive paper, top-of-the-line cleaning products, and even a few high-end snacks, their packaging pristine. Alex’s eyes widened in relief. He had found the supply closet quite easily.

Just as he was about to relax, a chilling breeze swept through the room, and the light bulb above him flickered violently. The silence was suddenly broken by a soft, echoing voice, like a whisper carried on the wind.

“Who’s there?” it giggled.

Alex froze. He spun around looking for the voice but could not pin it down. Was Jean-luc messing with him again? It didn’t quite sound like the fashion designer.

“Uh…just me. Getting supplies.”

“Whose me?”

“Um…”

What the hell was going on? He shifted on his feet and slowly turned around completely but saw nobody. There was no place in this walk-in closet to hide.

“I’m Alex.”

The voice responded, softer this time, the humor still in its voice. It sounded closer.

“Why are you here, Alex? What do you seek in the darkness?”

Alex’s skin crawled. He had to fight the urge to run.

“Our supplies. Like I said. And if this is you Jean-Luc, I’m going to have a long talk with you.”

“Oh, I’m not him. I’m someone else entirely.”

“Who?” Alex demanded, the anger overriding his fear.

There was no answer. The light bulb above him flickered one last time before it popped, plunging the room into darkness. Alex stood there, his flashlight beam the only source of light in the encroaching gloom. He quickly gathered the supplies he needed, his mind racing with the eerie encounter.

As he made his way back to the stairs, the basement seemed even stranger as if the shadows were slowly reaching out to him. He hurried up, every step on the stairs echoing in the stillness. When he finally reached the main floor, he felt a sense of relief wash over him. Alex’s first thought was to wait for Jean-Luc to come up so he could beat him for giving him a scare like that. After a few minutes when the strange man did not show up, the manager gave up and made his way back to his office.

Back in his office, Alex sat down, his heart still pounding. He took a deep breath, trying to shake off the unsettling experience. He had the lights he needed to replace and he also survived what was down there.

Wait. Didn’t he break the rules about talking? The manager shook his head. It didn’t matter since it was Jean-Luc messing with him. Right?

Yeah. He was going to have an extra beer tonight.

It has been awhile since I have had the opportunity to sit down and write a blog post. Things have been hectic and some projects just fall by the wayside. One of the things I promised to do is write a blog post about my experiences running a single user instance.

 You’re all on your Own

After spending about a month on Infosec.exchange and learning the ups and downs of mastodon, I decided that the biggest thing I wanted to do was own my own instance where I could control my entire social media presence. Instead of existing on someone’s server, I wanted my own. So, I set up a single user interface.

One of the biggest challenges is not federation but re-connecting to everyone and seeing all the posts again. One of the major things that helped me is that I had already followed 100+ people so when I migrated my account, I was able to automatically re-follow all of them allowing my feed to fill up.

One of the impacts that never crossed my mind is that you immediately lose the use of the local feed portion of mastodon. If you were on a different instance, you could use that to see what was being talked about on the instance you inhabited but if you exist as a Single User Instance, all that page has is your own toots. You lose a major portion of finding new content to engage with.

What this does is make more effort required to explore other instances and follow people so that you can get a varied feed.

 If you don’t engage, you don’t exist.

Engaging and communicating becomes even more important because nobody can use their local feed button to find you and you will more than likely be drowned out in the federated feed. To engage and to be found and to talk with other people requires much more exploration and actually responding to posts with your thoughts and opinions so that more people see your handle.

I’m not saying that one should go and spam for attention or participate in clout chasing. I am simply pointing out the fact that the ability for someone to stumble on to you is much harder. You can join a relay but sometimes what you post is outweighed by the flood of what is sent to you.

This also means that the use of hashtags becomes critical. I have discovered it’s a fine line between two little hashtags and too much. 

Actively Managing your server is a Must

There is no one else on your instance that is blocking inappropriate or illegal servers, cleaning out the databases and media folders using the tootctl CLI. All the day to day managing to keep yourself up and running will be handled entirely by you.

(This won’t really apply if you are hosting with a site that promises to take care of that for you but many SUIs I have seen are hosted on their own machines).

It got so bad that I had to write a bash script to automate a lot of the cleaning for me weekly and still have to check on it to make sure it ran correctly, I don’t have to adjust the speed, etc.

This can become doubly worse if you follow a large relay and that relay can swamp your server, run you out of space, and when that happens, your instance goes down.

The safety and security of your server and your feed is one hundred percent on you.

 Need a Script?

I’ve actually offered the script I use for any Ubuntu servers on my public git. I’m still working on it but might give you a good place to start cleaning!

 https://gitlab.com/JonathanS223/mastocleaner

 Until next time!

 

You know the internet has reached a breaking point when major news articles are now discussing enshittification and The Dead Internet theory. As someone who remembers as a child when the internet used to scream at you (and you capitalized the letter I), I and many others saw this coming.

The pattern was predictable in many ways. New technology is invented, enthusiasts begin to build communities and connections with technology like Usenets and forums, then corporations are born who say: “Look! Come be with us, we have the innovation, and we can do all the same things. Even better, we'll give it to you for free and do all the hard work.”

Thus, the silos were born, and then, in a matter of a decade, those people who joined the silos became food for the ads and now artificial intelligence.

I think it all came to a head when Elon Musk bought Twitter and destroyed it from the inside out. So many people had sworn Twitter was too strong, too important as a central source to be brought down by one man.

Boy, were they wrong. It is anecdotal, but I remember when everything circulated around Twitter. If you wanted to advertise your book, you went to Twitter. If you wanted to hang out with other authors, you went to Twitter. If you wanted to know anything and everything that was going on, you went to Twitter.

Twitter was a constant part of your life if you had a presence online, and there was always something new or interesting going on. You couldn't go a day without thinking about it or micro-blogging something to share with your author friends.

Now? I haven't had an account since April of 2022. There is no one there I know anymore, and the last time I stuck my head in, all I found were random complaints, racist trolls, and a bunch of ads for fake gacha games.

This isn't unique to Twitter. Google started it when they removed “Don't be evil” from their Code of Conduct in 2018. It was the Reddit Apocalypse when Steve Huffman decided that Reddit being a public company on the backs of unpaid moderators was the way to go, and then crushed the mod and user revolt so efficiently it would have made autocrats proud. Now Matt Mullenweg, CEO of Tumblr and WordPress' parent company Automattic, is going out of his way attacking a trans user and prepping the sale of all user data on both platforms to be sold to Midjourney and OpenAI.

These are just a few of the major incidents that have turned the once green grass silos into hellholes where the users are kept making content for free that companies can sell.

There is a growing trend online from what I can see of people wanting their internet and digital lives back. They want freedom from the system that's enslaved them.

Freedom is Difficult

For many seeking freedom, it's a challenge because companies have made it so easy to find content and get things curated that users struggle to understand how to do that now. If you go through a lot of articles on Mastodon and decentralized social media when Twitter collapsed and burned, people were confused on what to do, and no matter how simple people try to make it, nobody can grasp it.

If it's not the concept of federation, it's the whole curating of their own experience and the fact that they must participate instead of just sitting there and watching what comes in.

The users see the word social media and see social MEDIA when it is more correctly SOCIAL media. I'm not saying that we must give up on these people or that they are beyond hope. The internet is owned by all, and they deserve their digital freedom too. What I am confident we have to do as a community on the Fediverse is try and find ways to meet them in the middle and help them de-program and get their freedom back.

What are the Steps?

I don't have the answers to everything, nor am I stating that I do. I'm not a snake oil salesman writing this up so people think I have the answers. I don't. But what we need to start providing to those is:

• Work on coming up with explanations that are as simple and user-friendly as possible.
• A list of instances that are neutral and a good starting place for users to make a home until they get their feet under them.
• Tutorials on how to live on the Fediverse that aren't overly complicated.

If we don't make this more approachable, then we will never expand in any meaningful way.

When I picked the title for this blog, I knew I was stirring the pot. But you know what? The more I dive into the endless scroll of tags, the more I read about all the new projects popping up, the excitement they generate, and then the inevitable backlash, finger-pointing, and virtue signaling that follow, the more convinced I become that I'm onto something. It's been a wild ride these past few weeks, seeing how quickly things can go from innovative to controversial, from promising to problematic. It's like watching a never-ending drama unfold, with each act more tangled than the last. This whole experience has solidified something in my mind: “I don't think anyone really knows what they're doing.”

The Definition of Fediverse is Subjective

Trying to understand the Fediverse feels like chasing shadows – it's confusing and pretty frustrating a lot of the time. When we talk about the Fediverse, what are we really talking about? Is it just a fancy word for a certain tech trick, or does it include any website where you can connect with others but not through the big-name platforms? And what about the rules of the game – does it only count if it uses #ActivityPub, or do places using the #Diaspora protocol also get a seat at the table?

This confusion isn't just annoying; it's a big roadblock to development. If we can't even agree on what the Fediverse is, how are we supposed to talk about why it's good, what problems it has, or what it could become? Even more, how do we simplify it for those who just aren't techie people? It feels like we're all trying to play the same game but can't agree on the rules. This makes it super hard to explain why people should care about these alternative social media spots.

And this isn't just talk. For people trying to use these platforms, it matters a lot in figuring out what to expect when they log in. For the folks building these platforms, it's about knowing what they're aiming for and who they're talking to. Without a clear idea, we're all just stumbling around in the dark, trying to make sense of a space that could change the way we hang out online.

Have we not seen the most common questions on Reddit? Understanding how it works and there never is a simple explanation.

In a World of Supposed Coexistence, Purist Rhetoric Still Exists

The moment you first get online, it's like walking into a room where everyone knows the secret handshake except you. There's this sense of gatekeeping that's hard to ignore. Inventors and bright minds come forward with fresh ideas aimed at making the Fediverse a better place, but instead of being met with open arms, they're often shut down. It's disheartening, really. Peer pressure mounts, and attacks fly left and right, burying new concepts before they even have a chance to breathe. It feels like we're our own worst enemies sometimes, letting fear of change dictate who gets to contribute and who doesn't. It's always an accusation of: “You're not being respectful to [INSERT SPECIFIC SUBSET OF INHABITANTS].” No solution. Just yelling.

And now, with corporations starting to poke their heads through the door, eager to carve out their piece of the pie, it feels like the gatekeeping is only intensifying. It's as if we're tightening the noose around our own necks, suffocated by our collective apprehension. The irony is thick; in a space that prides itself on decentralization and freedom, we're boxing ourselves in, governed by an invisible rulebook that favors the status quo over innovation. If we're not careful, we're going to strangle the very essence of what made the Fediverse such an appealing alternative in the first place. Our fear of the unknown, of losing control to corporate interests, might just be the thing that holds us back from evolving.

The False Expectation of Privacy

You know what annoys me the most? It's the sheer misunderstanding of what privacy means in this space. Folks flock to the Fediverse, lured by the promise of a haven from the prying eyes of mainstream social media, thinking they've found privacy's secret garden. But here's the kicker: they couldn't be more exposed if they tried.

When you post something to the public timeline on the Fediverse, you're not just whispering in a secluded alley; you're essentially grabbing a megaphone and broadcasting your thoughts in the digital equivalent of Times Square, under the brightest of spotlights. This isn't a cozy, gated community where everyone knows your name and privacy is respected by default. No, it's more like you've set up a billboard with your thoughts, photos, and data, not realizing that this system is designed to keep that billboard circulating far and wide.

And here's where it gets even more tangled. Despite the Fediverse's openness, it seems like not everyone got the memo on how public 'public' really is here. They lay out their digital lives for all to see, then seem shocked when their information ends up in corners they never intended it to visit. That's why the smarter spaces in our Fediverse universe have started to emphasize the importance of private and unlisted features. But even then, it's like pulling teeth to get people to use them.

This brings me to a point I can't hammer home enough: personal responsibility. Everyone needs to start taking their own online protection seriously instead of laying that burden at others' feet. Sure, we're part of a community—a digital society where ideally, we look out for one another. But let's be real; this isn't a utopia where a select few guardian angels manage our safety for us. In the Fediverse, just like in the real world, we've got to work together, yes, but also take charge of our own digital footprints. It's on us to navigate this space wisely, using the tools at our disposal to carve out our corners of privacy. Because at the end of the day, if you're not looking out for yourself, who will?

We are a Confederacy

I do not say that to invoke flashbacks to the American Civil War or the antebellum period. I’m referring to the system of government. The definition of a Confederation government is: “political union of sovereign states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issues, such as defence [sic], foreign relations, internal trade or currency, with the central government being required to provide support for all its members.”(1)

We are a Confederation.

For example, the #fedipact is an example of one side of the Fediverse trying to answer the question of what to do about Meta. They created a treaty, and a lot of instances signed up for it. Others did not, which is their prerogative. The point was that someone had actually created a plan to try to solve the issue the way they wanted. This gives instances multiple different avenues of approach to handle a situation they think would be the best.

We cannot stop the corporations or the bad actors from coming here. With enough perseverance, anyone can keep showing up. It's only through treaties and keeping each other informed that we can protect our “nation states.”

The digital world doesn't stand still, and neither can we. With entities like Bluesky on the horizon, developing their own protocols to mesh with ours, the stakes are only getting higher. There's a palpable fear that Bluesky might try to dominate, to impose their will and their protocols over ours. Yet, what do we gain from letting fear dictate our actions? If history has taught us anything, it's that fortresses built from fear are the first to crumble.

Instead of drawing battle lines in the sand, it's time for instances, both big and small, to shed the “my way or the highway” mentality and start forging working relationships. Let's learn from Bluesky, meet them where our protocols can mesh, ensuring they respect the sanctity of unlisted and private settings. If Bluesky—or any newcomer, for that matter—aims to take over, they'll find themselves grasping at straws. Why? Because we didn't buy into their proprietary playbook. We took the high road, the smart road, by sticking to our principles without isolating ourselves. We opened the door with rules and, if they behave, let them participate.

In essence, the future of decentralized social media doesn't just depend on our ability to stand firm on our individual islands but on our willingness to build bridges between them. It's about creating a network of alliances, a Confederation in the truest sense, where unity and autonomy don't just coexist but strengthen each other. Now, more than ever, it's time to embrace that spirit of collaboration. After all, in unity, there's strength—strength to adapt, evolve, and withstand whatever the digital tides throw our way.

We Need to Get Along

In the grand, tumultuous world of decentralized social media, if there's one mantra we should all be chanting in unison, it's “Let's get along.” (And no, I'm not talking about the bastards—nazis, TERFs, and other harmful groups that try to get on. We can't stop them, but we can force them to stay in their own holes.)

Think about it—our strength, our very essence in the Fediverse relies on the bridges we build and the connections we forge. Imagine a world where ActivityPub bumps into Diaspora and says, “Hey! I'm ActivityPub. Got something here I need to pass on to your folks. Can you help make it understandable for them?” And vice versa. Picture Bluesky tossing their digital messages into the mix, and instead of a communication breakdown, we have ActivityPub and Diaspora acting like seasoned translators, ensuring everything is clean, compatible, and safe for all parties involved.

But how do we achieve this level of interoperability? By establishing easy digital borders where data isn't just tossed over the fence in the hopes someone on the other side catches it, but is instead carefully interpreted, translated, and handed over in a manner that everyone can understand and appreciate. This isn't just about making nice for the sake of harmony; it's about ensuring the Fediverse remains a vibrant, dynamic space where ideas and information flow freely and safely across platform lines.

Let's face it: corporations are a fixture in our digital landscape. Wishing them away is as futile as trying to hold back the sea with a broom. We can't barricade the doors and hope they'll just disappear. But what we can do, as a digital Confederation, is to set the terms of engagement. We can establish our boundaries, our rules of interaction, that allow us to engage with these corporate entities on our terms. It's about not just coexisting but thriving, by ensuring that when these giants step into our realm, they do so with respect for the values and principles that define us.

Will those be different? Yes. That's the nature of the beast. Some instances will not allow Bluesky or Meta to talk to them, but that doesn't mean they should force that on other instances who want to see their members interact with us.

In essence, building these bridges and setting these borders isn't just an act of defense; it's an assertion of our identity, our autonomy, and our vision for a federated digital world. It's a clear message that while we welcome the flow of ideas and innovation, we do so on the foundation of mutual respect and understanding. By fostering this environment, we not only protect the integrity of the Fediverse but also pave the way for a future where decentralized social media isn't just an alternative but a preferred, respected standard in the digital age.

References

1. Wikipedia contributors. (2024, February 23). Confederation. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 21:53, February 23, 2024, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Confederation&oldid=1209828498