Becinator
@artdragon86.bsky.social
Artist and writer (fantasy/sci-fi). Lecturer and researcher with a PhD in IT/HCI. Gardener. Actually three bin chickens in a trenchcoat. Melbourne/Australia
https://artdragon86.carrd.co/
https://artdragon86.carrd.co/
Pinned
Becinator
@artdragon86.bsky.social
· Nov 9
Since more folks are joining BlueSky, I thought I'd do an intro post.
My hobbies/interests:
-Writing/reading (mostly fantasy and sci-fi)
-Art (traditional media, mostly landscapes, animals and still lifes)
-Gardening
-Academia (InfoTech/HCI)
-Games (esp. Pokemon)
-Tea
-Dogs (esp. German Shepherds)
My hobbies/interests:
-Writing/reading (mostly fantasy and sci-fi)
-Art (traditional media, mostly landscapes, animals and still lifes)
-Gardening
-Academia (InfoTech/HCI)
-Games (esp. Pokemon)
-Tea
-Dogs (esp. German Shepherds)
Had to go and see my eye specialist in the city today so I decided to do some shopping afterwards. Some new science fiction and fantasy books, art supplies, nice shower gel and perfume from the Body Shop, some chocolates and lots of new tea.
February 13, 2026 at 5:37 AM
Had to go and see my eye specialist in the city today so I decided to do some shopping afterwards. Some new science fiction and fantasy books, art supplies, nice shower gel and perfume from the Body Shop, some chocolates and lots of new tea.
If I see someone post about something that sounds interesting or relevant to me and then realise the link they're directing me to is on Substack, I don't click. I know I'm not alone in that regard.
Not only is it unethical to be on a site that supports Nazis, it also costs you views/traffic.
Not only is it unethical to be on a site that supports Nazis, it also costs you views/traffic.
If you're still on Substack, just a reminder that since the end of 2023 they've confirmed they're cool with paying nazis to spout nazi shit. They haven't changed.
NEW: Substack founders finally respond to Substackers Against Nazis. They say Nazis publishing and earning money on their platform is fine with them.
Their full statement here: substack.com/@hamish/note...
Their full statement here: substack.com/@hamish/note...
February 12, 2026 at 8:02 AM
If I see someone post about something that sounds interesting or relevant to me and then realise the link they're directing me to is on Substack, I don't click. I know I'm not alone in that regard.
Not only is it unethical to be on a site that supports Nazis, it also costs you views/traffic.
Not only is it unethical to be on a site that supports Nazis, it also costs you views/traffic.
Reposted by Becinator
One thing that astonishes me about the Herzog visit is that Israel has murdered more journalists than any other state in the 21st century, and he hasn’t faced a single question about this (to my knowledge) from the Australian media
February 12, 2026 at 5:24 AM
One thing that astonishes me about the Herzog visit is that Israel has murdered more journalists than any other state in the 21st century, and he hasn’t faced a single question about this (to my knowledge) from the Australian media
Reposted by Becinator
A reasonable discussion about AI would come to the conclusion that this tech is damaging to humanity in virtually every way a tech can be damaging.
But I'd rather have an emotional discussion and point out that this tech is shit made by assholes, and it stole from me, personally, so fuck it.
But I'd rather have an emotional discussion and point out that this tech is shit made by assholes, and it stole from me, personally, so fuck it.
February 12, 2026 at 1:23 AM
A reasonable discussion about AI would come to the conclusion that this tech is damaging to humanity in virtually every way a tech can be damaging.
But I'd rather have an emotional discussion and point out that this tech is shit made by assholes, and it stole from me, personally, so fuck it.
But I'd rather have an emotional discussion and point out that this tech is shit made by assholes, and it stole from me, personally, so fuck it.
Reduced pay rates for under-21s for most entry level retail/ hospitality/fast food jobs were always bullshit. As an 18-year-old in retail it used to shit me up the wall that the oldies who stood around talking all shift got paid more than me when I was doing the work.
www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02...
www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02...
Young people could get massive pay boost in 'totemic' wage case
Hardworking young people are sweating on a key wage case that could boost their pay, while businesses warn it could cause a collapse in employment.
www.abc.net.au
February 11, 2026 at 2:47 AM
Reduced pay rates for under-21s for most entry level retail/ hospitality/fast food jobs were always bullshit. As an 18-year-old in retail it used to shit me up the wall that the oldies who stood around talking all shift got paid more than me when I was doing the work.
www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02...
www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02...
Reposted by Becinator
QUT will take over famous literary magazine Meanjin, after the journal was closed by Melbourne Uni Publishing last year.
This is a win for all who campaigned to save the masthead, but hardly makes up for the damage done last year www.smh.com.au/culture/book...
This is a win for all who campaigned to save the masthead, but hardly makes up for the damage done last year www.smh.com.au/culture/book...
Axed literary magazine Meanjin finds a new home after its axing
Melbourne University Press closed the much-loved literary magazine last year, saying it was losing too much money.
www.smh.com.au
February 11, 2026 at 2:40 AM
QUT will take over famous literary magazine Meanjin, after the journal was closed by Melbourne Uni Publishing last year.
This is a win for all who campaigned to save the masthead, but hardly makes up for the damage done last year www.smh.com.au/culture/book...
This is a win for all who campaigned to save the masthead, but hardly makes up for the damage done last year www.smh.com.au/culture/book...
Working on the novel today. I need to write a battle scene between two opposing armies, each with different supernatural powers.
This will either be epic and glorious or it will go completely off the rails (in a bad way).
This will either be epic and glorious or it will go completely off the rails (in a bad way).
February 11, 2026 at 2:21 AM
Working on the novel today. I need to write a battle scene between two opposing armies, each with different supernatural powers.
This will either be epic and glorious or it will go completely off the rails (in a bad way).
This will either be epic and glorious or it will go completely off the rails (in a bad way).
My petunias really like this spot on my kitchen windowsill. They have completely smothered the poor marigolds that were in there with them lol
February 10, 2026 at 9:14 AM
My petunias really like this spot on my kitchen windowsill. They have completely smothered the poor marigolds that were in there with them lol
Reposted by Becinator
I'm convinced AI is our generation's radium - a discovery with genuinely useful applications in specific, controlled circumstances that we stupidly put in everything from kid's toys to toothpaste until we realised the harm far too late where future generations will ask if we were out of our minds.
February 8, 2026 at 10:23 PM
I'm convinced AI is our generation's radium - a discovery with genuinely useful applications in specific, controlled circumstances that we stupidly put in everything from kid's toys to toothpaste until we realised the harm far too late where future generations will ask if we were out of our minds.
Updated my post here to include more information about the symptoms and risk factors and links for more information, since it seems a few other folks are in the same boat as me: diagnosed with a rare eye condition with no cure and no one trying to find one.
This was a hard post to write on my writing blog and it doesn't necessarily have so much to do with writing as it does with life in general, and I'm not sure how long I'll leave it publically visible, but I needed to write it.
rebeccajfleming.wordpress.com/2026/02/06/a...
rebeccajfleming.wordpress.com/2026/02/06/a...
Acute macular neuroretinopathy: adventures in dealing with rare and incurable diseases
I first noticed a small blurry/blank patch of vision in my right eye in late 2019 after getting really sick with the flu and dealing with extended stress as a result of my PhD (largely caused by th…
rebeccajfleming.wordpress.com
February 9, 2026 at 12:28 AM
Updated my post here to include more information about the symptoms and risk factors and links for more information, since it seems a few other folks are in the same boat as me: diagnosed with a rare eye condition with no cure and no one trying to find one.
Managed to finish another chapter of my fantasy novel and hit 95,000 words on the manuscript today.
That'll do, pig. That'll do.
That'll do, pig. That'll do.
February 8, 2026 at 11:04 AM
Managed to finish another chapter of my fantasy novel and hit 95,000 words on the manuscript today.
That'll do, pig. That'll do.
That'll do, pig. That'll do.
I had yoghurt for dessert, which means Rosco also had to be paid his dues.
February 8, 2026 at 9:42 AM
I had yoghurt for dessert, which means Rosco also had to be paid his dues.
hmm BOM website says we're meant to be getting lots of rain and storms for the next few hours.
*looks outside at clear, sunny sky*
*presses X to doubt*
*looks outside at clear, sunny sky*
*presses X to doubt*
February 8, 2026 at 1:54 AM
hmm BOM website says we're meant to be getting lots of rain and storms for the next few hours.
*looks outside at clear, sunny sky*
*presses X to doubt*
*looks outside at clear, sunny sky*
*presses X to doubt*
Wrote about 600 new words of novel yesterday. Which is not much, but it's more than I've been able to write all week. It's difficult to concentrate on doing anything creative when things are going to shit, but I'm hoping that by pushing myself to get some writing done, more will follow.
February 8, 2026 at 1:36 AM
Wrote about 600 new words of novel yesterday. Which is not much, but it's more than I've been able to write all week. It's difficult to concentrate on doing anything creative when things are going to shit, but I'm hoping that by pushing myself to get some writing done, more will follow.
Without naming your job, tell me something you say over and over again at work.
“As explained in the assignment brief…”
“As explained in the assignment brief…”
Without naming your job, tell me something you say over and over again at work.
“It doesn’t have to be good. It just has to be finished.”
“It doesn’t have to be good. It just has to be finished.”
Without naming your job, tell me something you say over and over again at work.
"Twist a thin-cut swatch of lemon peel over the top."
"Twist a thin-cut swatch of lemon peel over the top."
February 7, 2026 at 8:28 PM
Without naming your job, tell me something you say over and over again at work.
“As explained in the assignment brief…”
“As explained in the assignment brief…”
Reposted by Becinator
Sports commentators really do talk nonsense.
"In the moment, you're really looking out of your eyes."
"You find that your brain is thinking a lot."
"You can tell by his face that he wants to win."
"If it hadn't been for [the fastest skier], he would have had the fastest time."
#olympics
"In the moment, you're really looking out of your eyes."
"You find that your brain is thinking a lot."
"You can tell by his face that he wants to win."
"If it hadn't been for [the fastest skier], he would have had the fastest time."
#olympics
February 7, 2026 at 12:24 PM
Sports commentators really do talk nonsense.
"In the moment, you're really looking out of your eyes."
"You find that your brain is thinking a lot."
"You can tell by his face that he wants to win."
"If it hadn't been for [the fastest skier], he would have had the fastest time."
#olympics
"In the moment, you're really looking out of your eyes."
"You find that your brain is thinking a lot."
"You can tell by his face that he wants to win."
"If it hadn't been for [the fastest skier], he would have had the fastest time."
#olympics
Today's harvest from my garden.
February 7, 2026 at 7:57 AM
Today's harvest from my garden.
Reposted by Becinator
This was a hard post to write on my writing blog and it doesn't necessarily have so much to do with writing as it does with life in general, and I'm not sure how long I'll leave it publically visible, but I needed to write it.
rebeccajfleming.wordpress.com/2026/02/06/a...
rebeccajfleming.wordpress.com/2026/02/06/a...
Acute macular neuroretinopathy: adventures in dealing with rare and incurable diseases
I first noticed a small blurry/blank patch of vision in my right eye in late 2019 after getting really sick with the flu and dealing with extended stress as a result of my PhD (largely caused by th…
rebeccajfleming.wordpress.com
February 6, 2026 at 9:56 AM
This was a hard post to write on my writing blog and it doesn't necessarily have so much to do with writing as it does with life in general, and I'm not sure how long I'll leave it publically visible, but I needed to write it.
rebeccajfleming.wordpress.com/2026/02/06/a...
rebeccajfleming.wordpress.com/2026/02/06/a...
I once went on a date with a guy my friend set me up with who called me the r-word slur because I liked Pokemon and fantasy/sci-fi novels (he also proudly stated that he hadn't read a book since primary school).
That date lasted 6 minutes. There was no second date.
That date lasted 6 minutes. There was no second date.
February 7, 2026 at 1:38 AM
I once went on a date with a guy my friend set me up with who called me the r-word slur because I liked Pokemon and fantasy/sci-fi novels (he also proudly stated that he hadn't read a book since primary school).
That date lasted 6 minutes. There was no second date.
That date lasted 6 minutes. There was no second date.
This was a hard post to write on my writing blog and it doesn't necessarily have so much to do with writing as it does with life in general, and I'm not sure how long I'll leave it publically visible, but I needed to write it.
rebeccajfleming.wordpress.com/2026/02/06/a...
rebeccajfleming.wordpress.com/2026/02/06/a...
Acute macular neuroretinopathy: adventures in dealing with rare and incurable diseases
I first noticed a small blurry/blank patch of vision in my right eye in late 2019 after getting really sick with the flu and dealing with extended stress as a result of my PhD (largely caused by th…
rebeccajfleming.wordpress.com
February 6, 2026 at 9:56 AM
This was a hard post to write on my writing blog and it doesn't necessarily have so much to do with writing as it does with life in general, and I'm not sure how long I'll leave it publically visible, but I needed to write it.
rebeccajfleming.wordpress.com/2026/02/06/a...
rebeccajfleming.wordpress.com/2026/02/06/a...
Today in my garden, Rosco helped me repot my long red chilli plants. My candy stripe capsicum looked like it's starting to turn red, and my carrots and beetroots are also coming along well, no doubt thanks to Rosco's diligent supervision.
February 6, 2026 at 7:24 AM
Today in my garden, Rosco helped me repot my long red chilli plants. My candy stripe capsicum looked like it's starting to turn red, and my carrots and beetroots are also coming along well, no doubt thanks to Rosco's diligent supervision.
Reposted by Becinator
Excellent piece by the ABC’s Elisa Kinsella on the long-term problems confronting Victoria’s CFA. Ageing volunteers, ageing trucks, funding that can’t keep up: Victoria faces deep structural problems, in a state that only keeps getting hotter and more fire-prone www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02...
The quiet crisis in Victoria's firefighting frontline
Volunteer firefighters battling blazes that razed homes and destroyed livestock in Victoria last month say they contended with failing radios and broken down trucks, as questions mount over the viabil...
www.abc.net.au
February 6, 2026 at 4:52 AM
Excellent piece by the ABC’s Elisa Kinsella on the long-term problems confronting Victoria’s CFA. Ageing volunteers, ageing trucks, funding that can’t keep up: Victoria faces deep structural problems, in a state that only keeps getting hotter and more fire-prone www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02...
Just heard Rosco stretch in his sleep and do the most world-weary, drawn-out old man groan that has ever come out of any living creature.
Because that dog just has such a hard life, curled up in his soft armchair and snoring away.
Because that dog just has such a hard life, curled up in his soft armchair and snoring away.
February 6, 2026 at 4:10 AM
Just heard Rosco stretch in his sleep and do the most world-weary, drawn-out old man groan that has ever come out of any living creature.
Because that dog just has such a hard life, curled up in his soft armchair and snoring away.
Because that dog just has such a hard life, curled up in his soft armchair and snoring away.
